No Way Out Of Texas Review

Because of the injury in the casket match at the Rumble. Shawn Michaels is being kept on the shelf until he can drop the belt to Austin and take a hike. This takes him out of the main event tag and pretty much ruins anything worth buying this ppv for. Austin/Michaels was the hottest thing going into Mania, so that's out the window this really is a throwaway ppv. JR and the Kang are on commentary and right into the ppv JR is plugging the "who will replace Shawn Michaels??"


Match #1

Tag Team Match

The Headbangers Vs Marvelous Marc Mero w Sable and The Artist Formerly Known As Goldust w Luna


Luna is jealous of Sable so Mero tells Sable to get the hell out of there. Didn't help the arrogant mero was jealous of the cheers for Sable either. Bangers control early with some double teaming on TAFKAG. Mero and TAFKAG take over and work over Thrasher who gets sent into the steps and is bleeding from the back of his head. TAFKAG is dressed like Marilyn Manson, according to Lawler. Mero goes for a TKO which is countered into a ddt and Thrasher tags Mosh. Mosh flapjacks TAFKAG for 2 and Sable returns to ringside just as Mero hits the TKO on Mosh. She picks a fight with Luna and the heels seperate the bimbos. Thrasher rolls Mosh out and plays possum. Mero walks over to finish the pin and gets small packaged at 13:26. This sets up the mix tag for Mania 14. Sable knocks Mero on his ass further distancing the couple. Ill go 2 stars.


Match #2

Light Heavyweight Championship Match

Taka Michinoku Vs Pantera


Sunny does ring introductions. I guess she was contracted to make whatever number of appearances for the money. She would be gone in about another 1 or 2 months. Brian Christopher sits in on commentary and is an annoying pest. Pantera looks like Zodiac with a mask and better ring skills. Crowd doesn't care much but the match is better than the LH title match at Mania 14. I love how Taka is laying on his stomach outside and Pantera runs accross the ring and does a somersault plancha landing on the small of Taka's back. Great accuracy there. Pantera with a huricinrana off the top turnbuckle then hits a nice moonsault for 2. Pantera tries another one and gets nailed then Taka tries the driver but gets small packaged for 2. Taka hits a powerbomb for 2. Taka hits a missle dropkick for 2 then kills Pantera with the michinoku driver at 10:18. Crowd drags down the final score. 2 1/2 stars. Brian has a fit and wants at Taka. Lawler tries to stop his boy but Taka jumps on both of them making the heels look like goobers.



Match #3

Tag Team Match

The Quebecers Vs The Godwinns


This micro mini throwaway feud started at the previous Shotgun show and it is competely meaningless. Both teams are heels. The Quebecers made the return to the wwf in January and were gone post Mania. Periodically you can see people shuffling from their seats and heading up the steps for the snack bar. Zero interest from the fans. Godwinns win it at 11:10 when Phineos pins Oulette. 1 star. They slop bucket the Quebecers before leaving.


Match #4

North American Championship Match

Jeff Jarrett w Jim Cornette Vs Bradshaw


This is during the pitiful NWA invasion which was McMahons brain fart of punishing Cornette for being a success years ago or some stupid ****. Barry Windham turned on Bradshaw recently to join Cornettes stable and the Rock N Roll Express joined up recentlyl aswell. Referee sends Windham and RNR to the back. Bradshaw beats the **** out of Jarrett and sends him outside and noggin nockers him and Cornette. Bradshaw gets kneed on a blind charge into the corner and Jarrett attacks his leg with the brace on it. Bradshaw fights back and tries a superplex but Jarrett knocks him off and jumps into a fallaway slam. Jarrett gets desperate and gets Cornettes tennis racket and smacks Bradshaw drawing a dq at 8:37. Bradshaw gets the racket and nails Jarrett then slams Cornette and gets beat up by the NWA. LOD make the save. 1 1/2 star.




Doc Hendrix interviews the Nation. Faarooq and Rock squabble. The Nation Of Domination has just about run out of steam.


Match #5

The War Of Attrition Match

Intercontinental Champion The Rock Rocky Maivia, Faarooq, D-Lo Brown, Kama Mustafa and Mark Henry Vs Ken Shamrock, Ahmed Johnson and The Disciples Of Apocolypse


This was supposed to be an elimination match as the announcers tell us frequently but the bookers are a$$holes and are acting like WCW where they don't want anyone going over anyone. Shawn Michaels out of the main event and you do away with the elimination match. Ahmed Johnson making his last WWF ppv appearance, he left shortly after this. Skull and D-lo start and Skull immediately gets beat up by the heels. Ahmed and Mark go at it and Henry beats him down then Ahmed slams him. D-Lo tags back in and tries a vertical suplex on Ahmed but is countered. This match just doesn't hold any special interest for me without the elimination rules. What the hell is the point of giving it a special match name when it's just a glorified 10 man tag??? Pier 10 brawl errupts and that gets the house jumping. The faces get the win when Shamrock forces Rock to submit to the anklelock at 13:33. Faarooq and Rock come THIS close to having a major falling out but cooler heads prevail and they stick together.........for another month. Ill give it 2 1/2 stars.


Match #6

Singles Match

Vader Vs Kane w Paul Bearer


Kane squashed Mankind at Survivor Series. Now they are gonna feed Vader to him. Big monster beating on behemoth match. Vader is pretty much washed up at this point. Kane isn't affected by much of Vaders offense. Vader is still getting a good reaction from the crowd and could of been of use atleast into 99 or 00 if done properly. Kane isn't affected by vaders moonsault. They fight outside where Vader eats stairs then finds a fire extinguisher and blasts Kane in the face. Vaderbomb and Kane is back up and he gets the tombestone at 11:07. Kane bashes Vaders face with a big old crescent wrench to end it all. 2 stars I guess.


Match #7

8 Man Unsactioned Tag Team Match

European Chamion Owen Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie Vs HHH w Chyna, Tag Team Champions New Age Outlaws and?????????????/


The mystery partner turns out to be Savio Vega. One shouldn't btch about the pick but I guess we can't honestly expect them to do better. Savio brings in a barbwire bat and Cactus brings a dumpster loaded with junk. Total mess, in a good way. Hardcore streetfight breaks out as everybody nails eachother with plunder. This match is better than I expected. I guess they figured Savio had the feud years ago so he could work is Austin better than any other choice. Owen puts Gunn through a table and slaps on the sharpshooter but it's broken up. Owen tries a hurcinrana on HHH but gets powerbombed. Funk gets trashcanned multiple times and Owen gets another sharpshooter on HHH but James breaks it up and the ref gets everyone in a corner and an actual tag match starts 5 or 8 minutes in. Cactus gets beat up for a few minutes and Savio uses the barbwire to wrap up Cactus in it. HHH hits a sick chairshot on Cactus but another one goes awry and Billy is the recipient. Austin hottags and the crowd goes ballistic. Austin cleans house and kick wham stunner on Roadogg at 17:43 ends it to a big cheer. Chyna gets in Austins face and he gives her a stunner to make the crowd even nuttier. Match was waaay better than it was looking when Savio was introduced. WCW would of mucked it up but the WWF turned a turd into gold after the Michaels injury looked to screw it up completely. Im going 3 stars.


Overall Opinion: Nothing memorable here. Two stinker matches but everything else was pretty good

Final Score: I don't know. Ive got a 3.8 in my head and I can't really shake it. Not a history making ppv but 3.7 stars isn't bad for an IYH show.