-The show opened with a highlight package recapping the HHH-Steve Austin incident from Smackdown, The Rock's challenge to the winner of their match at No Mercy, and highlights of HHH vs Austin from the ppv.
-The Rock, with tape on his right ribs, came out to start the show. He announced his title shot at Survivor Series against HHH. He then mentioned the sledgehammer attack by HHH at the ppv, saying he bruised "the people's ribs". After briefly hyping his match at Survivor Series, The Rock went to his catch phrase, but Steve Austin interrupted him and came down to the ring looking pissed. Austin threatened The Rock, challenged him, and the two were about to square off when Vince McMahon came out. He implied siding with HHH, saying his viewpoint was important and called him out, so HHH then came out. In addition to running Vince down, he briefly taked about No Mercy. As Vince told HHH he could face either The Rock or Austin at Survivor Series, The Rock interrupted Vince by saying "It doesn't matter..." for a big pop. Vince suggested to HHH that he wanted to face both men at Survivor Series, and then declared that the three would face each other in a triple threat match at Survivor Series. Great opening segment effectively using the star power of all four men. HHH is not on Rock's or Austin's star level yet, although he has turned into a legitimate star and is fitting into the role well.
-Match 1: Kane & X-Pac vs Buh Buh Ray & D-Von Dudley
Before the bell, Buh Buh Ray talked/stuttered and made fun of Kane. The
Headbangers came down to ringside during the match. For a 4 minute
match, this was very good, with all four working hard and to their
potential. The Dudleys are showing signs of becoming much smoother
wrestlers in the ring. Kane pinned Buh Buh Ray after a chokeslam.
Afterward, the Headbangers mocked Buh Buh Ray and had a pullapart brawl
with the Dudleys.
-Backstage, the Acolytes were playing cards with Curtis Hughes and Howard Finkel. Hughes lost a round and was made fun of by the Acolytes.
-Backstage, the Hollys talked Vince McMahon into giving them a tag team title shot later on in the show.
-The Big Bossman came out and challenged Big Show to a hardcore match later on.
-Michael Cole interviewed the Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young. Young challenged Moolah and Moolah attacked her. That's just what we need- a "Depends on a pole" match.
-Kevin Kelly interviewed the Big Show, who accepted Bossman's challenge.
-Test was shown arriving at the arena.
-Mark Henry's 4th sex therapy session took place. This time, the therapist was a large, middle-aged woman. The therapist asked for a hug and then got on top of Henry, who seemed traumatized.
-Match 2: Godfather (w/ 4 ho's) vs Viscera (w/ Mideon)
Considering who was involved, this was not nearly bad as it could have
been. Both men worked hard and to their limits, including Viscera
attempting a spin kick. He won with a big splash.
-After another shot of the card game backstage with the Acolytes, Hughes, and Finkel, they showed Mankind looking for The Rock.
-Highlights of the Good Housekeeping match between Chyna and Jeff Jarrett from No Mercy aired.
-Mankind found The Rock and told him about their tag team title defense later on. He offered The Rock his autobiography, and The Rock took it. He then offered him "Mr. Rocko", but he refused and told Mankind to keep it. Hilarious segment as usual from these two.
-Chyna & Miss Kitty came out. Miss Kitty had black hair and looked & dressed just like Chyna. Chyna issued an open challenge to the back for anyone to face her. Chris Jericho responded, saying he was ashamed to be in wrestling because of Chyna and that she was an embarassment. He then unfavorable compared her to great intercontinental champions of the past like Ricky Steamboat, Rick Rude, Randy Savage, ... and The Mountie. As Jericho was on the ring apron, Chyna knocked him backward onto the announcer's table.
-They showed Test and British Bulldog in the back.
-Match 3: Test vs British Bulldog
Test came out with a trash can. The Mean Street Posse ran in for the DQ
and threw the trash can onto Test. Nothing special about this match,
which was pretty lackluster at times.
-Another shot of the card game aired.
-As Al Snow was looking in the trash backstage, he found Mankind's autobiography. With a sad expression over what happened, he went looking for Mankind.
-Al Snow told Mankind that he found his autobiography in the trash. Mankind could not believe what happened.
-Match 4: Val Venis vs Al Snow
Physically, this was a pretty typical match for these two, although the
build and effort put into making this a cohesive match was strong. This
was the best match of the show, with several near falls, and each
wrestler gained some of them. Venis won with the money shot. **1/2
-After showing Bossman and Big Show in the back, they showed Mankind looking for The Rock.
-Mankind confronted The Rock, said that their partnership was over, and told The Rock to "grow up". Hilarious.
-The Bossman-Big Show match never took place, as an officer backstage supposedly told Big Show that his father had just passed away.
-After a commercial, they recapped what had just taken place with the Big Show.
-Match 5: New Age Outlaws vs Acolytes (w/ Finkel)
The top rope broke during the match. Gunn's head was busted open after
he was hit with a turnbuckle. Road Dogg pinned Bradshaw for the win. A
typical match for these two in terms of quality. The Acolytes angrily
dragged Finkel to the back.
-After recapping the finish to the previous match, backstage the Acolytes confronted Finkel over bringing the chair that Road Dogg used into the ring.
-Michael Cole brought out the Hardy Boyz. Edge & Christian came out, told the Hardys it was an honor to have a match with them as great as the one they had at the ppv, and they shook hands. Terri came out with Gangrel. All four wrestlers attacked Gangrel and Terri left with the Hardys.
-In this week's GTV segment, Bossman talked about tricking the Big Show and thanked the officer for convincing Big Show that his father was dead. Tasteless.
-The Rock was shown in the back.
-Match 6: WWF Tag Team Championship: Rock & Mankind (champions) vs
Bob & Crash Holly (challengers)
When Mankind came out, he refused to enter the ring and sat on the steps
for the match. The New Age outlaws were watching the match backstage.
This match was not that great and it was not a worthy main event. The
Hollys won the match and the titles thanks to interference from HHH.
-Austin came out and attacked HHH. The Rock gave HHH Rock Bottom, but when he was going to deliver the people's elbow, Austin grabbed HHH and gave him the stone cold stunner. Austin and The Rock had a staredown to conclude the show. Super ending.
-Overall, this was another strong show. The angle with Bossman and Big Show was disgusting and the main event was not a worthy one, but the beginning and end were perfect and the build to Rock vs Austin is off to a perfect start.
-Most unique signs in the crowd:
"Goddy eats ass"
"Hunter Hearst Homo"
"Hey Rock, lay the smack down here"
"Where's my puppies"
"I have a bone"
"Ho train boarding station"
"Phil ate me"
"Val Venis uses viagra"
"The people's alcoholics"
Number of times the following foul language was used:
"bitch": 2
"sonofabitch": 1
"asshole" chants: 1
bleeped expressions: 1
(Overall the language wasn't too bad this week, but the volume of sexual
innuendo was up from last week, so this small list can be deceptive.)
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