Unforgiven '99

Legacy Review

Unforgiven '99

September 26, 1999 from the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, NC

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

For the second straight year we're getting a fall full of Russorific WWF Championship shenanigans. In 1998 it was the controversial Austin/Kane First Blood match, then the more controversial Kane/Taker double pin on Austin in a Triple Threat match, that led to months of the title being vacant before the Rock won his first title in the Wrestlemania 4 style Deadly Game tournament at Survivor Series. For the encore this year? First off, Mankind pulled off a huge upset win for the title at Summerslam, pinning then-champ Austin in a Triple Threat match that Triple H was also in. The next night on Raw, Trips defeated Mankind one on one (as one on one as Attitude Era main events got) to win the WWF Title for the first time ever. A few weeks after that on one of the earliest episodes of the new show Smackdown, Trips would select none other than Vincent Kennedy McMahon to defend his title against. Vince had been off TV per the stips of the main event in Fully Loaded, but Trips had been making moves on Linda McMahon and Vince, as we all know a man ever dedicated to his wife, stepped in to defend her. Thanks to help from guest referee Shane McMahon and Austin, Vince won the top title of his own company. Don't ask, it's Russo. On the following Raw, Vince (who's somehow a babyface at this point, don't ask it's Russo) voluntarily relinquished the title in order to comply with the "not allowed on TV" stip again. The first ever Six Pack Challenge match was then set up for tonight to settle the vacant title.

If that's not enough, this is a historical show for another reason- it's Vince Russo's final US PPV as WWF's booker. By the time No Mercy came in late October (the next UK exclusive PPV is between these shows) Russo had departed for WCW, who were convinced they'd stolen the key piece that had led WWF to overtake them the past couple of years. How wrong they turned out to be.

The opening video for this show is....unique. There's definitely some influence from the early Smackdown set on the stage. And here's one more for the "don't ask, it's Russo" files on his way out, they're doing a storyline that the referees are on strike due to "unsafe working conditions". Really. There's a shot of all the regular refs picketing outside the arena. All the matches tonight are handled by "scab" referees.

Val Venus def Steve Blackman in 6:33- This feud started when Venus snuck into Blackman's weapons bag and put one of his sex toys in it. Really. Venus has the bag with him on his entrance. Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi is the scab ref for this match. Jump start from Blackman. Venus ducks a roundhouse kick and hits a clothesline. Blackman gets pounded down in the corner. After a run of counters Blackman dropkicks Venus to the floor. Venus gets crotched on the top rope coming back in. Blackman adds more injury to insult with an inverted atomic drop. They go back to the floor with Venus on top....in control....whatever. Venus gets whipped into the stairs. Noise! Blackman posts his back, slides him back in and covers for 2. Old school Lombardi is counting a bit slower than the norm. Venus hits his ripcord knees and a Russian leg sweep. Hip swivel over Blackman and cover for 2. Blackman hits a crossbody. Venus rolls through it for 2. Spinebuster from Blackman with a jackknife cover for 2. Venus hits a bulldog and DDT, goes up top, the Money Shot hits, and it's over. Bleh. *1/4

After the bell Venus goes for the bag (which didn't come into play the entire match) and takes a kendo stick out. Blackman attacks, takes the stick, and whacks Venus over the head with it with what had become his signature KO shot. Medics come out to tend to Venus. Blackman tries to stop them but the huge head WWF security guy with the leather beret tackles him and gets him out of the ring.

Lillian Garcia makes her WWF PPV debut backstage, interviewing Mark Henry. Henry makes a suggestion in Lillian's ear, and Lillian slaps him silly! After that we get another shot of the picketing refs to confirm they're still out there.

