Raw is War - September 27th, 1999

Rocky - This is Your Life

In the arena, the new WWF Champion Triple H enters with Chyna. He won the six pack challenge last night and even had the pleasure of making Stone Cold, the man who’s career almost ended at Summerslam, count the three. It’s funny but as he speaks, the long running meme created by The Rock about how Triple H talks “I am the Game-uh! And I won-uh” is very very pronounced here. He brags about winning, that no one was in his league, that he beat everyone. And yes, he takes great pleasure in making “Austin-uh” count the three. Triple H says that he also takes great pleasure in having pinned The Rock to win. He says he will not sleep and he will not rest until he beats Austin in the middle of the ring. He wants to make him the last notch on his belt. He is then interrupted by The British Bulldog (who has his third new theme song in as many weeks, but this is the one he keeps for a bit). He says we need to forget about Austin - Triple H promised him a title shot in exchange for his help in winning the title. They have a pact. He wants a title shot tonight.

Triple H happily tells Bulldog that he lied to him and there will be no title shot. Bulldog lays down the law and says he either gets beat up now, or he gets beat up later for the title. Triple H says no and Bulldog tackles him. The two throw hands but Chyna is there to help and with a low blow, Triple H and Chyna beat down Davey Boy two on one. The newly reinstated referees charge the ring and break up the fight as Vince McMahon comes out onto the stage. Vince McMahon says that Triple H WILL defend the title tonight, but it won’t be against The British Bulldog. It’ll be against The Rock! JR and King are both a little surprised that it’s not against Stone Cold Steve Austin, who is here tonight.

There's multiple shots of Mankind prepping some kind of special celebration for The Rock. During one of them he’s approached by Stevie Richards dressed as Dude Love. He asks Mick’s permission to be Dude Love who grants it. In another he bumps into Stone Cold and invites him to the party. Austin uncharacteristically very gently and politely refuses Mick’s invite. I’m not even being sarcastic. 

Stone Cold Steve Austin heads out into the arena. Austin reinstated Vince into the WWF on the promise that he’d get a WWF title match and he, like a lot of people, expected it to be tonight on Raw. He’s a little surprised and a lot pissed off that it's The Rock who’s getting the title shot instead. He says that with all due respect to The Rock, McMahon needs to come out and explain himself. Vince comes out and firstly thanks Austin for trusting him and reinstating him. He did promise Steve a title shot but he didn’t say when. Austin gets angry but Vince calms him down. He tells Austin that no matter who the WWF Champion is, they will defend the title against Stone Cold at the next PPV event, No Mercy. Austin is quick to clarify and make Vince repeat it based on their history. 

This is a super famous segment so here’s a link to watch the whole thing on YouTube, however if you don’t want to commit 26 minutes to it, I've recapped it as best I can too. Mankind heads out to the ring with balloons and gifts, as well as a special guest under a big black sheet. Mankind is worried that after coming to blows in the six pack challenge that The Rock might not want to be his tag team partner anymore. He wants The Rock n’ Sock Connection to continue and so he asks for The Rock’s music to be played and invites The Rock out to the ring. The Rock does indeed come out (and JR plugs the hell out of therock.com, which just launched today. I’ve no idea). Mankind says that this is to show The Rock his appreciation - Rock, THIS IS YOUR LIFE!

Music plays and hundreds of balloons fall from the roof of the arena. Mankind’s first guest is The Rock’s Home Economics teacher (the name plate says she’s his English teacher) A middle aged blonde woman comes out and seems happy to see “Dwayne”. The Rock starts politely and tells a story about pancakes before telling her to go check her candy ass into the Smackdown Hotel. The second guest is his football coach from high school. He comes out to Lex Lugar’s “I’ll be your hero” song. The Rock refuses to shake his hand. He tells a story about how he once DDT’d a quarterback on the field and the coach made him run sprints for it. He compliments the coach's whistle before shining it up, turning it sideways and sticking it straight up his candy ass! Mankind is 0 - 2 on his special guests. Guest three is The Rock’s high school sweetheart. He recounts their sexual past before she’d cut him off and not let him go all the way. The fans explode for the line “poontang pie” and chant “Rocky” as Jerry giggles like a child. “Poontang your ass on outta here”. He then presents The Rock with gifts - Mr. Rocko, and a customised Rock N’ Sock Connection jacket. He brings the final guest - Yurple the clown - who sings Happy Birthday to The Rock. “The Rock’s birthday is May 2nd you stupid son of a bitch!” The segment finally ends when Triple H runs in with a sledgehammer, but Mankind and The Rock escape unscathed. The fans chant “asshole” as Triple H gets himself tangled up in the balloons. This segment got both men a lot of flack backstage especially from Vince McMahon as it ran way way over time and caused the rest of the show to have to be cut short. It drew incredible ratings however which Mick and Rock got to be quite smug about. The segment is very long and your appreciation of the comedy will vary. 

For the main event, Stone Cold joins commentary because he wants to know who’s facing at No Mercy. He’ll face the WWF Champion no matter who it is. Triple H defends his title against The Rock.The fans are still red hot for The Rock considering they’ve already sat through him and Mankind doing nearly 30 minutes of comedy earlier. There’s only 7 minutes left of this episode of Raw when the bell rings so these lads waste no time in running through all the greatest hits of an attitude era main event. Brawl to the outside, fight into the crowd, slam each other on the announce table, The Rock spits water in Triple H’s face and they even choke each other with an electrical cord. In the ring, Triple H counters a Rock Bottom attempt into a Pedigree attempt which is countered into a slingshot and a DDT for a near fall. Stone Cold says he’s happy to face either of these men at No Mercy. A samoan drop gets another close near fall and they go back to the outside. Earl Hebner as referee spends a lot of time getting massively in the way of both men. Triple H gets himself a chair to use and punches Earl’s lights out for trying to stop him. Triple H clocks The Rock with a chair to the head and threatens Austin, daring him to get in the ring. He does and goes at it with The Game! He drops Triple H with a Stunner and he stumbles into a Rock Bottom!

Austin gets back on commentary and Triple H is out! Austin begs The Rock to make the cover, and Habner to revive and count the three. The Rock eventually gets a cover and has a visual three count. Hebner counts unbelievably slowly and as he gets to two, The British Bulldog runs in and breaks up the three count. He attacks both men and the bell rings for the disqualification. Bulldog lays out both men with the running powerslam to end Raw. 

Another shot for Chyna

Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett and Miss Kitty come out to the ring. To their surprise, they also have Tom Prichard with them who was the acting scab referee last night who reversed the decision in that match and saved the title for Jeff from Chyna. He wants to do a battle of the sexes tonight and Jeff challenges Chyna and Debra to face himself and Tom in a tag team match. Later in an interview with Michael Cole, Chyna accepts.

When Jeff with Miss Kitty and Tom Prichard come out for the tag team match, Jeff cuts ANOTHER pre-match promo. We don’t know if Debra has even accepted her part in this match. Chyna comes out and says that this match happens on one condition. If Chyna can pin Jeff tonight, she gets another shot at the Intercontinental title at No Mercy. Jarrett accepts. When Debra comes out she is very much not dressed to compete. She does distract Tom with “the puppies” at least so that Chyna can give him a low blow. Jeff chop block’s Chyna’s leg and softens up her leg for the figure four. Debra grabs Jeff by the hair and then she and Miss Kitty get into it! As the referee is distracted, Prichard blasts Chyna with the guitar and she lands ontop of Jeff for the three count! Chyna has pinned Jarrett and has a title match at No Mercy. 

