Taped from Spokane, WA
Airdate: December 27, 1998 (taped 12/15)
Attendance: 9,487 (sold out)
Hosted by Kevin Kelly & Shane McMahon
Who will X-Pac face in the main event? Who will challenge for the tag team titles? What’s up with PMS? How will Venis and Godfather overcome Jarrett and Owen? Please ensure you water your Christmas tree, or it will catch fire like this episode.
Opening montage.
Mr. McMahon emerges amid a chorus of boos and enters the ring. As he introduces the newest member of the Corporation—Kane, we revisit RAW when Kane joined the Corporation and put everyone except HHH through hell via chokeslam. Mr. McMahon touts the Corporation’s Christmas bonus and describes Kane’s lack of social skills and intelligence.
When Mr. McMahon refers to him as a “genetically altered, mentally deficient freak,” Kane is “the Corporation’s freak.” He warns Kane about defying him threatening return to the sanitarium. Next, we revisit RAW again for the Bronco buster that X-Pac dealt to Shane. To punish X-Pac, Mr. McMahon sanctions him in a match against Kane much to Shane’s delight.
Mr. McMahon asks him to speak, so Kane raises his electrolarynx and thanks him. After Mr. McMahon demands gratitude “with feeling,” Kane responds with a more authoritative “Thank you, Mr. McMahon.”
Backstage, Mr. McMahon asks Kane to retrieve a cup of coffee for him.
Match 1: Mosh (w/ Thrasher) versus Golga (w/ the Oddities)
Highlights:
Golga, wearing a South Park Cartman t-shirt, ambushed Mosh, yet I must quote Rocky at the onset of this match.
When he gave Mosh a cross corner whip, Golga exposed his bare chest and unloaded a heavy avalanche to him. He slammed Mosh and landed an elbow drop followed by a leg drop, brother. As Golga attempted a senton splash, Thrasher grabbed his leg. SNEAKY!
Mosh distracted referee Jack Doan, so Thrasher gave Golga the business. How dastardly! After George “The Animal” Steele stood bewildered at ringside, Mosh fed Golga a running guillotine. Steele couldn’t take it any longer, stepped into the ring, and hammered Mosh. While Doan called for the bell, Mosh won by DQ at 1:31.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Merely an appetizer for Steele to get involved again.
After the match, the Oddities maul the Headbangers and send them reeling to the floor.
We revisit RAW for the third time when Henry sought pleasure with PMS rather than pain. Or so he thought.
In the ring, Michael Cole interviews PMS. Jacqueline clarifies that PMS stands for Pretty Mean Sisters. While Terri states that PMS has been “(taken) for granted,” she unbuttons Cole’s pants. Jacqueline fails to pants Cole but gives him a one-way ticket WAY DOWNTOWN thereafter.
Backstage, the Stooges both congratulate and mock Kane for his coffee-making skills. When they tell him to get them coffee, Kane stares them down like they insulted his mother.
Prior to the next match, we revisit RAW from two weeks ago when Blackman removed the Blue Blazer’s mask to reveal Owen. Afterward, we revisit last Monday’s episode when Blackman revealed Jarrett from under the Blazer’s mask.
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Match 2: Val Venis & the Godfather (w/ ho’s) versus Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett (w/ Debra McMichael)
Highlights:
Godfather took the microphone and offered Debra a “job.” In response to join the “Ho Train,” Debra emphatically said she was “way outta (his) league.” Venis gave Jarrett a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through. When Venis steamrolled Jarrett with a pair of lariats, he slammed Jarrett but missed an elbow drop. Owen tagged in but ate a back elbow from Venis.
After Godfather tagged in, he slammed Owen, and Venis followed with a splash. Godfather quickly unleashed a leg drop, and Venis tagged back in. While Owen reversed an Irish whip, Jarrett put a knee into Venis’ back. Clever!
Owen stymied Venis with a belly-to-belly suplex and flattened him with a spinning heel kick. Tagging in, Jarrett applied a sleeper. Venis escaped, decimated Jarrett with a SPINEBUSTER, and got 2. With all four wrestlers in the ring, Godfather gave Owen a cross corner whip and chartered the Ho Train. Venis placed a pair of knees into Jarrett’s midsection and followed with a side-Russian leg sweep. Climbing into the ring, Debra distracted Venis allowing Jarrett to deliver a Stroke to him. 1-2-3. Jarrett and Owen won at 3:12.
