Original Airdate: March 17, 1998 (taped March 16)
From Phoenix, Arizona; Your Host is Jim Ross, with Michael Cole (hour one), and with Jerry Lawler and WWF European Champion Owen Hart (hour two)
Kevin Kelly brings Ken Shamrock out to start, and he cuts a promo on WWF Intercontinental Champion Rock. That draws the Nation of Domination out, and Rock tells Shamrock that, if he can last two minutes with any Nation member right now, he’ll give him a title shot tonight. Can’t get more Attitude Era than an endurance challenge that lasts two minutes
Ken Shamrock v D-lo Brown: Brown attacks while Shamrock is saying some very racially questionable things on the microphone, and he pounds Ken down. Legdrop connects, and a corner whip leads to a spinheel kick. Punch, but Ken blocks, and responds in kind. Shamrock adds a backelbow and a dropkick, then drops him with a belly-to-belly suplex to set up the anklelock - so Rock comes in and whacks Ken with a chair at 1:52 before Brown can submit. Boy, Rock always had a nasty habit of blasting guys with unprotected chair shots. And, yeah, part of that was just the style of the time, but even for that era, he was especially brutal. DUD
Backstage, Shamrock is being attended to by EMTs, and apparently has suffered a concussion
Sable storms out, still fuming about what happened with Luna Vachon last week, and challenges her to a fight tonight. Sable was like a little kid who just learned a swear word during this period, throwing them around to get reactions
The Phoenix Gorilla (the Phoenix Suns’ mascot) rappels from the rafters to do a little dance. I’m guessing this goes somewhere
Jeff Jarrett v Tom Brandi: The Gorilla sits in on commentary for this one, though he doesn’t actually say anything. Jarrett going through three gimmicks in as many months is another sign of the times, and the fact that he ended up right back with the same one he had during the New Generation era (the very same one he tore into in his return promo) is another one. The attention span was just nonexistent during this period. Jeff attacks from behind, and drops him with a swinging neckbreaker, then delivers a straddling ropechoke. Backelbow, but Tom ducks, and delivers a jumping version. Criss cross allows Brandi a nice neckbreaker, and a sunset flip gets him two. Corner charge misses, allowing Jarrett to apply the figure four for the submission at 1:37. Speaking of short attention spans. ¼*
Backstage, Shamrock is wheeled out on a stretcher, while Rock shows up to gloat. Rock is already writing Ken’s chances for appearing at WrestleMania off, and hopes they can find him another opponent in time
Video package on WWF Champion Shawn Michaels’ career. This was very well done, though kinda long
Handicap Match: The Headbangers v Jim Cornette and The Rock 'n' Roll Express: Thrasher starts with Ricky Morton, and he dominates a few criss crosses. That draws Robert Gibson in, but Thrasher hits him with a hiptoss, and Mosh comes in for a rowboat. That was pretty funny, though it felt like the crowd didn’t get the reference. I certainly wouldn’t have in 1998. The Express manage to get control of Mosh, and they work him over, but Morton takes a powerbomb/flying legdrop combo at 2:02. Cornette didn’t even tag in, and this still managed to be embarrassingly bad. Afterwards, the Headbangers go after Jim, but Bart Gunn and Bob Holly (both dressed in Midnight Express gear) make the save. Afterwards, Cornette announces that, in fact, they are the New Midnight Express, and has then beat up Ricky and Robert to turf them from the group. Jim was probably having a ball reliving his glory days here, but this whole NWA angle was such a massive dud. DUD
Gennifer Flowers will be at WrestleMania. This definitely went way over my head in 1998
The Gorilla is back, so Kane comes out to tombstone him
Billy Gunn v Chainsaw Charlie: WWF European Champion Owen Hart sits in on commentary here. Charlie attacks before the bell, but gets distracted by Jesse James, allowing Billy to turn the tide back. Meanwhile, James has the house mic in his hand, and does his own guest commentary on the match. Billy with a flurry of chops, and a piledriver finds the mark. A second piledriver follows for two when Gunn pulls him up, which Hart doesn’t approve of. He’s one to talk. Charlie makes a comeback, and a pair of DDTs look to put it away, but James comes in with the tag title belt to draw a DQ at 2:22. Wow, he really let him have it with that one. There was nothing to this one, it was just a bit of hype disguised as a match. Afterwards, Charlie fights the Outlaws off on his own, and then Cactus Jack shows up, helping Charlie tie Jesse up, and leave him hanging upside down like Crush at WrestleMania X. ¼*
The Bop It Slam of the Week is Steve Austin’s confrontation with Vince McMahon on last week’s show
Backstage, Luna Vachon agrees to give Sable a makeover tonight
Kevin Kelly brings Vince McMahon out to discuss what happened between him and Steve Austin last week, and McMahon clarifies that he didn’t hit Austin last week because he wanted to save the WrestleMania main event. Vince was incredible here, hitting the perfect balance of making the crowd laugh, but also hate him with true passion
Video package on Steve Austin’s career. Another good segment, as they do a great job of building the WrestleMania main event while letting the two principals heal ahead of the big event
Triple H comes down to talk trash at Owen, challenging him to put the European title on the line then and there, despite Owen having his leg in a cast. Hart declines, so HHH throws a drink in his face, and it’s on!
WWF European Title Match: Owen Hart v Triple H: Owen hammers him on the outside to start, and HHH eats the steps. Hunter manages to shoves him into the post to buy time, allowing Chyna to nail him with a baseball bat. Inside, Hunter slaps on an anklelock on the cast covered leg, and Hart is done at 0:51 (1:21 total). The angle here is that he doesn’t actually submit, but the referee stopped the match. Yeah, a lot of that going on with the Hart family during this period. DUD
Sable v Luna Vachon: No real match here, as the official can’t establish order, and then the women just kind of scuffle around for a few seconds before Marc Mero and Goldust break it up. Sable ends up twisting her ankle during the chaos, but before she and Marc can leave the ring, they’re joined by Kane! Marc takes off, leaving Sable alone with the monster, but as he closes in, the lights die, and Undertaker appears to burn Kane in effigy.
BUExperience: There was a lot not to like about the promotion at this stage, but you can’t deny its mojo.
Monday Night Wars Rating Chart
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