 

WWF European Championship: D'Lo Brown def "Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry (c) in 9:11- Henry pulled off one of the best heel turns of the late Russo WWF era, turning on former best friend Brown at Summerslam because Brown thought he was a fat bastard and was trying to save him from a stroke through diet and exercise. Tom Pritchard, apparently the "head" scab ref, is working this match in his blue workout pants. I guess when you're a scab you don't bother dressing properly. Bubba Ray Dudley did a better job at Wrestlemania 40 last night (as I type this). Henry has two ladies on his arm as he makes his entrance. He takes a mic, says he's not defending the title tonight and tells the ladies to go and start the car. He blames Lillian's slap for giving him a "brainurism". I really hope that was a deliberate mis-wording. It gets super annoying because Lawler repeats it every 30 seconds the whole match. Brown's music hits, he comes out and attacks Henry in the aisle. Henry knocks him around a bit on the floor, brainurism forgotten. They get in the ring and the bell rings to officially start. Brown goes into dodge mode and tries to pound Henry down. Spinebuster from Brown for 2. Elbow off the second rope for 2. Henry drops Brown on the top turnbuckle. Brown dodges and Henry crashes into the ropes. He goes to the floor. Brown tope! Crossbody off the top back in from Brown for 2. Henry hits a press powerslam for 2. Slam, clothesline and it's chinlock time! Henry hits some more ugly clotheslines. Brown crossbody for 2. He goes for another but Henry catches and slams him. Legdrop for 2. Avlanache. He puts Brown on the top rope and hits a kind of burning hammer for 2. Brown slides under and hits a hurricanrana! Henry actually just about got himself over for that. Flying forearm and heel kick from Brown. Signature legdrop for 2. Henry hits a half assed corner clothesline. He looks blown up. I wish I was kidding. He gives Brown some mounted punches. Brown counters with another spinebuster! Frog splash! Brown gets the pin and wins the title back! Brown's in his peak when he was pretty damn good, but even after a couple of years of work Henry was still just this side of godawful and Brown was only going to get so much out of him. 3/4*

After a backstage Acolytes promo we cut to Chaz (former Headbanger Mosh) being beat up backstage because they thought he was beating his girlfriend or something. It's more Russo stupidity, and I'm pretty sure it ends after Russo leaves so whatever. It looks even dumber when juxtaposed with what's next. We then cut to a Debra promo, with Miss Kitty (The Kat/Stacey Carter, who Lawler was in a real life relationship with despite her barely being older than Lawler's son). Jeff Jarrett interrupts, tells Debra to piss off, and drags Kitty away to be in his corner.

 

WWF Intercontinental Championship: Jeff Jarrett (c) (w/Miss Kitty) def Chyna by DQ in 11:52- The whole build to this match has been Jarrett beating up on women and putting them in the figure four, including The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young, the first of many angles with them to come over the next several years. Because of that Chyna is a face here despite still being with heel Triple H. She comes out to Trips' music and gets a pretty big pop. Harvey Wippleman is the scab ref for this one. With Kitty out there Lawler is uber annoying the whole match. Another jump start. Must be Wrestlemania. Chyna hits a shoulderblock and clothesline. Jarrett tries coming off the second rope but his crotch somehow falls on Chyna's arm. Jarrett gets 360 clotheslined to the floor. He drags Chyna down and posts her hooha. Chyna takes some floor beating, while Jarrett takes a moment to move Kitty Savage/Elizabeth style. Jarrett crossbody off the top back in for 2. He ducks a Chyna elbow and hits a dropkick. Chyna does the Trips flip in the corner and hits a clothesline from the apron. Jarrett hits a superplex into a cradle for 2. Armbar slam off the second rope. We get a shot of Moolah and Mae Young sitting ringside. Chyna outmaneuvers Jarrett in the corner and hits an electric chair. Jarrett ducks a clothesline and hooks on the sleeper. After arm drops Chyna fights out and suplexes Jarrett. Powerslam for 2. She counters Jarrett into a powerbomb for 2. Jarrett hits his own powerbomb and goes for the figure four. Chyna pushes out and Jarrett does a crazy flop all the way over the top rope to the floor. Can't say he's not trying. Chyna gives Jarrett a chairshot! That was right in front of Wippleman. These scab refs have no clue what they're doing. Jarrett gets backdropped onto the Spanish announce table! Back in Chyna hooks up for a Pedigree. Jarrett counters with a slingshot and Wippleman goes down. Jarrett tells Kitty to get the guitar. Moolah and Young are in and pounding on Jarrett! And Jarrett's actually selling it! They double slam Jarrett! Jarrett double clothesline on them! Lawler loses it laughing. He continues beating on both women, kicking them out of the ring. Debra comes out, shoves Kitty down, and nails Jarrett with the guitar! Huge pop for that. Chyna covers and Wippleman counts 3! But wait, here comes Tom Pritchard, and he's bringing a Dusty Finish with him. They review the replay on the tron and Pritchard DQ's Chyna, giving Jarrett the match. Chyna attacks Pritchard and gives him a Pedigree before leaving. The bulk of the match was OK with Chyna continuing to look competent with the guys and Jarrett working hard to make it work, but all the overbooking was just dumb. *1/2

