WCW Starrcade 1993

WCW Starracde 1993 Review

Monday, December 27^th, 1993 – Independence Arena – Charlotte, North Carolina – A show that I used to rent a lot when I was younger, I wanted to review was this very show, World Championship Wrestling’s Starrcade 1993! Starrcade 1993 was tenth anniversary of WCW’s WrestleMania and what better way than put the biggest star in the main event in his home town? Let’s get into the tape!

A piano music track plays when the pay-per-view opens, showing up the history of Ric Flair, the challenger in the main event of the card. Then we see the WCW Champion, Vader, with some heavy metal rifts. Pyro goes off and our announcers welcomes us to the show, Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura! To my surprise, “the Body” Ventura’s in a suit! Looking pretty good for the future Minnesota Governor!

Tony and Jesse show us a video of Vader and his manager Harley Race making it early to the arena to train. Vader’s is in a awesome leather jacket and sweat pants and Race is in a suit. I guess it’s a good thing McMahon wasn’t booking WCW in 1993, if so, Vader may have been fired for being the World Heavyweight Champion and not wearing a suit.

When the show opened, Ric Flair hasn’t arrived at the arena. “Mean” Gene Okerlund was sent to “the Nature Boy”’s home to get him (pretty much) and Flair was telling his family “goodbye’s” with a side of hugs and kisses. A babyface Flair is always a great thing in my eyes.

The main event sees Ric Flair putting his career on the line for Vader’s WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Okerlund put that over with Flair on their limo ride over and Flair’s pretty calm, telling “Mean” Gene that he knew what he was getting into when he signed the contract for the card.

2 Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell (with Teddy Long) versus Pretty Wonderful (Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma) (with the Assassin)

After Scorpio and Bagwell got into the ring with Teddy Long, Long was given the 1993 WCW manager of the Year award. Great work, playa, I’m hoping you’ll get the 2012 WWE General Manager’s Assistant award.

When Pretty Wonderful entered the ring, the four men started to brawl, not starting the match until referee Nick Patrick can gain control of the competitors.

One thing I appreciate about the two teams in this match is, each guy has matching attire to his tag partner. Scorpio and Bagwell are wearing bright orange and black full tights and Pretty Wonderful are wearing black trunks with words written in red on the back. Matching team attires are always a must in tag team competition!

The crowd seemed pretty into Orndorff and Roma, chanting “Paula!” at Roma, I’m assuming to give him a hard time for having a girl’s first name. Reading his body language whenever the crowd chant it, I can’t blame him for hating his name.

Off and on the crowd’s pretty quiet for this match and at times they’re into the match. More times than not they’re quiet. I have to say not the greatest way to open the card this Monday night before 1994.

The end of the match seen Teddy Long distracting Nick Patrick, allowing the Assassin to put something in his mask, headbutting Scorpio, and Mr. Wonderful picking up the pinfall!

Winners: Pretty Wonderful with a wonderful victory!

We go back to the limo ride with Okerlund and Flair seems un-Flair like they put over that this very December night in 1993 could be the last time we see “the Nature Boy” in a professional wrestling match. I have a feeling that this might be Ric Flair’s last match (of course, adding in scarcasm with that sentence).

Awesome Kong (with King Kong) versus the Shockmaster

A big man versus another big man match, which means we’ll see a lot of high-flying and a lot of techincal wrestling for this match! Yes!

When the Shockmaster got in the ring, King Kong and Awesome Kong attacked the Shockmaster. A few minutes passed and Randy Anderson gained control of the match and forced the one-on-one rules. Thanks Randy Anderson!

The match was a short-match, around ninty seconds. Big body slam was how it ended.

Winner: the Shockmaster and the Natural Disasters for a huge earthquake happened after the body slam.

We go back and see Ric Flair and Gene Okerlund arrive at the arena and a faint “Wooooo!” from the fans. “Mean” Gene told Ric “good luck” with his main event match.

WCW World Television Championship match :: 15-minute time limit :: Ricky “the Dragon” Steamboat versus Lord Steven Regal (champion) (with Sir William)

I remembered that for most of his career, William Regal wrestled under the first name of Steven. Both first names sounds classy, especially how good of a wrestler Regal is, and how well he comes across, he’s a great heel.

Nick Patrick is back and shows the belt to Steamboat and Steamboat shows off the belt, and the fans cheer. Patrick grabs the title back and shows off the belt and the bell rings.

Ventura tells us that being the challenger in the time-limit championship match, he has to be the aggressor if he wants to capture the belt. Thanks Jesse for the proverb!

The match is very slow paced with a lot of holds. For a wrestling fan like I who’s a smark, I appreciate the technical wrestling and appreciate European chain wrestling. Story-telling at it’s finest whenever Steven Regal’s showing off his technical skills.

Ventura was mentioning that Steamboat needs to pick up the pace if he wants to win the match and capture the Television title from Regal. Can’t argue with “the Body” with that statement, you have two people to beat in the TV title bouts, the champion and the clock.

When Gary Michael Cappetta (the ring announcer) announced that there was three minutes left in the match, Steamboat started to pick the pace up, trying to ware Regal down more to capture the Television gold. Come on Steamboat!

After each minute, the fans get more into the match when Cappetta announces that another minute goes and the pace picks up in the ring. The crowd cheers when Steamboat flew off the top rope when Cappetta counts down the last ten-seconds. Sorry Ricky “the Dragon,” you didn’t win the gold on this December night.

Winner: the time limit yet the smarks are the real winners.

Schiavone and Ventura talks more about the WCW Title main event and Tony tells Jesse that he’s concerned for Flair, that he might retire tonight. Ventura mentions that retirement isn’t as bad as people think it is, heck, Ventura mentioned, look at him, he became a successful color-commentator, Flair can strive to be like Jesse after he lost to Vader.

Tex Slazenger & Shanghai Pierce versus Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne

I just relized, Tex Slazenger would finish 1990’s in the WWE as Mideon! I never knew Mideon wrestled in WCW, especially when Mick Foley was there in the early ’90’s!

Schiavone and Ventura tells us a 1993 history lesson where on a Saturday Night taping in April, Vader put Cactus Jack out of action and Ventura helped Jack onto a streacher and, according to Schiavone and Ventura, no one thought he’d come back. Vader must of put a huge beating down on Cactus for the announcers to think that.

For the size of the guys in the match, I’m not surprised that the crowd isn’t into the match, unless Cactus does his signature moves. Along with that, I’m not surprised these four men aren’t any good in the techical skills, but that’s okay, right? Everyone has to wrestle a different kind of story, but the only thing bad about this match is, the crowd seems to not care for the match.

The match ends when Cactus hit the double arm DDT for the win.

Winners: Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne! I suppose as well as Cactus’ cacti ights.

“Mean” Gene Okerlund welcomed Kyle Petty, a NASCAR driver back in ’93, and interviewed him on the “Mean Gene” position. Okerlund asked him about retirement because Petty’s father retired recently. Petty said that it’s a shame if someone has to retire at the top of their game and hopes that Flair doesn’t have to retire during his prime.

WCW United States Championship match :: Two-Out-of-Three Falls match :: “Stunning” Steve Austin (with Col. Robert Parker) versus “the Natural” Dustin Rhodes (champion)

I watched the WWE Fully Loaded 1998 pay-per-view last weekend and the WWE Intercontinental title was also in a two-out-of-three falls and both Triple H and the Rock went to the full time limit. I hope, for a second weekend, I don’t see another draw (especially when we seen a draw already on this very card).

Both Rhodes and Austin do a lot of ground-chain wrestling, which is great to see. I wish the fans at the arena in 1993 and fans in 2012 would appreciate seeing chain wrestling, as well as technical wrestling. Wrestlers nowadays aren’t anything like they were during this time period.

A funny conversation that Ventura and Schiavone were discussing Parker’s cigars. Ventura questioned Schiavone, wondering why Col. Parker’s cigars are never lit when he’s ringside and having one in his mouth. They talked some politics, which doesn’t surprise me coming from one of my Governors.

Rhodes had a taped right fist for the matched and the announcers kept mentioning it and Ventura, as usual, questions why Rhodes has to have a taped fist. I think that’s a conspiracy Jesse!

Austin went for an easy cover, not hooking a leg or anything, and got a two count. Ventura mentioned that if he would of hooked a leg or the head or a half nelson, he would of picked up the first fall. I can see Ventura’s logic, if he would of hooked something, he’d have a better chance of scoring a fall, but not necessary that fall.

Col. Parker jumped up on the apron to distract Rhodes and Rhodes threw Austin into him, giving Austin the first fall. How? During this time in WCW, if you tossed someone outside the ring, that’s a disqualification.

Austin – 1

Rhodes – 0

Those two men brawled outside the ring and Rhodes left Austin in a pool of beaten mess. Rhodes threw him into the ring to start the second fall and when this happened, the lights went out and the crew had to pull out some spot lights for the match. During this time, Austin’s been busted wide open.

