WrestleMania XII

Legacy Review

WrestleMania XII

March 31, 1996 from The Pond in Anaheim, CA

Commentary: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

This is another tiny card, tiny arena mid-'90s WM, but this time the tiny card is due to the big 60 minute Ironman match main eventing and WWF still keeping the shows at around the 2:45 range. The opening video hyping up the Ironman match is quality stuff. For the first and, unless there's something I'm forgetting, only time in WWF/E history the show logo is printed on the ring mat. Not on the Network copy is the Free For All preshow match, which saw the Bodydonnas defeat the Godwinn brothers in a tournament final for the vacant WWF Tag Team titles (vacated by the Smoking Gunns in February due to a Billy Gunn neck injury).

Vader, "The King of Harts" Owen Hart and "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith (w/Jim Cornette) def Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Ahmed Johnson and Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji) in 13:08- This was originally scheduled as Vader vs Yoko but was changed to a 6 man tag, probably to keep Yoko from having to work a full singles match. If the face team wins they get 5 minutes with Cornette. Vader and Yoko immediately shove and start slugging it out. All out six man brawl! Owen and Bulldog get tossed out and Yoko clotheslines Vader 360 to the floor. Johnson hits Vader with his wild out of control plancha. After he lands the heels beat him down on the floor. Things settle in with Yoko and Vader in the ring. Vader gets Yoko in the heel corner and lays in the potato shots. Yoko no sells an Owen dropkick to his back. Bulldog saves Owen from a Yoko avalanche and they team up to pummel Yoko down. Yoko ducks a Vader punch and hits him with a rock bottom slam! Tag to Johsnon, who cleans house. Powerslam on Bulldog. Vader kills Johnson with a clothesline from behind. The heels go on offense but Johnson decides selling is optional and sets Bulldog up for the Pearl River Plunge. Owen saves him with a missile dropkick, then hits an enzuguri. Vader big splash and tackle. Johnson hits Owen with a wild clothesline and milks the hell out of crawling over to tag Roberts. Short arm clothesline on Owen. The DDT is blocked. Roberts comes off the second rope but Owen gets his knees up. Now it's Roberts' turn to get beat down in the heel corner. Vader hits an avalanche. Roberts is still standing so he gives him a clothesline. Owen elbow off the top for 2. Bulldog powerslam. Roberts kicks out! Vader splash. Roberts kicks out again! It's like a kid is rapid firing the John Cena kick out at 2 button. Roberts dodges a Bulldog legdrop and tags Yoko. Yoko turns the tables and pounds Vader down in the corner. Avalanche. Yoko says screw it, that's enough work, and tags Roberts back in. Bulldog saves Owen from a DDT. DONNYBROOK! DDT! The ref is distracted by all the brawling. Cornette comes in. Roberts sees him coming and cinches him up for a DDT. Vader runs over Roberts from behind. Vader Bomb! No kicking out of that, this one's over. Solid opener. **1/2

Video recap of the Roddy Piper/Goldust feud leading to the Hollywood Backlot Brawl, voiced by none other than Michael Cole in his first WWF job. He definitely sounds like a news reporter. This was supposed to be Goldust and Ramon wrapping up their long feud, but Ramon was suspended by the WWF for repeated drug use.

Hollywood Backlot Brawl (opening segment)- Piper is waiting in an alley with a bat. Goldust drives up in a big gold car and threatens to run Piper over. Piper responds by spraying the car down with a fire hose. He smashes the driver side window. Goldust escapes the other side but Piper tracks him down and goes to work. Goldust gets the bat, the car, the conveniently placed catering table, some dumpsters, and gets busted open. Finally Goldust hits a low blow and scurries back into the car. He drives into Piper! Piper's on the hood and Goldust drives around for a bit with him on there. Piper slides off and Goldust takes off. Piper gets into another conveniently placed car, a white Ford Bronco, and speeds of in pursuit. End scene. Not a bad, and pretty intense, brawl but it would go downhill after this.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin (w/Ted DiBiase) def Savio Vega in 10:05- The Ringmaster is out and Stone Cold is in. We're slowly getting there. As would become his usual MO Austin jumps Vega as he's getting in the ring. Good slugfest. Vega hits a side suplex. Roll around brawl where they both roll to the floor. More brawling there with nice stiff pops. Back in Austin counters a backdrop and posts Vega's shoulder. Vega flips over Austin out of an armbar. Austin ducks a roundhouse kick but eats a superkick. Vince goes to Piper on his cell phone with the sounds of police sirens behind him before it cuts off. Austin posts Vega's shoulder again. Vega hurts his arm going for a clothesline and Austin starts working on it. Piper's on the phone again. Vega tries to flip over again, but this time Austin blocks it and plants him. Psychology! Vega crossbody for 2. Austin Thesz Press! They go into a nice trading rollups and cradles run for near falls but blow the bridge up spot. Vince says they've got a camera on Piper and.....it's the OJ Simpson chase footage. It's only a quick shot but there's no doubt. I remember watching this on the night and thinking it was the dumbest thing I'd ever seen. Meanwhile Vega hits a spinning heel kick. Austin gets his knees up on a splash attempt. Vega small package for 2. Austin tries coming off the top but Vega gets a boot up. Pillar to post beating. Austin ducks another spinning heel kick and the ref gets taken out. DiBiase slips Austin the Million Dollar belt. He whacks Vega with it and hooks on the Million Dollar Dream. DiBiase revives the ref with a face full of coke. He checks Vega, sees he's out and calls for the bell. **3/4

