Rock Bottom: In Your House

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

Rock Bottom: In Your House

December 13, 1998

General Motors Place

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

News & Notes: After Survivor Series, the fans felt Vince abused his power. So Vince sought to prove them wrong. Sgt. Slaughter stepped down and Vince hired a neutral and impartial commissioner. He chose Shawn Michaels! HBK quickly made Vince regret his decision when Shawn booked X-Pac in a WWF Title match with The Rock. However, The Corporation swerved everyone! Shawn nailed X-Pac with a chair and gave Rocky the win. HBK then mocked his former faction with crotch chops. Shawn told Triple H he started DX and he can end it. He was DX before they were cool. Next, Michaels made X-Pac defend his Euro belt against Shamrock. Triple H helped Pac retain his gold with a DQ.

In other news, the LOD 2000 saga reached its horrible conclusion. Hawk climbed onto the Titantron and threatened to jump. Animal and Ellering begged him to stop. Then Droz met Hawk at the top. He was the last person Hawk wanted. They argued and Droz appeared to push Hawk off the structure! With Hawk recuperating at home, Droz tried to take his spot on the team. Animal finally had enough. He brawled with Droz at Capital Carnage. Meanwhile, The McMahons reminded Sable of her situation in the company. Sable won the Women’s Title, but she still works for Vince! Shane said they made her! He ordered Sable to promote the WWF’s new cologne. She sprayed it in Shane’s eyes. Also, Marc Mero dumped Jackie for losing to Sable. He then retired, but I’ll discuss that later.

We begin with The Rock’s appearance at Planet Hollywood. He tells the customers The Rock needs no introduction. Rock Bottom is the first of many Rock-themed events! They will call all future In Your House shows In The Rock’s House. Then The Rock yells at a jabroni for blocking his light. With that said, Rocky lists some suggestions for PPV names. You have Rock Solid, Rock & Roll, and Laying the Smackdown. The Rock guaran-damn-tees each one will have the best action. So know your role and shut your mouth. Enjoy The Rock’s Pay Per View, if you smell what The Rock is cooking. He ends the segment with a Corporate Eyebrow.

Then Freddie Blassie narrates an epic opening video. It’s all about The Undertaker vs. Austin. Neither wind, rain, nor fire will deter the Ministry of Darkness. The Undertaker will take Austin’s soul unto himself. The end is near! Taker promises to commit Austin’s body to the ground and watch him burn in hell. It is earth to earth and ashes to ashes. Taker took Austin’s mind, body, and soul. The only thing left is to bury him alive. He won’t rest in peace. Glover presents Rock Bottom: In Your House. (What the hell is Glover? Did Danny Glover sponsor the event?)

Fireworks explode. We see two giant banners of The Rock at the entrance. They also show the grave. Michael Cole welcomes everyone to the show. (JR had another Bell’s Palsy attack during Capital Carnage.) Cole talks about the Buried Alive Match with plenty of hyperbole. Lawler asks how Taker and Austin feel about seeing their own grave. Then Cole wonders how an injured Rock will face Mankind. The King says Rocky won’t forfeit his belt.

Next, Val Venis and The Godfather arrive for their tag bout. Val compares himself to butter on a pancake. They both melt in the hot spot. The Godfather offers Val a Christmas with the ladies. So Venis promises a yule log for their fireplace. Then their opponents appear. D’Lo Brown and Mark Henry brought a surprise. It’s Terri Runnels and Jacqueline! Cole reminds the fans of Henry’s new nickname. Mark got his date with Chyna. Now he calls himself Sexual Chocolate.