Tag Team Division

The New Age Outlaws come out together, back on Raw for the first time as a team. They have issued an open challenge and will defend the tag team titles right here against anyone who wants a shot. Hardcore and Crash Holly discuss it backstage and it looks like they might take the challenge but before they can get there, the lights go out and Kane and X-Pac’s collective music plays!

Kane and X-Pac are back together. There has been no explanation given as to the status of DX - Roaddogg and X-Pac were the only official members, and Mr. Ass is back together with Roaddogg but does that mean he’s back in DX? Just as the match gets going, The Hollys arrive too late to accept this open challenge. There’s been no attempt made to explain why Kane and X-Pac are suddenly back together after X-Pac ended things. Hardcore and Crash join commentary and talk about how Kane and X-Pac have stolen their title shot. The Hollys jump in the ring and the match ends via disqualification. Hardcore gets a chokeslam and Crash gets the Bronco Buster. X-Pac and Roaddogg shake hands and yes, X-Pac shakes hands with Mr. Ass too and it would seem that D-Generation X now has three members. Will Kane finally join officially too?

Other Happenings

• At the top of the show, Vince McMahon settled the referee strike. He encourages them to lay down the law and use their new authority to its fullest and that the WWF will back them all the way.

• There’s a couple of skits of Stephanie McMahon shopping for their wedding outfits. There is a loud girly scream for Test in a tuxedo. I guess the ladies like Test.
• The Big Show who no longer has The Undertaker in his corner takes on Y2J Chris Jericho. The Undertaker helped him develop a mean streak but facing Jericho here, I think means he’s veering babyface again? Jericho still has Curtis Hughes with him. Jericho brags about having ended Ken Shamrock’s career. I think they must have expected him to return at some point and resume this feud. He calls Big Show “the WWF’s biggest waste of sperm”. Jericho even has a custom “Raw is Jericho” mic cover. Jericho is thrown around as Prince Albert comes out and joins commentary. No one has any idea why he’s there. He talks trash about Big Show. Jericho tries to use some submission holds but is easily overpowered. As Show sets up Y2J for a massive chokeslam, Albert hits him with a missile dropkick! Jericho and Hughes' escape is intercepted by Roaddogg who hasn’t forgiven him for that back injury. 

• This week’s GTV shows some pretty gross footage as in a hotel room, it’s implied that all three members of the Mean Street Posse are all taking turns “being” with Terri Runnels. After Rodney and Joey Abs have had their fun, they kick her to the curb before Pete Gas gets “his turn”. Jesus Christ. 
• The new European Champion D’Lo Brown defends against Steve Blackman. During this match Droz joins commentary. He and Prince Albert are still buddies but tonight is them just trying to get their faces on TV. Blackman gets himself disqualified by using his kendo stick and then goes around the ring and blasts head of WWF security Jim Dodson after their altercation last night at Unforgiven. Droz hops off commentary and pukes on D’Lo (gross) and puts the boots to him. As D’Lo tries to recover Mark Henry comes down to the ring and seems to be trying to make friends with D’Lo. He wants them to be buddies again but Brown is having none of it. 
• Terry Taylor interviews Moolah and Mae Young. They’re going to fight WWF Women’s Champion Ivory tonight. When the three women enter the arena, we find out what's actually going on. It’s a non-title, handicap evening gown match. Ivory strips Mae and she takes a rough bump over the top rope out to the floor. Moolah jumps Ivory from behind and gets her dress off to officially win the match. Ivory in a bra and thong tries to continue the fight but is outnumbered so runs away with her title belt instead. Moolah and Mae are both in their 70s so them getting so physical is pretty amazing.
• Another GTV segment shows Val Venis discovering Mr. Rocko in a trashcan. He rolls it up and stuffs it into his crotch. 

Smackdown! - September 30th, 1999

Bulldog gets a title shot

Backstage Lillian Garcia interviews Vince McMahon. He has to give Bulldog what he wants because he won’t let it go. He books Triple H defending against Bulldog tonight. He says Chyna is banned from ringside, that Triple H is fined $20k for putting his hands on the referee on Raw, and finally that The Rock will work as special guest referee! Later, Triple H angrily confronted Vince and Shane who seemed to enjoy putting Triple H up against it. Lillian Garcia interviewed The Rock who was unbothered about being the referee, and he doesn’t care whether Bulldog or Triple H wins because he’s going to lay the smackdown on them both. 

In the back, Stone Cold has what looks like a tense conversation with Shane McMahon. One can only assume it's about someone else getting a title shot before him at No Mercy.

In the main event, The Rock enters first to serve as special referee for the WWF title match. Triple H defends against The British Bulldog. The Rock trashes both men before the match and then watches on, refusing to count pin falls and encouraging both men to beat each other up. He drops in on commentary for a couple of minutes. The Rock easily spikes Bulldog with the Pedigree and would have won this match easily but instead of counting The Rock sarcastically applauds. Triple H attacks him and gets dropped by a Rock Bottom. The Rock doesn’t even lose his sunglasses. Bulldog pins and The Rock counts with a mic. “One….two….it doesn’t matter if The Rock counts to three!” Bulldog goes to get the title belt to use as a weapon and stalks Triple H but swings for The Rock. The Rock ducks and knocks both men out with the title belt! He then hits the coolest People’s Elbow of all time on Bulldog (seriously, google “best People’s Elbow” and I know this one will come up, it's famous) before just leaving with the WWF title belt, hotly pursued by The British Bulldog. Triple H is furious to learn that The Rock has his belt so he beats up the time keeper before chasing backstage too.

After a couple of replays, Triple H is backstage marching around demanding to know where The Rock and his belt are. He’s jumped by The Rock from behind who clobbers him with the title belt and puts the boots to him until Bulldog attacks him in turn. A groggy Triple H gets to his own locker room and bangs on the door but when it unlocks it’s Stone Cold Steve Austin lying in wait and he assaults Triple H beating him senseless in the corridor and leaving him lying to end Smackdown.

Mankind tries to recover The Rock’s presents

Mankind comes out in his custom Rock N’ Sock Connection jacket to thank the fans for making This is Your Life on Raw happen. He says one man tried to ruin the night and he calls out Val Venis. The commentators play dumb as Mankind makes multiple sexual innuendos about needing what’s in Val’s pants. He’s referring to the GTV footage of Val finding and stuffing Mr. Rocko down his pants. Honestly the innuendo is pretty funny. In the end, he shows the GTV footage and Val says it was all just a joke for the boys in the back. He tells Mankind to chill and that he’ll go and get Rocko and deliver it to him later. 

Backstage, Mick Foley confronts The Dudley Boyz about Bubba wearing The Rock’s jacket. They dare Foley to take the jacket back if he can.

