THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA
ARTICLE #34
APRIL 15, 2002
Full Circle: The Evolution of Stone Cold Steve Austin
In Your House Beware of Dog: Caribbean Strap Match: Savio Vega vs Steve Austin (w/Ted DiBiase)
If Austin lost DiBiase would have to leave the WWF. If Vega lost he would become DiBiase�s chauffer. Vega tried to whip Austin with the strap but Austin bailed out of the ring. Austin got the better of Vega early but Vega fought back with a backdrop. Austin bailed out but Vega rammed him into the apron using the strap. Austin bailed out but Vega gave him a chop at ringside. Vega whipped Austin with the strap repeatedly. Austin bailed out again but Vega pulled him back up to the apron by the strap and whipped him again with it. Vega suplexed Austin back into the ring and whipped him with the strap again. Vega touched two corners but Austin pulled him back with the strap and Vega took a flip bump. Austin then repeatedly whipped Vega with the strap but Vega took him down and landed a series of punches. Austin held his own but they both tumbled out of the ring. Vega landed a couple chops but Austin rammed his back into the apron. Austin whipped Vega with the strap and dropped him neck first on the barricade. Austin then wrapped the strap around Vega�s neck and hung him on the apron. Austin suplexed Vega back into the ring and tied the strap around his ankle. Austin touched two corners but Vega started to literally spin him around by pulling on the strap and Austin crashed hard into the corner. Vega clotheslined Austin with the strap and whipped him with it again. Austin backdropped Vega over the top rope to the floor but also crashed to the floor because the strap that was tied to their wrists pulled Austin out. Austin chopped Vega and attempted to suplex him on the floor but Vega countered with a suplex of his own on the floor. Austin fought back but jumped off the steps and Vega punched him in the gut. Vega tied Austin�s arm and leg with the strap and touched three corners but Austin tripped him. Austin whipped Vega with the strap but Vega fought back. Vega placed Austin on the top rope and landed a couple chops but Austin knocked him to the mat. Vega kicked Austin and crotched him on the top rope. He gave Austin a top rope superplex and touched three corners but Austin cut him off with a spinebuster. Austin choked Vega on the ropes and pounced on him. Austin touched one corner but Vega poked his eyes. Austin went for a tombstone, Vega reversed it, but Austin reversed again and Vega tumbled over the top rope to the floor. Austin choked Vega with the strap but Vega fought back. Vega tumbled out of the ring again. Austin went to the top rope but Vega pulled on the strap and Austin took a spectacular bump into the barricade. Austin recovered and rammed Vega into the ring steps. However, Vega pulled on the strap and in turn pulled Austin into the ringpost. Vega carried Austin on his shoulders and touched two corners but Austin cut him off, but only momentarily as Vega touched the third corner. Vega went for the fourth but Austin pulled him away from the corner. Austin piledrove Vega and went for a second one but Vega countered with a backdrop. Austin then applied the million dollar dream but Vega touched two corners while in the hold. Vega escaped the hold by kicking off one of the corners and falling on Austin. Austin then dropped Vega head first on the top turnbuckle. Austin dragged Vega by the neck and touched three corners but so did Vega. Austin pulled Vega by the strap but Vega then crashed into the fourth corner and won the match in 21:25. A great finish and the biggest win of Vega�s career. As a result, DiBiase had to leave the WWF. A bit old school at times, but this was just a great match from start to finish with very good intensity and it never dragged. Austin made the match with his work and bumps, but Vega carried his weight as well. ****
King of The Ring Tournament Final: Steve Austin vs Jake Roberts 1996 King of the Ring
