Survivor Series - 1991

Summer Slam is here.

Survivor Series – 1991 Detroit(Dark – Tito Santana d. Jake Roberts )

Gorilla and Bobby on the announce. Bobby spends the show talking about Flair.

1. Beverly Brothers d. Natural Disasters
-Beau! Blake!

2. Undertaker d. Hulk Hogan
-Chokeslam. Tombstone. On the one year anniversary of his debut, the Undertaker buries Hulkamania. It's quick and dominant. The stare down before the match is longer than the match. Sid appears as the Taker attempts to bodybag Hogan, chokeslamming the Dead Man himself - and when the Undertaker sits up, chokeslamming him again.

3. Ted DiBiase (w/Virgil) d. Mike Rotundo
-They lock up and do a couple of sequences – then Rotundo suddenly just drops, allowing Ted to cover for the win. Virgil hands Rotundo a briefcase as he exits the ring. Everybody's got a price, after all.

4. The Mountie Jacques Rougeau d. Bezerker
-The Mountie rolls on. Jacques is the Mountie!

5. Shawn Michaels d. Marty Jannetty
- The end of the feud. Another terrific match, Shawn establishes his dominance over his former tag partner it’s a clean, definitive win for Michaels. Following the match, Shawn is the one to offer a hand to Marty…Marty hesitates….then accepts!!

But Shawn pulls the hand back and superkicks Jannetty one more time.

Poor, dumb, coked up Marty.

Shawn poses over Marty, smirks, has the announce say that he's left the building.

6. Tags: Road Warriors d. Slaughter/Boss Man
-One year into their unbeaten title run – the Warriors squash White Power.

7. IC Title: Roddy Piper d. Bret Hart
-Switch. The 22 month IC run, Bret’s second IC run after an 18 month tag run – is over. Storyline is the same one they used at WM VIII – Piper’s torn conscience – will he cheat to win or demonstrate some honor….

Well, in this world, Piper’s really a heel – so when the moment comes and he has to decide whether to use the ringbell or not – he uses it. Piper wins his second IC title by nailing Bret over the back of the head with the ringbell and getting the fall. It's not a swerve, he made a legit face turn, but given the chance to win his 2nd IC strap, he took it.

After, Piper continues to attack, 'cause he has the taste of blood now, driving the bell into Bret’s ankle repeatedly, until he is stopped by a fan…

Good God – it’s Owen Hart!

It’s the first time Owen’s been seen since WM V – and he draws the huge favorite son pop as he saves his brother. Owen driving Piper from the ring. Big Owen Pop!

8. WWF Title: Ric Flair (w/Hennig) d. Davey Boy Smith
- Woooooo. Flair becomes the first man since, oddly enough, the original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers, to win both the NWA and the WWF titles. It’s Flair’s 4th World Championship. Hennig gets shots in during the match to establish his value at ringside, Bobby stays in the booth to cheerlead. Finish is clean, figure four submission.

Flair and Perfect celebrate - Bobby joins them as the show ends.

The year ends with Starrcade – okay, the NWA is about to go through a stretch of an embarrassment of crazy talent – between now and say, 1995 when Hogan arrives – every PPV will be a contender for the best PPV of all time. In actuality, they didn’t use their talent very well and their shows weren’t this good – but in this world, what you need to watch is the NWA. Here, Bagwell and Page each make their PPV debuts as a heel tag team. Pillman, now a face after being kicked out of the Horsemen, gains revenge by beating Taylor Rick Rude goes over Marc Mero. Steve Austin goes over Luger. The Steiners retake their tag belts from Eaton and Dustin. The new US Champion is….Ricky Steamboat, who recall, just worked Summer Slam in August. The Dragon goes over AA. And Sting drops the NWA title to Jushin Thunder Liger, one of the greatest juniors of all time, and absolutely in his prime right now in the early to mid 90s, on loan from New Japan. It’s a great PPV – arguably the best to this date.

