Capital Carnage '98

Legacy Review

Capital Carnage '98

December 6, 1998 from the London Arena in London

Not to be confused with WCW's 1990 PPV Capital Combat: The One With Robocop. This is the second annual UK exclusive PPV, broadcast on Sky Box Office. Not sure when it made it to the US, if there was a Coliseum Video release or if it wasn't until the Network hit. They don't do anything special for the stage again, it's mostly the basic Raw set of the era. As you expect from a UK show the crowd is bonkers hot all night. I should note that during this show JR suffered his second attack of Bell's Palsy. He gets through the whole show with no incidents, but you can hear it in his voice at times and definitely see it whenever he's on camera.

Gangrel def Al Snow (w/Head) in 5:54- Lockup! Snow gets a leg takedown and an armdrag followed by some basic back and forth. Speed run, Gangrel almost runs head first into Snow's junk when he doesn't duck on a leapfrog, and hits a hiptoss. Snow wheelbarrow suplex for 2. Crossbody off the top for 2. Gangrel counters into a DDT. Clotheslines. Slugfest into a Gangrel Russian leg sweep. Snow counters a corner whip by doing a baseball slide, turns around and hits a clothesline. Standing switches and Snow gets a northern lights suplex for 2. Gangrel's Brood teammates Edge and Christian are out. Yes, Edge is now a part of the group. Russo's got that monthly turn quota to hit. Gangrel sort of dodges a Snow moonsault. Suplex for 2. Snow hits a tornado DDT. Christian gets up and distracts the ref. Snow uses the opening to whack Gangrel with Head. Edge goes up top, missile dropkicks Head into Snow's face, and Gangrel covers for the pin. Sloppy as hell. *1/4

 

The Headbangers def The Legion of Doom 2.0 in 3:21- This is the Animal and Droz version of LOD. Before the match we get footage of Hawk's "suicide attempt" on Raw where he fell down the back of the Titantron (pushed by Droz). The UK crowd wants absolutely nothing to do with this version of LOD, they want Hawk and let everybody know it. Droz and Mosh start with some back and forth. Speed and a lot of leapfrogs. Droz dropkicks everyone to clear the ring out. Powerslam on Thrasher to boos and a "We want Hawk" chant. The 'Bangers blind tag and Mosh gets Droz with a clothesline. Droz hits Thrasher with a clothesline and tags Animal. Tackle on Mosh. The crowd's no more receptive to Animal than they were to Droz. The 'Bangers try to double team but take a double clothesline instead. Powerslam on Mosh and both guys are down. Droz pushes Animal out of the ring, but before he can do anything he gets rolled up and pinned. After the bell Animal and Droz argue, shove, and fight with more energy than anything that was in the match before the refs break them up. 1/4*

 

Val Venus def Goldust in 5:35- Let me try to sum up this very Russo feud: Dustin's real life wife Terri Runnels, AKA Marlena, started screwing around with Venus behind Dustin's back. The truth, and some match losses to Venus, caused Dustin to snap so bad he reverted back to Goldust for about his 5th gimmick change this year. Recently on Raw Terri announced that she was pregnant. Venus did not like that at all and dumped her on the spot. Turns out that it's not because he was scared of being a dad, it's because he had a vasectomy for his, er, other career and physically couldn't have gotten her pregnant. So who did? Terri then tried to get back together with Goldust, who rightly told her to hit bricks. That's where we are right now and there's still more to come. Why yes, Russo got a lot of his ideas from the Jerry Springer Show, why do you ask? Venus jumps before the bell. Goldust fights back and 360 clotheslines him to the floor. Venus takes a couple of stair shots with what must be the UK backup stairs because there's almost no sound. What's the point of hitting guys on the stairs if there's no earth shattering kaboom? Back in Venus slugs back. Goldust hits a hiptoss and slam. Venus begs off. Goldust slaps him! Corner beatdown from Venus. Goldust clotheslines back and hits a slingshot back suplex. Venus blocks a monkey flip and hits a clothesline for 2. Running knees and Russian leg sweep from Venus, and he mocks Goldust with the hip swivel. Goldust hits a bulldog for 2. Venus spinebuster for 2. Collision and Goldust does the "accidental" fall onto Venus' groin. Goldust sets him up for the Shattered Dreams kick. Venus uses the ref to block it, rolls Goldust up and gets a pin. After the bell Goldust drops Venus and hits him with Shattered Dreams to make the crowd happy. *3/4

