The most iconic and revered American wrestling show maybe of ALL TIME, certainly the most of any by Vince McMahon’s company. A lot of people have it as their GOAT wrestling show, others see it as the beginning of the end of the peak of the business, the end of the Attitude Era perhaps… so join me now as I take an in-depth look and review WrestleMania 17 on today, what is TWENTY YEARS to the day since the show took place at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. It was an incredible time in wrestling, maybe the most amazing there’s ever been… the Monday prior to this show as the famous simulcast with WWF’s Monday Night Raw and WCW’s Monday Nitro, as Vince McMahon publicly celebrated his purchase of World Championship Wrestling. As a final parting shot of victory of the Monday Night Wars, the final things to be shown on the last ever WCW Nitro was a promo for the upcoming WrestleMania show of the WWF… So in the same week WWF purchased World Championship Wrestling, simulcast Raw and Nitro and had their biggest PPV of the year, that turned into one of the biggest shows of all time… so going into WrestleMania X-Seven it’s safe to say that World Wrestling Federation was on a roll! And what a show it was; featuring a card stacked full of Attitude Era main stays and future Hall of Famers such as Chris Jericho, Kane, Kurt Angle, Chyna’s attempt to win the WWF Women’s title for the first time, Shane McMahon vs Vince McMahon in a family battle for the ages, THE ladder match that has become one of the most beloved matches in history, The Undertaker vs Triple H for the first time at a WrestleMania… and in the main event… no less than the two biggest stars in the business EVER (don’t @ me Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, John Cena etc.) going at it for the richest prize in the game. This is about as historic a show as you can get. So here is my review of WrestleMania X-Seven!
We had a classic, awesome WrestleMania history opening video. This one featured various types of people watching classic WrestleMania moments in different parts of the world and in different settings, such as via an old portable TV, a barn and through a shop window.
I must comment that the Astrodome venue for the show looked absolutely ENORMOUS!
Our commentary team were Jim Ross and Paul Heyman (one of my personal favourite commentary teams), and the Late, Great Howard Finkel was of course the ring announcer. We were shown shots of fans watching the show from the WWF New York bar as commentary introduced the show.
Chris Jericho (C) defeated William Regal to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Jericho was super over when he came out. Regal, who was also WWF Commissioner in storyline at the time, didn’t really get an entrance as they played the hype video for the match as he was making his way to the ring. Jericho was on offense first, leading to Regal rolling out the ring and then Jericho dived onto him over the ropes. Jericho was well on top as he got a spinning reverse elbow off the top for a nearfall. After various counters Chris Jericho tried for the Walls Of Jericho (Regal’s chest was very red already) but couldn’t pull it off. And just as commentary mentioned Jericho having an injured shoulder, right on queue Regal launched Jericho shoulder first into the ringpost. Regal got back into it and got heat targeting the shoulder, Jericho got a fightback with a reverse elbow, and the Lionsault was attempted but Regal countered and got a roll up nearfall. William Regal hit a big suplex and got another 2 count. He then removed one of the turnbuckle pads, and he sent Jericho into it twice, Regal then hit some kicks, Chris Jericho came back with kicks, and eventually Jericho got a 2 count of his own after a missile dropkick. Jericho dived at Regal in the corner, but Regal moved… After some punches there was attempts of a superplex but Regal countered with both on the top in the corner and Regal hit an impressive double underhook suplex off the top. This gave Regal another nearfall. Jericho again tried for the Walls, Regal reversed that though into the Regal Stretch! Eventually Jericho did get to the bottom rope to break the hold, We then got a load of huge chops by Jericho, but eventually a kick by Regal to Jericho’s injured shoulder… but then seemingly out of the blue Jericho hit a bulldog, a suplex and then the Lionsault, and this got him the 1,2,3. Jericho retains in a very solid, perfectly fine opener.
***
A car pulled up in the back area of the arena. The License plate read “WCW 1″… and out the car stepped…
The APA and Jacqueline were backstage in the classic APA set up (fake door, round table, cards and drinks all over). Bradshaw was stressed and put over the magnitude of WrestleMania and the Texan talked about the history of the Astrodome and various Texas sports stars. Jacqueline told him to relax and Faarooq told him to have a beer.
