Match 1: Vengeance 2006 - Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle
Looking to avenge his loss to Kurt Angle at ECW One Night Stand, Raw's newest superstar acquisition in Randy Orton was in perfect position to do so here. Angle was pretty much in his prime here and was just an animal. You really had to admire his passion and intensity in his matches. That statement rang to be true as Angle brought the intensity once more to Orton. Angle was the aggressive one as Orton played his role as a heel brilliantly. Doing his best to escape from any type of Angle's offenses and finally resorting to exposing a turnbuckle. Orton is able to counter an Ankle Lock by driving Angle into the exposed turnbuckle before hitting a sweet RKO for the finish. Great opening match for the show that allows Orton to even the score against Angle. Angle's loss didn't really hurt him when taking into consideration the turnbuckle. Shame they never made a rubber match between the two.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: ***1/4
Match 2: Summerslam 2006 - Randy Orton vs. Hulk Hogan (Taken from WWE Summerslam 2006 Review)
This
feels like last year all over again with Hulk Hogan being prominently
featured on another Summerslam show. This time, it's against the young,
brash Randy Orton. And this time, Hogan puts his opponent over. One of
those things I just typed is true and it's not the latter. Crowd is hot
for both guys and it's pretty split as tons of boos and cheers are
ringing down for both guys. The match was pretty much what you would
expect. There really isn't much to be said. It didn't really carry the
same vibe or flow like his match last year against Shawn Michaels but
Orton held his own and carried Hogan to a damn good match. Orton looked
to score the win at one point by hitting his RKO until the referee
discovered Hogan's foot was on the bottom rope. Hogan then Hulks up,
points, kicks, and drops for the win. Having Orton go up against the
biggest legend of all time makes sense, but he's definitely in a tight
spot. There's no reason at all for Hogan to be going over guys like
Shawn Michaels or Randy Orton. They actively compete on the roster while
Hogan does not at all. A loss against either does not hurt Hogan's
reputation whatsoever, but a loss for Michaels or Orton baffles the
audience. Why are these guys losing to an old man? How am I supposed to
believe these guys are legitimate main eventers? Sure, the argument can
be made that Orton even being in the same match as Hogan is cool but to
me, what really did any of this accomplish? Where does Orton even go
from here? Plus, they didn't even let Orton drop Hogan after the match!
Winner: Hulk Hogan
Rating: **3/4
Match 3: The Great American Bash 2007 - Texas Bull Rope - Randy Orton vs. Dusty Rhodes (Taken from WWE The Great American Bash 2007 Review)
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 4: WrestleMania XXIV - WWE Championship - Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena vs. Triple H
Some fantastic entrances for these guys as it is time for Raw's WrestleMania main event. Funny to see how white John Cena is compared to the tanned bodies of Randy Orton and Triple H. I remember the hype being pretty high for this match and it falling flat on its face. While I won't go as far as saying it fell flat on its face, it definitely didn't live up to its expectations. Everything just felt so rushed and I wasn't able to feel the tension between the three guys that was built so well before this. However, that's not to say I didn't enjoy the match. I could almost compare this match to the triple threat match at WrestleMania 22 for the World Heavyweight Championship. There was never really a dull moment but I never really got the chance to stop and digest everything. A rather forgettable match with a couple cool spots like Orton delivering a DDT simultaneously to Cena and Triple H off the middle rope or Cena hoisting both Orton and Triple H on his back for the FU. The finish saw Orton punt Triple H in the skull and cover Cena for the win as he escapes with the WWE Championship. Although Cena had a lot of steam coming from his return at the Royal Rumble, Orton was ultimately the right choice here. He was for sure the wild card of everything and got his big WrestleMania win.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: ***1/4
Match 5: Breaking Point 2009 - WWE Championship - I Quit - Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
The last time I scored this match was when it happened about seven years ago. I was a junior in high school so I'm going to see how my **** score holds up in 2016 as a college student. This match was in 2009 and at the peak of the Randy Orton vs. John Cena feud as the very tanned Orton would be automatically disqualified if anybody were to interfere into the match on his behalf. I'm not sure what I saw in this match back in the day but this was easily one of the most dragged out I Quit matches I have ever seen. Maybe that's me taking into consideration how many times I've seen these guys wrestle against each other or maybe I just had completely different outlooks on this match from now and then. Orton was in control for so much of the match that it got me sucked out of the match. He tied up Cena with the handcuffs and never let up after that. They spent the huge chunk of the match just having Orton toy with Cena before Cena was able to escape and hit an STF to have Orton quit. I love John Cena, he is probably one of my favorites of all time. I mean that. But this was the type of match that made people really dislike him. He got dominated throughout the entire match before finally reversing the tide and earning another win and another championship. It's always a trip to relive old matches and read my reviews of them from back in the day.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: **
Original Rating: ****
Match 6: Hell in a Cell 2010 - WWE Championship - Hell in a Cell - Randy Orton (c) vs. Sheamus
I question why this match had to be inside a Hell in a Cell. I hate having matches inside the friendly confines without having blood feuds. The match itself was fine and I was able to feel the tension between the two despite my strong thoughts of having it inside Hell in a Cell. The flow and pacing of the match was fine but again, the lack of focus on the actual cage itself was a distraction. They brought out the steel steps and made it a focal point of the match where Randy Orton was able to hit an RKO to Sheamus atop the steps for the victory. Good match as their styles blended nicely here as they would go on to have several more matches down the line and many more in 2016. Would have been the exact same match if the cage wasn't taken into play. I liked the match and I liked the build to the RKO at the end but this is Hell in a Cell, this should have been so much more.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: ***1/4
Match 7: WrestleMania XXVII - CM Punk vs. Randy Orton
Another match that I reviewed back in the day but will be giving a second look at it. Randy Orton is nursing an injury to one of his legs as CM Punk looks to take advantage of it. Should quickly note what a distraction the commentary was as we were in the midst of the Michael Cole vs. Jerry Lawler feud with Josh Matthews trying to play peacemaker. I feel like WrestleMania matches need to separate themselves from other matches on the card along with matches that are normally seen on regular PPVs. I liked the focus on Orton's injured knee but the action was a little too slow for me to really get into. I didn't feel the hate the two had like I did on my first viewing. The match was fine but didn't really get me or the crowd over so much. The ending came when Punk flew off the top rope looking to hit a clothesline before getting smashed with a slick RKO. Another big WrestleMania win for Orton.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: **3/4
Original Rating: ***1/4
Match 8: SmackDown 2011 - World Heavyweight Championship - Christian (c) vs. Randy Orton
With Randy Orton being drafted to the blue brand, he stepped up his game to another level. This match is fairly infamous for Christian losing his first World Heavyweight Championship in less than a week. While the commercial break did cut into the match, this was still a great television main event as the chemistry between the two was just so great. It's always fun to watch two babyfaces go at it and it was definitely interesting to see these two just have a straight up wrestling match. Christian wasn't able to hit his Killswitch and ended up suffering his fate as Orton pulled the trigger first as he hit a sweet RKO as Christian leaped off the second rope. Just like that, Christian's reign came to an end. This match was truly the turning point for Orton in 2011, he would go on to put on some incredible matches and arguably become the wrestler of the year. We all questioned why he won the belt so quickly but it ultimately became a great decision as the feud these two would go on to have would be the best of the year.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: ***
Overall Thoughts and Rating:
Disc 3 of this DVD gives us a very broad range of Randy Orton. We were able to see the fairly new Randy Orton in 2006 to the seasoned veteran in 2011 where he really culminated as a performer. While the match quality wasn't the best, I liked the idea of displaying Orton's evolution and showcase his biggest matches throughout this time frame.
Rating: 6/10
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Saturday, July 30, 2016
WWE The Great American Bash 2008 Review
Match 1: WWE Tag Team Championships - John Morrison & The Miz (c)
vs. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder vs. Jesse & Festus vs. Finlay
& Hornwoggle
Always a pleasure to hear Mick Foley on commentary with Jim Ross by his side for the SmackDown team. Fun opening match to get the flow of the show going as everybody got in a good amount of offense in which is tough in these types of tag matches. Good combination of action and straight silliness. Fun start to the show with Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder scoring their first tastes of gold. Foley & Ross are just as gold on the headsets.
Winners: Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder
Rating: **
Match 2: United States Championship - Matt Hardy (c) vs. Shelton Benjamin
Always forgot how over Matt Hardy was in 2007-2008. Hardy was drafted to ECW and brought along the United States Championship with him as Shelton Benjamin looked to bring it back to the blue brand. The crowd was pretty damn hot for this one as the dueling chants amongst the WWE crowd was very apparent. Great wrestling match that gradually picked up while keeping a smooth pace throughout. What's there to say here about these two? Good chemistry from two veterans of the game looking to steal the show. Benjamin is able to knee Hardy in the face as he attempted a Moonsault before Benjamin hit the Paydirt for the win as the crowd popped big. Great undercard match between two of the company's top underrated stars of 2008.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin
Rating: ***1/4
Match 3: ECW Championship - Mark Henry (c) vs. Tommy Dreamer
As Mark Henry made his way out to the ring, Tazz pointed out that we have a third title change in just as many matches to start off the night. Mike Adamle hilariously responded with, "Let's hope not." On that note, it's always cool to see Tommy Dreamer in some sort of PPV role. Same can be said for Henry, I always thought that he was one of WWE's best heels and his reign as ECW Champion showed that. A badass and dominant heel with zero remorse and zero care for the fans or his opponents. Henry dominates throughout with Dreamer finally scoring some offense in before his buddy in Colin Delaney turns heel and grabs Dreamer's arm as he came off the top rope which allowed Henry to score the finish. Henry laughs it off with the belt over his shoulder afterwards. Such a jerk heel, got to love it. While the match was pretty whatever, I liked the unexpected turn from Delaney.
Winner: Mark Henry
Rating: *1/4
Match 4: Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels
From the critically acclaimed feud in 2008, Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels at The Great American Bash turned things up a notch for both the show and their bitterness. I discussed earlier about the great chemistry in the Hardy vs. Benjmain match, but I don't think I could even compare that to this. The chemistry between Jericho and Michaels is just on another atmosphere. Starting the match off in an aggressive and smart manner. You felt the hatred between the two but they just built every next move like it would be the last. I don't remember a time when landing a suplex from the top rope could end a match, but these two sure as hell made it seem that way. While I'm normally not one who likes interferences in matches, the inclusion of Lance Cade just felt right. The slimy Jericho doing anything and everything in his power to get the advantage. Things took a huge turn when Jericho landed an elbow to the injured of eye of Michaels. Blood began pouring out of Michaels as Jericho's stunned look became a sign of things to come. The remainder of the match saw Jericho pound on the eye as the referee begged Michaels to give it up. Jericho was relentless as he systematically beat down Michaels until the referee couldn't take it and called for the bell. Jericho stood with Cade next to a bloody and battered Michaels afterwards. Unbelievable performance from all parties involved. The wrestlers, the referee and the commentators all did an incredible job. The feud was already on fire. This match just poured the kerosene and made things that much more interesting.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Rating: ***3/4
Match 5: Divas Championship - Michelle McCool vs. Natalya
This is the debut of the hideous Divas Championship as the SmackDown brand gets a new title for the ladies. A pretty dull Divas match here that saw Michelle McCool submit Natalya with a heel hook as they both screamed for about a full minute as the lock was applied. Yup.
