Reviewing every WWE PPV in order from worst to best
- Thread starter Jarf
- Start date
-
Welcome to "The New" Wrestling Smarks Forum!
I see that you are not currently registered on our forum. It only takes a second, and you can even login with your Facebook! If you would like to register now, pease click here: Register
Once registered please introduce yourself in our introduction thread which can be found here: Introduction Board
Rebellion 2001
Match 1: Intercontinental Championship Steel Cage Match - Edge (c) def. Christian (12:49)
Couldn't have started the show better (as far as this card goes). They put a pretty solid match to start us off, although it is pretty slow. Christian attacks Edge as he slides into the ring, doesn't even wait for him to get his jacket or his title off. But Edge fights off Christian pretty quickly and gets his jacket off. But Edge tries to Spear Christian, who sidesteps and causes Edge to hit the cage face first. Christian then lays on Edge and the pace slows wayyyy down. Christian just gets this heat for a while it feels like, but Edge suddenly comes out of the corner with a Spear and now suddenly, it feels like they're back to an even playing field. Edge starts throwing Christian into every side of the cage. Christian tries to hit the Unprettier but Edge counters with an Edge-O-Matic. The pace has picked up now. Edge tries to escape over the cage, but Christian starts climbing too and Edge gets crotched on the top rope. Christian climbs over the cage and is about to win it, but Edge has recovered and pulls Christian's legs through the cage and ties his ankles together with his wrist tape. Christian is upside down from the cage as Edge climbs up and over, he gives Christian a kick and an elbow as he drops to the floor to retain the IC Title.
My Rating: ***1/4
Match 2: Scotty 2 Hotty def. The Hurricane (8:55)
Now we enter house show territory. There isn't any reason to care about this match. Its not bad, its just nothing worth watching. Scotty is sent over the ropes and he skins the cat as Hurricane poses in the ring. Scotty mocks the pose right behind him. Hurricane sends Scotty shoulder first in the ring post and hits a good neckbreaker. Then he starts laying on him, wearing him down. Hurricane puts on his cape and gets punched in the gut by Scotty on his way down. Scotty goes for his bulldog, only for Hurricane to grab him by the throat to set up a chokeslam. Scotty escapes with an elbow and Helms superkicks. Hurricane goes for a back suplex, but Scotty lands behind him on his feet, ducks a clothesline, he hits his bulldog before he gives Helms his worm and wins.
My Rating: **1/2
Match 3: Big Show def. DDP (3:15)
DDP deserved better man. This man went from being one of WCW's top babyfaces to WWF jobber. Big Show comes out of the gates bullying Page around. Then DDP starts going after his legs, chops Big Show down and believe it or not, he actually hits the Diamond Cutter. But he takes FOREVER to cover Big Show. Big shock, Big Show kicks out, gets up and hits a Chokeslam to win.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 4: WCW Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Elimination Match - The Dudley Boyz (c) def. The Hardy Boyz & The APA (12:01)
I just know their sound guy was fired for this match. A decent match with a pretty funny mistake midway through. The match starts with Matt and Bubba Ray. Theres nothing that special early. Everyone gets a chance to come in in the first few minutes. The referee starts to lose control of the match as all 3 teams fighting. Dudleys double team Faarooq and Bradshaw nails Bubba with a hard clothesline and takes D-Von outside. But as thats happening, Matt hits Faarooq with a Twist of Fate, followed by a Swanton from Jeff, who pins Faarooq to eliminate his team… and then the Dudleys music plays. Only for a brief second but it was long enough for me to know it was the Dudleys theme. So spoiler Manchester, the Dudleys are winning. The last 6 minutes, the two teams go at it, The Hardys start to roll Jeff misses D-Von in the corner. D-Von and Matt double clothesline each other and Jeff takes the chance to attempt a Swanton, but he misses and is tossed out of the ring by Bubba. But in the ring, The Dudleys put Matt away with a 3D.
My Rating: ***
Match 5: William Regal def. Tajiri (5:55)
Tajiri is able to get the upper hand early. He gives Regal a good kick to the face and then again on the outside. Regal drops Tajiri on the top rope crotch first and begins to grind him into the mat. Tajiri gives Regal a kick and hits a missile dropkick off the top rope. He applies the Tarantula before he's forced to let go. Tajiri misses a moonsault and eats the mat, leaving him in perfect position for Regal to lock in the Regal Stretch, forcing Tajiri to tap.
My Rating: **1/2
Match 6: WCW World Championship Match - Chris Jericho (c) def. Kurt Angle (14:55)
One of only 2 matches to get an actual graphic for this show. Not spectacular, but I'd say its worth a watch. Pretty good match as you could expect from these guys. Especially this year. Both of them were on fire in 2001. Jericho seems to have Kurt scouted early on. Kurt tries to wrestle Chris down and Jericho is able to keep pace with him. Angle goes to Angle Slam him, but Jericho takes Kurt to the mat and tries to lock in the Walls of Jericho. Jericho dropkicks Kurt off the apron, escapes an Ankle Lock attempt. Everything Kurt does, Jericho has scouted. Angle is finally able to build some momentum when he hot shots Jericho on the top rope. Angle keeps Jericho grounded for a bit, but Chris starts to fight back into it. Angle goes for a German, but Jericho reverses and rolls through Angle's legs and picks his ankle and locks in the Ankle Lock on Angle. Kurt makes it to the ropes and hits Jericho with a trifecta of german suplexes. He puts Chris in the Ankle Lock, and Jericho manages to escape it by reaching back, tripping Angle, putting him on his back and turning Kurt over into the Walls of Jericho. Angle grabs the bottom rope. Jericho hits a bulldog and tries to follow it up with a Lionsault, but Angle gets his knees up to counter. He gets right back up and tries an OLYMPIC SLAM! But Jericho turns and lands behind Kurt, rolling him up from behind to retain. Before Jericho can celebrate though, Angle attacks him after the match.
My Rating: ***1/2
Match 7: Tag Team Match with Trish Stratus as Special Referee - Lita & Torrie Wilson def. Mighty Molly & Stacy Keibler (4:16)
Thank fuck this only went 4 minutes. Whew, this was pretty bad. I like looking at these ladies as much as the next guy, but Torrie and Stacy weren't exactly wrestlers. And the match starts with them. At first, they just do gymnastics. Torrie and Lita beat up Stacy for a bit. But Molly puts her knee in Torrie's back from the apron and the match turns around. Molly gives Torrie a backbreaker before she goes for the Molly Go Round. But Torrie dodges and tags in Lita who completely gives them the momentum back. Lita and Torrie try to take a page out of the Hardys playbook and go for the move where Jeff jumps off Matt's back into a splash in the corner. Molly was ready for it though and jumps off Torrie instead to clothesline Lita. That was about the best thing that happened here. Lita puts Molly away after a Twist of Fate and Stacy tries to argue with Trish over the decision. She shoves Trish, who responds by kicking Stacy in the face.
My Rating: 1/2*
Main Event: WWF Championship Match - Steve Austin (c) def. The Rock (22:09)
Now this is how you cap off a PPV. Can't go wrong with this match. Austin makes his way out first, followed by The Rock. Rock poses in the top right corner and Austin jumps him. The bell rings and the match is already off hot and heavy. Its an attitude era main event with lots of brawling early on and even some back and forth chopping. This is also the match where Earl Hebner is exposed as a terrible referee. Rock and Austin go up the ramp to fight and instead of counting them out like his job entails, he follows them up. For the most part, this match is really good. As cheesy as it feels to say, you can almost feel the hatred they have for each other with every strike. Austin flips off the crowd a lot and they will not boo him no matter what. They go back outside, Austin goes to piledrive Rock on the announce table, but Rock escapes with a blatant low blow. But Austin picks Rock up with a suplex only to drop him forward on the announce table. Rock clutches his knee after that. Austin wears Rocky down and attacks his knee. Rock starts to fight back and hits a Lou Thesz Press before raining down punches on him. Austin drops Rock with a spinebuster and locks in a Boston Crab, which is all the more insulting since Rock and Jericho were beefing at this time. Rock escapes by grabbing the bottom rope. Austin gets up in Earl's face and it allows Rock to get back up and fight back Austin, giving himself more of a chance. Rock irish whips Austin into the referee, who's sprawled out like he just had a raging party. Rock takes Austin down into a Sharpshooter. Rock tries to get Earl back up, but Austin double legs him and puts Rock in a Sharpshooter now. But Rock pushes Austin off and reverses it back into his own Sharpshooter. But Rocky has his back turned from the ramp, so he doesn't know Kurt Angle is running down, holding a chair. Angle clocks Rock in the back with it. Jericho runs down to make the save, blindsiding Kurt and hitting him with the chair. But when Rock gets back up, all he sees is Chris holding the chair, so Rock attacks him, thinking he was the one who hit him. He sends Chris out of the ring, and turns around to Stone Cold, who tries to boot him in the gut, but Rock catches it and hits Austin with a Rock Bottom. Kurt breaks up the pin, but Rock quickly takes care of him. Rock hits Austin with a spinebuster and then goes for the People's Elbow. Only for Kurt to trip him. Kurt hits Rock with the title, and Rock turns around into a Stunner from Austin. Stone Cold pins him 1, 2, 3 and will leave with the championship.
My Rating: ***1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.58
My Rating: 5.5/10
This is just a glorified house show, with not much to offer. It just has 3 matches really. The Cage Match, the WCW Title and the WWF Title. The fact it was during one of the worst booked storylines in WWE, (The Invasion) doesn't help it. I'd say, watch the World Title matches and thats it. You don't need to waste your time on the rest of the show.
Match 1: Intercontinental Championship Steel Cage Match - Edge (c) def. Christian (12:49)
Couldn't have started the show better (as far as this card goes). They put a pretty solid match to start us off, although it is pretty slow. Christian attacks Edge as he slides into the ring, doesn't even wait for him to get his jacket or his title off. But Edge fights off Christian pretty quickly and gets his jacket off. But Edge tries to Spear Christian, who sidesteps and causes Edge to hit the cage face first. Christian then lays on Edge and the pace slows wayyyy down. Christian just gets this heat for a while it feels like, but Edge suddenly comes out of the corner with a Spear and now suddenly, it feels like they're back to an even playing field. Edge starts throwing Christian into every side of the cage. Christian tries to hit the Unprettier but Edge counters with an Edge-O-Matic. The pace has picked up now. Edge tries to escape over the cage, but Christian starts climbing too and Edge gets crotched on the top rope. Christian climbs over the cage and is about to win it, but Edge has recovered and pulls Christian's legs through the cage and ties his ankles together with his wrist tape. Christian is upside down from the cage as Edge climbs up and over, he gives Christian a kick and an elbow as he drops to the floor to retain the IC Title.
My Rating: ***1/4
Match 2: Scotty 2 Hotty def. The Hurricane (8:55)
Now we enter house show territory. There isn't any reason to care about this match. Its not bad, its just nothing worth watching. Scotty is sent over the ropes and he skins the cat as Hurricane poses in the ring. Scotty mocks the pose right behind him. Hurricane sends Scotty shoulder first in the ring post and hits a good neckbreaker. Then he starts laying on him, wearing him down. Hurricane puts on his cape and gets punched in the gut by Scotty on his way down. Scotty goes for his bulldog, only for Hurricane to grab him by the throat to set up a chokeslam. Scotty escapes with an elbow and Helms superkicks. Hurricane goes for a back suplex, but Scotty lands behind him on his feet, ducks a clothesline, he hits his bulldog before he gives Helms his worm and wins.
My Rating: **1/2
Match 3: Big Show def. DDP (3:15)
DDP deserved better man. This man went from being one of WCW's top babyfaces to WWF jobber. Big Show comes out of the gates bullying Page around. Then DDP starts going after his legs, chops Big Show down and believe it or not, he actually hits the Diamond Cutter. But he takes FOREVER to cover Big Show. Big shock, Big Show kicks out, gets up and hits a Chokeslam to win.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 4: WCW Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Elimination Match - The Dudley Boyz (c) def. The Hardy Boyz & The APA (12:01)
I just know their sound guy was fired for this match. A decent match with a pretty funny mistake midway through. The match starts with Matt and Bubba Ray. Theres nothing that special early. Everyone gets a chance to come in in the first few minutes. The referee starts to lose control of the match as all 3 teams fighting. Dudleys double team Faarooq and Bradshaw nails Bubba with a hard clothesline and takes D-Von outside. But as thats happening, Matt hits Faarooq with a Twist of Fate, followed by a Swanton from Jeff, who pins Faarooq to eliminate his team… and then the Dudleys music plays. Only for a brief second but it was long enough for me to know it was the Dudleys theme. So spoiler Manchester, the Dudleys are winning. The last 6 minutes, the two teams go at it, The Hardys start to roll Jeff misses D-Von in the corner. D-Von and Matt double clothesline each other and Jeff takes the chance to attempt a Swanton, but he misses and is tossed out of the ring by Bubba. But in the ring, The Dudleys put Matt away with a 3D.
My Rating: ***
Match 5: William Regal def. Tajiri (5:55)
Tajiri is able to get the upper hand early. He gives Regal a good kick to the face and then again on the outside. Regal drops Tajiri on the top rope crotch first and begins to grind him into the mat. Tajiri gives Regal a kick and hits a missile dropkick off the top rope. He applies the Tarantula before he's forced to let go. Tajiri misses a moonsault and eats the mat, leaving him in perfect position for Regal to lock in the Regal Stretch, forcing Tajiri to tap.
My Rating: **1/2
Match 6: WCW World Championship Match - Chris Jericho (c) def. Kurt Angle (14:55)
One of only 2 matches to get an actual graphic for this show. Not spectacular, but I'd say its worth a watch. Pretty good match as you could expect from these guys. Especially this year. Both of them were on fire in 2001. Jericho seems to have Kurt scouted early on. Kurt tries to wrestle Chris down and Jericho is able to keep pace with him. Angle goes to Angle Slam him, but Jericho takes Kurt to the mat and tries to lock in the Walls of Jericho. Jericho dropkicks Kurt off the apron, escapes an Ankle Lock attempt. Everything Kurt does, Jericho has scouted. Angle is finally able to build some momentum when he hot shots Jericho on the top rope. Angle keeps Jericho grounded for a bit, but Chris starts to fight back into it. Angle goes for a German, but Jericho reverses and rolls through Angle's legs and picks his ankle and locks in the Ankle Lock on Angle. Kurt makes it to the ropes and hits Jericho with a trifecta of german suplexes. He puts Chris in the Ankle Lock, and Jericho manages to escape it by reaching back, tripping Angle, putting him on his back and turning Kurt over into the Walls of Jericho. Angle grabs the bottom rope. Jericho hits a bulldog and tries to follow it up with a Lionsault, but Angle gets his knees up to counter. He gets right back up and tries an OLYMPIC SLAM! But Jericho turns and lands behind Kurt, rolling him up from behind to retain. Before Jericho can celebrate though, Angle attacks him after the match.
My Rating: ***1/2
Match 7: Tag Team Match with Trish Stratus as Special Referee - Lita & Torrie Wilson def. Mighty Molly & Stacy Keibler (4:16)
Thank fuck this only went 4 minutes. Whew, this was pretty bad. I like looking at these ladies as much as the next guy, but Torrie and Stacy weren't exactly wrestlers. And the match starts with them. At first, they just do gymnastics. Torrie and Lita beat up Stacy for a bit. But Molly puts her knee in Torrie's back from the apron and the match turns around. Molly gives Torrie a backbreaker before she goes for the Molly Go Round. But Torrie dodges and tags in Lita who completely gives them the momentum back. Lita and Torrie try to take a page out of the Hardys playbook and go for the move where Jeff jumps off Matt's back into a splash in the corner. Molly was ready for it though and jumps off Torrie instead to clothesline Lita. That was about the best thing that happened here. Lita puts Molly away after a Twist of Fate and Stacy tries to argue with Trish over the decision. She shoves Trish, who responds by kicking Stacy in the face.
My Rating: 1/2*
Main Event: WWF Championship Match - Steve Austin (c) def. The Rock (22:09)
Now this is how you cap off a PPV. Can't go wrong with this match. Austin makes his way out first, followed by The Rock. Rock poses in the top right corner and Austin jumps him. The bell rings and the match is already off hot and heavy. Its an attitude era main event with lots of brawling early on and even some back and forth chopping. This is also the match where Earl Hebner is exposed as a terrible referee. Rock and Austin go up the ramp to fight and instead of counting them out like his job entails, he follows them up. For the most part, this match is really good. As cheesy as it feels to say, you can almost feel the hatred they have for each other with every strike. Austin flips off the crowd a lot and they will not boo him no matter what. They go back outside, Austin goes to piledrive Rock on the announce table, but Rock escapes with a blatant low blow. But Austin picks Rock up with a suplex only to drop him forward on the announce table. Rock clutches his knee after that. Austin wears Rocky down and attacks his knee. Rock starts to fight back and hits a Lou Thesz Press before raining down punches on him. Austin drops Rock with a spinebuster and locks in a Boston Crab, which is all the more insulting since Rock and Jericho were beefing at this time. Rock escapes by grabbing the bottom rope. Austin gets up in Earl's face and it allows Rock to get back up and fight back Austin, giving himself more of a chance. Rock irish whips Austin into the referee, who's sprawled out like he just had a raging party. Rock takes Austin down into a Sharpshooter. Rock tries to get Earl back up, but Austin double legs him and puts Rock in a Sharpshooter now. But Rock pushes Austin off and reverses it back into his own Sharpshooter. But Rocky has his back turned from the ramp, so he doesn't know Kurt Angle is running down, holding a chair. Angle clocks Rock in the back with it. Jericho runs down to make the save, blindsiding Kurt and hitting him with the chair. But when Rock gets back up, all he sees is Chris holding the chair, so Rock attacks him, thinking he was the one who hit him. He sends Chris out of the ring, and turns around to Stone Cold, who tries to boot him in the gut, but Rock catches it and hits Austin with a Rock Bottom. Kurt breaks up the pin, but Rock quickly takes care of him. Rock hits Austin with a spinebuster and then goes for the People's Elbow. Only for Kurt to trip him. Kurt hits Rock with the title, and Rock turns around into a Stunner from Austin. Stone Cold pins him 1, 2, 3 and will leave with the championship.
My Rating: ***1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.58
My Rating: 5.5/10
This is just a glorified house show, with not much to offer. It just has 3 matches really. The Cage Match, the WCW Title and the WWF Title. The fact it was during one of the worst booked storylines in WWE, (The Invasion) doesn't help it. I'd say, watch the World Title matches and thats it. You don't need to waste your time on the rest of the show.
Last edited:
Judgment Day 2008
Match 1: John Cena def. JBL (15:03)
Wow, they could not have started the show worse if they tried. This match sucked, plain and simple. Aside from that one I Quit Match, Cena and JBL never had good matches together. So, this match is all JBL, which means a lot of this match is just Bradshaw fucking laying on Cena. He goes after Cena's shoulder and his ribs. When Cena tries to do shoulder tackles, that comes into play, so at least theres some psychology here. But other than that, this match is really bad. JBL beats on Cena for like 15 minutes. Its just heat. Only for Cena to dodge a clothesline, pick up JBL and hit him with an FU for the 3 count. You mean to tell me they made us watch JBL beat up Cena for 15 minutes just for Cena to hit a lucky AA and win? Stupid, shitty match.
My Rating: *1/4
Match 2: WWE Tag Team Championship Match - The Miz & John Morrison (c) def. Kane & CM Punk (7:12)
Not amazing, but certainly better than the opener. Kane and Punk is a weird combination though. Like you can tell the tag team division was really suffering. Kane and Punk got off to a good start and seem to have the champs number. Miz and Morrison attempt to isolate Kane though, which… I don't think is very good strategy. Kane quickly is able to tag Punk in, who goes wild, taking on both men. He and Morrison are the legal men. He dives on Miz outside before he springboards back into the ring to clothesline Morrison. Miz pulls on Punk's foot from the outside and Punk kicks him back. Kane gets off the apron and Chokeslams Miz right onto the floor. Punk turns around to meet Morrison, who hits a swinging neckbreaker to retain the titles.
My Rating: **1/2
Match 3: Shawn Michaels def. Chris Jericho (15:53)
After the way this show has gone so far, this was a much needed boost. Of course you knew this match would be great. The match had a weird build up. With Shawn Michaels faking a knee injury for like 2 weeks only to say “yeah my knee's fine.” He had managed to fool Jericho, which I guess was the start of turning Jericho heel. The start of the match sees the two of them trying to get an upper hand on the other. Shawn tries to rile Jericho up with a slap and it kinda works. Jericho pushes Shawn into a corner and starts laying into him with punches. Shawn smirks as the referee backs Chris up. Shawn goes for an elbow drop and Chris gets his knees up, into the ribs of Michaels. So now Chris starts to target Shawn's ribs. Shawn is able to build some momentum, but he nearly crumbles as he kips up after the flying forearm. It allows Jericho to get up and put Shawn in the Walls of Jericho. Shawn reaches the bottom rope and moves to the apron. Jericho tries for the springboard dropkick, only for Shawn to dodge it. Chris lands feet first on the apron, but then eats a Superkick which sends him off the apron to the floor. Shawn slowly rolls Chris back in the ring and pins him. Chris kicks out though. Shawn attempts another elbow drop and this time, hits it. He tunes up the band, but twice, Jericho falls to the mat. Shawn starts to get frustrated and tunes the band up for a 3rd time. Jericho quickly moves off the mat and hits a Codebreaker as Shawn moves in. Jericho covers him and Michaels is able to kick out. Shawn manages to lock Chris in a crossface, but Jericho makes it to the ropes and drops Shawn ribs first on the top rope, before he attempts a Lionsault. Shawn gets his knees up, but Chris catches them and tries to roll Shawn onto his stomach for the Walls again. But Shawn manages to roll through Chris’ legs and bring him down for a pin to win the match. Great match as you could expect from these guys.
My Rating: ****
Match 4: Women's Championship Triple Threat Match - Mickie James (c) def. Melina & Beth Phoenix (4:42)
To be perfectly honest, if they had given these ladies like maybe an extra 5 minutes, i wouldn't have minded. They were working like crazy here for the time they got. Beth opens the ropes for Melina to offer her a chance to “get out of my ring.” Melina responds by kicking Beth in the gut and sending her to the outside floor. This was not a light kick either. I bet Beth had to get her breath back after that. Beth pulls Mickie outside and clotheslines her. She gets back in and lifts Melina up by the throat with 2 hands, Melina hooks her legs around Beth’s waist and rolls Beth onto her back and just lays into her with punches. Mickie comes in and hooks Beth's head under her arm before leaping up to hit a head scissors on Melina. Beth hits an electric chair on Melina and gets seated sentoned by Mickie, pinning Beth, who rolls forward to pin Mickie, who kicks out to get back on her feet and dropkick Beth in the face. Beth towards the end, scoops Melina and Mickie both on her shoulder for a double Canadian backbreaker, but she winds up falling back and having to let both women go. Melina hits a neckbreaker on Beth, which leaves her open for Mickie to hit a leaping DDT to retain. Not a great match, but I think if you gave these ladies the time, it could've been.
My Rating: ***
Match 5: Singles Match for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship - The Undertaker def. Edge via countout (16:15)
For obvious reasons, this is the overlooked match of their feud. But even this match was great. The Hell's Gate was banned by Vickie and she vacated the World Title to punish Taker. Yada yada. Undertaker gets the upper hand early, but Edge is able to crotch Undertaker on the top rope by swiping his legs on the old school attempt. Edge is grabbed by Taker and thrown into the barricade from the apron. But Edge reverses an irish whip and Undertaker's legs hit the steel steps. So Edge starts attacking his legs. Undertaker tries to lock in Hell's Gate at one point, but remembers he can't use that anymore so he lets go. Edge tries to go old school, but Undertaker pulls the same trick done to him earlier. Undertaker Chokeslams Edge into the turnbuckle. Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder run down and distract the referee, Edge hits an Edge-O-Matic before he goes to take a turnbuckle pad. After Undertaker kicks out of an Edgecution, he goes to Spear him. But Taker dodges it and then picks Edge with a Last Ride into the corner now. Undertaker picks him up again on his shoulder and goes to drop Edge face first on the top rope Edge exposed earlier. Edge is able to avoid it at first, but he winds getting it anyway. Undertaker runs off the ropes and into a Spear from Edge. Undertaker kicks out. Edge starts laying into Taker with punches, but Undertaker grabs him by the throat and Chokeslams him. Edge kicks out and is then booted outside by Taker. Undertaker clotheslines Edge over the barricade. And both men make it back over, Undertaker tosses Edge into the barricade and makes it back in the ring first. Edge is counted out and Undertaker is the champion… or so it seems. Vickie Guerrero comes out before Taker can be announced as the champion and states that the title can only be won by pinfall or submission and declares the title is still vacant. And Undertaker looks like he's about to lose it. He pulls Edge back in the ring by his hair and hits a Tombstone… So this was a dumb finish. We still have no World Champion, making this match pointless. And its such a shame because this match was going so well too.
