Smackdown
Date: December 23, 2005
Hosts: Michael Cole, Tazz

It’s the holiday season and since Raw was over in Afghanistan, it’s Best Of time. That’s a good thing for a change as the show could be a nice look back at a hit or miss year. Sometimes you need a little breather and not having a show two days before Christmas should help a bit. Let’s get to it.

We open with a quick video package on the year.

Cole and Tazz welcome us to the show and talk about what a great year it was.

We’ll start off with the biggest name around.

From Wrestlemania XXI.

Raw World Title: HHH vs. Batista

HHH is defending and has Ric Flair with him, plus Motorhead plays him to the ring, just in case you thought Batista was cooler. I mean, you can barely understand the words because Lemmy butchers it in a great Brutus Beefcake impression but HHH rising up through the stage makes up for it a bit. Batista doesn’t get much of a pop, mainly due to the lack of the famous band performing his music.

The early power lockup lets them drive each other to the ropes but it’s only good for a standoff. They do it again with HHH’s running shoulder having no effect other than waking HHH up a bit. Another shoulder drops Batista but he’s right back up with something close to a powerslam. Batista hits a backdrop, only to have HHH knock him outside to cut the momentum off again.

Flair’s distraction lets HHH send Batista into the steps and Flair gets in some choking with the jacket. Back in and HHH gets two off a suplex, setting up more Flair choking. Whatever emotion the fans had for Batista after that HHH entrance is long gone now as HHH has beaten him down for about seven of the eight minutes the match has been going so far. Batista slugs away but walks into the spinebuster, because of course HHH needs to hit a spinebuster as he dominates Batista in the biggest match of Batista’s career.

A backdrop breaks up the Pedigree attempt but HHH is RIGHT BACK with the facebuster, leaving him on defense for all of three seconds. HHH goes up and gets clotheslined out of the air to no reaction as the fans are gone. They’re smart enough to realize that HHH is going to cut Batista off again and, as expected, Batista charges into a big boot in the corner just a few seconds later. Batista sends HHH over the corner, only to have HHH whip him into the steps.

The Pedigree onto the steps is countered into a catapult into the post and we’ve got some blood. Back in and it’s time to hammer on the cut as the fans finally have something to cheer about. The big running clothesline in the corner rocks HHH and a powerslam gets two as there isn’t quite the energy in the offense that you would expect. It feels like they’re just doing stuff to fill time until the ending instead of of building something up.

Batista sends him outside but goes after Flair, allowing HHH to grab the chair, which hits the referee by mistake. Flair’s belt shot is countered with a spinebuster but HHH’s belt shot gets two. The fans react to the kickout and Batista hits the spinebuster for the big reaction. That’s too much cheering for HHH’s liking so he hits Batista low. Batista blocks the Pedigree with raw power though and hits something like White Noise. The Batista Bomb finally makes Batista champion.

Rating: C. It was miles better than Cena vs. JBL but egads this didn’t do Batista any favors. This was more about giving HHH a big sendoff as champion than making Batista look like a star and….I can’t say I’m surprised. Batista has looked so dominant and smart for the last six weeks that HHH probably couldn’t help himself from cutting him off. HHH did put him over, but it could have been a lot stronger without HHH beating him up and outsmarting him for the first half of the match. Much like the previous match though, it’s all about what comes next rather than what happened here, but HHH made sure to make himself look good.

We take a quick look at JBL’s Celebration of Excellence on February 24.

From April 28.

Booker T. vs. Big Show vs. John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Kurt Angle

Elimination rules for the #1 contendership and Orlando Jordan is here with JBL. Angle already has the straps down so you know this is serious. The brawl is on in a hurry to start with Show cleaning house, even knocking away a German suplex attempt. A legdrop crushes JBL and sends Booker flying off a toss. Show crushes all three of them in the corner but Angle pops out with an Angle Slam for one.

Booker adds the ax kick for two and the Clothesline From JBL gets the same. They knock Show outside for the huge Angle Slam through the table….and a countout for the elimination. In a four way? That’s a creative way to get rid of him, even if it goes against the general rules of the match. We take a break and come back with Booker fighting out of the corner but crotching himself off a missed sidekick.

A whip into the steps slows JBL down and Angle suplexes Booker for two. JBL comes back in and walks into a Book End for two but Angle is right back with the rolling German suplexes for the same on Booker. Neither the Angle Slam or the Book End can connect so Angle picks the ankle. That’s broken up as well so Angle hits the Slam for two more. Booker’s superkick gets his own near fall as Jordan slides in a chair. That earns him an ejection and the distraction lets Angle chair Booker in the head for the second elimination to get us down to one on one.

We take another break and come back with JBL slightly cut open and Angle fighting out of a chinlock. The ankle lock goes on but gets broken up just as quickly and there’s the fall away slam. The Clothesline hits the referee though, just as Angle gets the ankle lock. JBL calls out the Bashams for the save so it’s a bunch of suplexes all around. That includes some rolling German suplexes to JBL and the ankle lock gets the tap, which no one sees. Cue Booker to chair Angle down, allowing JBL to steal the pin and the title shot.

Rating: B-. Booker vs. Angle made this work rather well, even when the ending was as obvious as you could have gotten. They have made no secret about the fact that this was JBL’s win the entire way and that’s fine. It makes the most sense and you can have the other three get title shots later on if they want to. Not a great match, but it got around the clear finish and that’s kind of hard to do.

Long video on Tribute to the Troops.

From January 6.

Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio

Fallout from last week’s Tag Team Title match. Rey brings out the 619 Cam but Eddie steals it for some filming of guest timekeeper Joy Giovanni. We get started with Rey snapping off a headscissors but getting caught in a test of strength. That’s broken up with Rey climbing onto Eddie’s back for two off a sunset flip, meaning it’s an early standoff. Back up and it’s another headscissors to rattle Eddie some more.

Rey charges again but this time he gets faceplanted down, setting up an armbar on the right (not left Cole) arm. The hammerlock goes on for a good bit until Rey makes the rope, with Eddie not letting go immediately. Rey tries a moonsault but gets caught in the Tree of Woe for a dropkick to the ribs. Eddie misses a charge though and crotches himself against the post as we take a break.

Back with Rey holding something like an abdominal stretch on the mat before switching to an armbar. An exchange of sleepers goes to Rey, followed by a springboard armdrag. Rey gets two off a Lionsault and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up so Rey dropkicks him into the ropes, only to miss the 619. Eddie chills in the corner so Rey tries a Bronco Buster, which is blocked with a raised boot.

It was NOT a low blow though (Eddie promises) so Rey takes him up top but the hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb. A missed charge bumps the referee though and Eddie has an idea. It’s the old grab the title spot so he throws it to Rey….who throws it right back and drops down as the referee gets up.

Eddie crawls around on his stomach to hide the title and INSISTS that he did not use the belt. He tries to crawl over and throw it away but gets caught, giving us a hilarious look on his face. Rey cracks up and Eddie tries to convince the referee that it means Rey did it. That’s almost a double DQ but Eddie’s begging keeps the match going….and lets Rey small package him for the pin.

Rating: B-. Well of course these two had a fun match, but the ending was hysterical with Eddie going so over the top when he had no idea what to do in the situation. His NO and HE’S LAUGHING got some actual laughter and they did it for the right reason. How often do you get that in wrestling?

Cole and Tazz talk about how they will miss Eddie.

We get the Here Without You video on Eddie, which is still incredible.

Video on the Boogeyman.

Video on the new talent who came to the show this year.

We look at Chris Benoit winning the US Title in less than thirty seconds at Summerslam.

Cole and Tazz talk about Booker vs. Benoit, with Cole referring to Sharmell as Booker’s “Lovely wife I guess you’d call her.” Tazz: “It is his wife.”

From October 21, 2005.

US Title: Chris Benoit vs. Booker T.

Benoit is defending and Sharmell is here with Booker. They fight over a lockup to start and it’s a clean break in the corner. Booker actually wrestles him down but Benoit slips out and catches him with a hiptoss. Back up and Benoit’s hammerlock doesn’t get him far as they go into the corner for some chops. Booker misses the side kick though and crashes out to the floor, only to avoid Benoit’s dive to send him into the announcers’ table.

Back from a break with Booker holding a chinlock and whipping him hard into the corner for two. The chinlock goes on again so Benoit fights up again and hits a running forearm for two of his own. It’s time to roll the German suplexes to freak Sharmell out again. The Swan Dive gives Benoit two but Booker is back up with a kick to the face. That lets him head up top but Benoit superplexes him down, albeit with a slip on the way. The referee checks on Booker, allowing Sharmell to hit him low. Booker nails the ax kick for the pin and the title.

Rating: B. It’s the expected good match between these two, though the Sharmell stuff was as annoying as ever. She’s a heel, but she’s the kind of heel where she’s more pesky than evil. Benoit feels like a transitional champion as he spent most of his reign beating up Orlando Jordan in thirty seconds so the loss doesn’t mean much. At least Sharmell will have something else to complain about now.

We recap Sharmell yelling at Booker to motivate him, setting up the heel turn and US Title win.

From Survivor Series.

Team Raw vs. Team Smackdown

Raw: Shawn Michaels, Kane, Big Show, Carlito, Chris Masters

Smackdown: Batista, Bobby Lashley, John Bradshaw Layfield, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio

Entrances take forever of course and Rey gets some very loud EDDIE chants. Orton takes Shawn into the corner to start and then does it again for a bonus. Shawn gets in a whip to the other corner to set up some chops as commentary is already bickering. Orton gets in a slam but misses the knee drop so it’s off to Masters. The knee the face works fine on him but it’s quickly off to Lashley, who tosses Masters around.

Carlito gets the tag so Lashley pulls him in and hits a running powerslam for two. It’s back to Shawn, who gets knocked down as well. There’s the Dominator to Carlito but Kane saves Shawn from the same fate. A Kane chokeslam from the apron lets Shawn get rid of Lashley, who wasn’t nearly the factor you would have bet on after the last few weeks. Rey comes in and dropkicks Shawn in the knee as Cole says he’d love to see this dream match. I know he has a short attention span but he can’t remember something from less than two weeks ago?

Kane comes in and gets dropkicked down but is right back up for a big boot. A backbreaker gets two on Rey and we hit the backbreaker. Rey fights out in a hurry though and it’s off to Batista for the shoulders in the corner. A spear into the spinebuster gets rid of Kane but here’s Show for an immediate chokeslam. That’s good for two but Kane is back up for a double chokeslam to get rid of Batista. JBL’s middle rope shoulder is pulled out of the air by Big Show but Orton snaps his throat across the top.

The Clothesline From JBL into the 619 into the RKO into another Clothesline From JBL into the springboard seated senton FINALLY gets rid of Big Show and we’re down to 3-3. Everything breaks down and JBL hits Shawn with a fall away slam on the floor as Masters plants Rey. Carlito comes in for a legdrop and the chinlock goes on. Rey fights up and gets a blind tag from JBL, who blasts Carlito with the Clothesline for the pin.

Masters comes in next and gets hammered down as Shawn is still out on the floor. Rey comes back in and avoids a charge into the post, setting up the 619. Dropping the Dime gets rid of Masters and it’s down to Shawn vs. Orton/Mysterio/JBL. Rey throws Shawn back in and hits the 619 but the West Coast Pop is Sweet Chin Musiced out of the air for the pin. JBL tries the Clothesline but Shawn ducks and superkicks him out for the back to back pins in about fifteen seconds.

That leaves us with Shawn vs. Orton but neither finisher can hit. Orton bails to the floor so Shawn hits a slingshot dive as the fans want Undertaker. Back in and Shawn hits the forearm into the nipup but JBL is still here and brings in a chair. That earns him another superkick but Shawn walks into the RKO for the final pin.

Rating: B. This was good enough and was absolutely the main event of the show. Even though this was for completely meaningless bragging rights, it worked this time because that was something fresh. It’s the difference between doing it once and doing it every year: this time felt like they had built something up instead of throwing it out there because it was November. It also helps when you have Shawn at his best playing the underdog and Orton being great at this match. This nearly identical formula worked in 2003 and it worked here too.

Post match the Smackdown locker room comes in to celebrate….and we’ve got druids. They bring out a casket and stand it upright as the gong hits. Lightning strikes the casket and it is lit on fire, with Undertaker walking out. Undertaker destroys the roster as the Ortons get to the outside. The big staredown with the throat slit ends the show.

Quick look at Undertaker vs. Randy Orton, including the Cell match.

Cole and Tazz wrap it up.

Overall Rating: C+. They did a nice job of looking at the high points of the year, which is hard to do in the course of an hour. Of course they had to leave some stuff out (like John Cena being the star of the show for about five months) but they hit the big stuff and that’s what they should be trying for with something like this. 2005 wasn’t a great year, but they made it look good enough so well done.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Armageddon 2005
Date: December 18, 2005
Location: Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, Rhode Island
Attendance: 8,000
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

We’re almost done with the year and we’ll wrap it up inside the Cell with Undertaker vs. Randy Orton in the final blowoff. Other than that, it’s the Raw Tag Team Champions vs. the Smackdown Tag Team Champions as Big Show/Kane face Rey Mysterio and Batista. I think you can tell they’re wrapping the year up with that second big match. Let’s get to it.

The opening video is all about Undertaker vs. Orton. Fair enough in this case.

John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Matt Hardy

JBL’s leg is fine after being on crutches Friday. Before Matt comes out, JBL talks about how the smallest state has the biggest star tonight. Matt always talks about how he will not die, even though he lost his girlfriend and got fired. The shirt should say “I wish I was dead.” Matt’s intro cuts JBL off and the fight is on in a hurry. JBL slugs away and sends him into the ropes, with Matt’s head getting tied between them. Ever the villain, JBL kicks the tied head and then pulls on Matt’s legs.

The referee finally gets Matt loose so JBL drops a bunch of elbows. There’s another kick to the head but Matt fights up and hits a DDT for two. A big running shoulder takes Matt down again and JBL pokes him in the eye for good measure. Matt gets in a shot of his own and hits a top rope moonsault for two. JBL gets a turnbuckle pad off though and Matt gets whipped into the steel, setting up the Clothesline From JBL for the pin.

Rating: D+. This felt like it was added to fill in some time on the show as an interrupted interview isn’t exactly a hot angle to set up a pay per view match. On the one hand it makes sense to boost JBL up so he can be fed to someone else later, but my goodness it’s hard to watch Matt bounce down the ranks like he’s been doing.

