Live from Detroit, MI
Airdate: September 28, 1998
Attendance: 14,517 (sold out)
Hosted by Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Who’s the WWF champion? What does Austin have to say about it? Can Venis capture gold, or will X-Pac retain? What else is up with DX? Could something special happen on this episode?
Opening montage.
To Austin’s music, Detroit’s finest escorts Mr. McMahon and the stooges to the ring. Mr. McMahon describes Austin’s taking things the hard way rather than the easy way and clearly states “there will be NO rematch.” Now that’s just plain mean.
Next, he “decrees” that tonight is Stone Cold Steve Austin Night and informs him that Detroit’s finest is awaiting his arrival. He declares that TONIGHT a new WWF champion will be crowned. As he describes the smoking skull belt with utter disdain, Mr. McMahon queries Austin about appearing tonight.
While the Detroit faithful chants “Aus-tin,” Commissioner Slaughter wraps the WWF title belt around Mr. McMahon’s waist. Contemptuously, Mr. McMahon mimics Austin by climbing each of the turnbuckles before exiting.
Prior to the opening match, Road Dog recites his spiel to a great response.
Following a commercial break, we revisit the PPV where Jarrett blasted X-Pac with his guitar and injured X-Pac’s right eye.
Match 1 for the WWF tag team titles: New Age Outlaws (champions) versus Southern Justice (w/o Jeff Jarrett)
Highlights:
- Gunn leapfrogged Canterbury but suffered a wheelbarrow suplex for his troubles.
- When he leapfrogged Canterbury again, Gunn caught him with a knee to the midsection for 2.
- Knight tagged in, but Gunn fed him a hangman’s neckbreaker for 2.
- As Road Dog tagged in, he dealt Knight a shaky-shaky knee drop.
- Gunn distracted referee Mike Chioda while Knight reversed an Irish whip allowing Canterbury to bury a knee into Road Dog’s back. SNEAKY!
- After Knight clotheslined Road Dog, he only got 1 as they were too close to the ropes.
- He gave Road Dog a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
- While Gunn tagged in, he delivered a back elbow to Knight.
- He dropkicked Canterbury from the ring and flattened Knight with a Rocker Dropper.
- Before Gunn could earn a count, Jarrett stormed the ring only to get blocked by Road Dog.
- Grabbing Jarrett’s guitar, Road Dog HAMMERED Knight in the back with it.
- Chioda called for the bell, and Southern Justice won by DQ at 3:00.
Rating: **
Summary: Could this be a case of Road Dog revenge?
After the match, Gunn takes exception to Road Dog’s actions and shoves him. X-Pac arrives to calm the situation, but Gunn shoves him away too. As Gunn leaves, he encounters HHH in a wheelchair escorted by Chyna. Gunn storms off despite HHH’s objections.
Promo airs for the replay of WWF Breakdown tomorrow at 8pm ET only on PPV.
Backstage, Michael Cole stands outside the DX locker room where shouting can be overheard.
Prior to the next match, we revisit Summerslam ’98 when Severn trained Owen for the Lion’s Den match.
Match 2 (submission): Owen Hart versus Dan “The Beast” Severn
Highlights:
- In case you’re wondering why Severn’s made a return, he’s from Coldwater, MI which is approximately 122 miles southwest of Detroit.
- Owen charged, but Severn used leverage to feed him a belly-to-belly suplex.
- As the Detroit faithful occupied themselves with a “nug-get” chant, their nemesis and Severn brawled on the mat.
- Severn escaped a sleeper and dealt Owen another belly-to-belly suplex.
- When he powerslammed Owen, Severn ate a spinning heel kick.
- Owen delivered his own belly-to-belly suplex, but Severn rebounded with a dragon sleeper.
- After Owen escaped, he tombstoned Severn just like the one he temporarily paralyzed Austin with at Summerslam ’97.
- Severn’s unable to move, so referee Tim White halted the match at 2:43.
Rating: NONE
Summary: While the action was heating up, an “injury” occurred. Severn wouldn’t return to the WWF until January. Hmmm…I wonder what the significance of this is.
TV Rating: 4.2
HHH Stridex ad airs.
Following a commercial break, EMTs place Severn on a board and secure his neck. No commentary is being uttered as the WWF treats this as a serious accident. As he’s placed on a gurney, Severn’s wheeled backstage to an awaiting ambulance.
Prior to the next match, we revisit last week when Snow defeated Slaughter in a boot camp match and gained reinstatement.
WWF Judgment Day will be LIVE on PPV on October 18. Order NOW!
Match 3: Al Snow (w/ Head) versus Vader (w/ Commissioner Slaughter)
Highlights:
- Vader clotheslined Snow while the Detroit faithful clamored for “Head.”
