WrestleMainia XV

Legacy Review

WrestleMania XV

March 28, 1999 from the First Union Center in Philadelphia, PA

Commentary: Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler

We're right in the middle of the Attitude Era, and Wrestlemania is coming to one of wrestling's best hotbed cities for the first time ever. Main eventing tonight is the first of what would be a trilogy of era-defining WM matches between Steve Austin and the Rock. Of note, Michael Cole is commentating his first of what would be many Manias as JR is still out following his latest attack of Bell's Palsy toward the end of '98.

The opening video features Freddie Blassie going over the stars of WM past and present, and the opening graphic is pure class. Very un-Attitude Era and very WM. PYRO, ballyhoo and it definitely feels like we're at Wrestlemania.

Triple Threat Match for the WWF Hardcore Championship: Hardcore Holly def Al Snow (w/Head) and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn (c) in 7:06- Gunn gets a mic to do the DX intro but before he gets far Snow jumps him from behind and we go three way fighting for a bit. Gunn 360 sells a Holly clothesline. They go to the floor and everyone gets knocked around ringside with the Spanish announce table taking its first shot. I suspect it won't be the last. Holly suplexes Snow on the floor. Snow gets a hockey stick out from under the ring and starts stick checking some guys. Then he gets the ring crew's drinks tray and dumps it all out on Gunn. Gunn takes the tray and whacks Snow with it, then breaks the hockey stick over Holly. Snow gets a broom, breaks that, and starts wailing away on everyone with the broom handle. Gunn brings a chair in but gets cut off. Snow sets it up in the middle of the ring and launches himself Sabu style onto Gunn. That predictably gets an ECdub chant. Gunn and Holly take Head shots. Here comes the table. Snow sets it up in the corner. He and Holly spin around corner whip reversals and Holly hits a clothesline. Gunn gives Holly a chairshot and launches Snow through the table. Gunn fameassers Snow onto the chair! Finally that's his finisher now. Gunn covers but Holly nails him from behind with a chair. He covers Snow, and gets the pin and the title back! OK little hardcore brawl, but not what the ECW faithful are used to or as wild as previous Hardcore title matches. No one got dunked in a river. **

We get footage from the Sunday Night Heat preshow of the #1 contender's battle royale for the tag team titles, the winners getting a title shot on the main show. The Russo twist was that whoever the last two men in the ring were, regardless of whether they were a team or not, would get the title shot. The last two turned out to be Corporation member Test and very not Corporation member D'Lo Brown, and neither was very happy about being stuck with the other.

 

WWF Tag Team Championship: Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett (c) (w/Debra) def Test and D'Lo Brown (w/Ivory) in 3:58- Brown and his regular partner Mark Henry had been going after the tag titles, but Henry was out with a knee injury. Brown and Test argue after their very separate entrances. Debra is wearing next to nothing tonight and of course Lawler freaks out over it. As usual with Debra, it does nothing for me. The challengers jump before the bell. Test gives Owen a big boot and tries to 360 clothesline him, but Owen flubs the launch and can't get over. The match settles in with Brown in control over Jarrett. Both sides tag and Owen gives Test some chops. Test plants him with a huge powerbomb. Owen hits the enzuguri. Brown breaks up a Sharpshooter attempt. Far from being thankful, Test tags him in and shouts at him to get his ass in there. Jarrett tries to hit Brown from the apron but Brown avoids it. Owen takes the opening to hit a spinning heel kick. The champs double team Brown and Jarrett gets a little bit of a strut in. Brown hits a double clothesline and we're already donnybrooking. The low down spinebuster gets 2 on Jarrett. Debra gets on the apron but Ivory pulls her down. Both Jacqueline and Terri Runnels come out to join the cat fight. Well, cat bitching. Owen hits a missile dropkick on Brown, Jarrett jackknife covers him and that gets the pin. After the match Test and Brown get fisty with each other. Pretty much as good as it could be for what little time they had. *1/2

 

