WWE Bad Blood 2003

WWE Bad Blood 2003

Houston, Texas - June 2003

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Triple H is the World Heavyweight Champion, Christian is the Intercontinental Champion, Rob Van Dam and Kane hold the World Tag Team Championships, and Jazz is the WWE Womens' Champion. 

COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

Is there a team with more curtain-jerkers on their resume than the Dudley Boys? The story coming into this contest is that D-Von has been targeted by Teddy Long's Thuggin' and Buggin' Enterprises stable, specifically Chris Nowinksi and Rodney Mack, as an "uncle tom" always doing the bidding of his brother Bubba Ray. Surprisingly, this match is actually pretty solid - good layout, fast-paced, and Nowinski can actually take a bump. I can't believe the Dudleys were still over in 2003, but they are. Slightly below average only because the average Dudleys match at least has one table spot. (2/5)

It is now time for Round 1 of tonight's Redneck Triatholon between RAW's co-General Managers Steve Austin and Eric Bischoff. Unfunny, lowest common denominator, disgusting stuff. Austin walked out of the WWE months earlier for being asked to put over Brock Lesnar on a random episode of RAW, but this is the kind of shit he should've been much more embarrassed of. Austin wins the burp contest and my stomach's upset. (-1)

Back in the ring, Test arrives to take on Scott Steiner in a match where the winner will earn the managerial rights of Stacy Keibler. Like the first match, I was surprised by how good this was. Steiner's bouts with Triple H earlier in the year were historically underwhelming (though, I'd argue their first match doesn't deserve the hate it gets) and one wouldn't expect someone like Test to get something better out of him, but the two roid monsters actually have chemistry. Steiner lands a few suplexes that look like they're inches away from paralyzing the former Motley Crue bodyguard, which isn't a good thing if you're Test, but is quite alright if you're like me and tend to enjoy near-death high spots. Solid, well-executed finish. I hate to admit it but Test, despite generally being one of my least favorite workers, has surprised me with how many average-to-good matches he actually has under his belt (my favorite still being the slugfest with Lesnar at King of the Ring 2002). (2.5/5)

Eric Bischoff introduces Steve Austin to the bevy of beauties that will be part of the second event of the Redneck Triathlon - the (poontang) Pie-Eating Contest. And the taste level sinks lower...

Christian defends his WWE Intercontinental Championship next against the man he cheated out of it a month or so prior, Booker T. Tonight's show is in Booker's hometown so its pretty much guaranteed he'll be losing. Somewhat pedestrian match out of these two, but the crowd's alive for most of it and everything is executed well (save for a near-botch on a victory roll in the corner by Booker). Back-and-forth story without an over-reliance on signature spots. Decent ending to continue the feud and good heel work out of Christian, but this came off more like a TV match than a PPV-worthy title bout. (2/5)

Jerry "The King" Lawler is in the ring for Event #2 of the Triatholon, welcoming Bischoff and Austin for the Pie-Eating Contest. In the previous backstage segment, Bischoff had agreed to "eat the pie" of a woman of Austin's choosing and *big surprise* the lucky lady is none other than Mark Henry's ex, Mae Young! Bischoff refuses to engage at first, but when Austin reminds him that he will then lose the Triatholon by forfeit, Sleazy E kisses Mae Young and then takes a Bronco Buster from a barely-covered Mae Young. Bischoff tells Austin its his turn, but instead of participating, he gives Young one of the weakest Stunners ever and lets Bischoff win. 

Bizarre Gail Kim video package. Was she supposed to be from The Matrix? Network Nugget of Weirdness. (+1)

The World Tag Team Championships are on the line next, with Kane and Rob Van Dam defending the straps against La Resistance. In the build to this match, Kane and RVD's partnership had hit some potholes, with Kane not coming to the aid of his tag partner on a recent episode of RAW. Van Dam and Kane don't show any signs of splintering for the majority of the match, but the finish is a different story as Rob Van Dam accidentally takes out his own partner with a Rolling Thunder splash to the outside. La Resistance take advantage and score a quick pinfall to become the new champions. I wasn't expecting a classic, but this was well below even average. (1.5/5)

In a match years in the making, Chris Jericho takes on Goldberg next. The angle leading up to this match seems pretty cool based on the video package, with Jericho getting the best of Goldberg repeatedly and using his legitimate issues with the guy from their WCW days to fuel his promos. Goldberg's bout with The Rock at April's Backlash was awful, but I still went into this with some optimism. Jericho comes out first and then we get the familiar arrival of Goldberg, still one of the best entrances ever. Goldberg goes right after Jericho to start, the two tumbling to the outside of the ring through the ropes. Jericho attempts a crossbody but ends up bodyslammed for his trouble before getting tossed into the corner. A small-but-audible "Y2J" chant starts, which is a bad sign considering Goldberg had only been in the WWE for a couple months. Goldberg continues to dominate with his strength but makes a terrible mistake in attempting a spear on the outside. Back in the ring, Jericho takes control with Goldberg's head busted open from his collision with the barrier. Goldberg cuts Jericho off with a nasty kick when Y2J comes off the ropes and, again, the crowd boos when they should've popped. One might expect reactions like this in New York or anywhere in Canada, but since when is Houston a town full of Jerichoholics? A small "Goldberg Sucks" chant can be heard as the match wears on well past the length of most Goldberg matches. Jericho hits a Lionsault for two and follows it with a bulldog. Jericho attempts another Lionsault and Goldberg tries to catch him, but imperfect positioning leads to a botch. Goldberg hits his spear but can't make the cover. That small "Goldberg Sucks" chant grows in volume as he attempts his Jackhammer. Jericho hits a low blow to escape as the crowd chants "Y2J" (noted by Jim Ross on commentary). He locks in the Walls of Jericho, but Goldberg uses his leg strength to break free. Spear two! Jackhammer to finish with a respectable, but certainly not incredible, pop. Interesting match, but not a great one. I'd still call it better than average considering the average Goldberg match is usually sub-5 minutes. (3/5)

A video package brings us to our next bout - recently heel-turned Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels. The first half of this match is decent but eventful, which makes the second half a bit confusing as Michaels decides, without really needing to, to raise the stakes and bust out a table. Its out of character for the Heartbreak Kid and as he was pretty handily beating Flair anyway, its even more jarring. A second ref bump (the first is maybe best described as a "half bump" and is meaningless) signals the finish with an appearance by Evolution member Randy Orton brandishing a chair. I would say that this is just about the best match you could get out of Flair in 2003, that's not true - a year earlier he had some generally entertaining matches that didn't rely on too many smoke and mirrors (I gave individual matches against Jericho, RVD, and Eddie Guerrero in 2002 respectable 3-star ratings). Considering the built-in emotional pull of a match like this, it didn't live up to expectations. (2.5/5)

