Breakdown: In Your House

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

Breakdown: In Your House

September 27, 1998

Copps Coliseum

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

News & Notes: Vince berated and insulted Taker and Kane. They should have ganged up against Austin at SummerSlam! But there was a method to McMahon’s madness. He angered them for his master plan. Once he riled them up, Vince unleashed them upon wrestlers and even The Stooges. Then Vince gave them what they wanted. Austin will defend his gold against both Taker and Kane in a Triple Threat! However, McMahon added a catch. Taker and Kane cannot pin or submit to each other. They must defeat Austin. It turned the main event into a glorified handicap bout. In the meantime, Vince struck a deal. Taker and Kane would protect him from Stone Cold. The Undertaker assured Austin it wasn’t personal. This was business. But Taker and Kane’s attempt to guard Vince was half-hearted. Austin got to him a few times. I’ll discuss it in the match notes.

Meanwhile, drama brewed between Chyna and Mark Henry. His forced kiss enraged Chyna. She attacked Mark and cost him matches. DX had to drag her away. It led to Henry asking for a handicap fight with Chyna and X-Pac. Southern Justice helped Henry pin Chyna after a powerslam! Then Mark jumped Triple H and leg dropped him on the floor! They booked Henry vs. Triple H for the IC belt, but someone beat up Helmsley with a pipe! (He’s injured. Hunter will soon take time off.) Mark feigned innocence and disappointment. He wanted to win the gold for his girlfriend, Chyna. However, Vince offered Henry a Cage Match with Austin on Heat. Chyna prevented it. She clocked Mark with a pipe and made him kiss her ass.

Finally, I have a few more tidbits. Hawk continued showing up in no condition to work. He wrestled a match in Zubaz because he misplaced his gear. LOD 2000 lost the bout because Hawk tried to tag the wrong man. Then we have The Oddities and the ICP beefing with The DOA. It didn’t end well for them. Also, The Headbangers turned heel. They sprayed aerosol in Golga’s eyes and ripped his Cartman doll. Plus, a real man’s man is coming to the WWF! It’s Steven Regal. Regal chops down trees, shaves with a straight razor, and squeezes his orange juice with his bare hands! He’s such a man!

They filled the opening video with images of tanks, soldiers, Stalin, and JFK! It’s all about Vince’s master plan. He’s damn sick and tired of watching Austin carry the WWF title. Vince guarantees Steve will lose the WWF championship. Austin did things the hard way. Vince doesn’t forgive or forget. So he’ll unleash the most destructive force in the WWF. And remember, Vince didn’t screw Stone Cold. Stone Cold screwed Stone Cold! Stridex presents Breakdown: In Your House!

Fireworks explode as JR welcomes everyone to a sold-out Copps Coliseum. There are nine big matches, but none are bigger than the main event. Lawler calls it huge. Taker and Kane can’t defeat each other. They must pin Austin or make him submit. And if anyone interferes, Vince will strip Stone Cold of the belt!

Then we get the entrances for the first match. Edge and Owen are both Canadian. The crowd cheers when Finkel introduces Edge. But they chant nugget at Owen, despite Hart’s Toronto Argonauts jersey. Owen gives the fans a rude gesture and removes the garb.

Owen Hart vs. Edge

Notes: As I mentioned in my previous review, Edge jumped Gangrel before SummerSlam. Gangrel returned the favor during Edge vs. Mero. JR wondered if they had a past. He got his answer. Edge faced Gangrel on RAW. It ended in a double count-out after Gangrel gave Edge an Impaler DDT on the floor. With Edge down, Gangrel spoke to his fallen foe. He said the blood of Gangrel flowed through Edge’s veins. Then Gangrel rescued Edge from a Kaientai beating on Heat. He didn’t want to fight Edge. Gangrel wanted him to come home. This request confused Edge. Meanwhile, Owen did little over the last month. He lost an IC title encounter against Triple H because of Chyna and Mark Henry’s scuffle. Then Owen wrestled Val Venis, but Dustin Runnels ruined it.

