WWE Backlash
May 21st, 2017 | Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois
Aiden English vs. Tye Dillinger
This was the Kickoff match. I loved Aiden English’s singing gimmick from his pre-Vaudevillains days in NXT, so I’m glad it’s back. His starry night attire is tremendous as well. This is about the spot I see Tye keeping on Smackdown. A solid babyface midcarder. The match itself was fine, but very forgettable outside of Aiden’s tights. English looked better than when he lost to Tye on Smackdown and his frustration grew when he couldn’t keep Tye down. He missed the swanton and fell to the Tye Breaker at 8:22. Like I said, this was fine and what I expected. Solid work and Tye got the crowd going. He’s a great guy to open shows. [**¼]
Dolph Ziggler vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
The big in-ring debut for Shinsuke Nakamura. He got a great reaction during his entrance, so that’s a positive. This reminded me of a lot of Nakamura’s NXT matches. He wrestled an even match with Ziggler at times, but also had to fight from behind. I don’t know if that’s the best spot for Nakamura. He was great in NJPW when he was the one in control. His best WWE match (with Zayn) was about him showcasing his stuff and being awesome. We didn’t get that here. This felt like it was more about Ziggler and then Nakamura made a comeback that lacked some fire. Also, they’ve hyped him as the king of strong style, and I didn’t see him do much of that here. He won with Kinshasa (just one, thankfully) at 15:41. A solid match, but nowhere near the ideal way to debut Nakamura. Consider this a disappointment because it could’ve been handled so much better. [**¾]
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship: The Usos (c) vs. Breezango
Why does the Breezango team work so well? They’re two guys who have good chemistry and are fully committed to the gimmick. Breeze played a master of disguise here, dressing up as a janitor with a mop and everything. He used it to comically trip up the Usos and once Jimmy or Jey broke it, the crowd reacted. Breeze disappeared for a bit and returned dressed as an old woman, garnering “Let’s go grandma” chants. Grandma Breeze busted out a bronco buster but was taken out shortly after. Fandango nailed a great dive outside following that. He then jumped into a superkick to take the loss at 9:18. A different kind of tag team match, reminding me of the old Damien Mizdow hijinks. Would I like to see Breezango as more serious challengers? Sure. But I can appreciate something as entertaining as this.[***¼]
Baron Corbin vs. Sami Zayn
These two are great opponents for one another. Corbin can throw around smaller guys and Zayn bumps like a madman most of the time. That’s what we got for the most part here. Corbin dominated at times and Zayn drew the sympathy he needed to from the crowd. There is no better babyface on Earth than Sami Zayn. He sold the hell out of Deep Six for the best near fall of the match. Corbin made a mistake and his momentum sent him outside. Once back in, Sami connected with a Helluva Kick from out of nowhere to win in 14:35. I was surprised with the outcome, since Corbin has been booked strongly. Sami’s win is good and hopefully sets up more down the line. A good David vs. Goliath story, with the underdog taking advantage of a mistake. [***¼]
Becky Lynch, Charlotte and WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Naomi vs. Carmella, Natalya and Tamina w/ James Ellsworth
Coming into this match, I expected one of two finishes. Either Charlotte wins because BIG DOG GOTTA EAT or Carmella wins since she seems to be on the road to a title match. I’m a fan of Carmella and Becky but a lot of this match fell flat. It felt like the stuff we got when the #DIVASREVOLUTIONMAGGLE started and it was just a bunch of clusterfuck tags. Nobody stood out or shined and it felt like a time filler. The in-ring stuff was fine, but nothing you need to see. Becky brought fire, but in the end, she tapped to Natalya’s Sharpshooter at 10:05. Why? What was the point of that finish? That made no sense with anything that has happened recently. Whatever. [**]
WWE United States Championship: Kevin Owens (c) vs. AJ Styles
On paper, this should be the best match on the show by a wide margin. Early on, this was a tough match to pinpoint. It didn’t seem to have a focus, but was just two of the best having some solid exchanges. It was when Owens went after the leg, which he also attacked on Smackdown, that things really got going. Owens avoiding a ridiculous Styles Clash off the apron by slipping out and slamming Styles’ leg into the ring post was great. He used various submissions to wear it down inside and I bought into some of the false finishes from it. Styles sold the leg very well and it came into play when he couldn’t hit the Phenomenal Forearm. The bump he took on slipping there was dangerously great. They built to bigger stuff before bringing out a creative finish. Styles went for the Styles Clash on the announce table, but his foot got caught in the hold where the monitor goes, leading to him getting counted out at 21:10. I’d rather the finish have been Owens getting DQed out of desperation, but this was different. The match was the best thing on the show and was a clear first match in a series judging by the finish. If you want to know how good AJ is, this was his worst PPV match of 2017 in my eyes. [***¾]
Erick Rowan vs. Luke Harper
I’m still mad this feud isn’t a bigger deal. If handled right, it absolutely could’ve been. Not main event material, but still. This only went 9:00, but felt like 20. I love Harper but there was never a sense of urgency or anything resembling that here. Like the women’s tag, it felt like they were just here to fill time. I never felt anything for this. Harper should’ve brought fire in seeking revenge for a loss, while Rowan should’ve been aggressive since he’s mad at Harper for betraying the Wyatts. That didn’t happen. Harper won with the discus lariat, gaining some momentum before what I’m hoping is a MITB appearance.[*¾]
WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. Jinder Mahal w/ The Singh Brothers
I’ve made my opinions on Jinder clear. I don’t think he belongs in this spot. Anyway, they had a surprisingly hot crowd and got off to a hot start as Orton jumped Jinder. Then, they just screeched the pace to a halt. Any chance this had of being fun went out the window. Orton didn’t completely phone it in like he did with Bray, but he didn’t bring his best. Jinder should’ve worked his ass off in the biggest match of his career, but if he did, it certainly didn’t show. The best part was Orton dumping the former Bollywood Boys violently onto tables. Speaking of that team, I hate that they took one of the few cruiserweights with personality and made them into bland, faceless henchmen. Orton focused on them, allowing Jinder to hit his finish and win the title at 15:46. Neither guy brought it and the match was oddly laid out. It’s crazy how wrestling companies will do anything for the Indian market. From the Great Khali to Mahabali Shera to Jinder Mahal, it doesn’t matter how shitty you are, you’ll get a push. On the positive, it ends a pointless and dull Orton reign. On the negative, this screamed situations like Sheamus, Swagger, Del Rio and Ziggler, who all got title reigns WAY before they were ready. And they all had higher upsides than Jinder. It’s the era of the Maharaja. Let’s see how it goes. [**¼]
Overall: 6/10. An average showing from the blue brand. None of the matches are anything I’d consider “must see”, but most of the show is solid. The Kickoff match was solid, as was the women’s match and the main event. Nakamura/Ziggler was pretty good, but a disappointment. I thought Harper/Ziggler was a time filler at best. If pressed for time, check out Zayn/Corbin for a good underdog story, the Tag Team Title match for fun antics and AJ/Owens for the best match of the night.
Well this one is easy. Tye beat English handily on Smackdown recently and I expect a similar outcome here. it should be more competitive though, which means it could be pretty good. Tye has been consistently strong for over a year now, and English is solid. Plus, I love his singing gimmick and am glad it's back. Like I said though, Tye wins.
Winner: Tye Dillinger
Another rematch of a recent Smackdown outing. Once upon a time, this feud sounded interesting after the original Wyatt breakup. They got back together, split again and had a few singles matches with no build, so it's lost a lot of luster. Rowan was highly entertaining on Talking Smack this week and I think Harper is one of the most underutilized guys on the roster. He's so damn good. Harper seems to just put people over though. Maybe not tonight.
Winner: Lou Parper
Another seemingly easy prediction. Sami Zayn is the most natural babyface the WWE has seen in a long time but the guy just loses on a consistent basis. Has he even had a big win since beating Kevin Owens last summer at Battleground? In a YouTube clip, he showed a ton of frustration after losing the Six Pack Challenge, but it hasn't translated to TV. I suspect Corbin, who has been awesome since being drafted to Smackdown, is a potential challenger for the WWE Title down the line. I could see Sami stealing a win but I'll go with a Corbin win.
Winner: Big Banter
Man, how much more fun would this have been if Nakamura feuded with Miz instead of Ziggler? I like the idea of saving Nakamura's first main roster match for a PPV. It makes him feel like a big deal. The issue was that the PPV was too far away. He debuted on the main roster almost two months ago. Some segments have worked, but some have just been bad all around. The match should be good and the outcome is clear. Let's just hope we get a Nakamura who brings his "A game" (think major NJPW matches or the match with Zayn) instead of phoning it in Nakamura (the rest of his NXT run), during his main roster run.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
I could see this going either way. The heels should win since Carmella seems to be headed towards a Women's Title match. I'd have her pick up the win, maybe over Becky since she keeps pinning Naomi. However, this is the WWE and the babyface team has lady BIG DOG. Charlotte seemingly has to win nearly every match and look dominant while doing so. She could win and a throw a wrench into everything, beating the very expendable Tamina or Natalya. I've said it before, but I never bet against the female Roman Reigns. Charlotte wins.
Winners: Lady Big Dog, Becky Lynch and Naomi
Has anyone transformed themselves more than the Usos in the past year or so? They went from good, but very stale tag team. They turned heel, changed their style and attitude and feel fresh. Their recent promos have been good and different from pretty much all other promos in the WWE. Meanwhile, Breezango have been tremendous in their Law and Order spoof segments. These are the two most fun tag teams on Smackdown, since American Alpha does a lot of nothing, and the match could surprise many. The Usos retain though.
Winners: The Usos
This should be the clear match of the night. These are two of the best guys in the company (with Styles being the best wrestler on Earth) and this absolutely should go on last. It'll make the United States Title feel important and the crowd will eat this up. Technically, I'd say Styles should win because he's a recently turned babyface and Owens got the better of him most recently. I don't think it happens though. Owens already had a short reign with the title and I don't think it happens again. Unless he drops it and moves onto a WWE Title feud, while AJ makes the US Title relevant. However, I don't think this ends here. Owens retains and wins by cheap means or loses by DQ. I'm gonna say he loses by DQ.
