WWE SummerSlam 2005

WWE SummerSlam 2005

Washington, DC - August 2005

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Batista was the World Heavyweight Champion, John Cena was the WWE Champion, Orlando Jordan was the United States Champion, and the Intercontinental Champion was Carlito. The Cruiserweight Champion was Nunzio and Trish Stratus was the Women's Champion, though neither title was defended on this show. The World Tag Team Champions were Rosey & The Hurricane, while the WWE Tag Team Champions were The Road Warriors (Animal & Heidenreich, that is). 

SummerSlam 2005 is the show that got me back into pro-wrestling after a 3-4 year hiatus. Looking at the card, its easy to see why - this show was stacked with superstars and weighted heavily with nostalgia. Even the Guerrero/Mysterio feud felt a bit like a throwback to the 90s, when Eddie and Rey would routinely tear the house down on Nitro, while the show's main event was a legit "dream match" never seen before (a rarity these days when just about every wrestler has fought every other wrestler a dozen times on free TV). 

After a performance from Lillian Garcia, a video package hypes tonight's multiple main events. Its then time for the opening match, the pseudo-notorious squash of Orlando Jordan by Chris Benoit in under a minute. This gave Benoit the US Championship and, if I remember correctly, led to another "nostalgia gimmick" as he proceeded to have a Best of 7 series with Booker T (just like they had in WCW 7 years earlier). There are "cool" squash matches - see just about any time Sid was on TV or even Benoit getting squashed by The Giant in WCW - but this wasn't cool or very fun. It was just Benoit applying the Crossface and getting a tapout victory. At least his finisher was protected. (1/5)

A video package chronicles the rivalry between Edge (and Lita) and Matt Hardy, who compete next. There are a ton of details I'm going to exclude here for the sake of brevity, but basically, Edge cheated on his wife with Lita, who had been in a long-term relationship with Matt Hardy in real life for a number of years. Hardy got fired for airing his dirty laundry on the internet, but fans would not let Edge or Lita forget their infidelity, chanting "We Want Matt" (and worse) during all of their matches and segments to the point that Vince decided to turn the whole thing into a gimmick (ending Lita and Kane's phony on-screen romance in the process) and re-hire Matt...just to put over Edge, who was holding the Money In The Bank Briefcase at the time and had become a heat magnet. This one starts off like a brawl and the crowd is absolutely into it, cheering Hardy on as he applies a choke. You gotta give credit to Matt here - even as they are clearly wrestling a scripted, staged fight, he is putting a ton of mustard on his punches, really trying to sell this as a legit fight. It doesn't quite work - especially re-watching in 2020 when even a non-fan has likely seen at least 2-3 legitimate "shoot" fights - but at least they try. At one point, Edge drops Hardy onto the ring post and Hardy takes a bad tumble to the floor, blading himself to heighten the drama even more. Edge begins to stomp Hardy in the face and the ref calls for the bell as the crowd absolutely loses their shit. What an awful finish...but genius way to keep the heat on Edge and further this rivalry. As a match, this isn't great, but as a match and angle, it accomplishes exactly what they designed it to do (which was not necessarily what the fans wanted to see). (2/5)

Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio in a ladder match for the paternity of Dominik Mysterio is next. This is one of the most legendary storylines in modern WWE history, maybe the most famous feud of both guy's illustrious careers. One of the things forgotten about this match is just how far Tazz and Cole go to sell it on commentary, Cole even openly discussing how he adopted both of his two sons (as a way to clarify that while Dominick was, according to Eddie, his biological progency, Rey was his real father). Dominick's expressions on the outside are terrific as well; he really seems distraught with what he's watching before even the first punch is thrown. Speaking of punches, one could argue that the fact that Eddie and Rey have a match that features so much signature offense, so much flying and lucha-style action, that they are not working this like the blood feud match it should be - but I'd disagree as, not only is there viciousness from the early going, but also because these two guys are both wrestling to their strengths and trying to grab the paternity briefcase from the first 5 minutes. In other words, the psychology is there, even if no one would confuse this for Magnum/Tully or Valentine/Piper. Comparatively, when Rollins and Ambrose start a "blood feud match" with wristlocks and side headlocks, it isn't playing to either guy's strength nor does it show any urgency. Less than 10 minutes in there is an absolutely insane spot that sees Mysterio back-body drop Eddie from atop one ladder through another one that ends with one of the nastiest series of falls I've seen (and is immediately followed by another ugly bump from Rey - and then a reverse powerbomb into a ladder as well). As Eddie goes to retrieve the briefcase, Dominick slides into the ring and tries to shake him off the ladder, only to get scolded by his "father." Eddie demands a hug and then yells in Dominick's face, only to get stopped by Rey and eventually hit with a ladder-assisted 619 and a double leg drop. Rey climbs for the briefcase, but Eddie stops him, attempting to hit him with Electric Chair off the ladder - only for Rey to reverse it into a sunset flip powerbomb off the ladder! Damn. Rey seems to have the match won, but Eddie kicks the ladder from under him and drags him down with a ridiculous power bomb of his own. That was a concussion-causer if I've ever seen one. Eddie pins Rey under the ladder and begins to climb, taunting Mysterio with each step. Eddie has trouble unhooking the briefcase, though, and Rey is able to tip the ladder from underneath. Rey pulls Eddie down and Eddie drops leg-first in a fall that looks like it could've caused him a serious ankle injury. Eddie's selling is terrific, but because he has such a size advantage he's still able to hit the Tres Amigos (including one on the ladder for good measure). Eddie goes back to the ladder, but this time, his ascent is interrupted by the arrival of his wife, Vickie Guerrero, who tips over the ladder and causes Eddie to stun himself on the top rope! Rey picks the ladder up and makes his way up, but Eddie is back on his feet too - only Eddie get's held back by Vickie, his own wife doing what's right for the Mysterio family! I'm not sure if this match is as good as what they accomplished at Halloween Havoc, but its not far off and is certainly one of the best ladder matches of all time. (4/5)

Before the next bout, Chris Jericho cuts a promo about becoming a WWE Champion that all of Raw can be proud of. 

Eugene, with Christy Hemme at his side, makes his way down the aisle for his match against Kurt Angle tonight. Kurt Angle was the heel, but the Eugene gimmick had run its course by this point - but would somehow last for another 2 years. Angle comes in and just destroys him to start the match, but Eugene cuts him off with a spinebuster (that draws a chorus of boos). Eugene goes for a People's Elbow, but Angle clocks him with a nasty clothesline (that gets a huge pop). A "Let's Go Angle" chant starts up as Angle continues to wear down his opponent, the crowd loudly booing any time there's even a hint of a comeback from Eugene. After Eugene attempts to apply the Ankle Lock, Angle escapes, hits him with the Angle Slam and taps him, the match ending in under 8 minutes. The right guy won, the crowd was engaged (even if vociferously anti-Eugene), and I liked the post-match moment of Kurt Angle re-enacting the Olympic gold medal ceremony. This was pretty much exactly what is should've been, though Angle couldn't help himself from giving the fans at least two unnecessary near falls for no logical reason. (2.5/5)

In the parking lot, a number of divas are soaping up a limousine with the final reveal being that the limo has the Presidential seal on it and that, sitting in the backseat is noneother than...Vince McMahon. I totally forget if Vince running for President was ever actually a thing but we're living in the closest possible timeline with Trump in office. 

Back to the ring we go for The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton. Unlike the rest of the matches on the card, this one doesn't get a big pre-match hype video, though maybe it was because this rematch from WrestleMania XXI was developed rather quickly due to some unexpected happenings going on - most notably the writing off of Muhammad Hassan. Orton gets quite a bit of shine here, holding his own against Taker. Its also fun to watch Orton throw himself fully into selling; you just don't see Orton taking this much of a beatdown in 2020 (or even 10 years ago) and its a nice reminder as to why he was considered, even more than Cena maybe, as the future of the company. When Orton takes over and goes after Taker's knee, he goes after it with verve and a clear strategy, a clearly more confident worker in every way than he was when he got his first major push (roughly a year earlier). Taker, meanwhile, is wrestling the style that he would use for a lengthy strength in the 00s and early 10s, a style less gimmicky, quicker, more athletic, and more versatile. This is the Undertaker taking himself down down a peg, showing vulnerability in order to add suspense and drama to his matches. In a match like this, it absolutely works - it isn't WrestleMania and Undertaker doesn't look unbeatable. Unlike their Mania contest, the stakes are lesser and it is entirely conceivable that Orton could "get his win back." Towards the end, a mysterious figure (obviously Bob Orton) shows up to distract Taker long enough for the Deadman to eat an RKO. Its not the cleanest of victories, but how many clean jobs did Taker ever do anyway? Less than 10? I wouldn't call this a "must see," but this is a very good match nonetheless and probably would've been even more warmly received had it not been on a show featuring so many star-studded matches. (3.5/5)

The WWE Championship is on the line next with Chris Jericho challenging John Cena. The hatred for Cena was not yet peaking at this point, but it was undoubtedly there - especially online. Jericho is in arguably the best shape of his career here, looking lean and mean. This match is much better than it probably is remembered by most fans as these two put out the best possible match considering that (a) the finish was never really in doubt and (b) Chris Jericho was heading out the door and "burnt out." Jericho is terrific throughout, his offense intense and purposeful, targeting Cena's lower back throughout the contest to weaken it for the Walls of Jericho. Cena is in "sell mode" for most of this contest, which isn't surprising as, even after being bestowed the WWE Championship, Cena was still considered fairly "green" - especially in a lockerroom like the WWE had in 2005, which was still weighted heavily with veteran workers and established stars. And so Jericho is clearly calling this match from beginning to end and doing a rather masterful job of it. By the closing minutes, a loud anti-Cena contingent lets their presence be known, but that was to be expected from a SummerSlam crowd. The predictability of the ending does hurt things, but there is at least one great moment of doubt when Jericho counters what appeared to be an attempt for a "Super F-U" into a back suplex. Cena lasting so long in the Walls of Jericho was always going to irk the "smarks," but it definitely is a great way to put a guy over on your way out - as Jericho was clearly working to do here. I'm not going to call it a "must see," but its definitely a very good title match. (3.5/5)

Hometown hero Batista defends his World Heavyweight Championship against JBL in an Anything Goes match next. JBL catches Batista in the entranceway to jump start the match, the two men brawling into the crowd with Batista eventually spearing JBL through the barricade back to ringside. JBL has always had the reputation of being a backstage bully who would work needlessly stiff in the ring (famously taking liberties during the first One Night Stand show a few months before this), but he takes a respectable beating here. Neither of these guys is known for wowing the crowds with technical prowess, so seeing them beat the hell out of each other works pretty well at keeping the crowd engaged. Bradshaw takes control and uses a belt to try to choke Batista out, but the Animal powers out with a back suplex. Batista grabs the belt and whips the hell out of his opponent, following it up with some shoulders in the corner. JBL manages to change the tide, though, with an absolutely nasty Clothesline from Hell, but Batista kicks out at 2. JBL grabs some steps and attempts a piledriver, but Batista back body drops him onto the mat. JBL attempts another Clothesline from Hell, but Batista counters it into a spinebuster. Batista calls for the Batista Bomb and nails it. Batista has the opportunity to make the cover, but instead, decides to inflict more damage as the crowd chants "One More Time." Batista lifts him up and this time he powerbombs him onto the steps to get the W. Like Jericho did for Cena, you have to give some credit to JBL for doing everything he could to further cement Batista's status. This isn't an all-time classic or anything, but it accomplished everything it needed to and didn't waste any time getting there. (3/5)