 

The Acolytes def The Dudley Boyz in 7:28- The ECW legend Dudleyz are making their WWF PPV debut, still in their ECW tie dye gear for now. They'd recently signed with WWF as part of the under the table partnership between WWF and ECW for talent to go one way and money the other. They get zero reaction from the crowd as they weren't established outside of Philly or hardcore circles yet. Bubba Ray takes a mic and does his stuttering bit, then D-Von lays down some testimony. Lawler makes sure to get his "Extremely Crappy Wrestling" in. Regular ref Jimmy Korderas has crossed the picket line to work this match. The Acolytes charge in and we're four for four on jump starts tonight. Faarooq pounds Bubba down in the corner as things quickly settle in. Bubba responds with an avalanche and suplex. Faarooq gets his knees up on a splash. The Acolytes hit a double team faceplant. Big boot from Bradshaw. Bubba slams Bradshaw and hits a senton off the second rope for 2. Lawler is still going on about Moolah and Young getting beat up. Someone find a damn off switch on him please. Or a reset button, something. He's been horrible tonight. Bradshaw hits a superplex and hits a fairly weak (for him) spear that sends he and Bubba tumbling to the floor. Bubba hits some chops on the floor but gets whipped into the stairs. Noise! Cover back in for 2 as Faarooq says "ECW that!" from the apron. Instantly better than almost anything Lawler's said tonight. Bubba ducks the Clothesline from Hell and hits a belly to belly suplex for 2. Tag. D-Von ducks a big boot and tackles Bradshaw. Swinging neckbreaker. Bradshaw catches D-Von and hits a fallaway slam. Faarooq hits a powerslam for 2. D-Von plants him with a DDT but Bradshaw cuts the tag off. D-Von dodges an elbow drop and gets the tag. The Dudleyz hit a double team neckbreaker that JR calls the 3D. Clearly he needs to watch more tape. DONNYBROOK! Bubba powerbomb/D-Von headbutt off the top combo for 2. D-Von gets crotched on the top rope and Bradshaw hits a back superplex for 2. Bubba runs in and faceplants Bradshaw from behind. 3D on Faarooq! That goof Stevie Richards runs in. He's been doing a gimmick of impersonating WWF wrestlers. Tonight it's the Acolytes. He's got the UPN logo (Smackdown's network) painted on his chest Acolyte style. Richards superkick on D-Von! Faarooq covers for the pin. The Acolytes thank Richards in the only way they know how- laying him out. Then Faarooq shakes his hand while he's down. On paper you'd think these two teams would work really well together, but as hard as they were trying (and they were) it just never came together. Another dumb interference finish also let it down. *3/4

 

