WWE Over the Edge 1999 Review (5/23/1999).

07 Aug, 2024

In order to feel okay with doing this, I made a $100 donation to the Owen Hart Foundation. It's a great charity that helps out a lot of people, including kids and people struggling with low income. If you get a chance, you should definitely donate.

In 26 years of being a pro wrestling fan, there are few moments in time that have the kind of darkness surrounding it quite like this event. It's a horrible loss for the Wrestling world, but an even bigger loss for a world that needs more good people in it.

I don't know if I'll be able to explain this in a way that hasn't been explained before, but all I can do is give my two cents on a night that many have understandably tried to block from their memory.

On May 23rd, 1999, Owen Hart tragically passed away during this live PPV broadcast due to a stunt gone wrong. Originally, he was supposed to be lowered to the ring on a harness, like a superhero - like his character, The Blue Blazer.

A malfunction took place, and Owen instead fell 70 feet from the ceiling and landed chest first onto the turnbuckle pad and ricocheted into the ring. He reportedly turned blue, and his lungs began to fill with blood. He drowned in the ring. He was said to be declared dead there and then, but I've also seen that he was declared dead upon arriving at the hospital.

The incident took place early into the PPV, and after a brief stoppage where officials tended to Owen, and Jim Ross explaining to the PPV audience that this was a very real situation, the show carried on from there. This, to put it lightly, has been a heavily debated decision for decades. I will give my two cents on it as this goes on.

So, with a show this controversial and steeped in just overwhelming sadness, the question stands as to why anyone would want to watch it and write up a review. I wanted to do this for a multitude of reasons, but no matter my reasoning, I didn't feel comfortable with it unless I donated to Martha Hart's charity created in the name and honor of her late husband. It's the right thing to do. I can say for certain that I'm not doing this just for fun.

If you're reading this, you may be someone who wants to know more about this event, but are too afraid to watch it yourself due to the circumstances surrounding it. I totally get that, too. So, for me, this is a chance to watch it and review it, so that you don't have to. If you never want to see this event, and are curious about it regardless, maybe this is a way for you to accomplish both.

I'll be completely transparent with you as well: I have a morbid curiosity about this event myself. I've never seen it start to finish until this review. I believe it's one of the very few PPVs my mom didn't order during the Attitude Era. So, I want to see it just to say I've seen it.

It's also, for better and certainly for worse, a historical piece of wrestling history. I pride myself on wanting to take in as much wrestling knowledge as possible, and that includes the dark sides like this.

I want to provide an alternative for Wrestling fans out there, who want to know what happened that night, but won't want to witness the show for themselves. Since I'm curious about it anyway, I'll be a helpful hand to those fans out there.

One thing that got me wanting to watch this was to see if it was really worth continuing. As I said, the decision not to end the show after Owen's fall - and especially after JR made the official announcement on air of Owen's passing - has been criticized heavily in the years since. So, I want to see the show and think about it out of context. If Owen's death never happened, is this show all that? And then when adding that context back in, am I able to see the WWE's decision that continuing was the right choice?

This show has never been released on a home video format, and the version on Peacock is edited heavily, as to not mention the Owen Hart incident at all. This is a show that many want to forget. I can't blame them. But for those of you out there morbidly curious about it like me, this is the review for you.

This will be different than the other reviews I've done so far. I won't be looking at Match quality as much, or at all. I'm just going to try and articulate what happened on this night, and give you my thoughts and opinions on what transpired as best as I can. I also went and found the edited out portions of the show, and I'll include them in this.

It's ugly, it's sad, it's horrible, and it is a black mark on professional wrestling that changed everything going forward. This is the complete package of WWF Over the Edge 1999.

The top storyline going into this event centered around, if you can believe it, Stone Cold Steve Austin. The reigning WWE Champion was set for a title match with the Undertaker. In the build to this show following Backlash (which I also reviewed for this blog), the WWE was bringing in a huge amount of viewership. The May 10th, 1999 episode of Monday Night Raw - featuring Austin, The Rock and Vince McMahon against The Undertaker, Triple H and Shane McMahon, with Shawn Michaels as special referee - remains the highest rated episode of Raw of all time.

Following Backlash, The Rock was ousted by Shane McMahon from the Corporation. In the aftermath, Shane decided to merge the group with Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness to form one huge supergroup, the Corporate Ministry. Vince McMahon took offense to this, as he was already at odds with his son's power trip issues, as well as the fact that The Undertaker had just recently kidnapped his daughter Stephanie. Begrudgingly, Vince joined Austin and The Rock to fight off this new group.

Vince and Shane are both scheduled to referee the main event, but Vince had his ankle injured during Sunday Night Heat, so his involvement is in question. Of course, none of this actually means anything as this show goes on, but hey, at least you know what was originally set up leading into this show.

The opening video package has Undertaker speaking in a voiceover about the nature of evil, and how it's going to destroy all you hold dear, but mostly Steve Austin. It's a cool video package out of context, but considering how this night will turn out, it's kind of depressing.