The Match: We start with traded holds and takedowns. Then Edge sends Owen outside after a hurricanrana. Hart avoids a plancha, but he eats a baseball slide. Next, Edge dives off the apron and into Owen’s surprise powerslam! Owen controls the action with suplexes, a backbreaker, a neckbreaker, and a chinlock. Hart then fends off Edge’s rallies and pin attempts. He throws strikes, nails a wheel kick, and scores an enziguri. But Edge fights back. He counters with an inverted electric chair, a flapjack, and a swinging neckbreaker. Plus, Edge lands a DDT before they trade suplexes. It leads to fighting on the top rope. Owen almost grabs a Sharpshooter, but Edge rolls Hart up. Afterward, a mysterious blond man jumps over the barricade. He stands at ringside. Edge sees him and says, “What are you doing here!?” The distraction allows Owen to pin Edge with a rolling prawn hold.

Thoughts: It was a fine opening contest. The bout had great ebb and flow, and the crowd enjoyed it. Also, Owen is a wise choice for an opponent. You know he’ll make Edge look good. My only gripe is they should have saved the Edge vs. Gangrel match for Breakdown. Why are so many TV feuds not paying off on PPV? (If you’re wondering, the mystery man is Christian. We’ll learn more about him in the future.)

Winner: Owen Hart (9:16)

Dok Hendrix and Sable are on the Superstar Line! They’ll get exclusive comments from the winners and losers. Handsome Dok says he has the best seat in the house next to sexy Sable. Then Sable claims she’s excited. (She sounds like it!) But she believes she’s too much for Hendrix to handle. Meanwhile, Lawler wants to know how Dok got the job.

Al Snow & Scorpio (w/ Head) vs. Too Much

Notes: Al Snow returned to TV. He still wanted his meeting with a WWF official. Slaughter and The Stooges confronted him. They threatened legal action, so Snow hit Patterson in the balls with Head and ran. Next, Snow invaded the production truck on Heat. He caused chaos. Kerwin Silfies tried to have him arrested. But Sgt. Slaughter had another idea. He challenged Snow to a Boot Camp Match on RAW. If Snow won, he got his contract. But a loss ended his dreams. Slaughter then put Snow in the Cobra Clutch until security stopped him. The attack didn’t thwart Snow. He defeated Sarge by using Head and low blows. Afterward, Patterson & Brisco attacked, so Al’s ECW buddy Scorpio rescued him. Now Snow & Scorpio fight Snow’s old rivals, Too Much.

The Match: Scorp and Snow control the early action with arm wringers and strikes. Then Snow introduces a chair. He uses it for a double jump wheel kick. Scorpio tries one, but he slips. They also whip Too Much into each other for a comical low-blow spot. Next, Brian and Snow fight outside. Al does a moonsault off the barricade. However, Too Much overpowers Scorpio. Christopher holds him for a messy springboard plancha. They follow with a double backdrop. It happens twice because Scorp didn’t land on his feet. When he does, he tags Snow. Al cleans house with Head and hits Scorp by accident! He makes up for it by giving Taylor Head to the crotch! Christopher breaks up the pin with a Tennessee Jam. Scorpio returns the favor with a flying axehandle. It’s chaos. Everyone brawls. In the melee, Snow scores a Snow Plow on Scott for the win.

Thoughts: It was messy and disjointed. Parts of it were fun, but there wasn’t much of a flow. Even the cameraman had trouble following it. The only upside was the fans were into Al Snow. This was amusing enough for me not to hate it, but it wasn’t good.

Winners: Al Snow & Scorpio (8:03)

JR says Cole is with the Demons of Destruction. (They’re working on the name.) Michael says Taker and Kane’s strategy is simple. They’ll work as a unit to destroy Steve Austin. But which brother will take the fall and become champion? Taker says that’s no one’s business. He and Kane have an understanding. Cole doesn’t get it. There can only be one winner. Will we see brother vs. brother? Taker says the only thing we’ll see is the annihilation of Steve Austin. His sentence ends with a low grumble and an eye roll.

