WCW Starrcade 91'

WCW Starrcade 91'

Norfolk, Virginia - December 1991

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Lex Luger is the reigning WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Rick Rude is the US Champion, the WCW World Tag Team Champions are Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes, the WCW Light Heavyweight Champion is Jushin Thunder Liger, the TV Champion is Steve Austin, and the US Tag Team Champions are The Young Pistols.

COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross

After watching so much 2000 WCW, going back to 91' is a huge breath of fresh air - even if it is maybe just as laughable and poorly booked at times.

This show is built around the "Lethal Lottery" concept - heels and faces tagging up together with the winning teams ending up in Battle Bowl, an over-the-top rope battle royal at the end of the show.

Michael "P.S" Hayes and Southern Boy Tracy Smothers go up against Hayes' Freebird partner Jimmy "Jam" Garvin and a very young Marcus Bagwell to kick things off. Smothers plays the heel because the Freebirds are over as faces (which is somewhat surprising considering how lame they were, but locale matters) and Bagwell is a good-looking vanilla face too. This dynamic is for the best too because Smothers is the best bumper, seller, and worker of the bunch by what I can see. When the Freebirds do square off, they actually wrestle each other a bit, milk the crowd for some appreciation, and make a tag. Its a smart piece of psychology that makes Hayes knocking Garvin senseless an even bigger deal moments later. Bagwell ends up hitting the Fisherman Suplex for the win. Not a terrible opener and the Freebirds seem motivated to have fun with the concept (which means they actually put in some effort to keep the crowd engaged beyond just doing the same tired shtick they'd been doing for the past few shows). (2.5/5)

Bischoff, Hyatt, and Magnum TA pull out the next couple names - "Stunning" Steve Austin teaming with "Ravishing" Rick Rude to take on Van Hammer and Big Josh. Aside from Hammer, this actually has the makings for a really great match because 3-out-of-4 are pretty superb workers. Hammer and Austin start things off and while Austin isn't as great as he would (swiftly) become, he's still just the right amount of over-the-top with his selling to make him stand out as a guy to watch. Hammer surprises by executing some actual wrestling holds, but the most established workers - Rude and Big Josh (Matt Borne) - are the reason to ever watch this. I love how Rude works this match, no-selling early because he absolutely should as the lone guy to sniff a main event. Borne, meanwhile, shows why he deserves to be praised as one of the best "character" wrestlers of his day. As dumb as his gimmick is, he betrays his wrestling experience and focuses on using his power and rugged offense to make him seem like a threat to Rude. Unfortunately, this match just goes too long for it to be considered good. There's a needless resthold stretch that just seems like buying time and it ruins this from being a hidden gem. Its unsurprising that the company would want these guys to go long considering the talent in the ring, but the last half drags this to unremarkable territory despite how enjoyable the first exchanges are. (2/5)

Next up - Larry "The Crusher" Zybysko and El Gigante vs. Richard Morton and Dustin Rhodes. Larry is going by "The Crusher," I'm guessing, because "Living Legend" made him seem old. As someone unfamiliar with his glory days and only familiar with his days on commentary - that I didn't like - I'm always somewhat surprised how good he is in the ring. Even here, a decade (?) past his prime, he has the speed, energy, and execution of a top worker. Dustin Rhodes, conversely, is very fluid considering his age. You can see why the moniker "The Natural" was well-earned and why he went on to have a tremendous career while Scott Putski and Greg Gagne didn't. El Gigante is El Gigante so you know his segments will involve other guys walking into his offense like dummies, but at least in tags it could be (somewhat) hidden and you have Zybysko working overtime as his second. Morton continues to flounder as a heel, a transition that in a perfect world would have lengthened his career and been a big deal but that is ultimately a forgotten series of months that nobody, rightfully, speaks of. Gigante eventually tires of Zybysko and pulls him from outside of the ring back into the fray by his neck to a big reaction. This allows Rhodes to hit a dropkick and score the pinfall in a crowd-pleasing finish. Not a good match, but not total crap because of the hard work of Larry Z. (1.5/5)

Jushin Thunder Liger teams up with Bill Kazmaier to take on Mike Graham and Diamond Dallas Page next. Kazmaier is so one-dimensional in this match that one might argue he's less effective in his role than Gigante is in his. Liger and Graham steal the show when they are in the ring together, which is no surprise considering the experience level of their partners. Unfortunately, while Liger dazzles, there's still too much downtime in this match and anytime he's out of the ring, the crowd is completely dead. This match and the one that came before it are more evidence than one would ever need to argue that the concept behind this show is one of the worst things WCW ever attempted (and that includes all the crazy crap they tried after the company went into a tailspin in 99'). Where you could have had solid entertainment in a Liger showcase match against Graham or a competitive bout between Zybysko and Dustin Rhodes or even a comedy match between The Living Legend and El Gigante, instead WCW presented two tag matches that were worse than the sum of their parts, matches literally designed to highlight tag partners' lack of chemistry. Why would anyone pay for this? Surprisingly, according to the numbers I found, over 150,000 people thought it was a good idea - which was more than what Halloween Havoc earned in October and that show actually featured a World Title match and the first ever (and only) Chamber of Horrors Match. I know which one I convinced my parents to purchase for me when 7, I'm just surprised I was in the relative minority. Points awarded for Liger and Graham's work, nothing else. (1.5/5)

Did I say that the Lethal Lottery concept was all about putting heels and faces together? Whoops. I guess they dropped that part of the theme because the next match pairs Arn Anderson and WCW World Champion Lex Luger against Terry Taylor (who had half-turned back into a face due to his frustration with the York Foundation) and "The Z-Man" Tom Zenk. This is a competitive match and, as the commentators note, Luger and Anderson mesh well together in attitude - though they don't really combine their efforts much or even dominate as much as they probably should've. Terry Taylor is the guy to watch here, working super hard in the fiery babyface role and holding his own against two of the top heels in the company. This was better worked than the previous couple of matches, but it still felt like nothing more than a decent TV match (at least by today's standards). Plus, I'm not sure how much Luger, the World Champion, gained by not being able to make quicker work of two guys that had been pretty firmly established as TV Title/midcard level stars. I know he's a heel and all, but having to rely on Harley Race in all of his major PPV matches seemed unnecessary in this context. (2/5)

