[ominous music]
[narrator] World Wrestling Entertainment,
for over 50 years, the revolutionary force in sports entertainment.
[ominous music]
[Undertaker] As we sat on the edge of Armageddon,
I am not afraid.
[Austin] Somebody is going to get their ass whipped.
[Undertaker] There will be no mercy.
There will be no remorse.
[Austin] It is going to be one hell of a fight.
There ain't nobody or nothing that can keep me
from tearing your ass to hell.
[Undertaker] You can fight it, but you can't survive it.
You will rest in peace.
[Austin] The Undertaker is going to have
the coldest day in hell.
And that's the bottom line, because Stone Cold said so.
[Undertaker] You will rest in peace.
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] Happy Mother's Day and welcome, everybody,
to the sold-out Richmond, Virginia Coliseum,
where it's a Cold Day in Hell.
And welcome to In Your House.
Jim Ross alongside Jerry "The King" Lawler here at ringside.
And King, not only tonight will the WWE title be decided
when The Phenom of the WWE, The Undertaker,
takes on the toughest S.O.B. many of us have ever seen,
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
We're also, King, going to see the first Pay-Per-View event
in the WWE with the world's most dangerous man.
[King] That's right, Ross. You're right, it's Mother's Day,
and here I am sitting next to the kind of guy
my mother warned me not to associate with!
But I'ma tell you this, speaking of mothers,
Ken Shamrock, I hope you kissed yours goodbye.
And I hope you hugged your little wife, Tina, and
your four little kids, because I promise you,
you may not ever see them again after Vader gets through with you tonight.
Folks, we certainly appreciate
you inviting us into your house for this great event.
And Ahmed Johnson may long remember this Mother's Day
in Richmond, Virginia, because Ahmed will take on three men,
three men in succession.
And if Ahmed is successful, King, the Nation of Domination has vowed
that they will abolish their organization.
That's right, it'll fall apart, it'll crumble, it'll be disbanded!
But Ahmed Johnson will not be successful.
♪ Oh, Flash, you are so… ♪
[J.R.] Well, folks, we are ready to go here.
-♪ …funky ♪ -[J.R.] Flash-- oh, my!
♪ Flash! ♪
♪ Uh-huh ♪
♪ Flash! ♪
♪ Mm ♪
♪ Flash, you're bad ♪
♪ The way you love your ladies ♪
♪ Make 'em all feel fine ♪
[bell dinging]
♪ Oh, Flash ♪
♪ Get bad ♪
[announcer] Coming down the aisle
from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
weighing 243 pounds, Flash Funk!
♪ Flash, it's time to get your rhythm around ♪
♪ Flash'll show you how to funk in down ♪
[J.R.] Well, folks, that's Flash Funk… without the Funkettes,
more on that momentarily,
makes his way to the ring.
You know, we're broadcasting live
not only in the United States, but all throughout Canada
and the United Kingdom.
And we'd like to… with our broadcast team,
there you see Tito Santana on your left and Carlos Cabrera.
[speaking Spanish]
We also have our French broadcast team
Ray Rougeau on your left and Jean Broussard on your right.
[speaking Spanish]
[King] You speak French? Parlez-vous fried egg?
[J.R.] No, I don't. I barely speak English.
[King] That's the truth.
[J.R.] The Funkettes are not here, King.
What do you know about that?
I heard it had something to do with Chyna's intimidation.
[King] Yeah! I'll tell you why they're not here.
Because they heard through the grapevine
that if they showed up at ringside,
Chyna was going to kick them right to the curb.
And I guarantee you, they're not as dumb as they look.
They stayed home.
[J.R.] Flash Funk, a great athlete
with a tremendous flying skills,
was trained at a Japanese dojo.
[King] What?
[J.R.] I'll-- I'll explain that to you.
[Beethoven, "Symphony No. 9 in D minor"]
[announcer] It's a premier, to be accompanied
towards the ring by Chyna.
From Greenwich, Connecticut, weighing 246 pounds,
Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
[Beethoven, "Symphony No. 9 in D minor"]
[J.R.] Hunter Hearst Helmsley, a former Intercontinental Champion,
resides in Greenwich, Connecticut.
If there was one aristocrat in the WWE,
I would have to say that that would be Hunter Hearst Helmsley, a good friend
of John F Kennedy Jr. He travels in fast circles.
As a matter of fact, I hear Helmsley may be on the cover
in the upcoming months, of George Magazine, King.
[King] Is that right?
I'm gonna tell ya, he's a blue blood all the way.
And-- oh, look at that!
Intimidation factor setting in right now.
Look at the look on Chyna's face.
[J.R.] Chyna is a monster.
Pardon the expression for this lady on Mother's Day,
but, well, matter of fact, last night
on Shotgun Saturday Night, Helmsley had a match-up with Mankind.
Now, Mankind gets the Mandible Claw, King.
But watch what Chyna does to Mankind.
[King] Oh, oh, a little low. Ooh!
[bell dinging]
[J.R.] The old uppercut there down
in that south of the border.
I think the that night we called it a galata.
-Well, it was a double galata. -[bell dinging]
[King] No!
She was not through.
[J.R.] Mankind wins the match by a disqualification.
But she is a dangerous and an evil woman.
["Symphony No. 9 in D minor" continues]
-And the referee ready… -[bell dinging]
…to go here. There's the bell. We're ready for action.
Flash Funk, he's got a lot to gain
here in this because he's got six mouths at home to feed.
Six little Flashes running around,
training in the dojo in Japan.
-[King] Go ahead and explain "dojo" to me. -[J.R.] Well, it's a training facility
in Japan for the rookies, for the wannabes,
and Flash made it.
Course, Helmsley had a wrestling tutor
whenever he was three.
He's a… the old silver spoon applies for him, King.
[King] What do you mean by that, now?
That's a derogatory remark.
[J.R.] Well, he's a… he's a man of, uh, considerable wealth.
-[King] Right. -[J.R.] We understand.
[King] What's wrong with that? You jealous?
[J.R.] Ah, well, you know.
[cheers]
That's a good countermove.
Flash Funk is very, very quick quicker than Helmsley,
one would assume.
Nice arm drag takeover there.
And it has been verified, ladies and gentlemen,
that the Hart Foundation has, through a scalper,
bought five front row seats.
[King] He has?
[J.R.] And as a matter of fact, I can see those seats
from where we're sitting.
But five seats available for The Hart Foundation.
[King] Look at that guy trying to sit down.
-Get away from there! -[J.R.] There they are.
They'll be sitting at ringside.
We don't know exactly when the leader, Bret Hart,
will bring his entourage out, but they will be out here
at ringside sometime tonight.
[King] Now, why wouldn't somebody give Bret Hart
I mean, here he is, the wheel chairman
of the entire Hart Foundation.
Why wouldn't somebody give him some complimentary tickets tonight?
[J.R.] Well, I don't know. I don't know that he asked for them.
[King] McMahon is so cheap.
[J.R.] Flash Funk is very unorthodox in many
of his offensive maneuvers, takes a lot of chances.
-Good drop kick. -[King] Look out!
[J.R.] And Helmsley goes up and over.
This is where you got to watch Flash.
He will fly.
He will take a chance right here
if afforded the opportunity.
[King] Where's he going?
Swoosh!
[yelling]
[J.R.] Flash with a clothesline off the top,
catapulting himself up in the air.
Nice hang time there.
[King] And I think the back of Hunter's head hit
against that metal railing.
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] Tell you what, it was a very eventful free-for-all.
We saw Ken Shamrock get assaulted
and attacked by Vader and Mankind.
[King] Oh, watch it, Hunter!
Watch it, Hunter! Missed him.
Ha-ha!
[J.R.] Attempted baseball slide by Flash.
And the referee right out there…
-[yelling] -Wait a sec.
Wait a minute. What's Helm…
-[booing] -[King] What happened?
[J.R.] Good gosh!
Chyna striking Flash.
[King] I-- I didn't see it.
Who?
You said Chyna hit somebody?
[J.R.] Oh, she hit Flash, King.
Oh, by the way.
[King] I must have missed it.
[J.R.] Watch this.
The referee diverted and then a clothesline from behind
on this woman who's got to be at least 200 pounds.
[King] She dropped him like a bad habit.
Take a look at her!
I mean, let me ask you a question about her,
what do you think, briefs or boxers?
[J.R.] Lord, I don't have any idea about that.
Maybe ask Eddie Murphy, he may have
a better clue on that than me.
[King] Come on, Hunter!
Finish him off right now.
Uh oh!
[J.R.] Flash Funk with a lot of resiliency.
And Helmsley, who's been having his problems
in recent weeks with Goldust and certainly… uh-oh.
[King] Oh, wow!
[chuckles]
[J.R.] Kind of a jawbreaker there and the knee,
high knee up to the sternum area.
Maybe he got some of the chin again by Helmsley.
[King] Folks, got any brains left,
you better get away from Chyna.
[J.R.] I heard that Helmsley was consoling
-Kathie Lee Gifford over this… -Get him out of the corner, Hunter.
[J.R.] …his alleged tryst that Frank had.
You know, they're neighbors in Greenwich, Helmsley and Gifford.
[King] I know that!
I've been to Hunter's house.
Back it out.
[King] Yeah, hey, you haven't lived
until you go to Hunter's house and see.
You ever seen mink toilet seats?
[J.R.] No.
-[King] Ah, man. -[J.R.] That'd be nice.
[King] I'm telling you. Look at that.
[J.R.] Not very nice right now in the ring,
is Helmsley stomping away,
aiming those kicks right at the solar plexus of Flash Funk.
[booing]
You know, this woman certainly is not here for moral support.
[King] She's quite a looker, too. You know, I even heard a rumor
that she may be behind the break up of Marla Maples and Donald Trump.
-[J.R.] I think he likes blondes. -[King] Look at that!
-[J.R.] Oh, the right hand. -[King] Woo hoo! Hoo hoo hoo!
[J.R.] That is a thunderous ride,
and it puts anybody at a disadvantage
that wrestles Helmsley.
[King] That's all! No, it's not.
Oh, that would have been great.
[J.R.] Two and a half on the near fall there.
Chyna, this huge, this…
she's got such a tremendous muscular development.
Nice chin too.
Jay Leno, eat your heart out.
[King] Whoa!
[J.R.] Front facelock into the suplex by Helmsley.
And Helmsley, the pompous one.
[booing]
[King] Oh, he's got a great ace in the hole, this woman Chyna.
[J.R.] Harley Race-like knee drop right to the head there.
And now Helmsley going for a cover.
And I got another near fall.
Thanks to Chyna, Helmsley is in control of this match up, King.
[King] Oh, come on. Come on!
Give Hunter a little credit.
[J.R.] Well, he's got… hey, he's a great athlete.
I've always said that.
But it's obvious that she is not only a distraction,
but a physical presence now in Helmsley's matches.
And I've heard that at some live WWE events,
she's been getting really involved from a physical sense.
Think she's got a boyfriend?
[King] She needs a man friend.
[chuckles]
[J.R.] Are you volunteering?
[King] Well…
[J.R.] I mean, you are-- ooh! --the King.
[King] Come on, Hunter!
-[J.R.] You guys would make a cute couple. -[King] Yeah.
[J.R.] Helmsley buries a knee into the abdomen of Flash Funk.