Austin was being pumpled in the corner and pushed Rhodes off and covered him, grabbed the tights, and picked up the second fall.

Austin – 2

Rhodes – 0

The announcers were surprised that Austin won two straight falls.

Winner: Steve Austin and the disqualification rule that WCW had in place. Thanks!

The British Bulldog was suppose to be Rick Rude’s challenger for the WCW International title but couldn’t compete, so the Boss was bumped into the Bulldog’s spot. I find that funny cause of the whole UFC 151 situation that went down recently. I guess Dana White didn’t watch much of WCW in 1993, or he didn’t take any notes.

WCW International Heavyweight Championship match :: the Boss versus Rick Rude (champion)

When the Boss was coming out, Schiavone said, “He’s one big guy.”

“With one big stick!” Ventura mentioned. That made me laugh, thinking of how dirty that comment is that Jesse “the Body” uttered.

Rick Rude did his pre-match pose down and before he posed, he grabbed the mic and told the fans that he’s the “Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion!” To be honest, I would love if he, in his prime, could face Chris Jericho during his prime. They would have had great promos with one another and would have had great matches too.

A fun fact: the Boss in WCW did the same character the Big Bossman played in the WWF. Oh wait, the Boss is the Big Bossman! Go Bossman! Win the WCW International title!

An odd note I picked up on for this match: the Boss was portrayed to be the babyface and wore black for this match and Rude is the heel and has the colorful tights.

Ventura mentioned Rick Rude’s history before wrestling, being a tough man bouncer in bars in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, before becoming pro. He also is undefeated, to what Jesse knows, at arm wrestling, and that’s a tough thing to do in arm wrestling in Minnesota bars.

Boss is one of the better big men wrestlers and Rick Rude is known for putting on great matches with guys who aren’t the greatest wrestlers, yet this match isn’t the best. It could be the quiet crowd, but I feel like the Boss and Rude don’t have any chemistry together in the squared circle.

Both the champion and challenger got into the center of the ring and the challenger locked in a bear hug. Rude got out of the hug by biting the Boss’s nose. Minnesotans always fight dirty!

After a mistake by the Boss and a sunset flip, Rude retains the title after scoring the pin!

Winner: Ravishing Rick Rude and the whole state of Minnesota!

He’s simply ravishing with that victory!

World Tag Team Championship Match :: Sting and Road Warrior Hawk versus the Nasty Boys (champions – Missy Hyatt)

When Sting and Hawk came out, Ventura and Schiavone put over odd team, saying that the only way they’ll lose is if they defeat themselves.

After the bell rang, the Nasty Boys were taunting the fans and the crowd was booing and Schiavone got after the champions, and Ventura got after Tony, asking him if he expected anything different. One thing I love about watching old tapes, having Jesse Ventura on color commentary, since he called it the way I often see it whenever I watch the old tapes.

For the start of the match, both teams kept the pace pretty slow. Knowing the Nasty Boys and knowing Hawk, those three men are brawlers and their fights don’t last too long, so milking the crowd for as long as they can, I have to give them props.

Several minutes into the match, the crowd didn’t seem too interested into what the four competitors were doing in the ring. To be honest, I really can’t blame them. This being the seventh match in, the crowd didn’t seem to care much on what’s going on. Maybe bad placement for the match? I believe so.

The crowd seemed to get into the match when on the floor; Missy Hyatt smacked Hawk with her whip. Ventura and Schiavone seem to get excited when she used it, as with the fans.

When Knobs had Hawk in a rest hold and Hawk slapped the man, trying to get the fans to cheer him into countering the hold, no one cared. Wow, was the crowd that burnt out, or did they simply not care for the match?

A spot that got the fans into the match was when the Nasty Boys, along with the beautiful Missy Hyatt, tried to walk out and get a count-out loss, but the challengers ran out and brought them back to the ring. Smart thinking on both teams. If I were a wrestler, that’s how I try ending each match, if I can’t lose the title by being counted out, why not get counted out?

Each time I hear Gary Cappetta tell us how much time we have left for the time-limit title match, I couldn’t wait for the match to end, since I started to battle sleep half-way through this match. I’m sorry, but these four men didn’t and couldn’t make me care for this match.

The match ended in a disqualification, meaning that the Nasty Boys retained the titles! Thank you whoever had time limits in WCW back then, since this match was hard to keep paying attention during!

WCW World Heavyweight Championship :: Vader (champion – with Harley Race) versus Ric Flair

Vader came out first, which I found to be odd, but this being Ric Flair’s home town, I can handle the challenger coming out second. After Vader and Race came to the ring, Vader walked over to Ventura and barked at him to get comfortable, since he’s about to give the challenger the beating of his lifetime!

When the challenger came to the ring, the crowd all jumped to their feet and remained on their feet during the introductions by Michael Buffer.

For the match, Vader put his championship up on the line if Ric Flair put his career on the line. During this time, career stipulations were rarely done, so this seemed legit.

The first few minutes of the match were pretty slow, doing a slow build for the finish of the match. Flair had Vader chase him around the outside the ring, which the crowd ate up. Once both men got into the ring, Vader got the upper-hand on Flair, making sure the fans were sitting on the edge of their seats.

One thing I love about Vader during this time was whenever he had the advantage, he’d yell at the fans. At Starrcade 1993, he often yell at the fans, asking them, “Who’s the man?” Yes Vader, walking into Starrcade, you’re the man!

A mistake that the champion took that got the fans to cheer was when Vader stood on the bottom rope and tried to splash the challenger. A bad landing for the champion when Ric Flair rolled out of the way, causing Vader to eat canvas, to the cheers of the hometown crowd.

Within moments, Vader got the upper hand again and when Vader had Flair on his shoulder, the champion yelled at the crowd, “Huh?,” waiting for them to boo him out of the building.

When Cappetta announced that 15 minutes of this 45 minute match passed, it surprised me how well these two men paced this match better than the World Tag title match just before this. It didn’t feel like 15 minutes and I wished this match could have gone longer.

The end of the match saw when Race tried to interfere by jumping off the top rope onto Flair, but Flair rolled out of the way and hit his own man, Vader. Randy Anderson, the ref for the match, kicked him out of the ring and moments later, Flair rolled Vader up and scored the pinfall victory!

Winner: Ric Flair, the new World Heavyweight Champion!

Dave Meltzer said on January 3^rd, 1994 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (can be found here) that “Ric Flair’s 11th (or 10th, or 12th, depending on what you consider a world title and what you’re willing to accept and ignore when it comes to wrestling history) world title victory was easily the most memorable of all his title wins, and created a unique emotional moment almost foreign to American wrestling.

In what was easily the best job of build-up for a single match in the five-year history of WCW, Starrcade ’93, by virtue of a horrible situation that took place two months earlier in England, was switched from the planned Vader losing the WCW title to Sid Vicious, to Vader losing the title to Flair in a match where Flair put his career on the line.”

Meltzer also gave this match a four-and-three-quarter-star rating, which I cannot argue with. I also wrote about this match at CamelClutchBlog[dot]Com (which can be found here). A great match, but not so much for a whole show. So if you can find the match (which shouldn’t be too hard to find), go out of your way and watch it if you hadn’t seen it before. If you have a few hours and wanted to spend watching some old school wrestling, take time and watch it.

WWE: June 13th, 2006 ECW Review

WWE: Tuesday Night ECW Review

Tuesday, June 13^th, 2006 – Trenton, New Jersey – Some Arena That Either I Didn’t Hear Them Say or They Didn’t Announce – Welcome to a series of blogs on the first few episodes of WWE’s third brand, ECW! Granted this wasn’t the original Extreme Championship Wrestling, but I enjoyed the original airings of WWECW. So, wanting to give it another spin, I’ll be reviewing the first few episodes I recorded on VHS, and then dubbed onto DVD years later. Hope you guys enjoy the reviews!

The show started with Drowning Pool’s “Bodies” theme, along with ECW’s One Night Stand pay-per-view 48 hours prior, along with John Cena saying on Monday Night Raw the night before that he’ll show up on ECW, trying to gain retribution for losing the WWE title to RVD on Sunday night!

Segment One: Paul Heyman was welcomed by the “ECW” fans at Trenton, New Jersey, and by Justin Roberts, the ECW ring announcer. The fans love seeing Paul E. back and I can’t blame them. Joey Styles and Tazz are our announcers for the show, and a team I really enjoyed at the announce booth.

After Styles and Tazz did their opening speal, Heyman introduced the WWE Champion, who carried the spinner belt. Man, am I ever happy the spinner belt was ditched and the new WWE title debuted about a month ago.

Rob Van Dam thanked Paul and also thanked the fans for the cheers and support to their new champion. Van Dam mentioned that Cena claims he’d show up and wants him to “do the right thing” and help celebrate ECW’s debut on the SciFi network!

Heyman mentions that since RVD defeated Cena two nights before at ECW’s One Night Stand, Heyman wants to crown RVD as the NEW EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!