The APA (Faarooq and Bradshaw) & Tazz with Jacqueline defeated Right To Censor (The Goodfather, Bull Buchanan and Val Venus with Stevie Richards)
RTC may well have the worst theme song in wrestling history. Maybe the worst gimmick as well… Richards got about 5/6 words into a promo after RTV came out before he was interrupted by Tazz’s entrance, to which JR said “thank god”. Texas’ own APA got a decent pop coming out. We got a pre match brawl between everyone, ending with Faarooq and Bull Buchanan in the ring, Faarooq got a quick nearfall on Buchanan after a powerslam (before that Bull came off the top with a flying forearm). Tazz got tagged in, but got hit with a big boot by Buchanan, Val Venus got tagged in and unleashed some hard offence, and got a nearfall after a side-russian-leg sweep. Goodfather came in next, he hit a series of moves including a big slam and a leg drop, followed by a shoulder takedown and a big backdrop for a 2 count. Goodfather hit the Train (which as a heel was very silly to see him still do), he did though miss a Vader Bomb which allowed Bradshaw to be tagged in. He really went in hard on the offensive, and took down all the RTC. One impressive spot was him catching Val Venus off the ropes and hit a fallaway slam to Venus. Bradshaw combined with Faarooq to takedown Venus, Buchanan took out Faarooq, Bradhsaw went at Venus, Bradhsaw hit a back suplex off the top, but then got double teamed by Goodfather and Buchanan, Faarooq knocked Buchanan out the ring, and with Goodfather and Bradshaw the ones left in the ring, he again went for the Train… but he missed it and got caught with the big Clothesline from Hell by Bradshaw and that got the win. The crowd was happy at least, and to be fair nothing I saw here was bad, but it did seem a little pointless. Maybe just an excuse to get the Texan babyfaces on the show, and to again bury RTC?
*1/2
Next we had Trish Stratus wheeling Linda McMahon in her wheelchair backstage… when they ran into Stephanie McMahon…
Kane defeated Raven (C) & Big Show in a triple threat Hardcore match to win the Hardcore championship
Raven came to the ring with a trolley load of weapons. Kane came out 2nd to a big pop (he looked HUGE in this era). The tow of them started fighting and the bell rung before Big Show even came out. Kane Gorilla Pressed Raven onto Big Show on the outside, and then Kane came off the top onto both guys, and got a nearfall. Kane chased Raven into the crowd, Big Show hit a big boot to take both guys down, and all 3 went though the crowd… Big Show and Kane exchanged punches (god knows where Raven was at this time), but he soon came back with a street sign and hit Kane over the back, (now in the backstage area) Kane smashed Raven into a wall, Big Show slammed Kane onto some wood pallets and then went after Raven. Big Show locked some chair wall doors to keep Kane away, and all 3 guys eventually fought on… Raven used a hosepipe to choke Kane but he was overpowered and Kane then choked Raven. Then we had a really nasty looking spot when Kane picked up and launched Raven right through a glass window (to which the crowd audibly gasped). Big Show powered Kane through a door, and teased a Chokeslam but Kane grabbed Show’s throat and they went back and forth jostling for power… and then both guys crashed through a nearby wall! Raven reappeared and threw a table onto Big Show and then kicks away at him. Raven (who had blood on him from the window spot) then drove a golf cart, with Big Show hanging on the back of it, into another chainlinked wall, Kane then got another cart and nearly ran Raven right over. All 3 guys then brawled back towards into the arena area, Kane hit plenty of strikes to Big Show but he was fought off. Show then went at Raven and had him picked up, only for Kane to kick him causing both Show and Raven to fall into the area below form where the top of the entrance ramp was. Kane then added to that by diving off and hitting a leg drop onto Big Show, and Kane then got the pin to win the match. Naturally, being a Hardcore match, this was more an extended brawl than a match, and if it was in 2021 it maybe would’ve been 20 minutes long or so. But it was fine enough, definitely wasn’t bad by any means.
**3/4
Kurt Angle was backstage watching a monitor, and he kept replaying footage of him tapping out from the previous Raw. Edge and Christian entered trying to cheer him up, but Angle was serious and was adamant as it wasn’t an official match he never actually tapped out.
We had shots from WWF New York, with Jimmy Snuka appearing there. Boy… given who was in the Angle segment before this and now Snuka right after, in 2021 that’s… yikes…
Jonathan Coachman interviewed a fan in the audience from Brisbane, Australia.
