No Way Out of Texas: In Your House

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

No Way Out of Texas: In Your House

February 15, 1998

Compaq Center

Houston, Texas

News & Notes: After hyping his appearance all night, Vince McMahon invited Mike Tyson to the ring. They were going to announce his role for WrestleMania. But Steve Austin interrupted them. Stone Cold said he respected what Tyson did in the ring. However, he was in Austin’s world now. Then Austin said Tyson wasn’t the baddest man. He couldn’t whip the ass of the toughest S.O.B. In the WWF. But Austin could kick his ass. And if Tyson didn’t hear what he said, Austin had some sign language for him. Stone Cold flipped Mike off and the two shoved each other. The WWF officials separated them before it escalated. Vince McMahon screamed at Austin. He told him he ruined everything. The following week, Shawn Michaels offered to forego his WWF title defense at Mania. He’d step aside so Austin could wrestle Tyson. Shawn even offered to be the ref. This couldn’t happen because the athletic commission wouldn’t allow Tyson to fight. So the WWF made Tyson the special enforcer for Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin at Mania. This led to a confrontation between Austin and Michaels. Austin vowed to take Michaels’ belt, no matter when they fought. DX retaliated. They attacked Steve during his bout with Road Dogg. Shawn tied Austin in the ropes and shoved the WWF championship in his face. But Austin got revenge. He stole HBK’s belt. Chyna recruited Los Boricuas to help look for Austin. Stone Cold locked them in a room. (I’ll explain the rest in the main event’s match notes.)

I should discuss DX’s other antics. The night after Royal Rumble, Shawn feigned regret about The Undertaker’s fate. He vowed to find him. (The WWF officials opened the casket after the PPV ended. It was empty. Taker disappeared.) DX looked everywhere. They found a hearse. It was filled with women. Then Taker’s music played in the arena. What appeared to be Taker lowered from the ceiling. But his music changed to DX’s theme. It was Michaels in disguise. DX then mocked Taker with a barbecue in the ring. This included many penis jokes using hot dogs and sausages. During the festivities, Hunter promised Owen a European title match. The next week, an injured Helmsley said Owen would face a Triple H he’d never seen before! He was right. Owen faced The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust in a Triple H costume. Hart won with the Sharpshooter and Helmsley laughed at the ruse. However, Sgt. Slaughter said it was quite convincing. In fact, he considered it a proper title defense. That means Owen Hart is the new European Champion! Meanwhile, DX also held a state of the union address. They addressed the USA Network’s concerns about content. DX promised to only use minor curse words in RAW’s first hour. Then they listed the words they wouldn’t say. They bleeped each one. Next, Shawn addressed rumors about him and an intern. He didn’t sleep with her. Shawn was up all night! (The USA Network loved this segment. They were skeptical about the DX content until they saw this. It turned their opinion on the matter.)

Before I begin, I’ll address one more matter. They built the main event as if Shawn were in it. The WWF didn’t announce he would miss the show until the day of the PPV. Shawn was still getting tests on his back. They knew he was injured. But they didn’t know the extent.

How does one distinguish themselves in the WWF? Some challenge their physical limits and some go beyond! Steve Austin is a renegade. He would rather spit in the Devil’s face than shake his maker’s hand. Cactus & Chainsaw embrace kamikaze-like practices. They risk pain and injury to satisfy. Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed Outlaws took their pursuit of notoriety to the horrifying edge. Has this nihilistic attitude polluted the spirit of competition? Did some cross sacred lines? Those who went too far may dare go farther! Western Union presents No Way Out of Texas! (Wait a second. No Way Out. Where have I seen those initials before?)

Fireworks and Jim Ross welcome everyone to Houston, TX. JR talks about the mystery surrounding the main event. Who will join Triple H & The Outlaws? Ross doesn’t believe anyone can replace Shawn Michaels. Lawler’s advice is to find the best man. Don’t try to find another Shawn Michaels. Either way, they don’t know who the eighth man will be.

