Match 1: Raw 2008 - Chris Jericho & JBL vs. Batista & Shawn Michaels
JBL
ambushes Shawn Michaels backstage before the match as Chris Jericho
grins on his way to the ring. It is now a handicap match. Batista
manages to fight the two off until Michaels makes a comeback. Batista
hits a Batista Bomb on JBL to secure the win. Basic Raw main event here
and credit to Batista who did a great job in the match without a tag
partner. Was able to get in a good amount of offense before being
overpowered against his opponents. Made Michaels returning to the ring
that much sweeter. How I miss these days of Raw.
Winners: Batista & Shawn Michaels
Rating: *3/4
Match 2: SmackDown 2009 - Batista & Shane McMahon vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase
Another
strange addition to the DVD. Nonetheless, it's another television match
as Batista teams with Shane McMahon to take on Cody Rhodes & Ted
DiBiase before their bout at Backlash. Despite being an odd pick for the
DVD, it was a fine match that displayed Batista nearing the end of his
run in the WWE while also showing a skinnier Shane McMahon. Felt like a
prolonged squash match with Batista hitting a sweet Spinebuster on
Rhodes for the finish. Another basic television main event on the DVD
for whatever reason. Better than the first match but nothing notable to
really note other than the cool finish.
Winners: Batista & Shane McMahon
Rating: **
Match 3: Extreme Rules 2009 - WWE Championship - Steel Cage - Randy Orton (c) vs. Batista
I
remember this match like it was yesterday, news broke out all over the
internet that Batista had suffered another injury and would be taking
more time off. No way Randy Orton retains! Right? Wrong! They had a
pretty quick and pretty good match here. It felt like they were fast
forwarding the match but it still had substance to it. Batista was able
to hit a Batista Bomb and win the belt. Love his reaction afterwards. He
looked legitimately amped to rub it in everyone's face. Also love how
the win was done in the cage. The escaping the cage finish gets done too
often. I also liked the curveball, but I don't like the constant title
changes. I'm a firm believe that it diminishes the importance of the
title. Good match for what it was worth. Should note that Batista did
look a little bit extra motivated here. Can only imagine how he felt
suffering another injury after just returning from one. Not sure what
the specifics were but he definitely still looked good. Never understood
the hate for Batista, the passion is in his work.
Winner: Batista
Rating: ***
Original Rating: **3/4
Match 4: SmackDown 2009 - Batista vs. CM Punk
Another
television match here as the newest addition to SmackDown in Batista
takes on a wounded CM Punk. Punk was white hot in 2009, pouring out
great match after great match. He really knew how to adjust to his
opponents and this match here against Batista is a great example. Jim
Ross was also great in noting how Punk was able to adapt to Batista's
strength and put it out of the equation by taking the match to the
ground. Good stuff here that saw Punk escape from a Batista Bomb attempt
on the outside. He jumped into the ring and scored the victory as the
referee counted out Batista. Batista then came inside to finish the job
after the match. Ever wonder why it's okay for a babyface to do this?
Anyway, a good television match here but nothing too exciting. Another
odd choice of a match to put on here but I guess the choices get much
slimmer down the years.
Winner: CM Punk
Rating: *3/4
Match 5: Survivor Series 2009 - Rey Mysterio vs. Batista
Batista's
awesome heel turn at Bragging Rights has led to him facing his former
best friend in Rey Mysterio in Batista's hometown of Washington D.C. This was basically a glorified squash match that saw Mysterio do his best to ground Batista before Batista overpowered Mysterio fairly quickly. Batista hit a couple Batista Bombs before the referee made the decision to call the match. Batista then hit a Spinebuster to Mysterio onto a steel chair. Good first match between the two. It's obvious there would be more matches between the two but the main fact that Mysterio is way out of his league has been established.
Winner: Batista
Rating: *3/4
Match 6: SmackDown 2009 - Street Fight - Rey Mysterio vs. Batista
We finally get the rematch from the former best friends on an edition of Friday Night SmackDown. A little different than their last match but also a little bit of the same. The only difference being that this match is held under no disqualification rules. However, the only changing factor that came into play was the steel chair. It made sense considering Batista would be facing The Undertaker in a Chairs match of all things at the TLC PPV. Mysterio got more offense in here but was overpowered by Batista again. After a Spinebuster, Batista nailed Mysterio with a single chair shot to the head for the finish. Afterwards, Batista looks to beat down Mysterio one more time before The Undertaker comes out to make the save. Really wish the WWE would have made a bigger deal with this feud. The end to what was a very underwhelming feud between two former friends. So unfortunate we never got to see a longer match between them. Would personally have loved to have seen a culmination at WrestleMania or another big stage rather than SmackDown considering their history. Also dislike the fact that Mysterio was used as Batista's television feud and a way to put Batista even more over for his match against The Undertaker.
Winner: Batista
Rating: **1/4
Match 7: Raw 2010 - Batista vs. Sheamus vs. Randy Orton
Batista works so great as a heel, both on the mic and in the ring. A triple threat match here from Monday Night Raw in 2010 with the winner being the #1 contender for the WWE Championship at Over the Limit. John Cena make the match official as the three men argue who should deserve the title shot. Decent main event match that showcased Batista as a premier heel and Randy Orton as a premier babyface with Sheamus on the come up. Good distribution of offense from the three that finally saw Orton hit an RKO on Sheamus before Edge came out to Spear Orton for his troubles. Batista made the cover on Orton and scores another chance for the gold. This match just screamed 2010, veterans cluttering the main event scene with Sheamus being in the backdrop. Still, a nice way to set up the main event for Over the Limit. By the way, nobody is more annoying than Matt Striker on commentary.
