411 Video Review: Wrestlemania X-8

Wrestlemania X-8

Live from Toronto. Your hosts are JR and King.

Saliva plays ‘Superstar’ to kick us off as all the various superstars are shown in the background.

The superstars in the big matches reflect on what Wrestlemania means to them.

William Regal v. Rob Van Dam for the WWF Intercontinental Title

RVD hammers away and gets a spinkick. He gets a sort of Rolling Thunder as Regal gets the knucks. RVD kicks them away and gets a top-rope roundhouse kick. ***** misses and Regal knees him in the head for two. Cover-two. Another cover-two. RVD with a crossbody for two. Backslide-two. Regal takes him down and gets a suplex for two. RVD gets a backdrop suplex but walks into a SICK neckbreaker for two. RVD gets a superkick but Rolling Thunder hits knees. Powerbomb gets two for Regal. Regal goes for the Regal Stretch but gets small packaged for two. Regal nails RVD and does the Regal wave. RVD gets a standing dropkick and a monkeyflip. Regal gets a SICK full nelson suplex dropping RVD right on his head. These guys are working pretty stiff here. Regal goes for the knucks but gets kicked and RVD hits the ***** for the win and the I-C title. ***

Lillian is with Christian who explains why he turned on DDP.

Diamond Dallas Page v. Christian for the WWF European Title

Christian attacks him and stomps away and holds up at the European title. DDP hammers away and gets a gutwrench as they all some spots. DDP clotheslines him to the outside and they brawl. DDP punches him in the corner but Christian gets a ballshot and drops him on the ropes. Christian suplexes him on the ropes and runs into him- bumping him off the apron. Back in- Christian stomps away and chokes him. Christian hammers away and mocks DDP and gets punched as a result. DDP goes to crotch him into the post but Christian pulls him into the post. Back in- Christian gets an abdominal stretch. DDP elbows out but walks into a reverse DDT for two. Blind charge by DDP hits elbow but Christian goes up top and gets slammed off. DDP gets a clothesline and a powerbomb gets two. DDP blocks the Unprettier, Christian blocks the Diamond Cutter. DDP goes for the Diamond Cutter again but Christian gets a reverse DDT for two. Christian decides not to throw a tantrum and walks into a small package. DDP gets the Diamond Cutter for the win. ** Post-match DDP causes Christian to throw a tantrum.

Coach is with Rock who cuts an AMAZING promo on Hogan. Rock then makes Coach say his prayers.

Coach: Whaddup G? Coach here just wanted to give you a good shout-out.

Rock then boots him and continues with an awesome promo on Hogan.

Maven v. Goldust for the WWF Hardcore Title

This is when Goldust was in limbo as they had nothing for him to do. Goldust attacks him to start and sends him upside down into the railing. Goldust jumps off the apron to the railing. A cookie sheet gets used and a gold garbage can is brought in. Spinebuster and Goldust slingshots him into the can. Maven dropkicks the garbage can in his face for two. Maven with a small package for two. Neckbreaker by Goldust-two. Goldust with a gourdbuster and he gets a golden shovel which meets Maven’s neck. Goldust hammers away and sends Maven into the trashcan. Both guys hit each other with lids and Spike Dudley runs in to win the Hardcore title. Ѕ* Crash Holly chases after him.

Drowning Pool plays Tear Away set to HHH v. Jericho feud.

Crash Holly is beating on Spike. Al Snow drives a golf cart into some boxes. Crash continues beating on Spike but gets rammed into a door. Hurricane flies in and wins the Hardcore title.

Kurt Angle v. Kane

Kurt Angle mocks the Canadian figure skaters until Kane cuts him off.

Angle attacks Kane with the ring bell and hammers away. Kane fights back but Angle gets a German. Angle stomps away but Kane hammers away and gets an elbow. Kane works him over but Angle goes to the ropes to block a chokeslam. Kane continues kicking ass until Angle gets a belly to belly overhead. Angle clotheslines him down and chokes away. Kane hammers away but Angle goes low and gets a backdrop suplex for two. Angle with a front facelock but Kane powers out. Angle hammers away but walks into a sidewalk slam. Angle blocks a suplex and gets the Rolling Germans for two. Angle with a flying clothesline. Angle goes up again but meets a clothesline. They slug it out with Kane winning but Angle goes low. Kane with a big boot and a backdrop. Kane gets a running clothesline and a powerslam for two. Blind charge by Kane hits elbow but the chokeslam gets two. Angle blocks a powerslam by going for the mask and gets an Angle Slam for two. He locks in the anklelock but Kane rolls out. Angle locks it in but Kane makes the ropes. Kane with an enziguri. Kane goes up top but Angle gets the pop-up suplex. Kane blocks the Angle Slam but gets rolled up by Angle for the win. Well they managed to fuck up the ending but it was still a solid match. **1/4

Hurricane is behind a see through mirror as a bunch of women talk about their breasts. They do the old “broom looks like an erection” gag and Godfather chases him away.

