WrestleMania XIV

(All screen captures are the property of World Wrestling Entertainment)

WrestleMania XIV

March 29, 1998

Fleet Center

Boston, Massachusetts

News & Notes: I have two storylines to speak about before I begin. The first thing I want to discuss is the breakup of The Legion of Doom. Their problems with The New Age Outlaws continued. Dogg & Gunn wheeled a dumpster down to ringside during the LOD’s match. They stuffed Hawk into the bin. The distraction caused a count-out loss for Hawk & Animal. Then The Legion of Doom faced The Outlaws for the tag titles. They appeared to have a victory with a Doomsday Device. However, Hawk took too long to exit the ring. The ref distraction allowed Dogg to hit Animal with a tag belt. When The LOD lost the bout, tensions boiled over. Hawk and Animal fought with each other. The brawl ended backstage. It appeared The Legion of Doom was done! Lawler interviewed Animal later. Jerry couldn’t understand what happened. Hawk and Animal were like brothers. Animal said he had no brother. (Somewhere, Johnny Ace cried.) On the other hand, Hawk refused to speak with Michael Cole. But he attacked Animal again.

In other news, Jeff Jarrett left the NWA revival. Jim Cornette cost him a match after a miscommunication. Double J had enough. He split from Cornette and the NWA. Then Jarrett reverted to his country singer gimmick. (Didn’t he deride that persona when he returned?) This change came with a new manager. The former Col. Robert Parker joined the WWF as Tennessee Lee. He helped Jarrett defeat Flash Funk. Next, Jarrett fought Tom Brandi. Jeff rode a horse to the ring for this encounter. Jarrett then continued his winning ways with a victory over Steve Blackman. Tennessee Lee held Steve’s leg for the pin. It ended Blackman’s unbeaten streak.

I must mention one more thing. Chris Warren’s DX band played both the national anthem and “America the Beautiful”. Fink referred to it as an alternative performance. That’s putting it mildly. But they removed this from the network version. The crowd hated it. Warren received universal boos from the fans. However, Vince loved it.

Has tradition abandoned WrestleMania? Rogues and degenerates took this spectacle hostage. But tradition is alive and well. Despite the bravado, the lure of WWF gold brought these men here tonight. It’s the same belt that allured superstars like Hogan, Sammartino, and Andre. Even legends such as Blassie, Ladd, and Monsoon wanted it. This is the legacy of Vincent J. McMahon. Those who shun tradition will become part of it. WrestleMania is the grandest of the spectacles and the showcase of the immortals. Revel in it because the father of the WWF is somewhere reveling in it too.

The camera pans down a corridor filled with images of Manias past. Jim Ross welcomes everyone to the grand spectacle. JR & Lawler speak about a night of firsts. We join the entrance of Faarooq & Kama, already in progress. They’re here for a 15-team battle royal. This is the first of its kind. If you eliminate one member of a team, both men must leave. The winner receives a tag title shot at Unforgiven: In Your House.

Participants: Savio Vega & Miguel Perez, Jose Estrada & Jesus Castillo, Recon & Sniper, Bradshaw & Chainz, Mark Henry & D’Lo Brown, Faarooq & Kama, The Quebecers, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, The Headbangers, Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor, Skull & 8-Ball, Steve Blackman & Flash Funk, The Godwinns, The New Midnight Express, and ????

Then JR & Lawler talk about the worldwide audience for Mania. But the entrance of the final team interrupts them. It’s The Legion of Doom! They’re back with a new look and a new manager. Sunny leads Hawk & Animal to the ring in motorcycle helmets and short tights. When they remove their helmets, we see new haircuts. They ditched the mohawks for buzz cuts. Their new tights have LOD 2000 written on them. (This is their new name.)

15-Team #1 Contender Battle Royal

Notes: I mentioned the LOD’s breakup earlier, but there is more tag team news. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express feuded with The Headbangers over the NWA tag titles. The Bangers won the gold after Cornette screwed up. Ricky & Robert had enough and kicked Cornette to the curb. So Jim found a new team. Cornette claimed people asked him to bring back The Midnight Express. He created a new version instead. Meet Bodacious Bart Gunn and Bombastic Bob Holly. They’re The New Midnight Express! Meanwhile, The Truth Commission downsized. Recon & Sniper’s losing ways frustrated The Jackyl. He slapped Sniper and had Kurrgan attack his teammates. Now, Recon & Sniper are out of the faction. Then the WWF set up this battle royal with a wild brawl. Multiple teams interrupted The DOA vs. The New Midnight Express to fight with each other.

