WWF IN YOUR HOUSE 3

"TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA"

May 17th 1998

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler are your announcers.

Ross - Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready? There's a packed crowd of over twenty thousand here in the Los Angeles Sports Arena, and they're all here for WWF In Your House! Right here tonight, you're gonna see seven incredible matches and three titles on the line! As we take the air though folks, a shadow still hangs over one of the titles up for grabs.

King - That's right JR! The World Wrestling Federation champion Jeff Jarrett has vowed he won't show up here tonight, and I can't blame him quite frankly Ross.

Ross - Not withstanding that folks, it's gonna be one hell of a show, and we're gonna get started with a bang! Intercontinental title on the line, as Chris Benoit defends against The Rock!

Finkel - Ladies and gentlemen, this is the opening contest of WWF In Your House 3! It is scheduled for one fall, and is for the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship! Introducing first, the challenger, hailing from Miama, Florida and weighing two hundred and ninety five pounds, "The Rock" Rocky Maivia!

Finkel - And his opponent, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, weighing in at two hundred and eighteen pounds, he's the current and two time WWF Intercontinental champion, "The Crippler", Chris Benoit!

[Intercontinental Championship]

Chris Benoit vs Rocky Maivia

Benoit enters the ring in his usual calm fashion, not looking worried about any possible ring rust. The Rock is pacing like a madman as the champion makes his entrance, eager to get started and to get his hands on the title belt. Maivia looks focused though, not concerned at this time with the Runnels/Booker match that will take place later on. And it's Rocky who gains the first advantage, as he surprises Benoit, sending him to the canvas straight away with a backspin DDT. No cover or follow up from the Rock though, as he climbs the ropes, raises the eyebrow, and let's everyone in the arena know who's gonna be the champ. He ain't gonna be the champ if he spends the match yakking with the crowd, and when he finally climbs down from the turnbuckle, Benoit knocks him over the top with a clothesline. Rock has no time to get his head straight on the outside, as Benoit flies off the top turnbuckle, nailing him with a dropkick. Benoit keeps on the Rock, hitting a forearm smash and a snap mare, before tossing him back into the ring.

Whip into the ropes from Benoit leads to Maivia hitting the mat headfirst as Benoit executes a single leg takedown. A bodyslam from the Crippler keeps Rocky down, before Benoit hits a flying elbowdrop. It's completely one way traffic at this stage, and Benoit hits a German suplex for the contest's first two count. The Crippler Crossface is attempted for the first time as the match hits the two minute mark, but The Rock is fortunate enough in his positioning to reach the ropes easily. After the referee forces Benoit to break the manouever, the Rock gets outta dodge and slips out under the bottom rope to the outside. He leans on the guardrail to get his breath and composure back, but is almost immediately faced with the danger of an airborne Chris Benoit. Maivia has enough presence of mind to get the hell out of the way though, and Benoit goes into the steel guardrail hard.

It takes a while for both men to get moving again, but when the action resumes, it's the Rock who takes control. Not doing anything risky, Rock keeps the champ in headlock city for the next minute or so, using the ropes for leverage every time Benoit seems about to get himself out. Those tactics worked fine for the Rock, until he's caught with his feet up on the middle rope, and the hold is broken. With both men on their feet, Maivia whips Benoit into the buckle. Ten right hands in the corner from the Rock, but when he goes to send Benoit into the opposite corner Benoit holds onto the ropes before flooring Rocky with a clothesline. After pulling Maivia up, the champion goes for a dragon suplex, but Maivia manages to block it and then takes the advantage back into his corner with a hotshot. Rocky can't get any momentum now either, as Benoit blocks the attempted Rock Bottom with an elbow to the side of Maivia's head, and then dropkicks him to the floor.

Benoit follows him out, executes a body slam on the concrete, before climbing up to the top turnbuckle and nailing a flying headbutt on the Rock with precision. Rocky looks to be out cold as Benoit returns to the ring. The referee's count is at eight when Mark Henry runs as fast as he can to ringside and helps his Nation comrade up to his feet. Henry rolls Maivia in, and is in good position to put Rocky's foot on the bottom rope as Benoit covers right away. Henry's helping hands may prove to be more of a hindrance for the Rock in the long run, as he suffers a hell of a beating from Benoit as the match continues. One of Benoit's trademark manouevers, the three German suplexes in succession, is executed with accuracy as Benoit dominates.

A superplex seemingly puts the match fully out of the Rock's reach, but before the ref can go down to make the count, Henry jumps up onto the apron. The referee leaves the more important area of the ring and moves over to the ropes, where he admonishes Henry and orders him to get down. Benoit, seeing that covering the Rock at this point in time isn't going to acheive much, gets up to his feet. In an attempt to get Henry down, Benoit aims a dropkick in his direction. It's a bad misjudgement though, as the referee takes a fall and Henry is left unmarked. The "World's Strongest Man" sees this as a good time to enter the ring fully, and he attacks Benoit from behind as the champion tends to the referee. After clocking him on the back of the head with a hard clothesline, Henry hoists Benoit up and then takes him to the canvas with a belly to belly suplex. After spending a few seconds admiring the sight of a near unconscious Chris Benoit, Henry runs towards the ropes. Instead of bouncing back towards Benoit to deliver the planned splash, Henry falls to the mat, victim of a hard chair shot from Dustin Runnels!

