Review: WWF Over The Edge 1999 (Not Released by WWE)

Brett Mix’s- WWF Over The Edge 1999 Review:

“And I have the unfortunate….responsibility…to let everyone know that Owen Hart has died…… Owen Hart has died from that tragic accident…here tonight….” -Jim Ross

 
Disclaimer: This show was not officially sold on DVD anywhere but you can see it online or can get burned DVD copies. It’s only being reviewed for anyone curious. It is not to disrespect Owen Hart or the Hart Family. I was one of his biggest fans all of my life and I miss him daily, more then any other wrestler not named Randy Savage.

-WWF Over The Edge 1999 was a wrestling (PPV) event produced by the WWF. The event took place on Sunday, May the 23rd 1999 in front of 16,472 fans at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.

-This was personally for me the saddest night in Wrestling history. Also one of the saddest nights in my life as well.

-The Hart family sued the WWF and got an 18 million dollar settlement.

-This was the 2nd annual Over The Edge PPV event in May.

-This was the first PPV not under the In Your House name outside the big five.

-This Event is the only PPV the WWF did not sell due to the death of Owen Hart and is most known for his tragic death on this night. They continued the show out of panic and not knowing what to do. The next night on Raw they scrapped all storylines and made the whole show about him on Raw is Owen on Monday, May 24th 1999 in St. Louis, Missouri which scored an amazing 7.2 Cable Rating.

-This PPV had an amazing buyrate for a non-big five PPV at 1.24

-The biggest storyline for this show revolved around Austin defending his title against the leader of the Ministry, The Undertaker. The Rock and Triple H also had a big rivalry going on.

-The Owen accident was not viewed by television viewers. A pre-recorded video package was shown at the start of Hart’s descent, and when the broadcast returned live, the cameras quickly turned away from the ring to the audience (on the Spanish dub of the show however, a loud thud can be clearly heard during the video package. This thud was Owen smashing into the turnbuckle and landing in the ring). Soon afterward, Jim Ross, one of the commentators of the event, informed pay-per-view viewers that Hart had fallen from the rafters, that the incident was “not a part of the entertainment” and that it was “a real situation”. Not a wrestling Angle. Then they showed Owen as The Blue Blazer cutting a promo on the big screen while he layed there having just died on the canvas from internal injuries from the fall. His blood would remain on the lower right side of the ring and the cameras tried not to catch it the rest of the night. That Spanish dub where you can hear the fall was taken off youtube for obvious reasons, I myself heard it and it is exactly how you would think, a loud thud and a bunch of OOOOs from the crowd.

-On Sunday Night Heat before the event three matches took place.

Meat defeated Brian Christopher

The Hardy Boyz defeated The Blue Meanie and Goldust

Vince McMahon battled Mideon to a No Contest. (There was an on-going storyline throughout the night about Vince had to be taken out by an Ambulance to a local hospital. Lets just say those Ambulances were used for legit reasons)

-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler did commentary for this tragic night.

Now onto the PPV…..

 
1) Opening Contest- Kane and X-Pac (c) vs D-Lo Brown and Mark Henry (With Ivory) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

X-Pac had his music hit first and he came out to a great pop. He is just coming off a great singles match with Triple H at Backlash 1999 I rated four stars. He had recently teamed with the Goliath of the team in Kane.

At 26 years he is ready and a co-tag champion.

Kane comes out to his own music now.

It is sad knowing Owen is backstage in the final hour of his life while all this is happening but I will try and steer that thought pattern away as much as I can while I review this tragic event.

X-Pac and Kane in the ring await their opponents D-Lo and Henry a team that went after Owen and Double J for their gold but Kane and X-Pac won the titles on Raw is War I believe a couple weeks before this PPV.

Ivory managed D-Lo Brown and Mark Henry.

Mark Henry in pretty much street clothing. D-Lo and X-Pac are capable of putting on some good singles match. Both men with great agility and speed, D-Lo with a bit more power.

D-Lo with a leapfrog and then a shoulder block to X-Pac. D-Lo sucks is chanted. Both guys tie-up yet again and D-Lo with a side headlock back on X-Pac. X-Pac with a spinning heel kick and missed with his Bronco Buster and D-Lo took a moment outside the ring and tagged in Mark Henry.