Undertaker v. Ric Flair in a streetfight

Flair hammers away and they brawl on the outside. Flair dives on Taker and they go over the announce table as Jerome Williams cheers Flair on. They slug it out but Taker gets an elbow. Back in- Flair hammers away and Taker falls outside. Flair comes off the apron but Taker catches him and rams him into the post. They go back in and Flair hammers away. Taker catches him and sends him flying into the corner and hammers away. Fucked up Flair flip by Flair and Taker continues hammering away. Flair does the Flair Flip correctly this time and gets booted by Taker. Taker hammers away and Flair gigs. Taker continues hammering away and Flair does a Flair Flop. Flair comes back with the chops but Taker hits a running clothesline. Taker hammers away and gets another running clothesline. Taker hits a BIG superplex as Flair is screaming. It gets two as Taker pulls him up. Taker lays out Flair on the apron and drops an elbow. Taker hits a running legdrop for two as Taker pulls him up again. Taker hammers away but misses an elbow as King asks JR what a Booger Red is. Flair brings the chops but Taker goes back to punching. Taker goes Old School but Flair throws him off. Flair with more chops but he gets sidewalked slammed for two. Taker misses a running knee and Flair goes back to the chops. Flair bops him with a lead pipe. WOOOOOOOOO! Taker bleeds and Flair continues hitting him with the lead pipe. Taker fights back and sends him into the railing. Flair hits him with a sign. WOOOOO and NOW WE GO TO SCHOOL! Flair hammers away. Taker goes for a chokeslam but Flair boots him in the balls and locks in the figure four. Taker does the zombie situp while IN the figure four and breaks it. Chokeslam gets two. Taker hammers away for two. Taker beats up Charles Robinson and gets the lead pipe. Flair kicks him in the leg and goes back to the chops. He whips Taker who walks into a SPINEBUSTER BY ARN ANDERSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went insane watching that live. It gets only two however. Taker beats up AA who also gigs. Taker with a boot and dragon sleeper to Anderson. Flair sneaks up and hits some chairshots but Taker gets a big boot. Flair fights out of the Last Ride so Taker tombstones him to go 10-0 at Mania. A great old school style match with tons of blood and did its job in getting Taker to be a big heel. Plus the spinebuster from Arn was awesome. ***3/4

Michael Cole is with Booker T (wearing glasses). Booker T apparently won an award for his Theory on Relatives. Cole corrects him so Booker points out that he had TWO theories.

Booker T v. Edge

They lock up and slug it out with Edge winning. Booker T takes him down but walks into a dropkick. Faceplant gets two. Sign: They are fighting over shampoo. Edge hammers away but Booker T gets a stungun. Spinkick gets two. Booker clotheslines him out and nails him from the apron. Back in- Booker T gets a top-rope missile dropkick for two. Booker works him over and stomps a mudhole. Edge hammers away and chops him. Booker with a spinebuster for two. Booker goes up top and gets crotched. Edge fucks up a top-rope hurricarana. Edge with a reverse heel kick and he clotheslines him. Booker T misses the scissor kick and the Edge-o-matic gets two. Top-rope spinkick gets two. Booker T gets his Jack Briscoe rollup but Edge reverses into a slingshot. Booker blocks the spear and hits a superkick. The first ever Wrestlemania Spinaroonie is then done and Booker hits a scissor kick for two. Edge gets a takedown and the spear gets two. Edge with a bad looking Edge-a-roonie. Booker blocks the Edgecution once but not twice and Edge gets the win. A little too short and the botched rana hurt it but this was a pretty good match.**3/4

Stone Cold Steve Austin v. Scott Hall (w/Kevin Nash)

