Grilling JR - No Way Out 1998 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

This week we’re discussing No Way Out 1998 - a forgotten pay-per-view in the history of the World Wrestling Federation considering how gigantic the Royal Rumble was that we covered last month and WrestleMania 14 where Steve Austin is finally crowned…

But nothing was bigger than January 19th - the Raw after the Rumble - from Fresno, California.

The infamous Tyson - Austin angle. Jim - there’s other things that happened on that show - and even Vince McMahon’s role in it - but just how gigantic was this for the WWF at the time? Can it even be put into words?

If you’ve never seen it - what are you doing? Go watch it…but here’s the Observer recap:

“After a tremendous angle on the live 1/19 War Zone hour of Raw from Fresno, CA where Austin, the WWF's hottest commodity, and Tyson, the currently suspended biggest drawing card in pro boxing, went nose-to-nose, the WWF received tons of mainstream international publicity. The angle, which started when a heavily booed Vince McMahon brought an even more heavily booed Tyson and his entourage into the ring. Just when McMahon was going to make the announcement of Tyson's role in Wrestlemania, Austin showed up. Austin challenged Tyson while McMahon did his best acting job to appear upset at the "misbehavior" of his top star. Austin ended up flipping Tyson off with both hands, resulting in Tyson shoving Austin, a major pull-apart brawl resulting in McMahon acting completely infuriated at Austin "ruining his deal," acting like he himself was out of control and had to be held back by his son from going after Austin.”

I mean this is it isn’t it Jim? The shot that launches the WWF into the stratosphere is it not?

“The WWF then releases word, and it’s even carried by the AP, that Tyson had challenged Austin and that the WWF would be meeting with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (which suspended Tyson for his chomping on the ears of Evander Holyfield in his last boxing match) to see if it would be okay to make Tyson a participant. As mentioned in last week's Observer, Marc Ratner, who heads the Nevada commission and is an avid pro wrestling fan, had already declared that he considered pro wrestling as staged entertainment and felt that Tyson and the WWF would be free to do whatever they felt like doing short of putting Tyson in the ring wearing boxing gloves without it affecting Tyson's chances at getting reinstated to boxing in July.”

Obviously - we all know - this was never the plan. But what a way to get the world talking about the WWF right?

Do you think - there was ever any chance - considering what we’re about to learn about Shawn Michaels’ back - that Tyson vs. Austin would headline WrestleMania - or maybe something farther down the line?

Meltzer would also discuss what the WWF would have to do to make sure WrestleMania was profitable - with the rumored price tag of Tyson costing $4 million…

“Simply put, if the $4 million figure is accurate, the WWF needs 648,000 buys out of Wrestlemania (2.2 buy rate) to make out financially and if the real figure is $6 million it would need about 807,000 buys (2.7 buy rate). These are not figures to break even, but figures to make out based on Tyson adding the revenue offsetting his cost, actual break even would be lower.”

Do you remember what Tyson was paid for all this - the Raws, the promotion and then Mania? Or was that a Vince deal?

Also on that Raw we have other things like Paul Bearer confirming the plan all along was to screw the Undertaker with Kane, the Quebecers return to the company and defeat Cactus & Chainsaw Charlie by DQ, and even Jeff Jarrett retaining the NWA North American title over Bradshaw with Ricky & Robert - the Rock’n’ Roll Express at ringside.

A lot of this gets forgotten…but with Bret Hart out of the company - did you think you needed the Quebecers for Jacques’ stronghold on some of the markets?

Having the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express added to the NWA angle - as great as it was to see them - this angle was dead in the water almost immediately wasn’t it?

“They did a spot where Undertaker was descending from the ceiling, but it was actually Michaels dressed as him, and then he did an interview saying he doesn't lay down for anyone, roasting weanies and salamis and making all kinds of dick comments including HHH with a s*ck the cook shirt. Michaels even took a weanie and acted like he was jacking it off.”

This is just…this is attitude isn’t it JR?

From the Observer:

“The show draws the largest rating since the Monday night wars began, doing a 4.00 rating (3.78 first hour; 4.23 second hour) and 6.04 share, peaking with a 4.7 rating (3,381,000 homes) for the final 15 minutes when Tyson and Austin, who had both been held off appearing except in teases up to that point, had their confrontation. Still, that figure wasn't enough to beat Nitro, which registered a 4.44 rating (4.95 first hour; 4.04 second hour) and 6.63 share.”

