From the Bowery: WrestleMania XV

Posted by Robert Leighty Jr. on 07.05.2009

If not for Rock/Austin I, this would have been the worst WrestleMania Ever!

From the Bowery: WrestleMania XV
-March 28, 1999
-Philadelphia, PA

-We are firmly entrenched in the Attitude Era at this point. The WWE is rolling along and WCW is starting to take on water after dominating the Monday Night Wars. Austin carried the company through 1998 against Foley, Kane, and Taker while the Rock became hugely over with the fans. He won the WWF Title in a tournament at Survivor Series and got put over huge in the months leading to WrestleMania by feuding with Mick Foley. Austin continued his feud with Vince McMahon and after beating him in a cage match in Feb, he became the #1 contender for the Rock’s title at Mania.

Commentary Team: Michael Cole and Jerry “The King” Lawler

-Philadelphia’s own Boyz II Men kick things off with America the Beautiful. I will admit I am a huge Boyz II Men fan from back in the day, so this was pretty sweet.

-The opening video package with Blassie is one of the better ones you will see, and it still gives me chills.

Hardcore Title: “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn © vs. Al Snow vs. Hardcore Holly

-In a really stupid move the WWF decided to work the smarks and switch things up with this match and the IC Title match. The Road Dogg had been battling for the Hardcore Title and Gunn was chasing the IC strap. Just before this show, Gunn wins the Hardcore Title and the IC title went to the Road Dogg. They give us all that build and switch things at the last minute. Thus we get a swerve for the sake of a swerve. Gunn does a somersault sell off a clothesline from Holly, and that gives Snow the chance to jump him from behind. They take the action to the floor and Holly gets sent into the announce table. Gunn tries to attack Snow from behind, but ends up getting tossed into the stairs. Snow and Holly battle up the ramp where Snow eats a suplex. Gunn comes firing back and lays the boots to both men. You would think the opening match would feature a hot crowd, but they are pretty dead at this point. Things pick up a little when Snow pulls out a hockey stick. The crowd starts a “Let’s Go Flyers” chant. I want to take this time to add the Flyers were knocked out of the playoffs this year (and last year for that matter) by my 2009 Stanley Cup Champion, Pittsburgh Penguins. Just saying. They head back in the ring and Snow wears both his opponents out with a broom handle. Gunn goes for a chair, but Snow drops him with the broom handle. Now Snow grabs the chair, and he pulls out a play from the Sabu playbook with Air Sabu. Holly and Gunn brawl on the floor where Holly gets military pressed onto the railing. Snow gets Head and it tells him to break out the tables. The table gets set up in the corner, and they tease a few spots with no pay-off. Gunn grabs a chair and kill Holly before tossing Snow through the table. Gunn drops Snow with a fame-asser on a chair, but Holly stops the pin with a chair, and dives in on Snow to steal the pin and title at 7:07.

Winner and New Hardcore Champion: Hardcore Holly via pin at 3:57
-Bad opener with a dead crowd, and nothing in terms of anything even remotely memorable. Even for a hardcore match this was bad as they didn’t do much to play off the craziness off the division. *

-We get the ending of the battle royal on Heat to set-up out next match. In another rather odd booking decision it was decided that the last 2 men in the battle royal would be forced to team together and face the WWF Tag Champions later in the night. The final two men would be D-Lo and Test. It’s a good thing Russo had McMahon to reign him in or who knows all the crap we would have gotten. Though I guess a lot of that came in WCW.

WWF Tag Titles: Jeff Jarrett © (w/ Debra) and Owen Hart © vs. D-Lo Brown (w/ Ivory) and Test

-I always liked the name “Don’t Piss on Canada” for the Tag Champs. Debra breaks out her PPV out-fit (a bikini with a suit jacket). D-Lo and Test jump the champs before the bell to start things. Things settle down to Jarrett and Brown. They have a brief exchange before each man makes the tag to their respective partners. Test kills Owen with a sit-out powerbomb to get a two count. An enziguiri sets up the sharpshooter, but D-Lo breaks up the count. Owen fires off a spin wheel kick, and follows with a gut-wrench slam. The champs double team, and Jarrett struts. The try a double clothesline, but D-Lo ducks and drops both men with his own clothesline. The Lo-Down on Jarrett gets a two count. The two women start having a cat fight on the floor. Terri runs down to get involved and Test tries to break up the threesome. That leaves D-Lo against the tag champs, and that doesn’t bode well as a top rope dropkick from Owen sends D-Lo into a roll-up from Jarrett to get the pin at 3:57.

