Reviews

In this WCW Bash at the Beach 1996 review, Team WCW squares off with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, who finally reveal the third man in their group.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
• Date: July 7, 1996
• Location: Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, FL

RINGSIDE: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, and Dusty Rhodes do a fantastic job hyping up the HOSTILE TAKEOVER. I also love how they’re surrounded by security. It’s the little things.

Blake’s Match Rating Guide: I’m using a new match rating system, which focuses on three simple categories and ignores the need to rate every single match since different matches have different goals. This makes it easier to suggest the best matches rather than compare every match on the card:

• Recommended (Worth watching)
• Must-See (You must watch it)
• Legendary (An all-time classic)

Psychosis vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.

Mike Tenay on commentary, and not to be outdone, Heenan compares Rey’s hair to Demi Moore. Rey goes to the half crab early, but Psychosis reverses it into his own submission attempt. Tenay informs us both men wrestled in Mexico last night, so that’s an interesting tidbit. Psychosis goes to the scissors, and Rey counters into the Indian Death Lock. Great athleticism from both men after that, including Psychosis doing a suicide dive that nearly decapitated him on the guardrail. Holy shit. That was brutal. He pops right back up through and goes to work on Rey inside the ring. Nice guillotine leg drop from Psychosis, and he continues the onslaught. Heenan adds a joke about Rey being the original San Diego Chicken, and I can appreciate that one.

It’s all Psychosis until Rey catapults him on the apron into the ring post, then Rey does the hurricanrana onto Psychosis on the outside. This was 1996! Rey with a springboard into a hurricanrana in another incredible display of talent, and that gets a two count. Psychosis gets pissed and uses some aggression to launch Rey onto the top rope. They go back outside, and Psychosis drops Rey neck-first onto the guardrail. Psychosis then does a back senton onto Rey. These two are WORKING. Psychosis gets a near fall and goes to the camel clutch. Dusty says he may “uncle” Rey. You’ve gotta love Dusty. Tremendous exchange from Rey and Psychosis, and the fans are into it. Rey dropkicks Psychosis and goes up top with a hurricanrana to send Psychosis back outside. Just wild stuff.

Rey gets a two count and dropkicks Psychosis from the front and back. And now Rey with a twisting asai moonsault. This is AWESOME. Rey goes back for another aerial move, but Psychosis turns it into a power bomb for a near fall. Psychosis then rams Rey into the turnbuckle. Psychosis goes up top to deliver the Splash Mountain, but Rey reverses it into a GREAT hurricanrana to get the pin. (Must-See)

BACKSTAGE: Gene Okerlund with Konnan, who explains the finishing sequence in the previous match. Konnan takes aim at Ric Flair as they’re set to square off for the United States title.

Big Bubba (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. John Tenta – Silver Dollar Pole Match

Well, that’s certainly a stipulation. The objective is to climb this huge pole, get the bag of silver dollars, and whack your opponent. Reminder that these two went at it at Great American Bash 1996, so this continues the feud. Heenan claims Tenta was 187 pounds when he was born, and boy do I feel for his mother. This pole is so long that I have no clue how either are gonna reach this thing. Tenta decides that removing the straps to take the pole down is the best approach, but Bubba starts choking him with a belt. Also, I can’t tell you how much I love Dusty saying “Bubber” to reference Bubba. Lots of heel maneuvers from Bubba, who ties Tenta to the ropes with athletic tape. Hart starts climbing the pole and grabs the bag, then he realizes he has to come back down where Tenta is waiting on him. Tenta steals the bag and hammers Bubba to pick up the win.

RINGSIDE: More hype for the main event from the announcers, including questions on the third man and Schiavone pleading for Eric Bischoff to call in since no one can find him.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Sting, Lex Luger, and Randy Savage. They don’t care who the third man is because they’re ready to fight.

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan – Taped Fist Lord of the Ring Match

To my knowledge, this is the only time in wrestling history we’ve seen a Silver Dollar Pole Match and Taped Fist Lord of the Ring Match in back-to-back matches. Could be wrong though. DDP is tremendous as the heel in this one, and it’s easy to understand why he was working his way up the WCW ladder. His mannerisms and facial expressions are top-notch stuff. A back and forth match with both men keeping the crowd invested with their character work, but it’s DDP with the Diamond Cutter to score the victory. Short and sweet. Duggan nails DDP with the taped fist after the match.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with The Giant, Kevin Sullivan, and Jimmy Hart. They’re set to spar with the Four Horsemen. Giant doesn’t think Sullivan is the weak link, despite opinions to the contrary.

ON THE STAGE: Lee Marshall with Arn Anderson and Chris Benoit. If they win, one of the Horsemen gets a shot at the WCW title on Nitro.

Public Enemy vs. The Nasty Boys – Four-Man Dog Collar Match

Make it three gimmick matches in a row. As you would expect, all four men are chained, with Brian Knobs connected to Johnny Grunge, and Jerry Sags connected to Rocco Rock. They utilize the split screen to keep tabs on both pairs, which includes weapons, fighting in sand, and one of Schiavone’s greatest commentary lines ever: “He’s beating a man with a rubber shark!” Incredible. Surfboards and intertubes join the chaos. Knobs with multiple unprotected chair shots to Grunge, and those never age well. Schiavone, Heenan, and Dusty are throwing out every pun they can come up with. It’s great. There’s a table in the ring, with Sags pulling Rocco off the top and the table doesn’t break. They try again with Sags doing an ax handle. The table still won’t break. Knobs then proceeds to try to hang Grunge with the chain, as Sags pins Rocco for the win. The commentary was the best part of this match. Afterward, Rocco and Grunge attack Knobs and Sags, with Sags being put through the table that wouldn’t break.

BACKSTAGE: Gene is outside the Outsiders’ locker room, and he’s protected by security. He continues to push the magnitude of the story.

Disco Inferno vs. (c) Dean Malenko – WCW Cruiserweight Title

Disco invites everyone to his disco dance party after he wins. Malenko is one of those guys that still doesn’t get enough love. When you go back and watch his skill, it’s a thing of beauty. He was so good in the ring. Schiavone notes that every Malenko move is crisp and that it’s done with such force that his opponents can’t ignore it. That’s an accurate description. Disco reverses the momentum, but Malenko returns to his cerebral style to regain the advantage. The crowd isn’t exactly invested in Disco’s offense, though the announcers do what they can to push him as a legitimate threat. Disco with a few near falls, but Malenko eventually uses the Texas Cloverleaf to earn the victory.

Joe Gomez vs. Steve McMichael (w/Debra)

Mongo turned on Kevin Greene and joined the Four Horsemen at Great American Bash. Apparently Gomez took exception to that, and that’s why we’re having this match. Gomez was pretty new to the scene here, as his first Nitro match was against Disco in June. This one is far from a technical masterpiece, but both worked hard. Mongo hits the Tombstone and that’ll do it to give him the win.

BACKSTAGE: Gene is distracted by Woman’s beauty, then turns his attention to Flair and Elizabeth. Flair predicts that he’ll win the US title on this show before winning the World title on Nitro. Woman seduces Gene again, and Flair taunts Savage.

Ric Flair (w/Elizabeth and Woman) vs. (c) Konnan – US Heavyweight Title

Heenan brings up whether Flair can wrestle Konnan’s style. It’s a reasonable question since these two have a different approach. Konnan works his style early to take things to the mat, but Flair uses Elizabeth and Woman to turn the tide. Woman even gets in the ring and kicks Konnan right in the nuts while Flair has referee Nick Patrick distracted. Konnan is back in it, and we get the trademark Flair flop and turnbuckle flip. Konnan locks in the Figure Four on Flair which works to a near fall. More offense from Konnan, including an obvious three count if not for Elizabeth hopping on the apron and Patrick losing focus. That allows Woman to hit Konnan with the heel of her shoe, and Flair uses the ropes for leverage to score the pin and win the title. (Recommended)

BACKSTAGE: Gene is outside the Outsiders’ locker room, and in a moment of storyline brilliance, he notes that they’ve been joined by someone and that the voice sounds familiar. However, it’s muffled, so he’s not sure who it is. Gene asks Schiavone if he knows who it could be, and he doesn’t. Schiavone asks Gene about the voice, and he makes it clear it’s someone they’ve heard before. Heenan wants Gene to offer the security some cash. Gene reiterates that there’s still no word from Bischoff.

Arn Anderson and Chris Benoit vs. Kevin Sullivan and The Giant

Sullivan and Giant attack the Horsemen from behind as they’re making their entrance. Mongo hits Giant with a briefcase, and the latter gives chase to the back. But he comes back shortly after as Arn and Benoit work over Sullivan. That’s the theme of the match, with the Horsemen keeping Sullivan in their half of the ring and keeping Giant in the hot tag spot. Sullivan finally makes the tag, and Giant goes after Arn while Sullivan and Benoit fight to the announce position right in front of Schiavone, Heenan, and Dusty. Giant chokeslams Arn to notch the victory, so no title shot for Flair.

IN THE RING: In an interesting visual, Giant and Hart walk to the back and just ignore Sullivan getting his ass kicked by Benoit. They fight back to the ring, and Woman comes in to plead with Benoit to stop attacking Sullivan, with Dusty asking why she’d do that. Then Giant comes back to send Benoit retreating. I have no idea why Giant left in the first place.

VIDEO: A look at the hostile takeover and the build to the main event. This is well done in pushing all the key plot points.

IN THE RING: Michael Buffer does his introductions, and they’re fantastic. He calls Hall and Nash “interlopers” and points out there’s no third man. Gene enters the ring and wants to know where the third man is at. Hall says he’s here and he’s ready. Nash confirms he’s in the building and they have enough to handle it.

Scott Hall and Kevin Nash vs. Sting, Lex Luger, and Randy Savage

And this is what it’s all been building to. Not even a minute into the match, Sting hits a Stinger Splash on Nash in the corner. But the issue is Nash was holding down Luger, and the splash sends Luger down to the outside. Sting and Savage check on him, then the medical team comes out to put Luger on a gurney. So now it’s two on two with Luger out of the equation, which is another brilliant development and we’ll explain why shortly. Once again, the commentary trio is tremendous at pushing the threat of the Outsiders and their hatred for what they’ve done to WCW. Hall and Nash take control and work over Sting for a while.

Sting eventually makes the hot tag to Savage, and he cleans house. But Nash with the low blow after Randy Anderson gets distracted by Hall, and now everyone is down. HERE COMES HULK HOGAN. That leads to the famous line from Heenan: “Yeah, but whose side is he on?” I can appreciate it given the years of hatred he had for Hogan, though I can also understand why Bischoff and company would be pissed since it inserted some doubt. Of course, then Hogan shoves Anderson and hits the leg drop on Savage to officially reveal himself as the third man. There are a few fans in the crowd who LOVE this development. Hogan pins Savage as Hall does the mock three count, but Schiavone won’t acknowledge that shit.

Wrestling fans know what happens next. The fans pelt them with trash as Gene enters the ring. Hogan goes full heel on the fans and adopts the New World Order moniker. He then explains how he became bigger than the WWF and WCW. They’re gonna destroy everyone in their path, and the trash just keeps coming. Hogan tells the fans to stick it and continues to run them down. What a masterful piece of business from everyone involved, including Schiavone’s sign-off line of “Hulk Hogan, you can go to hell….straight to hell!” By taking Luger out early, it evened the playing field, which only furthered the idea that Hogan’s arrival would mean WCW would once again have the advantage. Though Heenan’s last cast some doubt, it didn’t make the turn any less shocking. Wrestling’s biggest babyface turned his back on his fans and his company and thus, in the process, created an undeniable buzz that has never been rivaled. This earns legendary status not for the in-ring action, but for all the elements that built to one of the most stunning reveals in wrestling history. (Legendary)

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WCW BASH AT THE BEACH 1996

Overall Rating: 8.0/10

Thoughts: Bash at the Beach 1996 is a perfect example of a show where all parts cannot be rated equally. This was all about the payoff to the biggest angle in the business at the time, and boy was the payoff worth your money. For that reason, it’s impossible to call this a bad show and anything other than a rousing success. The opener and Flair vs. Konnan are also quality matches.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF RAW 4/8/02 review, Ric Flair announces two No. 1 Contender’s matches, Trish Stratus gets her hands on Molly Holly, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

– We get a SmackDown recap of Vince McMahon naming Hulk Hogan the No. 1 contender for the Undisputed title after Ric Flair said it would be The Undertaker on RAW.

IN THE RING: Naturally, Taker is pissed and wants answers. Flair struts out and says he got a little too ambitious. However, he gets to make the championship match after Backlash, so Flair tells him to calm the hell down. Taker calls him a no-good son of a bitch, which is the opposite of calming the hell down. Taker once again refers to the beating he gave Flair at WrestleMania 18 and demands Flair make him the No. 1 contender.

Taker threatens him but here comes Steve Austin. He orchestrates the ‘What’ chants like an absolute legend and takes shots at both Flair and Taker. Austin’s watch is talking to him! Siri in 2002. Austin wants Flair to make a decision on if it’ll be him or Taker as the No. 1 contender. Flair has issues with both of them and says if anyone touches him, there will be hell to pay. He then announces two top contender matches with Taker vs. Rob Van Dam and Austin vs. Scott Hall.

Taker is once again pissed and tells Flair there’s gonna be hell to pay if he doesn’t get the title match. Taker then calls Austin “cueball” and Austin goes after Taker. I can’t say I miss the era of 20-minute promos to start a show. Even with three legends like this, it was probably longer than it needed to be.

Booker T vs. (c) Bubba Ray Dudley – WWF Hardcore Title

Before the match, Booker says the folks came to see the SPINNEROONI. He’s right! Booker does the spinnerooni and wants Bubba to do the same. Bubba then does a dance that must be seen to be believed before Booker attacks to start the match. We’ve got trash cans and trumpets as the weapons of choice, which is a unique combination.

Booker takes control and uses a stop sign and trash can on Bubba. JR pumps up Bubba as a singles competitor, then the fans want tables. WHERE’S D’VON? That’s right, he’s on SmackDown. Bubba brings out the table anyways, but Goldust hits the ring and hits a DDT on Booker. Bubba then powerbombs Goldust and pins him for the win…..I think?

BACKSTAGE: Jonathan Coachman with Trish Stratus. We see the recap of Molly Holly attacking Trish last week during the BIKINI PADDLE ON A POLE MATCH. That was real. Trish talks about Molly getting her from behind, and of course, the crowd can’t help themselves. William Regal walks in and isn’t happy about Trish flashing her BRISTLES to everyone. Regal goes to talk about Spike Dudley, and Trish makes fun of Regal losing to him. Regal rants on Spike.

BACKSTAGE: Terri finds Kane looking at the Divas swimsuit issue. Kane says just because he has a burnt face, it doesn’t mean his other parts aren’t working. VINTAGE KANE. Terri asks him about approaching life differently, and Kane says freaks kick ass. He hypes his match with X-Pac and says he sucks.

BACKSTAGE: X-Pac with Hall and Kevin Nash. X-Pac doesn’t want them coming with him to the ring.

X-Pac vs. Kane – Falls Count Anywhere Match

These two go right at each other and JR expects Hall and Nash to interfere. X-Pac and Kane fight into the crowd and they make their way backstage. Hall and Nash immediately destroy Kane with a pipe and 2×4, with X-Pac using the chair on Kane for the win. After the match, X-Pac rips Kane’s mask off but Bradshaw runs them off.

BACKSTAGE: After the break, Kane is being attended to as we transition to X-Pac wearing Kane’s mask. Flair walks in pissed, and Nash threatens him. So Flair suspends his ass. Nash wants to sue Flair but he doesn’t care.

Spike Dudley vs. (c) William Regal – European Title

Hilarious spot before the match starts with Regal dropping a pair of brass knucks. The referee picks them up to get them out of the ring, which allows Regal to place a second pair in the turnbuckle. Spike runs down and clocks Regal with the knucks before the bell, and he quickly pins Regal to win the title. This was clever.

BACKSTAGE: Coach with Spike. Tommy Dreamer and Big Show walk by and pour slurpies on Spike, with Jacqueline also congratulating him. Then it’s Bubba Ray who shakes Spike’s hand.

Rob Van Dam vs. The Undertaker – No. 1 Contender’s Match

Again, the winner goes to Backlash to face the winner of the Austin vs. Hall match. Taker comes out with a vengeance and pounds away at RVD. It’s pretty incredible to watch RVD in this era, as he was so entertaining with his unique style. Rolling Thunder to Taker in what is one of my favorite RVD moves.

Taker essentially loses it and grabs a chair, but RVD quickly hits a Van Daminator. Then RVD goes up top and sees Eddie Guerrero out of the corner of his eye on the outside. So he flies onto him, but once RVD hops back in, he gets a chokeslam for a near fall. Taker goes for the Last Ride, but RVD reverses and hits a missile dropkick.

Five Star Frog Splash onto Taker, and in a great spot, Eddie hits RVD from behind with the IC title as the referee checks on Taker. Eddie then fakes an injury as the ref turns around. Taker goes for the pin, and RVD kicks out at two and a half. But Taker finally hits a huge Last Tide and gets the pin for the victory. The interference finish (which was a theme in this era) won’t be for everyone, but I really enjoyed this match. (Recommended)

RINGSIDE: Jazz joins commentary, and boy does she have a black eye. Brutal.

BACKSTAGE: Terri with Molly Holly. Molly explains why she attacked Trish and says she’s one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world. Terri thinks she’s jealous of the hot divas, and Molly says she’s pure and wholesome.

Trish Stratus vs. Molly Holly

JR continues to ask Jazz questions, but she’s no-selling everything. Good stuff. I like the character change for Molly. She did have a claim for being the best wrestler, so why not embrace it? Trish comes out aggressive, and that’s a little thing that’s important since she should be angry about Molly attacking her.

Lawler keeps trying to get Jazz to speak, and she’s not having it. Eventually, Trish confronts Jazz, and with an assist from Molly, Jazz nails Trish with the title while the referee is down. Molly then does a modified pin to steal the win.

RINGSIDE: JR and Lawler hype Triple H vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan at Backlash.

BACKSTAGE: Brock Lesnar is pacing around the room and Paul Heyman tries to calm him down by taunting Phoenix.

IN THE RING: Heyman announces he’s officially Lesnar’s agent, and he hypes Lesnar as “the next big thing.” He uses more superlatives but really pushes that line, which we know would stick. Even two decades later, it’s easy to why Lesnar would become such a huge star. He has “it.” The Hardy Boyz come in to attack Lesnar, and he throws them out. Then they come back in with chairs and hit Lesnar with two BRUTAL chair shots to the head. I cringe every time I see those in this era.

Mr. Perfect vs. The Big Show

Before the match, they show the huge dent in one of the chairs from the attack on Lesnar. If you’ve read any of my other reviews, you know that Perfect is one of my favorites. It was fun seeing him back in WWE during this short run. Perfect actually hits the Perfect Plex on Show (I am not joking), but Show kicks out at one and chokeslams Perfect for the quick victory.

BACKSTAGE: Austin enters Flair’s office and sits in his chair with his feet on the desk.

VIDEO: Hype for the WWF Divas Tropical Pleasure VHS tape. That probably got a few buys.

BACKSTAGE: Austin is still waiting for Flair, and in he comes. Austin is confused by Taker being the No. 1 contender, and Flair explains they’ll wrestle at Backlash. I thought that was already made clear, but I could be wrong.

Scott Hall (w/X-Pac) vs. Steve Austin – No. 1 Contender’s Match

X-Pac walks out with Kane’s mask to continue that storyline. Austin runs wild to start the match, which includes choking Hall with his jacket. This match is a full-on brawl between these two, with X-Pac getting involved on the outside. Hall takes control for a bit, but Austin fights back and we get a double clothesline.

Lou Thesz Press from Austin swings the momentum, but it’s another ref bump. Austin takes out Hall and X-Pac, then Taker runs in and hits a chokeslam on Austin. Bradshaw hits the ring and brawls with Taker through the crowd. Hall goes for the pin, but Austin kicks out.

Yet another ref bump, and X-Pac is back in for the 2-on-1 attack. Flair hits the ring and clocks X-Pac, then Austin hits the Stunner on X-Pac and Hall and pins Hall for the victory. Austin then hits the Stunner on Flair. A little too much happening in that finish for my liking, but the crowd was into it.

