Summerslam '99

Legacy Review

Summerslam '99

August 22, 1999 from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

The opening video package highlights some of Steve Austin's history with guest referees, for one very good reason. The guest referee for the main event will be none other than former WWF wrestler and commentator, former mayor of Brooklyn Park, MN and recently elected governor of Minnesota Jesse "The Body" Ventura, making his return to WWF for the first time since 1990 and his first wrestling appearance since leaving WCW in '94. The Summerslam logo has been altered again, giving us the second straight one off logo for the show. Lawler (presumably jealous of Ventura's political success) is wearing a button for his own mayoral campaign he was running in Memphis. That didn't work out so well. We cut to backstage where Ventura is laying down the law to Triple H and Chyna. Trips vows to break whatever rules Ventura lays down. Ventura retorts then he better kiss any shot at the title goodbye. We then cut to CHRIS JERICHO in the back. Yes, the millennium countdown clock reached 0 on a recent edition of Raw, leading to the long awaited debut of Jericho in WWF. He immediately hoodwinked Howard Finkel into being his personal valet/dogsbody. Finkel runs in with about 7 bags of Jericho's wrapped all around him, apologizing for being late. Jericho berates "Harold" to get his shit together. "It's Howard". "WHATEVER!". Classic fun early heel Jericho stuff.

WWF Intercontinental And European Championships: Jeff Jarrett def D'Lo Brown (c) in 7:27- Brown, already European champion, defeated Jarrett on Raw a few weeks prior to become the first ever Eurocontinental dual champion. He won't be the last. Jarrett and Debra have had issues lately so Jarrett sends her back to the locker room during his entrance, much to the dismay of both the crowd and Lawler. I'll never not be disturbed how into her guys were at the time. Some people are very easily pleased. Jarrett gets a huge "asshole" chant. Before Brown's entrance we see him backstage with Debra telling her to come out with him, and she does. While Debra's posing Jarrett jumps Brown off camera. Brown counters with a hiptoss and flying forearm. A powerslam doesn't come off very well, so they do it again for 2. Jarrett leaps into a spinebuster for 2. He short arm spins Brown into a sleeper. Brown counters with a suplex. I seriously need a Lawler mute button. You can only hear him whistle and shout "PUPPIES!" so many times. Jarrett counters Brown coming off the second rope and dropkicks him to the floor. Baseball slide. Jarrett comes off the apron but Brown dodges and he goes into the barricade. Jarrett pushes Brown into the post, but he only makes grazing contact with his arm. Back in Jarrett works on that arm a bit. He hits an avalanche armbar slam. Brown counters mounted punches by dropping Jarrett on the top turnbuckle. A series of dodges leads to Brown hitting a powerbomb. Slam and legdrop for 2. Brown goes up top, presumably for the frog splash. Instead it's a senton, but Jarrett dodges it anyway. Debra gets on the apron. Jarrett grabs the guitar and argues with her. Mark Henry, Brown's friend, running buddy and occasional tag partner since way back in their Nation of Domination days, runs in and takes the guitar. HENRY NAILS BROWN WITH THE GUITAR! SWERVE! Jarrett covers and gets the pin for both titles! We (rightly) criticize Russo for overkill on the heel turns, but damn that one was well done and a genuine shock. The new team of Jarrett, Henry and Debra all leave together. Rather than take on the burden of double championships, the next night on Raw Jarrett handed Henry the European title as thanks for his help, Henry's first ever wrestling title. **1/2

 

