Survivor Series ’98

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

Survivor Series

November 15, 1998

Kiel Center

St. Louis, Missouri

News & Notes: Austin left the WWF with no champion, so Vince announced a championship tournament. But Austin showed up at RAW and stalked Vince with a hunting bow and a gun. He held Vince hostage, brought him to the ring, and pointed the gun at him. When Austin pulled the trigger, a flag popped out that said, “Bang 3:16.” The prank made Vince piss his pants. Austin then stuffed a surprise in Vince’s pocket. It was a new five-year contract signed by Shane McMahon! Shane was sick of his dad never believing in him. He wanted to become his own man. Vince declared Shane was no longer his son. He stripped him of his corporate duties and demoted Shane to a referee. If Shane failed that, he’d put him on the ring crew next. Vince tried to overturn the new contract, but Austin was there to stay!

Here’s a rapid-fire roundup of all the other happenings. Gangrel and Christian convinced Edge to join them and form The Brood. Animal and Droz kicked the problematic Hawk out of LOD 2000 with a Doomsday Device. Owen claimed he retired, and he swears he’s not the Blue Blazer. A second Blazer helped Owen attack Severn to prove it. Later, the Blazer repelled from the ceiling. But he couldn’t unhook himself to fight Blackman. Also, Terri is pregnant. It’s not Val’s baby. He had a vasectomy. Venis dumped Terri because of the drama. Meanwhile, a new tag team arrived. The Jackyl recruited Faarooq and Bradshaw. They reappeared with occult symbols on their chests and tights. The team calls themselves The Acolytes. Finally, Mötley Crüe performed on RAW. Their bodyguard impressed everyone by fending off unruly fans. He’s a tall blond man with the nickname Test. We’ll see him soon.

Fourteen men have dreams, ambitions, and desires. Some have an unsatisfied hunger. Others yearn to unleash the demon inside. Will they sacrifice their soul for the coveted gold? The light is brighter, and the taste is sweeter. They’ll do whatever it takes by whatever means necessary. This Deadly Game involves pain, sacrifice, and agony! Nestle Crunch presents Survivor Series: Deadly Game. (On a side note, they dubbed over the original audio. This new narrator sounds cheap and uninspired.)

JR welcomes everyone to the Kiel Center. The fans expect a new WWF champion. They got a taste of what’s coming on Heat. A wild brawl happened. The Deadly Game started early! Lawler guarantees a new champion. Ross says McMahon made the pairings himself. They show the brackets. We see The Undertaker and Kane received first-round byes. They were the former contenders.

The Fink introduces Vince McMahon. Boss Man helps him stand from his wheelchair. Vince introduces the participants for the first match. It’s one small step for man, but one giant leap for Mankind. He’s in the tournament, but who is Mankind’s first opponent? Vince kept it a secret for his chosen man. The crowd thinks it’s HBK. Vince calls the mystery participant a legend in sports entertainment. His win/loss record set a new standard. But he jumped to WCW and injured his shoulder. Tonight is his triumphant return. He’s the coach of the Pasadena Chargers. It’s the man, the myth, and the legend, Duane Gill. (They misspell his name as Dwayne. No, that’s The Rock.) Gill sees himself on the Titantron and points at it. Then his pyro scares him. JR tells everyone the Pasadena Chargers is an elementary school football team.

First Round: Mankind vs. Duane Gill

Notes: Mankind’s attempts to win Vince’s approval continued. He kept Vince company while Austin stalked him. Mick even offer to play a game of Twister, but the injured McMahon kicked him out of his office. However, Vince changed his tune when Shane rehired Austin. He said he lost one son, but he gained another in Mankind. McMahon gave Mick a gift. It’s the Hardcore Championship! Vince made it out of a smashed winged eagle belt someone duct-taped together. (This isn’t the title Mr. Perfect trashed.) Then Mick defended it against Shamrock. But first, Mankind received a makeover. They cut his hair, shaved his beard, and dressed him in a tuxedo. Boss Man then helped Mankind defeat Shamrock. Mankind hugged his new dad afterward.

The Match: Mankind slingshots Duane into the ring and stomps him. Then he hits a Double-Arm DDT and cradles Gill for the three.