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BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF RAW 4/8/02

• Overall Rating: 5.0/10
• RAW vs. SmackDown Standings (based on my show ratings, updated after 4/4 SmackDown): SmackDown leads 1-0
• Thoughts: As usual, most of the matches were more about furthering storylines than anything else. Upon rewatching this show it was clear they were trying a lot of different things, though none of it was all that appealing. I enjoyed Taker vs. RVD more than most probably, but the rest of the stuff was just kind of there. The numerous ref bumps and interference finishes were also a glaring issue with this episode.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF SmackDown 4/4/02 review, it’s all about finding Triple H’s opponent for Backlash.

Let’s dive in.

– Vince McMahon is sitting on his comfortable couch and notes Ric Flair did not have the authority to name the No. 1 Contender for Triple H. Therefore, since Vince won the coin toss in the draft, he gets to name the top challenger. SUSPENSE.

– Michael Cole and Tazz hype the main event between Kurt Angle and Edge. Angle makes his way to the ring and he wants to publicly state that he’ll face Triple H at Backlash for the Undisputed title. Now we get the list of reasons why he can beat Triple H, including being adored by children and senior citizens worldwide! Before he can get to the other 26 reasons, Chris Jericho comes out. Jericho contends he deserves the title shot because he hasn’t gotten his one-on-one rematch. Jericho says he’s accepting the title shot and Angle doesn’t like it. They bicker for a bit until Jericho challenges Angle for a shot at Triple H. Here comes The Rock. He seems to set up making his case for getting a title shot, then says someone else may deserve it more. The crowd starts chanting for Hulk Hogan, and sure enough, that’s what Rock was thinking. Jericho and Angle are pissed, but Rock doesn’t care what they think. He lets the crowd chant for their pick, and it’s Hogan.

– Scotty 2 Hotty hypes up Albert for their opportunity at the WWF Tag Team titles.

Scotty 2 Hotty and Albert vs. (c) Billy and Chuck (w/Rico) – WWF Tag Team Titles

The Billy and Chuck team probably wasn’t everyone’s favorite, but their chemistry in this era is undeniable. They’re also good workers. As usual, Rico got ivolved in this one, leading to the referee getting distracted with Alberto and Palumbo on the outside. That allowed Rico to hop in and roundhouse kick Scotty, and Billy got the pin to retain.

• Rating: *1/2

– After the match, Albert comes in to get face to face with Rico. However, Albert turns and destroys Scotty. HEEL TURN.

– Mark Lloyd asks Vince about his decision on the No. 1 contender. Vince says he knows what the public wants more than they do. That’s interesting. Vince then says it’ll be Triple H vs. Hogan at Backlash.

– Jericho loses it and seeks out Rock, and they set up a match for later.

– We get a video of the partnership between Diamond Dallas Page and Christian, which saw DDP teach Christian the power of positive thinking. What a storyline. Of course, Christian eventually turns on him, and DDP got his revenge at WrestleMania 18.

Christian vs. Diamond Dallas Page

The stuff between these two actually was pretty entertaining. I mean, it was certainly better than DDP stalking The Undertaker‘s wife. Quick start to this match with several counters and near falls. Christian throws a tantrum, but he was faking. Christian quickly refocuses to hit the Unprettier to get the win.

• Rating: *1/2

– Angle is still angry about Vince’s decision. Edge walks up to him and says he feels bad that their friendship ended. That leads to the memorable skit where Edge has pictures of Angle, but on the back, they say things like “Yes I suck” and “I’m a dork” when Angle holds them up. Edge leaves before Angle realizes it.

– Triple H comes out and discusses Hogan as his new opponent for Backlash. HERE COMES THE HULKSTER. Hogan says he didn’t think it could get bigger than WrestleMania I, then WrestleMania III, then WrestleMania 18. But now it doesn’t get any bigger than the Undisputed title, and if the fans think he deserves a shot, he’s gonna take it. Triple H says it’ll be an honor to face it, but he’s sad he’s gonna have to hurt someone he’s looked up to. Triple H really plays up his old heel tendencies as the crowd is fully behind Hogan. This was great stuff from both men to get you invested in the Backlash match.

Edge vs. Kurt Angle

Edge’s Rob Zombie theme is another Forceable Entry classic. I mentioned the chemistry with Billy and Chuck earlier, but add Edge and Angle to the list of awesome chemistry guys. That applies not only to their heel group but also as opponents. Cool spot early on with Angle getting caught in the ropes, and Edge taking advantage by hitting back-to-back spears. Angle grabs a chair but it innocently lays on the apron for a few until he uses the chair to block Edge’s offense, leading to the DQ.

• Rating: **

– After the match, Angle goes to use the chair on Edge, but Edge counters and Angle escapes.

– Billy Kidman walks up to Torrie Wilson in the back. Kidman knows Torrie will be in Tajiri‘s corner, and he wants to wish them the best of luck. Tajiri catches Torrie hugging Kidman and is pissed. So, he asks Torrie to kiss him. She does. PIMPJIRI.

Billy Kidman vs. (c) Tajiri (w/Torrie Wilson) – WWF Cruiserweight Title

Tazz gives Kidman shit for trying to hook up with Torrie backstage. Gotta love Tazz. Obviously, this is a hell of a matchup with two outstanding talents. I liked them both, but still don’t think Tajiri gets enough credit for his skills. These two traded incredible offense right off the bat and eventually worked to the tarantula spot. At one point, Torrie grabbed the belt and held onto it, and when Tajiri went to use it as a weapon, he realized it wasn’t there. Kidman then took control and pinned Tajiri for the victory to win the title.

• Rating: **

– Tajiri grabs a mic and loses his mind on Torrie.

– Vince tells Bob Holly about his hatred of Maven. He wants Holly to teach Maven a lesson. Pretty sure Maven is gonna get the shit beat out of him. Holly leaves and Stacy Kiebler enters. She wants to offer Vince her services, Vince drops his papers (not his trousers), and Stacy bends over to get them. Stacy talks about Vince’s sperm quote on RAW and they take a seat on the couch.

– Back from commercial, and an angry D’Von Dudley confronts Vince. D’Von is pissed about the Dudley Boyz split and wants an explanation. Vince sweet talks D’Von and then challenges him to find out who he is. Vince throws him out of his office and tells him not to come back until he’s ready. TESTIFY.

– Al Snow with Maven. Snow hypes the ass whooping Maven is gonna get from Holly. Pretty funny.

Maven vs. Hardcore Holly

After a flurry of offense from Maven, Holly delivers some VICIOUS chops and proceeds to kick him in the nuts. Classic Bob Holly. Maven fights back to regain the momentum, but Holly hits the Alabama Slam for the victory.

• Rating: NR

– We get a recap of the setup for the Jericho vs. Rock main event.

Chris Jericho vs. The Rock

We’ve got a BROUHAHA on our hands as they fight into the crowd before the match even begins. Jericho gains the advantage by slingshotting Rock into the post, then the match officially starts. They went into full throttle from there, with lots of back and forth to keep the crowd on their feet. However, the shenanigans eventually came into play, with Angle hitting the ring only to get his ass kicked by Rock. Jericho goes for the People’s Elbow on Rock, but Rock pops up to go for it himself. Angle stops him and hits the Angle Slam. However, Rock kicks out at two and a half. Edge runs down to attack Angle and we’ve got chaos everywhere. Jericho goes for the Lion Sault, but he misses and Rock hits the Rock Bottom for the win. Hot main event.

Rating: ***

Blake’s SmackDown 4/4/02 Awards

• Best Match: Chris Jericho vs. The Rock
• Overall SmackDown 4/4/02 Rating: 7.0/10
• RAW vs. SmackDown Show Ratings (based on my individual show scores through Week 1): SmackDown leads 1-0
• Thoughts: This was a fun first brand split edition of SmackDown. I really enjoyed the Triple H/Hogan segment to set up their Undisputed title match at Backlash. It was strong promo work from both men. Meanwhile, Rock vs. Jericho was entertaining, and it showcased SmackDown’s loaded roster with the involvement from Angle and Edge.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WrestleMania X-Seven review, The Rock defends the WWF title against Steve Austin, Vince McMahon squares off with Shane McMahon, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

Show: WrestleMania X-Seven

Date: April 1, 2001

VIDEO: An awesome opening video package with narration from Freddie Blassie.

RINGSIDE: Jim Ross and Paul Heyman open up the show with “My Way” from Limp Bizkit playing in the background. This is, of course, Heyman’s first WrestleMania on commentary.

William Regal vs. (c) Chris Jericho – Intercontinental Title

We get a video package hyping the storyline, which included Commissioner Regal putting Jericho through the wringer. That led to Jericho pissing in Regal’s tea. Sometimes all you need to start a feud is a little urine in a man’s drink. Regal’s chest looks like chopped meat in the early going, and he goes the technical route to work over Jericho’s shoulder. Regal controls most of the match, and when Jericho tries to turn him over for the Walls, the shoulder won’t allow him to do it. Regal stretches him to put even more damage on the shoulder, but Jericho manages to reach the ropes. After more back and forth, Jericho hits the Lionsault to retain.

Blake’s Take: A pretty straightforward match with the heel focusing on a single body part, only for the babyface to find enough to win. Jericho and Regal know their wrestling psychology, and this was simple but effective. (Recommended)

IN THE PARKING LOT: A limo pulls up with a “WCW 1” license plate. It’s Shane McMahon.

BACKSTAGE: Bradshaw is pissed off, and Farooq and Jacqueline try to calm him down.

Right to Censor (Val Venis, Bull Buchanan, & The Goodfather) vs. Tazz & The Accolytes (w/Jacqueline)

Tazz’s entrance theme is on WWF The Music Vol. 5, and I thought that was one of the better CDs in this era. The Right to Censor really was a wild group when you look back at it. All hell breaks loose before the bell rings, then it continues with a flurry of offense from both sides. The fans came to see the RTC get their asses kicked, and that seemed to be the aim of this match. Bradshaw with a superplex to Val, then he ducks a Goodfather splash and hits the Clothesline From Hell for the victory.

Blake’s Take: Sometimes the crowd just wants to see the annoying heels get what they deserve. That’s what this was, and it worked fine.

BACKSTAGE: Trish Stratus rolls Linda McMahon around in a wheelchair, and Stephanie McMahon cuts them off in the hallway. Steph mocks Linda and wants Trish to get the victory celebration ready for after the match. This storyline was something.

Big Show vs. Kane vs. (c) Raven – Hardcore Title

I haven’t watched this match since 2001, but I do remember thinking it was a hidden gem. Let’s see if that holds true 22 years later. Raven and Kane start fighting before Show even makes his entrance. Once he does, Kane throws Raven to Show, who catches him. Kane decides to go up top and fly off onto Show in a nice sequence. All three fight into the crowd, and it’s total chaos as you would expect. They make their way to the back, where Kane throws Raven through a wall, then Show slams Kane onto some pallets. Show tries to padlock an area to keep Kane out, but Kane breaks the door. He’s done that before, folks! Kane throws Raven through a glass window, and Show literally puts Kane through a door. Those two put each other through a door after that. Raven hops on a golf cart, so Show hops on the back. They run into a chain fence, so Kane decides to do them one better and grab his own golf cart. He then proceeds to try to run over Raven’s foot. This match is pure nonsense and I love it. JR with the line of the match after Show throws Raven onto a table of catering: “There goes the Snapple.” Not the Snapple! They finally make their way back to the stage, and Kane gives a big boot to Show, who is holding Raven above his head. That sends them off the stage through some padding. Kane jumps off the stage with a leg drop onto Show to win the title.

Blake’s Take: By no means a technical classic, but this was everything I wanted in a WWF hardcore match in this era. A lot of big spots and a 7-foot monster hitting a Hulk Hogan leg drop off a stage. What more could you ask for? (Recommended)

BACKSTAGE: Kurt Angle is watching footage of Chris Benoit making him tap out during a recent segment. Edge and Christian are in a good mood, but Angle reiterates to them that he never officially tapped out.

AT WWF NEW YORK: Jimmy Snuka is there with fans.

RINGSIDE: Jonathan Coachman interviews an Australian woman who says “WWF RULES!”

BACKSTAGE: The Rock is here, and he’s already getting booed by the fans.

Eddie Guerrero (w/Perry Saturn) vs. (c) Test – European Title

JR makes it clear that he hates Saturn’s obnoxious hat. The story in the early going is that Eddie has no answer for Test’s power. Also, Saturn takes the hat off, much to JR’s delight. Eddie goes for the hurricanrana off the top, but Test counters with a flying elbow to the face for a two count. Eddie distracts the referee to allow Saturn to get a few cheap shots in with Test’s leg tied up in the ropes. Eddie works over Test’s leg for a while after that to try to eliminate the size advantage. Test regains the momentum with two tilt-a-whirl slams, but Eddie kicks out at two. Eddie with a low blow that the referee doesn’t see, and the latter also somehow doesn’t see Saturn coming in the ring and hitting a snap suplex. The timing wasn’t great on that one, but it only gets Eddie a near fall. Test with the pump handle slam, and Eddie kicks out again. Saturn is back in the ring, and Test hits the big boot to both him and Eddie. However, here comes Dean Malenko to break up the count, which the referee once again doesn’t see. Test goes after Malenko, and what do you know, the referee is distracted again. That’s enough to allow Saturn to slip Eddie the belt, and he hits Test with it to win the title.

Blake’s Take: Lots of shenanigans from the Radicalz, and at times, it did make the referee look like a complete buffoon. But Eddie winning was the right move, and it’s always enjoyable to watch his underhanded tactics as a heel.

BACKSTAGE: Michael Cole with Mick Foley, who will referee Vince vs. Shane. Cole isn’t sure Foley can be fair, but he will be…..right here in Houston, Texas!

BACKSTAGE: Steve Austin has arrived, and he looks deep in thought.

RINGSIDE: Angle says he isn’t a big fan of the state of Texas. He’s curious why the state flag is missing 49 stars. He also calls the fans “bull riding, beer-bellied, Texas yeehaws” in a pretty tremendous line.

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit

Heyman’s excitement for this match is obvious: “This is as excited as a man can get with his clothes on.” They jockey for position as Angle tries to prove he’s the better technical wrestler. The crowd is eating this thing up. Angle regroups on the outside after Benoit goes for the Crossface, then Benoit does it again but Angle gets to the ropes. Angles turns up his aggression, as Heyman notes Angle is turning it into a brawl after getting outwrestled by Benoit. Great commentary there. Angle stays on offense for a bit, but Benoit fights back with chops. That doesn’t last, with Angle hitting multiple belly-to-belly suplexes to regain control. They exchange some vicious chops, and Benoit eventually hits a superplex off the top for a near fall. Two German suplexes from Benoit, but Angle goes for the Ankle Lock. However, Benoit counters into an Ankle Lock of his own before Angle fights out. Then Benoit locks on the Crossface in the middle of the ring, which Angle counters into his own Crossface before Benoit gets to the ropes. Awesome sequence. Benoit kicks Angle into the referee, and Angle taps to the Crossface….but the referee is still down. Angle hits the Angle Slam, but Benoit kicks out at two and three quarters. Angle goes for a moonsault, and Benoit gets the knees up. Benoit with the flying headbutt for another near fall. However, it’s Angle who counters another technical sequence, and he holds Benoit’s tights to score the victory.

Blake’s Take: This was great stuff from these two. They played up Angle’s frustration at Benoit’s ability to counter his technical wrestling moves, which forced him to find another way to win by any means necessary. Heyman was also fantastic in pushing the story of this match. (Must-See)

BACKSTAGE: Cole asks Regal how he’s doing. He’s fine, but what’s not fine is his desk. That’s because Kamala and Kim Chee are in there, with Kamala dancing on it. Regal’s response to Kamala wanting him to rub the moon on his belly is hilarious.

VIDEO: Members of the U.S. Army hang out with WWF superstars at a pep rally. This is worth watching for Angle’s comments alone.

BACKSTAGE: Kevin Kelly asks Angle if he respects Benoit. Angle loses it, and Benoit runs in and locks on the Crossface again as officials try to break it up.

VIDEO: We see highlights of the build to Chyna vs. Ivory.

Chyna vs. (c) Ivory – Women’s Title

JR and Heyman reveal that Chyna has signed a clause saying she can’t sue if Ivory injures her, which plays off the neck injury and stretcher angle at the Royal Rumble. The RTC is also banned from ringside. Ivory hits Chyna with the belt before the bell rings, then she goes to work on Chyna’s neck. Chyna takes over the match from there, and she pulls Ivory up to take a few more shots before hitting the power bomb to win the title.

Blake’s Take: Just like with the other RTC match, this accomplished what it needed to accomplish. The babyface triumphs, and the heel gets put in their place.

BACKSTAGE: Vince, Stephanie, and Trish with medicated Linda. Cole barges in and wants Vince’s reaction to the shocking development of Shane buying WCW. Vince says if he wants shocking, he’ll get shocking, and he guarantees it. Wonder what he means by that?!

VIDEO: All the craziness that led to Vince vs. Shane. That included Trish oiling up Vince for a massage, Vince making Trish bark like a dog, Vince and Trish exchanging tongues in front of Linda, and more wholesome entertainment like that.

RINGSIDE: Shane gives a shout to his new WCW friends in the suites. I spot Mark Jindrak, Lance Storm, Mike Awesome, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Stacy Keibler, Shawn Stasiak, Mike Sanders (maybe?), Hugh Morrus, and John Laurinaitis.

Shane McMahon vs. Vince McMahon (w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) – Street Fight w/ Special Guest Referee: Mick Foley

Shane takes out his aggression on Vince early on, and that leads to Stephanie getting involved and slapping the taste out of Shane’s mouth. Shane beats the hell out of Vince with a sign of some sort, then wraps an extension cord around his neck. Shane continues the beatdown and nails Vince with multiple kendo stick shots. Now he’s onto hitting Vince with a TV monitor and putting him on the Spanish announce table. Then comes the famous spot with Shane missing the flying elbow after Stephanie pulls Vince out of the way. And here comes Trish rolling Linda down the aisle. Trish checks on Vince and proceeds to slap him right in the face, so Stephanie slaps Trish and they brawl in the ring. Foley pulls Stephanie off, and she slaps him before running away. Trish chases Stephanie to the back as Vince locks eyes with Linda. Yep, she’s still medicated. Foley tries to get Linda out of the way, so Vince nails him with two chair shots. Vince picks Linda up and rolls her in the ring. He puts her in the corner in a chair, then throws in Shane and four trash cans. Vince pops Shane with a trash can and taunts Linda. Vince goes for the trash can shot for a third time, but SHE’S ALIVE. Seriously, the pop when Linda stands ups and kicks Vince is the nuts is truly insane. One of the loudest pops in this era, and that’s saying something. Foley beats up Vince, which allows Shane to hit the highlight reel coast-to-coast jump to smash the trash can in Vince’s face for the win.

Blake’s Take: The definition of Sports Entertainment. How could you not be sports entertained by this match? It hit all the McMahon family tropes and, again, Linda’s return to civilization was just nuts. It’s not a wrestling masterpiece, but for what it aimed to be, it’s pretty much perfect. (Must-See)

VIDEO: The Hardy Boyz were at WWF Axess, and Kevin Kelly asks them about TLC 2. Matt says their feud with Edge and Christian and The Dudley Boyz is personal. Jeff says he’s going into the match like it’s his last.

BACKSTAGE: Triple H has his game face on, and The Undertaker is warming up.

The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge and Christian vs. (c) The Dudley Boyz – TLC Match for the Tag Team Titles

JR plays up both Lita and Spike Dudley being injured, so they aren’t ringside with their teams. Rhyno had gored Lita in the build to the match. There’s no way to go move for move on a match like this, so we’ll hit the highlights. The crowd chants for tables a minute into the action, which makes sense. Plenty of ladder use right off the bat, with Edge and Christian dueling with Matt and Jeff, who hit a double team move off the ladder onto Christian. Then it’s the WASSUP from Bubba Ray and D’Von onto Edge. They make the fans happy by getting the tables. They power bomb Jeff through Edge on the table and set up multiple tables outside the ring. Bubba delivers a stiff ladder shot to Matt, and now all six men are climbing three separate ladders. Of course, they all fly off, including Christian going straight from the top of the ladder all the way to the floor. The other five at least had the ropes or mat break their fall.

