Over the Edge (Part 2)
– Cole is backstage with Shane. Shane insists that he’s gonna be a fair ref in the main event which obviously isn’t true.
Match #5
8-Man Elimination Tag Match
The Corporate Ministry (Farooq, Bradshaw, Viscera, and the Big Bossman) vs. The Union (Mankind, Test, Ken Shamrock, and The Big Show)
– The Corporate Ministry is using a combination of The Ministry and Vince’s theme. I like it.
– SO, after being hanged at Wrestlemania XV, Bossman is now working with Taker. Man, there was some A+ storytelling going on at this time, huh?
– What a bizarre combination of characters making up the face side in this match.
Big Show brings up the rear because fuck Big Show.
– Test and Viscera start it out. Viscera hits some awful looking offense before Test hits a low blow behind the ref’s back. Ricky Steamboat sheds a tear after seeing this awful babyface.
– A dropkick knocks Viscera off his feet as Test knocks all the baddies off the apron. His momentum is soon stopped dead by a Belly to Belly suplex from Big Vis.
– Bradshaw gets tagged in but after a brief exchange, gets sent to the outside by a Big Boot. Taking a moment to psych himself up, Bradshaw rushes back into the ring and tackles Test in a total babyface spot. Crowd doesn’t care though.
– Test does a horrendous STO. He’s got a killer Big Boot but he was pretty terrible at this time.
– A nice looking Elbow Drop off the top rope from Test causes Farooq break up the cover.
– Farooq and Test do some awful brawling for a few seconds before Bradshaw murks the former Motley Crue bodyguard with a Clothesline from Hell. Test is the first man eliminated.
– Unfortunately for Bradshaw, he now has to deal with one of the gooniest men to have ever gooned as Shamrock comes and takes his head off with a Roundhouse Kick.
– Bradshaw tries to go for the Clothesline from Hell again but Shamrock turns into a Cross Armbreaker. He can’t keep it on after the bell to show his aggressiveness as Farooq comes in and breaks it up.
– The Shamrock-Rana (Fran-KEN-steiner?) gets a nice pop.
– Bradshaw becomes the second man eliminated after tapping to the Ankle Lock and in comes Farooq.
– Viscera gets tagged in and manhandles the smaller Shamrock. Shamrock tries to go for a Cross Armbreaker but he can’t pull the big man down and ends up getting squashed by an elbow drop.
– Farooq gets tagged back in but Shamrock plants him with a Belly to Belly Suplex. He slaps on the Ankle Lock but Bossman helps his partner reach the ropes.
– I guess Big Show’s stupidity is contagious as Shamrock gets himself disqualified after Suplexing the ref for mildly admonishing him for not letting go of the Ankle Lock. What an idiot.
– Farooq, still selling the submission, immediately gets Chokeslammed by Show and the sides are even again at 2-2.
– Bossman is in next and offers Show a test of strength. Being the noble babyface, Show opts for cheap-shotting Bossman once they actually lock up.
– A big tackle sends Bossman to the outside. For the second match in a row, a heel tries to walk out and head to the back but Show, like a goddamn idiot, goes after him. Why would you not just let him get counted out so your team has the man advantage?
– Show runs wild on Bossman before being halted by a low blow that clearly doesn’t connect. It was more like a kick to the gooch/taint instead of the balls. To be fair, I’m sure that hurts.
– Bossman tries to put Show in a headlock which is pointless. Show’s brain is always working with a lack of oxygen.
– Show fights out of it and goes for the Chokeslam but Viscera stops him. That begs the question, if you can come in and just break up moves like that, why didn’t they do it when their partners were about to be eliminated instead of just standing on the apron like morons? Come on guys, fundamentals win championships.
– Anyway, Foley comes in as the match breaks down. Show and Viscera start brawling on the outside as Foley, for no reason whatsoever, is now the legal man for his team. I guess somebody changed this match to Lucha Rules without telling me.
– Show and Viscera brawl up the ramp and I guess they’ve been counted out. Ref Teddy Long doesn’t give a shit since Foley and Bossman are still fighting in the ring.