Thoughts: It was an amusing squash. When you factor in the pre-match silliness and Gill’s performance, it’s great. I can’t rate it as normal, but this was an entertaining segment that accomplished its goal.

Winner: Mankind (0:30)

They air a recap of Jackie attacking Sable on Heat. Kevin Kelly interviews Sable for her reaction. She holds an ice pack against her neck. Kevin believes Jackie threw Sable off her game plan. Sable says she didn’t throw her off her plan. She pissed her off! Sable is more determined than ever. She guarantees victory and throws the ice pack at the wall.

Al Snow and Jeff Jarrett arrive for the next tournament match. Lawler can’t believe Snow and Head have fans. JR believes it. He also reminds everyone of the existing issues between Snow and Jarrett. Before the bell, Snow argues with Debra, so Jarrett attacks Al.

First Round: Al Snow (w/ Head) vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/ Debra McMichael)

Notes: Jarrett debuted Debra as his new valet. The nature of their relationship is mysterious. He also gained a few victories with the help of The Blue Blazer. Meanwhile, Al Snow formed his own group. They’re called the J.O.B. Squad. It’s a collection of aimless misfits, including Snow, Bob Holly, and Scorpio. Snow even teamed with Mankind, but they argued over their respective mascots. It led to Mr. Socko’s disappearance. The sock puppet reappeared a week later, wrapped around Head like a headband. But Mankind somehow never noticed. Then they announced this first-round encounter. So Debra played literal head games with Al Snow. She cost him a victory with a distraction. Debra grabbed Head and gave him some motorboat action. A dumbfounded Snow watched and got rolled up for a pin.

The Match: Snow does a cannonball off the steps and a slingshot leg drop into the ring. Then they fight at the apron, but Snow misses a guillotine leg drop. Afterward, they trade pin attempts. Next, Snow counters a spinebuster into a DDT. He follows with an atomic drop, but Jarrett collides with Snow on the rebound. While they’re down, Debra climbs onto the apron with Head. She distracts the ref and hands it to Jarrett, but Snow gets the guitar. Al swings and whiffs. Jarrett connects with a Head shot. He tries another, so Snow kicks Jeff in the face and grabs Head. Snow then nails Jarrett with Head and covers for the win.

Thoughts: Many of these matches are short. I’ll judge them more on their entertainment factor than in-ring quality. This was forgettable. Little happened outside of the finish. The ending at least fits their current feud, and it gives a reason for it to continue. But the story gets lost in the shuffle of this show.

Winner: Al Snow (3:31)

Lawler can’t believe Snow has a chance to become the WWF champion. JR says Snow won with the help of Head and Mr. Socko. He calls it an insane asylum. They have a wooden head and a tube sock!

First Round: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Big Boss Man

Notes: Shane promised Austin a title shot with his new contract. Vince said it wouldn’t be that easy. Austin would compete with everyone else in the tournament. Then Vince booked Austin against Shamrock in an I Quit Match. Austin won with Mankind’s help and stunned The Stooges afterward. Next, Vince announced Boss Man as Austin’s first-round opponent. He then gave Boss Man a warm-up Cage fight, but it was against The Stooges! Vince punished them for allowing Austin to kidnap him. Both Austin and Shane interrupted the bout. Austin brawled with Boss Man, but Vince called Boss Man off before he went after Shane. Later, Boss Man told Austin Vince didn’t hire him to defeat Steve. Vince wants him to put Austin in the hospital! Austin threatened to shove the nightstick up Boss’s ass if he did.

The Match: They brawl in the aisle and in the ring. Austin lands a Thesz Press. Boss Man answers with a low blow, strikes, and a chinlock. He continues with a Boss Man Attack, a sliding uppercut, and another chinlock. Then Austin rallies with corner shoulders and mudhole stomping. He throws Boss Man outside, so Boss grabs the nightstick. Boss Man whacks Austin to cause a DQ.

Thoughts: It did exactly what it needed to do. They kept it short and explosive. The crowd was hot for it. Plus, the finish has good continuity with the build. It creates drama for the rest of the night.