Eric Bischoff "serenades" the crowd by lip-syncing his own theme song. Austin appears on the Titantron and tells him to sing for real. Bischoff does so and the crowd boos as he butchers a song that was already pretty terrible. Bischoff tries to escape but a "deputized fan" tosses him back over the barrier as Austin makes his way down the aisle. Austin proceeds to stomp a mudhole in him and then hit his second (much better than the first) Stunner of the night. Austin then brings Bischoff up the ramp and tosses him into the pig sty set up near the curtain. I get that the WWE was trying to use Austin to the best of their ability but these segments were woefully tasteless and Bischoff, great as the smarmy "brains" behind the nWo in WCW, was so castrated and weak in the WWE that these segments were comedy-for-comedy-sakes (which always stinks in pro-wrestling). I won't deduct another point, but I almost should.

Main event time - Triple H vs. Kevin Nash in a Hell in a Cell with Mick Foley as the guest referee. Before the match begins we get a video package that runs for maybe 2-3 minutes feels like at least 20. Sorry, when it comes to a Nash/Triple H match, if you want me to get excited, your best bet is to not remind me that I'm about to watch a Nash/Triple H match. Foley comes out last and the match begins, Nash taking control early and sending The Game into the cell walls. Credit to Helmsley, he actually takes those collisions with gusto and does the same for a back drop onto the floor, obviously trying to single-handedly carry this match into entertaining territory by bumping like there's no tomorrow. Nash brings in a chair and slams it across the champ's back, knowingly or not preparing him for a Jacknife. Helmsley is sent crashing into the stairs but manages to put some distance between himself and the big man and get a few shots in. Nash attempts a Jacknife on the outside but can't muster enough strength, allowing Triple H to connect with some rights and then grab a somewhat comically small hammer. This is where my strong dislike for Triple H might seep through - I hate the large sledgehammer because Triple H wields it like no one whose ever used a sledgehammer in their life, but when he busts out a slightly undersized hammer in this match and uses it realistically, it is goofy for the opposite reason. Easy solution - stop using hammers, Paul. Foley takes it from him (because this is a no DQ match, but a small hammer is "going too far"?) but Triple H maintains control, busting Nash open on the outside. Triple H grabs a screwdriver and starts driving it into the skull of Nash, opening him up even more. Helmsley then busts out a barbwire 2x4, a not-so-subtle nod to his ultra-violent battles with Foley. Nash ends up in control of the 2x4 and connects with a big swing to Triple H's forehead (cue the crimson mask for The Game). Nash secures the 2x4 on the top rope, seemingly setting up Triple H for a "snake eyes" (which is actually a fairly clever spot and one that Triple H does a great job of taking). Nash tries to put Triple H down with the stairs, but the champ outsmarts him, hitting the challenger with a wooden crate he's found under the ring. Now we get the sledgehammer. Despite this being a No DQ match, Triple H opts to knock Foley out anyway, though, he's not even able to do that well because Foley is right back up and making the count for a Kevin Nash near fall. Nash is back up first and has the chair in hands, but Triple H cuts his knee out and then uses the weapon himself, not only knocking out Nash but busting Foley open as well. For his crimes, Foley eats Socko and the crowd pops huge. Nash grabs the stairs but accidentally knocks out both men, essentially costing himself the Championship. Foley then takes the nastiest bump of the night (and one he really shouldn't have had to take), bouncing from the apron into the cage. Nash hits the Jacknife, but Triple H kicks out at 2.9999 and the match continues. I'm not sure why Nash is so fatigued from almost winning, but he's worse for wear than Triple H, who connects with a sledgehammer shot to the midsection and follows it up with the pedigree to seal it. I've seen this match get bashed, but I didn't find it too offensive at all. It is not for everyone - but Triple H fans will dig it and you can't say that Nash or Foley didn't work hard either, both taking some nasty weapon shots, blading, and, in the case of Foley, taking a bump into the cell wall that would deserve placement on just about anyone else's Greatest Hits list. (3.5/5)

I was glad to see that Dave Meltzer rated the main event a respectable 3-and-a-quarter stars. As I don't rate with quarters, I leaned closer to enjoying the match than not. As for the rest of the card? More miss than hit. Only Jericho/Goldberg could be considered better than average and part of that score comes from the unexpected crowd reactions, which make the match more interesting  than outright good. Flair/HBK is a disappointment while the rest of the card is essentially TV matches. Given more time and a better finish, Christian/Booker T might've been good, but that isn't what happened. There's been plenty of shows with a Kwang score similar to Bad Blood's (that would be a 2.43-out-of-5), but very few I would recommend less...

FINAL RATING - DUDleyville

WCW Bash at the Beach 98'

WCW Bash at the Beach 98'

San Diego, CA - July 1998

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Bill Goldberg is the WCW World Champion (having defeated Hulk Hogan for the strap on an episode of Nitro from the Georgia Dome a week prior) and, because of this, the United States Championship (which Goldberg never lost) was vacated. Booker T is the reigning WCW Television Champion while Sting had named Kevin Nash his tag team partner after winning the World Tag Team Championships in a singles match against The Giant at The Great American Bash. Finally, Chris Jericho is the reigning WCW Cruiserweight Champion.

COMMENTARY: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, and Mike Tenay

Before I even start this review, did you look at the poster for this show? Not a single wrestler featured, but a not-so-veiled reference to oral sex. And wrestling fans wonder why our favorite pastime is considered low brow. 

Two years after WCW became the hottest wrestling company in America thanks to the New World Order, Bash at the Beach 98' kicks off with another stable's infighting - former Raven's Flock ally Saturn taking on Raven's Flock leader, Raven. I love how this match opens up (with Saturn  mercilessly tossing Raven into the guardrail repeatedly). This leads to Raven ending up in a precarious position on the top rope, but Riggs steps in and Saturn ends up on the floor. Raven then hits him with an absolutely awesome whiplash leg sweep into the guardrail, one of my favorite moves of his from his ECW days. The big spots keep coming, but the overbooking, illogical swerves, and non-selling pile up too, including a nonsensical run-in by Kwang favorite Kanyon. Its a wrestling cliche for a third party to interfere on behalf of one guy only to attack the guy he moments earlier helped, but in this instance it is doubly frustrated as, not only is Kanyon's decision-making inexplainable but, due to poor timing, Saturn looks like an imbecile too. On its way to greatness, but stumbled in its closing minutes. (3/5)

Eddie Guerrero joins "Mean" Gene Okerlund and hypes his hair match against Chavo Guerrero later in the show. Who would book a PPV with two Chavo Guerrero matches? I know he's lost a step, but even in 98', Chavo's a 1-match-a-night guy and Stevie Ray, his first opponent tonight, is a no-match-a-night guy.