Runnels, who had apparently made his way to ringside as Henry attacked Benoit, then proceeds to enter the ring, and he whacks Henry with the chair again. Maivia is now up to his feet though, and he gives Dustin a boot to the chest before he can deliver another shot. Rock picks the dropped chair up himself, and is about to nail Runnels when the now arisen Chris Benoit grabs the chair! Henry is just coming to his senses again as Benoit nearly decapitates the Rock! Sensing that Rocky is down for good, Henry splashes the referee, making sure that he isn't getting up any time soon. Benoit goes down for the cover, but upon seeing Henry taking the referee out he is visibly pissed, even more so than usual. Benoit clotheslines Henry out over the top rope, but not before giving him one last parting chair shot. Henry is out cold on the outside, and Runnels goes to make *his* exit, leaving just Benoit, Maivia and the unconscious referee in the ring.

There's no way this chaos is ending yet though, as the third Nation member Booker T makes an appearance. Chair in hand, he makes his way down the aisle, as Runnels climbs back into the ring awaiting him. Booker enters the ring, but is blocked from nailing Benoit with the chair by Dustin. Runnels grabs the weapon off of Booker, but instead of using it he throws it to the outside, conveniently hitting the prone Mark Henry, who gives out a loud groan. The two men engage in a heated discussion that unfortunately we are unable to pick up, as Benoit looks on. Booker eventually leaves the ring quietly, shaking his head, and walks back down the aisle to the curtains. Runnels follows him out, turning to shake the hand of Benoit before he calmly leaves the ringarea. Benoit watches Runnels and Booker leave, but when he turns around he's met with a right hand from the Rock! Having been down for close to two minutes, the challenger is now back on his feet, and after whipping Benoit into the ropes, he executes the Rock Bottom!

Benoit is out, but the Rock won't cover. Instead, he ever so slowly crawls out of the ring and retrieves one of the steel chairs, before returning and placing it in the centre of the ring. After somehow managing the small burst of energy a few moments before when he hit the first Rock Bottom, Maivia looks drained. He sets Benoit up for a second one, but he can't find the strength and merely collapses on top of the Crippler. The two men lie on the canvas for an agonisingly long period of time, before the referee crawls over. With the Rock on top of Benoit, he counts the three count. New champion!

Rocky Maivia defeated Chris Benoit in 17-18

(Rocky Maivia won the WWF Intercontinental Title)

Rating - ***.75

King - New champion! WooHoo!

Ross - What a way to start this mega-event, the Rock is the new Intercontinental Champion! If it wasn't for Mark Henry though, the belt would still be around the Crippler's waist, and that's a fact.

King - What are you *talking* about Ross? If anyone's to blame it's that damned fool Dustin Runnels for getting involved. I saw it with my own eyes, he distracted Benoit just long enough so that Maivia could attack him from behind!

Ross - It was certainly a messy finish folks, but as we see Chris Benoit leave the ringside area, let's return to Howard Finkel for our next match.

King - I'm looking forward to this one JR.

Finkel - The following contest is a tag team attraction, scheduled for one fall with a twenty minute time limit. Introducing first, at a combined weight of four hundred and seventeen pounds, Scott Taylor, Brian Christopher, together known as Too Much!

Finkel - And their opponents, at a total combined weight of 427 pounds, Matt and Jeff, The Hardy Boyz!

Scott Taylor/Brian Christopher vs Matt Hardy/Jeff Hardy

Only a few weeks into their WWF careers, the Hardy's make their pay-per-view debut, against a team containing a former crusierweight champion. It's Christopher who starts this match off, up against Hardy brother Jeff. Christopher takes control early on, staggering Jeff with right hands before taking him down with a flying dropkick. After being in control for around thirty seconds, Christopher blows a flying elbowdrop, allowing Hardy to get into the match for the first time. Hardy can't keep the advantage though, as B.C blocks his attempted spinning backbreaker, flooring Jeff with an elbowsmash.

Christopher can't keep any sustained offence up either, and this sets the tone of this match. It's back and forth for the first five minutes of this match, and both teams come close to putting each other away, whilst never controlling the match for too long. Matt Hardy nails a shooting star press on the two minute mark, but Christopher stops his partner from being pinned by dropping a leg over the covering Hardy. Though the crowd seems disinterested whenever Too Much have the advantage, they come to life when the Hardy's take fly. A flying somersault splash on Taylor from Jeff has the crowd on it's feet, but again this isn't enough to win the match.

The back and forth nature of this match doesn't last for too long though, as Christopher and Taylor seem to tire of chasing their high flying opponents around the ring. The higher skill level of the Hardy's proves to be the decider, as they dominate the final minutes of the match. On the eight and a half minute mark, Matt executes the Megahurtz on Christopher to finally end the match.

The Hardy Boyz defeated Too Much in 8-36

Rating - **.25

Ross - The Hardy's there with a win on their pay per view debut! You gonna stick around King?

King - Cram it Ross. I'm gonna stick around, begrudgingly, but I ain't happy with this.

Ross - What, you're boy was beaten fair and square.

