Over the Edge: In Your House

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

Over the Edge: In Your House

May 31, 1998

Wisconsin Center Arena

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

News & Notes: Would Mr. McMahon fire Austin after the events of Unforgiven? No, that was too good for him. Vince wanted to teach Steve a lesson. He made Stone Cold defend his belt against Goldust with Brisco as the ref. If Austin touched Gerald, Vince would fire him. This annoyed Dude Love, so he interfered. In the chaos, McMahon hit Brisco with the title belt by mistake. The next week, a confused Mick Foley appeared as himself. If Dude wasn’t good enough for Vince, who could he be? Mr. McMahon motivated Foley by booking him against Terry Funk in a No Holds Barred fight. If Mick tore out the heart of his mentor, Vince would accept him back. Mick fought a hard battle and won. After the bout, Mick shared a moment with Stone Cold. However, Foley returned to McMahon with open arms and once again donned the Dude Love persona. What happened next? I’ll explain in the match notes.

Meanwhile, DX invaded an episode of WCW Nitro. They drove a jeep (not a tank) to WCW’s arena and approached the door. WCW security wouldn’t let them inside. DX claimed their friends were hostages. No matter how hard they knocked on the gate, they gained no entry. So they interviewed the fans on the street instead. Some claimed they received free tickets to the show. The following week, DX infiltrated the CNN Center. They wanted to speak with Ted Turner, but he wasn’t there. DX filmed as much footage inside as they could, but the security made them leave.

In other news, The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust had enough. McMahon using him as a pawn broke Goldust. He burned his gear and vowed to never use the disgusting gimmick again. He was now using his real name, Dustin Runnels. This led Vince to book him in a bout with Dude Love. If Runnels lost, he must work without pay for a month. Patterson screwed Dustin out of a victory. Next, Al Snow and Head arrived! Al’s on a mission to meet with McMahon and get a contract. Snow even convinced Lawler to sneak him into the building. Jerry promised him a meeting if Snow protected Lawler from wrestler attacks. (I’ll explain later.) Snow patrolled the audience until he realized Jerry lied to him. When he confronted The King, security threw Snow out. Then we have a new group in the WWF. Jackyl introduced his Human Oddities. Some of these were Howard Stern’s Wack Pack. He also had two wrestlers, Golga & Giant Silva. Golga is Earthquake under a mask. The Giant Silva is a large wrestler from Mexico. Jackyl also adds Kurrgan to the mix. Since Goldust kicked Luna to the curb, she joined The Oddities as a manager. Finally, the WWF aired vignettes for Edge. He’s a brooding man in a trench coat. Edge runs screaming through subway stations. A mysterious voice says, “You think you know me?” Who is this enigmatic man?

The opening video is quite dystopian. We see stock footage of World War II soldiers marching and clips of Stalin. The narrator tells us we must conform, comply, and respect authority. They will punish defiance. Steve Austin speaks of a conspiracy. Vince stacked the deck in Dude Love’s favor. They show scenes of chaos between Austin and McMahon. There’s more talk of conformity and compliance. Welcome to Mr. McMahon’s utopia! This is his arena!

Jim Ross asks us if we’re ready for attitude at Over the Edge. JR also wonders if Austin can retain his title despite the odds. Lawler offers a spoiler warning. He predicts an Austin loss. You’ll see a new champion crowned courtesy of Vince McMahon. Lawler loves it.

LOD 2000 (w/ Droz & Sunny) vs. Skull & 8-Ball (w/ Chainz)

Notes: Skull & 8-Ball scored a surprise win over The Outlaws with some Twin Magic, but it was a non-title bout. This led to the DOA teaming with LOD 2000 to fight DX. However, LOD and the DOA fought with each other after a miscommunication. Because of the scuffle, Hawk wrestled Skull. 8-Ball helped his partner get a roll-up victory. Then LOD 2000 faced Skull & Chainz. 8-Ball stuck his nose into the match. An angry Hawk demanded a six-man tag. The LOD 2000 chose a newcomer as their third man. His name is Darren “Puke” Drozdov or Droz for short. He’s a former NFL player who could puke on cue, hence the nickname. Droz honed his skills in ECW, but this was his WWF debut. The LOD’s team won when Droz did a flying clothesline and a powerbomb to Chainz.