And we hope, folks, to be talking to Ken Shamrock
in a few minutes.
Get an update from Ken.
Now, Todd Pettengill kept us abreast of his situation
in the free-for-all.
I'll guarantee you, Shamrock is not the kind of guy
who's going to make any excuses.
[King] He may not make any talk with you, Ross.
He may be like Albert Belle.
He may get in one of those weird zones
he likes to talk about.
He may not even want to speak to you
right before a big match.
[J.R.] Well, Ken Shamrock has nothing in common
with the egomaniac Albert Belle who probably belongs
in a sanitarium somewhere.
[King] Who, Shamrock?
[J.R.] No, Belle…
Oh, hard right hand!
Back it up!
[J.R.] Helmsley's got a mean streak too,
let's not overlook the fact.
This guy, yeah, is refined.
He's got expensive automobiles.
His parents have a lot of money.
[J.R.] This guy's a very, very talented athlete.
We know that he was trained by WWE Hall of Famer Killer Kowalski.
And long-time fans know the kind of athlete
that Killer Kowalski was.
He was a Dominator throughout the '50s, and the '60s,
and part of the '70s.
Ooh!
Another knee right to the spot.
Oh, man!
Flash goes out face first on that steel rampway.
[King] Check it out, back at the old dojo.
[laughs] He flew then, didn't he?
[J.R.] It's too bad we didn't get to see the Funkettes.
I guess we can thank Chyna for that.
Flash's face.
[King] You love to watch.
You love to see the Funkettes, don't you, Ross?
Let me tell you something about the Funkettes.
-[J.R.] Yeah? [King] They're like the moon to you.
-[J.R.] How you figure? -[King] They're nice to look at,
but you ain't never gonna go there.
[J.R.] Well, you're right about that, King.
I'm happily married anyway.
[King] Look at this!
Oh, no!
[J.R.] Helmsley was a little bit too deliberate.
[King] He is knocked out!
[J.R.] Flash Funk got about the only thing up that he could,
and that was his foot.
[King] Uh-oh!
[J.R.] And this big crowd here in Richmond Virginia getting back into it here.
Flash Funk…
going right downstairs to the right.
-[King] Watch, watch, watch this move. -[J.R.] Yeah, look at this foot.
[King] Right on the butt of the chin.
[J.R.] I think he may have caught Helmsley on the nose.
How could you miss?
[King] Aw, that's not funny.
[J.R.] Hunter swept far side.
[King] Ah!
[slam]
[J.R.] Nice elevation in that back body drop.
And Flash, sooner or later, you got to believe he wants to go
for that 450 Splash.
[King] Yeah, but, take a look at Chyna!
Take a look at Chyna! She's just itching.
She's sitting on ready, I guarantee you.
Look at her.
Oh!
[J.R.] Great leg drop, spinning leg drop.
One, two!
And Flash Funk gets his first near fall of this contest.
Boy, she is stoic.
She shows no emotion.
And a crossbody.
[King] No, that did it! What?
[J.R.] A blind crossbody.
And Flash, I don't understand that.
[King] Big mistake, Flash.
[J.R.] Flash may have had enough.
If he had hooked the leg to pin Helmsley for the three count.
[grunting]
Ooh!
Flash with a flurry.
Oh, oh my!
Helmsley upside down.
Talk about jamming your neck.
Ugh!
Spinning heel kick.
[cheers, applause]
And now, it may be time for the Funky Flash Splash.
[King] Look out, Hunter, he's getting up!
[J.R.] He's up, Helmsley's under--
[King] Oh!
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] Well, no way to break your fall there.
[King] That was funky, wasn't it, Ross?
[J.R.] Looked a little rough to me.
[King] Check this out, dojo boy!
Yeah!
Oh, my gosh!
[J.R.] What a suplex.
[King] What would you call that?
[J.R.] Well, it started out as a belly-to-back suplex
and the momentum took Flash face-first right
over the top of Helmsley.
Watch this move.
And now Helmsley, oh, Pedigree time?
Triple H!
Boom!
[cheers, applause]
Well, that'll leave a mark.
[bell dinging]
And Helmsley able to secure the victory.
[announcer] Here is your winner, Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
[Beethoven, "Symphony No. 9 in D minor"]
[J.R.] Hunter Hearst Helmsley, with a little help from Chyna,
winning this contest.
Not to take anything away from the athleticism or ability
of the former Intercontinental Champion,
but, King, I think you got to admit
that Chyna was more than just a little bit of help.
[King] Well, you may get to see a little extracurricular activity
-right here too. -[J.R.] Boy, wait a minute.
What is she doing here?
[King] How strong is this woman?
[J.R.] What in the heck?
I don't know what the hell she's
-Oh! -Oh!
Just figured it out.
And Helmsley loves it.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley has a cyborg female on his hands,
under his employ.
And she's going to do whatever Helmsley wants her to do.
[King] That's a class act right there, you got to admit, Ross.
Wow.
[J.R.] Chyna was very, very involved in this match-up, as we said.
Well, look at the muscular development of this woman.
One more time, let's take another look.
[King] I'd like to see if she can lift you like this, Ross.
[J.R.] Oh, I don't think I'd wanna try that on for size.
[King] Watch this! Look at this!
[J.R.] Man, this is amazing strength.
Flash Funk's gotta be 245.
Oh, my gosh.
-She's walking around like it's a -[groans]
And right there, you'll see the results.
And then earlier in the match, again, that was, that was, that led
to the downfall of Flash Funk.
Well, folks, we're going to talk to Ken Shamrock in just a moment.
But I'd like to show you some footage of Ken Shamrock in action.
Of course, The Hart Foundation had bought
Those or scalped for those five ringside seats.
The Hart Foundation will be here at ringside a little bit later.
But as we said, we'll talk to Ken Shamrock momentarily.
But let's take you back to some Ultimate Fighting footage
of Ken Shamrock in action, King.
Of the most decorated, the most recognized Ultimate Fighter
of all time is this man.
[King] Well, you're just super impressed by this guy.
But I want to tell you something,
he's got to prove it to me here in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
It's going to be a totally different ball game, baby.
[J.R.] Ken Shamrock dominated the Ultimate Fighting world,
but will Ken Shamrock be able to dominate a man
that outweighs him 200 pounds?
And King, the question we've got to ask is,
will the attack earlier tonight by Vader and Mankind have
an adverse effect on your fight tonight?
I'm focused.
I'm in my zone.
Mankind and Vader will not shake me from my zone.
And when that bell rings, it's knuckle-up time.
[yelling]
[J.R.] All right, thank you very much.
That's what happened earlier tonight.
You see that, King? Thank you very much.
We won't bother you anymore.
Stay in that zone and best of luck tonight.
[King] Yeah, get ready to get in the Twilight Zone.
That's where Vader is gonna knock you to.
[J.R.] Well, I'll tell you something,
King, it's going to be a match up again that can only be won
by submission or by knockout.
And if anybody in the WWE deserves
to be knocked out for their actions,
it's this man coming to the ring now.
[Jim Johnston, "schizophrenic"]
[announcer] About to come down the aisle,
weighing 287 pounds, Mankind!
[J.R.] Mankind making his way to the ring, 287-pounder.
Mankind came very close last month
in defeating The Undertaker for the WWE title.
We know that Mankind has…
has had a very unique childhood from what we can ascertain.
He was jumping off the roofs of buildings,
dropping elbows on his classmates
whenever he was in elementary school, we understand.
A very, admitted, very strange young man.
[King] That allowed him to go to reform school on a scholarship.
And his head really turned out bad after that.
[J.R.] Well, folks, it was just over a month ago
on RAW when Mankind shocked the world.
Paul Bearer was trying to secure The Undertaker back into the camp.
Mankind, under the ring, comes out
and burns The Undertaker right in the face
with that huge fireball.
And certainly we were shocked at that.
That was after The Undertaker had won
the WWE title at WrestleMania.
[King] Well, obviously, Ross, it was a master plan by Mankind
and by Paul Bearer to put it in once
and for all to The Undertaker.
But they didn't get the job done.
[J.R.] Well, Paul Bearer, for six years was
the manager of The Undertaker.
Paul Bearer has orchestrated this whole situation.
And then last month in In Your House,
Mankind again, when he wrestled The Undertaker,
brought some flammable material into the ring.
The Undertaker secured it, and then burnt the face,
the round face of Paul Bearer.
[King] Yeah, they were going for the second time.
They were going to put The Undertaker away
once and for all.
But somehow, The Undertaker turned the tables,
and now poor Paul Bearer has been out of action since.
[J.R.] We haven't seen-- we haven't seen
Paul Bearer in over a month.
But in any event, more on that momentarily,
as Todd Pettengill is standing by with Rocky Maivia.
Thank you very much.
Obviously, Mankind has a story, but so does
the rookie sensation, Rocky Maivia.
Rock, I want you to take a look at some footage here.
Your debut in the World Wrestling Entertainment,
back at Madison Square Garden, November 17
at the WWE Survivor Series.
Just unbelievable.
And then, of course, you winning
the Intercontinental title in February,
Lowell, Massachusetts, RAW Thursday, RAW Thursday Live.
Unbelievable.
And then just two weeks ago,
losing the Intercontinental title to Owen Hart.
We saw you victorious here in the footage.
And then, of course, just a couple of weeks ago
losing the Intercontinental title
to Owen Hart.
Did it come too quickly for Rocky Maivia?
Did success come too soon?
Yeah, you know what, Todd,
maybe success did come too soon.
But at the same time, I've learned a whole hell of a lot
here in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
I even surprised myself with the success I've had.
Like I said, I learned a whole hell of a lot on the way up,
but I also learned a whole hell of a lot more on the way down.
And you know what, Todd?
This isn't about my destiny.
This is about my determination.
Rocky Maivia on his way to the squared circle
to face Mankind.
J.R. And King, back to you.
[J.R.] Todd, thank you.
[Jim Johnston, "destiny"]
[King] Well, he's fixing to learn a whole heck
of a lot more when he steps in the ring with Mankind.
[announcer] His opponent…
[King] He's going to get a lesson!
[announcer] From Miami, Florida, flinging 275 pounds,
Rocky Maivia!
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] Rocky Maivia, we have documented his grandfather,
the high chief, Peter Maivia, wrestled in the WWE.
His father, Rocky Johnson, was a former WWE tag champion.
Rocky Maivia, this young man is the first third-generation
athlete in the history of the WWE,
A USA Today all-American high school football player.
The Seattle Seahawks' Coach Dennis Erickson was at Miami,
coaching The Hurricane, when he recruited Rocky Maivia,
who was number 94 on the gridiron.
Of course, Rocky just, last Saturday,
he's been married now, King, a week.
As a matter of fact, he's been married exactly one week today.
[King] Is that right?
[J.R.] His birthday was a week ago yesterday.
So a lot of big things happening in the life of Rocky Maivia.
[King] Yeah, he's feeling pretty good right now.
But don't worry, he'll get over it real soon.
He should have stuck with football.
About the worst thing that can happen to you
there is maybe get a cleat right in your face.
That's nothing compared to what that guy is sitting
in that corner right there with that weird-looking mask
on his face can do to you.
[J.R.] Mankind is a man that has subjected himself
to barbed wire matches, to all sorts
of bizarre stipulated matches that just reek
of violence and mayhem.