We recap Melina failing to get Batista to back out of the Tag Team Title match on Friday. Batista and Rey Mysterio would go on to win the titles.

The Mexicools offer to cancel the match tonight in exchange for some, ahem, favors for Melina. She isn’t interested.

We look at Undertaker massacring Mankind inside the Cell. That one still has so much impact as Foley probably shouldn’t have survived.

MNM vs. Mexicools

Psicosis/Super Crazy for the Mexicools in a match that was supposed to be for the titles until Batista and Rey happened. Mercury works on Psicosis’ arm to start and it’s already off to Nitro, who is armdragged straight down. Psicosis misses his running dropkick in the corner as Cole makes various Melina jokes. MNM gets knocked outside for a dive from Psicosis, followed by Crazy diving over the referee in a cool spot.

Back in and Mercury stomps on Psicosis, followed by Nitro breaking up a sunset flip with a stomp to the face. Nitro’s breakdancing legdrop sets up a front facelock, followed by some straight right hands to the face. Psicosis gets in an enziguri though and the hot tag brings in Crazy to clean house. A tornado DDT gets two on Mercury and, after Melina is shoved off the apron, the moonsault hits Mercury for two with Nitro making the save. Back up and the Snapshot is good for the fast pin on Crazy.

Rating: C+. The Mexicools are a good lucha team and could have some nice high flying matches like this one. It’s a good idea to have MNM beat a high energy team like that before they get their rematch for the titles. If nothing else, it’s nice to act like there is an actual division rather than two teams fighting over the titles for a change.

Sharmell doesn’t like Booker being asked a question and says tonight, Booker is sweeping Chris Benoit. Interviewer Krystal can ride the broom home if she can’t find a car.

We recap the best of seven series, with Booker cheating to go up 3-0.

Booker T. vs. Chris Benoit

Booker is up 3-0 so it’s a title match for him. The early lockup doesn’t go anywhere but Booker stalls on the floor anyway. Back in and Booker drives him into the corner for a clean break so Benoit chops him to the floor. Back in again and Benoit takes him to the mat without much trouble but Booker actually grabs a hammerlock to take over. A quick Crossface attempt sends Booker outside again for another breather.

Booker gets back in so Benoit starts in on the leg but Booker is up again in a hurry. A back elbow to the face drops Benoit again and a hard suplex gives Booker two. Benoit is right back up with a snap German suplex for two, only to have Booker knee him to the floor. They chop it out until Benoit gets posted to cut him off again. The abdominal stretch goes on back inside but Benoit hiptosses his way to freedom.

A double clothesline gives us a double knockdown but it’s Benoit up first with the rolling German suplexes, plus Three Amigos for a bonus. Sharmell uses the broom to break up the Swan Dive though and Booker hits the missile dropkick for two. Sharmell offers another distraction and gets in a low blow so Booker’s ax kick can connect for two more.

The Crossface sends Booker to the ropes so Benoit rolls more German suplexes. Now it’s the Swan Dive for two but the referee gets bumped. Benoit gets the Sharpshooter to make Booker tap. That’s released so Benoit can check the referee, meaning Booker can try the Book End, which is reversed into a DDT. Now the Crossface can make Booker tap to make it 3-1.

Rating: B. These two can do this without missing a beat every single time and that was the case again here. Benoit had to fight to survive here and that will likely be the case again going forward. That being said, it’s getting a little more difficult to care about seeing a fourth match and the next three (more than likely) are going to have even less interest. Then again, the quality is still good so what do I know?

Undertaker chokeslammed Rikishi off the Cell. They do know we saw these clips on Smackdown right?

Here are Teddy Long and Palmer Cannon to thank the fans for a great 2005. They have a treat for the fans: Santa Claus and his elf, who may very well be Vito and Nunzio. They aren’t your traditional Santa and elf though as they’re tired of giving and want their own presents. Maybe a Tag Team Title shot, or a Cruiserweight Title shot! Cannon has a gift for them, so here’s the Boogeyman to sing a Christmas carol about how he’s coming to get you. Pain ensues and worms are consumed in a hurry as Vito has some issues controlling his inner functions, meaning the suit is probably ruined.

Video on Undertaker vs. Randy Orton to set up the Cell match. It feels like they’re filling in a lot of time here, though this might be to clear the ring.

Bobby Lashley vs. William Regal/Paul Burchill

Burchill starts for the team and actually takes Lashley down for some knees and elbows to the back. Regal comes in for more of the same, followed by Burchill’s knee to the back for two. Lashley drives Regal into the corner without much trouble and then snaps off a suplex to send Regal into the corner. The powerslam plants Regal though and a Dominator finishes Burchill without much trouble.

Rating: D+. Another match that could have been on Smackdown, but do we really need Lashley in a handicap match beating two low level guys? We’ve seen something like this for months now and Lashley was already in the main event of a major pay per view. It’s kind of a step backwards, but if this is the only rehab he needs, he should be fine.

And now, we go to the Friendly Tap, owned by former WWE referee Tim White. He doesn’t seem happy here and keeps drinking, even as we see him refereeing HHH vs. Chris Jericho inside the Cell in 2002. White injured his shoulder in the match and he says it ruined his life. He took it out on his wife and his family doesn’t talk to him anymore. White doesn’t have anything to live for anymore, so Josh Matthews wishes him a White Christmas. Josh: “Get it? Because your name is White!” In response, White whips out a shotgun, steps off camera, and fires.

This would lead to one of the most tasteless and, given what would happen in the company about a year and a half later, horrible series of segments ever with Lunchtime Suicides, where White would attempt to kill himself in a variety of ways for the next several weeks. That would be one of those things that WWE would bury in their archives while fans tried to figure out what the heck they were thinking with the videos.

So a former WWE name just shot himself on live pay per view. Less than fifteen seconds later, it’s time for our next match. Can’t grieve forever I guess.

Cruiserweight Title: Kid Kash vs. Juventud Guerrera

Kash is challenging and they hammer away at each other to start. A running dropkick stops Kash and a headscissors takes him down again. Juvy gets two off a standing hurricanrana and the Fujiwara armbar goes on. A backdrop puts Kash on the floor for a slingshot dive but Kash takes over on the arm. Back in and the armbar has Juvy in trouble so Kash sends him shoulder first into the buckle.

There’s a hammerlock slam for two as Cole talks to Tazz about Hooked on Phonics, because we’re supposed to ignore Tim White shooting himself five minutes ago. Kash’s double jump moonsault hits knees and Juvy kicks him in the face. They both wind up on top with Juvy snapping off a super hurricanrana for a delayed two. The Juvy Driver sets up….actually a flipping legdrop instead of the 450 but it doesn’t connect anyway. Kash hits the Dead Level brainbuster for the pin and the title.

Rating: C. This was another match that could have been on any given Smackdown (a trend tonight), though it still comes after a suicide on live television. I know it wound up being a joke but the shock value alone should be enough to pause for a second instead of going straight into another match. That’s not something that you can just drop and it isn’t working here whatsoever. It doesn’t help when you go to the Cruiserweight Title match, which is hardly top level interesting stuff in the first place.

We recap the Raw vs. Smackdown tag team match. It’s fallout from Survivor Series and the Smackdown Special, with Kane and Big Show attacking Rey Mysterio, drawing in Batista to help him out. They’re both Tag Team Champions as well.

Batista/Rey Mysterio vs. Big Show/Kane

Non-title and Batista starts with Big Show. Batista gets launched into the corner early on and then Show does it again for a bonus. A waistlock doesn’t work either for Batista so he slugs away and gets a boot up in the corner. The chokeslam attempt is broken up and Show kicks him in the face. Kane comes in and gets suplexed in a hurry, only to come back with the side slam. The top rope clothesline misses though and it’s off to Rey for some sticking and moving.

That just earns him a stare from Kane so Rey hammers away in the corner. Rey kicks him into the 619 position as everything breaks down. Rey gets taken to the floor with Show posting him and then tossing Rey over the top in a heap. Back in and Rey can’t get anywhere with right hands to Kane so he goes with the sitout bulldog instead. The hot tag brings in Batista for a spear and spinebuster to Kane. Batista and Show fight to the floor, leaving Kane to pop up for a chokeslam and the fast pin.

Rating: D+. What in the world was that? This was the second biggest show on the card and it felt like a house show main event where they wanted to get out of town and hit the road as fast as possible. There was nothing to this one and it’s pretty annoying that they changed the Tag Team Titles for the sake of this. I know it doesn’t matter in the short or long term, but this could have been a lot more, even though it was hardly important in the first place.

One more Undertaker Cell clip: destroying Shawn Michaels in 1997.

The Cell is lowered.

Undertaker vs. Randy Orton

Inside the Cell in case you don’t have the best attention span and Bob Orton is here with Randy. Orton runs away to start and tries a headlock, which earns him a hard knockdown. Back in and Undertaker’s own headlock doesn’t last long as Orton escapes and gets two off a dropkick. Some right hands in the corner just annoy Undertaker, who launches Orton into the corner and hammers away. They head outside with Undertaker kicking him in the face to send Orton crawling away in a great visual.

One heck of a chair shot drops Randy so Undertaker rakes Orton’s face across the Cell. That lets Cole compare it to a cheese grater to the head, as usual making me wonder why he knows what that is like. Orton is busted open as Undertaker wraps a chain around his throat, followed by a lawn darting into the Cell. Back up and Orton manages an RKO across the top rope (a variation you don’t get very often) for his first major offense.

The steps bounce off of Undertaker’s head to bust him open and adds another chair shot. Undertaker falls back to the floor but manages a headbutt, followed by a whip into the Cell. Back in and Undertaker goes up top (!), only to miss a top rope elbow. Orton brings in a chair as Undertaker falls outside again, with Bob grabbing him by the hair through the Cell. Bob gets punched and kicked in the face to bust him open as well.

Randy jumps Undertaker from behind and powerslams him into the Cell for two on the floor. Back in and Undertaker’s running clothesline gets two, followed by Old School. Snake Eyes into the big boot into the legdrop gets two and it’s a chokeslam to plant Orton. That’s only good for two though as Orton gets his foot on the rope. Normally I would roll my eyes and ask “In the Cell?” but it’s even dumber when they just had a near fall on the floor, meaning falls count anywhere, except in the ropes.

Orton fights back and puts Undertaker on the table for a top rope splash partially through it for two. The Last Ride out of the corner is countered so Undertaker punches out the referee. The RKO connects for no cover so here’s another referee to come in, with Bob (holding the urn), following him.

Undertaker kicks out at two and sits up, setting up the Last Ride. Bob takes out the second referee and gets sent into the Cell to make the blood even worse. Randy counters the Tombstone into one of his own (Tazz: “I’ve never seen anyone do that!”) and Undertaker can’t sit up. He does on the second time, blocks the RKO, urns and Tombstones Bob, and Tombstones Randy for the pin.

Rating: B+. This got going big near the end as it felt like a violent fight instead of a match that happened to take place in the Cell. That’s what the match needed to be and it worked well as Undertaker can still turn it on. Orton got going rather well too, and even though he was in way over his head, it was a heck of a fight that they needed to blow the feud off once and for all.

Undertaker poses on top of the Cell with the urn to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. There are two rather good matches on here but that’s not enough to save the rest of this mess. Of the seven matches on the card, three of them felt like they belonged on a pay per view and one of them was a big disappointment. I need a lot more than this for a two hour and forty minute show and it just didn’t work. Smackdown was in a bad place at the moment and while Booker vs. Benoit and the Cell were good, it’s not enough to warrant a pay per view level price.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: December 16, 2005
Location: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts
Attendance: 3,500
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

It’s the go home show for Armageddon and that means it’s going to be a lot more about Undertaker vs. Randy Orton. That’s the most logical way to go when there isn’t much else of note on the card. We do have the Raw vs. Smackdown tag match, but that’s hardly the most thrilling story in the world. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The opening recap looks at Undertaker’s supernatural stalking of Orton last week. Looking at this all together makes it look a lot dumber.

Opening sequence.

Boogeyman vs. Nunzio

Boogeyman is officially “the weirdest superstar in sports entertainment history”. Vito is here with Nunzio and I can’t imagine that is going to help. The arena is full of smoke and Boogeyman shrugs off some early shots. Worms are consumed and the pumphandle powerslam is good for the fast pin.

Post match, Nunzio is wormed as well.

The roster is watching in the back and Sylvan is disgusted. There are probably twenty people back there. Get more monitors.

Bob Orton is having Randy see a sports psychologist before Sunday.

We look at Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels in the Cell.

Randy is on the psychologist’s couch and says he sees Undertaker everywhere, from in the car next to him to in the mirror behind him. The doctor wants to hear about the Cell and Orton freaks out about the idea even more. He needs some sort of control and the doctor tells him to pick one of two roads before him.

Batista is getting ready when Melina comes in and starts rubbing his shoulders. MNM is ready for their match against Batista and Mysterio but they have to face the Mexicools on Sunday. If Batista will withdraw from the match, she can make it worth his while. Melina winds up on his lap and the camera is no longer needed.

We see some of the Armageddon press conference. How low on the list do you have to be to get that assignment?

Kid Kash vs. Super Crazy

Kash is confused by having all three Mexicools here. Or maybe he’s wondering why they’re on riding lawnmowers. No seriously, why are they on riding lawnmowers? Who thought that was a good idea? Crazy monkey flips him to start and Kash is staggered early on. Kash heads to the apron and grabs a neckbreaker over the top rope to take over. Some knees and kicks keep Crazy in trouble but he grabs a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Crazy hits some dropkicks for two and a DDT sets up the moonsault….which only hits mat. The brainbuster gives Kash the pin.

Rating: C. Completely watchable match here as we get ready for Sunday’s title match. I’ll give them points for trying anything else in the cruiserweight division as there is only so much you can do with the same three or four people over and over. Kash might not be the best choice, but he’s better than the same matches over and over for years.

Randy gets done with therapy and tells Bob that he needs to make a decision. We’ll see what that is later.

Melina puts her shirt back on and Batista adjusts his trunks. Melina says they have a deal. Actually no, but Batista thanks her for the warmup. He’s ready to go kill MNM. As usual, Batista comes off as being smarter than everyone else around him, which was an important part of what got him over in the first place.

Video on Tribute to the Troops.

Video on Mysterio/Batista vs. Kane/Big Show.