Backstage, Mankind tells The Rock the bad news - he’s lost his jacket and Mr. Rocko. The Rock seems genuinely concerned but I’d imagine he’s winding Mick up

Mankind heads back out to the ring and this time calls out Bubba Ray. He wants the jacket back. The Dudleys attack from the side of the ramp and the bell rings. I think this is a singles match between Mankind and Bubba Ray, both wearing Rock n’ Sock jackets. Mankind puts on Mr. Socko and stalks for the Mandible Claw. Val Venis comes out and joins commentary as Stevie Richards gives Bubba a superkick. This is chaotic. Mankind does get the jacket back and then demands Val give him Mr. Rocko back too. Val gets in the ring and tells Mankind that he really respects Mick Foley before using Rocko to give him a low blow. Stevie Richards tries to make the save but is attacked by The Dudley Boyz. They destroy The Rock’s jacket as Val uses a…testicular claw? On Mankind? Squeezing his nuts while he writhes in agony. Val keeps Mr. Rocko too. 

Good Housekeeping

Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett comes out to the ring with Miss Kitty and a shopping trolley full of household items. He challenges her to a Good Housekeeping match which is basically a no DQ match where household items are all available to use as weapons. Jeff targets the two female celebrities in the crowd who are here to promote whatever Shasta McNasty is. One of them is Cindy Margolis who Jeff put the figure four on a few weeks ago. He challenges them to get in the ring. Debra comes out onto the stage and she calls out all the women that Jeff has attacked recently - Moolah, Mae Young, Jaqueline, Jan the makeup lady, a female stage hand and Lillian Garcia. The women circle the ring and Jeff is badly outnumbered. He punches Mae off the apron but as he’s distracted he’s jumped from behind by Chyna! She slams him into an ironing board and clotheslines him out of the ring. The women attack him with mops and brooms and chase Jeff out of the arena under a hair of attack from rolling pins and frying pans! The crowd loves it! Moolah and Mae Young attack Jerry Lawler and plant kisses all over him which I’m certain he didn’t know about and is a rib.

Other Happenings

• This episode is only an hour long on the WWE Network, which is a full 30 mins shorter than usual. Its because the last half hour of the show was used for the premier of something called “Shasta McNasty” which a quick google reveals was a bad sitcom that got retooled after 10 episodes and then cancelled after one season. 
• The WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws open up the show and Roadogg is in singles action with Mr. Ass by his side. He’s facing the man who injured him on the first Smackdown - Chris Jericho. He has Curtis Hughes with him. I don’t know how long Hughes lasts but it’s not long. Jericho spoke pretty unfavourably about this run in his book - he didn’t have a lot of time for his silent bodyguard. The match is short as Roaddogg gets himself disqualified for throwing the referee out of the ring. He spikes Jericho with a DDT and Mr. Ass sets up a table for him. He wants to put Jericho through the table as revenge but before he can its Hardcore and Crash Holly - who had joined commentary - who jump Roaddogg and as Mr. Ass is busy fighting with Hughes, they powerbomb Roaddogg through the table instead before laying out Billy Gunn too. Hardcore and Crash want a tag team title match.

Edge and Christian take on the team of Matt and Jeff Hardy. These two teams would become much better known for their matches in 2000 and onwards but I didn’t remember how much they interacted so early in their careers. Matt and Jeff still have Gangrel with them as The New Brood. This is the first in what is basically a best of five series that has been branded the “Terri Invitational Tournament” (TIT, hilarious Vince Russo) where Terri Runnels has promised her managerial services and a huge cash prize to the winning team.

• The insinuation being that her managerial services basically means having her as a sex slave is pretty gross but it is less gross than the GTV segment with the Mean Street Posse on Raw. Terri joins commentary for this match and considering how long she’s been around as a performer (almost 4 years at this point) she is a very, very bad talker. This is a really good match that the fans get into and it's won by Edge and Christian with an impressive double stacked superplex on Jeff Hardy from way up high. 
• D’Lo Brown defends the European title against The Big Show. On commentary is Prince Albert and Droz who have targeted these two men separately. D’Lo puts up quite a good fight and hits the Low Down but Big Show kicks out. It’s kind of sad seeing him so low in the midcard being easily dominated by D’Lo after a short run as a main eventer. Show hits an incredible powerbomb and is attacked by Albert as D’Lo rolls to the outside. The Big Show hits an amazing powerbomb on the nearly 400lbs Albert. Droz attacks D’Lo seemingly wanting the European title. These two men are trying to make a name for themselves. D’Lo is saved by Mark Henry who is still trying to mend fences and get back on Brown’s good side. The champ still wants nothing to do with him. I wouldn’t forgive him either. Mark gets on the mic and somberly explains that he is a sex addict and it cost him everything including his friendship with D’Lo. Sex addiction is a real thing but it's something that is used as a joke in TV shows and movies even in 2023. To be fair, this is handled pretty seriously as Jerry and Cole discuss it seriously too and don’t poke fun. Mark says he’s going to get himself some therapy.
• X-Pac and Kane take on The Dudley Boyz and The Acolytes in a triple threat elimination match. You’d assume the winners will get a tag title match somewhere down the line. Bubba Ray Dudley is wearing The Rock’s custom “Rock n’ Sock” jacket which was apparently also thrown in the trash. Backstage, Stevie Richards (who's still dressed as Dude Love) points out to Mick Foley that Bubba has The Rock’s jacket. Faarooq gets a bit too rough with the referee so he disqualifies them and causes the elimination, sending them to the back and making this a straight two on two tag team match. Kane pins D-Von after a chokeslam but he’s jumped by the returning Acolytes. Bradshaw and Faarooq spike X-Pac with a double powerbomb. 
• Terry Taylor interviews head of security Jim Dodson who’s had a couple of run ins with Steve Blackman this week. Blackman jumps him from behind.

Raw is War - October 4th, 1999

This is the first Raw after Rebellion, the special UK only PPV which aired on Saturday, October 2nd, 1999. I’ve done that as a bonus review so go and read that before you pick up here! It does matter - stuff happened between The British Bulldog and the McMahons that is referenced going forward.

The Rock n’ Sock Connection

Backstage Mankind goes to see The Rock and talk about breaking up the Rock N’ Sock Connection. The Rock is on the phone to someone else and doesn’t really hear what Mankind is saying, but his responses line up with what Mick is saying. The Rock n’ Sock Connection seems to be no-more. Later, Mankind talks to Stevie Richards and says he has an idea on how to cheer up The Rock after their break up. Again we’d see Mankind playing poker with a couple of TV actors who I don’t recognise and then getting his makeup done by Jan the makeup lady. 

Mankind comes out to the ring with the two actors from earlier. He guest starred on some show called G vs. E. A quick google reveals that much like whatever Shasta McNasty was that got mentioned and promoted on Smackdown, it was cancelled after one season following a mid-season move. I’d imagine the fact that every show they’ve promoted died a swift and critically panned death is why they stopped doing this shortly after. Mankind gets the two guys to sit in the front row, he calls out Val Venis for stealing Mr. Rocko, and then asks The Rock to come to the ring which he does. The Rock recaps the “This is your life” segment, and acts like he is massively offended by him having lost Mr. Rocko, his custom jacket and now breaking up the Rock n’ Sock Connection. He begins to say that he doesn’t care and doesn’t want Mankind as his partner but Mick cuts him off and rededicates himself to the tag team. He doesn’t want to be known as a former WWF champion or for any of his other accomplishments, he only wants to be known as one half of the greatest tag team in WWF history - The Rock n’ Sock Connection. The Rock does stop him short of saying this is a marriage. The Rock seems uninterested in committing to being Mankind’s tag team partner but before he can finish his insults he’s interrupted by Chris Jericho! It should be noted that both Rock and Jericho call Mankind “retard” during this. Not cool. Jericho makes a bunch of homophobic jokes and calls The Rock gay, which obviously offends him because The Rock is very homophobic. A fan dressed as Chris Jericho rushes the ring and he’s forced to awkwardly fill time as Mankind roughly forces him out of the ring. The Rock fires back and even references his time in WCW. “You were down south beating some jabroni named Juventud”. He challenges Chris Jericho to a match here tonight. All in all, this was a VERY long segment. Some of the jokes worked and some of them didn’t. 