Paul asked RVD what he’ll do with the WWE title, and Rob responded by saying he’ll defend both titles. Moments after, Edge’s theme hit and he and Lita came to the ring. The crowd chanted “Thank You Edge!” because it was Edge that helped RVD win two nights before, defeating John Cena.

Edge shook RVD’s hand and said he’s looking forward to challenging him for the WWE title at Vengence, and got speared for believing Edge only wanted to shake hands. Edge and Lita tried to leave in the crowd but Cena showed up and tossed him back to the ringside area and the three men battled each other for a few minutes.

After the commercial break, Heyman was backstage with the ECW roster and told his roster that if the Raw roster wanted to show them what they were about, the ECW roster will show up on Monday Night Raw, on the USA Network, and show the Raw guys what they’re about! Yes!

Match One: the Zombie versus the Sandman

When the Zombie got into the ring, he went over to Justin Roberts and grabbed the mic and spoke “Zombie language,” grunting into the mic. Maybe 15 seconds into his grunts, the Sandman’s theme hit, and he came down through the crowd, with beer and the kendo stick in hand!

Before the bell rang, Sandman nailed the Zombie with the Kendo Stick, tagging with a pop from the crowd! The bell rang and the Sandman wen to town with the Kendo Stick when the Zombie was on the ground.

The Sandman picked him up and hit him with the White Russian Leg Sweep, pinned him, and scored the victory!

Winner: the Sandman!

For the first match, I am pleased that this lasted minutes, if that, and allowing the new ECW audience to see what the Sandman was all about. I have to give this match a * and ½ * rating, since it was super short, and we saw a Kendo Stick beating on a “dead dude!”

Segment Two: Kelly Kelly tells us all about what she’s about…that she’s all about taking her clothes off! The crowd popped huge for that statement! What horny teenage boys and young-20-somethings!

After the commercial break, we see a video package from ECW One Night Stand and we see the match Tazz and Jerry Lawler had. I guess you can say this was ECW’s second match.

Match Two: Tazz versus Jerry “the King” Lawler (from ECW One Night Stand 2006)

The crowd at the arena where the PPV took place was a “vintage ECW crowd,” cheering for Tazz and booing hugely when Lawler’s theme hit. To gain more heat, Lawler walked over to where Styles was sitting at and slapped him across the face, making sure the fans hated him. Another great clip to show the ECW fans what they were about.

Styles ran down to the ring and jumped Lawler. He didn’t get far, since Lawler was a trained wrestler and he wasn’t. Lawler threw him off of him and was about to hit the piledriver on Style, but Tazz grabbed Lawler and put him in the Tazzmission.

The King passed out to the Tazzmission and Tazz picked up the victory!

Winner: Tazz!

I have to give this match a * and ¾ * rating, because it was short, and told an awesome story. Like mentioned for the Sandman match, Lawler put over Tazz great, helping show the world what ECW was about and helped continue the rivalry that Lawler and ECW had back in the 90’s. If you don’t know what I’m referring to, find the ECW documentary and watch it. WWE’s “Rise and Fall of ECW” tells it perfectly on why Lawler didn’t like ECW at the time.

Match Three: Kurt Angle versus Justin Credible

The first thing that happened was when Credible entered the ring, he ran towards Angle and Angle hit the double leg take down onto Justin Credible and showed the fans what WWE “never allowed” him to do, and that’s be the “Wrestling Machine,” and show off his amateur moves.

Angle let Credible up and Credible got into Angle’s face, I guess telling him that Angle has nothing on him, and Angle responded with a headbutt, which Credible kneeled because of it, and Angle locked on a choke hold, which caused Credible to tap out.

Winner: Kurt Angle!

I have to give this match a * star rating, since it was all Angle, and seemed a lot like a squash match, which isn’t bad at all. Helps put Angle over as a Wrestling Machine and shows the WWE Universe the new style Angle was trying to put over.

Angle grabbed the mic said that it doesn’t matter what set of rules he faces Randy Orton because he’ll make Orton tap out at Vengeance and he’s the new face of ECW!

Segment Three: Paul Heyman’s backstage and asked us if we want to fell extreme. Heyman threw out all his plans and said that the main event would be a ten man Extreme Battle Royal and the winner would face John Cena at Vengeance. Great way to put over the winner of the Battle Royal.

Segment Four: Kelly Kelly’s Exposé. Yup, Kelly Kelly danced and tried to take her clothes off. What else can I say? Not much of a reaction, which I was surprised. Whatever.

Match Four: the Extreme Battle Royal!

Tommy Dream, Sabu, Al Snow, Stevie Richards, Road Kill, some guy who I don’t know and was never named, the FBI, Balls Mahoney, and the Big Show all participated in the Battle Royal. All this humanity in a hardcore Battle Royal, I’m excited! It’ll be hard to do a play-by-play for this match; I’ll mention some of the highlights.

Hands down, the Big Show was highlighted off and on throughout the battle royal. Makes me wonder on whom’ll get put over in this match. Hmm, interesting.

Road Kill and Tommy Dreamer both tried at individual times to take out the Big Show with weapons and they both didn’t get far. Well, the only time they went far was when the Big Show tossed them out of the ring. Good paycheck for them, I suppose.

Big Guido and the Big Show went at it and the Big Show almost eliminated Guido, until Guido held onto the Show and Sabu grabbed a chair and jumped and smacked the Show on the back, eliminated him!

Winner: Sabu!

I have to say that this match has to be a ** star match. The weapons helped to put this match and episode over. I am looking forward to future episodes, since I edited this down; ECW was only 45 minutes long, which I really enjoyed. If the WWE wants to keep all the shows that they currently have, I don’t know why they bump Raw down to two hours, Smackdown to an hour, and have the Main Event on Wednesday nights stay an hour, and have Saturday Morning Slam 30 minutes long, because that’d be an easy dose to put down for WWE.

But that’s my opinion. As a “debut episode,” I have to give this show a ** and a ¼ * rating, since it showcased some of the main stars on ECW and gave the new audience a taste of what’s to come. Like said, I really enjoyed the hour television format because it was easy to digest and forces the WWE to hit the main points rather fast. If you can, go out and find this episode.

January 21st 1989 World Championship Wrestling Saturday Night

1/21/89 NWA Saturday Night

Was this one a tough one to put together or what?! The 1989 Saturday Night set that I own does not include the January 21^st edition. After learning about the events of Saturday Night in 1989, I knew that I couldn’t just simply skip this episode as it is arguably the most important of the entire year. So I set out in finding at least the main event from the show. After some creative googling, I was able to scour the many reaches of internet video hosting sites and find the show on Myspace video, of all places. I will give the quick and dirty results for those of you who are wishing to be completists and follow the exploits of my main man Randy Hogan through the whole year.

Michael Hayes over Russian Assassin #2 in 6:34

Butch Reed (W/ JJ Dillon) over George South in 2:16

Mike Rotunda and Kevin Sullivan over Randy Hogan in Gene Miller in 4:09

What I could find begins with Ross and Schiavonne going over the night, including Michael Hayes taking on one of Paul Jones’ Russian Assassins, the debut of Butch Reed with JJ Dillon and the big tag team match between the Horsemen and Gilbert and his partner.

They are quickly joined by Eddie Gilbert to hype up the tag match later in the hour. Gilbert is only on for about 30 seconds, but does a fairly good (if not slightly overblown) job of being excited about his partner and lays in a good line about everyone calling their neighbors and telling them to turn on TBS if they aren’t already watching.

My clip now jumps to later in the show to the second Eddie Gilbert promo of the night. In this one, they show the beatdown of Gilbert that led to this match. Another short one as Eddie goes on to quote Flair’s famous line of “To be the man, you gotta beat the man” and goes on to say that his partner would be able to beat all three of them with one man tied behind his back. Then my clip goes to the match.

EDDIE GILBERT and MR. X vs. BARRY WINDHAM (US Champion) and RIC FLAIR (World Champion)

Coming back from the commercial, the three named participants are already in the ring awaiting the arrival of Gilbert’s mystery man. The theme made most famous by the 1990s Chicago Bulls plays and the mystery partner arrives, to be RICKY STEAMBOAT!! The announcers lose their stuffing as Steamboat comes out grinning and is visibly pumped for the match. The Horsemen are totally incredulous and don’t know what hit them.

Steamboat starts and is a house of fire, looking great with arm drags and shoulder tackles that chase Windham to the outside to regroup with Flair and Dillon. Flair comes in next, and Ricky is getting the best of him with chops, culminating with a big military press slam that sends Flair outside to regroup this time. This is such awesome booking. Steamboat is taking everything. Although Flair gets a few shots in here and there, Steamboat always gets the upper hand, even taking on both champions at once. Gilbert comes in against Flair and even he gains the upper hand with punches and a flying head scissors that sends Flair flopping into the corner for Windham. Windham finally gets the advantage with a huge back suplex to take over on Gilbert. However, they can keep Hot Stuff down for long, and he gets Flair locked in his own figure four leglock! Flair is able to escape and tags in Windham, who again takes over for a small glimpse. Despite brief respites, such as an awesome flying clothesline from Gilbert, the Horsemen are able to hold the heat for an extended amount of time. Steamboat is chomping at the bit to get in and take over on the champs. Flair is really taking over on Gilbert, who is doing a fantastic job of being the face in peril here. At around the 15:00 minute mark, Steamboat comes in totally on fire with a flying shoulderblock and other attacks on Flair. After getting the best of both Horsemen for about a minute, Steamboat finishes Flair off with a press slam and flying crossbody! The champion has been defeated!