Before the next match, I suppose I should get into the infamous Brawl for All tournament. I haven't had to yet thankfully because it was all on weekly TV. In the summer of '98, piggybacking off the success of MMA guys like Ken Shamrock transitioning into wrestling, WWF decided to put together a tournament of known tough guys and shoot fighters to see who was toughest of them all. The twist? All the matches would be shoot fights. No booking. As a result the tournament didn't go as planned, with unexpected winners, more than a few bruised egos and even more bruised body parts. JR summed it up best years later, saying no new stars were made and nothing was accomplished. Fans rejected it in much the same way wrestling fans in Japan rejected New Japan's move into "Inokism", blending shoot fights and booked wrestling, around the same time. Bart Gunn emerged as the surprising winner, defeating tournament favorite "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, who WWF signed solely for Brawl for All, in the second round and Bradshaw in the finals. As a result he gets the *ahem* honor of taking on legitimate boxer Butterbean tonight.

 

Brawl for All Match: Butterbean def Bart Gunn in :35- This is Butterbean's second WWF PPV appearance. In December '97 at D-X: In Your House he had a regular worked match with former boxer Marc Mero. No booking tonight, like the Brawl for All tournament this is as shoot as shoot can get  without guns. Before the match the Fink introduces a cavalcade of grandees, including an active boxer referee and ending with the great Gorilla Monsoon looking in very ill health in what would be one of his last public appearances before passing away in October. Like all Brawl for All matches this will be three 1 minute rounds. If it gets that far. Bell, both guys come in, and Butterbean gets a couple of decent early shots in. Gunn manages to land a couple of punches before a quick Butterbean flurry puts him right down. Stay down, son. Oh hell, Gunn's getting back up. Butterbean punches Gunn's head clean off with a right cross! You can almost see his soul leave his body. That's legal murder that is. Gunn goes down in a weightless heap and Cole instantly says it's over. It takes Gunn a good couple of minutes to come around. Clearly no one thought the match would be this short so someone in the back calls an audible and sends the San Diego Chicken, who was scheduled for later, out to improv with the boxer that was reffing the match. We also get a bevy of replays to kill time and bloody hell that KO punch looks even worse in slow-mo. So ends the disastrous experiment that was Brawl for All. WWF would never frak around with any kind of shoot matches ever again. This was a disaster, but an unintentionally hilarious disaster. Gunn left WWF right after this to go to All Japan full time, where he'd actually become a decent sized star. Butterbean would never again be invited back by WWF. NR

There used to be a video someone made of this entire match with music and sound effects from Mike Tyson's Punch Out overlaid onto it. It was one of the greatest things the wrestling internet community has ever made and it's a travesty I can't find it on Youtube or anywhere else anymore.

Next up is footage from Big Show attacking Mankind backstage during the preshow. Show had been camped out waiting for Austin to arrive, and of course Austin comes in behind him while he's busy pounding Mankind's face in.

 

Mankind def "The Big Show" Paul Wight by DQ in 6:50- The winner of this match will be the special guest referee for the main event. Show just came over from WCW and had his big shock debut on the last PPV, already a member of the Corporation and immediately targeting Austin. They're still settling on his name since WCW had "the Giant" trademarked. This match is all part of Vince's master plan to get Show installed as the ref in the main event to make sure Rock keeps the title. Another jump start. It's definitely Wrestlemania. Mankind tries to chop Show down with punches and clotheslines before running into a big boot. They go to the floor to brawl. Mankind tries for the double underhook DDT but Show backs him into the steps. Back in Show hits chops. The voice of future Michael Cole floats back in time saying something about "frying pan sized hands". Russian leg sweep from Show. Mankind ducks a punch and Show tumbles over the top to the floor. Socko is out. As Show's getting back in Mankind puts the Mandible Claw on! Show headbutts out. The Claw is back on! Show punches out. Again Mankind gets the Claw on, this time with a little low blow assist. Show fades and Hebner does the arm drops. Mankind works over onto Show's back. Show gets back up, lifts Mankind, and drops him back! All of Show's body weight landed on Mankind there. Damn. I'll give that a mild Foley bump. They go back to the floor with Show hitting a couple of chairshots. He sets two chairs up in the ring. Goozle. Chokeslam though the chairs! That finally crossed Hebner's line and he calls for the bell, DQ'ing Show. When Show realizes what's happening Hebner gets out of town quicker than a gazelle on steroids. *