Mankind is interviewed with Stevie Richards who seems to have adopted Dude Love as his full time persona. They’re jumped by The Dudley Boyz and take multiple shots to the head from trash cans.

Mankind and “Dude Love” take on The Dudley Boyz. Stevie now being Dude Love is the culmination of several weeks of him playing different roles and trying to join multiple tag teams. He’s looking for the right character to play. As soon as the men come to blows, Val Venis’s music plays and he comes out onto the stage with Mr. Rocko hanging limply from the open fly of his jeans. Mankind chases and is jumped by The Dudleys and ends up with all men officially in the match fighting at the top of the ramp. Val Venis joins commentary and says he’s lost all respect for Mick Foley after he tried to embarrass him on Smackdown. Mankind looks to have the match won single handedly but gets distracted by Val. He puts the Mandible Claw on Val which leaves Dude Love to get hit with a 3D and pinned. Val manages to escape with Rocko while Mick fights with The Dudleyz.

The main event is The Rock vs. Chris Jericho. The Rock enters first and talks some trash (standard) and while Jericho makes his entrance and The Rock is focused on the ramp, Curtis Hughes jumps him from behind which gives Y2J the early advantage. Jericho gets the advantage with help from Curtis each time but The Rock keeps kicking out. There's an odd point mid-match as the arena lights slowly lower to absolute darkness. Everyone assumes it's an angle but then spotlights highlight the ring and it seems to be a legit technical issue. They do come back on quickly enough. Jericho uses the ring bell behind the referee’s back but The Rock kicks out. Hughes knocks down the referee and slides a chair into Y2J. The Rock takes advantage and drills Jericho with a Rock Bottom onto the chair and then follows up with the People’s Elbow to win the match. Before The Rock can even celebrate he’s jumped by The British Bulldog. While they fight in the ring, Jericho shoves Hughes, apparently angry that his interference backfired. Referees separate the two and while Bulldog is outside the ring, Vince McMahon comes to the ring and kicks Bulldog low and sends him into the ring to The Rock to get more of a beating. (see the next section)

The British Badman

The British Bulldog comes out to the ring. His actions at Rebellion on Saturday are recapped in full, and Stephanie McMahon is apparently receiving treatment for a “serious head trauma”. Bulldog threw a trash can in a huff and it hit her in the head. Bulldog shows no remorse for his actions and says that there are too many women in the WWF. This is a popular opinion these days. He says that Vince put Stephanie in the position to be hurt, not him. He was screwed out of the WWF title, so he says. He kind of was to be fair. He challenges The Rock to a match at No Mercy. “My Time” plays and everyone assumes it's Triple H but it's Chyna. If he has a problem with the women in the WWF, he can face her in a match. The fans do pop for that. She’s gotten really popular and the sooner she ditches Triple H the better. 

Michael Hayes talks to Test for a medical update on Stephanie McMahon. She has post concussion syndrome and apparently doesn’t even recognise him. 

The British Bulldog vs. Chyna. Chyna is still using My Time as her theme but does have her own custom titantron video at least which is mostly shots of her working out. Chyna starts aggressively and dominates Bulldog, whipping him into the ring steps and kicking him low as he gets into the ring. To be fair to Davey, he bumps all over the ring for her. As Chyna sets up the figure four, Jeff Jarrett runs to the ring and hits her across the back of the head with a big metal coffee urn. Bulldog demands a mic and talks a little trash before throwing her up over his shoulder. He tells Triple H he has ten seconds to come out and give him a title shot or he’ll give Chyna the running powerslam. He doesn’t bother waiting and gives her the move anyway. Triple H didn’t come out to save Chyna though and that's the important bit of this story. 

Vince McMahon comes out to the ring and demands that The British Bulldog come out and give a proper apology to Stephanie McMahon. Bulldog comes out and says he refuses to apologise and says its Vince’s fault that Steph got hurt. Vince fires up and demands Bulldog come down to the ring and he’ll beat an apology out of him. Bulldog refuses and just leaves.

Vince would get a measure of revenge in sending the Bulldog to get beaten up by The Rock in the main event, as read in the previous section.

Triple H sends a message

WWF Champion Triple H enters the arena. He’s currently scheduled to defend the WWF title at Stone Cold Steve Austin at No Mercy. Austin’s legs are said to still be sore and he’s rehabbing every day. More ploys to keep him off TV while his neck is bothering him. Triple H says that Austin doesn’t have the guts to be here tonight but he knows a man who does - he calls Jim Ross into the ring and demands that JR interview him. He even apologises for breaking Jim’s arm and promises that nothing bad will happen. He gets a steel chair and sets it up in the ring for JR and insists that he come into the ring. Triple H shows some footage of JR interviewing Austin who explains that he’s not been cleared to compete since Summerslam. He makes JR say that Austin thinks he’s an asshole. He then asks JR what he thinks of “the champ” and Jim answers honestly and calls Triple H a “sorry, no down SOB” so Triple H clotheslines him out of his chair. He stomps at JR while mimicking him and making fun of him until referees finally come out and stop him. Earl Hebner stops him from hitting JR with a chair. This isn’t the first time Triple H has attacked JR to make a point to Stone Cold and you know what? It’s not the last time either. JR would be replaced by Michael Cole for around half the show, returning to the desk during the Mankind/Dudley Boyz match. 

Other Happenings

• The show opens with the WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws who come out so quickly that the pyro doesn’t even go off. They’re going to compete in a non title,four team elimination match. The tag team titles have been red hot since about Summerslam. They’re facing Kane and X-Pac, The Acolytes and The Holly Cousins. I thought Edge and Christian were the number one contenders? The Hollys and The New Age Outlaws fight on the outside and won’t stop brawling which causes both teams to be counted out and eliminated. X-Pac refuses to tag out, keen to prove he isn’t the weak link and show that he’s able to compete in the land of the giants. The finish is a double pin when Kane covers Faarooq off a chokeslam and Bradshaw pins X-Pac after a Clothesline from Hell, the referee counts Bradshaw’s pin. The Acolytes win and X-Pac once again pushes Kane away in frustration.
• Backstage, Mae Young and Moolah attack Ivory and tear her clothes off. They’ve challenged Ivory and Jeff Jarrett to a tag team match tonight.
• Terri joins commentary for match two in the best of five series “Terri Invitational Tournament” when Edge and Christian face The New Brood team of Matt and Jeff Hardy. Gangrel is notable by his absence. This is a really good match (despite King and Terri on commentary trying to ruin it) which Edge and Christian win when Edge catches Jeff Hardy in mid air with a spear. Edge and Christian go ahead 2 - 0.