Winner: Steve Austin (by DQ) (3:20)

Boss Man continues the attack. It horrifies JR. He begs Boss Man to stop beating Austin like an animal. Boss Man ignores JR and chokes Austin while The Fink announces the winner. Then Boss Man scares Ross by smacking the announce table with the nightstick. He appears to leave, but Boss Man returns for a few more shots.

Cole asks Vince if Austin advancing concerns him. Vince looks at Michael like he’s an idiot. He asks if Cole saw the same match he saw. Do you call that advancement? The night is young and there’s more where that came from. Vince says Austin is in for it.

Then X-Pac and Steven Regal enter the arena. JR talks about X-Pac taking Kane’s fireball to the face on RAW. He’s lucky to be there. Lawler is too busy singing along to Regal’s theme. JR asks him to be serious.

First Round: Steven Regal vs. X-Pac

Notes: Regal debuted by ruining X-Pac’s European title defense. He beat up X-Pac to weaken him for the tournament. Then Regal had his first fight on Heat. Before the bout, Regal challenged anyone to knock the hard hat off his head. Bradshaw answered the call and knocked it off, but Regal won the match. Next, Regal got a chance at X-Pac’s Euro gold, but The Undertaker interrupted. X-Pac stood up to Taker and took a beating for his troubles. An angry X-Pac called Taker out on RAW. Kane had other ideas. He appeared during the contest and shot a fireball at Taker. It hit X-Pac by mistake!

The Match: They exchange strikes until X-Pac nails a back suplex and sliding leg drops. Then Regal takes control with various submission holds. He does a seated ab stretch, a chinlock, a bow and arrow stretch, and a headscissor. X-Pac attempts pins between holds, but Regal cuts off his comebacks. Regal continues with a super butterfly suplex and more submissions. X-Pac rallies with a leg lariat, a dropkick, a Bronco Buster, and a suplex. However, Pac tumbles outside after getting crotched. Regal follows, but X-Pac reverses a suplex on the floor. The ref counts out both men.

Thoughts: I liked this, but the crowd didn’t. WWF fans don’t always like Regal’s style. But the action and the submission holds were good. The only disappointing part was the finish, but it fit the overall plot of the show. Now Austin gets a bye in the quarterfinals. This gives Vince a reason to worry.

Winner: Double Count Out (8:10)

Vince tells Slaughter to restart the match. Sarge runs to the ring and informs The Fink, so Finkel announces five-minute overtime. But X-Pac is too injured to continue. He ignores the announcement and heads backstage. Vince can’t believe Austin gets a bye.

First Round: Ken Shamrock vs. Goldust

Notes: Shamrock’s issues with Mankind continued. They attacked each other after matches and brawled into the crowd. Then Ken teamed with D’Lo against Mankind and X-Pac. Shamrock pinned Mankind, but he snapped because Mick shoved Socko in his mouth again! Later, Shamrock wrestled The Rock. The camera spotted Ken speaking with McMahon before the bout. Are they in cahoots? Meanwhile, Goldust paid the price for Val Venis’ recent decisions. Terri crawled back to Goldust after Venis dumped her. She even wore her old Marlena outfit. Goldust wanted no part of her. He told his estranged wife to get lost. Terri broke her cigar in half and stormed away in a huff.

The Match: They exchange clotheslines and knees and ram each other into the corner. Ken takes control with a Russian Leg Sweep and rear chinlocks. Then Goldust rallies with a reversed suplex and a drop toe hold. He also tries a monkey flip and a powerbomb. Ken blocks both. But Ken doesn’t stop a bulldog. Next, Goldust sets Ken up for Shattered Dreams. The ref steps in his way and causes an argument. Shamrock uses the opening to land a diving hurricanrana and a belly-to-belly. He then finishes Goldust with the anklelock.

Thoughts: It was dull and basic. The action almost picked up by the end, but it wasn’t enough to make it interesting. Plus, this is one of the few first-round bouts where neither man interacted on TV. So the fans didn’t care. But at least they had a clean and decisive finish.

Winner: Ken Shamrock (5:56)

Cole is backstage with an update on Austin. Steve refused medical help, even though they suggested it. But if Cole knows Austin, he’ll wrestle in his semifinal match.

