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St. Valentine's Day Massacre; 2/14/1999
WWE Network
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Happy Valentine's Day (or just Happy Feb. 14th to all my fellow single people out there). So, how does a die-hard wrestling fan celebrate St. Valentine's Day without a significant other? You're right: You watch a wrestling match. (Ok. That's my solution to everything, but that's another story. 😀) So, I decided what better way to celebrate this Valentine's Day than to go back and watch an absolute classic match in wrestling history that took place 20 years to the day of this review.
Now, I can go over the awesomeness that was the Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Mr. McMahon storyline that led up to this match and how much this rivalry meant to any of us currently in our 30s or older. OR I can just put this piece of awesomeness on here for you:
Let's Do This!
St. Valentine's Day Massacre
Nashville, TN
2/14/1999
Steel Cage Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Mr. McMahon
**If Stone Cold wins, he goes on to face The Rock at WrestleMania XV
The WWE ring crew is putting together the classic solid cage from the 80s and 90s (albeit a black version of it). There's something cool about seeing a cage being put together by a ring crew. But I understand why WWE uses the wired cage for the safety of the wrestlers and also to make the transition to the match easier.
HERE COMES STONE COLD to a loud ovation! That is a pop! Austin does his usual corner poses, this time climbing each corner of the cage while doing so. And here comes Mr. McMahon to the (then) new theme song "No Chance in Hell" (which was actually the theme for the Royal Rumble 1999 event, for the record). McMahon climbs the cage while Austin just waits like a caged animal. McMahon toys with Austin repeatedly, making Austin lose his patience in the cage. (Like Austin ever had patience to begin with.)
Austin decides enough of this crap and chases after McMahon. McMahon gets in the cage and kicks down at Austin to prevent him from getting in the cage. Austin tries to climb into the cage, but McMahon climbs up as well to prevent Austin from getting in. Austin falls off the cage wall, and he sells that his knee is hurt. McMahon gets out of the cage and goes to attack Austin....
ONLY FOR AUSTIN TO CLOTHESLINE MCMAHON! It's on! They are fighting around the announce table. McMahon's head goes against the solid cage. Austin wraps a cable cord around McMahon's neck. (According to a recent Something to Wrestle, Bruce Prichard mentioned that McMahon didn't believe how hard that cage was until after he worked inside of it. No wonder WWF switched to the wired cage shortly after this.) Austin just continues to pummel and beat up McMahon. They are now fighting into the front row behind the announce team. (I wish J.R. had called this match. Michael Cole is completely out of his element calling this match.) McMahon is back at ringside and gets sent into the steel steps. McMahon throws Austin into the cage and tries to run off. Austin chases McMahon up into the crowd. (The poor security in that building. They earned that paycheck that night.) Austin gets to McMahon and brings him back to the ringside area. The match hasn't officially started yet.
McMahon is bouncing off of everything like a tennis ball. Austin stops McMahon from climbing into the cage and continues to smack McMahon's head against the cage. (No monkey flips. No 450s. But this crowd is hotter for this than 99% of what you've seen since then. This is great.) McMahon and Austin are fighting up on the side of the cage now. McMahon's head is smacked against the cage a couple times... AND VINCE FLIES BACKWARDS THROUGH THE SPANISH ANNOUNCE TABLE! (1st: That's a 53 year old man taking that bump. 2nd- McMahon landed on the edge of that table which legitimately messed up his spine, especially when the table didn't initially break. Say what you will about Vince McMahon, but there is nothing he will not ask wrestlers to do that he will not do himself. You want proof? This is Exhibit A.)
We get a stretcher job for McMahon while Austin waits inside the cage. Howard Finkel goes to announce Austin as the winner, but Austin stops him. He calls it B.S. Austin promised several things that haven't happened yet. As far as Austin is concerned, the match never officially started. Austin asks Dave Hebner if Vince is still breathing. Austin asks the crowd if they want him to beat up Mr. McMahon. The crowd says "Hell Yeah!" Austin, like a bad-ass, climbs the cage and goes out after McMahon. He throws McMahon off the stretcher and right into the cage wall. He throws McMahon into the cage.
And "Bah Gawd," as J.R. would say, the bell rings! Austin knocks McMahon to the mat and rips off the neck brace. 2 Elbow Drops off the corner by Austin. Austin calls for the door. He goes to walk out, but McMahon flips off Austin to keep him from hitting the floor. Austin comes back into the cage to continue the beating. Mudhole Stomps in the corner. (This crowd is adding so much energy to this match with their chants and attention.) McMahon low blows Austin and throws him into the cage. McMahon climbs the cage, but Austin stops him from exiting. He flips McMahon back into the ring from the top of the cage. McMahon goes face first into the cage. McMahon is bleeding as Austin continues to enjoy the moment. He climbs over the cage to exit. McMahon gives the greatest desperation middle finger in wrestling history, blood pouring down his face and crying in pain. McMahon tries to get out of the cage, but Austin just continues the beating of McMahon against the cage. Austin hits the Stone Cold Stunner on McMahon. Austin mocks McMahon and mouths off at him.
Something rips open the mat behind Austin. It's The Big Show making his WWF debut. He throws Austin up against the cage several times and helps McMahon to his feet. The crowd is still going nuts for all of this. Big Show throws Austin so hard against the cage that it breaks. Austin holds on to the wall and drops down on the floor! He wins! The pop is huge for this finish.
Winner: Stone Cold Steve Austin
Match Grade: A. This is a case where the actual quality of the action is inconsequential next to the overall quality of the moment itself. That crowd was invested in everything Austin and McMahon were doing from the time they came out of the curtain to the finish. This was Austin's revenge against McMahon, and it was glorious. You have to credit McMahon for taking the bumps and abuse he did in this match. Again, love him or hate him, you can't deny that Vince McMahon did his fair share to get this match over. The Big Show debut at the end was a cool finish as he beat down on Austin so hard that he inadvertently helped him win the match. I've heard some complain about this finish. The dude just broke a steel cage by throwing another person into it. If that doesn't put over someone's strength, nothing ever will. Good debut in a great Steel Cage Match.
Again, this is another example that emotion + crowd reaction > "Work Rate." Then again, I dare someone to look at what Vince McMahon and Steve Austin did on this night and question their "work." This may have been the peak of the Austin vs. McMahon rivalry.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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