WWF WrestleMania X-Seven Results
April 1, 2001
Houston, Texas (Reliant Astrodome)
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
The WWF Attitude video plays us into the show.
A great video opens the show featuring WrestleMania’s global reach, narrated by WWF Hall of Famer “Classy” Freddie Blassie. Blassie welcomes us to WrestleMania, the showcase of the immortal and a celebration of life.
We go live into the Reliant Astrodome to hear Limp Bizkit’s “My Way” playing and a see a big pyrotechnics display. Over 60,000 fans are going crazy and holding up signs. Jim Ross and Paul Heyman welcome us to the show. We check in at WWF New York in Times Square, New York City as well. Heyman says this is his first WrestleMania ever attending in person as a worker or a fan.
Video Package: Chris Jericho vs. William Regal
WWF Intercontinental Championship
Chris Jericho (c) vs. William Regal
The bell rings, and they circle the ring. Regal kicks and punches Jericho before whipping him to the corner, but Jericho pops out and clotheslines him down. Jericho chops the chest. Regal reverses a whip, but Jericho takes him down with a flying forearm before punching away at him. Jericho sends him into the ropes, but Regal ducks a clothesline. Jericho quickly comes back with a spinning heel kick, and Regal gets out of the ring to recover. Jericho overshoots a plancha and barely catches him. Jericho chops the chest and drops him on the barricade. Jericho puts him in the ring and goes to the top rope for a diving back elbow for a near fall. Jericho sends him to the corner, but Regal puts the brakes on and takes him down. Jericho twists out and goes for the Walls of Jericho, but Regal punches him. Regal kicks him and sends the shoulder into the ring post. Regal injured Jericho’s shoulder this past Thursday on SmackDown. Regal sends him into the ring post again shoulder-first before waving at the crowd. Regal hits a wristlock suplex before stomping him. Regal hits an arm wringer takedown for a two count.
Regal grabs the arm and applies an overhead wristlock. Jericho fights out and whips him, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Jericho hits a reverse elbow and goes for a Lionsault, but Regal gets the knees up. Regal rolls him up for a near fall. Regal turns him inside out with a German Suplex for another near fall. A “Y2J” chant picks up. Regal takes the top turnbuckle pad off and sends Jericho shoulder-first into it twice. Regal kicks away at him, but Jericho blocks one and hits a pair of step-up enzuigiris. Jericho forearms him down and goes to the second rope for a missile dropkick to pick up a two count. Jericho sends Regal to the corner and charges, but Regal moves. Regal forearms away at him before climbing the ropes. Regal connects with a double underhook suplex, but Jericho kicks out at two. Jericho flips through a back suplex and takes him down for the Walls of Jericho, but Regal kicks out before he’s turned over. Regal then takes him down and applies the Regal Stretch! Regal’s mouth is bleeding. Jericho struggles and gets to the bottom rope.
Regal knees him in the head a few times, but Jericho comes back with some stiff chops to the chest. Jericho hits the ropes, but Regal kicks him in the injured shoulder. Jericho quickly sends Regal headfirst into the exposed turnbuckle before hitting a facebuster. Jericho hits a suplex and follows up with a Lionsault for the win.
Winner by Pinfall and still WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chris Jericho
Mike’s Thoughts: Not a bad opening match. Well wrestled by both guys, though Jericho did overshoot on that plancha a bit. I’m guessing he was just really pumped up being in front of that many people. If anything, considering the build they had for this match, it may have gone a little too short. I’d have liked to have seen a little more time given, but with 11 matches and this being the first, they probably just wanted to get the crowd going and on to the next. By the way, this was probably one of the funniest rivalries I’ve ever seen. That segment when Jericho urinated in Regal’s tea, Regal’s reaction upon drinking it, and saying, “You do not besmirch soil in the Commissioner’s tea,” were all-time classics. Great stuff.
We go backstage to see a limousine pull up. The license plate says, “WCW 1.” WCW Owner Shane McMahon steps out and walks into the Astrodome.
The APA are backstage in their “office” with Jacqueline. Bradshaw is pacing and wondering where Tazz is. Faarooq says Tazz is doing his thug thing. Bradshaw says this is WrestleMania. Faarooq tells him to have a beer. Bradshaw puts over the Astrodome and talks about the cowboys competing there and Nolan Ryan’s fastball. WrestleMania is where hearts will be broken, legends will be made, egos will be shattered, and asses will be kicked. They’ve got a match. Let’s go! Faarooq and Jaqueline get pumped up.
The Right To Censor make their entrance. Steven Richards goes to speak, but Tazz immediately cuts him off with his entrance.
Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan, Val Venis, and The Goodfather) w/ Steven Richards vs. Tazz and The APA (Faarooq and Bradshaw) w/ Jacqueline
The RTC runs to ringside and starts brawling with the APA and Tazz before they can get in the ring. Tazz gets Val Venis in the ring. Venis punches away at him, but Tazz clotheslines him over the top rope. Tazz punches Steven Richards back. Jacqueline kicks Richards and hits him with a DDT. Venis attacks Tazz from behind and knocks him out of the ring.
The bell rings when Faarooq and Bull Buchanan get in the ring. Buchanan leaps to the top rope and springboards off with a clothesline. Faarooq reverses a whip and hits a powerslam for a two count. Tazz tags himself in and punches away at Buchanan before hitting a t-bone suplex. Buchanan quickly big boots him and tags Venis in. Venis punches away at Tazz before kneeing him in the midsection twice. Venis hits a Russian leg sweep for a two count. The Goodfather tags in. Goodfather and Buchanan send Tazz into the ropes, but Tazz loses his footing and falls into them before they take him down. Goodfather scoop slams Tazz before dropping a leg. Goodfather sends him into the ropes for a back elbow. The Goodfather hits Tazz with a big back suplex for a near fall. Goodfather sends Tazz to the corner, and Tazz again stumbles in. The Goodfather starts the engines and hits an avalanche in the corner, the former Ho Train. Goodfather goes to the second rope for a Vader Bomb, but Tazz moves.
Bradshaw tags in and big boots Goodfather before sending him into the ropes and hitting a back elbow. Bradshaw sends him into the ropes and hits a wild back body drop where Goodfather didn’t get up at all and Bradshaw just powered him over. Bradshaw big boots Buchanan before sending Venis into the ropes. Venis ducks a clothesline and goes for a running cross-body block, but Bradshaw catches him and hits a fallaway slam. Faarooq cuts Buchanan off before the APA sends Venis into the ropes for a stiff double-team spinebuster. Buchanan takes Faarooq down while Bradshaw puts Venis on the top rope. Bradshaw hits a reverse back superplex. Buchanan grabs Bradshaw and, along with The Goodfather, hits Bradshaw with a double-team powerbomb. Faarooq knocks Buchanan out of the ring. The Goodfather goes for a Ho-Train on Bradshaw, but he moves. Bradshaw immediately connects with a Clothesline from Hell for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Tazz and The APA (Faarooq and Bradshaw)
Mike’s Thoughts: They weren’t given much time for this match (and Tazz had a TON of trouble with his footwork in this one), but it was fun while it lasted. I remember watching this show live and seeing Bradshaw’s promo before the match and thinking to myself that’s the first time I’ve heard that guy really cut a promo and looked at him as a guy who could be a star. You could definitely feel the intensity and emotion from him in this match.
