This show was a UK only Pay Per View in May 99 but they ended up recycling the name for the October PPV and it’s been the same ever since. Funny how things happen like that isn’t it?
We’re in Manchester, England
Your hosts are J.R and King
This was during the whole Corporate Ministry period where Shane McMahon was running the show and Vince McMahon was off trying to protect Stephanie from the Undertaker’s evil advances. Ah got to love the nutty Attitude Era haven’t you?
Speaking of the Corporate Ministry they start the show by coming out and promising to kill all their opponents for the evening etc. Shane also says he’s bringing the European Championship out of retirement in his match with X-Pac later.
Tiger Ali Singh Vs Gillberg
Singh is the son of Tiger Jeet Singh and Gillberg is Duane Gill doing his best Goldberg impression. It’s actually pretty humorous too. Both guys are horrible so I doubt this will be an exciting opener. Also, in the “what the f*ck was Russo smoking that day?” category, Gillberg is the Light-Heavyweight Champion. Tiger gets some cheap shots in on the British crowd talking about his wealth etc. Gillberg slugs away to start but gets press slammed down by Tiger. Gillberg dodges and elbow and gets a slam followed by the spear but he stops to taunt and Tiger pops up with the neck breaker for the win.
WINNER – TIGER ALI SINGH
Time of fall – 1 minute 4 seconds
No Rating – entrances were longer than the match
Moments ago! Austin arrives!
The Brood Vs Acolytes and Viscera
The Brood were originally in the Ministry but turned face when they refused to sacrifice Christian. Fun fact for all of you, during this period Gangrel was my favourite wrestler. Brood get a pretty healthy face pop, the whole entrance and music was so cool. Would you believed me in 99 if I’d told you 4 of the 6 guys in this match would be world champions by 2006? Of course at this point it was only one, Faarooq. Gangrel starts out with Viscera and tries to clothesline him down but that goes as well as expected. Viscera misses a charge in the corner but Gangrel makes the mistake of trying a vertical suplex and takes one himself. Viscera misses the butt splash and Gangrel tags in Edge who drops some elbows. Bradshaw comes in and clubs away on Edge before dropping some elbows of his own for two.
Edge fights back with a dropkick and Christian comes in with a bulldog for two. Faarooq comes in and pounds away on Christian but takes a spinning wheel kick to the mush. Edge and Christian do the jump off the shoulders move in the corner but Edge takes a cheap shot from Bradshaw on the outside. Back inside Viscera drops an elbow for two. Edge eats a double elbow but manages a desperation DDT on Faarooq and tags in Christian. Bradshaw catches Christian on a cross body and gets a Fallaway Slam. Christian gets worked over in The Ministry corner for a while and takes a bear hug from Bradshaw. Viscera nails a big side slam but Edge saves at two. Viscera actually looked bigger here than he does now. Christian stupidly tries a crucifix pin on Viscera and of course Viscera flattens him for two.
Faarooq gets a chin lock but takes a face crusher, Bradshaw stops the tag though. Bradshaw runs into some boots in the corner but gets a Power Slam for two. Christian gets triple teamed in the heel corner but manages an inside cradle on Faarooq for two as Shane and Mideon come out. Meanwhile, Edge jumps Bradshaw allowing Christian to get a swinging Tornado DDT. Gangrel gets the hot tag and is a house en feugo. All chaos breaks loose as Christian gets a frog splash on Bradshaw for two. In the ensuing chaos, Mideon runs down to the ring and DDT’s Gangrel allowing Bradshaw to get a Clothesline from Hell for the win.
WINNERS – ACOLYTES AND VISCERA
Time of fall – 14 minutes 4 seconds
** – Not bad. Should have been the opener really
Steve Blackman Vs Droz
They do the old fashioned “Face and Heel climb the turnbuckle to establish who’s who” spot to start with Blackman clearly the favourite. Droz goes to work to start with some choking and a spinning elbow. Vertical suplex gets a two count for Droz. Blackman dodges a flying clothesline and flattens Droz with a dropkick. Droz takes some kicks and bails only to get a baseball slide in the back of the head while jawing with the crowd. Blackman gets a side back breaker and wins a slugfest but takes an inverted atomic drop. This match is not exactly thrilling to say the least. Droz misses the Puker Splash in the corner and gets slammed down but dodges a second rope elbow. Blackman gets a rolling cradle for two and a Northern Lights for another two. J.R and King show their love for the match by talking about the main event instead. Droz goes to a chin lock because a rest hold is just what the doctor ordered. I think it’s down more to the two guys not clicking than any lack of skill. This is basically a Sunday Night Heat main event and the fans know it. Blackman mounts a comeback and gets the Guillotine Choke for the win.
