'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs Dude Love (WWF In Your House: Over The Edge) Review

'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs Dude Love (WWF In Your House: Over The Edge)

I have always considered this match to be the match in this era that was the genesis of the brawling genre, before it would become overdone as the year and into '99 would become. There is of course a whole convoluted back-story to how this title match came about and who is to be involved.

They actually had a match at the prior In Your House: Unforgiven that I have very little memory of TBH. Foley beat funk and Goldust to get this title shot (YES VINCE, I CAN SAY TITLE SHOT :p) The kitchen sink is thrown at this match with who's involved. Patterson is the announcer, Brisco is the bell ringer and Vince McMahon is the referee. Vince reminds us that this can only end by his own hand.

A line of importance there to remember when watching the match

Also if Austin touched Vince, then we will have a new champion.

This is also the same building that christened “Austin 3:16” and where Mankind battled The Undertaker in that HIAC

First up, out come Patterson and Brisco and they go through some very thorough and funny introductions. I tried putting the video of these up on YT – BUT VINCE IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT FUCKING DOWN AGAIN

So, here it is on an alternative video site so peeps can watch them rather than me writing what they say down;

https://vid.me/DmtL

Got to take note of the cars down the isle as Brisco is making his way to the ring.

:lol Looks exactly like a car salesmen here, too. Well, he owned his own body shop at least.

Well, 10 minutes later and the challenger; (Corporate) Dude Love is first out. Grinning wildly as he's got all his teeth in for this match it seems. Crowd go wild as Patterson starts introducing Austin.

“He's a beer swilling fool”

“He's a loud mouth punk”

“He's a disgrace to every human being alive today”

“Well I got news for you...........I ain't going to introduce a bum”

LOL

Crowd go ape as the glass shatters and the champion, STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN, finally makes his way out here.

Just as Vince goes to call for the bell to get this started.............................GONG goes off

“Business is about to pick up” - :proud Oh J.R, I miss thee.

Here comes the motherfucking UNDERTAKER.

He seems to be out here so Vince doesn't fuck about and officiates this match fairly. The bell FINALLY RINGS and this this is under way.

Collar and elbow tie up to start with and both go into the corner. Vince backs Austin off, and gets the old Stone Cold finger salute for his troubles. Quick headlock by Foley (Now, I don't really want to keep writing Dude or Love, or Dude Love, so I'm just going to say Foley :p). He takes Austin down with a shoulder barge and tries for a pin. Vince counts suspiciously fast here and Austin gets right in his face to ask “What the fuck was that?”.

I have just noticed Vince is wearing an earpiece microphone lol.

Foley again takes Austin down and goes for another pin, but gets a one this time. Austin whips him off the roped and stiffs him with a nasty looking elbow to the face and immediately gets him into a side headlock on the mat.

A “Vince is gay” chant starts in the crowd

Austin reverses an Irish whip into the ropes, kicks Foley in the gut and slams his head backwards right onto the mat.

Foley's teeth have fell out

Austin picks them and STAMPS ON THEM

How could you, Steve.

'Dude has lost his smile'

Foley starts kicking the shit out of Austin. He's got Austin in the corner and starts wailing at him with big right hands. He tries to whip Austin off the ropes, but it gets reversed and Austin hits him with a LOU THESZ press and punches the crap out of Foley. He follows this up by dumping Foley over the top rope and onto the outside via clothesline. Both on the outside now, as Austin nails Foley's head off the guardrail and tries to send him into the steps. Instead, Foley reverses this and it's Austin who takes the big bump into the steel steps.

Foley follows up on this by ramming Austin's head into the same steps, just as Taker is looking loomingly on. Vince is screaming at Austin, who is flat on the outside, to get back in the ring. Soon as he does, Foley hits him with a drop toe hold and gets a 2 count.

“LETS GO STONE COLD, LET'S GO” Crowd is obviously hot for Austin.

Austin is in the corner now as Foley starts choking him out with his boot and biting him in the damn head..............and all Vince can do is watch on. Foley whips Austin hard into the opposite turnbuckle. Foley fully in control now as he drops an elbow onto Austin and then slams his head into the turnbuckle. He sends Austin into another turnbuckle and runs straight at him and hits him hard with a running knee to the gut. Foley again goes for a pin, but Austin kicks out at 1.

