IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: June 2, 2006
Location: Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

Things are certainly happening around here but I don’t know if I would call them interesting. We are a long way off from the Great American Bash, meaning we have all kinds of time for Rey Mysterio to lose but still hold up the title. The show is also in need of a replacement for JBL so maybe we can start that tonight. Or we could just go hard with King Booker. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with the new Smackdown host: the Miz. After a HOO RAH, Miz runs down the card, including Great Khali in Piper’s Pit (oh dear). For now though, we can start with this. Who could have imagined what this would lead to over the years?

Opening sequence.

Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio

Non-title, likely so Rey can lose again as Angle is on his way to ECW. Speaking of ECW, Paul Heyman joins commentary. Cole puts over the history here as Angle double legs Rey down without much effort. Angle cranks on the arm a bit and Rey looks shaken in a hurry. They do it again as Angle is running over him to start. It’s too early for the ankle lock as Mysterio gets to the ropes and then the floor, where the frustration is already setting in.

Back in and a headscissors takes Kurt down, which has him looking shocked. Angle takes him down by the leg again with almost no effort as Heyman promises a new vision for ECW. Rey manages to send him shoulder first into the post but Angle runs him over. The Angle Slam is countered with an armdrag to the floor though and it’s time to go toe to toe, plus to a break. Back with Angle dropping him with an uppercut as Heyman announces Mysterio defending the World Title against Sabu at One Night Stand.

Angle gets two off a suplex and a release German suplex gets the same. The bodyscissors goes on to work on the ribs but Rey gets to his feet and hits a dropkick. A DDT plants Angle and there’s a spinning headscissors to put him down again. Rey dropkicks him to the floor and a sliding headscissors has Angle down on the floor. The springboard seated senton gets two back inside but Angle snaps off a release German suplex to flip Rey upside down.

Rey grabs a rollup for two but Angle runs him over with a clothesline. The Angle Slam connects for two with Rey having to use the ropes for the break. Rey is right back with the 619 but Angle runs the ropes to break up the frog splash. A sunset flip is countered into the ankle lock, which is reversed with a rollup. Angle counters the 619 though and there’s an overhead belly to belly out to the floor for the countout.

Rating: B. They were getting going in the end and then Rey loses because that’s what he does to everyone but JBL. It wouldn’t be right to have Rey look like he can beat someone like Angle because the World Title means nothing while it’s on Rey. It’s annoying, but it’s what we’re stuck with for the time being. But hey, at least that unproven kid Kurt Angle looks good on his way to the new show.

Batista is back in five weeks.

Bobby Lashley is proud of his US Title and can’t wait to earn respect in all of his title defenses. Tonight, he’s starting with Booker T.

Nunzio needs Vito in his corner tonight.

Nunzio vs. Matt Hardy

Hardy works on the arm to start and takes him down to the mat for a headlock. A slam sets up an elbow for two but Nunzio is right back to the arm. Back up and Matt makes his comeback with clotheslines and the middle rope elbow to the back of the neck. The Twist of Fate is good for the pin.

Rating: D+. Just a quick match here, likely to set up something between Nunzio and Vito. Nunzio is just there at this point and Matt….well he’s just there too but he has a better history. I’m not sure what else there is here, but the Vito in a dress thing is not likely to go well in the slightest.

Post match, indeed here is Vito in a dress to help Nunzio up, sending Nunzio running off in anger/disgust.

We look back at Mark Henry injuring Chris Benoit last week.

Miz introduces Roddy Piper for Piper’s Pit. He knows WWE calls him when something weird goes down and now he wants to see Great Khali in person. Cue Khali with Daivari so Piper asks how much English Khali speaks. Daivari says none so Piper tells Daivari to leave. Piper looks Khali over, including from behind, and makes a Brokeback Mountain reference. First question: what does Khali eat? Daivari: “People the size of you!”

Piper wants to know where Khali is from and then makes elephant noises upon hearing the jungles of India. Piper talks about how tough Undertaker is but Daivari says Khali is the new superstar of “the World Wrestling Entertainment.” Hold on though as Piper wants to speak eye to eye with Khali so he gets on the middle rope. Khali grabs him by the throat but Daivari calls him off. Piper slaps Daivari so Khali hits the big chop to knock Piper out.

Jillian Hall vs. Kristal

Ashley Massaro, now on Smackdown, is on commentary to talk about the Diva Search. They lock up to start with Jillian grabbing a headlock takeover but Kristal reverses into one of her own. Jillian’s dropkick gets two and a snapmare is good for the same. Back up and Jillian rubs her face first into her cleavage before countering a victory roll for the pin. This was there for the looks and that works out fine enough. Jillian was trying and it could have been worse.

Post match here’s Michelle McCool (Cole: “Wow.”) to say she’s new around here too and promises to teach them how to be a real lady. Maybe she can teach the guys something about the birds and the bees. The glasses come off as she promises to make things a lot hotter. It felt like a bit of a Stacy Keibler knockoff but not as memorable (and more teacherish).

Mark Henry vs. Paul Burchill

Before the match, we take a closer look at Henry destroying Benoit, putting him on an indefinite hiatus. A big boot and two World’s Strongest Slams finish Burchill in a hurry.

Post match the destruction is on, with Burchill bleeding from the mouth to send him back to OVW.

Mr. Kennedy is back next week.

Finlay vs. Caden Matthews

Finlay hits him in the face to start and then nails a hard clothesline. The forearms to the ace in the ropes keep Matthews down and Finlay throws him outside. Something pulls Matthews under the ring so Finlay pulls him back out, setting up the Celtic Cross for the easy pin.

Post match the leprechaun comes out to beat on Matthews some more. Finlay throws him back underneath the ring.

Video on Sabu. It’s so weird to see this in WWE.

Tazz gets very serious and rants about Jerry Lawler insulting him. If Lawler is a man, come meet him at One Night Stand. Tazz has one more left in him so beat him if you can and survive if he lets you. It’s just an announcers feud but these two are both great talkers so we should be in for some nice promos.

King Booker vs. Bobby Lashley

Non-title and Booker has Sharmell and William Regal, doing his ALL HAIL KING BOOKER, with him. Before the match, Booker introduces Queen Sharmell and sits on the throne like a king should (I guess?). They go face to face to start with Booker talking more trash and Lashley saying bring it on. Lashley powers him into the corner but Booker is back with some right hands.

That’s fine with Booker, who knocks him down and then grabs a suplex for two. Some chops against the ropes just annoy Lashley but a hot shot works a bit better for Booker. A snap suplex puts Booker down though and Lashley is back up with some more shots to the face. Lashley hits a belly to belly but charges into a knee. Not that it matters as Lashley grabs a running powerslam for the pin.

Rating: C-. They didn’t have time to do anything here but what we got was good enough. Lashley gets a win to even things up after the pay per view and doesn’t lose in his first match after becoming champion. At the same time, Booker can just point to the crown to keep his heat so it is hardly some devastating loss.

Post match Regal jumps Lashley and Finlay comes in to help with the beatdown. Booker adds the Book End and it’s time to bring the throne back in. With Booker sitting down, Regal and Finlay keep up the beatdown and force Lashley to bow. Booker isn’t done though and makes Lashley kiss his foot, meaning it’s time for Sharmell to shout ALL HAIL KING BOOKER (she’s no Regal) to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. One of the most interesting things about going back and rewatching these shows has been seeing the arrival of these people, with people like Khali, Miz and the future Hornswoggle, plus the returning Kennedy, being on the list. They have been adding in some different people lately and it is making things feel different. That being said, other than Angle vs. Mysterio, this was a pretty skippable show, which is likely to be the case at the moment as we are a good length away from the next Smackdown pay per view.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Hell In A Cell 2020
Date: October 25, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe, Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s time for another version of the show where WWE doesn’t care enough to even put together six matches before we get to the show. I’m not sure why WWE feels the need to do something like this but this marks two years in a row of a similar nature. There are three Cell matches tonight so it must be big. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: 24/7 Title: R-Truth vs. Drew Gulak

Gulak is challenging and immediately starts talking to Little Jimmy….who he then knocks down. Truth goes after Gulak in the corner and hammers away so Gulak takes him down by the leg. A leglock goes on, followed by Gulak stretching Truth’s neck over his back (think a Gory Stretch but without tying up the arms). Truth fights back with John Cena’s offense, including the AA for two. Gulak goes after the knee again and they go into a pinfall reversal sequence, with Truth rolling him up for the pin to retain at 5:23.

Rating: D. The match was pretty straightforward, meaning it felt out of place with the 24/7 Title. There was the Little Jimmy stuff at the beginning, but Gulak beating up an invisible boy isn’t enough to make up for the rest of things. It’s hard to criticize the title, though I’m not sure I get the need for a match to warm up the crowd when there is no crowd.

Post match the menagerie of numskulls run in to chase after Truth.

The opening video looks at the Cell matches and not much more, mainly because there isn’t much more after that.

The Cell is lowered.

We recap Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso for Reigns’ Universal Title. Reigns beat Jey at Clash Of Champions but wanted Jey to acknowledge him as Tribal Chief of the family. That hasn’t happened yet, so Jey is getting one more shot, though there are some stipulations. First of all, it’s an I Quit match, but the catch is that if Reigns wins, both Jey and his brother Jimmy have to obey Reigns. If they don’t, they are out of the family.

Smackdown World Title: Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso

Reigns, with Paul Heyman, is defending inside the Cell in an I Quit match. They shout at each other a bit until Reigns shoulders him down to start. A snap suplex has Jey in more trouble and Reigns sneers down at him in a great visual. Jey manages an enziguri to knock Reigns outside though and a dive sends him into the Cell. A running clothesline puts Reigns on the floor again and there’s another dive. Reigns is driven into the wall again and Jey starts to get serious, only to get cut off with a spear back inside. Reigns starts telling Jey that it’s over so Jey knocks him outside for a dropkick into the Cell.

The dive is cut off with a right hand though and Reigns hits another spear back inside. Jey is back up with a superkick into the Superfly Splash and they’re both down with Reigns not quitting. Another splash connects but Reigns says the head of the table never quits. Therefore it’s time to bring in a leather strap, even as Paul shouts no. Uso whips him in the back so Reigns hits a third spear to cut him off again. Jey can’t breathe but he won’t quit, so this time it’s Reigns whipping him for a change. Reigns: “I DO THE WHIPPING AROUND HERE!”

Jey’s look of shock at the pain is a great visual as he did these same things to Reigns but didn’t realize how bad it would be to get it back. More whips have Jey down but he uses the strap to pull himself up. They slug it out until Jey hits a superkick and ties the strap around Reigns’ throat. Reigns still won’t quit so Jey grabs a chair but Reigns hits the Superman Punch. The guillotine goes on with Reigns jumping into a bodyscissors and Jey is mostly out. That’s not quitting though and Reigns is looking more annoyed than anything else. Reigns says all Jey had to do was quit and now we’re here.

The referee and Reigns both implore him to quit until Reigns tells the referee to shut his mouth. Reigns lays Jey on the apron for the running kick to the head but Jey still won’t quit. With that not working, Reigns puts the steps on the apron and crushes Jey’s head between the steps and the post. Jey is out and Reigns is looking like this hurts him even more. The referee goes to call it because Jey is out so Reigns throws him over the top for thinking about ending things.

The other referee comes in but Reigns yells about what he’s supposed to tell his own kids for Jey making him look bad. A bunch of officials come out to tell Reigns to stop….so he throws the steps inside. Adam Pearce and company all bail out so Reigns puts the steps on top of Jey. Reigns shouts that Jey has been testing him their whole life and all he has to do is acknowledge him.

There is no going back when you go this far and now Reigns is ending him for not understanding. Reigns picks up the steps but here’s Jimmy Uso to lay on Jey for the save. Jimmy asks what is wrong with Reigns and says we can fix this. It’s Josh that is laying here in the ring and they can get through this together. Reigns starts crying and says he doesn’t know who he is anymore. Jimmy extends his hand and Reigns takes it…and then pulls him into the guillotine choke. Jey finally quits to save his brother at 29:06.

Rating: C+. I have no idea how to grade something like this as again it was more of a long segment than a match for the most part. It was similar to Clash in that regard, but I always have a problem with something like this being in the Cell, which added nothing. If people can just come in over and over, what’s the point in having the Cell other than a visual?

Now all that aside, this was more great character development stuff and shows how far Reigns has gone to the dark side. There’s something that makes it so much different when it’s family and I want to know how it’s going to be now that the Usos have to obey him. It was good, but the Cell didn’t add anything here and that gets annoying.

Post match Heyman is stunned as Afa and Sika come out to hug Reigns and put a lei around his neck.

The announcers are all emotional about what we just saw.

