Review: WWF/WWE Summerslam 1999 DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWF Summerslam 1999- “An Out of Body Experience” Review:

“I’ve had a ton of Media say that I was a disgrace for being here tonight. Well this is what I think…I’m proud of this event, I’m proud of Wrestling, and I was PROUD to be a Wrestler!” -Jesse “The Body” Ventura
 
 
 
1) Opening Contest- Jeff Jarrett (with Debra) vs D’Lo Brown (c) in a Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship and WWF European Championship
 

Two great workers here begin Summerslam, D-Lo opening Slam for the 2nd year in a row where he put on a GREAT match with Val Venis for the European title.

Jeff told Debra to go to the back once her revealing outfit got a ton of cheers, then D-Lo brought her back out and the Puppies returned.

King coulnd’t of been happier but my god D-Lo and Debra got a huge roar, both extremely over at this point.

This should be a good match!

It was.

Jeff Jarrett couldn’t believe Debra had turned her back on him and D-Lo and Jarrett entertain for the first five minutes which were very good.

D-Lo Brown hit a series of moves including a spinning heel kick, ddt, flying forearm among other things and D-Lo always knew how to work a crowd and get them on there feet, his charisma was displayed by his attitude.

Jeff Jarrett got on the offense for a bit of the match but it didn’t last very long.

D-Lo called for a powerbomb and it got a pop the people of today could only dream of getting.

He hit it and was in complete control of the match until Mark Henry came out and with the ref’s back turned on Debra, Mark Henry who had been trained by D-Lo for a few months to get back in shape PULLED A SWERVE. Mark Henry turned his back on his friend D-Lo and the place was shocked as he smashed Jarrett’s Guitar on head of D-Lo.

Jarrett then went for the cover and JR can’t believe this!

In the end Jeff Jarrett won the match at 7:27 with Henry’s Chairshot and he is the NEW European and THE NEW Intercontinental Champion.

Debra then celebrated with Jarrett and Henry!

It was a plan all along!

I remember Jeff Jarrett as an act of good will gave the European title to Mark Henry while he kept the IC Title.

This was a fun and very entertaining match and at only 7 minutes it didn’t get enough time to tell a proper story but there was solid wrestling and it never got boring once which was a plus.
 

** 3/4
 

 

2) Tag Team Turmoil match- The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) vs Edge and Christian vs The New Brood- Matt and Jeff Hardy (with Gangrel) vs Hardcore Holly and Crash Holly vs Droz and Prince Albert vs Mideon and Viscera

These types of matches are usually fun. Two teams begin and once one is eliminated then another comes out till the last team stands and they have won the match.

Edge and Christian were two different kinds of characters at the time, there sense of humor had not yet come into play and the Hardyz were in The Brood at the time and weren’t quite over yet either (it would take the No Mercy match for both teams to get over) but you still good see the promise from the four young guys.

Edge and Christian started The Turmoil Match with The Hardy Boyz.

Then Edge and Christian began with some offense for the first few minutes, Edge hit a side russian leg sweep among some double team moves.

The Hardyz didn’t give up as Gangrel got a cheap shot in from behind the official’s back and then The Hardy Boyz began to dominate for the next few minutes hitting some of there moves.
In what was perhaps the spot of the match, Edge and Jeff both ran outside the ring on top of the front row barricade and ran across to meet each other in the middle at the side of the ring in the entrance direction and Edge hit a spear on Jeff Hardy. Jeff looked to be out of gas, he should wait a couple years before he takes that move from the top of the ladder while he’s hanging in the air at Wrestlemania 17.

The fans loved that spot.

Inside after, Edge hit a DDT and Christian hit a splash to Matt Hardy and The Hardy Boyz were eliminated. Who would be next to face Edge and Christian? Edge and Christian’s next opponents were Mideon and Viscera. Viscera came out and pounded on a weakened and fatigued Christian and delivered a few power moves. Mideon then did as well until Edge was tagged in.
Edge then took it to Mideon until Viscera gave Edge a HUGE rolling heel kick which got an amazing reaction from the crowd. Viscera then irish whipped Edge to the corner but he missed Edge and hit Mideon in the corner.

