dX raided is what this PPV has been promised to be. DX will be in action in title matches on this show and they have promised that viewing discretion is advised. Shawn Michaels battles in the main event, defending his WWF title against the man that won the 1998 Royal Rumble, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Austin and Michaels have had their run-ins over the last few weeks and Mike Tyson has been announced as the special guest enforcer. Austin soon got in Tysons face and it was later revealed that “Iron” Mike has in fact joined D-Generation X. How will that affect the main event tonight? We’ll find out later. Fellow DX member Triple H will also be in action. He won the European title from Owen Hart after attacking Owens already broken foot. Two time European champion Triple H defends his title against Owen Hart tonight.

In championship action we’ll also get an Intercontinental title match as The Rock defends against Ken Shamrock. The Rock almost lost his title to Shamrock at The Royal Rumble but the decision was reversed and he ended up winning the match by DQ. Since No Way Out, Shamrock and newly found friend Steve Blackman have had their problems with The Nation of Domination and The Rock has laid Shamrock out with some brutal chair shots. The tag team titles will also be on the line when The New Age Outlaws defend their belts against Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie. And after all the trouble the two teams have had with dumpsters recently, the match has been made a dumpster match! We’ll also have a Light Heavyweight title match between Taka Michinoku and challenger Aguila.

We’ll also get a much anticipated match between The Undertaker and his  brother Kane. The Undertaker has always refused to fight Kane but after he was locked in a casket and burnt alive by his brother, costing him the WWF title, The Undertaker has finally accepted the challenge and the two will meet tonight. Also Marc Mero teams with Sable to take on Goldust and Luna in mixed tag action and we’ll get 15 teams in an over the top battle royal which should decide new top contenders to the tag team titles. Let’s go.

We open with a video package that questions whether the tradition has gone from Wrestlemania because of a controversial new era led by the likes of Shawn Michaels and  Steve Austin. Then we get shots of old stars such as Pat Patterson and Gorilla Monsoon. Somewhere, the father of the WWE will revel in Wrestlemania.

Jim Ross then welcomes us just as the Nation of Dominations music hits. We’re kicking things off very early!

Kama & Faarooq vs. The Headbangers (Mosh & Thrasher) vs. The Godwinns (Phineas & Henry) vs. D-lo Brown & Mark Henry vs. Flash Funk & Steve Blackman vs. The New Midnight Express (Bob Holly & Bart Gunn) vs. LOD 2000 (Hawk & Animal) vs. Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor vs. Bradshaw & Chainz vs. The Rock n Roll Express (Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton) vs. The Quebecers (Jacques & Pierre) vs. DOA (Skull & 8 Ball) vs. Sniper & Recon vs. Savio Vega & Miguel Perez vs. Jose Estrada & Jesus Castillo

LOD 2000 are the surprise team in this one, kitted out in new gear and managed by Sunny. They looked on the verge of splitting up at one point but they are back. THey get a huge reaction. It’s hard to keep track of this one, there are 30 guys in there and presumably, if one guy gets thrown over the top, the whole team is out. It’s a nice way to get a lot of guys on the roster onto the card. The winning team get a tag team title shot on Raw. Savio Vega is the first man eliminated so him and Miguel PErez are the first to hit the showers. Kurrgen is next to go. Barry Windham then comes out and goes after Chainz, eliminating him from the match! So him and Bradshaw are done. Jacques Rougeau and D-lo Brown are eliminated. I’m not sure Kurrgen was in the match. Ricky Morton is next out. Jesus and Jose are gone. Thrasher is gone. Mark Henry is still in there but he shouldn’t be!

Scott Taylor is the next one out of there. We’re down to The Legion Of Doom, The New Midnight Express, Skull and 8 Ball and The Godwinns. The crowd are right behin LOD. Bart Gunn and Bob Holly are making their PPV debut as a team tonight. DOA eliminate The Godwinns so we’re down to three teams. DOA are out of there too so it’s just LOD and The New Midnight Express. The Godwinns get back in and smash Hawk and Animal with the buckets! Bob and Bart take Hawk down with elbows then try to eliminate him but Hawk fights back. Bart Gunn is no stranger to tag teams having been one half of the Smoking Gunns. Hawk hits a big boot on Bob and then clotheslines Bart over the top! Hawk and Animal win the match! A big win for one of, if not the greatest teams of all time. Jim Ross decides that they will challenge for the tag team titles next month on PPV. An ok way to start the night but it was really hard to keep track of what was going on in this one.

