THE ROCK (C) VS. KEN SHAMROCK

 Tennessee Lee is in the ring, and he introduces Gennifer Flowers and Jeff Jarrett. The Rock makes his way out first, with Kama, D’Lo Brown, and Mark Henry closely following. We see Ken Shamrock taking a brutal chair shot directly to the face, a couple of weeks previously, on Raw. 6 nights previously, it was Farooq who was hit with a chair by The Rock, which may explain his absence for this match. Ken Shamrock makes his way out.

Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are on commentary for this match, our ring announcer

THE ROCK © VS. KEN SHAMROCK (WWF Intercontinental Championship) 

WWF WrestleMania 14 (29th March 1998)

  Ken Shamrock wastes no time, knocking Rock down with a right hand. The Rock is sent off the ropes, he ducks the clotheslines but not the kick, The Rock is sent over the top to the floor.

  The Rock tries to walk out of the match, but Shamrock follows him up the ramp and takes him over by the stage and the crowd. Shamrock sends Rock into the guard rail on his way back to the ring to break the count. The momentary breather gives The Rock a chance to fight back with right hands. The Rock tries to send Shamrock into the steps, but it’s blocked and countered. Ken Shamrock brings it back into the ring. The Rock reverses an irish whip, but Shamrock explodes out of the corner with a clothesline. Another clothesline knocks The Rock down, Shamrock connects with a hook kick and mounted punches. The Rock drags Shamrock through the ropes to the floor and sends him into the ring steps. Back in the ring, The Rock slams Shamrock and hits the People’s Elbow for 2.

  Ken Shamrock sends The Rock into the ropes, Rocky ducks a clothesline but Shamrock sidesteps him and sends the champion over to the floor. Shamrock leaves the ring too and knocks The Rock down with a clothesline and throws him back into the ring, Ken Shamrock grabs the timekeeper's chair and argues with the referee before shoving him. The Rock picks up the chair and hits Shamrock in the face again. The Rock covers, 1,2, no! Ken Shamrock has found His Zone. he connects with right hands and sends The Rock off the ropes into a back elbow and a jumping leg lariat. Ken Shamrock sends The Rock across the ring, he runs into a powerslam, but The Rock kicks out at 2. The replay of The Rock’s chairshot to Shamrock means that we miss the Belly to Belly suplex, which sets up the Ankle Lock. The Rock taps out, but Ken Shamrock refuses to release the hold. 

WINNER: THE ROCK via Disqualification (STILL WWF Intercontinental Champion)

 This was an angle disguised as a match, with the tension between The Rock and Farooq boiling over whilst Ken Shamrock gets a taste of the Intercontinental Championship. [STARS] /10

After the match, Ken Shamrock takes out the members of the Nation of Domination, he goes back to the Ankle Lock on The Rock and Farooq runs out, but stops on the apron before returning to the back. A crowd of referees and office staff run out to the ring, Ken Shamrock attacks anything that moves as The Rock is stretchered out.

  Howard Finkel announces that the referee has reversed his decision due to Ken Shamrock not releasing the Ankle Lock, and The Rock retains the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Ken Shamrock sprints to the top of the ramp, attacking The Rock and throwing him from the stretcher before posing with the belt.