What Could Have Been XI
Three weeks later at Judgment Day, the Undertaker was scheduled to meet Stone Cold Steve Austin in a no disqualification match for the WWF Championship. As the main event began both men made their way out to the ring.
In the time since Kane had tricked the Undertaker to the hospital he had once more gone back to his 'American Badass' self. Well used to watching his back against overwhelming odds, he had managed to cause the Power Trip about as much trouble as they had him. Taker would be glad to when Kane came back onto the roster, though. The Hardy Boyz had helped him out now and again, but he wanted to show Austin and HHH just what type of payback the Brothers of Destruction were capable of when they were working together.
When Stone Cold entered the ring the two men didn't wait to go after each other. The Undertaker gained the early advantage when he overpowered Austin and threw him into one of the ring's corners. Once he had Austin there he assaulted the Rattlesnake with fierce shots to the body and head. Quickly following up, the Undertaker threw Austin into the opposite corner and repeated the process. By now Stone Cold was reeling.
The Undertaker hurled Austin into the ropes and bent down, getting ready to flip him high over his shoulder. Austin managed to grab onto the ropes, however, and stopped his movement. Then, catching the Undertaker before he had recovered, the Rattlesnake delivered a hard kick to Taker's face. Taker just shrugged it off, and stood tall confronting Austin.
Stone Cold refused to be intimidated, and the two men traded a series of hard right hands. Unfortunately for Austin, in such a battle he was no match for the Undertaker. Taker hit Austin with an incredible right, sending him straight down to the canvas. Before Taker could take advantage of the situation, the Rattlesnake rolled to the outside of the ring to try and collect himself. The Undertaker quickly followed him.
Austin led the Undertaker around the ring. Grabbing a chair, Austin nailed the Undertaker over the head when he rounded the corner of the ring, which was perfectly legal under the no disqualification rules. Now Austin had Taker reeling, and connected three more time with the chair before rolling him back into the ring. Austin didn't follow quickly enough, stopping instead to trade insults with some fans sitting at ringside. The Undertaker was already getting to his feet as the Rattlesnake came through the ropes.
Austin advanced on Taker with the chair, but the Undertaker managed to get a foot up and send the chair right back into Austin's face. As Stone Cold fell to the canvas the Undertaker quickly went for the cover, but Austin kicked out at the count of two.
Taker ruthlessly grabbed Austin by the neck and yanked him back to his feet. The Undertaker prepared to chokeslam Austin, but instead received a kick below the belt as Stone Cold countered. Taker went down on one knee as he fought against the pain in his groin. Austin picked up the chair again and ruthlessly hit the Undertaker in the forehead with it. Taker went down and Austin covered him, but just as the referee, Earl Hebner, was about to count three the Undertaker got a shoulder up.
Austin was in shock, and turned around to argue with Hebner. This gave the Undertaker a chance to recover from the chair shot. As Austin turned back to continue fighting, Taker kicked him in the face and sent him back down to the canvass. Now it was Taker's turn to have some fun with the chair, and he hit Austin several times with it. Not satisfied, the Undertaker left the ring and grabbed the upper portion of the ring steps, throwing them into the squared circle. Then the Undertaker got back into the ring and pulled Stone Cold up again. Austin had been playing possum, however, and he attacked the Undertaker with a flurry of punches to the midsection, stunning the big man.
Using the ropes to add to his momentum, the Rattlesnake hurled himself at the Undertaker, knocking him down. Austin continued to throw punches at Taker, then shifted position and used his knee to choke him until the referee pulled him off Taker.
Once more, Stone Cold went to the outside of the ring, this time grabbing the ring bell and swiftly getting back inside. He waited patiently as the Undertaker used the ropes to get unsteadily to his feet. Then, when the Undertaker turned around, Austin hit him in the head with the corner of the bell. Taker fell into the ropes with his hand on his head, using the ropes to stay more or less upright. When he removed his hand from his head and looked up, the crowd gasped as they saw blood oozing from a cut about an inch above his right eye. The Undertaker looked at the blood that covered his hand, then brought it to his mouth and actually licked it off. Then he met Austin's shocked eyes and smiled evilly as he disentangled himself from the ropes.
Needless to say Stone Cold was afraid. His head moved rapidly back and forth searching for a weapon as the Undertaker advanced on him. Austin saw his discarded chair a little ways behind him and turned to pick it up. As he did, the Undertaker easily lifted the steps that he had thrown into the ring earlier in the match. When Austin turned around with the chair raised, Taker threw the steps at him. Stone Cold crumpled down onto the canvas.
Once more, the Undertaker pulled Austin up and prepared to give him the last ride. Suddenly from behind Taker HHH emerged from the crowd. Grabbing a chair of his own as he ran into the ring, he hit Taker in the lower back with it. Taker dropped Austin and fell to his knees. HHH continued the attack as Austin recovered. When he could move again, Austin covered the Undertaker but once again the Dead Man somehow managed to kick out before Hebner could count to three.