Austin attacked Jake before the bell and quickly attacked his injured ribs. Austin hit a second rope elbow onto the ribs. Austin kicked Jake in the ribs and taunted him. Jake tried to fight back but Austin continued to dominate him by attacking his ribs. Austin ripped the tape off Jake�s ribs and commissioner Gorilla Monsoon came in to check on Jake�s condition. Jake refused to stop the fight and fought back against Austin. Jake went for a DDT but Austin backed him into the corner and kept attacking his ribs. Austin then gave Jake the stunner and pinned him at 4:38 to win the tournament. Of course this match itself wasn�t worth a damn, except that it�s the match (and especially the subsequent speech) where �Austin 3:16� was born, launching Austin into superstardom. *
Submission Match: Steve Austin vs Bret Hart 3/23/97 Wrestlemania XIII
Ken Shamrock was the guest referee for this match. Austin tackled Bret before the bell but Bret held his own. Both men tumbled out of the ring and traded blows at ringside. Bret rammed Austin into the ringpost and tried to suplex him on the floor but Austin countered and crotched Bret on the barricade. Austin then clotheslined Bret into the front row. Austin rammed Bret into the barricade and the fight moved through the crowd on the floor. Austin dropped Bret on a barrier in the crowd but Bret fought back and dominated Austin as the fight moved into the stands. Austin fought back and attempted a piledriver in the stands but Bret countered with a backdrop. Bret dominated Austin as the action finally returned to ringside. Bret tried to whip Austin but Austin reversed the whip and Bret crashed into the ring steps. Austin gave Bret the dreaded double bird and hit an elbow strike off the apron. Austin went to hit Bret with the steps but Bret kicked him. Austin recovered and rammed Bret into the ringpost. Back in the ring Bret gave Austin a swinging neckbreaker and a second rope elbow. Bret attacked Austin�s left leg in various ways for an extended period of time. Austin fought back and gave Bret a stunner. Bret fought back by kicking Austin�s leg. Bret then applied a figure 4 leglock on Austin around the ringpost. Bret grabbed the ring bell and then a chair and trapped Austin�s leg in the chair. Bret climbed to the top rope but Austin recovered and hit Bret with the chair. Austin scored with another chairshot and whipped him hard into the corner. Austin suplexed Bret and hit a second rope elbow. Austin gave Bret a Russian legsweep and applied a modified armbreaker while bending Bret�s head sideways with his leg. Austin then applied a Boston crab on Bret. Austin tried to apply a sharpshooter but Bret poked his eyes. Bret landed several blows but Austin threw him out of the ring. Bret whipped Austin into the timekeeper�s table, knocking him over in the process. Bret rammed Austin into the barricade and Austin was busted open. Bret rammed Austin into the steps and then the ringpost. Bret dropped an elbow and attacked Austin�s wound. Bret gave Austin a backbreaker and a second rope elbow. Bret repeatedly hit Austin�s left leg with a chair and attempted to apply a sharpshooter but Austin raked his eyes. Austin fought back with a kick to Bret�s crotch and whipped Bret hard into the corner. Austin repeatedly kicked Bret in the corner. He superplexed Bret and threw him out of the ring. Austin choked Bret with a cable but Bret hit him with the bell. Bret then applied a sharpshooter on Austin for a huge pop. The classic scene took place with Austin screaming in pain a blood poured down his face. After over a minute Austin briefly broke the hold but Bret quickly reapplied the sharpshooter. Austin passed out and Shamrock stopped the fight at 22:05. After the match Bret attacked Austin and had to be restrained by Shamrock. I can see why this was the 1997 Observer Match of the Year, but I didn�t think it was a ***** match. Perhaps they could have done more work centered around Austin�s stunner down the stretch. Otherwise, this as a classic match and one of the top three matches in Wrestlemania history. The intensity was great from start to finish and everything they did contributed to the match well. Some might say that Austin�s excessive bleeding was a cheap way to draw heat, but it actually contributed to a somewhat legendary scene with him in the sharpshooter. It also added to the impact of Austin�s face turn and Bret�s concurrent heel turn. ****3/4
WWF Intercontinental Title: Owen Hart (c) vs Steve Austin 8/3/97 Summerslam �97