Elias vs. Jeff Hardy

Before the match, Elias sings about how they’re having a match but Jeff can always lean back on the booze. Elias: “WWE stands for Walk With Elias but Jeff Hardy stands for DUI.” Elias chops him against the ropes to start but Hardy snapmares him into a Hennig necksnap for two. Hardy cranks on the arm with a hammerlock and they head outside with Jeff hitting a dropkick through the ropes. A dive off the steps earns Jeff a crash into the steps but he beats the count back inside.

Elias hits a clothesline to set up the chinlock but Hardy fights up and gets a breather. The legdrop between the legs into a basement dropkick gives Jeff two and Elias is in trouble. The Twist of Fate is countered into an electric chair into a spinning powerbomb for two on Hardy. Jeff is back up with the Whisper in the Wind and now the Twist connects. Hardy loads up the Swanton but Elias rolls to the floor and grabs the guitar. That’s taken away though and Jeff cracks him with the guitar for the DQ at 7:51.

Rating: C-. Pretty much a Raw match and little more, which is about all you could have expected. Elias has never quite developed in the ring, though he can work well enough and Hardy can make up the slack with anyone. They kept things short here though and you can guarantee this continuing to promote Elias’ album.

We recap Otis vs. Miz for Otis’ Money in the Bank briefcase. Miz doesn’t want Otis to be Mr. Money in the Bank so he has tried to ruin his life. This set up the court case on Smackdown where Judge JBL made their match tonight for the briefcase.

Otis says his mama taught him to flaunt it if you’ve got it. Well he has it, and tonight Miz is going to get it.

Money in the Bank Briefcase: Miz vs. Otis

Otis is defending and John Morrison/Tucker are the seconds. Otis’ music also now starts with “Blue Collar Working Man” because we need things explained to us. Miz gets knocked down to start and Otis throws in an OH YEAH. They head to the floor with Miz being run over again but Morrison offers a distraction. Back in and the DDT gives Miz two so we hit the sleeper, with Cole saying that at Otis’ size, he probably has a bad case of sleep apnea.

With that weird statement out of the way, Miz kicks Otis in the face for two and hits the YES Kicks to the chest. The power of jiggling gets Otis out of trouble and the shirt comes off. There’s the flapjack but Morrison pulls Miz away from the Caterpillar. Morrison loads up a briefcase shot but gets caught, meaning he hides the briefcase behind his back and swears innocence. That’s good for an ejection and Otis hits a discus lariat for two. As Cole cracks up at Corey’s joke about Otis being able to power a small city, Tucker turns on Otis with a briefcase shot and Miz gets the pin at 7:26.

Rating: D. They had to do something like this as there was no reason to believe that Otis was going to win the World Title in any universe. Miz winning over anyone on Raw isn’t likely either, but it’s a lot easier to believe than Otis winning. Tucker turning on Otis gives them an out, though they’re going to have to bend the Draft rules for that long awaited Heavy Machinery showdown. In addition to that though, commentary was destroying this match as they were openly cracking up at Corey’s Otis jokes and it was really distracting. I know Otis isn’t exactly serious, but can we pretend this matters?

Miz and Morrison say how big of a deal this is and say the World Champions are on notice. Tucker comes in and shrugs off Miz and Morrison’s congratulations. He talks about how he has sacrificed everything for Otis and the team, like having him do the hot tag for the Worm or giving him the confidence to ask out Mandy Rose. Tucker has sacrificed everything for the team and he’s sick of it. Otis comes in to jump Miz and Morrison but Tucker runs off. Perfectly logical reasoning from Tucker.

We recap Bayley vs. Sasha Banks for the Smackdown Women’s Title. They feuded forever and then they teamed up to dominate the women’s divisions. Then they started losing their titles so Bayley turned on her before Banks could do the same. Banks was on the shelf with an injury thanks to Bayley but now she’s back for revenge and the title.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks

Banks is challenging inside the Cell and kicks Bayley’s chair out of the Cell to make things even. The beating is on in a hurry and Banks grabs the Bank Statement, sending Bayley to the ropes. That means nothing in the Cell though so Bayley crawls to the floor for the break. Bayley drives her into the Cell but misses some kendo stick shots. Sasha throws the stick outside as well though and hits a knee to Bayley’s face. A table is set up at ringside but Bayley gets in a shot to cut her off.

That’s fine with Banks, who uses the edge of the table to drive Bayley into the Cell. A Meteora off the table into the Cell sets up another Meteora for two back inside. Bayley knocks her back to the floor though and tosses the chair at her, only to have Banks slide under the table. Said table is kicked into Bayley’s face and they go to the apron. Bayley throws her at the Cell so Sasha hangs on and jumps right back onto the apron.

A hurricanrana to the floor sends Bayley into the Cell and Banks whips her into the steps. Banks bridges some kendo sticks between the Cell and the holes in the steps but Bayley whips her through them instead. Bayley puts the sticks back and catapults Banks throat first into them this time. The reverse chinlock stays on Banks’ back and neck before Bayley sends her face first into an open chair.

The chair is wedged into the corner and Bayley hits a running sunset bomb to send Banks head first into the steel (dang that looked nasty). Bayley gets two off a top rope elbow but the bulldog driver is countered into the Bank Statement. Another crawl to the floor is enough for the escape and Bayley ties her in the ring skirt. Bayley unloads with the kendo stick shots to the back and it’s time for some duct tape and rope. Two of the sticks are taped together and wedged between the ring frame and the Cell but Banks gets in a blast with a fire extinguisher.

Bayley is fine enough to get the original chair back inside but Banks unloads on her. Banks sends her into the Cell and throws in a kendo stick to continue the beating. A lot of shouting and a lot of shots to the ribs have Bayley in more trouble but she crawls for her chair. Banks cuts that off and goes up for the frog splash but Bayley gets the chair up. The bulldog driver on the floor gives Bayley two and it’s time for a ladder, which is laid over two open chairs.

Bayley spray paints an X onto Banks and goes up top with the chair, only to hit the ladder instead. A running Meteora into the corner and a Bayley to Belly onto the ladder gives Banks two, meaning it’s frustration time. Bayley is back with her own Bayley to Belly for two so it’s time for the chair again. This time Banks pulls her down into the Bank Statement though, even tying the chair around Bayley’s neck. Some stomps to the chair to go with the hold make Bayley tap away the title at 26:32.

Rating: B. This at least felt a lot more like the violence that takes place inside the Cell, which is kind of the point of the show. Banks winning the title here makes sense and it’s not like they needed to stretch it out any longer. They beat the fire out of each other here and it felt like a bit time fight, which is entirely the point. You can all but guarantee that these two aren’t done, but hopefully they wait until TLC for the rematch.

A lot of staring ensues post match.

The Hurt Business is ready to step up and accept Mustafa Ali’s challenge. It’s going to be Bobby Lashley vs. Slapjack and MVP is even willing to raise the stakes: no cornermen or seconds, and we’ll make it a US Title match.

US Title: Bobby Lashley vs. Slapjack

Lashley is defending and this is the result of Mustafa Ali issuing a challenge on the Kickoff Show. Retribution now has regular music and a regular entrance to make sure they aren’t unique whatsoever. Lashley wastes no time in running him over and hitting a quick suplex. Back up and Slapjack scores with a dropkick to send Lashley into the corner for the Cannonball. A running DDT gives Slapjack two but Lashley isn’t having any of that. The big spinebuster sets up the Hurt Lock to retain at 3:54.

Rating: D+. Another totally standard Raw match which wouldn’t have been more filler if it was a filler item in the filler section at the filler store. There’s no such thing as a filler store you say? Well there’s also no sense in building up a team like Retribution for so many weeks and then having them lose every match like this either so it all fills out.

Post match the rest of Retribution comes in but the Hurt Business makes the easy save.

Survivor Series is Undertaker: 30. As it kind of has to be.

The Cell is lowered. Yeah we saw this about forty minutes ago. Find something new.

We recap Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre. Orton has had two title shots this year with McIntyre beating him both times, so Orton has attacked various legends to force McIntyre into the Cell. This is rather similar to how Summerslam was set up but you can’t expect them to come up with another new idea so soon.

Quick look at Batista in the new Gears of War game.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton

Inside the Cell with McIntyre defending. McIntyre makes his entrance but here’s Orton as a cameraman to jump him from behind. That doesn’t go well for Orton, as McIntyre chops away and sends him into the Cell. The beating continues around the Cell and McIntyre takes it inside, demanding that the Cell be locked. I mean, it didn’t matter in the opener but it’s a nice idea. The bell rings and McIntyre hammers away but the threat of an RKO means he has to knock Orton outside.

Orton is driven into the cage and McIntyre shoves his face into the steel for a bonus. McIntyre sends him back first into the Cell as this is one sided so far. A chair to the ribs and back keeps Orton down but he avoids the steps being thrown at his head. The Claymore misses (mainly because McIntyre stopped way too early) and Orton hits him in the leg with a chair. Said chair is driven into McIntyre’s previously injured jaw and McIntyre is sent face first into the buckle.

Orton sends the bad jaw into the steps as well before wrapping his pants around McIntyre’s eyes. McIntyre’s face is shoved into the Cell wall and a thumb to the eye cuts off his comeback. There’s a whip into the steps and McIntyre looks shocked by the pain. A table is set up against the Cell but Orton grabs the backbreaker for one to keep McIntyre down. McIntyre is back with the overhead belly to belly and there’s a neckbreaker into the nip up. They head outside with McIntyre suplexing him through the table as the fans (uh….) think this is awesome.

Back in and Orton hits a low blow into the hanging DDT for two. Frustration is setting in so Orton whips out some bolt cutters and opens the door. McIntyre gets knocked down again and Orton climbs the Cell, which is just not going to end well. For reasons of general stupidity, McIntyre follows him up and Orton catches him with a pipe shot to the leg. Orton starts climbing down so Drew follows him, meaning it’s the fight on the side of the Cell.

Some shots to the hands finally knock McIntyre down and through the announcers’ table (not quite the biggest fall) so he come sup bleeding from the mouth. McIntyre is coughing a lot and they finally get back inside. The backslide gives McIntyre two (in a call back to Summerslam) and there’s the Claymore to send Orton outside. Back in and another Claymore misses, setting up the RKO to give Orton the pin and the title at 30:34.

Rating: B. Another good one, though your mileage on Orton winning the title back may vary. I wasn’t big on them going outside just to set up not very big crash, as they still don’t quite get the point of the Cell. That being said, they beat each other up for quite a long time here and you almost had to have Orton take the title at some point after the back to back losses. It isn’t the worst thing by far and the match was good, but it could have been better with more violence and less walking around.

Overall Rating: B. I’m really not sure what to think about this one as the big matches were good and the weaker ones were all mostly short, but man alive this did not feel important. This felt like a show they threw together without much effort and then slapped the Cell name on it to make everything work. It’s a good show and makes up for some of last year’s complete drek of a main event, but I’m not likely to remember any of this in about a week. They were in and out in three hours and it had some good stuff with several important changes, but it had no impact or punch and that’s a weird combination.

Results

Roman Reigns b. Jey Uso – Jey quit when Jimmy Uso was in a guillotine choke

Elias b. Jeff Hardy via DQ when Hardy used Elias’ guitar

Miz b. Otis – Tucker hit Otis with the Money in the Bank briefcase

Sasha Banks b. Bayley – Bank Statement with a chair around Bayley’s neck

Bobby Lashley b. Slapjack – Hurt Lock

Randy Orton b. Drew McIntyre – RKO

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: May 26, 2006
Location: Rabobank Arena, Bakersfield, California
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

We’re past Judgment Day and Rey Mysterio is still World Champion. I’m not sure why that is going to be seen as a good thing as Mysterio was destroyed for weeks on end before surviving against JBL on Sunday. Next up is the Great American Bash but we have about two months before then. Let’s get to it.

Here is Judgment Day if you need a recap.

We open with a quick package on the pay per view.

Here’s JBL in the ring to call out Mysterio for a rematch right now. Mysterio comes out to say he would take on all comers, just like he did with JBL on Sunday. Rey: “AND I BEAT YOU!” Rey doesn’t see JBL defending his US Title so JBL says he’ll face anyone anytime. You really shouldn’t say that because Rey has an idea.

US Title: Bobby Lashley vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

JBL is defending and sends him into the corner to start. That earns him a hard stare and Lashley tosses him around. A big boot and some right hands in the corner have Lashley down but the Clothesline From JBL misses. Lashley spears him for the pin and the title in less than a minute and a half.

Post break JBL storms into Teddy Long’s office and grabs Long by the suit, shouting about everything that just happened. Long isn’t having that but he’ll make a deal: JBL vs. Mysterio for the title tonight, but if JBL loses, he quits Smackdown.