We get some footage of Vince giving a talk at the venerated Oxford Student Union. Not too much though because none of it was in character. After that Vince himself, Shane and the Stooges come out. Pat Patterson announces a change to tonight's card: Rock vs Triple H for the WWF Title is out, Trips vs Jeff Jarrett and Rock defending against X-Pac are in. For the fans, of course. Gerald Brisco and Shane say some stuff about Vinnie Jones with Shane questioning his sexuality. Who's Vinny Jones you ask? Excellent question. More on him later. Vince then takes the mic and does some basic heel shtick running down of the UK. It all goes on a bit long but it's not terrible.

 

Tiger Ali Singh def Edge in 2:54- It's almost as if WWF is contractually obligated to get Singh out of mothballs for UK shows so we all have to suffer through one of his matches. The crowd is certainly not happy to see him. Interesting booking here with Edge supposedly now a heel after joining the Brood. Singh tries to jump before the bell and fails. Edge hits a couple of armdrags, a backdrop and dropkicks. Singh bails to the floor and Edge follows. Back in Edge dodges in the corner and crotches Singh on the post. Singh begs off to get an eye poke in. Edge quickly shrugs that off, hits an inverted atomic drop and some clotheslines. Missile dropkick. He tries coming off the top again, but Singh catches and powerslams him, puts his feet up on the ropes for leverage and gets the pin. Singh wins by doing one offensive move the whole match and it's one where Edge did most of the work. After the bell the fight continues, with Edge hitting another backdrop and 360 clotheslining Singh again. Even in selling they didn't trust Singh to do anything other than the most basic stuff. 1/4*

Michael Cole is in the ring and brings out the local man of the hour, Vinny Jones! At the time Jones was known as a footballer, the hardest of the hard men in British football, a reputation that caused him no little bit of controversy. For those of you not as familiar with British slang as I am, hard man means tough guy, not other things you might be thinking. Earlier in '98 he had also appeared in his first acting role in the Guy Richie hit Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Turned out he really could act, and that translated into a long and successful acting career that continues to this day. Personally I know him best as Gareth from the superb ABC musical comedy Galavant. Go watch it on Hulu and thank me later. Anyway, Jones walks through a few lines responding to Vince with Cole giving him some obvious prompts. He will be at ringside for the main event tonight and I'm sure won't get involved in any way whatsoever.

 

Mixed Tag Match: Christian and WWF Women's Champion Sable def "Marvelous" Marc Mero and Jacqueline in 4:50- Mero and Jacqueline's issues had already come to the point where Mero fired her, but they're still teaming together here due to "contractual obligations". In fact this would be Mero's last match in the WWF period. Jacqueline attacks Mero before their opponents even make their entrance! The men start with Christian still wrestling in his puffy shirt. JR references the fact that this is likely Mero's last WWF match. Christian gets the easy early upper hand. Jacqueline tags in and is ready to fight Christian. Sable tags in and she bails. Mero is in and he hitches up his shorts to fight Sable. Christian comes from behind and pulls his shorts down! Sable kicks him while he's on the mat. Christian continues to work Mero over. Sable gets a rope-balanced superkick in. Jacqueline doesn't let Mero tag out. Again Christian outsmarts Mero. Crossbody off the top. Jacqueline breaks the pin up and Sable chases her. Mero hits a Samoan drop. He goes up top but Christian crotches him. Spinning heel kick from Christian. He hits an Edgecution style reverse DDT. Sable low blows Mero. Sable bomb on Mero! Mero tags out. Sable flips Jacqueline in the ring. HORRIBLE Sable ground and pound punches. Some of the worst I've ever seen. Fortunately Mero and Christian are fighting up on the stage so that gives the camera something else to focus on. Sable hits the TKO on Jacqueline and that's it. After the bell Jacqueline attacks ref Tim White for doing his job. White lifts her up on his shoulders. Sable pulls Jacqueline's top off and she's tits out to the world! That's not as huge a deal in the UK, there's a whole industry over there of topless women in tabloids known as Page 3 Girls. Jacqueline covers up with her arms and runs off. Lawler dies and JR calls for an ambulance for the King. 1/2*

