WWF Heat 12/20/1998

Written by: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation presents Heat
Date: 12/20/1998
From: Tacoma, WA

Matches:
1.) WWF European Champion X-Pac defeated Tiger Ali Singh in a non-title match
2.) Kevin Quinn & Brian Christopher defeated Hardy Boys
3.) Al Snow defeated Droz
4.) The Headbangers defeated The Oddities by disqualification
5.) Road Dogg & Billy Gunn defeated Skull & 8-Ball
6.) WWF World Champion The Rock defeated WWF Tag Team Champion & WWF Hardcore Champion Big Bossman, WWF Tag Team Champion & WWF Intercontinental Champion Ken Shamrock & Mankind to retain the title

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Singh gets the early advantage working over Pac with strikes in the corner. Singh press slams Pac down to the mat gut first. Singh takes some time to taunt the crowd. Pac avoids Singh and delivers several strikes followed by a clothesline. Pac continues with a spinning heel kick and more stomps in the corner. Pac hits the bronco buster in the corner! Singh misses a clothesline and Pac plants Singh with the X-Factor to win the match. (*. A rather quick match as expected, but Singh didn’t look too bad in this kind of match. Pac is a lot of fun to watch.)

2.) Backstage, Shawn Michaels is talking to the Corporation seemingly about the main event tonight.

3.) Matt and Quinn start the tag match with Quinn hitting a springboard head scissors. Christopher tags in and beats on Matt with a few strikes. Jeff tags in and fakes a punch. Christopher dances only to be met with an atomic drop and a clothesline. Jeff backdrops Christopher, but Quinn enters and is dropped over the top rope. Jeff hits a Swanton Bomb off the top rope. Quinn begs off as Christopher hits a full nelson leg sweep front slam. Christopher plants Jeff with a sit down powerbomb. Quinn climbs to the top rope looking for a crossbody, but Jeff dropkicks Quinn in midair. Matt scoop slams Quinn and does the same to Christopher. Matt climbs to the top looking for a moonsault, but Christopher got his knees up. Jeff misses a springboard spinning 450 splash. Quinn takes Jeff down with a suplex allowing Christopher to hit a top rope leg drop for the victory. (**. I enjoyed this match as Quinn looked a lot better in here and there was plenty of good action. I’d totally be in favor of a Too Much push.)

4.) Backstage, Mankind cuts a promo from the boiler room and says he won’t be hard to find.

5.) Snow and Droz trade right hands until Snow hits a spinning back elbow. Animal is leaving the ringside area quickly. Droz hits a powerslam and dropkick. Snow clotheslines Droz as Hawk makes his way down to the ringside area. Droz drops Snow with a leaping shoulder block. Hawk decks Droz with his arm in a cast. Snow hits the Snow Plow to win the match. After the match, Hawk says he’s going to reveal a deep, dark secret on RAW. (1/2*. Clearly just angle advancement between Droz and Hawk.)

6.) The Oddities have a present for the Headbangers as they made their entrance.

7.) Headbangers take Golga over with a double snap suplex. Kurrgan enters to clothesline Thrasher over the top to the floor. Golga splashes Mosh in the corner. Mosh pulls Thrasher to the floor and they go to the present. George “The Animal” Steele pops out of the box and punches the Headbangers causing a disqualification. (NR. Ya know, if someone comes out of a box they are over.)

8.) DX makes their way down to the ring to cut a promo. Billy Gunn doesn’t know how Ken Shamrock and Big Bossman can feel confident being the tag champions when they had help from Shawn Michaels. Gunn threatens to “jerk a knot in your ass.” Road Dogg is going to put a foot in his ass. Dogg says it’s time to whoop their tough ass. Triple H focuses on the WWF World Champion, the Rock. HHH says the championship belongs to him. HHH tells Shawn Michaels that they go a way time back and if Michaels doesn’t stay out of his way, he’ll take Michaels out of his way. HHH says that Test is like rules and they will break them. WWF World Champion The Rock makes his way out with Test by his side. Rock says that Billy Gunn is jealous of him and he can taste it. Billy mocks laugh at the Rock. Rock calls Road Dogg trailer park trash. Rock recalls nearly putting X-Pac in a coma after delivering his moves. Rock says that Chyna went on a date with Mark Henry, and there’s nothing else needed to say there. Rock says that Triple H looks like Tarzan, but wrestles like Jane. HHH says that “Jane kicked your ass last week.” Rock wants DX to know that in order to get to him, Shamrock, Bossman or the McMahon’s that you’ll have to get past Test. HHH mocks Rock’s boney elbows. HHH puts over Billy Gunn for looking jacked. HHH also says that the taste in Rock’s mouth is “deez nuts.” HHH tells Rock that he gets his ass kicked every time in the ring with them.

9.) Skull decks Dogg to the mat with a few right hands and keeps control with overhand strikes to the back. Dogg ducks a clothesline and jabs Skull a few times followed by a forearm and a knee drop coming off the ropes for a two count. Ball grabs Dogg from the apron allowing Skull to deliver a clothesline. Ball works over Dogg with strikes in the corner. Ball elbows Dogg before tagging in Skull. Skull kicks Dogg in the ribs followed by a knee lift. Skull runs into a big boot and Dogg connects with a clothesline. Gunn gets tagged in and hammers away on both Skull and Ball. All four men are in the ring until Dogg goes to the floor with Skull. Paul Ellering accidentally hits Ball with a briefcase and Gunn gets the pinned. (1/2*. That was a mostly boring match.) After the match, Ellering gets destroyed by Skull and 8-Ball.

10.) Backstage, Mankind is singing and tossing things to the floor as he’s heading to the ring for the main event.

11.) Bossman works over Mankind to start the match with right hands in the corner. Mankind fights back with right hands and a spinning clothesline. Mankind works over Bossman’s arm by yanking down. Bossman drops Mankind following right hands and tags in Shamrock. Shamrock chokes Mankind over the middle rope and continues with several strikes. Mankind sends Shamrock into Rock’s boot in the corner, but Shamrock chop blocks Mankind before tagging in Rock. Rock stomps away on Mankind and taunts the referee. Rock punches Mankind several times but misses a clothesline. Mankind sends Rock through the middle rope to the floor. Mankind tries to come off the apron, but Shamrock clotheslines Mankind. Vince McMahon and Test are watching the match backstage. Rock works over Mankind with strikes on the floor. Shamrock continues to deliver blows on the floor and Bossman comes over to help. Shamrock tags in and beats on Mankind with a spinning elbow strike. Shamrock nails Mankind with a spinning heel kick. Shamrock knee lifts Mankind to the mat and tags in Bossman. Mankind ducks a clothesline and puts the Mandible Claw on Bossman! Rock grabs Mankind and rams Mankind groin first into the ring post. Vince McMahon and Test make their way down to the ring. Mankind hammers away on Rock but misses an elbow strike. Rock connects with a DDT managing a two count. Bossman grabs a steel chair while the referee is distracted by Shamrock. Rock connects with the Rock Bottom onto the chair and hits the People’s Elbow to win the match in the middle of the ring. (**. A fine main event and it continues the feud between Rock and Mankind. I’m glad there was a decisive win as it really helps the feud and contest. This was also a strong main event to have on Heat, I’d say.) After the match, DX run to the ring to make the save on Mankind from the Corporation.

Final Thoughts:
A rather strong Heat episode as they had a strong talking segment and a worthwhile main event.

Thanks for reading.