Starrcade – 1991 Norfolk
NWA Title: Jushin Thunder Liger d. Sting
US Title: Ricky Steamboat d. Arn Anderson
Tags: Steiners d. Eaton/Dustin
Steve Austin d. Lex Luger

Rick Rude d. Marc Mero
Vader d. Cactus Jack
Brian Pillman d. Terry Taylor
Mark Bagwell/DDP d. Tracey Smothers/Abdullah the Butcher

On the road to the Rumble, Monster Sid continues squashing people, The Mountie continues his impressive winning streak, and a fight breaks out in the back between Tito and Martel. Again.

DiBiase enters on Prime Time Wrestling, the studio audience boos, you know, pointing their thumbs down in a disapproving manner. Ted says he’s one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, he’s been Intercontinental Champion – and now he’s going to do what no man in the WWF has been able to do in over a year – beat the Road Warriors…

And to help him do it, he introduces his tag team partner….Mike Rotundo. DiBiase and Rotundo heel up all winter, harpooning the Warriors whenever possible.

Owen promos, introduced by Mooney as the future of the WWF, the favorite son of the WWF….Owen thanks the fans for remembering him – saying that three years ago his ankle was shattered – and there were times he didn’t think he’d make it back – but now that he is ready to represent the Hart Family with pride.

Enter Michaels. Oddly enough, phrases like future of the WWF and favorite son of the WWF irritate him. Michaels says maybe Owen should consider, you know, winning a match on PPV before proclaiming himself the future of wrestling. Mooney interjects that he, in fact, used that term - Michaels superkicks him to the floor. "Don't interrupt me, bitch."

And then to Owen, "I don't like you, I don't like your brother, I don't like your family, I don't like the Dungeon, I don't like Canada, and I don't like..."

And then Owen drops him with an enzuguiri.

Two weeks before the Rumble, Bret returns, he has been out since SSeries with the ankle injured by Piper. Bret/Davey Boy are going to tag against Flair and Piper – the reunion of the Hart Foundation tonight on Prime Time Wrestling! But Bret never makes it to the ring – he’s laid out by Piper and Flair in the back – they attack the ankle again and leave him laying. Davey Boy is left to face Flair and Piper alone – he fights valiantly, but the heels have the upper hand – Owen runs in – looking to take his brother’s place and make a tag – Owen enters, getting the heat segment, big pop for Owen – and he has Flair ready to submit with the sharpshooter – when he is superkicked by an entering Michaels. Michaels beats on Owen – Flair and Piper beat on Davey Boy – both faces incapacitated…Bret limps his way down the aisle to attempt to save his family – but all three heels take him out – Flair applying a figure four – Michaels elbowdropping Bret – Piper using the ringbell again to further damage Bret’s ankle..

The three heels, take a picture, the three heels, Flair, Shawn, Piper, stand over the Hart Foundation.

The week before the Rumble, Bret's the guest on Piper's Pit.

Bret comes out in a wheelchair. Piper mocks him as Bret says he won't be able to fulfill his rematch clause at the Rumble. More mocking. Piper baits Bret, saying he was looking forward to beating him again, but it looks like he'll have a night off.

Bret says that it sounds like Piper wants the easy way out - but if he had any guts, he'd put that belt up anyway.

Piper rises, well, well, I'm the Intercontinental Champion - it's a week before the Rumble, anyone in the back worthy of challenging for my belt already has a match set - it's not like a clown like Duggan deserves a shot.

Bret says, what about a former IC Champ? What if a former IC Champ meets you in Albany at the Royal Rumble?

Piper says, please - Rude's gone, DiBiase and Chico have matches, you already said you can't go - what did you do, dig up Valentine or Pedro?

Bret: No, someone else. Someone you've never beaten. Someone you can't beat, Piper.

Piper gets hot - says he'll put up the title against anyone, bring him out - he doesn't care - bring him out...

Pomp and Circumstance.

Savage tears the set down, drags Piper into the ring, and elbowdrops him.

So, we're ready to go. Flair in the rematch against DBS. Piper defends against Savage in a No DQ. Road Warriors continue their run against DiBiase and Rotundo. Michaels meets Owen, good god! It's Royal Rumble '92! Call your cable company!