Marvelous Marc Mero (w/ Jacqueline) vs. Droz

Notes: Mero did little on TV. Droz dealt with Hawk’s nonsense and teamed with Animal. But Jackie was busy in the past month! Jacqueline is the Women’s Champion! The Women’s Title is back! It started because Mero made a new bikini contest trophy for Jackie. An angry Sable issued a challenge to Jacqueline from the set of Pacific Blue. Sable wanted an Evening Gown Match. She won and exposed Jackie’s breast. (They pixelated it.) Jackie rebounded with a victory over Luna, so they announced Jackie vs. Sable for RAW. Before the bout, they revealed it was for the vacant WWF Women’s belt! Mero helped Jackie defeat Sable. She’s the first Women’s champ since 1995. Marc then promised they’d celebrate by going to Disney World! (On a side note, they showed a female Sable fan in the crowd in recent weeks. This is the woman we’ll later learn is Tori.)

The Match: They trade strikes. Mero regroups when Droz gets the advantage. Droz chases and whips Marc into the rail and the steps. Marc answers with a knee-lift and choking. Then he distracts the ref for Jackie interference. After some back and forth, Mero sends Droz outside. Marc lands a somersault plancha. But he meets Droz’s knees on a follow-up slingshot splash. Droz capitalizes with strikes, a Manhattan Drop, and a powerslam. Jackie places Mero’s foot on the ropes, so Droz argues with her. It allows Marc to use a cheap shot and choke Droz with his wrist tape. This causes an argument with the ref. It’s what Marc wanted. Jackie removes her high heel and nails Droz with it from the top rope. Marc then ends the fight with the Marvelocity.

Thoughts: It was pointless and had no build or heat. I’m unsure why Mero won. Let’s not kid ourselves. They aren’t giving Mero a push unless it’s out the door. Sable vs. Jackie for the Women’s title would make more sense for this show. Are they holding off on it because they haven’t finished the new Women’s belt? Jackie didn’t have it with her.

Winner: Marc Mero (5:12)

After a DX t-shirt commercial, Cole interviews Bradshaw. His match against Vader is no holds barred and falls count anywhere! It won’t be pretty. Bradshaw says, “Hell no it won’t!” He didn’t come to wrestle the fat bastard. Bradshaw came to fight him! It’s survival of the fittest, not the fattest! JR apologizes for Bradshaw’s comments. Lawler thinks he means business, but Jerry laughs while saying it.

Falls Count Anywhere Match: Bradshaw vs. Vader

Notes: Bradshaw wanted to make a name for himself. So he went after one of the biggest dogs in the yard. Bradshaw confronted Vader during his bout with Val Venis. Then Taker and Kane interrupted. Vader took the beating from the Brothers of Destruction while Bradshaw left him to his fate. Afterward, Bradshaw wrestled Shamrock on Heat. Vader got his revenge. He jumped Bradshaw, and they brawled. We haven’t seen them on TV since. Everything I mentioned happened in the first two weeks.

The Match: They shove each other and trade strikes until Vader nails an avalanche attack. Then the fight spills to the floor. Bradshaw rams Vader into the post, the timekeeper’s table, and the bell! Afterward, they exchange short-arm clotheslines. Back inside, we see more punches, eye rakes, and clotheslines. Bradshaw tumbles over the ropes when he misses one. It leads to more fighting outside. Vader gains control and rolls Bradshaw into the ring for a diving splash and a Vader Bomb. They only earn a two! Bradshaw answers with a Clothesline from Hell, but it gets the same result! Bradshaw curses and does a second one. Then he finishes Vader with a neckbreaker.

Thoughts: Most of it was uninteresting and slow. I liked the closing two minutes, but it didn’t save this from mediocrity. I feel bad for Vader. They openly mock his weight and job him out. I know they want Vader to get serious about his health, but do that backstage. Don’t lower your wrestler’s stock on TV. It’s counterproductive.

Winner: Bradshaw (7:56)

Kevin Kelly and Dr. Tom have Jason Sensation in the internet room. They ask him for predictions about the triple threat cage, the six-man tag, and the main event. Jason answers with imitations of The Rock, Road Dogg, Jeff Jarrett, and The Undertaker. He flips his eyelids back to do the Taker impersonation.