Hardcore Match for the WWF Women's Championship: Ivory (c) def Luna Vachon in 3:37- Right after the last match we cut to the back with Luna attacking Ivory from behind with a trash can. I guess this match is on then. They brawl in the hallway and spend the first part of the match throwing everything in sight at each other with the other one dodging: a monitor, a drinks tray, a phone. They go in an office area and Luna uses a copy machine to make copies of Ivory's face. I said face. JR gets the SNL reference in. Some curtains go down. Cameraman down! Luna gets stuffed in a trash can. Scab ref Wippleman refuses to count because Luna's shoulders aren't down in the trash can. Ivory gets tossed on some boxes. Luna climbs up on a forklift. Splash off the forklift! Ivory kicks out! A mic stand gets murdered. Tori decides to insinuate herself in all this and gets stuffed in a footlocker for her trouble. Ivory whacks Luna with what I think is a pool cue and gets the pin. A total mess, though the forklift spot was decent. 1/4*

Ivory decides to interrupt a Moolah and Mae Young promo and gets an old lady beatdown for it.

 

WWF Tag Team Championship: The New Age Outlaws (c) def Edge and Christian in 11:09- Billy Gunn singles push? What Billy Gunn singles push? Huh? The Outlaws broke up? BILLY GUNN won King of the Ring? I don't remember any of that. Good thing too, that would have been really dumb. Stop it with the crazy talk. All kidding aside, the Outlaws had just won the titles back on the Smackdown before this, literally their first night back together. Who did they beat? A little team called The Rock N Sock Connection. Yup, that's happening right now. Real ref Korderas is in again for this one. This is a face vs face match. Finally we have our first non-jump start of the night as Gunn and Edge start with a LOCKUP! Gunn shoves on the break and Edge goes "OK". They roll through some very refreshing basics like an actual wrestling match. Edge hits a hiptoss, some armdrags and a drop toe hold. Gunn back suplexes out of a headlock. Dogg hammerlocks Edge into a roll up for 2. Christian blind tags in and hits some dropkicks and his own armdrag. Gunn grabs Christian's hair from the apron and Dogg pops him off the distraction. The Outlaws roll through some double teams. Gunn press slams Christian down gut first onto Dogg's knee. Christian comes back with some punchy kicky and gets a tag. Dogg hits his signature jabs and jive elbow on Edge. Christian run in and they toss Dogg over the top after a bit of an awkward sequence. From here on E&C clearly decide they're the heels in this match, which given the dynamic is the right call. Dogg goes into the stairs. Noise! He gets his back run into the apron a couple of times and E&C work on the back for a bit. Dogg comes back on Christian. Crossbody collision! Nice. Edge tags in and cuts Dogg off from tagging. E&C beat Dogg down in their corner and do some quick tag double teams. After launching off Edge Dogg punches Christian out of midair! E&C go for a double backdrop. Dogg turns it into a double DDT! Tag to Gunn! Gunn runs wild. Powerslam on Christian. Everyone in the pool! Christian hits a reverse DDT on Gunn. Dogg hooks Christian up for the pumphandle slam but he escapes. Edge spear on Dogg! But while he was doing that Gangrel and Matt Hardy pull Christian out of the ring! Jeff Hardy missile dropkick on Edge! Gunn hits the Fameasser! That gets the pin. After the bell the E&C chase the New Brood to the back. Well, that was a refreshingly old school tag match here in old Crockett country, making it completely different to anything on the card so far, though once again it was hurt by the fact that we aren't allowed to have any clean finishes. E&C continue to look better and better every time out there. **3/4

To recap the epic storytelling that's brought us to the next legendary matchup: Boss Man murdered Head by putting a crowbar through her, er, head. To replace her Snow got a chihuahua named Pepper. After a bit Boss Man not only kidnapped Pepper, not only murdered her, but went full Scott Tenorman on Snow with her. If you don't know that reference look up South Park. Then to top it all off he pissed on Pepper's grave. So, as logically as a witch weighing the same as a duck, that brings us to the one and thankfully only Kennel from Hell match in wrestling history.

