Steve Austin vs Dude Love (WWE - 5/31/1998)

Second

More "fun" than "great" to me. I love both guys, but for some reason the Dude Love vs Austin stuff didn't resonate with me as much as it does with some. This was my favorite of the lot though. It probably is a pretty good example of what the Attitude Era could be when it was at its best. Still, a worthy candidate for sure.

I'm not really sure what to do with this match. It's perfect for the time and really the absolute height of Attitude wrestling. However, I have grown away from liking that style. Another match to add to the rewatch pile to see what I think now.

I loved this as McMahon's first real offensive against Austin in the Attitude Era. Dude Love is his instrument as he coporatizes Mick Foley and then surrounds him with his Kangaroo Court. Austin and Foley have an awesome brawl and the finish is the best. This is pro wrestling at its absurd finest.

WWF World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Dude Love - Over The Edge 1998

One of those matches that was great before the bell even rung. There are too many funny lines from Pat Patterson as he was introducing Gerry Brisco, Vince McMahon, Dude Love and even his non-introduction of Stone Cold. For me, it was the advertising of Brisco Bros Body Shop in Tampa to a live audience in Milwaukee and a national audience on PPV with Pat punctuating that it was worth the drive. It was just so absurd.

Austin is on trial in McMahon's trumped up kangaroo court. He has to deal with McMahon as the referee, the rules changing mid-match, Patterson & Brisco at ringside and eventually McMahon doing what we all expected: refusing to count. All the while, Foley and Austin are having the Attitude Era Brawl for the ages. Once, the Dude applies his Mandible Claw this match is kicked into overdrive and never looks back. Stone Cold is so cool isnt he. He just has so much energy. You cant your eyes off of him when he is making a comeback. There is so much vim & vigor behind it. What's surprising is he even kept up with Foley in the crazy bump scorecard. Foley had that nutty bump off the guardrail and then the Cactus Elbow from the car to the concrete, but Austin was bumping all over those cars especially the one where Foley shoves him off the Stunner was crazy. I think demolition derby with their bodies and the cars still holds up. It is the best use of a set ever. It feels organic. So many of the "toys" in other matches feel planted. This was just the set and they started taking bumps on the set. I loved McMahon during this section every two count, he was either pissed or relieved depending on who was kicking out. I cracked up seeing Brisco behind the action with the ring bell ready to ring it at a moment's notice. I loved Austin's mini-comeback after blading. Like he was so enraged that he was bleeding that he was really going to whoop ass only to have Foley back drop him out of a piledriver. The Cactus Elbow eats nothing but pure concrete. It was great that headed home soon after this. Patterson trips up Austin and this gives Dude Love a couple nearfalls based off the exposed top turnbuckle and a steel chair. However when Austin kicks a chair into Dude Love's face, McMahon is worried. Austin hits a home run swing on the cranium of Mrs Foley's Baby Boy. But McMahon refuses to count and then Foley accidentally cracks McMahon in the skull with the chair. Then the fireworks really go off. STUNNER! Mike Chioda 1-2-Patterson pulls him out and decks him! The fix is in! MANDIBLE CLAW! Patterson in 1-2-Taker pulls him out and Taker sends PAT PATTERSON STRAIGHT TO HELL Chokeslam through the announce table. Brisco tries his hand, but bad idea, Gerry. Taker takes the reincarnated Jim Thrope & our friend, Gerry Brisco and SENDS HIM STRAIGHT TO HELL! STUNNER! Austin pulls McMahon over and takes his hand and makes him count the three! Best overbooked finish ever! Before I forget, I gotta give a shoutout to this crowd. They ruled. They loved Stone Cold so much and were behind 100% from the beginning to the end of the match. The Stunner was so over. This is such an overbooked masterpiece and really shows what pro wrestling can do better than pretty much any other form of entertainment in terms of absurd drama. ****1/2

Watched this for the first time about a week ago and then I watched it again last night, and I think this is genuinely a top 5 WWE/F match ever. The defining match for the Attitude Era during WWF's hottest period. Loud crowd, Vince and his stooges trying to fuck over Austin during the match, Undertaker ringside to make sure Vince and the stooges don't try some bullshit, and obviously blood. A wild ride from even before the bell rings all the way to the end of the match. One of the most fun times I've ever had watching a wrestling match.