Austin hammers away and stomps away. Austin with some chops but Hall goes to the eyes. Lou Thesz Press and FU elbow and Austin rams him into the turnbuckle a bunch of times. Hall bails. Austin attacks Nash and rams Hall into the steps. Hall gets a kick and a clothesline for two. Hall stomps away as Nash loosens the turnbuckle. Hall hammers away but Austin comes back with punches. Austin meets the exposed turnbuckle and Hall chokes away. Nash gets some shots in as the crowd yells ‘Diesel’ at him. Hall works him over and gets some clotheslines. Hall with the Razor slam for two as the crowd chants ‘Razor’. Short-arm clothesline gets two. Hall chokes him and Nash gets a shot in. Hall stomps away as Nash gets another shot in. Austin gets a spinebuster but Hall comes back with punches. KICK WHAM STUNNER out of nowhere but Nash pulls out the referee. Nash beats up Austin as Hall gets a chair. Austin kicks Hall and ballshots Nash. KICK WHAM STUNNER to Hall, KICK WHAM STUNNER to Nash. There’s no ref though. Jack Doan runs in but Nash elbows him. Austin clotheslines Nash out of the ring. Hall boots him and goes for the Razor’s Edge but like everytime he does it when he’s next to the ropes he gets backdropped out. The refs eject Nash in a spot that makes no sense but whatever. Austin and Hall brawl on the outside. Back in- Hall sends Austin into the exposed turnbuckle and gets a stunner of his own. It gets a delayed two count. Austin blocks a stunner and sends Hall into the exposed turnbuckle. KICK WHAM STUNNER dazes Hall but another KICK WHAM STUNNER wins it. Hall’s selling of the Stunner is hilarious. I know I maybe overrating it but this was an entertaining match that didn’t expose Hall too much and Hall’s selling was absolutely hilarious. **1/2 Austin enjoys some Molson’s.

A lot of people had fun at Fan Axxxxess. Dames was not one of them.

Billy and Chuck v. The Dudley Boyz (w/Stacy Kiebler) v. The Hardy Boyz v. The APA in a fatal four way for the WWF title

The APA attack Billy and Chuck start. Bradshaw and Chuck go. Bradshaw goes for the Razor Slam but Billy runs in and gives him a neckbreaker. Big boot to Chuck and Bradshaw Razor Slams Billy. Faarooq is tagged in but eats a clothesline on a blind charge. Chuck stomps away. Billy comes in and works on Faarooq. Faarooq gets a powerslam for two. Tag Bradshaw. You know- having the APA start the match was probably not the smartest booking. D-Von gets tagged in as the APA beat on the Dudleyz. Faarooq spinebusters Bubba and then spinebusters Billy on the outside. Back in- Bradshaw KILLS Billy with the clothesline from hell but walks into a 3-D.

The Hardyz come in and beat on the Dudleyz. Jeff gets a near fall on D-Von. Chuck comes in and walks into a double DDT as the Dudleyz set up some wood. The Hardyz meet them on the outside with a plancha by Jeff and a baseball slide by Matt. Jeff with a Whysper in the Wind on Bubba and he takes off his shirt looking really pale and skinny and just sick looking. Stacy shows her ass but gets spanked by Jeff. Doomsday Device to Jeff, Bubbabomb to Billy and Bubba chokes out Jeff with his shirt. This match is just falling apart as Bubba beats on Jeff. Jeff comes back as D-Von makes the blind tag and comes in with a clothesline for two. JR and King are just bored out of their mind and are talking so softly you can barely hear them. Jeff gets hung in a Tree of Woe and Bubba stomps on his nuts- Matt saves. They continue beating on Matt as JR does the same ‘Where is Dudleyville’ joke that he did last year. Jeff gets a reverse DDT- hot tag Matt who cleans house. Bubba gets a backdrop suplex but misses the senton. Matt gets the yodeling legdrop but the Dudleyz come back. Bubba calls for a Wassup Drop but D-Von gets pushed through a table in a cool looking spot. Twist of Fate, Swanton- cya Dudleyz.

Chuck comes in with a kick but the Hardyz clean house. Poetry in Motion to Billy and Chuck. Twist of Fate/Swanton to Chuck but Billy hits the Fameasser. Matt clotheslines Billy out and Chuck covers him for two. Billy comes in with a belt shot and they retain.

This match completely fell apart midway through and never recovered. Billy and Chuck got the torch passed onto them and sadly were not able to run with it. ѕ*

Hall and Nash talk about how Austin got lucky. Hogan tells them he wants to do the match by himself.

Molly is looking for a place to hide but walks into an opening door. Christian covers her for the Hardcore title.