Tag Team Titles: Rey Mysterio/Batista vs. MNM

MNM is defending and Melina is ticked at Batista. Mercury and Rey start things off and there’s the required EDDIE chant. Mysterio starts in on the arm and gets two off an early sunset flip. It’s off to Batista as the arena is still full of smoke from the entrances. Nitro’s superkick is blocked and Batista hammers away in the corner. Mercury comes back in and his forearms have as much effect as you would expect. The champs are both clotheslined to the floor and Rey adds a moonsault to send us to a break.

Back with Rey headscissoring Nitro for two and hitting ten right hands to Mercury in the corner. A distraction lets Nitro hit a slingshot powerbomb for two and there’s a clothesline to the back of Rey’s head. Nitro grabs a backbreaker into a Russian legsweep and Melina pulls Rey outside for a crash.

Back in and Mercury drives Rey back in to keep the ring cut off, because old school wrestling still works if it is done right. Melina has to offer a distraction so the champs can pull Rey back into the corner. Mercury takes him up so Rey snaps off a super hurricanrana, finally allowing the hot tag to Batista. Everything breaks down and the 619 hits Melina. The Batista Bomb finishes Mercury for the pin and the titles.

Rating: C+. This was a formula tag match to make Sunday’s Raw vs. Smackdown match champions vs. champions. Odds are the titles will change back in a few weeks (at most) and while it is annoying that MNM lose the titles again, it’s not like this is anything more than a short form title change. And the Melina/Batista deal was funny for a bonus.

We look at Undertaker chokeslamming Rikishi off the Cell.

Bobby Lashley vs. Paul Burchill

William Regal is with Burchill. Lashley throws him outside to start and hits some shoulders to the ribs in the corner. A belly to belly into the Dominator finishes Burchill in a hurry.

Matt Hardy is ready for Booker T. tonight when JBL, on crutches, interrupts. That’s not cool with Matt, though JBL knocks him down anyway, triggering a brawl.

Teddy Long talks to the psychologist, but the session with Randy is confidential. He thinks the Cell match is barbaric and storms off.

Batista and Rey are happy with their win so here’s Randy to interrupt. Randy congratulates them and we get a tense handshake.

Armageddon rundown, with JBL vs. Matt Hardy added.

One time, Undertaker threw Mankind off the Cell.

Matt Hardy vs. Booker T.

JBL is on commentary and Sharmell, with a broom, is in Booker’s corner. Joined in progress with Booker knocking him into the corner but Matt slugs him over the top. A JBL distraction lets Booker kick away and the chinlock goes on. Matt fights up and hits a neckbreaker into a bulldog for two. There’s the Side Effect to set up the top rope legdrop for two more but Sharmell offers a distraction. JBL gets in the Clothesline and Booker hits the ax kick for the pin.

Rating: C-. Just a match here as we set up Matt vs. JBL on Sunday and keep Booker warm for the US Title match. It’s not like Booker loses anything by having someone interfere either, making this a fairly well put together match. Not that the match itself was good, but the setup was and that’s more important.

Randy tells his dad that yes, he is sure about this.

Video on Tribute to the Troops.

Here’s Randy for his big announcement. He has accomplished a lot in his career, including his Survivor Series success and being a certified legend killer. What he’s learned now though is no one can’t destroy the legend of the Undertaker. Undertaker has destroyed everyone in the Cell but that won’t happen to him.

When he was on that couch, he realized something. He isn’t going to have his grandkids on his lap and let them believe that he gave up. So he’s going out on top, meaning he’s retiring right now. He’s killing his own legend, right now. Cue Teddy Long to say not so fast. If he doesn’t show up on Sunday, it’s going to be a big lawsuit. Randy isn’t happy….and there’s the gong.

Cue the druids followed by the Undertaker so Orton immediately begs off. One of the druids pulls out the urn and it’s Bob Orton, allowing Randy to jump Undertaker. The RKO drops Undertaker but he sits up, meaning Randy chairs him right back down. Another (unprotected) chair shot to the head still can’t keep Undertaker down, though it can bust him open. It’s an urn shot to the head. Orton unloads with the chair and promises to end Undertaker to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This was almost all about the Orton vs. Undertaker and Raw vs. Smackdown matches, which works out well enough. Sunday should be a big event and then Raw gets to take the next night off because of Tribute to the Troops. Then we can get on to the Royal Rumble build, which could go a few different ways this time around. Not a bad show here, but it’s getting close to the finish line before we can start the new year in a big way.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: December 9, 2005
Location: Colonial Center, Columbia, South Carolina
Attendance: 3,000
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

We’re coming up on the last pay per view of the year and with less than two weeks to go before the show, it is time to start hammering away at the build. The main event being set should help things a lot as we already have Undertaker and Randy Orton stepping inside the Cell. That alone should get them a long way so hopefully they have the rest. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The opening video looks at Undertaker vs. Randy Orton.

Opening sequence.

John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Rey Mysterio

JBL’s eye is heavily bandaged after it was DANGEROUSLY poked last week. Of course he didn’t walk out on Rey Mysterio last week. He left because he was injured, but since he is JBL, he’ll wrestle without the patch. What a hero! Rey is banged up as well, sporting some heavily taped ribs. JBL hammers away in the corner until Rey hits a dropkick and right hands of his own. Just to be evil, Rey pokes him in the eye a few times. That’s enough to send JBL outside so Rey hits a slingshot dive. Back in and Rey loads up the 619 but Orlando Jordan runs in for the DQ.

Post match Batista makes the save, triggering Teddy Long for the tag team match (he’s getting the cadence down).

Bob Orton can’t talk Randy Orton out of calling Undertaker out.

Here are the Ortons, with Randy being more serious than usual. Randy is THIS CLOSE to snapping….and then the lights start flickering with his video playing on the screen, albeit in reverse a few times. With things back to normal, Randy says he wants Undertaker in this ring right now. Nothing happens so Randy sounds a bit more desperate, until the gong strikes. We see clips of Undertaker in the Cell, complete with a quote from….Ralph Waldo Emerson? The Dante quote (Abandon all hope, ye who enter here) is more appropriate because Randy is on the highway to h***.

Using a dry erase board, Booker explains that he’s going up 3-0 over Chris Benoit tonight.

Joey Mercury vs. Super Crazy

Melina, Johnny Nitro and the other Mexicools are here too. Mercury’s opening headlock doesn’t last long as Crazy hiptosses him a few times. Crazy sends him outside and, after mocking Mercury’s hair, misses an Asai moonsault. That lets Mercury hit a running clothesline and the middle rope elbow gets two back inside. Crazy skins the cat (on the bottom rope for a change) and kicks Mercury into a rolling crucifix for two more. A superkick drops Mercury and, after a failed Nitro interference, the moonsault gives Crazy the pin.

Rating: C. Not bad while it lasted with Crazy getting to showcase himself a little bit. This gives the Mexicools some more momentum going into the pay per view title match so it’s a well put together story, even if the match wasn’t long enough to do much. Mercury is always good for a fine enough performance though and that’s what they had here.

Post match Kid Kash runs in to help beat the Mexicools down.

Randy Orton is in the bathroom and sees Undertaker in the mirror. Then there’s no Undertaker. There’s also nothing original about that visual.

Mr. Kennedy vs. Ray Gordy

Hang on a second though as Palmer Cannon comes out to say Kennedy is injured and can’t wrestle tonight. We have a replacement though.

Boogeyman vs. Ray Gordy

Boogeyman grabs a mouthful of worms and throws Gordy around, followed by the pumphandle slam for the fast pin.

Randy almost hits Bob for surprising him. Then he sees blood on Bob’s face as the mind games continue.

Chris Benoit vs. Booker T.

Match #3 in the Best of Seven series with Booker up 2-0 and with Sharmell in his corner. They circle each other for a good while to start until Benoit takes over with a quickly broken hammerlock. Back up and Booker’s forearms to the back are broken up with an elbow to the face. A neckbreaker gives Booker a breather but Benoit snaps off a German suplex for two.

Booker comes back with a hot shot to put Benoit right back in trouble and it’s time to hammer away with right hands. Benoit sweeps the legs and fires off his own right hands, only to get sent chest first into the buckle. A sidekick to the back drops Benoit and we take a break. Back with Booker slugging away even more until he has to cut off a charge with a spinebuster into the corner.

That nasty landing gets two and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up and Benoit fires off some knees to the ribs to set up the rolling German suplexes. A top rope superplex gives Benoit two more and the Swan Dive gets the same. Booker’s side kicks takes out the referee though and the Crossface goes on. No one sees the tap so Sharmell tries a chair shot. That’s broken up but Booker takes the chair away and blasts Benoit in the back. The ax kick makes it 3-0.

Rating: B-. There’s something groan inducing about the fact that we now have to see four more matches in the series. It’s still good stuff, but the charm is wearing off in a hurry. The comeback should be on starting next time, but it sounds like we could be in for a long road to the final match for the title.

Video on Bobby Lashley.

Bobby Lashley vs. William Regal

Paul Burchill is with Regal. Lashley pulls him in and takes it into the corner, only to get uppercutted a few times. An exploder suplex gives Regal two but Lashley runs him over again. The Dominator is good for the fast pin.

Raw Rebound.

Randy leaves, as Undertaker’s face appears on a screen behind him.

Post break, the Ortons get in their car…..which drives off on its own. Josh Matthews comes up for an interview, but Undertaker possesses him so Josh, in Undertaker’s voice, promises to end Randy in the Cell. Randy runs off.

Armageddon rundown.

Rey Mysterio/Batista vs. John Bradshaw Layfield/Orlando Jordan

Jillian Hall is here as well. Jordan and Batista start things off and the power begins in a hurry. Rey comes in to hurricanrana JBL and a double baseball slide takes the villains down as we go to a break. Back with Jordan working on an armbar to Batista but Batista powers into a suplex for the breather.

It’s back to Rey so the pace can pick up in a hurry and he knocks JBL outside. Rey follows so JBL hides behind Jillian, who slaps Rey in the face. Back in and a super fall away slam bangs up Rey’s ribs for two more. The bearhug stays on the ribs and it’s off to JBL to hammer away in the corner. A waistlock has Rey in more trouble but he slips out and JBL comes back in.

Rey takes him down as well and there’s the hot tag to Batista. Everything breaks down and Jordan posts Batista, leaving Rey to hit the springboard seated senton on JBL. Jillian tries to get involved but it’s a double 619 to the non-Jordan villains. JBL trips over Jillian and blows out his knee so he walks out. That means it’s a 619 into a Batista Bomb to finish Jordan and end the show.

Rating: C+. This was your standard main event style tag match and that’s all well and good. Rey and Batista need the momentum as they head towards the pay per view and it’s not like Jordan losing is going to hurt anything. I’m not exactly thrilled by seeing more Raw vs. Smackdown but it’s not like they have anything else going on at the moment.

Overall Rating: C. The show came and went, as it tends to do, but there is only so much that can be done with such low level and unimportant stories. You can tell they’re on cruise control at the moment and while it’s fine enough, it’s not something that gets me excited to watch the show. It’s no surprise as it happens once a year, but it can get a little old at times.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: November 25, 2005
Location: Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, England
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

It’s the go home show for Survivor Series and that means we will probably be having some Raw appearances to hammer home the show’s main event. The brand vs. brand idea has worked out well enough so far so hopefully they can take it over the finish line well enough. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of the Smackdown vs. Raw feud, which has centered around Kane/Big Show vs. Batista.

Opening sequence.

Teddy Long is in the parking lot and tells security to be on guard for Raw.

United States Title: Chris Benoit vs. Booker T.

Booker is defending and here’s Sharmell, now in a crown, to handle his introduction. They stare and shove to start before locking up around the ropes. A drop toehold takes Booker down and frustration is setting in early. Benoit chops away in the corner but Booker kicks him in the face and grabs a front facelock. You don’t do that to Benoit, who pops up and starts chopping away again.

Booker’s sidekick misses but he drapes Benoit over the top rope instead. They fight over a suplex to the floor until Booker sends him into the corner and we take a break. Back with Booker working on the arm but Benoit hits a running should for the double knockdown. It’s Booker up first with a suplex for two and Sharmell is not happy with the speed of the count.

The armbar goes on again and Cole starts comparing the fans’ reactions between Raw and Smackdown, which actually makes sense for once. Back up and the referee gets bumped, leaving Benoit to roll the German suplexes into the Sharpshooter. Another referee comes in to see Booker make the rope. More rolling German suplexes put both of them down until Benoit heads up top. The superplex brings him back down and they interlock legs on the landing with the original referee getting up to count the double pin.

Rating: B-. These two are always good together and they had another nice match here. The ending should set up something for Survivor Series, which does have room for a few more matches to round out the card. We could be in for something good if they’re given the time on the pay per view.

Post match the argument is on so here’s Long to look at the replay. He doesn’t see either of them winning so let’s have a best of seven series for the title with the first match taking place on Sunday.

In the parking lot, JBL goes up to a white van because it must have the Raw guys inside. It’s actually the Boogeyman and freaking out ensues.

Animal/Heidenreich vs. The Dicks

It’s a brawl on the floor to start as Cole reminds us that the Dicks cost Animal and Heidenreich the Tag Team Titles a few weeks back. Heidenreich punches at James to start and then does the same to James to keep things even. A throat snap across the top puts Heidenreich in trouble and the slow beatdown is on. Heidenreich gets a boot up in the corner though and it’s off to Animal to run them over. James sprays baby oil in Animal’s eyes though and a rollup (with an assist) gives Chad the cheap pin.

Rating: D. Well at least the Animal/Heidenreich run seems to be over. The team worked for a short while and while having them hold the titles for three months was a bit much, it didn’t go on so long that it was a major problem. Then you have two guys named the Dicks and suddenly I could go for a heck of a lot more Animal/Heidenreich.

Mr. Kennedy vs. Matt Hardy

Matt grabs a headlock to start and a suplex doesn’t even get Kennedy out of trouble. Kennedy gets him on top but Hardy elbows his way to freedom. The moonsault….well it hit Kennedy’s legs but he was rolling away so I guess that counts as a miss? Kennedy puts on a chinlock with a knee in the back until Hardy fights up and hits a Russian legsweep. The Side Effect gives Hardy two so he goes up, where he has to fight out of the super Regal Roll. Hardy clotheslines him to the floor and they fight outside with Kennedy grabbing a chair. The referee tries to take it away but gets hit in the ribs instead, meaning Hardy winds by DQ.