– Bossman throws Foley into the steel steps before sending him back in the ring. Mankind fights his way back into the match and catches Bossman with a Double Arm DDT. The crowd knows what’s coming next as Foley pulls out Mr. Socko and slaps on the Mandible Claw! Bossman briefly struggles before going down and this one is over.
– Another bad match but the action was fine here. It was the stupid booking that killed this one. Some classic Vince Russo stuff here where the rules of the match, and just plain common sense, were disregarded because they didn’t fit his brilliant storytelling.
– A video plays hyping up the upcoming match between HHH & The Rock. The build up to this match was actually the first time HHH used his now signature Sledgehammer. Also, HHH broke Rock’s arm. This backfired for the Corporation due to Cowboy Rock Orton using the cast as a weapon. HHH said that if Rock won’t take the cast off, he’s gonna make him take it off
And thus, a legend was born.
– Rock, with a cast on his arm, is backstage with Kevin Kelly and tries to cut a promo but Chyna appears. Rock is about lay the smackdown on her but he’s jumped from behind by HHH. HHH is handed a pair of scissors from Chyna and tries to cut off Rock’s cast. Who else should make the save but Mankind! I guess Rock smashed that chair over Mankind’s head so many times that he just forgot that The Great One tried to end his career not even six months ago.
– Foley holds his own for a bit before being sneak-attacked by Chyna. This gives HHH the opening needed to hit him in the back with a lead pipe and leave him laying. He just kinda forgets about Rock and heads out to the ring with Chyna.
Match #6
The Rock vs. HHH (w/Chyna)
– HHH has started using “My Time” by this point so yay.
– HHH wants ref Earl Hebner to count Rock out since there is no way he’ll make it to the ring but of course, Rock comes out to a good pop.
– With vengeance on his mind, Rock starts the match off strongly as he rocks HHH with punches from his good hand before sending him to the floor outside.
– They brawl on the outside for a bit before Rock grabs a headset from a Spanish announcer and does his usual trash talking. “The Rock speaks a little Spanish and here it is. THE ROCK KICKY YOUR MONKEY ASSEY~!” I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of Rock running his mouth like that.
– HHH smashes Rock’s bad hand off the announce table before snatching it off his arm and hitting him with it. Not a DQ. Not sure why it isn’t but ok. It also makes me wonder, why didn’t Rock just hit him with the cast the first chance he had?
– The Cerebral Assassin goes to work on the bad arm but Rock manages to catch him with a Samoan Drop. HHH kicks out though.
– Rock gets sent to the outside and Chyna is on him like white on rice, smashing his bad arm off the announce table repeatedly. JR questions why Chyna is made of bitch.
– LOL, HHH somehow manages to knock heads with Rock on an attempted Clothesline on the outside and both men are down.
– Babyface fire is coursing through Rock’s veins as he puts HHH down with his signature DDT. HHH cuts Rock off with a DDT to his bad arm and goes back to work on it.
– JR is openly questioning whether or not the ref should stop this.
– At one point, Rock teases hitting the Rock Bottom but HHH counters it.
– HHH gets handed a chair by Chyna but much to my surprise, the rules are actually enforced as Hebner takes the chair away.
– Hebner is all like “HHH, you can EAD for cheating so much” so HHH lays him out. Once again, I’m nothing short of amazed that the rules are actually followed as HHH is disqualified for hitting a ref.
– After the match, HHH tries to hit Rock with the chair but Rock stops him and hits him with an unprotected chair shot. It’s worth noting that HHH thinks guys taking random unprotected chair shots is moronic now so he’s thankfully learned something in the last 15 years.
– Hebner tries to calm Rock down but Rocky levels him. Hahahaha, you suck, Hebner.
– Rock isn’t done with HHH’s candy ass and starts beating on him on the outside. HHH is bleeding.
– Rock throws HHH inside the ring where Chyna tries to hit him with a chair. Rock stops her and tries to hit her with a chair before he’s stopped by HHH. Chyna gets send to the floor at some point.
– The People’s Champ plants The Game with a Rock Bottom and tries to hit him with a People’s Elbow after putting a chair on his face. He’s stopped by Chyna who yanks on his foot from outside the ring. Rock tries to go after Chyna but is stopped by a chair to the back.