Then Marc Mero & Sable enter the arena. The fans cheer Sable, but they boo Mero. Marc makes her remove his robe and berates her for stealing his spotlight. He’s followed by his partner, The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust. Goldust is wearing a Marilyn Manson costume, much like the past few weeks. Luna wants a piece of Sable, so Mero grabs a mic. He tells Luna he knows how she feels. There’s only room for one beautiful lady tonight. Sable has to leave! Marc tells her to go backstage. This pisses off the fans. They chant Sable, which annoys Luna.

The Headbangers vs. Marvelous Marc Mero & The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust (w/ Luna Vachon)

Notes: Mero wrapped up his odd feud with Tom Brandi. But Marc had other things to worry about. Someone sent Sable flowers and chocolates. It angered Marc. He made Sable wear a robe that said, “Property of Marc Mero.” Then Mero had enough. Sable took too long to exit the ring. He told her to head to the locker room. Marc had someone better to watch his back. It was The Artist Formerly known as Goldust. (Goldust’s Sable cosplay must have impressed him.) Since Marc was wrestling Mosh, Goldust dressed as Marilyn Manson. He helped Marc win by distracting the Headbanger. Next, Mero accompanied Manson-Dust in a match with Thrasher. Marc once again sent Sable packing. But she returned and slapped both Goldust and Luna. It cost Goldust the victory. So Mero stepped between the two women to prevent them from fighting.

The Match: Mero backs Mosh into a corner with strikes. But Marc misses a running elbow. Mosh capitalizes with a corner splash and a clothesline to the floor. Mero regroups with Goldust. Then The Headbangers control the action. They use a diving clothesline, a drop toe hold, strikes, and holds. Thrasher even suplexes Mosh off the top rope onto Goldust. After more strikes from The Headbangers, Mero makes a blind tag. Marc uses a knee-lift and Goldust low-bridges Thrasher. This allows Luna to attack. Goldust then gives Thrasher snake eyes on the steps. It busts open Thrasher’s head. When Mero & Goldust notice it, they focus on the cut. Both men use punches and knees to open it wider. Mero complains about blood on his hands. Marc also chokes Thrasher with his wrist tape behind the ref’s back. But Thrasher counters a TKO with a DDT and tags Mosh. He cleans house with punches. Then the Headbangers give Goldust a double flapjack. Luna senses trouble, so she crotches Thrasher on the ropes. This draws Sable to the ring. Mero lands a TKO on Mosh, but he exits the ring to stop Sable. Goldust and Mero prevent the women from fighting each other. It allows The Headbangers to swap places. Thrasher then rolls Mero up for the win.

Thoughts: This was better than expected. They kept the action decent. It didn’t drag, and I liked the basic storytelling. The blood seemed accidental, but it added something to the bout. Plus, this had good heat. It’s not great, but it was a solid opener.

Winners: The Headbangers (13:27)

Sable screams at Luna. She wants her in the ring. But Goldust holds her back. Luna has enough and shoves Goldust on his ass. Then Luna rolls inside. But Mero and the WWF officials prevent the fight. Both the fans and Lawler want to see them scuffle. Goldust carries Luna backstage while Mero argues with Sable. She has enough of his crap and shoves Marc down. So Mero leaves in frustration.

Next, Michael Cole interviews the European Champion, Owen Hart. Cole asks how Owen can coexist with Steve Austin. But Hart addresses the mystery partner first. He doesn’t give a damn who they pick. As far as Austin, he’ll stay out of Steve’s way if Austin stays out of his. Then Owen turns his focus to Triple H. Just because Hart has the European title doesn’t mean he’s done with Hunter. Owen promises to bust Helmsley’s legs! (On a side note, someone talks in the background throughout this segment. It’s annoying!)

Sunny is the guest ring announcer for the Light Heavyweight Title Match. JR talks about the match. Lawler tells him to shut up and speak about Sunny instead. She’s making his beeper vibrate! While Sunny does the introductions, they replay the action from RAW. Ross & Lawler argue about whether Christopher & Pantera used a weapon. Meanwhile, Sunny gives Taka a kiss on the cheek. Lawler can’t believe his eyes. This also draws out Brian Christopher to do commentary.