Winner and Still WWF Tag Champs: Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett: via Jarrett pin on D-Lo at 3:57

-Short, a dead crowd, and a team that had no business being together. This show is off to a pretty horrible start. Hart and Jarrett did mesh really well together though and even in 4 minutes you could tell they were becoming a solid team. *1/2

-They discuss the Brawl for All. With an expanding roster the WWE felt they should have a tough man contest with their talent. Dr Death was seen as the odds on favorite and JR was just drooling over the Doc, but a funny thing happened as Bart Gunn knocked Williams the fuck out. He ended up winning the thing, and they thought it would be a good idea to throw him in the ring with pro-boxer: Butterbean.

Brawl for All: Bart “The Hammer” Gunn vs. Butterbean

-Vinny Pazienza is your special ref and the three judges at ringside: 1) Kevin Rooney (Tyson’s former trainer) 2) Chuck Wepner (he boxed Ali and wrestled Andre) 3) Gorilla Monsoon (not looking to well here, and sadly, he would not be around much longer). The rules are that there are three 1 minute rounds, you get points for knockdown (10 points), takedown (5 points), and most punches in a round (5 points). Cole and Lawler are putting Gunn over huge here. Only 11 seconds into the round Gunn gets rocked and hits the canvas. He gets the mandatory 8 count, and probably should have stayed down because he takes a step out and Butterbean murders him with right hook. That was fucking sick, and the replays are even better. Gunn was out before he even hit the mat.

Winner: Butterbean via Knocked the Fuck Out at 0:35
-Not going to rate this but it was definitely the most entertaining part of the show at this point. That knockout never gets old, and still looks awesome some 10 years later.

-The San Diego Chicken runs down to the ring, and spars with Pazienza. We’ll get more from the Chicken later in the show.

-Kevin Kelly interviews the Mankind about his match with The Big Show. The winner of the match gets to be the ref for the WWF Title match.

Winner Gets to Ref the Main Event: “The Big Show” Paul Wight vs. Mankind

-Show debuted in Feb to help Mr. McMahon in the cage match with Austin. The story is that Foley wants to be part of the Main Event as the ref, and McMahon wants Show as the ref to keep the title off Austin. The history between the two is greater when you add in the fact that Show cost Mankind the WWF title on RAW earlier in the year. A big brawl to start as Mankind unloads on Show to no effect. The action spills to the floor and Mankind bounces over the steps and into the post. Show looks in pretty good shape here, and it’s kind of jarring seeing him back in his long hair days. Mankind breaks out Mr. Socko and that coupled with a kick to the little show, is able to subdue the big man. The arm drops twice, but Show is able to get to his feet with Mankind on his back. He drops straight back in a spot that Foley did with Vader at Halloween Havoc. I remember in his book that Foley wrote he wished Vader had injured him with the move to get him time off from WCW. Back to the floor, and Show pounds away with a chair. They head back inside the ring and Show sets up two chairs. He chokeslams Foley through the two chairs and that’s enough for the DQ at 6:52. Vince McMahon power walks to the ring and is none to happy with that decision. Vince berates Show, and makes the mistake of calling him a nobody. Show teases a chokeslam, but thinks better of it. Vince only cowers for a second before making the mistake of slapping Show. That didn’t go well for Heenan at Mania VI with Andre, and it doesn’t go well here for Vince either as he gets dropped with a right hand.

Winner: Mankind via DQ at 6:52
-Horrible ending to a decent brawl between these two. The ending made zero sense when you consider Show used the chair multiple times before he was finally disqualified. They spend more time recapping the McMahon/Show post match angle than they do Mankind winning the match. *3/4

-The Stooges help Vince to the back, and he wants Show arrested for assault.

