WWE Backlash 2020

WWE Backlash 2020

Orlando, FL - June 2020

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into the show, the WWE Champion was Drew McIntyre, the Universal Champion was Braun Strowman, AJ Styles held the Intercontinental Championship, and the US Champion was Apollo Crews. The RAW Women's Champion was Asuka and the SmackDown Women's Champion was Bailey - who was also one-half of the Women's Tag Team Champions with Sasha Banks. Speaking of tag teams, the SmackDown Tag Team Champions were The New Day, while the RAW Tag Team Titles were held by The Street Profits. Finally, the 24/7 Champion was R-Truth.

Backlash 2020 began with a video package highlighting some of the best matches ever to further heap on the hype for tonight's main event - Edge vs. Orton in what was advertised as "The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever." We then cut to the Performance Center, where we got our first match - Sasha Banks and Bayley defending the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss and The IIconics in a Triple Threat Tag Match. There was some really good work out of Bliss and Sasha, striking just because it feels like forever since either were given a real spotlight in singles. Some probably loathed seeing Bliss clean house, but the fire and spirit were there (and the precision too). The IIconics were the weakest workers of the bunch, several of their spots looking sloppy or overtly choreographed or a weird mix of both. At one point the NXT "students" tried to start an undeserved "This is Awesome" chant. A few moments later we got a solid finish that saw Sasha Banks get the roll-up cover clean after Bliss hit the Twisted Bliss. This didn't overstay its welcome and Bliss looked fantastic (maybe Vince is finally comfortable enough with her health to give her another legit "run" on RAW?). Solid opener. (2.5/5)

Before the next match, we got a video package recapping the Jeff Hardy/Sheamus feud, which is based on Hardy's real-life problem with addiction and, at one point, featured a phony DUI angle. Ignoring the tastelessness of such an angle, Hardy and Sheamus needed something to sink their teeth into and give them some direction and this, at the very least, did that. Both physical workers, there were some quality hard-hitting moments here - a vicious front-suplex by Sheamus that crotched Hardy in the corner, a back-to-back Irish Curse sequence, Hardy putting all of himself into his signature spots. There was a spot towards the end where Hardy looked like he was going to try one of his big high-flying finishers but couldn't keep his balance as Sheamus attempted to toss him off. They ended up in a heap in what could be seen by some as a "botch" but felt organic and natural to me - an unscripted moment of real exhaustion and "anything can happen" physics. Sheamus locked in a cloverleaf, but Hardy got to the bottom rope, the match entering "extra innings" at this point. As Sheamus hit Hardy with some of his trademark forearms across the chest, a weird "Hardy" chant started that was more distracting than anything. Hardy rallied after Sheamus hit the post, connecting with the Swanton Bomb for a very close 2 count. Sheamus rolled the outside and Hardy followed him, running across the barricade only to get caught by a Brogue Kick on the floor! Sheamus followed it with a second Brogue Kick to get the win. I wouldn't call it "must see," but that match was darn good. (3.5/5)

Asuka defended her RAW Women's Championship against Nia Jax next. Jax has been a big IWC Punching Bag recently for her recklessness so seeing her get kicked and elbowed with fury by Asuka should've felt like a cathartic victory for some fans. Unfortunately, this one was wrestled relatively safely, most of the action taking place within the ring and built around Asuka trying to tire Jax out with various submissions (and not any of the "rag dolling" that Nia did against Kairi Sane and others. In terms of logic and storytelling, it made total sense and referenced their previous matches (which were built around the same dynamic), but it didn't make for a particularly exciting match (with Asuka in "serious" mode and not coloring her performance with any of the zany fun that had made her so must-see this spring). The finish, a double count-out, also seemed to fall flat and doesn't make me particularly excited about their inevitable rematch. (2/5)

Backstage, MVP and Lana talk about Lashley's big title shot tonight. There was a time when Lana was considered one of the best managers in the company, but those years seem like a distant memory. Its not even Lana's fault, really - she was part of a good act with Rusev, but with one lame storyline after another, she became "just another chick." Even her look has become generic. 

Braun Strowman defended the WWE Universal Championship in a handicap match next - his opponents being the comedy duo The Miz and John Morrison. The build to this match has been mostly silly, with Miz and Morrison having no credibility - which is a shame because, years ago, The Miz and Strowman had a bit of a feud going on that was actually kinda fun. Morrison, meanwhile, came back earlier this year but has zero buzz as a singles guy (or even a tag wrestler). Before the match began, though, we got a purposefully ridiculous music video that was...just...not even all that funny. Before the video could play out, Braun arrived and the match started. Miz and Morrison showed off some good strategy early, making quick tags in an effort to tire and confuse Strowman. I liked seeing Miz and Morrison use their teamwork to get and maintain control, their partnership allowing them to deliver some strong double-team maneuvers. At one point it seemed like Miz and Morrison might even win the match, but Miz broke up Morrison's pinfall attempt - which would've been a more interesting wrinkle in the match if it had been foreshadowed in any way at all. For what this was, it wasn't too bad. (2.5/5)

The WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre, defended his title against Bobby Lashley in the contest that followed. The second McIntyre came in, MVP distracted the Champ and Lashley applied the Full Nelson, wrapping his legs around him. Three referees were needed to remove Lashley from the Champ. As McIntye sold the damage, the referee rang the bell and Lashley inflicted more damage, including an impressive suplex. I've read plenty of criticisms about Lashley over the past few days in anticipation of this match - that he's boring, that his matches lack drama - and those criticisms are fair (though I did like his brief match against Finn Balor from a couple Manias ago), but I wouldn't necessarily call Drew McIntyre a great worker either. McIntyre has impressive size and a good look. His execution is good. His timing is fine. What he lacks is "It" factor, the magnetism that reaches through the TV screen and makes you care. This match had some good moments in it - some impressive feats of strength, some unexpected counters from Lashley, and good work out of MVP on the outside - but I'm not sure what it was designed to accomplish. If this was supposed to be a "Good Match for Good Match's Sake" endeavor, it didn't need the Lana shenanigans at the end. If it was supposed to further cement McIntyre's status as RAW's top guy, Lashley was given too much offense. If this was designed to further the Lana/MVP storyline, well, having the WWE Championship be the backdrop of that angle seems like backwards thinking. (2.5/5)

The next "match" started out was one of WWE's increasingly uncreative "cinematic" matches - The Viking Raiders challenging The Street Profits for the RAW Tag Team Championships. The brawl began outdoors, made its way inside, and then went into a silly series of moments that involved one of the Raiders' drifting into dreamland after every big spot or moment (providing the viewer a recap of their lengthy feud). The ridiculousness continued as the Raiders and Profits decided to team up to take out Akira Tozawa and his army of ninjas, who had shown up on motorcycles. After wiping out the ninjas, Tozawa then unveiled his newest teammate - a gigantic ninja with a sword. Retreating like cowards, the match continued on top of a truck, only ending when all four men found themselves in a garbage bin. This went on way, way too long (despite the Profits and Raiders actually having some chemistry). Was this "match" better or more entertaining than a typical wrestling match between these teams would've been? Probably. But it was also at least 5-10 minutes too long, overstaying its welcome and could've used some editing. (1.5/5)

Before the next match, we got a video recap of what happened during the pre-show - Apollo Crews defeated Andrade and his back-up, Angel Garza, got stunned by Kevin Owens. Right there I can pinpoint two problems with the WWE right now: Kevin Owens is now a "pre-show" act and Andrade, a former NXT Champion, is losing to Apollo Crews. 

Main event time - Randy Orton vs. Edge. This match was hyped as "The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever" and while it didn't quite clear that (impossibly) high bar, it was (surprisingly) pretty damn good. My biggest complaint was the runtime - a lengthy, lengthy 35+ minutes (just like their much more meandering and underwhelming WrestleMania match), but this one kept my attention from start to finish with Randy Orton putting on the best performance he's done in years. Edge, meanwhile, was as spry and agile and impressive as he's ever been in a straight-up singles match. This match really did seem like a Top 5-10 singles match for him (especially if that list leaves out matches with TLC, Ladder, or Hell in a Cell stipulations - a "crutch" that Edge often relied on to put together truly great matches). The fake crowd audio was distracting at times, but was generally, in my opinion, less intrusive than the over-mic'd NXT students. Similarly, I've read multiple criticisms about the fact that the match was "edited" and that certain spots were re-shot, but I didn't see any glaring botches and felt the whole presentation came off seamless. To criticize the match for any shortcuts they took seems silly - especially considering that, for the most part, most every match the WWE has presented since the end of March has likely been edited (and may have featured re-shots). If Orton/Edge benefitted from such treatment, every match theoretically has (or could've). There was some cutesy nods to some of the "greatest" performers in WWE history - Eddie Guerrero, Triple H, The Rock - as well as the classic Flair/Steamboat series from the late 80s (Edge hitting Orton with a huge crossbody for 2 and an chest chop exchange), but these moments didn't overshadow what this match was really about (Edge and Orton's history and status as two of the biggest stars of the past 20 years). The length of this match and the setting prevent me from calling this "must see" - the fact is, in this setting, without real fans and real ambiance, it just doesn't seem possible to put on a real great 25+ minute match, which has never been Orton and Edge's strength anyway - but it was definitely a huge improvement from their WrestleMania match and a potential Top 10 WWE Match of the Year. (3.5/5)


With a Kwang Score of 2.57-out-of-5, Backlash was an improvement from the rocky and underwhelming Money in the Bank show in May, largely thanks to a strong main event and a quality Sheamus/Jeff Hardy match, both of which exceeded my expectations. The two major title matches and the opener weren't anything special (those I have read some reviews that praised McIntyre/Lashley more than I did), but they were fine and arguably would've been more enjoyable had they occurred in front of a live audience. Jax/Asuka wasn't my cup of tea as it never felt like it really picked up momentum and then ended rather flatly. The worst "match" on the card was the endless Raiders/Profits segment, but I'll at least give credit to the WWE for trying to offer some variety on the show. 