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

Notes: Pantera began his career as El Pantera in the 80s. He wrestled for both CMLL and AAA. Now, he’s in the WWF. He debuted on RAW and upset Brian Christopher in a #1 Contender Match. Lawler promised to shake the winner’s hand. He thought Brian would win. But he was true to his word. Jerry shook Pantera’s hand—and kicked him in the junk. This led to Taka teaming with Pantera on Shotgun. However, a miscommunication ruined the encounter. An angry Pantera attacked Taka. Then Pantera joined forces with his former rival, Christopher. They faced Taka & Aguila. Christopher tried to use brass knuckles and failed. But Pantera put them in his mask and nailed a loaded flying headbutt. (Wouldn’t that hurt him too?)

The Match: Taka ducks an attack and nails a wheel kick and some chops. But Pantera arm drags Michinoku to the floor and hits a somersault plancha. After more takedowns, Pantera tumbles out of the ring. Taka takes advantage with a springboard body press, strikes, and dropkicks. Then Pantera sends Taka out of the ring once more. He dives onto Michinoku. It drives Taka’s back into the rail and hurts him. Pantera pounces on the injury. (Brian Christopher says he loves seeing that slant-eye in pain. WTF, Brian?) Next, Pantera focuses on the back with submissions. He uses variations of the surfboard. Pantera modifies it each time the ref counts his shoulders on the mat. Taka fights, but Pantera sends him to the floor again. Pantera follows with a somersault senton over the ropes! He lands on Taka’s back. When they return to the ring, Pantera grabs an inverted surfboard. He also does a backbreaker and a flying elbow to the back. But Taka fights again and they head to the top rope. Pantera lands a Super Frankensteiner and a moonsault. He attempts a second one, but it misses. Michinoku recovers and hits a flying knee. However, his back is too hurt to do the Michinoku Driver. Pantera capitalizes with pin attempts. This continues until Taka catches him with a powerbomb. He then uses a missile dropkick and the Michinoku Driver for the victory.

Thoughts: This had solid action and some good spots. I enjoyed it, but the crowd didn’t. They were silent. It affected the bout. Plus, Brian Christopher’s annoying commentary distracted me. This was good, but too many factors prevented me from loving it.

Winner: Taka Michinoku (10:09)

Taka’s win annoys Lawler & Christopher. JR rubs it in their faces by showing a replay. The Lawlers call him lucky. Brian has enough. He throws down his headset and goes after Michinoku. Lawler tells him not to do it. But Taka hits a springboard body press onto both Jerry and Brian. Then Brian & Jerry try to flank Taka, so Michinoku escapes into the crowd.

Then Kevin Kelly interviews Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie in the AOL room. He asks for their thoughts about DX’s mystery partner. Jack doesn’t care who they pick. He wants revenge. Cactus says they have some creative ways to do this. And they have Stone Cold & Owen Hart to help them. The name of the game is revenge. Next, Kevin asks Charlie what he thinks. Chainsaw also doesn’t care who they pick. He knows he has good partners. Charlie gives his fists nicknames. One is the hospital, and the other is the graveyard. He’ll use them both. The Outlaws think pushing them in a dumpster was funny. But Funk doesn’t find it so. They won’t laugh tonight! Kevin then plugs the AOL chat, but Cactus interrupts with a Bang Bang. Funk even adds his own bang.

The Godwinns vs. The Quebecers

Notes: The Quebecers returned with little fanfare. They faced Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie. The wild encounter ended in DQ when Jack put the Mandible Claw on the ref. And Chainsaw dove onto The Quebecers. Meanwhile, The Godwinns received a tag title shot because they helped The Outlaws in the past. But The Outlaws won when Gunn used a loaded pig. (It was a stuffed animal, not a real pig.) After this, The Quebecers attacked The Godwinns on Shotgun. Why did they do this? It’s because this encounter needed a reason to happen. That’s why! Plus, a loss to The Headbangers on RAW frustrated The Quebecers. They took it out on The Godwinns. This led to Pierre fighting Henry Godwinn. Both teams used the slop buckets as weapons. But Godwinn got the upper hand. The Godwinns also cost The Quebecers a match on Shotgun with more bucket shenanigans.