Austin was irate, and picked up his chair. He and Hunter then began to viciously yet systematically take the Undertaker apart.
Then the lights went out.
Suddenly...BANG...the ring posts and pyro machine at the top of the ramp all erupted in flames. A red light illuminated the arena as a huge, imposing form appeared in the entryway. It was Kane!
Still wearing a cast on his left wrist, Kane ran down to the ring. Austin and HHH were so intent on Kane's entrance that they momentarily forgot about the Undertaker. While Taker was in no condition to take advantage of that to go on the attack, he did get back to his feet and began to catch his breath.
As Kane slid into the ring Austin moved to intercept him, but wasn't fast enough and received a huge boot to the face for his troubles. As HHH rushed to come to Austin's aid he neglected to watch where he was going, and tripped over the discarded ring bell. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Kane grabbed the off-balance HHH by the throat and chokeslammed him with such fury that Hunter actually left an indentation in the ring canvas. The Game lay motionless in the crater, as Kane stood over him in satisfied triumph.
Meanwhile, both Austin and the Undertaker were back up and were once again trading blows. Then Taker let loose with a thunderous clothesline that sent Austin flying backwards into the ropes. The Rattlesnake rebounded into the Undertaker's waiting grasp. The Dead Man got Austin into position for the Last Ride, then threw him up onto his shoulders. Lifting Austin high above his shoulders, the Undertaker paused for a moment, then delivered a devastating Last Ride directly onto the metal chair that Austin himself had brought into the ring. Knowing the outcome was a foregone conclusion; Taker casually covered Austin as the referee and the crowd counted one, two, three.
Hebner called for the bell, ending the match, and declared the Undertaker the winner...and NEW WWF Champion!
As Hebner handed the title belt to the Undertaker Kane made his way to his brother's side. They looked at each other for a long moment, then Kane reached out and grasped Taker's arm, raising it in victory. As their arms came down the ring posts once again erupted in fire, and the Undertaker's theme blasted from the sound system.
Together the Brothers of Destruction left the ring and made their way up the ramp. At the top they paused and, backs still to the crowd, raised their right fists in silent tribute to the fans before the disappeared behind the curtain.
******************************************
And from her ringside seat, Nurse Nathalie Martin cheered for all she was worth.
Three weeks later at Judgment Day, the Undertaker was scheduled to meet Stone Cold Steve Austin in a no disqualification match for the WWF Championship. As the main event began both men made their way out to the ring.
In the time since Kane had tricked the Undertaker to the hospital he had once more gone back to his 'American Badass' self. Well used to watching his back against overwhelming odds, he had managed to cause the Power Trip about as much trouble as they had him. Taker would be glad to when Kane came back onto the roster, though. The Hardy Boyz had helped him out now and again, but he wanted to show Austin and HHH just what type of payback the Brothers of Destruction were capable of when they were working together.
When Stone Cold entered the ring the two men didn't wait to go after each other. The Undertaker gained the early advantage when he overpowered Austin and threw him into one of the ring's corners. Once he had Austin there he assaulted the Rattlesnake with fierce shots to the body and head. Quickly following up, the Undertaker threw Austin into the opposite corner and repeated the process. By now Stone Cold was reeling.
The Undertaker hurled Austin into the ropes and bent down, getting ready to flip him high over his shoulder. Austin managed to grab onto the ropes, however, and stopped his movement. Then, catching the Undertaker before he had recovered, the Rattlesnake delivered a hard kick to Taker's face. Taker just shrugged it off, and stood tall confronting Austin.
Stone Cold refused to be intimidated, and the two men traded a series of hard right hands. Unfortunately for Austin, in such a battle he was no match for the Undertaker. Taker hit Austin with an incredible right, sending him straight down to the canvas. Before Taker could take advantage of the situation, the Rattlesnake rolled to the outside of the ring to try and collect himself. The Undertaker quickly followed him.
Austin led the Undertaker around the ring. Grabbing a chair, Austin nailed the Undertaker over the head when he rounded the corner of the ring, which was perfectly legal under the no disqualification rules. Now Austin had Taker reeling, and connected three more time with the chair before rolling him back into the ring. Austin didn't follow quickly enough, stopping instead to trade insults with some fans sitting at ringside. The Undertaker was already getting to his feet as the Rattlesnake came through the ropes.
Austin advanced on Taker with the chair, but the Undertaker managed to get a foot up and send the chair right back into Austin's face. As Stone Cold fell to the canvas the Undertaker quickly went for the cover, but Austin kicked out at the count of two.