Then D’Lo Brown arrives for his match. He’s no longer the European Champ, so Fink says Brown resides in Chicago again. D’Lo takes offense to Fink announcing he’s the former champ. His tights still say champion on them! Next, Gangrel emerges from the smoke and drinks red liquid from a goblet. JR calls him a strange son of a gun. He allegedly lives a Gothic lifestyle. Ross also plays ignorant about the goblet’s contents. Lawler calls him on this, but JR doesn’t want to admit it is blood.

D’Lo Brown vs. Gangrel

Notes: I mentioned Gangrel’s quest to bring Edge into the fold, so I’ll discuss D’Lo’s recent woes. Things are shaky within The Nation. D’Lo escaped with his European title when Jarrett interrupted X-Pac’s fight with D’Lo. Afterward, Taker & Kane arrived to cause chaos. Brown hightailed it and left The Rock to take the beating. Then D’Lo lost his gold! He faced X-Pac in a return bout. D’Lo attempted the Lo Down. X-Pac caught him with a surprise X-Factor and won the belt! These frustrations led to an argument with The Rock. Rocky asked The Nation to back him up against Kane. But D’Lo and The Nation never came to his aid. Is The Nation crumbling?

The Match: Other than a suplex and elbows from Gangrel, D’Lo takes control early. He hits a leg lariat, a low blow, and a running powerbomb. But he argues with the ref about the count. Then Brown blocks a DDT, lands a snap suplex, and gets a two from a jackknife pin. However, D’Lo yells at the ref, Gangrel, and the fans. He shouts, “I’m the real damn European Champ, and don’t you forget it!” These distractions allow Gangrel to block a superplex and shove D’Lo off the top rope. Brown tries to slow things with a chinlock. Gangrel answers with a rough hotshot and a flying clothesline. Gangrel’s rally draws out Mark Henry for interference. He low-bridges Gangrel and rams him into the post while D’Lo distracts the ref. When Mark rolls Gangrel inside, D’Lo nails a Sky High for the victory.

Thoughts: It was disappointing. Both men are good wrestlers, but this didn’t showcase them well. Their chemistry was off and I don’t understand the booking. Gangrel is the new arrival. He shouldn’t take PPV losses in throwaway bouts. They wanted to give D’Lo a rebound win after losing his belt, so choose a different opponent. Again, why didn’t we get Edge vs. Gangrel on this show?

Winner: D’Lo Brown (7:46)

An angry Gangrel spits blood in Mark Henry’s eyes and gives D’Lo the Impaler DDT. JR says Gangrel dimmed D’Lo’s lights. Lawler claims Gangrel said, “This blood’s for you.” As Gangrel leaves, Henry wipes his eyes on the ring skirt.

They recap what led to the #1 Contender Cage Match. Taker and Kane ruined the last encounter between these men. Both Vince and Shane McMahon cheered their actions. But Vince is a man of his word. He gave Rock, Mankind, and Shamrock another chance. It’s inside a steel cage! Lawler claims Vince has the fan’s best interest at heart.

Cole interviews Shamrock. How far will Ken go to win this Triple Threat? Ken says he will go as far as it takes. He came to the WWF to become a champion. Every time he tried, he got burned. So he’ll take out his frustrations on The Rock and Mankind. It’s knuckle-up time!

Dok asks The Rock for his rebuttal. Rocky tells him to shut up. He doesn’t give two pieces of monkey crap about Ken’s frustrations. If his opponents don’t have sugar in their testies, they’ll face him in the cage! The Rock promises to lay the smackdown on their monkey asses. When the smoke clears, those jabronis will know he’s forever the people’s champ.

Shamrock wants revenge. The Rock seeks glory. But what does Mankind desire? He says he wants an end to world hunger, but that won’t happen in this bout. Mankind agrees to overlook the stupidity of Kevin Kelly’s question. He’s seen many stupid things in his life. But none is as stupid as the People’s Elbow! He won’t sell that abortion! Mankind claims he trained in a museum with Spaceman Frank Hickey. He’s ready! Then Mankind addresses The Rock’s odd sugar-coated testies comment. What is that? Is it a breakfast cereal?