My Rating: ****
Match 6: Jeff Hardy def. MVP (9:42)
This wasn't originally scheduled to be on the card. But MVP walks out, gripes about not being on the card and issues an open challenge. Matt Hardy's music hits and he's in street clothes so he's not gonna fight. He says that there's someone else here who wants to prove he's better than MVP. Jeff's music hits and now we have a match. Jeff Hardy gets the upper hand at first, but MVP is able to get some momentum when he yanks Jeff to the floor and then starts going after Jeff's arm. MVP lays on Hardy for forever. Hardy starts to build some momentum after hitting a slingblade with the bad arm. Jeff kicks MVP in the face on the dropkick in the corner. Jeff misses a Swanton Bomb, but he hits a Whisper in the Wind and beats MVP.
My Rating: **3/4
Main Event: WWE Championship Steel Cage Match - Triple H (c) def. Randy Orton (21:10)
I was really not looking forward to this match. I've seen enough HHH vs Orton matches to know they almost never had good matches. Thankfully, this was one of the few exceptions. I feel like after Orton lost the title at Backlash is when he really went off the deep end. He has this crazed, psycho look in his eyes during this match. Orton immediately tries to run out the cage, but HHH grabs him and brings him back inside, but not before Orton pulls the door into HHH's face. Both men take turns throwing each other into the cage. HHH attacks Orton's legs and puts him in a Figure 4. Orton tries to escape out the door again and there just so happens to be a chair there. So Orton grabs it as HHH drags him back inside. HHH ducks Orton's first chair swing and takes it for himself, but Orton low blows him and grabs the chair again, and cracks it against HHH's back. Orton sets the chair in position for him to RKO HHH into the seat. But HHH throws him off into the cage and drop toe holds him into the chair. For the next few minutes, the two each nearly make it out over the cage, only for the other to knock them back into the cage. Orton is nearly out at one point, and HHH actually has to hook his head and bring him back over. HHH hits a spinebuster and goes for a Pedigree onto the steel chair, but Orton double legs him and HHH's back hits the chair. Orton rears back in the corner for the punt kick, but HHH dodges it and swings the chair into his face before he hits a Pedigree to pin Orton to retain. Pleasantly surprised by how good this was.
My Rating: ***1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.59
My Rating: 8/10
It got off to a rough start, but thankfully picked up with Michaels and Jericho, and then after that it was mostly good things. The finish to the World Title match was pretty dumb but at least the match itself was good. And of course, HHH and Orton defying expectations with a pretty good match. I think the show deserves to be fairly high.
Match 1: John Cena def. JBL (15:03)
Wow, they could not have started the show worse if they tried. This match sucked, plain and simple. Aside from that one I Quit Match, Cena and JBL never had good matches together. So, this match is all JBL, which means a lot of this match is just Bradshaw fucking laying on Cena. He goes after Cena's shoulder and his ribs. When Cena tries to do shoulder tackles, that comes into play, so at least theres some psychology here. But other than that, this match is really bad. JBL beats on Cena for like 15 minutes. Its just heat. Only for Cena to dodge a clothesline, pick up JBL and hit him with an FU for the 3 count. You mean to tell me they made us watch JBL beat up Cena for 15 minutes just for Cena to hit a lucky AA and win? Stupid, shitty match.
My Rating: *1/4
Match 2: WWE Tag Team Championship Match - The Miz & John Morrison (c) def. Kane & CM Punk (7:12)
Not amazing, but certainly better than the opener. Kane and Punk is a weird combination though. Like you can tell the tag team division was really suffering. Kane and Punk got off to a good start and seem to have the champs number. Miz and Morrison attempt to isolate Kane though, which… I don't think is very good strategy. Kane quickly is able to tag Punk in, who goes wild, taking on both men. He and Morrison are the legal men. He dives on Miz outside before he springboards back into the ring to clothesline Morrison. Miz pulls on Punk's foot from the outside and Punk kicks him back. Kane gets off the apron and Chokeslams Miz right onto the floor. Punk turns around to meet Morrison, who hits a swinging neckbreaker to retain the titles.
My Rating: **1/2
Match 3: Shawn Michaels def. Chris Jericho (15:53)
After the way this show has gone so far, this was a much needed boost. Of course you knew this match would be great. The match had a weird build up. With Shawn Michaels faking a knee injury for like 2 weeks only to say “yeah my knee's fine.” He had managed to fool Jericho, which I guess was the start of turning Jericho heel. The start of the match sees the two of them trying to get an upper hand on the other. Shawn tries to rile Jericho up with a slap and it kinda works. Jericho pushes Shawn into a corner and starts laying into him with punches. Shawn smirks as the referee backs Chris up. Shawn goes for an elbow drop and Chris gets his knees up, into the ribs of Michaels. So now Chris starts to target Shawn's ribs. Shawn is able to build some momentum, but he nearly crumbles as he kips up after the flying forearm. It allows Jericho to get up and put Shawn in the Walls of Jericho. Shawn reaches the bottom rope and moves to the apron. Jericho tries for the springboard dropkick, only for Shawn to dodge it. Chris lands feet first on the apron, but then eats a Superkick which sends him off the apron to the floor. Shawn slowly rolls Chris back in the ring and pins him. Chris kicks out though. Shawn attempts another elbow drop and this time, hits it. He tunes up the band, but twice, Jericho falls to the mat. Shawn starts to get frustrated and tunes the band up for a 3rd time. Jericho quickly moves off the mat and hits a Codebreaker as Shawn moves in. Jericho covers him and Michaels is able to kick out. Shawn manages to lock Chris in a crossface, but Jericho makes it to the ropes and drops Shawn ribs first on the top rope, before he attempts a Lionsault. Shawn gets his knees up, but Chris catches them and tries to roll Shawn onto his stomach for the Walls again. But Shawn manages to roll through Chris’ legs and bring him down for a pin to win the match. Great match as you could expect from these guys.
My Rating: ****
Match 4: Women's Championship Triple Threat Match - Mickie James (c) def. Melina & Beth Phoenix (4:42)
To be perfectly honest, if they had given these ladies like maybe an extra 5 minutes, i wouldn't have minded. They were working like crazy here for the time they got. Beth opens the ropes for Melina to offer her a chance to “get out of my ring.” Melina responds by kicking Beth in the gut and sending her to the outside floor. This was not a light kick either. I bet Beth had to get her breath back after that. Beth pulls Mickie outside and clotheslines her. She gets back in and lifts Melina up by the throat with 2 hands, Melina hooks her legs around Beth’s waist and rolls Beth onto her back and just lays into her with punches. Mickie comes in and hooks Beth's head under her arm before leaping up to hit a head scissors on Melina. Beth hits an electric chair on Melina and gets seated sentoned by Mickie, pinning Beth, who rolls forward to pin Mickie, who kicks out to get back on her feet and dropkick Beth in the face. Beth towards the end, scoops Melina and Mickie both on her shoulder for a double Canadian backbreaker, but she winds up falling back and having to let both women go. Melina hits a neckbreaker on Beth, which leaves her open for Mickie to hit a leaping DDT to retain. Not a great match, but I think if you gave these ladies the time, it could've been.
My Rating: ***
Match 5: Singles Match for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship - The Undertaker def. Edge via countout (16:15)
For obvious reasons, this is the overlooked match of their feud. But even this match was great. The Hell's Gate was banned by Vickie and she vacated the World Title to punish Taker. Yada yada. Undertaker gets the upper hand early, but Edge is able to crotch Undertaker on the top rope by swiping his legs on the old school attempt. Edge is grabbed by Taker and thrown into the barricade from the apron. But Edge reverses an irish whip and Undertaker's legs hit the steel steps. So Edge starts attacking his legs. Undertaker tries to lock in Hell's Gate at one point, but remembers he can't use that anymore so he lets go. Edge tries to go old school, but Undertaker pulls the same trick done to him earlier. Undertaker Chokeslams Edge into the turnbuckle. Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder run down and distract the referee, Edge hits an Edge-O-Matic before he goes to take a turnbuckle pad. After Undertaker kicks out of an Edgecution, he goes to Spear him. But Taker dodges it and then picks Edge with a Last Ride into the corner now. Undertaker picks him up again on his shoulder and goes to drop Edge face first on the top rope Edge exposed earlier. Edge is able to avoid it at first, but he winds getting it anyway. Undertaker runs off the ropes and into a Spear from Edge. Undertaker kicks out. Edge starts laying into Taker with punches, but Undertaker grabs him by the throat and Chokeslams him. Edge kicks out and is then booted outside by Taker. Undertaker clotheslines Edge over the barricade. And both men make it back over, Undertaker tosses Edge into the barricade and makes it back in the ring first. Edge is counted out and Undertaker is the champion… or so it seems. Vickie Guerrero comes out before Taker can be announced as the champion and states that the title can only be won by pinfall or submission and declares the title is still vacant. And Undertaker looks like he's about to lose it. He pulls Edge back in the ring by his hair and hits a Tombstone… So this was a dumb finish. We still have no World Champion, making this match pointless. And its such a shame because this match was going so well too.
My Rating: ****
Match 6: Jeff Hardy def. MVP (9:42)
This wasn't originally scheduled to be on the card. But MVP walks out, gripes about not being on the card and issues an open challenge. Matt Hardy's music hits and he's in street clothes so he's not gonna fight. He says that there's someone else here who wants to prove he's better than MVP. Jeff's music hits and now we have a match. Jeff Hardy gets the upper hand at first, but MVP is able to get some momentum when he yanks Jeff to the floor and then starts going after Jeff's arm. MVP lays on Hardy for forever. Hardy starts to build some momentum after hitting a slingblade with the bad arm. Jeff kicks MVP in the face on the dropkick in the corner. Jeff misses a Swanton Bomb, but he hits a Whisper in the Wind and beats MVP.
My Rating: **3/4
Main Event: WWE Championship Steel Cage Match - Triple H (c) def. Randy Orton (21:10)
I was really not looking forward to this match. I've seen enough HHH vs Orton matches to know they almost never had good matches. Thankfully, this was one of the few exceptions. I feel like after Orton lost the title at Backlash is when he really went off the deep end. He has this crazed, psycho look in his eyes during this match. Orton immediately tries to run out the cage, but HHH grabs him and brings him back inside, but not before Orton pulls the door into HHH's face. Both men take turns throwing each other into the cage. HHH attacks Orton's legs and puts him in a Figure 4. Orton tries to escape out the door again and there just so happens to be a chair there. So Orton grabs it as HHH drags him back inside. HHH ducks Orton's first chair swing and takes it for himself, but Orton low blows him and grabs the chair again, and cracks it against HHH's back. Orton sets the chair in position for him to RKO HHH into the seat. But HHH throws him off into the cage and drop toe holds him into the chair. For the next few minutes, the two each nearly make it out over the cage, only for the other to knock them back into the cage. Orton is nearly out at one point, and HHH actually has to hook his head and bring him back over. HHH hits a spinebuster and goes for a Pedigree onto the steel chair, but Orton double legs him and HHH's back hits the chair. Orton rears back in the corner for the punt kick, but HHH dodges it and swings the chair into his face before he hits a Pedigree to pin Orton to retain. Pleasantly surprised by how good this was.
My Rating: ***1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.59
My Rating: 8/10
It got off to a rough start, but thankfully picked up with Michaels and Jericho, and then after that it was mostly good things. The finish to the World Title match was pretty dumb but at least the match itself was good. And of course, HHH and Orton defying expectations with a pretty good match. I think the show deserves to be fairly high.
WrestleMania 37 Night 2
Match 1: Randy Orton def. The Fiend (5:54)
Ooooooh… Ooooooh ho ho… Do I have some shit to say about this. Buckle the fuck up. First lets talk about how Randy Orton was very clearly over this fucking storyline. He went out there not taking this seriously and you can see it all over his face and in his mannerisms. That should've been people's first clue that we were in for something spectacularly dumb. Alexa Bliss skips to the ring, theres suddenly a big ass jack in the box in front of the ring. Alexa winds it up and The Fiend is elevated out of the box. Bray starts the match with a clothesline off the box. I'll sum up this match real quick. Everything that Orton does, the Fiend just shrugs off, which makes the finish to this match even more dumb. The Fiend has Orton set up for Sister Abigail, but Alexa Bliss is now sitting on the box, wearing a bleeding crown, dripping… black gooey shit all over her face and it distracts the Fiend, who gets turned around and RKO'd by Randy. Orton pins him and wins? And the audience is saying the same thing I'm saying because they got their arms up as if to say “what the fuck.” The Fiend locks eyes with Alexa. The lights go out and both of them are gone when the lights come back on. And this crowd is booing the hell out of this, as they should. Thats a wrap on The Fiend. This was the Fiend's last match. It went out, not with a bang, but a little wimpy fart. And quite possibly, the most aggravating thing about this is that we got no explanation for any of this bullshit after. Because why would they be bothered to give one? AGH! And this is the way they chose to open WrestleMania? Piss us off and expect us to stay for another 3 hours? To hell with that!
My Rating: DUD
Match 2: Women's Tag Team Championship Match - Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (c) def. Natalya & Tamina (14:18)
So first they piss us off and were like, “now we're gonna bore you to death.” Like, what the hell were they on? First off, Natalya is so incredibly sloppy in this match. I get that this isn't an easy profession. People are gonna make mistakes, but how does she fuck up as consistently as she does as long as she's been doing this? Nia and Shayna are able to isolate Natalya in their corner as Nia body slammed Tamina on the outside. After a powerbomb, Nia covers Nattie, only for Tamina to break up the pin. Nattie gets the luke warm tag to Tamina, who is able to go toe to toe with Shayna. Nia gets tagged in and hits Tamina and Nattie with a double crossbody off the ropes. Nia starts taunting Tamina, but Tamina fights back and body slams Nia before going to the top rope and misses a splash. Tamina tags in Nattie who charges the other corner, she doesn't see Shayna tag herself in. She knocks Shayna off the apron and really makes me suspend my disbelief as she rolls Nia into the Sharpshooter. But Shayna comes in and from behind locks in the Kirifuda Clutch. The referee calls it and champs retain.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 3: Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn (9:16)
Now we can talk about something worth watching. I actually think there's a good chance we get this match again at WrestleMania this year so oddly timed. As soon as the bell rings, Sami runs at Owens, who gives him a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Owens lays into Sami early on in the match. But Sami hits a brainbuster on the apron and the match completely takes a different turn. In just under 10 minutes, these guys bust out everything in their arsenal. Sami hits a Michinoku Driver, Owens hits a Frog Splash. Owens goes for a Package Piledriver, but Zayn lands behind Owens on his feet. He throws KO in the corner with an exploder and tries the Helluva Kick, but Owens dodges, attempts a stunner, but Sami counters to hit a Blue Thunder Bomb. He hits a triple combo, exploder in the corner, half n half suplex and a brainbuster. Sami takes KO up, where he counters to hit a fisherman buster. He hits a clothesline in the corner and runs back to the other side, but Sami follows him and now hits the Helluva Kick. Owens falls into Sami's arms. Sami props KO back up in the corner and tells him “You did this.” Sami runs back for yet another one, but Owens comes out of the corner with a superkick or two, he grabs Sami, tells him the same thing Sami just told him and hits a Stunner to end the match. Really good match. No, we're not gonna talk about Logan Paul.
My Rating: ***3/4
Match 4: United States Championship Match - Sheamus def. Riddle (c) (10:51)
Kevin and Sami set the bar, Sheamus said hold my pint, and Riddle said hold my blunt. This was really good too. 2nd best match of the night. Sheamus starts the match heavy hitting, getting the advantage over Riddle with brute force. A few minutes later, Riddle is able to slow Sheamus down with a belly to belly off the top rope. And it becomes a fight between the two. Riddle hits Sheamus with a Jackhammer for a 2 count. Riddle flips into the ring from the apron, and Sheamus knees him in the face. They both wind up on the apron where Riddle german suplexes Sheamus. Riddle then springboards off the ropes onto Sheamus to the floor. Riddle hits a spinning senton from the top rope that Sheamus kicks out of. Sheamus missteps on the top rope, going for a celtic cross, but impressively, he's able to land on his feet while holding Riddle in place before he hits the celtic cross. The finish to the match is sick as hell. Riddle is able to duck under the first Brogue Kick attempt, but he springboards off the middle rope, going for a moonsault, but Sheamus Brogues him square in the jaw and wins the US Title!
My Rating: ***3/4
Match 5: Intercontinental Championship Nigerian Drum Fight - Apollo Crews def. Big E. (c) (6:49)
I must admit, I'm a little disappointed, because I know these guys can have a better match than this. It had all the ingredients for a good match. Big E. is from Tampa, he had Wale perform his entrance music, this could've been much better than it was if Vince cared at all. The way the match starts is wild. They both go outside to grab kendo sticks and beat each other relentlessly with them. Between them both, they must have swung about 20 times at least. It wouldn't be a Big E. match if he didn't Spear his opponent off the apron which the way I always thought he would actually break his neck. E sets the steps below the apron, which Crews takes a uranage on from the apron. E sets up a table in the ring. Crews wails E with a kendo stick repeatedly and sets him up on the table. Crews comes off the ropes and crashes through the table as Big E. dodged him. E picks Crews back up and hits the Big Ending, but before he can pin Crews, Commander Azeez runs in and spikes Big E's throat and then gives him a Chokeslam, before he lays Crews on top of him. Apollo wins.
My Rating: ***
Match 6: Raw Women's Championship Match - Rhea Ripley def. Asuka (c) (13:27)
So, while it doesn't live up to the hype, this match was still pretty good. Asuka baits Rhea into making the first move. Asuka ducks a clothesline and that allows her to take advantage of the slip. Asuka gets a surprise near fall and kicks Rhea out of the ring. Rhea gives Asuka a good kick to the gut and now she has the advantage. Asuka manages to bring her down into a kneebar. But Rhea stands back and picks Asuka up from the mat by her waist and flings her with a German suplex. Asuka is finally able to get back in the game with a missile dropkick, she kicks Rhea in the face before she sends her with a German suplex of her own. Later on in the match, Asuka gives Rhea a DDT off the apron to the floor. I'm amazed that was allowed. Asuka gives Rhea some kicks to the face, and goes for a sliding kick, but Rhea catches her foot and then starts stomping out his chest and guts. Rhea continues to dominate Asuka, but Asuka brings her down into an armbar. Rhea tries to escape by rolling forward but just ends on her back as Asuka hangs on to her arm. Rhea gets caught in the Asuka Lock and rolls back to pin her. Asuka lets go and kicks Rhea in the chest a couple times. Rhea tells her to bring it on, as if baiting her. Asuka kicks her in the head before running the ropes. Rhea ducks the kick and hits a Riptide on Asuka to win her first main roster title.
My Rating: ***1/2
Main Event: Universal Championship Triple Threat Match - Roman Reigns (c) def. Edge & Daniel Bryan (21:41)
The match that not only stole the show, but ran away with it. This is one of the best Mania main events of all time! I think what added to it, at least for me, was that I could see any 3 of them winning. Right away, Bryan gets sent outside, where he’s superkicked by Jey. Roman sends Edge out too, and Jey kicks him too. Roman goes outside to take apart the announce table early, but turns around into a suicide dive from Bryan. Edge takes Jey out of the match with an Edgecution on the steel steps. And at least for now, Jey is a (bam) non-factor. Edge and Bryan face off in the ring and they work incredibly well. Bryan ducks a clothesline from Edge to suicide dive on Roman, who just catches him and throws him over his head on the floor. Edge baseball slides Roman into the table before he throws him back in the ring. Edge goes to Spear Roman, but Reigns catches him with a Superman Punch out of it. Roman goes for his own Spear, which Edge sunset flips over him into a pin. Roman kicks out. Both men go to Spear each other and they just bump shoulders aggressively. With both men down, Bryan takes the opportunity to hit a flying headbutt on both of them. Bryan lays into both men with kicks to their chests. Roman ducks the last kick and pushes Bryan, who ducks the clothesline from Edge and counters with a running knee. Roman goes to Superman Punch him, but Bryan sidesteps slightly and kicks Roman in the torso. Bryan now hits the last kick to the head. He grabs Roman by the arms before he stomps his face in before locking in the Lebell Lock. Edge stops that, but Bryan brings him down into the Lebell Lock too. But Roman stops that and just gives Bryan elbow after elbow. He lifts Bryan off the mat and powerbombs him onto Edge. Then throws Bryan outside, positioning the steps in front of the announce table, he picks Bryan up again and powerbombs him again through the table this time. Roman basks in the remains and jaw jacks the crowd, but Edge comes from off camera and Spears Roman off the steps. Edge throws Roman back inside and grabs a chair, but Roman grabs it and they start to tug-o-war for it. But a piece between the legs of the chair breaks off in the process. Edge pulls Roman throat first into the top rope and applies the crossface on Roman. Then Edge sees the piece of the chair and pulls it over Roman's mouth. Roman is about to tap out, but Bryan comes back in and stops Roman’s hand from slapping the mat, and then he locks that arm in place and applies the Yes Lock. Edge and Bryan yell at each other to let go and then they just start headbutting each other with Roman between them. I love this match so much! Bryan wins the headbutt battle and grabs Edge's wrists and says “you got a bad neck?” before he stomps Edge's face. What a fucking savage! Bryan goes the running knee, but Edge meets him with a Spear. Edge ducks a clothesline from Roman and comes off the ropes with a Spear. Edge covers him, but Bryan pulls the referee out of the ring. Edge looks like he's about to lose it. Edge goes outside and grabs 3 chairs, using one to wail on both men. He beats these men with this chair. He positions one of the other 2 chairs underneath their heads. He con-chair-tos Bryan before he goes to do the same to Roman, but Jey Uso is back to save his ass. But Edge ends up beating his ass with the chair. But that was just enough time for Roman to recover and Spear Edge. And then Roman gives Edge a taste of his medicine with a con-chair-to. And then he drags Edge's body over Bryan's and lays on them. He pins both of them which is pretty fucking awesome if we're being honest. What a match. What a main event!
My Rating: ****3/4
Cagematch Rating: 6.61
My Rating: 7/10
So mostly, a pretty good show. Doesn't really feel like a WrestleMania to me. But its mostly good, Mostly being the key word. I bet there's people who crashed out after the first match and haven't seen the rest of the show because that was such horse shit on a different level. And then that 2nd match came in to bore us all for 14 minutes. Thats the 2nd longest match on Night 2… think about that for a second. But everything else was pretty good, that main event was such a killer. Amazing performance by all 3 of them.
Match 1: Randy Orton def. The Fiend (5:54)
Ooooooh… Ooooooh ho ho… Do I have some shit to say about this. Buckle the fuck up. First lets talk about how Randy Orton was very clearly over this fucking storyline. He went out there not taking this seriously and you can see it all over his face and in his mannerisms. That should've been people's first clue that we were in for something spectacularly dumb. Alexa Bliss skips to the ring, theres suddenly a big ass jack in the box in front of the ring. Alexa winds it up and The Fiend is elevated out of the box. Bray starts the match with a clothesline off the box. I'll sum up this match real quick. Everything that Orton does, the Fiend just shrugs off, which makes the finish to this match even more dumb. The Fiend has Orton set up for Sister Abigail, but Alexa Bliss is now sitting on the box, wearing a bleeding crown, dripping… black gooey shit all over her face and it distracts the Fiend, who gets turned around and RKO'd by Randy. Orton pins him and wins? And the audience is saying the same thing I'm saying because they got their arms up as if to say “what the fuck.” The Fiend locks eyes with Alexa. The lights go out and both of them are gone when the lights come back on. And this crowd is booing the hell out of this, as they should. Thats a wrap on The Fiend. This was the Fiend's last match. It went out, not with a bang, but a little wimpy fart. And quite possibly, the most aggravating thing about this is that we got no explanation for any of this bullshit after. Because why would they be bothered to give one? AGH! And this is the way they chose to open WrestleMania? Piss us off and expect us to stay for another 3 hours? To hell with that!
