Fully Loaded ’99

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

Fully Loaded

July 25, 1999

Marine Midland Arena

Buffalo, New York

News & Notes: The McMahons threw a celebration the night after King of the Ring. They even welcomed Boss Man back into the fold. But it was a short-lived party. Austin interrupted them. He said he knew Vince would screw him, so Austin took out an insurance policy while he was CEO. First, he wrote himself a new contract. It gave him more money. Plus, he could attack Vince whenever he wanted, without consequences. Also, Steve booked a WWF Title contest for the night after the PPV. It was Austin vs. Taker. Stone Cold fended off interference and regained his gold. But Taker jumped Austin afterward and busted him open. (On a side note, Austin vs. Taker was the real highest-rated segment in RAW history. It had a bigger number than This is Your Life, but WWE doesn’t acknowledge this.)

Now for a quick rundown of extra storylines. First, a mysterious millennium countdown clock appeared on TV. But the timer will expire in August, so what does it mean? Elsewhere, Gtv caught footage of Stephanie and Test kissing. It angered Shane. He told Steph to date Joey Abs instead, but she said no. This led to Shane and Test fighting, and Shane hit his sister by accident. He apologized, but still demanded she stop seeing Test. Meanwhile, doctors warned Mark Henry he had high blood pressure, so D’Lo offered to help him with his diet. Also, Ivory changed her attitude since winning the Women’s belt. She hired Nicole Bass as her bodyguard and tried to fight fans. Then we have the ongoing Beaver Cleavage drama. He goes by his real name, which is Chaz. Finally, the WWF announced Jesse Ventura will be a guest referee at SummerSlam.

Before we begin, I have one last piece of news. JR interviewed Triple H on Heat. During the segment, Hunter unleashed years of pent-up frustrations. He berated the company about punishing him for the Curtain Call incident. Triple H accused the WWF of holding him back. Later, they heaped backhanded praise upon him by calling Hunter a student of the game. Triple H said, “I’m not a student of the game. I am the game!” Hunter’s profanity-laden promo made JR uncomfortable, but Hunter didn’t care. He promised to become the WWF champion.

The opening video features a song called “I’ll Be Missing You.” Vince says somebody has to go for good. They mix clips of Austin and McMahon with footage of Lou Gehrig and soldiers saying goodbye to loved ones. Austin says we will see Vince’s ass later after the PPV. Somebody will bleed and it will be the end of an era! Then the package ends with a Fully Loaded graphic which includes a runaway train.

Fireworks explode as JR welcomes everyone to the PPV. Also, JR has breaking news from Heat. The Undertaker jumped Austin and busted him open while the McMahons smiled. Speaking of the McMahons, Michael Cole approaches them for a word. He implies Vince and Shane orchestrated the attack. This offends Shane, and Vince claims they had nothing to do with it. But Vince guarantees Stone Cold will lose his belt. Lawler loves it.

Afterward, we get the entrances for the first bout. They provide photos from a house show in Toronto. The WWF booked Jarrett vs. Shamrock, but Ken had transportation issues. So Edge stepped in and scored an upset win in his hometown. Now Edge is defending the Intercontinental championship. This leads to Jarrett and Debra’s arrival. Lawler loses his mind at the sight of Debra. He says it’s his favorite outfit yet. JR replies, “What? The Don’t Piss Me Off shirt?” This doesn’t amuse the King. Next, Jarrett grabs a mic. He says the Intercontinental belt and Debra’s puppies belong to him. He is the greatest Intercontinental champ of all time.

