No Mercy '99 (UK)

Legacy Review

No Mercy '99 (UK)

May 16, 1999 from the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

The WWF's UK only PPVs the past two years had been a success, at least from a business standpoint, so they expanded to hold two a year starting in '99. The No Mercy name would be used again later in the year for the regular October PPV. Major developments since Backlash: Vince is still more worried about keeping Steph safe from the Ministry of Darkness than running the company, so Shane McMahon has used his power to merge the Corporation with the Ministry to form the obviously named Corporate Ministry. The identity of the "hower higher power" is still yet to be revealed. This was all done, by the way, on the initial pilot episode of Smackdown, the test pilot before the full new series started in the fall.

Unlike UK PPVs past this one has a PPV type stage. The show opens with Shane and the whole Corporate Ministry coming out to the ring. The mash up of No Chance in Hell and the Ministry's original music is....something. Shane gets booed out trying to start his promo. Not Dom Mysterio booed out but not far off. I laugh my ass off at Dom getting booed out every single time. Never gets old. Shane drops the show name a whole bunch of times. There's an "asshole" chant, or more likely "arsehole" seeing as we're in England. Shane unbuttons his jacket to reveal he's wearing the "retired" European title belt. That's right, for one night only the European title is back and Shane will be defending it. Shane also makes the triple threat main event that's already basically a 2 on 1 against Austin a No Holds Barred match, which JR acts like is an egregious sin but is basically what triple threat matches would turn out to be normally. The whole gang leaves the ring after only Shane talked. Everyone else came out only to stand around, and it showed in their body language.

Tiger Ali Singh def Gillberg in 1:04- Once again, it must be in some contract somewhere that Singh has to appear on the UK PPVs. At least they're getting him out of the way first. Gillberg was officially the Light Heavyweight champion, but the title was in limbo at this point, not being featured or defended on TV. Singh does his usual prematch promo. It's bland generic guff as always, but he does drop a botched gem saying he's "more richer" than anyone in the crowd. Clearly not superior in grammar. Guess the odds are in his favorite. There's a Legacy Review deep cut for you. Gillberg gets the full entrance presentation. Security knock on door. Long walk to the ring with piped in chants. JR says "He's gonna blow a gasket just walking to the ring". Sparklers, weak pyro and fire extinguisher. I love it. I've never been a Goldberg fan so I'm definitely the target audience to enjoy Gillberg's stuff. Gillberg's got the Light Heavyweight belt on but he's not announced as champion. JR mentions it in passing. Singh tries to jump but Gillberg ducks him and lays in the punches of pure power. Singh press slams him but misses an elbow drop. Slam from Gillberg. SPEAR! The greatest spear ever. But instead of covering he celebrates. Singh kicks his knee from behind, hits a Rude Awakening neckbreaker, and gets the pin. Thankfully they also kept the Singh match short. 1/4* for Gillberg being Gillberg

 

The Corporate Ministry def The Brood in 13:47- This is mostly a rematch from Backlash, but with Viscera teaming with the Acolytes on the Ministry team instead of Mideon. Gangrel and Viscera start with Viscera no selling everything. He catches a Gangrel crossbody and slams him. Gangrel dodges an avalanche. He stupidly tries to suplex Viscera. Not happening. After hitting the suplex Viscera tries a legdrop but Gangrel dodges, and follows with a basement dropkick. Tag to Edge and both guys rain down elbows on Viscera like a carpet bombing run. Viscera uses Big Man Logic to push Edge into his corner. Christian distracts Bradshaw and Edge hits a dropkick. Off an Edge drop toe hold Christian hits an ugly bulldog. Spinning heel kick on Faarooq. Edge runs into the spinebuster for 2. On the floor Bradshaw posts him. The heels quick tag as Edge goes in peril. Edge gets a DDT on Faarooq and tags Christian. Christian works Bradshaw over until leaping into a fallaway slam. After some hard corner whips Bradshaw hooks on a bear hug. Christian fights out pretty quickly but Bradshaw puts him down again with a big boot for 2. Viscera hits a side suplex. Christian tries a crucifix on him and that's also not happening. He gets a faceplant on Faarooq but the tag is cut off. Bradshaw hits a powerslam. Edge keeps running in to break up pins. He argues with the ref and Christian gets choked in the corner. He gets a flash small package on Faarooq for 2. Shane and Mideon come out but stay in the entrance area. Edge helps Christian fight off a Bradshaw superplex. Christian hits a tornado DDT and gets the tag to Gangrel. Bradshaw and Gangrel have a tough time getting on the same page. DONNYBROOK! Christian hits a frog splash for 2. Brood double DDT for 2. Shane sends Mideon in. He DDTs Gangrel on the floor, rolls him in, Bradshaw hits the Clothesline from Hell (off camera, thanks JR), and that gets the pin. Like Backlash it's mostly OK. The end run felt a bit sloppy but I think that was more from uncharacteristically bad camera work than anything else. Edge and Christian are starting to show some serious tag team chemistry. Might be a good idea to let them loose there. On the other had you could be forgiven if you forgot Gangrel was in the match at all. **1/4