Tag Team Turmoil Match- This is a six team gauntlet match with the winners getting a tag title shot tomorrow night on Raw. We start off with Edge & Christian against the Hardy Boyz, now with Gangrel as the New Brood. The Brood does the blood ritual in the aisle, then the Hardyz charge in and it's on! After some wild brawling things settle in with Matt and Edge. Edge hits a Russian leg sweep. Christian gets a spinning heel kick. Gangrel gets a shot in and Matt rolls Christian up for 2. The Hardyz hit a double team faceplant and off come the shirts. Jeff hits a springboard moonsault for 2. The Hardyz hit their classic double team. Matt suplex/Jeff swanton bomb combo. Edge breaks the pin up. Christian flips out, hits a double reverse DDT, and makes the tag. The Hardyz toss Edge over the top to the floor. Jeff and Edge run across the barricade on opposite sides, jump off and meet in the middle! That was supposed to be an Edge spear but they didn't pull it off very well. They'd figure it out. Christian dive on Gangrel! Matt moonsaults Christian and Gangrel! E&C get Jeff in the ring, hit a faceplant/elbow off the top combo, and get the pin. Another look at the immediate future of WWF tag wrestling. A revival was on the way. Not the Revival. That's way later. The next team is the scintillating partnership of Viscera and Mideon. Business just....whatever the exact opposite of picked up is. Viscera pounds Christian and hits a fallaway slam. Double elbows from the heels. Christian dodges Mideon off the second rope and tags. Mideon barely gets himself over on an Edge backdrop. Clotheslines wobble Viscera. Edge runs into a Viscera rolling kick. Viscera avalanches Mideon! A double shoulderblock sends Viscera to the floor. Edge spear on Mideon! E&C advance again! Droz and Prince Albert are the next team up. Droz hits an inverted atomic drop and clothesline on Edge. Edge dodges Albert in the corner, but Albert gets him up for a neckbreaker for 2. Christian low bridges Droz over the top to the floor and follows up with a plancha. Albert presses Edge. Christian clips his knee from behind! Edge falls on Albert for 2. The crowd really bit on that. Edge hits Downward Spiral and pins Albert! That got much less of a reaction after the great near fall. The next team, former tag champs The Acolytes, run right in fists flying. While Faarooq and Christian fight on the floor Edge gives Bradshaw a swinging neckbreaker. Missile dropkick. Bradshaw counters mounted punches with a powerbomb. Edge gets a spinning heel kick on Faarooq. Bradshaw tags in and launches Christian off the apron to prevent a tag. He pummels Edge in the corner for 2. Side suplex for 2. Faarooq backbreaker for 2. He plants Edge with a spinebuster. Edge fights out of a gutwrench and hits a DDT! Tags on both sides. Christian dropkicks everyone. Faarooq goes to the floor. Christian tornado DDT on Bradshaw for 2. The final team in the gauntlet, the Hollys, are already out. Bradshaw hits the Clothesline from Hell and gets the pin, ending the great E&C run. The Hollys jump right in and attack. Faarooq easily handles Crash. Hardcore jumps from behind. Acolyte double tackle on Hardcore for 2. Hardcore hits Faarooq with a suplex. Crash tags himself in and runs right into a Faarooq clothesline. Swinging neckbreaker from Bradshaw for 2. Hardcore blind tags in and clotheslines Faarooq. Crash covers, thinking he's still legal and the Hollys, as was their wont, start fighting each other. Faarooq plants Crash with a spinebuster and that gets the final pin and win for the Acolytes. The Hollys continue to argue after the bell. **

Al Snow is in the back with the replacement for the now dearly departed Head, a chihuahua named Pepper. Like Head, Snow has full one way conversations with her.

Road Dogg makes his way out to the ring resplendent in his 1990's traveling wrestler outfit. He looks like he just hopped off the bus. He challenges the winner of the Hardcore title match for tomorrow night on Raw. Countdown clock! Break the walls down! Jericho is out on top of the Lion's Den structure to be used later. He goes right into "here to save the WWF" mode, calling shows Raw is Snore and Summersham. He then runs down Road Dogg personally, including the line that always makes me laugh, "You come out here every week and spell your name. You want to impress me? Spell lugubrious". He also mocks Dogg's hair, which I don't think is the best move considering the top of head ponytail he's sporting. Dogg's "Shut up, bitch" isn't exactly the wittiest retort, but Jericho acts like Dogg scored points on him. Dogg goes over and joins commentary for the next match.

 