D’Lo Brown & Mark Henry (w/ Jacqueline & Terri Runnels) vs. The Godfather & Val Venis (w/ The Hoes)

Notes: Val Venis discovered a new way to find women. He joined The Godfather. Val saved Godfather from Regal and Tiger Ali Singh. So Val and Godfather formed a team. They call themselves Supply & Demand. Meanwhile, Terri and Jackie bonded over their scorn for their exes. They gave Goldust and Mero low blows and interrupted Val Venis’ match to cause a DQ. But not everybody has relationship issues. Mark Henry finally scored a date with Chyna. Henry made D’Lo go with him as his limo driver. Chyna agreed to dinner after Mark put the lawsuit behind them. But she was cold and distant. Henry serenaded her and danced with her. Mark even defended her honor against some drunk idiots. Then Chyna surprised everyone. She helped Henry win against Droz! Did the date work?

The Match: D’Lo and Val trade shoulder blocks until Val scores a spinebuster. Then The Godfather faces D’Lo. Brown wants a hug from his old friend, but he doesn’t get it. D’Lo avoids the Ho Train. Henry isn’t as lucky. But Henry answers with a powerslam. Next, D’Lo holds Val for a corner splash. Brown also nails a Sky High, but he misses the Lo Down. It leads to The Godfather’s hot tag. He throws punches and backdrops D’Lo. Val and Godfather continue with a double suplex. However, Terri and Jackie argue with the hoes. The Godfather plays peacemaker and quarrels with D’Lo. Jackie uses the distraction to pull down Val’s trunks. Henry gives Venis a clothesline and a splash for the win.

Thoughts: It was basic and uninteresting. This contained good workers, but none of them shined. It was a backdrop for the Terri and Jackie storyline. That makes it worse because I hate where this story goes. The show needed a more exciting opener.

Winners: D’Lo Brown & Mark Henry (5:54)

The ending confuses Lawler. He forgot Jackie accompanied D’Lo. Cole explains it to him, but Val’s exposed thong distracts Jerry. Lawler calls it unbelievable.

Dok Hendrix is with Triple H and Chyna. He tells everyone to call the Superstar Line for exclusive interviews! Then Hendrix says Commissioner Michaels wants to ensure The Outlaws lose their belts. Triple H thinks Ensure is what Vince drinks to get his daily vitamins. Dok refuses to go there. Then Triple H accuses Shawn of one-upping them. But Hunter calls himself the king of one-upsmanship.

They recap Mankind attacking The Rock on Heat. Mankind had a copy of the match contract. If Rocky can’t compete, Mankind wins the belt by forfeit. A doctor told The Rock not to wrestle. This leads to a live segment. The Rock speaks with The McMahons. His corporate ribs hurt, but there’s no way he’ll forfeit! The Rock thought Vince had this handled! Vince promises to take care of it. He tells Rocky to relax.

The Headbangers vs. The Oddities (Golga & Kurrgan) (w/ Giant Silva & Luna)

Notes: As I mentioned in a previous review, The Headbangers turned heel by attacking Golga. But it wasn’t The Oddities’ only problem. The Oddities faced The Outlaws on RAW. They argued with the Insane Clown Posse after the bout. The clowns botched their interference and cost them a win. The ICP didn’t take kindly to the Oddities’ complaints. They helped Jarrett attack The Oddities with a guitar. Then the clowns aided The Headbangers in defeating Golga and Kurrgan. Afterward, The Headbangers sprayed aerosol in Golga’s eyes and cut Luna’s hair. Luna challenged the ICP and The Headbangers to face her and The Oddities at the PPV. But it appears the ICP left. The feud continued without them. Golga, Kurrgan, and The Headbangers scuffled two more times.

The Match: Mosh tries strikes and headlocks. Kurrgan throws him and nails a sidewalk slam. Then Thrasher enters and eats a side slam and a corner choke. Next, Kurrgan whips the Headbangers into each other. The Oddities both splash them in the corner. But Kurrgan gets in trouble when the Bangers use a double suplex. They follow with their tandem back splash. Mosh and Thrasher also distract the ref for cheap shots and choking. Kurrgan rallies with a backdrop and tags Golga. He cleans house with punches, clotheslines, and a dropkick! Golga continues with another corner splash and a powerslam. However, Mosh made a blind tag. Golga attempts an Earthquake Splash. Mosh cuts it off with a flying body press for the pin.