WWF Intercontinental Title: The Road Dogg © vs. Val Venis vs. Ken Shamrock vs. Goldust (w/ Ryan Shamrock and The Blue Meanie)

-According to Cole this is elimination rules. All 4 men brawl, and Shamrock snaps off a hurricanrana on Goldust. Shamrock and Dogg have a go in the corner, as we find out they will start the match. So, tags must be made then. Dogg makes the first tag to Goldust, and he fires away punches on Shamrock. Venis reaches in to make the tag and stomps away on Shamrock even though Goldust is the legal man. Goldust goes for the curtain call, but Venis counters. He attempts a backdrop, but Goldust counters and ends the sequence with a clothesline. They head to the top rope where they botch a superplex spot. Val covers by hitting a top rope bulldog for a two count. The two men collide, and it ends with Venis collapsing with a headbutt to the balls of Goldust. Shamrock and Dogg enter the ring to deliver a DDT to the other two in the match. Dogg makes a tag, and now he has a go with Venis. The crowd comes to live as Dogg is the most over person in the match. That doesn’t last long though as the crowd starts a boring chant. Dogg goes through his offense and it brings the crowd back. He drops the elbow on Shamrock, and celebrates on the top rope. He is easy pickings for Venis though, as he drops him with a belly to back suplex for a two count. Shamrock makes the tag and locks Venis in the ankle lock, but he is able to get to the ropes. Shamrock argues with the ref and then gets sent to the floor. Val follows like an idiot and as one would guess they both get counted out of the match. That’s the second time in three years they used that method in a 4 way elimination match (see the opening 4 team match at WM 13). Shamrock is a little pissed and lays out both men with belly to belly suplexes. Ryan Shamrock accidentally grabs the ankle of Goldust, and that’s enough of a distraction for Dogg to get the roll-up off a powerslam at 9:45.

Winner and still Intercontinental Champion: The Road Dogg via pin at 9:45
-All over the place, and disjointed at times. The crowd was pretty dead throughout and only cared about the Road Dogg. The double count-out sequence was pretty lazy, and the ending wasn’t all that great either. **

Triple H vs. Kane

-Chyna turned on Triple H earlier in the year to join Kane and the corporation. The San Diego Chicken returns and attacks Kane. The Chicken turns out to be Pete Rose looking for revenge, and he ends up getting dropped by Kane to continue that gag. They should just let them brawl all over the arena for a while with no regard to any story trying to be told with the rest of the show. Triple H comes through the crowd to jump Kane from behind, and gives him an uppercut to the balls. Kane tries to fire back, but gets sent to the floor, and the brawl continues there. Kane gets tossed into the steps, and Triple H heads back to the ring to celebrate. Kane joins him back in the ring, and a big boot finally gets things going for him. Now Triple H gets tossed to the floor, and we brawl out there again. Kane goozles Triple H and drops him on his nuts on the rail. Nice! Triple H gets dumped to the first row where the Mean Street Posse is sitting. Things slow down as Kane works the back against the ring post. The crowd tries to rally Triple H, but it’s a no go as Kane slugs away in the corner. I just realized Teddy Long is the ref for this match, which is pretty weird to see after all these years of him being a General Manager/Authority figure. Kane no sells a kick and drills Hunter with a sweet clothesline. Triple H tries to fire back, but Kane keeps cutting him off before he can get any momentum going. They head back to the floor and Kane busts out a plancha. Damn! Kane heads up top, but Triple H tosses him to the mat. They trade punches in the center of the ring, and a flying knee finally drops Kane. Chyna makes her way to the ring, and Cole is positive that she is here to screw over Triple H. Chyna tosses the steps into the ring, and Kane is the first man to get hold of them. Triple boots the steps into his face, and then delivers a drop toehold into them as well. A clothesline sends Kane to the floor, and they brawl once more. A pedigree on the steps is attempted, but Kane is able to backdrop out of the move. Kane hits the chokeslam, but Chyna enters the ring with a chair. She clocks Kane to a loud pop, but it has no effect at all. Triple H gets his turn to swing the chair, and he gets better results. Chyna and Triple H reunite as Kane is dropped with a pedigree on the chair.

Winner: Kane via DQ @ 11:33
-A decent brawl with a horrible finish, but the crowd enjoyed it. We would get more from this reunion later in the show. **1/4

-Vince McMahon tells Kevin Kelly he will be the guest referee for the Main Event.

WWF Women’s Title: Sable © vs. Tori

-Sable had just graced the cover of Playboy and was probably at her peak in terms of popularity in the WWF. Tori was relatively new as she was playing the obsessed fan gimmick that Mickie James would do 1000 times better seven years later. Lots of stalling to start as Sable grinds while Tori walks around the ring. Ok then. This goes on for a few minutes as everyone grows bored. We finally get contact over a minute into the match as Tori pulls Sable to the floor. A whip is reversed and Tori hits the rail. Sable follows up with a crossbody from the apron. Sable continues to grind, and Tori makes her pay with a clothesline. They do a sloppy reversal sequence for multiple near falls. Flair/Steamboat that wasn’t. The ref gets accidentally creamed by Tori. They fuck up a powerbomb sequence and Nicole Bass (from Howard Stern fame) debuts to lay out Tori. Sable finally gets the powerbomb and that finishes things at 5:06

Winner and Still WWF Women’s Champion: Sable via pin at 5:06
-Thankfully, they would get more serious with the title when Trish and company rolled into the company. This here was pretty horrible. DUD

-A reunited DX pumps up X-Pac as he prepares for his title match with Shane McMahon.