My Rating: DUD
Match 2: Women's Tag Team Championship Match - Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (c) def. Natalya & Tamina (14:18)
So first they piss us off and were like, “now we're gonna bore you to death.” Like, what the hell were they on? First off, Natalya is so incredibly sloppy in this match. I get that this isn't an easy profession. People are gonna make mistakes, but how does she fuck up as consistently as she does as long as she's been doing this? Nia and Shayna are able to isolate Natalya in their corner as Nia body slammed Tamina on the outside. After a powerbomb, Nia covers Nattie, only for Tamina to break up the pin. Nattie gets the luke warm tag to Tamina, who is able to go toe to toe with Shayna. Nia gets tagged in and hits Tamina and Nattie with a double crossbody off the ropes. Nia starts taunting Tamina, but Tamina fights back and body slams Nia before going to the top rope and misses a splash. Tamina tags in Nattie who charges the other corner, she doesn't see Shayna tag herself in. She knocks Shayna off the apron and really makes me suspend my disbelief as she rolls Nia into the Sharpshooter. But Shayna comes in and from behind locks in the Kirifuda Clutch. The referee calls it and champs retain.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 3: Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn (9:16)
Now we can talk about something worth watching. I actually think there's a good chance we get this match again at WrestleMania this year so oddly timed. As soon as the bell rings, Sami runs at Owens, who gives him a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Owens lays into Sami early on in the match. But Sami hits a brainbuster on the apron and the match completely takes a different turn. In just under 10 minutes, these guys bust out everything in their arsenal. Sami hits a Michinoku Driver, Owens hits a Frog Splash. Owens goes for a Package Piledriver, but Zayn lands behind Owens on his feet. He throws KO in the corner with an exploder and tries the Helluva Kick, but Owens dodges, attempts a stunner, but Sami counters to hit a Blue Thunder Bomb. He hits a triple combo, exploder in the corner, half n half suplex and a brainbuster. Sami takes KO up, where he counters to hit a fisherman buster. He hits a clothesline in the corner and runs back to the other side, but Sami follows him and now hits the Helluva Kick. Owens falls into Sami's arms. Sami props KO back up in the corner and tells him “You did this.” Sami runs back for yet another one, but Owens comes out of the corner with a superkick or two, he grabs Sami, tells him the same thing Sami just told him and hits a Stunner to end the match. Really good match. No, we're not gonna talk about Logan Paul.
My Rating: ***3/4
Match 4: United States Championship Match - Sheamus def. Riddle (c) (10:51)
Kevin and Sami set the bar, Sheamus said hold my pint, and Riddle said hold my blunt. This was really good too. 2nd best match of the night. Sheamus starts the match heavy hitting, getting the advantage over Riddle with brute force. A few minutes later, Riddle is able to slow Sheamus down with a belly to belly off the top rope. And it becomes a fight between the two. Riddle hits Sheamus with a Jackhammer for a 2 count. Riddle flips into the ring from the apron, and Sheamus knees him in the face. They both wind up on the apron where Riddle german suplexes Sheamus. Riddle then springboards off the ropes onto Sheamus to the floor. Riddle hits a spinning senton from the top rope that Sheamus kicks out of. Sheamus missteps on the top rope, going for a celtic cross, but impressively, he's able to land on his feet while holding Riddle in place before he hits the celtic cross. The finish to the match is sick as hell. Riddle is able to duck under the first Brogue Kick attempt, but he springboards off the middle rope, going for a moonsault, but Sheamus Brogues him square in the jaw and wins the US Title!
My Rating: ***3/4
Match 5: Intercontinental Championship Nigerian Drum Fight - Apollo Crews def. Big E. (c) (6:49)
I must admit, I'm a little disappointed, because I know these guys can have a better match than this. It had all the ingredients for a good match. Big E. is from Tampa, he had Wale perform his entrance music, this could've been much better than it was if Vince cared at all. The way the match starts is wild. They both go outside to grab kendo sticks and beat each other relentlessly with them. Between them both, they must have swung about 20 times at least. It wouldn't be a Big E. match if he didn't Spear his opponent off the apron which the way I always thought he would actually break his neck. E sets the steps below the apron, which Crews takes a uranage on from the apron. E sets up a table in the ring. Crews wails E with a kendo stick repeatedly and sets him up on the table. Crews comes off the ropes and crashes through the table as Big E. dodged him. E picks Crews back up and hits the Big Ending, but before he can pin Crews, Commander Azeez runs in and spikes Big E's throat and then gives him a Chokeslam, before he lays Crews on top of him. Apollo wins.
My Rating: ***
Match 6: Raw Women's Championship Match - Rhea Ripley def. Asuka (c) (13:27)
So, while it doesn't live up to the hype, this match was still pretty good. Asuka baits Rhea into making the first move. Asuka ducks a clothesline and that allows her to take advantage of the slip. Asuka gets a surprise near fall and kicks Rhea out of the ring. Rhea gives Asuka a good kick to the gut and now she has the advantage. Asuka manages to bring her down into a kneebar. But Rhea stands back and picks Asuka up from the mat by her waist and flings her with a German suplex. Asuka is finally able to get back in the game with a missile dropkick, she kicks Rhea in the face before she sends her with a German suplex of her own. Later on in the match, Asuka gives Rhea a DDT off the apron to the floor. I'm amazed that was allowed. Asuka gives Rhea some kicks to the face, and goes for a sliding kick, but Rhea catches her foot and then starts stomping out his chest and guts. Rhea continues to dominate Asuka, but Asuka brings her down into an armbar. Rhea tries to escape by rolling forward but just ends on her back as Asuka hangs on to her arm. Rhea gets caught in the Asuka Lock and rolls back to pin her. Asuka lets go and kicks Rhea in the chest a couple times. Rhea tells her to bring it on, as if baiting her. Asuka kicks her in the head before running the ropes. Rhea ducks the kick and hits a Riptide on Asuka to win her first main roster title.
My Rating: ***1/2
Main Event: Universal Championship Triple Threat Match - Roman Reigns (c) def. Edge & Daniel Bryan (21:41)
The match that not only stole the show, but ran away with it. This is one of the best Mania main events of all time! I think what added to it, at least for me, was that I could see any 3 of them winning. Right away, Bryan gets sent outside, where he’s superkicked by Jey. Roman sends Edge out too, and Jey kicks him too. Roman goes outside to take apart the announce table early, but turns around into a suicide dive from Bryan. Edge takes Jey out of the match with an Edgecution on the steel steps. And at least for now, Jey is a (bam) non-factor. Edge and Bryan face off in the ring and they work incredibly well. Bryan ducks a clothesline from Edge to suicide dive on Roman, who just catches him and throws him over his head on the floor. Edge baseball slides Roman into the table before he throws him back in the ring. Edge goes to Spear Roman, but Reigns catches him with a Superman Punch out of it. Roman goes for his own Spear, which Edge sunset flips over him into a pin. Roman kicks out. Both men go to Spear each other and they just bump shoulders aggressively. With both men down, Bryan takes the opportunity to hit a flying headbutt on both of them. Bryan lays into both men with kicks to their chests. Roman ducks the last kick and pushes Bryan, who ducks the clothesline from Edge and counters with a running knee. Roman goes to Superman Punch him, but Bryan sidesteps slightly and kicks Roman in the torso. Bryan now hits the last kick to the head. He grabs Roman by the arms before he stomps his face in before locking in the Lebell Lock. Edge stops that, but Bryan brings him down into the Lebell Lock too. But Roman stops that and just gives Bryan elbow after elbow. He lifts Bryan off the mat and powerbombs him onto Edge. Then throws Bryan outside, positioning the steps in front of the announce table, he picks Bryan up again and powerbombs him again through the table this time. Roman basks in the remains and jaw jacks the crowd, but Edge comes from off camera and Spears Roman off the steps. Edge throws Roman back inside and grabs a chair, but Roman grabs it and they start to tug-o-war for it. But a piece between the legs of the chair breaks off in the process. Edge pulls Roman throat first into the top rope and applies the crossface on Roman. Then Edge sees the piece of the chair and pulls it over Roman's mouth. Roman is about to tap out, but Bryan comes back in and stops Roman’s hand from slapping the mat, and then he locks that arm in place and applies the Yes Lock. Edge and Bryan yell at each other to let go and then they just start headbutting each other with Roman between them. I love this match so much! Bryan wins the headbutt battle and grabs Edge's wrists and says “you got a bad neck?” before he stomps Edge's face. What a fucking savage! Bryan goes the running knee, but Edge meets him with a Spear. Edge ducks a clothesline from Roman and comes off the ropes with a Spear. Edge covers him, but Bryan pulls the referee out of the ring. Edge looks like he's about to lose it. Edge goes outside and grabs 3 chairs, using one to wail on both men. He beats these men with this chair. He positions one of the other 2 chairs underneath their heads. He con-chair-tos Bryan before he goes to do the same to Roman, but Jey Uso is back to save his ass. But Edge ends up beating his ass with the chair. But that was just enough time for Roman to recover and Spear Edge. And then Roman gives Edge a taste of his medicine with a con-chair-to. And then he drags Edge's body over Bryan's and lays on them. He pins both of them which is pretty fucking awesome if we're being honest. What a match. What a main event!
My Rating: ****3/4
Cagematch Rating: 6.61
My Rating: 7/10
So mostly, a pretty good show. Doesn't really feel like a WrestleMania to me. But its mostly good, Mostly being the key word. I bet there's people who crashed out after the first match and haven't seen the rest of the show because that was such horse shit on a different level. And then that 2nd match came in to bore us all for 14 minutes. Thats the 2nd longest match on Night 2… think about that for a second. But everything else was pretty good, that main event was such a killer. Amazing performance by all 3 of them.
Survivor Series 2017
Match 1: The Shield def. The New Day (21:20)
You talk about dream matches. I never thought beforehand that this match would ever happen but it did. The New Day formed only a month after The Shield broke up if I'm not mistaken. The match starts with Dean and Kofi, who then tag out to Seth and Woods, and then finally Roman and Big E. The Shield get the better of New Day early, and its only when Kofi comes back in that they start to get some momentum going. He springboards in and takes Ambrose out and knocks Roman and Seth off the apron. Ambrose nearly hits Kofi with Dirty Deeds, but Kofi backs him into their corner and then they just tag each other in and out so they can stomp him into their corner. Big E. goes to whip Kofi into the corner to dropkick Dean, but Ambrose stands up so Kofi slides between his legs and hits the corner post. Xavier stops Ambrose from making it to his corner and they stomp him out again. Roman and Seth go over to take Woods and Kofi off the apron, just to give Ambrose a chance to make it out of their corner. He knocks E down before he suicide dives on Xavier. But he stands back on the apron and Big E. spears him off the apron. New Day manage to keep Dean away from his corner for a bit. But Ambrose tags in Rollins eventually, and he's able to turn it around in The Shield's favor. He picks Woods up and comes back so Roman can tag himself in. Seth buckle bombs Woods and then Roman comes in with a big clothesline. Woods is able to escape a samoan drop, he ducks a clothesline and slides between Roman’s legs and goes for a discuss elbow but gets Superman punched. I like that whole exchange. Roman goes for a Spear but Woods kicks him in the face to counter. Roman stumbles back into Dean who tags himself in while Xavier tags in E. Big E picks Dean up and tags in Seth for the Midnight Hour, but Seth makes that save with a superkick to E. A superkick to Kofi. A ripcord knee to Kofi, who stumbles into Dirty Deeds by Ambrose. Seth covers even though Dean never tagged out but Xavier still breaks it up. Xavier drags Kofi over to the corner so they can tag, but Xavier just eats a superkick by Rollins. Seth tells Dean they need to finish it and Dean grabs Roman and together they toss Big E. and Kofi into the barricade so they can set up Woods for the Triple Powerbomb, but E has recovered and pulls Roman out of the ring, tossing him into the barricade and then the steel steps. Woods fights out of the grasp of Dean and Seth, allowing Kofi to come back in and make the save and hit Seth with a Trouble in Paradise. Woods drops Ambrose with a kick to the knee and a knee to the face. Xavier yells to Kofi and E, “Roman!” They all go gang up on Roman, trying to keep him down. They have Dean down in their corner, Woods picks E up on his shoulders, and Kofi leaps over them both to splash Dean and then Woods drops E onto Ambrose, who is just getting his ass whooped this whole match. Big E picks Dean up on his shoulders and picks up Seth, who had just gotten back in on the other. Kofi and Woods both go up and they hit a mega Midnight Hour on Seth and Dean! Kofi covers Dean, but Roman has made it back in and Spears Big E onto the pin. The match is saved! Both teams retreat back to their corner, regroup, they stare the other team down. And with a scream from Xavier, both teams meet in the middle. Seth takes Woods out with a Ripcord Knee, Ambrose hits Dirty Deeds on E. And Roman kills Kofi with a Spear. Roman sits on the top rope as Seth and Dean hoist Kofi onto his shoulders. Big Powerbomb from the second rope and The Shield take it. Couldn't have opened the show better. Rarely does a dream match live up to the hype, but this one did. Loved this.
My Rating: ****
Match 2: Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination Match - Team Raw (Alicia Fox, Asuka, Sasha Banks, Bayley & Nia Jax) def. Team SmackDown (Becky Lynch, Natalya, Tamina, Naomi & Carmella) (18:35)
I have to question how Alicia Fox of all people was given the role of captain. She's easily the worst wrestler on the team. Even Nia has had a couple good matches. Becky was rightfully named the captain on her team. But embarrassingly, she's the first one eliminated, she's fighting with Alicia, doesn't see Bayley tag herself in. Bayley rolls her up from behind and Becky is gone already. A few minutes later, Bayley is backed into the SmackDown corner by Tamina and she gets overwhelmed, Carmella gives her a superkick followed by a Splash by Tamina and Bayley is gone. Nia comes in and she does the “big (wo)man staredown” with Tamina that WWE loves to do. Nia gets the better of them and picks Tamina up for a Samoan Drop, but Lana (who was hanging out with Tamina I guess) throws a heel at Nia. Nia knocks her off the apron, and Tamina superkicks her out of the ring. Naomi dives over on Nia. Tamina kicks Nia down, long enough to make it back in in time and Nia to be counted out. Alicia starts yelling at Nia as she's already up the ramp for some reason. And poor Naomi. Naomi tries to work with Fox, but god damn she's horrible. Naomi has to pull her down into a sunset flip pin, I think Alicia was supposed to kick out and Naomi would transition into a submission, but Alicia didn't kick out in time and Naomi looks a little annoyed. Sasha comes in and takes advantage of Naomi already being on the mat and puts her in the Bank Statement to eliminate her. Carmella comes in and attacks Sasha, but Sasha tags in Asuka, who makes Mella her bitch really. Carmella makes the mistake of slapping Asuka, who gives her a knee to the face and then a kick to the head to beat her. Natalya comes in and Asuka tags Sasha in. Sasha brings Natalya down into the Bank Statement, but Tamina saves her. Natalya throws Sasha into the middle turnbuckle and puts her in the Sharpshooter. Sasha crawls towards Asuka to tag her in, but Tamina runs to the other side, knocks Asuka off the apron, and Sasha taps out. So now its up to Asuka on Team Raw, but Asuka seems to like the challenge. Now logic would dictate Asuka wins here, unfortunately WWE hadn't proven to be very logical in the past few months. How sad is it that this match is less predictable because they were bad bookers? Anyway, Asuka struggles with the 2-on-1 situation at first, but Tamina misses the splash and Asuka of that by head scissoring Tamina to the mat, grabbing her arm to put her in an armbar which Tamina taps out to. Nattie wastes no time getting in and attacking. She tries to lock in the Sharpshooter but Asuka reverses it into a kneebar, but Natalya escapes. She goes to clothesline Asuka, but Asuka ducks and drops her with a spin kick. Asuka locks in the Asuka Lock that Nattie immediately taps out to. Asuka's undefeated streak is in tact.
My Rating: ***
Match 3: United States Champion Baron Corbin def. Intercontinental Champion The Miz (9:35)
You're probably expecting me to talk shit about this match huh? Well if I'm being honest, this actually wasn't bad. I think it was as good as it could've been considering they each were working as heels. Miz tried to match strikes with Corbin. Corbin is obviously the stronger of the two but he never really has a solid advantage because of Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel on the outside. Maryse happens to be in the front row, so Corbin makes sure to antagonize her, and Miz ain't having that shit. As Axel distracts the referee, Bo chop blocks Corbin's leg out as he's getting back in the ring. So Miz goes after Corbin's knee and puts him in the Figure 4. Corbin reaches the ropes. He knocks Axel's lights out and gives Bo an End of Days. Miz starts giving Corbin the Yes Kicks and he starts doing dropkicks in the corner, but Corbin catches him with an End of Days, Corbin puts SmackDown on the board.
My Rating: ***
Match 4: SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos def. Raw Tag Team Champions The Bar (15:55)
Another awesome match. An overlooked banger. All 4 men were on point during this match and really during the whole year if we're being honest. One thing they make mention of is that these were the final teams in the tag teams Elimination match the year before. A few minutes into the match, Jey goes to dive on Cesaro, but Cesaro counters him with an uppercut. But Jimmy manages to get him with his. But Sheamus grabs him and hits a rolling senton on the floor. The Bar starts to keep Jimmy away from his brother, isolating him. Jimmy reaches Jey eventually, while Sheamus tags in Cesaro. Jey takes it to him and back body drops Cesaro into the turnbuckles which is insane when you think about it. From now on, the past is quick and its a fun watch. Sheamus tosses Jimmy into the barricade as Jey is going for the splash, which distracts him long enough for Cesaro to uppercut him. Cesaro swings Jey for a short time and puts him in the Sharpshooter, and Jimmy tries to save him, but Sheamus comes in and knees Jimmy in the face, calling back to the way the match in 2016 ended. But Jey manages to reach the ropes. The Bar goes the Celtic Cross assist finish that was weird, but Jey fights out of it for a moment. But he gets caught by Sheamus as he comes off the top rope. Sheamus and Cesaro hit the Celtic Cross move that never had a name, Cesaro covers Jey, but Jimmy breaks up the pin. The Bar throws Jimmy back outside. Cesaro picks Jey up in a powerbomb position so Sheamus can clothesline him off the top rope, like a Doomsday Device. But Jey fights for his life and picks Sheamus up for a Samoan Drop. Cesaro powerbombs Jey, apparently not realizing Jey had Sheamus on his shoulders. Cesaro tries to pull Sheamus out of the wreckage, but Jimmy comes back in and superkicks him. But Jey is laying on Sheamus’ body still so the referee counts, but Sheamus kicks out. Jimmy gets back on the apron, but Sheamus has Jey by the ankle, trying to drag him to his corner, but Cesaro is still down on the outside so he can't tag out. Jey escapes with an enziguri and now tags in Jimmy. The Usos go to superkick Sheamus, but Cesaro runs in and shoves him out of the way, taking the kicks himself. But he was only post-poning the inevitable. Usos give Sheamus 4 kicks to bring him down. Jimmy runs the ropes and as he dives outside towards Cesaro, he tags in Jey. Mid-dive tag is cool as hell. Jey finishes Sheamus off with a splash and even up the score for SmackDown.
My Rating: ****
Match 5: SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair def. Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss (15:00)
This match went pretty well how I thought it would. Good match though, I think Charlotte kinda carried it and I say that as someone who loves Alexa Bliss. Right away, the size difference makes a difference as Charlotte is able to just effortlessly push Bliss around. But Bliss grabs and twists Charlotte's arm on the apron and she drops to the floor, Charlotte lands face first on the floor, its a wonder she wasn't concussed. Alexa starts to ground Charlotte into the mat, targeting her torso. Charlotte tries to fight back and picks Bliss up for a powerbomb, but Bliss reverses it into a head scissors pin. When she kicks out of that, Bliss kicks Charlotte in the ribs and hits a Yoshi-Tonic. Charlotte recovers and starts back Alexa up with repeated chops. But Bliss leaps onto Charlotte like a wild animal and locks her in a guillotine, while wrapping her legs around her waist. But Charlotte stands up and pushes Alexa up onto her shoulders to hit a powerbomb. Alexa nearly gets put in the Figure 4, but escapes with a fist to Charlotte's face. Charlotte shakes her head and hits Natural Selection on Bliss. But Alexa kicks out. Charlotte misses a moonsault and kicks out as Bliss covers her. Alexa hits Charlotte with a DDT and covers her, but Charlotte gets her foot on the bottom rope. Bliss grabs Charlotte by the face and screams in face. From this position, Charlotte is on one knee and Bliss is standing up. Charlotte reaches up with one arm and grabs Bliss by her face. She stands back up and shoves Alexa to the ropes and hits a Spear. But Charlotte took herself out, long enough for Alexa to recover at the same time and dropkicks her in the ribs. Alexa goes up and attempts Twisted Bliss, only for Charlotte to get her knees up. Charlotte gets back up and puts Alexa in the Figure 8 to make Alexa tap out. SmackDown is up 3-2.
My Rating: ***1/2
Match 6: Universal Champion Brock Lesnar def. WWE Champion AJ Styles (15:25)
Ah yes. The match I've been waiting to talk about. This… was so good! Thank fuck Brock stepped In and said “I don't wanna wrestle Jinder, I wanna wrestle AJ.” This ruled. This is part of the reason why I got so frustrated with Brock later in his career. When he cared, he was incredible. And AJ man. God damn, AJ is so good. Brock starts the match with a kick to AJ's gut and just tosses him around the ring by his face. And every time AJ lands, it looks like it hurts. Brock beats the hell out of Styles. Styles at some point starts to land punch after punch and actually manages to back Brock up to a corner, but Lesnar snuffs out the little comeback and continues to throw AJ around and tosses him out of the ring over the ropes. Brock is just having fun with this. Brock goes for an F5, but Styles escapes and backs into a corner. Brock charges him and AJ moves out of his path. Brock's knee hits the top turnbuckle and he clutches it. Styles kicks out his other knee and hits a DDT. And Styles has given himself some hope! AJ gives Brock a Pele kick to the back of the head as Brock was on all fours. AJ goes to the apron and springboards in, only for Brock to catch him and throw him overhead. Brock goes to clothesline AJ, who had gotten up and was standing against the ropes, but Brock tumbles over to the floor and Styles takes advantage of that, and dives over with a forearm to the head. AJ runs off the stops and forearms Brock again, keeping up the onslaught. AJ enziguris Brock, hits a Lionsault and then a springboard 450. Brock kicks out and picks AJ up on his shoulders, AJ slides off and gets Brock in the Calf Crusher, and Brock is in the hold for a solid minute. AJ puts torque on that ankle. Brock grabs AJ's head and slams it over and over into the mat! Brock picks AJ up for the F5, but Styles slides over on the apron, knocks Brock back with a forearm and then springboards in to hit another forearm. 1, 2, Brock kicked out! Styles goes back out again, springboard. But Brock catches him cleanly on his shoulders and drops AJ with an F5! Brock takes the win after an awesome match. AJ lost but he made Brock earn that victory! Great way to end the night.