Winner, 15:35: EDDIE GILBERT and RICKY STEAMBOAT (Flying Crossbody) **** This was awesome. A great match. Everybody looked fantastic in this match, especially Flair and Stemboat. A perfect job of making the fans want more from those two.

After the match, Steamboat and Gilbert get on the mic. They watch the tape of the match. Gibert is a little too high off the match invoking the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and just slurring his way through his portion, but Dragon nails his part. He is subdued as normal, but comes across great when saying that he will take Flair’s title and do what he has yet to do in his career: win a world championship.

Flair and the Horsemen come out and Flair is in full Wildman mode which is great. Dillon writes off the match as being unprepared and as something will never go down in the record books.

Even without seeing the main event, I know that I can mark this down as a great one. When the whole show went an hour and this one match with the promos was almost 30, it was a one match show at its core. Steamboat looked great, Flair was a chicken shit, and Gilbert looked like someone who could be beaten and come back unharmed. Great all around

MVP: Steamboat. There is a lot of pressure that comes with making a huge debut like this, but he was great in all facets.

LVP: None. I’m sure I could’ve found one in the other parts, but everything in this portion was good.

Best Promo: There are a lot to choose from, but I’m going to go with Steamboat again, coming off the match. He came across great in this one.

Worst Promo: Although none were bad per se, I’ll say the first Gilbert promo for being a little too child-like, almost to a Duggan-esque level.

Fashion Statement of the Night: Gilbert was wearing a coral-pink sweatshirt that I believe was from Daytona Beach or a place such as that. Only a real man could pull this one off.

Hey! It’s 1989!: Since we only have a few more weeks of it this year, it’s Tony Schiavonne’s moustache. A work of art, that is.

That’s Racist: Is it a judo chop Jim? Karate? Maybe Kung-Fu? Aww, it’s all the same, right?

WWE WrestleMania XXIX Review and Opinion

WrestleMania 29 Review and Opinion

By Eric Darsie

Sunday, April 7^th, 2013 – East Rutherford, New Jersey – MetLife Stadium – 80, 676 people jam packed the MetLife Stadium, located on the outskirts of New York state, where the Undertaker continued his streak to 21 and 0, Alberto Del Rio retained his World Heavyweight Championship, Triple H came out of retirement to defeat Brock Lesnar in a No Holds Barred match to continue his couple-match-a-year career, and John Cena defeated the Rock to capture the WWE Championship for the record-setting eleventh time.

I had several old college buddies and a handful of co-workers head over to my place tonight for WWE WrestleMania XXIX and for a few of us; we made it an all-day event. Three of my co-workers and I got up early to head over to our local Godfather’s Pizza chain and had their lunch buffet, catching up since we normally don’t work next to one another and discuss the 29^th installment of Vince McMahon’s SuperBowl of wrestling. It didn’t dominate our conversation, which I enjoyed, since I’d be making it an all-day shindig anyway.

Came home and we all separated for a few hours and I listened to Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, talking Saturday night’s WWE Hall of Fame and tonight’s pay-per-view. Enjoyed their Hall of Fame discussion, since Alvarez was there live, and was excited for their discussion on WrestleMania. Only thing they mentioned was, everything other than the Ryback/Mark Henry match remained the same. I scratched my head, knowing that Ryback had a lot of PPV loses under his belt, thinking that it’d make sense if Ryback won in regards to rebuild him for the future, if McMahon and the Creative Team wanted him to be the future of the company.

Knowing that you can easily find the results to Mania (to go to WWE’s official site, click here, which I used for this blog, or Wikipedia, which was the second site I used for this blog), I won’t talk much about the results of the event, rather, I’ll let you readers know about what I thought of the show.

As a whole, I thought it was decent, better than WrestleMania XXVII, but not as good as WrestleMania XXVIII. I say that in regards to the fans not seeming interested in the No Holds Barred or the WWE Championship matches, since they came after the Undertaker/CM Punk match. Once the DVD comes out, I’ll be re-watching the Lesnar/Helmsley match and the Rock/John Cena match, to see if it was coming directly after the emotional Streak versus Punk match.

Something that I was surprised at was the four billed main events were all consecutive for this year’s WrestleMania, since the last few years, that wasn’t the case. I figure that’s why the fans seemed a little down for the two matches that followed the Undertaker’s win, I feel that’s something needed for this year’s WrestleMania and future Mania’s, since filler matches, in my opinion, really don’t add anything to the show, other than taking time away from matches, or giving the fans a bathroom break, which I’m sure McMahon doesn’t want.

Several surprises came for my buddies when Fandango defeated Chris Jericho in 9:13. I mentioned that I learned through listening to the Wrestling Observer Radio that Jericho was back only through Mania, wanting to come back for short sprits over being gone for long periods of time. I, as with everyone in my living room, was happy for Jericho, to seem him back, and to see him put over the new-comer in Johnny Curtis.

Another surprise came when Mark Henry defeated the Ryback. I mentioned it a few paragraphs above, and I’ll write it again, I am surprised much-so that Henry went over Ryback, since the end of 2012 and the early weeks of 2013, it seemed that the Ryback was the future of the WWE and a future main-eventer of WrestleMania. Maybe he will be, have to wait to see, I suppose.

For the first time ever in WrestleMania history, the Rock and John Cena main-evented consecutive years. For me, the Rock and John Cena outshined last year’s match and both guys put on a better show this time around than last. How so?

The WWE Championship helped me keep interest in the match. Yes, Rock missing two Raw’s a few weeks back and Cena missing the first Raw the Rock missed, but I feel like tonight’s match was our “sorry for that” kind of receipt. Granted towards the end of their match, the crowd at my place and I felt it was too much when Cena kept going for the Attitude Adjustment and Rock countering and trying to Rock Bottom him.

The torch was passed tonight in the middle of MetLife Stadium after Cena reclaimed the WWE Championship when the Rock shook Cena’s hand and hugged him. Cena let the Rock take center-stage to soak up the fans’ appreciation for coming back, mouthing, “Thank you, I love you.” Even if the Rock is done wrestling, I do appreciate him coming back and having the tag match at Survivor Series 2010, last year and this year’s WrestleMania, and the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber from this year.

If the Rock is done with this run-through, thank you Rock for taking time out from Hollywood to compete a few more times.

To conclude, hands down, the Undertaker defeating CM Punk was the best match of the night. The World Heavyweight title defense was better than I imagined, so Del Rio and Swagger put on a great showing. The No Holds Barred match between Lesnar and Triple H wasn’t as fast paced as I expected, but hard-hitting, and I appreciate them putting their bodies on the line for our entertainment. Granted the fans live didn’t seem as into as the match last year, I enjoyed the WWE Championship match between current champion John Cena and former champ, the Rock.

Match results (and times, thanks to Wikipedia):

John Cena defeated the Rock – WWE Championship – 24:01

Triple H defeated Brock Lesnar – No Holds Barred – 24:00

Undertaker defeated CM Punk – 22:08

Alberto Del Rio defeated Jack Swagger – World Heavyweight Championship – 10:30

Fandango defeated Chris Jericho – 9:13

Team Hell No defeated Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston – Tag Team Championship – 7:19

Mark Henry defeated Ryback – 8:03

The Shield defeated Randy Orton, Big Show, and Sheamus – 10:35

The Miz defeated Wade Barrett — Intercontinental Championship

January 14th, 1989 World Championship Wrestling Saturday Night

1/14/89 World Championship Wrestling Saturday Night

Barry Windham w/ James J Dillon vs. “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert

Gilbert gets in Windham’s face. Windham takes over with punches and a suplex. Gilbert comes back with a really cool flying clothesline. Both of these guys are looking really good here at the beginning of 89. Windham takes back over, featuring a really nice headlock takeover. The crowd is super hot for this. Windham is hammering Gilbert with right hands and Gilbert is doing is goofy drunk selling, which I’m not a fan of. Ric Flair is out to look on with Dillon. Ross is just awesome, selling the fact that Flair is concerned over Gilbert taking the title from Windham. This match is a lot of back and forth punching, with Windham on the offensive, but Hot Stuff not giving up. At about 7:00 minutes, Windham throws Gilbert outside and appears to take over, but Gilbert fights back and has a short shine in the ring with a two-count off of an elbow drop. Windham is really good here in my opinion, everything he does is right on point, from the suplexes, to his heel demeanors when arguing with referee Teddy Long. Windham bites Gilbert, before setting Eddie up for his finisher, the superplex. Gilbert initially fights off, but Barry hits the move. However, he eschews the pin in favor of beating on Eddie some more. After Barry misses a knee drop, Gilbert hooks in a figure four leg lock, but can’t finish it, nicely selling the exhaustion. At the 12 minute mark, Flair can’t take anymore and enters the ring, causing a disqualification.