Spike arrives, and he hits the bulldog on Edge before doing the same to Christian from the top through a ladder on the outside. Now it’s Rhyno’s turn to join the mix, and he spears Matt through a table in the corner. Next up is Lita, thong hanging out and all. She goes after Edge, but Rhino picks her up. Spike makes the save with a low blow to Rhyno, then she hits a hurricanrana off the top to Rhyno. Spike with a chair shot to Rhyno, and that causes him to fall into the ladder and send Edge flying. Bubba and D’Von hit the Dudleyville Device, but Lita cracks Spike with a chair. She also takes her shirt off, and the crowd seems pleased at that development. However, she turns around into a 3D from the Dudleyz. Edge and Christian hit Bubba with chairs and my goodness this match is wild.

Jeff with the Swanton off a ladder on the outside, and he dives through Rhyno and Spike. Four ladders now set up in the ring, and Christian and D’Von are hanging by the titles. They fall off as Jeff tries to walk across the other three ladders, but that doesn’t work. He climbs up instead and in yet another creative spot, he’s holding onto the titles as Bubba grabs the ladder to move it to one corner. Jeff still has it hooked with his feet though. That leads to Edge climbing the big ladder in the opposite corner, and he jumps to the middle of the ring and spears Jeff. INCREDIBLE. But wait, there’s more. Bubba and Matt climb the big ladder in the ring, and Rhyno shoves it to send them flying through the two tables that were set up on the outside. D’Von tries to climb the ladder, but Edge holds onto him as Rhyno puts Christian on his shoulders to allow him to retrieve the titles for the win.

Blake’s Take: I know we like to compare matches to other matches, but I haven’t rewatched the original TLC Match in a while. So, from a comparison standpoint, it’s hard to rate the two until I load that one up again. I’ve heard people say they enjoyed the first better since it didn’t have the interference, which is fine. However, this is still a classic in every way. (Legendary)

VIDEO: Highlights from WWF Axess. Some guy spent $205 on a Mr. Socko. I never went to one of these, but it seemed like an awesome deal.

IN THE RING: Howard Finkel announces the Houston Astrodome attendance record of 67,925.

RINGSIDE: Mean Gene Okerlund and Bobby Heenan make their way out to call the battle royal. Two of the best in any field in the history of pro wrestling and hearing the excitement in their voices to have the opportunity to return is so awesome.

The Bushwhackers vs. Duke “The Dumpster” Droese vs. The Iron Sheik vs. Earthquake vs. The Goon vs. Doink The Clown vs. Kamala vs. Repo Man vs. Jim Cornette vs. Nikolai Volkoff vs. Michael Hayes vs. One Man Gang vs. The Gobbly Gooker vs. Tugboat vs. Hillbilly Jim vs. Brother Love vs. Sgt. Slaughter – Gimmick Battle Royal

Heenan’s comments during each man’s entrance are pure gold. On Repo Man: “Last week, he repoed his own car. This man is nuts.” There are so many more gems like that. Earthquake throws out his former tag team partner Tugboat to push the any man for himself theme. Kamala throws out Earthquake though. It’s hilarious to see Jim Cornette and Bruce Prichard in this thing. The final four are Slaughter, Hillbilly, Love, and Sheiky Baby. Of course, since Sheik couldn’t be thrown over the top rope due to various injuries in his career, he’s your winner. After the match, Slaughter comes back in and locks on the Cobra Clutch to send Sheik to the mat.

Blake’s Take: Gene and Heenan were so great here. The nostalgia was real with all these memorable characters returning to the spotlight.

VIDEO: We look at the build to Triple H vs. The Undertaker, which included Stephanie getting a restraining order against The Undertaker. She should’ve gotten that years ago! Taker manages to get the match approved by Regal by having Kane hold Stephanie above his head while threatening to throw her from a balcony. Well, that’s one way to do it.

ON THE STAGE: Motorhead plays Triple H’s theme as he makes his way to the ring.

Triple H vs. The Undertaker

JR reminds us that this is the first-ever meeting between the two on pay-per-view. In a comical opening to the match, they brawl outside the ring and quickly break the makeshift Spanish announce table. It never had a chance. Meanwhile, also shares this trivia note: Taker has never lost at WrestleMania. Interesting! Taker controls things to start, and he attempts to go old school but Triple H throws him off the top. Triple H goes to his cerebral style and tries for three straight pinfalls but to no avail. He also shoves referee Mike Chioda, who shoves him back. Triple H throws the timekeeper over the guardrail and grabs the sledgehammer. He shoves Chioda once again, which leads to Chioda taking the sledgehammer from him. As he puts it out of the ring, Triple H goes for the Pedigree, but Taker slingshots him into Chioda in the corner. Taker with the chokeslam for a near fall. And now Taker kicks Chioda and gives him an elbow drop to the head. Absolutely hilarious stuff.

Heyman questions whether Taker has criminal intentions in another good line. Taker backdrops Triple H into the crowd and they fight towards the hard cam. They brawl around the electrical equipment and the crowd is loving it. Triple H nails Taker with two chair shots to the head before hauling off with a gazillion more. However, Taker regroups and choke slams Triple H off the camera tower to the padding on the floor. Taker then hits an elbow drop off the tower while the EMTs check on Triple H. Taker assaults the EMTs because we’ve learned by now that anyone in a supervisor role in this match is fair game. The security team has the hardest job of the match as they try to clear a path for the two to fight back to the ring.

Chioda is somehow still out in the ring, so Taker picks up the sledgehammer because why the hell not at this point? He goes to hit Triple H with it, but Triple H kicks him in the balls. However, Taker counters Triple H’s sledgehammer attempt with a big boot. Triple H makes the mistake of going for the Tombstone, and Taker counters it with his own but…there’s no referee since Chioda took a kick and elbow drop about a half hour ago. Taker goes for the Last Ride, but Triple H brings the sledgehammer with him and pops Taker in the head with it. CHIODA IS BACK. Triple H goes for the pin, but Taker kicks out at two and three quarters. Taker is bleeding like a stuck pig. Triple H with corner punches, but Taker picks him up and hits the Last Ride for the victory to move to 9-0 at WrestleMania.

Blake’s Take: This matched worked the Attitude Era brawl formula very well. There was brawling, ref bumps, fighting in the crowd, weapons, and more. To be honest, I recall thinking this was underwhelming in previous years. However, on this rewatch, I found it to be a bit underrated. (Must-See)

BACKSTAGE: The Rock makes his way to the ring, while Austin stares at himself in the mirror. The subtle hints are great when you know how things unfold.

VIDEO: Yes, this is THE video package. I consider it the best in wrestling history. You’ve got “My Way” and highlights from JR’s legendary sit-down interview with Rock and Austin. “I need to beat you, Rock. I need it more than anything you could ever imagine.” Truly iconic. This is WWE production at its finest.

Steve Austin vs. (c) The Rock – No DQ Match for the WWF Title

The No DQ stipulation is a late addition to the match, and JR questions it. The foreshadowing was well done. Debra was involved in the build to the match, but they scrapped her involvement despite hyping she’d be in Rock’s corner. It was the right move to make it just about the rivalry between these two. Austin goes right at Rock to start things off, and once again, JR assumes it’s Regal who added the No DQ element to the match. The crowd is split on Rock since many are rooting for the hometown hero in Austin. They fight into the crowd, and boy did the security team earn their money on this show. Back in the ring and Austin is in control as Heyman points out Austin’s more aggressive approach to prove just how badly he wants the title. Austin with the superplex off the top for a two count. And now Austin takes the padding off the turnbuckle to add another hint of what he has in mind, but Rock regains the advantage with a jumping clothesline and suplex for a near fall.

Back outside the ring, and Rock backs referee Earl Hebner into the steps. As they turn around to Austin, he wallops Rock with the title belt. Rock is bleeding and they destroy the English announce table. Back inside and it’s mounted punches from Austin, then he applies the choke on Rock. Heyman reiterates that they don’t know the reason why this is No DQ. Austin with a near fall and he’s back to punching and kicking Rock in the face. Rock hits back-to-back clotheslines as the crowd boos him, then he gives Austin the middle finger before sending him face-first into the turnbuckle. Rock grabs the ring bell and he hammers a bloody Austin with it, but Austin kicks out at two and a half.

Rock controls the action for a bit until Austin slams him on the guardrail. Austin catapults Rock head-first into the ring post and both men are down on the outside. Austin grabs the TV monitor and nails Rock with it. Heyman asks yet again who made the No DQ rule. Meanwhile, Austin gets a two count on Rock. Double bird salute from Austin, but Rock counters a Stunner attempt into a Sharpshooter. Austin finally reaches the ropes to break the hold and man are both men a crimson mask at this point. Austin locks on a Sharpshooter of his own, but Rock manages to fight out. Another Sharpshooter from Austin and Rock grabs the ropes. Austin won’t let go and gives Hebner the bird. Austin then goes back to the past with the Million Dollar Dream, and JR points out he hasn’t brought that move out in years. Rock pushes off in the corner and gets a near fall on Austin.

Back and forth again, and it’s Rock who hits the Stunner on Austin. However, Austin kicks out at two and three quarters. The crowd starts to boo, and it’s because Vince is walking down the aisle. Austin hits a spinebuster and it’s another near fall. Rock then hits a spinebuster and drops the People’s Elbow….but Vince pulls Rock off of Austin. Rock’s facial expressions are priceless as he chases Vince around ringside, but he slides back in the ring and Austin hits a Rock Bottom for yet another dramatic two count. Austin goes for the Stunner, but Rock throws him into Hebner, who is knocked to the outside. Austin hits the low blow on Rock, and he wants Vince to hit Rock with a chair. He does just that and Vince throws Hebner in, but Rock kicks out again. Austin goes to hit Rock with a chair, but Rock reverses into the Rock Bottom. Vince grabs Hebner to prevent the count, and Rock throws him into the ring. However, he turns around to a Stunner from Austin…..but Rock kicks out! What an incredible finishing sequence. Vince hands Austin the chair once again, and Austin hits a brutal chair shot…..but Rock kicks out! Austin just brutalizes Rock with the chair and JR loses his mind as Austin scores the pin to win the title.

IN THE RING: Austin offers a handshake to Vince, and both JR and Heyman are pure gold with their reactions. Austin and Vince drink a beer over Rock, with JR ranting about Austin’s decision to join up with Vince. Rock stumbles to his feet, and Austin hits him with the belt for good measure.

Blake’s Take: Easily the best Austin/Rock match ever. You can certainly question the decision to turn Austin heel and align him with Vince, but in the moment, it was a stunning development that made fans want to see what came next. Even if the follow-up didn’t deliver, it doesn’t change the fact that this was awesome. The atmosphere only added to the greatness. (Legendary)

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WRESTLEMANIA X-SEVEN

Overall Rating: 10/10

Thoughts: Some shows are better through the lens of nostalgia than in reality. This is not one of those shows. Even two decades later, it’s one of the best pay-per-views I’ve ever seen. It had everything that a WWE fan during this time period could want. Every match was different, and the variety is unparalleled even in an era that featured a plethora of different characters. This is the peak of the Attitude Era and nothing since has been able to match it.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this WWF RAW 4/1/02 review, it’s the official start of the brand split era after the inaugural draft.

Let’s jump in!

– Ric Flair says the Ric Flair era has begun. He’s on a mission to sign Steve Austin to a contract. Flair also has the new Undisputed Championship to present to Triple H.

– ACROSS THE NATION hits to lead us into RAW. I absolutely loved that RAW theme. And we’ve got a new stage set. Another gem.

Booker T vs. (c) Rob Van Dam – Intercontinental Title

Flair booking hot matches right off the bat. Good stuff. Hell of a counter sequence to start the match. I don’t recall many matches between these two, and that is actually one of the best parts of doing these reviews years later. I’ve watched a lot of wrestling and remembering a random Booker T/RVD match on RAW in 2002 is tough to do. But it’s fresh and exciting upon rewatching it. It’s actually a clash of styles, with Booker working more methodical offense while RVD goes the high-flying route. The fans lose their shit at the Spinnerooni from Booker. Safe to say that move was over. JR says Booker T is not Buckwheat on crack, and that’s quite a line. But Booker is also not the new IC Champion, as RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash for the win.

• Rating: Solid opener between two future Hall of Famers. Again, I don’t remember many matches between them, but the chemistry was there. **1/2

– After the match, Eddie Guerrero hits the ring and destroys RVD and hits his own Frog Splash. Is Eddie on RAW? It looks like it. BATTLE OF THE FROG SPLASHES.

– Vince McMahon comes in right after with a contract in hand. He wants to sign Austin to SmackDown. Vince calls for Austin to come out and we go to break while Vince is still talking. After the commercial, security is ringside, and Vince challenges them to come get him. He’s not leaving until Austin signs. Flair comes out and Vince taunts him and says he can’t stop Austin from signing. The Nature Boy tells him to hit the road, and Vince reminds him he beat him on SmackDown. Flair polls the crowd and they want Austin on RAW. Vince says no one is big enough and bad enough to remove him from the ring. Welllllll it’s the Big Show. Show grabs Vince and carries him to the back.

– We get the action during the break, which was Show throwing Vince out of the building.

William Regal vs. Spike Dudley

Nick Patrick checks Regal for weapons before the match, and like a true champion (Regal is the European champ), Regal hides the brass knucks in his armpit. Of course, what Regal doesn’t know is Patrick takes the knucks from the corner without Regal seeing him. There’s a “Jazz is my dad” sign in the crowd, and I don’t think that individual is telling the truth. Regal in complete control early on as Lawler makes runt jokes. Regal looks for the knucks in the corner and realizes they aren’t there. That allows Spike to hit the Dudley Dog to get the upset victory.

• Rating: Obviously, the pre-match shenanigans and pushing this as a non-title match hinted at the outcome. Good for Spike. **

– Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and X-Pac stroll in the back and enter the APA’s old hangout and make it their own.

– Bradshaw and Jacqueline are talking when Crash Holly tells him the nWo has taken over the office.

– Trish Stratus is working on her wardrobe and Terri thinks she’s too to talk to her. Why? Because she’s on the cover of the Divas swimsuit magazine. I never bought that one. Not at all. They are about to fight when Flair walks up and grabs the magazine and flips through some pages. NAITCH! He sets up a match between the two. But it’s not just any match – it’s a Paddle on the Pole Match with both wearing bikinis. The Flair era is off to a thong….ummm….strong start.

– Debra says Austin will make a decision on his future tonight.

– Hall spraypaints APA’s door and Bradshaw comes in swinging. Nash knocks him down and X-Pac hits him with a chair shot.

Bubba Ray Dudley vs. (c) Raven – Hardcore Title

RAVEN HAS THE SHOPPING CART. That’s how you know business is about to pick up. It’s not every day you see a wrestler juggle oranges in a hardcore match, but that’s what Bubba does here. JR then said “freshly squeezed” to clearly foreshadow the eventual stardom of Orange Cassidy. Lots of trash can lid shots to Bubba’s head, then it’s the stop sign. I loved grabbing the stop sign from the crowd in WCW/NWO Revenge on the Nintendo 64. A true classic. Lawler is basically verbally erect thinking about the upcoming Trish/Terri match. Several near falls lead to Bubba hitting the Bubba Bomb to win the title.

• Rating: Your typical hardcore match during this era. It was freshly squeezed. **

– Vince is on the phone in his limo. He says he’s not leaving until Austin signs.

– Flair comes out with the new Undisputed title. He wants Triple H to come out but it’s The Undertaker instead. JR goes to his BOOGER RED line and can you imagine if that would’ve been Taker’s name when he debuted in the WWF? Taker pretty much says he’s not taking any shit from Flair and reminds him of their WrestleMania 18 match. The crowd keeps saying “what” and Taker tells them to keep saying it if they like to sleep with their own sister. They do. CLASSIC. Taker notes every time he wrestles Triple H, he beats his ass. Taker is about to throw down when Triple H joins the mix. He says he’s the champ and Taker can’t beat his ass again. A lot of ass beating on this show with the paddle match coming up in a bit. Taker challenges Triple H at Backlash and the champ accepts. Let’s see if they follow through with that (spoiler: they won’t). Triple H wants to fight but Taker backs off and grabs the title and puts it on Triple H’s shoulder.

The Hardy Boyz vs. Boss Man and Mr. Perfect

Boss Man and Perfect team?! This is awesomeness. I doubt Boss Man and Perfect had teamed before this, but I could be wrong. Talk about new school vs. old school with this matchup. Early on, all Lawler can talk about is Trish vs. Terri. VERBALLY ERECT. Good teamwork from Boss Man and Perfect until Boss Man lands in a “neutered state”. That means he racked his mini Boss Man. The action breaks down from there, and Matt hits the Twist off Fate on Boss Man. Jeff then hits the Swanton Bomb for the victory.

• Rating: The chemistry wasn’t quite there with these two teams. However, that’s probably to be expected in Boss Man and Perfect’s first match as a duo. **

– Brock Lesnar hits the ring and absolutely destroys both Matt and Jeff. This is how you get someone over. It’s pretty simple. Paul Heyman is once again with Lesnar, and JR is pissed at the potential relationship between the two.

Terri vs. Trish Stratus – Paddle on a Pole Bikini Match

Listen, if Ric Flair’s goal was to win week one of the brand split, you can’t blame the guy for adding this match to the card. Ratings bonanza in the key 18-49 male demo. Lawler makes a joke about having wood, and I don’t even know if he was joking. The best word to describe Terri’s attire is thin. Trish showcases some nice power, then quickly grabs the paddle for the win.

• Rating: It was a spectacle. NR

– After the match, Molly Holly attacks both Trish and Terri, then hits a BRUTAL shot to Trish’s head with the paddle. Ouch.

– Vince is back on the phone outside his limo. He says somehow he’ll get back in the building.

– It’s WWF New York! Hell of a crowd in attendance.

– Austin enters Flair’s office and wants to know why Vince can’t come in the building. Austin wants Flair to let him in to help him make his decision. Flair doesn’t seem thrilled about it.

– We get a video recapping Kane cutting his hilarious promo on The Rock and Hulk Hogan. So great.

Kane vs. X-Pac (w/Scott Hall and Kevin Nash)

Honestly, I enjoyed the feud these two had in 1998. It’s a little different setup for this match but they’ve always had great chemistry. Any time I rewatch an X-Pac match, it’s a reminder of how good that dude was in the ring. He could work with pretty much anyone. Hall and Nash get involved and attack Kane on the outside while X-Pac distracts Earl Hebner. More shenanigans from Hall and Nash, but Kane battles back with some power moves. Kane has had enough of Hall and pops him. Then Kane flies off the top and seems to be in compete control, but Hall and Nash hit the ring to force the DQ. Bradshaw runs in to make the save.

• Rating: Solid stuff until the DQ. It sets up a storyline moving forward, so at least it served a purpose. **1/2

– Flair and Vince make their way to the ring with contracts in hand. Vince once again taunts Flair and talks about his INTELLECTUAL SPERM launching the pro wrestling boom. Vince also takes credit for introducing Austin’s character. Austin is clearly tired of listening about sperm and makes his way out. He even says he doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the INTELLECTUAL SPERM. Austin then plays up the “What” chants to absolute perfection. Sure, it would become annoying, but damn could Austin make it work. Vince tries to suck up to Austin, so Austin gives him the finger. Austin then lures Vince into thinking he’ll sign and says April Fools before hitting the Stunner on his ass. Flair loses his mind and jacket and drinks beer with Austin. Flair also hits a KNEE DROP on a beer can. Absolute legend. Flair struts and then Austin hits the Stunner on Flair before signing the contract. Vince gets up, so Austin stuns him again.

Blake’s RAW 4/1/02 Awards

• Best Match: Booker T vs. Rob Van Dam
• Overall RAW 4/1/02 Rating: 6.0/10
• Thoughts: Solid start to the Flair era on RAW. The matches were mainly about advancing storylines, which makes sense early in the brand split. Yes, there was the ridiculous paddle bikini match, but you know what you’re getting with this era. I enjoyed the Austin/Flair/Vince segment, as despite it being predictable, those three in the ring together is gold. We also had the furthering of the hatred between Undertaker and Flair. An enjoyable episode with a lot of star power.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF SmackDown 3/28/02 review, it’s the final dual-branded show before the split. So, the two general managers figure they’ll settle their differences in the ring.

Let’s jump in!

– THE FIST. Still the most awesome set in WWE history. Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler hype the main event and the events of the first draft on RAW.

Booker T vs. Diamond Dallas Page

These two were on opposite sides in the RAW tag match. Their partners? Edge and Christian, respectively. Nice to start the last non-brand split show with a WCW match. We’ve got the draft ticket at the bottom of the screen to promote the sports element. The crowd gets occupied with something early in the match, and it turns out it’s BROCK LESNAR and Paul Heyman. Lesnar just destroys Booker and DDP as Cole and Lawler ponder Lesnar’s relationship with Heyman.