The Match: After a wild brawl, Animal and 8-Ball trade strikes until Animal tries a backdrop. 8-Ball counters with a swinging neckbreaker and a leg drop. Animal answers with a leg whip and a headbutt to the crotch. Then Hawk and Skull shove each other around the ring. Hawk no-sells a piledriver, but he misses a flying clothesline. When Hawk tumbles to the floor, Chainz attacks. This leads to Chainz and Droz fighting. Meanwhile, Skull & 8-Ball control Hawk with choking, ref distractions, and cheap shots. They lure Animal in for more shenanigans. It allows The DOA to double-team Hawk. However, Animal tags after Skull misses a diving elbow. Animal cleans house with kicks and punches. He flips through a double back suplex and nails a double clothesline. It causes a four-way brawl. Hawk dumps one twin and gives the other a back suplex. But Skull & 8-Ball use Twin Magic. Droz spots this and nails the illegal man. It knocks him into Animal’s powerslam for the win.

Thoughts: This was basic and dull. Who thought this was a good opener? They botched nothing, but it was a paint-by-the-numbers encounter. Despite this, the crowd reacted well to the LOD. It’s a good audience. We’ll see how long their enthusiasm lasts.

Winners: LOD 2000 (9:57)

JR and King speak about The Nation excommunicating Faarooq. Ross thinks he deserves revenge. While they talk, The Rock arrives for an unscheduled promo. Before he lays the smackdown, Rocky has some thoughts about Old Milwaukee. You don’t become a champ like The Rock by sucking down beers and eating bratwurst. However, if Rocky dated one of the overweight, bearded women in Milwaukee, he’d need a beer. The Rock would suck down beers like a baby sucking on a pacifier if you smell what he’s cooking. An angry Faarooq has enough of this. He rushes the ring with a chair. The Rock kicks him and grabs the weapon. It bounces off the ropes when Rocky misses and smacks him in the face! This allows Faarooq to attempt a piledriver. He hits the move, but the chair is out of position. The Nation chases Faarooq away, but he did his damage. They call for help. The medical staff arrives and D’Lo tells one EMT, “It’s his neck, you ass!” (I laughed at that.) They put a neck brace on Rocky and load him onto a stretcher. JR and Lawler speculate about the IC title match. Did Faarooq screw himself out of an opportunity?

Michael Cole interviews Austin. Steve said his Austin 3:16 quote in this building. Will he also lose his title here? Steve calls Cole a silly bastard for asking the question. Vince can stack the deck all he wants. Austin remains the champ, and that’s the bottom line! Then Cole asks if anyone stepped up to watch Steve’s back. Who will ensure Vince calls it down the middle? Austin rolls his eyes at this query. To his knowledge, no one offered. McMahon scares everyone backstage. Either way, Vince’s ass belongs to Stone Cold. When Austin ends the segment, Cole wishes him the best. Steve throws his knee brace at Michael in response.

Jeff Jarrett (w/ Tennessee Lee) vs. Steve Blackman

Notes: They built this feud over the past two months. Jarrett ended Blackman’s undefeated streak, so Steve sought revenge. Tennessee Lee thwarted Steve’s plans with guitar shots. Then you saw what happened at Unforgiven. Since then, Blackman refused to let Jarrett have any peace. He prevented Jarrett vs. Mero by jumping Double J. Next, Blackman interrupted Jeff’s fight with Faarooq. This time, Jarrett grabbed Blackman’s nunchaku and choked Steve with it. (On a side note, Al Snow joins the Spanish announce team for this bout. Both he and Head wear sombreros. It annoys Lawler, so he has security remove him.)

The Match: Blackman threatens Jeff with sticks, so Jarrett stalls. Steve answers with a baseball slide outside the ring and a missile dropkick inside of it. When Jarrett catches Steve ducking, he hits a facebuster. After a Boss Man Attack on the ropes, Jeff struts. They follow with dropdowns and leapfrogs until Blackman lands a German Suplex. He then places Jeff in a tree of woe and bends Jarrett’s neck. Tennessee Lee has enough and distracts Steve. This leads to a chase around the ring. Jarrett uses the opening. He attacks Blackman at the railing. Steve rallies with a facebuster and a Vader Bomb, but Jeff avoids or blocks both. Then they trade pin attempts before Jarrett catches Steve with a sleeper. Blackman breaks free and grabs his own. This leads to more counters and reversals until they both go down to a double clothesline. Next, Blackman does a backbreaker and martial arts kicks. A worried Tennessee Lee grabs Steve. Jarrett almost hits his manager by accident, but he stops. Blackman uses the opening for a rolling prawn hold. Lee distracts the ref to prevent a loss. During the distraction, Jarrett and Blackman fight over Steve’s sticks. Blackman uses the weapon, so Lee puts Jeff’s foot on the ropes. Then Steve climbs to the top, but Lee clocks him with the stick. Jarrett covers for the three.

