April 26th, 1998. Greensboro, North Carolina.
Attendance - 21,427
Buyrate - 0.85
Attendance - 21,427
Buyrate - 0.85
Opening video is all about the Inferno match.
Rock/D-Lo/Mark Henry Vs. Faarooq/Ken Shamrock/Steve Blackman
This isn't just a thrown together team as it makes sense Faarooq was just usurped from Nation and Shamrock had feuded with Rock since January, Rock is IC Champion here. Faces do Nations pose, huh? 'Rocky Sucks' chant. This D-Lo is better than original Nations D-Lo where I believe he was un-named for a while but now he has a personality. Blackman arm drags D-Lo, Ken is in to a pop. Confusion in faces corner over who's tagging in. Battle of the 2 Nation originals as Faarooq Spinebusters D-Lo then whips him with a belt. Henry beats on Blackman then D-Lo Sky Highs him. Rock tags in when Faarooq is weakened. Henry powerslams Blackman who plays face in peril. Peoples Elbow minus pad removal or pin attempt. Nation beat on Steve for ages but it's getting no heat, D-Lo misses a moonsault. Faarooq is in and boom a Dominator to Rock gets 3 setting up a IC Match at Over The Edge which is here - (http://wwe-jan-may.blogspot.com/2013/01/iyh-22-over-edge.html) ** - Bit boring but Faarooq winning made sense to set up Over The Edge.
Stone Cold tells time keeper Mark Yeaton no funny business tonight.
European Title - Owen Hart Vs. HHH (c)
Chyna is hanging in a cage above the ring so she doesn't interfere, why not just do a non-interference match? They'd been feuding for seemingly a year and a day. 'Playboy Needs Chyna' sign, was that guy a Terminator from the future sent to warn us? Owen gets HHH ringside and throws him into the cage which hasn't been risen yet. I spy a couple nWo signs, so they paid for WWF tickets so they could promote the WCW, fools. Harley Race knee by HHH. Suplex, kneedrop gets HHH 2 as Chyna tries to bend the bars, does she intend to leap to the ring? Sunset flip gets Owen 2. Can I hear HHH calling spots?? Facebuster gets Hunter another 2. Dragon Sleeper by HHH which he's used a couple of times here. Bridged german gets Owen 2, then a belly to belly followed by Enziguri gets him 2 again. Chyna bends the bars and hangs from the cage. SharpShooter is applied as Road Dogg lowers the cage so Chyna's now ringside. Owen Pedigrees HHH but X-Pac hits him with a fire extinguisher and HHH gets 3. **1/2 - Straight up 1-on-1 may of been better as the Chyna stuff was distracting, was the DX stuff booked to protect Owen or just so Russo could have his patented run ins? New life was breathed into this feud when Owen joined Nation after this.
NWA Tag Titles - New Midnight Express (c) (w/ Jim Cornette) Vs. Rock 'n' Roll Express
Bombastic Bob is better known as Hardcore Holly and Bodacious Bart is Bart Gunn, my own self given nicknames aren't as bad as those. Robert Gibson knocks Bob ringside. Lawler - 'Panties aren't the best thing in the world but they're next to it'. Jim Cornette and Tim White square up to each other. Cornette trips Morton then two backbreakers get Bart 2 as does a powerslam. Cold tag to Gibson. Double dropkick to Bart but then Bob bulldogs Gibson for 3. ** - Not that bad to be fair but crowd were deader than me at a Cleveland Cavaliers game.
Luna wins then is stripped under the ring.
Vince and Stooges are here. He talks for a while, am I watching a PPV or RAW is WAR? They're building Austin/Dude as Montreal 2.
WWF Tag Titles - NAO (c) Vs. LOD 2000 (w/ Sunny)
This feud is still going?? cause the first few matches weren't dull enough. Doggs catchphrase entrance hasn't caught on yet and they bring out Dean Smith, UNC Tarheels coach, but it's a blow up doll. LOD won a battle royal at 'Mania 14. Double facebuster to NAO. Gunn is backdropped 'Oh Shit' he says. Shoulder breaker to Gunn, I dont think NAO have hit anything yet. Chinlock by Animal, that'll make it interesting. Gun stops Doomsday Device by chop blocking Animal. Spinning toe hold by Road Dogg as they work Animals leg, some psychology in this match will make me bump up the *s let's see if Animal sells it. Fame Asser connects for 2, as they dont make a big deal of it I guess it wasn't his finisher here. Backbody drop and leg whip by Animal, Hawk in he slams Dogg down, splash connects then Billy hits a very tame belt shot for 2. Hawk germans Dogg but both mens shoulders are down when ref counts 3 so NAO retain. *1/2 - Long and boring. I did appreciate the leg work by NAO. LOD were 10 years past usefulness here so why not just lose clean, Rumble had a crappy DQ and this had a Dusty finish.
Jeff Jarrett does a concert with Sawyer Brown, anybody?? until Steve Blackman attacks but he gets guitar shotted and figure foured.
Lawler has marshmellows and a sausage. I haven't enough ink in my pen to recap the feud but you probably already know it. Corner splash then old school by Undertaker, he is thrown up by Kane and seems to land awkwardly, now Kane is in control. Powerslam and chairshot by Kane, Taker gets a side russian leg sweep but is soon Chokeslammed so he responds with one of his own but Kane sits up. Kane gets crotched when he goes up top and is superplexed. Kane is thrown over the flames leaving Taker in the ring, he goes to leave but Vader fights him down to ringside where Taker topes over flames onto them, nice pop for that. Kane is down via chairshots then Taker beats on Paul Bearer at the stage where Jeff Jarrett sang. Kane gets booted and his arm goes on fire. - *1/2 - They were limited to what they could do as they had to stay 8in ring for 90% of the match. This wasn't going to be a good wrestling match and always was going to be carried by the characters. I liked Takers tope which gives its rating a boost.
WWF Title - Dude Love Vs. Stone Cold (c)
Austins 1st PPV defence. Foley had been Cactus Jack but after he got beat up by NAO and fans chanted for Austin he retired Jack, now the Dude is here, Owww Have Mercy. Dude attacks from behind but Austin soon has the match in control. Dude is clotheslined and scoop slammed in the aisle then hip tossed off of Jarretts stage onto the concrete. They're back in the ring when Vince appears with Stooges and sits ringside which distracts Austin and Dude gets 2 off a roll up. Vince stares at time keeper Mark Yeaton, this Vince stuff is in danger of over shadowing the match. Austin is down in the aisle so Vince goes and trash talks him. Abdominal stretch by Dude as Vince tells Mark to ring the bell until Austin counters it to his own. Dude is suplexed on outside and his leg hits the steps. Back in ring as Dude toots up the band but Sweet Shin Music is blocked. Ref Bump!! as he is clotheslined. Mandible Claw/Love Handle to Austin but the ref's down. Austin smashes Vince with a chair KOing him. Stunner to Dude and Austin counts his own pin cause that's legal apparently. Post match Gerald Briscoe DQs Austin, setting up the rematch a month later. ***1/2 - More about Vince/Austin/Montreal than Dude/Austin, if Austin was allowed to count his own pin then why didn't Dude when he had the Mandible Claw? Was okay but their match a month later at Over The Edge was much better. (http://wwe-jan-may.blogspot.com/2013/01/iyh-22-over-edge.html)
13 / 30 - I wouldn't recommend this show from an in-ring standpoint. Reviewing it's bad but just watching it as a fan it could be okay as the characters drive the product. Thumbs slightly down for this one as the main event was bettered the following month.
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