Then The Rock arrives. He gives the crowd a People’s Eyebrow when they cheer him. Lawler calls it scary, but he also says the fans are stupid. DX’s music plays next, but The Stooges appear instead of Triple H. Fink introduces Hunter anyway, so JR and King make fun of him. The Stooges mock Rocky with crotch chops. Brisco announces Triple H isn’t there. McMahon sent him tickets and ordered him to appear, but Hunter didn’t show. Brisco threatens to fine him when he returns. Next, Patterson says there won’t be a forfeit. Vince found a last-minute replacement. The Rock’s new opponent is the Big Boss Man! This pisses off JR. He says Austin already eliminated Boss Man.

First Round: The Rock vs. Big Boss Man

Notes: Vince doesn’t like The Rock. McMahon has issues with the people, so he has problems with the People’s Champ. Vince made Rocky fight Shamrock for his IC belt. If The Rock couldn’t win the title, he lost both his tournament spot and his #1 Contender status. Rock won by DQ, but he didn’t get the gold. Rocky trashed the locker room in anger, so Vince had him arrested. But McMahon gave him one last chance. If he defeated Mark Henry, he was back in the tourney. However, someone jumped The Rock backstage. Then the ref went down during the bout. Rock hit a Rock Bottom and Shane McMahon appeared. He counted the three for Rocky! A furious Vince slapped The Rock. Rocky retaliated by giving Vince a Rock Bottom and a People’s Elbow!

The Match: Boss Man charges into the ring and Rock hooks him with an inside cradle for the three!

Thoughts: If you don’t know how this show ends, this is disappointing. But in hindsight, it’s good storytelling. You don’t realize what you witnessed until the close of this event. I like the small details of the swerve. So I’m fine with this.

Winner: The Rock (0:04)

Boss Man and The Stooges freak out. Rocky bails and spits on them as he leaves. Lawler complains he didn’t get a chance to smell what The Rock was cooking! Jerry also accuses Hebner of a fast count. Then JR says The Rock set a new record for the quickest match.

Quarterfinals: The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. Kane

Notes: Paul Bearer explained his actions at Judgment Day. He admitted he only used Kane. The Undertaker made him see the darkness. Now he and Taker would form their Ministry of Darkness! Then Taker confessed he started the fire at the funeral home. Paul Bearer told the truth all along! The confession led to Kane fighting Taker in a Casket Match. But it ended with no winner because Kane chased Bearer backstage after a chair attack. Without Bearer’s guidance, Kane was out of control. Kane watched his brother from the rafters. He also interrupted bouts and set a cage on fire! Next, Kane attacked The Brood and DX. He doused them in gasoline and almost struck a match, but the officials stopped him. Finally, on Heat, Taker caused a wild brawl among the tournament participants. Kane confronted him as the show went off the air.

The Match: They trade blows, whip each other around the ring, and fight outside. Both men use the barricade and the steps. When they return, Kane lands a powerslam. But Taker answers with a chop block. He then works on Kane’s leg for a while. Taker also throws punches and headbutts, but Kane shakes them off. He comes after Taker and nails a flying clothesline. Then they grab each other for a chokeslam. Kane breaks Taker’s grip and hits the move, so Paul Bearer distracts him. It allows Taker to lift Kane for a Tombstone. Bearer holds Kane’s foot down for the pin.

Thoughts: It was dull. The closing sequences had some good moments, but it wasn’t great overall. I’m tired of seeing these two face each other. Thankfully, Taker moves to a different feud soon. They’ll still interact, but we won’t get another PPV encounter for a while.

Winner: The Undertaker (7:16)

Mankind vs. Al Snow is next. Head still has Mr. Socko wrapped around him, but Mankind still hasn’t noticed. During the action, they show Vince backstage. Brisco reveals Vince put Socko around Head. McMahon can’t wait until Mick notices.

Quarterfinals: Mankind vs. Al Snow (w/ Head)

The Match: Snow jumps Mankind and sends him to the floor, so Mick picks up a chair. Al gets it away from him and hits Mankind in the gut. But he misses a swing and nails the post. Mankind answers with a flapjack onto the weapon. When they return to the ring, Snow rallies with an enziguri and grabs Head. Mankind avoids a Head shot and lands a back suplex. Mick notices Mr. Socko is on Head and freaks out. He takes the sock and beats up Head for kidnapping his puppet! Then Mankind and Snow trade clotheslines. Snow catches Mankind with a sit-out bomb for two. Next, Snow ducks for a backdrop, so Mick gives him a Double-Arm DDT. He then finishes Snow with a Socko Claw.