Winner: Batista
Rating: **3/4
Match 8: Over the Limit 2010 - WWE Championship - I Quit - John Cena (c) vs. Batista
This would later go on to be Batista's final match in the WWE before returning to the company four years later. Love how Batista starts the match on the mic as he gives John Cena a chance at quitting before the match even begins. Of course, Cena politely declines by slamming the mic to Batista's skull. Like Last Man Standing matches, I Quit matches can tend to drag with the referee constantly becoming a factor in stopping the pace of the match. That wasn't much of a problem here as the action flowed nicely and the two got a pretty equal amount of offense in with the high spots in Batista slamming Cena through the announce table and Cena tossing Batista off a ledge as he landed onto security. Ending saw Batista try to ram the car on the set into Cena who got out of the way and hit an Attitude Adjustment onto Batista atop the hood of the car. Batista then quit as Cena looked to give him another AA off the top of the car. However, Cena went ahead and gave him the AA as he drove Batista through the stage. Fun match and a decisive way for Cena to cap off his feud against The Animal. Interesting fact in Batista noting in interviews four years later that the finish ended up breaking his back. Fortunately for him, Batista would go on to take a long break from the company soon after.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: ****1/4
Match 9: Royal Rumble 2014 - 2014 Royal Rumble (Taken from WWE Royal Rumble 2014 Review)
I want to mention that this crowd is super hot. But constantly
chanting for Daniel Bryan has got to be the most annoying thing ever.
Enjoy who is wrestling in the ring because the show isn't just about one
person. With that being said, CM Punk and Seth Rollins open up the 2014
edition of the Royal Rumble. Great call, you want two guys who can go
the distance to start the match and these two are perfect. For me, a
great Rumble match will have surprises, ups, downs, and star-making
performances. This one had it and as a result, was one of my favorite
Rumbles in recent memory. Pacing is key for this match and never once
did I felt like it dragged, there was enough star power scattered
throughout with guys like The Shield coming in and looking like animals.
Also, Kofi did another memorable Rumble moment as he jumped back into
the ring from the barricade. Crowd ate it up. I enjoy when the Rumble
tosses in a couple comedy moments. I think people take things way too
seriously and forget to enjoy wrestling. El Torito coming in and
eliminating Fandango was hilarious. As was JBL, who was an entrant and
the crowd went nuts! He got in the ring and Roman Reigns quickly made
work of him. It was still really cool to see him act like a douche and
enter the Rumble casually, though. Speaking of Reigns, he was the man in
this Rumble. But first, I want to talk more of the match itself.
Sheamus coming back from his injury was another bright spot, crowd
popped big and he looked like he hadn't lost a step. Let's not forget
about a missed opportunity in Dolph Ziggler, they had Jim Duggan put him
over earlier before the match and Ziggler received an enormous ovation.
However, he was disposed pretty quickly and didn't get a chance to
leave an imprint. The Wyatt Family should have done more and should have
been more dominant, especially considering they were part of the
previous match helping Orton beat Cena. They got a few eliminations but
they never sank their teeth into the match. The final four consisted of
CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Sheamus, and Batista. Punk was eliminated when
Corporate Kane arrived out of nowhere and tossed Punk out of the ring
and through the announcers table. We're down to three. Crowd still
chanting for Bryan. Sheamus and Batista go at it as Batista flings
Sheamus over the top rope where a running Roman Reigns rams into Sheamus
for Reigns' 12th elimination, beating Kane's record of 11. It's now
between Reigns and Batista. Crowd is crapping all over Batista as Reigns
looks to hit Batista with a Superman Punch! Batista counters and hits a
Spear! Crowd hates it, I love it! Then Reigns turns the tables and hits
a Spear of his own! But out of nowhere, Batista tosses Reigns outside
and wins! Batista has won the rumble twice and is going to WrestleMania
XXX! What a Rumble and what a performance for Reigns. I've been reading
so many bad reviews of the match but I loved it. I enjoyed it from top
to bottom and while in the minority, I enjoyed the ending.
Winner: Batista
Rating: ****1/2
Match 10: Elimination Chamber 2014 - Batista vs. Alberto Del Rio (Taken from WWE Elimination Chamber 2014 Review)
Crowd is so rapidly against Batista, it's pretty crazy and in my
opinion, unfortunate. But they want what they want and they sure as hell
want their Daniel Bryan. Del Rio comes out in a track outfit along with
a cast around his neck and a crutch. He then attacks Batista from
behind with the crutch and reveals that he was faking the injury. They
go back and fourth a little bit before Batista hits his Batista Bomb for
the win. Crowd crapped all over it and the announcers weren't helping
the cause. Little feeding match for Batista as we head into New Orleans.
Winner: Batista
Rating: *1/4
Overall Thoughts and Rating:
An extremely odd array of matches for disc 3. It's nice to have television matches on a DVD but the choices were more than questionable. While the match quality wasn't the absolute best, it was still a nice way to display Batista's 2009-2010 years along with his return in 2014. When taking that fact into account, it's kind of cool to see the evolution of Batista's character (no pun intended). Still, it doesn't discount the fact that the match choices were poor and lazily put together.
Rating: 5/10
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
ECW One Night Stand 2006 Review
Match 1: Tazz vs. Jerry Lawler
The atmosphere for this was absolutely electric. Before the match, Paul Heyman cut a promo on the rebirth of ECW where he hilariously put over the Tuesday night show. Anyway, Tazz comes out to a huge pop as Jerry Lawler came out afterwards to a boos across the board. You could just feel the hate! Lawler disgustingly walks out where he slapped Joey Styles on his way to the ring. As the bell rang, Styles attacked Lawler where Tazz then jumped in and locked the Tazmission for the quick win. Some sort of odd finish was expected when taking into account the injury background of Tazz. Regardless, the energy to start the show was incredible and it was a nice way to open up the card.