WINNER – STEVE BLACKMAN
Time of fall – 7 minutes 53 seconds
½* – Wasn’t necessarily bad but these guys had literally no chemistry and the crowd was silent throughout.
Beaver Cleavage promo video. Please……..don’t ask.
Mankind comes down to do a promo hyping his match with Billy Gunn later. He gets his cheap pops in and some pretty funny one liners too.
Mideon Vs Kane
Oh I just can’t WAIT for this one folks. X-Pac and Kane were oddball tag champions at this point. Kane no sells some stuff to start and pounds away in the corner at his usual speed. Mideon runs into a big boot and takes a slam and leg drop. Kane pummels Mideon from one corner of the ring to the other but runs shoulder first into the corner. Mideon goes after the shoulder but Kane fights back with a short arm clothesline. Mideon gets a jaw breaker and some right hands in the corner but Kane shows no interest in selling it. Kane flattens Mideon with a series if right hands and heads up top with the big lariat. Choke Slam leads to a Ministry run in for the DQ.
WINNER – KANE BY DQ
Time of fall – 4 minutes 39 seconds
* – It was short and to the point. X-Pac eventually runs down to save Kane from a 4 on 1 beating and Shane McMahon promises he’ll get his later
They show clips of Debra beating Sable for the women’s title on the Raw before this which leads to
Sable w/ Nicole Bass Vs Tori
Or not. Sable decides she’s got a cold so Nicole will wrestle for her instead. Sable would leave the company soon after. Nicole no sells some right hands and gets a Choke Slam for the win in under 30 seconds
WINNER – NICOLE BASS
Time of fall – 28 seconds
You expect me to rate this drivel?
WWF European Championship
(C) Shane McMahon Vs X-Pac
Shane beat X-Pac for the title leading up to Wrestlemania XV and then retired it after retaining it at the show due to HHH turning heel. This is supposed to be a one show revival but the belt refused to die coming back as a full time title back in July. The belt would finally be killed in 2002 when it was absorbed by the Intercontinental Title. X-Pac sends Shane outside to start and Shane decides to run for it but Patterson and Brisco stop that and X-Pac brings Shane back in. Chyna comes out to take care of Brisco and Patterson and Shane uses the distraction to knock X-Pac outside where Chyna sends him face first into the ring post. X-Pac beats the count getting in where Shane is ready with some right hands and a vertical suplex.
Shane gets a second rope elbow drop for two but slaps X-Pac, which only serves to revive him. Shane gets a chin lock but X-Pac breaks it with a back suplex and both men are out. X-Pac floors Shane with some kicks and goes to yell at Chyna on the apron. The ref gets bumped as X-Pac pounds on Shane in the corner. Chyna nails X-Pac with the title belt and Shane covers for two to a big pop from the crowd. Triple H now comes down to the ring to stack the deck even further against X-Pac. Shane misses with the Bronco Buster and takes an X-Factor but Chyna bumps the ref again. Chyna gets crotched on the top rope but gets her feet up on a Bronco Buster allowing HHH to come in with a Pedigree to give Shane the win.
WINNER – SHANE MCMAHON
Time of fall – 8 minutes 10 seconds
** – Total overbooked tripe but that crowd was into it and it had it’s moments. They should have put X-Pac over though. X-Pac gets beaten 3 on 1 but Kane comes down for the save.
Michael Cole is with Mankind asking him if he thinks the Ministry will attack him tonight. Then, in a cruel twist of irony, the Ministry jump him and take out his left knee.
Billy Gunn Vs Mankind
This was the beginning of Gunn’s big singles push that culminated with him winning the King of the Ring and ended up going nowhere. Mankind’s music comes on but he doesn’t show up so Gunn asks to win by forfeit. Mankind shows up though and limps down to the ring. Limpin ain’t easy you know. Slugfest outside to start with Mankind getting the better of it. Inside we go as the match officially starts with Mankind still in control. However, Gunn goes straight for the knee and works it over with stomps. Gunn hammers in the corner as the fans watch on with minimal interest. Outside we go where Mankind gets sent over the railing into the crowd. Mankind backdrops Gunn back into ringside and sends him face first into the floor a few times. Back inside Mankind misses a leg drop and Gunn goes back to working on the knee. Gunn sends the knee into the ring post a few times and I actually tries a standing corner figure four but Mankind head butts out and gets a suplex on the floor.
