Original Airdate: June 8, 1998 (taped June 2)
From Rockford, Illinois; Your Host is Jim Ross, with Michael Cole (hour one), and with Jerry Lawler (hour two)
We start with a tribute to Junkyard Dog, who passed away the week before
Vince McMahon (and cronies) comes out to announce that he will be named the ‘humanitarian of the year’ later tonight, and in a big surprise, WWF Champion Steve Austin will attend the ceremony as Vince’s guest
King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: Ken Shamrock v Kama Mustafa: Slugfest to start, won by Kama. He adds a corner whip to set up an avalanche, but a clotheslines misses, and Shamrock rebounds with a bodypress for two. Ken adds a jumping backelbow, and lands a leg lariat. Rana, but Kama uses a spinebuster to block, and he goes after Ken’s ankle. Shamrock shoots off an inside cradle for two, but Kama cuts him off with a clothesline, and goes back to the ankle. He gets some traction, but Ken pops off an anklelock for the win at 2:44. There wasn’t enough time to tell a real story, but it was at least okay for what it was. ½*
DX hang out in Manhattan to tell people about SummerSlam coming to New York. And also to act like racists
Jeff Jarrett and Marc Mero v Faarooq and Steve Blackman: Mero and Faarooq start, and Marc dominates, using his educated fists. He tries a leapfrog, but Faarooq catches him with a spinebuster, and he wrenches a wristlock on. Tag to Steve to continue on the arm, but Mero rakes the eyes, and passes to Jeff. Jarrett with a 2nd rope axehandle, and he uses a turnbuckle smash, but loses a reversal sequence. Blackman with a series of strikes, but he gets outsmarted in the corner, and Jeff delivers a Russian legsweep. Jarrett lands a dropkick ahead of a somersault cradle for two, but a bodyslam gets countered with a small package for two. Jeff tries a backelbow, but Steve ducks it, and nails him with a knife-edge. Blackman with a powerslam for two, so Mero comes in, but Faarooq cuts him off, and Roseanne Barr the door! The heels get control, but Mero is too busy flirting with Jacqueline, and Blackman schoolboys Jarrett at 3:16. Another one that was simply too short to be of any real substance, but wasn’t useless. ½*
More with DX in Manhattan. Please, no. This was embarrassing, with more racism, and making confused grandmas do crotch chops
King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: Owen Hart v Scorpio: They trade wristlocks to start, but Owen blocks a rollup, and lands a spinheel kick for two. He knocks Scorpio to the outside for a baseball slide, and Hart dives after him with a plancha. Scorpio beats the count, and dives at Hart with a flying bodypress for two. Scorpio adds a standing dropkick ahead of an armdrag into an armbar, followed by a savate kick for two once Owen gets vertical. Scorpio with a corner whip to set up a corner splash, but Hart blocks another corner whip, and hooks a bridging German suplex for two. Hart adds a neckbreaker to set up a 2nd rope elbowdrop for two, but a flying splash gets blocked when Scorpio gets his boot up. Owen went for it though, none of that weak ‘land on his feet’ stuff. Scorpio makes a comeback, and a powerbomb sets up a flying moonsault, but Owen rolls out of the way! Owen then brutally clips the knee, and works the part a bit, before putting it away with the Sharpshooter at 5:16. I had high hopes for this one, and luckily they gave them enough time. Nothing special, but solid. ** ¼
Undertaker arrives, and storms around searching for McMahon
Chainz v Darren Drozdov: Watch, this will end up getting ten minutes. They measure each other early on, with Droz holding his own against the veteran. Droz with a hiptoss and a dropkick to put Chainz on the outside, and he stalls a bit to kill the momentum. Back inside, Chainz catches him with a boot, and a big boot gets him two. Chainz goes to a chinlock, until Droz slugs free, so Chainz powerslams him. That allows him a flying kneedrop, but he takes too long, and Droz dodges. Droz makes a comeback, as Ross promises that Mankind will break bones when he faces Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match at King of the Ring. Well, you can’t say it was false advertising. Droz ends up missing a corner splash, allowing Chainz a death valley driver at 2:53. This was competent enough, just cold. Afterwards, Undertaker storms out, and beats both guys up, screaming for McMahon. ½*
After the break, Undertaker is still in the ring waiting for Vince, but Vince doesn’t even acknowledge him, he’s busy glad handing the guys who are there to give him his award later