Main event time - Shawn Michaels vs. Hulk Hogan. This match has become notorious over the years, legendary for the politicking that supposedly occurred backstage and in the ring. For starters, based on reports from the time, Shawn wanted the match to be a face/face encounter, but Hogan requested for Shawn to turn heel to protect his own character. Shawn being Shawn, he did turn heel - but the exact kind of heel that made the original DegenerationX a cool stable, mocking Hogan's age (a touchy subject for the Hulkster) and trolling the Montreal crowd in one particular episode of Raw. According to rumor, Michaels wanted to have a trilogy of matches (or at least two) and was more than willing to lose the first contest as long as he'd get his win back. At some point, Hogan refused to do any more matches than this one - if you believe Shawn. Hogan's take was slightly different as he alleges that he was willing to have more matches (but that Shawn's overreaction on this night [and maybe getting too personal in his promos?] prevented it from happening). Anyway...The match starts off with Hogan sending Shawn to the mat repeatedly. Michaels applies a wristlock and then a side headlock, but Hogan powers out and we get our first bit of pinball bumping out of Shawn, the Heartbreak Kid rolling out of the ring after a shoulder block from the Hulkster. Back in the ring, Shawn takes over on offense a bit with some chest chops and an eye poke to halt Hogan's momentum (which draws some loud boos from the crowd). Minutes later, Shawn Michaels takes a clothesline on the outside and sells it by doing a somersault and a Flair flop, but really, there are lengthy stretches where Michaels is simply being his usual self - or at least the self he was in 97'. Are there some over-the-top moments? Absolutely. And they're noticeable. But there are also some legitimately intense and memorable moments - Michaels slapping Hogan across the repeatedly, a sequence built around simple post-ramming and stiff right hands that results in Hogan getting busted open, both guys masterfully milking crowd reactions with their expressions. While this match doesn't have the electricity of Hogan/Rock, its a much more physical match than that, more violent, and also built more on a clash of styles. Michaels (even at his peak) couldn't elicit the reactions The Rock could with a simple lift of his eyebrow, but he also bumps and sells and provides the speed and high-flying that The Rock couldn't. He also sinks his teeth into his heel role, at one point even busting out a Sharpshooter to further draw heat from the crowd. Like most any classic Hogan match, there's some overbooking to go with the overselling - the aforementioned blood (and there's a ton of it), a ref bump that leads to a low blow and a chairshot, a finisher kickout. And because its a Hogan match, it ends with a Hulk Up - and Hogan doing some clever "maneuvering" of his own in the final moments by hitting Michaels with the leg drop and, before making the cover, doing an extended "I Can't Hear You Bit" in order to draw out Michaels selling of his finish. Michaels takes the pin by lifting his leg straight up in the area, an absurdly cartoonish way to get pinned, but its not super jarring because he'd been doing exaggerating moves the whole match. In fact, the first time I watched this match, I really didn't catch Michaels' overselling - I just thought he was putting extra oomph into the match because, hey, his opponent is Hulk friggin' Hogan. Ultimately, though, its not Michaels' over-the-top performance that mars this match, its the fact that, in the end, it seems a bit too by the book, like Shawn Michaels saw the framework of the typical Hulk Hogan match and decided to just go with it instead of changing it up at all. Michaels is too entertaining a bumper, too interesting as a heel, too good a performer not to make this arguably Hogan's last great match - but this one doesn't touch Hogan's true classic performances. (3.5/5)

There's a reason that 2005, especially the second half of the year, felt like a "turning the corner" era for the WWE. RAW was back on USA. Gimmicks like Carlito and Chris Masters felt like throwbacks to the 80s. And, hey, with Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and, by the end of the year, Jimmy Snuka and Piper back around, you didn't even need throwbacks because, hell, you got the real thing (or at least their son in Randy Orton)! While the WWE was laying the nostalgia on thick, at the top of the card, John Cena and Batista were undeniably fresh - even if, over time, much of the fan base would turn on them and even criticize the lack of "dues" they put in. Meanwhile, the rest of the roster was stacked with future Hall of Famers in the form of Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Triple H (who would return later that year), Edge, Jericho...the WWE was loaded with talent and star power and the writing actually seemed focused and purposeful. This show is not match-for-match as strong as the Vengeance show from July, but it still features at least one excellent, "must see" match in the Guerrero/Mysterio Ladder Match and a number of matches that were almost as strong - Hogan/Michaels, Cena/Jericho, and Taker/Orton. With a Kwang Score of 2.88-out-of-5, I'm going to shockingly give this a higher overall rating than the point total might indicate...

FINAL RATING - Watch It 

WWE Hell in a Cell 2020

WWE Hell in a Cell 2020

Orlando, FL - October 2020

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Roman Reigns was the Universal Championship while Drew McIntyre held the WWE Championship. The United States Champion was Bobby Lashley the Intercontinental Champion was Sami Zayn, the RAW Tag Team Championships were held by The New Day (specifically Kofi and Woods), and the SmackDown Tag Team Championships were held by The Street Profits. The RAW Women's Champion was Asuka (though she would not defend the title on this show) and the SmackDown Women's Champion was Bayley, with the Women's Tag Team Championships held by Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Finally, the 24/7 Championship was held by R-Truth (enjoying his FORTY-SECOND reign with the title).

The fact that Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso for the Universal Championship in an "I Quit" Match in the Hell in a Cell opened the show was a major surprise as this feud had a terrific build based around Reigns demanding that his cousin acknowledge him as the Tribal Chief (with the added stipulation that if Reigns won the match, both Uso Brothers and their families would be cut out of the family). This started off as just a straight-forward match, the first big spot being an Uso dive on Reigns into the cell wall. Without a live audience, its hard to imagine what kind of reaction this match would've received in its first few minutes, but I'm guessing a mild one as this match started off less violent than their match at Clash of the Champions despite being in a more sinister setting. Reigns hit a not-so-hot spear early on, but it was the second one that looked like it took all the wind out of Jey (even Cole admitted on commentary that it was considerably more impactful). The theatrics and drama began at this point, Reigns threatening to "end" his cousin despite not wanting to. Uso rallied, though, hitting a big splash from the top. Inexplicably, the referee asked Reigns if he would quit at this point. Off a single top rope splash? Even off the second one it was dumb considering Reigns has kicked out of multiple F-5s and, if I'm not mistaken, even a Tombstone. Uso finally brought a weapon into play, grabbing a strap from underneath the ring. Uso began whipping Reigns, which, to me, felt a bit like the kind of thing that should've been instigated by the heel rather than the face (but maybe I'm just old-fashioned). Reigns only got a couple lashes before he nailed Uso with a spear and grabbed the strap for himself (as anyone could've predicted). Jey Uso's selling of the strap was a perfect mix of defiance and anguish and I loved the added touch of Reigns tying the strap to Uso's wrist to prevent him from escaping the whipping. It created an extra visual metaphor of their linkage and literal tension to the match, plus, with neither guy being known for their submissions, gave them both a very violent means to try to get their opponent to say "I Quit." At one point, Uso seemed to choke Reigns out, but Roman sprung back to life, gasping for air before Uso choked him out again. Reigns eventually stirred back to life, but Jey was waiting for a chair. Jey went for a chair shot, but Reigns nailed him with a Superman Punch and applied the guillotine, choking out his cousin (but before he could utter the words that would end the match). For the new few minutes, Reigns muttered and the ref repeatedly asked Jey if he would quit but got no response. Reigns dragged Jey onto the ring apron and hit him with a Drive-By that nearly put him into the post - but then followed it up by sandwiching Jey's head between the post and part of the steps and hitting him with another Drive-By. The spot didn't "pop" the way it should've for whatever reason and even the commentators' hush didn't add the gravitas they wanted that maneuver to carry. Without a genuine live audience reaction, it just felt like another underwhelming moment in a match that had now become mostly just walk-and-talk. Reigns attacked the referee, leading to various other officials entering the ring and demanding Reigns leave the ring. Before leaving, though, Reigns shut the cell door, tossed the steps back into the ring, and pinned Uso to the mat just so he could deliver another speech about Jey not acknowledging him. At Clash of the Champions, the blend of unhinged violence and trash talk worked, but here, the theatrics might've just gone too far, especiall once Jimmy Uso showed up and "broke kayfabe," referring to Jey as Josh and himself as John. Reigns, crying on the mat, showed off his acting range before applying the guillotine to JImmy. With Jimmy getting choked out by the Champion, Jey "quit" and Reigns sneered, turning from a whimpering baby to an evil bastard at the blink of an eye. The charisma of the performers carried this match and it was definitely different, but I wouldn't call this great or even "must see" unless you're dying to see two guys lay the capital-A Acting on thick. The kind of match that will certainly be divisive in terms of fan opinion but one that I still found interesting, if hammy at times. In an extra little moment of brilliance, Afa and Sika stood at the top of the stage and hugged Reigns, gifting him with a lei that symbolizes his ascension as the family's Chief. (3/5)

After a series of commercials and a wholly unnecessary replay of the end of the previous match, it was time for our next contest - Elias taking on Jeff Hardy. I haven't been watching SmackDown for awhile, but wasn't Elias now a babyface after feuding with Corbin? Wasn't Jeff Hardy also involved a much higher profile feud with Sami Zayn too? Elias is a great example of how the WWE "cooling" on someone can have a permanently damaging impact as he just feels microwaved leftovers. Hardy was once known for his inconsistency, but he's actually become a dependable performer on this most recent run, shining in matches against Zayn, Sheamus, and AJ Styles as of late - but Elias is not the caliber of worker the other guys are, his character is ice cold, and Hardy going 50/50 with him didn't make me any more interested in this rivalry. The finish seems to point to an eventual rematch as Hardy lost his temper and used Elias's guitar against him, but this was nothing special to build from. (2/5)

After a recap of the Law & Otis segment from SmackDown, it was time for Otis vs. The Miz for Otis' Money In The Bank Briefcase. While Otis hasn't been off-screen for as long as Elias was (Otis hasn't really been off-screen at all), his lack of presence on the past couple PPVs has undoubtedly hurt the momentum he had in the spring - when his storyline with Mandy Rose was mega-over and feud with Dolph Ziggler was one of the more talked-about storylines going in the build-up to WrestleMania XXXVI. The Miz and Morrison had some momentum too a few months ago, but have also fallen enough down the card that they're not nearly the "must see" team they once claimed to be. Despite this match having fairly high stakes, I wasn't enthralled by it. The Miz can be a terrific heel - but he's better in front of a live crowd, playing off real-life drama (like his feud with Daniel Bryan and even, before that, John Cena), and against workers that push him physically (the aforementioned Bryan and even Braun Strowman). Paired with Otis, Miz has to play ring general and Otis just has to do his comedy shtick and it all feels a bit childish. Tucker's heel turn was a surprise, but it was also awkwardly executed as Otis leaned into the hit, Tucker's apprehension felt like it was just a small beat "off," and getting struck with the briefcase (mostly in the shoulder) just didn't look like a "death blow." Had he struck him and caused Otis to stumble into a Skull-Crushing Finale, it would've been much, much better. This was another filler match with a not-so-well executed finish. (1.5/5)

Backstage, The Miz cut a great promo - exactly the type of promo I described above - passionate, purposeful, and rooted in reality. As Miz celebrated, Tucker joined and explained that he didn't turn on Otis because of anything JoMo or Miz did, but because Otis stole the spotlight from him. Otis showed up and he and Tucker brawled in the back before we cut back ringside for...

