WWE Extreme Rules 2016

WWE Extreme Rules 2016

May 2016, Newark, New Jersey

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Roman Reigns is the WWE World Champion, Kalisto holds the United States Championship, The Miz is the Intercontinental Champion, the New Day hold the WWE Tag Team Championships, and Charlotte is the Womens' Champion.

COMMENTATORS: JBL, Michael Cole, and Byron Saxton

Full disclose - I've been out of the loop on the WWE since the dismal WrestleMania show. My interest perked up a teensy bit after Payback due to the strong main event, but not enough to make me a regular RAW viewer like I was during the peak of Daniel Bryan's run or even some of the more exciting stretches when Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker were feuding and John Cena was regularly putting on great US Title defenses. 

Tonight's show kicks off with a fairly by-the-numbers Tornado Tag Team Match between The Usos and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. The Usos get booed pretty harshly here by the New Jersey crowd, which is kinda sad. It wasn't too long ago that they were putting on good-to-great matches against Rowan and Harper and the Dust Brothers, but sports are always "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" endeavors and, since returning from injury, the face-painted Samoans have been in an unenviable position: not popular enough to be the top tag team in a division featuring the New Day, not established enough as veteran characters to make it as "tweeners" like the Dudleys did, and not fresh enough to offer the excitement that Big Cass and Enzo or even the Lucha Dragons did when they first burst onto the scene. Anywho...Gallows and Anderson have some excellent double-team maneuvers up their sleeves and the Usos, despite their unpopularity, continue to be fluid, engaging workers with good timing and spirit. Its not necessarily their fault their rose lost its bloom after 5+ years with the company and very little by the way of character development. Too short to be memorable beyond some good spots here and there. (2/5)

The United States Championship was on the line in our next contest - Rusev challenging Kalisto. This was the Rusev I fell in love with in 2014: super serious, destructive, lacking all remorse. While hardly an epic contest, this one not only didn't need to be - it shouldn't have been and it wasn't. Kalisto came into the bout damaged from a vicious Accolade on RAW, which meant that Rusev had the advantage for the majority of the match and simply didn't let up, showing off his impressive strength and complete unwillingness to let Kalisto catch his breath for more than a moment. The luchadore's comeback efforts were valiant without being miraculous or overdone, while the finishing sequence was every bit as devastating as it needed to be to make it definitive and draw heat (though,  some of the New Jersey crowd's "snarky-n'-smarky" cheering of the Bulgarian Brute was considerably more annoying than it was for their booing of the Usos in the opener). Again, not an all-time classic, but the kind of match that gets from Point A-to-Point B the correct way while still providing enough quality moments to make it worth watching, even if the outcome wasn't necessarily in question. (3/5)

The New Day defended the WWE World Tag Team Championships against The Vaudevillains next. I've been critical of the New Day's act over the past few months, nonplussed by their relatively lackluster WrestleMania entrance and a bit bored of their shtick, but I thought they were really strong in their pre-match promo and in-ring performance tonight. Instead of talking over each other, they gave each other some space and let their lines breathe - particularly the "Let me shoot my shot" line that I found to be pretty fresh (again, this may be because I haven't watched RAW in a few months). I worried that the Vaudevillains would flounder on the main roster, their one-note act not necessarily designed to carry them for long, but this match showed that, juxtaposed against an over, "fun" team, they have their place. What is particularly interesting about English and Gotch is that, like the New Day, their appearances and style differ, giving the fans the variety they don't necessarily get out of the Usos or the Dudleys or even Anderson and Gallows. Well-structured match with some good nearfalls that also gave us some much-needed ring-time for Xavier Woods. (2.5/5)

The next bout was a Fatal Fourway for the Intercontinental Champions - The Miz defending against Cesaro, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens. I enjoyed pretty much every second of this match, from the entrances (finally, the champion gets to come out last) to the excellent opening series (Zayn stunning Owens with a kick to the noggin in the corner and Cesaro one-upping him by uppercutting Miz into oblivion) to the frenzy of signature spots each guy got in (save for The Miz, whose signature spot might just be breaking up pinning combinations). There were at least a half-dozen great moments, but what I may have liked most was that there was less shoe-horning than one might expect. Owens didn't bust out a moonsault or his small package shoulder-breaker. Cesaro didn't hit his usual duplex-from-the-apron spot. Zayn's tornado DDT was absent. The Miz didn't bother with his guaranteed heat-generating figure four. Instead, things developed organically and the action never paused for intricate set-ups just so someone could "get their shit in." While Cesaro seemed to be the centerpiece at times, even this seemed to make logical sense when you consider the roles that the other participants played - Miz, the least credible worker, had to be on the outskirts trying to retain his gold at opportunistic times, Zayn and Owens being distracted by their undying hatred for the other made perfect sense, and Cesaro, the Swiss Superman, should be in the mix at all times because he is, undoubtedly, the greatest pure athlete in not only this match but any match he's wrestling. Some fans will no doubt criticize the ending, but the "out of nowhere" finish, uncaptured by the cameras, was brilliant. Miz didn't just steal the victory from his opponents, but he stole it from the fans too, pinning a beaten man when almost nobody, save the fans in the front row, even saw him do it. From a production standpoint, its a risky move that I predict some will claim was a mistake by Kevin Dunn - but I'm willing to wager that it was a purposeful move and actually a rather novel one that was also put over beautifully by Cole (is that my first Cole compliment ever?). Cole called this a Match of the Year contender and while I may not hoist exactly as much praise on it, I would call it one of the better matches I've seen over the past few months. (4/5)

