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Ahead of WWE Survivor Series 1996, the promotion filmed a vignette designed to hype the pay-per-view. It was beyond phenomenal.
There was a “challenge accepted” element to the presentation, the sort of thing that drove the competitive magic of the Monday Night Wars era, in that it was a sort-of response to the New World Order’s paid infomercials. Oh, WCW, you’re doing stuff with anti-heroes filmed in black and white? We can do that too.
The video package was created to build the match between loudmouth sociopath Stone Cold Steve Austin and the returning Bret Hart. In it, Steve Austin talked a lot of sh*t. In a fantastic choice designed to put that aspect of his character over, he talked so much sh*t that every line of dialogue was edited to start just before the last one ended.
“I ain’t no sexy boy. I don’t dance, son.”
The ominous synthesiser soundtrack; the spliced-in footage of a violent, barking dog; the unsettling flashes of Austin’s deadly, unblinking eyes: this was a masterpiece that underscored the extent to which the WWF was about to change into an unrecognisably violent beast that would soon trap WCW in its maw. Then, Austin’s theme played over a simple black and white graphic:
SURVIVOR SERIES
November 17.
How did the pay-per-view not draw a million buys on the back of that?
This was, at most, the third best wrestling moment of the year. Wrestling, at its best, is the very best thing ever. There’s nothing like it. What follows is a celebration of its endless wonder…