Thoughts: It was decent. The action wasn’t bad, and I didn’t mind the finish. The problem is, Jarrett and Lee thwarted Blackman at every turn of this feud. He almost never controlled the situation. Because of that, this match had little heat. The fans cared more about the Al Snow stuff.

Winner: Jeff Jarrett (10:15)

JR asks who will represent Sable against Marc Mero. Then they show a clip from RAW. Marc told Sable he’d tear up her personal services contract if she found someone who could beat him. But they couldn’t use Sable’s help. If Mero wins, Sable must leave the WWF forever. A fed-up Sable agreed to the terms.

The fans boo Mero when he arrives. He carries Sable’s contract and displays it with a grin. Then The Fink introduces Sable, but she’s dressed to wrestle! Jim Ross ignores this and wonders if The Undertaker is her representative. They saw him on the Free for All. Sable’s ring attire confuses Marc. He asks her who she chose. Sable says she got herself into this mess, so she’ll get herself out of it. She needs no man! Sable will win her own freedom. Mero asks if she hates him. What happened to them? The business ruins relationships like theirs. Marc claims he cares about her. If she’s willing to risk her body for freedom, he’ll do the right thing. Marc says he’ll give her freedom.

Marvelous Marc Mero vs. Sable

Notes: Working alone at Unforgiven gave Sable new confidence. She told Mero she wanted to venture out on her own. Mero implied she’d have to fight him for her freedom, so Sable challenged Marc to a bout. We saw sexy vignettes of Sable preparing for the encounter. But when the time came, Mero refused to give her the TKO. He only wanted an apology from Sable. Marc claimed she tried to ruin his career. She kicked him in the balls instead, and Mero threw a fit. Sable knew it was over. She offered Mero an amicable separation. Mero said they signed a contract together. She belonged to him! An infuriated Sable cost Mero two matches, so Marc lost his patience. He offered to tear up her contract if she found someone who could beat him. But if Mero wins, Sable must leave the WWF.

The Match: Mero lies on the mat and waits for Sable to cover him. She hesitates and does a lateral press. The referee reaches a two-count. However, Mero hooks Sable and rolls her onto her shoulders for a three! He dances in celebration.

Thoughts: This was a storyline, not a match. That’s fine. It did what it needed to do. This builds sympathy for Sable, and it separates her from Mero. But it does little for Marc’s career. This feud did him no favors. Fans love Sable, but they couldn’t care less about Mero.

Winner: Marc Mero (0:30)

Marc grabs a mic and tells Sable to get the Hell out of the WWF. He laughs and sings, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.” Sable walks away in shame as Mero celebrates in the ring. Ross calls him a jackass. Lawler says it reminds him of a country song named, “If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?” Jerry also calls Mero’s actions a slick move.

A shocked Michael Cole asks Sable for her thoughts. She didn’t think Marc would stoop this low, but she should have known better. Sable thanks her fans for their support and tells everyone goodbye. (She tried to shed tears, but nothing came.) Lawler thinks Mero pulled a brilliant maneuver. He’ll gain more spotlight with Sable gone.

Meanwhile, Dok Hendrix is with The Nation. He says Slaughter ordered The Rock to defend his belt no matter what. It falls on deaf ears. The Nation is more concerned with Rocky’s health. D’Lo says an ordinary man would be in the hospital. No matter what, Hendrix can’t get them to listen to his message. He tries in vain to tell them about Slaughter’s order. They don’t react.

Handicap Match: Kaientai (w/ Yamaguchi-san) vs. Bradshaw & Taka Michinoku

Notes: Kaientai continued their sneak attacks on Bradshaw, so Taka saved him. A masked man then jumped Taka. It’s Kaientai’s manager, Yamaguchi-san. After the attack, Bradshaw and Taka bonded over their mutual hatred of these invaders. Bradshaw taught Taka to smoke cigars and drive cars. But Kaientai ruined this camaraderie. Then Kaientai had their debut against Terry Funk & Scorpio. (He dropped the Flash Funk name to avoid confusion.) Bradshaw & Taka got payback by interrupting this. They did the same during Kaientai vs. The Headbangers. This led to Taka vs. Dick Togo. After Taka won, he targeted Yamaguchi-san. Kaientai saved their manager.