Thoughts: This was awful. Kurrgan was awkward in the ring, but he wrestled most of it. Golga was fine. His dropkick impressed me. We should have gotten more of him and less of Kurrgan. This isn’t a good start to the PPV.

Winners: The Headbangers (6:29)

Kevin Kelly and Tom Prichard discuss the Buried Alive Match in the internet room. Kelly says the internet made the world closer. But no rivalry brought people together like Austin vs. The Undertaker! (What a strange analogy.) They are risking their careers! Dr. Tom wonders who will win. You can’t prepare for a fight like this. Then they show Austin inspecting the grave before the show. Kevin says Austin and the internet fans will be together tonight. Will the Ministry of Darkness end or will it crush Austin’s championship hopes?

Meanwhile, The Stooges try to talk sense into Vince. We join them in the middle of their conversation. Patterson and Brisco want to do something for McMahon. They ask to use the arena’s hockey equipment to protect themselves. McMahon promises to take care of things. The Stooges handled it last time, but Vince assures them he will do it. So Patterson and Brisco offer to get him coffee instead.

Up next is Owen Hart vs. Steve Blackman. We see footage of Blackman’s issues with The Blue Blazer. Owen and The Blazer jumped Steve. So Blackman disguised himself as the Blazer and attacked Owen. Hart locked Steve in a Dragon Sleeper for revenge. Owen and Blackman enter the arena. Lawler calls the fans weird for cheering Owen and booing Steve. Cole reminds him they’re in Canada.

Steve Blackman vs. Owen Hart

Notes: Steve Blackman made it his mission to unmask The Blue Blazer and prove he’s Owen Hart. Blackman faced The Blazer in a tag bout and a singles contest. He tried to remove the mask both times, but Owen Hart attacked Steve from behind! Owen had enough of Blackman’s behavior. He came out of retirement to challenge Steve to this match. So Blackman disguised himself as The Blazer and went after Owen. Then The Blue Blazer attempted to interfere in Blackman’s business. He failed twice. First, The Blazer tangled his cape in the ring apron. The second time, The Blazer tripped. However, it was a trick. Owen used the distraction to jump Blackman and beat him up.

The Match: They trade strikes and snap suplexes. Blackman grabs a bow and arrow stretch. Owen answers with an enziguri and a gut-wrench suplex. But Owen regroups when Steve uses more kicks and chops. Blackman ends Owen’s rest with a baseball slide. Owen fires back with kicks, a flying elbow, and a chinlock. He also does a springboard crossbody, but Steve rolls through it. Owen rebounds with a second enziguri and removes a turnbuckle pad. It backfires! Blackman whips Owen into a sternum bump. Next, Steve escapes a Dragon Sleeper, but he eats a DDT. However, Steve locks Owen in a Sharpshooter after a missed missile dropkick. Owen reaches the ropes and retreats. Blackman chases him until he realizes the ref is counting. Steve rushes to the ring and lets Owen get counted out.

Thoughts: It was solid with a hot crowd to elevate it. I liked the back-and-forth action. But there are a couple of gripes. They reused spots. Plus, the finish was disappointing. It was still good, but it fell short in the end.

Winner: Steve Blackman (by Count Out) (10:26)

They show a commercial for the Royal Rumble. There are thirty men, one ring, and one man left standing! It’s the Royal Rumble on January 24^th!

Vince searches for Mankind. He calls Mick’s name until he discovers a storage closet with a sign. It says, “Mankind’s Office.” Vince knocks and Mankind tells him to enter his humble abode. Mankind assures his dad he’s safe. He only needs to talk. Vince has something he wants. They cut away before we hear the rest.

Then, during the JOB Squad’s entrance, Cole sends his condolences to JR’s family. His mother passed away. They also say Ross is under the weather.