Winner: 13:00, EDDIE GILBERT (Disqualification) *** Very nice match, Windham looked good and so did Gilbert in this one

After the bell, the horsemen take over. Double-teaming on Gilbert in the ring with clotheslines and knee drops. After, JJ cuts a very nice promo, that while short, serves its purpose. He states that the reason for this was Gilbert being annoying and taking TV time, and now his name can be added to all the rest of the people the Horsemen have taken out.

Next is a Dusty Rhodes promo. He is a little all around the map here, as usual. He says he is the NWA and professional wrestling and gets around to saying that he is coming for Barry Windham because his paycheck comes every Wednesday (?) and he needs the US title. He also gets a slight dig in by saying that the 4 Horsemen are now, “Only two, only two” as Anderson and Blanchard had recently left for the WWF at the time.

Michael PS Hayes vs. Paul Lee

Hayes does a lot of strutting and dancing before the match and by the time of the lockup, is nearly out of breath. Lee is quite the character. His skin is nearly transparent and his bleached hair just adds to it. Steven Casey, from the metroplex, is out to watch the match. This match is obviously all Hayes here, doing what he wants. I like how Hayes is playing the character of being happy and a fan favorite, but very close to being unhinged and letting his heel form shine through. After no-selling a couple of Lee shots, Hayes hits the DDT for the W.

Winner: 4:00, MICHAEL HAYES (DDT) * Hayes relied way too much on a headlock in what should have been a showcase for him

Next is an interview with Hayes and his new tag team partner, the Junkyard Dog. JYD starts out very incomprehensibly talking about bones and that they’re going after the US tag titles held by “The Devil” and Steve Dr. Death Williams. Hayes takes over, and does a really nice job. My favorite line being, “Heaven don’t want us and Hell is afraid we’ll take over!” Hayes nicely got over the fact they’re coming after the Varsity Club and that even though Williams is a machine, machines can break and can’t adapt, so Hayes and JYD are coming after them. Weirdly though, he finishes by quoting “Bad to the Bone.” Strange.

Kevin Sullivan and Dr. Death vs. Randy Hogan and Mike Collins

I don’t like Kevin Sullivan. I hate his look, his terrible haircut (shaved sides mullet) and his association with the Varsity Club. Why is he even with these guys? The Varsity Club is in total control of this one. It’s a definite showcase for Dr. Death, as he throws around these guys left and right. Randy Hogan, obviously named for his blonde horseshoe haircut and handlebar moustache, looks like the Huckster from 1996 WWF, but despite his terrible look, does a good job selling Dr. Death’s moves. Sullivan takes over on “Mark Collins”, as JR calls him. Oops. Williams gets back in and finishes Collins off with the Oklahoma Stampede for the pin fall and squirts him with his water bottle before leaving the ring.

Winners: 4:00 KEVIN SULLIVAN AND DR. DEATH (Oklahoma Stampede) *1/4

After the match, the Varsity Club joins JR at the interview station. Sullivan speaks on 1989 being the year of the Varsity Club. He addresses the Road Warriors and states that they’re coming for them. Mike Rotunda gets on the mic and calls Rick Steiner a “kleptomaniac moron” and says Steiner stole his TV championship. He says he is a thief and doesn’t even know it and is going to get back what’s his. During the promo, Dr. Death kept walking in front of the camera like he wasn’t sure where he was or who was talking. What’s the deal there?

The Road Warriors w/ Paul Ellering vs. Dale Laparouse and Mike Jackson

The warriors come out hot, with Hawk getting Laparouse right away with a nice dropkick. After one shot from Animal, doomsday device and it’s over.

Winners: 1:00, THE ROAD WARRIORS (Doomsday Device) NR (too short)

After, the Road Warriors, the world tag team champions get an interview. Animal and Hawk address the Varsity Club and say they will snack on Sullivan, dine on Doc and do away with the challengers. Animal says he’s bringing in Tenryu from Japan for the 6 man championships. An ok promo on the whole, with LOD getting over their disdain for Sullivan and Death.

Next is another promo from the Horsemen, or what’s left of them. Windham and Flair both downplay their actions from earlier. Flair is awesome as usual, talking about how 1989 is the year of the Horsemen. Eddie Gilbert comes out and challenges the Horsemen to a match next week to a match with him and his partner. After some cajoling, Dillon commits to a match for the next week with Gilbert and anyone except Lex Luger. After Gilbert leaves, Flair gives respect to Gilbert for challenging them and being a man. This is something I always loved about Flair; he always gives it up to his opponents. Remember, if you call him a nobody and beat them, all you did was beat a nobody. Flair is a pro at that.

The Original Midnight Express vs. Trent Knight and Bob Emory

Dennis Condrey might be my favorite wrestler. He looks old; he’s got a gut, a mullet and wears the bandana wherever he goes. He’s just an old shitkicker and that’s what I love about him. The OMx control this match from pretty much beginning to end while Dangerously mugs, shouts and laughs at the camera for most of the match. I don’t like that the OMx don’t wear matching attire, they don’t look like a team to me. Dangerously: “You know who gave Dennis Condrey the nickname Loverboy? Jim Cornette’s mama. She had personal experience.” The Express finish it up with a combo of Condrey lifting up Randy Rose and slamming him down in a leg drop onto Knight for the victory. Paul E. calls this the Human Coughdrop. This was alright. As much as I love Condrey, he’s a little past his prime and Rose just doesn’t have a spot in this feud.

Winners: 4:00, THE ORIGINAL MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (Human Coughdrop) *1/2

After the match, Paul E. shows some footage of him hitting Cornette with the phone. He cuts a promo on Cornette, saying that he’s going to run him out of the NWA. “You think it’s over when I leave, I think it’s over when I spit on your career’s grave.” Some nice work there

Larry Zybysko and Al Perez w/ Gary Hart vs. George South and Curtis Thompson

Zybysko is the Western States Champion at the time. Abdullah the Butcher humorously keeps trying to come out and get involved, which I love. Perez is good and I don’t think he ever reached his full potential. George South looks like someone you’d meet at a truck stop or county fair. Perez finishes it off with the “Al-i-copter” airplane spin for the win.

Winners: 3:00. AL PEREZ AND LARRY ZYBYSKO (Al-i-copter) *3/4

After the match, Gary Hart is at the interview station for a promo. The story is that Hart won’t have his guys face Flair for the title because of his association with Flair and Dillon. Now he says that is off the table. This is all to set up a title match at a house show in Florida that is coming up. After that Zbysko says he’s going to be the champ in 1989. We’ll sure see about that.

Dick Murdoch vs. Eddie Sweat

Eddie Sweat, what a name. I wonder how he got that name. JR spends the first part of the match talking about Murdoch’s son who plays for the South Lake Carroll Dragons high school football team, who just went undefeated for 1989. Murdoch is just beating on the sweaty one, pulling up Eddie multiple times before finishing him with a terrible brainbuster.

Winner: 3:00, DICK MURDOCH (Brainbuster) ¾ *

Now, Ric Flair is with Missy Hyatt. Hyatt calls Ric sexier than Don Johnson and Sylvester Stallone combined. They talk about Flair’s match with Luger at Starrcade that just recently happened. Flair calls Luger the golden Adonis, but because he is not Ric Flair he will not face him ever again for the title. Flair was awesome here, in total Nature Boy mode.

Midnight Express vs. Keith Steinborn and Gary Royal

The Express start out hot with Keirn hitting sine fancy kicks and good-looking double-team moves. Bobby hits a real good-looking elbow drop on one of the jobbers. Keirn is a little off, missing slightly on a couple moves. Eaton comes back in and hits the Veg-o-matic to close the match.

Winner: 2:00, THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (Veg-o-matic) **

Cornette on for an interview. The story he’s telling is that these three are problem children, doing what they want. Cornette was very good here “The game ain’t over til I win.” Gold.

Main Event: Rick Steiner (World TV Champion) vs. Mike Rotunda w/ Kevin Sullivan

As both wrestlers come out, Steiner taunts Rotunda with his newly won TV title. Steiner then goes out and parties with the definition of 1989 (steps cut in hair, pseudo racquetball sunglasses, starter sweatsuit), before getting in the ring to square off. Rotunda starts off with the heat with a huge clothesline before Steiner comes back by throwing Mike out. Steiner caps off the shine by barking at Rotunda, of course. I have never been a huge fan of Rick Steiner; his character to me has always been something close to awful. But I do think that he looks awesome here. He might not be the best wrestler, but the crowd is super into him and that helps overcome that Rotunda is generally boring as usual. Oh gosh, now Steiner is talking to “Alex” aka a face painted on his hand. This is what I’m talking about. Rotunda throws a really nice dropkick at Steiner before slowing it down with some clubbing shots. Sullivan throws a “block of wood” “used for something” according Schiavonne, at Steiner to keep the edge. The crowd is so hot for this it’s crazy. Rotunda goes up-top, but is thrown off by Steiner before getting hit by a shoulder block. Sullivan starts to get involved, chops to the throat of Steiner. At the 9:00 mark, Dr. Death comes out and attacks Steiner to get the DQ.

