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RETRO REVIEW

And here we go with another Recap from yours truly - this time we go back to the first (and so far, only) In Your House - No Way Out from February '98. Seems appropriate as the next installment of No Way Out is just a few days away, besides, it's always hard to find a tape Scott Keith didn't recap yet J

Timeline: the WWF was still somewhere in limbo between the Bret Hart incident at Survivor Series and has yet to regain the upper hand in the ratings war. The road to WrestleMania was no big secret: Shawn Michaels was on the verge of injury-based retirement and Steve Austin was finally in line for a WWF title reign, so we have very little suspense going into No Way Out.

NO WAY OUT '98

(Original air date: February '98)

We are live from Houston, Texas. Your hoses are Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler.

Jim Ross reminds us that Shawn Michaels won't be here tonight due to his injury, this signaling the first time ever the reigning WWF champion is not at hand in some capacity at a WWF PPV. Ross wastes no time in wondering who the mystery partner of HHH and the Outlaws is tonight. Sheesh, makes you think some major swerve is going to happen. Anyways, let's proceed to our opening match...

  • Marc Mero (w/Sable) & TAFKA Goldust (w/Luna) vs. The Headbangers

    Mero was in midst of completely turning on Sable, claiming she is hogging his spotlight and such. Goldust is Marilyndust here, looking like Marilyn Manson. Crowd chants for Sable, so Mero claims there's "only room in the ring for one beautiful lady today" and tells Sable to get the hell away to a loud heel pop. Uhm, Luna and beautiful? Headbangers get a good pop. Ross reminds us that this is the first WWF PPV in Houston since the Royal Rumble '89. Lawler makes fun of New Jersey. JR speculates some more about the mystery partner in the main event. Sheesh, JR, I'm all for the play-by-play man hyping his product, but if you know something's gonna suck, don't hype it - the disappointment will be so much greater. Remember the Gobbledygooker? Jimmy Snuka as the mystery partner at Survivor Series '96? Anyway, on with the match. The crowd chants for Sable who isn't even at ringside anymore. Mero with some boxing and a shoulderblock against Mosh. Some more boxing. Mosh takes control with and tosses Mero out of the ring, who stalls some. Mero is actually getting nice heel heat. Trasher with a top rope clothesline. Mero with a cheapshot to the face and he tags Goldust in who promptly falls prey to a drop toehold. Trasher with a kick to the stomach, tag back to Mosh who dominates some more over Goldust. Nice move as Trasher drops osh onto Goldust from the top with a front layout suplex but Mero breaks up the cover. Mosh with a dropkick, and the 'bangers with some more doubleteaming on Goldust. Man, Goldust with no offensive move so far, so Mero tags back in. High knee lift and cocky elbowdrop on Trasher for two. Mero with some goofy celebrating, and the crowd chants for Sable again. Goldust pulls down the top rope so Trasher falls to the outside, where he drops him on the steel steps. Mero rolls him back in. Trasher is busted open, and it's either accidental or a primo bladejob. Goldust comes back in with a flying clothesline for two. Some more boring methodical crap by Goldust. I guess Dustin's got the night off. Lawler quotes Chumbawamba. Mero comes back in with a sleeper on the bleeding Trasher. Mero's trying to get heel heat here, I give him that. Trasher frees himself with elbows to the stomach but Mero quickly regains control. Mero with some more cheap stomps. Goldust tags back in. Hey, he's lost his black wig by now. Goldust with a few punches. Yawn. He isn't doing anything today. Trasher with a bodypress out of nowhere for two. Mero tags back in and loosens his wrist tape behind the refs back with which he promptly chokes Trasher. Crowd chants "Mero sucks". Mero with more cheap stuff behind the ref's back. Sitting powerbomb, but Mosh breaks the cover. Mero goes for the TKO but Trasher counters and lands a DDT. Mero tags in Goldust, but Trasher makes the hot tag to Mero, who cleans house. Double flapjack from the 'bangers on Goldust but Mero breaks the count. Doubleteam move is thwarted as Luna throws Mosh from the top rope. This causes Sable to come back out from the back to a HUGE pop. In the ring, Mero lands the TKO on Trasher but is distracted by Sable and Luna trying to kill each other. Mero holds Sable back while Goldust holds Luna. In the brouhaha, the Headbangers play the old switcheroo, Mero rolls back into the ring and gets promptly rolled up for the three.