Besides the fact the show didn’t beat Nitro - you had to feel like momentum was on your side did you not?

How important was it to regain the ratings lead?

The next night Raw is taped in Davis, California and features a dark match with Vic Grimes defeating Erin O’Grady. The match is in internet lore as a tape of it got out and they did a bunch of high spots and big moves which is not something that really happened often in dark matches. When something like this happens - are the boys mad? Is the office impressed? And do you remember the match?

“Outlaws beat Charlie & Jack via DQ when they beat up the ref in a good brawl. After the match Funk buried Road Dogg under chairs and moonsaulted him.”

Terry Funk doing moonsaults and stuff like this - it’s some crazy stuff even for him isn’t it?

“Instead of the promised Owen vs. HHH, it was Owen vs. Goldust dressed up as HHH with a blonde wig and large fake nose, with Luna dressed up as Chyna. The crowd felt like they'd been ripped off. Match ended when Owen wins using the sharpshooter, but DX got on the video wall and made fun of him for wasting his time beating a copy. Slaughter then told DX the joke was on them and since HHH was supposed to be in the match he wasn't, that Owen was the new European champion. Will wonders ever cease?

Another WWF title changes hands with the champion not having to do a job.”

It’s a way to get Owen a win, a title, but still - it does feel empty does it not?

“Show ended with an Austin interview regarding Tyson, challenging him to show up in Houston for a fight.”

Was there ever a point in time you remember - Tyson having any issues with any type of creative?

Well regarding the show…

“Coming off a week world wide publicity the likes of which the federation hasn't received in more than a decade and when it left the air with a cliffhanger of Tyson challenging Austin following what will go down as an all-time classic angle, its rating fell to a 3.48 rating (3.50 first hour; 3.45 second hour) and 5.25 share, a very good number on the surface, but actually lower than it did the week before the Tyson angle took place.

This showed that all the publicity and the angle itself actually meant little or nothing when it comes to increasing mainstream curiosity in their product for more than a few days. This isn't to say the angle is dead or worthless or won't draw money at the end or anything of the sort, but it did not result in any increase in mainstream curiosity about seeing where the angle was going after a cliffhanger end of the show, let alone in the WWF seven days later.”

Is that a gut punch seeing the rating come in?

“Michaels and Vader were both out of action with injuries this weekend. Michaels lower back stiffened up stemming from that first backdrop where his lower back hit the casket early in the Royal Rumble match with Undertaker. They are hopeful he'll be back on 1/31 although it's a day-to-day deal.”

It took weeks for Shawn’s injury to really become obvious - but this is not the time for it is it?

“Dan Severn will definitely be billed as NWA world heavyweight champion when he comes in and be managed by Jim Cornette, probably debuting in mid-February. My feeling is the only shot Severn has to get over is to be like Bill Goldberg and just destroy everyone with intense power moves, and there's no guarantee that'll work because Severn doesn't have that look. But unlike Shamrock, who they didn't start off correctly but had enough charisma and was a good enough worker to overcome it and is now near the top of the ladder, if they make the same mistakes with Severn, he won't be able to overcome it as well.”

Where did you think the ceiling was for Dan Severn?

“Cornette will also manage a new tag team that will get a huge push and probably start after Mania, and perhaps manage Tiger Ali Singh. The basic idea is for Cornette to manage the younger prospect types and do interviews to get them over and help them in putting together their matches.”

This doesn’t end up happening - but how good would Cornette had been in this role?

“The deal with the house show matches all being short is WWF policy to try and keep the cards between two hours 15 minutes and two hours 30 minutes total and with ten matches booked on most cards, that necessitates short matches. None of the matches on house shows last ten minutes any longer. Wrestlers are noting that the road agents consider it more important to have the matches end in the prescribed time than to actually have good matches, in fact the feeling is the reports the office gets will list the match as being good as long as its kept short even if the match actually is bad, but if they go longer than usual and it makes the match better, it won't get as positive a review.”

Is this something of a direction from you JR?