Raven's Flock member Billy Kidman comes out next for a bout against literal-babyfaced luchadore Juventud Guerrera. As Tenay notes on commentary, this is Kidman's first match on pay-per-view and he definitely seems eager to wow the crowd. Though the heat ebbs and flows, the crowd pops for the big spots and there are plenty of em'. Highlights include Juvi and Kidman both hitting massive crossbodies to the outside, some nasty suplexes (including a T-bone out of Juvi that looks like a career-ender), and a back-shattering spinebuster from the top rope by Kidman to Guerrera. Throughout the contest, nearly everything they do, even the most intricate sequences, are executed flawlessly, but at no point does this look like a choreographed dance. An above-average match that runs just a touch too long, like a great rock song that returns to its charming chorus one time too many. (3.5/5)

Chavo Guerrero arrives for his first of two matches tonight, squaring off against Stevie Ray. Chavo's gimmick at this point was that he had flipped out, coming out to the ring wearing a little kid's flotation tube, squirting a super soaker, challenging opponents to dance contests, and believing he could overpower guys like Goldberg and, in this match, the brawn half of Harlem Heat. In a clever turn of events (that also saves the audience from having to see a Stevie Ray match), Chavo immediately submits to Stevie Ray when they shake hands and it's Hair Match time. More angle than match, I'm not going to rate it. (+1)

Eddie Guerrero steps into the ring as the crowd chants "Eddie Sucks" and Chavo chases him out of the ring by biting him. I did not enjoy their match at Great American Bash, but Chavo's new character adds much-needed energy and fun to a rivalry that needed something extra by now. After nearly back body dropping Eddie to the rafters, Chavo goes right back to biting and the crowd cheers in appreciation. Eddie takes control soon after and the tone of the match gets more serious, with Eddie taking out Chavo with a series of locked-in dropkicks to the back of the head and neck in the corner and on the mat. Later, Chavo misses a huge crossbody from the top, but follows it up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker to cut off Eddie's momentum. To the outside they go and Eddie exposes the concrete. Chavo counters with a suplex but Eddie doesn't necessarily sell it as long as he should, rolling back into the ring to break the count with illogical ease. In the corner, Chavo looks to hit something from the top, but Eddie races up and we get a superplex. Chavo again heads to the top moments later for a frog splash, but Eddie raises his knees and Eddie follows it up with one of Chavo's finishers - a tornado DDT. Eddie grabs for the scissors, but Charles Robinson rips them away. Eddie misses his Frog Splash and Chavo lands his finisher (to relative silence). Now its Chavo's turn to make the mistake of going for the scissors early, but it ends up costing him the match. Solid opening to the match, but as they approached the finish, the selling fell off and the crowd seemed to lose interest. In a final, post-match twist, Chavo takes his own hair off, begging Eddie to do the same so that they can be twins. An improvement on their Great American Bash match thanks to Chavo's strong character work and Eddie being maybe the most watchable wrestler ever, but imperfect and not necessarily a bout I'd want to revisit. (3/5)

Disco Inferno (with Alex Wright) makes his way down the aisle next for an impromptu "bonus" match against the nWo Wolfpack's Konnan. Like the Stevie Ray non-match earlier in the show, I have to reward WCW for the brilliant booking here - this match essentially comprises of Wright and Inferno dancing, Kevin Nash and Konnan popping the crowd with their catchphrases, and then Inferno getting jacknife powerbombed while Wright gets put in the Torture Rack on the outside. Konnan applies one move by my count. Barely a match, but probably more entertaining than a legitimate Inferno/Konnan match could ever be. (2.5/5)

The next match was originally going to be a tag bout featuring Curt Hennig and Goldberg, but when Goldberg won the World Championship all that changed and we now have The Giant competing one-on-one against NFL star (and future NFL Hall of Famer) Kevin Greene. While certainly a novelty match, this is a surprisingly sound contest with some very logical sequences and everything these two do looking pretty good (especially considering that I'm not sure Greene was necessarily prepped about this being a singles match in the weeks leading up to it). The Giant, meanwhile, does a his job of leading the linebacker through the match's paces without rushing anything, selling and bumping without losing any of his own credibility and wisely milking this match for its real purpose - to essentially build to a Goldberg/Giant match (the crowd picks up on this fairly early and lets the big man hear it). While certainly not a "great" match, considering Greene's experience level and the intended purpose of this match, its a fine few minutes of action. (2.5/5)

Backstage, Curt Hennig tells Lee Marshall that he has the know-how and experience to defeat Bill Goldberg tonight.

For the dozenth time tonight, Schiavone reminds fans that the scheduled Jericho/Malenko Cruiserweight Title Match will not happen tonight due to Malenko's recent suspension (he attacked Jericho on Nitro when there was a "no contact" rule in place to keep them separated). This time, though, we actually get a video package showing us exactly what happened a few nights earlier.

Chris Jericho makes his way down the aisle with his Cruiserweight Championship (as well as a top hat and cane). The Ayatollah of Rock n' Rollah proceeds to cut a promo about "Stinko" Malenko and then begins his "soft shoe" routine. He's instantly interrupted, though, by "Jo Jo" Dillon, who apologizes to Jericho for underestimating the amount of fans he has. Dillon continues to say that his fans are probably disappointed that Jericho won't be able to defend the title tonight and tells him that he's found a guy who hasn't wrestled in 6 months (and is therefor eager to get in the ring with Jericho). Jericho makes sure that the match is still No DQ and then we hear the familiar entrance music of noneother than...Rey Mysterio Jr.! Mysterio and Jericho have always had good chemistry and this match has some really fun moments, including Mysterio hitting a hurricanrana off a lifeguard chair and Jericho bashing the hell out of Mysterio's knee with a chair. After missing a follow-up Pillmanizer from the top, Mysterio gets his turn with the chair and Jericho is in trouble. Mysterio attempts a springboard maneuver of some kind but ends up in the Walls of Jericho. Malenko arrives but doesn't seem to cause much of a distraction. Still, the outcome is the same - new Cruiserweight Champion with an unexpected victory roll. Jericho and Mysterio have had much better matches, but a "whole picture," this is an "angle + match" combo that works really well (and would've worked even better if the San Diego crowd actually gave a shit). (3/5)