WWF Champion The Rock was shown arriving in the locker room. He got a very loud reaction from the crowd, but it was hard to tell if more were on his side or against him… bare that in mind as this show goes on…
Eddie Guerrero (with Perry Saturn, wearing a quite absurd hat) defeated Test (C) to win the European Championship
We saw footage from Raw of Eddie as a guest ref helping X-Pac beat Test on Raw. He then beat him down after. Test came into this one in amazing physical shape. They didn’t half try and make Test a star did they? I’m sure in 2001 if you told people that between these two they’d go on to win ONE world championship, and it wouldn’t be Test who did it, you’d be called mad. They began striking each other, Test hit some slams for a 2 count, they had a striking exchange on the outside, Eddie took advantage and hit some punches in the corner, but soon after Test took over and got a nearfall. Eventually we had Eddie trying a hurricanrana off the ropes in the corner but Test held on and then hit a reverse flying elbow for a 2 count of his own. Guerrero then ducked a running charge from Test, but this led Test to get caught in the ropes by his foot, and Eddie and the referee had to really try and get him out before they eventually freed him (I don’t think this was planned at all). Eddie targeted Test’s leg on the outside, and continued in the ring after, they had a striking exchange with Eddie then getting in a sleeper hold by jumping on Test’s back, with Eddie then hitting some punches before Test hit a big tilt-a-world slam, Eddie hit more punches but Test got a tilt-a-world powerbomb, which got Test a 2 count nearfall. Eventually Test had a full nelson but Eddie hit a subtle low blow. Eddie later distracted the referee, which allowed Perry Saturn to slam Test, which Eddie got a 2 count after. Guerrero hit a big suplex after, and eventually after knocking Saturn off the apron Test got a nearfall after a pumphandle. Test hit a big boot to Saturn, and then one to Eddie, Dean Malenko (the other Radical) ran out to break up a pin attempt, Test punched Malenko and then with the ref looking at Dean it was his friend Eddie Guerrero who grabbed the European title belt and hit Test with it… and this got him the 1,2,3 and the pinfall. Eddie Guerrero the new European Champion. The Radicals celebrated after. This was fine.
***
Michael Cole interviewed Mick Foley ahead of him being guest referee for the Vince vs Shane match later. Foley said he would be impartial later (despite everything Vince McMahon has ever done to him)… and he got his ‘cheap pop’ from the Texas crowd at the end.
Stone Cold Steve Austin was seen entering the locker room. He got a GIANT pop from the adoring crowd.
(Next was the Kurt Angle match. Given the opponent I wont be reviewing the match fully. Aside from saying it was **** and Angle won).
Commissioner Regal was backstage, and was approached by Michael Cole for an interview. Eventually an angry Regal (still smarting form his loss earlier) walked into his office to find…
My goodness…
After a mention of the upcoming gimmick battle royal, we were shown footage of the WrestleMania pep rally at the Fort Hood military base.
Kevin Kelly interviewed Kurt Angle about his win earlier. He was then attacked.
Now then… those of you who read my review of the Royal Rumble ppv from this same year will know that I HATED this next storyline… and we had a video before the match recapping this god awful storyline… oh the joys…
Chyna defeated Ivory (C) to win the WWF Women’s Championship (in 2 minutes 39 seconds… Fuck off…)
Chyna was really over. But poor Ivory… imagine having to job like this for the championship at WrestleMania… Ivory hit Chyna with the belt as the ref’s back was turned (he had ran out the way to dodge the attack), and the bell was rung with Ivory stomping away on Chyna who was on the floor (seems fair, but of course it was maybe wise in hindsight to at least try and give Ivory a head start), Ivory dropped elbows and strikes as the crowd chanted for Chyna and booed Ivory (so least they had some heat…). Ivory hit some shots in the corner, Chyna though caught Ivory’s leg and then launched her, Chyna then hit some hard strikes in the corner, clotheslines and then a backdrop. This was the rest of it…
FYI Jim Ross did indeed call Ivory a “yapping female dog”… christ… Chyna won the women’s title for the first time… At least the crowd seemed happy because I (even as a big Chyna fan) was not too happy after having to witness this massacre.
*
(and that’s only because I like Chyna a lot)
It seemed to me that unlike a more modern day WrestleMania, this one was structured more like a New Japan show in that the matches went chronologically in order of perceived importance. Which I kind of like, but can see why on a WrestleMania that is as long as say 34 and 35 in particular really leaves the later matches in a tough spot.
Anyway… on with the show… Vince McMahon was backstage with Stephanie and Trish… and his wife Linda in her wheelchair in her vegetated state… fuck me some of this shit… Vince asked if Linda’s dosages had been doubled up and that he wanted her brought to ringside when he had battered Shane essentially. Michael Cole came in and asked Vince about Shane shockingly buying WCW, but Vince replied saying he would get shocking…
To their credit the pre-match video was good in that it told the story of everything here very well. The stuff with Trish though was absolutely deplorable. As was the line from Vince to Shane “I will never forgive your mother for giving birth to you”.
