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The Main Program
We get the OLD SCHOOL Raw opening and Michael Cole hosts the damn thing. Of course, we couldn’t have any discussion of Raw from 1997-1999 without mentioning Stone Cold Steve Austin.
The first segment is of Vince McMahon demanding Austin defend his IC title against The Rock from 12/08/97. Austin comes out and does some verbal assault. They show clips from WMXIV with Austin winning the title and his interview with Vince McMahon the next night where a BRAND NEW WWF Title was debuted. Vince offers to join forces with Austin to make him the greatest champion ever and Austin responds with the usual.
The next biggest star of the new era was the Rock. They start off with the Rock joining the NOD and the great segment when he gave everyone in the NOD a gold Rolex and Faarooq a portrait of himself. This led to the Rock/Faarooq feud that didn’t set the world on fire but really made the WWF believe in the Rock and started his first real push as the leader of the NOD. At the PPV they blew this feud off at, Faarooq kicked out of the People’s Elbow.
Now to the Undertaker and Kane feud when it was, well, fresh. This was the first time Kane was introduced at the Badd Blood PPV where Kane led to Taker being beat by HBK. The early feud didn’t produce any ***** matches, but for a time, it was really interesting to watch. It was back when Kane turned heel and face every other week so it got hard to follow and of course now it’s impossible to remember when who was a face and who was a heel and when they teamed together or hated each other. They go over the whole feud up until their Wrestlemania XIV match.
Next, DX. This is the new DX and starts with X-Pac coming onto the team after WM XIV. They show the DX invades WCW. This would be called the turning point in the Monday night wars years later in a bit of revisionist history.
Mick Foley is the next character profiled as they run down the Mankind, Dude Love and Cactus Jack characters. They shows the first Cactus appearance against HHH at the MSG Raw show on 09/97. They show Funk joining Foley and DX killing them in a cage match. The New Age Outlaws hit a spike piledriver on Cactus then Road Dogg does the worm then covers him for the tag titles. DX gangs up on them afterwards. Foley cuts an awesome promo weeks later and Cactus Jack is gone.
More DX goodness as we get the awesome DX skit where they impersonate the Nation of Domination. They then go to one of the “new” WWF superstars, Val Venis. They go over the horrible feud he had with Kaientai which had the famous catchphrase of, “I choppy-choppy your pee-pee.” They show them chopping it but don’t follow up with what happened afterwards (Val went soft and it shriveled back up thus not getting cut off at all).
Well, onto the Vince McMahon/Austin feud. Austin has Vinnie Mac arrested, back when this was actually a FRESH thing to do! Austin then has the stooges arrested too. Vince is back later than night and he is PISSED. Vince commands he fight against the Undertaker TONIGHT, and Vince is the special guest referee. Vince gets chokeslammed for his efforts and Kane comes out to brawl with his brother. To make things worse, out comes Austin. Stunners for everyone and Austin ties up McMahon in the ropes. He grabs a chair and gets ready to attack when Dude Love runs in only to get chaired himself.
This leads to Kane and Undertaker pinning Austin so Austin loses the title. McMahon has a ceremony the next night to name a new champion so Austin comes out in a ZAMBONI and attacks McMahon. Austin is arrested but he still goes after McMahon. Later that night, McMahon screws Undertaker and Kane out of the title so they break his ankle. This would be right after Unforgiven 98 if memory serves. This would put Vince in a wheelchair for quite a while, and in the hospital, where Mr. Socko was born. While in the hospital, Austin would pose as a doctor and pound the crap out of McMahon with hospital items like a bedpan, and threaten him with an enema.
The following week, Austin would dump concrete into McMahon’s corvette, destroying it. Things came to a head on Judgment Day when Austin counted Undertaker and Kane out leading the title vacant. McMahon fired Austin but Austin showed up the next night. More on that later, as they show Undertaker introducing his Ministry of Darkness. Clips of very young Edge and Christian as well as Faarooq and your new WWE champion, Bradshaw.