Winner: AJ Styles via DQ
This match and rivalry is absolute dogshit. Randy Orton as WWE Champion in 2017 is a joke. He was fun with the Wyatts but without them, he's back to the same dull guy we've known for years. To make matters worse, he doesn't even get a good opponent for his first defense. He gets Jinder fucking Mahal. A guy that has been in the bottom five of performers in the WWE since his debut. He hasn't improved and doesn't deserve to be here but he is. Orton should retain. Not because I want him as champion, but because he's a better option as champion than someone as horrible as Mahal. Though don't be surprised if WWE puts the title on Mahal to spite everyone.
Winner: Randy Orton
2017 Prediction Record: 25-19
2016 Prediction Record: 65-37
I think NXT did a great job with the video packages to get the fans behind Roderick Strong. I do think it was a mistake to not put the SAnitY attack on TV though. This is one of those matches that feels like it could go either way. I could see Strong winning to build upon his vignettes and such, but I think they made him a sympathetic character. That means he can stay over with a loss. Plus, SAnitY has been booked very strong. I say Young wins here and this feud follows a similar pattern to the Dillinger/Young one.
Winner: Eric Young
This is the toughest match to call for me. Though Tyler Bate won the title and has had a strong 2017, Pete Dunne was presented as the biggest star during the UK Tournament and has had an even better 2017. Dunne as UK Champion could work, but I think him having the PROGRESS Title is the most he'll have for now. This should be a tremendous match, nearing the quality of their UK Tournament finals. I'm gonna say Bate retains and whenever the title does eventually change hands, it'll be on UK soil.
Winner: Tyler Bate
Considering the way the match in Orlando went, Ember Moon has to be the one to dethrone Asuka right? I'd like it to happen in a singles match, so I'm not sure why they booked a four way in the first place. Nikki Cross has quickly become one of my favorite acts in NXT and Ruby Riot has been fun so far. I don't see either as champion right now though. Asuka should get called up soon, but not before Ember returns to take the title from her. Asuka retains in what should be a solid match. Expect Nikki and Ruby to attempt to kill each other though.
Winner: Asuka
With the news of Tommaso Ciampa suffering an injury, this match is up in the air. However, whether healthy or injured, I don't think #DIY walks out with the titles. Though they are the second best tag team on the planet (only behind The Revival), they're like Sami Zayn. Great babyfaces who didn't need a long reign with the titles. They had their reign and that'll be it. The Authors of Pain have shown lots of improvement and have had some great matches. If this match still happens, expect it to be the highlight of the show.
Winners: The Authors of Pain
I am so ready for HIdeo Itami to be NXT Champion. I've wanted it since 2015. Hell, I actually like Itami more than Shinsuke Nakamura. He's been one of my guys since 2006. Alas, it won't happen. Roode is the top heel in NXT. Itami has also gotten the better of him at every chance since returning a few weeks ago. Roode will win and then I don't know what they do with Itami next. He hasn't spent much time in NXT, due to injuries, but I don't see them giving him the title.
Winner: Bobby Roode
WrestleMania XX
March 14th, 2004 | Madison Square Garden in New York, New York | Attendance: 18,000
This is a pretty historic WrestleMania, but due to one obvious thing that happened in 2007, it won’t held in very high esteem when it comes to remembering it. Chris Benoit, before the double murder/suicide, had won the 2004 Royal Rumble and was now set for a WrestleMania main event. In other big news, John Cena was about to have his first WrestleMania and the “Deadman” was returning. As was tradition until WrestleMania XXX, every ten years, Mania was in Madison Square Garden. This is the longest PPV in WWE history, clocking in at 4.5 hours. It is obviously the 20th WrestleMania in history.
As usual with WrestleMania, this opens with America the Beautiful, performed by the Boys Choir of Harlem. It then moves to the usual WrestleMania opening where they talk about the past before having various Superstars talking about the importance of WrestleMania and such. It ends strangely as it sees Vince and Shane holding a baby. I get the “it all begins again” tagline but it’s still a strange image to close a wrestling video package on.
Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler do the commentary for the Raw brand matches, while Michael Cole and Tazz handle the Smackdown side of things.
WWE United States Championship
Big Show (c) vs. John Cena
John Cena does a little rap before the bell while sporting a Patrick Ewing jersey. He gets overpowered early as Bi Show throws him out. Cena thinks he finds an opening but makes the mistake of leaping at Show, getting caught in a slam. Has he never watched any match against any big man ever? Commentary does a good job putting over Show’s dominant past few months, including being the runner-up in the Royal Rumble and winning the United States Title. He continues to manhandle Cena with his offense, including two on a vertical suplex. Show’s chops will never not sound vicious. Show hits a big boot and drops a leg on Cena, working a methodical pace. Cena tries a sleeper but Show is again too much for him and ends up applying a cobra clutch. Cena fights out, starting a small rally. He then nails the FU but Show gets a shoulder up. The crowd is pretty hot for this. Cena picks up his chain but the referee stops him. Cena gets his brass knuckles behind the ref’s back and levels Show. A second FU earns Cena his first ever championship.
Winner and New WWE United States Champion: John Cena in 9:14
Not the greatest way to start the show. The crowd was indeed red hot for John Cena, but having Big Show dominate for so long seemed like a weird choice for an opener. At any other place on the card, this match made sense but it wasn’t very exciting. Historic points for Cena’s first WrestleMania match and win. Slight added bonus for the crowd too. **¼
Backstage, Jonathan Coachman shows up and is being arrogant. He sees Eric Bischoff and Johnny Nitro. For some reason, Bischoff wants Coach to find the Undertaker. Cut to Randy Orton, with Batista and Ric Flair at his side, cutting a promo in the staircase of Madison Square Garden. That’s where he kicked Mick Foley down the steps back in June. Orton’s promo talks about how much he’s beaten up Foley over the past few months, as well as the Rock in recent weeks. The visual of them in suits is cool but the promo doesn’t do much.
