WWF FULLY LOADED PPV
JULY 25, 1999
LIVE FROM BUFFALO, N.Y.
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler introduced the program and reviewed the Undertaker attack of Austin at the end of Heat...

(1) Jeff Jarrett (w/Debra) pinned Edge at 13:22 to regain the Intercontinental Title. Jarrett said at the start of the match, "Nobody’s gonna get to see the puppies because they’re mine." Lawler said he loves puppies, chics, and beavers. Edge scored a couple of near falls on Jarrett, so Jarrett threatened to return to the back. It was clear from the start of the match that the crowd wasn’t well-mic’d. At 3:50 Edge sold a twisted knee, so Jarrett began working over his leg. At 7:00 Jarrett went to a sleeper. About 90 seconds later Edge escaped and applied his own sleeper. At 11:00, after back and forth action, Edge went for his spear, but Jarrett side-stepped him and threw him to ringside. The lights went out and Gangrel came to ringside. When the lights came on, Gangrel - not Edge - was lying flat on his back. Jarrett hit Edge from behind with a forearm, then hit a top rope crossbody block. Edge rolled through for a near fall which the crowd popped for. Jarrett hit a sunset, but Edge sat down on it for a near fall. Edge caught Jarrett in mid-air and turned it into a powerbomb for a near fall. At 12:40 Edge hit his spear, but sold that he hurt his left shoulder in the process. Debra then stood on the ring apron and showed off her cleavage. Jarrett punched Edge, but Edge bumped into Debra. Gangrel then dropped Edge over the top rope. Jarrett then hit his forward Russian leg sweep for the pin. A good match, but it never quite hit its stride in terms of intensity. The crowd, though, popped for every spot where Edge scored a near fall. (***)

As Jarrett celebrated his win, Austin ran to the ring and gave him a Stunner. Jarrett bailed out. Austin promised he would make Undertaker bleed before their match began later that night. He said the hunt was on.

(2) The Acolytes beat The Hardy Boyz & Michael Hayes at 11:02 in a no-DQ match to capture the WWF Tag Team Titles. They started the match brawling in the aisleway. Good intensity. The Hardyz got in some quick offensive highspots. The Acolytes took over at 3:00, but at 7:30 The Hardyz made a comeback. It didn’t last long as Bradshaw backsuplexed Jeff off the top rope for a near fall. Matt nailed Bradshaw with a crutch for a nearfall. At 9:00 Bradshaw nailed Jeff as he came at him with a vicious lariat. The Acolytes double-teamed Hayes and then scored the pin. The Hardyz bumps made the Acolytes’s offense look vicious. The three-on-two gimmick didn’t do anything for the match other than give them a designated jobber in Hayes. (**)

(3) D-Lo pinned Mideon at 7:07 to capture the European Title. D-Lo looked good in the match, rejuvenated by the idea of getting a singles push again, but Mideon’s methodical style kept the match from ever getting any crowd heat. Justice was served as D-Lo got the clean pin after a powerbomb and frog splash (not his best frog splash). (*)

(4) Big Bossman pinned Al Snow at 10:33 to capture the Hardcore Title. Before the match Michael Cole interviewed Snow who talked about voices in his head. Snow got on his knees and challenged Bossman to hit him. Bossman struck Head with his night stick and Snow sold it as if it hurt him. They brawled in the aisle early. Bossman put Snow in a crate, but Snow popped right out. After getting beat up for two straight minutes backstage, Snow made a comeback with almost no transition. He then poured hot coffee all over Bossman and threw a trash can at him. Bossman then made a comeback a minute later out of nowhere. This was another of the Hardcore matches which are just a random assortment of moves without transitions between one guy being on offense and the other taking over. That said, on a three hour show the unhinged brawling can be a welcome break in terms of match style. Bossman tried to drive a golf cart into Snow, but he couldn’t get the engine started. Snow used a tree plant as a weapon. Bossman took off his belt and whipped Snow with it. At 7:00 they brawled outside of the arena onto the cement sidewalk. Bossman stood on Snow’s hair and yanked him upward. They crossed the street and a car almost hit them. It stopped and honked. Those damn drivers not paying attention while talking on their cell phones. Bossman broke a bottle over Snow’s head and handcuffed him to the fence. Snow begged for a beating and smiled. Bossman hit him with a metal rod and then pinned him. Quite a spectacle, but not better than average for this style of match. (*3/4)