Austin manages to reverse a whip into the ropes and hits Foley with a neckbreaker. He then gets up immediately and hits Foley with a series of clotheslines. He gets Foley into the corner and starts 'stomping a mudhole' in him with kicks to the gut. Austin tries to clothesline Foley again, but Foley ducks and puts Austin into the

MANDABLE CLAW

Austin quickly gets out of it by sending Foley INTO the top rope

I'm sure Foley wants to keeps his ears here TBH.

He sets himself free and rolls to the outside. Austin follows him out and they briefly slug it out before Foley sends Austin flying over the announcers table

Patterson then gets on the mic and says “THIS IS A REMINDER; THIS IS A NO DISQUALIFICATION MATCH”

Since when??? Vince up to his tricks here.

Foley starts choking the life out of Austin with some cable cord. Austin breaks free by running and sending Foley into the ring area and off a table. Austin just starts beating the shit out of Foley and ends up sending both of them over the guardrail and into the crowd.

Another hell of a bump by Foley.

Both back in the ring now and Austin is firmly in command as he starts choking Foley on the ropes.

NO DQ, VINCEY BOY

Austin tries to hit Foley with a running jump into the ropes, but Foley moves and Austin ends up bouncing hard off the ropes. This should allow Foley some time to get his shit back together too. He gets up and baseball slides Austin outside of the ring. He then runs out the ring and hits Austin with his patented neckbreaker.

Vince goes to Patterson and Pat gets back on the mic

“THIS IS A REMINDER; THIS IS A FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE MATCH”

YOU NAUGHTY S.O.B, VINCE

Foley gets an immediate 2 count on the outside on Austin. Austin is straight up and just as Foley is celebrating with a little jig, Austin runs over him like a freight train with a powerful clothesline. He runs again over to Foley, but Foley sends him over his head and

ONTO THE HOOD OF A CAR

Foley then pins Austin on the car but only gets another 2 count. They trade a couple of punches and Foley runs at Austin, but this time it's Austin's turn to reveres it and sends Foley face first into a car

Even Patterson has come down to have a look lol. Taker is also still there of course, hovering over Vince to make sure he's counting these pin attempts properly. Both Austin and Foley are now on the roof of a car and Austin seemingly tries to go for a STUNNER, but Foley sends him flying onto the top of the next car

Another big bump by Austin.

Foley then does a SUNSET FLIP OFF THE HOOD OF A CAR and pins Austin......but can only get a 2 count again.

Foley then picks up some sort of steel pipe. He hits Austin with it, but immediately throws it away and instead rams Austin's head off the hood of the car.

JUICE TIME - AUSTIN IS BUSTED OPEN

Austin starts a comeback as he punches the shit out of Foley. He tries to piledrive Foley on the outside but Foley reverses and sends Austin over in a back flip. Another 2 count by Foley follows. He hits Austin with a quick snap suplex.

Man, Austin is taking some damn bumps here.

Foley then gets onto the roof a car and drops a flying elbow............but Austin manages to move out of the way

Austin then starts literally kicking the shit out of Foley all the way back to the ring. He sends Foley crashing hard into the steps. Both finally back into the ring now. Austin tries to bounce off the ropes, but Patterson catches his foot and stops him. This allows Foley to hit Austin with a clothesline and he starts hitting Austin in the head and into the open wound.

Foley takes off the turnbuckle padding and exposes the steel. He immediately rams Austin's head straight into it. Austin is just down, bloodies and beaten as he's slumped in the corner. Foley goes running over and nails him with a knee. Foley again rams Austin's head off the exposed steel. He puts Austin in a hold that brings back fond memories of Wrestlemania 13/Bret and all that

Memories, like the corners of my mind........oh sorry.

Vince is taunting Austin here, but Austin starts fighting his way back up. He gets out of it and launches at Foley with a quick flurry of right hands.....but Foley immediately whacks his head again off that exposed turnbuckle. He goes for a pin......1..........2................2.9

AUSTIN KICKS OUT

Vince is having a mini meltdown here as Foley asks Patterson to give him a steel chair. He nails Austin in the midriff with it and whacks hit hard off his back. He nails Austin with a double arm DDT right off the chair. This has to be it as Foley goes for another cover..1.2...................2.9

AUSTIN DAMN FUCK KICKS OUT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Austin is now up and in the corner as Foley comes running at him with the chair...........but Austin manages to get his feet up sends the chair flying off Foley's head