World Tag Team Championship
Rob Van Dam and Booker T (c) vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak vs. La Resistance
Cade and Jindrak get absolutely no reaction from the fans. Booker and RVD’s mashed up theme music is terrible. RVD starts hot before tagging in Booker. Both guys get to shine to the crowd’s liking until Bubba Ray comes in. The fans want tables. The Dudleys get Booker down but Cade pulls Bubba out as Jindrak tags in. To think, Jindrak was going to be in Evolution. Booker continues to take the heat, but now it’s La Resistance working him over. RVD gets the hot tag and flies around the ring but ends up sent outside. The Dudleys look for 3D on Booker but La Resistance breaks it up. Conway takes it to Booker, only to get hit with the Scissors Kick. RVD is back with the Five Star to retain.
Winners and Still World Tag Team Champions: Booker T and Rob Van Dam in 7:51
This was kind of just there. Nothing about it was very interesting even with so many people being involved. The Dudleys didn’t seem at their best, La Resistance didn’t deliver and Cade and Jindrak were super green. I don’t think this really belonged on the card. *½
Jonathan Coachman is still looking for Kane. He hears strange sounds in a room. Out comes Mean Gene and Bobby Heenan. Coach is weirded out but then Moolah and Mae Young come out, revealing what was really going on. It’s good to see Bobby in better health.
Chris Jericho vs. Christian
I loved this entire angle. From Chris Jericho and Christian making the bet about Trish and Lita, to Jericho having real feelings for Trish to Trish eventually putting him in the friend zone to Christian showing his real dastardly ways. They lock up but it doesn’t last long as they get physical quickly. Jericho talks some trash when he gets Christian in the corner, still angry at everything that has gone down. He backdrops Christian outside and dives onto him. Lawler claims that only a woman could make you take risks like that. Back inside, Christian avoids the Walls and then back suplexes Jericho to the outside in a cool spot. Now, Christian works the wear down role of a good heel. Jericho gets a few chances to swing the momentum but Christian stops him at every turn. In a funny moment, Jericho calls Christian a CLB before getting in some offense including an enziguri for two. They exchange rollups, with Christian using the ropes for leverage. Jericho hits one of my favorite moves, the Northern lights suplex. Christian comes back with a spinning second rope reverse DDT for two. They fight up top where Christian front suplexes Jericho to the mat and follows with a cross body that Jericho rolls through for two. Christian gets a Texas cloverleaf on but Jericho turns it into the Walls. Christian reaches the ropes, but Jericho holds onto it while falling outside. They move back inside and Trish Stratus runs out. The competitors slug it out when Christian hits a beautiful implant DDT for two. A frustrated Christian pulls Trish into the ring and throws her into the corner. Jericho goes to console her but Trish isn’t looking and throws an elbow, leveling Jericho. Christian rolls him up to steal it.
Winner: Christian in 14:54
One of my favorite WrestleMania undercard matches. It started a bit slow but really picked up as it went on. The little things like Jericho being so mad that he held onto the Walls of Jericho was just so great. Trish played her role perfectly and the Christian win was the right way to put a heel over on the big stage. ***¾
Trish goes to apologize to Jericho when Christian comes back. Trish grabs Jericho and lets off a few slaps in a row. Christian hits the Unprettier and leaves with the girl. They make out aggressively on the stage.
Backstage, Lillian Garcia goes to interview Mick Foley. The Rock shows up to steal the promo, even showing us where Grimace and the Hamburglar (Hurricane and Rosey). He hypes Mick up for the upcoming match.
Evolution vs. The Rock n’ Sock Connection
Rock n’ Sock hit the ring quickly, taking down their opponents. When things break down, we get Rock and Ric Flair. Rock shoulder blocks him down and struts. Outside, Rock backdrops Flair, who was in the mood to take some bumps during this time. Foley drops an elbow on him for good measure. Orton gets tagged and Foley wants in. They go at it with Foley tying Orton up in the tree of woe. He hits an elbow and tags Rock who gets in a low right hand. The heels turn things around and Flair lights Rock up with chops in the corner. Rock clotheslines Batista, getting a mild tag to Foley. His hot work is cut off by a massive clothesline from Batista. Foley now starts to take the real heat. I figured the real hot tag would go to the Rock and not Foley. Rock does get the hot tag and hits everything moving, even bringing Batista into the ring. That backfires when Batista lays him out with a spinebuster. Flair begs Batista to finish it, choosing to do a People’s Elbow. Rock stops it and goes for his own, complete with a strut, but Flair kicks out. Rock ends up in trouble and has to make another relatively hot tag to Foley, who this Orton with a double arm DDT. Foley brings out Mr. Socko and hits Batista. He goes to use it on Orton but walks right into the RKO.