Nice pyro display, as we get a shot of the 16,000 plus fans in the Kemper Arena in Kansas City. In hindsight, I can't even imagine what it must've been like to attend this show live. JR and Jerry Lawler recap what just happened on Heat, with Mideon and Big Boss Man attacked Vince McMahon.

1. WWF Tag Team Championships: X-Pac & Kane vs. D'Lo Brown & Mark Henry. The team of X-Pac and Kane was one of my favorites during the Attitude Era, and I vividly remember being extremely upset when X-Pac turned on him later in this year. I might've cried too. X-Pac and D'Lo are two of the very best workers from this era.

JR mentions that Kane could bring down the Walls of Jericho. I'm pretty sure Chris Jericho had inked a deal with the WWE around this time, so that's nice foreshadowing.

Oh great, this is "Sexual Chocolate" era Mark Henry.

X-Pac and D'Lo start things out, which I'm happy with. D'Lo takes the side headlock, and X-Pac sends him to the ropes. D'Lo with a shoulder tackle, and another. They lock up again, and D'Lo holds a tight grip on it. X-Pac uses the referee to flip out of that, and he taunts D'Lo after it.

D'Lo kicks low, and pops off a nice right hand to the champion. Power Slam follows, and another shoulder tackle. X-Pac is able to hit a back suplex and a spinning heel kick. He sends D'Lo into the turnbuckle and kicks him to the mat. Next, he tries for the Bronco Buster, but D'Lo moves out of the way.

D'Lo tags Henry in, and X-Pac in response tags the Big Red Machine in. The big boys go at it! Kane with right hands to Sexual Chocolate, and he boots him in the ribs against the turnbuckle. Henry reverses Kane into the opposite turnbuckle, and squashes all his weight against Kane. Right hands follow, and then an impressive press slam from Henry.

Kane is right back up with a clothesline. He kicks low, pops off a dropkick of all things, and then a leg drop that would make Hulk Hogan blush. Kane prepares for the Chokeslam, but Henry immediately tags D'Lo back in. Nice "Holy Foley" sign in the crowd.

D'Lo punches Kane, who doesn't seem bothered. He goes for a back body drop, but D'Lo lands on his feet. Kane boots him to the mat anyway. Kane grabs him by the throat, and tosses him into the turnbuckle. X-Pac tags in, and now he kicks D'Lo in the chest. Another spinning heel kick, and then X-Pac knocks Henry off the apron.

He sets up for something else, but Henry trips him and pulls him nut first into the ring post. Power slam by D'Lo, and a snap leg drop follows. Henry tags in, and he hits a right hand so hard that X-Pac flies across the ring. Henry attacks him in the corner with clubbing blows to the back. Power slam, and a leg drop by Henry.

Another power slam, and X-Pac then avoids a big splash. Kane extends his hand out for a tag, as D'Lo tags in. He punches Kane, and tosses X-Pac to the outside. Kane comes in and attacks D'Lo, while Henry drops X-Pac chest first across the ringside barricade.

In the ring, D'Lo gets a nice chin lock in, as the challengers look to keep X-Pac isolated from Kane. Back elbow by D'Lo to X-Pac, followed by a running powerbomb. Kane immediately breaks up the pin attempt. D'Lo misses a middle rope corkscrew senton, which looked cool regardless.

Kane tags in, and so does Henry. Kane with right hands to Henry, and a back elbow. Big power slam follows, and an Emerald Flowsion to D'Lo! What is this, All Japan? Henry catches a diving X-Pac and sends him spine first into the ring post. In the ring, Kane reverse suplexes D'Lo.

Kane with a power slam, and then he tries to attack Henry, who drops him throat first on the ropes. Kane forces D'Lo to the outside from a pin attempt. D'Lo and Henry double team X-Pac on the outside, and Kane dives off the top rope onto all three men.

Back in the ring, a diving clothesline off the top from Kane to Henry connects, and D'Lo breaks up the pin. Spinning kick to D'Lo by X-Pac. He connects with the Bronco Buster on D'Lo. Henry connects with a clothesline to Kane, and then he squashes X-Pac in the corner.

Kane sits up and hits the Chokeslam on Henry, and that get's the three. That was a pretty damn good opening match, much better than what WWE would generally offer on the undercard of their shows. All four worked hard, and the crowd was hot for it.

Michael Cole is backstage, and he gives an update on Vince McMahon. His ankle is damaged, and the odds of him being a referee in the main event are slim.

Kevin Kelly, who recently tried to compare his AEW woes to that of Hana Kimura, interviews Hardcore Holly about hurting Al Snow's friend Pierre. I don't have any recollection of this. I guess he was an imaginary friend? Holly tells a story of how he blamed his imaginary friend for breaking a lamp, and then his dad beat his ass. Holly promises to beat Snow's ass here tonight.

2. WWF Hardcore Championship: Al Snow vs. Hardcore Holly. The best match these two had was at St. Valentine's Day Massacre, when these two fought in a near by lake.