Trish Stratus is wheeling a catatonic Linda McMahon backstage when Stephanie McMahon stops her. Stephanie says Trish is a little late. Stephanie says her mother must be proud she has at least one child that turned out ok. As for Trish, after Daddy (she shows off her Daddy’s Girl jumpsuit) kicks Shane’s butt, they need champagne and ice. She tells Trish to crack the ice with a spoon as it’s much better that way. Trish agrees and wheels Linda away.
WWF Hardcore Championship
Raven (c) vs. Kane vs. The Big Show
Before The Big Show makes his entrance, Raven attacks Kane with a sign. Big Show makes his entrance as Kane uppercuts Raven down. As Big Show gets to ringside, Kane press slams Raven out of the ring into him. Big Show catches Raven and goes for a move, but Kane floors Big Show with a flying lariat off the top rope to the floor! Kane covers for a two count. Raven quickly runs into the crowd, and Kane chases after him. Kane scoops Raven up, but Big Show big boots him. They brawl through the crowd for quite some time before Kane sends Big Show into a wall. Kane follows Raven backstage, and Raven rocks Kane with a pane. Kane grabs Raven and slams him into a wall, breaking the wall. Big Show then grabs Kane and scoop slams him onto some wooden pallets.
Big Show chases Raven over by a caged area and throws him in there. Big Show closes the door and puts a padlock on. Kane immediately breaks through and cracks a broom over Big Show’s back. Kane punches Big Show over a garbage can. Raven tries to choke Kane with a garden hose, but Kane drives him through the caged wall. Kane chokes Raven with the garden hose and throws him through a plate glass window! Big Show attacks Kane and drives him into a door before avalanching him through it! Big Show shouts, “You wanna play?! Well screw you!” Big Show grabs Kane by the throat and says he’s giving him a Showstopper on the floor. Kane counters by grabbing Big Show’s throat. They tussle into the walls before driving each other through a wall into another room! Raven comes through a door and slams a card table on Big Show. Raven quickly runs away. Raven is bleeding from numerous cuts on his body. Raven gets in a golf cart, but Big Show jumps on. Raven tries to steer the vehicle, but the weight is unbearable and sends it into a wall near some electrical wires. Raven gets out and tries to pull the golf cart out to save the spot. It’s hopeless, so he continues running. Kane gets in a golf cart with the referee on the back and drives after them. Kane hits Raven with the golf cart.
Kane and Big Show attack Raven before turning on each other. Big Show throws Raven onto a drink table. Kane throws a garbage can on Big Show and bounces him onto a crate. They fight into Gorilla Position and onto the stage. Big Show head-butts Raven down. Kane comes over to Big Show and lights him up with a flurry of punches. Big Show comes back with a short-arm clothesline. Big Show signals he’s slamming Raven off the stage. Big Show presses Raven up, but Kane big boots Big Show off the stage through some structure! Raven falls with Big Show. Kane drops an elbow off the stage onto Big Show for the win!
Winner by Pinfall and new WWF Hardcore Champion: Kane
Mike’s Thoughts: Fun hardcore match. Raven essentially running away from Big Show and Kane throughout the match was great. I loved how they destroyed the backstage area. The big rumor about this match is the errant golf cart spot where Raven and Big Show drove off a mini-ledge is that it was near the power supply for the entire stadium and a few more feet over and they could have wiped out power to the entire Astrodome. It’s been refuted by Bruce Prichard, but he’s not exactly a beacon of honesty. Good stuff.
Kurt Angle is watching a video of him tapping out to Chris Benoit’s Crippler Crossface on Monday Night RAW. Angle is furious. Edge and Christian walk up and ask what’s going on. After Angle beats Benoit and they win TLC again… Angle says if you make someone tap out without an official match then they never officially made anyone tap out. Edge and Christian agree and timidly walk away. Angle is fired up.
“Superfly” Jimmy Snuka is shown at WWF New York in Times Square.
Jonathan Coachman is in the crowd talking about all 50 states and 20 countries being represented at WrestleMania X-Seven. He interviews a woman from Australia. She says it’s her first WWF event and says WWF rules.
WWF Champion The Rock is shown arriving in his locker room.
Footage is shown of Eddie Guerrero as a guest referee in a non-title match with X-Pac and Test. Guerrero cost Test the match and attacked him after.
WWF European Championship
Eddie Guerrero w/ Perry Saturn vs. Test (c)
The bell rings, and Test blocks an attack from Guerrero before punching away at him. Test hits a flapjack before hitting a falling powerbomb for a near fall. Guerrero immediately gets out of the ring to recover. Guerrero attacks Test as he goes outside, but Test fights back. Guerrero gets back in the ring. Guerrero attacks Test as he gets in the ring and punches away at him. Test reverses a whip to the corner and presses Guerrero up before giving him snake eyes. Test floors him with a clothesline for a near fall. Test sends him into the ropes for a back elbow before scoop slamming him. Test goes to the second rope, but Guerrero cuts him off and tries for a super hurricanrana, but Test holds on. Test comes off the top rope with a diving back elbow for a near fall. Test punches away at Guerrero before charging. Guerrero pulls the top rope down and Test goes over, but his foot gets caught in the ropes! Test is absolutely trapped. Perry Saturn gets some cheap shots in as Guerrero distracts the referee. Realizing that Test is legitimately stuck in the ropes, Guerrero assists the referee in getting Test’s foot untangled.
Guerrero stomps Test at ringside and slams his knee on the ground. Guerrero continues to stomp him before putting him in the ring. Guerrero stomps the knee and shouts at the crowd. Guerrero continues to attack the leg and drops an elbow on it. Guerrero jumps on it using the ropes. Guerrero punches him back, but Test fights back. Guerrero sends him into the ropes and jumps on his back with a sleeper hold. Test falls down to a knee before releasing. Guerrero punches him, but Test reverses a whip and hits a tilt-a-whirl slam. Guerrero quickly gets up and punches at him. Test reverses a whip and hits a tilt-a-whirl powerbomb for a near fall. Test whips him to the corner and charges, but Guerrero elbows him back. Test goes for a full nelson bomb, but Guerrero low blows him behind the referee’s back. Saturn comes in and gives Test a Moss-Covered Three-Handled Family Credenza. Guerrero covers for a near fall.
Guerrero gets to his feet and hits a brainbuster. Guerrero goes for a Frog Splash but flips through when Test moves. Test goes for a Big boot, but Guerrero drops down. Test hits a pumphandle powerslam. Saturn gets on the apron, but Test punches him off. Test covers Guerrero for a near fall. Test signals for a Big Boot and levels Saturn with it when he gets in the ring. Test then hits Guerrero with a Big Boot! Test takes a few moments to cover, but Dean Malenko runs down to ringside and pulls him off. Test reaches over and grabs Malenko, pulling him up to the apron. Test punches Malenko down. Malenko distracts the referee as Saturn tosses the European Championship to Guerrero. Guerrero levels Test with a shot to the head and covers for the win!
