Survivor Series 1987

We set the clock back to 1987 for this the inaugural Survivor Series and whilst I'm not expecting much in the ring in terms of technical prowess the old shows do have a fun quality to them.

26th Novemeber, 1987 from Richfield, O--o

Crowd is hot to start as Jesse Ventura and Gorilla Monsoon are Introduced. I think this is actually taking place on Thanksgiving. 

Honky Tonk Man/Harley Race/Hercules/Ron Bass/Danny Davis  Vs. Macho Man/Steamboat/Beefcake/Jake Roberts/Duggan
Harley is during his King phase. Honky and Macho are the respective captains. Bobby Heenan and Jimmy Hart are ringside for Team Honky and Elizabeth is with Team Macho. It's quite amazing how quickly Savage adapted to the face side of things and was embraced by the fans after his great heel run. Big pop for Savage and Elizabeth. Beefcake has hiptosses for all bar Harley and Honky. Danny Davis is being discombobulated until he manages to tag Harley in who tries to throw Ricky out a couple times but he skins the cat both times. Hacksaw in, Harley won the title of King from Hacksaw so they have history, they brawl ringside for a double count out (4-4). Macho has the better of Bass until he goes for Honky and is clotheslined. Brutus with the blind tag and a high knee eliminates Bass (3-4). Beefcake is your Future-Man-With-No-Name-Even-Though-That-Is-Surely-His-Name-In-Peril. Beefcake fights back but doesn't go for a tag and is hit with the Shake Rattle 'n' Roll, a swinging neckbreaker, for 3 (3-3). Jake in, he goes for a DDT but Honky avoids it. Woah, woah, woah is that Jack Duckworth as the ref? If Vera shows up in the womens match then it must be, was this Coronation Streets way of building an american following? Sounds like a big 'DDT' chant. Jake hits said DDT to Danny Davis for 3 (2-3). Hercules attacks Jake straight away to get an advantage. Jake, Randy and Steamboat would be a cracking mix for a wrestler - great promo, great babyface and God. Jake has been isolated since he eliminated Danny. Hot tag to Ricky who chops Honky and mocks him with his dance. Chop off the top for Hercules then Savage soon ends his night with the Big Elbow (1-3). The faces have their way with Honky who bails after a Macho atomic drop and takes the count out loss 23:42. *** Heat at points was off the charts, Honky taking the countout loss fitted with his gimmick.      

We hear from Team Andre. 

Judy Martin/Lelani Kai/Dawn Marie/Donna Christianello/Sherri Vs. Velvet McIntyre/Rockin Robin/Jumping Bomb Angels/Fabulous Moolah
Sherri is Ladies Champion and Judy/Lelani are Ladies Tag Champions. Ventura plugs The Running Man a film I have yet to see though intend to or am I thinking of the other Arnie film I get it mixed up with the name if which escapes me. Velvet victory rolls Donna for 3. (4-5). Hurricanrana and a dropkick to Lelani. If I remember right Robin is Jake Roberta sister. Robin is your Potential-Jake-Roberts-Sibling-In-Peril but she does pin Dawn with a crossbody (3-5). One of the JBA does Eddie Guerreros style of armdrag without the running up top. Suplex by Sherri eliminates Robin (3-4). Lelani avoids a dropkick from one of the JBA. One of the JBAs is legal but Moolah is dragged in by Lelani or Judy and that makes her legal. A clothesline eliminates Moolah (3-3). McIntyre has Martin in a Boston crab then a bow and arrow type move but there's a rope break. I have just remembered the other Arnie film and funnily enough it's Total Recall. Double underhook slam to one of the JBA doesn't get 3 but the bell rings anyway however the ref cancels it out. McIntyre with a giant swing to Sherri and pins her with a victory roll  (2-3) as Ventura believes that should make her the no.1 contender. Double underhook suplex to Martin gets 2 for one of the JBA. Velvet goes for a victory toll on Judy but she counters by falling backwards for 3 (2-2), I cant remember if that's the electric chair or if that's the one where you drop them forwards. Lelani misses a splash from the top and is pinned by a JBA with a crossbody (1-2). Jimmy Hart is on the apron but is dropkicked to a pop and a clothesline off the top eliminates Judy and ends it @ 20:15.  **1/2 - Did kind of drag at times but McIntyre and the Jumping Bomb Angels in particular looked impressive.

We hear from Hart Foundations team.