King - I don't know what announcer you were listenin' to, but Howard Finkel specifically stated that this match had a *five* minute time limit. Eight minutes? Pah, conspiracy, get me Jeff Jarrett on the phone.

Ross - Jeff Jarrett ain't here King, by all accounts. The WWF champion apparently walked out on the WWF this past Monday night, after a profanity filled tirade concerning tonight's scheduled main event. Let's take a look.

[From May 11th Raw]

[Jarrett - Beeping bullbeep! World title on the line?! In a beeping tag team match?! McMahon, you've stepped over the line now. Two months in a row now, you're trying to screw me out of this title belt! Two months in a row, I've been denied a straight title defence or anything close. For two months in a row, you're telling me that I have to defend *my* world title against three men? Bullbeep, and everyone here knows it. Over the last few months, I've been screwed more times than Monica Lewinsky on President's day, and this beep is gonna come to an end. McMahon, WWF, you can try all you want to get this title belt from around my waist, but there's nothing you can do, 'cos I'm not gonna show up this Sunday. If you think I am stupid enough to step into the goddamn ring, New Midnight Express behind me or not, against three opponents, with my world title on the line, again, then you're all an even stupider bunch of beeps than I thought you were. Screw you, and screw your beeping pay-per-view.]

King - I really have to sympathise with Jarrett here. I mean, let's take a look at Shawn Michaels' title history. At the Royal Rumble, he gets an easy match with the legend Bret Hart. At In Your House, he gets to take on that East Coast jobber Dean Douglas, and then takes him on *again* at Wrestlemania. That's an easy ride there for Michaels, but Jeff Jarrett? Oh no, he has to take on Sid, Helmsley, Michaels, and Billy Gunn all in the space of a month. Ridiculous.

Ross - Be that as it may, Jeff Jarrett *did* sign a contract for tonight's main event, and will be in violation of that if he does not show here tonight. You can bet the WWF lawyers'll be down on him like a ton of bricks King.

King - Damn those lawyers.

Ross - It's time for our next tag team match folks, so let's return to the ring.

Finkel - The following tag team match is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, at a combined weight of eight hundred and forty pounds, The Headhunters!

Finkel - And their opponents, at a combined weight of five hundred and sixty two pounds, RoadWarrior Hawk, RoadWarrior Animal, The RoadWarriors!

The RoadWarriors vs The Headhunters

The RoadWarriors, whose form took a turn for the better following Wrestlemania, look awful during the opening minutes of this match. The Headhunters are dominant, right from the opening exchange when Animal misses a dropkick and is then victim to a standing splash. A flying bodypress from Headhunter #2 serves as the first pinfall attempt of the match, though Animal easily kicks out. Animal gets some brief offense in after reversing a spinebuster slam into a neckbreaker, but apart from short bursts he can't get anything going. Cut off from his side of the ring and unable to make a tag, it looks like an embarrasing defeat for the Warriors is on the cards.

On the three minute mark though, Animal somehow manages to catch 'Hunter #1 with a swinging DDT, and then makes an agonisingly slow crawl to his corner to make a tag for the first time. Hawk charges into the ring, and after laying into his opponent with vicious fists, knocks #1 to the outside with a flying shoulderblock. Hawk follows him out and has his way with the Headhunter on the outside of the ring. It's one way traffic as Hawk beats on the Hunter, before he rolls him back into the ring when he feels the time is right. In the ring the match soon turns into a four man brawl, after #2 breaks a cover attempt from Hawk by placing a boot to his head. It's mayhem for a while before Animal clotheslines Headhunter Two over the top rope, his head crashing into the guardrail. Left two against one, Headhunter #1 is doubleteamed to the point of submission, and it's a powerslam from Animal that ends this match at the five minute mark.

The RoadWarriors defeated The Headhunters in 5-11

Rating - .75*

Ross - The RoadWarriors get the win there, and that's gotta go down as an upset against their much larger opponents. Before we move on to our next match though, let's take you back to earlier tonight on Slam, right after Chris Chetti's match against Silver King. Take a look.

(From May 17th Sunday Night Slam)

[Storm jumps into the ring on Chetti's blindside, and nails him with the cruiserweight belt. The belt is smashed against the champion's face several times before Storm throws him to the outside. Whip into the guardrail follows, before Storm pulls Chetti by the hair down the aisle and into the backstage area. Chetti meets head on with the arena wall, before being busted wide open with one more hit with the belt. Storm is eventually dragged off by security, leaving Chetti a beaten wreck on the floor.]

Lawler - Man that was great. That is Storm's belt you know.

Ross - That was just over an hour ago, and I can tell you at this point that Chetti is in the Los Angeles state hospital, and will be there overnight. What's gonna happen with our next contest? Scheduled to be Chris Chetti and Adam Bomb versus Owen Hart and Marc Mero, let's go to the ring and see what happens.

Finkel - This tag team contest is scheduled for one fall, with a thirty minute time limit. Introducing first, at a total combined weight of 462 pounds, Owen Hart, and "Marvelous" Marc Mero!

Finkel - And their opponents, At a total combined weight of 525 pounds, the WWF European Champion, Adam Bomb and the WWF World Cruiserweight Champion,"The Rookie", Chris Chetti!

Chris Chetti/Adam Bomb vs Owen Hart/Marc Mero

Contrary to Finkel's introductions, Bomb comes to the ring alone. He takes Fink's microphone.