#1 Contender Cage Match: The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock vs. Mankind

Notes: Taker & Kane’s rampage united three unlikely allies. The Rock wanted revenge for Kane & Taker’s attack. He fought Kane until a battered and bruised Mankind returned to help Rocky win! It led to Mankind vs. Taker with a dumpster full of weapons. Rocky hid inside and jumped The Brothers of Destruction. Then Shamrock got a WWF Title shot. Taker & Kane once again ruined everything. So Rock and Mankind aided Ken. They stuck together afterward. But McMahon tried to manipulate Mankind to end this partnership. He convinced Mick to take Rocky and Ken and leave. However, Vince gave them an opportunity the next week. It was a #1 Contender Triple Threat. The encounter was an excuse for Taker & Kane to batter these men. The bout ended in a no contest. Since Vince was a man of his word, he ordered a rematch. This time, it’s in a cage!

The Match: Everyone brawls and tries to leave, but they stop each other. Then Ken grabs an ab stretch. Rocky joins to make it a three-way stretch!. After more escape attempts, Rock and Mankind work together. Ken fends them off, but Rocky uses a float-over DDT. He then sets up both men and lands a Double People’s Elbow! Rocky follows with a Rock Bottom. Ken stops the pin and places Rocky in the anklelock. Mankind breaks it. Afterward, The Rock prevents Mankind’s escape. Mick knocks him into the ring. It gives Mankind a wild idea. He tries a flying elbow off the cage! It misses! However, Mick stops Ken from using the door. Shamrock grabs a nearby chair. It backfires. Mick nails a Double-Arm DDT and clocks ken with the weapon. He then climbs, but The Rock covers Ken. The ref counts a three before Mick reaches the floor.

Thoughts: It had enough high spots and entertaining moments to make it enjoyable. Parts of this dragged, but it was good. Plus, The Rock was over with the crowd. It made for a hot reaction. His babyface turn is almost complete. Meanwhile, I need to discuss Foley. It astounds me Mankind is taking crazy bumps after Hell in a Cell. How is Mick Foley still walking?

Winner: The Rock (18:47)

A confused Mankind asks JR and Lawler what happened. They tell him The Rock pinned Shamrock while Mick climbed. Mankind pulls out chunks of his hair in frustration. But he isn’t the only one angry after the match. While a bloody Rock leaves, Shamrock throws a fit. He grabs a chair and goes crazy while the commentators try to speak.

Despite Shamrock’s tirade, JR and King recap the Venis/Runnels feud. We see footage of Dustin Runnels’ pleas for decency on WWF TV. They mix these with clips of Val Venis’ dirty jokes and antics. Dustin had enough. He jumped Val, so Venis got payback. He filmed sex tapes with Dustin’s estranged wife, Terri. Dustin vowed to make Val pay for his adultery. Venis promised to steal Dustin’s dignity.

Dustin prays before Val Venis arrives. After Val greets the ladies, he addresses Dustin. There’s one thing Val said a lot about Terri lately. Here she comes! With those words, Terri Runnels appears and removes Val’s towel. JR calls her a Jezebel. Dustin begs for them to stop. He even prays again, so Venis enters the ring.

Val Venis (w/ Terri Runnels) vs. Dustin Runnels

Notes: Runnels interrupted Venis’ matches. He carried signs that said, “He is coming!” Venis retorted with his own sign. It read, “I have come!” Dustin jumped Val. He warned the pornstar. When the mysterious person returns, Val will repent! But Venis did the opposite. He revealed his newest videos to Runnels. Val’s co-star was the former Marlena, Terri Runnels! Venis made Dustin watch three of them. Each was progressively worse. Terri claimed she left Dustin for a better man. Runnels tried to control his rage through prayer. He admonished himself whenever he grew too violent. But Dustin promised Venis would burn in Hell for his actions.

The Match: Dustin shakes off a spinebuster and nails a facebuster and a powerbomb. But Runnels regroups after one back elbow. They fight in and out of the ring. Venis and Terri both swivel their hips. Then Val controls the action with a Camel Clutch and chinlocks. Terri watches Val with a look of desire. Dustin rallies with punches and a DDT. But Val blocks a superplex and drops Dustin onto the apron. Next, Dustin fights back and throws Val over the ropes. Terri consoles and embraces Venis, so Dustin yells at them and argues with Terri. Val uses the opening to sneak in for a roll-up. Afterward, Dustin lands a bulldog. He covers, and the ref counts two, but Venis didn’t kick out. (It was a botch. The fans boo.) They continue, and Val hits a powerslam and elbow drops. He then ends it with the Money Shot.