My Rating: ****1/4
Main Event: Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination Match - Team Raw (Kurt Angle, Triple H, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor & Samoa Joe) def. Team SmackDown (Shane McMahon, John Cena, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode & Shinsuke Nakamura) (33:20)
Wha- what do you mean there's one more match? Do we really have to talk about this? Can't we end this review on a high note? No? Fuck. Okay, lets talk about this… confusing main event. First off, Triple H and John Cena being in this match makes no sense. Kurt and Shane I can at least get cause they ran their perspective shows. But I thought this was about the best of both brands going at it to see which was better, and neither of them were exclusive to either brand at this point. And lets be honest, HHH only cared because he wanted to get laid, we all know it. It was kinda cool to see HHH facing off against Nakamura and Bobby Roode, and Cena against Joe and Balor. The match hilariously starts with Strowman throwing Shane because Shane tried to attack Braun from behind like an idiot. This was one of the first times Kurt Angle had gotten in the ring since returning, but man, he was slow and it was a little upsetting to watch, especially since he's talked about how disappointed he was with his 2nd run. The first elimination occurs within 15 minutes, Braun eliminates Nakamura with a running powerslam. And then he eliminates Bobby Roode with one about a minute later. So Raw is up 5 against 3. Obviously this is the perfect time for them to start fighting. Joe and Finn get into it and then so do HHH and Kurt. Team SmackDown takes advantage of this and in the chaos, they all, including Roode and Shinsuke, put Braun Strowman through one of the announce tables. Cena goes at it with Joe and as this is happening, Joe and Finn start to argue when Finn tags himself in and goes for a Coup de Grace, Joe tags himself back in and Cena AAs him. Then he gives one to Balor, then gives Joe another one and gets rid of him. Kurt gets in their with Cena and whew boy, is it slow. Kurt has definitely lost a step. Cena goes for an AA, but Kurt slides off and hits an Angle Slam. Finn hits a Coup de Grace and then Kurt hits another Angle Slam to take Cena out. Orton comes in and he starts stomping Kurt. But Kurt tags in Finn, who takes out both Orton and dropkicks Shane into the barricade. Finn comes back in, hits a slingblade on Orton, dropkick in the corner and an attempted Coup de Grace, but Orton moved out of the way and hits an RKO to take Balor out. WWE had 5 newer stars in the match and almost all of them were now out. Interesting decision. Orton is knocked from behind by HHH, who brings him over to the Raw corner. But Orton hits a backbreaker on HHH and starts to reach out for Shane. But before he can reach him, Shane is yanked off the apron by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, who beat up Shane as Orton is in the ring. Shane grabs a steel chair and chases KO and Sami off with it, getting them good a few times with it. But Braun Strowman has finally woken up from his nap and tags himself in. He gets in the ring and takes Orton out with a running powerslam. Shane just stands on the ramp as this happens so he just watches as Orton gets eliminated. So on a team with Orton, Cena, Roode and Nakamura, the latter two, WWE had an opportunity to make them look good, Shane McMahon is the last remaining member… against Braun Strowman, old Kurt Angle and old Triple H… What the fuck. Like, who actually cares about this match at this point. Sure theres a chance, but who really wants to watch Shane McMahon try and overcome the odds. Kurt Angle tags himself in and once again, he argues with HHH again. So Shane puts up a fight but Kurt hits an Angle Slam and then puts him in the Ankle Lock. Kurt has this sinched in. Shane is about to tap, but before he does, HHH gets in the ring, gives Kurt a Pedigree and lays Shane on top of him… Again… what the fuck. Shane is confused. Braun is confused. The commentary table is confused. Everyone sitting at home in the crowd and at home is confused. HHH picks Shane back up, and makes like he's about to team up with him… except he's not. Gotcha. Idiot. HHH Pedigrees Shane and in a match that included 5 of WWE's newest stars, HHH gets the final pin… Hmmm… What an odd way to book. HHH starts celebrating like “Yay! I'm getting laid tonight!” Braun Strowman still looks confused as we all are. The show ends with Braun choking HHH in the corner. HHH tries to jump Braun from behind and Pedigree him, but Braun counters into the powerslam. And then he hits another on HHH for fun.
My Rating: **1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.61
My Rating: 9/10
Overall, incredible show. This is yet another PPV overlooked. I thought it was pretty good at the time too. Almost every match was at least 3 stars… but then we have the mediocre, poorly booked main event that went over 30 minutes and we get the worst match of the night. Brock and AJ should've main evented in hindsight. And I think the main event is the reason that this show is rated lower than I did. Because its the thing that ends the show, and you always hate when a show ends poorly. But I thought this was an overall great show.
Match 1: The Shield def. The New Day (21:20)
You talk about dream matches. I never thought beforehand that this match would ever happen but it did. The New Day formed only a month after The Shield broke up if I'm not mistaken. The match starts with Dean and Kofi, who then tag out to Seth and Woods, and then finally Roman and Big E. The Shield get the better of New Day early, and its only when Kofi comes back in that they start to get some momentum going. He springboards in and takes Ambrose out and knocks Roman and Seth off the apron. Ambrose nearly hits Kofi with Dirty Deeds, but Kofi backs him into their corner and then they just tag each other in and out so they can stomp him into their corner. Big E. goes to whip Kofi into the corner to dropkick Dean, but Ambrose stands up so Kofi slides between his legs and hits the corner post. Xavier stops Ambrose from making it to his corner and they stomp him out again. Roman and Seth go over to take Woods and Kofi off the apron, just to give Ambrose a chance to make it out of their corner. He knocks E down before he suicide dives on Xavier. But he stands back on the apron and Big E. spears him off the apron. New Day manage to keep Dean away from his corner for a bit. But Ambrose tags in Rollins eventually, and he's able to turn it around in The Shield's favor. He picks Woods up and comes back so Roman can tag himself in. Seth buckle bombs Woods and then Roman comes in with a big clothesline. Woods is able to escape a samoan drop, he ducks a clothesline and slides between Roman’s legs and goes for a discuss elbow but gets Superman punched. I like that whole exchange. Roman goes for a Spear but Woods kicks him in the face to counter. Roman stumbles back into Dean who tags himself in while Xavier tags in E. Big E picks Dean up and tags in Seth for the Midnight Hour, but Seth makes that save with a superkick to E. A superkick to Kofi. A ripcord knee to Kofi, who stumbles into Dirty Deeds by Ambrose. Seth covers even though Dean never tagged out but Xavier still breaks it up. Xavier drags Kofi over to the corner so they can tag, but Xavier just eats a superkick by Rollins. Seth tells Dean they need to finish it and Dean grabs Roman and together they toss Big E. and Kofi into the barricade so they can set up Woods for the Triple Powerbomb, but E has recovered and pulls Roman out of the ring, tossing him into the barricade and then the steel steps. Woods fights out of the grasp of Dean and Seth, allowing Kofi to come back in and make the save and hit Seth with a Trouble in Paradise. Woods drops Ambrose with a kick to the knee and a knee to the face. Xavier yells to Kofi and E, “Roman!” They all go gang up on Roman, trying to keep him down. They have Dean down in their corner, Woods picks E up on his shoulders, and Kofi leaps over them both to splash Dean and then Woods drops E onto Ambrose, who is just getting his ass whooped this whole match. Big E picks Dean up on his shoulders and picks up Seth, who had just gotten back in on the other. Kofi and Woods both go up and they hit a mega Midnight Hour on Seth and Dean! Kofi covers Dean, but Roman has made it back in and Spears Big E onto the pin. The match is saved! Both teams retreat back to their corner, regroup, they stare the other team down. And with a scream from Xavier, both teams meet in the middle. Seth takes Woods out with a Ripcord Knee, Ambrose hits Dirty Deeds on E. And Roman kills Kofi with a Spear. Roman sits on the top rope as Seth and Dean hoist Kofi onto his shoulders. Big Powerbomb from the second rope and The Shield take it. Couldn't have opened the show better. Rarely does a dream match live up to the hype, but this one did. Loved this.
My Rating: ****
Match 2: Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination Match - Team Raw (Alicia Fox, Asuka, Sasha Banks, Bayley & Nia Jax) def. Team SmackDown (Becky Lynch, Natalya, Tamina, Naomi & Carmella) (18:35)
I have to question how Alicia Fox of all people was given the role of captain. She's easily the worst wrestler on the team. Even Nia has had a couple good matches. Becky was rightfully named the captain on her team. But embarrassingly, she's the first one eliminated, she's fighting with Alicia, doesn't see Bayley tag herself in. Bayley rolls her up from behind and Becky is gone already. A few minutes later, Bayley is backed into the SmackDown corner by Tamina and she gets overwhelmed, Carmella gives her a superkick followed by a Splash by Tamina and Bayley is gone. Nia comes in and she does the “big (wo)man staredown” with Tamina that WWE loves to do. Nia gets the better of them and picks Tamina up for a Samoan Drop, but Lana (who was hanging out with Tamina I guess) throws a heel at Nia. Nia knocks her off the apron, and Tamina superkicks her out of the ring. Naomi dives over on Nia. Tamina kicks Nia down, long enough to make it back in in time and Nia to be counted out. Alicia starts yelling at Nia as she's already up the ramp for some reason. And poor Naomi. Naomi tries to work with Fox, but god damn she's horrible. Naomi has to pull her down into a sunset flip pin, I think Alicia was supposed to kick out and Naomi would transition into a submission, but Alicia didn't kick out in time and Naomi looks a little annoyed. Sasha comes in and takes advantage of Naomi already being on the mat and puts her in the Bank Statement to eliminate her. Carmella comes in and attacks Sasha, but Sasha tags in Asuka, who makes Mella her bitch really. Carmella makes the mistake of slapping Asuka, who gives her a knee to the face and then a kick to the head to beat her. Natalya comes in and Asuka tags Sasha in. Sasha brings Natalya down into the Bank Statement, but Tamina saves her. Natalya throws Sasha into the middle turnbuckle and puts her in the Sharpshooter. Sasha crawls towards Asuka to tag her in, but Tamina runs to the other side, knocks Asuka off the apron, and Sasha taps out. So now its up to Asuka on Team Raw, but Asuka seems to like the challenge. Now logic would dictate Asuka wins here, unfortunately WWE hadn't proven to be very logical in the past few months. How sad is it that this match is less predictable because they were bad bookers? Anyway, Asuka struggles with the 2-on-1 situation at first, but Tamina misses the splash and Asuka of that by head scissoring Tamina to the mat, grabbing her arm to put her in an armbar which Tamina taps out to. Nattie wastes no time getting in and attacking. She tries to lock in the Sharpshooter but Asuka reverses it into a kneebar, but Natalya escapes. She goes to clothesline Asuka, but Asuka ducks and drops her with a spin kick. Asuka locks in the Asuka Lock that Nattie immediately taps out to. Asuka's undefeated streak is in tact.
My Rating: ***
Match 3: United States Champion Baron Corbin def. Intercontinental Champion The Miz (9:35)
You're probably expecting me to talk shit about this match huh? Well if I'm being honest, this actually wasn't bad. I think it was as good as it could've been considering they each were working as heels. Miz tried to match strikes with Corbin. Corbin is obviously the stronger of the two but he never really has a solid advantage because of Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel on the outside. Maryse happens to be in the front row, so Corbin makes sure to antagonize her, and Miz ain't having that shit. As Axel distracts the referee, Bo chop blocks Corbin's leg out as he's getting back in the ring. So Miz goes after Corbin's knee and puts him in the Figure 4. Corbin reaches the ropes. He knocks Axel's lights out and gives Bo an End of Days. Miz starts giving Corbin the Yes Kicks and he starts doing dropkicks in the corner, but Corbin catches him with an End of Days, Corbin puts SmackDown on the board.
My Rating: ***
Match 4: SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos def. Raw Tag Team Champions The Bar (15:55)
Another awesome match. An overlooked banger. All 4 men were on point during this match and really during the whole year if we're being honest. One thing they make mention of is that these were the final teams in the tag teams Elimination match the year before. A few minutes into the match, Jey goes to dive on Cesaro, but Cesaro counters him with an uppercut. But Jimmy manages to get him with his. But Sheamus grabs him and hits a rolling senton on the floor. The Bar starts to keep Jimmy away from his brother, isolating him. Jimmy reaches Jey eventually, while Sheamus tags in Cesaro. Jey takes it to him and back body drops Cesaro into the turnbuckles which is insane when you think about it. From now on, the past is quick and its a fun watch. Sheamus tosses Jimmy into the barricade as Jey is going for the splash, which distracts him long enough for Cesaro to uppercut him. Cesaro swings Jey for a short time and puts him in the Sharpshooter, and Jimmy tries to save him, but Sheamus comes in and knees Jimmy in the face, calling back to the way the match in 2016 ended. But Jey manages to reach the ropes. The Bar goes the Celtic Cross assist finish that was weird, but Jey fights out of it for a moment. But he gets caught by Sheamus as he comes off the top rope. Sheamus and Cesaro hit the Celtic Cross move that never had a name, Cesaro covers Jey, but Jimmy breaks up the pin. The Bar throws Jimmy back outside. Cesaro picks Jey up in a powerbomb position so Sheamus can clothesline him off the top rope, like a Doomsday Device. But Jey fights for his life and picks Sheamus up for a Samoan Drop. Cesaro powerbombs Jey, apparently not realizing Jey had Sheamus on his shoulders. Cesaro tries to pull Sheamus out of the wreckage, but Jimmy comes back in and superkicks him. But Jey is laying on Sheamus’ body still so the referee counts, but Sheamus kicks out. Jimmy gets back on the apron, but Sheamus has Jey by the ankle, trying to drag him to his corner, but Cesaro is still down on the outside so he can't tag out. Jey escapes with an enziguri and now tags in Jimmy. The Usos go to superkick Sheamus, but Cesaro runs in and shoves him out of the way, taking the kicks himself. But he was only post-poning the inevitable. Usos give Sheamus 4 kicks to bring him down. Jimmy runs the ropes and as he dives outside towards Cesaro, he tags in Jey. Mid-dive tag is cool as hell. Jey finishes Sheamus off with a splash and even up the score for SmackDown.
My Rating: ****
Match 5: SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair def. Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss (15:00)
This match went pretty well how I thought it would. Good match though, I think Charlotte kinda carried it and I say that as someone who loves Alexa Bliss. Right away, the size difference makes a difference as Charlotte is able to just effortlessly push Bliss around. But Bliss grabs and twists Charlotte's arm on the apron and she drops to the floor, Charlotte lands face first on the floor, its a wonder she wasn't concussed. Alexa starts to ground Charlotte into the mat, targeting her torso. Charlotte tries to fight back and picks Bliss up for a powerbomb, but Bliss reverses it into a head scissors pin. When she kicks out of that, Bliss kicks Charlotte in the ribs and hits a Yoshi-Tonic. Charlotte recovers and starts back Alexa up with repeated chops. But Bliss leaps onto Charlotte like a wild animal and locks her in a guillotine, while wrapping her legs around her waist. But Charlotte stands up and pushes Alexa up onto her shoulders to hit a powerbomb. Alexa nearly gets put in the Figure 4, but escapes with a fist to Charlotte's face. Charlotte shakes her head and hits Natural Selection on Bliss. But Alexa kicks out. Charlotte misses a moonsault and kicks out as Bliss covers her. Alexa hits Charlotte with a DDT and covers her, but Charlotte gets her foot on the bottom rope. Bliss grabs Charlotte by the face and screams in face. From this position, Charlotte is on one knee and Bliss is standing up. Charlotte reaches up with one arm and grabs Bliss by her face. She stands back up and shoves Alexa to the ropes and hits a Spear. But Charlotte took herself out, long enough for Alexa to recover at the same time and dropkicks her in the ribs. Alexa goes up and attempts Twisted Bliss, only for Charlotte to get her knees up. Charlotte gets back up and puts Alexa in the Figure 8 to make Alexa tap out. SmackDown is up 3-2.
My Rating: ***1/2
Match 6: Universal Champion Brock Lesnar def. WWE Champion AJ Styles (15:25)
Ah yes. The match I've been waiting to talk about. This… was so good! Thank fuck Brock stepped In and said “I don't wanna wrestle Jinder, I wanna wrestle AJ.” This ruled. This is part of the reason why I got so frustrated with Brock later in his career. When he cared, he was incredible. And AJ man. God damn, AJ is so good. Brock starts the match with a kick to AJ's gut and just tosses him around the ring by his face. And every time AJ lands, it looks like it hurts. Brock beats the hell out of Styles. Styles at some point starts to land punch after punch and actually manages to back Brock up to a corner, but Lesnar snuffs out the little comeback and continues to throw AJ around and tosses him out of the ring over the ropes. Brock is just having fun with this. Brock goes for an F5, but Styles escapes and backs into a corner. Brock charges him and AJ moves out of his path. Brock's knee hits the top turnbuckle and he clutches it. Styles kicks out his other knee and hits a DDT. And Styles has given himself some hope! AJ gives Brock a Pele kick to the back of the head as Brock was on all fours. AJ goes to the apron and springboards in, only for Brock to catch him and throw him overhead. Brock goes to clothesline AJ, who had gotten up and was standing against the ropes, but Brock tumbles over to the floor and Styles takes advantage of that, and dives over with a forearm to the head. AJ runs off the stops and forearms Brock again, keeping up the onslaught. AJ enziguris Brock, hits a Lionsault and then a springboard 450. Brock kicks out and picks AJ up on his shoulders, AJ slides off and gets Brock in the Calf Crusher, and Brock is in the hold for a solid minute. AJ puts torque on that ankle. Brock grabs AJ's head and slams it over and over into the mat! Brock picks AJ up for the F5, but Styles slides over on the apron, knocks Brock back with a forearm and then springboards in to hit another forearm. 1, 2, Brock kicked out! Styles goes back out again, springboard. But Brock catches him cleanly on his shoulders and drops AJ with an F5! Brock takes the win after an awesome match. AJ lost but he made Brock earn that victory! Great way to end the night.
My Rating: ****1/4
Main Event: Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination Match - Team Raw (Kurt Angle, Triple H, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor & Samoa Joe) def. Team SmackDown (Shane McMahon, John Cena, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode & Shinsuke Nakamura) (33:20)
Wha- what do you mean there's one more match? Do we really have to talk about this? Can't we end this review on a high note? No? Fuck. Okay, lets talk about this… confusing main event. First off, Triple H and John Cena being in this match makes no sense. Kurt and Shane I can at least get cause they ran their perspective shows. But I thought this was about the best of both brands going at it to see which was better, and neither of them were exclusive to either brand at this point. And lets be honest, HHH only cared because he wanted to get laid, we all know it. It was kinda cool to see HHH facing off against Nakamura and Bobby Roode, and Cena against Joe and Balor. The match hilariously starts with Strowman throwing Shane because Shane tried to attack Braun from behind like an idiot. This was one of the first times Kurt Angle had gotten in the ring since returning, but man, he was slow and it was a little upsetting to watch, especially since he's talked about how disappointed he was with his 2nd run. The first elimination occurs within 15 minutes, Braun eliminates Nakamura with a running powerslam. And then he eliminates Bobby Roode with one about a minute later. So Raw is up 5 against 3. Obviously this is the perfect time for them to start fighting. Joe and Finn get into it and then so do HHH and Kurt. Team SmackDown takes advantage of this and in the chaos, they all, including Roode and Shinsuke, put Braun Strowman through one of the announce tables. Cena goes at it with Joe and as this is happening, Joe and Finn start to argue when Finn tags himself in and goes for a Coup de Grace, Joe tags himself back in and Cena AAs him. Then he gives one to Balor, then gives Joe another one and gets rid of him. Kurt gets in their with Cena and whew boy, is it slow. Kurt has definitely lost a step. Cena goes for an AA, but Kurt slides off and hits an Angle Slam. Finn hits a Coup de Grace and then Kurt hits another Angle Slam to take Cena out. Orton comes in and he starts stomping Kurt. But Kurt tags in Finn, who takes out both Orton and dropkicks Shane into the barricade. Finn comes back in, hits a slingblade on Orton, dropkick in the corner and an attempted Coup de Grace, but Orton moved out of the way and hits an RKO to take Balor out. WWE had 5 newer stars in the match and almost all of them were now out. Interesting decision. Orton is knocked from behind by HHH, who brings him over to the Raw corner. But Orton hits a backbreaker on HHH and starts to reach out for Shane. But before he can reach him, Shane is yanked off the apron by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, who beat up Shane as Orton is in the ring. Shane grabs a steel chair and chases KO and Sami off with it, getting them good a few times with it. But Braun Strowman has finally woken up from his nap and tags himself in. He gets in the ring and takes Orton out with a running powerslam. Shane just stands on the ramp as this happens so he just watches as Orton gets eliminated. So on a team with Orton, Cena, Roode and Nakamura, the latter two, WWE had an opportunity to make them look good, Shane McMahon is the last remaining member… against Braun Strowman, old Kurt Angle and old Triple H… What the fuck. Like, who actually cares about this match at this point. Sure theres a chance, but who really wants to watch Shane McMahon try and overcome the odds. Kurt Angle tags himself in and once again, he argues with HHH again. So Shane puts up a fight but Kurt hits an Angle Slam and then puts him in the Ankle Lock. Kurt has this sinched in. Shane is about to tap, but before he does, HHH gets in the ring, gives Kurt a Pedigree and lays Shane on top of him… Again… what the fuck. Shane is confused. Braun is confused. The commentary table is confused. Everyone sitting at home in the crowd and at home is confused. HHH picks Shane back up, and makes like he's about to team up with him… except he's not. Gotcha. Idiot. HHH Pedigrees Shane and in a match that included 5 of WWE's newest stars, HHH gets the final pin… Hmmm… What an odd way to book. HHH starts celebrating like “Yay! I'm getting laid tonight!” Braun Strowman still looks confused as we all are. The show ends with Braun choking HHH in the corner. HHH tries to jump Braun from behind and Pedigree him, but Braun counters into the powerslam. And then he hits another on HHH for fun.
My Rating: **1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.61
My Rating: 9/10
Overall, incredible show. This is yet another PPV overlooked. I thought it was pretty good at the time too. Almost every match was at least 3 stars… but then we have the mediocre, poorly booked main event that went over 30 minutes and we get the worst match of the night. Brock and AJ should've main evented in hindsight. And I think the main event is the reason that this show is rated lower than I did. Because its the thing that ends the show, and you always hate when a show ends poorly. But I thought this was an overall great show.
Elimination Chamber 2017
Match 1: Becky Lynch def. Mickie James (11:34)
Mickie's return match (on the main roster), and it was alright. They start the match with the longest collar and elbow tie up ever. Each lady tries to get an advantage over the other and Mickie gives Becky an armbreaker and starts weakening that. Mickie grounds Becky for a while before Becky starts the comeback. The match starts more even. They just have a match and I can't say there's anything particularly memorable about it. Mickie gets a spin kick on Becky, who falls too closely to the ropes. In the end, Becky goes for the Dis-Arm-Her, but Mickie counters it in into a sunset pin, but Becky keeps rolling and stacks Mickie up and pinning, taking the win.
My Rating: ***
Match 2: 2-on-1 Handicap Match - Kalisto & Apollo Crews def. Dolph Ziggler (7:20)
This stunk. It really shouldn't have either, this should've been okay at least but this sucked. Mainly because none of the guys involved benefitted at all from this. Apollo comes out first, then Kalisto, who is attacked from behind by Dolph, who throws him into the LED board, which was apparently enough to take him out for a few minutes. Apollo goes to help but Dolph goes through the crowd to the ring. The bell rings and its just Dolph and Apollo right now. Apollo takes it to Dolph at first. But Ziggler hangs Crews up on the top rope and he starts wearing down Crews until Kalisto makes his way out, selling his back. Apollo tags him in and Kalisto's back is magically better, he moves as if there's no bad back at all. Dolph elbows Kalisto back into his corner, Apollo tags himself in, Dolph doesn't see it. Kalisto ducks A clothesline and kicks Dolph back into Crews, who hits a spinning sitout powerbomb to win. Dolph loses a crucial match after turning heel. Dolph sweeps Kalisto off the apron and grabs a steel chair. He attacks Crews with it after the match and pillmanizes his ankle twice. Who… Was this supposed to help I ask.
My Rating: *1/4
Match 3: SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tag Team Turmoil Match - American Alpha (c) def. The Usos, The Ascension, Rhyno & Heath Slater, The Vaudevillains & Breezango (21:05)
I think WWE wanted to make this a Chamber Match. Like its elimination style, theres 6 teams. I have a feeling thats what this was originally gonna be. The match is okay, but not worth watching for 21 minutes. The match starts with Slater and Rhyno against Breezango. And this goes for few minutes. Its an okay start. Fandango tries roll up Slater, not knowing Rhyno tagged himself in. Rhyno Gores Dango and eliminates them. The Vaudevillains are out next and they start the match, taking out the big man Rhyno before turning to Slater. Simon hits a rolling senton on Slater, but Rhyno Gores him. Aiden goes for the senton from the top rope, Slater dodges and hits a jumping DDT to eliminate The Vaudevillains. The Usos are out next. They go at it for a few minutes. Rhyno gets shoved outside. Slater rolls Jey up, not seeing him tag Jimmy, who superkicks Heath and pins him. Out next are the champs, American Alpha and this is the best match the gauntlet, unsurprisingly. Usos meet Alpha halfway up the entrance way. They come back in the ring and Alpha immediately hit double german suplexes. Usos ground Gable, but Gable reaches Jordan, who throws The Usos around like they weigh nothing. Gable gets tagged back in and he pins Jey by surprise. But The Usos are none too happy about that and continue to beat down American Alpha. They end their beatdown with a splash to Jason Jordan. The Usos leave and the Ascension come out, and instead of pinning Jordan, they scream, (they yell a lot) and they hit the sweep/uppercut combo. But Gable saves the match and breaks up the pin. But Jason is able to reach Gable after throwing Viktor with a belly to belly. After the tag, Gable is yanked off the apron by Konnor. Gable ducks under a clothesline and slides in to catch Viktor for the Grand Amplitude. Jason stops Konnor from stopping the pin and champs retain.
