WCW New Blood Rising

WCW New Blood Rising

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - August 2000

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Booker T is the reigning WCW World Heavyweight Champion, KroNik are the WCW World Tag Team Champions, and every other title is held by Lance Storm. Yes, every other title: the Cruiserweight Championship, the Hardcore Championship, and the United States (now Canadian) Championship all were held by Lance Storm. 

COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson, and Mark Madden

The first (and only) New Blood Rising PPV starts off with a wild 6-man Ladder Match: 3 Count (with Tank Abbott in tow) taking on The Jung Dragons. This math has often been viewed as the not-as-great cousin to the ladder matches that Edge and Christian and the Hardy Boys had done (to much praise) in the WWE starting in 99'. While there's no doubt that the stars of the WWE's tag division were way, way more over than the guys involved in this match (and that would include The Dudleys, who would join E&C and The Hardy Boys for the historic inaugural TLC Match at SummerSlam just a few weeks later) and there's no argument that this wasn't clearly an attempt by WCW to ape the competition, the entertainment value of this match is still off the charts. There are some genuinely awesome moments in this, including some that the WWE guys would blatantly steal for their next version, though because this is WCW, there are also one or two idiotic twists (the fact that, to win, you have to retrieve two objects is incomprehensible and pointless when one realizes that retrieving the second object gives you the win so you should either retrieve them both at the same time or not even bother). Tank Abbott is also a bit wasted here, playing the "dancing clown" role when it might have been cool to actually see him toss someone into a ladder or through a table. Again, though, those criticisms ignore the risks that everyone takes - including Jamie Noble (under a mask as Jamie-san), not a guy necessarily known for launching himself off 8-foot ladders to the arena floor - and the quality execution across the board. Matches like this tend not to age too well, but this one holds up well because you can literally see how hard these six guys were trying to put their own stamp on a match type that, in the summer of 2000, was still fresh enough that it didn't feel like we'd seen it all before. A really entertaining start to the show, booking holes aside. (4/5)

After a backstage segment with the Filthy Animals begging for a Tag Team Title match and promising some help in return, The Cat takes on The Great Muta (who was competing as part of the ICP-led Dark Carnival stable). Muta actually looks decent considering his age, but he just seems so out of place in WCW in 2000. Ernest Miller wasn't a good worker or anything, but at least this match is built around kicks and martial arts, which is at least in his wheelhouse. Tygress, a former Nitro Girl who was now associated with the Filthy Animals, comes out and hits Muta with an atrocious chair shot off the top rope when the ref is distracted. Fortunately for Muta's credibility, he kicks out at 2. The Cat hits his finisher and wraps it up pretty soon after anyway. I'm not sure why Vince Russo was so into interference that didn't lead to a finish, but it seems like taking an extra step to end up the same conclusion that you could get to without it (it also, if you're not careful [and Russo never was] leads to nearly every match featuring some sort of screwy BS). (1.5/5)

Buff Bagwell is backstage searching for his mother, Judy, who will be atop a forklift for the next bout - a Judy Bagwell On A Pole match - against Kanyon. This match has been (justifiably) mocked for close to 20 years and there's no reason for a critical re-evaluation. It is every bit as stupid as it would read on paper. Before the match begins, Kanyon explains that the reason Judy isn't on an actual pole is because she's too fat (hence the forklift). This is supposed to generate heat, but the fans seem more insulted by the digs he takes at Canada. Buff comes out with a head of a steam and immediately attempts to bring his mom down (good psychology), but Kanyon attacks him in the aisle and the two start brawling in the stands. Once they're back in the ring and Buff is in control, he takes time to do his strut (bad psychology). Why? I've written in dozen of times before but I'll write it again: Buff Bagwell was a good athlete who either never got coached or was too thick-headed to take the advice he was given. As a face, Buff wrestled like the same annoying, preening heel he was in the nWo and, by not exploring new parts of the character, he ended up in matches like this, further destroying any goodwill he may have still had with the WCW fans. Kanyon, as Schiavone notes, is still the Innovator of Offense underneath his horrendous Positively Kanyon gimmick, but there are at least a half-dozen matches I'd point to before this one if you're looking to watch Kanyon bust out some crazy maneuvers. Kanyon hits the Kanyon Cutter (uggh) and gets 2-and-a-half but then Kanyon's music plays so the audience (and commentators) are incredibly confused. Former WCW World Champion David Arquette walks out and strikes Bagwell on the back of the noggin with a construction helmet. Bagwell oversells it and goes down for a long 2 count. Easily one of the worst weapon spots in the history of WCW (and this is a company where main events have ended after someone gets hit with a high heel, finger poke, and a debilitating amount of fake blood). Bagwell strikes back at Arquette and ends up winning the match. Oh, I should mention that the camera cuts to Buff's mom, screaming on the forklift and looking like one of the old ladies from G.L.O.W every other minute or so, further making it clear how much a joke this contest is. Terrible. (0.5/5)

The next bout makes very little sense to me. The Filthy Animals come out and, based on their agreement with Ernest Miller, are able to insert themselves as special guest referees (with Konnan joining the commentary team) for the WCW World Tag Team Title match between champions KroNik, The Perfect Event, Misfits in Action Corporal Cajun and General Rection, and newcomers Jindrak & O'Haire. Part of my confusion stems the Animals' Mysterio and Juventud Guerrera wearing the titles to the ring despite not being the champions. I understand that they stole the physical belts - but why wear them to the ring where you have 8 other guys vying for them? Seems precarious to me. Keep that shit locked up backstage. Anyway, this match isn't that bad for the first 5-6 minutes. Sean O'Haire, in particular, impresses via his quickness and agility (seeing a 6'6'' guy that jacked hit a swanton is never not remarkable). As the match wears on, Disco Inferno refuses to make a legit count, purposefully trying to prevent KroNik from winning the match (but also making sure no one else really wins the match either). Eventually The Great Muta and Vampiro show up to attack, well, its not really clear if they're attacking a specific team or just trying interfering for the sake of interfering. KroNik proceed to destroy Palumbo in the middle of the ring with their ugly finisher (Palumbo's facial expressions and body language are woeful here too, as he noticeably "braces" himself for the move). Still, Disco won't make the count so Lieutenant Loco (Chavo Guerrero) runs out, knocks him down, rips off his ref shirt and puts it on to make the count himself! With each passing show, Vince Russo is basically topping himself with coming up with the worst finishes ever. Also, extra dummy points to Chavo Guerrero for not even helping his own stablemates win the match. Decent enough start, insulting end. (1/5)

Shane Douglas walks out with Torrie Wilson in tow for a strap match against Billy Kidman. WCW gave Kidman pyro and were obviously hoping to make him into a bigger star, but Douglas had nothing left to give here. In ECW, The Franchise was a big deal, but in WCW, he went from one disappointing feud to another and his matches were never better than average (and often below that). Kidman, meanwhile, had been miscast as a heel for his feud against Hogan, so turning him back into the underdog good guy was a step in the right direction. Too bad WCW didn't seem to have an idea what the next step after would be, continuing to build his storylines around Torrie Wilson. Wilson was and is beautiful, no doubt, but whatever real life chemistry she had with Kidman backstage rarely found its way on screen. Liz and Randy they weren't. Long story short, this match should have way more heat but the stipulation feels unwarranted and has no connection to the story of their rivalry (at least as far as I could tell). There's plenty of whipping and choking and Kidman almost breaks his own neck with a scary hurricanrana. At one point, Kidman press slams Douglas off the top rope and proceeds to whip him mercilessly in the crotch. Douglas hits his finisher, but Kidman kicks out. Torrie Wilson gets involved when she accidentally strikes Douglas with her heel (this also leads to a real groaner from Mark Madden on commentary: "Torrie turned heel!"), but this only dazes the former ECW Champion. Kidman bumps Douglas into Torrie Wilson, who no-sells the impact like a Road Warrior in 86'. This allows Kidman to his own finisher and snag the win. After the match, Torrie Wilson comes in with a chair, but Kidman ends up whipping her around the ring to the delight of the audience. Shane is back on his feet, though, and we get a needlessly, ultra-violent angle that sees Douglas hang Kidman in the corner of the ring, lifting him off his feet with the strap around his neck in a truly grotesque visual. In 99', WCW had made it a point to present itself as a less raunchy, less extreme brand than the WWE, but in 2000, they had obviously ditched that position and were actively working to lower the bar as close to the Earth's core as possible (as we'll see in the next match). Big Vito comes down and makes the save and gets a surprisingly massive pop from the crowd. Was he from Toronto? A quick Google search reveals he wasn't, but for some reason, the crowd is really behind him making the save. The mysterious Reno shows up and attacks Vito and the two guys start duking it out. I don't remember Reno at all, but I wasn't watching WCW at this point and he never made it to the WWE post-buyout. This match was an improvement on the last two, but not nearly as good as the opener (and Madden's Torrie-obsessed commentary is insufferable). (2/5)