Cactus Jack is paired with Buddy Lee Parker to take on Ricky Steamboat and Todd Champion (of the deservedly forgotten team WCW Special Forces), but before Parker can make it to the match, Abdullah The Butcher beats him down backstage and comes out in his place. Abdullah is prevented from getting involved in the match and then continues to beat down Parker on the outside of the ring as he tries to make his way down the aisle. As silly as this may sound, its actually an intriguing way to start the match and could've led to some real interesting outcomes. Unfortunately, this match doesn't seem to make sense or tell any story with any logic. Down 2-on-1, Jack should be getting his teeth knocked in and, while this might make him sympathetic, it could also be played to make him look a bit like Max Cady in Cape Fear, a nutcase whose pain threshold is so incredible it makes him even more terrifying. Instead, we see Foley work a really good match, but his character isn't enhanced and that's a shame considering the opportunity presented. Meanwhile, Tom Parker getting beaten down repeatedly actually leads to a portion of the audience cheering for him - which makes sense - but because he is soundly beaten by Ricky Steamboat, it doesn't seem like this was part of the story at all anyway. Speaking of Steamboat, its a good thing he went onto the Battle Bowl because, like Luger and Arn Anderson in the prior match, he seems like a star who should be above all this nonsense and mixing it up with other main event level guys. This match was a real lost opportunity to me. (1/5)

Sting teams with nemesis Abdullah the Butcher to take on Flyin' Brian and Bobby Eaton next. As one might expect, this match is a mess from the very start as Abdullah goes after Sting and Pillman makes the save (despite being on the opposing side). There are some good moments in what is mostly a wild brawl, though the camera misses maybe the best one as you can hear the crowd pop for Flyin' Brian lifting the Butcher with a bodyslam. I love Pillman's energy in this match, but I dislike how much he's rooting against his own team, cheering on Sting as he literally eliminates him from a chance to win the show's main event prize. The energy level, use of weapons, length, and finish - as well as the relative weakness of practically every other match since the opener - makes this arguably the show's best match. (3/5)

Rick Steiner and The Nightstalker team up to take on Big Van Vader and Curtis Hughes in the next contest. This is one of those matches that isn't great, but makes up for it by being interesting. For starters, the camera avoids any close-ups of The Nightstalker, which is bizarre, but maybe points to WCW actually having some sense and realizing that with his impressive size, the future Adam Bomb deserved better than being just a job guy. Or maybe they realized that a guy named The Nightstalker shouldn't be wearing peach tights? Regardless, he's a non-factor in this match as Rick Steiner chooses (for no apparent reason) to go it alone and try to beat two 350+ pounders. Scott Steiner had a reputation as gobbling up his opponents in the ring, to the point of unprofessionalism, but Rick Steiner proves it runs in the family here as he and Vader get off on the wrong foot early with a mistiming/miscommunication and work very snug from then on. Maybe Rick Steiner is upset about the finish? He performs several power moves on Vader, but only the first overhead belly-to-belly looks good as Vader doesn't seem too eager to get tossed around. The Nightstalker eventually tags himself in, which pisses off Steiner, and the match devolves with all four men in the ring going at it. The Nightstalker tries to set up Curtis Hughes for the patented Steiner Bulldog but ends up getting leveled by a stiff Vader clothesline. Vader then hits him with a splash right onto his upper body while the Stalker is sitting up and it is awkward and painful-looking as it sounds. I'm not sure if Vader is taking his aggression from the Steiner stiffness onto Bryan Clarke or what, but it just seems like nobody wanted to cooperate with anybody else and this was the end result. Not a match to seek out, but more than watchable for all the physicality. (2.5/5)

The second last Lethal Lottery bout of the match pits Scott Steiner and Firebreaker Chip against Johnny B. Badd and Arachnaman. This might be the only Arachnaman match I've ever seen and I'd be lying if I said I was impressed. Who in their right mind would've thought this character would work? I know Brad Armstrong is a solid worker too, but you'd have to be a Juventud/Mysterio-level high-flyer to do justice to a "Spiderman wrestler" gimmick. On the flip side, Firebreaker Chip is surprisingly sound in this match. I had no idea this brute could actually exchange holds but he does. Scott Steiner is the best worker of the bunch and is merciless against Johnny B. Badd. The action in this match is good, but the duration is bizarrely long. I know WCW was probably looking at the clock and realizing they needed to fill time, but surely they could've done so with some impromptu promos out of Paul E? Rude? Cactus Jack? Arn Anderson? Its not like WCW lacked talent that could cut promos on the fly. This would've been a good match, or at least average, if 2-3 minutes were shaved off. (2/5)

The last of the mix-em'-up tag matches is next - Ron Simmons teaming with Tommy Rich (who is dressed up like Barry Windham's Body Double) to take on PN News and Steve Armstrong. The only guy over in this match is Ron Simmons, so naturally, the bulk of it involves the other three guys. This might be one of the worst matches ever - not because it features any noticeable botches - but because it is maybe the longest twelve minute match ever broadcast. WCW could've booked this as a total squash and the crowd would've even it up, but because the show was probably running short on time, they opted instead to have Tommy Rich (a guy in the midst of the worst stretch of his 30+ year career) buy time with lame shtick. At twelve minutes, this one goes at least ten too long. (0/5)

Main event time - the first ever BattleBowl Battle Royal featuring all the winning teams from tonight's random pairing pseudo-tournament.  I thought the last match was one of the worst things I ever saw, but at least that was comprehensible. This match started like the worst part of the worst Royal Rumble that never happened as there were too many bodies in the ring and too many of said bodies were guys that shouldn't have even been on PPV (let alone in a main event). Plus, its double-elimination, so it takes twice as long to get Firebreaker Chip and Bill Kazmaier off the screen. Despite a few guys that are over and have some flashy movies (namely Sting, Liger, Simmons, Lugar, and Arn Anderson), there seems to have been zero thought put into how this match could spotlight of any of their talents before it whittles down to a half-dozen guys. The crowd pops for the pairings that one would expect - Rude and Steamboat trading shots and the eventual finals (Sting vs. Luger) - but even in its closing moments, its not a very interesting conclusion to watch. A worse than average main event in any era. (1.5/5)


With a Kwang Score of 1.77-out-of-5, Starrcade 91' is a tough show to sit through. While there's a bit of goofy nostalgic fun in seeing PN News and Arachnaman (or catching soon-to-be stars like Austin, Rhodes, and Vader so early in their runs), there's not a single match really worth watching on this entire show. The problem is that despite a tremendous amount of talent on this card, WCW unwisely decided to book the worst possible Lethal Lottery scenarios, opting to make things seem as random as possible rather than actually setting up teams that could produce good or interesting matches. Its a ludicrously stupid way to book a show as guys like Pillman, Rick Steiner, and Cactus Jack are kept out of the main event in favor of Todd Champion and Thomas Rich. Astoundingly, WCW would make this same mistake time and time again with their Lethal Lottery shows, though I'm not sure there was any worse edition than this one. Additionally, the show suffers tremendously from lacking any sort of diversity. There's not a single non-Lottery match on the whole show, meaning not a single match to break up the monotony of a bunch of "heel & face vs. heel & face matches," none of which are worked particularly well. Was there any way this show was ever going to work the way it was booked? 

FINAL RATING - DUDleyville

WCW Mayhem 2000

WCW Mayhem 2000

Milwaukee, WI - November 2000

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Booker T is the World Heavyweight Championship, Lance Storm holds the US Title, the Cruiserweight Champion is Mike Sanders, the WCW World Tag Team Champions are The Perfect Event, and the Hardcore Champion is Crowbar. 

COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden, and Stevie Ray

I summarized the first Mayhem PPV, held in 1999, as "one of the worst wrestling shows I've ever seen" and reading back to my original review jogged some memories as to why:  multiple matches that drew "boring" chants, overbooking left and right (including a horrid Lex Luger heel turn), Ed "Oklahoma" Ferrara on commentary for a match...It all added up to one of the worst cards WCW had ever put on. How would things go a year later? Let's find out... 

This year's show begins with a WCW Cruiserweight Championship match as Mike Sanders defends the gold against Kwee Wee. This is the first Mike Sanders spotlight match on PPV and I stand by my relative praise for the guy. He's not a world class worker, but he carries himself well in the ring, has good facial expressions, and actually seems motivated and excited to be on TV - which is more than one could say for most of the guys that were in the upper midcard and main event scene from 99' on. Kwee Wee is also a bit of an underrated character who had a unique look, solid offense, and could get believably intense when he turned into his alter-ego "Angry Allan." Meng makes a great cameo early on, as does Ric Flair, firmly setting up the babyface/heel dynamic nicely for the many fans who attended this show but probably hadn't been following WCW storylines for months based on the ratings. As I mentioned above, Sanders nor Kwee Wee are dazzling cruisers in the tradition of Rey and Juvi, but the story they tell makes sense and they work with enough intensity to make this a not-too-terrible match. (2/5)


Next up is a triple threat tag match pitting The Jung Dragons against 3 Count against Evan Karagias and Jamie Noble. This match starts off very loose, but soon becomes a more traditional match with actual tags. These guys were sent out to dazzle the crowd with innovative, high-risk maneuvers and they do an outstanding job of it, especially Noble, Helms, Shannon Moore, and the Dragons (wait, is that everybody except Karagias then?). There are some hiccups in this match - including a woeful false finish where referee Scott Armstrong (going as "Scott James" in a wholly unnecessary Russo-rific reference to his brother, "The Road Dogg" Jesse James) - but there are also some really good spots, including a straightjacket suplex, a sick brainbuster, and a series of dives towards the end that deservedly pop the crowd. There's also Leia Meow walking around in a clear plastic top if you're into that sort of thing. This match goes for 11 minutes, but they should've given them a full 15 as it flew by, too many of the better spots were undersold (and didn't register), and the crowd was eating it up by the end and would've gladly watched more. This isn't a must-see match, but its definitely an above-average bout and easily one of the better WCW matches I've seen in weeks. (3/5)

Backstage, Bam Bam Bigelow attacks Mike Awesome. Or so we think. When we cut to the back, Awesome is already laid out and Bigelow is berating him. He then slams a chair near him - not on him - for some reason. AWOL of the MIA runs Bigelow off. I forgot the Bammer was still around at this point. I'd be curious to know if there was ever a thought about bringing him back to the WWE, but I'm also guessing he made a pretty penny when WCW was sold and he got to sit out on his Time Warner contract. 

Back to the ring we go for the rematch nobody wanted - Jimmy Hart vs. Mancow. This was the same level of bad as their first match at Spring Stampede several months earlier. Jimmy Hart has a phony leg injury and Mancow is dressed like a Columbine shooter. His pre-match promo features a knock against Al Gore that gets a huge response - which is somewhat surprising considering Wisconsin went blue during that election (hell, they went blue for Dukakis in 88'!). 3 Count are involved, but all their offense against Mancow is ignored so that Mancow can throw some weak punches at Hart on the ground. I'm guessing WCW had signed Mancow for two matches and the bean counters felt like they had to get something out of their investment or maybe they thought Mancow's appearance would help sell tickets (I sincerely hope it did), because there's really no other reason why this was given time on the show. I was more engaged by the Karate Fighters tournament WWE ran in 96'. (0/5)

Next up, a WCW Hardocre Championship match with the defending champion Crowbar putting up the title against two guys who had lots of kayfabe history with eachother - Big Vito and Reno. Its a bit unfair to knock WCW too much for its super lame, super tame hardcore division - the WWE was doing the exact same thing and kept doing it for two more years on top of this - but this entire genre of wrestling just has not aged well at all. Part of the problem is that the characters involved felt lesser, like guys that were so incapable of actually wrestling good matches in the ring that they had to let them toss each other into plastic furniture and use trash can lids to fill time because without these crutches (and, sometimes, literal crutches), their matches would have been the absolute shit. Again, the same was true in the WWE (how else could a guy like Maven be a 3-time champion of anything?). This match, like pretty much every one of these matches, was just weapon shot after weapon shot in the ring until they went backstage and performed more weapon shots. There was actually a fleeting moment at a PPV not too long before this were Big Vito felt like he was actually getting over, but the never-ending feud with Reno and not being built up as a serious competitor prevented that from ever happening. Remember when Vito had a gimmick where he was a cross-dresser but was quick to point out that he wasn't gay? When do you think that was? 2001? 2002? In TNA? It was in the WWE and it was in 2006 and it led to a 4-month undefeated streak. Reading and contemplating that was way more interesting and fun than watching this match. At least it was under 8 minutes and the finish did seem to serve a storyline purpose. (1/5)

The Filthy Animals' Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman took on Alex Wright and KroNik in a semi-handicap match next. The storyline coming into this bout was that KroNik were hired by Disco Inferno (who was teaming with Wright as The Dancing Fools) to wrestle for their side for 7 minutes and 30 seconds exactly - not a second more - as several pre-match segments made 1000% clear. Of course, this made the ending 1000% predictable too as Mysterio and Kidman managed to last the full 7-and-a-half minutes before KroNik walked out and Alex Wright was left to fend for himself. This match wasn't great, but Mysterio and Kidman could still move around the ring at a great clip, Alex Wright might have finally peaked as a worker by this point, and KroNik seemed (surprisingly) eager to show that they could keep up with their more agile opponents and partner. When KroNik leave, we get a really funny extra minute or so because its not just an immediate squash and Wright's attempts to maintain control are executed perfectly. The finish is never in question and this isn't a great match, but with everyone actually motivated and putting in an effort to over-deliver, it falls near that average range - which, compared to what else WCW was producing at this time, makes it sort of a big deal. Oh, and Tygress is on commentary, and there's some enjoyment to be had in hearing her thwart and divert Madden and Stevie Ray's obnoxious 7th grade jokes. (3/5)