– HHH tries to remind the Rock that people like him shouldn’t be world champion by hitting him with a chair several times but here comes Mankind to make the save! Armed with the lead pipe that laid him out earlier, he actually succeeds this time in running HHH and Chyna off.
– DQ finish aside, I really liked all of that. Easily the best thing on this show so far. The match itself was pretty fun considering it didn’t go that long.
– A video plays hyping up the main event. It shows clips of Austin breaking up the Unholy Wedding between Taker and Steph on Raw. “He didn’t do it for the love of Vince McMahon, he did it because it was right!”
– “I hate everyone!”- The Undertaker
– At some point during the feud, Austin hung Taker from his own symbol.
Undertaker died for our sins.
Match #7
WWF Championship
Special Refs: Shane McMahon & ???
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin(c) vs. The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer)
– Patterson is replacing Vince. He’s looking classy as hell with a gold necklace around his neck
– Shane crys about it but Patterson threatens to beat him up.
– Gotta say, I love Taker’s look at this point.
– Apparently, Taker isn’t a fan of the gay community as he Chokeslams Patterson. Glass Shatters as Austin comes out to the biggest pop of the night. Both men start swinging as soon as the champ gets in the ring and this one is on like a pot neckbones, daddy.
– Austin starts stomping a mudhole in the challenger. Shane starts getting uppity with him but Austin can’t touch him or he’ll lose the belt. Taker takes advantage of Shane’s distraction and cheap-shots Austin.
– Taker goes after Austin’s braced up knee but Austin fights his way to a standing base. The champ returns the favor and goes after Taker’s knee.
– At one point, Taker’s foot gets caught in the ropes and Austin takes full advantage of it.
– Shane is being very lenient with count-outs in this match.
– After some give and take brawling, the match switches to mat-wrestling. Oh god, I hope this isn’t a repeat of Shamrock/Taker last month.
– Austin levels Bearer on the outside but Taker takes advantage of the distraction.
– Well, it’s an Austin PPV match. Guess what it’s time for? CROWD BRAWLING~!
– Fight goes back to ringside as Taker chokes Austin with electrical wire. He then smashes Austin’s braced up knee with the steel steps.
– Taker gets the heat on Austin with the champ making little comebacks here and there before getting cut off.
– Austin, not selling the knee at all, smashes Taker’s head off the announce table.
– Taker does a super awkward counter of the Lou Thess Press.
– Bearer whacks Austin in the head with his shoe which actually sounds pretty painful.
“Damn it, how did HBK do it in that one picture?”
– This match is pretty damn dull so far. It might not be fair but I blame Taker. He’s had bad matches for like three shows running now.
– Just like every other fucking WWF title match in this series, they brawl up the ramp and throw each other into the set.
– After some lame brawling down the ramp, they go back in the ring where Taker goes back to getting the heat on Austin.
– Fed up with the unfair officiating, Austin gets in a low blow while Shane isn’t looking. He tries to pin Taker and it’s a 3 count but Shane refuses to count past 2. Austin is furious but can’t touch Shane. Taker tries to hit Austin with a chair but Austin sees it coming and takes the chair from him before giving us the second unprotected chair shot of the night. Somewhere in there, Shane got knocked out.
-Gerald Brisco comes sprinting down the ramp to replace Patterson/Vince and counts the pin but Taker kicks out before 3.
– As soon Taker sees Brisco standing in his yard, he lays him out. But wait. Here comes Vince limping down to the ring!
– When Vince gets in the ring, Austin tries to go for the Stunner but the Deadman counters it. Both men collide after bouncing off the ropes leaving them both down.
– Both guys beat the standing ten count and start trading punches as soon as they get to their feet. Austin shoots Taker off the ropes and STUNNER! STONE COLD! STONE COLD! Austin goes for the cover but a recovered Shane stopped Vince from counting three. Vince ain’t having that shitt and shoves down Shane.
– Brah. The finish to this match. Austin, for some incredibly stupid reason, tries to confront Vince over something. With Vince’s back facing him, Shane pushed Vince into Austin causing Austin to stumble over the Undertaker, who was laying on the mat behind Austin. Taker kinda sorta not-really rolls up Austin and Shane fast-counts a 3. If that sounds stupid in text, it was even stupider in execution. Seriously, how could you book this and think this was gonna be any good? This was a bad match with a negative star finish.
