No Mercy ’99

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

No Mercy

October 17, 1999

Gund Arena

Cleveland, Ohio

News & Notes: Here’s your usual rundown of extra storylines. First, Vince ended the referee strike. Then the WWF held a UK PPV. During the show, Bulldog threw a fit about not getting a title shot. He hurled a trash can, which hit Stephanie McMahon in the head. It caused temporary amnesia and made her forget about Test. Meanwhile, Thrasher returned to exonerate his former tag partner, Chaz. He showed Gtv footage of Mariana applying bruises to her face with makeup. She lied about the abuse. Elsewhere, Big Show learned his father has cancer. This didn’t stop his new rival, Boss Man, from attacking him with a nightstick. Finally, Mark Henry blamed his recent behavior on his sex addiction and sought help. During one session, Mark confessed he lost his virginity to his sister! (Russo leaves and Vince McMahon immediately goes to the incest well. What’s Vince’s obsession with this topic!?)

Now I need to mention two sad pieces of news. Gorilla Monsoon passed away after Unforgiven. The WWF paid tribute to him on TV following his death. Also, an unfortunate accident happened at a Smackdown taping. D’Lo started a feud with Droz, which led to a match. During the action, D’Lo slipped during a running powerbomb and dropped Droz on his head. Unfortunately, this left Droz paralyzed. The WWF removed the contest from the episode before airing it.

We open with war footage while a voice talks about a deliberate attack. It caused severe damage. They illustrate these words with clips of Triple H beating up Steve Austin with a chair. Hostilities and unspeakable atrocities fueled the WWF champion. He said Austin would never be the same. Helmsley’s terror wreaked havoc on the World Wrestling Federation. He exhibited no pity or benevolence. Now Triple H’s objective is clear, but Austin will wage war no matter the cost. This is WWF No Mercy!

While rave music plays, JR welcomes everyone to the Gund Arena. He introduces himself and Lawler. Then they discuss the main event. There are no disqualifications and it is no holds barred. Anything goes when Triple H faces Steve Austin. Lawler tries to say more, but the Godfather’s theme interrupts him.

The Godfather enters the arena alone, which draws boos from the crowd. So he turns around and brings out the ladies. JR wants to talk about the recent incident between Godfather and Mideon & Viscera, but he can’t get Lawler’s attention. Despite this, they show footage of the segment before Godfather grabs a mic. He asks if there are any pimps in the house. When the fans say yes, Godfather tells them to roll a fatty for this pimp daddy. JR doesn’t know what fatty means. Next, Mideon joins him and gets on all fours, so Godfather does the same. He says he has no farm animals, and Mideon doesn’t want a lady. Therefore, Godfather will kick his ass instead.

The Godfather (w/ The Hoes) vs. Mideon (w/ Viscera)

Storyline: They added this match at the last minute. The Godfather faced Mideon on Smackdown, but he offered Mideon one of his ladies first. Mideon didn’t want one. He asked for dead farm animals instead. So the Godfather called him a freak. Afterward, the Godfather defeated Mideon, but Viscera and Mideon attacked him. Then on Heat, we saw the Godfather leaving Vince’s office. The commentators wondered why he was there. Did he offer Vince one of his women for a spot on the card?

The Match: They trade strikes until Godfather scores a powerslam and a heel kick. He then tries for the Ho Train, but Godfather spots Viscera threatening the ladies. This allows Mideon to take control. He drops Godfather on the barricade and distracts the ref while Viscera attacks. They do this a few times, as Mideon grabs chinlocks and chokes the Godfather. Despite small rallies, Mideon continues his attack until he misses a diving elbow. The miss opens the door for clotheslines, slams, and a leg drop by the Godfather. He also attempts a Vader Bomb, but Mideon raises his knees. This leads to fighting on the floor, and Mideon holds Godfather for Viscera. But Viscera crashes into the post on a missed clothesline. So Godfather brings Mideon back inside for a Ho Train and a roll-up for the win.