Stacy Keibler vs. Major Gunns in a Match-Must-End-In-A-Mud Pit Match follows. This match is just gross. If you're really into NC-17 rated upskirt porn, this would probably be your favorite match (or anything) of all time, but I know that doesn't describe me and most likely doesn't describe anyone else that would be reading this. This isn't just offensive to women, its offensive to everyone (including the performers in the ring). Just yuck. I was watching this in the gym and had to turn it off - not because there were other people using the ellipticals next to me, but because there were other people in the room with me. The last minute takes things to the darkest place possible as Stacy Keibler fakes a miscarriage by clutching her stomach and moaning in agony. Gunns pins her and David Flair runs out to check on her health. The announcers put on their "serious" voices and pretend that the incident "wasn't in the script." I know Vince Russo became a born again Christian years after this, I'm hoping this is something that struck him as particularly insensitive and cruel in hindsight. There's just nothing funny or entertaining about this sort of angle and it has no place in the realm of pro-wrestling, a genre that really shouldn't mess with things like miscarriages or cancer or HIV or other genuinely sensitive issues. One of the all-time lowest points in any wrestling company ever. This went from offensive to despicable. (0/5)

Sting returns and demolishes The Demon in under a minute next. This was a continuation of the Vampiro/Sting feud and, after losing their Graveyard Match at the last show, The Demon had joined Vampiro's ICP-inspired Dark Carnival stable and begun taking orders from his former rival. One has to kind of feel bad for Demon - he was a shit worker and the company spent way, way, way too much cash creating his character (they reportedly paid the rock bad KISS in the 100ks range for the right to do it), but losing to Sting in 50 seconds is some Gambler/Joey Maggs-level booking. Vampiro and Muta attack Sting after the bell, but he's saved by KroNik who then challenge Vampiro and Muta to a WCW World Tag Team Championship match later on in the show. I think the idea is that the champions are putting up the titles to lure Muta and Vampiro into the match, but its never really explained. It doesn't matter either as the end result is a second KroNik match and that's never good. This was more match than angle and it wasn't interesting as that either. (0.5/5)

Finally, a match featuring two guys that want to impress the crowd and actually do some work - Lance Storm defending the US ("Canadian") Championship against Mike Awesome. Lance Storm gets a hero's welcome in Vancouver and announces that tonight's contest will be held under Canadian Rules - meaning there will be a second referee. The crowd is going crazy expecting Bret Hart, but instead, they get Jacques Rougeau. Womp womp. This one is wrestled a little bit off if you ask me, as, at first, it seems like they're building up Storm as the underdog by having Mike Awesome dominate so much of the match - which isn't a bad idea considering how much the audience wants to cheer for their Canadian brethren - but the turn never happens and Storm never gets that big rally he should. Instead, Awesome defeats Lance storm by pinfall...then taps him out...then pins hhim again for a FIVE count...but Jacques Rougeau reverses the referee's decision every time citing the Canadian Rulebook. The audience is happy to see Storm retain in the end (when, after both guys go through a table, Rougeau announces that the first man on his feet will be declared the winner - and then proceeds to knock Awesome out with a right hand to the jaw), but they'd probably have been a ton more happy to see him get an actual win over Awesome or at least cheat his way to victory. Instead, they had to see "their guy" eat 3 clean losses (including a submission!) before having to have one of the Quebecers change the rules to help him keep his title. Treating Storm, a credible, talented worker, like a Canadian James Ellworth was just awful long-term booking and, guess what else? Mike Awesome still had an 80s haircut, no mic skills, and didn't gain anything from this. After the match, the crowd gets what they want: Bret "The Hitman" Hart. Hart comes in and hugs Storm, which gets the biggest pop of the show so far. Again, piss poor booking ruins what could've been a decent contest. (2/5)

Kevin Nash is interviewed backstage. He says he's "going over" Scott Steiner tonight and will then challenge for the World Championship. Ugggh..."insider terms" in promos? Lame then. Lame now. Lame forever.

The WCW World Tag Team Champions, KroNik, are back out for the next match, defending the titles against The Great Muta and Vampiro. Tony mentions that this card 10 matches and this one makes 11. Why did WCW do this? If they needed someone to do double-duty, why not put Storm over strong and please the crowd? Why do you even need someone to pull double-duty when Mysterio and Juventud don't wrestle? Or, here's an idea, have Sting put in more than 50 seconds? Whatever you have to do to fill time, it shouldn't have to involve KroNik. Nothing too much to say about this match aside from the fact that it is about as interesting (or uninteresting) as one would expect. The Harris Brothers end up coming in and screwing KroNik out of the titles because if there is one team that hates marijuana, it would be a team of Neo-Nazi bikers. (1/5)

Finally its time for one of the evening's bigger matches - Kevin Nash vs. Scott Steiner vs. Goldberg to decide who the Number One Contender to the WCW World Championship will be. Goldberg's entrance music plays twice, but he does not appear as the announcers discuss that he has yet to arrive in the building and was supposedly injured in a motorcycle accident. Uhh...okay? Nash and Steiner brawl outside of the ring and lo and behold, here comes Goldberg! This is supposed to be some ultra-meta super-smart booking but it just seems confusing. The crowd doesn't seem to be behind anyone, though there is a small "Goldberg" chant at one point. With Steiner selling, Nash finally gets his big opportunity to hit the Jacknife Powerbomb...but Goldberg escapes and walks out of the ring. The commentators go wild as Vince Russo appears, ranting and raving about how Goldberg "refused to go up for the Jacknife." The match continues and Mark Madden wonders aloud what the wrestlers will do now that they are "off script." Of course, none of this is made clear to the live crowd, who have just seen the one guy they were sort of behind quit the match. They're the lucky ones, though, because the home audience has to suffer through the commentators admitting that wrestling is fake but that Nash and Steiner are no longer faking the very poor, very slow and obviously cooperative "wrestling match" they're having. Wrestling relies on a suspension of disbelief, but Vince Russo's plan was to ignore that foundational, essential element and this is the result - one of the most insufferable matches/angles I've ever seen...since the last most insufferable angle I've ever seen (which was less than an hour earlier when Stacy Keibler faked a miscarriage). (0/5)