Taker ruthlessly grabbed Austin by the neck and yanked him back to his feet. The Undertaker prepared to chokeslam Austin, but instead received a kick below the belt as Stone Cold countered. Taker went down on one knee as he fought against the pain in his groin. Austin picked up the chair again and ruthlessly hit the Undertaker in the forehead with it. Taker went down and Austin covered him, but just as the referee, Earl Hebner, was about to count three the Undertaker got a shoulder up.
Austin was in shock, and turned around to argue with Hebner. This gave the Undertaker a chance to recover from the chair shot. As Austin turned back to continue fighting, Taker kicked him in the face and sent him back down to the canvass. Now it was Taker's turn to have some fun with the chair, and he hit Austin several times with it. Not satisfied, the Undertaker left the ring and grabbed the upper portion of the ring steps, throwing them into the squared circle. Then the Undertaker got back into the ring and pulled Stone Cold up again. Austin had been playing possum, however, and he attacked the Undertaker with a flurry of punches to the midsection, stunning the big man.
Using the ropes to add to his momentum, the Rattlesnake hurled himself at the Undertaker, knocking him down. Austin continued to throw punches at Taker, then shifted position and used his knee to choke him until the referee pulled him off Taker.
Once more, Stone Cold went to the outside of the ring, this time grabbing the ring bell and swiftly getting back inside. He waited patiently as the Undertaker used the ropes to get unsteadily to his feet. Then, when the Undertaker turned around, Austin hit him in the head with the corner of the bell. Taker fell into the ropes with his hand on his head, using the ropes to stay more or less upright. When he removed his hand from his head and looked up, the crowd gasped as they saw blood oozing from a cut about an inch above his right eye. The Undertaker looked at the blood that covered his hand, then brought it to his mouth and actually licked it off. Then he met Austin's shocked eyes and smiled evilly as he disentangled himself from the ropes.
Needless to say Stone Cold was afraid. His head moved rapidly back and forth searching for a weapon as the Undertaker advanced on him. Austin saw his discarded chair a little ways behind him and turned to pick it up. As he did, the Undertaker easily lifted the steps that he had thrown into the ring earlier in the match. When Austin turned around with the chair raised, Taker threw the steps at him. Stone Cold crumpled down onto the canvas.
Once more, the Undertaker pulled Austin up and prepared to give him the last ride. Suddenly from behind Taker HHH emerged from the crowd. Grabbing a chair of his own as he ran into the ring, he hit Taker in the lower back with it. Taker dropped Austin and fell to his knees. HHH continued the attack as Austin recovered. When he could move again, Austin covered the Undertaker but once again the Dead Man somehow managed to kick out before Hebner could count to three.
Austin was irate, and picked up his chair. He and Hunter then began to viciously yet systematically take the Undertaker apart.
Then the lights went out.
Suddenly...BANG...the ring posts and pyro machine at the top of the ramp all erupted in flames. A red light illuminated the arena as a huge, imposing form appeared in the entryway. It was Kane!
Still wearing a cast on his left wrist, Kane ran down to the ring. Austin and HHH were so intent on Kane's entrance that they momentarily forgot about the Undertaker. While Taker was in no condition to take advantage of that to go on the attack, he did get back to his feet and began to catch his breath.
As Kane slid into the ring Austin moved to intercept him, but wasn't fast enough and received a huge boot to the face for his troubles. As HHH rushed to come to Austin's aid he neglected to watch where he was going, and tripped over the discarded ring bell. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Kane grabbed the off-balance HHH by the throat and chokeslammed him with such fury that Hunter actually left an indentation in the ring canvas. The Game lay motionless in the crater, as Kane stood over him in satisfied triumph.
Meanwhile, both Austin and the Undertaker were back up and were once again trading blows. Then Taker let loose with a thunderous clothesline that sent Austin flying backwards into the ropes. The Rattlesnake rebounded into the Undertaker's waiting grasp. The Dead Man got Austin into position for the Last Ride, then threw him up onto his shoulders. Lifting Austin high above his shoulders, the Undertaker paused for a moment, then delivered a devastating Last Ride directly onto the metal chair that Austin himself had brought into the ring. Knowing the outcome was a foregone conclusion; Taker casually covered Austin as the referee and the crowd counted one, two, three.
Hebner called for the bell, ending the match, and declared the Undertaker the winner...and NEW WWF Champion!
As Hebner handed the title belt to the Undertaker Kane made his way to his brother's side. They looked at each other for a long moment, then Kane reached out and grasped Taker's arm, raising it in victory. As their arms came down the ring posts once again erupted in fire, and the Undertaker's theme blasted from the sound system.
Together the Brothers of Destruction left the ring and made their way up the ramp. At the top they paused and, backs still to the crowd, raised their right fists in silent tribute to the fans before the disappeared behind the curtain.
******************************************
And from her ringside seat, Nurse Nathalie Martin cheered for all she was worth.