The Brood (Gangrel, Edge, & Christian) vs. The J.O.B. Squad (Al Snow, Bob Holly, & Scorpio) (w/ Head)

Notes: Al Snow wrestled Gangrel on Heat. The ref threw the bout out because both groups wouldn’t stop interfering. But the JOB Squad continued pissing off The Brood. Duane Gill faced Christian for the Light Heavyweight Title. The JOB Squad helped Gill defeat Christian to win the belt. Then they made Duane an official member of their faction! A rematch led to a brawl with The Brood. The Blue Meanie jumped out of the crowd and backed the JOB Squad! He wasn’t done. The Meanie returned and assisted Gill in defeating Marc Mero. Marc promised to retire if he lost, so say goodbye to Mero! Next, Meanie aided Gill in pinning Matt Hardy on Heat.

The Match: Holly gives Edge a powerslam and a Falcon Arrow. Edge answers with an inverted electric chair drop, but Holly fires back with a Tiger Bomb. Then Scorpio does a somersault leg drop. Snow is next. He uses trapped headbutts, clotheslines, and suplexes. Gangrel responds with a DDT counter. (It wasn’t The Impaler. Did he forget his finisher is a DDT?) Afterward, The Brood takes control with double-teaming and chinlocks. Snow rallies with an enziguri and a sit-out spinebuster. But the match becomes a brawl when Christian and Scorpio tag. Snow and Gangrel spill to the floor. Scorpio and Christian miss crossbodies. Snow hits Christian with Head! Then Scorpio lands a moonsault leg drop! Edge breaks up the pin and vaults off Gangrel for a dive! This leaves Christian in the ring. He lands the Unprettier for the win. (They haven’t named it yet, but I’ll use the name.)

Thoughts: It was decent, but it was hard to follow toward the end. They did some cool spots. However, it devolved into disjointed chaos. The fans didn’t know what to make of it. Also, given the build, they should have put Gill in this. He wasn’t even at ringside.

Winners: The Brood (9:08)

We return to Mankind’s office. Vince and Mankind argue about something, but we can’t hear it. Cole wonders what they’re discussing. Lawler says McMahon is trying to reason with Mick. He calls it unwise.

Jarrett vs. Goldust is next. If Goldust wins, Debra must strip. But if Goldust loses, he strips. They show clips of Goldust and Debra flashing each other on RAW. Meanwhile, Lawler gets his binoculars ready. Jerry likes Jeff Jarrett, but he can’t pull for him tonight. Then Lawler mocks Cole for never seeing a woman strip. Cole ignores him.

Striptease Match: Goldust vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/ Debra)

Notes: Goldust teamed with Blackman against Jarrett and The Blue Blazer. He took exception to Jarrett’s antics. Two weeks later, Goldust wrestled Jarrett on RAW. Debra showed her cleavage to distract Goldust. But he unzipped his bodysuit and returned the favor. It gave Goldust an idea. He challenged Jarrett to a Striptease Match. If Goldust wins, Debra must strip. But if Goldust loses, he will strip! Then Jarrett faced D’Lo. Goldust appeared at ringside and flashed Debra. The distraction allowed Brown to roll Jarrett up for a victory. Debra tried to get revenge. She flashed Goldust during his bout with Owen. It failed. Goldust still won.

The Match: It starts with the basic headlock and shoulder block sequences. Goldust continues with a spinebuster and rolls through Jarrett’s crossbody. Jarrett answers with an armbreaker, a swinging neckbreaker, and a diving fist drop. Jeff also uses sleeper holds, but Goldust breaks it with a suplex. Since Jarrett is in trouble, Debra grabs the guitar. She almost decks Jarrett! It causes an argument with the ref. Goldust nails the Curtain Call. But Debra still has the ref’s attention. Then Goldust tries Shattered Dreams. Debra stops him, so the ref admonishes her. Goldust takes the opening and finishes the move. However, the ref checks on Jarrett after he spills out of the ring. Debra smashes the guitar over Goldust. Jarrett then hits The Stroke for the victory.