Bret "The Hitman" Hart vs. Booker T for the Television Championship is next. Hart coming down to the nWo theme song, a song that at least a half dozen other guys use as their song, is almost a perfect metaphor for how much Hart can become "just another guy" in WCW by this point. The match starts off fairly hot, with Booker T in control and Bret Hart forced to play defense, hip tossed over the top rope and then slammd into the guardrail. A TV title match was "beneath" the Hitman, but Hart doesn't half-ass it and Booker is obviously working like this is the biggest match of his career (which, at this point, it easily was). Work-wise, between bells, this is an easy match to love - and though the finish is disappointing, it is also super effective at establishing a number of new ideas, specifically that Booker T's innovation and energy may have had Hart's number, that Bret is a mega-heel that doesn't give a single shit about sportsmanship, and that the Stevie Ray/Booker T relationship is frayed. The in-ring action we did get was very good and I dug the intensity of the post-match angle too. Not a must-see match, but good storyline development nonetheless. (3/5)

A video package highlights Goldberg's historic World Championship victory on Nitro. WCW wasn't known for its great production, but this was really well done. (+1)

Michael Buffer is in the ring to announce the participants in tonight's WCW World Championship match, WCW World Champion Bill Goldberg and his opponent, Curt Hennig. Goldberg is super over and dominates at the start, with Hennig showing off his incredible bumping. Goldberg's leglock-takedown has looked prettier and his powerslam from the corner is almost equally ugly, but Goldberg's appeal has never been his fluidity or execution. Hennig is able to cut him off briefly and attack Goldberg's ankle, but instead of sticking to that gameplan, he goes for the Perfect-Plex. Goldberg, unsurprisingly, kicks out with ease and hits both his Spear and a Jackhammer to seal this one at well under 5 minutes. I wasn't expecting much more than this, but as a Hennig fan, I kind of wish this was more competitive. Average in terms of Goldberg's matches, but below average when you think about this match being the night's World Heavyweight Championship bout. (2/5)

Main event time - Diamond Dallas Page and Karl Malone vs. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman. The heels arrive first to a chorus of boos followed by Diamond Dallas Page and Karl Malone decked out in matching ring gear. Tenay plays up the on-court rivalry between Malone and Rodman stemming from the Bulls/Jazz Championship series that ended just a month prior (Rodzilla's Bulls won that series). Malone and Rodman start things off in a surprising twist, the Worm refusing to engage with the Mailman. They finally lock up and Rodman applies a side headlock, bailing out of the ring when Malone breaks free. Hogan comes in and tries to intimidate Malone but ends up locked in a very awkward headlock instead, eventually scoop slammed to the mat as the crowd roars. Page comes in and Hogan tags out minutes later as an audible portion of the crowd starts chanting "Boring," obviously hoping for some wrestling beyond just tie-ups, headlocks, and the occasional hip toss. The "Boring" chant starts up again before we get the first "high spot" of the match - Page and Rodman colliding in the ring. Rodman returns to a side headlock as the two take a tumble in the ring in what looks like a botched spot. Speaking of botched spots, after two respectable leap frogs from Rodman, they botch whatever was supposed to happen next and the crowd picks up on it. The Mailman and Hogan come in and we get staredown number 40 or so. Hogan applies a wristlock, but Mailman overpowers him and sends him crashing to the mat. Rodman delivers a cheap shot and Hollywood takes control. You would think that a 20-year veteran like the Hulkster would put more moves on display than a 2-week guy like Malone, but this match would prove you wrong. Malone takes some good textbook back bumps and finally we get a legitimate wrestling move as Hogan hits the Mailman with a back suplex. Schiavone notes that Malone has the reach to tag in DDP but doesn't because, well, who knows. Page finally comes in on the hot tag and, though he tries his best to revive the crowd, the audience doesn't seem to care. Hogan takes off his belt and uses it to beatdown DDP (the crowd finally popping for something). Hogan and Page obviously wanted to deliver a main event-caliber match and not take any shortcuts and, to their credit, when they're in the ring together things do get better, but this match needed more smoke-and-mirrors than front headlocks and test-of-strength teasing. Page plays face-in-peril for awhile, building up suspense a hot tag to Malone. At least 5-6 minutes from this match should've been donated to Hart/Booker because this one just had no business going more than 10-12 minutes bell-to-bell. Malone finally comes in and pops the crowd by body slamming Rodman and then knocking their heads together in classic Three Stooges fashion. Malone has Hogan at his mercy and calls for a Diamond Cutter, hitting the Hulkster with a big boot and then tagging in his partner to finish him off. Rodman tries to save his partner, but ends up eating a Diamond Cutter of his own by Mailman. This should have been the finish, but instead, the Disciple comes in to help the heels score the pinfall. Malone, upset about the finish, hits a Diamond Cutter on Charles Robinson as the nWo's victory song plays. Talk about feel-bad booking for no reason beyond feeding into Hogan or Rodman's ego. Not the worst match I've ever seen, but at over 20 minutes, just too repetitive and pedestrian to ever recommend. (1/5)


Bash at the Beach 98' starts off really strong, with a series of better-than-average matches. However, as the show wears on, the wrestling weakens and questionable booking take their toll. Booker T and Bret Hart have a pretty good 7-minute match that ends in meaningless fashion at the 8th minute. The Guerreros, Jericho, and Mysterio get some really entertaining character development on the show, but the action doesn't live up to expectations considering the talent involved. The opening match starts off hot and then ends in overbooked nonsense that makes everyone involved look bad. As for the main event, the only times when it isn't outright boring is when Rodman is botching a spot, Malone is looking comically awkward, or Page and Hogan are trying their best to salvage the thing with overacting. There are small moments that show WCW could still produce some entertaining TV in the summer of 1998, but as a whole, this show definitely reveals more than a couple glaring problems with where the company was and where it was heading. Even with a pretty decent Kwang score of 2.83-out-of-5, this one gets a...

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

Lucha Underground: S1.E2.

Lucha Underground - Season 1, Episode 2

The Temple, Los Angeles, California

Episode 2 begins with a recap of Episode 1 (of course) - Cuerto's announcement that the luchadore that impresses him the most will win $100,000, Chavo Guerrero's shaming, Konnan's unveiling of Prince Puma, the debut of Cuerto's goons (led by former WWE flash-in-the-pan Ezekial Jackson).

