IMG Credit: World of Sport

World of Sport
Date: September 8, 2018
Location: Epic Studios, Norwich, England
Commentators: So Cal Val, Stu Bennett, Alex Shane

We’re coming into the home stretch for the series as we have four shows left counting this one. The big story coming out of last week is the crowning of new Tag Team Champions as Adam Maxted and Nathan Cruz lost the tournament final last week and then imploded. The only solution? A loser leaves town ladder match. On a week’s notice. Anyone watching this series isn’t surprised by this development. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap/preview.

The announcers talk about the ladder match.

Here’s Cruz, now with his own music, to open things up. He doesn’t owe anyone an explanation but he did what he did last week because Maxted has listened to the people. Cruz doesn’t want Maxted has but doesn’t want Maxted to have it either. He throws out the challenge for the ladder match, which Bennett agrees to. They do know it was already announced last week right?

Adam Maxted vs. Nathan Cruz

Ladder match. A slugout goes to Maxted to start and a belly to belly takes Maxed down. The fans want the ladder so Maxted goes for it, only to have Cruz cut him off. They fight back to the ring until Cruz knocks him down at ringside and picks up the ladder for a shot to the face. Back in and Maxted hits a slingshot belly to back suplex but Cruz avoids being thrown into the ladder in the corner.

Maxted sends him into the ladder, though we don’t see the contact due to a quick camera cut. Cruz gets in a crotching and sends Maxted outside but a springboard dropkick takes Cruz right back down. That works so well that they do it again, though this time it’s a springboard spear to take Cruz off the ladder this time. Maxted goes up and gets the contract at 7:20.

Rating: D+. What the heck am I supposed to get out of a sub eight minute ladder match? This didn’t have time to go anywhere, which tends to be the case with almost everything around here. They set this match up and then blew it off the next week to get rid of a character on a show that is wrapping up in three weeks. That’s pretty excessive.

Post break Cruz promises to be back.

Earlier today, Bennett gave Sysum a match with Rampage. It’s a tag match.

Liam Slater vs. Robbie X vs. Gabriel Kidd vs. Crater

One fall to a finish. Again, Crater stays on the floor to start but this time he gets in much sooner to clean house. Robbie’s handspring is pulled out of the air and a bunch of dropkicks can’t save him. Crater finally gets knocked to the floor and a bunch of dives actually put him down on one knee. Back in and Slater powerbombs Robbie but Kidd kicks him in the face. Now it’s Robbie back up with a basement dropkick on Slater until Crater comes back in to run them over. A Lethal Injection, with some help, takes Crater down and a top rope splash into a top rope elbow sets up a triple pin on Crater at 5:37.

Rating: D-. Yes that’s how the match ends and yes this is supposed to make sense. I have no idea how it’s supposed to make sense, but in WOS’ minds it does. If there is a logical reason why we’re not just getting handicap matches instead of these multi-man matches when they’re clearly handicap matches isn’t clear but this is getting annoying. Also, what in the world is the point in building someone like Crater as this monster and then being like “oh well these guys beat him”.

Post match Crater wrecks them all again and goes for Robbie’s mask. He doesn’t get it off, but he does go for it.

Martin Kirby vs. Grado

Kirby wants whatever is in Grado’s bag (because he has a bag now) but Grado cuts him off with a clothesline, earning the famed EASY chant. A hiptoss is blocked as well and Grado takes him down with the power of the belly. The power of the belly prevents a German suplex and a fan distraction lets Grado avoid a charge to send Kirby outside. Back in and Kirby takes the knee out and slams him down, followed by the eternally missing elbow.

Grado’s jabs have Kirby in more trouble and there’s the cannonball. A nice enziguri puts Grado down and it’s time to go for the bag. It’s a toothbrush, which Kirby rubs on his armpit. They fight over whose mouth it’s going into before Grado goes with a bionic elbow. Now it goes into Kirby’s mouth but a rollup with feet on the ropes gives Kirby the pin at 7:23.