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

WWE Survivor Series 88'

WWE Survivor Series 88'
Cleveland, OH - November 1988

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the WWE (then WWF) World Champion was Randy "The Macho Man" Savage, the Intercontinental Champion was the Ultimate Warrior, and the World Tag Team Champions were Demolition. Rockin' Robin was the WWF Women's Champion and the Women's Tag Team Champions were The Glamour Girls. 

After a brief welcome from Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura (who is sporting a Pilgrim hat), we hear the familiar blast of captain Ultimate Warrior's music and the crowd goes bananas. Warrior's team consists of himself, The Blue Blazer, Sam Houston, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, and "Jumping" Jim Brunzell. Their opponents are Honky Tonk Man, Bad News Brown, "The Outlaw" Ron Bass, Danny Davis, and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Valentine and Beefcake start things off, but Valentine tags out quickly to Danny Davis. Beefcake applies the sleeper and just like that, Davis is gone! What a concept, a finisher actually finishing someone. Valentine comes back in and gets to work, but Beefcake manages to tag in the Blazer. Blazer tags out pretty quickly, though, "Jumping" Jim Brunzell (no longer a Killer Bee) taking over. Brunzell takes a beating from Bad News Brown who eventually caps him off with the "Ghetto Blaster" to eliminate him. Sam Houston comes in and gets mauled as well as Warrior tries his hardest to get tagged in. Bad News tags Valentine so they can apply a double-team, but when Valentine tags Bad News back in, The Hammer accidentally clubs his own teammate! Bad News walks out of the match, unable to get along with his own teammates. Back in the ring, Houston tries to eliminate Valentine, but can't get a 3-count. Bass comes in for the heels but Houston is able to use his speed and agility to keep things relatively even. Bass eventually catches him with a huge powerslam to eliminate him. Warrior comes in and cleans house, then launches Blue Blazer onto Bass for 2. Blazer gets to show off some of his high-flying but also his suplexes and even Ventura has to admit how impressive the Blazer is. Blazer tries to go to the top, but Honky shoves him off and Valentine applies the figure four to eliminate him. Beefcake comes in, but Valentine takes control immediately. He tags in Bass, who then tags in Honky, the heels taking turns beating down the Barber. They cut the ring in half and beat down Beefcake in the corner, the Warrior unable to make the save. Honky attempts his finisher, but Beefcake back drops him out of it. Honky tags in Bass who stun-guns Beefcake on the top rope for 2. Honky tries a double-axehandle from the top but Beefcake catches him with a shot to the stomach. Beefcake hits an atomic drop and then a clothesline but doesn't make the tag. Instead, he slaps on the sleeper! Honky and Brutus roll through the middle rope to the floor and continue brawling. Beefcake applies the sleeper again and they've both been counted out. Valentine and Bass get to work on the Warrior, but they're only able to maintain control on him for so long before he rallies and hits them both with double axe-handles to get the win. The finish could've been way better, though, Warrior's finisher (a guerilla press followed by a simple splash) always kinda stunk (especially as he couldn't necessarily press slam all of his opponents). We don't even get that here, though, which would've at least been impressive. This was still a fun match and a hot opener and accomplished what it needed to. (2.5/5)

The next match is a jumbo-packed Survivors match - Demolition, The Brain Busters, The Bolsheviks, The Fabulous Rougeaus, and The Conquistadors (Jose Estrada and Jose Luis Rivera under gaudy gold masks) vs. The Hart Foundation, The Powers of Pain, The British Bulldogs, The Rockers, and The Young Stallions. The rules of this one are slightly altered than your typical Survivors match as you can eliminate a whole tag team with one pinfall. Lots of great little moments in this match with The Rockers, Brain Busters, and The British Bulldogs shining the brightest. This match goes way, way long - over 30 minutes - but I like the realism there too. Everyone in this match is supposed to be a "tag team specialist" so it makes total sense that they'd all take to a match like this very quickly. Tully Blanchard is the MVP of the match, but Jesse Ventura and Gorilla Monsoon's commentary is also exceptional here. Bobby Heenan's performance at the 91' Rumble is maybe the most famous full match commentary performance ever, but Ventura and Monsoon are brilliant here, calling this very much like a real athletic contest by not letting heel/face designations get in the way of calling out good offense (and poor decision-making) by both sides. The way they chastise guys for not making tags and even talk about how shocking it is for the Conquistadores to end up as one of the last two teams is smart and respectful of the audience's intelligence. The Conquistadores nearly surviving the match is not the only twist either as we even get a surprising double-turn with Demolition and the Powers of Pain too. I was not expecting to enjoy this match nearly as much as I did. Never boring, great mix of talent, awesome commentary. It doesn't quite reach the "must see" bar, but its close. (3.5/5)

Backstage, one of my all time favorite interviewers - Sean Mooney - gets some comments from Bad News Brown. Brown makes a compelling argument for a title shot against WWE World Champion Randy Savage between making some of the oddest faces ever seen. 

"Mean" Gene gets a word with Mr. Fuji, who explains that Demolition's egos got too big and that's why he turned on them. 

After Jesse and Gorilla run down the next two matches, we cut backstage to hear from the heel side of the next match, including some words from Andre The Giant. 

We then get yet another backstage promo (I wonder how the fans in the arena felt about such a long delay between matches), this time from the Mega Powers' team. 

Next up - "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Scott Casey, Ken Patera, and Tito Santana vs. Andre the Giant, Dino Bravo, Harley Race, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, and "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig. I was puzzled as to why Scott Casey was included in this match (he was a jobber) and looked it up - he was actually a substitute for an injured B. Brian Blair. Rude and Patera start things off, but Rude tags out and in comes Dino Bravo, causing the crowd to erupt in a loud "USA" chant. Hennig comes in next, a relative newcomer to the WWE (if I'm not mistaken) and not yet sporting his trademark singlet. Rude comes back in and hits the Rude Awakening on Patera for our first elimination. Race comes in soon after and then Bravo, who nearly gets eliminated by the jobber Scott Casey. Bravo ends up hitting a sidewalk slam to eliminate Casey before tagging Hennig back in. Santana takes a beating from Bravo and Race but won't stay down. He miraculously hits the Flying Forearm to eliminate the King but Andre comes in and destroys him as the fans let loose with boos. Tito attempts a sunset flip, but Andre just sits down on him to put the heels up 4-2. Duggan comes in and Andre ends up tied in the ropes, easy pickings for the faces. Roberts comes in and starts punching and choking Andre, but the Giant escapes from the ropes and tags in Rude. Roberts gets beaten down by the heels for the next little while, nearly gets eliminated by Bravo, but manages to tag Duggan in. After some interference by Frenchy Martin, Duggan grabs his trusty 2x4 and gets himself DQ'd. Roberts attempts to cover Bravo, but he kicks out and Roberts now has to face 4 men (including Andre) on his own. Jake holds his own against Perfect but can't get the DDT, almost delivers it against Bravo, but then ends up taking a ton of punishment from Rude. After gloating and swirling his hips over Roberts, Rude attempts to make a tag, but Jake pulls him back by his tights and hits him with a DDT to eliminate Rude! Andre comes in and chokes Roberts out in the corner, eventually getting himself disqualified. Andre leaves the ring, but Roberts is done for. Perfect comes in and makes the cover to bring this one to a close. Not as good as the previous bout or even the opener. Rude and Perfect were good, Andre is always fun to watch, but this just went too long with the eliminations not coming rapidly enough for me. (2/5)

