Attendance: 6,339
Buyrate: 0.50
- WrestleMania 13 was allegedly set to have HBK Vs. Bret but Michaels didn't fancy that and luckily for him, wink,wink nudge, nudge his knee got injured and he 'lost his smile' so the WWF Title is defended in a fatal four way tonight and Psycho Sid gets a shot on RAW tomorrow, I think that RAW's on YouTube.
'Wildman' Marc Mero (w/ Sable) Vs. Leif Cassidy
Leif Cassidy is already in the ring *cough* jobber *cough*, he would one day lead the J.O.B Squad as Al Snow. Couple of armdrags by Mero then an armbar after a fireman carry takedown. Cassidy is now ringside and distracted by Sable so Mero axe handles him, back in a springboard legdrop gets 2. Dropkick to the knee/thigh by Cassidy and he starts working the leg, I dig psychology and this stops Meros high flying moves. Leg submissions soon follow until Mero gets a rope break, about 10 fans are into this. Enziguri by Mero then Cassidy goes for the leg again, Figure Four is applied, I imagine Naitch is beetroot red and ranting somewhere. Sable slaps Cassidy ringside, DQ anyone? he goes for her but Mero hits a plancha and also seemingly forgot Cassidys legwork making 80% of this match pointless, nice work Marc. Wildting/Marvelocity/Shooting Star Press gets 3 at 9:29. ** - It was okay, I like psychology but it does help when the recipient sells it which is why this is stuck on **.We see HBK 'losing his smile' on RAW is WAR then back live Psycho Sid talks/shouts with Kevin Kelly.
Flask Funk/Bart Gunn/Goldust Vs. Faarooq/Crush/Savio Vega
For newer fans Faarooq is the man who occasionally shouts 'DAMN!', Goldust is the Twitter Blocker and the rest are irrelevant though Flash Funk better known as 2 Cold Scorpio was good at times. Flash Funk is a pimp seemingly from the Year 3000 going by his attire, I demand a Godfather Vs. Flash Funk match! This is the Nation Of Domination that were rapped to the ring by PG-13, the best Nation theme. Hey there's the as yet unamed D-Lo Brown. The faces, who must be the most mismatched team ever, clear the ring early then Funk jumps onto the Nation. Back in Funk this time jumps into a Spinebuster by Faarooq. Vega is in but he is hurricanraned off the top rope. Bart comes in and throws Funk onto The Nation but they simploy catch him and rough him up, great partner you are Bart. Faarooq trashtalks Funk who has been playing face in peril the whole match. Spike piledriver gets 2. Funk backflips over a double clothesline and tags Bart in who powerslams Faarooq for 2. All 6 are in and brawling now, Bulldog to Faarooq but Crush legdrops Bart and The Nation get 3 at 6:41. * - Too short to mean much really, but if you like seeing 2 Cold Scorpio getting beat on then this is *****.
Stone Cold says he has beat Vader, Bret and 'Taker before as he eliminated them from the Royal Rumble.
IC Title - Rocky Maivia (c) Vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Rocky, simply The Rock these days, won the IC Title off of Hunter on Thusday Night RAW prior to this. Weird watching these in 1997 knowing that in 3 years tey'd wrestle an hour. Drop toe hold by Hunter then he slaps Rocky. They trade counters until Rock hiptosses HHH and, kind of, does a dropkick. Rock slaps HHH like he slapped him. Backdrop then an armdrag by Rock, it's Rocky Steamboat! but his offence is stopped when HHH throws him over the top. Guillitine elbow by HHH, JR says about WWFs future being young, I guess as a thinly veiled shot at WCW, of course Rock just headlined the last two 'Manias. Hunter has been on top since he dumped Rock over the top. Harley Race knee gets 2. Small package gets Rock 2, a call back to their previous match as that's how Rocky won the IC belt. JR plugs Western Union, were they WWF sponsors? Rock is fighting back now, crossbody gets 2, he starts 10 corner punches but HHH drops him onto the turnbuckle, messy floatover DDT gets 2. Facebuster followed by a neckbreaker but here's Goldust to distratc HHH allowing Rocky to hit a bridged german for 3 at 12:31ish (Stopwatch issues). Postmatch Marlena is ringside with Goldust when she is grabbed by a 'fan'. She would soon be known as Chyna. **1/2 - The match was good, not a patch on the 2000 ones but to be honest they probably did more actual wrestling here. Better than I thought it'd be, HHH did a good job as the fans hated Rocky around this time.
