austin

Vince McMahon is the referee, Patterson is the ring announcer, and Briscoe is the timekeeper. Surprisingly, Undertaker comes out to make sure there is not any foul play going on. Dude knocks Austin down a few times, as McMahon tries to perform a couple of fast counts. Dude tries to put in the mandible claw, but Austin throws Dude into the ropes where he hangs (similar to how he lost his ear against Vader). They brawl on the outside, where McMahon adds in a no count out stipulation. Austin now cannot retain the belt via count out. Dude throws Austin over the Spanish announce table and proceeds to choke Austin with a cord. Vince McMahon adds in “No DQ” stipulation as a result. On commentary, Jim Ross flips his lid because of this. Austin fights back and sends Dude over the guardrail with a clothesline. Back inside, Austin accidentally crotches himself. Dude hits a baseball slide that sends Austin to the outside. Dude hits a neckbreaker on the floor and Patterson announces that is it now a Falls Count Anywhere match. Ross is pissed! Dude backslides Austin outside for two. Austin fights back with a lariat that almost takes Dude’s head off. Dude backdrops Austin onto one of the cars used as scenery. They make their way onto the roof of the car. Dude counters a Stunner and sends Austin flying off the car. Austin is now busted open. Dude picks up an exhaust pipe, but he softly hits it over the back of Austin’s head. Either Dude thought better of it or Austin wasn’t ready. Austin mounts a little comeback, but Dude reverses a piledriver attempt. Dude hits a suplex and heads up to the roof of the car.

It was rumored that Vince Russo wanted to turn Undertaker on Austin, but he was overruled in favor of a ‘‘babyfaces who do not trust each other’’ story. The build for this was very captivating, especially the “Highway to Hell” video packages. Austin unexpectedly starts off with some technical wrestling. Some miscommunication between the two occurs when Undertaker puts his head down for a back body drop, but he lifts his head up too quickly. This causes his head to crash into Austin’s face. Taker suplexes Austin and then hits him with an elbow drop. Austin still looks dazed from that botched spot. Austin yanks Taker down by his leg and goes outside to smash Taker’s left leg into the ring post. Back in, Taker fights back and hits the flying clothesline. Taker tries to go for Old School, but Austin pulls him off the ropes. Kane slowly walks down to the ring. But whose side is he on!? Austin and Taker trade some blows. The exchange ends when Taker chokeslams Austin. Austin fights back and clotheslines Taker over the top rope. They brawl outside and then make their way into the crowd. Back near ringside, Taker throws Austin into the ring post. Austin tries to mount a comeback inside, but Taker throws him to the outside. Taker places him on the announce table. He hits a leg drop onto Austin all the way from the top-rope. A very sick looking spot.

Rock is on commentary, which is always fun. Mankind is the special guest referee. Show methodically dominates early on. Austin fights back, but Big Show catches him in a bear hug. Austin breaks out of the hold with some rights. Austin ducks a few clotheslines and then hits a Thesz Press. Austin tries to pin Big Show, but he kicks out with authority. Austin is done playing games, so he grabs a chair and whacks Big Show with it several of times. Rock tries to interfere, but Austin hits him with the chair too. Austin finishes Big Show off with a Stunner @ 10:34. I do not understand why this was on here. It was a rather bland David vs. Goliath story and had no historical importance. * ¼