More OJ chase footage. Vince: "This footage looks awfully familiar." Tony Stark eye roll.

 

The Ultimate Warrior def Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/Sable) in 1:39- This is Sable's debut. MASSIVE pop for the Warrior in his much hyped WWF return after being away for nearly four years. In fact out of wrestling almost completely, only making sporadic appearances on the independent circuit. He milks his entrance for all its worth. When he's finally had enough Trips jumps him from behind. Pedigree! Warrior pops right back up! Forever clotheslines, tackle, gorilla press, splash, classic Warrior squash done. Warrior's crowd reaction noticeably got quieter as the match went on, a sign of how things would go this run. The magic was gone. Trips did this on the promise of a big push later in the year, but that was derailed by a little thing known as the Curtain Call. NR

Todd Pettingill introduces another new WWF signee, "Wildman" Marc Mero (formerly Johnny B Badd in WCW). As they're talking Trips wanders in, bumps into Mero, and that sets off a big backstage brawl. After that is more OJ chase footage, ostensibly of Piper "heading in the direction of the arena". Uh huh. I get wanting to save some cash in not having to film an actual car chase, but come on, pick some footage that people aren't going to instantly recognize.

 

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) def Diesel in 16:46- These guys cost each other WWF Title matches the past couple of PPVs to build up a pretty heated feud. Diesel is creeping more and more toward straight heel instead of tweener but still gets a near 50/50 reaction on his entrance. Another immediate slugfest. Must be Wrestlemania. Huge corner clothesline from Diesel. He goes for another one but Taker gets a boot up. A clothesline sends Taker 360 and out and of course he lands on his feet. He drags Diesel out for some floor brawling. Diesel takes a stair shot. Back in Diesel fights out of an early tombstone attempt. Taker crossbody (!) for 2. Rope walk drop. Diesel dodges another crossbody. Taker drops Diesel's throat across the top rope. A punch sends Diesel 360 over to the floor, and he also lands on his feet. Taker grabs a chair, but misses the target and whacks the post. Diesel whips Taker into the guardrail and posts his back, then gets back in to pose for the crowd and gets almost nothing but boos. Big boot and Diesel goes into full cocky strut mode. He's turning into almost full NWO Kevin Nash right before our eyes. Side suplex for 2. Snake eyes (ironically a move Taker would appropriate later in his career). Taker hits a back elbow in the corner to turn things around. Simultaneous punches. Simultaneous big boots! After both guys get up Diesel locks in a bear hug. Taker slowly works around to Saito suplex out. Clothesline off the top for 2. Diesel counters a backdrop. Jackknife! No cover. We're getting mega super ultra cocky Nash now. He gently kicks Taker and tells him to get up. Taker does. Second jackknife! Again no cover. Diesel taunts Bearer, then finally slowly goes down to cover. Taker goozles him! Diesel counters with a back suplex. Zombie situp. Diesel realizes he's messed up and backs off. Flying clothesline. Choke slam! Tombstone and good night. It had some moments but didn't come together as well as it could have. Taker goes to 5-0 at WM in easily the "best" match of the streak so far. He continues to slowly throw off the gimmick shackles and wrestle a more athletic and realistic style. **1/4

Goldust and Piper tear into the arena vehicle entrance. Piper sideswipes Goldust's car! Both guys get out and work their way into the arena.....