Thoughts: This wasn’t good. When Godfather controlled the action, it was decent. But the fans couldn’t care less when Mideon had the upper hand. His offense was dull and repetitive. An opening contest should excite the crowd. Plus, they only built this for half a week. The fans had no reason to care.

Winner: The Godfather (7:31)

After the bout, the Godfather celebrates with the women. He even lets Tim White have some fun. The girls dance with Tim and take him down to the mat. Tim smiles as they pile on top of him.

Next, they recap Triple H’s snakebite ruse on Smackdown. (I’ll explain later.) Plus, we see Cole interviewing Hunter on Heat. Helmsley calls it an Oscar-winning performance. He fooled everyone. The snake didn’t bite him. He ripped off its head and threw it in the trash! Then Hunter almost calls Vince McMahon the biggest idiot, but he corrects himself. Austin was the one who showed sorrow for his actions. He felt bad about it until Hunter busted him open with the belt. With this said, Cole tells Hunter he angered many people. But Hunter doesn’t care. He tells Cole he has no clue. Helmsley humiliated Austin and made him angry. Austin may get a few shots, but Hunter promises to walk away with the gold. Before Hunter can say more, they cut off the segment because Hunter was rambling.

Afterward, Cole interviews Ivory ahead of her Women’s Title match. He asks if Ivory ever thought she would defend her belt against a hall of fame talent like Moolah. Ivory says she doesn’t care about Moolah’s history. Lord knows there’s enough of it to fill an encyclopedia. Also, Ivory thinks Moolah and Mae have memory issues. They haven’t found their way back to the nursing home. Finally, Ivory vows to teach those old ladies a lesson they won’t forget. She is the real women’s champion of the WWF. When Ivory finishes, there is an awkward pause before she leaves.

JR says Ivory vs. Moolah is a match for the ages. Lawler replies, “Yeah. Ages 70-80.” But Jerry gives Moolah and Mae credit for not using walkers to reach the ring. He also mocks their appearances and age. When Jerry takes it too far, JR tells him to cut Moolah some slack.

Women’s Title Match: The Fabulous Moolah (w/ Mae Young) vs. Ivory (c)

Storyline: After Unforgiven, Moolah and Mae challenged Ivory to a triple threat Evening Gown contest. Moolah won, but Ivory stripped Mae down to her underwear. Later, Moolah and Mae jumped Ivory backstage and ripped her clothes. Then Jarrett convinced Ivory to team with him against Moolah and Mae. However, Jeff shoved Miss Kitty into the match. He let her wrestle instead while he did commentary. Moolah rolled up Kitty for the win, which caused an argument between Ivory and Kitty. As a result, Kitty put Ivory in a Figure Four. But this wasn’t the last time Jarrett got involved. He made Miss Kitty fight Ivory in a mud pit. So Moolah and Mae attacked Jarrett. Finally, Ivory fought Mae on RAW. When Ivory had Mae in trouble, Moolah intervened and scuffled with Ivory.

The Match: Ivory scores a dropkick, leg drop, and elbow drop, but they only earn a two count. Then Moolah fights back with hair-pulling, hairmares, and punches. After an awkward Irish whip and a boot in the corner, Moolah tries a diving splash. She misses, so Ivory covers with her feet on the ropes. However, Mae kicks her to stop it. Next, Ivory keeps knocking Mae off the apron. She also sends Moolah outside for a suicide dive, but Ivory face plants when Moolah doesn’t catch her. Afterward, they fight around the barricade, and Ivory does a crossbody off of it. With Moolah down, Ivory attacks Mae again and grabs the title belt. But Mae grabs Ivory’s leg to stop her. Ivory decks Mae with the strap, which allows Moolah to roll her up for the victory!

Thoughts: It was an mess, as you would expect. Ivory did her best, but Moolah could barely move. Mae took more bumps than Moolah, and I will credit her for it. Seeing Mae take those moves made me think she should have wrestled instead. But all things considered, neither should wrestle in 1999. The WWF needs a deeper women’s division.