Sasha Banks vs. Bayley in a Hell in a Cell Match for Bayley's SmackDown Women's Championship. It was noted that Bayley had competed in both of the previous two Hell in a Cell's matches featuring women, but Cole didn't mention that she lost both. It also doesn't really help sell the gimmick of Hell in a Cell matches being career-ending when you've got Sasha Banks losing two of them and still wanting to re-enter the ultra-dangerous environ. Bayley brought a chair into the ring with her, but as the cell was lowered, Banks dropkicked it out of her hands in a brilliant start to the match. These two always put on great matches, but this one was very different: it was in a cell, it was loaded with weapon use, and Bayley was playing the heel. The chemistry was still there, though, both performers busting out some of their best-ever offense including a nasty double-knees into the cell wall from the Boss and a ridiculous drop toe hold from Bayley that sent Banks face-first into the steps (and through some kendo sticks too for good measure). As one could expect, there were a few convoluted segments, the kind of cat-and-mouse sequences that these two just can't resist when they work together, but like in the opener, the charisma and passion they put on display made these moments easy to excuse. Other highlights included Bayley catapulted Banks into a pair of sticks, a sunset flip powerbomb from Banks that sent Bayley into the cell wall, and some clever uses of a chair (a callback to the heel turn that sparked this blood feud). Bayley hit a sunset flip powerbomb of her own that propelled (Corey Graves' word) Banks' neck-first into a steel chair and followed it up with an elbow drop, but only got 2. Back on their feet, Bayley attempted something (I'm not sure what), but Banks hit a backstabber and then locked her in the Banks Statement. Bayley rolled to the outside and tied Banks up in the ring apron before crushing her head into the steel ring frame. I'm not sure I've seen that before. Bayley struck her with a couple additional kendo stick shots then grabbed some duct tape. After taping the sticks together (not well), Bayley went to grab Banks, but Banks blinded her with a fire extinguisher! Trying to escape the cage, Bayley grabbed her spray-painted chair instead, which Banks then tossed into the ring. Banks sent Bayley into the cell walls a few times and the war raged on, hitting her with all she had. Banks grabbed a kendo stick and beat down on her one-time best friend repeatedly before retreating to the corner in emotional exhaustion. After stomping on Bayley one last time, Banks went to the top for a frog splash - but Bayley lifted the steel chair to block her, causing them both to suffer from the impact. Bayley regained control, but couldn't put Banks out. Bayley slid a LADDER into the ring - this had to be weapon type #6 by this point (if you count the ring frame and the cell itself) - and set it atop two chairs. Banks fought her, but Bayley ended up dropping her face-first onto the ladder before laying her across it. After spray painting her, Bayley went to the top for a chair-assisted flying elbow drop but Banks rolled away! Banks followed it up with double-knees off the ladder and then a Bayley-to-Belly into the ladder for 2. Bayley wouldn't stay down, though, fighting her way back into the match and hitting a Bayley-to-Belly herself for 2. Back in control, Bayley hit Banks with a series of chair shots, but Banks rallied and applied a chair-assisted Banks Statement that included Banks stomping on the leg of the chair to add extra pressure and pain to Bayley's neck! The finish wasn't the smoothest, but it certainly was effective and looked like a believable end to the match. This was not the all-time classic that many wished and wanted but, again, this was also a very different match - in build and style - from what they accomplished in NXT years ago (playing two different versions of themselves). (4/5)

Backstage, The Hurt Business hypes Bobby Lashley's United States Title defense against one of the members of Retribution - Slapjack (aka Shane Thorne). When Shelton Benjamin is scoring points off you in his promos, you know you're gimmick is lame. Slapjack got more offense in than I thought he would, especially as Lashley controlled the early moments and the commentators hyped his dominance over the previous few weeks. Thorne is lucky that's under a mask because he's definitely a decent bumper and seller and could potentially have a future beyond this joke stable. After the match, Ali had his henchmen try to beat up Lashley, but The Almighty sent them packing and the rest of the Hurt Business drove them off. Retribution has to be one of the all-time worst stables and Mustafa Ali should not be at all proud to be its leader. More filler on a show that already had quite a bit of it. (1/5)

Main event time - Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton for McIntyre's WWE Championship in yet another Hell in a Cell match. This match had a few things working against it - first, the feud between these two already reached its natural (and best possible) conclusion at Clash of the Champions. Second, this was now the third cell match of the night. Lastly, Randy Orton doesn't exactly have a track record of all-time great Hell in a Cell matches (though I did enjoy the horrific "earlobe spot" from the cell match he had against Jeff Hardy a couple years back). Oddly, McIntyre came out first, but the reasoning behind this became clear as Orton - decked in all black -  jumped Drew from behind. Of course, this ended up backfiring as McIntyre didn't really suffer all that much of a beat down and the match ended up starting just moments later. What's even the point of a start like that if all it does is lead to both guys just kinda staring at each other in the ring as the bell rings? I liked their SummerSlam match and the Clash match was fun, but the only place they could go with this match was to heap on the physicality, maybe get some "color" (which their previous matches had), and try not to replay the same "hits" that Banks and Bayley or Reigns and Uso had already played. McIntyre attempted a Claymore early, but Orton dodged it and struck Drew's knee with a chair instead in a not-so-great-looking moment. Orton then drove the chair into McIntyre's previously-injured jaw before going for a cover (and only getting a 1, which used to be one of McIntyre's calling cards, right?). Orton took control from there and things did not get any more interesting. McIntyre's bumping and selling looked awkward at times, most likely because his huge frame just couldn't really maneuver around the ring very easily. When the action got back between the ropes, things were better - but it almost just made it even clearer that putting this match in a cell actually hamstrung them more than it helped. A piped-in "This is Awesome" chant could be heard despite the fact that this match was not awesome at all. Even the trash talk, usually an area of strength for Orton, was a step down from the verbal sparring of the previous two cell matches. In another head-scratching turn, Orton grabbed a pair of bolt cutters to open up the cell door. Why? He was in the driver's seat? Again, Orton's actions had the reverse effect of whatever he was intending, though, as McIntyre attacked him from behind. Orton then, inexplicably, climbed the cage (despite being back in control of the match). Orton egged him on to join him at the top of the cage and McIntyre followed - a brave move but also a really dumb one considering that Orton needed to beat McIntyre and not the other way around. On top of the cage, Orton revealed that he had a steel pipe - but after one swing, McIntyre tackled him and beat him down. McIntyre then got up and did some sort of signature taunt only to get caught with the pipe. The lack of logic in this match was just astounding. Orton then climbed down the cage wall having accomplished very, very little (that he couldn't have accomplished in the ring). As Orton climbed down, McIntyre climbed alongside him and we got the classic Shawn Michaels table bump off the cage through a table. I'm not saying that its not a good, respectable spot (or that I'd be willing to take it myself) but we've seen it before, we've seen it done better, and we've seen it in a context that made way more sense than this. McIntyre cralwed out of the wreckage, choking and squirming, as Orton watched from behind him. Why wouldn't Orton grab him and try to get him back into the ring quicker? Why give him this time to recover? I get that part of the Viper's sinister attitude is that he enjoys watching others in pain, but I guess at this point I was just eager for this match to end in whatever convoluted fashion it was going to. As Orton revved up for an RKO, though, McIntyre sprang back to life - playing possum from falling through a table and coughing up blood?? - and hit a Claymore (but could not make the cover in time as Orton had rolled to the outside). After dragging Randy back into the ring, McIntyre attempted another Claymore, but Orton dodged it and hit the RKO! New Champion! Wow...I was not expecting that at all. This was not a good match and I'd argue the wrong man won as well. (1.5/5)

All in all, a disappointing show. The Reigns/Uso match was heavy-handed for lengthy stretches and maybe even went a touch too far with Reigns' crocodile tears. Had the "meat" of the match been better, like it was during Clash of the Champions, the match could've been really special - but it felt like a retread of that match and didn't add anything new aside from the appearance of the Wild Samoans at the end. People had insane and arguably unrealistic expectations for Bayley/Sasha; it was a very good match, a "must see" even (especially for what has been a not-so-great 2020 in terms of high-level matches for the WWE), but a Match of the Decade-caliber contest? An all-time great Hell in a Cell match? The only way it enters that conversation is if you disqualify any match with blood. The final match and the rest of the card really drag this show down - Otis/Miz was unremarkable, Elias/Hardy felt like filler from an episode of SmackDown, and the Lashley squash should've been half-as-long or replaced altogether. The large number of commercials and ads didn't help the watchability of the show either. The WWE could accomplish a ton more with their backstage segments during these shows by actually highlighting the large number of characters who simply can't or didn't make the show - Jax and Baszler, Sami Zayn, Asuka, Keith Lee, the list goes on. With a Kwang Score of 2.17-out-of-5, this one was...

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE Vengeance 2005

WWE Vengeance 2005

Las Vegas, Nevada - June 2005

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Batista was the World Heavyweight Champion while John Cena was the WWE Champion coming into this show. Trish Stratus was the WWE Women's Champion, Paul London was the Cruiserweight Champion (but would not defend it on this show), Orlando Jordan was the United States Champion, and the Intercontinental Champion was Carlito. Finally, the World Tag Team Champions were Rosey & The Hurricane, while the WWE Tag Team Champions (who I believe were on SmackDown) were Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro. 

Vengeance 2005 kicks off with a video hyping the arrival of John Cena to RAW, the place he would spend the next 10-12 years (?) and the "final" showdown between Batista and Triple H. Quite a double-header.

There's a spectacular casino-themed set for this show as it hails from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Opening up the show, Carlito defended the Intercontinental Championship against Shelton Benjamin (the previous titleholder). I feel like these two fought and feuded for a full 18 months or so in 2005 and 2006 as both were clearly earmarked as future main eventers (not that it turned out that way). Colon is "all in" on his character, his over-the-top facial expressions on full display. The crowd seems split three ways - one third rooting for Benjamin, one third rooting for Carlito, and one third not interested at all. Benjamin and Carlito get lots of time, but its like they don't know what to do with it or really want the fans want to see (especially Carlito). Colon milks the near falls by raising a shoulder at 2.9, but because he does it practically every time, it comes across as phony (even if it was part of his gimmick to kickout in a "cool" way). He slows things when they don't need to be slowed any more. Benjamin is more impressive, all of his offense hitting, his selling perfectly fine, but his issue was always finding a character that resonated with audiences. The finish comes after Carlito exposes a turnbuckle, stealing the W after Benjamin splashes into the uncovered corner. Not a bad match, but nothing to write home about. (2/5)

Next up - Victoria vs. Christy Hemme. This one has some real mid-00s touchstones: the match was based on physicality after a bikini contest, there was gratuitous fake blood used at one point, and the announcer goes ahead and refers to the match as a "Divas Match" (to alter disinterested males that now might be a good time to freshen their Coors Light). Hemme comes in and immediately goes after Victoria, but Victoria uses her experience to outsmart her. Victoria isn't someone I'd consider an "all time great," but she was probably at or near the top of the division in terms of in-ring skill at the time. Hemme doesn't have much to offer, but she takes a beating just fine and this match does at least feel like a legit fight between two women with personal issues between them. It also goes for at least a couple minutes longer than I expected it would, which is a good thing. The right woman (Victoria) wins, but Hemme at least has an "out" as it wasn't clean. Another not bad/not good match. (2/5)

Backstage, John Cena - still with one foot in his hip-hop persona - cuts a promo about being the "new kid" on Raw. 