Rock picks up the chair and rocks Austin with it. Tim White comes out to make the pinfall, but Austin kicks out at two. Rock hits a Samoan Drop, but Austin kicks out again. The Rock thinks Tim White is not counting fast enough, so he gives him a Rock Bottom for his troubles. As the Rock turns around, Austin hits him with a Stunner. Earl Hebner runs out to make the count, but Rock kicks out at two. McMahon distracts Austin, allowing Rock to blindside him. McMahon attacks Hebner, and both McMahon and Rock stomp on Austin. Mankind hits the ring to attack McMahon and to replace Hebner as the referee. Austin rolls Rock up, but only gets a two. Austin hits the Thesz Press. Rock hits another Rock Bottom out of nowhere. Rock goes for the People’s Elbow, but he misses. Austin gets back up and hits a Stunner that ends this one. New Champion @ 16:50. Wow, Russo’s fingerprints were all over this. Because of how successful Survivor Series 1998 was, McMahon gave Russo more control. To no surprise, the booking started to mar matches instead of enhancing them. Henceforth why WWF ’99 was one of the company’s weakest years when it came to an in-ring product. The story that surrounded this played out decently, but some matches are better off left alone. I vehemently believe Rock vs. Austin is one of them, but Russo, you know, never believed people watched wrestling for the wrestling. Fortunately, though, Austin and Rock were perfect foils to one another and their chemistry was dynamite. So, this was still very good. *** ½

Granted, Austin’s heel turn did not work out in the end for a variety of reasons, but what happened in the aftermath does not change a thing about how outstanding the rising action leading up to their encounter was. After being hit by a car, Stone Cold was just not the same ass-kicker that he had been before the accident. This was clearly communicated when failed to put Triple H away once and for all in a losing effort at No Way Out. Austin’s heel turn came as a total shock to many, but with the benefit of hindsight, the WWF writing staff brilliantly left a trail of breadcrumbs for anybody who had paid close attention. In a sound bite that was replayed repeatedly in promos leading up to the match, Austin told the champion “I need to beat you, Rock. I need it more than anything.” What seemed like traditional fare for a pre-match build took on new meaning after the match. Austin knew he lacked the killer instinct he once had, but he desperately wanted to become champion, so he sold his soul to the devil himself… Mr. McMahon. 

Austin receives a nuclear pop from the Texas audience, while Rock receives a 50-50 one at best. Not wasting any time, Austin hits a Thesz Press followed by some right hands. Rock goes for a Rock Bottom, but Austin fights out of it. Austin goes for a Stunner, but Rock gets out of it. They start to brawl and it breaks out into the crowd. Back in, Austin hits a superplex for two. Austin tears off the turnbuckle, foreshadowing his heel turn. Rock fights back and hits a clothesline. He follows up with a belly-to-belly suplex that picks up a two count. Austin battles back and hits a neckbreaker that picks up a two. Austin stomps a mud hole in Rock. Austin takes his eyes off Rock, though, which allows Rock to hit him with a clothesline. Austin goes to the outside and Rock follows him. Rock goes behind Austin, who turns around and clocks him with the ringbell. Back in, Austin delivers a neckbreaker that picks up two. He throws Rock into the corner and stomps a mud hole into him. Rock recovers and drills Austin with a clothesline (These two prove that it is not what moves you do or bumps you take. It is all about how you do them. They execute practically every move charismatically and with so much exuberance, and they make bumps look vicious).

They trade some blows, ending with Rock throwing Austin into the exposed turnbuckle. Austin is now bleeding. Outside, they slug it out. Austin gets the better of the Rock by propelling him right into the turnbuckle. The Rock sells it like a million bucks. Austin hits Rock with a monitor and sends Rock back in the ring. He tries to pin him, but he can only pick up a two. Austin sets Rock up for the Stunner, but he insists on giving the Rock two middle fingers. This allows the Rock to take him down and lock in the Sharpshooter. I would have thought someone would’ve taught him how to do that move by now. Anyway, this ends up being a playback spot to Austin/Hart, as Austin covered in blood screams in agony from the hold. This time, however, Austin manages to fight out of the hold. Back on their feet, Rock goes for a Stunner, but Austin dishes out some comeuppance by putting Rock in the Sharpshooter. Rock powers out, though. Austin locks in the Cobra Clutch, but Rock pushes his feet off the ropes right into a pinning attempt that gets two (a playback spot to the finish of Austin vs. Hart Survivor Series ’96). Rock still has not recovered from the beating, so Austin continues to work him over. All of a sudden, Rock hits Austin with his own finishing move, but Austin kicks out! Vince McMahon starts to walk towards ringside. Rock hits a spinebuster and the People’s Elbow. McMahon pulls Rock off Austin before a count of three, though. Rock chases McMahon all around ringside. McMahon runs into the ring, and Rock runs into a Rock Bottom from Austin. Rock kicks out, though. Austin goes to hit the Rock, but he hits the referee instead. Austin hits Rock with a low blow.