Rating: D. I really need this series to end very soon. This match was unfunny comedy and the same stuff that Grado has done to annoy me since I first saw him. Kirby was fine for a midcard heel and now he’s a comedy foil for Grado. I get that some fans are going to like it, but it doesn’t do much for me.

Justin Sysum/Joe Hendry vs. Rampage/Sha Samuels

Hendry headlocks Samuels down to start and it’s already down to Sysum vs. Samuels. Justin speeds things up, as you might expect, and hits a dropkick, only to draw in Rampage for a cheap shot. Samuels drives Sysum into the corner as the heel beatdown begins. Sysum gets sent outside for a beating from CJ Banks, followed by Samuels dropping an elbow for two.

A missed charge in the corner allows the hot tag off to Hendry as everything breaks down. Hendry gets himself out of some trouble with a backdrop and it’s already back to Sysum. Dude let the guy breathe. The villains are sent into each other and Sysum dives onto Banks, setting up the 450 for the pin on Samuels at 8:37.

Rating: C-. Totally standard match here and there’s nothing wrong with that. The ending sent the fans home happy as two of the three(ish) top stars of the show get to beat the villains by combining forces. It’s as paint by numbers as you can get and really, that’s as good as it’s going to get around here.

Overall Rating: D. I don’t think it’s any secret to the fact that I’m not the target audience for this show. This show is meant for either a person who never watches wrestling or a kid who doesn’t notice the major flaws in booking and structure. Pretty horrid show here and I can’t imagine a lot of fans are interested in watching something like this, especially with everything else out there to watch.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/09/07/new-book-kbs-complete-smackdown-2003-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: World of Sport

World of Sport
Date: September 1, 2018
Location: Epic Studios, Norwich, England
Commentators: Alex Shane, So Cal Val, Stu Bennett

It’s time to crown some new champions and for once, the title match is going to include some people we’ve actually heard from more than once this season. Now I’m still not sure if I can tell which member of either team is which, but it’s not like it matters all that much in the first place. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with the opening recap which not only opens, but also recaps.

World of Sport Title: Rampage vs. British Bulldog Jr.

Bulldog is challenging, even though Will Sysum won a #1 contenders match two weeks ago. The champ has his usual goons with him because that’s about all he has to define him. Well that and being champion. Rampage gets dropped by an early shoulder and Bulldog works a headlock. A slam gives Bulldog two but Rampage is right back with a clothesline.

The delayed vertical suplex (impressive given Rampage’s size) takes Rampage down again but a shot to the knee cuts Bulldog down. Some cranking to said knee allows CJ Banks to ram the knee into the apron. Bulldog is fine enough to pull Rampage face first into the post and the powerslam (scoop, not running) gets two. A Sha Samuels distraction doesn’t work and Bulldog loads up the powerslam, only to be raked in the eyes. The implant DDT retains Rampage’s title at 5:50.

Rating: D+. I’ll give them points for building Rampage up as a heel champion but my goodness he’s running through everyone to get there. Having Bulldog, who is probably the biggest star in the promotion (second at worst), lose this close to clean is rather surprising, but it’s going to be a big deal when someone finally takes the title.

Post match the three on one beatdown is teased but Justin Sysum comes down for the save. Bennett says that Sysum has to face Samuels and Banks tonight. If he wins, he MIGHT get another shot at Rampage. You mean like the one he already earned?

Martin Kirby vs. Joe Hendry

Submission match. Hendry sings his song live but Kirby’s arm is in a sling. Apparently he’s injured himself combing his hair (Kirby is bald), pulled a hamstring, and has a bad case of the sniffles, all according to a note from his mom. The obvious ruse is obvious and Hendry is ready for him by knocking Kirby to the floor. Back in and Hendry throws him to the mat three times in a row before kicking Kirby outside again. Kirby goes for the leg though but it’s not enough to prevent a backdrop.