Shane Douglas and Torrie Wilson make their way down the aisle for the next bout - a surprisingly watchable grudge match against Ernest "The Cat" Miller (who is accompanied by former Nitro Girl, Ms. Jones). Douglas and Miller don't bother with restholds, brawling out of the ring early and keeping the intensity up for the remainder of the bout. At one point Miller goes after Mark Madden, which leads to Madden fake choking and coughing every other word. This answered the question I had about whether Mark Madden could be any worse of a commentator than he already was. Sadly, the answer is yes. Yes, he could. Some of his calls sound like he might even be trying to take digs at Joey Styles but I'm not sure if that was intentional. Regardless, the match takes a turn once Torrie and Jones get actively involved. Their physical interaction is cringe-inducing only because it is so clear that neither has been trained to do anything other than look pretty and one is bound to seriously injure themselves or the other by throwing kicks in clunky high heels. Douglas ends up clocking Miller with a chain in what would've been a good finish - but Miller kicks out at two and ends up winning his loaded red slipper. By this point, Douglas was a non-factor, but, then again, he was at least a good enough old school heel that he could get heat from the live crowds and, booked properly, could've probably been built up as a credible upper-midcard guy in 2001. Instead, losing this bout to a kung fu comedy act like Miller, paired with his embarrassing feud with Billy Kidman (the one that brought us the infamous "Viagra on a Pole" Match), further pushed the one-time Franchise of ECW into complete joke territory. In a vacuum, this isn't too bad of a match, though, despite the nonsensical booking. (2.5/5)

After a not good promo from the MIA's General Rection (it really is a bit astonishing that this guy went on to coach other wrestlers when he was an average-at-best talent that got progressively less over as he was given more screen time), Bam Bam Bigelow makes his way down the aisle for his scheduled match with Mike Awesome. Unfortunately, though, Awesome was taken out earlier in the show (?), so Ric Flair brings out his replacement - A-Wall. A-Wall controls most of the match and the Bammer doesn't look like he cares much. This match could've been fun with more weapons and whatnot, but its just two guys clubbing at each other in slow motion mostly. A-Wall goes for a table, but when he tries to set it up, Bigelow reverses his chokeslam attempt into one of the worst Greetings from Asbury Parks ever for the win. After the match, Bigelow can't get up and EMTs have to come down to assist him. I'm not sure what the story is behind this - angle? legit injury? false heart attack alarm? - but the commentators treat it like its legit. A bizarre end to a not very good match. (0.5/5)

There's a commercial for the return of Glacier and the announcers mock it. 

Lance Storm makes his way down the aisle, his ribs taped up, to defend the United States Championship against General Rection. Storm delivers his usual pre-match promo and the Canadian National Anthem is played. (All the while, Bam Bam Bigelow is being wheeled to the back on a stretcher.) General Rection comes out, looks at Bigelow and then makes his way towards the ring...only to get sneak attacked by Bigelow! I have to admit, I was 1,000,000% fooled. As Rection has been incapacitated, Storm is able to take advantage, targeting Rection's knee. There are quality moments in this match - mostly Storm's crisp offense and the strategic involvement of Major Gunns - and you get a 100% clean finish, but half the crowd is visibly bored and the crowd noise has definitely been sweetened. Not a bad match, but no better than average. (2.5/5)

In the back, Mike Sanders tells Doug Dillinger to send home his security crew. The announcers are as confused about this as the viewer is. We then get a commercial for Starrcade 2000. 

Jeff Jarrett makes his way down the aisle and cuts a promo on the crowd, calling them "slapnuts" and whatnot. His opponent tonight is Buff Bagwell. Its kind of refreshing to see Bagwell working a brisker pace and having a sound technical wrestler like Jarrett opposite him. Jarrett and Bagwell don't have Flair/Steamboat chemistry or anything, but the match works because the characters are clearly defined, the dislike between the two feels natural, and both guys do enough "little things" to engage the live audience, fully aware that it is that audience that matters most in the dying days of WCW (because the audience watching on PPV wasn't too big by this point). When Jarrett locks in a sleeper, a portion of the crowd is disinterested, but there's also a noticeable number of fans (audibly female) who rally behind Bagwell from the very start. Jarrett goes to the top, but ends up with a mouthful of boot and Bagwell counters a bunch of Jarrett's next attempts at offense too. Bagwell goes for the Blockbuster, but Jarrett is able to dodge it. A loud "Jarrett Sucks" chant emerges as Bagwell sells the damage to his shoulder. In the corner, though, Bagwell is able to hit a huge tornado DDT for 2. Jarrett inadvertently takes out the referee and then dumps Buff to the outside. Double J slides a chair in, but is prevented from using it by David Flair, who DDTs him on the steel chair to a mild response. Bagwell crawls over and gets 2-and-a-half and then argues with the referee. Bagwell comes off the top rope with a crossbody but only gets 2. He then hits a reverse DDT and the referee counts 1...2...and then just doesn't put his hand down for 3 because Jarrett is late getting his shoulder up. Jarrett slides to the outside and is able to hit Bagwell with a guitar while the ref's back is turned. Jarrett makes the cover and this one is over. If you cut out the meaningless David Flair interference and the botched pinfall attempt late at the match, this is probably a slightly above-average match (at least compared to everything else on this card), but with those elements in there, this is no better than average. (2.5/5)

The WCW World Tag Team Championships are on the line next as The Perfect Event - Chuck Palumbo and Shawn Stasiak - defend the straps against Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page. Mike Sanders joins the commentary team as a show of support for his stable, The Natural Born Thrillers, whose additional members are now serving as WCW Security on the outside of the ring. A very loud "We Want Hall" chant erupts before the match and Madden and Stevie Ray have to ignore it because (I believe) Hall had been officially released by this point. Nash goes for a Jacknife early to no avail. Palumbo and Nash end up tearing into eachother in the corner and there's some actual fire there, Nash hitting some of his signature offense with gusto. A "DDP" chant starts up too, the babyfaces of this match clearly more over than anyone else that has been on the show so far. The Natural Born Thrillers try to get involved, but are cleared out of the ring. Flair then shows up with Dillinger and the rest of the security crew. Flair and Sanders start jawing with Sanders using his Commissioner power (as well as his new status as the manager of The Perfect Event) to stay at ringside while the rest of the stable is taken to the back. In the ring, Page and Stasiak do some wrestling and Page is in control until Palumbo slugs DDP when he hits the ropes. Palumbo comes in and they hit a double slingshot suplex for 2. Page plays the face-in-peril, hits a discus clothesline, but can't string together enough offense to regain control of the match. Stasiak and Palumbo take turns beating down on DDP, keeping him in their corner to prevent him from making the hot tag. Page is eventually able to get over to Nash, but the referee's back is turned so the tag isn't allowed to stand and Palumbo applies a sleeper. Page fights his way out and locks in one of his own before hitting a sidewalk slam for 2. Page is finally able to reach Nash, who comes in and takes out both of the Perfect Event members. Nash lands a Jacknife on Stasiak while Page hits the Diamond Cutter on Palumbo. They're about to get a 3 but referee Billy Silverman is pulled out of the ring by Sanders! Great false finish. Page hits the Cutter on Sanders on the outside and the ref goes back in and makes the count again. That false finish should've been used earlier in the match as Nash's Jacknife powerbomb was maybe "over protected" here with Stasiak having to sell it for a count of 20 at least. The right team won as Nash and Page were over and the live crowd wanted to see it. Not a bad match and I liked the effort out of the vets. (3/5)