DX come out to gloat about their earlier racism, but LOD 2000 interrupt, asking for a shot at the New Age Outlaws’ WWF Tag Team title. “Sure.” Well, that was easy. But then Skull and 8-Ball decide to show up (they just materialize wherever there’s racism, I guess), and they want a shot, too. But if everyone wants a shot, no one gets a shot, so suck it. That ends in Commissioner Slaughter deciding that we’re getting a Triple Threat for the title later tonight. Weak
Backstage, Undertaker throws some furniture around, still looking for McMahon. He doesn’t really hang out at catering, dude. Maybe try the bathrooms
Edge vignette
Vader v Mark Henry: Posturing to start, but Vader overpowers him as they measure each other. He tries a bodyslam, but can’t lift him, and Henry reverses. That allows Mark an elbowdrop, and a legdrop follows. Mark pounds him into the corner, but a whip into the ropes gets reversed, and Vader bodyblocks him. Vader with a bodyslam to set up a 2nd rope splash, but Henry gets to his feet, and catches him in a powerslam. They really telegraphed that one, but whatever. And then Undertaker just comes out and beats up both guys for the no-contest at 2:39. Whatever indeed. ¼*
King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: D-lo Brown v Dan Severn: Brown makes the mistake of slapping him at the bell, and Dan tackles him down. Brown manages to get a waistlock on, but Dan reverses, so D-lo throws an elbow. Brown with a spinheel kick, but he wastes time, and walks into a belly-to-belly suplex. Dan adds a clothesline, and he pounds Brown into the corner, then uses a German suplex to set up a modified surfboard for the submission at 3:07. Severn wasn’t very good, and someone at Brown’s level wasn’t the right person to carry him. Afterwards, Owen Hart runs in to attack Dan, but Ken Shamrock chases him off. ¼*
Sable tribute video. She’s not dead, guys
Earlier today, Austin gladhands football players in attendance
Dustin Runnels v Val Venis: Dustin takes control after some posturing, using a backdrop, then a clothesline to put Val over the top. Dustin follows for a smash into the steps, and he uses an armdrag into an armbar on the way back in. Nicely done. Val fights him off, and delivers a side suplex, leading to an elbowdrop. Val with a cross corner whip into a sleeper, but Runnels reverses, so Venis uses a jawbreaker to break. Venus works a camel clutch, but Runnels escapes, and delivers an inverted atomic drop. Val tries a backdrop, but Runnels blocks, and clotheslines him. Dustin with a flying clothesline for two, as Ross keeps calling him ‘Goldust.’ Runnels with a bulldog for two, as Undertaker storms down for another no-contest at 5:35. This didn’t flow. ¼*
DX attack Dok Hendrix with Super Soakers
Backstage, Undertaker attacks Slaughter as he searches for McMahon. Seriously, the bathrooms. Just try it
WWF Tag Team Title Triple Threat Match: The New Age Outlaws v LOD 2000 v Skull and 8-Ball: First fall wins it here. Billy Gunn and Animal start, and Animal knocks him around, but loses a criss cross. Animal comes back with a powerslam, so Jesse James runs in, but gets the same. Billy passes to 8-Ball to pound on Animal, but James gets tagged in, and pounded. This is pretty rough so far. Everyone keeps trading off with nothing punch/kick stuff, until both Outlaws end up getting tagged in, and Jesse hits the deck for Billy to pin at 7:18. Total crap. DUD
Backstage, the police arrive
Al Snow comes out trying to be a part of Vince’s ceremony, but gets escorted out
The cops surround Undertaker backstage, hoping to keep the peace ahead of the ceremony
Kevin Kelly hosts Vince’s humanitarian award ceremony, and as promised, Austin joins them. George Martin (athlete, not Beatles producer) is on hand to present the award, and he throws a bunch of shade, noting that Vince actually promised more money than he ended up giving. But, he still gets the award. So, Vince is all touched (as usual, he plays his part perfectly), but Austin is pissed that Vince stiffed the charity, so he pickpockets $1,200 bucks off of him, and gives it away. But then the lights die, and Undertaker’s music comes on, with a bunch of druids wheeling a casket out. It turns out to be Kane and Mankind, and they beat Steve down, trapping him in the casket as the show ends. Yeah, there’s a reason this one never gets checked in the highlight reels
BUExperience: This period was very entertaining, but this was not one of the stronger episodes. Even the Austin/McMahon stuff was pretty flat.
Monday Night Wars Rating Chart
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.