Tatanka vs. Simon Dean

This is Tatanka’s big debut as a member of the Lakota tribe. Dean, in lime green, cranks on the arm to start but gets chopped for his efforts. There’s a suplex as well but Dean takes him into the corner for some racial stereotypes. Tatanka slugs him down though and hits a running shoulder. The Wykea (slam into a spinning Rock Bottom) finishes Dean in a hurry.

Rating: D+. So yeah, it’s still Tatanka about fifteen years after the start of his original run, meaning it feels rather out of place. That and it just wasn’t very good in the first place, as Tatanka was only ok more often than not. It was just a quick match but I can’t bring myself to get all that interested in Tatanka.

Matt Hardy is in Long’s office when Paul Heyman comes in. With Matt gone, Heyman praises Smackdown but Long doesn’t trust him. He thinks Heyman is here to steal talent so Heyman leaves, seemingly with no issues.

Chris Benoit vs. Mark Henry

3 6 Mafia plays Henry to the ring. Henry shoves him around to start but Benoit is right back up (duh) with the series of chops. With Henry shoving Benoit again, Benoit tries and fails at the Crossface with Henry gorilla pressing him. Benoit slips out and goes for the knee, followed by an enziguri to really rock him. A dropkick puts Henry on the floor and we take a break.

Back with Benoit working on the arm but getting splashed in the corner. Henry hits a clothesline to the back of the neck and just steps on Benoit for a more basic offense. We hit the reverse chinlock and then do it again for a bonus. Henry lets go so he can miss a splash, allowing Benoit to grab the Crossface. They fight to the floor with Henry driving him into the post a few times….and getting disqualified as a result.

Rating: C. This was an interesting way to go as Benoit isn’t going to back down but it can be rather difficult to break Henry, giving us a surprisingly good match. Henry has a bad reputation but he can work well against the right kind of opponent, which is where Benoit shines. Not too bad here and the ending should set up a rematch.

Post match Henry does it again, causing Benoit to bleed from the mouth. Henry bends his back around the ropes until referees come out to break it up.

Here’s William Regal to host the official coronation for King Booker T. He brings out Booker and Sharmell, on the throne on the back of a trailer for a pretty big entrance. Regal reads a proclamation off a scroll, sneers at being in Bakersfield, and implores all of us to stand up and hail the new king. Sharmell says we all need to bow down and then gives him the robe and the crown. Booker declares himself king and introduces us to Queen Sharmell. Pyro goes off as Regal shouts LONG LIVE KING BOOKER over and over.

Nunzio asks Vito about rumors of him wearing a dress but Vito shrugs it off.

Brian Kendrick/Paul London vs. Nunzio/Vito

Non-title. Kendrick headlocks Nunzio to start and it’s London coming in for a forearm. Vito jumps him from behind though and it’s London getting beaten down in the corner. That doesn’t last long as London fights out and makes the hot tag to Kendrick. House is cleaned in a hurry with Vito being dropkicked to the floor, leaving Nunzio to take Sliced Bread for the pin.

Rating: C-. Completely simple formula based match here as London and Kendrick get their first win as champions. They’re good together with the high flying, fast paced style where it feels like they’re a unit working together to overcome the size difference and that will sever them well long term. It wasn’t a very good match, but it did its thing well enough.

Raw Rebound.

Mr. Kennedy is coming back. Good, as he was getting some momentum before he went away with his injury.

We look at Great Khali squashing Undertaker.

Chavo Guerrero says he has Rey Mysterio’s back and JBL isn’t winning the World Title.

Finlay vs. Paul Burchill

Finlay elbows him in the face and forearms him in the back to start before sending Burchill shoulder first into the post. The Celtic Cross finishes in a hurry.

Post match Finlay pulls up the ring skirt so a small man in a green suit can come out and attack Burchill. Finlay has to pull him off so the small guy can go back underneath the ring. Thus begins a rather long running career for someone who has appeared all over the world in WAY more characters than someone would likely expect.

Smackdown World Title: Rey Mysterio vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

Rey is defending and have Chavo Guerrero in his corner and if JBL loses, he quits. JBL forearms him down to start as the EDDIE chants are on fast. Rey is whipped into Chavo to knock him of the apron and the Clothesline From JBL connects for the pin….but Rey’s foot is on the rope. Geez people you don’t have to pin Rey all the time. We take a break and come back with JBL stomping Rey in the corner. A super fall away slam gives JBL two and he kicks Rey in the face a few times.

They head outside with JBL hitting another clothesline for two back inside. The sitout bulldog is countered with a crotching though and JBL adds a big boot on the ropes. JBL whips him hard into the steps and then hammers away back inside. Another fall away slam is countered into a DDT though and they’re both down. There’s the 619 but the West Coast Pop is countered into a powerbomb, meaning we hit those EDDIE chants again.

Three Amigos keep Rey down and he’s bleeding from the mouth to make it worse. With Rey down, JBL unhooks a buckle pad, which certainly won’t come back to haunt him. The referee goes to tie it back so JBL throws Rey into him in the corner. Rey gets JBL down for the 619 but JBL lands on the referee so Rey can’t do anything.

A low blow hits Rey so it’s time for a chair. Chavo tries to take it away and gets his head caved in but Rey hits him low and dropkicks the chair into JBL’s face. The tornado DDT (or spinning tornado DDT according to Cole, because there are all those non-spinning tornadoes) onto the chair sets up the 619 into Dropping The Dime to retain the title.

Rating: C+. Well at least Rey won. I mean, it took help from Chavo, a low blow and a chair to beat someone he beat less than a week ago and he did get pinned during the match. Somehow this is an improvement, and that really shows you how bad things are for Rey at the moment. On the other hand, JBL being beaten by a very small champion who is often associated with Mexican culture is the perfect way for him to go out, which he would do for over a year and a half.

Post match JBL gets the Goodbye Song to end the night.

Overall Rating: C. I’m not sure what to make of this show as it was some weird cross between setting things up for the future and fallout from the show, but neither are all that interesting. You can probably pencil in Rey vs. Booker as it isn’t like there is another top heel to come after the title, but at this point Rey would be an underdog against a cocker spaniel. Even the title change to start the show off didn’t feel important, which is the case for almost everything around here. That’s a big problem and I don’t think they have an answer anytime soon.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Judgment Day 2006
Date: May 21, 2006
Location: US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Attendance: 14,000
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

It’s time for what feels like the most B level pay per view in a good while. The main event is the loser of a World Champion in Rey Mysterio defending against perennial challenger JBL, who has been racist against Mysterio while accurately pointing out how terrible of a champion he is. Other than that, it’s time for Great Khali to destroy the Undertaker again. Let’s get to it.

The opening video talks about how everything leads here and all of your decisions will determine your fate.

Tag Team Titles: MNM vs. Brian Kendrick/Paul London

MNM is defending and has Melina with them. London and Nitro start things off but the champs have to pause for posing. Nitro runs the ropes but gets tripped down, allowing Kendrick to come in and crank on the arms. A double clothesline gets two on Nitro but he takes Kendrick into the corner for the tag off to Mercury. That means a double hiptoss from Kendrick and London into a double elbow, followed by a big dive from Kendrick.

Back in and Mercury takes out London’s leg and a double gutbuster gets two. Melina adds a headscissors on the apron and Tazz is rather jealous. We hit the chinlock for a bit but the fans help bring London to his feet. The hot tag brings in Kendrick but he’s cut off in a quick Snapshot for two, sending Melina into freaking out mode. The chinlock goes on again, followed by a double legdrop from the champs. Kendrick gets sent outside for a cheap shot from Melina and it’s right back to the chinlock.

Back up and the champs are sent into each other for the breather and the hot tag brings London back in to clean house. The Dropsault takes the champs down for two but Melina screams at the referee for the save. Kendrick misses a slingshot dive to the floor but Mercury hits Nitro by mistake, knocking him into Melina. A rollup with a bridge gives London the pin and the titles.

Rating: B-. This was a very good choice for an opener with a mostly fast paced match and someone as evil as Melina getting what was coming to her. London and Kendrick have been ready to win the titles for months now so it was the right call to finally give them the belts. MNM had lost so many times lately that it was long overdue for them to lose, which is kind of shame given how good the act really is.

Post match Melina slaps Mercury so he grabs her arm, causing Nitro to jump him. Melina slaps Mercury in the face and tries to leave with Nitro, but Mercury is back up to start the fight again. Referees and Teddy Long come in for the save but Long is shoved down in the melee.

Video on the King of the Ring.

Chris Benoit vs. Finlay

They had a good match a few weeks ago so this should work. Finlay takes him into the corner to start and we actually get a clean break. The lockup goes all the way to the floor and against the barricade before they finally break up. Back in and they go nose to nose until Benoit grabs the legs for a failed Sharpshooter attempt. The chinlock goes on Finlay instead before Benoit switches over to a headlock. Finlay accuses Benoit of an eye poke though and then jumps him when the referee stops to check on things.

It’s a chinlock on Benoit this time but he isn’t sitting in that for very long. Instead it’s Benoit getting up and unloading in the corner, setting up another chinlock. Benoit tries to switch into the Crossface before turning Finlay over for two. Finlay hits him in the face and then pulls on the arm while putting his foot on Benoit’s head for some pulling. The chinlock is countered and Benoit snaps off another German suplex, followed by the Swan Dive for two.

Finlay is right back with a knockdown of his own into a running seated senton and it’s off to a chinlock with a knee in the back. A hammerlock/dragon sleeper combination (that’s a new one) keeps Benoit down and Finlay just pounds him in the back. Finlay says get up so he can show Benoit how tough he is. That means a clothesline to drop Benoit again but he’s right back up with a German suplex.

They head outside with Benoit hitting another German suplex on the floor, followed by Three Amigos back inside. The threat of another Swan Dive makes Finlay knock him off the top, with Benoit’s head hitting the barricade. Back in and Benoit’s shoulder goes into the post but he’s fine enough to snap on the Crossface for the tap.

Rating: B+. Oh like these two getting twenty minutes wasn’t going to be really good. They had an awesome match a few weeks back and now they did it again on the bigger stage. These two compliment each other really well and it felt like a fight with wrestling moves instead of a match, which worked very well. I could go for it again and it’s the kind of match where you could see it going either way.

We recap Jillian Hall vs. Melina, which started over makeup, as many feuds do.

Melina vs. Jillian Hall

Johnny Nitro gets ejected before the bell so Jillian attacks in a hurry. Jillian hammers on the mat and hits a Hennig necksnap. Melina tries to bail to the floor but gets sent into various things. Back in and Melina stomps her down and grabs a choke, followed by a bodyscissors. Some knees to the ribs in the corner have Jillian down again but she sends Melina face first into the buckle. A sunset flip gets the fast pin on Melina, though she had her hand on the rope.

Rating: D+. I’ve liked this feud since the beginning and all things considered, this was a near miracle. They aren’t exactly great in the ring and yes a lot of this is about eye candy, but they have been putting in the effort and intensity to make it a pretty fun little feud. I don’t need to see it again, but for what it was, it worked out rather well.

Melina yells a lot post match and Kristal to ask if Melina got what she deserved. The fight is on and broken up in a hurry.

JBL promises to beat Rey Mysterio to take the title tonight because it’s what he does when the lights are on bright. Chavo Guerrero comes in and says JBL needs to stop living in the past. Oh and VIVA LA RAZA.

We look at Steve Austin winning the King of the Ring.

Cruiserweight Title: Gregory Helms vs. Super Crazy

Crazy is challenging. They circle each other to start until Crazy grabs a backslide for two. Crazy hangs on instead of being sent outside and it’s a clothesline to put Helms on the floor. A big dive over the referee takes Helms down again and it’s all Crazy to start. A swinging neckbreaker gives Helms two and a regular version is good for the same. It’s off to something close two a Crossface but Crazy is back up, only to get elbowed back down. We hit the seated abdominal stretch, followed by a chinlock to keep Crazy down.

Helms’ sleeper is countered into a rollup for two and the comeback with on with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Crazy gets two off a middle rope dropkick but misses the moonsault. The Shining Wizard misses as well though and Crazy hits a spinwheel kick for two more. Helms gets a boot up in the corner to slow him down and a middle rope Blockbuster gets another near fall. Crazy tosses him into the corner but Helms grabs a rollup with feet on the ropes to retain.

Rating: C. This could have been on any given television show and that’s not a terrible thing. They weren’t likely to steal the show here as the Cruiserweight Title hasn’t meant anything in a long time. The wrestling was fine as Helms can wrestle with anyone, but was anyone buying Super Crazy as having a real chance at winning here?

Melina and Johnny Nitro come in and yell at Teddy Long about what has happened tonight so Melina slaps him in the face. Long fires both of them.

We look at Kurt Angle winning the King of the Ring.