Henry comes in the ring and now X-Pac is thinking about tagging in Kane. In Comes the Big Red Machine. Kane scored with a european uppercut to Mark Henry. Kane thrown into the other turnbuckle. Mark Henry splashes Kane and delivers clubbing blows to Kane and then drop him on the mat. Kane clotheslines Henry over and over and now Kane with an uppercut to the jaw of Henry.

Kane off the ropes flew and with a huge dropkick. Something different from Kane. Kane ready for a chokeslam but Mark Henry tags out and D-Lo comes in. D-Lo Brown with a shot to Kand over and over and then off the ropes Kane back-dropped D-Lo but he lands on his feet. Kane made D-Lo Brown run into a big boot. Now Kane scoops up D-Lo with amazing strength, and over-whelming power. Kane drops some shots on D-Lo, and back in comes X-Pac.

X-Pac with a spinning kick to D-Lo Brown and off the ropes he hits it. X-Pac knocks big Henry off the apron. D-Lo with a thumb to the eye. Henry grabbed X-Pac behind the official and hit him groin first on the turnbuckle post. D-Lo pulls X-Pac into the middle of the ring and slams him hard to the mat. X-Pac down. Henry comes in and chops X-Pac. Henry in streeth clothling stomps on X-Pac.

Mark Henry scoop slams X-Pac down to the mat and back in is D-Lo. Henry first with a hard leg-drop. Henry scoops X-Pac to the mat, in comes D-Lo tossing X-Pac outside.

Kane with a european uppercut to D-Lo, and Henry drops X-Pac on the barricade behind the official who was telling Kane to get back as a blind-tag occurred and he was not the legal man.

D-Lo grounding X-Pac with a reverse chin-lock. Isolate X-Pac and keep Kane out of the match was the strategy of D-Lo and Henry. X-Pac right back up runs into a an elbow and D-LO Brown goes for his finishing running powerbomb but Kane interupted the count.

D-Lo with a springboard splash attempt and X-Pac got his knees up. Kane came in with Henry and slammed him head-first into the buckle. Henry reversed an irishwhip to Kane but Kane scooped up the largest man and then a huge slam to D-Lo by Kane! X-Pac is thrown over the ropes to Henry and he rams his spine into the ring post.

Kane throws D-Lo into the corner and hits a upside down front facelock, a reverse suplex. Interesting move from Kane.

Kane kicked D-Lo and scooped him up slamming him. Cheap shot from Henry, Kane grabs Henry by the throat and Kane is clotheslines off the ropes. D-Lo covers and Kane with great power kicks him in the air.

X-Pac is double-teamed on the outside and Kane with a flying clothesline takes apart both men. X-Pac and Kane go to work on the inside now. Kane dropped by Henry as X-Pac hit the Bronco Buster on D-Lo.

Kane sit up out if no where and chokeslammed Henry with great velocity and Kane and X-Pac win.

In the end at 14:44 Kane and X-Pac retained the tag gold.

This opener was very physical, JR called it a war and this night was off to a great start.

*** 1/4

 
2) Al Snow (c) vs Hardcore Holly for the WWF Hardcore Championship

Hardcore Holly cuts a promo before the match.

Both Snow and Holly had been involved in some wars before this. At the St. Valentines Day Massacre they battled all the way into the Mississipi River.

Snow off the ropes takes a hard shot from Holly. Al Snow with a back-drop to Hardcore Holly.

Hardcore Holly got a cooking sheet and hit Snow with it.

Snow uses a Fire Extinguisher on Holly.

Now both men fight through the crowd.

Food started to get involved. Powder was being hit over both guys. Powdered sugar in the eyes of Hardcore Holly. All of these fans having such a great time backstage when they are minutes away from one of the most tragic things in history.

Ross says some Prophetic words, You never know what is going to happen when you come to a WWF event. Just wait a few minutes Ross.

Some Cotton Candy hurts Hardcore Holly by Al Snow off the barricade.

AL Snow tosses Hardcore Holly back in the ring. Al drops a boot in the lower right corner of Holly.

Snow drags out a table.