More on Austin and McMahon to end the main program portion of the disc. Austin has a brand new contract with the WWF. To make matters worse, his own son hired Stone Cold back into the WWF.
Main Program Review
Well, anyone watching Raw back in 98 and liked it will love this disc. It basically goes over the most important parts of 98 and the bulk of it is the McMahon/Austin feud, and it rightly should be. They also have highlights of early Rock in the NOD (which I personally love), all of Mick’s great stuff, as well as the beginning of the Ministry and Kane/Taker feud. There’s some bad things on here like the horrible Val Venis choppy choppy stuff and the DX stuff was just there. If this were just the DVD, I’d recommend it. Arguably the greatest age of the WWF and the beginning of WWF Attitude.
DVD Features
A) Extras
1) The Intercontinental Title Takes a Dip
This is from Raw 12/15/97 (it actually tells us when it’s from YES!). Last week, Vince McMahon forced Austin to wrestle the Rock for the IC title but Stone Cold refused and forfeited the title then stunned Rock and stole the IC belt saying he had big plans for the belt next week. Rock is in the ring and demands the belt RIGHT now. Austin is elsewhere though, namely on a bridge where he tosses the IC title into the river in Detroit.
2) Shawn Calls out the Undertaker
This is from 01/05/98. Last week, DX spray-painted a coffin with DX stuff on it. So he calls out the Undertaker and two druids wheel out a coffin. Shawn thinks it’s HHH and Chyna but they roll out and say it’s not their doing. Undertaker pops out of the coffin and drags Shawn in.
3) Austin Takes a Stand
From 03/09/98. This is the week after Mike Tyson joined DX. Austin is prepared to sit down in the ring for the entire two hours until McMahon comes out. Brisco and another stooge come out but Austin sends them back to get McMahon. Slaughter comes out but he too is sent back to get McMahon. They go to break and a bunch of white shirt security guards come out to get Austin and they too get sent back. McMahon finally comes out. Austin challenges McMahon not hit him and tries to goad him into hitting him. McMahon just leaves as the segment ends 12 minutes later.
4) Kane vs. The Gorilla
From 03/17/98. The Phoenix Suns Gorilla has been entertaining the crowd all night and gets in the ring when Kane’s music goes off. Kane chokeslams the Gorilla then tombstones him. Well, that was certainly shorts
5) Dude Love’s Return
From 04/13/98. Vince McMahon had scheduled for him to wrestle Steve Austin where Austin would have one hand tied behind his back. This is also Vince’s first match and JR complains about having senior citizens for champions, making fun of WCW. Vince won it later that year and Hogan won it in 2002 when he was over 50 so I guess JR didn’t complain enough. Shane comes out trying to talk his dad out of fighting but to no avail. McMahon makes Austin ties his stunner hand behind his back and the match is ready to go when Dude Love comes out. McMahon shoves him down and tries to put the Mandible Claw on McMahon and Austin comes over only to get the claw put on him. Dude beats him up to end the segment.
6) A Hideous Reunion
From 04/20/98. This was held at Nassau Coliseum and takes place before Unforgiven where Kane and Taker would fight in an inferno match. Earlier in the show, Kane and Paul Bearer dug up the coffins of Undertaker’s mother and father. Undertaker comes running out as Kane pours gasoline on the caskets. Undertaker says he’ll die if he does it, and 6 years later he follows up on it. Kane burned a casket so Undertaker charges and Kane tosses him into the other casket.
7) The Love Shack
From 05/04/98. He doesn’t really say much of anything, just saying he won’t be Dude Love ever again and calls McMahon out. Vince comes out and chides Mick for not getting the title from Austin. He goes on to say that his match with Funk is not a punishment but and opportunity. If he pulls out Funk’s heart he’ll have made the sacrifice to be the number one contender. Austin comes out and destroys the Love Shack set.