Winner: The Fabulous Moolah (New Champion) (3:01)

Ivory cries in shock as Moolah heads outside to help Mae to her feet. Lawler says Mae wet her Depends. Then Mae raises Moolah’s hand in the air and helps her hold up the title. But when Mae holds the belt too long, Moolah yanks it away from her. (I don’t think they planned this. Moolah looked annoyed.)

Afterward, we see a clip from Heat. Vince McMahon told Triple H his plans won’t work. Hunter laughs at this threat until Vince reveals why they will fail. He changed Hunter vs. Austin to a no holds barred contest. When Triple H hears this, he yells it wasn’t what he signed up for.

Now it’s time for the New Age Outlaws vs. the Holly Cousins. After Road Dogg does his usual spiel, Lawler asks if JR knows what shiznit means. He doesn’t, but JR promises to look it up tomorrow. Once the Outlaws finish their routine, the Holly Cousins arrive with their scale in hand. But the Outlaws jump them before they can do a weigh-in.

The Holly Cousins vs. The New Age Outlaws

Storyline: The New Age Outlaws held an open challenge the night after Unforgiven. While the Hollys searched for their scale, Kane & X-Pac reunited to answer the call. This enraged the Holly Cousins. They interrupted the action and attacked everyone. But they weren’t done. The Hollys also disrupted Road Dogg vs. Jericho and put the Outlaws through tables. This resulted in a Four Corners bout. It was the Hollys vs. the Outlaws vs. the Acolytes vs. Kane & X-Pac. The ref counted the Hollys and Outlaws out because they brawled to the back. Next, Road Dogg faced Hardcore, and Gunn wrestled Crash. Hardcore won his contest thanks to Crash’s distraction. But Gunn defeated Crash in his encounter. Both instances led to wild brawls. Finally, the Hollys cost the Outlaws the tag gold. The Outlaws lost their belts to the Rock & Sock Connection.

The Match: After the brawl settles, Road Dogg trades strikes with Crash. Then the Outlaws hit him with a double back elbow and a double sledge. Road Dogg even nails Shake, Rattle,& Roll and a shaky knee drop. But the Hollys take control after Crash sends Dogg outside for Hardcore’s attack. They keep Road Dogg down with frequent tags, chinlocks, choking, and dropkicks. Plus, the Hollys use ref distractions and double-teaming. It lasts until Dogg crotches Hardcore and lands a superplex. This allows Gunn to make a hot tag and clean house with punches and press slams. He also does a Stinger Splash and a Jackhammer. While this happens, the ref tells Road Dogg to leave. So Hardcore slides a chair into the ring behind the ref’s back. However, Gunn gives Crash the Fameasser onto the chair, which causes a DQ.

Thoughts: This was kind of bland and paint by the numbers. It was your usual Outlaws bout. Road Dogg took the punishment, and Gunn made the hot tag. Then it had a disappointing finish. It wasn’t terrible, but it’s a contest you forget by the end of the night.

Winners: The Holly Cousins (by DQ) (10:11)

After the bell, Hardcore tries to jump the Outlaws. He fails because Road Dogg stops him and hits a pumphandle slam. Then Gunn chases the Hollys away with a chair.

Next, they recap Jeff Jarrett’s war on women and his various attacks with household items. It leads to Jarrett’s entrance. He brings Miss Kitty and a kitchen sink with him. The latter amuses Lawler. Plus, JR and Jerry compare this bout to Bobby Riggs vs. Billie Jean King, but Lawler calls it a dated reference. Afterward, Chyna joins them, and she carries a broom and a trash can. Lawler mocks Chyna. He says she knows nothing about cleaning a house. While he says this, Jarrett threatens Chyna with a bigger broom. So Chyna pulls him outside for a fight.