Vince is out, and he's pissed. After a quick "You couldn't control him?" to Hebner he gets in the ring. Vince says he counted on Show to be the ref. "I'm Vince McMahon and you're nobody!" Show goozles Vince! He lifts him up....then rethinks it and sets him back down. Vince says no more mistakes. He slaps Show! More "you're nobody" talk. Show punches Vince out! It took all of one month for Show to have his first turn in WWF. Talk about foreshadowing a career. The Stooges help Vince to the back, while Mankind is stretchered out. Back in the back Vince and the Stooges wonder what they're going to do for a referee since Mankind is on his way to the hospital, then Vince demands that son of a bitch Show be arrested for assault.

 

Four Corners Elimination Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Road Dogg (c) def Ken Shamrock, Val Venus and Goldust (w/The Blue Meanie and Ryan Shamrock) in 9:47- From the Attitude Era's "I can't believe that actually happened" files, I bring you Road Dogg as Intercontinental champion. He defeated Venus on Raw a couple of weeks before this for the title. Following their feud Goldust and Meanie are now on the same side with an....interesting relationship. Meanie calls Goldust "mommy". Don't ask, it's Russo. Shamrock's younger sister Ryan is going through more guys than She-Hulk in season 1, dumping Venus and now with Goldust for....reasons. Don't ask, it's Russo. Ryan and Meanie also don't get along even though they're supposed to be on the same side, another Russo booking tic that's quickly becoming cliche. Basically Road Dogg is the odd man out intersecting feud wise here, and he's the champion. This is two guys are legal and you have to tag in rules. Shamrock charges in for yet another jump start. Everyone takes shots and Shamrock is the last one standing after the initial exchange. He yells at ref Tim White to "Ring the bell!". Um, already done. We're live, pal. Shamrock and Dogg settle in with Shamrock in control. Dogg hits a dropkick and tags Goldust. Goldust spinebuster on Shamrock. Flying clothesline. Shamrock tags Venus in, but Venus ignores Goldust and stomps Shamrock instead. Goldust hits an atomic drop for 2. He hooks up for the Curtain Call. Venus flips over and hits a spinebuster for 2. Goldust sets Venus up top for a superplex. He legit slips off the ropes. Venus covers then hits a bulldog off the top for 2. Perfectplex for 2. These near falls are getting nothing from the crowd. Collision and Venus falls on Goldust's crotch. Shamrock and Dogg come in and give both guys DDTs. Goldust slow covers Venus for 2. Dogg swaps with Goldust behind the ref's back. Venus nails him with corner clotheslines. Dogg hits his dancing jabs on Venus, then Goldust. Shamrock gets the shimmy legdrop. He hops on the ropes to play to the crowd. Venus comes from behind and back suplexes him for 2. Dogg hooks Venus up, straight up humps his ass which is, OK, I guess if that's what you're into Double G, then hits the pumphandle slam. Shamrock blind tags in and hooks on the ankle lock. Venus drags himself to the ropes. Shamrock gets dumped to the floor and Ryan comes over to give him an earful. Venus hits a baseball slide. Shamrock and Venus fight up the aisle. Shamrock runs back to try to beat the count but they're both counted out. Pissed Shamrock belly to belly suplexes Goldust and Dogg, stares White down and leaves. Goldust covers Dogg for 2. The crowd is finally waking up now there's only two guys left. Ryan reaches out to trip but gets Goldust instead of Dogg. Goldust tries to powerslam Dogg, but Dogg rolls through into a cradle to get the pin and retain. After the match Goldust and Meanie kick Ryan out for messing up. Spotty McSpotfest. *3/4

We go outside and every indie wrestler in Philadelphia's been given a fake cop uniform to arrest Big Show. After that we get footage of recent happenings in the Kane/Triple H feud. A few weeks ago on Raw Kane got a fire flower and shot a fireball intended for Trips, but it hit Chyna in the face instead and put her out of action. Then last week on Raw Trips dressed up as Goldust (I don't remember why and I'm not asking, it's Russo) and hit Kane with a giant flamethrower, giving him "partial burns" that have already miraculously healed and re-traumatizing him.