Winner: Michelle McCool
Rating: 3/4*
Match 6: World Heavyweight Championship - CM Punk (c) vs. Batista (Taken from Batista - The Animal Unleashed DVD (Disc 2) Review)
CM Punk was booked like an absolute champ in 2008 as the champion for the red brand. Things didn't look too good for him as he had an animal in his way, Batista. If you haven't figured it out by now, Batista is almost booked as generously as John Cena. The commentators would not stop reminding us how Punk was the underdog of the match. The two worked a really good match around that story, Batista was fantastic in looking stronger while Punk was just as good in looking fast and cunning. Batista was understandably in control throughout the entire match but Punk wouldn't let up, putting his best efforts forward and made himself look like a legitimate contender. Credit to Batista for that, too. Batista hit a Spinebuster outside and once he rolled Punk back in the ring, Kane appeared out of nowhere and attacked both men which led to a disqualification. Punk raises his belt in front of Batista after Kane left and then handed out a Batista Bomb to Punk. I'm not sure what just happened. Is Batista a heel? Was Kane's interference absolute necessary? And why exactly did Punk raise the belt after a disqualification victory?
Winner: CM Punk
Rating: ***
Match 7: New York City Parking Lot Brawl - JBL vs. John Cena
Can you imagine the WWE doing something like this in 2016? If it did happen, it'd be a completely watered-down version. Everyone seems to have a very, very different opinion and I personally am on the minority side of things. They brought out all the stops and didn't hold back. It's like this PPV wanted to get every last bit of blood and violence in before transitioning over to PG. From fire to straight beating each other with cars and foreign objects, this was a brawl. Even though nearly all of the match was filmed in the back, it was still a joy to watch. They finally brought the fight in front of the audience where JBL tossed John Cena off the top of the stage and onto the windshield of the car they brought out. JBL covered Cena for the win as Cena has a nasty gash on the side of his arm. Cool finish to a really different type of match we're accustomed to seeing. Seems like whenever the WWE tries something different, they get hit hard for it. But whenever they do the same thing, they get hit hard again for it. You just can't please everyone. This was fun. However, I question why JBL got the victory.
Winner: JBL
Rating: ***1/4
Match 8: WWE Championship - Triple H (c) vs. Edge
Mick Foley noted on commentary that this would be the first singles encounter between the two for the prestigious WWE Championship. Interesting fact considering how many times they've crossed paths. Really loved the dynamic here, Edge was a crazed man looking to score his revenge on Triple H for ruining his wedding while looking to capture gold at the same time. Incredible how Edge can change from a cowardly heel into a ruthless one with one snap of the fingers. Foley also noted how Edge is doing all he can without the help of La Familia by his side. Great match that was a a pretty even bout between the two before Alicia Fox came in to make the save for Edge. However, Vickie Guerrero tries to stop her but earns a Spear from Edge for her troubles. The crowd's reaction along with Edge's stunned face was priceless, Triple H plants Edge with a Pedigree for the big win. As great as this match was, it felt strange watching this. It almost felt like Triple H was an afterthought within the whole situation between Edge and Guerrero. But it all made sense, Edge was ready to step foot into the Hell in a Cell with The Undertaker while Triple H was taking more steps into becoming SmackDown's biggest dog.
Winner: Triple H
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
One of WWE's stronger PPV offerings from a strong PPV year in 2008. Definitely one that gets overlooked. A good range of violence and great wrestling. Despite a couple questionable finishes, the show delivered a better outing than what it said on paper. The main event remains one of my favorite 2008 matches and definitely one that unfortunately gets lost in translation. If you have the WWE Network, then you should definitely check out this great July PPV!
Rating: 8.25/10
Always a pleasure to hear Mick Foley on commentary with Jim Ross by his side for the SmackDown team. Fun opening match to get the flow of the show going as everybody got in a good amount of offense in which is tough in these types of tag matches. Good combination of action and straight silliness. Fun start to the show with Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder scoring their first tastes of gold. Foley & Ross are just as gold on the headsets.
Winners: Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder
Rating: **
Match 2: United States Championship - Matt Hardy (c) vs. Shelton Benjamin
Always forgot how over Matt Hardy was in 2007-2008. Hardy was drafted to ECW and brought along the United States Championship with him as Shelton Benjamin looked to bring it back to the blue brand. The crowd was pretty damn hot for this one as the dueling chants amongst the WWE crowd was very apparent. Great wrestling match that gradually picked up while keeping a smooth pace throughout. What's there to say here about these two? Good chemistry from two veterans of the game looking to steal the show. Benjamin is able to knee Hardy in the face as he attempted a Moonsault before Benjamin hit the Paydirt for the win as the crowd popped big. Great undercard match between two of the company's top underrated stars of 2008.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin
Rating: ***1/4
Match 3: ECW Championship - Mark Henry (c) vs. Tommy Dreamer
As Mark Henry made his way out to the ring, Tazz pointed out that we have a third title change in just as many matches to start off the night. Mike Adamle hilariously responded with, "Let's hope not." On that note, it's always cool to see Tommy Dreamer in some sort of PPV role. Same can be said for Henry, I always thought that he was one of WWE's best heels and his reign as ECW Champion showed that. A badass and dominant heel with zero remorse and zero care for the fans or his opponents. Henry dominates throughout with Dreamer finally scoring some offense in before his buddy in Colin Delaney turns heel and grabs Dreamer's arm as he came off the top rope which allowed Henry to score the finish. Henry laughs it off with the belt over his shoulder afterwards. Such a jerk heel, got to love it. While the match was pretty whatever, I liked the unexpected turn from Delaney.
Winner: Mark Henry
Rating: *1/4
Match 4: Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels
From the critically acclaimed feud in 2008, Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels at The Great American Bash turned things up a notch for both the show and their bitterness. I discussed earlier about the great chemistry in the Hardy vs. Benjmain match, but I don't think I could even compare that to this. The chemistry between Jericho and Michaels is just on another atmosphere. Starting the match off in an aggressive and smart manner. You felt the hatred between the two but they just built every next move like it would be the last. I don't remember a time when landing a suplex from the top rope could end a match, but these two sure as hell made it seem that way. While I'm normally not one who likes interferences in matches, the inclusion of Lance Cade just felt right. The slimy Jericho doing anything and everything in his power to get the advantage. Things took a huge turn when Jericho landed an elbow to the injured of eye of Michaels. Blood began pouring out of Michaels as Jericho's stunned look became a sign of things to come. The remainder of the match saw Jericho pound on the eye as the referee begged Michaels to give it up. Jericho was relentless as he systematically beat down Michaels until the referee couldn't take it and called for the bell. Jericho stood with Cade next to a bloody and battered Michaels afterwards. Unbelievable performance from all parties involved. The wrestlers, the referee and the commentators all did an incredible job. The feud was already on fire. This match just poured the kerosene and made things that much more interesting.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Rating: ***3/4
Match 5: Divas Championship - Michelle McCool vs. Natalya
This is the debut of the hideous Divas Championship as the SmackDown brand gets a new title for the ladies. A pretty dull Divas match here that saw Michelle McCool submit Natalya with a heel hook as they both screamed for about a full minute as the lock was applied. Yup.
Winner: Michelle McCool
Rating: 3/4*
Match 6: World Heavyweight Championship - CM Punk (c) vs. Batista (Taken from Batista - The Animal Unleashed DVD (Disc 2) Review)
CM Punk was booked like an absolute champ in 2008 as the champion for the red brand. Things didn't look too good for him as he had an animal in his way, Batista. If you haven't figured it out by now, Batista is almost booked as generously as John Cena. The commentators would not stop reminding us how Punk was the underdog of the match. The two worked a really good match around that story, Batista was fantastic in looking stronger while Punk was just as good in looking fast and cunning. Batista was understandably in control throughout the entire match but Punk wouldn't let up, putting his best efforts forward and made himself look like a legitimate contender. Credit to Batista for that, too. Batista hit a Spinebuster outside and once he rolled Punk back in the ring, Kane appeared out of nowhere and attacked both men which led to a disqualification. Punk raises his belt in front of Batista after Kane left and then handed out a Batista Bomb to Punk. I'm not sure what just happened. Is Batista a heel? Was Kane's interference absolute necessary? And why exactly did Punk raise the belt after a disqualification victory?
Winner: CM Punk
Rating: ***
Match 7: New York City Parking Lot Brawl - JBL vs. John Cena
Can you imagine the WWE doing something like this in 2016? If it did happen, it'd be a completely watered-down version. Everyone seems to have a very, very different opinion and I personally am on the minority side of things. They brought out all the stops and didn't hold back. It's like this PPV wanted to get every last bit of blood and violence in before transitioning over to PG. From fire to straight beating each other with cars and foreign objects, this was a brawl. Even though nearly all of the match was filmed in the back, it was still a joy to watch. They finally brought the fight in front of the audience where JBL tossed John Cena off the top of the stage and onto the windshield of the car they brought out. JBL covered Cena for the win as Cena has a nasty gash on the side of his arm. Cool finish to a really different type of match we're accustomed to seeing. Seems like whenever the WWE tries something different, they get hit hard for it. But whenever they do the same thing, they get hit hard again for it. You just can't please everyone. This was fun. However, I question why JBL got the victory.
Winner: JBL
Rating: ***1/4
Match 8: WWE Championship - Triple H (c) vs. Edge
Mick Foley noted on commentary that this would be the first singles encounter between the two for the prestigious WWE Championship. Interesting fact considering how many times they've crossed paths. Really loved the dynamic here, Edge was a crazed man looking to score his revenge on Triple H for ruining his wedding while looking to capture gold at the same time. Incredible how Edge can change from a cowardly heel into a ruthless one with one snap of the fingers. Foley also noted how Edge is doing all he can without the help of La Familia by his side. Great match that was a a pretty even bout between the two before Alicia Fox came in to make the save for Edge. However, Vickie Guerrero tries to stop her but earns a Spear from Edge for her troubles. The crowd's reaction along with Edge's stunned face was priceless, Triple H plants Edge with a Pedigree for the big win. As great as this match was, it felt strange watching this. It almost felt like Triple H was an afterthought within the whole situation between Edge and Guerrero. But it all made sense, Edge was ready to step foot into the Hell in a Cell with The Undertaker while Triple H was taking more steps into becoming SmackDown's biggest dog.
Winner: Triple H
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
One of WWE's stronger PPV offerings from a strong PPV year in 2008. Definitely one that gets overlooked. A good range of violence and great wrestling. Despite a couple questionable finishes, the show delivered a better outing than what it said on paper. The main event remains one of my favorite 2008 matches and definitely one that unfortunately gets lost in translation. If you have the WWE Network, then you should definitely check out this great July PPV!