Edge then hit a spear on Mideon and made short work of them. Mideon and Vis were eliminated after just 2-3 minutes.

Jim Ross says Edge and Christian are on fire here!

Prince Albert and Droz were the next two in the ring and Albert worked on Edge and then hit him with a devistatin neck braker after he was up in the torture rack. Christian threw Droz over the top ropes and Albert then irish whipped Edge into the corner until Christian jumped on him from behind, but Edge got a near fall.
Edge then hit a Spear on Prince Albert.

Edge got the three and Droz and Albert were gone. Out of no where The Acolytes came as they entered the ring just 2 seconds after Edge and Christian advanced if that….WTF? The crowd noticed the error and The King even pointed out how strange it was. Speaking of the King he poked fun at how Jim Ross always knew who played for which football team and how nobody cared which was hillarious.

The Acolytes took it to Edge and Christian who had gone three different teams already and were fatigued here.
Bradshaw hit a missle dropkick to Edge from the top rope, Edge and Christian did get back in the match a few minutes later when Edge hit a spinning heel kick on Farooq but it didn’t last as Farooq and Bradshaw got right back in control. Farooq hit a devistating spinebuster to Edge then went for a back braker but Edge hit a desperate DDT. Christian then came in the ring while Bradshaw did and hit a dropkick to Bradshaw which took him down. Christian went for a high risk move and hit a tornado DDT from the top to Bradshaw but he kicked out.

This has been a pretty great match.

Edge helped Christian leap on top of Bradshaw but only got a near fall.

Bradshaw then got a clothesline from HELL on Edge and got the three.

The Holly’s were the last team to enter and they met the soon to be APA in the ring as the last two teams. The booking was a little dodgy near the end of this match but at least it was fun till now.

The Holly’s HAD come a bit early to the ring as well just like the Acolytes did.

Farooq hit a DOMINATOR to Crash while Hardcore hit a nice suplex to Farooq. Farooq clotheslines Crash who was now the legal man and threw him out of the ring threw the middle ropes while Bradshaw assaulted him behind the official’s back and the crowd that had been so good for this entire event just now went quiet for these two heel/tweener teams.
Bradshaw got tagged in and hit a neck braker to Crash and got a nearfall.

Hardcore Holly and Crash Holly then started to fight with each other as the crowd laughed and Farooq looked on as if to say “What the fuck are you two doing?”
Farooq then hit Hardcore with a Spinebuster and that was all she wrote.

The Acolytes ended up winning the Tag Team Turmoil match at 16:13 by last eliminating The Holly Cousins.

The Acolytes then earned a title shot the next night on Raw against either X-Pac and Kane or Kane and The Undertaker.

This was ACTUALLY a very fun match in the first half but it didn’t keep up as much in the second, still good overall though.
 

** 1/2
 

 

3) The Big Bossman (c) vs Al Snow for the WWF Hardcore Championship
 

The Road Dogg who had just finished a very entertaining promo with Jericho then went to do commentary with King and JR until he changed his mind. He followed the action onto the streets with a mic and did live commentary. No one could work a mic quite like The Road Dogg could and he was very underrated on the stick. I loved the Al Snow Hardcore title matches in 1999 with Holly, Bossman, whoever it was always fun. These two had a good hardcore title match the month before at Fully Loaded and I remember this one being quite good as well. Al Snow and Big Bossman brawled onto the streets after it started around the entrance way, and into the back. They went onto the streets into a Cafe then into a Bar. This was truely unique as they smashed tables and other weapons onto each other. The setting alone made it entertaining without some brutal shots to each other back and forth with whatever was laying around.

What was most hilarious was Road Dogg followed them with a microphone.

Fans in the bar chanted “Head, head, head, head” and Road Dogg said “These people want head.”  They went into the washroom and brawled and then they went back into the Pub. Road Dogg would meet the winner the next night on Raw so he had interest in the match. Al Snow broke a beer bottle and hit Bossman with a chain. Bossman was being choked out on top of the bar and then he hit a moonsault on top of a table onto Bossman as Traylor had been busted open. Bossman grabbed a guy who was playing POOL’s drink and smashed it over Al Snow’s head. Al Snow then went for the pin on Bossman who was layed out on a POOL TABLE after taking a shot from Road Dogg and his microphone. At the end of the match Al Snow became the new WWF hardcore champion at 7:27. On the way back to the arena Al took out some agression on The Blue Meanie and Stevie Richards. Entertaining and mindless fun. Very unique with the setting and fun for that reason.
 