Bomb - I guess Chetti ain't gonna be here. And I guess you two are thinking that's gonna be some kind of advantage for you. Maybe you think you can even get out of this match. Well think again. You know it, I know it, and everybody watching here, or in tv land, knows that not only could I take both you on, but that I could drive both your asses through the mat, at the same time. Two against one, if you want a piece of me, this is your best shot.

Hart and Mero smirk before motioning to the time keeper to ring the bell. So we've got :

(European Champion) Adam Bomb vs Owen Hart/Marc Mero

The moment the bell rings, both Owen and Mero charge at Bomb, but they are both sent crashing down to the mat as Bomb hits them with a double clothesline. He pulls Mero up to his feet before chokeslamming him across the ring. Bomb is nailed from behind by Owen though, and then taken down with a russian legsweep. Mero then gets back up and he and Hart proceed to stomp away on their opponent, before the referee is able to herd Owen out onto the apron. Hart and Mero are obviously going to be forced to use tag team rules in this one, and it's Marc Mero to start.

Mero decides to keep Bomb down on the mat, and he locks on a sleeper hold. It can't have been a tight lock, as Bomb quickly gets to the ropes, but Marc keeps the advantage as he delivers a hard kick to the back of the champion's head. He covers, but this ain't WCW and it's gonna take more than a kick to keep Adam Bomb down. Mero keeps control for the next thirty seconds or so with pretty much standard basic offence, kicking and punching away at his opponent. Seemingly out of nowhere though, Bomb manages to execute the crotch slam! The move that's finished off everyone from Austin to the new Intercontinental champion Rocky Maivia has it's desired effect on the Marvelous One, who's out cold. Bomb covers for two, but Owen climbs through the ropes and pulls him off the prone Mero. When Bomb gets to a vertical postion, Hart sends him staggering back into the corner with a dropkick. Owen rolls Mero out of the ring, and it looks like Hart is now the legal man.

Hart follows Bomb into the corner, but he's met with a hand grasping his neck. Like Mero earlier, this time it's Owen who's sent for the chokeslam ride. Hart is hurled back into the centre of the ring, and when he gets back up Bomb nearly decapitates him with a lariat. A powerlsam follows, and Bomb gets a two count out of it. The now awake Mero, seeing his partner getting hammered, reenters the ring. He's immediately knocked to the mat, as Bomb whips Owen right into him. A double noggin knocker follows, and Mero and Owen are starting to look really bad. Hart slips out under the ropes to get his head together, but there's no such luck for Mero, who gets blasted with right and left hands from a dominant Adam Bomb. Mero is eventually punched out, and Flair-flops down to the canvas, not showing any any of his previous boxing form. Bomb covers again, but Hart manages to pull him off from outside of the ring, and the two begin to fight on the outside.

In what's possibly the first action of the match to have any effect on Bomb, Owen sends him back first into the guardrail, then following it up with a dropkick. He then rams Bomb's head onto a table, but the advantage is soon lost as Mero, slingshotting over the ropes, not only misses Bomb, but goes crashing onto Owen, who then collapses through the Spanish broadcast table. Both men are down, but it's Mero who Bomb pulls up and sends back into the ring. The European champion climbs up to the top turnbuckle and waits for Mero to get to his feet. When he finally does, Bomb takes him down again with a sweet flying clothesline. Cover attempt, but again the cover is broken by the partner, as a partially recovered Hart gives Bomb a boot to the back of the head. Owen is promptly clotheslined over the top rope, but before the match can continue any further, "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith makes his way to the ring, microphone in hand.

Bulldog - Owen, I'm sitting out back, watching this on the monitors, and it got me thinking. Earlier tonight I was speaking to Dustin Runnels, and that got me thinking as well. You and I Owen, were a great tag team in the past. You and I Owen, can be a great tag team in the present, and in the future. But what you're doing right now, is getting your butt kicked in front of tens of thousands of people, and it stinks. Leave Marc Mero, he's a no talent jobber, but you? You've always been something special. You and I Owen, you leave this match right now, it's you and I. We can *be* tag team champions of the world.

Owen contemplates for a second, then walks on up the aisle with Davey Boy! In the ring, where the action has stopped as Bomb looks on, Mero is fuming. He doesn't have too much time to think about it though, as Bomb turns and knocks him down with a shoulderblock. After picking Mero up, Bomb hoists him onto his shoulder and then stun guns him on the top turnbuckle.

This complete dominance is halted as Yuji Nagata charges to the ring. Nagata came close to winning the title one month ago at "Bright Lights, Big City", and he obviously wants to get his hands on Bomb again. Nagata attacks him from behind as Bomb is working Mero over in the corner, and starts laying the boots into his back. The referee, seeing that this match has pretty much degenerated as it is, let's it go. A superkick from Yuji results in Bomb being laid out on his back in the centre of the ring. Nagata then leaves the ring, feeling that whatever business he feels he had out here is done. Mero goes down to cover, but Bomb somehow manages to kick out at two. Bomb is still down though, so Mero drags him over to the corner of the ring and climbs the ropes. He signals for the Marvelocity and let's fly.

Two conveniently placed knees break Mero's fall, and Bomb comes out reasonably unscathed. He's had enough at this point, and quickly nails the crotch slam to finally end this match.

