Match 1: Randy Orton vs. Sheamus
Kicking off the night is the
match we have seen countless times on Monday Night Raw as Mr. Money in
the Bank goes up against WWE's Apex Predator. St. Louis is always hot
for their hometown hero as Orton brought another great performance
against Sheamus. Loved the aggression they showed from top to bottom but
constantly felt like I have seen this match so many times before. JBL
did his best to make it sound like the biggest slobber knocker of a
match ever but that only helps so much considering he says the same
thing for every single match. The action was great but nothing that
seemed different from their encounters in 2010! Even still, I enjoyed
the match and the crowd loved the RKO out of nowhere finish. Would have
liked to see Sheamus score the win but Orton just seems on a roll.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: ***1/4
Match 2: WWE World Tag Team Championships - The Prime Time Players (c) vs. The New Day
I'm
really digging both these teams, they've stepped up their game and
really made a name for themselves with the fans. Aside from Xavier Woods
constantly shouting ringside, this was a fun tag match and it's really
cool to see the division finally getting a bit of a better reputation.
Kofi Kingston does his normal routine but it's Titus O'Neil who
seemingly is getting the bigger push out of everybody here as he scores
the pin to secure the belts for his team. Good match following the
opening contest but again, haven't I seen this before?
Winners: The Prime Time Players
Rating: **
Match 3: Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns
Not
a huge fan of this feud at all but I'm all for it if it's to build
Roman Reigns back into the main event scene. Crowd is pretty split for
Reigns as the St. Louis crowd is definitely more vocal than usual for
Bray Wyatt. They were given a good chunk of time and the first half of
the match was really slow and the crowd really wasn't given much to
cheer for with so many rest moves. But the second half is where things
really picked up, this seems to be the case for most matches involving
Reigns. As the pace quickened, the match got much better and the crowd
was really enjoying it. For those who doubt Reigns as a star, I have no
idea what you are watching. He was great here as the match picked up
more steam and definitely had the crowd on their toes along with Wyatt.
The ending came when Luke Harper, who was dressed in a hoodie, came out
of nowhere and landed a big boot to the face of Reigns. Wyatt then set
Reigns inside where he hit a Sister Abigail for the win. Interesting
match, a bit longer than what it needed to be but still fine. As for the
finish, Harper works much better with Wyatt and the same can be said
for Wyatt with Harper so it will be interesting to see where they go
from here. Reigns takes a loss but he will likely easily get another big
win to erase this one.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Rating: ***1/4
Match 4: Brie Bella vs. Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks
After making an impressive debut on Monday Night Raw, the NXT ladies are here to impress on a bigger stage as the established Brie Bella has her hands full against Charlotte and Sasha Banks. Definitely not your average Divas match, this was much faster and tons funner to watch. Charlotte and Banks are both fantastic in the ring but Bella doesn't really get the credit she deserves. Kudos to her for polishing her work and becoming much better over the past months. With that being said, we got a different type of Divas match today with lots of action and more substance than style. The crowd was behind them and so was I. Charlotte locked in her Figure Eight finisher on Bella to score the big win over Team Bella!
Winner: Charlotte
Rating: ***1/4
Match 5: United States Championship - John Cena (c) vs. Kevin Owens
This is the third and deciding match in their epic series as John Cena defends the gold in front of a St. Louis crowd that loves their Kevin Owens. Cena has undoubtedly stepped up his game, he may have the same haters but nobody can deny his awesome display of wrestling he brings to the table week after week. And Cena does exactly that here in his third encounter against Owens. This was simply another roller coaster of a contest, Owens proves exactly what Cena said at Money in the Bank in that he belongs on this stage. The way he was mocking Cena throughout the match was brilliant, it was almost as if Batman met Joker. Owens imitated Cena with his signature taunts and even locked in the STF at one point. Crowd absolutely loved this match, they were going nuts when Owens just would not fall to the Attitude Adjustment as Cena hit one both in the middle of the ring and even from the top rope. However, Cena got the better of Owens as he was able to get Owens to tap with the STF. Great finishing bout to their epic series of matches. While it was a great match, it didn't really set itself apart from their last two matches or even Cena's match against Cesaro a couple weeks back. It was still a great match, but it felt like a really missed opportunity to not have it as a hardcore match or even inside a steel cage. They could do it at Summerslam but it just would have made more sense here. Either way, Cena continues to push the United States Championship and younger stars like Owens in the process. Owens may have lost the series to Cena but in no way shape or form do I think this should be looked at as a burial.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: ****
Match 6: WWE World Heavyweight Championship - Seth Rollins (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar finally gets his hands on the slimy Seth Rollins to avenge his WrestleMania loss and gain his belt once again. Just as you would expect, this was basically Lesnar tossing Rollins around like a toy, hitting German suplexes left and right. Rollins was introduced to Suplex City and seeing him fly across the ring was definitely a sight to behold. Rollins played his role perfectly, he used his cunning and fast style to take down the bigger and stronger style of Lesnar but nothing really hurt Lesnar. Rollins even tried escaping the match but Lesnar ran after him and threw him back. Lesnar was having his way with Rollins and finally hit an F5. Lesnar goes for the cover until the arena goes black as a loud gong sounds. The Undertaker has arrived. He is in the ring and stares down Lesnar before kicking Lesnar downstairs and hits a Tombstone! Undertaker leaves the ring but sees Lesnar still conscious so Undertaker gets back inside and hits another! Undertaker poses as the show goes off the air. This was certainly more of an angle than a match to set the main event for Summerslam. Would have liked to seen more of the match but we will likely get the rematch down the line. Even still, the match was cool for the short duration that we got. The ending leaves lots of questions which will certainly be answered at Summerslam.
Winner: n/a
Rating: **1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
A good show that never dragged throughout the course of the show. Everything was good but nothing really stood out too much. The Cena vs. Owens match was great but it didn't really bring anything too different from the last two matches. And of course, the main event. I would have loved to see more of the actual match but like I said, I'm sure we will get these two again down the line. But obviously, everything will be overshadowed by return of The Deadman. Right now, his return doesn't really make too much sense considering Lesnar is the hottest face of the company but again, we just all have to play the waiting game.
Rating: 7.75/10
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Monday, July 6, 2015
WWE The Great American Bash 2007 Review
Match 1: United States Championship - MVP (c) vs. Matt Hardy
Kicking off the 2007 edition of The Bash is two of SmackDown's hottest guys outside the main event scene. JBL does a fantastic job of not only putting over both guys, but putting over MVP's big boot finisher. MVP built the match around that move and Matt Hardy did a great job of selling the effects of MVP's strategy. At one point, Hardy had trouble climbing the top rope because of the damage he suffered to his head. MVP was later able to hit a big boot and followed it with his Playmaker finisher to score the victory. Great opening contest which once again tells the story of Hardy not being able to get that big win and obtain a singles championship. Great chemistry and great storytelling, both guys at the top of their game here in the decent time they were given.
Winner: MVP
Rating: ***1/2
Match 2: Cruiserweight Championship - Cruiserweight Open - Chavo Guerrero (c) vs. Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Shannon Moore vs. Funaki vs. Jamie Noble vs. Hornswoggle
This should be a fun one, first competitor to score pinfall or submission is the winner and new Cruiserweight champion. Unfortunately, they didn't get enough time to really set a nice pace or really do anything special. There were a couple cool spots here and there, but nothing that makes the division stand out. The end came when Hornswoggle appeared out of nowhere and hit a Tadpole Splash on Jamie Noble to score the win.
Winner: Hornswoggle
Rating: **
Match 3: Singapore Cane on a Pole - The Sandman vs. Carlito
If you thought the last match was odd, this one might be a tad bit odder. Feels so strange to see The Sandman coming down the aisles in the WWE. Anyway, first combatant to retrieve the cane up on the pole is able to use it. This match was about five minutes of the two literally exchanging punches, likely because of Sandman's limited capabilities. Sandman eventually grabs the cane first and as he swings for the fences, Carlito ducks and hits his Back Cracker. So all that and nobody even got hit with the cane.
Winner: Carlito
Rating: 1/2*
Match 4: Women's Championship - Candice Michelle (c) vs. Melina
I always dread the Divas matches but this one wasn't so bad. Melina has always been pretty good and Candice Michelle has definitely upped her game a notch. More fluid and clean action from these two that we are normally used to seeing on Raw as the two go back and forth before Candice hits her Candywrapper finish to retain the title. Decent match but per normal, nothing special or anything that will be remembered in a couple weeks.
Winner: Candice Michelle
Rating: *3/4
Match 5: Intercontinental Championship - Umaga (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
Looking back at this makes me miss both of these guys. The chemistry these two have for whatever reason was just brilliant. They managed to put on a great match while telling the perfect story. Jeff Hardy, the crowd favorite, can't match size with the heavyweight in Umaga so he relies on his unique style of wrestling to gain the advantage. Umaga has no intentions of changing his strategy at all against Hardy, he's looking for the kill. Umaga was in control for the better part of the match but Hardy held his own. Hardy relied on Umaga's mistakes in order to gain the advantages and was able to hit a Swanton Bomb but Umaga managed to kick out! Umaga was then able to hit a Samoan Spike which Hardy sold perfectly. Great match, Umaga comes out looking like a bigger beast while Hardy looked like a worthy contender.
Winner: Umaga
Rating: ***1/2
Match 6: ECW Championship - John Morrison (c) vs. CM Punk
I remember being a sucker for the 2007 version of ECW for whatever reason. This was the rematch from their match at Vengeance where Morrison won the vacant ECW Championship. The commentators do their best to hype this match but they don't even believe what they're saying. The crowd is quiet but the action is fairly enjoyable. But nothing from this match differentiates from their previous encounter. And just like that bout, this lacked the fire it needed to shift out of first gear and get the crowd going. Finish came when Punk launched himself off the top rope where Morrison hit Punk right in his knee to score the pin. Really uneventful finish for what was a pretty uneventful match.