The Match: Henry slaps Phineas to rile him up because Jacques keeps evading him. They trade takedowns until Phineas uses an eye poke. Next, Henry and Pierre trade arm wringers. Pierre flips out of them, but Henry keeps taking him to the mat. The Quebecers try double-teaming. But The Godwinns work on Jacques’ arm. They use headbutts, hammerlocks, a diving knee to the arm, and a shoulderbreaker. Phineas even grabs an armbar. Then Phineas catches Jacques with a spinebuster and rams him into Henry’s boot. Jacques rallies with a sunset flip and a jawbreaker. However, The Godwinns use ref distractions and cheap shots to gain control. Pierre finally tags after Jacques boots Henry in the face. PCO throws punches, clotheslines, and leg drops. He also nails a powerslam. Then The Quebecers give Phineas a double hotshot. Jacques follows with a piledriver and The Quebecers land the Tower of Quebec. But Henry stops the pin. Jacques sends Henry out of the ring and Pierre continues the attack. He attempts a German Suplex, but Phineas runs Pierre to the ropes. Henry nails PCO with a clothesline and Phineas covers for the win.

Thoughts: This was dull and pointless. It had no heat because it was two heel teams. No one cared. They got everyone a payday. But no one wanted to see it. It was an opportunity for fans to buy concessions and take a bathroom break.

Winners: The Godwinns (11:15)

The Quebecers complain to the ref and raise each other’s hands. The Godwinns take exception to this and nail Jacques & Pierre with their buckets. Then they leave. The fans didn’t care about this either.

Then Dok Hendrix goes to the source for an answer about the main event. He interviews The New Age Outlaws. When Dok asks who their partner is, it pisses off Road Dogg. He thought Hendrix would tell him the answer. They don’t know! What’s happening? The Outlaws have no decision-making power. They’re not even included in the process. Dok agrees they should have a say. Billy Gunn wants respect. They’re going to demand it and grab it. Billy & Road Dogg agree to get to the bottom of things. They head to find out who their partner is. Dok says The Outlaws are in the dark, like all of us.

After the interview, they show the Attitude Era commercial again. Ahmed Johnson replaced Bret Hart in it. (That’s almost as disappointing a substitution as the main event.) Next, Jeff Jarrett enters for his match. Jim Cornette, The Rock n Roll Express, and Barry Windham join him. JR calls Cornette a liar. He said this would be one-on-one. But Lawler talks about the NWA’s history in Houston. Ross says Paul Boesch would be ashamed of this NWA representation. Meanwhile, Bradshaw clears the NWA contingent from the ring with his bull rope. The ref tells Windham & The Express they have to leave. Cornette can stay because he has a manager’s license.

NWA North American Title Match: Bradshaw vs. Jeff Jarrett (c) (w/ Jim Cornette)

Notes: Bradshaw faced Jarrett on RAW, but The Rock n Roll Express and Cornette interfered. Barry Windham came to Bradshaw’s aid. Or so we thought. Windham turned on his Blackjack partner and joined the NWA revival. (I jumped the gun in my Rumble review.) Barry said he was tired of hanging around with Yosemite Sam (Bradshaw). Jarrett is leading the NWA into the 21^st Century and Windham wants in. After this, Bradshaw teamed with Flash Funk to fight Windham & Jarrett. He fended off more NWA interference and rolled up Jarrett. But the NWA contingent jumped Bradshaw afterward. Next, Windham & Jarrett wrestled The LOD. This included the usual interference. They got to Hawk outside the ring and Animal didn’t notice. Bradshaw made the save, but Hawk seemed upset with Animal. (Remember that.)

The Match: Bradshaw meets Jarrett in the aisle with strikes. He rolls Jeff into the ring and Bradshaw whips him with his chaps. Then Bradshaw continues with hard strikes and throws until Jarrett regroups with Cornette. Bradshaw won’t let it stand. He gives Jarrett & Cornette a double noggin knocker. But Jarrett jumps Bradshaw when they enter the ring. Jeff uses dropkicks, elbows, and clotheslines. Jarrett also distracts the ref so Cornette can interfere. This happens until Bradshaw chases Jim in and out of the ring. Jarrett jumps him again, but Bradshaw grabs an inside cradle. He also blocks Jeff’s sunset flip. However, Cornette cuts off Bradshaw’s comeback with a tennis racket to the knee. Jarrett takes advantage of the attack. He focuses on Bradshaw’s knee and attempts a Figure Four. Bradshaw blocks it, so Jarrett does a DDT instead. Then they fight on the top rope and Jarrett blocks a superplex. But Bradshaw catches a diving Jarrett and hits a fallaway slam. He follows with a powerbomb. This draws Cornette to the apron. Bradshaw slingshots him into the ring and whips him into Jeff. The distraction allows Jarrett to grab the racket. He hits Bradshaw with it for a DQ.

