10 Things You Totally Forgot About WWE In 1997
9. The Anvil Promised To Shave His Signature Goatee
Speaking of SummerSlam '97 stipulations, the Hart Foundation made a number of promises for the event.
One of the original stipulations centred around Jim "The Anvi" Neidhart and his long, red goatee. Anvil promised to shave off his signature facial hair if any member of the Hart Foundation lost their match at the biggest show of the Summer.
As it turned out, shortly before SummerSlam, Neidhart would actually leave WWE as he was working dates for the UWF, an independent wrestling promotion that Neidhart signed with prior to returning to the Federation in mid-97. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity to work again for Vince McMahon, The Anvil signed with WWE knowing that he had already made a deal with the UWF and still had several dates to fill. The small-time promotion came to collect later that Summer.
This explains The Anvil's absence from WWE television from about two weeks prior to SummerSlam until the September 22nd RAW from Madison Square Garden. It also explains why WWE never followed up on The Anvil's promise to shave his goatee should a Hart Foundation member lose at SummerSlam (Pillman lost to Goldust, Owen lost to Austin).