Jim Ross and Paul Heyman welcome us to the Astrodome, which looks cool as hell on television, and Paul mentions that as a fan, as Paul E. Dangerously, as the former owner of ECW, he never got the chance to attend a WrestleMania until now. Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho enters to kick off the show, defending against William Regal. This could be good.

Jericho hits a clothesline and a flying forearm to start, then a standing spin kick, which sends Regal to the floor. Jericho dives over the top with a tope, Regal reenters the ring and gets caught with a corkscrew elbow off the top. Regal's chest is turning bright red as a result of the chops from early in the contest. A very neat exchange sees Regal block an attempt by Jericho to toss him into the corner, Regal attempt a dragon screw, Jericho sit on Regal's chest, Regal go for a sunset flip, Jericho rolls through and goes for the Walls of Jericho early, all in the span of about thirty seconds. Regal sends Jericho shoulder first into the ringpost, playing off the mini-injury angle from Smackdown. Regal with a unique takedown straining Jericho's shoulder. Jericho attempts a Lionsault, but Regal rolls him up for two, then hits a beautiful german suplex for a two count. Regal continues to work on the shoulder including a very nice gut wrench suplex from the top which only gets two. Jericho counters a belly to back suplex attempt with the Walls of Jericho, which Regal rolls through and counters with the Regal Stretch. Jericho makes it to the bottom rope to break the hold, then chops the hell out of Regal's chest about five times. Jericho sends Regal into the exposed turnbuckle, then hits the face bulldog and the Lionsault to score a surprising win. Ending kind of came out of nowhere, but good match. ***

Tazz and the APA over Right to Censor in a quick match, nothing really worth noting here, as the Acolytes work everyone over before Bradshaw pins Goodfather. *

The Hardcore title match is next as it's the Hardcore Champion Raven, followed by Kane, and finally the Big Show. Show is such a waste of space (not to mention money) it is literally not funny. Kane hits a nice clothesline from the top to the floor on Show as Show attempts to drop Raven with the Final Cut…all three men are in the crowd. They brawl into some type of caged-in storage area, which I think was one of Commissioner Foley's "offices" last fall at one of the Smackdowns. Raven bumps through a window, Show then shoves Kane through the door of the little room in which Raven flew into previously. Kane begins throwing Show into walls before finally breaking one of them. Raven hops in a golf cart trying to get away, so Show follws him and Kane follows *them*. Kane, in full gimmick, driving a golf cart, with the referee riding shotgun was one of the funniest moments of the night. They continue to brawl around in a generic "hardcore" match until Kane finally finishes them both off with a flying elbow/legdrop through part of the set. I've seen better "hardcore" matches, but this one was not too bad. **1/2

Edge and Christian go to talk to Kurt Angle in the back, but he is busy watching the tape of him tapping out to the Crippler Crossface from the previous week's Raw. He claims he never tapped in an official match, so it does not count. Hey, Jimmy Snuka is at WWF New York. The Rock arrives at the arena…what the hell? We're like 50 minutes into the show already. It's the biggest show of the year and he can't even get here on time.

Latino Heat, Eddie Guerrero, flanked by Perry Saturn is out next to challenge Test for the Euro title. This could be decent, Test is best suited to working with smaller guys who can bump around for him and make him look as good as possible. One of those neat little unscripted moments occurs as Test gets caught in the ropes, legit, and referee Jack Doan cannot get the ropes free. Finally, Guerrero and Saturn have to help him out, while trying to make it appear as though they're still going after Test. Eddie drops the leg on the floor to add further damage. Eddie continues to work on the leg until Test hits a nice doctor bomb, out of a rana attempt by Eddie in a neat spot. Guerrero breaks a full nelson attempt with a low blow. Eddie grabs the ref while Saturn runs in and hits Test with his pattened Moss-Covered-Three-Handled-Family-Gedonzo. A brain buster sets Test up for a somersault senton, but Guerrero misses, Test hits a tilt-a-whirl slam, and then hits the big boot, but Dean Malenko runs in for the distraction. Eddie grabs the European title and clocks Test with it for the pin and the title. Not bad by any means. **1/2

Michael Cole gets a quick word with Mick Foley, who is very happy to be right here…in Houston, Texas.