But wait! HBK appears. He congratulates Jarrett and sends him backstage. Once he’s gone, Shawn reverses the decision because of Debra’s guitar attack. Goldust wins by DQ! So Debra must strip!

Thoughts: It had good action and a hot crowd. I’ll give them credit. They guaranteed the fans would cheer Goldust. The premise is silly and doesn’t age well, but it did its job. However, they’re sending mixed signals with Shawn Michaels. Is he a heel or not? They want you to boo him for screwing DX, but then he does this.

Winner: Goldust (by DQ) (8:06)

Shawn tells Debra to stop her grinning and drop her linen. Stripper music plays. A reluctant Debra unbuttons her top and Lawler loses his mind. She gets into it as she removes her shirt. Shawn pulls dollar bills out of his wallet and puts one in her cleavage. Then Debra unzips her skirt. Shawn says he loves his job. However, The Blue Blazer and Jarrett rush to the ring. The Blazer puts his cape over Debra as she removes the bra. He escorts her to the back, but HBK keeps the bra and rubs it on his face. Debra looks annoyed by Jarrett and The Blazer.

Elsewhere, Vince exits Mankind’s office with a smile. Cole and Lawler wonder what happened. Then—hey, wait a second!

Mankind and The Rock are standing at the end of the hallway! Didn’t Vince leave Mankind’s office? What’s going on here? Did Mankind teleport? Cole says, “What in the world?” (This was a famous goof. They recorded the Vince/Mankind segments, but this part was live. The camera wasn’t supposed to spot them.)

Next, they show a commercial for the WWF’s new cologne. George and Adam are back. They do a beatnik routine about Taker and Kane. Then they ask if you smell what The Rock is wearing. There’s a cologne for men. They also have an Eau de Toilette for women! (Is that French for ew, the toilet?)

The following match is The Outlaws vs. Boss Man & Shamrock. Shawn Michaels banned DX from ringside. He also booked The Outlaws vs. The Acolytes on Heat. Road Dogg does his shtick before HBK leads their opponents to the ring. Boss Man carries the Hardcore Title with him.

Tag Team Title Match: The New Age Outlaws (c) vs. Big Boss Man & Ken Shamrock (w/ Shawn Michaels)

Notes: Boss Man’s interference at Survivor Series pissed off Shamrock. They brawled to a DQ on RAW, so Vince stopped them. McMahon told Shamrock he could use his services. Every corporation needs a dangerous man! Ken agreed and formed a team with Boss Man. They did Vince’s dirty work. Then Vince attempted to lure The Outlaws away from DX. Boss Man and Shamrock saved The Outlaws from the Brood. So The Outlaws returned the favor. Triple H questioned them about this. Whose side were they on? HBK claimed The Outlaws joined The Corporation! Shawn booked DX vs. Boss Man & Shamrock and ordered The Outlaws to interfere. But it was a swerve. Billy Gunn clocked Shamrock with a chair. DX had a good laugh, but The Corporation laughed last. They made The Outlaws fight The Acolytes before the PPV. It turned into a brawl when Boss Man and Shamrock arrived.

The Match: Everyone exchanges strikes. The Outlaws give Boss Man a double backdrop. Road Dogg also does Shake, Rattle, & Roll and the shaky knee drop. Then Gunn helps Dogg avoid an anklelock and nails a Fameasser. However, Boss and Shamrock take control after Ken’s belly-to-belly. They use ref distractions, double-teaming, and endless front facelocks! HBK mocks Road Dogg, so Gunn chases him. Road Dogg fights through another facelock for a tag, but the ref misses it! HBK makes matters worse with a cheap shot to Dogg. But Road Dogg rallies with a boot and an elbow. Gunn tags and cleans house with punches and dropkicks. He turns a hurricanrana into a powerbomb. So Shawn pulls the ref out of the ring and Boss Man clocks Billy with the nightstick. Gunn kicks out, but Shawn trips Billy on a suplex attempt. As they fall, Billy flips over into a pin.