• A fired up X-Pac says he’s sick of being taken lightly and challenges The Acolytes (ad yes, Kane too) to a four corners elimination match at No Mercy so he can prove that he belongs in the land of the giants.
• Michael Cole interviews Jeff Jarrett and Ivory who accept Mae and Moolah’s challenge. Jeff doesn’t let Ivory speak because he’s a big misogynist. When the match starts, Jeff shoves Miss Kitty to the wolves and gets beaten up by Moolah and Mae. Her dress rides up so she’s basically just rolling around in a thong. Kitty tags out to Ivory and she's very rough with Moolah. Jeff joins the commentary team to talk more about women and make a lot of jokes about the age of the women. After a bit of a beating Ivory tags out to Kitty who is rolled up and pinned. Moolah and Mae win. Moolah smiles and poses like an idiot in the ring, apparently unaware of the fact that Ivory is beating up Mae right in front of her. Jeff goes into the ring and demands Kitty prove her worth and when she protests he puts her in the figure four too before running away from the old woman. 

• This week’s GTV shows Droz looking for D’Lo Brown’s bag in the locker room and then vomiting into it. I cannot emphasise how much I absolutely loathe Droz’s puking on command gimmick. This would tragically be Droz’ last appearance on WWF television.

Smackdown! - October 7th, 1999

This episode of Smackdown was taped on October 5th. It was at this taping that during a match with D’Lo Brown, Droz tragically landed on his head and broke his neck. He was instantly paralysed and while he would eventually gain some movement in his hands and arms, would never walk again. Droz was by all accounts a lovely man and remained positive and cheerful despite the injury. He never blamed D’Lo and even in the moments after the accident was quick to reassure him. Droz would spend the rest of his life doing charity work and raising awareness and money for different causes. He was very much a real life hero right up until his death on June 30th, 2023. I never saw enough of him to be a fan of Droz the performer but he certainly left a mark in his year on the main roster, and I am a huge fan of Darren Drozdov, the man. 

Mankind proves his loyalty

Kevin Kelly interviews The Rock about his match with The British Bulldog at No Mercy. The Rock is funny as always. The best bits of this promo do appear in the video package for the match at No Mercy. He says that there is a jabroni running around with a sock with The Rock’s face on it down his pants. He makes jokes about Val Venis and challenges him to a match tonight. After an ad break, Mankind says that since The Rock is fighting his battles for him tonight against Val Venis, he’ll fight The Rock’s and challenge The British Bulldog to a match tonight.

The British Bulldog accepts Mankind’s challenge and says he doesn’t care about him, The Rock or even Stephanie McMahon. He only cares about the WWF title. Mankind attacks him from behind, apparently wanting to prove his loyalty to The Rock. 

Backstage a fired up Val Venis says that he’s going to beat The Rock tonight (lol) and while he talks he's jumped by Mankind. The Bulldog follows and the two heels beat up Mankind. After the break, The Rock walks past him being tended to by the medical staff and doesn’t seem to care. 

In the main event, The Rock takes on Val Venis. Michael Cole says this is a no disqualification match. Is it? Since when? The Rock beats Val over the announce desk and steals Cole’s headset to talk some trash and slam Val into the table. He puts the headset on Val so King can ask him how he feels and then punches him again. The Rock dominates Val and even steals his secondary finisher and uses the fisherman suplex which The Rock normally never does. Then a float over DDT. This is a good but one-sided match. Val gives up and gets a chair. Mankind runs in to try and save him and grabs the chair but misses Val and hits The Rock by mistake! The Rock kicks out of the pin and as Mankind puts the Mandible Claw on Val, The Rock hits him with a Rock Bottom, and then follows up with another on Val Venis and pins him to win the match. The show ends with The Rock and Mankind arguing in the ring!

Triple H and Stone Cold take shots at each other

Michael Cole says that Stone Cold is hunting Triple H tonight and there’s a shot of a door backstage somewhere labelled “poisonous snakes”. Later there would be a shot of multiple large glass tanks full of snakes including several loud Rattlesnakes. That’s a hint.

Pre-taped footage of Jim Ross on a hunting trip with Stone Cold. He uses pictures of Triple H for target practice with a huge hunting rifle. Back in the arena, Triple H goes into the room with the snake tanks and taunts them, even opening up the lid of one.

Later, Triple H would cut a promo from the snake room and while holding a Rattlesnake threatened Austin. He loads the Rattlesnake into a sack and ties it tightly closed before violently hitting it with a sledgehammer. There has been a lot of animal cruelty on Smackdown lately.

WWF Champion Triple H comes out into the arena carrying the sack that had a rattlesnake in it earlier and holds it up as it drips blood. This is menacing. 

Mankind takes on The British Bulldog. This match is very physical and the two fight around the ring and Bulldog uses the ringsteps and a steel chair as a weapon right in front of the referee which doesn’t cause a DQ for some reason. Bulldog shoves the referee in Mankind’s path and he goes down. The referee finally calls for the bell as Bulldog hits Mankind in the face with the ring steps. They fight into the crowd and disappear into a sea of people.

Jeff Jarrett and Vince Russo set Women’s wrestling back 10 years

Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett comes out with Miss Kitty who apparently has forgiven him for putting her in the figure four on Monday. “Jarrett Enterprises presents the first ever Mud Wrestling match” This is a woman’s natural place, he says. Miss Kitty will be involved (which is news to her) and the only way to win is to rip your opponent's top off. When Jeff comes back out later for the match, he welcomes a woman who brings honour and dignity to the women of the WWF, the WWF Women’s Champion Ivory. She comes out in a nice dress and seems happy to be there. Jeff introduces the participants - a bikini wearing Miss Kitty, then throws Ivory dress and all into the mud to be the opponent. Kitty pulls Ivory’s dress off and the two scrap around in their underwear until Ivory gets Kitty’s bikini top off to win the match (we don’t see anything). Moolah and Mae Young come out to confront Jarrett and he throws them into the mud too! While Jeff celebrates, Chyna sneaks up from behind and shoves him into the mud and he flails around and calls Chyna “a bitch”. 

Other Happenings

• This episode of Smackdown opens up with a moving tribute to Gorilla Monsoon who passed away on this day. 
• Kane and X-Pac start out the show in the arena for a tag team match with Viscera and Mideon. X-Pac continues to try and prove he’s not the weak link and starts the match and refuses to tag out to Kane, trying to go it alone. Kane does eventually tag himself in and easily wins the match for his team with a dropkick on Viscera and a chokeslam on Mideon. X-Pac gets angry at him after the match for not letting him do it alone and they’re jumped by Bradshaw and Faarooq while having words. They easily lay waste to both men. Kane does sit up and check on X-Pac quickly enough. Kane is still a monster after all.