Thoughts: It was short, but amusing. The Head/Socko stuff is ridiculous, but it entertained me. I especially liked Mankind beating up Head as if Head stole Socko. It was good silly fun, and it furthered the McMahon/Mankind story.

Winner: Mankind (3:55)

Quarterfinals: The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock

The Match: They exchange strikes and clotheslines until the fight spills outside. The Rock takes a water break between punches, but Ken sends Rocky into the steps. He then slams Rock on the floor and they head inside. Shamrock continues with a Russian Leg Sweep, a knee-lift, and chinlocks. Big Boss Man arrives during the hold and circles the ring. Then Ken grabs an anklelock, but there’s a rope break. A double down follows it, but Rock recovers for a float-over DDT. He also uses Boss Man’s ref distraction to nail a low blow and a People’s Elbow! It only gets two. Next, Ken blocks a Rock Bottom and hits a belly-to-belly. Boss Man distracts the ref and throws the nightstick, but Rocky intercepts it! He clocks Shamrock and covers for the win.

Thoughts: These two always had good chemistry. It was a solid bout with a great finish. Did they practice the nightstick spot? They executed it perfectly. Again, it’s even better when you know how this ends. They made the ending look believable enough to look unintentional.

Winner: The Rock (8:20)

Boss Man curses himself for his mistake. Lawler says Boss won’t have a butt left after Vince chews him out. What has Boss Man done? Meanwhile, Shamrock kicks the steps in frustration and gives a fan a rude gesture.

Cole says The Undertaker faces The Rock in the next round. Paul Bearer claims the only rock Taker likes is the granite he uses for his tombstones. He carves his victims’ names into them. Bearer promises his phenom will win the WWF championship.

During Sable and Jacqueline’s entrances, they recap the feud with replays. Then we see Shane McMahon is this match’s referee. Lawler calls him a lowly ref. Mero distracts Sable, so Jackie jumps her from behind.

Women’s Title Match: Sable vs. Jacqueline (c) (w/ Marc Mero)

Notes: Little happened since the hair-cutting shenanigans I mentioned in previous reviews. Sable challenged Jackie for the Women’s championship. Then, on Heat before the PPV, Jackie jumped Sable while Mero distracted her. That’s the build. They gave Jackie plenty of TV time when she had no PPV bout. But they did nothing once they booked a title defense for this event. I don’t understand this company sometimes.

The Match: Jackie throws kicks, but Sable blocks a hip toss and hits her own. Sable follows with a thrust kick and a TKO, so Mero pulls her out of the ring! She has enough and kicks Mero in the balls. Then Sable gives him a Sable Bomb on the floor. Jackie uses the opening for an axehandle off the apron. They return inside and Jackie taunts Sable with the chunk of hair she clipped. Afterward, she takes Sable to the corner for choking and hard kicks. A powerbomb attempt is next. Sable backdrops Jackie to block it. She also stops Jacqueline’s tornado DDT. Sable then ends it with a Sable Bomb.

Thoughts: This was surprisingly decent. They kept it short, but that’s for the best. Sable took more bumps and punishment than usual. Some of Jackie’s kicks looked stiff. Jackie looked great. Sable did alright. It wasn’t bad.

Winner: Sable (New Champion) (3:14)

Semifinals: Mankind vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

The Match: Austin trashes Mankind’s tuxedo, and they hit each other with Mick’s shoes. Then Vince and The Stooges arrive. Mankind avoids a Stunner and runs to meet them. Austin chases and gives Patterson and Brisco a double noggin knocker. Next, Austin and Mick brawl in and out of the ring. Mick slows things with a chinlock. Austin breaks free and stomps a mudhole. Afterward, they fight with a chair. Mankind lands a Double-Arm DDT on it, but it only gets two! Austin recovers and nails a Stunner, so Vince takes out the ref! But Austin evades the Claw, hits a low blow, and does the Stunner. Shane McMahon arrives and counts to two, but then he flips Austin off! A shocked and confused Austin continues fighting, so Sarge and Brisco enter the ring. Gerald clocks Austin with a weak chair shot and Shane counts the three for Mankind.

