Taped from East Lansing, MI
Airdate: October 11, 1998 (taped 09/29)
Attendance: 9,846
Hosted by Jim Cornette & Shane McMahon
How will Austin fare against Brown? Can Jacqueline retain the Women’s title? Will Road Dog get revenge against Jarrett? You’d better get ready for some heat!
Opening montage.
During Jacqueline’s entrance, she had her trophy of Sable intertwined with her ponytail.
Prior to the opening match, we revisit RAW when Jacqueline earned her trophy by humiliating Sable.
Match 1 for the WWF Women’s title: Jacqueline (champion w/ “Marvelous” Marc Mero) versus Starla Sexton
Highlights:
- For those unaware, Sexton was portrayed by Nora Greenwald who would later portray Molly Holly.
- Saxton hip-tossed Jacqueline but ate a leg lariat.
- When she reversed an Irish whip, Saxton fell victim to a double underhook suplex for 2.
- Mero jumped onto the apron, and Saxton whipped Jacqueline in his direction.
- As Jacqueline applied the brakes, Saxton blasted her from behind sending Mero reeling to the floor.
- Saxton rolled up Jacqueline and got 2.
- After Jacqueline rebounded with a clothesline, Saxton fed her a modified Northern Lights suplex for 2.
- According to Cornette, Mr. McMahon stripped HHH of the IC title and set up a one-night tournament for RAW.
- Jacqueline buried Saxton with a DDT and pinned her at 2:37.
Rating: **
Summary: Strong psychology by the women with a touch of workrate.
After the match, Jacqueline isn’t finished and drops an elbow onto Saxton. That draws Sable to the ring, and she yanks Jacqueline across the ring by her hair. Clotheslining Jacqueline, Sable put her down with a big boot.
Match 2 (eight-man): Kaientai (w/ Mr. Yamaguchi) versus Too Much & the Hardy Boyz
Highlights:
- Taylor fed Michinoku a pumphandle fallaway slam and tagged in Christopher.
- As Michinoku reversed an Irish whip, he leapfrogged Christopher but suffered a Stroke. It’s OK, folks. It’s a wrestling move and not a life-threatening condition.
- Tags were exchanged on both sides, and Jeff dealt Teioh a slam followed by a springboard moonsault for 2. Needless to say, but the Michigan State faithful celebrated with an “oooh!”
- When Matt tagged in, the Hardy Boyz demolished Teioh with Poetry in Motion for another 2.
- Chaos ensued with all eight wrestlers in the ring, and Christopher powerbombed Funaki.
- After Too Much destroyed Teioh with a Veg-O-Matic, Funaki blasted Taylor off the top rope.
- 1-2-3.
- Kaientai won at 3:01.
Rating: ***
Summary: Lots of team chemistry combined with high-flying made this fun.
Following the match, Too Much and the Hardy Boyz argue leading to a brawl. WWF officials arrive to separate them.
We revisit RAW from two weeks ago when Zamboni 3:16 took out Mr. McMahon. With Mr. McMahon upset, he made a fatal error and suffered disfigurement as punishment. Next, we revisit last week when Mankind tried to cheer him up. Yurple the Clown appeared, but Mr. McMahon wasn’t impressed. To continue the excitement, Mr. Socko made his WWF debut, but that sent Mr. McMahon over the edge.
Match 3: Edge versus Vader
Highlights:
- Vader flattened Edge with a short-arm clothesline, gave him a cross corner whip, and followed with an avalanche.
- GET OUT THE SPATULA!
- When he powerbombed Edge, Vader got 2.
- He clotheslined Edge, and the match segued to the floor.
- As Edge reversed an Irish whip, he sent Vader reeling into the steps.
- He ducked a clothesline and uncorked a spinning heel kick.
- After he mounted the top turnbuckle, Edge launched a flying clothesline for 2.
- He mounted the adjacent top turnbuckle, leaped, but ate a powerslam for 2.
- While Edge attempted a sunset flip, Vader tried to SQUISH him but failed.
- Edge connected with a Downward Spiral and pinned Vader at 3:28.
Rating: **
Summary: Showcase match for Edge.
WWF Attitude Era promo airs.
Match 4: Ken Shamrock versus Al Snow (w/ Head)
Highlights:
- Shamrock ambushed him before the bell, but Snow applied the brakes and clotheslined him.
- As Shamrock reversed a cross corner whip, he fed Snow a belly-to-belly suplex.
- Shamrock hooked an ankle lock, but Snow made the ropes.
- Writhing in pain, Snow laughed.
- Nevertheless, Snow won by DQ at 0:45 when Shamrock wouldn’t release the hold.
Rating: DUD
Summary: More character development than match.
Afterward, Scorpio comes to Snow’s rescue but falls victim to a belly-to-belly suplex. Shamrock reapplies the ankle lock to Snow, but Mankind tries to sneak up from behind with a chair. Somehow, Shamrock notices and GETS THE FUCK OUTTA HERE quickly.
Backstage, Michael Cole interviews Road Dog who’s still perturbed about Billy Gunn and cuts a promo on Jarrett.
Vignette airs for a real man’s man—Steven Regal.
Prior to the next match, we revisit RAW from last month when Jarrett literally silenced Road Dog with his guitar. We return to East Lansing, and Road Dog grabs the microphone to recite his spiel.
Match 5: Jeff Jarrett versus Road Dog
Highlights:
- Road Dog blocked a hip toss and fed Jarrett one of his own.
- When he dealt Jarrett a shaky-shaky knee drop, Road Dog got 2.
- Jarrett attempted a float-over to no avail, so Road Dog delivered an inverted atomic drop.
- As he decimated Jarrett with a ten-punch count-along, Road Dog ate a dropkick that sent him over the top rope to the floor.
- Jarrett joined and rammed Road Dog face-first into the steps.
- After he mounted the top turnbuckle, Jarrett connected with a cross body block for 2.
- Jarrett clotheslined Road Dog but WHIFFED on a running guillotine.
- While Road Dog grabbed Jarrett’s guitar, he CROWNED Jarrett with it.
- Referee Mike Chioda called for the bell, and Jarrett won by DQ at 2:37.
Rating: *
Summary: More of a revenge match than anything else. Jarrett certainly received his comeuppance in the form of a headache.
We revisit last week when Mr. McMahon received one more unexpected visitor…and regretted it from the first instance to the last.
We revisit last week once more when Brown regained the European title from X-Pac.
Yet again we revisit last week when Undertaker cost Kane a match against Shamrock, yet Kane couldn’t return the favor when Undertaker beat the Rock.
Match 6 (non-title): WWF European champion D’Lo Brown (w/ Mark Henry) versus Stone Cold Steve Austin
Highlights:
- Austin gave Brown a pair of cross corner whips and followed with a vertical suplex.
- As he fed Brown a Thesz press, Austin lowered the boom with a forearm smash.
- He suplexed Brown again, mounted the second turnbuckle, and launched a flying forearm smash for 2.
- When he missed a running guillotine, Austin clotheslined Brown.
- He destroyed Brown with a Stone Cold Stunner and pinned him at 1:57.
Rating: *
Summary: Showcase match for the former WWF champion.
After the match, Henry jumps into the ring only to suffer a Stunner himself.
Conclusion: Yet another fun entry in the series as Austin remains the man. Road Dog exacts revenge against Jarrett while Snow’s sanity slides down the hill. Edge gets the better of Vader while Kaientai steals a victory from the young light heavyweights. Finally, Jacqueline retains the Women’s title but gets mauled by Sable.
Do I recommend this episode?
TV Rating: 3.6
Stay tuned for WCW Monday Nitro 10-12-98!
Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).