Al Snow sets up a table in the corner of the ring, propping it up but then a great dropkick by Hardcore Holly. Hardcore Holly now in control for a moment and Bob Holly slammed him hard to the mat.

Hardcore Holly down while Al Snow went for some head.

Al Snow with a huge ddt to him, Holly sets up a table.

This is quite a slower paced Hardcore match. Especially around this time. Al Snow powerbombs Hardcore Holly out of no where through a table and gets the victory.

In the end at 12:53 Al Snow retained the Hardcore title.

This was the last match Owen Hart got to see, if he was watching….

This match overall was pretty tv-quality of worse considering the quality of matches in this division at the time.

* 1/4

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Owen Hart dies:

-The Blue Blazer (Owen Hart) was supposed to compete here during a match with The Godfather for the IC title in a match he was booked to win, but tragically fell approx 78 feet to his death hitting the turnbuckle in the lower right side of the ring, bouncing off the ropes hard to the mat to the canvas. Owen was immediately helped by Paramedics and the referee in the ring says while Owen was screaming, falling down he told him to move out of the way which would of been his last words. According to Mick Foley and a fan at ring-side Owen upon landing did not die instantly, he tried to sit-up but fell back down and died within that minute in the ring. Owen had just turned 34 two weeks before. Owen died while his promo played upon the screen to Kemper Arena as Paramedics tried external heart massage and emergency CPR. Then after about 5-7 minutes of work took him on a stretcher to an Ambulance but by that point he had already died and it was all about bringing him back. They never could.

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3) Jeff Jarrett and Debra vs Al Snow and Nicole Bass in a Mixed-Tag Team match

The decision to continue the show our of fear of a riot and un-certainty forced WWF chairman Vince McMahon to make a very tough choice.

They went on with the event.

Ironically the stable, team Owen Hart was in with Jarrett and Debra were on next and told interviewer Kevin Kelly who even looked worried they were praying for him and clearly upset. Owen was actually being wheeled on a stretcher right beside them dead while they cut the promo. One of the hardest things for them to do. Much respect. This is not easy to watch.

Very uncomfortable reviewing this match with the blood of the Blue Blazer in the bottom right corner.

The camera tried to zoom out as much as possible.

Debra was nice to look at in this match.

Jeff Jarrett irishwhipped into the corner Owen died bouncing off of ten minutes earlier and his blood stained the mat.

Val hit a Spinebuster.

Props to Lawler and Ross for going about the show pretty well.

Debra tagged in and ducks tag from Bass. Debra with a sleeper on Bass. Bass runs into no one in the corner and Debra slams her head into the matt and kicked her in the ass.

Jeff Jarrett wanted some of Venis.

Jeff Jarrett with a sleeper on Val. Venis with a knee to the gut but somehow Val hit a side-russian legsweep. Val then with rights to Jeff Jarrett and off the top he misses an elbow. Double J with a side russian leg-sweep to Venis.

Bass strips Debra, taking off her top. Jarrett grabs his instrument but Val hit a suplex to Jeff Jarrett and then went for the Money Shot. Jeff Jarrett hit with it and a 1, 2, 3.

In the end at 6:07 Val and Nicole got the win.

3/4*

 
4) Mr. Ass vs Road Dogg

Road Dogg says he is thinkin of Owen and cleverly (Road Dogg was great on the mic) said to Kevin Kelly who is extremely sad OH YOU DIDNT KNOOOOOW, a nice entrance.

I like when Road Dogg did that.

This match probably would of sucked either way.

But they started brawling outside.

Ross called them the greatest WWF team in history, it reminded me of how good and over they actually were although they would not crack my top 5 list. Possibly ten. Road Warriors, Hart Foundation, Bulldogs, Owen and Bulldog, Demolition, Rock N Roll Express, Hollywood Blondes, Midnight Express, Edge and Christian, Outlaws. That is probably my ten. Dudleyz and Hardyz wouild soon follow along with Brain Busters and many others to round out a top fifteen.

They should not of split this duo up, but they wanted to push both guys in single roles around this time.

Both Gunn and Dogg were worried about Owen like everyone else so this is not their best match together to say the very least.

Road Dogg on the outside delivered some shots to Bad Ass Billy Gunn. Road Dogg thrown into the steel steps.

