wrestling / Video Reviews
Hall’s WWE Smackdown Review – 4.29.99 (Pilot Special)
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Smackdown
Date: April 29, 1999
Location: New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, Connecticut
Commentators: Michael Cole, Jim Cornette
So the WWF is on every kind of fire you can imagine and it was even teased that we might have another weekly series added to Monday Night Raw and Sunday Night Heat. This is the official pilot episode and is basically a special, with the regular series starting up about four months later. We’re four days removed from Backlash 1999, where Steve Austin retained the WWF Title over the Rock. Let’s get to it.
We open with a look at Shane McMahon costing the Rock the WWF Title match at Backlash, resulting in the Rock calling McMahon out. The Rock beat him up but got jumped by HHH as Stephanie McMahon was kidnapped by the Undertaker (“WHERE TO STEPHANIE???”). This led to the Black Wedding, with Undertaker trying to marry Stephanie but Steve Austin made the save as the biggest hero in the history of ever. Did I mention 1999 was really freaking weird?
Opening sequence.
This is kind of a weird situation as it’s the 1999 Raw set, which makes it so odd to hear this called Smackdown.
Here are Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon, flanked by security, to get things going. The fans aren’t happy to see Vince and he agrees with the a****** chants, but he hopes he can change. He’s stepped on a bunch of toes over the years and there have been times when he did it at the expense of his family. He has a lot to do to get his company back and yes at times he will be ruthless.
Vince thanks Ken Shamrock and Big Show for trying to save Stephanie but he will also thank Steve Austin. Stephanie thanks the three of them as well before recapping all of the horrible things Undertaker did to her. Cue the Corporation (as led by Shane McMahon) to interrupt, with Shane ranting about the Corporation could have saved Stephanie (they were there and Shane wouldn’t let them do anything).
The reality is Shane only cares about business and certainly not about Stephanie. What happened to Vince? He was the ruthless promoter but now he’s out here thanking people? Shane throws Stephanie out and Vince calls him a petulant little boy. Shane throws him out too, telling him to go home and watch the rest of the show on TV. With them gone, Shane is ready to deal with the Rock and Steve Austin.
They can’t stand each other, so tonight they can team up. Shane asks if there are any takers and picks HHH, leaving Chyna with her hand up. The Undertaker’s music plays and he pops up on screen to say Austin ended a special moment. Tonight, Austin will pay as Undertaker is judge, jury and executioner. Shane officially makes the match, which is happening cause Shane McMahon says so.
Jeff Jarrett and Debra are looking for someone.
The Blue Blazer thinks we need a hero.
Val Venis vs. Jeff Jarrett
Before the match, Venis offers the women a chance to invest in his mutual fund, which is always up more than it’s down. Debra, who has been flirting with Venis, is here with Jarrett, who says he isn’t sure where Owen Hart is so he’ll fight Venis instead. Cue the Blue Blazer (Hart as a superhero) and we’ll have the regular match.
Val Venis vs. Blue Blazer
Blazer (with commentary ranting about how it’s Hart) hits an early missile dropkick but charges into a boot in the corner. Venis fights up and makes the comeback so Debra gets up on the apron for a distraction. The referee yells at Debra and Jarrett’s low blow gives Blazer the pin at 2:17.
Post match here is Nicole Bass, who has been chasing Venis for weeks. Venis runs off and Bass leaves just as fast. With them gone, Godfather comes out in an attempt to claim Debra (who was supposed to work for him after Godfather beat Jarrett) but gets beaten down by Jarrett and Blazer. Keep in mind that all of this, including the match, took place in about six minutes. As usual, everything is going at warp speed and there is so much that it’s hard to keep track of everything.
The Rock is not happy about having to team with Steve Austin.
The Blue Blazer says he’s back because the company needs him. Kevin Kelly calls him Owen but the Blazer says he’s looking for Owen too. There is too much….cleavage here and he won’t even say Val Venis’ last name because it sounds like something else. So take your vitamins and drink your milk!
Big Show vs. Test
The bell rings and here is the Big Boss Man less than five seconds in. Show hits a dropkick and the Showstopper finishes at 47 seconds.
