IYH 19: D-Generation-X

- December 7th, 1997 from Springfield, Massachusetts.
- Buyrate - 0.45
- Attendance - 6,358

 The opening video looks like an advert for the PPV, did they just recycle that for this? I know December PPVs are usually inconsequential and poor but come on give them a hand at least, don't just let them fail on their own, won't somebody think of the PPVs!!!!

Light-Heavyweught Title - TAKA Michinoku Vs. Brian Christopher
 For those who don't know Brian Christopher is Grand Master Sexay minus the goggles and the overness. To get here Brian had beaten Flash Flanagan and Scott Taylor aka Scotty 2 Hotty and TAKA had got the better of Devan Stoem and Aguila, Sasuke not signing for the WWF helped as well. Brian's music would be recycled for Droz. Throughout the match JR makes references to Brian being Lawler's son but he denys it. Brian starts the match better then there's a 'Jerry's Kid' chant. B-E-Autiful springboard plancha by TAKA to the outside. Brian soon busts his own mouth on the guardrail, bleeds quite a bit for a mouth cut as well. Tornado DDT gets TAKA the first 2. Brian is sent ringside where Lawler goes to check on him. Sitout powerbomb by Brian but TAKA counters the pin for 2. Brian's been on top for a bit now, leg drop and a pin in a leg drop position gets a 2 count. Tennessee Jam/Hip Hop Drop misses and Michinoku Driver gets TAKA the 3 count @ 12:02. Post Match Japanese Press take pics of TAKA with the belt, Patterson, Brisco and Tony Garea. *** - I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Not on the level of WCW's Crusiers obviously as WWF guys wrestle(d) a more heavyweight style.

Kevin Kelly chats to The Jackal, thought it was Bret Hart trying to sneak back for a moment there.

Los Boriquas Vs. DoA
 DoA for this match could mean Dead on Arrival, high-five come on! Los Boriquas, are akin to a Cuban Run-DMC, though one resembles Uri Geller, now there's a gimmick for someone a telekinetic wrestler. DoA are popular here tonight. DoA on top, Miguel gets a 'shave your back' chant. I'm pretty convinced Miguel is Tommy Dreamer moonlighting and trying to blend in and make it to the big time. Los Boriquas are on top after 8-Ball is cheapshotted. Miguel seems to injure himself coming off the top but there's no medical team out to see him as he goes ringside, EMT's racist much? Savio Vega tries to take his place but the ref won't allow it, geez Tim White racist much? Chains DVD's Jose but Miguel comes in and hits a somersault leg drop and Chains is pinned @ 7:57, geez Miguel Fakist much? - ** - Crowd digged it, or at least DoA, gotta say Miguel had me fooled at first.

Dok Hendrix, Michael Hayes, chats to Butterbean then Michael Cole chats with Sable until Marc Mero interrupts.

Toughman Fight - Butterbean Vs. Marc Mero
 It's basically three rounds of Mero being punched by Butterbean, there's four two-minute rounds, then we get Mero hitting a cheapshot between rounds. In Round 4 Mero uses a lowblow and a stool for the DQ so Butterbean is the winner. 'Bean would be back for WrestleMania 15 where he KOd Bart Gunn that hard he flew out of the Federation. - UNR

Kevin Kelly chats w/ Dude Love who's using AOL Online.

TAFKA Goldust and Luna come out, he reads some Dr. Seuss then she leads him off on a chain.

Cole confabs w/ LoD then we see NAO, I don't think they had that name yet though, winning the Tag Titles from the LoD.

Tag Team Titles - LoD Vs. Road Dog/Billy Gunn
 Dog has one G and Bad has one D showing that this is early in the NAO life. LoD go after the Champions and they had to back for more stretching, they try to leave again but Brisco, Patterson and Garea block their path. What the dickens!!!! they're using the opposite corners to a normal tag match, I think i'm going to faint my eyes can't take it. Hawk hits a double clothesline off the apron, seems weird that Dog has short hair and no braids. Dog is your Champion in peril, he tries to leapfrog Animal but is powerbombed. Gunn goes to help Dog but is dropped onto the steps, it's been 100% LoD so far. Hawk is finally down from a cooler shot, that must be his Kryptonite then Gunn hits him with it again proving my previous point. Hawk plays Road Warrior-In-Peril, tag to Animal and he cleans apartment. The Doomsday Device is attempted by Henry Godwinn hits Animal with a Slop bucket then Hawk uses it in front of the ref for the lame DQ @ 10:33. - *1/2 - Guess LoD still had power to avoid pin losses, this feud was woeful as there was another stinker at the Rumble. 

Advert plays for WWF The Music Vol. 2, we see Taker banging cymbals.

Cole chats to Hunter and Chyna, Hunter seemingly fresh off a tanning bed, I did laugh when he called the cameraman an idiot as I think he meant it.