Rating: 8.25/10
Monday, July 4, 2016
TNA Hardcore Justice 2010 Review
Match 1: The FBI vs. Kid Kash, Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger
Taz opens up the show to fire up the Orlando crowd before these six old guys come out to start things off. I seriously can't believe that this ECW thing was still relevant in 2010. Or at least TNA tried to make it relevant. Halfway through the match, Simon Diamond stops the match to turn it into a dancing competition as the drunk 40-year-old fans in the audience start cheering. Surprisingly decent opening match here that saw The FBI score the win. Still, this was way too much for anyone to digest. It felt like they were all over the place and doing way too much, even if this was the opening match.
Winners: The FBI
Rating: *1/4
Match 2: CW Anderson vs. Too Cold Scorpio
Second match features more old guys as CW Anderson takes on Too Cold Scorpio who got a pretty big pop. Another basic match here that saw Scorpio hit his sweet finisher to score the win. While the match was pretty basic, it's tough to watch and see these old guys struggle to land the most fundamental wrestling moves. At least Scorpio was able to hit that sick inverted 450. I know we're only two matches deep, but this show is becoming very difficult to watch. Sure, Scorpio got a nice pop and all but man, how old is this dude? How exactly is the company putting a huge focus on these guys?
Winner: Too Cold Scorpio
Rating: *1/4
Match 3: Stevie Richards vs. P.J. Polaco
Stevie Richards comes out with some of The Blue World Order guys and looks to P.J. Polaco, better known as Justin Credible. Should be noted that Richards looked to be in incredible shape. Another bland match for the night that had Richards going over before being attacked afterwards by Polaco with a Singapore Cane. But the lights go out and out comes The Sandman who beats him down to close the segment. Nothing more than to have Sandman make a brief appearance with his huge beer belly.
Winner: Stevie Richards
Rating: *
Match 4: Elimination - Brother Runt vs. Al Snow vs. Rhino
No, this isn't a 2003 edition of Monday Night Raw. It's TNA Wrestling in 2010. A three-way dance held under elimination rules that saw some fun action for a bit as Brother Runt was able to eliminate Al Snow before Rhino hits a Gore to pick up the quick win. Just another nostalgic match to get these guys on the card before we go into the main events. Not really much else to say, a couple cool spots but nothing else more.
Winner: Rhino
Rating: *1/2
Match 5: Old School South Philadelphia Street Fight Falls Count Anywhere - Axl Rotten & Kahoneys vs. Team 3D
Axl Rotten & Kahoneys come out to issue an open challenge. By the way, Balls Mahoney is Kahoneys. Team 3D come out to accept and they quickly take the fight to the stands. Does TNA have to do this for every PPV? It's tough to watch the match and indulge what exactly is happening when they split the screen into two small screens as they follow the guys outside. They finally take it inside where Kahoneys and Brother Ray have a lightsaber fight. I'll admit, that was actually pretty fun to watch. The match ends when Team 3D drive Kahoneys through a flaming table. New Jack & Mustafa Saed come out to beat down Team 3D before all the men embrace each other to close out the segment. Typical TNA street fight with some lightsabers and a flaming table added to the mix. Seriously, what year is this?
Winners: Team 3D
Rating: **
Match 6: Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer
They billed this match as the final showdown between the two with Mick Foley serving as the referee who quickly let the competitors know that he's placing no disqualification rules. Raven cut a great promo before the match and stares down Tommy Dreamer's family before the match. Why exactly are his kids watching this? Some good action here which was expected from the two veterans who tend to have good chemistry when working together. They tried to keep the tension hostile but it became so hard to take seriously when all the interferences and shenanigans came to play. Raven was able to handcuff Dreamer and hit him with a DDT onto a steel chair for the victory. A good bloody match but not enough for me to justify it as the co-main event.
Winner: Raven
Rating: **1/2
Match 7: Rob Van Dam vs. Sabu
Since Jerry Lynn was unable to go against Rob Van Dam due to injury, Sabu wrestles in his place. The always annoying Bill Alfonso is there to support both guys. At least he kept blowing the damn whistle to a minimum. Sabu looked pretty sharp, almost as if he's never looked this good. The action was fine but the atmosphere never screamed main event to me. It felt more like another lame attempt at TNA trying to recapture some old nostalgic moments, only this time in the main event. Good effort from the two that finally saw Sabu dive through a table on a missed attempt of an Arabian Skullcrusher. RVD then hit a Frog Splash for the win. Good match with a nice flow to it despite the annoying Alfonso becoming the third guy of the match. Was this enough to justify the show? Hell to the no. This would make more of a better opening match than anything. How exactly does the company benefit from something like this? Afterwards, the elderly ECW guys come out to toast. Cringing would be the best word to describe this.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Rating: ***1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
This show was a pretty easy thing to point to when someone asks why TNA doesn't get it. We shifted the focus from old WCW guys to old ECW guys. This is 2010, fuck bringing back the past again. Nobody wants to see these guys anymore, when will these companies get it? Why the hell is so much focus being put on these older guys that don't even work regularly for the company? I just don't get it. If anyone wants to watch a hardcore reunion of sorts, then go back to the One Night Stands of 2005 or 2006. I'm glad that reliving the past is kept to a minimal now in 2016 compared to 2010. Were they trying to recreate the old One Night Stands? Or were they actually trying to move forward by going in reverse? This shit was just embarrassing. You ever wonder why this sport has such a bad reputation? Look no further. Give me December to Dismember 2006 over this.
Rating: 2.5/10
Taz opens up the show to fire up the Orlando crowd before these six old guys come out to start things off. I seriously can't believe that this ECW thing was still relevant in 2010. Or at least TNA tried to make it relevant. Halfway through the match, Simon Diamond stops the match to turn it into a dancing competition as the drunk 40-year-old fans in the audience start cheering. Surprisingly decent opening match here that saw The FBI score the win. Still, this was way too much for anyone to digest. It felt like they were all over the place and doing way too much, even if this was the opening match.
Winners: The FBI
Rating: *1/4
Match 2: CW Anderson vs. Too Cold Scorpio
Second match features more old guys as CW Anderson takes on Too Cold Scorpio who got a pretty big pop. Another basic match here that saw Scorpio hit his sweet finisher to score the win. While the match was pretty basic, it's tough to watch and see these old guys struggle to land the most fundamental wrestling moves. At least Scorpio was able to hit that sick inverted 450. I know we're only two matches deep, but this show is becoming very difficult to watch. Sure, Scorpio got a nice pop and all but man, how old is this dude? How exactly is the company putting a huge focus on these guys?
Winner: Too Cold Scorpio
Rating: *1/4
Match 3: Stevie Richards vs. P.J. Polaco
Stevie Richards comes out with some of The Blue World Order guys and looks to P.J. Polaco, better known as Justin Credible. Should be noted that Richards looked to be in incredible shape. Another bland match for the night that had Richards going over before being attacked afterwards by Polaco with a Singapore Cane. But the lights go out and out comes The Sandman who beats him down to close the segment. Nothing more than to have Sandman make a brief appearance with his huge beer belly.
Winner: Stevie Richards
Rating: *
Match 4: Elimination - Brother Runt vs. Al Snow vs. Rhino
No, this isn't a 2003 edition of Monday Night Raw. It's TNA Wrestling in 2010. A three-way dance held under elimination rules that saw some fun action for a bit as Brother Runt was able to eliminate Al Snow before Rhino hits a Gore to pick up the quick win. Just another nostalgic match to get these guys on the card before we go into the main events. Not really much else to say, a couple cool spots but nothing else more.
Winner: Rhino
Rating: *1/2
Match 5: Old School South Philadelphia Street Fight Falls Count Anywhere - Axl Rotten & Kahoneys vs. Team 3D
Axl Rotten & Kahoneys come out to issue an open challenge. By the way, Balls Mahoney is Kahoneys. Team 3D come out to accept and they quickly take the fight to the stands. Does TNA have to do this for every PPV? It's tough to watch the match and indulge what exactly is happening when they split the screen into two small screens as they follow the guys outside. They finally take it inside where Kahoneys and Brother Ray have a lightsaber fight. I'll admit, that was actually pretty fun to watch. The match ends when Team 3D drive Kahoneys through a flaming table. New Jack & Mustafa Saed come out to beat down Team 3D before all the men embrace each other to close out the segment. Typical TNA street fight with some lightsabers and a flaming table added to the mix. Seriously, what year is this?
Winners: Team 3D
Rating: **
Match 6: Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer
They billed this match as the final showdown between the two with Mick Foley serving as the referee who quickly let the competitors know that he's placing no disqualification rules. Raven cut a great promo before the match and stares down Tommy Dreamer's family before the match. Why exactly are his kids watching this? Some good action here which was expected from the two veterans who tend to have good chemistry when working together. They tried to keep the tension hostile but it became so hard to take seriously when all the interferences and shenanigans came to play. Raven was able to handcuff Dreamer and hit him with a DDT onto a steel chair for the victory. A good bloody match but not enough for me to justify it as the co-main event.
Winner: Raven
Rating: **1/2
Match 7: Rob Van Dam vs. Sabu
Since Jerry Lynn was unable to go against Rob Van Dam due to injury, Sabu wrestles in his place. The always annoying Bill Alfonso is there to support both guys. At least he kept blowing the damn whistle to a minimum. Sabu looked pretty sharp, almost as if he's never looked this good. The action was fine but the atmosphere never screamed main event to me. It felt more like another lame attempt at TNA trying to recapture some old nostalgic moments, only this time in the main event. Good effort from the two that finally saw Sabu dive through a table on a missed attempt of an Arabian Skullcrusher. RVD then hit a Frog Splash for the win. Good match with a nice flow to it despite the annoying Alfonso becoming the third guy of the match. Was this enough to justify the show? Hell to the no. This would make more of a better opening match than anything. How exactly does the company benefit from something like this? Afterwards, the elderly ECW guys come out to toast. Cringing would be the best word to describe this.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Rating: ***1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
This show was a pretty easy thing to point to when someone asks why TNA doesn't get it. We shifted the focus from old WCW guys to old ECW guys. This is 2010, fuck bringing back the past again. Nobody wants to see these guys anymore, when will these companies get it? Why the hell is so much focus being put on these older guys that don't even work regularly for the company? I just don't get it. If anyone wants to watch a hardcore reunion of sorts, then go back to the One Night Stands of 2005 or 2006. I'm glad that reliving the past is kept to a minimal now in 2016 compared to 2010. Were they trying to recreate the old One Night Stands? Or were they actually trying to move forward by going in reverse? This shit was just embarrassing. You ever wonder why this sport has such a bad reputation? Look no further. Give me December to Dismember 2006 over this.
Rating: 2.5/10
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Batista - The Animal Unleashed DVD (Disc 3) Review
Match 1: Raw 2008 - Chris Jericho & JBL vs. Batista & Shawn Michaels
JBL ambushes Shawn Michaels backstage before the match as Chris Jericho grins on his way to the ring. It is now a handicap match. Batista manages to fight the two off until Michaels makes a comeback. Batista hits a Batista Bomb on JBL to secure the win. Basic Raw main event here and credit to Batista who did a great job in the match without a tag partner. Was able to get in a good amount of offense before being overpowered against his opponents. Made Michaels returning to the ring that much sweeter. How I miss these days of Raw.