As Kane makes his entrance he's attacked from behind by the San Diego Chicken! Kane gets the head off. It's Pete Rose! Rose is out for revenge! Kane gets him in the ring, and plants him with a Tombstone! Two straight Wrestlemanias. Highlight of the whole damn night so far. Kane murdering Pete Rose never gets old.

 

Kane def Triple H by DQ in 11:33- HHH comes in through the crowd behind Kane and low blows him. Six for six on jump starts tonight. Kane is dumped over the top and lands on his feet. HHH gives him some post and stair shots. A high knee knocks Kane off the apron and into the barricade. Back in Kane hits a big boot and tosses HHH right back out. He goozles HHH off the steps and crotches him on the barricade. Clothesline and HHH falls into the Mean Street Posse! That's Shane McMahon's buddies and you'll be seeing more of them later. HHH's back is posted. Kane goes into beatdown mode back in. Clothesline and legdrop for 2. Kane no sells a kick and hits another clothesline. HHH gets tossed over the top back to the floor. KANE RUNNING PLANCHA! OK, that was something. Kane goes up top but HHH slams him back down. He punches Kane down to one knee. Facebuster. The high knee hits and Kane's down. Here comes Chyna. You knew it was coming. Both guys go for finishers only to have them countered out of. Kane drops an elbow then flops down for no logical reason other than Chyna needed time to slide the steps into the ring. HHH kicks the steps in Kane's face, then drop toe holds him into them. Another 360 clothesline. HHH goes for a Pedigree on the bottom half of the steps. Kane backdrops out. Chokeslam back in the ring. Chyna gets on the apron with a chair. She wants to finish HHH off. Kane says OK, and turns his back to her. Oh hell, we all know what's coming. Yup, Chyna nails Kane with the chair! Barely two months after Chyna turned on DX to join the Corporation, she's turning on Kane to rejoin HHH. Russoriffic. And that's just the start of it. That chairshot drew the DQ, the second DQ finish of the night. At Wrestlemania. HHH gives Kane a Pedigree on the chair. Chyna jumps back into HHH's arms and the crowd goes nuts for it. If only they knew what was coming. Very disappointing match. It was your classic "dog it until the angle hits" match. *1/4

Vince is with Kevin Kelley, who's wondering who's going to replace Mankind as the guest ref in the main event tonight. Vince says he just so happens to have a ref's shirt in his bag, so he'll be reffing the match! Makes you wonder why he didn't just do that in the first place. Vince also says there'll be "no more controversy". I highly doubt that.

 

WWF Women's Championship: Sable (c) def Tori in 5:06- Sable's just started her post-Playboy arrogant heel run, but the crowd is still cheering for her. Could be a Philly thing but I doubt it. Tori debuted a couple of months back as a deranged Sable superfan. I'm trying to work out the story since but, once again, don't ask, it's Russo. She's billed as an inexperienced rookie which isn't too far from the truth. She did get training and a bit of experience in the indies in the early '90s but has been out of the game for a long while. Tori's outfit is very reminiscent of Giant Gonzales, which is appropriate for this match. Tori tries for a jump start but Sable kicks at her to keep her out of the ring. I'm calling that seven for seven on jump starts tonight. After a couple more attempts like that Tori drags Sable out. Sable takes apron and barricade shots and Tori hits a chop. Whip reverse and Tori goes into the barricade. Sable hits a horrible crossbody off the apron, almost landing on her head. More Sable kicks back in. Tori hits a clothesline with a horrible Sable sell. Corner clotheslines from Tori. Tori tries to roll over Sable into a cradle in the corner and barely gets the job done. Sable jackknife cover. They fuck up the bridge up spot something fierce as the crowd starts to turn on the match. Tori ducks kicks and runs into the ref. Sable goes for the Sable Bomb. Tori is supposed to counter out of it, but they do it so badly it looks like another fuck up. It probably was. A giant, bigger than Chyna woman comes into the ring. This is Nicole Bass, formerly of ECW and, as Cole mentions, featured on Howard Stern. Bass gorilla presses Tori Ultimate Warrior style. Sable Bomb and it's mercifully over. Almost everything they did was disjointed or mistimed in some way. That's up there with Undertaker vs Giant Gonzales (see why it was appropriate?) and the WM 6 mixed tag match as one of the worst Wrestlemania matches ever. DUD

