1996 King Of The Ring Review

One of the most memorable ppvs of 1996. This is where Stone Cold Steve Austin started his run for the main event. Vince McMahon and Jim Ross on commentary and they are joined by Owen Hart since Lawler has a match later.


Match #1

King Of The Ring Match


The Wildman Marc Mero w Sable Vs Stone Cold Steve Austin


Good back and forth match to open the card. Owen keeps insisting Jake Roberts is in his 50's or 60's. Mero knocks down Austin who rolls outside to rethink things. Austin suckers Mero into a greco roman kick in the gut then takes Mero to the mat and works him over. Mero gets a suprise small package for 2 and Austin continues the assault. Mero goes for a sleeper and gets a jaw breaker from Austin. Austin bleeding from the mouth at this point. Mero comes off the top with a double axe handle and knocks Austin outside and hits a somersault over the top rope onto Austin. Mero throws Austin back into the ring and hits a missle dropkick but only a 2 count there. Mero sets up Austin on the top rope and frankensteins him to the mat but again only a 2 1/2 count. Mero charges and Austin hits the stun gun but only a 2. Fans are into this one. Austin hits the stunner and gets the 3 count at 16:43. Ross says that is Mero's first WWF loss. This was back when people didn't oversell the stunner. Very good opening match. 3 stars.


Match #2

King Of The Ring Match

Vader w Jim Cornette Vs Jake The Snake Roberts

Boy. They ruined Jake with that born again christian gimmick. I was still semi markish back then and I was pulling for Jake all the way. Vader overpowers Jake easily. Jake catches Vader with a ddt out of nowhere and at the same time Vader knocks the ref down drawing a dq at 3:25. Vader beats up Jake and bombs down on him damaging his ribs. Meh 1/2 star.


Match #3

Tag Team Title Match

The Smokin Gunns w Sunny Vs The Godwinns w Hillbilly Jim

Sunny dumped the Bodydonnas when they lost the belts to the Godwins then dumped the Godwins when the Gunns won the belts back. Yup strait up hobag. Although I don't fault her for not associating with the backwoods retard Phineos. Cloudy makes an appearance (ugh) typical Gunns/Godwinns tag match. Phineos gets "riled up" and pulls Billies boot off. Gunns outsmart the Godwins most of the night and eventually get the win at 10:10 when Henry gets a boot in the back of the head. 2 stars.


Doc Hendrix interviews Jim Cornette Clarence Mason and Bulldog in their lockeroom and Mr Perfect, the ref for the title match is in the lockeroom aswell.


Match #4

The Ultimate Warrior Vs Jerry The King Lawler


Lawler pisses off the fans for a few minutes then Warrior runs down and gets sucker hit by Lawler with a sceptor. Warrior is about 2 days from running out of the company again. Lawler uses his wristtape to choke out Warrior. Amazing, Lawler is having more success than Hunter at Mania 12!!! Lawler hits the piledriver, and as expected Warrior pops right up and does his moves of doom and pins Lawler after a shoulderblock at 3:50. 1/2 star.


Match #5

The Undertaker w Paul Bearer Vs Mankind


Undertaker suprises Mankind with a clothesline off the top rope and kickstarts the match. Mankind has gotten the better of Taker on three seperate occassions. Both guys gouging eachothers faces off. Mankind grabs a chair and charges Taker but gets it kicked back into his face then Taker backdrops him on the floor. Taker cracks Mankind with the chair!!! Mankind counters a tombestone with a swinging neckbreaker and both guys are down. Mankind up first and he pitches Taker outside then props him against the steps and charges with that knee smash to the face. Mankind slams Taker on the floor then goes for an elbow drop off the apron but gets a chair in the face. Mankind takes the urn away and tries to hit Taker with it but Bearer snatches it away. Mankind goes for the manible claw and Paul tries hitting Mankind with it, who ducks and Taker gets smacked instead. Mankind puts on the mandible claw and beats Taker at 18:21. 3 stars


Match #6


Intercontinental Title Match

Goldust w Marlena Vs Ahmed Johnson

Ahmed wants revenge for GD putting the make on him when he was tied to a stretcher unconscious. Funny entrance for Ahmed, practically running over the two guys who open the entrance way. Ahmed kicks GD's ass for about 5 minutes, even hitting him with the steel steps. GD turns it around and uses the steps himself. Goldust concentrates on Ahmeds lower back. GD does his queery psychout routine. Goldust showing a nasty temper in this match. Goldust gives Ahmed mouth to mouth after a sleeprhold and Ahmed wakes up and goes sickhouse on GD!!! Ahmed hits a spinebuster then drills him with the pearl river plunge for the title at 15:34, crowd loves it. 2 1/2 stars.


Brian Pillman makes his WWF ppv appearance and is in Loose Canon mode. Too bad his career was basically over after the car accident. Very controversial interview.


Match #7

King Of The Ring Final Match

Jake The Snake Roberts Vs Stone Cold Steve Austin


Jake has busted ribs but President Gorilla Monsoon says he's gonna let Jake continue in the tournament. Austin has gotten stitches for his busted lip earlier in the night. Austin clearly the favorite and he drops Jake to the mat and tears off the bandages on his ribs. Monsoon temporarily stops the match but Jake says he wants to go on. Jake gets an adrenaline rush and goes for a ddt but Austin backs him into the corner and wrecks him with shoulder blocks in the midsection. A stunner ends it at 4:28. The 1996 King Of The Ring Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin goes on to cut his most famous promo EVER, Austin 3:16 has arrived. The match was nothing but with the interview segment I bump it up to 2 stars.


Match #8

World Heavyweight Title Match

Shawn Michaels w Jose Lothario Vs The British Bulldog w Jim Cornette

Monsoon announces that Perfect will not be the inside referee and will referee otuside the ring because he's been shown to be a little leanient towards the heels.


Both guys go through a very nice set of maneuvers. Bulldog uses his power when he can but Shawn outmaneuvers him left and right. Davyboy catches Shawn with a press slam over the ropes to the floor then goes outside and suplexes him on the mats. Davyboy gets Shawn in a surfboard and Perfect and hebner argue about him quitting/not quitting. They end up in the ropes and it's broken up. Shawn rallies and ALMOST gets Davy in the powerslam position but Bulldog shoves him off then Shawn goes for a superkick but Davyboy fakes him out and clotheslines him. Piledriver by Davyboy gets a 2 count. Bulldog goes up to the top rope and botches and fall off on a headbutt attempt. Shawn tries going up top but Davyboy dropkicks him and superplexes him off the top and gets a 2 1/2 count. Shawn goes for a huricinrana but gets powerbombed and another 2 1/2 count. Shawn reverses an irish whip to the corner and Bulldog does a hideous flip almost landing on his head. Shawn catches Davyboy with a flying forearm and a kipup. Shawn bodyslams Davyboy and accidently bumps the ref. Shawn up top and down with the flyin elbow. Shawn hits the superkick and for some reason Hebner AND Perfect count the three together, Owen pulls Perfect out and argues with Hennig. Shawn retains the belt at 26:25. Camp Cornette with a runin. Warrior and Ahmed make the save, setting up the ongoing feud going into next months IYH. Great Main Event 4 stars.


Overall Opinion: One of the more solid WWF 96 ppvs.

Final Score: On a scale of 1.0 to 10.0. I give this event 5.8 stars.