WWF One Night Only was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It was broadcast on September 20, 1997 on Sky Box Office from the NEC Arena in Birmingham, England.
Background[]
One Night Only featured professional wrestling matches involving different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines that were played out on WWF Monday Night Raw and other World Wrestling Federation television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a villain or a hero as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated into a wrestling match or series of matches.
The event featured eight matches, with two main events. In the first main event, The Undertaker challenged Bret Hart for the WWF Championship in a rematch from the previous month's SummerSlam event, where the Undertaker had lost the title in controversial circumstances (this match was inexplicably removed from the VHS release, but included on the later DVD release). To close the show, Shawn Michaels challenged The British Bulldog for the WWF European Championship, as part of his ongoing feud with The Hart Foundation. The WWF Tag Team Championship was also defended on the card, with Los Boricuas members Savio Vega and Miguel Pérez, Jr. challenging champions, The Headbangers.
The event was available on pay-per-view in Canada and Europe, but not in the United States: the kayfabe reason for this was that WWF Champion Bret Hart – then employing an Anti-American gimmick – had used a clause in his contract to block the event from being shown live in the US. It was subsequently released on home video there.
Reception[]
Fin Martin of British professional wrestling magazine Power Slam, in a March 2013 article, wrote, "[One Night Only] was a sensation...the card remains the WWF/WWE's best ever in-ring presentation on these shores. The fireworks were provided by the last three matches, all of which were superb." He described Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker as "an epic encounter (over 28 minutes), which was the last truly great match of 'The Hitman's' career", and credited Michaels for having given "the heel performance of the year."
The WWF sold a full 11,000 tickets for the event. With restricted availability, the event, nonetheless, generated a 0.05 buy rate, equating to approximately 20,000 buys.
Results[]
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/ Chyna) defeated Dude Love (11:00)
- Tiger Ali Singh defeated Leif Cassidy (6:00)
- The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) (c) defeated Los Boricuas (Savio Vega and Miguel Pérez, Jr.) to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship (14:00)
- The Patriot defeated Flash Funk (9:00)
- The Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) defeated The Godwinns (Henry and Phineas) (11:00)
- Vader defeated Owen Hart.
- Bret Hart (c) defeated The Undertaker by disqualification to retain the WWF Championship (28:00)
- Shawn Michaels (w/ Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Chyna and Rick Rude) defeated The British Bulldog (c) (with Diana Hart-Smith) to win the WWF European Championship (25:24)
Other on-screen talent[]
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See also[]
DVD release[]
External links[]
WWF One Night Only on WWE Network
One Night Only at CAGEMATCH.net
One Night Only at Online World of Wrestling
| 1997 World Wrestling Federation pay-per-views |
|---|
| Royal Rumble • The Final Four • WrestleMania • Revenge of the 'Taker • A Cold Day in Hell • Canadian Stampede • King of the Ring • SummerSlam • Ground Zero • One Night Only • Badd Blood • Survivor Series • D-Generation X |