• Roaddogg along with his tag team championship partner Mr. Ass takes on Hardcore Holly, with Crash. The Outlaws are set to defend the tag team titles against The Hollys at No Mercy. Hardcore wins the match reasonably clean with a little distraction from Crash. The Outlaws attack them post-match. Billy’s heart hasn’t really seemed in it lately. I think that’s because he’s gone from winning the King of the Ring and feuding with main eventers and getting promo time to now in a tag team and feuding with Hardcore and Crash Holly.
• Footage of Mark Henry’s sex therapy session. He makes jokes as his therapist tries to get him to talk about the painful stuff. He had his first sexual encounter at eight years old with his sister. He still regularly has sex with her apparently. Jesus Christ. How on Earth was this supposed to get him over? That is very, very messed up.

• Edge and Christian face Matt and Jeff Hardy. They’re still “The New Brood” complete with Gangrel’s fire entrance. No Gangrel again though. Edge and Christian are winning 2 - 0. Terri comes out onto the stage and says she wants to shake things up a bit and says tonight's match is Texas Tornado rules with no tags in and out of the ring. The Hardys win a really great match to keep themselves alive in the Terri Invitational tournament. 
• A medical update on Stephanie McMahon. Shane confirms that Steph is feeling better but has amnesia. She doesn’t remember Test and so the wedding is postponed.
• The Big Show faces The Big Bossman. During this match, Michael Cole explains that Jerry Lawler has left commentary to check on Miss Kitty. In the taping you can actually see Kevin Kelly at the desk with Cole. In reality, this match was taped for Sunday Night Heat (the Heat logo can be seen covering the Smackdown one in the arena) but inserted into Smackdown to cover for the missing Droz vs. D’Lo match. Bossman uses his nightstick in front of the referee and gets disqualified. He beats Show with the nightstick but Big Show just no-sells and plants Bossman with a chokeslam. 

Raw is War - October 11th, 1999

The Rattlesnake Strikes

Vince McMahon opens the show out in the ring. The show this week is in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. This is deep in WCW country and Vince takes great joy in being there. He welcomes Stone Cold Steve Austin to the ring who gets a monsterous pop even by Austin standards. Vince then just leaves - I suspect he just wanted to come out and revel in front of the live crowd in WCW’s home arena. Him basically playing Stone Cold’s hype man is also a nice way of reminding everyone that he’s a babyface now. Austin says that he’s been on the shelf for two months because of Triple H (they’re still saying its his legs that are injured, and not his neck) and he can beat up JR and kill as many snakes as he wants, he is not intimidating Stone Cold. He guarantees that when he gets Triple H in the ring at No Mercy he will regain his WWF title. He doesn’t want to wait til Sunday and calls Triple H out to the ring, who obliges and comes out onto the ramp. The fans chant “asshole” and because of the size of the stadium the noise is noticeably different to normal. Triple H reminds us all that he is “The Game” and that no one can beat him and so on. It’s standard heel stuff. Triple H fires up and heads down to the ring and circles it before slapping JR’s headset off instead of getting in the ring to fight Stone Cold.

JR then hits Triple H in the back with a metal fan, which he no-sells, but it's enough of a distraction to let Stone Cold jump him. Austin beats Triple H around the outside of the ring and over the announce table, into the ring steps and into the crowd! It’s wild and the fans love it. Austin calls for JR to get into the ring and beats Triple H senseless, stomping him down in the corner and then holds Triple H captive so that JR can punch him in the stomach! The fans explode for JR getting physical but he’s quickly tackled by Chyna. Chyna beats JR up until Stone Cold notices and punches her lights out too. Triple H noticeably just bailed out of the ring and left Chyna to face the music. An awesome, electric opening segment! Triple H gets on the mic and challenges Stone Cold and Jim Ross to face he and Chyna in a tag team match tonight. JR doesn’t seem up for being in an official match. Austin asks the crowd to give him a “hell yeah” and accepts on their behalf! Jim Ross would commentate most of the show, and then leave to get ready for the match right after the X-Pac/Faarooq match and be replaced by Michael Cole.

Kevin Kelly interviews Triple H and Chyna. Triple H once again does his absolutely horrific Jim Ross impression and issues a dire warning to Stone Cold.

WWF Champion Triple H and Chyna enter first for the match. They’ll face Stone Cold Steve Austin and Jim Ross (who’s wearing some Stone Cold merch as his ring gear). JR comes out to his classic Boomer Sooner theme song too. This is pure Russo booking as he LOVES making non-wrestlers get in the ring and wrestle. Triple H jumps JR before Austin comes out and stomps him down. Stone Cold isn’t even dressed to wrestle and runs down in a t-shirt and jean shorts with his knee in a brace. He fights Triple H up the ramp and slams him into the steel and suplexes him at the top of the ramp before throwing him down to the ring. I don’t know where Chyna and JR have gone. Austin doesn’t bump (I assume because he can’t) and just beats Triple H all over the ringside area and then into the crowd. Finally we see Chyna beating up JR in the ring. The two main eventers disappear into the backstage area and JR is left to be beaten up by Chyna in the ring.

King makes a joke about JR having a foot fettish for the second time in two weeks, in totally different contexts. That must be real. Chyna gives JR a Pedigree while King giggles hysterically. She sets him up for a figure four but then Jeff Jarrett runs in and knocks her out with a toaster and then calls for Miss Kitty to wheel a laundry hamper down to the ring. This is the issue with Chyna’s recent booking as you now have one of the worst heels on the roster helping Stone Cold and Jim Ross. Jarrett wheels Chyna up the ramp and backstage. With JR down in the ring being checked on by the referee, Austin and Triple H return from their fight backstage and into the concession stands. King throws out some casual Mexican racism about nachos. Austin leaves Triple H laying across the beer stand and then heads to the ring while his music plays. He has a little beer bash on the announce table and doesn’t even stop to check on JR. 

After the tag team main event, Triple H jumps Stone Cold backstage. They fight through the back until Austin throws Triple H into a locker room and locks the door. The camera is inside with him and we hear Triple H scream while a Rattlesnake hisses and prepares to strike and Raw ends on a cliffhanger! 

Toilet Humour

Backstage there's a shot of some bulldogs (literal, not the wrestler) in a pen, and Mankind pacing nervously. He’s said he’s going to issue an ultimatum to The Rock tonight after their fall out on Smackdown. After the Mr. Ass/Crash match, Michael Cole interviews Mankind. He basically says that he’s not an idiot and he has picked up on all The Rock’s sarcasm and snide comments about him. Maybe he hit him with a char on Smackdown on purpose? He says that tonight The Rock needs to put up or shut up and commit to this tag team, and that he doesn’t care one way or the other anymore.

They do a lame “JR calls The Rock” to find out how he feels about Mankind. They play the call in the arena and The Rock is actually nice to Jim Ross. It’s lame because the phone ringing sound effect goes past The Rock “answering”. The point of this is to let the fans know The Rock is on his way, and now knows that Mankind is waiting for him.

Terry Taylor interviews The British Bulldog about the literal bulldogs in the arena. He doesn’t know anything about them, and promises victory over The Rock at No Mercy.

Val Venis and The British Bulldog jump Mankind while he’s waiting for The Rock and beat him up until referees break it up and leave him laying on the concrete. 

Kevin Kelly interviews The Rock. He doesn’t care about Mankind or the Rock n’ Sock Connection and makes fun of the Bulldog. He’s the reason the real dogs are here tonight. He’s funny and runs through all the famous WCW catchphrases before ending on “if ya smell” but he’s cut off by Mankind. They’re about to argue until Vince McMahon shows up! He tells them they better stay a team for at least another 24 hours because tonight they’re facing The British Bulldog and Val Venis!