With that not working, Kirby goes after the back with a kick and a backbreaker (can’t fault his logic) as the fans think he sucks. We hit a reverse chinlock as Shane recaps the feud. It’s off to a front facelock, which isn’t exactly a back hold. A guillotine choke stays on the neck but is only good for two arm drops. Hendry fights up and hits a good looking suplex for the breather. Kirby slips out of the ankle lock and hits a spinebuster into one of his own, only to have Hendry put on the real ankle lock for the tap at 6:57.

Rating: C. There was a story, there was a logical finish, and hopefully it wraps up the feud. The whole thing is still thrown together and not exactly the most interesting thing in the world, but at least it followed a logical progression. I’m not sure what Hendry can do in the next four weeks but at least he got his big win here.

Tag Team Titles: Kip Sabian/Iestyn Rees vs. Adam Maxted/Nathan Cruz

Tournament final. Maxted dropkicks Sabian down to start and it’s off to Cruz for an enziguri. Rees offers a distraction though and Sabian rakes the eyes to take over. With Maxted down, Sabian springboards in with a missile dropkick for two as I think Maxted and Cruz are the faces here, but I’m having enough trouble remember who is who. Frustration is already setting in so it’s back to Rees for two off a snapmare. Seriously a snapmare?

Sabian comes back in for a snapmare of his own but does add a knee to the back before covering. An atomic drop/shoulder block combination gets two more (it’s no snapmare though) and Rees forearms away in the corner. Maxted finally hits a clothesline and the hot tag brings in Cruz to face Sabian. Everything breaks down and Cruz gets two off the Samoan driver. Rees makes a blind tag but eats a Codebreaker with Sabian diving in with a dropkick for the save. Maxted misses a moonsault though and it’s the powerbomb/top rope neckbreaker combination to give Rees the pin and the titles at 8:07.

Rating: C-. Another run of the mill tag match here and that’s not the most thrilling thing in the world. Like I mentioned, it didn’t help when there’s not much of a gimmick between these teams (you could say the big man/small man gimmick is there for Rees/Sabian but that’s not much) and that hasn’t changed in six weeks. Some promos would help. Just let us know who in the world they are.

Post match the new champs celebrate and leave. Cruz and Maxted hug but Cruz jumps him.

Justin Sysum vs. Sha Samuels/CJ Banks

If Sysum wins he might get a title shot at some point. Banks offers an early distraction and Samuels jumps him from behind. The villains have to tag so Sysum dropkicks Samuels to the floor and it’s time for a heel conference. Back in and Sysum slugs away at Samuels as Banks continue to be rather worthless. Banks comes in, gets punched in the ribs, and hands it back off to Samuels.

The double teaming takes Sysum down again and Banks punches him out to the floor. That doesn’t last long so Samuels throws Sysum down back inside and a lot of glaring ensues. Sysum clotheslines Samuels down and crossbodies them both at the same time. Cue Rampage (with a ridiculous amount of camera cuts) and Sysum goes to meet him on the ramp. He’s smart enough to run back and hit his spear through the ropes on Samuels, followed by the spinning strike to Banks. A 450 puts Samuels away at 8:06.

Rating: D. The ending wasn’t exactly in doubt here but egads Samuels and Banks are two of the most boring lackeys I’ve ever seen. Banks seems to be a bad one by design but Samuels is straight out of Central Casting for thugs. Sysum is easy to like though and him winning the title to end the show should be a good way to go out.

Overall Rating: D+. The two matches in the middle were better but the main event was lame and the title match was too short to mean much. They’ve done a little better in recent weeks, though that might be just due to them not adding in so many characters every week. The show isn’t terrible, but it’s nothing I’m going to remember in a month or so. That’s often worse than being bad, but in this case it’s not even worth getting annoyed over.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-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: World of Sport

World of Sport
Date: August 11, 2018
Location: Epic Studios, Norwich, England
Commentators: Alex Shane, So Cal Val, Stu Bennett

I don’t know what to expect here but I’d assume a bunch of wrestlers will be added without allowing us to get to know anything about them. We’re still going along with the Tag Team Title tournament and there’s a new Women’s Champion, but it hasn’t been the best presentation in the world so far. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Kay Lee Ray becoming the new Women’s Champion and last week’s ladder match. This week, Gabriel Kidd gets to cash in his big opportunity….by facing the monster Crater.