• Rating: NR

– Our Olympic hero Kurt Angle has arrived. He wrestled in the Olympics with a broken freakin’ neck! Angle tells the crowd they suck and it’s hard to disagree. The “What?” chants are in full force at this point. It’s incredible the mileage that chant has racked up over the years. Angle wants a moment for silence for Stephanie McMahon after she was forced to leave based on being pinned by Triple H on RAW. The fans just won’t show Steph respect, and ANGLE EXITS THE RING TO BEAT UP SOME FANS! Vince McMahon comes out to stop it. Vince hates the crowd and hates Triple H, so he calls him a son of a bitch and blames him for Steph’s problems. He’s also happy Triple H is the WWF Champion so he can wrestle on both shows. HERE COMES THE GAME. Triple H says Vince hasn’t seen nothing yet then cues up the replay of him pinning Steph and the crowd singing the goodbye song. Angle is PISSED and wants a match. So does Vince, and he sets up a handicap match. Ric Flair….WOOOOO….is here. He recalls his Philly partying and says he’s gonna team with Triple H. Not all long segments are great, but this was fun.

– Bubba Ray Dudley and D’Von Dudley. They’ve got a shot at the tag titles tonight and it’ll keep them together as a team if they win since they were drafted to different brands. STAKES.

The Dudley Boyz vs. (c) Billy and Chuck (w/Rico) – WWF Tag Team Titles

I’m reviewing this in 2021 and Billy Gunn has not aged a month since 2002. I mean maybe a little bit but not much. Hot start for the Dudleyz, and that makes sense considering what they have at stake. Also, keep in mind this is Philly, and Philly loves them some Dudleyz. Some shenanigans from Rico, and he distracts the referee. D’Von chases Rico to the back, allowing Chuck to use underhanded tactics. That leads to Billy hitting the Fameasser for the win to retain.

• Rating: **

– D’Von comes back after the match, and they hit the 3D and wasssuuppp before D’Von gets the tables. 3D through the tables and that’s that for the Dudleyz.

– The APA is playing cards and they’re not happy about being on separate brands. They see Tajiri and Torrie Wilson, and Bradshaw tells Tajiri to tell everyone there’s beer. Then he tells Torrie to stay to play strip poker. Of course.

– Lillian Garcia with Lita and Matt Hardy. They’re excited they’re on the same brand with Jeff Hardy. But someone who isn’t is Chris Jericho. He’s pissed about not being the Undisputed Champion and wants his title back. Matt calls him a has-been, so Jericho attacks him from behind and Lita also takes a spill.

– Hulk Hogan and The Rock are backstage. That’s some star power right there. Rock wants them to whoop the nWo’s candy asses. Hogan isn’t sure about trusting Kane, and Rock does expressions saying Kane’s not King Kong Bundy or Kamala but he’s a machine. Kane arrives, and Rock hilariously tries to make him flinch. Kane asks Rock if he’s ready but IT DOESN’T MATTER IF ROCK IS READY. That was terrific. Kane then does a Rock promo and hulks up. Holy shit this was just the best.

Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and Kane vs. The nWo – Six-Man Tag Team Match

It’s a shame we get the generic Hogan music on Peacock instead of Voodoo Child. Cole informs us we’re getting Jericho vs. Matt. We also get plugs for the tobacco is whacko campaign, Stacker 2, and Hungry-Man frozen dinners. What a trio. I did enjoy some Hungry-Man dinners back in the day. The crowd loves this match, and I can’t blame them. A lot of star power in one ring. There’s something about a Rock vs. Hall matchup that’s pretty awesome. It’s probably the charisma. The energy is just different when they’re in the ring together, which I guess wasn’t all that much during their careers. We work to a sleeper hold spot with Hall, who has been busted open, locking it in on Hogan. Then it’s hot tag time to Kane. He runs wild on the entire nWo, and Flair has to be happy with his draft pick. We’ve got an all-out BROUHAHA on our hands, and Kane hits the chokeslam on X-Pac to get the victory. This was quality entertainment.

• Rating: ***

Chris Jericho vs. Matt Hardy (w/Lita)

Don’t forget to visit WWFY2J.com, fans! Those superstar websites were something. Can’t say I remember them all that much. I like that this match starts with both men going right at each other. Jericho sneak attacked Matt in the back, so why would Matt walk into the ring and wait for the bell? Little things like that matter, at least to yours truly. The referee gets occupied with Matt early, and Lita hits the hurricanrana off the top on Jericho. However, Matt inadvertently sends Jericho into Lita on the apron, and that didn’t work out well. Jericho used the low blow on Matt while the ref was distracted with Lita, and Jericho used the Walls of Jericho to pick up the win.

• Rating: NR

– After the match, Jericho locks in the walls on Lita for good measure. Bastard!

– The strip poker game has gained a lot of new members, including Christian, Booker T, and others. Turns out Tajiri wins the poker hand, and Torrie removes a bracelet. Christian gets angry about his hand and beats the table.

Test vs. (c) Rob Van Dam – Intercontinental Title

Forceable Entry, which featured RVD’s theme, is still an awesome CD. Lawler wants to be on the brand that has the best puppies to absolutely no one’s surprise. Cole reminds us Test has immunity (I vaguely remember this storyline) so he can pretty much do whatever he wants and not get fired. So, he does by nearly punching Earl Hebner, and RVD grabs him and Hebner counts the quick pin. True babyface tactics from Earl!

• Rating: NR

– Jonathan Coachman with Raven. He gets a nice cheer from Philly and quotes Oscar Wilde. That’s so Raven.

Raven vs. (c) Maven – Hardcore Title

A rhyme lover’s dream! What’s probably not a dream is getting beat over the head with a trash can lid. Just ask Raven. Since we’ve still got 24/7 rules, Tommy Dreamer hits the ring and ECW fans also love that. After that run-in, Raven regains the advantage and hits the Raven Effect on Maven to win the title.

• Rating: NR

– Vince isn’t happy about losing the Hardcore title. Meanwhile, Angle has heard a rumor Steve Austin will be on RAW.

– Cole and Lawler recap all the draft picks.

– Back to the poker game and William Regal enters the mix to run down the APA being out of business. Bradshaw kicks his ass and he and Farooq reminisce before walking out the door and switching the sign to closed and turning off the lights. Big fan of the storytelling in this one.

Kurt Angle and Vince McMahon vs. Triple H and Ric Flair

Vince in true GENETIC JACKHAMMER form. Meanwhile, Flair is shirtless and wearing dress pants. Vince wants to start the match…..until Flair starts the match. Flair wrestling in dress pants will never not be weird. It’s CHOP TIME as Flair and Triple H chop Angle. I think during that sequence, Vince’s traps grew an inch. Vince doesn’t get into the match until Angle has Flair incapacitated. Eventually, Vince gets the dumb idea to go for the Figure Four, and that backfires. Flair low blows Angle, but Angle battles back and goes for the Ankle Lock. Triple H breaks it up but the bad guys are back in control with Vince locking on the Figure Four. Flair eventually breaks out and makes the mild tag to Triple H. Flair sells the Figure Four damage like a pro, and while Nick Patrick checks on him, Vince hits Triple H with the belt. However, Angle only gets a two count. That leads to Flair coming OFF THE TOP on Vince, and all breaks loose from there. The Undertaker runs in and decks Flair, then pulls Vince on top of him for the victory. Nice little storyline advancment after Flair picked Taker to RAW.

• Rating: **1/2

Blake’s SmackDown 3/28/02 Awards

• Best Match: Hogan/Rock/Kane vs. The nWo
• Show MVP: Kane (mainly for the promo)
• Overall SmackDown 3/28/02 Rating: 6.5/10
• Thoughts: This show advanced a few storylines but mainly set up the new-look rosters for both brands. I liked giving the Dudleyz and APA their moments before heading in opposite directions. The APA one was particularly good. Meanwhile, the Taker run-in adds suspense as to what’s next for him on RAW with Flair at the helm. Solid stuff.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

Everyone has a different opinion as to when the Ruthless Aggression era started. For me, I’d probably pick the first WWF Draft.

Let’s dive into the Raw that featured the draft.

• Show: WWF Raw
• Date: March 25, 2002
• Location: Penn State University in State College, PA

– Linda McMahon sets up the first WWF draft as superstars sit in the locker room. Vince McMahon is picking for Smackdown, and Ric Flair is picking for Raw. She notes that Triple H, Chris Jericho, and Stephanie McMahon aren’t eligible for the draft due to the triple threat match. Stone Cold Steve Austin isn’t either due to his contract.

– Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler hype the Triple H/Jericho/Steph match for the WWF Undisputed title. If Triple H pins Steph, she’s out of the WWF. I’d like to make a prediction on that one.

Tazz vs. Mr. Perfect

Worth noting that Tazz’s music is from the WWF Forceable Entry CD. That was of my favorites. Also, Perfect was simply perfect. Don’t forget it. Perfect hit the Perfect Plex early but Tazz had the ropes. Tazz took control from there and used the Tazmission to make Perfect tap. Short match and one of those strange matchups that fans got to see because of the incredible roster.

• Rating: *

– Ric Flair is in his war room with Arn Anderson. Arn is working the phones. We also see Vince in his war room, and he struts out.

– Vince hits the stage to make his pick for the WWF Draft. The ‘what’ chants were relentless during this era. Vince picks The Rock with the No. 1 pick for Smackdown. Rock bolts out of the locker room and makes his way out. Vince tells Rock that the new rule is he can never touch him. Rock also can’t talk about shoving a foot up a candy ass. ‘It doesn’t matter’ is also banned. Vince also isn’t happy about Rock’s newfound friendship with Hulk Hogan. Vince says he made Rock and can take him out. Vince tries to leave but Rock stops him. Rock runs through his accomplishments and gets the people to start a “you are an asshole” chant in Vince’s direction.

– Flair comes out to make his first pick for the WWF Draft. He picks The Undertaker for Raw. Taker throws a chair in the locker room.

– Vince is pissed that Flair selected Taker. Kurt Angle barges in and he’s pissed Vince didn’t pick him first. Vince says he’s gonna make it right. Taker yells at Vince for letting Flair pick him. Vince again promises to make things right.

Edge and Diamond Dallas Page vs. Christian and Booker T

What a tag match this is. Reminder that Christian and DDP squared off for the European title at WrestleMania X8. Also a reminder that Edge and Booker T did the same after feuding over a shampoo commercial. Booker with a stiff kick on Edge to give the bad guys the advantage. Edge and Christian brawl on the outside while DDP hits the Diamond Cutter on Booker. Christian breaks it up, but Edge hops in and they brawl back out of the ring. Booker hits the Scissors Kick on DDP for the victory. Another short match.

• Rating: *

– Angle lists off his accomplishments to Vince, who is concerned with Flair picking the nWo next. Angle says Flair is gonna pick him. Vince says Flair isn’t gonna get what he wants, so he officially picks Angle as the No. 2 pick for Smackdown in the WWF Draft. Angle hugs him but isn’t happy he wasn’t picked first.

– Flair back on the stage. He promises to work hard to bring Austin to Raw. Flair picks the nWo with his No. 2 pick, which includes Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and X-Pac.

– Vince yells at Angle about saying Flair was gonna pick the nWo. Vince says he’ll somehow sign Austin. Angle suggests there’s someone who hasn’t been around for a while that Vince should pick. Vince picks Chris Benoit with his No. 3 pick for Smackdown.

– The nWo is in Flair’s office. X-Pac says they won’t listen to Flair. He calls them the poison and that they work for him. Arn enters and tells him he needs to make his pick. Flair picks Kane.

Trish Stratus vs. Ivory

Two of the women’s greats. Ivory had just made her return to action. The crowd chants “we want puppies” to make it clear that this was indeed 2002. Trish and Ivory go back and forth for a bit, with Trish hitting the Stratusfaction for the victory. Short and sweet.

• Rating: *

– Vince back out as the crowd calls him an asshole. Vince selects Hogan for his next pick.

– We get a video for the Divas 2002 swimsuit issue with Trish on the cover. Never bought that one. No way. Not me.

– Flair’s next pick is Rob Van Dam.

– Vince is pissed at the RVD pick. He wanted the Intercontinental title, so Angle suggests he fight RVD for the title. Vince likes it.

– Rock and Hogan shake hands in the locker room. Hogan wants to team up with Rock to take on the nWo. Rock accepts and they run through each other’s catchphrases.

– Vince’s next pick is Billy and Chuck, who are the WWF tag team champs.

The Rock and Hulk Hogan vs. The nWo (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and X-Pac)

Hogan’s “Voodoo Child” entrance being dubbed over with generic music is less than ideal. Great opening spot with Hogan literally tossing X-Pac over the top and onto the floor. Nash tries to get the upper hand but Hogan hulks up. Hogan and Hall with the double clothesline on each other, and Rock gets the hot tag. Rock cleans house and hits the Rock Bottom on Nash. Hogan calls for the tag and he hits the leg drop on Nash before X-Pac breaks up the pin. The nWo regains control and then the pyro goes off as Kane hits the ring and destroys Hall, Nash, and X-Pac to cause the DQ. Rock and Hogan join in on the fun. The crowd was electric for this one.

• Rating: **

– Vince accuses Flair of stealing his picks. Flair says he doesn’t have to explain anything to Vince. Flair picks Booker T. Vince responds by picking Edge. Flair picks The Big Show. Vince picks Rikishi. Flair says maybe he’ll put his fat ass on Vince’s face. Great line. Vince pushes Flair as Arn holds him back.

Jeff Hardy (w/Matt Hardy and Lita) vs. Billy (w/Chuck and Rico)

Billy with some early momentum but misses a big splash in the corner. Jeff goes up top for the Swanton Bomb but Chuck gets on the apron for a distraction. Jeff knocks him off, and Billy moves out of the way while Matt and Chuck fight on the outside. Rico goes to grab the title belt but Lita flies off the apron and takes him down. Jeff with the roll-up to get the pin on Billy. Another match to further a storyline.

• Rating: *

– Flair picks Bubba Ray Dudley. Vince counters by picking D’Von Dudley. WWF Draft drama! Bubba and D’Von are angry in the locker room, and then they hug as Bubba walks out.

Rikishi vs. (c) William Regal – WWF European Title

Before the match even starts, Brock Lesnar hits the ring and attacks Rikishi. Brock hits the F5, and Paul Heyman enters the ring to raise his hand. Easy title defense for Regal.

– Jazz is at WWF New York. She wants to kick someone’s ass since she’s the Women’s champ.

– Vince announces Brock as his next pick in the WWF Draft. Flair follows it up by telling Vince its his pick. So Flair picks Brock. Vince then picks Mark Henry. Flair picks Regal. Vince picks Maven, who is the Hardcore champ. Flair’s last pick is Lita. Vince mocks him for picking a woman with his last pick. Once again, 2002 folks. Vince suggests Flair wants to sleep with Lita. Vince once again promises he’s gonna land Austin. Vince talks shit and Flair starts the “you are an asshole” chant again.

Kurt Angle vs. (c) Rob Van Dam – WWF Intercontinental Title

JR and Lawler remind us that the draft lottery is after Raw on WWE.com. But first, a brouhaha between two of the best. RVD’s theme was also on Forceable Entry. Greatest WWF album ever.

Angle with a German suplex before the bell even rings for a near fall. RVD with a superkick and he gets a two. Angle with a belly-to-belly and these two are great. More suplexes from Angle and then Rolling Thunder from RVD for a near fall. More offense from RVD and he goes for the frog splash, but Angle leaves the ring. RVD joins and throws Angle into the steps. Back inside and RVD comes off the top, but Angle shoves Tim White in front of him. Angle with the Angle slam and ankle lock, but White calls for the bell to signal the DQ. Angle goes back to the ankle lock as Edge hits the ring and hits a belly-to-belly on Angle. Edge goes for a spear but Angle counters and hits a suplex of his own. Angle goes for the Angle slam but Edge reverses and hits the spear. The refs hit the ring to break things up. Good stuff to promote the future Smackdown feud.

• Rating: **1/2

– Michael Cole with Steph. She says she’s not going anywhere and that she’s gonna win the Undisputed title.

Stephanie McMahon vs. Chris Jericho vs. Triple H – Triple Threat Match for the WWF Undisputed Title

Speaking of themes, the Triple H ‘My Time’ theme that Steph used was excellent. Triple H and Jericho go at it to start while Steph retreats. Jericho knocks Triple H out of the ring, which leads to Steph laying down and Jericho trying to pin her before Triple H pulls Jericho out. Triple H then gets in and goes for the Pedigree on Steph but Jericho gets Steph out of there. Triple H throws Jericho into the steel steps and then throws Steph back inside. Triple H catapults Jericho into Steph, who then falls headfirst into Jericho’s groin. Triple H kicks Steph out of the ring but Jericho goes to work on Triple H’s knee. Steph with a few elbow drops on Triple H’s knee. Jericho tries to do more damage but Triple H kicks Jericho into Steph, who isn’t happy. So she slaps Jericho and then he shoves her down by her face. 2002 was interesting. Jericho misses the Lionsault on Triple H, so Steph tries to pin him but only gets a two. Jericho is pissed and goes for the Walls of Jericho, but Triple H throws him into Steph. Triple H throws Jericho out of the ring and then goes for the Pedirgree.

Jericho with a missile dropkick off the top on Triple H for a two count. Jericho grabs a chair and one of the title belts, while Triple H has the other belt. They hit each other with them while Earl Hebner throws out the chair. Steph rolls in and gets a two on Triple H. She then gets a two on Jericho. Triple H with a clothesline on Steph and then Jericho locks in the Walls of Jericho. Steph jumps on Jericho’s back and he uses the snapmare on her. Triple H with the Pedigree on Jericho but Steph breaks up the pin. Triple H with a spinebuster on Steph to win it. Steph’s done on Raw. Let’s see if that holds. Triple H waves bye to her as security escorts her out. Triple H then starts the goodbye song with the crowd.

• Rating: ** 

Show Summary

Here are the televised WWF Draft results for each show:

Raw

1. The Undertaker
2. The nWo (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, X-Pac)
3. Kane
4. Rob Van Dam
5. Booker T
6. Big Show
7. Bubba Ray Dudley
8. Brock Lesnar
9. William Regal
10. Lita

Smackdown

1. The Rock
2. Kurt Angle
3. Chris Benoit
4. Hulk Hogan
5. Billy and Chuck
6. Edge
7. Rikishi
8. D’Von Dudley
9. Mark Henry
10. Maven

And here were the additional picks for each brand:

Raw

• Bradshaw
• Steven Richards
• Matt Hardy
• Raven
• Jeff Hardy
• Mr. Perfect
• Spike Dudley
• D’Lo Brown
• Shawn Stasiak
• Terri
• Jacqueline
• Goldust
• Trish Stratus
• Justin Credible
• Big Boss Man
• Tommy Dreamer
• Crash Holly
• Mighty Molly

Smackdown

• Billy Kidman
• Tajiri
• Chris Jericho
• Ivory
• Albert
• The Hurricane
• Al Snow
• Lance Storm
• Diamond Dallas Page
• Torrie Wilson
• Scotty 2 Hotty
• Stacy Kiebler
• Christian
• Test
• Faarooq
• Tazz
• Hardcore Holly
• Val Venis
• Perry Saturn

And those without a brand:

• Triple H (WWF Undisputed champion)
• Jazz (WWF Women’s champion)
• Stephanie McMahon
• Stone Cold Steve Austin

Blake’s RAW 3/25/02 Awards

• Best Match: Kurt Angle vs. Rob Van Dam
• RAW MVP: Kurt Angle
• Overall RAW 3/25/02 Rating: 6.0/10
• Thoughts: The draft itself made sense given the talent on the roster, but some of the picks were rather strange. And while the matches were short, they at least furthered storylines. However, I could understand why people didn’t like both the draft strategy and the lack of good matches.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

What is this whole World Championship Wrestling thing? We’re about to find out with the Starrcade 1988 review, the first-ever pay-per-view under the WCW label.

Ted Turner spent a lot of money taking over Jim Crockett Promotions, and now it’s time to put that money to good use with the company’s biggest PPV of the year.

Let’s rock and roll with Blake’s Starrcade 1988 review.