Rating: 3.5/10

We then see some of the events from the week with a DX workout in a big ring in a public area and Steve Austin on a chat show. Flash Funk went to see some kids and Sable and Marc Mero were signing autographs at a dinner.

Taka Michinoku (c) vs. Aguila – Light Heavyweight Title Match

Interesting choice of opponent for Taka Michinoku in this one. You’d bank on Taka and Brian Christopher at Wrestlemania. Instead we have Aguila making his PPV debut. Aguila hits a big arm drag, head scissors and spinning heel kick which knocks Taka to the outside. Aguila then hits a big moonsault to the outside. Aguila gets knocked to the the outside and Taka hits hit springboard splash to the outside. Taka has defeated the likes of Brian Christopher and Pantera on PPV. Taka pins Aguila for the first near fall of the match. Aguila backdrops Taka to the outside but Taka comes back in off the top. Aguila hits an awesome wristlock take down and then a huge corkscrew plancha to the outside. Lawler thinks Brian Christopher could whip both of these guys at the same time. Taka misses with a moonsault and Aguila hits one of his own for a two. The champion goes to the middle rope and attempts a splash but Aguila gets his knees up. Agukla then sits Taka on the middle rope and hits a springboard hurrincanrana!

IT’s very back and forth in this one with both men exchanging spots. Taka hits a dropkick and goes for the Michinoku Driver but Aguila gets out of to and attempts a hurricanrana. Taka reverses it into a powerbomb but misses with the follow up moonsault. Aguila goes up top but gets dropkicked. Taka then hits the Michinoku Driver on Aguila which is good enough for the three! Taka wins and retains his title! The two men shake hands after the bell. This was like an exhibition spotfest but was damn entertaining.

Rating: 6.75/10

We see an interview with Jenny Flowers and The Rock. They talk politics with Rock saying he would be a ruler, not a leader of the country. He doesn’t care about the homeless, if he was a jury he’d be a hung jury. Good stuff from The Rock.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley (c) vs. Owen Hart – European Title Match

This feud has been going for some time now and finally comes to a head. Chyna is in Hunter Hearst Helmsleys corner but she’ll be handcuffed to Sgt Slaughter! Helmsley is a two time European champion, he beat Owen Hart for the gold a couple of weeks ago, beating Owen who had an injury. Owen comes out limping and attacks Helmsley before the bell! This is Owen Harts 7th Wrestlemania appearance and he gets straight into it with hard right hands and a hurricanrana for a two. Owen takes it to Triple H outside of the ring in front of Chyna then back in the ring he goes for The Sharpshooter but Helmsley rakes the eyes. Helmsley hits a knee to the face then goes to work on some chops in the corner. Triple H hits a suplex and a kneedrop. Both men are former Intercontinental champions and Kings Of The Ring. Triple H hit a big DDT and the crowd seem more into this one than the last two matches. Helmsley gets a two count.

Triple H has fought the likes of The Ultimate Warrior and Goldust in prior Wrestlemania matches. Owen Harts biggest moment came when he beat Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 10. Helmsley works the left leg of Owen now. Hart is bleeding from the nose and Helmsley hits him with right hands. Only four men have had more PPV matches in the history of the WWF to this point and two of them, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker will be in action later. Owen goes to the top and hits a dropkick off the top which gets him a two count. Big belly to belly suplex by Owen for another near fall and he follows that up with a spinning heel kick. Owen hits an enzeguri but it hurts his own ankle. Chyna tries to rip herself away from Slaughter but fails and Hunter hits a powerbomb for another near fall. Hart hits a cross body from the top for another two count. Plenty of near falls in this one. Helmsley goes for the Pedigree but Owen counters it and goes for the Sharpshooter but Helmsley kicks Owen away. Owen bounces out of the corner and accidentally hits a low blow for another near fall. Hunter attempts another Pedigree and Hart this time locks on The Sharpshooter. Chyna helps Helmsley get to the ropes and boos ring out.