Winner: 9:00 by DQ RICK STEINER *** It was a very good match, but all of that leading up to a junk finish just isn’t worth it for me.

The beat down is all three of the Varsity Club hitting a stuff piledriver on Steiner and leaving him lay. Sullivan tries to steal Steiner’s dog that he brings with him but is stopped by JYD and Hayes.

Lex Luger and Sting vs. Agent Steele and Bob Holiday

Another squash tag match, here at the end of the show. Steele (a masked man wearing yellow pants with red zigzags on them) and Holiday are on the receiving end of a lot of punishment, especially Luger, who is showing his frustration over Flair’s decision. Luger and Sting are still, even in ’89, a little rough around the edges, and Steele and Holiday aren’t quite good enough to pull out anything from Luger and Sting. In a vacuum, Luger and Sting are wrestling like heels; the jobbers don’t cheat or get an advantage in any way. Sting hits the splash, then locks in the Scorpion Deathlock for the victory

Winners: 5:00, LEX LUGER AND STING (Scorpion Deathlock) *1/4

Luger and Sting meet with Ross. Luger talks on Flair’s ruling. He says that the two best matches from 1988 were July 10^th at the Great American Bash and in December at Starrcade. He wants to replicate that with Flair in 1989. He throws it to Sting, who cuts an awful promo on Butch Reed while walking around and saying something about a dog-eat-dog world. A rough ending to the show.

Overall, a pretty good show. The two real matches were good enough to pull up the jobber matches and we got some good promos from Paul E, Cornette, and the Road Warriors.

MVP: Cornette. His promo was awesome and he did some good work during the Midnights’ squash.

LVP: Mike Jackson. The Thriller got clotheslined out of the ring before the bell sounded and didn’t enter again. A nice $30 day for Mr. Jackson

Best Promo: Cornette, as said, very nicely done, building up the upcoming feud ender with the Original Midnights.

Worst Promo: Sting. “Yeah, I know who he is. I know something else. 1988 vs. 1989, it’s a dog-eat dog world Rossy and I’m one who realizes that more than anyone (inaudible as walking away)

Fashion Statement of the night: Agent Steele. Black mask, yellow tights, red zigzags. Nuff said.

Hey, it’s 1989!: The aforementioned fan in the Alabama sweatsuit with the clear plastic glasses and steps in his hair.

That’s Racist (or homophobic): Nothing too much tonight, but there’s going to be some goodness (or badness) coming up in the next few weeks.

To the WrestleMania Haters: Stop Complaining and Watch

To the WrestleMania Haters: Stop Complaining and Watch

By Dirty Dawg Darsie

One thing I’ve been hearing a lot for this year’s WrestleMania is a lot of complaining since the build-up for the WWE Championship match between champion the Rock versus his challenger John Cena haven’t been “up to par for the die-hard fans.” I even heard people comparing this year’s WrestleMania to WrestleMania IX in 1993. I’m writing to those people who are down on WrestleMania XXIX: quit complaining!

I want to bring attention to last year’s WrestleMania, WrestleMania XXVIII, with the main events being Triple H versus the Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell, the WWE Champion CM Punk defending the title against Chris Jericho, the World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan facing Sheamus, and the Rock taking on John Cena – deeming that match “once in a lifetime.” Okay, why bring up those four main-events and why bring up last year’s WrestleMania? Everyone wanted to watch those matches yet after the show, only match they liked was the “End of an Era” Hell in a Cell match.

After the show last year, I remember people crapping on the show since it didn’t live up to their expectations. For me, WrestleMania lived up to my expectations, and I had none. Why? I listen to podcasts, recapping the shows and discuss the main angles from the week, and I watch Raw from every week, but when I hold any wrestling show to a certain standard, it never lives up to it. Last year for WrestleMania, I didn’t hold any standards for it, so it blew nothing out of the water.

So, those who been bashing WrestleMania XXIX, stop doing so! Do what I and if the build-up for any of the matches aren’t living up to your expectations, don’t have any.

The WWE Championship build-up hasn’t tickled me in any way, with John Cena and the Rock missed a Raw a few weeks back and the Rock missed the following Raw, so I understand on how that build-up hasn’t been that great. Their promos have been hit and miss for me. Whenever both men are serious and say why they believe they can defeat each other, and obviously respond, I enjoy it. Whenever Cena goes on a long mumble or they joke around stuff that doesn’t matter, they kill the excitement for me.

Also, in regards to their match, I hate that people are complaining about their WrestleMania 2012 match was built as “Once in a Lifetime” and they’re facing each other again. What did they expect once the Rocky defeated the active, full-time John Cena? Rock grew up in the business and is back wrestling the few matches he has to give back the industry he loves and grew up in. Yes, Rock defeated CM Punk twice, but for business, that was the best thing to do. And for business, Rock losing to Cena at Mania this year is good for business (that’s what is expected).

I’m sure you, the reader, aren’t excited for the Chris Jericho/Fandango match either. I wasn’t either once that match was announced, or when those two teased it on television. We all know that Jericho’s at the end of his career and comes around whenever his schedule allows him to. With his run last year, losing to CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler, Jericho’s back to put the new generation of stars over. If you don’t believe me, look at his last run when he came back in 2007 and feuded with Randy Orton, he put over Orton right from the start!

With Triple H versus Brock Lesnar, all I can say about their match is, just watch. Yes, even I expect Triple H to go over, even though rumors already from the Wrestling Observer gentlemen, Lesnar will be facing the Rock next year at WrestleMania in New Orleans, and it’ll make sense for Lesnar to go over, but the last several WrestleMania matches Triple H’s been in, they’ve been amazing, regarding as one of the best matches on the WrestleMania card, and even for the year! I don’t think Triple H came out of “retirement” to retire from wrestling, but enjoy the ride and see what he and Lesnar have for us to watch. I know both men want to steal the show and want their match to memorable, so let’s step back, not hold any standards to their match, and enjoy what they do best, and that’s put on a show inside that twenty-by-twenty ring.

To conclude my opinion piece, if you don’t like what the WWE Creative Team has for us in regards to the build for WrestleMania 29, don’t hold any expectations and enjoy the ride that we’re on. I did that for WrestleMania 28 and enjoyed the show and don’t understand why people crapped on the matches from that card. No one likes to hear people complain, keep those negative opinions to yourself and let the wrestlers do their job and entertain us.

WWF Fully Loaded 2000

WWF Fully Loaded 2000 Review

By Dirty Dawg Darsie

Sunday, July 23^rd, 2000 – Reunion Arena – Dallas, Texas – A few months after WrestleMania 2000, we see the Rock defend the WWE Championship against a guy who won the WCW Championship in his last night in World Championship Wrestling (and never lost, by the way), along with two other main events for the evening, Kurt Angle and the Undertaker, and a Last Man Standing match with Chris Jericho and Triple H. The Rock won the WWE title at the King of the Ring a month prior when he won it in a six-man tag team match against Triple H (former champion), Shane, and Vince McMahon. The Rock’s tag partners were the Undertaker and Kane.

Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross are our English announcers! Yes! My favorite announce team! I can’t wait to hear them call the next three hours of my life!

Six Person Intergender Tag Team Match: T&A and Trish Stratus versus the Hardy Boyz and Lita

One of few pay-per-views that we see T&A! No, not Total Non-stop Action Wrestling Impact TNA, Test and Albert! After T&A came out, we see a video of the build-up on how this match came to be. The build-up was around Trish and Lita, so why not have those two have a women’s match? Only guess I have is Trish wasn’t a women’s wrestler by this PPV. At least we can see her now.

When the Hardyz and Lita came out, they got huge pops! I wish those two men never got themselves in trouble with drugs and the law. I wish Lita never did what she did with Edge, but at least that thing helped get Edge into the main event scene. Talking about drugs, I wish Test never did drugs either. He was a whole lot better when he was in WWE’s ECW brand before his sad passing.

One thing I fell in love with was Trish was tagged in and Matt Hardy rolled her up in a school boy and almost scored the victory, but he pinned her right by her corner, which gave T&A a chance to stop the count. Lita was tagged in then Trish ran off like a little “coward” and both ladies tagged in their respected male partners.

Another thing that I often wonder about whenever I watch a Hardy Boys match is: why do Matt and Jeff always take their shirts off? If they are gonna take their shirts off, why put them off for the match? I understand the cheers when they take them off by the ladies but why a easy pop like that? Can’t they get over by another way?

Test is very much underrated. How? He bumped greatly when Lita jumped off the top rope and gave him a Hurricranna. Test gave her a Powerbomb and let Trish tag in and gave her the early version of the Stratusfaction Bulldog but only got a two-count!