Main event time - Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Koko B. Ware, Hillbilly Jim, and Hercules vs. Ted DiBiase, Akeem, Big Bossman, Haku, and The Red Rooster. I was unaware that Terry Taylor was ever a heel managed by Bobby Heenan and was equally surprised to see Hercules working as a babyface. One would expect Hogan to be "saved," but he gets involved early, each face getting a time to shine early. For some reason, the back of Koko's tights are blurred. Savage hits a huge elbow drop to eliminate Terry Taylor and the babyfaces celebrate. Haku comes in and nearly gets eliminated as well, the faces in full control. Haku manages to make the tag and Akeem comes in. The African Dream takes some hard hits from Hillbilly Jim, but eventually crushes him with a massive splash to tie things up 4-4. The babyfaces try to get Akeem off his feet but can't manage to do it, each firing their best shot but unable to do it. Akeem tags in Bossman, who connects with the Bossman Slam to eliminate Ware. Hogan comes in and the crowd goes to their feet, eager to finally see Hogan and Bossman go at it. After hitting him with his patented Big Boot, Hogan delivers a bodyslam, but Bossman catches him with a spinebuster! Bossman tags in Akeem, who then tags in Haku. DiBiase comes in and tries to eliminate Hogan, but Hogan hulks up and hits him with a big atomic drop! In comes Hercules (who DiBiase had tried to make his slave) and the future Super Invader goes on a tear. He gets tripped up, though, and DiBiase rolls him up for 3! Savage comes in and pulls the same trick on DiBiase and its now 3-on-2 with the Mega Powers outnumbered. Hogan goes back to playing the face-in-peril and drumming up sympathy as the heels take turns getting their shots in. With Hogan thoroughly beaten down, Bossman wastes time gloating and playing to the crowd, eventually attempting a splash from the top rope (which Hogan rolls away from). Hogan makes the hot tag but as Savage rallies, Slick trips him and Bossman regains control. Bossman applies a bearhug as Slick tries to drag Elizabeth out of the arena, but Hogan makes the save and decks him! The Twin Towers beat down on the Hulkster, handcuffing him to the bottom rope in a great act of heelishness. The Bossman gets counted out, but instead of leaving the ringside area, he beats down on Hogan with the nightstick! Meanwhile, in the ring, Savage continues to get stomped on by Akeem and Haku. A fan throws some trash in the ring, which is always a surefire sign of heat. As Bossman comes into the ring to beat down Savage, Hebner has seen enough and now Akeem is disqualified too! Haku maintains control in the ring as Hogan continues to sell on the outside, still locked to the bottom rope. With the ref focused on the shenanigans outside of the ring, Slick grabs Savage and holds him for Haku. Haku hits a superkick, but Savage dodges it and down goes the Slickster! With Slick down, Elizabeth grabs the key to the cuffs and Hogan is free! Haku hits a huge splash, but only gets 2. Savage makes the hot tag and Hogan hits his trademark trio - big boot, bodyslam, and leg drop - to win the match for the Mega Powers. This one had some unexpected twists and turns but didn't provide any closure to either of the major storylines going into the match - the Twin Towers/Mega Powers feud or the DiBiase/Hercules feud. In the end, when Hogan and Savage win, it doesn't seem like much of a victory because they really hadn't accomplished much (the two monster heels of the match weren't truly eliminated, they just got overzealous and got themselves disqualified). This had better pacing and was more interesting than the previous match, but not by all that much. (2.5/5)


With only one really great match - the massive 20-man Survivors match - and very little variety, Survivor Series 88' isn't the most riveting watch, but there is some quality action and it is loaded with all the company's major stars of the time. With only 4 matches, though, and no out-and-out stinkers, the Kwang Score (2.63-out-of-5) would suggest its one of the better PPVs of the time, but I wouldn't be too eager to revisit it anytime soon. Recommended if you're curious about this era or want a blast of late 80s nostalgia, but modern viewers would probably enjoy a Rumble or WrestleMania from this time more.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE Royal Rumble 89'

WWE Royal Rumble 89'

Houston, TX - January 1989

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, "The Macho Man" Randy Savage was the WWF World Champion, the Ultimate Warrior was the Intercontinental Champion, "Rockin'" Robin was the Women's Champion, and the Tag Team Titles were held by Demolition.

I love the old school openings Vince used to do for the Royal Rumble. This isn't the best one, but its still fun to hear him run down a list of some of the entrants in the night's main event. 

Opening the show we got a 2-out-of-3 falls, 6-man tag pitting Dino Bravo and The Fabulous Rougeaus against the babyface team of "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and the Hart Foundation. The crowd is electric at the start, really letting the heels have it. Neidhart and Duggan get huge reactions, but the actual wrestling doesn't get great until Bret enters the ring. He had great chemistry with the Rougeaus and they get to showcase some of it before we get a fun "battering ram" moment with all six guys in the ring. The heels take over with some ring rope trickery and the Rougeaus deliver a cool double-team move to win the first fall. Hart remains in the ring and takes a wicked front-first bump into the corner before taking even more punishment from Dino Bravo. The Rougeaus deliver another cool double-team move, basically a release slam from one Rougeau onto the knees of the other. Bravo locks in a bearhug, but Bret fights his way out. Jacques gets tagged in and applies a camel clutch, pulling on the Hitman's hair whenever the ref's back is turned. The face-in-peril stretch runs quite awhile, but the heels keep things interesting by mixing up their offense and selling big for Bret's hope spots. Hacksaw eventually gets the hot tag and takes everyone out much to the delight of the crowd. After some slingshot splashes from the Harts, Duggan evens the match at 1-1 by pinning Ray Rougeau. The third fall is more back-and-forth with no team controlling for very long, wrapping up with the fan favorites scoring the final pin thanks to some extra help from Duggan's 2x4. While not a "must see" match, this was a lot of fun and everyone, even Dino Bravo, was impressive and spirited. Very good opener. (3.5/5)

Backstage, Ted DiBiase stands with Virgil and pulls out a number he is obviously unhappy with. We then see the reactions of Honky Tonk Man, The Bushwackers, Bad News Brown, Jake Roberts (with a snake wrapped around his body), and The Rockers as they select their numbers.

Judy Martin challenges the WWE Women's Champion Rockin' Robin in the next contest. Before the match, "Sensational" Sherri cuts a promo announcing her intention to challenge whoever wins the match and then joins Jesse and Gorilla on commentary. Not too impressive of a match, but credit where its due, this match felt like a real fight. Neither woman had a very flash offense or a real connection to the crowd, but at least this wasn't crass, sexist or insulting the way women's wrestling was presented 10 years later. I was also underwhelmed by Sherri's commentary. As good as she was as a manager - and I'm willing to argue she's the greatest female manager in pro-wrestling history - her commentary here is all over the place and belies her talent. They gave these women plenty of time (and Sherri plenty of time to get her persona over), but there's little to recommend here. (1/5)

Before the next match, we get the night's Posedown - an extended bodybuilding competition segment between The Ultimate Warrior and Rick Rude (who, by this point, had been paired up with Bobby Heenan). The gold here is all coming from Rude, Heenan, and Okerlund as Warrior literally just stands around and looks intimidating. This is the sort of segment that I wish the WWE would produce during their current PPVs as it really adds variety to a card even if you know how its going to end. (+1)

The next string of promos come from some of the talent's managers - Mr. Fuji, Ms. Elizabeth, and Jimmy Hart. We then cut to Jesse "The Body" Ventura sitting on a throne, setting up our next match...

Haku vs. Harley Race for the title of King of the WWF. Coming into the match, Haku was the reigning King, but Harley Race had never officially lost the crown. As Ventura noted in his commentary, Bobby Heenan managed both competitors so this was a very rare (especially for its time) heel vs. heel match between two of the legit toughest guys in the history of the business. Before the bell even rings, Race walks out and dumps Haku out of the throne, a clever way to kickstart things. Race is the face-by-default, but doesn't play to the crowd at all. Haku draws the heat, though, and his offense looks much better than anything Race was able to muster up at this point in his career, the former NWA World Champion looking slow and tired, his kickouts not packing much gusto and his clotheslines not packing much snap. There are moments where things do connect - Haku and Race trading vertical suplexes, Haku countering a piledriver attempt on the floor into a backdrop, Haku's devastating reverse thrust kick - but they're separated by stretches of inaction or, worse, Haku walking into Race's slo-mo offense because the former King can no longer "bring the fight." The crowd is indifferent to most of it, but it impossible to blame them considering there was no established face to chair for and the de facto one looks like he's on his last legs from minute 2. The most interesting thing about this match is that it almost plays like a passing of the torch, down to some of the "mirror spots," but that still doesn't make it a good match - just an interesting one. (2/5)

Brutus Beefcake, Greg "The Karen" Valentine, The (needlessly breathing heavily) Powers of Pain, Big John Studd (who was coming back from a 2 year absence), Curt Hennig, and the WWF World Champion Randy Savage cut promos about tonight's main event. Savage competing in the Rumble wouldn't make much sense to modern audiences who are used to the Rumble winner challenging for the title at WrestleMania, but that was not part of the prize back in 89'. Before the Rumble begins, Ted DiBiase hints to Gene Okerlund that he has purchased the #30 spot, Bobby Heenan and his Family tell Sean Mooney hype up their gameplan, and, to close it out, Hulk Hogan cuts a classic promo about how tonight will be the resurrection of Hulkamania. 