Owen hits some big right hands and Chyna throws powder in Sgt Slaughters eyes! She then hits a low blow on Owen and Helmsley hits The Pedigree! Triple H covers and gets the three count! Triple H retains his European title on the biggest stage of them all. Chyna takes a shot at Slaughter for good measure then throws him over the barricade.

Rating: 7.25/10

We get a video package now for Marc Mero, Sable, Goldust and Luna. Mero and Luna are both jealous of Sable.

Goldust & Luna vs. Marc Mero & Sable

This is the third mix tag team match at Wrestlemania. At Wrestlemania 6 Goldusts father Dusty Rhodes teamed with Sapphire to take on Randy Savage and Sensational Sherri and at Wrestlemania 10 Doink and Dink took on Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna. Sable is making her PPV debut in this one but Luna is undefeated on PPV as her and Bam Bam won their match four years ago. Marc Mero and Goldust, who have had their battles in the past, start things off. Maro quickly takes the advantage and Goldust tags out to Luna. Luna wants Mero though. Mero tags out to Sable and Sable chases Luna around the ring. Luna tags out to Goldust and the crowd boo. Sable tags back out to Mero and Goldust attacks him as he gets into the ring. This is a Wrestlemania debut for Mero. Mero tags out to Sable who hits a big boot on Goldust. Mero hits some jabs on Goldust but gets hit with a clothesline. This is a Wrestlemania debut for Mero but Goldust has fought the likes of Triple H and Roddy Piper at the biggest show of the year before. Mero and Goldust collide into one another. Goldust tags Luna and Mero tags Sable!

Sable hits some big right hands and the crowd love it. She then hits some kicks and a snapmare before nailing Goldust. Sable then clotheslines Luna out of the ring. Luna tags Goldust and Sable gives him another right hand. Mero then throws Goldust into the ring steps and back into the ring. Mero then hits a low blow on Goldust as he is distracted by Sable. Mero attempts the TKO but Goldust hops down and hits a DDT for a two count. Goldust then goes for the Curtain Call but Mero gets out of it and hits a running knee lift. Mero heads to the top and hits a springboard moonsault! He gets a two but almost knocked himself out. Goldust goes to the top now but Mero backs into the ropes to crotch him. Mero hits a hurricanrana off the top for another near fall. Luna takes a shot at Mero which distracts him but Goldust accidentally nails Luna! Mero then hits the TKO! He covers Goldust but Luna jumps on Meros back! Sable makes the tag and covers Goldust! The referee doesn’t see though. Luna heads to the top but Sable sees it coming and gets out of the way and Luna hits Goldust! Sable then hits a powerbomb on Luna for a two!

Sable gets Luna up on her shoulders and she hits the TKO! She covers Luna and gets the three count! Marc Mero and Sable win the match! Mero hops around celebrating but the crowd only have eyes for Sable. Mero then holds up Sables hand and the two leave. Mero will be happy with the win though and Sable wins on her PPV debut. Luna loses on PPV for the first time.

Rating: 6/10

New agent Tennesse Lee comes out to the ring and introduces his client Jeff Jarrett along with Jennifer Flowers. Flowers confirms that Jarrett is great and then introduces the next match.

The Rock (c) vs. Ken Shamrock – Intercontinental Title Match

The Rock come out with Kama, D-lo and Mark Henry. No sign of Faarooq though. The Rock somewhat successfully defended his Intercontinental title against Shamrock at The Royal Rumble but this is the rematch. Shamrock runs out and we get straight into it. Ken hits a kick and a clothesline to knock The Rock out of the ring. The Rock can lose his title by disqualification tonight. This feud has been going on for a long time, over 6 months. Shamrock hits two big clotheslines and a crescent kick. He then hammers away at the champion. Shamrock has had European, Intercontinental and World Heavyweight title shots on PPV but he’s yet to win a championship in the WWF. The Rock slams Shamrock and then hits the People’s elbow for a two. The Rock is a totally different guy to when he won the IC title for the first time. Shamrock goes out and gets a chair but the referee stops him from using it. Shamrock then shoves the referee allowing The Rock to pick up the chair and smash Ken with it! But only for a two count.