Adam Bomb defeated Marc Mero in 11-28

Rating - *.5

Ross - Folks, if you want chaotic matches, there's only one place to go and that's the WWF!

King - What in the name of Jarrett was that all about Ross? Owen Hart? What an ingrate he turned out to be, running off with his little English jackass. Makes me sick to my stomach JR.

Ross - And you've got to wonder where Yuji Nagata was coming from. He faced Adam Bomb at last month's In Your House, and came away unlucky with a countout defeat. He's never been pinned before here in the WWF, could he be the one to take the belt away? I tell ya one thing I'm sure of folks, and that's that all the men involved just now are gonna be part of the pay-per-view extravaganza coming your way in just one month! King Of The Ring!

**WWF King Of The Ring 1998 Promo [June 21st]**

Ross - We do hope you can join us, exclusively on pay per view, this mega event which is just five weeks away. An Eight man one night tournament, topped off by a world championship match. One of those competitors in the title match will be the winner of the Austin/Sid confrontation later tonight. The other? We don't know that yet either. Jeff Jarrett still hasn't arrived in the arena, we'll let you know when, or if, he does. Austin/Sid and the main event are still to come tonight, but up next we've got Dustin Runnels going one on one with Booker T. If Runnels wins, Booker T has to leave the Nation. Let's take you back.

(From April 23rd)

(From April 27th)

(From May 4th)

(From May 11th)

Finkel - The following contest is scheduled for one fall, with a thirty minute time limit. Introducing first, from Harlem, New York, weighing in at 250 pounds, Booker T!

Finkel - And his opponent, from Austin, Texas, weighing in at 254 pounds, Dustin Runnels!

Booker T vs Dustin Runnels

Slow start from these two, neither man doing anything more exciting than an armdrag in the early going. It's Runnels who takes the upper hand once the match truly gets underway, nailing Booker with forearm smashes and right hands to gain the advantage. He goes for a piledriver, but Booker is able to block, and soon after he is able to clothesline Dustin out over the top. Booker leaves Runnels to pace on the outside for a few moments, then return to the ring of his own accord. When the action resumes back inside the squared circle, Booker executes a shoulderblock on Runnels, but is soon victim to some vicious chops from Dustin, and is eventually taken down with a vertical suplex. None of the two men can keep any momentum going though, and the match is solidly back and forth. A DDT from Booker is blocked, but he's able to push Dustin into the ropes and then take him down with a swinging neckbreaker. Booker goes for the first cover of the match, but Runnels kicks out at two.

With three minutes gone, Runnels is able to take control. After reversing a whip and sending Booker to the mat with a back body drop, he throws him through the ropes to the outside. Dustin sends him into the guardrail, before busting his opponent wide open with a piledriver on the concrete. The guardrail is rocked a few more times, before *another* piledriver is executed. Booker's a mess, but he is able to beat the referee's ten count as Runnels leaves him on the outside. When he does return to the ring Dustin takes him to the mat with a snap suplex, before crashing him down again with a DDT. Two count for Runnels. He then pulls Booker up and whips him into the ropes and goes to back body drop him. Booker sees it coming though and gets back into the match with a swinging neckbreaker. This results in a close two and a half count for Booker T. Obviously not feeling 100%, Booker gives himself a rest, keeping Dustin on the mat with a headlock.

Booker continues to grind away on the neck, keeping the hold on for a good minute or two, before Dustin is finally able to get to his feet. Booker won't let go of the hold though, so Runnels promptly breaks it himself, hitting Booker wih a neckbreaker. Another DDT from Runnels proves to be a close call, Booker just getting up at 2.9, before Dustin keeps it slow, locking on a sleeper hold. It takes a while, but Booker seems to be out after nearly a minute. The arm is raised and then falls down twice, before he's able to find the strength to keep it up the third time, and Booker starts to work his way out of the hold. After elbowing his way out, he takes Runnels down with a hard lariat. A standing legdrop followed up by a side suplex is delivered with precision, before Booker climbs to the top turnbuckle. Here comes the Rock.

Missile dropkick! Runnels appears to be out, but his positioning enables him to place one foot on the ropes at the crucial time, and the pinfall attempt is rendered void. Booker pulls Runnels up by his hair and wraps him into a standing headlock, but Runnels pushes him into the ropes. Dustin goes for a clothesline, but Booker ducks and Runnels bounces off the ropes again. I say bounces, it was more like crashes, as the Rock nails Dustin with a chair. Runnels holds his back in agony, and Booker small packages him for the three count!

Booker T defeated Dustin Runnels in 12-16

Rating - *.75

Runnels is kicked out of the ring by Booker, as The Rock climbs through the ropes himself. Maivia and Booker hug in the centre of the ring, but as Booker turns away, Rocky levels him with the chair. The people's elbow is dropped, before the Rock takes the microphone away from the ring announcer.

Rocky - Booker? You stinking piece of trash, you talk about showing disrespect for the Nation. You talked about Dustin Runnels showing disrespect to the Nation, but you Booker, you're the most disrespectful of all. You go out and make a stipulation, you say you'll leave the Nation if you lose? Listen punk, there's only one man who controls who comes and goes in the Nation of Domination, and that's the Rock. And The Rock has decided that you're gonna leave. By my hand only. The Rock controls you just like the Rock controls this sport. Now get the hell outta here.