Winners: Evolution in 17:03
Pretty solid match here. The crowd was into it considering the names involved. They did better than most probably expected since Foley and Rock weren’t full time, Flair was past his prime and Orton and Batista hadn’t reached theirs yet. It was relatively fun and the right guys went over, giving Evolution the rub. This would be the Rock’s last match for eight years. ***¼
They spend some time going over the Hall of Fame inductees. I grabbed some food during this but I heard Bobby Heenan, Tito Santana, Don Muraco, Jimmy Snuka, Greg Valentine and Pete Rose.
Playboy Evening Gown Match
Miss Jackie and Stacy Keibler vs. Sable and Torrie Wilson
Sable and Torrie were on the cover of Playboy together. Stacy and Jackie were jealous, saying they should have been on the cover. Before the bell, Sable decides they should all strip off their gowns and wrestle in their underwear. Torrie looks the best here. Miss Jackie decides against stripping, making her the biggest heel in the arena. Sable brings her in the hard way and they strip her. The girls do nothing that would be considered good wrestling but Stacy entering the ring gets a huge pop. They do typical Divas stuff for this era and it ends when Torrie counters a Jackie rollup for three.
Winners: Sable and Torrie Wilson in 2:33
Too short and too hot to be offensive. The wrestling was horrible and it didn’t really belong on a WrestleMania but at least it was somewhat enjoyable. ½*
In the back, Eddie Guerrero says that Chris Benoit is family. He then says that nobody really believes that Benoit will win the World Title tonight. Benoit gets fired up, which is what Eddie wanted.
WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Chavo Guerrero (c) w/ Chavo Classic vs. Akio vs. Billy Kidman vs. Funaki vs. Jamie Noble vs. Nunzio vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Shannon Moore vs. Tajiri vs. Ultimo Dragon
Ultimo Dragon tripped in his entrance live but it is cut from this version. Rey Mysterio is dressed like the Flash. Two men start and the rest wait outside, joining in when it’s their turn after an elimination. Shannon Moore and Ultimo Dragon start. They go into a fast paced exchange until Dragon hits a Shiranui and eliminates him. Jamie Noble is next, attacking from behind. The fans seem a bit confused by the rules, but seem to be picking up. Dragon unleashes a flurry of kicks but Noble makes him tap out quickly after. Funaki leaps in with a cross body. Noble rolls through and instantly eliminates him. Commentary contemplates if that was the quickest loss in Mania history. I mean, if we’re counting each match individually then most likely it was. Nunzio jumps in quickly, hitting a missile dropkick but Noble gets his foot on the ropes. Nunzio gets sent outside hard and Noble follows with a senton. That wakes the crowd up for the first time in the match outside of Funaki coming in. Nunzio is pulled off the apron and gets counted out. Kidman comes in next and baseball slides Nunzio into Noble. He then does a damn springboard shooting star press. Back inside, Noble tries a guillotine but Kidman breaks it. He hits an enziguri and goes up top. Noble stops him but gets hit with a top rope BK Bomb for three. Mysterio springboards in with a senton but runs into a big dropkick. The exchange between these two is pretty fun. Given their history as opponents and partners, their chemistry is good. They fight up top and Mysterio hits a super sunset flip bomb to advance. Tajiri is in, kicking away. He does the tarantula but his handspring elbow is stopped. 619 connects but Tajiri tries the mist. He catches Akio by mistake and Rey rolls him up for three. Akio can’t participate due to the mist so he came out for no real reason. It’s down to Chavo and Rey. Tajiri got a cheap kick in before leaving, giving Chavo the advantage. Rey fights back but Chavo Classic gets involved. He ends up holding Chavo down on a pin attempt, stealing the win.
Winner and Still WWE Cruiserweight Champion: Chavo Guerrero in 10:48
While this was an interesting idea, it was way too fast for anything to really matter. The idea to cram everything into ten minutes made for non-stop work, but it all felt incredibly rushed. There were some cool spots but it was all too forgettable. This would have probably worked better as a Rey/Chavo singles match. **¼
Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg
Steve Austin is the special guest referee. This match is pretty infamous for the fact that the crowd craps all over everything since both Goldberg and Lesnar were on their way out of the company. Instant “you sold out” chants, followed by the fans singing goodbye. They plod through some early things while the fans give them nothing. They chant “this match sucks”. They bump into each other and it looks cool but the crowd couldn’t care less. They move to wearing each other down which fits the style of the fans right now. It’s at a point where nothing they o would get the crowd interested, so why even bother trying? Goldberg gets the first signature/finishing move with a spear for two. This causes him to get in Austin’s face. Man, imagine if that faceoff would have happened in 1998. Brock hits the F5 but Goldberg gets the shoulder up. Goldberg comes back with a second spear and the Jackhammer for the 1-2-3.
Winner: Goldberg in 13:42
Well that was certainly something. The crowd took a huge dump on this match from the start and then the effort of both men wasn’t there. It was a really boring match outside of the fans. One of the most disappointing matches in history. It is something you should see purely for the reaction though. ½*
Brock flips off the fans and Austin after the match. Austin hits him with the Stunner and starts to drink beer. Goldberg comes in and nearly joins in, but eats a Stunner as well. Both men are sent off for good, or at least until Brock returned eight years later.