Post match Boss Man gets in the ring but runs from Show. With Show gone, Boss Man goes after Test but Show comes back to chase him off.
Here is the Rock for a chat and yeah the fans are all in on the face turn. Rock isn’t happy with Shane McMahon and HHH and promises to check them into the Smackdown Hotel, with the gift of a boot to the a**. As for tonight, he and Steve Austin can fight together but they’re absolutely not buddies or friends. If Austin gets in his way, Rock will take him out just as fast.
Cue Austin (who looks odd in his ring gear and the hat) to say that Rock will always be some punk kid spitting out nursery rhymes. Austin will knock those horns off the Brahma Bull’s head and put him on a barbecue grill. Cue Shane McMahon, who says his plan is getting bigger as they speak. This brings out the Undertaker to stand next to Shane, followed by the Corporation and the Ministry Of Darkness. Shane officially unveils the Corporate Ministry, which very well may be the dumbest concept in company history.
X-Pac and Kane have been having issues as of late but they’re ready to defend the Tag Team Titles against the New Age Outlaws.
Droz vs. D’Lo Brown
Prince Albert and Ivory are here too. Droz takes him down to start fast but stops to mock Brown’s pose. That earns him a powerbomb out of the corner as commentary ignores the match to talk about the Corporate Ministry. Droz gets in a clothesline but charges into the Sky High. The Low Down is loaded up but Albert breaks it up, with the referee being distracted with Ivory. Droz is sent into Albert so Brown dives onto both of them. Back in and Brown goes up again so Albert gives him a sitout gorilla press slam (that looked great) for the DQ at 3:20.
Rating: C+. Brown is someone who doesn’t get the praise that he deserves, as he was one of the smoothest stars in the ring at this point. That’s all the more impressive given that he was only a few years into his career. Droz might not have been destined to be a top star, but he was certainly worth a look and it’s a terrible shame how everything was taken away from him.
Post match Albert and Droz go to pierce Brown’s tongue but Mark Henry returns for the save.
Road Dogg says he and X-Pac are friends but Billy Gunn says there are no friends when the Tag Team Titles are involved.
Tag Team Titles: X-Pac/Kane vs. New Age Outlaws
The Outlaws are challenging. Dogg hiptosses X-Pac down to start and punches him in the face to block a kick. They trade crotch chops and it’s off to Gunn, with Kane grabbing X-Pac by the hair to tag himself in. Gunn gets knocked down in a hurry and a big leg gives Kane two. It’s back to X-Pac, who is whipped hard into the corner for the Stinger Splash.
X-Pac fights back and brings Kane back in, so Dogg tries the shaky punches, because it’s wise to dance when you’re fighting Kane. A double dropkick actually drops Kane but he sits up and grabs Dogg…and X-Pac. That’s broken up and a Fameasser puts Kane down so Gunn tries a gorilla press to X-Pac. Kane sends Dogg into Gunn’s leg though and X-Pac lands on to retain the titles at 7:02.
Rating: C+. The more I see of X-Pac and Kane, the more they grow on me. They really did work well together and had a chemistry that made for some good stuff. The problem tended to come when X-Pac was trying to face monsters on his own and it became a bit too much to take. This worked well, and Gunn isn’t likely to be happy with how it wrapped up.
Post break the Outlaws argue, with Gunn blaming Dogg for the loss.
Dok Hendrix brings out the Brood for a chat. Gangrel says the undertaker forbid them from talking. They craved someone to show them the way and that was the Undertaker but they had different feelings than him. Now they’re ready to find their own way and the freaks come out at night. Hendrix doesn’t buy this and says it’s all a gimmick. Gangrel calls him Michael and the lights go out. Back up and the Blood Bath left Hendrix covered in that red liquid which is totally not blood even though it’s called a BLOOD Bath.
Billy Gunn is looking for X-Pac.
Ken Shamrock is ready for a street fight with Bradshaw. He promises to break Bradshaw’s legs, arms and spirit. Then he’ll beat Bradshaw up some more.