Finally, some rest bite for Austin and a chance for some revenge. He grabs the chair himself and starts psyching himself up, but he ends up being too over zealous with the chair and it ends up bouncing off the ropes and hits him plum in the face

This doesn't deter him though as he nails Foley in the head with the chair. He pins Foley

BUT THAT S.O.B VINCE JUST STANDS THERE AND REFUSES TO MAKE THE DAMN COUNT

Austin goes over and screams at him to count. Just as he does that, Foley grabs the chair and tries to hit Austin with it, but Austin moves and the chair ends up off off Vince's noggin'

Austin immediately hits Foley with the STONE COLD STUNNER. Another ref comes down to count the pin/ 1.......2...........................PATTERSON GRABS THE REFS LEGS and pulls him out the ring. He nails the poor ref with a follow up punch lol. He could still throw a mean punch. By this time, Foley is up and puts Austin into the MANDABLE CLAW.

Austin's shoulders appear to be on the mat as Patterson takes it upon himself to count the pin. 1..........2....................UNDERTAKER GRABS PATTERSON and drags him out the ring.

HE PUTS HIM IN A CHOKESLAM AND SENDS HIM CRASHING THROUGH THE TABLE

Brisco then tries to count the pin, but is also pulled out the ring and

CHOKESLAMMED THOUGH A TABLE

Back in the ring and Austin hits Foley

WITH ANOTHER STONE COLD STUNNER

He covers Foley, grabs Vince's dead hand and makes the count with it.

No doubt about this one............1.........2........................3.

Austin finally retains.

Crowd go ape as Austin celebrates and has an eye to eye with Undertaker. Brisco/Vince/Pat are all dead of course.

THIS WAS FUCKING AWESOME AND I FUCKING MISS THIS SHIT. Seriously, it is still one of the most fun matches you could ever watch, from the outlandish announcements at the start, to the over top story of the match, to the final bell. This style of match would become very prevalent over the course of the A.E, but here it's fresh and is done to perfection. The overbooking of it was great, with the stooges and Taker being involved. Vince was wonderful around this time as a character and in this match, he continues that by stacking the odds against Austin and wanting you to will on Austin in every turn.

Austin himself deserves a lot of credit for taking all those bumps tbh, esp around this time of his career. He took his share on the outside onto the floor and on those ringside cars. I was never the biggest fan of the 'Dude Love' character, but I did like him as the 'corporate heel' here with Vince and co as it worked with the story and esp in this match.

Credit to Patterson/Brisco too for being very entertaining and taking those table bumps.

I fucking love this match and everyone should go and watch it NOW.

Randy Orton vs Cactus Jack (No Holds Barred) (WWE Intercontinental Championship) (WWE Backlash 2004) Review

Randy Orton vs Cactus Jack (No Holds Barred) (WWE Intercontinental Championship) (WWE Backlash 2004)

Well, here it is, Randy Orton's 'coming out party'. It's been years since I have watched this match and I have been wanting to watch a Foley match recent;y, so I chose this one. This match had a pretty big build too, with Orton constantly putting Mick down, figuratively and literally. I think he pushed him down some stairs once, called him out for being 'an old timer', spat in his face. Then they met in the Royal Rumble, with them eliminating each other and brawling afterwards, Then they had that mixed Evolution tag at Mania with Orton pinning Foley, a performance that Mick has always said he wasn't happy with. He's also called this his favourite match too, I think.

First I'll post the promo video for this match (if Vince hasn't took it down yet)

Randy Orton vs Cactus Jack - Backlash 2004 Video

Of course this is going to be a No Holds Barred/Hardcore match, for Orton's Intercontinental Championship. So, here we go. Mick is down to around 272 here btw, his best weight since '89 or so? I'm expecting a war, so I hope you're all ready for this. Orton is the 'pretty boy' going into this, so lets see how pretty he is coming out of it. He's the Legend Killer after all.................

“I'm going to tear you apart.............and I'm going to love it” - Foley :mark:

Orton is out first as I carrying a bin full of toys, yeah Randy, you're going to need them. Foley, no CACTUS FUCKING JACK, is out next as is carrying a proper BARBED WIRE BASEBALL BAT and he's got those crazy eyes directed straight towards Orton. Randy has his own barb wire bat, but the wire comes loose as Jack enters the ring, so he picks up the bin to try and protect himself as Jack comes towards him with the real BARBIE. Jack just starts whacking the bit with the bat as Orton is already shitting himself trying to defend himself.