Earlier today, Grado went into Bennett’s office to yell about getting a rematch for the title. Bennett says no but he’ll let Grado have a match against someone else. Just be serious.

Grado vs. Sha Samuels

Grado comes to the ring in a suit to show how serious he can be. Samuels isn’t impressed but Grado has been training so hard that he’s been walking OTHER PEOPLE’S DOGS. Grado says ring the bell but gets knocked down in a hurry, meaning it’s off to a chinlock less than a minute in.

Back up and Grado is sent to the floor and then into the barricade as it’s one sided in the first two minutes. A slam on the ramp gets Grado out of trouble and there goes the jacket. Some clotheslines set up the left jabs (with a camera cut on each one) and there’s a Cannonball in the corner to keep Samuels in trouble. Samuels gets back up and dives into a cutter for the pin at 4:50.

Rating: D. I know why they’re doing it but egads it’s rough watching Grado as the face of the promotion. He’s still just a comedy guy and while I chuckled at the walking other people’s dogs line, I’m guessing this is going to be the big story throughout the season. The wrestling was nothing of course and that’s all you can expect from a Grado match.

Martin Kirby vs. Joe Hendry

Fallout from two weeks ago when Kirby walked out on Hendry. Joe wristlocks him down to start and goes for the arm again, sending Kirby bailing to the floor. Back in and Kirby leg lariats him down, followed by a running shoulder to the ribs in the corner. Hendry rolls him up for some near falls but walks into a spinebuster, allowing Kirby to take WAY too long walking across the middle rope for a missed elbow. Hendry’s fall away slam gets two and he slams Kirby off the top for two more. Kirby is back up with a Fameasser and an enziguri, only to get his ankle locked. A rope is grabbed and Kirby rolls him up for the pin at 6:47.

Rating: D+. This show has really not been kind to Hendry, who should be the kind of guy this show is built around. I still know nothing about Kirby, which goes back to the main problem of this show. At the moment I know his name, the color trunks he wears, and that he’s a sore loses who cheats. I need a little more than that.

Tag Team Title Tournament First Round: BT Gunn/Stevie Boy vs. Brad Slayer/CJ Banks

Gunn and Stevie at least have matching gear and face paint. Gunn runs Banks over and grabs an armbar as we keep cutting to the crowd. A middle rope dropkick puts Banks down and it’s Boy coming in to speed things up. The good guys take turns on Banks with Gunn suplexing Boy onto him for two. Slayer low bridges Boy to the floor to take over and Banks gets two of his own off a snap suplex. A chinlock doesn’t go anywhere and the hot tag brings in Gunn. Everything breaks down and a Doomsday Device with a jumping elbow finishes Slayer at 6:17.

Rating: D+. It’s nice to see a team you can identify pretty easily (Gunn and Boy are a perfectly fine fast paced face team and the kind of thing you need when you already have four heels in the semifinals) and a very formula based tag match. That being said, it still wasn’t very good and that’s where the problem on this show comes from: including the pilot, one match has broken nine minutes. I understand that you only have an hour a week, but having one match get some actual time would be nice.

Gabriel Kidd vs. Crater

This is Kidd’s big reward from last week. Crater weighs over 500lbs and shoves Kidd down with….I think you get the idea here. Kidd uppercuts away and eats a clothesline, followed by some big tosses across the ring. The bearhug goes on but Kidd keeps his arm up at two drops. Crater splashes him in the corner and a chokeslam sets up the big splash for the pin at 4:48. Total squash.

Rating: D. So Kidd was a face? The things you learn around here. If that was made clear last week, they didn’t do the best job in the world of explaining it. I’m also going to need an explanation of why we needed to have a ladder match for the right to be squashed by a novelty act. Just more characters with little definition who seem around to fill time.

Kidd does a stretcher job.

