Original Airdate: February 22, 1999 (taped February 16)
From Chattanooga, Tennessee; Your Hosts are Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler
Vince McMahon is out to kick things off, and he recommends that anyone with a weak stomach leave the building right now, because we’re going to have a human roast tonight, when Kane faces Undertaker in an Inferno match. Vince then brings Paul Wight out to cut a (basic) promo, but he makes the mistake of saying that he ‘single handedly’ is responsible for Rock winning the WWF Title last week. That draws Rock out, and he’s none too pleased, but Wight doesn’t back down, and they trade barbs. Rock was effortlessly funny in those days, it didn’t feel forced like it would later. Anyway, they can’t get along, so Mankind comes out and offers to play referee for them. And we have a match for later. Also, Wight wants to be known as ‘the Big Nasty,’ and thank goodness that didn’t stick
Backstage, the Corporation are all yelling at each other
Gangrel and Edge v Public Enemy: This is the Enemy’s debut. Everyone brawls right away, with the Brood in control. The Enemy get control, and hit a combo, so Christian comes in to attack for the DQ at 1:27. Quite the debut. Afterwards, the Enemy take a blood bath to really put them over. DUD
Backstage, the Ministry of Darkness beat up the Brood for losing
#1 Contender’s Match: Ken Shamrock v Billy Gunn: WWF Intercontinental Champion Val Venis sits in on commentary for this, since he’ll face the winner at WrestleMania. Shamrock tries going after Val before the bell, allowing Billy to attack. Gunn delivers a neckbreaker for two, and he hammers Shamrock in the corner, but misses a corner splash. That allows Ken a clothesline for two, Shamrock with a DDT for two, as Val proves why he should stick to the pre-written jokes he delivers before the matches. Gunn returns fire with a rocker dropper, but Shamrock wins a slugfest, and pounds Billy down in the corner. Val decides to head over to ‘help’ Shamrock, but Ken gets offended, and throws Venis into the steps. Billy comes over to fight with him as well, and everyone brawls, as the match gets tossed at 4:56. This was just kind of ‘stuff.’ Afterwards, Ryan Shamrock comes down, but Ken drags her off. ½*
Backstage, Vince tries to calm Rock down
Kevin Kelly brings WWF Women’s Champion Sable out, and Sable wants that stalker to come into the ring. She introduces herself as ‘Tori,’ and Sable tells her off, calling her a ‘freak,’ and telling her to ‘get a life.’ That draws Luna out to defend Tori, and she reminds Sable that the only reason she’s successful is because of how she looks. That still makes her a massive babyface to this crowd, though. And then Sable hits both Luna and Tori with the title belt before leaving, and they still cheer her. What a time 1999 was
Backstage, Vince tries to calm Wight down
Handicap Match: D-lo Brown v Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett: Owen attacks from behind, but Brown fights him off with a belly-to-belly suplex, so Jeff comes in to save. The WWF Tag Team champions dominate, but Brown catches Jeff with a sitout powerbomb for two. Owen quickly helps cut him off, and they hit Brown with a combo. Hart with a vertical suplex, but Brown fights off another double team, as Terri Runnels and Jacqueline make their way down. Jackie hits Brown with a missile dropkick, knocking him into a spinheel kick from Owen at 3:27. ½*
Backstage, Mankind prepares for his role as referee
WWF Title Match: Rock v Paul Wight: Mankind is the special guest referee, and Vince McMahon sits in on commentary. Meanwhile, Rock is still wrestling in a tracksuit. Rock tries shoving him around, but that goes badly, and then they both immediately turn on Mankind, and deliver a beating at 0:20. So, it was the plan all along. Couldn’t they just challenge Mankind to a match and beat him up that way? It’s not like he’s ever hard to get into a ring. Hey, but at least they didn’t sell this as the main event of the show, that would have been disappointing. Here, in the middle of the card, it’s just a harmless angle. DUD
Backstage, the Corporation celebrate