Mark Henry vs. Kurt Angle

Henry has injured Angle’s ribs in recent weeks and clears off the announcers’ table before Angle comes out. Mark grabs the mic and says he hurts people but here’s Angle to swing away. Angle can’t get in a whip to the corner so he settles for a middle rope flip dive to drop Henry. A front facelock goes on so Henry backdrops him over. The sitdown splash misses though and Angle hits a basement dropkick.

They head outside with Angle not being able to German suplex him through the announcers’ table. Back in and Angle takes the monster down by the leg and cranks away but Henry fights up with pure power. A kick to the chest drops Angle in a hurry and it’s time for a reverse chinlock to stay on the back. Angle fights up again and has to counter the World’s Strongest Slam into a tornado DDT for the double knockdown.

They slug it out and Angle snaps off the German suplex into the Angle Slam for two. Angle is all fired up so Henry cools him down with a clothesline. The World’s Strongest Slam (which connected during a split screen) gets two and it’s Henry’s turn to be frustrated. The yelling takes too long so Angle pulls him into the ankle lock, which is countered with a whip out to the floor. Henry teases the splash through the announcers’ table but does splash Angle against the post for the countout win.

Rating: C-. Henry was doing what he could here and can make the power stuff work rather well at times. On the other hand, Angle was doing a lot of the work here and that’s probably the best format for everyone involved. It was certainly miles ahead of their Royal Rumble match, though that isn’t exactly the biggest surprise.

Post match Henry loads up Angle for the World’s Strongest Slam but Angle fights up and destroys Henry with a chair. The Angle Slam over the table has Henry mostly done and a chair shot through the table ends him for good.

Sharmell says tonight Booker is going to show that he’s better than King Tut, Don King, Martin Luther King Jr. and King James. Maniacal laughter ensues.

We recap the King of the Ring tournament and the paths to the finals.

King of the Ring Tournament Finals: Booker T. vs. Bobby Lashley

Lashley shoves him down and the bell rings, followed by Lashley taking it into the corner with pure power. The running clothesline gives Lashley two and it’s time to start on the arm. Back up and Lashley throws him down again, followed by a running clothesline out of the corner. Booker finally avoids a charge though and Lashley goes shoulder first into the post.

The banged up arm is wrapped around the rope, followed by the armbar to keep it in trouble. Booker loads up the ax kick but Lashley is right back up with a forearm to knock him silly. Sharmell’s distraction doesn’t work as Lashley suplexes him down, only to have Sharmell grab the leg to block the spear.

The Book End gives Booker two and Lashley’s powerslam gets the same. Lashley charges into a boot in the corner and the ax kick connects for another near fall. There’s the spear to cut Booker down but Sharmell offers a distraction, allowing Finlay to come in with the Shillelagh to the head for the pin and the crown.

Rating: B-. They were working fast here and they might have had one too many near falls. Finlay coming in was a little annoying but I’ll take that over Lashley getting pinned clean or even with feet on the ropes or something like that. Booker is a better choice for the King though as Lashley hasn’t exactly shown an in-depth personality.

Post match Booker goes to sit on the throne but Lashley knocks it over like a sore loser.

Video on Great Khali vs. Undertaker, with the latest new monster taking Undertaker out with no issue. Undertaker hasn’t been seen since but has issued the challenge.

Undertaker vs. Great Khali

Daivari is here with Khali. Undertaker strikes away to start and is quickly sent outside, leaving him looking rather confused. Back in and Undertaker fires off right hands, only to get tossed to the floor again. A Stunner over the top rope staggers Khali a bit but Old School is slammed off the top with ease. There’s a clothesline to drop Undertaker again and Khali kicks him to the floor.

Khali whips him knees first into the steps and it’s mostly one sided so far. Back in and a slugout gives Undertaker the slightest glimmer of hope but Old School only staggers Khali. The jumping clothesline gets Khali’s arms tied in the ropes but Daivari breaks him free in a hurry. A big boot into the chop to the head drops Undertaker and another big boot lets Khali put his foot on the chest for the pin.

Rating: D+. As you might have guessed, this made me think of Jillian vs. Melina earlier. They weren’t going to have some kind of a classic because Khali can barely move, but he did a good enough job with what he could do. Khali uses a limited offense because it’s all he needs to do. Why should he do anything besides big boots, chops and the like? Undertaker sold them like death and that is the kind of thing that makes Khali look as good as possible. This could have been much worse, but it did what it was supposed to do by making Khali look like a destroyer.

We recap JBL vs. Rey Mysterio. Rey won the World Title at Wrestlemania and has promptly been destroyed by almost everyone since then. JBL doesn’t like Rey because he’s from Mexico (at least in JBL’s mind) and because people cheer for Eddie Guerrero instead of Rey. Now it’s time for Rey to get the win back, but he has taken so much damage over the last few weeks that another JBL reign doesn’t sound too bad.

Smackdown World Title: Rey Mysterio vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

Only Rey is defending as I had completely forgotten JBL was US Champion. The EDDIE chants begin and Rey slugs away, with JBL looking a little surprised. Some strikes to the leg set up a quickly broken headlock so Rey slaps him in the face. The threat of the 619 sends JBL outside and it’s a seated senton off the apron to take him down again. Back in and a basement dropkick gives Rey two and he hammers away in the corner.

The referee gets distracted for a second and Rey gets in a low blow, only to have JBL come back with a big boot. They head outside with Rey being whipped into the steps and it’s already time to go back in. A right hand puts Rey on the floor again, with JBL sending him into the steps a second time. JBL hits Three Amigos before dropping him ribs first into the top rope as Rey is busted open.

That means another trip to the floor with JBL making Rey’s wife look at the blood. Some short arm clotheslines put Rey down again and JBL gets two, with the kicking making him panic. We hit the chinlock to squeeze some blood out of the head but JBL lets him go at two arm drops to cover instead. Rey breaks up the belly to back superplex and gets his own two off a moonsault press, followed by a kick to the head for the same.

JBL is back up with a powerbomb attempt but it’s a hurricanrana to set up the 619 instead. The referee gets pulled in the way of the West Coast Pop though, meaning the Clothesline From JBL gets a very delayed two. JBL grabs the chair but it gets kicked back into his face, setting up the frog splash to retain the title.

Rating: C+. This felt like it should have been for the Intercontinental Title in a featured match on Smackdown rather than headlining a pay per view. They have done a horrible job of devaluing the World Title in the last few weeks. Rey retaining here felt a bit like what would happen if MNM retaining in the opener. That’s not exactly the best way to present the main event of a pay per view, but the match itself was fairly good.

Chavo Guerrero comes out to celebrate and get us through the required tribute to Eddie to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The show was actually pretty good for a two hour and forty five minute pay per view that isn’t going to mean anything in a few days, even with such a lame main event. Most of the matches were either good or fairly short, much like how Smackdown feels most of the time. They have to do something different with Rey though because this title reign is bringing everything else down.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: May 19, 2006
Location: Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Attendance: 5,757
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

It’s the go home show for Judgment Day and my goodness it’s a pretty sad world around here. World Champion Rey Mysterio is on a losing streak to various monsters and tonight he gets to face a mystery monster. Given that it’s MAY 19 and we’ve spent months on Kane talking about MAY 19 and his new movie comes out on MAY 19, I’m thinking the Great and Powerful Oz. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at JBL tormenting Mysterio and making it work, because Rey being World Champion is a pesky annoyance.

Opening sequence.

Here’s JBL in his limo to open things up. After declaring himself an American hero, he wants to acknowledge the heart of Rey Mysterio. See, Rey’s people have that machismo, which is Spanish for having more guts than brains. That’s what JBL had when he defeated Eddie Guerrero. Latinos have passion but passion doesn’t pay the bills. The fans chant for Rey, which JBL says they should do now because JBL is taking the title on Sunday. JUST LIKE HE DID FROM EDDIE GUERRERO! I’ve seen herds of cows that weren’t milked as much as Eddie.

MNM/Melina vs. Jillian Hall/Paul London/Brian Kendrick

The Fink is on commentary here and describes MNM/Melina as “the threesome that contains the WWE Tag Team Champions, MNM!” The brawl is on before the bell and we’re joined in progress after a break with Kendrick headlocking Nitro. A headlock takeover out of the corner puts Nitro down and it’s off to London to work on the arm. Mercury comes in to send London into the buckle so Kendrick comes back in to clean house.

Everything breaks down and Kendrick gets chop blocked to put him in trouble. Nitro comes in to tie up the leg and it’s back to Mercury to cannonball down on the leg. The leg twisting continues and it’s Mercury (who is incredibly sweaty) dropping an elbow on the leg to keep him in down. The breakdancing legdrop gives Nitro two (and allows Melina to scream), followed by a headscissors from Melina on the apron.

Kendrick kicks Mercury into the corner for the break though and the hot tag brings in Nitro to pick up the pace. Melina tags herself in for the catfight (and a BIG pop) until Mercury makes a save. Jillian comes in with a high crossbody (which the camera mostly misses, possibly intentionally) for the pin.

Rating: C-. I can always go for the idea of putting two feuds into a big tag match so this worked fine. They almost have to change the titles on Sunday after all of these losses, but I’ve also liked Melina vs. Jillian. No it isn’t setting the world on fire, but they’re both being intense and it comes off like they really don’t like each other. I’ll give points for trying and they’re giving it what they can so well done.

Clip of the Judgment Day press conference. The pay per view’s theme song is This Fire Burns so I keep expecting a CM Punk cameo.

Cole: “Who will be Rey Mysterio’s mystery opponent tonight?” This is followed by a See No Evil package. They never have been good with subtlety.

Video on Mark Henry injuring Kurt Angle.

Angle talks about meeting Mark Henry at the 1996 Olympics. That’s when Angle won the gold medal but Henry won…nothing. Henry has been angry ever since and tried to hurt Angle, but Kurt isn’t Batista and he’s still standing. On Sunday, Henry is learning that Angle is the best wrestler in the world.

Bobby Lashley vs. Jared Steel

Lashley knocks him into the ropes to start and hits a belly to belly suplex as the beating is on in a hurry. Some shoulders set up the gorilla press and there’s the delayed vertical suplex. The spear is good for the pin in a hurry.

Post match Lashley goes to sit on the King of the Ring throne but here are Booker T./Sharmell to interrupt. They walk by Lashley to go to the ring, which means Lashley can’t sit down for some reason.

Raw Rebound.

Gunner Scott/Chris Benoit vs. Booker T./Finlay

During the entrances, Finlay vs. Benoit is announced for Sunday. Scott and Booker lock up against the ropes to start with Booker not being thrilled at being driven into the corner. Some chops and a back elbow give Scott two but Booker thumbs him in the eye. Finlay comes in and Gunner manages to wrap his leg around the rope for a kick to said rope. You don’t do that to Finlay, who knocks him down and grabs a quickly broken chinlock.

It’s back to Booker, who hits his own chops in the corner. Scott gets two off a suplex but Booker kicks him back down for the same. The chinlock goes on and Scott seems to be bleeding from the nose or mouth. Scott manages to fight up and gets over for the hot tag to Benoit so house can be cleaned. Booker breaks up the Sharpshooter attempt so Benoit chops him as well and gets two off the German suplex. Everything breaks down and Scott gets knocked from the top to the floor in a big crash as we take a break.

Back with Scott still in trouble as Booker unloads on him against the ropes. A Russian legsweep gives Scott a breather though and the hot tag brings in Benoit to clean house. Finlay pulls Benoit to the floor for a ram into the steps though and it’s a Shillelagh shot to the ribs to make it worse.

Booker is smart enough to grab an abdominal stretch but Benoit is out in a hurry for the German suplex. It’s back to Scott for a middle rope dropkick with Finlay having to make a save. Everything breaks down again with Benoit and Finlay falling to the floor but here’s Lashley to sit on the throne. That’s enough of a distraction for Scott to grab a crucifix for the surprise pin.

Rating: B-. This was an intense match with everyone working hard. It might not have happened yet, but it’s nice to see them trying something with Scott. You can always go with trying someone new in a spot and maybe it will work out for him. The match was good too, with some back and forth action and Benoit and Finlay beating the heck out of each other. Having them do it again on their own on Sunday should be just fine.

Tatanka is now part of the Lakota Tribe and will debut next week. I can’t wait either.

Here’s Daivari to explain why Undertaker is scared of Great Khali. We see a video of Undertaker’s dominance over the years, only to have Khali destroy him with such ease. Back in the arena, Khali comes out to say “rest in peace.” At least that’s what commentary claims he said.

Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy

This show loves its monsters. Hardy knocks him to the floor and drops an ax handle from the apron. A posting lets Hardy hit the middle rope legdrop for one, meaning it’s time for the destruction to begin. Henry forearms him in the back and grabs the bearhug but Hardy is out in a hurry. The Twist of Fate attempt is countered into a World’s Strongest Slam for the pin.