Demolition/Greg Valentine/Dino Bravo/Haku/Tama/Hart Foundation/Zhukov/Volkoff Vs. Bulldogs/Paul Roma/Jim Powers/Rougeau Brothers/Killer Bees/Rick Martel/Tito Santana
And breathe. Hart Foundation are the captain's of their team, despite entering to Demolitions music, not that I mind one bit and Strike Force (Martel and Santana) are the captain's of their team and are the Tag Team Champions. I hope it has the one fall eliminates the Tag team formula. Volkoff and Martel start. Some fans at ringside not be able to see due to all the people on the apron. Zhukov is gone via a Santana forearm (8-10). Haku and Dynamite Kid trade blows. The future Horseman Paul Roma is in but he is soon in trouble, I guess Naitxh didn't watch this tape for scouting. Ax pins Jacques Rougeau after he misses a crossbody (8-8). Neidhart holds Powers up for Haku to drop a chop on him but it only gets 2, I thought the Stallions were done then. Dynamite gets 2 on Smash after a clothesline. Demolition are DQd when one pushes a ref (6-8). Bret piledrives Dynamite Kid for a 2 count however he soon misses a corner charge. Tama misses a vader splash on Powers. Santana hits his forearm on Neidhart but Bret breaks the pin and Santana is pinned (6-6). There has been stuff going on all match but if I noted it all this would be like Homers Odyssey. Roma Vs. Bret which of course is Horseman Vs. nWo. Dynamite now in with Bret who does his corner chest bump. Davey Boy in with Haku and he headbutts him. Davey with a press slam on Bret for 2. Powerslam to Haku but it doesn't get 3. Dynamite with a Swan Dive to Haku but the Bulldogs are soon done as Haku pins Davey with a thrust kick (6-4). Jesse guesses that the Killer Bees will do a Honky if the Young Stallions get eliminated next. We've now settled down to a regular tag formula now as Powers is being isolated. Valentine goes to Figure Four Powers but doesn't see him tag out and Roma comes off the top with a sunset flip for 3, that was nicely done but then you'd expect quality from a future Horseman (4-4). Bret with a back suplex on Roma for 2. Roma is your Future-Horseman-In-Peril. Bret is pinned by Brunzell of the Killer Bees (2-4). Big 'Weasel' chant. Tama must be related to Rikishi, shocking I know, as he looks like him. Haku has Brunzell in trouble with a double, yes double, Vulcan death grip. Brunzell almost ends it with a sunset flip but it only gets 2. Roma powerslams Haku but Tama breaks the pin. Brunzell with a noggin knocker to the Islanders. B. Brian Blair, who now has a Rey Mysterio style mask on, sunset flips Tama for 3 @ 37:15, why the ref didn't question why one suddenly had a mask on when the legal man didn't is beyond me. ***1/2 Did kind of almost drag at points as we got a lot of the same, one man comes throws a punch or two then tag out and repeat but there was always something going on and constant movement can help a matches watchability. Got better the more the teams were narrowed down and we got more of a normal tag match. 

We get a lengthy Ted DiBiase promo interspersed with clips of him making a woman bark and kicking away a basketball before a kid can dribble it 15 times, wasn't Rob Van Dam used for one of these type of things once.

Jesse and Gorilla discuss the night's events so far. Jesse rocks a pilgrim hat at Gorillas request.

Honky and Jimmy Hart are interviewed. Honky says he'll face Hogan anytime with both belts at stake.

Andre The Giant/King Kong Bundy/Rick Rude/One Man Gang/Butch Reed Vs. Hulk Hogan/Paul Orndorff/Bam Bam/Don Muraco/Ken Patera
Slick and The Brain are ringside for Andres team. They claim it's Ken Patera but I'm not convinced it isn't Leo Sayer. Oliver Humperdink is in the corner for Team Hogan. Kind of weird seeing Hogan and Orndorff together. Muraco is filling in for Superstar Billy Graham. Hogan of course is over huge. Rude doesn't get off to the bets start for his team as the faces take turns beating on him, you don't get crowds like this anymore. Butch in but he fares no better. Hogan and Orndorff clothesline Butch and the Legdrop of Doom ends his night (4-5). We almost get Andre and Hogan but we don't. One Man Gang blocks an Orndorff corner charge and tags in Rude but like earlier he's soon on the defensive. Patera gets a crossbody for 2 on Gang but he's soon caught in the heel corner as the ref is distracted. Sounds like an 'Andre Sucks' chant but I can't make it out fully. One Man Gang takes down Patera with a clothesline of sorts for 3 (4-4). Bam Bam and Hogan with a double big boot to OMG. It's funny seeing how over Bam Bam was in 87 as the Bam Bam I grew up with was the Jersey Triad one in 1999. Rude rolls up Orndorff for 3 (4-3). HH goes all HHH with a high knee. Rude is powerslamed by Muraco for 3 (3-3). Andre headbutts Muraco and OMG gets a splash for 3 (3-2). Bam Bam with a sunset flip but OMG sits on him. Bam Bam is your Future-WCW-Tag-Team-  Champion-Using-The-Freebird-Rule-In-Peril. Hot tag to Hogan as we get Hogan/Andre, they trade chops. Bundy drags Hogan out if the ring where OMG and Bundy keep him occupied long wnough ti be counted out (3-1), that ruling is booed out of the building. Bam Bam headbutts Bundy for 2. Bundy misses a corner charge and Bam Bam slingshots onto him for 3 (2-1). OMG is up top but misses and Bam Bam gets 3 (1-1). Bam Bam rolls around to avoid Andre then misses a corner charge and is hip tossed for 3 @ 24:24. Hogan runs in agter and attacks Andre with the title belt then poses for the fans. ***1/2 - Man the crowd were into this, puts today's pops to shame. It was a good match which didn't have any standout moments, think HBKs performance at the 2003 event, but was a fun match nonetheless.