[Booker is booted out of the ring.]

Rock - I'm the champ and from now on, the Rock is going it alone. I pronounce the Nation dead right here, right now. There's been too many ingrates sniffing around the Rock's ass, and it's gone on for too long. Owen Hart, ingrate. D-Lo Brown, ingrate. Kama Mustafa, ingrate. Booker T, ingrate. Mark Henry? If you're watching this, heck, you're a big man, but you're ass is bigger than your brain if ya smell what the Rock is cookin'. From now on, at just before 10pm on May 17th, I pronounce this to be the genesis of the People's Era!

Intercontinental Title around his waist, The Rock then leaves to the boo's of the crowd.

Ross - The end of the Nation?

King - You know Ross, I've been a big fan of the Nation since day one, but you have to admit it was more trouble than it was worth. And the Rock is right. Booker T showed a complete lack of respect for the Rock when he agreed to this match.

Ross - Be that as it may, Maivia wouldn't be the Intercontinental Champion at this point if he didn't have the Nation by his side. We'll have to see in the next few weeks how successful the Rock is gonna be on his own. At this time though, only moments away from the big cage match, let's take you backstage where Sycho Sid and the Rocky Mountain Beast Vader are standing by.

Vader - Jim Ross, you don't have to worry about how the Rock is gonna do in the next few weeks, because after this next match, everything is gonna come crashing down. When the cage covers the scope of Los Angeles in it's violence, nothing is ever gonna be the same again.

Sid - Austin! You can take one last look at the bright light's of LA boy, because you're never leaving the cage alive. When you step through the gateway of the cage, you're stepping through the gateway into my living hell! The only way out for you Austin, is through the pearly gates, but even then I doubt the man upstairs would let you in. Why? Because I am that man. I am the master Austin, and I am the ruler of your world.

Vader - I've been hearing things about a bulldog that says it's gonna take me out. Let me tell you something, I don't play with puppy dogs. What I do, is I destroy everything in my path, be it human or otherwise. You never kicked my ass in New Japan Bulldog, I anhilated you, and left you crying with your tail between your legs.

Sid - There is gonna be two supreme sacrifices tonight. Austin, Bulldog? I hope you're prepared.

Finkel - The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and is the special cage match! The victor of this contest will go on to King Of The Ring to meet the World Wrestling Federation champion! To win the match, a competitor must either leave the cage, or defeated their opponent by pinfall or submission. Introducing first, hailing from West Memphis, Arkansas, weighing in at 332 pounds, and accompanied to the ring by the man they call Vader, "Sycho" Sid!

Finkel - And his opponent, fighting out of Victoria, Texas, weighing in at 241 pounds, and also accompanied to the ring by the "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin!

"Sycho" Sid (w/Vader) vs "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (w/Davey Boy Smith)

Vader and Bulldog enter the cage alongside Sid and Austin respectively, but are forced out by officials as the match gets officially underway. It's staredown city to start, as Sid towers over Austin. Lockup, break. Lockup,break. At the expense of actual action, Sid starts verbally berating Austin, and is promptly met with a smack to the face. Angered, Sid goes for a right hand, but Austin blocks and nails one of his own! After two rounds of I-block-your-punch-you-don't-block-mine, Austin floors Sid with a clothesline. As Sid slowly gets up to his feet, Austin climbs the turnbuckles and stands arms aloft, playing to the crowd through the cage. Sid is on his feet though, and he pulls Austin down from the top by his trunks and gives him a hard right hand. A forearm sends Austin back into the turnbuckle, and Sid then starts kicking away at Austin.

The beating in the corner continues as Sid alternates between his hands and his feet as he does a number on Austin. Then it's to the cage as Sid rakes Austin across it. He goes to ram Austin into the steel face first, but Austin blocks, gives Sid an elbow to the mid-section, and then sends *Sid* into the cage. Two more times into the cage and Sid is staggering, holding his face. Austin climbs back up to the top turnbuckle and then knocks his adversary to the mat with a flying clothesline. Austin goes down to cover Sid, but he Sid not only kicks out at one, he flings Austin halfway across the ring with his kickout. Austin is up first, but he's quickly taken down to the mat for the first time as Sid executes a legsweep. A wrestling move from Sid?! He follows it up by laying several boots onto Austin's head, before hoisting him up onto his shoulder and then charging him into the cage. He repeats this five times, and this causes Austin to be the first one to bleed in this one.

Moving him back into the centre of the ring, Sid starts beating on the back of Austin. Numerous right hands precede a backbreaker. Sid suprisingly covers at this point, but *un*surprisingly Austin easily kicks out at one. He pulls Austin up to his feet, whips him into the ropes, and then has Austin flat on his back again after a big boot to the face. Cover again only gets one. After delivering more vicous boots and fists, Sid puts Austin in a reverse chinlock in the centre of the ring. This *exciting* action is secondary at this point as we see Bulldog and Vader kicking the hell out of each other on the outside of the cage. We don't know what got them started, and the fight is soon broke up by officials who then quickly escort both men to the back. Sid breaks his hold on Austin as he sees Vader being taken away from ringside, and when he turns around he's met with a right hand from Austin!

