Foley is Pod - WrestleMania XIV [Show Notes] (Patreon)

This week Mick we’re looking back at your biggest WrestleMania moment up until that point - WrestleMania XIV!

We left off at No Way Out last month - where you teamed with Steve Austin, Terry Funk - I mean Chainsaw Charlie & Owen Hart to defeat Triple H, the New Age Outlaws & Savio Vega.

When that show is over - do you know that you’re working the Outlaws at WrestleMania?

It’s crazy to say this - when you look back and think about how important pro wrestling is now to television and what the WWE commands in rights’ fees - but the night after No Way Out - Raw is preempted!

That leads to Raw Saturday Night from Dallas where you will team with Charlie to take on Goldust & Marc Mero. From the Torch:

“JR said that the wrestlers involved pledged it would be a scientific match. Luna was dressed up as Marlena with a cigar while Goldust was wearing his original yellow Goldust outfit. So now Goldust has gone full circle and is now imitating his old persona. The crowd chanted “Sable” early in the match. As Goldust cowered to Charlie in the corner, Charlie shouted, “Come on, I knew your old man for years.” JR said Charlie had been wrestling for four decades. Goldust got up out of the corner and kissed Chainsaw Charlie. They brawled. At 6:00 Sable walked to ringside with flowers. Luna stole the flowers and destroyed them. Sable went nuts. Mero restrained her. Cactus jumped into the ring and nailed Goldust with a chair. Chainsaw then covered him for the three count”

This…Mick what the hell is all this?

It feels odd that you guys go from the main event match on pay-per-view but in reality you’re the backdrop for a Mero-Goldust-Luna-Sable storyline…is this just is what it is?

From Raw in Waco…

Michael Cole interviewed Road Dogg & Billy Gunn as they were leaving the arena. Gunn bragged about cutting the LOD’s hair, stealing their pads, and now breaking them up. Road Dogg said the LOD are old news. When Road Dogg tripped over his words, he said, “Hell, I’m already half drunk.” Cole shoved a mic in their face, but they drove off. Chainsaw Charlie then showed up and began cutting into their car. Cactus Jack bashed in their windshield with a baseball bat. The Outlaws finally managed to drive away…

Did it take a little bit to realize what your program for WrestleMania was going to be because it seems like there’s some stop and go for it…

Was Terry excited to be wrestling on WrestleMania? I mean it’s a big deal to a lot - but let’s be honest - Terry’s time in the business - the height was before WrestleMania even existed…was this something Funker was looking forward to?

Now it’s reported in the Torch that the original plan was for the match at WrestleMania to be a barbed wire match…

“The WWF wanted to put Chainsaw & Cactus against the Outlaws in a barbed wire match, but Viewer’s Choice balked. The WWF took heat for trying to slip by the use of barbed wire at the No Way Out PPV. The WWF claimed it was an impromptu move by the wrestlers, but considering they were considering a barbed wire match at Wrestlemania, their claim has been met with skepticism. Now they’re looking at running a Dumpster Match at WM instead…”

Was this the original plan and Viewer’s Choice balked?

Was it Tyson’s involvement?

Did you ever hear of the issues with using barbed wire at No Way Out?

It’s kind of crazy how your original idea was based around having an exploding barbed wire match and here this is way too much…was it just not something pay-per-view companies were ready for - or do you think that’s a Vince call at the end of the day?

From the Torch:

2/27/98 house show in Vancouver:

Notes: By far the rowdiest crowd ever to attend a WWF event in Vancouver. Good crowd, but rowdy. Owen Hart, Cactus Jack, and Tom Brandi did an autograph session earlier in the afternoon at the Vancouver Virgin MegaStore. A huge crowd showed for that.

Do you remember this? How surreal is it to sit between Owen & Tom Brandi of all people?