Winners: Batista & Shawn Michaels
Rating: *3/4
Match 2: SmackDown 2009 - Batista & Shane McMahon vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase
Another strange addition to the DVD. Nonetheless, it's another television match as Batista teams with Shane McMahon to take on Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase before their bout at Backlash. Despite being an odd pick for the DVD, it was a fine match that displayed Batista nearing the end of his run in the WWE while also showing a skinnier Shane McMahon. Felt like a prolonged squash match with Batista hitting a sweet Spinebuster on Rhodes for the finish. Another basic television main event on the DVD for whatever reason. Better than the first match but nothing notable to really note other than the cool finish.
Winners: Batista & Shane McMahon
Rating: **
Match 3: Extreme Rules 2009 - WWE Championship - Steel Cage - Randy Orton (c) vs. Batista
I remember this match like it was yesterday, news broke out all over the internet that Batista had suffered another injury and would be taking more time off. No way Randy Orton retains! Right? Wrong! They had a pretty quick and pretty good match here. It felt like they were fast forwarding the match but it still had substance to it. Batista was able to hit a Batista Bomb and win the belt. Love his reaction afterwards. He looked legitimately amped to rub it in everyone's face. Also love how the win was done in the cage. The escaping the cage finish gets done too often. I also liked the curveball, but I don't like the constant title changes. I'm a firm believe that it diminishes the importance of the title. Good match for what it was worth. Should note that Batista did look a little bit extra motivated here. Can only imagine how he felt suffering another injury after just returning from one. Not sure what the specifics were but he definitely still looked good. Never understood the hate for Batista, the passion is in his work.
Winner: Batista
Rating: ***
Original Rating: **3/4
Match 4: SmackDown 2009 - Batista vs. CM Punk
Another television match here as the newest addition to SmackDown in Batista takes on a wounded CM Punk. Punk was white hot in 2009, pouring out great match after great match. He really knew how to adjust to his opponents and this match here against Batista is a great example. Jim Ross was also great in noting how Punk was able to adapt to Batista's strength and put it out of the equation by taking the match to the ground. Good stuff here that saw Punk escape from a Batista Bomb attempt on the outside. He jumped into the ring and scored the victory as the referee counted out Batista. Batista then came inside to finish the job after the match. Ever wonder why it's okay for a babyface to do this? Anyway, a good television match here but nothing too exciting. Another odd choice of a match to put on here but I guess the choices get much slimmer down the years.
Winner: CM Punk
Rating: *3/4
Match 5: Survivor Series 2009 - Rey Mysterio vs. Batista
Batista's awesome heel turn at Bragging Rights has led to him facing his former best friend in Rey Mysterio in Batista's hometown of Washington D.C. This was basically a glorified squash match that saw Mysterio do his best to ground Batista before Batista overpowered Mysterio fairly quickly. Batista hit a couple Batista Bombs before the referee made the decision to call the match. Batista then hit a Spinebuster to Mysterio onto a steel chair. Good first match between the two. It's obvious there would be more matches between the two but the main fact that Mysterio is way out of his league has been established.
Winner: Batista
Rating: *3/4
Match 6: SmackDown 2009 - Street Fight - Rey Mysterio vs. Batista
We finally get the rematch from the former best friends on an edition of Friday Night SmackDown. A little different than their last match but also a little bit of the same. The only difference being that this match is held under no disqualification rules. However, the only changing factor that came into play was the steel chair. It made sense considering Batista would be facing The Undertaker in a Chairs match of all things at the TLC PPV. Mysterio got more offense in here but was overpowered by Batista again. After a Spinebuster, Batista nailed Mysterio with a single chair shot to the head for the finish. Afterwards, Batista looks to beat down Mysterio one more time before The Undertaker comes out to make the save. Really wish the WWE would have made a bigger deal with this feud. The end to what was a very underwhelming feud between two former friends. So unfortunate we never got to see a longer match between them. Would personally have loved to have seen a culmination at WrestleMania or another big stage rather than SmackDown considering their history. Also dislike the fact that Mysterio was used as Batista's television feud and a way to put Batista even more over for his match against The Undertaker.
Winner: Batista
Rating: **1/4
Match 7: Raw 2010 - Batista vs. Sheamus vs. Randy Orton
Batista works so great as a heel, both on the mic and in the ring. A triple threat match here from Monday Night Raw in 2010 with the winner being the #1 contender for the WWE Championship at Over the Limit. John Cena make the match official as the three men argue who should deserve the title shot. Decent main event match that showcased Batista as a premier heel and Randy Orton as a premier babyface with Sheamus on the come up. Good distribution of offense from the three that finally saw Orton hit an RKO on Sheamus before Edge came out to Spear Orton for his troubles. Batista made the cover on Orton and scores another chance for the gold. This match just screamed 2010, veterans cluttering the main event scene with Sheamus being in the backdrop. Still, a nice way to set up the main event for Over the Limit. By the way, nobody is more annoying than Matt Striker on commentary.
Winner: Batista
Rating: **3/4
Match 8: Over the Limit 2010 - WWE Championship - I Quit - John Cena (c) vs. Batista
This would later go on to be Batista's final match in the WWE before returning to the company four years later. Love how Batista starts the match on the mic as he gives John Cena a chance at quitting before the match even begins. Of course, Cena politely declines by slamming the mic to Batista's skull. Like Last Man Standing matches, I Quit matches can tend to drag with the referee constantly becoming a factor in stopping the pace of the match. That wasn't much of a problem here as the action flowed nicely and the two got a pretty equal amount of offense in with the high spots in Batista slamming Cena through the announce table and Cena tossing Batista off a ledge as he landed onto security. Ending saw Batista try to ram the car on the set into Cena who got out of the way and hit an Attitude Adjustment onto Batista atop the hood of the car. Batista then quit as Cena looked to give him another AA off the top of the car. However, Cena went ahead and gave him the AA as he drove Batista through the stage. Fun match and a decisive way for Cena to cap off his feud against The Animal. Interesting fact in Batista noting in interviews four years later that the finish ended up breaking his back. Fortunately for him, Batista would go on to take a long break from the company soon after.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: ****1/4
Match 9: Royal Rumble 2014 - 2014 Royal Rumble (Taken from WWE Royal Rumble 2014 Review)
I want to mention that this crowd is super hot. But constantly chanting for Daniel Bryan has got to be the most annoying thing ever. Enjoy who is wrestling in the ring because the show isn't just about one person. With that being said, CM Punk and Seth Rollins open up the 2014 edition of the Royal Rumble. Great call, you want two guys who can go the distance to start the match and these two are perfect. For me, a great Rumble match will have surprises, ups, downs, and star-making performances. This one had it and as a result, was one of my favorite Rumbles in recent memory. Pacing is key for this match and never once did I felt like it dragged, there was enough star power scattered throughout with guys like The Shield coming in and looking like animals. Also, Kofi did another memorable Rumble moment as he jumped back into the ring from the barricade. Crowd ate it up. I enjoy when the Rumble tosses in a couple comedy moments. I think people take things way too seriously and forget to enjoy wrestling. El Torito coming in and eliminating Fandango was hilarious. As was JBL, who was an entrant and the crowd went nuts! He got in the ring and Roman Reigns quickly made work of him. It was still really cool to see him act like a douche and enter the Rumble casually, though. Speaking of Reigns, he was the man in this Rumble. But first, I want to talk more of the match itself. Sheamus coming back from his injury was another bright spot, crowd popped big and he looked like he hadn't lost a step. Let's not forget about a missed opportunity in Dolph Ziggler, they had Jim Duggan put him over earlier before the match and Ziggler received an enormous ovation. However, he was disposed pretty quickly and didn't get a chance to leave an imprint. The Wyatt Family should have done more and should have been more dominant, especially considering they were part of the previous match helping Orton beat Cena. They got a few eliminations but they never sank their teeth into the match. The final four consisted of CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Sheamus, and Batista. Punk was eliminated when Corporate Kane arrived out of nowhere and tossed Punk out of the ring and through the announcers table. We're down to three. Crowd still chanting for Bryan. Sheamus and Batista go at it as Batista flings Sheamus over the top rope where a running Roman Reigns rams into Sheamus for Reigns' 12th elimination, beating Kane's record of 11. It's now between Reigns and Batista. Crowd is crapping all over Batista as Reigns looks to hit Batista with a Superman Punch! Batista counters and hits a Spear! Crowd hates it, I love it! Then Reigns turns the tables and hits a Spear of his own! But out of nowhere, Batista tosses Reigns outside and wins! Batista has won the rumble twice and is going to WrestleMania XXX! What a Rumble and what a performance for Reigns. I've been reading so many bad reviews of the match but I loved it. I enjoyed it from top to bottom and while in the minority, I enjoyed the ending.
Winner: Batista
Rating: ****1/2
Match 10: Elimination Chamber 2014 - Batista vs. Alberto Del Rio (Taken from WWE Elimination Chamber 2014 Review)
Crowd is so rapidly against Batista, it's pretty crazy and in my opinion, unfortunate. But they want what they want and they sure as hell want their Daniel Bryan. Del Rio comes out in a track outfit along with a cast around his neck and a crutch. He then attacks Batista from behind with the crutch and reveals that he was faking the injury. They go back and fourth a little bit before Batista hits his Batista Bomb for the win. Crowd crapped all over it and the announcers weren't helping the cause. Little feeding match for Batista as we head into New Orleans.
Winner: Batista
Rating: *1/4
Overall Thoughts and Rating:
An extremely odd array of matches for disc 3. It's nice to have television matches on a DVD but the choices were more than questionable. While the match quality wasn't the absolute best, it was still a nice way to display Batista's 2009-2010 years along with his return in 2014. When taking that fact into account, it's kind of cool to see the evolution of Batista's character (no pun intended). Still, it doesn't discount the fact that the match choices were poor and lazily put together.
Rating: 5/10
JBL ambushes Shawn Michaels backstage before the match as Chris Jericho grins on his way to the ring. It is now a handicap match. Batista manages to fight the two off until Michaels makes a comeback. Batista hits a Batista Bomb on JBL to secure the win. Basic Raw main event here and credit to Batista who did a great job in the match without a tag partner. Was able to get in a good amount of offense before being overpowered against his opponents. Made Michaels returning to the ring that much sweeter. How I miss these days of Raw.
Winners: Batista & Shawn Michaels
Rating: *3/4
Match 2: SmackDown 2009 - Batista & Shane McMahon vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase
Another strange addition to the DVD. Nonetheless, it's another television match as Batista teams with Shane McMahon to take on Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase before their bout at Backlash. Despite being an odd pick for the DVD, it was a fine match that displayed Batista nearing the end of his run in the WWE while also showing a skinnier Shane McMahon. Felt like a prolonged squash match with Batista hitting a sweet Spinebuster on Rhodes for the finish. Another basic television main event on the DVD for whatever reason. Better than the first match but nothing notable to really note other than the cool finish.