Thoughts: The storytelling was fine. Most of it was solid. But the bout was dull. The fans reacted to the characters, but the pace killed the heat. Then there was the odd botched kick-out. This fell flat.

Winner: Val Venis (9:09)

Val and Terri make out in the ring, so Dustin walks away crying. JR calls it heartbreaking. Lawler thinks Dustin should forget about it. The situation makes Ross uncomfortable, so he changes the topic. JR plugs the next PPV, Judgment Day: In Your House.

Then they show footage that led to the following match. Jeff Jarrett injured Road Dogg’s throat with a broken guitar. Later, Billy Gunn fought The DOA in a handicap bout. X-Pac and Road Dogg came to his aid during the post-match beating. But Jarrett and Southern Justice attacked DX.

During the entrances, JR talks about the new Jeff Jarrett. He changed his haircut, ring attire, and attitude. Both Jeff’s shirt and his guitar say, “Don’t P*** Me Off.” JR tells the viewers to fill in the blanks. Next, X-Pac arrives alone. The Outlaws’ music plays, but they leap out of the stands and clear the ring. Billy Gunn has two words for their opponents!

X-Pac & The New Age Outlaws vs. Jeff Jarrett & Southern Justice

Notes: A now short-haired Jarrett cost X-Pac his first shot at the Euro title. (As I mentioned earlier, X-Pac succeeded on his second try.) Then Southern Justice and The Outlaws got involved. Canterbury helped Jarrett score victories. Jeff won a Lumberjack Match against X-Pac and a tag team encounter. To make matters worse, Jeff injured Road Dogg’s throat with a piece of his guitar! Poor Dogg couldn’t do his usual intro. Billy Gunn had to do it with cue cards. Afterward, Gunn earned a win over Jarrett. The ref thwarted Jeff’s guitar antics. However, Billy pissed off Vince McMahon. He stepped up to be Austin’s partner and Vince punished him. He made Gunn fight Skull & 8-Ball. If DX aided him, Vince would cancel this PPV contest. The DOA pinned him, and Jarrett & Co. joined them in a beat down of X-Pac and The Outlaws.

The Match: X-Pac and Road Dogg control the early action until Canterbury attacks from the apron. Road Dogg fights back with the shake, rattle, and roll punches. But Jarrett DDTs him when he ducks. Then X-Pac tags after Jarrett and Dogg collide. He throws kicks and chops, but Canterbury catches one and slams him. Jarrett’s team uses frequent tags and ref distractions to keep the momentum. Eventually, Jarrett and X-Pac trade sleeper holds. Pac counters into a back suplex and tags Gunn. He cleans house with punches and clotheslines, but Canterbury takes him outside. X-Pac fights Jeff while this happens. Tim White stops some guitar shenanigans, but he loses control. Everyone brawls and Jarrett breaks the guitar over X-Pac’s head. However, Gunn and Knight are the legal men. Gunn nails a Fameasser for the win.

Thoughts: It was a solid and enjoyable bout. I liked the pace and the storytelling. Plus, it had a hot finish. Jarrett didn’t eat the pin, so he doesn’t look weak. Then we have Billy Gunn. You can tell the WWF has plans for him. They gave him some high-profile moments lately.

Winners: X-Pac & The Outlaws (11:17)

The Outlaws celebrate until they notice X-Pac is still down. He says the guitar shot injured his eye. Lawler says there’s a splinter in there. This worries JR. Ross says X-Pac paid the price for victory. They’ll update the fans if they get any news.

Vince has a master plan. After booking Austin in a Triple Threat, he unleashed Taker and Kane on the WWF. JR thinks Vince stacked the deck against Austin in this glorified handicap fight. Then Taker and Kane gave Austin a double chokeslam and Vince mocked Stone Cold. Taker said it’s nothing personal. This is business. But Austin says it’s personal when you try to take his belt! At the PPV, don’t expect Austin 3:16. It will be Austin 666! Taker told Steve to take a long look at what was standing in front of him. Even Vince guarantees Austin will no longer hold the championship.