Hollywood Hulk Hogan v. The Rock

The crowd is chanting for Hogan as JR calls it a “mixed” reaction. They stare each other down and both look at the crowd. The camera zooms out and shows the whole crowd standing. They talk some trash and the match begins. Lockup- Hogan shoves Rock across the ring and flexes. The crowd LOVES it. Hogan tells him to bring it and Rock nods. Lockup- Hogan gets a headlock but Hogan gets a shoulderblock and does more flexing. He tells him to bring it right here. The crowd is now almost all behind. Hogan hammers away and gets a clothesline but Rock gets a lariat. He tells Hogan to bring it as the crowd boos him. Hogan shoves him so Rock shoves back. Rock blocks a punch and lays the smackdown. Hogan bails. Rock attacks him from behind and brings him back in. Rock hammers away and gets a boot. Hard clothesline but Hogan blocks a Rock Bottom with an elbow. Hogan punches him and elbows away. Foot to the face and Hogan hits a running clothesline and hammers away. Rock spears him down and hammers away. Backdrop suplex by Hogan gets two. Hogan hooks an abdominal stretch and rolls him up for two. Hogan starts raking his back and hammers away. Hogan chops and punches him as the crowd chants his name. Hogan does some punches in the corner bites him. Rock chops away and the crowd boos him. JR is still convinced it’s a mixed reaction. Chokeslam by Hogan and he chokes him. Hogan chokes Rock with tape and they slug it out with Rock winning. Hogan dumps Rock out of the ring. Hogan rams Rock into the steps and drops him on the railing. Hogan preps the table but Rock hammers away and rams him into the table. Rock gets a chair but Chioda takes it away from him. Rock walks into a clothesline as the crowd chants ‘Boring’. Back in- Rock goes flying into the ref. Hogan hammers away but Rock hits a spinebuster. Rock hooks the Sharpshotoer which does not endear the crowd. They chant ‘We Want Bret’. Rock goes to wake up the ref as the crowd chants ‘Rocky sucks’. Hogan ballshots him and hits a Rock Bottom for two. Hogan whips him with the weightlifters belt. Rock hits the layin’ the smackdown DDT and takes the weightlifters belt. Rock whips him with the belt. Rock Bottom to Hogan….gets two. Hogan starts Hulking up. Hogan points the finger at Rock . Three punches, big boot and the legdrop and the crowd is losing it. He hooks the leg. 1…2..ROCK KICKS OUT! Hogan hammers away and gets another big boot but he misses the legdrop. Rock Bottom #2 to Hogan but Rock decides to give him one more. Rock kip-ups and hits the People Elbow. 1…2…3..!!!!!! ROCK BEATS HOGAN! ROCK BEATS HOGAN! **1/2

Rock and Hogan face off again and Hogan looks like a humbled beaten man. Hogan offers his hand to Rock and they shake hands as Mike Chioda starts to cry. Hogan tells him to go and pose since he beat him that night. Rock leaves him and Hogan is left standing in the ring. The Outsiders come out and question Hogan as to what went on. Hall throws his toothpick at Hogan and Nash attacks him. Rock sprints back to make the save and they clean house on Hall and Nash. Hogan goes to leave but Rock stops him and makes him come back to the ring. Hogan poses for the crowd and the crowd is loving it. The Rock and Hogan shake hands and Rock parts the ropes for him. They walk to the back as Rock asks Hogan if he’s alright. They walk to the back side by side and before they go the back Hogan raises his hand and leaves. Rock stands there and looks down- and he starts to realise what just happened.

Fink lets us know 68,237 have attended Wrestlemania.

Jazz v. Lita v. Trish Stratus for the WWF Womens Title.