Gene Okerlund is with Bobby and Andre, Bobby says Hogan can have Andre but he has to sign a contract for it. 

12.5 / 20 - A good show top to bottom with no bad matches. Maybe the crowd is part of it but shows from this time are always watchable even if you don't get technical master classes like Flair/Steamboat. Thumbs up for the inaugural Survivor Series. 

Survivor Series 2018

November 18th, Los Angeles, California.

My interest in the current WWE is pretty, pretty low though I do keep up via 411Mania recaps/reviews. Bryan won the WWE Title in the SMACKDOWN! go home show and faces Lesnar tonight in a Champion Vs. Chamoion match which some hilariously say is a punishment of some sort, granted Brock may end Bryans career, is a man with neck history really the best to be put in there, but I doubt it's been done for that reason. Also the one match that seemed to have garnered any interest is off the cards as Nia Jax injured Becky Lynch and she's been pulled from the Rousey match.

Carmella/Naomi/Mandy Rose/Sonya Deville/Asuka Vs. Mickie James/Tamina/Nia Jax/Bayley/Sasha Banks (w/Alexa Bliss)
R-Truth is with Carmella. Naomi is SMACKDOWN! captain and Alexa is the RAW Captain though can't competedue to concussion issues I think. I nearly fell off my chair when I found out Tamina still has a job and I'm not even in  a chair it's that shocking. Cole says a fight on the pre-show between Natalya and Ruby Riott has seen Alexa replace them with the latter two. We get a pier-six less than a minute in. Tamina superkicks Naomi for 3 (4-5) but Carmella rolls up Tamina for 3 (4-4) then we have a dance break. Carmella tries to roll up Nia but can't get her over. Mickie neckbreakers Mandy for a 2 count. Asuka is still popular it seems which is a testament to wither her personality or respect as her booking has been pretty bad since the Rumble. Bayley tags herself in much to Mickie's chagrin. Sonya hits a running knee and Mandy gets the pin on Mickie (4-3) as she'd tagged herself in. Carmella with a moonwalk DDT to Bayley. Bayley-to-Belly eliminates Carmella (3-3). Bank Statement eliminates Mandy (2-3). Sonya looks a little like an alternate universe evil version of Bayley. Spinebuster to Bayley but Nia breaks it to heat then Asuka attacks her ringside to cheers. Bayley and Sonya tumble to ringside and they're both counted out (1-2). Asuka hits Sasha with a hiptoss style Go2Sleep and a wicked german. Corey says Asuka is essentially in a handicap match, well yes she is there's nothing 'essentially' about it. Nia pushes Sasha into the Asuka Lock (1-1). Nia leg drops Asuka three times, thankfully it wasn't Hogan doing the Leg Drops or Asuka would be a goner. Samoan drop ends it @ 20:08ish (0-1) as Nia survives. **1/2 They gave them time and they didn't have the annoying quick eliminations thing. There wasn't anything real interesting within the match itself in terms of stories for me but it was good. 

There's a bit backstage with Baron/Stephanie and Shane/Paige about who's better and a LeBron cheap heat bit from Baron.

Seth Rollins Vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Seth is IC Champion and Shin is the US Champion. A wrestling start finishes with a rope break leading to a Come Onnnnnnn from Shin. Seth gets a 2 off a roll up after ducking a kick. Duelling Nakamura and Burn It Down chants. Seth hits a guillotine leg drop which sends Shin ringside then Seth skins the cat and goes to follow with a suicide dive but Shin hits a knee/kick. Shin goes anti-Beach Boys with some bad vibrations. Seth with a downward spiral sending Skin into the middle turnbuckle. Slingblade then soon after Seth hits three suicide dives. Shin hits a backstabber but has no effect really as Seth fires back with a superkick. Shin gets a triangle but Seth breaks it with a Buckle Bomb. Superplex into a Falcon Arrow gets Seth a 2 count, they had me there to be fair as I was ready to stop my stopclock. Shin unleashes a combo of strikes and hits an inverted exploder. Seth misses a frog splash allowing Shin to hit the Kinshasa but it only gets 2 as god help us if a finisher actually finished a match in 2018. Shin misses a Kinshasa allowing Seth to get 3 from a Stomp @ 21:26. ***1/2 Yeah it was good and enjoyable with a couple good false finishes but there's just no psychology in matches like these they're just essentially late 90s/early 00 spotfests but with more talent and less high risk moves which is an oberservation not a complaint re the high risk bit. 