Winner: John Morrison
Rating: **3/4
Match 7: Texas Bull Rope - Dusty Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
You can't have a Great American Bash without Dusty Rhodes! Mr. Legend Killer looks to take out another legend as Randy Orton's challenge to Rhodes in a match backfired when Rhodes called for a Texas Bull Rope match. There's only so much you can do here but the stimulation really covered Rhodes and his limits. They made the match pretty believable despite the ridiculous circumstances, Rhodes was the veteran of the match and used the rope to his advantage. Orton looked like a slithering snake out there and played his role perfectly. Rhodes got the majority of the offense before Orton finally drilled Rhodes with the bell for the finish. Orton looked to punt Rhodes in his skull afterwords before Cody Rhodes comes out for the save. Better than I expected but that really isn't saying much considering this is a PPV. Either way, they did the best they could with what they were given and it allows Orton to add a legend under his Legend Killer belt.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: *1/2
Match 8: World Heavyweight Championship - The Great Khali (c) vs. Batista vs. Kane
This was scheduled to be Edge vs. Kane for the World Heavyweight Championship until injuries happened. Crazy stuff. And even more crazy, Khali is champ! And he is constantly holding the title upside down and it drives me crazy. Since Khali is so limited in the ring, Batista and Kane have no choice but to team up and take him out. They take the fight outside where they drive Khali straight through the ECW announcers table! The match is basically Batista vs. Kane until Khali steps inside again and hits Kane with a Punjabi Plunge to retain the title. The table spot was really cool and the action really wasn't all that bad as the crowd was pretty vocal throughout. It was pretty obvious they structured the match with Khali being the third wheel. It still boggles me to this day that WWE wanted Khali as champ and they still wanted him to go over here. Still, this match was easily better than any expectations I had.
Winner: The Great Khali
Rating: ***
Match 9: WWE Championship - John Cena (c) vs. Bobby Lashley
I always loved Bobby Lashley, he had a phenomenal presence and I think in his latter years in the WWE, he was definitely gaining some personality. This match against John Cena for the WWE Championship was getting hyped to the moon and I always recall thinking that they drew the gun too fast on this match. They should have at least saved it for Summerslam and for another time as Lashley just switched brands from the 2007 Draft. Of all the challenges Cena has had, he's never had to face someone like Lashley. A legitimate amateur wrestler who is bigger and faster than Cena. Never a dull moment in this match, Lashley has the advantage throughout most of the match and looks like a worthy opponent for Cena's belt. But Cena closes the gap and the final minutes definitely turn things up a notch as Jim Ross does an incredible job of hyping the contest. Cena almost makes Lashley submit and Lashley almost wins after hitting a Spear. But the finish came when Cena was able to hit an FU off the top rope to retain the title. Great match which would have benefited from more time. Too short for me to give this match four stars but it was definitely a great main event and a great way to close out the night. The FU from the top was a great finish as Lashley's strength and will was too much for Cena to overcome with a normal finish. Unfortunately, we never got a rematch and this remains Lashley's final WWE PPV which just happened to be in the main event against John Cena. Would have loved to see where Lashley's WWE career would have taken him but this is as far as it went.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: ***3/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
A good night of wrestling with the highlight being the main event the WWE tried to build as a mega match with John Cena overcoming Bobby Lashley. Also, the Hardy matches both delivered respectively and the World Heavyweight Championship bout wasn't all that bad.
Rating: 7/10
Kicking off the 2007 edition of The Bash is two of SmackDown's hottest guys outside the main event scene. JBL does a fantastic job of not only putting over both guys, but putting over MVP's big boot finisher. MVP built the match around that move and Matt Hardy did a great job of selling the effects of MVP's strategy. At one point, Hardy had trouble climbing the top rope because of the damage he suffered to his head. MVP was later able to hit a big boot and followed it with his Playmaker finisher to score the victory. Great opening contest which once again tells the story of Hardy not being able to get that big win and obtain a singles championship. Great chemistry and great storytelling, both guys at the top of their game here in the decent time they were given.
Winner: MVP
Rating: ***1/2
Match 2: Cruiserweight Championship - Cruiserweight Open - Chavo Guerrero (c) vs. Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Shannon Moore vs. Funaki vs. Jamie Noble vs. Hornswoggle
This should be a fun one, first competitor to score pinfall or submission is the winner and new Cruiserweight champion. Unfortunately, they didn't get enough time to really set a nice pace or really do anything special. There were a couple cool spots here and there, but nothing that makes the division stand out. The end came when Hornswoggle appeared out of nowhere and hit a Tadpole Splash on Jamie Noble to score the win.
Winner: Hornswoggle
Rating: **
Match 3: Singapore Cane on a Pole - The Sandman vs. Carlito
If you thought the last match was odd, this one might be a tad bit odder. Feels so strange to see The Sandman coming down the aisles in the WWE. Anyway, first combatant to retrieve the cane up on the pole is able to use it. This match was about five minutes of the two literally exchanging punches, likely because of Sandman's limited capabilities. Sandman eventually grabs the cane first and as he swings for the fences, Carlito ducks and hits his Back Cracker. So all that and nobody even got hit with the cane.
Winner: Carlito
Rating: 1/2*
Match 4: Women's Championship - Candice Michelle (c) vs. Melina
I always dread the Divas matches but this one wasn't so bad. Melina has always been pretty good and Candice Michelle has definitely upped her game a notch. More fluid and clean action from these two that we are normally used to seeing on Raw as the two go back and forth before Candice hits her Candywrapper finish to retain the title. Decent match but per normal, nothing special or anything that will be remembered in a couple weeks.
Winner: Candice Michelle
Rating: *3/4
Match 5: Intercontinental Championship - Umaga (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
Looking back at this makes me miss both of these guys. The chemistry these two have for whatever reason was just brilliant. They managed to put on a great match while telling the perfect story. Jeff Hardy, the crowd favorite, can't match size with the heavyweight in Umaga so he relies on his unique style of wrestling to gain the advantage. Umaga has no intentions of changing his strategy at all against Hardy, he's looking for the kill. Umaga was in control for the better part of the match but Hardy held his own. Hardy relied on Umaga's mistakes in order to gain the advantages and was able to hit a Swanton Bomb but Umaga managed to kick out! Umaga was then able to hit a Samoan Spike which Hardy sold perfectly. Great match, Umaga comes out looking like a bigger beast while Hardy looked like a worthy contender.
Winner: Umaga
Rating: ***1/2
Match 6: ECW Championship - John Morrison (c) vs. CM Punk
I remember being a sucker for the 2007 version of ECW for whatever reason. This was the rematch from their match at Vengeance where Morrison won the vacant ECW Championship. The commentators do their best to hype this match but they don't even believe what they're saying. The crowd is quiet but the action is fairly enjoyable. But nothing from this match differentiates from their previous encounter. And just like that bout, this lacked the fire it needed to shift out of first gear and get the crowd going. Finish came when Punk launched himself off the top rope where Morrison hit Punk right in his knee to score the pin. Really uneventful finish for what was a pretty uneventful match.
Winner: John Morrison
Rating: **3/4
Match 7: Texas Bull Rope - Dusty Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
You can't have a Great American Bash without Dusty Rhodes! Mr. Legend Killer looks to take out another legend as Randy Orton's challenge to Rhodes in a match backfired when Rhodes called for a Texas Bull Rope match. There's only so much you can do here but the stimulation really covered Rhodes and his limits. They made the match pretty believable despite the ridiculous circumstances, Rhodes was the veteran of the match and used the rope to his advantage. Orton looked like a slithering snake out there and played his role perfectly. Rhodes got the majority of the offense before Orton finally drilled Rhodes with the bell for the finish. Orton looked to punt Rhodes in his skull afterwords before Cody Rhodes comes out for the save. Better than I expected but that really isn't saying much considering this is a PPV. Either way, they did the best they could with what they were given and it allows Orton to add a legend under his Legend Killer belt.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: *1/2
Match 8: World Heavyweight Championship - The Great Khali (c) vs. Batista vs. Kane
This was scheduled to be Edge vs. Kane for the World Heavyweight Championship until injuries happened. Crazy stuff. And even more crazy, Khali is champ! And he is constantly holding the title upside down and it drives me crazy. Since Khali is so limited in the ring, Batista and Kane have no choice but to team up and take him out. They take the fight outside where they drive Khali straight through the ECW announcers table! The match is basically Batista vs. Kane until Khali steps inside again and hits Kane with a Punjabi Plunge to retain the title. The table spot was really cool and the action really wasn't all that bad as the crowd was pretty vocal throughout. It was pretty obvious they structured the match with Khali being the third wheel. It still boggles me to this day that WWE wanted Khali as champ and they still wanted him to go over here. Still, this match was easily better than any expectations I had.
Winner: The Great Khali
Rating: ***
Match 9: WWE Championship - John Cena (c) vs. Bobby Lashley
I always loved Bobby Lashley, he had a phenomenal presence and I think in his latter years in the WWE, he was definitely gaining some personality. This match against John Cena for the WWE Championship was getting hyped to the moon and I always recall thinking that they drew the gun too fast on this match. They should have at least saved it for Summerslam and for another time as Lashley just switched brands from the 2007 Draft. Of all the challenges Cena has had, he's never had to face someone like Lashley. A legitimate amateur wrestler who is bigger and faster than Cena. Never a dull moment in this match, Lashley has the advantage throughout most of the match and looks like a worthy opponent for Cena's belt. But Cena closes the gap and the final minutes definitely turn things up a notch as Jim Ross does an incredible job of hyping the contest. Cena almost makes Lashley submit and Lashley almost wins after hitting a Spear. But the finish came when Cena was able to hit an FU off the top rope to retain the title. Great match which would have benefited from more time. Too short for me to give this match four stars but it was definitely a great main event and a great way to close out the night. The FU from the top was a great finish as Lashley's strength and will was too much for Cena to overcome with a normal finish. Unfortunately, we never got a rematch and this remains Lashley's final WWE PPV which just happened to be in the main event against John Cena. Would have loved to see where Lashley's WWE career would have taken him but this is as far as it went.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: ***3/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
A good night of wrestling with the highlight being the main event the WWE tried to build as a mega match with John Cena overcoming Bobby Lashley. Also, the Hardy matches both delivered respectively and the World Heavyweight Championship bout wasn't all that bad.
Rating: 7/10
Sunday, July 5, 2015
WWE The Beast in the East 2015 Review
Match 1: Chris Jericho vs.