WWE Tag Team Championship
Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty (c) vs. APA vs. Basham Brothers vs. The World’s Greatest Tag Team
Like the earlier tag match, this is first pinfall wins. Shelton Benjamin starts with Bradshaw and slaps him. This causes Bradshaw to kick his ass. It’s crazy to think that Bradshaw was a few months away from a lengthy WWE Title run. There are multiple blind tags, allowing most of the guys to get their stuff in. Some are much more enjoyable than others. Haas and Benjamin hit their double team finisher that never got a name on Scotty for two. The one guy that doesn’t get shine is Rikishi because he is saved for a hot tag. He hits everything moving and gets in a stinkface. Bradshaw gets some good stuff, hitting a fallaway slam that sends his opponent onto Haas and Benjamin outside. He nails Danny Basham with the Clothesline from Hell but fails to take down Rikishi. Rikishi then just sits on Danny to retain.
Winners and Still WWE Tag Team Champions: Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty in 6:01
I appreciate that this was kept short. It allowed for everyone to get their stuff in and it didn’t overstay its welcome. Some of the stuff they did was cool and the six minutes flew by for the most part. **
A vignette aired to hype the return of Edge.
WWE Women’s Championship Hair vs. Title Match
Victoria (c) vs. Molly Holly
If Molly wins, she gets the belt. If she loses, she gets her head shaved. According to “Table for 3” on the WWE Network, Molly offered up the idea for this match to make sure the Women’s Title got on the show. Without it, there were only plans for the evening gown match. Molly takes an early powder outside, lulling Victoria into a clothesline. She tries a few pins inside, with some elbows, a dropkick and a suplex thrown in. She wears down Victoria until she’s caught in a powerslam for two. It’s funny to hear JR say “it caused a little wedgie.” Molly tries a sunset flip bomb from the top, but comes down on her knees first, lessening the impact. It gets two. Molly now looks for the Widow’s Peak but her arrogance costs her when Victoria counters with a backslide, scoring the victory.
Winner and Still WWE Women’s Champion: Victoria in 4:53
Similar to the last match, I came away rather disappointed here. Both women are more than capable of doing more but they didn’t’ get much time to strut their stuff. Still, they told a fine story with what they were given, so kudos there. **
Molly runs away, not wanting to get her head shaved. She ends up putting Victoria in the barber’s chair, nearly cutting her hair. She can’t get the machine to work though, allowing Victoria to turn the tide. She straps Molly in and proceeds to shave her bald.
WWE Championship
Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Kurt Angle
The two greats go through a feeling out process, trying to gain any sort of advantage. Eddie wins out, taking Angle down with a shoulder block, making him regroup outside. Angle comes back in, going back and forth with Eddie. Eddie takes him over and gets some arm drags, further frustrating the challenger. They go back to wrestling but Eddie gets a suplex. He tries for Three Amigos but Angle is ready, blocking and hitting a German. Angle ends up trying a German off the apron but Eddie hangs on for dear life. I don’t think Angle had done that a bunch yet, so it was shocking to see at the time. Eddie makes the crucial first mistake, missing a high risk move to the outside. He hurts his ribs, which Angle has focused on so far. Angle chooses to wear down Eddie, still working the ribs. He hits two big belly to belly suplexes for two. Eddie continually gets his shoulder up, frustrating Angle. Out of desperation and seeing an opening, Eddie tries the Frog Splash but Angle moves out of the way. Angle resorts to straight punches to the face, which commentary sells very well as Angle moving away from wrestling and into a fight. Eddie fires up, screaming for more right hands. This leads to the babyface rally. Angle wants none of that, laying out Eddie with a clothesline. Eddie counters an Angle slam into an arm drag. After a headscissors, he taunts because he’s feeling it. Three Amigos follows but before the third suplex, Angle reverse into the Ankle Lock because he’s a beast. Eddie fights out, only to get belly to belly suplexed off the top for two. THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Ankle Lock again, but Eddie counters into a rollup for two. The champion is also ready for the Angle Slam, reversing it into a tornado DDT. The Frog Splash hits but only for a near fall. Angle plays possum and is back to the Ankle Lock for a third time. Eddie counters again, sending Angle outside. He unties his boot to lessen the pressure on it. Angle gets back in, applying a fourth Ankle Lock. Eddie’s loose boot comes off, tricking Angle. Eddie pulls him into a small package, with his feet on the ropes for good measure, and scores the pinfall.
Winner and Still WWE Champion: Eddie Guerrero in 21:32
Just a brilliantly worked match. They made sure to have Kurt Angle look like the beast that he is, while having the new champion look a bit overmatched at times. However, Eddie used his mantra, outsmarting Angle and then cheating to keep the belt. He realized Angle would keep going after the ankle and figured out a way to overcome that. The chain wrestling, counters, storytelling, false finishes, atmosphere and everything was on point. Maybe I loved it more than some but I don’t care. This is my kind of pro wrestling. ****¾
Kane vs. The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer
This is the big return of the “Deadman.” His entrance takes forever but the fans eat it up. Kane is in shock because he buried Undertaker at Survivor Series. Undertaker dominates from the start. When Kane does get some offense, he shouts at Undertaker that he shouldn’t have come back. Undertaker turns it around on him quickly though. He goes for Old School but Kane is ready with a counter, grabbing him by the throat. Undertaker shrugs it off and nearly hits a Chokeslam but Kane blocks and hits one of his own. Kane talks trash to Bearer and his brother just sits up. Undertaker goes into some signature stuff before winning with the Tombstone.