Vader has his say about the main event.
WWF Tag Titles - Owen Hart/Bulldog (c) Vs. Doug Furnas/Phil Lafon
As I write this yesterday was the 14th anniversary of Owens untimely passing, RIP Owen, Bulldog passed away 11 years ago. Owen has his Slammy with him. There was tension as Owen eliminated Bulldog from the 97 Rumble then blamed Austin. Armdrag into an armbar by Doug on Owen after a nice wrestling exchange. Monkey flip turned to a mount by Owen but Lafon soon has him down in a leglock. Bulldog in and Lafon gets 2 off a heel kick but he's then beaten down by the heels. Lafon rolls through a crossbody for 2, Owen responds with a gutwrench and a backbreaker. Bulldog does a kind of flip for some reason, is he running for Tennessee senate and trying to impress them? Lafon is still playing face-in-peril. Suplex and crossbody combo by the champs for 2. Lafon gets an inside cradle but Bulldog pulls him so Owen has the pin but Furnas pulls it back. Heel miscommunication as Owen heel kicks Bulldog, then seconds later slaps him as they argue so Bulldog clotheslines him then comes back to stop Owen being pinned. Northern lights suplex by Lafon for 2. All 4 are fighting now, the faces double up Owen endind in a DDT then legdrop for 2. Enziguri by Hart gets him a breather. Bulldog in and sets Lafon up for a Powerslam but Owen hits Lafon with the Slammy for a blatant DQ at 10:29. Post match Bulldog throws his belt down as he aint happy with Owen then my god HE BREAKS OWENS SLAMMY!! he should put him in Sharpshooter. Bulldog seemed set for a face turn but the reemergence of the Hart Foundation stopped that. ***1/2 - Entertaining, I enjoyed the petty squabbling between the champions.
WWF Title - Stone Cold Vs. Vader vs. Undertaker Vs. Bret Hart
Bret talks with Kevin Kelly before his entrance. You're eliminated by pin, submission are being thrown over the top ala Royal Rumble. Vader/Deadman and Austin/Bret pair off to start. Clothesline sends Vader down, Old School to Austin as Taker goes for everyone. Taker boots a chair into Vaders fave busting his eye open, that must have something to do with when his eye popped out in Japan. Austin jawbreakers out of a Bret sleeper as Vader is Chokeslammed. Vaders eye is bad, he hits Bret with a chair as Austin has Deadman down, he goes for a piledriver in the aisle but is backdropped. They've rotated again as Taker is now fughting Bret as Austin bounces Vader off he ring steps then multiple belt shots. Taker clotheslines Bret then Vader drags him out and they fight in the crowd. Vader does the Sharpshooter! In the ring Austin thesz presses Vader but Bret soon piledrives him for 2. Undertaker avoids a Vader moonsult. Bret and Vader are trading punches until Bret just kicks him in the nuts. Stone Cold is gone at 18:16ish as Bret dumps him over the top. Vader removes his mask as Bearer, here with Vader, hits Taker with the urn. Bret superplexes Vader then locks in the Sharpshooter but Taker breaks it up. Austin's back and he attacks Bret. Vader's setting up for a Vader Bomb but Taker lowblows him and dumps him over the top at 22:30. Taker Chokeslams Bret and calls for Tombstone but Austin stops that but when Taker goes for him Bret dumps Taker out with a clothesline for the WWF Title at 24:04. Post match Psycho Sid comes out for a staredown. ****1/2 - I really enjoyed this kick ass brawl. Not a classic but i'd call it a forgotten gem. Bret would drop the WWF Title 24hrs later on RAW is WAR to Psycho Sid, the 1st WWF Title change on RAW.
13.5 / 25 - Opener was good, I only gave it ** due to the non selling, 6 man was short and inoffensive, Rock/HHH was okay and the final 2 matches were very good. I would recommend this PPV, a very good one for an IYH. Thumbs up.
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