Winner: Tazz
Rating: n/a
Match 2: Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle
From feuding on SmackDown earlier in the year to finally meeting each other here at ECW's big show. It almost felt like I was watching a WWE match in an ECW setting, a contrast of different worlds on full display. Kurt Angle is able to dominate the match with his superior wrestling skills in the opening minutes as the raucous crowd lets Randy Orton know what they think of him. However, Orton beings to slowly figure Angle out a little bit and the match picks up another notch. Numerous reversals and false finishes that finally led to Angle Ankle Locking Orton for the finish. Fantastic story told from the opening bell to the last one. No weapons, no interference, just wrestling and these guys turned it up a notch at the right times. Angle celebrates as Orton calls for two referees to take him to the back as he waves the crowd goodbye. Great stuff here to follow up the opening match.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rating: ****
Match 3: The F.B.I. vs. Super Crazy & Tajiri
The odd pairing of Super Crazy & Tajiri go up against The Full Blooded Italians in the third bout of the evening. Lots of cool spots and nostalgic kicks from Tajiri as they battled interference from Big Guido who was ringside for the match. Fun stuff here, a break from some of the more serious action for the night. The F.B.I. are able to score the win until The Big Show makes his ECW debut and absolutely destroys everybody in plain sight. This is where he debuted the nasty Cobra Clutch Backbreaker where he tossed his opponent after into a huge whirl. Fine match here with the emphasis being placed on the debut of Big Show who got a decent pop.
Winners: The F.B.I.
Rating: **3/4
Match 4: World Heavyweight Championship - Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Sabu
This match tends to get forgotten on this pretty stacked card. Nobody really believed that Sabu would beat Rey Mysterio here, the biggest question was how exactly would Mysterio not lose the gold. What a roller coaster of a match this was. They started off with a bang and ended it with a bang. It went less than ten minutes but they more than gave us everything they got. From the loud chair swings to the three incredible table spots, this match was a sight to see in itself. They needed a finish that allowed Mysterio to not lose the title but also have Sabu not lose any of his credibility. Sabu hit Mysterio with a jumping DDT out of the ring and through a table. The doctor ran out and called off the match. The crowd didn't like it but the two guys sold the spot like it was legitimate. Fun stuff from the start that had the already lively ECW crowd go nuts.
Winner: n/a
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: Mick Foley, Edge & Lita vs. Tommy Dream, Terry Funk & Beulah McGillicutty
You want to talk about violence, you need to stop to take a look at this match right here. I loved the story behind this with Mick Foley selling out and becoming the WWE's Hardcore Champion with Edge. Who better to take these guys on then Foley's idol in Terry Funk and the face of ECW in Tommy Dreamer. After the opening promo where everybody talks mad shit on each other, Lita and Buelah McGillicutty are both added to the mix. As crazy as the crowd was for the last match, the crowd was even crazier for this one. And for damn good reason. Tazz said it best when there were weapons and bodies everywhere. The camera would show Dreamer smacking Edge over the head with a cookie sheet and immediately follow that with a shot of Foley punching the living hell out of Funk. Things really picked up when they brought out the wooden board of barbed wire. Yes, you read that right. Hearing Foley's head smack off the wood was quite disturbing. Funk was eventually taken to the back after injuring his eye but returned with a blaze of glory as he walked his bloody body through the crowd with a 2x4 wrapped in you guessed it, more barbed wire. But that wasn't enough for him, he lit the damn thing on fire! The blaze of glory continued when he smacked Foley around with it and drove him through the board outside. However, Edge would eventually come up big for his time when he drove Funk into the board with Foley and hit a Spear on Beulah for the win. That was insane and that is how you do hardcore wrestling. They topped themselves every other minute, had the crowd on their toes the entire time and finally finished it off with a nasty Spear by Edge. The pin he did on Beulah was just the cherry on top. Just as good as when I saw it a decade ago. Wild, fun, passionate and had my eyes glued to the screen the entire time.
Winners: Mick Foley, Edge & Lita
Rating: ****1/2
Match 6: Balls Mahoney vs. Masato Tanaka
This match was basically a bunch of basic wrestling moves before leading up to a devastating chair shot by Balls Mahoney for the win. They had a little bit of fun with the fans but this was nothing more than a bridge between the two main events. Credit for Masato Tanaka, always willing to take big bumps and always willing to put other guys over. Good for what it was, nothing out of the ordinary. Nice break in time for the main event of the night.
Winner: Balls Mahoney
Rating: *
Match 7: WWE Championship - John Cena (c) vs. Rob Van Dam
The atmosphere for this was insane. I always loved the atmosphere for the main event of WrestleMania 22 but this may blow it out of the water. The hate for John Cena in 2006 was at a peak as the ECW crowd wanted no part of the Cena-led era. The match started off with the crowd throwing back his shirt into the ring. It was hilarious to watch and just a sight to behold in itself. The crowd was giving Rob Van Dam all the love they could give. RVD had the advantage early on as the crowd was seemingly too much for Cena. However, we got a side of Cena we haven't really seen. He fed off the crowd and fought himself back into the match. A breath of fresh air to see Cena fight like a heel. Cena threw RVD through a steel chair placed in the corner, rammed him with the steel steps and finally locked in the STFU before the ECW referee had to break it up. The two argued before Cena finally decked him. Out of nowhere, a man in a motorcycle helmet comes out and Spears Cena through the table in the corner. The cameraman fell backwards after the Spear, not sure if that was intentional or not but it made for a nice touch. The man in the helmet then knocks out the referee and takes off the helmet to reveal himself. It's Edge! RVD hits the Frog Splash as Paul Heyman comes out to make the count. RVD is the champion of the world! He then celebrates with the fans, his wife and then entire locker room afterwards to close out the show. The match itself was incredible, maybe something that really had no right to be that good. It was raw and full of pure emotion. The ending just felt all over the place. How cool would it have been to see RVD get the clean win over Cena? And why did Heyman come out to make the count? Couldn't he have just been the referee in the first place then? Despite all that, this match is one of my personal favorites of all time. Seeing Cena fight as a heel really brought out the broad range of characters he has in his arsenal. A shame we never got to see the rematch.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Although I wasn't a fan of the way Rob Van Dam beat John Cena, the card itself was booked masterfully. An absolute spectacle of a show. There wasn't an extravagant titantron, there wasn't a crazy fireworks display and there wasn't a stadium filled with thousands of fans. There was passion, emotion and an incredible showing of professional wrestling from the opening contest to the closing match. Will we ever see something like this again? Probably not. But at least we have the WWE Network to go back and watch incredible events like this one.