Awesome - once we're in The Temple, Cortez Castro, Sisqo, and "The Boss" Big Ryck are in the ring and the show picks up almost exactly where the last one left off (though, Johnny Mundo's attire makes us clear this wasn't taped the same day - it was a full week later). Puma comes in for further support before Cuerto announces that we're looking at our next match - Johnny Mundo and Prince Puma vs. Sisqo and Cortez. Sisqo takes a nasty bump in the corner in an attempt to get the upperhand on Mundo, who is just effortlessly dazzling in the ring. Honestly, watching Mundo here, it really is remarkable that the WWE couldn't make more money off the guy. Big Ryck watching the match from the outside with a cigar in his mouth is the best thing any of the heels in this match do as Castro and Sisqo come off as the most basic workers ever, PG-13 with a touch more size and Homicide costumes on. Credit to all four, though - even with the zany aerial-heavy style and cartoonish characters, this match comes across as a legitimate fight more than almost anything I've seen in the WWE's midcard for years. Stereo 450s to finish a match? Yeah, that works. Fun match, though, again, the "That Was Awesome" chants seem at least two notches too far from what was essentially a showcase squash highlighting how great the faces are and are average the heels are. (2.5/5)

Konnan is backstage with Puma, warning his protege that he needs to stay away from Mundo. I love the seed-planting going on here.

Back in the Temple, Matt Striker explains that Mil Muertes will be debuting tonight, selected by Cuerto to take out Blue Demon Jr. (because Chavo Guerrero Jr. couldn't get the job done a week prior). Spooky video package to promote Muertes. I'm intrigued.

Its intergender wrestling time - Son of Havoc and Ivelisse already in the ring to take on the aforementioned Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Sexy Star. Guerrero starts things off and, though he starts off in control, falls prey to the heels' chicanery after awhile. He eventually gets a tag in to Star to get brief revenge on Havoc from last week, but just like what happened in their singles match, all it takes is one cut-off and Star is done for. Ivelisse comes in and lays on even more punishment before Havoc returns to finish her off. His cockiness costs him, though, and Star makes the tag, with Chavo coming in with a head full of steam. He lands a nifty rolling Liger kick to the corner and all hell breaks loose. Guerrero lands a frog splash, but its Star who wraps things up for her team. Son of Havoc can not be happy about this. An improvement from Chavo's first appearance. PAW - Perfectly Acceptable Wrestling - but nothing more than that. (2/5)

Backstage, Catrina, an associate of Mil Muertes, has something to say to Blue Demon Jr. She licks his freaking mask. He gets weirded out. I do too. (+1)

The same video package about Prince Puma from last week is replayed. Smart.

Mil Muertes (with Catrina) takes on Blue Demon Jr. in tonight's main event. Muerte takes control early on, viciously beating down Demon Jr. and hitting him with strike after strike. The commentators play up Muerte's size, but he doesn't seem that much bigger than Demon to me. Cool sequence when Demon finally gets some offense in and just lays in a flurry of big slaps to the chest and face, but Demon's offense doesn't last long and Muertes lands his Flatliner finish soon after. I'm not sure he earned a $100k pay day, but he's clearly positioning for it. Not much a match. (1/5)

And like the previous week, a post-match angle has me curious where the next show will go. After Muertes starts beating down Demon, Chavo comes in for the save...or does he? After chasing off Muertes Guerrero bashes Demon's head in with a chair, firmly establishing himself as his own man. He follows it up by taking out some refs while the crowd chants "Why Chavo Why?" in shock. Then we get a man-on-woman chair shot from Guerrero to Sexy Star! Shit just got real. That's something you just don't see every day or any day. Demon is taken out on a stretcher and put into an ambulance as Guerrero surveys the damage he's caused. (+1)


Like the first episode, the between-bells wrestling here isn't necessarily the draw. Sure, Prince Puma does some cool shit, Morrison's execution of parkour-inspired moves is impressive, and I really dig Son of Havoc (Matt Cross) and Sexy Star's on-going rivalry, but its the little things that make Lucha Underground addictive.

WCW Clash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout

WCW Clash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout

Troy, NY - November 1989

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's broadcast, Ric Flair is the reigning WCW World Champion, Lex Luger is the United States Champion, The Great Muta is the recognized Television Champion, and The Steiner Brothers hold the WCW World Tag Team Championships (having defeated the Freebirds just a couple days before this event). 

COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross and Gordon Solie

The 9th Clash kicks off with two legendary teams colliding - The Road Warriors taking on The Fabulous Freebirds. Unfortunately, this is a "tease" match at best, a bout that, on paper, looks like it could be a classic but was probably designed to grab viewers flipping through the TV dial, help promote tonight's main event, and provide little more than a brief glimpse into two main event-level teams. Effective, but inessential viewing, though, there is at least a little fun to be had in hearing the New York audience's mega-pop for the LOD. (1/5)

Sting and Ric Flair are awarded some prestigious plaques from Bill Apter of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Its not a good segment, its not a bad segment, but it is a segment.

After a video promo from Nancy "Woman" Sullivan, we're back in the ring for Doom vs. Eddie Gilbert and Tommy Rich. I was very impressed by Doom's debut, particularly the spirited work of Ron Simmons, but this match is less noticeably less intense and captivating. The New York crowd is warmer to Rich than the Philly crowd who chanted "Tommy Sucks" at him at Halloween Havoc, so at least he's got that going for him. Not a good match, but not woeful and, at roughly 5 minutes, its not like its a chore to get through. (1/5)

The Steiners share their thoughts in a backstage interview with Jim Cornette. Rick Steiner is awesome here, charismatically demented. This is the first moment of the show that makes me glad I'm watching. The team gives an official name to Scott Steiner's hurricanrana, dubbing it the Frankensteiner for the first time ever. (+1)

The Dynamic Dudes come out to a surprisingly decent reaction (they're still booed mostly, just not out of the building like in Philly) for their match against the more popular  team of Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton, The Midnight Express. The story coming into this match is that the Midnights and the Dudes have been competing a bit over the managerial services/attention of Jim Cornette, who was unofficially managing the Dudes but still technically managed the Midnights. This is easily the best Dudes match yet (ever?), though, its not without its flaws - at this point, Douglas may have been a 7-year veteran, but his arm drag is pretty ugly and he just can't seem to get his timing right. Johnny Ace isn't much better and at least Douglas is willing to launch himself to the outside with an insane crossbody to the floor at one point. Eaton and Lane have much better matches in their catalog. What nudges this one into slightly above-average territory is the finish, a perfectly executed and crowd-pleasing turn of events that definitely spices up the tag team division. (3/5)