Snow comes out carrying Head and a box, which holds a one eyed moose head that is Pierre. I literally don't remember this.

Holly starts immediately with a back elbow to the head. Snow sends Holly to the outside, and they brawl against the barricade. Holly drops him chest first across it. Snow sends Holly shoulder first into the steel steps. Holly unloads with a cookie sheet right to the head multiple times.

Holly grabs a fire extinguisher from the outside and brings it into the ring. He tries to use it, but it doesn't work right away. While that's happening, Snow recovers and hits him in the head with the pan. Snow has the extinguisher and sprays it right in Holly's face.

They go to the outside, and fight into the crowd. Some dumbass has a Rebel flag with him. Fuck that guy! They fight up the rafters and now they're back in the concession area. Holly throws Snow into a trash can. Snow tosses a tray of food at Holly, and they begin to fight into the women's restroom!

Holly smashes Snow's head off the popcorn display. Snow throws some drinks and powdered sugar into Holly's face. Holly grabs another tray of sugar from the funnel cake display and smashes Snow across the head with it. Snow fights back and gets a nearfall.

They make their way back into the fans, as they fight their way down the steps. Snow grabs a bunch of cotton candy and throws it at Holly. He throws Holly back to ringside, and connects with a leg drop off the barricade. He brings Holly in and sends him head first into the turnbuckle.

Snow grabs a chair and throws it into the ring. Next, he grabs a table, which gets a nice pop. He sets the table up against the corner, and Holly pops up with a dropkick to the face. Holly lifts Snow up for a delayed suplex, which connects flush. He makes the cover, and Snow just barely kicks out.

Snow is up and hits the Snow Plow on Holly, who kicks out. Snow grabs a chair and hits Holly in the ribs with it. Holly reverses an irish whip into the table, and grabs Snow by the hair. Snow low blows Holly, which is totally legal in Hardcore matches.

Snow grabs Head and poses with it. Holly avoids a shot, and hits a DDT on the chair. He makes the cover, and Snow kicks out. Holly goes for the table, and sets it up proper. Snow is able to fight back and hits a powerbomb on Holly out of nowhere through the table, and that's enough for the win. The ending was out of nowhere, but I guess this was before a table spot just kind of happening. Decent match. Snow poses in the aisle way with Head like Raven.

Michael Cole interviews Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco for an update on Vince McMahon. They say that his ankle is definitely broken, and he's on his way to the hospital.

They air the promo setting up the Intercontinental Championship match between The Godfather and The Blue Blazer, who is obviously Owen Hart. Blazer is back in the WWE because the people need a superhero. It was good harmless fun. JR cuts to an interview earlier in the night with Blue Blazer and Kevin Kelly. Blazer talks about how Godfather makes his blue blood boil. He will always triumph over evil doers like Godfather.

It is, of course, at this point, that we are made aware of the incident that this PPV is known for. JR informs us that Owen Hart was to make some kind of spectacular entrance from the ceiling, but something has gone terribly wrong. He makes sure to let everyone at home know that this is not a wrestling storyline, but that it is a very real situation. The camera never focuses on the ring, but only on shots of the crowd.

EMTS are attending to Owen in the ring. JR says this is the most shocking thing he's ever seen. He does his best to try to keep things going smoothly, and to calm the audience down.

He cuts to a promo for what was going to be the next match on the card - a mixed tag team match pitting Val Venis and Nicole Bass against Jeff Jarrett and Debra. Nicole is stalking Val, and Val has his eyes on Debra, and Debra is smitten with Val. Oh, and Jeff Jarrett is here. Nicole goes after Debra, and Jeff decks her with a guitar. Val defends Nicole, but leaves with Debra.

We cut back to the live feed, and JR speaks to us again. He sounds even worse than before. EMTS are still attending to Owen in the ring. He reiterates that this isn't apart of the show. He says that they are not going to put this on camera. He is attempting to figure out what happened, but all he can do is assume.

He says that the rest of the broadcast will continue, but the bigger issue is that Owen Hart has been injured. He says that nothing is more important than the health of a very good human being. He says that he hopes that he is as articulate with his words as he can be, but if he isn't, then he once again reiterates that this is not a wrestling angle, nor was it a storyline.

The EMTs are giving trying to help Owen. Jerry Lawler returns to commentary, and he says that it doesn't look good at all. Owen is being led away from the ring, as the fans give him a deserving standing ovation. They chant his name as well. JR promises to keep everyone updated as the show goes on.

We cut backstage to Jeff Jarrett and Debra backstage for an interview. They both look distraught, and Debra is fighting back tears. Jarrett says he's praying for Owen, and so is Debra. He gives a typical promo, talking about how the Puppies of Debra are his, and tonight, he has no problem beating up Val and Nicole. Debra concludes the promo by saying that they love Owen.

Okay, time for my two cents on what just happened. Watching it back for this was incredibly sad. Owen Hart was someone I didn't pay much attention to as a young kid, but as I got older, I came to appreciate just what he brought to the table. He was an incredible wrestler who, like his brother Bret, made professional wrestling look easy.

His matches with Bret at WrestleMania X and SummerSlam 1994 are bona fide classics for a reason. He was trailblazer in New Japan's Junior Heavyweight division. He was an excellent tag team wrestler. He could play a great heel, and a goofy babyface. One of my very first memories of Owen was when DX did the parody of the Nation, and Jason Sensation came out as Owen with a giant nose and called himself a nugget.

Even more than his many accolades as a wrestler, Owen was a fine human being. I don't think I've ever seen anyone say anything bad about Owen, before or after his passing. Everyone loved him, even when he was being a pain in the ass pulling pranks on people.

I think it was in Mick Foley's autobiography that he tells a story that during a Live Event, Owen went out and wrestled poorly on purpose. Most wouldn't have even noticed, but the wrestlers did, and Owen did it just to get them to laugh. I think Foley said there were people in the match trying to hide their laughter from the audience.

Much has been said about whether or not this show should've been stopped right here and then. I'll say first and foremost that I am not now, nor will I ever be, a wrestler or a wrestling promoter. I can only speak from the perspective of a fan.

There's an old saying in theater - the show must go on. No matter what, you keep the act going for your audience. Personally, I think that's just cold and heartless. If it were me, I would've stopped this show out of respect for Owen and his family, and dealt with the consequences after.

I've seen a lot of arguments for continuing the show, due to possible fan outrage, financial loss, refunds, etc. Even though the fans of the Attitude Era are known historically for being a rowdy bunch, I think even they would've understood if this show ended right here. I mean, they know just as well as the wrestlers that night about what happened. They unfortunately saw it first hand.

As far as financial loss, I find it hard to believe that WWE would've had issues with that if they suddenly sent everyone home and cut the PPV feed. This is WWE in 1999. They are white hot, and revenue is through the roof. Would they have really struggled that much if they ended this show?

The story goes that Vince McMahon chose to continue the show simply because he didn't know what else to do. I see both sides of that argument. Obviously, in the heat of a moment such as that, confusion is in the air. What can you do, really? It just doesn't surprise me, though, that a shrewd businessman like Vince McMahon, with a history before and after this of being heartless, would continue this broadcast.

You also have to consider the wrestlers who have to follow this for the remainder of the night. They're professionals, and they'll make it work. But they don't give a shit about this show. They are worried about their coworker, and their friend. So, the quality is about to go way down anyway, so what's the point?

Again, I'm not in the wrestling business, so I could just be spitballing and missing the point. But to me, in a situation like this, I'd say "fuck the business" and worry about what has happened to a great man.

I mean, during that Jeff Jarrett promo, Owen was being wheeled away on a stretcher just feet away from them. When Martha Hart says that WWE just scraped him up, and took him away and moved on with their show, I can understand why she would feel that way, because that's how it came off.

There's some audio online of both the English and Spanish dubs of the Blue Blazer promo beforehand, where you can clearly hear the fall happen, and you can hear both commentary teams react to it in real time. I've listened to both, and I sure wish I didn't know about it.

I did further research, and apparently, Owen was alive after the fall. He attempted to sit up, and fell back down immediately. That's when his lungs began to fill with blood, and he essentially drowned in the ring. He died in the ring, and him being taken to the hospital was an attempt to bring him back. The audience in the ring was told nothing about any of this for the remainder of the show.

There are fan photos here and there online of the aftermath in the ring, including one where you can see Owen laying in the ring. It's haunting, and another thing I wish I didn't stumble upon.

The whole thing is just horrible. There's no way around it. I'll try to articulate the remainder of the show as best as I can.

3. Mixed Tag Team Match: Jeff Jarrett & Debra vs. Val Venis & Nicole Bass. God Bless Jeff Jarrett and Debra. They were good friends with Owen, and immediately had to follow what just happened. Debra in particular just looks distraught. Normally, she's like "Hey, I'm sexy and I have puppies!" Here, she's just a normal human being who is living through a tragedy.

JR and Lawler are trying their best to sell this very odd soap opera-esque storyline, but you can tell that neither man gives a damn. Venis says if Kansas City shows him theirs, he'll show them his. Nicole comes out, and Venis reminds her that their partnership is just business.

Jarrett and Venis start things out. "We Want Puppies" chant breaks out. They exchange hard shots to the head to start out. Elbow drop by Venis. He connects with a double arm suplex on Jarrett for 2. Swinging neckbreaker by Jarrett, and he strikes him in the head.

Jarrett with an armbar takedown for another nearfall. Scoop slam by Venis gets a nearfall. Venis with a spinebuster, and then he tags Nicole in. Debra has to come in as well, per the rules. Debra avoids a clothesline, and she slaps Nicole in the face. She jumps on Nicole's back and tries to choke her out.

Debra avoids a splash in the corner, and then smashes Nicole's head into the turnbuckle. She tags Jarrett in, and in comes Venis. Jarrett goes on the offensive quickly, and gets a sleeper hold in on Jarrett. Venis escapes with two knees to the midsection, and a side Russian leg sweep.

Venis does his bump and grind, then punches away at Jarrett's head. Middle rope elbow drop misses, and Jarrett hits the Stroke! Nicole breaks up the pin, and she poses for the crowd. Jarrett distracts the ref, and Debra hits Nicole with the guitar. It doesn't phase her, and she rips Debra's shirt off.

Venis stops Jarrett from hitting Nicole with the guitar, and hits the Money Shot on Jarrett. Post match, Venis and Nicole celebrate together. Nicole plants a kiss on Venis, and Venis seems to enjoy it. That was an inoffensive match, all things considered. I think everyone involves deserves a medal for doing it immediately after Owen's fall. Poor Debra.

Backstage, Vince McMahon is being loaded into an ambulance. Shane McMahon taunts him from afar. I read somewhere that this angle was done so that Vince could go be with Owen at the hospital. I mean, Vince was already hurt during Heat, so he could've just left immediately. I don't think the angle was necessary.

We get a recap of the feud between Road Dogg and Billy Gunn, the former New Age Outlaws who have now broken up. Gunn was bothered by the fact that his DX comrades were stealing the spotlight from him, and he wanted to find singles success.

4. Road Dogg vs. Billy Gunn.

Road Dogg is interviewed backstage, and he says that he's praying for Owen. He starts his entrance speech backstage, then makes his way out to a decent pop. He cuts his usual opening speech, and the crowd eats it up. As I get older, I find Road Dogg's schtick to be kind of mid.

Billy Gunn is interviewed backstage, and he says he's been carrying Road Dogg around like a bad case of the clap. Okayyyy. This is before Gunn is only referred to as "Mr. Ass." This is also the start of Gunn's singles push that flopped hard.

They start brawling on the outside immediately, and they go right back to the ring. Gunn gets Dogg in the corner and punches away at him. Gunn with a power slam, and a knee to the head. Dogg with a right hand to Gunn, and a back elbow. They make their way up the aisle way, and Dogg kicks Gunn in the midsection.

Dogg sends Gunn knee first into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Dogg continues to fire away with strikes to the head, until Gunn sends him back to the outside. Gunn smashes his head off the steel steps, then sends him head first into the ring post.

Back in the ring, Gunn hits a Jackhammer, and Dogg kicks out. Gunn gets a chin lock applied. Dogg escapes, but Gunn fights back with a scoop slam. He gets a nearfall off of that. Dogg fights back with punches, and Gunn counters with a clothesline of sorts.

Gunn drops all his weight on Dogg's back, then applies the camel clutch submission. Dogg escapes, and walks into a neckbreaker from the future Mr. Ass. Stiff kicks by Gunn to the head. He gets a sleeper hold in, as he slows this match to a halt.

Dogg starts to fight back, and he connects with a facebuster to the mat. Dogg with jabs to the head, and a hard right hand to the head. Gunn rolls to the outside, and sneaks in a hammer shot to the head. He rolls Dogg back into the ring, and Dogg is able to kick out.

In the ring, Gunn blocks the Stinger Splash, and gets a nearfall. Another right hand in the corner, and some hard shots to the back. Gunn removes turnbuckle tape, and hits Dogg in the throat with it. He hits the Famouser, and gets the win. That wasn't too good. Obviously, neither man was invested in this emotionally, so I won't fault them on that, but the layout of this didn't match up with the intensity of the feud coming into it.

Michael Cole interviews Shane McMahon. He promises to call the match down the middle. Sure he will.

5. Eight Man Tag Team Elimination Match: The Corporate Ministry vs. The Union. The Ministry consist of Big Boss Man, Bradshaw, Faarooq & Viscera. The Union consist of Mankind, Test, Ken Shamrock & Big Show. The story coming in is that The Union formed mostly of people who hated the Corporate Ministry. So naturally, they're facing the Corporate Ministry here.

Not one person present for this match looks like they want to be here. Who the hell could blame them?

We start with Test and Viscera. They lock up, and Viscera pushes Test into the corner. He splashes Test in the corner, then connects with a power slam. Test avoids an elbow drop, and boots Viscera out of the corner. Viscera slams Test, and barely gets a shoulder up.

Test with a dropkick. He goes after the rest of the Ministry, and Viscera catches him with a belly to belly suplex. Bradshaw comes in, and hammers away on Test. Test connects with a big boot that sends Bradshaw to the outside. Bradshaw comes right back in with a spear.

Kick and a clothesline by Test. Bradshaw boots Test out of the corner, and Test counters with a scoop slam for 2. Side walk slam by Test, and he goes to the top rope. Nice elbow drop connects, and Faarooq breaks up the pin. Bradshaw connects with the Clothesline from Hell to eliminate Test.

Shamrock comes right in, and walks into a fall away slam. Shamrock avoids a clothesline and counters into an armbar. Shamrock with a hurricanrana, and he goes into the Ankle Lock. Bradshaw taps, and he's gone. Faarooq comes in quickly, and hits a nice power slam for 2.

Viscera tags in, and goes to work on Shamrock. Side walk slam to Shamrock, and he kicks out. Shamrock tries for an armbar to Viscera, but Viscera just drops an elbow to his chest for 2. Faarooq tags in, and Shamrock elbows him to the mat. High knee to the face follows, and a nice gut wrench suplex that looked too easy. He tries the Ankle Lock, but Viscera and Boss Man try to break it up.

Shamrock gets it applied anyway, and Boss Man pulls Faarooq to the ropes to break the hold. Shamrock takes long to break the hold, then he suplexes the referee. Big Show tags in, and chokeslams Faarooq. He's gone. Boss Man comes in. Shamrock has been disqualified.

Boss Man tries a test of strength, and Show just tackles him to the outside. Boss Man tries to leave, and Big Show chases him up the aisle way, and grabs him. He runs him back to the ring, and rolls him inside. He kicks Boss Man in the corner, then throws him across the ring.

Boss Man kicks Show low, and strikes him in the face. He and Viscera clothesline Big Show down, and that gets a nearfall. Chin lock by Boss Man, because that's what this match needed. Show gets back to his feet, and grabs Boss Man by the throat. Viscera comes in to make the save, and Mankind is in as well.

Big Show power slams Viscera, and headbutts Boss Man. Viscera and Show fight on the outside, and Mankind goes to work on Boss Man on the inside. Boss Man with a splash in the corner. Show and Viscera fight up the aisle way, while Boss Man drops his leg over Mankind's head.

Boss Man sends Mankind into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Boss Man pops a clothesline off, and Mankind kicks out. Another chin lock. Mankind tries to fight back, and Boss Man boots him down. Big Show and Viscera were counted out, so it's just down to these two.

Mankind fights back with right hands. Double arm DDT by Mankind, and he goes for Mr. Socko. He applies the Mandible Claw on Boss Man. Boss Man is out, and The Union win it. That was a mess, but again, that's not on the performers themselves. They weren't here for it emotionally. The layout was a total dud, though. Typical Attitude Era stuff.

I feel especially bad for Mick Foley, who spent most of this match standing on the apron - the same apron where Owen Hart landed from his fall.

It is at this point where Kevin Dunn tells Jim Ross over the headset that Owen Hart has been declared dead, and then eight seconds later, JR informs the PPV audience of this. I think it is absolutely disgusting that JR wasn't given more time to digest that information before having to pass it on to the fans at home. Do I know of a better way of handling that kind of time? No, I don't. But having only eight seconds to take in the fact that a friend in your line of work is no longer alive is a horrible thing to go through, and I can't even imagine how Jim Ross felt in that moment.

With two matches to go, whatever air remained of this show has now been sucked out of it.

A video plays detailing the issues between Triple H and The Rock. Triple H says that Rock's fate is in his hands. He tossed Rock off the stage and injured his arm. Triple H took a sledgehammer right to the wrapped arm, then locked him in a casket and proceeded to beat the holy hell out of it with the hammer.

This is the start of Triple H's singles run, which would see him mostly rise to a legendary status, but only if you forget 2003.

The Rock is interviewed backstage. Chyna immediately interrupts, and The Rock says that a slap to the mouth or a Rock Burger are on the menu. What? Triple H attacks him from behind, and tries to cut the cast off his arm. Mankind shows up and tries to even the odds. Chyna attacks him, and Triple H goes at him with a pipe.

6. Triple H vs. The Rock. Triple H grabs the mic and says that he knows Rock is in the back crying over his injury. Well, of course he's in the back - you just attacked him. He says that he'll have the referee count him out, due to him being a coward. His music plays, and here comes The Rock.

There's a moment where The Rock runs his hand through his hair as he comes down. In that moment, you can see that even The Rock can't hide his sadness.

He rushes the ring, and strikes Triple H repeatedly. Rock explodes out of the corner with a clothesline. He sends Triple H to the outside. Triple H sends Rock face first into the apron, and then tosses him over the barricade. Rock fights back with right hands.

Triple H rakes the eyes, and Rock irish whips Triple H into the barricade. He follows with a clothesline. Rock smashes Triple H's face off the Spanish announcer's table. He takes the headset and does, to be light, shitty Spanish as he trash talks Triple H. The Game counters by smashing Rock's injured arm off the other table.

The cast is off, and Triple H attacks Rock with it. In the ring, Triple H kicks Rock down in the corner. He chokes Rock, Taichi style, repeatedly. Back to his feet, Rock tries to fight back with right hands, and hits a Samoan Drop for a 2 count.

Triple H with a Harley Race knee to the face for 2. Triple H sends Rock to the outside, and Chyna smashes his hurt arm off the table. JR calls her a witch. Triple H smashes his head off the table next. He rushes Rock, and both men do a double clothesline spot of sorts.