Winner by Pinfall and new WWF European Champion: Eddie Guerrero
The Radicalz celebrate with the WWF European Championship as they go up the ramp.
Mike’s Thoughts: I want to like this match, but it went a little too long. Guerrero and Test didn’t have much chemistry here. The distractions weren’t really timed well and hurt the match as well. Still not a bad match, but below what I would expect from Eddie Guerrero.
Michael Cole is backstage with Mick Foley. Considering his long and problematic history with Vince McMahon, can he be a fair referee? Foley says just because McMahon destroyed and embarrassed him and stripped him of his commissionership, that won’t impact his refereeing abilities. In the interest of fairness, he’s going to call this right down the middle… and he’s going to do it right here in Houston, Texas! Cheap pop!
Stone Cold Steve Austin is shown arriving and entering his locker room.
Kurt Angle makes his entrance, and he looks like he is in no mood for theatrics. He doesn’t even pose during his entrance and the fireworks just go off. Angle says as your Olympic Hero and a representative of all 50 states, he is not a big fan of Texas. He saw their flag and it’s missing 49 other stars. Angle is glad he’s having his match here tonight because he can illustrate a point. Chris Benoit… even these 65,000 bull riding, beer-bellied Texas yee-haws know he will never tap out to him. Angle then tells them to lose the freakin’ cowboy hats. They’re not seven years old anymore.
Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit
The bell rings, and Angle and Benoit just stare across the ring at one another. They circle the ring and lock up before breaking it. Angle takes him down, but Benoit quickly takes him over. They do some mat wrestling before ending in a stalemate. The crowd gives them a nice ovation. Angle throws off an elbow pad, and they lock up. Angle catches him with a double leg takedown and tries to trap Benoit, but Benoit gets out. They stare at each other. They slowly circle the ring and lock up. Angle powers Benoit to the corner, but Benoit turns him around and gives a clean break. They’re just staring at each other. Angle looks pumped up. They lock up, and Angle takes him down with a slam. Benoit quickly turns over and hooks Angle’s head. Angle applies a front facelock, but Benoit slides out and applies one of his own. Angle grabs the leg for an ankle lock, but Benoit gets out. They roll around the mat looking for an advantage before getting to their feet. Angle drops down and takes Benoit down again. Benoit turns him over and goes for a Crippler Crossface, but Angle scurries to the ropes.
Angle is furious. Both men are winded already. Angle goes for a takedown, but Benoit turns him over and tries for the Crippler Crossface again. Angle gets to the ropes and gets out of the ring to recover. Angle paces at ringside. Angle gets in the ring and goes for a takedown, but Benoit once again turns him and goes for a Crippler Crossface. Angle immediately gets to the ropes.
The referee backs Benoit up, and Angle lays Benoit out with a punch. Angle throws him out of the ring and bounces him off the barricade. Angle bounces him off the commentary table a few times before sending him hard into the steps. Angle lets out a “WOO!” Angle gets Benoit in the ring and stomps away at him. Angle connects with a textbook suplex for a two count. Angle hits a belly to back suplex for another near fall. Angle bounces Benoit off the corner and punches him down. Angle goes outside the ring and elbows Benoit in the chest a few times. Angle punches Benoit, but Benoit fights back with some chops to the chest. Angle reverses a whip and connects with a belly-to-belly overhead suplex. Angle taunts the crowd, and they boo him loudly. Angle hits another belly-to-belly overhead suplex and is sauntering around the ring now. Angle goes for another, but Benoit counters with a short-arm clothesline. Both men are down.
Angle punches Benoit to the corner, but Benoit turns him around and wildly chops him. Angle turns him around and punches and chops Benoit. Benoit reverses a whip and knees Angle in the midsection. Benoit punches Angle back and hits a reverse elbow to the face. Benoit connects with a snap suplex for a two count. Benoit punches Angle and puts him on the top rope. Benoit hits a top rope superplex, and both men are down again! Benoit crawls over and covers Angle for a near fall. Benoit sends Angle sternum first into the corner and hits a two German Suplexes. Angle fights a third one, so Benoit clubs the back. Angle quickly takes Benoit down and applies the Ankle Lock! Benoit gets out and takes Angle down for an Ankle Lock! Angle kicks him in the ear to get out. Benoit takes Angle down and applies the Crippler Crossface. Angle fights it and applies the Crippler Crossface to Benoit! Benoit gets to the ropes. Benoit kicks Angle back, and the referee is taken down. Benoit takes Angle down with a Cripple Crossface. Angle taps out, but the referee is down. Benoit checks on the referee, so Angle comes from behind and hits an Angle Slam! Angle covers, but Benoit kicks out.
Angle connects with a scoop slam and goes to the top rope. Angle goes for a moonsault, but Benoit gets the knees up. Benoit signals for the end and goes to the top rope. Benoit connects with a Flying Head-Butt and covers… but Angle kicks out. Benoit argues the call with the referee. Benoit goes for a German Suplex, but Angle gets a low blow in behind the referee’s back. Angle then takes Benoit down and rolls him up with a handful of tights for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Kurt Angle
Angle quickly gets out of the ring and raises his arms in victory. Benoit angrily stares at Angle as he goes up the ramp.
Mike’s Thoughts: For my money, that’s an all-time great WrestleMania match. There have been other matches with bigger builds that are well wrestled, but this was built a week before the show and was absolutely incredible. If circumstances were different, this would be remembered as an absolute classic. It was a simple match with a simple finish. Most people would get that finish and just do the match, but they put some really innovative stuff into this. Starting off with mat wrestling… just genius. The crowd didn’t know how to react and as they got going, they were loving it. Angle and Benoit will forever be one of my favorite wrestling rivalries, but I simply can’t watch a Benoit match anymore without thinking of the end.
Michael Cole finds WWF Commissioner William Regal, who has an ice pack on his head. Cole asks if he’s ok, and Regal asks what kind of question that is. Regal enters his office and finds Kamala standing on his desk. Kim Chee is trying to wrangle Kamala. Kamala rubs Queen Elizabeth’s portrait on his belly. Regal kicks them out of his office and is absolutely flabbergasted.
The commentators talk about the Gimmick Battle Royal. Jim Ross says he’s surprised Paul Heyman isn’t in it. Heyman asks if he’s supposed to bring his phone into the ring. They then show a video of WWF appearing at Fort Hood.
Video Package: WrestleMania Pep Rally
Kevin Kelly is backstage with Kurt Angle. Kelly says that was a grueling war with Chris Benoit. Angle may not like Benoit, but Angle has to respect him after that contest. Angle asks what he means. There were two men in the ring and the better man won. Angle doesn’t have to respect him. Angle is the best in the WWF. Benoit then attacks Angle from behind and makes him tap out with the Cripple Crossface! Referees run over to break Benoit off, but Benoit won’t let it go. Benoit finally lets go and walks off.