Neville
This is probably the coolest
thing the WWE has put out on their Network. I got chills when I saw the promo
video they released featuring Brock Lesnar at the forefront. To kick off the
night, we get a sick match between two guys who have traveled across the globe
promoting the art of professional wrestling. I loved the story they were aiming
for here. The veteran in Chris Jericho not letting the newer Neville gain the
advantage through his flashy style. Just when Neville looked to score the upper
hand, Jericho was seemingly one step ahead of him. For instance, Jericho hit a
Codebreaker as Neville launched himself onto Jericho from the top rope and soon
after, Jericho scored the submission victory after locking Neville in his Walls
of Jericho finisher by countering a third Red Arrow attempt. Awesome opening
match to set the mood and pace for the rest of the night. Surprising Jericho
got the win as I was expecting Jericho to appear and put over the younger
Neville. Nonetheless, that was Jericho reminding us that he never lost it.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Rating: ****
Match 2: Divas Championship –
Nikki Bella (c) vs. Paige vs. Tamina Snuka
Nikki Bella is looking to hit 300
days as champion and has quite the task here in a triple threat match. This was
a mess of a match, they tried doing a couple cool spots here and there but they
seemed so forced and nothing about the match felt different from what we have
seen before. Bella scores the quick victory and retains as she continues on her
path for 300 days.
Winner: Nikki Bella
Rating: ½*
Match 3: Brock Lesnar vs. Kofi
Kingston
The amount of cameras and phones
the fans have out for this is insane. This dude has become a spectacle. For all
the crap the WWE does sometimes, they certainly did it right with Brock Lesnar.
This was a huge squash match, no other way to put it. And guess what, it worked.
Kofi Kingston did his absolute best to tame the beast with all sorts of kicks
but Lesnar would not budge. He tossed Kingston around like a ragdoll and
eventually landed a sweet F5 to score the very easy victory in under five
minutes. Lesnar then comes back into the ring after the match and tosses around
Kingston a bit more before the rest of New Day come out to Kingston’s aid.
However, Xavier Woods & Big E both suffer the same fate as Kingston and get
hit with an F5 each. You want to know how big a star Lesnar is? WWE put this
show on WWE Network completely focusing on Lesnar’s return to the ring. And he
won in about two minutes. And it was still awesome.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Rating: *
Match 4: NXT Championship – Kevin
Owens (c) vs. Finn Balor
Every time I review a Kevin Owens
match, I can’t help but feel inspired. The same could also be said for his
opponent here, Finn Balor. Two guys who worked on their craft for hours on end
until finally reaching the pinnacle of the game. Here we are, Kevin Steen vs.
Prince Devitt in a WWE ring for the NXT Championship live in Tokyo! Per
tradition, the two competitors are given flowers before the match where Owens hilariously
tosses them down the aisle. I love this dude. The streamers also reign down
from the audience and we’re off! Owens looks to use his knockout style of
wrestling against the faster Balor who is the clear underdog here. Back and
fourth action throughout and they had the crowd on their toes the entire time.
I loved the story here, Owens is such a brass and arrogant heel while Balor is
the superhero of a babyface. Very cool to see all the close finishes with the
crowd going nuts behind them as Balor seemingly can’t get the victory over the
champion. Finally, Balor hits a second Coup de Grace for the win and to capture
the NXT Championship! What a match, what a moment. Owens eats the loss but let’s
be honest, his time in NXT has likely concluded. Plus, Owens is on a roll and
this loss does not at all make him look weaker to the audience. Balor looked
like a million dollars and he is going to be an amazing champion. To see this
match happen in Tokyo is just so awesome, especially for a guy who built his
career in the country. Can’t wait to see what happens from here.
Winner: Finn Balor
Rating: ****1/2
Match 5: John Cena & Dolph
Ziggler vs. Kane & King Barrett
Sorry, haters, this is your main
event. As much as I would love to see the last match close out the night, this
is the right call. John Cena, whether you like it or hate it, is still the face
of the company and should always be the guy to close out the events outside the
states. At least that’s my opinion. Most of this match was basically Dolph
Ziggler getting eaten alive by the well-oiled team of Kane & King Barrett.
Cena grew extremely frustrated watching from the sidelines until he finally
scored the hot tag where he hit an Attitude Adjustment on Barrett to get the
main event win. A basic television tag team main event with the basic outcome
as usual. But this is acceptable considering they’re in Tokyo and the crowd
still love their Cena. Cena & Ziggler celebrate with the crowd afterwards
as Michael Cole wishes the American fans at home a happy 4th of
July!
Winners: John Cena & Dolph
Ziggler
Rating: **1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
This is the exactly what WWE
should be putting out on the Network. Just very exclusive stuff with special
appearances and matches like this one. The rating I give this show isn’t
necessarily about the match quality, it’s about that and everything else in
between. An awesome vibe, an awesome presentation, an awesome Brock Lesnar
appearance, and a couple awesome matches. Check this show out!
Rating: 9/10
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
ROH All-Star Extravaganza 6 Review
Match 1: Hanson vs. Mark Briscoe
This is one of my first few times watching Hanson as he has his hands full against Mark Briscoe! Hanson is deceptively athletic and does a great job and making sure he still looks like a beast to be reckoned with at the same time. Good opening match that was pretty even. They did a great job of building around Hanson's size as Briscoe eventually lifts him up and slams him later in the match where Briscoe then scores the win from a dive off the top rope. Really nice opening bout between two veterans.
Winner: Mark Briscoe
Rating: **1/2
Match 2: BJ Whitmer & Adam Page vs. R.D. Evans & Moose vs. Ethan Gabriel Owens & Josh Alexander vs. Caprice Coleman & Watanabe
I can already tell that this match is going to be a mess. And I mean that in the funnest way possible. ROH always comes up big when it comes to hectic types of matches like this. Tons of chaos and tons of guys flying in and out of the ring made this a really fun watch. Crowd was energetic throughout and there were so many different types of personalities in the match. You had your comedic styles sprinkled in and you had your really cool spots including Moose diving outside and taking everybody out. Everyone was great in their roles and the finish was awesome where Owens & Alexander looked to score the victory after hitting their cool finisher until Evans gets a pin out of nowhere to increase his undefeated streak to 150! Crowd loves it and so do I!
Winners: R.D. Evans & Moose
Rating: ***
Match 3: The Addiction vs. The Decade
Little feud between a team of guys who have stayed in just ROH against a team of guys who went elsewhere before returning to ROH. Definitely liking the back story but the match just didn't really click how I felt like it would have. The crowd seemed a bit tired from the last two matches and they weren't given a sufficient amount of time to really do anything out of the ordinary. The action was fine and just came off as a regular tag match that you would normally be able to catch on television. Christopher Daniels & Kazarian get the win after hitting their cool finisher on Roderick Strong. The Decade then exchange words before Jimmy Jacobs gets in between the thick of things and plays peacemaker.
Winners: The Addiction
Rating: ***
Match 4: Adam Cole vs. AJ Styles
Adam Cole claims to have lost everything after losing his ROH World Championship to Michael Elgin. He gets a chance to take out the leader of The Bullet Club tonight against AJ Styles. Good match but I felt as if the expectations were placed way too high. Things were just sluggish at times and the flow just didn't fit with the crowd. Pacing is something Styles is usually spot on with but not too much here. They did a lot of focusing on the leg of Styles as Cole wanted to damper it down for his Figure Four. Styles was great in selling it but it wasn't much of a major factor as it should have been. Cole tried coming off as the jerk heel but this time around, it really seemed forced. The ending came when they were on the top rope for a good minute before Styles dropped Cole on his head for the win. Again, good match that just didn't meet the expectations. The action was sluggish at times but did pick up in the middle where they finally shifted into a different gear. Here's hoping for a better and cleaner rematch.
Winner: AJ Styles
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: ROH World Television Championship - Jay Lethal (c) vs. Cedric Alexander
Jay Lethal is definitely becoming one of the company's top heels. At first, I was reluctant at his turn but he has easily made the most of it and proved any doubters wrong. This match starts off hot and never really looked back from the start. Crowd was into the action and Alexander more than held his own against Lethal in a bigger match. Alexander's energy and style in the ring should not go unnoticed, he did a fantastic job of playing with the crowd and making sure every fall was believable. The closest one came when Seleziya came out to help Lethal but ended up getting kicked in the face! Alexander almost capitalized on the distraction by hitting Lethal with a Lumber Check but Lethal barely put his leg up on the first rope for the break! Lethal hits Alexander with Matt Taven's Climax and follows it up with a Lethal Injection to retain with the victory. The two shake hands afterwards in a great match that may have suffered a bit from a little lack of time but even still, great match as we roll into the final two matches of the night.
Winner: Jay Lethal
Rating: ***3/4
Match 6: ROH World Championship - Michael Elgin (c) vs. Jay Briscoe
Personally would have preferred to seen this match go last on the card but either way, here we are. Jay Briscoe looks to reclaim the ROH World Championship and become the second person in company history to hold the title on two different reigns. Huge fan of both these guys and their aggressive styles. This match should be good and they delivered. From the start as Briscoe shoved Elgin after the handshake, the emotions were running high and as a fan, I felt the intensity kicking up a notch. Elgin is the champ and Briscoe has not been pinned in over two years. At times, this felt like a match with no disqualification. They took the fight outside where they brought in the table where Elgin even smashed Briscoe with it. Sinclair for sure is not calling it or this crowd will riot. One of the coolest spots of the night came when Briscoe hit a Jay Driller on Elgin through the table. They crashed hard and it looked sick! Crowd came unglued after that as Elgin kicked out of the pin. However, Briscoe was able to hit another one in the ring and capture the ROH World Championship! Strong first main event of the night as Briscoe, the face of the company, starts his second reign. Crowd popped for Briscoe nicely but seemed disappointed with the outcome. Elgin worked his tail off to become champion and as much of a shame it is to see him drop it, Briscoe really earned a longer title reign and hopefully, we get to see one here. This needed to close the show.