Owen clipped Austin�s knee before the bell and rammed it into the ringpost. Austin fought back, gave Owen a Thesz press and pummeled him. Austin whipped Owen hard into the corner and slammed him by the hair on his head. Austin went to pounce on Owen, Owen moved but Austin clotheslined him. Austin gained a couple near falls and worked on Owen�s left arm. Owen tried to fight back but Austin poked him in the eyes. Austin gave Owen�s arm a kneedrop and applied an armbar. After numerous hammerlock counters Owen attempted a snapmare but Austin held his ground and slammed him. Austin reapplied an armbar. Owen fought back with an elbow. Austin dragged Owen by the legs around the ringpost but Owen kicked him away. Owen rammed Austin�s arm into the steps and stomped his hand. Back in the ring Owen continued to attack Austin�s arm and his hand. He trapped Austin in the ropes and tried to break his fingers. Austin freed himself, caught a charging Owen, and gave him a stun gun onto the top rope. Austin missed a clothesline, Owen attempted a huracanrana but Austin countered with a powerbomb. Austin clotheslined Owen over the top rope to the floor. Owen tried to walk out and get counted out but Austin caught up to him. He clotheslined Owen and brought him back to the ring. Owen fought back with a belly to belly suplex and a swinging neckbreaker. Owen legdropped Austin for a near fall and gave him a top rope elbowsmash for another near fall. Owen whipped Austin into the corner but Austin responded with a clothesline. Austin tried to apply a sharpshooter but Owen countered and clotheslined him. Owen legdropped Austin for a near fall and whipped Austin into a corner. Austin reversed a whip into the opposite corner, Owen jumped off the second rope with a cross bodyblock but Austin rolled through and gained a near fall. Owen German suplexed Austin for a near fall and applied a camel clutch. Austin fought back but Owen DDTd him for a near fall and applied a chinlock. Austin applied a sleeper but Owen escaped and applied a sleeper of his own, which Austin escaped with a jawbreaker. Austin jumped off the second rope but Owen punched him in the gut. Owen gave Austin a Russian legsweep for a near fall and applied a chinlock for a lengthy period of time during which he used the ropes for leverage. Austin went for a tilt-a-whirl slam but Owen countered and gave Austin the now-legendary tombstone piledriver that nearly ended his career. It was clear that something went wrong because Owen had a confused look on his face and was stalling at an odd time in the match. After a while Austin rolled up Owen and pinned him at 16:14 to win the title (although it was more like Owen tripping over Austin in order to create some semblance of a finish). The match definitely ended at least a couple minutes and Austin was clearly not right as he had to be helped to his feet by three refs. A very good match that could have been great had it not been for the botched tombstone. ***
WWF Title: Shawn Michaels (c) (w/HHH & Chyna) vs Steve Austin Wrestlemania XIV
Mike Tyson was the guest referee for this match outside the ring. Michaels landed the first couple shots and Austin chased him out of and around the ring. Back in the ring Austin missed a clothesline but scored with an elbow. Austin literally kicked Michaels�s butt as his tights were pulled down in the back briefly. Michaels charged but Austin backdropped him, including his exposed butt, over the top rope onto HHH at ringside. HHH attacked Austin and rammed him into the barricade. As a result, the ref in the ring ejected both HHH and Chyna to the backstage area. Michaels jumped off the apron with an axhandle. Austin went after HHH and rammed him into a stage near the entrance but Michaels then clotheslined him. Michaels hit Austin with a drum stand and whipped him into a dumpster. Michaels jumped off the top rope but Austin punched him in the gut. Austin whipped Michaels into the corner and Michaels took a great flip bump that he shouldn�t have taken given his bad back. Austin atomic dropped Michaels for a near fall and worked on his left arm. Michaels fought back but Austin gave him a stun gun for a near fall. Michaels escaped a stunner attempt but Austin knocked him off the apron and head-first into the announcers� table with a punch. Austin rammed Michaels into the ring steps and elbowed him on the apron. Austin gained a near fall after a couple elbow drops and applied a chinlock. Michaels escaped the chinlock with a jawbreaker. He went to ram Austin�s legs into the ringpost