 

4) Ivory (c) vs Tori for the WWF Women’s Championship

 
Good god.

When there ugly (compared to most diva’s) and they can’t wrestle (compared to the good diva’s wrestlers) you know it’s going to be a terrible match.

Tori after a baseball slide hit a vertical suplex on Ivory and got a nearfall.

Ivory came back with forearms and grabbed the hair of Tori and pulled her down.

The fans chanted “This Match Sucks”.  Deserved.

Tori speared Ivory after an irish whip to the buckle and then she chopped Ivory.

JR said that Tori’s spear was Edge like and King said that he needed his vision checked if he thought that, GOLD…..

Ivory with a sunset flip onto Tori and got the win.
 
Ivory retained the title at 4:08….
 
 

DUD 
 

 

 

5) Steve Blackman vs “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock in a Lion’s Den weapons match

 Blackman hit Shamrock with some weapon to begin, but Shamrock took him down and attempted to hyperextend the leg of Blackman. The match went back and forth for the first little bit with Shamrock slapping holds on Blackman, and Steve Blackman switching to wrestling moves and brawling. Then Ken Shamrock sent Blackman to both sides of the Lion’s Den Cage. Blackman ran down Shamrock with a car just a few weeks before or TRIED to put him out which is why he was a leading candidate of Shane McMahon’s in the “Who Dunnit?” storyline over who ran down Austin. Shamrock then with some kicks after he took down Blackman and climbed up the cage for a weapon and got a kendo stick. Shamrock then got pushed towards the cage after a spear from Blackman. The two went back and forth with stick shots to the head and then Steve Blackman got in control as he began to choke out Shamrock while the fan began a Shamrock chant. Shamrock used his athletic skill and climbed the cage for elevation and kicked off to charge towards Blackman and took him down. Blackman tried to climb the cage but Shamrock hit him with a shot to the kidneys then a suplex. BNlackman then bounced off the steel cage from Shamrock’s irishwhip and he caught him with a huge Powerslam! As Shamrock was in control Blackman then hit a spinning heel kick. Blackman climbed the cage for a Kendo Stick and then hit it on Shamrock’s back. Blackman had the option to leave but he stayed and Shamrock went for a belly 2 belly suplex.

Shamrock then began to snap and hit Shamrock with a bunch of stick shots for revenge.

The finish came at 9:06 when Shamrock defeated Blackman by escaping the cage after a big beat down to Steve Blackman.

Shamrock left the WWF not long after this if this wasn’t his last event here.
 

Decent in parts just went too long.
 
 
* 3/4
 

 

6) “Love Her or Leave Her” Greenwich Street Fight- Test vs Shane McMahon
 

If Test wins, he gets to LOVE Stephanie.

If Shane wins, Test has to LEAVE Stephanie.

Fairly simple stipulations and they made this a Greenwich Street Fight to probably make up for Shane’s lack of in ring skills but no one knew what to expect in this one at the time.
Test came out first and got a good ovation from the Ladies. Yeah, he was a bit of a Ladies man but still can’t for the life of me figure out how he got into Stacy Keibler.
The Mean Sreet Posse then came out and had a seet front row.

Shane McMahon then hid on the ground which was hillarious and Test grabbed Shane and drove him hard onto the mat. Inside the ring Shane gave Test some blows but then Shane caught a back body drop.

Hilarious shot to the Posse who had drinks and Test then rammed Shane hard into the steel steps. Shane McMahon had already proved he was a good athlete at WM 15 Ross says but this pushed it further.

Test brawled with Shane out into the crowd area until Shane clotheslined Test over the barricade.

Shane then got caught in mid-air by Test who power slammed Shane onto the floor as the Posse looked on worried.

Shane then after getting tossed onto his buddies at ringside, caught Test with shots to the head of signs after the Posse fed him weapons.