WWF Hardcore Championship: Al Snow def The Big Boss Man (c) in 7:27- Snow climbs one of the cranes that makes up the stage area, then dives onto Boss Man during his entrance! He gets a chair and gives Boss Man a running chairshot. Dogg leaves commentary and takes back his arena mic to do roving commentary as the match goes backstage. It's surprisingly not over the top or annoying, he does it pretty well. Boss Man drops a chalkboard on Snow. He hits Snow with Pepper's kennel! Boss Man yells at Pepper then tosses it away! Before anyone asks, we could see pretty clearly earlier the kennel was empty. Snow breaks the chalkboard over Boss Man's head! Boss Man takes a crutch from some random guy backstage that needs it and nails Snow with it! Snow gets run into a Pepsi fridge. Boss Man tosses a propane tank that Snow dodges and it breaks one of the fridge's glass doors! Boss Man then tips the fridge over. Snow runs Boss Man into a minivan. He tells the refs to open the garage door and they go outside. They cross the street. Fortunately they planned better than the last PPV, when some random guy driving by almost ran everyone over. Snow knocks Boss Man around some plants and covers for 2. Boss Man tosses Snow into some outdoor tables and covers for 2. They go into a bar! That's the Blue Alley Bar to be specific. Boss Man hits Snow with the phone book! See kids, back then there was a very large book everyone had a copy of that had all the phone numbers of everyone in the town/city/surrounding area, including a very large section called the Yellow Pages that you could look up any type of business you needed. It was an almost believable weapon. There's your history lesson for the day. Snow hits a flurry of jabs and says hi to some fans. He drops the freebie newspaper rack on Boss Man. Both guys trade broom shots. They go into the bathroom and Snow gives Boss Man a mouthful of urinal cake. Boss Man rams Snow's head against the wall in the hallway. Snow takes a drink and a chain from some guy and uses them. He gets up on top of the bar. Moonsault! That was Kota Ibushi in DDT level real world moonsaulting. They go into the pool room. Boss Man breaks a beer bottle over Snow's head, then jaws at Road Dogg. Dogg nails Boss Man from behind with his own nightstick! Snow takes some pool balls and gives Boss Man a ball shot with them, then covers for the pin! Snow runs back to the arena, but on his way he sees Stevie Richards and the Blue Meanie messing with Pepper. Snow attacks them, including taking crutch guy's other crutch leaving him crutchless. They continue to make these Hardcore matches a unique and fun attraction on the card. ***1/4

Mankind is in the back with Ventura, who's making it clear that any pin must be in the ring and if there's a weapon shot he's not counting. Mankind ignores that, instead wanting to discuss the virtues of Minnesota's own Geraldine Ferraro as a VP candidate back in '84. Ventura dismisses her as a "bleeding heart liberal".

 

WWF Women's Championship: Ivory (c) def Tori in 4:08- In true Russo fashion the words "slut" and "skank" were used extensively during the build for this match. Tori charges in but Ivory jumps her. Powerslam from Tori and Ivory powders. She drags Tori out and runs her into the post. Lawler reports that Pepper is OK so everyone can breathe a sigh of relief there. Back in Ivory hits a back elbow for 1. Tori gets a knee to the gut and hits a pair of suplexes. Dropkick for 2. Ivory goes into the women's heel 101 hair tosses. She tries for a giant swing but doesn't get very far into it. Tori hits an atrocious spear. She landed on her knees before even making contact. Flippy powerbomb/suplex thing from Tori. Crossbody off the second rope for 2. Horrible sunset flip. It's supposed to be the finish so they do it again. Ivory supposedly counters by sitting on Tori but they didn't get it right the second time either, but say screw it and Ivory gets the pin. After the bell Ivory decides to pull Tori's clothes off for reasons. Luna comes in and runs her off. Typical Attitude Era women's match. 1/4*

The Rock is in the back with Michael Cole. Rock takes the mic and says this time it's his turn to do the interview. He says it's OK if Cole is a little "kuhmsee kuhmsah" or however it's spelt then goes into standard Rock promo stuff. We then cut to Billy Gunn escorting his "big surprise" into the arena hidden under a blanket. It's clearly a person.

 

Lion's Den Weapons Match: Ken Shamrock def Steve Blackman in 9:06- Last Summerslam Shamrock had a Lion's Den match with Owen Hart, and they're bringing it back to wrap up the Shamrock/Blackman feud. Basically it's a small size UFC style cage. The addition for this year's match is legal weapons that are hung at the top of the cage. Commentary says this is no pin or submission, to win you have to "escape the cage". The "escape the ring" rules didn't work so well in these guys' gimmick match the last PPV. The door being locked doesn't inspire confidence they'll get this one any better. The ref is positioned on a platform that's around the top of the cage, the same place Jericho did his promo from earlier. Blackman got the nunchucks during Shamrock's entrance and quickly uses them. Shamrock gets a dragon screw into a legbar. Blackman escapes, but Shamrock uses that opening to get the chucks. Blackman sweep kicks and takes them back, then chokes Shamrock with them. Shamrock tries a cross armbreaker. He gets the chucks and tosses them out of the cage. Blackman gets run into the cage. Shamrock climbs up and gets a kendo stick. Blackman blocks a shot with it and now Shamrock gets run into the cage. Blackman climbs and gets his martial arts sticks. Like JR, I have no idea what the official name for these things are. Blackman goes to town on Shamrock with them. Shamrock leaps off the cage and hits a flying elbow. Back suplex. Blackman hits a DDT. Shamrock with a powerslam. Both guys dodge kicks and Blackman hits an enzuguri. He goes up and gets a fresh kendo stick. Kendo shots on Shamrock. Blackman measures and whacks Shamrock right on the top of the head. Shamrock's out. Blackman goes to the door. JR says he can ask the ref to unlock it to leave, but doesn't. Shamrock dodges another shot and gives Blackman a belly to belly suplex. Now Shamrock goes to town with the kendo stick. He needs two tries to give Blackman the same crown of the head shot to knock him out. The bell rings, then Shamrock climbs up onto the platform the ref is on. It's a well worked match, but like the last PPV let down by the fact that no one knew what the rules were. Almost like WCW was booking these matches. **1/2