Mankind's body is scarred.
He's missing half of his ear.
[King] Aah, look at this! Look at this!
Ah-ha-ha!
Hey!
[J.R.] Rocky Maivia certainly doesn't want
to turn his back on an individual this deadly,
as Mankind is.
Great dropkick by The Rock, who's 6' 5", 275 here.
[King] Ooh!
-[J.R.] And a hard clothesline. -[King] Ow.
[J.R.] And Mankind right out here, here at ringside.
And Mankind could care less about the shape of his body.
He doesn't care.
He likes the pain.
Now, Mankind bringing Rocky out here.
It's a street fight situation.
[slap]
[King] Ooh, look at that.
[audience yelling]
Oh!
[J.R.] Rocky Maivia, right now being manhandled by Mankind.
Of course, Paul Bearer, conspicuous by his absence.
We have not seen Paul Bearer
since he was burned in Rochester, New York about a month ago.
It is rumored that Paul Bearer will be on RAW this week.
[King] That's tomorrow night, Ross.
And you know, hey, it's a big deal about 24 hours.
If he's able to come back tomorrow,
-he might come back tonight. -[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] Oh, that's right. You never know.
You never know about Paul Bearer, the mastermind of Mankind and Vader.
And Rocky Maivia, a little counter to the hammerlock.
Vader, certainly, from what we understand, has trained harder,
watched more tape of Shamrock.
Vader has trained harder for this match
than maybe any match he has had thus far in the WWE.
And I would think that the same theory is true for Shamrock,
who is known for his intense training in The Lion's Den out in California.
[King] Well, you've heard what goes on in the prison life, haven't ya?
Fellas got to do when they're locked up behind bars,
lift weights, work out.
[J.R.] Rocky's got to be very leery of the Mandible Claw,
among other things from Mankind.
You know, here's a guy that, his body's been on fire,
he's been blown up, he's been-- he's been neck tied
in barbed wire matches.
All a part of his…
-his growing up. -[King] Yeah, he's weird.
He tried to join the Hell's Angels,
but they said he was too depraved.
Look at this.
[J.R.] Again, Rocky Maivia thrown outside.
And Mankind negotiating, Rocky outside.
Mankind certainly has a wealth of experience…
[King] Get away from me, punk.
[J.R.] …on Rocky who just debuted back in November, as you saw.
[King] Oh, my God!
[J.R.] Mankind using that near-300-pound frame,
almost in a… almost like in a cannonball situation.
[Mankind shrieking]
[King] I don't know what's going on here.
[referee counting]
[J.R.] Not too comfortable anytime Mankind's out here.
Hard right hand and Rocky Maivia is
in a world of trouble.
[audience cheering]
This is more intense, I think, than The Hurricane Florida State rivalry.
[J.R.] You're not kidding.
Come on!
[J.R.] Mankind now bringing Rocky back in the ring.
You know what?
It's interesting in the… ooh!
WWE Magazine, the recent magazine,
that Mankind considers himself a loving father.
[King] What?
[J.R.] Yeah, he says he's a loving father.
I don't-- father of what?
Father, I mean, well--
We'll get into that more someday.
There's a knee to the face.
Nothing fancy, nothing…
[mankind shrieking]
…refined from this sick human being.
[King] Some weird people can be fathers, you know.
[J.R.] Mandible Claw is always a possibility anytime
-[King] Any children? -[J.R.] Pardon me?
-[King] Yo u got any children? -[J.R.] Oh, I have two lovely daughters.
[J.R.] You want to talk about your children?
I didn't think so.
[King] I want to talk about Mankind.
[J.R.] There you go.
[King] I want to talk about what Mankind is doing to this punk.
Right now, it's time for this little punk,
Rocky Maivia, who everybody thinks is
the second coming, to reach back and pull out
something extra if he's got it.
Think about your old man.
Think about your dad, Rocky Johnson.
Think about your old dead granddad.
-Ah, doh! -[cheers, applause]
[King] Do it for them, now.
Uh-oh!
[J.R.] Oh, both men going down.
A lot impact there.
[cheers, applause]
One!
[J.R.] Rocky… I tell you, I don't know
why people like you would be upset
with Rocky Maivia's success.
I mean, he didn't ask for a match
with Hunter Hearst Helmsley on February 13.
[King] Because it was a fluke that he won, that's why!
[J.R.] Well, maybe.
I don't think it was a fluke, but I think,
I don't think the better man won that particular night.
-I think Helm… Oh, my! -[King] Look at this!
[J.R.] Look at that snapmare over the top.
[King] He cheating.
[J.R.] Well, that was a-- that showed a lot of power.
[King] That showed a total disrespect for the rules.
[referee] Stop, Rocky, come on!
[J.R.] And now Rocky on the outside…
hammering Mankind with rights.
[wails]
[smack]
[J.R.] And down goes the deranged one who, as a boy,
desired to be the mayor of parts unknown.
Rocky back in the ring.
That's a smart move, King.
Broke the referee's 10-count. Oh, look out!
-No! -[crash]
Oh, good gosh!
Mankind's fine and his kidneys just splattered
all over that grating
that steel gradient rampway.
[King] Rocky Maivia should have been disqualified right there, Ross,
and you know it!
[J.R.] Well, I guess it's a judgment call.
I wouldn't have disagreed with the call
if it had been made, but…
[thump]
Mankind is barely able to get up.
Listen to the impact here.
[loud crash]
They say wrestlers know how to fall.
How in the hell do you learn how to fall on a steel grating?
I don't know that.
There's a lateral press.
One, two and a half.
[cheers, applause]
-[King] Watch your mouth there. -[J.R.] Well, sorry.
I just want to make a point there, a little emphatic.
[King] Potty mouth Ross.
-Ooh! -[J.R.] Aw, Mankind can't--
can't even stand.
Rocky tried the Irish Whip and Mankind,
both his legs buckled on him.
So now the youthful Rocky Maivia hooks up the belly to belly.
[slam]
Maivia now building some momentum, hooks a leg,
and again gets a near fall, a long two count.
We've seen Mankind withstand unbelievable pressure,
and pain, and punishment.
And there's a clothesline from the left side.
[King] We've seen The Undertaker do things
to Mankind that no human being could withstand.
I mean, he would have killed a normal person,
and didn't even faze him.
[J.R.] Inside cradle, Rocky Maivia's got
it wrapped up, but can't find the three as Mankind…
just not going to quit here.
And, oh, my God!
Oh, Rocky with a clothesline from behind.
I think he's knocked Mankind out!
[King] That could make you quit.
[cheers, applause]
He's a back fighter!
[J.R.] Referee might want to check Mankind here.
Mankind laying in a weird position.
Rocky Maivia with a thunderous clothesline.
[King] Uh-oh. Oh!
[J.R.] Rocky, the quick shoulder breaker.
That may be it right there.
[cheers, applause]
[booing]
Rocky Maivia…
[King] Showboating.
[J.R.] Maybe looking for that big crossbody off the top.
Two!
[J.R.] And there it is! [cheers, applause]
[King] Wait a minute!
Wait a minute!
Mankind has got the Mandible Claw!
[crowd yelling]
Maivia hit that Jimmy Snuka-like crossbody
and Mankind rolled right into the-- right into the Mandible Claw.
[bell dinging]
That's it!
[Jim Johnston, "schizophrenic"]
[announcer] Here is your winner, Mankind!
[King] Come on, Ross.
Let's hear it now.
Let's hear you talk about Rocky Maivia.
Let's hear you talk about his dad, Rocky Johnson.
Let's hear you talk about his dead granddad, Peter Maivia.
I hope they're looking at their punk kid right now.
[J.R.] Well, Mankind showed great resourcefulness.
Watch this move.
Crossbody and Mankind…
[King] Ha-ha!
[J.R.] When Rocky's face was exposed
and Mankind was able to stick those fingers right down
the gullet, a la Dr. Sam Sheppard,
and get that Mandible Claw one more time for a victory
here against Rocky Maivia.
[King] That's right.
You can say he's deranged.
-You can say he's a lunatic. -[J.R.] Yes?
[King] But if you ask me, I think he's a genius.
[J.R.] Folks, we're just moments away
from Ahmed Johnson's match-up with three members
of the Nation of Domination.
We'd like to take you back to last Monday on RAW is War,
a very unique situation where Crush would wrestle three men, King.
And I think this was more of anything,
a message to Ahmed Johnson to show Ahmed just how tough
not only Crush was, but the entire nation, for that matter.
[King] Well, that's right.
Faarooq had handpicked three opponents for Crush,
and he was going to show Ahmed that Ahmed wasn't the only one
that might be capable of beating three people in one night,
that Crush was capable of doing it, too.
And he disposed of the first opponent in record time.
And Faarooq demanded that they send out the second one.
And here he came.
And you see what happened to him, Ross.
[J.R.] Hart punch coming up here.
[King] Oh, yeah!
[J.R.] And the second guy is disposed of.
[Faarooq] Gonna be just that simple.
[King] But then something bad happened
back in the dressing room that nobody knew about.
The third handpicked opponent was…
Can you please make this a little harder when you send down
the next poor victim?
[King] Yeah, well, he was replaced by this man right here!
[J.R.] And when we saw the Pearl River Plunge on the 300-pound
Crush, we knew that that man in the Green Bay Packer jacket,
with that silk stocking over his head,
was indeed one Ahmed Johnson.
[King] Well, if you ask me, it was
a cheap shot by Ahmed to try to pull a stunt like that.
[Jim Johnston, "Nation of Domination"]
♪ We are the Nation of Domination ♪
♪ We are the Nation Comin' live and in color ♪
♪ Don't dis The Man 'Cause we'll bum rush your mother ♪
♪ Listen what I'm sayin' ♪
♪ It's for real, not playin' ♪
♪ Faarooq is The Man So hit your knees and start prayin' ♪
♪ Got the power like a bear ♪
♪ Quick like the cat ♪
♪ Two and two together ♪
♪ Fell your face on the mat ♪
[J.R.] Well, we found out, folks,
that during the free-for-all, at least according to Faarooq,
that Faarooq's shoulder is no better,
that Savio has a sprained ankle,
and that Crush has the flu or flu-like symptoms.
♪ He's harder than a rock And he can't be stopped ♪
♪ You suckas step to the side ♪
♪ Unless you want to get dropped ♪
♪ The boys from the 'hood are on the M-I-C ♪
♪ Spitting out the lyrics It's JC Ice and Wolfie D ♪
♪ Clarence Mason is The Boss ♪
♪ Crossin' T's and dottin' I's ♪
♪ He tells the truth, the whole truth ♪
♪ And never tells a lie ♪
Oh, yeah!
As always, by any means necessary!
[J.R.] Ladies and gentlemen,
this is going to be the greatest challenge Ahmed Johnson has ever had to endure.
And Pearl River Powerhouse is standing
by with Todd Pettengill.
Ahmed Johnson, when you agreed to this evening,
many people thought, obviously,
it was a no-win situation for you.
Then, in the WWE Free For All,
you agreed to face all three members
of The Nation of Domination in succession, in order.
Ahmed, the odds, no doubt, stacked against you.
You know what? The odds are always stacked against me.
But, Faarooq, if you're any kind of man,
you will step in the ring first.
See this is all about, it's about me and you.
This ain't about them other two goons you brung.
