Royal Rumble Count-Up – 1999: It’s Still Hard To Watch
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Rumble 1999
Date: January 24, 1999
Location: Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California
Attendance: 14,816
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole
This version opens with some interviews by guys in the Rumble, talking about how the bounty on Austin (Vince has offered $100,000 to whoever knocks Austin out) has them extra fired up. Chyna getting #30 is also discussed.
Big Boss Man vs. Road Dogg
Dogg bites his way out of the hold but gets kneed right back down. The buckle pad is taken off and Boss Man gets two off a spinebuster. Boss Man wins a brief slugout and chokes away again. Lawler cheers for Boss Man but Dogg grabs a sleeper to get himself a breather. Boss Man goes up for some reason and is slammed down almost immediately. Dogg comes back with his usual and gets two off the shaky knee, but the Boss Man Slam ends this out of nowhere.
Intercontinental Title: Billy Gunn vs. Ken Shamrock
Surprisingly enough Gunn is the aggressor to start but Ken is a bit of a better ground fighter, giving himself control. Billy comes back with a clothesline on the double (tag/IC) champion as things slow down. A suplex gets two for Gunn but he misses a charge into the corner, allowing Ken to fire off some kicks. Ken fires off more kicks to the chest and back of Gunn and gets two off a spinwheel kick.
Billy comes back out of nowhere with the yet to be named Fameasser to buy himself a breather. He pounds away in the corner but Shamrock dumps him to the floor before pounding Billy into the barricade. The beating continues as Gunn is sent into a chair to keep Shamrock in control. They fight to the apron where Gunn makes a quick comeback, hitting a kind of Stroke into the announce table.
Shane fires Vince up in the back.
European Title: Gangrel vs. X-Pac
Pac hits a quick legdrop but misses a kick in the corner to shift momentum again. We hit the chinlock to give the guys an earned breather. The champ fights up and gets thrown into the air for two. Gangrel misses a top rope elbow and Pac gets two off his jumping clothesline. A big spinwheel kick takes Gangrel down again and X-Pac hits the Bronco Buster.
WWF World Title: The Rock vs. Mankind
Royal Rumble
Vince has a BIG celebration to end the show.
Ratings Comparison
Big Boss Man vs. Road Dogg
Original: C-
Redo: C-
Ken Shamrock vs. Billy Gunn
Original: D+
Redo: C+
X-Pac vs. Gangrel
Original: B-
Redo: C+
Sable vs. Luna Vachon
Original: F
Redo: D
The Rock vs. Mankind
Original: B
Redo: B
Royal Rumble
Original: F
Redo: F
Overall Rating
Original: D-
Redo: D
It still sucks.
http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2011/01/18/royal-rumble-count-up-1999-please-make-it-stop/
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