Another right hand, and two boots to the chest double Sid over. A knee lift takes him down the mat, and then Austin drops a legdrop on the back of his head. Austin bodyslams Sid before climbing up to the top turnbuckle again. Flying elbowdrop gets a two count for Austin on his second pinfall attempt of the match. There's blood all over Austin's face and he's determined not to be the only one bleeding, as he proceeds to hammer Sid into the cage. Then Sid's face meets the turnbuckle ten times as Austin is relentless. He shoves Sid back into mid ring and then sends him headfirst into the mat with a bulldog. Austin covers but once again can't get three. Austin retreats to the corner and waits for Sid to get to his feet, then charges at him. Sid is ready though, and he grabs him by the neck and then smashes him down with a chokeslam!

Sid laughs maniacally as he looks down at the prone Austin, then pulls him up in position for the powerbomb. Austin goes up, and down he goes to the mat! Austin is out, but Sid is too busy laughing to cover. After a significant pause, Sid sets Austin up for a second powerbomb. Sid is taking way too long though, and it's no surprise to anyone when Austin is able to back drop Sid and stop the powerbomb execution. Sid springs right up to his feet, but he's met with a boot to the midsection and the Stone Cold Stunner! Austin immediatley goes down to cover, but then the cage starts to rise! As the cage lifts up off the apron, where it had been lowered down upon during the previous interview, Vader makes his way to the ring. Who's controlling the raising of the cage?

Austin has no time to ponder that as he has to deal with the arrival of Vader. He straight away begins pounding on the Rocky Mountain Beast as soon as he steps through the ropes, but he's quickly outnumbered as Sid gets back up. Cue Davey Boy! Smith starts hammering away at Sid, then turns and dropkicks Vader down to the mat. Smith then nails the running powerslam on Vader, as Austin manages to stunner Sid again! Vader and Sid are both out cold and Austin hooks Sid's leg and gets the three count!

Steve Austin defeated Sycho Sid in 13-22

Rating - -**

Smith leaves the ring as Austin celebrates the victory. Vader and Sid are both out on the mat as Austin talks trash to both of them. As he does so, the cage lowers again. Once the cage reaches the apron, one of the outside officials begins to unlock the door, but before he can, Bart Gunn and Bob Holly of the tag champion New Midnight Express run down the aisle. They grab the referee, throw him to the concrete and then steal the key! Austin, perplexed, watches them go and is about to start to climb out of the cage, when he's attacked by Vader and Sid, both now on their feet. A powerbomb each by both men on Austin is just a small part of the brutal beating that's administered. Davey Boy Smith returns to ringside along with Owen Hart to make the save, but they're cut off by the Express, now wielding chairs. The cage eventually lifts up again, and Vader and Sid leave the ring. The Express return backstage as well, and Smith and Hart enter the ring to check on Austin as we go back to April 6th.

[Highlights Package]

Ross - We were gonna try and get some final words from DX at this point, but they, like their oppositon, have refused to speak to our cameras. At this point in time, let's go up to Howard Finkel.

Finkel - Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the main event of the evening. It is a tag team contest, scheduled for one fall, with a sixty minute time limit, and is for both the World Heavyweight and World Tag Team championships! Introducing first, at a total combined weight of 767 pounds, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, D-Generation X!

Finkel - And their opponents, at a total combined weight of 712 pounds and accompanied by the Roadog Jesse Jammes, the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions, The New Midnight Express and the World Wrestling Federation Champion, "Double J" Jeff Jarrett!

Despite Finkel's announcement, there's only one Double J on his way to the ring, and it ain't the champion. As Jammes goes to enter the ring though, he's blocked by the referee. A heated discussion follows, a discussion we can't hear, but the gist is that Jammes ain't gonna be allowed to wrestle. Not only that, but he's ordered to leave the ring area. Jammes is livid and so are the Express, but Jammes eventually does leave. Despite the absence now of Jammes, there's still no signs of Jarrett as the referee signals for the match to start.

Jeff Jarrett / The New Midnight Express vs D-Generation X

Gunn and Holly give each other a worried glance before Holly steps out onto the apron, leaving Bart to start. Triple H is the first man in the ring for DX, who don't look happy about the absence of Jarrett in this match. Just moments after locking up, Gunn manages to execute a swinging neckbreaker on Helmsley, which cheers him up greatly. Gunn is grinning like a goon but is soon taken down himself when Hunter blocks a headlock takedown and then sends Gunn to the mat with a back suplex. A quick cover from HHH gets a two count as Holly breaks the cover. The Express then team up on Hunter, hitting him with a double dropkick, before Michaels enters the ring and forces Holly out. Michaels takes Gunn down with a clothesline before he leaves, and DX takes the advantage. After nailing a few hard rights, Hunter throws Gunn through the ropes to the outside, where the ringsteps and the guardrail come into play, before a badly beaten Bart Gunn is tossed back inside.