 

Greenwich Street Fight: Test def Shane McMahon (w/The Mean Street Posse) in 12:04- Former Corporation bodyguard Test has been engaged in an (on screen) relationship with Stephanie McMahon. Shane, ever the overprotective brother, has been trying to split them apart. For Steph's own good of course. If Shane wins this match, Test and Steph have to break up. If Test wins, Shane has to leave Steph alone. During the build Test systematically took out all three members of the Mean Street Posse. Test comes out with taped ribs from an attack by Shane during the Sunday Night Heat preshow. Shane comes out by himself, but then the MSP's music hits. Here they are! They're all sporting souvenirs from Test's attack, but they're here. Shane directs them to a couch that's been set up in the front row. There's even a table and two lamps to make it feel like home. Nothing but the best for the rich families of Greewich. Test attacks Shane on the floor! Shane attacks when they get back in the ring. All out ground and pound brawl. Test gets a backdrop. The MSP have champagne. Like I said, nothing but the best. The fight goes to the floor and Shane goes over the barricade into the crowd. He clotheslines Test back over the barricade and tries to leap off of it. Test catches and powerslams him. Test goes over and gets in the MSP's faces. He press slams Shane into the MSP! DOWN GOES THE COUCH! Test takes shots on everyone but the MSP's superior numbers eventually get to him. More guts than brains there for sure. Test gets slammed on the platform the couch used to be on. The MSP give Shane a mailbox! He nails Test with it. That's a new one. The MSP then go through their collection of Greenich road signs, give Shane a do not enter sign, and he nails Test with that. Shane's then handed a giant picture of himself with the MSP. He smashes that over Test's head! The glass goes everywhere. Roll back in and cover. Test kicks out! Speed run and Shane hits a diving back elbow. Test dodges a corkscrew off the top rope. He catches Shane leapfrogging and powerbombs him. The MSP distract the ref. Shane ducks and Test big boots the ref! 360 clothesline on Shane and Test takes his turn to hit him with the do not enter sign. Slam on the floor. The MSP attack again. They clear off the Spanish announce table and drape Test over it. Shane drags himself up to the top rope. ELBOW OFF THE TOP THROUGH THE SPANISH ANNOUNCE TABLE! We've seen Shane do that a hundred times since, but at this point it was still new and mind blowing. Both guys are down as we get a ton of replays. Finally the MSP drag both guys back in and throw water on Shane to wake him up. One arm cover. Test kicks out! A double team fails as Pete Gas takes out Shane. Big boot on Gas! Cover. Joey Abs gets Shane's foot on the rope. Rodney hits Test with his cast. Another one arm cover. Test kicks out again! The Stooges are out! Patterson and Brisco take out the MSP! Test dodges and Shane posts his shoulder. Pumphandle powerslam! Elbow off the top! Test gets the pin! Steph runs out to celebrate with Test. That match had no business being anywhere near that good. That was quite literally the match of Test's life, and the legend of Shane the part time wrestler continues to grow. ***1/2

 