"Dr. Death" Steve Williams takes on The Super Destroyer next. Destroyer is being played by journeyman Jack Victory, not Scott Irwin (who also donned a similar mask to portray a different Super Destroyer in various feds in the early 80s) or Don Jardine (the Super Destroyer of the AWA) or Hulk Hogan (who also briefly portrayed the Super Destroyer at the very start of his career). Any which way, Williams makes fairly quick work of him and impressively press slams him at one point. Norman the Lunatic makes a cameo appearance dressed as Santa Claus. I wanted this to be an even more one-sided squash followed by Williams destroying Norman, but its neither. A point rewarded for Williams' feats of strength. (1/5)

Finally, a legitimate match between two evenly matched teams - The Steiners vs. The Skyscrapers. The Steiners are mega-over and Teddy Long receives a deafening "Peanut Head" chant upon his entrance, so this match definitely could've been awesome had it been designed to be awesome. Instead, Dan Spivey gets almost all the minutes for his team (Sid was definitely being protected) and the Steiners "get their shit in" in record time before Doom show up. Woman had promised the Steiners a "big surprise" during their match tonight and a mystery man shows up to protect her from Rick Steiner, though he doesn't actually do anything. The Road Warriors run down as well before Jim Ross cuts to a commercial. A little research reveals that the mohawked giant that debuts here is noneother than "Big Sky" Tyler Mane (aka Sabretooth from the X-Men movie and Michael Myers from Rob Zombie's Halloween remakes). The 6'9'' Mane is also one half of what I'd call one of the worst matches to ever occur on pay-per-view, Big Sky vs. Charlie Norris from Fall Brawl 93'. Disappointing match considering that, when it started, you had the ingredients for something special. (1.5/5)

The Steiners and The Road Warriors cut a promo together, though Animal's message is completely incomprehensible. It takes a lot of intensity to out-intensify Scott Steiner, but Hawk and Animal do it. Cool segment.

The United States Championship is on the line next with "Flyin'" Brian Pillman taking on Lex Luger in a rematch from Halloween Havoc. Before the match begins, Jim Ross reveals that Starrcade will feature a one-night-only round robin tournament featuring Flair, Luger, Sting, and Muta - which is a pretty intriguing concept and one I'm fairly sure was never repeated. I'm guessing we'll find out why when I review it...Anyway, Luger and Pillman lock up to start things off and though a portion of the audience chants "Luger," Lex wisely jaws at the crowd to maintain his heel status. From here, the Total Package earns his nickname - bumping, selling, playing the coward and the bully, effective heel offense, he does everything well here. Pillman may not have the whole crowd behind him, but his fierce determination and relentless attempts to pin the champ are clearly the signs of a babyface who "gets it." Their match at Halloween Havoc a month prior showed that they had chemistry, but I wouldn't call it a classic. I enjoyed this one better, though, it does suffer from the trappings of being a "TV match" - a runtime under 13 minutes, a non-decisive, cheap-albeit-well-executed conclusion - keeping it from attaining all-time great "must watch" status. (3.5/5)

Main event time - Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk in an "I Quit" Match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship match. The culmination of a bitter and violent feud, Flair and Funk waste no time brawling in and out of the ring to start things off. Funk eventually assumes control and goes right after Flair's neck, a not-so-subtle nod to the origin of this rivalry, when Funk unceremoniously congratulated Flair on his win over Ricky Steamboat by piledriving him through a table and nearly retiring him months prior. The match really goes up a notch, though, when Flair gets his comeback, riding Funk into the guardrail in the most brutal spot of the match and then sending him crashing onto a table seconds later before getting some crowd-pleasing revenge on Funk's manager, Gary Hart. Dave Meltzer gave this match the full 5-star score in The Observer years ago and this sort of praise has been echoed ever since, but I wasn't necessarily as impressed. For such a violent rivalry, one kind of expects there to be some blood, maybe some more weapon usage, maybe even some more believable moments when Flair or Funk are almost going to say "I Quit" but somehow to fight through the pain. Though not necessarily a knock against it, this is a straight-forward, Point A-to-Point B match that just happens to feature almost flawless execution and intense, emotional physicality rarely seen before or after. Am I rushing out to tell friends and family about it, though? Not really. A 5-star match, to me, is one that provides moments that amaze me, that show me something I've never seen before in almost 30 years of watching wrestling. (4/5)

Bonus point for the post-match shenanigans, with Funk essentially turning face by showing respect to Flair (and then getting stabbed in the back by Hart) and The Great Muta, Sting, and Lex Luger all racing down the aisle to build to Starrcade 89's Ironman Tournament. I particularly love Luger taking a chair to Flair's Pro Wrestling Illustrated award. (+1)


Clash of the Champions IX may be beloved by older fans, but if you're like me and don't have that built-in nostalgic appreciation for it, you may be puzzled by its acclaim. The main event has been hyped for so many years that, watching it for the first time, it is easy to be underwhelmed (especially if you don't go back and watch the major shows leading up to it). Luger/Pillman is an improvement on their Halloween Havoc match and the Midnight Express/Dudes match is easily the best Dudes bout I've seen yet, but the rest of the show is more miss than hit. With a Kwang score of 2.43-out-of-5, I'm giving this one a....

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver 

Lucha Underground - S1.E1.

Reviewing Lucha Underground is a bit different than what I usually do. Unlike just about everything else I've done on this blog, Underground isn't necessarily designed to feature matches worthy of review, let alone praise. As I started this blog to catalog my viewing, though, not writing up these shows seems equally silly. So, here goes...

Lucha Underground - S1E1: Welcome to the Temple

The Temple, Los Angeles, CA - October 2014

COMMENTATORS: Vampiro and Matt Striker

After a pretty nifty series of videos setting the stage for a whole new brand of 'rassling, Lucha Underground kicks off with Blue Demon Jr. taking on Chavo Guerrero Jr., a clash of two guys with highly respectable luche libre pedigrees. What struck me immediately was the top-notch camera work - this ain't no indie wrestling cable access show, even if the crowd is a fraction of the size of a WWE crowd and there is a noticeably more serious, less "sporting event" feel to the commentary. Chavo and Demon don't set the ring on fire or anything (in fact, they both move a bit slow at times), but I've seen worse. Chavo attempts a hanging triangle choke but ends up powerbombed to the mat and then locked in a Blue Demon submission to end this one. As the opening contest of a brand new show, it didn't wow me - but TNA/Impact Wrestling, in all of its various launches and relaunches over the years has proved that blowing your load early is terrible strategy. A bland match to start things off followed by two matches that really do offer something vastly different than what the WWE provides is much more sound. (1.5/5)

In Dario Cuerto's office, the Lucha Underground owner and Konnan discuss their top prospects - Cuerto's big signing, Johnny Mundo (nee John Morrison) and K-Dawg's protege, Prince Puma. The look and feel of the segment is more daytime Emmy than primetime Emmy, but again, as far as setting a tone, its an effective sketch.