Rating: D+. Another match that didn’t have much time to make anything work here but they’re more interesting than the people in the tag match. Kennedy continues to be protected as he still hasn’t been pinned around here. It’s nice to see them doing something with someone and Hardy getting a win might help him build up some momentum. Now if only the match could have done more than existing.

Eric Bischoff is here but can’t get through security. Long comes up and Bischoff says they’re coming.

Christy Hemme vs. Melina

MNM is here with Melina. Christy dropkicks her before the bell but Mercury shoves Christy down on the floor. That’s good for a double ejection and Christy is back on her at the bell. A hair pull lets Melina get in a backbreaker though and we hit the bow and arrow. Back up and Christy grabs a sunset flip for two but Melina is right back with a faceplant for the pin.

Rating: D. This was all about eye candy and that’s fine and good given what the two of them are capable of doing. Christy is clearly trying as hard as she can out there and she isn’t a nightmare in the ring or anything, but she’s firmly in the group of women mainly there for her looks who has a match every now and then. The effort means a lot though and that was on display here.

Batista gets taped up but Randy Orton, his challenger for later tonight, comes in to say he wants no excuses in their title match. Orton is better than the rest of Evolution, and tonight he’s proving it. Batista remembers HHH beating Orton and then Batista beat HHH. Wasn’t Orton the one who got kicked to the curb? Orton isn’t pleased as Batista leaves.

We see Nunzio winning the Cruiserweight Title at a house show in Rome.

Here are Carlito and Chris Masters carrying tickets.

Cruiserweight Title: Nunzio vs. Juventud Guerrera

Nunzio is defending, Vito and the Mexicools are outside and they forearm it out to start. Juvy hits a few chops and a spinwheel kick gets two. That’s enough to send Nunzio outside but Juvy misses a dive. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Juvy is back up with a spinwheel kick. A pumphandle driver gives Juvy two so he sends Nunzio into the corner. Nunzio tries to jump over him but gets Juvy Drivered to give Juvy the title back.

Rating: C-. They packed a decent bit into this and having the title change hands again was the right call. Nunzio winning the title for a feel good moment in Italy was fine but Juvy is a lot more important at the moment. Granted that’s on the Cruiserweight Title scale so it’s not like any of this matters compared to anything else on the show. At least it was better than some of the previous matches though.

Survivor Series rundown.

William Regal/Paul Burchill vs. John Bradshaw Layfield/Rey Mysterio

Jillian Hall is here with JBL and Mysterio. Regal and Mysterio start for what could be an interesting pairing. JBL breaks up a very early cover so Mysterio is taken into the English corner with Burchill coming in. The 619 connects and Rey Drops the Dime, followed by the Clothesline From JBL to Regal. Cue Shawn Michaels for a superkick to JBL though, followed by Carlito and Masters running in. Some Smackdown wrestlers chase them off.

Undertaker is back at Survivor Series.

Bobby Lashley vs. Orlando Jordan

Jordan doesn’t even get an entrance. He tries to jump Lashley at the bell but gets spinebustered and suplexed. The Dominator finishes Jordan in about a minute.

Smackdown security has been beaten down in the parking lot so Teddy has sent the locker room to ringside for the main event.

Smackdown World Title: Randy Orton vs. Batista

Batista is defending and heavily taped up. They stare each other down, circle a bit, lock up, and then start fighting off the invading Raw wrestlers as the match is thrown out in about a minute.

Post match the big brawl is on with Orton and Batista cleaning house until Big Show and Kane show up. It’s a double chokeslam through the announcers’ table to destroy Batista to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This was the kind of hyper focused show that the pay per view needed and to be fair I do want to see the show a bit more now. That main event is going to carry the show though and they made that very clear here. Hopefully they can pull that off but you never know around here. Not a very good show on its own but it did what it was supposed to do.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 21, 2005
Location: Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, England
Attendance: 12,000
Commentators: Jonathan Coachman, Joey Styles, Jerry Lawler

Things are back to normal after last week’s Eddie Guerrero Tribute Show and as a bonus, it’s the go home show for Survivor Series. Throw in the fact that they’re taped from overseas and this is one of the more detail heavy shows in a long time. Now hopefully it’s also a good one to get things back on track. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Raw vs. Smackdown, which wasn’t touched on last week.

Opening sequence.

Here’s Team Raw to get things going, followed by Eric Bischoff. Eric brags about the team but doesn’t like rumors about Team Smackdown showing up here tonight. He doesn’t buy it though because Smackdown saw what happened when they invade. Smackdown isn’t coming because of his soldiers and his strength but Big Show grabs the mic. He and Kane aren’t Bischoff’s anything….and Smackdown is here in the back.

Shawn and company head to the back, even as Bischoff screams about it being a setup. Post break the fight is on in a hurry. The street fight ensues with Batista being chokeslammed onto the hood of a car as security comes in for the save. As banged up as Batista’s shoulder was around this point, that would seem like a way to give him an out at Survivor Series.

Trevor Murdoch vs. Ric Flair

Non-title. Flair starts fast with a backdrop so Murdoch hammers away at him in the corner. That earns him some chops but Flair gets punched out of the air. An elbow gives Murdoch two and we hit the seated abdominal stretch. Murdoch misses the knee drop though and Flair starts in on said knee but the Figure Four is broken up. A charge misses in the corner though and Flair grabs a rollup with trunks for the pin.

Rating: C-. Just a quick match here and it’s not like losing to Ric Flair is going to hurt your career. Then again it’s not like Murdoch has anything to lose at this point as he’s half of a tag team who already lost the titles to some monsters. There wasn’t much to see here because there wasn’t much here, which is fine for a quick opener like this.

Post match HHH pops up on screen and promises to end Flair at Survivor Series.

Rob Conway vs. Tajiri

Joined in progress after a break and here’s JBL to jump both of them after literally three seconds shown.

Post match (even though there wasn’t a bell), JBL wants Chris Masters out here right now. Bischoff comes out instead and says he thought they got rid of all the trash. JBL can have a match tonight, but it’s going to be against Shawn Michaels. That’s fine with JBL, who leaves through the crowd.

Here’s a look at John Cena on MadTV.

Kurt Angle vs. Shelton Benjamin

The SUCK is still censored. There’s no referee, but here’s Daivari to take the job. After a weapons check to Shelton, we’re ready to go with Angle headlocking him to the mat. That earns him an armdrag into an armbar but Angle is right up with an overhead belly to belly. Angle stomps away and gets two off another suplex. We hit the waistlock to keep Shelton in trouble so he has to elbow his way to freedom. A running forearm and some clotheslines set up a Samoan drop to plant Angle.

Shelton flips out of a German suplex and hits a Dragon Whip to send things outside. Angle can’t hit the German suplex off the apron but Shelton can hit a DDT onto the apron. Back in and Angle grabs the ankle lock but Shelton makes the rope. Shelton makes the rope but Daivari doesn’t break the hold, nor does he count the pin when Shelton reverses into a rollup. Instead Daivari turns it over so Angle is on top for a fast counted pin, sending Joey into hysterics.

Rating: C. This was a match built around the story and that’s fine. Shelton loses again, but at least he didn’t lose clean (as if it matters to him at this point). The crooked referee thing has been done before but it’s fine for a plot device in a feud like Angle vs. Cena. Angle being the better wrestler than Cena and still needing to cheat to beat him is a good plot device and hopefully they can do something good on Sunday.

Post match, Angle talks about how he and Daivari have been abused by the people. They’re both proud Americans but these people will cheer Cena and boo Daivari? As a result, Bischoff has named Daivari as Angle’s permanent referee, including at Survivor Series. This is announced as a shock for those fans who don’t pay that much attention.

Cena pops up on screen and calls Angle a ham sandwich. He’s going on a backstage tour to find out what wrestlers think of Angle, starting in the women’s locker room. Candice drops her towel and Cena can barely talk but the other women run him off. Next up it’s Snitsky, who is rubbing Tomko’s shoulders. Snitsky: “It’s a kink!” Cena leaves, with a little vomit in his mouth.

Another door is opened and it’s the Boogeyman, who sings a little London Bridge Is Falling Down. Cena looks scared, closes the door, opens it again, and gets “My fair lady”. With that out of the way, it’s time to come into the arena so Cena can poll the fans on Angle. As luck would have it, most of them think he sucks. Angle doesn’t like it and the fight is on with Cena clearing the ring and taking off his shirt to a well received reaction.

HHH vs. Val Venis

They fight to the floor and HHH uses a chair for the DQ in about thirty seconds.

Post match, HHH unloads with the chair and adds a Pedigree (HHH: “FLAIR! FLAIR!”) for a bonus.

Undertaker is back at Survivor Series.

Candice Michelle vs. Mickie James

Victoria and Trish Stratus are the seconds. Candice hits the Go Daddy dance to start and then lays on the ropes, earning herself some chops from Mickie. A baseball slide takes out Victoria….and here are two masked men to kidnap Trish. The distraction lets Victoria get in a cheap shot so Candice can steal the pin.

Post break, the masked men have Trish tied up in the back. They unmask as MNM and Melina is here to demand a Women’s Title match at Survivor Series. After taking the tape off of Trish’s mouth, the fight seems to be set. Melina kicks Trish in the head for a bonus.

Lawler goes off to help Trish.

Survivor Series rundown.

Maria is mesmerized by Shawn Michaels’ new book Heartbreak and Triumph. Shawn comes in and says that tonight he’d rather talk about his match with JBL. Shawn: “The initial contest if you will.” It’s going to be a lumberjack match as per the GM’s orders.

Shawn Michaels vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

The rest of the Raw and Smackdown teams (minus Batista) are at ringside. Shawn slugs away to start but the threat of Sweet Chin Music sends JBL outside. He realizes that it’s right between Big Show and Kane though, meaning it’s time to go back inside. Shawn charges into a boot in the corner and JBL hammers away as the fans are behind him for a change. Weird British people.

Some chops put JBL down for two and Shawn gets two but JBL is right back with a backbreaker for the same. We hit the bearhug but Shawn it out in a hurry, only to get slammed off the top. A hard running shoulder gives JBL two more and the forearms to the back keep Shawn down. Shawn gets sent outside so Orton and company hammer away, meaning it’s a hard glare to get rid of them.

Back from a break with Shawn getting two off a sunset flip, only to be elbowed right back to the floor. Some forearms to the chest get another near fall and JBL throws him outside again. This time Big Show and Kane are there immediately so Shawn can get back in without another beating. JBL knocks him right back down and there’s the fall away slam for two.

The flying forearm connects though and the comeback is on. Instead of going with the superkick though, Shawn dives onto the lumberjacks, which just lets JBL get in a big boot back inside. Shawn knocks him down again and tries the elbow, only to get shoved down by Orton. The Clothesline From JBL misses and Sweet Chin Music connects. Everyone comes in to trade finishers but here’s a taped up Batista with a pipe to take out Big Show and Kane. A spinebuster plants show to wrap things up.

Rating: C+. JBL can be brought up to a good match and that’s what happened here. These two had some nice chemistry together as JBL can do the power stuff and Shawn has the perfect timing so it was always going to be at least decent. They did the right thing with the no contest as there is no need to have one of the big names on either team take a fall. It was the right choice for the right setting and it was even a decent match as a bonus.

Overall Rating: C-. This was a weird one as they had so many things working against them and did what they could. It didn’t help that they had to cram in an extra week of build after last week’s shows had no bearing on the storylines. Couple that with the likely jet lag and the show was only so good. However, with this many things against them, I can understand why the show had so many faults.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

 

Smackdown
Date: November 18, 2005
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 6,000
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

It’s the second of two Eddie Guerrero tribute shows, both of which were filmed back to back on the previous Sunday, as the roster was off to Europe later this week. That has to be one of the roughest days the company has ever seen and I’m not sure what to expect after the great tribute on Monday. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

In Memory of Eddie Guerrero.

Here’s Batista in Eddie’s low rider for the opening chat. He’s fighting back tears as he talks about how much Eddie meant to him. Eddie’s family meant the world to him and while he had demons, Eddie fought back and regained his family. Eddie also loved this business and he gave everything he could every single night. We pause for an Eddie chant and Batista smiles very hard. You can call Batista selfish but he’d give anything to have him back right here. Eddie’s music plays Batista out and he leaves the title on the low rider.

We get an Eddie tribute video, set to 3 Doors Down’s Here Without You, which is as emotional as you imagine it being.

Tonight is going to feature some segments from Eddie’s Cheating Death, Stealing Life DVD, starting with Eddie driving around his hometown. Eddie’s mom talks about how his father taught everyone to wrestle and Eddie explains how the family got into wrestling.

Matt Hardy vs. Carlito

Smackdown vs. Raw continues tonight and the low rider stays in the aisle. Matt starts fast by sending him into the turnbuckle over and over. A missed charge puts Hardy on the floor though and Carlito rams him into the apron. Back in and stomping ensues, setting up the double arm crank. Carlito goes to the middle rope for the mocking of Matt’s pose, plus a dive into a raised boot because of course. The Side Effect gives Matt two but he gets caught in the yet to be named Backstabber for the same. Matt knocks him off the ropes though and the middle rope legdrop connects. The Twist of Fate is enough to finish Carlito.

Rating: C. Just a match here as the popular guy beats the annoying pest. Matt continues to be someone who needs a story to be overly interesting, but the fans still buy into him so he’ll be fine for the time being. Carlito on the other hand is almost never interesting and would be much better off as a manager/talker for someone else.

Vince McMahon talks about what a craftsman Eddie was and how happy it made him. He actually gets choked up a bit when he talks about what Eddie’s family meant to him. You don’t see Vince like that very often and it’s strange to see in a good way.

More from the DVD, with Eddie talking about losing Vickie, having a daughter while they were separated, and then getting back together two years later.

Heidenreich/Animal vs. Lance Cade/Trevor Murdoch

Cade and Heidenreich start things off with Cade hitting the shoulders in the corner to start. A clothesline takes him down but Murdoch gets in a kick to the back from from the apron. The cowboys stomp Heidenreich down in the corner and Murdoch slaps on an abdominal stretch. That goes nowhere so it’s back to Cade to keep up the beating in the corner. Heidenreich shrugs that off without too much trouble and brings Animal back in to clean house. The Doomsday Device finishes Cade in a hurry.