The first ever Asylum Match was next - Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose. I was not a fan of their straight-up match at Payback and this one was only a touch better, largely due to the setting and weaponry. There were some stiff shots to and from both men, especially with the weightlifting belt, but after the action of the previous match, this match seemed to drag for stretches to the point that you could hear the fatigue in the commentator's voice. At one point, the crowd seemed to be chanting for Seth Rollins, a surefire sign that Dean Ambrose, despite a warm reception for his entrance, is far, far, far away from the must-see performer he was around this time two years ago. The closing quarter of the match were the most thrilling minutes thanks to the addition of a sizable amount of thumbtacks (and the requisite teasing that came with them). Kudos to Chris Jericho for taking a nasty, Attitude Era-level bump that meant so much more in 2016 than it might've meant 15 years ago when blood was much more prominent. Like Shane McMahon's ridiculous stunt at WrestleMania, though, one good spot can't lift an otherwise tedious match too high. I'm not sure these two have the in-ring chemistry that the Creative Team thinks they do. (2/5)

The Women's Championship was defended in the next match, Charlotte vs. Natalya in a Submission Match where Ric Flair was banned from ringside. I'm a fan of both competitors, but like their Payback match, this match didn't flow as smoothly as I expected, Natalya looking just a touch sluggish and Charlotte showing a tad too little of the character work that has made her such a respectable torchbearer for the division. On the positive side, Charlotte's innovative leglocks showed good psychology and helped make it clear what her intention was at every turn of the contest. Unfortunately, the finish seemed to come too early, not really delivering the suspense that it needed to. As a prelude to the future, I'm curious how Dana Brooke will function as Charlotte's left-hand woman and how she will mesh with Naitch, but aside from that, this match was nothing more than filler. (1.5/5)

Main event time - Roman Reigns defending the WWE World Championship against AJ Styles. These two had an excellent match at Payback and I loved how this one picked up right where that one left off, Styles and Reigns taking very little time before starting to bust out big maneuvers, brawling in the crowd and teasing (and then executing) all sorts of furniture destruction. The crowd, which seemed to be at least 75% in favor of the Phenomenal One, popped huge for the major spots, including an absolute awesome back body drop from one table to the other by Reigns that drew a "You Still Suck" chant from the deep-voiced attendees. Reigns followed it up with a Razor's Edge-into-a-Sitout Powerbomb (if I'm not mistaken this was Konnan's finisher at's one point), but couldn't close the deal. Styles went to work on Reign's knee, but the Champ continued to fight on, swinging Styles into the apron, the barricade, and then powerbombing him through a second table for good measure in one of the best sequences of moves Reigns has ever whipped together. Styles seemed to get a second chance at a victory when he ducked a Reigns spear, but after trying to hit his Phenomenal Forearm from the ropes, he got hit with a Superman Punch, knocking him all the way onto the arena floor in an impressive, perfectly-executed fall. After connecting with a spear on the outside, Reigns looked to be in position to finish the match until, once again, Gallows and Anderson showed up to try to help their old traveling buddy. This caused the Usos to come out as well in a sequence not dissimilar to what had happened at Payback. Again, though, the run-ins proved fruitless, the match continuing into a one-on-one clash of false finishes, including two Styles Clashes. With no other choice but to become absolutely vicious, Styles grabbed a chair and went to work on all three Samoans, leveling them with chairshot after chairshot before setting up for a final Phenomenal Forearm. Using his last bit of strength, though, Reigns was able to counter it with his spear for the finish. While not quite as riveting as their Payback match, Styles/Reigns delivered a worthy main event and once again showed not only how special their chemistry is but also how serious the WWE should be taking AJ Styles as not a "future" superstar, but a present one. (4/5)

I'm not going to reward a bonus point for the last minute appearance by Seth Rollins, but it was a nice moment that effectively pointed at Reigns' next big challenge.


With a Kwang score of 2.71-out-of-5, Extreme Rules 2016 earned a near-identical higher score than Payback, but that extra .01 was noticeable. Unlike Payback, which featured a dreadful and ultimately meaningless McMahon-centric in-ring segment, Extreme Rules was the WWE doing what the WWE should be doing: offering a diverse series of high-stakes wrestling matches. Unfortunately, Jericho/Ambrose was lipstick on a pig, a slog of a match that the audience tired on early that was only salvaged somewhat by liberal use of weapons. Natalya/Charlotte under-delivered and the opening match was nothing worth watching, Gallows and Anderson coming across as nothing too special in what should've been a showcase performance. Fortunately, two strong Match of the Year-level contests, the Intercontinental Title Match and the main event, evened things out.

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote in Hand

WWE King of the Ring 97'

WWE King of the Ring 97'

May 1997 - Providence, Rhode Island

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, The Undertaker holds the WWE World Championship, Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels are the WWE World Tag Team Champions, Owen Hart held the Intercontinental Championship, and the British Bulldog was the European Champion.