Shane McMahon defeated Vince McMahon in a Street Fight (Special Guest Referee: Mick Foley)
Shane made his way out to the ring and shouted out his ‘new friends’ from WCW who were sat in the sky box (mid carders at best), then out came Mick Foley. Vince slapped Shane just before the bell then went in on him with strikes. Vince choked Shane corner and continued the assault, Shane though got a comeback with some shots then a clothesline, a spear and then he dropped a few elbows onto his father. Stephanie then came into the ring to try and make Shane stop, she slapped him and then ran away, before Shane took down his Dad with a baseball slide and then went after him. Shane hit Vince with some form of sign, then choked him with a wiring. Shane sent Vince into the steel steps then jumped off the barricade for a flying clothesline. Shane threw Vince into the barricade as Stephanie desperately called for her Dad to get up. Shane hit Vince over and over with a Kendo Stick, then hit him with some punches that were as terrible looking as always… but the crowd loved it. Shane cleared the Spanish announce table, and hit Vince with one of the monitors. He then put Vince on the table, goes to the top rope, and despite Stephanie’s pleas Shane comes flying off the turnbuckle with an elbow drop… but Vince moves last minute and Shane crashes through the table! Crowd goes nuts for this. Stephanie actually pulled her Dad out the way last minute. As both men were down Trish Stratus, who Vince had been having a very public … erm … affair maybe(?) with wheeled Linda down to the ring area…
Vince looked disgusted at seeing his ‘sedated’ Wife Linda sat in her wheelchair at ringside… Foley stepped in to stop Vince doing anything to her, Vince though got a chair and hit Foley with it. Vince then went to Linda and got her into the ring itself. He then went back to kick Shane before sitting Linda on a steep chair he had sat up for her in the corner. He wanted Linda to get a front row seat, as he had suggested he would in the build-up to the match. Vince threw a trashcan into the ring, four of them into the ring in fact, and then he hit Shane with one. He trashtalked to Linda before attacking Shane some more, Vince then went to hit Shane with a third trashcan, but then with his back turned to Linda, one of the most iconic and maybe surprising moments (in the sense nobody would think this would get the pop it did)…
Linda STOOD UP and Vince turned into a low blow from his wife! Linda then exits… Foley goes in on Vince with strikes as the crowd loses it!!! Foley hits a running knee to Vince who is downed in the corner, Shane then places the trashcan on Vince, who is downed in the corner of the ring and leaning against the bottom corner turnbuckle pad… Shane then goes to the other corner and goes to the top rope, then comes flying off it in signature fashion and hits Vince with a flying dropkick to send the trashcan into Vince.
Shane then gets the pinfall and the win. Linda looked on from ringside and applauded and then embraced her son. The WCW guys are seen clapping from their seats as well. Foley leads Linda away and Shane takes one last look at his Dad down in the ring. Overall this was super-heated and the crowd and commentary made it come across as a huge deal, and as a match it was fun but of course not technically brilliant, But then again it was never going to be and it went about 14 minutes which is perfectly fine. All the big moments got over big and I had a lot of fun watching it.
***
We had footage of The Hardy Boyz at Fan Axess that was shown on Sunday Night Heat. Kevin Kelly spoke to them and got their thoughts on the upcoming TLC match.
Both Triple H and then The Undertaker (who got a big pop from the hometown crowd) were shown backstage preparing for their clash later in the show.
Now Ladies and Gentlemen… strap yourselves in for one of THE classic matches in professional wrestling…
Edge & Christian defeated The Hardy Boyz (Matt & Jeff) and The Dudley Boys (D-Von & Bubba Ray) (C) in a TLC match to win the WWF Tag Team Championship
I don’t quite know how to do this match justice in words. So why don’t you just see it for yourself… (if this link doesn’t work PLEASE go out of your way to find this match)…
Just an absolute ALL TIME CLASSIC.
*****
We saw footage of WrestleMania Fan Axess. The attendance was then announced as 67,925.
Oh boy… here we go…
The Gimmick Battle Royal (Iron Sheik won, but nobody won out of this really did they???)
