This is a new thread I thought I'd start that could be a little different and unique. Basically we, the posters here at the TSM boards, take a famous match in wrestling history and talk about the buildup to the match, the match itself, and the fallout. I don't know if anyone else will want to jump in and write something up, but we'll just see how it goes.
I'll start with a little writeup I did before for Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 14:
Steve Austin came to the WWF as the Ringmaster in 1996, and first met Shawn Michaels in the Royal Rumble of that year, getting in several good shots on the Heartbreak Kid. Michaels ended up winning the Rumble and winning his first WWF championship at Wrestlemania by defeating Bret Hart in an ironman match, while Steve Austin was a midcarder, getting a win over Savio Vega. After feuding with Vega for a few months, Austin lost a Carribbean strap match to Vega at the May IYH PPV, and because of prematch stipulations, his manager Ted Dibiase had to leave the WWF. Austin said later that he lost the match on purpose in order to be able to go out on his own. That's just what he did, and he won the 1996 King of the Ring.
Austin and Michaels didn't interact much more until 1997. Michaels was no longer the WWF champion, and he shared something in common with Austin: both men hated Bret Hart. Hart had defeated Austin in a submission match at Wrestlemania 13, in one of the greatest and most memorable matches in wrestling history, when Austin passed out from the pain and blood loss while Hart had him trapped in the sharpshooter. Michaels and Hart had been at odds for some time, both in front of the audience and backstage. The night after Wrestlemania 13, Hart even roughed up the "injured" Michaels, wrapping his legs around the ringpost and applying a variation of a figure four leg lock. Joined in their hatred of Bret Hart, but never ever becoming friends, Austin and Shawn Michaels won the tag team titles on RAW in a great match against Bret's Hart Foundation allies, Owen Hart and the British Bulldog. But Austin and Michaels had a strong dislike for each other as well, and faced off in a one on one match at the 1997 King of the Ring. The match was great action, back and forth, and stole the show, but ended in a double disqualification.
From there, Austin continued his feud with the Hart Foundation while Michaels soon formed Degeneration-X with his new running buddy HHH, Chyna, and his new bodyguard and "insurance policy", Rick Rude. DX wreaked havoc on the WWF, each week testing the limits of how much they could get away with on national television, and causing WWF commissioner Sgt. Slaughter plenty of problems. Austin, meanwhile, was sidelined for a brief period with an injury sustained when Owen Hart gave him a sitdown tombstone piledriver in a match at Summerslam 1997. Austin came back to win the IC title from Hart in Montreal at Survivor Series 1997, while Shawn Michaels won the WWF title from Bret Hart in the infamous match where Vince McMahon screwed Bret Hart, calling for the bell to be rung when Michaels had Hart in the sharpshooter, not wanting the WWF champion Hart to leave for WCW with the belt.
It was only a matter of time before Michaels and Austin collided. Austin set his sights on winning the 1998 Royal Rumble, and did just that even with a huge target on his back, earning himself a shot at the WWF title at Wrestlemania. Michaels was able to survive a casket match with the Undertaker at the Rumble, retaining his WWF title with help from DX and Kane, but also hurting his back in taking a bump into the casket (his back hit the edge of the casket), and causing him serious pain and serious injury.
After the Rumble, Michaels and Austin were set for a WWF title match at Wrestlemania. The question was whether Austin could stand up to the gang attacks (and dare I say shennanigans) of DX. The night after the Rumble, Michaels and DX mocked Undertaker and HBK made a quick mention of Austin, saying that he had won the IC and tag titles just like HBK, but never the big one. Austin, meanwhile, got involved in a scuffle with Mike Tyson, who was announced to be a special guest at Wrestlemania, raising the ire of WWF owner Vince McMahon, and even getting footage on SportsCenter in the process.
Austin faced future DX member Road Dogg Jesse Jammes on the 2/2/98 edition of RAW. The match ended when DX hit the ring and attacked Austin, tying him up in the ropes. Michaels held the belt in front of Austin's face and said he would never win the title. Austin countered the next week by stealing HBK's WWF title belt, though Michaels was able to get it back by the end of the show.
Michaels struck the first real blow in the feud on the 3/2/98 edition of RAW. Steve Austin was scheduled to face Kane in the main event of the show, but the match never happened. Instead, Austin was jumped on his way to the ring, and Michaels drilled him with his trademark Sweet Chin Music superkick. It was clear to those backstage, however, that Michaels' back was not in good shape, as he was in serious pain after doing this one move to Austin.
Another big development in the feud happened earlier in the 3/2/98 RAW, when Mike Tyson came to the ring and was confronted by Michaels and DX...only for Michaels to rip off Tyson's shirt revealing a DX shirt. Michaels announced that Tyson was the newest member of Degeneration-X, and things didn't look good for Austin, as Tyson was set to be the special enforcer outside the ring at Wrestlemania 14 during the title match.
The 3/9/98 RAW saw Michaels strike again. An angry Austin hit the ring during a HHH vs. Savio Vega match, and gave stunners to everybody including the referee. As he had HHH cornered, however, Michaels was able to sneak into the ring and drill Austin with another kick to the jaw.
On the final RAW before Wrestlemania, 3/23/98, Austin gave an interview to start the show, but then was told by Commissioner Slaughter that he would have to wrestle the Rock on RAW, and if he did not his match against Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania would be a non-title match. Austin ended up defeating Rock (in a preview of the next year's Wrestlemania) with the stunner, and when DX came out after the match, Austin actually got a few shots in on Michaels before DX retreated.
Finally, the big show arrived, and Austin faced Michaels in the main event of Wrestlemania 14. The match itself started out a brawl, as the men fought around ringside and even into a live band area that had just played DX's entrance. The match, though probably not as good as the King of the Ring 1997 match due to both men being banged up going into it, was still quite good. Referee Earl Hebner ejected HHH and Chyna from ringside early in the match, leaving just Austin and Michaels, with Tyson at ringside. The ending of the match was quite memorable. Michaels took advantage on Austin and dropped a top rope elbow before going to the corner to "tune up the band" and set up for his sweet chin music. The only thing was that the referee was down, after having been knocked out by an inadvertant blow. Michaels went for the kick, only to have Austin duck it. Austin went for his stunner, but Michaels blocked it and went for his kick again. Austin caught Michaels' foot, spun HBK around, and then delivered the stunner. And then, to top things off, Mike Tyson slid into the ring and (since he was enforcer he was legal to count pinfalls) counted to three! Steve Austin was the new WWF champion.
Michaels was (no pun intended) stunned. Had he been double crossed by Tyson? He confronted Iron Mike in the middle of the ring, only to be decked by a big right hand. Austin continued to celebrate, and the Stone Cold era had begun in the WWF.
Austin went on to feud with Vince McMahon, who didn't like the idea of having a champion like Austin, who gave him so many problems, and went on to be one of the highest (if not THE highest) drawing WWF champions of all time. Michaels, who fought back pain the entire title match, had to take time off, and never wrestled again regularly until 2002. HHH took over Degeneration-X, saying that Shawn "dropped the ball" at Wrestlemania.
And there we have it. Thoughts, comments, corrections, discussion of the match, etc is all welcome. And feel free to post your own buildup to a big match in wrestling history.
P.S - was any explanation given of why Tyson turned on HBK?
