Date: March 28, 1999.
Place: First Union Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Attendance: 19,514.
WWE Company Line: "Philadelphia's First Union Center was the site of WrestleMania XV. The rattlesnake struck again as Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated The Rock to regain the WWF World Championship in front of a sold out crowd of 19,514. As part of the weekend leading up to WrestleMania, the World Wrestling Federation hosted the WrestleMania Rage Party, featuring some of the biggest names in the music industry such as Isaac Hayes, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Loudmouth and the late Big Pun."
Celebrity Appearances: Boys II Men (vocalists), Butterbean (Brawl For All fighter), Vinny Pazienza (guest referee).
SLAM! Wrestling Review: By JOHN POWELL
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin defeated The Rock to win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.
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They call it the "granddaddy of them all". WrestleMania, it's the
Super Bowl of the sports-entertainment biz. Most years it lives up to the
pomp and circumstance. Not so in 1999. Throwing all their eggs in one
basket, the World Wrestling Federation casually whipped through the under
card to arrive at the main event of WrestleMania 15 and the fateful
conclusion of the "Stone Cold" Steve Austin - Vince McMahon storyline.
Shoved to the backburner, most of the other matches ended so quickly that
almost half the card was over before the first hour had gone by. A poorly
orchestrated WWF Women's World Title match and a rather brisk Brawl For It
All bout armed the torpedo that eventually sunk the event.
Nothing else seemed to matter much but Austin's impending revenge on WWF
owner McMahon for a year's worth of meddling. The goliath Paul Wight blew
his chance as well as McMahon's plans to skew the main event by
ChokeSlamming Mankind through two steel chairs. The referee disqualified
Wight. Enraged, McMahon confronted Wight in the middle of the ring. Wight
teased a Chokeslam then gently put the WWF owner down. McMahon persisted on
dressing down The Big Show so Wight punched him in the chops. McMahon had
Wight charged with assault and arrested. Mankind was loaded onto a gurney
and "transported" to the local hospital.
Rehashing a recent WWF angle, McMahon appointed himself the special guest
referee and took his place in the squared circle. This didn't sit too well
with WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels. Michaels entered the First Union
Center Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a huge pop reminding McMahon
that the WWF rule book states that only the commissioner can select a new
referee.
"Start da stepping and hit the bricks, McMahon," said Michaels barring The
Corporation from ringside. On the way to the dressing room McMahon argued
his case getting nowhere as Michaels assigned a regular WWF ref to work the
crucial match.
Wrestling in trunks and boots not athletic wear, The Rock traded insults
with Austin. Punches flew. Austin reversed an Irish whip into the ropes
clotheslining the WWF champion over the top rope and to the floor. They
brawled in the crowd twice then The Rock walked Austin to the entrance way.
Austin shot Rock into a metal barrier following up with a clothesline.
Backdropping Stone Cold onto a light stand The Rock stomped on Austin's
heavily-braced knee.
Whipping The Corporate Champion into more production equipment Austin
choked him with an electrical cable. The WrestleMania sign hovering over
the entrance way swayed dangerously after Austin threw The Rock into it.
Clutching the champ in a headlock, Stone Cold prepared to walk him back to
the ring. Austin's suplex on the concrete floor was countered and Stone
Cold cracked the hard cement floor. Blowing his nose on the challenger, The
Rock flung Austin into a set of steel steps. Taking a bottle of water off
the announcer's desk the champ guzzled it spitting the contents into
Austin's face. This awoke the WWF rattlesnake. He slammed Rock's head into
the announce desk, climbed the ringside barricade and dropped an elbow. The
Spanish announce team's table didn't break as planned so Austin repeated
the move which finally shattered the announce position. Austin spat on a
bewildered Rock.
Shawn Michaels gives Vince McMahon his marching orders.