Thoughts: Most of the match was good, and I like the swerve. However, Boss Man screwed up the ending. He missed his cue to interfere. Brisco had to improvise the horrible chair attack. It soured an otherwise solid bout.

Winner: Mankind (10:27)

Vince, Shane, and The Stooges run backstage. It’s a miracle! Vince can walk! Austin chases them, but the McMahons enter a limo and leave. Stone Cold spots a fan getting in his vehicle. He throws the guy aside and steals the SUV to chase after Vince. Meanwhile, JR tries to make sense of Shane’s actions. Did Shane and Vince dupe and screw everyone? Lawler calls it brilliant. Then JR says Mankind is one win away from being a corporate champion.

Semifinals: The Rock vs. The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer)

The Match: They trade punches and clotheslines and brawl on the floor. Taker ties Rocky in the ropes and attacks him. Rocky retaliates by taking him outside for more fighting. The Rock decks Taker with a water bottle and sends him over the barricade. When they return, Taker distracts the ref while Bearer hits Rocky with his shoe. But The Rock recovers with a Samoan Drop as Boss Man returns. Next, Rocky nails a DDT and a low blow behind the ref’s back. However, Boss Man trips The Rock on a People’s Elbow attempt. The Rock fends off both Taker and Boss Man until Kane appears! He chokeslams Rocky to give Rock a DQ win.

Thoughts: It was dull. The ending was fine because it fit the Taker/Kane feud. But most of this bout was punching and kicking. As far as positives, it got them where they need to go and it wasn’t too long.

Winner: The Rock (by DQ) (8:24)

The Fink announces The Rock won by DQ. Kane stares at his brother as if daring him to do something about it. So they brawl out of the ring and into the crowd.

Cole asks Mankind for his thoughts on facing The Rock in the finals. Mick says lady luck smiles on him tonight. He has one more hill. No, wait. He has one more Rock to climb. If you smell what The Sock is cooking!

Next, The New Age Outlaws do their usual introductions. A fan created a sign with Road Dogg’s entire spiel on it. This impresses JR and King. Then Billy Gunn dedicates the bout to Triple H and Chyna. Afterward, the network cuts to the match in progress. What happened?

Triple Threat for the Tag Team Titles: The New Age Outlaws (c) vs. D’Lo Brown & Mark Henry vs. The Headbangers

Notes: The Headbangers mocked The Outlaws after Judgment Day. They parodied Road Dogg’s introductions. Then they dressed as Dogg & Gunn. Mosh was Dumbass Rockabilly and Thrasher played Puppy Dog Jerky James. The Bangers even jumped The Outlaws to get a rematch. But they aren’t the only ones seeking gold. Henry & D’Lo attacked The Outlaws as well. It led to a #1 Contender contest, but Kane ruined it. So Vince ordered The Outlaws to defend their titles in a Triple Threat! Afterward, we got Dogg vs. Mosh vs. D’Lo. Mosh won by pinning Brown. Both teams then brawled with The Outlaws on Heat. (In other news, the Chyna/Henry lawsuit continued. They arrested Chyna for not appearing in court. In reality, she took time off for cosmetic surgery.)

The Match: Gunn, D’Lo, and Mosh start. They stop each other’s pins. The Outlaws do stereo corner punches, but D’Lo turns Dogg’s into a running powerbomb. Then The Headbangers and Henry & D’Lo cooperate. Mosh holds Dogg for punches. Henry and Thrasher also double-team him. It doesn’t last. D’Lo gives Mosh a Super Frankensteiner. After more punishment on Dogg, Mosh and D’Lo fight. Mosh turns a powerbomb into a sunset flip. Next, The Bangers do their tandem back splash. D’Lo wants to join, but Mosh does a low blow when he tries. It leads to more fighting, so Dogg finally tags Gunn. He cleans house with punches until D’Lo surprises him with a Sky High. Thrasher breaks the pin. Afterward, Billy nails Mosh with a Fameasser. Henry follows with a splash, but Thrasher takes Mark to the floor. It allows Gunn to do a piledriver to Mosh for the three.