Later, The Rock puts Mankind to work on pooper scooper duty and has him collect all of the bulldog (literal)’s droppings on a big serving tray. 

In the main event, The British Bulldog and Val Venis take on The Rock n’ Sock Connection in what is implied to be the last time The Rock and Mankind will team up. Even the naive and good natured Mick Foley is a little sick of The Rock’s snide comments. Mankind carries the huge serving tray covered in dog poo to the ring and lays it at the bottom of the entrance ramp. It is very disgusting and we really didn’t need as many camera shots of it as we got. This is probably Vince McMahon booking - he loves toilet humour. Mankind is wearing his Rock n’ Sock jacket so maybe isn’t quite as over the whole tag team idea as he's making out. This is a wild tag match that basically happens as two simultaneous singles matches. The Rock loads the tray of dog poo into the ring and then Rock Bottoms The British Bulldog onto it. He lays there on a pile of literal poop but The Rock stops short of a People’s Elbow, not wanting to soil himself. The segment ends on a zoom in of The Bulldog’s back covered in brown mess while The Rock just…leaves. I think the official outcome is a no-contest? Mankind and Val fought off into the crowd.

The Big Show and The Big Bossman’s feud begins…

Backstage, The Big Show tearfully confides to D’Lo Brown that his father has cancer in the locker room. D’Lo is very nice and comforting. Later in the show, The Big Show faces The Big Bossman who he had a little run in with on Smackdown too. Before the match, Bossman gets on the mic and makes fun of The Big Show and says he doesn’t care about his other problems, Bossman is his only problem. Big Show gets a decent reaction from the crowd given his past with WCW in the area. Bossman charges and Big Show gives him a big boot, throws him into the ring and throws him around in a fury. Bossman uses his nightstick in front of the referee which causes a disqualification. Bossman hammers him with the stick until Al Snow runs in to make the save and beats up Bossman himself until he gets his nightstick and beats down Snow too. Bossman stands tall leaving both men beaten with the nightstick. 

Other Happenings

• Raw opens with the same tribute to Gorilla Monsoon from Smackdown. It’s a nice video, and I’m sure his passing hit Vince hard. 
• The Raw intro needs an update. It still has Shamrock in it, as well as The Undertaker featured prominently. There’s another big name who’ll be leaving for WCW soon too, plus there’s no Jericho yet. I suspect it’ll be updated very soon.
• The WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws head out to the ring. Roaddogg sends out his prayers to Droz. That’s nice. Then after his usual opening banter, he calls out The Hollys whom they are slated to defend the tag titles against at No Mercy. This is a singles match between Mr. Ass and Crash Holly. Hardcore holds the scales for him. The Hollys are now announced as both weighing “allegedly well over 400lbs” which is a gimmick I love. Billy wins very quickly with the Fameasser and then afterwards, Hardcore gets in the ring with the scales and lays out both tag champions.

• WWF Women’s Champion Ivory comes out and gives a false tearful speech about how she’s living in fear from Moolah and Mae Young and makes a lot of old jokes. She defends the women’s title against Moolah at No Mercy, but faces Mae Young tonight. The match doesn’t really start as Ivory hits her with the women’s title belt. She beats down Mae while Jerry Lawler exhausts his joke book of old person jokes. Moolah eventually runs down and saves Mae and runs Ivory off with a lot of hair pulling. 
• Michael Hayes interviews Stephanie McMahon and Shane McMahon. She hasn’t quite developed her promo skills yet. She explains that she has post concussion syndome and that she feels fine apart from the headaches and short term memory loss. She tearfully says that she doesn’t remember Test at all. Tonight was supposed to be her wedding night.

• A limo pulls up which everyone assumes is The Rock but it turns out to be Mark Henry with an attractive young lady. Later we’d find out the lady is his sex therapist (it’s a different actress from the one on Smackdown) and she explains that her plan is to over expose him and over stimulate him to tame the sexual beast inside. 
• Match four of the “Terri Invitational Tournament” between Edge and Christian and Matt and Jeff Hardy. Lillian Garcia announces this as a “non-tag team match” and I have no idea what she even thinks she means. Edge and Christian are ahead in this best of five series 2 - 1. Terri Runnels is watching backstage. The match ends via a double disqualification as the four men fight on the outside and no one knows what this means for the tournament. 

• X-Pac tells Kane to stay backstage and not get involved in his match no matter what. He’s facing Faarooq, who does have Bradshaw with him. X-Pac wins clean with the X-Factor. Before he can celebrate hes attacked by Bradshaw and The Acolytes demolish him. Kane comes out onto the stage and watches but respects X-Pac’s wishes to not get involved. The Acolytes beat X-Pac silly until finally Kane runs in and makes the save. X-Pac is really angry at Kane for saving him and honestly, that makes zero sense. He didn’t get involved in the actual match - X-Pac won clean, he proved his point. Kane saved him from a post-match two on one beating which is far enough surely? 
• Chris Jericho and Curtis Hughes face The reunited Headbangers in a tag team match. Their reunion was the payoff to the “Chaz beats his girlfriend” storyline. It finished up on an episode of Sunday Night Heat when Thrasher returned from his injury and confirmed that Mariyana was a liar and Chaz never beat her. That’s the end of that messy unpleasant storyline and The Headbangers are back. Hughes “cost” Jericho a match with The Rock on Raw last week and they’ve teased a bit of tension between Y2J and his bodyguard. Random trivia - the ring gear that Jericho is wearing in this match is the same gear the very first action figure of him I ever bought had. Jericho eventually has enough of Hughes and punches him, leaving him to lose to a messy and sloppy Stage Dive (Thrasher does a powerbomb while Mosh does a top rope leg drop but they badly mistimed it) 
• The Godfather (with 50+ hoes with him who circle the ring). He’s facing Mark Henry and this is the over exposure therapy Mark’s therapist mentioned. Mark has to focus on the match and ignore the women. Godfather wins quickly with the hoe train and a roll up and then Mark dances with the hoes after the match while his therapist looks on, disappointed. This whole sex addiction storyline could have worked (minus the weird stuff about his sister on Smackdown that they never mention again) if his therapist had been played by a real wrestler and led to her joining him as his manager/a wrestler herself. Sexual Chocolate being so powerful he converts his sex addiction therapist would have been good for his gimmick. Spoiler - none of that is what happens.
• Backstage, after abducting Chyna inside a laundry hamper, Jeff Jarrett wheels it off the loading dock, sending her crashing to the concrete parking lot while Miss Kitty screams. After a commercial break medical personnel tend to Chyna who is soaked in blood. Like way too much blood. Was the laundry hamper full of broken glass?
• “Extra attitude” after the show has Stone Cold coming back out to the ring for a beer bash with JR.