Bradshaw vs. Ken Shamrock
Street fight and Bradshaw comes out carrying a baseball bat. Shamrock jumps him from behind to start fast but Bradshaw gets in some rather hard shots to take over. Back up and Shamrock goes after the leg before rolling into a kneebar. They fall out to the floor, where Bradshaw is sent into the timekeeper’s area but avoids a baseball bat shot. Bradshaw gets the bat to hit Shamrock in the back, only for Shamrock to go after the leg again. Shamrock hits him with the bat and then uses it to choke Bradshaw out for the win at 4:05.
Rating: C. This was about what it should have been as Bradshaw was indeed a brawler but if you give Shamrock a chance to pick him apart, Shamrock will be just fine. The choke at the end fit the match better than the ankle lock would have too so points for a more logical finish. This was a nice showcase for Shamrock, who could fit in rather well in the right spots.
Post match referees can’t break up the hold so Sgt. Slaughter comes out for the save, earning himself a beating of his own.
Mankind, in the boiler room, thinks they should just call off his match with the Big Boss Man. But then he’d be out of a job! He stays in the boiler room because he likes it, he wears a weird leather mask because it sells dolls, he wears a shirt and tie because it looks good and he shoves a sock in people’s mouth because the fans seem to like it. Billy Gunn can be heard yelling for X-Pac and Mankind calls him a whiner.
Shane McMahon brags about the Corporate Ministry. Shane: “Yeah, created by me.”
Big Boss Man vs. Mankind
Mankind jumps him to start and loads up Socko, with Cornette saying that’s a bit of a complicated subject to explain. Boss Man tries to run off but gets sent back inside by Test, with Mankind getting two off a rollup. A quick shot staggers Mankind and Boss Man goes outside again. Big Show comes down to throw him back inside though and the Mandible Claw finishes at 1:34. A match really shouldn’t average a run-in every 47 seconds.
Billy Gunn has jumped X-Pac in the back but Kane makes the save.
Steve Austin/The Rock vs. HHH/Undertaker
Chyna, Paul Bearer, Shane McMahon and the Mean Street Posse are here too, with commentary being surprised that Shane is here for whatever reason. Austin is late coming in so he has to save Rock from a double team. We officially start with Austin knocking Undertaker down for two but having to punch HHH out of the corner. It’s too early for the Stunner though and HHH catches him with the jumping knee.
A superplex is blocked though and Rock comes in, only to get DDTed by Undertaker. The uppercut that isn’t anywhere close to connecting puts Rock down but he’s right back with a running DDT for two of his own. They clothesline each other down before Rock tries a Rock Bottom. HHH makes the save so here is Austin to go after him, drawing in the Corporate Ministry for the DQ at 5:04.
Rating: C+. That’s a 1999 main event tag match all right, as the stars got to interact just enough before the big messy result. It’s also probably the right way to go as it puts the Corporate Ministry over as a big group of monsters who can do some damage to the two top guys. That’s better than trying to make this version of HHH look like he could hang with Austin, because that just wasn’t happening yet.
Post match Ken Shamrock, Big Show and Test run in to help clear out the villains. The four who were in the match brawl in the ring, with Shane throwing in a chair. Cue Vince McMahon to punch Shane and then save Austin from a big chair shot. Undertaker gives Vince an absolutely sickening chair shot to the head to knock Vince cold.
Austin is up with the Stunner so Shane beats on Vince. That earns him a Stunner as well and beer is consumed to end the show. The big deal of this show is Shane McMahon and the Undertaker joining forces to build the Corporate Ministry. Commentary keeps asking who could possibly stop them. The show ends with Austin Stunning Shane and Undertaker and celebrating. Dang Vince Russo is a genius.
Results
Blue Blazer b. Val Venis – Low blow
Big Show b. Test – Showstopper
D’Lo Brown b. Droz via DQ when Prince Albert interfered
X-Pac/Kane b. New Age Outlaws – Splash to Gunn
Ken Shamrock b. Bradshaw – Choke with a baseball bat
Mankind b. Big Boss Man – Mandible Claw
Steve Austin/The Rock b. HHH/Undertaker via DQ when the Corporate Ministry interfered