Intercontinental Title Match: Jeff Jarrett (w/ Debra) vs. Edge (c)

Storyline: The Brood imploded. Gangrel took exception to Edge’s behavior. First, Edge saved the Godfather from Droz & Albert, and Edge scored one of Godfather’s ladies. So Gangrel helped Droz & Albert, which annoyed Edge. Later, Gangrel didn’t save Edge from Boss Man’s attack, and tensions hit a boiling point. Gangrel attacked Edge with an Impaler DDT. He also caused drama between Edge and Jarrett by giving the latter a bloodbath. However, Gangrel still had hopes for Christian and aided him in a victory. Meanwhile, Edge and Jarrett’s issues led to an IC Title bout at a house show in Toronto. Edge pinned Jarrett and won the gold. Now we have a rematch.

The Match: They trade takedowns, pin attempts, and strikes until Jarrett regroups. Jeff tries to take the fight outside. He fails, and Edge brings him back for a DDT. But Jarrett takes control when Edge tweaks his knee. Edge fends off a Figure Four only to crash into the post on a missed charge. So Jarrett targets the shoulder. Later, Jarrett uses Debra as a distraction before trading sleeper holds. Edge escapes and scores roll-ups and a sunset flip. Then a collision leads to Edge falling on Jeff’s crotch. It gives Edge an opening, but Gangrel’s music plays and the lights go out. However, Edge thwarts Gangrel and avoids a bloodbath. Since that failed, Debra distracts the ref again. In the chaos, Jarrett pushes Edge into Debra. It allows Gangrel to snap Edge’s head on the ropes. And Jarrett lands the Stroke for the win.

Thoughts: This was a good opener. It wasn’t flashy, but the story made sense. Plus, I liked the failed bloodbath segment. It made Edge look crafty. Also, Jarrett only won because of Gangrel’s interference. So Edge looks strong in defeat. With that said, they should have given Edge a longer reign. He held the belt for one day.

Winner: Jeff Jarrett (New Champion) (13:23)

Lawler worries about Debra’s puppies, so JR tells him to check on her. Once Debra recovers, Jeff celebrates and calls himself the greatest Intercontinental champion. Meanwhile, the medics finish stitching Stone Cold’s cut. So Austin looks to take out his frustrations on someone. He sprints to the ring and gives Jarrett a Stunner before grabbing the mic. Austin promises to find Taker’s dead ass and bust him open. As Austin leaves, the camera focuses a picture over the entrance. It shows Vince with blood running down his face.

Once everything calms down, the Acolytes arrive for their contest. Lawler says things will get ugly, but he clarifies his statement. He isn’t calling the Acolytes ugly. Lawler finds them ruggedly handsome. Then Finkel says this match has Acolytes Rules. This means there are no disqualifications and falls count anywhere.

Next, Cole interviews the Hardy Boyz and Michael Hayes. Cole says tonight is three-on-two, but how confident are they? Hayes says he took Matt and Jeff from curtain jerkers to the tag team championship. He also calls the Acolytes tough, but they underestimate Hayes’ leadership. Hayes claims he will lead by example. Once he finishes, they enter the arena, but the Acolytes jump them and cause a brawl.

Acolyte Rules Handicap Match for the Tag Team Titles: The Acolytes vs. The Hardy Boyz & Michael Hayes (c)

Storyline: The Hardys received their title match after King of the Ring. Before the contest happened, Kane Tombstoned Bradshaw on the steps. Doctors warned Bradshaw not to perform, but he ignored them and it backfired. The Hardys pinned the Acolytes with Hayes’ help and won the tag team championship. Then the Hardys defended against Droz & Albert and Venis & Godfather. Both bouts ended in disqualification. Therefore, they booked a Fatal 4-Way. It was the Hardys vs. the Acolytes vs. Val & Godfather vs. Droz & Albert. The Hardys succeeded and retained their belts. But the WWF gave the Acolytes a rematch with Hayes involved. It gives them a chance to avenge themselves against Hayes for costing them the gold.