The Match: Everyone brawls until Savio Vega is out. Then Kurrgan interrupts to eliminate his former stablemates, Recon & Sniper. In the confusion, Barry Windham sneaks into the ring. He tosses Chainz, which screws over Windham’s old partner, Bradshaw. They dump Jacques and D’Lo next. But Mark Henry doesn’t leave for a while. Next, The Godwinns get rid of The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and attack the LOD. Henry Godwinn also sends Mark Henry packing. Meanwhile, Bart Gunn backdrops Scott Taylor to the floor. (Lawler calls him an idiot. He bemoans his son’s choice in partners.) After this, Henry Godwinn knocks Skull & 8-Ball out of the ring. But The DOA also dumps Phineas. The LOD legitimizes the elimination by sending Henry Godwinn outside. A pissed-off Henry attacks The LOD with his slop bucket. It allows The New Midnight Express to gain the advantage. But Animal returns and cleans house. He hands out clotheslines and powerslams. After a big boot, Hawk & Animal clothesline the New Midnights over the ropes.

Thoughts: Regular battle royals aren’t interesting. This one was no exception. But they kept it short. It fulfilled its purpose. They brought back the LOD and established the new #1 contenders. I can’t fault it. This is a good way to get multiple people a Mania payday. It was the right length. So this is forgettable but fine.

Winners: The Legion of Doom (8:19)

Next, JR & Lawler finish talking about the global scope of Mania. Then they recap the weekend’s events. We see footage of the DX public workout. (Shawn almost left this in protest. A fan threw a battery at him and Shawn threw a fit.) DX tied Austin in the ropes and planted kisses on his forehead. Meanwhile, Stone Cold appeared on Regis & Kathy Lee. They also air clips of meet and greets and dinners. Lawler claims he signed thousands of autographs.

Light Heavyweight Title Match: Taka Michinoku (c) vs. Aguila

Notes: There wasn’t much of a build for this. Taka mainly feuded with Brian Christopher on TV. In fact, Taka teamed with Aguila to fight Christopher and Pirata Morgan. (This is the regular-sized version of the mini pirate I mentioned in an earlier review.) Taka won with a Michinoku Driver on Christopher. Poor Taka fell victim to Kane’s path of destruction. But it didn’t prevent him from saving Aguila from Brian Christopher. Brian and Jerry Lawler attacked Aguila after a bout. Brian powerbombed Aguila, but Taka dropkicked Christopher into the arms of his father.

The Match: Taka grabs some holds. But Aguila takes him down with a headscissor, an arm drag, and a wheel kick. When Taka regroups, Aguila nails a baseball slide and a moonsault. Then they fight on the apron and back to the floor. Taka lands his springboard plancha and returns Aguila to the ring. Michinoku continues with strikes and they fight at the apron again. Aguila does arm drags. One is from the top rope. Another comes off a springboard. Aguila throws in a corkscrew plancha for good measure. After this, Taka meets him at the apron once more. But Taka misses a corkscrew moonsault. Michinoku also does a flying splash onto Aguila’s raised knees. Aguila capitalizes with a Super Frankensteiner. Next, Taka fires back with a corner wheel kick and attempts a Michinoku Driver. But Aguila escapes and goes for a hurricanrana. Taka turns it into a powerbomb, but he misses a moonsault. Aguila uses the opening to do a magistral cradle. When that doesn’t work, Aguila flies into Taka’s dropkick. This allows Taka to nail a Michinoku Driver for the win.

Thoughts: This was a short and fun match. It doesn’t hold a candle to WCW’s cruiserweight matches. But it was good. If they had given this more of a build and a story, it would be better. Why didn’t they book Taka vs. Christopher? That had a feud behind it. The crowd appreciated the action, but they weren’t invested in the story. It had little heat.

Winner: Taka Michinoku (5:57)

Meanwhile, former Clinton mistress Gennifer Flowers interviewed The Rock. Oh, excuse me. It’s The People’s Intercontinental Champion, The Rock. The people want to know how Rocky would lead them if he were in charge. First, Rocky says he’d be a ruler, not a leader. The term leader is beneath him. Ginny then asks what he’d do about the homeless situation. The Rock doesn’t care. As long as they keep their cardboard homes off his lawn, everything is copacetic! Next, Ginny asks him about the judicial system. Rocky says he’s the judge and jury. In fact, he’s a hung jury, if you smell what he’s cooking. (That’s the debut of this catchphrase.) Gennifer groans before asking Rock how he’d run the White House. Rocky says it’s a tough job. But he hopes the interns won’t do anything orally—morally wrong. Otherwise, The Rock will have to lay the smack down. This makes Ginny roll her eyes. She sends it back to JR.