but Austin pulled him into the ringpost with his legs. Austin rammed Michaels into the barricade and went to clothesline him but Michaels backdropped him over the barricade and into the crowd. Michaels dominated Austin in the ring although his back was clearly hurting as he was wincing noticeably. Michaels gained a near fall and continued to pummel Austin. Michaels kicked Austin�s gut, gave the fans the double bird, and Austin suddenly tackled him and attacked him. Austin threw Michaels over the top rope to the floor. Michaels grabbed Austin�s legs, pulled him towards the ringpost, and rammed his left knee into the post three times. Back in the ring Michaels continued to attack Austin�s knee. Michaels tried to apply a figure 4 leglock but Austin kicked him and Michaels crashed shoulder first into the ringpost. Austin then rolled up Michaels for a near fall. Michaels quickly fought back and attacked Austin�s knee again. Michaels hit a baseball slide kick that knocked Austin onto the announcers� table and Tyson, who had aligned with Michaels in prior weeks, threw Austin back into the ring. Michaels clipped Austin�s knee and applied a figure 4 leglock. Michaels gained a couple near falls and used the ropes for leverage. Austin turned the hold over but Michaels reached the ropes. Austin fought back and catapulted Michaels into the corner, then rolled him up for a near fall. Michaels applied a sleeper but Austin backed him into the corner, and accidentally squashed the in-ring ref in the process. Michaels ran towards Austin but Austin dropped him head first on the top turnbuckle. Austin rammed Michaels into the corner and Michaels took another big bump. He repeatedly kicked Michaels in the corner and backdropped him. Michaels fought back with a running elbow strike. Michaels hit a top rope elbow. He missed sweet chin music, countered a stunner attempt but Austin then gave him a stunner after more counters. Tyson then ran in, made the count, and Austin won the title in 19:59. Michaels confronted Tyson over why Tyson made the count and abandoned D-X but Tyson gave him a knockout punch for a pop. A disappointing match on the surface, but actually pretty remarkable when one considers that Michaels�s back was in such bad shape that he really had no business in a wrestling ring at all. Michaels worked hard, took a number of good bumps, and showcased his strengths in moderation. Austin didn�t exactly turn in a career performance, but didn�t have to because fans ate up the match anyway, and Tyson�s presence added another point of interest in the match. Most importantly, this was Austin�s first WWF title win, climaxing a year-long push as (at the time) the most unique face character in WWF history given that he fought and acted like a heel. The match itself was very good. ***1/2
WWF Title: Steve Austin (c) vs Dude Love Over The Edge �98
The odds were really stacked against Austin because Vince McMahon appointed himself the guest ref, Pat Patterson guest ring announcer and Gerald Brisco guest timekeeper. The Undertaker came to ringside, apparently to side with Austin. Love gained an early near fall with Vince obviously making a fast count. Austin grabbed a headlock but Love gave him a kneelift. Love took down Austin with a headlock and elbowed him. Love fought back but Austin kicked him and supposedly knocked Love�s gold tooth out of his mouth. Love attacked Austin but missed a clothesline and Austin hit a Thesz press and landed several punches. Austin clotheslined Love over the top rope to the floor and rammed him into the barricade. Love whipped Austin into the ring steps and rammed him into the steps again. Back in the ring Love gave Austin a Russian legsweep for a near fall. Love whipped Austin hard into the corner. He whipped Austin into another corner and scored with a running kneelift to the gut for a near fall. Austin fought back with a swinging neckbreaker and three clotheslines. Austin repeatedly kicked Love in the corner. Love fought back by applying a mandible claw but Austin sent him over the top rope and Love�s neck got caught in the ropes. Love hiptossed Austin onto the Spanish announcers� table at ringside and choked him with a cable. Austin whipped Love into the timekeeper�s table and a chair next to it and attacked him near the barricade. Austin clotheslined Love off the barricade into the crowd