The Complete History of the WWE Championship - Part 6

The 1992-96 era had been a difficult one for WWE as Vince McMahon repeatedly tried and failed to find a wrestler who could replace Hulk Hogan as a superstar attraction and box office draw.

the 1992-96 era is most commonly associated with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, owing to their legendary statuses, but in truth, they didn't dominate WWE during that time period in the same way Hogan did in the 1980s or Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock did in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

After Hart and particularly Michaels disappointed at the gate, Vince McMahon looked at his roster and saw nobody who could step into the breach.

Therefore, he decided to make his most successful gimmick performer, WWE Champion for the majority of 1997. That man was The Undertaker.

'Taker had reigned as WWE Champion for a few days in late 1991 but had never been considered for a title run ever since.

He was an attraction, an anomaly to contest gimmick contests with the likes of Giant Gonzalez, King Kong Bundy, Kamala and others.

However, after The Undertaker became a more serious and dynamic performer during 1996 in a heated feud with Mankind, McMahon was forced to reassess his worth as a potential headliner.

McMahon was also faced with the internal issues brewing between Hart and Michaels. Their on-screen feud had escalated into full on backstage enmity. When Michaels implied on air, that family man, Hart was unfaithful to his wife (which, incidentally was true, as Hart later revealed in his autobiography, Hitman, published in 2007), Hart lost patience with his co-worker and when he demanded an apology, that was not forthcoming, he pounded Michaels for real.

McMahon did not envy trying to book either of his top stars in title positions during 1997, as he continued to look elsewhere for Hogan's successor.

In part 6 of my series - part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5 can be found here - I will cover all Championship reigns from 1997.

Shawn Michaels (January 19, 1997 - February 13, 1997)

Shawn Michaels: Regained the WWE Championship at the 1997 Royal Rumble

Contrary to what some observers might say, Shawn Michaels' second WWE Championship reign was always scheduled to be a short one.

Michaels, in front of his home crowd at the 64,000 capacity Alamadome in San Antonio, Texas defeated Sycho Sid, who had beaten him for the belt two months earlier.

In contrast to the prior bout, Michaels received a hero's welcome and was vociferously cheered as he super-kicked his way to another title win.

Michaels did drop the title on the date he was supposed to; February 13, 1997. However, he did no lose it in the ring as planned.

Michaels was supposed to drop the Championship back to Sid, then lose to Bret Hart at WrestleMania, to return the favor for his victory over Hart, the previous year.

However, HBK, was not happy with losing two high-profile matches in such quick succession and exaggerated a knee injury to sidestep doing both jobs.

Instead, a tearful Michaels vacated the WWE Championship, in an in-ring interview with McMahon where he memorably stated that he had "lost his smile."

In truth, Michaels was doing plenty of smiling.

Bret "Hitman" Hart (February 16, 1997 - February 17, 1997)

Bret Hart berates Vince McMahon after failing to regain the title from Sid on Raw

After Shawn Michaels' "lost smile" episode, plans regarding the WWE Championship had to change.

Sycho Sid was originally scheduled to defeat Michaels for the belt on February 13. However, after Michaels surrendered the belt, he was made to wait a few days for his title run.

The main event of the In Your House: Final Four pay per view on February 16 was supposed to determine the number one contender for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 13. Steve Austin had "won" the Royal Rumble several weeks earlier, but unbeknownst to the referees, he had already been eliminated by Hart.

Austin snuck back into the match and ejected Undertaker, Vader and Hart; hence the reason for the four way match between those athletes.

However, with the absence of a WWE Champion, the match was changed to a title match instead.

In one of the finest matches in WWE history, Bret "Hitman" Hart outlasted The Undertaker, Vader and Stone Cold Steve Austin, to win a four-way elimination encounter that was contested via regular and also over the top rope rules.

Hart became just the second man in WWE history to win the WWE Championship four times. However, his reign was to be very short lived.

Sycho Sid (February 17, 1997 - March 23, 1997)

Sycho Sid bested Bret Hart on Raw to become champion for a second time

The WWE Championship changed hands more times than a game of pass the parcel in early 1997, and Sid's coronation as champion for the second time lasted just five weeks.

The original booking plan called for Sid to defeat Michaels on February 13, setting up a Sid/Undertaker title match at WrestleMania, which did happen.

However, Michaels was supposed to wrestle Hart in a non-title affair, in a rematch of their WrestleMania XII encounter, and Steve Austin was tentatively booked to compete with The British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith.

Michaels' vacating of the WWE Championship torpedoed those plans. Hart would go on to face Austin instead and Smith would remain in his tag team with Owen Hart.

For Sid, however, little changed, except he had a few days shaved off of his reign and he beat Hart instead. That came on Raw which is best remembered for it's ending. Austin interfered, walloping Hart with a steel chair, leaving him easy prey for Sid's match winning powerbomb. Hart was livid.

The "Hitman" was heading for a heel turn, Austin was heading for the top, and WWE would never be the same again.

Sid's role in the dawning of Attitude was minimal and his final WWE title reign was an afterthought, surrounded by entertaining chaos.

The Undertaker (March 23, 1997 - August 3, 1997)

The Undertaker won his second WWE title, six years after his first

The WWE Championship hot potato finally ended when The Phenom reclaimed the gold, six years after his initial title win.

His title-winning bout was a tedious affair in all honesty, but his victory was much celebrated. What wasn't celebrated however, was the WrestleMania buyrate; a disastrous 237,000 buys, by far the lowest in company history. The absence of Michaels on the card didn't help and a Hart/Austin re-match didn't draw, despite the bout on the night becoming an instant classic.