Rating: 9.25/10
The atmosphere for this was absolutely electric. Before the match, Paul Heyman cut a promo on the rebirth of ECW where he hilariously put over the Tuesday night show. Anyway, Tazz comes out to a huge pop as Jerry Lawler came out afterwards to a boos across the board. You could just feel the hate! Lawler disgustingly walks out where he slapped Joey Styles on his way to the ring. As the bell rang, Styles attacked Lawler where Tazz then jumped in and locked the Tazmission for the quick win. Some sort of odd finish was expected when taking into account the injury background of Tazz. Regardless, the energy to start the show was incredible and it was a nice way to open up the card.
Winner: Tazz
Rating: n/a
Match 2: Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle
From feuding on SmackDown earlier in the year to finally meeting each other here at ECW's big show. It almost felt like I was watching a WWE match in an ECW setting, a contrast of different worlds on full display. Kurt Angle is able to dominate the match with his superior wrestling skills in the opening minutes as the raucous crowd lets Randy Orton know what they think of him. However, Orton beings to slowly figure Angle out a little bit and the match picks up another notch. Numerous reversals and false finishes that finally led to Angle Ankle Locking Orton for the finish. Fantastic story told from the opening bell to the last one. No weapons, no interference, just wrestling and these guys turned it up a notch at the right times. Angle celebrates as Orton calls for two referees to take him to the back as he waves the crowd goodbye. Great stuff here to follow up the opening match.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rating: ****
Match 3: The F.B.I. vs. Super Crazy & Tajiri
The odd pairing of Super Crazy & Tajiri go up against The Full Blooded Italians in the third bout of the evening. Lots of cool spots and nostalgic kicks from Tajiri as they battled interference from Big Guido who was ringside for the match. Fun stuff here, a break from some of the more serious action for the night. The F.B.I. are able to score the win until The Big Show makes his ECW debut and absolutely destroys everybody in plain sight. This is where he debuted the nasty Cobra Clutch Backbreaker where he tossed his opponent after into a huge whirl. Fine match here with the emphasis being placed on the debut of Big Show who got a decent pop.
Winners: The F.B.I.
Rating: **3/4
Match 4: World Heavyweight Championship - Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Sabu
This match tends to get forgotten on this pretty stacked card. Nobody really believed that Sabu would beat Rey Mysterio here, the biggest question was how exactly would Mysterio not lose the gold. What a roller coaster of a match this was. They started off with a bang and ended it with a bang. It went less than ten minutes but they more than gave us everything they got. From the loud chair swings to the three incredible table spots, this match was a sight to see in itself. They needed a finish that allowed Mysterio to not lose the title but also have Sabu not lose any of his credibility. Sabu hit Mysterio with a jumping DDT out of the ring and through a table. The doctor ran out and called off the match. The crowd didn't like it but the two guys sold the spot like it was legitimate. Fun stuff from the start that had the already lively ECW crowd go nuts.
Winner: n/a
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: Mick Foley, Edge & Lita vs. Tommy Dream, Terry Funk & Beulah McGillicutty
You want to talk about violence, you need to stop to take a look at this match right here. I loved the story behind this with Mick Foley selling out and becoming the WWE's Hardcore Champion with Edge. Who better to take these guys on then Foley's idol in Terry Funk and the face of ECW in Tommy Dreamer. After the opening promo where everybody talks mad shit on each other, Lita and Buelah McGillicutty are both added to the mix. As crazy as the crowd was for the last match, the crowd was even crazier for this one. And for damn good reason. Tazz said it best when there were weapons and bodies everywhere. The camera would show Dreamer smacking Edge over the head with a cookie sheet and immediately follow that with a shot of Foley punching the living hell out of Funk. Things really picked up when they brought out the wooden board of barbed wire. Yes, you read that right. Hearing Foley's head smack off the wood was quite disturbing. Funk was eventually taken to the back after injuring his eye but returned with a blaze of glory as he walked his bloody body through the crowd with a 2x4 wrapped in you guessed it, more barbed wire. But that wasn't enough for him, he lit the damn thing on fire! The blaze of glory continued when he smacked Foley around with it and drove him through the board outside. However, Edge would eventually come up big for his time when he drove Funk into the board with Foley and hit a Spear on Beulah for the win. That was insane and that is how you do hardcore wrestling. They topped themselves every other minute, had the crowd on their toes the entire time and finally finished it off with a nasty Spear by Edge. The pin he did on Beulah was just the cherry on top. Just as good as when I saw it a decade ago. Wild, fun, passionate and had my eyes glued to the screen the entire time.
Winners: Mick Foley, Edge & Lita
Rating: ****1/2
Match 6: Balls Mahoney vs. Masato Tanaka
This match was basically a bunch of basic wrestling moves before leading up to a devastating chair shot by Balls Mahoney for the win. They had a little bit of fun with the fans but this was nothing more than a bridge between the two main events. Credit for Masato Tanaka, always willing to take big bumps and always willing to put other guys over. Good for what it was, nothing out of the ordinary. Nice break in time for the main event of the night.