Good Housekeeping Match for the Intercontinental Title: Chyna vs. Jeff Jarrett (c) (w/ Miss Kitty)

Storyline: After Unforgiven, Jeff challenged Chyna and Debra to face himself and Tom Prichard. Chyna agreed, but only if she got a rematch when she won. During the bout, Chyna gave Jeff a low blow while Debra and Kitty scuffled. It earned Chyna a championship match. So Jarrett looked to make a statement. He brought household items to the ring and suggested this Good Housekeeping contest. Then Jeff made an open challenge to any woman. He threatened to clean their carpet. Jeff even dared the female stars of UPN’s Shasta McNasty to enter the ring. When Jeff tried to attack them, Chyna and Debra prevented it. Also, Chyna shoved Jarrett into the mud pit I mentioned earlier. Next, Jeff jumped Chyna during Triple H & Chyna vs. Austin & JR. He put Chyna in a laundry cart and shoved it off a ledge backstage. The fall left Chyna bloody.

The Match: The action soon becomes a weapons brawl. Chyna crowns Jeff with a toilet seat and stuffs a banana in his mouth. Next, Chyna places Jeff on a table, but she crashes when he moves. So Jarrett grabs a fish and slaps Chyna with it before using an ironing board. Plus, Kitty and Jeff mix ingredients inside a pot. However, Chyna knocks flour into Jarrett’s eyes and dumps the pot on Kitty’s head. Unfortunately, this allows Jeff to kick Chyna and lock her in a Figure Four. After a rope break, Chyna attacks Jeff’s balls with a low blow and a pair of tongs! She even smashes pies against his face and tries a Pedigree on a cake. So Jarrett blocks it and catapults her into Teddy Long. Afterward, he tells Kitty to hand him the IC Title. When he gets it, Jeff decks Chyna and pins her.

But wait! Teddy realizes his mistake. He stops Jarrett in the aisle and says the Intercontinental belt isn’t a household item. Therefore, the match must continue! In response, Jarrett tries to place Long in a Figure Four, but Chyna blasts Jeff with the guitar. It earns Chyna the win.

Thoughts: This was a fun and amusing brawl. However, the finish was a little convoluted. Is a guitar any more of a household item than a title belt? Either way, they got their desired reaction. So the minor gripe didn’t ruin this. I still enjoyed it. Now I should also mention the story behind this encounter. Jarrett’s WWF contract expired, and he didn’t renew. Jeff signed a deal with WCW while still holding the Intercontinental championship. Since they needed to get the gold off him, Jarrett agreed to a one-night extension. But he wanted one thing in return. Jeff asked the WWF to give him his unpaid royalties up front or he wouldn’t compete. This is a big reason Vince didn’t invite him back after the buyout.

Winner: Chyna (New Champion) (9:57)

Lawler claims he knew all along Chyna would win, but JR questions this statement. He accuses Jerry of changing his mind in mid-stream. Then something surprises both commentators. Miss Kitty has enough of Jarrett and leaves with Chyna! Lawler doesn’t understand.

Afterward, they recap the Bulldog/Rock feud and all its dog poop shenanigans. The clips include the greatest People’s Elbow ever. You know the one. The video package leads to Bulldog’s entrance. He flips off a fan and threatens someone else as he enters the ring. Next, The Rock joins him, and Lawler notices Rock didn’t wear his tag title belt. He wonders if it means anything.

The Rock vs. The British Bulldog

Storyline: The Bulldog claimed Helmsley promised him a title shot and didn’t deliver. To make matters worse, Vince gave Bulldog’s opportunity to the Rock. So Bulldog disrupted Triple H vs. The Rock and targeted both men. This led to Bulldog vs. Hunter with Rocky as the ref. But The Rock refused to cooperate. He hit Bulldog with the People’s Elbow and left with Hunter’s belt. To top things off, Bulldog got on Vince’s bad side when he caused Stephanie’s amnesia. So Bulldog had enough. He attacked Chyna and nailed a Pedigree when Triple H wouldn’t grant him a championship match. Afterward, Bulldog interrupted Rock vs. Jericho. He jumped Rocky and tried to leave, but Vince stopped him. Finally, Bulldog and Venis faced Rock & Sock. Rock brought dogs to the show and had Mankind collect their poop. Rock then planted Bulldog on a platter of dog crap with a Rock Bottom.