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The champ hit The Rock Bottom but Austin amazingly kicked out at two. Stone
Cold inadvertently creamed the ref with a steel chair. A spinning
neckbreaker by The Rock took Austin down momentarily. Stone Cold attempted
a Stunner. Rock reversed the move casting Austin into the ropes and landing
a back-elbow to the jaw. The Corporate Champ took the steel chair to Stone
Cold's knee also hitting him in the head for a two-and-a-half count. A
reverse chinlock zapped Austin's energy. Stone Cold punched his way out
only to be Somoan-dropped. Another two-and-a-half count for The Rock.
Taking out his frustrations out on the official, the Corporate Champion
Rock Bottomed him. Austin spiked Rock with The Stunner. A new official
slapped two. McMahon came down to ringside distracting Austin who hefted
the steel chair once again. The Rock low-blowed Austin as he turned around.
McMahon punched the official and joined The Rock in stomping Austin in the
corner.
Out of nowhere, Mankind reappeared. He first order of business was to punch
out McMahon. The Rock missed The Corporate Elbow and another Rock Bottom.
Austin performed The Stunner for the win.
The new WWF World Heavyweight Champion shared a beer with ref Earl Hebner.
As Austin exited the ring a distraught McMahon met him.
"That's MY belt!," shouted McMahon threatening Austin. Stone Cold leveled
him with one punch, rolled him into the ring and put him out with a
Stunner. McMahon rolled around the canvass as Austin poured beer on him.
WWF WrestleMania 15 Results
"Classy" Freddie Blassie did the voice-over introduction describing
WrestleMania as a "showcase of the immortals".
Boyz To Men sang America The Beautiful.
Al Snow (challenger) Vs Billy Gunn (champion) Vs Bob Holly
(challenger) (WWF Hardcore Title Match)
The fans are on Holly's case.
Hockey sticks, chairs, tables and broom come into play. The bout
doesn't leave the ring or the area surrounding it. ECW chants can be
heard.
Gunn gives Snow a Rocker-Dropper on a steel chair. Holly sneaks up
from behind and decks Gunn with a chair.
Winner: ...and new WWF Hardcore Champion...Hardcore Holly at 7
minutes and 7 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.
D' Lo and Test (challengers) Vs Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett
(champions) (WWF Tag Team Title Match)
D'Lo and Test were the last two men remaining in the Sunday Night Heat
battle royal so they are partnered up. D'Lo and Test argue with each other
throughout the bout. At one point, Test says "You ain't s--t!" to D'Lo.
PMS does a run-in. Ivory and Debra cat fight some. Owen's drop-kick
from the top rope secures the pin for Jarrett.
Winners: ...and still WWF Tag Team Champions...Owen Hart and Jeff
Jarrett at 3 minutes and 57 seconds.
Match Rating: 3 / 10.
Butterbean Vs Billy Gunn (Brawl For It All Match)
Gorilla Monsoon is one of the special guest judges. His appearance has
changed immensely. He is quite thin and pale-looking.
Gunn is introduced as "The Hammer" and gets hammered 38 seconds into
the first round by a wicked Butternbean haymaker.
A crazy chicken mascot makes light of the guest official (some
professional boxer). He decks the chicken twice.
Winner: Butterbean at 38 seconds.
Match Rating: 0 / 10.
Paul Wight Vs Mankind
Winner to officiate the main event.
Foley toughs it out even when Wight drops the full force of his body
weight onto him.
Wight Chokeslams Mankind through two steel chairs. The ref DQ's Wight.
McMahon questions Wight calling him a "nobody". Wight picks up McMahon in a
Chokeslam. The crowd cheers. A change of heart and Wight puts McMahon down.
The crowd boos. McMahon continues the verbal onslaught. Wight punches
McMahon knocking him for a loop.
"Nobody owns me," says Wight as he heads backstage. Mankind is whisked
away to the hospital.
The Corporation Stooges (Brisco and Patterson) escort McMahon to the
back. McMahon says he wants Wight arrested for assault.
Winner: Mankind by DQ at 6 minutes and 52 seconds.