Super cool video package hyping up the debut of Prince Puma. (+1) 

Back in the ring, Son of Havoc awaits his match against the masked Sexy Star, who, according to her vignette, fights for all downtrodden women around the world. As far as motivations go, that's a pretty good one. Son of Havoc cuts a promo about not fighting a woman and Star, for a moment at least, leaves the ring...but once he turns his back, she takes the fight right to him. Inter-gender matches are not usually my thing, but this one told a logical story, was just the right amount of physical, and finished with both the face and heel established as interesting characters worthy to keep track of in the future. More intriguing than the first match, but not that much better. (2/5)

Dario Cuerto talks down to Chavo Guerrero Jr. backstage I'm not minding the storyline development here at all. 

Main event time - Johnny Mundo vs. Prince Puma. Puma and Mundo show off some very smooth exchanges to start things off with Puma specifically dazzling the crowd. The "This is Awesome" chant that starts up is not quite earned, but the format of Lucha Underground, at least this first episode, required these guys to go for broke early and often to set the tone for what differentiates this brand of wrestling than what US fans like myself are used to. That being said, the pace they cut early was kept up as the match wore on with just a few brief pauses for submissions and selling. Vampiro's proclamation that this one was a "match of the year" candidate was patently ridiculous, but it'd be equally absurd to dismiss their work as anything but entertaining. Put this same match on RAW and you'd still have a crowd pleaser, proving that an above-average wrestling match is an above-average wrestling match anywhere in the world. (3/5)

I dug the post-match angle too, with Cuerto denying JoMo his $100k and, in a shocking twist, a trio of ruffians, including Ezekial Jackson, debuting to take out the babyfaces. (+1)

Rating a show like this is not necessarily fair as I'm essentially rating the matches on an episodic, 40-minute TV show against the matches on major, multi-hour WWE, WCW, and NXT productions. Who cares, though? This blog's for me and I want to keep track of my viewing. That being said, the first ever edition of Lucha Underground scored a decent score of 2.83-out-of-5 on the Kwang Scale. Considering that the opening contest wasn't too great and Sexy Star vs. Son of Havoc ran well under 5 minutes, I'd call it a victory. Most importantly, I'm psyched to watch episode two. 

WWE Fastlane 2017

WWE Fastlane 2017

Milwaukee, WI - March 2017

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Kevin Owens is the reigning WWE Universal Champion, Chris Jericho holds the United States Championship, and the RAW Womens' Title is held by Bayley. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson are the RAW Tag Team Champions while Neville holds the Cruiserweight Championship.

COMMENTARY: Byron Saxton, Michael Cole, and Corey Graves

Fastlane proper kicks off Samoa Joe taking on Sami Zayn. Good-not-great match, but effective for what it was to designed to do - get Joe over as a human wrecking ball without completely burying the popular Zayn. Sami's selling is such a strong part of his game that its almost a shame he was utilized in an almost identical role against Braun Strowman just a few months ago. Still, those fearful that Zayn is getting "buried" have nothing to worry about - the brave underdog job is open, Zayn is putting in good applications every week, and if he keeps doing it, he's on a path that brought guys like Mysterio and Daniel Bryan to major championships. I really hope Joe isn't wasted at Mania. (3.5/5)

The Tag Team Championships were on the line in the next contest - Anderson and Gallows vs. Big Cass and Enzo Amore. Are there any two teams whose bandwagons have cleared out as fast these two? Anderson and Gallows came from Japan with considerable hype, but proceeded to do nothing cool or intimidating or impressive, while Cass and Enzo are in the unfortunate positions of having a mega-over entrance but in-ring skills that, while improving over time, could never match their ultra-charismatic mic work (especially Amore). Fortunately, this match was laid out with clear, logical progressions and the crowd was generally on board. To make a baseball metaphor, this match wasn't about hitting a homerun, it was about getting on base and, no matter what, not striking out in front of an audience that still had the energy and patience to give a shit about a pretty cold, unimaginative feud. A solid finish helped keep this one in the average to ever-so-slightly above average zone. (2.5/5)

Nia Jax vs. Sasha Banks was next. Not too dissimilar to the opener, this one was all about Nia Jax using her strength and size to dominate Banks. Is it just me or is the RAW womens' division really thin? After controlling so much of the match, Nia ended up suffering an upset loss - though, it's not really an upset when Banks is a former 3-time Womens' Champion and Jax is no different than she was in NXT - the big monster that doesn't actually win big matches. Questionable booking decision aside, this one kept my interest considerably more than the tag match and at least as much as the opener. (3/5)

Before our next match, we get a recap of the recent conflicts between Jinder Mahal and Rusev, who will compete in a series of matches, each getting a 1-on-1 match against a mystery opponent. Jinder wrestled first in a match against Cesaro that was much more competitive than I figured it would be, though I haven't really been paying too much attention to Jinder Mahal, so, the fact that he's being booked as someone even remotely credible is fresh. A "TV-level" match. (2/5)

Before the next match could even start, Rusev went right after Mahal, destroying him in the corner and then kicking his teeth down his throat. As he celebrated the beatdown, The Big Show arrived to a respectable applause. Show controlled early, but once Rusev clipped the Giant's knee, things evened up considerably and the Bulgarian Brute got to showcase some of his offense. You put a story behind this and you'd have yourself something pretty good on your hands, but as this was nothing more than a "bonus" match, it came off like something you'd get at your run-of-the-mill house show - good, but trivial, with Lana serving zero purpose on the outside and Big Show's victory essentially meaningless aside from him just showing that he can still put down an unfocused midcard challenger if need be. Extra half-point for a nice clean finish. (3/5)