Thoughts: Do you like front facelocks? This is the match for you! It was dull and repetitive. Then the finish was weak. I rewound it because I didn’t understand what happened. The camera angle was bad. I get the story they told, but it was uninteresting.

Winners: The New Age Outlaws (16:10)

An angry Shawn Michaels removes his jacket and tie, so The Outlaws mock him with the nightstick. Then they show a replay of the finish with a better angle. Cole wonders how Gunn had the athleticism to reverse the pin. (All he did was a flip!) Michael also tells the viewers to send in their cable bill for a free WWF bandanna.

They recap The Rock’s path to the title. We see the entire Survivor Series swerve. Vince asks The Rock what it’s like to kiss his ass. Rocky says he’s a millionaire now. He struts backstage and wears fancy clothes. The Rock is the corporate WWF champion. Now it’s the Corporate Eyebrow and the Corporate Elbow. The Rock did what he had to do to reach the top of the world!

Vince assures The Stooges he has things in hand regarding Mankind. Mick only wants witnesses. He promised to white out the clause in the contract. This leads to Mankind’s entrance. He uses a remixed version of his theme. When McMahon and The Rock arrive, Mick says they can settle this like gentlemen. Mankind will cross out the forfeit clause and kick The Rock’s corporate ass. But he’ll only do it if Vince admits Mankind never quit at Survivor Series. In fact, Mankind demands Vince do it on his knees! Then Mick questions The Rock’s testicular fortitude. These statements piss off Vince. He swears both he and The Rock heard someone say they quit at Survivor Series. That’s good enough for Vince! There’s no deal! Mankind rips up the contract, so The Rock jumps him.

WWF Title Match: Mankind vs. The Rock (c) (w/ Mr. McMahon & Shane McMahon)

Notes: The Rock said he sold out because he never forgot how the fans treated him. He did what he had to and reached the top. The Rock may not forget, but Mankind won’t forgive. He went after Vince and The Rock. So McMahon pitted Mick against Boss Man and Shamrock. The JOB Squad saved Mankind. Then Vince made Mankind defend his Hardcore Title in a Ladder Match with Boss Man. The Rock helped Boss Man win Mankind’s Hardcore belt! Mankind sought revenge on The Rock with the JOB Squad’s help, but Rocky escaped. Next, Mankind wrestled Taker. The Rock swiped Socko before Mick did the claw. It led to Austin & Mankind vs. Taker & Rock. They handcuffed Mick to the ropes and let Boss Man attack him. Finally, Mankind jumped Rocky on Heat.

The Match: They brawl in and out of the ring. So Vince tells the ref to DQ Mick if he doesn’t stop. But they allow Rocky to choke Mankind with a cable. Then the action spills to the announce table. Shane prevents Mick from diving onto The Rock. As they scuffle, Rocky dons a headset and commentates on his attack. He even spits water in Mankind’s face. Next, Rock nails a DDT on a chair and a Corporate Elbow in the ring. Mick answers with a swinging neckbreaker and a leg drop to Rock’s crotch. Vince asks for a DQ. But Mick attacks both the ref and the timekeeper to prevent them from ringing the bell.

This allows Rocky to grab a chair and whack Mankind. He continues with a Rock Bottom, but there’s no ref. Shane uses the belt. He hits Rock by mistake! A new ref arrives, but Mick only gets a two. Then Mankind does the Double-Arm DDT and a Socko Claw! Rock passes out, so Mick wins! However, Vince grabs a mic. He says the title can only change hands on a submission. The Rock didn’t tap or say he quit. Mick wins the fight, but not the gold!

Thoughts: This was great. I’m even fine with the finish because this feud is only beginning. The action was exciting. Rock’s antics were amusing. They had the crowd in the palm of their hand. The crowd’s reactions were amazing. They’re ready for Mankind to win the championship, but it’s not quite time.