 

Steve Blackman def Droz in 7:50- This is post-LOD heel Droz in his silly hat. He and Buff Bagwell must have shopped at the same silly hat shop. Both guys do some house show style posing after the bell. Lockup! OK, I love this match now. Droz goes right to the heel 101 eye poke, then stomps and chokes. Back elbow and suplex for 1. Blackman ducks a crazy dive that I'm not sure what it was and hits a kick combo. Off a whip Droz grabs a rope to stop and bails. While he's jawing with the crowd Blackman baseball slides him from behind. Standing dropkick on the floor. Back in Blackman hits a backbreaker. Droz hits a back elbow in the corner and we have a weak slugfest. Inverted atomic drop and clothesline combo from Droz, followed by more stompy choky stuff. Blackman dodges an avalanche. Droz dodges an elbow off the second rope. Blackman gets a roll up for 2. Northern lights suplex for 2. Droz hits a powerslam for 2. To the chinlock! After arm drops Droz does some more generic beatdown stuff, then tosses Blackman over the top to the floor. Elbow off the apron from Droz. Back in he comes off the second rope for....something. Blackman gets a boot up from a weird kneeling position, like a dog taking a piss. He hooks on a cross armbreaker and Droz taps. It's a Droz match, and no way in hell was Blackman good enough to carry him. 1/2*

Oh lord, it's a Beaver Cleavage vignette. Don't ask....OK, fine. So this is supposed to be a parody of Leave It To Beaver, but with Attitude Era edge. I guess this might have been another attempt at a swipe at Turner and all the '50's sitcoms TBS showed but I don't know for sure. Whatever it was supposed to be in theory, in practice it was horrific in every way possible. The whole idea was ditched before the character even debuted in the ring. Dropped faster than Emmalina.

Mankind comes out to the ring for a quick how do you do promo. He says he gave hometown boy the British Bulldog a call earlier. Wait, Bulldog? Yup. Bulldog was last seen having his back almost broken in WCW by the trap door set for the Ultimate Warrior to use for his big entrance at Fall Brawl '98. He was still on the mend, but would return to WWF later in the year. Anyway, what did Bulldog say to Foley? "Cactus, hang up the damn phone so I can get some sleep". Mankind says he forgot about the time difference. He then lays down some threats for his opponent tonight, Billy Gunn, topping it off by saying Billy's called Bad Ass, but "anyone that's seen Mankind in the shower" knows what a bad ass really is. Pretty pointless overall, but Foley's always good for a funny line or two.

 

Kane def Mideon by DQ in 4:35- Kane is still one half of the tag champs with X-Pac, who is becoming the first person in Kane's life that's trying to show him how to live like a human being instead of a monster. An opening punch from Mideon is no sold. He tries to run but Kane pulls him down by the hair. Big boot. Slam and legdrop. Mideon dodges in the corner and Kane posts his shoulder. Mideon does what little he can trying to work on it. Kane counters with his own arm twist into a short clothesline. Mideon dodges an elbow drop. More dull offense with Mideon giving some lip service to working the hurt shoulder but little more. Kane starts no selling and hits a throat punch. Clothesline off the top. Chokeslam! The Corporate Ministry run out for the cheap DQ. They beat Kane down until Pac runs in to make the save. An unmotivated Kane, a shit finish, and Mideon. Bad combination. DUD