Kurt Angle is out next to take on Chris Benoit. If they let them, these two could steal the whole f'n show. Angle does some quick mic work heeling on Texas, but Benoit is all business. Collar-and-elbow and a nice wrestling sequence start things off. Both guys end up in a standing position, go they lock up again. Nice stuff, both guys essentially feeling each other out. Both men avoid getting on their back, jockeying for leverage, Angle tries an ankle lock, but they end up in the ropes. A crowd shot on the Titantron gets a cheap pop. Benoit keeps going for the Crossface, but Angle gets to the ropes three times. Finally, Angle, angered at being outwrestled by Benoit, just decks him. Angle tosses Benoit and takes it to him on the outside before throwing him back in. Angle with some suplexes, before laying the boots to Benoit in the corner. Benoit is getting fed up with this so be reverses in the corner and chops Angle a few times. Benoit hits a Dynamite Kid-esque superplex for his first high-impact move of the night. Benoit hits the rolling-German-suplexes, but Angle counters the third one with another ankle lock attempt, it gets revered, and Benoit puts the ankle lock on Angle. Benoit gets the Crossface but Angle rolls over into a pinning predicament, then eventually ends up on time and hooks his own Crippler Crossface on Benoit. Angle accidentally hits the ref, then gets caught in the Crossface in center-ring, which Angle taps too, but there is no ref. Benoit goes to get the ref, turns around, and walks right into an Olympic Slam which gets two. Kurt goes for the moonsault, Benoit gets the knees up and gives the sign for the suicide diving headbutt. He connects for another two count. Angle counters a waistlock with a lowblow, but Benoit rolls it up, it's countered, Angle is on top, hooks the tights and gets the victory. Great match. ****

A hilarious segment sees Kamala on top of Commissioner Regal's desk, attempting to eat a framed picture of Margaret Thatcher. Regal is the man with those facials. Angle gloats about his victory backstage until Benoit comes up and hooks him in the Crossface, which Angle abruptly taps to.

The Women's title match is up next, Chyna, wearing a decent little purple number, squashes Ivory in a "bleh" match. DUD

Shane McMahon enters and takes a moment to acknowledge the WCW workers up in one of the luxary boxes. I recognize Mike Sanders and Hugh Morrus during the brief glipse. Special ref Mick Foley is out next followed by Vince, who takes it to Shane until a spear gives Shane the upperhand. Steph enters the ring to stall for her father, but Shane disregards her and hits Vinnie Mac with a baseball slide. Shane mounts the security wall and hits a running clothesline. Shane has ye ole' kendo stick and pops Vince with it a few times. They duke it out on the floor until Shane lays Vince out over the Spanish announce table. Shane goes up to the top rope, Stephanie pulls Vince out of the way, but it doesn't matter cause Shane is already AIRBOURNE! Great balance and elevation on the bump as Shane crashes through the table. Trish wheels coma-tose Linda to the ring, whose sedated, slow-motion blinking is humorous to be for some reason. Trish checks on Vince, I bet she turns on him…SLAP! Steph slaps Trish and we have a catfiiiiiiiiiiiight! Foley breaks it up, but Steph slaps him too, and he and Trish chase her out. Foley comes back to prevent Vince from doing anything dastardly to sedated Linda, but Vince takes him out with a chair, and it's time for EVIL VINCE! He rolls Linda into the ring, then props her up in a chair and goes to get Shane. Vince begins to calmly bash Shane with various trash cans, but, he turns his back to her to deliver the death blow…big mistake. Linda rises from her chair to a *huge* pop, and Shane motions for Vince to turn around. Linda kicks Vinnie Mac right in the nuts. Foley is back in the ring, and corners Vince, with thunderous rights and lefts, then the Foley running kneelift into the corner. Shane places a trash can over Vince's face and then goes to a neutral corner. Crowd is in stunned silence, and Shane hits a VanTerminator (ShaneTerminator?) to a huge pop. Vince is dead, so the pin is academic. Lance Storm, Chavo Guerrero Jr., and Shawn Stasiak (UGH!!!) are shown cheering for Shane in their little box. Very entertaining brawl. ***