COMMENTATORS: Vince McMahon and Jim Ross

Coming into tonight's show, we have a number of relatively good storylines going on - Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin hold the WWE Tag Team Championships, but will be duking it out to prove who the better man is (much to the delight of their shared nemesis, Bret Hart). Then, there's the main event, Farooq challenging the Undertaker for his WWE Championship, Taking having recently reunited with former manager Paul Bearer (who holds dark secret over the Deadman's head). Throw in a one-night tournament to crown a new King of the Ring and you have a set-up to a pretty strong show.

Ahmed Johnson taking on Hunter Hearst Helmsley (with Chyna) is our opener. In my write-up of the previous month's A Cold Day in Hell show, I mentioned that I was impressed by ol' Ahmed Johnson and have to admit, he's pretty good here too, a quality strongman foil to the crafty Helmsley. The finish is refreshing -  the match strongly closes out in a way that actually lends credibility to the idea that a finishing move, hit at the right time, can end a match. If this one occurred today, there'd be seven more nearfalls and at least one unnecessary table spot. A smartly-worked, albeit brief, almost-slightly-above-average opener. (2.5/5)

Mankind vs. Jerry Lawler is our next bout, but it doesn't start until after Mankind cuts a brief promo about his "uncle" Paul Bearer turning on him to rejoin the Undertaker. On commentary, Vince notes that the crowd is giving Foley a surprisingly positive response and there are a number of pro-Mankind signs and tee-shirts in the audience, even if his promo isn't nearly as approval-seeking as they would become over the next few years. After Lawler shares some thoughts on Mankind, Vince, and everyone else in the arena, the action begins in earnest and the King busts out some of his legendary brawling skills, putting on a much stiffer match than one might've expected. I can see myself not being too fond of this match at the time it aired (I was pretty ignorant to Lawler's greatness back then), but revisiting it, this is a gem of a match - a real showcase for both men's Hall of Fame showmanship, storytelling ability, and charisma. With an excellent finish (and one I'm not surprised Foley and Helmsley would reuse later in the show and in their bout on the next month's card), this is one for fans of "old school" action done right. (3.5/5)

A kickass, but super short Brian Pillman/Steve Austin segment follows that just makes me feel sad that we never really got to see these two duke it out in the WWE, though, by this point, Pillman was certainly not as agile and capable an in-ring performer as he was during their Hollywood Blondes run. (+1)

Crush of the Nation of Domination arrives next (sans Savio Vega or Farooq) to take on Goldust (with Marlena). Like Mankind, Goldust had been turned babyface after taking part in a series of sit-down interviews with Jim Ross that "pulled the curtain back" on how Dustin Rhodes became 

the Bizarre One. Brian "Crush" Adams is on my shortlist of least favorite workers ever, so I'll give most of the credit for this match not being a total turd to Goldie. The positives he brings to the match (enthusiasm, good shtick) almost balance out the headlock-based effort we get from Crush. (1.5/5)

Our next match-up is a bit of a prelude to the following month's Canadian Stampede show, The Legion of Doom and Sycho Sid taking on Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, and Jim Neidhart of the Hart Foundation. Owen starts things off against Animal, the two best workers on their respective teams setting a fast, action-packed pace featuring the usual mix of power moves out of the faces, cheap shots out of the heels, and all the signature spots one would expect (Hawk no-selling a Bulldog piledriver, Owen hitting his spinning heel kick, etc.). Nothing too remarkable, aside from a slightly messy finish. Not a bad match, but one that might be more deserving of a spot on a house show card rather than a $30 super show. (2/5)

The King of the Ring finals are next - Mankind vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Obviously these two would go on to have matches that start out much hotter than this one, the fans not nearly as invested in the outcome as they would be for their eventual series of matches in 99', for example. What's fun about watching this one, though, is seeing how good Helmsley and Mankind are at playing specific characters not yet fully-formed and far more "gimmick heavy" than the "shades of grey" characters they'd be in the Attitude Era's peak. At this point, Helmsley is still The Blue Blood, heavily inspired by Regal, while Mankind is the deranged, malformed maniac with the astute brain, the Elephant Man As Wrestler. They're polar opposites and it comes across throughout the contest in their character work and wrestling style. Foley does a great job of selling not only the damage inflicted by Helmsley, but also the neck pains he earned against Lawler earlier, further building sympathy from the audience (even if the audience is a bit quiet for stretches and there's at least one fan audibly chanting "Boring" at times). Helmsley takes a big back body drop on the arena floor and Foley follows it up with his signature elbow drop off the apron in one highlight. Chyna plays difference-maker multiple times, the crowd unanimously hating her for it. Foley takes a WCW-level sick bump into the guardrail that looks like a career-ender, building towards a table-assisted pedigree that sufficiently nudges this match beyond just being a good, no-frills battle. Just when this match seems over, Foley takes yet another nasty fall to the outside and the cheers for Mankind ramp up, the crowd taking tremendous pity on the underdog. If you have the patience for it, this is one that pays off in great ways during its second half (and particularly in its last third). (3.5/5)