A video package hypes our next match - Edge vs. Kane. The build for this match stems from someone not even involved in the contest: Matt Hardy. In the spring of 05', it was revealed that Edge and Lita had an affair (Lita was Hardy's real-life girlfriend), but on-screen, Lita was linked romantically to Kane. So, as the crowds wouldn't "play along" and continued to chant for Matt Hardy during all of Edge and Lita's matches and appearances, the WWE opted to have Lita turn on Kane and then join-up with Edge (who was now going through a divorce with his real-life wife). As anyone following this story would've predicted, a loud "We Want Matt" chant starts up and fills the arena. This is followed, moments later, by a loud "She's A Crackwhore" chant that the commentators also try to ignore. All of this is way more interesting than the match itself, which almost seems like its happening in the background of a crowd mutiny. An Edge spear on the arena floor, for example, barely draws a reaction while Edge's heat section elicits nothing more than sporadic "You Screwed Matt" chants. This match just plays like absolutely filler despite Kane's every effort to be an avatar for Matt Hardy's supporters. They finally get the audience into things when Kane no sells a series of Edge strikes and does two sit-ups before catching Edge with an excellent uppercut off the ropes. This is essentially Kane working like he's never worked before, busting out a wider variety of moves than ever before, showing fire (not literally and in a way very different than he usually does), and having fun with some of his signature moves (the aforementioned two sit-ups in rapid succession). Kane tears a Pillmanizing on Lita's neck, but gets stopped by Snitsky, who hits Kane with a big boot. Whatever happened to ol' Geno? Edge attempts an Impaler but again Snitsky interferes. Kane catches him, though, and he ends up struck by Edge's Money In The Bank Briefcase before Kane grabs Edge and chokeslams him too for the W. I'm not sure what the booking philosophy was here - Edge was definitely earmarked for a major run by the end of the year by this point as, rightly or wrongly, he was getting tremendous heat and Vince was going to capitalize on it. Kane, meanwhile, had vanquished his ex and her new beau but was also feuding with Gene Snitsky, not necessarily a main event-caliber opponent. If I'm not mistaken, he was also set to film See No Evil around this time so I'm not sure if this was done just as a send-off or if he'd hang around for awhile. Regardless, the right man won to end this storyline, but the wrong man won if you consider where Edge would be by the end of the year. (2/5)

In a rematch from WrestleMania XXI, Shawn Michaels takes on Kurt Angle in the next contest. That match ended with Michaels tapping out, so most fans expected this match to be all about Shawn "getting his win back." Some good back-and-forth early on before Angle targets Shawn's arm with a direct knee strike to the limb, forcing HBK to take a breather outside. Michaels comes back in and hits Angle with a series of chops, these two pros in no rush to get to the big spots and signature moves. Angle goes for the Ankle Lock early, but Shawn escapes both times - the first time with the help of the ropes and the second time with his speed and agility. Out to the floor they go where Michaels eats a German Suplex onto (but through) a table. With Angle now in the driver's seat, Michaels goes into selling mood, taking a beating as the crowd tries to rally around Shawn. Angle hits a Buckle Bomb that draws a huge reaction, a move that I'm not sure we'd seen many guys go for in the WWE up to this point, but only gets 2. Angle has been criticized for being a workrate machine, for working too fast, but his pacing here is spot on, the big spots broken up with headlocks and hope spots. The biggest flaw in this match might be that Angle doesn't stick to any of the body parts he is supposedly "targeting," going from the ankle to the neck to the back to the eye (where Michaels gets cut early) without any design. Michaels has so much goodwill with the audience that every one of his mini-comebacks gets a pop, but 2005 might be Shawn Michaels at his "most Shawn Michaels," his over-the-top facial expressions, his gunshot-like selling, his exaggerated kickouts at 2.99 and blatant attempts to "steal the show" rather than put on a realistic wrestling match sometimes hurting more than they help. If these sorts of performances hadn't become the blueprint for so many young wrestlers, they would be more endearing, but because this style became "the norm" (especially for smaller workers), there's credence to the idea of Michaels being the Godfather of the "Self-Conscious Epic." After a ref bump, Michaels takes a nasty spill onto the arena floor, his ankle looking to take the brunt of the damage. Angle applies the Ankle Lock back in the ring, but Shawn won't tap. Michaels tries every escape he can, but Angle will not let go. Again, the fact that Angle's most deadly move on an ankle that we are led to believe has been (at the least) sprained is not enough to make Shawn tap just goes a touch too far into fiction for me. When he finally breaks free of the hold, Michaels manages to knock Angle out with a devastating Sweet Chin Music, but can't make the cover, both guys nearly counted out. Angle, inexplicably, goes to the top rope and comes down only to eat another Sweet Chin Music. What was he even going for? This match started out strong, had a decent middle, but then veered a hard right into non-psychology and overbooking. (3/5)

After a backstage altercation between Batista and Triple H, Lillian Garcia comes to the ring and welcomes her guest and boyfriend Viscera into the ring (where a black leather couch is waiting for them). Lillian performs a song for Viscera and, though Garcia is a trained and accomplished singer, it just isn't good. Garcia then proposes to Viscera, but Big Daddy V doesn't give her a straight answer before The Godfather shows up (with a gaggle of "hoes" at his side). The Godfather asks Vis if he really wants to be a 1-woman man or if he'd rather take a ride on the "ho train." After examining all of Godfather's "goods," Viscera decides to jump aboard, leaving Lillian Garcia in tears. This is the kind of segment that you fast forward or turn off when somebody else walks into the room, the kind of segment that makes one embarrassed to be a wrestling fan. 

The WWE Championship is on the line next contest - John Cena defending the gold against Chris Jericho and Christian in a Triple Threat match. The build-up for this match was quite interesting with Christian (and his "muscle" Tyson Tomko) getting a good bit of mic time and shining in the spotlight while Jericho, who had been a babyface/tweener around this time, turned heel by attacking John Cena after a tag match. Christian and Jericho team up to beat on Cena early, but its not long before they come to blows themselves, both men hungry for the WWE Championship. After Tomko gets involved in the opening minutes, Hebner ejects him from ringside (much to Christian's dismay). Cena attempts an FU early but Christian holds onto the ropes and gets heaved onto the floor instead in a big spot. Jericho comes off the top with a crossbody for 2 and follows it up with a suplex and a dropkick. Cena was not yet considered a great worker (in fact, a faint "Cena Sucks" chant can be heard at random times in this match) but he wasn't yet as divisive a figure as he would become over the next 4-5 months. He also wasn't all that green, holding his own perfectly well in this match. In hindsight, Christian, the guy the "IWC" wanted to see get the victory, wasn't peaking yet either even if it seemed like it at the time. At one point, the crowd seems distracted with something going on outside the ring, nearly spoiling one of the better sequences of the match between Captain Charisma and Y2J. There's a Tower of Doom spot that elicits a "Holy Shit" chant followed by some nasty clotheslines out of Cena and a double 5 Knuckle Shuffle. This is followed by a really nifty sequence of pin attempts, reversals, and clotheslines. Christian gets 2.9 off a reverse DDT and then distracts the ref long enough for Tomko to level Cena with a clothesline. It is still not enough for him to get the W, though, Cena able to kick out at 2.9 again. Cena delivers a fireman's carry to send Christian to the outside but walks into a Walls of Jericho immediately after. Christian tries to steal the victory by rolling up Jericho, but ultimately gets caught by Cena and brought back to the mat with the F-U to wrap this one up. This isn't an all-time classic, but its a very good match, well-paced, some clever sequences, and a solid finish. (4/5)

Main event time - Triple H vs. Batista in a Hell in a Cell for Batista's World Heavyweight Championship. Batista controls early, battering The Game with clotheslines, punches, and a sidewalk slam early on before sending him into the cage walls. Triple H reverses an irish whip and sends Batista into the steps and post. When Batista tries to climb back into the ring. Triple H sends him into the cage wall, The Animal taking a solid bump into the cage wall. Really, one has to give credit to Batista for the gusto he puts into every bump here - this is Batista going 100%, leaning into the ultra-violence, and delivering the nasty visuals that are needed to sell this type of match. When its time for Triple H to take a beating, he's equally invested and its not too long before he's busted open. There's some great moments throughout this match - Triple H hanging Batista with a steel chain, the use of a barbwire-wrapped steel chair, Batista using his power to drive Triple H into the post and then into the wall - these two reveling in the barbarism they get to showcase. Triple H attempts a Pedigree on the barbwire chair, but Batista counters it and ends up powerslamming The Game into it instead. When The Animal grabs the chain, Triple H catches him with a DDT and now its Batista to eats the wire (rolling out to the floor immediately after to blade himself). When's the last time a match had both guys get "color"? With Batista now dazed and bloody, Triple H grabs the sledgehammer, but before he can use it, Batista catches him with a boot to the midsection and the brawl continues. Triple H eventually catches him with a sledgehammer to the skull, but only gets 2 from it. Triple H teases using the sledgehammer the actual way it would be used, but Batista stops him with a low blow. Batista ends up with the hammer but when he goes to use it, Triple H clocks him with a big chain-wrapped right hand! Triple H makes the cover but only gets 2. That could've been the finish, but much like the crowd in Vegas that night, I'm glad it wasn't. Triple H tries to come down the top rope with another fist, but Batista catches him with the hammer right to the throat! That was a clever counter. Batista hits Triple H with another series of big right hands and then sends him into the corner (and out of the ring). Batista whips Triple H into the steps and this match, which seemed like it was entering its final stage, has shifted into even more brutality. Batista catches The Game with the steps and then slides them into the ring. With the steps upright in the corner, Batista bashes Triple H's face into it 3 times, getting a huge sound from it that elicits a big reaction from the crowd. Batista calls for the Batista Bomb but Triple H counters with a low blow. Triple H hits the pedigree but Batista kicks out at 2.5. The crowd starts a massive "Batista!" chant, but Triple H hushes it by grabbing the steel steps and seemingly setting it up to deliver a skull-crushing pedigree on. Batista counters it with a spinebuster on the steps, though. Batista gets to his feet first and finally hits the Batista Bomb for 3. This was as good a Hell in a Cell match as I can remember seeing and maybe a career performance out of both guys. (4.5/5)

Vengeance 2005 starts off in the average range, but heats up nicely as the show goes on, building up with better-and-better matches as it goes on. Benjamin/Carlito, Hemme/Victoria, and Edge/Kane are unremarkable (though I could see someone bumping Edge/Kane and even the opener up a half-point) and Michaels/Angle is not my cup of tea, but the main events are both the kind of matches one should probably go out of their way to see - especially if they're a fan of Cena, Christian, Batista, or The Game. With a Kwang Score of 2.92-out-of-5, Vengeance 2005 isn't a top-to-bottom masterpiece, but it never dips to unwatchable (save for the Viscera segment).