Lex Luger makes his way down the aisle looking more swoll than ever before, stone-faced for his match against Goldberg. The commentators try to sell him hard and, had this match happened in 98' or even early 99', I think there would be some intrigue, but this is far from a "dream match" in 2000. Luger just seems like a relic in this setting, like he's aged 10 years in 10 months. I wouldn't necessarily call this a total squash as Luger does get a little bit of offense in, but for the most part, this is all about Goldberg's new winning streak and quest to challenge for the WCW World Champion at the next month's Starrcade. This accomplishes what it needs to, but takes a bit of a bumpy road to get there with an unnecessary ref bump that (I'm guessing) was followed up on Nitro as a way to build a rematch or raise some doubt whether Goldberg should've been disqualified (and, per the stipulation of his kayfabe contract, been fired on the spot). This match wasn't designed to be good and it wasn't. (1/5)

Main event time - WCW World Champion Booker T defending the strap against Scott Steiner in a Cage/Straightjacket Match. Any match where the finish requires one guy to dress another in an item of clothing is going to be behind the 8 ball, so WCW opted to just not make that a requirement - meaning pinfalls could also end the match. So why would anyone even attempt to grab the straightjacket? It makes absolutely no sense and the commentators point it out as soon as Booker and Steiner start going for the thing and (seemingly) forgetting to go for any pinfalls. Its this kind of incredible stupidity on the parts of the bookers and agents (and I'm sticking to my theory that WCW either didn't use agents to layout matches or the agent/booker communication was so minimal that they might as well have not). The match starts off with some good urgency, but this match just doesn't go anywhere and watching Booker try to put Steiner into a straightjacket is anti-drama. Booker does eventually get it onto him and then grabs a steel chair, bashing it over Steiner's skull not once, but twice. It is a ridiculously heelish move followed by Steiner ripping the straightjacket sleeves off his arms (a clear babyface move). Steiner applies the Recliner, but then just essentially lets him lift him up and takes the worst stun gun-type move I've ever seen. Steiner hits a suplex, but Booker T basically no sells it and hits a Bookend (Rock Bottom) for 2. The crowd doesn't pop or seem to care about any of this. Booker hits an axe kick, but can't capitalize. Steiner crawls over to the chair, but Booker is up with a Spinnerooni. Steiner clocks him with the chair and drops him with a Full Nelson slam that looks like it could've broken Booker T's tailbone. Steiner locks in the Recliner and Booker T "passes out" to end this very disappointing and purely booked match. Steiner attacks Booker T after the match, trying to crush Booker's knee. So, Steiner's still a heel even though he did a straight-outta-the-80s Hulk Hogan spot earlier in the match? This was way worse than I expected and I wasn't expected anything great. (1/5)

With a Kwang Score of 1.83-out-of-5, Mayhem only managed to earn a slightly higher score than the previous month's woeful Halloween Havoc, but that is the only (and most faint) praise I could ever give this show. The triangle tag match in the first hour is solid and the Filthy Animals match is saved by its closing stretch - when KroNik leave and we get to see Alex Wright wrestle a handicap match against Mysterio and Juvi - but just about everything else is average at best and often way, way below that. The Mancow segment is garbage. The Bam Bam Bigelow angle is insulting. The whole show is marred by the ever-terrible commentary of Mark Madden. Then, the final two matches completely tank whatever goodwill was earned by the efforts of Nash and Page, who, for the first time in months, look like they're at least having some fun in the ring. Impossible to recommend.

FINAL RATING - DUDleyville

MY TOP 10 NETWORK MATCHES OF 2018

My 10 Favorite Network Matches of the Year

2018 Edition

Here's my list for the best WWE Network Matches of the Year for 2018. Enjoy!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Charlotte vs. Ruby Riott (Fastlane 2018) 

Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte (Evolution)

Daniel Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar (Survivor Series 2018)

Ronda Rousey vs. Nia Jax (Money in the Bank 2018) 

...And now, the actual list...



10. Triple H & Stephanie McMahon vs. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey 

WrestleMania XXXIV

At WrestleMania, Ronda Rousey made her in-ring debut in one of the year's most entertaining matches. This was never going to be a mat classic, but it was booked with such expert care that every segment and sequence worked. By time Rousey had Stephanie McMahon cornered, the heat was off the charts. 

9. Team RAW vs. Team SmackDown

Survivor Series 2018

Since 2015 or so, the WWE has excelled in the field of multi-man car wrecks, matches that eschew long-term psychology in favor of the instant gratification of stars sprinting through their signature moves, tables getting splintered, and the teasing of future dream matches. While not everyone's cup of tea, this year's RAW/SD Survivors Match was built around two looming, dominant figures - Braun Strowman and Drew McIntyre - and, to be sure, they both shined in the roles, but it was the spotlight moments that The Miz, Finn Balor, and Rey Mysterio were given that connected with me. The funnest "popcorn match" of the year. 

8. Ronda Rousey vs. Nia Jax

TLC 2018

8 months after her remarkable debut, Ronda Rousey closed out 2018 with another excellent match, a sequel to her show-stealing battle with Nia Jax from June's Money in the Bank show. While there first encounter was terrific, by this point, Rousey's rough edges (overt spot-calling, the giddy facial expressions) had been smoothed over and Nia Jax had emerged as the company's most legitimately despised heel. On a show loaded with crowd-pleasing stipulation matches built around furniture destruction, Rousey and Jax nearly stole the show with a basic story infused with a dazzling array of counters and some excellent selling by the RAW Women's Champion.

7. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair

Survivor Series 2018

A brutal, highly physical battle that ended with one of the more unexpected half-turns in recent memory. After standing up to Rousey with more confidence than any of the former UFC Champ's previous challengers, Charlotte grew so frustrated with her inability to put away the rookie that she went overkill, costing herself the match but also reclaiming her position as the women's division most fearsome competitor. The crowd, which started a bit lukewarm (disappointed that Becky Lynch had been pulled from "her moment" and replaced by the gilded Flair), had abandoned their resentment by mid-match as Charlotte and Rousey's efforts were too intense to be ignored. As much as 2018 may be the Year of "The Man" Becky Lynch, when it comes to actual output, Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey were the MVPs of the women's division. 

6. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka

WrestleMania XXXIV

Awesome entrances, exchanges that remind the audience that pro-wrestling ain't ballet, some nifty high spots, and at least one amazing counter (Asuka locking Flair in a triangle choke after a moonsault attempt), this match delivered on every level...except maybe the one that fans wanted most (an Asuka victory to continue her undefeated streak). Like her work in her aforementioned bout with Ronda Rousey, Charlotte was  able to win over much of the crowd by taking the fight to Asuka and withstanding the Empress's stiff strikes. 

5. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano

NXT Takeover: New Orleans

NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV

NXT Takeover: Chicago II

In 1989, Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat had a trilogy of matches that all earned 5 stars in Dave Meltzer's still-influential Wrestling Observer newsletter. This year, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano put on a trilogy of their own - a far more violent one - and stamped their own place in wrestling history in the process. Now, I am fully aware that grouping 3 matches together on a Top 10 List is cheating, but I suspect I won't be the only doing so. The matches are inextricably linked. With a gun to my head, I'd rank their first battle, at NXT Takeover: New Orleans, as the best of the bunch due to it being the most classically "epic" -  but I'll readily admit to enjoying the mayhem of the Chicago Street Fight from June almost equally as much and loving the inventiveness of the finish of their match from Brooklyn IV. Stand alone, I'm not sure any of these matches would've ranked higher than a number 8 or 9, but collectively, they rank as the best multi-match series that the WWE produced in 2018.

4. Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz

SummerSlam 2018

When Daniel Bryan announced his return in the build up to WrestleMania XXXIV, it wasn't a matter of if but when we would see him exact revenge on his longest-running rival, The Miz. We didn't have to wait long as, at SummerSlam, 3 years of built-up animosity erupted in one of the best (and most underrated) matches of the year, a throwback to the character-based classics that the Randy Savages and Jake "The Snake" Robertses of the world built their careers on. In an age where seemingly every major match contains at least two suicide dives, a handful of moonsaults, and an announcer's table being turned to sawdust, it was refreshing to see Bryan and Miz build a match almost entirely on character work, chicanery, and weapons-free brawling. From the start, Bryan's body language and expressions made it clear that winning the match was secondary to his primary aim of literally just punching The Miz in the face, while The Miz, in overlooked brilliance, sought to show the "technical wizard" that he'd learned a few things during Bryan's absence - specifically Bryan's own signature moves (stealing Bryan's Yes Kicks was nothing new, but applying a friggin' surfboard was some serious salt-in-wound shit). The live crowd wasn't as amped for this match as it could've (and should've) been, but I like to think that's partially because it was Match #6 on a 10-match, 4+ hours broadcast (and that's not including whatever happened during the 60-minute Pre-Show). For fans craving a character-driven battle without all the "flippity-flopping," gimmicky plunder, and "self-conscious epic" melodrama, look no further.

3. Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly vs. Moustache Mountain

NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV

True NXT/WWE mega-fans reading this would likely argue that the best Undisputed Era/Moustache Mountain available for viewing on the Network is actually found on the July 11th episode of the weekly NXT show, but as I'm not a regular viewer of the show I didn't catch that match until I had been spoiled by seeing this innovative, high spot-loaded spectacular. If this was just your typical "spotfest," it likely wouldn't rank on my list (and certainly not this high), but like the #DIY/Revival classics of 2016, this one was equally about the characters and the importance of the championships. While even the main roster's best tag teams spent 2018 resting on their laurels, the Undisputed Era and Moustache Mountain (along with Lorcan & Burch and The War Raiders) fought hard to bring NXT's tag division back to prominence.

2. AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan

TLC 2018

This year brought us a DegenerationX reunion, three Roman Reigns/Brock Lesnar match, and John Cena vs. The Undertaker at a WrestleMania and all of them were the worst versions of themselves possible. Thank god for AJ Styles and The New Daniel Bryan for, without them, the belief that "dream matches" could deliver on their promise might have been lost forever. On an episode of SmackDown a week before Survivor Series, Daniel Bryan cheated his way to the WWE World Championship, but that match (as good as it was) was mostly wrestled as an ultra-competitive exhibition as opposed to a heel/face grudge match. Their TLC rematch made up for it without going overboard. Both guys showed urgency but not recklessness, AJ knowing that he needed to maintain his composure if he wanted to win back the title and Daniel Bryan wrestling with the attitude of NWA-era Ric Flair, arrogant when in control but almost cowardly on defense. Bryan's work here (and, to a lesser degree, against Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series) shows that he might just as good in this character as he was playing the lovable underdog. An instant classic and the best main roster match of the year that left enough on the table for the inevitable rematch to be one of the most anticipated matches of 2019.

1. Andres "Cien" Almas vs. Johnny Gargano

NXT Takeover: Philadelphia

For the fourth year straight, my favorite Network match of the year came from the NXT brand. Awarded what used to be the highest rating possible (a full 5 stars) by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer, this match featured everything one would ever hope for in a major championship match - intensely fought exchanges in the early going building up to throw-anything-you-can-at-the-other-guy risk-taking, super stiff strikes, edge-of-your-seat, believable false finishes, brilliant use of supporting characters (Zelina Vega and Candice LeRae)..this match was not just the best WWE match of the year, it has enough action and emotion that it might be one of the top 10 WWE Matches of all-time. I'm not even sure there's an argument that it isn't the best match in NXT history. If there is one match that a wrestling fan can and should show their non-wrestling fan friends as the clock winds down on 2018, this is it, a captivating, high-stakes battle that demonstrates how even the most choreographed sequences should look like an intense struggle. A perfect match. 

WWE TLC 2018

WWE TLC 2018

San Jose, CA - December 2018

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Brock Lesnar is the WWE Universal Champion, Daniel Bryan is the WWE Champion, Seth Rollins holds the IC Title, Nakamura reigns as the United States Champion, Becky Lynch is the SmackDown Women's Champion, Ronda Rousey holds the RAW Women's Championship, the RAW Tag Team Champions are Chad Gable and Bobby Roode, and the SmackDown Tag Team Champions are The Bar.

COMMENTATORS: M. Cole (RAW), R. Young (RAW), C. Graves, D. Otunga (SD), T. Phillips (SD)

R-Truth and Carmella vs. Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox was our opening contest, the finals of the 2nd Annual Mixed Match Challenge. The winners would automatically be awarded the #30 spots in their respective Rumbles, so there were some actual stakes on the line. Unfortunately, because none of these four have much of a chance to be WrestleMania headliners, it wasn't like these stakes have longterm potential (though, I could be wrong). Speaking of waste, R-Truth didn't waste any of his minutes and looked as crisp as ever. He doesn't have a ton of great matches under his belt and has been a comedy character in the WWE for what feels like 99% of his career, but that doesn't mean he can't pop a crowd. This felt like the kind of match you might use to kick off a house show - which is a compliment because it got the live audience engaged without tiring them out. Fox and Carmella aren't the smoothest workers, but both have undeniable stage presence and Carmella has improved tremendously over the past year and a half or so. Mahal, to me, remains a guy that has a great look, a booming voice, and nothing else to offer. The worst part of this match was the stilted, poorly executed-but-even-more-poorly written post-match interview. (2.5/5)