Rating: D. Another short one here as the matches continue to not matter in the slightest tonight. These teams didn’t exactly mesh well together but at least they gave the good guys the win. Cade and Murdoch have more of a future as a team, but it’s not like this is going to mean anything to either team.

Booker T., with Sharmell, talks about how much Eddie meant to him. They had their battles in WCW and even got in a fist fight backstage. Booker can’t imagine what it’s like for his family but if they ever need to talk, he and Sharmell are there anytime. Eddie would want the fans to go out and have a great show and that’s all anyone can do.

From the DVD, we look at the Lie, Cheat and Steal vignettes, plus Eddie doing all three things in the ring as well. It’s a great case where the fans knew exactly what was going to happen and wanted nothing else.

Big Show talks about how hard it is to lose a friend but Eddie is safe now.

From the DVD, Eddie talks about growing up in a wrestling family and how his dad had his family wrestling when they were kids.

Chavo Guerrero vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

Jillian Hall is here with JBL and yes it’s Chavo rather than Kerwin White (one of the few silver linings out of this whole situation). Chavo grabs a headlock to start and sends JBL outside in a hurry. A dive to the floor takes him down again and it’s a missile dropkick for two back inside. JBL hits the fall away slam though and throws in an Eddie dance.

The beating continues in the corner and we hit the sleeper on Chavo. That’s broken up in a hurry and the comeback is on, naturally featuring a bunch of Eddie offense. A DDT gives Chavo two and it’s time for a chair, with Chavo throwing it at JBL and dropping down. Like it could have (or should have) been anything else. Chavo uses the distraction to hit Three Amigos and the frog splash finishes JBL.

Rating: B. This is one of those matches that just makes you smile as there was nothing wrong with the whole thing. The match was designed to let Eddie’s nephew get a victory over one of Eddie’s biggest rivals and they did that to perfection. The look on Chavo’s face before the frog splash was perfect and you know JBL didn’t mind doing this one bit.

From the DVD, Eddie talks about spending time with his mom.

From the DVD, Eddie talks about how important it was to defend the WWE Title at Wrestlemania. Given that he wasn’t even in the company two years before, that’s quite the accomplishment. We see some clips of the match, which really was great. Eddie’s mom calls it a beautiful match. For a bonus, we see the end of the show with Eddie coming out to celebrate with Chris Benoit in one of those things that should have been legendary for much better reasons.

JBL talks about his feud with Eddie and all the riots that nearly broke out. They were enemies on scree but friends in real life. Eddie went to bat with him and said JBL could be a main eventer. Eddie was there for JBL during JBL’s divorce and as selfish as it was, JBL would love to see Eddie come out in that low rider one more time.

We look at Eddie beating Brock Lesnar from the title.

Battle Royal

Kid Kash, Tajiri, Gregory Helms, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Scotty 2 Hotty, Nunzio, Juventud Guerrera, Funaki, Super Crazy, Psicosis

Non-title. The nine Smackdown guys jump the two Raw guys (Helms and Tajiri) but Tajiri kicks his way to freedom in a hurry. Juvy tosses Kendrick and Crazy gets crotched on top for a quick elimination. Funaki and Tajiri joining forces for about a second before Funaki dumps him out. Helms eliminates Funaki though and Scotty does the same to Kash.

Nunzio gets rid of Scotty and Psicosis at the same time, leaving us with Nunzio, Juvy and London. Juvy and London take turns chopping Nunzio but he gets them both to the apron. Neither are eliminated though and they backdrop him out without much trouble. Juvy headscissors London out for the win a few seconds later.

Rating: D+. What else were you expecting from this one? It wasn’t a good match of any kind but having one of Eddie’s friends win is a good idea. They went through things in a hurry and the champ won so it’s hard to complain about anything here. Eddie was a cruiserweight for a long time so having a match like this is fine.

From the DVD, we look at Latino Heat. You can almost see Eddie’s mom’s cheeks go red over the Chyna stuff.

We look at Eddie cheating to win his last match, as only he could.

Shane McMahon, also fighting back tears, talks about what it’s like to be in a legendary wrestling family. As we’ve heard from everyone else, Eddie loved his family. Yes it’s repetitive, but if it’s one of the first things that everyone says about him, it must have been something that mattered to him more than anything else.

We look at the end of Wrestlemania XX. Lawler: “What a sight!” Indeed it was.

HHH vs. Chris Benoit

A very early Crossface attempt sends HHH bailing to the floor. Back in and the same thing happens again as the frustration is on early. Back in again and this time HHH has to roll outside from the threat of a Sharpshooter so Benoit throws him back inside. This time he hammers away with right hands in the corner but HHH sends him outside in a backdrop.

Back with Benoit being whipped hard into the corner twice in a row for two. Benoit gets in a running elbow to the face though and they’re both down. HHH is back up first and hits a spinebuster for two, followed by an abdominal stretch to stay on the ribs. The referee catches him cheating though and we hit the sleeper to slow Benoit down even more.

Benoit fights out and rolls the German suplexes, setting up the Swanton for two. A quick Pedigree attempt is countered into a Crossface but HHH almost gets out. That’s fine with Benoit, who rolls him to the middle of the ring ala Wrestlemania XX and then into a crucifix for the pin.

Rating: B. Another fine match here between two people who have worked together dozens of times. As has been the case with everything else on both shows, the wrestling wasn’t the point here. They had a pretty good match here and while there was no doubt about who was winning, the match was still entertaining because of the immense talent involved.

Post match Benoit and HHH hug and here’s Dean Malenko for the big hug with Benoit in Eddie’s place.

Overall Rating: A. This is a different yet equally good show from the previous version, as this was more about celebrating Eddie’s life than mourning his passing. You can consider it a two volume set and while you can watch one or the other, doing both of them gives you more of a complete picture. The more you hear about Eddie, the more impressive his reputation becomes. He had countless amazing matches and moments and this one made me smile more than Monday, as it felt more like a celebration. Check this out if you haven’t seen it in a bit, as it’s the happier of the two shows.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 14, 2005
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 6,000
Commentators: Joey Styles, Jonathan Coachman, Jerry Lawler

And then everything changed as Eddie Guerrero passed away in a stunning moment, dying of heart failure on Sunday, November 13, 2005. As you can probably guess, everything has shut down for the time being as a result and this will not be your normal show. I’m not sure what to think about this so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The Raw and Smackdown rosters are on the stage, complete with the low rider, with Vince McMahon saying that we are celebrating his life. Vince talks about how Eddie loved to perform and he loved to be out in front of the fans trying to steal the show. Tonight will be a tribute to Eddie, starting with a moment of silence as the bell is tolled ten times.

We get a video tribute to Eddie, set to Johnny Cash’s Hurt, edited off of the Network version of course. It finishes with a shot of Eddie’s smile, because how else could it end.

Back in the arena, Vince says VIVA LA RAZA and a lot of crying ensues.

John Cena gets the first sitdown interview talking about Eddie. He says you’ll hear from a lot of people tonight and you’ll hear them all say that Eddie was a great man. On a personal level, Eddie helped mentor Cena when he was starting and was even a father figure to him. Eddie taught him to find his heart and that isn’t something you can teach.

We see Eddie spraying Big Show with sewage.

Big Show/Kane vs. MNM

Non-title. Nitro tries to circle around Show and gets chopped hard for his efforts. Kane comes in for a running clothesline but a Melina distraction lets Mercury break up the top rope clothesline. Another distraction lets Nitro get in a belt shot for two on Kane but he sits back up. Some running kicks to the face cut him down again so he suplexes them both at once. That’s enough for the hot tag to Show and house is cleaned, including a kiss to Melina. Now Kane’s top rope clothesline connects and the double chokeslam finishes Nitro.

Rating: D+. The ratings on a show like this are going to be a lot more lax than usual as there is only so much you can complain about given the circumstances. Big Show and Kane beating anyone is acceptable enough and MNM aren’t the kind of champions who are going to win a fist fight anyway. Not a terrible match but they got in and out pretty quickly.

Lilian Garcia talks about speaking in Spanish with Eddie. Her fondest memory is being in a small group with him in Iraq last year and seeing Eddie being so humble around the troops.

Here’s Eddie auctioning off some of Kurt Angle’s stuff.

Kurt Angle vs. Shelton Benjamin

Shelton gets the college pop and slugs away at Angle to start. That just gets him suplexed and stomped in the corner, followed by the waistlock. Some backbreakers set up a reverse chinlock with a knee in the back but Shelton fights up and grabs a DDT. The comeback is on with the clotheslines into the Samoan drop.

Shelton hits the Dragon Whip for two and there’s the top rope clothesline for a bonus. The rolling German suplexes are countered into a rollup for two more but Angle clotheslines him down. Shelton catches him on top with a German superplex (with Angle almost landing on his head). That’s good for two but Angle pulls him into the ankle lock with the grapevine for the tap.

Rating: C+. This was more like the old Shelton and that’s a very good thing to see. When he was on a roll he could hang with anyone in the world, if not outright beat them, and Angle was no exception. That being said, Angle was feeling it here and that’s one of the best things you can see. It’s almost impossible to screw up Angle vs. Benjamin and they didn’t come close here.

Post match Angle holds up an Eddie armband in a nice moment.

Shawn Michaels talks about his relationship with Eddie being built around faith. His last breath here was his first breath in eternity and they will wrestle one day on the biggest stage of them all.

We get a montage of the Eddie and Chavo Lie/Cheat/Steal vignettes and they are still some of the best things from that era.

Chavo Guerrero talks about how they were uncle and nephew but really more like brothers. We hear about the two of them wrestling in intermissions of their grandfather’s shows and they had to stop because fans were watching them and not going to the concession stands. They always wanted to be Tag Team Champions and that’s what they did, with one of their first matches being against Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit. After the match, Angle came up to Chavo and said they beat them up pretty badly. They were a great team because they knew each other inside and out. Eddie was Chavo’s brother and he’ll see him again.

Shawn Michaels vs. Rey Mysterio

They’re both wearing I’m Your Papi shirts and it’s hard not to smile. We get a handshake to start and it’s Shawn working on the arm. A fight over arm control sets up a pair of kickoffs and that means a standoff. Joey brings up the good point of Shawn rarely being the bigger man, showing that even he can have some insight when he stops thinking he’s a radio announcer for ten seconds.

Shawn catapults him to the apron but Rey is back in with a springboard Thesz press for two. Mysterio tosses him outside and we take a break. Back with Shawn holding a sleeper, followed by a backbreaker and knees to the back to send Rey outside. We hit the chinlock with a knee in the back but Rey fights up, hits the Eddie dance, and dropkicks Shawn in the face for two.

Shawn hits the forearm though and Coach predicts that he’ll nip up. That’s exactly true but Shawn has to duck the 619. A clothesline gives Shawn two and he drops Rey with a second one for a bonus. There’s the top rope elbow but Sweet Chin Music misses. Instead Rey hurricanranas him into the 619 and Dropping The Dime finishes Shawn.

Rating: B-. You can only get so much out of matches like this but they did what they were supposed to do out here: entertain the fans during a trying time. Shawn isn’t going to be hurt a bit by losing to Mysterio and it’s hardly a stretch that Mysterio could beat him in the first place. This was a feel good moment and a pretty good match as well, which is all you should have expected.

Batista talks about getting close to Eddie over the last few months and how shocked he was by hearing the news this morning. Eddie was an inspiration and Batista misses him.

Battle Royal

Ashley, Maria, Christy Hemme, Victoria, Melina, Jillian Hall, Mickie James, Candice Michelle, Trish Stratus

Non-title and they’re all in Eddie shirts, which all come off at the same time for the expected reactions. Trish and Victoria wind up on top in a hurry for a slugout and Jillian dumps Mickie early. Maria knocks Jillian out and Candice gets sent to the apron, where she manages to do the Go Daddy Dance but come back in anyway. Victoria sends Christy to the apron and Candice gets the elimination but Trish headscissors Candice out. Maria gets rid of Victoria and we’re down to Maria, Trish and Victoria. Melina tosses Maria and blocks Stratusfaction to get rid of Trish for the win.

Rating: D. What else were you expecting here? The match was all about one thing and the women delivered it, albeit with a bit of a surprise winner. Battle royals are fair game for something like this and it’s not like anyone winning or losing matters in the first place, especially on a show like this one.

Rey Mysterio talks about the bond he and Eddie shared. He misses Eddie right now and wishes that this was a dream. After a pause, Rey talks about what an inspiration Eddie really was to everyone. Rey even takes the mask off as he puts his head in his hands. This is not included on the Network version.

We see the still amazing moment of Eddie and Chris Benoit at the end of Wrestlemania XX.

Simon Dean vs. Eugene

Dean offers Eugene a protein bar and the disgust lets Dean roll him up for two. An elbow misses and Eugene goes into Junkyard Dog mode for the headbutts. Hold on though as Eugene needs to go outside to play with the Dean Machine, allowing Dean to get in a shot from behind. A clothesline gets two and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up so Eugene tries a rollup out of the corner, but Dean grabs his elastic bands. Eugene pulls him into the middle of the ring though and Dean gets slingshotted into the corner for a funny moment. The Rock Bottom finishes Dean.

Rating: D. There was no mention of Eddie here and that made it just your usual Eugene match: not overly funny (the bands bit at the end was good) and more of the same comedy stuff that we’ve seen for a long time now. There’s nothing wrong with it as they were having a comedy match, but don’t expect me to get overly excited about something I’ve seen this many times.

Eugene leaves on the Dean Machine.

And now for perhaps the saddest part of the show, Chris Benoit talks about losing his best friend. They knew each other for fifteen years and have been up and down the highways and over the mountains. Eddie would always understand and they would talk for hours a day. They would always say they loved each other and his thoughts and prayers go out to Eddie’s family. Eddie is in a better place and he misses him. Benoit breaks down in tears and thanks Eddie for everything he gave him. Knowing what is coming out of all this, that’s one of the most disturbing things you can ever see as you can feel Benoit’s heart breaking.

We see Eddie winning the WWE Championship in one of the best feel good moments of all time. Cole NAILS it on commentary here and doesn’t get enough credit for that call.

HHH talks about what an inspiration Eddie was for overcoming all of his personal demons. He starts to cry as well and talks about how much Eddie’s family meant to him. Eddie is up there lying to someone and cheating someone, but he’s already stolen all of our hearts.