Such a methodical pace Billy Gunn slapped on Road Dogg in the ring with a chinlock, then a formation of a modified Camel Clutch.

Mr. Ass would go on to be the King of the Ring, then a forgettable feud with A hot-rising star in the Rock. He failed to get over like so many other times.

Mr. Ass hit a neck-breaker over-powering his former partner the Road Dogg.

Gunn kicking away at Road Dogg back into the sleeper.

Road Dogg fought back and hit the shake, rattle and roll, and then Mr. Ass hit Road Dogg with weapons while the official was distracted.

Mr. Ass steals the win.

Lawler says we have seen the last of DX. If only that were true. Mr. Ass used a hammer and tape.

In the end Mr. Ass got the victory at 11:14 continuing his push.

This match was slow, and not very well executed. Severly dissapointing.

1/4*

 
5) The Union (Mankind, The Big Show, Test, Ken Shamrock) vs The Corporate Ministry (Viscera, The Big Bossman, The Acolytes-Farooq and Bradshaw) in an Eight Man Tag Team-Elimination Match

The Union…remember them. It is okay if you dont, one of the most random, thrown together stables of all time that lasted just a few short weeks.

Fall away Slam by Brashaw to Shamrock.

Single elimination here.

Test elimanted first by the Corporate Ministry, very quickly here as Big Viscera took him apart.

Shamrock ducked a boot and hit an impressive hurricanrana to Bradshaw. The Ankle lock and the future JBL is eliminated

Even now, three on three.

Farooq and Shamrock going at it. Viscera back in and hit a samoan drop to Shamrock and got only a two.

People began clearing the ring, in sloppy fashion.

Bossman and big Vis against Mankind and Big Show in the final two on two. Bossman nad Mankind battle in the ring ehile Big Show and Viscera slug it out.

Earlier Bossman had worn out Mankind with a sleeper as he did on Big Show.

Now Bossman with another sleeper on Foley but he answers back with Socko after a double armed ddt. That wins it.

Union had there terrible theme played.

This match ran a little long. It was during this match Ross and Lawer learned Owen had officially died as they would annnounce it to viewers wathcing live on PPV, and you can tell by their voice tone as they were told through the head set by McMahon or wheoever in the gorilla position giving them the news, telling them what to do.

In the end at 14:58 The Union got the win after Foley used socko.

This match proves the more, the worse sometimes….but given the fact Owen and his friends knew he was dead, you can not blame them at all. Especially Mick who is one of the best people the wrestling business has ever seen.

1/2*

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Here is where Jim Ross announced that Owen had died. Two matches were left and they did an amazing job all things considered.

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6) Triple H (With Chyna) vs The Rock

The Rock had a broken arm at this time (kayfabe) and was gaining enourmous popularity with his catch-phrases and attitude.

His on-going feud with HHH helped elevate both men to main event status. Rock had already been a multi-time World Champion heading into this match, HHH was on his way to his many reigns. They helped one another.

But both men obviously close to Owen had him on their minds I am more then sure. Everyone knew he dead byh this poinr. HHH comes our with Chyna.

The Rock then came out to a huge ovation, broken arm and all by Hunter.

Rock and HHH always had a feud from 97 all the way to 2002 off and on for IC titles, WWE titles, and even no titles.

The Rock and The Game had matchas fating back to Raw om February 97 when a green Rock Maivia took the belt of a young Triple H to battling it out in Ladder Matcfh for the IC title ast Summerslam from the Garden, to going at in one Ironman matches.

Lets just say this was no near their finest match togther for obvious reasons.

I remember there being great built-up to this match as Hunter took on Austin the Raw before and Taker took Rock, with both gettin involved in the others matches.

Helmsley was perhaps not as over as a heel the way we now know he can be.

HHH got on the mic and said Rock did no thave the guts to come out.

DO you smell hit the pa but The Rock was ready to HHH some punishment.

Rock went on the head-set and said he loved him (Hart) during the match. A Classy move by the Peoples Champion.

A lot of attitude era brawling thriugh criwd, more then usual.

A samoan drop by The Rock snd then a long two. HHH could not score with a set of clotheslines but he scored with a high Harley Race knee.

HHH utilied anything he couyld see to hurt the broken ar.