The Bar vs. The Usos vs. The New Day for The Bar's SmackDown Tag Team Championships was up second. These teams are so critically beloved and have delivered such good matches against each other and others that the "bar" was set high for this and I'm not sure it was ever designed for them to meet it. To me, on a stacked show like this, this was inconsequential and while there were some good spots and stretches, there was nothing innovative enough to make this a "must watch." As great as these three teams are, both tag divisions need some fresh blood to bring something new out of these teams. Not a bad match, but maybe the most inconsequential match I've seen out of any of these three teams in a good two years.(2/5)

Next up - Baron Corbin putting his General Manager role on the line against Braun Strowman (who was fighting to win a Universal Title Shot at the Royal Rumble) in a TLC Match. This was more of an angle than a match, but it still felt like it was overwritten and went too long. Corbin came out, believing that Strowman was not going to show up, and gloated about his appointment as RAW General Manager for Life. His celebration was, of course, interrupted by Strowman (who was still sporting a cast on his elbow). Rather than demolish Corbin, though, Strowman got on the mic and explained that in a TLC Match, there are no disqualifications - and that means he could have some back-up do his job for him. This led to Corbin trying to escape only to be surrounded by Apollo Crews, Gable and Roode, and Finn Balor. Corbin then tried to head down the aisle, but was halted by Kurt Angle (the crowd had been chanting "We Want Angle" a few minutes before this). Corbin was beaten down by all the babyfaces until Heath Slater (who had thrown his ref shirt at Corbin in defiance) made the count as Strowman stood over him. This segment effectively delivered Corbin's comeuppance - but it also undermined Strowman's mystique a bit (could you imagine peak babyface era Rock or Austin ever having to call on help to help them settle a score?), saddled Balor with Superstars-level compadres in Crews, Roode, and Gable, and then also burned through two potential storylines/moments (Heath Slater standing up for himself and Angle's return) that could've made for stand-alone, crowd-pleasing segments on RAW. A point-and-a-half rewarded for the crowd pop for Slater, Angle, and Strowman and the idea that this might've been the end of a storyline that should've never happened to begin with. (1.5/5)

I really wanted to like the next bout - a Tables match between Ruby Riott vs. Natalya - and it started off with one of the best spots of the whole evening, an absolutely STUNNING table bump by Liv Morgan than made me audibly exclaim "Oh shit!" in the gym while I was on my eliptical. Unfortunately, the match quality kinda dipped from there with nothing reaching that same level of brutality - which, to be fair, was probably for the best if any of these women want to be wrestling past 2019. There were some noticeable instances of telegraphed moves and spot calling (including one point where Natalya sounded like she apologized for an extra stiff slap to the face) and too many stretches where one of the competitors had to lay around while the other set up a table, but the build up to this match obviously resonated with some fans based on the reactions they got and Riott is an engaging performer (and might be the most underrated female talent on a very deep roster). Not a great match - maybe not even a good match - but not too far removed from that level - thanks to some clever, crowd-pleasing moments. (2/5)

Drew McIntyre vs. Finn Balor followed and while it didn't have as many technical flaws as the previous match, its high points weren't as high either. McIntyre dominated the early going and Balor fought from underneath valiantly, rallying at certain points but always getting cut off by the one-time "Chosen One." When McIntyre went to the outside, Dolph Ziggler showed up to attack him, but was eventually fended off long enough for McIntyre to make his way back into the ring. The distraction was big enough, though, for Balor to string together some offense and pin McIntyre after a Coup De Gras. To me, it looked more like a clean loss than a cheap one - the second one of its ilk for McIntyre this month. There was talk of McIntyre getting a strong push in 2019, maybe even a WrestleMania main event spot, but this match, and what looks to be a continued feud with Ziggler and Balor does not seem to be pointing to McIntyre receiving the mega-thrust it would take for him to be taken seriously as a challenge to Lesnar. Questionable booking aside, this wasn't a bad match, but it wasn't anything you'll find on either guy's Best Of list. (2.5/5)

A Chairs match pitting Mysterio vs. Orton followed and exceeded my (and I'm guessing most people's) expectations. For starters, "Chairs" matches aren't really a "thing" and didn't become a "thing" until a few years ago. Sure, chairs have been brandished by heels and faces alike for decades, but a match stipulation where the only legal weapon is a chair? Not nearly as common as Ladders and Tables matches, which both have been around since at least the 90s. Anyway...There were two crazy Rey spots early: a "Boogie Board" chair slide onto Orton on the floor and Rey basically doing a Bronco Buster onto a chair from the apron. Orton was noticeably motivated too, withstanding a ton of stiff chair shots, throwing himself into Rey's offense, and hitting his own signature moves with gusto (the powerslam he delivered looked like it could've given half the audience whiplash). I absolutely loved the way Orton slammed Rey head-first onto a chair in the corner - it was the kind of spot that wouldn't make sense 99% of the time, but worked here because Rey is so well known for being a high-flyer and could organically position himself for it. The final minute was a little bit of a letdown as I'm not sure delivering an RKO on a series of chairs would hurt Rey more than Randy. All in all, though, these two made a strong argument for deserving higher positioning on the card because this match felt, even without months of build or an abundance of promotion (was anyone talking about this match a week ago?), more personal and more brutal than every match that came before it. I don't often say that a Randy Orton bout could've benefitted from 3-4 more minutes of action, but this one was so good, I was left wanting more. (3.5/5)

The RAW Women's Championship was on the line in the next contest - Ronda Rousey defending against IWC punching bag Nia Jax. This was a fantastic match, arguably Ronda's best showing in a rookie year filled with highlights and maybe even Nia's best match too (and I was a big fan of her bouts with Alexa Bliss and Asuka). The match started out beautifully with Rousey using her speed to evade Nia and when Nia did get her in her grasp, Ronda used her expect counters to keep Nia's power advantage at bay. Ronda's facial expressions have improved and, whether or not this match was more rehearsed than others, there was also no blatant "Ready? Go!" spot-calling like there have been in some of her other matches. Nia stepped up it as well. Jax looked more focused and prepared than she ever has before. Again, it doesn't matter how much you lay out a match or rehearse, if the result is as excellent at this, then go ahead and do it. Great spots included Rousey hitting a giant splash on the outside of the ring,  Jax taking a powerbomb off the top rope, and Jax attempting to connect with a vertical suplex only for Rousey to miraculously turn it into a submission. The execution, pacing, facial expressions all clicked and resulted in one of the best matches in the WWE this year. (4/5)