 

WWF Intercontinental Championship: Ken Shamrock (c) (w/The Big Boss Man) def Steve Blackman in 6:51- The Raw after Survivor Series Shamrock was formally offered and accepted a position in the Corporation, ironically under his longtime archrival the Rock. Commentary wonders why Boss Man is out here. Quick start with Shamrock getting the early edge. Blackman turns the momentum with a dropkick and clothesline for 2. Shamrock hits a powerslam. Suplex for 2. The crowd is all over Shamrock as he stays in control. Lots of "Blackman gets a flurry, Shamrock knocks him back down" but none of it is particularly interesting. I also heard at least one very loud spot call. Shamrock works a front facelock for a bit. Blackman slaps push Shamrock back into the corner, then he Bret bumps off a corner whip. Blackman spinebuster and jackknife cover for 2. A tackle sends Shamrock to the floor. Blackman turns around and baseball slides Boss Man for no good reason, he hadn't done anything. Yet. In return Boss Man whacks Blackman's ankle with his nightstick. Shamrock puts the ankle lock on and Blackman taps. That was incredibly dull. 3/4*

Cole is in the back with the WWF Champion. Hold the Rock's apple. Rock gets some lines in on X-Pac, then has a really funny bit where he works through various famous catchphrases of other wrestlers before hitting on his own.

 

Triple H (w/Chyna) def Jeff Jarrett (w/Debra) in 6:55- Jarrett doesn't have his guitar! Was it confiscated in customs? Is there a law in the UK banning hitting someone on the head with a guitar in wrestling matches? That's about the only thing that would stop him. This is HHH's first match back following a legit knee injury that forced him to vacate the Intercontinental title. Unmentioned by commentary, he'd been ready to go for a while but started playing footsies with WCW while on the shelf so Vince held him back a bit longer while they worked that out. I don't think there was any real chance of him jumping, he was too smart to make that move when WCW was clearly falling apart, it was more negotiating leverage. They start off with some arm hold tradeoffs and a quick HHH shoulderblock. He grounds Jarrett with a headlock. Spinebuster for 2. A Jarrett back elbow sends HHH to the floor and he snaps HHH over the top rope. Crossbody off the top that HHH rolls through for 2. Jarrett hits an armbar slam. Swinging neckbreaker for 2. HHH is really going for the spit sells tonight. Shawn would be proud. Debra tries to choke HHH and Chyna stalks her away. Jarrett hooks on a sleeper. Arm drops and HHH fights out. The sleeper goes back on but HHH back suplexes out. Slugfest. Speed run and HHH hits the high knee. Inverted atomic drop and mounted punches. He sets up for the Pedigree. Jarrett tries to counter into a post slingshot but HHH blocks it. Facebuster and Jarrett gets clotheslined 360 to the floor. Debra gets on the apron and tries to woo HHH. Chyna chases her off. While the ref is busy with her Debra gets in the ring and turns the slinky factor up to....well, as high as she can get it. I've never been into Debra. HHH spurns her advances. While that's going on Jarrett has gotten a chair and is about to use it. Chyna cuts it off. Kick wham Pedigree and it's over. All the overbooking was a bit much, but when left to their own wrestling devices these two put on a perfectly solid match, easily the best thing on the show so far. HHH looked good and not ring rusty after the layoff. **1/2