Post match Henry tells Angle to watch this and hits some splashes.

Another See No Evil video.

Vito and Guido are ready to go out again but here is Paul Burchill to say he saw Vito in a dress too. Guido doesn’t believe it.

Judgment Day rundown.

Rey Mysterio vs. ???

Non-title but before we find out who the opponent is, here’s JBL for commentary and a pre-match chat. After saying we’re in Albuquerque, North Mexico, JBL asks Rey if he knows what the date is. Rey: “May 19.” JBL:” YOU SAID IT NOT ME!” Cue Kane and we’re ready to go. Kane punches him down to start and the beating is on as Cole is losing his mind on commentary. Rey kicks at the legs but gets knocked out of the air as Cole goes on about JBL being sick.

A two arm chokeslam drops Rey again and Kane drops him face first onto the steps. JBL again talks about how the fans are chanting for Eddie instead of Rey, which really doesn’t do much good for Rey but that might be the least of his problems. Rey gets knocked down again but the lights go red.

Kane’s voice comes onto the loudspeaker to talk about how it’s May 19^th and it’s happening again. A 619 hits Kane but he’s right back with a chokeslam as the lights come back on. Kane goes to leave but JBL says Rey is the one who said May 19, earning himself a chokeslam to end the show. No finish to the match so things are looking up for Mysterio.

Rating: D. This was barely a match and wasn’t quite a shocking surprise. I’m sure it’s supposed to be all better when Rey retains over JBL, but JBL has been right on almost every point so far. The racist stuff is the only heel part about him (granted that’s a big part) though and otherwise, it’s really hard to cheer for Rey at this point, when he’s being presented as a face version of the heel who loses all the time but keeps pointing to the title like it makes everything ok.

Overall Rating: C-. That tag match in the middle helped but man alive that main event stuff is killing everything else on the show. The worst part is we’re probably going to see even more of it after Sunday as Rey beating JBL is the kind of thing that would make WWE think everything is equal. Not their worst show, but one match is all that’s keeping it afloat this week.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: May 12, 2006
Location: ipayoneCenter, San Diego, California
Attendance: 11,700
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

We’re on the way to Judgment Day and that means it’s going to be a bad night for Rey Mysterio. Last week he got destroyed by Mark Henry and tonight it’s probably going to be the Great Khali. But hey, at least he can beat JBL at the pay per view and that makes up for everything, right? Let’s get to it.

The opening video looks at Rey Mysterio becoming the underdog World Champion and getting destroyed by Mark Henry last week. Tonight it gets even worse with Great Khali.

Here’s John Bradshaw Layfield, who set up Mysterio’s battles with the giants, to get things going. He talks about how Rey is “a tough little Mexican fighter” and worries that Rey is going to take his innertube back to Mexico. The fans stop to chant for Eddie, who JBL agrees was great, but JBL was greater. Then he took the US Title from Chris Benoit and at Judgment Day he’s going to be the first ever double champion.

After that, he’ll offer Rey’s family a job. Dominik can shine his boots, Rey’s wife can do his dishes in a short little Latino dress, but Rey can sell drugs, get into prostitution or work a donkey show in Tijuana. Rey finally comes out to clear the ring in a hurry. JBL can say these things with some conviction, but dang the times have changed.

Super Crazy vs. Nunzio vs. Kid Kash

The winner gets Gregory Helms, on commentary, for the Cruiserweight Title at the pay per view. It’s a brawl to start with Crazy being sent outside and Nunzio being backdropped out after him. Everyone gets back in for an exchange of rollups for two each until Kash’s clothesline gets two on Nunzio. Kash kicks Nunzio off the top and hits his moonsault for two more with Crazy making the save. Crazy covers both of them for a near fall each and Nunzio makes his own save. Nunzio loads Crazy up in a Doomsday Device but Crazy victory rolls him for the pin as Kash misses the high crossbody.

Rating: C. It was fine enough action but there was no hiding how unimportant everything they were doing was here. The Cruiserweight Title hasn’t meant anything in years and you can see how far it is falling almost every week. Points for trying to do something and having an action packed match, but this was the popcorn/nacho portion of the show.

The returning Kurt Angle storms into Teddy Long’s office to demand a match with Mark Henry. Long says no because Angle isn’t cleared so Angle grabs him by the jacket. The match is on for the pay per view.

Gymini vs. Mike Wellington/Joey Ryan

The Gymini are Jesse and Jake, while Ryan (yes that Ryan) has belt loops on his trunks. Jake powers Wellington to the apron to start and hits a clothesline back inside. Ryan comes in and gets kicked in the head, followed by a double shoulder for a bonus. Some elbows to the back of the head set up a chinlock, with Jesse pulling the hair. Wellington gets slammed onto Ryan and a double toss into the air for a big crash finishes Ryan without much effort.

Rating: D+. There is something rather cathartic about seeing Joey Ryan getting beaten up. Total destruction here of course as WWE has almost always known how to push two big monsters like this. I’m not sure how far they can go from here, but they can do this match well enough, especially given how short it was.

Various wrestlers like the See No Evil premiere, with Kurt Angle having to hide behind Viscera.

We look at Finlay beating Chris Benoit to make the semifinals of the King of the Ring.

Here are Booker T. and Sharmell for a chat. Booker is upset that Kurt Angle was thrown out of the tournament because he was looking forward to the match. He doesn’t want a forfeit so Angle can come out and face him right now (Angle was escorted from the building after talking to Long). Booker even gives him a ten count, with a pause for one last beg at nine, before declaring himself the winner. The celebration is on, complete with spinning Sharmell around and a Spinarooni.

King of the Ring Semifinals: Finlay vs. Bobby Lashley

They fight over a lockup to start with Lashley eventually powering him into the corner. Lashley takes him down with an explosive single leg but Finlay is back up with a clothesline. The chinlock goes on for a good while before Lashley is back up with a big boot. A gorilla press gutbuster has Finlay in trouble and a running clothesline in the corner rocks him again.

Some forearms gets Finlay out of trouble though and he chokes with the ring skirt. The chinlock goes on again and a pull of the trunks takes Lashley down again. Cue Booker and Sharmell, with the former sitting on the throne to see Lashley get his knees up to stop a splash. Lashley gets caught in the ring skirt for another beating though and we take a break.

Back with Finlay working on an arm, with an elbow into the shoulder for a bonus. A running shoulder gives Finlay two but Lashley gets fired up and snap off the overhead belly to belly. The running powerslam connects but Finlay blocks the spear with a boot. Finlay throws in the chair and grabs the Shillelagh, the latter of which is taken away. The referee is dumb enough to get rid of it, allowing Finlay to get in a chair shot. Lashley shrugs it off and hits the spear for the pin.

Rating: C+. The chinlocks took something out of this but they made Lashley look like a monster and that’s the important part. Lashley is showing some different offense out there most weeks and that’s an encouraging sign for someone who could do three moves and get by on his look alone. Finlay continues to be a nice gem and they worked well together.

Post match Lashley tells Booker to get out of his chair before he gets thrown out.

Here are MNM for a chat. Johnny Nitro says they’re the hot team and the sexiest champions of the century. They don’t like Paul London and Brian Kendrick getting in their way, which is why they got three straight Snapshots last week. After we see a clip from last week, Melina talks about how those punks are just trying to get a rub from the champs. Cue Jillian Hall, who talks about beating up Melina at the makeup table. Melina says Jillian looked better with the growth on her face. The fight is almost on but here are London and Kendrick to pants the champs. Hall rips off Melina’s skirt too and the good guys run.

Mark Henry vs. Paul Burchill

We get the debut of Henry’s signature song. Henry clotheslines him down and hits a kick in the ribs as this is feeling squashish. Burchill is tossed outside in a heap (with one hand) and Henry throws him back inside for a bonus. There’s the running splash in the corner and a second one against the post has Burchill pretty much done. Back in and Henry hits two more splashes, grabs the mic to say Kurt Angle is getting the same thing. The World’s Strongest Slam is good for the pin.

Rating: D. This was little more than a way to keep Henry warm before his match with Angle. It was nothing we hadn’t seen before but there was only so much you can get out of this version of Henry. Also, so much for Burchill, but how long was a Pirates of the Caribbean tribute character going to last?

Tatanka is still becoming a Lakota warrior.

Big Vito says he and Nunzio are going out tonight. Nunzio needs to go get a shower but Orlando Jordan cuts him off, saying that he saw someone who looked a lot like Vito in drag in a club in London. Nunzio doesn’t buy it.

Judgment Day rundown.

Rey Mysterio vs. Great Khali

Non-title, JBL is on commentary, and Cole keeps mentioning that Mysterio’s friends and family are here because it’s his hometown. Before Khali comes out, Rey dives onto JBL but here is Khali (with Daivari) to cut things off. Mysterio gets in Khali’s…uh, chest, and the EDDIE chants start up again. Khali throws him outside in a hurry and JBL turns up the trash talk to an eleven. Rey gets knocked off the apron again and a springboard dropkick hurts Mysterio more than Khali. Mysterio is thrown outside for a third time with JBL getting in a cheap shot. Back in and the double arm chokeslam finishes Rey in short order.

Rating: F. What do you even say here? This came off as more of Vince and WWE being annoyed at the fans for wanting something and punishing them for it after giving them what they asked for. They do this with so many of their titles and then wonder why it isn’t as important or why the fans are walking away. It made Mysterio, who could potentially draw some money, look like nothing and Khali isn’t likely to get a title shot anytime soon, but at least they advanced Mysterio vs. JBL, which I’m sure people will be flocking to pay for. I remember thinking this was stupid in 2006 and it is even worse now, which doesn’t surprise me.

Post match JBL gets in Rey’s face to talk about how he let everyone down. JBL has another opponent for next week. Tick tock. JBL shoves him to the floor to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. Well that happened. This was not WWE’s finest hour as they don’t seem to have a clue about what they want to do here so the solution is to squash the World Champion on back to back weeks. It was a rough sit as this show doesn’t exactly have star power and they are going out of their way to damage the star power that they do have. Bad show here, and WWE isn’t helping itself.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Clash Of Champions 2020
Date: September 27, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe

We’re back to the show that is all about titles, which should be the majority of shows but this one is special due to reasons of they need a theme. The big story at the last minute is two matches being changed for reasons that aren’t entirely clear but virus issues seem like a strong possibility. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Smackdown Tag Team Titles: Lucha House Party vs. Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura, now sleeveless, and Cesaro are defending and it’s Kalisto/Lince Dorado for the House Party. Cesaro takes Dorado down to start and then drops him with a single shot to the face. Back up and Dorado sends him into the corner for a knee to the face and the back to back splashes get two on Cesaro. Kalisto spins into a sleeper on Cesaro but it’s broken up in a hurry. Dorado comes in with a missile dropkick to knock Cesaro into the corner for the tag off to Nakamura as things slow down a bit.

Nakamura kicks him to the floor and then kicks him down back inside, followed by Good Vibrations in the corner. A knee to the chest gets two on Dorado and it’s back to Cesaro for a forearm to the face. Dorado manages a sunset bomb for two of his own, earning himself a big boot from Cesaro. Back up again and Dorado manages to kick Nakamura down, setting up the high crossbody for the breather.

Kalisto…is not tagged in as Cesaro knocks him off the apron. Some more knees in the corner have Dorado in trouble but he rolls over for the hot tag off to Kalisto. Everything breaks down and Kalisto hits a DDT for two on Cesaro. They all head outside with a double superkick dropping Nakamura. Back inside and a pair of moonsaults get two on Cesaro but Nakamura pulls Dorado outside. The reverse exploder sends Dorado over the barricade, leaving Kalisto to be swung into the knee from Nakamura to retain at 10:45.

Rating: C. This started slowly but picked up a lot of steam near the end. I was expecting some kind of an angle with the House Party but thankfully they kept it simple here and had the champs retain as they should. It wasn’t anything special, but it would have gotten a live crowd into the show, which is all you can ask for.

John Cena narrates the opening video, talking about how hard it is to become a champion but then how it is even harder when you realize that some people have trained just as hard as you have. We then shift into a regular hype video on the main events.

Intercontinental Title: AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Sami Zayn

Hardy is defending in a ladder match with both titles above the ring. We get a classic ladder match moment from all three during the entrances for a nice bonus. The bell rings and Sami informs them that his belt shouldn’t be up there, earning himself a shot to the face. It’s Jeff going for the ladder first but AJ baseball slides it into his ribs. Sami follows with an Arabian moonsault to AJ and it’s time to throw a ladder inside. Hardy is right there to backdrops Sami into the ladder against the ropes and then turns the ladder upside down.