Winner: Mankind (13:35)

Mick keeps putting the Socko Claw on Vince. Shane beats him with a chair, but it doesn’t faze Mick. He puts the claw on Shane! Then Mankind nails a running knee to Vince, so The Stooges try to help. Mankind fends them off until Boss Man and Shamrock arrive. It allows the McMahons to retreat. Cole laments about the finish. Vince stole Mick’s lifelong dream to win the WWF Title. Lawler tells him he’s wrong.

Next, they recap the Undertaker vs. Austin feud. Taker promised to unleash a plague upon the WWF. He attacked Austin with a shovel. Austin passed out. Then Taker tried to embalm Steve Austin, but Kane stopped it! Austin retaliated by breaking a shovel over Taker and stuffing Paul Bearer into a sewer. Taker vowed to sacrifice Austin to his Ministry of Darkness. He strapped Steve to his symbol and lifted him into the air!

It’s time for the main event. The winner receives a spot in the Royal Rumble. But Vince said Austin has no chance in hell of winning. Cole says the match isn’t about careers. It’s about lives! Austin and Taker enter the arena and brawl before Austin reaches the ring.

Buried Alive Match for a spot in the Rumble: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer)

Notes: Austin showed his new contract to a judge. He determined the promised title match was legally binding, so Austin faced The Rock. During the bout, Taker clocked Steve with a shovel and caused a DQ. Then Austin passed out at a house show because of the attack. Taker kidnapped Austin from the hospital. He almost buried him, but Taker had another idea. He took Steve to a funeral home and tried to embalm him! Kane stopped it. Bearer threatened to institutionalize Kane for this. He chased Kane with orderlies. But Kane and Austin tricked the orderlies into taking Taker instead. With Taker gone, Kane and Austin stuffed Bearer down a manhole! Finally, Austin & Mankind vs. Taker & Rock happened. After the fight, Taker strapped Austin to his symbol. He raised him in the air, crucifixion-style. The episode ended with Austin hanging helplessly as Taker posed in front of him.

The Match: They brawl around the mound and back to the ring. Austin and Taker use the ring post, the steps, and the announce table. Then the fight returns to the grave. They roll down the hill and end up in the hole. Austin hits Taker with a burial wreath. Taker answers by choking him. He says, “You’re gonna die, boy!” Next, they return to the ring until Taker nails a chokeslam. He carries Austin back to the hole and grabs a gas can. Austin avoids getting buried and whacks Taker with the can. Stone Cold continues with a Stunner that sends Taker into the grave. But the wheelbarrow of dirt isn’t enough. Austin chases Bearer away and disappears backstage.

While he’s gone, Taker hides on the side of the mound. However, fire explodes from the grave and Kane appears! He brawls with his brother. Taker uses a low blow. He lifts Kane for a Tombstone. But a noise distracts Taker. Austin returns with a backhoe! The distraction allows Kane to Tombstone Taker and roll him into the pit. Austin instructs the backhoe driver to dump the dirt. It takes forever! Once they unload the soil, Hebner declares Austin the winner. He drinks a beer on top of the grave.

Thoughts: It was awkward. Most of this was mindless brawling. Then the finish took way too long to execute. The fans became restless. Austin looked frustrated. He confirmed this on his podcast. Steve hated this bout because of the ending. The crowd was happy Austin won, but the main event fell flat.

Winner: Steve Austin (21:33)

The backhoe continues adding dirt while Austin celebrates with more beers. Cole says Austin qualified for the Rumble and a chance to regain his title. The show ends with Austin pouring a beer onto the grave.

The Good:

• Rock/Mankind was great.

• Owen/Blackman was good until the finish.

The Bad:

• The awkward Buried Alive Match.

• The first two bouts were bad.

• The Tag Title Match was dull.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Mankind. I liked his performance in both the backstage skits and his match. The next couple of months is the highlight of his career. This is only the beginning of his best run.

Final Thoughts:

It’s a one-match show. Rock vs. Mankind was great. The rest ranged from halfway decent to downright bad. The first hour was particularly hard to watch. It’s a shame. Survivor Series was amazing, but this was a step down. The WWF’s December shows tend to be lackluster.

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