The Match: It doesn’t take long for the action to spill outside. They use the barricade, steps, announce table, and a chair. Once Bulldog gains control, he takes Rocky into the ring for a chinlock! But Rocky breaks free and they trade strikes. Next, Rock whips Bulldog into an upside down bump. He also scores a swinging neckbreaker, despite Bulldog’s eye rake. However, Bulldog answers with a suplex and a second chinlock. Yet again Rocky escapes and backdrops Bulldog, but an eye rake and a low blow ends the rally. Plus, Bulldog ties Rocky in the ropes only to crash when Rock moves. This leads to a DDT by Rocky, which isn’t enough. So Bulldog responds with the running powerslam, but Rock gets a foot on the ropes during the pin. When Davey tries again, Rock avoids it. He then ends the bout with a Rock Bottom and People’s Elbow.

Thoughts: This was another bout that wasn’t bad, but it was a little lackluster. Bulldog isn’t in great shape anymore. The Rock did his best to make him look good, but there wasn’t much substance to Davey’s offense. Also, it is hard to watch this era of Bulldog’s career in hindsight. Seeing him this way makes me uncomfortable.

Winner: The Rock (6:20)

Then they show footage from Heat. Lawler interviewed Terri Runnels about the Terri Invitational Tournament finals. $100,000 and Terri’s services are on the line. So Jerry asks Terri to demonstrate how to win the contest. Terri obliges by climbing the ladder, and Lawler sneaks a peek up her skirt. While she’s up there, Terri asks if Lawler can see it. Lawler says yes, but Terri claims he has seen nothing yet.

When the clip ends, JR accuses Lawler of never making eye-contact with Terri. But Lawler pleads innocence while Edge and Christian arrive through the crowd. Next, Lawler has an epiphany during the New Brood’s entrance. He says the Terry Invitational Tournament spells tit.

Terri Invitational Tournament Finals Ladder Match: The New Brood (Matt & Jeff Hardy) (w/ Gangrel) vs. Edge & Christian

Storyline: Meat had enough of Terri and walked away from his partnership with PMS. This left Terri without a boy toy. First, she tried the Mean Street Posse, but they wouldn’t do. So Terri exploited the ongoing feud between Edge & Christian and the New Brood. She proposed the Terri Invitational Tournament. Edge & Christian and the Hardys would compete in a series of bouts. The winner gets her managerial services. They traded wins and even fought to a double count out in one encounter. But the score is 2-2 coming into the PPV. Also, Terri upped the stakes. She added a cash prize to the reward. A naked Terri covered herself in dollar bills while Edge & Christian watched. So the New Brood jumped the distracted Edge & Christian.

The Match: They fight over the ladder until the Hardys tell Gangrel to fetch it. When he does, the ref ejects him. Once they bring the ladder inside, they take turns pulling each other down. Next, everyone does moves off the ladder. Edge and Christian do a vaulting splash that misses. But Christian scores a DDT from the ladder, and Edge powerbombs Matt. However, Jeff answers with a missile dropkick and Swanton Bomb on Edge. Plus, the Hardys do Poetry in Motion to Christian. Afterward, Jeff vaults over a ladder with a guillotine leg drop, and Matt lands a moonsault. To stop this flurry, Edge throws a ladder at Matt and catapults Jeff into his brother. This allows Edge to climb, so Matt throws a ladder to stop him.

Later, the Hardys use a ladder for clotheslines until Christian ends this with a crossbody. This leads to Edge and Christian sliding the ladder into Matt’s crotch. They also dropkick it! With Matt down, they sandwich Jeff in the ladder and crush him. A tandem wheelbarrow splash onto Jeff follows this. But Jeff recovers and gives Christian a Twist of Fate. Not to be outdone, Edge does the Downward Spiral to Jeff from the ladder! Now we get multiple ladders and everyone fighting on top of them. The ladders collapse and send the combatants flying. So they try it again. This time, Edge shoves Matt down, but Matt pushes Christian’s ladder over. As it falls, Jeff switches ladders and grabs the money bag. He falls to the mat as it comes loose.