Main event time - Booker T vs. Jeff Jarrett for the WCW World Championship. Now, because the last match involved the BIG REVEAL that wrestling is fake and the outcomes are predetermined, this match has absolutely zero gravity - which sucks because, if Russo hadn't have taken a huge shit in the mouths of the announcers (rendering everything they say to be shit) and the eyes of the fans (making everything we see into shit), this would've been an improvement on their Bash at the Beach match a month earlier. There's actually a story to tell in this match as Jarrett attacked Booker earlier in the night and went after his knee. Jarrett goes after it from the jump and, down the line, applies the figure four in what was supposed to be one of the match's peak emotional moments. There's a ref bump (which has to be what? Number 12 or 13 on this 10-match card?) and Jarrett hits Booker with a guitar, but that is still not enough to secure him the title. There's a not-so-great table spot followed by an even less devastating Stroke into a chair too. I'm not in favor of guys taking heinous face-first bumps into steel chairs, but if you can't make the move look good, don't do it. After yet another referee goes down, Charles Robinson makes his way down the aisle and we get an actual finish with Booker T retaining. This was supposed to be a "feel good" ending but the fans shit on it and throw trash into the ring. I'm not necessarily sure what the straw that broke the camel's back was, but I'm guessing the Toronto crowd was probably just upset with the show in its entirety. The finishing stretch hurts what would've been an otherwise decent match. (2/5)


With a Kwang Score of 1.32-out-of-5, New Blood Rising manages to squeak by as not being the all-time worst pay-per-view of all time. Why not? The opener. That's it. Without that opener, this show's Kwang Score falls to a very sad 1.05. Everything aside from that opener is below average and, though I'm not going to fact check it, worse than any match that has ever appeared on any NXT Takeover show ever. If this is how bad WCW was in August 2000, I really can't imagine how terrible it was in 2001.

FINAL RATING - DUDleyville

WCW Bash at the Beach 2000

WCW Bash at the Beach 2000

Daytona Beach, Florida - July 2000

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the WCW World Heavyweight Champion is Jeff Jarrett, the United States Champion is Scott Steiner, and the Cruiserweight Champion is Chavo Guerrero (aka "Lt. Loco"). Big Vito is the reigning WCW Hardcore Champion while Palumbo and Stasiak are the WCW Tag Team Champions.

COMMENTARY: Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson, and Mark Madden

Bash at the Beach 2000 begins with some comedy via Commissioner "The Cat" Miller getting attacked by the Jung Dragons. I believe the gimmick here was that Ernest Miller had hired the Jung Dragons, who dress like ninjas, to attack him the same way Inspector Clouseau had Kato attack him in The Pink Panther movies? I wasn't watching Nitro at the time so I don't quite recall what was going on, but based on Miller and the Dragons' backstage segment later, it seems like that was the concept. Its ridiculous. 

To the ring we go for the opening contest - Juventud Guerrera challenging Chavo "Lt. Loco" Guerrero for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. If you strip all the shenanigans and terrible gimmickry from this match, the 1-on-1 action on display is solid. Guerrera isn't quite as flashy as he was 3 years earlier, but he still busts out more than enough quality high spots to feel like he deserves the spotlight way more than, say, Corporal Cajun did. Guerrero also seems to benefit from an opponent that can actually perform at a breakneck pace and excels at the lucha style - something he didn't get from Disco Inferno a month prior. Sadly, the circus going on around this match muddies things up quite a bit. Juvi is supposed to be a heel (and wrestles that way, especially at the start), but its his squad - The Filthy Animals - who get to cut a crowd-popping promo before the match. Guerrero wrestles like the babyface, but the Misfits in Action were, up until a few weeks prior based on the commentary, affiliated with the Bischoff-and-Russo-backed New Blood stable. Both sides try to interfere by sporting goofy masks. It is a testament to the actual wrestling that this match keeps the audience's attention and comes off as a competitive title match despite all the nonsense. Not a bad start to the show. (3/5) 

The WCW Hardcore Championship is on the line next. Originally, Big Vito was going to defend his title against longtime teammate Johnny The Bull, but because Bull and Vito's other would-be opponent Terry Funk took each other out on Thunder, Vito has to take on a mystery man - namely the returning Norman Smiley and his second, Ralphus. This is your typical garbage brawl, loads of weapons, lots of corny jokes by Mark Madden, Tony Schiavone laughing at nothing funny...it's not nearly as entertaining as Vince Russo must've believed this stuff to be (though, to be fair, the WWE was producing just as much of this cartoonish terribleness and there was a segment of the audience that seemed to enjoy it for whatever reason). Eventually Vito isolates Ralphus and destroys him in the ring, putting him through a table in the match's best spot. This isn't good, but it isn't awful either - just dumb filler. (1.5/5)

After a promo from Kevin Nash where he hints at a full-blown Outsiders reunion (survey and all), we go to the ring for one of the worst, most embarrassing matches I've ever seen: Daffney vs. Ms. Hancock (Stacy Keibler) in a Wedding Dress Match. There's really not much to say about this except that the commentators treat it like a joke, referee Slick Johnson, David Flair, and Crowbar all end up in their underwear, and Stacy Keibler loses the match on purpose because she "knows what the fans want." I was watching this show at the gym on my iPad and I desperately wanted it to end almost as soon as it began out of fear that somebody would see me watching it. Insulting to both the audience and the performers. Again, this isn't an "anti-WCW" criticism at all - this sort of garbage was going on in the WWE at the same time and would continue for years onward. (0/5)

The WCW World Tag Team Championships are on the line next as KroNik challenge The Perfect Event - Chuck Palumbo and Shawn Stasiak. When KroNik came to the WWE, they famously had some of the worst matches in company history, but in WCW, they were decently over and the crowd loved the powerhouse moves (listen to that crowd when Adams press-slams Stasiak out of the ring). Unfortunately, those impressive powerhouse moves are separated by minutes of nothingness and not-up-to-snuff offense by the heels. WCW gets a ton of flak for not pushing their younger stars, but there's an important note to be made about that criticism. It wasn't just that WCW hadn't pushed their younger stars in 97' and 98', its that by the time they did get around to pushing some of that talent, that talent had upped and left for WWE (or went back to ECW). This forced WCW to call up a number of very green performers in 99' and 2000, guys with maybe 18-24 months of training. By 97', your Guerreros and Saturns and Ravens and Jerichos and Benoits were, comparatively, trusted veterans - even if they were all under 35 and, in some cases, had some of their best years ahead of them. WCW's call-ups and signees like Mark Jindrak, Sean O'Haire, and even Mike Sanders had youth and potential - but their inexperience meant that they had absolutely no chance of ever making Russo's inane storylines work (as compared to the WWE crew who, though they were often given storylines almost as bad as what WCW was producing, was loaded with experienced talents who had been around long enough to get just about anything over). Anyway...both teams show considerable energy in the closing minutes of this match, though the sloppiness level raises as they try more and more elaborate sequences. On one hand, you have to applaud the effort, but on the other hand, this isn't exactly a match that highlights KroNik's strengths or hides The Perfect Event's inexperience so, by the end, the effort isn't enough to counterbalance the low points. (1.5/5)


Booker T takes on Kanyon next. Watching Booker back in the late 90s is interesting to me just because, at this time, he was one of the more over guys in WCW and felt like someone who was being "held down" but, when you actually watch his matches, they aren't necessarily that great. I don't think anyone really considers Booker a "super worker" in 2018, but in 2000 (hell, even up to 2003), there was a feeling that he deserved bigger and better pushes when I'm not sure the resume ever supported it. Here, he's in there with another guy that is athletically impressive and has an excellent, innovative set of offense but somehow seemed to get less and less over with every tweak of his gimmick - from Mortis to "Who's Better Than Kanyon?" to the "Positively Kanyon" trolling gimmick he was doing here. There are some good spots in this, but the finish is a bit of a mess as Jeff Jarrett, the WCW World Champion, has no real reason to attack against Booker T aside from his promise of "ruining the show" to get revenge at Ernest Miller for something or other. This is like the 3rd or 4th segment to feature Jarrett and he's your World Champion - meaning, he really shouldn't be floating around the midcard getting involved in matches with outcomes that have nothing to do with him. If this was a Number One Contender's Match it'd be a different story, but it isn't. I mean, in 91', would Hulk Hogan get involved in a Bulldog/Warlord match? Or 98' Steve Austin in a Headbangers/Godwinns match? (2.5/5)