After the interview, The DX band plays the D-Generation X theme live for Triple H’s entrance. Chyna carries Hunter’s European title. She wears a fitting handcuff-themed outfit. We see clips of Chyna attacking Owen Hart’s injured ankle with a bat. Because of attacks like this, Sgt. Slaughter handcuffs himself to Chyna. He wants to prevent any more shenanigans. She tries to resist. But Sarge slaps the cuffs on her when she argues with the ref. Once Slaughter locks the cuffs, Owen Hart enters the arena. He still limps because of his ankle injury. JR says Owen removed his protective boot this morning. Owen then jumps Hunter.

European Title Match: Triple H (c) (w/ Chyna) vs. Owen Hart

Notes: Hunter took a couple of weeks off because he tweaked his knee again. But he cut promos. Triple H promised to make Mania x-rated. Owen had successful European title defenses while Triple H wasn’t on RAW. But that luck ran out when Hunter returned to TV. Chyna interrupted Owen vs. Mark Henry. She shoved Hart into Henry’s arms. However, she gave Henry a low blow to preserve Triple H’s championship shot. Then Chyna focused her ball-based attacks on Owen. She got him counted out of an encounter against Windham. During this bout, Owen twisted his ankle. He wore a protective boot the following week. Hunter saw an opportunity. Triple H taunted Owen until he put his Euro belt on the line. Helmsley regained the gold after Chyna hit Owen’s bad ankle with a bat! Chyna’s frequent shenanigans frustrated Slaughter. He added a stipulation to the Mania encounter. Sarge would handcuff himself to Chyna to prevent her from interfering. (Wouldn’t it make more sense to ban her from ringside?)

The Match: Owen throws strikes and avoids Chyna. He even evades Helmsley. Hunter crashes on the rail. After a spinebuster, Owen attempts a Sharpshooter. But Hunter rakes the eyes. Then they trade more hits and Hunter nails a face crusher, a high knee, a suplex, and a knee drop. This leads to more traded punches until Triple H boots Owen on a corner charge. It busts the bridge of Owen’s nose. Hunter uses the opening to target Owen’s ankle. He uses strikes and toe holds. Owen answers by pulling Helmsley into the post. He also nails a missile dropkick and a belly-to-belly. A whip into an upside-down bump and an enziguri come next. The latter hurts Owen’s ankle. It allows Hunter to turn a hurricanrana into a powerbomb. Next, they fight on the top rope. Owen knocks Hunter down and does a flying clothesline. After this, both men block each other’s finishers. And Owen falls into Triple H’s crotch after a shove into the corner. When they recover, Owen rolls through a sunset flip and places Hunter in the Sharpshooter. However, Chyna helps Triple H reach the ropes. Slaughter couldn’t stop it. Chyna has enough of Sarge. She throws powder into his eyes. Hunter distracts the ref, so Chyna gives Owen a low blow. Hunter follows with the Pedigree for a victory.

Thoughts: This was a solid bout with a good ending. It had some good hard-hitting action. Plus, the crowd reacted well to it. They also kept it at the perfect length. It never overstayed its welcome. This is what you want from a midcard title match. The only gripe is Owen was never destined to win this feud. It’s more about putting over Triple H for a bigger rivalry in the summer.

Winner: Triple H (11:29)

Slaughter is still blind, so Chyna makes the ref release her. Once she’s free, Chyna decks Sarge in the face. She then shoves him over the rail. Lawler thinks Slaughter harassed her. But JR says she needs no provocation to do that.

Next, Michael Cole recaps the Mero/Sable vs. Goldust/Luna feud. Mero is an egotist. He tried to use Sable to become popular. But everyone looked past him and at her. Marc rose to mediocrity while Sable gained the fan’s adulation. So Mero enlisted the help of the WWF’s most shameless man. JR calls Mero and Goldust insecure. Meanwhile, an enraged Luna brought chaos to the situation. She’s a possessed demon who will destroy it all. The evils took their toll on Sable. She lost her gentle demeanor and fought back! Sable called Luna a bitch and slapped her. Mero’s strategy snowballed into insanity. His marriage of convenience with Goldust dissolved. Goldust & Luna challenged Mero & Sable to a mixed tag match. But Mero turned his back on Sable. Her situation is sad. This battle of beauty and the beast will determine Sable’s future.