Thoughts: Until the disappointing finish, it wasn’t bad. Bradshaw had some good power moves. Jarrett did some solid wrestling. I didn’t mind it. But the ending soured this for me. The bout got decent crowd reactions as well. The fans were into Bradshaw. They chanted Jarrett sucks. All the pieces were there until the conclusion.

Winner: Bradshaw (by DQ) (8:33)

After the bell, Bradshaw grabs the racket and nails Jarrett. The Rock n Roll Express arrives and receives the same. Then the ref takes the racket, but this doesn’t stop Bradshaw. Cornette turns and sees him. He freaks out and Bradshaw slams Jim. So Windham & The Express jump Bradshaw. They stomp on him until The Legion of Doom arrives. The NWA group retreats while Animal screams at them.

Then Michael Cole interviews Triple H & Chyna. Maybe they know who the mystery partner is! Triple H says everybody wants to be part of DX. Since they learned Shawn Michaels wouldn’t be there, people approached them. They knocked on their doors and rang their phones. Everyone from the north to the south and even Japan wanted to join the team. DX gets the ratings and gets the job done. But Triple H decided something in his infinite wisdom. No one on the planet can take Shawn Michaels’ place. So it will be a handicap match tonight. Cole interrupts, but Hunter tells him to shut up. They’ll get the job done no matter how many people there are. However, Cole informs Hunter the WWF officials will appoint a partner if he doesn’t find one. Triple H says it doesn’t matter. They can hold up the ropes for them. Either way, their opponents are going down. (They’re trying hard to temper the fans’ expectations for the main event. Is it working?)

Next, Dok is with The Nation of Domination. He talks about dissension in recent weeks. The best thing to do is speak with the leader of The Nation. The Rock answers this statement, so Faarooq interrupts him. He says, “You’re just begging me to whoop your ass. Ain’t ya?” Then Faarooq says he pulls rank. Everyone better fall in line with him. This leads Doc to talk about The Nation’s actions toward Ken Shamrock. He shows a replay of The Rock destroying Shamrock with a chair shot. (The Rock recreates the moment while this happens.) Hendrix reminds Faarooq he’s the most dangerous man. Faarooq isn’t impressed. He lived in the world’s most dangerous neighborhoods! When Faarooq says kick his ass, he means by any means necessary! (The best part about this was The Rock. He spent the entire promo mugging for the camera. Rocky rolled his eyes when Faarooq spoke and even did the People’s Eyebrow. Faarooq pointed a lot. The Rock reacted like Faarooq poked him and brushed it off with a smirk. It was great!)

War of Attrition Match: Ken Shamrock, Ahmed Johnson, & The D.O.A. vs. The Nation of Domination

Notes: The DOA fought Faarooq, Kama, & D’Lo the night after Royal Rumble. Rocky & Henry were absent for most of the bout. But they arrived when the match became a brawl. Ahmed & Shamrock came to the DOA’s aid. This led to The Rock vs. Ahmed. Rocky won when Henry used a chair. Shamrock once again made the save. So Henry wrestled Shamrock. Ahmed & The DOA had Ken’s back. It ended in another melee between the groups. Next, Faarooq clashed with Chainz. But Nation miscommunication got him counted out. Faarooq told his followers to fall in line and listen to him! The next week, Rocky & Faarooq met Shamrock & Chainz. The Nation won after The Rock clobbered Shamrock with a chair! This violent chair shot made Ken snap. His friends had to calm him.