Jim Ross and Paul Heyman talk about how the war with Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit is far from over.
Video Package: WWF Women’s Championship
WWF Women’s Championship
Ivory (c) vs. Chyna
Before the match, Ivory is grasping the WWF Women’s Championship and crying. Chyna shoves the referee away, and Ivory hits Chyna in the neck with the title. Ivory stomps away at the neck and drops an elbow. Ivory delivers some awful looking clubs and taunts the crowd. Ivory is completely spastic. Chyna blocks a kick in the corner and grabs Ivory. Chyna throws her before forearming her in the corner. Chyna stomps her before hitting a hip toss and two clotheslines. Chyna hits a back body drop, and Ivory over-rotates, landing on her tailbone. Chyna viciously powerbombs her and covers, but Chyna lifts Ivory’s shoulders to give her some more punishment. Chyna then presses her above her head and drops her down. Chyna then sits back and covers Ivory with her elbows on her nonchalantly for the win.
Winner by Pinfall and new WWF Women’s Champion: Chyna
Chyna celebrates with the WWF Women’s Championship and walks off with the title above her head.
Mike’s Thoughts: Total nothing match with Chyna easily dominating Ivory and winning the Women’s Championship. Chyna looked to be in tremendous shape for this match and got a real superstar reaction until the bell rang. Just a filler placeholder in between matches.
We go backstage to see Vince McMahon, the comatose Linda McMahon in a wheelchair, Trish Stratus, and Stephanie McMahon. Vince says this is WrestleMania and everyone gets excited around this time of the year. Vince asks Trish if she doubled up Linda’s dose… he doesn’t want Linda getting too excited. Vince tells Trish to remember to bring Linda out when Shane is completely immobile. Michael Cole walks in and asks about Shane buying WCW this past week. Vince says if you want shocking then tonight, you’ll get shocking… he guarantees it. Vince walks off with Stephanie.
Video Package: Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon makes his entrance and greets Houston. McMahon points out the WCW Wrestlers in a skybox. McMahon then introduces the special guest referee Mick Foley.
Street Fight
Shane McMahon vs. Vince McMahon w/ Stephanie McMahon
Special Guest Referee: Mick Foley
Vince gets in Foley’s face before slapping Shane. Vince punches away at Shane in the corner and chokes him. Vince talks trash and stomps him before choking him again. Vince knees Shane in the midsection a few times and taunts him. Shane fights back with some punches to the midsection before clotheslining his father down. Shane backs up and spears Vince before punching away at him. Shane drops some forearms before dropping an elbow. Stephanie gets in the ring and pushes Shane back. Stephanie then slaps Shane in the face before running away. Shane angrily hits Vince with a baseball slide.
Shane has swelling by his eye from one of Vince’s punches. Shane attacks his father at ringside, takes a metal sign, and clocks him in the head. Shane hits a bunch of times in the back with the metal sign before choking him with some camera cables. Shane then drives him into the steel steps. Shane clubs Vince before climbing to the top of the security wall and diving off with a clothesline. Shane sends Vince into the barricade and goes under the ring to grab a kendo stick. Shane smacks Vince hard in the back with the kendo stick a few times. Shane hits Vince in the midsection with the kendo stick before tossing it aside. Shane then peppers Vince with some stiff jabs. Vince goes down in a heap at ringside. Shane then hits Vince with a running forearm. Shane clears off the Spanish commentary table. Shane hits Vince in the head with a monitor, gets in the ring, and goes to the top rope. Shane goes for a Leap of Faith, but he crashes and burns through the table when Stephanie pulls Vince off the table!
Mick Foley checks on Shane McMahon as replays are shown of this moment. Trish Stratus then wheels Linda McMahon down to ringside. Trish then checks on Vince at ringside and helps him up. Trish then slaps Vince in the face to a big reaction! Stephanie turns Trish around and slaps her. Trish drives Stephanie into the apron and bounces her off the apron. Stephanie kicks her away and gets in the ring. Trish chases her in and pulls Stephanie off the ropes for a slap. Trish slaps and punches Stephanie. Stephanie turns her over and chokes her. Foley pulls Stephanie off, so Stephanie slaps him in the face. Foley gets angry, and Stephanie runs away. Trish chases after Stephanie. Stephanie trips on the ramp, so Trish kicks her. Stephanie runs to the back.
We go back to ringside to see Vince viciously look at Linda. Vince mouths, “You bitch.” Vince goes to grab her, but Foley gets in his face. Foley intimidates Vince back. Foley goes to wheel Linda away, but Vince grabs a steel chair and hits him in the back. Vince then clocks Foley in the head with the chair! Vince stands behind the comatose Linda and wheels her next to the apron. Vince takes the catatonic Linda and rolls her limp body into the ring. Vince goes over to Shane, who is still in the wreckage of the commentary table and kicks him. Vince then brings a chair into the ring, puts it in the corner, and sits Linda down in it.
Vince attacks Shane at ringside and puts him in the ring. Vince goes under the ring and throws four garbage cans in the ring. Vince gets in, grabs one, and hits Shane in the head with it. Vince points at Linda and says he’s going to give her son some more. Vince grabs another garbage can and wildly crushes it over Shane’s back. Vince talks trash to Linda and grabs a third garbage can. Vince lifts the can up, but Linda rises from her chair! The crowd absolutely EXPLODES!! Linda kicks Vince in the groin! Foley gets in the ring and forearms Vince to the corner before unloading on him with forearms and a running knee to the face. The crowd is going wild.
Shane grabs a garbage can and looks at the turnbuckles. Shane puts the garbage can in his father’s lap and goes to the opposite corner. Shane climbs to the top rope. Linda is watching from ringside and looks pumped up. Shane then leaps off the top rope all the way across the ring and dropkicks the trashcan into Vince’s face! Shane covers his father, and Mick Foley counts the pin!
Winner by Pinfall: Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon goes outside the ring and lovingly embraces his mother. Vince is unconscious in the ring. The WCW wrestlers clap for their boss’ victory.
Mike’s Thoughts: Unreal. I still get goosebumps when Linda McMahon rises from that chair. What an awesome story told and everyone played their parts perfectly. The match with Vince and Shane was bowling shoe ugly in the beginning, but they threw enough smoke and mirrors in there with the Leap of Faith, Trish turning on Vince, Linda rising, Foley’s comeback, and Shane’s Coast-To-Coast to make this a really great spectacle. Just a really great, satisfying conclusion to this father and son match.
Footage is shown from WWF Axess the day before. Kevin Kelly interviewed The Hardy Boyz about TLC II at the event. Matt Hardy says it’s going to be a wild match. They want to walk away with the WWF Tag Team Titles, but it goes beyond the titles. It’s been a two year culmination with them, Edge, Christian, and The Dudley Boyz. Kelly asks Jeff about Rhyno giving Lita a Gore. Jeff says there’s a lot of danger in these matches. Jeff is going into it like it is his last match.