- When Vader fed Snow a belly-to-belly suplex, he got 2.
- Snow rebounded with a clothesline but failed to slam Vader.
- As Vader clotheslined and headbutted him, Snow annihilated him with an enziguri for 2.
- Why only 2? Because Slaughter yanked Snow off Vader. How dastardly!
- Snow grabbed Head and took a swipe at Slaughter, but Vader nailed him.
- After Slaughter distracted referee Jim Korderas, Vader gave Snow a cross corner whip.
- Snow applied the brakes and blasted Vader with Head.
- 1-2-3.
- Snow won at 2:38.
Rating: *
Summary: More angle than match as the Slaughter-Snow feud continues.
Gunn leaves the arena with his luggage while still wearing his gear.
TV Rating: 3.9
WWF REWIND: From Sunday Night HeAT, Gangrel saved Edge’s bacon against Kaientai and told him to “come home.”
Match 4 (six-man elimination): “Marvelous” Marc Mero versus Jeff Jarrett versus Edge versus Gangrel versus D’Lo Brown versus Droz
Highlights:
- Edge made his entrance through the Detroit faithful and attacked Gangrel before the bell.
- As Edge powerslammed Gangrel, he got 2.
- Gangrel reversed an Irish whip, but Edge came up empty on a cross body block.
- When Gangrel fed him a dragon screw leg whip, he dealt Edge a side-Russian leg sweep.
- He mounted the second turnbuckle but missed a big elbow.
- After Edge hooked la magistral cradle, he pinned Gangrel at 1:10.
- Brown entered the ring and delivered a spinning heel kick to Edge.
- While Brown hit a leg drop, Edge recovered with a DDT.
- Droz tagged in and leveled Brown with a three-point stance clothesline. Who is he? “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan?
- Nevertheless, he powerslammed Brown and followed with a dropkick.
- Jarrett tagged in reluctantly, so Droz suplexed him into the ring.
- Scoring with a flying back elbow, Droz ate a not-yet-named-yet Stroke.
- Jarrett dropkicked him, but Droz reversed an Irish whip and hooked a sleeper.
- Although Jarrett escaped, Droz clotheslined him spilling both wrestlers over the top rope to the floor.
- Jarrett reversed an Irish whip sending Droz shoulder-first into the steps.
- Due to the extended time spent outside the ring, referee Mike Chioda counted both Droz and Jarrett out at 3:29.
- Mero gave Edge a cross corner whip and followed with a Samoan drop.
- Mounting the top turnbuckle, Mero got crotched thanks to Brown’s jumping on the bottom rope.
- Edge joined and flung Mero with a super huracanrana for 2.
- Seeing Brown on the top turnbuckle, Edge got the heck outta Dodge.
- Brown, inevitably, connected with a Lo Down to Mero instead.
- Dropkicking Brown out of the ring, Edge covered and pinned Mero at 4:40.
- FINAL TWO: Edge and Brown.
- With Brown on the floor, Edge demolished him with a plancha.
- Gangrel returned to distract Edge allowing Brown to destroy him with a Sky High.
- 1-2-3.
- Brown won at 5:12.
Rating: ***
Summary: Action-packed five minutes, yet a very rushed six-man elimination match. By virtue of winning, Brown becomes the #1 contender to the European title and will receive his shot next week.
Following the match, Gangrel and the long-haired blond guy exit through the Detroit faithful. Edge tries to follow to no avail.
WAR ZONE!
Mr. McMahon and his entourage return to the ring. With a brand-new WWF title belt encased in glass, he introduces Undertaker. Next, he introduces Kane. Upon Kane’s entrance into the ring, the turnbuckles don’t explode like they normally would.
Backstage, Austin commandeers a Zamboni and plows through a fence. Knocking over backstage lighting, Austin drives the Zamboni into the arena and up to the ring. He climbs atop the Zamboni, launches himself over Detroit’s finest, and clotheslines the BEJEEZUS out of Mr. McMahon.
Detroit’s finest handcuff him, yet Austin gets another piece of Mr. McMahon. As the Detroit faithful roars its approval of Austin, the police escorts the former champion backstage. Austin cuts a quick promo on Mr. McMahon: “I ain’t through with ya, Vince. I ain’t through with ya by a long shot.” While Austin gets placed in the back of a squad car, Mr. McMahon screams to “take his ass to jail.”
POINT OF ORDER: 100% historical segment that earned every bit of a few ratings points.
TV Rating: 5.52
Ad airs for DX Down Where? t-shirt. Does it come in “Giant size”?