Mixed Tag Team Match: Marvelous Marc Mero & Sable vs. The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust & Luna

Notes: Mero denied there were issues with his wife. He tripped at No Way Out. She didn’t shove him on his ass! But Sable received more flowers, which pissed off Marc. When Sable brought those flowers to a match, Luna destroyed them and fought with Sable. Luna threatened to break Sable’s Estee Lauder face! They fought again during Owen vs. Mero. This time Goldust held Sable back. It pissed off Mero and ended his partnership with The Artist. But Goldust & Luna got payback on Marc. Luna distracted Mero with a kiss and Goldust jumped him. Marc blamed his wife for the attack, so Sable shoved him again. This led to Mero vs. Goldust with the women cuffed to the posts. Goldust stole the key from the ref and released Luna. She went after Sable and smeared makeup on her face. They booked a fight between Sable and Luna because of this. But Kane interrupted. Mero ran away and left his wife to her fate. Taker prevented Kane from chokeslamming her. But Sable turned her ankle in the scuffle. Next, Sable received a reward for her record-setting RAW Magazine cover. Luna grabbed the plaque and hit Sable with it. She then tore Sable’s dress. Mero didn’t save her. He was more annoyed with Vince Russo for getting handsy with Sable.

The Match: Mero and Goldust exchange strikes and takedowns until Luna tags. She wants Marc, but Luna runs when Sable enters the ring. Mero and Goldust go back to trading punches, clotheslines, and backdrops. Sable even gives Goldust a thrust kick. But Goldust boots Mero on a corner charge. The Artist follows with a clothesline and a hotshot. Luna gives Mero some punches from the floor. Then Sable and Luna face each other after the men collide and fall. Sable gives Luna a double-leg takedown, mounted punches, corner kicks, and a hairmare. After this, she decks Goldust and sends Luna out of the ring. But Luna tags out again when she returns.

Goldust raises his knees on Marc’s slingshot splash. However, Mero uses a low blow and attempts a TKO. Goldust turns it into a DDT and looks for a Curtain Call. Mero flips through it and nails a Merosault. Next, they fight on the top rope. Marc lands a Super Frankensteiner. Luna senses trouble and attacks Marc. But Goldust runs into his partner on a miscommunication. This allows Mero to hit the TKO. Luna breaks up the pin with a back rake and jumps on Marc. He backs into the corner for Sable’s blind tag. Sable covers Goldust, but the ref is distracted. Luna uses the opening for a flying splash, but she hits Goldust by accident. Sable capitalizes with a Sable Bomb for two! Luna then counters with an eye rake and a Boss Man Attack. She misses a second one, but Luna nails shoulders in the corner. Then Sable reverses an Irish whip into a TKO for the pin.

Thoughts: This was fun. I expected little, but they over-delivered. It had enjoyable spots and a hot crowd. Plus, they held off on the Sable/Luna confrontation the right amount of time. The fans exploded when they finally fought. Kudos to the person who structured this bout. My only gripe is Sable didn’t take any bumps. Rumors say she didn’t want to learn to take them. Luna had to carry her through the match. Vince said he’d fire Luna if Sable got hurt. No one thanked Luna for her efforts. Owen Hart noticed this and pulled her aside. He told her she did a great job. You got to love Owen.

Winners: Marc Mero & Sable (9:11)

Mero celebrates as if he won, but Sable wants to leave. Marc tells her to come back so he can raise her hand. But Mero continues congratulating himself as they head backstage. Meanwhile, they show a graphic for the Dumpster Match. But they correct this mistake. Rock vs. Shamrock is next.

Tennessee Lee (Col. Robert Parker) is in the ring. He introduces Jeff Jarrett and Gennifer Flowers. Double J leads Ginny to the ring to do the ring announcing. Jarrett has one question for her. Ain’t he great? Ginny says she’s been with great and Jarrett is great. She even suggests they do a duet. Then Gennifer introduces The Rock. She uses large cue cards with Tennessee’s help. Rocky arrives with Kama, D’Lo, and Mark Henry. But Faarooq is absent. After the entrance, we see a replay of Rocky’s nasty chair shot to Ken’s face. We also see Rock hit Faarooq with a chair. A pissed-off Shamrock then runs to the ring and jumps Rocky.