8) Stone Cold’s Mystery Partner
From 05/11/98. So Austin had to wrestle The Rock and another member of the NOD with a mystery partner. Vince McMahon is revealed as Austin’s tag team partner. For some reason, he’s wearing a referee outfit. Austin and Rock start off and Austin goes for the Stunner and Rock bails. D’Lo runs in and he gets tossed. Austin goes outside and gives a double noggin knocker to the stooges. Austin catches Rock and clotheslines him on the steel ramp and drops his throat on the guardrail. He suplexes him into the ring but Rock comes back and tags in D’Lo. D’Lo misses a clothesline and Austin hits the Thesz Press and pounds away. D’Lo reverses an Irish whip and sends him over the top. Patterson and Rock cheap shot Austin on the ground. Rock rolls him back in and D’Lo works over Austin in the corner. Rock is tagged in but Austin hits the Thesz Press on him. He drags him to the outside and tries to send him to the steps but Rock reverses and it’s Austin who tastes the steel steps. Rock rolls him back in and covers for two. Rock body slams him and hits the People Elbow but doesn’t take off the elbow pad and thus it only gets a two. Rocky grabs a side headlock but Austin fights back and grabs a sleeper. McMahon distracts the ref allowing a NOD double team. D’Lo comes in (w/o tagging) and body slams Austin. He follows with an elbow drop for two. He hits an elbow. Rock is tagged in and works over Austin. He goes for the Rock Bottom but Austin powers out. They hit each other with a clothesline and both men are out. D’Lo attacks Austin and Rock is back up. He body slams him and tags in D’Lo. D’Lo misses the Lo Down (frog splash) and Austin goes to his corner to tag, but instead flips him off. Austin cleans house on the NOD and stomps a mud hole on the Rock and dumps D’Lo onto Rock. Stunner for D’Lo and Austin pins but sees Rock coming and moves so Rock drops an elbow on D’Lo. McMahon comes in and clotheslines Austin and the stooges attack. Austin takes them out so Dude Love runs in and attack Austin and I guess that’s it since the disc cuts off the rest of the segment.
9) The Stooges at Work
From Raw 05/18/98. Brisco and Patterson come out and Brisco has a body shop shirt on. JR mentions that Patterson works there doing rear-end work in a hilarious comment. Sgt. Slaughter is the guest referee. There is a Stone Cold fan in the front row wearing a Steve Austin mask. JR even mentions David Wells perfect which happened the day before I believe. Slaughter clotheslines Austin from behind and the stooges go to work on Austin. Austin of course comes back and works on the stooges as JR tells us this isn’t a sanctioned match. A stunner for everyone, Brisco, Patterson, Slaughter, and Dude Love comes out. He gets clotheslined over the top and works him over when the Stone Cold comes out and takes out Dude. He picks up a chair and hits Austin with it. He takes off the mask and its McMahon. Dude Love continues the assault on Austin. This would lead to McMahon’s arrest next week on Raw.
10) Where’s the Undertaker?
From Raw 06/14/98. This would be Kane and Mankind calling out Steve Austin and the Undertaker. They challenge them to a Hell in a Cell match and Austin comes out. Austin waits for the Undertaker to show up before going in. Undertaker doesn’t show up and Kane and Mankind attack Austin outside the cage. Bearer locks himself into the Cell as Kane back drops Austin on the steel ramp. Bearer is gloating in the ring when the Undertaker rips through the ring and attacks Bearer. Kane and Mankind try to get back into the cage but it’s lock. Kane tries to find away in and Undertaker continues killing Bearer. Bearer gets sent into the cage, drawing blood. He grinds his face into the cell as Kane is on top of the cage trying to get in. Austin continues working Mankind over outside the cage. Mankind is killed and Austin climbs to the top and attacks Kane. Great segment.