Shane then smashed a shot of the Posse over Test’s head and it shattered everywhere.

Shane then went to the top rope and his a corkscrew moonsault and missed it as Test moved. Shane-O-Mac tried a leap frog but got caught into a Spine Buster slam!
Test slammed Shane with scoopslam outside on the mat near the broken glass. The Mean Street Posse then with the referee down after a ref bump attacked Test with signs then threw Test onto an announce table. Shane then climbed to the top of the turnbuckle and went off and flew with an elbow drop threw the table! Awesome spot! I remember my brother calling me up telling me how awesome him and his buddies thought Shane were after that spot. Still a great SPOT by today’s standards but back then it was even better and he hit it nicely. Nearfall for Shane. Pete Gas nailed shane behind the ref’s back and Test still only just got a near fall after Joey Abs pulled Shane out of the pinning predicament. Rodney then hit Shane with a cast ob his arm but Test kicked out again. Patterson and Brisco then came to the ring and hit The Posse with signs and Test kicked a chair into Joey Abs’s face and the crowd was going apeshit. Test then hit a pumphandle slam after Shane ran into the turnbuckle after Test moved. Test Defeated Shane-O-Mac at 12:04 in the end with a flying elbow drop from the top. My god what a match! Unreal! One of Test’s best matches with the one vs Guerrero at Wrestlemania 17. Stephanie and Test hug after the match! This match surprised a lot of people as it was Shane’s first performance that caught people’s eyes and it was very well recieved at the time!
 

***
 
 

7) The Undertaker and The Big Show vs X-Pac and Kane (c) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Kane came out with new ring attire (at the time) and it was a darker, flashier red with the black and just one missing arm sleeve. The eveloution of Kane. Ministry Taker and Big Show come out and that’s an intimidating force. This was The Undertaker’s last PPV before going on that near one year break. The match began and all four guys brawled with each other. Kane who targetted on Big Show in the corner was grabbed by his brother The Undertaker from behind and Big Show gave him some shots. All of the sudden Kane took down The Undertaker with a clothesline and X-Pac came off the top and kicked Taker from the top. The Undertaker and X-Pac who had a bit of a rivalry in the Summer of 1999 were in the ring now and Taker used his amazing size advantage over X-Pac and tried to pull on X-Pac’s arm to the point where it came out of place. X-Pac tagged in Kane once in difficulty. The momentum shifted as Kane gave his brother blows and he fell to the outside and Big Show was pretty uselesss by this point. X-Pac told Taker to SUCK it on the outside and he caught a reverse elbow by the Demon of Destruction on the outside. As Taker grabbed him by the throat Kane rescued him. Kane then slammed Taker’s head into the top of the announce table a few times. Kane flew off the top and hit Kane with a flying clothesline. Big Show got tagged in when the momentum shifted back to the side of the challengers and Big Show then hit Kane with a big powerslam. Hmmm, maybe not so useless. Show tagged back in The Undertaker rather quickly and Taker gave him some hard right hands in the corner. Kane gave Taker a big boot as The Phenom charged for him and then the Brothers hit a double clothesline in the air. X-Pac caught The Undertaker with a spinning heel kick after King was making fun of him and then the fans laughed as Taker kicked out and threw X-Pac 90 feet in the air.

Funny stuff.

Jim Ross says he believes in X-Pac. He believes in Sean Waltman. King said he believed in Santa Claus and The Easter Bunny as well. Big Show tortured X-Pac on the outside and then tossed X-Pac’s remains into the squared circle where The Phenom could take back control of the match. Taker then on the outside rammed X-Pac’s junk into the corner of the ring post but unfortunately not enough to prevent One Night in China. Big Show then with a low blow and I’ll repeat my previous statement about X-Pac’s junk…you get the picture. Show grounded Waltman with a throw and then Pac began to battle the Giant but Show grabbed him with a huge bear hug. Big Show hit him with a modified chokeslam but Kane interfered. Big Show then lifted X-Pac high in the air but Kane came in and slapped Big Show and then X-Pac hit Show with a Low Blow in a desperation way! Big Show tagged in The Undertaker but X-Pac couldn’t quite make it to Kane and then X-Pac hit a lowblow to Taker. A ton of low blow’s in this one. Kane is tagged in to battle his brother The Undertaker and King puts over the match some more. Kane with the fans on his side hit a hard irish whip to Taker to the buckle. X-Pac hit a hard spinning heel kick to The Undertaker over the top rope and then jammed His head into the post. Kane then beat on Big Show inside the ring! X-Pac got tagged in and hit the bronco buster on Big Show after Taker pulled Kane to the outside to fight with Kane. Show then Chokeslammed X-Pac! Covered him and X-Pac still kicked out as Minnesota popped! Taker was pissed at Show and tagged himself in as he looks rather scary when this pissed off.

