Review: WWF-WWE No Way Out of Texas 1998: (IYH 20) DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWF No Way Out (Of Texas) 1998- IYH 20 Review:

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“Austin just Stunnered CHYNA!!!” -Jim Ross

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-This event is on DVD right now as a tagged classic.

-The event was created in 1998, with its inaugural event produced as an In Your House event in February of that year. The event in 2000 was rebranded as an annual PPV event for WWE. To coincide with the brand extention, the event was made exclusive to the Smackdown! brand in 2004. In 2007, to follow the format of Wrestlemania, all PPV events became tri-branded. The final event was held in 2009, with Elimination Chamber replacing No Way Out in 2010.

-The In Your House event was titled No Way Out of Texas, named after the location of the venue, Houston, Texas. It took place on February 15, 1998 and aired live on PPV in front of 16,110 fans.

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-JR revealed at the beginning of the pay-per-view that Michaels would not be taking part in the eight-man tag match main event due to injuries he had sustained during a casket match with The Undertaker the month before.JR also announced that owing to the heated nature of the fight, the WWF did not want to accept any responsibility for the bout, making it an unsanctioned match.

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-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler at their best did the commentary for the event.

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Now onto the PPV….

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1) Opening Contest- The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) vs The Artist Formally Known As Goldust (W/Luna) and Marc Mero (W/Sable)

Alright so we’re off for this PPV here in Texas and apparently there is No Way out….Oh wow, that was a terrible beginning joke now I feel more confident that it can only get better as I go……We get a standard tag team match from the early ages of the attitude mid-card as this PPV opener in the 20th In Your House even though they were starting to go away from the In Your House name thing, as the original logo was dropped and you could barely see or hear anything In Your House related at most times.

Anyways Goldust and Mero would be a unique tandem as HEELS in the mid-card for these few months as Mero hated Sable and Goldust had Luna with him and of course Luna hated Sable and vice versa which lead to the mega entertaining mixed-tag match at WM 14.

Okay, I don’t know if it was MEGA Entertaining but it was VERY Good from memory and the crowd ate it right up. Sable is red hot at this time and she gets a tremendous ovation coming out with Mero as expected. Mero says there’s only room in the ring for one beautiful ladie when all four on there team were in the ring and says to Sable “Sable….get the hell out of here!” Hilarious.

Although this match wont be as easy on the eyes now, Thanks Marc!

The Headbangers came out after Sable left (oh great switch) … but JR points out there the former tag champs so all is right in the world.

Should be some competitive stuff, but at least King says some funny remarks making fun of New Jersey when Ross says they’re from the GREAT state of New Jersey,…ugh why can’t King stay to how he was in 1998? Now he is going for the WWE title in 2011 as a babyface. IN 98 they were not in the puppies days, but just PURE HEEL, pure comedy-Lawler.

Mero and Mosh began in the ring and Marc Mero just gave him a bunch of boxing punches until Mosh took over and hit an irishwhip followed by a clothesline over the top rope. Thrasher and Goldust got some time in the ring and King called Goldust Marilyn Dust because he looked like Manson, he was definitely strange in this time period…not that he was NORMAL in any other one of course…he is Goldust…sick freak!

Thrasher and Mosh hit some high impact moves on the heels to get the crowd into the match in the early to mid match.

King cleverly points out in Jesse Ventura fashion babyfaces cheating and calls JR out on it and JR has no excuse for The Headbangers double teaming. Goldust on the outside dropped Thrasher on the steps behind the refs back, and I’m constantly reminded why some of these attitude era matches are more watchable and it’s because of the hilarious commentary.

Thrasher Bladed after the stair drop and you usually don’t see a blade job in the opening tag match of a PPV for no titles, pretty strange and the crowd was pretty shocked and now Goldust and Mero targetted the head of Thrasher, the bloodied head. I seriously laughed at Lawler about 50 times during this match as Mero and Goldust continued to dominate Thrasher and then Mero screamed out “AAAAAHHHHHHHHH! HE BIT MY HAND!” Hilarious as the crowd turned on him (not that they were going FOR him) and chanted MERO SUCKS! Funny stuff…….I swear Referee Tim White counted a 3 when Goldust was on top of Thrasher, might of been a mistake, we’ll see what the REAL outcome is as I honestly don’t remember as of right now.