Team RAW are backstage with Drew and Braun not getting on then Baron is here so Braun pushes Lio Rush into him and R-Truth shows up thinking he's on RAW.

The Bar (w/ Big Show) Vs. AOP (w/ Drake Maverick)
Bar are SMACKDOWN! Tag Champions and AOP are RAW Tag Champions. The Bar are going to next months WCC but I'm not as just wasn't feeling it. Drake Maverick is *the* most Indy name I think I've ever heard, for those who watched TNA he is the artist formerly known as Rockstar Spud.  Razar(?) is on the defensive but the tables have been turned when Ceasro goes to giant swing Akom(?) but it'sbroken up and AOP take over. Ceasro is your-swiss-in-peril. Ceasro manages a some uppercut but he's soon down again. The crowd is silent, you1 could hear a pin drop in Oklahoma. Sheamus does his clubbing blows bit which gets the crowd involved. Brogue Kick to Razar but Drake puts his foot on the rope. Big Show chokes Dallas who wets himself, classic brummie. Nice suplex/sit out powerbomb combo to Sheamus gets AOP the win @ 9:03. ** I wasn't too drawn in but they had the tag psychology bit where Cesaro was isolated and that's always appreciated by me.  

Shane bigs up the SMACKDOWN! team with Miz repeating Shane's last words. R-Truth comes to Shane for a job but Shane tells him he's already on SMACKDOWN! Miz promises the team signed copies of Marine 6 of they win.

Cruiserweight Title - Buddy Murphy (c) Vs. Mustafa Ali
Buddy, an Aussie, won the title at Super Show-Down which was in Australia, we'll see tonight if he gets an actual reign or if that was done just for the home crowd. WWE promote SupportLFD.org and ask for donations to help the firemen fighting the fires in California. Years ago there used to be a company who toured as a WWF tribute show pretending to be The Rock etc. well Ali looks like he'd make a good fake Seth Rollins. Yowzers Murphy sends Ali flying backwards off the top into the barricade. Network is playing up a bit, it slows down whilst never freezing then goes quick to catch up to the live action. Murphy is taking Ali apart as he has been discombobulated since being thrown off the top. Ali dodges a corner charge and hits a kick but is soon dumped over the top and Murphy follows with a somersault senton over the top. Back in Ali with a couple of superkicks and an inverted hurricanrana for 2, sounds like a faint 'you f'd up' chant over something. Ali spins into a draping DDT for 2. Ali is again dumped off thetop to the outside, you'd think he'd learn but he is from Chicago. Ali with a Spanish Fly off an announce table, I hope the spanish one, and we get a '205' chant. Ali goes up but is caught, shocker,  as Murphy bends him and hits a superkick them two powerbombs for 2, I thought that was it. A kind of pump handle death valley driver ends it as Murphy gets 3 @ 12:11. ***1/2 I found myself liking this one which is a testament to the match as I wasn't familiar with these guys going in. I don't watch 205 but if they do matches like this I may have too as it could be the best main stream cruiserweight stuff since prime WCW. 

Lashley/Finn/Ziggler/McIntyre/Strowman Vs. Rey/Miz/Jeff Hardy/Samoa Joe/Shane McMahon
Lashley team is representing RAW and are accompanied by Baron and Lio Rush whilst the others are representing SMACKDOWN!. Strowman is in the match in exchange for a title shot Vs. Brock and a match with Baron as long as he doesn't attack him here, Renee wonders if that counts post match. I keep thinking Ryder is on the team as Miz for some reason has taken to looking like him. Drew tags himself in straight away and avoids the Coquinha(?) Clutch and hits the Claymore eliminating Samoa Joe (5-4). Shane's in Vs. Dolph, Shane recently beat Dolph for title of Best In The World, don't ask. Fameasser gets 2 on Shane. Zig Zag hits when Shane goes for a spinning elbow but Miz breaks the pin. Braun tags in but Drew tags himself in and they start fighting, are they setting the table for a Braun/Drew WWE Title feud? SMACKDOWN! attack Braun and Rey gets the 619, the crowd likes Braun but they cheered for the 619. Shane clears the announce table as Cole wonders what they have planned, seeing as Shane has done an elbow for 19 years through it I think I know. Sure enough Shane hits the elbow, i'll take wrestling spots Stevie Wonder could see coming for $200 please Alex. Finn catches Mix with a kick up top, Finn gets 2 when he rolls through Skull Crushing Finale. Finn gets 2 on Rey with a move I think Big Show used to call The Final Cut. Coup De Grace misses and Rey dials up 619 and eliminates Finn (4-4). Rey goes to 619 Drew but Bobby blind tags in and cancels Reys call with a big boot. 0800 B-I-G B-O-O-T. Bobby Boy Smith with a delayed vertical but Rey rolls out of it, that never happened to Bulldog. Jeff hits his leg drop to the groin and Cole calls it classic Jeff Hardy as I can't help but wonder what happened to 'vintage'. Jeff hits Twist of Fate,  with Doloh landing Stunner style, but Dolph uses his knees to block the Swanton. Has Shane gone home to watch Sunday Night Football? Oh wait here he is, I guess the game's a dud. Shane Terminator hits on Dolph for 3 (3-4). Is Braun still out from the elbow? I mean the guy was thrown into the back of a garbage truck and was okay but an elbow takes him out. Shane Terminator to Lashley is attempted but Braun clotheslines him out of the air. Braun counters Twist of Fate with a Powerslam to eliminate Jeff (3-3). Rey dials up again but Braun puts down the reciever via a Powerslam to eliminate Rey (3-2). Powerslam to Miz for 3 (3-1). Powerslam ends the match @ 23:57. Post match Corbin cheapshots Strowman and leaves with Lasgley and McIntyre.  **** - Was struggling between ***1/2 and **** but I am a sucker for a multi-man tag match so i'll go for the ****. Match was fun even though like the women's match of the same nature it didn't really have stories within itself bar Drew and Braun fighting. Enjoyable though dont get me wrong. They booked Braun to look strong again but there's only so long he can be kept strong without putting him on the top.