11) The Rock(c) vs. X-Pac for the IC Title
From 07/20/98. They say this has a 60-minute time limit. Imagine Rock and X-Pac going an hour? Rock has the whole NOD with him. DX runs out and a huge brawl ensues with DX and the NOD. Shawn Michaels (on commentary) calls it a pier-12. DX and the NOD were sent to the back after the brawl so X-Pac brings out Chyna with him. This would be post-man and pre-Playboy Chyna by the way. X-Pac grabs a side headlock so Rock sends him to the ropes and shoulderblocks him down. They go to the ropes and X-Pac leapfrogs and hiptosses him. Rock charges but X-Pac dodges and attacks Rock in the corner. He sends him to the opposite corner and charges but gets crotched on the second rope. Rock follows with a clothesline and pins for two. Rock works him over near the second rope but misses a clothesline and X-Pac responds with chops. Rock reverses an Irish whip and catches X-Pac and hotshots him over the top rope. Rock covers for two then dumps X-Pac. Rock hotshots him over the steel barricade and throws him back and covers for two. Rock applies a rear chinlock so X-Pac shoulders out only to get in a Samoan drop for two. Rocky hits a swinging neckbreaker for two. Rock goes to the rear chinlock again and X-Pac again powers out. X-Pac goes off the ropes and gets clotheslined down. Rock bodyslams then hits the People’s Elbow. He covers but this is 1998 and this wasn’t a finisher yet so X-Pac kicks out. Rock sends X-Pac to the ropes but X-Pac ducks a clothesline and hits the X-Factor for two. Rock cowers to the corner and X-Pac gives Rock the Bronco Buster. He tries to send Rock to the ropes but its reversed. Rock charges only to hit an X-Pac elbow. X-Pac charges and gets caught in a powerslam for two. Rock argues with the referee then charges X-Pac only to get tossed to the outside. Rock makes his way back in and Chyna wallops Rock with the IC title while the ref is attending to X-Pac. X-Pac crawls over and covers Rock for two. The fans were feeling that near-finish. Rock recovers first and works X-pac over in the corner. Rock sends X-Pac to the corner but X-Pac reverses and Rock holds on to go for a short arm clothesline but X-Pac ducks and the ref is bumped. D’Lo runs in to hit the Lo Down on X-Pac but HHH crotches him and hits the pedigree on Rock. The ref revives and begins to count when another ref runs out to tell him what happened. The whole match is thrown out at: 9:45 and Rock is still the champion. DX and the NOD brawl afterwards which HHH gets the best of. When’s the last time a non-main event match on Raw got almost 10 minutes? This was pretty good until the bad finish too. **. Afterwards, HHH gets a girl to show off her stuff if you know what I mean, though it was censored.
12) Mankind vs. The Undertaker
From 09/14/98. Mankind comes out with a SLEDGEHAMMER! SOMEONE CALL HHH! Mick stole his gimmick three years before it was his gimmick! Undertaker is out with a sledgehammer too! Mankind tries using the sledgehammer to start but Tim White grabs it. Undertaker runs in and gets caught in the Mandible Claw. They go outside and brawl. Mankind takes over for a while. Then Undertaker is winning for a while. He drops the steel steps on Mick’s claw hand and they continue brawling. Undertaker props up a chair against the ring post and sends Mankind through it. He takes the table and jams it into his head. They make it back into the ring and Undertaker punches away. They brawl back outside and Mankind takes a sick bump where the back of his head hits the steel garbage dump. Taker takes a swing with the sledgehammer but misses. Kane attacks Mankind and tosses him (called a chokeslam by JR) onto the timekeeper’s table. Mankind retreats to the ring with a chair and nails Taker with it. Undertaker ends up chokeslamming Mankind and sets up a chair and tombstones Mankind on it. Undertaker goes for the sledgehammer blow but the Rock comes in and chop blocks him and tosses Mankind over the steel guardrail and leaves. Rock N Sock foreshadowing? Match was awful by the way. ¼*.