The WWE Tag Team Champions clash in our next contest - Shawn Michaels taking on Steve Austin. Prior to the match, Bret Hart cuts a promo hyping the next month's Canadian Stampede PPV, but the Hart Foundation is ushered away from the ring before either of the babyfaces come out. Austin gets a loud mix of cheers (from the older male fans) and boos (from Michaels' supporters - the youngsters, the women). In the first minute, an overzealous fan (who Vince refers to as a "Special Olympian") ends up on the outside of the ring, leading to an unplanned opportunity for Michaels to draw sympathy and Austin, through sheer negligence, to get some heat. Stone Cold controls a majority of the match, letting Shawn do what he does best - bump, sell, and pop the crowd with fiery comebacks, showing off his undeniable athleticism. What really wowed me on this re-watch, though, was how much actual wrestling takes place - there's a great pinfall sequence at one point, all sorts of submission reversals, and several instances where one participant cleverly avoids one of the other's signature spots. It makes for a match where, when Austin hits a big clothesline, for example, you actually bite on the nearfall. The "conclusion" is an unfortunate, face-saving non-finish and the crowd reacts appropriately - by tossing garbage in the ring. From a booking standpoint, it makes perfect sense, but it is impossible to "unsee it" - what would otherwise be fondly remembered as one of the highlights of Austin's remarkable rise to the top becomes a mere footnote without a satisfactory ending to an otherwise excellent back-and-forth match. Extra note - Meltzer gave this a full 4 stars in the Observer. (3.5/5)

Main event time - The Undertaker vs. Farooq for the Deadman's WWE World Championship. These two waste little time with antics, Farooq landing some big offense early, including an impressive powerslam, before knocking Taker off the top rope and into a sea of Nation of Domination members. The heavy involvement of the heel's support staff allows Farooq to maintain control, hitting Taker with a nasty piledriver as the crowd chants "Rest in Peace" in support of the champ. Dissension among the Nation of Domination members causes a distraction, giving Taker the opportunity he needs to land the Tombstone in an otherwise fairly unremarkable match. Not nearly as good as either of the previous bouts, this one at least pleases the crowd with an ending they wanted to see while still furthering both of the major storylines that these match needed to do - first, the collapse of the Nation, and second, the Undertaker being forced to do Paul Bearer's bidding due to the secret he holds over the Phenom's head. During the post-match, trash begins to be tossed into the ring as Taker (under the influence of Bearer) hits Farooq with some (embarrassingly poor) chokeslams. This leads to an unexpected appearance by Ahmed Johnson, for some reason defending the guy that almost permanently took him out of the WWE. An injury kept the resulting Johnson/Taker match (penciled in for Canadian Stampede) from taking place and I'm not sure that's a bad thing. (2/5)


With a score of 2.79-out-of-5 on the Kwang Scale, I was pleasantly surprised by how much this show holds up. Austin/HBK is a great match spoiled by a necessary-but-unsatisfying finish. The King of the Ring tournament itself is fairly strong, thanks in large part to how good Foley is at working two violent matches against Lawler and Triple H. While the rest of the matches on the card aren't too great, there are specific moments that help move the show along - the Austin/Pillman segment, the fun of seeing Sid return to action (to a huge response, by the way), and even the main event's intriguing post-match action. Still, without some nostalgic appreciation for the star performers on this show, this might be a difficult 3-hours to spend.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE Payback 2016

Payback 2016

May 2016, Chicago, Illinois

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: In the first major show since WrestleMania 32, Roman Reigns is the reigning WWE Champion, The Miz holds the Intercontinental Championship, The New Day are the WWE World Tag Team Champions, Charlotte is the Women's Champion, and Kalisto holds the United States Championship.

COMMENTATORS: Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and JBL

Payback 2016 kicks off with a short promo from the New Day. I haven't totally hopped off the New Day bandwagon, but I'll admit to being colder on the act than I was 8 months ago or even 8 weeks ago. I wouldn't call it stale just yet...but if it were a loaf of bread, I don't know how many more sandwiches we'd get out of it.

Enzo and Cass arrived next to a huge reception from the Chicago crowd. Their opponents were The Vaudevillains, another pair of recent NXT grads. Enzo and Gotch started the match with some decent mat wrestling before Aiden English and Big Cass got involved. While Cass has improved considerably since his earlier days, there's still something green about him - particularly his promo skills (he was saddled with some pretty corny Hey Arnold! jokes to deliver before the match began). Before we could get a winner, or even what would've felt like a midpoint in the match, Enzo took a nasty bump into the ropes, seemingly clotheslining himself onto the unforgiving second rope and getting his head snapped back into the mat. To be honest, the slo-mo replay made it seem less impactful than it look in real time because, initially, it looked like he'd nearly decapitated himself on the bottom rope. As the match was stopped before it even really began, it's hard to give this one an actual rating...so I won't.