Jeff dives at AJ but only hits the ladder in a bump he shouldn’t be taking. AJ whips Sami hard into the ladder in the corner, leaving AJ as the only person standing. That means AJ can go climbing but he has to come back down for a Pele on Sami (whose back is looking HORRIBLE early on). Jeff goes up to catch him but gets knocked down HARD, only to pop back up to pull AJ down again.

Everyone is down until Sami suplexes AJ into the ladder in the corner. They all head outside with AJ getting the better of things until he misses a charge into the barricade. Jeff hits Poetry In Motion to AJ against the barricade, only to get caught with Sami’s Helluva Kick. Sami goes up so AJ chucks a mini ladder at him, possibly breaking Sami’s hand in the process. Hardy and Styles go up but the ladder tips over into the corner, with Sami wisely covering up and having the ladder only graze his knees.

Sami goes up so AJ tries the Phenomenal Forearm but Jeff shoves the ladder over to knock AJ out of the air. Jeff hits a Twist of Fate on Sami and goes up but Sami is there to grab the ladder. The ladder is tipped over so Jeff starts crawling over the top, leaving him upside down on the end that is going into the air. The ladder goes over the ropes and Jeff crashes down to the floor in another very nasty landing. Sami bridges the ladder between the ring and the announcers’ table but AJ hits the moonsault reverse DDT to take him down.

Sami is put across the ladder and Hardy hits AJ in the face with another ladder. Jeff climbs a big ladder and Swantons through Sami through the ladder for your crazy spot of the match. Cole says this is part of Jeff’s redemption year but Graves asks what good is a redemption year if you can’t get out of bed.

AJ goes up but Hardy turns the ladder over for the next big crash. The THIS IS AWESOME crowd noise is pumped in as Sami sends Jeff into the barricade a few times. With everything else not working, Sami whips out some handcuffs…and attaches Jeff’s EAR to the ladder. Sami isn’t done though and tries to handcuff AJ to the ropes but AJ fights up in time.

Somewhere in there Sami handcuffed himself to AJ though, leaving AJ to hammer away as he realizes what just happened. AJ loads Sami up in a fireman’s carry and climbs the ladder as Jeff, still earcuffed to the other ladder, is back in. Sami has a key and unhooks himself as Jeff rams a ladder into AJ. That means AJ can be cuffed to the ladder hinges, leaving Sami to climb up and win the titles at 26:42.

Rating: B. The handcuffs deal was creative and there were some big spots with a surprise ending, but at the same time I can’t quite feel right when you have people taking a bunch of bumps that they really don’t need to be taking. Jeff is a human wreck and now he’s doing these things that are just going to bang him up even more. I know he’s ok with them, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. This got hard to watch at times, but they didn’t have Jeff rip his ear off to win or something so….that’s a positive?

Post match Sami says he didn’t recapture anything because he is AND STILL Intercontinental Champion.

On the Kickoff Show, R-Truth, in a wig and hat, was panning for more gold because it’s a gold rush.

R-Truth, still in disguise, comes into the referee’s room and yells at Little Jimmy for giving them away. Drew Gulak sneaks in to win the title and runs off.

We get a clip from Jey Uso’s WWE Network Chronicle.

Raw Women’s Title: Asuka vs. Zelina Vega

Asuka is defending and takes her down with ease to start. A test of strength is teased but Asuka dances away as only she can. Vega gets creative by going after the arm, only to get headlocked for her efforts. An armdrag attempt doesn’t work whatsoever as Asuka reverses into a cross armbreaker. That sends Vega bailing to the ropes and she pulls Asuka down by the arm for a change.

Again Asuka is out of it in a hurry, this time with a hip attack to send Vega outside. Asuka gets pulled bad arm first into the steps though and an arm wringer gives Vega two back inside. The armbar goes on and Vega even flips forward to crank on the arm even more. Vega tries her own cross armbreaker but Asuka switches into a failed Asuka Lock attempt. That sends Vega to the apron, where she avoids another hip attack.

Back in and Vega snaps off a hurricanrana, setting up some running knees in the corner for two (Joe: “THAT WAS CLOSE! THAT WAS CLOSE!”). The Backstabber is blocked so Vega rolls over to kick her in the head for two more. Asuka has had it and tries the Asuka Lock but Vega reverses into a victory roll for two. Another rollup is countered into the Asuka Lock to retain the title at 7:08.

Rating: B-. This was WAY better than it had any right to be with Vega showing off a lot more than she usually gets to do in the ring. Vega took her time to start in on the arm and had Asuka in some trouble before getting beaten. Asuka gave her a lot here and this was a heck of a surprise. Nice job to both of them.

Post match Asuka calls Vega a firecracker and offers respect so Vega bows. Asuka bows back but Vega kicks her in the ribs, sending Asuka into her crazed screams as Vega bails.

US Title: Bobby Lashley vs. Apollo Crews

Lashley, is defending in a rematch from Payback where he took the title from Crews. MVP and Ricochet are here as bonuses. Lashley starts with the power but gets knocked to the floor, setting up a moonsault from the apron. Back in and Lashley runs him over, meaning it’s time for the beating in the corner. MVP yells from the floor, asking if Crews is feeling the hurt and if they are in business. A suplex gives Lashley two and MVP starts more trash talk.

Crews gets in a shot of his own though and hits a running elbow against the ropes. A dive to the floor takes Lashley down again and Crews hits the gorilla press into the standing moonsault for two back inside. Lashley is right back with a superplex for two of his own but the spinning Dominator is countered. Crews hits the standing shooting star into a frog splash for another near fall. Back up and Lashley hits the big spinebuster into the Hurt Lock for the tap to retain at 8:14.

Rating: C+. Another match where they were cranking up the energy before the right decision. There was little reason to have Lashley drop the title here as the Hurt Business seems to be moving on towards a bigger feud with Retribution. I liked what we got here though and that’s a nice thing to say about a match that didn’t feel like much coming in.

Raw Tag Team Titles: Andrade/Angel Garza vs. Street Profits

The Profits are defending. Andrade cranks on Dawkins’ arm to start but it’s quickly off to Ford. Garza grabs Andrade from the apron to cut Ford off, meaning Garza can TAKE OFF HIS PANTS. A running kick to the face gets two on Ford as Joe is VERY impressed by Garza and Andrade’s teamwork. Ford fights his way up with a belly to back suplex and the hot tag brings in Dawkins to clean house. Garza gets splashed in the corner but Andrade cuts Dawkins off with a dropkick.

A blind tag brings in Garza, meaning he can break up the Cash Out. Ford and Garza go up top with a super Spanish Fly giving Garza his own two. The running knees in the corner give Andrade two more but a jumping enziguri gets Ford out of trouble. The hot tag bring sin Dawkins for the spinebuster (now the Anointment) to Andrade…for the pin at 8:17. Andrade’s shoulder was WAY up at two and no one seemed to expect that as the finish.

Rating: C. Let me guess: that means we get ANOTHER match between these guys. The fact that there just aren’t any more teams available to challenge for the titles should tell you a lot about what the titles mean at this point. The Profits don’t need the belts at this point so find someone new to lose the titles to already.

Drew Gulak talks about always being prepared and gets jumped by R-Truth, who wins the title back.

Here’s Bayley with the chair to laugh about Nikki Cross not being here, even though she would have lost anyway. It’s open challenge time.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Asuka vs. Bayley

Only Bayley is defending as Asuka suplexes her down to start. It’s too early for the Asuka Lock as Bayley makes the rope and grabs her own belly to back suplex. Bayley yells at Cole for saying her name and then dives into a Codebreaker. They head outside with Asuka hitting another German suplex but Bayley hits her with the chair for the DQ at 3:38.

Rating: D+. Yeah that’s fine. I’m not sure what else they could have done here as Asuka was a safe pick to make people’s eyes go up at the possibility of a title change before doing the quick DQ to get Bayley out of there. They were in a bad place with Cross’ condition so this was as good of an idea as they could have gone with at the moment.

Post match here’s Sasha Banks in a neck brace to jump Bayley. A kick sends Banks away but Bayley spends too long setting up a chair, allowing Banks to get in some kendo stick shots. A scared looking Bayley runs off.

We recap Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton for the Raw World Title. McIntyre escaped with a win at Summerslam but Orton kicked him in the head three times. McIntyre did the same to him, meaning they were even on putting the other in an ambulance. Therefore, it was time for an ambulance match for the title.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton

Drew is defending and you win by putting your opponent in an ambulance. They slug it out to start but Orton kicks the rope for a low blow. There’s the hanging DDT to plant the champ and it’s time for the Punt….but Big Show of all people shows up to grab Orton’s leg. The chokeslam sends Orton through the announcers’ table and Show leaves. McIntyre drops Orton face first onto the barricade and it’s time to head up to the ambulance.

For some reason there are crutches and chairs inside (the chair even has a red cross) but McIntyre takes too long and gets crutched in the ribs. Orton drives the chair into McIntyre’s bad jaw before trying to put him inside. McIntyre fights out in a hurry though, meaning it’s time to fight around to the side of the ambulance. The driver’s side door is opened up but McIntyre blasts him with the Glasgow Kiss. The Claymore only hits the door, sending it flying off the hinges.

They fight backstage and Drew chops him against a wall, only to be sent into another wall for his efforts. It’s time to go to catering next, where Christian jumps Orton and pounds him down next to the tables. With Christian gone, they head back to the ambulance and Orton gets in a rake to the eyes. Orton sends him through the windshield and they wind up on top of the ambulance. A shot to the face puts McIntyre, with his bloody back, down again and Orton knocks him down to the floor to make it worse.

Orton stands on top of the ambulance but it’s Shawn Michaels running in to superkick him down through part of the set. McIntyre picks him up for the toss into the ambulance but Orton slips out and hits the RKO on the floor. That’s enough to put McIntyre inside for one door shut….and then Orton pauses for a bit. McIntyre shoves him away and goes to the eye, setting up the Claymore. That’s not enough though as McIntyre adds his own Punt to finish Orton at 21:33.

Rating: B. I was worried when Big Show got involved but the ending worked out well. If nothing else, at least they didn’t have Ric Flair come out and shockingly side with Orton so at least they’re doing a bit of thinking. Odds are this goes to the Cell though, because winning two matches isn’t enough to end a feud these days. Good stuff here though, with some rare longer form storytelling from WWE.

Post match, Ric Flair drives the ambulance away.

We recap Jey Uso vs. Roman Reigns. It’s a battle of the family, as they are cousins and part of one of the most important wrestling families of all time. Reigns is the big star and Jey wants to know why he can’t be the guy. When someone talks about him, all they ask is which twin is he. Now Jey wants to be the new chief of the tribe and Reigns is not cool with that. Either this same video or a similar version was aired on Smackdown and it is still excellent with a great look at the family.

Smackdown World Title: Jey Uso vs. Roman Reigns

Reigns, now shirtless and with Paul Heyman, is defending. Reigns glares him down and drives it into the corner for another sneer. Uso gets shoved away and says he’s trying to get this too. A jump over Reigns in the corner doesn’t get Jey very far as Reigns shoves him outside. Reigns: “How are you going to be the chief if you can’t even stay on the island?” Back in and the jumping clothesline has Jey down for two and Reigns chokes on the rope. Reigns says Jey should have listened to the tribal chief and it’s time to send Jey outside again.

They trade shots to the face and Jey goes onto the announcers’ table. Reigns says he loves him and they head back inside, with Jey getting in a few shots to the face. A Samoan drop gives Jey two but Reigns is right back with the big Superman Punch. It’s already back to the floor for a slugout with Reigns getting the better of it in a hurry. Back in and Reigns says Jey should have laid down and taken the payday but now he has to take this beating. More hard shots to the face have Jey down again. Reigns: “You’re trying to level up but I live at this level.”

Some corner clotheslines rock Jey again but Reigns runs into a shot to the face. Jey sends him shoulder first into the post and it’s a suicide dive to the floor. The jumping enziguri sends Reigns right back to the floor and it’s another suicide dive to keep the comeback going. Reigns hits a high crossbody into a low superkick for two more and they’re both down. The Superfly Splash doesn’t work and Reigns busts out a Rough Ryder of all things for two more.

The spear is countered into a crucifix for two and it’s a superkick into the Superfly Splash for the big near fall. Reigns seems to have hit him low on the kickout though and the fans find this awesome. The spear cuts Jey in half but Reigns doesn’t cover. Reigns says he isn’t ready yet because Jey brought the chief all the way out. He demands that Jey acknowledge him as the tribal chief so Reigns can end this. Jey says no so Reigns spears him again for no cover. Reigns makes him look into the corner and tell the people who the chief is.