Winner: Jay Briscoe
Rating: ****
Match 7: ROH World Tag Team Championships - 2 out of 3 Falls - ReDRagon (c) vs. The Young Bucks
Very unlike Ring of Honor to not have a World Championship match close out the night but this is definitely a worthy follower. Start to finish, this was high octane and just ridiculously fun to watch. Crowd is still hot after the last match and this just feels like a main event. The first pin came when Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish bring in a hockey stick and nail one of The Bucks with it before hitting Chasing the Dragon to score the first pin. ReDRagon look to go for the kill but The Young Bucks make the comeback and tie it up about five minutes after in a fast-paced exchange. Now it gets crazy as the next pin wins the match and the belts. The Bucks hit their crazy Meltzer Driver finish but Bobby Fish pulls out Paul Turner right before he strikes the final pin! The Bucks inadvertently take out Turner and mayhem continues! Fish tosses Matt Jackson off the top rope to the outside and through a table! O'Reilly then makes Nick submit for the crazy finish as Todd Sinclair called for the bell. Afterwards, Tommaso Ciampa runs out and takes out both Young Bucks before he takes off the ring canvas and exposes the wood and plants Nick Jackson on the wood to end the show. Talk about the two best tag teams in professional wrestling today. They stepped up their game after the big title switch and closed out the show with a bang.
Winners: ReDRagon
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
I don't really follow much ROH these days but this show was definitely a good one for me to sit back and watch. From top to bottom, everybody stepped up their game and we got two fantastic main events that included Jay Briscoe winning the championship again. While I was disappointed the World Championship bout to close out the show, I won't let it take away from the fantastic main event and overall night of wrestling.
Rating: 8.75/10
This is one of my first few times watching Hanson as he has his hands full against Mark Briscoe! Hanson is deceptively athletic and does a great job and making sure he still looks like a beast to be reckoned with at the same time. Good opening match that was pretty even. They did a great job of building around Hanson's size as Briscoe eventually lifts him up and slams him later in the match where Briscoe then scores the win from a dive off the top rope. Really nice opening bout between two veterans.
Winner: Mark Briscoe
Rating: **1/2
Match 2: BJ Whitmer & Adam Page vs. R.D. Evans & Moose vs. Ethan Gabriel Owens & Josh Alexander vs. Caprice Coleman & Watanabe
I can already tell that this match is going to be a mess. And I mean that in the funnest way possible. ROH always comes up big when it comes to hectic types of matches like this. Tons of chaos and tons of guys flying in and out of the ring made this a really fun watch. Crowd was energetic throughout and there were so many different types of personalities in the match. You had your comedic styles sprinkled in and you had your really cool spots including Moose diving outside and taking everybody out. Everyone was great in their roles and the finish was awesome where Owens & Alexander looked to score the victory after hitting their cool finisher until Evans gets a pin out of nowhere to increase his undefeated streak to 150! Crowd loves it and so do I!
Winners: R.D. Evans & Moose
Rating: ***
Match 3: The Addiction vs. The Decade
Little feud between a team of guys who have stayed in just ROH against a team of guys who went elsewhere before returning to ROH. Definitely liking the back story but the match just didn't really click how I felt like it would have. The crowd seemed a bit tired from the last two matches and they weren't given a sufficient amount of time to really do anything out of the ordinary. The action was fine and just came off as a regular tag match that you would normally be able to catch on television. Christopher Daniels & Kazarian get the win after hitting their cool finisher on Roderick Strong. The Decade then exchange words before Jimmy Jacobs gets in between the thick of things and plays peacemaker.
Winners: The Addiction
Rating: ***
Match 4: Adam Cole vs. AJ Styles
Adam Cole claims to have lost everything after losing his ROH World Championship to Michael Elgin. He gets a chance to take out the leader of The Bullet Club tonight against AJ Styles. Good match but I felt as if the expectations were placed way too high. Things were just sluggish at times and the flow just didn't fit with the crowd. Pacing is something Styles is usually spot on with but not too much here. They did a lot of focusing on the leg of Styles as Cole wanted to damper it down for his Figure Four. Styles was great in selling it but it wasn't much of a major factor as it should have been. Cole tried coming off as the jerk heel but this time around, it really seemed forced. The ending came when they were on the top rope for a good minute before Styles dropped Cole on his head for the win. Again, good match that just didn't meet the expectations. The action was sluggish at times but did pick up in the middle where they finally shifted into a different gear. Here's hoping for a better and cleaner rematch.
Winner: AJ Styles
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: ROH World Television Championship - Jay Lethal (c) vs. Cedric Alexander
Jay Lethal is definitely becoming one of the company's top heels. At first, I was reluctant at his turn but he has easily made the most of it and proved any doubters wrong. This match starts off hot and never really looked back from the start. Crowd was into the action and Alexander more than held his own against Lethal in a bigger match. Alexander's energy and style in the ring should not go unnoticed, he did a fantastic job of playing with the crowd and making sure every fall was believable. The closest one came when Seleziya came out to help Lethal but ended up getting kicked in the face! Alexander almost capitalized on the distraction by hitting Lethal with a Lumber Check but Lethal barely put his leg up on the first rope for the break! Lethal hits Alexander with Matt Taven's Climax and follows it up with a Lethal Injection to retain with the victory. The two shake hands afterwards in a great match that may have suffered a bit from a little lack of time but even still, great match as we roll into the final two matches of the night.
Winner: Jay Lethal
Rating: ***3/4
Match 6: ROH World Championship - Michael Elgin (c) vs. Jay Briscoe
Personally would have preferred to seen this match go last on the card but either way, here we are. Jay Briscoe looks to reclaim the ROH World Championship and become the second person in company history to hold the title on two different reigns. Huge fan of both these guys and their aggressive styles. This match should be good and they delivered. From the start as Briscoe shoved Elgin after the handshake, the emotions were running high and as a fan, I felt the intensity kicking up a notch. Elgin is the champ and Briscoe has not been pinned in over two years. At times, this felt like a match with no disqualification. They took the fight outside where they brought in the table where Elgin even smashed Briscoe with it. Sinclair for sure is not calling it or this crowd will riot. One of the coolest spots of the night came when Briscoe hit a Jay Driller on Elgin through the table. They crashed hard and it looked sick! Crowd came unglued after that as Elgin kicked out of the pin. However, Briscoe was able to hit another one in the ring and capture the ROH World Championship! Strong first main event of the night as Briscoe, the face of the company, starts his second reign. Crowd popped for Briscoe nicely but seemed disappointed with the outcome. Elgin worked his tail off to become champion and as much of a shame it is to see him drop it, Briscoe really earned a longer title reign and hopefully, we get to see one here. This needed to close the show.
Winner: Jay Briscoe
Rating: ****
Match 7: ROH World Tag Team Championships - 2 out of 3 Falls - ReDRagon (c) vs. The Young Bucks
Very unlike Ring of Honor to not have a World Championship match close out the night but this is definitely a worthy follower. Start to finish, this was high octane and just ridiculously fun to watch. Crowd is still hot after the last match and this just feels like a main event. The first pin came when Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish bring in a hockey stick and nail one of The Bucks with it before hitting Chasing the Dragon to score the first pin. ReDRagon look to go for the kill but The Young Bucks make the comeback and tie it up about five minutes after in a fast-paced exchange. Now it gets crazy as the next pin wins the match and the belts. The Bucks hit their crazy Meltzer Driver finish but Bobby Fish pulls out Paul Turner right before he strikes the final pin! The Bucks inadvertently take out Turner and mayhem continues! Fish tosses Matt Jackson off the top rope to the outside and through a table! O'Reilly then makes Nick submit for the crazy finish as Todd Sinclair called for the bell. Afterwards, Tommaso Ciampa runs out and takes out both Young Bucks before he takes off the ring canvas and exposes the wood and plants Nick Jackson on the wood to end the show. Talk about the two best tag teams in professional wrestling today. They stepped up their game after the big title switch and closed out the show with a bang.
Winners: ReDRagon
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
I don't really follow much ROH these days but this show was definitely a good one for me to sit back and watch. From top to bottom, everybody stepped up their game and we got two fantastic main events that included Jay Briscoe winning the championship again. While I was disappointed the World Championship bout to close out the show, I won't let it take away from the fantastic main event and overall night of wrestling.
Rating: 8.75/10
Monday, June 22, 2015
ROH Supercard of Honor VIII Review
Match 1: Cedric Alexander vs. Roderick Strong
Opening up the big wrestling weekend features The Decade's Roderick Strong taking on Cedric Alexander. Really great choice of opener that sets the pace for the show with Strong looking great but also makes Alexander look great in the process. Crowd was definitely hot and especially when Alexander basically took out the entire Decade team before Strong hit a backbreaker to pick up the win. Jimmy Jacobs then got on the mic and put themselves over. Fun match that was hard hitting and also fast paced at the same time. Great start to the show and hopefully, others can follow in its place. Can't help but wonder where the direction Strong is headed.
Winner: Roderick Strong
Rating: ***1/2
Match 2: The Decade vs. Adrenaline Rush & Andrew Everett
Following Strong's win, The Decade have Whitmer, Page, & Jacobs pitted against Adrenaline Rush & Everett. Very much what you would expect, some cool spots here and there but nothing that will steal the show. Crowd was still hot after the hot opener and the guys took advantage of it. Finish saw The Decade pick up the second win of the night. Good match that served its purpose and made sure not to take anything away from the next tag match that we will see later in the night.
Winners: The Decade
Rating: **1/4
Match 3: Silas Young vs. RD Evans
82-0. The streak that Evans is riding here against Young. I love a bit of comedy in wrestling and this streak that Evans has is great! He's such a goofy dude and is playing his character nicely. And him going up against a guy who is super serious in Silas Young is a great mixture. One thing I will say is that the commentary has been atrocious. I love both guys but when they ramble on about random things during a match, it's worse than WWE. Finish came when Evans tried to pull an Eddie Guerrero by tossing the belt to Young making referee Paul Turner think Young used the belt. However, Evans tried rolling up Young as he convinced Turner he did not hit Evans but to no avail. Young them clobbered Turner on accident with the belt. Young takes out Evans as a new referee slides in to give Young the win. However, out comes Turner and reverses the call. 83-0. Fun match with a cool ending, Young stays strong while the streak continues.
Winner: RD Evans
Rating: **
Match 4: No Disqualification - Mark Briscoe vs. Michael Bennett
Bad blood has been brewing between these two as they finally meet in a no disqualification contest. This match has stupid fun written all over it. They quickly take the fight to the outside where Briscoe dives off a little ledge onto Bennett and takes control of the match. They go back and fourth before Bennett finally gets the advantage by spearing Briscoe off the stage and through a table. Awesome. They take it back into the ring where they bring in chairs and sticks before Bennett locks in an Anaconda Vice to get the win over Briscoe as the referee called for the bell. Bennett is a great heel as he copies popular WWE moves which received a pretty good reaction from the audience. The match was nothing special but the show did need a little spark like this one before settling into the main events.