The ladies fought some for a few more minutes, the men got involved, and Lita scored the victory with a moonsault. Before the Hardy brothers and Lita had a chance to celebrate, Test, Albert, and Trish did a number on all three, continuing this feud. The thing I didn’t want to see (or hear) was when Trish was whipping Lita with a leather belt.

Winners: Hardy brothers and girlfriend

Mick Foley, WWF Commissioner, was talking to some random person backstage and Edge came up and told him that Christian is sick and has food poisoning and Mick said he doesn’t believe him. Mick said that he’ll send a doctor to see if his story is correct.

The Undertaker arrived on his bike and asked for Kurt Angle. He spotted him and chased him down with his bike. Thankful for our American Hero, Kurt found a kitchen and jumped a half-way, saving his body from the Dead Man.

Tazz versus Al Snow

Jim Ross told us that since Tazz came back from something (‘something’ wasn’t explained the greatest, or I didn’t catch it. Either way…) and had been attacking random superstars, taking his rage out on them.

After the match started, JR told us that Tazz is dangerous and was out due to a bicep injury. I’m happy at least the reason came out on why Tazz was off television for a while (especially after being brought up and this match is only happening because Tazz was kicking booty and taking names).

The crowd wasn’t that into the match, which is hard for me to get into the match as well. Bryan Alvarez from the Wrestling Observer website said on one of his podcast in the past month or so (as of me writing this) that one thing he takes into consideration in match quality is the crowd interaction. If he was writing his newsletter back in 2000, I would look to see what he rated this match. Sadly enough, he wasn’t writing his “Figure Four Weekly” newsletters back in 2000.

One thing I always enjoy about Tazz is the many number of suplexes he pulled out of his move-set. That man is small is height but made up for it in suplexes and kicking butt. Even now I wouldn’t want to encounter him in a dark alley.

Tazz locked in the Tazzmission and scored the victory.

Winner: Tazz

We go backstage “hearing” Christian puking in the toilet and Foley and a doctor came and checked him out. The doc said that he doesn’t think Christian should compete.

Then we go backstage with Triple H and Stephanie cuddling on the couch. Harvey Wippleman showed up with flowers. Triple H questions Stephanie on where did she get these flowers. Triple H thought it was from Chris Jericho. Guess what? It wasn’t from him but from Kurt Angle!

WWF European Championship match: Eddie Guerrero (champion) with Chyna versus Perry Saturn with Terri

Right before the bell, Chyna ran out and took out Saturn and chased down Terri. Like a normal heel woman, Terri ran away from Chyna and high-tailed it. In ways, I don’t blame her. I would run away from Chyna if she came and chased me, even nowadays.

I agree with Jerry Lawler when he said that he thought the Radicalz were unstoppable. I think it was stupid on breaking them up. In my WWF Survivor Series 2000 review for Camel Clutch Blow (dot) com, I mentioned there that if booked right, the Radicalz could have been McMahon’s Four Horsemen (even the Horsemen of the 2000’s).

Random ponder: why is Latino Heat wrestling in a shirt? Only reason I can think of is he wasn’t in as good of ring-shape as he would like. Or could be a new shirt WWE put out of his and he’s trying to advertise. I’m going with the first.

This match is a good match that got the crowd back into cheering and booing. A good mixture of high paced action when Eddie was in control and slow paced when Saturn was in control of the match.

With Saturn taking out Chyna, Terri coming out and low blowing Guerrero, Saturn was able to pick up the victory on his former tag partner.

Winner: Perry Saturn, the new European Champion

We go backstage with Edge and Christian packing up and they saying they swerving Foley but Foley walked in and seen that he was faking his sickness and told them that they will defend their Tag Team championships later.

Michael Cole is backstage interviewing the Undertaker. The Dead Man said that Kurt Angle will need a doctor to remove the Dead Man’s foot from his rear end. We see Kurt trying to start Taker’s bike and Undertaker chased him off.

WWF Tag Team Championship match: Edge and Christian (champions) versus the APA

Edge grabbed a mic when they came out and ran down Dallas. Right before Edge was able to announce that he and his brother were going to give us a five second pose, the APA came out because they were all out of beer.

I don’t know what’s worse for Christian…getting his butt grabbed by Bradshaw or being hit by a second-rope fallaway slam by Bradshaw. Either way, both would hurt, a lot!

When Edge and Christian were in control of the match, the crowd was chanting “USA! USA!” Great way for guys who aren’t from the country to make shots at us, to get cheap heel heat. I’m happy that not many heels take jabs at towns they’re wrestling in anymore because this does get old though, rather fast.

Edge got himself disqualified when Ron Simmons had Christian beat and hit him with one of the tag title belts.

Winners: APA by disqualification

We go to the WWE’s old restaurant, the WWF New York, seeing the Big Boss Man questioning fans if they’re old enough to drink beer and he’ll kick them out.

We go back live to Dallas and see Triple H and Stephanie back in their locker room with Triple H pissed off, saying that he has enough on his plate with Chris Jericho and their match and now has to deal with Kurt Angle sending his wife flowers. Steph told her husband that if has a problem with Angle sending her flowers, he should go ask her why he’s sending his wife flowers.

Next thing we see was Angle still running from the Undertaker and Taker got tired of chasing Angle and Angle sneak attacked him with a huge wrench on the knee he attacked on Thursday’s Smackdown. Great job Kurt for working on the Undertaker’s bad wheel.

Steel Cage match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Rikishi versus Val Venis (champion) with Trish Stratus

Val Venis became the Intercontinental Champion two weeks before this pay-per-view when Tazz attacked Rikishi when he was defending the title on Smackdown. Also, Val Venis is a lucky man for having Trish as his manager. I want to become a wrestler now just for Trish Straus could be my manager.

Val tried to climb out of the cage right away and Rikishi grabbed him and started to do a number on the champion. Come on champ, that’s a dumb move, no matter if you can out run your challenger in a cage match!

One thing I enjoy about this match is both men go back and forth with one another and when they are in control; they would throw his opponent into the side of the cage, gaining the upper hand.

Rikishi hit the Banzai drop and only got a two-count because Val put his leg on the bottom rope to break the count. When Rikishi was going to escape out the door, Trish hit the door onto his head, giving Val a upper hand in the match.

Later in the match, Lita came out and attacked Trish for what she did to her in their match, chasing Trish with a leather belt backstage, leaving the Intercontinental title match one-on-one, as billed.

Rikishi climbed to the top of the cage and looked down onto Venis, walked a little over, about half way across the cage, and splashed Venis from top of the cage! A huge pop from the fans a huge pop from the announcers!

Right when Rikishi was about to walk out of the cage to win back the Intercontinental title, Tazz came back out and hit Rikishi in the face with the cage door. Venis crawled over and scored the pin fall and victory over the big man, retaining the title.

Winner: Val Venis, retaining the Intercontinental Championship

We see a clip of what Angle did to the Undertaker and we see him limping around backstage.

Triple H is storming around backstage, trying to find Kurt Angle. Harvey showed Triple H where Angle’s locker room was and the Game entered and a few second later, Jericho came out after giving Triple H kicked the poop out of Triple H.

Shane McMahon’s theme hits and he came out to the ring and asked for a mic. Shane-O-Mac said that he’s out to the ring already because he wanted to prove to the fans that he isn’t a pussy. To prove it, he came out to call out the People’s Champ, to go one-on-one with him. Another minute later of smack talking the Rock and told the Rock to “just bring it.”

The Rock came out and Shane ran out of the ring. Rock grabbed the mic that Shane had and said that the fans aren’t wrong and indeed Shane’s a pussy. Rock said that he’s being set up and asked where Benoit is, knowing that Benoit is somewhere and is about to attack him from behind. Rock said he doesn’t care and will face Benoit early.

Benoit came on the big screen and said that he’ll make the Rock tap out but because the Rock is out in the ring, he’ll rip apart the Rock’s “GQ” clothes and pour gas upon it.

Then we get a video package building up the Kurt Angle-Undertaker match up. It all started when Angle cost the Undertaker a tag team title match, then went to when Angle trashed the Dead Man’s bike. That’s one thing you don’t want to do, that’s piss off a biker. You don’t know what they’ll do to you.

Kurt Angle versus the Undertaker

JR said that Angle has to pay the piper now when he came out to the ring. I didn’t know the Undertaker was the “Hot Rod.” Before Angle even got to the ring, the Undertaker drove his bike out while Angle’s theme was playing.

Right away they brawled into the fans; which made the fans’ night and the price of the ticket worthwhile.

The Undertaker had the three but pulled Angle up and hit the stalling suplex and pulled Angle up again at a count of two. Come on Undertaker, you had Angle beat twice! Does this match have to be a squash match?
Angle was able to get the upper hand on the Undertaker and put on the sleeper on the Undertaker. The Taker outsmarted our Olympic Hero and rammed his back into corner and gain control of the match. I still don’t know why the Undertaker didn’t finish the match when he had the chance.