The Match: Taka & Bradshaw clean house with a wild brawl. Then Bradshaw press slams Taka onto Kaientai. Michinoku starts the bout, but Kaientai regroups whenever Bradshaw enters. He chases them around the ring and tags Taka out of frustration. When Funaki breaks a pin after Taka’s tornado DDT, Bradshaw has enough. He attacks Kaientai on the floor. Taka follows with an Asai Moonsault. But Kaientai takes control. They use frequent tags and triple-team combos. Togo uses a springboard somersault plancha and a Swanton Bomb. Funaki continues with a sleeper and a spinebuster. This allows Mens Teioh to lock in a Boston Crab while Togo nails a dropkick. Teioh also spikes Taka with a piledriver. After more tags, Kaientai loses control. Taka hits wheel kicks and tags Bradshaw. He throws boots and forearms until Kaientai triple-teams him. They do their pose on his back, so Bradshaw powers out of it. He answers with big boots and clotheslines. Bradshaw then does a Tiger Suplex to Teioh. When Funaki breaks up the pin, another brawl erupts. It takes Bradshaw out of the equation, so Togo gives Taka a flying senton for the victory.

Thoughts: This was a fun match. They showcased Kaientai well and did a good job building to Bradshaw’s involvement. It had some good spots and a decent finish. I enjoyed this. Plus, I like they gave Kaientai the win.

Winners: Kaientai (9:52)

After the match, they show Sable leaving the arena. Lawler laughs and hums “Taps.” Then they show the Attitude Era commercial again. It’s the same as before. They didn’t add or change anything. Shawn Michaels is still in it, despite his absence.

Faarooq arrives for the Intercontinental Title Match. Fink’s mic doesn’t work, so a fan yells at him. He gets a new one. Lawler can’t believe Slaughter’s decision. They might as well hand Faarooq the belt! Then Howard announces The Rock, but no one appears. They play Rocky’s music twice, and still get nothing. Slaughter enters the ring and tells Maivia he has ten seconds to appear or they’ll give the title to Faarooq. Rocky arrives with two seconds left. He limps to the ring in a neck brace.

Intercontinental Title Match: The Rock (c) vs. Faarooq

Notes: The Nation added Owen Hart to their ranks. (More on that later.) When Owen turned, he helped The Nation beat up Ken Shamrock. Faarooq came to Ken’s aid and received an ambush for his troubles. Then Rock & Owen fought Faarooq & Blackman. Jarrett interrupted to further his feud. The Nation used the distraction to batter Faarooq again. But Faarooq returned the favor when Rock & Owen had a tag title opportunity. Faarooq gave Rocky a piledriver, which allowed Gunn to pin The Rock. This wasn’t Rocky’s only championship bout. The Rock also defended his IC Title against Triple H. It ended in a double count-out, so Faarooq blindsided Rocky on the ramp. He gave The Rock a piledriver on the steel.

The Match: Faarooq jumps Rocky on the floor and removes his neck brace. Then he hits The Rock with it and nails other strikes. Rocky regroups. Faarooq chases him and drags The Rock back to the ring. Maivia answers with kicks, clotheslines, punches, and elbows on the apron. After they trade more shots, Rock slams Faarooq and hits a People’s Elbow. Next, they exchange more blows. Faarooq takes Rocky to the mat and nails a falling headbutt. Rock responds with kicks, stomps, and a DDT. However, Faarooq catches The Rock with a spinebuster and gets a three! But wait! Rock had his foot on the ropes. The ref waves off the pin, so Faarooq argues. Rocky tries a sneak attack. Faarooq catches him. But Maivia trips Faarooq and pins him with his feet on the ropes for leverage.

Thoughts: This was okay. I enjoyed the storytelling aspects, but the action was disappointing. Also, that was a weak finish. I don’t mind them continuing the feud, but this wasn’t great for a PPV bout. Plus, they risked turning The Rock babyface with this much sympathy. These were heelish tactics by Faarooq.