Yeah Randy, this is Cactus Jack's yard and you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Orton quickly bails to the outside as Jack follows him out with the bat liked a crazed horror character. Orton just legs it as Jack furiously swings away at Orton. Randy knocks over a cameraman in his attempts to get away and he manages to drop toe hold Jack face first onto the steel steps. Randy picks up Barbie and they have a battle over it to try and grab it. Foley wins this battle, but gets a smack in the head from the bin, not once, not twice, but THRICE

He tries again, but Jack gets his foot up to block and and Orton gets the bin shoved in his face. Jack picks up the bin and hits Orton with some ferocity with it, just wrapping it around his skull. Both back in the ring and Jack in control as he starts kicking Orton in the face. He gives Orton a big knee lift off the ropes and a leg drop off his face and gets a 2 count. Jack just continues to punish Orton with rights to the head before running off the ropes and baseball sliding him unceremoniously out the ring.

Foley does looks great here btw.

Jack again, runs off the rope for a baseball slide to the outside and hits Orton with a spinning neckbreaker. Orton is flat dead on the outside now as Jack goes to the top turnbuckle and signals the 'big elbow'. Orton senses this and scurries away on his hands and knees up the isle. Jack goes right after him and puts him in the claw, but Randy quickly reverses this and backdrops him on the damn steel

THIS CAUSED A MASSIVE THUD SOUND

Naturally, Orton goes for a pin, but Jack kicks out at 2. Orton gets Jack down with a backslide for another 2 count. Randy in control now and he lands some rights on Jack, before slamming his head down back onto the steel. Aspirin for Jack, I think. Another 2 count follows. Orton just pounds away at Jack with punches and an uppercut, before slamming his face off the steel steps. He shoves Jack back into the ring and picks up Barbie

He tries to wrap it around Jack's head, but Jack does his best to block it. He struggles to power out of it so he thinks 'fuck this' and low blows poor Randy.

“Don't rub 'em son, count 'em”

Jack nearly knocks Orton's head off with a big running clothesline before reaching into his shirt and pulling out SOCKO. He starts swinging his arm around in preparation to put it on Orton, but then starts talking to it and pointing at Barbie. GO ON JACK, USE IT.

It's Socko or Barbie and the crowd naturally react to Barbie.

He runs at Orton with the bat and hits him plum in the head with it.

'Oooh, that's gotta hurt' ORTON IS BUSTED THE FUCK OPEN!!!!!!

Jack doesn;t give a fuck though as he runs at Orton again with the bat and drops it straight down back onto his head. Randy is bleeding like a stuffed pig now as Jack just clubs him with big right hands.

See Randy, you really didn't want this, did you?

Orton is just trying to survive now as Jack continues to pound away at him in the corner.

'BANG, BANG'

Jack is in full on sadistic mode now as he runs at Orton with a vicious knee strike, before picking up Barbie again. He goes straight for Orton;s face and rubs the barbed wire right in the open wound. Randy drastically tries to get the fuck out of dodge on his hands and knees and finds Mr.Socko and tries to pick it up, but he's so fucked that he doesn't know what fucking planet he is on

So Jack comes over and reintroduces him to the barbed wire. He rips Orton's shirt off his back, places the barbed wire bat BETWEEN HIS LEGS, and legdrops the fuck out of it

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

I want to feel sorry for Randy, but he deserves all the shit he's getting.

Jack then goes out to the outside, looks under the ring, and pulls out a PETROL (GAS) CAN. He fucking douses Barbie in gas and fires up a lighter ready. Just as he does this, Eric Bischoff comes out and tells Jack that if he lights that bat up, he will lose the match and the whole PPV will be shit down.

Fucking spoil sport.