Thoughts: This was amazing. Before this night, the fans gave these teams mild reactions. But by the end of this bout, the crowd loved what they saw. This encounter earns them a standing ovation on the following RAW. Their performances put them on the map, and it’s only a taste of what is coming.

Winners: The New Brood (16:30)

The Hardy Boyz head backstage where Terri is waiting with champagne and hugs. They celebrate, but Gangrel isn’t with them.

Then we see another clip from Heat. Mankind looks for The Rock and interrupts a conversation between the Holly Cousins. Mick asks them about the Rock’s whereabouts, so Hardcore tells him to check the bathroom. When Mankind enters, he waves off the smell. Next, he notices someone in a stall and thinks it is The Rock. Mick tells The Rock to wear his tag belt to the ring tonight before handing him a copy of his book. But when Mick leaves, he spots The Rock walking in the hallway and speaking on his phone. This confuses Mankind, so he interrupts Rock’s call. When Mankind mentions his book, Rock almost tells him to stick it up his ass, but Mankind stops him. He says it’s his life’s work. After this, Mankind returns to the bathroom to get his book, but Val Venis blindsides him and takes the book as he leaves.

Before Mankind’s match, The Rock returns with something to say. He challenges the winner of the main event. The Rock doesn’t care if it is Triple H or Austin. When the match ends, Rocky will stand in the people’s ring as the WWF champion. And the millions will chant his name and call him the champ if you smell what The Rock is cooking! Once Rock finishes, he heads to the entrance, but Triple H jumps him! Hunter hits Rock in the ribs with his sledgehammer a few times until the officials arrive. They make Triple H leave as the EMTs appear. This includes the blonde woman from the last PPV. The EMTs put Rocky on a stretcher.

Once they wheel Rock backstage, Val Venis arrives for his bout with Mankind. He brings the book with him. JR says he likes Mick’s autobiography, but Lawler mocks Mankind. Then Mankind’s music plays, but he is backstage checking on The Rock. As Rocky refuses medical aid, Mankind promises Rock a victory and heads to the arena. But an impatient Venis attacks when Mick appears.

Val Venis vs. Mankind

Storyline: Mankind felt bad about Unforgiven, so he invited Rock to a special This is Your Life celebration. He presented Rocky with guests from Rock’s past, gifts, and Yurple the Clown! One present was a sock puppet named Mr. Rocko. However, Val Venis stole it and stuffed it down his trunks. He swore he found it in a trashcan. To make matters worse, the Dudleys swiped Rock’s Rock & Sock jacket. So Rock told Mick to man up and take the items back from them. Stevie Richards even offered his help. Unfortunately, the drama led to miscommunication between Mankind and Rock. So Mankind tried to make amends by proposing to The Rock, much to Rocky’s chagrin. Later, Rock and Mankind regained the tag belts, which also annoyed Rocky. He only agreed to team with Mankind one last time.

The Match: They brawl in and out of the ring and trade knee strikes. Then Mankind drops a leg on Val’s crotch and reaches into Val’s tights! Mick finds Mr. Rocko and tugs, but Val tries to stop him. After a low blow, Venis puts the sock back into his trunks. Next, they return to the floor and fight around the barricade. Mankind introduces a chair to the action, which backfires. Val suplexes him onto it and Mick hurts his head. Back inside, Venis fends off a Mandible Claw and goes for the chair again. So Teddy Long stops it and causes an argument. It does no good because Venis drops Mankind on the chair with a Russian Leg Sweep.