Just went for a toilet break and comeback to find there's been an error, I haven't missed a match but may of missed something.

Ronda Rousey Vs. Charlotte Flair
Ronda is RAW Women's Champion and Charlotte is replacing the SMACKDOWN! Women's Champion Becky Lynch who was injured by new super heel Nia Jax. You know on Twitter people treat Charlotte like the best thing since sliced bread but I've never been blown away by what I've see, don't get me wrong she's good and certainly miles ahead of what I witnessed throughout the early/mid 2000s-early 2010s . I have been Impressed with Ronda when you consider her lack of experience. This was being touted as a potential Mania 35 top liner. Charlotte avoids an armbar and Ronda avoids the Figure Eight. Even start until Ronda is thrown into the bottom turnbuckle. Charlotte is working the leg as Ronda has been cut seemingly by a Flair elbow. Ronda with an armbar in the ropes which much like Tajiri's Tarantula forces a rope break by default. Ronda gets an armbar out of the corner but Charlotte rolls it into a pinning predicament and now has the Walls of Charlotte applied. Natural Selection is countered as Ronda grabs the arm but Charlotte avoids the armbar. Moonsault is blocked as Ronda gets her feet up. Spear gets Charlotte 2. Charlotte rolls through an armbar into a Figure Four but it's countered and they roll ringside where Charlotte is thrown into the barricade. Ronda tees off on Charlotte but she counters with chops, rock-paper-jabs-chops. Charlotte goes ringside and when Ronda charges her she hits her with a kendo stick for the DQ @ 14:10. The kendo assault continues post match then takes out some refs and Pillmanises Rondas neck, maybe they will meet at Mania after all. Ronda should of done a stretcher job but leaves under her own power. The crowd turned on Ronda. ***1/2 My only issue is that the match had the same thing pretty much throughout as Ronda kept trying for the armbar and never got it, matches with that though usually end with the wrestler hitting/applying the move and winning with it but this didn't have that.

Daniel Bryan Vs. Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman)
Bryan is the WWE Champion, winning on the last SMACKDOWN! and Brock is the Universal Champion after beating Braun at the Crown Jewel show. Thought we were going to have Brock jump Bryan as he didn't come out straight away. Bryan taunts Brock pre match and I mean come on the guy's from Washington State the birth of grunge music so don't expect any smart moves. Bryan jogs around ringside then when Brock follows Bryan goes in the ring and poses. Bryan tries for a kick but it's blocked and he is clubbed down. Brock hits release german numero uno then numero dos and I hope there's only one more as my Spanish counting is spent beyond tries and I'm  not sure that's even right. Brock switches it up with some release overhead belly to belly suplexes. Brock dials the clock back to 1957 as he applies a bearhug then brings us back to 2018 with a slam. There's german numero tres, sounds like a 'same old s--t' chant which could also be aimed at Hollywood too. F-5 but Brock himself breaks the count despite saying 'goodnight everybody'. Bryan hits some kicks then a low blow after the ref is knocked down as Brock hits him with Bryan during an attempted F-5, running knee gets 2. Brock is being kicked repeatedly. Bryan lowbridges Brock sending him ringside then posts him and hits a knee off the apron. Back in Bryan hits the running knee but again it's only for 2. Bryan wraps Brocks leg around the post then a missile dropkick connects. Brock catches Bryan going for a knee but his knee gives out on an FT attempt and Bryan gets the Yes Lock but Brock manages to work it so he's in a triangle then powers from that into an F5 for 3 @ 18:40ish. **** First part was okay when Brock was nearing SummerSlam 2014 territory but then when Bryan started a comeback, something I did find a tad silly after the early beating, the crowd got into it and it became a proper match nearing SummerSlam 2013 territory though not quite reaching them heights, though that was a sparkling match to be fair. Fun to see Brock have an actual match as well. 