I was expecting the next match to be awful, but was pleasantly surprised at the straight-up stiffness and brutality of Mike Awesome vs. Scott Steiner. Steiner is the United States Champion and had only recently returned from a suspension (I'm not sure if it was kayfabe or not). Mike Awesome was in the process of being completely buried despite WCW going through all sorts of hoops to sign him. Say what you will about Awesome's abilities, nobody deserves a gimmick as intentionally-embarrassing as "The Fat Chick Thrilla." From the very beginning, Awesome and Steiner throw caution to the wind and beat the hell out of each other with moves I'm not sure were 100% safe. Awesome launches himself into the crowd early on, Steiner takes a wicked bump in the corner and then into the guardrail in what was surely a concussion-causer, and in one of the last moments of the match, the 6'1'' Genetic Freak half-nelson suplexes the 6'6'' Awesome into the mat. There's some noticeably brutal chairshots and a belly-flop frog splash at one point too. Steiner and Awesome either had some sort of mutual respect think going on or Awesome was out to prove he could hang with the notoriously stiff Big Poppa Pump because this one is a real brawl. Unfortunately, as the commentators had talked up every other terrible match on this show (not to mention Nitro and Thunder), they have no credibility so this match doesn't feel as barbaric as it actually is. Also, we get a screwy finish involving Ernest Miller who has been overexposed on this show even more than Jarrett. Russo's infatuation with some of these guys is mind-boggling. Did he really believe he could book Miller to become as popular as Austin or The Rock? He certainly gave The Cat enough segments for it. Disappointing finish after a surprisingly great match. (3.5/5)

The Graveyard Match between "The Demon" Dale Torborg and Vampiro is next. This match takes in an undisclosed graveyard and is shot like The Blair Witch Project so you can't see much of anything. They fight all around, Torborg's fiancee Asya (the engagement and marriage was real) gets put into a trance (the trance is clearly not), and they eventually end up in a pitch black river. The referee saves Torborg from drowning, which is a great way to give your babyface credibility as a tough guy. Its very hard to make out what exactly goes on minute to minute but the overall picture is clear: this "match" sucks. Vampiro spits blood at one point. Torborg and Asya are put into a coffin. You know the drill with this sort of macabre bullshit. This is almost a Network Nugget of Awesomeness (like the Black Scorpion stuff or Hogan in the Dungeon of Doom), but that stuff was cheesy in the right way and this is surprisingly boring. Maybe it would've worked if they had actually lit it properly? Worse than the Randy Orton/Bray Wyatt match where they fought all over a trailer park. (0.5/5)

Former WCW Tag Team Champions Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell do battle next. This match is about as dull as you'd imagine. Bagwell was back to being a babyface (I think?) at this point but because WCW didn't have agents (according to Jericho's book), nobody ever clued him in about switching up anything about his schtick to get cheered or appear less annoying and conceited. After 6 or so minutes of nothing really notable happening, Torrie Wilson appears. She distracts Shane Douglas with a slap...so you know she's now going to turn on Buff because if there's one thing Vince Russo loves more than an inexplicable swerve its an inexplicable double swerve. Torrie gets in the ring and kisses Buff but then kicks him square in the junk, giving Douglas the chance to snag the victory. But wait! Buff kicks out...only to lose a minute or two later after getting distracted by Torrie a second time. If you thought overdoing false finishes was just a 2010s things, you're wrong: they were pulling that shit in midcard matches 18 years ago too! (1/5)

Here we go - the WCW World Heavyweight Championship match: Hulk Hogan challenging Jeff Jarrett for the gold. This is one of the most infamous matches in WCW history, but unlike the classic Montreal Screwjob match (or even some of the parodies of that match, like the Survivor Series 98' main event), the entertainment value just isn't there. In a nutshell, Jarrett's music plays and Vince Russo walks out (followed by Double J). Hollywood Hogan then comes out acting as he typically would and Jarrett lays down so that Hogan can pin him. Vince tosses the title to Hogan and walks out. Jarrett gets up and leaves too, his face a bit blank. Hogan then grabs a mic and "shoots" on Russo, stating that this is the kind of "bullshit" that has put WCW where it is. He's not wrong either...and he would know considering he was the benefactor of the Fingerpoke of Doom match in January 99' that reunited the nWo (and caused irreparable damage to the WCW World Championship) and, less than a year later, was involved a near-identical angle at Halloween Havoc 99' when he inexplicably laid down in his title match against Sting. Hogan leaves with the title in a huff. I'm not going to rate this non-match or give it any sort of points...yet.

Vampiro shows up in the arena, but is basically swarmed by a bunch of "druids" in Sting masks. I'm a bigger Sting fan than most, but not of the psuedo-Undertaker gimmick tweaks. "The Crow" Sting character was all about a guy who, like the Crow, has undergone a post-death "resurrection" to avenge crimes committed against him and the ones he loves (in this case, WCW). There were moments in 97' when Sting showed borderline "powers," but it wasn't fantastical. He could speak through his eyes. He could send a bird to the ring. He could use a grapple line to drop from the rafters. Here, though, they're just recycling tired Taker tropes and its the least bit interesting.

And here we go again - Vince Russo is back. The crowd chants "Russo Sucks" again and Vince Russo proceeds to cut a promo so misguided and directionless, it was bound to confuse the live crowd (and probably many of the viewers at home). As the crowd boos, Russo explains why he came back to WCW, citing that he is working hard for the boys in the back that bust their ass for the company, namely Booker T, Jeff Jarrett, and the Misfits in Action. Russo "reveals" that Hogan was going to use his Creative Control to beat Jarrett for the title tonight, exposing the scripted nature of wrestling. Good idea! He calls Hogan a "bald piece of shit" and promises he'll never be seen in WCW again and then says that Jarrett is the real WCW World Champion and will defend the title against a guy that Hogan has been holding back for 14 years - Booker T. Mind you, Hulk Hogan debuted in WCW in 94' and Booker T debuted in 93', so that would mean Hogan held back Booker T from the set of Mr. Nanny and that it took 14 years to get from 1993 to 2000...Anyway, Russo's speech is delivered with passion, no doubt, but by praising Booker T (a face) then bashing Hogan (a face) then praising Jeff Jarrett (a heel) and revealing the scripted nature of wrestling, its not clear what direction Russo was going (and not in a way that makes anyone interested in seeing where its going). Also, he's wrong. His Hogan-bashing may have been what maybe 20% of the audience wanted, but Hogan was Hogan and this PPV, headlined with him challenging Jarrett for the World Champion, drew the biggest buyrate WCW had had in months. As crazy as it may sound now, even in 2000, there were still people willing to pay for a WCW product with Hogan and Goldberg on top. Was Hogan still drawing the huge ratings and numbers he'd done in 97' (let alone 87')? Of course not...but the Misfits in Action and Billy Kidman and Jeff Jarrett were even lesser draws. This isn't revisionism either. Before coming back to WCW, Jarrett was a Tag/IC/European Title-level guy, nothing more. Its also worth noting that Hogan, who was being characterized as a guy who was "holding down" other talent, had actually worked fairly hard in his feud against Kidman (and had even let no-namers like The Wall and Mike Awesome look like worthy adversaries on TV) in the previous months. Russo's promo ends up leading to a lawsuit against the company and Hogan (and Bischoff) never return. A surreal ending to Hogan's WCW run. (This getting a +1 just because it is kind of a "must see" moment.) (+1)

And now the show continues despite the crowd being thoroughly deflated and confused (and the commentators giving voice to that some feeling)...