Winner: The Undertaker in 7:45
The spectacle of the Deadman returning was cool. Other than that, this match was garbage. Undertaker dominated and wasn’t at his best. In fact, the first year or so of his second Deadman run was pretty bad. He’d wait until Mania the following year to start stepping up before reaching new heights around 2007. *
At the Royal Rumble, Shawn Michaels and Triple H wrestled to a draw. Chris Benoit won the Royal Rumble from the number one spot and was a Smackdown guy. He came out and joined Raw, going after Triple H’s World Title. Michaels wasn’t done with HHH and managed to make it a Triple Threat match.
World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H (c) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels
Judging by the chants, the fans are firmly in the corner of Chris Benoit. Both he and Michaels want Triple H. They take turns beating him up, but hitting each other too. Benoit tries the Cripple Crossface early but HBK rolls out. They fight for a bit before going back to Triple H. Benoit ends up outside and Triple H goes on the offensive out there. Shawn decides to take them both out with a baseball slide and huge moonsault. With everyone inside, Benoit clubs away on Shawn’s back before tossing him into the ring post. HHH starts to pick apart Benoit and throws Michaels into Benoit in the corner. It works on two levels because not only does it hurt Benoit, but he threw Shawn shoulder first. Shawn is incapacitated leaving Benoit to hit the hat trick of Germans on HHH. Benoit gets stopped by a shot from Shawn. Each time someone seems to have the upper hand, someone else is there to get in the way. Michaels tries for Sweet Chin Music but HHH ducks and DDTs him. Benoit and HHH go at it, with the fans all the way in Benoit’s corner. He counters the Pedigree into the Crossface. HHH fights it desperately though Shawn is there to break it up. Benoit takes down Michaels too and does the throat cut signal. He hits the diving headbutt but can’t cover instantly. HHH sends Benoit outside and Shawn nips up. He starts hitting some basic offense before climbing to the top. He scores with the elbow and is hyped up. The crowd is slightly booing. He tunes up the band and hits the kick but Benoit pulls HHH out of the ring in the middle of the pin. Shawn takes his corner bump and Benoit tries the Sharpshooter. Shawn fights it and gets slingshot into the corner. He is busted open instantly. I didn’t see him have time to blade. Crossface gets locked in and, in a great moment, HHH slides in to grab Michaels’ arm in the middle of a possible tap out. The fight spills outside where Benoit and HHH get on the announce table. Benoit looks for a German but HHH fights it off. He blocks a Pedigree before Shawn gets involved. Shawn and HHH have a DX moment, looking each other in the eye and coming to an agreement. They hoist Benoit up and double suplex throw him through the neighboring table. Michaels, with his crimson mask, slides in the ring and points at HHH saying it’s between them now. They do battle and HHH takes a big corner bump, falling outside. HHH is now busted open after some fighting outside. He nails the Pedigree inside but both men are down. Triple H drapes his arm over only for Benoit to return and break it up. HHH tries a Pedigree on Benoit, who counters and applies a Sharpshooter. Could you imagine if he won with that move against HHH and HBK of all people? Shawn breaks it up with Sweet Chin Music but his pin only gets two. A bloody Shawn tunes up the band again. Benoit avoids it, sending him outside. HHH is up behind him and you can hear the fans getting nervous. He attempts a Pedigree but Benoit spins out and locks in the Crippler Crossface. HHH is close to the ropes, but starts to fade. He fights only for Benoit to roll over, moving things to the middle of the ring. Triple H has no choice but to tap out, milking it just enough for the fans to believe he might not give in.
Winner and New World Heavyweight Champion: Chris Benoit in 24:47
The greatest Triple Threat match that I have ever seen. Just a fantastic effort from all three men. The crowd played a major factor as well, cheering Benoit hard and popping for all the right things. Every little thing about this match is great. The exchanges between all three men, Shawn and HHH renewing their rivalry and Benoit coming from behind and having his triumphant moment. Jim Ross was another added bonus, selling the match and moment like no one else can. Making HHH tap was the perfect ending too. *****
Chris Benoit is in tears as he is handed the World Title. He celebrates with confetti and Eddie Guerrero shows up. They embrace, closing the show in one of the coolest ways imaginable. Easily one of my favorite moments in history.
Overall: 7/10; Good. This show is certainly a mixed bag at times. It features two spectacular matches, two good matches and a whole lot of filler. The runtime doesn’t help things as it is a lot of wrestling to consume. Still, when a show has two all-time classics on it, I can’t give it a low score. Add in the historic moments like the Deadman returning and Cena’s first title win and the good ends up outweighing the bad. If they cut a few matches, this would have been one of the absolute best Manias ever. Next up on “Random Network Reviews” will be Survivor Series 2011!
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors XXIV Night Two
May 17th, 2017 | Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan | Attendance: N/A
I will only be reviewing tournament matches going forward. Today’s show is all A Block contests.