My Rating: ***
Match 4: Natalya vs. Nikki Bella ended in a double countout (13:15)
You know whats worse than a bad match? A bad match with no conclusive ending. And this was such a chore to sit through. Natalya is such bad heel. All she's got to taunt the crowd is “SHUT UP” and “You like (insert opponent's name).” Because she was fighting Nikki, she at least added the “you can't see me” hand gesture but that gets old pretty quickly. I don't remember most of this match just cause it was that boring, but the part where Natalya had put Nikki in the Sharpshooter, Nikki countered into in an STF. That was actually well done. Nikki actually has a better STF than Cena, although that isn't saying much. This one looks like it hurts, she puts TORQUE on Nattie's leg, it looks gross. Natalya reaches the ropes though and rolls outside. And here is where our match ends, because they piss around outside instead of trying to get back in. Great, that means they're gonna have another match. Yay…
My Rating: **1/4
Match 5: Randy Orton def. Luke Harper (17:13)
Finally, something worth watching! Poor Harper. He got so over during this storyline. WWE dropped the ball and dropped it hard with Harper. A great match between two old school style rough and tough guys. They keep talking about how agile Harper is for a big guy and he throws a dropkick a few minutes into the match. Orton drops Harper on the announce table and Harper sells it on spaghetti legs, stumbling in the laps of the german announce table. It feels to me like Orton came into this just wanting to have a match and Harper said “nah I'm gonna make this good.” Orton grounds Harper into the mat for a little bit but can't keep Harper down for long. Harper starts building up that comeback. He big boots Orton which sends him outside. Harper goes to suicide dive, but Orton stops him with an elbow. Orton tries to throw Harper to the ropes, but Harper tosses Orton outside again and now gets the suicide dive, which sends Orton flying over the announce table. Harper gives Orton a taste of his medicine and drops him on the announce table. Orton is able to recover and hits a powerslam on the floor. Orton hits a superplex from the middle rope for a near fall. He also pulls a full nelson slam out of his ass. Harper making him work today. Orton hits a draping DDT and sets Harper up for the RKO. But Harper drops Orton with 2 superkicks. Harper picks Orton up and drops him with a sitout powerbomb, which makes you realize how much trust Orton had in Harper. For a guy so protective of his shoulders. Harper and Orton start trading shots back and forth. Harper bounces off the ropes and comes off, trying for a Discus Clothesline. But Orton blocks the arm, Harper spins back around into an RKO that ends the match. Great match that really made me love Harper.
My Rating: ****
Match 6: SmackDown Women's Championship Match - Naomi def. Alexa Bliss (c) (8:18)
An okay match, but it feels pretty cool off matchey. Alexa starts the match flipping her hair in Naomi's face and slapping her. Mean girl shit. Naomi goes on an assault on Bliss. Naomi tries springboarding in the ring, but Alexa grabs her hair and yanks her back into the ring. Bliss grounds Naomi into the mat, and Naomi eventually starts the comeback. Naomi begins to flying around the ring and overwhelm Bliss. Bliss fights back after Naomi “misses” the split legged moonsault even though she didn't. Alexa goes up to hit Twisted Bliss, but Naomi gets her knees up and now hits the Split Legged Moonsault for the first/second time to win the match. Naomi wins the title and an interviewer comes down to get a word, and Naomi gets a “you deserve it” chant which makes her cry. Thats wholesome at least.
My Rating: **1/2
Main Event: WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match - Bray Wyatt def. John Cena (c), AJ Styles, The Miz, Dean Ambrose & Baron Corbin (34:26)
Speaking of people who deserve it, I've been just itching to talk about this. Not only is the match fantastic, but my boy did it! But in all honesty, all these guys deserved a round of applause. This match was so damn good! The match starts with AJ Styles and John Cena, hot off their incredible feud, they get us off to a really good start, their chemistry doesn't slow down. Ambrose is the first guy let out of his pod, which is appropriate cause they had that awesome Triple Threat months before. Dean is the first one to make use of the Chamber, throwing both men into the wall. He hits an elbow to Cena off the pod. They make callbacks to their Triple Threat with a couple spots. Bray Wyatt (the man of the hour) is out next and he takes out his opposition. Styles takes him out and gets chased up the wall by Cena. They fight up there and AJ knocks Cena off to the floor. AJ is on top of Miz's pod and Ambrose goes up with him, and starts bouncing his head off the glass behind them. Ambrose jumps off into Bray's fist. Baron Corbin is the next man out and he wreaks havoc. He wrecks every man in sight no matter who it is. He gives AJ and Cena both an End of Days. He bounces Bray's head off a pod and off the floor. Ambrose is the one who gives him a challenge, but Corbin launches into the wall like a lawn dart. Ambrose climbs the ropes, but Corbin just pushes him off into the chamber wall. But now its Miz's turn and Corbin makes a mistake by turning his back. Dean rolls him up from behind and eliminates him. But Corbin is irate. He is pissed about that. He jumps Ambrose from behind and beats his ass for about 2 minutes. He throws him through one of the pods. He presses his face against the chamber and elbows him in the head. He ends the attack with an End of Days that Miz is more than okay taking advantage of and eliminates Dean. Miz is the freshest man in the match, things are looking good for him. So he decides to take the chance to stick it to Daniel Bryan and use his famous kicks on his opponents. And then starts using the dropkicks in the corner. He hits a Skull Crushing Finale on Bray outside. But Miz goes up and tries to crossbody Cena. Cena catches him and drops Miz in an AA to take him out. We are down to 3. Bray and AJ look like they're gonna work together but Bray quickly turns on AJ. Cena is allowed to recover and he starts giving his famous 5 moves of doom. He hits a double 5 knuckle shuffle on them. He gives Bray an AA and then tries giving one to Styles, who counters with a Styles Clash! Cena kicks out of that, and Styles goes out to hit a Phenomenal Forearm. Cena dodges, Styles lands on his feet, but gets caught and dropped with an AA. Styles kicks out of that. So then Cena gets the idea to climb up to a pod. He gets on top and leaps off to crossbody Bray and Styles at once. Cena picks Bray back up, tries an AA, but Bray escapes and drops Cena with a Sister Abigail and the champ is gone! Its at this point, i started to freak out. Because Bray Wyatt was one more pinfall away from being WWE Champion after all the stupid bullshit he'd been made to do it, it would be worth it! And I would consider this a pretty good finish. Both men were heels but everyone was pulling for Bray here so its like he's the babyface. Styles goes for his combination strikes but Bray flattens him with a clothesline. Styles is able to knock Bray down with pele kick. Styles goes out hits a springboard 450 that Bray kicks out of. AJ goes out one more time and tries the Forearm, but Bray catches him and drops him with Sister Abigail! 1, 2, 3 and Bray Wyatt is the new WWE Champion! And deservedly so! No matter how lackluster his reign was, nobody can take this away from him. I was so happy back and it feels a little bittersweet now, but that didn't stop me from smiling. An epic chamber match with an even better winner!
My Rating: ****1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.61
My Rating: 7/10
Maybe I'm a little biased towards this show. Bray winning the title holds a special place in my heart and for that reason I guess so does this show. But it wasn't bad. The only stuff that bugs me I guess would be the Handicap Match and the Natalya/Nikki match. Orton and Harper had a pretty underrated great match and this event was main evented by an amazing Chamber Match.
Match 1: Becky Lynch def. Mickie James (11:34)
Mickie's return match (on the main roster), and it was alright. They start the match with the longest collar and elbow tie up ever. Each lady tries to get an advantage over the other and Mickie gives Becky an armbreaker and starts weakening that. Mickie grounds Becky for a while before Becky starts the comeback. The match starts more even. They just have a match and I can't say there's anything particularly memorable about it. Mickie gets a spin kick on Becky, who falls too closely to the ropes. In the end, Becky goes for the Dis-Arm-Her, but Mickie counters it in into a sunset pin, but Becky keeps rolling and stacks Mickie up and pinning, taking the win.
My Rating: ***
Match 2: 2-on-1 Handicap Match - Kalisto & Apollo Crews def. Dolph Ziggler (7:20)
This stunk. It really shouldn't have either, this should've been okay at least but this sucked. Mainly because none of the guys involved benefitted at all from this. Apollo comes out first, then Kalisto, who is attacked from behind by Dolph, who throws him into the LED board, which was apparently enough to take him out for a few minutes. Apollo goes to help but Dolph goes through the crowd to the ring. The bell rings and its just Dolph and Apollo right now. Apollo takes it to Dolph at first. But Ziggler hangs Crews up on the top rope and he starts wearing down Crews until Kalisto makes his way out, selling his back. Apollo tags him in and Kalisto's back is magically better, he moves as if there's no bad back at all. Dolph elbows Kalisto back into his corner, Apollo tags himself in, Dolph doesn't see it. Kalisto ducks A clothesline and kicks Dolph back into Crews, who hits a spinning sitout powerbomb to win. Dolph loses a crucial match after turning heel. Dolph sweeps Kalisto off the apron and grabs a steel chair. He attacks Crews with it after the match and pillmanizes his ankle twice. Who… Was this supposed to help I ask.
My Rating: *1/4
Match 3: SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tag Team Turmoil Match - American Alpha (c) def. The Usos, The Ascension, Rhyno & Heath Slater, The Vaudevillains & Breezango (21:05)
I think WWE wanted to make this a Chamber Match. Like its elimination style, theres 6 teams. I have a feeling thats what this was originally gonna be. The match is okay, but not worth watching for 21 minutes. The match starts with Slater and Rhyno against Breezango. And this goes for few minutes. Its an okay start. Fandango tries roll up Slater, not knowing Rhyno tagged himself in. Rhyno Gores Dango and eliminates them. The Vaudevillains are out next and they start the match, taking out the big man Rhyno before turning to Slater. Simon hits a rolling senton on Slater, but Rhyno Gores him. Aiden goes for the senton from the top rope, Slater dodges and hits a jumping DDT to eliminate The Vaudevillains. The Usos are out next. They go at it for a few minutes. Rhyno gets shoved outside. Slater rolls Jey up, not seeing him tag Jimmy, who superkicks Heath and pins him. Out next are the champs, American Alpha and this is the best match the gauntlet, unsurprisingly. Usos meet Alpha halfway up the entrance way. They come back in the ring and Alpha immediately hit double german suplexes. Usos ground Gable, but Gable reaches Jordan, who throws The Usos around like they weigh nothing. Gable gets tagged back in and he pins Jey by surprise. But The Usos are none too happy about that and continue to beat down American Alpha. They end their beatdown with a splash to Jason Jordan. The Usos leave and the Ascension come out, and instead of pinning Jordan, they scream, (they yell a lot) and they hit the sweep/uppercut combo. But Gable saves the match and breaks up the pin. But Jason is able to reach Gable after throwing Viktor with a belly to belly. After the tag, Gable is yanked off the apron by Konnor. Gable ducks under a clothesline and slides in to catch Viktor for the Grand Amplitude. Jason stops Konnor from stopping the pin and champs retain.
My Rating: ***
Match 4: Natalya vs. Nikki Bella ended in a double countout (13:15)
You know whats worse than a bad match? A bad match with no conclusive ending. And this was such a chore to sit through. Natalya is such bad heel. All she's got to taunt the crowd is “SHUT UP” and “You like (insert opponent's name).” Because she was fighting Nikki, she at least added the “you can't see me” hand gesture but that gets old pretty quickly. I don't remember most of this match just cause it was that boring, but the part where Natalya had put Nikki in the Sharpshooter, Nikki countered into in an STF. That was actually well done. Nikki actually has a better STF than Cena, although that isn't saying much. This one looks like it hurts, she puts TORQUE on Nattie's leg, it looks gross. Natalya reaches the ropes though and rolls outside. And here is where our match ends, because they piss around outside instead of trying to get back in. Great, that means they're gonna have another match. Yay…
My Rating: **1/4
Match 5: Randy Orton def. Luke Harper (17:13)
Finally, something worth watching! Poor Harper. He got so over during this storyline. WWE dropped the ball and dropped it hard with Harper. A great match between two old school style rough and tough guys. They keep talking about how agile Harper is for a big guy and he throws a dropkick a few minutes into the match. Orton drops Harper on the announce table and Harper sells it on spaghetti legs, stumbling in the laps of the german announce table. It feels to me like Orton came into this just wanting to have a match and Harper said “nah I'm gonna make this good.” Orton grounds Harper into the mat for a little bit but can't keep Harper down for long. Harper starts building up that comeback. He big boots Orton which sends him outside. Harper goes to suicide dive, but Orton stops him with an elbow. Orton tries to throw Harper to the ropes, but Harper tosses Orton outside again and now gets the suicide dive, which sends Orton flying over the announce table. Harper gives Orton a taste of his medicine and drops him on the announce table. Orton is able to recover and hits a powerslam on the floor. Orton hits a superplex from the middle rope for a near fall. He also pulls a full nelson slam out of his ass. Harper making him work today. Orton hits a draping DDT and sets Harper up for the RKO. But Harper drops Orton with 2 superkicks. Harper picks Orton up and drops him with a sitout powerbomb, which makes you realize how much trust Orton had in Harper. For a guy so protective of his shoulders. Harper and Orton start trading shots back and forth. Harper bounces off the ropes and comes off, trying for a Discus Clothesline. But Orton blocks the arm, Harper spins back around into an RKO that ends the match. Great match that really made me love Harper.
My Rating: ****
Match 6: SmackDown Women's Championship Match - Naomi def. Alexa Bliss (c) (8:18)
An okay match, but it feels pretty cool off matchey. Alexa starts the match flipping her hair in Naomi's face and slapping her. Mean girl shit. Naomi goes on an assault on Bliss. Naomi tries springboarding in the ring, but Alexa grabs her hair and yanks her back into the ring. Bliss grounds Naomi into the mat, and Naomi eventually starts the comeback. Naomi begins to flying around the ring and overwhelm Bliss. Bliss fights back after Naomi “misses” the split legged moonsault even though she didn't. Alexa goes up to hit Twisted Bliss, but Naomi gets her knees up and now hits the Split Legged Moonsault for the first/second time to win the match. Naomi wins the title and an interviewer comes down to get a word, and Naomi gets a “you deserve it” chant which makes her cry. Thats wholesome at least.
My Rating: **1/2
Main Event: WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match - Bray Wyatt def. John Cena (c), AJ Styles, The Miz, Dean Ambrose & Baron Corbin (34:26)
Speaking of people who deserve it, I've been just itching to talk about this. Not only is the match fantastic, but my boy did it! But in all honesty, all these guys deserved a round of applause. This match was so damn good! The match starts with AJ Styles and John Cena, hot off their incredible feud, they get us off to a really good start, their chemistry doesn't slow down. Ambrose is the first guy let out of his pod, which is appropriate cause they had that awesome Triple Threat months before. Dean is the first one to make use of the Chamber, throwing both men into the wall. He hits an elbow to Cena off the pod. They make callbacks to their Triple Threat with a couple spots. Bray Wyatt (the man of the hour) is out next and he takes out his opposition. Styles takes him out and gets chased up the wall by Cena. They fight up there and AJ knocks Cena off to the floor. AJ is on top of Miz's pod and Ambrose goes up with him, and starts bouncing his head off the glass behind them. Ambrose jumps off into Bray's fist. Baron Corbin is the next man out and he wreaks havoc. He wrecks every man in sight no matter who it is. He gives AJ and Cena both an End of Days. He bounces Bray's head off a pod and off the floor. Ambrose is the one who gives him a challenge, but Corbin launches into the wall like a lawn dart. Ambrose climbs the ropes, but Corbin just pushes him off into the chamber wall. But now its Miz's turn and Corbin makes a mistake by turning his back. Dean rolls him up from behind and eliminates him. But Corbin is irate. He is pissed about that. He jumps Ambrose from behind and beats his ass for about 2 minutes. He throws him through one of the pods. He presses his face against the chamber and elbows him in the head. He ends the attack with an End of Days that Miz is more than okay taking advantage of and eliminates Dean. Miz is the freshest man in the match, things are looking good for him. So he decides to take the chance to stick it to Daniel Bryan and use his famous kicks on his opponents. And then starts using the dropkicks in the corner. He hits a Skull Crushing Finale on Bray outside. But Miz goes up and tries to crossbody Cena. Cena catches him and drops Miz in an AA to take him out. We are down to 3. Bray and AJ look like they're gonna work together but Bray quickly turns on AJ. Cena is allowed to recover and he starts giving his famous 5 moves of doom. He hits a double 5 knuckle shuffle on them. He gives Bray an AA and then tries giving one to Styles, who counters with a Styles Clash! Cena kicks out of that, and Styles goes out to hit a Phenomenal Forearm. Cena dodges, Styles lands on his feet, but gets caught and dropped with an AA. Styles kicks out of that. So then Cena gets the idea to climb up to a pod. He gets on top and leaps off to crossbody Bray and Styles at once. Cena picks Bray back up, tries an AA, but Bray escapes and drops Cena with a Sister Abigail and the champ is gone! Its at this point, i started to freak out. Because Bray Wyatt was one more pinfall away from being WWE Champion after all the stupid bullshit he'd been made to do it, it would be worth it! And I would consider this a pretty good finish. Both men were heels but everyone was pulling for Bray here so its like he's the babyface. Styles goes for his combination strikes but Bray flattens him with a clothesline. Styles is able to knock Bray down with pele kick. Styles goes out hits a springboard 450 that Bray kicks out of. AJ goes out one more time and tries the Forearm, but Bray catches him and drops him with Sister Abigail! 1, 2, 3 and Bray Wyatt is the new WWE Champion! And deservedly so! No matter how lackluster his reign was, nobody can take this away from him. I was so happy back and it feels a little bittersweet now, but that didn't stop me from smiling. An epic chamber match with an even better winner!
My Rating: ****1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.61
My Rating: 7/10
Maybe I'm a little biased towards this show. Bray winning the title holds a special place in my heart and for that reason I guess so does this show. But it wasn't bad. The only stuff that bugs me I guess would be the Handicap Match and the Natalya/Nikki match. Orton and Harper had a pretty underrated great match and this event was main evented by an amazing Chamber Match.
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2019
- Messages
- 84,876
- Reaction score
- 25,004
- Points
- 113
- Location
- The Impact Zone, Scotland
- Favorite Wrestler
-
Night of Champions 2014
Match 1: WWE Tag Team Championship Match - Goldust & Stardust def. The Usos (c) (12:47)
An “eh” way to kick off the show. I know these teams could've done better. The Dust Bunnies (as my dad called them) were able to isolate Jimmy from his corner. I expected it to be Jey considering they were telling us before the match that he had a bad knee weeks ago. But yeah, that is most of this match, Goldy and Starry keep Jimmy away from his bro… until they can't! Jey comes in, hopped up on (diet) Mountain Dew (which sponsored this PPV). Jey goes after Stardust's knee, I guess giving him a taste of what he got weeks earlier. Jimmy dives on Goldust. Stardust ties Jey up in the ropes and removes his glove. And challenges him to a duel! Slaps him in the face with it. Jimmy helps his brother escape, but gets knocked off the apron by Stardust. Goldust comes off the apron on Jimmy while Jey dives on Stardust outside. Jey throws Stardust back inside and goes to splash him, but Cody gets his knees him and then rolls Jey up from behind to win the titles. The match picks up in the last couple minutes but most of the match is uninteresting.
My Rating: **3/4
Match 2: United States Championship Match - Sheamus (c) def. Cesaro (13:21)
My only complaint is that Cesaro should've won. He had lost some momentum during the year and could've used this win. Other than that, this was fucking awesome! These guys beat the shit out of each other. They held nothing back. I like their 2016 Clash match slightly more but this was also a great match. The match starts with some wrestling surprisingly enough. But it doesn't take long for it to get nasty. I'd say it really picks up when Cesaro drops Sheamus off the top rope with an uppercut. Cesaro gets Sheamus in a sleeper, but Sheamus starts to come back and hits a couple backbreakers on Cesaro. And then starts beating his chest on the apron, but Cesaro catches his arm and escapes, gives Sheamus a stiff elbow and a kick to the face. Cesaro goes up and Sheamus grabs him both his arms and yanks off and over on the mat. Sheamus goes for a Brogue Kick, but Cesaro ducks it. Sheamus bounces off again and gets tossed up and uppercut by Cesaro. Sheamus gets another hard kick to the face and he responds with a hard elbow and a powerslam. Sheamus goes for another Brogue Kick, but Cesaro avoids it again, dropping to the mat and rolling up Sheamus. Sheamus kicks out and Cesaro hits a double underhook bomb before he picks Sheamus back up, tries a Neutralizer. Sheamus stands and Cesaro lands on his feet. Sheamus goes for the Brogue Kick and Cesaro once again avoids it, and picks Sheamus up on his shoulders torture rack style and drops Sheamus on his back. Sheamus kicks out and Cesaro starts slapping Sheamus in the face. Sheamus gives Cesaro's torso a few good shots as he stands back up, but Cesaro backs Sheamus in a corner with an uppercut and a kick to the face. Sheamus pushes Cesaro off and tells him to bring it on. And Cesaro does, he kicks Sheamus in the face again and the referee has to pull him away. Sheamus takes that chance to Brogue Kick Cesaro before pinning him 1, 2, 3. Great match! They held nothing back!
My Rating: ****
Match 3: Intercontinental Championship Match - The Miz def. Dolph Ziggler (c) (9:18)
Not the worst, but definitely most annoying match on the card. For the fact they brought out Florida Georgia Line and they hung out at commentary the whole match. And the commentary was more focused on them than the match. This was before Mizdow really started to get the hang of his new character. He's not yet mimicking Miz's every movement yet so the fun is sucked out there. R-Truth does next to nothing as R-Ziggler. (Yes, thats what he was called). Just an unamusing experience all around. The match actually starts to pick up about midway through when Mizdow yanks Ziggler off the apron. R-Ziggler comes over and gets a fist to the face. And I guess I should've known better than to think FGL was just gonna sit there. They shove Mizdow and Truth chases him to the back. Miz sees that happen and turns around into a superkick from Dolph. Miz kicks out. Dolph goes for a dropkick but Miz catches his legs and puts Dolph in the Figure 4. Dolph is able to crawl to the ropes and hits a Famouser with a bad knee. Mizdow runs back down, but gets superkicked by Dolph. Miz rolls Dolph up from behind and wins the title… Only to lose it back to Dolph literally the next night. (Yes really. This booking makes no sense).
My Rating: **3/4
So after that, they explain that the match that was originally supposed to happen between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns had to be canceled because Roman had to get emergency surgery. Seth comes out with a big smile on his face and basks in the glory of his “victory.” He has the referee ring the bell and count to 10. And he's announced as the winner by forfeit. And I guess that counts as a match, but I don't count that. Seth issues an open challenge to anybody in the back and on the tron, a taxi pulls up into the building and fucking Kevin Dunn with his 500,000 camera cuts a segment, cuts from the taxi to Seth Rollins as Dean Ambrose exits the taxi. Ambrose gets a massive pop regardless because he was astronomically over at this point. Ambrose marches to the ring and puts the boots and fists to Seth! He takes Seth through the crowd. An army of security tries to get Dean away from Seth, but Dean just dives on them and continues to chase and beat up Seth. Dean grabs a steel chair and is about to swing, but he's tackled to the mat by about 10 henchmen. They tie his hands behind his back and carry him out as he kicks at them. Yeah, big pop for Ambrose who was really carrying Raw at this point.
Match 4: Rusev def. Mark Henry (8:26)
Oof, Mark was really moving a little slower at this point wasn't he? Rusev was really at the peak of his career, during his undefeated streak. Mark overpowers Rusev at first, but Rusev shoves Mark back first into the steel steps. Rusev targets Mark's back. Mark can barely lift Rusev but is able to hit an adrenaline fueled World's Strongest Slam. Mark is unable to cover Rusev. Rusev recovers and delivers 3 Machka kicks to Henry before putting him in the Accolade, forcing Mark to tap out. And commentary is very dramatic about this loss too.
My Rating: **
Match 5: Randy Orton def. Chris Jericho (16:15)
A pretty good match, with a pretty slow pace, but not bad for a match thrown together just to give them something to do. Weirdly enough, the superplex spot happens pretty early in the match. Orton hits one on Jericho only a few minutes in. Jericho fights off Orton with chops but Orton sends Jericho face first into the ring post and over the ropes. Orton drops Jericho back first on the announce table. Orton starts to ground Jericho for a little bit, but Chris starts to mount a comeback. Jericho goes for a Lionsault but misses it the first time and Orton hits a backbreaker. Orton goes for the RKO, but Jericho shoves him off and now hits the Lionsault. Jericho tries for his springboard dropkick and Orton moves in the ring, Jericho lands on his feet. Orton tries to DDT him from the ropes, but Jericho stands up and sweeps Orton's legs, trying the Walls of Jericho. But Orton is able to escape. Orton tries to punt Jericho, who dodges it and rolls up Orton from behind. Orton kicks out but Jericho sweeps his legs again and gets Orton in the Walls. Orton is in the hold for a solid minute, but lifts his body through Chris’ legs and kicks him out of the ring. As Chris is getting back in, Orton gives him a draping DDT and awaits for Jericho to get up so he can hit an RKO. But Jericho quickly turns and hits the Codebreaker for a 2 count. Jericho goes to the top rope and calls for Orton to get up. Orton stands up, Jericho leaps and gets caught with an RKO. Orton pins him 1, 2, 3.