for a huge pop. He gave Love a short clothesline at ringside. Austin choked Love in the ropes and went to pounce on him but Love moved. Love knocked Austin out of the ring with a baseball slide kick. He gave Austin a neckbreaker on the floor and gained a near fall as Patterson suddenly declared that falls would count anywhere. In a funny spot, Love gave Austin a backslide in the aisle for a near fall. Austin fought back with a clothesline in the aisle but Love backdropped him onto a car that was part of the entrance set. Love then gained a near fall. Love rammed Austin into the hood and gained a near fall on the hood of the car. Austin fought back and basically gave a charging Love a stun gun onto another car near the entrance for a near fall. Austin rammed Love into that hood and gained a near fall. Austin tried a stunner on top of the car but Love shoved him off and into another car next to it. Love then jumped off that car with a sunset flip on Austin for a near fall. Love rammed Austin into the barricade and into a car. A bloody Austin fought back and rammed Love into a car. Austin attempted a piledriver on the floor but Love backdropped him for a near fall. Love DDTd Austin on the floor but missed an elbow off the hood of a car and Austin gained a near fall. Austin dominated Love as the fight returned to ringside and rammed him into the steps. Back in the ring Austin was tripped by Patterson and Love clotheslined Austin. Love removed on of the turnbuckle pads and rammed Austin�s head into the exposed bolt. Love pummeled Austin for a lengthy period of time and gave him a running knee to the head in the corner. Love continued to dominate Austin and applied a chinlock. Austin tried to fight back but Love rammed him into the exposed turnbuckle bolt for a near fall. Love hit Austin with a chair and DDTd him on the chair for a near fall. Love attempted a running chairshot but Austin booted the chair into Love�s face. Austin clotheslined Love and hit him with a chair. He went for a pin but McMahon refused to count. Love went to hit Austin with the chair but Austin moved and Love knocked McMahon out with the chair. Austin then gave Love a stunner and went for a pin, and a referee ran to the ring to make the count but Patterson pulled him out of the ring. Love applied a mandible claw. Patterson tried to interfere but Undertaker chokeslammed him through the U.S. announcers� table. Love attempted a pin, Brisco tried to make the count but Undertaker grabbed him and chokeslammed him through the Spanish announcers� table. Austin gave Love a stunner, then pinned him by lifting McMahon�s arm up and down three times at 22:28. It depends on whether or not you enjoyed the gimmickry and interference, but I absolutely loved the match from a booking standpoint. The Austin-McMahon rivalry was a young concept at this point, so much of the booking was completely fresh, and mostly creative and entertaining. Brisco and Patterson�s involvement made for some good comedy, but actually contributed to the excitement of the match. Even the gimmick of the Brisco Brothers Body Shop (the junk cars near the entrance worked like a charm as they used the cars as both weapons and props effectively. The work itself was very good with both men working hard. Love took many Cactus-esque bumps and Austin was in peak form in terms of intensity. Definitely a great match, probably excellent and maybe near-classic depending on your taste. ****1/4
WWF Title, No DQ: Rock (c) vs Steve Austin 4/1/01 Wrestlemania XVII
Austin attacked Rock before the bell but Rock fought back. Austin scored with a Thesz press and a couple elbow drops. Rock gave Austin a neckbreaker and attempted a Rock bottom but Austin countered. Austin attempted a stunner but Rock threw him into the ropes, went for a stunner himself, Austin countered and threw Rock over the top rope to the floor. Austin fought with Rock into the crowd, where Rock fought back. Rock rammed Austin into the announcers� table. He went to whip Austin into the barricade but Austin countered and clotheslined him. Back in the ring Austin continued to dominate Rock and gained an early near fall. Austin superplexed Rock for a near fall and then removed a turnbuckle pad from a corner. Rock fought back and clotheslined Austin. He belly to belly suplexed Austin for a near fall and clotheslined him out of