The SmarK Rant for WWF Live in Anaheim – 03.13.98

The SmarK Rant for WWF in Anaheim – 03.13.98

Originally written 03.22.26

Man I dunno what the WWE Vault guys are smoking but I appreciate it. This is a house show from 1998, no idea why it was filmed with a multi-camera setup or why they decided to post it a couple of weeks ago, but god love ‘em for it.

https://youtu.be/evq6wnWPrHs?si=ySx_B_41_INpweDk

Taped from Anaheim, CA, drawing 13098. No commentary for this one, of course.

Brian Christopher v. Mr. Aguila

Not to be confused with Mr. Iguana. Aguila of course was unmasked and repackaged into Papi Chulo, and then got released while his valet Lita went onto transcendent superstardom. That’s wrestling for ya. Christopher was still in full Memphis heel mode during the early days of the Light heavyweight division, and he slams Aguila and then flips him into the corner with a wristlock while cackling and mocking him. Aguila lands on his feet from a german suplex, however, and comes back with dropkicks to chase Brian to the floor, and follows with a tope con hilo, which is pretty impressive for a rando house show. Back in the ring, Christopher wins a battle for a suplex and hits the Stroke, but as usual doesn’t go for the pin because he’s busy cackling at his own skills. Bulldog out of the corner, but he tries it again and Agilua sends him into the corner and makes the comeback. Brian takes some decent bumps off his offense and Aguila gets a rana, but Christopher cuts him off with a powerbomb. That gets two, but he tries it again and Agilua reverses into a rollup for the pin at 6:28. And Christopher hits him in the nuts in the name of sportsmanship to get his heat back. A very nice opener. **1/2

Faarooq v. Steve Blackman

Why didn’t Blackman ever join the Nation of Domination? Faarooq slugs away on the ropes to start, but that just angers Steve, who hits Faarooq with dropkicks and an armdrag to frustrate him. Faarooq offers a handshake, but Steve kicks it away, so Faarooq gives him a spinebuster instead and tosses him for a beating from the Nation on the floor. Back in the ring, Blackman tries a sunset flip and we get the ref kicking the hands gag as Faarooq blocks it, so that gets two. But then Faarooq slugs him down again, and Blackman catches a quick one with a rollup for the pin at 4:32. Absolutely nothing to this one. DUD. Afterwards, we get some dissention with the Nation, but Rocky Maivia hits the ring to NUCLEAR heat and does his best to play Peacemaker. No wait, I guess that’s another guy. Of note: His t-shirt just had a big R on the front, although thankfully he would have better designs later on.

Falls count anywhere: Bad Ass Billy Gunn v. Cactus Jack

They brawl on the floor right away and Jack runs him into the railing for two, but Billy suplexes him onto the floor and drops him on the railing to take over. Jack runs him into the post and slugs away in the ring, but Billy goes low and sets up a table in the corner. Surprisingly, Jack puts him through that instead of taking that bump, and that gets two. And then Jack loads up the dreaded TESTICULAR CLAW to a huge pop, sending Billy to the floor in terror. Jack clotheslines him out there, but Billy hits him with a chair and drops him on the railing to take over again. Back in the ring for some shots with a broom that get two. Billy with the piledriver and that gets two. He goes back to the chairshots and goes up to finish with a fistdrop, but Jack blocks it with the chair and it’s a double down. Jack is up first and runs him into the remains of the table for two, but he puts his head down and Billy hits him with the fameasser. But since that’s not his finisher yet, Jack is able to pop up and DDT him onto a chair for the pin at 9:49. Just your standard hardcore house show match. **1/2

Chainz v. Marvelous Marc Mero

Chainz slugs on him in the corner and tosses him to start, so Mero goes to yell at Sable in frustration. Back in, Mero grabs a headlock as we catch fan discussion of how “Mero used to be called Johnny B. Good or something like that”, and Chainz grabs a headlock. I think maybe that guy was thinking of Jon Moxley and got confused. Mero necks him on the top rope to take over and chokes him out with some of his wrist tape before going to a chinlock. Blind charge hits boot and Chainz makes the comeback with a FULL BODY LIFT AND SLAM, but he goes up and misses a splash and Mero punches him down again. TKO finishes at 4:30. Basically just a squash. DUD