After a while, it was nice to see the match go back-and-forth and see Kurt having a step-over-toe-hold on the long legs of the Undertaker. When the Dead man broke out of the leg submission, the crowd popped. I don’t blame them for seeing their favorite break out of the submission.

A one-arm chokeslam and the fans jumped to their feet. The Undertaker signed to the fans that the Last Ride is about to come for Angle. After Angle went on his last ride, the Dead Man scored the fall and Kid Rock’s “American Bad**” plays throughout the arena.

Winner: The Undertaker

We see a video of the Rock seeing the carnage that Benoit did to his shirts and ran off, all pissed off.

Last Man Standing match: Triple H with Stephanie McMahon (WWF Women’s Champion) versus Chris Jericho

Before I go further, if you want to see this match, I find this match (the full length) on YouTube. Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHlp1ZIMkuo

This match is a match that I hear a lot about putting Chris Jericho over as a main eventer. I find it odd because Triple H was put over as a main eventer, in my eyes, a half a year earlier by Cactus Jack at the WWF Royal Rumble 2000 when Triple H defeated him in a Street Fight. So, in turn, Mick Foley’s putting over Chris Jericho as WWF Commissioner.

Right from the start Jericho has control of Triple H, being quicker of the two, taking him from in-ring brawling, to the outside, back in. But no surprise, Triple H got the upper hand within minutes of the match, making the match go back-and-forth between the two.

The video package for this match, we see how Jericho injured his ribs. After a few minutes of having control of the match, Triple H started to go after the hurt ribs and take off the injury wrap that Jericho had on, wrapped around his ribs.

One move I know would hurt, no matter how much they script it is when Hunter hit a suplex on Y2J on the carpeted concrete ramp-way. Why would two men put themselves through that, no matter what? For our enjoyment and entertainment, I know, and I’m thankful for taking years off their bodies for us fans.

After a major beating, Jericho beat the ref’s count at nine. Jim Ross was pleading with Y2J to stay down and fight another day. Thanks to JR and the King on helping Triple H putting over Jericho as a main eventer in our eyes and in the eyes of the father-in-law.

Triple H hit a huge Pedigree and pointed at Jericho, telling him to stay down. The Game lay down on the top rope in the corner when the ref started to count Y2J out. Jericho got up at a nine count and once up on his feet, Triple H nailed him in the stomach and on the back with a steel chair. Hunter dropped the chair in the middle of the ring and called for the Pedigree on the chair and the ref got in the way. The Game pushed him out of the way and Y2J hit a low blow, which got the Game away from him. Y2J grabbed the chair and hit a home run onto Triple H’s face, busting wide open the Game. Yes! We got blood!

A few moments later we see a bulldog onto the chair from Jericho to Hunter and we got a five count. When the ref got to five, Jericho broke the count to do more damage to the Game. I guess Y2J’s showing the Game a thing or two on how to be played.

Triple H tried to hit a Pedigree on the ring steps outside but Jericho countered and back dropped him onto the mats. With that, we hear Stephanie yell to Hunter, trying to encourage him. Sorry Steph, you only hurt our ears when you yell. Please stop. Thank you.

Both men beat the double count after hitting each other with the monitors from the Spanish Announcers Table. When both men rolled in the ring, Jericho hit Hunter in the Walls of Jericho and the Game taps and taps and screams and got to the ropes, but the hold wasn’t broken because there are no rules, Y2J doesn’t have to break. So Jericho brought Hunter back to middle of the ring and Mrs. Game ran in to break the hold. Y2J slapped on the Walls on her and the crowd went wild! So did JR and the King! Poor Stephanie. Triple H saves his wife, and all rights, he should.

Triple H grabbed the sledgehammer and tried to hit Y2J and Jericho ducked. Moments later, Jericho grabbed the hammer and hit him in the stomach with it.

Moments later, Triple H back dropped Jericho through the English Announcer’s Table and the ref started to count both men out. Will we see both men get counted out? Come on, someone please move!

Triple H starts to move at eight and up a split moment before the ten and went right back down, winning the match for him, yet putting over the beating both men put each other through.

To be honest, this match was a lot better than the first viewing of the pay-per-view I had a year ago. I see why people have great feelings for this match. Thank you Triple H for helping put Chris Jericho over in this match, yet winning at the end. Who says you won’t put more people over in this decade? In the decade of 2000 to 2009, this is one of the top matches of the decade for me. The other two are: Triple H and Cactus Jack from the Rumble 2000 for the WWE Title in a Street Fight and Angle and Shane McMahon in a Street Fight at King of the Ring in 2001.

WWF Championship match: Chris Benoit with Shane McMahon versus the Rock (champion)

We are told that if the Rock gets himself disqualified, he’ll lose the WWF Championship to Chris Benoit. Will we see Benoit win the WWF title at Fully Loaded 2000?

Just like the previous match, I found a full length match for this match on YouTube, and you can see it right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMD2cryDvls&feature=related

Lucky for the Rock, he had his trunks on when Benoit went through his locker room because his tights were fine. Also, the Rock had the WWF title with him, which he didn’t have when he came out earlier when Shane called him out. If I were Benoit, I would have grabbed the WWF title if Rock didn’t have it with him when Shane called him out.

Shane snuck into the ring to attack the Rock but he seen it, which gave Benoit an opening to jump him from behind. They went outside and Shane tried to attack and Rock chased him around the ring. Such a cluster at the beginning of the match but following the last man standing match, I don’t blame the Rock and Benoit starting the match as a fast-paced cluster, capturing the fans attention and bringing them into their match.

For the first few minutes of the match, it was fast-paced. I hope these men start to slow it down for they won’t burn themselves out and burn the fans out from the match prior and their match.

Shane-O-Mac distracted the ref when Benoit grabbed the WWF belt and nailed the Great One’s face with it and only got a two-count. A snap suplex and another pin attempt and a two count. Sorry Benoit, it will take more to put out the Rock.

Like the match prior, Benoit and Rock go back and forth, which brings a smile to my face.

In a normal match, Rock would have got himself a disqualification when he and Benoit were outside and picked up Benoit in a atomic drop and low blowed him with the post.

Both men rolled in and Shane distracted the ref again when Rock had Benoit in a figure four leg lock. Thankfully for Benoit for training at the Hart dungeon, he was able to get to the ropes to get out of the hold. Beside the point, he ran with Ric Flair in WCW in the Four Horsemen, so he had the double the smarts to break out of the submission.

A spinebuster by the People’s Champ and the crowd went bananas! The People’s Elbow and a pin attempted by the WWF Champion and Shane was distracting the ref, which we saw a clear victory by the Rock. When the ref came back, Rock only got a two count. Still face paced match by this point of the match.

Moments later Benoit hit a superplex off the top rope to the Rock, which lead to both men being counted out. If both men do get counted out, the Rock would have the advantage because it would end a draw and the champ always walks out retaining the title if a draw.

Shane sent a chair into the ring and when the ref went to push Benoit and the chair out; Shane brought in another chair and hit the ref. Rock chased Shane out and put Benoit in the Crippler Crossface and was tapping out. The ref called for the bell and gave the match to Benoit, via disqualification, thinking that the Rock hit him with the chair, meaning Chris Benoit won the WWF Championship! A Dallas Screw Job! No way!

Half way down the ramp, Commissioner Foley came out to the ring, looking pissed off with what went down. He walked over to the ring announcer and grabbed a mic, saying that the title will change hands on a disqualification and he and the fans in Dallas didn’t see a disqualification, and there wasn’t one, meaning that he’ll restart the match because we seen a screw job! Thanks Mick! You’re an awesome Commissioner! Vince McMahon should bring you back!

When Benoit came back, he hit Rock with three German suplexes and on the third, he bridged it for a pin and only got a near fall. Facial expressions on Benoit’s face, we can easily see that he’s frustrated with Foley’s call.

Benoit got the Crossface on the Rock in the center of the ring. Rock got to the bottom rope, which pissed Shane off. Can’t blame Shane for being upset with the call.

Rock jumped up, hit the Rock Bottom, got the victory, and the crowd to jump onto their feet, to retain the title. Good job, Rock, through the screw job attempt. Thank you, Foley, for the right call.

Winner: the Rock, retaining the WWF title

One of the better pay-per-views that the WWE has put on. After watching Fully Loaded 2000, I can easily see why the WWF was red hot and why they won the Monday Night Wars and put WCW out of business. I highly suggest watching the last two main events that I linked up with this review. I would highly suggest you going out and buying this off of EBay, Amazon, or finding a full length of this event on YouTube, because this has to be one of the better pay-per-views that I’ve seen that the WWF put on.

As a whole, I have to give this pay-per-view a **** and ¼*. I was entertained for the most part during the event. The parts I was bored, I’m sure you can easily notice with the review I gave each match. The last two matches really pulled up the show all together, even though the fans were out of in the first few matches and the squash match between Angle and the Undertaker.