Mero and Dust cheated a bunch of times during the match which was quite hllarious as King cheered it on…. King: (To a Bloodied Thrasher in a headlock) “Why don’t you just give up you IDIOT!” Hilarious, again…Mero was a natural heel and I don’t care what anyone says a good worker even though he was better in the Wildman days but ONLY in the ring as his promo’s and character were beyond corny and horrid.

The crowd get back into this match when Thrasher hit a DDT to Mero out of no where. Mosh got tagged back in and did some moves to Golddust until Luna hit Thrasher on the outside. SABLE’S BACK! Tits poppin out of that hot black suit and Mero held her back while Golddust held Luna back and the fans chanted for Sable. Mosh rolled up Mero behind beyond this madness when he came back in the ring and pinned him at 13:54. The Chicks (Sable and Luna) tried to rip each other apart. Sable and Luna was one of the bigger Ladie’s feuds or one of the first major ones of this era in this manner so it scores points for originality I guess. For the WWF anyway….Sable and Mero argue with each other and Sable pushes Mero down to a huge pop! Very good tag team match to start the show with a decent amount of time and never boring due to its pacing, match technique, constant cheating and hillarious commentating. Oh yeah and Sable…. 🙂

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2) Taka Michinoku (c) vs Pantera for the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship

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Sunny now! Sunny right after Sable in 1998, wow…..it’s better then it looks on paper! Trust me…

Anyways we should get a great lucha libre style match here when the WCW was clearly dominating them for two good years or 3 there or how about the last half decade with Pillman and Liger. This was all the WWF countered with but these guys ARE GOOD workers and often both underrated overall, but it was all they had really. Pantera with an early summersault over the top rope to the outside on the Champion, Taka. Oh right, I forgot to mention that Brian Christpoher came out for commentary and JR’s SON jokes for The King were hilarious, from memory they ran from late 1997 to mid 1998 if not longer. Taka got back in control after that Moonsault from Pantera which also resulted in him hitting a nice hurricanrauna and arm drag take down inside the ring before Taka let Pantera fly to the outside of the ring by pulling down the middle rope as he fell tot he outside. The crowd then reacted in a big way in his favor after he hit a spring board move to the outside. Not after long though both Lawler’s were laughing when Pantera hit Taka with a hurricanrana then sent him to the outside where he hurt his lower back as he hit the guard rail. Pantera dove out to the outside that pushed him there and he focused on Taka’s back on the outside then in the ring. Jim Ross was quite hillarious when saying “No Family resemblence with that laugh at all.” Pantera had a camel clutch after a back breaker to the already injured back of Taka as Pantera has controlled most of the action in this match, with a hip lock take over followed by a hard kick to the spine of Taka. The Lawlers at the booth were talking about how he had no spine so it shouldn’t hurt him. Pantera continued to work on Taka’s back by pulling his arms behind him while stretching him by falling on his back and lifting Taka on top of him in the air which got a good reaction as it was a impressive submission hold.
Taka was then backdropped over the ropes by Pantera to the floor then Pantera hit a moonsault over the top rope again this time landing on the injured back of Taka, which is just excellent psychology here with some brilliant cruiserweight action for the WWF here. He continued to apply some submission holds with some unique pinning combinations but only got a two, followed by yet another back breaker. Pantera jumped off the top and drove his elbow into the injured back.

ANOTHER back breaker after an irish whip and with him celebrating Taka slapped him and was about to fly off the top rope but Pantera joined him up there and hit a Hurricanrauna from the top rope! Complete domination by Pantera throughout this match as he hit a hard slam and then a moonsault from the top rope. Pantera went for another Moonsault and hit NOTHING but canvas and Taka jumped up fromt he top and hit an elbow but Pantera rolled him up with an inside cradle and only got a two, followed by another awesome pinning combo but only a 2. Taka countered into a Powerbomb but only a two and then he got a missle drop kick from the top that caught Pantera to the back of the head. Taka was dominated the entire match but still wins, however he did sell the BACK and this match was TO GOOD to put it any lower then three stars. Taka retained the title at 10:11 when he hit the Michinoku Driver on Pantera and the Lawlers are pissed off. Brian Christopher said he had it up to here with Taka and while Jerry went to stop Christopher Taka flew off the top and hit them both and The Lawler Family is down JR says. Awesome match with a lot of Pantera’s moves and as I said he used awesome psychology but Taka really shouldn’t have won like that given how the match went but either way as I said it was far to good to rate it lower then three stars.