Winner: Balls Mahoney
Rating: *
Match 7: WWE Championship - John Cena (c) vs. Rob Van Dam
The atmosphere for this was insane. I always loved the atmosphere for the main event of WrestleMania 22 but this may blow it out of the water. The hate for John Cena in 2006 was at a peak as the ECW crowd wanted no part of the Cena-led era. The match started off with the crowd throwing back his shirt into the ring. It was hilarious to watch and just a sight to behold in itself. The crowd was giving Rob Van Dam all the love they could give. RVD had the advantage early on as the crowd was seemingly too much for Cena. However, we got a side of Cena we haven't really seen. He fed off the crowd and fought himself back into the match. A breath of fresh air to see Cena fight like a heel. Cena threw RVD through a steel chair placed in the corner, rammed him with the steel steps and finally locked in the STFU before the ECW referee had to break it up. The two argued before Cena finally decked him. Out of nowhere, a man in a motorcycle helmet comes out and Spears Cena through the table in the corner. The cameraman fell backwards after the Spear, not sure if that was intentional or not but it made for a nice touch. The man in the helmet then knocks out the referee and takes off the helmet to reveal himself. It's Edge! RVD hits the Frog Splash as Paul Heyman comes out to make the count. RVD is the champion of the world! He then celebrates with the fans, his wife and then entire locker room afterwards to close out the show. The match itself was incredible, maybe something that really had no right to be that good. It was raw and full of pure emotion. The ending just felt all over the place. How cool would it have been to see RVD get the clean win over Cena? And why did Heyman come out to make the count? Couldn't he have just been the referee in the first place then? Despite all that, this match is one of my personal favorites of all time. Seeing Cena fight as a heel really brought out the broad range of characters he has in his arsenal. A shame we never got to see the rematch.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Although I wasn't a fan of the way Rob Van Dam beat John Cena, the card itself was booked masterfully. An absolute spectacle of a show. There wasn't an extravagant titantron, there wasn't a crazy fireworks display and there wasn't a stadium filled with thousands of fans. There was passion, emotion and an incredible showing of professional wrestling from the opening contest to the closing match. Will we ever see something like this again? Probably not. But at least we have the WWE Network to go back and watch incredible events like this one.
Rating: 9.25/10
Friday, June 10, 2016
ECW One Night Stand 2005 Review
Match 1: Lance Storm vs. Chris Jericho
ECW's huge 2005 return starts with some technical wrestling between Lance Storm and Chris Jericho. People tend to forget ECW also represented wrestling at its purest form and not just violent wrestling. These two are perfect representations of that fact as they put on a strong, but fairly short match. Lance Storm is apparently declaring this as his final professional wrestling match even though he would go on to wrestle for many years after this. Tons of reversals and just great wrestling from the opening bell. Storm scores the win with some help from Jason Knight who smashed Jericho with a Singapore Cane. Great opening match that featured two veterans who have been going up the ranks together since the start. The chemistry they displayed showed that. Good way to start the show.
Winner: Lance Storm
Rating: ***
Match 2: Tajiri vs. Little Guido vs. Super Crazy
We get ourselves an international triple threat match with elimination rules. About what you would expect from these three guys, lots of interference from their respective groups and lots of cool spots including a sick Moonsault from Super Crazy off a balcony. After Little Guido was first eliminated, it came down to Tajiri and Super Crazy where Crazy was able to hit another Moonsault to seal the win. Fun match here that also allows the viewers to reminisce about the company's wide range of wrestling styles. Good stuff here.
Winner: Super Crazy
Rating: **3/4
Match 3: Psicosis vs. Rey Mysterio
If the last match wasn't enough crazy for you, no pun intended, you get more craziness here. Just like the previous match, you get some awesome spots and fast action from the opening bell. Even as a WWE guy in 2005, the ECW fans were definitely welcoming of Rey Mysterio. The crowd wasn't too fond of the rest holds but they were damn sure ecstatic for the sick dives into the first row. Mysterio scored the win after hitting a 619 before the WWE crusaders made their arrival to the show. Good stuff here and just like the last two matches, not too long and not too short. A nice amount of time to get the guys on the card and have them display their work.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Rating: ***
Match 4: Rhyno vs. Sabu
Rob Van Dam came out to interrupt JBL and have a very emotional speech about his passion for the company and how hurt he was for not being able to perform due to injury. Rhyno then comes out and Spears RVD before kicking RVD's knee. Lights go out and out comes Sabu! We have an impromptu contest here as Sabu looks to defend his friend in RVD. Quick match here that saw RVD throw the chair in Rhyno's face before Sabu was able to hit his Arabian Skullcrusher through a table for the win. Anyone else think Bill Alfonso is the most annoying dude ever?
Winner: Sabu
Rating: *3/4
Match 5: Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero
Can't lie, it's a bit creepy to watch this match. A little more creepy when you think that Eddie Guerrero would unfortunately pass away just months later. Guerrero is a heel here as he goes against his longtime rival in Chris Benoit. These were two of the toughest and most respected guys in the locker room in the ECW days, watching them wrestle here was a thing of beauty. Like all the other matches, they didn't have too much time to work with. However, they made the most out of it and did what they did best. They were masters of playing the game, the crisp and fast moves they would showcase here just showed how great they blended together. Benoit would eventually pick up the win by making Guerrero submit to the Crippler Crossface. A pleasure to watch.