The Match: They fight on the floor, and the Acolytes use the steps. As the fight continues, Jeff Hardy performs a somersault plancha. Back inside, Bradshaw catches Matt. But Jeff turns it into a pin with a missile dropkick. Next, the Hardys do Poetry in Motion and a Swanton Bomb. However, Faarooq nails a spinebuster on Matt. Then the Acolytes continue with double-teaming, a powerslam, and a powerbomb. So Hayes and Matt break up the pin. Matt also stops second powerbomb, which causes a brawl. In the chaos, Matt avoids a Dominator and scores a Twist of Fate. This draws Bradshaw in for another save, and he gives Matt a back superplex. But Jeff prevents a three and clocks Bradshaw with Hayes’ cane. It isn’t enough, and Bradshaw stops Poetry in Motion with a clothesline! Afterward, they dump the Hardys outside and end it with a double powerbomb on Hayes.

Thoughts: It was decent. The Hardys showed off some impressive moves, and the Acolytes had some nice power spots. But they did little with the No DQ stipulation. The cane attack was the only thing. Adding that wrinkle to the bout did nothing. However, I will end this on a positive note. Hayes took the pin, so the Hardys still look strong. Plus, it can set up a reason for the Hardys to dump Hayes.

Winners: The Acolytes (New Champions) (9:35)

After the bout, they show Austin entering a room backstage. JR wonders if he found the Undertaker.

Then Kevin Kelly interviews D’Lo Brown ahead of his European Title contest. Kelly says it was a long time coming, but D’Lo gets a shot tonight. D’Lo agrees. He hasn’t held the belt in nine months. Tonight, D’Lo vows to show Mideon there is more to being a champion than pulling it out of a bag. It’s about respect, so that punk Mideon better recognize.

After the interview, Brown enters the arena with his new “Danger at the Door” theme. JR praises D’Lo for getting an accounting degree before wrestling. But the conversation turns to talk about Austin. JR says cameramen are following Austin backstage. They will give everyone an update. Meanwhile, D’Lo gets in Mideon’s face and receives a slap.

European Title Match: D’Lo Brown vs. Mideon (c)

Storyline: After Mideon claimed the European Title from Shane’s bag, he called it a gift from the gods. Mideon defended the gold against Al Snow, but D’Lo interrupted because he wanted a shot. This led to D’Lo vs. Al Snow, which D’Lo lost. However, Mideon sought revenge on D’Lo, so the WWF announced this bout. Afterward, Mideon did commentary during D’Lo vs. Gangrel. Mideon cost Brown the victory with a distraction. Because of the attack, two rivalries crossed paths. D’Lo & Edge teamed against Mideon & Gangrel. D’Lo’s team won with a spear and a Lo Down.

The Match: After trading punches, D’Lo scores clotheslines, a baseball slide, and a suicide dive. But Mideon fires back with attacks on the barricade and steps. Plus, Mideon nails a short-arm clothesline and grabs a sleeper hold. D’Lo escapes only to fall to a neckbreaker. We even see an exchange of eye pokes and strikes. Next, D’Lo boots Mideon in the corner and does a sloppy tornado DDT. Mideon tries to regain control with an eye rake, but D’Lo hits the Sky High. With Mideon on the mat, Brown ends it with a leg drop and a Lo Down.

Thoughts: It started and finished hot, but the rest was dull. The fans chanted boring. I’m glad D’Lo regained the title, but this fell flat. They lost the crowd. But to be fair, this audience has been quiet all night.

Winner: D’Lo Brown (New Champion) (7:12)

Meanwhile, Austin grows tired of the cameraman following him. He shoves the guy to the ground and leaves.

An exhausted-looking Al Snow paces around and mutters to himself. So Cole explains the situation. Al hasn’t been the same since Albert drove a spike into Head. Then they show a clip of Snow begging Boss Man to end his misery. When Cole tries to say more, Snow interrupts him. He says Cole doesn’t know what it’s like to hear the screaming. He can’t think! Snow asks if Boss Man will end it. He even grabs Cole and screams in his face. As Snow leaves, Cole looks terrified.