 

WWF Tag Team Championship: The New Age Outlaws (c) def Mark Henry and D'Lo Brown in 10:11- Vince has been recruiting the Outlaws for the Corporation as a way to try to break up DX. No answer one way or another from the NAO yet. Before the match we get some video of the famous Henry/Chyna date that saw them both taking out some hooligans. Brown and Dogg start. Brown gets the early upper hand and gets the head waggles in. Dogg does his dancing jabs and kneedrop. Brown bails to the floor. Back in Brown hits a sloppy heel kick on Gunn. Gunn press slams Brown and clotheslines him, and Brown powders again. Brown gets back in, tells Gunn "I'm ready", then gives him a Spaceballs salute and tags out to Henry. Henry wants a test of strength. Gunn cautiously agrees, then uses the opening to kick Henry. Off the ropes Gunn runs right into a bear hug. After arm drops Gunn bell rings out. Flying forearm. An Outlaws double team dropkick puts Henry on the mat. Double hiptoss for Brown and once again the heels roll out to rethink things. Dogg tries to work Henry's arm. That doesn't go well for him. Brown hits a slam and legdrop. Spinebuster. Henry tags in and hits a legdrop. Big splash! Gunn breaks the pin up, then drags Dogg's carcass over to his corner to tag out. Clothesline on Henry and he's down. Gunn gets Brown down, then runs into a Henry powerslam. Brown elbow drop. Gunn hits the fameasser and both guys are down. To the point the match kind of grinds to a halt. After a long count and lots of wobblelegged selling Gunn hits a piledriver and gets the pin. That end run seemed kind of disjointed. Dogg still looks out of it after the match, I wonder if he got legit shook up in there and they had to improvise something. **

 

WWF Championship: The Rock (c) def WWF European Champion X-Pac by DQ in 12:33- I should note here, because it's part of this match's setup, that Shawn Michaels has returned in the non-wrestling role of Commissioner, and a couple of weeks ago on Raw turned on Pac during a WWF Title match and joined the Corporation. WHAT A SWERVE! Pac goes for a lockup but Rock goes for a fistpunch instead. Pac responds with some armdrags. Criss cross! You never see that anymore. Pac hits a flying clothesline and another armdrag. He fakes Rock out with a leapfrog and hits roundhouse kicks that send Rock through the ropes to the floor. Rock grabs his belt, takes a mic and says he calls the shots, screw all of you, the Rock is outta here. Triple H and Chyna come out to cut him off and Pac attacks from behind. Trips and Chyna stay at ringside. Rock dodges the bronco buster. Clothesline for 2. Swinging neckbreaker. They go to the floor and Pac takes an announce table shot. Rock steals JR's drink and takes a swig, but Pac punches him for a nice spit sell. Pac chops are cut off with a Rock eye poke. Rock suckers HHH up to distract the ref and hits a low blow stomp on Pac. Russian leg sweep for 2. After a chinlock a Pac comeback is cut off with a back elbow. Slam. Pad off. People'sCorporate Elbow! Arrogant cover and Pac kicks out. Back to the chinlock. Pac fights back and goes for the X-Factor. Rock counters into a Rock Bottom setup. HHH gets on the apron to distract the ref again and Chyna low blows Rock! Pac cradle! Rock kicks out! The crowd bit a bit on that one. Pac spinning heel kick for another long 2. Crossbody off the top and Rock rolls through for 2. Corner kicks from Pac. Ref bump! Rock hits a powerslam. He goes out and gets the WWF Title belt. HHH grabs the European belt. Pac ducks a belt shot from Rock, and HHH nails Rock with his own belt shot! Pac slow crawls and drapes an arm over. Rock kicks out! Bronco buster! They did that without any obvious setup, nice. Rock rolls out and shoves Chyna. HHH jumps Rock from behind and draws the DQ, clearly as Rock intended. After the refs break everything up Rock gets a mic and starts to brag about leaving town still champion, setting off another brawl. Shamrock comes out to back up Rock (still requiring a double take for any of us that have a memory better than a goldfish) and everyone leaves. Good match that almost had you believing Pac could really do it. ***