JR doesn’t like Austin’s odds, but Lawler is sick of hearing it. Jerry believes Austin has a better chance because he has more options than Taker and Kane. They can only pin Austin, but Steven can pin either of them! Then we see footage from Heat. Austin disguised himself as a member of the crew and attacked Vince!

Next, Kane and Taker have separate entrances. Lawler doesn’t understand, but then he figures it out. Kane wanted Taker to have his own spotlight. JR doesn’t buy the explanation. Meanwhile, Austin clocks Taker with a chair during his entrance. Kane comes to his aid and receives the same.

Triple Threat Match for the WWF Title: The Undertaker vs. Kane vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (c)

Notes: Vince placed Austin in a match against Taker & Kane. Anybody could step up to be Austin’s partner, except Rock, Mankind, or Shamrock. Billy Gunn answered the call, but he took the pinfall loss. Afterward, Austin used a chair on his PPV opponents. This enraged Taker & Kane. So Vince unleashed them on Rock, Mankind & Shamrock. With Taker & Kane focused on Rock & Mankind, Austin targeted Vince. The brothers chased Stone Cold backstage, but they didn’t hurry to save McMahon. Rock, Mankind, & Shamrock’s involvement worried Vince. If anyone interrupts the main event, he’ll strip Austin of the belt. Next, Vince ordered Austin to fight Mark Henry in a cage on Heat. Chyna attacked Mark, which left Vince in the cage alone. A member of the ring crew locked the door. It was Austin in disguise! He beat up McMahon. But Vince promised the last laugh. Austin won’t have his gold anymore after tonight!

The Match: Austin fights off both competitors and crotches Kane on the post. He even nails a Stunner, but Taker pulls Austin outside. Then they fight at ringside. Taker hits Kane by accident. They argue, so Austin chokes them with a cable. But Taker and Kane take control with a double hotshot on the announce table. Meanwhile, The Stooges watch in the aisle. This leads to brawling in the entrance. Austin attacks The Stooges, but Taker and Kane stop him. When they return to the ring, Kane and Taker double-team Austin. However, they pull each other off of pin attempts. It causes fighting between the brothers. Austin uses the opening. He fights and whips Taker and Kane into each other. Austin evades a Tombstone. But Kane avoids a Stunner and shoves Steve into Taker’s boot. The brothers then nail a double chokeslam and both men pin Austin for a three!

Thoughts: It was mostly punching and kicking. I liked the story and the stuff with The Stooges, but the rest was dull. The finish didn’t bother me. I know what happens next, so it’s fine. But the match itself was a slog. They accomplished their goal. I only wish they’d done it in a more exciting way.

Winner: ???? (22:05)

The Fink doesn’t know who to declare the winner. He goes silent in the middle of his announcement. The confusion dumbfounds JR and King. Vince doesn’t care. He demands Austin’s smoking skull belt. Vince takes it and retreats, so Austin follows. The Stooges slow his pursuit. They give Vince time to escape. Austin fights through the pack and limps backstage. When he arrives, McMahon flips him off. Vince holds the belt and says, “You don’t have it anymore! It’s mine!” He then enters the limo and they drive away.

The Good:

• The opener was fun.

• The Cage Match was good.

• The Rock and Mankind’s promos.

• The ending.

The Bad:

• Throwaway matches.

• TV feuds not resulting in PPV bouts.

• Vader’s treatment.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to The Rock again. His promo and his performance in the cage were both great.

Final Thoughts:

This show was average. Nothing on it was bad, but much of it was dull and flat. The first half was throwaway matches with little build. They developed the matches for the second half well. But the action was lackluster, except the cage. Even the main event was disappointing. I didn’t hate it, but it was forgettable. However, I love the closing scene of the PPV. Despite the rest of the show, that final shot is memorable.

Thank you for reading. My next review is the WWF’s Judgment Day: In Your House. Look for it next Sunday.