“(6) The New Age Outlaws beat Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie at 7:05 to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles. The fans were getting quite rowdy around the ring as the match got going. There were several fights in the crowd that distracted from the in-ring action. The Outlaws came out first, but without Road Dog doing the “Oh, you didn’t know” mic work, they got a pretty dead reaction from the crowd. Road Dog then grabbed the house mic and told the ring announcer, “You must be from Vancouver, eh? Because you suck!” Fans began throwing objects. Road Dog announced, “I just talked to Billy Gunn and he says we’re not going to wrestle. You guys just got screwed!” Then the Outlaws left. There was some confusion as the ring was still lit, but nobody was in it. The ring announcer just stood inside the ring waiting for some kind of a cue. About five minutes after the Outlaws left, the ring announcer introduced the challengers, Cactus & Chainsaw. Cactus entered the ring with a hockey stick and Charlie rolled out a garbage can loaded with stuff. He pulled out a “Caution Wet Floor” plastic sign. Realizing that the Outlaws weren’t in the ring, they returned to the back. Charlie appeared by dragging Road Dog by the hair. Cactus followed, dragging Gunn by his hair. When the match began it was a typical brawl with garbage cans, bags, cookie sheets, chairs, and hockey sticks. Cactus threw powder at Billy’s face. Cactus then grabbed Gunn and Dog by their crotches at the same time. After Cactus let them go, Gunn smacked Charlie across the head with a chair and laid him out for Road Dog to get the pin. (**)”

Was this just a shift in the business at this point? We briefly talked about this and issues with Shawn & Hunter previously - but here we are with the New Age Outlaws - and this is still what’s happening…is this good for the business or no?

Everybody loves getting heat - and people still talk about how it’s great shit - but is it?

The next week on Raw:

“They showed Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie vandalizing the car of the New Age Outlaws last week as the Outlaws drove away… The Outlaws came out wearing neck braces. They walked past a garbage bin at ringside. They talked about what Cactus & Chainsaw did last week. They showed footage of what it was like on the inside of the car from the “Outlaw Cam.” Road Dog interrupted the video, saying he couldn’t take any more. He was on the verge of tears. He apologized to the fans saying they had doctor’s excuse not to wrestle. Sgt. Slaughter appeared on the TitanTron and ordered the Outlaws to not only wrestle “because you’re not really injured,” but to also defend the WWF Tag Team Titles. Immediately the music for Skull & 8-Ball began and they rode to the ring on their motorcycles… (1) Skull & 8-Ball beat The New Age Outlaws via countout at 1:20, but the Outlaws retained the WWF Tag Team Titles. They brawled for a minute. When the Outlaws threw Skull and 8-Ball at the dumpster, Chainsaw and Cactus popped out. The crowd popped and the Outlaws fled, getting counted out…”

This is really showing how good chicken shit heels the New Age Outlaws are and they’re really building some heat…but you & Funk are just not the focus…is that something you’re surprised about?

Same show has the classic Mike Tyson swerve…

From the Torch:

In a surprise twist in Mike Tyson’s role at Wrestlemania, he joined Degeneration X on the Mar. 2 live Raw from Cleveland, Ohio. At the start of the second hour of Raw, Vince McMahon stood in mid-ring and introduced Tyson. Fans booed McMahon and then, when Tyson’s music played and he came out (with three entourage members), fans continued to boo. Tyson put his arm around McMahon’s shoulder when he entered the ring.

McMahon asked Tyson about being the ref at Wrestlemania. Fans continued to boo. McMahon asked the fans for “a little respect.” Fans booed again. McMahon asked Tyson who he thought would win. Just as Tyson was about to answer, DX’s music started and they walked to the ring. WWF officials tried unsuccessfully to stop them. Michaels said he is not there to disrespect him like Austin has done. “That’s not our style,” he said. “I am treating you like a man, but make no mistake about it, I am calling your ass out right now, boooooy!” Tyson challenged him to settle things right then and there. Michaels said let’s get everyone else out of the ring and they’ll settle it. Fans popped big-time.

The ring cleared and Michaels and Tyson faced off. Michaels poked Tyson in the chest. Tyson shoved back. Tyson challenged Michaels to hit him. Just as Michaels was about to hit Tyson, Michaels ripped off Tyson’s shirt to reveal a “Degeneration X” t-shirt. Michaels and Tyson embraced. Hunter and Chyna joined them in laughing in the face of McMahon and Sgt. Slaughter and the other officials at ringside. Jim Ross wondered how Tyson could be the “ringside enforcer” if he’s so closely aligned with Michaels. Ross said, “This wasn’t the SportsCenter moment I was looking for.” Michaels said, “For those of you who don’t know, the Heartbreak Kid is the man who runs this show.” McMahon looked on with angry concern.”

This is such a big-time angle and some great heat - what did you think of this twist?

Do you think this would’ve happened without Shawn’s injury or was this something you think they had to do to keep the story going for Austin?

“The Tyson segment at the start of the second hour of Raw boosted the WWF’s rating to a 4.5 for that quarter hour, matching the rating for WCW Nitro during the same time period. The overall ratings victory easily went to Nitro, though. Raw drew a strong 3.8 overall compared to Nitro’s even stronger 4.8.”