Winner: Michael Bennett
Rating: **1/4
Match 5: Forever Hooligans vs. Hanson & Rowe vs. ReDRagon
I am a sucker for these chaotic tag team matches and this one should be a dandy. Their styles nicely clashed against one another, you have the crazy Hooligans doing their fun thing, the big dudes looking to steamroll through everyone, and my favorites in ReDRagon just being awesome heels. Crowd was much hotter for this one and the action was always coming at a fast pace but not too fast for us to not be able to sink our teeth into. Great pacing and great action from top to bottom that saw Kyle O'Reilly roll up Alex Koslov with a handful of tights to secure the big victory. Bobby Fish then gets in the face of the commentators at ringside and lets them know who the best tag team in the world is. ReDRagon will be challenging The Young Bucks soon for the belts and that one should definitely be a good one. Great tag match here that separates itself from the tag match earlier in a better fashion.
Winners: ReDRagon
Rating: ***1/4
Match 6: ROH World Television Championship - 2 out of 3 Falls - Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Jay Lethal
Interesting start to the match as Lethal offered his hand for the shaking but Ciampa instead gives Lethal his knee brace which Ciampa uses since tearing his ACL. Back in 2012, these two had an amazing match at Border Wars that completely caught me off guard. They look to steal the show here again but this time, on a much more stacked card. 2 out of 3 falls matches are not typically my favorite since they do tend to repeat themselves but I like what they did here. Lethal scored the first pin after the two basically wrestled a full match. They then told the story of Ciampa doing all he can to tie the score. Lethal inadvertently knocked down referee Todd Sinclair which led to Truth Martini coming to Lethal's aid by tossing in Ciampa's knee brace. Lethal drills Ciampa with it but Ciampa kicks out! Lethal hits the Hail to the King from the top but Ciampa kicks out before Sinclair can even count! Lethal then lands a couple kicks to Ciampa's face that does no harm! However, a kick to Ciampa's knee leading into a Lethal Injection was enough to score the win and win the World Television Championship once again. These two have great chemistry and they made every count believable from start to finish. Great stuff.
Winner: Jay Lethal
Rating: ***3/4
Match 7: Michael Elgin vs. Kevin Steen
This is a #1 contender match for a chance at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in May. They have met against each other here and there as their bout a couple years ago in Canada comes to mind. But I loved this one, too. They both have such exciting styles that rely heavily on their big moves and they definitely brought them out here. The pacing was on point, not too fast and never a dull moment. They took the fight outside and in the ring where Elgin was able to display his incredible strength as Kevin Steen hung in right there with him. Crowd could not be any hotter for this one as Elgin hits Steen with a Package Piledriver to score the win and a chance at glory next month. The two abide by the Code of Honor and shake hands after the match. It was almost as if this was a story of Elgin avenging his loss for the ROH World Championship a couple years ago. Fantastic bout of two big guys going at it with everything on the line and everything to gain. Cool spots, close finishes, and a sweet finish. Very similar to their ROH World Championship match but also very different. Granted, the match was not as great as that one but this one was definitely a worthy sequel.
Winner: Michael Elgin
Rating: ****
Match 8: ROH World Championship - Ladder War - Adam Cole (c) vs. Jay Briscoe
One year removed from capturing the gold from Kevin Steen, Jay Briscoe finds himself looking to capture it once again in a Ladder War against his nemesis in Adam Cole. I love Ladder Wars and I also hate them. Most of the time, they are tough to watch and this is definitely the case here. The amount of unprotected chair shots these guys took to the head was too many to count. But you could feel the intensity here and the passion from both guys. They tore their bodies apart using tables, ladders, and chairs. Each spot more brutal than the next and while tough, it was still tons of fun to watch. Briscoe always tends to step up his game in these types of matches and he for sure brought the violence to this one. He got cut up early in the match and the blood kept flowing until the very end. The ending sequence may have been a bit too much as when Briscoe was ready to grab the belts hung up, Cole gave him the bird while on his back on the canvas. Briscoe then came down where he beat him down until Matt Hardy came to the scene and put a stop to things. Mark Briscoe then came out and looked to destroy Hardy by jumping off the huge ladder outside the ring through a table. But Michael Bennett comes out and drops Briscoe through the table! Jay was able to fight through everybody until Adam Cole beats Jay to the belts as he retains. Great war of a match until the cluster of a finish with all the interferences. If anyone has ever seen The Undertaker vs. Edge in a TLC match from 2008, this was the ROH version. Just on a much lesser scale and not as smoothly constructed. But all in all, it does not take away from what a cool main event that was.
Winner: Adam Cole
Rating: ****
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Not the best Supercard of Honor ever but it does live up to the name. Great matches from top to bottom with the three last final matches definitely being the highlights. Nothing here that was absolutely spectacular but there was still more great than good.
Rating: 8/10
Opening up the big wrestling weekend features The Decade's Roderick Strong taking on Cedric Alexander. Really great choice of opener that sets the pace for the show with Strong looking great but also makes Alexander look great in the process. Crowd was definitely hot and especially when Alexander basically took out the entire Decade team before Strong hit a backbreaker to pick up the win. Jimmy Jacobs then got on the mic and put themselves over. Fun match that was hard hitting and also fast paced at the same time. Great start to the show and hopefully, others can follow in its place. Can't help but wonder where the direction Strong is headed.
Winner: Roderick Strong
Rating: ***1/2
Match 2: The Decade vs. Adrenaline Rush & Andrew Everett
Following Strong's win, The Decade have Whitmer, Page, & Jacobs pitted against Adrenaline Rush & Everett. Very much what you would expect, some cool spots here and there but nothing that will steal the show. Crowd was still hot after the hot opener and the guys took advantage of it. Finish saw The Decade pick up the second win of the night. Good match that served its purpose and made sure not to take anything away from the next tag match that we will see later in the night.
Winners: The Decade
Rating: **1/4
Match 3: Silas Young vs. RD Evans
82-0. The streak that Evans is riding here against Young. I love a bit of comedy in wrestling and this streak that Evans has is great! He's such a goofy dude and is playing his character nicely. And him going up against a guy who is super serious in Silas Young is a great mixture. One thing I will say is that the commentary has been atrocious. I love both guys but when they ramble on about random things during a match, it's worse than WWE. Finish came when Evans tried to pull an Eddie Guerrero by tossing the belt to Young making referee Paul Turner think Young used the belt. However, Evans tried rolling up Young as he convinced Turner he did not hit Evans but to no avail. Young them clobbered Turner on accident with the belt. Young takes out Evans as a new referee slides in to give Young the win. However, out comes Turner and reverses the call. 83-0. Fun match with a cool ending, Young stays strong while the streak continues.
Winner: RD Evans
Rating: **
Match 4: No Disqualification - Mark Briscoe vs. Michael Bennett
Bad blood has been brewing between these two as they finally meet in a no disqualification contest. This match has stupid fun written all over it. They quickly take the fight to the outside where Briscoe dives off a little ledge onto Bennett and takes control of the match. They go back and fourth before Bennett finally gets the advantage by spearing Briscoe off the stage and through a table. Awesome. They take it back into the ring where they bring in chairs and sticks before Bennett locks in an Anaconda Vice to get the win over Briscoe as the referee called for the bell. Bennett is a great heel as he copies popular WWE moves which received a pretty good reaction from the audience. The match was nothing special but the show did need a little spark like this one before settling into the main events.
Winner: Michael Bennett
Rating: **1/4
Match 5: Forever Hooligans vs. Hanson & Rowe vs. ReDRagon
I am a sucker for these chaotic tag team matches and this one should be a dandy. Their styles nicely clashed against one another, you have the crazy Hooligans doing their fun thing, the big dudes looking to steamroll through everyone, and my favorites in ReDRagon just being awesome heels. Crowd was much hotter for this one and the action was always coming at a fast pace but not too fast for us to not be able to sink our teeth into. Great pacing and great action from top to bottom that saw Kyle O'Reilly roll up Alex Koslov with a handful of tights to secure the big victory. Bobby Fish then gets in the face of the commentators at ringside and lets them know who the best tag team in the world is. ReDRagon will be challenging The Young Bucks soon for the belts and that one should definitely be a good one. Great tag match here that separates itself from the tag match earlier in a better fashion.
Winners: ReDRagon
Rating: ***1/4
Match 6: ROH World Television Championship - 2 out of 3 Falls - Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Jay Lethal
Interesting start to the match as Lethal offered his hand for the shaking but Ciampa instead gives Lethal his knee brace which Ciampa uses since tearing his ACL. Back in 2012, these two had an amazing match at Border Wars that completely caught me off guard. They look to steal the show here again but this time, on a much more stacked card. 2 out of 3 falls matches are not typically my favorite since they do tend to repeat themselves but I like what they did here. Lethal scored the first pin after the two basically wrestled a full match. They then told the story of Ciampa doing all he can to tie the score. Lethal inadvertently knocked down referee Todd Sinclair which led to Truth Martini coming to Lethal's aid by tossing in Ciampa's knee brace. Lethal drills Ciampa with it but Ciampa kicks out! Lethal hits the Hail to the King from the top but Ciampa kicks out before Sinclair can even count! Lethal then lands a couple kicks to Ciampa's face that does no harm! However, a kick to Ciampa's knee leading into a Lethal Injection was enough to score the win and win the World Television Championship once again. These two have great chemistry and they made every count believable from start to finish. Great stuff.
Winner: Jay Lethal
Rating: ***3/4
Match 7: Michael Elgin vs. Kevin Steen
This is a #1 contender match for a chance at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in May. They have met against each other here and there as their bout a couple years ago in Canada comes to mind. But I loved this one, too. They both have such exciting styles that rely heavily on their big moves and they definitely brought them out here. The pacing was on point, not too fast and never a dull moment. They took the fight outside and in the ring where Elgin was able to display his incredible strength as Kevin Steen hung in right there with him. Crowd could not be any hotter for this one as Elgin hits Steen with a Package Piledriver to score the win and a chance at glory next month. The two abide by the Code of Honor and shake hands after the match. It was almost as if this was a story of Elgin avenging his loss for the ROH World Championship a couple years ago. Fantastic bout of two big guys going at it with everything on the line and everything to gain. Cool spots, close finishes, and a sweet finish. Very similar to their ROH World Championship match but also very different. Granted, the match was not as great as that one but this one was definitely a worthy sequel.
