WWF Sunday Night Heat (January 24, 1999)

 

Original Airdate: January 24, 1999 

From Anaheim, California; Your Hosts are Kevin Kelly and Shane McMahon

Outside, Steve Austin shows up in his truck, but the parking attendant tells him parking is ‘for limos only.’ Fancy. Austin responds by doing donuts in the parking lot. I like how there were already tire tracks there before he did it, since they clearly did a test run before the final shot

The Corporation are out, and Vince McMahon wants to do some deck stacking. Specifically, WWF Champion Mankind needs to have a ‘warm up’ match before he defends against Rock at Royal Rumble… against a mystery opponent later. Also, if Austin can’t make his way into the building within the next thirty minutes, he forfeits his spot in the Rumble match

Outside, a limousine arrives, and a very large masked man is greeted by Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco - presumably Mankind’s opponent for later 

Too Much v Bob Holly and Scorpio: Brawl to start, with the babyfaces getting the better of it. It settles on Scott Taylor with Scorpio, and Scorpio goes up for a dive, but Brian Christopher knocks him off. That allows Too Much a tandem superplex, but their celebration goes awry when Scott falls over the top rope. That allows Scorpio to schoolboy Brian for two, and Holly tags in for a backelbow. Scott tags in, so Holly corner whips him, and delivers a bodyslam. Tag to Scorpio for a dive, but he gets into trouble with a double team, and Brian delivers a missile dropkick. They look to put things way, but Holly gets a tag, and Brian eats a falcon arrow at 3:46. Afterwards, the Ministry of Darkness show up to beat up both teams, clearing the path for Undertaker to come out and cut a cryptic promo about finding his ‘next victim’ tonight. Despite getting a new faction to lead, Undertaker has felt largely directionless for a while now. ¾*

Backstage, Mankind vows to never say ‘I quit’ tonight

Sable/Luna hype video. I like how they act as if Sable and Luna were the best of friends before Luna suddenly turned on her. They were literally feuding less than a year earlier!

Michael Cole brings WWF Women’s Champion Sable out to talk about her Strap match against Luna at the Rumble, but before she can get much out, Luna shows up to attack her

Backstage, the doctors look Sable over

Vince is back out, gloating that it doesn’t look like Austin is going to make it. But, just as he’s saying that, a limousine monster truck pops up on the screen, with Stone Cold at the wheel! He crushes the limousines and blows past the barricades to get into the building, and Steve marches into the arena. He goes face to face with Vince, so McMahon slaps him across the face - then hightails it out of the ring before Steve can retaliate. Vince gets away, but Austin gestures to his wrist - letting Vince know that time is ticking until he’ll get him in the Rumble match

Backstage, Austin enjoys a beverage 

Austin/McMahon feud review video

Backstage, Rock arrives, and grabs a spot by the monitor to watch Mankind’s warm up match

Mankind v Masked Man: The WWF Title is not on the line here. Mankind tries sticking and moving, and manages to get the Masked Man down in the corner, but the big guy fights him off, and turns the tide. They spill to the outside, where Mankind manages to send him into the steps a few times, but Man hits an avalanche on the way back in. Man with a pair of corner whips, and he clotheslines Mankind on the rebound. Man works him over (in sleepy, sloppy fashion), until Mankind manages a double-arm DDT, and the mandible claw. The mask comes off in the process, revealing Mabel, but before he can pass out, Rock hits the ring for the DQ at 5:04. This was embarrassingly bad. Mabel was working like he was determined not to break a sweat. -½*

Backstage, he stooges oil up Vince

BUExperience: This was the hard sell for the Rumble. They couldn’t have pushed the pay per view harder.