Well the bad news finally comes in regarding Shawn:

“After taking a dangerous backdrop over the top rope with his lower back cracking on the casket at the Royal Rumble on 1/18 in San Jose in basically the very first spot of the match, Michaels missed shows the weekend of the Super Bowl complaining that as the week went on, his back had stiffened up. This past week, Michaels' doctors sent word to the WWF that he had a variety of ailments, including a bruised kidney, a slightly separated shoulder, both hips out of alignment, a sprained foot, vertebrae in his back out of alignment not to mention a worsening of his chronic knee problems.”

Is your initial reaction to this - same old Shawn?

Who tells Steve? Obviously the plan is for him to go over at WrestleMania - but someone had to tell him something’s in jeopardy now right?

Was there a backup plan that you know of?

Austin isn’t working as many house shows, Taker is off TV, and now Shawn is hurt but…it doesn’t affect live business…

“However, business for both WWF and WCW is so incredible at this point that it doesn't seem to matter, with WWF selling out four of its five weekend dates, a few well in advance. Michaels' injury cancels the two scheduled Canadian dates for title defenses against Owen Hart.

Coming off the Survivor Series match, the Michaels vs. Owen Hart advance for 2/21 in Toronto had already hit $187,000 (7,700 tickets) and the 2/27 Vancouver advance had already broken the city's all-time gate record with 10,045 tickets sold for $219,523 as of the weekend. “

Ratings are trending up, house shows are trending up, it’s a far cry from just 5 months before in September when Vince told Bret he couldn’t afford the contract isn’t it?

Now the one thing we’ve all been waiting for…the Raw on February 2nd from Indianapolis.

The build to a Terry Funk - Cactus Jack match - which is amazing how quickly Chainsaw Charlie disappeared - begins with you, Terry & Cactus in the stands talking - in what almost seems like a shooting the shit moment between 3 friends - this is one of the long forgotten vignettes that I don’t think gets enough credit for putting two characters over. You really enjoyed working with Mick didn’t you?

Well the match would see Cactus put Terry in a garbage dumpster after about 10 minutes - climb the base of the Titantron and hit him with an elbow into the dumpster. Packing peanuts and everything go flying…

From Meltzer:

“At that point the New Age Outlaws came out and tied the dumpster shut and threw it off the stage through some tables. Although it was a very carefully planned stunt, as the floor area was set up for the landing and the dumpster was noticeably filled with styrofoam and puffy trash bags, Jim Ross and the promotion did an incredible job of selling it as something that wasn't scripted to happen and something very serious.”

Jim - it’s tremendous. One of the best angles you would see at this time. In TV time it takes about 30 minutes - they show the Outlaws apologizing to a furious Vince McMahon backstage, Sunny is crying, they’re taking out in ambulances…

“Ross used inside terminology such as "going into business for yourself", talking about the Outlaws getting a "push" and using their TV time to "get over" and constantly talking about how far the envelope has been pushed in a desire to get ratings. At one point Flash Funk went to attack the Outlaws, and later a total brawl took place.

The Outlaws looked apologetic until Michaels and HHH told them they had to forget about it and do whatever it takes to draw the ratings and get themselves over and everyone else be damned.”

This is way inside baseball JR - but it’s so damn good. The execution of everyone, yourself included, was perfect…what’d you think of it?

Well because we couldn’t leave well enough alone, Michael Cole is dispatched to the hospital to give updates and never actually getting anything…

Just 20 minutes after the angle wraps up…Owen Hart takes on Billy Gunn in a European title match that ends with a DQ when Road Dogg interferes and Hunter, Shawn & Chyna join the Outlaws and go to throw Owen off the stage and are stopped by agents…too soon is it not?

Well speaking of too soon…Austin takes on Road Dogg in the main event…

“Finally, after plugging a Steve Austin match (vs Road Dogg) for the entire show, they had only 39 seconds before everyone ran in for the DQ, and then Funk and Jack, teased just minutes earlier as being comatose, did a run-in, with Funk wearing a hospital robe and his grungy underwear noticeable running around with a chainsaw, and Jack doing a run-in hooked up to an IV. While creative, to a lesser extent the Hart deal and the final run-in completely took the initial angle away from being an "angle gone awry" resulting in serious heat, to just an obviously planned stunt man spot in a badly acted made for TV play.”

Just killed it all right there didn’t it? How did no one raise a hand and go…too much?

On February 5th the WrestleMania match is made official:

“Tyson's role, as announced by Vince McMahon at the beginning of a press conference at the Official All-Star Cafe in Manhattan on 2/5, would be as an outside the ring "enforcer," a second referee of sorts, for the Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin main event at Wrestlemania on 3/29 in Boston's Fleet Center.