Main event time - the 2nd ever Royal Rumble. Coming in at #1 we've got Ax of Demolition and, at #2...Smash of Demolition! Ax and Smash immediately go at it, which really puts over the prestige of winning the Royal Rumble as two partners - the World Tag Team Champions no less - come to blows without any hesitation just to win. The buzzer sounds and in comes number 3 - Andre the Giant! Demolition work together to beat down on Andre and he sells for them. The (worked) clock ticks down and out comes "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig. Hennig, a stablemate of Andre's, comes in and goes after everyone he sees, even teaming with Ax to choke Andre in the corner. Smash gets dumped in the melee for our first elimination. "Rugged" Ronny Garvin comes in at #5, just a couple years after his peak run as NWA World Champion. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine comes in at #6 and joins in the effort to eliminate Andre. The story here doesn't make for much excitement but there are at least a few nice sights - specifically Hennig bumping huge for Andre's headbutts and chest chops and the huge reaction when Jake Roberts comes in (at #7) and the two come to blows. Roberts and Andre would go on to face eachother at WrestleMania V. At #8 we get "The Outlaw" Ron Bass, who had recently had his head shaved by Brutus Beefcake. Andre eliminates Jake the Snake and then goes after Valentine, his elimination count now at 2. Shawn Michaels comes in at #9 and gets a decent pop. Perfect eliminates Ax and then attempts to toss Michaels, but the future HBK skins the cat! Wow, I know Ricky Steamboat would pull that move (and probably many others), but is that the first time it was used in a Rumble? Butch of the the Bushwhackers marches in at #10, but the real story is that Jake Roberts comes back into the ring with his snake - and Andre eliminates himself to get away from it! The crowd goes absolutely insane for this, one of the most legendary Rumble moments ever. I'd love to know who came up with that - Patterson? Vince? Jake himself? Honky Tonk Man is in at #11. By this point, Hennig has been in the ring the longest. Tito Santana comes in at #12. Santana shows a ton of fire going after Hennig, but gets cut down by Bass and Valentine. Honky Tonk Man teases getting eliminated a couple times, the audience losing their mind each time. The crowd counts down for #13 - Bad News Brown, who draws a loud chorus of boos. Honky gets eliminated to a pop, his work done for the night. As Shawn gets worked over by Bad News and Valentine, Marty Jannetty comes in at #14 to the rescue. Jannetty doesn't get very far, though, cut off by Ron Bass. The Rockers team up and eliminate the Outlaw, using a double dropkick to get it done. The World Champion Macho Man comes in at #15, the crowd going wild. Savage goes right after Bad News Brown, not even bothering to take off his bandana or sunglasses! Unfortunately, his head of steam is stopped by Valentine. Arn Anderson comes in #16. Savage eliminates Valentine as he comes down the aisle. When Arn comes in, he gets in a great exchange with Michaels that ends with the Horseman eating a Sweet Chin Music! Cool. Savage and Double A team up and eliminate Shawn Michaels, though, a surprising twist. Savage goes back to work on Bad News as everyone else pairs off. Anderson goes to the top rope - never a smart move in a Rumble - and ends up crotched on the corner. Jannetty can't capitalize, though, as Tully Blanchard comes in at #17. He and Blanchard team up and absolutely destroy Jannetty, with Double A even hitting him with his trademark spinebuster. With Jannetty worn down, they grind him out of the ring in one of the more realistic elimination sequences I've ever seen. Hogan comes in and immediately starts destroying people, tossing Hennig effortlessly. We're down to just 6 guys in the ring at this point - Bad News, Hogan, Blanchard, Anderson, Butch, and Macho. As the heels work on Hogan in the corner, Savage tries to eliminate Butch. Speaking of Butch, his teammate, Luke, comes in next at #19 (I think). The Bushwhackers were relative newcomers to the WWE but were already 20+ year vets by this point, remarkable considering they'd keep working in the WWE well into the 90s. As Luke comes in, Butch goes out. Koko B. Ware is in next. The best moments of this stretch come from Hogan, though, who hits both Blanchard and Anderson with some big press slams before dumping Koko and Luke. The Warlord is next in, but before he can even get in the ring, Hogan eliminates both Brainbusters simultaneously! The Warlord comes in, but as soon as he gets in the ring, Hogan eliminates him with a clothesline. Hogan then pushes both Bad News and Savage over as they wrestle by the ropes! Hogan has cleaned house, but Savage is pissed! This is another classic Rumble moment as Savage gets in Hulk's face and Miss Elizabeth runs out to try to keep them from coming to blows. Savage offers his hand and the Mega Powers shake as the buzzer sounds and Big Bossman makes his way down the aisle. Hogan and the Bossman had been feuding for quite awhile by this point, so their exchange gets a huge reaction. Hogan controls early, but Bossman gains control and hits Hulk with a devastating piledriver. Its worth noting too that Ventura's anti-Hogan tirade and performance throughout the Rumble rivals (but does not surpass) Heenan's classic work during 92' Rumble - he really is great here. Akeem comes in and the Twin Towers get to work, beating down the Hulkster. Bossman nearly eliminates him, but Hogan struggles free and hits him with a back suplex. The Towers end up eliminating Hulk Hogan, which is pretty tremendous and shocking. As the Twin Towers continue their assault on Hogan to the outside, Brutus Beefcake runs out and tries to save his friend. Hogan tries to get back in the ring, but the refs prevent him. Hogan pulls the top rope as Bossman is coming towards them and, despite being eliminated, Hogan has now essentially eliminated the Bossman too. They brawl to the back as Akeem tries to eliminate Beefcake in the corner. This is classic pseudo-heel work out of Hogan, the hero flagrantly breaking the rules and getting massive cheers for it. Terry Taylor comes in next but mostly just to get beaten down and give Beefcake a break. The Barbarian is in next, followed by Big John Studd, making his return to the WWF after a 2-year retirement. Studd tosses Rooster out of the way and goes right for Akeem, looking to take out his biggest competition first. Hercules comes in at #28, the starpower really dipping over these last few entrances. Rick Martel comes in at #29 to another mild pop, the crowd still invested but no longer at the fever pitch they were for Andre's stretch in the early going or the Hogan/Macho stretch. "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase finally comes in at #30 (having purchased the spot) and the crowd is noticeably quieter than it had been for any other part of this contest - most likely because, at this point, with Jake, Hogan, and Savage gone, the biggest babyfaces left were Beefcake and the returning Studd (who had been a heel when he last appeared in the WWE, if I'm not mistaken). Hercules gets big reactions for taking out DiBiase, these two having some history to draw on. At this point, Akeem has been in the longest. Beefcake applies a sleeper on Hercules and they both get dumped by the Barbarian and DiBiase. Martel manages to eliminate Barbarian, but when he tries to do the same to Akeem, the African Dream bodyslams him out of the ring. We're down to 3 now - Akeem, Studd, and DiBiase. The heels team up for a bit, DiBiase directing Akeem but inadvertently getting squashed himself! When Akeem checks on DiBiase, Studd clobbers him and Akeem tumbles out of the ring. We're down to 2! Studd dominates DiBiase with some huge power moves, even delivering a double-arm suplex (which shocks Ventura) and less-than-perfect gut-wrench suplex. DiBiase is out on his feet and Studd tosses him with ease, winning the Rumble to the delight of the crowd. Virgil comes in and Studd destroys him too, bodyslamming him and eventually tossing him out of the ring too. This is one of the better Rumbles I've seen, especially the first 2/3rds, which feature some of the most legendary moments in WWE history - the Andre elimination and Hogan dumping Savage - along with some fun spots featuring the Brainbusters, the Rockers, and Mr. Perfect. Sadly, the Rumble lacks an interesting "third act" as the starpower really wasn't there after Hogan and Bossman left the match. (3.5/5)


With a Kwang Score of 2.75-out-of-5, the 1989 edition of the Royal Rumble doesn't offer any outright classics and will likely appeal only to fans seeking a nostalgia fix, but there are some great moments sprinkled throughout. The opener is fun and while the Rude/Warrior segment isn't perfect (it goes on a touch too long), its still nice to see that, at one point, Vince did seem to know how to balance wrestling with entertainment without going overboard on comedy or ultra-violence or "shock value" shenanigans. The Rumble itself is 2/3rds awesome, features a ton of the biggest stars of the era, and advances storylines in interesting ways. The Women's Championship match and Haku/Race are disappointments and should be avoided, though. All in all, though, with a comparatively short runtime and even the worst matches not taking up too much time, I'm still gonna put this into a "recommended" category rather than calling it a "nostalgia fans only" show.

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

WWE SummerSlam 2011

WWE SummerSlam 2011

Los Angeles, CA - August 2011

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, John Cena and CM Punk had claims to the WWE Championship, while the World Heavyweight Champion was Christian. Cody Rhodes was the Intercontinental Champion and the United States Championship was held by Dolph Ziggler. The Divas Champion was Kelly Kelly and the WWE Tag Team Champions were David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty (Curtis Axel). 

The summer of 2011 in WWE is known as "The Summer of Punk" and it was a fun time to be a wrestling fun. Still, the only pay-per-view I purchased from this era was June's Money in the Bank, not shelling out the big bucks for this show or any of the ones that followed it. In fact, I'm not sure I purchased another PPV until WrestleMania 28 the following spring. 