Triple H is shown getting pumped up backstage. Elsewhere backstage, The Undertaker is throwing shadow punches.
WWF Tag Team Championship – TLC II
The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge and Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz (c’s)
The Dudley Boyz attack Christian while The Hardy Boyz attack Edge. The Dudley Boyz send Christian into the ropes and hit a double-team flapjack. The Hardy Boyz attack The Dudley Boyz. They send Bubba Ray Dudley to the corner before whipping D-Von Dudley into him. The Hardy Boyz then hit Poetry in Motion on them. Edge and Christian get in the ring with a ladder and wipe out the Hardy’s with it. They then throw it into the Dudley’s. Christian punches and kicks away at Matt Hardy in the corner. Christian puts Matt on the top rope and puts him in the tree of woe. Edge and Christian go to the second rope and step on Matt’s groin. Edge sets a chair up, and Edge and Christian give Jeff a drop-toe-hold into it.
The Dudley Boyz pull Christian out of the ring and punch away at him. Edge sets up a ladder and starts climbing, but Matt immediately pulls him down. Matt punches Edge and starts climbing the ladder. Edge quickly leaps up and clotheslines him off the ladder. Edge starts to climb the ladder, but Jeff jumps off the open chair and dropkicks Edge down to the mat. The Dudley Boyz grabs a ladder, but The Hardy Boyz baseball slide it into their faces. The Hardy’s take Christian down and set up ladders at opposite corners. Matt scoop slams Christian, and they climb the ladders. Jeff hits a dive on Christian, while Matt hits a diving leg drop! Matt celebrates by taking off his shirt, but the celebration is short lived as The Dudley Boyz attack them. D-Von sends Matt out of the ring. They then grab Edge. Bubba gives Edge a scoop slam and spreads his legs. D-Von goes to the top rope and hits the “WHASSUP” head-butt to Edge’s groin. Bubba then shoves D-Von and tells him to GET THE TABLES!
Bubba and D-Von both bring tables into the ring. One is set up in the middle and the other is propped up in the corner. Bubba knocks Edge onto the table. Jeff attacks Bubba and kicks him in the face. Jeff goes for a hurricanrana, but Bubba counters into a powerbomb through Edge and the table!
Bubba goes outside and starts rearranging some furniture. The Dudley Boyz then create a four table stack at ringside! Two tables stacked side-by-side. Matt Hardy hits D-Von with a ladder and gets in the ring. Matt throws Christian out of the ring and sets two ladders up next to each other. Bubba gets in the ring and hits Matt in the head with a ladder. There are now three ladders set up side-by-side-by-side. All six men climb the ladders! Matt and Christian get knocked over first. Matt lands on the top rope crotch-first, but Christian flies out of the ring and takes a back bump on the floor! Wow! Jeff and D-Von are over next, and they just hit the top rope with their chests. Bubba and Edge then punch each other off the ladder and take a big flat back bump from a high angle!
Christian is setting up a table at ringside. Spike Dudley runs down to the ring and hits Edge with a Dudley Dog! Spike then hits Christian with a Dudley Dog off the apron through the table at ringside! Bubba attacks Matt, while Rhyno runs in and rips Jeff off the ladder. Rhyno attacks D-Von with a ladder before giving Bubba a Gore. Rhyno then gives Matt a Gore through the table propped up in the corner. Rhyno sets a ladder up and grabs Edge for him to climb. Lita then runs down and pulls Edge down from the ladder before driving his head into it. JR exclaims, “Lita is jerking Edge off… of the ladder!” Rhyno grabs Lita and lifts her up, but Spike low blows him. Lita then hits Rhyno with a flying hurricanrana. Spike then gives Rhyno a chair shot to the head, and Rhyno stumbles into the ladder Edge is climbing, knocking him over. Edge hits the top rope crotch-first! The Dudley Boyz then hit Rhyno with a Doomsday Device! Lita gets in the ring and smashes Spike in the head with a chair! Lita removes her shirt in celebration and turns into a 3D from the Dudley Boyz!
Edge gets in the ring and hits D-Von in the back with a chair. Christian then slams a chair into a chair Bubba is holding, taking him out. Jeff grabs a 20-foot ladder and punches Christian away. Rhyno and Spike Dudley are down on two tables in front of that ladder! Jeff climbs to the top of the ladder and hits them with a HUGE Swanton Bomb through the tables! Jeff lands on Spike’s face on the way down.
Edge and Christian pull the 20-foot ladder into the ring and set it up under the titles. Christian and D-Von start climbing the ladder and both grab the hook the Tag Titles are on. Matt Hardy pulls the ladder away, and Christian and D-Von are dangling above the ring! D-Von is knocked to the canvas, and Christian soon loses his grip. Jeff tries to walk on the tops of three ladders set up next to each other, but he loses his balance and falls over. Jeff quickly recovers and climbs a ladder before grabbing the hook. Bubba pulls the ladder out from under him. Edge then leaps off the 20-foot ladder and SPEARS Jeff all the way down to the canvas! INCREDIBLE! The crowd is going ballistic.
Bubba and Matt now climb the 20-foot ladder and are punching each other. Rhyno then gets in the ring and knocks the ladder over, sending Bubba and Matt out of the ring through the four tables at ringside! The tables absolutely explode and do nothing to break their fall!
D-Von and Christian are climbing the ladder. Edge pulls on D-Von’s legs to pull him down. Rhyno puts Christian on his shoulders and pushes him up. Christian retrieves the titles to win the match!
Winners and new WWF Tag Team Champions: Edge and Christian
Mike’s Thoughts: What an incredible match. Absolutely phenomenal. A WrestleMania classic on a card full of classic matches. What these six men did to each other is incredible. It was a car wreck match, but there seemed to be a flow to it. It wasn’t just spot after spot after spot. Everything had time to breathe and permeate. Everyone was right on time with everything and not a beat was missed. Even inserting Lita, Spike Dudley, and Rhyno in halfway through didn’t throw it off. Probably the most lasting, iconic image we see from this WrestleMania is that Spear off the cable from Edge to Jeff Hardy. I think I’ve seen that spot 5,000 times in video packages through the years… but when you watch it in the context of the match, it makes it that much more powerful. Just a complete spectacle and befitting of WrestleMania. One of the best WrestleMania matches you’ll see.
Video Package: WWF Axess in Houston
Howard Finkel is in the ring and announces that WrestleMania X-Seven has broken the Astrodome attendance record at 67,935!
“Mean” Gene Okerlund makes his entrance to Tutti Frutti (sung by himself). Okerlund will be commentating for the Gimmick Battle Royal. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan makes his entrance to do color commentary.