• Date: December 26, 1988
• Location: The Scope in Norfolk, VA

Kevin Sullivan and Steve Williams vs. (c) The Fantastics – US Tag Team Titles

Good to see Bill Apter ringside. Fulton almost gets the quick fall on Sullivan after the Lou Thesz press. And then we get the required shot of Jason Hervey with an attractive blonde female in the crowd. Williams now into the match and he’s having no luck. No surprise there considering that it took him 15 MINUTES TO BEAT A JOBBER NAMED ITALIAN STALLION at Clash of the Champions.

More fun double team action from the Fantastics until Williams hits the slam. Sullivan finds his way in and barrels over the top after a missed clothesline on Rogers. DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER to Sullivan and Williams. That should do it. But it doesn’t and now Williams is flat out pissed. He decimates Rogers to take out his frustration.

Big suplex to Rogers gives Williams the near fall. Solid back and forth from this point, including Rogers missing off the top rope thanks to Sullivan getting his knees up. Now we’ve got Rogers getting dissected by both Sullivan and Williams. He finally reverses Sullivan and hits a suplex. Then he gets outta there with the hot tag to Fulton.

But his offense doesn’t do much, as Williams sling shots him off the ropes and scores the pin at 15:50 to win the titles. This wasn’t anything special and didn’t do much for me despite the title change.

• Rating: **

The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette) vs. The Original Midnight Express (w/Paul E. Dangerously)

HEAT. We have heat for this one. Makes sense considering how good this feud was. Cornette jumps on the mic prior to the match and wants to beat the hell out of Paul E. The bell rings and Eaton and Lane are throwing Condrey and Rose all around. Then Cornette shacks Condrey with the racket behind Teddy Long’s back. Paul E is not happy about this turn of events.

Pretty much a squash early on. Cornette then gets another racket shot in on Rose, and Paul E adds a sweet touch by ringing the bell on his own. This is what you get when you have two geniuses at ringside. Rose finally gets a tiny bit of offense in, but once again, it’s Eaton and Lane’s teamwork that reigns supreme….until Eaton racks himself in the corner. Rose then delivers the atomic drop to Eaton on the floor.

Onto the Teddy Long special of letting a team beat up on a guy while he has his back turned. CORNETTE AND PAUL E IN A FOOT RACE. Crowd goes wild for that until both sides calm down. Eaton getting worked on pretty good thanks to Teddy Long being an idiot. JR points out that we’ve had two different matches thus far, with each team controlling each half. It’s the little things.

HOT TAG. Lane is in ready to kick with authority. He’s so fired up that he accidentally hits Teddy. That of course lets Paul E come in and belt Eaton with the phone. Rose rolls on top and Teddy counts, but then notices the phone in the ring. TEDDY THEN BECOMES HULK HOGAN. He parades around each side of the ring and asks the fans if they saw the phone use. THEY DID. That doesn’t matter though as Lane and Eaton hit the DOUBLE FUCKIN GOOZLE for the victory at 17:46.

After the match, total beatdown from the bad guys. Cornette also takes a beating until Eaton starts swinging the racket at everyone. Wildly entertaining match because of all the elements involved.

• Rating: ***3/4

BACKSTAGE: Magnum TA interview with the new US tag champs. Good promo work from Sullivan and Rotundo. Even Williams was fine here.

Russian Assassins (w/Paul Jones) vs. Junkyard Dog and Ivan Koloff

Something tells me Ivan and Nikita vs. these two would have been better. And of course that was the original plan until Nikita left the company. Just a strange feeling to have JYD involved in a Russian blood feud. Anyways, if the Russians lose they must unmask and Jones is outta the promotion.

Complete domination from JYD and Ivan. Bob Caudle calling out Teddy Long’s refereeing struggles, and it’s about damn time. Assassins are now kicking some ass. Then JYD ducks the RUSSIAN MISSILE and makes the tag to Ivan. Crowd is going mild. Actually, they aren’t doing anything at all.

One of the Assassins gets something from Jones and sticks it in his mask. Then he headbutts Ivan and pins him at 6:47. Horrible.

• Rating: 1/2*

Rick Steiner vs. (c) Mike Rotundo (w/Kevin Sullivan) – TV Title

Sullivan gets the cage of doom treatment and sits high above the aisle. Heated start for the two former friends. Hervey and attractive blonde female cameo No. 2 on the evening.

A lot of wrestling techniques being used by Steiner. Although, I’m not sure biting someone’s ass is considered a wrestling maneuver. Now we’re getting real truth from the fans as they chant “Syracuse sucks.” This hasn’t been great so far, but it’s the kind of match you’d expect from two collegiate wrestlers.

Steiner with the inside cradle and a near fall, then he delivers a big clothesline. Rotundo wants that timeout. Teddy not giving it to him. Here comes Dr. Death. Powerslam from Steiner gets another near fall. Belly to belly for the pin and the bell rings. Williams was the one ringing the bell, which led to Steiner thinking he’d won the match. Confusion everywhere. Tommy Young comes out to show Teddy Long how a real referee operates. He tells Teddy what happened and Sullivan is out of the cage. Match restarts.

And just like that, Rotundo gets tossed into Sullivan and BOTH refs count the three to crown a new champ at 17:59. Crowd has lost their minds. Steiner grabs the belt and takes off. Crazy sequence to end the match. It needed that after some slow action throughout.

• Rating: **1/2

Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Oliver Humperdink) vs. (c) Barry Windham (w/JJ Dillon) – US Heavyweight Title

This is an intriguing match. Bigelow was out of the WWF after WrestleMania IV, and here he winds up challenging in a big title match. Awesome staredown early. Big gutbuster spot that sends Windham retreating to the outside to recoup. More offense from Bigelow sees the same sequence. Windham can’t believe it.

Seriously, the heel work of Windham here is nothing short of brilliant. Such a talented dude. Windham throws Bigelow out and he holds the knee. JR notes that Bigelow has had knee surgeries (which he did after leaving the WWF), which adds another commentary wrinkle that you don’t get on MONDAY NIGHT RAW these days.

More power from Bigelow and he goes up top for the flying headbutt. Windham moves out of the way.

Windham starts his comeback with the lariat and then we get to the claw. Bigelow somehow gets out and Windham lands a slam. Windham up top for the flying elbow but now Bigelow moves.

Both men go flying to the outside and let us all remember there were no mats. Ouch. Then Tommy Young counts out Bigelow at 16:17. Windham is still your champion in a decent but not overly great match.

• Rating: **1/2

BACKSTAGE: Magnum with Steiner and his TV title belt. Sound cuts out quite a bit but Steiner was awesome with the comedy. Funny stuff.

Sting and Dusty Rhodes vs. (c) The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering) – World Tag Team Titles

Brawl happens before Gary Michael Cappetta can even introduce the teams. SHOW GARY SOME RESPECT. Good action early before Hawk starts stomping a mudhole in Sting in the corner. But Stinger fights back and hits a powerslam. Animal shows some power and press slams Sting. Then Sting counters with the flying body press over the ropes to the outside. That’ll put butts in the seats. Actually it did.

Dusty into the contest and he wraps Animal’s leg around the post. Feats of strength time with Hawk and then Dusty goes for the figure four. Hawk will have none of that and then we get the vicious face rake on Dusty. And the Warriors are breaking Dusty in half at this point. Finally a huge tag to Sting and he’s got Animal on SPAGHETTI LEGS.

Sting goes for the Scorpion Death Lock but Hawk immediately forces the break. That leads to Sting getting thrown outside, and like any good face, Dusty kicks Animal in the balls to avoid the double team. Sting catches Animal with the flying cross body but then Ellering stops the count to force the DQ at 11:20.

Of course it was a shit finish. I didn’t particularly enjoy this.

• Rating: **

Lex Luger vs. (c) Ric Flair (w/JJ Dillon) – NWA World Heavyweight Title

Does anyone know if the Maryland State Athletic Commission has snuck into the building for this one? Let’s hope the hell not. If Flair gets DQ’d, Luger wins the title. So there’s your setup.

Flair stylin’ and profilin’ early on before Luger dumps him out with a clothesline. He looks a little shaken up after that. Luger overpowers a few holds from Flair and JR hypes up Luger’s improvement at his counters. I love JR. Love him. He could make a paper sack sound good. Not saying Luger was as good as a paper sack, but you get the point.

Powerslam by Luger sends Flair scurrying. Good heel tactics from Flair to take the advantage, but HAMMER LOCK time from Lex. We make our way back to the outside and Luger continues working on the arm. Flair gets tossed into the post and the fans aren’t reacting to Luger’s offense all in this match.

Back in the ring and more work on the arm. Flair regains control and Luger is now on the outside. Flair throws him into the rail and then delivers the chop from hell. Tommy Young threatens to DQ him. GOOD TRY TOMMY. We work our way to Luger locking on the sleeper. Inside cradle from Luger after a Flair figure four attempt gets two and a half.

We go up top and Luger hits a suplex for another two and a half. Luger then locks in the figure four on Flair. Ref bump and Luger hits a cross body on Flair and had him covered for three, but naturally Young didn’t get to the count until Flair kicked out. Match is really starting to escalate with a lot of good near falls.

Luger with a series of slams and then Dillon is up on the apron to distract Luger. This leads to Flair grabbing a chair on the outside and crushing Luger’s knee with it. Dillon had Young occupied and never saw it. Luger’s leg is toast and Flair is all over it. Figure Four is locked in and JR says it’s only a matter of time. Luger fights it as the crowd is exploding with Luger chants. We get the reverse and both men are down and out.

Dillon instructs Flair to work on the leg some more and he does. Flair goes up top and somehow Luger press slams him to the mat. Luger hulking up now and lands the military press before falling down. Flair sends him back outside and the sunset slip gets a two. Luger still hobbling and more slams for everyone, especially Flair. Luger locks in the Torture Rack but his leg buckles and Flair falls on him and props the legs on the ropes to get the win at 30:59.

Phenomenal match. This equaled the Sting match from the first Clash, and once again showed that Flair was a cut above everyone. They told the story of Luger never quitting despite getting his leg worked over.

• Rating: ****1/2

Blake’s Starrcade 1988 Awards

• Best Match: Lex Luger vs. Ric Flair
• Starrcade 1988 MVP: Ric Flair
• Overall Starrcade 1988 Rating: 8.0/10
• Thoughts: Consider this: Dusty had originally booked RICK STEINER to beat Flair in a five-minute squash in the main event to win the title. Instead, we got a four-and-a-half star showcase. One of many reasons why Dusty was fired after this show. This was certainly a turning point for the company. Flair is on top and he made Sting and Luger look like stars during the year. Plus, the Turner acquisition changed the game and allowed for new opportunities. An awesome show with the Flair/Luger and Midnight Express battle, and it sends WCW into 1989 with a huge boost of momentum.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

We’re on the road to yet another showdown between Hulk Hogan and Zeus in this Survivor Series 1989 review, with the No Holds Barred promotion being the main theme entering the Thanksgiving tradition.

This edition features one of the best teams ever assembled, so at least it has that going for it.

Let’s get to the fun with Blake’s Survivor Series 1989 review.

• Date: November 23, 1989
• Location: Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, IL

VIDEO: Various wrestlers say what they’re thankful for, and then Vince runs through all the Survivor Series matches with the team names and participants.

ON THE STAGE: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura welcome us.

The Enforcers (Big Boss Man, Bad News Brown, Honky Tonk Man, and Rick Martel) vs. The Dream Team (Dusty Rhodes, Brutus Beefcake, Tito Santana, and Red Rooster)

It’s incredible how simple it is to add team names and team captains to make things feel special. If only the current WWE had 2,498 hours of TV each week so that it could take a few minutes to add this touch to Survivor Series matches. Jesse reminds us early on that Tito and Honky is a main event anywhere in the country. Martel eventually works his way in, and then Dusty and Boss Man get their much awaited clash. Beefcake comes in thinking he’s gonna run wild until Boss Man nails him and takes control.

Honky in and he and Martel continue to work on Beefcake. We get the tag to Rooster and something tells me he’s not winning this thing. Rooster gets his ass kicked by Honky and Boss Man for a while, then Martel figures he’ll squash a jobber too. Rooster gets a small package but to no avail as Honky comes in to do more work. Both men down and Rooster makes the hot tag to Tito who tries to get the Figure Four but Martel counters. Tito goes for a rollup but Martel reverses and grabs the tights for the pin to eliminate Tito. We get a little foreshadowing with a camera shot of the eventual Sapphire in the audience dressed in Dusty gear, which Gorilla plays up on commentary.

Good guys now doing work on Martel until he regains control against who else but the fucking Rooster. Boss Man in and it’s BEAR HUG time on Rooster who cock-a-doodle-do’s his way out by biting him. Bad News in for the first time. Boss Man and Bad News eventually go for the double team but it goes awry and Boss Man accidentally nails Bad News. That leads to Bad News losing it and walking out for the second straight year.

So now we’re 3-on-3 as Beefcake gets worked on. But that doesn’t last as Beefcake hits the high knee on Honky to eliminate him. Martel locks in the sleeper hold on Beefcake for a bit before going for the pin. But the referee notices Martel is holding the ropes, and Beefcake is able to counter for a pin of his own to send Martel packing. Now a 3-1 advantage for the good guys. Then again, it’s basically 2-1 since Rooster is in there. Sure enough, Boss Man quickly hits the slam on Rooster for the pin. I’m shocked.

Beefcake and Dusty do some double team work and eventually Dusty hits the cross body for the pin on Boss Man to win it at 22:02. After the match, Boss Man gets the nightstick from Slick and cleans house. He handcuffs Dusty to the ropes and continues the beating until Beefcake runs them out with the hedge clippers. Fine match with a hot crowd as usual during this time period.

• Rating: **1/2

BACKSTAGE: Sean Mooney with Boss Man and Slick. Boss Man says Dusty is a prisoner now and that justice has been served. He also calls him a stupid puke.

BACKSTAGE: Gene Okerlund with The 4×4’s. The entire team hypes the match, and then they fake shoot the camera. My goodness the late 80s were fun.

The King’s Court (Randy Savage, Greg Valentine, Dino Bravo, and Canadian Earthquake) vs. The 4×4’s (Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Ronnie Garvin, Bret Hart, and Hercules)

In hindsight, dropping the Canadian part of Earthquake was a good move. Meanwhile, Savage goes from main eventing every card under the sun to this match. Hercules goes to work on Savage before Valentine gets in. Hacksaw throws in some offense and then we get Garvin vs. Valentine. Eventually Hercules and Garvin go at it before Earthquake comes in and squashes Hercules for the pin.

Hacksaw and Bret use a nifty double team to get Earthquake off his feet, then we work to some back and forth between Garvin and Valentine. Savage in now, then Bravo tags in. Recapping Survivor Series matches is chaotic, folks. We’ve got tags every 10 seconds and keeping track isn’t easy. Hacksaw tags in and eliminates Valentine so we’re 3-on-3 at this point.

Earthquake goes for a big elbow drop on Hacksaw but misses, and Garvin with the BACK SCRATCH OF DOOM to keep the momentum going. Garvin goes for the leg lock on Bravo but we get tags on both sides and holy hell we’re getting Savage and Bret. At this point it was clear that Bret was a future star, because the crowd exploded when these two were in there together. Bret gets in a lot of offense before Savage gets out by tagging Bravo. We work to Bravo hitting a big side slam on Garvin to earn the pin.

Hacksaw and Earthquake go at it again and Bret comes in for the double team. Bret and Savage face off again and Savage gets locked in the ropes, which Hacksaw takes advantage of in true good guy fashion. Small package from Bret gets a near fall on Savage, and then Bret misses an elbow off the top which allows Bravo to get the tag.

Earthquake and Bravo work on Bret for a bit as Jesse calls Hacksaw an idiot for distracting the ref and letting the bad guys team up. Bravo holds Bret and that sends Savage running into Bravo, then Bret makes the hot tag to Hacksaw. That doesn’t work for long as Savage gets in and hits the elbow off the top to eliminate Bret. Hacksaw thinks he has a chance here and he clears the ring.

Hacksaw decides to get cute after taking control and that causes Earthquake to beat his ass. Big elbow from Earthquake only gets a two count. We work to Sherri pulling some shenanigans by holding down the rope to send Hacksaw over the top, and Savage distracts the ref while Earthquake destroys Hacksaw outside. That of course leads to Hacksaw getting counted out at 23:25 because he sure as hell isn’t getting pinned. Hacksaw hits Savage and Bravo with the 2×4 afterwards. Honestly, this was sort of all over the place and did not feel like anything special.

• Rating: **1/4

BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene says Dusty has bruised ribs and a slight concussion.

ON THE STAGE: Guess who’s here? IT’S THE GENIUS! He delivers another literary masterpiece.

The Million Dollar Team (Ted DiBiase, Zeus, The Barbarian, The Warlord) vs. The Hulkamaniacs (Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, Ax, and Smash)

Million Dollar Team gets the jobber entrance as they’re already in the ring after Genius’ poem. On a positive note, these two teams are STACKED. Jake brings out his snake early and scares the hell out of everyone. Only in wrestling does that sentence not sound creepy. Hogan spits at Zeus before the match starts, so BABYFACE HOGAN continues to set a great example for children around the world. Hogan and Zeus start things off and here we go again with Hogan raking the eyes. Zeus chokes Hogan like crazy and that leads to Hebner legitimately putting Zeus in a headlock. That does not sit well with Zeus who slings Hebner halfway to Jupiter. Of course that leads to Hebner calling for the DQ to eliminate Zeus right off the bat.

DiBiase gets the upper hand on Hogan until Jake regains control. Ax and Smash get offense in on DiBiase until Hogan comes in to complete the triple team. Jesse yells about the double standard on cheating. HE’S RIGHT. Eventually we get Barbarian and Ax going at it, with Barbarian missing the elbow drop off the top. Warlord makes his way in and that leads to Ax getting tripped up by Fuji with the ref’s back turned and the ANKLE TRIP eliminates Ax. Hogan comes in to destroy Warlord, then Jake comes in to a much larger reaction from the crowd. It seemed obvious at this point that Hogan just wasn’t getting the same type of love from the fans.

We get to the rest hold portion of the match with DiBiase enforcing the chin lock on Smash. But DiBiase goes up and misses the elbow drop off the top. DiBiase gets up and goes off the ropes, with Barbarian tagging him on the back. Smash goes for the pin on DiBiase without realizing the tag was made, and that allows Barbarian to come off the top to pin Smash and give the Dream Team the upper hand. Let’s see how long that lasts.

Jake in and he gets an ass-kicking for a while until Barbarian misses the flying headbutt and allows Jake to make the hot tag to Hogan. Wonder what’s gonna happen now? Shockingly enough, Barbarian actually kicks out twice on Hogan. Then we get DiBiase and Jake fighting outside while Barbarian and Warlord hit the spike piledriver on Hogan, but Hebner figures that must be illegal so he calls for the DQ on both Barbarian and Warlord. There’s a surprise. Even the crowd is booing this bullshit. Jesse is losing his mind at this turn of events.

You know what happens next. DiBiase locks in the Million Dollar Dream but Jake comes in to break it out, which Jesse points us is also an illegal move. Hogan escapes DiBiase once again and hot tags Jake. But Virgil manages to get involved and after the ref is distracted, DiBiase gains the upper hand and pins Jake with the feet on the ropes. HOGAN VS. DIBIASE. WHO WILL WIN? Gorilla says he doesn’t like Hogan’s chances, and I’m not exactly sure what show Gorilla has been watching, but it isn’t the WWF.

Chinlock from DiBiase and we get to a double clothesline with both men down. Hulk up time after that and Hogan gets the pin at 27:32. Another match that had its moments but wasn’t anything necessarily anything great as it was there to push another Hogan/Zeus showdown.

• Rating: **1/2

BACKSTAGE: Mooney with Savage, Zeus, and Sherri. They hype the No Holds Barred match and movie extravaganza.

BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene with Beefcake and Hogan. They do the same and Hogan says they’re gonna put Savage and Zeus out of the WWF. Sherri comes walking in behind them and starts screaming before throwing powder in their eyes. Savage and Zeus run in and attack before all the wrestlers come in to break things up.

ON THE STAGE: Jesse reveals that there is trouble in the Heenan Family.

BACKSTAGE: Mooney with The Rude Brood and THE GENIUS. They talk shit about their opponents.

BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene with Roddy’s Rowdies. Luke and Butch have turkeys in their tights.