A Block: Taichi [0] vs. TAKA Michinoku [2]
The Suzuki-Gun mates and former Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions did battle to start the tournament matches. TAKA was back to Suzuki-Gun color and gear for this one. Taichi is one of the worst wrestlers in NJPW (along with Jado), but at least TAKA showed some fire in a fun opener yesterday. Sometimes, I say wrestlers did nothing and its hyperbole. These two LITERALLY did nothing for about four minutes, only teasing making contact. I know they’re teammates, but factions have collided in previous tournaments. Then, they started dodging each other but it all looked incredibly phony. Finally, after an eternity of shit, Taichi hit a low blow and rolled up TAKA at 9:30 for his first two points. This was horrible and stupid. It took forever, made no sense, looked like shit and went on for far too long. It joins the House of Horrors as the only matches to get negative stars in 2017. [-**¾]
A Block: Dragon Lee [2] vs. Marty Scurll [2]
With that garbage out of the way, we get to the fun stuff. Both men are over like they’re NJPW regulars. This was my second most anticipated match on the card. Scurll had the plan to ground Lee, showing he did his homework. It got off to a bit of a slow start, but they kept the crowd invested with some nice antics. Scurll did little things, like tie Lee’s mask to the ropes. Like Hiromu yesterday, Scurll had the corner double scouted and countered it with a belly to belly suplex. There was a great spot where Scurll countered a cradle DDT with the finger break spot, which is already over. They fought up top, where Scurll did the finger stuff again, but Lee came back with a headbutt. The double stomp hit and he won at 13:09. Big jump in quality. They delivered the way I expected. Great, even action featuring two guys that already have the crowd in the palm of their hands. [***½]
A Block: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi [0] vs. Jushin Thunder Liger [0]
Once I heard this was Liger’s last BOTSJ, I instantly wanted him to win. A final win and matchup with Hiromu at Dominion sounds incredible. This was my most anticipated match of the night and possibly the tournament. Liger tried for the quick win with a lariat, which set the tone for the rest of the contest. He brought out the brainbuster on the outside, trying for a countout win, but Hiromu barely beat the count. I liked how Takahashi adjusted to Liger’s game plan. Liger blocked the sunset flip bomb, so Takahashi changed up and turned it into an apron power bomb. Hiromu countered the Liger Bomb for a near fall but ran into the palm strike. The Liger Bomb connected for two and he ate a German, but no sold and fired up. He nailed another brainbuster for an awesome near fall. After some counters, Hiromu hit the Time Bomb to beat the legend at 8:05. Liger kicked his feet in attempts to kick out, desperate not to lose. This was marvelous. A fantastic sprint with Liger throwing everything at the champ but come up just short. The crowd ate it all up thanks to Liger’s popularity. Hiromu adds another notch to his Wrestler of the Year belt. What an incredible 2017 he’s having. [****]
After the match, Liger got an ovation. He said he was disappointed to lose his last two BOTSJ matches in Korakuen and promised to win the rest
A Block: Ricochet [2] vs. Will Ospreay [0]
Their match in last year’s BOTSJ caused tons of controversy and sparked internet arguments. I wasn’t excited for this because their matches are typically the same and they’ve done it a bunch in the span of a year or so. Anyway, I’m not going to try and recap this match move for move. That would be nuts. Instead, I’ll just give some notes about what I saw. In terms of athleticism, this was incredible. That’s to be expected. They had some variation to their previous matches (though nowhere near the level of Lee/Hiromu) and brought some great ideas to the table. I particularly liked when Ricochet landed on his feet on a super rana and Ospreay did it back to him. Also, Ricochet hit a sick German in this. A few things turned me off from this. For one, their opening sequence, while breathtaking at times, also felt very choreographed. Granted, it probably was, but I don’t want to watch it and instantly think that it looks staged. Seth Rollins once said in an interview that the worst thing a wrestler can do is take a viewer out of the moment and remind them that this is all staged. Last year’s opening sequence felt more natural and like two guys wanting to prove who was more athletic. There were a few slip ups, like when Ricochet tried a reverse rana off the middle rope, but it’s still impressive considering the things they tried. It went a bit long too, clocking in at 27:24, with Ospreay winning after a dragon rana and Oscutter. Apparently, I’m one of the few people so far who haven’t liked this as much as last year’s match. I’d rank their stuff I’ve seen as Evolve 59 > BOTJ ’16 > BOTSJ ’17 > BOLA. [***¾]
Overall: 7/10. I wanted to go higher, but that first TAKA/Taichi match is so bad, it hurts the overall score. If you skip that, then you’re in for a treat. Lee/Scurll was a damn good back and forth match of two guys getting way over in Japan. Liger/Hiromu was an awesome sprint that shows that Liger absolutely still got it. The main event, while not quite as good as their matches last year, was still a worthy way to close the show out.
| A Block | Points | B Block | Points |
| Dragon Lee | 4 (2-0) | ACH | 2 (1-0) |
| Hiromu Takahashi | 2 (1-1) | El Desperado | 2 (1-0) |
| Marty Scurll | 2 (1-1) | Ryusuke Taguchi | 2 (1-0) |
| Will Ospreay | 2 (1-1) | Volador Jr. | 2 (1-0) |
| Ricochet | 2 (1-1) | BUSHI | 0 (0-1) |
| Taichi | 2 (1-1) | KUSHIDA | 0 (0-1) |
| TAKA Michinoku | 2 (1-1) | Tiger Mask IV | 0 (0-1) |
| Jushin Thunder Liger | 0 (0-2) | Yoshinobu Kanemaru | 0 (0-1) |