Kevin Nash makes his way to the ring from the back, passing Scott Steiner on the way (this will be important in about 5-6 minutes). He's challenging Bill Goldberg for the rights to Scott Hall's contract. This match doesn't last long, but credit to Nash and Goldberg both - from an action perspective, they pack more into it than they probably needed to. There's a chokeslam. There's a missed spear. There's a Jacknife attempt. It ends in under 6 minutes when Scott Steiner, who had come out to root Nash on, turns heel. Steiner is certainly a better heel than face, but this is Screwy Finish Number What on this show? Besides, a guy like Steiner is so deplorable on the mic and so good at cutting down fans (which I'm not sure he ever stopped doing even as a babyface) that you really don't need to turn him so dramatically - he could do just by running down the people in the audience and ducking challenges. Plus, seeing as your scheduled main event consisted of one guy lying down for another in under a minute, your semi-main should probably actually be a competitive match. Also, Goldberg is a bit player now the same as he was pushed to the periphery in 99'. WCW gets knocked for not inventing new stars but even when they did have one in Goldberg, they seemed to bend over backwards to nullify his popularity. The first 4 minutes of the match aren't bad, but the booking of the finish is terrible. Extra half-point for Goldberg hitting the Jackhammer on Big Sexy. (1.5/5)

Main event time - not sure I mentioned it, but at the end of his promo, Vince Russo announced that Jeff Jarrett would defend the "true" WCW World Championship against Booker T tonight and "tear the house down" because that is what the fans deserve. I'm not sure they tear it down - the Mike Awesome/Scott Steiner is still the match of the night - but this isn't a bad match. Booker and Jarrett have chemistry and there are some great sequences, but its hard not to imagine this match as meaning more and having better emotional weight if it had been built-up and not just thrown onto the card at the last minute. The finish is well-executed with a couple of decent false finishes too. Again, its a bit hard to review a match like this without criticizing the booking surrounding it. On the one hand, Booker T was over and was a hard worker...but just like Scott Steiner's heel turn in the previous match, the "car crash" booking style meant that so much was thrown at the viewer that the lasting impression was dizzying rather than cathartic. Without adequate set-ups, the pay-offs don't feel as special as they should and Booker's first World Championship victory is a great example of it. Why not build towards this match for the August or September PPV? Why not have Booker score an upset victory over Goldberg to get him a title shot? Hey, why rush the title switch at all? Would Jarrett not be better served by actually having him be a credible World Champion after months of shady title defenses at this point? Remember, the idea was that Hogan would return in a month or two and challenge the World Champion (this would never happen). While this show needed a main event and I'm not 100% sure who was available/not injured at the time, a guy like Rey Mysterio or Kidman or, in what would've probably earned a huge pop, Ric Flair could've been used as a "surprise challenger." In any of those potential match-ups, Jarrett scoring a decisive win might've not given the fans their "feel good" moment, but it could've helped give the company some much-needed stability and legitimize the World Championship. Booker leaves with the gold, but the value of the title has been diminished so much that it doesn't feel like he really climbed his way to it. (2.5/5)


On a recent broadcast of What Happened When, the Tony Schiavone-led podcast that looks back on WCW, co-host Conrad Thompson questioned whether this was the worst pay-per-view of all time. Its a valid question, but I wouldn't rank it that low. There are at least 1-2 decent matches and the Awesome/Steiner match is a bit of a hidden gem.  The shit production values, commentary that is (justifiably) unable to make sense of what is going on or convincingly sell any of this as good, nearly every match ending in some sort of screwy fashion...its a show where nearly every step, from conception to execution, is a wrong one, a show where the only moments of decent entertainment come when the wrestlers are allowed to break away from the goofy gimmicks and just wrestle. Despite countless flaws, the show managed to score a 1.85-out-of-5 on the Kwang Scale, largely based on the relative strength of the opener, the train wreck enjoyability of the Hogan/Jarrett/Russo nonsense, and the hard work of Booker T.

FINAL RATING - DUDleyville

WWE Extreme Rules 2018

WWE Extreme Rules 2018

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - July 2018

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into the show, Brock Lesnar is the WWE Universal Champion and AJ Styles is the WWE World Champion. The RAW Tag Team Champions are Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt, while the SmackDown Tag Champs are The Bludgeon Brothers. Dolph Ziggler holds the Intercontinental Championship and the United States Champion is Jeff Hardy. The RAW Women's Champion is Alexa Bliss. The SmackDown Women's Champion is Carmella.

COMMENTATORS: M. Cole and Coachman (RAW), C. Graves, T. Phillips, B. Saxton (SD)

The 10th annual Extreme Rules begins with the RAW Tag Team Title match, Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy defending against The B-Team (Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas). Before the match begins, Cole sends the cameras over to Ronda Rousey, who is in the front row with her husband, fellow MMAer Travis Browne. The crowd was hot for the opening, but once the match got going that enthusiasm withered. Why wouldn't it? The Wyatt/Hardy collaboration hasn't added anything to either character and the B-Team is no different than the Job Squad of the late 90s - a "meta-gimmick" built around the team's irrelevance. Wyatt showed some fire with his hot tag and the finish was nice, but this was still not great. (2/5)

Kurt Angle announced that Brock Lesnar has refused to set a date for his next title defense and offers an ultimatum: Brock can either show up on RAW the next night, agree to set a date for his next defense, or be stripped of the title. The Pittsburgh crowd chants "Yes!" in response.

Finn Balor vs. "Constable" Baron Corbin is next. Before the match, Corbin corrects the announcer by making sure she mentions that his Constable title was made by Stephanie McMahon. Good way to get heat early. Corbin is now wrestling in dress pants and a dress shirt looking like the manager of a Bar Louie. Corbin is not a great worker, but I'm probably higher on him than most critics. There's an over-reliance on chinlocks and his facial expressions are borderline goofy at times, but he's naturally unlikable, has a handful of flashy moves that he delivers well, and he can mix up the pace of his matches to add suspense and bring the crowd up and down (something that I've never seen Jinder Mahal do). Balor was unable to hit his Coup De Grace, but still stole the victory via a small package. This wasn't a bad match and I liked the clean finish, though I don't feel that the chemistry (or lack thereof) warrants a prolonged feud between the two. (2.5/5)

Before the next match, the cameras cut backstage where Kane and Daniel Bryan were attacked by the Bludgeon Brothers. Kane's ankle was destroyed by Rowan, putting his ability to participate in tonight's match in question.

The SmackDown Women's Championship was on the line next - Carmella defending against Asuka with James Ellworth stuck in a Shark Cage above the ring to prevent him from interfering. Asuka controlled early, as she should've, but Ellsworth immediately started dropping weapons into the ring to try to even things out. Carmella rolled to the outside where Asuka hit her with a suplex on the floor. Meanwhile, Ellsworth attempted to escape the cage but got his foot caught and ended up dangling from it. Asuka got some great shots in, kicking and punching the defenseless Ellsworth, but ended up costing herself the match by forgetting about Carmella, who snuck back in the ring and shoved her face-first into the cage. After the match, Asuka continued to beat down on Ellsworth, but as Graves noted, at the end of the day, she didn't leave with what she came for. Asuka's aura has been hurt by her inability to win the title regardless of how much shenanigans there's been. This felt more like a SmackDown TV match than a PPV title defense. (1.5/5)

The United States Championship was up for grabs in the next match as Jeff Hardy defended against Shinsuke Nakamura. The match was basically over it began as Nakamura struck Hardy with a kick to the nuts before the bell rang and then, once the match actually began, hit him with a Kinchasa to become the new US Champion. As Nakamura celebrated, Randy Orton returned and stared him down. Orton got into the ring and as the crowd chanted for RKO attacked Jeff Hardy in predictable fashion, stomping him square in the jewels. This was more "angle" than match, which can be a good thing but placed immediately after another "nothing" match? Orton's return was a shock, but seemed shoehorned and, actually, beneath him. Why would a multi-time World Champion still care at all about the US Title? Just doesn't make a ton of sense. At least Nakamura got a W and a chance to rebuild his credibility. (1/5)

