Eight Crazy Nights

Disclaimer: The title of this column has nothing to do with Adam Sandler’s animated movie by the same name.

In fact, this piece has very little to do with the aforementioned actor/director.

There are two things of relevance that Sandler has to this column. For starters, the movie, “Happy Gilmore” was released in theaters in 1996 - the same year that this piece’s timeline took place.

Secondly, the film won an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight. Who could forget Sandler sparring with the late Bob Barker?

While Happy Gilmore was released in February 1996, the eight crazy nights that I’m referring to happened in May of the same year. These eight crazy nights took place in the world of professional wrestling.

On May 19, 1996, the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) had a house show at Madison Square Garden. The main event was Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel (Kevin Nash) in a steel cage match.

Michaels defeated Diesel to retain the WWF World Championship, and was celebrating his victory as usual. Moments later, Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) walks into the ring to celebrate with Michaels.

This wasn’t a big deal because Michaels and Ramon were faces (good guys). A few moments later, things took an interesting turn.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley, or Triple H, joined the celebration in the ring. Then Diesel came to his feet to join the celebration.

Why would a guy celebrate a loss? Or, why would two heels (bad guys) celebrate with two faces?

Well, this was the final WWF match for Diesel and Ramon, who were leaving to join World Championship Wrestling. Mind you, the fans in the arena knew nothing about their departures.

The fan who filmed what is now called the MSG Curtain Call was just as shocked as others in the arena that night to see four of the biggest superstars in the WWF celebrate after a match regardless of their face or heel status. Outside the ring, that quartet was nicknamed “The Kliq.”

They were friends outside the ring despite being rivals in the ring. Little did wrestling fans across the world know what was going to happen eight nights later.

On the May 27, 1996, episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Hall walked down to the ring during the middle of a mid-card match and proceeded to grab a microphone to walk into the ring, thus interrupting the match. He issued a challenge to WCW and ended his promo with, “You want a war? Well, you got one.”

In the weeks to come, Hall would be joined by Nash, who would join him in challenging any WCW wrestler to a match. The duo, along with their “mystery partner,” were to make their WCW in-ring debut at the Bash at the Beach pay-per-view in July.

Their mystery partner ended up being Hulk Hogan, who would form the NWO (New World Order) heel faction with Hall and Nash. This match will be the subject of a future column.

In the aftermath of Hall and Nash leaving the WWF, Triple H beaded the brunt of the MSG Curtain Call as he was downgraded to mid-card status for a year. Michaels continued to be world champion until he dropped the title later that year.

While I haven’t really followed wrestling since the WWF/E bought WCW in 2001, one thing’s for sure. I’ll never forget the eight-day period in May 1996.

Jason Chlapek is the general manager of the Fairfield Recorder. He can be reached at editor@fairfield-recorder.com.