- February 15th 1998, Houston, Texas.
- Buyrate: 0.52
- Attendance: 16,110
Free-For-All
Dok Hendrix reveals the main event is Non Sanctioned, Michael Cole recaps Ken Shamrock's problems with The Nation, did Rock ever deliver a non-sick chairshot to Ken? We get a video hyping Vader/Kane then Sunny interviews Vader. They shill a Stone Cold shirt. A video hypes the PPV's main event, it says Shawn Michaels will pick his replacement, if he did then he pulled the greatest rib on Vince in the history of professional ribbing, though this is null and void about an hour and a half later in the actual PPV as HHH says they'll do a handicap match but Cole tells him WWF will pick the replacement.
PPV Starts From Here and the opening video is okay.
Headbangers Vs. Mero/Goldust (w/ Luna)
Sable was there as well but Mero sent her to the back, you know Mero/Sable were like a modern spin on Savage/Liz. Mero hits boxing punches on Mosh but he's soon clothesline over and out. The HB's are on top of Goldust, Thrasher suplexes Mosh onto Goldust. Mero blind tags in, I think he tagged Mosh initially. Thrasher is cut by the ringsteps and is your Headbanger-In-Peril as crowd chants 'Mero Sucks'. Mosh makes the save after a sitout powerbomb. Thrasher lands on his feet from a TKO and DDTs Mero, hot tag to Mosh. Luna puts a stop to Stage Dive. Sable comes out and Mero and Goldust have to restrain her and Luna. Headbangers pull the old switcheroo and Mero is inside cradled by Thrasher for 3 @ 13:52. **1/2 - The crowd gave this a bump for me though they weren't the only good thing about it as I like psychology, even more so when it works in getting the crowd into it.
Kevin Kelly and The Jackal plug the superstar line.
Owen says there wont be a problem with him and Austin as long as they stay out of each others way.
Light-Heavyweight Title - TAKA Michinoku (c) Vs. Pantera
Sunny is the ring announcer. Pantera's outfit so lowrent and bad even Jarrett wouldn't of worn it. Brian Christopher joins commentary. Pantera somersaults out onto TAKA as the announcers now do the Lawler/Christopher father/son bit that they did at this time. Pantera sends TAKA off the apron with a headscissors, that was nice. Brian actually says 'Slanty Eyed' on commentary, oh Jesus wept this guy *rolls eyes*. TAKA is backdropped out and a tope con hilo follows, at least that's what JR called it I get all these over the top moves mixed up and JR used to mix up the Hardyz when Jeff had multi-coloured hair so it could be wrong. Pantera does a nice pin attempt, he had him akin to a Submission I think Charlie Haas used to do. Top rope hurricanrana then a moonsult gets Pantera a 2 count. Michinoku Driver is countered with a roll up but it doesn't get the win. TAKA hits a powerbomb to counter a hurricanrana and Michinoku Driver gets 3 @ 10:10. *** - Really weird watching a match like this on a 1998 WWF Card, then again I guess they weren't WWF wrestlers really. What they did was impressive but in there structure these matches are akin to ECW's much maligned spotfests but using aerial moves rather than weapon shots.
Kevin Kelly is with Cactus and Charlie.
The Quebecers Vs. The Godwinns
This may be *the* most heatless match I have ever seen and that is not an exaggeration. These teams cost each other matches on Shotgun Saturday, is a Shotgun rivalry really PPV worthy? Pierre has an eye thing like Deadshot, which is fitting as this match is something that sounds like Deadshot, hint there's an i replacing a letter. Even start with nothing notable going on, in fact there's only two notable things in the whole match one is Lawler asking 'where's Lee Harvey Oswald when you need him' in reference to Clinton, he was from Arkansas you see just like Godwinns so he must be a backwards pig farmer bear in mind McMahon is from North Cackalacky and the other noticeable thing is how cold the hot tag is, no-one and I mean no-one made any noise when the Quebecer tagged in, it was so bad I almost felt sorry for them. HOG clotheslines Pierre for 3 @ 11:14. *1/2
Cornette and Jarrett cut a pre-match.
NWA North-American Title - Jeff Jarrett (c) (w/ Cornette) Vs. Bradshaw
Jarrett has Cornette, Windham and the Rock 'n' Rolls with him, I know Jarrett held the NWA World Title for about 50 years in TNA but that was in the 2000s prior to that I don't associate Jeff with the NWA so don't get why he's being used in part of Vince's thinly veriled burial of NWA against the WWF, though NWA hosted matches the WWF couldn't touch if it tried. Only Jim's allowed to stay ringside as he has a managers license. Bradshaw whips Jeff with his chaps and Jeff gets offence when Bradshaw goes after Cornette. My two kittens have started wrestlign and are doing NWA style transitions, in true Dusty NWA style Rosemary won via pinfall but was DQd as a different ref made the count so she isn't RKW champion. Bradshaw gets 2 off an inside cradle, I thought he'd botched a DDT at first. Cornette uses his racket on Bradshaw's knee so Jeff starts working it, makes since given the Figure Four, speaking of which that's called for but Bradhsaw blocks it however he is soon DDT'd when Jeff ducks a clothesline. Jarrett uses the racket and is DQd @ 9:00, gotta protect that Bradshaw guy. PM - Bradshaw slams Cornette so NWA guys attack then LoD make the save, you know what would of been good and maybe revbitalized LoD's WWF career? Had they turned on Bradshaw here and joined their NWA compadre's, I mean most people think of Road Warriors when they think of NWA. **
HHH says wrestlers all over the world want to join DX but no-one can take HBK's place and it'll be a handicap match, Cole says WWF officials will appoint someone but HHH doesn't care.