Snow enters the arena and stumbles around while tugging at his ear. JR says he hasn’t seen eyes like Al’s since he ran into Swede Hanson. Ross admits it’s a dated reference. Also, JR says he saw Al talking to himself in the parking lot. So Lawler suggests they decapitate Al for being an idiot. (That’s harsh!) Next, Boss Man arrives. Snow meets him in the aisle and begs for more pain. Boss Man obliges by grabbing Head and hammering on the spike with his nightstick. It makes Snow writhe in pain and attack Boss Man.

Hardcore Title Match: Big Boss Man vs. Al Snow (c) (w/ Head)

Storyline: Al Snow had the aforementioned bout with D’Lo, but they didn’t book him on the following episode of Heat. So Al created his own match. He defended the Hardcore belt against a group of minis. It ended with Snow chasing them backstage. Later, Snow faced Droz, who asked for an Evening Gown contest. (Droz and Albert wrestled Val and Godfather. The stipulation stated they would work as the Godfather’s hoes if they lost. It caused an awakening in Droz. He enjoyed wearing dresses.) Al won, so Droz and Albert drove a railroad spike into Head for revenge. It made Al snap. He heard Head screaming in pain and couldn’t sleep. Afterward, Snow fought Boss Man. He begged Boss Man to put him out of his misery, so Boss Man cuffed Snow and used the nightstick on him.

The Match: The action heads to the entrance where Boss Man closes Al in an equipment case. But Snow escapes and hits Boss Man with a sandbag. Next, they go backstage and knock over a cameraman. Snow suplexes Boss on a table and pours hot coffee on him. Later, Boss Man finds a football down marker. He switches it to 4^th down and punts Al in the ribs. Also, Boss Man rams Snow into a garage door and spots an electric cart. He tries to run over Al, but he can’t start it. So they abandon that and head outside. Snow wields a traffic cone before a car almost hits them. Finally, they fight against a metal fence. Boss Man breaks a bottle over Al’s head and cuffs him on the railing. Snow begs for more, so Boss Man uses a metal baton and pins Snow against the fence.

Thoughts: I liked the storytelling, and Al put on a good performance. He looked deranged. Parts of this dragged, but it was still enjoyable. Plus, the scene with the cart not working amused me.

Winner: Big Boss Man (New Champion) (10:13)

Al Snow foams at the mouth, but he looks satisfied with the beating. So Boss Man runs into the arena to collect his belt. JR calls him one of the toughest men in the WWF, but he asks for someone to help Al Snow. Lawler finds it funny. He jokes about Snow getting a ticket for illegal parking and trespassing.

Next, they recap the Kane/Big Show feud. Both men traded chokeslams and chair attacks. Then Show’s worst fears came true. Kane and the Undertaker reunited. They tried to dismantle Big Show, but Kane discovered his brother wasn’t what he thought. Kane saw a replay of Taker chokeslamming X-Pac, so Kane attacked his brother. Afterward, X-Pac embraced him.

When the video ends, Kevin Kelly interviews the referee for this bout, Hardcore Holly. He asks how Holly responds to the idea he might be partial to the Big Show. Holly scoffs at the question. He’s the Big Shot, so he doesn’t have to be partial. Big Show followed him for weeks and sucked up to him. But Holly is the law and order. If either of those big goofs gets in his face, Holly will beat the hell out of them. And he says the know he can do it. When Holly sees Kevin’s reaction, he accuses him of rolling his eyes. Holly threatens to beat him up, so Kevin calls him sir.

During Holly’s entrance, Lawler asks the truck to stop showing the bloody picture of Vince. It’s horrifying. Then JR discusses Big Show vs. Kane. He says their last bout was bowling shoe ugly. The reference confuses Lawler. This leads to Kane and Big Show’s entrances. Only three of the four posts shoot Kane’s pyro. Afterward, Holly explains the rules to them, and Kane gets in his face. It allows Big Show to deck Kane.