Winner: The Rock (5:07)

An angry Faarooq grabs Rocky and gives him two more piledrivers. Owen and The Nation jump him to stop this. They hammer Faarooq until DX arrives. It leads to a wild brawl. DX clears the ring and gives them crotch chops. Triple H throws his t-shirt at D’Lo. So The Nation collects Rocky and helps him to the back. Lawler accuses DX of stealing the spotlight.

Mask vs. Mask Match: Kane (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. Vader

Notes: Paul Bearer called for a truce with The Undertaker. Things went too far. Paul watched his son suffer at Unforgiven! No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. I said, son. Paul Bearer revealed he is Kane’s father. Kane and Taker are half-brothers because Bearer had an affair with Taker’s mom. Paul gave Jerry Lawler graphic details while he thought the cameras weren’t rolling. Taker attacked both Bearer and Lawler in retaliation. Since Taker didn’t believe him, Bearer took a DNA test to prove his claims. When it came back positive, Paul gloated by insulting Taker’s mom. Taker jumped him again, but Kane intervened. Vader saved The Undertaker and fought with Kane. This led Kane to interrupt Vader vs. Jarrett the next week. He blindsided Vader during the bout. Now they face each other in this Mask vs. Mask encounter. It seems pointless. Vader removes his mask often, and we know Kane isn’t unmasking so soon.

The Match: They trade punches until Kane gets Vader in the corner. Vader answers with avalanche attacks, but Kane blocks and reverses a suplex. When Kane misses an elbow drop, Vader throws more strikes and does a short-arm clothesline. Then Kane returns the favor and lands a flying clothesline. He absorbs more of Vader’s hits and nails a big boot. Next, Kane drags Vader to the apron and drives forearms into his throat. Vader rallies with strikes and headbutts, but Kane takes him to the corner again. Kane chokes and claws at Vader, so Vader regroups. While outside, Vader grabs a large wrench. When Kane follows him, Vader attacks him with the weapon. The ref argues with Paul Bearer and doesn’t see it. Vader returns a dazed Kane to the ring and gives him a corner splash and a clothesline. This leads to a moonsault, but Vader misses. Kane capitalizes with the Tombstone for the victory.

Thoughts: It wasn’t great. This was sloppy punching and kicking and little selling. Vader looked gassed for much of the bout. Plus, they had a few miscommunications. Vader’s conditioning is becoming an issue, but it doesn’t excuse the promo we’re about to see.

Winner: Kane (7:20)

Kane rips the mask off Vader’s face and keeps it as a trophy. Paul Bearer tells Kane to put it on his face. Bearer dons the mask and mocks Vader with a dance. He calls it Paul Bearer time! After they leave, Vader rises and looks emotional. Michael Cole asks Vader what happened. Vader claims a man shouldn’t have excuses. He came to compete and got his butt whipped. Vader admits he made the biggest mistake of his life. Look at him. He’s so big! Maybe Vader Time is over. Vader then says, “I’m just a big piece of shit. A big fat piece of shit!” Vader knocks the mic out of Cole’s hand and storms down the aisle. (Did Vince tell Vader to say this? If so, it’s humiliating. There’s no call for that.)

Then Cole honors two of the greatest wrestling legends in Milwaukee and the Midwest. Ladies escort Mad Dog Vachon and The Crusher into the arena. Lawler pretends not to know Vachon. Cole says Crusher trained using beer kegs. Lawler calls this a waste of PPV time. (I bet Russo asked him to say this.) JR thinks it’s good to honor these men. Vachon feels honored. He thanks his wife and his niece, Luna. Mad Dog says people think Luna is his daughter, but he loves her like one. Then Vachon decries the WWF’s content, but he thanks Vince. Crusher mumbles something, so Lawler has enough. He confronts them. The Crusher takes offense to Jerry’s mockery. He takes off his jacket, but this doesn’t threaten Jerry. He makes fun of Vachon for having one leg. After some jokes, Lawler grabs Mad Dog’s fake leg. Crusher stops this nonsense with a punch, so Jerry retreats to the announce table. However, Lawler returns for round two. He removes Vachon’s leg and tries to fend off Crusher with it. Crusher chases Jerry out of the ring again. When Lawler comes back for more, Crusher hits him with the leg. (This was amusing, but it went too long.)

DX then arrives for their bout. They pose on top of the junked cars in the entrance. Then everyone says their catchphrases. Triple H tells everyone to get ready to suck it. Road Dogg introduces the tag team champions of the world. And Billy Gunn has two words for you!