Kevin Owens faced Braun Strowman in a Steel Cage match next. Owens shocked the crowd (and Braun) early on, actually bringing the fight to the man that he'd been trying to avoid for weeks on TV. After surviving Owens' initial flurry of offense, though, Strowman took over and KO started begging for some mercy. Strowman tossed Owens into the cage multiple times, including lawn dart-style at one point (which looked like it nearly busted him open hard way). Owens fought back with a Stunner (even the commentators referred to it as such, rather than as just your typical "neckbreaker"), but still couldn't escape the cage. Owens connected with two superkicks in the corner and then handcuffed Strowman to the top rope. As Coach noted, Owens could win the match immediately by climbing out of the cage, but Owens got cocky and decided to berate the Monster instead. Strowman grabbed Owens by the neck and chokeslammed him as Braun struggled to free himself. Owens then delivered a crotch chop and began to climb. Strowman then broke the handcuffs with one tug and joined Owens at the top of the cage. Strowman then shoved Owens off the top of the cage through the announcers table in one of the craziest spots I've seen in a long time! Wow! Very entertaining match that delivered on the carnage one should expect for a show called "Extreme Rules." Not necessarily a "must see" match, but easily the Match of the Night so far. (3.5/5)


The reigning SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The Bludgeon Brothers, defended against Daniel Bryan and...well...after 10 minutes or so...Kane. I'm not sure if there was a non-storyline reason for Kane being injured before the match and held off until the last quarter of the contest, but his absence probably helped this one more than it hurt it. Daniel Bryan was outstanding as the face-in-peril throughout, all his hope spots got great reactions, and while Luke Harper has always been underrated, I think Rowan is developing nicely himself (especially considering how much time he's been out due to injury or "Creative's Got Nothing For Ya'" over the years). When Kane finally did show up, he looked like he was half-selling the phony leg injury (he came out in a boot, which just looks comical on a character like Kane) and half-actually unprepared to perform. Compared to the video that surfaced of the Undertaker's most recent MSG appearance, Kane looks like he wasn't expecting to be called back into work. Here's hoping that Bryan's new Team Hell No ring gear isn't a sign that this partnership is going to be long-term as the Big Red Machine got absolutely no elevation on his chokeslams and had zero intimidation factor. The right team won this match, though, like on RAW, SmackDown is in need of some new, fresh, credible teams because, right now, the scene just doesn't feel as electric as it did when The Usos and New Day were routinely putting on great tag matches. (2.5/5)

One of the more eyebrow-raising matches of the night happened next - Bobby Lashley vs. Roman Reigns in a pseudo-Number One Contender's match. The crowd was vehemently Anti-Reigns, but that's not to say Lashley was the crowd favorite either as Pittsburgh just didn't seem to care about either guy. There was some cool spots in this one - including Lashley tossing Reigns clear over an announce table and Reigns dropping Lashley on to the arena floor from the ring - but no matter what they did, there was never going to be a "This is Awesome" chant. I'm not sure it deserved one either, but it certainly was an improvement from the Reigns/Jinder match (which is on the shortlist of Worst Match of the Year for me). The finish was a definite shocker as Lashley was able to counter a Superman Punch with a Spear and nab the clean W. Part of me is wondering if this wasn't Step 1 in the long-awaited Roman Reigns heel turn, but I also wouldn't be surprised if this is really just a test for Lashley. If Lashley can get over as a strong babyface, Vince may be willing to push him to the top and have him be the man to dethrone Lesnar...but if he can't generate buzz soon, I don't see Vince strapping the rocket on him at SummerSlam or after that, especially with Braun Strowman also on deck. Good, not great match that Roman's haters will call "boring" despite the fact that they got big reactions for the high spots and the finish. My biggest criticism was actually for the refereeing as I thought the over-dramatic counts telegraphed many, if not every, kickout. (3/5)

The RAW Women's Champion Alexa Bliss defending against one-time BFF and current-archrival Nia Jax next in their third PPV match in about 4 months or so. Bliss was accompanied by Mickie James and Nia was seconded by Nattie, while Ronda Rousey enjoyed her view from the front row. With all these folks around, one had to know this was going to be more like a "lumberjill" match than anything and - after 4-5 minutes of a weapons-filled hardcore match that featured at least one excellent, A+ spot (Jax dropping Bliss facefirst onto a trash can) - that is what it became. The crowd was very into the match, especially once Rousey got involved. Unfortunately, the agent and the costume designer dropped the ball as Mickie James, who could've, should've, and would've crushed it playing Ronda's rag doll was immobilized by the poor planning of having her way 5-inch stilettos. Put her in anything resembling an actual shoe (even a cowboy boot) and her physical interactions with Rousey would've been much, much better. Similarly, the choice of weapon that finally "finished off" Jax was questionable. Kendo sticks make a great sound. The RAW Women's Championship belt would be a poetic weapon for Bliss to use. Even the aforementioned stiletto heel could've worked. The problem with the chair is that it takes serious velocity to look and sound good and while Jax's back is a big enough target, the chair shots just didn't pack the punch they needed. Did they legit hurt? Probably...but this match deserved to end on a "wow factor" spot and the finish didn't deliver it. (2/5)

WWE World Champion, AJ Styles defended against Rusev next. Before the match, Rusev's right-hand man Aiden English cut down the crowd, but Rusev was still quite popular based on the cheers he received. I liked how the build of this match (as minor as it was) revolved around the idea that while AJ and Rusev had squared off before, this is a "new" Rusev, one that has been on an absolute tear and was now ready to make his first real step towards the WWE Championship. Then, the match itself delivered on that storyline - Styles and Rusev delivering an almost impersonal match built around competition and targeting your opponent's physical weaknesses more than the mind games we got in the Nakamura/Styles series or the nationalism-fueled violence that served as the basis of the Cena/Rusev feud. The story of the match wasn't anything too complicated - Rusev trying to wear down the champ and keep him from using his explosive quickness while AJ tried to hobble his opponent by going after his knee. Unfortunately, the crowd, which had been hot for Rusev throughout the night (chanting "Rusev Day" during the Reigns/Lashley match), was more split here - enjoying the match, but not investing in it because, well, neither guy is a heel and cases could be made that both guys deserve the win. This is why playoff finals aren't held in third party cities (well, aside from the Super Bowl, an event that costs over $3k to attend and would sell out no matter what teams are playing in it). Even Aiden English's attempt to cheat for his buddy was done behind Rusev's back (and ended up backfiring anyway), a not-so-subtle nod to the idea that he really is the only heel member of their alliance at this point. This was a very good match that would've felt even bigger if Creative fully embraced Rusev's unexpected rise as a popular babyface and maybe told AJ Styles to lean in to the arrogance that he showed in his rivalry with John Cena. If this feud is going to deliver truly great matches, the audience might need to be clued in a bit as to who deserves the win more. It will rub Styles' fans the wrong way (just as much as the heavily lopsided build for the Shawn/Bret match at WrestleMania XII drew scorn from the Hitman's supporters), but unless Rusev is positioned stronger as the fresh, exciting Cinderella story, the audience is going to do what they did here - react for the athleticism on display, but none of the emotion. (3.5/5)