The Big Show vs. Kane

Storyline: Big Show’s issues with Kane took a turn for the worse when Kane reunited with the Undertaker. So Show swallowed his pride. He asked Hardcore Holly for help against the Brothers of Destruction. Show even saved Holly from the Acolytes when Bob got in over his head. Later, Holly agreed to work with Show. It gave Holly a chance to fight Super Heavyweights like himself. Afterward, Holly took over the timekeeper’s duties during Kane vs. Bradshaw. But Bradshaw attacked Holly and Bob retaliated. Kane also came after Holly, so Big Show hit Kane with a wrench. To get revenge, Taker and Kane jumped Big Show again. As a result, Show and Holly teamed against Kane and X-Pac. During the bout, Taker chokeslammed X-Pac. When Kane saw the replay, he turned on his brother and chose X-Pac instead. They hugged on the ramp.

The Match: They exchange strikes until Big Show press slams Kane to the floor! Later, they trade headbutts, and Show whips Kane into the post. Back inside, Kane boots Show in the corner and unloads with punches. So Holly pulls him away. The distraction allows Show to nail a clothesline. Then Show controls things with Irish whips, headbutts, chokes, and a rope rake. (Does that work on someone in a mask?) Show continues with more headbutts, low blows, and a powerslam. A nonchalant cover only gets two, so Holly tells him to hook the leg. After a Russian Leg Sweep by Show, Kane rallies. He catches a ducking Big Show with a DDT, but Holly accuses him of hair-pulling. Kane ignores this and lands a flying clothesline. A chokeslam is next, but Holly chop blocks Kane! Big Show capitalizes with a chokeslam and Holly does a fast count.

Thoughts: The press slam to the floor was impressive, but the rest was boring. Holly’s antics were fine. However, he couldn’t save this bout. Big Show and Kane don’t have good chemistry. Plus, Show was out of breath after a few minutes. As JR said, this was bowling shoe ugly.

Winner: Big Show (8:13)

JR says it stinks, and X-Pac agrees. He runs to the ring and attacks Big Show, but Taker arrives to help. Big Show and Taker work together to beat up Kane and X-Pac. JR doesn’t understand. He asks what is happening. Once they decimate Kane and X-Pac, Taker walks down the aisle and stares at Big Show. Then Show helps Holly to his feet and they leave.

As Taker enters the backstage area, Austin jumps him. The officials try to stop Steve, but they are too late. Austin rams Taker into the wall and busts open his forehead. With Taker down, Austin calls him a bastard. JR says the sides are even now. Lawler wonders what Vince will do.

Next, they recap the Shamrock/Blackman feud. We see Blackman’s multiple Kendo Stick attacks. Shamrock received internal injuries and spat up blood. But he ignored the doctor’s orders and paid for it. Later, Blackman and Shamrock had a weapons match where Ken received another beating.

Wrestlers sit on cars and await the competitors’ arrivals. JR says the WWF wanted nothing to do with this, so they didn’t sanction it. He also explains the rules. The first man to leave the circle wins. Lawler discusses Shamrock’s history of brawling in bar parking lots. It’s where Ken got the idea for this bout.

Iron Circle Match: Ken Shamrock vs. Steve Blackman

Storyline: The WWF booked Shamrock vs. Blackman for the night after King of the Ring. But the referee ended the bout when Ken coughed up blood again. Afterward, Blackman attacked Ken with the Kendo Stick and left. Later, Blackman helped Shane & The Posse beat up Test. Ken used the opportunity to go after Blackman. They brawled into the crowd. Due to the repeated confrontations, Shamrock challenged Blackman to a unique contest. He called it an Iron Circle Match. Shamrock got the idea from a confrontation he once had in a bar parking lot. The combatants face each other in a ring of cars. Whoever escapes the circle wins.