Intercontinental Title Match: The Rock (c) (w/ The Nation of Domination) vs. Ken Shamrock

Notes: The Rock tried to fix the tensions within The Nation. He bought Kama, D’Lo, & Henry Rolex watches. But Rocky had something special for Faarooq. It was a framed picture of The Rock! When Faarooq tried to use it as a weapon, Rocky took exception. So Faarooq destroyed it. Then D’Lo cost Rocky a victory against Blackman by accident. D’Lo blamed Faarooq. Rocky yelled at D’Lo. Faarooq had enough of both men. Then Shamrock saved Blackman from a Nation beating. So The Nation jumped Ken at the next opportunity. Rocky told Faarooq to back off and let him have Shamrock. Faarooq obliged, but he left Rock to his fate when Shamrock put him in the anklelock. Next, Rocky offered Shamrock an early title opportunity. All Ken had to do was defeat D’Lo in two minutes! However, The Rock used a chair on Ken with seconds left. Shamrock dared Rocky to hit him with it. He got his wish. The Rock blasted Ken with a sick chair shot to the face! This gave Ken a concussion. Even Faarooq felt The Rock went too far. But that wasn’t the end of Rocky’s chair antics. Faarooq fought Chainz, and Rocky interfered. Rocky hit Faarooq with the chair, but he pretended it was an accident. Since Rocky went chair-crazy, Slaughter added a twist to this encounter. If Rocky gets disqualified, he’ll lose his belt.

The Match: Ken flusters The Rock with strikes until Rocky retreats. But Ken chases him and rams Rock into an equipment case. When they return to the ring, Shamrock uses more punches, clotheslines, and a heel kick. The Rock answers by sending Ken to the floor. He rams Shamrock into the steps and rolls him inside. There, Rocky lands a People’s Elbow. This angers Shamrock. He grabs a chair, so the ref stops him. Ken shoves the ref down. The Rock uses the opening to whack Shamrock with the chair. But it only gets a two! In fact, it angers Ken even more. He snaps and gives Rocky a leg lariat, a powerslam, and a belly-to-belly. Ken follows with an anklelock and Rocky taps!

This draws out The Nation. Ken dispatches Kama and D’Lo with suplexes. He then grabs the anklelock again, but Mark Henry arrives. Mark throws his hat down and dares Ken to bring it. Shamrock gives him a belly-to-belly and goes back to Rocky’s ankle! The officials beg Shamrock to stop, but he won’t. Then Faarooq runs to the ring. However, Faarooq stops at the apron, gives Rocky a rude gesture, and leaves. The Rock is bleeding from the mouth and screaming in pain. Referees try to calm Ken, so Shamrock attacks everyone in his way. Because of this, The Fink announces the ref reversed his decision. The Rock wins by DQ.

Thoughts: It was a short match, but this was explosive and entertaining. They made Shamrock look like an insane person. Plus, The Rock was as amusing as ever. It builds Rocky’s character as a weaselly heel. He escaped by the skin of his teeth again. I love the storytelling. It makes up for the brief action.

Winner: The Rock (by DQ) (4:49)

Fink makes his announcement twice. His mic worked for the second half on the first attempt. This left the commentators confused until he made the full announcement. When they name Rocky as the champion, he holds the belt up from his stretcher. An angry Shamrock dumps The Rock off of it and slams him on the bandstand. Ken them stomps Rocky until the refs make him stop. Ken lifts the belt in the air. Lawler tells him that isn’t his.

Next, they show the Attitude Era commercial again. They removed Ahmed Johnson from it, but they didn’t replace him. After this, JR & Lawler discuss the record gate for this event. While they talk, the refs wheel a dumpster to the ring for the next bout. Cactus & Chainsaw are out first. Funk ditched the pantyhose mask. They openly call him Terry Funk now. Meanwhile, we see replays of the dumpster incident on RAW. When The Outlaws arrive, Road Dogg does his spiel. He says the match isn’t for the weak of heart. So Terry Funk better turn his head. Cactus & Chainsaw might be hardcore legends, but outlaws beat legends. If they win, what does that make them?

Dumpster Match for the Tag Team Titles: Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie vs. The New Age Outlaws (c)

Notes: After breaking up The LOD, The Outlaws gloated about their actions. So Cactus & Chainsaw confronted them in the parking garage. Charlie used his chainsaw on The Outlaws rental car. Cactus busted a window with his bat. The Outlaws wore neck braces the next week. They claimed they couldn’t wrestle because of the attack. Slaughter didn’t buy it. He made them fight The DOA. The Outlaws brought their dumpster, but Cactus & Chainsaw were inside of it! They chased Dogg & Gunn away. Then The Outlaws got revenge with a chair. This led to Gunn wrestling Chainsaw. Dogg attacked with the tag belts. So Cactus hogtied Jesse and hung him upside down. Jack didn’t know how to let him down. He told Dogg his ass better call somebody! However, The Outlaws got more revenge. They crashed Cactus & Charlie vs. The Quebecers. The Outlaws threw a champagne party on the stage with blow-up dolls dressed as Cactus & Charlie. Then Dogg & Gunn attacked with the champagne bucket and broke a table over Funk’s head. Because of The Outlaws’ dumpster antics, they booked this first-ever Dumpster Match. The winner must place both opponents in the dumpster and close the lids.