In the end Taker and Big Show became the new WWF Tag Team Champions at 12:01 when The Undertaker finished off X-Pac with Kane layed out on the outside with a Tombstone.
All four guys, well three and The Big show did a great job here!

A well booked match!
 

** 3/4
 
 

 

8 ) Mr. Ass vs The Rock in a “Kiss My Ass” Match 

Who booked Gunn here. Oh yeah he was a more forgettable KOTR winner then Mabel.

He didn’t find himself on another KOTR again in all 189383 runs of his career.

Gunn brought a fat whore to the ring and said Rock would be kissing her ass if he lost and then he’d have to smelllalalalala what her ass was cookin.’

Okay?

The best part of this match was Rock’s ovation and how over he was getting or getting to hear Fink say the following “KISS MY ASS MATCH” with King’s reaction!

Rock and Billy battled it out exchanging right hands and then they battled up the entrance to the outside.

Rock and Billy battled all over the arena and even that couldn’t of been made entertaining by Bad Ass Billy Gunn but it was better then a match by him. Gunn cracked Rock in the head with a ring bell after Rock almost knocked over King’s crown and Jerry screamed.

Back in the ring Billy Gunn choked out Rock and he still wasn’t over.

To make matters worse after a lot of Billy Gunn offense we had to listen to Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler talk about how big of an ass this lady had and how bad it would smell.

That’s pretty appealing…

Things got a bit better when Rock hit Gunn with a DDT but then both men were layed out so it was boringer then a rant by Don Corleone from Wrestling Forum.
Gunn hit a FameAsser out of no where.

Mr. Ass then called for the Fat Lady to come in the ring and she pulled up her skirt.

The Rock then pushed Gunn’s face into her Ass. Rock hit a Rock Bottom.
 
The Rock then goes for the People’s Elbow on Mr. Ass as everyone in Minnesota is on there feet!
 

The Rock defeated Mr. Ass at 10:12 with a People’s Elbow after shoving his face into her big ass.
 
Ugh. I feel like I’m being polite with the rating as well as even these two are capable of much more.
 
 
 

*
 
 
 
 
9) Main Event- Mankind vs Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) vs “The Game” Triple H (with Chyna) in a Triple Threat match for the WWF Championship, with Jesse Ventura as special guest referee 
 

The booking was completely strange for this match.

First it was to be Austin vs Hunter for the WWF Title as was set after Fully Loaded ended.

Then Chyna became the Number one contender after a series of events. Then Hunter won back his spot and Foley was added in, it’s a long story but I own the 1999 Raw’s and I remember how it all went down and I was just as confused watching them back then I was when I watched them live.

Either way the anticipation was still in the air because people wanted to know who was going to win obvioussly.

Jesse “The Body” Ventura is tremendous so that part of the match rocked.

He was for my money the best color commentator ever, period. He recieves a great reaction from Minnesota of course.

He says he got a lot of Media backlash for being here but he’s proud he was a wrestler, he’s proud he’s here tonight and obvioussly that got a great pop!

Triple H’s my Time theme was  tremendous.

Foley was there after recently returning from injury and despite being popular looked sort of irrelevant to the feud as it was mainly between Austin and H.
Austin gets a great pop as we expect and right when he gets in the ring he and Triple H are toe to toe with right hands back and forth with Steve’s vest still on as The Body Ventura asked for the bell to be rung.

Hilarious spot as Foley asked for a handshake but Austin said “HELL NO” and kicked him in the guy which got a good reaction.
All three men now to the outside!

