Shit’s getting real now. We have Boyz 2 Men singing the national anthem, Rock vs Stonecold in the main event, and Al Snow with Head kicking off WrestleMania XV!
You can catch the previous PPV here, but now we head into WrestleMania XV (15 for those who struggle with Roman Numerals) and this event had 10 matches, making our ratings a bit easier this time as each match will be rated out of 10.
Billy Gunn (c) vs Hardcore Holly vs Al Snow (Hardcore Title)
This was the first time the Hardcore Title was being defended at WrestleMania and Billy Gunn walked into this the champion.
Gunn was selling like a superstar in the early stages of this and the crowd were mega hot in the opening match here.
This was a typical hardcore match of the time – hockey sticks, broom handles and Al Snow acting deranged. Towards the end of the match, Gunn smashed Holly with a chair and then put Al Snow through a table in the corner.
Then the end. I wasn’t even expecting it to end. Gunn hits the Fame Asser on Snow on the chair, Holly nails Gunn in the back as he tries to pin Snow, and Holly covers Snow and gets the 3 count. Poor finish.
Rating: 2/10
D’Lo Brown & Test vs Jeff Jarrett & Owen Hart (c) (Tag Team Titles)
The WWF Tag Team Championship match began with Jeff Jarrett and D’Lo Brown exchanging running maneuvers before both tagging in their respective partners, at which point Test used a pumphandle slam on Owen Hart, but tried again after a failed pin attempt only to be met with an enziguiri and then the Sharpshooter.
Brown came in illegally to break it up but was tagged in straight afterward, dominating both Hart and Jarrett with power slams and dropkicks, almost winning the match after a Sky High that was broken up by Jarrett.
Referee Jimmy Korderas was distracted when Debra (Debra Marshall) came to the apron to distract Brown only to be pulled down by Ivory (Lisa Moretti), at which point PMS (Terri Runnels and Jacqueline Moore) arrived and all of them began to fight while Test tried to pull them apart.
With everyone distracted, Hart missile dropkicked Brown allowing Jarrett to roll Brown up and sit on him, securing a pin count.
I feel like these matches are so short! We are 23 minutes in and we have had 2 matches and a national anthem sung!
Rating: 2/10
Bart Gunn vs Butterbean (Brawl For All)
So, I have absolutely no recollection of this. I must have completely erased this from my memory. With good reason. This was a disaster. WWF trying to appeal to boxing fans here, putting on a ‘boxing’ match between a pro boxer and, well, Bart Gunn.
This was an abomination. Bart Gunn could have been killed as Butterbean knocked him down once, then knocked him out with a brutal right hand. I don’t know what anyone was thinking here. I can see another article coming that discusses this mess.
Rating: 0/10
Big Show vs Mankind
The winner of this match would be the referee of the main event between Rock and Austin. Big Show was under orders of Vince and under pressure to win this match, to try and prevent Austin winning the title later on.
This was a very underwhelming match. Considering we had this huge new wrestler in Big Show and of course the legend Mankind, this was really disjointed and disappointing.
Mankind took quite a bit of punishment in this match. When he applied the Mandible Claw, Big Show stood up and fell back, putting all his weight onto Mankind. That looked like it hurt like hell!
The finish came (again, quite quickly) when Show set up 2 chairs and choke-slammed Mankind through them -earning a dq.
Vince came out after the match to berate Big Show for losing – which drove Show to knock Vinnie Mac out. First face turn of Show’s WWF career?
Rating: 2/10
Road Dogg (c) vs Goldust vs Val Venus vs Shamrock (Intercontinental Title)
This was a 4 corners match in which 2 wrestlers would be in the ring and the other 2 would have to wait to be tagged in to enter the ring.
Road Dogg walked into this one as the IC champ and cutting his promo pre-match, declared he would walk back out as the champ.
The four corners Intercontinental match began with Ken Shamrock and Road Dogg in the ring, with the latter being thrown from corner to corner until Goldust tagged his way in, with running shoulder barges that floored Shamrock.
Shamrock tagged in Venis who came in and instantly attacked Shamrock until Goldust backdropped him.
Goldust tried the Curtain Call but Venis flipped over Goldust’s back only to be knocked down again by a clothesline from Goldust who then put Venis on the turnbuckle and attempted a superplex but Venis fought back and replied with a diving bulldog following with a fisherman suplex pin which would only make a two count.
The two then collided in the turnbuckle, causing Goldust to fall down and Venis to fall on him, headbutting his crotch. Shamrock took a blind tag from Road Dogg, after he replaced Goldust, immediately putting an ankle lock until Venis grabbed the bottom rope.