My Rating: ***3/4
Match 6: Divas Championship Triple Threat Match - AJ Lee def. Paige (c) & Nikki Bella (8:45)
Not a match looked back on, but to be honest, I found myself enjoying this match for what it was. I thought all 3 ladies, (yes even Nikki) did a good job. Paige and Nikki each try to attack AJ, who was leaning on the ropes. AJ dropkicks them both. All 3 women get turns being on top. Nikki gets AJ in a sleeper and swings her around. AJ is able to get Nikki in a Black Widow, but Paige comes in with a superkick to AJ to break it up. Paige looks like she's setting AJ up for a superplex, but Nikki comes over and there's the big tower of doom spot. Nikki hits the Rack Attack on Paige and covers her, but AJ breaks it up. Nikki sends AJ outside and goes to follow her. But its a mistake as AJ grabs Nikki by her hair and yanks her to the floor. AJ gets back in the ring and locks Paige in the Black Widow. Paige nearly escapes, but AJ manages to keep it applied and forces Paige to tap out.
My Rating: ***1/4
Main Event: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match - John Cena def. Brock Lesnar (c) via DQ (14:15)
Now on to the main event that everyone was only excited for to watch Brock kick Cena's ass again. And for the most part, thats what they get. Honestly, a pretty good match, but believe it or not, watching Brock whoop John's ass gets old after a bit. Brock goes for a suplex right away, but Cena hooks the ropes with his feet and elbows Brock in the face. Cena hits an AA on Brock and covers him. But Brock kicks out at one. But Brock manages to get Cena in a Kimura Lock and throws Cena across the ring with a german suplex. And so let the beatings begin. Brock proceeds to slap and throw Cena's happy ass around the ring for the next several minutes. Cena occasionally throws an elbow and a punch. He throws legit elbows too, he holds nothing back here. He even bloodies Brock's nose, but Lesnar throws him across the ring again. Brock charges Cena, who throws another elbow which staggers Brock. Cena picks him up and drops him with another AA for a 2 count this time. Lesnar scoops Cena up for an F5, but Cena slides behind him, sweeping his legs and locking in the STF. Brock pries Cena's hands apart and transitions into the Kimura. Cena stands up and rams Lesnar's back into the turnbuckle to escape. Cena hits another AA on Lesnar and locks in the STF on Lesnar. Twice, Brock makes it to the bottom rope, only for Cena to drag him back to the center of the ring and reapply the hold. Cena eventually lets go and hits a 4th AA on Brock. Cena covers, but the pin is stopped by Seth Rollins slamming his briefcase into Cena's back. The referee rings the bell and Seth knocks Cena out with the briefcase. Just before he cashes in, he Curb Stomps Lesnar. The announcement is made that Rollins is cashing in, but before the bell can officially ring, Cena stops Seth from getting in the ring and attacks him. Seth runs off, Cena yells after him. Brock has recovered and F5s Cena. Cena is announced as the winner but by disqualification. So theres a non-finish, no cash-in. Very disappointing ending.
My Rating: ***1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.61
My Rating: 7.5/10
I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed from this show. Generally, I don't think many people think about this event very often. Sheamus and Cesaro had a banger. Orton and Jericho had a very good match too. And even the main event was going well until we got to the dumb DQ finish. And this show also saw the return of Dean Ambrose, which got a massive reaction. But I can't say this ranks very high for me.
Match 1: WWE Tag Team Championship Match - Goldust & Stardust def. The Usos (c) (12:47)
An “eh” way to kick off the show. I know these teams could've done better. The Dust Bunnies (as my dad called them) were able to isolate Jimmy from his corner. I expected it to be Jey considering they were telling us before the match that he had a bad knee weeks ago. But yeah, that is most of this match, Goldy and Starry keep Jimmy away from his bro… until they can't! Jey comes in, hopped up on (diet) Mountain Dew (which sponsored this PPV). Jey goes after Stardust's knee, I guess giving him a taste of what he got weeks earlier. Jimmy dives on Goldust. Stardust ties Jey up in the ropes and removes his glove. And challenges him to a duel! Slaps him in the face with it. Jimmy helps his brother escape, but gets knocked off the apron by Stardust. Goldust comes off the apron on Jimmy while Jey dives on Stardust outside. Jey throws Stardust back inside and goes to splash him, but Cody gets his knees him and then rolls Jey up from behind to win the titles. The match picks up in the last couple minutes but most of the match is uninteresting.
My Rating: **3/4
Match 2: United States Championship Match - Sheamus (c) def. Cesaro (13:21)
My only complaint is that Cesaro should've won. He had lost some momentum during the year and could've used this win. Other than that, this was fucking awesome! These guys beat the shit out of each other. They held nothing back. I like their 2016 Clash match slightly more but this was also a great match. The match starts with some wrestling surprisingly enough. But it doesn't take long for it to get nasty. I'd say it really picks up when Cesaro drops Sheamus off the top rope with an uppercut. Cesaro gets Sheamus in a sleeper, but Sheamus starts to come back and hits a couple backbreakers on Cesaro. And then starts beating his chest on the apron, but Cesaro catches his arm and escapes, gives Sheamus a stiff elbow and a kick to the face. Cesaro goes up and Sheamus grabs him both his arms and yanks off and over on the mat. Sheamus goes for a Brogue Kick, but Cesaro ducks it. Sheamus bounces off again and gets tossed up and uppercut by Cesaro. Sheamus gets another hard kick to the face and he responds with a hard elbow and a powerslam. Sheamus goes for another Brogue Kick, but Cesaro avoids it again, dropping to the mat and rolling up Sheamus. Sheamus kicks out and Cesaro hits a double underhook bomb before he picks Sheamus back up, tries a Neutralizer. Sheamus stands and Cesaro lands on his feet. Sheamus goes for the Brogue Kick and Cesaro once again avoids it, and picks Sheamus up on his shoulders torture rack style and drops Sheamus on his back. Sheamus kicks out and Cesaro starts slapping Sheamus in the face. Sheamus gives Cesaro's torso a few good shots as he stands back up, but Cesaro backs Sheamus in a corner with an uppercut and a kick to the face. Sheamus pushes Cesaro off and tells him to bring it on. And Cesaro does, he kicks Sheamus in the face again and the referee has to pull him away. Sheamus takes that chance to Brogue Kick Cesaro before pinning him 1, 2, 3. Great match! They held nothing back!
My Rating: ****
Match 3: Intercontinental Championship Match - The Miz def. Dolph Ziggler (c) (9:18)
Not the worst, but definitely most annoying match on the card. For the fact they brought out Florida Georgia Line and they hung out at commentary the whole match. And the commentary was more focused on them than the match. This was before Mizdow really started to get the hang of his new character. He's not yet mimicking Miz's every movement yet so the fun is sucked out there. R-Truth does next to nothing as R-Ziggler. (Yes, thats what he was called). Just an unamusing experience all around. The match actually starts to pick up about midway through when Mizdow yanks Ziggler off the apron. R-Ziggler comes over and gets a fist to the face. And I guess I should've known better than to think FGL was just gonna sit there. They shove Mizdow and Truth chases him to the back. Miz sees that happen and turns around into a superkick from Dolph. Miz kicks out. Dolph goes for a dropkick but Miz catches his legs and puts Dolph in the Figure 4. Dolph is able to crawl to the ropes and hits a Famouser with a bad knee. Mizdow runs back down, but gets superkicked by Dolph. Miz rolls Dolph up from behind and wins the title… Only to lose it back to Dolph literally the next night. (Yes really. This booking makes no sense).
My Rating: **3/4
So after that, they explain that the match that was originally supposed to happen between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns had to be canceled because Roman had to get emergency surgery. Seth comes out with a big smile on his face and basks in the glory of his “victory.” He has the referee ring the bell and count to 10. And he's announced as the winner by forfeit. And I guess that counts as a match, but I don't count that. Seth issues an open challenge to anybody in the back and on the tron, a taxi pulls up into the building and fucking Kevin Dunn with his 500,000 camera cuts a segment, cuts from the taxi to Seth Rollins as Dean Ambrose exits the taxi. Ambrose gets a massive pop regardless because he was astronomically over at this point. Ambrose marches to the ring and puts the boots and fists to Seth! He takes Seth through the crowd. An army of security tries to get Dean away from Seth, but Dean just dives on them and continues to chase and beat up Seth. Dean grabs a steel chair and is about to swing, but he's tackled to the mat by about 10 henchmen. They tie his hands behind his back and carry him out as he kicks at them. Yeah, big pop for Ambrose who was really carrying Raw at this point.
Match 4: Rusev def. Mark Henry (8:26)
Oof, Mark was really moving a little slower at this point wasn't he? Rusev was really at the peak of his career, during his undefeated streak. Mark overpowers Rusev at first, but Rusev shoves Mark back first into the steel steps. Rusev targets Mark's back. Mark can barely lift Rusev but is able to hit an adrenaline fueled World's Strongest Slam. Mark is unable to cover Rusev. Rusev recovers and delivers 3 Machka kicks to Henry before putting him in the Accolade, forcing Mark to tap out. And commentary is very dramatic about this loss too.
My Rating: **
Match 5: Randy Orton def. Chris Jericho (16:15)
A pretty good match, with a pretty slow pace, but not bad for a match thrown together just to give them something to do. Weirdly enough, the superplex spot happens pretty early in the match. Orton hits one on Jericho only a few minutes in. Jericho fights off Orton with chops but Orton sends Jericho face first into the ring post and over the ropes. Orton drops Jericho back first on the announce table. Orton starts to ground Jericho for a little bit, but Chris starts to mount a comeback. Jericho goes for a Lionsault but misses it the first time and Orton hits a backbreaker. Orton goes for the RKO, but Jericho shoves him off and now hits the Lionsault. Jericho tries for his springboard dropkick and Orton moves in the ring, Jericho lands on his feet. Orton tries to DDT him from the ropes, but Jericho stands up and sweeps Orton's legs, trying the Walls of Jericho. But Orton is able to escape. Orton tries to punt Jericho, who dodges it and rolls up Orton from behind. Orton kicks out but Jericho sweeps his legs again and gets Orton in the Walls. Orton is in the hold for a solid minute, but lifts his body through Chris’ legs and kicks him out of the ring. As Chris is getting back in, Orton gives him a draping DDT and awaits for Jericho to get up so he can hit an RKO. But Jericho quickly turns and hits the Codebreaker for a 2 count. Jericho goes to the top rope and calls for Orton to get up. Orton stands up, Jericho leaps and gets caught with an RKO. Orton pins him 1, 2, 3.
My Rating: ***3/4
Match 6: Divas Championship Triple Threat Match - AJ Lee def. Paige (c) & Nikki Bella (8:45)
Not a match looked back on, but to be honest, I found myself enjoying this match for what it was. I thought all 3 ladies, (yes even Nikki) did a good job. Paige and Nikki each try to attack AJ, who was leaning on the ropes. AJ dropkicks them both. All 3 women get turns being on top. Nikki gets AJ in a sleeper and swings her around. AJ is able to get Nikki in a Black Widow, but Paige comes in with a superkick to AJ to break it up. Paige looks like she's setting AJ up for a superplex, but Nikki comes over and there's the big tower of doom spot. Nikki hits the Rack Attack on Paige and covers her, but AJ breaks it up. Nikki sends AJ outside and goes to follow her. But its a mistake as AJ grabs Nikki by her hair and yanks her to the floor. AJ gets back in the ring and locks Paige in the Black Widow. Paige nearly escapes, but AJ manages to keep it applied and forces Paige to tap out.
My Rating: ***1/4
Main Event: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match - John Cena def. Brock Lesnar (c) via DQ (14:15)
Now on to the main event that everyone was only excited for to watch Brock kick Cena's ass again. And for the most part, thats what they get. Honestly, a pretty good match, but believe it or not, watching Brock whoop John's ass gets old after a bit. Brock goes for a suplex right away, but Cena hooks the ropes with his feet and elbows Brock in the face. Cena hits an AA on Brock and covers him. But Brock kicks out at one. But Brock manages to get Cena in a Kimura Lock and throws Cena across the ring with a german suplex. And so let the beatings begin. Brock proceeds to slap and throw Cena's happy ass around the ring for the next several minutes. Cena occasionally throws an elbow and a punch. He throws legit elbows too, he holds nothing back here. He even bloodies Brock's nose, but Lesnar throws him across the ring again. Brock charges Cena, who throws another elbow which staggers Brock. Cena picks him up and drops him with another AA for a 2 count this time. Lesnar scoops Cena up for an F5, but Cena slides behind him, sweeping his legs and locking in the STF. Brock pries Cena's hands apart and transitions into the Kimura. Cena stands up and rams Lesnar's back into the turnbuckle to escape. Cena hits another AA on Lesnar and locks in the STF on Lesnar. Twice, Brock makes it to the bottom rope, only for Cena to drag him back to the center of the ring and reapply the hold. Cena eventually lets go and hits a 4th AA on Brock. Cena covers, but the pin is stopped by Seth Rollins slamming his briefcase into Cena's back. The referee rings the bell and Seth knocks Cena out with the briefcase. Just before he cashes in, he Curb Stomps Lesnar. The announcement is made that Rollins is cashing in, but before the bell can officially ring, Cena stops Seth from getting in the ring and attacks him. Seth runs off, Cena yells after him. Brock has recovered and F5s Cena. Cena is announced as the winner but by disqualification. So theres a non-finish, no cash-in. Very disappointing ending.
My Rating: ***1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.61
My Rating: 7.5/10
I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed from this show. Generally, I don't think many people think about this event very often. Sheamus and Cesaro had a banger. Orton and Jericho had a very good match too. And even the main event was going well until we got to the dumb DQ finish. And this show also saw the return of Dean Ambrose, which got a massive reaction. But I can't say this ranks very high for me.
No Mercy 1999 (US)
Match 1: The Godfather def. Mideon (7:31)
Starting the show off dull. A match that was booked on Heat before the PPV. And a match that apparently happened on the episode of SmackDown before this. So that begs the question, why did they think people wanted to see this twice? This is as dull as you could expect it to be. And the finish is so weird. Viscera takes one of the hoes outside hostage and distracts Godfather, allowing Mideon to take control. So much of this match is a cycle. Mideon uses a rest hold, distracts referee, Viscera nails Godfather from the outside. They repeat this exact spot for several minutes until its time for Godfather to make his grand comeback. Viscera rams himself into the ringpost because Godfather dodged him. And the finish is so funny. Godfather hits the splash in the corner and then rolls Mideon up from behind. Huh? What an odd finish.
My Rating: *
Match 2: Women's Championship Match - Fabulous Moolah def. Ivory (c) (3:01)
As bad as that was, this manages to top it. And no joke, this is one of the worst matches I've ever seen. Not just from an in ring perspective but a booking perspective. Nice of Moolah to set the women back a few more years. Moolah is over 70 years old and Ivory looks bad trying to carry her. Ivory tries to suicide dive Moolah and Moolah does not catch her at all. Hell, Mae Young takes more bumps than Moolah does. Several times during the match, Mae gets on the apron and Ivory kicks her off. Should've just had Mae in the match honestly since she's the only one bumping. Ivory grabs the title and clocks Mae with it. Moolah rolls her up from behind and. Fucking. Wins. Yeah. Uh. Fuck this bitch. If theres a female Hogan, it would be Moolah. And I mean that in a bad way.
My Rating: DUD
Match 3: The Hollys def. The New Age Outlaws via DQ (10:11)
3 matches in and we still have yet to have something worth watching. First off, I need to talk about how fucking stupid the Hollys are. This was supposed to be for the Tag Team Titles, but the Outlaws lost them to Rock n Sock on SmackDown. How you may ask? Because The Hollys interfered and instead of helping the Outlaws, making sure they still get their shot, Bob Holly clocks Billy with the Tag Title, allowing Mankind to pin him. Congratulations, ya played yaselves. Anyway, on to the match. The Outlaws get off to a good start, but The Hollys start keeping Road Dogg away from Billy, and this portion of the match is so boring. Road Dogg hits a superplex on Crash. He reaches Billy who turns the match around, momentum shifts completely. Bob grabs a steel chair and throws it in the ring, Crash goes to grab it but Billy hits a Famouser on the chair, and the referee disqualifies them. I'm gonna bring up this later because there's some inconsistencies.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 4: Intercontinental Championship Good Housekeeping Match - Chyna def. Jeff Jarrett (c) (8:37)
I thought this match was alright actually. I mean, the ending is goofy but its okay. Jeff's gimmick at the time was very misogynistic. Hence the reason this is a “good housekeeping” match. They have literally every fucking household appliance they could find out there. Frying pans, a microwave, brooms, an ironing board. Chyna beats Jarrett from pillar to post in the first few minutes. But Chyna lays Jarrett on a table and tries to drop an elbow through it. So now the tables have turned and now Jarrett in control. Miss Kitty pours 2 handfuls of flour into his hand and Chyna slaps his hands up into his face so it hits him. Chyna dumps some eggey water on Miss Kitty, and Jarrett clips her knee. He puts Chyna in the Figure 4, but Chyna is able to reach the ropes. Kitty hands Jarrett some tongs and Jarrett climbs the 2nd rope. He comes off and get an elbow to the crotch. Chyna uses the tongs on Jeff's ballsack before she hits him in the head with a kitchen sink. Jarrett kicks out so Chyna sets up a cake underneath them before hooking Jarrett's arms for a Pedigree. Jarrett sweeps the legs and catapults her into the referee. Even in a No DQ Match, we need a ref bump. Jarrett tells Kitty to roll in the IC Title so Jarrett can clock Chyna with it. And then he pins her 1, 2, 3? Oh… Well I know Chyna wins this so I know some goofy thing is about to happen. As Jarrett is leaving with the belt, the referee catches up with him to say he's gonna go one on one with The Undertaker (cause its Teddy Long). No, he actually tells him that he can't win with the Intercontinental Title because its not a “household item.” And I get that its called a “Good Housekeeping Match”, but its a No DQ Match all the same. Whatever man. Understandably, Jarrett goes after the ref and tries to put the Figure 4 on him, but Chyna slams Jarrett in the face with his guitar, which apparently is a household item because Teddy counts the pin and Chyna is the new champ. Which was kinda cool if I'm being honest.
My Rating: ***
Match 5: The Rock def. British Bulldog (6:20)
Considering who’s involved, I'm a little surprised by how short this was. They start with brawling outside the ring after the bell. Bulldog uses a chair, but the referee ain't worried about that I guess. Its just a small back and forth match but its so dull. Its funny that Rock shoved the ref away so he didn't see Bulldog low blow him and it got no reaction from the crowd, Jim Ross or Lawler. Rock beats Bulldog with a Rock Bottom and a People's Elbow to take the W and end Bulldog's main event push.
My Rating: **1/4
Match 6: Terri Invitational Ladder Match - The Hardy Boyz def. Edge & Christian (16:30)
Ah yeah, now this is more like it. We at least got this match out of this show. The match that really put all these guys on the map. Gangrel initially comes out with the Hardyz because they were the New Brood. The referee sends Gangrel to the back pretty quickly. Jeff grabs a ladder, that gets dropkicked into his face by Edge. Matt clotheslines him out of the ring. Christian springboards over the ropes onto Matt. They make good use of the ladders in this match. E&C irish whip Matt into the ladder set up in the corner, Edge goes to splash Matt against it, but Matt dodges and Edge hits the ladder. Christian hits an inverted DDT to Matt off the ladder. Edge goes to climb the ladder but Jeff comes off the top and dropkicks Edge off. Matt drops Edge on a ladder and Jeff Swantons Edge on the ladder. They lay Christian out and Jeff leaps over a standing ladder from the top rope to hit a leg drop. And then they lay the ladder over Christian's body before Matt hits a moonsault on Christian's dead body. Jeff goes to climb the ladder, but Edge comes in with another ladder, tosses it at Jeff who falls off. He throws it at Matt next before he goes to climb the ladder standing in the ring, but Matt tosses the other ladder at Edge's back. The Hardys pick up a ladder, holding it sideways. They go to clothesline Edge with it but Edge ducks and Christian crossbodies the ladder, taking both Hardys down with him. Then poor Matt Hardy gets a ladder slid into his dick as he was sitting in the corner with his legs spread. They then sandwich Jeff between both sides of a ladder, slamming one side into his body over and over. Several spots from off the ladder ensues. Edge hits a downward spiral to Jeff off the ladder. Matt hits a neckbreaker on Edge off the ladder (how ironic). Christian hip tosses Jeff from the ladder. Edge and Christian lay a ladder between the other ladder but Matt saves his brother. Jeff repays him by Joey Mercurying both him and Christian, which makes Jerry Lawler go “WHAT THE HECK!” All four men get up. Jeff and Christian climb one ladder and Edge and Matt climb the other standing beside it. Jeff and Christian's falls over first, followed by Edge and Matt's. Christian gets crotched on the top rope while Matt lands outside. And all 4 men are down again. All four men get up slowly and once again find themselves climbing ladders although Jeff and Christian's is turned in a different direction from Edge and Matt's. Edge shoves Matt off the ladder and Matt hits the top rope, but shoves the ladder Jeff and Christian are standing on as he's falling. But Jeff is able to leap to the ladder Edge is standing on, knocking him off and allowing him to grab the bag of money. Jeff takes it down and falls off the ladder after getting it. But the Hardys have won after an absolutely stellar Ladder Match!
My Rating: ****1/2
Shortly after the ring is cleared, The Rock comes back out and issues a challenge to whoever wins the main event for the WWF Title. To keep it short and sweet. Not gonna lie, I don't think he said anything else worth mentioning. But as he's going to the back, he's attacked by Triple H with a sledgehammer. HHH slams the hammer into The Rock's ribs and its honestly pretty brutal. Not to say its graphic or anything but swinging a sledgehammer into somebody's ribs is fucked up.
Match 7: Val Venis def. Mankind (9:26)
How the hell did Val Venis get a PPV match against Mick Foley? You guys really couldn't think of anything better for Mick to do? Val slides outside as Mick is heading out and Mankind was ready for him. Once they get in the ring, the bell rings. Mankind yanks Mr. Rocko (if you remember that) out of Val's tights and Lawler makes some dick jokes. I'm so confused. Mankind grabs a steel chair and slams Val's face into the seat. The Outlaws got DQ'd earlier for doing something similar but we don't care I guess. Val back suplexes Mick into the chair, still no DQ. Mick shoves Socko down Val's mouth but Venis pushes Mick, the back of his head hits the ring post. Venis takes Mankind back inside and grounds him for most of the match. Venis misses the splash and Foley hits a Double Arm DDT. The move that won him his last World Championship, and Venis kicks out of it. What? Mankind takes Socko out of his pants and Venis takes Rocko out of his trunks. Guys, when I say this might be the stupidest ending to a match that I've ever seen(that isn't a DQ, countout or no contest) I'm not fucking around. I was flabbergasted by this finish. Mankind gets Socko in Venis's mouth. And Venis puts Rocko on Mick's cock. And then both guys fall over but Venis falls on top of Mick and thats the finish. Thats the fucking finish. What in the absolute double wided trailer park tits did I just watch?
My Rating: *1/4
Match 8: Four Corners Elimination Match - X-Pac def. Kane, Bradshaw & Faarooq (10:08)
So after that match, we have a bit of a funny match. This was a Tag Match originally, but it got changed into a four way. I'm not sure how that happened. Its still tag rules though. X-Pac and Kane get in and Pac wants to fight because this match for him is about proving he can hang with the giants. But Kane is hesitant. He doesn't wanna fight his friend. X-Pac shoves Kane, trying to get him to fight back. Kane does give Pac a good shot. Bradshaw tags himself in. X-Pac tags in Faarooq while Kane hesitated to fight X-Pac, Bradshaw funnily enough attacks Faarooq before he can even get in the ring. But thats the only time they fight as Faarooq tags X-Pac back in and the Acolytes start treating this like it is a tag match and keep Pac away from Kane. Kane eventually has enough, drags X-Pac over to his corner, tags himself in and hits a clothesline off the top rope to Bradshaw. Kane Chokeslams Bradshaw and eliminates him. X-Pac comes off the top with a spinning heel kick to Kane and eliminates him. Now its down to X-Pac and Faarooq, who tosses Pac to the outside and looks like he's gonna hit a Dominator on the table. Pac escapes however. Both men make it back inside and Faarooq goes up despite not being a high flyer. Faarooq jumps and Pac catches him with an X-Factor. X-Pac wins. So X-Pac proves he can hang with the giants and gets a big pop. It'd be really stupid if they turned him heel after this. Oh wait.