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

WWE King of the Ring 94'

WWE King of the Ring 94'

Baltimore, Maryland - June 1994

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Bret Hart was the reigning WWE Champion coming into this show (having won the title back at WrestleMania X), Diesel was the Intercontinental Champion, The Headshrinkers were the WWE Tag Team Champions, and Alundra Blayze was the WWE Women's Champion, though, according to Cagematch, she really only defended the title every couple of months (and was not featured on this show at all).

King of the Ring 94' begins with a not-so-rousing rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" by Ricky Medlocke of the country band Blackfoot. Gorilla Monsoon then welcomes guest commentator Art Donovan, an NFL Hall of Famer but not much of a wrestling fan based on his commentary. Instead of having Brain at his side, Monsoon is seconded by The Macho Man, who was never great at the desk either.

The opening contest is part of tonight's one-night tournament, Razor Ramon taking on Bam Bam Bigelow in the first round. This match is nothing special, just kinda "there." Bigelow applies an impressive backbreaker submission, showing off his considerable strength, but that's about the only noteworthy moment in the whole match. (2/5)

Mabel takes on IRS in the next match in the tournament. Mabel was still a babyface, supported by the rapping Oscar. Mabel takes control early, using his size and strength to dominate Schyster. The crowd is somewhat into the match - or at least they like chanting "Whoop! There It Is," which debuted a year earlier but was still popular enough to be heard at whatever bar/bat mitzvah you might've been attending in 94'. IRS attempts a bodyslam but Mabel manages to counter it into a small package, which was cool and should've been the finish (considering that IRS isn't even able to kickout and needs to be rescued by the ref). IRS applies a headlock, drawing heat from the crowd, but Mabel breaks free by backing up into the corner. Mabel delivers a Bossman Slam and then attempts a splash from the second rope, but IRS shakes the rope and steals the victory (with extra help from the ropes). Mabel looked strong, but IRS outsmarted him, which is the right booking. (2/5)

Backstage, Jim Cornette leads a promo with Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna, and Crush, who would be challenging the Headshrinkers for the WWF World Tag Team Championships later in the night.

Tatanka comes out next to a fairly big pop, set to take on "The Rocket" Owen Hart. On commentary, Art Donovan wonders aloud how much both guys weigh - a question he would ask multiple times through the show. Unsurprisingly, this is the best bout of the night so far, in large part because of Owen's work and Tatanka's overness. This has to be one of the worst "called" shows in WWE history, though, with only Monsoon tolerable. Tatanka's closing stretch of offense has the crowd biting on the nearfalls and the fact that Owen kicks out of some of his best offense really makes it feel like his eventual victory meant he'd actually beat somebody, not just a tomato can. Is this the best match of Tatanka's career? I'm not sure I can name a better one, though Tatanka wasn't really known for having barn-burners often. (2.5/5)

Backstage, Shawn Michaels and Diesel gloat about the Jacknife Powerbomb they delivered to Bret Hart on Raw in the build-up to this show. Hart promised that he would have a family member in his corner tonight as back-up. 

The final match of the first round is next - The 1-2-3 Kid vs. Jeff Jarrett. Art Donovan is super confused to start the match, referring to the Kid as "1-2-3" and then bizarrely saying that he "looks like a boxer" despite not looking anything like a boxer. Jarrett controls early, whipping the Kid into the turnbuckle hard. With Jarrett controlling most of the match, The Kid's shocking win is a genuine surprise. After the match, Jarrett destroys the Kid with a series of piledrivers that Waltman sells like death. This is a simple angle done right. (2.5/5)

After cutting back to a commercial for the "New Generation," Bret Hart cuts a promo about his challenger tonight, stating that Diesel is a long way from hitting the Jacknife Powerbomb on him again. Diesel comes into this match as the Intercontinental Championship, backed up by Shawn Michaels. Hart, meanwhile, is backed up by his former tag team partner, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Diesel controls early by using his size and power, but Bret starts tying him up and using his speed against the big man. I'm surprised by the pace they cut early, Diesel and Bret not taking their time getting to the good stuff (and the crowd loves it). Bret comes off as incredibly tough for bringing the fight to his much-larger opponent, while Diesel shines too as the inexperienced-but-worthy challenger. Diesel may not be able to outwrestle the Hitman, but he's no Bastion Booger, he's not just some big, dumb oaf - he comes across as a guy that actually deserves to be in this match and might actually even win the title. The crowd doesn't even need it to stay engaged, but Anvil gets a massive response for chasing Shawn around the ring. Good selling of knee damage by Diesel. Even a botched splash-into-a-catch works because it feels like part of a legit contest. The crowd is 89% behind Bret, but there's a smattering of Diesel fans in attendance too - unsurprising considering that he had a great finish and was an asskicker. Diesel sends Bret into the turnbuckle and Bret goes into it full-force, practically moving the ring into the stands. This is almost a spotfest by 94' standards, just a non-stop, action-packed match. Diesel seems to botch another move but I'm not sure what he was going for before he applies a backbreaker. It doesn't matter - again, the slop is excusable to me because it adds realism. Diesel dishes out more punishment and shows a bigger arsenal than I think many knew he had. Bret is sent back into the corner and goes into chest-first with gusto. Man, that always looks good when Bret does it (even if he does it twice in the same match). Diesel only gets 2 and hits him with a short-arm clothesline soon after. It wasn't Jake Roberts-level, but it still had to sting. Diesel applies a chinlock, but this ain't a resthold, Bret fights his way up almost immediately and they start teasing the powerbomb. Diesel hits another backbreaker for 2 and then lifts him up for an elevated backbreaker submission. Meanwhile, Shawn works to untie the turnbuckle. Again, Bret wrestles his way out, turning it into a sleeper! Wow. Diesel backs him into the corner and sends him into the opposite one, but Bret catches him with a boot and reapplies the sleeper. Out of frustration, Diesel tosses him into Hebner and Shawn distracts him so that Diesel can expose the steel turnbuckle. Diesel attempts to send him into the corner, but Bret counters and its Nash who eats the steel! Diesel swings wildly but can't catch the Hitman, Bret in full control. Bret gets him in the corner and unloads on him with a flurry of punches. Diesel won't go down until Diesel eventually stumbles back into the ropes like a boxer. Bret hits him with a series of clothesline, eventually toppling him with the third one for another 2 count. Bret hits the Russian Leg Sweep and goes to the ropes for his patented elbow - but only gets 2! Bret follows it up with a bulldog from the top and attempts a Sharpshooter, the crowd losing it. Bret can't apply the hold, distracted by Shawn. Bret punches Shawn off the apron and hits a clothesline from the second rope, but only gets 2 again, the crowd audibly gasping. Bret attempts a backslide, but Diesel is too strong. Bret turns it into an inside cradle and gets 2.99! Damn, this match is just relentless. Bret seems to be in control but Diesel catches him, eventually dropping him with a big boot. Diesel looks to finish him off, but Bret turns it into a modified Sharpshooter. Diesel grabs the ropes, though, and the match continues. Bret hits a dropkick, but Diesel lands on his feet. Anvil considers a cheap shot, but doesn't go through with it. Back in the ring, Shawn nails Bret with the Championship Belt from behind with the ref's back turned! Diesel hits an elbow drop - but only gets 2.9! Shawn can't believe it on the outside and Diesel calls for the powerbomb as Gorilla Monsoon gushes on commentary about this match. Diesel hits the Jacknife, but Anvil hits him with a tackle and this one is over by disqualification. Anvil gets sent to the lockerroom while, back in the ring, Shawn and Diesel work on Bret. Wow. I'm split on giving this match a really high score and deducting a little bit based on the disappointing, unclean finish. Is it just a 4-star match or is it a 4.5 or even a full 5? I'm going 4.5 for a couple reasons - the action is unbelievable, the false finishes are great, the finish isn't satisfying but it *made* Diesel, and somehow all of this happened on a show with maybe the worst mix of commentators ever assembled. (4.5/5)

After a word from Jerry Lawler, its time for our first semi-final match - Razor Ramon vs. IRS. These two guys had competed just a few months earlier at the 94' Royal Rumble in a match that I gave just a single point to. Considering they probably worked the house show loop against each other, one would expect these two veterans to know how to pop a crowd and keep them engaged, but they just have anti-chemistry. After a few minutes of decent-to-good brawling, IRS locks in a headlock and you see the opposite of what Bret did with it in the previous match as Hall seems to fall asleep rather than struggle his way out of it. Back on their feet, Hall and Schyster continue their brawling and even Ramon grabbing IRS by his tie doesn't get much of a reaction. Razor hits the Razor's Edge to a huge ovation and gets the clean win. This wasn't good, but at least we got a clean finish and it didn't overstay its welcome. (1.5/5)

Owen Hart takes on The 1-2-3 Kid in the next contest. The story going into this match is that The Kid is coming into this match as considerably less-than-peak shape after the beatdown he received from Jarrett. Awesome open to this match with Owen absolutely destroying Waltman with a dropkick before he even gets into the ring! Owen hits a huge splash from the top to follow it up for a nearfall. Brilliant. The Kid reverses an Irish Whip and attempts a splash from the top himself but only gets 2. The Kid tries a roll-up and the babyface is showing some serious fire! Owen counters with some snappy wrestling of his own. Wow. Great false finish a few minutes later with The Kid seemingly getting a 3 count with a northern lights suplex only for Owen to get his foot on the rope. Waltman hits a cannonball to the outside, but then eats a german suplex from Owen in the ring for 2. Nasty powerbomb from Owen into the Sharpshooter and Waltman has to tap. This wasn't super long, but this is a contender for the best sub-5 minute match I've ever seen. Just a brilliantly laid-out match that accomplishes every thing it needs to. (4/5)

Backstage, Roddy Piper cuts a great little promo about Jerry Lawler. Piper covers a lot of ground here and this isn't necessarily "peak Roddy," but he's still captivating and is so good that he takes a bad premise and spins it into seeming like we're going to see a bloody, personal brawl. Gotta give a point for shouting out Hell Comes To Frogtown. (+1)

The Tag Team Championships are on the line in the next bout - The Headshrinkers defending the gold against Yokozuna and Crush. Anything good in this match comes from Yokozuna, but there's really not all that good to mention. Seeing two piledrivers in one match is jarring in 2020, but nothing else really jumps out of this except for the finish - which is notably weird. Lex Luger shows up in the goofiest attire he's ever worn to continue his feud with Crush (a notable step down after challenging for the World Championship just a couple months earlier), but instead of his appearance causing Crush to get rolled up (which should've been the finish), the Kona Island native manages to kick out. Still distracted, Crush gets caught with a superkick that *does* do the trick. I'm guessing that Crush didn't want to just lose on a roll-up, but losing on a superkick doesn't make him look any better. Then, outnumbered 3-to-1, Crush shows his toughness by trying to get at Luger but gets beaten down for his efforts, which goes against the traditional story of heel cowardice. In summation, the booking of this match is befuddling in that the least interesting and least talented guy is given "the rub" but "the rub" isn't even booked correctly. An extra half-point for Luger's Old Glory-inspired spandex pants. (1.5/5)

Its finals time - Razor Ramon vs. Owen Hart for the title of 1994 King of the Ring. There's some sloppiness on display early, but the wrestling is actually quite snappy and its clear that these two are working hard but just not clicking. Ramon doesn't catch Owen at one point, Owen doesn't quite nail a spinning heel kick, there's a bridge spot that's imperfect, an abdominal stretch that stretches too long by a couple beats - but when they do get things right, there are moments that are absolutely great (Owen flipping out of a move only to get chokeslammed, Owen getting crotched on the turnbuckle and brought back into the ring with a super back suplex). Jim Neidhart's interference is great too, clearly unexpected by the crowd as it draws mega heat for Owen. Very solid match capped off wonderfully by Jim and Owen delivering the Hart Foundation's iconic finisher on the defeated Ramon (leading to a loud "We Want Bret" chant). (3/5)

At the announce table, Randy posits that the reason Neidhart helped Bret hold onto his title earlier was because he wants Owen to win it. Donovan asks a question gets "no sold" by Gorilla and Mach, just completely ignored. 

