SummerSlam 1996

SummerSlam 1996 was the ninth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event from the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on August 18, 1996 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
==Event==
During the Free for All match between Steve Austin & Yokozuna, the top rope broke when Yokozuna attempted a Banzai Drop, allowing Austin to pin him.
Pettengill hosted the "Bikini Beach Blast-Off" party during the Free for All, where a pool was set up for everyone. Guests included Sunny, Sable, Marc Mero, The Smoking Gunns, Marlena, Goldust, T.L. Hopper, Who, Jerry Lawler, The Bushwhackers, Aldo Montoya, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and Shawn Michaels.
Paul Bearer turned on his long-time friend, The Undertaker, to align himself with Undertaker's arch-enemy, Mankind.
Vader had originally won the WWF Championship match twice, first by count-out (after he press-slammed Michaels onto the guard rail) and then by disqualification (when Michaels struck Vader repeatedly with Cornette's tennis racket), but because WWF championships can only change hands by pinfall or submission, Cornette demanded that the match restart both times. WWF President Gorilla Monsoon allowed this when Michaels agreed.
==Production==
Faarooq was scheduled to face Ahmed Johnson in a match for the Intercontinental Championship at the event, but the match did not take place due to Johnson's legit injuries.
==Results==
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*Free for All match: Steve Austin defeated Yokozuna (1:52)
*Owen Hart defeated Savio Vega (13:23)
*The Smokin' Gunns (Billy and Bart) (w/Sunny) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip and Zip), The New Rockers (Marty Jannetty and Leif Cassidy) and The Godwinns (Henry and Phineas) (w/ Hillbilly Jim) in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination match to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship (12:18)
:*Billy pinned Zip (4:00)
:*Henry pinned Jannetty (7:18)
:*Billy pinned Phineas (12:18)
*Sycho Sid defeated The British Bulldog (6:24)
*Goldust (w/ Marlena) defeated Marc Mero (w/Sable) (11:01)
*Jerry Lawler defeated Jake Roberts (4:07)
*Mankind defeated The Undertaker in a Boiler Room Brawl (26:40)
*Shawn Michaels (w/ Jose Lothario) defeated Vader (w/ Jim Cornette) to retain the WWF Championship (28:59)
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Vince McMahon
*Mr. Perfect
*Jim Ross
;Interviewers
*Dok Hendrix
*Todd Pettengill
;Referees
*Mike Chioda
*Jack Doan
*Earl Hebner
*Tim White	
;Spanish Commentators
*Carlos Cabrera
*Hugo Savinovich
;Others
*Gerald Brisco
*Tony Chimel
*Howard Finkel - ring announcer
*Rene Goulet
*Dave Hebner
*Gorilla Monsoon
*Pat Patterson
*Harvey Wippleman
==Miscellaneous==
*Pettengill hosted the "Bikini Beach Blast-Off" party during the Free For All, where a pool was set up for everyone.
*Pettengill also interviewed the debuting Faarooq Asad that night.
*Vader and Michaels botched a high spot in which Vader was to move away from Michaels' diving elbow. Michaels simply repositioned himself in mid-air, landed on his feet, and began to yell at Vader.
==See also==
*List of WWE pay-per-view events
*WWE Event History
*SummerSlam
==DVD & Video Releases==
* SummerSlam 1996 on DVD
* SummerSlam 1996 on DVD
==External links==
* SummerSlam 1996 Official Website
* on WWE Network
* SummerSlam 1996 at CAGEMATCH.net
* SummerSlam 1996 at Online World of Wrestling
==References==
*twnpnews.com - SummerSlam
*hoffco-inc.com - SummerSlam '96 review
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:SummerSlam
Category:1996 pay-per-view events