Ric Flair vs. William Regal

Non-title. Flair takes him down to the mat to start and works on the leg as Jerry thinks we’ll be seeing some cheating. Regal gets Flair into the corner for some left hands and a European uppercut gets two. An abdominal stretch of all things slows Regal down but he unlaces Flair’s boot for a distraction to get himself to the rope. Regal sends him to the floor and whips Flair into the barricade. Back in and Flair hits the chop block and the Figure Four is good for the fast tap.

Rating: C-. This is one of those matches that could have been interesting on a different stage but it was always nice to see Regal go out there and do his so simple but so effective heel stuff. As usual though, the match itself wasn’t the point here, though it’s always cool to see an interesting pairing like this.

Eddie won the Intercontinental Title by accidentally pinning Chyna in a triple threat match on Raw back in 2000. He apologized after the match but then smiled quite a bit because that’s what Eddie did.

John Cena vs. Randy Orton

Non-title and Bob Orton is here with Randy (in case you thought he was here with Cena). This is actually their first singles match on the main roster, which is almost hard to believe. Orton takes Cena (in his Eddie shirt) to the mat to start but Cena is back up with an elbow to the face. Bob’s distraction lets Randy get in a shot to the face and the over the back backbreaker gets two. We hit the chinlock, followed by a big dropkick for two more. Back up and they collide for a double knockdown but it’s Cena on his feet to initiate the finishing sequence. The FU is loaded up but Bob comes in for the DQ.

Rating: C-. One more match where the result didn’t matter but it’s got a little history to it. It’s always a little interesting to see a match where you never know what it is going to lead to, as Cena and Orton would go on to have roughly 183,374 matches in their careers. You could see some of the natural dynamic here though and WWE would mike that for years to come.

Post match Cena clears the ring and hits the FU on Randy. Cena takes off the shirt and lays it in the ring, with the title on top of it, to end the show.

Overall Rating: A. I wasn’t an Eddie fan in any sense of the word. He had some good matches but I didn’t see the big deal when he passed away. Of course it was both saddening and a bit sobering to see someone taken away so suddenly, but I never thought anything of him and really did not get the big deal. I saw him as a wrestler who was praised so much because he died while still wrestling, to the point where I said he had no business being in the Hall of Fame.

Now that was a good many years ago and watching these back have made me appreciate Eddie so much more. He’s one of the few wrestlers who could make anything he did look so easy and that is a talent almost no one has. His in-ring skills were outstanding but his talking and that grin were second to none. You really could see that smile and know that you were seeing something special. I’ve gained a completely new respect for him watching the last few years back with a different eye and sweet goodness I was wrong about him back in the day. Eddie really was great and that’s something that should be very easy to see.

I’ll wrap it up with a story that CM Punk told on his big WWE DVD. Punk was in his independent promotion in Chicago and really did believe that he was the best wrestler in the world. Eddie had been fired from WWE and came in to work a match against Punk. As Punk said, the bell rang and it took him about three seconds with an actually great wrestler to know that he was nowhere near as good as he thought he was. Eddie was that talented and there weren’t many people who could hang with him. I got a little emotional watching this one and that shows you what kind of skill Eddie had. Amazing tribute, and they’re not done.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: November 11, 2005
Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

We’re coming up on Survivor Series at the end of the month and Raw has mostly assembled its team. That means Smackdown needs to do the same while also setting up anything else it has to do for the show. Things are getting a little more interesting due to the big story but each side needs to do their own part as well. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Teddy Long addresses the Smackdown locker room, giving them a pep talk about how Eric Bischoff has said Raw is the better show. Tonight, they’re proving Raw wrong as we get ready for Survivor Series. That’s why Batista is going to be on the team but tonight, he’s beating up Edge to send him back to Raw. The rest of the team is going to be decided tonight, with Randy Orton’s qualifying match up first. Orton accurately points out that he’s awesome at Survivor Series and shouldn’t have to qualify but Long is a bit by the book.

Opening sequence.

Survivor Series Qualifying Match: Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio

Bob Orton is here with Randy. Mysterio gets caught in an early headlock as Bob brags about his boy. A headscissors sends Orton flying into the corner but he knocks Rey into the corner to take over. Rey goes chest first into the middle buckle and there’s a hard whip to send him back first in as well. The rare standing chinlock goes on but Rey manages to send him outside for a big flip dive as we take a break.

Back with Orton having to fight out of a headscissors so Rey bulldogs him for two instead. Bob breaks up the 619 though and Randy sends Rey HARD into the post. A big knee drop gives Orton two but Rey scores with a dropkick for the same. Rey’s rollup gets two more and a crucifix gets the third near fall in a row. The 619 misses though and Orton hits a hard clothesline. Another 619 attempt connects but Bob breaks up the West Coast Pop for the DQ.

Rating: C+. I’m a little surprised that Orton isn’t on the team but it’s not like Rey is a horrible choice and it wouldn’t shock me to see Orton get on there eventually. That being said, Bob needs to go away already. It’s fine to have someone like him around, but Randy doesn’t need him and it is starting to get annoying. Nice match though as these two have some chemistry.

Post match the double beatdown is on but Matt Hardy runs in for the save.

Post break, Randy is ready to end Hardy because the RKO is powerful.

Here’s MNM for a chat though Melina’s back is still banged up after last week. We see a clip of Eddie Guerrero giving her a frog splash but Melina is here anyway. She brings out Michelle Deighton from America’s Next Top Model and gives her some backhanded insults about being so beautiful that it was a surprise she didn’t win. Melina declares her a C list celebrity so Michelle shoves her down. That earns her a choke in the corner but here are the Mexicools for the save. The fight is on and the Mexicools stand tall to set up the next title program. Michelle dances with the Mexicools for a bonus.

Video on Bobby Lashley.

Survivor Series Qualifying Match: Bobby Lashley vs. Orlando Jordan

Jordan doesn’t even get an entrance to show you how far he’s fallen. Some early strikes don’t do much good on Lashley, who snaps off a suplex to send Jordan flying. A clothesline puts Jordan on the floor for a bit and the Dominator is good for the easy pin.

Edge and Lita try to get out of tonight’s street fight. That’s fine with Teddy, but Edge has to tell Batista himself.

Survivor Series Qualifying Match: Mr. Kennedy vs. Eddie Guerrero

Eddie hammerlocks him to start so Kennedy goes straight to the ropes early on. Kennedy gets in a cheap shot to the jaw and Eddie can’t help but smile. A whip into the corner drops Kennedy but he elbows Eddie in the face for two. We’re back to the hammerlock, albeit on Eddie for a change this time. That’s broken up as well so Eddie hits Three Amigos, only to have the ref get bumped. Eddie smiles as only he can and grabs the chair….which he slams on the mat and throws to Kennedy. Somehow, that’s enough for the referee to DQ Kennedy and send Eddie to Survivor Series.

Rating: C. I’m going to ignore the big picture here until next week. This was vintage Eddie and I could watch that grin for days. It’s similar to Ric Flair turning on Sting back in 1995: you know exactly what he is going to do but it still makes people happy because it’s such a perfectly done story for Eddie and the fans went right along with it the whole way. Kennedy is protected too and it’s all such a nice piece of business.

Post match Kennedy chairs Eddie in the head and Eddie can’t get to his feet.

Post break Eddie is checked for a concussion when Batista comes in to check on him.

Pierrothito vs. Todd Stone

Juniors match with Palmer Cannon on commentary. Todd knocks him down and walks over Pierrothito as the announcers talk about ratings. A kickout sends Stone onto the referee a few times but Pierrothito takes him down and drops a top rope elbow for the pin. They kept it short here.

Edge leaves Lita to go find Batista. The Boogeyman pops up and Lita runs off.

Undertaker is back at Survivor Series.

Edge tries to talk Batista out of it because they’re both big stars. Batista says they’re alike, but unlike Edge, he shows up when he promises to be there. The match is still on.

The Dicks are ready to face Animal/Heidenreich next week. Several penis jokes are included.

Survivor Series Qualifying Match: John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Chris Benoit

Jillian Hall is here with JBL. Benoit gets powered into the corner to start but comes right back with some chops and a snap suplex. A pair of neckbreakers put Benoit down again and the elbow drop gets two. The forearms to the back and neck set up a waistlock as Cole is already tired of Jillian. Benoit comes back with the rolling German suplexes and loads up the Swan Dive, only to be distracted by Booker and Sharmell (now wearing a tiara).

Back from a break with Booker and Sharmell on commentary and JBL sending Benoit into the announcers’ table. We hit the bearhug as Booker insists that he is only here for some friendly commentary. JBL loads up a superplex but Benoit headbutts his way to freedom and hits a top rope shoulder. The rolling German suplexes drop JBL again and there’s the Swan Dive for a delayed two.

The Sharpshooter is broken up with a poke to the eye but the Clothesline From JBL is countered into a failed Crossface attempt. JBL can’t get a powerbomb though and now the Sharpshooter goes on. Booker tries to break it up but Benoit cuts him off, only to walk into the Clothesline to give JBL the pin.

Rating: C+. They worked well enough together though the match was more of a waiting game until Booker interfered one way or another. What we got was pretty good though and you could have seen either of them winning. This should set up Benoit vs. Booker at the pay per view and that’s fine for everyone involved.

Raw Rebound.

Edge vs. Batista

Non-title street fight and Edge, with Lita, is in street clothes. Hold on though as Eric Bischoff is in the back but Teddy Long won’t let him in. Cue Chris Masters with the Masterlock on Long before riding off in the limo. Cue the Smackdown locker room to chase after him in JBL’s limo. Back in the arena, Kane and Big Show come in and destroy Batista. The lowest level of Smackdown wrestlers come out for the save and it goes as badly as you would expect. A double chokeslam to Batista ends the show. No match obviously, but a good angle.

Overall Rating: C+. The wrestling was better than usual here and there was nothing too terrible. I’ve liked the Raw vs. Smackdown story the whole time and this was no exception as it’s now Smackdown’s turn to retaliate against Raw. There was a big theme to this whole show and I dug what we got out of it, but we’ll get back to that in a few weeks as it’s time for the sad part.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Wrestlemania XXXV
Date: April 7, 2019
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young, Byron Saxton, Tom Phillips
America the Beautiful: Yolanda Adams

As long as this show is going to be, there’s something special about getting to see it every year. This year’s show is built around the three major matches and the question of how many happy endings we can have. You know it’s not going to be all three, but which of the three doesn’t go through. Those matches consist of Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins, Smackdown World Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston and the winner take all match for both Women’s titles as Ronda Rousey faces Charlotte and Becky Lynch in a genuinely historic main event. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Cruiserweight Title: Tony Nese vs. Buddy Murphy

Nese is challenging after winning a tournament and wastes no time in trying a jumping knee. Murphy gets sent outside but is fine enough to drop Nese ribs first onto the turnbuckle as we go split screen for an ad. Well at least they didn’t do this during the TV build. Back to full with Nese fighting out of a chinlock and suplexing the champ into the corner. Murphy gets tied in the ropes for a Lionsault but catches Nese with a superkick. A spinning faceplant gets two and some knees to the face have Nese in more trouble.

Nese is fine enough to hit a reverse hurricanrana and they trade a series of strikes to the face. Nese’s kneeling over the back piledriver gets two, followed by the 450 for the same. Murphy is right back up with Murphy’s Law but Nese gets a foot on the rope. With nothing else working, Murphy tries Nese’s running knee in the corner but walks into a superkick. A German suplex into the corner sets up the real running knee to give Nese the pin and the title at 10:43.

Rating: C+. Pretty good stuff here, even if I can’t imagine Nese holding the title very long. He’s the New York guy so it makes sense to have him win the title for a feel good moment. It wasn’t the most surprising thing in the world but it’s a good idea to open the night with a mostly short but effective match. Not bad at all, though Nese is a short term champion at best.

Kickoff Show: Women’s Battle Royal

Naomi, Lana, Nikki Cross, Asuka, Mickie James, Kairi Sane, Ember Moon, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, Liv Morgan, Zelina Vega, Dana Brooke, Eve Torres, Mandy Rose, Candice LeRae, Maria Kanellis, Sonya Deville, Carmella

It’s a wild brawl to start with Nikki Cross chasing Maria in a circle and getting rid of her. Asuka sends Nikki out and LeRae is out as well. Ember Eclipses Lana (as Captain Marvel) and knocks out Naomi, followed by another Eclipse to Mandy. Lana manages to get rid of Ember and insists that she’s #1 before kicking Sane in the face. Sane goes up and gets shoved to the apron, leaving us with a Lana vs. Logan staredown.

The Riott Squad gets together and dumps Lana but Sane is back in with the Insane Elbow on Logan. The Squad gets rid of Sane though and Logan lifts Morgan up for a flipping Stunner on Vega. Now it’s Asuka taking the triple teaming but she slides back in from the apron. Dana of all people fights back against the Squad and gets rid of Ruby. Logan is out as well but Vega blocks a cartwheel elbow.

Mandy and Sonya get rid of Vega and Brooke as we’re down to Logan, Rose, Deville, James and Asuka. James superkicks Mandy out but gets eliminated by Sonya to get us to three. Asuka sends Deville to the apron but Logan dumps both of them out….as Carmella slides back in, JUST LIKE LAST YEAR. Carmella knocks Logan over but Logan keeps her feet above the floor. A superkick gets rid of Logan to give Carmella the win at 10:30.

Rating: D. Hey, remember last year when someone snuck back in at the end and won the Women’s Battle Royal in a big surprise despite doing nothing coming into the match where someone could have gotten something out of it? No particular reason for asking of course. The match was your usual deal of everyone standing around until it was time for them to be eliminated until the ending. It was shorter than last year’s though and that’s an improvement. Oh and so much for Lacey Evans winning the thing as a surprise.

Kickoff Show: Raw Tag Team Titles: Revival vs. Zack Ryder/Curt Hawkins

The Revival is defending and this wasn’t announced on the Kickoff Show. Dawson takes Hawkins into the corner to start and gets two off a rollup. It’s off to Ryder vs. Wilder, the latter of whom gets the loudest cheer of his career after he decked the guy who jumped Bret last night. An armbar keeps Ryder down and Dawson comes back in to rip at Ryder’s face. Ryder gets in a suplex and tosses Wilder into the corner but Dawson knocks Hawkins off the apron.