    WINNER: The Headbangers (pinfall) at 13:52 * 1/2

    Entertaining when Mero was in the ring, who tried hard (and succeeded) to get heel heat. Complete crap when Dustin was in. The heels are all irate after this, and the Sable/Luna altercations would set up the Mero/Sable vs. Goldust./Luna match at WrestleMania. Mero and Sable yell at each other some more, and Sable pushes Mero down to a huge face pop. Keep in mind, this was back when people weren't sick yet of seeing Sable everywhere.

    Owen Hart interview. Michael Cole wants to know how he and Austin can co-exist with Owen having broken Austin's neck and stuff. Owen was Euro champ at this point. He promises to "bust Hunter's legs". Gee, does that mean no more knee-related moves from HHH after today?

    "I know you want me" - Sunny comes down the aisle to be the guest ring announcer for the next match. I fear it involves midgets - nope, only a light heavyweight title match. Close enough J

  • Light Heavyweight Title Match: TAKA Michinoku vs. Pantera

    How have the mighty fallen... from the WWF's top diva to ECW's crack whore to being backstage at WCW's Thunder and not even allowed to appear due to contractual brouhaha. Somehow being WWF's top woman never works out now, does it?

    Pantera is the heel here, and there's actually a storyline as Pantera pinned Michinoku the week before with help from Brian Christopher. TAKA and Brian Christopher still have the issues about the belt. "Not Too Cool yet, just Too Sexy" Brian Christopher comes out for guest commentary, and he and daddy Lawler waste no time making fun of Michinoku. Chops galore, and Pantera with a front moonsault to the outside at 0:38 officially starting the spotfest. Gentlemen, start your engines. Michinoku with a springboard bodypress to the outside at 1:20. Crowd doesn't care too much. Slow and methodical stuff between the spots I can't be bothered to do a play-by-play. This is a very boring match for TAKA Michinoku. Lawler and son make some more fun of dem evil Japs. TAKA misses a double axehandle into the corner and Pantera with a nice rana to the outside at 2:57 for spot number three. Followed immediately by a tope at 3:08 for spot number four. Pantera with a double underhook backbreaker and a camel clutch. Some more Surfboard-like submission moves by Pantera to which Brian Christopher comments "he's trying to give up but he don't know English". JR points out that Christopher obviously doesn't know English too well either. Man, TAKA and Pantera have no flow together. Pantera backdrops TAKA to the outside for spot number five at 6:01. Nice senton bomb to the outside follows immediately at 6:12 for spot number six. Brian Christopher calls it the "Taco Twister", then calls TAKA "TAKA Michi-noclue". The Lawler family commentary almost boosts the match by 1/2*. Pantera with a top rope elbow which doesn't quite qualify for spot number seven - which follows a little later as Pantera hits a top rope rana at 8:36. Moonsault at 9:02 gets spot number eight and a two count. Crowd is not into this match at all. Pantera's second Moonsault misses though and gives TAKA the opportunity to hit a top rope kneedrop. TAKA's back gives out in a Michinoku Driver attempt and Pantera rolls him up for two. Another rollup for two. Pantera attemps another rana but gets powerbombed for two. Nice sequence here. TAKA with a top rope dropkick to the back of Pantera's head. I guess this would qualify for half a spot count. Michinoku Driver and it's over just like that.

    WINNER: TAKA Michinoku (pinfall) at 10:11 **

    Kinda hard to rate, a few spots, some nice and some sloppy, and nothing of note inbetween. Off-night for TAKA as Pantera carried most of the match, and the ending came out of nowhere. If you want to see a good TAKA match, rent Canadian Stampede with TAKA/Great Sasuke instead. TAKA poses to zero reaction. Christopher gets up to punk TAKA, but TAKA lands a top rope dive on both Lawlers, then flees through the crowd.

  • The Quebecers vs. The Godwinns

    Ugh. My heart is broken. The Quebecers were gods upon men from '93 to '94. Much like the early New Age Outlaws, the Quebecers were great heels who drew massive heat, had ability to boot, one of the best theme musics ever and Johnny Polo (Scott Levy, Raven) as manager. Three tag title reigns, great matches against the Steiner Brothers and the Hart Brothers. Four years later, and it's all down the crapper. No cool music, no Johnny Polo, no heat. And the Godwinns as opponents. The Quebecers wave flags Canadiense et flags Quebecois. Guess someone forgot to tell them the USA/Canada thing ended three months ago at Survivor Series.