Owen Hart, D’Lo Brown, & Kama Mustafa (w/ Mark Henry) vs. Triple H & The New Age Outlaws (w/ Chyna & X-Pac)

Notes: Enough was indeed enough. Owen realized he needed allies, so he joined The Nation. An emboldened Owen challenged Triple H to another fight. This time, he had The Nation at his side. They ambushed Triple H until Chyna ran The Nation off with a chair. This was the extent of the DX/Nation interaction. DX was busy invading WCW, but this feud grows from here. In the meantime, Owen teamed with The Rock twice. One bout was for the tag titles, but they were unsuccessful. Owen also wrestled a now Cornette-free Dan Severn. (He left the NWA invasion.) Severn won, but The Nation attacked him afterward. Mark Henry gave Dan two splashes.

The Match: Dogg and D’Lo exchange mat holds, takedowns, and leapfrogs. Then Gunn and Owen do the same. Billy gives Owen a press slam. Owen answers with a Sharpshooter attempt. This leads to Owen and Hunter fighting. Hunter uses a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, but Owen retaliates with a low blow. Kama enters, so Hunter nails a face crusher. Next, The Outlaws take control of Kama and D’Lo. They use a catapult and a drop toe hold/knee drop combo. Triple H also joins the action with strikes and a backbreaker. Meanwhile, X-Pac ends a Nation rally with a cheap shot. An angry Owen returns the favor when he attacks Dogg from the apron. This leads to Dogg and Owen tagging. Owen hits a piledriver, a neckbreaker, and a diving elbow. D’Lo continues the dominance with a leg drop, a chinlock, and the Sky High. The Nation maintains control with frequent tags and switches. Owen nails an enziguri and attempts another Sharpshooter. Hunter stops it. Dogg rallies with pin attempts on Kama. D’Lo stops this with a backbreaker and a moonsault. However, Brown misses a diving senton. It allows Gunn to tag and clean house. A brawl erupts. Even Chyna and Mark Henry scuffle. In the chaos, X-Pac puts a tag belt in the ring. Hunter and Gunn give D’Lo a spike piledriver on it, but there’s no ref. Owen uses the opening. He drives Hunter into the belt with a Pedigree and pins him.

Thoughts: This was dull. The crowd even chanted boring. It had no botches, but nothing interesting happened until the finish. It’s nice to see Owen pin Hunter for once, but it’s too little and too late. It was a poor choice for the semi-main event spot.

Winners: The Nation (18:33)

We see footage from the end of Unforgiven. Afterward, Vince stacked the deck in favor of the new and improved Dude Love. Austin didn’t give a rat’s ass until Vince assaulted him. When Vince gloated about this, Austin had him arrested. Steve called Mr. McMahon the world’s dumbest son of a bitch. However, Steve dropped the charges for an apology and some conditions. Someone must watch Vince’s officiating and ensure he calls it down the middle. Vince said no one had the guts to intimidate him, but The Undertaker attacked McMahon!

Then Dok interviews Vince, Patterson, and Brisco. Hendrix asks if we’ll see a new champion. Vince says we’ll see. However, he promises one thing. Only his hand can end the match! Also, he’ll award the belt to Dude Love if Austin assaults him. If Vince tells the timekeeper to ring the bell, it’s over. He then reiterates the match can end by his hand only.

Fink introduces Patterson with a glowing speech. He lists Pat’s accolades. JR mocks the validity of the tournament in Rio. Then Pat takes over The Fink’s duties. He welcomes Gerald Brisco and names his achievements. They built the industry on Brisco’s legacy! While Patterson says this, Jerry points at the Brisco Brothers Body Shop advertisement. Pat even gives out the address and phone number. Ross says Pat does the rear-end work at the shop. Next, Patterson gives Vince an emotional and inspirational introduction. McMahon arrives in a tight and sleeveless referee shirt. Lawler does a standing ovation. Dude Love’s entrance follows this. He wears a blazer and new false teeth. When it’s Austin’s turn, Patterson refuses to acknowledge a beer-swilling bum. He’s a fool and a foul-mouthed punk. Austin doesn’t care. He poses with his belt until Mr. McMahon asks for it. Vince displays the title and calls for the bell. But wait! The Undertaker interrupts! He’s there to observe Vince’s officiating. McMahon looks worried.