In the ring, Mr. McMahon informs the Brothers of Destruction that they did not prevent Austin from attacking him. Therefore, he reneges on his promise to give either of them the WWF title. Instead, at the next PPV, the Brothers of Destruction will battle one another for the title with Austin as the special guest referee. Intriguing!
Afterward, he decrees that the Brothers of Destruction will wrestle in a handicap tag match against Rock, Mankind, and Shamrock TONIGHT. He wishes them the best of luck yet refers to them as “handicapped.” Before Mr. McMahon can leave, Undertaker warns him to “watch (his) ass” and should he “get out of line,” Mr. McMahon will be the one who’s “handicapped.”
When he believes the Brothers of Destruction have their backs turned to him, Mr. McMahon flips them the bird. Unfortunately, they see him. Undertaker flattens him, and the Brothers of Destruction double-team him. As Undertaker decimates Mr. McMahon’s left leg, Kane runs off any potential saviors. Removing the top step, they position Mr. McMahon’s left ankle on the second step. They of course break it by sandwiching it with the top step.
Since the ambulance took Severn to the hospital earlier in the show, Mr. McMahon’s stuck waiting for another one.
Prior to the next match, we revisit Sunday Night HeAT when Chyna gave Henry the business outside the arena.
Match 5: Mark Henry versus Faarooq
Highlights:
- The special guest referee for this match was Chyna.
- When Henry entered the ring, Faarooq ambushed him.
- Outside the ring, Henry slammed Faarooq and SQUISHED him with a leg drop.
- Back in the ring, he powerslammed Faarooq, but Chyna refused to count the pin.
- Henry attempted a military press of Faarooq until Chyna nailed him down in SOUTHERN Texas.
- As a result, Faarooq fell atop Henry, and Chyna fast-counted the pin.
- 1-2-3.
- Faarooq won at 1:14.
Rating: DUD
Summary: More storyline than match as the Henry-Chyna feud intensifies.
Afterward, a process server sneaks into the ring and places an envelope under Chyna’s arm. Chyna opens it, takes a stern look at Henry, tosses the papers, and leaves.
Backstage, Mr. McMahon finally gets loaded into an ambulance.
Back in the locker room, Cole interviews Shamrock who’s ready to take on the other four men in the ring in the main event.
Vignette airs for a “real man’s man” Steven Regal.
Match 6: The Oddities (w/ the Insane Clown Posse) versus the Headbangers
Highlights:
- The Headbangers entered the ring and swarmed the Oddities.
- As Mosh tagged in, the Headbangers double-guillotined Golga.
- Thrasher tagged in and powerbombed Mosh atop Golga.
- When Thrasher missed an elbow drop, Kurrgan tagged in and fed him a big boot.
- The Oddities distracted referee Jim Korderas allowing the Headbangers to double-team Kurrgan.
- After Kurrgan reversed an irish whip, ICP tripped Thrasher coming off the ropes. Nefarious!
- Kurrgan splashed and pinned Thrasher at 1:59.
Rating: ½*
Summary: Shenanigans by ICP earned the Oddities a victory.
Backstage, the Rock shoos Cole away and cuts a promo as the #1 contender to the WWF title. Methinks this guy might have it going on.
RAW is sponsored by Starburst, Castrol, and WWF: The Music Volume 2.
Prior to the next match, Venis grabs the microphone and makes automobile innuendo. I’m surprised he didn’t talk about his stick shift.
Match 7 for the WWF European title: X-Pac versus Val Venis (w/ Terri Runnels)
Highlights:
- X-Pac made his entrance with his right eye taped. Methinks his chances of retaining might be quite slim.
- When X-Pac leapfrogged him, Venis fed him a clothesline.
- He slammed X-Pac but missed a diving head butt.
- As Venis reversed an Irish whip, he ate a leg lariat.
- He reversed another Irish whip and planted X-Pac with a big boot.
- After he placed a couple of knees into the midsection, Venis dealt X-Pac a side-Russian leg sweep.
- X-Pac whipped Venis into the corner but ate boot on his follow-through.
- While he scored with a spinning heel kick, X-Pac got 2.
- Venis reversed yet another Irish whip but ate a clothesline.
- Nipping up, X-Pac unleashed a series of kicks and attempted a Bronco buster.
- On the other hand, Terri tripped him. Vixen!
- Venis hooked a fisherman’s suplex and got 2.
- With Chyna approaching ringside, Venis slammed X-Pac again and got 2.
- Chyna shoved Terri causing Venis to take exception.
- Since Venis was on the floor, X-Pac disheveled him with a baseball slide.
- X-Pac and Chyna put the boots to Venis, so referee Tim White called for the bell.
- Venis won by DQ at 3:15; yet X-Pac retained.
Rating: **
Summary: I could see a longer match between these two being decent.