    Anyways, both are heel teams so no real purpose for this match I can think of, especially considering this is a PPV and not Shotgun Saturday Night. Jacques with some stalling to start and the first minute starts without any contact being made. Jacques with a dropkick but Phineas no-sells. Henry tags in and clotheslines Jacques down. Pierre tags in, armwringer, clobber clobber. Henry now with an armwringer and Pierre reverses to his own armwringer. Another armwringer by Phineas. As exciting as it sounds. The ring is still stained with Trasher's blood. Henry with the first resthold at 2:30. More kicking on Henry in the corner. Henry with a double clothesline. Phineas with another kick. Phineas with headbutts galore. Kneedrop by Henry. Crowd is dead and I need another cigarette to stay awake. Henry with a shoulderbreaker. Wow, JR hasn't even used the word "slobberknocker" yet. Phineas with a spinebuster slam and a legdrop for two. More punches from the Godwinns. Jacques with a kick himself. I'm so bored by now I have to be careful not to drop ashes on the keyboard. Well, no choice but to continue this recap - only alternative is watching Nitro reruns with Madden and Schiavone on commentary. Ughs. Phineas comes in and stomps some more. Punch, punch, clobber clobber, two count. Whoop de doo. JR and Lawler hype the mystery partner in the main event some more. Man, that turned out to be an even bigger disappointment than this match, didn't it? Jacques with a sunset flip for two. Henry with another sleeperhold. This stuff is so boring even JR can't be bothered to do play-by-play and talks about the main event. Jacques frees himself with a jawbreaker. More boring shit. The most talented worker in this match, Pierre Ouelette, hasn't even tagged in yet I think. Punch, punch, punch, punch, punch, punch, punch. Phineas runs into a bigfoot. Jacques finally tags Pierre in at nine minutes into the match. Lawler tells us that the Undertaker is gone and never to be heard from again - which, of course, means that his return can't be too far away. Man, I'm usually all for long matches and giving talent time to develop a match into a story, but ten minute Godwinn matches are too long. Pierre with a clothesline and a legdrop. Powerslam gets two. Doubleteam snakeeyes and Jacques is back in. Piledriver, and they go for the old Quebec Bomb, thus boosting it almost above DUD. Henry breaks the count, and Jacques jumps on Henry on the outside. Crowd is fast asleep. Henry nails Pierre with a clothesline behind the ref's back and Phineas pins him just like that. Well, at least it's over. The Quebecers are now officially dead after jobbing to the Godwinns on PPV.

    WINNER: The Quebecers (pinfall) at 11:11 1/4*

    Post-match the Godwinns pound on the Quebecers some more with their tin buckets. Quebecers sell it like they're dead. Once again, JR hypes that mystery partner. Dok Hendrix interviews the Outlaws who don't know either but go to find out.

    WWF killer Attitude promo.

    NWA North American Title Match: Jeff Jarrett (w/the entire NWA) vs. Bradshaw

    Jeff Jarrett brings James Cornette, Barry Windham, and the Rock'N'Roll Express along. And who did he ever beat to win that belt? Jarrett still had long hair at this point. Bradshaw has a killer music, I would like to point out. The entire NWA flees in fear of Bradshaw's bullwhip. Now THAT's the way to give Jarrett some heel heat now, isn't it. Did I point out that Bradshaw's music rules? Bradshaw and Windham just broke up their tag team, the New Blackjacks, when Windham turned on Bradshaw, so there's some issue there. The ref sends the entire NWA back to the locker room with the exception of Cornette, who has a manager's license. Bradshaw pounds on Jarrett outside the ring, then whips him with his leather pants in the ring. Bradshaw pounds on Jarrett some more. Big hiptoss, another chop and some more kicks. And headfirst goes dubba J into the turnbuckle. Bradshaw no-sells a kick to the face and clotheslines Jarrett out of the ring. Lawler: "what do you call a pretty girl in Texas? A tourist". Jarrett regroups with Cornette, so Bradshaw pounds their heads into each other. Jarrett sells everything and Bradshaw actually gets nice heat here. Jarrett rolls Bradshaw into the ring, Flying clothesline, and Jarrett points at his biceps. Full Double J mode here. Dropkick gets two. Jarrett with a choke over the ropes, and Cornette chokes Bradshaw for good measure too. Bradshaw no-sells it and chases Cornette around and into the ring, allowing Jarrett to clothesline him for two. Inside cradle by Bradshaw gets two. Jarrett's ring attire looks mucho gay today. Jarrett crotches himself onto the ropes but Cornette pounds Bradshaw into his bad knee. Jarrett works the knee some more. Slow match, but it doesn't suck. Cornette celebrates some more, drawing some heel heat. Figure four attempt, but Bradshaw kicks him off. Bradshaw misses his lariat, and Jarrett with a DDT. Jarrett goes to the ropes, but is too slow.Bradshaw tries to superplex him, attempt is blocked, Jarrett leaps onto Bradshaw and promptly gets fallaway slammed. Bradshaw with a powerbomb, and the crowd is wide awake again. Cornette hops onto the apron, and for a moment I fear a repeat of WM X Luger/Yokozuna. Bradshaw whips Cornette into Jarrett, Brouhaha, and Jarrett nails Bradshaw with Cornette's tennis racket for the cheap DQ.

