[1997-03-10-WWF-Raw] Ken Shamrock, Steve Austin and Bret Hart

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Ken Shamrock has been announced as the special referee for Austin/Hart at Mania. He's a little wooden on the mic, but I don't know that he needed to be better than that if he was used properly. Austin interrupts from the Titantron and tells him to shut his hole, and makes a point about Bret getting so many title shots and how it's weird that he's getting one before Mania. That point had to be specifically made to give the heel turn some resonance. Anyway, Austin is pretty aggressive with Shamrock. Shamrock calls Austin out, but Bret's music starts and he actually comes to the ring. Bret is whiny right away, pointing out that it took the WWF three weeks to give him interview time to say how he's feeling since losing the title. The heel turn is locked in at this point. He points out that he likes Shamrock, but he's been screwed by everyone and if Shamrock crosses him at Mania, it will be the biggest mistake of his life. Shamrock gets a pop for telling Bret he's not a marriage counselor and he's not here to listen to his problems. This makes me wonder what might have been from a Bret/Shamrock feud. The big match with Sid in the cage is next week!

[soup23]

Decent segment but it wasn't the best work from all involved. Shamrock aside as this was probably the best he has been but he was only adequate at this point at his best. The main takeaway was that for sure Bret was going heel based on how whiny he was in this promo and there was a very strategic moment where you thought he was wrapping up and he kept going on by listing everyone that had screwed him.

[Kevin Ridge]

Ken Shamrock is announced as special guest referee of Submission match between Bret and Austin. Ken is the right choice as he knows lots about submissions. He plans on being fair and partial as referee. Thankfully Austin cuts off Shamrock. Bret complains about the lack of justice in WWF. He’s happy about his upcoming title shot against Sid though in steel cage. Shamrock is here to referee match not be a marriage counselor for Bret.

[Robert S]

Shamrock stumbles over some lines but this is worlds better than his first few lines on the ECW invasion show. Clearly someone has coaching him (and feeding him lines) after he died that horrible death with Lawler.

[PeteF3]

Shamrock will be the guest referee for the Submission Match at WM13. Ken stumbles a bit, but does a good enough job. The TitanTron immediately makes its presence felt as a major part of this show and shows to come. Austin points out the driving storyline of next week's title match: if Bret wins, then the Submission Match will be for the title. Bret is out in full whiny and sarcastic mode, blaming everyone in the WWF front office again, and takes personal credit for landing the cage match title shot with Sid. Good promo overall to hype WM13...and we're back to "screwed" talk, and Bret rattling off all the people who've screwed him (including Vince McMahon!) just when it seemed like he was done is just glorious. Shamrock is at his best in responding--"I'm not a marriage counselor, I'm not here to listen to your problems."

[BruiserBrody]

In my head in 1997, this was a huge deal. If Connor McGregor got wrapped up with the Mania build it may give me similar tickles down the leg

[Exposer]

Good build for Mania. Shamrock isn't a good promo but I thought he got his point across. Austin is great as always talking down at Shamrock & threatening to beat his ass at Mania after he's finished making Bret quit. It was a nice touch that Austin staid in the back because he's still a heel & if he talks like that to Shamrock's face he might get his ass kicked. Bret's promo is great. He's still justified for being upset but his tone & constant whining is making him unlikable. Shamrock telling Bret he isn't a marriage counselor was funny. I liked Austin showing up & jawing at them from the stage to close. Fun segment.