 

Hollywood Backlot Brawl (In-Arena Segment)- They brawl into the ring where Goldust takes control with some pounding and fondling. He attacks Piper's wounded leg a bit. Goldust goes up top and Piper shakes him off. While he's sitting on the top rope Goldust headbutts Piper, then kisses him! That really sets Piper off. He grabs Goldust in a very traditional hold, the Greco Roman Nut Vice, then bends him over and spanks him. No no, he's only going to enjoy that. Piper pulls Goldust's ring gear off and exposes a full set of lingerie underneath. One more nut shot and Goldust bails while Marlena tries to cover him up. Piper's music plays so I guess he's the "winner". This would turn out to be Piper's last WWF appearance before moving to WCW with the rest of his fellow '80s stars in the fall.

Another hype video narrated by Michael Cole, this time for the Ironman match. Before kicking off main event intros Howard Finkel announces Gorilla Monsoon, returning from the Vader attack and injury angle, to the crowd and confirms he is once again WWF President. All well and good but I'd much rather have him back on commentary.

 

60 Minute Ironman Match for the WWF Championship: "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels (w/Jose Lothario) def Bret "Hitman" Hart (c) in 61:56- Shawn does his legendary zipline entrance from the top of the arena. Wonder if he landed where they planned him to or if he just ended up where he ended up. Afterward a mic'd up Hebner gives instructions and desperately tries to remember his lines.

0:00-15:00- First lockup of the whole night! Shawn gets a waistlock takedown and both guys maneuver for leverage but it ends in a standoff. Shawn keeps outwrestling Bret to get in his head. Bret works over into a headlock and keeps Shawn in that for a while off and on. Shawn tries to power out so Bret works over into a front facelock. After a speed run Shawn gets a couple of armdrags and works hold #642, ARMBAR. Bret does the smoothest and crispest drop toe hold ever. Shawn turns it over into a hammerlock. On a corner break Bret hits an elbow to Shawn's chest to ratchet things up a bit. Shawn turns them around and pummels Bret with forearms. A Shawn flying headscissors sends Bret to the floor. He takes his time getting back in and we have a reset lockup. Shawn fireman carries Bret over into hold #187, ARMBAR. On another speed run Bret uses momentum to send Shawn over the top, but Shawn skins the cat back in and goes back to the arm. Bret with a knee to the gut on a rope run. Shawn jawbreakers out of a chinlock. Bret catches a Shawn leapfrog and hits a spinebuster. He goes for the Sharpshooter but Shawn fights it off. Shawn gets clotheslined 360 over to the floor. Bret follows but gets posted and falls on top of a young Tony Chimel sitting in the timekeeper's area. Shawn goes for a superkick. Bret ducks and SHAWN SUPERKICKS CHIMEL! OH THE HUMANITY!

15:01-30:00- Slow work in the ring so all the replays of Chimel getting killed can be shown on TV. Finally he gets stretchered out. Both guys trade clotheslines. The crowd is still very into it, they're holding interest really well despite all the pacing for the long match. Shawn slips out of a slam. Bret blocks a roll up attempt. Shawn hits a dropkick and goes to the arm again. Bret's starting to hit Flair levels of scream selling. He works Shawn into the corner and hits back elbows. Huge Bret European uppercuts. Shawn reverses a corner whip and posts Bret's shoulder. Shoulderbreaker. Double ax handle off the top rope to the shoulder. Hammerlock slam. Airtight psychology from Shawn so far, laser focused on taking Bret's arm apart. Commentary is surprised he's gone that way instead of his usual high flying, but it's sound strategery as it wasn't something Bret was expecting. Bret goes for a backdrop but Shawn pops his shoulder again. Fujiwara armbar. Bret leverages up and uses his boot sole to eye rake out. Bret lifts Shawn up and hits a hot shot on the second rope! He slingshots Shawn into the post! Bret's slow to cover and Shawn kicks out. Bret inverted atomic drop for 2. Bulldog. Bret goes up top. Shawn tries to slam him off. Bret blocks it and falls down, with his knee falling on the back of Shawn's head on the way down. Hebner got knocked down in that exchange too as we hit the halfway mark.

30:01-45:00- Hebner's OK. Shawn hits a powerslam for 2. Bret piledriver! Shawn just kicks out! The crowd bit hard on that one. Bret goes up again and this time Shawn successfully slams him off. Shawn hurricanrana! He sets up for a superkick. Bret bails to the floor to a chorus of boos. Shawn crossbody off the top to the floor! He doesn't want the countout and rolls Bret back in. Another crossbody off the top in the ring, but Bret rolls through it for a 2 count! Backslide leverage fight. Shawn flips over and wraps up a small package for 2. Shawn with a Perfectplex! Bret kicks out! Digging deep in the playbook here. Shawn slaps on a sleeper. They do the arm drops and Bret powers out. Shawn charges. Bret backdrops him over the corner all the way to the floor! Great shot there with the active cameraman having to dodge Shawn on the way down. Kevin Dunn would have found a way to ruin that with 5 camera cuts minimum. Bret posts Shawn's back and goes to work on it in the ring. Shawn flip in the corner and he lands on the top rope. Bret hops up and gives him a back superplex! Shawn sunset flip for 2. Bret goes back to the back. He sets Shawn up for a superplex. Shawn fights out and tries coming off the second rope but Bret catches him with a punch in the gut. Russian leg sweep. Corner whip and Shawn FLIES over the corner to the floor, taking Lothario down with him! Bret whips Shawn into the stairs and Lothario goes down again. Bret clearly doesn't give a shit if Lothario lives or dies, walking right past him to get to Shawn.