    WINNER: Bradshaw (disqualification) at 8:57 **1/4

    Two stars may be generous, but I like Bradshaw. Could have done without the cheap ending though. It's a sad state of a PPV though when the only belts defended are the light heavyweight title and that bogus NWA belt. Bradshaw punks Jarrett the R&R Express and Cornette afterwards some more for good measure but Windham makes the save. Wow, I could have sworn they'd gear for a Bradshaw/Windham blowoff match at WrestleMania. The NWA pounds on Bradshaw, so the LOD make their token appearance and clear house.

    Well, all the meaningless matches are over now and nothing sucked TOO bad. LOD runs in to wakes up the crowd. Let's see if the rest of the card can warrant a recommendation.

    Michael Cole interviews HHH and Chyna. They wonder some more who the eighth man in the main event is. Sheesh, enough already. HHH has decided, in his "infinite wisdom", that Shawn Michaels is irreplaceable. Duh. Apparently it's a handicap match now, but Michael Cole informs us that the WWF officials might appoint someone.

    Dok Hendrix interviews the nation. Fun stuff.

    Hendrix: "Will there be some dissention in the nation? The best way to find out is to ask the leader."

    Rock: "Well, it's a good thing, Dok, that you ask the Rock..."

    Faarooq: "You're just begging me to whoop your ass, ain't you?"

    Rock's facial expressions are awesome. The people's eyebrow is raised a few times while Faarooq talks a lot about dangerous neighborhoods and stuff.

  • The Nation of Domination vs. Ken Shamrock, Ahmed Johnson & Disciples of Apocalypse.

    The Nation are Faarooq, Kama Mustafa (today the Godfather), D'Lo Brown, Mark Henry, and then-IC champ the Rock. DOA are Chainz and the Harris Boys, this time without Crush, who jumped to WCW shortly before this. This may or may not suck, depending on how much time DOA and Mark Henry get. Blatant fall: this is a first-fall-wins, not a Survivor Series style elimination match, so billing this match as "War of Attrition" is rather inappropriate, methinks. This would also mark Ahmed Johnson's final WWF appearance before deciding that he's too good to job to Kurrgan.

    D'Lo and one of the Harris boys start out. D'Lo wasn't over yet but JR recognizes his talent. Shamrock tags in, and the two exchange some blows. Basic kicking and punching with the occasional armdrag here. Kama and Chainz tag in. More punches by Kama. Chainz with a kick to the head. Bodyslam, elbowdrop, elbowdrop, elbowdrop. Kama with an eyerake, and in tags Mark Henry. Henry wants Ahmed Johnson, who complies and tags in. Ughs, two big black men exchanging blows. Punch, Punch, Clothesline. Ahmed bodyslams Mark Henry to a big pop and D'Lo tags back in. More punches and kicks galore. Front suplex by Ahmed, who is about fifty pounds lighter than in WCW today. D'Lo with a nice frogsplash, but the move isn't over yet so Faarooq tags in and works on Ahmed some more. Ahmed with a spinebuster to a big pop. Pearl River Plunge, but the Rock makes the save. One of the Harrises powerslams Faarooq for two. Shamrock is back in, and Faarooq tags the Rock in for the first time and kicks Shamrock some more. Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp. And a choke. Less boring then it sounds 'cause it's decently fast-paced and the crowd is into it. Kama now working on Shamrock with more punches but misses a charge into the corner. In come the Harrises, who clothesline Kama down. Kama with his heel kick for two. D'Lo comes back in and exchanges blows with the Harris boy. Elbowdrop from the second rope gets two. The Rock is back in, and People's Elbow on the Harris boy gets no reaction. The Rock and D'Lo with a doubleteam ballshot behind the referee's back, and Mark Henry is back in. Man, that Harris boy is getting a lot of ringtime. Kama's elbowdrop gets two. And Kama with a sleeperhold. Sheesh, Kama, this is a tag match - you've got FOUR partners to tag out to if you get tired. D'Lo comes back in. Backbreaker, but the (very nice) moonsault misses. Harris boy gets the hot tag, and pier ten brawl erupts. Shamrock belly-to-bellies the Rock while everyone else lands on the outside, and there's the anklelock submission on Rocky.