Gimmick Battle Royal
The Bushwhackers (Luke and Butch) vs. Duke “The Dumpster” Droese vs. The Iron Sheik vs. Earthquake vs. The Goon vs. Doink The Clown vs. Kamala and Kim Chee w/ Harvey Whippleman vs. Repo Man vs. James E. Cornette vs. Nikolai Volkoff vs. Freebird Michaels “P.S.” Hayes vs. One Man Gang vs. The Gobbledy Gooker vs. Tugboat vs. Hillbilly Jim vs. Brother Love vs. Sgt. Slaughter
As The Iron Sheik makes his entrance, Bobby Heenan unleashes his classic line saying, “By the time The Iron Sheik gets to the ring, it’ll be WrestleMania 38!” The Bushwhackers licked Okerlund’s head during their entrance, and Heenan says they took the last two hairs on his head. While The Repo Man makes his entrance, Heenan says he repo’d his own car. Okerlund says Repo Man got his mother-in-law’s car five years ago. Heenan then tells Okerlund that four years ago, everyone had his mother-in-law! While Sgt. Slaughter makes his entrance, footage is shown from him shooting a machine gun in his early days. Heenan says that was then – now he’s shooting blanks! A still photo is shown of Slaughter’s face and Okerlund sarcastically says, “What a good looking man…”
The bell rings, and Repo Man is immediately eliminated. Tugboat then eliminates the Gobbledy Gooker. Earthquake eliminates Tugboat, and Tugboat takes exception to his old tag team partner eliminating him. The Goon attacks Earthquake. Hayes is punching away at Sheik in the corner. Earthquake attacks Kamala, but Kamala comes back and throws Earthquake out of the ring. Kamala concentrates on Hayes before eliminating his manager, Kim Chee. Hayes punches Kamala, and One Man Gang saves him. Brother Love and Cornette eliminate one of the Bushwhackers. Hillbilly Jim then sends Cornette over the top rope to eliminate him. Volkoff eliminates Droese. The Goon gets eliminated, while Sgt. Slaughter eliminates Volkoff. Doink eliminates the second Bushwhacker (Butch?). Kamala eliminates Doink to big boos. Gang then eliminates Hayes. Kamala then gets rid of Gang over the top rope. Finally, Slaughter eliminates Kamala, who eliminated four individuals.
The final four is Sgt. Slaughter, Brother Love, The Iron Sheik, and Hillbilly Jim. This doesn’t last much longer. Slaughter eliminates Love, Jim eliminates Slaughter, and Sheik eliminates Jim to win!
Winner: The Iron Sheik
Sgt. Slaughter angrily gets in the ring, exchanges some of the worst looking punches in the history of professional wrestling and applies the Cobra Clutch to Sheik!
Mike’s Thoughts: Just a fun little trip down memory lane of some of the best – and worst – gimmicks the WWF has had. The best part of this by far was the banter with Bobby Heenan and Gene Okerlund. I was laughing out loud at certain moments. For some of these people, despite big careers for some, this is their lone WrestleMania appearance. Pretty cool.
Video Package: The Undertaker vs. Triple H
Motörhead plays Triple H’s theme song as he makes his entrance.
Triple H vs. The Undertaker
They quickly start brawling at ringside before the match even starts. Undertake bounces Triple H off the Spanish commentary table, which is just a folding table. Undertaker then uppercuts him, and Triple H goes through the table. Undertaker punches Triple H and rolls him into the ring.
The bell rings to officially start this match. Triple H kicks him back and punches. Undertaker punches back at him. Triple H reverses a whip, but Undertaker ducks a clothesline. Undertaker hits the ropes hard, but Triple H takes him down with a Harley Race high knee. Undertaker immediately pops up and grabs Triple H, throwing him to the corner for some punches. Undertaker scares the referee back before giving Triple H a huge back body drop. Undertaker clotheslines him in the corner and delivers a punch to the face. Undertaker sends him to the opposite corner and hits another clothesline. Undertaker scoops Triple H up and hits a powerslam. Undertaker goes to drop an elbow, but Triple H rolls out of the way. Triple H punches Undertaker back and sends him into the ropes, but Undertaker ducks a clothesline and hits a big diving lariat. Undertaker wrenches the arm and shouts, “Old school!” Undertaker climbs to the top rope to walk the ropes, but Triple H pulls him down to the canvas!
Undertaker goes for a right hand, but Triple H ducks and hits a neckbreaker for a two count. Triple H punches away at him. Undertaker leans on the second rope, so Triple H gets on the apron and hits an elbow to the head. Triple H hangs Undertaker over the apron and elbows him in the chest. Triple H gets back in the ring and hits a swinging neckbreaker for another two count. Triple H covers again for a two count. Triple H tries one more time, but it’s the same result. Triple H angrily gets up and shoves Mike Chioda, the referee, back. Chioda shoves him back. Undertaker punches Triple H in the midsection a few times before giving him an uppercut to the jaw. Undertaker sends him into the ropes, but he lowers his head so Triple H hits a facebuster.
Triple H goes outside the ring and throws timekeeper Mark Yeaton over the barricade. Triple H then grabs the sledgehammer, which was hidden under the table. Chioda takes the hammer away before Triple H can hit Undertaker with it. Undertaker received 16 staples in the head after the last sledgehammer shot. Triple H is furious. Undertaker goes to attack him, but Triple H kicks him and goes for a Pedigree. Undertaker counters into a catapult that sends Triple H into the referee in the corner! Undertaker hits a big Chokeslam and covers. Chioda comes to and counts, but Triple H kicks out at two and a half! Undertaker angrily stomps Chioda and elbow drops him on the head!
Undertaker head-butts Triple H before sending him out of the ring a la Harley Race! Undertaker punches Triple H and goes to bounce him off the steps, but Triple H blocks it and bounces him. Triple H charges, but Undertaker gives him a back body drop over the barricade! The brawl through the fans. The referee is still unconscious in the ring. They brawl to a production platform. Undertaker punches away at Triple H. Triple H climbs more platforms to escape, but Undertaker catches him and punches him down. Undertaker then sends Triple H to the next level of platforms. Triple H attacks him with a chair as he comes up. Triple H cracks him in the midsection and back before hitting him in the head with the chair. Triple H then beats him down with the chair all over his body. Triple H holds the chair up in victory. Undertaker then grabs him by the throat and Chokeslams him off the platform!
EMTs come to check on Triple H, so Undertaker stands on the railing and hits an elbow drop on him! The crash pad they landed on bounces. Undertaker punches the EMTs away before punching away at Triple H. Undertaker punches Triple H back through the crowd and gives him a hip toss back to the ringside area.
Undertaker gets Triple H in the ring and stares down at him. Undertaker then looks at the sledgehammer and picks it up. Undertaker feels the scar on his forehead from the 16 staples he received a few weeks ago. Triple H begs Undertaker off. Undertaker lifts up the sledgehammer, but Triple H low blows him. Triple H charges with the sledgehammer, but Undertaker big boots him down. Undertaker punches Triple H back. They’re exchanging big right hands, staggering each other. Triple H kicks him before having a whip reversed. Triple H goes for a Tombstone, but Undertaker bridges through and hits a Tombstone Piledriver! Undertaker covers, but the referee is still unconscious. Chioda hasn’t moved an inch since being attacked a while ago. Undertaker shakes Chioda to life.