Poor ladies. The crowd is completely spent and they toss these girls out there to die. Trish comes out with the red and white and she gets nothing. Lita and Jazz attack each other. Trish runs in and both girls beat on Jazz. Jazz fights them both off. Boston Crab to Trish and she locks in a double arm chickenwing to Lita. Legdrop-two. Double arm suplex to Lita and she spinkicks Trish out. Lita with a monkeyflip and she hammers away. Lita gets a flying headscissors and Lita gets a suplex for two. Jazz drops her on the ropes as Lita looks stoned out of her skull. Trish puts Jazz on her shoulders as Jazz shrugs her off. Trish rolls Jazz up for two. Lita hits a crossbody on Trish but Trish rolls through for two. Kick and a bulldog to Lita get two as Jazz saves. Jazz splashes Lita for two. Fisherman suplex gets two. Jazz kicks Lita and Trish gets a slop drop on Jazz- Lita saves. Trish and Lita stare each other down and attack Jazz before fighting each other. Lita fucks up a backdrop on Trish. She then fucks up a slam. She goes for the Twist of Fate on Trish but decides to hit Jazz instead. Lita sorta takes off her shirt but then stops for no reason and goes for a moonsault but it hits the knees as Trish and Lita go at it. Trish chops her and both ladies collide. Trish with a backslide for two. Jazz clotheslines Trish but Lita dumps her. Lita sends Trish flying into the post (after they fuck up a suplex) Lita goes up top but gets crotched by Trish. Jazz nails Trish and hits a top-rope fisherman suplex on Lita for the win.
Lita was just awful here and completely killed any chance this match had of not sucking. 1/2*

Christian celebrates his Wrestlemania victory. Maven sneaks up and schoolboys him for the pin and the title.

Chris Jericho (w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) v. Triple H for the Undisputed WWF Title

Drowning Pool plays Triple H down.

Jericho dives at HHH but misses. Lockup- HHH pushes him back and they fight in the corner. HHH hammers away. HHH takes him down and gets a backdrop. Two short-arm clotheslines but Jericho kicks him in the midsection. Jericho chops away but walks into a high knee. Jericho dumps him out but HHH throws Jericho from the top into the front row. HHH suplexes him on the outside and preps the Spanish table. Jericho kicks him in the leg and back in gets a chopblock. Jericho kicks him in the leg three times but HHH gets a spear and hammers away. HHH elbows his leg and kicks him down. Jericho rakes the eyes but HHH continues to work on the leg. HHH locks in a figure four but Stephanie rakes his eyes forcing him to break. HHH goes after her. Jericho tries to save but he spears Stephanie. Triple H brings her into the ring and tries a Pedigree but Jericho comes off the top with a missile dropkick. Jericho rams his leg into the post twice and Stephanie gets her shots in. Jericho tosses HHH back in and hammers away. Jericho elbows the knee and wrenches it back while sitting on it. Jericho rams the leg into the mat twice and them rams it into the post. Stephanie slaps him and Jericho busts out the ringpost figure four!! HHH hammers away but Jericho gets a drop toehold and a leg grapevine. Jericho with a spinning toe hold as the crowd chants for Hogan. HHH sends Jericho flying into the ringpost. HHH with a neckbreaker but Jericho goes back to the leg. HHH catches him wit a clothesline for two. Triple H with a facebuster and they fuck up some sequence where HHH was supposed to stun gun him or spinebuster him. They repeat the spot and HHH gets a spinebuster for two. HHH hammers away as the crowd chants ‘Y2J What?’ Flair flip by HHH and Jericho preps the American announce table. Jericho goes for the Walls on the table just like the tag match on RAW where HHH tore his quad. HHH kicks him in to escape and goes for a Pedigree on the table. Jericho reverses and backdrops into the Spanish table. HOLY SHIT! Lionsault gets two. Cover-two. Triple H blocks the Walls by kicking him off. Triple H blocks a bulldog by sending him into the post but Jericho blocks a Pedigree by punching him in the leg. Jericho locks in the Walls. Arm drops twice- but not thrice. HHH makes the ropes. Jericho gets a chair but gets it kicked right in his face. HHH DDTs him on the chair for two. Stephanie walks in with a chair but Hebner unarms her. Stephanie argues with him and when she turns she bumps right into Triple H. HHH grabs by the hair and finally gets his elusive Pedigree and NOW the crowd wakes up. Jericho whacks him in the head with a chair for two. Jericho kicks him and goes for a Pedigree of his own but Triple H blocks it. Slingshot into the ropes but Jericho holds onto the middle rope. Jericho jumps off but jumps right into a kick and HHH is able to get the Pedigree on Jericho for the win and the Undisputed Title. Despite the apathetic crowd the match was quite good with some good bumping and psychology. I just wish the feud had been a bit better. ***1/2

JR acts like the one thing we will remember is HHH.

The Bottom Line- It tried to be like X-7 but ultimately failed. The show itself is pretty good and a lot better then people give it credit for. Hogan v. Rock is the only thing that will ever be remembered from this show but the whole card is worth a look despite some awful matches. Check this show out- it’s not a bad way to spend 4 hrs.

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