Written by: Kevin Kildenberger
It will be interesting to see what the WWF does tonight. Coming off a solid PPV and with the Russo era beginning in WCW, I expect a jam packed show. Hopefully they do not jam it with shit like the last couple of weeks. Ratings are starting to come down to earth with a 5.45 while Nitro received a 3.3.
The Rock comes out and goes off on HHH and his sledgehammer. He is not happy about the people’s ribs getting assaulted. He is going to take it and stick it up his candy ass. He asks if the crowd can smell what he is cooking and the glass shatters and here comes Austin. Austin is not happy and wonders if he is hard of hearing. He does not like the Rock calling himself the number one contender and does not see it that way. Also, does not like being hit by the sledgehammer. He wants Rock to take off his silk shirt so they can settle business right now. Rock slowly takes it off and Austin takes his shirt off too and cue Vince. Basically HHH gets to choose his next opponent or at least his opinion. Vince calls him out. Vince is berating him and he finally comes out. He is giddy that it pisses off the fans that Austin is not the champ and he is sure that it angers Vince too who cannot get the job done no matter what he tries. Austin could not do it. Vince interrupts telling him that he just wanted his opinion. HHH starts and Rock tells him that it does not matter what he thinks. Now Vince takes literally four hours to tell us that HHH will face both the Rock and Austin at the PPV.
Match 1: X Pac and Kane v. Dudley Boyz
Bubba Ray does not like how people make fun of his speech. At least he can talk and then mocks Kane who slugs him and then takes out Devon too. All four are going at it. Now it is just Devon and Pac and Devon is dropped in the corner after a bunch of heel kicks and it is Bronco Buster time. Bubba blindsides him and Kane stalks him. Headbangers come out….Devon goes up top and misses the diving headbutt. Kane gets the hot tag and goes off on Bubba Ray who got one too. The match breaks down and Bubba is chokeslammed and finished off. Headbangers lent a hand.
*1/2 Poor Dudley Boyz.
Mosh is making of Bubba Ray’s stutter. Now they brawl. The Boyz retreat.
Poker game in the back with the Acolytes v. Curtis and Fink.
Hardcore and Crash are talking to Vince and they tell Vince that they are the only super heavyweights and therefore deserve a title shot. Vince does not think they deserve it but it will be entertaining and so it is on.
Bossman comes out does not feel bad about Show’s dad because he had a loser of a son. He wants to find out how Hardcore he can be and looks forward to kicking his ass again.
Moolah and Mae Young are arguing about their age and the belt. Mae calls her ugly and they are about to fight. Mae wants a title shot and Moolah decks her! Officials pry her off.
Kevin Kelly is with Show. Show accepts the challenge.
HHH is walking in the back.
Henry is with some fat chick therapist and telling his tale of woe about all his therapist issues. She asks if he has had a non sexual hug and then attacks him and moans. Horrible.
Match 2: Godfather v. Viscera
Not a long match. Godfather controls most of it but misses the Ho Train because Mideon distracted him and Godfather is crushed and it is over.
*1/2
Poker again.
Mankind is looking for the Rock and talks about defending the tag belts. Rock does not care about the tag belts. Mankind gives him a copy of his book after Rock wonders who the Hollys are…..He tells the Rock where he is in the book and that is all he wanted to know. Mankind tries to give him Rocko but he refuses it.
Chyna comes out with Kitty and brags about winning the IC belt and how she can beat anyone at anytime. She announces an open challenge. Cue Jericho. He claims he is the best in this business. He has never been ashamed of being a part of this business until now. Standing in the ring is proof that this business is going downhill especially the WWF and it makes him sick. The IC belt was once the second most important title in the industry with such legends like Steamboat, Savage and the Mountie! He makes fun of her and her enhanced breasts. He would never hit a woman but she is not a woman but rather a hideous, grotesque freak of nature and he will beat the hell out of her to restore some pride to that belt. He is on the apron but turns his back and gets blasted with the IC belt and he flies over the announce table. He pitches a fit as Chyna and Kitty leave.