Automatic +1 any time a wrestling show starts with a guitar solo version of the "Star Spangled Banner." WCW used to do this sort of wacky shit all the time, but WWE doesn't bust it out nearly as often. This time the performer is Adam Jones of Tool. Cool. (+1)

After a video recapping tonight's main storylines, The Miz comes out and begins cutting a promo but gets interrupted by his tag team partner, R-Truth, who, in turn, gets interrupted by Alberto Del Rio. Michael Cole is still in in full-on heel mood, praising everything Miz does, which is annoying and distracting at first but, to his credit, Cole was already toning things down and the over-the-top ass-kissing drops off as the match goes on. Their opponents are a trio of babyfaces - Rey Mysterio, John Morrison, and Kofi Kingston. The crowd is hotter for this than I thought they would be. Miz and R-Truth are strongly featured, but everyone gets their signature stuff in. That's not to say this is by-the-book and predictabl, though - at one point The Miz hits a weird neckbreaker-DDT-facedrop thing that I wish he'd bust out more because it looked nasty and had the audience biting on a nearfall. When Mysterio comes in for his team, he and Truth have a wonderful sequence leading to a great finish that sees the the teasing of a double 619, some interference by Del Rio, a great mule kick, and some more high-flying. A match like this doesn't have the "stakes" necessary to make it must-see, but this was a hot opener, the crowd absolutely caught up in the action from beginning to end. (3.5/5)

Backstage, John Laurenaitis demands an apology from CM Punk. Punk offers an insincere apology and Laurenaitis walks away. He turns around there's Stephanie. Steph wishes Punk good luck, but he doesn't accept it. The Summer of Punk storyline started off amazing and, over time, hit some potholes, but at this point, things were still really, really good (even if the WWE should've waited longer to bring Punk back onto TV). 

Sheamus vs. Mark Henry is next. Henry was at the start of his "Hall of Pain" run at this point. It felt like Henry's umpteenth push and I definitely wasn't taking it very seriously. Remember, up till now, his matches routinely drew "DUD" ratings and because he'd has so many start-stop pushes, very few saw him as a true main eventer. Sheamus, meanwhile, was in the midst of his (I think) first babyface run. What's interesting about this match, but really only in retrospect, is how dominant Henry is made to look for most of it. While Sheamus gets a string of offense towards the end, it is Henry who is the clear focus and, to his credit, he absolutely shines in the spotlight, his offense looking devastating and getting huge reactions. The finish is a bit of a cop-out and another reason why few saw Mark Henry's ascent coming even as it was happening. A clean pinfall victory would have been better, but because count-outs are so rare, its still an impressive win for Henry. Not an overlooked gem or anything, but not too bad a match of at all. (2.5/5)

After a not-too-great performance from Cee-Lo Green, Kelly Kelly took on Beth Phoenix. I reviewed a show not too long ago where I gave props to Melina and Michelle McCool for putting on a decent match limited by time constraints and, according to rumor, mandates not to "outdo" the boys. I was not expecting this match to be too great as Kelly Kelly was a notoriously under-trained performer, but she took quite a few risks and hit all the major spots they needed her to. Pheonix is clearly leading the match, but that's to be expected in any situation involving an experienced hand and a relative newcomer. The match doesn't run longer than 10 minutes - in fact, I'm not sure it even hits 6 - but it never gets boring and the crowd is relatively into it (at least more than they were into Cee-Lo). Again, its not a great match and there are some moments when Kelly looks like a deer in headlights, but its inoffensive and doesn't overstay its welcome. (2/5) 

Stephanie McMahon is seen exiting John Cena's locker room and then we get a comedy segment with Jimmy Hart and R-Truth, who was in his "Little Jimmy" conspiracy theory era. 

Wade Barrett, not yet "Bad News," takes on Daniel Bryan, not yet the leader of the "Yes Movement," next. The storyline coming into this match is that Bryan shocked the world by winning the Money In The Bank briefcase and Barrett sought to put him in his place. There's a sizable "Daniel Bryan" chant early on, but its not nearly as massive as it would be just a few years later. Bryan is awesome here - clearly as good a technical wrestler as the WWE had on its roster - but he's less colorful, still not yet connecting with the fans, not yet able to "let them in" and have them ride the emotional roller coaster that his matches became from 2012 on. Like the Henry match (but even moreso), its fun to hear the commentary knowing what would come; Booker T heaps praise and respect onto Bryan while Cole and Lawler try their best to shine up Barrett, a guy that is being clearly upstaged - even if he's quite good himself. At one point Bryan hits his Yes Kicks (and connects on all of them), and Booker and Lawler are just stunned silent (though the crowd isn't). When this match finally gets to its closing minutes, with Bryan applying his LeBell Lock but Barrett able to make it to the ropes, it does seem like it has maybe gone on a bit too long - not so much because the action isn't good but rather because the stakes in this match were low and neither Barrett or Bryan were super established (as Cole points early on, it wasn't long before SummerSlam 2010 that The Nexus debuted and Barrett and Bryan were actually on the same side). An above-average match, but when you're Daniel Bryan and you've had countless great matches, it would be hard to argue that this belongs in the Top 50. (3/5)

The World Heavyweight Championship is on the line next as Christian defends the title against Randy Orton. At Money in the Bank, Christian spat in the face of Randy Orton and Orton got DQ'd and because of a special stipulation, Christian won the strap. This match is being fought under a No Holds Barred stipulation to make sure that doesn't happen again. Despite being the heel, Christian has a little bit of support. Before the match begins, Christian delivers on his big surprise - revealing his cornerman, Edge! Edge gets a bigger entrance than Christian, which just goes to show what the company thought of their respective status, and a huge babyface welcome (unsurprising considering that Edge had been forced to retire in April). Edge grabs the mic and instead of aligning himself with Christian, cuts down his best friend and mocks him for cheating his way to the World Heavyweight Championship. Edge then leaves Christian to fend for himself, setting the stage for Orton's entrance and a huge pop for the Viper. If the WWE was worried that Christian would somehow get cheered over Orton, that pre-match segment really helped position Orton as the guy the fans should be rooting for. Despite this being a No Holds Barred match, Orton and Christian spend the first bit just showing off their in-ring chemistry and not their diabolical sides. As soon as the match goes outside, though, things get messy with Orton slamming Christian's head against the barricade and then attempting an RKO on top of a table. Christian runs into the crowd, but Orton catches him and punches him back down towards the ring. Back in the ring, Orton shoves Christian into the corner and we get an old-school raining of blows that Christian sells beautifully. Even in the first five minutes of this match, it is obvious that these two guys are not only looking to steal the show, but know they can just by being themselves. Christian grabs a kendo stick and everything he does with it is gold - from grabbing the crowd's attention by banging it on the steps as he walks in to wailing on Orton and attempting to drive it into his neck. From here, the match does an excellent job of raising the stakes with the introduction of each new weapon and, even more importantly, not a single sequence looks bad. This match is known for having a ton of counters but unlike so many matches we've seen over the past 2-3 years, the counters and reversals come off as organic and unrehearsed. The only real knock against this match might be that, as the match enters its final third and the "hardcore" aspects of the match take center stage, we see less and less of the exceptional character work that these two delivered for the other 90% of the match. The attention to detail they give is so good that little things like Orton being "face up" for the Con-Chair-To are noticeable in an otherwise almost flawless match. Similarly, the finishing spot doesn't quite make sense as its not clear what Christian was going to attempt coming off the top almost directly onto a set of steps. This is still easily the best match I've seen from either of these guys and I'm a pretty big Christian fan. An absolute all-time classic. (4.5/5)

Main event time - CM Punk vs. John Cena for the rights to be called the rightful and undisputed WWE Champion. Triple H is the guest referee for this but I was surprised how little he inserted himself into the action aside from one segment that was actually not too jarring. Like the Orton/Christian series, lots has been written about Cena and Punk's chemistry and while they are not quite as fluid as Orton and Christian, they bring a gravitas and "big fight feel" that Orton and Christian, even at their respective peaks, never could. The match begins with some straight-up wrestling and both guys trying to get quick pins, but the "star" of the first third of this match is the live crowd that gives this match a hot atmosphere close (but not quite at the same level) to what Punk and Cena got in Chicago at Money in the Bank the month prior. As the match goes on, both guys bust out every bit of their signature offense, but what takes this to the next level is the snap, strength, and intensity they put into it. What's also great about this match is that, in a sense, we're still seeing John Cena be John Cena. In the years after this, Cena would expand his moveset to include springboard stunners and sunset flip powerbombs in an effort to "keep up" with innovators like Kevin Owens, AJ Styles, and Seth Rollins. While these adaptations helped Cena stay fresh, they also led his matches to become about a series of moves rather than about the character-driven clashes that defined his best work. As the match continues we get some brilliant knee strikes from Punk, lots of great exchanges, and even some back-and-forth with Triple H that could've come across as overdone and melodramatic but never goes too far (something I wasn't necessarily expecting considering Triple H's reputation for being a bit of a spotlight hog). I liked the finish - which saw CM Punk land yet another Go-To-Sleep and get the pin as Cena draped his foot over the bottom rope out of Triple H's view. Punk's victory gets a huge pop, Cena looks rightly pissed, and Triple H apologizes. The show looks to be wrapping up as The Game makes his way towards the back, but we then get one of the bigger shockers of the 2010s - the return of Kevin Nash, who powerbombs CM Punk, escapes back through the crowd. This leads to Alberto Del Rio cashing in his briefcase and leaving the show as the WWE Champion. The match itself is at least a 4-star affair, a clear "should watch," but the post-match overbooking has not aged well and, even at the time, drew plenty of criticism for "cooling" CM Punk. If the overbooked finish of their Money in the Bank classic could be overlooked in the grand scheme of things (remember, Punk didn't get a clean win there either), the outcome and post-match angle are simply too "loud" and tacked-on to ignore. (4/5)