23.5 / 35 - Ratings wise that is a cracking showing from WWE. There was no bad matches on the card and I was throwing stars out like Genji. I only remembered this was on ten minutes before air time and i'm glad I did. Cracking show.

Thumbs up.  

Rebellion 1999

On the 1999 home straight now as this, the original No Mercy and Backlash are the only remaining ones for me to do, the latter of which I have on DVD but have yet to watch. This was during a pretty good PPV run for the WWF with Fully Loaded, SummerSlam, Unforgiven and No Mercy all being pretty good, of course that run is book ended by an awful show, KOTR, and one of the most boring shows I've ever seen, Survivor Series. This took place between Unforgiven and No Mercy. A friend of mine had this on VHS but I never borrowed it from him for reasons I dont know, possibly due to the stigma of UK shows.

October 1999, Birmingham, England.

The latter part of the opening is TV show style like a RAW intro.

IC Title - Jeff Jarrett (c) (w/ Miss Kitty) Vs. D'Lo Brown
Jeff insults the women of the UK. D'Lo is European Champion but Jarretts title is on the line. Jeff gets a lady from the audience to clean up a spillage in the ring with a hoover, he precedes to put her in the Figure Four but Chyna comes down to stop him. Michael Hayes is on commentary with JR. Unsure if they were around then but if they were Chyna should of hit him with a Henrietta Hoover. D'Lo is billed from Birmingham. Quick 2 off a powerslam for D'Lo. Jeff takes a walk with his title but he's caught in the aisle by D'Lo. Jarrett applies a sleeper putting D'Lo out like me watching Birmingham FC. D'Lo manages to break it and hits a delayed vertical but when he tries to follow up off the top he is dropkicked. D'Lo hits a sitout powerbomb, this being around the time Droz was paralyzed when a running one went wrong. D'Lo annoys me by coming off the top in a whacky position so they can do the jump into a boot bit, there must be a less silly set up for that. D'Lo is distracted by Miss Kitty and Jeff hits D'Lo with a hoover, quite like how seemingly every team hoovered up Aston Villa in their last awful premier league season, man they were bad then. **1/2 - Solid if unspectacular opener.

Jarrett challenges Chyna to a match for later.

Godfather Vs. Gangrel
You can tell this is a UK PPV. Godfather has British hos with him they join Hayes and JR. Hayes is having more enjoyment than West Brom fans are this season, need to win about four games with ten or so remaining and they've won I think three all season. Gangrel wants a ho but Godfather says the people want to see him kick Gangrels ass instead. Godfather bounces Gangrel off the four corners but is soon DDTd but its a regular one not an implant one which was Gangrels finish at the time. What was that thing with Gangrels name as whenever it was in print there was always a small print bit about trademark, who owned the Gangrel name? Ho Trian connects and Pimp Drop, Death Valley Driver, ends it. *1/2 Short and inoffensive. The Hos celebrate with Tim White.

Chyna officially accepts Jeff Jarretts challenge. Bulldog interrupts saying the people didn't come to see him Vs. X-Pac they want him in the title match so he's going to find Vince.

Val Venis Vs. Mark Henry
This was a team waiting to happen really. Venis compares himself to rugby in his pre match bit. Henry's been announced for this year's HoF. The as yet unnamed Insurrextion is plugged for next May. Henry goes over the top and Val follows him with a rounders slide, I once got a home run in rounders at school when the guy on first base missed the ball when thrown to him and I had to then keep on going to home which irritated me as getting to first alone warranted a rest in my book. Val can't get Henry up for a slam and is dropped on the barricade. Back in Henry misses a corner charge and is hit with a Russian leg sweep, weird seeing Val do that without the knees from a whip preceding it. Val grounds Henry with a shot to the legs and a Money Shot soon ends it. *1/2  To short to mean anything, would of been UNR but just clocked in over 3 mins.

Davey demands a title shot and throws a bin across the room when he doesn't get one and Stephanie is KOd off screen. This led to the amnesia angle, I read somewhere that was done due to WWF not knowing where Russo was going with it all, he left for WCW over this weekend I believe when this show took place in the UK as he was in the US still. At least Steph can go to the hospital for free as this happened in Birmingham UK and not Alabama.