That’s still a no so Heyman shouts that Reigns is his tribal chief. Reigns says he needs to heat it from Uso and unloads on him. The referee tries to break it up so Reigns threatens to knock him out and make him lose his job. Reigns demands Jey acknowledge him and knocks Uso silly with shots to the head. Jey is sent face first into the mat and Reigns hammers at the back of his head.

Cue Jimmy Uso to say he’s throwing in the towel. Reigns says Jimmy can come in and acknowledge him and this will all end. Jey says don’t do it so Reigns pulls him back in and drops hard right hands. Jimmy throws in the towel (even Heyman is telling him to do it) for the stoppage at 22:58.

Rating: A. And that’s your winner for “match that should have been a squash and turned amazing because they played it perfectly”. I absolutely loved this and got sucked into the entire thing, as Jimmy coming out was the perfect way to end it. Reigns looks like the most heartless killer in a long time and it’s going to take something special to get the title off of him. I didn’t quite buy Jey as having even a prayer of a chance, but that’s the biggest criticism I can think of in an outstanding display from everyone involved.

Post match Jimmy holds Jey and says Reigns is the tribal chief if that’s what he wants. Heyman puts the lei that Jey wore around Roman’s neck and looks terrified.

Overall Rating: A-. This was a heck of a show that went WAY beyond what it should have been able to accomplish. The only bad thing was Bayley vs. Asuka, which wasn’t even a scheduled match and didn’t break four minutes. The two big matches over delivered and there were some surprises along the way. If there is a drawback, it would probably be the complete lack of impact this show seemed to have (I had to be reminded that any title changed hands only a few hours into the show) so the Champions part was hardly the most important. Other than that though, heck of a show and one of WWE’s best in a good while.

Results

Sami Zayn b. AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy – Zayn pulled down the titles

Asuka b. Zelina Vega – Asuka Lock

Bobby Lashley b. Apollo Crews – Hurt Lock

Street Profits b. Andrade/Angel Garza – Anointment to Andrade

Asuka b. Bayley via DQ when Bayley used a chair

Drew McIntyre b. Randy Orton – McIntyre put Orton in an ambulance

Roman Reigns b. Jey Uso – Jimmy Uso threw in the towel

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

IMG Credit: WWE

WWE runs a show like this every year and every year I try to figure out if it makes sense to have a show built entirely around titles. On one hand it is about as easy of an idea as you can have for a pay per view, but at the same time, aren’t most shows built around title matches? Either way I’m not driving six hours one way for a middle of the road pay per view this year so things are looking up. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Raw Women’s Title: Asuka(c) vs. Zelina Vega

This one was thrown together pretty recently but WWE did something smart to help set it up: they gave Vega a clean win over Mickie James. It is no secret that Vega does not have the most polish in the ring, but she has enough to get by. Now though, she has beaten someone with an established resume and that should give her enough to be a decent enough challenger to Asuka.

Now that being said, there is no reason to believe that Vega has even the tiniest prayer here so it’s Asuka retaining in a walk. Asuka is someone who could be champion for a good while to come as it’s not like there is any major credible challenger on her horizon. Let her beat Vega here and maybe again in a rematch on Monday Night Raw while we wait and see who else WWE can find for her. For now though, Asuka wins and does so with ease.

Raw Tag Team Titles: Street Profits(c) vs. Andrade/Angel Garza

Sweet goodness it feels like we have been here quite a few times now. This is one of those matches that WWE seems to want to run at multiple pay per views and that is what we have seen so far. The Street Profits have held the titles for a LONG time (at least for these titles) and they have beaten Garza and Andrade several times as champions. That should mean something, but I’m not sure if it does.

For probably the third time in a row, I’ll take Andrade and Garza to win the titles. We’re kind of at the point where they have to or there is nothing left for them to do as a team. We’ve kind of been here for months now and until they actually win the belts, the team might as well be on a treadmill. We are way past the point where the Street Profits need to prove themselves and they will probably get the titles back later, but for now, we need new champions.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley(c) vs. Nikki Cross

Speaking of long reigning champions and matches we’ve seen before, we have this one, with Bayley continuing her practically 500 day reign as champion against Cross, who Bayley seems to have beaten about half a dozen times already. The idea here is that Bayley is vulnerable without Sasha Banks in her corner, but the only thing that I can think of from that concept is “….oh come on.”

Of course Bayley retains here, because the ONLY thing that this should be setting up is the mother of all showdowns for Bayley and Banks. You could put that one in the Cell, but it might need something even bigger than that. I don’t think they can stretch it all the way to WrestleMania, but if anything deserves that kind of a stage, it would be Banks FINALLY dethroning Bayley. If it sounds like I’m treating Cross like an afterthought here, it’s only because she is one in this case.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles: Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura(c) vs. Lucha House Party

WWE is doing a really bad job of making these matches seem like they don’t matter because there are other stories already being set up. In this case it would be Lucha House Party imploding as Kalisto seems to be thinking about himself more than the team. Now that could go multiple ways here, as it isn’t clear which members of the team will be getting the shot. That being said, I don’t think it’s going to matter.

I’ll go with the champs retaining here, but there is a little voice in the back of my head that could see the titles changing hands, setting up a story where the new champs have to decide what to do with Kalisto. I don’t think WWE has thought that far ahead or put that much thought into the idea of the Lucha House Party splitting up though, so I think it’s safe to drop that idea and just go with Cesaro and Nakamura retaining.

US Title: Bobby Lashley(c) vs. Apollo Crews

It’s a Payback rematch here but things have already changed. Not only has Lashley already figured out a better name for the Full Nelson than the Full Lashley, but the Hurt Business is good when they are fighting Retribution and bad when they are fighting Crews and his friends. That’s confusing enough, but at least the match should be a pretty easy result to figure out.

This is the best (or maybe worst depending on how you look at it) example of a match where they needed to have a title match and since there is no one fresh to challenge (because Ricochet doesn’t exist on pay per view), they’re going with a rematch from last time. Lashley should retain here as Crews already got what he could out of the title and there is no need to change it back.

Intercontinental Title: Jeff Hardy(c) vs. Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles

It’s the monthly ladder matches because we need to have one of some kind about every month in WWE. Hardy is champion, Styles wants a rematch, Zayn looks like Fidel Castro and has his own title from five months ago (not six because WWE can’t count) so let’s put two titles above the ring for a ladder match. As usual, this has me worried about a screwy finish, and I can’t even say WWE wouldn’t go there.

I’ll play it safe and say Hardy retains here, but it wouldn’t shock me to see two people pulling down titles to make this a glorified elimination match. Zayn has no real claim to the title and while Styles should get a rematch, I think he might be the odd man out here. Zayn has been more interesting than he has in years in his current heel run (again, if you cut out the five month hiatus) and I’d like to see him get something going, but it doesn’t seem to be this. At least not with both titles.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler(c) vs. Riott Squad

Oh yeah this is a thing they’re doing too. This isn’t a match that has any interest from me as Jax and Baszler have already sucked the life out of the titles. I’m not sure what that means for the titles’ futures, but it isn’t doing much for their present. Lately the champs have mainly existed to beat up Lana because her husband is now working elsewhere, leaving this match as kind of an afterthought.

The champs retain here, as WWE sees them as more interesting than anyone else. At the moment, that does seem to be the case when compared to the Riott Squad, though having Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan slipping on one banana peel after another is getting a little tiresome. Maybe they throw in a curve here, but I have a feeling that the wacky tag team partners idea is going to continue for a good while.

Smackdown World Title: Roman Reigns(c) vs. Jey Uso

I wanted to put this one on last because it’s the best story in WWE today. While there might not be much doubt in who is going to win, this is a lesson in how to take something that should be nothing and turn it into something. They’re members of the same family, Reigns is the star, Uso wants to know why he can’t be the new big dog. If you have a sibling, there is a good chance you have been in one of their shoes before. That’s how you make a wrestling story work: by giving the fans something to grab onto.

I don’t think there’s any real doubt about who wins here. Reigns is Reigns and Uso is waiting on his brother to get back to action. What is going to be interesting here is seeing how Reigns retains. There is a case to be made for Uso to get in some offense and come off looking like a star, or there is a case for Reigns to beat him in two minutes, including a cold stare at Uso’s unconscious body. I’m expecting something in the middle, as Reigns turns it on when he needs to in order to retain, but Uso should get in a little something (emphasis on little) in defeat.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre(c) vs. Randy Orton

So what we have here is the champion who won the title at Wrestlemania and held it against some questionable opponents before escaping with the title against Orton at Summerslam, setting up a rematch at Clash Of Champions. Oh dang it I have the wrong notes here. That’s the story they did with Kofi Kingston against Orton last year. And people wonder why this company is seen as creatively bankrupt.

I’ll take….dang who will I take? I’ll go with Orton here, as I have a feeling they still want to do something else with both of them down the line. I’m not sure what, but I didn’t feel right putting McIntyre. The biggest problem for both is I’m not sure where they go next, but maybe the Draft can shake things up enough. That has to be coming soon, though so is the Cell, which could make for a good blowoff match. Orton wins here though, in a pick I have zero confidence in making.

Overall Thoughts

The more I think about it, the less I like this card. It feels like WWE is running on creative fumes at the moment and that isn’t surprising. This show is taking place on September 27 and is their third pay per view in six weeks (with Takeover running next Sunday night). It’s a case of WWE needing to let them have a breather but content is king these days and this is what we have to work with. This show has some matches which could work out rather well and probably will, but after two pay per views so recently, it’s a little hard to get up for this one.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: April 28, 2006
Location: Wembley Arena, London, England
Attendance: 7,500
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

It’s time for a huge main event in 2/3 of a Wrestlemania rematch. This time around we have Rey Mysterio defending the World Title against Kurt Angle, with JBL waiting on the winner. Other than that it’s time to continue the King of the Ring as we continue the lull before the next Smackdown only pay per view. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video is about Mysterio vs. Angle. Does it need to be anything else?

Opening sequence.

Here’s JBL, in a Rolls Royce, for a US Title defense and a chat. And yes he has an American flag in hand and an American flag jacket. Before the match, JBL brags about America and how much England needs them. If British Prime Minister Tony Blair is George W. Bush’s poodle, then every British person is America’s stepchild.

Therefore, tonight JBL is throwing them a bone by giving an Englishman a US Title shot. How tough can the challenger be though? After all, the British follow a queen, which has JBL on his knees in laughter. The fans chant for ENGLAND but JBL says an American is talking. He wants everyone to salute his jacket but his opponent cuts him off.

US Title: John Bradshaw Layfield vs. William Regal

Regal, in regular gear this week, is challenging and promises to show JBL what British people think of Americans. The beating is on in a hurry with Regal choking JBL with the jacket and firing off some shots to the face. The fans are all behind Regal and an uppercut puts JBL on the floor as we take a break.

Back with Regal kneeing away but getting punched in the face to cut things off. Regal is bleeding from the ear so JBL goes after it, followed by a sleeper. A belly to back gets Regal out of trouble but JBL kicks him in the face. JBL’s swinging neckbreaker and DDT combine for two but Regal is back with an exploder suplex for a heck of a reaction. Regal grabs the Regal Stretch but JBL gets two fingers on the rope. JBL goes more villain with a thumb to the eye and the Clothesline From JBL retains the title.

Rating: C+. This was a nice match as they didn’t bother with anything tricky and just had two guys hit each other for ten minutes. Regal fighting for his country and getting the huge face pops made for some weird visuals (not in a bad way) and it wouldn’t have been completely insane to see a fluke title change. You could tell Regal was fired up here and it helped a lot.

JBL’s goofy grin while he hugs the title makes it that much better.

Booker T. and Sharmell are ready for Booker’s match with Kurt Angle in the King of the Ring but he doesn’t like being asked about Angle vs. Mysterio. Gunner Scott comes in to remind Booker of the upset win a few weeks ago. Booker agrees to face Scott again….but not tonight because Booker has a chest cold and a sinus infection. He’ll find Scott an opponent who can sop him up like a biscuit.

Kurt Angle’s Winner’s Circle: Kurt beats Rock to win his first WWF Title at No Mercy 2000.

Video on Tatanka’s path to become the new warrior of his Native American tribe. I can appreciate trying to make something out of someone, but Tatanka in 2006 wasn’t going to be the answer, especially with something like this.

MNM/Gregory Helms vs. Paul London/Brian Kendrick/Super Crazy

It’s a brawl to start with the villains being sent outside for the big triple dive. Kendrick gets shoved off the top back inside though and Mercury takes over with some quick near falls. A backbreaker/slingshot elbow combination gets two and Nitro adds his breakdancing legdrop for the same. Helms grabs the quickly broken abdominal stretch and Kendrick gets over for the hot tag to London. Everything breaks down and London rolls Helms up for the pin. Melina is stunned, though that might be due to Tony Chimmel using the high pitched SUPER for Super Crazy.