Undertaker signals for the Last Ride Powerbomb. Undertaker sets up for the Last Ride and lifts him, but Triple H grabs the sledgehammer and cracks Undertaker in the skull with it! Undertaker goes down. Triple H covers, but Undertaker kicks out! Triple H is incredulous!
Undertaker’s face is an absolute crimson mask. Triple H punches away at him in the corner and goes for the 10 punches. Undertaker then counters into the Last Ride Powerbomb for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: The Undertaker
The Undertaker is now 9-0 at WrestleMania! Undertaker, bleeding profusely from the skull, looks pleased. Undertaker gets on his motorcycle and flies up the ramp on it. Undertaker stops, raises his arm in victory, and drives out of his hometown of Houston.
Mike’s Thoughts: Really fun match. Obviously these two have had better matches at WrestleMania, but for a first time PPV meeting, this was really good. There were some smoke and mirrors to get them through this, but man Triple H was on top of his game – I always thought he was at his absolute peak before his first torn quad – and Undertaker, who looked a little out of shape, hung with him. The brawling in the crowd got a little old after a while. The spectacle of the chokeslam off the platform was cool, but in a very surprising un-Kevin Dunn-like move, a bad camera angle revealed he landed on nothing more than a crash pad, which takes away some of the drama. I loved the first angle where he chokeslams him into nothingness and you don’t see anything. Seeing the crash pad takes away from the spot. Surprised they had that. Overall lots of fun.
WWF Champion The Rock is shown walking backstage. He gets a mixed reaction. Elsewhere backstage, Stone Cold Steve Austin intensely looks at himself in a mirror before walking off.
Video Package: WWF Championship
Mike’s Thoughts: This is the greatest video package in the history of professional wrestling. That is not hyperbole.
Howard Finkel announces the WrestleMania Main Event is now a No Disqualification Match. Jim Ross and Paul Heyman are shocked by that announcement.
WWF Championship – No Disqualification Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock (c)
As soon as The Rock finishes posing on the turnbuckle, Austin starts punching away at The Rock. Austin goes to hit The Rock with the WWF Championship, but The Rock avoids it. The Rock punches him, but he has a whip reversed. Rock ducks a clothesline, but Austin comes right back with the Lou Thesz Press and some punches. Austin hits the ropes and drops an elbow. Austin hits the ropes again and drops another elbow. Austin sends him into the ropes, but Rock catches him with a swinging neckbreaker. The Rock goes for a Rock Bottom, but Austin elbows out. Austin goes for a Stone Cold Stunner, but Rock gets out. The Rock then goes for a Stone Cold Stunner, but Austin gets away and throws The Rock over the top rope. Austin goes to ringside and punches him onto the commentary table. Austin punches him over to the barricade, and they go into the crowd. The Rock comes back and punches Austin down on a chair before throwing him over the barricade back to ringside. The Rock bounces Austin off the commentary table a few times. Austin quickly comes back with a short-arm clothesline on the floor. Austin rakes The Rock’s face with the knee brace and puts him back in the ring.
Austin stomps The Rock in the skull a few times before choking him on the ropes. Austin then splashes him against the ropes for a two count. Austin puts The Rock on the top rope and hits a superplex. Austin covers for a near fall. Austin quickly removes the top turnbuckle pad. The Rock fights back at Austin, ducks a clothesline, and hits a diving clothesline. The Rock sends him into the ropes and hits a belly-to-belly overhead suplex for a near fall. The Rock then clotheslines Austin out of the ring. The Rock grabs Austin and bounces him off the commentary table before bouncing him off the timekeeper’s table. The Rock gets in Earl Hebner’s face. Hebner backs up and falls over the steel steps. The Rock then trips over a camera wire. The Rock goes back to Austin, but Austin clocks him in the head with the ring bell! Earl Hebner admonishes Austin, and Austin flips him off right to his face. Austin also throws Mark Yeaton away.
The Rock is busted open, and Austin attacks the wound. Austin bounces him on the commentary table a few times. The Rock climbs on the table and it collapses under him. Austin isn’t shaken by this whatsoever. Austin is completely locked in. Austin attacks The Rock and punches him into the ring. Austin punches Rock back a few times. The Rock is staggering all over the ring. Austin takes him down and wildly punches away at the cut before choking him. Austin goes to bounce him off the exposed turnbuckle, but The Rock fights back. The Rock sends him into the ropes, but Austin catches him with a swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Austin mounts The Rock again and stares at him before punching away at his skull. Austin stomps away at The Rock before Earl Hebner backs him up. Austin walks around him and continues to kick away at The Rock’s head. Austin chokes him with the boot before digging his knee into The Rock’s face. Austin then shoves Hebner down. The Rock then explodes out of the corner with a huge clothesline!
The Rock hits a second clothesline, and the crowd is booing him. Austin quickly knees him in the midsection, but The Rock punches back at him before bouncing him off the exposed turnbuckle! Austin goes down hard. The Rock goes outside and grabs the ring bell. The Rock gets in the ring, and Austin gets up. Austin is bleeding from the head as The Rock hits him in the face with the bell for a near fall! Austin’s face is the proverbial crimson mask. Austin pulls himself up, and The Rock punches away at him. Austin is on wobbly legs. The Rock punches him down, and the crowd is not happy. Rock continues to pepper Austin with punches, knocking him down to the canvas. The Rock hangs him out over the apron, goes outside, and elbows him in the chest a few times. Austin falls out of the ring in a heap. Austin begins to fight back and drops The Rock on the barricade. Austin then catapults The Rock head-first into the ring post!
Austin gets The Rock to his feet and punches him back before hitting him in the face with a television monitor. Austin gets The Rock back in the ring and covers him for a two count. Austin is amazed. Austin gets him to his feet, flips him off, and goes for a Stone Cold Stunner. The Rock blocks it, takes him down, and applies a Sharpshooter! Austin screams in pain as the blood pours down his face, which is reminiscent of the classic match he had against Bret “Hitman” Hart at WrestleMania 13. Austin reaches for the ropes, but The Rock drags him to the middle of the ring. Austin claws his way to the bottom rope eventually to get a break. The Rock grabs him to the center of the ring for another Sharpshooter, but Austin rakes the eyes. Austin takes The Rock down and applies a Sharpshooter! The Rock screams in pain, but he uses his lower body strength to break out. Austin quickly grabs the leg and slams the knee on the mat. Austin grabs his legs and stomps The Rock in the midsection. Austin then goes back to the Sharpshooter, but The Rock gets a hand on the bottom rope. Austin keeps the hold applied for a few more seconds, as this is a No Disqualification Match.
Austin kicks The Rock in the face and applies the Million Dollar Dream. JR shouts that Austin hasn’t employed the use of this move since he was The Ringmaster. Hebner checks on The Rock’s arm, who seems to be fading away. The Rock’s arm doesn’t drop a third time. The Rock kicks off the turnbuckles and pins Austin a la Hart and Roddy Piper at WM 8, but Austin kicks out! Austin delivers a stiff punch to The Rock before sending him to the ropes, but The Rock turns him around and hits a Stone Cold Stunner on Stone Cold Steve Austin! The Rock takes a moment before crawling over to cover him for a near fall! The crowd is erupting.