Thoughts: It was a mess with no flow. Wrestlers stood and watched while it wasn’t their turn to do spots. The action was hard to follow, and the finish was weak. They still haven’t figured out Triple Threat Matches. It’s odd. WCW and ECW have them down, but the WWF struggles.

Winners: The New Age Outlaws (10:10)

Billy Gunn moons the crowd after the bout. Lawler tells the viewers to look at it, but then he changes his mind. Then JR and King recap Shane McMahon’s earlier actions. He screwed Steve Austin! Lawler thinks they should arrest Austin for grand theft auto.

Next, before the main event, we see the McMahons and Boss Man backstage. They returned, but Vince tells Boss Man to leave for the night. He warns him to watch out for Austin on the highway. Vince says he and Shane will handle things themselves. This worries JR. He thought they left! (On a side note, I have to mention Lawler’s comment. During the match, JR says there’s no time limit. Lawler replies, “Fans will see all of this PPV.” JR tells him it’s not nice to make fun of the unfortunate. It made me laugh.)

Finals for the vacant WWF Title: The Rock vs. Mankind

The Match: They have a slow start. But it becomes an outside brawl once The McMahons arrive. Rock and Mankind fight into the crowd and use a trash can. It almost returns to the ring, but Mankind does a Cactus Clothesline. Then they fight with the steps and a chair. The Rock bashes the steps into Mankind’s face! Later, they scuffle on the announce table twice. First, Mankind lands a leg drop on it. Next, Mick crashes through the desk on a dive because The Rock moved. Rocky returns him to the ring for a People’s Elbow. Mankind answers with a Double-Arm DDT and a Socko Claw! But Rock breaks free for a Rock Bottom. It only gets a two because he’s slow to cover. Then The Rock gives Vince a People’s Eyebrow and locks Mankind in a Sharpshooter. Vince tells the timekeeper to ring the damn bell!

Thoughts: It started slowly, but they built to a good match. I liked the intensity once they got going. They have better ones in the coming months, but this got them where they needed to go. Yeah, the finish is a rehash of the Montreal Screwjob, but it’s okay. It fits McMahon’s current character. But reusing that finish will have diminishing returns. They do it too often.

Winner: The Rock (New Champion) (17:17)

Vince and Shane enter the ring and hug The Rock. JR says they screwed us all! Vince knows the fans can’t believe their eyes. But seeing is believing. Vince didn’t screw the people. The people screwed the people! He calls the fans as pathetic and gullible as Mankind. Then Vince gloats about screwing Austin and commends Shane for his performance. He also tells the fans The Rock loathes them. The Rock echoes the sentiment by telling the trailer park trash fans to kiss his ass.

A confused Mankind doesn’t understand. He didn’t submit! Vince knows Mick doesn’t get it. But he can get this! The Rock clocks Mankind with the belt and hits a Rock Bottom. Then Vince tries to put the belt around Rocky’s waist. It won’t fasten, so Rock moves it to his shoulder. They pose afterward, but Austin is in the aisle! He charges the ring and brawls with The Rock while the McMahons retreat. Austin gives Rocky a Stunner, throws him out of the ring, and tosses the belt at him. Then Austin gives Mankind a Stunner for good measure. JR hopes it knocks some sense into him. Austin almost leaves but returns to stomp a mudhole in The Rock.

The Good:

• Excellent storytelling.

• Good performances from The Rock and Mankind.

• Mankind/Snow was amusing.

• Rock/Shamrock was good.

The Bad:

• The Tag Title Triple Threat was bad.

• Shamrock/Goldust and Taker/Kane were dull.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to both The Rock and Mankind. This show wouldn’t have worked so well without their performances. Both men were on top of their game. They have great stuff coming.

Final Thoughts:

This is a prime example of Attitude Era storytelling done right. People call this Vince Russo’s greatest accomplishment. They’re correct. The show doesn’t contain great matches, but that’s fine. This is a story-driven event, and it works. They nailed the small details, except for Boss Man missing his cue. It gets better when you watch it knowing the ending. You catch things you missed.

Thank you for reading. My next review is Sting’s movie, Shutterspeed. The bonus will drop on Wednesday. Then next Sunday I’ll review WCW’s World War 3 ’98.