Boot Camp Match - Triple-H (W/ Chyna) Vs. Sgt. Slaughter
 No DQ, No Countouts. Slaughter cuts a pre-match w/ Cornette. Slaughter has the music used for The Patriot and Kurt Angle. Slaughter is in control using a riding whip. Hunter is being Slaughtered so far. Cobra Clutch is avoided then Slaughter goes over the top from a irish whip into the corner, hard landing. Hunter has been on top since he avoided the Cobra Clutch, he takes out Mark Yeaton as he wouldn't give him it to him, the bell is Yeaton as the Ring is to Gollum. HHH gets 2 off a fist drop with a chain. As Yeaton is helped to the back, Lawler 'He got his bell rung' JR 'Literally'. It's amazing how uninteresting HHH was for the first two years or so in the Federation, he's lucky a) He had the Clique and b) they had patience in them days, if people nowadays got as little a reaction as him they'd be either sent to NXT or packing. Hunter ramps up the tension with a .... sleeper, they do the three arm drops bit, is that still done now or has that slowly been phased out? Chyna breaks up the Cobra Clutch then hits the ref. Slaughter powders Chyna then Cobra Clutches HHH, he's like them annoying people on wrestling games who only use one maneouver, Chyna breaks it up with a kick not unlike Green Bays Vs. Dallas in the Divisional Championship. Pedigree onto a chair ends it @ 17:38. *1/2 - Really rather boring to be honest, neither had the moveset to cover a near 18 minute match. The whole DX/Slaughter thing would've worked better had people actually cared for Slaughter.

An advert plays for the Rumble.

Cole chats to Jarrett, he's dressed like Kiss but with a different colour scheme.

Jeff Jarrett Vs. Undertaker
 Is this not the most wackiest match-up ever I mean it's hilarious. Jarrett's attire here isn't even his worse, he'd somehow sink lower in 1998, at least prior to the post SummerSlam season anyway. UT no sells Jarrett's punches then pummels him. Taker goes Mid-School then Tim White goes ringside to avoid Taker after he breaks up a corner choke. Not much happens as Jarrett works the knee but UT doesn't sell it ruling it null and void then the lights go out and .... it's Sab .... no sorry this is WWF it's Kane with Paul Bearer in tow, JR calls him a hideous one eyed monster, was it claimed Kane one-eyed in the original run? Jarrett gets Chokeslammed by Kane and wins via DQ @ 6:55. Man I love Kane's original music, didn't love this match though. Post match UT Chokeslams Jarrett. *1/2 - Nothing much to the match, we had brief psychology on Jeffs part but it wasn't reciprocated which would of made it a bit more worthwhile.

Cole catches up with Mark Henry.

Hendrix/Hayes shoots the poo with Rock.

IC Title - Stone Cold (c) Vs. The Rock (w/ Nation)
 'Rocky Sucks' chant, he was the Eddie/y of the WWF, Rock has the belt as he stole it on RAW is WAR. Stone Cold drives his pick-up to ringside. Nation attack before the bell, D-Lo is backdropped onto the windshield then Stunered on the roof. Faarooq is wiped out by Kama with a chair then Austin dumps him into the side of the car. Peoples Elbow minus pad removal and any real jazz gets 2. '3:16' chant. Peoples Elbow, w/ added trash talk and pad removal .... misses. Austin stuns the ref thinking it's Rock then Stunners Rocky for 3 @ 5:31, Vince on RAW would overturn that decision. ** -  There wasn't much to the match itself, Austin was still fragile from the SummerSlam injury, but man watching 96/97 Austin is exhilarating.

Kevin Kelly and Jackal plug the WWF line.

Video plays about Shamrock then Cornette chats to him and we follow Ken to the ring.

WWF Title - Shawn Michaels (c) (w/ HHH, Chyna) Vs. Ken Shamrock
 Think I read somewhere Shawn was worried that Ken, a friend of Bret's would shoot on him. HBK uses his pace to avoid shots but then runs into a kick. Nothing much of note happens as Ken's on top, JR gets the line of the note though when HBK and HHH are nogging knockered, 'I think Hunter's nose may of penetrated Michaels' forehead'. HBK lands horizontal on the turnbuckle then a kick sends hi mabout 40ft in the air and he gets crotched. Ringside Chyna rams Ken into the ringpost after he drops HHH. Michaels hits a splash off the apron, I don't recall ever seeing that. Champion's on top but it's not very interesting, HHH's influence or the Champion just dogging it tonight? Michaels applies a chinlock, I guess that answers the previous question. Now he applies a sleeper. Ken thankfully picks up the pace and gets 2 off a powerslam. Something goes wrong when Ken is whipped into the ropes, he avoids a hurricanrana with a powerbomb. Sweet Chin Music is avoided with a belly-to-belly then the Ankle Lock is applied but HHH and Chyna make the save for the woeful DQ ending @ 18:28. PM - Owen Hart returns and sends HBK through the announce table and busts his nose then leaves through the crowd. Despite the fact Owen/HBK would've been a money match at the Rumble this led instead to Owen repeatedly laying down for HHH, given what happened at the Rumble HBK probably wishes he had faced Owen.  ** - HBK didn't seem to really care and that finish, yeeeesh. This doesn't do much to rebuild customer goodwill post Montreal.

13.5 / 35 - Started off well enough then fell off the proverbial cliff and never really recovered. Tag Titles and Boor Camp were boring, Jarrett/UT wasn't much cop either, Austin couldn't do much and HBK wasn't trying.
Thumbs way down here folks.