Kennel from Hell Match for the WWF Hardcore Championship: Al Snow (c) def The Big Boss Man in 11:42- This match is so epic, it has the blue bar steel cage INSIDE the Hell in a Cell cage. The object of the match is to escape BOTH cages. Which in theory is supposed to be made more difficult by the rabid, trained to attack rottweilers surrounding the ring inside the Cell. The problem is they're nowhere to be seen when the match starts. The bell rings as Boss Man gets in the Cell with no dogs anywhere. They brawl for a bit at the blue cage door. Snow uses the nightstick and holds the door shut on Boss Man. I have zero idea what that's supposed to accomplish other than stall. And, finally, here come the dogs! Every one of them on a leash with a handler. JR tries his damndest but they look about as vicious as my aunt and uncle's litter of corgis. The dogs stay outside the Cell as the wrestlers continue to stall. Finally the dogs are brought inside the Cell, with one of them clearly marking his territory on camera, which again sets Lawler off. It's not even the worst thing they do during the match but it didn't take long for the production people to realize they're much better off not putting them on camera at all. JR cries "Look at the size of that rottweiler!". Yeah, and he looks like all he wants to do is play. Boss Man climbs the blue cage as one of the dogs barks. Snow gets a shovel out of his bag of toys and hits the cage with it. He flips over the cage, more stalling, and Snow falls down. He runs away from the dogs that are clearly only barking at each other. Snow climbs the Cell and crosses over onto the blue cage. More weak brawling on the cage. The crowd is getting pretty restless. Boss Man superplexes Snow into the ring to try to get them going. The dogs continue to say hi to each other and it's about this point they give up trying to show them on screen. Both guys in the ring are barely even trying. Zero effort. Maybe even negative effort. Boss Man hits some cookie sheet shots and Snow is bleeding a little. Boss Man gets some pliers and cuts a hole in the roof of the Cell. Understandable. If he walked around ringside he might end up stepping in some dog shit or something. Snow hits him with a bat, breaking it. Boss Man makes some half assed attempt to use the pliers on Snow's ear. He gets some powder out and Snow throws it back in his face. Stick shot and now Boss Man is slightly bleeding. After running Boss Man into the cage Snow takes the pliers and loosens a bottom turnbuckle, something that leads to absolutely nothing later. Boss Man hits some shovel shots and handcuffs Snow to the ropes. He starts to climb to the hole in the roof. Snow snaps the handcuffs off, shakes the cage and Boss Man gets crotched on the top rope. Snow gets Head out! Head is alive! Sadly that makes more sense than a lot of other stuff in this match. Head shot for Boss Man. They start the climb chase on both sides. Snow strides over onto the inside of the Cell while Boss Man starts to get through the roof hole. Snow swings himself through the door, "runs" from the dogs and mercifully ends the torture. There's a reason this is universally considered one of the worst matches in WWF history. Even Russo called it his worst booked match ever, and THAT'S saying something. It's so bad, it belongs on the same list as some of WCW's worst gimmick matches. I can't think of a more vicious insult than that. MINUS FIVE STARS

 

The saddest part of all of this? Being hanged from the Hell in a Cell cage at Wrestlemania wasn't even the low point of Boss Man's year. He might be wishing they'd left him up there.

 