Now Val targets Mick’s head with strikes, a knee drop, and a diving elbow. Val thinks Mick is down, so he attempts the Money Shot and misses! It allows Mankind to score a Double-Arm DDT for only two! So Mick grabs Mr. Socko while Val gets Mr. Rocko. Mankind does the Socko Claw, but Val grabs a testicular claw as well. They collapse in pain with Val on top and the ref counts three.

Thoughts: This was okay, but they lost the crowd. As much as they love Mick, they didn’t care about this bout. It’s a shame. The storytelling was good. Val’s work on Mick’s head after the chair spot made sense. I’ll even give them points for a unique finish. But the lack of reaction brought this down a notch.

Winner: Val Venis (9:26)

An exhausted Mankind rises to his feet and attacks Val. He reclaims Mr. Rocko and puts it on his other hand, so Val runs from the double claw. Mick also grabs his book. He says The Rock will be proud. Meanwhile, the EMTs continue working on Rocky. JR asks why they haven’t gone to the hospital yet.

Next, we get a recap of the recent issues involving X-Pac and Kane. Kane told X-Pac not to help him during his handicap fight with the Acolytes. But X-Pac defied the order when they attacked after the bout. The video leads into Kane’s entrance. There are no partners in this contest. It’s every man for himself. You can tag in at any time, and it has elimination rules. JR says X-Pac asked for this to prove he can hang in the land of the giants. Ross also points out the Acolytes entered together while Kane and X-Pac were separate.

Four Corners Elimination Match: X-Pac vs. Bradshaw vs. Faarooq vs. Kane

Storyline: When a tag title shot became available, Kane & X-Pac reunited. They faced the Acolytes and the Dudleys in an elimination contest. During the bout, the ref disqualified the Acolytes. So Faarooq and Bradshaw unleashed their frustrations on Kane & X-Pac. Then the drama between Kane and X-Pac escalated. X-Pac wanted to prove he could hang with the big men without Kane’s help. But Kane wouldn’t stop aiding X-Pac in his fight with the Acolytes. Next, X-Pac wrestled Faarooq and won. However, the Acolytes attacked afterward. Kane hesitated because of Pac’s warning, but he helped him in the end. Later, Kane fought both Acolytes and told X-Pac not to intervene either. But X-Pac ignored these wishes when Faarooq and Bradshaw double-teamed him. Now both men have something to prove to each other.

The Match: Everyone brawls until Kane and Bradshaw are in the ring. They trade kicks and clotheslines, but X-Pac makes a blind tag. When Kane sees him, he hesitates, but X-Pac dares him to bring it. He shoves Kane until Kane tries a chokeslam. However, Bradshaw tags himself into the bout. X-Pac sticks and moves, so Faarooq has enough. He pushes Pac into a Clothesline from Hell, but Kane stops the pin. Next, Pac continues his fight and takes a beating, so Kane helps him. Then Kane tags to give X-Pac a break. After a flying clothesline and big boot, Kane eliminates Bradshaw with a chokeslam. But Kane can’t celebrate because X-Pac surprises him with a flying wheel kick and pins Kane!

It pisses Kane off, so he heads to the back. Faarooq uses the opening to jump X-Pac from behind. He takes X-Pac outside, where Faarooq tries a Dominator on the announce table. But Pac slips free and hits a DDT. Back inside, X-Pac places Faarooq in the corner for a Bronco Buster. As X-Pac charges at him, Faarooq catches him with a spinebuster. Afterward, they scuffle on the top rope, and Faarooq shoves X-Pac to the mat. With X-Pac down, Faarooq flies off the top rope and into X-Pac’s X-Factor! It’s enough for a victory!

Thoughts: This wasn’t bad. I enjoyed some spots between X-Pac and Kane. They told a good story. The finish was a little messy, but it didn’t ruin this. Unfortunately, the crowd was silent again. They only reacted to the finish.

Winner: X-Pac (10:08)

After the win, JR says X-Pac belongs in the land of the giants. He never gave up! Lawler says they have seen it all tonight. Plus, JR talks about X-Pac being the smallest dog in the fight, but he won. Meanwhile, they cut backstage to The Rock again. The EMTs tape his ribs, but they are still in the arena. The Rock refuses to go to the hospital.