After the match, WWF officials separate DX from the fallen Venis. Upon Venis’ re-entry to the ring, Terri comforts him until a Shattered Dreams production appears on the Titantron. Goldust warns Venis that HE was coming back. At least, he didn’t say he was coming home.
In an industrial portion of the arena, Cole interviews Mankind who takes pride in his chair shot to Shamrock and bludgeoning of the Rock from last night.
Match 8 (handicap): The Brothers of Destruction versus the Rock, Mankind, & Ken Shamrock
Highlights:
- Shamrock entered first and attacked Mankind upon his entrance.
- As Shamrock fed him a flying back elbow, he hammered Mankind sending him down to the floor.
- Rock made his entrance, and the brawl was ON.
- When the Brothers of Destruction entered the ring, their opponents continued to maul each other.
- Kane hurled Shamrock over the top rope to the floor and shooed Mankind from the ring.
- After the Brothers of Destruction fed Rock a double big boot, Undertaker dealt him a ropewalk shoulder smash.
- Kane tagged in, gave Rock a cross corner whip, but ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
- While Rock clotheslined Kane, tags were exchanged on both sides.
- Shamrock tagged in and pounded on both Undertaker and Mankind.
- Taking advantage after Rock clotheslined Shamrock, Undertaker got 2.
- He delivered a thrust kick to Shamrock for another 2.
- Tagging in, Kane clotheslined Shamrock but couldn’t get 3.
- Shamrock dropkicked Kane and scored with a huracanrana.
- Rejoining the match, Mankind snared Kane with a Cactus clothesline, mounted the apron, and flattened him with a somersault plancha. Outstanding!
- Undertaker wasn’t impressed and clotheslined Mankind on the floor.
- Ramming Mankind face-first into the steps, Undertaker crotched him on the ring post.
- Kane slammed Mankind, mounted the top turnbuckle, and uncorked a flying clothesline for 2.
- Taking his turn, Undertaker gave Mankind a cross corner whip but ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
- Undertaker clotheslined Mankind for 2.
- Having gotten headbutted down to the floor, Mankind got whipped knees-first into the steps.
- Kane grabbed a chair and WHACKED Mankind with it.
- Upon tossing Mankind back into the ring, Undertaker got another 2.
- JR subtly disparaged “Hollywood” Hogan while Kane tagged in.
- Eating a swinging neckbreaker, Kane prevented Mankind from tagging out.
- Mankind decimated Kane with a double-arm DDT and made the…
- Hot tag Rock.
- Undertaker reversed an Irish whip, but Rock disintegrated him with a DDT for 2.
- Slamming Undertaker, the Rock unfurled a People’s Elbow for another 2.
- All five wrestlers were in the ring, and Shamrock along with Kane spilled over the top rope to the floor.
- Getting the tag, Shamrock got reversed on an Irish whip and ate boot from Undertaker.
- Shamrock tripped and caught Undertaker in an ankle lock, but Kane made the save.
- With mere seconds left in the show, Rock demolished Undertaker with a Rock Bottom.
- 1-2-3.
- Rock, Mankind, and Shamrock won at 12:50.
Rating: ***
Summary: Entertaining main event that helps to elevate the Rock.
TV Rating: 3.85
Conclusion: If you didn’t know before the Breakdown PPV and this show, Rock has climbed the mountain and is ready for the main event. What’s also fascinating is that the WWF crowds have taken to him even though Rock hasn’t embraced them. Some may say that People’s Champion is a babyface moniker, but with Rock’s swagger, he could just be boasting.
Venis coming close to capturing gold is a decent short-term story, but he has a more focused Goldust to worry about. Brown gets his rematch next week having won the six-man elimination match.
Oh, I should talk about Austin and McMahon, shouldn’t I?
The Zamboni ride is one of the main factors in making Austin one of the best champions of all time. With Mr. McMahon in 100% heel mode, Austin can be a tough son-of-a-bitch, yet the WWF crowds will eat it up with a spoon. Having the Brothers of Destruction literally hobble Mr. McMahon gives their characters a tinge of grey. As always, the WWF does a better job of storytelling than WCW.
Could it finally overcome Nitro in the ratings?
Final TV Rating: 4.6
Who won? Yeppers! While Nitro did everything it could to win the main event quarter hour, RAW beat them in total with one of their better overall shows.
Speaking of storytelling, the WWF performs a better job with the ambulance angles as both shows implement the same theme. WCW needs to find a strong hook to maintain or grow its audience. Since they barely scratched the surface with Goldberg and buried the Wolfpack this week, rallying behind WCW in the Monday Night War proves to be challenging. Hopefully, next week tells a different tale.
Stay tuned for WCW Thunder 10-01-98!
Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).