We get footage from the most recent Raw of the increasingly full of herself (both on camera and in real life) Sable being stripped of the women's title and it being awarded to Debra due to shenanigans in, what else it's Russo, an Evening Gown match. Sable makes her way in for tonight's match with Nicole Bass. After her usual shtick Sable claims that English weather has given her a chest cold. You can guess the jokes and there's plenty of them. She's not wrestling tonight under "doctor's orders". Think we need a proper commissioner like Nick Bockwinkel to double check whether that doctor's note is legit. Sable says Bass will be replacing her in tonight's match, then leaves before the match even starts. The coda to this, Sable kept on walking right out of the company. She was already arguing with WWF over various issues, and after she left those issues would turn into lawsuits and counter lawsuits before everything was settled and she returned in 2003.

 

Nicole Bass def Tori in :27- Bass seems less than pleased at Sable for either putting her in the match or leaving. I think. It's hard to tell, she's only got one expression. Tori tries to attack from behind and of course gets nothing. One chokeslam, a one foot pin and it's over. Squashy McSquasherness. With Sable gone from WWF Bass wouldn't last much longer herself. NR

 

WWF European Championship: Shane McMahon (c) def X-Pac in 8:27- This is a rematch from Wrestlemania. No shock to anyone jump start. Pac tosses Shane over the top to the floor, then sets off his pyro. Shane gets back in and immediately gets backdropped back to the floor. He decides to take a walk. He's cut off by Patterson and Brisco! For those not keeping track of Russo's constant turns, the former Stooges remained loyal to Vince and were subsequently fired from the Corporation by Shane. Patterson and Brisco beat Shane down, then Pac takes him out with a running clothesline. Back in Pac hits some legdrops and stalls as Chyna comes out and takes Patterson and Brisco out. Shane attacks Pac from behind. Chyna picks Pac up and runs him into the post. JR gushes over how Chyna can lift "a man like Pac". What, barely 150 pounds soaking wet Pac? Pac barely beats the count back in. Shane beats him down in the corner. Suplex. Elbow off the second rope for 2. Slaps fire Pac back up but Shane cuts him off with a back elbow. Pac back suplexes out of a chinlock and hits a couple of spinning heel kicks. Chyna gets on the apron. Pac ducks a charging Shane and Shane takes ref Mike Choida out. Chyna gives Pac a shot with the European title belt. Slow crawl from Shane and slow count (Hebner would be proud). Pac kicks out! Now Trips is coming out. Shane goes for "his" bronco buster but Pac dodges. X-Factor! Chyna knocks Chioda out before he can count. Pac gets Chyna down and takes Trips out. He goes for the brono buster on Chyna but she gets a boot up right in his ghoolies. Damn, I think that's the first low blow of the whole night. Almost unheard of in this era. Trips hits the Pedigree, Shane covers, and gets the win. Overbooked as hell, but you'd expect nothing less from this feud. Shane and Pac continue to work well together when left to their own devices with Shane continuing to look more than competent in the ring in small doses. **1/2

After the match Trips sets Pac up and Shane gives him the bronco buster. Kane comes out to return the save favor, carrying Pac all the way to the back. After that we cut to another Mankind promo backstage, where he's attacked by the Ministry side of the Corporate Ministry, who injure his knee. This was cover for a legitimate injury he was trying to work through before taking some time off soon after this.

 

"Bad Ass" Billy Gunn def Mankind in 11:27- Gunn's left what's left of DX and turned heel, but is also not officially affiliated with the Corporate Ministry like Trips, he's more a free agent. He's still saying "suck it". That's got to be some kind of trademark infringement. The crowd doesn't seem to care about him one way or the other, which is this whole failed singles push for him in a nutshell. Mankind no shows when his music hits and Gunn demands a forfeit. The music hits again and Mankind limps out. Gunn runs out to the aisle and it's on with Gunn taking a beatdown. They get back in the ring and the Mankind beatdown continues. He's clearly hobbled for real and is having a hard time moving. Gunn dropkicks the bad knee to turn things around. Some bland knee work follows. Gunn takes a clothesline on the floor. Mankind takes the lid off a cooler and whacks him with it. Gunn whips Mankind over the barricade and he splats on the concrete! Foley's still going for it no matter how hurt for real he is. Gunn gets backdropped back over the rail to ringside. Back in Gunn gets back on the knee. He wraps it around the post. Mankind uses that to pull Gunn into the post. Suplex on the floor. As Mankind's getting back in Gunn clips the knee and slaps on a figure four. Mankind slaps himself to fight it. Gunn gets some extra rope leverage. After a bit ref Teddy Long catches him and Mankind reverses. Gunn goes for the rope break. Right back on the knee. Mankind fires back with right hands. Corner running knee. He gets a chair. Long takes it away and Gunn kicks the bad knee again. Double underhook DDT! Socko is out! Claw! Gunn drops Mankind on the chair to get out. Piledriver on the chair! Mankind kicks out! But the bell rings. Someone over there screwed up, and it takes the crowd completely out of the real finish. Gunn hits the fameasser on the chair, covers and gets the win for real. Bell frak up aside they did the best they could with the condition Mankind was in. *3/4