But I'll tell you what, since you bring them to the party,
they might as well dance.
'Cause I'll tell you what, after tonight,
me or you all, somebody's going to the end!
[J.R.] All right, Todd, thank you very much.
A very tense situation for Ahmed Johnson.
Very dangerous situation, I think we should say, King.
[King] Yeah, dangerous for… now,
I'm a little worried about The Nation here with all
of the mishaps and all.
[J.R.] Oh, please, get out of here.
[King] What are you talking about?
[J.R.] You're worried about The Nation.
-[King] Hey! -[J.R.] As if you're worried
about anybody other than yourself.
["pearl river rip" playing]
[cheers, applause]
[announcer] Introducing, from Pearl River of Mississippi
weighing 305 pounds, Ahmed Johnson!
[cheers]
[J.R.] A tremendous ovation for Ahmed Johnson,
and Faarooq is calling for a huddle right here in front
of our announce position.
A final meeting of the minds, so to speak.
[King] Ahmed has demanded Faarooq first.
[cheers, applause]
Look at Clarence Mason.
His motto is, "Any tort in the storm."
It don't make no difference.
I got faith in everybody.
We could all take him.
I got faith.
Shake, shake it all. I'll whup him.
-It's gonna be all right. -I'll tell him, let me do it.
I can beat him.
[J.R.] Well, there's WWE president Gorilla Monsoon.
[King] Coming over here.
What's he want?
We're not going to have this confusion here.
Only one guy is gonna start
[all arguing]
-You can go back. -No, no.
One man…
I told you!
- Who's gonna start the match? - Oh, wait a minute.
You trying to…
[arguing]
You, ring!
All the rest of you, outta here!
-[yelling] -You're out!
[King] Wait a minute, how'd they…
[arguing]
[King] I think Monsoon's telling the rest
of The Nation they're not going to be allowed at ringside.
Go! Up the ramp.
Trying to make us leave?
-[Monsoon] You're outta here! -Ah!
[Monsoon] You're out!
Let's go!
Hey!
-What? -Out.
-Let's go right now. -Can't I stay here?
No, you don't stay here. You go--
[King] Monsoon, they got legal counsel!
[clamoring]
[J.R.] They can go have a sidebar somewhere,
because Gorilla Monsoon, the president
of the World Wrestling Entertainment,
is not going to allow all the rest of The Nation
of Domination to stay out here,
during these one-on-one matchups.
[King] Don't worry he hasn't heard
the last of Clarence Mason.
Look at this!
[bell dinging]
[J.R.] Ahmed Johnson and Crush.
Ahmed to face three men.
I don't who'll be next.
It'll be Savio or Faarooq.
[King] There might not be a next.
I think Crush will beat Ahmed right here.
[J.R.] You're right about that, there may not be a next.
Ahmed Johnson, a former gang member.
[King] What?
[J.R.] A young man that grew up in a very abusive household,
has overcome so many odds.
There's a scissors kick that puts a 6 foot,
7 inch, 305 pound Crush right down on the canvas, face first.
[Ahmed] One down, two to go!
[J.R.] And there you see The Nation.
That was a-- I think, a very brilliant move
And the right thing to do by Gorilla Monsoon.
And look at the power of Ahmed Johnson.
[King] That may not have been the right thing to do by Monsoon.
He may open himself up for a huge lawsuit.
Ah ho, yeah!
[J.R.] Crush able to move out of the way
from that powerful elbow, attempted powerful elbow by Ahmed.
A good straight martial arts kick by Crush.
[King] See, JR, to know all the stuff
that Clarence Mason knows, you'd have to pass the bar.
And everybody knows you've never
been able to pass any bar.
[J.R.] Is that out of Henny Youngman's book or his second book?
[King] Who is Henny Youngman?
You keep saying that name.
I asked my great grandmother, she said she had heard of him.
[J.R.] Where do you get your material at?
-Never mind. -[King] Get with the '90s, Ross.
[J.R.] There's Crush on the second rope.
Hard, hard clothesline.
[King] Great! Great!
Got him.
Did he get him?
[J.R.] You know, the stipulation of this match is pretty simple.
Ahmed's got to win three decisions for The Nation to be abolished.
And I'm wondering if, what if Crush defeats Ahmed right here?
I guess the gauntlet, the challenge, will be over.
Wouldn't you assume that?
[King] Yes.
[crowd yelling]
[J.R.] Ooh!
Hard right hand by Crush and a front facelock by this.
Well, those are two huge men here.
[slam]
Damn right! Listen here…
[J.R.] That's very impressive.
…you piece of garbage.
[J.R.] Certainly doesn't like to be called "jailbird."
There's a lateral press. One, two, and a near fall.
Odds are certainly against Ahmed Johnson…
[Crush] Same thing.
[J.R.] to be successful in this endeavor.
[King] Right, just take a look at the,
I mean, you know the numbers speak for themselves, Ross.
Look how many Nation members there are.
You think for one minute
they're going to let one man, one single solitary human being…
[cheers, applause]
…do away with an entire nation?
It ain't gonna happen.
[J.R.] Crush dropped right on his head by Ahmed Johnson.
And Crush showing his tenacity and his toughness.
[King] Give Johnson credit, he's giving it the old college try.
But you know, no one man can beat three.
[J.R.] I'll tell you, King, you know as well as anybody,
Big Johnson is hard to handle.
305 pounds, he's a mass of muscle.
And Crush is slowing down The Pearl River Powerhouse.
[King] Yeah, but obviously he's got an IQ of two
and it takes three to grunt.
I mean, he's got to be stupid, or he would have never agreed
to this, I mean, you know,
he had to know this was a sucker challenge from Faarooq
to begin with.
[rhythmic clapping]
[J.R.] Well, for a kid that had a very traumatic childhood,
for a kid that was on his own a lot as a youngster, he has…
[King] Hey, a lot of people grew up
in tough neighborhoods, Ross. Big deal!
[J.R.] I know that.
But he's to be commended for trying
to fight his way out of it and make a better life for himself.
And we're still waiting on the arrival,
folks, of The Hart Foundation.
Those chairs have been purchased
by Bret Hart and company from a scalper,
we were told by The Hitman.
This place, beautiful Richmond Coliseum, is sold out.
We're glad that you've invited us into your home
here on Mother's Day.
Certainly want to wish my mom a happy Mother's Day.
[King] Look, look, look! This is it! This is it!
Ah!
You want to wish your mom a happy Mother's Day?
[J.R.] Well, yeah. Talked to her earlier today.
-[King] You did? -[J.R.] Yeah.
Reverse chinlock by Crush, but look at Ahmed fighting back up.
There's not any quit in Ahmed Johnson.
Whether this was a smart decision to take this challenge
or not, It's… Oh, my!
[King] Ha-ha!
[J.R.] It's irrelevant, because the challenge is going down.
The match is happening.
And Crush is signaling, signaling for his buddies
to come down.
I don't understand that. Crush is…
[King] They're under a restraining order.
[J.R.] They are, well, they should be.
I don't know. But they should be.
[King] Idiot Monsoon issued a restraining order.
-[slam] -Ah!
-Ahmed with a… -[cheers, applause]
-No! -[J.R.] And a near fall.
Nice move by Ahmed Johnson.
And Crush right back up very quickly with that elbow
to the back of the head.
Crush was signaling for The Nation to join him.
[King] Look at this!
[J.R.] And there's a pile driver.
[King] That may install a little quit in Ahmed Johnson.
[audience booing]
[Crush] Come on!
[J.R.] And Crush again…
trying to get his comrades to join him,
and for some reason, they've chosen not to.
[King] Well, they're a nation, they're a team.
They win as a team.
They do everything as a team.
Crush is not used to being in there by himself now.
[J.R.] And of course, you know, he's got the flu.
-[King] Exactly. -[J.R.] Oh, that's what it is.
104 fever, I heard.
[King] He probably needed some Tylenol.
[J.R.] Watch the Hart Punch.
Hart Punch coming up here.
And, oh, Ahmed--
[slam]
[King] What?
[J.R.] And a World Reverse Heel Kick.
[King] No!
[J.R.] And Ahmed Johnson defeats Crush.
Phase one of his journey is successful.
[cheers, applause]
And it looks like SavioVega is going to be next.
[King] Yeah, but Savio's got that gimp ankle.
[J.R.] Boy, I'll tell you, what a counter.
[King] Take a look. Take a look at this.
Crush was just fixing to put him away with a big Hart Punch.
And what happens?
Out of nowhere, Ahmed Johnson.
Look at this! Deliver the Hart Punch?
No!
He comes right, oh!
Right in the chin.
[J.R.] And now look at the limping Savio Vega who
allegedly sprained his ankle last night
in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
He not limping now.
[King] Yeah, he is.
What a trooper.
What do you mean, he's not limping?
[J.R.] I don't--
[King] Oh!
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] A normal elevation, a back body drop.
Ahmed Johnson with a cover negotiates a near fall there.
And a hard clothesline, good lord!
And another one. Down goes Savio Vega.
[King] And you say Savio's not hurt, his ankle is not injured.
I'm going to ask Clarence.
We'll ask Clarence Mason.
He says "Reasonable doubt for a reasonable fee.
[clang]
[yelling]
What a trooper!
[J.R.] Another spinning kick by Savio Vega who's not looking…
he's jumping around as if there's nothing wrong,
as we suspected.
Nothing wrong with his ankle.
It was all a ruse.
[King] No, that might have been sort of a chiropractic move.
Probably popped his ankle back into place right
there when he whipped it right across the face
of Ahmed Johnson.
[J.R.] Ahmed Johnson has displayed great courage
in essentially single-handedly taking on the entire Nation
of Domination.
The wisdom of accepting this match.
There's a shot right to the kidneys.
And another one.
Ahmed suffered a lacerated kidney in 1996
at the hands of Faarooq.
His career was almost ended.
[King] And unfortunately, he got a kidney
transplant from a bedwetter.
Three, four!
[J.R.] And then at WrestleMania XIII,
Faarooq was hospitalized thanks to Ahmed Johnson,
a punctured lung and a separated shoulder
for Faarooq, and who has not wrestled since that time.
[King] And that's how this all came
about, because Faarooq and Ahmed Johnson hate each other's guts.
Come on, Ahmed!
Come on, punk!
Come on!
[J.R.] RichmondColiseum is sold out.
We thank all the fans for being here with us.
We certainly want to thank you for inviting us into your home
once again for the worldwide leader in sports entertainment,
the World Wrestling Entertainment doing Pay-Per-View
like nobody else has the ability
to do Pay-Per-View.
[King] You like it here in Richmond?
[J.R.] I like Richmond.
I've been here many times.
[King] You would like Richmond.
[crowd booing]
People in Richmond have two-colored necks,
light red and dark red.
[J.R.] Look at Savio taunting.
-[smack] -Ooh!
[King] Did you hear that?
[J.R.] Johnson's big-time right.
[King] He's out on his feet.
[J.R.] Savio's sporting a couple of new tattoos on his arms.
Maybe that's some sort of rite of passage with The Nation,
I don't know.
[gagging]
Chokehold.
Savio doesn't want to be disqualified here
because, remember, Ahmed's gotta win three decisions.
[chanting "Ahmed"]
[King] You mean if Savio got disqualified,
that's a decision? He wins?