Winner: Michael Elgin
Rating: ****
Match 8: ROH World Championship - Ladder War - Adam Cole (c) vs. Jay Briscoe
One year removed from capturing the gold from Kevin Steen, Jay Briscoe finds himself looking to capture it once again in a Ladder War against his nemesis in Adam Cole. I love Ladder Wars and I also hate them. Most of the time, they are tough to watch and this is definitely the case here. The amount of unprotected chair shots these guys took to the head was too many to count. But you could feel the intensity here and the passion from both guys. They tore their bodies apart using tables, ladders, and chairs. Each spot more brutal than the next and while tough, it was still tons of fun to watch. Briscoe always tends to step up his game in these types of matches and he for sure brought the violence to this one. He got cut up early in the match and the blood kept flowing until the very end. The ending sequence may have been a bit too much as when Briscoe was ready to grab the belts hung up, Cole gave him the bird while on his back on the canvas. Briscoe then came down where he beat him down until Matt Hardy came to the scene and put a stop to things. Mark Briscoe then came out and looked to destroy Hardy by jumping off the huge ladder outside the ring through a table. But Michael Bennett comes out and drops Briscoe through the table! Jay was able to fight through everybody until Adam Cole beats Jay to the belts as he retains. Great war of a match until the cluster of a finish with all the interferences. If anyone has ever seen The Undertaker vs. Edge in a TLC match from 2008, this was the ROH version. Just on a much lesser scale and not as smoothly constructed. But all in all, it does not take away from what a cool main event that was.
Winner: Adam Cole
Rating: ****
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Not the best Supercard of Honor ever but it does live up to the name. Great matches from top to bottom with the three last final matches definitely being the highlights. Nothing here that was absolutely spectacular but there was still more great than good.
Rating: 8/10
Saturday, June 20, 2015
WWE Extreme Rules 2014 Review
Match 1: Elimination - Rob Van Dam vs. Jack Swagger vs. Cesaro
This is the opening contest of the night as ECW original Rob Van Dam goes against Jack Swagger and Cesaro in an elimination match. I'm a sucker for triple threat matches and this one features three guys who can easily open the show on the right note. Good pacing and fun action from the three that saw Swagger get eliminated by Van Dam. Van Dam and Cesaro had a nice exchange as they brought out a trashcan because after all, this is Extreme Rules. Van Dam placed it on top of Cesaro and looked to finish him off with a Frog Splash until Cesaro got out of the way and planted Van Dam with a Neutralizer on the can for the win. Nice opening contest to set the tone for the rest of the night. Also a cool win for Cesaro who is on fire after his big WrestleMania win.
Winner: Cesaro
Rating: **3/4
Match 2: Alexander Rusev vs. R-Truth & Xavier Woods
Rusev's manager Lana comes out before the match and dedicates the match to Vladimir Putin and introduces Rusev to the New Jersey crowd. He has two opponents but quickly takes out Woods before the match bell tolls. He destroys R-Truth who surprisingly got in a decent amount of offense in before falling to Rusev's Accolade finisher. Rusev continues to impress and reminds me of Umaga in some sense. Nice squash match to continue getting Rusev in the spotlight. Rusev then disposes of Woods once more after the match.
Winner: Rusev
Rating: *
Match 3: Intercontinental Championship - Big E (c) vs. Bad News Barrett
Barrett won a #1 contender's tournament to challenge Big E for this opportunity. Been enjoying the work from these two as of late and was hopeful that they would score enough time on a pretty stacked card. Crowd is definitely behind the heel Barrett and it seemed like it brought the best out of him. Their styles are pretty similar and they blended well together here. Ending stretch came when Big E looked to hit his Big Ending finish until Barrett countered and missed a Bull Hammer shot. But Barrett manages to quickly land a running Hammer right after for the big win to the delight of the crowd. I've got some bad news for ya! Barrett is the new champ!
Winner: Bad News Barrett
Rating: **1/4
Match 4: Evolution vs. The Shield
It is almost impossible to believe that this match is happening. Evolution regrouping for the first time since 2004 as Triple H, Randy Orton, & Batista look to take on three hungry guys in Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns. This match rocked. They wanted to make The Shield look good and they definitely looked both stronger and hungrier. It is pretty obvious that the WWE is high on these guys and they got the better of Evolution here in a back and fourth match that really made Evolution look like they were simply playing defense the entire road. Crowd was insanely hot for this match, they did not want to see an ending. It was carnage from top to bottom with again, The Shield really getting the most out of the match. Since this is an Extreme Rules PPV, they took things outside the ring with Ambrose jumping off the announce tables and finally, Rollins jumping off a balcony and splashing on to Triple H along with Randy Orton. In the ring, Batista look primed to hit his Batista Bomb but Reigns reversed into a Superman Punch into a Spear! Before I say anything else, I definitely have to credit Batista. Not only did he come back and eat the submission loss at WrestleMania, but he ate the pin here. Zero selfishness on his part and is truly doing his best to make others look good. As for the match, it was awesome. Shield look motivated and ready to claim their spots at the top. And Triple H has no problem with putting them over. The younger Shield basically beat Evolution like we have never, ever seen before in a WWE ring. Awesome stuff.
Winners: The Shield
Rating: ****1/4
Match 5: Steel Cage - Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena
Heard so many interesting things of this match so I am a bit curious to see how this goes. This is the rematch for their WrestleMania match that I felt was underwhelming. Cage matches have become pretty repetitive overtime and it becomes increasingly difficult to really do something different. Wyatt has his family surrounding the cage and make things interesting as they refuse to allow Cena to exit by exiting. The pacing of the match was on point, this match went nearly half an hour and they spaced out their moves and spots nicely. But it almost felt like the crowd was a little taken back by it after the extremely fast match that was Evolution vs. The Shield. The match was pretty enjoyable until the finish came about. Cena had the entire Wyatt Family down. He looked to exit through the open door until the lights go out and a child appears singing. What is this? Cena is taken back by this as Wyatt hits his finisher and scores the win. I know this is pro wrestling and anything can happen. But seriously, what the hell was that? The announcers try to play it off but this is so stupid. Great match capped off with a ridiculous finish.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Rating: ***
Match 6: Divas Championship - Paige (c) vs. Tamina Snuka
Tamina is not your typical Diva. She is definitely more wrestler than simply a pretty face. She won a battle royal to score a chance at gold here against Paige. Crowd could not care less for this one. Basically dead throughout the whole match and things did not help when the referee messed up a count. But even with that, the action was still a bit better than we have been accustomed to seeing as both Divas definitely got some skill in the ring. Paige wins with an innovative submission to retain her title.
Winner: Paige
Rating: *1/2
Match 7: WWE World Heavyweight Championship - Extreme Rules - Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Kane
It is almost hard to believe that these two were a tag team just a year ago. Many are not too thrilled to see that Kane is the first challenger to Daniel Bryan for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. However, seeing as this is an Extreme Rules match, I am actually looking forward to this one. This was far and away one of the more goofy main events in a long time from the WWE. This match defines exactly what the PPV should be, craziness and more craziness. After all, this is an Extreme Rules match! Lots of foreign objects used for this one as they took the fight to the back where they destroyed televisions, shattered car windows, and used a forklift. Yes, a forklift. Bryan knocked out Kane with a tire iron and used the forklift to carry Kane back to the ring! Bryan then dumped Kane into the ring using it and then doze off of it. I am not making this stuff up here. Bryan looks to be on a roll and looks to hit a dive to the outside only for Kane to catch him and Chokeslam him through the announce table. Kane then sets a table on fire where Bryan is able to dump Kane onto it and hit a Running Knee for the win! Fun stuff! One of Kane's strongest matches in recent memory, both Bryan and the stipulation brought out the best of him. Also, Bryan scores another PPV win under his belt. People are too sensitive these days, especially wrestling fans. Just sit back, shut up, and enjoy this. You know it was fun.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Rating: ***3/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Extreme Rules is always one of the stronger shows of the year and this year fell a little flat. The obvious highlight would be the Evolution vs. Shield match which definitely lived to the hype. The main event was also fun but everything else was just there. Check out those two matches and you'll be good.
Rating: 6/10
This is the opening contest of the night as ECW original Rob Van Dam goes against Jack Swagger and Cesaro in an elimination match. I'm a sucker for triple threat matches and this one features three guys who can easily open the show on the right note. Good pacing and fun action from the three that saw Swagger get eliminated by Van Dam. Van Dam and Cesaro had a nice exchange as they brought out a trashcan because after all, this is Extreme Rules. Van Dam placed it on top of Cesaro and looked to finish him off with a Frog Splash until Cesaro got out of the way and planted Van Dam with a Neutralizer on the can for the win. Nice opening contest to set the tone for the rest of the night. Also a cool win for Cesaro who is on fire after his big WrestleMania win.
Winner: Cesaro
Rating: **3/4
Match 2: Alexander Rusev vs. R-Truth & Xavier Woods
Rusev's manager Lana comes out before the match and dedicates the match to Vladimir Putin and introduces Rusev to the New Jersey crowd. He has two opponents but quickly takes out Woods before the match bell tolls. He destroys R-Truth who surprisingly got in a decent amount of offense in before falling to Rusev's Accolade finisher. Rusev continues to impress and reminds me of Umaga in some sense. Nice squash match to continue getting Rusev in the spotlight. Rusev then disposes of Woods once more after the match.
Winner: Rusev
Rating: *
Match 3: Intercontinental Championship - Big E (c) vs. Bad News Barrett
Barrett won a #1 contender's tournament to challenge Big E for this opportunity. Been enjoying the work from these two as of late and was hopeful that they would score enough time on a pretty stacked card. Crowd is definitely behind the heel Barrett and it seemed like it brought the best out of him. Their styles are pretty similar and they blended well together here. Ending stretch came when Big E looked to hit his Big Ending finish until Barrett countered and missed a Bull Hammer shot. But Barrett manages to quickly land a running Hammer right after for the big win to the delight of the crowd. I've got some bad news for ya! Barrett is the new champ!