All of DX is back together backstage heading to X-Pac's title match. Stronger than ever. Nothing's breaking them apart again.

 

WWF European Championship: Shane McMahon (c) (w/Test) def X-Pac in 8:41- Shane won the European title on Raw in February in a tag match where the title was on the line. He's taken to having "X-Punk" taped over his jersey during the feud, but tonight it's "X-Chump". The Mean Street Posse are all at ringside draped in their cardigans and ready to cheer their boy Shane on. That was a hilarious gimmick. Patterson and Brisco attack Pac from behind on the ramp. Eight for eight. Pac easily fights them off and charges the ring. Shane bails and stalls. After a bit he gets in, goads Pac, and bails again. This time Pac chases. They go into a speed run in the ring. Shane does a leapfrog and celebrates. Oh, the irony of what happened to him the last time he did a leapfrog, at Wrestlemania 38. Pac nails him with a roundhouse kick. Shane goes down in the corner. Test saves him from the bronco buster. Shane walks up the aisle. Pac chases and throws him back in. Test hits Pac from behind and throws him crotch first into the post! Damn. Pac beats the count back in and Shane is all over him. Corner knee flurry and Shane slaps him. Slam. The elbow pad is off. Shane's going for it! Pac dodges the Corporate Elbow. Test distracts the ref and Shane hits a low blow. Surprised Pac even felt that, he just went nads first INTO THE RING POST. Shane gets a belt and whips Pac with it, right in front of the ref. I guess there's logic in "there's no way a ref will DQ a McMahon". They're good belt shots too. Pac ducks and dumps Shane over the top to the floor, right in front of the Posse. Pac plancha! The Posse try to grab Pac. Pac knocks them all down! Test hits Pac with a clothesline and tosses him back in. Shane hits an elbow off the second rope. He goes up top. Pac dropkicks and superplexes him. Test pulls him out of his cover. Pac fights Test off and he goes into the steps. Now Pac has the belt and he goes nuts on Shane with it. Back and front. They're going for it and it's great. Corner kick combo and the bronco buster hits. Test comes from behind again and nails Pac with the European title belt. Shane crawls and covers. Pac kicks out! Shane tries for his own bronco buster but Pac dodges it. Test gets in and Pac fights him off again. HHH and Chyna are here to the delight of the crowd. Pac hits Shane with the X-Factor! But Chyna has the ref distracted. What the hell? HHH comes from behind and plants Pac with the Pedigree! WHAT? HHH drapes Shane over Pac, and he gets the pin! Now that was fun overbooking, with both guys working the match well. The legend of Shane the part time wrestler is being born, and he didn't even do any of his crazy ass high spots. ***

After the match HHH and Chyna celebrate with the Corporation guys, then HHH and Test continue the beatdown on Pac. The New Age Outlaws run in and HHH fights them too. The lights go out, Kane runs in and chases the Corporation off. So to recap: Chyna was not rejoining HHH in DX, HHH was joining Chyna in the Corporation, while at the same time kicking Kane out even though Vince had spent months threatening Kane with committal to an insane asylum if he left the Corporation. Kane and X-Pac will become a team after this while Pac and the NAO try to keep DX going on life support. And folks, that's just the start of the craziness that will ensue from this the rest of the year. I know I've mentioned it before but '99 is the year Russo's stuff really started to go off the rails.