[J.R.] That's right, King.
[King] Uh-oh.
[J.R.] Got a mind like a steel trap.
[cheers, applause]
[King] There's a little look on look of concern on the face
of Faarooq up there.
But I think the plan here is just
to wear Ahmed Johnson down.
I mean, the longer he stays out here, hey,
how long can a man last?
You know, a match against Crush is so physically draining.
But then, another one right on the heels
of that against Savio.
[slam]
[J.R.] Good counter knock takeover by Ahmed Johnson.
And Ahmed Johnson needs to end this thing.
[King] That's right, because his endurance is waning.
[J.R.] Good point, King.
The longer this match goes, the heavier the odds are stacked
against Ahmed Johnson.
[slam]
And nobody there.
Savio Vega could see that one coming
and was able to get out of the way of the contact.
And for some reason, Savio is not limping anymore.
[King] What is that on his nose?
Come on, punk!
Hey, come on.
[J.R.] I think it maybe helps his breathing.
One of those Jerry Rice gimmicks.
[King] Yeah, he's going to be sucking wind here in a minute
if he's not already.
Look, he's dead tired.
[J.R.] Well, I imagine so, he just-- he had
a pretty tough match with Crush.
And this has not been no…
no day at the beach here.
-[slam] -[King] Whoa!
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] The one thing about Ahmed, the odds have always been
against this man all his life,
but Ahmed Johnson's never going to quit.
A reversal of the whip.
[clang]
[King] Oh, no!
[cheers, applause]
Savio found a lot of turnbuckle,
but no Ahmed on that move.
Ahmed with a short, stinging right hook.
[slam]
Comes with a suplex, and you can hear the impact of that.
Ahmed going for a cover.
[pounding]
No.
Unable to hook a leg, unable to really get a body on Savio.
But he still got two.
[audience cheering]
[yelling]
[King] Oh!
[J.R.] A thunderous powerslam.
That may be enough.
No, it's not.
Can you believe that?
I thought that would be enough.
[cheers, applause]
[King] What?
[J.R.] It may be time for the Pearl River Plunge.
[King] Look at Savio.
Good move, Savio.
Smart move.
The Puerto Rican star, Savio Vega, very cagey.
[referee] Come on, let's go.
Get it up here.
Come on.
[King] You don't need to let Ahmed buy any time.
He's trying to rest now.
Run around the ring!
Make him run!
Ooh!
[J.R.] What a shot right to the face by Savio Vega.
Hey, come on!
[clattering]
[King] That's Bob!
[J.R.] Savio Vega's a…
[King] Ah, did you see that?
[J.R.] Ring the bell!
-Ring the bell, come on! -[bell dinging]
-[King] What? -[J.R.] We got people down out here.
That's, that's, that's a disqualification!
That is a blatant, obvious disqualification,
as any idiot could see!
[King] Who rang the bell?
[J.R.] What, the bell?
What do you mean, "who rang the bell"?
[King] Savio Vega getting himself disqualified.
That means that Ahmed has got a… if he can continue.
[slamming, yelling]
[J.R.] Stop this carnage!
[King] Don't you realize what's going, Ross?
It was a setup!
Savio doesn't care if he got disqualified.
He has finished him up now.
He is all set for Faarooq.
He's laying the table.
[crowd booing loudly]
[J.R.] Well, I guess Savio has just set the table all right.
Ahmed Johnson is 2-0 in this three match challenge.
Savio had just worn out Ahmed Johnson
with a steel folding chair.
[King] That's right, because look at Ahmed now.
Savio left him where even Faarooq
with a separated shoulder is going to be able to beat
Ahmed with one hand.
[J.R.] Uh, Faarooq's shoulder is not separated.
-It's healed. -[King] He's better!
[J.R.] As we all suspected.
I guess he's had a miracle healing too, huh?
What did I tell you?
[King] It's a Mother's Day miracle.
Look at the degradation, the assault,
the punishment of the leader of The Nation of Domination, Faarooq.
[J.R.] Boy, I'll tell you what, this guy's has had a turnaround.
[King] Hey, wait a minute!
It's a title sleeperhold!
[J.R.] You ought to say, "Goodbye Nation of Domination."
[shouts indistinctly]
[cheers]
[J.R.] Faarooq started out his wrestling career
as Ron Simmons, three-time all-American at Florida State,
perhaps the greatest defensive lineman ever to play at FSU.
Man, he's changed his whole life. He's changed his whole philosophy.
He doesn't even want to be referred to by his given name.
[King] That's right. That was a past life.
You're looking at Faarooq now.
You're looking at a man that leads the entire Nation of Domination.
That's what he's all about, domination!
[J.R.] Spinebuster!
Spinebuster!
[King] Where's Ahmed trying to get this strength from?
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] If he hits the Pearl River Plunge,
The Nation will be abolished!
There, he's got it!
[cheers, applause]
Ahmed Johnson hit it, but Ahmed, he can't capitalize.
We can say goodbye to The Nation of Domination.
-[crowd] One! Two! -[J.R.] It's over.
-[Crowd] Three! -[cheers, applause]
[King] What?
I can't believe it!
His shoulder was up!
[J.R.] I don't know, it was a tough miss on Faarooq, or…
Ahmed downstairs!
A chop block.
[King] That's right, there's some of that football training
he just happened to remember.
[J.R.] Look out… no!
That'll be it.
That's all.
[bell dinging]
♪ We are The Nation of Domination ♪
[King] The Nation lives on!
♪ Nation of Domination ♪
[J.R.] Well, I'll tell you one thing,
Ahmed Johnson has got nothing to be ashamed of.
Ahmed Johnson did all he could do against three men.
A great effort by Ahmed Johnson.
[King] I'm going to give the devil his due.
I never dreamed that Ahmed Johnson could pull
out that kind of performance.
He did exactly what you said, a valiant effort.
Not just beating Crush, but even also getting
a win over Savio Vega, and coming within an eyelash
of beating Faarooq.
But it just wasn't to be.
No one man can beat three!
♪ We are The Nation ♪
[J.R.] Ahmed Johnson looked as if he had things going his way,
but it just wasn't to be.
Even after The Pearl River Plunge,
Ahmed unable to capitalize on the pinning situation.
But I'll tell you Ahmed Johnson has got nothing
at all to be ashamed of.
We'd like to take you back to last Monday on RAW Is War.
Ken Shamrock was at ringside providing
some color commentary as Vader went one-on-one with Goldust.
This one got entirely out of hand, as you will see.
[King] Take a look, Shamrock! You're looking at your future right now.
-[Shamrock] Shut up! -[King] Oh, yeah!
[King] Ha-ha!
[J.R.] Vader…
[pounding]
with a victory and he's looking right at
Ken Shamrock, right in his eyes.
[announcer] Here is your winner…
[J.R.] And Shamrock isn't blinking.
[announcer] the man we call Vader.
[King] No holds barred, ladies and gentlemen.
Submission or knockout.
It's real simple.
Somebody is going to tap out, or somebody is going to be knocked out.
[J.R.] Ken, best of luck to you this Sunday.
[King] Yeah, get your tapping arm ready.
[Shamrock] You wouldn't know what you're talking about.
[King] All right, Ken.
[J.R.] Vader looking down at Shamrock continually.
Shut up!
[J.R.] You'd be playing Mr. Vader's game, obviously,
if you get up, Ken.
[King] Yeah, go ahead, get up, Ken!
[Vader] I see you sitting on your ass!
Come on in.
You want me to go in there?
[King] Oh, yeah, please!
[J.R.] Don't do that.
[King] Please, go in!
You're a big guy.
You're tough.
[J.R.] What do you got to gain by doing it now?
[crowd yelling]
[King] A good butt-kicking on worldwide TV,
that's what he's got to gain.
[Shamrock] You want me in there?
-What does it look like? -[spits]
-[J.R.] Oh, no. -[King] Yes!
[yelling]
You're not going to…
for a takedown and…
[King] Get him, Vader!
[bell dinging]
[J.R.] Wait a minute!
[King] Get him, Vader, punch him!
No question.
Vader has been on a tear in the World Wrestling Entertainment,
not to mention Kuwaiti television announcers.
But, Vader, if I could take you back to earlier
this evening on the WWE Free For All,
let's take a look at this attack.
Ken Shamrock doing an interview when,
from out of nowhere, Mankind and Vader just attacking Ken Shamrock.
I want to know what was going through your mind during this attack.
I was playing with the boy.
I was playing with the boy's mind.
ABC says he's the most dangerous man in the world.
They said nothing about the World Wrestling Entertainment.
[growls]
The only way to win this match, submission or knockout.
What is your strategy as you face,
as you said, the world's most dangerous man?
Ken Shamrock?
He knows nothing about pain.
He knows nothing about the power of Vader!
And he certainly knows nothing about Vader's pain game.
Because it's time!
Oh, yeah, it's time!
It's Vader time!
Let's get back to you guys at ringside.
[bell dinging]
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
the following No Holds Barred contest is scheduled
for one fall to a finish.
There will be no pinfalls.
And the only way to win is either
by knockout or submission.
♪ What time? ♪
♪ It's time! ♪
♪ It's Vader time! ♪
[J.R.] Ladies and gentlemen, one clarification to the rule,
there is no standing 8 count,
no standing 8 count in this match-up.
[announcer] Weighing 458 pounds, The Man they call Vader!
["It's Time" playing]
[J.R.] 6 feet 5, 458 pounds, and Vader has set
some experience, King,
in these type of No HoldsBarred matches in Japan.
Vader has, matter of fact, has had great success
before thousands and thousands of fans in Japan
in this style of match-up.
So he's no novice to this genre.
[King] That's right.
I know that, Ross.
And it doesn't take a moron just
to look at Vader to figure out that he's not going
to be a technical wrestler.
He's not going to go in there and grab wristlocks
and headlocks and things like that.
This is a guy that with brute sheer strength
and power is going to take that big ham hock of his
that he calls a fist and bust you right upside the head.
And you're going to go into the Twilight Zone.
[J.R.] He's a bully, King.
[King] You gonna be… no, who cares?
-[J.R.] He's a bully. -[King] I love bullies.
[J.R.] Well, good. I'm glad you do.
That's what he is. He's a 458 pound stinking bully.
[King] Ha-ha!
["it's time" playing]
[announcer] His opponent, from Sacramento, California,
weighing 235 pounds,Ken Shamrock!
[King] Ah, he's in the zone, Ross.
Look at him.
He's in the zone.
[J.R.] What an ovation for Ken Shamrock.
He is focused.
He is ready.
He knows what he has to do.
Referee Tim White has a great challenge here.
[King] He's probably never refereed one of these kind of matches.
[J.R.] Well, you're probably right.
And here we go.
This is submission or knockout.
Shamrock is a submission specialist.
-Hard kick to the leg. -[King] That's sissy kick!
[crowd yelling]
Watch it, Vader.
[J.R.] Shamrock with a leg dive, trying to single leg Vader.
They go in the ropes and, by the rules of this match-up,
in the ropes, we will have a break.
So as far as that's concerned, it's very…
[King] That's in Vader's favor.
[J.R.] It's not like going into the octagon.
-[smack] -[King] Ow!
Hey, hey, hey!
[J.R.] You can hear those kicks.
And the strategy, very sound.