The press conference was widely attended with some 27 television cameras and more than 100 reporters attending from all over the world, the timing of which was fortuitous for the WWF stemming from mainstream media reports nationwide coming the two days leading to the press conference of an apparent Mike Tyson-Don King business split over (what else?) King taking so much of Tyson's money and leaving him near broke with a $7 million income tax bill to pay, and this was Tyson's first public appearance since the news broke.”

When do you hear about the Don King thing? Were you surprised?

Did you attend the press conference? Do you think the WWF got the right rub from it?

“For most wrestling fans, the announcement of Tyson as nothing more than an outside the ring sort-of ref was a huge letdown after the hype and the Fresno angle.”

Can you see how some people might’ve been let down?

At a time where the WWF isn’t winning the ratings war but with all they have going on…they raise the price of WrestleMania from $29.95 to $34.95…they knew they had something here didn’t they?

It’s also reported that there were plans of Marc Mero and Butterbean taking on each other at WrestleMania - but it wouldn’t make sense to have Tyson & Butterbean on the same show would it?

“WWF is attempting to contact, through the William Morris Agency, a list of sleazy celebrities to appear on the show although the only name we know of that has confirmed at this point is Pete Rose and his role in the show hasn't been decided.”

I love it JR.

“The WWF had one major cause for celebration besides the Tyson press conference, as 2/6 in St. Louis at Kiel Center they drew a whopping 20,138 fans, of which 18,877 paid $275,289. It was the largest gate in the long and storied history of St. Louis wrestling.”

That’s a big deal is it not JR?

With all this going on and the hype for WrestleMania in full force…there’s not a lot of interesting stuff creatively in the company. I know the WWF was obligated to have this pay-per-view - but let’s talk about what we’re building with and towards. On Raw in Evansville you have Jeff Jarrett & Barry Windham defeating LOD, Brian Christopher & Pantera beat Taka Michinoku & Aguila, Rock & Faarooq beating Ken Shamrock & Chainz…this is not the top level stuff is it?

Is it a talent issue at this time do you think?

I gotta ask about this…

“Steve Blackman beat Recon in 4:35. Both guys looked really green. Jackyl came down from the ceiling preaching with a pulpit. Delivery was good. It took all the attention away from the match, but it was just as well. After the match Jackyl was yelling at Recon that if he didn't follow orders he'd be back in Memphis making $40 per night and eating tuna out of a can and slapped his face. Recon acted like he wanted to hit him back but didn't.”

Who is Don Callis?

“Thrasher beat Goldust in 4:28 when Sable slapped Goldust. Sable and Luna were arguing, you can only imagine over what, with Sable slapping Luna before she stormed off.”

Yup.

“Show ended with DX coming out for an interview

and Austin following. Outlaws came out as well. At this point Chainsaw cut a hole in the

ring and he and Cactus came from underneath. Owen Hart showed up as well.”

Is this a trending water type of time waiting for the final WrestleMania push?

“Bobby Duncum Jr., Johnny Ace, One Man Gang and Mr. (can't call him Flash) Flanagan were all given try-outs on 2/2 in Indianapolis. None looked particularly good. Duncum showed potential since he is a good athlete but didn't have a good match trying to wrestle like Stan Hansen losing to D-Lo Brown. Ace was put over Flash Funk and Gang, who didn't show much, put over Thrasher but later beat Flanagan. Because of Ace's commitments with All Japan, the only way he could be used is to be pushed as a superstar in part-time as a major short-term angle or just used in prelims to fill out a card and on his own he wasn't impressive enough.”

None of the talents would eventually get signed but Johnny Ace obviously becomes a bigger player in the business much later on. What do you remember if anything about all these men?

“The Houston PPV was a sellout about one week in advance with 13,356 tickets sold for $226,242”

How important are house shows and gates to a business barometer - back then and even now do you think?

There’s sad news that comes out the day before No Way Out - Louie Spicolli passes away. A current WCW wrestler, he had wrestled in ECW and the WWF as Rad Radford…did you have any experience with Louie or any thoughts on him?

We’re at the show JR - and it’s not voted a critical success. The Wrestling Observer readers had 63.8% of them vote the show a thumbs down…but the pay-per-view buys year over year are up 30,000 from 120,000 to 150,000 but you lost at least half the paying customers from Rumble the month before…this a barometer of the creative is it not?