Shamrock hits a dropkick and a powerslam for a near fall. Shamrock can take a chairshot like no other. Shamrock then hits a belly to belly suplex and locks on the Ankle Lock! The Rock taps out! Shamrock wins and the Nation rush the ring! Shamrock takes down everyone including Mark Henry before going back to the Ankle Lock on The Rock. Faarooq then rushes to the ring but he gives The Rock the middle finger and heads to the back. The Rock is bleeding from the mouth as he sells the Ankle Lock. Referees swarm the ring and break up the Ankle Lock but Ken Shamrock hits belly to belly suplexes on the referees! If he’s not careful, the decision will be reversed here. The Rock is then taken away on a stretcher. The Fink then announces that the decision has been reversed! The Rock wins the match by disqualification! Shamrock goes after him and beats him off the stretcher! For the second time in 3 PPVs, The Rock has retained the championship after the decision has been reversed! Controversial. I think this match should’ve been given more time, it was less than 5 minutes long.

Rating: 5.75/10

The New Age Outlaws (The Road Dogg & Billy Gunn) (c) vs. Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie – Dumpster Match for The WWF Tag Team Titles

These two teams get straight into it. Cactus Jack and Road Dogg one one side of the ring, Chainsaw Charlie and Billy Gunn on the other. The only way to win this match is to put your opponents into the dumpster. It’s like a casket match. This is the first time Billy and Bart Gunn have wrestled on the same PPV since they split up 18 months ago. Billy Gunn chokes Chainsaw in the ring whilst Cactus Jack misses with a cannon ball on Road Dogg and goes right into the side of the dumpster. Billy then backdrops Charlie into the dumpster! It’s just Cactus that needs to go in now. Charlie gets out of the dumpster and the Outlaws slam the top of the dumpster off their heads. Billy Gunn is bleeding from the nose now. Cactus and Chainsaw are both in the dumpster but the Outlaws can’t get the lids closed! Cactus fights them off with Mandible Claws.

Chainsaw then nails them with a metal tray which allows them both to get out. Terry Funk was in a tag team match at Wrestlemania 2. Only Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Owen Hart and Fatu have been in the WWF longer than Billy Gunn. All four men go at it now and Chainsaw hits a DDT on Road Dogg on a steel tray. Cactus Jack gets a ladder from underneath the ring. Jack climbs the ladder in the ring but Billy Gunn climbs up the other side. Road Dogg nails Chainsaw Charlie with a chair and Chainsaw goes into the ladder pushing Billy Gunn and Cactus Jack into the dumpster! They both manage to get out of it then Billy Gunn powerbombs Chainsaw Charlie into the dumpster! The Outlaws fight with Cactus Jack to the back. The three of them fight backstage with the Outlaws double teaming Cactus Jack. Cactus comes back with a chair though and then hits a double armed DDT on Billy Gunn onto a forklift! Cactus puts Road Dogg on the forklift too then Chainsaw Charlie drives the forklift and puts them into the dumpster! Cactus closes the dumpster and this one is over!

Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie are the new tag team champions! Charlie looks like he’s bleeding down his back. The forklift is trapping the Outlaws in the dumpster. But what a match! We’ve got new tag team champions!

Rating: 7.5/10

Next up is a video package for The Undertaker and Kane. This is going to be a big one.

Pete Rose is out to give the fans abuse about baseball. He then introduce Kane.