The Match: D’Lo and Kama trade strikes with Skull, Ken, and Chainz. The Nation uses eye rakes whenever they’re in trouble. Then Mark Henry tags and demands Ahmed get in the ring. He gets his wish and they trade blows. Henry gets the advantage until Ahmed uses his own eye rake and slams Mark. But Johnson turns his back to gloat. D’Lo attacks from behind. Ahmed reverses a suplex, but D’Lo nails a Frog Splash from the other side of the ring! Next, Ahmed and Faarooq fight. Faarooq hits shoulder blocks until Johnson catches him with a spinebuster. When Ahmed attempts a Pearl River Plunge, The Rock stops him. This leads to Rocky and Shamrock facing off. The Rock nails a DDT, stomps, punches, and chokes. However, The DOA takes control when Kama returns. They make frequent tags and double-team Kama. This lasts until Skull gets in trouble. Then D’Lo, Kama, & Rocky take turns working him over. The Rock does the People’s Elbow, but Chainz breaks the count. The Nation also distracts the ref and Rocky nails a low blow. Their domination continues until D’Lo misses a moonsault. When The Rock and Shamrock tag, the match becomes a brawl. Almost everyone ends up outside. Meanwhile, Ken gives Rocky a belly-to-belly. He then puts the anklelock on The Rock for a submission.

Thoughts: It wasn’t a technical marvel. But I found it enjoyable. I especially liked the finish. The crowd popped big for Shamrock making The Rock tap. They kept the action at a good pace. This had enough to keep it interesting. Plus, this furthers the Rock/Shamrock feud. (On a side note, this is the end of Ahmed Johnson in the WWF. He walks out of the company over creative differences. Also, his sister was sick at the time. We will see him again elsewhere. But it will be a while.)

Winners: Shamrock, Ahmed, & The DOA (13:44)

Ken celebrates with his team, and they leave. The Rock stares at Ken before turning his attention to Faarooq. Rocky screams at him for not helping. It leads to both men shoving each other. The other Nation members stop the fight. D’Lo gets decked in the melee and yells at Faarooq. The Rock almost leaves, but Faarooq tells him to return. He demands Rocky stand in line and salute. Everyone falls in line, but The Rock is slow to comply.

Next, Michael Cole interviews Stone Cold Steve Austin. Cole brings up the mystery partner. Austin doesn’t give two craps who it is. People also asked Steve if it’s good to be back in Texas. Austin says he’s not sentimental. He’ll kick someone’s ass anywhere. But if you kick their ass in Texas, you’ve done something! That’s what he’s going to do. If Cole doesn’t leave, he’ll start with him! Meanwhile, Lawler claims he has one of Austin’s old report cards. It says Steve doesn’t play well with others.

Then they recap the Vader/Kane feud. We see footage of Vader destroying his opponents. Vader does powerbombs, Vader Bombs, and moonsaults. But Kane attacked him. What does Kane have to do to get his message across? They show all of Kane’s victims, including The Undertaker. Paul Bearer says The Undertaker won’t show up in Houston. He’s gone for eternity! Now, Kane focused his fury on Vader. Vader fought back and hit a piledriver. Kane sat up and nailed a Tombstone. Next, Vader answered with a fire extinguisher. Vader must step up. But if he fails, there’s no way out of Texas!

Kane (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. Vader

Notes: Paul Bearer gloated about what Kane did to The Undertaker at Royal Rumble. Kane even appeared from a casket to mock Taker. Then Kane focused on his next victim. It was Bearer’s former charge, Vader. Kane attacked during a Vader/Goldust rematch. But Vader retaliated. He gave Kane a piledriver, which Kane no-sold. Kane answered with a Tombstone. Next, Kane attacked a WWF official named Wink Collins (Kerwin Silfies). Vader rescued the poor fool. He sprayed Kane in the face with a fire extinguisher. Vader said he wanted to put out Kane’s fire. Bearer accused Vader of trying to damage Kane’s good eye. Paul also said he was sick of hearing about Vader Time. Paul Bearer had Kane demonstrate this by setting a clock on fire.