Women's Title - Ivory (c) Vs. Tori Vs. Jacqueline Vs. Luna
Tori suplexes Ivory as the others stand around then break the pin. Ivory cuts a deal with Jacqueline to take out the other two then she bails but Jacqueline beats on them anyway. Ivory too is going in the HoF, did they read this card then throw darts to see who'd be inducted? There's a sleeper train going on which Jacqueline breaks with a triple jaw breaker. Ivory clocks Jacqueline with the title and gets 3. *1/2 same as the last match in that was almost UNR but Wikipedia and JD Dunn have it over 3 mins so needs a rating.

Road Dogg Vs. Chris Jericho (w/ Curtis Hughes)
Road Dogg is one half of the tag team champions. Kind of shocked the Tag Title isn't on the line maybe Russo was too preoccupied with the WCW deal to book that. Road Dogg attacks in the aisle. They go in the crowd and Road Dogg comes off the barricade with an axe handle. There's a sign which reads Dyer which is pronounced dire which is what West Broms season has been so far. Road Dogg nails Jericho with some kicks to the bonce, if West Brom had kicked the ball into the net more they wouldn't be bottom of the league. Jericho sends Dogg ringside with his dropkick to the apron, a suplex back in gets 1 via the cocky pin. Slingshot splash gets 2 as Dogg gets a rope break. 'Road Dogg' chant,  springboard bulldog as Jericho has taken control of the match now. Jericho heads up top but is crotched and superplexed down. Jericho hits a spinebuster of sorts and almost turns it into a Walls but Dogg breaks it. Lionsault misses allowing Dogg to hit his trademark punches but Jericho ducks the final one KOing the ref, a Hughes chairshot gets 2, I thought that was it. Jericho gets 3 off a lowblow after Dogg hits Hughes. **1/2 A good little mid card match, fans were into Road Dogg which gave it an atmosphere. Jericho faced Dogg here and Unforgiven had a Y2J/X-Pac match then he wound up with Chyna a month or so later, this could've been a good lead in to a HHH feud.

Chyna Vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/ Miss Kitty)

  Tony Chimel doesn't bill it as a title match, does that give us an ending where Chyna wins but then Jeff says the gold wasnt on the line? Jarrett comes off the top into a lowblow but Tim Whites all no biggie I guess. A pedigree is countered with a slingshot, didnt HHH tell her to never do it facing the turnbuckle? Or by the ropes for that matter as that always leads to a back drop to the outside. Bulldog runs in for the DQ and Poweslams Chyna. Jarrett figure fours Chyna in the aftermath. *1/2

The Rock and Big Show were at a Virgin record store, they're no longer going I believe. No doubt the ques were huge this being 1999 WWF.

No DQ - Big Show Vs. Kane
The No DQ stip gives me hope that this'll top their KOTR encounter. Man I love this Kane, when the attire changed at SummerSlam 2000 was when my care-o-meter dipped. Big Show dropkicks Kane out but he lands on his feet. A clothesline and a dropkick staggers Show but he can't slam him. Show hits a backbreaker into a bow and arrow. Kane takes a Bret bump in the corner and is hit with a reverse DDT on the rebound, walls of Show applied but Show lets go, Michael Hayes points out Show should've kept it on as even a rope break wouldn't matter as its No DQ. Kaneziguri connects as does a DDT, Kanes clothesline off the top hits but Show blocks a Chokeslam follow up. Show gets a chair but Kane boots it back in his boat race and gets 3 from a scoop slam, thought he was going to Tombstone him then. ** Better than their KOTR match, though that was a contender for worst MOTY. I wish they'd of had more of a No DQ style brawl. Not bad though by any means.

HHH says he doesnt care about Jarrett, Chyna or Bulldog right now just his title. He insults England too for heat but I've gotta pop for that, had he insulted Wales though I'd of had to build a time machine and travel to Birmingham myself. Hunter also insults the teeth of British people, where do americans get this infatuation with our teeth? Hugh Grant is the USs go to brit and he had a damn fine set of gnashers. 

X-Pac Vs. British Bulldog
Bulldog starts better due to power advantage, he catches a heel kick and counters to a pump handle slam style move. Hayes says Test may be on a flight over right now after what happened to Steph, well I hope he's watching in Canada then, don't think this aired in US. Bulldog hits his delayed vertical but slows it down now with a chinlock. JR notes Steph will stay at a local medical facility, who says I'm going to the local medical facility? Bronco Buster but then Bulldog crutches X-Pac with a pressslam then ends it via a Powerslam. ** Too short to mean much and was essentially an extended squash of X-Pac which was kind of surprising.

Crash explains to Hardcore how pounds are money over here.