Shamrock with those hard, stiff kicks, trying to Charley horse
those huge thighs of Vader,
and break Vader down from that vertical base.
[King] This is reminiscent of when Antonio Inoki fought Muhammad Ali.
Went for the legs, tried to get him on the ground.
Oh, here we go!
Squeeze him!
[J.R.] Vader with a gutshot. And now…
[yelling]
[J.R.] and there's a wrist lock.
Vader with the wrist lock applied.
And you can hear Vader.
Shamrock turned the wrist lock to hyper-extend the elbow
into an arm bar.
You can hear Vader bellowing and he stepped into the ropes,
which caused the break.
Advantage Vader, as King said,
as far as the ropes are concerned.
And the submission specialist, Ken Shamrock.
[King] That'll take a toll-- take a toll on the leg.
[J.R.] Vader with a 200 pound weight advantage, at least.
And Shamrock quick to get out of the corner.
Vader likes to keep his opponent stationary,
and just hammer away at their body,
and eventually wear them down.
[King] And see, that's not--
that's something the Shamrock is certainly not used to.
He's never faced a man in that Ultimate Fighting junk
as big as Vader.
You know he hasn't.
[J.R.] I don't think the Ultimate Fighting stuff is junk.
My opinion, but… waistlock by…
by Shamrock.
And it looked like Shamrock was trying
to jerk Vader up and over into a suplex.
[King] Can't lift him.
[J.R.] And again, Vader is certainly cagey
enough to utilize the ropes.
I think that's what Shamrock is complaining about,
is that Vader is using the ropes.
Shamrock not used to that.
That's not a situation you have to contend with
in the UFC and the octagon.
[King] Well, give Vader a little credit.
He's smart.
[yelling]
[J.R.] Hard kicks again by Shamrock.
-And again, the waistlock. -[slam]
-And a takedown. -[cheers, applause]
[King] Hit the ropes!
Get out!
[J.R.] And Vader rolling outside.
Vader quick to roll outside.
Now, again, there's no count-outs
and no disqualifications in this thing.
But I assume that even though we say
it is knockout or submission, if an individual is
unable to continue, that the match would end.
[King] Vader's arm or wrist is hurt.
[J.R.] Of course, ladies and gentlemen,
Ken Shamrock, former UFC champion.
And again, our friends at the Ultimate Fighting Championship
will have a Pay-Per-View on Friday night, May 30.
[King] Why don't you go over and announce for them, Ross?
[J.R.] In the United States only.
[King] What you sucking up to them for?
[J.R.] When somebody says something nice to someone,
-they're always sucking -[King] Look at this!
There you go! There you go! There you go.
-[J.R.] Hard body shots by Vader. -[King] Oh, don't let him get behind ya.
[J.R.] Shamrock hanging in behind.
-[King] Ah! -[J.R.] Suplex!
[cheers, applause]
Vader landing on his left shoulder.
[King] I'd get out if I were you, Vader!
[J.R.] Unbelievable strength by Shamrock, who's about 225.
Shamrock lived a part of his life
in a variety of foster homes, was living in a car
alone at the age of 10.
[King] And I heard that the guy that claims to be
his old man, whoever that was, his old man said Ken Shamrock
should have been born in gladiator times.
I agree.
That way he'd be dead by now.
[J.R.] King, do you like gladiator movies?
Vader using the ropes and using the outside to his advantage.
And that's a good strategy for this 450-pounder.
I thought earlier, if Vader could get
this match over quick,
obviously that's to his advantage.
[King] Oh, there you go!
[J.R.] Right to the face.
Get him off.
[J.R.] Shots right to the abdomen.
[cheers, applause]
Shamrock with the reverse!
Shamrock going for that…
Shamrock was going for the submission on the ankle.
[King] I think he was going for a pinfall.
[J.R.] Well, there are no pinfalls.
[King] Right.
Shamrock's too stupid to realize that.
[J.R.] Oh, I don't think so.
He was going for a submission.
[crowd yelling]
And again, Vader using the rules
of this match and the surroundings to his advantage.
[King] Stay close to the ropes.
[J.R.] Uh-oh.
[yelling]
Spinning kick by Shamrock.
Hard forearm shots.
It's obvious Vader seems to be wanting to go for a knockout.
Shamrock, known for his submission wrestling technique,
with a hard front facelock.
[King] There you go!
[clattering]
[J.R.] And Vader, so powerful.
And a kick downstairs by Vader.
[slam]
[King] Welcome to the World Wrestling Entertainment, Ken Shamrock.
Ha-ha!
[J.R.] The former Colorado Buffalo…
[King] Make him tap!
Make him tap!
[J.R.] …just knocked the helmet off of Ken Shamrock,
caught Shamrock right in the forehead.
And now Vader making Shamrock carry all that weight.
Take another look right here.
Vader is trying to go for a submission.
-[Vader growling] -[King] There you go!
Watch this clothesline.
[slam]
[J.R.] Vader falling right through the clothesline.
Now Vader wants to get on top of Shamrock
and hyper-extend the elbow.
[crowd chanting "Shamrock"]
[King] Look at these morons here in Richmond.
Shamrock.
Shamrock. Whoa!
[J.R.] Nice roll-through by Shamrock, into the…
-[King] Uh-oh! -Uh-oh!
Uh-oh!
[J.R.] Submission move now.
Champ Vader is fighting to get that right arm…
[King] Yank it over. There you go.
[J.R.] …away from Shamrock.
And now Vader on top.
[King] It's all right, though.
He doesn't have that elbow where
Shamrock can hyper-extend it.
[J.R.] Shamrock could turn this Figure Four Headscissors
into a chokehold.
[King] Yeah, but Vader could pick him right up,
because he's so powerful.
Look at that!
[slam]
Ooh!
[J.R.] Vader using that mass and that power
to free himself from the predicament.
Very unique match.
Remember, it's a submission or knockout
only in this no-holds-barred contest.
[King] Bust him right now, Vader.
Put him in La La Land.
[vader yelling]
[King squeals]
[crowd groans]
[J.R.] Shamrock suplexed outside by Vader.
[King] Whoa!
[J.R.] And that's gonna buy Vader some time.
It's gonna hurt Shamrock.
And the chorus of boos from this capacity crowd directed
right at the 450-pound bully.
[King] Shut up, Ross.
Let's see a double feature of that.
Look at this!
Look at the strength of Vader against this…
no regard for the body of Ken Shamrock.
And he deserves no regard.
He came in here shooting his mouth off
about how tough he was.
He ain't as tough as Vader.
-[referee] No! -Hey!
Get inside.
[J.R.] I don't think I would really consider Shamrock's…
been shooting his mouth off about how tough he is.
He's proved how tough he is, King.
[slam]
[King] Ha-ha!
[J.R.] Shamrock face-first into the steps.
[King] Yeah, they don't have metal stairs in that UFC, do they?
[J.R.] Vader's nose is bleeding, maybe broken.
[King] He don't care.
[J.R.] It won't affect his looks, that's for sure.
[King] Break Shamrock's nose!
Send him home to that lovely wife, Tina, of his,
and them four brats with a broken nose.
-[slam] -[referee] That's two times, now.
[J.R.] Vader with those stiff body shots,
taking so much out of you.
And you see the blood trickling down from the right nostril of Vader.
Maybe from that kick by Shamrock.
I'm not sure.
[King] You think Shamrock hugged his wife
and hugged all his kids?
They won't want to hug him when he comes home a loser.
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] Shamrock fighting back as best he can.
But right now, it's clear that Vader has the advantage.
Vader has used his size, his mass, to his advantage here.
[King] I think I just figured out
why ABC is about the last ranked network,
if they think Shamrock is the world's most dangerous man.
[J.R.] Vader measuring Shamrock.
Vader trying to whip Shamrock to the turnbuckle,
but Shamrock held on.
[King] Now who's holding onto the ropes?
Come on, you coward!
Take it like a man!
Take your beating.
[clang]
Good!
[J.R.] Wow.
[King] That's power.
[J.R.] Tremendous impact of that turnbuckle.
-And Vader… -[King] Ah, ho!
[J.R.] Vader going for a submission
[King] Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
[J.R.] Vader going for the ankle lock.
Shamrock can say "I quit."
He can tap out three times.
Or he can, for his sake, maybe get to the ropes.
[King] How much do you think Vader would love it
if Ken Shamrock had to tap out?
If he told the referee, I give!
He's breaking my leg!
[crowd cheering]
Listen to these idiot people!
I'll tell you this, Richmond is proof that evolution can go in reverse.
Oh, he's got him again!
[J.R.] Vader with a choke!
Vader now going to try to choke Shamrock out.
Vader trying to slip that forearm right under the jaw.
Shamrock able to free himself in a nice…
[King] Come on!
Come on!
Watch it.
Hey, come on!
Come on!
[J.R.] Hard shots.
[referee] Get him out of there!
[J.R.] Tremendous crowd on-hand watching Ken Shamrock's…
[clang]
[crowd groans]
here in the WWE.
And Shamrock now really feeling that weight advantage of Vader.
[King] Bust him!
Bust him open and then just make
him cry, and beg, and quit, and tap, and do it all to
him, Vader!
[slam]
[J.R.] Oof, yes.
When did you become such a fan of Vader?
[King] I'm not such a fan of Vader,
I just can't stand Ken Shamrock.
Everybody thinks that Ultimate Fighting crap is so great,
and he's going to waltz in here and rule the WWE?
No way.
[crowd jeering]
[J.R.] Vader bomb, now this is a unique move.
Uh-oh!
-Maybe a moonsault. -[King] Let's see it, baby!
[cheers, applause]
[slam]
Oh, missed him!
[J.R.] He didn't get it!
Vader did not hit the moonsault. Now Ken Shamrock kept alive.
[King] Get to the rope, Vader.
[J.R.] Shamrock has been mauled for the last several minutes by Vader.
Shamrock has been unable to work his submission maneuvers
as he has been on the defensive.
But a hard kick.
Another one.
[King] Keep your hands up.
Keep your hands up, Vader!
[grunting]
[J.R.] All power!
[slam]
Tremendous slam by the powerful Ken Shamrock!
[King] Get up, Vader! Uh-oh!
[J.R.] Oh, this could be all.
Shamrock will break that ankle.
No, no, no, no!
Come on, let's go, let's go.
[J.R.] Oh, better on the ropes.
Good move, good move.
Vader in the ropes, saved himself
from what would be what one would assume,
a sure submission.
And now Shamrock using those kicks, knocking
the big man off his props.
[King] Uh-oh, look out!
Yes!
[cheers, applause]
[King] Don't tap, don't tap the mat!
[J.R.] And again, the ropes save Vader,
which has got to be very frustrating for Ken Shamrock.
Again, used to competing in the octagon,
where the barriers have no play.
Shamrock with the knees, oh, the knee right to Vader's face.
A hard shot.
Vader, his legs are getting wobbly.
Whoa!
Good grief!
[King] The zone.
He's in the zone!
He's in the Vader zone!
[laughs maniacally]
[J.R.] Uh-oh.
He's got a… he's got the hold on it.
He's got the submission move on Vader!
-He's turning that… -[pounding]
That's all! That's all!
-That's all! -[bell dinging]
Shamrock wins!
Shamrock wins by submission!
[announcer] The winner of this one…
[King] Wait a minute!
the submission, Ken Shamrock!