In an Attitude Era Main Event! Would of thought that?

Steve Austin slammed Helmsley’s head into the gaurd rail on the outside. The commentators point out how Austin has the most to lose in this kind of Triple Threat match.

Chyna rammed Mankind into the ring post behind the ref’s back.

Austin then threw Triple H into the steel posts by the entrance as he physically tried to take him apart. Austin’s kneed and neck were really bugging him by this point so his wrestling skill was limited. He didn’t do too many matches during this period and would even take Raw shows off. He didn’t have many matches for the next few months before he took a year off in the car angle.
Austin then was rising in pain as the intense Helmsley then stomped on his injured knees inside the ring.
 
Foley himself even shoved HHH out of the way to kick on Austin. The Body got a big pop as Chyna got thrown out after he caught her interfering. Mankind and HHH double teamed Austin in the corner. Helmsley then took apart Austin’s leg while Foley dropped a leg drop to Steve Austin. Foley went for a cannon ball and flipped off the ring apron as he missed Helmsley and he landed on the mat. Helmsley completely dominated Austin and then slammed his knees into the ring post. Mankind on the outside went for a Piledriver on Austin on the concrete. (Yeah like that’s going to happen) Austin back dropped him and Foley hit his back on the concrete to further damage his wrecked body. Helmsley rammed Austin into the steel steps and everytime Austin went down it became harder and harder for him to stand on that one leg he had going for him. Ventura is letting these guys go at it! Austin tried with one leg to beat on Mankind as Helmsley signalled for a pedigreed until Austin dropped and flinged him into Mankind. Austin went fro a Stunner on Mankind and got it! HHH grabbed a Shair and hit Austin in the back with it and Ventura said “What’s this BULLSH*T!” after Trips’s chair shot and then he hit Mankind. Hillarious. HHH then pinned Mankind and Ventura didn’t do anything. HHH then got in his face.
The fans popped huge here!

The body kept refusing to count!

HHH pushed Ventura and Shane McMahon came out to stop it.

Austin then got up and hit a stunner to Shane McMahon and told Ventura to throw him over the ropes.

Ventura throws Shane out of the ring and he says “That’s for your Old man you little bastard!” Hilarious, especially considering how Vince still mutes Ventura from DVD commentary at times so he doesen’t have to pay him. Cheap bastard considering the dude has millions and Ventura was godly at commentating.
Foley grabbed the Sock!

Mankind then put it on Austin and then put it on Triple H.

Helmsley then went to pedigree Mankind but Austin clotheslined him. All three men down as Ventura counted to 10 during the climax and the fans in Minny were into this.
Austin and Triple H brawling and he then threw Mankind and HHH into each other and Austin hit a stunner to HHH! Mankind then interupted the count.
Helmsley then caught a pedigree on Austin and Mankind hit his move!

 

 
Mankind hit a double armed DDT to Steve Austin out of no where and the fans were shocked when Foley became the New WWF Champion at 16:23.
Mick Foley wasn’t really booked into the storyline till later so most figured Austin was going to retain the title if not then Triple H was going to win the big one, and he would the NEXT night on Raw. There’s speculation about Austin not wanting to drop the title to Triple H but I went further in depth in the Pre-PPV notes on that.
Helmsley  beat on Austin’s injured knee after the match with his Steel Chair.

This match overall was lackluster from the beginning but still fought with a hot crowd that made the action look better then it should of been.
The Climax was a ton of fun though and some spots were awesome as usual with these guys as you’d expect.

About a ** 3/4 match but pushed to three because of Ventura and his involvment.
 
 
 
*** 

 

——————————————————————
 
Final Rating for WWF Summerslam 1999 = 6/10
 

This show was NOT one of the better Summerslam’s but it did take place during a popular time for the Federation and the crowd was into it of course with a lot of stars on the show and some decent matches which makes the event a pass. The 6/10 rating is justified with a few good matches but no higher then 6 would be right, still I wouldn’t go out of your way to see the event but it was DECENT to AVERAGE at best. There were three *** matches, but each of them were JUST *** and that’s about how the PPV felt overall.