Rating: **
Summary: Decent short match with heel chicanery outsmarting the lustful babyfaces.
Backstage, the Acolytes are preparing for destruction.
WWF Attitude spot airs featuring Mankind as Santa Claus and Mr. Socko as an elf. Aw.
SLAM OF THE WEEK: Kane interrupts the main event to both join the Corporation and devastate DX.
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Match 3 for the WWF tag team titles: Big Bossman & Ken Shamrock (champions) versus the Hardy Boyz
Highlights:
Obviously, this was VERY early in the days of Matt and Jeff, so they became hand-picked opponents for the newly crowned tag team champions. Jeff took a blind tag and launched a springboard cross body block to Shamrock for 2. Nifty! When Shamrock clotheslined Jeff, Bossman tagged in, gave Jeff a cross corner whip, and bulldozed him with a corner clothesline.
Meanwhile, the Acolytes roamed the Spokane Arena.
Nevertheless, Bossman annihilated Jeff with a Bossman slam but picked him up at 2. Nasty! Shamrock tagged in, applied an ankle lock, but Jeff was OUT COLD. As referee Tim White called for the bell, Shamrock and Bossman retained at 1:57.
Rating: *
Summary: Jeff got in one move essentially before getting destroyed.
Following the match, the Acolytes storm the ring and attack the tag team champions. Bradshaw introduces Bossman shoulder-first to the steps while Faarooq powerslams Shamrock in the ring.
Video airs featuring a retrospective of 1998 WWF. If there’s one word to describe the WWF in ’98, it’s COOL.
WWF REWIND: X-Pac humiliates Shane with a Bronco buster.
Prior to the main event, Michaels grabs the microphone and tells DX to skedaddle.
Match 4: X-Pac (w/o DX) versus Kane (w/ Mr. McMahon & Commissioner Shawn Michaels)
Highlights:
Before HHH abandoned ringside, he distracted referee Mike Chioda. That allowed X-Pac to grab a steel chair, enter the ring, and hobble Kane. Once again, I’ll give Rocky the honors.
X-Pac used agility and quickness to stymy Kane with a series of kicks in the corner. As Mr. McMahon joined the broadcast table, Kane reversed an Irish whip and attempted a chokeslam. X-Pac countered with a bus ticket WAY DOWNTOWN followed by an X-Factor for 2. When X-Pac mounted the top turnbuckle, he leaped, but Kane caught him with one hand. Impressive! He chokeslammed the BEJEEZUS out of X-Pac. 1-2-3. Kane won at 1:25.
Rating: *
Summary: Kane’s size made all the difference as X-Pac’s versatility was no match for him.
Afterward, Michaels instructs Kane to chokeslam X-Pac again, and Kane obeys. Mr. McMahon demands a tombstone, so Kane prepares to liquify X-Pac. Before any science experiment can occur, DX infiltrates the ring. While Road Dog checks on X-Pac, HHH and Gunn double-clothesline Kane over the top rope to the floor.
Conclusion: To set up RAW, the Corporation gets a leg up on DX as Kane mauls X-Pac for their enjoyment. Also, the tag champs completely decimate the young Hardy Boyz looking dominant at every turn until the Acolytes get involved. Debra works her magic enabling Jarrett and Owen to steal one from Venis and Godfather. And, just in case you didn’t get enough Animal in your Christmas stocking, Steele makes another appearance causing the Oddities to lose to the Headbangers.
Overall, it’s a fun show with short matches and solid plot developments. Die-hards should apply within.
RAW preview:
- Shawn Michaels’ performance evaluation.
- Who is the Spider Lady?
- McMahon’s preparation for the Royal Rumble.
- Another chapter involved Mark Henry, PMS, and Chyna?
- Road Dog versus Mankind for the Hardcore title.
TV Rating: 3.8
Stay tuned for WCW Starrcade ‘98!
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