the ring. Rock rammed Austin into the announcers� table and then into the ring bell. Rock hit the ref when he tried to intervene but Austin then hit Rock with the bell. Austin rammed Rock into the ring steps and repeatedly into the announcers� table. Austin dominated Rock as they returned to the ring. A bloodied Rock fought back but Austin gave him a swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Austin continued to attack Rock in heelish fashion. Rock fought back with a pair of clotheslines but Austin gave him a kneelift. Rock won a slugfest and rammed Austin�s head into the exposed turnbuckle bolt. He hit Austin with the bell and gained a near fall. Rock repeatedly bounced Austin off the ropes with his punches. Rock placed Austin�s neck over the apron and elbowed him. Austin got the better of Rock at ringside and dropped him head first on the barricade. Austin then catapulted Rock into the ringpost with Rock hitting head-first and taking a nice bump. Austin hit Rock with a TV monitor and gained a near fall back in the ring. Austin went to kick Rock but Rock caught him and applied a sharpshooter in a spot reminiscent of Wrestlemania XIII as Austin was bleeding heavily by this point. This time though, Austin eventually reached the ropes. Rock tried to reapply the sharpshooter but Austin countered and then applied a sharpshooter of his own. After about a minute, Rock escaped the hold by flipping Austin. However, Austin maintained the advantage, kicked Rock in the crotch, and reapplied the sharpshooter. Austin then applied the million dollar dream, his finisher from his days as Ringmaster. Austin nearly made Rock pass out, but after about a minute Rock pushed off the ropes with his feet, fell on top of Austin and gained a near fall in a spot reminiscent of Hart-Austin from Survivor Series �96. Rock kicked Austin and gave him a stunner for a dramatic near fall. Vince McMahon walked to the ring. Rock landed some punches but Austin gave him a spinebuster for a near fall. Rock gave Austin a spinebuster and a people�s elbow for a near fall as McMahon pulled Rock off Austin. Rock chased McMahon out of and back into the ring but Austin then gave him a Rock bottom for a great near fall. Austin went for a stunner but Rock pushed him away and into the ref, knocking the ref out of the ring. Austin gave Rock a low blow. Vince grabbed a chair and Austin told him to enter the ring. Austin held Rock and McMahon hit him with the chair. Austin gained a delayed and dramatic near fall. Austin went to hit Rock with a chair but Rock gave him a Rock bottom. Rock then dragged Vince into the ring and attacked him but Austin then gave Rock a stunner for a very heated near fall. Vince gave Austin the chair and Austin hit Rock with it for a near fall. A shocked and enraged Austin then landed a total of 16 various chairshots and pinned Rock at 28:02 to win the title. Vince and Austin shook hands after the match. While the ending was anything but flat, it did take down the match. It wasn�t necessarily a �bad� finish, it was more �undesirable�, since most fans probably wanted a clean finish. Until then, it was perhaps the best performance of both men�s careers. Granted not everything they did looked razor sharp, nor was their offense innovative, but the psychology in this match for the first 20+ minutes was sensational. They played off the finishes of past classic matches, used their finishers on each other, and also used the other man�s finisher several times for near falls. The selling was very theatrical, and would probably would have been overly so, but it worked perfectly in the large domed stadium setting. The pacing and placement of most of the big spots were superb as well, and both men worked really hard. Unlike most dome shows in Japan, the entire crowd was hot for just about the entire match, reacting to the near falls almost like you might expect a Budokan Hall or Korakuen Hall crowd to react. In other words, while they wouldn�t (and probably couldn�t) have reached *****, they were very close and for the first 20+ minutes, in many ways it was the perfect Wrestlemania main event. While the finish definitely took the match down, Austin vs Rock still emerged as the greatest Wrestlemania main event to date and arguably one of the top 10 matches of 2001. ****1/2
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