The Match: They trade punches, headbutts, and clotheslines until it spills to the floor. Kane rams Vader into the rail and the steps. The action returns to the ring for a moment, but Vader takes it back outside. He sends Kane into the post and they fight at the apron. Kane nails a hotshot and a flying clothesline. Then after more strikes to Vader, Kane lands a flying forearm. Vader is draped over the ropes. He also claws at Vader’s face and rams him into the corner. Vader rallies with punches, clotheslines, and avalanche attacks. But Kane hits a DDT. It’s not enough. Vader retaliates with more clotheslines, punches, and avalanches. Then he blocks Kane’s chokeslam with a low blow. Vader follows with a short-arm clothesline and a moonsault! However, Kane sits up. So Vader sends him to the floor once more. They fight back and forth until Vader grabs a fire extinguisher. He sprays Kane and rolls him inside for a powerbomb. But Paul Bearer distracts Vader while Kane rises again. The distraction allows Kane to do a chokeslam and a Tombstone for the victory.

Thoughts: This was okay, but it was slow. Most of Kane’s offense was punches and kicks. I wanted to like this, but it kind of dragged. Both men looked impressive. However, the pace almost lost the fans. They grew quiet as the bout progressed. But they reacted to the finish.

Winner: Kane (10:57)

Kane sets off his pyro and the lights turn red. He then grabs the fire extinguisher, but that’s not good enough. Kane selects a giant wrench instead. When he returns, he clobbers Vader in the face with the wrench! It disgusts Jim Ross. Kane then leaves after destroying Vader. Paul Bearer says he told us so. The medics come to the aid of an unconscious Vader. They load him onto a stretcher. (They did this to write Vader off of TV. He needed surgery on a plate in his face from an old injury.)

Next, JR plugs WrestleMania. Then he talks about the main event. It’s a non-sanctioned fight. But we still don’t know who the WWF selected as DX’s partner. This leads to a recap of the feud. How far is too far? They took it to the edge and shoved it over! People are mad at The Outlaws, but that’s okay. Meanwhile, their opponents are out of control. They won’t be led by anyone. We see footage of the chaos between the competitors. In this match, the ring might be the safest place. However, the ringleader of these antics (Shawn Michaels) won’t be there. Michaels antagonized Austin, but he isn’t in the match. Eight men who have already gone too far will dictate the future! (Do they mean seven men? The build doesn’t include Shawn’s replacement.)

Then The Fink announces this non-sanctioned main event. Anything goes! The Outlaws are out first. They wear Tennessee Oilers shirts to annoy the Houston fans. Road Dogg mocks the fans for losing their team. He also says they haven’t gone too far. You ain’t seen nothing yet. Next, Dogg introduces Triple H & Chyna. After this, Fink reveals the mystery partner. He’s representing Los Boricuas. It’s—Savio Vega! (Wow, that’s disappointing. The fans boo.)

Meanwhile, Owen, Cactus, & Chainsaw arrive. Jack brings a trash bin full of weapons. He throws them into the ring until DX and company bail outside. Then Austin joins them to a huge reaction.

Non-Sanctioned Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack, & Chainsaw Charlie vs. Triple H, The New Age Outlaws, & Savio Vega (w/ Chyna)

Notes: I mentioned DX’s half of the build in my intro. Now, I’ll discuss The Outlaws’ side of things. They faced Cactus & Chainsaw on RAW. But it ended in chaos. Cactus put another claw on a ref. Charlie buried Gunn under chairs and landed a moonsault. So The Outlaws interrupted Jack & Charlie’s promo. They turned the interview set over onto Cactus & Chainsaw. Next, Jack & Charlie fought each other in a wild fight. They wanted to prove who was the King of Hardcore. Jack introduced a dumpster into the action. Both men ended up inside it. The Outlaws pounced on the opportunity. They tied the lid closed and shoved the dumpster off the stage! An ambulance took Jack & Charlie to the hospital. This horrified and angered the commentators, the wrestlers, and Vince McMahon. Everyone felt The Outlaws went too far. But DX didn’t agree. They were more bothered by The Outlaws’ remorse. Shawn & Hunter told them to keep pushing the envelope. They took this to heart and almost threw Owen off the stage. However, Jack & Charlie returned later in the episode. They attacked The Outlaws in their hospital gowns! Then Cactus, Chainsaw, & Owen came to Austin’s aid when DX tried to get Shawn’s belt back. Jack & Charlie sawed through the ring and Owen leaped out of the crowd. DX grabbed the belt and retreated. They left The Outlaws to deal with the brawl.