Jack Gallagher challenged Neville for his Cruiserweight Championship next after a brief word from Kevin Owens and a replay of Austin Aries' "package." The crowd was more into this than any cruisers match I've seen on a Network special, but that's not necessarily a huge achievement considering how cold the cruisers division has been on the bigger stages. Gallagher is relatively over thanks to a charming gimmick and Neville is definitely doing much more for the division than TJP or Kendrick were capable of. The first truly great spot came several minutes in when Gallagher landed an absolutely devastating back suplex off the top rope, a should-be finish in any era of wrestling. Gallagher then took a great stumble off a stun gun from Neville as the intensity ramped up and the crowd started feeling the hits. Neville then hit a release german suplex off the ropes that looked like a career ender and a ridiculous flippy-doo-tilt-a-someshit move from the top for two. The first half of this match was good, but the second half was breathtaking, almost comically dangerous at times. A deserved "This is Awesome" chant broke out as Gallagher hit a third headbutt on Neville as he lay prone on the top rope. The Gentleman attempted a superplex but ended up eating the mat and a Red Arrow to retain. I would not mind seeing a rematch at WrestleMania one bit because these two just had the first great cruisers match in this division's history. (3.5/5)

Paul Heyman cut a promo in the back and then we got a meaningless New Day promo in the aisleway. I can understand why events need filler like this, but I just wish they'd serve a storyline purpose instead of blatantly being designed just to eat time and pop the crowd for a minute or two.

Roman Reigns arrived to a pretty cold response from the live crowd while his opponent, Braun Strowman, got an almost knee-jerk pop just because he isn't Reigns. Strowman controlled most of the match, though Reigns had more than his fair share of hope spots to keep things interesting and sell himself as a resilient warrior. Strowman attempted a big boot to the outside, but ending up toppling over the top rope in the kind of spot you just wouldn't see a big man even attempt 10 years ago. This was followed by Strowman delivering a "Holy Shit!" chant-inducing powerslam through one of the ringside announce tables. Unable to capitalize due to a damaged knee, Reigns popped up and hit his spear but couldn't snag the W either. Reigns landed a series of Superman punches but still couldn't bring down the big man as a sizable portion of the crowd chanted "Thank You, Strowman." Braun attempted a giant splash for no real reason, missed, and ate another spear, thus suffering his first loss. I'm not sure where the booking goes from here for Strowman as he definitely needs some showcase victories over the next few months to keep him strong, but this was far from a "burial." Plus, one could argue that Reigns needed the win more (even if his haters don't want to hear that). I wouldn't call this the Match of the Night, but it was definitely above average. (3/5)

Next up - Bayley defending the RAW Womens' Championship against Charlotte. The crowd was pretty live for this, though, as the match wore on and the clock ticked closer to 11, I think there was a general sense that the sooner these two wrapped it up, the less likely a BS squash would occur in the main event. Personally, I'm glad they were given a fair amount of time (16 minutes) to tell a real story - Charlotte the aggressor and uber-confident mega-star and Bayley the never-say-die underdog champion desperately trying to prove she can hang without the help of Sasha Banks. I've read some absolutely brutal takes on this match which I found to be at least 90% excellent, with Charlotte specifically putting on one of her best performances in a 2-year span that has been full of very good performances. Her jawing, her offense, her expressions and strut - it combines to create a character that is absolutely impossible to like. She's up there with The Miz as one of the few heels on the roster who the crowd is almost always 100% against. Bayley botched an elbow-in-the-corner spot, but aside from that, her hope spots and fire had me hooked. I was not taken out of the match at all by her "stutter-steps" - in fact, it works for me because, watching her get beaten down for so long, it made total sense that when she finally did catch a break, her emotions were dictating her actions much more than whatever logical gameplan she came into the match with. Ditto for Charlotte's positioning - yeah, it led to some miscues, but why should Charlotte be positioning herself into Bayley's offense? Also, just a side note, I've seen a number of writers take Charlotte and Sasha Banks to task for their penchant for risky high spots and overly-complicated, outright dangerous sequences, but here was a match that got great responses for forearms and chest chops. Meanwhile, Gallagher and Neville nearly paralyzed each other and few batted an eye. I applaud the efforts of whoever is risking their health out there - but the double-standard gets annoying. This match worked without the high spots. As for the finish, I'm also in the minority on this one. People see what they want to see. Bayley didn't solicit Banks' help and Banks' didn't lay a hand on Charlotte. She made sure the ref caught Charlotte's attempt at cheating, so the notion that Bayley won in some "heelish" way is just ridiculous. And if it was slightly heelish, it was no more heelish than Mick Foley winning his first WWE Championship when Steve Austin showed up to stun Triple H with the referee down. As an overall contest, this was easily the Match of the Night and one I wouldn't be surprised shows up on my top ten list at year-end (even if my list is the only one it shows up on). (4/5)

Main event time - Bill Goldberg challenging Kevin Owens. At Survivor Series, Goldberg squashed Lesnar and awarded the shocking squash upset 3 stars - admitting that while it wasn't a "great match," it was slighlty above-average in that you had all the elements needed to create a memorable, buzzworthy "moment." I also wrote fairly extensively about how good Lesnar was in that very brief match - that his facial expressions and body language were so remarkable, they warranted multiple repeat viewings. Despite some good crowd-baiting out of Owens before the bell rang, there's no reason to ever watch this "match" again. If Goldberg/Lesnar at least had the benefit of a shocking ending and duration, this match played out like many fans expected and weren't happy about. More segment than match, it also suffered from coming off a match that was far less explosive and dynamic than the Team SD/Team RAW match, which was a fireworks show of table spots and signature moves and mega-stars. As much as I enjoyed Bayley/Charlotte, it could never compare. Predictable and disappointing at the same time and the opposite of "must see." This was a "match" that I would've rather just had described to me or read about online than bothered to watch. A point for Owens' work for the bell and maybe a half-point for the spear and jackhammer. (1.5/5)


With a Kwang Score of 2.89-out-of-5, last Sunday's Fastlane show was an improvement since the last RAW-only event (December's Roadblock: End of the Line show) and actually, score-wise, bested SmackDown's Elimination Chamber show in December. Still, its a hard show to recommend in its entirety - one could argue the main event was a total dud, that the flaws in the Womens' Championship match were inexcusable, and that Strowman/Reigns was an average bout (not the epic clash of hosses that it probably could be in a few years). The Cruiserweight Championship bout was a bright spot and I've read a few reviews that praised the Tag Title Match considerably more than I did, but neither one was essential viewing. Similarly, the opener, while an effective spotlight for Joe, fell pretty short of being a "must watch." Depending on your feelings about the booking, this one falls in that questionable range of...

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver