Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents Heat
Date: 12/13/1998
From: Vancouver, British Columbia
Matches:
1.) WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Duane Gill defeated Matt Hardy to retain the title
2.)
3.) Triple H defeated Droz
4.) WWF Tag Team Champions Road Dogg & Billy Gunn defeated The Acolytes by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) This is the same night as In Your House: Rock Bottom.
2.) Vince McMahon makes his way out to start the program and remains at the top of the aisle. McMahon says there is no chance in hell that Steve Austin will ever be the WWF World Champion ever again. McMahon will not go back on his word that Austin would be able to qualify for the Royal Rumble if he were to win. However, Austin will not win and his dream will be buried alive tonight on pay per view. McMahon says the pay per view is dedicated to the Rock and praises him as the best champion in WWF history. McMahon asks for a drumroll and reveals two large banners of the Rock holding the WWF World Championship. McMahon makes fun of the Canadian crowd for not knowing if they want to speak French or English. McMahon believes that everyone should leave Canada and crawl down to Washington D.C. and ask to be United States citizens. Vince brings out his son, Shane McMahon, who will be doing commentary with Kevin Kelly.
3.) Debra is confident that Jeff Jarrett will defeat Goldust tonight. Jarrett just stood there smiling.
4.) Hardy beats on Gill with a few strikes but misses a clothesline. Hardy connects with a swinging neckbreaker and chokes Gill over the middle rope. Hardy hits a Razors Edge sit down powerbomb, but doesn’t attempt a cover. Hardy hits a springboard moonsault, but Blue Meanie enters and hits Hardy with a DDT allowing Gill to win the match. (1/2*. Seriously?)
5.) We see footage from earlier in the day where WWF World Champion was interviewed by Michael Cole in the luxury suites. Mankind is right behind Rock almost instantly, as Rock brags about having banners of himself in the arena. Mankind then walks away. Mankind returns as Rock insults Mankind. Mankind attacks Rock with right hands in the luxury suites. Mankind hits Rock with a table and a projector. Mankind beats on Rock with a potted plant. Rock is left laying as Mankind proceeds to leave the room.
6.) Backstage, Rock is being checked by the doctor and Rock has broken ribs. Rock agrees with the doctor that he can’t wrestle tonight.
7.) Mankind is watching on a television and is rocking back and forth. Mankind leaves the room and is on the hunt to see what he can do about that. Mankind ends up making his way down to the ring. Shane McMahon is getting a little nervous at the commentary table. Mankind has something in his hands and wants to play lets make a deal with Vince McMahon. That is because if Rock can’t compete in the match, then the title goes to Mankind. Mankind will erase that detail from the contract after a talk with Vince.
8.) Backstage, Rock is pissed and is saying he will not give up the championship. Rock is trying to get answers from Patterson, Briscoe and Sgt. Slaughter.
9.) Christopher hip tosses Quinn to start the match and plays to the crowd. Quinn delivers a standing kick and a overhead belly to belly suplex. Quinn misses a crossbody and goes over the top to the floor. Christopher hits a sunset flip powerbomb off the apron onto the floor. Christopher hits a missile dropkick and plays to the crowd by dancing a little bit. Quinn crotches Christopher over the top rope. Quinn hits a handspring splash in the corner and tries for a tornado DDT, but Christopher tosses Quinn away. Quinn counters a powerbomb attempt and manages to rollup Christopher for the win. (*. Well, the fans weren’t buying into Quinn here at all as he missed a couple of spots and they let him hear it. It was a poor time to have a bad showing, I’d say.)
10.) Droz attacks HHH from behind with several right hands for the early advantage followed by a leaping spinning elbow strike. Droz continues with a vertical suplex and a clothesline. HHH gets control with several chops in the corner but runs into a boot in the corner. HHH stops Droz with a knee strike and hits the Pedigree for the win. (1/2*. Another quick match and I wish they wouldn’t hurt the momentum of Droz after a strong showing the previous week.) After the match, Animal isn’t thrilled with Droz.
11.) Shawn Michaels comes out with Big Bossman and Ken Shamrock telling DX that they are barred from ringside for the WWF Tag Team Championship match. Michaels says he’s bulletproof and is going to show there is no hard feelings. The Outlaws will be having a warmup match on Heat.
12.) Vince McMahon is backstage and dismisses the Rock having to give up the championship. McMahon is confident they will reach an agreement tonight regarding the title match.
13.) Debra and Jeff Jarrett make their way down to the ring. Michael Cole is there to interview them. Jarrett says that Goldust is going to strip naked tonight. Jarrett assures us that the fans will not be seeing Debra’s perfect body. Debra knows she will stay covered up, too.
14.) Michael Cole stands by the buried alive area and promotes what we’ll see and describes the area.
15.) Bradshaw and Faarooq beat on the Outlaws to start the match as the Outlaws were still getting dressed in the ring. Dogg is sent into the ropes and is met with a double shoulder block. Gunn gets in the ring and distracts the referee. Dogg comes off the middle rope to clothesline Faarooq. Gunn enters the match and hammers away on the Acolytes. Bradshaw and Faarooq stop Gunn with strikes in the corner. All four men are in there with the Acolytes controlling the match. Dogg works over Faarooq with a few strikes while Bradshaw delivered a clothesline in the corner on Gunn. Big Bossman and Ken Shamrock roll into the ring and beat on the Outlaws. Triple H runs down to the ring while the Acolytes brawl with Shamrock and Bossman in the ring. Dogg and Gunn leave the ring. The lights go out and Undertaker’s music hits.
16.) Undertaker says tonight will be the final chapter on their journey to hell. Taker is going to claim Austin’s soul and his ministry gets stronger while Austin gets weaker. A lightning rod his the buried alive area to close the program.
Final Thoughts:
I was annoyed with the lack of focus on the matches. I’m not a fan of every match lasting under a minute. This wouldn’t make me more excited for the pay per view.
Thanks for reading.