X-Pac def Chris Jericho (w/Curtis Hughes) by DQ in 13:10- This was supposed to be Jericho vs Ken Shamrock after Hughes took Shamrock out on weekly TV, but Shamrock packed up and decided to go back to MMA right before this show. I don't think "took his ball and went home" is unfair. Lots of stalling during the entrances while the blue bar cage is taken down, and hopefully the ringside area is cleaned up. There's stuff out there that by most city ordinances needs to be cleaned up by the dog owners. Head scab ref Blue Pants Pritchard is back for this one. There's some prior history here as Jericho defeated Pac as Syxx for his first WCW Cruiserweight title, then they had a PPV match at Halloween Havoc later in '97. After the bell they do some standing switches, Jericho gets a takedown, and stalemate. Good back and forth run, double kip up and another stalemate. Jericho hits some chops. He ducks a Pac heel kick and hits a clothesline, then suplex drops Pac on the top rope. More chops in the corner. Pac dodges and hits his corner kick combo. Jericho dodges the coming bronco buster, but Pac sees it and lands on his feet. Pac goes for the X-Factor. Jericho grabs his legs to counter and starts to hook on the Walls. Pac flips Jericho out to the floor. Springboard crossbody! Hughes hits a clothesline on Pac. Right in front of Pritchard, and he doesn't do anything about it but lightly admonish Hughes. Must have gone to Red Shoes ref school. Jericho hits a suplex on the floor. Back in Jericho gets a missile dropkick for 2. He stretches Pac's arms out in a submission hold. "Ask him!" Pac tries a tiltahirl but Jericho blocks it and hits a backbreaker. So far this has been really good, but around this point the crowd gets distracted by some stupidity going on somewhere else in the arena, stays distracted for a good 5 minutes or more, and it slowly starts affecting what's happening in the ring. Jericho hits a slingshot splash for 2. After that they go into stall mode while waiting for the crowd to get undistracted. The problem is the crowd refuses to get undistracted, so they try to continue anyway. Jericho hits a back elbow, hits the Lionsault and does some ground and pound while the crowd is almost in another county. Finally they start coming back in. Oh, with an "X-Pac sucks" chant. Guess it is about time for the crowd to turn on him. JR tries to say the crowd is chanting for Pac while avoiding the lightning bolts shooting down from heaven. Jericho hits the springboard dropkick and Hughes gets another shot on Pac. The crowd starts chanting "we want" something I can't make out, probably something to do with whatever had them so damn fascinated for so long that wasn't what had been by far the best match of the night. In other words as sympathetic as I am to the anti-Pac sentiment I'm pretty much in "fuck this crowd" mode right now. Pac gets a boot up in the corner and hits a couple of heel kicks. Something happens with him and Hughes we can't quite make out because of the bad camera angle, then he hits Jericho with a springboard clothesline for 2. He goes for the bronco buster but Jericho uses the old boot in the crotch trick. Senton off the second rope for 2. Double underhook backbreaker. Pac hits a superplex. Jericho with a double powerbomb. Pac flips Jericho upside down in the corner into the tree of woe. Bronco buster on upside down Jericho! Of course the crowd still pops for that shitty move even after all the "X-Pac sucks" chants. Hughes comes in the ring and takes out both Pritchard and Pac for the cheap DQ. After the bell Road Dogg runs in and helps Pac fight the heels off. Another shit finish. I'm guessing that after the Shamrock substitution no one wanted to do the job. Still, they were going great until the crowd suddenly lost all reason. The whole thing was just weird after that. ***

Undertaker was originally scheduled to be in the main event, but on the last Smackdown before this show he refused to participate in a casket match with Triple H, even when threatened he'd lose his spot at Unforgiven, and walked out. This was to cover a groin injury he'd sustained in a motorcycle accident. He'd return for a couple of joint WWF/IWA house shows in Puerto Rico in December, but soon after tore his pec and ended up on the shelf again, which included missing Wrestlemania for only the second time in his career. When he eventually returned to TV in May of 2000 it was as the brand new American Bad Ass/Biker Taker. For tonight, the recently WWF-returned British Bulldog is taking his place. He had to do a quickie heel turn on the last SD to keep the face/heel numbers even in the match, helping Triple H win a match over the Rock. Both men deny any alliance.

 