Winner: Bad News Barrett
Rating: **1/4
Match 4: Evolution vs. The Shield
It is almost impossible to believe that this match is happening. Evolution regrouping for the first time since 2004 as Triple H, Randy Orton, & Batista look to take on three hungry guys in Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns. This match rocked. They wanted to make The Shield look good and they definitely looked both stronger and hungrier. It is pretty obvious that the WWE is high on these guys and they got the better of Evolution here in a back and fourth match that really made Evolution look like they were simply playing defense the entire road. Crowd was insanely hot for this match, they did not want to see an ending. It was carnage from top to bottom with again, The Shield really getting the most out of the match. Since this is an Extreme Rules PPV, they took things outside the ring with Ambrose jumping off the announce tables and finally, Rollins jumping off a balcony and splashing on to Triple H along with Randy Orton. In the ring, Batista look primed to hit his Batista Bomb but Reigns reversed into a Superman Punch into a Spear! Before I say anything else, I definitely have to credit Batista. Not only did he come back and eat the submission loss at WrestleMania, but he ate the pin here. Zero selfishness on his part and is truly doing his best to make others look good. As for the match, it was awesome. Shield look motivated and ready to claim their spots at the top. And Triple H has no problem with putting them over. The younger Shield basically beat Evolution like we have never, ever seen before in a WWE ring. Awesome stuff.
Winners: The Shield
Rating: ****1/4
Match 5: Steel Cage - Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena
Heard so many interesting things of this match so I am a bit curious to see how this goes. This is the rematch for their WrestleMania match that I felt was underwhelming. Cage matches have become pretty repetitive overtime and it becomes increasingly difficult to really do something different. Wyatt has his family surrounding the cage and make things interesting as they refuse to allow Cena to exit by exiting. The pacing of the match was on point, this match went nearly half an hour and they spaced out their moves and spots nicely. But it almost felt like the crowd was a little taken back by it after the extremely fast match that was Evolution vs. The Shield. The match was pretty enjoyable until the finish came about. Cena had the entire Wyatt Family down. He looked to exit through the open door until the lights go out and a child appears singing. What is this? Cena is taken back by this as Wyatt hits his finisher and scores the win. I know this is pro wrestling and anything can happen. But seriously, what the hell was that? The announcers try to play it off but this is so stupid. Great match capped off with a ridiculous finish.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Rating: ***
Match 6: Divas Championship - Paige (c) vs. Tamina Snuka
Tamina is not your typical Diva. She is definitely more wrestler than simply a pretty face. She won a battle royal to score a chance at gold here against Paige. Crowd could not care less for this one. Basically dead throughout the whole match and things did not help when the referee messed up a count. But even with that, the action was still a bit better than we have been accustomed to seeing as both Divas definitely got some skill in the ring. Paige wins with an innovative submission to retain her title.
Winner: Paige
Rating: *1/2
Match 7: WWE World Heavyweight Championship - Extreme Rules - Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Kane
It is almost hard to believe that these two were a tag team just a year ago. Many are not too thrilled to see that Kane is the first challenger to Daniel Bryan for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. However, seeing as this is an Extreme Rules match, I am actually looking forward to this one. This was far and away one of the more goofy main events in a long time from the WWE. This match defines exactly what the PPV should be, craziness and more craziness. After all, this is an Extreme Rules match! Lots of foreign objects used for this one as they took the fight to the back where they destroyed televisions, shattered car windows, and used a forklift. Yes, a forklift. Bryan knocked out Kane with a tire iron and used the forklift to carry Kane back to the ring! Bryan then dumped Kane into the ring using it and then doze off of it. I am not making this stuff up here. Bryan looks to be on a roll and looks to hit a dive to the outside only for Kane to catch him and Chokeslam him through the announce table. Kane then sets a table on fire where Bryan is able to dump Kane onto it and hit a Running Knee for the win! Fun stuff! One of Kane's strongest matches in recent memory, both Bryan and the stipulation brought out the best of him. Also, Bryan scores another PPV win under his belt. People are too sensitive these days, especially wrestling fans. Just sit back, shut up, and enjoy this. You know it was fun.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Rating: ***3/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Extreme Rules is always one of the stronger shows of the year and this year fell a little flat. The obvious highlight would be the Evolution vs. Shield match which definitely lived to the hype. The main event was also fun but everything else was just there. Check out those two matches and you'll be good.
Rating: 6/10
Monday, May 25, 2015
WWE WrestleMania XXX Review
Match 1: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H
This is the ultimate WrestleMania match. And it is opening the card. The machine vs. the underdog. The winner of this match gets inserted into the main event with a chance to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H comes out to an absolutely spectacular entrance with music to set the mood before Motorhead hits. Time to play the game. Daniel Bryan then comes out to absurd pop with the entire Superdome chanting that one word in favor of Bryan. Yes. Triple H offers the shaking of the hand but Bryan declines and kicks his hand away. Interesting start but Triple H quickly rebounds and works on the injured shoulder of Daniel Bryan. Right away, the veteran Triple H sets the tone of the match and lets the audience know that he is bigger, badder, and stronger. Oh, he also has Stephanie McMahon on his side. Beautiful wrestling from top to bottom with an array of submissions, reversals, and ring psychology like we have not seen in a WWE ring since the days of Shawn Michaels. I really mean that. The focus on Bryan's arm was so well done. Triple H came off exactly like he should have, the big heel that wanted to systematically destroy the fan favorite. In Bryan's case, he also played his role to its potential. The underdog looking to will his way to victory through what he does best with kicks, submissions, and anything he can to gain the advantage. Bryan was able to hit his running knee finisher to gain the win and entry into the main event. Afterwards, Triple H attacks Bryan and slams a steel chair into his shoulder that Triple H placed along the corner of the ring at the post. Brilliant opener, probably the best in WrestleMania history. The story, the wrestling, the mood, it was all there. Onto the main event...
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Rating: ****1/2
Match 2: New Age Outlaws & Kane vs. The Shield
This match is basically two teams from two completely different eras going at it. Hungry is the word to describe The Shield and the monster push they have received over the year continues here as they absolutely destroy their opponents with ease. It was simply a showcase of The Shield beating down three other guys for about five minutes with The Shield finally planting New Age Outlaws with their Triple Powerbomb finisher after Roman Reigns gave a Spear to everyone. Fun match that simply got a good spot on the card for The Shield and allowed them to get a quick win.
Winners: The Shield
Rating: *1/4
Match 3: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
A new concept brought to WrestleMania likely meant to get some guys on the card and I like it! Ever since eliminating Money in the Bank in 2011, this has the potential to take over its reigns. Unlike the Royal Rumble, nobody comes out in intervals. Instead, everybody gathers in the ring at once and basically go at it. Battle royals are hard for anybody to really get over but hey this is WrestleMania. Not once during this match did I feel like it was dragging, everybody played the part well and the crowd did not take themselves out of the action. The final four came down to Big Show, Sheamus, Cesaro, and Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio and Sheamus go at it before they both eliminate each other simultaneously. It is down to Cesaro and Big Show. Cesaro lands huge uppercuts before Show fights back and tries to eliminate Cesaro. Cesaro then escapes Show's hold and lifts up Big Show and dumps him out of the ring! Amazing moment! Cesaro just got made right there! One of the better battle royals in recent history and the crowd erupted for that finish. The right guy won and this was a fantastic debut for this match.
Winner: Cesaro
Rating: ***1/2
Match 4: Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena
In my opinion, this is one of Cena's strangest WrestleMania match. For the first time in a long time, he is not the marquee match. It feels pretty strange and almost as if this is a foreshadowing to future events as the newer guys are ready to take center stage. This is also one of Cena's weaker feuds headed into WrestleMania. The idea of him being the underdog is so stale and just about everybody figured what the outcome was going to be. Very slow action from the start, their styles just don't really mesh well on a grand stage like this and it eliminates the crowd from staying active throughout. Wyatt tries to play mind games but it never really grasped the audience, almost as if the announcers were bored trying to explain what was going on. Cena takes out both Wyatt Family members before reversing a Sister Abigail into an Attitude Adjustment for the win. Match never picked up from first gear and suffered because of it. Definitely a disappointing match in Cena's long line of memorable WrestleMania matches and moments.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: **
Match 5: Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker
We all know the result. More than two decades of WrestleMania dominance comes full circle in New Orleans as Brock Lesnar conquers The Streak. The build has been fantastic, Paul Heyman being the wild card throughout everything is only turning things up a notch. He has been on the top of his game for this feud and rightfully so. Reviewing this match is extremely difficult. The match itself was very basic, The Undertaker simply is not as mobile as he once was and it almost looked like Lesnar was just toying around until the final stages of the match. The pins really did not seem all that believable until the very last one. When the referee pounded the finishing pin, a huge silence surrounded the arena like we have never heard in wrestling history. The Streak has ended. Lesnar leaves with Heyman as they are both in astonishment while The Undertaker leaves to a standing ovation. What. An. Ending. As basic of a match this was, there is no taking away the beautiful storytelling and amazing finish that saw the crowd hit a silence like never before. Forget the rating, forget what you thought of the actual match. Think about the history, think about what led both men to this position. Think of the end of an era. Watching this was tough, it felt like I saw my childhood finally come to a close. As if I was watching the end of a wrestling era. I can easily recall back to times in middle school, times in junior high, and times in high school when The Undertaker was the top dog. The guy that was prominently featured at the top of the list for every wrestling show. But like I said, this was tough to watch. Undertaker did not look like The Undertaker that we have become accustomed to seeing, he was simply a shell of who he used to be. He lost that pep in his step, he look drained, he just could not keep up with the younger and stronger Brock Lesnar. And it made sense. The WWE is turning the page with newer talent coming in and this match simply signified that this is a new age. Brock Lesnar, in my opinion, is the perfect choice to beat the undefeated streak. You want a badass animal, you got him. You want a household name, you got him. You want a legitimate fighter and wrestler, you got him. Brock Lesnar, the one behind the one in 21-1.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Rating: ***
Match 6: Divas Championship - Vickie Guerrero Invitational
This is the gateway between the end of The Streak and the main event. Vickie Guerrero comes out and puts over the match as AJ Lee comes out to the delight of a shocked crowd. Just a sluggish and mess of a match that was hard to follow with the circumstances standing with The Undertaker losing. All of the Divas in one match and in one ring as everybody tries to score a pin over anybody. AJ makes Naomi tap and wins the match after all the Divas got eliminated beforehand.
