[1997-06-09-WWF-Raw] Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Mankind

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Vince interviews Helmsley and Chyna in the ring, which I think signals that they are going to push him pretty hard. Helmsley SHOOTS on Vince and says he should have been King of the Ring a year ago and wasn't because of politics. He namedrops some of the headliners before being interrupted by Mankind on the Titantron. Mankind gets a big pop. Interesting that his babyface turn took right away. Chyna talks for the first time, telling Mankind to kiss her ass.

 

"It's your lucky day! I'm a good kisser!"

 

HHH attacks, but Mankind takes the King of the Ring crown from him. Vince calls Chyna's comments unladylike.

[Johnny Sorrow]

I remember marking out for the "I'm a good kisser" line.

[Strummer]

I remember Mick being on the Stern show around this time (maybe it was early 98) and mentioned how terrible Chyna was in this feud in his ah shucks goofy kind of way. (she hurt him at Summerslam with the cage door spot and missed her cues the whole match) I think that was the interview that started Stern's bizarre fascination with Joanie Laurer. It was also the interview where Mick said that Sable was the "least talented person ever to make a million dollars". I think for years Mick was jealous of the workers that made more money than him but his success in the attitude era put that to rest. Obviously this was the turning point in his career

[Kevin Ridge]

Triple H complains about politics doing him in last King of the Ring. But he took things into his own hands and won. Nobody will get in his way including Vince McMahon. Mankind wants a rematch. HHH busts his crown again over Mankind.

[soup23]

Chyna shows her promo ability right off the start. I have enjoyed seeing Mankind become the babyface character. He comes down to get a piece of HHH but gets beaten down. He sits up and puts on HHH's crown. Vince calling Chyna unladylike is humorous.

[PeteF3]

Helmsley cuts a mini-shoot promo on Vince's politics postponing his KOTR victory by a year. His promo is pretty generic, but gets better when he has Mankind to focus on. Helmsley is rapidly morphing into the modern-day DX/Game persona as the blueblood gimmick is getting more and more marginalized. Helmsley and Chyna blow off Mankind's challenge for a rematch and then beat him some more with the crown, but Helmsley makes the mistake of leaving it in the ring for Mankind to get, presumably giving him a bargaining chip.

[Exposer]

HHH shoots on Vince about how he should have been KOTR a year ago, but the WWF couldn't look past the MSG incident. Amusing. HHH says he enjoyed hurting Mankind. Mankind interrupts on the tron. The "I'm a good kisser!" line is great. Mankind runs down to the ring but HHH attacks him with his crown. Mankind gets a hold of the crown & fend HHH & Chyna off. In a fun moment that gets a big pop, Mankind puts the crown on his head to mock HHH. Fun segment that shows Mankind has a lot of promise as a baby face. He got a nice reaction.