WWF European Title: Shane McMahon © (w/ Test) vs. X-Pac

-The Posse is sitting front row to cheer on their boy Shane. The Stooges (Paterson and Briscoe) try to jump X-Pac in the aisle, but it doesn’t go well for them. X-Pac gives chase and once inside the ring Shane eats a spinning heel kick. The bronco buster is prevented early as Test pulls Shane from the ring. He decides to head to the back, but Pac fires him back in the ring. Test jumps Pac and takes him balls first into the ring post (spread eagle) in a rather painful looking spot. Shane is full of piss and vinegar now as he breaks out the People’s Elbow. Sadly, it misses though. A belt gets used and Shane lights up Pac with some sick sounding shots. Cool! X-Pac gets a chance to regroup when he sends Shane to the floor off a backdrop. They brawl near the posse and they try to get involved, but X-Pac is able to fight them off. He can’t fight off Test though, and Shane is once again in control. Shane heads to the middle rope and drops the Bret Hart elbow (they can’t help but take a shot, can they?). He heads back up, but Pac meets him up there to deliver a superplex. Test pulls the ref out before he can make the three count however. X-Pac sends him into the stairs, and heads back into the ring with the belt. Now Shane gets his ass whipped, and the bronco buster soon follows. Test interferes once again and drills X-Pac with the title belt to leave both men down. Shane crawls for the cover, but only gets a two count. He goes for his own version of the bronco buster, but X-Pac is able to move. Test gets dropped again and he receives the bronco buster. Triple H and Chyna make their way down, and you can smell the swerve coming from a mile away. Chyna distracts the ref, and Triple H kills X-Pac with the pedigree. Shane gets thrown on top and gets the pin at 8:42. The Outlaws storm the ring, but they get beaten down by Test and Triple H. The crowd starts a massive HBK chant, but instead the lights go out, and Kane comes looking for revenge. The members of the corporation leave before Kane can do any damage.

Winner and Still European Champion: Shane McMahon via pin at 8:42
-Easily the best match of the night so far, and the overbooking became a staple of McMahon matches in the future. ***

-We get a video package of The Undertaker starting a war with Vince McMahon by going after Stephanie. This all lead to the higher power angle that really wasn’t supposed to be an angle.

Hell in a Cell: The Big Bossman vs. The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer)

-Fun Fact: Both men were undefeated at WrestleMania at this point. I also want to mention that Taker’s music was bad ass at this point, and I wish he would go back to this mix. This is the only Hell in a Cell match that wasn’t included on the Hell in a Cell DVD (not counting Kennel in a Cell), and there’s a reason for that. Bossman gets off to a fast start with some right hands, but Taker is having none of that and fires off his own right hands. A blind charge catches an elbow however, and Bossman gets a two count. Taker sets too early on a backdrop, and eats a swinging neckbreaker. Bossman dares Taker to sit back up, and he does. Guess he showed him. They brawl on the floor and Bossman gets bounced off the cell. Cole brings up how dangerous the cell is and mentions someone can get a finger caught in there. Jerry Lawler makes my day by killing Cole for that remark. Taker gets cuffed to the cell, and Bossman breaks out his nightstick. The handcuff breaks rather easily (should have bought American), and Taker blades on camera. I blame the production trucks guys for zooming in when Taker was in the blading position. The crowd is seriously bored, and just seems burnt out at this point. Thankfully, the Rock and Austin will be out here shortly to wake them. Bossman gets javelined into the cage, and now he is split open. Lawler razzes Cole about his finger comment some more. Nice! The leaping clothesline gets a two count for Taker as a boring chant starts. This is Philly after all, and I’m shocked they’ve been as behaved as they have been. Bossman sends Taker to the floor as I struggle to keep myself awake. They brawl back into the ring, and start trading right hands. Taker drops to his knees first, but a well placed shot to the balls drops the Bossman. A tombstone mercifully finishes things at 9:47. Now things get even crazier as the Brood (Edge, Christian, and Gangrel) repel from the ceiling to the roof of the cage. The cut open a section of the roof and feed a noose to the Undertaker. He calmly hangs the Bossman as the cell rises. It’s an impressive visual until the camera zooms in, and you see cord attached to the back of the Bossman’s uniform. Don’t worry about the Bossman though as he would be fine.

