What was that you just read about Vader being booked to win the WWF Championship? Well, originally Vader after McMahon was convinced by Jim Ross and Jim Cornette was pencilled in to defeat Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam 96. McMahon was not yet sold on Vader, who he felt was in poor shape and had displayed attitude problems in a house show series with The Ultimate Warrior. Nevertheless, Vince agreed to the storyline, which was supposed to culminate at Royal Rumble 97 in Michaels hometown of San Antonio, where the returning babyface hero would finally conquer his mammoth foe. It was the same overwhelmed underdog booking that the WWF had mastered over the years, and McMahon was convinced it would work for Michaels and finally get him over with a male audience who were rejecting him. He booked Vader against Michaels around the house show loop so they could get familiar working together, but it only caused problems. Vader was used to working stiff and getting away with it, which elsewhere would have been fine. In the WWF with a much tougher schedule, wrestlers were far less inclined to allow their bodies to take such a beating. During one match, Vader stiffed Michaels so hard that the grumpy Heartbreak Kid warned that if he hit him again, he would have him fired. Michaels did not have him fired, but he did have the main event program changed. Concerned about the prospect of working with Vader for the next six months, Michaels nixed the program and suggested Sycho Sid step into the role of resident monster instead. The way Michaels saw it, Sid was a clumsy lunk, but at least he worked light. Ultimately, Vader never did win the WWF Championship, though his replacement Sid would have two runs with the belt, one of which afforded him a place in the headline spot at WrestleMania 13.
The author of the highly acclaimed 'Titan' book series, James Dixon has been involved in the wrestling business for 25 years as a fan, wrestler, promoter, agent, and writer. James spent several years wrestling on the British independent circuit, but now prefers to write about the bumps and bruises rather than take any of them. His past in-ring experience does however give a uniquely more "insider" perspective on things, though he readily admits to still being a "mark" at heart.
James is the Chief Editor and writer at historyofwrestling.co.uk and is responsible for the best-selling titles Titan Sinking, Titan Shattered, and Titan Screwed, as well as the Complete WWF Video Guide series, and the Raw Files series.