Match 3: Test v. British Bulldog
Bulldog hammers him and strikes with a vertical suplex. Test fires back and drops him. Davey grabs him and goes for the powerslam but Test escapes and nails him with the Meltdown. He leaves the ring and brings in a trash container. The Posse reemerges and stomps a hole in Test. Bulldog backs them off and takes the garbage can and smashes it down on his back.
*1/2 Angle advancement. Bulldog continues to look weak.
More poker. It was strip poker and the Acolytes take Fink.
Al Snow finds the book in the trash and finds the Mankind and informs him where he found it. Mankind thinks he is joking and when he realizes he does not he is really sad.
Val is in the ring and he is yapping about Snow and Mankind. He also reminds everyone why he is the fastest up and coming wrestler.
Match 4: Val Venis v. Al Snow
They are just wailing away. The fight spills to the floor and Val is whipped into the barrier. Al rolls him into the ring. They battle and exchange roll ups for two. Val floats behind but is rolled up and nearly pinned and Val rolls him over too. Snow hammers him but misses the moonsault. Val suplexes him and gets two. They go back and forth and Al strikes with a bridged German and gets two. They each miss punches until Val hooks him and nails him with a Russian leg sweep. Val slowly goes up top but Al is right there but he is knocked off and the Money Shot finishes him off.
**1/2 Ending was sudden but still a solid match. Decent length too.
Show and Bossman are preparing for their match….
Mankind confronts the Rock and freaks out about the book. Mankind screams that all he does is give and Dwayne just takes. He calls him a self-righteous, egotistical SOB. Rock does not like that and how dare Mankind break into the Rock’s dressing room. Mankind interrupts that he wants nothing to do with him after tonight and despises him and hopes he grows up. A lot of screaming and name calling.
Bossman is waiting in the ring for Show. Show has just been informed his dad is dead. Fucking horrible. Bossman demands that the ref award him the match.
Match 5: New Age Outlaws v. Acolytes
Bradshaw is manhandling Mr. Ass. He tosses him around and nearly gets the pin. Farooq continues manhandling him and the bottom rope breaks. Bradshaw is back in and Ass is getting pummeled. Road Dogg runs in and has had enough. Fink muffs up and Acolytes lose.
*1/2 Not much here.
Fink is getting yelled at in the back and smacked upside the head and pushed down by his ear.
Cole brings out the Hardys. Matt is struggling to speak. Probably high. They are no longer the New Brood and then repeats that. Edge and Christian come out and they do not want to fight but rather congratulate them for the great match they had. The fans gave them a standing ovation. They came out because of respect and they all shake hands. Gangrel comes out with Terri and brags being with her all last night. They all beat him up.
Bossman is on GTV and it was all a set up about Show.
Match 6: Rock and Sock (c) v. Hollys for WWF Tag Titles
Mankind is EMO on the steel steps as the Rock gets mauled. Rock fires back but gets taken down and punished. Mankind keeps looking back and then facedown again. Rock is battered in the corner, but he runs through Crash only to be dropkicked by Hardcore. Hardcore mocks Mankind. Rock is hammered some more and put in a sleeper. Rock fights up and strikes with a Samoan Drop. Rock gets two. Mankind has stood up. Rock tears into both and strikes with a DDT. But the Hollys come back and here comes HHH and he blasts the Rock. Austin runs down and takes out HHH and Rock goes off on HHH and then Austin interrupts and gives HHH a Stunner.
** Not a bad main event. The match ends with them staring at each other….Austin and Rock.
**1/2 Fast paced and not that bad. A vast improvement over the other shows. Hopefully this continues. There was some okay wrestling too. The Show angle is terrible and Rock and Sock got a big maudlin. Overall, nothing really happened but it did the job and it was nice to see Jericho mock Chyna though the overall feud seems a tad useless but we will see. I need not to be such a Jericho fanboy.