We hit the chinlock on Ryder for a bit until he backdrops his way to freedom, allowing the hot tag to Hawkins. A backslide gets two on Dawson and Wilder gets knocked off the apron. The double clothesline gives us a double knockdown and it’s back to Ryder. The middle rope Rough Ryder hits Dawson and Ryder suplex suplexes Wilder to the floor for a scary crash. Hawkins throws Ryder back in for the tag but Wilder breaks up the cover.

Wilder DDTs Ryder on the floor and Hawkins takes a brainbuster to put all four down on the floor. Back in Dawson is rather cocky about beating Hawkins, who seems to be a bit dead. You never want to be too cocky in wrestling though and it’s a small package to pin Dawson for the titles at 13:21.

Rating: C. Ignoring Hawkins losing 269 matches in a row and not having a win since November 2016, Ryder not winning a non-Main Event match on TV since December 2016 and the team not winning a match together since 2008, this makes perfect sense. The love for the New York fans is strong tonight, which makes me wonder what kind of horrible things they have in mind for the main card. Just let the Revival go sit at home until their contracts are up though because I’d rather they go out with just this humiliation rather than seeing what else WWE could think of for them.

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Colin Jost, Michael Che, Braun Strowman, Otis, Tucker, Kalisto, Gran Metalik, Lince Dorado, Ali, Titus O’Neil, Konnor, Viktor, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Andrade, Jinder Mahal, Harper, Bo Dallas, Bobby Roode, Apollo Crews, Bo Dallas, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, No Way Jose, Tyler Breeze, Chad Gable, Heath Slater, Rhyno, Shelton Benjamin, EC3

Hey Harper is back. The SNL guys bail to the floor as Breeze and EC3 are both out. Shelton and Dorado are eliminated as well with Strowman throwing everyone he comes near. Harper vs. Strowman gets a big reaction but everyone piles onto them to break it up. Titus misses a charge and gets eliminated, followed by Ali tornado DDTing Jose and tossing him. Strowman gets sent into the post and goes through the ropes to the floor as Anderson is tossed.

Rhyno is out as well and the Hardys get into a mini match with Roode/Gable, with Roode being eliminated. Metalik gets thrown out by Mahal and Andrade monkey flips Kalisto out. There goes Gable as the ring is clearing out in a hurry. Tucker runs the Ascension over and there’s a double Caterpillar to both of them. The Ascension is thrown out but Strowman tosses Heavy Machinery.

Mahal is out next as Harper tries to suplex Ali, only to have Strowman kick them both out at the same time. We’re down to Strowman, Che, Jost, Matt, Jeff, Apollo and Andrade. Apollo and Andrade go to the apron and Andrade snaps off a hurricanrana to eliminate both of them in a dumb move. The Hardys try to pull Strowman out but the SNL guys come in and fail to throw them out.

Strowman shrugs them off and dumps the Hardys, leaving him alone with Jost and Che. One of them grabs a mic and says this doesn’t have to end in violence, so here’s his therapist to talk Strowman through this. Strowman beats him up and gives him a chokeslam (good thing the therapist knows how to take a flat back bump) before slapping Che out. A running boot in the corner misses and Jost goes for the elimination but gets shoved away. Strowman throws him out for the win at 10:24.

Rating: D. Yeah it was stupid and the SNL guys were annoying, but it was on the Kickoff Show and the right person won so I can’t complain all that much. Strowman should have won something bigger than this but at least he comes away with something instead of just being tossed out like anyone else. You know, like they did with Asuka in the first match.

Yolanda Adams sings America the Beautiful.

Helicopters fly over the stadium instead of the usual planes.

The opening video features wrestlers talking about this being the biggest stage and them being the players and storytellers. We see stills of famous Wrestlemania moments as the wrestlers talk about having the chance to live forever. They switch into a regular video of everyone involved with Lynch saying that they are the storytellers. This is a great idea, but not exactly practical when you consider that this is Wrestlemania GET EVERYONE ON THE CARD.

Here’s Wrestlemania host Alexa Bliss to say that Wrestlemania needs a goddess. She snaps her fingers…..and here’s Hulk Hogan. Well that works. Hogan: “It’s great to be back here in the Silverdome brother!” Ok that was funny. Hogan: “Ok it’s great to be back here in the MetLife Center!” He hits the catchphrase and poses with Bliss as Paul Heyman of all people storms out between the two of them. Heyman goes to the ring and says if they’re not closing the show, they’re not hanging around. They’re getting their business done and going to Las Vegas where Lesnar is ULTIMATELY appreciated.

Universal Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins

Lesnar is defending. Rollins has a new BEAST SLAYER graphic but Brock knees him off the apron and it’s an F5 on the floor before the bell rings. Lesnar throws him into various things at ringside and then over the announcers’ table a few times. They get inside but the referee won’t start the match because Rollins isn’t ready. Lesnar tosses him outside again for another whip over the announcers’ table and through the top piece of the table.

They go back inside and Rollins is mostly dead but gets to his feet for the opening bell. Three straight German suplexes let Lesnar bounce as Rollins’ back is all kinds of pretty colors. The F5 is escaped and the ref is bumped, allowing Rollins to hit the low row. Rollins hits the low superkick and the Stomp connects. A second and third Stomp give Rollins the title at 2:30.

Jerry Lawler joins commentary.

Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles

The CGI graphics are back with Orton’s being a HUGE snake that made me jump. Battle over respect between the two of them as Orton has asked why it took AJ so long to get here. An early RKO attempt is blocked so Orton goes with a thumb to the eye and the Orton Stomp. AJ gets back up with the dropkick and the slingshot forearm to the floor drops Orton again. Orton is thrown back in and knocks AJ into the barricade. The chinlock doesn’t last long as AJ fights up with the Phenomenal Blitz and a basement forearm.

The Styles Clash is blocked and Orton tries the hanging DDT, which is reversed into the Calf Crusher. Once the rope is grabbed AJ goes to the apron and loads up the Phenomenal Forearm but drops back down as Orton jumps for the RKO and crashes, allowing AJ to hit the springboard 450 for two. Orton is back up with the top rope superplex as the fans are interested in something else.

The hanging DDT plants AJ and Orton plays to the crowd to get their attention back. The RKO is countered with an enziguri but the second attempt connects for two. It feels like it’s been awhile since anyone kicked out of that. With the regular version not working, Orton loads up a super RKO but gets kicked out to the floor. That means a Phenomenal Forearm to the outside and the regular one finishes Orton at 16:17.

Rating: B-. This was about what you would have expected with good action between two talented veterans. AJ knowing that the RKO counter was coming was fine and the ending was as decisive as you could get with AJ surviving the RKO and winning clean. It’s a perfectly good match and it’s not like the two of them have anything else to do at the moment. Expect a rematch next month.

Lacey Evans cameo, though this time she stops to sneer at the crowd.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Ricochet/Aleister Black vs. Shinsuke Nakamura/Rusev vs. The Bar

The Usos are defending. Jey and Black start things off but Sheamus tags himself in and low bridges Jey to the floor. Black gets taken down and it’s Rusev coming in to hold Black up for a kick from Rusev. It’s off to Ricochet with the springboard clothesline for two on Nakamura before spinning around Cesaro multiple times for a headscissors.

That just earns him a shot to the face and it’s time to swing Ricochet while Sheamus beats on Rusev’s chest. Nakamura tries to make a save so Sheamus beats on him as well, followed by the same to Jey and Black, all while Ricochet is swinging Ricochet for well over a minute. The Sharpshooter goes on with Jey making the save, earning himself a trip to the floor with his brother.

We settle down (kind of) to Black bringing in Ricochet, who gets caught by Rusev in a swinging release Rock Bottom. Everyone goes to the corner for the required Tower of Doom, with Ricochet rolling through because he’s Ricochet and more awesome than you. Black knees Sheamus down and Ricochet hits the 630 for two with a bunch of people diving in for the save. We get a parade of kicks to the face with Sheamus taking the double superkick. The Double Us retains the Usos’ titles at 10:05.

Rating: C+. The big spots helped a lot here and it felt like an amped up Smackdown match, which is one of the best things that you can have in this situation. There’s no other way you can go with no story and the match being thrown together on Smackdown. Just have them do the spots and do the best they can, like Ricochet sticking the landing and that insane swing.

Recap of the Hall of Fame.

Honky Tonk Man (Long overdue)

Harlem Heat (More than deserved)

Torrie Wilson (The bar has been lowered)

Brutus Beefcake (Sure why not)

Hart Foundation (Yep, and may I add yep)

Sue Aitchison, with John Cena’s 600^th Make-A-Wish (Nothing wrong with that)

D-Generation X (Fine, though they feel weak for headliners)

We recap Shane McMahon vs. The Miz in the feud that WWE cares about and thinks we do too. Miz’s dad is a horrible person and only cared about his son when Miz started teaming with Shane, who didn’t like having to fix Miz’s daddy issues. Tonight it’s Falls Count Anywhere to blow it off.

Shane McMahon vs. The Miz

Falls Count Anywhere. Shane makes Greg Hamilton do his entrance three times, with the third being held out extra long. Miz’s dad is in the front row so Shane goes straight to the floor to choke him. The chase is on but Shane gets in a monitor shot to the head. The big elbow through the announcers’ table is loaded up so Miz’s dad gets in the way. Still doesn’t help the fact that he’s a horrible father.

Dad gets in the ring and puts up his fists so Shane jumps him. The beating brings Miz back into the ring to take Shane apart and send him into the barricade before checking on his dad. With the medics taking care of Papa Miz, Miz tackles Shane over the barricade and they head into the crowd, eventually going to the tech arena near one of the towers that holds up the structure above the ring. They go into an open area of the crowd with Miz hitting Shane in the foot with a chair.

Another shot to the back lets Miz knock Shane over to the international commentators station where tables are overturned. A chokeslam puts Shane through the table for two and a monitor shot knocks Shane over a barricade and down into the shadows (cool visual). Miz follows and gets a delayed two as replays show Shane landing on top of a golf cart.

They fight up a camera tower ala HHH vs. Undertaker at Wrestlemania XVII with Miz hitting a Skull Crushing Finale onto a metal platform for two. Shane gets in a shot to the face and climbs to the top of the tower as this isn’t going to go well. Miz follows him up and gets rather stalkerish as he stares Shane down to one knee. Shane begs off so Miz hammers away and suplexes him off the tower onto a crashpad….with Shane landing on top for the pin at 15:38.

Rating: C-. Why not. Why not. WHY THE #$**#%%!!@# NOT! Why shouldn’t we spend five months building this up and giving Shane McMahon a title before having him win at Wrestlemania? I’m sure this will continue, because going from November until April isn’t long enough for a Shane McMahon story. That’s just great.

The match itself was your usual walking around the stadium fight with Miz dominating through most of it until the end. The deal with Miz’s dad was a cool moment but they should have brought him out later on in the match instead of so close to the beginning. Not bad overall, but the ending was stupid.

Paige joins commentary.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Boss N Hug Connection vs. Natalya/Beth Phoenix vs. IIconics vs. Nia Jax/Tamina

Bayley and Sasha Banks are defending. The IIconics are a devil (Billie) and a black winged angel (Peyton). Natalya and Beth are in matching pink and black so here’s Bret Hart to stand with them on the stage and then go to the back. It’s a brawl to start with Nia being sent into the steps. We settle down to Peyton getting beaten up but Billie helps her out, allowing them to hit their superhero pose.

Beth gets bulldogged onto Billie’s knee with the kickout making Peyton scream. Natalya comes in for a Hart Attack for two on Billie with Bayley making the save. It’s off to Sasha, who is taken down without too much effort. Natalya and Beth lift Sasha into the air so Bayley makes the save and throws Bayley at Beth for the Bank Statement but Beth powers out as you probably expected.

Natalya puts Bayley and Sasha in the Sharpshooter at the same time until Tamina breaks it up with a superkick. Nia gets back in and starts crushing people, setting up Nia and Tamina going up top at the same time. Beth saves Banks from death by shoving Nia off and Sasha drops the frog splash for two on Natalya. Beth is back up and takes Bayley to the top for a super Glam Slam….but Billie comes in and steals the pin and the title at 10:46.

Rating: D. Some of the spots were good but at the same time, there were too many people running around and it hurt things a lot. I do like the IIconics coming in and stealing the belts as it certainly fits their style better (Do they even have a regular finisher?). But yeah, just too much going on when it didn’t need to be the case. Drop Beth and Natalya and it would have fit better, but I guess the Beth Phoenix fan club needed one more moment?

The helicopter pilots from earlier are here.

We recap Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan. Kingston has basically done everything there is to do in the company outside of winning the World Title. He got close in the Elimination Chamber but couldn’t quite pull it off. Vince McMahon then decided to throw one challenge after another at him with Kofi coming up just short every time until Big E. and Xavier Woods won a tag team gauntlet match to get him the title shot. If Kofi doesn’t win here, I don’t know if he ever will.

Smackdown World Title: Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan

Kofi is challenging with New Day in his corner while Bryan has Rowan. Big E. has a present for Kofi, but only after he wins. They go to the mat to start with Kofi sticking the landing off a monkey flip to send Bryan outside. That means the big dive over the top as the roster is watching in the locker room again, where there is a total of one single monitor showing the match. Back in and Kofi tries to jump a little too much, allowing Bryan to pull him down into a surfboard.

Some forearms to the back of the head seem to wake Kofi up and it’s a clothesline into the Boom Drop. Bryan bails outside and Kofi dives after, only to crash onto the announcers’ table ribs first. Back in and we hit the waistlock for a good while as Bryan stays on the ribs. He switches over to the Boston crab, eventually stepping to the side to make it half Liontamer. With that broken, Bryan loads up a belly to back superplex but gets elbowed down three times in a row.

Kofi drops a top rope splash to the back for two but the ribs are banged up again in the process. Trouble in Paradise misses and they go to some rollups for near falls until Kofi kicks him in the head. Bryan stops him with a stomp out of the corner and busts out the YES pose for a nice callback. The running knee is countered into a rollup and SOS gets two but Bryan reverses into the LeBell Lock in the middle of the ring.

The long crawl gets Kofi’s leg on the rope and Bryan is starting to get mad. The kicks to the ribs have Kofi in trouble but he fires back kicks of his own, capped off by a reverse suplex (ok then) for a close two. Rowan goes after New Day but Kofi hits him with Trouble in Paradise, followed by the Midnight Hour on the floor. Bryan’s suicide dive is countered by a right hand but Trouble in Paradise misses, allowing Bryan to hit the running knee for two, causing the fans to build a roof on the stadium and then blow it off.