WWF Title Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) vs. Dude Love

Notes: After Foley’s brief identity crisis, he adopted a fresh look. Dude Love wore suits and even got new front teeth! He called himself an educated man of culture. Then Vince stacked the deck against Austin for this rematch. Vince named Brisco as the timekeeper and Patterson as the ring announcer. Then he appointed a special referee! It’s Vince McMahon! He vowed only his hand could count the three! Next, he booked Austin in a tag encounter against Rock & D’Lo. Who was Stone Cold’s partner? It was Vince McMahon! However, Austin refused to tag him. Vince & Co. jumped Steve. They gave him a concussion. The next week, Vince barred Austin from the building for his own safety. Austin broke in. Vince almost had him arrested, but he dropped the charges so Austin could wrestle. Vince put him in a handicap encounter with Patterson & Brisco. Slaughter was the ref. Both Dude and Dustin Runnels interfered. This opened the door for a disguised Vince to attack Austin. Mr. McMahon gloated about assaulting him, so Austin had him arrested. Steve let Vince stew in the back of a cop car before dropping the charges. An infuriated McMahon made Steve defend his belt against The Undertaker. But Taker had none of this. He attacked Vince instead. Steve almost used a chair on Vince afterward, but Dude thwarted this plan.

The Match: They tussle and trade headlock takedowns. Then they exchange blows until Austin knocks out Dude’s false teeth. He stomps them and throws the dentures into the crowd. (Lawler says Dude lost his smile.) Austin uses a Thesz Press. Dude answers with a Russian Leg Sweep. Love also grabs a Mandible Claw, but Austin shoves him into a hangman spot. This leads to brawling on the floor, so Vince confers with Patterson. (Pat reminds everyone this is a No Disqualification Match. JR says, “Since when!?”) They fight into the timekeeper’s table and wipe out Brisco. Austin knocks Dude over the rail and walks on Jerry’s prone body. Later, Dude lands a swinging neckbreaker on the floor, so Vince has another idea. (Pat reminds us this is a Falls Count Anywhere Match! It infuriates Ross.)

Now they fight to the PPV set. Love backdrops Austin onto a windshield. He also shoves Steve across another car when Austin attempts a Stunner. Dude follows with a sunset flip off the vehicle! After backdropping Steve during a piledriver attempt, Love tries a Cactus Elbow. He leaps from a car and misses, and they return to the ring. Austin is bleeding. Foley capitalizes with an exposed buckle and a chair. He only gets a two after a Double-Arm DDT onto the weapon. When Love tries to use it again, Austin kicks it into his face. However, Vince refuses to count. Stone Cold threatens him, so Dude swings the chair. Steve ducks and Love clocks McMahon in the face! Austin then nails a Stunner and a new ref arrives, but Pat pulls him to the floor. This allows Love to grab a Claw, and Patterson tries to count a pin. The Undertaker stops this. He chokeslams Patterson through the announce table. Brisco receives the same fate. Meanwhile, Stone Cold breaks another Claw with a low blow and does the Stunner. Austin grabs the unconscious Vince’s hand and slaps the mat three times to end the match.

Thoughts: I love this. It’s the perfect blend of intense brawling and storytelling. The crowd was rabid for it. This had one of the hottest crowds for a main event in a while. This thrilled me in 1998, and it still holds up. It’s one of my favorite matches from this year.

Winner: Steve Austin (22:27)

Austin celebrates in the ring while The Undertaker stares a hole through him. Austin notices and stares back. Taker then leaves, so Stone Cold poses with his belt. He walks over McMahon’s limp body. Lawler asks Patterson and Brisco if they’re okay. Meanwhile, Austin sits on Vince’s back and berates him. Steve then stands on the cars to end the PPV.

The Good:

• The amazing main event.

• Kaientai vs. Taka & Bradshaw was fun.

• Good character and storyline work.

The Bad:

• Some dull matches.

• The legends segment went long.

• That Vader promo.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Steve Austin. He was the man of the night. I loved his performance, and the crowd’s reaction was insane. Plus, he took harder bumps than he has in a while. His neck must have felt better.

Final Thoughts:

The quality hit and missed. The main event was outstanding, but the undercard wasn’t. It had a few highlights. Some of the character and storyline work was good. However, the WWF is still searching for a strong midcard. Overall, this was an average show with a great finish.

Thank you for reading. My next review is WCW’s Great American Bash ’98. Look for it next Sunday!