Winner: Chris Benoit
Rating: ***1/4
Match 6: Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka
Before I even go in depth about this match, I should mention that this may have been one of the most disturbing matches I have ever seen in recent memory. Scoring this match was certainly an odd task. This match infamously featured commentator Joey Styles absolutely bury Mike Awesome for ditching the company and even referenced Awesome's failed suicide attempt. Talk about nasty chair shot after nasty chair shot. This match was absolutely loaded with chair shots and table spots that will make you cringe like crazy. The amount of unprotected chair shots Awesome delivered to Masato Tanaka was pretty disgusting to watch. Even still, it was a fun to see their passion for the business on full display as the crowd ate it up. The Awesome Bomb off the apron through the table may have been the sickest spot I have ever seen in my life. Ending saw Awesome toss Tanaka out of the ring through a table before diving onto him afterwards. Insane.
Winner: Mike Awesome
Rating: ***1/2
Match 7: The Dudley Boyz vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman
If there was one match to close out the night, it would certainly have to be this one. These are arguably ECW's biggest stars and what better way for them to show it then having a bloody and nasty match. Let's not also forget The Sandman's famous Metallica entrance. Before the match, an array of old ECW guys came out from The Blue World Order to Kid Kash for whatever reason. Finally, the bell rings and the action starts. By action, I mean the usage of Singapore canes, cookie sheets, chair shots, barbed wire, a cheese grater, interference from Francine and Beulah McGillicutty and finally, a flaming table. Yes, a flaming table that The Dudley Boyz used to drive Tommy Dreamer through to mercifully end the match. Afterwards, Sandman desperately calls for a beer as he looks on upon his fallen comrade. Great main event that would be followed with a war between the ECW guys and the WWE crusaders that saw the ECW guys get the better of it.
Winners: The Dudley Boyz
Rating: ***1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
What an incredible show. This was ultimately the spark that led to the WWE relaunching ECW as a third brand. A perfect blend of nostalgia and a perfect display of what ECW represented. There was hardcore wrestling, lucha libre wrestling and even technical wrestling. All that and the amazing promos ranging from Rob Van Dam's return, Paul Heyman's shoot and the ending with Stone Cold Steve Austin leading the ECW charge against the WWE crusaders make this one of the most memorable WWE shows of all time.
Rating: 9/10
Friday, June 3, 2016
TNA Destination X 2010 Review
Match 1: Ladder - Brian Kendrick vs. Amazing Red vs. Daniels vs. Kazarian
Always a sucker for Ladder matches, especially when these guys are involved. I'm digging the story of Kazarian making his return to the company in order to bring some prestige to the X Division. You get what you would expect here, lots of cool dives and innovative spots from all four guys who practically put their lives on the line for a contract to become the #1 contender for the X Division Championship. Kazarian is able to backdrop Daniels off a ladder before knocking down Brian Kendrick to grab the contract. Nice finish to a cool match. Hate to be the guy that mentions this since there's probably going to be more of it later, but I just found it funny how nobody sold anything throughout the match. Felt like spot after spot after spot. Still lots of fun and no knock on the performers at all.
Winner: Kazarian
Rating: ***1/4
Match 2: Knockouts Championship - Tara (c) vs. Daffney
Tara's whole obsession with her spider is a bit creepy. Tara defends her strap against the even weirder Daffney in the second contest of the night. Just a whatever match that saw Tara pick up the win with a sweet Widow's Peak. Tara looks to celebrate with her tarantula before seeing Daffney holding it and licking the case that holds it. Tara then chased her off. So weird. What the hell am I watching?
Winner: Tara
Rating: *1/4
Match 3: Global Championship - Rob Terry (c) vs. Magnus
This was basically a squash match with Rob Terry beating Magnus in a couple minutes. It's unfortunate because Magnus is a damn fine wrestler and cut a pretty good promo before this. They were tag partners for a good while before this, could they not at least give Magnus some offense in? I get that they want to have these guys on the card, but damn. This felt like a slap in the face to the viewers.
Winner: Rob Terry
Rating: 1/4*
Match 4: Ultimate X - Generation Me vs. The Motor City Machine Guns
These two tag teams in a match is crazy enough as it is. Tossing them in an Ultimate X match only adds to the craziness. Crazy spots and more crazy spots would be the best way to describe this match. Taz mentioned that it felt like he was playing Xbox. Just watching these four guys climb the damn structure and fight over the stupid X is just a wonder to watch. So many dangerous spots just piled up in the time they were given. Mich like the Ladder match earlier, there wasn't much selling. Just spot after spot after spot. Finally, Chris Sabin is able to knock down Jeremy Buck on the top of the thing to secure the X and secure a chance for him and Alex Shelley to win the TNA World Tag Team Championships. A fun and reckless match that probably could and should have gone later in the card since we just saw the Ladder match.
Winners: The Motor City Machine Guns
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac vs. Kevin Nash & Eric Young
So if Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac win this match, then they score big contracts. They awkwardly come down to the ring without any music before cutting a 1990 promo. You can almost hear the audience cringe for this. Hall & Pac look to take advantage of a distracted referee as they spray paint Eric Young's face. The referee must be the biggest idiot in the world as he watches both Hall & Pac punch Young in the face with paint on his face. Kevin Nash steps in and turns on Young before Hall hits a sorry Razor's Edge for the win. Pac then spray paints around Young's unconscious body. The Band then celebrate like old men as their lame music plays. This isn't TNA anymore, this is WCW 2.0.
Winners: Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac
Rating: 1/4*
Match 6: X Division Championship - Doug Williams (c) vs. Shannon Moore
Why exactly does Shannon Moore score the title shot over all the other guys in the Ladder match earlier? Why does he get a title shot so easily when the other four guys had to beat the crap out of each other for a shot? Quick match here that saw Doug Williams retain the title after hitting Moore with a brick. Yes, a brick. Moore was busted up afterwards as Williams made quick work of the newcomer. Who books this stuff?
Winner: Doug Williams
Rating: *1/4
Match 7: World Tag Team Championships - Matt Morgan & Hernandez (c) vs. Beer Money, Inc.