Dok Hendrix interviews Nation and it's great as Faarooq is cutting a serious promo but Rock is goofing around, he rolls his eyes and i'm sure it's now a gif.
War Of Attrition - Nation Vs. Shamrock, Ahmed Johnson, DoA
'Rocky Sucks' chant. NAtion here are Faarooq, Rock who's the IC Champion, Kama, D'Lo and Mark Henry. This match is Rock and Kens 457th meeting out of 956 in 1998. Nothing of note to start as faces are on top of D-Lo. Henry in and he wants Ahmed, Henry wins a punch off by going to the eye but Ahmed soon slams him. D'Lo hits a Frogsplash/Lo Down on Ahmed who to be fair was quite a bit away. Rock saves Faarooq from Pearl River Plunge. Rock in and gets 2 off a DDT to Shamrock. Skull/8-Ball is stomped by The Nation. People's Elbow minus pad removal hits but the other twin makes the save. 8-Ball or Skull is your face-in-peril. D'Lo heads up but misses a moonsault. Shamrock is in then everyone comes in for a huge brawl then when the ring clears Rock submits to the Ankle Lock @ 13:46 and my god Ken doesn't get himself DQ'd post match. Post Match there's dissension in The Nation. **1/2 - I do like multi-man tags, match was just okay itself though but it did play into the Nation's dissension stuff between Rocky and Faarooq, which would end with the leader Faarooq being turfed.
Stone Cold doesn't care who the mystery partner is.
Kane (w/ Bearer) Vs. Vader
Kane barbequed his brother at the last PPV. In the hype video for this we see Kane setting a Vader clock on fire, what a heel! Crowd really like Vader, weird seeing him as a face as i'm used to the monster heel. Man I love Kane's original music. Even start as they go ringside a few times. Kane hits his clothesline off the top then pummels Vader in the corner as fans chant for the man for the Rocky Mountains. Iron Claw to Vader as Kane is tracing Takers career back to World Class. Vader has the briefest of brief comebacks but is soon back on the defensive. Kane goes over the top but lands on his feet. Knowing wrestling as I do know it's funny as you can tell when wrestlers are discussing the next set of moves. Vader hits the Vadersault but Kane sits up. Kane recovers from a powerbomb and a Tombstone ends it @ 10:58. *** - It was actually pretty good for a Kane match, better than I was anticipating that's for sure, we had Kane doing UT stuff but you know what would of been an absolute beautiful touch, if Kane had hit Vader with a middle rope chokeslam like UT did at IYH 16. Kane's no selling also makes Taker look better when beating him at Mania as here nothing Big Van Vader did stopped him, sometimes no selling is acceptable.
Pretty good video hypes the main event.
NAO/HHH/Vega (w/ Chyna) Vs. Austin/Owen/Cactus/Chainsaw
Yes people they had this big who'll replace HBK thing and went with Savio, at least I guess him and Austin have hisotry from two years prior. Gunn brings a table down. Owen is European Champion, have I said how hilarious Savio as HBKs replacement is. Granted he's had no training but imagine if Tyson had been the man to add fuel to the DX/Austin thing or had Tyson not yet joined DX, was that in March? Austin massacres Billy and breaks a broom over HHH's back then hits him with it as we have a hectic start. HHH breaks a SharpShooter on Gunn then beats on Austin at ringside. Stone Cold almost decapitates Gunn with a clothesline. Hunter DDTs Charlie after multiple trashcan shots. Road Dogg breaks the Sharpshooter on HHH with a chair then Dogg powerbombs Charlie through two chairs as we've finally settled down to a tag match. Charlie is your Artist-Formerly-Known-As-Terry-Funk-In-Peril as Austin just lobs a trash can at Billy, that was great #StoneColdSteveBrady, also quick sidebar how great was Superbowl 51 unless you're an Atlanta Falcons in which case I've got two words for ya .... Good game, dman need will power as I must not do Bruce Forsyth pose. Cactus in and he puts a board in front of Dogg then whips Gunn into it., Double Arm DDT to Gunn, just realised half the participants are Kings Of The Ring, though Gunns was post this. Cactus is your Artist-Formerly-Known-As-Cactus-Jack-Manson-And-Mankind-And-Dude-Love-In-Peril. Savio wraps Cactus in barbed wire, is he doing that to look cool to DX like the kids that smoke to be 'hip' and 'with it', I didn't go that route in school I became the cocky loudmouth who'd challenge the 'cool' kids in jest. Outlaw miscommunication as Gunn hits Dogg with a chair. Hot tag to Austin who cleans house and Stunner to Road Dogg gets 3 @ 17:40. PM - Chyna is Stunnered after she pushes Austin and flips him off. ***1/2 - A fun at times chaotic, which made it fun, main event, I do enjoy matches like these I must say, I saw a cracking one last week on the Best Of The COTC DVD, Midnights/Fantastics from the first Clash. Oh man Savio Vega that still makes me chuckle.
18 / 35 - Coming in I wasn't expecting much really beyoned the main, I'd seen that on the original DX release, but i'd say this is one of the better IYH PPV's I've seen. TAKA/Pantera was good, Vader/Kane surpassed my expectations and the two muti-man tags were good fun as well.
Thumbs Up from me here.
