Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents Heat
Date: 9/20/1998
From: Sacramento, CA
Matches:
1.) Mankind defeated Dustin Runnels
2.) Jacqueline defeated Luna
3.) WWF European Champion D’Lo Brown, Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Triple H, X-Pac & WWF Tag Team Champion Billy Gunn
4.) Edge defeated WWF Lightweight Champion Taka Michinoku
5.) The Undertaker & Kane defeated Skull & 8-Ball
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The Rock and Ken Shamrock are at ringside in Mankind’s corner for the singles match. Runnels backs Mankind into a corner but cleanly backs away. Mankind punches Runnels several times to get control of the match. Mankind elbows Runnels knocking him to the floor. Runnels regroups on the floor but Mankind follows and forearms Dustin before sending him back into the ring. We see Vince McMahon talking to Kane and Undertaker backstage during the match. Mankind tries a backdrop but Runnels delivers a right hand and clothesline. Runnels hammers away on Mankind with right hands. Mankind plants Runnels with a double arm DDT. Mankind signals for the Mandible Claw. Runnels gets up and Mankind shoves his fingers down Runnels throat to win the match. (1/2*. That was basically just a squash match.)
2.) Val Venis makes his way down to the ring as Runnels tries to get over his loss. Venis has a microphone and does his usual catchphrase. Venis tells Runnels that his wife has been down on him recently. Venis likes to spread his good cheer whenever he can. Venis wants to raise Runnels emotions and introduces his latest video. The video is called “How Terri Got Her Groove”. Venis is laying in bed with Terri and knows it must be difficult to see his wife in bed with another man. They raise the covers and the video ends. Runnels has a meltdown in the ring. Venis says that Terri knows how rock hard he is.
3.) Backstage, Undertaker and Kane are interviewed regarding their deal with Vince McMahon. Taker wants to know why everyone wants to get them angry. Taker says that their business deal is simply business. Taker wouldn’t throw water onto Vince if he was on fire. Michael Cole thinks that the master plan may be flawed. Taker talks about Shamrock, Rock and Mankind. Taker says if they get in their way then they will be hurt badly. They take no prisoners and show no mercy. They will be wrestling DOA and Taker says that it means Dead On Arrival to them. Taker says they stand in their way and says they will be their next victims. Kane grabs the microphone and says their destiny will be Austin’s demise. Mankind runs into the scene and attacks Kane and Undertaker. Ken Shamrock and the Rock run into the scene and they are brawling. Vince McMahon tries to breakup the madness but isn’t very successful until several officials come into the scene.
4.) Backstage, Vince McMahon is talking to Mankind wondering what he is thinking. Vince tells Mankind that he has plans. Mankind tells Vince he has to understand why he’s upset. Vince asks if Mankind got his card, and Mankind says he did. Vince tells Mankind that they are going to get hurt. Vince wants Mankind to leave for his own protection. He wants Rock and Shamrock to leave as well. Mankind doesn’t drive and asks for a ride. Mankind shakes Vince’s hand before leaving.
5.) Jacqueline attacks Luna before the bell to get the cheap advantage. Jacqueline back elbows Luna coming off the ropes for the early advantage. Luna drives Jacqueline face first onto the mat for a two count. Luna continues with a neckbreaker and hits a middle rope splash for a two count. Luna misses a splash in the corner and crashes to the canvas. Jacqueline kicks Luna on the legs and works over the left leg with a figure four. Luna submits. (*. Jacqueline has a program while Luna doesn’t. So, this made sense.) After the match, Sable wants Jacqueline to come to the ring. Jacqueline says tomorrow night she challenges Sable to a wrestling match. Sable says that should be easy since Jacqueline gets nailed enough. Sable accepts the match on RAW.