Ring announcer Tony Chimel reads verbatim a corporate announcement saying the wonderful, amazing Shane McMahon will be the guest ring announcer for the main event. Shane announces Pat Patterson as the guest timekeeper, Gerald Brisco as the guest referee, Vince McMahon as guest commentator, and the Big Boss Man as guest enforcer. Oh, and Vinnie Jones. Jones and Boss Man quickly jaw at each other. Jones' jacket is off. They go nose to nose. Jones shoves Boss Man right out of the ring! Vince is PISSED. Brisco red cards Jones! He's sending Jones off before the match even starts! Why and how does Brisco even have a red card? Jones reluctantly packs up and leaves.

 

Fatal Four Way Match: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin def The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer), Kane and Mankind in 16:12- Mankind attacks Kane before the other two make their entrances. As they're fighting Undertaker's Dong hits. The lights still go out and he still does his full entrance. The lights come on and the other two are waiting for him. Kane pushes Mankind into a Taker chokeslam. Taker tosses Mankind out and Kane attacks. Taker tosses Kane over the top to the floor. Glass shatter! Taker meets Austin in the aisle and it's on. While they're fighting Kane hits Mankind with a flying clothesline off the top. They pair off like that for a bit. Taker breaks away to jump the other pair and they switch to Austin/Mankind and Taker/Kane. Mankind takes an announce table shot. Austin and Taker get in the ring for the first time and Austin chokes Taker with his vest. Taker hits a flying clothesline and legdrop for 2. Bearer gets a shoe shot on Austin. Who uses a shoe, honestly? Austin hits the Thesz Press and elbow drop. Cover and Brisco suddenly has a bum knee bothering him. All four guys get in the ring for the first time. Back on the floor Taker chokes Mankind with a TV cable. Kane comes in and chokes Taker with a cable. Austin comes in and chokes Kane with a cable! It's a cable choke daisy chain. Mankind takes Chimel's mic and whacks Taker with it. It's fun listening to Vince flit between his heel Mr. McMahon character and his old straight commentary. Everyone gets in the ring again. Taker sets Austin up for old school but Kane breaks it up and crotches Taker. Austin and Mankind knock Kane around. Mankind offers Austin a handshake! Oh Mick, you know better. Austin does not accept. Mankind counters the Stunner. Mandible Claw! Taker grabs Mankind's legs and crotches him on the post. He and Kane team up on Austin. Behind them Mankind gets Socko out! He comes up and joins in on the Austin beating, then clotheslines both. Austin covers and again Brisco is slow to the point. A chair is in the ring. Kane sets Austin up for the Tombstone. Mankind breaks it up. While all that was going on Taker was set up on the top rope but clearly whatever he wanted to do didn't materialize so he hops back down. Mankind gets a second chair and whacks Kane. Taker gets the first chair and whacks Mankind. Austin chairshot on Taker. He covers and Brisco does a SUPER slow count. Taker big boot on Austin. Kane 360 clotheslines Taker. Austin fights off a Kane chokeslam. Stunner! Now Brisco suddenly gets worried about the time and asks Patterson how much time is left. Austin's had enough and decks Brisco. Taker hits a chokeslam. Hebner runs in as ref backup and Mankind breaks the pin up. Kane scoops Austin up for the Tombstone. Austin slips out. Stunner! Hebner counts 3! After the bell Austin Stunners Brisco. Vinnie Jones is back out. He punches Boss Man out. Stunner for Boss Man! Hebner kicks Boss Man while he's down! Austin, Jones and Hebner share some beers as the show closes. The match started a bit slow but the stretch run was fun. **3/4

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- It's a UK house show on PPV.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D+