Hunter Hearst Helmsley v. Steve Austin

Hunter was still in the weird transition period between blueblood snob and D-X leader, while Austin was of course a couple of weeks away from winning his first World title. Austin grabs a headlock to start and Hunter retreats to the floor and hits Austin with a cheapshot on the way in, slugging him down and drawing some big heat in the process. Austin hits him with a Thesz Press and drops the elbow, but Hunter slips away from a potential stunner and runs away again. Hunter with another cheapshot in the ring, but Austin hits him with an atomic drop and clotheslines him for two as the crowd is MOLTEN for him. So Hunter uses the knee and gets his own clothesline before dragging him to the corner and wrapping the knee around the post. Back in the ring, Hunter SWEEPS THE LEG and goes to work on the knee before tossing him to the floor. The front row is just a wall of Steve Austin signs as it’s obvious who everyone came to see. Back in the ring, Hunter with a figure-four and he uses the ropes until Austin reverses the hold, at which point Chyna chokes out Austin from the floor as they just pile on every bit of heat they can. Austin fights back, but Hunter hits a facecrusher for two. Hunter to the top, but Austin hits him on the way down and it’s a double down. And then Chyna hits Austin again from the floor, and that gets two for Hunter as again they’re just piling on more and more heat. So Austin makes the comeback after Hunter gets into a shoving match with the ref, and he stomps a mudhole in the corner and whips him into the other corner for a Flair flip. Hunter tries the Pedigree, but Austin catapults out of it and the ref is bumped. So that brings in Chyna for the big ballshot, but it misses and it’s KICK WHAM STUNNER for both heels to finish at 12:29. Man this was like a masterclass in building up anticipation and then giving the fans the big blowoff they wanted. They just kept getting more and more and more and more heat on Hunter and then BAM, Austin beats him clean to send everyone home happy. Not sure why this wasn’t the main event to be honest. ***1/2

The Godwinns v. DOA

Well I can only hope it’ll be quick at the very least. Everyone slugs it out to start and they brawl to the floor and hit each other with straps that are apparently legal because of reasons. A Harris gets a sideslam on PIG for two, but HOG hits the other Harris with the Slop Drop and pins him at 2:10. Whew. DUD

Intercontinental title: The Rock v. Ken Shamrock

Huge reactions for both guys here, and Ken even gets pyro from the ringposts. Rocky attacks to start and Shamrock rolls him up for two and goes for the ankle right away, but Rock escapes to the floor and wanders ringside insulting the front row. Back in the ring, Shamrock puts him down with a high kick and leg lariat, but D-Lo trips him up and the Nation abuses him on the floor and drops him on the railing. So the ref ejects them and Rock gets two in the ring. Rock with his wacky elbow drop, and that gets two. He goes to a chinlock and Ken fights out of that and comes back with a bodypress for two. Fisherman’s suplex gets two. Rock lays him out with a clothesline and tosses him for a tour of the floor, but Shamrock fights back, so Rocky runs him into the stairs and that gets two in the ring. Rock slugs him down in the corner and chokes him out, but Ken fights back with a neckbreaker. Rock with the hurricane DDT for two, but Ken is HULKING UP and he snaps for the comeback, putting Rock down with a back elbow and leg lariat. Powerslam gets two. Rock pokes the eyes in desperation, but Shamrock hits him with a rana and the ref is bumped as a result. So it’s a double down, at which point the Nation returns from exile and D-Lo knocks Ken out with a chair behind the ref’s back. And Rocky gets two from that, but another referee runs out and stops the count due to the chicanery. So the refs argue about that, while Shamrock takes Rock down with the anklelock and taps him out at 10:10, seemingly winning the belt. But then the original ref calls it a DQ for the National interference and we do not in fact have a new champion. Usual good match between these two, although the finish was some bullshit. **1/2

The Headbangers v. The Quebecers

Oh lord I always forget about the 1998 return of the Quebecers, complete with generic blue tights and Jacques’ sad ponytail. The Bangers are NWA World tag team champs at this point if anyone cares. Thrasher walks into a dropkick from Jacques, but the Bangers double-team in their corner. Over to Pierre, who puts Mosh down with a shoulderblock and pounds on him in the corner. Over to Thrasher, who gets tripped up by Jacques to allow the heels to take over, and Jacques slams Pierre onto Thrasher for two. They work him over in the corner and drop him on the top rope, and Pierre puts him down with a lariat before going to the middle rope for a splash that misses. Hot tag Mosh and he slams everyone, but the Quebecers cut him off and try the Crab/legdrop combo. But then Thrasher cuts that off and they finish Pierre with the Stage Dive at 6:18. Apparently it was a title match and they’re still the champions. Good for them. Match was OK but it had zero heat. *1/2

The Undertaker v. The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust

Taker runs him into the corner and headbutts him before hitting a clothesline out of the corner and tossing him, apparently in no mood for Goldust’s nonsense tonight. They brawl on the floor and Taker chokes him out with a cable, and then beats on him back in the ring. Goldust fights back in the corner, so Taker punches him out again, but misses an elbow. Taker puts him down with a big boot and legdrop and Goldust bails to the floor while Luna takes one for the team and distracts Taker long enough for Goldust to hit him with a chair and take over. We get some choking on the ropes and they slug it out, with Goldust winning that one. Taker fights back and slugs him down before hitting a chokeslam, but the lights go out and THAT’S GOTTA BE KANE. This draws a gigantic reaction from the crowd, as you’d expect. And he necks Taker on the top rope after setting off his pyro, and they slug it out, but Taker gets rid of him and tombstones Dustin for the pin at 7:56. Another normal house show main event. *

This was a very fun show that was about the caliber of one I saw in Edmonton around the same time, and it flies by at only 90 minutes and change. Heartily recommend giving this one a watch.