World of Sport Title: Justin Sysum vs. Rampage

Rampage is defending and hammers him down to start until Sysum hits a spinning middle rope crossbody. A nice dropkick gets two on the champ but he runs Sysum over without much trouble. Sysum grabs a backbreaker but Rampage’s goons break up the 450. Things slow down with Rampage hitting a belly to back suplex and slapping on a bearhug. A clothesline gets two but Sysum catapults him into the corner for a breather. Sysum’s Stinger Splash into a t-bone suplex gets two and a Cactus Clothesline takes them to the floor. Rampage gets back in and Banks grabs Sysum’s leg for the countout at 7:13.

Rating: C-. They were starting to get somewhere here and some of that is due to Sysum being one of the more talented guys on the roster. Rampage continues to be a guy who has cronies, which isn’t exactly what I’m looking for in a top heel. I get what they’re going for with him and it works fine in a ten week show, but it’s not exactly thrilling stuff.

Overall Rating: D+. This show really needs a chance to breathe. Leaving out commercials, the show runs about 45 minutes. They squeezed five matches into that time frame and it’s too much. Cue out a match a week (Crater’s would have been the best option) and let someone talk. We need to know a little something about these people and you could accomplish that n some fifteen second promos.

Who am I supposed to cheer for on this show other than Grado? I get that a lot of the show is supposed to be a flashback to the old World of Sport days, but things have changed a bit since the original show was canceled. If nothing else have some vignettes while they’re on the way to the ring. Just give us something and the show would be that much better to watch. I know it’s not the standard wrestling show, but it’s ok to have some standard wrestling ideas.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-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: World Of Sport

World of Sport
Date: August 4, 2018
Location: Epic Studios, Norwich, England
Commentators: Alex Shane, So Cal Val, Stu Bennett

I’m really not sure what to expect here, even though the two big matches were announced in advance and I know some of the cast. Last week’s debut episode really wasn’t anything to see but hopefully things get better as they keep going. If they at least introduce the people and tell me something about them, things will at least be a bit better. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the “fall of the people’s champion” Grado last week.

The announcers talk about Grado losing the title last week.

Bennett talks to the crowd about Grado losing the title last week. Tonight we’ll be having a Women’s Title match, but first we need to have a championship celebration. Cue Rampage, CJ Banks (actually named this week) and Sha Samuels. Samuels says no one has the guts to fight Rampage but here’s Joe Hendry to interrupt. According to his music, he’s on a title quest and wants a shot right here tonight. Bennett: “RING THE BELL!”

World of Sport Title: Joe Hendry vs. Rampage

Hendry is challenging and headlocks him down before getting two off a fireman’s carry. That’s enough to send Rampage bailing to the floor where his goons distract Hendry. Rampage gets in a few cheap shots from behind and it’s an elbow drop into the chinlock. A shot to the throat cuts off the comeback and Rampage jumps on his back for a quickly broken sleeper. Hendry gets two off a neckbreaker and the ankle lock (which Hendry learned from Kurt Angle) goes on. That’s broken up as well and another distraction lets Rampage hit an implant DDT to retain at 6:00.

Rating: D+. Just like last week, this came and went so fast that it didn’t have time to take much effect. Hendry has a great personality and charisma but we barely know anything about him. Rampage on the other hand is I guess the top villain on the show but he’s in that spot because he has two goons, not because he’s some mastermind. This was another instance of “eh, it was ok I guess”, which might as well be the subtitle for the whole promotion.

Liam Slater vs. Robbie X vs. Gabriel Kidd vs. Lionheart

Ladder match for a “big opportunity”. They’re all in the ring for the introductions and Robbie wears a mask. Robbie clears the ring until Lionheart dropkicks him down. Lionheart brings the ladder in but gets sent face first into it for his efforts. Slater and Lionheart fight over the ladder until Slater pins him into the corner.