Back in the ring, Rock connects with a DDT. He makes the cover, and Triple H kicks out. More right hands by Rock, and Triple H connects with an armbar takedown to the broken arm. He drives his knee into the arm next. He extends the arm against his knee next.

Triple H drags Rock to the ring post and swings his arm into it. Rock tries to fight back with strikes, but Triple H sends him to the outside again. He smashes Rock's arm off the steel steps. Back in the ring, Rock strikes Triple H and sets up for the Rock Bottom, but Triple H counters with a DDT.

Chyna grabs a chair and hands it to Triple H. He goes to swing it, but the referee takes it from him. Triple H argues with him, and Earl Hebner gets right in his face. Triple H punches him to the mat. He grabs the chair, and the ref calls for the bell. Rock wins by disqualification.

Rock grabs the chair and bashes Triple H over the head with it. The ref tries to raise Rock's injured arm, and Rock knocks him down. Rock grabs Triple H, who is now busted open, and smashes his head off the steps. He slams his head off the table, then his body.

Rock takes a fan and hits Triple H in the head with it. In the ring, Rock strikes Triple H in the corner. Chyna grabs a chair and goes to hit Rock, but Rock stops her. He goes to swing it at her, but Triple H stops him. Rock is able to hit the Rock Bottom on Triple H, and then sets up for a People's Elbow into a chair on Triple H's face, but Chyna grabs his foot.

Triple H swings the chair at Rock's injured arm. He continues the attack, and Mankind runs in with a steel pipe to chase them off. Rock and Mankind stare at each other, as the segment ends. That post match went on far too long, and the match itself was nothing to go crazy for. Another instance of all participants not being emotionally there, and another instance of a bad match layout regardless.

We get a recap of the events leading to the WWE Championship main event. Undertaker kidnapped Stephanie McMahon and intended to marry her, but Steve Austin saved her. Vince McMahon thanked Austin, who only did it because it was right. Shane McMahon made a huge power play by merging the Corporation with the Ministry of Darkness, and he took claim for orchestrating the kidnapping of Stephanie. Shane announced himself as the special referee, but Commissioner Shawn Michaels announced that Vince McMahon would be the second referee. On the go home Raw, Austin ends up hanging Undertaker on his own symbol.

7. WWF Championship: Steve Austin vs. Undertaker (Special Referee: Shane McMahon...and Vince McMahon?) Shane comes out first, but also here comes Pat Patterson. He's going to replace Vince McMahon for this match. The Undertaker comes out next, along with Paul Bearer. He certainly looks the part of pure evil. Undertaker's face looks completely blank. He looks like he's holding back tears. Honestly, all four men in the ring right now look like they're holding back tears.

Shane argues with Patterson, and Undertaker gives Patterson a chokeslam to zero reaction. Austin comes out next to naturally the loudest pop of the night. I can't even imagine what's going through his head. The man who broke his neck in 1997, a man he had said he never wanted to work with again, had fallen to his death. A camera shot shows Undertaker staring at the spot where Owen had fallen. It's incredibly sad.

Austin discards of the championship like it's nothing and immediately starts brawling with Taker. Taker hits a back elbow to the face that sends Austin to the outside. The fans chant for Austin, which I'm pretty sure is the first chant they've done in about 2 hours.

Austin hangs Taker off the ropes and comes off the top rope with a clothesline. He makes the cover, and Shane actually counts. Austin stomps Taker in the corner. He repeatedly flips Shane off, and argues with him. Taker with a right hand to Austin. He drives his boot into Austin's throat in the corner.

He sends his elbow to the temple of Austin's head. JR says Taker can be colder than the other side of the pillow, which is a fantastic line. Taker blocks the Stunner and trips Austin. He goes to work on the thigh of Austin's left leg. Austin has only been a pro for eight years. Insane to think about the lengths that he reached by 1999.

Austin uses his free leg against Taker's face, and drives an elbow into his head. He drags Taker's leg into the ropes and drops all his weight on it. Austin kicks at Taker's leg, and gets it caught between the ropes. On the outside, Austin punches away at Taker's head. Taker elbows him and attacks the midsection.

Austin irish whips Taker into the steel steps, knee first. He places Taker's leg on the steps and smashes it down. Back in the ring, Austin continues his assault on Taker's leg. He wraps Taker's leg around his own. More right hands to Taker's head.

On the outside, Austin knocks Paul Bearer over, and Taker kicks him into the barricade. Taker lifts Austin up and sends him back first into the ring post. Taker drives Austin's braced knee onto the floor, then tosses Austin over the barricade. Taker with a clothesline to Austin on the concrete floor.

Taker punches Austin back over the barricade. He grabs wires and chokes Austin with them. Taker flips the steps over, and positions one against Austin's leg on the ring post. He stomps it, causing damage to Austin's already injured leg. Back in the ring, Taker slams Austin's leg into the mat.

The Rattlesnake tries to fight back, and Taker drops him with a strike. Austin slips out of the Tombstone, and sends Taker to the outside. Austin kicks Taker into the announcer's table. He smashes his head off the table repeatedly. Back in the ring, Taker blocks the Lou Thesz Press with a Spinebuster.