My Rating: **3/4
Main Event: WWF Championship Anything Goes Match - Triple H (c) def. Steve Austin (21:53)
To cap off this… disaster is a really good main event. Although I think I personally liked their Survivor Series match more. Triple H comes out second, carrying the sledgehammer he used on Rock earlier. Vince marches out behind him and yoinks it out of his hands. Triple H knocks to the ground and Austin sprints up the entrance way and the match is on. And for like 8 minutes, Austin beats the piss out of HHH. He swings the boom camera into HHH's face. He takes it into the crowd, where HHH goes for a Pedigree, but Stone Cold sweeps his legs and catapults him into the referee (second time that spot has happened). They finally make it in the ring. Austin hits HHH with a Stunner and has the match won. The referee recovers and gets on the apron. Austin goes for another Stunner and HHH shoves him into the ref, who goes flying into the barricade. HHH hits Austin with a Pedigree and covers him. Earl Hebner runs down and counts. Austin kicks out at 2 and HHH says “where the fuck were you?” Austin recovers quick and continues putting the boots to HHH. He bloodies HHH with a fan sitting on the commentary table. Austin chokes HHH with some cables at ringside. HHH grabs a ring bell though and swings it into Austin's head. And then one more time before he suplexes Austin onto one of the tables. HHH goes after Austin's knee and the pace of this match slows wayyyyy down. Like, yawn. Can we go back to Austin beating HHH up. Austin superplexes HHH. He swings a chair into HHH's face, and then wails on HHH's legs with the chair, much like what HHH did to Austin at SummerSlam. HHH low blows Austin to catch a breath. But then we see The Rock making his way towards the ring, holding a sledgehammer. He gets in, swings at HHH's gut, but HHH sidesteps and Rock hits Austin instead. HHH Pedigrees Rock and pins Austin to retain.
My Rating: ***1/2
As Triple H is leaving with his title, Austin runs after him and chases him to the parking lot where Chyna is waiting. Is Chyna a face or a heel, still confused about that. Triple H hops into the back of a car with Chyna. It speeds off a moment later as Austin watches. Thats a wrap folks.
Cagematch Rating: 6.62
My Rating: 5/10
Holy fuck. This was pretty bad. The only things saving it are the Ladder Match and the main event. But even so, we're talking about 2 matches out of 9. The rest of the card is the lowest form of doggy crap you could possibly get. It really says something about 1999 that this was the highest rated PPV of their year. Yep, we've officially reached the final review for 1999.
Match 1: The Godfather def. Mideon (7:31)
Starting the show off dull. A match that was booked on Heat before the PPV. And a match that apparently happened on the episode of SmackDown before this. So that begs the question, why did they think people wanted to see this twice? This is as dull as you could expect it to be. And the finish is so weird. Viscera takes one of the hoes outside hostage and distracts Godfather, allowing Mideon to take control. So much of this match is a cycle. Mideon uses a rest hold, distracts referee, Viscera nails Godfather from the outside. They repeat this exact spot for several minutes until its time for Godfather to make his grand comeback. Viscera rams himself into the ringpost because Godfather dodged him. And the finish is so funny. Godfather hits the splash in the corner and then rolls Mideon up from behind. Huh? What an odd finish.
My Rating: *
Match 2: Women's Championship Match - Fabulous Moolah def. Ivory (c) (3:01)
As bad as that was, this manages to top it. And no joke, this is one of the worst matches I've ever seen. Not just from an in ring perspective but a booking perspective. Nice of Moolah to set the women back a few more years. Moolah is over 70 years old and Ivory looks bad trying to carry her. Ivory tries to suicide dive Moolah and Moolah does not catch her at all. Hell, Mae Young takes more bumps than Moolah does. Several times during the match, Mae gets on the apron and Ivory kicks her off. Should've just had Mae in the match honestly since she's the only one bumping. Ivory grabs the title and clocks Mae with it. Moolah rolls her up from behind and. Fucking. Wins. Yeah. Uh. Fuck this bitch. If theres a female Hogan, it would be Moolah. And I mean that in a bad way.
My Rating: DUD
Match 3: The Hollys def. The New Age Outlaws via DQ (10:11)
3 matches in and we still have yet to have something worth watching. First off, I need to talk about how fucking stupid the Hollys are. This was supposed to be for the Tag Team Titles, but the Outlaws lost them to Rock n Sock on SmackDown. How you may ask? Because The Hollys interfered and instead of helping the Outlaws, making sure they still get their shot, Bob Holly clocks Billy with the Tag Title, allowing Mankind to pin him. Congratulations, ya played yaselves. Anyway, on to the match. The Outlaws get off to a good start, but The Hollys start keeping Road Dogg away from Billy, and this portion of the match is so boring. Road Dogg hits a superplex on Crash. He reaches Billy who turns the match around, momentum shifts completely. Bob grabs a steel chair and throws it in the ring, Crash goes to grab it but Billy hits a Famouser on the chair, and the referee disqualifies them. I'm gonna bring up this later because there's some inconsistencies.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 4: Intercontinental Championship Good Housekeeping Match - Chyna def. Jeff Jarrett (c) (8:37)
I thought this match was alright actually. I mean, the ending is goofy but its okay. Jeff's gimmick at the time was very misogynistic. Hence the reason this is a “good housekeeping” match. They have literally every fucking household appliance they could find out there. Frying pans, a microwave, brooms, an ironing board. Chyna beats Jarrett from pillar to post in the first few minutes. But Chyna lays Jarrett on a table and tries to drop an elbow through it. So now the tables have turned and now Jarrett in control. Miss Kitty pours 2 handfuls of flour into his hand and Chyna slaps his hands up into his face so it hits him. Chyna dumps some eggey water on Miss Kitty, and Jarrett clips her knee. He puts Chyna in the Figure 4, but Chyna is able to reach the ropes. Kitty hands Jarrett some tongs and Jarrett climbs the 2nd rope. He comes off and get an elbow to the crotch. Chyna uses the tongs on Jeff's ballsack before she hits him in the head with a kitchen sink. Jarrett kicks out so Chyna sets up a cake underneath them before hooking Jarrett's arms for a Pedigree. Jarrett sweeps the legs and catapults her into the referee. Even in a No DQ Match, we need a ref bump. Jarrett tells Kitty to roll in the IC Title so Jarrett can clock Chyna with it. And then he pins her 1, 2, 3? Oh… Well I know Chyna wins this so I know some goofy thing is about to happen. As Jarrett is leaving with the belt, the referee catches up with him to say he's gonna go one on one with The Undertaker (cause its Teddy Long). No, he actually tells him that he can't win with the Intercontinental Title because its not a “household item.” And I get that its called a “Good Housekeeping Match”, but its a No DQ Match all the same. Whatever man. Understandably, Jarrett goes after the ref and tries to put the Figure 4 on him, but Chyna slams Jarrett in the face with his guitar, which apparently is a household item because Teddy counts the pin and Chyna is the new champ. Which was kinda cool if I'm being honest.
My Rating: ***
Match 5: The Rock def. British Bulldog (6:20)
Considering who’s involved, I'm a little surprised by how short this was. They start with brawling outside the ring after the bell. Bulldog uses a chair, but the referee ain't worried about that I guess. Its just a small back and forth match but its so dull. Its funny that Rock shoved the ref away so he didn't see Bulldog low blow him and it got no reaction from the crowd, Jim Ross or Lawler. Rock beats Bulldog with a Rock Bottom and a People's Elbow to take the W and end Bulldog's main event push.
My Rating: **1/4
Match 6: Terri Invitational Ladder Match - The Hardy Boyz def. Edge & Christian (16:30)
Ah yeah, now this is more like it. We at least got this match out of this show. The match that really put all these guys on the map. Gangrel initially comes out with the Hardyz because they were the New Brood. The referee sends Gangrel to the back pretty quickly. Jeff grabs a ladder, that gets dropkicked into his face by Edge. Matt clotheslines him out of the ring. Christian springboards over the ropes onto Matt. They make good use of the ladders in this match. E&C irish whip Matt into the ladder set up in the corner, Edge goes to splash Matt against it, but Matt dodges and Edge hits the ladder. Christian hits an inverted DDT to Matt off the ladder. Edge goes to climb the ladder but Jeff comes off the top and dropkicks Edge off. Matt drops Edge on a ladder and Jeff Swantons Edge on the ladder. They lay Christian out and Jeff leaps over a standing ladder from the top rope to hit a leg drop. And then they lay the ladder over Christian's body before Matt hits a moonsault on Christian's dead body. Jeff goes to climb the ladder, but Edge comes in with another ladder, tosses it at Jeff who falls off. He throws it at Matt next before he goes to climb the ladder standing in the ring, but Matt tosses the other ladder at Edge's back. The Hardys pick up a ladder, holding it sideways. They go to clothesline Edge with it but Edge ducks and Christian crossbodies the ladder, taking both Hardys down with him. Then poor Matt Hardy gets a ladder slid into his dick as he was sitting in the corner with his legs spread. They then sandwich Jeff between both sides of a ladder, slamming one side into his body over and over. Several spots from off the ladder ensues. Edge hits a downward spiral to Jeff off the ladder. Matt hits a neckbreaker on Edge off the ladder (how ironic). Christian hip tosses Jeff from the ladder. Edge and Christian lay a ladder between the other ladder but Matt saves his brother. Jeff repays him by Joey Mercurying both him and Christian, which makes Jerry Lawler go “WHAT THE HECK!” All four men get up. Jeff and Christian climb one ladder and Edge and Matt climb the other standing beside it. Jeff and Christian's falls over first, followed by Edge and Matt's. Christian gets crotched on the top rope while Matt lands outside. And all 4 men are down again. All four men get up slowly and once again find themselves climbing ladders although Jeff and Christian's is turned in a different direction from Edge and Matt's. Edge shoves Matt off the ladder and Matt hits the top rope, but shoves the ladder Jeff and Christian are standing on as he's falling. But Jeff is able to leap to the ladder Edge is standing on, knocking him off and allowing him to grab the bag of money. Jeff takes it down and falls off the ladder after getting it. But the Hardys have won after an absolutely stellar Ladder Match!
My Rating: ****1/2
Shortly after the ring is cleared, The Rock comes back out and issues a challenge to whoever wins the main event for the WWF Title. To keep it short and sweet. Not gonna lie, I don't think he said anything else worth mentioning. But as he's going to the back, he's attacked by Triple H with a sledgehammer. HHH slams the hammer into The Rock's ribs and its honestly pretty brutal. Not to say its graphic or anything but swinging a sledgehammer into somebody's ribs is fucked up.
Match 7: Val Venis def. Mankind (9:26)
How the hell did Val Venis get a PPV match against Mick Foley? You guys really couldn't think of anything better for Mick to do? Val slides outside as Mick is heading out and Mankind was ready for him. Once they get in the ring, the bell rings. Mankind yanks Mr. Rocko (if you remember that) out of Val's tights and Lawler makes some dick jokes. I'm so confused. Mankind grabs a steel chair and slams Val's face into the seat. The Outlaws got DQ'd earlier for doing something similar but we don't care I guess. Val back suplexes Mick into the chair, still no DQ. Mick shoves Socko down Val's mouth but Venis pushes Mick, the back of his head hits the ring post. Venis takes Mankind back inside and grounds him for most of the match. Venis misses the splash and Foley hits a Double Arm DDT. The move that won him his last World Championship, and Venis kicks out of it. What? Mankind takes Socko out of his pants and Venis takes Rocko out of his trunks. Guys, when I say this might be the stupidest ending to a match that I've ever seen(that isn't a DQ, countout or no contest) I'm not fucking around. I was flabbergasted by this finish. Mankind gets Socko in Venis's mouth. And Venis puts Rocko on Mick's cock. And then both guys fall over but Venis falls on top of Mick and thats the finish. Thats the fucking finish. What in the absolute double wided trailer park tits did I just watch?
My Rating: *1/4
Match 8: Four Corners Elimination Match - X-Pac def. Kane, Bradshaw & Faarooq (10:08)
So after that match, we have a bit of a funny match. This was a Tag Match originally, but it got changed into a four way. I'm not sure how that happened. Its still tag rules though. X-Pac and Kane get in and Pac wants to fight because this match for him is about proving he can hang with the giants. But Kane is hesitant. He doesn't wanna fight his friend. X-Pac shoves Kane, trying to get him to fight back. Kane does give Pac a good shot. Bradshaw tags himself in. X-Pac tags in Faarooq while Kane hesitated to fight X-Pac, Bradshaw funnily enough attacks Faarooq before he can even get in the ring. But thats the only time they fight as Faarooq tags X-Pac back in and the Acolytes start treating this like it is a tag match and keep Pac away from Kane. Kane eventually has enough, drags X-Pac over to his corner, tags himself in and hits a clothesline off the top rope to Bradshaw. Kane Chokeslams Bradshaw and eliminates him. X-Pac comes off the top with a spinning heel kick to Kane and eliminates him. Now its down to X-Pac and Faarooq, who tosses Pac to the outside and looks like he's gonna hit a Dominator on the table. Pac escapes however. Both men make it back inside and Faarooq goes up despite not being a high flyer. Faarooq jumps and Pac catches him with an X-Factor. X-Pac wins. So X-Pac proves he can hang with the giants and gets a big pop. It'd be really stupid if they turned him heel after this. Oh wait.
My Rating: **3/4
Main Event: WWF Championship Anything Goes Match - Triple H (c) def. Steve Austin (21:53)
To cap off this… disaster is a really good main event. Although I think I personally liked their Survivor Series match more. Triple H comes out second, carrying the sledgehammer he used on Rock earlier. Vince marches out behind him and yoinks it out of his hands. Triple H knocks to the ground and Austin sprints up the entrance way and the match is on. And for like 8 minutes, Austin beats the piss out of HHH. He swings the boom camera into HHH's face. He takes it into the crowd, where HHH goes for a Pedigree, but Stone Cold sweeps his legs and catapults him into the referee (second time that spot has happened). They finally make it in the ring. Austin hits HHH with a Stunner and has the match won. The referee recovers and gets on the apron. Austin goes for another Stunner and HHH shoves him into the ref, who goes flying into the barricade. HHH hits Austin with a Pedigree and covers him. Earl Hebner runs down and counts. Austin kicks out at 2 and HHH says “where the fuck were you?” Austin recovers quick and continues putting the boots to HHH. He bloodies HHH with a fan sitting on the commentary table. Austin chokes HHH with some cables at ringside. HHH grabs a ring bell though and swings it into Austin's head. And then one more time before he suplexes Austin onto one of the tables. HHH goes after Austin's knee and the pace of this match slows wayyyyy down. Like, yawn. Can we go back to Austin beating HHH up. Austin superplexes HHH. He swings a chair into HHH's face, and then wails on HHH's legs with the chair, much like what HHH did to Austin at SummerSlam. HHH low blows Austin to catch a breath. But then we see The Rock making his way towards the ring, holding a sledgehammer. He gets in, swings at HHH's gut, but HHH sidesteps and Rock hits Austin instead. HHH Pedigrees Rock and pins Austin to retain.
My Rating: ***1/2
As Triple H is leaving with his title, Austin runs after him and chases him to the parking lot where Chyna is waiting. Is Chyna a face or a heel, still confused about that. Triple H hops into the back of a car with Chyna. It speeds off a moment later as Austin watches. Thats a wrap folks.
Cagematch Rating: 6.62
My Rating: 5/10
Holy fuck. This was pretty bad. The only things saving it are the Ladder Match and the main event. But even so, we're talking about 2 matches out of 9. The rest of the card is the lowest form of doggy crap you could possibly get. It really says something about 1999 that this was the highest rated PPV of their year. Yep, we've officially reached the final review for 1999.
Every WWF PPV of 1999 Ranked
Cagematch Ranking
14. Over the Edge (2.71)
13. King of the Ring (3.89)
12. WrestleMania 15 (4.05)
11. Armageddon (4.11)
10. No Mercy (UK) (4.15)
9. Survivor Series (4.23)
8. Unforgiven (4.52)
7. Rebellion (4.64)
6. Royal Rumble (4.93)
5. St. Valentine's Day Massacre (5.82)
4. Fully Loaded (5.99)
3. Backlash (6.04)
2. SummerSlam (6.25)
1. No Mercy (US) (6.60)
14. Over the Edge (0/10)
13. Survivor Series (2/10)
Recommended Matches: None
Worst Match: Mae Young, Fabulous Moolah, Tori & Debra vs Ivory, Jacqueline, Luna Vachon & Terri Runnels (DUD)
12. No Mercy (UK) (2/10)
Recommended Matches: None
Worst Match: Kane vs Mideon (*1/4)
11. King of the Ring (3/10)
Recommended Matches: None
Worst Match: X-Pac vs Hardcore Holly (*)
10. Unforgiven (3.5/10)
Recommended Match: HHH vs Rock vs Mankind vs Kane vs Big Show vs Bulldog (****)
Worst Match: Al Snow vs Big Boss Man - Kennel From Hell Match (DUD)
9. Rebellion (4/10)
Recommended Match: Triple H vs The Rock - Steel Cage Match (***3/4)
Worst Match: Ivory vs Jacqueline vs Luna Vachon vs Tori (1/2*)
8. WrestleMania 15 (4.5/10)
Recommended Match: Steve Austin vs The Rock - No DQ Match (****)
Worst Match: Sable vs Tori (DUD)
7. Royal Rumble (5/10)
Recommended Match: The Rock vs Mankind - I Quit Match (****1/2)
Worst Match: Royal Rumble Match (*1/2)
6. Fully Loaded (5/10)
Recommended Matches: Triple H vs The Rock - Strap Match (***1/2), Steve Austin vs The Undertaker - First Blood Match (***1/2)
Worst Match: Kane vs Big Show (*)
5. No Mercy (US) (5/10)
Recommended Matches: The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian - Ladder Match (****1/2), Triple H vs Steve Austin - Anything Goes Match (***1/2)
Worst Match: Ivory vs Fabulous Moolah (DUD)
4. St. Valentine's Day Massacre (5.5/10)
Recommended Matches: The Rock vs Mankind - Last Man Standing Match (****), Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon - Steel Cage Match (***)
Worst Match: Goldust vs Bluedust (1/2*)
3. Armageddon (5.5/10)
Recommended Matches: Kane vs X-Pac - Steel Cage Match (***1/4), Chyna vs Chris Jericho (***1/2), Triple H vs Vince McMahon - No Holds Barred Match (***1/2)
Worst Match: The Kat vs Ivory vs Jacqueline vs B.B. - Evening Gown Match (DUD)
2. SummerSlam (8/10)
Recommended Matches: Test vs Shane McMahon - Street Fight (***3/4), Kane & X-Pac vs The Undertaker & Big Show (***1/2), Mankind vs Triple H vs Steve Austin (****)
Worst Match: Ivory vs Tori (DUD)
1. Backlash (8.5/10)
Recommended Matches: Mankind vs Big Show - Boiler Room Brawl (***1/2), Triple H vs X-Pac (***1/2), Steve Austin vs The Rock - No DQ Match (****3/4)
Worst Match: Goldust vs The Godfather (*)
Cagematch Ranking
14. Over the Edge (2.71)
13. King of the Ring (3.89)
12. WrestleMania 15 (4.05)
11. Armageddon (4.11)
10. No Mercy (UK) (4.15)
9. Survivor Series (4.23)
8. Unforgiven (4.52)
7. Rebellion (4.64)
6. Royal Rumble (4.93)
5. St. Valentine's Day Massacre (5.82)
4. Fully Loaded (5.99)
3. Backlash (6.04)
2. SummerSlam (6.25)
1. No Mercy (US) (6.60)
14. Over the Edge (0/10)
13. Survivor Series (2/10)
Recommended Matches: None
Worst Match: Mae Young, Fabulous Moolah, Tori & Debra vs Ivory, Jacqueline, Luna Vachon & Terri Runnels (DUD)
12. No Mercy (UK) (2/10)
Recommended Matches: None
Worst Match: Kane vs Mideon (*1/4)
11. King of the Ring (3/10)
Recommended Matches: None
Worst Match: X-Pac vs Hardcore Holly (*)
10. Unforgiven (3.5/10)
Recommended Match: HHH vs Rock vs Mankind vs Kane vs Big Show vs Bulldog (****)
Worst Match: Al Snow vs Big Boss Man - Kennel From Hell Match (DUD)
9. Rebellion (4/10)
Recommended Match: Triple H vs The Rock - Steel Cage Match (***3/4)
Worst Match: Ivory vs Jacqueline vs Luna Vachon vs Tori (1/2*)
8. WrestleMania 15 (4.5/10)
Recommended Match: Steve Austin vs The Rock - No DQ Match (****)
Worst Match: Sable vs Tori (DUD)
7. Royal Rumble (5/10)
Recommended Match: The Rock vs Mankind - I Quit Match (****1/2)
Worst Match: Royal Rumble Match (*1/2)
6. Fully Loaded (5/10)
Recommended Matches: Triple H vs The Rock - Strap Match (***1/2), Steve Austin vs The Undertaker - First Blood Match (***1/2)
Worst Match: Kane vs Big Show (*)
5. No Mercy (US) (5/10)
Recommended Matches: The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian - Ladder Match (****1/2), Triple H vs Steve Austin - Anything Goes Match (***1/2)
Worst Match: Ivory vs Fabulous Moolah (DUD)
4. St. Valentine's Day Massacre (5.5/10)
Recommended Matches: The Rock vs Mankind - Last Man Standing Match (****), Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon - Steel Cage Match (***)
Worst Match: Goldust vs Bluedust (1/2*)
3. Armageddon (5.5/10)
Recommended Matches: Kane vs X-Pac - Steel Cage Match (***1/4), Chyna vs Chris Jericho (***1/2), Triple H vs Vince McMahon - No Holds Barred Match (***1/2)
Worst Match: The Kat vs Ivory vs Jacqueline vs B.B. - Evening Gown Match (DUD)
2. SummerSlam (8/10)
Recommended Matches: Test vs Shane McMahon - Street Fight (***3/4), Kane & X-Pac vs The Undertaker & Big Show (***1/2), Mankind vs Triple H vs Steve Austin (****)
Worst Match: Ivory vs Tori (DUD)
1. Backlash (8.5/10)
Recommended Matches: Mankind vs Big Show - Boiler Room Brawl (***1/2), Triple H vs X-Pac (***1/2), Steve Austin vs The Rock - No DQ Match (****3/4)
Worst Match: Goldust vs The Godfather (*)
Last edited:
Unforgiven 2000
Match 1: The Right to Censor def. The Dudley Boyz & The APA (6:05)
Well this was a stinker to open up our show. I swear they did basically nothing for about 6 minutes. The aftermath was more interesting. Guys just tag in and out, the legal men would do fuck all, rinse and repeat. I would like to mention Stevie does next to nothing until the end. They start to break out with a minute left. The Dudleys hit a Doomsday Device on Val Venis. But Stevie comes in, superkicks Bubba and allows Venis to pick up the win for their team. But the Dudleys and The APA attack them after the match. The Dudleys hit a WAZZUUUUUUP on Stevie before putting him through a table. So neither team looks good at the end.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 2: Strap Match - Tazz def. Jerry Lawler (5:07)
We are off to a rough start. Now in this Strap Match, you can win by pin, submission or touching all four corners. They whip each other with the strap. Lawler hits Tazz with 3 Piledrivers, and Tazz gets up after all 3 but falls forward after the 3rd. The referee gets knocked over as Lawler touches 3 corners. Then Raven, making his debut in the company comes and gives Lawler a DDT before Tazz puts him in the Kata ha Jime. I'm conflicted on this finish. On one hand, Raven's debut was cool, but I don't like that Tazz needed help to beat 50 year old Jerry Lawler of all people.