Match Rating: 4 / 10.
Road Dog (champion) Vs Val Venis (challenger) Vs Goldust (challenger)
Vs Ken Shamrock (challenger) (Four Way - Intercontinental Title Match)
At 8:23, Shamrock and Venis brawl up the entrance way. They are both
counted out. Shamrock returns to the ring suplexing Goldust and Road Dog.
Ryan accidentally trips-up Goldust allowing Road Dog to score the pinfall.
The Blue Meanie and Goldust send Ryan packing.
Winner: ... and still WWF Intercontinental Champion...The Road Dog
at 9 minutes and 46 seconds.
Match Rating: 5 / 10.
Wight is shown being stuffed into a car and driven off to a police
station.
Triple H Vs Kane
The chicken mascot attacks Kane from behind. Kane rips the mask off.
It's Pete Rose! Kane Tombstones him like he did last year.
At 8:23, Chyna makes her presence known. She clobbers Kane with a
steel chair and so does Triple H. Hunter Pedigrees Kane on the chair for
the 1-2-3. Chyna and Triple H fall into each others' arms. The crowd goes
absolutely bonkers.
Winner: Triple H at 11 minutes and 35 seconds.
Match Rating: 4 / 10.
McMahon announces that with Mankind and Paul Wight indisposed, he has
appointed himself the guest referee.
Sable (champion) Vs Tori (challenger) (WWF Women's Heavyweight
Title Match)
Tori's "cat suit" rocks.
Full of serious miscues. Showcases Sable's second-rate wrestling
ability.
Nicole Bass slams Tori and tells Sable to cover her. She does after
a Sable Bomb.
Winner: ...and still WWF Women's Heavyweight Champion...Sable at 4
minutes and 51 seconds
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Match Rating: 1 / 10.
Shane McMahon (champion) Vs X-Pac (challenger) (WWF European Title
Match)
X-Pac cuts a promo with the newly-unified DX including Hunter and
Chyna.
The Greenwich Posse is sitting at ringside.
Shane is accompanied by Test. Test interferes often.
X-Pac is thrown into the Greenwich Posse. He punks them all one by
one.
X-Pac and Shane whip each other using Test's belt.
Chyna gets the ref's attention. Triple H Pedigrees X-Pac! Shane pins
X-Pac easily.
The Outlaws and Kane do separate run-ins. Chyna, Triple H, Test and
Shane leave arm in arm.
Road Dog says "That j--k-off (Hunter) is finished".
Kudos to Shane for absorbing some vicious bumps and doing a fine job
wrestling. The training sure paid off. Yeah. Shane's much better than Sable.
Winner: ...and still WWF European Champion...Shane McMahon at 8
minutes and 38 seconds
.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Coporate Team bodyguard - The Big Boss Man - is hung by The Undertaker and his Ministry Of Darkness.
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The Undertaker Vs The Big Boss Man (Hell In A Cell
Match)
The Undertaker has a new samurai-like look.
Taker chokeslams Boss Man into the cage.
Boss Man handcuffs Taker to the cage and beats him with his
nightstick. The handcuffs break and Taker bleeds.
Taker ramrods Boss Man into the cage. Boss Man bleeds. Taker lifts
Boss Man up with one arm (!!) into a Tombstone Piledriver. Gangrel,
Christian and Edge drop down from the ceiling onto the top of the cage.
They lower a noose to Taker. Paul Bearer raises the cage and The Big Boss
Man is hung.
Winner: The Undertaker at 9 minutes and 46 seconds
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Match Rating: 5 / 10.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin (challenger) Vs The Rock (champion) (WWF
World Heavyweight Title Match)
Winner: ...and new WWF World Heavyweight Champion..."Stone Cold"
Steve Austin at 16 minutes and 55 seconds
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Match Rating: 8 / 10.
Total Event Time: 2 hours and 50 minutes.
Overall Event Rating: 5 / 10.
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