Paul Bearer takes his shoe off and hits Austin in the head twice with it. JR says you can smell the odor. They fight up the aisle way, and Austin drops Taker with a right hand. Taker accidentally punches one of the windows on the stage, and Austin sends him head first through another.

Up by the fans, Austin kicks and stomps on Taker on the floor. According to a sign in the crowd, there is a "Party at Smokey's." Back down the aisle, Taker hammers Austin with repeated shots to the head. In the ring, Taker drives his boot into Austin's throat.

Austin low blows Taker, and he comes off the middle rope with an elbow. Shane counts to 2, but stops at 3. Austin gets right in his face, and trash talks him. Paul Bearer hands Taker a chair. Austin throws Taker into Shane, then hits Taker in the head with the chair. He makes the cover, and Gerald Brisco comes in to count, but Taker kicks out.

Big boot by Taker, and he clotheslines Brisco. The crowd starts chanting "HBK" as Taker hits a diving clothesline to Austin. Shane is still down. Vince McMahon is here. He's limping to the ring. He's in, as Austin goes for the Stunner, and then both he and Taker take each other out with a double clothesline.

Both men sit out, and they continue to punch away at each other. Austin connects with the Stunner. He makes the cover, and Shane pulls Vince away from counting. Vince pushes Shane down, and Shane pushes Vince into Austin, who is rolled up by Taker, and Shane fast counts to 3, and Taker wins the WWE Championship. The Ministry comes down, and eats Stunners from Austin. Down goes Boss Man and Mideon.

Austin fends off Bradshaw and Faarooq with a chair. He stares a hole at Taker and Shane, and Vince stares on from ringside, as the show fades to black.

The match was nothing you haven't seen before from this era of main events. The layout was nothing special, and it's clear that both Austin and Undertaker are going through the motions. I'll give them credit for pulling off an Attitude Era style main event, given the circumstances.

My biggest criticism about this match is the fact that Undertaker won. If they were dead set on keeping this show going, then why the fuck didn't they call an audible and have Austin win to at least send the fans home happy? Having Undertaker - a man who has been presented as Satan himself essentially - get the last win of the night over the biggest babyface in the world on a night of tragedy like this is just plain stupid. With the Monday Night Wars in full effect, they could've easily hot shotted the title to Taker two weeks after this, and it would've been fine.

Either way, none of this chaos really matters, because three weeks from now, the Greater Power of the Corporate Ministry will be revealed to be...Vince McMahon, who was simply trying to get one up on ol' Stone Cold. How stupid. You had your daughter kidnapped just to get one over on Steve Austin?

And with that, this show is finally over. Make no mistake about it, it's an absolutely depressing show. Considering the audacity of the Undertaker win to end the show, I imagine the match layouts presented here were exactly what was planned for this show anyway. They weren't good. They were typical of this era - lots of brawling, not a lot of wrestling.

The layouts sucked. But I won't criticize any of the wrestlers themselves. They went out there and performed under the worst circumstances imaginable, and for that, they have my respect. They did what they could with what they had, and you can't really complain about something like that.

The fallout from this event is huge. Martha Hart questions the decision to have Owen Hart do a stunt like that, and ponders whether the intensity of success coming from the Monday Night Wars with WCW every week had something to do with it. You could see it that way, absolutely. Every Monday, both WWE and WCW were trying to outdo the other, and at some point, it was going to lead to something egregious like this.

The following night on Monday Night Raw, all storylines were halted and a tribute show of 10 matches were held. That tribute show itself has gotten both praise and criticism for valid reasons. Many saw it as damage control from Vince McMahon, who was unwilling to end a PPV the night before but was fine with doing this tribute show on free TV. There was also criticism geared towards the decision to have Steve Austin end the show, saving a big pop for the end - possibly for ratings.

That said, the testimonies from the wrestlers during the tribute show are nothing short of phenomenal. Some that stick out to me are when Mark Henry read a heartfelt poem, Mick Foley talked about how Owen was his son's favorite wrestler, Edge saying that when he thinks of Owen he smiles, and Dustin Rhodes talking about how Owen once put hot sauce in a bowl of chili for Harley Race, and Harley tasered him.

Debra's testimony where she cries for much of it is a heartbreaker. She says she looks for Owen, and she can't believe he's gone. Jeff Jarrett's is probably the one I think of often, where he talks about in the wrestling business, you have a lot of acquaintances, but very few friends. Owen, however, was one of those friends.

And with that, that's all I got for Over the Edge 1999. I don't think it would've been a great show anyway, due to the match layouts, but the emotional burden hanging over this show makes it a tough one to get through. It's no fault of the wrestlers, who did their best on a bad night. This is one you definitely don't need to see. And honestly, I can't think of a reason why this show needed to continue.

If nothing else, the opening Tag Team Title match before all the chaos ensues is worth checking out. Other than that, you're better off reading a review like this.