PWTorch.com - JAN. 24 RUMBLE HISTORY: McMahon wins 1999 Rumble, Rock & Foley have sickening I Quit match

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JAN. 24 RUMBLE HISTORY: McMahon wins 1999 Rumble, Rock & Foley have sickening I Quit match

Jan 24, 2015 - 12:30:46 AM

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Royal Rumble History - January 24

Proving once again that the WWF/E champion and Royal Rumble winner do not always meet at WrestleMania, the 1999 Royal Rumble featured Mr. McMahon winning the Rumble over "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. However, Austin won the spot at the February PPV (where Big Show made his debut by inadvertently helping Austin win), setting up Austin vs. The Rock for the WWF Title at WrestleMania 15 in Philadelphia.

ROYAL RUMBLE '99
January 24, 1999
Anaheim, Calif. at The Pond
Originally Published PWTorch Newsletter #531
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler introduced the event...

(1) Big Bossman pinned Road Dog at 11:43 in a non-title match. Road Dog worked the crowd with mic work before the match, but because Heat just took place the crowd wasn't quite as jazzed as a crowd would be for the start of a PPV - but we need to get used to that. At 3:45 Road Dog yanked Bossman crotch-first into the ringpost. Bossman, though, dominated during the body of the match, but his offense was conventional. Bossman went to a bearhug at 6:30. At 9:30 Road Dog made a comeback and applied a sleeper. During a late flurry of moves by Road Dog, Bossman caught him in mid-air and flattened him with a Sidewalk Slam for the clean win. Well executed, but easily forgettable. Good, clean finish for an opening match. (*3/4)

(2) Ken Shamrock beat "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn at 14:23 via anklelock submission. Gunn did a few seconds of pre-match mic work that, as usual for him, seemed forced. Shamrock charged the ring and began brawling with Gunn immediately. They brawled at ringside at 6:30, then upon returning to the ring Shamrock began working over Gunn's leg. At 12:00 Shamrock accidentally clotheslined the ref. Val Venis ran in and DDT'd Shamrock. Gunn covered him, but Shamrock kicked out which popped the crowd. Gunn came off the top rope with an axehandle, but Shamrock moved and Gunn landed wrong on his ankle. Shamrock seized the opportunity and applied an anklelock. Shamrock comes across as such a natural, cool leader during UFCs as opposed to his faked wrestling persona which is so forced and uncool. He should just be himself. (*3/4)

(3) X-Pac pinned Gangrel at 5:53 with the X-Factor. Gangrel took some really good bumps. The two had good timing and worked a non-stop match. X-Pac's offense was great. Another good, clean finish that helps establish that nearfalls are worth paying attention to. (**3/4)

Kevin Kelly interviewed DX backstage where Hunter said they are as tight as any group, but they'll be out for themselves during the Rumble.

(4) Sable beat Luna via DQ at 4:50. Shane McMahon introduced Luna, then said Sable would be unable to wrestle, so she should come to the ring to forfeit the title. Sable held her back as she walked to the ring. When she entered the ring, she said, "Ring the bell." Shane did color commentary. It started out passable, but got sloppy near the end when fatigue was a factor. The woman who's been stalking Sable hit Luna as the ref was arguing with Shane. Sable then touched the fourth turnbuckle for the win. (1/2*)

(5) The Rock defeated Mankind in an "I-quit" match to capture the WWF Title. A hardcore brawl with Rock playing out his conservative role well and Mankind carrying the match. Mankind went too far in relying on shock value rather than sound psychology and subtle drama (which is possible even in this type of match). The finishing chairshots were unpleasant, unnecessary, and even sickening and took away from an otherwise entertaining match. (***3/4)

(6) Vince McMahon eliminated Steve Austin to win the 30-man Royal Rumble and earn a WWF Title shot at Wrestlemania. Order of entry was as follows: Austin, McMahon, Golga, Droz, Edge, Gillberg, Steve Blackman, Dan Severn, Tiger Ali Singh, Blue Meanie, Mabel, Road Dog, Gangrel, Kurrgan, Al Snow, Goldust, Godfather, Kane, Ken Shamrock, Bill Gunn, Test, Big Bossman, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Val Venis, X-Pac, Curt Hennig, Jeff Jarrett, D-Lo Brown, Owen Hart, and Chyna. There was nothing memorable about the match outside of the storylines involving Austin and McMahon, Undertaker and Mabel, and maybe Chyna. There was never a time when there were more than a handful of wrestlers in the ring at once which took away from the "every man for himself" selling point of the match. The battles of Shamrock vs. Gunn and Severn vs. Blackman at least had storylines behind them, but they fell victim to being pure backdrop material for Austin and McMahon. It made a farce of the rules to have McMahon and Austin both disappear from the match for 30-plus minutes only to return at the end. Why doesn't every wrestler do that if there is no countout rule? (**1/2)