(5) The Big Show pinned Kane at 8:10 with Hardcore Holly as the special referee. Show threw Kane over the top rope in the first minute. Kane seemed to want to break his fall by grabbing the top rope on his way over, but he missed and hit the ground with a thud. Once the match returned to the ring there was no heat. Show has a chance to be a huge star, but thus far he hasn’t shown the maturity level to turn it up a notch and start that climb toward his potential. Kane has improved as a big-man worker, but he couldn’t save this from being a slow, methodical, lumbering match. Show didn’t leave his feet until the final minute or so of the match. He missed an elbowdrop. Kane hit a top rope clothesline. Kane then signalled for the chokeslam. Holly then clipped Kane from behind. Show then chokeslammed Kane and Holly made a super fast three count. X-Pac ran to the ring and kicked Holly. Undertaker came out and chokeslammed X-Pac. Undertaker and Big Show then beat up Kane. Big Show and Undertaker eyed each other, but then left separately. (3/4*)

(6) Ken Shamrock beat Steve Blackman at 4:15 via submission in a ring of cars match. The match took place in a parking garage. They had about a dozen cars form a circle with a 40 foot diameter around the wrestlers’ fighting area. Some people sat on hoods of the cars making noise and honking. They smashed a windshield early in the match. Blackman punched Shamrock between his legs to get early advantage. Basically just a hardcore style match. Shamrock eventually came back and punched away at Blackman’s forehead with a chain. He then choked out Blackman with the chain for the clean win. At least they kept it short because there wasn’t a lot they could do to fill time in that environment. (*)

(7) Road Dogg & X-Pac beat "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn & Chyna when Road Dogg pinned Gunn at 11:47. Chyna and Bad Ass wore the same see-through mesh trunks. Road Dogg carried the first few minutes. Ross said that doctors almost didn’t let X-Pac come out because he may have suffered a concussion from Undertaker‘s chokeslam. At 6:30 X-Pac got the hot-tag and cleaned house. X-Pac tagged Road Dogg at 9:00, but the ref didn’t see it because Bad Ass was running into the ring. Finally X-Pac hot-tagged Road Dogg. Soon a four-way broke out and X-Pac gave Chyna the Bronco Buster. Road Dogg then put Gunn away with the pump handle slam. Ross said now when fans buy DX merchandise, they know the royalty check will go to X-Pac and Road Dogg. (**1/2)

(8) Hunter Hearst Helmsley pinned The Rock at 19:23 in a strap match to earn a title shot at SummerSlam. Early in the match as they brawled at ringside, Rock took a fan’s camera and shot a picture of Triple H. Funny spot. They brawled by the Spanish announcing table. They brawled all over the arena bowl including in the crowd and on the rampway. Solid, well-executed action. They returned to the ring at 11:00 for the first time. Chyna came out. With the ref distracted, Triple H low-blowed the ref. At 18:00 Gunn ran out and nailed Rock with a Billy Club for a dramatic near fall. Rock low-blowed him way out of Hunter’s Pedigree attempt then hit the People’s Elbow. Gunn made the save. Rock gave Gunn the Rock Bottom, but Hunter then surprised Rock with the Pedigree for the win. Good match. (***1/2)

(9) Steve Austin defeated Undertaker at 18:36 in a first-blood match to retain the WWF Title. Vince McMahon came to ringside to do color commentary. Like most of the matches on this show, it began in the aisle. Austin took a blind bump backward over the ring barrier which looked dangerous. Undertaker threw the metal stairs at him. They had a really good ten minute brawl, but there was a sense we had seen these two do this so many times before. When Undertaker got caught in the ropes at 12:00, Shane McMahon ran out. Austin flattened him with a chairshot. When Vince tried to interfere with his crutch, Austin punched him out. Back in the ring, as Undertaker began beating Austin with a chair, X-Pac ran in and kicked the chair into Undertaker’s face. Austin then wrested a camera out of a cameraman’s grip at ringside. He blasted Undertaker with it. Undertaker came up bleeding. He managed to lift Austin for a Tombstone, but the ref stopped Undertaker because he was bleeding. Austin was declared the winner. Hunter attacked Austin after the match. Rock made the save. They fought to the back. Undertaker and Austin had a good post-match brawl during which Undertaker punched Shane for getting in his way. Undertaker and Austin both were bleeding heavily. Austin and Undertaker brawled to the back. Austin then returned. McMahon offered to shake Austin’s hand. Austin gave him a stunner instead. (****)

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