13) European Title on the line
From 09/28/04. This would be Mankind/Ken Shamrock & The Rock vs. Undertaker & Kane. Shamrock knocks Mankind out of the ropes before Rock comes out. Rock and Mankind double-team Shamrock and then Undertaker and Kane come out. They dispose of Mankind and Shamrock as they double-team the Rock in the ring. Undertaker and Kane start and Taker do the ropewalk. Kane gets tagged in and he works over Rock in his corner. He chokes him and sends him to the corner. He charges but hits a Rock elbow. Rock clotheslines him down and tags in Mankind. Mankind punches him in the corner but Kane overpowers him and tags in the Undertaker. Mankind tags in Shamrock and he starts attacking Shamrock. Rock taps him on the shoulder and clotheslines him down. He leaves and Taker covers for two. Undertaker kicks him down for two. He tags in Kane who clotheslines Shamrock for two. He sends Shamrock to the ropes and tries for another clothesline but Shamrock ducks under it and dropkicks him and follows with a frankensteiner. He tags in Foley. Kane gets dumped and Foley follows with a senton off the apron! He attacks Kane on the outside so Undertaker follows and attacks Mankind. He throws him back in the ring and crotches him with the ring post. Kane is now in firm control and bodyslams Mankind. He goes to the top and hits a flying clothesline for two. Undertaker is tagged back in. Mankind tries to come back only to get clotheslined down for two. Mankind ends up outside and Kane sends him into the chairs and Undertaker chokes him with a cable wire. Kane gets a chair and nails Mankind with it. Undertaker sends him back in and covers but Mankind’s foot makes the rope. Kane is tagged back in and kicks away. Kane sends him to the ropes and drops his head so Mankind hits a neckbreaker. Kane sits up and tags in Undertaker. Undertaker tags Kane right back in after a few punches and sends him to the ropes. Mankind ducks a clothesline and hits a double-arm DDT that leads to a double KO. Kane sits up and tags in Undertaker while Mankind tags in the Rock. Rock DDT’s Undertaker and bodyslams him. He hits the People’s elbow and covers but Kane breaks up the count. Shamrock runs in and works over Kane while Undertaker works on Rock. Cactus elbow sends Shamrock and Kane out and Rock works over Undertaker in the corner. Mankind is tagged back in and sends him to Shamrock’s knee. Shamrock is tagged in but gets hit with a big boot. Undertaker runs over him so Shamrock grabs his leg in the ankle lock in a neat spot. Kane comes in to break it up. Shamrock tags in the Rock. Rock goes off the ropes and blows what looks like a floatover DDT or Rock Bottom so they do it again and the Rock hits Undertaker with the Rock Bottom for the clean pin and the win at about 15:00. Match started slow but picked up near the end and Mankind’s bumps and good tag team action make it a winner. **1/2. Also, I have no idea what it had to do with the European title though.
14) Mr. Socko’s Debut
From 10/12/98 and comes to us from the Nassau Coliseum and is famous for the tournament for the vacant IC title. This would be the first ever appearance of Mr. Socko in a match. Mark Henry would be the lucky recipient of that honor. This is when Henry was chasing after Chyna but before he had got it on with a transvestite and impregnated Mae Young who would give birth to a hand. Henry works Mankind over when Chyna comes out. Chyna is only about 80% done with her plastic surgery at this point. Mark Henry controls things early and really doesn’t do anything of note. He misses a splash from the second rope and Mankind takes advantage of that, for about three seconds. Henry misses a clothesline and Mankind hits the double-arm DDT. He takes off his shoe and takes off his sock. He puts it in Henry’s mouth and puts on the Mandible Claw. Henry submits and Mankind advances to the next round. Bad match. DUD.
B) Audio/Visual
It’s presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 and it’s just the same as any TV show. The VQ is pretty good too. It’s full screen and better than television, which is all you, can ask.
C) Liner Notes
The liner notes are 4 pages long. The first page and last page are the covers and the middle two are the chapter selections and extra features.
Overall Review
The DVD is almost 3 hours long and is nothing but highlights from 1998 Raws. If you’re a new fan and wonder how the WWF can fill up a 3-hour disc with highlights then you have to get this to see just how good the WWF was back in 1998. It takes some of the best segments from that year and presents them on the disc. If you love sports entertainment, this if for you. If you love wrestling, look elsewhere. This is strictly the storyline aspect and there are really only 4 matches on the DVD. The 4 matches were alright but it was mostly the main angles they were stressing in 98. If you want to know why the WWF kicked ass in 1998, get this. The rating will be kind of low only due to the lack of wrestling matches but the disc is a fun look back.
Overall Rating
6.5
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