The Match: Everyone brawls around the dumpster. Cactus gives Dogg a running knee against the side. But The Outlaws fight back with a metal tray. Then Jack attempts a cannonball into Dogg. Gunn baseball slides his partner away and Cactus crashes into the dumpster. Road Dogg follows with a Russian Leg Sweep into the side of the bin. The Outlaws also rip off Funk’s t-shirt and chop him. Next, they slam the lids on Cactus & Charlie’s heads. After more tray shots, Cactus & Charlie rally with neckbreakers. Cactus also grabs a ladder! He and Gunn climb it. But Dogg whacks Funk with the tray. Terry stumbles and knocks the ladder over. It sends Jack and Gunn into the dumpster. When The Outlaws recover, they powerbomb Charlie into the trash. (He bruises his lower back on the bump. Funk landed on a wooden board.)

With Funk out of the way, The Outlaws drag Cactus backstage. When the camera finds them, they fight around catering. Gunn whips Cactus into a cart. Then he throws Jack into some giant soda bottles. They’re stacked on a forklift pallet. However, Jack finds a chair and knocks out Dogg & Gunn. He gives Billy a Double-Arm DDT onto the pallet. Meanwhile, Terry Funk wanders backstage and climbs into the forklift. Jack places The Outlaws on the pallet and they drive them to another dumpster. Cactus dumps The Outlaws into it while Funk screams like a madman. Once they’re inside, Cactus closes the lids and Funk lowers the pallet onto it to block their escape.

Thoughts: This was entertaining chaos. It was unique and fun. Cactus took his usual nasty bumps. Plus, we got the great visual of Terry Funk driving a forklift. But I felt bad for Funk. He received a nasty bruise on his lower back. Funk said in his book his butt-cheek has never been the same since. He’s now—a half-assed wrestler. Meanwhile, they overturn the decision the next night on RAW. Cactus & Chainsaw used the wrong dumpster. But we’ll discuss that in the next review.

Winners: Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie (New Champions) (10:01)

Cactus & Chainsaw celebrate in their own way. Charlie screams and headbutts the dumpster. Jack does the bang bang gesture. The Fink announces them as the new tag champs.

Next, they recap the Undertaker/Kane feud. It covers everything. They go from Paul Bearer’s accusations to the flaming casket at Royal Rumble. “Oh, Fortuna” plays over the footage. Michael Cole tells us about the drama of destruction and deception. After the events of the Rumble, Taker returned from the darkness. Taker and Kane then demonstrated their powers. They terrorized each other with lightning and fire. Kane set a member of the tech crew aflame! Taker threatened to strike down upon Kane with fury and vengeance. The only thing he can do is rest in peace.

Then The Fink introduces baseball legend, Pete Rose. He’s the special ring announcer for the following match. Pete has fun at the expense of the Boston crowd. He mocks them for their World Series drought. Pete says he left tickets for Billy Buckner. But he couldn’t bend down to pick them up. The fans boo Pete and he loves it. However, Kane arrives before Rose can introduce him. When Kane enters, he grabs Pete Rose and gives him a Tombstone. The crowd goes crazy.

The lights go out. Thunder sounds in the arena. “Oh, Fortuna” plays again as druids line the aisle. They form an arch with torches. Then lightning strikes and The Undertaker enters the arena. He wears a new robe with a high collar. The lightning and thunder continue as he approaches the ring.

The Undertaker vs. Kane (w/ Paul Bearer)

Notes: After destroying Vader at No Way Out, Kane’s fury continued. He jumped Dok Hendrix and the Phoenix Suns’ gorilla mascot! Then Kane turned his attention to Steve Austin. But the match didn’t happen because of a DX attack. Kane took out his frustrations on the ring crew instead. After this, Paul Bearer called for mocking ten bell salute to Taker. But a casket appeared on stage. Lightning struck it and The Undertaker rose from the remnants. He welcomed Kane to hell and walked through Kane’s pyro. Taker said he disappeared into the darkness to soothe his parents’ souls. He needed their forgiveness for what he’d do to his brother. Taker even visited their graves. If they couldn’t accept what he must do to Kane, he’d accept the damnation that came with it. The following week, Taker tormented Paul Bearer with spooky tricks. He made benches open and close and caused technical difficulties. But that wasn’t the extent of his new magical powers. Taker also set an effigy of Kane on fire with a bolt of lightning! However, Kane showed off his own lightning abilities! Kane destroyed spotlights and monitors. Then Kane set a member of the ring crew on fire with another bolt! (This was absurd, but the visuals were cool. The WWF showed off its new special effects budget. It’s excusable wrestling silliness. These characters are supposed to be over the top.)