A highlight reel introduces the TLC II match, and the Hardy Boyz, the Edge and Christian Boyz, and the Dudley Boyz. And they're off. E+C clothesline Matt with the ladder. They tie Matt to the tree-of-woe and both step on his crotch. Nice spot as Edge drops Matt, then Jeff hits a nice Poetry in Motion while Edge climbs the ladder. The Hardyz set up two ladders in opposite corners and hit the End OMEGA on Edge. Dudleys with the Whazzzzup?! headbutt on Edge. They lay Edge out on a table and Buh Buh powerbombs Jeff through the table and Edge. Since everyone is layed out, the Duds take this chance to stack four tables up outside the ring. They also stick one up, vertically in the corner, ensuring that Rhyno will make an appear and gore someone through it. All six guys get up and three ladders are set up side by side. Christian and Matt tumble over to the floor, D-Von and Jeff slide off the other side and hit the ropes, leaving Buh Buh and Christian just below the belts, but they knock each other off and onto the mat. Edge sets up a ladder but SPIKE F'N DUDLEY runs in and dropkicks the ladder. Spike hits an Acid Drop on Christian off the apron through a table to the floor. Ouch. Jeff climbs up a ladder too, but RHYNO is out, and he beats the shit out of everyone that's not Edge or Chrisitan. Matt takes the gore through the aformentioned table. Lita runs in and breaks up another Edge ladder attempt. Spike chairshots Rhyno into the ladder and he knocks Edge off. Rhyno takes a frankensteiner from Lita, who cracks Spike with a chair and removes her shirt, but walks into a 3D. E+C and the Duds play pepper with the chairs that ends up with D-Von and Buh Buh down. Spike and Rhyno both get put on tables outside the ring and Jeff is going up top for the swanton bomb. He misses Rhyno somewhat, but lands right on Spike. E+C set up the larger ladder again and Christian and D-Von are in a race for the belts. Matt takes the ladder out from under them and in a neat spot, Jeff uses the three ladders that are already set up as stepping stones to get to the center of the ring. He slips on the second one, but recovers, and sets the ladder up, then picks it up with his feet and walks it to the center. Buh Buh slips it out from under him, and he dangles from the rungs where the belts are hanging. Edge mounts the huge ladder again and hits an unbelievable spear on Jeff. Both guys are dead. Matt and D-Von climb up the larger ladder again, but Rhyno tips them over, and they crash through the four tables the Duds set up previously. Christian and D-Von are in a slowed-down race for the belts…Edge grabs ahold of D-Von, and Rhyno gets under Christian, and runs him up the ladder, where he grabs the belts. Another unbelievable match from these six, or more accurately, eight, with the addition of Spike and Rhyno. *****.

Mean Gene and Bobby "the Brain" Heenan are out to do commentary for the gimmick battle royal. This could be fun, but keep it short. Participants in this one are: The Bushwhackers, Duke the Dumpster Droese, the Iron Sheik, Earthquake, The Goon ("Wild" Bill Irwin), Doink (not Matt Borne), Kamala and Kim Chee (Steve Lombardi), Repo Man (Barry Darsow), JIM MUTHAFUCKIN' CORNETTE !!!, Nicolai Volkoff, Michael P.S. Hayes (!), the One Man Gang, the Goobly Gooker, Tugboat, Hillbilly Jim, Brother Love (YES!), and Sgt. Slaugher. I will not bother with order of elimination, but Iron Shiek eliminates Hillbilly Jim to win. DUD as far as matches go, but it was fun for nostalga purposes, and they kept it short. Sgt. Slaugher chokes Sheik out with the Cobra Clutch just for the heck of it afterwards. Still a better match than Chyna/Ivory.

After a Triple H/Taker feud recap, Motorhead is set up on the stage and performs Triple H's theme live. Very cool entrance. Taker enters and they get started quickly on the floor. Taker puts Trips through the makeshift Spanish announce table (that's two Spanish announce table bumps in one night). Taker tosses HHH into the corner and pounds on him with some rights. HHH takes a nice backdrop. They trade offense for a while, with neither man getting a clear cut advantage until Hunter takes over with a neckbreaker. HHH pulls out the trusty sledgehammer, but the ref takes it away, HHH attempts a pedigree, but Taker counters and slingshots HHH into the ref. Taker hits a chokeslam for two. Taker gets frustrated and kicks the ref. Taker beels Helmsley over the top rope and HHH takes a backdrop over the security wall. Taker follows Helmsley through the crowd and eventually they end up on a camera tower, where many monitors and cameras are set up on a short scaffolding. Taker and Helmsley brawl there way to the second-to-top level and Taker chokeslams Hunter onto a padded area. Taker follows with an elbowdrop. They brawl back to the ring where Taker takes control of the sledgehammer, but in taunting HHH, leaves his midsection open and Hunter kicks him low. It's a punch-out momentarily with the ref down, which ends up with an irish whip by Hunter, leading to a tombstone from Taker. The ref is still down, so Taker sets HHH up for the Last Ride, but HHH has the sledgehammer, and cracks Taker in the head with it. Hunter covers for only two and throws a brief heel hissy fit when Taker kicks out. Taker comes up bloody and Helmsley backs him into the corner and mounts the second rope for the ten punches, but Taker grabs him, walks to the center of the ring and hits the Last Ride for the clean pin. Very good match. ***1/2