Austin holds The Rock, allowing McMahon to smash a chair over his head. McMahon throws the referee into the ring. He starts to count, but Rock kicks out just in time. Austin attempts to smash a chair right over Rock’s head, but Rock counters it with a Rock Bottom. McMahon goes up to the apron to distract the referee. The Rock pulls McMahon into the ring and lays the smackdown on him. The Rock turns right into a Stunner, but he kicks out just in time! Austin’s facial expressions describe just how in disbelief he is. Austin smashes Rock with a thunderous chair shot. Austin keeps hitting the Rock again and again with the chair. He is then finally able to beat the Rock @ 28:01. Afterwards, Vince McMahon and Austin shake hands and drink beer as Jim Ross flips his lid on commentary. This had unparalleled vehemence, drama, psychology, and storytelling. Every spot they did had a heavy dose of electricity and snap behind it, and it was structured and paced in a manner where every spot was significant. They sold moves, moments, and exhaustion like champions, and bumped around like pinball machines. When you add up the fact that these were the two were at their apex, the fact that the atmosphere was off the charts, the fact that one of the greatest announce teams called it, the fact that both wrestler did a fabulous job of selling the notion of how much they wanted to win, and the fact that there was months and months of foreshadowing that led to the huge swerve – this was easily one of the greatest matches ever. *****

Final Verdict on Disc Three: Aside from the Big Show match, this disc totally makes perfect sense . A big thumbs up.

WWF Heavyweight Title: Steve Austin (c) vs. The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) vs. Triple H (w/Chyna) (5.16.99)

Austin goes for the Stunner, but Angle counters it. Angle goes for the Angle Slam, but Austin counters it and pushes him right into the referee. Austin grabs his title and brings it in the ring. Regal jumps in the ring and takes the belt away from him. Regal ends up smashing Angle with the title! Regal throws the referee back in the ring to make the cover, but Angle kicks out just in time. Austin throws a hissy fit. Austin picks Angle up and delivers a Stunner that ends it @ 23:30 Phew. This had some accelerating back-and-forth action. Both wrestlers also added more fortitude to all of their spots than usual, which emphasized just how imperative winning was for the both of them. They developed some great chemistry together, which helped the counter-for-counter sequences to be on-point and executed at a blistering pace. And, they really sent the crowd into a frenzy down the stretch by doing a great job of selling the drama; especially Austin, who had some penetrating body language and urgency during the go-home stretch. One of the best Raw matches ever. **** ¼

This starts off as a slugest. Austin wins the exchange. He goes for Stunner, but Rock fights it out and bails. Outside, Austin picks up the Rock and drops him on the railing and then he throws him into the stairs. In the ring, Austin hits a backdrop suplex for two. Austin follows up with a lariat and chokes Rock with the ropes. Rock fights back and clips Austin’s knee. The Rock keeps going after Austin’s knee. Austin tries to fight back, but Rock whiplashes his neck into the mat. Rock locks in for the Sharpshooter, but Austin manages to make it to the ropes. Rock viciously smashes Austin’s knee into the post. He mocks Stone Cold by putting on his vest. They both go for a clothesline, which takes both of them out. Austin hits the Thesz Press and then elbows Rock in the face. Austin hits a Rock Bottom on Rock that gets a two. Austin goes for the Stunner, but Rock blocks it. 

Austin had to work hard for his spot. He was constantly mistreated in WCW. Even though many of the boys saw his talent, the higher-ups just did not want to acknowledge it. Although, no matter how poorly he was being utilized, Austin always gave his utmost effort to make everything he did worthwhile. He was hungry, driven, and determined to be on top of the world. With his mind completely invested in pursuing his goal, he ended up accomplishing exactly what he wanted to do.