 

No Holds Barred Triple Threat Match for the WWF Championship: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (c) def The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) and Triple H (w/Chyna) in 18:20- Trips has new music and the first elements of his Game entrance. We're slowly getting there. Austin takes the vest off as he's walking down the aisle, the other two meet him and we're not wasting any time. HHH gets slammed on the ramp. Taker gives Austin a shot with the belt. The next few minutes is a fairly typical late '90's brawl around the stage area with nothing major happening. HHH and Taker are clearly teaming up. Austin ducks a punch and HHH pops Taker. They finally get in the ring and Austin gives HHH a Thesz press. Taker gets Austin grounded again. Hebner gets run off as the double team continues. Austin gets knocked into the front row. HHH takes a suplex on the floor. Taker backdrops Austin in the aisle. The double teaming on Austin continues. Back in Austin pops out of the corner with a clothesline. A clothesline from Taker kills his momentum. HHH gets a chair but Hebner takes it away. Austin grabs the chair and it's chair shots for everyone! HHH's knee gets posted. A Taker uppercut puts Austin down again. Back in HHH and Taker have their first real argument over who gets to stomp Austin. Kind of a silly thing to break down over. Taker goozles HHH! Austin breaks it up and posts Taker's crotch. HHH gets knocked around the ringside area. Those wooden stairs just don't have the same sound as the steel ones. Taker gets Austin down again and hooks on a legbar. HHH breaks it up! He and Taker shove on the floor. Taker waits for HHH to turn his back and then hits him! I think that move is in the Pirate Code somewhere. Chyna and Bearer are even getting into it now. Austin snaps Taker over the top rope. HHH takes a couple of flips over the guardrail. Taker low blows Austin. He goes for the chokeslam. HHH breaks it up. Now Austin and HHH team up on Taker! Like two guys on some kind of power trip. HHH hits Austin with the facebuster. Taker scoops Austin for the Tombstone. Austin gets free. He goes for the Stunner but Taker pushes out, sending Austin right into HHH's waiting arms. He goes for the Pedigree. Austin counters, slingshotting HHH right into Taker. Goozle and chokeslam on HHH! Austin breaks the pin up. Kick wham Stunner on Taker! HHH breaks up the pin. Stunner for Trips! Shane and the whole Corporate Ministry run out. With no DQ it's free season on Austin. But here comes Kane and X-Pac! And the Brood! Even Mankind! Anyone that had a match tonight, get back out there. Not you, Singh. Or you, Nicole. During the mass brawl Mankind finds Taker and pounds him up the aisle away from the ring and out of the match. As things clear out HHH hits Austin with the Harley Race high knee. Chyna gets in. She takes her gloves off so she's super cereal. She does some handsprings, right into an Austin kick! Stunner on Chyna! Stunner on HHH! Austin gets the pin! Apart from some rough patches that was fine. **3/4

After the bell Shane takes his Stunner. Austin sets everyone up in the corners and Pac does around the world bronco busters. The beers are out and Hebner joins in again. Clearly he's an unbiased official. DOUBLE STUNNER on Shane and HHH! One on each shoulder. JR clearly signs off but then gets told we're not off the air yet and keeps going. Austin gives HHH a beer just so he can Stunner him again.

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- At this point I think everyone knows what to expect from these UK shows: insignificant house show style matches with a lively crowd. I think overall this one did come off a bit better than the last one. A bit.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D+