Jack complies and throws both the lighter and the bat to the outside. He instead picks a steel plate and clubs Orton over the head with it. Forget going for a cover here, Jack is really out to maim Orton. He reaches under the ring and pulls out A BIG ASS BOARD FILLED WITH BARBED WIRE

HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT

He picks Randy up off the mat and starts potatoing him with right hands as Orton hovers over the barb wire. He goes for one big swing punch, but Orton throws POWDER IN HIS FACE AND SLAMS JACK ONTO THE BARB WIRE

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

Orton goes straight for the cover but Jack kicks out, much to the annoyance of Randy, who goes right back at Jack with clubs to the back. Orton picks up the barbed wire board and places it upright in the corner of the ring. You better be sure of this, Randy. He tries to throws Jack into it, Who at this point is bleeding all his arm and God knows where else, but Jack tries in vein to black it, so Orton just starts pounding away at him. Orton finally manages to throw Jack towards the wire, but is reversed

I have to say, as someone who hasn't seen this match in years, this got me

But that is also reversed and it is indeed Jack that 

GOES FLYING INTO THE BARBED WIRE BOARD...............FUCKING TWICE

SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Orton then dumps the board right on Jack's arm, which as I said, is bleeding all over at this stage. Jack is fucking practically blind here as Orton goes over to a box in the corner, pulls out a satchel........what could it be...........and throws out a zillion THUMBTACKS onto the ring.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

Jack struggles to get to his feet as Orton gets him up and hits him with some right hands. He goes for the RKO ONTO THE THUMBTACKS, but Jack reverses it and sends Orton crashing into them

Revenge is sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

Orton is trembling here as he;s got these thumbtacks all over his back. Jack seizes this moment and goes for a pinfall, but gets a very close 2.9. Orton very delicately crawls to the outside and tries to pick some of the tacks off of him and starts to walk up the ramp. But Jack hasn't nearly finished with him yet and follows him and they both go through the curtain to the back area, but the camera doesn't follow. They both quickly emerge and Jack

THROWS ORTON OVER THE RAMP AND ONTO SOME TABLES LIKE A PIECE OF TRASH

Get the fuck down

EMT's come out to check on Randy. Don't worry guys, he's already dead at this stage. Two refs come over to Jack and back him to the back area, and at first Jack looks like he's complying, but then he just decks the two officials and points at Orton in a 'I'm not finished with you yet, boy'. He fucking runs and hits Orton with a FLYING ELBOW OFF THE STAGE

No point in saying holy shit by now, this whole match is holy shit.

Jack goes for the pin on a seemingly dead Randy Orton and it's 1,2.........................2.9. Orton damn kicks fucking out. Blood all over both their bodies as Jack picks Orton up and starts kicking the shit out of him on the ramp. He dumps Orton back in the ring, yeah where there's still a shit load of tacks. He hits a DDT on Orton and goes for another pinfall. 1,2.........................2.9 AGAIN!!! Orton is showing some fucking balls here kicking out, I guess the bat left something intact down there. Orton manages to climb out the ring as Jack sets up the barbed board again in the corner. Jack goes over and tries to pull him back in, but Orton whacks Jack over the head with Barbie.

Orton picks up Barbie and starts hitting Jack all over with it. Jack though has secretly picked up Mr.Socko and puts Orton in the MANDABLE CLAW just as Orton tries to hit him again with the bat. Orton can't breath as he;s slowly fades down to his knees. He gets out of it by uppercutting Jack and giving him a LOW BLOW.

“Don't rub 'em son, count 'em'.

This hardly affects Jack though as he goes right back and reapplies the MANDABLE CLAW, but Orton quickly reverses this into an RKO

This has to be it for Jack, now. Orton cover for the 1,2..............................2.9

JACK KICKS OUT DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They both stagger to their feet and Orton suddenly hits ANOTHER RKO, this time straight onto BARBIE

He goes for the cover and gets a 1,2................3. Randy Orton is your winner. Flair/Batista come down and help Orton out the ring. Ric must be very proud of all that blood.

Great visual with Jack holding Barbie

Where the fuck do I even start here? This is one of the most hated, heated, nastiest brawls the fucking federation has ever seen. This is how you do one of these matches and this is how you put over a younger, up and coming talent. Orton came out of this, bloodies and fucked up, but looking like a made man. Foley did everything he could to give him everything he had, and then some. Foley looked fantastic here, in great shape. The bumps both he, and Orton, took were just FUUUUUCK. One after another. They both bled like stuffed pigs and went through hell.

You want hate? It was all here.

You want someone coming of age and showing his metal? It was all here.

You want a man's quest for revenge and doing anything to get it? It was all here.

One of the greatest matches in the company's history and I want everyone reading this to go and watch this shit now. We all know Foley is a legend and this just further cements that. Orton though deserves massive credit here too. He took as much shit as Foley and still got through it and came out of looking like a tough S.O.B that can survive something like this.

HIGHLY Recommended.