The Match: They fight on and around the cars and shatter windows and windshields. Blackman’s missed kick breaks another one. Then Blackman catches Ken with a spinebuster on a hood. Afterward, he shoves Shamrock to the concrete and grabs a chain. But he misses the punch, and Ken throws him onto a car. Once Ken falls off, Blackman gets a tire iron from the vehicle. He swings and misses and more windows bite the dust. Later, Ken uses trash cans and the chain. He screams while throwing punches before choking Blackman out with the chain. When Steve loses consciousness, the ref ends the bout. Ken dares someone else to step up, but no one obliges.

Thoughts: This was a decent idea, but it wasn’t interesting. The action was repetitive and dull. Plus, it was hard to see. At least they kept it short. I’ll credit them for doing something different, but it didn’t work. However, they get points for gimmicking the cars, unlike WCW.

Winner: Ken Shamrock (4:19)

Terry Taylor interviews the Undertaker. He says Taker had the advantage, but now the Rattlesnake evened the odds. Taker replies the most dangerous animal is a hurt animal. And if Taylor stays in his face much longer, he’ll hurt him too. With that said, Taker shoves Terry and leaves.

Next, Cole interviews Chyna and Mr. Ass. He says they caught a break because of X-Pac’s condition. Chyna says screw his condition. That is what loyalty gets you. After she speaks, it’s Gunn’s turn to talk. He says when it comes to breaks, there are none. But when it comes to dollars and cents, it’s eat or be eaten. Tonight, he and Chyna will feast.

Both teams enter to the DX theme, despite the conflict. Lawler notices Mr. Ass and Chyna have matching see-through mesh trunks. This annoys JR. Also, during Road Dogg and X-Pac’s entrance, X-Pac lags behind. He sells the effects of Taker and Big Show’s beating. Once they arrive, Road Dogg does his spiel and says he has two words for their opponents.

Winner Gets the Rights to the DX Name: Road Dogg & X-Pac vs. Mr. Ass & Chyna

Storyline: Triple H asked Mr. Ass and Chyna when they last saw a royalty check for DX merchandise. Road Dogg and X-Pac claimed the rights, so Hunter told Ass and Chyna to fight them for it. Later, Dogg and X-Pac helped Bradshaw reclaim his tag belt from Gunn. In retaliation, Chyna had them arrested for spraying DX graffiti on her car. But it was Chyna who painted it. When confronted, Chyna denied this and admitted it wasn’t even her vehicle. It was Finkel’s! So X-Pac and Dogg took out their frustrations on poor Howard. They gave him the tar and feather treatment. Afterward, they vowed revenge on Billy and Chyna. This led to both sides costing each other chances at the IC Title. Finally, Chyna and Dogg had a Dog Collar bout, but Mr. Ass interrupted and beat up Road Dogg.

The Match: Dogg and Chyna trade headlocks, shoulder blocks, and a pumphandle slam attempt. After Chyna regroups, her team takes control with a cheap shot. Gunn uses strikes, a Stinger Splash, and a Jackhammer. Later, X-Pac tags when Dogg boots a diving Gunn in the face. He throws kicks until Gunn scores a hotshot, and Chyna grabs a sleeper. When Pac escapes, the ref misses his tag. So Chyna and Gunn double-team Pac. Plus, Gunn lands a powerslam. It leads to Chyna’s handspring elbow, but Pac stops it with a clothesline. Afterward, Dogg tags and cleans house. He gives Chyna the Shake, Rattle, & Roll and a shaky knee drop. This causes a wild brawl where X-Pac nails a Bronco Buster on Chyna. Gunn targets Pac with a Stinger Splash as Chyna pulls Pac outside. So Gunn crashes into the post and Dogg lands a pumphandle slam for the win.

Thoughts: This was a solid tag bout with some good storytelling. It wasn’t outstanding, but I found it enjoyable. Plus, they had a hot finish. They got some noise from this dead crowd. So they accomplished their goal.