[cheers, applause]
["the ultimate" playing]
[J.R.] Boy, it was not pretty.
It was physical.
Mike Tyson, a coward?
Well, Mike Tyson hasn't accepted Ken Shamrock's challenge.
Maybe after watching this, Iron Mike
will want no part of The World's Most Dangerous Man!
[cheers, applause]
Take another look.
Watch these.
Watch this, watch this right hand.
Boom!
I thought it would be over right there.
[King] He didn't connect, just exactly right.
If he had got him with the fist good, it would have been over.
[J.R.] But then Shamrock countered
into the ankle submission.
[King] He's trying to break his ankle.
[J.R.] Shamrock, Shamrock, he made the bully submit!
[bell dinging]
[King] You love saying that, don't you, Ross?
[J.R.] It's a fact.
Well, like I said, it wasn't pretty.
It was a physical, it was an intense match-up.
Having trouble getting Vader up here.
[King] Well, I guess his ankle's nearly broken.
[J.R.] Well, his leg is all knotted up from those kicks
to the thigh.
Vader finally on his--
back up vertical.
[cheers, applause]
I'll tell you what, that was a real intense match,
a stiff match.
Very unlike what we are used to seeing here in the WWE
as far as the technique and style is concerned.
Vader's ankle could be broken.
You got to know that his…
[crashing]
his quadricep muscle has got to be screaming.
That's the thigh muscle, King, by the way.
[King] The what?
[J.R.] Well, ladies and gentlemen,
we are still awaiting the arrival of The Hart Foundation.
Those are their seats.
Bret Hart and company bought those seats from a scalper.
This event has been sold out for quite some time.
And Bret and Tony bought those seats.
And a man that certainly should be aware of that is
Stone Cold Steve Austin, Todd.
Cold Steve Austin, your battle for the World Wrestling Entertainment title
against The Undertaker just moments away.
And JR alluding to those five seats.
The Hart Foundation will be in…
I don't give a damn about five empty seats, because all
that means is that the Hart family is going to be
that much closer to Stone Cold Steve Austin!
And after I whip The Undertaker's ass,
I'll take all five of them and send all five of them
straight back to Calgary in a bunch of wheelchairs!
I don't know if The Undertaker's checked
the weather lately, but I'll be damned
if hell ain't about to freeze over.
And that's the bottom line!
Let's take a look at the Stone Cold Stunner,
if you would.
Steve Austin is already making his way to ringside.
But as you can see, his confrontation
with The Undertaker two weeks ago on RAW is War.
Gives him the knee to the midsection.
There it is!
The Stone Cold Stunner.
Will The Undertaker be able to recover from that tonight
if it's hit by Stone Cold Steve Austin?
You can see the taunting going on by Stone Cold.
He is ready.
The Undertaker did recover there.
What's it going to be like?
Bam!
Tombstone Piledriver right there.
Which move will come out on top tonight?
The World Wrestling Entertainment title
on the line.
[I won't do what you tell me" playing]
[glass breaking]
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following contest, scheduled for one call,
is for the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship!
[cheers, applause]
Coming down the aisle, is the challenger.
From Victoria, Texas, weighing 252 pounds,
Stone Cold Steve Austin!
Well, he's got the disposition of a rattlesnake.
[J.R.] His popularity is, well, it's absolutely phenomenal.
And that's what's hard to figure out.
He'll be the first guy to tell you, King,
Austin is no role model.
[King] I know that's right!
Nothing fancy about him at all.
Look, these signs, everybody.
Did you see what that one sign said?
There was a guy over there that said,
"Steve Austin for President."
Can you imagine if Stone Cold ran the country?
The national bird would be the finger.
[J.R.] He is a no frills son of a gun.
1996 King of the Ring was Stone Cold Steve Austin.
He won the Royal Rumble, albeit a little controversial.
["Rest in peace" playing]
-[cheers, applause] -[King] Wow.
[announcer] His opponent from Death Valley,
weighing 328 pounds,
the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion…
[cheers, applause]
The Undertaker!
[fans whistling]
[cheers, applause]
[explosions]
[cheers, applause]
[King] They knocked my crown off, Ross!
[J.R.] What?
I can't hear.
Well, folks, this is going to be, I think,
one of the more intriguingly intense WWE Championship matches
than maybe any of us have ever seen.
These two men know no fear.
Austin has said many times, he's not afraid of the dark.
But you'd better respect the dark side.
Oh, wait a minute.
[crowd yelling]
Here they come.
[King] Oh, yeah!
[J.R.] Here come The Hart Foundation and Brian Pillman.
[crowd yelling]
[King] They got a right to be here, Ross.
They paid good money for their tickets.
[J.R.] Folks, I wish you could be here in Richmond
and feel this intensity!
I don't think I've ever felt the intensity that we are feeling right now
with The Hart Foundation coming to ringside.
[King] I know one thing, I don't want to see…
I don't want to see Gorilla Monsoon come back down here
and say that these guys can't be in ringside,
because they paid for tickets… which is a shame in itself.
[J.R.] I don't know how well received
The Hart Foundation is going to be sitting at ringside.
And Stone Cold… [belling dinging]
Steve Austin is tired of waiting.
Stone Cold Steve Austin attacking The Undertaker.
And this match is officially underway.
[King] Austin has taken advantage of the distraction caused
by The Hart Foundation.
[J.R.] Austin stomping away.
[King] The belt is still on The Undertaker!
[J.R.] And The Undertaker rigging deep.
[King] I think they're checking The Weather Channel.
I think the temperature's going down, down in Hades.
[J.R.] Ooh!
Austin's head rammed into the top turnbuckle.
Boy, I'll tell you what… this one's going to get nasty
before it's all said and done.
[cheers, applause]
Oh, wait! Wait!
[crowd yelling]
Austin just-- he grabbed Owen Hart!
[King] What's he doing?
[J.R.] And The Undertaker is hot.
[King] Austin ought to be suspended.
He yanked one of the fans out the front row.
[slam]
You can't do that here in the WWE!
[J.R.] That's no fan!
[King] Look at this!
[J.R.] And The Undertaker just put
Owen right back in his seat!
[King] What kind of message is this sending?
Are we going to beat up our fans?
[J.R.] You think The Undertaker has any…
any respect for The Hart Foundation?
[King] They bought their tickets!
They're here just to watch the match, like you and I!
[J.R.] Are you getting emotional about this?
Undertaker keeping an eye on The Hart Foundation.
[King] Look at this.
Take a look at this.
Oh!
And then look at this.
He attacks him!
One of our fans!
[J.R.] Again, that was Owen Hart.
Austin now opening up the right hands.
And more rights with authority on the WWE champion.
[King] Whoa!
[J.R.] High clothesline by The Undertaker.
Going for the cover.
Will it be over?
No, it will not.
Tremendous agility displayed by The Undertaker,
6' 10.5", 328 pounds, from Death Valley, California.
A two-time WWE champion.
And certainly no athlete since the late Andre the Giant has had
that phenom status
that The Undertaker possesses in a level all his own
here in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
[King] And the amazing thing right now is
to look at it this crowd, because…
Take a look at The Hart Foundation.
But when you look out at these people here in Richmond,
the same people that stood on their feet and went wild
when Stone Cold Steve Austin came into the ring…
[slamming]
also cheered like crazy when The Undertaker came down the aisle.
[J.R.] Another cover, and another near fall.
Stone Cold Steve Austin is a guy that would not quit
at the hands of the sharpshooter, when
Bret Hart had the Sharpshooter on Stone Cold
at WrestleMania XIII.
Austin's body almost shut down on him.
He passed out, but he never said, "I quit."
He never gave up.
And he will not give up against The Undertaker
in this WWE title match-up.
[crowd yelling]
It'll be interesting to hear what
Shamrock has to say about his first foray
into WWE Pay-Per-View.
[King] It'll be interesting to hear what anybody else has
to say other than you.
It would be a cold day in hell when you shut up, Ross.
[J.R.] Thank you, King.
[King] Trying to enjoy this match-up.
You see, look at these fans.
I don't think they dislike either one of these guys.
What they're going to respond to,
though, is the fact that both of them
want to win the WWE title.
The Undertaker wants to hang on to it,
but Stone Cold wants it worse than anything the world.
And either one of them will do whatever
it takes to come out of this match
with their hand in the air.
[J.R.] That's a real astute observation, folks.
And there's a near… another near fall by The Undertaker,
rolling over and countering Austin's a headlock.
[King] That was a astute, wasn't it?
[J.R.] Yeah, really.
You're really delving deeply into the psyche and
the fabric of this contest.
Again, The Hart Foundation and Brian Pillman.
Pillman is not a member of The Hart Foundation,
or at least that's what he tells me every Saturday night
on Shotgun Saturday Night.
[King] Well, he looks like he's sitting right in amongst them,
if you ask me.
He's glaring over here at you, Ross.
[J.R.] Again, Austin slowing things down here.
Certainly The Undertaker is vulnerable in
this particular predicament.
Get a guy 6' 10" off his feet, gotta help move
things along a little bit.
[King] That's astute, but looks like he's
not off his feet, Ross.
[J.R.] [laughs] Not now.
Ooh!
[cheers, applause]
Austin's shoulder block didn't really faze The Undertaker.
Nice shot, headlock takeover.
I don't know how you can become such big admirers
of The Hart Foundation.
I mean, he made you kiss your own foot, King.
[King] Let me tell you something.
[J.R.] Bret Hart humiliated you.
[King] Bret Hart and I had big differences.
We've had a world of differences.
But you know what?
He finally came around and saw things like I've
been seeing him all along.
He realized, look at these morons
that he's looking at right now.
He realizes he ain't gonna get nothing out of these fans here
in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
They're a bunch of idiots.
They're so fickle.
Hey, how many weeks ago was it that they couldn't
stand Stone Cold Steve Austin?
Now they love him, right?
Huh?
Get it back!
[J.R.] Well, they certainly are, yeah, they do love him.
I don't know why, but they do.
Get it back!
[King] Ha!
[J.R.] I guess some fans get a little frisky out there
with The Hart Foundation.
That might not be too healthy.
[King] We can't have fans fighting amongst fans here.
When are you going to get it through your thick skull, Ross,
that The Hart Foundation are here as fans tonight?
They're certainly interested in the outcome of this outcome
of this title match.
[J.R.] Well, I ain't buying what you're selling.
They got an ulterior motive.
Everybody knows it.
They got every piece of gold in the WWE but the WWE title.
[King] Oh!
[J.R.] My god!
And almost a downstairs!
Austin now, taking the attack downstairs.
And look at Austin, like a rabid dog,
opening up on the left knee of The Undertaker.
[King] Whoa!
[cheers, applause]
This is what they wanna see!
Look at that!
[J.R.] Rights and lefts by the WWE champion.
Nothing pretty about it.
Nothing technically pure.
This is a fight for the WWE title.
Hey, hey!
[King] Look at the fans.
They're on their feet.
[J.R.] And Austin now wrapping The Undertaker's leg
right around the ring post.
[cheers, applause]
If I was Austin, I think I'd pick out
another corner to operate in.
[King] I think Austin gave an obscene gesture to our fans
over there.
[J.R.] I think Austin was just telling The Hart Foundation
♪ That they're #1 In Canada with a bullet,
and they'd like to put that bullet right in their feet.