The Match: Taker sticks and moves with punches. He also absorbs Kane’s clotheslines and elbows. But Kane catches Taker and runs him into the corner. Then he drapes Taker over the ropes and nails a flying forearm. Taker attempts a victory roll! Kane turns it into an inverted electric chair drop. (That’s different for these guys!) Next, Paul Bearer distracts the ref. Kane uses the opening to take Taker to the floor. He runs him into the rail and the steps. Kane even drops the steps onto Taker’s hips. Taker fires back with punches, but Kane lands a chokeslam. However, he pulls Taker up at two! You’d think Kane would continue his assault. But he wears him down with chinlocks instead.

Taker rallies by dropping Kane on the ropes. He then boots Kane to the floor. Taker takes a running dive, but Kane sidesteps him. The Undertaker crashes onto the Spanish announce table! Then Kane rolls him inside for a flying clothesline. Kane follows with more punches, so Taker covers up. JR says he’s using a rope-a-dope tactic. Next, Kane reverses and hits a Tombstone, but Taker kicks out at two! After letting Kane punch himself out, Taker hits the chokeslam and a Tombstone. Kane kicks out! A leg drop is next. Kane sits up! This leads to a second Tombstone and another kick out! Even a flying clothesline can’t keep him down. But a third Tombstone finally gets the job done. Kane kicks out a second too late.

Thoughts: It was a good big-man match. I liked the story of Taker trying to wear Kane out. It was a little slow, but not in a bad way. They built to the big spots. Plus, I liked the closing moments. Kane looked like a monster. It took three Tombstones to put him away. This did everything it needed to do.

Winner: The Undertaker (17:05)

An angry Paul Bearer enters the ring. He shoves the ref and stomps The Undertaker. Then Paul tells Kane to get up and get him. But Taker punches Paul Bearer. However, Kane grabs a chair and nails Taker. Kane then gives Taker a Tombstone onto the chair. JR compares it to bouncing a basketball. Ross says he’s seen wars in small countries with less intensity. But Taker rises and stumbles out of the ring.

Next, WWF legends speak about today’s stars. Freddie Blassie, Killer Kowalski, Ernie Ladd, Pat Patterson, and Gorilla Monsoon appear in the video. They speak of still hearing the fans cheering for them. They never did flashy moves. There was no pyro. Their generation were men of courage and steel. But today’s stars are men without fear. They still hear the echoes of fans cheering their names. But today, they cheer for the new stars. (This was well done. It’s a touching piece. They honored the past while putting over the present.)

Then they recap the Austin/Michaels feud. Vince McMahon introduces the special enforcer. It’s the baddest man on the planet, Mike Tyson! Austin disrespected him. So Tyson joined DX. Can Tyson be a fair enforcer? What’s going to happen if Stone Cold gets in Mike’s way? He’ll knock him the f*ck out! Who will come out champion? Tyson says Heartbreak will. And Tyson will still be the baddest man on the planet. Meanwhile, the media asks where Tyson will go next. He says, “WrestleMania XV.”

Next, Fink introduces Mike Tyson. He comes out to a remixed DX theme. Tyson does poor-looking crotch chops while Marvin Hagler laughs. Dramatic backstage footage follows this. They show the competitors walking to the ring. Ominous music plays as they approach the entrance. Austin gets in Tyson’s face and poses on the buckles. Triple H flips off the camera and Shawn dedicates the match to Earl Hebner. (Earl had an aneurysm. He recovers, but he was in the hospital for this event.) The DX band plays a live version of the DX theme for Shawn.

WWF Title Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels (c) (w/ Triple H & Chyna)

Notes: Michaels and DX called Austin out for a confrontation. But Kane interrupted and turned out the lights. Michaels & Co. ran in the darkness. Then Michaels got in Mike Tyson’s face. It appeared they would fight until Shawn ripped off Tyson’s shirt. It revealed—a DX t-shirt! Mike Tyson joined D-Generation X! JR questioned how Tyson can be an impartial enforcer. Tyson told him to get with the program. Winning was the only thing that’s fair. Austin’s disrespect pissed off Mike. He threatened to knock Stone Cold out. Meanwhile, Austin confronted Vince McMahon over his praise of Mike Tyson. Steve was sick of Vince kissing Tyson’s ass. He dared Vince to fight him and ripped Vince’s coat. Austin also questioned whether Vince wanted him as champion. Vince didn’t answer. So Kevin Kelly questioned McMahon the next week. He prodded Vince until McMahon admitted he didn’t want Austin as champion. It wasn’t just a no. The answer was hell no! Austin would be a PR nightmare unless he conformed to corporate guidelines! Michaels appreciated Vince’s vote of confidence, but he didn’t need it. Shawn blindsided Austin twice with Sweet Chin Music. The second time, Austin thought Shawn wasn’t in the arena. Then Vince and Slaughter forced Austin to wrestle The Rock on Austin’s night off. Austin won the bout and almost came to blows with Michaels. But Triple H held Shawn back.