Winners: Batista & Shane McMahon
Rating: **
Match 3: Extreme Rules 2009 - WWE Championship - Steel Cage - Randy Orton (c) vs. Batista
I remember this match like it was yesterday, news broke out all over the internet that Batista had suffered another injury and would be taking more time off. No way Randy Orton retains! Right? Wrong! They had a pretty quick and pretty good match here. It felt like they were fast forwarding the match but it still had substance to it. Batista was able to hit a Batista Bomb and win the belt. Love his reaction afterwards. He looked legitimately amped to rub it in everyone's face. Also love how the win was done in the cage. The escaping the cage finish gets done too often. I also liked the curveball, but I don't like the constant title changes. I'm a firm believe that it diminishes the importance of the title. Good match for what it was worth. Should note that Batista did look a little bit extra motivated here. Can only imagine how he felt suffering another injury after just returning from one. Not sure what the specifics were but he definitely still looked good. Never understood the hate for Batista, the passion is in his work.
Winner: Batista
Rating: ***
Original Rating: **3/4
Match 4: SmackDown 2009 - Batista vs. CM Punk
Another television match here as the newest addition to SmackDown in Batista takes on a wounded CM Punk. Punk was white hot in 2009, pouring out great match after great match. He really knew how to adjust to his opponents and this match here against Batista is a great example. Jim Ross was also great in noting how Punk was able to adapt to Batista's strength and put it out of the equation by taking the match to the ground. Good stuff here that saw Punk escape from a Batista Bomb attempt on the outside. He jumped into the ring and scored the victory as the referee counted out Batista. Batista then came inside to finish the job after the match. Ever wonder why it's okay for a babyface to do this? Anyway, a good television match here but nothing too exciting. Another odd choice of a match to put on here but I guess the choices get much slimmer down the years.
Winner: CM Punk
Rating: *3/4
Match 5: Survivor Series 2009 - Rey Mysterio vs. Batista
Batista's awesome heel turn at Bragging Rights has led to him facing his former best friend in Rey Mysterio in Batista's hometown of Washington D.C. This was basically a glorified squash match that saw Mysterio do his best to ground Batista before Batista overpowered Mysterio fairly quickly. Batista hit a couple Batista Bombs before the referee made the decision to call the match. Batista then hit a Spinebuster to Mysterio onto a steel chair. Good first match between the two. It's obvious there would be more matches between the two but the main fact that Mysterio is way out of his league has been established.
Winner: Batista
Rating: *3/4
Match 6: SmackDown 2009 - Street Fight - Rey Mysterio vs. Batista
We finally get the rematch from the former best friends on an edition of Friday Night SmackDown. A little different than their last match but also a little bit of the same. The only difference being that this match is held under no disqualification rules. However, the only changing factor that came into play was the steel chair. It made sense considering Batista would be facing The Undertaker in a Chairs match of all things at the TLC PPV. Mysterio got more offense in here but was overpowered by Batista again. After a Spinebuster, Batista nailed Mysterio with a single chair shot to the head for the finish. Afterwards, Batista looks to beat down Mysterio one more time before The Undertaker comes out to make the save. Really wish the WWE would have made a bigger deal with this feud. The end to what was a very underwhelming feud between two former friends. So unfortunate we never got to see a longer match between them. Would personally have loved to have seen a culmination at WrestleMania or another big stage rather than SmackDown considering their history. Also dislike the fact that Mysterio was used as Batista's television feud and a way to put Batista even more over for his match against The Undertaker.
Winner: Batista
Rating: **1/4
Match 7: Raw 2010 - Batista vs. Sheamus vs. Randy Orton
Batista works so great as a heel, both on the mic and in the ring. A triple threat match here from Monday Night Raw in 2010 with the winner being the #1 contender for the WWE Championship at Over the Limit. John Cena make the match official as the three men argue who should deserve the title shot. Decent main event match that showcased Batista as a premier heel and Randy Orton as a premier babyface with Sheamus on the come up. Good distribution of offense from the three that finally saw Orton hit an RKO on Sheamus before Edge came out to Spear Orton for his troubles. Batista made the cover on Orton and scores another chance for the gold. This match just screamed 2010, veterans cluttering the main event scene with Sheamus being in the backdrop. Still, a nice way to set up the main event for Over the Limit. By the way, nobody is more annoying than Matt Striker on commentary.
Winner: Batista
Rating: **3/4
Match 8: Over the Limit 2010 - WWE Championship - I Quit - John Cena (c) vs. Batista
This would later go on to be Batista's final match in the WWE before returning to the company four years later. Love how Batista starts the match on the mic as he gives John Cena a chance at quitting before the match even begins. Of course, Cena politely declines by slamming the mic to Batista's skull. Like Last Man Standing matches, I Quit matches can tend to drag with the referee constantly becoming a factor in stopping the pace of the match. That wasn't much of a problem here as the action flowed nicely and the two got a pretty equal amount of offense in with the high spots in Batista slamming Cena through the announce table and Cena tossing Batista off a ledge as he landed onto security. Ending saw Batista try to ram the car on the set into Cena who got out of the way and hit an Attitude Adjustment onto Batista atop the hood of the car. Batista then quit as Cena looked to give him another AA off the top of the car. However, Cena went ahead and gave him the AA as he drove Batista through the stage. Fun match and a decisive way for Cena to cap off his feud against The Animal. Interesting fact in Batista noting in interviews four years later that the finish ended up breaking his back. Fortunately for him, Batista would go on to take a long break from the company soon after.
Winner: John Cena
Rating: ****1/4
Match 9: Royal Rumble 2014 - 2014 Royal Rumble (Taken from WWE Royal Rumble 2014 Review)
I want to mention that this crowd is super hot. But constantly chanting for Daniel Bryan has got to be the most annoying thing ever. Enjoy who is wrestling in the ring because the show isn't just about one person. With that being said, CM Punk and Seth Rollins open up the 2014 edition of the Royal Rumble. Great call, you want two guys who can go the distance to start the match and these two are perfect. For me, a great Rumble match will have surprises, ups, downs, and star-making performances. This one had it and as a result, was one of my favorite Rumbles in recent memory. Pacing is key for this match and never once did I felt like it dragged, there was enough star power scattered throughout with guys like The Shield coming in and looking like animals. Also, Kofi did another memorable Rumble moment as he jumped back into the ring from the barricade. Crowd ate it up. I enjoy when the Rumble tosses in a couple comedy moments. I think people take things way too seriously and forget to enjoy wrestling. El Torito coming in and eliminating Fandango was hilarious. As was JBL, who was an entrant and the crowd went nuts! He got in the ring and Roman Reigns quickly made work of him. It was still really cool to see him act like a douche and enter the Rumble casually, though. Speaking of Reigns, he was the man in this Rumble. But first, I want to talk more of the match itself. Sheamus coming back from his injury was another bright spot, crowd popped big and he looked like he hadn't lost a step. Let's not forget about a missed opportunity in Dolph Ziggler, they had Jim Duggan put him over earlier before the match and Ziggler received an enormous ovation. However, he was disposed pretty quickly and didn't get a chance to leave an imprint. The Wyatt Family should have done more and should have been more dominant, especially considering they were part of the previous match helping Orton beat Cena. They got a few eliminations but they never sank their teeth into the match. The final four consisted of CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Sheamus, and Batista. Punk was eliminated when Corporate Kane arrived out of nowhere and tossed Punk out of the ring and through the announcers table. We're down to three. Crowd still chanting for Bryan. Sheamus and Batista go at it as Batista flings Sheamus over the top rope where a running Roman Reigns rams into Sheamus for Reigns' 12th elimination, beating Kane's record of 11. It's now between Reigns and Batista. Crowd is crapping all over Batista as Reigns looks to hit Batista with a Superman Punch! Batista counters and hits a Spear! Crowd hates it, I love it! Then Reigns turns the tables and hits a Spear of his own! But out of nowhere, Batista tosses Reigns outside and wins! Batista has won the rumble twice and is going to WrestleMania XXX! What a Rumble and what a performance for Reigns. I've been reading so many bad reviews of the match but I loved it. I enjoyed it from top to bottom and while in the minority, I enjoyed the ending.
Winner: Batista
Rating: ****1/2
Match 10: Elimination Chamber 2014 - Batista vs. Alberto Del Rio (Taken from WWE Elimination Chamber 2014 Review)
Crowd is so rapidly against Batista, it's pretty crazy and in my opinion, unfortunate. But they want what they want and they sure as hell want their Daniel Bryan. Del Rio comes out in a track outfit along with a cast around his neck and a crutch. He then attacks Batista from behind with the crutch and reveals that he was faking the injury. They go back and fourth a little bit before Batista hits his Batista Bomb for the win. Crowd crapped all over it and the announcers weren't helping the cause. Little feeding match for Batista as we head into New Orleans.
Winner: Batista
Rating: *1/4
Overall Thoughts and Rating:
An extremely odd array of matches for disc 3. It's nice to have television matches on a DVD but the choices were more than questionable. While the match quality wasn't the absolute best, it was still a nice way to display Batista's 2009-2010 years along with his return in 2014. When taking that fact into account, it's kind of cool to see the evolution of Batista's character (no pun intended). Still, it doesn't discount the fact that the match choices were poor and lazily put together.
Rating: 5/10
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
ECW One Night Stand 2006 Review
Match 1: Tazz vs. Jerry Lawler
The atmosphere for this was absolutely electric. Before the match, Paul Heyman cut a promo on the rebirth of ECW where he hilariously put over the Tuesday night show. Anyway, Tazz comes out to a huge pop as Jerry Lawler came out afterwards to a boos across the board. You could just feel the hate! Lawler disgustingly walks out where he slapped Joey Styles on his way to the ring. As the bell rang, Styles attacked Lawler where Tazz then jumped in and locked the Tazmission for the quick win. Some sort of odd finish was expected when taking into account the injury background of Tazz. Regardless, the energy to start the show was incredible and it was a nice way to open up the card.
Winner: Tazz
Rating: n/a
Match 2: Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle
From feuding on SmackDown earlier in the year to finally meeting each other here at ECW's big show. It almost felt like I was watching a WWE match in an ECW setting, a contrast of different worlds on full display. Kurt Angle is able to dominate the match with his superior wrestling skills in the opening minutes as the raucous crowd lets Randy Orton know what they think of him. However, Orton beings to slowly figure Angle out a little bit and the match picks up another notch. Numerous reversals and false finishes that finally led to Angle Ankle Locking Orton for the finish. Fantastic story told from the opening bell to the last one. No weapons, no interference, just wrestling and these guys turned it up a notch at the right times. Angle celebrates as Orton calls for two referees to take him to the back as he waves the crowd goodbye. Great stuff here to follow up the opening match.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rating: ****
Match 3: The F.B.I. vs. Super Crazy & Tajiri
The odd pairing of Super Crazy & Tajiri go up against The Full Blooded Italians in the third bout of the evening. Lots of cool spots and nostalgic kicks from Tajiri as they battled interference from Big Guido who was ringside for the match. Fun stuff here, a break from some of the more serious action for the night. The F.B.I. are able to score the win until The Big Show makes his ECW debut and absolutely destroys everybody in plain sight. This is where he debuted the nasty Cobra Clutch Backbreaker where he tossed his opponent after into a huge whirl. Fine match here with the emphasis being placed on the debut of Big Show who got a decent pop.
