WWF FULLY LOADED

As the saying goes, the WWF is cocked, locked, and fully loaded for tonight's PPV! Here is the ever popular ratings guide straight from your man, the Balrog!

Austin -v- Undertaker
I think that First Blood matches are really cool. The WWF hasn't had one in about a year and the last one that they had rocked. The last First Blood match in the big two was between Hogan and Flair and even those two guys rocked the house down when they got it on First Blood style! The thing that I believe will put this match ahead of the other recent ones is the stipulation of the end of an era. Personally, I think that the ending will be a muster of people with someone screwing up costing The Undertaker the match and costing Vince his spot on the WWF's Television shows. However, if Austin is defeated, look for him to get a title shot the very next night on RAW because of an added stipulation that McMahon okay-ed when he didn't read the contract that he signed a few weeks ago. Some people think that the Undertaker can no longer perform at his past levels. To these people, I offer this match. Watch it, he will perform. Pre-match rating - 5

Jarrett -v- Edge
Normally the Intercontinental Title is the second highest title in the federation, but it doesn't always seem that the belt is defended before the main event. I think that a big problem that the WWF has with their title is the fact that no one really likes Jarrett as much as they like Debra. A very popular rumor has Edge winning the title and Debra tonight, but I don't think that the young gun will take it all! If anything, Edge may win the title, but I believe Debra will be staying with J-E-Double F, ha ha, J-A-Double R-E-Double T, ha ha, Jeff Jarrett. I can see this match being a sleeper hit of the night...Pre-match rating - 4

Hardyz/Hayes -v- Acolytes
People e-mail me asking why the WWF brought back the Michael Hayes character. Well, Hayes really wanted to return to the ring despite his ailing back and neck injuries. His main purpose of returning to competition was simply to bring back his Freebirds. The reason why he is in this match is simply to cost the Hardyz their title. Everyone is predicting that Hayes will foul up and get kicked out of the trio. I agree. Pre-match rating - 4

Rock -v- HHH
Although she will be involved in another match, I think that Chyna will be the deciding factor in this strap match. The WWF has not had a strap match in a long while. It is going to be refreshing to see these two superstars grapple in another form of a wrestling event. While these two men have probably wrestled more than any other two guys in the WWF, they always put on a great show. Tonight will be no different. Pre-match rating - 4

Road Dogg/X-Pac - Chyna/Mr. Ass
The WWF has a golden opportunity tonight to rejoin one of the greatest groups in the WWF's recent history. As the Fully Loaded preview goes, Degeneration X brought a generation to its knees. This match will be chocked full of athletes as all three men and Chyna are at top physical condition and are some of the best younger athletes in the federation. There are rumors that Shawn Michaels may be returning tonight or tomorrow on RAW to bring together a new Degeneration X, but that remains to be seen. Besides, who would he side with? I'm looking for X-pac to take the match with help from Kane. Pre-match rating - 4

Kane -v- The Big Show
The biggest part about this match is not the chokeslams involved, but the referee. The Big Shot, Hardcore Holly is going to be the decision maker in this match. After Wight pulled him out of the mouths of the Acolytes on RAW, one has to think the Holly is a little biased towards The Big Show. I see this match as having interference by X-pac to even out the score and for The Big Show to win with that huge Showstopper chokeslam. Also, I can see a match on RAW tomorrow of The Big Show/Shot -v- Kane/X-pac. Pre-match rating - 4.5

Mideon -v- D-Lo Brown
Besides probably being the opening match, this match has given two young superstars the opportunity to call themselves champion. The WWF gives up WAY WAY WAY to easily when it comes to new belts and they really dropped the ball when Shane retired the title a few months ago. This title should have stayed active and it should have been used for the current storyline that it is now in. The European Title is the WWF's equivalent of the Television Title in WCW. This is a belt that can make superstars out of lower card wrestlers. Hey, I wonder if Ivory will be in D'Lo's corner? Haven't seen her in a while. I am looking for D'Lo to snag the title tonight. Pre-match rating - 4

Shamrock -v- Blackman
The WWF has really done a great job of building Blackman up to be the Lethal Weapon. With all of the internet rumors concerning the return to the UFC of Shamrock, I would imagine that the WWF is going to really put Blackman over by having him injure Shamrock to the point where he has to "leave" the WWF. What is an Iron Circle match anyway? We'll find out tonight! Can you say sleeper match? Pre-match rating - 4

Snow -v- Bossman
When the WWF began their Hardcore division, it was some of the most exciting, brutal action that anyone had ever seen. I think that we are in for a treat tonight as the WWF is set to let their Hardcore division explode with the coming of Smackdown in August. I see the Big Bossman getting the title back tonight not only to help him stay a big name player, but to add some life to the Hardcore title. This is going to be some hardcore stuff tonight! Again, can you say sleeper? Pre-match rating - 4

The WWF has really out done themselves on this PPV. While they claim that there are no longer the Big Five PPVs, that all twelve will be equally as big, one has to agree with them simply because of the magnitude of this event. The only thing really missing from the nine match event is a Women's Title defense and a Lightweight title defense. By the way, the WWF is looking to start both divisions at 100% with the advent of Smackdown. All in all, this one will be one to remember! Pre-event rating - 4.5

Also, I expect a Test and Stephanie occurance on HeAT as well as many interviews.

Now for some quick news bits!

- Austin and Debra ARE living together in Texas. There is no talk of the couple getting "hitched" but sources say that the two are very much alike in that they love hunting and doing outdoors stuff. Congratulations to the two superstars!

- RAW will be live every week after SummerSlam! Smackdown will be taped during the Tuesday tapings. The WWF will get a maximum usage of their crew and production facilities under this new program. Also, it is expected that Metal/Jakked and HeAT will still be taped on the RAW night, so that the Smackdown set will not have to be re-assembled after tapings before the show on Tuesdays. More on this as it comes!

- The absolute latest on the Mero - WWF case is that the inevitable has happened. The WWF settled out of court and all that is really known is that Rena and Marc are out of the WWF for good and that the Sable character will remain a Titan trademark. The WWF also has added a stipulation that Rena cannot work for another wrestling organization until 2001, but she claims that she wants nothing to do with wrestling anymore and is focusing on her "acting" career. If you call doing an AbMaster Infomerical and a Cosmetics Informercial acting, then there is a problem there! Also, as stated before, Marc Mero has been released from the WWF and he has been wished the best of luck.

- It seems that in the past few days, the relationship of Terri and Dustin Runnels has deteriorated to the point where the couple is not only separating, but divorcing. At the beginning of the week, the rumor was that Dustin would be retained by the WWF in a backstage role, but after Dustin's visit to the WCW and his apparent approval of a new contract with the WCW (not signing just approval), the couple has decided that a separation is not enough and that they want a divorce. There were some rumors that the two have been on shaky ground for the past few years, but this looks like the final straw.

- Jim Ross's e-mail address! jr@wwf.com This is the best chance that we have of getting the Natural Disasters back in the WWF before the WCW grabs up John Tenta! Send your e-mail to JR NOW!

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