The tension between Matt Morgan & Hernandez started at the last PPV and escalates here where Hernandez challenged Beer Money, Inc. to a match for the belts here. The dying cohesion between Morgan & Hernandez is fantastic. Morgan makes such a smug heel. His frustration with Hernandez led him to constantly yelling, tagging himself in, blocking Hernandez from diving out of the ring and tossing Hernandez back into the ring when Hernandez finally dove. Morgan makes such a great heel. Through all that, Hernandez scored the win for his team when he finished off James Storm before Morgan was inadvertently spit in the face with beer. After, Morgan lands a Carbon Footprint on Hernandez and poses with both belts. Decent match but the thought of Beer Money actually competing here felt like a distant thought. I love the story between Morgan & Hernandez but not at the expense of Beer Money.
Winners: Matt Morgan & Hernandez
Rating: **
Match 8: Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle
I fucking loved this feud. You have the smug heel in Mr. Anderson going up against the prideful and focused Kurt Angle. The match they had at Against All Odds was a bloody mess that saw Anderson carve Angle up with the warrior's medal. The promos leading up to this were nothing short of spectacular and that includes Angle's promo earlier in the night where he lit a picture of Anderson on fire. You tend to forget how good Anderson is, especially on the mic. If you haven't seen the promos he cut before this match, go ahead and search them up. With that being said, they had a solid match here that saw Anderson work on Angle's arm throughout the match as Angle sold the assault beautifully. The dude is just a legend at psychology of the sport. I'm not a fan of referee bumps but it definitely worked here. After Angle accidentally knocked out the referee with a clothesline, Anderson hit an Olympic Slam and brought out a steel chair. However, Anderson throws out the chair and takes the warrior's medal. Angle turns the tides as he suplexes Anderson before slicing open Anderson with the medal! Anderson is a bloody mess this time as he taps out to the Ankle Lock! Anderson calls for the mic after the match and cuts a sweet promo on Angle. This match gets so overlooked. The psychology of it all was just a beauty to watch. The warrior's medal being brought into play made things so much more exciting as the blood brought things up a notch. The promo after the match with the camera focusing on Angle's stoic face was something else. Angle was able to avenge his loss in spectacular fashion, but things weren't even close to being finished.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rating: ****1/4
Match 9: TNA World Heavyweight Championship - AJ Styles (c) vs. Abyss
Ric Flair accompanies AJ Styles in a wheelchair after Abyss Chokeslammed him through the ramp on an episode of Impact. Crazy to think that Abyss was Hulk Hogan's top guy at the time. To nobody's surprise, this was a really odd main event. Styles can't drop the title and Abyss can't afford to take the loss. This can't be good. The action itself was good and really shows off just how good Abyss is in the ring without the thumbtacks and such. Styles has good chemistry with just about everybody and really knows how to work with a big guy like Abyss. He was able to maximize his athleticism in order to counter the strength of Abyss. Everything was going fine until Ric Flair sprayed the referee with mace. You just had the feeling throughout the match that some sort of fishy ending was going to go down. Hulk Hogan then came out where he pushed Flair away as Abyss then Chokeslammed Styles through the ring as the new referee in Earl Hebner called for the bell. Thus, nobody knows who wins the match. Hogan then hands Abyss the title. I am so confused. Flair runs down to the ring and gets sprayed with the mace. Desmond Wolfe comes out and also gets sprayed for his troubles. Wolfe falls into the hole with Styles as Flair then followed suit after. Nothing makes sense. It was almost like I was watching a bad circus show.
Winner: n/a
Rating: ***1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
This is a really hard PPV to score. On one hand, you got the Ladder match, the Ultimate X match and the Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle match that all delivered. On the other hand, we got some really crap matches that included a main event with the lamest finish I have ever seen in my life. If anything, check out the matches that did give the show a spark and ignore the rest. But definitely don't dismiss the Anderson vs. Angle match because it's a crucial point in their amazing 2010 feud.
Rating: 5.75/10
Always a sucker for Ladder matches, especially when these guys are involved. I'm digging the story of Kazarian making his return to the company in order to bring some prestige to the X Division. You get what you would expect here, lots of cool dives and innovative spots from all four guys who practically put their lives on the line for a contract to become the #1 contender for the X Division Championship. Kazarian is able to backdrop Daniels off a ladder before knocking down Brian Kendrick to grab the contract. Nice finish to a cool match. Hate to be the guy that mentions this since there's probably going to be more of it later, but I just found it funny how nobody sold anything throughout the match. Felt like spot after spot after spot. Still lots of fun and no knock on the performers at all.
Winner: Kazarian
Rating: ***1/4
Match 2: Knockouts Championship - Tara (c) vs. Daffney
Tara's whole obsession with her spider is a bit creepy. Tara defends her strap against the even weirder Daffney in the second contest of the night. Just a whatever match that saw Tara pick up the win with a sweet Widow's Peak. Tara looks to celebrate with her tarantula before seeing Daffney holding it and licking the case that holds it. Tara then chased her off. So weird. What the hell am I watching?
Winner: Tara
Rating: *1/4
Match 3: Global Championship - Rob Terry (c) vs. Magnus
This was basically a squash match with Rob Terry beating Magnus in a couple minutes. It's unfortunate because Magnus is a damn fine wrestler and cut a pretty good promo before this. They were tag partners for a good while before this, could they not at least give Magnus some offense in? I get that they want to have these guys on the card, but damn. This felt like a slap in the face to the viewers.