The show starts off by announcing that Shawn Michaels would not be able to compete due to his injury - how touch and go do you remember it being?

Its teased as a mystery partner would replace Shawn - do you think that was the way to go considering the partner would end up being…Savio Vega?

Meltzer would have this to say:

“The company's lack of talent depth was exposed once again with a poor undercard, and a main event promised surprise that fizzled, which to a lot of people killed what was an entertaining match before it ever started.”

The top level of the WWF seems to be figured out but you’re still working on filling up underneath - was that something of a daily goal for you?

Tyson was also teased on appearing at the show but never did…and Meltzer would describe the show as a house show on pay-per-view. Thinking back - not that far off is it it?

Tyson is all over the show in commercials plugging WrestleMania - and he’s actually the only one in one of them. Was Tyson the draw to bring wrestling fans back next month do you think? Or should something like this on a WWF pay-per-view focus on the contracted talents?

“1. The Head Bangers defeated TAFKA Goldust & Marc Mero in 13:54.

When the match started, Sable and Luna were about to go at it when Mero ordered Sable to the back. They mainly got heat on Trasher after Goldust pulled down the ropes and he took a backward bump over the top. Goldust dropped him head first on the ring steps and he juiced. Luna was beating on him at will. Finally as Mero set up his TKO, Thrasher revered it into a DDT and started a comeback. As he was on the top rope to set up his finisher, Luna swept his leg and he crotched himself. At this point Mero gave Mosh the TKO while Sable came storming down the aisle. Instead of going for the win, Mero jumped out of the ring to keep Sable from going after Luna and we had a pull-apart. While this was going on, Thrasher pinned Mero with an inside cradle. They continued working a pull-apart with the two women after the match until Goldust and Luna left. Mero and Sable argued in the ring until Sable shoved Mero down. Match itself was okay.

*½”

So much going on - but the whole story is based on Sable & Mero - and they played their roles to perfection wouldn’t you say?

Are you surprised Marc didn’t end up being a bigger star out of this?

“2. Taka Michinoku pinned Pantera to retain the WWF light heavyweight title in 10:11.

Brian Christopher came out for color commentary. There was some great flying and Pantera did some cool holds but the actual working with each other and timing of when to do the moves in this match was below par as they seemed to be rushing from spot to spot, particularly at the finish, to get every move in a prescribed time rather than pace it well. The match had no

heat, but that was expected going in since the light heavyweights are treated as a secondary afterthought. Pantera hit a moonsault, but missed a second one. Michinoku got up not selling any of the previous work with a knee off the top rope to the back, and teased the Michinoku driver II but Pantera turned it into a cradle and then into La Magistral for near falls. Michinoku turned an attempted huracanrana into a Liger bomb and hit his springboard dropkick to the back before getting the Michinoku driver II for the fall. The match reads a lot better than it was. After the match Michinoku did a plancha over the post onto both Christopher and Jerry Lawler.

**¼”

Still trying to find a direction for this division was hard for the WWF wasn’t it?

“3. The Godwinns defeated the Quebecers in 11:14. This is actually going to wind up being the most famous match on the card because they are going to end up having a Supreme Court fight over it in California over whether or not forcing criminals to watch tapes over-and-over of this match constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. But who would have ever thought Jacques would do a plancha?

Henry clotheslined Pierre from the apron and Phineas pinned him. After the match, the Godwinns clocked both with their slop buckets. If after a performance like this, the Quebecers are still major heroes and drawing cards in Montreal, then nothing will ever kill wrestling in that city.

-*¼”

Bowling shoe ugly is it not JR?

“4. Bradshaw defeated Jeff Jarrett via DQ in 8:59 so Jarrett retained his NWA North American title.

Jim Ross said this match was historic because it was the first time an NWA title had ever been defended on a WWF PPV event. Lawler even talked about Paul Boesch promoting NWA matches in this city for so many years.

While that bit of trivia is correct, it's hard to call a match "historic" that was forgotten about even while it was going on.

They are trying to make Bradshaw into Stan Hansen, right down to the ring entrance with the bullrope and the ultra-stiff offense. But the crowd was dead.