With a Kwang Score of 3.42-out-of-5, SummerSlam 2011 is one of the better WWE pay-per-views of the decade, bookended by a great opener and an excellent title match between all-time greats and anchored by (arguably) Randy Orton and Christian's best performances ever. The Cee-Lo Green performance is tedious, but the rest of the show goes by swiftly. Modern viewers will also likely enjoy seeing Daniel Bryan and Mark Henry on the rise, the latter years away from becoming the biggest star in the industry and the former on the brink of putting it all together and having an awesome heel run on SmackDown that would change the perception of him forever. 

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

NXT Takeover: In Your House

NXT Takeover: In Your House

Orlando, FL - June 2020

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, NXT's first "pay-per-view" of the quarantine, Adam Cole is the NXT Champion, the NXT North American Champion is Keith Lee, the NXT Women's Champion is Charlotte Flair, and the NXT Tag Team Champions are the Undisputed Era.

NXT Takeover: In Your House kicked off with a fun opening from Todd Pettengill that harkened back to the In Your Houses of the mid-90s in graphics and delivery. Unfortunately, any good will that the opening video package got from me was then ruined by the awful metalcore song that went on for what seemed like 10 years. 

Starting things off, we got a six-woman tag - Shotzi Blackheart, Tegan Nox, and Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, and Raquel Gonzalez. For some reason, the "fans" in attendance started a "This is Awesome" chant before the match even started. No, it isn't, boys. A series of high-flying moves to the outside led to an "NXT" chant in the early going, but there was nothing too special on display. I was far more impressed by Shotzi Blackheart's shoulder submission moments later. This match had some good moments but quite a few noticeable hiccups too - telegraphed topes, mistimed pin breaks, nothing remarkable in terms of storytelling or showcasing a particular talent. (2.5/5)

Another "throwback" moment as we got a commercial for WWE Ice Cream Sandwiches done with Lord Alfred Hayes-style voiceover. I liked it.

Damian Priest vs. Finn Balor followed. Is there a more irrelevant wrestler in the WWE than Finn Balor? Remembering a time when Balor was actually considered a could-be WWE main eventer, a potential "top guy" feels like remembering a fever dream - like you can recall glimmers of it, weird memories, but it doesn't quite feel like it ever truly happened. I had not seen any of Damien Priest's work before the last Takeover and generally liked what I saw from the guy, though he still strikes me as a work-in-progress, a solid worker with a good look but not a discernible character. Balor, meanwhile, suffered from a heel turn that was essentially cooled not because Balor's work deteriorated, but because it didn't go anywhere or propel him to any new heights. A "This Is Awesome" broke out and again it just felt forced and unearned, actually highlighting just how unremarkable this match was. Now, that's not to say there weren't good moments or that either guy was half-assing anything - they were obviously working hard - but this was just back-and-forth, you're turn-my turn wrestling. The best moment was the ridiculous Damien Priest back bump onto the stairs, an absolutely nasty spot that should've ended the match but inexplicably didn't (instead, Balor got the clean win following a pair of Coup De Gras double-stomps). (2.5/5)

Keith Lee defended his NXT North American Championship against Johnny Gargano next. I'm a big Lee fan, but am considerably cooler on Gargano's heel work. Lee and Gargano had great chemistry, though, and Gargano played the rag doll well. I also liked that, unlike the preceding match, there was an actual story here as Gargano had to rely on dirty tactics to overcome the size and power advantage of Lee, going after Lee's right eye and fingers. The best spot of the match was Lee pouncing Gargano through one of the social distancing plexi-glass walls, though it was quite as GIF worthy as when he did it to Cole some months back. As Lee carried Gargano back into the ring, Candice LeRae showed up, only to get taken out by Lee's real-wife girlfriend, Mia Yim (who was also sporting a cool BLM shirt). As the ref dealt with the warring women, Gargano pulled a key out of his tights and jammed it into Lee's eye, but he still couldn't get a 3 count! Johnny maintained control for a minute, but Lee hit his Spirit Bomb and then a Big Bang Catastrophe to finish him off. This was a smartly worked match marred only by some of the annoying chants coming from the phony crowd and a run time that felt just a tad too long. The best match of the night so far and maybe Gargano's best heel performance (that I've seen), but still not a must-watch. (3/5)

I wasn't expecting it, but the next match was the Backlot Brawl for the NXT Championship - Adam Cole defending the strap against Velveteen Dream. This was shot in "cinematic" fashion like the Boneyard Match, but the setting was more traditional - a black wrestling ring set up in a parking lot surrounded by a bunch of cars and hollering "fans." Dream and Cole came dressed for a brawl, neither guy wearing their traditional wrestling tights (thank god). This match was a confused mess from the start, kicking off with Dream just trying to get a quick pin (despite this being the culmination of a blood feud) and then transitioning to "action movie" intensity (Cole hiding in a sports car that Dream then smashed up with a baseball bat) before a brief moment of levity (an Uber joke) all within the first 10 minutes. Again, the crowd noise was more distracting than anything, especially the unspirited chant of "Velveteen" by some deep-voiced dude. Velveteen's usually-entertaining theatrics made no sense in this context, nor did either guy's decision to attempt double axehandles from the ring to the ground (which were countered, both times, by the other guy hitting a superkick in what I imagine was supposed to be clever "mirror" work). As Dream set up a ladder and looked to elbow drop Cole on the hood of a car, the rest of Undisputed Era showed up - only to see Cole call from the ladder through the front windshield of the car. Strong, Fish, and O'Reilly jumped Dream and then got to work filling the ring with chairs. Surprise, surprise, though - Dexter Loomis was under the ring for some reason! Loomis managed to take out Strong and Fish, shoving them into the back of a car and driving off with them. Meanwhile, Cole continued to sell the damage to his arm. With Dream in the ring, Cole attempted a Panama Sunrise onto the bed of chairs, but Dream countered it into a Dream Valley Driver for 2. While Dream looked like he may have been nearing victory, Cole ended up surviving a bit longer and hitting the Panama Sunrise on the bed of chairs to get the win. While this was not as bad as the Edge/Orton match, it was still a disappointment and neither guy came out of this match looing like a star - especially not Dream, who was beaten straight-up and is now, like so many others in NXT/WWE, "just another guy" after being a "can't miss prospect" a couple years ago. There was fear that going to the main roster would "ruin" Velveteen Dream, but staying in NXT certainly hasn't helped either. (1.5/5)

Karrion Kross (and his manager Scarlet Bourdeaux) make his Takeover debut next - taking on former NXT Champion, Tommaso Ciampa. The first time I saw Kross's entrance I thought it was cool, but by the second go-through, I didn't find it to be all that amazing or "different" than what we see from Bray Wyatt or Aleister Black or what we once got with the Brood. The "Fall and Pray" chant might be cool in the future, but in this setting, hearing and seeing a half-dozen dudes doing it felt ultra nerdy (and not in a hip way). Kross no-sold Ciampa's early offense, but eventually Ciampa was able to get some real shots in and stop Kross in his tracks. On the outside of the ring, though, Kross eventually sent Ciampa into the apron with a double-choke toss and then followed it up with a big suplex. Kross followed it with another one and then delivered some knees to Ciampa's face in the corner. All the while, Mauro Ranallo brought up the Japanese wrestling influence, but I didn't see anything I haven't seen anyone else do. Ciampa rallied, though, even hitting his Willow's Bell for 2. Ciampa attempted his Fairy Tale Ending, but Kross countered it into a fireman's carry release slam (not too dissimilar to the F-5) and then locked in the Kross Jacket to force Ciampa to tap. I liked that this match didn't go too long and Kross came out of it looking like a big threat, but anyone heaping any sort of praise on this is just drinking too much of Kross Kool-Aid. (3/5)