The Match: The match begins as a wild brawl. Everybody fights with Cactus’s weapons. Austin nails a Thesz Press on Gunn. Then Stone Cold hands out trashcan lid shots to everyone! This leads to Triple H and Austin fighting on the floor with a mop. Meanwhile, Jack & Charlie scuffle with The Outlaws. Owen helps them put Gunn through a table. Hart then puts Billy in a Sharpshooter, but Hunter breaks it. Austin continues going crazy with the trashcan lid. But Triple H dazes poor Charlie with multiple trashcan shots. Owen saves Chainsaw from a pin and puts Hunter in a Sharpshooter. Road Dogg stops this with a chair. He then low blows Charlie and powerbombs Chainsaw on some chairs! This somehow leads to Earl Hebner gaining control of the bout.

Chainsaw is in trouble. Gunn gives him a piledriver on the lid. Savio punches Chainsaw while holding his suspenders. Then Road Dogg suplexes him on the lid! Austin has enough of The Outlaws’ antics. He chucks a trashcan at Billy Gunn and nails him in the head! But DX continues attacking Chainsaw with a chair. A dazed Funk falls out of the ring and onto his head! Charlie finally rallies with a shoulder block and tags Cactus. Jack cleans house with punches and clotheslines. Then he places part of a table on Road Dogg and whips Gunn into it. Cactus follows with a Double-Arm DDT, but Savio stops the pin. Jack continues with a Mandible Claw on both Outlaws. But Hunter breaks it with a low blow. A Cactus Clothesline takes the fight outside and Jack uses the steps. So DX devises a plan. Savio grabs a roll of barbed wire and they wrap it around Cactus! Next, they use chairs on the wire-covered Jack. But one shot hits Road Dogg by accident. This allows Austin to tag. He nails everyone with punches and stomps some mudholes. Austin finishes with a Stunner on Road Dogg for the victory.

Thoughts: This was fun chaos. It started and finished hot. Plus, I liked a lot of the spots. Austin chucking a can at Billy Gunn’s head was great. The image of Cactus wrapped in barbed wire was also cool. My only gripe is Earl Hebner enforced the rules. It’s unsanctioned! That makes no sense. However, it wasn’t enough to ruin this. Despite the disappointing substitution, this was good. The crowd loved it.

Winners: Austin, Owen, Cactus, & Chainsaw (17:37)

Austin then gives another Stunner to Billy Gunn. He also knocks Triple H off the apron. JR calls it a car wreck. Once the ring is clear, Austin poses. Ross tells Shawn Michaels to beware. But Chyna enters the ring and gets in Austin’s face. Austin tries to walk away, so Chyna shoves him. He almost leaves again until Chyna flips him off. That’s enough. Austin kicks her in the gut and hits The Stunner to a huge reaction. Lawler says Mike Tyson is the only man with a chance to control Steve Austin. Meanwhile, Austin grabs a mic and says, “Aw, hell yeah!” JR says goodnight after some replays.

The Good:

• The main event was fun chaos.

• The Shamrock/Nation match was enjoyable.

• The Light Heavyweight Match was good, despite having no heat.

• The Rock’s antics.

The Bad:

• That Godwinns/Quebecers match.

• The finish of Bradshaw/Jarrett.

• Savio Vega as the mystery partner.

Performer of the Night:

I have to give it to The Rock again. He was entertaining in this PPV. The match was good, but that promo segment is memorable. It’s easy to see why he gains popularity as the year progresses.

Final Thoughts:

The middle of the show dragged, but the rest was good. It ended with a fun main event. Sure, people remember this show for the disappointing substitution. But it’s not a bad PPV. This did what it needed to do to set up Mania. It’s a shame Shawn Michaels missed it. If he wasn’t injured, this show would have been better. Imagine the heat the main event would have had with him there. The crowd was already hot, despite his absence.

Thank you for reading. My next review is WCW’s SuperBrawl VIII. Look for it next Sunday!