November 14, 1999,
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
I’ve been a wrestling fan for most of my life, but in the late 1990s, as I approached 16 years old, I started to discover that going out with girls and skateboarding was more fun than staying home and watching professional wrestling.
From late 1999 until sometime in the year 2000, I slowly but surely drifted away from it altogether. By the time I was 17, I was no longer watching any wrestling at all, and wouldn’t do so again for about seven or eight years.
As such, it’s around this time on my journey to documenting every WWE PPV from Wrestlemania 1 to 30 that my memory of what was going on in pro wrestling at the time starts to get a little sketchy.
Sure, I was still kind of watching (I think I dropped off altogether after Wrestlemania 2000), but I wasn’t watching with the kind of intense enthusiasm that I used to, and I honestly don’t recall if I ever saw Survivor Series 1999 back in the day.
If I did, I certainly wasn’t paying enough attention to it as I don’t recall a single thing about it.
But hey, that’s actually a lot of fun because it means I’m watching this one as if its the first time I’ve ever seen it, something I haven’t been able to do since we first started covering WCW PPVs a few years ago.
With that being said, I’m eager to dive into it, so let’s head to the Joe Louis Arena and see what went down at Survivor Series 1999.
Who will survive tonight?
Our show began with a dramatic and compelling video package that told us that tonight, we’d see Triple H defending the WWF title in a triple threat match against Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, with Vince McMahon as the special guest referee.
This led us to our usual warm welcome from Jim Ross and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, the latter of whom told us that tonight’s show was going to be even more memorable than Survivor Series 1997.
With that, it was onto our opening match
Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match
The Godfather (w/ The Hos), D’Lo Brown and The Headbangers (Mosh & Thrasher) vs. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Vo Dudley) and The Acolytes (Farooq & Bradshaw)
See what I mean about forgetting stuff? I had no idea The Headbangers got back together in late 1999 after that whole ‘Chaz Warrington – Wife Beater’ mess.
Here, Mosh and Trasher joined D’Lo Brown in dressing up like pimps, which The Godfather found hysterical.
True fact – if you put an afro wig on Mosh, he looks eerily like Carlito.
The Dudley Boyz made their entrance next, but Godfather refused to give them any of his hos, preferring instead to lock up with them and The Acolytes.
Farooq and Bradshaw were able to co-exist with Bubba Ray and D-Von long enough for them to eliminate both headbangers, but that was about all they could handle.
Bradshaw grabbed a chair and walloped both D’Lo Brown and his own partner, Bubba. That was enough to get him disqualified. Farooq and D-Von then came to blows and basically walked off fighting one another, leaving Bubba Ray at the mercy of Farooq’s former Nation of Domination underlings, Godfather an D’Lo Brown.
Your Winners and Survivors: The Godfather and D’Lo Brown
Post-match, Godfather, D’Lo, and referee Tim White got down and funky with The Hos.
Kurt Angle – Olympic Hero
Oh yeah, now I remember this show, it was the in-ring debut of Kurt Angle.
Before the Olympic Gold Medalist stepped into the ring, we got a video package in which he bragged about all of his achievements. Just in listing all of his medals and championships, Angle sounded like a bona fide heel.
Shawn Stasiak vs. Kurt Angle
Though they’d change their minds later in his career, the fans did not care at all for Angle as he locked up with Shawn Stasiak in what was a decent, though not very spectacular, match.
At one point, they ignored him altogether and chanted for the Detroit Red Wings before booing the Olympic Gold Medalist. When he took to the microphone to demand they stop boing they, of course, booed louder.
Angle showed plenty of promise here, but there was nothing about this rather average match that made you suspect he’d go on to become one of the sports’ all-time greats.
Predictably, he won the match thanks to the Angle Slam.
Your Winner: Kurt Angle
Earlier, on Heat, Triple H had tried to lure The Rock and Austin into a beat down at the hands of his recently reunited DX buddies X-Pac and Road Dogg, but that had backfired. Rock had fought off the DX men while Austin kicked HHH’s ass.
Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match
Val Venis, Mark Henry, Gangrel, and Steve Blackman vs. WWF European Champion The British Bulldog and The Mean Street Posse (Pete Gas, Rodney, and The Mean Street Posse)
Poor British Bulldog – one minute he’s competing for the world title, the next he’s in a match which screams “we didn’t have anything else for these people to do” with The Mean Street Posse as his partners.
Honestly, I think the look on Davey Boy’s face in this picture says it all, don’t you?
Also, I have no idea who the heels were supposed to be here. I think it was all of them. I also think it doesn’t even matter because nobody seemed to care about this match.
Val Venis‘ team made light work of The Posse before Bulldog got his revenge by taking out Gangrel and Steve Blackman. Yet just when you thought he might go all the way, he got splashed by both Venis and Mark Henry and lost the match.
Seriously, poor Bulldog.
Your Winners and Survivors: Mark Henry and Val Venis
Out in the back, Michael Cole stupidly stormed into the women’s locker room for an interview without boring to check if they were decent. The ladies, particularly Ivory and Jacqueline made fun of him for it and teased him mercilessly while Terri scurried around trying to hide her boobs and Luna looked on.
Now, it was only back at Unforgiven 1999 that Luna, Jacqueline, and Ivory were at war with one another, but apparently, they’d patched things up and would be competing tonight.
Eight-Woman Sudden Death Tag Team Match
Mae Young, The Fabulous Moolah, Tori and Debra vs. WWF Women’s Champion Ivory, Jacqueline, Luna Vachon and Terri Runnels
This was like a traditional Survivor Series match just fought under ‘one fall to a finish’ rules because nobody wanted to see a match featuring The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young drag on to the usual lengths of an elimination match.
Naturally, this was just the kind of sloppy mess you’d expect it to be.
Thankfully, it ended quickly when the barely mobile Moolah pinned women’s champion Ivory while Debra ripped Terri Runnel’s top off for good measure.
Your Winners: Mae Young, The Fabulous Moolah, Tori and Debra
Post-match, Moolah stole Ivory’s title then tried to beat her up some more until everybody pulled them off each other.
X-Pac is Ready for Kane
Out in the back, Lillian Garcia asked X-Pac if he was ready to face “a very angry and very determined Kane.”
Now playing the heel after the recent D-Generation-X reunion, Pac insisted that he’d been the one carrying The Big Red Machine during their tag team run together before calling Kane impotent and sexually frustrated.
X-Pac acted like he really couldn’t care less about fighting Kane and, as a heel, it was an attitude that really worked for him.
X-Pac vs. Kane
And so the big payoff to the X-Pac/Kane story that had been playing out for most of the year came to a head in a short yet enjoyable little match in which The Big Red Machine looked to counter his opponent’s quickness with brute strength.
It was an effective approach that not only made for entertaining viewing but also seemed to have helped Kane win the match despite interference from Road Dogg.
In the end, Kane lifted X-Pac up for a tombstone, but Triple H ran in and blasted him with the WWF title for the DQ.
Your Winner via disqualification: Kane
Post-match, Hunter and Road Dogg set Kane up in the corner for an X-Pac bronco buster. Tori ran in to try and save her boyfriend Kane but when she grabbed ‘Pac, he turned around and kicked her without realizing who it was.
Instantly showing shock and remorse, X-Pac fled with his DX buddies in tow.
A Backstage Brawl
Out in the back, Michael Cole tried to interview The Rock, but Triple H came along and got in Rocky’s face.
Handicap Survivor Series Elimination Match
Prince Albert, Mideon, Viscera, and WWF Hardcore Champion The Big Boss Man vs. The Big Show
As the combatants were making their way to the ring, we were shown clips of Big Boss Man interrupting the funeral of Big Show‘s dad and stealing the casket.
“If we never see that footage again, it’ll be too soon,” said Jim Ross, echoing the thoughts of every wrestling fan who had to sit through that angle.
Ross also told us that Big Show had been assigned Kai En Tai and The Blue Meanie as partners, but had beaten them up so that he could take out Boss Man and Boss Man’s partners by himself.