Winner: AJ Lee
Rating: 1/2*
Match 7: WWE World Heavyweight Championship - Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan
This is it. The first triple threat main event at a WrestleMania since WrestleMania XX. And this event oddly resembles that one is so many ways. Bryan gained this opportunity after beating Triple H earlier in the show. Hard to believe that the original main event was going to be Batista vs. Orton. Bryan being injected into the match gives this match and event both a different kind of life. You know Bryan is going to win, but you just still got that feeling. The hate for Batista is real and he is fully embracing his role as a heel. He does such an amazing job at provoking these fans to boo him, he is a heel at heart. This match was exciting from the start and definitely worthy of closing out a wild night of wrestling. Just a roller coaster of a match filled with Bryan trying to fend off both Orton and Batista. Things got really foggy when Batista hit Bryan with a Batista Bomb as Orton connected with an RKO through an announce table. One of the coolest spots I have ever seen in a WrestleMania main event. Bryan refuses to quit and ends the match by getting Batista to submit after an amazing back and fourth finish. Bryan celebrates in the ring with both titles in hand as the pyro sets off to cap off an incredible night. Wow. Everything made sense here. It wasn't the perfect match or even the best main event in WrestleMania history. But again, everything made sense. You had Triple H, the scumbag boss, do his best to alter the finish with Scott Armstrong and the sledgehammer. But he failed. You had Batista, the man who was scheduled to likely win the match, submit to Daniel Bryan! What a match, what an ending, and what a show.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Definitely one of the best editions of WrestleMania that I have ever seen. Not really because of the match quality, but because of what the show represented. You get to see Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock open up the show with an incredible promo. You get the best WrestleMania opening match of all time. You get The Undertaker falling to Brock Lesnar. And finally, the culmination of Daniel Bryan's epic journey as he beats Evolution. Yes, Evolution! This show not only represented 30 years of WrestleMania, it also represented the turning of the page. A new era. Wow.
Rating: 9.5/10
This is the ultimate WrestleMania match. And it is opening the card. The machine vs. the underdog. The winner of this match gets inserted into the main event with a chance to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H comes out to an absolutely spectacular entrance with music to set the mood before Motorhead hits. Time to play the game. Daniel Bryan then comes out to absurd pop with the entire Superdome chanting that one word in favor of Bryan. Yes. Triple H offers the shaking of the hand but Bryan declines and kicks his hand away. Interesting start but Triple H quickly rebounds and works on the injured shoulder of Daniel Bryan. Right away, the veteran Triple H sets the tone of the match and lets the audience know that he is bigger, badder, and stronger. Oh, he also has Stephanie McMahon on his side. Beautiful wrestling from top to bottom with an array of submissions, reversals, and ring psychology like we have not seen in a WWE ring since the days of Shawn Michaels. I really mean that. The focus on Bryan's arm was so well done. Triple H came off exactly like he should have, the big heel that wanted to systematically destroy the fan favorite. In Bryan's case, he also played his role to its potential. The underdog looking to will his way to victory through what he does best with kicks, submissions, and anything he can to gain the advantage. Bryan was able to hit his running knee finisher to gain the win and entry into the main event. Afterwards, Triple H attacks Bryan and slams a steel chair into his shoulder that Triple H placed along the corner of the ring at the post. Brilliant opener, probably the best in WrestleMania history. The story, the wrestling, the mood, it was all there. Onto the main event...
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Rating: ****1/2
Match 2: New Age Outlaws & Kane vs. The Shield
This match is basically two teams from two completely different eras going at it. Hungry is the word to describe The Shield and the monster push they have received over the year continues here as they absolutely destroy their opponents with ease. It was simply a showcase of The Shield beating down three other guys for about five minutes with The Shield finally planting New Age Outlaws with their Triple Powerbomb finisher after Roman Reigns gave a Spear to everyone. Fun match that simply got a good spot on the card for The Shield and allowed them to get a quick win.
Winners: The Shield
Rating: *1/4
Match 3: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
A new concept brought to WrestleMania likely meant to get some guys on the card and I like it! Ever since eliminating Money in the Bank in 2011, this has the potential to take over its reigns. Unlike the Royal Rumble, nobody comes out in intervals. Instead, everybody gathers in the ring at once and basically go at it. Battle royals are hard for anybody to really get over but hey this is WrestleMania. Not once during this match did I feel like it was dragging, everybody played the part well and the crowd did not take themselves out of the action. The final four came down to Big Show, Sheamus, Cesaro, and Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio and Sheamus go at it before they both eliminate each other simultaneously. It is down to Cesaro and Big Show. Cesaro lands huge uppercuts before Show fights back and tries to eliminate Cesaro. Cesaro then escapes Show's hold and lifts up Big Show and dumps him out of the ring! Amazing moment! Cesaro just got made right there! One of the better battle royals in recent history and the crowd erupted for that finish. The right guy won and this was a fantastic debut for this match.
Winner: Cesaro
Rating: ***1/2
Match 4: Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena
In my opinion, this is one of Cena's strangest WrestleMania match. For the first time in a long time, he is not the marquee match. It feels pretty strange and almost as if this is a foreshadowing to future events as the newer guys are ready to take center stage. This is also one of Cena's weaker feuds headed into WrestleMania. The idea of him being the underdog is so stale and just about everybody figured what the outcome was going to be. Very slow action from the start, their styles just don't really mesh well on a grand stage like this and it eliminates the crowd from staying active throughout. Wyatt tries to play mind games but it never really grasped the audience, almost as if the announcers were bored trying to explain what was going on. Cena takes out both Wyatt Family members before reversing a Sister Abigail into an Attitude Adjustment for the win. Match never picked up from first gear and suffered because of it. Definitely a disappointing match in Cena's long line of memorable WrestleMania matches and moments.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: **
Match 5: Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker
We all know the result. More than two decades of WrestleMania dominance comes full circle in New Orleans as Brock Lesnar conquers The Streak. The build has been fantastic, Paul Heyman being the wild card throughout everything is only turning things up a notch. He has been on the top of his game for this feud and rightfully so. Reviewing this match is extremely difficult. The match itself was very basic, The Undertaker simply is not as mobile as he once was and it almost looked like Lesnar was just toying around until the final stages of the match. The pins really did not seem all that believable until the very last one. When the referee pounded the finishing pin, a huge silence surrounded the arena like we have never heard in wrestling history. The Streak has ended. Lesnar leaves with Heyman as they are both in astonishment while The Undertaker leaves to a standing ovation. What. An. Ending. As basic of a match this was, there is no taking away the beautiful storytelling and amazing finish that saw the crowd hit a silence like never before. Forget the rating, forget what you thought of the actual match. Think about the history, think about what led both men to this position. Think of the end of an era. Watching this was tough, it felt like I saw my childhood finally come to a close. As if I was watching the end of a wrestling era. I can easily recall back to times in middle school, times in junior high, and times in high school when The Undertaker was the top dog. The guy that was prominently featured at the top of the list for every wrestling show. But like I said, this was tough to watch. Undertaker did not look like The Undertaker that we have become accustomed to seeing, he was simply a shell of who he used to be. He lost that pep in his step, he look drained, he just could not keep up with the younger and stronger Brock Lesnar. And it made sense. The WWE is turning the page with newer talent coming in and this match simply signified that this is a new age. Brock Lesnar, in my opinion, is the perfect choice to beat the undefeated streak. You want a badass animal, you got him. You want a household name, you got him. You want a legitimate fighter and wrestler, you got him. Brock Lesnar, the one behind the one in 21-1.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Rating: ***
Match 6: Divas Championship - Vickie Guerrero Invitational
This is the gateway between the end of The Streak and the main event. Vickie Guerrero comes out and puts over the match as AJ Lee comes out to the delight of a shocked crowd. Just a sluggish and mess of a match that was hard to follow with the circumstances standing with The Undertaker losing. All of the Divas in one match and in one ring as everybody tries to score a pin over anybody. AJ makes Naomi tap and wins the match after all the Divas got eliminated beforehand.
Winner: AJ Lee
Rating: 1/2*
Match 7: WWE World Heavyweight Championship - Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan
This is it. The first triple threat main event at a WrestleMania since WrestleMania XX. And this event oddly resembles that one is so many ways. Bryan gained this opportunity after beating Triple H earlier in the show. Hard to believe that the original main event was going to be Batista vs. Orton. Bryan being injected into the match gives this match and event both a different kind of life. You know Bryan is going to win, but you just still got that feeling. The hate for Batista is real and he is fully embracing his role as a heel. He does such an amazing job at provoking these fans to boo him, he is a heel at heart. This match was exciting from the start and definitely worthy of closing out a wild night of wrestling. Just a roller coaster of a match filled with Bryan trying to fend off both Orton and Batista. Things got really foggy when Batista hit Bryan with a Batista Bomb as Orton connected with an RKO through an announce table. One of the coolest spots I have ever seen in a WrestleMania main event. Bryan refuses to quit and ends the match by getting Batista to submit after an amazing back and fourth finish. Bryan celebrates in the ring with both titles in hand as the pyro sets off to cap off an incredible night. Wow. Everything made sense here. It wasn't the perfect match or even the best main event in WrestleMania history. But again, everything made sense. You had Triple H, the scumbag boss, do his best to alter the finish with Scott Armstrong and the sledgehammer. But he failed. You had Batista, the man who was scheduled to likely win the match, submit to Daniel Bryan! What a match, what an ending, and what a show.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Definitely one of the best editions of WrestleMania that I have ever seen. Not really because of the match quality, but because of what the show represented. You get to see Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock open up the show with an incredible promo. You get the best WrestleMania opening match of all time. You get The Undertaker falling to Brock Lesnar. And finally, the culmination of Daniel Bryan's epic journey as he beats Evolution. Yes, Evolution! This show not only represented 30 years of WrestleMania, it also represented the turning of the page. A new era. Wow.
Rating: 9.5/10
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