Bryan has had it and starts stomping the head as Woods and Big E. watch on. The LeBell Lock goes on and the referee checks the arm….which stays up. Bryan hits him in the face and pulls again but Kofi rolls out and hammers away at Bryan, who won’t let go of Kofi’s hand. That lets Kofi stomp away for a change and Bryan is done, setting up Trouble in Paradise to give Kofi the pin and the title at 23:41.

Rating: A-. I mean….they could have gone out there and demonstrated how to make a pimento loaf and it wouldn’t have mattered as long as they had that ending. That was a genuine Wrestlemania moment and you could feel what it meant to everyone. This was incredible and one of the best moments they could have had. Eleven years ago, Kofi had the worst debut match I’ve ever seen and now he’s WWE Champion at Wrestlemania. Not too shabby.

Post match Woods pulls off the cover and unveils the non-wooden title so Kofi can pose with the right design, already complete with custom side plates. Kofi’s kids come in to celebrate and now it’s time to open the present. It’s a new New Day shirt with Kofi holding the title.

We recap the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Bliss, now in a different outfit, goes in to see Jost and Che as they’re checked for injuries. She says don’t worry because they’re in good hands….because Scott Hall and Kevin Nash are the doctors? And giving them prostate exams? Am I missing a joke here?

Booker T. joins commentary.

US Title: Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio

Mysterio is challenging and I believe he’s dressed as Mysterio from Spider-Man. Joe goes straight at him and Rey hits a 619 in less than a minute. Rey’s wheelbarrow bulldog is countered into the Koquina Clutch….and Rey is out at 1:00. So I’m thinking he’s still a bit injured? Booker: “I DID ALL MY PREP WORK FOR THAT???”

Trailer for Batista’s new movie.

We recap Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre. Reigns is back from leukemia and needed a first singles match. Drew took out both Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins and is promising to do the same to Reigns tonight.

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre

McIntyre is played to the ring by the New York Police Department Bagpipe Band. Reigns lowers his head to start and gets kicked in the face but what looked to be a powerslam is escaped. That means a legdrop to the back of the head over the middle rope but Drew is right back with the Glasgow Kiss. The chinlock has Reigns in more trouble until Drew takes him outside for a suplex, thereby upping the total amount of trouble.

The reverse Alabama Slam gives Drew two and he tells Reigns he should have said no. A flipping slam off the top has Reigns down again as Drew tells him that he broke the Shield. The Future Shock (Drew: “THIS ONE IS FOR AMBROSE!”) is broken up so Drew slaps him in the face. A big boot sends Drew outside and it’s a Samoan drop on the floor. Back in and the jumping clothesline puts Drew down, followed by the Superman Punch to do it again. The spear finishes Drew at 10:10.

Rating: C-. Totally standard Raw main event with Drew trying but not having a prayer of winning. There’s only so much you can do when everything is against you like this and Drew tried as hard as he can. Just getting this spot is Drew’s big win of the night and that’s not the worst place to be. He’ll be back and do just fine because he’s that good.

Here’s Elias to play some drums rather well. Now he’s at a piano (teleporting from one to the other) and does quite splendidly there too. Now he’s in the middle of the ring with his guitar. Elias the drummer and Elias the piano player play him in and he continues to have chops. Piano and Drum take a bow and now guitar Elias is on his own. The fans sing a little OH WALK WITH ELIAS and Elias promises more versions of himself, including a harpsichord player. As he starts his song, a SPECIAL BULLETIN appears on screen showing….the 1932 World Series?

Babe Ruth calls his shot (yes he did) and hits a home run….and here’s John Cena to Basic Thuganomics. Well you know the Yankees gear is making his skin crawl. Cena says Elias got the worst deal because John Cena is about to turn heel. He feels like he’s watching one of his movies because this whole thing sucks.

Cena isn’t feeling it because this is a wasted wrestling experiment. Cena: “They call me the golden shovel so I’m about to bury your push.” He throws him some nuts and says there’s no AA today, but here’s an FU. Cena lays him out with the knuckles and plants him with the FU. This worked well as Cena is often at his best when he’s making fun of himself.

We recap Batista vs. HHH. Batista wanted one more match with HHH to end their careers on his terms so he beat up Ric Flair to get HHH’s attention. The match is on and it’s No Holds Barred.

Shawn Michaels is on commentary.

Batista vs. HHH

No Holds Barred with HHH’s career on the line. Batista slips through the ropes on the way into the ring before heading outside to glare at Shawn. He even walks around the ring and does his entrance again, this time without the slipping. HHH’s entrance video seems to be inspired by Mad Max and shows a road race. The stage opens up and the car drives out with HHH on the back. I’ve seen worse.

Batista drives him into the corner to start but gets elbowed out to the floor. They fight to the floor with HHH going over the announcers’ table but managing to pull out a tool box to hit Batista in the head. Now it’s a chain to whip Batista in the back and choke a bit before going for some pliers. Batista’s finger gets bent back and HHH stomps on the pliers to make it even worse. Now it’s time for some needle nose pliers, but first he sits in a chair on Batista’s throat. HHH: “THAT’S A NICE NOSE RING!” And then he rips it out with the pliers!

Graves: “Batista won’t be able to be a guardian of the house like this! This guy is my boss!” Batista heads to the floor (Shawn: “His nose is bleeding!” Graves: “YOU THINK???”) and drops HHH onto the announcers’ table three times in a row without breaking the thing. Some chairs to the back keep HHH in trouble and they head back inside with Batista busting out a White Noise of all things.

Back to the floor with Batista putting the steps onto an announcers’ table and clearing off a second one, complete with a point to Shawn. The Batista Bomb off the steps is countered with a backdrop and the table STILL doesn’t break. Good grief where have those tables been all these years? HHH gets up, throws a crotch chop, and spears Batista through the German table. They slowly get back inside and HHH (eventually) finds a sledgehammer.

That just earns him a spear for two but a charge with the hammer is cut off by HHH’s raised boot. The spinebuster connects and it’s time for the Batista Bomb, with HHH dropping the hammer on his way down. That gets two and Batista brings the steps inside. He takes too long punching in the corner (right in front of the steps because wrestlers never learn) and gets powerbombed down onto the steps.

The Pedigree….only gets two as this keeps going. Batista gets in a DDT onto the steps and things stop again but here’s Ric Flair (I was waiting on him) to hand HHH a sledgehammer. HE COULDN’T DO THIS TEN MINUTES AGO??? HHH uses the steps to launch into a sledgehammer shot to the head but Batista pops back up so he can eat the Pedigree for the pin at 24:49. You know, because a JUMPING HAMMER TO THE HEAD isn’t enough to pin someone.

Rating: D+. The first ten minutes of this was very good but, as tends to be the case for almost any HHH match anymore, it went on too long because there was way too much laying around between moves. The ending looked ridiculous as well but that’s another situation. What they did early on was entertaining and brutal (that pliers thing was nuts) but I was looking at the clock near the end, which happens way too often.

Alexa Bliss (outfit #3) has the B Team model AND STILL CHAMPION Daniel Bryan shirts. Ron Simmons comes in for the cameo.

JBL joins commentary.

Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin

Rating: F. The idea of Kurt Angle losing to Baron Corbin in his last match is a failure. Not because it’s Angle last match. Not because the match wasn’t good. Not because WHY? But because we now have to deal with more Baron Corbin on Raw as more fans’ heads explode as we try to figure out what WWE sees in him. I’m sure this was Angle’s decision and while I can respect that, someone named McMahon should have overridden him.

Post match Angle wants his music played one last time so we can get in one more YOU SUCK. That’s exactly what he gets, as he should.

Intercontinental Title: Bobby Lashley vs. Finn Balor

Lashley, with special contacts in, is defending and Balor is the Demon, making its Wrestlemania debut. Balor hits a spinwheel kick and ax kick to the back, followed by a dropkick to put him on the floor. There’s the big flip dive but Lashley catches him with a spinebuster back inside. Lashley hits a heck of a spear through the ropes to drive Balor to the floor, followed by a regular one for two back inside. Balor gets back up and powerbombs Lashley (good one too) and the Coup de Grace gives Balor the title back at 4:04.

Rating: C. The spots were good (that spear was awesome) and the powerbomb looked awesome, but the problem is they didn’t need to do the Demon here. I get why they did it and it makes sense to do it at Wrestlemania, but at the same time what’s the point in having him do it if he can already beat Lashley and Lio Rush? It’s a good enough match, but this story was them trading the title and then the Demon doing what regular Balor could do.

Alexa (#4) announces the new WWE attendance record of 82,265. She thinks we need a break though so here are R-Truth and Carmella for the world’s largest dance break.

Wrestlemania XXXVI is in Tampa Bay on April 5, 2020.

We recap the women’s triple threat match. Becky Lynch has become the people’s champion, Charlotte is the Smackdown Women’s Champion and the corporate pick and Ronda Rousey is the Raw Women Champion and the unstoppable force. Tonight is winner take all for both belts, but it’s much more about the history because the match is actually headlining the show.

Raw Women’s Title/Smackdown Women’s Title: Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch

Ronda is Raw Women’s Champion and Charlotte is Smackdown Women’s Champion….and she comes in via helicopter and lands in the parking lot, where a red carpet is rolled out for her in a Horseman homage. Since she has to walk a good ways into the stadium, here are Joan Jett and the Blackhearts to play Ronda to the ring. The bell rings at 12:01am and Becky goes straight for the Disarm-Her on Ronda but gets shoved away so they can all head outside.

That means a Piper’s Pit for both of them and Ronda starts the trash talk. Charlotte gets up and sends Rousey into the barricade, setting up a showdown with Charlotte inside. The Disarm-Her to Becky is broken up and it’s Ronda coming back in to kick Becky in the face. A double powerbomb over the top is countered into a double armbar on Becky and Charlotte. Becky escapes and dropkicks Ronda to the floor for a NASTY crash on her back. Charlotte Downward Spirals Becky into the buckle for two as we look at Rousey landing square on her back again.

Becky is right back with the Disarm-Her but Ronda comes back to life and makes the save. A running knee breaks up the armbar on Becky and Charlotte hits a double Natural Selection for two each. Becky gets sent outside so Charlotte chops Ronda, who tells her to bring it. That’s just what Charlotte does with a backhand to the face so Ronda hits a jumping knee, which is countered into a Liontamer. Becky breaks it up with a bulldog and hits a double DDT for two each.

A super Bexploder gets two on Charlotte, setting up a double high crossbody from Rousey. The double armbar is countered with a double powerbomb Ronda is done for the moment. Becky calls Charlotte to her and avoids a charge, letting Becky kick her to the floor. The Disarm-Her goes on and Rousey uses the ropes to stand up for the break. A missed charge lets Becky get the Disarm-Her in the corner until Charlotte’s big boot breaks it up.

Charlotte starts in on Rousey’s knee and gets the Figure Four but Becky comes off the top with a legdrop for the save. And now, a table because that’s what this match was calling for. Rousey breaks up a powerbomb through the table and turns the table over, saying tables are for b****** (at least the third time she’s used that word so far). Charlotte comes back in for a double spear as Cole’s voice is almost gone.

The table is set up in the corner and Charlotte gets two off a spear to Becky. Rousey gets back up and helps Becky drive Charlotte somewhat through the table to knock her outside. The fight is on and Rousey goes with a Shining Wizard and tries Piper’s Pit….but gets reversed into a crucifix to give Becky the pin and the titles at 22:27!

Rating: B. The ending was straight out of Angle vs. Benoit at Wrestlemania XVII with the submission attempts all match until the quick pinfall. What matters here is Becky defeated Rousey to win the titles as she should have. That was how this show needed to end and it did, even if the ending could have been a bit smoother. Charlotte will be fine and I’m curious to see who goes after Becky as the first victim.

Replays show Rousey’s shoulders were WAY up so there’s your story going forward (if Rousey sticks around). Cole: “Tonight will forever be known as WrestleMANia!” Oh just stop dude. Pyro and posing takes us out.

Overall Rating: B-. Let’s get the things I got wrong out of the way first. First: this was WAY better than I was expecting after last year’s near nightmare of a show. Second: they actually did give us three happy endings, which I said several times would not happen. I’m very glad to be wrong on that, but I certainly was wrong. Third: yeah HHH vs. Batista went on too long and it brought things down. I had high hopes and they didn’t come through.

Now for the good stuff: the right people won (mostly) and the big matches all went to the right people. For the first time in way too long, we had something to cheer about. If that’s it for Lesnar at the moment, thank goodness because he needs to go away for a long time and leave the title here. Rollins will be fine as champion for the summer before someone wins Money in the Bank and takes it from him (It’s going to be Corbin isn’t it?). Becky winning was the right way to go also, even if the ending was a little rushed. There’s one big one left though.

Kofi Kingston is WWE Champion. That was one of the best moments I’ve seen WWE put on in years and might pass Bryan in New Orleans. It felt special and you don’t get that often enough, mainly because there was serious doubt if they could actually pull the trigger. I loved that moment and was happier than I’ve been at something in a long time. I’d have loved to see it close the show, but I get why they couldn’t go there. Incredible moment though.

Overall, the pacing was FAR better than what they’ve had in recent years and while there was a lot of stuff they needed to trim down (despite having multiple matches go less than five minutes), it didn’t drag nearly as bad as it has before. It still needs to be shorter by about an hour (at least) and not everyone needs to be on the show, but for what we got, it was one of the better shows in recent memory and we got a genuine Wrestlemania moment. Well done, and it was close to being great.

Results

Seth Rollins b. Brock Lesnar – Stomp

AJ Styles b. Randy Orton – Phenomenal Forearm

Usos b. The Bar, Aleister Black/Ricochet and Shinsuke Nakamura/Rusev – Double Us to Sheamus

Shane McMahon b. The Miz – McMahon pinned Shane after a superplex off a camera tower

IIconics b. Boss N Hug Connection, Nia Jax/Tamina and Beth Phoenix/Natalya – Super Glam Slam to Bayley

Kofi Kingston b. Daniel Bryan – Trouble in Paradise

Samoa Joe b. Rey Mysterio – Koquina Clutch

Roman Reigns b. Drew McIntyre – Spear

HHH b. Batista – Pedigree

Baron Corbin b. Kurt Angle – End of Days

Finn Balor b. Bobby Lashley – Coup de Grace

Becky Lynch b. Ronda Rousey and Charlotte – Crucifix to Rousey

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6