Mean Gene Okerlund came out to do commentary. As did Bobby Heenan. The Brain had a funny line where he said by the time Iron Sheik got to the ring it would be WrestleMania 38. For the record the participants were: The Iron Sheik, The Bushwhackers (Luke and Butch), Duke ‘The Dumpster’ Droese, Doink the Clown, Nikolai Volkoff, Tugboat, The Goon, Earthquake, The Gobbledy Gooker, Brother Love, Michael Hayes, One Man Gang, Kamala (accompanied by Harvey Wippleman and Kim Chee), Jim Cornette, Repo Man and Sgt. Slaughter. As for the match itself… You can’t possibly expect me to seriously review this right? Iron Sheik won I’m going to say because he couldn’t possibly get over the top rope. And Slaughter got him in the clutch after for the babyface ending… I get the logic of a ‘get me up’ after something like the TLC, but this WAS NOT it.
DUD
The Undertaker vs Triple H had its pre-match hype video. Motorhead then performed Triple H’s theme song.
The Undertaker defeated Triple H
They immediately started brawling on the outside, trading strikes until Triple H hit a high knee. Taker though immediately got up and hit hard punches in the corner, followed soon by a big boot and a back drop (some great Triple H selling by the way). Taker hit a slam but missed a back elbow after, he the hit his classic flying clothesline followed by an attempt at Old School, but Triple H pulled him down and then hit a neckbreaker for a nearfall. HHH was fully on top when he hit a spinning neckbreaker for a series of nearfalls. After venting his fury at the ref HHH got hit with a series of Taker strikes, but Triple H came back with a facebuster. He then went and got the sledgehammer, only for the ref to take it from him, he then went for a Pedigree but Undertaker countered it, and Taker then slingshotted HHH into the ref in the corner to take him out. Taker got a Chokeslam but only got a 2 count from the pin, Taker (bizarrely) kicked out at the ref taking him out again, and then he threw Triple H into the corner who in turn took the Ric Flair bump over the corner to the outside. From here things went a bit mad as they brawled into the crowd for what felt like forever, and the ref stayed down from the previous bump the WHOLE time… the crowd brawl led to a big spot where Undertaker chokeslams Triple H off some scaffolding. Which at first looked a great spot, it was the replies that fucked it… after the chokeslam Undertaker just jumped off with a dive into Triple H below. And when they were showing the replays the final one of the Taker dive made it pretty obvious there was a crashpad there… which kind of killed the spot for me. Eventually they went to the ring again, Taker eyed up the sledgehammer until HHH hit a low blow, Taker later hit a big boot as HHH had the sledgehammer in hand, they exchanged strikes until Taker hit a big Tombstone… but the ref was still down… HHH then hit Taker with the sledgehammer as Taker had him up for a Last Ride… but to a big crowd pop Undertaker kicked out at 2! With Taker busted open Triple H had him in the corner, and stood on the middle rope as he laid in strikes on him… and eventually Undertaker picked him up and hit a huge Last Ride for the 1, 2, 3! This got a big pop to end what was a decent match to be fair. Tough spot being semi main and in between a stinker and maybe the biggest match of the era… but they did a good job so credit to them.
***1/2
The Rock was seen walking backstage. This was followed by a shot of Austin starring into a mirror looking intensely focused. Both got big crowd reactions, with Stone Cold’s being by far louder.
Jim Ross followed up saying “and the time is upon us”.
And then… we had THE pre match hype video. Now, if you’re a wrestling fan and you haven’t seen this… well you’re about to witness the single most famous and GREATEST pre-match hype video that’s EVER been made. Next we had the famous ‘My Way’ video…
Howard Finkel revealed that the match is now a No DQ, to which JR is shocked at… but of course, it will go on to make sense WHY this stipulation was put in place…
Once you’ve watched the My Way video, focus on the line from Austin… “I need to beat you Rock, I need more than anything you could ever imagine”.
Austin entered to a HUGE pop. His Disturbed theme is my fave of his (controversial I know). Rock’s pop was big too. This crowd was really on fire for this one.
Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated The Rock (C) to win the WWF Championship
They began with strikes right away, Austin hit a Lou Thesz press, Rock got a neckbreaker, there were attempts at a Rock Bottom and a Stunner before Rock was sent to the outside. Stone Cold went on the attack after him, but Rock got on top of things by smashing Austin’s head into the announce table, although Austin reversed a clothesline after. Back in the ring Austin hit a series of stomps and got a nearfall, then a superplex for another near pin. Stone Cold then undid the turnbuckle pad before Rock came back with strikes (this got a huge crowd reaction) and was on top now getting a nearfall of his own. Rock sent Austin to the outside and then ran him to the announce table and timekeepers area. Austin came back by attacking Rock with the ringbell, and Rock was now bleeding as Austin was now on offence. Back in the ring Stone Cold hit some hard strikes, he then choked The Rock but Rock soon got back on the attack which got boos from the crowd, but they cheered again once Austin got his comeback and a nearfall (despite it being clear Austin was working as the heel in the match). Stone Cold hit a series of rights, stomps and then a knee in the corner before Rock fought back with a huge clothesline (which again got some cheers but mainly boos from the crowd). Rock downed Austin and then Unleashed punches before sending Austin into the exposed turnbuckle. Rock then got the bell from ringside, and smashed Austin with it to bust him open as well. He got a 2 count just after. They fought again to the outside where Austin eventually dropped Rock on the crowd barrier, and then a slingshot into the ring post to really make Rock bleed some more… Austin hit more punches to Rock, and then smashed him with a monitor, and back in the ring he got a nearfall as a result. Austin flipped the double bird but couldn’t get the stunner, only for The Rock to then get the Sharpshooter.
In a pretty iconic shot both guys were bleeding and screaming out as Rock kept the hold on a desperate Austin, but eventually he turned it round and Stone Cold got The Rock in the sharpshooter himself!
Rock eventually got to the ropes, and after Austin flipped the ringer to the ref he put his classic Million Dollar Dream submission on The Rock, but with him fading Rock came back and flipped to a nearfall. Austin hit some strikes but then it was Rock who hit the stunner… but only got a 2 count…
And then… it all began to change… the whole match, and maybe pro wrestling forever was about to change…
Mr McMahon came walking towards the ring… and with Vince looking on The Rock hit strikes to Austin before getting hit with a spinebuster for a Stone Cold nearfall. Rock then hit his own Spinebuster followed by the People’s Elbow… but Vince McMahon broke the pin… (I’ve got to say just how amazing Jim Ross and also Paul Heyman on commentary were during this match. They helped the story and made the match seen ever more epic). Rock looked astonished and looked over to McMahon, he then chased after him but eventually ran into a Rock Bottom by Steve Austin… but kicked out the pin at 2! Austin and Vince were shocked, Rock then sent Austin into the ref after he kicked away from a stunner attempt… Austin hit a low blow, and then he called for Vince to get him a chair which he did, Austin then instructed Vince to attack The Rock… and as Austin held Rock up for Vince to hit … Vince swung the chair right at Rock…
Vince then got the ref back… 1…2… Rock kicked out!!! Stone Cold was fuming, and he got the chair again and taunted The Rock… but then BOOM… ROCK BOTTOM… but Vince had distracted the referee… so The Rock went after Vince and hit some punches to him, and then… STUNNER to The Rock… but he kicks out at 2 again! Austin was so angry again, and after starring across at Vince he took the steel chair from him, and smashed The Rock with it, but Rock kicks out again.
With Vince in the ring cheering Austin on, Stone Cold unleashed a proper assault on The Rock with the chair, and even with JR on commentary pleading with Steve to stop and being completely disgusted by what he had seen, Austin continued with a series of chair attacks to The Rock, and finally he then pinned him for the win. The crowd absolutely exploded with excitement. It appears Texas didn’t give a fuck how it happened, they came to see Austin win the title by any means, and indeed he did (remember how he said he HAD to win…).
****1/2
Austin celebrated after with a beer, and of course the famous handshake with Vince after as the two mortal enemies shared a beer together to celebrate the new WWF Champion. For good measure Austin hit Rock with the title belt after as well. We had a final shot of Rock appearing battered and bloodied in the ring after Austin and Vince had left, before a highlights package of the show ended the pay per view.
Some of the quotes from JR’s commentary after the finish of the main event:
“Stone Cold is shaking hands with Satan himself”
“I thought I knew Austin, I thought I knew the Texas Rattlesnake… I thought I knew that man, I thought I knew Steve Austin, I was there in the hospital when he came out of surgery, I thought I knew him”
“Stone Cold Steve Austin has sold his soul to Satan himself to win the WWF title”
Incredible stuff from the greatest wrestling commentator of ALL TIME.
This was an incredible end to an amazing show. I know many have this as the best show ever in their book, and why maybe I wouldn’t say it was THE best show I’ve seen I could see why people would say so. Even with a lack of quality in some matches, most of those were down to lack of time they had, and we did have an unbelievable TLC match and THE most shocking heel turn of all time at the end of a brilliant WrestleMania main event between the industries two biggest stars. If you want to get hyped for WrestleMania this year in 2021 you could do a lot worse than watching back X-Seven. This was a very very good show.
Josh.
NobodyisReady.com 