Robbie gets superplexed down and Slater goes up, allowing Kidd to make a save. Kidd goes up and drops an elbow on Slater, leaving Robbie to moonsault off the ladder onto the two of them (with two camera cuts on a single move). With Robbie going up, Lionheart shoves the ladder over for the crash to the floor. Slater gets the big ladder (required in a ladder match) but Lionheart pulls him down. Kidd shoves Lionheart off though and steals the briefcase to win at 7:56.

Rating: D+. This felt like every run of the mill indy ladder match that you’ve ever seen. There was little drama to be found, due to a combination of the match not even lasting eight minutes but more because it was another four random people that we don’t know anything about in a match. That’s been the case with both shows so far and it’s really not getting any better. Give us a ten second promo from them or let the announcers talk about them or just ANYTHING that gives me a reason to care about them or who they are.

Post match Kidd talks about how great it is to win this contract. What is the contract for? Not important. He’ll get it next week though.

Tag Team Titles Tournament First Round: Adam Maxted/Nathan Cruz vs. Doug Williams/HT Drake

At least the wrestlers get their names on the screen so I have an idea which is which. Cruz mocks Williams to start and is pulled down without much effort. Williams gets caught in a quickly broken chinlock before he armdrags Cruz into an armbar. The rapid fire camera cuts begin their nauseating switches again before Drake comes in to hurricanrana Maxted. A quick double team goes nowhere and it’s Cruz hitting a slingshot belly to back suplex for two on Drake.

Maxted comes back in for an Irish whip and pushups, followed by another chinlock. That lasts as long as you might expect and the hot tag brings Williams back in a few seconds later. A double Regal Cutter hits Cruz but a Codebreaker sends Williams outside. With Maxted shoving Drake away, Cruz grabs a springboard Blockbuster for the pin at 7:39.

Rating: D+. Take the same complaints I’ve made about most of the matches in the first two shows and use it here. This was the same problem that has been taking place on the entire series and I don’t see that changing as we move forward. I know Williams from TNA and Maxted was around earlier, but who is everyone else and why should I boo or cheer them? Get this stuff together.

Women’s Title: Viper vs. Kay Lee Ray vs. Bea Priestly

The title is vacant coming in. Viper is better known as Piper Niven from last year’s Mae Young Classic and probably outweighs the other two combined. That’s not an insult though as she moves around incredibly well. The only bio we get on any of them: Priestly is Will Ospreay’s girlfriend. They trade rollups to start and Viper throws Kay into the corner. Viper slams both of them down and hits a running low crossbody for a double knockdown. A buckle bomb drives Kay into Priestly and a Vader Bomb gives Viper two.

Priestly breaks up a cover off a hard clothesline and the camera cuts get so insane that it almost has to be editing something out. No one could be that all over the place with something so simple. Anyway some double teaming puts Viper down and Bea hitting an Alberto Del Rio double stomp for two.

Rating: C+. I actually liked this one more than most of what I’ve seen so far. I mean, I still know nothing about any of these people but they told a nice story with Viper as the unstoppable monster and the other two having to fight her off. Kay winning with the big clean win over Viper was a nice touch and the match was pretty good. That seems to be as good as it’s going to get so I’ll take what I can.

Overall Rating: D+. Maybe it was the lack of Grado as a featured player or maybe it was actually accomplishing a few things but the show wasn’t as annoying as last week’s. It’s still far from a good show and thank goodness it’s a limited series as I can’t imagine it would have gone better in the long term. They’re starting to build up a story or two but it’s still a long way from good. The cameras were even more annoying this week though, especially with the longer shots. Not the worst show, but it’s still not worth your time.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-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: World of Sport

World of Sport
Date: July 28, 2018
Location: Epic Studios, Norwich, England
Commentators: Alex Shane, So Cal Val, Stu Bennett

So at the end of 2016, there was a one off British wrestling show called World of Sport, which was a callback to the big British wrestling TV show from the 1970s and 80s. It aired once, wasn’t very good, and was supposed to be the start of a new series. Well that series is now here, only a year and a half (plus) later. It’s a ten episode series so we might as well take a look at them all. Let’s get to it.

Here’s the pilot episode.