Winner: Rob Terry
Rating: 1/4*
Match 4: Ultimate X - Generation Me vs. The Motor City Machine Guns
These two tag teams in a match is crazy enough as it is. Tossing them in an Ultimate X match only adds to the craziness. Crazy spots and more crazy spots would be the best way to describe this match. Taz mentioned that it felt like he was playing Xbox. Just watching these four guys climb the damn structure and fight over the stupid X is just a wonder to watch. So many dangerous spots just piled up in the time they were given. Mich like the Ladder match earlier, there wasn't much selling. Just spot after spot after spot. Finally, Chris Sabin is able to knock down Jeremy Buck on the top of the thing to secure the X and secure a chance for him and Alex Shelley to win the TNA World Tag Team Championships. A fun and reckless match that probably could and should have gone later in the card since we just saw the Ladder match.
Winners: The Motor City Machine Guns
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac vs. Kevin Nash & Eric Young
So if Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac win this match, then they score big contracts. They awkwardly come down to the ring without any music before cutting a 1990 promo. You can almost hear the audience cringe for this. Hall & Pac look to take advantage of a distracted referee as they spray paint Eric Young's face. The referee must be the biggest idiot in the world as he watches both Hall & Pac punch Young in the face with paint on his face. Kevin Nash steps in and turns on Young before Hall hits a sorry Razor's Edge for the win. Pac then spray paints around Young's unconscious body. The Band then celebrate like old men as their lame music plays. This isn't TNA anymore, this is WCW 2.0.
Winners: Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac
Rating: 1/4*
Match 6: X Division Championship - Doug Williams (c) vs. Shannon Moore
Why exactly does Shannon Moore score the title shot over all the other guys in the Ladder match earlier? Why does he get a title shot so easily when the other four guys had to beat the crap out of each other for a shot? Quick match here that saw Doug Williams retain the title after hitting Moore with a brick. Yes, a brick. Moore was busted up afterwards as Williams made quick work of the newcomer. Who books this stuff?
Winner: Doug Williams
Rating: *1/4
Match 7: World Tag Team Championships - Matt Morgan & Hernandez (c) vs. Beer Money, Inc.
The tension between Matt Morgan & Hernandez started at the last PPV and escalates here where Hernandez challenged Beer Money, Inc. to a match for the belts here. The dying cohesion between Morgan & Hernandez is fantastic. Morgan makes such a smug heel. His frustration with Hernandez led him to constantly yelling, tagging himself in, blocking Hernandez from diving out of the ring and tossing Hernandez back into the ring when Hernandez finally dove. Morgan makes such a great heel. Through all that, Hernandez scored the win for his team when he finished off James Storm before Morgan was inadvertently spit in the face with beer. After, Morgan lands a Carbon Footprint on Hernandez and poses with both belts. Decent match but the thought of Beer Money actually competing here felt like a distant thought. I love the story between Morgan & Hernandez but not at the expense of Beer Money.
Winners: Matt Morgan & Hernandez
Rating: **
Match 8: Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle
I fucking loved this feud. You have the smug heel in Mr. Anderson going up against the prideful and focused Kurt Angle. The match they had at Against All Odds was a bloody mess that saw Anderson carve Angle up with the warrior's medal. The promos leading up to this were nothing short of spectacular and that includes Angle's promo earlier in the night where he lit a picture of Anderson on fire. You tend to forget how good Anderson is, especially on the mic. If you haven't seen the promos he cut before this match, go ahead and search them up. With that being said, they had a solid match here that saw Anderson work on Angle's arm throughout the match as Angle sold the assault beautifully. The dude is just a legend at psychology of the sport. I'm not a fan of referee bumps but it definitely worked here. After Angle accidentally knocked out the referee with a clothesline, Anderson hit an Olympic Slam and brought out a steel chair. However, Anderson throws out the chair and takes the warrior's medal. Angle turns the tides as he suplexes Anderson before slicing open Anderson with the medal! Anderson is a bloody mess this time as he taps out to the Ankle Lock! Anderson calls for the mic after the match and cuts a sweet promo on Angle. This match gets so overlooked. The psychology of it all was just a beauty to watch. The warrior's medal being brought into play made things so much more exciting as the blood brought things up a notch. The promo after the match with the camera focusing on Angle's stoic face was something else. Angle was able to avenge his loss in spectacular fashion, but things weren't even close to being finished.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rating: ****1/4
Match 9: TNA World Heavyweight Championship - AJ Styles (c) vs. Abyss
Ric Flair accompanies AJ Styles in a wheelchair after Abyss Chokeslammed him through the ramp on an episode of Impact. Crazy to think that Abyss was Hulk Hogan's top guy at the time. To nobody's surprise, this was a really odd main event. Styles can't drop the title and Abyss can't afford to take the loss. This can't be good. The action itself was good and really shows off just how good Abyss is in the ring without the thumbtacks and such. Styles has good chemistry with just about everybody and really knows how to work with a big guy like Abyss. He was able to maximize his athleticism in order to counter the strength of Abyss. Everything was going fine until Ric Flair sprayed the referee with mace. You just had the feeling throughout the match that some sort of fishy ending was going to go down. Hulk Hogan then came out where he pushed Flair away as Abyss then Chokeslammed Styles through the ring as the new referee in Earl Hebner called for the bell. Thus, nobody knows who wins the match. Hogan then hands Abyss the title. I am so confused. Flair runs down to the ring and gets sprayed with the mace. Desmond Wolfe comes out and also gets sprayed for his troubles. Wolfe falls into the hole with Styles as Flair then followed suit after. Nothing makes sense. It was almost like I was watching a bad circus show.
Winner: n/a
Rating: ***1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
This is a really hard PPV to score. On one hand, you got the Ladder match, the Ultimate X match and the Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle match that all delivered. On the other hand, we got some really crap matches that included a main event with the lamest finish I have ever seen in my life. If anything, check out the matches that did give the show a spark and ignore the rest. But definitely don't dismiss the Anderson vs. Angle match because it's a crucial point in their amazing 2010 feud.
Rating: 5.75/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