A video package highlighting the lengthy rivalry between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens was next. This one featured a fairly straightforward story - Zayn coming in like a ball of fire and getting the early upper hand, Owens retaliating by slowing down the tempo and hitting some high-impact slams, Zayn eventually mounting a big comeback after getting cut off multiple times, and the final moments being an edge-of-your-seat back-and-forth where both guys seemed like they were a move away from sealing victory. The initial "This is Awesome" chant seemed undeserved, but ten minutes later, things had heated up to meet the high expectations fans had for this showdown. Moments of particular quality included Zayn avoiding a pop-up power bomb with a dropkick, Owens connecting on a sick shoulder breaker, and a vicious back body drop spot on the ring apron. Extra half-point for the post-match promo, one that not only helped set the stage and add more intrigue to the next contest, but occurred in such a way, at such a unique time (immediately following a lengthy battle), that it was really different from how the WWE typically produces these sort of segments. I still wouldn't call this a Match of the Year contender, though, as it just seemed less epic than I'd hoped. (3.5/5)

The Intercontinental Championship was on the line next - The Miz (with Maryse) defending the strap against Cesaro. The Chicago crowd was 1000% behind the Swiss Superman, which gave this match a different and arguably better atmosphere than Zayn/Owens (a match where the fans were noticeably cheering for both men). Cesaro dominated this one thoroughly, taking Miz to Uppercut City at one point, but the champ's resilience was respectable, kicking out of some big moves including an absolutely awesome dropkick off the ropes. Having Owens on commentary added even more fun for viewers, while the late-match appearance of Sami Zayn led to a finishing sequence that was just the right amount of screwy. I would've liked to see Maryse more involved throughout the contest, distracting the referee, helping The Miz weasel his way to the ropes, and doing whatever else was necessary to help her man keep the Intercontinental Title because, as far as going "straight up" with Zayn, Owens, and Cesaro, The Miz is just not on their level without some extra help. Anyway, I know some will disagree with me here, but I thought this match was just as good as the one that came before it. (3.5/5)

Dean Amrose vs. Chris Jericho was next. I've been a bit down on both of these guys recently, so I didn't come into this match with much enthusiasm as a viewer. I liked how Ambrose started this match in fully serious mode and Jericho has been trying, to the best of his ability, to bring back the crowd-trolling smarmy heel character that gave him his best run ever in 2008-2009, but things still didn't click for me. That's not to say the participants didn't work hard, but Ambrose's moveset has become painfully predictable and Jericho, while good for some nifty reversals and combinations, relies on his own signature moves too often to make his matches feel special in 2016. In hindsight, when compared to this, his series with AJ comes off as much better than it seemed at the time. Also, despite Y2J's blatant attempts to have the crowd loathe him, he continues to have at least 30% of the audience on his side in every city, an unfortunate reality that comes with being one of the most recognized veteran stars on a roster of relative newcomers, the lone throwback to the Attitude Era still working high profile matches today. Running at least 4-5 minutes beyond necessary, this was just a tedious chore that I can't believe Steve Austin called a "masterpiece" on his podcast. (1.5/5)

At WrestleMania, Charlotte stole the show in her Women's Championship defense against Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch. The prior month, at the WWE's Roadblock Network Special, she had what I remember as the Match of the Night (or close to it) against her opponent on this show - Natalya. While this rematch did not live up to their prior bout, moving a touch slower and featuring just a few more hiccups than one would expect for two women with a track record of smoother matches, it was still solid, a drastic improvement from the kind of women's matches the WWE was producing 12 months ago, let alone 12 years ago. What really crushed this one for me, and for the fans in attendance, was the ridiculously stupid idea to rehash the fully flogged horse corpse of the Montreal Screwjob. Charlotte is good enough to secure clean wins and Natalya is over enough as the veteran/ perennial challenger to suffer a cheap loss. Let's remember, too, that we're talking about Ric Flair's daughter, not Shawn Michaels'. From a storyline perspective, it made little sense to evoke an incident that Flair had absolutely nothing to do with. If one day we do see Vince McMahon's granddaughter step in the ring and take on Natalya, I'd still probably lambast the company for dredging up a twist that they (and WCW and TNA and countless indie promotions) have already beaten their audience to death with, but at least it would make some sense. Uncreative and wholly unnecessary, the finish ruined what was an otherwise good (but not great) match that was wrestled with passion, intensity, and urgency and, as it was going on, had me plenty more captivated than the previous bout. (2/5)

Vince McMahon arrived next, followed by Stephanie McMahon, and then Shane McMahon. They proceeded to go through a lengthy segment that wouldn't have been out of place (or any more tolerable) on an episode of RAW. Absolutely no suspense or pay-off as Shane and Steph tried to reason their way into being named the permanent boss of the WWE flagship. Quick question - who's controlling SmackDown? Shouldn't they be in the running? An exhausting and meandering segment on a show that featured multiple matches that ran long to cover for the time lost with Enzo's injury. Even without the opening contest getting cut short, though, the conclusion of the segment made it pointless filler. (-1)

Main event time - Roman Reigns defending the WWE World Championship against AJ Styles. Easily the match of the night without a single challenge for that spot, AJ Styles proved here why he's worth every penny the WWE spent to bring him in from Japan. Honestly, aside from Kurt Angle or Brock Lesnar, I can't recall a guy coming in from out of the WWE and knocking the ball out of the park in their first legitimate main event match within their first 6 months the way AJ did here. To his credit, Reigns did a phenomenal job (no pun intended) subtly working as a tweener-leaning-towards-heel, hitting all his major spots (and nothing else) but not trying to win the crowd over with them as much as using them as intended - to retain his title. By not seeking crowd approval at every turn, Reigns ended up coming off noticeably cooler. Again, though, AJ was the MVP here, even if I wouldn't go as far as to say Reigns was "carried." AJ's quickness, agility, and high-risk offense (including an absolutely incredible table spot) proved to be the perfect foil for Roman's arguably repetitive-but-effective moveset. The false finishes reeked of overbooking and made the actual finish fairly predictable, but credit goes to both participants for delivering enough twists and turns to make it seem like things could've gone either way, especially when Styles started landing some of his most devastating maneuevers. I've seen some call this a Match of the Year candidate, but won't go that far due to all the shenanigans, which made it a fun watch for its "trolling" factor, but not one that I plan on rewatching any time soon. (4/5)