Winners: Road Dogg & X-Pac (11:44)

Next, they show Austin lacing his boots backstage. He wears a bandage over his stitched cut. JR and King discuss Austin’s condition while Triple H arrives for his bout with The Rock. Chyna isn’t with him. Also, Triple H does his water bottle routine for the first time on PPV. While this happens, JR apologizes for Triple H’s language during their interview. Lawler says Hunter felt the WWF screwed him out of a title shot, and it will never happen again. Plus, Triple H is in a bad mood after the DX match.

Afterward, Cole interviews The Rock, who tells him to know his role and shut his mouth. The Rock accuses Triple H of whining like a baby. Hunter said the WWF kept him at the bottom of the barrel. But The Rock says it wasn’t because Hunter said goodbye to his roody poo friends. They kept Helmsley at the bottom because he sucks! Triple H won’t go to SummerSlam in 28 days. Because in 28 seconds, the Rock will give him what he wants. He will turn the strap sideways and stick it up Hunter’s candy ass! Then Rocky says he is the most electrifying man in sports entertainment. If you smell what The Rock is cooking.

The Rock’s entrance is next. JR explains the unusual rules for this Strap Match. It ends with a pinfall and falls count anywhere. As he explains this, Rocky rushes to the ring and attacks before they attach the strap.

Fully Loaded Strap Match for the #1 Contendership: Triple H vs. The Rock

Storyline: During a brawl between Rocky and Hunter, Rock hit Mr. Ass and knocked him on his—ass. Because of this, Gunn interjected himself into their rivalry. Rock and Triple H had an encounter, but Gunn attacked Rocky with a club. So Rocky called him a peon and threatened to kick his candy ass. Meanwhile, Hunter wanted to end his feud with The Rock and focus on the WWF Title. It led to a Cage Match between Hunter and Rock. The Rock won, but Hunter, Chyna, and Gunn jumped him. As a result, Rocky mocked Mr. Ass. He cut a promo about god forgetting Billy’s name and calling him Bob. But The Rock said it didn’t matter what his name was. Later, Hunter, Chyna, and Gunn teamed against Rock, X-Pac, and Road Dogg. Rocky pinned Gunn after a People’s Elbow. However, Chyna helped Gunn score a one-on-one victory over Rocky.

The Match: They brawl around the ring, and Rock pulls Hunter into the post. After attaching the strap, Rocky uses a fan’s camera to take pictures. Next, they fight around both announce tables before heading into the crowd. Hunter knocks Rocky over a wall. But Rock rams Helmsley into some folded up bleachers. Once they finish there, they move to the entrance and over the railing. Rocky reverses a suplex on the floor, but Hunter yanks him into the barricade. Then Triple H whips Rock with the strap. It leads to traded strikes as Chyna arrives. She distracts the ref, who misses a Rock Bottom. So Hunter throws a low blow and chokes Rock with the strap in the corner.

Rocky escapes and scores a hotshot and Samoan Drop. Hunter kicks out at two, and removes the strap as he takes the action outside again. After more fighting at ringside, Chyna occupies the ref for a Billy Gunn run-in. He strikes The Rock with a club to no avail. The Rock recovers and does the People’s Elbow. So Gunn drags Rock away from the pin. The Rock has enough and gives Gunn the Rock Bottom. But this allows Hunter to hit the Pedigree for the win.

Thoughts: It was a good intense fight. Parts of it were slow, but they built to a hot finish to make it worth the time. In the end, I liked it. Plus, it’s refreshing to see a Strap Match that doesn’t use the typical rules or ending.

Winner: Triple H (19:23)

JR says the bottom line is Triple H will face the WWF champ at SummerSlam. Winning the WWF Title might be his destiny. JR also says The Rock had the match won, but the persecuted blue blood from Greenwich is going to SummerSlam.

Next, they recap the main event feud. After Austin regained his belt, Taker was out for blood. He called for a First Blood Match, and the stakes are higher than ever. But Austin remembers his last First Blood encounter. Taker busted him open then, so paybacks are a bitch. However, Vince McMahon’s hatred added a new twist. Vince will either leave or Austin will never fight for the championship again. It is a contract signed in blood. This is personal, not business.