Six Pack Challenge for the Vacant WWF Championship: Triple H def The Rock, Mankind, Kane, "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith and The Big Show in 20:28- Austin is the special guest enforcer for this match and has been promised a shot at the winner, a shot he'll get at No Mercy next month. He makes his entrance last, then goes over and joins commentary. For the record the Rock's entrance pop was almost as big as Austin's. This is "two men legal, tag in and out" rules and they surprisingly stick to them for most of the match. Picket line crosser Korderas is working this match. Rock and Bulldog kick us off and it's all Rock to start. HHH tags in and beats Rock down some. Rock hot shots HHH for 2. Kane tags himself in when Rock leans back for one of his crazy over the top punches and continues the beating on HHH. Kane gives old rival Show a shot on the apron. Show responds by pushing Kane off the top rope. HHH tags Mankind in, then punches him out! Mankind beats HHH down in the corner and hits the running knee. Kane and Mankind go back and forth for a bit. Show tags in and is all over Kane. Backbreaker and he stretches Kane out on his knee. Kane hits some clotheslines and an enzuguri on Show. Bulldog takes a Kane big boot. Rock gets in with the Bulldog looking for some revenge for the last Smackdown. Bulldog hits Rock with the delayed suplex. Mankind gets tagged in, doesn't want to get into it with tag partner and lifelong best friend Rock, and tags right back out. Rock gets out of a Kane Tombstone attempt and hits a Russian leg sweep for 2. Kane side suplex on Rock. Rock and Mankind work together a little bit. Mankind piledriver on Kane for 2. HHH and Mankind kick off the mandatory long floor brawl portion of tonight's main event. Mankind gets suplexed in the aisle. Rock hits a full speed running clothesline on HHH! Here comes everyone and the big all over the place floor brawl is on. Mankind piledrives HHH on the stairs! Bulldog and Mankind are the first back in the ring. Mankind wants to double team him with Rock but Rock is not particularly interested. While that's going on the regular "striking" referees make their way into the arena. They're off the picket line and staring Korderas down for having the GALL to be a scab. Good thing it's only the refs' union, as unions go they're about as soft as a feather pillow. Show and Rock argue in the ring over who gets to be legal. Show works Mankind over for a bit while Korderas is distracted by the other refs. Show hits a big elbow drop. Rock breaks the pin up. Mankind tags Rock in. Rock does some weebles wobble with Show, gets him down on the 3rd clothesline, and covers. HHH breaks up the pin. Rock and HHH slug it out on the floor. Rock snatches Austin's beer right out of his hand, takes a swig, and spits it in HHH's face! Austin tries to sound pissed but is on camera and looks amused more than anything. He probably didn't know that was coming. Mankind hits a DDT on Kane. Kane slowly and with difficulty lifts Mankind up from the mat, gets him in position, and hits the Tombstone! Show tosses Kane out before he can cover and calls for the chokeslam. Kane clotheslines him off the top rope! Bulldog powerslam on Kane. HHH Pedigree on Bulldog! Guess that partnership is over, at least for tonight. Rock pounds HHH out of the ring. Mankind double underhook DDT on Rock! That wily son of a bitch. First class mind games. Socko is out! Claw on Rock! Rock counters with a Rock Bottom! He drapes an arm over and HHH breaks the pin up. Show takes everyone out, clearing the ring. Chokeslam on Mankind! The refs pull Korderas out before he can count 3! They're stomping away on Korderas like he owes them money! Now this is more the union attitude I'm accustomed to. Austin leaves commentary and takes all the refs out! He probably leaped at the excuse to do it for a legitimate reason. Rock hits HHH with a DDT. Austin gets in the ring to take over as ref and counts 2. HHH high knee on Rock. Rock Bottom on HHH! Pad off. People's Elbow! Now Austin gets pulled out of the ring. Bulldog's still backing HHH up and gives Rock a chair shot. Austin gets back in, takes the chair, and nails Bulldog with it! But while that was happening HHH hit the Pedigree on Rock! He covers, and Austin has no choice but to count 3 to give HHH his second WWF Title. After the bell Austin tries to be the bigger man and raise HHH's hand. HHH snatches the belt out of his hand and sticks it in his face to taunt him! STUNNER! Austin does some beer bash celebration to send the crowd home happy. That could have been a giant cluster, but it was well laid out and everyone did their part right and it turned out pretty damn good. The only part I didn't enjoy was all the striking refs interfering in the match stuff, which was so freaking stupid. ***1/2

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- The last two matches save this from being another bottom of the barrel 1999 B PPV. Instead it's that layer of crusty stuff just above the bottom of the barrel. The Kennel from Hell match is atrocious, but it's that level of legendary atrociousness you really should check out once just to laugh at or marvel at just how awful all this can be.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C-