Old school WWF at ACC show
By JOHN POWELL -- SLAM! Wrestling
To celebrate St. Patrick's Day (otherwise known as
It's-Okay-To-Get-Drunk-And-Make-A-Fool-Out-Of-Yourself Day) the WWF
uncorked an exceptional house show at the Air Canada Centre last night. How
can you tell that WrestleMania is around the corner, eh? Accented by old
school booking the refreshing show was centered on good wrestling matches
with large amounts of humour thrown in for good measure. It made for an
entertaining card from top to bottom.
On the day where booze is king it was only fitting that "Stone Cold" Steve
Austin, the WWF's resident beer-chugger, and his team of The Undertaker and
Kane triumphed over a gang of heels comprised of Triple H, The Big Show and
WWF Commissioner - William Regal. Even before the match began the recently
appointed Commissioner made his presence felt announcing a blockbuster
stipulation to the main even tag team match.
"I'm here to inform you that I have made a serious decision about tonight's
contest," said Regal over the house mike. "If Triple H defeats "Stone Cold"
Steve Austin he will be in the main event against The Rock at
WrestleMania".
His WrestleMania spot on the line, Austin mocked Triple H from inside the
ring as the heels paced outside refusing to get in.
"Show some respect and back up," ordered Triple H. Austin responded by
giving The Game his trademarked "double finger" salute. Gathering Regal and
The Big Show beside him, Triple H led his team back to the locker room
while flipping Stone Cold off. The official started the obligatory ten
count.
Regal began the match against Austin but it wasn't too long before Triple H
was involved. He clotheslined Stone Cold from behind seconds after Regal
locked up with him. Stone Cold recovered battering Triple H around the
ring. Staggering too close to the opposing corner, The Game was clocked
first by The Undertaker, then by Kane and finally by Austin. Stone Cold
tagged Kane in who gave Triple H a big boot to the head. The Game slapped
palms with The Big Show. Undertaker and Kane double-suplexed the big man
over. Kane's flying clothesline from the top rope netted him a two count on
The Big Show.
With Big Show gaining the upper-hand on Kane, Triple H and Regal had their
way with him until a double tag saw Triple H in the ring with The
Undertaker. The Game tried to split the scene, however, Taker pulled him
back over the ropes and into the ring by his hair. A big foot and Sidewalk
Slam had the ref laying down a one count for The Undertaker.
|
|
Ivory ties up Molly Holly in the ropes. PHOTO: Greg Henkenhaf, Toronto Sun
|
Backed up into enemy territory, Undertaker was triple-teamed in a corner.
From outside the ring Austin and Kane broke up the assault. Once order was
restored, The Big Show put a headlock on Taker which lasted almost as long
as Hulk Hogan's WWF World Title reign in the eighties. The Undertaker
escaped by executing a devastating reverse suplex.
As The Undertaker, Kane, Regal and The Big Show brawled on the floor,
Austin and Triple H battled in the ring. Austin almost saw his position at
WrestleMania slip away when The Game Pedigreed him. Kane was able to pull
Triple H off of Austin before the three count was completed. Triple H
grabbed a steel chair from outside and was preparing to bring it down on a
stunned Austin. Taker pulled the chair out of Triple H's hands and drove
him down with a chokeslam. Joining in on the Let's-Make-A-Save theme, Regal
interrupted Austin's attempted pin. A Stunner minutes later though sealed
the deal putting Triple H away.
In came the beer and the post-match poundings. Kane and The Undertaker
double-chokeslammed The Big Show. Kane missed a beer thrown to him by
Austin and watched it hit the mat and roll out of the ring. Austin
single-handedly gave Triple H and William Regal a double-stunner. The Big
Show stood up quite dazed from the double-chokeslam. The Undertaker handed
him a beer. As he proceeded to drink it, Austin kicked him in his
prominently sagging abdomen and gave him a Stunner. He then poured a beer
on Big Show's head.
No return date to Toronto was announced at the card.
WWF-ACC Road To WrestleMania Results
Crash Holly (champion) versus Dean Malenko (challenger) (WWF
Lightweight Title Match)
Crash had Toronto Raptors basketball player Jerome Williams in his
corner. Wonderful technical match though Holly was taken to school by
Malenko. As Malenko put on the Texas Clover Leaf, Holly escaped, pushed him
off the ropes and rolled him up for the pinfall.