My Rating: *
Match 3: Hardcore Championship Invitational - Steve Blackman (c) def. Perry Saturn, Crash Holly, Test, Al Snow & Funaki (10:00)
This got shit on on Cagematch, but going by the current rating the Royal Rumble ‘25 has right now, they don't always have the best judgment on there. I don't care, I love the wacky, chaotic Hardcore Matches of the Attitude Era. Now this is like the “battle royal” at WrestleMania, where whoever gets the last pinfall by the end wins. And the winner apparently gets a 24 hour reprieve so they don't have to worry about being jumped for it. Blackman thrust kicks Crash who tried to run at him on the entrance way. Perry Saturn dives through the ropes, only for Blackman to hit him in the head with a trash can lid mid-air. And then Test presses Funaki over his head and throws him outside on Blackman. Thats how the match starts. Test came out with Trish while Perry came out with Terri. And they each gave each other's woman head. Thats rude. Crash manages to pin Blackman and then he runs up the entrance way with the title, likely trying to escape before Saturn comes back out with a trash can, bonks Crash in the head and pins him to win the title. So now everyone's after Perry. Admittedly, nothing much else happens, other than Al Snow hitting Test with a pizza box. (I could go for some pizza right now tbh). With just under 2 minutes to go, Blackman canes Saturn and pins him to win back the title. Steve manages to hang on until the time limit expires and he leaves with the title.
My Rating: ***
Match 4: Chris Jericho def. X-Pac (9:05)
Short and sweet. Really fast paced good match to really get this show on its feet. They really had each other scouted in this match as well, it was good. X-Pac takes the advantage, as Jericho was about to hit his springboard dropkick off the apron, X-Pac pushed him and Jericho flew into the barricade. X-Pac somersaults over the ropes and hits Jericho before throwing him over the announce table and then back inside. Pac begins to ground Jericho and hits a Bronco Buster before climbing to the second rope to gloat. Allowing Jericho to grab him and hit him with a powerbomb out of the corner. Jericho hits the Bronco Buster himself, just to rub it in a bit. X-Pac low blows Jericho without the ref seeing it somehow and gives him an X-Factor. Jericho kicks out at 2.99999999999. X-Pac goes for a head scissors but Jericho counters it into a powerbomb, before applying the Walls of Jericho. Pac makes it to the rope and Jericho pulls him back to the center, but the ref still makes him break it up. Jericho bulldogs X-Pac and goes for the Lionsault, but Pac gets his knees up. X-Pac goes the ropes again and goes for a dropkick but Jericho catches him and locks in the Walls again to make X-Pac tap out. Jericho won, but X-Pac still gets the last word as he starts to beat up Jericho with a pair of nunchucks.
My Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: WWF Tag Team Championship Steel Cage Match - The Hardy Boyz def. Edge & Christian (c) (14:00)
Another review, another Hardys/E&C classic. That not a lot of people talk about sadly. I loved this. I thought this went a long way in making people realize that Edge and Christian weren't just goofballs, they could be cunning and maniacal. The way to win this match was by pin, submission or if both members of a team escaped the cage. Well Jeff gets out of the cage pretty early. He's standing on top and Edge pushes his legs. Jeff grabs onto the cage before he crashes but he ends up on the floor, leaving Matt by himself in the cage with E&C. Matt is able to hold his own for a bit. He hits a Twist of Fate and nearly pins Christian. He crotches Christian on the top rope and ties Edge up in the ropes before climbing up the cage. But E&C manage to catch him and hit a suplex from the top of the cage. And now they can batter Matt and ram him face first into the cage, busting him open. Jeff tries to get back in the cage, but Edge and Christian push him off every time. Jeff finally goes to the referee outside and forces the key off him before he unlocks the cage and grabs a chair in the process. But Christian stops him and slams the door in Jeff's face. Christian leaves the cage and grabs another chair, throwing both of them inside then using the key, he locks the cage door again, but this time from the inside. Edge drops the key in his trunks and Jeff can only watch as E&C pick up the chairs and swing at Matt's head. Matt ducks though and hits a double clothesline, giving the Hardys a glimmer of hope. Matt begins scaling the cage and E&C go after him. Edge from inside, Christian goes outside. Jeff Hardy grabs this ladder from under the ring and chucks it at Christian, who falls to the floor. Edge succeeds in getting Matt back into the cage but Jeff has set this ladder up beside it. Edge tries to stop Jeff, but not much he can do from inside now as Jeff climbs the ladder. Jeff makes it back to the top of the cage and hits Whisper in the Wind on both Edge and Matt, seemed unnecessary but it looked cool. Christian starts using the ladder just as Jeff did to get back in, but Lita runs down, low blows Christian and then climbs up beside him. Lita wraps her legs around his head (lucky), and pushes off the cage to hit a hurricanrana off the ladder! Edge manages to get back on his feet and starts to climb the cage, but Jeff and Matt follow him up, bring the 2 chairs with them. Standing on top, they crack the chairs into Edge's back, causing him to fall back into the cage, and letting the Hardyz escape the cage together. I loved this match. I think it gets overlooked big time!
My Rating: ****1/4
Match 6: Intercontinental Championship Match - Eddie Guerrero (c) def. Rikishi via DQ (6:10)
This match was more about Eddie and Chyna's relationship than it was about the title. Nothing much really to talk about. Eddie tried to sunset flip Rikishi and Rikishi tried to drop his fat ass on his face. Eddie reacts like his life flashed before his eyes and decides its time to leave. Eddie tries to get counted out and Chyna tells him to go back and fight. After a minute or so of this, Chyna throws Eddie back inside herself. Rikishi tries to back that ass up into Eddie's face, but Chyna pulls him out of the way. Rikishi goes outside and asks her what she's doing. Eddie takes advantage and dives off the ropes into Rikishi. Eddie goes for a Frog Splash and misses it. Rikishi hits a Samoan Drop and then drags Eddie to a corner so he can Banzai Drop him. The referee counts, but Chyna gets in the ring and begs the referee to not finish it. So Rikishi gets understandably pissed off and goes outside to get in Chyna's face. Chyna is very apologetic. Rikishi throws her in the ring and now Chyna is arguing back, so Rikishi kicks her in the face, which is what causes the DQ, then drags her to a corner and does the same thing to her what he did to Eddie. This was… Well, something.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 7: No DQ Match with Mick Foley as Special Referee - Triple H def. Kurt Angle (17:28)
It is weird how many matches on this card have a soap opera build up. The only difference is Kurt comes off as the biggest weirdo on the planet. If I had a nickel for every time Kurt Angle wanted to fuck another man's wife, I'd have 2 nickels, which isn't a lot but its weird that it happened twice. HHH comes into this match with his ribs heavily taped up. And as they go to lock up, Kurt sidesteps and gives HHH's ribs a body shot. I like that, establishing early how Kurt is gonna wrestle. The thing is, Mick Foley made this a No DQ Match because he didn't wanna have to step in between them in case this got heated. But they don't really do anything No DQish until midway through and even then it was just HHH using a chair on Kurt's back. I don't know, as personal as this feud got, this felt like an underwhelming blowoff. About this same point, Triple H goes to Pedigree Kurt through the announce table, but Kurt drops to his knees and low blows HHH before he belly to bellies HHH through the table beside them. Kurt grabs HHH and brings him back in the ring, going after his ribs, busting up his insides. Triple H starts to bleed from the mouth. Kurt goes after the ribs for several minutes, but he goes for the moonsault he never hits and guess what. He misses. HHH starts to come back and he hits a weak Pedigree as he was only able to hook one arm. He waves to Stephanie, telling her to get in the ring and he tells her that she has to choose between him or Kurt… what? You're doing this now? During the match? Kurt gets to his feet and Steph kicks him in the ballsack. HHH grabs him again and hits a full Pedigree before pinning him for the 3. Weird finish if I'm being honest. Weird match.
My Rating: ***1/4
Now, the hook of the event is that Stone Cold would be making his big return and hunt down whoever ran him over at the worst Survivor Series of all time. And all night, he's been beating people up and questioning people. Poor Kevin Kelly was just asking him and question and got “I'm asking the questions tonight” and then punched in the face. And Shane McMahon claims to have indisputable proof of who ran Austin over. He goes to the ring to play a video of Steve Blackman running over Ken Shamrock a year ago and tries to pass it off as “proof.” Blackman comes to the ring and Shane runs out. Then the glass shatters and the building erupts. Austin comes to the ring with his new theme which rules and gets in Blackman's face. Shane is egging Austin on. Austin gives Blackman a Stunner and Shane cheers before he runs out to grab a cooler. Austin and Shane share a couple beers… you know where this is going. Austin flips Shane the bird and Stuns him. Beer spews from Shane's mouth as he lands. Austin has a few more beers. Shane gets back up, still holding his beer by the way, turns around… and gets another Stunner! Stone Cold has a few more beers. He looks like he's about to leave, but then he turns back around, runs in the ring. He brings Shane to his feet and shakes his hand… then gives him another Stunner! Finally, after leaving Shane seeing stars, he leaves. This was entertaining, I actually loved this. I mean, Austin still doesn't know who ran him over, but hey (shrug).
Main Event: WWF Championship Fatal 4-Way Match - The Rock (c) def. Chris Benoit, The Undertaker & Kane (16:03)
We end the night with a fun (yet odd) main event. After retaining in a Triple Threat at SummerSlam, the deck gets stacked higher for The Rock. The early stage of the match is all four men brawling. Rock and Benoit go into the crowd briefly as Undertaker and Kane fight inside. Rock and Kane go at it in the ring in a little bit while Undertaker drops Benoit face first on the barricade. Rock and Undertaker fight in the ring (oh no!) But Kane comes in to spoil the fun (phew). The referee gets bumped which feels unnecessary honestly. Rock DDTs Kane, Taker comes in and wails Rock with a chair. Benoit comes a second later with another chair and knocks Undertaker silly with it. Benoit covers Taker as the ref recovers and counts the pin, not seeing Taker's leg on the bottom rope. Benoit's music hits and he tries to leave with the belt. I wish I was keeping time when that happened, because this wasn't that far into the match and I'd really like to know how short this match would've been if it was the finish. We'll never know though because Mick Foley shuffles out and yanks the title out of Benoit's hands and waves the referee over. Foley gives him the title and the bell is rung a moment later, they don't even have Finkel announce the reason why. But this half of the match is when it starts getting good. Rock, Kane and Undertaker all walk up the entrance way and corner Benoit. They all take turns throwing him into the steel set. They make their way back to the ring. Undertaker and Kane are taken out outside the ring. Rock and Benoit are left in the ring. Benoit hits Rock with 3 German suplexes and a diving headbutt. Rock kicks out of that and Benoit lifts him back on his feet. The Rock drags Benoit down into the Crossface and Rock holds Benoit in it for a while before Undertaker comes back in to stop it. Kane gets in, Chokeslams Taker, knocks down both Rock and Benoit. Rock hits Kane with a Spinebuster and goes for the People's Elbow, but gets knocked down by Benoit which makes the crowd boo. Rock sends Benoit out but turns around into Taker, who hits a Last Ride. He covers Rock, but gets dragged outside by Kane. As the brothers fight, Benoit comes behind them and takes them both out with a chair. Benoit gets back in the ring and locks Rock in the Crossface. The Rock is in the hold for minute before Undertaker saves the match and Chokeslams Benoit. Undertaker covers him but Kane drags him to the outside where they piss around while Rock and Benoit sell. And this finish is stupid. And by finish I mean Kane. Kane is stupid. The Rock hits Benoit with a Rock Bottom and pins Benoit. Undertaker tries to get back in to stop it but Kane, stupid fuck, stops him. Lets all point and laugh at the Kane. Overall, a fun match.
My Rating: ***1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.63
My Rating: 7.5/10
Really fun. I liked this show. Maybe I'm just easy to please because I've watched so many bad shows, but for the most part, I thought this was pretty good. There were only a few low points of the show but thankfully, thats only a small percentage of the event. It does lose points because one of the hooks was Stone Cold finding out who ran him down and that doesn’t really happen.
Match 1: The Right to Censor def. The Dudley Boyz & The APA (6:05)
Well this was a stinker to open up our show. I swear they did basically nothing for about 6 minutes. The aftermath was more interesting. Guys just tag in and out, the legal men would do fuck all, rinse and repeat. I would like to mention Stevie does next to nothing until the end. They start to break out with a minute left. The Dudleys hit a Doomsday Device on Val Venis. But Stevie comes in, superkicks Bubba and allows Venis to pick up the win for their team. But the Dudleys and The APA attack them after the match. The Dudleys hit a WAZZUUUUUUP on Stevie before putting him through a table. So neither team looks good at the end.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 2: Strap Match - Tazz def. Jerry Lawler (5:07)
We are off to a rough start. Now in this Strap Match, you can win by pin, submission or touching all four corners. They whip each other with the strap. Lawler hits Tazz with 3 Piledrivers, and Tazz gets up after all 3 but falls forward after the 3rd. The referee gets knocked over as Lawler touches 3 corners. Then Raven, making his debut in the company comes and gives Lawler a DDT before Tazz puts him in the Kata ha Jime. I'm conflicted on this finish. On one hand, Raven's debut was cool, but I don't like that Tazz needed help to beat 50 year old Jerry Lawler of all people.
My Rating: *
Match 3: Hardcore Championship Invitational - Steve Blackman (c) def. Perry Saturn, Crash Holly, Test, Al Snow & Funaki (10:00)
This got shit on on Cagematch, but going by the current rating the Royal Rumble ‘25 has right now, they don't always have the best judgment on there. I don't care, I love the wacky, chaotic Hardcore Matches of the Attitude Era. Now this is like the “battle royal” at WrestleMania, where whoever gets the last pinfall by the end wins. And the winner apparently gets a 24 hour reprieve so they don't have to worry about being jumped for it. Blackman thrust kicks Crash who tried to run at him on the entrance way. Perry Saturn dives through the ropes, only for Blackman to hit him in the head with a trash can lid mid-air. And then Test presses Funaki over his head and throws him outside on Blackman. Thats how the match starts. Test came out with Trish while Perry came out with Terri. And they each gave each other's woman head. Thats rude. Crash manages to pin Blackman and then he runs up the entrance way with the title, likely trying to escape before Saturn comes back out with a trash can, bonks Crash in the head and pins him to win the title. So now everyone's after Perry. Admittedly, nothing much else happens, other than Al Snow hitting Test with a pizza box. (I could go for some pizza right now tbh). With just under 2 minutes to go, Blackman canes Saturn and pins him to win back the title. Steve manages to hang on until the time limit expires and he leaves with the title.
My Rating: ***
Match 4: Chris Jericho def. X-Pac (9:05)
Short and sweet. Really fast paced good match to really get this show on its feet. They really had each other scouted in this match as well, it was good. X-Pac takes the advantage, as Jericho was about to hit his springboard dropkick off the apron, X-Pac pushed him and Jericho flew into the barricade. X-Pac somersaults over the ropes and hits Jericho before throwing him over the announce table and then back inside. Pac begins to ground Jericho and hits a Bronco Buster before climbing to the second rope to gloat. Allowing Jericho to grab him and hit him with a powerbomb out of the corner. Jericho hits the Bronco Buster himself, just to rub it in a bit. X-Pac low blows Jericho without the ref seeing it somehow and gives him an X-Factor. Jericho kicks out at 2.99999999999. X-Pac goes for a head scissors but Jericho counters it into a powerbomb, before applying the Walls of Jericho. Pac makes it to the rope and Jericho pulls him back to the center, but the ref still makes him break it up. Jericho bulldogs X-Pac and goes for the Lionsault, but Pac gets his knees up. X-Pac goes the ropes again and goes for a dropkick but Jericho catches him and locks in the Walls again to make X-Pac tap out. Jericho won, but X-Pac still gets the last word as he starts to beat up Jericho with a pair of nunchucks.
My Rating: ***1/2
Match 5: WWF Tag Team Championship Steel Cage Match - The Hardy Boyz def. Edge & Christian (c) (14:00)
Another review, another Hardys/E&C classic. That not a lot of people talk about sadly. I loved this. I thought this went a long way in making people realize that Edge and Christian weren't just goofballs, they could be cunning and maniacal. The way to win this match was by pin, submission or if both members of a team escaped the cage. Well Jeff gets out of the cage pretty early. He's standing on top and Edge pushes his legs. Jeff grabs onto the cage before he crashes but he ends up on the floor, leaving Matt by himself in the cage with E&C. Matt is able to hold his own for a bit. He hits a Twist of Fate and nearly pins Christian. He crotches Christian on the top rope and ties Edge up in the ropes before climbing up the cage. But E&C manage to catch him and hit a suplex from the top of the cage. And now they can batter Matt and ram him face first into the cage, busting him open. Jeff tries to get back in the cage, but Edge and Christian push him off every time. Jeff finally goes to the referee outside and forces the key off him before he unlocks the cage and grabs a chair in the process. But Christian stops him and slams the door in Jeff's face. Christian leaves the cage and grabs another chair, throwing both of them inside then using the key, he locks the cage door again, but this time from the inside. Edge drops the key in his trunks and Jeff can only watch as E&C pick up the chairs and swing at Matt's head. Matt ducks though and hits a double clothesline, giving the Hardys a glimmer of hope. Matt begins scaling the cage and E&C go after him. Edge from inside, Christian goes outside. Jeff Hardy grabs this ladder from under the ring and chucks it at Christian, who falls to the floor. Edge succeeds in getting Matt back into the cage but Jeff has set this ladder up beside it. Edge tries to stop Jeff, but not much he can do from inside now as Jeff climbs the ladder. Jeff makes it back to the top of the cage and hits Whisper in the Wind on both Edge and Matt, seemed unnecessary but it looked cool. Christian starts using the ladder just as Jeff did to get back in, but Lita runs down, low blows Christian and then climbs up beside him. Lita wraps her legs around his head (lucky), and pushes off the cage to hit a hurricanrana off the ladder! Edge manages to get back on his feet and starts to climb the cage, but Jeff and Matt follow him up, bring the 2 chairs with them. Standing on top, they crack the chairs into Edge's back, causing him to fall back into the cage, and letting the Hardyz escape the cage together. I loved this match. I think it gets overlooked big time!
My Rating: ****1/4
Match 6: Intercontinental Championship Match - Eddie Guerrero (c) def. Rikishi via DQ (6:10)
This match was more about Eddie and Chyna's relationship than it was about the title. Nothing much really to talk about. Eddie tried to sunset flip Rikishi and Rikishi tried to drop his fat ass on his face. Eddie reacts like his life flashed before his eyes and decides its time to leave. Eddie tries to get counted out and Chyna tells him to go back and fight. After a minute or so of this, Chyna throws Eddie back inside herself. Rikishi tries to back that ass up into Eddie's face, but Chyna pulls him out of the way. Rikishi goes outside and asks her what she's doing. Eddie takes advantage and dives off the ropes into Rikishi. Eddie goes for a Frog Splash and misses it. Rikishi hits a Samoan Drop and then drags Eddie to a corner so he can Banzai Drop him. The referee counts, but Chyna gets in the ring and begs the referee to not finish it. So Rikishi gets understandably pissed off and goes outside to get in Chyna's face. Chyna is very apologetic. Rikishi throws her in the ring and now Chyna is arguing back, so Rikishi kicks her in the face, which is what causes the DQ, then drags her to a corner and does the same thing to her what he did to Eddie. This was… Well, something.
My Rating: *1/2
Match 7: No DQ Match with Mick Foley as Special Referee - Triple H def. Kurt Angle (17:28)
It is weird how many matches on this card have a soap opera build up. The only difference is Kurt comes off as the biggest weirdo on the planet. If I had a nickel for every time Kurt Angle wanted to fuck another man's wife, I'd have 2 nickels, which isn't a lot but its weird that it happened twice. HHH comes into this match with his ribs heavily taped up. And as they go to lock up, Kurt sidesteps and gives HHH's ribs a body shot. I like that, establishing early how Kurt is gonna wrestle. The thing is, Mick Foley made this a No DQ Match because he didn't wanna have to step in between them in case this got heated. But they don't really do anything No DQish until midway through and even then it was just HHH using a chair on Kurt's back. I don't know, as personal as this feud got, this felt like an underwhelming blowoff. About this same point, Triple H goes to Pedigree Kurt through the announce table, but Kurt drops to his knees and low blows HHH before he belly to bellies HHH through the table beside them. Kurt grabs HHH and brings him back in the ring, going after his ribs, busting up his insides. Triple H starts to bleed from the mouth. Kurt goes after the ribs for several minutes, but he goes for the moonsault he never hits and guess what. He misses. HHH starts to come back and he hits a weak Pedigree as he was only able to hook one arm. He waves to Stephanie, telling her to get in the ring and he tells her that she has to choose between him or Kurt… what? You're doing this now? During the match? Kurt gets to his feet and Steph kicks him in the ballsack. HHH grabs him again and hits a full Pedigree before pinning him for the 3. Weird finish if I'm being honest. Weird match.
My Rating: ***1/4
Now, the hook of the event is that Stone Cold would be making his big return and hunt down whoever ran him over at the worst Survivor Series of all time. And all night, he's been beating people up and questioning people. Poor Kevin Kelly was just asking him and question and got “I'm asking the questions tonight” and then punched in the face. And Shane McMahon claims to have indisputable proof of who ran Austin over. He goes to the ring to play a video of Steve Blackman running over Ken Shamrock a year ago and tries to pass it off as “proof.” Blackman comes to the ring and Shane runs out. Then the glass shatters and the building erupts. Austin comes to the ring with his new theme which rules and gets in Blackman's face. Shane is egging Austin on. Austin gives Blackman a Stunner and Shane cheers before he runs out to grab a cooler. Austin and Shane share a couple beers… you know where this is going. Austin flips Shane the bird and Stuns him. Beer spews from Shane's mouth as he lands. Austin has a few more beers. Shane gets back up, still holding his beer by the way, turns around… and gets another Stunner! Stone Cold has a few more beers. He looks like he's about to leave, but then he turns back around, runs in the ring. He brings Shane to his feet and shakes his hand… then gives him another Stunner! Finally, after leaving Shane seeing stars, he leaves. This was entertaining, I actually loved this. I mean, Austin still doesn't know who ran him over, but hey (shrug).
Main Event: WWF Championship Fatal 4-Way Match - The Rock (c) def. Chris Benoit, The Undertaker & Kane (16:03)
We end the night with a fun (yet odd) main event. After retaining in a Triple Threat at SummerSlam, the deck gets stacked higher for The Rock. The early stage of the match is all four men brawling. Rock and Benoit go into the crowd briefly as Undertaker and Kane fight inside. Rock and Kane go at it in the ring in a little bit while Undertaker drops Benoit face first on the barricade. Rock and Undertaker fight in the ring (oh no!) But Kane comes in to spoil the fun (phew). The referee gets bumped which feels unnecessary honestly. Rock DDTs Kane, Taker comes in and wails Rock with a chair. Benoit comes a second later with another chair and knocks Undertaker silly with it. Benoit covers Taker as the ref recovers and counts the pin, not seeing Taker's leg on the bottom rope. Benoit's music hits and he tries to leave with the belt. I wish I was keeping time when that happened, because this wasn't that far into the match and I'd really like to know how short this match would've been if it was the finish. We'll never know though because Mick Foley shuffles out and yanks the title out of Benoit's hands and waves the referee over. Foley gives him the title and the bell is rung a moment later, they don't even have Finkel announce the reason why. But this half of the match is when it starts getting good. Rock, Kane and Undertaker all walk up the entrance way and corner Benoit. They all take turns throwing him into the steel set. They make their way back to the ring. Undertaker and Kane are taken out outside the ring. Rock and Benoit are left in the ring. Benoit hits Rock with 3 German suplexes and a diving headbutt. Rock kicks out of that and Benoit lifts him back on his feet. The Rock drags Benoit down into the Crossface and Rock holds Benoit in it for a while before Undertaker comes back in to stop it. Kane gets in, Chokeslams Taker, knocks down both Rock and Benoit. Rock hits Kane with a Spinebuster and goes for the People's Elbow, but gets knocked down by Benoit which makes the crowd boo. Rock sends Benoit out but turns around into Taker, who hits a Last Ride. He covers Rock, but gets dragged outside by Kane. As the brothers fight, Benoit comes behind them and takes them both out with a chair. Benoit gets back in the ring and locks Rock in the Crossface. The Rock is in the hold for minute before Undertaker saves the match and Chokeslams Benoit. Undertaker covers him but Kane drags him to the outside where they piss around while Rock and Benoit sell. And this finish is stupid. And by finish I mean Kane. Kane is stupid. The Rock hits Benoit with a Rock Bottom and pins Benoit. Undertaker tries to get back in to stop it but Kane, stupid fuck, stops him. Lets all point and laugh at the Kane. Overall, a fun match.
My Rating: ***1/2
Cagematch Rating: 6.63
My Rating: 7.5/10
Really fun. I liked this show. Maybe I'm just easy to please because I've watched so many bad shows, but for the most part, I thought this was pretty good. There were only a few low points of the show but thankfully, thats only a small percentage of the event. It does lose points because one of the hooks was Stone Cold finding out who ran him down and that doesn’t really happen.