Stu Bennett (Wade Barrett) narrates the opening video, talking about how this is the new era and only the but make it to this platform.

The announcers welcome us to the show, with Val replacing Jim Ross from the pilot. I think things are starting to go downhill.

Rampage vs. Adam Maxtead vs. Sha Samuels vs. Justin Sysum vs. Crater

Elimination rules. Who are these people? Not important enough to mention, but Crater is a huge masked man. I don’t think there is an opening bell as Samuels and Rampage double team Sysum, the smallest guy in the match, to start. Bennett joins commentary as Crater comes in to clean house. Adam can’t slam Crater so Crater gives him a demonstration and chokes on the ropes….for a very quick DQ.

Crater cleans house post elimination and we’re down to four. Now that the announcers have told us that it’s an elimination match, Samuels and Rampage beat on Sysum a little more. Sysum fights back and scores with a middle rope crossbody but is already back in trouble when we come back from a replay. Back with Samuels clotheslining Rampage by mistake, allowing Sysum to get a rollup for the elimination.

Rating: D. Oh this isn’t going well so far. Keep in mind that this is a brand new series. Unless you watched (and remember) that pilot from December 2016 (hopefully they aired it before this first episode), Grado is a complete stranger but he’s the World Champion and these five guys are all fighting for a title shot.

Who are these people? Which one is the blue eye? Why are Samuels and Rampage friends? Where have I seen that Bennett guy before? There are five people fighting at once? I’ve watched a lot of wrestling and knew what was going on, but how many new fans are going to be watching this for the first time and just got totally lost? It’s not a great idea to come charging out of the gate like that and this wasn’t exactly a great match either. What we saw was fine, but it came and went with no one other than Crater getting to stand out, and that was just because of his look. Really rocky start and hopefully it gets better.

Post match, Bennett says that since Rampage beat the count, tonight’s main event is a three way for the title.

Don’t try this at home.

Will Ospreay vs. British Bulldog Jr.

This could be rather interesting. Hopefully commentary explains why the guy with BRITISH in his name who comes out to Rule Britania has a Canadian flag on his trunks. Ospreay wastes no time in flipping around into a dropkick but it’s too early for the big dive. Instead he backflips into the pose, allowing Bulldog to hit a dropkick of his own. Thankfully Bennett mentions Bulldog being half Canadian as Bulldog hits a slam and the delayed vertical suplex (required).

Ospreay slips out of a Brock Lock and kicks Bulldog down as we go to our fourth replay in less than three minutes. A springboard….something (the camera changed angels as he made contact) gives Ospreay two and a standing corkscrew moonsault gets the same. Shane: “Eat your heart out Harry Potter. Will Ospreay is a wizard.” The deadlift German suplex plants Ospreay, who seems to be favoring his knee. Bulldog clotheslines him for two as the replays and camera cuts continue.

A C4 gives Ospreay the same and he reverses the running powerslam into a dragon suplex. The spinning kick to the head gives Ospreay two as the rapid camera cuts continue. Ospreay’s shooting star (cut) hits feet (cut to crowd) and he bounces backwards (cut), allowing Bulldog to suplex him for another near fall. A Batista Bomb gets two more but Ospreay slips out of a superplex to hit the Cheeky Nandos kick. Ospreay loads up the springboard Oscutter but gets caught in a super powerslam (cool) for the pin at 7:50.

Rating: C+. Well, it was better than the opener, but a lot of that is going to be due to having two very talented guys in there and allowing them to do some stuff. Ospreay is the kind of guy who is going to be able to get cheered all day and British Bulldog Jr. is a layup on a show like this. Or any show actually as he’s rather good. The cutting is REALLY annoying though as it’s every ten seconds at most. Slow things down a bit.

There’s going to be a Tag Team Title tournament but Kip Sabian and Iestyn Rees don’t want to hear about the rest of the teams. When you’re as good as they are, you’re the only team.