The Rude Brood (Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Jacques Rougeau, Raymond Rougeau) vs. Roddy’s Rowdies (Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, Luke, Butch)

Not only is The Rude Brood the greatest team name ever, but this may be the greatest assortment of theme music ever for a single team. Heenan doesn’t come out with Rude, which Jesse continues to play up as dissension among the family. Perfect and Luke start off which may be the biggest mismatch in history. Butch comes in and bites Perfect. Piper comes in and he bites Perfect too. Snuka does the same and this carousel continues with quick tags. Jacques flips into the ring and then hugs Raymond while the crowd lets them have it. Snuka hits the flying headbutt to stop those shenanigans and eventually comes off the top to eliminate Jacques.

Rude in and he gets out quickly as Snuka keeps kicking ass. Rude accidentally pulls the rope down and that sends Perfect flying over the top. They aren’t happy with each other and then Snuka delivers the DOUBLE NOGGIN’ KNOCKER. Luke and Butch work on Perfect for a bit and then Piper comes in. Raymond makes his first appearance and he and Piper tussle until Piper hits the piledriver to eliminate him. Piper and Perfect go at it and we get the slingshot on Perfect, which allows Piper to tag Butch.

Eventually Perfect manages to get the rollup to send Butch packing. Luke tries to get his revenge but that goes nowhere as Rude comes in and hits the Rude Awakening to get the pin. Perfect works on Snuka for a bit and then it’s Rude’s turn for a while. Snuka gets a near fall on Perfect and both goes hit the mat which leads to the tag race. Piper gets the hot tag and he runs wild on Rude. They fight to the outside and both men get counted out as they brawl down the aisle.

That leaves Perfect and Snuka, and the fans are booing the double countout. Perfect gets a two count on a suplex and then they exchange two counts on roll ups. Flying cross body from Snuka allows Perfect to counter it for another near fall. Then it’s Perfect Plex time to give Perfect the win at 21:27. Snuka beats up the The Genius afterwards which just isn’t very nice. The finishing sequence between Perfect and Snuka was pretty good, and this was fine overall.

• Rating: **1/2

BACKSTAGE: Mooney interviews Rude’s Brood. They celebrate the win.

BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene with The Ultimate Warriors. This is quite a scene as Warrior plays with Neidhart’s goatee. Warrior talks about organ donor cards and some other stuff like that.

The Heenan Family (Andre the Giant, Haku, Arn Anderson, and Bobby Heenan) vs. The Ultimate Warriors (The Ultimate Warriors, Jim Neidhart, Shawn Michaels, and Marty Jannetty)

Gorilla and Jesse try to figure out why Heenan is in the match, which was of course due to Tully Blanchard getting fired on the day of the show after a failed drug test. Chaos ensues right away before Warrior even makes his entrance, and he comes running down to send Andre over the top rope. Since the referee already rang the bell, that leads to Andre getting counted out which should tell you how that match is gonna unfold. The “weasel” chants begin, but that doesn’t stop Haku from eliminating Neidhart just a few minutes into the match.

Double teaming from the Rockers on Haku while Warrior makes animal noises on the apron. Arn and Haku go for a double team but Warrior and the Rockers put together a pretty nice reversal. Warrior tags in for a bit and we work to Heenan tagging in with Jannetty down. He quickly tags out when Jannetty goes for some offense to let Haku go back to work. Heenan back in and he manages to pin Jannetty after Haku does the damage. Michaels nearly gets counted out but Warriors throws him back in to prevent it. Michaels and Warrior kick Arn’s ass for a while until Haku takes control.

Haku misses off the top and Michaels pins him for the three to even things back up. Michaels gets sent over the top and Heenan thinks about flying off onto him but decides it’s not a good idea. Arn gets angry at Heenan for not tagging and he quickly gets in and out. Both Arn and Michaels go down, but they fight back up where Arn hits the hard slam to eliminate Michaels. Warrior goes nuts but Arn sends him through the ropes to the outside. Heenan thinks about flying again but hops back down onto the apron. We keep going back and forth with Heenan tagging in to get offense and tagging right back out to Arn.

Warrior sends Arn into Heenan and then hits the splash to eliminate Arn. So now we get the showdown that everyone has been waiting for as Warrior sneaks around to scare the hell out of Heenan, who is yelling for Arn to come back. Heenan tries to escape but gets a flip off the turnbuckle for good measure. He starts walking down the aisle but Warrior brings him back for the flying tackle and splash for the victory at 20:28. This was probably the most enjoyable of the five matches given Heenan’s antics.

• Rating: **3/4

SHOW SUMMARY

This is one of those shows that’s all about the Survivor Series concept itself. You know what you’re getting with the matches, and it’s really about the entertainment quality. I’m not the biggest fan of the mega elimination matches, so it probably limits the overall enjoyment for this particular show. But you can’t argue with the loaded roster that the company had at this point.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

It’s the Thanksgiving tradition, as the Survivor Series 1988 review features the WWF embarking on the second installment of the popular tag team-themed pay-per-view.

We’ve got the Mega Powers still going strong and a couple of hot secondary storylines to discuss.

Grab your turkey and get ready for Thanksgiving fun in Blake’s Survivor Series 1988 review.

• Date: November 24, 1988
• Location: Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, OH

ANNOUNCE BOOTH: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse ‘The Pilgrim’ Ventura welcome us. Hell of an upgrade from Superstar Billy Graham at Summerslam.

Ultimate Warrior, Brutus Beefcake, Sam Houston, Blue Blazer, and Jim Brunzell vs. Honky Tonk Man, Greg Valentine, Ron Bass, Bad News Brown, and Danny Davis – Survivor Series Elimination Match

Good mix of talent for this match. Beefcake gets the crowd rocking by locking on the sleeper and quickly eliminating Davis. Brunzell’s trunks are something awful and thankfully we work our way towards Bad News beating his ass. And he hits the Ghetto Blaster to eliminate Brunzell.

Houston makes his way in and Bad News hits a VICIOUS boot to a running Houston’s face. Valentine is now in the match to beat up Houston. Instead, he accidentally hits Bad News. That won’t work. Bad News is pissed and walks out of the match to eliminate himself. Won’t be the last time we see that from him in a Survivor Series match.

Bass into the match to the delight of no one. Powerslam to Houston and one of Texas’ finest cities has been eliminated. Warrior joins the fray and all hell breaks loose. Blue Blazer in there now and we work our way to him tapping out to the Figure Four from Valentine.

So now it’s Warrior/Beefcake vs. Honky/Bass/Valentine. Never thought I’d say this, but decent back and forth from Beefcake and Honky. Sleeper hold applied to Honky and then both men fall to the outside and get counted out. That leaves Warrior to go up against Bass and Valentine.

Double clothesline from Warrior and he pins Bass, with Jesse correctly pointing out that Valentine was the legal man. So then Warrior hits the double ax handle and pins Valentine for the victory at 17:50.

The wrestling wasn’t great, but I enjoyed this for what it was. Plus you had the debut of Owen Hart as the Blue Blazer.

• Rating: **

Demolition, Brain Busters, Conquistadors, Bolsheviks, Fabulous Rougeaus vs. Powers of Pain, Hart Foundation, Rockers, British Bulldogs, and Young Stallions – Survivor Series Elimination Match

HOLY SHIT. In case you needed a reminder of just how stacked the WWF tag team scene was at the time, here you go. After dealing with Dusty Rhodes’ horrendous booking and bad management in Jim Crockett Promotions, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard bolted after losing their NWA World Tag Team titles to the Midnight Express in mid-September. So there’s another defection on top of Powers of Pain leaving earlier in the year.

Then there’s the pay-per-view debut of The Rockers, comprised of two dudes named Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. They were on TV in June (after being brought back after a failed WWF run where they were fired after one match in 1987), but this is the first big spot for them. So there’s your setup.

It’s truly an impressive sight to see all of these guys on the apron. Trivia: Shawn’s first opponent in a WWF PPV ring is Nikolai Volkoff. He and Marty both do some fighting with the Bolsheviks before Ax makes his way in to destroy Marty’s back. Now we’ve got Arn in there to battle Jannetty. I already miss Arn and Tully in JCP. Tully is in and get takes punches from nearly everyone on the face side of the ring. JIM POWERS IS IN THE MATCH. He legit does nothing and tags Dynamite back in the match. Brilliant move.

Powers back in now and Smash throws him around like a rag doll before Bret finally gets tagged in to go up against Jacques. And Raymond gets tagged in, only to see Bret hit the small package to eliminate the Rougeaus. We work our way towards Barbarian and Smash brawling, which the crowd is eating up with a spoon. Spirits go down when one member of the Conquistadors comes in. More tags than a department store at this point.

Biggest heat comes when Warlord and Ax square off and the cheers are equal for both. Eventually we get Zhukov eliminating Powers to send the Young Stallions packing. Funny spot from Tully where he gets tagged in and sneaks his way over to tag Volkoff since he wanted no part of Barbarian. Great heat for this. Marty finds himself in the match and gets rid of the Bolsheviks with a pin. Because you have so many fresh guys waiting, this match is total non-stop action. No, not TNA. It’s much better than that.

Both members of the Conquistadors are surprisingly kicking out of good moves. More great heel work from Tully to give Demolition the advantage over Barbarian. We then get a disputed near fall where Bret hits the suplex on Tully, but it’s ruled that Bret had his shoulders on the mat when the ref counted the three. Hart Foundation are outta there. Then we get full-on mayhem between the Brain Busters and Rockers, which causes the refs to send both teams home. They keep brawling down the aisle. THE CONQUISTADORS ARE STILL IN THIS DAMN MATCH.

Things get pretty slow with only two teams left on both sides. We finally get Smash pinning Dynamite to eliminate the Bulldogs, which would be their last PPV match as a team. How can you not be impressed with the Conquistadors? Hell of a showing. Maybe it’s Edge and Christian under the masks.

Fuji keeps getting up on the apron trying to use the cane, but Smash isn’t obeying orders. That of course leads to Smash running off the ropes and Fuji hanging onto the rope to send Smash outside. JESSE IS ALL OVER IT. Demolition gets counted out and then Ax yells at Fuji. And then Fuji hits Ax with the cane, and Smash helps Ax with the bodyslam on Fuji. Crowd eats this up.

So then we get the big moment where Powers of Pain go over to help Fuji back to his feet, thus completing the much-needed double turn. Barbarian scores the victory at 42:12, but the story here is obviously Fuji aligning with Barbarian and Warlord. So after the match we get Demolition hitting the ring, and the crowd probably isn’t quite sure what to make of this. They are buzzing, but not really cheering anyone.

As with any 40-minute match, there are a couple of slow spots. But overall, this was great stuff and highly entertaining. Must-see for the incredible depth of the tag team division.

• Rating: ****

BACKSTAGE: Sean Mooney with Bad News Brown. This man wants a title shot at Randy Savage and says he smelled a conspiracy from his own team earlier.

IN THE LOCKER ROOM: Gene Oklerund wants to know what the fuck is going on with Fuji and Demolition. So Fuji says he found a new team to demolish Demolition. Good stuff to push the turn.

Jake Roberts, Tito Santana, Scott Casey, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Ken Patera vs. Andre the Giant, Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Harley Race, and Dino Bravo – Survivor Series Elimination Match

Jesse immediately continues of his hatred of Duggan by wondering how the hell he’s the co-captain of his team. We get Rude and Patera to start things off, which is easily the biggest mismatch in wrestling history. And Bravo is immediately tagged in, which is easily the most equal matchup in wrestling history. Perfect makes his PPV debut by getting some good shots in on Patera.

Casey into this thing and HAVE I MENTIONED I LOVE JOBBERS? He luckily gets outta there quickly, which leads us into a Hacksaw/Perfect battle. Has Patera been eliminated yet? Just checking. Well Casey is back in the match and gets offense in on Perfect. Should have never happened. Hot tag to Patera (if such a thing exists) and thankfully Rude hits the Rude Awakening to eliminate him from this match. And then Bravo hits the sideslam to eliminate Casey.

Time for more Hacksaw/Perfect interaction until Rude gets tagged in. We work to a good sequence from Tito and Bravo, and Tito eliminates Race with the flying forearm. Andre enters for the first time and straight up annihilates Tito. He eventually sits on Tito for the pin.

We’re down to Jake/Hacksaw vs. Andre/Rude/Perfect/Bravo. Andre gets tied in the ropes and Jake gets his chance to go ballistic on him. Rude finally gets tagged to take the upper hand. Perfect now getting his licks in on Jake, as does Andre. Long sequence of Jake getting beat up until Hacksaw gets the hot tag. He gets some offense in until Frenchy gets a cheap jab in. Hacksaw then decides to be an absolute moron and take the 2×4 in the ring to beat up Bravo. What a buffoon. Naturally he gets DQ’d and leaves Jake all by himself against four men.

The next 10 minutes of the match feels like a complete decimation of Jake. Then we change course and Jake hits the DDT on Rude to eliminate him. So there’s Jake finally getting his revenge for the Cheryl fiasco. Andre comes in and gets DQ’d for choking Jake unmercifully in the corner. And Perfect slides in right after and pins a beaten Jake for the win at 30:03.

Somewhat slow at times, but it told the story of Jake fighting against all odds, and also showcased Perfect’s outstanding talents. This was solid.

• Rating: ***

Big Boss Man, Akeem, Ted DiBiase, Red Rooster, and King Haku vs. Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Hillbilly Jim, Hercules, and Koko B. Ware – Survivor Series Elimination Match

And this is your PPV debut for Akeem, which is the real highlight. Then there’s the secondary feud of DiBiase and the freshly turned Hercules. We get a return to WrestleMania IV with Savage and DiBiase starting the match. Herc gets in and chases DiBiase around for a bit before we get the highly anticipated showdown between Rooster and Koko.

It gets to Hogan vs. Rooster and I think we know how this is gonna go. Hogan hits the boot and tags to Savage who hits the Flying Elbow to eliminate the Rooster. A few slow bits of action and Akeem rightfully sends Hillbilly to the showers. Then we get the good guys all taking turns trying to knock down Akeem but to no avail.

Boss Man finally gets into the mix and immediately sideslams Koko to eliminate him. Now we get the crowd into this with Hogan and Boss Man squaring off. Hogan slams him after some back and forth and Boss Man follows it up with a slam of his own. The Towers double team Hogan and now KING HAKU IS IN TO GET HIS REVENGE. As you’ll recall, Hogan made a mockery of the crown at Saturday Night’s Main Event the month before. Haku does some work and DiBiase does as well. Of course, Hogan starts no selling everything DiBiase throws at him before tagging in Herc.

After Virgil trips Herc, DiBiase scores the pin. Seconds later, Savage rolls up DiBiase after he was distracted with Herc going at Virgil on the outside. We get Haku working over Hogan for a while. Boss Man gets in and goes up top for some reason. Hogan moves out of the way and tags Savage to send the roof off the place. Slick move from Slick allows Boss Man to get back in control. But Slick takes it further by pulling Elizabeth into the aisle, and Hogan does not like this one bit. He goes after Slick and clobbers him. Akeem and Boss Man attack Hogan and handcuff him to the ropes. SPECTACULAR STRATEGY.

So, during that process Boss Man gets counted out and does not care for that one damn bit. Therefore, he beats up Hogan with the nightstick. Akeem decides to push the referee and now he’s been DQ’d. So we’re down to Hogan/Savage vs. Haku. That won’t go well for the true king of wrestling. And as expected, Hogan wipes out the managers and Elizabeth gets the handcuff keys and lets Hogan loose while Savage is getting destroyed by Haku.

The diving tag to Hogan and it’s boot and leg drop time to give the good guys the win at 29:10. Hogan picks up Elizabeth after the match and the seeds of jealously have been officially sown as Savage looks concerned about this. Far from a great match, but we know where it’s heading.

• Rating: **

Blake’s Survivor Series 1988 Awards

• Best Match: 20-Man Survivor Series Elimination Match
• Survivor Series 1988 MVP: Hulk Hogan
• Overall Survivor Series 1988 Rating: 6.5/10
• Thoughts: You don’t get anything truly terrible here. The tag team elimination match was awesome, plus you have the Demolition/Powers of Pain double turn. Everything else served its purpose, and although the main event wasn’t anything special, the post-match antics from Hogan started the big push towards the Mega Powers exploding.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

The Royal Rumble 1989 review features the first-ever Royal Rumble in its truest form. The previous version was a good start, but this was the one that captured all of our hearts and made us wrestling fans forever.

Well, maybe not. But it was pretty damn cool.

Let’s get to Blake’s Royal Rumble 1989 review.

Date: January 15, 1989

Location: The Summit in Houston, TX

The Fabulous Rougeaus and Dino Bravo (w/Jimmy Hart and Frenchy Martin) vs. The Hart Foundation and Hacksaw Jim Duggan – 2 out of 3 Falls Match

We get the hosses in there to start the match. Neidhart and Bravo go round and round, and then Hacksaw gets in to square off with Raymond. No chance in hell that Hacksaw is selling for Raymond, so he kicks his ass. Bret then works in and gets near falls on a small package and sunset flip. Something tells me Bret will be spending a lot of time in the ring during this one given his teammates.

All six man get in the ring and we’ve got a massive brouhaha before the heels retreat. Shenanigans from Raymond and Jacques put Bret in trouble. And then from outta nowhere, Raymond pins Bret to take the first fall. More ass beating for Bret, with Bravo showcasing the juice. Bret finally gets a tiny bit of offense with another sunset flip, but no go.

Boston crab on Bret and then awesome heel work from the Rougeaus as Bret makes the tag but Raymond came in prior to distract the ref. Bret still getting flat out dissected but manages to kick out of multiple pins. Inverted atomic drop finally allows Bret to make the hot tag to Hacksaw and Raymond gets hooooooooooooooed. As does Bravo. As does Jacques. Then we get double catapults over the ropes by the Hart Foundation, and Hacksaw pins Raymond for the second fall.

Now we’ve got Hacksaw getting teamed up on. But Hacksaw will not be held down. Scrum breaks out and the ref gets occupied in the bad guys’ corner. This allows notable good guy Hacksaw to do a good guy move and bash Bravo with the 2×4 to give Bret the pin and the win at 15:42. Solid opening match.

• Rating: ***

BACKSTAGE: Millon Dollar Man draws his number. He’s not happy, so he pulls Slick into the mix and tries to buy Boss Man or Akeem’s number. Honky Tonky Man draws and throws it down. The Bushwhackers draw and they are fucking thrilled. Bad News Brown draws and he laughs and says it’s good news. Jake Roberts draws and says he hopes Andre is there when he gets there. The Rockers draw and they simply say good luck.

Judy Martin vs. (c) Rockin’ Robin – WWF Women’s Title

Sensational Sherri on the mic before the match and she challenges the winner. Sherri now on commentary and makes fun of Robin’s skinny body. Vince McMahon line without a doubt. They go back and forth for a while and crowd is silent. Give them credit for working this match, but goodness this is painful to watch.

Sherri says it all when she says “c’mon somebody win.” Yes please. Robin hits a move off the top to retain at 6:24. It wasn’t the best match ever.

• Rating: 1/2*

BACKSTAGE: Sean Mooney with Slick, as he tries to backtrack about selling his number to DiBiase. Says he hasn’t seen DiBiase in a month. So Mooney goes savage and shows the clip from earlier of Slick talking with DiBiase. Good stuff with him trying to keep it from Boss Man and Akeem.

IN THE RING: Super Posedown time with Rick Rude and The Ultimate Warrior. This would be the beginning of a special feud. Lots of posing, and Warrior’s ab routine is hilarious. The whole thing is hilarious really, but it does its job in starting the hatred between Rude and Warrior. Then all hell breaks loose when Heenan sprays oil in Warrior’s face and Rude nails Warrior with the workout bar from behind. And so it begins.

King Haku (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. Harley Race

The world wants to know who the real King is. Of course, after Race got injured after being crowned, Heenan replaced him with the one and only Haku. I think we all know this will be a brawl.

Back and forth we go and Haku gets some work in to send Race eventually to the outside. Lots of suplexes being thrown around, with Race getting a near fall. We get both men on the outside and Haku back drops Race onto the mat. Haku then bashes Race’s back into the apron, which is followed up by a PILEDRIVER ON THE OUTSIDE from Race. Holy hell.

Reverse neckbreaker from Race gets another two count. Haku starts the chops to take back over. Then he goes up top and misses the flying headbutt. Race then misses a flying headbutt of his own. Crowd doesn’t give a damn, but this isn’t half bad to be honest. Haku then finishes Race off with the thrust kick at 9:01. Crowd sucked, but again, this was fine.

