As if a Casket Match between World Wrestling Federation Champion Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, a 30 Man Over-The-Top Battle Royal, an Intercontinental Title Match between two of the greatest young superstars in all of wrestling today, a Tag Team Title Match, and a Special Challenge match weren't enough to make the Royal Rumble one of the most spectacular Pay-Per- View Events in recent history--Vince McMahon dropped a bomb last night! "Iron" Mike Tyson has an open invitation to Sunday's event! It is confirmed that the "Baddest Man on the Planet", will be on Raw is War next week in Fresno, CA. His status concerning the Rumble is unknown but tickets have been reserved for him!
A Four-Way Tag Team match started the night off. The Godwinns, Headbangers, Truth Commission, and New Age Outlaws locked up in a contest where the team to secure the first pinfall or submission would win the match. Wearing Florida shirts to mock the Penn State faithful over the Nittany Lions 21-6 Citrus Bowl defeat to the Gators, the champions once again relied on underhanded tactics to walk away victorios. As the official had his back turned, Bad Ass Billy Gunn wacked Henry O. Godwinn with a pair of brass knuckles, then quickly covered him for the three count. Will the Road Dog and Billy be able to come up with a trick to stop the Legion of Doom from extracting revenge on them this Sunday in San Jose?
After the match, Stone Cold Steve Austin went into the Godwinns locker room to deliver a pair of Stone Cold Stunners to the Boys from Bitters. The Texas Rattlesnake then came out for an interview with Federation Commentator Michael Cole. Cole told Austin that later on that night when the numbers are drawn for the Rumble, many of the 29 other superstars will be looking to give the Three- One-Six a little payback for his recent tirade against his fellow competitors. Stone Cold's reaction? He drew a bulls-eye on his chest and dared everyone to come and get him.
Before his match with Vader, Marvelous Marc Mero grabbed the mic and apparently had a change of heart. He said he would grant the crowd's wishes and give them Sable as they have never seen--and boy he wasn't kidding! The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust came down dressed as the lovely blonde beauty, complete with thong and coconut chest fillers. During the match the real Sable came out to confront the Bizarre One and after the freakish former Intercontinental Champion shoved her, Sable retaliated by landing a stiff kick to his midsection. The Marvelous One intervened, and NOT to help Sable, but to reprimand her. Mero led her back to the dressing room before continuing. Vader took control of the contest once they were both back in the squared circle. Not wanting to wait until Sunday to get a piece of the Mighty Mastodon, Goldust attacked him from behind, smashing him in the skull with the two coconuts he was using for 'support'. Back in the locker room after the match, Vader was the next superstar to be attacked by Steve Austin.
Kurrgan was victorious once again. Following his match, the gigantic specimen ripped apart a Penn State football helmet with his bare hands!
Ken Shamrock and Mark Henry took on Rocky and D'Lo of the Nation of Domination. The World's Strongest Man came to the ring ready to stir up emotions, as he dressed in a Rocky Sucks shirt. The Rock guarenteed the former Olympian he was going to tear it right off his fat, ugly, @#$ before the night was over--but we would soon find out this was all a ploy. Shamrock was in command of this match for his team, and appeared to be moments away from winning when Henry came in and attacked him! After Henry dropped a number of elbows on the former UFC Champion, The Rock followed through on his promise, by ripping the former Olympian's shirt off to reveal a Nation of Domination one underneath. Mark then joined Rocky, D'Lo and Kama in a Nation Salute. Faarooq came out of the locker room to confront Rocky about what had just taken place. Although The Rock saw this as a great move for the Nation, the leader did not look so happy that The Rock was now making decisions for the group.
Skull and 8-Ball of the D.O.A. took on the Rock N' Roll Express. That's right, Jim Cornette added Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson--the current NWA Tag Team Champions--to his crusade to bring 'old time' wrestling back. As he had done last week for Jeff Jarrett, Cornette--and his tennis racket--came in the ring to help Ricky and Robert score a win, but this time the official caught him, causing a disqualification.
Mankind took on the Artist Formerly Known as Goldust who continued his night of dress-up by disguising himself as Dude Love. The two most bizarre individuals in the Federation could only lock up momentarily, as Stone Cold came in the ring to add two more victims to his pre-Royal Rumble Destruction List.
Savio and Jesus of Los Boricuas took on Taka Michinoku and Scott Taylor. The two Light Heavyweight competitors put forth a great battle, but were defeated after Jesus deliviered a reverse suplex off the middle rope to Taylor. After the bell sounded, all four of the Boricuas savagley beat Taylor and Taka, and it was Owen Hart who came in for the save. Looking for revenge on the four Puerto Rican superstars for helping DX embarass him, Hart cleared the ring and called for all for of them to come back out.
It was a busy night for D-Generation X. First they dragged Owen Hart into their limo, and apparently pulverized him and left him in the middle of nowhere to fend for himself. However, the 'Little Nugget', as DX likes to call him, showed once again that he is not going away any time soon. As Michaels was busy on the mic letting Mike Tyson know that the World Wrestling Federation belonged to the Heartbreak Kid, and no boxer was going to take his place as the Showstopper of the 'big time', Owen appeared bloodied, beaten and ready to fight. Federation officials were forced to restrain Hart before he could get to HBK or HHH. Later on in the night, DX was in the ring again--this time to introduce the newest member of their group, Kane! As the lights dimmed though, it was the Undertaker who came out and not his younger brother. HHH, HBK and Chyna teamed up to beat the Man From the Darkside and suddenly the lights dimmed again--this time it WAS Kane! However, the seven foot monster did not come to help destroy his broter, but to help him. After chasing DX back to the locker room, Kane stopped under the TitanTron, went down on one knee and extended his hand to his brother, who immediatley returned the symbolic gesture. Is this the beginning of a reconciliation between the two siblings?
The final event of the night was scheduled to be the drawing of numbers for the Royal Rumble. However, when you get over twenty superstars in one ring--havoc is certain to break out, and it did! As soon as you heard the glass shatter, tension grew as everyone in that ring was ready to show Stone Cold Steve Austin that he can not take on 29 of the toughest atheletes in the world all by himself. However, the Texas Rattlesnake outsmarted the field by entering through the crowd and in the back of the ring. He quickly hit Phineas with a Stunner before heading back up the ramp. Austin though, was 'given a taste of his own medicine' when Rocky, D'Lo and Savio Vega beat him in a surprise attack. If this momentary melee between the superstars entered in the Rumble is any indication, San Jose is going to see a War this Sunday! credit: WWF.com