With an overall score of 2.70-out-of-5, Payback 2016 shouldn't be making anyone's Year End Best Of lists come December, though, Steve Austin did call it one of his favorite shows in a long time on his podcast. To me, only the main event shined, a match that even Reigns' biggest critics will have to admit had more "big match feel" than any other bout on the show, including the Owens/Zayn bout (a match that was certainly above average, but probably the least interesting 20-minutes they've shared on-screen together since they both got to the WWE). The Women's Championship was fine until the bookers decided to get "cute," an otherwise solid title match turned into a lame retread right when a definitive finish would've been deserved. Ambrose/Jericho suffered from the staleness of the characters involved more than being a "bad" match. With only one match really worth watching, this show falls snugly into the category of...

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE In Your House #14: Revenge of the Taker

In Your House #14: Revenge of the Taker

Rochester, NY - April 1997

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: The Undertaker is at the start of his second (and first real) run with the WWE World Championship coming into this show, Rocky Miavia (not yet The Rock) is the Intercontinental Champion, and the Hart Foundation's Owen Hart and British Bulldog are the WWE Tag Team Champions.

COMMENTARY: Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

In Your House 14: Revenge of the Taker starts with a video recap showing Mankind burning the face of the Undertaker, a really cool start of a "through line" that runs all the way up to the career-defining feud Undertaker would end up in later this year.

In the opening contest, Owen Hart and The British Bulldog defend their WWE Tag Team Championships against The Legion of Doom. I've yet to review much Owen Hart since getting the Network, so watching him here was a huge breath of fresh air. Owen is easily the most (and arguably only) watchable performer in this match, which is fairly standard and at least a step-up from what the Road Warriors were doing in WCW in 95'. It certainly helps that they just seemed like bigger stars in the WWE at this time compared to WCW, which had, by this point, a far more impressive roster in terms of established, major "names" than WWE had. Very standard and mostly dull match (though Owen's selling and energy keeps it from being an absolute dud) that features a pretty lame false ending and concludes with a pointless DQ "schmozz" that doesn't protect either team and makes the rest of the match meaningless in hindsight. (1/5)

Next up - Rocky Miavia defending the WWE Intercontinental Championship against the Nation of Domination's Savio Vega. If the action in our opener was decent, possibly elevated by the sheer excitement of the crowd, the action doesn't have that benefit and suffers because of it. Miavia is fundamentally sound, but uninteresting. Vega may have had some good bouts in other places, under other gimmicks, with other opponents, but I've never seen anything out of him that I'd recommend. The only positive in this match is Ron Simmons' commentary as his delivery is, while not flawless, is at least bold, passionate, and different. Though he flubs a few lines, Simmons' portrayal of a militant leader just works. The match, on the other hand, doesn't. Somewhat interesting post-match with an appearance and almost indecipherable promo out of Ahmed Johnson. (0.5/5)

The former "Roadie" and future "Road Dog" Jesse James makes his way to the ring for a showdown with The Honky Tonk Man's debuting protege - "Rockabilly" Billy Gunn. I remember when this storyline happened, there was actually some hope that Honky would be debuting a fresh, new talent (maybe someone from ECW or an ex-WCW star) with the WWE even attempting to throw in an extra swerve by having Gunn (who has rumored to be the protege) delivering a knockout to punch to Honky a few weeks prior on RAW. Gunn's re-christening gets basically no reaction, nor does any of his mostly awful dancing or James' copy-of-a-copy strutting. Yet another dud of a match with a finish that mercifully kills the future of the lame Rockabilly gimmick. (0/5)

Dok Hendrix is in the back to plug an Undertaker door poster - this is actually more entertaining than anything else that has happened on the show. (+1)

After some words on Steve Austin (who'd been attacked in the bathroom by Owen Hart and the Bulldog), Gorilla Monsoon announces that the scheduled Hart/Austin bout will now be our main event in order to "buy some time" for the Rattlesnake. 

The WWE World Championship is on the line next, with The Undertaker defending against longtime nemesis Mankind. If there was ever worry that Taker and Mankind could not deliver a "main event worthy" match, it is eviscerated within the first minutes of this vicious, shockingly hardcore battle. Mankind takes two ridiculous bumps into the guardrail early, setting the tone for what is essentially a one-sided affair and a clever prelude to Mankind's burgeoning character arc as a tweener in the summer and eventual fan favorite. Watching Mankind battle back from the suffering Taker inflicts may not reach the peak of their infamous King of the Ring match a year later, but the blueprint is obviously here, especially when Foley kicks out of what should be a "game ender" late in the match. This is the sort of bout that really shows just how awesome Foley was - that while he was famous for putting his body on the line and withstanding unbearable punishment, he truly resonated with audiences once he started putting humanity into his performances. The table spot is an all-time great one and the chair shots throughout are just nasty. For a match I'd consider a "throwaway" of their feud, it pretty much obliterates any of the No DQ matches I've seen in recent years. The WWE simply wouldn't have the balls to put out a match with this much concussion-baiting action. A forgotten gem of a match that saves the show. The less said about the botched post-match angle the better, though. (4/5)