6.) Brown and Gunn start off the six man tag match trading wristlocks. Brown nails Gunn with a back elbow. Brown works over Gunn with right hands in the corner. Gunn press slams Brown and ducks a clothesline managing to hit the Fame-Asser. X-Pac tags in but Brown delivers an eye rake and tags in Owen. Owen works over Pac with strikes against the ropes. Owen comes off the ropes with a shoulder block but Pac delivers a hip toss. HHH gets tagged in and decks Owen with a right hand. HHH nails Owen with a high knee lift for a two count. Jarrett knee lifts HHH from the apron and Owen plants HHH with a DDT. Jarrett gets tagged in and stomps away on HHH. Throughout the match there are many glitches, which seem to be on purpose. Jarrett hits a swinging neckbreaker on HHH. Brown delivers a leg drop and taunts Billy Gunn. Owen atomic drops HHH and comes off the ropes with a clothesline for a two count. Owen distracts the referee to allow HHH to be double teamed in the corner. Brown stomps away on HHH to keep control of the match. HHH drops Brown face first over his knee and both men are down. Pac gets the tag and he spin kicks Brown. Pac takes Brown over with a snap suplex for a two count. All six men are brawling in the ring as Pac hits the bronco buster on Jarrett. Mark Canterbury plants Pac with a pump handle slam and that allows Brown to hit the Lo Down to pin Pac once again. After the match, Mark Henry hits HHH with a leg drop on the floor. (**1/4. They kept a good pace and the action was fine. I’m not sure why they did the same finish from last week with the interference on X-Pac.)
7.) Al Snow has been in the production truck, which explains why there were so many mess ups during the previous match.
8.) Edge knee lifts Taka and delivers several right hands while we see security walking backstage towards Al Snow. Edge hits Taka with a spinning heel kick but Taka avoids a powerbomb. Edge finishes Taka off with the Downward Spiral for the win. Well, that was quick. After the match, Kaientai come into the ring and attack Edge. Gangrel runs into the ring and makes the save for Edge. Gangrel tells Edge “you will come home” which leaves Edge confused.
9.) Backstage, Al Snow has been arrested for messing around in the production truck. Al Snow is brought to the ring where Sgt. Slaughter rips into Snow calling him a moron and wants to know what is Snow’s problem. Slaughter says that Snow is banned from the WWF and doesn’t want him anywhere near the WWF. Snow is laughing saying he sneezed out his butt. Slaughter says that Snow doesn’t have any respect and he’s here to discipline Snow. Slaughter tells Snow that he challenges him to a bootcamp match on RAW tomorrow night. Snow wants to know what is in it for him if he wins. Slaughter laughs and says he will reinstate Snow. Slaughter proceeds to attack a handcuffed Snow. Slaughter locks in the cobra clutch until security gets in the ring.
10.) Skull and 8-Ball attack Kane and Undertaker before the bell but their offense doesn’t last very long. Taker works over Skull with right hands against the ropes. Taker comes off the ropes with a leaping clothesline and Kane tags in kicking 8-Ball in the midsection. Kane continues to hammer away on 8-Ball missing a back elbow and 8-Ball gets a few strikes in. Kane stops 8-Ball with a side slam. Kane goes to the top rope hitting a flying clothesline on 8-Ball. 8-Ball and Kane attempt big boots at the same time and fall down. Skull tags in and gets kicked by Taker on the apron Kane plants Skull with a chokeslam. Kane has the cover but 8-Ball breaks up the cover. Taker brawls with 8-Ball on the floor while Skull spikes Kane with a piledriver. Taker drops Skull over the top rope throat first. Kane hits the tombstone for the win. (*1/2. I’m glad they kept it very short and it served the purpose to put over Kane and Taker as a dominating duo.)
Final Thoughts:
Nothing all that memorable this week for Heat, though they advanced several feuds. The whole situation between Slaughter and Snow came across kind of odd to me. Slaughter clearly doesn’t care about rules or anything if he’s just going to beat up Snow while handcuffed. I can’t recommend this episode because there wasn’t enough quality action attached to it.
Thanks for reading.