Gunn chop blocks Mankind as he tries to get back inside and gets the figure four. Mankind slaps himself to try and fight out the pain but Gunn tugs on the ropes for extra leverage. Mankind eventually turns it but Gunn makes the ropes and keeps pounding on the knee. Mankind fights back with some right hands and gets a running knee in the corner. Mankind grabs a chair but the ref stops him using it. Gunn gets an Irish Whip but ends up on the wrong side of a Double Arm DDT. Heeeeeeeerrrrrreeeeesssssssss Socko! Gunn gets it shoved down his gullet but positions himself and drops Mankind face first on the chair that’s still in the ring. No DQ for some reason. Gunn then piledrives Mankind on the chair which again only gets two but the bell rings anyway. Gunn makes sure with a Fame-Asser on the chair to score the win. So he uses the chair 3 times and gets away with it?
WINNER – BILLY GUNN
Time of fall – 11 minutes 34 seconds
**1/2 – Not a bad match despite the bizarre psychology.
WWF Championship
No Holds Barred
(C) Steve Austin Vs Triple H w/ Chyna Vs Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer
The brawl starts in the aisle with HHH and Austin fighting toward the entrance way and Taker uses the chance to nail him with some weak belt shots. Austin fights both men off with right hands but takes a throat thrust from Taker. Austin chokes HHH with a cable but Taker does the same to stop that. HHH and Taker beat Austin down the aisle. Some heel miscommunication allows Austin to fight back but the numbers are too great and HHH sends him inside. Austin gets the Thez Press on HHH but takes a clothesline of two.
Taker gets a chokehold on Austin as HHH gets some stomps in for good measure. Taker sends Austin into the front row and HHH follows but Austin fights back. HHH goes to suplex Austin on the floor but Austin counters with one of his own. Austin tries a piledriver on Taker on the concrete but he ends up taking a back drop. Taker and HHH play tennis with Austin’s head on the outside and HHH drops him throat first on the guardrail. Back inside Austin tries to mount another comeback but it’s for naught as Taker clotheslines him down. HHH tries to chair Austin but the ref stops him for some reason and Austin gets to use it on both him and Taker. Taker and HHH take control again though and take turns stomping a mud hole on Austin. However, HHH makes the mistake of shoving Taker leading to Taker trying a Choke Slam but Austin crotches him on the ring post.
Austin and HHH brawl outside with Austin sending HHH into the steps and ring post. Taker comes back with some right hands on Austin and sends him inside where he gets a leg lock but HHH breaks it up. Taker and HHH share some harsh words and Taker turns on HHH. This all gives Austin time to recover and he straddles Taker’s throat on the top rope and sends HHH into the crowd. Taker gets a low blow and brings Austin inside for a Choke Slam but HHH saves and they work together pounding on Taker. HHH of course turns on Austin and gets a face crusher for two. Austin counters a Tombstone and blocks a Pedigree tossing HHH into a Choke Slam. That was a really nice sequence.
Austin breaks the count at two and Stunners Taker but HHH saves. HHH then takes a Stunner but the whole Corporate Ministry run in and beats the ever loving crap out of Austin. X-Pac and Kane come down for the save as do The Brood. Mankind even comes down and brawls with Taker to the back leaving Austin and HHH. HHH gets the high knee and chokes away on Austin. Chyna comes in for a cheap shot but Austin Stunners here and HHH gets his leading to the three count.
WINNER – STEVE AUSTIN
Time of fall – 18 minutes 29 seconds
*** – As a mad Attitude brawl it did rather nicely. Crowd was very subdued until the last 5 minutes though showing they were waiting for the run ins and extra stuff as opposed to the actual wrestling which was the biggest problem with these crowds.
Shane runs for the hills but X-Pac sends him back in where he takes a Stunner. Beer is drank, people are Stunned, everyone goes home happy.
The Inside Pulse
Well this show was a real sack of shit at times with insulting matches that didn’t even belong on house shows let alone Pay Per View. The last 3 matches do a little to save it but this a show you could really do to miss.