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***

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3) The Godwinns (Henry and Phineas) vs The Quebecers (Jacques Rougeau and Pierre Oullet)

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The Quebecers on the way to the ring lipped how they wanted to wish Wayne Gretzky and Patrick Roy luck at the Nagano Olympics. They’d need it as Team Canada did not meet expectations that year to say the least. They made up for it the next Olympics in Salt Lake City 2002 defeating the USA in the final. Hey, I am Canadian I am allowed to give out those little tidbits.

The Godwins come out to a TERRIBLE theme (Should have stuck with Country Boy) and I guess they’re Tweeners here? They barely got a pop and either way if it’s not Tweener vs Heel it’s HEEL vs HEEL so lets see how the crowd reacts to this one and how it comes off from a match stand point.

USA Chants before the match.

The King says “I don’t like Canada, but what about Arkansaw? You’ve got to stand in line to hate that place.”

Jacques worked over Phineas soon to be Mideon who was much larger in his earlier days in the WWF and the crowd is absolutely dead. Pierre from Quebec who JR calls an amazing athlete works on Henry O, but Henry O then slapped on a wrist lock and the two chain wrestled exchanging some technical skill with counters back and forth between two big workers which was a little shocking. Henry then applied an armbar and held it after that exchange. Quebecers double teamed Henry until he hit them with a double clothesline with his Raw power.

Phineas came in and hit Jacques as Henry held him and then Phineas slapped on an armbar and dropped him down to the mat after the armbar. The Godwins continued to work on the arms of the Quebecers and this methodical tag wrestling might have been accepted better by the live crowd had there been a story behind it but there wasn’t really at all and these two teams were heels or tweeners at best and this tag team contest was not long by any means. Modified Spine Buster to Jacques by Phineas followed by a leg drop across the chest. Some slower work now and the crowd went from dead to bored and a lot of empty seats with a 16, 000 plus crowd which tells me this was either the piss break match or the popcorn break match. With all due respect to these teams they delivered a nice exchange between powerful wrestling and some techincal amateur skill but like I said with the way it was built up it was not delivered and accepted the way it should be. Henry with a sleeper hold on Jacques now.

More exciting then Austin vs Rock at WM 17 right now……

Rougeau with a reverse chinlock after the jaw breaker to Henry breaking the sleeper hold and King said that would knock his teeth out if he had any. JR says you have to be impressed by the tag team skill of the Godwins…

Godwins continued to be agressive with strong right hands by Phineas and this is more there style. Rougeau hits a reverse elbow and Pierre gets in the ring and hits Phineas with a clothesline and then a leg drop. Pierre is all fire up and hits a power slam but Henry shoves him off before the three count so neither team could get any advantage. Jacques hit a big time Piledriver on Phineas which is actually applied rather well given the telling camera angle for that type of move. Nice team work from the Quebecers now but Henry interupted the count. Jacques jumped from the top rope to Henry on the outside and it was indeed a high risk move for a man that size. Henry hits a basic clothesline to Pierre and gets the win at 11:14.

The fans cheer incredibally loud as they were happy it was over. The match was by no means was a disaster but neither team was popular at this point and the matchw as far too long so it came off BORING at times. Godwins hit the Quebecers with a slop bucket after the match.

3/4*

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4) Justin ‘Hawk’ Bradshaw vs Double J Jeff Jarrett (c) (W/ Jim Cornette, Barry Windham and The Rock N Roll Express) for the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship
Just before this match they aired one of that “Try lacing my boots” WWF Attitude video packages where it features a bunch of wrestlers talking about how the job is tough and how they’re not just nobodies.

I love this video.

Bradshaw gets a huge POP because it’s in Texas. This was during a time where Cornette brought back some NWA Tag and Single champions and it only lasted for a few months in 1998. The ref kicked everyone out before the match even started. This was the first time in WWF PPV History an NWA Title was ever on the line. Bradshaw attacked Double J early as he hit him with rights and lefts on the outside. Bradshaw hits Jarrett with his leather Chaps from his ring attire which sounds physical. He hits him with a huge chop followed by a clothesline and a hiplock with high elevation! Hard impact with all these moves here by Bradshaw as the rough texan is known mostly for his brawling after all and was recieved wonderfully by The Texans.

King says something hilarious about Texas. “Ya know what you call a Pretty Girl in Texas?….A Tourist.”