Smackdown! - October 14th, 1999

Triple H goes for his Oscar

The WWF Tag Team Champions go out to the ring and talk about an open challenge but before it can go any further, WWF Champion Triple H hobbles out to the ring with no music playing. His face is badly scarred and bruised with a massive purple and black disfigurement on his face. He tearfully tells The Outlaws he’ll never interrupt them again because he’ll probably never see them again. They leave, looking sad and concerned. Triple H says that all he wanted to be was a wrestler and not be a sick thrill seeker and perform for the people who don’t care about him. I mean this feels like a shoot. He seems very sad but gets “asshole” and “Austin” chants instead of sympathy. He calls Vince McMahon out to the ring and calls him out for letting things go too far and letting people bring poisonous Rattlesnakes into the arena. He got bitten in the face by the rattlesnake at the end of Raw! He shows the footage and confronts Vince about how he’s let this company be run. Vince even looks really sorry and sad about it. He tearfully tells Vince that he quits (the fans cheer) and that later tonight he’ll hand the title belt over to Austin and now the PPV has no main event. Vince can’t even look at Triple H’s face. 

Backstage just after Stone Cold arrives at the arena, a hysterical Chyna screams for help and begs the referees to get medical staff because “I’m going to lose him”. The implication being that the Rattlesnake venom has started to affect Triple H. After the Val Venis match Triple H is loaded into an ambulance and looks to be convulsing and having a fit on a stretcher. He even has foam around his mouth.

Kevin Kelly interviews Stone Cold and asks for his reaction to Triple H being bitten by a rattlesnake and Austin has no remorse.

Backstage, Chyna helps a weak and groggy Triple H to his locker room where Stone Cold is waiting for him. Austin actually looks a little sorry for Triple H. The champion says that this title obviously means more to Austin than him and he’s not willing to sacrifice his health for the title. Austin doesn’t want the belt that way - Triple H hits him with the belt and he and Chyna beat down Stone Cold. He peels the wounds and scars off his face - it was makeup! He wasn’t really hurt after all. He spits on Austin and says the title means more to him than it ever will to Austin.

Another Tag Title Change

At the start of the show Mankind goes to see Vince McMahon. He talks about his autobiography which comes out this month (his first book, which is amazingly good) and cashes in his favour from Raw. Vince doesn’t know what he means but he does grant his request. The Rock n’ Sock Connection back together tonight.

Backstage, Mick Foley looks around for The Rock wanting to let him know the good news that they can team up tonight. He bumps into Dude Love (Stevie Richards) who wants to fight Val Venis on his behalf. He calls Mick his best friend, but Mankind says that he’s his friend but not his best friend - The Rock is his best friend. He does find The Rock later, who is wearing his new “Layeth The Smacketh Down” t-shirt. He says that The Rock has demanded they team up again tonight. The Rock is very unfriendly, but does agree to team up with Mankind because this is His show and he needs to be on it tonight, and that tonight will be the last ever time. 

In a backstage segment, Michael Cole says that The New Age Outlaws will defend the tag team titles against the Rock n’ Sock Connection tonight. No one has actually told us that so I think that Cole has just ruined something that hasn’t been announced yet. That’s probably more the fault of the editors than him. 

The New Age Outlaws defend the tag team titles against The Rock and Mankind. The Rock has been very clear that this is the last time they will ever team up. The match is good and Billy looks to have retained the titles with a Fameasser on Mankind but Crash Holly - who is scheduled to challenge for the tag titles at No Mercy - runs in with a baseball bat and costs The Outlaws the titles! The Rock looks annoyed! This can’t be the last time they ever team up - they’re the tag team champions for the third time! 

X-Pac and Kane’s friendship is strained

Backstage, X-Pac arrives at the arena. He apologises to Kane for being Kane, and Kane menacingly tells him to “stay out of this”. Kane heads out to the ring for a handicap match against both Acolytes. They brutalise him and use the ringsteps as a weapon in front of the referee. No idea why there’s no disqualification. Kane does fight back with a double clothesline. Eventually after a lot of double teaming they’re able to pin Kane and officially win. The beating continues after the bell until X-Pac finally runs down with a chair and chases them off. 

Other Happenings

• Michael Hayes interviews Test about his current situation with Stephanie McMahon. Test is furious at Bulldog but Stephanie doesn’t want to be the cause of any violence so he respects her wishes. He’s being very patient with her. 
• Backstage, Chris Jericho is brawling with his now former bodyguard Curtis Hughes. They’re separated by referees. When Chris Jericho comes out for his match he’s dropped the little top-knot ponytail and grown out his goatee a little and looks a lot more like the Chris Jericho that would dominate the midcard for the rest of the attitude era. He’s facing Curtis Hughes who he attacks during his entrance. Jericho quickly wins with some help from Howard Finkle who seems like he wants to get back in Y2J’s good graces. Jericho tells them that the two of them should be together because they’re both useless.
• Jim Ross interviews a tearful, crying Big Show who talks about his father’s cancer diagnosis. He has never started whatever he finished and never put his heart into anything and he needs to make his dad proud. For the record, Big Show’s dad was fine in real life and found this whole storyline pretty entertaining. Show does at least get to show off his acting chops in this interview. He’s not bad. He’s better than Triple H was at the start of the show, certainly. 

• Mark Henry has his third sexual addiction therapist. This one is a man and it's implied that he is gay and also fancies Mark. We know he’s gay because he has a lisp. Jesus Christ. Mark is homophobic about it and leaves.
• The Big Bossman and The Big Show challenge for the Hardcore title in a triple threat match with Al Snow. It's short and after Show chokeslams Al through a table, Bossman dives off the apron with a nightstick shot to the head which busts Big Show open and allows the cover. Bossman wins the Hardcore title by pinning The Big Show.
• Val Venis comes out to the ring and cuts a mic where he basically recaps he and Mick Foley’s feud. He found Mr. Rocko in a trash can and kept it, and Mankind took issue with that and then Val refused to give it back and they came to blows? It's all a bit dumb. Val’s opponent is Dude Love, played by Stevie Richards. Val wins easily with the Money Shot. 

• The British Bulldog comes out and promises to beat The Rock at No Mercy.
• Backstage Terri Runnels has a photoshoot where she is naked but covered in cash, and encourages Edge and Christian to fight their hearts out for her in the Terri Invitational. Edge and Christian who were watching backstage are jumped by Matt, Jeff and Gangrel who’s apparently fine with losing his tag team to a new manager now. 

Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett comes out to the ring and has a bunch of household items setup in the ring. He goes through the various items while talking about a woman’s place in the kitchen. King’s high pitched “here kitty kitty kitty” cat call makes my teeth itch. I might just hate him. Jeff goes on for a bit until Debra comes out. She says that Chyna is going to win the Intercontinental title at No Mercy.

• Edge and Christian face Matt and Jeff Hardy in what is technically still match four of their best of five series after the draw on Raw. This match also ends in a technical draw as Christian pins Jeff while Matt pins Edge. Referee Teddy Long counts the three and in the midst of the confusion declares that the Hardy brothers won the match. So the series is now 2 - 2. 
• GTV shows Stephanie McMahon trying to mend fences with The British Bulldog. He’s a massive dick to her and refuses to apologise again. 

• The Godfather with four hoes takes on Mideon. He offers the hoes to Mideon to forfeit the match but he says he’d rather have a dead barnyard animal than a woman. Jesus. Even with a little help from Viscera, The Godfather beats Mideon easily with the Pimp Drop. The 500lbs does attack him after the match with a belly to belly suplex, a huge leg drop and a pair of splashes.