Rating: C. They got a lot of stuff into a sub four minute match and that’s perfectly fine. I’m not sure if Crazy is supposed to be the next challenger for Helms or if he was just someone put out there to fill in a spot, but this was all about MNM vs. London and Kendrick anyway. They kept this short and got to the point, which is all they needed to do.

Kurt Angle’s Winner’s Circle: Angle beats Austin at Unforgiven 2001.

Melina yells at MNM for losing and insults Jillian Hall for getting fired last week. She offers Hall a job doing her makeup and throws said makeup on her. The catfight is on with makeup being used in various ways.

Bobby Lashley wants to be King of the Ring because of what it has meant for everyone else. He really doesn’t need to be talking.

Kurt Angle’s Winner’s Circle: Kurt beats Big Show at Armageddon 2004.

King of the Ring First Round: Mark Henry vs. Bobby Lashley

Henry shoves him around a few times to start and Lashley isn’t sure about this one. A headbutt puts Lashley down again and there’s a hard whip into the corner. Henry cuts off the comeback with a rather hard clothesline, with Cole telling us to go outside and run into our house to see what that feels like. Hopefully no one with a house boat follows that advice.

A backbreaker plants Lashley again but Henry misses a charge allowing the comeback to start. Lashley hits the clotheslines and the impressive slam but Henry powers out of the Dominator. Henry misses a charge and gets low bridged over the ropes to the floor, giving Lashley the countout win.

Rating: C-. That’s about as smart of a way to do this as they could have had, even if it looked like Henry slipped on a banana peel to end things. Henry is still a monster who shouldn’t be losing very often, so aside from not having him in the tournament, the only way to go was a countout or DQ. Lashley was thrown around a bit, but that slam felt like a pretty impressive moment.

Post match Henry beats Lashley up some more, including a splash against the post to bang up his ribs.

Rey Mysterio is asked about always being seen as an underdog. Tonight he is the underdog again but he knows he has to stay away from the ankle lock. He’ll give it his best but if he loses, it was well worth it. This has been the latest moment of WWE making sure you know Rey is in way over his head.

Kurt Angle’s Winner’s Circle: Kurt beats Brock Lesnar and the Big Show to win the title at Vengeance 2003.

Booker T., complete with chest cold, is here with Sharmell to announce Gunner Scott’s opponent. After using some medicine, here we go.

Finlay vs. Gunner Scott

Booker and Sharmell sit in on commentary. Finlay headlocks him down to start and pulls on the arms with his boot on Gunner’s head. Back up and Gunner hits a dropkick tot he floor but the baseball slide gets caught in the ring skirt so the beating can be on. Scott fights back and hits an elbow to the face, followed by a belly to belly for two. They fight outside where Booker gets in a cheap shot, allowing Finlay to hit the Air Raid Crash for the pin.

Rating: D+. Scott feels like their latest attempt to make someone out of nothing and it’s too early to know if that is going to be a success. Booker having another injury/condition to keep him out of the ring is a bit of a stretch after he was just injured for so long, but his talking is making up for it. On top of that, it’s nice to see Finlay being featured again as he’s doing well in his role as the tough villain.

Post match the beatdown is on until Chris Benoit runs in for the save.

Here are Great Khali and Daivari for a chat. Daivari says that is it true: Great Khali has dominated the Undertaker and destroyed his spirit. Undertaker is afraid of Khali, who yells a lot to emphasize his point. Krystal runs away to wrap things up.

Kurt Angle’s Winner’s Circle: Kurt wins a battle royal to become champion again.

Smackdown World Title: Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio

Mysterio is defending and commentary makes it clear that he is the underdog. Again. Angle drops to a knee as Rey circles him, meaning it’s an early takedown to put the champ down. An uppercut cuts Rey down again but he’s back up with right hands in the corner. That just earns Rey a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and a regular version gets two. Rey charges into a belly to belly to the floor and we take an early break.

Back with Rey caught in a chinlock with a bodyscissors. That’s broken up so Rey has to escape the Angle Slam and kick Angle in the head for a double knockdown. The 619 is blocked so Rey is right back with a sitout bulldog for two, allowing Cole to call Rey the underdog again. Another Angle Slam is countered into a DDT for two more but Angle runs the corner for a superplex.

Back up and Angle misses a charge hard into the post and falls out to the floor. That means Rey can hit a top rope Fameasser on the way back in for another near fall, but Angle flips him over with a release German suplex. The Angle Slam is countered for a third time and the 619 connects this time. Angle counters the West Coast Pop into the ankle lock but here’s Mark Henry to jump Angle for the DQ.

Rating: B-. They were having a good match and I can live with the DQ ending, but man alive this “Rey is such an underdog” is getting old in a hurry. What makes it even worse is that it comes after the last three months being about Eddie Guerrero, making Rey feel like a high school student who is in over his head in a bad 90s action comedy. Rey is an underdog, but there’s a difference between someone Barry Horowitz’s 1995 winning streak and one of the best cruiserweights of all time. As usual, WWE needs to lighten up on beating us over the head and I don’t think they’ll get that.

Post match Henry crushes Angle against the post and puts him on a table. The running splash from the apron destroys Kurt to end the show as Rey, again, is forgotten.

Overall Rating: C. As usual, the British shows are always a little off but there was only so much they could do without having anything to build towards at the moment. The next pay per view will start to come into focus soon and Angle vs. Mysterio did feel big, but they didn’t help themselves with making Rey seem like a loser who has gotten lucky. The show did go by very quickly though and nothing was bad, so it was hardly a difficult sit. Just get them something to focus on and we can move on to something a little better.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: April 21, 2006
Location: Savvis Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 16,108
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

The King of the Ring is still rolling after last week’s opener, meaning we could be in for some good stuff going forward. Smackdown seems to be throwing out a bunch of more gimmicky stuff at the moment and I’m curious to see what else they have. There is something fun about seeing these characters that you might remember from years gone by making their debuts and we should be in for some bigger names and moments. Let’s get to it.

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

Booker T. and Sharmell are ready to win the tournament and Matt Hardy is up first.

Matt Hardy talks about everything he has gone through this year and will not die.

King of the Ring First Round: Booker T. vs. Matt Hardy

Sharmell is here with Booker. Feeling out process to start with Booker elbowing his way out of a hammerlock. Hardy is back with a running clothesline for two and we hit the headlock on the mat. That’s broken up with a belly to back suplex and some knees to the ribs have Matt in trouble as they seem to have a long time to use here. Matt is back with a swinging neckbreaker but the moonsault press misses.

We hit the chinlock but Matt is out in a hurry with the middle rope elbow to the back of the head. The comeback is cut off by Sharmell low bridging Hardy to the floor as we take a break. Back with Booker snapping off some suplexes for two but he takes too long going up and gets superplexed back down.

Matt still can’t get anything going as Booker kicks him down and grabs the chinlock again. Another comeback includes elbows and clotheslines for two but Booker kicks him in the face for two more. The Book End lets Booker hit the Spinarooni but the ax kick misses. Matt grabs the Side Effect for two but Sharmell offers a distraction so Booker can hit a low blow. Now the ax kick can finish Matt.

Rating: B-. This was better than I would have expected as they were hitting some big stuff and the fans were into what they were doing. It says a lot when I was a little surprised at some kickouts when I already knew who was winning here. Good match and one of Matt’s best in a long time now.

Post match Booker puts on the crown and does a Karate Kid pose.

In honor of JBL’s Championship Celebration tonight, here’s a look at JBL beating Eddie Guerrero for the World Title.

William Regal is in drag again and Paul Burchill thinks it’s hilarious. Tonight, they’re in a tag match but Regal doesn’t know about this because his chest is a bit too big. Burchill has a teddy bear costume for him but that’s too much for Regal. The shenanigans continue.

Joey Mercury vs. Paul London

Johnny Nitro, Melina and Brian Kendrick are here too. London hurricanranas him down to start and hammers away but a Nitro distraction lets Mercury shove him off the top. Back in and we hit the choking on the ropes. The waistlock goes on, followed by a northern lights suplex for two on London. Kendrick and Melina get up on the apron with Kendrick being knocked down, allowing Nitro to get in a slingshot elbow/backbreaker combination.

That’s only good for four straight near falls but London jawbreaks his way out of a sleeper. A spinwheel kick to the face gives London two and a high crossbody is good for the same. London grabs a reverse hurricanrana for two more but has to take out Nitro. Kendrick comes in but…gets taken down by a single leg. That seemed like missed timing, as Kendrick is then catapulted over the top and down onto London. Back in and London grabs a quick rollup for the pin.

Rating: C. This wasn’t the most exciting thing in the world as it was fairly obvious where they were going the second last week’s match was announced. It’s an idea that WWE has used for years and while it works well enough, it isn’t exactly something that is going to draw in my interest.

Regal is now a bear, with Burchill adding a head, including lipstick. And yes it has a tail.

Last week, Kurt Angle snapped Randy Orton’s ankle. That’s how you write Orton off for a suspension due to “unprofessional conduct”.

Chris Benoit/Bobby Lashley vs. Finlay/Orlando Jordan

Lashley and Jordan start things off with Lashley driving him into the corner without much effort. Benoit comes in and tries the Crossface, sending Jordan scampering away. A Finlay distraction lets Jordan take him down by the arm. It’s off to Finlay to crank on said arm, plus drive some elbows down for a bonus.

Benoit’s arm goes into the post and it’s back to Jordan to pound on the arm some more. Benoit finally suplexes his way to freedom and the hot tag brings in Lashley to start cleaning house. The delayed vertical suplex gets two on Jordan and Benoit dives onto Finlay. There’s the spear to Jordan and the Dominator is good for the pin.

Rating: C-. This could have been a lot worse but there is one important detail here: it is the last time Orlando Jordan is going to be wrestling on Smackdown. I have no idea how in the world WWE thought he was going to be some star and thank goodness I’m glad that he is gone for good. He just isn’t that talented as a wrestler so maybe he can be….a guy who makes canned peaches.

Another Great JBL Moment: he throws immigrants across the border.

This Week In WWF History: Steve Austin crushed The Rock’s Lincoln. This was on Raw too.

Teddy Long makes Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio for the World Title next week.

Now Regal is in a chicken costume, with Burchill telling him not to get cocky. There is no tail on this one, but the hole is revealing….uh, yeah.

Funaki isn’t worried about Great Khali, who comes in to shout.

Funaki vs. Great Khali

Chop to the head, big boot and double arm chokeslam in less than a minute.

Now Regal is a gorilla, but Burchill has one more idea and we’ll see it in their match.

William Regal/Paul Burchill vs. Gymini

Simon Dean is here with the Gymini and Regal is….kind of rather British, but has feathers in his hat (which is over a curly black wig). Burchill and Jesse start things off with Burchill hammering away. Jesse gets in a shot of his own though and it’s off to Regal, who gets suplexed out of his wig. The chinlock goes on but Regal fights up and goes for the tag, only to have Burchill walk away. The Cross Trainer (double Regal Cutter) finishes Regal.

Another Great JBL Moment: beating Chris Benoit at Wrestlemania.

Miz tries to get in for the celebration but Palmer Cannon isn’t having that.

Raw Rebound.

We look back at Jillian Hall almost costing JBL the US Title last week.

It’s time for JBL’s Championship Celebration, hosted by Jillian Hall (who walks past the big inflated eagle). She leads out a marching band and here’s JBL in a (horned) Hummer limo as the balloons drop. JBL isn’t pleased though and yells that he is worthy of the New York Philharmonic and Jillian brought him a bunch of refugees from a Big Brother program. JBL: “Never trust a woman to think!” He makes fun of her over inflated balloons and fires her, telling Jillian to go lap dance her heart away.

JBL lists off some great Americans and declares himself an American hero. After all, he’s the real champion over Rey Mysterio. Now he wants the winner of Mysterio vs. Angle next week, so here’s Angle to interrupt. Angle lists off his own American Hero credentials but JBL doesn’t think so. Angle: “Well compared to me, you suck.”

JBL was never as good of a champion as Rey, who finally comes out to interrupt. The fans chant for Eddie and because JBL is a good heel, he points out that Rey can’t even get his own chant. JBL has already taken titles from Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, so Rey can be the third amigo. One short/Spanish joke too many earns JBL a beating and Rey and Angle stare each other down to end the show. JBL is still a heck of a heel, but he’s right in pointing out how little fans seem to care about Rey himself. It doesn’t help that Rey feels like he’s in way over his head as champion too.

Overall Rating: C-. This was a weird one as the ending was a big celebration which only set up a title match between two people who have nothing to do with JBL at the moment. The rest of the show was your usual fare and they did a nice job of making Angle vs. Mysterio feel like an important match. It’s not exactly must see stuff, though they still have a few weeks to set things up before we get to the next pay per view.

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