• Rating: **1/2

BACKSTAGE: We get about 20 interviews hyping up the Royal Rumble. As you would expect, Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant appear to the massive favorites heading into the match. They also play up the possibility of Hogan and Savage having to throw each other out. FORESHADOWING.

The 1989 Royal Rumble Match

It’s go time. Ax draws No. 1, and wouldn’t you know it, Smash draws No. 2. This was a hell of a way to start the concept of the match itself. And because these were two badasses, they start beating the shit out of each other. How could you not love Demolition? I’m wearing Demolition face paint as I type this.

Andre the Giant in at No. 3. Naturally, Ax and Smash go right after Andre and send him to the mat. Mr. Perfect is No. 4, and this is quite a perfect start as he starts nailing everyone. Andre then tosses Smash out. Ronnie Garvin is your No. 5 entrant. So much for this massive heel turn on Dusty Rhodes at Great American Bash the previous summer. He helps the others in tying Andre in the ropes. Garvin and Perfect exchange some hellacious chops before Greg Valentine strolls down at No. 6. Everyone still trying to eliminate Andre, but that shit ain’t happening. Andre eliminates Garvin with a hip toss.

Jake Roberts is No. 7 and he and Andre are throwing down. Valentine tries to get involved but Andre has no time to sell a Valentine hammer to the back. Andre keeps choking out Jake with the boot and then steps on him. The newly bald Ron Bass is No. 8. Andre then nonchalantly throws out Jake. Well that was a squash.

Shawn Michaels flies in at No. 9. Perfect then tosses Ax out of the match. Nice run for the Ax. Perfect then sends Michaels over but he hangs onto the ropes, and we get the same spot with Perfect going over but hanging onto the ropes. Bushwhacker Butch is at No. 10, and I can confidently predict that he will not be winning this match.

Meanwhile, Jake is back with Damian in hand. He slings the snake into the ring and Andre eliminates himself to get the hell out of Dodge. Or Houston. Honky Tonk Man is No. 11. Then Tito Santana charges in after Perfect at No. 12. Bad News Brown into the fray at No. 13. Jesse with the line of the night: “This is a normal Saturday night for him.” Outstanding. Honky gets thrown out by someone much to the delight of everyone. Marty Jannetty in at No. 14. Double dropkick from the Rockers sends Bass out.

Randy Savage is here at No. 15, and the man isn’t even taking his sunglasses off while kicking Bad News’ ass. Arn Anderson is No. 16. Valentine gets tossed by Savage. Good interaction between Michaels and Arn. Then we get Savage and Arn teaming up to eliminate Michaels. That was an interesting touch. Tully Blanchard in at No. 17. Perfect and Savage start going at it and I say clear the ring and just let these two go for the next 30 minutes.

Great spot with Marty hanging on but finally getting pushed out by the Brain Busters. Hulk Hogan is No. 18. And since he never at any point in his career gave a damn about putting Perfect over, he tosses him within seconds after Perfect had been the star of the match. Of course.

Hogan continues to run wild and Santana gets tossed somewhere in here. Bad News almost throws out Hogan and Savage does nothing to save him. Bushwhacker Luke is your No. 19 entrant. Butch gets thrown over by Bad News. Hogan now making Arn and Tully look stupid. Koko B. Ware is No. 20. Hogan eliminates Koko within a minute. NO BIRD IS GOING OVER ON ME, BROTHER. Then Hogan tosses Luke.

The Warlord is No. 21, and as he’s coming down the aisle, Hogan eliminates both Arn and Tully with the double clothesline. So right now it’s just Hogan/Savage/Bad News in there. Warlord steps a foot into the ring and he gets tossed by Hogan in two seconds. And naturally, Hogan goes over and tosses both Bad News and Savage to clear the entire ring. SAVAGE IS PISSED. He gets back in and pushes Hogan repeatedly. Elizabeth comes out and gets in the middle of them. They continue to bicker at each other while Jesse pushes that Hogan is an egomaniac. Well, he’s right. Savage offers the handshake at the end and ALL IS WELL AGAIN WITH THE MEGA POWERS. We’ll see about that.

Big Boss Man makes his way in at No. 22. Hogan gets offense early but Boss Man takes over and even spits on Hogan. Akeem is No. 23. Immediately Hogan throws them into each other and slams Akeem. Boss Man picks up Hogan and nearly tosses him, but double noggin knocker to the Towers. AND THEN THE TOWERS ELIMINATE HOGAN! IT’S A MIRACLE. But of course this won’t fly as Hogan pulls out Boss Man and then Akeem goes out to help his best bud.

Brutus Beefcake is No. 24. He’s here to save his own best bud Hulk. Beefcake destroys everyone and then Hogan tries to get back in the match. What a moron. Since he can’t do that, he pulls the ropes down and causes Boss Man to be eliminated. Great heel work by the company’s top babyface. This would begin the trend of Hogan being a sore loser in other Rumbles. Red Rooster on the way at No. 25.

A whole lot of nothing going on now with Beefcake and Rooster working over Akeem. The Barbarian is No. 26. Let this man clean house. Big John Studd is in at No. 27. Hercules comes in at No. 28. The match has really slowed down. Rick Martel is BACK and he’s No. 29. The heat has completely evaporated after the Hogan/Savage and Towers stuff. And Ted DiBiase is No. 30. Clearly the Million Dollar Man stuck a few bills in Slick’s pocket to get this number.

So at this point, you would think that there’s only two possible winners: DiBiase and Akeem. Let’s see how that goes. DiBiase tosses the Rooster. DiBiase and Barbarian then pull a savage move and dump Herc and Beefcake at the same time. We get a Barbarian showcase with the flying headbutt and such, but Martel dropkicks him and sends him over. Your final four are Akeem/Studd/Dibiase/Martel. Then Akeem catches Martel and he’s outta there.

Akeem and DiBiase go to work on Studd. Then we start getting the same formula as Royal Rumble 1988, with the heels making a mistake and Studd sending Akeem over. Studd squashes DiBiase for a bit and finally tosses him for the win at 1:04:53.

Where do we begin? For starters, Studd had been gone for YEARS. Now he comes back and wins a Rumble with an enormous amount of stars in it, and even eliminated two of the hottest heels in the company in DiBiase and Akeem to win it. But hey this was 1989, and Vince McMahon was sending the crowd home happy damnit. However, there was zero reason for Studd to win this match.

Then there’s the fact that the crowd was done after the Hogan/Savage shenanigans. Not to mention that Hogan was once again the biggest hypocrite ever. It was quite enjoyable, but illogical booking hurts it a bit.

• Rating: ***

Blake’s Royal Rumble 1989 Awards

• Best Match: Royal Rumble Match
• Royal Rumble 1989 MVP: Randy Savage
• Overall Royal Rumble 1989 Rating: 6.0/10
• Thoughts: Aside from the women’s title match, everything else is pretty entertaining. Well, minus the final portion of the Rumble. It advanced the Mega Powers tension and made a big star out of Studd. Oh, wait. But in all seriousness, it was a fun show.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF Royal Rumble 2001 review, the 30-man Rumble match features a plethora of top stars, Kurt Angle defends the WWF title against Triple H, and much more.

Let’s jump in!

• Show: Royal Rumble 2001
• Date: January 21, 2001
• Location: New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, LA

– Always loved the video hype packages in this era. The sponsor is 1-800-COLLECT, and during the open, there’s a “Playboy: When Trish When” sign zoomed in on. Of course.

The Dudley Boyz vs. (c) Edge and Christian – WWF Tag Team Titles

The Dudleyz took Conchairto on RAW, and Bubba was sent through a table on SmackDown. Hot tag to Bubba early on but the referee didn’t see the tag. D’Von ducks the Conchairto. Edge goes for a belt shot, but Bubba gets near fall. The Dudleyz go for the 3D, then Edge hits spear on Bubba for another near fall. Edge and Christian try the “Wasssuuppp” spot, but D’Von throws Edge on Christian. And then the Dudleyz hit the 3D to win the titles. JR with the “those damn Dudleyz have done it!” line to add to the fun.

• Rating: ***1/2

– Drew Carey is at the Rumble!

– Vince McMahon says Steve Austin will be in Rumble, while Triple H will get his match against Kurt Angle.

– Triple H is with Stephanie McMahon. He wants her to play nice with Trish Stratus. Meanwhile, I loved the “Game Over” shirt. Steph then takes Carey to see Trish.

– The APA are playing cards. They show each other their Rumble numbers. Crash Holly says he’s gonna eliminate them even though they’re friends.

Chris Jericho vs. (c) Chris Benoit – Ladder Match for IC Title

This is an excellent match. Some of the noteworthy moments include Jericho hitting Benoit in the head with a chair on dive to the floor (which is always difficult to watch given what happened with Benoit). There’s also Benoit suplexing Jericho backwards over the top and onto the floor. Jericho uses the octopus on top of the ladder, but Benoit uses his power to push the ladder over with Jericho on top of it. Eventually, it’s Jericho sending Benoit outside before grabbing the title for the win.

• Rating: ****

– Carey with Trish. He’s selling his accomplishments. So what does Vince do? He puts Carey in the Rumble to impress both his fans and Trish.

– Chyna with Billy Gunn. He pleads for her not to wrestle.

– Jericho joins Michael Cole and celebrates winning the IC title.

– Video package pushes Chyna’s injury at hands of Ivory, with Ivory mocking her.

Chyna vs. (c) Ivory – Women’s Title

In case you forgot, the RTC entrance music was just terrible. Chyna controls the match until she starts playing up the neck injury. That allows Ivory to pin her for the win. Jerry Lawler leaves commentary to go into ring, and Billy also comes out. I get what they were trying to do, but she barely hit Ivory on the injury spot.

• Rating: NR

– Steph goes to makeup. Trish is there, so Steph threatens her.

– Carey is in the locker room, and Kane walks in.

– D’Lo and Mosh are with Tiger Ali Singh. Vince says they’ve been replaced in Rumble by Carey.

– Triple H grunts into a mirror and then headbutts it. An interesting motivational tactic there.

– Hype video for Triple H vs. Angle, and it plays up the Vince and Trish affair.

Triple H vs. (c) Kurt Angle – WWF Title

There’s a “Hey Trish, spank me” sign in the crowd. Those Trish signs were quite popular.  This is a methodical Triple H match. Both are heels, which is always tough to execute. Triple H works on Angle’s knee throughout and uses the Figure Four on him at one point. Trish tries to get involved, which leads to her and Steph exchanging slaps and fighting on the announce table. Vince comes out, picks up Trish over his shoulder, and leaves. However, Steph chases and attacks her. Triple H hits the low blow on Angle and gives us another trademark Earl Hebner two count. Then it’s the Hebner ref bump after Triple H hits him off the apron. And it’s another Hebner bump with his head bouncing off the steps. Triple H hits the Pedigree but there’s no ref. Austin comes out and destroys Triple H, as they play up Triple H costing Austin the title. Austin with the belt shot and Stunner, and Hebner returns for the slowest three count ever as Angle covers for the win.

• Rating: ***3/4

– Kevin Kelly with The Rock, who hypes his opportunity to win the Rumble.

– Hype video for the Rumble match.

The 2001 Royal Rumble Match

Jeff Hardy is No. 1, while Bull Buchanan is No. 2. Matt Hardy comes in at the No. 3 spot, and Bull is eliminated. They play up the every man for himself gimmick with the Hardyz squaring off. Farooq joins the mix at No. 4, but he’s quickly eliminated. Matt tries to send Jeff packing and they rip off their shirts and try to destroy each other. Here comes Drew Carey at No. 5, and there’s huge “Drew” chants from the crowd. This was back before WWE completely obliterated the novelty of celebrity appearances. The Hardyz fight in the corner, then Matt and Jeff eliminate each other. Drew is on his own and is clearly the current favorite to win the Rumble.

Kane makes his way out at No. 6. Carey pleads for the Hardyz to get back in the ring in a hilarious spot. Drew goes for the handshake and offers Kane money. Pure gold. Raven in at No. 7. Raven saves Drew, but then Drew decides to eliminate himself. Al Snow comes out of nowhere and attacks Raven, so apparently, Snow is No. 8. Snow rolls a bowling ball right into Raven’s balls. Strike. Dueling trash can shots to Kane, then it’s Saturn at No. 9. To say that Terri’s outfit is revealing would be an understatement. Steve Blackman in at No. 10, and this is the height of the hardcore era in WWE since this is basically a hardcore match at this point.

Grandmaster Sexay joins the action at No. 11. The fans loved them some Too Cool. Kane hits Sexay with a trash can and eliminates him. Then Kane throws out Blackman and Snow before doing the same to Raven and Saturn. Here comes the Honky Tonk Man at No. 12. Kane hits him with the guitar and shakes his head. You know what’s next. Kane eliminates Honky as The Rock enters at No. 13. WWE is advertising TheRock.com on his overlay. Superstars with their own domain names was pretty cool. The Goodfather is in at No. 14. Rock quickly eliminates Goodfather before Tazz joins at No. 15. Kane eliminates him in about five seconds and the crowd is not happy about it.

Bradshaw in at No. 16, and I’m not sure why they played up APA’s numbers in the earlier segment since it had no impact in the actual match. Albert enters at No. 17. Hardcore Holly is at No. 18. Rock nearly eliminates Kane, and it’s K-Kwik at No. 19. Bradshaw with the powerbomb on K-Kwik, and I’m convinced Bradshaw was trying to destroy people in this era. Val Venis joins at No. 20.

William Regal arrives at No. 21, then it’s Test at No. 22. Test eliminates Regal, and it’s a surprise return with Big Show at No. 23. Show quickly eliminates Test and K-Kwik, then he chokeslams nearly the entire group, including Kane. Rock clotheslines Show and eliminates him, which leads to Show going after the announce table and pulling Rock out of the ring. Crash Holly in at No. 24 as Show chokeslams Rock through the announce table. Meanwhile, everyone tries to gang up to throw Kane out, but it doesn’t work. The Undertaker joins at No. 25, and yes, the Undertaker.com hype is there.

Taker and Kane clear the entire ring, and poor Scotty 2 Hotty has to enter at No. 26. His facial reactions are just awesome. Taker and Kane eliminate Scotty, with Rock still struggling to get up on the outside. Here comes Steve Austin at No. 27, but Triple H attacks him from behind. Rock gets back inside the ring, and Austin is busted open and bleeding everywhere. Billy Gunn in at No. 28, and this is when he was using ‘The One’ gimmick. Austin is bleeding profusely at this point as Haku enters at No. 29. Rikishi is No. 30, and those two would eventually form a tag team that was enjoyable.

Rikishi goes after Austin, who is covered in blood. But Austin eliminates Haku, then Rikishi superkicks Taker to eliminate him. Rock hits a low blow on Rikishi, and that allows Rock to eliminate Rikishi in the corner. The final four are Austin, Rock, Kane, and Billy. Austin eliminates Billy, and folks, the cut on Austin’s head is just insane. Austin and Rock stare each other down from different corners, then meet in the middle. Austin hits the Stunner on Rock, but Rock eventually hits the Rock Bottom on Kane. Rock throws Kane through the middle rope to the outside, which allows Austin and Rock to go at it for a bit. Kane makes his way back in as Austin and Rock fight near ropes. Then Kane eliminates Rock.

Kane with a chokeslam on Austin, but Austin hits a low blow on Kane. However, Kane grabs a chair, and it’s Austin that reverses the momentum to hit a Stunner. Austin with three chair shots to Kane, and he hits a clothesline to eliminate Kane for the victory.

• Rating: ****1/2

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BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF ROYAL RUMBLE 2001

The Rumble match is one of the best in company history (I still prefer 1992 by a slight margin due to the Ric Flair storyline and Bobby Heenan’s commentary), so that makes this show worth the watch. When you factor in how good the undercard is, it makes it that much better. Combine all of that together, and it’s the best Royal Rumble card that WWE has ever produced.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this Mid-South Wrestling 1/23/82 review, Bob Orton Jr. defends the Mississippi Heavyweight title against Mr. Olympia, Paul Orndorff and Bob Roop square off with Ted DiBiase and Dick Murdoch, and much more.

Let’s jump in!

Show: Mid-South Wrestling

Date: January 23, 1982

Watch: Peacock

RINGSIDE: Boyd Pierce and Bill Watts hype the card, which will be headlined by Bob Orton Jr. defending the Mississippi Heavyweight title against Mr. Olympia. Also, lots more chaos! Boyd notes the dream match mail-ins mentioned how much they want Watts as the guest commentator, so he’s back.

Tom Renesto vs. Brian Blair

Blair has become the trademark opener on these shows. He uses is technician style of offense to work on Renesto’s arm, while Watts is namedropping college wrestling coaches. Blair is just playing the ultimate babyface, and he walks the ropes to hit an elbow to Renesto. After that, it’s the guillotine into the pin for the win.

RINGSIDE: Watts talks about The Iron Sheik not respecting the customs of the US. Then we get a video recap of Sheik destroying Zapata as Skandor Akbar tells Boyd and Watts that Sheik is having a sit-down strike until he gets true competition. Akbar taunts The Junkyard Dog, and they throw it to another video recap of the match between Sheik and JYD, which was won by JYD after Akbar’s interference backfired on him.

IN THE RING: Akbar reveals that Sheik has been recalled to Iran by a spiritual leader, so there will be no rematch. That’s a true heel explanation. Akbar wants everyone to treat Sheik with respect. If not, SHEIKY BABY make you humble!

RINGSIDE: Another replay of Afa and Sika destroying their opponents on last week’s show.

Carlos Zapata vs. Mike George

CARLOS GETS HIS NAME BACK. You’d have to read the previous review to get that reference. Nonetheless, I’m happy for Carlos. Everyone deserves a first name. Except for maybe Sting. Watts hypes up the backstory with George’s allegiance to JYD and how despite the predictions, he hasn’t turned on his partner. Carlos does some nice selling in this one, and George finishes him off for the easy victory.

Mr. Olympia vs. (c) Bob Orton Jr. – Mississippi Heavyweight Title

Gotta love a good title match. They take it to the mat early, with Olympia using the head scissors on Orton. The latter tries overpower Olympia, but it’s right back to the head scissors. Watts announces that next week it’s Orton and Paul Orndorff vs. JYD and George. Should be entertaining. All Olympia thus far, but Orton reverses an Irish Whip by coming off the second rope with a hard clothesline. Orton tries to hit the piledriver again, but the strength of Olympia doesn’t allow it. Olympia locks on the sleeper and folks, we’ve got a new champion! That finish, like the RKO, came outta nowhere.

Paul Orndorff and Bob Roop vs. Ted DiBiase and Dick Murdoch

This was set up from the chaos after the Roop vs. Murdoch match last week. The fans lose their minds when DiBiase and Orndorff tag in, and there are some vocal Orndorff fans in the crowd. DiBiase quickly works to the Figure Four on Orndorff, and yet again, it’s reversed into the Indian Deathlock. However, DiBiase reverses it back, but Roop distracts the ref to break it up. Murdoch isn’t having that as he goes after Roop, but Orndorff hits him from behind and in the process, sends Murdoch into the referee who goes flying outside. Orton runs in and hits the piledriver on DiBiase. But DiBiase counters the spike piledriver attempt, which leads to the referee coming back in as Murdoch pins Orton for the win. Of course, Orton wasn’t legally in the match, and the heels beg the referee to overturn the decision but to no avail.

Ed Wiskowski vs. Terry Daniels

Daniels looks 14 or so. Therefore, I don’t like his chances against the Polish Prince. Daniels does show some aggression going after Wiskowski’s knees as Watts announces DiBiase vs. Roop for next week. Meanwhile, Wiskowski comes off the top and destroys Daniels’ back, then hits the backbreaker for the victory.

Billy Ash vs. Frank Monte

Big fan of Monte’s work thus far since we started the rewatch series. These two counter each other’s mat offense for a bit as Watts lets us know there’s two minutes of TV time remaining. He also tells us about Ash’s father, who makes respectable wrestling boots. Monte goes to the sunset flip for a near fall, and they continue to battle it out as the show goes off the air with the time limit draw.

Blake’s Take on Mid-South Wrestling 1/23/82

• Best Match: Paul Orndorff and Bob Roop vs. Ted DiBiase and Dick Murdoch
• Show MVP: Bob Orton Jr.
• Overall Rating: 6.0/10
• Thoughts: This wasn’t the most noteworthy episode of Mid-South Wrestling, but as always, it’s an easy watch with a lot of action and storylines packed into 45 minutes. Though there no must-see matches, the crowd was great for the Orndorff/Roop vs. DiBiase/Murdoch tag match.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this Mid-South Wrestling 1/16/82 review, it’s a six-man tag team dream match involving Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, and The Junkyard Dog.