Oh, and on the next Sunday Night Heat Shane will decide he's had enough of the European title and "retire" it. It'd vanish for a few months, then over the summer Mideon of all people found it in Shane's bag and was awarded it as the new champion, cementing the European title's status as the "oh yeah, we have this thing too" title.

 

Hell in a Cell Match: The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) def The Big Boss Man in 9:46- This is the Ministry of Darkness vs the Corporation match. The Undertaker has been tormenting Vince and his family for weeks, including kidnapping Shane and lots of hint dropping that Taker is after Vince's as yet not on TV daughter. The first hints have also been dropped about the "Higher Power", which will end up being the most disappointing wrestling reveal since the Black Scorpion. I don't think there's any other feud that showed more that Russo didn't give a damn about having any good guys. Everyone's awful. If it was possible I think Taker's gone even MORE satanic since the last PPV. Suppose I should mention this is also the first ever Hell in a Cell match at a WM. Boss Man opens up with punching. A lot of punching. Amazingly I think they paused enough after the bell to call this the first non-jump start of the night. Taker does his corner toss and lays in his punches. Kinda funny the ref telling them to open up the closed fists. It's HELL IN A CELL! No DQ. Taker hits a clothesline for 2. Boss Man hits a swinging neckbreaker to shock us all with an actual wrestling move. They go outside and Boss Man gets run into the cage. Whip reversal and Taker goes into the cage. Boss Man gets handcuffs out and cuffs Taker to the cage. The nightstick is out. Boss Man nails Taker in the head with it, which also breaks the handcuffs. More nightstick shots and Taker's busted open. Taker goozles and pulls Boss Man into the cage. Chairshot from Taker. Boss Man gets lawn darted into the cage and is now bleeding. There's lots of boos floating around the crowd and I don't think it's directed at any specific wrestler, but the match in general. They get back in the ring and Taker hits the flying clothesline for 2. Taker goes for old school but Boss Man kicks him down. He pushes Taker off and he falls into the cage to the floor. Slugfest back in the ring as the crowd continues to show zero interest in what's going on. Taker hits a low blow. He scoops for the Tombstone but Boss Man fights out. A little more back and forth, Taker scoops again, hits the Tombstone, and mercy kills the match. That's up there with Undertaker vs Giant Gonzales, the WM 6 mixed tag match, and Sable vs Tori from earlier tonight as one of the worst Wrestlemania matches ever. DUD

But we're not done. The Brood all come down from the ceiling in a stunt you're about to not see ever happen anymore and land on the top of the cage. They force open the cage roof and lower what looks like a rope in. No. Noooooooooooooooooo no way they are not. It's a noose. A frelling noose. The Brood get pulled back up into the rafters. Bearer has the cage controls and raises it. Boss Man is literally hung. Hung. For real. He passes out and looks dead. The lights go out and I hope someone is getting Boss Man's ass down before he really suffocates. Talk about things you'll never, ever see again, and this one with good reason. MINUS FIVE STARS doesn't even cover that shit.

After we just saw a man almost literally murdered we now go to footage from the Wrestlemania Rage Party earlier in the weekend. After that Cole is in the ring and brings out.....JR! JR is back! Cole takes his leave and it's just JR and Lawler for the main event. Poor guy's face still looks awful. When he gets settled Fink announces the guest ref for the match.....Mr. McMahon. With no ref shirt. That means he's not a real ref. He said he had one! When he gets in the ring Commissioner Shawn Michaels' music hits, and he's got real ref Mike Chioda with him. Apparently the WWF Rulebook (if it exists) that Vince apparently has never read states that only one man can appoint a referee at Wrestlemania (very specific and convenient clause), and that is the Commish. Shawn sends Vince off, and goes the extra step of barring the Corporation from ringside. Chioda stays in the ring to ref this match.