The Undertaker vs. Kane

Kane comes out and Tombstones Pete Rose before the bell which gets a cheer. The Undertaker gets an awesome entrance through druids holding burning torches. Kane goes into this one undefeated having previously beaten Paul Bearers other two previous clients Mankind and Vader. Now we finally get the brother vs. brother match. Only Bret Hart has won more PPV matches than the Undertaker so this should be one hell of a contest. The two men square up before the bell and it’s Undertaker who hits his brother with big right hands to start. It doesn’t affect Kane too much and he fights back. Undertaker hits a boot in the corner but Kane hits a clothesline. It’s a back and forth start but I predict Kane will soon take the advantage. He does and hits a couple of Irish whips. He follows those up with more right hands and chokes Undertaker in the corner. Undertaker jumps on Kane shoulders which is unbelievable in itself but Kane drops him face first. The two men go to the outside and with Paul Bearer distracting the referee, Kane drops the steel steps on The Undertaker.

This is a first meeting between these two men. Paul Bearer stomps away at Undertaker outside of the ring. This is the first time ever that The Undertaker and Kane have fought on the same PPV. Kane hits a clothesline and gets a two count after lifting Undertaker shoulder up off the mat himself. Kane then locks on a sleeper. At Wrestlemanias in the past, The Undertaker has defeated the likes of Jimmy Snuka, Jake Roberts, Giant Gonzalez, King Kong Bundy, Diesel and Sycho Sid. He gets out of the sleeper but Kane clotheslines him back down to the mat. Kane then goes back to the sleeper. Undertaker gets out of it and boots Kane to the outside. Undertaker then leaps over the ropes but Kane sidesteps and Kane goes right through the Spanish announce table! Back in the ring and Kane dives off the top with a clothesline for a two count. Undertaker and Kane hit each other with right hands and Undertaker scoops up his brother for a Tombstone but Kane reverses it and hits the Tombstone! Undertaker kicks out at 2! Undertaker hits jabs and a clothesline to knock Kane down. Undertaker then hits a chokeslam! He motions for the Tombstone and scoops him up, this time planting him with it! Kane kicks out at 2! Ross says that nobody has ever done that before.

Undertaker hits a legdrop and then another Tombstone! Kane kicks out again! Undertaker goes to the top and hits a big clothesline. Undertaker then hits a third Tombstone! The referee counts and it’s over! The Undertaker wins after hitting 3 Tombstone piledrivers. Paul Bearer gets in the ring with a chair and stomps away at Undertaker. Undertaker gets up and lays out Bearer with a right hand. Kane gets up and grabs the steel chair. He then clobbers Undertaker with it. Kane then Tombstones The Undertaker on the steel chair! Kane and Paul Bearer leave and Undertaker sits back up. Great match between these two big men. I had a feeling Kane wouldn’t be seen again after this match but I’m starting to think I might be wrong.

Rating: 7.75/10

Shawn Michaels (c) vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin – WWF Title Match

Well this is the big one. Mike Tyson is the special guest enforcer and he’s wearing the DX shit. Austin gets in his face before the bell. Austin and Michaels met at King Of The Ring in a match that ended in a no contest. You’d have to go back to Canadian Stampede last July to find the last time either of these men last lost on PPV. Austin takes Michaels down with a clubbing blow to the face early on. And it’s not long before Michaels arse is hanging out. Austin the backdrops Michaels on top of Helmsley. Helmsley attacks Austin from behind right in front of the referee. The referee then orders Helmsley and Chyna to the back. Austin attacks Helmsley on his way back but this allows Michaels to attack his challenger from behind. Michaels throws Austin into a nearby dumpster as the two men battle up the aisle. Austin is doing some real damage to Michaels injured back in this one. He hits an inverted atomic drop for an early two count. Austin then drops Michaels outside of the ring and slams his head into the ring steps. Back in the ring and Austin gets a two count before going to the sleeper.

Michaels gets out of the sleeper and the two men battle to the outside. Michaels back body drops Austin into the crowd as Tyson watches on. Shawn then clobbers Austin with the bell! Every Wrestlemania title match as either featured Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels or The Undertaker. Michaels hammers away at Austin. A heel has never left Wrestlemania as champion, so that favours Austin. Austin pummels Michaels and sends him flying over the top rope to the outside. A smart move by Michaels though as he drags Austin to the ring post and smashes Steves knee into it. Michaels goes to work on Austins knee now. He sends Austin to the outside then baseball slides him into the announce table. Tyson then throws Austin back into the ring. Michaels chop blocks Austin from behind then locks on a figure four to a chorus of “woooooos” from the crowd. Before long Austin reverses the hold, not that it really hurts in any way. Stone Cold start a comeback now, catapulting Michaels into the top turnbuckle for a two.