All of a sudden, Vince McMahon begins to saunter down to ringside. The crowd boos him. In the ring, The Rock punches away at Austin before hitting the ropes. Austin quickly hits The Rock with a stiff spinebuster for a near fall. Austin loudly says, “Shit!!” The Rock reverses a whip and hits Austin with a spinebuster. The Rock sets up for the People’s Elbow. The Rock throws his elbow pad into the crowd and connects with the People’s Elbow. The Rock covers, but McMahon pulls The Rock off Austin! The Rock is stunned and locks eyes with McMahon. The Rock chases McMahon around ringside. McMahon gets in the ring, so The Rock follows him in. Austin connects with the Rock Bottom on The Rock, but The Rock kicks out! Austin goes for a Stone Cold Stunner, but The Rock shoves him into Earl Hebner, knocking him to the floor. Austin then gives The Rock a low blow.
Austin demands McMahon bring a steel chair into the ring. Austin gives McMahon some directions. Austin holds The Rock up, and McMahon smacks Rock in the head with the chair! Austin covers, but the referee is still outside. McMahon throws Hebner into the ring. Hebner counts, but The Rock kicks out! Austin is incensed and curses up a storm. Austin goes to hit him with the chair, but Rock counters with a Rock Bottom. McMahon distracts Hebner, so The Rock brings him in the hard way. The Rock punches away at McMahon before turning into a Stone Cold Stunner! The crowd absolutely EXPLODES! Austin covers, but The Rock kicks out at two and a half! The crowd was so loud that when The Rock kicked out, there was audible silence from the changing of emotions before the big “OHHH!” Incredible!!
McMahon hands the steel chair to Austin, who lays out The Rock with a vicious chair shot to the head. Austin covers, but The Rock kicks out. Austin is absolutely irate. Austin looks at McMahon and curses up a storm. Austin grabs the steel chair and viciously unloads 16 chair shots all over The Rock’s body. Austin covers and finally defeats The Rock for the WWF Championship!
Winner by Pinfall and new WWF Champion: Stone Cold Steve Austin
Austin grabs the WWF Championship, looks Vince McMahon in the eyes, and shakes the hand of his longtime nemesis! Jim Ross shouts, “Stone Cold is shaking hands with Satan himself! For the love of God, someone tell me this is not happening!” Austin celebrates with the WWF Championship and the hometown crowd still gives Austin a great ovation.
Austin gives a beer to McMahon, and they toast before drinking. Jim Ross exclaims, “I don’t believe this! What the hell? Son of a bitch! Son of a bitch, I don’t believe this! Steve Austin is drinking a damn beer with Mr. McMahon. Stone Cold has sold his soul to Satan himself to win the WWF Title. Why Steve? Why this way? For the love of God, Texas or not!” Austin puts a beer next to The Rock’s head and toasts McMahon over his broken body. JR says, “I thought I knew Austin! I thought I knew the Texas Rattlesnake!” Austin poses with the WWF Championship. Ross says, “I was in the hospital when he came out of surgery. I thought I knew him! He would never – I thought he would never, ever…” The Rock gets to his feet, so Austin slams him in the face with the WWF Championship! Paul Heyman says, “This is the dawning of a new era the likes of which we have never seen before.” Austin and McMahon walk off while replays are shown of the final moments of this match. Austin and McMahon walk off. Ross shouts, “Good God Almighty, things will never be the same!”
Video Package: WrestleMania X-Seven highlights
Mike’s Thoughts: When Jim Ross shouted, “Good God Almighty, things will never be the same” at the end of this show, he was not kidding. Turning Stone Cold Steve Austin heel (also without the benefit of an equally super over face to go against as The Rock was leaving to film movies) ended the hottest period in the history of professional wrestling. It was the end of the Attitude Era, a period – for all the good and bad it caused – that has never seen the true popularity of the company reach those heights again. In many ways, the company has moved on from the Attitude Era, but when the going gets tough they go back to Attitude Era stars to pop that rating. They’ll bring back aspects of that era, but without the star power of that era, it rarely ever works.
On to the main event… this was one hell of a main event. You want action, drama, excitement, storytelling? It’s all here. Started off by the greatest hype video in wrestling history, Austin was a madman throughout this. If they weren’t in Houston, you’d really see that he’s working as the heel in this match. Austin is psychotic about beating The Rock and hurting him badly throughout the match. The intensity is off the charts. Austin and Rock were so locked in and didn’t miss a beat. You forget that the genre is simulated fighting when these two are going at it. There was a moment where they were setting up a table spot on the commentary table and it just broke before anything happened. Without missing a beat, they just transitioned to the next spot like nothing happened, as if it was a real fight rather than a production with numerous planned spots.
As for the drama… good lord it’s here in buckets. The crowd was eating up everything they were doing. It’s probably the hottest crowd for a WrestleMania Main Event in history in terms of sustained reaction. That one moment will live with me forever and is always one of the things that comes to my mind when someone asks why I still watch. That moment is when Austin hit The Rock with the Stone Cold Stunner and covered him… the crowd thought it was over and when The Rock kicked out, the crowd was so stunned that for a brief second it literally sounded like every particle of air exited the Astrodome before they reacted to it. Absolutely incredible.
In terms of the finish… I think I already covered that. It ended the hottest period in professional wrestling’s history. Even Austin admitted years later that it was a huge mistake to go heel, but hindsight is always 20/20.
Bottom line is this is – for my money – the single greatest WrestleMania event in the history of the company. Everything from the production to the action to the storytelling to the moments just hit on all cylinders. Even the not so good stuff wasn’t awful. The Gimmick Battle Royal had Gene Okerlund and Bobby Heenan on commentary for the final time – that’s a HUGE win. If you’ve never seen WrestleMania X-Seven, it’s a must watch. I’m so glad that I got to recap this and it’s a great way to finish off my WrestleMania retro recaps. I sincerely hope you enjoyed these as much as I did. Thank you so much for reading.
Quick Match Results
— Chris Jericho def. William Regal to retain the WWF Intercontinental Championship
— Tazz and The APA (Faarooq and Bradshaw) def. Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan, Val Venis, and The Goodfather)
— Kane def. Raven and The Big Show to win the WWF Hardcore Championship
— Eddie Guerrero def. Test to win the WWF European Championship
— Kurt Angle def. Chris Benoit
— Chyna def. Ivory to win the WWF Women’s Championship
— Shane McMahon def. Vince McMahon in a Street Fight
— Edge and Christian def. The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz in TLC II to win the WWF Tag Team Championship
— The Iron Sheik won the Gimmick Battle Royal
— The Undertaker def. Triple H
— Stone Cold Steve Austin def. The Rock in a No Disqualification Match to win the WWF Championship
E-Mail – mike@wrestleview.com
Twitter – @MikeTedescoWV
Thanks for reading!