Although the WWE title finally had some stability around 'Taker's waist, as the Deadman held onto the belt for five months, it was an afterthought in the shadow of the Hart/Austin, Michaels/Austin feuds, as well as the re-establishment of the Hart Foundation - now an Anti-American quintet, consisting of Hart, his brother Owen, The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith, Jim Neidhart and Brian Pillman.

The Undertaker defended the title in an energetic brawl versus Mankind at In Your House: Revenge of the Taker, but the bout was in the semi-final position underneath the Hart/Austin headliner.

'Taker next met Stone Cold at In Your House: A Cold Day In Hell, in an excellent match-up, this time in the main event slot. His following title encounter versus Faarooq was a dud. He successfully defended the strap versus familiar foe Vader at In Your House: Canadian Stampede before dropping the belt in a classic collision with Hart at SummerSlam 1997.

After a super heated battle, 'Taker was on the receiving end of a stiff chair shot from Special Referee, Michaels, who had been aiming for Hart.

When Hart ducked, the Deadman was easy pickings for the pinfall. Michaels reluctantly counted and Hart was WWE Champion for a record equalling fifth time.

It would be a reign that would live in infamy forever.

Bret "Hitman" Hart (August 3, 1997 - November 9, 1997)

Special Referee, Shawn Michaels has words with Bret Hart in the SummerSlam 1997 headliner

The onscreen and offscreen battle between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels was in full force by the summer of 1997.

Adding to the enmity was the fact that Michaels, post-SummerSlam, turned heel. Hart reluctantly allowed Vince McMahon to turn him heel at WrestleMania 13, on the understanding that he would be cast as the premier bad guy in the company for the foreseeable future. Now, he was sharing the spotlight with HBK.

What made matters worse for Hart is his belief that WWE could not now simply switch him back to being a good guy. Hart's heel turn had seen him vociferously slate the American WWE fans, who made up the majority of the company's audience.

He now worried that the American fans would not accept him as a babyface. Adding to Hart's discomfort was the direction of the company as a whole.

McMahon had been persuaded by his advisors that he needed to drastically change course. WCW was already streets ahead in the Monday Night War due to fresh concepts and a wide array of international talent to supplement the big stars such as Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage and others. The dawn of "Attitude" with the foul language and increased violence dismayed family man Hart.

The worse was yet to come. McMahon had also been persuaded that Hart, the man he had signed to an unprecedented 20 year, $1.5 million contract less than 12 months ago was surplus to requirements.

Hart was informed in September by McMahon that WWE could no longer afford to pay him according to the terms of his deal. McMahon encouraged Hart to seek employment with WCW. The "Hitman" was devastated that his 13 year association with the company was due to end this way.

However, it wasn't entirely surprising to him. He had sensed that his role was reduced. Despite being champion, he did not main-event the next two pay per views and feuded with opening card act The Patriot Del Wilkes over the WWE Championship.

In contrast, his rival, Michaels fought The Undertaker in consecutive main events at In Your House 17 and 18; the latter inside Hell in a Cell; the company's first ever bout inside that structure.

Michaels win inside the cell afforded him the opportunity to face Hart at Survivor Series with the WWE Championship at stake. That match would become the most famous bout in wrestling history.

Shawn Michaels (November 9, 1997 - March 29, 1998)

Shawn Michaels puts the sharpshooter on Bret Hart at the infamous Survivor Series 1997

Montreal.

That one word tells a thousand stories. Every wrestling fan is aware of its significance and which match that Canadian city references.

On November 9, 1997, Bret "Hitman" Hart wrestled his final match in WWE for well over a decade. The only problem was, that was not supposed to be his last bout.

After Vince McMahon had advised Hart to seek employment with WCW, the WWE Champion had done so. He was due to start work for Eric Bischoff's company on December 1, 1997.

However, McMahon, at the height of the Monday Night War, became paranoid that Hart could show up in WCW whilst still recognized as his company figurehead.

It was a falsehood of course. Hart was far too loyal of a soldier to show up on WCW television with the WWE Championship. Also, he was legally forbidden from doing so. There was no chance it was going to happen.

However, where Hart went wrong was dictating to McMahon when and where he would lost the title. McMahon wanted Hart to lose in his home country of Canada; Montreal to be specific, versus Shawn Michaels.

Hart wasn't keen on losing in Canada, particularly to Michaels who had repeatedly denigrated him and his home country on televison. Hart believed a loss in Montreal would do irreparable damage to his "Hitman" character.

McMahon didn't care and when Hart refused to play ball (utilizing his creative control clause), the WWE boss took matters into his own hands.

When Michaels locked Hart in the sharpshooter submission hold, McMahon who was stood at ringside, demanded that the time-keeper ring the bell. Michaels was the new champion and Hart had been screwed.

A distraught Hart left for WCW and Michaels became reviled both onscreen and off for the part he had played in the double-cross.

However, Michaels soon had much bigger problems to contend with other than his popularity, when he suffered what was thought to be a career-ending back injury in his title defence versus The Undertaker at the 1998 Royal Rumble.

Michaels was immediately excused from all in-ring duties in the hopes his injury would heal. It didn't and he did not wrestle again until WrestleMania XIV to pass the torch to McMahon's latest attempt to find a company figurehead to reverse his company's declining fortune. That man was Stone Cold Steve Austin.