Michaels locks on a sleeper now but Austin backs into the corner, sandwiching the referee as he does. Austin stomps a mudhole in Shawn Michaels then hits a back body drop. Both men go down and it’s Michaels that nips up. He then goes to the top and hits his flying elbow. Michaels then motions for Sweet Chin Music. Austin stands up but he ducks it! He goes for the Stunner but Michaels pushes him away before trying once again for Sweet Chin Music which Austin catches, spins the champion around and nails the Stone Cold Stunner! Austin covers Michaels and Mike Tyson slides in and counts the three! Austin wins the match and the title! The Austin era has begun! A decent match between these two, but not the greatest match of all time. Austin tosses Tyson an Austin 3:16 shirt and Michaels goes ballistic but that ends when Tyson lays him out with a right hand! Not the best looking punch in the world but effective.

Rating: 7.25/10

And that was the 14th instalment of Wrestlemania. It was the first ever Wrestlemania to not have somebody wrestling on it that wrestled on the very first Wrestlemania. Never the less it was a decent enough card from top to bottom. The opening match did a good job of crowbarring the majority of the roster onto the biggest show of the year. The tag division is pretty stacked but it also shoehorned the usual singles wrestlers of Flash Funk, Steve Blackman and Bradshaw in too. The Legion Of Doom won the match which wasn’t a huge shock after their makeover. I can’t see them lasting long with Sunny, that’s a very odd combination. What was more surprising is that the team of Bombastic Bob Holly and Bodacious Bart Gunn were runners up. I’m sure this’ll lead to another LOD vs. New Age Outlaws match in the near future.

Then we had the Light Heavyweight title match which was a good match, it was just difficult to care about. It didn’t have the build of a Taka/Brian Christopher match and it just seemed like an exhibition. Taka is a decent champion for this division, he’s just starting to run out of challengers. Triple H met Owen Hart next in the second of five title matches which is the joint record for most title matches on a PPV. This was a really good match which elevates both men who are quite clearly above this title. I think Triple H was the right man to win, it means the night wasn’t awful for DX. This feud could carry on but it seems to have reached a natural conclusion. The mixed tag was up next which Sable and Marc Mero won. Sable is getting huge reactions at the moment so it was right that she got the fall. Whether Mero’s attitude towards her will change, I don’t know. Goldust and Luna can carry on their crazy shit.

The Rock retained his title in a similar way he did at the Royal Rumble. I’m not a fan of them going down that route again, especially on the biggest show of the year. The match was short too, they could have been given more time. But the match itself was decent, both men can go and they packed everything in. I have a feeling it’s not the end of this feud though. Then in the tag team title match we got new champions. This was a bit of a surprise but I like it. Imagine Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie against LOD? That could be a hell of a match. Undertaker then defeated his brother Kane is the much anticipated match. I did think that this match would be the end of Kane but we’ll have to see. In the main event “Stone Cold” Steve Austin won the WWF title, beating Shawn Michaels. Austin is a new face in the main event scene but he’s so popular I don’t think he’ll be droping out of it anytime soon. I like the twist with Tyson, I’m just not sure outside of Shawn Michaels and Kane who is main contenders are. I guess we’ll find out soon. There were a handful of good matches on this including Michaels & Austin, Undertaker & Kane, Helmsley & Owen Hart and the tag team title match.

Overall Rating: 64.68/100 (Ranked 3rd out of 79)

Match Of The Night: Undertaker vs. Kane
Worst Match Of The Night: Tag Team Battle Royal
Surprise Of The Night: LOD’s return, Tag Team titles change hands
Worst Booking Of The Night: The ending to Shamrock & The Rock
Superstar Of The Night: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
Wrestlemania 14 Will Be Remembered For: “The Austin Era has begun!”