And take them out he did, in about 30 seconds. Show destroyed Mideon and Prince Albert with chokeslams in no time at all, then, in the sole highlight of the entire thing, lifted Viscera up for a huge, and hugely impressive, body slam. One chokeslam later and he was gone too.
Boss Man then ran off and got counted out but, rather than celebrate, Show chased after him.
That barely qualified as a match, but it was still fun to see Big Show going crazy and destroying people. That should have been his thing the whole time.
Your Winner: The Big Show
Out in the back, Kevin Kelly tried to interview Stone Cold Steve Austin but Triple H appeared once again and struck Austin before running off. Stone Cold gave chase, then we cut to what was clearly a pre-recorded segment in which Austin was wandering around in a parking lot looking for Hunter. Cue a car with lights at full beam smashing through the parking lot gates and running down the Texas Rattlesnake.
After cutting to a reaction from Jr and King, Ross actually left the announce table and went backstage to check on Austin. Stephanie McMahon and Test were already there looking over him, as was an irate Vince McMahon. Later, Shane McMahon and Sgt. Slaughter also showed up as EMTs prepared Stone Cold to be placed on a stretcher.
Triple H and DX then showed up and McMahon tore them a new one, blaming them for having Austin run down. Hunter denied having anything to do with it and of, course, he was right. Later, a certain someone would reveal that they were the ones driving the car and that, yes, they did it for The Rock.
Austin was finally taken away on a stretcher now be out for some time, in kayfabe selling the fact that he’d just been run over by a car but in reality recovering from injuries he’d accrued thanks to the wild and violent nature of all the main event matches he’d had over the past two years.
Though the actual angle and reveal of Austin’s assailant would be derided later, this whole segment was pretty dramatic and engaging stuff.
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Chyna (w/ Miss Kitty) vs. Chris Jericho
After all the drama of the ‘Austin Got Run Over’ angle, we went straight into what was easily the best match on the show so far by a long, long shot.
Chris Jericho held nothing back as he absolutely brutalized Chyna both inside and outside of the ring, but The Ninth Wonder of the World refused to give up and eventually scored the win thanks to a top rope pedigree.
OK, so the actual pedigree didn’t look all that great, but the spectacle of it, particularly coming at the end of what was an absolutely thrilling match, made it work.
The crowd loved it, I loved it, and if you watch it, I’m sure you’ll love it too.
Your Winner and Still Intercontinental Champion: Chyna
Out in the back, Triple H and X-Pac burst into the McMahon family locker room looking for Vince McMahon.
Shane revealed that Vince had gone to the hospital with Austin before yelling at DX for the terrible crime they’d committed.
Hunter and X-Pac swore down that although they were setting him up, they weren’t setting him up to get run over. Helmsley then revealed the real reason he was looking for Vince – to confirm that now Austin was out of action, the main event would just a singles match against The Rock, rather than a triple threat.
Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match
Too Cool (Scotty Too Hotty and Grandmaster Sexay) and The Hollys (Crash and Hardcore Holly) vs. Edge, Christian, Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy (w/ Terri Runnels)
Last month, at No mercy 1999, Edge, Christian, and The Hardys had waged a war on each other in an instant classic tag team ladder match.
Now, they were on the same side, taking the fight to Too Cool and The Hollys in a match that slowly got worse the longer it went on.
Things started off pretty well, with all eight men battling back and forth before Edge and Matt Hardy got eliminated in quick succession.
It was from this point on that things started to disintegrate, with only a rare 450 splash from Jeff Hardy breaking up the monotony in a big way.
Eventually, Hardy was gone too, leaving Christian to put up a valiant effort until he lost to Bob Holly.
That could have been a great match. As it was, everybody seemed to get lost and confused about halfway through so it never got any better than being fairly good.
Your Winner and Sole Survivor: Hardcore Holly
Out in the back, Shane McMahon told us that he’d spoken with Vince on the telephone.
The news?
Austin had not lost consciousness, which was a good sign but had suffered severe head, neck, and back trauma.