The Match: Shawn sticks and moves until Austin backdrops him over the ropes. When Stone Cold chases Shawn outside, Triple H jumps him. So the ref orders Hunter & Chyna to leave. Austin chases Helmsley down the aisle and Shawn follows. They fight at the bandstand. Shawn uses a cymbal and drags Austin to the ring. But Steve punches Shawn on an axehandle attempt. He then whips Shawn around the ring and nails a Manhattan Drop and a Stun Gun. Next, Shawn avoids a Stunner and escapes to the apron. Austin sends him crashing onto the announce table. It knocks the monitors to the floor. Then they fight around the post and the rail. Tyson distracts the ref while Shawn uses the ring bell. This allows Michaels to wear down Austin with strikes. (You can see the pain on Shawn’s face. He has trouble standing and moving.)

Next, Shawn attacks Austin’s knee. He wraps it around the post and jumps on it. Austin rallies with roll-ups and strikes. But Tyson distracts Stone Cold. It allows Shawn to nail a chop block. Michaels follows with a Figure Four and uses the ropes. Stone Cold reverses it, but Shawn reaches the ropes. Austin then whips Shawn around the ring until Michaels grabs a sleeper hold. Austin breaks it by running him into the corner. But he takes out the ref by accident. Austin follows with another Stun Gun and some mudhole stomping. Shawn rallies with a jumping forearm and he kips up! Shawn also lands the flying elbow and tunes up the band. Austin ducks Sweet Chin Music and attempts a Stunner. Shawn blocks it and does another superkick. But Austin grabs it, spins Shawn around, and gives him the Stunner! Tyson counts the three when Austin covers. (It was fast, but Mike isn’t a trained ref.)

Thoughts: This was a match between someone with a bad back and a man with a bad neck. With that in mind, it was better than expected. Austin wasn’t pleased with it. But he should give this bout more credit. It wasn’t bad. They worked within their limitations and told a decent story. Plus, I loved the closing sequence. My only gripe is Tyson’s fast count. But it didn’t ruin this. They got where they needed to go. It’s all good.

Winner: Stone Cold Steve Austin (New Champion) (20:08)

Lawler says Tyson double-crossed DX. Mike raises Austin’s hand and Stone Cold poses with his belt. JR says the Austin Era has begun. His eight-year journey culminated on this night. Then Austin calls for an Austin 3:16 shirt. He gives it to Mike Tyson. Mike doesn’t put it on. He holds it up for the fans. When Michaels spots this, he confronts Tyson. Shawn says Mike was supposed to be on his side! He pokes Tyson in the chest. Shawn then makes a mistake. He tries to punch Mike. Tyson knocks Shawn out cold. Then Tyson poses with Austin again. Stone Cold flips off the unconscious Shawn Michaels. Tyson drapes the Austin shirt over Shawn’s body. (This pissed off Michaels. He asked them not to do it. Shawn threw a fit later during the press conference.) They show replays before JR says goodnight.

The Good:

• Triple H/Owen was solid.

• Rock/Shamrock had great storytelling.

• The Dumpster Match was good fun.

• Kane/Taker was a good big-man match.

• Austin winning the title.

The Bad:

• The battle royal was forgettable.

• Taka/Aguila had little heat.

Performer of the Night:

I’m splitting it between three people. First, this was Austin’s night, so I must give him credit. He did exactly what he needed to do. Next, I’ll single out Ken Shamrock. His performance as a madman was great. And the final accolade goes to Shawn Michaels. He powered through the pain to put on a good performance. This is the last time he wrestles for four years. Despite his antics, it’s sad to see him go out this way.

Final Thoughts:

This Mania doesn’t get the love it deserves. I’m not saying it’s hated. It isn’t by any means. But it’s underrated. From the top to the bottom, this is an enjoyable show. It highlights the variety the WWF provided in 1998. There’s something for everyone on this program. There are no five-star classics. But everything ranged from decent to quite good. The main word to describe this show is fun.

Thank you for reading. My next review is WCW’s Spring Stampede ’98. Look for it next Sunday.