On the stage, Owen cuts a promo demanding acknowledgement as the King of the WWE. Owen refuses to have Jack Tunney present him the crown, asking instead for Jim Neidhart to do it. He then tells Todd Pettengill to get on his knees as a sign of respect. Before the coronation ceremony ends, Owen proclaims himself "The King of Harts," a nickname he would hold onto for years and years to come. I liked this segment as Owen is just such an absolute jerk. (+1)

Main event time - Roddy Piper vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler. Oddly, after a video package,  Gorilla welcomes back viewers by saying that this match is what "The New Generation" is all about despite both these guys having their in-ring peaks in the previous decade. Before the match begins, Lawler cuts a promo to draw even more heat from the crowd. Piper comes out behind a stream of bagpipers, the crowd erupting once he does finally show his face. Piper is in much better shape here than he was a few years later in WCW while Lawler looks relatively slim (the King never being a "physique guy" anyway). Piper controls early, beating down on Lawler in the corner, booting him in the breadbasket, and then leveling him with a big right hand in the middle of the ring. Piper's offense is mostly rights and lefts so things get a bit dull after a couple minutes. In terms of marquee value, Piper/Lawler makes sense as the show's main event, but the action is so unimpressive and tedious that you can hear the crowd care less and less as the minutes pass. Lawler tries to re-engage them by going after Piper's cornerman, a scrawny teenager who had done a Piper imitation on Raw a couple weeks prior, but it doesn't quite work. Had these two actually had a real brawl with real emotion, this could've been good, but its too tame, too phony to work. Its also at least a couple minutes too long, a match that really should've played more like a "segment" than an actual contest with nearfalls and sleeper holds. Piper kicks out of Lawler's finisher, which would probably have felt like a big deal in Memphis 10 years earlier but because the King was never a "real" competitor in the WWE, it doesn't even register with the audience or commentators. Piper eventually goes into no-sell mood, putting Lawler on his ass with a haymaker. Piper follows it up with a pair of bulldogs, but gets tossed into the ref when he attempts a third (which would've been his third actual wrestling hold of the match). Lawler grabs a pair of brass knucks and hits Piper in the head, knocking him out for the visual pin when the ref can't make the count. Lawler puts his feet on the ropes to try to steal the win, but Piper's right-hand man breaks up the pin and the Rowdy Scot hits an awful-looking back suplex to get a very slow 3-count victory. Yeah, that wasn't good. (0.5/5)

This much-maligned show had some incredible lows, but calling it the worst WWE PPV of all time might be going too far. The World Championship match is excellent. The Owen Hart/1-2-3 Kid match is as good a sub-5-minute match as I've ever seen. The rest of the tournament isn't great, but what 1-night tournament in WWE or WCW history has ever actually delivered the goods? The main event is a disappointment, especially considering how much the fans were clearly invested and wanted to root for Piper. Why not make it a cartoonish, weapons-loaded, madcap spectacle if having a physical, violent brawl was not an option? Piper's entrance is really the only thing that captures the spirit of his character and mythology. With a surprisingly decent Kwang Score of 2.6-out-of-5, King of the Ring 94' isn't the worst show I've ever watched, but it'd be hard to recommend anything on it not involving a Hart brother...

FINAL SCORE - High Risk Maneuever

NXT Takeover XXXI

NXT Takeover XXXI

Orlando, FL - October 2020

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Finn Balor was the reigning NXT Champion, Damian Priest was the NXT North American Champion, the NXT Women's Champion was Io Shirai, and the NXT Tag Team Champions were Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango), who are not featured on the show despite, at one point, being one of the best things on the SmackDown brand.

 NXT Takeover XXXI took place in the Capitol Wrestling Center, a "hybrid" arena of virtual fans and real ones named after the regional wrestling promotion that gave way to the WWWF, which became the WWF and ultimately the WWE. 

Kicking things off was NXT North American Champion, Damian Priest, defending the title against Johnny Gargano. Priest had the clear size advantage so Gargano had to use his speed to try to get his shots in. Minutes in, after attempting to powerbomb Priest off the apron, Gargano ended up sliding beneath him, grabbing Priest's leg, and flipping him into the air and back-first onto the floor. He followed it up with a dive that sent Priest into the cage barricade and then sent him into the stairs. Gargano tied up Priest in the ropes and hit him with a dropkick to the chest and then a somersault splash onto his back, in full control of the action. I really liked the dynamic of Priest's comeback, though - his size and strength advantage able to help him regain control with a single shot or big power move. To Priest's credit, though, he didn't go to no-selling as he sold damage to his knee even as he too over the match. After countering a Razor's Edge, Gargano got a 2.9 kickout. Gargano and Priest started trading shots, Priest eventually using his power to put Gargano on the mat. Priest went for a spinning kick, but Gargano dodged it and shoved him shoulder-first into the post. Gargano went for a dive but Priest caught him. Priest went for a chokeslam, but Gargano bounced onto the apron and attempted a superkick only for Priest to hit him with a spin-kick to the knees. Priest then hit him with a Razor's Edge onto the edge of the apron for 2! Priest went for a spinning forearm in the corner but Gargano chop-blocked him. The back-and-forth continued from there, Gargano getting a near-fall after a Sliced Bread and a forearm right to the back of the skull. Johnny Wrestling called for a superkick, but Priest caught him by the neck again. Gargano countered that into yet another nearfall attempt, Priest showing a real knack for dramatic kickouts. Gargano attempted a sunset flip from the outside of the ring, but Priest caught him and eventually hit the chokeslam he'd been aiming for all night. I kinda wish that had been the finish because so much of the bout had been teasing it, but Gargano kicked out at 2. Priest then went to the top rope, only for Gargano to roll away. In an insane spot, Priest leaped over the top of the corner post and hit a somersault splash on two security guards! Gargano then hit Priest with a lowblow and superkick and made the cover - only to get 2! Gargano then locked in the Gargano Escape, but after kicking out of a lowblow and superkick, I couldn't buy into Gargano getting a tap out victory. Eyeing the steps situated outside of the ring, Gargano looked to knock Priest back-first into them (a bump he had taken on a few Takeovers prior), but Gargano could not knock him loose. Instead, we got an exchange of blows and then Priest got the clean victory with a spinning neckbreaker off the ropes. Not a bad match at all, but I find it very hard to believe in Gargano winning these days, which made the result predictable. (3/5)

Velveteen Dream vs. Kushida was next. Dream has returned to his heel roots these days and is a bit of a real life one too after the allegations that were made against him this summer. Kushida drumped him from the bell and Dream was forced to retreat and grab a chair, tossing it into the ring. When the bell finally rang, this match returned to a wrestling-based contest, Kushida tying up Dream early. Speaking of Kushida, his gear is heavily inspired by Marty McFly's outfit in Back to the Future, so Dream was styled up like Doc Brown (wild grey hair, white pants, nuclear yellow gloves). Like with Matt Riddle on SmackDown, its hard for me to get invested in Velveteen these days, his out-of-ring actions really making him hard to watch. Kushida hit some dizzying offense at times and I'm not gonna say seeing Dream bump and sell wasn't entertaining at times, but there's a stench around everything Dream does now for me. If you can separate the "art" from the artist, Dream's over-the-top selling and agonized screams were as attention-grabbing as ever and the back-and-forth action was good, but I was just hoping for the finish to come after minute 5 or so. It doesn't necessarily help that Dream, like Gargano, has become an NXT gatekeeper more than a legit NXT "top guy" the way he once seemed poised to become. The post-match was interesting as it played as a "double turn," but I have no sympathy for Velveteen Dream and this just made Kushida look like more of a serious bad-ass, which is exactly what he needs to be if he's going to ever graduate to the next level of even just the NXT ladder. (2/5)

The Cruiserweight Championship was on the line next - Isiah "Swerve" Scott challenging Santos Escobar of the stable Legado De Fantasma for the purple strap. On commentary, someone noted that this is the first time the title has been defended on a Takeover show, which just goes to show how prestigious this championship is. I'm unfamiliar with both guys because I don't watch the NXT TV show, but I came in expecting good things out of them. Scott controlled early, applying a series of very painful submission holds targeting Escobar's arm. I liked Scott's aggression and the psychology here, but Escobar was no slouch either, delivering a nasty suicide dive that sent Scott into the cage wall and running knees in the corner at full speed. Escobar hit a Frankensteiner off the top rope but only got 2 from it, following it up with some vicious stomps. Scott rallied, though, eventually hitting a wild spinning clothesline that looked brutal and then a series of big boots off the apron. I'm not necessarily sure what made this a "cruiser" match considering both guys look bigger than Gargano and Cole, but hopefully getting a showcase match on a Takeover show is the first step towards both men getting a chance to mix it up with the "heavyweights." The execution and energy of this match made it above average, though I was also bothered by the clearly phony crowd noise that they pumped up and a few noticeable moments of "cooperation" among the competitors. There was an excellent nearfall after Scott leapt off the top rope and got caught with a ridiculous superkick to the jaw and then a Phantom Driver. The commentators noted that no one has ever kicked out of that move, which seems like a waste considering how unestablished these two guys are. Escobar hit a Tres Amigos in a nod to Eddie Guerrero and then attempted a frog splash. He missed it, though, and Scott rallied with some ridiculous offense including an excellent jumping side kick to Escobar's skull and a 450 splash that only got 2. As Scott tried to apply a submission, Escobar went to the ropes and both guys spilled to the outside. On the apron they showed some great struggle, Scott eventually taking a tumble into the exposed steel of the ring post that looked a little off. Escobar hit a double-underhook front-face drop into a knee to get the W in what was the clear match of the night up to this point. If I had had more of a recent to care, more knowledge of the workers, and more of a reason to view the Cruiserweight Championship as an important title, this may have been a Match of the Year candidate. Unfortunately, this was an excellent match with a poor context. (3.5/5)