In the end at 11:41 The Rock won by DQ after Helmsley got hmself DQd

The worst match I have seen with the two.

Rock hit a Rock Bottom after, Chyna got involved, then Mankind evened the odds.

*

 

7) Main Event- Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) vs The Undertaker (With Paul Bearer) for the WWF Championship with Vince and Shane McMahon as the Special Guest Referees

Vince was not a ref because of the storyline where he injured his ankle on Heat in a match with Mideon, however morely due to the fact he had to attend to the Owen situation I would guess.

These men had battled so many times putting on good brawls over the years. A Cold Day In Hell when Austin was in his prime and Taker elevated his game is a gem. I loved the Fully Loaded: End of an Era brawl. Attitude Era brawling at its finest in the first blood match. Their Buried Alive match at Rock Bottom In Your House 1998 in December was decent, their Raw matches were good and they would continue an on and off, hit or miss trend throughout their careers.

What you see here is pretty sad.

A very emotional Undertaker who is supposed to be EVIL clearly just stopped crying, chokeslammed Patterson who also looked as if he was crying. No crowd reaction.

Taker then looks at the corner where Owen landed and has tears in his eyes seeing his blood on the mat while the glass breaks and the fans in attendance who had no idea Owen was dead all erupted for Steve Austin.

Stone Cold must have been flooded with emotions, after-all this was the same man he held a grudge with for breaking his neck, but as he stated in his book, no one deserves to die like that, and he did not deserve to die period.

Stone Cold Steve Austin carelessly threw the title to the ground and began to brawl with Taker and the match began.

If any match were to represent his slogan: Arrive, Raise Hell, Leave, this would be the one.

So Taker chokeslammed Patterson, Undertaker looks at the blood of Owen and there are visible tears.

Austin throws the belt, and in come the King of of the attitude era, or austin era, his own.

Fans chant for Austin very loud.

Stone Cold Steve Austin clotheslines Undertaker back then flying off the top rope, uncharacteristic by the Rattlesnake and then he stomped on The Undertaker in the corner and flipped him off.

Undertaker now turns the tide and chokes out Stone Cold Steve Austin the corner Owen hit.

Undertaker now going to work on the braced leg of Austin becase he hyper-reflexive in down there. Undertaker disected the same way he did Shamrock the month previous at Backlash 99 in a slower, methodical pace.

However there is a big difference in this match. Stone Cold Steve Austin is not Ken Shamrock, he was much more over making the main event all that much more important and the fans are into it certainly.

Undertaker had Austin down.

Undertaker now with a body-scissors.

JR says Shane McMahon is the #1 person obsessed with taking the title off of Austin.

Uhhhh Ross, Vince McMahon….forget him already.

Sure this was before he was revealed as the Higher Power (A couple weeks before) but did you just forget the last year and a half…hmmmm,.

Ausitn and Undetaker continue at it.

So apparently through kayfabe Vince faked the broken Ankle against Mideon on Heat so Shane could screw Austin out of the title. Its ME AUSTIN!

Awww Son of a Bit*h!

It was me Alll Along Austin!

Just youtube its me Austin.

Hilarious. From a Raw I believe either on the 31st of May or in June of 1999.

Both passion and pure brawling.

Austin had the match won and Shane screwed Austin, Brisco came in for Patterson and counted a two.

Undertaker got knockede into Shane.

Vince now came out limping.I find it ineresting both Vince and Shane came ootconsidering the circumstances.

Vince pushed Shane down.

Shane then speed counted when Taker layed on Austin on the mat.

In the end 22:58 Shane O Mac screwed the Rattlesnake and The Undertaker became the new WWF Champion. His least favourite title victory I am more then sure.

Terrible way to end a tragic show.

This was definitely not one of their best, but not terrible as a whole, just the ending.

* 3/4

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Final Rating for WWF Over the Edge 1999 = No Rating

This show despite me giving the matches star ratings does not really need to be rated. It is not about points here, it is about one of the best humans on earth who died in such a needless and tragic, horrifying way that could of been so easily prevented. It is not a fun event to own or re-watch or review but I felt like putting it out there to give people who may not watch it some insight. The review obviously is controversial and not for everyone.

Rest in Peace.