What’s the reaction backstage when this comes out about the rating…because to many in the office I’ve been told it wasn’t a focus - what was it in the locker room?

Is the working assumption at this point that Shawn is going to lose to Steve - and there needs to be another top heel to be ready?

Did you ever think it would be you?

The next Raw is from Wheeling…and you two are working the Quebecers again…

From the Torch

Cactus Jack & Terry Funk defeated the Quebecers when Cactus pinned Pierre with a DDT; after the match, the Road Dogg came out with his arm in a sling and challenged Cactus to follow him backstage; when Cactus left the ring, Billy Gunn came out of the crowd and hit Funk over the head with a steel chair before both Outlaws returned backstage

Could Terry keep working every week like this?

Was there a worry his body couldn’t hold up?

What were your feelings towards Billy & Dogg at this point - did you think they were doing well in their roles?

From the Torch:

Tuesday Raw 3/17/98 from Phoenix:

(3) Chainsaw Charlie (Terry Funk) beat “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn (w/Road Dog) via DQ at 2:23. The Outlaws rolled a dumpster to the ring that had “Jack’s House” spray painted on the side. Road Dog told Charlie, “You’ll curse the day you were born even though it was about 300 years ago.” Road Dog did commentary over the house mic throughout the match, calling Gunn, “Senior Ass.” Gunn dominated Funk and had him pinned, but lifted his shoulder at three. Funk made a comeback with a DDT. At ringside, Funk roped up Road Dog’s legs and Cactus Jack came out and pulled Road Dog up via a pulley. Gunn tried to stop him, but Funk beat on him. Funk then slapped Road Dog as he hung upside down. Cactus said, “I’ve got a small confession to make, Road Dog. I don’t know how to get you down, so I guess your ass better call somebody. Bang, bang.”

The pulley idea - where did that come from?

Glad to see you finally got some mic work if not for just a minute…were you surprised they weren’t using you on the mic more?

There was a whole bunch of Cactus Jack vs Billy Gunn falls count anywhere matches on the house shows in March leading up to Mania including March 22 at Madison Square Garden. Did Billy kick the shit out of you on those shows too?

The go-home Raw in Tuscon report from the Torch:

1) Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie beat The Quebecers via DQ at 3:30.

A minute into the match the New Age Outlaws showed up on the stage in tuxedos and set up a card table with a tablecloth and began drinking champagne with blow up dolls as their apparent dates. In the end, they charged the ring and attacked Charlie and Cactus for the DQ.

The Outlaws continued their attack, breaking the table over Funk’s head and spike piledriving Cactus on a chair. Ross said, “Can you imagine what will happen this Sunday in the dumpster match?”

A solid angle to add heat to the tag match at Wrestlemania…

Why did you guys work the Quebecers so much?!?!

Having the Outlaws up there with champagne and blow up dolls - does it take it away from the serious nature of a Dumpster match - as silly as that sounds?

The run up to WrestleMania now is a whole lot different than it was back then. How much media do you remember doing?

Did it feel like it was going to be big?

Did you think there was any chance Shawn wouldn’t wrestle in the main event or that he wouldn’t put over Steve?

We’re at the event now Mick - and there’s so much going on…how do you guys sit down and put together a dumpster match?

Let’s do the Torch report of your match…

“(6) Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie beat The New Age Outlaws in a dumpster match to capture the WWF Tag Team Titles at 9:45. The only way to win the match was to dump your opponents into the dumpster. At 1:40 Cactus flipped off the apron and when Dogg moved, he hit the side of the dumpster and took a nasty bump. Gunn backdropped Funk into the steel dumpster. Dogg gave Cactus a Russian legsweep into the wall of the dumpster. Cool move. To continue the streak of apparent hardway bleeding, Bad Ass bled from his nose. Cactus put the Mandible Claw on both Dogg and Gunn as he crawled out of the dumpster. Funk nailed the Outlaws with a cookie sheet.”

Before we go any further - the match is only 10 minutes. How did that come to be?

Any ideas you had for this that didn’t come to pass?

“At 6:00 Cactus brought a ladder into the ring. Cactus and Bad Ass climbed the ladder. Road Dogg knocked Funk into the ladder; the ladder tipped over and dropped Cactus and Bad Ass into the dumpster. The Outlaws powerbombed Funk into the dumpster (where Funk suffered his back injury).”

The ladder spot - how did that feel?

This spot would be done numerous times over the years in ladder matches - where did the idea for using a ladder come from considering you’re in a dumpster match?