The other news?
We would still have a triple threat match tonight, just not with Austin.
Shane never told us who the replacement would be, but we’d no doubt find that out later.
World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship
WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws vs. Mankind & Al Snow
The New Age Outlaws were technically the heels here but still did their usual opening spiel anyway.
Meanwhile, Al Snow and Mankind had been paired up on screen because Mankind made fun of Snow a lot in his book.
Together, both teams tried hard to put on a good match but for some reason, it just fell flat.
The Outlaws had been doing the “Road Dogg Plays Face-in-Peril” format for so long that they apparently didn’t know how to do anything else, so we still had a long string of Roadie getting his ass whooped before the tables turned and Snow played face-in-peril for his team.
The result was a messy brawl that failed to make much of an impression. In fact, the best part of the match was the commentary.
At one point, Jim Ross was completely deadpan when he said “Mankind gave Al snow head on Smackdown“
“How dare you say that!” quipped Lawler.
It was hilarious.
In the end, the Outlaws won thanks to a spike piledriver.
Your Winners and Still WWF Tag Team Champions: The New Age Outlaws
World Wrestling Federation Championship Triple Threat Match
WWF Champion Triple H vs. The Rock vs. The Big Show
With no extra special reveal or anything like that, Big Show made his way to the ring to take Steve Austin’s place in what turned out to be a fantastic main event.
Brawling through the crowds, around the ring and yes, between the ropes, all three men worked hard to pull off some awesome spots. Plus, the fact that this was a good five or ten minutes shorter than your average 20-minute-plus main event meant that it was never allowed to drag on.
As such, we got a really fun battle with nary a dull moment in sight.
Towards the finish, Earl Hebner got taken out so Shane McMahon came down to referee, but Triple H pedigreed him into oblivion. DX came in for a run-in, but they got taken out by Big Show.
Finally, Vince McMahon came down and planted Hunter with the WWF title. Big Show made the cover and won the WWF title for the first time.
Your Winner and NEW WWF Champion: The Big Show
And so, nine months after he had helped Vince McMahon in his match against Steve Austin back at St. Valentine’s Day Massacre: In Your House, Big Show had finally had the favor returned. McMahon had helped the former Giant win his first WWF Championship and the big guy couldn’t be happier, practically crying as he held the title aloft to end the show on a high note.
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I’ll always remember everybody dressing up as pimps in the opening match. I’ll always remember Jeff Hardy busting out that sweet 450 splash, Stone Cold getting run over, and Big Show winning his first WWF title.
I’ll also remember how despite much of the in-ring action being rather subpar, the Chyna/Jericho match and the main event more than made up for it.
Oh, and the debut of some guy called Kurt Freakin Angle.
All in all a decent outing, though by no means one of the best of the year.
- WCW Souled Out 1999
- WWF Royal Rumble 1999
- WWF St. Valentine’s Day Massacre – In Your House 27
- WCW Superbrawl IX
- WCW Uncensored 1999
- WWF Wrestlemania 15
- WWF Backlash 1999
- WWF No Mercy UK 1999
- WWF Over the Edge 1999
- King of the Ring 1999
- WCW Great American Bash 1999
- WCW Bash at the Beach 1999
- WWF Fully Loaded 1999
- WCW Road Wild 1999
- WWF Summerslam 1999
- WCW Fall Brawl 1999
- WWF Rebellion 1999
- WWF No Mercy 1999
- WCW Halloween Havoc 1999
- WWF Survivor Series 1987
- WWF Survivor Series 1988
- WWF Survivor Series 1989
- WWF Survivor Series 1990
- WWF Survivor Series 1991
- WWF Survivor Series 1992
- WWF Survivor Series 1993
- WWF Survivor Series 1994
- WWF Survivor Series 1995
- WWF Survivor Series 1996
- WWF Survivor Series 1997
- WWF Survivor Series 1998
- WWE Survivor Series 2009
- Top Ten Matches from the First 10 Survivor Series events
I marked out when Chyna beat Jericho.