Main event time - Charlotte Flair defending the NXT Women's Championship against Rhea Rhipley and Io Shirai. After the bell rang, Flair ducked out of the ring to allow the challengers to square off, only inserting herself into the fray once she saw a clear advantage. As has become something of a trope, Flair provided her own running commentary during the match, trash talking her way through the action. Shirai looked very small compared to Flair and Rhipley, essentially becoming the underdog based on that fact alone (and because her aerial skills are hard to root against). There were some good sequences in this match, but nothing too overly choreographed, which I appreciated. Still, when the "crowd" began chanting "This Is Awesome" it felt apropos of nothing, obligatory and unearned. What exactly had happened that was awesome? Flair almost got the win with a Natural Selection on Shirai, but Io managed to get the shoulder up. Flair applied the Figure 8, but Rhipley broke it up by pulling Flair out of the ring by her hair. As they battled on the outside, Shirai recovered and hit an awesome crossbody on the floor to Rhipley. Finally we got to see someone go through part of the In Your House set as Flair tossed Shirai through the glassless "window." Rhipley and Flair brawled by the plexi-glass, but it was Shirai who got the spotlight as she climbed atop the set and came down on both women with another crossbody! It wasn't the craziest move I've ever seen, but it was a cool visual. Back in the ring, Shirai looked to finish Flair off with a moonsault but Rhipley denied her. Rhipley attempted a superplex, but Shirai escaped and attempted a Frankensteiner, only to get stopped by Charlotte. Flair hit some huge chops on Rhipley in the corner, but as she attempted a superplex, Rhipley countered it with a pseudo-Riptide off the top rope. Shirai stopped the count, but ended up in the Prism Trap. Flair grabbed a kendo stick and started unloading on both women, which would typically be a DQ - but because this was a No DQ/No Countout match, it was perfectly legal. Flair applied the Figure 8, but Shirai came out and clocked Rhipley with a moonsault  that connected straight on her face! Shirai made the cover while Flair was trying to maneuver out of the Figure 8 and we've got a new NXT Women's Champion! Another okay match, but nothing great. (3/5)


With a Kwang Score of 2.58-out-of-5, this is the first Takeover show I've reviewed that didn't offer a single match I'd consider a WWE Match of the Year Candidate. While one could argue that this could've been partially caused by the setting, I wouldn't agree - this was just a "ho-hum" show with questionable booking and, in the case of the NXT Championship match, at least one abject flop. The opener was good, but felt like a "TV match," as did the Karrion Kross/Ciampa match. The main event was good-not-great and Priest/Balor was forgettable save for a single ridiculous spot. Coming out of this show, I'm not excited about any current NXT storyline or character aside from Keith Lee, who really should be at the top of the card. Inessential viewing.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE Extreme Rules 2012

WWE Extreme Rules 2012

Chicago, IL - April 2012

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the WWE Champion was CM Punk, the World Heavyweight Champion was Sheamus, the Intercontinental Champion was The Big Show, and the United States Champion was Santino Marella. The WWE Tag Team Champions were The Colons (Epico and Primo, who I was amazed to see were still under contract up until the April mass firing) and the Divas Champion was Nikki Bella.

Extreme Rules 2012 begins with a bit of a shocker - a sizable pop for Kane upon his arrival to take on Randy Orton in a Falls Count Anywhere match. I'm not sure how this feud/storyline started but we get a video package highlighting the way these two went after eachother's fathers ("Cowboy" Bob Orton and Paul Bearer). Orton was the babyface so he gets an even bigger pop. It doesn't take long for these two to bring the fight out of the ring and into the crowd, brawling through the stands. At one point, Orton sits Kane against a barricade and runs into him with his knee and its brutal in its simplicity. To his credit, Kane retaliates with a low dropkick on the floor that also looks great. I'm not a huge fan of either guy but they work hard in this match, maybe motivated by the fact that they were put in the opener? When they make their way backstage, the lack of crowd response is a bit jarring. Zack Ryder shows up out of nowhere and attempts to take Kane out but gets no-sold. Ryder gets tossed aside like a clown as Orton and Kane continue to fight. Back in front of the crowd, Orton regains control and tosses Kane back into the ring. Orton hits his trademark bodyslam and then grabs a chair, walloping Kane's back with it. Orton clears off the announce table and hits Kane with a hangman DDT off of it. Minutes later, Orton hits Kane with a superplex but only gets 2. Orton goes for an RKO but Kane pushes him away and then hits him with a Chokeslam for 2, the Chicago crowd biting hard on it. Kane calls for the Tombstone, attempting to drive him into the chair, but Orton escapes and then hits him with an RKO for the clean win. While the commentators talked about how back-and-forth it was, to my eyes it was a fairly dominant Orton performance as he hit nearly every one of his signature moves with relative ease. Seeing Kane take so much punishment, even from a main eventer like Orton, is odd considering how much they've protected Kane over the years. (3/5)

Backstage, John Laurenaitis, the General Manager of both RAW and SmackDown, and his executive assistant Eve Torres embarrass Teddy Long. 

Brodus Clay, along with the Funkadactyls (Cameron and Naomi) and Hornswoggle, make their way down the aisle next. Clay's entrance is spoiled by the arrival of Vickie Guerrero, who introduces her client and Clay's opponent - Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler is accompanied to the ring by Jack Swagger, a partnership I totally forgot about. Despite being the heel, Ziggler has the Chicago crowd behind him. Clay isn't awful, but he's nothing special. He had a tremendous look, no doubt, but his offense was unremarkable. This was filler, but at least it didn't eat up much time. (2/5)

The Intercontinental Champion, The Big Show, defends the title against Cody Rhodes in a Tables Match next. These two had surprisingly good chemistry, which I'm guessing has something to do with how far these two go back; Rhodes being a self-proclaimed "WCW Guy" and Big Show being such a huge figure in mid-90s WCW. Show dominates (as he should), but accidentally steps through a table after a Cody Rhodes dropkick, losing the match by technicality. I'm not sure what I think of the finish - on one hand, it was maybe too "out of nowhere" for me and wasn't built up, but at the same time, the fact that it was unpredictable and sudden was kinda the whole point. I like Big Show's post-match attack too, especially Big Show press slamming Rhodes out of the ring and through a table. This was different and different is good. (3/5)

Backstage, Daniel Bryan cuts a heel promo about Sheamus. Bryan is over with the Chicago crowd but cuts them down too. As he walks toward the ring, we can see Bryan's spurned ex-girlfriend, AJ Lee, is watching from the shadows, 

After a video package recapping their feud, it is time for Sheamus vs. Bryan in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for Sheamus' World Heavyweight Championship. The crowd is a bit split - some fans chanting "Daniel Bryan" and booing Sheamus and some fans clearly rooting for the World Heavyweight Champ. Sheamus shows off some good technique early on, hitting his rolling fireman's carry and then applying a cloverleaf. Bryan uses his speed to gain control, though, connecting with a dropkick that sends Sheamus to the arena floor. Another "Daniel Bryan" chant starts up, but the other half of the crowd shows their support for Sheamus too. Bryan does some strong heel work, attempting to break Sheamus' fingers and pull his shoulder out of its socket. Bryan's cut-offs through this initial "heat" segment are uniformly sharp - nothing super fancy or showy, but all efficient. Sheamus eventually puts together a string of power moves, including a fallaway slam that gets him a nearfall. Sheamus attempts a tackle in the corner but Bryan moves away and hits Sheamus with a nasty kick to the face. Bryan attempts a hurricanrana from the top, but instead Sheamus hits him with a battering ram from the top for 2. Sheamus attempts a vertical suplex, but Bryan escapes and Sheamus ends up on the arena floor. Bryan attempts a dive, but Sheamus meets him with a forearm to the head. Sheamus attempts one of his trademark powerbombs, but Bryan escapes again and gets a 2 count with a roll-up. Bryan tries to apply the Yes Lock, but he just can't lock it in. Bryan goes to the corner and Sheamus follows, but Bryan dodges and the big man goes right into the post. Bryan follows it up by ramming him shoulder-first into the post on the outside. Its not the most original twist, but I like Bryan continuing to target the shoulder afterwards, not just using it as a transitional move. Back in the ring, Bryan lays in a series of stiff kicks to Sheamus' shoulder, not stopping until the referee pulls him away and rewards the first fall to Sheamus by DQ. Bryan quickly ties things up, though, hitting Sheamus with a running kick in the corner and then applying the Yes Lock. Sheamus never actually taps, but its clear that Bryan has him defeated, the referee making another judgment call. Bryan leads the crowd in a "Yes" chant, but there are also a fair number of fans chanting "No!" back at him. A doctor comes into the ring to check on Sheamus, the babyface not looking too heroic. Sheamus decides to continue and Bryan attempts another running kick in the coner, but Sheamus stuns him with a Brogue Kick! He can't make the cover quick enough, though, so Bryan kicks out at 2 (much to the delight of at least half the crowd). Bryan pulls himself up with the help of the ropes and lays in more kicks, eventually knocking Sheamus square in the head with one. Bryan gets a 2 count and then goes to the top rope. Sheamus cuts him off, though, hitting him with a barrage of forearms. Sheamus attempts a superplex but Bryan headbutts him to the mat. Bryan goes for a diving headbutt but Sheamus rolls away. Bryan attempts another running dropkick in the corner but Sheamus dodges and hits a couple axehandles on the challenger. Sheamus hits the Irish Curse backbreaker and then hits Bryan with a Brogue Kick to finish him. I was expecting a "bigger" finishing sequence, but you can't be disappointed with a clean finish to an all-out war like that match. A really good match, but I'll admit to not being quite as "high" on it as others. (4/5)