Acolytes Vs. Edge/Christian Vs. Crash/Hardcore
Edge and Hardcore to start. The ropes seems really loose. Faarooq goes for a Dominator early but Hardcore hits a poor back suplex. Bradshaw hits a back suplex off the top on Crash then pins him after a Clothesline From Hell. Double shoulderblock to Bradshaw, wait I think Faarooq has changed corner. Edge counters a powerbomb, let's rank these based on their World Title reigns I have it from 4-1 - Faarooq, Bradshaw, Christian, Edge. Sure Christians was shorter than Bradshaws but his matches with Orton surpassed anything from JBLs reign. Spinebuster on Christian for 2 as he has assumed the Canadian-In-Peril role. Dominator is countered with a DDT. Tag to Edge as Canadians go all Rock 'n' Roll with a double dropkick. Tornado DDT gets 3 on Bradshaw. **1/2. Okay tag match, always fun to see Acolytes actually lose. Acolytes were usually pushed strong around this time but didnt mean much as characters then when they hit on their APA schtick they didnt get a tag reign if I remember right which was funny as thats when they were most over.

Long video plays for Rock/HHH, going by the video you'd think it was a triple threat as Bulldog is featured heavily.

WWF Title - Steel Cage - Triple-H (c) Vs. The Rock
It's the old WWF style cage but it's black rather than blue because this is the attitude era dammit. We get a recap of Bulldogs actions through the night. I suppose the long video was to set up the cage. Escape the cage rules. People throw confetti or something over Rock just like Wolves fans will throw confetti on their way to the Premier League, had to get one positive football bit in there and Wolves are flying high. Rock cuts a pre match on the cage in his turnbuckle pose. Rock points out some jabroni in the crowd who gave him a thumbs down and has a HHH sign he asks what the sign says but 'It Doesnt Matter' soon follows. Weird camera for the start of Triple Aych's entrance as its directly under him. Winged eagle seems to be most popular design but this is my fave WWF/E Title, though The Big Gold belt is my numero uno overall. 'Asshole' chant but I think it may just be 2018 West Brom fans chanting that that loud at Pardew that it was hearable in 1999. JR says Rock is 27 which kind of depresses 28 yr old me though Rock was never RWF Champion so I have that in my favour, though if Rock will work for a snickers and a Muller rice he can gladly face me do the RWF Title, i'll even let him go over. Nothing of real note until Rock tries to escape but comes off the top rope into a gut punch, I cant remember anytime Rock went up top. HHH telegraphs a backdrop and is hit with a neckbreaker. Rock goes to leave but is dropped onto the turnbuckle and does his Stunner sell. Hayes says if you break your nose your eyes water to which JR quips that HHH will never stop then, can we give him an honorary knighthood for that? JR calls a Samoan drop a Samoan slam, let's ditch that knighthood after all, he does it twice so definitely ditch the knighthood and ban him too from UK, he went to call it a fall away slam at first so I can forgive that but not the second. HHH almost escapes but is slammed off the top. Rock is over but HH drags him back and both end up crotched in the top rope. Hunter comes off the top right into a Rock Bottom, I cant remember HHH ever going up top either but then why do something you don't need too. There has been stuff happening but its not been notable really. Rock Bottom is avoided with an elbow and a Pedigree follows but Rock stops him leaving via the door but Hunter does manage to get a chair which Hebner hrabs so HHH KOs him, Rock leaves the cage but the ref is out. They fight into the crowd, nothing sums up the attitude era than a cage match going in the crowd. I think the dad from Frasier, RIP, is working security. Rock gets on the Mic and calls Hebner a jabroni then hits HHH with a chair then joins commentary as HHH is cut, I should note that Rock pronounces Birmingham properly as he doesn't emphasize the ham part. Rock jumps off the side of the cage onto HHH but the table doesn't break. They go back in the cage now as HHH is bounced off the sides as JR notes they dont taste like fish and chips,  you know what reinstate that knighthood. Rock goes to leave but Bulldog stops him, Shane McMahon is here attacking Bulldog for Steph but he gets Powerslammed. The Stooges are here but Bulldog takes care of them too. Rock Bottom but Chyna slams the door on rocks noggin,  must of been watching SummerSlam 1997 backstage. Two of the interference runners are no longer with us. Chyna and Bulldog halt Rock from stopping HHH and he drops down to retain the gold. PM - Vince McMahon locks Bulldog in the cage, seemingly saying 'F--- You' to Bulldog. Rock Bottom and People's Elbow soon follow. *** Quite enjoyable if almost limited by the cage stip as they did slow climb bits which are always slightly irritating. May of been better as a attitude era style brawl all over the arena, not bad though by any means as HHH/Rock worked well together about 93% if the time, the 7% I don't care for are their two Fully Loaded matches.

20.5 / 50 - The score suffers due to the two matches just over three minutes long. The opener, Jericho/Dogg and the main were okay the rest were missable and kind of there if not necessarily bad.  The thing that does stand out though is that this is a UK PPV that actually mattered in WWF canon as usually they kind of exist outside of the main continuity but this had the start of Stephs amnesia sCHtick which led to the whole HHH/Steph marriage. Thumbs in the middle overall but was one of the stronger UK efforts for sure.