Then, before the bell, Vince arrives to do commentary. He pauses and looks at his bloody portrait before heading to the table. JR says Vince is on crutches because he cracked his butt. (How did he say that without laughing?) Meanwhile, Taker presses a towel to his stitched forehead. He looks angry as he enters the arena. Austin’s entrance follows, and Vince and Lawler crack jokes. They say Austin can compete for the Intercontinental or European belts after tonight. As they say this, Taker and Austin brawl in the aisle.

First Blood End of an Era Match for the WWF Title: Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) vs. The Undertaker

Storyline: After Austin regained the WWF championship, Taker wanted blood. So he challenged Stone Cold to a First Blood Match. Vince took it farther. He said the WWF wasn’t big enough for Austin and McMahon. If Austin wins, Vince will leave. But if Austin loses, he can never fight for the title again. Then Vince appeared in a wheelchair to deter Austin from attacking him. He claimed he had an accident. It was a distraction. Taker busted Austin open and Vince signed the contract with Austin’s blood. Afterward, Vince warned Taker he would face consequences if he lost. Meanwhile, Triple H still desired a shot, so he faced Taker. While they fought, Austin showed up in a blood bank truck and threw Taker inside. With Taker neutralized, Austin busted open Vince. He also signed the contract in blood. Finally, Taker jumped Austin on Heat and reopened Austin’s cut.

The Match: Austin misses a belt shot, so Taker throws punches. This leads to fighting at the railing, steps, announce tables, and in the crowd. Once they return, Austin targets Taker’s leg and rams it into the post. So Taker leads the scuffle away from the ring and into the fans again. But Austin brings him back and uses a chair, the steps, and a camera cable. When they enter the ring, Taker bumps into Hebner and gets caught in the ropes. So Austin grabs a chair, but Shane tries to stop it and eats a chair shot. Steve also fends off Vince and hits a low blow and Stunner on Taker. Afterward, we get more chair attacks until X-Pac seeks revenge. He kicks the chair into Taker’s face and Austin nails Taker with a TV camera. Taker is bleeding, and Hebner notices as Taker tries a Tombstone.

Thoughts: This was mostly punching and kicking, but I liked the finish. JR’s commentary put it over the top. It wasn’t a great bout, but I didn’t dislike it. In the end, it was fine. They got the reaction they wanted. It’s one of the few things that made this crowd come alive.

Winner: Steve Austin (15:58)

Austin gives Taker and Vince Stunners after the bell, but Triple H interrupts. Chaos breaks loose when The Rock intervenes as well. As Rocky and Hunter brawl, Taker hits Austin with a chair, so Austin is also bleeding. Then Taker throws a fit. He tosses tables and chairs, so Shane tries to calm him. It doesn’t work. Taker decks him too as the officials arrive to stop the madness. They move everyone except Austin and Vince backstage. When Vince realizes the truth, he cries. Austin offers him a handshake, but he turns it into a Stunner and celebrates the win.

The Good:

• The opener was good.

• Al Snow’s character work was nice.

• The DX tag match was solid.

• The Strap Match was great.

The Bad:

• D’Lo/Mideon was dull.

• Big Show/Kane was bad.

• The disinterested crowd.

Observations:

• July ’99 was the month for fighting on cars. WCW and WWF both did it.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to The Rock and Triple H. Between Triple H’s promo on Heat, and the Strap Match, this night boosted his career. Plus, The Rock cut a great promo.

Final Thoughts:

This event doesn’t have any classic matches. But it contained enough story development and character work to be enjoyable. Even the bad contests showed some bright points. Plus, the PPV had memorable moments. This was a good example of the interlocking storylines prevalent in the Attitude Era. It’s something that is missing in modern wrestling.

Thank you for reading. My next review is WCW’s Road Wild ’99. Look for it next Sunday!