The show continued with the NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai defending against Candice LeRae. This might've been the match I was looking forward to the most as Shirai is almost always money and LeRae has been worthy of a spotlight match for awhile now. Shirai and LeRae have comparable size and skill sets and they showed that in the early going, trading wrestling holds and countering each other's efforts to take control. Shirai attempted a sunset flip powerbomb to the floor but LeRae resisted it and hit a splash on her instead. Shirai fought back and delivered an Asai Moonsault moments later. Shirai maintained control for a few minutes, but LeRae took it back with a nasty backstabber in the corner. LeRae's heat stretch was good, the Poison Pixie using the turnbuckles and corners to her advantage to go after Shirai's back. After dodging a splash in the corner, Shirai took over and hit a flurry of offense to regain control (including a 619 as a nod to her hero Rey Mysterio). LeRae woudn't keep control for long, though, Shirai delivering a double-underhook backbreaker and then double-knees in the corner soon after. The back-and-forth exchange that followed was excellent, both women hitting some big moves to try to get the W but no one able to keep their opponent down for a full count. After exchanging submissions, we got a cartoonish-but-clever series of ref bumps, LeRae eventually getting the visual pin after hitting her finish. Gargano ran down the aisle in a ref shirt to make the count but was a second to late. I loved Barrett's line on commentary that simply putting on a ref shirt does not make one a referee - but, then again, isn't that how multiple matches have actually ended this year? Gargano grabbed the NXT Women's Title from the ringside table and slipped it LeRae as he distracted the referee. LeRae struck Shirai with the gold behind the ref's back, but Shirai kicked out! Dang. I would've liked that finish as a weapon shot should usually get the job done. Up to the top rope they went and Shirai hit a Spanish Fly and then a moonsault to get the clean win. That was a good match, but the ending felt a bit overbooked. (3.5/5)

After having her hand raised, Toni Storm appeared on the video wall and announced that she will be back on the NXT roster. After Storm's video ended, though, yet another instant NXT Women's Champion contender arrived - Ember Moon. Moon was revealed as the mysterious figure behind some videos that had been airing since the last Takeover special, but I felt like the big moment was spoiled a little bit by having Storm make her return just seconds earlier. Either way, the NXT Women's Division just got a whole ton more interesting and it definitely needed a bit of a shot-in-the arm. 

Backstage, Ashante Adonis cut a promo explaining his actions against Legado. Adonis is a super newcomer and didn't even have much experience prior to coming to NXT so a potential team-up with Swerve will be his first chance to shine. 

Main event time - Kyle O'Reilly challenging Finn Balor. O'Reilly is known as a tag specialist, so he came into this match as an underdog. Balor, meanwhile, only won the title after Karrion Kross suffered an injury at the last Takeover show, making it even more hard to believe that O'Reilly would get the win and end Balor's reign. This was also somewhat of a heel/heel match, though Balor has been a bit more of a "tweener" as of late, not dissimilar to Triple H in 2005 or so when he came to be more of an "elder statesman" rather than being an outright villain. Before the bell rang, some idiot started chanting "This Is Awesome," which was cringe-inducing. Balor and O'Reilly started out a bit slow, the Prince locking in a headlock and refusing to let go even after O'Reilly hit him with a back suplex. From there, these two really stuck to the minute, really focusing on the grappling part of the game. The first big strike came when Balor hit a dropkick right to O'Reilly's face, the Prince getting 2 off it. Balor added some insult to injury soon after by applying an arm bar and strumming Kyle's appendage like a guitar (a nod to O'Reilly's signature taunt). Balor's control segment was worked relatively heelishly (is that a word?), which made O'Reilly's comeback feel a little bit heroic - but really, without a crowd to work off of, at this point in the match this was just a clash of two guys who were fighting tooth-and-nail for a championship. Balor regained control and just destroyed O'Reilly with a kick to the gut and then a series of additional kicks (and a hard whip to the corner). O'Reilly's selling has been criticized as over-the-top by some, but I kinda like it and, in a World Championship match, it absolutely belongs. At some point, O'Reilly's mouth got busted open and, as usual, the blood added more drama and intensity to the match. Balor went on the attack, but O'Reilly rallied after a bounce-back lariat and just went insane with one big offensive move after another. It really was a thing of beauty to see him tie together a brainbuster and knee strikes and a guillotine and make it all look natural and desperate at the same time. Purists may have hated this, but unlike the Gargano/Cole matches, the selling was there, the targeted attacks were there, and the physicality felt legitimate and not rehearsed and choreographed. I didn't like Balor rolling out of a knee to the jaw (that looked like it legitimately caused him to bite through his tongue) followed by a german suplex, but at least the stomp and Coup De Gras that followed was the finish. In front of a live crowd, this feels like it would've been a star-making match for O'Reilly but the right man won. This was an easy Match of the Year contender for me. (4/5)

I'm not sure what to think about the post-match ending as we saw Ridge Holland toss Adam Cole over the barricde. On one hand, it established Ridge Holland as a bit of a badass. On the other hand, Kyle O'Reilly's "moment" (even in a loss) felt a bit overshadowed. 

With a Kwang Score of 3.2-out-of-5, NXT Takeover XXXI was the best Takeover show in awhile and maybe the best one of the year (even if the score fell below Takeover: Portland's impressive 3.58). Much of that credit goes to the freshness of the show's final three matches. Aside from Balor and Shirai (to a much lesser degree), the performers featured on this show had never been spotlighted on a major show before and the freshness came through. While the Cruiserweight Championship match would've been better off not being built around the title and wholly irrelevant 205 division, Scott and Escobar (especially) won me over with their effort. In front of a live crowd, O'Reilly would've come off like the next great singles star (and potentially a babyface one). Io Shirai's win helped cement her status and while the post-match returns of Toni Storm and Ember Moon worked against each other, it does feel like NXT's women's division was revived overnight. This felt like the NXT shows of yesteryear, when much of the fun came from "discovering" talents that you may have only heard of or seen very little of before. What hurt this show, then, was the involvement of the guys that seem stuck in place (specifically Johnny Gargano, Velveteen Dream, and Adam Cole). They've become a bit like the high school grad who didn't go to college and still hangs out with mostly 16 year-olds. Here's hoping that NXT continues to evolve because watching that evolution is what makes NXT captivating.

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

WWE Backlash 2005

WWE Backlash 2005

Manchester, New Hampshire - May 2005

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this RAW-brand show, the World Heavyweight Champion was Batista, the Women's Champion was Trish Stratus, the Intercontinental Champion was Shelton Benjamin, and the World Tag Team Champions were Tajiri and William Regal. 

The build for this show was all about the return of Hulk Hogan and Triple H/Batista II, a rematch from the previous month's WrestleMania XXI, but our opening contest was Chris Jericho challenging Shelton Benjamin for the Intercontinental Championship. This match started off with some impressive shows of agility by Benjamin before Jericho upped the intensity with a hurricanrana on the floor. Jericho took control and brought the match back into the ring, Y2J working a bit heelish despite - as far as I know - being a babyface at the time. Benjamin got a huge pop for his insane vertical leap from the mat to the top rope to perform a superplex and then, moments later, another big one for tossing Jericho into the air and letting him drop face-first. It is not surprising why Benjamin was considered a potential future main eventer at this time, though every attempt they tried to add something to his character ended up flopping - mostly because having bleached hair is not a gimmick and being a Momma's Boy isn't a good one. The crowd bites on a couple big nearfalls, including one coming off a springboard bulldog by the champion. Jericho attempts a Walls of Jericho, but Shelton won't turn. Shelton catches him with his T-Bone Suplex, but only gets 2 as Y2J gets his legs under the ropes. There's a great little sequence leading to Jericho actually applying the Walls, the crowd going insane. Shelton manages to grab the ropes and the crowd boos. Jericho goes after him, but Benjamin surprises him with a surprise spinning heel kick for anther 2.7 count. Benjamin eventually gets a sneaky pinfall to secure the victory. This was a good opening contest and a strong showcase for Benjamin. I wouldn't go as far as calling it "must see" just because there wasn't enough character-driven drama in it for me to get invested in. (3/5)

After an interview with Edge, its time for our World Tag Team Championship Match - a Tag Team Turmoil bout (basically a gauntlet match) starting off with The Heartthrobs vs. Tajiri and William Regal (the defending champions). The Heartthrobs were Antonio and Romeo, their gimmick basically being Night At The Roxbury-esque party boys. They didn't last very long in the WWE and never made it anywhere else either. Very good wrestling out of Regal and Tajiri early on, the foreign faces wowing the crowd with their technical prowess. Regal looks to be in the best shape of his career at this point, lean and mean. After eliminating the Throbs, Simon Dean and Maven came out next, another team that wouldn't last too long (Maven would be released in July). Regal and Tajiri make relatively quick work out of them before La Resistance - Sylvan Grenier and Rob Conway - make their way down the aisle. A loud "USA" chant breaks out but ends rather quickly as (I'm guessing) the audience realizes there's not a single American in the ring (actually, Conway is American but had become loyal to Quebec). The Frenchmen steal the win and are declared the new champions, but the match ain't over as Hurricane and Rosey come out as the next entrants. Helms takes a really good bump early on, his legs bouncing off the post before he spills to the outside and the audience grimaces in pain for him. La Resistance try to the slow the match down, Helms playing the face-in-peril. Rosey gets the hot tag and takes out both members of La Resistance, nearly getting a 3-count with a slam on Conway. The match ends with a wonderful finishing spot as Rosey sits on the top turnbuckle and Helms climb on him, hitting a huge splash off of Rosey's shoulders to win the gold. I'm not usually a fan of these matches, but they kept all the individual bouts short and the pace was kept swift. (2.5/5)  

Next up - Chris Benoit vs. Edge in a Last Man Standing Match. The story coming into this match is that Edge had won the inaugural Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania XXI by targeting Benoit's arm. There's a loud "You Screwed Matt!" chant early on and then an even louder "We Want Matt!" one minutes later, this match occurring just a couple weeks after it was revealed that Lita had cheated on longtime beau Matt Hardy with Edge while he was recuperating from a knee injury (in real life, that is). Hardy was fired in April for airing his dirty laundry, but would end up rehired in July when Vince realized how he could use the real-life drama to propel Edge's career. Anyway, the first few minutes is just some straight-up tough guy 'rasslin' with the two Canadians hitting each other with all sorts of strikes. Out of the ring they go and then into the crowd, brawling in the stands. They don't last too long out there, though, and into the ring they go where Benoit applies a Sharpshooter and Edge taps out - but the ref won't call it because this is a Last Man Standing match. Ugh. Terrible. I know Edge wasn't an established main eventer yet, but it still doesn't make much sense that he would "instinctively" tap out so soon. Benoit hits him with a trio of Suplexes and then some running forearms to knock him to the arena floor for a count of 8. A loud "Get The Tables" chant starts, but is broken up when Benoit attempts a suicide dive only to be met by a trash can lid! Edge followed it up by bashing the lid over his noggin a second time, putting the Crippler on the ground for a count of 6. They end up on the top rope in the corner and Edge hits Benoit with a superplex through the trash can for a count of 8. Edge brings a ladder in and we get the first truly RIDICULOUS spot of the match as Edge gets german-suplexed from halfway up the thing. That is just a completely insane maneuver and somewhat hard to watch considering what would happen with Benoit about two years after this. Benoit follows it up with an even more self-harming diving headbutt from the very top of the ladder, a move that Edge rolls out of the way from. Edge grabs his briefcase but Benoit gets hold of him and applies the Crossface. When Edge taps here, it makes total sense but draws no reaction because they'd prematurely had Edge tap out to a Sharpshooter in minute 5. Benoit releases the hold but Edge is back on his feet. Benoit hits him with another 2 German Suplexes, but Edge fights out of it and hits the Impaler on the briefcase. Edge then rocks him with one of the nastier Spears I've ever seen him perform, putting Benoit down for 8. Edge nails him with a SECOND spear and the crowd tries to cheer him back to his feet, eventually inspiring him to get up at another 8 count. This time, instead of using a spear, Edge grabs a brick and strikes him in the back of the head of it! We've seen guys survive a ton more, but because this match didn't go too extreme with its violence, that finish felt worthy. I'd still call this one of the lesser Last Man Standing bouts I've seen, saved mostly by Benoit's ever-fearless performance and signature self-abandon in the hopes of giving the crowd a good show. (2.5/5)

Lita is then shown backstage, talking to Kane about the stakes of his match against Viscera. The segment ends with Lita kissing he storyline husband Kane, which is just gross. 