– Hahaha, Shane just runs off with the belt and doesn’t even try to give it to Undertaker. Austin stomps a mudhole in Taker in the ring as Shane calls for reinforcements. Mideon and Bossman hit the ring but Austin stuns them. He grabs the chair that was still in the ring and keeps the Corporate Ministry at bay by swinging wildly and stopping them from getting in the ring. The show goes off the air with Austin and Vince pouting while Shane and Taker celebrate up the ramp.
So, that’s Over the Edge. Not really much to say about it except that it was a bad show. Possibly the worst one yet. It’d be fair to chalk that up the Owen incident but the booking of some of these matches were horrendous. To say they were overbooked is putting it mildly.
Match of the Night: The Rock vs. HHH
Worst Match of the Night: Road Dogg vs. Billy Gunn
Updated Rankings:
1. The Rock vs. Mankind (Royal Rumble, WWF title, I-Quit match)
2. The Rock vs. Mankind (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, WWF title, Last Man Standing)
3. The Rock vs. Stone Cold (Backlash, WWF title, No Holds Barred w/ special ref Shane McMahon)
4. X-Pac vs. Shane McMahon (WM XV, European title)
5. The Rock vs. Stone Cold (WM XV, WWF title, No-Disqualification)
6. The Rock vs. HHH (Over the Edge)
7. HHH vs. X-Pac (Backlash)
8. Kane & X-Pac vs. Mark Henry & D-Lo Brown (Over the Edge, WWF Tag Team titles)
9. Ken Shamrock vs. Val Venis (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, I-C title, Special Ref: Billy Gunn)
10. D-Lo Brown & Mark Henry vs. Jeff Jarrett & Owen Hart (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Tag Team titles)
11. Kane & Chyna vs. HHH & X-Pac (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre)
12. Bob Holly vs. Al Snow (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Hardcore title, Hardcore match)
13. New Age Outlaws vs. Jeff Jarrett & Owen Hart (Backlash, Winners become #1 Contenders to tag titles)
14. Big Show vs. Mankind (Backlash, Boiler Room Brawl)
15. Billy Gunn vs. Ken Shamrock (Royal Rumble, I-C title)
16. Al Snow vs. Hardcore Holly vs. Billy Gunn (WM XV, Hardcore title, Hardcore match)
17. X-Pac vs. Gangrel (Royal Rumble, European title)
18. Road Dogg vs. The Big Bossman (Royal Rumble)
19. Kane vs. HHH (WM XV)
20. Bart Gunn vs. Butterbean (WM XV, Brawl 4 All)
21. Al Snow vs. Hardcore Holly (Backlash, Hardcore title, Hardcore match)
22. D-Lo Brown & Test vs. Jeff Jarrett & Owen Hart (WM XV, Tag Team titles)
23. Val Venis vs. Ken Shamrock vs. Goldust vs. Road Dogg (WM XV, I-C title, Elimination Fatal Four Way)
24. The Union vs. The Corporate Ministry (Over the Edge, Elimination 8-Man tag)
25. Goldust vs. The Godfather (Backlash, I-C title)
26. Al Snow vs. Hardcore Holly (Over the Edge, Hardcore title, Hardcore match)
27. Val Venis & Nicole Bass vs. Jeff Jarrett & Debra (Over the Edge)
28. The Brood vs. The Ministry of Darkness (Backlash, Six man tag)
29. The Big Bossman vs. The Undertaker (WM XV, Hell in a Cell)
30. The Big Bossman vs. Mideon (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre)
31. Mankind vs. Big Show (WM XV, Winner refs main event)
32. Royal Rumble Match (Royal Rumble)
33. Stone Cold vs. Vince McMahon (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Steel Cage, if Austin won, he got a WWF title match at WM XV)
34. Billy Gunn vs. Road Dogg (Over the Edge)
35. Stone Cold vs. The Undertaker (Over the Edge, WWF title, Special refs: Vince & Shane McMahon)
36. Ken Shamrock vs. The Undertaker (Backlash)
37. Sable vs. Luna (Royal Rumble, Women’s title, Strap match)
38. Goldust vs. “Bluedust” (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre)
39. Sable vs. Tori (WM XV, Women’s title)