45:01-60:00- Bret belly to belly for 2. Shawn tries to fight back but Bret pops him in the back again to cut it off. Shawn flips out of a suplex and rolls Bret up for 2. The kickout sent Shawn to the floor. TOPE SUICIDA! Shawn crawls back to the ring. Bret tries to suplex him back in but Shawn slips out again. After a standing switch Bret hits a German suplex with a bridge for 2. Slugfest. Both guys are showing clear exhaustion. Bret hooks in a double chinlock with 10 minutes left. Double clothesline! Bret sets Shawn up on the top rope.....SUPERPLEX! Bret goes for the Sharpshooter but Shawn fights it off again. Bret tries a figure four instead, then switches to a single leg crab. Shawn gets to the ropes. 5 minutes left. Bret tries the backbreaker/second rope elbow combo but Shawn gets a boot up. Shawn dropkick. Bret bump! 4 minutes left. Flying forearm. Kip up! 3 minutes left. Shawn double ax handle off the top for 2. I think he was planning a moonsault there but bailed out at the last second, realizing he couldn't do it safely or something. Elbow off the top for 2. Gutwrench powerbomb. 2 minutes left. Now Shawn hits the moonsault! Bret kicks out! Shawn hurricanrana off the second rope with a cradle! Bret kicks out again! ONE MINUTE. Shawn can barely stand. He comes off the top rope again. Bret catches him. SHARPSHOOTER! 30 seconds left! Shawn holds on! The bell rings for the time. It's a good old fashioned 60 minute draw. Hebner gives Bret the belt back and he leaves. Monsoon gets in the ring and confers with Hebner. Fink gets on the mic and says this match will continue with sudden death rules! There must be a winner! Bret comes back looking very pissed off and argues with Monsoon, but then tells them to ring the bell so he can finish it.

OVERTIME- Bret goes right back to Shawn's hurt back. Backdrop. Backbreaker. Shawn flips over in the corner and hits the superkick! Both guys are down and slowly crawl back up. SUPERKICK! Shawn falls on Bret and gets the pin and the title! Huge pop and celebration. Another famous moment here as Shawn tells Hebner to tell Bret to get out of the ring, and when Hebner relays the message Bret has a very "What the fuck?" look on his face. It was urban legend for years that this was a legit dickhead Shawn moment, but it's come out since it was all part of the plan to build to the expected rematch at the next WM, which of course got Meltzered. Vince has possibly his greatest moment on commentary, with the legendary "The boyhood dream has come true!". Bret would take some time off after this to do some acting work and rest up his body after years of grueling full time wrestling before coming back in the fall.

I have a lot of thoughts on this match so bear with me here. For years I agreed with those that thought it was good but overrated, mostly because of the lack of decisions before the deciding pin in OT. As time has gone on though I've come to appreciate this match more and more as a true masterpiece. One reason was listening to Bret and Shawn commentate the whole thing on the Bret vs Shawn Rivalry blu ray set, where they laid the whole plan out step by step and showed how well they stuck to it the whole match. Even more recently I've become enamored with the art of the 60 minute draw and really enjoy how it's had a small comeback in modern wrestling (Okada/Omega II at Dominion 2018, Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson on Dynamite). The intensity and especially the crispness in the wrestling was off the charts here. I've said for many years a huge thing that separates the truly great wrestlers from the really good is doing all the little things right. Kevin Owens is a great example of this, no detail is too small for him. In this match all the little things were done absolutely perfectly. Combine that with the wrestling PhD level layout, an intense feud, a huge new star crowned and a hot crowd, and it's easily one of the greatest Wrestlemania matches of all time. *****

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- You can't get more one match show than this, with the main event taking up nearly half of the show's runtime. Thankfully it's tremendous. But everything on the undercard fell in the decent to average category, making this a pretty solid WM top to bottom as WWF continues to slowly bridge from the mostly horrible New Generation era to the Attitude Era.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B+