Did you know right away Terry was hurt badly?

“The Outlaws fought Cactus all the way backstage. Cactus held his own and DDT'd Bad Ass onto a forklift. He threw Road Dogg onto Bad Ass. Funk drove the forklift and dropped the wrestlers into the dumpster and closed the lids for the win. Fun brawl that wasn't so campy that it diminished the legitimate violence.

(***) “

The finish is great - but is the finish done knowing you have to have another match the next night?

How quickly is it that everyone knows how beat up they are?

From your book:

“We did have a tremendous Dumpster Match with the Outlaws at Mania, which saw us capture the belts and helped set the stage for the next part of my career. With the help of a forklift, we were able to dump both Gunn and Dogg into a backstage Dumpster for the tag team championship. How were we to know that we would be the victims of the little-known “wrong Dumpster rule,” which would lead to the stripping of the belts and a rematch inside a steel cage the next evening on Raw? Unfortunately, Terry had suffered a bad injury to his lower back when, at fifty-four years of age, he was powerbombed off the ring apron into the Dumpster below. Within minutes of the fall, his back was visibly bruised, and within hours, had filled with liquid. He somehow was able to get through the next night at Raw, but it would be the last time that Funk and Cactus would team.”

Is it sad to you that this run ends the next night on Raw - and do you think it could’ve been more and bigger?

You would continue to write:

“I don’t mean to demean what Terry and I did, because, in truth, we had some excellent matches. With all wrestling considerations aside, I will always fondly remember my three-month union with Chainsaw, for it gave me the chance to ride the road with my hero and mentor and to get inside his “middle-aged and crazy” mind. Terry Funk is simply everything that is right about this business. I think my fellow Florida Panhandle neighbor, the Road Dogg Jesse James, put it best when Terry walked past one day and he said, “I don’t care what the announcers tell everybody-that’s the real toughest son of a bitch in the World Wrestling Federation.”

Was the riding with Terry and learning from him really what you took out of all this?

Let’s discuss the rest of Mania before we talk about Raw the next night…

Pete Rose got tombstoned Mick! What’d you think of that?

The first Taker - Kane match took place after Pete and saw Taker win with 3 tombstones. Were you happy to see Glen Jacobs get his spot and take full advantage of it?

Were you disappointed that you never got a Mania spot with Taker?

Earl Hebner would miss Wrestlemania after being hospitalized with a possible brain aneurysm and Michaels dedicated his match to Earl. What do you remember of this time frame about Earl?

How important was Earl to you and the other wrestlers?

Obviously in the main event Steve Austin captured the WWF title from Shawn Michaels. How did Shawn get through this match do you know?

How happy were you to see Steve get the title win and in the biggest spot and bigger platform possible?

How important was Tyson to getting eyes on the product and then the payoff?

Did you have any idea what was about to come?

When did you realize how bad Terry’s back was?

When you get to the arena and you see Sean Waltman there - and the plan to form a new DX with Hunter as leader - Waltman - and then the Outlaws…did you feel like you were just another babyface being fed to help make heels?

Why a cage match? So you can get away with Terry’s injury?

Before we get to the match - coming off WrestleMania - Raw beats Nitro in first head-to-head hour and wins five of eight quarters…that had to feel like a success right?

Waltman goes out and cuts this promo on Eric Bischoff about him being let go - and how Nash & Hall are being held hostage. What did you think of mentioning the competition like that - very anti Vince wasn’t it?

Now the main event…from the Torch:

“[Q8: 3.2]… (7) The New Age Outlaws beat Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie at 4:40 to capture the held-up WWF Tag Team Titles.. Road Dogg wore Al Snow’s “J.O.B. Squad” t-shirt that read on the back, “Pin me, Pay me” with a body outline lying on the mat. The Outlaws chained Funk by the neck to the cage. Cactus gave the Outlaws a double-DDT and then climbed the cage. Hunter, Waltman, and Chyna ran to the ring. Waltman gave Cactus a chairshot leading to the pin. Road Dogg covered Cactus in unique fashion. After the match Waltman gave Cactus the Bronco Buster in the corner. Lawler said the Outlaws are the newest additions to DX. They climbed the cage together to end the snow…”

There you are in the ring - watching Terry handcuffed to the cage - as the new heel faction is crowned…

Did you know that it was the end of Cactus?

Let alone the fact in almost a month both of you will have flipped roles…

Leaving Raw that night…did you ask yourself…what’s next?