Come on!
Get in the ring.
[yells]
[J.R.] Oh, no!
Did you hear Austin's face?
Austin's face just snapped the ring-post!
[King] Look at The Hitman.
He is really enjoying this match.
[J.R.] Well, I'm glad that he is.
That's certainly heartwarming.
[King] Well, I'm glad, too, because he's been
through some trying times of late, knee surgery,
wrist injury.
[J.R.] Austin on the back heel trip now.
Again, zeroing in on the left knee of The Undertaker.
One thing's for sure, The Undertaker's goozle,
his chokeslam, or his Tombstone Pile
Driver will not be effective, but obviously,
if he cannot stand.
And that is Austin's motivation right here.
[King] And Austin would love to cause Undertaker to have
to have some knee surgery.
[J.R.] Austin, again, you see?
The focus of his attack, very methodic, very simplistic.
But The Undertaker fights back, hammering down from that 6' 10"
frame, which gives him a great leverage advantage,
as long as, of course, the WWE champion is able to stand.
[grunts]
[King] Uh-oh!
[J.R.] Double leg pick-up by Austin.
Going for it.
Looks like he's trying to reach for the step over into the crossface.
[King] Look for one of those Ken Shamrock looking things.
[J.R.] Called an STF.
[King] What?
[J.R.] An STF, King.
You know, if you'd move out of Memphis, every now and then
you learn some of these holds.
-[King] Oh, is that right? -[J.R.] That's it.
[King] I don't care about holds, Ross.
You keep running your mouth, and I'll beat-- well, I would beat you up,
but I got this thing about cruelty to animals.
We got a-- we got a little disagreement among the fans again.
[J.R.] There you see the tension and the pressure
on the left leg of The Undertaker.
Austin, with that crossface.
The Undertaker in a tough predicament here,
gets to the ropes, much like we saw
Vader use earlier in the no-holds-barred fight
with Shamrock.
And Austin breaks the hold.
[referee] Get in, hey!
[J.R.] Ooh! Hard elbow to the--
right to the face, perhaps the sternum, of the WWE champion.
And The Phenom is being challenged
as we have never seen him challenged.
[King] This is where a guy like Stone Cold Steve Austin is
at his best, doing things like that on the outside.
Unconventional.
If he gets The Undertaker to the outside of the ring,
Undertaker will be in bigger trouble than he is right now.
[fan] Let him up!
[King] Oh, look out. Whoa!
[J.R.] The Undertaker boosting Austin over the top row.
That's going to give the-- well, I was going to say,
it's going to give The Undertaker an opportunity
to catch his breath.
But look at the tenacity.
[King] And this is the mistake by The Undertaker, I think.
-[J.R.] The Undertaker now. -[King] Whoa!
[J.R.] Ooh!
Introducing Austin to the ring steps.
As tough an S.O.B. as Austin is,
I don't know if anybody, and I mean anybody in the WWE,
is on The Undertaker's level as far as pure toughness
and the threshold of pain is concerned.
Nice move there by The Undertaker.
A single leg pickup to the back heel trip.
And now The Undertaker is focusing on the left knee of Austin,
which was damaged.
Austin was out for several weeks right after WrestleMania due
to a knee injury, went through extensive rehabilitation,
was treated by Dr. Jim Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama,
a noted orthopedic surgeon.
And so now The Undertaker is focusing on that injury.
And I don't know if it's 100% healed, King.
[King] Well, I can tell you what,
you can see by the strategy-- it's both
of these guys' strategy, The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
I think both realize this match is not going to be over early.
[J.R.] Austin tearing us out and comes back with right hands
on The Undertaker.
[King] Oh! Whoa, The Undertaker back downstairs.
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] Vicious stomps right to the knee joint
by The Undertaker.
And the vaunted WWE champion going for a submission
against Stone Cold. A half Boston crab.
Will The Undertaker do what Bret Hart could not do
at WrestleMania XIII, and that's make Stone Cold give up.
[King] Now, look at this. Now, this is right.
This is the way fans should behave.
I may have been wrong.
Maybe the WWE does hav some of the good--
or some of the greatest fans on Earth.
Looks like they're well-behaved right there.
Not jumping up and down, acting like idiots.
[J.R.] Fans have the right to do what they want to do.
They can express themselves.
And they also are pretty integral in paying our salaries.
[cheers, applause]
[King] Your salary, maybe, Ross.
I'm a King, you know?
-[J.R.] Yeah. -[King] Uh-oh.
Look at this. Here we go!
[J.R.] Right at in front of our… of our Tito Santana,
Carlos Cabrera, our Spanish colleagues,
seem like they have a bull's eye on that table.
[King] Whoa!
[J.R.] Oh, back down!
Undertaker missed that big kick,
and Austin goes right back to work on the knee.
Stone Cold Steve Austin is relentless.
He is so pugnacious, so tenacious.
Now stretching the hamstring, trying to hyper-extend the knee
of The Undertaker.
[King] Ooh!
[J.R.] Austin may be going for a Figure-Four.
Shades of Dory Funk Jr.
[King] I don't think your leg is supposed to turn that way, is it?
[J.R.] I don't think so.
Undertaker fighting with all he's got here.
Caused some separation.
Both these guys are going to be limping tomorrow,
if they're able to even stand.
But the big question, who's going to leave
Richmond, Virginia with the WWE title?
[King] Oh!
Hey, keep your hands off him.
Behave yourself like those other fans down at the end of the row.
[J.R.] Austin again, showing that mean streak.
And there you see The Hart Foundation and Brian Pillman.
[King] Now, what do you think Stone Cold would have done
if those fans right there would have stood up
and patted him on the back?
[J.R.] How come you're not insulting
Stu and Helen anymore?
Have you kissed and made up with them too?
[King] All I did was--
all I did was tell the truth about them.
They a little on the old side.
And plus, it's Mother Day.
[J.R.] One, two--
Austin a half a count away from becoming the WWE champion.
[King] Lord knows Helen's made a living out of being a mother.
[J.R.] At 12 children.
Bless her heart.
And the suplex by Austin, and The Undertaker down.
Now, can Austin hold him down? One--
[King] Yeah, he got--
[J.R.] Oh, that was close.
Undertaker, you can almost feel that The Undertaker senses
that maybe the WWE title is slipping away from his hands.
[King] I'm going to tell you what, I'm going to tell you
a little inside secret, Ross.
You never having been in the ring.
The only thing athletic about you being your feet.
[J.R.] Yeah.
[King] Here's what happened in this match.
[J.R.] That's original and funny!
[King] Both of these guys, came up with the identical strategy.
Both of them strategy was to take the other one's--
[yelling]
[J.R.] Good lord!
Strategy or not, The Undertaker landed
a straddle on the top ring rope.
[King] Right.
[J.R.] That may be enough to swing the momentum
strictly into Austin's favor.
Boy, it would infuriate Bret Hart for Steve Austin to become
the WWE champion right here tonight
in Richmond, Virginia.
Uh-oh.
Going for the suplex.
[King] As I said, both of these guys came out into this match
and they were both determined to take the legs out of their opponent.
[J.R.] Undertaker able to block the suplex.
[King] And now they're both having to change strategy,
but they both suffered injured legs in the process.
[J.R.] Undertaker couldn't find the connection with the elbow.
Austin again going for the cover.
That's a lateral press.
And The Undertaker able to kick out.
[King] All sides of that sign.
[J.R.] Austin did not hook the leg.
May have cost him there.
In any event, the match continues for the WWE title.
And there's a sleeper applied by The Undertaker.
[King] Oh!
[J.R.] A quick counter by Austin, a jawbreaker.
[King] Almost a stunner!
[J.R.] Maybe a modified version of the Stone Cold Stunner, King.
You may be right on that one.
Take another look at it.
[King] I think The Undertaker, he thought he had Stone Cold,
but he didn't.
[J.R.] And what a grueling match-up.
Both these men have established a very methodical pace.
It has not been fancy.
It's been straight-ahead.
Very intense, very physical.
And look at those right hands.
And now look at Austin fighting back.
You think one guy is going to gain an advantage,
and as soon as you start talking about it,
the other man retaliates.
Uh-oh.
[King] Do you think Bret Hart had a--
-[yells] -[J.R.] Ah, come on!
[King] What?
[J.R.] Come on!
A blatant low-blow, and I'm very surprised
that the referee, who did see,
it is not calling for the bell and disqualifying Austin.
[audience shouting]
A total fall.
Well, Undertaker retaliated.
[King] There'll be some fines here, I'm sure.
[cheers]
[J.R.] Well, it's official. I'm getting a little emotional.
Here comes a toe flare.
The end is near!
[King] It's getting hot in hell again!
[J.R.] Austin may want to roll to the ropes.
This man is taking so much physically out of both these magnificent athletes.
[King] But I think The Tombstone is coming up.
Whoa!
[cheers, applause]
[J.R.] Austin snapping his neck.
-[King] Stunner! -[J.R.] It's over!
It's over! It's over!
Austin's gonna win it.
-[bell ringing] -Wait a minute.
What the hell is that?
[referee] Get the hell outta here!
[J.R.] Pillman just rang the bell.
Get out!
[J.R.] Austin's got this match won.
Get outta here!
[J.R.] Brian Pillman rang the bell!
[fan] Sabotage!
[cheers, applause]
[King] He was just an overzealous fan, Ross!
I was excited myself.
[J.R.] Austin had the mats won. Oh, no!
[cheering]
Tombstone! Tombstone!
No!
It's countered! It's countered!
Wait a minute!
Tombstone!
Bang!
[raucous cheers]
Well done!
Tombstone!
[audience] Two! Three!
[bell dinging]
[King] Look out! Fans are getting in the ring!
[J.R.] Here come The Hart Foundation!
[King] It's like a soccer game!
[J.R.] The Hart Foundation attacking the WWE Champion like a pack of dogs!
They're a pack of dogs, all right!
[King] Oh, my gosh!
[J.R.] That's imposters of money.
Come on!
What a dastardly attack!
Wait a minute.
Austin sees Bret, and Bret's all alone.
[King] No, he's in a wheelchair!
He's in a wheelchair!
-No! -No!
[slam]
[crowd yelling]
[J.R.] All hell has broken loose here.
Austin turned Bret Hart over.
[bell dinging]
And now he's wearing out whatever is moving with those crutches.
The Undertaker's got Owen Hart!
-[King] No! -[J.R.] And down.
[cheers, applause]
I think The Hart Foundation has cost Steve Austin the WWE title.
That's what I think.
[announcer] The winner of this bout
and still World Wresting Entertainment Champion,
The Undertaker.
-[J.R.] Wait a minute. Wait a minute! -[King] What?
[J.R.] Keep your eye on Austin!
-Oh, The Stunner! -["Rest in peace" playing]
[Vince] Steve Austin's Stone Cold Stunner again on the WWE champion.
Austin hit it once, but Brian Pillman rung the bell.
And now, all hell is gonna break loose.
Ladies and gentlemen, we want to thank all of you very much
for being with us here on Mother's Day
and inviting you-- inviting us into your house.
And from Vince McMahon and the whole McMahon family,
we'd like to wish Rose Anderson a Happy Mother's Day in heaven.
Rose passed away last night.
Ladies and gentlemen, so long from Richmond. r's Day in heaven.