We’re wrapping things up for WWE in 1998 with WWE Rock Bottom: In Your House!
The Best of WWE Rock Bottom: In Your House
The striptease match saw Jeff Jarrett and Goldust go at it in a rock-solid contest that relied more on their experience and strong fundamentals than speed and excitement. It had a pace and chemistry between the two competitors that simply worked.
Mankind finally gets involved in some World title gold as he takes on The Rock! The only issue is that he can only win by submission. As we all know, Foley isn’t even known to be the most technical as a mat wrestler. Also, he only has the Mandible Claw as a submission finisher.
Regardless, Foley was able to force Rocky to submit and win the World title. I’ve really been on WWE’s case about time and presentation but the company was extremely good eventually getting the belt on someone and it being a big thing—even more so if the wrestler was a workhorse.
The Rest
I forgot that Val Venis and The Godfather were called “Supply and Demand” for a period. It wasn’t their team name but it was said once or twice while they teamed up. It’s a pretty alright name but sounds more like a tag team finisher. Oh yeah, they got spanked by Mark Henry and D’Lo Brown in a basic as boring opener.
While the opener was basic, boring, but not bad—The Headbangers facing The Oddities was just awful. Both marches could’ve been on Shotgun Saturday Night. I’d give Owen Hart and Steve Blackman’s showdown the opener treatment. This was a rock-solid match that could’ve easily opened the show and had fans truly stoked about what could go down on the show.
The follow-up saw The Brood take on The J.O.B Squad in another solid match that also could’ve opened the show. Both matches had strong Sunday Night HeAT main event energy so spots as openers and mid-show anchors make sense.
Ken Shamrock and Big Boss Man made up The Corporation’s tag team force and came up short a sluggish, somewhat boring Tag Team title match against champions The New Age Outlaws. Both teams were given more room to groove than necessary as well.
Now Buried Alive matches tend to be lengthy matches that drag here and there in part because the grave set is out of the way of the actual ringside area. Plus, anticipation has to be built up about who is going into the grave.
Stone Cold would end up tossing The Undertaker inside and burying him alive just to get the right to participate in the Royal Rumble match next month. I think this is just a wild stipulation because Austin buried a man just for a community title shot.
WWE Rock Bottom: In Your House Verdict: Bronze Medal (2.54/5)
I’d say that for the most, the show was decent but unnecessary. WWE Rock Bottom: In Your House simply existed. Our match of the show was Mankind vs. The Rock with Jarrett vs. Goldust being your runner-up.
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