Steve Blackman v Droz: Droz attacks before the bell, and turnbuckle smashes him. Droz unloads in the corner, and a clothesline connects. Backdrop, but Blackman hooks a sunset flip for two, so Droz cuts him off. Droz with a bodyslam to set up an elbowdrop for two, and he dumps Steve to the outside for some abuse out there. Inside, Steve comes back, and hits a powerslam at 3:13. Afterwards, Droz chokes him down with a weapon, so I guess this feud isn’t over. DUD
Backstage, Kane fires Kane up
Backstage, Undertaker embraces darkness, and promises a surprise tonight
Val Venis v Goldust: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line. Goldust manages to corner him for a ten-punch count early on, but Val hits a Russian legsweep. Goldust fights back, but Blue Meanie shows up. He drops Val with a DDT on the floor during a brawl on the outside, and Goldust scores the pinfall off of it at 3:59. DUD
Backstage, X-Pac and Chyna each warm up, via split screen
Backstage, WWF European Champion Shane McMahon enjoys some mirror time
WWF Hardcore Title Match: Hardcore Holly v Bart Gunn: They slug it out, and Gunn gets the better of it. To the outside, Holly smashes a glass over his head, then blasts him with a chair, as they get right down to business. Holly’s hand is busted open from the glass shot, though Bart’s head managed to avoid the same fate. Gunn hits him with a glass, and they spill into the crowd for a brawl. Holly manages to spray him with a fire extinguisher as they spill back to ringside, and then throws a tray of ice at him. Enough with the beverage related violence already! Holly tries a suplex on the ramp, but Gunn reverses for two, then chucks Holly into the steps. Bart gets some payback with the fire extinguisher, but Holly fights him off with a bodyslam on the ramp. They fight up to the stage, where Bart smashes a watermelon over his head, which may be the most random weapon we’ve seen yet. Did one of the crew guys stash it for a snack, or something? It gets better, as Holly finds a crate of bananas to smash his challenger with. That’s a rando banando. They keep fighting, until masked dude in an Asian outfit shows up, and chucks Bart off of the stage, and through a table. That allows Holly the pin at 8:17. These matches aren’t my thing. This wasn’t a bad version of one, and was actually the best match of the night thus far, but it’s just not my tempo. *
#1 Contender’s Match: X-Pac v Chyna: X-Pac goes after Shane McMahon instead of focusing on the task at hand, and Chyna attacks. Chyna tries a bronco buster, but gets dodged, and X-Pac takes off after Shane again. Meanwhile, Triple H comes in to hit Chyna with the pedigree, and X-Pac gets the pin at 1:11. I really appreciated the legitimate terror and creativity in Shane’s attempts to run away from X-Pac. It has genuine realism to it. DUD
Inferno Match: Kane v Undertaker: Vince sits in on commentary here. Slugfest to start, dominated by Undertaker. Kane fires back, and a powerslam lands, making McMahon happy. More slugging, and Undertaker tries a vertical suplex, but gets reversed, as Paul Bearer brings Vince a gift. McMahon doesn’t open it, but Bearer leaves it on the announce table for him. Meanwhile, Kane cross corner whips Undertaker, and tries to shove him into the flames, as Vince opens the box. Inside is a teddy bear, which seems to hold some significance to him, because he’s rattled. So much so that he leaves the desk, as Undertaker turnbuckle smashes Kane. More slugging, and Kane tosses Undertaker over the top, but Undertaker is able to make it to the floor to avoid the fire. Kane dives after him from the top, but misses, and hits the announce table, as McMahon agonizes about the bear at ringside. Kane reverses a whip into the steps, but a big boot misses, resulting in Kane landing in the flames at 6:50. Yeah, these aren’t my tempo either. Afterwards, Undertaker takes the bear from Vince, and lights it on fire, as McMahon sobs, and we end on that mysterious note. ¼*
BUExperience: There was a lot going on, and it was never dull, though the actual in-ring presentation was almost nonexistent. Where’s Steve Austin, though? We’re building to WrestleMania, and they barely make mention of him.
Monday Night Wars Rating Chart
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.