One last video set to "My Way" leads us into the main event, with Austin entering first. Rock follows, and from there, it's on.

Austin opens up early with a series of rights in the corner, but Rock fires right back. Austin with the Thesz press early. Rock hits a nice neckbreaker, and both men try their finishes early, Austin side-steps Rock and dumps him over the top. Rocky goes into the announce table and they brawl on the outside and into the crowd a little. Back in the ring, Austin takes control including hitting a decent superplex from the second rope. Austin removes one of the top turnbuckle pads, but Rock is up and hits a flying clothesline as well as an overhead belly-to-belly. Back on the floor, Austin goes face-first into the announce table again, and this time it is Rock sticking it to Austin on the floor. Austin takes over again with a shot with the ringbell, Rock falls through the announce table in a very understated manner. Austin pounds Rock some more with more closed fists. Austin scores with a neckbreaker for another two count. Rocky is bleeding as a result of the ring bell shot. Rock hits two big clotheslines on Austin to momentarily take over the advantage again. Finally, after several minutes, Austin goes face-first into the exposed turnbuckle. Rock has the bell now and connects with a shot of his own. Both men are bloody now, and Rocky gets a two count. They end up back on the floor, and Austin sling-shots Rock into the ringpost. Austin cracks Rock with a monitor from the twice-destroyed Spanish table. Austin goes for the Stunner, but Rock counters it with a takedown and the sharpshooter. Great camera work of Austin's blood oozing down his face, ala WrestleMania 13. Austin almost makes it to the ropes, but Rock, who is quite bloody himself, pulls him back into the center. Austin makes it to the ropes finally. Austin surprises Rock and hooks a sharpshooter of his own. Austin locks a Million Dollar Dream, but Rock kicks off the turnbuckles into a pinning predicament, and gets two. Rock hits a Stunner on Austin, but can't cover in time and gets only two. Vince McMahon comes to ringside, as both men are down. Rocky sprints off the ropes but Austin catches him with a sidewalk slam. Rock irish whips Austin and catches him with a sidewalk slam of his own. Rock goes for the People's Elbow, and it actually gets a few boos from the crowd, which appears to be split pretty evenly. Rock goes for the cover, but McMahon pulls him off. Rock is pissed and chases McMahon around the ring, but upon re-entering, Austin catches him with his own Rock Bottom. That only gets two. Austin goes for the Stunner, but Rock throws him off, and he runs over Hebner, who ends up on the floor. Austin low-blows Rock, and then calls for a chair from McMahon. Austin holds Rock while Vince swings the chair, and for once, the babyface does not duck and the move actually connects. The crowd is stunned, with several boos audible. Vince rolls Hebner back in, but Rock barely kicks out, to a huge pop. Austin goes for big chairshot, but Rock pops up and hits a Rock Bottom. Vince detains the ref, so Rock brings him in the hard way and then walks into the Stunner, and THAT only gets two. Rock refuses to go down. Crowd is really into everything they are watching now, though many are in a stunned silence. Austin chairshots Rock and covers for ANOTHER nearfall. Rocky will not die. Austin grabs the chair and absolutely brutallizes Rock with about sixteen shots to the chest and body, before finally getting the pin. Austin grabs the belt and is face-to-face with Vince…and they shake hands. The crowd is in shock as Austin and Vince have a drink. Ross is having a fit at ringside as Austin and McMahon stand over a fallen Rock. Rock is getting up slowly and Austin pops him with the belt just for good measure. The show ends with Austin and McMahon, side-by-side walking back through the curtain. *****. Unbelievable match, much better than I expected and a great end to an outstanding pay-per-view.

Final analysis: Say what you will about today's wrestling scene or lack thereof, and in most cases I'd probably agree, but this is an extraordinary show. One of the best PPVs of the last five years easily.