WWF Tag Team Championship: The Unholy Alliance (w/Paul Bearer) def Kane & X-Pac (c) in 12:01- Following the last PPV the Undertaker and Big Show decided to team up because why not. Kane and Pac are in their "best buds" phase. During the recap for this Kane is shown using his electronic voice box to talk again. Damn, I'd forgotten he used that for this long. Kane's also got new primary red gear for this match. 2v2 brawl start. Pac quickly gets tossed and the heels turn their attention to Kane. Kane comes back with clotheslines. Pac crossbody off the top outta nowhere on Taker for 2. Taker cranks Pac's arm a bit. Pac goes into dodge mode and gets a tag to Kane. Taker gets pummeled in the face corner and Kane 360s him to the floor. Pac dives off the apron and attacks him. Taker eventually has enough of this bug and back elbows him. Kane saves Pac from a chokeslam on the floor. Show runs into a Kane big boot. Kane clothesline off the top on Taker. Taker gets a DDT counter. Tag to Show. Corner chops. Big boot and elbow drop from Show, followed by some kneedrops. A Kane comeback is cut off by a powerslam for 2. Taker beats Kane down in the corner. Double clothesline. Tag to Pac! Spinning heel kick on Taker for 2. Show pulls Pac down from the apron and he gets tossed out. Show drops Pac on the barricade and press slams him back in. Kane and Show fight on the floor for a bit while Taker continues the Pac beating. Taker tosses Pac crotch first into the post. Show then does his crotch headbutt. Get that kid an icepack. Pac dodges a Show elbow, but instead of tagging wants to fight. Show hooks on a bear hug. Pac bites out! Show hits a spinebuster. Kane breaks the pin up, then comes in again to break up a chokeslam. Pac low blow! Taker cuts the tag off. Low blow on Taker! Tag to Kane! Kane runs wild and it's DONNYBROOKING time. Taker catches a Pac plancha, but Pac pushes him into the post. Show is down in the face corner. Pac tags in and gives him the bronco buster. Show chokeslams Pac! He covers with one foot. Pac kicks out! Taker is not pleased with that pin effort at all. He tags himself in and shoves Show aside. Tombstone! Kane can't get there in time and Taker gets the pin for the titles. After the bell rather than celebrating Taker and Show continue to bitch at each other. The Russo trope of tag champs that don't like each other lives. Good match from four guys that in this period you never knew what you were going to get. ***

Ventura is in the back laying down the law to Austin. Give no fucks Austin just walks away from him.

 

Kiss My Ass Match: The Rock def Mr. Ass in 10:12- This is the first ever Kiss My Ass match, meaning the loser has to kiss the winner's ass. Playing fully into the Mr. Ass gimmick. This will really become a thing in a few years when Vince starts the "Kiss My Ass Club". Gunn unveils his big surprise in the ring, a rotund woman with buns of anything but steel. Gunn gets the mic and says when Rock's loses he won't be kissing Gunn's ass, he'll be kissing hers. Gunn jumps Rock before the bell. Corner beatdown tradeoff. Gunn flops over the top rope off Rock punches, then Rock punches him off the apron. They go up the aisle to the stage area and both guys get knocked around up there. This really feels forced and going through the motions, like they know they're expected to do this. Coming back to the ring Rock gets thrown into the stairs. Noise! Gunn gets bounced off the announce table. Rock takes Lawler's crown, puts in on Gunn, and punches him. Gunn hits Rock with the ring bell. Back in Gunn leaps over a Rock backdrop attempt but runs into a clothesline. Rock goes for the Rock Bottom. Gunn counters it into a neckbreaker. He drops a couple of apron elbows. Rock punches back. Gunn hits a bulldog for 2. Stinger splash. Rock clearly says, or mouths, "Fuck you motherfucker" and pops out of the corner with a clothesline. Spinny counter DDT! Haven't seen that from Rock in a while. Slow cover for a long 2. Rock swinging neckbreaker for 2. Samoan drop. He hooks up for the Rock Bottom. Gunn gets free. Fameasser! Gunn doesn't bother to cover. Instead he invites his lady friend into the ring. She hitches her skirt up and shows us the ample ass goods. JR: "Put the children to bed!". Rock counters and Gunn goes into the large ass! Rock Bottom! People's Elbow! Done. I guess we'll call the "kiss my ass" stipulation already met. Pretty dull match. Rock looked completely unmotivated to be working with Gunn, and strangely given this opportunity Gunn didn't seem to be putting huge effort in either. So ends the doomed to failure singles push of Billy Gunn. By the time Unforgiven rolled around in September he'd be back teaming with Road Dogg like they never split up (or had a whole match over the rights to the DX name) in the first place. *3/4

The main event video recap shows the crazy roller coaster we took to get this match. Chyna and Trips had a lover's tiff, Chyna beat Trips in multiple #1 contender matches with unasked for outside help, Mankind made his return after being out 3 months due to a (kayfabe Triple H caused) knee injury and won his own #1 contender's match, then Trips and Mankind had a double pin in an "undisputed #1 contender's" match, forcing Linda McMcmahon to step in (Vince was still off TV per the stips of the main event at Fully Loaded, for now) and make this a triple threat match. Deep breath.