Winners: The F.B.I.
Rating: **3/4
Match 4: World Heavyweight Championship - Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Sabu
This match tends to get forgotten on this pretty stacked card. Nobody really believed that Sabu would beat Rey Mysterio here, the biggest question was how exactly would Mysterio not lose the gold. What a roller coaster of a match this was. They started off with a bang and ended it with a bang. It went less than ten minutes but they more than gave us everything they got. From the loud chair swings to the three incredible table spots, this match was a sight to see in itself. They needed a finish that allowed Mysterio to not lose the title but also have Sabu not lose any of his credibility. Sabu hit Mysterio with a jumping DDT out of the ring and through a table. The doctor ran out and called off the match. The crowd didn't like it but the two guys sold the spot like it was legitimate. Fun stuff from the start that had the already lively ECW crowd go nuts.
Winner: n/a
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: Mick Foley, Edge & Lita vs. Tommy Dream, Terry Funk & Beulah McGillicutty
You want to talk about violence, you need to stop to take a look at this match right here. I loved the story behind this with Mick Foley selling out and becoming the WWE's Hardcore Champion with Edge. Who better to take these guys on then Foley's idol in Terry Funk and the face of ECW in Tommy Dreamer. After the opening promo where everybody talks mad shit on each other, Lita and Buelah McGillicutty are both added to the mix. As crazy as the crowd was for the last match, the crowd was even crazier for this one. And for damn good reason. Tazz said it best when there were weapons and bodies everywhere. The camera would show Dreamer smacking Edge over the head with a cookie sheet and immediately follow that with a shot of Foley punching the living hell out of Funk. Things really picked up when they brought out the wooden board of barbed wire. Yes, you read that right. Hearing Foley's head smack off the wood was quite disturbing. Funk was eventually taken to the back after injuring his eye but returned with a blaze of glory as he walked his bloody body through the crowd with a 2x4 wrapped in you guessed it, more barbed wire. But that wasn't enough for him, he lit the damn thing on fire! The blaze of glory continued when he smacked Foley around with it and drove him through the board outside. However, Edge would eventually come up big for his time when he drove Funk into the board with Foley and hit a Spear on Beulah for the win. That was insane and that is how you do hardcore wrestling. They topped themselves every other minute, had the crowd on their toes the entire time and finally finished it off with a nasty Spear by Edge. The pin he did on Beulah was just the cherry on top. Just as good as when I saw it a decade ago. Wild, fun, passionate and had my eyes glued to the screen the entire time.
Winners: Mick Foley, Edge & Lita
Rating: ****1/2
Match 6: Balls Mahoney vs. Masato Tanaka
This match was basically a bunch of basic wrestling moves before leading up to a devastating chair shot by Balls Mahoney for the win. They had a little bit of fun with the fans but this was nothing more than a bridge between the two main events. Credit for Masato Tanaka, always willing to take big bumps and always willing to put other guys over. Good for what it was, nothing out of the ordinary. Nice break in time for the main event of the night.
Winner: Balls Mahoney
Rating: *
Match 7: WWE Championship - John Cena (c) vs. Rob Van Dam
The atmosphere for this was insane. I always loved the atmosphere for the main event of WrestleMania 22 but this may blow it out of the water. The hate for John Cena in 2006 was at a peak as the ECW crowd wanted no part of the Cena-led era. The match started off with the crowd throwing back his shirt into the ring. It was hilarious to watch and just a sight to behold in itself. The crowd was giving Rob Van Dam all the love they could give. RVD had the advantage early on as the crowd was seemingly too much for Cena. However, we got a side of Cena we haven't really seen. He fed off the crowd and fought himself back into the match. A breath of fresh air to see Cena fight like a heel. Cena threw RVD through a steel chair placed in the corner, rammed him with the steel steps and finally locked in the STFU before the ECW referee had to break it up. The two argued before Cena finally decked him. Out of nowhere, a man in a motorcycle helmet comes out and Spears Cena through the table in the corner. The cameraman fell backwards after the Spear, not sure if that was intentional or not but it made for a nice touch. The man in the helmet then knocks out the referee and takes off the helmet to reveal himself. It's Edge! RVD hits the Frog Splash as Paul Heyman comes out to make the count. RVD is the champion of the world! He then celebrates with the fans, his wife and then entire locker room afterwards to close out the show. The match itself was incredible, maybe something that really had no right to be that good. It was raw and full of pure emotion. The ending just felt all over the place. How cool would it have been to see RVD get the clean win over Cena? And why did Heyman come out to make the count? Couldn't he have just been the referee in the first place then? Despite all that, this match is one of my personal favorites of all time. Seeing Cena fight as a heel really brought out the broad range of characters he has in his arsenal. A shame we never got to see the rematch.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Although I wasn't a fan of the way Rob Van Dam beat John Cena, the card itself was booked masterfully. An absolute spectacle of a show. There wasn't an extravagant titantron, there wasn't a crazy fireworks display and there wasn't a stadium filled with thousands of fans. There was passion, emotion and an incredible showing of professional wrestling from the opening contest to the closing match. Will we ever see something like this again? Probably not. But at least we have the WWE Network to go back and watch incredible events like this one.
Rating: 9.25/10
The atmosphere for this was absolutely electric. Before the match, Paul Heyman cut a promo on the rebirth of ECW where he hilariously put over the Tuesday night show. Anyway, Tazz comes out to a huge pop as Jerry Lawler came out afterwards to a boos across the board. You could just feel the hate! Lawler disgustingly walks out where he slapped Joey Styles on his way to the ring. As the bell rang, Styles attacked Lawler where Tazz then jumped in and locked the Tazmission for the quick win. Some sort of odd finish was expected when taking into account the injury background of Tazz. Regardless, the energy to start the show was incredible and it was a nice way to open up the card.
Winner: Tazz
Rating: n/a
Match 2: Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle
From feuding on SmackDown earlier in the year to finally meeting each other here at ECW's big show. It almost felt like I was watching a WWE match in an ECW setting, a contrast of different worlds on full display. Kurt Angle is able to dominate the match with his superior wrestling skills in the opening minutes as the raucous crowd lets Randy Orton know what they think of him. However, Orton beings to slowly figure Angle out a little bit and the match picks up another notch. Numerous reversals and false finishes that finally led to Angle Ankle Locking Orton for the finish. Fantastic story told from the opening bell to the last one. No weapons, no interference, just wrestling and these guys turned it up a notch at the right times. Angle celebrates as Orton calls for two referees to take him to the back as he waves the crowd goodbye. Great stuff here to follow up the opening match.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rating: ****
Match 3: The F.B.I. vs. Super Crazy & Tajiri
The odd pairing of Super Crazy & Tajiri go up against The Full Blooded Italians in the third bout of the evening. Lots of cool spots and nostalgic kicks from Tajiri as they battled interference from Big Guido who was ringside for the match. Fun stuff here, a break from some of the more serious action for the night. The F.B.I. are able to score the win until The Big Show makes his ECW debut and absolutely destroys everybody in plain sight. This is where he debuted the nasty Cobra Clutch Backbreaker where he tossed his opponent after into a huge whirl. Fine match here with the emphasis being placed on the debut of Big Show who got a decent pop.
Winners: The F.B.I.
Rating: **3/4
Match 4: World Heavyweight Championship - Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Sabu
This match tends to get forgotten on this pretty stacked card. Nobody really believed that Sabu would beat Rey Mysterio here, the biggest question was how exactly would Mysterio not lose the gold. What a roller coaster of a match this was. They started off with a bang and ended it with a bang. It went less than ten minutes but they more than gave us everything they got. From the loud chair swings to the three incredible table spots, this match was a sight to see in itself. They needed a finish that allowed Mysterio to not lose the title but also have Sabu not lose any of his credibility. Sabu hit Mysterio with a jumping DDT out of the ring and through a table. The doctor ran out and called off the match. The crowd didn't like it but the two guys sold the spot like it was legitimate. Fun stuff from the start that had the already lively ECW crowd go nuts.
Winner: n/a
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: Mick Foley, Edge & Lita vs. Tommy Dream, Terry Funk & Beulah McGillicutty
You want to talk about violence, you need to stop to take a look at this match right here. I loved the story behind this with Mick Foley selling out and becoming the WWE's Hardcore Champion with Edge. Who better to take these guys on then Foley's idol in Terry Funk and the face of ECW in Tommy Dreamer. After the opening promo where everybody talks mad shit on each other, Lita and Buelah McGillicutty are both added to the mix. As crazy as the crowd was for the last match, the crowd was even crazier for this one. And for damn good reason. Tazz said it best when there were weapons and bodies everywhere. The camera would show Dreamer smacking Edge over the head with a cookie sheet and immediately follow that with a shot of Foley punching the living hell out of Funk. Things really picked up when they brought out the wooden board of barbed wire. Yes, you read that right. Hearing Foley's head smack off the wood was quite disturbing. Funk was eventually taken to the back after injuring his eye but returned with a blaze of glory as he walked his bloody body through the crowd with a 2x4 wrapped in you guessed it, more barbed wire. But that wasn't enough for him, he lit the damn thing on fire! The blaze of glory continued when he smacked Foley around with it and drove him through the board outside. However, Edge would eventually come up big for his time when he drove Funk into the board with Foley and hit a Spear on Beulah for the win. That was insane and that is how you do hardcore wrestling. They topped themselves every other minute, had the crowd on their toes the entire time and finally finished it off with a nasty Spear by Edge. The pin he did on Beulah was just the cherry on top. Just as good as when I saw it a decade ago. Wild, fun, passionate and had my eyes glued to the screen the entire time.
Winners: Mick Foley, Edge & Lita
Rating: ****1/2
Match 6: Balls Mahoney vs. Masato Tanaka
This match was basically a bunch of basic wrestling moves before leading up to a devastating chair shot by Balls Mahoney for the win. They had a little bit of fun with the fans but this was nothing more than a bridge between the two main events. Credit for Masato Tanaka, always willing to take big bumps and always willing to put other guys over. Good for what it was, nothing out of the ordinary. Nice break in time for the main event of the night.