Back in the ring, Jerry Lawler is holding a copy of a WWE Divas Magazine. He then welcomes the RAW divas - Christy Hemme, Maria, Candice Michelle, Victoria, Stacy Keibler, and, from her seat at ringside, Lillian Garcia. Each Diva reveals their favorite photo in the magazine and Lawler reacts like they're really risque when, truthfully, its all pretty PG stuff. I mean, Victoria's picture features an iguana siting on her back. When they get to Keibler, the crowd gives her the loudest pop of the segment (followed by Lillian). As Jerry is about to ask each diva an "intimate, personal question," he is interrupted by the arrival of "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters. I was about to give this match a -1 rating, but having Masters come out and perform his Master Lock Challenge saved this for me just because this is the type of variety show stuff I think adds nice flavor to a wrestling show. Masters picks a woman out of the crowd - future Extreme Dodgeball player, Melissa Coates - and applies the hold, shaking her violently back and forth and then dropping her on the mat. 

Backstage, Trish bumps into Viscera, who had a storyline obsession with her at this point. Trish and Viscera have enough chemistry to make their creepy interaction work, but its still icky. Anyway, to the ring we go for Kane vs. Viscera. Kane comes flying off the top rope and onto the floor as yet another "We Want Matt" chant erupts. Back on the mat, Kane dominates and the crowd begins chanting "Lita Sucks." Despite how much heat Lita had on her, I'd argue that if the same scenario played out today, much more of the crowd would be aware and the heat would be nuclear. Viscera hits an impressive sidewalk slam. Kane attempts a chokeslam but Viscera knocks him out of the ring with a clothesline. Lita tries to protect her husband from fer damage but gets tossed aside for her trouble. Trish tries to get involved with a chair but Lita nails her with her crutch to a huge reaction! That was cool. Kane comes flying off the top again, but Viscera catches him and hits him with his sit-out chokeslam for 2. Lita gets in the ring and Vis corners her, attempting to plunge his tongue down her throat. Kane breaks it up, though, and this time he connects with the chokeslam for 3. For whatever reason, Kane's victory gets a pop despite he and Lita being the heels. During the post-match, Trish Stratus mocks Viscera, calling him a "fat, chicken-eating loser." Viscera bearhugs her and shakes her like a ragdoll then, much to the delight of the crowd, crushes with her a splash. Again, this isn't "good" - hell, the line about Viscera eating chicken was downright racist - but this was also Viscera's most relatable role, the most over he ever was, and Trish Stratus was excellent at turning lemons into lemonade. The match wasn't too long and the crowd was into it. No worse than average. (2.5/5)

We get an interesting package hyping Muhammad Hassan and his manager/sidekick, Daivari. Hassan had attacked Shawn Michaels on Raw, who proceeded to request a handicap match against them. Bischoff denied him, though, so Michaels had to find a partner and he found the most American one possible - Hulk Hogan. This all led to our next contest, Hogan's first after about a 2-year hiatus. Hogan comes out to a massive ovation followed by an enormous "Hogan" chant, the crowd fully into the nostalgia trip. The opening minutes are all shtick and they get a huge reaction, Hogan starting things out against Hassan by shoving him into the corner and then applying a headlock. Daivari comes in and the double-team begins, but Hulkster fights back with a double-clothesline and then another one just to Hassan. Hogan sends Hassan into Michaels' boot and then tags him in to take over. A loud "HBK" chant starts up but its clear that his own overness has been "trumped up" by his proximity to Hogan. That's not to say Shawn wasn't popular in his own right, but...The "work" in this match is nothing to write home about, but few were expecting a mat classic and its not like Daivari and Hassan were much better than just average. Michaels calls for Sweet Chin Music but, when Hogan tries to prevent Hassan from interfering, distracts the ref and ends up allowing Hassan to strike with a metal pipe. Daivari makes the cover but Hogan breaks it up as Michaels gets puled into the corner to get beaten down by the heels. They cut the ring in half and Michaels plays the face-in-peril, the crowd dying for a hot tag. Hassan applies a camel clutch and the commentary really misses the opportunity to play up Shawn's history of lower back problems. Michaels miraculously escapes by getting to his feet and hitting Hassan with an electric chair, the crowd once again rooting for the hot tag. As Hassan crawls over to Daivari, Shawn finally makes the tag and Hogan comes in to a huge pop. He unloads on both heels, bashing them headfirst into each other before dropping Daivari with a signature big boot. Hogan calls for the Leg Drop but Hassan strikes again with the lead pipe! Daivari covers, but Hogan kicks out and "hulks up," Daivari's rights having no effect on the Immortal One. Hogan hits him with his trademark offense, but once again Hassan distracts him. Hogan fights him off and, when the ref's back is turned, Shawn hits Daivari with a Superkick to get the big win! Hogan and Shawn celebrate in the ring for a little bit, Michaels sending Daivari out of the ring for good measure. They do some dancing and it seems all is good, even doing some poses together, really milking the moment. They even bring in a fan with a ridiculous Hulk Hogan tattoo on his back. All in all, this was designed to please the crowd and the nostalgic fans at home as well and, in that regard, it worked - though, knowing that this would not, in fact, be Hogan's last match (even if it was probably his last good run), makes it less meaningful. (2.5/5)

Before our main event, we get a quick promo from Triple H and then an even better promo out of Christian (backed up by Tomko) in the ring. Christian targets John Cena specifically, addressing his "fellow main eventers" by delivering a "rap" about all the people he doesn't like on Raw and SmackDown. This was the kind of work that made people very much believe that Christian deserved a strong push around this time - a push that he ultimately did not receive (which led to him jumping ship to TNA and becoming a true main eventer there). (+1)

A video recap airs before our main event - Triple H challenging Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. Ric Flair comes out first to introduce Triple H, this show really stretching its legs by this point. The build-up for this match was all about Triple H's Pedigree and Batista's supposed fear of it and the opening minutes make that story extra clear as The Game nearly hits his finish twice (and Batista almost hits a Batista Bomb too). I'm not a massive fan of Triple H, but I have to acknowledge the psychology here and give credit where its due - this is a match with a clear story, a clear face/heel dynamic, and smartly-worked transitions. Batista was a limited work - then, now, forever - but he had an incredible look and, considering his size and power, had underrated vulnerability. With Triple H clearly leading the match, the pace is methodical but not necessarily slow. Triple H controls a lengthy stretch and gets additional help from Flair, Batista hitting the occasional offensive move but getting cut-off repeatedly. Finally, Batista hits a succession of maneuvers, including an irish whip into the steps on the outside. Batista looks to hit a Batista Bomb but Triple H catches him with a World Championship Belt shot with the ref's back turned! Triple H makes the cover, but only gets 2! The Animal and The Game trade shots and Triple H attempts a pedigree, but Batista back-body drops him. Batista goes for a clothesline, but Triple H dodges and the ref gets knocked out. Triple H makes the cover and gets a blind 5 count. I'd always heard that Triple H put Batista over super strong in their series but he's pretty well-protected here as he basically gets a 10-count on his Pedigree finish. Triple H attempts another one, but Batista counters it with a huge spinebuster as another referee makes his way down the aisle. Batista goes for another back-body drop but Triple H counters it into his facebuster variation. Triple H goes for another Pedigree, but Batista sends him into the corner and hits him with a series of big clotheslines. As Triple H tries to regain his composure on the ropes, he kicks the ref in the balls and escapes a Batista Bomb attempt. Shenanigans ensue and Batista gets hit with a lowblow that sends him into the corner. Triple H pummels Batista in the corner, but Batista reverses it into a Batista Bomb to get the 3. The finish was a bit overbooked and I'm not sure the crowd ever bit on any of Triple H's nearfalls, but this was a decent enough, straightforward contest. (3/5)

I wasn't watching WWE in the spring of 2005, but by the summer, I was back to watching weekly with some buddies and roommates while living in Athens, Ohio, and attending Ohio University. The impetus for that return to fandom (after around a 4-year break) was two-fold: the hype around the eventual Shawn Michaels/Hulk Hogan match and the other tent pole spectacle of the SummerSlam 2005 card - Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero in a ladder match for the custody of Mysterio's son Dominick. It also helped that one of my buddies in particular - shout-out to Adam Lee - let me borrow a Ring of Honor tape and WWE, as this show exemplifies, was moving away from the embarrassing, sordid, and desperate storylines that marred the post-Attitude Era and actually trying to go back to basics a little bit (which dovetailed nicely with my friends and I's renewed interest in "low culture" after years of being music-obsessives and wanna-be hipsters). Sure there was still sultriness to the presentation of the divas and the Stratus/Viscera drama was more than suggestive, but compared to Hot Lesbian Action? Necrophilia? The rumored Stephanie/Vince incest storyline that never saw the light of day? Lita and Kane's marriage was comparatively wholesome. Elsewhere on the card, Muhammad Hassan and Daivari were edgy, but not wholly original; "Evil foreigners" had been a part of wrestling for decades by this point and 20 years earlier, Sgt. Slaughter was burning the American flag on Saturday morning TV. Chris Masters' shtick was a throwback to the crowd work of Ted DiBiase. While he didn't appear on this show, Carlito was getting a run around this time, spitting apples in people's faces and cutting over-the-top promos that wouldn't have been out of place in 1988. At the same time, Batista and John Cena were seen as fresh main eventers even if their actual in-ring skills weren't praised or appreciated by the "smart" portion of the audience. Some months later the WWE would begin a promotion claiming "The Power Is Back" and it did kinda feel that way for a time (partially because the WWE had also returned to its "home" network, USA, by then). In some ways, the goodwill the company was getting from the fans helped make a show like this click. There's not a single match I'd consider great, but the crowd is into every single bout and many of the wrestlers are positioned properly, allowed to showcase their talent and play to their strengths. There's variety. There's not too much comedy. There's the past (Hogan and Flair), the present (Triple H, Benoit, Kane), and the future (Batista, Hassan, even Edge and Christian to some degree) all getting featured in the right way. With a Kwang Score of 2.83-out-of-5 and lots of stars on the card, I've got no problem giving this...

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