Main event time - Bret "The Hitman" Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Of all their pay-per-view matches, this one gets the least "play," probably because of it appearing on a lesser known show and because their WrestleMania 13 match is considered by some to be the best WWE match of all time. The crowd is surprisingly quiet for the initial minutes of the match, Austin not yet the uber-popular mega-star he would be by year's end. Austin dominates and Bret Hart plays the clear heel, taking powders, trying to evade Austin at every step, eventually introducing a foreign object and causing a ref bump. Austin, meanwhile, has the job of garnering sympathy by selling a damaged knee, screaming in pain once the Hitman locks in his around-the-post figure-four. The blatant use of the steel chair outside the ring is a bit jarring, though, it would become less so as the WWE moved more and more into the Attitude Era style in 98'. Here, in a Bret Hart match, it just seems like it should lead to a DQ. Hart rips off Austin's brace and continues his targeted attack, but with the help of a low blow, Austin is able to wrest back control. Again, it's noticeable how subdued the crowd is, not popping for his comeback (and, at times, giving mild cheers to Hart's cut-offs). When it enters its second half, the remarkable storytelling pushes this match further than any of the actual wrestling holds or high spots, Austin and Hart do so much through their characters' choice of moves, facial expressions, and selling that this match transcends its somewhat repetitive and simple action. The finish is a genuine punch in the gut, though. Fortunately, unlike the prior bout, the post-match delivers what it needs to. (3.5/5)

Like my review of Bash at the Beach 97' earlier this week, the number earned by this show don't tell the whole story. While a 2.0-out-of-5 would suggest that there's some worthwhile action sprinkled throughout this show, the fact is, only the title match and the main event are worth checking out. The opener is nothing special and ultimately pointless. Maivia/Vega is the kind of tedious filler that helps explain why chants of "Die Rocky Die" sprang up. The Rockabilly/Jesse James match isn't clever, exciting, or campy enough to be entertaining. Hearing Sunny, Brian Pillman, and Dok Hendrix shill is somewhat fun (as is seeing Ken Shamrock chatting with fans via America Online), but even fans seeking a strong nostalgia factor in their viewing would be happier cashing an episode of RAW from this era (or, better yet, a Clash of the Champions though). So why not go full "DUDleyville" on the score? Because the final two matches are that good.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

In Your House #15: A Cold Day in Hell

In Your House #15: A Cold Day in Hell - May 1997

Richmond, Virginia

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: The Undertaker holds the WWE World Championship coming into the show, Owen Hart is the Intercontinental Champion, The British Bulldog is the European Champion, and, together, Hart and Bulldog also hold the WWE World Tag Team Championships. 

COMMENTARY: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler


Tonight's show is one I remember (not fondly) from my childhood. I think I could even dig up a VHS copy if I searched my parents' basement hard enough. Still, this one got far fewer rewatches than Royal Rumble 92' or SummerSlam 91'. Extra trivia note - Aside from his appearance in multi-man matches (specifically the previous February's In Your House: Final Four), this is Steve Austin's first main event singles match on pay-per-view.


The show starts off with an interesting clash of styles - Flash Funk (aka 2 Cold Scorpio) taking on Hunter Hearst Helmsley (aka "Triple H") with Chyna by his side. As much as I like 2 Cold and can overlook the garrish outfit, there's something about seeing him in a WWE ring that always seemed "off." Is it that the ropes don't provide him the spring needed to capture the amazing airtime he showcased in WCW? Is it that the crowd's relative indifference makes his ECW run seem like a bigger deal? Is it just that the WWE's cameras never seem to capture his high-flying the right way? Whatever it is, what could've been and should've been a sleeper Match of the Night ends up being a match you might sleep through. There's some remarkable bumping out of Trips late in the match and the finish is pleasantly clean, but, overall, its just not that hot an opener. (1.5/5)

After some words out of Ken Shamrock, it is time for our next contest - Mankind taking on Rocky Miavia. This is an interesting match beyond just being one of the first times these two would tangle on pay-per-view. First, the match comes a week or two after the first part of Mankind's infamous sit-down interview with Jim Ross, the company's first attempt in turning Foley into a sympathetic babyface. On the other side is Rocky Miavia, no longer the Intercontinental Champion and no longer "all smiles," but still not yet "The Rock." Foley leads the youngster through the match's biggest moments (a Mankind front-flip onto Miavia outside the ring, a powerful running knee in the corner), but the crowd just never really cares. The Not-Yet-Great One can't garner any fan support and has almost no signature offense or taunting to help. In one particularly noteworthy moment, though, the Rock does land his future finisher, a vicious Rock Bottom on Foley on the steel ramp that earns him his biggest pop of the night. The last minute is the most revealing - The Rock connects with a nasty clothesline to the back of Foley's head, a clear heel tactic from the otherwise vanilla good guy. When he signals for his finish, the crowd boos and we finally see signs of The Rock we'll one day get,  Miavia spitting and cussing in defiance of the fan's tepid reaction to what he intends to be the nail in the coffin. While these 15 seconds don't make the previous 12 minutes any better, it is at least thought-provoking on re-watch in a way that the opener or the match that follows certainly weren't. (2/5)