Next, they show a recap video for the main event. It uses the song “Oh Hell Yeah” from WWF The Music: Volume 4. We see clips from SummerSlam and Unforgiven. They also use footage of the carnage between Austin and Helmsley. JR calls this bout personal, as Austin and Triple H arrive. Hunter has his sledgehammer, so Vince grabs it away from him. This earns McMahon a punch in the face. While Hunter focuses on Vince, Austin attacks from behind.

Anything Goes for the WWF Title: Triple H (c) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Storyline: When Vince gave Rocky a title shot on TV, Austin accused Vince of trying to screw him. So Austin jumped Triple H backstage to vent his frustrations. Later, Austin took JR bow hunting and used a picture of Hunter as a target. Meanwhile, Hunter sent his own message. He grabbed a rattlesnake, put it in a bag, and smashed it with his sledgehammer. Hunter also threatened JR again, but Ross hit Hunter with an electrical fan. This led to Austin & JR vs. Triple H & Chyna. During the action, Austin lured Hunter to a room with a rattlesnake in it. Afterward, Hunter showed up to Smackdown with a swollen face from the snakebite. Helmsley tricked Austin into thinking he would quit over the incident. As Austin let his guard down, Hunter attacked him. He then removed the makeup from his face to reveal he was fine.

The Match: They brawl around the entrance set and into the stands. Austin uses a fan’s crutch. Then they fight beside the crane camera, and Austin swings it into Hunter’s face. Next, after Pedigree and piledriver attempts, Austin catapults Hunter. He collides with Mike Chioda and they tumble over the rail. Back in the ring, both men hit their finishers, but there is no ref. So Hebner arrives. When Hunter only gets a two, he has a shoving match with Earl. Afterward, we get more action around the announce tables. They use cables and the ring bell on each other. But Helmsley changes his plan when they head back inside.

Now Hunter targets Austin’s knee. He uses a chop block and jumps on the leg. Austin avoids a Figure Four, but he can’t escape a face crusher. With Austin down again, Hunter grabs a chair, so Austin kicks him. It leads to fighting on the top rope and Austin lands a superplex. Plus, Austin wrestles the chair away from Hunter and wails on him with multiple shots. This continues until Triple H throws a low blow. As he does this, The Rock limps to the ring with Triple H’s sledgehammer! He swings at Hunter, who moves out of the way. So Austin takes the shot in his gut. The mistake allows Hunter to give Rock a Pedigree and cover Austin for the win.

Thoughts: I enjoyed most of this. It started as a wild and fun brawl, but then it became repetitive. They reused some spots. Plus, Hunter slowed the pace with the leg work. However, they pulled the crowd back into it with the closing minutes. Overall, it was good, but not great.

Winner: Triple H (21:55)

Triple H collapses after collecting his belt. Hebner has to help him to the back. While this happens, JR and King recap the bout. Lawler says Triple H took out a rattlesnake and a rock in one swoop. But Austin isn’t done. He leaves the ring and fights with Triple H at the entrance. The scuffle heads backstage where Chyna has a limo waiting. Triple H gets inside and they drive away as the show ends.

The Good:

• The main event was good.

• The tag team Ladder Match was amazing.

• Jarrett/Chyna was fun.

The Bad:

• Moolah/Ivory was awful.

• The first 40 minutes of the show were lackluster.

Observations:

• You can tell they tried to wrap-up and undo some of Russo’s storylines now he is gone. It will take them a month or two to find their footing. But a better writer is coming soon.

Performer of the Night:

I have to give it to Edge & Christian and the Hardys. This was their night to shine and they did it. Their match stole the show.

Final Thoughts:

This PPV hit and missed. The second half surpassed the first hour, but it’s hard to call No Mercy a great show. I didn’t dislike it though. Overall, this was an enjoyable watch. Definitely check out the Ladder Match and maybe the main event. But you can skip the rest.

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