Winner: ...and still WWF Lightweight Champion...Crash Holly at 8
minutes and 59 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Saturn versus Chris Benoit
Another technical wrestling display. Malenko came down to interfere
from outside the ring. A Death Valley Driver only got Saturn a two count on
Malenko. Saturn submitted to the Crippler Crossface. Malenko was put in it
too for sticking his nose in so often.
Winner: Chris Benoit at 11 minutes and 4 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Kurt Angle versus Billy Gunn
Angle split the arena down the middle as far as cheers and boos go.
Angle questions Gunn about calling himself "The One". He says if Gunn is
the best athlete then where are his gold medals to prove it? "You fans
cheer for a man who used to call himself 'Mr. Ass?," shouted Angle. "I
don't normally say this but you people of Toronto can kiss my Olympic
ass."
Another back and forth bout with many counters and reversals. Angle
kicked out of The Fame-Asser then stopped a slam to put Gunn in the Ankle
Lock submission move. Gunn tapped out.
Winner: Kurt Angle at 10 minutes and 42 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Trish Stratus came out and revoked her Canadian citizenship...in her
hometown no less. She commented that she should be the WWF Women's World
Heavyweight Champion. Stratus stayed around for the next bout.
Ivory (champion) versus Molly Holly (challenger) (WWF Women's World
Heavyweight Title Match)
In a brilliant angle, Ivory said that even though America wasn't
getting Right To Censor's message, Canada's government was and that's why
we didn't see Stratus strip on Raw recently. Trish interfered on Ivory's
behalf. Ivory pinned Holly. While Stratus and Ivory stomped a mudhole in
Holly, Lita made the save.
Winner: ...and still WWF Women's World Heavyweight Champion...Ivory
at 3 minutes and 48 seconds.
Match Rating: 5 / 10.
The Right To Censor (Bull Buchanan, The Good Father) (challengers)
versus X-Pac, Justin Credible (challengers) versus The Hardy Boys
(champions) (WWF World Tag Team Title Elimination Match)
Lita is not with The Hardys. Albert kicks Buchanan in the chops so that
X-Pac can boot RTC at 3 minutes and 57 seconds. Credible and Albert are
knocked out of the ring. A Swanton Bomb from Jeff finishes off X-Pac.
Winner: ...and still WWF World Tag Team Champions...The Hardy Boys
at 9 minutes and 30 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Test (champion) versus Val Venis (challenger) (WWF European Title Match)
Richards extols the virtues of RTC. The government knows what's right
for us, this according to Richards. Cut to Ontario Premier Mike Harris
(Progressive Conservative Party) in the live audience pumping his fist and
rooting on RTC. Funny stuff that. The fans boo Harris. "Why are you booing
him?," says Venis. "You voted him into power." The man has a point.
Diesel....I mean Big Sexy....I mean...Nash....I mean...Test wins with a big
foot, of all things. Richards and Venis take the Pump-Handle Slam. Richard
and Venis argue in the middle of the ring but hug and make up.
Winner: ...and still WWF European Champion, Test.
Match Rating: 3 / 10.
Edge, Christian versus The Dudley Boys
Edge says that he and Christian are Canada's greatest exports not beer.
Holding a copy of the Toronto Sun (with them on the front), Edge and
Christian give the hometown fans a special 7-point-2 second pose. A
retreating Edge and Christian have a ten count put on them. They run back
to the ring and slide back out to break the count. The Dudleys set-up a
table though they don't get to use it. Christian takes out D-Von as Edge
bashes Buh-Buh with a steel chair from behind.
Winners: Edge, Christian at 10 minutes and 32 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Chris Jericho (champion) versus Eddie Guerrero (challenger) (WWF
Intercontinental Title Match)
Guerrero remarks that Canada isn't a real country and that he is going
to make Jericho pay for injuring him by taking the belt back to Mexico.
Jericho tells the "Latino Jackass" to ...shut the hell up. Way wicked bout.
Guerrero pulls some old school heel gimmicks out like begging off by
clutching the ref's knees and doing the
foot-on-the-ropes-ref-sees-them-jiggling-afterwards thingy. Nice to see
those maneuvers brought back. Jericho kicks out of Guerrero's Brain Buster.
A frustrated Eddie swings a steel chair at Jericho. Y2J ducks and slaps on
the Walls Of Jericho.
Winner: ...and still WWF Intercontinental Champion...Chris Jericho
at 14 minutes and 38 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Kane versus Triple H, William Regal,
The Big Show
Winners: The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Kane at 16 minutes and 46
seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Overall Event Rating: 7 / 10.