A gauntlet match is next - Ahmed Johnson going up against Crush, Savio Vega, and Farooq in that order. Gorilla Monsoon bars the other Nation of Domination members from ringside, so these matches are all 1-on-1. The first bout, Johnson vs. Crush, is as dull and uninspired as one would expect, though, I do have to give credit to Johnson for his surprisingly varied offense. While he doesn't hit every move with precision, he had considerable gusto, connecting on some hard clotheslines and finishing Crush off with a very decent heel kick. The next bout, against Savio Vega, is more of the same, and, again, a tip of the hat goes to Johnson for not repeating spots, differentiating his strikes, and selling the fact that this is his second of three matches. After Vega gets himself disqualified, its time for the final round and Johnson is already knocked out. He miraculously hits a Pearl River Plunge, though, which makes little kayfabe sense, but at least adds some suspense. Watching this match, I immediately began to think of how Roman Reigns might've fared in a similar situation. To be honest, I'm not sure Reigns has the moveset to match the little bit of what Johnson accomplishes here, but I do think Reigns bests Ahmed in terms of selling and charisma. While far from a worthwhile watch, this one is surprisingly not as terrible as one would expect. (1.5/5)

Vader vs. Ken Shamrock in a submission-only, no disqualification match is next, this being Shamrock's in-ring WWE debut. The match begins with Shamrock trying to break Vader down with stiff kicks to the big man's legs and within minutes he has Vader reeling, forcing him to recalculate his battle plan on the outside. Shamrock hits a textbook belly-to-back suplex and seeing the one-time WCW juggernaut playing the cowardly, overmatched heel is a bit sad. The crowd pops for Vader's impressive offense, including a big suplex to the outside that Shamrock takes fearlessly, our first real sign that the former UFC Champion is more than prepared to hang in the world of pro-wrestling. After controlling the match for a stretch (with Shamrock selling well throughout), Vader misses on his moonsault and Shamrock hits an awesome powerslam before locking in a half-crab. Vader reaches the ropes and the match continues, Shamrock hitting Vader with all sorts of strikes in the corner before getting leveled with a stiff forearm to the face. With Vader seemingly in charge, Shamrock locks in a surprising ankle lock and forces the big man to tap in what I'd call a fairly unceremonious finish. There's some positives to this match: Shamrock's blend of stiff strikes and mat submissions, some surprisingly sharp commentary out of JR and Lawler, and both guys actually selling their asses off to make the other look like they're worth fearing, but Vader came into this match relatively cold and its hard not to notice how much less of a "big deal" Shamrock is when he's no longer mixing it up with Bret Hart and Steve Austin. (2.5/5)

Speaking of Steve Austin, its main event time - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin challenging The Undertaker for his WWE World Championship. Austin gets a bit of a muted response compared to how over he would be a year later, but the signs in the audience and Austin 3:16 shirts are certainly increasing in number by this point. The Hart Foundation gets a massive negative reaction as they make their way down the aisle and take their seats in the front row. Austin and Taker get some shots in against Pillman and Owen Hart before they get to work on eachother, Austin trying to wear down the champ with a headlock early on the match (a questionable way to kick things off, if you ask me). Stone Cold then goes after the Deadman's leg, bashing it into the corner ring post and stomping at it after tying Undertaker up by the turnbuckle. Austin even attempts an STF at one point, a rarity in The Rattlesnake's toolbox and a maneuver that the audience certainly hadn't seen much in a WWE ring. Undertaker is able to fight back and change the tides, though, by going after Austin's left knee, trying to wear down the Rattlesnake with a grapevine and, moments later, a half-crab. As the match continues, both men maintain their focus on their opponent's legs but, thankfully, begin to dish out more high-impact offense as well, going back to their respective bread-and-butter to try to put their opponent away. While the selling isn't great (neither guy limps around as much as they should considering how much emphasis is put on their targeted submissions), there are some "Attitude Era"-pointing moments, including Austin and Hebner trading birds, the Undertaker popping the crowd with a massive chokeslam, and a false finish involving a ring bell that screams "screwjob" roughly 7 months before that word would become popularized. With a really strong finishing sequence that keeps both guys looking strong and also pleases the fans by having the Hart Foundation get a bit of a comeuppance, this match absolutely holds up and defies the popular opinion that Steve Austin and The Undertaker never really "clicked" on the big stage. While not an all-time classic, this is easily the match of the night. (3.5/5)



With a pretty piddling score of 2.2-out-of-5, In Your House #15: A Cold Day in Hell is almost impossible to recommend. The only silver lining I can muster to support it is the novelty of seeing Steve Austin, Triple H, The Rock, and Mankind all on the brink of superstardom. Within 9 months, they'd each be much bigger players on the WWE scene, one headed to a WrestleMania main event, two en route to being the leaders of two of the most famous stables in WWE history, and one firmly established as the ultimate sympathetic "tweener," a guy that fans would spend most of 98' switching between loving, loathing, pitying, and praising. With only one match that I'd call above-average, I'm going to give this one a...

FINAL RATING - DUDleyville