Jarrett then tries to wrok on the knee of Brashaw as he hits a drop kick then grabs the knee and slams it to the mat. Jarrett dropped down on Bradshaw while he was on the ropes as Cornette tried to grab him down as James E was never popular in this area.

More back and forth wrestling between these two as neither man really had control of this match. Cornette did hit Bradhshaw’s sergically repaired knee with his racket though and Double J continued to target the knee. Jarrett is setting up Bradshaw for his inevitable figure four leglock as Bradshaw has a bad knee at the same time. Haha, Lawler said about 10 funny things in this match that I can’t even mention. Jarrett tried a cross body off the top but a fall away slam by Bradshaw where he shows his Strength. The crowd chanted Jarrett sucks and The King said they’d mistaken him for The Rock by saying He Sucks. Funny stuff. Bradshaw hits a Powerbomb on Jarrett! While Cornette was in the ring Double J hit Bradshaw with a Racket and the ref who was turned around still knew exactly what happened and dq’d him at 8:59. Bradshaw then cleaned house with that Racket on the Rock N Roll Express who came back out as well as Cornette who JR pointed out has never been popular in Texas. Bradshaw Power Slammed James E Cornette. Windham tripped Bradshaw and now the NWA clan attacked Bradshaw with a 4 on 1 beatdown as the bell rang and outcame the LOD (this is going back….) The Road Warriors cleaned house then coming to Bradshaw’s aid and the fans applaud. Some decent wrestling here but nothing great, just almost GOOD.

* 3/4

 

I can’t remember an Ahmed appearance off the top of my head past this event so I wonder what happened…..I knew at one time but probably didn’t care enough to remember. The Rock saves Farooq from 8 Ball and then Shamrock and Farooq get it on for a little bit and The Rock is yet to be tagged in the match till now. Rock and Shamrock get it on as Rock hits a DDT to Shamrock. They had a HUGE feud in 1998 for the IC title as many of you know and The Rock’s natural charisma made him so hated and then eventually liked. ALL 10 MEN COME IN THE RING and start brawling and the fans go apeshit. There ya go…. that’s what this match needed. Shamrock hit a belly to belly suplex to The Rock but Shamrock hit him with a armbar take down into the Ankle Lock and THE IC Champion The Rock tapped out at 13:46.

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This made Ken look strong and a contender for Rock’s IC title but he’d never take it interestingly enough despite coming close so many times. Slow at times but D-Lo and The Rock did a very good job here specifically of all the ten guys.

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**

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Kane slammed Vader’s head on the steps. Kane then with a flying clothesline off the top and this was at the point where Taker was gone momentarily because of Kane setting him on Fire at The Rumble. JR Says he wishes he could see Taker back performing that move. Fans chant for Vader as Kane applies a vertical suplex tot he 400 pounder which is impressive. Kane continuing to assault Vader by choking him out. Kane systematically destroyed Vader pretty slowly but at a better pace still then the OTE match IMO. Vader gets momentum at times with offense but Kane inevitably overpowers him over and over. Vader with some offense but Kane goes to the outside and lands on his feet. Kane hits a DDT to Vader the first time Kane ever hit the move and King says this is the longest anyone has ever lasted with Kane. Vader hits a splash to Kane as Paul Bearer can’t stand it and hmmmm maybe they made Vader not so bitch like by this point. Vader climbs the ropes and hits a Vadersault to Kane. A moonsault from the top and Kane sits up. Kane then went for Vader but Vader stayed in control. This match has got pretty good at this point in time……..as Vader gets thrown to the steps but Vader goes under the ring and gets the Fire Extinguisher and sprays it at Kane as Paul Bearer distracts the ref from that! Haha okay…..Vader hits a POWER BOMB to Kane! Kane sits up again and then grabs Vader by the throat and hits a choke slam. Vader gets up and Kane hits a tombstone! Kane wins at 10:59.

Started slow but really picked up and told the story surprisingly well. Kane hits Vader in the face with a Wrench from under the ring after the match.

 

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7) Main Event- Non-Sanctioned Eight-Man Tag Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack, and Chainsaw Charlie vs Triple H (W/Chyna), Savio Vega, and The New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg)

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Owen 3:16 says I just broke your neck on the same team as Austin, interesting.

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Terry Funk, Owen Hart, Steve Austin, Mick Foley and Triple H are all in this match.

