WWF: SuNDAY NiGHT HeAT
January 3, 1999
Worcester, MA
The Centrum

The current WWF champs are as follows:
WWF Champion: The Rock (11/15/1998)
Intercontinental Champion: Ken Shamrock (10/12/1998)
World Tag Team Champions: The Big Boss Man & Ken Shamrock (12/14/1998)
European Champion: X-Pac (10/18/1998)
Light Heavyweight Champion: Duane Gill (11/23/1998)
Hardcore Champion: Road Dogg (12/21/1998)
Women’s Champion: Sable (11/15/1998)

LAST WEEK ON RAW: WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels was publicly fired by Vince McMahon for still having a little “DX” in him to end the program. Not one to lay down for anybody, HBK gives Vince SWEET CHIN MUSIC and babyfaces himself in one single moment. They show Vince eating shoe leather from about seven different angles in a matter of five seconds. Hilarious. Apparently at some point this week, Vince told whomever will listen on WWF.com that he’s going to “dismember” Shawn Michaels. We’ll hear from Shawn Michaels from his home in San Antonio via satellite later tonight.

HOT ENOUGH? Your hosts are Kevin Kelly and Shane McMahon.

The NEW AGE OUTLAWS head out to the ring to start the show. Road Dogg does his weekly rundown and Billy Gunn specifically tells Ken Shamrock to give him the IC title and that Shamrock can “suck it”. Back to Road Dogg, he brings up the Rock. Since the Rock got involved in his match with Mankind last week on RAW, Road Dogg wants to whoop his ass and challenges the Rock to a HARDCORE title match, bitch. Well, out comes the Corporation to the stage – including the Rock himself. Ken Shamrock reminds Billy Gunn that he’s a UFC champion and that Gunn is a piece of trash. Shamrock will not give Gunn an IC title match because Gunn is not on Shamrock’s level. Now the Rock gets the mic and says he thinks Road Dogg’s monkey ass wants to be famous. Rock could care less about Mankind getting screwed out of the Hardcore title. If Road Dogg wants to go up against the Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment today, that’s too bad because he ain’t ready or worthy enough to take on the Great One. Before he can put his hands on the Rock, Road Dogg will first have to go through TEST. Oh boy.

The ODDITIES are backstage standing around enjoying each other’s company. George Steele is nodding and saying “SURPRISE” over and over again.

Michael Cole is backstage stirring up shit with Ken Shamrock when Billy Gunn shows up for a fight until refs and agents break them up.

• George “The Animal” Steele (w/the Oddities) vs. Mosh

I don’t want to hear people complaining about guys in WCW that are 50 years old since now we have George Steele around in the WWF who is 61. Steele thinks the Headbangers are real tag team champions because Mosh has a foam belt that he wants. Remember like 2-3 months ago they were trying to be tag team champions? Mosh treats Steele like he’s special needs before we get underway. Steele chews on a turnbuckle pad and chases Mosh out to the floor. After the Oddities put him back in the ring, Steele jabs him in the throat with the foreign object and rolls him up for a three-count. (1:20) Afterwards, Mosh punches Steele and hands the object to Teddy Long, but nobody cares. N/R

Over to Shawn Michaels house in San Antonio, Shawn says he’s afraid of a lot of things in life, but he’s not afraid of Vince McMahon. He guarantees he’ll be at RAW tomorrow night and maybe Vince will get a kick out of it. Is that all?

• Triple H (w/X-Pac) vs. Mark Henry

While Mark Henry is overpowering to Triple H to start, CHYNA appears at the top of the stage with uhh something or someone wearing black gown and a brown wig. With his mind on Chyna, Triple H kicks him in the gut and delivers the PEDIGREE for the win. (1:56) I wouldn’t call it an upset, but I would call it a way too quick victory. N/R

They replay the Vince McMahon training video. Just fantastic stuff. I HATE AUSTIN! AHH!

• Val Venis vs. Christian

Christian pounds Val into the corner and stomps a mudhole in him. Venis reverses a whip and plants Christian with a spinebuster. Christian stops Venis charging at him in the corner and powerbombs (!) Val for two. Venis comes back with the Kobashi knees and the Russian legsweep to set up the Rick Rude pose. He heads up top, but Christian dropkicks Val to crotch him. Venis shoves away a superplex and hits the MONEY SHOT for the win. (2:20) Good stuff for only two minutes. THE BROOD turn the lights out and then we see red strobe lights in the ring. When the house lights come back on, Val Venis has been given a blood bath! This is just not the type of porn he’s into. Val is FREAKED OUT. **

Elsewhere, DEBRA is getting her makeup done.

• The Big Boss Man & Ken Shamrock vs. Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett (w/Debra)

This is a non-title match. Kevin Kelly wonders what’s going through Owen Hart’s mind after seeing Dan Severn on last week’s RAW. Both heel teams here, but hey there’s DEBRA. Shamrock and Owen go back and forth. Owen stops a hurracanrana with a powerbomb and tags in Jarrett. In comes Boss Man, Owen nails him from the apron into an armbreaker DDT from Jarrett. Boss Man catches Jarrett trying a crossbody block and slams him down. Hey look, the BOSS MAN SLAM connects on Jarrett. That causes the match to break down. Debra hops up on the apron and opens the blazer to show off what’s underneath to tempt Boss Man. She even lets him put his hand on her butt. That’s as good as it gets for Boss Man because Jarrett rolls him up for the three-count. (2:40) Silly finish, but I think these two teams could work well together. It’s just heel versus heel is hard to pull off even with Debra at ringside. *½

Michael Cole speaks with Owen Hart, Jeff Jarrett and Debra backstage. Both Owen and Jarrett are pissed that wasn’t a tag title match because they proved they could beat them. Debra says she’s a secret that can’t be kept under wraps – IF YOU CATCH HER DRIFT.

• Road Dogg vs. Test

MANKIND joins us for extra special commentary and scares away Shane McMahon. I love that he sings along to Road Dogg’s theme music. Road Dogg apologizes to Mankind for the Rock’s interference in their Hardcore title match last week on RAW and grants Mankind another title shot whenever he wants it. To make amends, they do the New Age Outlaws pre-match spiel for fun. Mankind has one word for ya: SOCKO. Test pounds Road Dogg down to start, but Road Dogg comes back with Shake Rattle and Roll. Test won’t go down, but does once he eats a dropkick to lead to the Shaky Knee Drop. Test comes back with a Falcon Arrow (!!). Mankind is impressed! Road Dogg stops a corner charge, but turns around into a WOTSILLA BOOT. Mankind doesn’t like how mouthy Test is. Side Slam by Test gets two. Test counters a hiptoss into a neckbreaker just as Mankind questions Test’s gender. WOW. Road Dogg slips away from a pumphandle slam and forces Test into a corner with kicks and chops. Now what? The flying double sledge puts Test on his knees. PUMPHANDLE SLAM connects! Here comes the Rock to win this match via DQ for Road Dogg. (2:40) Mankind and the Rock trade shots on each other while Road Dogg and Test do the same to end the show. Test is VERY green, but he’s showing some promise here with some good moves. *½

That does it for this week. Until next time, so long for now.

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