Main event time - Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler in a 30-Minute Ironman Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Going into this, critics and fans were somewhat split - on the one hand, Seth Rollins has been a roll, having great matches on TV and drawing the best crowd responses of his career. Ziggler, meanwhile, is almost his perfect physical foil and his partnership with Drew McIntyre has helped revitalized a very stale character (the less we say about the "music-less entrance" gimmick the better). On the other hand, Rollins and Ziggler have wrestled multiple times in the past month, including having a 25+ minute match on RAW not too long ago. Was the audience really clamoring for a third match? Rollins came out and scored two pinfalls in relatively rapid succession - which, in most cases, I would enjoy - but here, it was wholly inconsistent with the rest of their feud (where each guy has had to bust out increasingly risky and devastating moves to get even a single fall). Up 2-0, Rollins started playing to the crowd a bit, mocking Ziggler by stomping his foot and calling for a superkick (or another Curb Stomp?). When Rollins was a heel, his offense elicited babyface reactions, so now that he's actually getting some momentum as a babyface he figured he should heel it up a little? McIntyre came in at this point and, though he cost Ziggler another fall, he destroyed The Architect to the point that The Show Off was able to win back two of the falls. By this point, though, the story of the match became the crowd's general indifference. Early in the match, a vocal minority of the crowd was cracking each other up by counting down the seconds for each passing minute and making the buzzer sound ala the Royal Rumble. By minute 15, though, that was all that most of crowd seemed to care about. Was it insulting to the performers? Definitely...but to blame the fans for not getting into the match is to ignore the WWE's own role in making it happen (not to mention Rollins and Ziggler and the agents themselves, who clearly had an idea of the story they wanted to tell, but just as clearly didn't have the right idea of what match the crowd would want). 4+ hour shows are too long and the burnout factor is nothing new. There may have been fans expecting Hulk Hogan, disappointed that the B-show they bought tickets for ended up being the B-show they bought tickets for. There may have been fans expecting an actual US Title Match (Jeff Hardy has a fan base, folks). The crowd's patience for "non-moments" had worn thin by the end of the show to the point that a laborious RAW rematch just wasn't going to cut it. Rollins and Ziggler worked hard for 30 minutes, but there was a disconnect between the match they were selling and the match the majority of the crowd was hoping to see as the culmination of the show entitled "Extreme Rules." As anyone could've predicted, there was suspense in the final few minutes of the match, but the clock earned it - not the competitors. That's not to say there weren't individual moments of quality action (including McIntyre's impressive beatdown), but as a whole, it felt like a sampler of, not an improvement on, their other two televised matches from this summer. A disappointing, disjointed match that, on another show, in front of a different crowd, may have inspired "This is Awesome" chants, but wouldn't deserve that praise any more than it deserved the ire it received. (2.5/5) 


With a Kwang Score of 2.40-out-of-5, the 10th edition of Extreme Rules was an unfortunate disappointment after the relatively strong Money in the Bank show and the comparatively less disappointing Backlash in May. What went wrong here? Simply too much. The first two bouts felt like they were lifted directly from recent episodes of RAW, a show that I DVR weekly but probably watch less than 9 times a year. Asuka lost. Jeff Hardy and Nakamura, a match that had the potential to be, at the very least, a memorable trainwreck didn't happen. Randy Orton returned...but not to do anything fresh (in fact, by the looks of it, he'll be resuming the exact same feud he was in before he left). The main event was so flawed in design that it really calls to question just how capable Seth Rollins could ever be of being a real top babyface. Rusev and AJ checked off a dozen boxes on the "technically great" sheet except the lack of a real heel/face dynamic and the practically guaranteed outcome kept it from garnering as much heat or building as much suspense as most hoped (and the crowd's relative non-reactions proved it). On the positive side, we got a tremendous spot in the Strowman/Owens match, Daniel Bryan remains a captivating worker even in what was essentially a throwaway match, Lashley and Reigns worked hard (though nobody cared), and the aforementioned AJ Styles is basically incapable of delivering a performance anything less than very good. Sadly, these highlights just weren't enough to lift a show that felt irrelevant as it was happening. Here's hoping they put together a show that actually feels like it matters for SummerSlam.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver 

WWE NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV

NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV

Brooklyn, New York - August 2018

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into the show, Tommaso Ciampa is the NXT Champion (having defeated Aleister Black on an episode of NXT TV), while the NXT Women's Championship is held by Shayna Baszler. The NXT North American Champion is Adam Cole and his buddies in the Undisputed Era, Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong, are the NXT Tag Team Champions.

COMMENTATORS: Mauro Ranallo, Percy Watson, and Nigel McGuinness

Just like the last Takeover special, the show begins with the NXT Tag Team Championship Match - The Undisputed Era defending the gold against Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven and Tyler Bate). Dueling chants started early, as did the innovative offense. When the AOP/Revival/DIY Era ended in mid-2017, I predicted it would take a considerable amount of time for it to return to being the most must-watch part of the brand. While its not there quite yet (remember, AOP/DIY was the headline match at Takeover: Chicago in May 2017), The Undisputed Era's work over the past 6-8 months has set it on that course. If Strong and O'Reilly just had impressive, fresh offense, they'd be entertaining - but because they also do all the little things right, put all their weight behind every strike, do dastardly, unlikable heel things, and can bump-and-feed like nobody's business (especially Strong), they are worthy of having the entire division built around them. On the other side, Trent Seven is a bit of a rare breed: a natural babyface with a different look, the "perfect sidekick," the Chewbacca to Tyler Bate's effortlessly charming Han Solo. Their natural chemistry and ridiculous arsenal is so undeniable, I was shocked that anyone in the building was rooting against them. As I did not see their much-lauded NXT TV match from a few weeks (months?) back, this was my first glimpse at what these teams could do and it did not disappoint at all. An excellent match that just shows how far wrestling has come from where it was 5, 10, 15 years ago, when a majority of what we saw - nearly every spot and bump - wouldn't have even been dreamed of. Oh, almost forgot, The War Raiders demolishing the champs after the match was a great extra touch. I'm a Ray Rowe fan from his CAPW/AIW days so I'm all about this team. Those matches should be wonderfully brutal. (4/5)

My favorite NXT act was up next as The Velveteen Dream made his way down the aisle (sporting a crown and air-brushed pants with the words "Call Me Up Vince" painted on his ass) to take on EC3, the WWE's "Once and Future Top Prospect." EC3 controlled early, but Dream turned things around with a wicked DDT on the steel rampway. One of the reasons I like Dream so much is that, even as a babyface now, he's maintained his arrogance and still puts his character into every moment of the match, whether he's on top or getting beaten down. While he and EC3 didn't put on a match nearly as smooth as the opener, it was still quite good, with a number of strong moments including the aforementioned DDT, EC3 delivering a pair of perfect powerbombs and a superplex, and the Dream hitting a Death Valley Driver on the apron and following it with an elbow drop. What makes Dream's matches great, though, isn't what moves he can do or even his bumping (which is above average), its the facial expressions, the selling, the flamboyance. I was a bit surprised by the ending as Dream has proven to be somewhat bulletproof when it comes to wins-and-losses and EC3 seems like a guy in need of some credibility before he gets called up to the main roster. An entertaining match, but not necessarily a show-stealer. (3/5)

Matt Riddle is in the house! I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in NXT and how long his tenure will be considering his penchant for pot. Then again, Rob Van Dam had more than a couple healthy runs in the company and he was as outspoken about his marijuana use as Riddle is.