 

No DQ Match for the WWF Championship: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin def The Rock (c) in 16:52- This is the match Austin comes out in one of his t-shirts because he forgot his vest at home. Rock talks trash while Austin tries to hit the corners. Austin swings and it's on! 9 for 10 is our final jump start count for the night. Rock tosses Austin over the top and he goes all the way into the English announce table, still in his shirt. Rock takes the shirt and chokes Austin with it. Austin reverses a whip and uses momentum to send Rock *flying* over the top to the floor. And into the crowd for the mandatory late '90s crowd brawl. They get back ringside, Austin tosses Rock over the barricade on the other side and they go into the crowd on that side! Rock chokes Austin with a TV cable. Up the aisle to the stage area. Rock gets whipped into the hockey wall and takes a clothesline. Rock backdrops out of a piledriver and Austin's knee hits one of the giant lights at the end of the entrance stage. That looked accidental. Either it was and they rolled with it or did a hell of a job making it look that way. Austin slugs back and runs Rock into the crane camera. Austin tops it off with a Greco Roman Nut Stomp. No DQ. Now Rock gets choked with some cable. Austin whips him into the giant metal WM logo that's most of the entrance stage. Rock suplexes Austin in the aisle. They go around to the tables again and Rock does his now traditional swig of JR's water, then spits it in Austin's face. Austin drops Rock on the guardrail then drapes him over the Spanish announce table. He drops an elbow off the barricade onto Rock on the table! No table break. Second try, and there goes the Spanish announce table! Austin returns the favor with a water spit in Rock's face. Hey, they're back in the ring! I wondered if they forgot it was there. Then Rock drags Austin down, posts his knee, and they're fighting on the floor again. Another try at getting in the ring. Rock Bottom outta nowhere! Austin kicks out! Rock gets a chair in. Austin takes it away, swings, and Chioda takes it in the head! Rock pulled him in as a shield. Swinging neckbreaker from Rock. Austin blocks a chairshot, Rock pushes out of the Stunner, and Austin takes a back elbow. Chairshots on Austin's hurt knee. Another chairshot to Austin's head. Rock covers and backup ref Tim White comes in to count. Austin JUST kicks out! Rock hooks on a chinlock as Chioda is carried out. Clothesline from Rock and back to the chinlock. After a bit Austin fights out again. Rock Samoan drop for 2. Rock doesn't like the count and Rock Bottoms White. Stunner! No ref. Hebner runs in to count and Rock kicks out! Here comes Vince. He gets Austin's attention and gets flipped off. Rock blocks a chairshot with a straight Greco Roman Nut Punch. Vince comes in and punches Hebner out! That's three refs down. Vince joins Rock in mudhole stomping Austin. Mankind is here! He's alive! And he has a ref shirt on so he's an official official. Mankind takes Vince out. Austin rolls Rock up and Mankind counts 2. Thesz Press! Rock hits another Rock Bottom! He doesn't cover. Instead, he poses. Elbow pad off. Austin dodges the Corporate Elbow! Rock goes for another Rock Bottom. Austin fights out. Stunner! Austin gets the pin and finally wins the title back after months of screwjobs! Vince is devastated. The show closes as it should, with a long Austin celebration (Hebner joins in very enthusiastically) and Vince taking a Stunner. It's overbooked all to hell like most everything else from this era, but it's also a lot of fun and a very satisfying conclusion, even if a temporary one (the part WCW could never figure out). Rock and Austin worked beautifully together. You know they have better matches in them and will prove it later. ***1/2

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- After the most Russoriffic Rumble earlier in the year, this is the most Russoriffic Wrestlemania. We're definitely scraping near the bottom of the WM barrel here. It's got not one, but two of the greatest turds in WM history, plus the Brawl for All match which is also a disaster, but a hilarious one. Still, it's not quite in the list of absolute worst WMs ever with 2, 9 and 11, largely thanks to the excellent main event. The double swerve DX stuff also ends up as a small net plus if you don't overanalyze it too much.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D+