Tag Team Title Tournament First Round: Martin Kirby/Joe Hendry vs. Iestyn Rees/Kip Sabian

The fans REALLY likes Hendry, or at least they’ve been coached about how to wave their arms to his music. Shane sums up Rees and Sabian as the bully and the big mouth. That’s not exactly an in-depth analysis, but it’s a description that tells you something about these guys and that’s a step in the right direction. Hendry wrestles Sabian down to start and it’s Kirby coming in to work on the arm.

Sabian runs him over a few times and keeps posing but gets taken down by a headscissors. A little cheating from Rees (which Barrett calls skullduggery, because he’s awesome) allows Sabian to score with a springboard dropkick on Hendry. We hit the double arm crank and Hendry gets driven into the corner to keep him in trouble. Hendry’s rollup gets two but the kickout sends him into Kirby, who lands on a cameraman.

A side slam into a slingshot legdrop gets two on Hendry but he gets his knees up to avoid a splash. That’s enough for the tag….or at least it would be if Kirby didn’t walk out on Hendry. Just to show off a bit, Hendry, who isn’t a big guy, gives them both a fall away slam at the same time and it’s an ankle lock to Sabian. Rees breaks it up with a missile dropkick, followed by a powerbomb/top rope clothesline for the pin on Hendry at 7:43.

Rating: C-. Sabian and Reese are a nice heel team and Hendry has more charisma than he knows what to do with, which is a good sign as he now has a built in feud with Kirby. This was a good way to showcase everyone involved, save for maybe Kirby who didn’t really do much here. It’s not a bad match or anything, but it’s more about setting stuff up for the future and that’s fine.

World of Sport Title: Rampage vs. Justin Sysum vs. Grado

One fall to a finish. Grado is defending and Bennett rants about him dancing his way to the ring. Rampage has Samuels and another guy named CJ Banks (had to look him up) with him. Sysum doesn’t have anyone with him but he does wear a cape. Rampage knocks the champ down to start but gets elbowed and punched to the floor. That allows Grado to sidestep a shoulder block, sending Sysum flat onto his face in a cute moment. Grado gyrates a bit and helps Sysum throw the rampaging Rampage over the top to keep it one on one.

Rampage and company pull Sysum to the floor so Grado cannonballs onto them off the apron for a big crash. With Sysum on the floor, Rampage slams Grado for two but here’s Sysum again with a top rope clothesline. Grado kicks him down and adds a cannonball in the corner, followed by a cutter to Rampage. Sysum makes the save and hits a 450 for two more on Grado but Rampage breaks it up. Rampage throws Sysum to the floor and hits an implant DDT on Grado for the pin and the title at 5:22.

Rating: D+. It wouldn’t make sense if we didn’t have another fast match which had some flashes of interesting stuff sprinkled in. The wrestling was ok with Sysum looking good, but the best thing here was getting title off of a comedy guy and onto someone who can be a fine heel champion. Just more rushed stuff here and I didn’t have any kind of connection to anyone involved.

Next week: a ladder match and the first Women’s Champion. That’s kind of a lot for the second week of a series.

Overall Rating: D. I feel like I’ve just watched a three hour show but it was crammed into 45 minutes. There was WAY too much going on here and no time was spent introducing anyone (I only know Grado because of TNA). This was a REALLY bad idea for a first episode, though there are some good things here and there.

You had the good second match, some names who were able to look good while given the chance, and the title change to end the show. The problem is I had to stop and think about those things because none of them were allowed to have the time to develop or sink in. That’s where we get to the biggest problem.

Again though, the problem was presenting this as the debut. They moved in and out so fast and really expected the fans to know who these people were or not care enough about them. I learned something about Grado, Sabian and Rees. Other than that, everyone came and went so fast that I can barely remember their names, including the person who won the title in the main event. Sysum and Ospreay were impressive, but other than that no one’s in-ring work really stuck out.

It’s not a complete disaster, but it feels like no one working on this really knew what they were doing. I really hope this gets better because there is some good stuff here (the set, some of the talent) but the problems (STOP CUTTING THE CAMERA EVERY TWO SECONDS) heavily outweigh the positives.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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