Adam Cole defending the NXT North American Championship next against former Lucha Underground breakout star Ricochet. Ricochet is a phenomenal athlete and probably the most "must see" high flyer since (at least) Evan Bourne or Neville and maybe even Rey Mysterio Jr. I'm less high on Adam Cole. While he's as smarmy as they come, a natural heel with experience and sound fundamentals, he's undeniably undersized, a dude who looks like he's one skipped meal away from being a 205 Live guy. Despite being legitimately taller than Eddie Guerrero and the same height as Kurt Angle, Cole comes off considerably smaller than either. Anyway, onto the match...Cole and Ricochet had some history from the indies and New Japan so fans in the know had plenty of reason to expect a great match. I liked the mix of old and new here, Cole trying to keep his opponent grounded, locking in a headlock and not letting go, and weaseling his way onto the floor to avoid Ricochet's finisher at one point - it wasn't the flashiest performance ever, but it rang true to Cole's motivation. Ricochet, as expected, dazzled the crowd his agility and energy, though I do think he's not quite "all there" when it comes to garnering sympathy and getting that emotional investment out of the fans (compared to, say, Tyler Bate, who almost seems like he could end up being one of the brand's next unexpected breakout babyfaces ala Johnny Gargano). There were some really cool spots throughout the contest, maybe best of all an absolutely jaw-dropping superkick from Cole onto a mid-moonsault Ricochet. I'll never claim to being aware of what has or hasn't been done in any wrestling ring in the world, but I'm not sure I've seen this specific spot done in a ring owned by Vince McMahon. The match was even enough that I expect we'll get a rematch sometime soon and, with the right stipulation, I expect it could top this. A strong match, but not quite at the level as the opener. (3/5)

Ronda Rousey and her fellow Horsewomen (I'm not sure of their names) were in the house (along with Mark Henry and Kevin Owens) for the next bout - Shayna Baszler defending the NXT Women's Championship against Kairi Sane. I didn't catch their match at last year's Mae Young Classic Finale so I'm glad there was a video recap before this match. Baszler has been a real pleasant surprise since emerging as NXT Women's division's resident badass this past January. Sane has had a comparatively quieter run, but has all the experience that Baszler doesn't. Putting them together, on this stage, I was not only curious about the outcome, but about the chemistry. I needn't have been worried as these two put on an excellent match, Baszler showing more range here than in her series against Ember Moon and Kairi Sane winning over the crowd that, like me, didn't seem to be fully behind her or understand her character going into the contest. Remember - there are plenty of folks like myself who absolutely love the NXT Takeover shows but still don't watch the weekly Network shows, fans that will gladly purchase a ticket for a Takeover show without a single match announced based on the brand's track record more than its roster. This match is further proof that this isn't necessarily a bad thing as Kairi Sane came out of this as a much bigger, more credible star than she did going in - and it would've likely been this way even if she hadn't ended up with her arm raised at its conclusion. Speaking of the finish, I'm not usually a fan of wrestlers kicking out of established finishers, but Baszler is a different beast - a legit toughwoman with a mean streak a mile wide. I don't necessarily mind her managing to withstand serious punishment, especially as, ultimately, Baszler did prove to be beatable, that Sane's elbow drops did cause damage. Though the "feel good" ending (like the finish of the North American Championship match) seemed to effectively dash any hopes that Johnny Gargano would leave with the NXT Championship, it was still a great moment and really smart booking. I'm not dying to see Baszler on the main roster just yet - she still has areas to work on and, truthfully, I'm not sure SmackDown or RAW needs her just yet when a debut at the Evolution PPV would give her a bigger spotlight - but I also think having Baszler repeat the "Asuka story" would've been a short-sighted and fruitless direction. With Sane's hard-fought victory and the next Mae Young Classic set to start in early September, the NXT Women's division, as a whole, has become "must watch" again in a way I'm not sure its been since the days of Bayley, Sasha, Charlotte, and Becky. (3.5/5)

Main event time - the NXT Championship was on the line as Tommaso Ciampa defended the gold against his arch-nemesis Johnny Gargano. This match was originally supposed to be a triple threat bout featuring Aleister Black, but Black was legitimately injured before the bout so he was pulled about a week or two ago. Gargano and Ciampa have had the best feud of 2018, but, as Mauro Ranallo noted, this was the third NXT Takeover show in a row with them in the headline spot, wrestling a match with a near-identical stipulation as their previous two matches, and there was some question as to how they would top those performances. While this match didn't necessarily vary from the ultra-violent formula of the first two installments, I did find the pacing and building of suspense to be an improvement on the somewhat cartoonish match they had in June. As I wrote back then, I wasn't sure what else these two could do to each other short of committing actual murder, but was pleased to see that instead of trying to come up with a dozen even crazier, high risk spots, they stuck with variations on the same themes they touched on in the past - tables, chairs, crutches, exposing the floor, exposing the ring's wooden boards, handcuffs. I can totally understand fans who were burnt out on this pairing having this kind of match, but credit must be given to the participants - if there was a feeling that every where they went was well-trodden territory, that they were simply traipsing along in the footprints they made months earlier, they didn't let it show. These two were as merciless here as ever before, but thankfully, they toned down some of the emotion and drama. There was no Candice LeRae. There was no gratuitous "concussion eyes" sequence from Gargano. No WrestleMania XXX-esque EMT moment. This match felt streamlined, but no less taxing, dangerous, or suspenseful. Critics have already noted that there were some implausible moments as Gargano and Ciampa both sprang back to life in under 10 seconds after suffering what would've been game-enders in most any other match. Sadly, the stipulation tends to force this sort of ridiculousness. The best spot of the match (and there were a ton of really cool moments, including Ciampa delivering a trio of his powerbomb/backstabber combo move) was when Ciampa ran Gargano through the timekeeper wall with a chair only seconds after Gargano had performed the second best spot of the match - an errant superkick to one of the camera assistants who chin was in the exact wrong place at the exact wrong time. The match's final minutes were, justifiably, the topic of debate all Sunday long. Handcuffed to a piece of the set, Gargano seemed to have Ciampa at his mercy. He could bash him in the head with a chair. He could lock in a sleeper (as Ciampa had done to him earlier) and force him asleep. He could even bury him under a pile of junk the way Ciampa had attempted mere minutes before. Instead, Gargano opted to let Ciampa beg, eventually opting to put him away with a symbolic running knee to the school. Unfortunately for Gargano, his momentum carried him past Ciampa's skull and directly into a stack of electric equipment, Johnny Wrestling taking a nasty fall onto a table and then the floor. As the ref counted both men down, Ciampa, still handcuffed, slid off the stage, his feet hitting the floor and putting his body into a half-standing/half-slouching position. The crowd was, surprisingly, less livid than I expected they would be with the disappointing conclusion, but maybe the crowd noise was drowned out by the production team? Regardless, it was a heartbreaker ending that was only somewhat salvaged by the commentary team, who made it clear that Gargano's injured knee would've prevented him from ever getting to his feet independently (this idea was further bolstered by the fact that Gargano was unable to leave the arena without medical assistance). I found this match to be as good as their last one, maybe even a hair better, but the needle-in-your-eye finish prevents it from feeling as emotionally rewarding as the Unsanctioned match from Takeover: New Orleans. (4/5)

Once again the NXT brand delivered a superb wrestling show, Takeover: Brooklyn IV earning a strong 3.5-out-of-5 on the Kwang Meter. While the entertainment value of these Takeover shows have become predictable, what I liked about this particular edition was the position it put the brand in moving forward. O'Reilly and Strong have become the best heel tag team NXT has had since The Revival, but before recently, the list of credible opponents has been thin. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch had a good outing against the champs in May and, on this show, Moustache Mountain cemented their status as deserving a continued push while the War Raiders attempted to jump to the front of the line themselves. It took time, but the NXT tag division is finally shaping up beyond just the UE and a thrown-together pair of guys from the UK. Similarly, with Kairi Sane's victory, the NXT Women's Division has opened up a little, while Ricochet is perfectly suited for giving the North American Title some credibility after a very forgettable Adam Cole reign. Elsewhere on the card, Aleister Black has unfinished business with Ciampa, but the bigger question is who exactly attacked him? Despite the message on his pants, here's hoping that The Velveteen Dream's big win on this show is the start of a streak for him. If there is a better opponent for Ciampa than him, I don't think I've seen him yet. 

FINAL RATING - Watch It All