A kneelift, side suplex and a clothesline are all executed by Helmsley, before the former WWF champion Shawn Michaels is tagged in for the first time. Michaels engages in a brief chat with Gunn, who's lying face up on the mat, before whipping him into the ropes and nailing a dropkick. Michaels slows it down after that as he locks Gunn in an armbar, but the tag champ is quick to manouever his way to the ropes. Michaels keeps control though as he gives Gunn a hard punch to the throat before Gunn meets the canvas again with a reverse neckbreaker. Michaels covers, but for the second time in the match Holly breaks the pinfall attempt. Michaels jumps up and ,forgetting about Bart for a moment, goes after Holly. A few right hands and a clothesline are enough to send Bob out of the ring, but Gunn is able to attack Shawn from behind. The third neckbreaker of the match is then hit as Michaels ends up on the mat for the first time. Gunn drops a knee over Michaels' face but gets nothing more than a one count out of it.

Gunn then tags Holly in for his first legal participation in the match, and he executes a hiptoss on Michaels to keep the Express' advantage going. Going down to the mat, Holly wraps Michaels into a headlock to eat some time, before simply releasing the hold after around thirty seconds. Shawn is then whipped into the corner, where he is then victim to an elbow charge and several kicks from Holly. Holly then goes to whip Michaels into the other corner but Shawn holds onto the ropes and then has Holly seeing stars with a devastating enzirguri. Bart enters the ring to get a piece of Michaels, but he gets dumped over the top rope for his trouble. Michaels poses in the centre of the ring as the Express try to get their gameplan set. They don't have too much time to converse as Billy Gunn makes his presence felt in the match for the first time by flying off the top turnbuckle right onto the Express. Gunn then sends his brother head first into the guardrail before rolling Bob Holly back into the ring.

Snap suplex from Michaels puts Holly square into the centre of the ring before he tags Helmsley back in. Michaels holds the Express member in place as Helmsley climbs to the top turnbuckle and then executes a flying knee drop. Hunter covers, but for the first time in the match there is no need for an outside pinfall break as Holly kicks out of his own accord at two. Hunter then keeps him down on the canvas by nailing a perfect piledriver, but that isn't enough to keep Holly out for a three count either. Billy Gunn is then tagged in, but he doesn't want a piece of Holly, he wants Bart. Billy bodyslams Holly over to the Express corner, where Bart Gunn has now resumed his place on the apron. Bart motions 'oh you want me?' before reaching down and tagging the hand of his half conscious partner.

After a brief period of mid-ring yakking, the two men lock up. A clean break follows, before Bart brings his head back and then shoots a big wad of spit on his brother. Billy wipes his face and then goes mofo on Bart, pummeling him into the corner of the ring with a non-stop flurry of punches and kicks. The moment Billy lets up, Bart slips out under the bottom rope as quick as he can and pretty much collapses on the outside. Holly, who now looks to have recovered from his earlier hammering, comes over to talk to him and, after it looks for a moment like the two men are gonna walk out, Bart returns to the ring. Another lock up with Billy sees a different result, as Bart takes the advantage after raking his brother's eyes. he then pulls Mr Ass over to his corner by his hair, where he begins choking him out on the top rope. The referee forces him off, but while Hebner is admonishing Bart, Holly continues to choke Gunn out behind the ref's back.

The Express retain control in this fashion over Billy for the next few minutes, choking and wearing him down. Holly and Bart cut Gunn off from his corner, rendering him unable to make the tag. Eventually though, Billy is able to nail Bob Holly with a DDT literally out of nowhere, kicking off a race to make the tag. Holly makes it to his partner, but only a split second before Gunn makes the tag in to Helmsley, who nails Bart with a jumping clothesline. Helmsley unloads on Bart, taking him down to the mat with a faceslam after giving him one hell of a beating. Holly tries to re enter the ring, but Michaels is there again, and Shawn superkicks Holly out of the ring! As Holly is out cold on the concrete floor, Hunter executes the pedigree on Bart! Helmsley is about to cover Bart when the unmistakeable music of Sycho Sid starts blaring over the speaker system!

Gunn rolls out of the ring at this point, holding his head in agony. Sid and Vader charge down to ringside, then take out the referee who tries to block them. Helmsley goes to attack Sid, but he completely no sells it before delivering a brutal chokeslam, then putting him away with a powerbomb. Hunter's then kicked out of the ring by a laughing Sid. Vader goes after Billy Gunn and completely over powers him, putting him totally out of the match by powerbombing from the ring over the ropes down to the floor. Michaels then tries to take them both on, but he's no match for the combined strength of Sid and Vader and he's quickly over powered as well.

He's victim to four, count 'em, four powerbombs and is left for dead in the centre of the ring. Sid and Vader then make their exit, leaving behind a train wreck at the ringarea. Gunn and Holly are both out of action on the outside as well, and with Shawn Michaels out cold on his back in the ring, we have a bit of a stalemate. But not *everybody* in this match is down. Cue the belated arrival of the WWF champion. Coming over the guardrail, dressed in street clothes, Jeff Jarrett enters the ring. Unable to hide the huge grin on his face, Jarrett locks the figure four on the laid out Michaels. A second referee runs down the aisle as Jarrett applies the hold, and the three count is never in doubt.

Jeff Jarrett/The New Midnight Express defeated D-Generation X in 12-45

(Jeff Jarrett retains the World Wrestling Federation Championship)

(The New Midnight Express retain the World Tag Team Championship)

Rating - **.75

We see Jarrett taking the tag team titles from the ring announcer as we go off the air.