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All of those guys are in the top 40 of all time so as MEANINGLESS as this match MIGHT have been and as dissapointing as Savio Vega might have been as a replacement for HBK it still had that at least.

This match was meant to shape Wrestlemania 14 or so it was said with Austin against the HEEL D-X. Savio Vega got one of the worst ovations of his career due to HIM being a MYSTERY partner. Owen Hart telling Triple H to SUCK it during his entrance is pretty hilarious. Didn’t think good Ol Owen had it in him, that was gold. Austin finally came out to a god like ovation in Texas in 1998 as said and then it was on! Cactus brought weapons when he arrived so the setting was already set for this match the “WWF had no part in”……..Austin got it going with Gunn and the fans went ape shit when he hit the Lou Tesz Press. Funk and Jack had weapons on the outlaws in the corner while Hunter and Owen brawled on the outside. Austin then hit the opponents with weapons as the fans went crazy some more for Austin. This match was unlike all of the others on the night not just because it has the shows MAIN STAR in it and that definately helped, but because there was action all over the place where the other matches were slower as it was usually one on one. Not only was there 8 man going at it but all at the same time, all over the place and with weapons! Austin kicked Hunter’s ass on the outside with a Mop, Funk and Foley kicked The Outlaws ass with Tables and Chairs inside the ring. Owen Hart power slammed Billy Gunn through a table while Austin sent Savio Vega into the steps.

Owen then locked the Sharpshooter on Billy Gunn but Helmsley stopped it. Complete Carnage all over the place. Owen Hart got powerbombed in the ring by HHH at the same time as Austin hit Billy Gunn with a trash can on the outside. King: “This is pure mayhem Ross!” I KIND of agree………Funk is also a legend in the area and kept taking shots to the head by HHH as deranged as he was.

Owen must have felt extremely out of place in this match with how much of a shit show it was, but it was fun. Owen slaps a sharpshooter on HHH but Road Dogg hits him with a chair. Austin and Savio Vega go at it. Wow how times have changed in two years for those two huh? Outlaws then power bombed Funk through two chairs. The match finally settled into a tag match as Gunn pile drives Funk. Foley interupts the count. I truly wonder if this Hardcore stipulation would have been here if HBK was in the match? Makes you wonder if they did that to make up for the bad Vega choice. Austin THREW a trash can all the way across the ring and hit Gunn then flipped off the ref and the crowd went crazy as D-X and CO took it to Funk some more. Funk fucking landed right on his skull upside down onto a table on the outside.

WOW, Terry Funk is pretty incredible to say the least. He gets RIGHT back in the ring and hits offense on the Road Dogg and tags into Foley and Cactus went crazy on everyone. Owen hit a missle drop kick off the top to hit Owen and Cactus applied the mandible claw on both outlaws until HHH hit a low blow on him. The fans chanted for Austin as Foley and Gunn went at it and Foley did his running clothesline to the outside flip over the ropes with opponent move. Gunn DDT’d Foley on the outside of the ring. Foley then took a back bump (What’s new?) As Gun Slammed him on the outside then he hit Foley on the head with the steps as the crowd is quieted down considerably as the heels are in control. HHH on Foley as the fans chant for Austin some MORE. HHH hits a vertical suplex to Foley and only gets a two. Austin wants in badly as Helmsley continues going to work on Foley. Savio brings barbed wire in the ring and wraps Foley in it but Owen and Funk come in to protect a little bit. Savio Vega worked on FOley some more as they run Foley head first into a chair Foley is holding. Billy Gunn went to hit Foley in the head with a chair again as Road Dogg held him but he hit the Road Dogg as Foley ducked. Foley finally tagged in Austin and the place went crazy. Austin just took down everyone and the place went more apeshit. Austin stomped on HHH in the corner slugged it out with Gunn, threw out Road Dogg and Vega, just kicked ass all over and then hit the Stunner on Road Dogg. Austin got the three at 17:41.

Austin then stunnered Gunn. Clusterfu*k is an appropriate term but for how much action, violent action took place and how they managed to make it entertaining it scores more points. Austin then stunnered CHYNA which was kind of unheard of at the time after she pushed him. I didn’t think Austin would hit a Woman. Man, Austin was just the Messiah of the Company and his popularity was down right scary when he went to turnbuckle to cheer after stunning Chyna!

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** 3/4

 

 

 

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