Two jobbers, Aaron Relic and Jay Hutton, stand in the ring and cut a promo about their opponent tonight - Ryback. The fans chant "Goldberg" at Ryback as he destroys his opponents without breaking a sweat. Ryback's "Feed Me More" chant had not yet taken off, but a year from this he'd actually be pretty over. This was "filler" but it was fun enough and we got to see Ryback hit an awesome clothesline. (2.5/5)

After a quick promo backstage, it is time for our WWE Championship Match - CM Punk defending the title against Chris Jericho in a Chicago Street Fight. Punk gets a huge ovation from his hometown crowd. He's dressed for a streetfight, sporting a "Drug Free" t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Punk controls early, grabbing a kendo stick and tossing two chairs into the ring. An "ECW" chant starts up for no apparent reason. Jericho is great as a cowardly-but-crafty heel early, hiding behind Mike Chioda and poking Punk in the eye to cut off the Champ's momentum. Jericho follows it up with a springboard dropkick that sends Punk to the floor. Jericho controls for a few minutes but doesn't do much more than toss Punk into the barricade and hit him with some random weapons. Things pick up a little when he peels back the top of the barricade and beats down the champ right in front of his sister/close friend Chaleen. Punk goes wild and tears the tops off of both tables, slamming Jericho through one. Punk attempts a piledriver on the floor but Jericho counters it into a back body drop. Jericho then hits him with a monitor and then breaks the announce table cover over his back. Booker T talks about how this is "what a Chicago Street Fight is all about," but back in the ring, Jericho applies a chinlock - maybe the most non-street fight move possible. Punk counters with a back suplex and then attempts a springboard clothesline but slips off and Jericho levels him with a kendo stick shot. Jericho goes to the outside and grabs a beer from under the ring. He tries to pour it on Punk, but it only serves to energize him, Punk taking over the match as the crowd goes wild. The energy of the Chicago fans are definitely carrying this match more than the action - which is fine, but not nearly as "hardcore" as we know these two were capable of. Punk delivers a big elbow drop and the crowd erupts into a "Randy Savage" chant but he's unable to hit the GTS and Jericho ends up back in control after a bulldog. Jericho attempts the Lionsault but Punk catches him in an Electric Chair and then attempts another Go To Sleep. Jericho escapes and sends him face-first into a chair in the corner for 2. Punk and Jericho sell exhaustion but Jericho manages to apply the Walls of Jericho. Punk makes it to the ropes but there's no rope break in a streetfight! Punk grabs a fire extinguisher from under the ring and blows it into Jericho's face to break the hold! A "CM Punk" chant emerges in appreciation as Jericho tries to wipe his eyes in the ref's shirt. Punk rams the extinguisher into Jericho's stomach twice and then hits him with a big kick that sends him onto the announce table. Punk then launches himself from the top rope onto Jericho through the table! Again, not the most innovative spot but still a crowd-pleaser and an impressive bit of violence. Punk rolls Jericho back into the ring but only gets 2. Punk applies the Anaconda Vice, but Jericho grabs the kendo stick and bashes Punk over the head with it to escape. A "This is Awesome" chant starts and while I wouldn't say the whole match was awesome, the past few minutes have been very good. Jericho hits a chair-assisted Codebreaker but only gets 2! Jericho hits him with a kendo stick but is clearly at a loss for what to do to put away the Champ. Jericho attempts a Go To Sleep, but Punk counters it and catapults Jericho into the corner. Punk hits the Go To Sleep and gets the win. There were good moments sprinkled through this match and the audience's energy can not be ignored, but CM Punk didn't come across nearly unhinged enough for me and there was little to no innovation. Not a bad match, but not as great as it could've and should've been. (3/5)

Backstage, the Bellas get into it with Eve Torres. Nikki Bella had only recently won the Divas Champion from Beth Pheonix, but her opponent tonight was Layla. Bella would gain a reputation as being a better-than-decent worker in her last couple of years, but she was still putting everything together at this point. Unsurprisingly, we get some "Twin Magic," but it backfires as Layla pins Brie Bella to become the Divas Champion. Not a great match - not even a good match - and I'm not necessarily why they opted to put the title on Layla (who wasn't exactly known for her in-ring abilities either), but it didn't overstay its welcome and it served as a "palate cleanser" after the WWE Championship match just fine. (1.5/5)

Main event time - John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar. This was Lesnar's first match back in the WWE after a lengthy and controversial sabbatical that saw him gain even more credibility and star power by winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Cena, meanwhile, came into this match after the biggest loss of his career (up to this point) - to The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII. Its a bit weird to see Lesnar walk out without Paul Heyman by his side, but Heyman wouldn't return to the WWE for another year or two if I recall correctly. Lesnar takes out Cena early, grinding his forearm into Cena and cutting him open within the first minute. It is brutal to watch, but Cena fights back and this match comes off as "realer" than anything I've seen in years. A medic comes into the ring to try to stop Cena's bleeding, but he is losing a ton of blood from the top of his head all thanks to Lesnar's elbows. Cena dives again at Lesnar, but Brock has no trouble laying on him and pummeling with his punches to the head. Lesnar hits him with some knees to the stomach and Cena rolls to the outside, completely overwhelmed. As Cena crawls back into the ring, the blood continues to flow and there's another ref stoppage (which draws boos from the heartless Chicago fans). Lesnar tries running into him, but Cena catches him with a back elbow. Lesnar rebounds, though, and hits Cena with two german suplexes - shades of what would happen when they met again at SummerSlam 2013. The match slows down a bit, Lesnar allowing Cena to get to his feet just so he can punish him some more. Lesnar applies a Kimura Lock and sends him into the turnbuckle. Lesnar reapplies it on the outside and sends Cena into the barricade before grabbing Cena's chain from the post. Lesnar wraps it around his fist, but opts not to use it. Lesnar drives another knee into Lesnar's ribs and then wraps the chain around Cena's feet. Cena barely manages to stand up and Lesnar brings him right back down to the mat with a nasty clothesline. Lesnar hangs Cena on the post and brutalizes him even more, smashing his arm against the ring apron. This is the Lesnar that I wish we still got today - not just vicious and powerful, but innovative. Lesnar goes to find a ref but it allows Cena to get in a flurry of offense. Lesnar cuts him off and sends him into the steps before tossing Charles Robinson back into the ring. Cena crawls back in, the chain in his hand. Lesnar tosses it aside and takes Cena out with a huge F-5, accidentally taking Robinson out in the process. Lesnar covers and gets the visual pin, but nobody is there to make a count! Another ref comes in, but Cena kicks out at 2! Lesnar takes the ref out in anger and two more show up. Lesnar throws the steel steps into the center of the ring and stands atop it, basking in the spotlight. Lesnar applies the Kimura Lock again, Cena screaming in pain. A huge "Let's Go Cena/Cena Sucks" chant starts up as Cena, somehow, miraculously, counters the Kimura Lock by lifting Lesnar and dropping him on the steel steps. Cena goes to the top and attempts a leg drop, but Lesnar rolled out of the way and Cena hits the mat before rolling out of the ring. Lesnar gets up and after being confused as to where Cena went, spots him and begs for him to come back into the ring. As Cena stands on the apron, Lesnar bounces off the ropes and hits him with a flying forearm! Lesnar's momentum carries him over the top rope and he nearly concusses himself. Lesnar laughs off the botch, though, and attempts it again - only for Cena to meet him with a chain shot to the skull! Lesnar is busted open and dazed, barely able to pull himself up to his feet. Cena hits him with a huge Attitude Adjustment on the steps to get the win! Wow. That match was ultra-violent and amazing, but the ending was a head-scratcher to me. After dominating so much of the match, it just seemed a little too unrealistic for Cena to get the win, even if the offense he delivered to get there was essentially two established "killshots" (a chain to the skull and an AA on steel steps). At the time, much was written about Cena's post-match antics but watching it years later, Cena's comments seem like the words of someone who believed - in the moment - that his left arm had been severely injured. I've seen some people call this a perfect match, but I won't go that far. It is a definite must-see and fascinating watch, a very different type of bout than anything we'd seen from Cena (or anyone else in the WWE) in years. (4.5/5)



With a Kwang Score of 2.94-out-of-5, Extreme Rules 2012 may not seem like one of the better pay-per-views of the modern era but it absolutely is. The main event is a must-see massacre with one of the more shocking finishes of the decade, Sheamus/Daniel Bryan is a hair short of being a classic (but certainly a "must watch" for any D-Bry fan), and while I was disappointed with Jericho/Punk, my opinion is never the authoritative view. The Cody Rhodes/Big Show match is good fun and I even liked the Kane/Orton opener. Even the Ryback opener is inoffensive. While there's some fat to be trimmed, it is incredibly rare for a WWE show not to be weighed down by at least 3-4 lame matches or segments. This show only features two.

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