    WINNER: Ken Shamrock, Ahmed Johnson & The Disciples of Apocalypse (submission) at 13:45 *3/4

    Didn't suck too bad. Not much actual wrestling, but no real restholds and good crowd response partially make up for it. D'Lo tried, bless his soul, with a few nice top rope moves, showing a glimpse of his talent. After the match, Rocky gets into Faarooq's face, thus teasing the Nation breakup some more, but everyone makes up in the end. It still amazes me that all the Nation members managed to get over eventually by themselves.

    Michael Cole interviews Steve Austin. Again pondering about the mystery partner. At least Steve Austin predictably doesn't give a damn, but he likes the idea of beating someone's ass in Texas.

    Vader promo which actually makes him look good. He actually became watchable again since his face turn in October '97. Too bad it wouldn't last.

    Kane promo showing his path of destruction, including burning the Undertaker inside the casket at the Royal Rumble.

  • Kane (w/Paul Bearer) vs. Vader

    Storyline: apparently, with the Undertaker gone "forever", Vader is the only one who has even a slight chance in hell of standing up to Kane. Yeah, right. Vader gets a good face pop, Kane gets a good heel pop, so at least the crowd is into it. But with Kane getting the mega-monster-heel-push, Vader doesn't stand a fat mastodon's chance in hell of winning. Outcome was no big secret anyway, as Vader needed time off for an operation.

    Slugfest to start. No red light match, unlike Survivor Series against Mankind. Both men brawl to the outside. Wow, JR hasn't used the word "slobberknocker" all night yet. JR claims that he didn't know anyone could tombstone Vader - sure, 'Taker only did it twice in '97. Kane rams Vader's head into the steel steps, then rolls him back into the ring. Vader with his trademark punches, then dumps Kane back to the outside and whips him into the ringpost. Kane no-sells everything. Kane with his diving clothesline from the top. JR again tells us that the Undertaker is gone forever - yeah right. Kane with more punches. The crowd chants for Vader, causing Paul Bearer to show us one of his goofy disbelieving grimaces. Kane with a back suplex and more punches. Headbutt, headbutt, and a nice clothesline from the top while Vader hangs over the top rope. Slow, methodical match. Kane chokes Vader some more, and more punches are exchanged. Not too bad, but about as much as you could expect from two big men. More chokes and a clothesline into the corner. Man, this is all Kane. Vader is taking a shitkicking here. Kane with a big scoop slam and a choke over the ropes. Vader gets some token offense in, but Kane no-sells everything. Kane with a DDT and more punches. Vader is punch drunk at this point but comes back with some forearms and punches. Vader with an avalanche. Kane tries a chokeslam, but Vader retaliates with a low blow and a splash for a big face pop. Paul Bearer is looking all worried. Vader hits his top rope moonsault but wastes time celebrating and Kane does the zombie situp. To the outside we go, and another slugfest. Kane whips Vader into the steel steps, but Vader grabs a fire extinguisher from underneath the ring and sprays Kane in the face. Back in the ring, and Vader hits his powerbomb. Man, this is turning out to be a better match than I thought - or, at least, more entertaining. Paul Bearer jumps on the apron and distractes Vader while Kane sits back up, and Kane chokeslams Vader out of his boots. Kane with the tombstone, good night Irene.

    WINNER: Kane (pinfall) at 10:58 **1/2

    Wow, match of the night so far. After the match Kane hits Vader with a wrench in a nasty looking shot to the face. Vader gets stretchered away, thus giving an excuse to give Vader some time off for his operation. This was also the beginning of the end for Vader, as upon his return, he'd job to Kane again, Bradshaw, Mark Henry and everyone else and his dog before finally getting his WWF release.

    Main event promo, showing the Outlaws pushing the dumpster with Funk and Cactus Jack ten feet down, Billy Gunn shaving Animal, more DX stuff, Austin ripping apart a DX shirt, Austin stunning everyone.

  • Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack & Terry Funk vs. HHH, New Age Outlaws & mystery partner

    This is billed as an unsanctioned, anything goes main event. Just like the Nation match earlier on, unfortunately this is one fall. The Outlaws weren't officially part of DX yet and still actively got heel heat with their spiel. Anyways, the glorious mystery partner is... hold it... is it Chyna? Mike Tyson himself? Some recent WCW defect? No, hold it... it's... Savio Vega! No, really! I'm not making this up! They couldn't have found anyone better then frickin' Savio Vega?? Nothing against the man, but he has absolutely no purpose in a main event with no storyline or anything. Savio got ZERO heet when introduced, but he's a decent brawler, I give him that.

    Cactus Jack brings a dumpster full of weapons to play with to the ring. Austin's pop blows the roof of the place. The ring is littered with weapons even before the match starts. And off we go. JR finally tells us that this will be a slobberknocker. Pier eight, and Austin seems to be having great fun, pounding everything inside with the lid of a garbage can. Crowd pops huge for Austin. HHH oversells a whip into the turnbuckle, then gets clotheslines and pounded some more, then breaks a broomhandle over his head. Austin kills HHH some more out of the ring. In the ring, Cactus Jack sets up a table. Hey, Austin officially goes out of character by smiling into the camera. Owen hiptosses Billy Gunn into the table and puts him into the sharpshooter, but HHH makes the save. Road Dogg with the garbage can over Funk's neck, and HHH with a lowblow on Owen. Savio Vega pounds on Austin on the outside. Wild stuff. HHH drops Owen with a spinebuster, and Austin kicks the snot out of Gunn on the outside. Terry Funk takes some trashcan hits and a DDT in the ring from HHH. Owen with his enzuigiri on HHH. Owen again tries the sharpshooter, this time on HHH, but Road Dogg with a chair to his back. And Road Dogg powerbombs Funk through two chairs. Kevin Nash would repeat this two years later. Billy Gunn piledrives Funk on the trashcan lid but Cactus Jack breaks up the cover. And it's finally back to a regular, two-man-in-the-ring tag match at seven minutes in. Pace therefore slows down. Savio Vega and Road Dogg take turns pounding Terry Funk. Doggy suplexes Funk onto the trashcan. Funk comes back with a few headbutts. Fun bit as Billy Gunn runs in and Steve Austin throws the trashcan at him, hitting him square in the head. The heels take turns kicking Funk's ass some more, but Funk makes the tag to Owen Hart. Referee didn't see it and sends Owen out again. Funk finally makes the hot tag to Cactus Jack, who cleans house. Jack then places a board on Road Dogg and whips Gunn into it. Double Arm DDT on Billy Gunn but Savio Vega makes the save. Owen Hart with a beautiful missile dropkick on Savio, and Cactus with a double mandible claw on both Outlaws. HHH with a nasty ballshot to Cactus, breaking the claw. Cactus clothesline on Billy, but he promptly gets DDT'd on the outside. Billy Gunn drops some steel steps on Jack on the outside. Back in the ring, and the crowd starts chanting for Austin. Back Suplex from HHH gets two. Double hamstring pull by Gunn and HHH. Savio and Billy Gunn start wrapping Cactus in barbed wire, even pulling strands of barbed wire through his mouth. The plastic stuff, but hey. And head-first into a chair Cactus goes. And Cactus takes a NASTY chairshot to the head, courtesy of Savio Vega. This is just wild stuff. Heel miscommunication leads to Doggy accidentally eating a chair shot, allowing Foley the hot tag to Austin. Austin cleans everyone's clock to a HUGE pop. Mudhole stomp into Road Dogg, kick to the gut, Stunner, goodbye. I shiver to think how good the match could have been with a healthy Shawn Michaels in it. Still, a very good match for what it was, if very chaotic.

    WINNER: Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack & Terry Funk (pinfall) at 17:40 **** 1/4

    Pre-match stuff, Chyna confronts Austin and flips him the double-bird, consequently promptly gets stunnered to another mega-pop. "Oh hell yeah". And we go off the air.

    Conclusion: Well, as usual a mediocre undercard gets somewhat saved by an excellent main event. Nothing was too bad with the exception of Godwinns/Quebecers, but nothing was of historical significance either. The world champion, Shawn Michaels, was completely absent from the card, not even providing guest commentary or anything. All the other champions (Rock, Owen, Outlaws) were tied up in tag matches and thus, we didn't get a single WWF champion match with the exception of the bogus light heavyweight and NWA title matches. The WWF has now produced three sub-par PPV's in succession in the post-Bret-Hart-era - D-Generation X, the Royal Rumble, and this one. Looking back, it is a wonder they ended up doing as well as they did. Worth a rental only for Kane/Vader and the main event.

    Rating: C

    Goetz Boedder
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