In the day and age of crash tv, short attention spans and pokemon-induced seizures, a card with just 7 matches (and even 8, including that Mideon/Viscera instant classic) is completely out of the question. Surprisingly enough, the WWF fans seem almost ready to accept it, and the longer matches it will certainly contain. Sure, he could stick that middle finger high and send out the Rock or HHH for a 20 minute promo, but I'm willing to trust Vince for the moment. He knows how high the interest has boiled for this one, both on the internet and amongst the general public and I doubt he'll drop the ball now. Barring a program a half an hour short (as was the case with the stupendous KOTR 99), this could tear down that wall and tack up the new rules for the WWF.. just in time for Wrestlemania.
Edge & Christian vs. The Hardys
To determine the #1 contenders for the WWF Tag Titles
Another one we've seen before, but I'm still not complaining. The WWF hit gold when they put these two together, and everybody knows it by now. I'm pleased as hell to see both teams as over as they are with the WWF's fickle audience, with next to no mic time. For a cranky, workrate-obsessed bastard like myself, that comes as a sort of miracle. I'm afraid these guys have done everything possible with this pairing twice over, and it may become more of a highlight reel of all their past encounters.. but it's sure to be worth your while either way. The bookers have done a good job improving on the only factor that's been missing from these teams' encounters in the past, with that being the lack of emotion between the two. The time-proven method of teaming a feuding group together and watching the fireworks has flowered perfectly in this case, and I think they're ready to seal up their long-standing feud once and for all here. I'll go with Edge and Christian, with a teased Hardys split thrown in just for the hell of it.
Winners: Edge and Christian
New Age Outlaws vs. The Dudley Boyz
Tag Team Championship Match
Goddamned, won't it suck if the Outlaws don't drop the fraggin' belts here. They've sat upon the gold throughout the resurgence of their division and have yet to really put forward the effort that should be demanded of champions. Now, with the division literally bursting at the seams and in better shape than it's been in since the day of the British Bulldogs, it's absolutely crucial that the Dudleys get a piece of the gold here. With a good chunk of face teams around, they all need a solid heel champion team to challenge, and there exists no better team than the Dudleys. They've been built quite well lately, with their big 'powerbombing through tables' gimmick sending them into the stratosphere of heel heat. If there's a match on the card that will let you down, this is it.. but I'm hoping the Dudleys are good enough to realize what's going on around them and really give us a memorable showing.
Winners: The Dudley Boyz
Kane vs. X-Pac
No Holds Barred
We've only seen this one... how many times in the past? Even the Rock / Big Show has a bit more allure than this one, though we're sure to see a much better match here. After all their encounters, I'd imagine X-Pac and Kane could've mixed up some unbelievable spots, seeing as how they're so used to working with each other by this point. A loss here could really crush Kane's big push to the top, but it's just what I'm looking for, with a revenge victory finally putting this feud down for the count at the big WM. If X-Pac's in full back-breaking, bump-taking, lactating mode and Kane feels like coming in for an effort, this could end up as the premiere David and Goliath story, with the roles reversed a bit just for the story's sake.
Winner: X-Pac
Too Cool & Rikishi vs. The Radicals: Benoit, Saturn & Malenko w/Eddy Guerrero
Six-man tag team match
I'm actually a bit surprised to see Benoit in the tag ranks here, but I guess there wasn't really anybody else to stick him with in a singles match. Easily one of the matches I'm most looking forward to, the WCW 4 will be able to forget about carrying their opponents for a change and concentrate on giving us one for the books. Taylor and Christopher know what they're doing in the ring, and bring all the heat you'll ever need with their charismatic approach to.. well, everything. Rikishi is actually quite good for a big man. He can keep up for the most part, and isn't afraid to take a nasty spill or two along the way (see Benoit's german suplex on Raw).. so I think he'll fit in fine here. The real action, of course, will be with the other 5 but I'm looking to see Rikishi in for the finish. I'd expect this to be the last match of the Radicals' big introductory push, and they'll have to make their own way from here on.
Winners: The Radicals
Chris Jericho vs. Kurt Angle
Intercontinental Championship match
Here's hoping Jericho's willing to jump out of the lazy little rut he's been hanging in recently and show us all he's still got it this Sunday night. It's no secret he's been a completely different worker since the big jump, concentrating more on the almighty catch phrase than on maintaining his impressive work in the ring. Perhaps the white-hot Kurt Angle can drag something out of him that his prolonged feud with Chyna didn't, who knows. Even if he remains in lazy-heart mode, this one will be very worthwhile. Don't expect a clear-cut winner here, since a loss would knock both men down considerably. I'llpostpone the inevitable Chyna turn until Wrestlemania and call for either a double countout victory here or a DQ in favor of Y2J. Still, I'd look for a very competitive matchup here, as the two young stars justify their position as solid upper mid carders. Each will hit his finisher, but neither will take the fall.
Winner: (if any) Y2J
Big Show vs. The Rock
For a shot at the WWF Champion at WrestleMania
Let's just say I'm looking for this to be kept to a minimum. That wouldn't make good business sense though, especially considering most of the fans are there to see Rocky. He'll likely cut a brief promo early in the night, fight for 10-15 minutes here and then get involved in the main event for the big finish. I'd given it thought to make this my big upset pick of the night, with the Show taking the unprecedented victory over the Rock (and then, of course, losing his #1 contender's slot in the following month), but he's punked out the people's champ one time too many lately. They're giving him just about every advantage, which means he's sure to fail. I must admit, though, I had quite a laugh at Rocky's promo on Smackdown. The slow-motion replay was icing on the cake, and showed he does know a thing or two about building interest in a slug. At any rate, Rocky takes the V and then gets chokeslammed delivering a post-match elbow.
Winner: The Rock
Triple H vs. Cactus Jack
Hell in a Cell for the WWF Heavyweight Title
Here's the big one.. the one we've all been looking for, and don't think Mick doesn't know it. I guarantee we see that stock footage of the KOTR 98 dive more than once Sunday night, and if Mick tries to match it, he's insane. I was surprised at Hunter's willingness to bump at the Royal Rumble, and hope he realizes the expectations he's garnered himself for this night. It'll be hard work to match it, and it'll come down to HHH, not Foley. Part of what hurt Mankind's previous HIAC was the Undertaker's non-presence throughout the majority of it, as well as the long delays between big spots. If they're looking to top my memory of that one, the secret lies in tying the match up really tightly, more than physically topping those big bumps. I'm taking Foley, who will carry the strap into Wrestlemania.
Winner: Cactus Jack
In Closing...
Not too shabby, whatsoever. I'm actually speechless as to how a company can do such a tremendous turnaround. In the two months since Armageddon, the company's dropped Chyna from it's active roster back to her role as a valet, elevated their young talent like Kurt Angle from a match with Steve Blackman to an Intercontinental title shot, rejuvenated their tag division once more, moved several steps away from the talk show they were becoming, and given us a World Title scene worth caring about. All that, plus they signed 4 nobodies from down South. All in all, not a bad couple of months.
until next time, i remain
drq
drq
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