Most of the match consisted of Cornette & Jarrett working on Bradshaw's bad knee. Finally Bradshaw made the comeback by catching Jarrett's crossbody and turning it into a fallaway slam. After a power bomb, Bradshaw then slingshotted Cornette into the ring and Cornette dropped his racquet. He whipped the two into each other allowing Cornette to take his 1980s manager pratfall. Jarrett then clocked Bradshaw with the racquet for the DQ. After the match, Bradshaw made his own comeback cleaning up on both until Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson showed up to also take bumps for him. Finally Barry Windham came out and they were cleaning house on him until the Legion of Doom made the save.

1/2*”

This…this is something is not JR? The NWA is dead as a brand - and I’m still shocked Vince allowed this to happen. But this just wasn’t working was it?

“5. Ken Shamrock & Ahmed Johnson & Chainz & Skull & Eight Ball defeated Faarooq & Rocky Maivia & Mark Henry & D-Lo Brown & Kama Mustafa in 13:46.

This was a fast-paced all action match that was somewhat unwieldy in spots. Maivia showed a near superstar level performance and Shamrock's work is improving as well. Actually neither Henry or Johnson, who figured to stink up the match, looked all that bad, although they were only kept in the match in small increments. Brown looked good as well, and Skull & Eight Ball looked bad.

Finally it turned into a ten-way, and Shamrock used a belly to belly, a Fujiwara armbar and switching to an ankle lock to make Maivia tap out, to set up their IC title match at Wrestlemania. Maivia blamed Faarooq for the loss and actually slapped him. Faarooq got mad and instinctively punched Brown, so everyone was at each others' throats and Maivia walked off on his own first, until finally Faarooq ordered everyone back in the ring and they did the salute.

**¼”

The story here is great in building between Rock and Faarooq and also Rock and Shamrock. It’s amazing how quickly Rocky got turned around and on the right path is it not?

“6. Kane pinned Vader in 10:59.

Vader did about as good a job as you could do under the circumstances. Mankind was a better match but that's because Mankind's style is more conducive to working with a monster since Vader can't and shouldn't take those kinds of bumps for his character.

Mainly a brawl and there were enough twists to keep it entertaining, although it never had much heat.

Vader delivered a power bomb but again Kane sat up and eventually used a choke slam and a tombstone. Vader noticeably tried to jump so high it looked like he was trying to dunk a basketball in going up for the slam, but at least Kane had him under control the whole way and there was no danger in the move. After the match Kane went under the ring and took a giant wrench and clocked Vader with it.

This was an angle to set up Vader actually being out of action due to needing eye surgery as a plate he had to protect his eye stemming from injuries in the famous Stan Hansen match at the Tokyo Dome was jarred loose, perhaps in the television angle. Vader was carried out of the ring to sell the angle. *¾”

This is the end of the monster Vader as it just really cements Kane as a destroyer of giants before his match with Undertaker. Leon was just lost at this point was he not?

“7. Steve Austin & Chainsaw Charlie & Cactus Jack & Owen Hart beat HHH & Billy Gunn & Road Dogg & Savio Vega in 17:41.

The crowd booed heavily, and not booing as good heat but groaning, when Vega came out as the mystery partner that had been built up throughout the show. It was a wild brawl.

Basic FMW/ECW style although really not as good as most FMW main events of the same style. The work was better than most ECW bouts of the same style but there were none of the memorable psychotic spots that people remember and leave an impact.

Everyone began destroying Jack with a chair until Gunn accidentally hit Jammes with a chair when Jack moved. Jack made the hot tag to Austin who looked really good for his ending flurry, ending up using the stunner on Jammes for the pin.

After the match he gave another stunner to Gunn, and kicked Helmsley off the apron. Chyna then shoved him twice and flipped him off, and he finally kicked Chyna and gave her the stunner as well for the final big pop.

***½”

Owen Hart in a WWF pay-per-view main event seemed to be something that was a long time coming - but it’ll be the last time in his career for this spot. Savio as a mystery partner just took all the wind out of the sails of the place but they made it work in my opinion JR. What say you?

Thumbs up, thumbs in the middle or thumbs down?

Supposedly before the pay-per-view - there was some issues with the name of the show - No Way Out - because of the letters spelling out NWO - did you hear anything about this? It was later changed to No Way Out of Texas but still…

This is also not referred to as an In Your House either…it was time to move on from that branding wasn’t it?