Winner: Balls Mahoney
Rating: *
Match 7: WWE Championship - John Cena (c) vs. Rob Van Dam
The atmosphere for this was insane. I always loved the atmosphere for the main event of WrestleMania 22 but this may blow it out of the water. The hate for John Cena in 2006 was at a peak as the ECW crowd wanted no part of the Cena-led era. The match started off with the crowd throwing back his shirt into the ring. It was hilarious to watch and just a sight to behold in itself. The crowd was giving Rob Van Dam all the love they could give. RVD had the advantage early on as the crowd was seemingly too much for Cena. However, we got a side of Cena we haven't really seen. He fed off the crowd and fought himself back into the match. A breath of fresh air to see Cena fight like a heel. Cena threw RVD through a steel chair placed in the corner, rammed him with the steel steps and finally locked in the STFU before the ECW referee had to break it up. The two argued before Cena finally decked him. Out of nowhere, a man in a motorcycle helmet comes out and Spears Cena through the table in the corner. The cameraman fell backwards after the Spear, not sure if that was intentional or not but it made for a nice touch. The man in the helmet then knocks out the referee and takes off the helmet to reveal himself. It's Edge! RVD hits the Frog Splash as Paul Heyman comes out to make the count. RVD is the champion of the world! He then celebrates with the fans, his wife and then entire locker room afterwards to close out the show. The match itself was incredible, maybe something that really had no right to be that good. It was raw and full of pure emotion. The ending just felt all over the place. How cool would it have been to see RVD get the clean win over Cena? And why did Heyman come out to make the count? Couldn't he have just been the referee in the first place then? Despite all that, this match is one of my personal favorites of all time. Seeing Cena fight as a heel really brought out the broad range of characters he has in his arsenal. A shame we never got to see the rematch.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Rating: ****1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Although I wasn't a fan of the way Rob Van Dam beat John Cena, the card itself was booked masterfully. An absolute spectacle of a show. There wasn't an extravagant titantron, there wasn't a crazy fireworks display and there wasn't a stadium filled with thousands of fans. There was passion, emotion and an incredible showing of professional wrestling from the opening contest to the closing match. Will we ever see something like this again? Probably not. But at least we have the WWE Network to go back and watch incredible events like this one.
Rating: 9.25/10
Friday, June 10, 2016
ECW One Night Stand 2005 Review
Match 1: Lance Storm vs. Chris Jericho
ECW's huge 2005 return starts with some technical wrestling between Lance Storm and Chris Jericho. People tend to forget ECW also represented wrestling at its purest form and not just violent wrestling. These two are perfect representations of that fact as they put on a strong, but fairly short match. Lance Storm is apparently declaring this as his final professional wrestling match even though he would go on to wrestle for many years after this. Tons of reversals and just great wrestling from the opening bell. Storm scores the win with some help from Jason Knight who smashed Jericho with a Singapore Cane. Great opening match that featured two veterans who have been going up the ranks together since the start. The chemistry they displayed showed that. Good way to start the show.
Winner: Lance Storm
Rating: ***
Match 2: Tajiri vs. Little Guido vs. Super Crazy
We get ourselves an international triple threat match with elimination rules. About what you would expect from these three guys, lots of interference from their respective groups and lots of cool spots including a sick Moonsault from Super Crazy off a balcony. After Little Guido was first eliminated, it came down to Tajiri and Super Crazy where Crazy was able to hit another Moonsault to seal the win. Fun match here that also allows the viewers to reminisce about the company's wide range of wrestling styles. Good stuff here.
Winner: Super Crazy
Rating: **3/4
Match 3: Psicosis vs. Rey Mysterio
If the last match wasn't enough crazy for you, no pun intended, you get more craziness here. Just like the previous match, you get some awesome spots and fast action from the opening bell. Even as a WWE guy in 2005, the ECW fans were definitely welcoming of Rey Mysterio. The crowd wasn't too fond of the rest holds but they were damn sure ecstatic for the sick dives into the first row. Mysterio scored the win after hitting a 619 before the WWE crusaders made their arrival to the show. Good stuff here and just like the last two matches, not too long and not too short. A nice amount of time to get the guys on the card and have them display their work.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Rating: ***
Match 4: Rhyno vs. Sabu
Rob Van Dam came out to interrupt JBL and have a very emotional speech about his passion for the company and how hurt he was for not being able to perform due to injury. Rhyno then comes out and Spears RVD before kicking RVD's knee. Lights go out and out comes Sabu! We have an impromptu contest here as Sabu looks to defend his friend in RVD. Quick match here that saw RVD throw the chair in Rhyno's face before Sabu was able to hit his Arabian Skullcrusher through a table for the win. Anyone else think Bill Alfonso is the most annoying dude ever?
Winner: Sabu
Rating: *3/4
Match 5: Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero
Can't lie, it's a bit creepy to watch this match. A little more creepy when you think that Eddie Guerrero would unfortunately pass away just months later. Guerrero is a heel here as he goes against his longtime rival in Chris Benoit. These were two of the toughest and most respected guys in the locker room in the ECW days, watching them wrestle here was a thing of beauty. Like all the other matches, they didn't have too much time to work with. However, they made the most out of it and did what they did best. They were masters of playing the game, the crisp and fast moves they would showcase here just showed how great they blended together. Benoit would eventually pick up the win by making Guerrero submit to the Crippler Crossface. A pleasure to watch.
Winner: Chris Benoit
Rating: ***1/4
Match 6: Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka
Before I even go in depth about this match, I should mention that this may have been one of the most disturbing matches I have ever seen in recent memory. Scoring this match was certainly an odd task. This match infamously featured commentator Joey Styles absolutely bury Mike Awesome for ditching the company and even referenced Awesome's failed suicide attempt. Talk about nasty chair shot after nasty chair shot. This match was absolutely loaded with chair shots and table spots that will make you cringe like crazy. The amount of unprotected chair shots Awesome delivered to Masato Tanaka was pretty disgusting to watch. Even still, it was a fun to see their passion for the business on full display as the crowd ate it up. The Awesome Bomb off the apron through the table may have been the sickest spot I have ever seen in my life. Ending saw Awesome toss Tanaka out of the ring through a table before diving onto him afterwards. Insane.
Winner: Mike Awesome
Rating: ***1/2
Match 7: The Dudley Boyz vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman
If there was one match to close out the night, it would certainly have to be this one. These are arguably ECW's biggest stars and what better way for them to show it then having a bloody and nasty match. Let's not also forget The Sandman's famous Metallica entrance. Before the match, an array of old ECW guys came out from The Blue World Order to Kid Kash for whatever reason. Finally, the bell rings and the action starts. By action, I mean the usage of Singapore canes, cookie sheets, chair shots, barbed wire, a cheese grater, interference from Francine and Beulah McGillicutty and finally, a flaming table. Yes, a flaming table that The Dudley Boyz used to drive Tommy Dreamer through to mercifully end the match. Afterwards, Sandman desperately calls for a beer as he looks on upon his fallen comrade. Great main event that would be followed with a war between the ECW guys and the WWE crusaders that saw the ECW guys get the better of it.
Winners: The Dudley Boyz
Rating: ***1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
What an incredible show. This was ultimately the spark that led to the WWE relaunching ECW as a third brand. A perfect blend of nostalgia and a perfect display of what ECW represented. There was hardcore wrestling, lucha libre wrestling and even technical wrestling. All that and the amazing promos ranging from Rob Van Dam's return, Paul Heyman's shoot and the ending with Stone Cold Steve Austin leading the ECW charge against the WWE crusaders make this one of the most memorable WWE shows of all time.
Rating: 9/10
Friday, June 3, 2016
TNA Destination X 2010 Review
Match 1: Ladder - Brian Kendrick vs. Amazing Red vs. Daniels vs. Kazarian
Always a sucker for Ladder matches, especially when these guys are involved. I'm digging the story of Kazarian making his return to the company in order to bring some prestige to the X Division. You get what you would expect here, lots of cool dives and innovative spots from all four guys who practically put their lives on the line for a contract to become the #1 contender for the X Division Championship. Kazarian is able to backdrop Daniels off a ladder before knocking down Brian Kendrick to grab the contract. Nice finish to a cool match. Hate to be the guy that mentions this since there's probably going to be more of it later, but I just found it funny how nobody sold anything throughout the match. Felt like spot after spot after spot. Still lots of fun and no knock on the performers at all.
Winner: Kazarian
Rating: ***1/4
Match 2: Knockouts Championship - Tara (c) vs. Daffney
Tara's whole obsession with her spider is a bit creepy. Tara defends her strap against the even weirder Daffney in the second contest of the night. Just a whatever match that saw Tara pick up the win with a sweet Widow's Peak. Tara looks to celebrate with her tarantula before seeing Daffney holding it and licking the case that holds it. Tara then chased her off. So weird. What the hell am I watching?
Winner: Tara
Rating: *1/4
Match 3: Global Championship - Rob Terry (c) vs. Magnus
This was basically a squash match with Rob Terry beating Magnus in a couple minutes. It's unfortunate because Magnus is a damn fine wrestler and cut a pretty good promo before this. They were tag partners for a good while before this, could they not at least give Magnus some offense in? I get that they want to have these guys on the card, but damn. This felt like a slap in the face to the viewers.
Winner: Rob Terry
Rating: 1/4*
Match 4: Ultimate X - Generation Me vs. The Motor City Machine Guns
These two tag teams in a match is crazy enough as it is. Tossing them in an Ultimate X match only adds to the craziness. Crazy spots and more crazy spots would be the best way to describe this match. Taz mentioned that it felt like he was playing Xbox. Just watching these four guys climb the damn structure and fight over the stupid X is just a wonder to watch. So many dangerous spots just piled up in the time they were given. Mich like the Ladder match earlier, there wasn't much selling. Just spot after spot after spot. Finally, Chris Sabin is able to knock down Jeremy Buck on the top of the thing to secure the X and secure a chance for him and Alex Shelley to win the TNA World Tag Team Championships. A fun and reckless match that probably could and should have gone later in the card since we just saw the Ladder match.
Winners: The Motor City Machine Guns
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac vs. Kevin Nash & Eric Young
So if Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac win this match, then they score big contracts. They awkwardly come down to the ring without any music before cutting a 1990 promo. You can almost hear the audience cringe for this. Hall & Pac look to take advantage of a distracted referee as they spray paint Eric Young's face. The referee must be the biggest idiot in the world as he watches both Hall & Pac punch Young in the face with paint on his face. Kevin Nash steps in and turns on Young before Hall hits a sorry Razor's Edge for the win. Pac then spray paints around Young's unconscious body. The Band then celebrate like old men as their lame music plays. This isn't TNA anymore, this is WCW 2.0.
Winners: Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac
Rating: 1/4*
Match 6: X Division Championship - Doug Williams (c) vs. Shannon Moore
Why exactly does Shannon Moore score the title shot over all the other guys in the Ladder match earlier? Why does he get a title shot so easily when the other four guys had to beat the crap out of each other for a shot? Quick match here that saw Doug Williams retain the title after hitting Moore with a brick. Yes, a brick. Moore was busted up afterwards as Williams made quick work of the newcomer. Who books this stuff?
Winner: Doug Williams
Rating: *1/4
Match 7: World Tag Team Championships - Matt Morgan & Hernandez (c) vs. Beer Money, Inc.