The Finish
As Venis grabbed the ropes to stand up again Shamrock charged him but was tossed over the ropes as Ryan Shamrock insulted him. Venis went after Ken Shamrock and the two fought up the walkway with Shamrock running back to the ring but not fast enough to avoid a double count-out.
Shamrock, not accepting the decision belly to belly suplex slammed both competitors before leaving. When they recovered Goldust Irish whipped Road Dogg but had it reversed and as Goldust ran into the ropes he had his leg caught by Ryan Shamrock, seemingly trying to grab Road Dogg’s leg.
Road Dogg charged Goldust and was picked up for a powerslam but managed to roll Goldust round, crashing him into the floor and covering him for a successful pin count.
Another quite awful finish to a match at this WrestleMania.
Rating: 3/10
Wow, so we are just an hour into the show and already 5 matches down! Not like the marathons we have these days! On we go to the second half of the show.
Kane vs HHH
Before this match begun, Pete Rose (dressed as a chicken) came out to attack Kane, but got a tombstone for his efforts. Then HHH snuck up and low-blowed Kane to begin the match.
Kane dominated Helmsley with his rough fighting style, using his foot to choke Triple H and knocking him down with clotheslines and punches until Triple H gained momentum from a reversal, smashing Kane’s face into his knee.
Kane was allowed time to recover when Triple H was distracted by Chyna coming to ringside. Triple H tried to Pedigree Kane as he stood up but failed while Chyna pushed the steel steps into the ring. Kane picked them up and ran into Triple H, who used the turnbuckle to swing his feet up and kicked them back into Kane causing Kane to stagger backward and drop them before smashing his face into the steps from a drop toe-hold.
Triple H then clotheslined Kane out of the ring, following himself and attempting to Pedigree Kane on the steps but was backbody dropped. When they made it back into the ring Kane chokeslammed Triple H while Chyna entered the ring with a steel chair, telling Kane she wanted to attack Triple H, but as Kane turned, Chyna hit him with the chair, causing him to corner her but again was hit with the chair, this time by Triple H, who followed it up with a Pedigree onto the chair.
This caused Kane to win by DQ. That whole match, just for a DQ finish. Doesn’t make much sense and yet another shitty ending.
Rating: 3/10
Sable (c) vs Tori (Women’s Championship)
Man, this is rough. Tori looks like she has never wrestled a match in her life, and Sable isn’t far ahead.
A little back and forth, with lots of botches, followed by Tori running into the ref. This allowed Nicole Bass to lift Tori above her head, drop her to the mat, and Sable performed a Sable Bomb. The ref then right on time, came around and counted the 3.
Dreadful all around.
Rating: 1/10
Shane McMahon (c) vs X Pac (European Title)
Have I mentioned that X Pac was my fave back in the day? No? Well, again, X Pac was my fave. This WrestleMania was the bees knees back when I was 14 but watching it back now it is a steaming pile of, well I won’t go there. But surely things are about to improve now X Pac has arrived, right?
Well, yes. This was awesome!
Shane O’Mac in 1999 was golden and he put on a cracking match with X Pac here. The two went at it, with Test getting involved at any opportunity to help Shane (who he accompanied to the ring).
The finish gave us quite a shock. DX had reunited only around 20 minutes earlier, but HHH & Chyna came out, distracted the ref, and hit X Pac with a pedigree. HHH then put Shane over X Pac for the 3 count.
A beat down ensued, with Road Dogg & Billy Gunn coming out to help X Pac, but to no avail. Kane then showed up to chase off the Corporation.
Awesome stuff. I am biased though.
Rating: 7/10
Undertaker vs Big Boss Man (Hell in a Cell)
Yes, you read that correct. Boss Man. Hell in a Cell. WrestleMania. What on earth is going on?
Ahhh but I do love this version of Taker’s music though, so one good thing here.
The Hell in a Cell match began with Big Boss Man punching The Undertaker into the corner until he ducked out and returned the same. Although Boss Man was able to deliver a swinging neckbreaker, Undertaker took control again throwing Boss Man into the cell.
Boss Man reversed an Irish whip and threw Undertaker into the cell too, handcuffing one hand to the chain fence. Boss Man taunted Undertaker’s lack of control before striking him repeatedly with his night-stick causing Undertaker to fall to the floor and rip the handcuffs, though Boss Man carried on using the nightstick and cut Undertaker open.
Undertaker fought back by grabbing Boss Man at the throat and throwing him back into the fence again, striking him with a chair and running Boss Man face-first into the chain fence with a fireman’s carry. As the two returned to the ring Boss Man tried to clothesline Undertaker but he ducked and performed a leaping flying clothesline of his own before going Old School, ultimately falling into the ropes.
The two began a fistfight in the middle of the ring with Undertaker failing a tombstone piledriver attempt, but successfully performing it seconds later and pinned him afterwards.