Winner: The Undertaker via pin at 9:47
-Worst Hell in a Cell Match Ever! 1/2*

WWF Title: The Rock © vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin

-Cole introduces JR as he gets to call the Main Event with Lawler. He had just recovered from his second bout with Bells Palsy. Vince McMahon is your special guest ref. Shawn Michaels makes his way to the ring, and as the commissioner he makes it clear only he can appoint a special guest ref. He sends Vince packing, and Mike Chioda will be your referee of record. As one would expect Austin gets a massive response from the crowd in Philly. Trash talking to start and they start unloading with right hands on each other. They fight to the floor, and Rock uses a shirt to choke. Back in the ring the brawl continues as Austin fights back. JR informs us that this match is no DQ. That is made pretty clear as the two men brawl in the crowd. The Rock gets knocked over the hockey boards (Pittsburgh Penguins: 2009 Cup Champs), but he regains the advantage once they get back to ringside. The Rock uses a cable to choke Austin, and then drags him up the aisle. A clothesline sends the Rock to the floor as the crowd is just rabid. Austin goes for a piledriver, but gets back dropped on the steel support that holds the lights of the set. The Rock now has something to attack and goes for the injured knee. Austin fights back though, and punches Rock in the strudel. Next he gets fired into the WrestleMania logo sitting in the middle of the aisle. Austin goes for a suplex this time, but the Rock counters that too, and it’s Austin who gets dropped on the floor. Rock stops to get a drink of water, and spits it in the face of Austin. That seemingly revived Austin as he lays the Rock out on the announce table, and puts him through it with an elbow drop. Now Austin takes a drink of the water, and spits it in Rock’s face. That only serves to fire the Rock up as he posts Austin’s knee. That doesn’t slow Austin down though as he whips Rock into the stairs. After nearly 9 minutes of brawling, things finally settle down in the ring with Rock firing off a Rock Bottom for a two count. Austin grabs a chair, and Chioda gets blasted inadvertently. A swinging neckbreaker leaves Austin lying, and Rock uses the chair much like Austin would use it two years later. A second ref comes in for the cover, but only gets a count of two. They slow things down with a headlock, and work off the move for a few minutes. The Rock even makes a rest hold entertaining as he tells the timekeeper “Ring the bell jack off.” Not as effective as Vince’s “ring the fucking bell,” but it’s funnier. The Rock drops Tim White with a Rock Bottom, and that gives Austin the chance to snap off the Stunner. Hebnar comes in for the count, but Rock is able to kick out at two. Vince makes his way down, and distracts Austin long enough for Rock to get the advantage. Vince knocks out Hebnar, and Austin gets double teamed. Mankind hobbles down to the ring, and takes Vince out of the equation. Mankind is the fourth ref for this match if you’re counting at home. Rock snaps off a Rock Bottom and prepares for the People’s Elbow, but Austin moves. He goes for a Stunner, but Rock catches his foot. Austin elbows out of a Rock Bottom attempt, and finally gets the Stunner (which the Rock sells better than anyone) for the pin and the title at 16:50. After the match Austin abuses McMahon and gives him a beer bath.

Winner and New WWF Champion: Steve Austin via pin at 16:50
-This is Part I of their WrestleMania Trilogy, and I think this is the weakest of the three matches which is saying a lot. The opening brawl was pretty awesome, and the ending sequence was strong, but the middle kind of sucked the life out of the building. Still, it’s Rock/Austin and that means is pretty damn good. ***1/2

Top 5 WrestleMania Matches (To this Point):

1) IC Title: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat *****
2) Submission Match: Bret Hart vs Steve Austin *****
3) Career vs Career: Randy Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior *****
4) IC Title: Ladder Match: Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels *****
5) WWF Title: Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage ****3/4

The 411: There is nothing here outside of Rock/Austin, and a decent European Title Match. Fans of Russo's crash TV style may enjoy this as things had a frenetic pace, but almost all the matches either sucked or only served to build angles for RAW and future PPVs. Still, any fan should try to catch Austin/Rock I to see where the Trilogy began.

Final Score:  5.7   [ Not So Good ]