The tension between Matt Morgan & Hernandez started at the last PPV and escalates here where Hernandez challenged Beer Money, Inc. to a match for the belts here. The dying cohesion between Morgan & Hernandez is fantastic. Morgan makes such a smug heel. His frustration with Hernandez led him to constantly yelling, tagging himself in, blocking Hernandez from diving out of the ring and tossing Hernandez back into the ring when Hernandez finally dove. Morgan makes such a great heel. Through all that, Hernandez scored the win for his team when he finished off James Storm before Morgan was inadvertently spit in the face with beer. After, Morgan lands a Carbon Footprint on Hernandez and poses with both belts. Decent match but the thought of Beer Money actually competing here felt like a distant thought. I love the story between Morgan & Hernandez but not at the expense of Beer Money.
Winners: Matt Morgan & Hernandez
Rating: **
Match 8: Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle
I fucking loved this feud. You have the smug heel in Mr. Anderson going up against the prideful and focused Kurt Angle. The match they had at Against All Odds was a bloody mess that saw Anderson carve Angle up with the warrior's medal. The promos leading up to this were nothing short of spectacular and that includes Angle's promo earlier in the night where he lit a picture of Anderson on fire. You tend to forget how good Anderson is, especially on the mic. If you haven't seen the promos he cut before this match, go ahead and search them up. With that being said, they had a solid match here that saw Anderson work on Angle's arm throughout the match as Angle sold the assault beautifully. The dude is just a legend at psychology of the sport. I'm not a fan of referee bumps but it definitely worked here. After Angle accidentally knocked out the referee with a clothesline, Anderson hit an Olympic Slam and brought out a steel chair. However, Anderson throws out the chair and takes the warrior's medal. Angle turns the tides as he suplexes Anderson before slicing open Anderson with the medal! Anderson is a bloody mess this time as he taps out to the Ankle Lock! Anderson calls for the mic after the match and cuts a sweet promo on Angle. This match gets so overlooked. The psychology of it all was just a beauty to watch. The warrior's medal being brought into play made things so much more exciting as the blood brought things up a notch. The promo after the match with the camera focusing on Angle's stoic face was something else. Angle was able to avenge his loss in spectacular fashion, but things weren't even close to being finished.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rating: ****1/4
Match 9: TNA World Heavyweight Championship - AJ Styles (c) vs. Abyss
Ric Flair accompanies AJ Styles in a wheelchair after Abyss Chokeslammed him through the ramp on an episode of Impact. Crazy to think that Abyss was Hulk Hogan's top guy at the time. To nobody's surprise, this was a really odd main event. Styles can't drop the title and Abyss can't afford to take the loss. This can't be good. The action itself was good and really shows off just how good Abyss is in the ring without the thumbtacks and such. Styles has good chemistry with just about everybody and really knows how to work with a big guy like Abyss. He was able to maximize his athleticism in order to counter the strength of Abyss. Everything was going fine until Ric Flair sprayed the referee with mace. You just had the feeling throughout the match that some sort of fishy ending was going to go down. Hulk Hogan then came out where he pushed Flair away as Abyss then Chokeslammed Styles through the ring as the new referee in Earl Hebner called for the bell. Thus, nobody knows who wins the match. Hogan then hands Abyss the title. I am so confused. Flair runs down to the ring and gets sprayed with the mace. Desmond Wolfe comes out and also gets sprayed for his troubles. Wolfe falls into the hole with Styles as Flair then followed suit after. Nothing makes sense. It was almost like I was watching a bad circus show.
Winner: n/a
Rating: ***1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
This is a really hard PPV to score. On one hand, you got the Ladder match, the Ultimate X match and the Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle match that all delivered. On the other hand, we got some really crap matches that included a main event with the lamest finish I have ever seen in my life. If anything, check out the matches that did give the show a spark and ignore the rest. But definitely don't dismiss the Anderson vs. Angle match because it's a crucial point in their amazing 2010 feud.
Rating: 5.75/10
Always a sucker for Ladder matches, especially when these guys are involved. I'm digging the story of Kazarian making his return to the company in order to bring some prestige to the X Division. You get what you would expect here, lots of cool dives and innovative spots from all four guys who practically put their lives on the line for a contract to become the #1 contender for the X Division Championship. Kazarian is able to backdrop Daniels off a ladder before knocking down Brian Kendrick to grab the contract. Nice finish to a cool match. Hate to be the guy that mentions this since there's probably going to be more of it later, but I just found it funny how nobody sold anything throughout the match. Felt like spot after spot after spot. Still lots of fun and no knock on the performers at all.
Winner: Kazarian
Rating: ***1/4
Match 2: Knockouts Championship - Tara (c) vs. Daffney
Tara's whole obsession with her spider is a bit creepy. Tara defends her strap against the even weirder Daffney in the second contest of the night. Just a whatever match that saw Tara pick up the win with a sweet Widow's Peak. Tara looks to celebrate with her tarantula before seeing Daffney holding it and licking the case that holds it. Tara then chased her off. So weird. What the hell am I watching?
Winner: Tara
Rating: *1/4
Match 3: Global Championship - Rob Terry (c) vs. Magnus
This was basically a squash match with Rob Terry beating Magnus in a couple minutes. It's unfortunate because Magnus is a damn fine wrestler and cut a pretty good promo before this. They were tag partners for a good while before this, could they not at least give Magnus some offense in? I get that they want to have these guys on the card, but damn. This felt like a slap in the face to the viewers.
Winner: Rob Terry
Rating: 1/4*
Match 4: Ultimate X - Generation Me vs. The Motor City Machine Guns
These two tag teams in a match is crazy enough as it is. Tossing them in an Ultimate X match only adds to the craziness. Crazy spots and more crazy spots would be the best way to describe this match. Taz mentioned that it felt like he was playing Xbox. Just watching these four guys climb the damn structure and fight over the stupid X is just a wonder to watch. So many dangerous spots just piled up in the time they were given. Mich like the Ladder match earlier, there wasn't much selling. Just spot after spot after spot. Finally, Chris Sabin is able to knock down Jeremy Buck on the top of the thing to secure the X and secure a chance for him and Alex Shelley to win the TNA World Tag Team Championships. A fun and reckless match that probably could and should have gone later in the card since we just saw the Ladder match.
Winners: The Motor City Machine Guns
Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac vs. Kevin Nash & Eric Young
So if Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac win this match, then they score big contracts. They awkwardly come down to the ring without any music before cutting a 1990 promo. You can almost hear the audience cringe for this. Hall & Pac look to take advantage of a distracted referee as they spray paint Eric Young's face. The referee must be the biggest idiot in the world as he watches both Hall & Pac punch Young in the face with paint on his face. Kevin Nash steps in and turns on Young before Hall hits a sorry Razor's Edge for the win. Pac then spray paints around Young's unconscious body. The Band then celebrate like old men as their lame music plays. This isn't TNA anymore, this is WCW 2.0.
Winners: Scott Hall & Syxx-Pac
Rating: 1/4*
Match 6: X Division Championship - Doug Williams (c) vs. Shannon Moore
Why exactly does Shannon Moore score the title shot over all the other guys in the Ladder match earlier? Why does he get a title shot so easily when the other four guys had to beat the crap out of each other for a shot? Quick match here that saw Doug Williams retain the title after hitting Moore with a brick. Yes, a brick. Moore was busted up afterwards as Williams made quick work of the newcomer. Who books this stuff?
Winner: Doug Williams
Rating: *1/4
Match 7: World Tag Team Championships - Matt Morgan & Hernandez (c) vs. Beer Money, Inc.
The tension between Matt Morgan & Hernandez started at the last PPV and escalates here where Hernandez challenged Beer Money, Inc. to a match for the belts here. The dying cohesion between Morgan & Hernandez is fantastic. Morgan makes such a smug heel. His frustration with Hernandez led him to constantly yelling, tagging himself in, blocking Hernandez from diving out of the ring and tossing Hernandez back into the ring when Hernandez finally dove. Morgan makes such a great heel. Through all that, Hernandez scored the win for his team when he finished off James Storm before Morgan was inadvertently spit in the face with beer. After, Morgan lands a Carbon Footprint on Hernandez and poses with both belts. Decent match but the thought of Beer Money actually competing here felt like a distant thought. I love the story between Morgan & Hernandez but not at the expense of Beer Money.
Winners: Matt Morgan & Hernandez
Rating: **
Match 8: Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle
I fucking loved this feud. You have the smug heel in Mr. Anderson going up against the prideful and focused Kurt Angle. The match they had at Against All Odds was a bloody mess that saw Anderson carve Angle up with the warrior's medal. The promos leading up to this were nothing short of spectacular and that includes Angle's promo earlier in the night where he lit a picture of Anderson on fire. You tend to forget how good Anderson is, especially on the mic. If you haven't seen the promos he cut before this match, go ahead and search them up. With that being said, they had a solid match here that saw Anderson work on Angle's arm throughout the match as Angle sold the assault beautifully. The dude is just a legend at psychology of the sport. I'm not a fan of referee bumps but it definitely worked here. After Angle accidentally knocked out the referee with a clothesline, Anderson hit an Olympic Slam and brought out a steel chair. However, Anderson throws out the chair and takes the warrior's medal. Angle turns the tides as he suplexes Anderson before slicing open Anderson with the medal! Anderson is a bloody mess this time as he taps out to the Ankle Lock! Anderson calls for the mic after the match and cuts a sweet promo on Angle. This match gets so overlooked. The psychology of it all was just a beauty to watch. The warrior's medal being brought into play made things so much more exciting as the blood brought things up a notch. The promo after the match with the camera focusing on Angle's stoic face was something else. Angle was able to avenge his loss in spectacular fashion, but things weren't even close to being finished.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rating: ****1/4
Match 9: TNA World Heavyweight Championship - AJ Styles (c) vs. Abyss
Ric Flair accompanies AJ Styles in a wheelchair after Abyss Chokeslammed him through the ramp on an episode of Impact. Crazy to think that Abyss was Hulk Hogan's top guy at the time. To nobody's surprise, this was a really odd main event. Styles can't drop the title and Abyss can't afford to take the loss. This can't be good. The action itself was good and really shows off just how good Abyss is in the ring without the thumbtacks and such. Styles has good chemistry with just about everybody and really knows how to work with a big guy like Abyss. He was able to maximize his athleticism in order to counter the strength of Abyss. Everything was going fine until Ric Flair sprayed the referee with mace. You just had the feeling throughout the match that some sort of fishy ending was going to go down. Hulk Hogan then came out where he pushed Flair away as Abyss then Chokeslammed Styles through the ring as the new referee in Earl Hebner called for the bell. Thus, nobody knows who wins the match. Hogan then hands Abyss the title. I am so confused. Flair runs down to the ring and gets sprayed with the mace. Desmond Wolfe comes out and also gets sprayed for his troubles. Wolfe falls into the hole with Styles as Flair then followed suit after. Nothing makes sense. It was almost like I was watching a bad circus show.
Winner: n/a
Rating: ***1/4
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
This is a really hard PPV to score. On one hand, you got the Ladder match, the Ultimate X match and the Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle match that all delivered. On the other hand, we got some really crap matches that included a main event with the lamest finish I have ever seen in my life. If anything, check out the matches that did give the show a spark and ignore the rest. But definitely don't dismiss the Anderson vs. Angle match because it's a crucial point in their amazing 2010 feud.
Rating: 5.75/10
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