Controversial Ending
Undertaker stood up and looked to the heavens with his hands upwards, signaling The Brood to descend onto the roof of the cell. They cut open the roof of the cell and passed through a noose, securing the other end to the top of the cell.
The Brood then ascended back into the rafters as Undertaker put the noose around Boss Man’s neck, with Paul Bearer causing the Cell to rise and take a hanging Boss Man with it. After the match a video package of the Rage Party was shown while Boss Man was taken down and carried off on a stretcher. Quite humourous hearing Michael Cole promote this video while Bossman is hanging right there.
The only thing to come from this was the visual of Boss Man being hung, although it’s not a particularly pleasing thing. This is getting a lower rating than other matches on the card as 1 – it was dreadful and 2 – it was a Hell in a Cell match, so there is a certain expectation. Also, 3 – did I mention? It was dreadful.
I must say though, it was really cool seeing The Brood come down from the ceiling and land on the Cell. 1 mark for that!
Rating: 1/10
The Rock (c) vs Stonecold (WWF Title)
Vince McMahon comes out to act as the special ref for this one but is instantly interrupted by none other than Shawn Michaels! I feel like this WrestleMania just got going!
HBK announces that only he can appoint an official at WrestleMania so Vinnie Mac is relieved of his refereeing duties.
The majority of the early part of the match took place outside the ring, with Austin being choked with a T-shirt then taking Rock through the crowd before returning into the secure area and into the crowd the opposite end.
When Rock threw Austin back into the secure area he choked him on some cable and took him up the walkway, but Austin fought out of his grasp and threw him into the steel barriers, trying to piledrive him but being backbody dropped so that his knee landed onto light support girders.
Rock picked up Austin and threw him into the WrestleMania XV sign but Austin circled round and threw Rock into them instead, then dragged him back towards the ring having a suplex reversed on the concrete walkway.
Rock then tried to throw Austin back through the crowd at ringside, spitting water in his face but Austin took control and put him onto the Spanish announce table, performing two elbow drops to break the table and then spat water into Rock’s face.
Back in the ring
Austin threw his opponent into the ring, celebrating to the crowd but when he entered the ring Rock sprang up and drove Austin into the floor with a Rock Bottom, following with an unsuccessful pin cover. The Rock grabbed a chair but Austin took it from him, Rock blocked the oncoming chair shot by pulling referee Mike Chioda in front of him, who took the chair shot.
Rock then caught Austin by surprise with a swinging neckbreaker, taking the chair and driving it into Austin’s back several times. After another pin attempt, with Tim White now officiating, Austin still kicked out and Rock used a sitting chin hold to subdue him.
The Finish
After holding him for some time, Austin slowly stood up, elbowing Rock and attempting a running attack but was taken out with a Samoan drop, which Austin again kicked out of. The Rock took his frustration out on White, Rock Bottoming him, which gave Austin the time to recover and attack the champion with a Stone Cold Stunner, with Earl Hebner eventually coming in to officiate but only counting to two before Rock kicked out.
Mr. McMahon came to the ring, distracting Austin while The Rock low-blowed him; the two men kicking away at Austin in the corner and punching Hebner when he tried to stop them. As the two double-teamed Austin, Mankind came running to the ring in his referee’s uniform, throwing McMahon straight out the ring and taking over as referee.
Austin tried a roll-up pin, following up with a Lou Thesz Press but Rock soon took the advantage with another Rock Bottom. With Austin in the middle of the ring, The Rock tried the Corporate Elbow but Austin moved out of the way at the last second.
Rock caught Austin’s foot and spun him around, trying to Rock Bottom him again but Austin elbowed him away and delivered a stunner, finally securing a pinfall and winning the WWF Championship.
The referee abuse in this one reached high levels!
A great match between these two legends in the first of a WrestleMania trilogy.
Rating: 8/10
Final Rating
| Billy Gunn (c) vs Hardcore Holly vs Al Snow (Hardcore Title) | 2/10 |
| D’Lo Brown & Test vs Jeff Jarrett & Owen Hart (c) (Tag Team Titles) | 2/10 |
| Bart Gunn vs Butterbean (Brawl For All) | 0/10 |
| Big Show vs Mankind | 2/10 |
| Road Dogg (c) vs Goldust vs Val Venus vs Shamrock (Intercontinental Title) | 3/10 |
| Kane vs HHH | 3/10 |
| Sable (c) vs Tori (Women’s Championship) | 1/10 |
| Shane McMahon (c) vs X Pac (European Title) | 7/10 |
| Undertaker vs Big Boss Man (Hell in a Cell) | 1/10 |
| The Rock (c) vs Stonecold (WWF Title) | 8/10 |
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