Let’s jump in!

• Show: Mid-South Wrestling
• Date: January 16, 1982
• Watch: Peacock

RINGSIDE: Boyd Pierce is back, baby! As noted, he was in Hawaii on vacation in our previous highlight show review. Bill Watts is also back as guest commentator. Boyd hypes a second big dream match chosen by the fans, as Ernie Ladd and the Samoan Warriors will square off with Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, and The Junkyard Dog. Plus, it’s Bob Roop vs. Dick Murdoch. For what it’s worth, the January 7 show is not available on Peacock or the WWE Network, so it jumps ahead to this one. Knowing Watts, we’ll get the backstory of what happened on that episode.

The Monk vs. Brian Blair

The Monk also returns! Ladd calling Monk’s match is still one of the early highlights of these Mid-South reviews. Watts has to board his airplane soon, and Boyd begs him to stay on commentary for as many matches as he wants. Watts leaving in the middle of the show?! Blair works on Mr. Monk for a while as Watts commends Boyd on his outfits, then it’s Blair using the standing guillotine to lean back for the pin and the win.

Ernie Ladd and The Samoan Warriors vs. Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, and The Junkyard Dog

Andre, Dusty, and JYD all on the same team really is quite a spectacle. The fans got it right with those dream match mail-ins. Watts wasn’t boarding that plane before this match, as he’s amazed by Andre’s size. All babyface in the early going, with Andre using the DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER on Afa and Sika. Ladd eventually comes in and we’ve got a HOSS FIGHT with Ladd and Andre. It’s Andre who gets the better of the exchange, but Afa and Sika use the underhanded tactics to neutralize Andre in the corner. Andre fights out and Dusty tags himself in, as Watts notes Dusty signed his exclusive Mid-South contract last week. So, there’s some backstory. JYD and Andre wear down Ladd, and the action breaks down as Afa and Sika slam Andre. Take that, Hulkster! All six men in the ring, and a double backdrop from Dusty and JYD to Ladd leads to Andre doing an elbow drop off the second rope. AERIAL ANDRE. It was a struggle since the ropes could barely hold him, but hey, he made it work. That allowed Andre to get the pin on Ladd for the victory. By no means a technical masterpiece, but it’s entertaining for the star power involved. **1/2

Mr. Olympia vs. Zapata

Carlos Zapata has lost his first name. Blame Vince McMahon! I’m kidding. Mr. Olympia is Jerry Stubbs, who made his Mid-South debut on the lost January 7 episode. Watts tells a hell of an insider backstory who Zapata reminds him of, though he does not explain why he can’t call him Carlos. Poor Carlos. Olympia methodically works on Zapata, and the sleeper hold does the trick to give Olympia the win.

Ed Wiskowski vs. Tommy Wright

Boyd puts over Watts, who has left on his plane, as one of the greatest citizens in the history of civilization. Boyd is a true friend. The Polish Prince takes shit from absolutely no one, including Wright. Wiskowski has the match won but picks up Wright and beats him up some more. Then he does it again. Wiskowski hits the backbreaker and that’ll do it for the squash victory.

Bob Roop vs. Dick Murdoch

And here’s another HOSS FIGHT. Roop challenged Murdoch on last week’s episode, and Boyd recaps Paul Orndorff beating Ted DiBiase for the North American title, but it was reversed due to the belt not changing hands on a DQ. These two want to punch each other in the face with closed fists, so the referee makes it clear that is not acceptable. Long stretch with Roop keeping Murdoch on the mat by working over his arm, then the fists come out as both men haul off on one another. The crowd starts buzzing, as Orndorff grabs Murdoch’s leg to nearly give Roop the win. Orndorff hops on the apron, and Roop rolls up Murdoch for two. Fun spot with Murdoch kicking out and sending Roop into Orndorff. But Orndorff pounces onto Murdoch after that to force the DQ, and DiBiase runs out to make the save. **1/2

RINGSIDE: Ladd is pissed and tells Boyd he and the Samoans got robbed in their match. Ladd vows to get his revenge by going after any of JYD’s friends. Then he reveals he bought the contracts of two of the wrestlers in the next match, so Afa and Sika are being substituted into it.

The Samoan Warriors vs. Franke Monte and Jesse Barr

Monte and Barr don’t seem enthused at the lineup change. As you would expect, Afa and Sika come out on a mission and beat down Barr with Afa hitting a suplex to score the quick win. Ladd don’t mess around!

Mike George vs. Bob Orton Jr.

This will probably be a short match since there’s only four minutes left on the Peacock episode. Sure enough, it is, as they both get in a few moves before George hits a suplex and pins Orton for the victory.

IN THE RING: Here comes Ladd with Afa and Sika, and they start beating down George before JYD and Dusty run in to clear the ring.

RINGSIDE: Boyd calls over Dusty, who runs down Ladd and calls Afa and Sika baboons. Dusty talks about him and JYD biting at their booties as Boyd wraps things up.

Blake’s Take on Mid-South Wrestling 1/16/82

• Best Match: Ernie Ladd and the Samoan Warriors vs. Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, and The Junkyard Dog
• Show MVP: Ernie Ladd
• Overall Rating: 6.5/10
• Thoughts: Another enjoyable episode built around lots of personal rivalries. Simple and effective storytelling is really all you need in pro wrestling, and there’s plenty of that during this period in Mid-South. And that all-star trio of Andre, Dusty, and JYD really was something.

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In this Mid-South Wrestling 12/30/81 review, it’s all highlights, with a look at the company’s biggest moments from the year.

I know this is a highlight show, but I figured I’d review it since it’s a good refresher on the main Mid-South storylines entering the new year.

Let’s jump in!

• Show: Mid-South Wrestling
• Date: December 30, 1981
• Watch: Peacock

STUDIO: Bill Watts is the host this week as he reveals that Boyd Pierce is on vacation in Hawaii. Good for Boyd! The man deserves it. Watts set up the first highlight package involving The Junkyard Dog’s issues with the Wild Samoans.

VIDEO: The Junkyard Dog and Mike George teamed up in October at the Fairgrounds Coliseum Jackson, Mississippi to take on Afa and Sika. Ernie Ladd is in the corner of Afa and Sika. The action breaks down, with JYD knocking Ladd off the apron. Chaos everywhere with Ladd accidentally hitting Afa with the chair, allowing JYD to earn the pin to crown new champions.

STUDIO: Watts notes that Afa and Sika were suspended for physical contact with an official in the rematch, but they’ve since been reinstated. He then hypes up recent shenanigans from Paul Orndorff, Terry Orndorff, and Bob Orton Jr.

VIDEO: Another match involving JYD and George, with Paul and Terry Orndorff teaming up. Terry had been forced to wear a yellow mask, and shenanigans ensue. Ladd and Bob Orton make their way down to check on Terry on the outside while Paul fights JYD on the inside. Paul makes the tag, and it’s clearly Orton who’s donned the mask in an ol’ switcheroo under the ring. Watts, on commentary, realizes it when Orton hits the piledriver on George to pick up the victory. The referee tries to get to the bottom of it, but Orton and Terry switch again on the outside. Good stuff.

STUDIO: Watts recaps how Orndorff was paired up with Bob Roop in a rematch against JYD and George.

VIDEO: Highlights from that match, and once again, there’s chaos in the finish with all four men in the ring. We’ve got a BROUHAHA. Orton comes back out under the yellow mask and goes for the piledriver, but JYD reverses it and unmasks Orton for the big reveal. It’s a 3-on-2 after that as Orndorff puts the mask on JYD. But here comes BIG TED DIBIASE who runs the heels off.

STUDIO: Watts discusses the year in review for Dusty Rhodes, which involved a feud with The Great Kabuki and Gary Hart.

VIDEO: Hart cuts a promo on Dusty and says he’s finally found the person to take out Dusty. Kabuki is with him, and he sprays the green mist. Boyd does not look happy about it. Another video with Dusty’s response, and he’s PAINTED FOR WAR. No, seriously. His face his painted and he’s wearing a headband that says “war” on it. The presentation is just tremendous. Dusty says he’s the assassin this time as the camera zooms in on his green eye. And then it’s another video with Dusty in a cowboy hat and blue jacket, as he hypes the Bunkhouse Match with Kabuki.

STUDIO: Watts recaps Dusty’s impact on JYD winning the Louisiana Heavyweight title from Kabuki. And then it’s on the noteworthy achievements of DiBiase.

VIDEO: Highlights from the October match between Orndorff and DiBiase at the Fairgrounds Coliseum. Back and forth affair, as Watts notes that they had to condense the highlights to five minutes even though it was a long match. DiBiase locks on the Figure Four, but Roop hits the ring to cause the DQ. Then it’s JYD and George making the save for DiBiase.

STUDIO: Watts notes that Orndorff, Roop, The Iron Sheik, and many more will be vying for DiBiase’s title in 1982. He hypes up Ed Wiskowski as another potential challenger.

VIDEO: It’s DiBiase vs. Wiskowski with Roop on guest commentary. Roop in complete heel mode talking about DiBiase’s illegal moves. Then he essentially calls DiBiase an idiot for turning his back on Wiskowski. Roop is terrific here. Wiskowski goes for a cross body, but DiBiase reverses it into a pin for the win. Another video of the recent match between Wiskowski and Jim Garvin (review), with the one and only Ladd on commentary. Wiskowski notched the victory to further his contendership.

STUDIO: Watts says there wasn’t enough time to put any SHEIKY BABY highlights, though he did mention the rift with Paul Ellering. Sheik need to humble Watts! More discussion of DiBiase’s Figure Four and his tenacity.

VIDEO: Highlights from DiBiase’s recent TV showdown with Orndorff, which included dueling Figure Four leg locks with DiBiase refusing to give up after Orndorff reversed it. Hearing Ladd’s amazement over DiBiase not quitting is even better the second time around.

STUDIO: Watts discusses all the intriguing storylines heading into 1982, including next week’s dream matches. And Boyd will be back from the beaches of Hawaii!

Blake’s Take on Mid-South Wrestling 12/30/81

• Best Match: N/A
• Show MVP: N/A
• Overall Rating: N/A
• Thoughts: Obviously, no rating for this show since it was based around highlight packages. But if you want to jump into the key storylines for the company entering 1982, it’s worth the investment.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this Mid-South Wrestling 12/25/81 review, the Persian Club Challenge returns with The Iron Sheik trying to one-up Paul Ellering.

Let’s jump in!

• Show: Mid-South Wrestling
• Date: December 25, 1981
• Watch: Peacock

RINGSIDE: Boyd Pierce hypes the card and the dream match mail-in contest. Bill Watts is the guest commentator on this edition, and he’s also intrigued by the dream match possibilities with Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, and more.

Jerry Novak and Rick Ferrara vs. Mike George and Carlos Zapata

George had a very good match with Bob Roop on the previous show, so you should watch that one if you haven’t already. Watts explains The Junkyard Dog is dealing with a knee issue, with George allowing Zapata to replace him. This is the attention to detail that’s lacking in a lot of modern wrestling. Novak and Ferrara over George, and after the heels take care of Ferrara on the outside, it’s George who outworks both to earn the win.

RINGSIDE: Watts throws it to a highlight package recapping the recent show-closing angle with Paul Ellering accepting The Iron Sheik’s Persian Club challenge, only for Skandor Akbar to use his stalling tactics as the show went off the air to prevent Sheik from having to double Ellering’s reps.

IN THE RING: Ellering watches as Sheik attempts to double Ellering’s 50 reps. SHEIKY BABY’s arms have to be burning because he does 103 reps. Brute strength! Ellering says he wants to know if BLENDER BRAIN will accept his challenge to do even more reps. And by Blender Brain, he means Akbar. Ellering suggests he’s gonna do 444 reps, which would essentially make him Superman. And he’s off and rolling, but you know what’s next. Sheik attacks him at around 50 reps and beats him down before locking in the Camel Clutch. However, Ellering uses his own brute strength to fight out of the clutch and they go back and forth. Ellering goes for the neck breaker, but BLENDER BRAIN hammers him with the flag. Sheik continues the beatdown until another referee (the first got his ass beat by Sheik) sends Sheik and Akbar out. Watching buff dudes do reps in the ring may not work in this era, but I enjoyed the old school nature of it.

Paul Orndorff vs. Brian Blair

This should be entertaining. Roop is doing some scouting ringside, as Watts notes it’s all about the Figure Four. Orndorff really works on the leg, but Blair counters and starts going at Orndorff’s arm. The mat technique is a thing of beauty. Both men can move around in the ring, so it’s fun seeing them in their prime. Blair gets some momentum going, but Orndorff takes over with a flurry of aggressive offense. BUT HERE COMES BLAIR. That is until an eye rake and powerslam allows Orndorff to go for the Figure Four, but Blair kicks him away. Blair suplexes Orndorff and locks him in the Figure Four, then Orndorff reverses it as Roop cheers him on. Blair holds on for a bit until the referee calls for the bell, with Orndorff continuing to apply the hold. The second referee comes over and tells Boyd and Watts that Blair did not give up, but the referee wanted to ensure his safety. Love the psychology there. This was short but sweet. **3/4

Mike Moyer vs. Ted DiBiase

Watts notes DiBiase went to check on Blair after the match. That Ted, what a guy. And now Watts discusses Afa and Sika potentially coming back to Mid-South after their suspension. Ernie Ladd will love it. DiBiase just works over Moyer for pretty much the entire match, and he goes for the Figure Four to notch the easy victory.

Bob Roop and Bob Orton Jr. vs. Mike Bond and Frank Monte

For those keeping score, Orton is the current Missouri Heavyweight Champion. Love the team of Roop and Orton. Two impressive heels who know how to work. It’s all Bond and Monte in the early going, with Monte showcasing a lot of energy and athleticism. Shenanigans behind the referee’s back leads to Orton making the tag to Roop, but Monte tags Bond and he cleans house. And it’s a CRISS CROSS with Roop getting the tag behind Bond’s back, which confuses Bond. From there, Orton hits the piledriver and that’ll do it.

Ed Wiskowski vs. Tom Renesto Jr.

You would think after a few Mid-South reviews by computer would stop autocorrecting Renesto to Ernesto, but it doesn’t. Watts really putting over Wiskowski, then he talks about the sketchy tag in the previous match. Watts is on top of it, folks. Listening to Watts, it’s easy to see where Jim Ross got a lot of his knowledge from on how to promote wrestlers and matches. Wiskowski hits his finisher to get the victory in a one-sided affair.

The Iron Sheik vs. Don Serrano

Sheik attacks Serrano before the bell, and I think you know what the setup is here. Sheik sends Serrano outside as Ellering hits the ring to whoop some ass. Ellering is just relentless on Sheik until Akbar pulls Sheik out of the ring to hightail it to the back.

RINGSIDE: Boyd hypes the highlight episode next week before Dusty Rhodes and Andre the Giant make their way to Mid-South after that. I’m intrigued!

Blake’s Take on Mid-South Wrestling 12/25/81

• Best Match: Paul Orndorff vs. Brian Blair (**1/2)
• Show MVP: Paul Ellering
• Overall Rating: 6.5/10
• Thoughts: This episode was built around the Sheik/Ellering feud, which has been a nice treat thus far. Meanwhile, Orndorff had another quality match, and the duo of Orton and Roop showcased great heel work. Mid-South is just quality entertainment for old school wrestling fans.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this Mid-South Wrestling 12/19/81 review, “Precious” Paul Ellering makes his in-ring return, Ted DiBiase joins commentary, and much more.

Let’s jump in!

• Show: Mid-South Wrestling
• Date: December 19, 1981
• Watch: Peacock

RINGSIDE: Boyd Pierce is still hyping that dream match mail-in extravaganza! Ted DiBiase is the guest commentator for the week, and Boyd grills his ass on not being able to make Paul Orndorff submit to the Figure Four in their match on the previous show. Just kidding. Boyd is a nice man. DiBiase explains how Orndorff and Bob Roop strategized against the move, then says he would’ve rather had Orndorff break his leg than give up. Boyd loves it.

Tom Renesto Jr. vs. Brian Blair

Renesto is coming off a loss to King Cobra, while Blair earned a win over Mr. Monk. Or was it The Monk? I think Ernie Ladd called him Mr. Monk, so we’re going with that. DiBiase doesn’t quite have the enthusiasm of Ladd, but who can blame the man after nearly getting his leg broken by Orndorff. What a sell job. DiBiase puts over Blair as an up and coming star, with Blair methodically working on Renesto’s arm. Boyd is pushing this dream match mail-in as the action picks up with a CRISS CROSS, which leads to Blair back in control of Renesto’s arm. While Renesto delivers a backdrop for a little momentum, Blair hulks up with an elbow off the top for two. Blair then hits a suplex and trips over Renesto before applying the Figure Four for the win.

”Precious” Paul Ellering vs. Don Serrano

Ellering has been out of action for six months due to a knee injury, so he cuts a promo before the match talking about women, foot-long hot dogs, and The Iron Sheik. Quite a trio! Ellering was pretty hilarious here. DiBiase calls him “a little strange” while hyping his charisma. Ellering is built like a brick house too. Serrano gets some early offense, but it’s quick work for Ellering as he hits the neckbreaker for the victory.

Mike Boyer vs. The Junkyard Dog

I do not like Boyer’s chances in this one. Boyd notes JYD is wearing the Louisiana Heavyweight title after winning it from The Great Kabuki. Fast start from both men with Boyer matching JYD’s offense for a bit. But JYD quickly regains the advantage and hits the Big Thump to earn the win.

Paul Orndorff and Bob Orton Jr. vs. Carlos Zapata and The Monk

MR. MONK is back. One half of the WrestleMania I main event on display, and Orndorff and Orton showcase nice teamwork in the early going. They are just dissecting Zapata, who needs to tag Monk. But the heels keep things on their side of the ring just like great heels should. Orndorff gets a near fall, but Zapata reverses to make the hot tag to Monk. That doesn’t do much, as a double team combo leads to Orndorff locking in the Figure Four to force Monk to submit. Love the teamwork from Orndorff and Orton.

Bob Roop vs. Mike George

And we’ve got ourselves another HOSS FIGHT. DiBiase notes he’s watching Roop closely given their history. George demonstrates his power by breaking the Full Nelson, then he reverses for a roll-up for two. Roop goes up top but George has it scouted, so the former thinks better of it. Roop is pissed and starts using some underhanded tactics to gain control. DiBiase does not like it. George mounts a comeback with the fans fully behind him. He rakes Roop’s eyes on the top rope as the crowd is losing their mind. George hits the Russian Leg Sweep for a near fall, and goes for it again but Roop counters. More counters with Roop sending George outside, then it’s Roop throwing George into the metal ring post. This is good stuff. Roop shoves George into the turnbuckle before hitting the running knee for the victory. Entertaining old school wrestling. *** (Recommended)

Ed Wiskowski vs. Mike Bond

Another HOSS FIGHT? Sign me up. Wiskowski just clubs Bond right off the bat and just destroys him with a variety of moves. Then he quickly hits a big backbreaker to notch the easy win.

IN THE RING: Ellering is accepting the Persian Club Challenge, which involves him trying to do as many reps as Sheiky Baby. It’s basically a test of strength with Ellering doing single-arm tricep extensions. The crowd absolutely loves it. Ellering does 50 reps and Sheik is PISSED. Akbar says Sheik will do his reps after the match and he’ll even up the money.

Frank Monte vs. The Iron Sheik (w/Skandor Akbar)

Boyd calls out Akbar for his stalling shit. You’ve gotta love Boyd. Sheik goes for the bearhug but Monte fights out and tries to get some momentum going. But Sheik grabs him and hits the suplex to earn the victory.

IN THE RING: Ellering is back in, but Akbar stalls again by noting that Sheik had a grueling match. Heel manager work at its finest. The stalling continues as Boyd hypes up the continuation of the saga next week. Love the cliffhanger to get fans invested in the next show. That’s how you do it.

Blake’s Take on Mid-South Wrestling 12/19/81

• Best Match: Bob Roop vs. Mike George (***)
• Show MVP: Paul Ellering
• Overall Rating: 7.5/10
• Thoughts: This was a very enjoyable 45 minutes of old school wrestling. The talent on display was just ridiculous, and that Roop vs. George match was a lot of fun. But the real star was Ellering, as his charisma was undeniable. Quality entertainment for wrestling fans.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!