 

Triple Threat Match for the WWF Championship: Mankind def Triple H (w/Chyna) and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (c) in 16:23- Mankind really feels like the hanger on here. Pretty much everyone was expecting an Austin retention or, more likely, Triple H's big push to continue with his first WWF Title win. Guest ref Ventura comes out first to a huge ovation and has a few words for members of the media that took issue with the sitting governor working a wrestling show. After HHH's entrance Ventura gets into it with him and Chyna. Ventura rings the bell as soon as Austin steps in the ring and we're off. Mankind pulls HHH to the floor. Austin and Mankind double up on HHH on the floor, then continue to bounce him around in the ring. Mankind hugs Austin! He offers a handshake. Austin punches him! Really, what did you expect? Mankind pushes out of a Stunner attempt and Austin knocks HHH to the floor. Austin then low bridges Mankind 360 and over. 3 way fight in the aisle. Chyna stalks Mankind and pushes him into the post behind Ventura's back while Austin and HHH fight on the other side of the ring. Ventura discusses it with Chyna. HHH uses that opening to whack Austin's knee with a chair. Ventura asks him when he gets back in "Did you hit him with a chair?", then asks the crowd. HHH facebuster on Mankind. Mankind ducks a clothesline and hooks on the Mandible Claw! Chyna drags Mankind down and crotches him on the post. Foley's gotta be extra vulnerable there considering the sweatpants he's wearing. Ventura saw that! He tosses Chyna out! While they're all arguing in the aisle Austin charges in and attacks HHH from behind. HHH gets knocked around the stage area for a bit. Back at the ring HHH posts Austin's knee, then clips it. Mankind is back up and they both stomp Austin. Double clothesline on Austin. HHH puts on a spinning toe hold. Mankind drops a legdrop and goes for a pin. That's the end of that alliance. Cactus Clothesline! HHH dodges a cannonball and Mankind splats on the floor. Austin's knee gets posted again. Austin pulls HHH into the post. Crowd brawl time. Austin backdrops Mankind on the floor. All three get back in the ring. Austin gets a sneaky style low blow on HHH. HHH goes for the Pedigree. Austin counters and slingshots HHH into Mankind. Stunner on Mankind! HHH breaks the pin up with a chair to Austin's back, right in front of Ventura. Ventura's not pleased. HHH gives him the proverbial "fuck you" by smashing the chair over Mankind's head! Cover. Ventura refuses to count! Keeping his word. HHH threatens to punch Ventura. Shane McMahon runs in, stops HHH, then berates Ventura. Austin's up. Stunner on Shane! Austin gives Ventura a suggestion and Ventura takes it. He tosses Shane over the top and out! During that Austin got tied up in the ropes. HHH gets him free. Austin/HHH double clothesline. Mankind gets Socko out! Socko Claw on Austin! Mandible Claw on HHH! He's double fisting! Austin kicks Mankind to get free. HHH goes for the Pedigree. Austin breaks it up with a clothesline. He slugs away on both guys. Stunner on HHH! Mankind breaks the pin up! Austin throws Mankind into the post. Pedigree on Austin! Mankind tosses HHH away! Double underhook DDT! Mankind pins Austin to win the title! The least expected result. Even with Austin eating the pin Mankind winning gets a big pop. It's Foley's 3rd and would be final WWF Title win. Fantastic match. Once they wrapped up all the floor brawling stuff they were clearly expected to do the 5+ minute run to the finish in the ring was phenomenal. ***3/4

After Mankind and Ventura leave HHH resumes tearing Austin's knee apart with a chair, rejoined by Chyna. The show ends with Austin laid out in the ring.

Mankind's celebration would be short lived, as the next night on Raw HHH defeated him (with Shane as the guest ref) to win his first WWF Title, and kick of the WWF Title's Russorific journey through the fall of '99, at least up until Russo's departure for WCW.

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- For the second straight year WWF puts on a top notch Summerslam. It's not quite as good as '98, largely due to no real top level match to cap things off, but everything outside the women's match consistently falls into the decent to good range in an era where things tended to be more about the angles than the wrestling.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B+