The WWE Champion Daniel Bryan defended his title against AJ Styles in the next contest. Bryan's recent heel turn has made for some good promos, but it didn't feel fully complete at last month's Survivor Series, partially because Brock Lesnar isn't exactly a lovable protagonist. Here, though, Bryan was able to heel it up 1000% and AJ Styles did what he does best - slowly and methodically build fan support by selling his ass off, bumping like no other, and fighting back valiantly while still taking too many risks to ever really control the match. AJ's moveset is flashy, no doubt, but what I like about it more is that it looks effective and based on the hope of inflicting punishment. Compare that to Seth Rollins, who will attempt bucklebombs on bad legs or his ridiculously stupid Falcon Arrow (that looks like it would tire him out more than it would be painful for his opponent) or his multi-suicide dive spot (that, again, seems like it would tire him out to a far greater degree than it would actually hurt his opponent). The Phenomenal Forearm makes sense. The Calf-Crusher makes sense. The Styles Clash makes sense. The 450 makes sense. They're all flashy, but none are examples of showboating the way much of Rollins' signature spots seems to be. Anway, enough Rollins bashing, let's talk about the greatness of Daniel Bryan here. Bryan worked as a quintessential heel without needlessly abandoning his mat-based style, but what was noticeable was that the moves he busted out, while not out of his wheelbox, all featured just a touch more of menace, as if, for the first time, he wasn't just wrestling to survive or win a match, but actually working to injure his opponent. The crowd was engaged in the match and while hearing Corey Graves the entire night did a get bit tiresome (I'd love to see them sub him out on PPVs for a match or two), he was much more tolerable calling this match than he would be in the next contest (more on that in the next paragraph). In a year that saw several WWE "Dream Matches" occur, this one felt like the first that actually delivered on its promise. Unfortunately, despite a clean finish, it still felt like these two still had something left in the tank - not a bad thing if this rivalry continues to WrestleMania. (4.5/5)

Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose was next, a match that, on paper, should have been viewed as a "must see" battle but was, by the time the match happened, on this night, an exercise in tediousness. Where does one start in tearing apart this shitshow?  Well, the build significantly cooled any heat this storyline started with, in large part due to the questionable tone and subject matter of Ambrose's promos (getting a shot in his butt by a doctor, cosplaying as Bane). Rollins has never been a great promo, heel or face, but after a year of being RAW's MVP, felt like a bigger star than his Intercontinental Champion ranking. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised to learn there were pre-emptive discussions of having him challenge Reigns for the title at Mania in a bit of a face/face Warrior/Hogan type deal. But, in December 2018, after this match, I'd be shocked if Rollins was still getting groomed to be RAW's top hero. Anyway, with such poorly written sketches working against them in the lead-up to this match, the loathsome commentary made sure the match itself was equally unwatchable. Graves and Renee Young spent most of the match discussing Young and Ambrose's real-life marriage while Cole tried to refocus them on the match - but forgot to get over the MacGuffin (the Intercontinental Championship) entirely, barely making any reference to the fact that this was a title match and that the title symbolized who the better man was (in Cole's defense, Rollins nor Ambrose bothered to sell that basic premise effectively in their promos either). Meanwhile, the live audience seemed to be expecting this to be a TLC Match and was understandably bummed that it wasn't. I say "understandably" becuase when the entire PPV is called TLC, the phrase "TLC" is used in every promotional spot for their match, and the Rollins/Ambrose feud was built around something so personal - the dissolution of The Shield and Ambrose's callous decision to attack Seth Rollins on the same night Roman Reigns announced he was essentially retiring due to his battle with leukemia - that it absolutely deserved to be a no DQ, weapons-heavy brawl! It wasn't. It wasn't a regular match not dissimilar to the dozen of other matches Rollins has wrestled this year. And, like the awful Rollins/Ziggler Ironman Match, was rightfully met with indifference (and even an audible "This Is Boring" chant). The match's lowest point may have been when Ambrose tried to stop Rollins from attacking him by sticking his fist out (a reference to their Shield brother) and Rollins actually sold it for half a minute rather than just say "Fuck you!" and beating his brains out. It was corny, dumb nonsense. Oh, we also got Rollins picking and choosing when to sell his damaged knee, which I needed to mention for those trying to fill their "Reasons Seth Rollins Is Overrated" Bingo Card as they read this. The right man won this match, but in a sense, the wrong man won because it means this feud will likely continue. If the first match on this show felt like the best kind of house show match (fun, entertaining, a little silly), this one felt like the worst kind of house show match ("get your shit in and go home"). (1.5/5)

Main event time - Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte vs. Asuka for the Smackdown Women's Championship in a TLC Match. There was a time when a women's match headlining a PPV would feel weird, but, credit to the WWE and the popularity of Becky Lynch, I didn't even bat an eye about this closing the show and nor did the live crowd (who woke up significantly for it). Lynch was mega over, but Asuka had a respectable number of fans supporting her as well, while Charlotte was met with heel heat. It didn't take long for the chairs and tables to come out as Asuka and Becky delivered some seriously stiff chair shots in and out of the ring. Lynch's confidence, from her entrance to the way she stuck her chin up throughout the match, made her seem like the biggest star on the show - and this show featured some really great performances out of Styles, Bryan, Orton, Rey, and Rousey. It has just been great to watch her step into the spotlight and own it. At one point Lynch hit a leg drop off the top of the ladder onto Charlotte (who was on an announce table) that was all the more punishing because the table didn't break at first and Charlotte sold it like her old man would've by bellowing in pain. The crowd erupted in a "Holy Shit" and then a "This is Awesome" chant, practically rubbing it in the faces of Ambrose and Rollins for stinking up the joint. As Asuka and Becky went for the belt, Charlotte sprung back to life and grabbed a Kendo stick to take them out (still selling her ribs like a real pro). Later, Lynch delivered a nasty Beckplex on her into the barricade, Flair taking her second nasty bump of the match as she had been sent through the bottom of a table from an Asuka powerbomb earlier. A little bit later, as Asuka celebrated her own use of the kendo stick, Charlotte speared her through the barricade in yet another terrific spot. From here, the match entered its final stage with Charlotte and Becky brawling in the ring and eventually bringing that rage to the outside. Charlotte hit a so-so senton off the top onto Becky through the table, which may not have looked too great, but made more sense than, say, a moonsault would've. From here, Charlotte and Asuka fought their way up a ladder to retrieve the belt and Becky recovered quickly enough to set up her own ladder too. Asuka got taken out and it looked to be a dead heat between Charlotte and Lynch before Ronda Rousey showed up (to a chorus of boos) and cost both of her enemies the title. It was an absolutely masterful piece of booking that was executed well and led to Asuka winning her first SmackDown Women's Championship.  Some in the crowd may have been upset about Lynch not winning, but they popped for Asuka's victory (cheap or not) and the finish undoubtedly adds even more intrigue around the Royal Rumble and the rest of the road to WrestleMania. While there were some telegraphed moments, for the most part, this was violent and fun as any TLC match in recent memory. (4/5)


If TLC 2018 wasn't the best main roster PPV of 2018, it was close to it. With 3 near-masterpeices and a handful of nice surprises (the pace of the Orton/Mysterio match, the perfect tone of the Riott/Natalya bout), TLC was only marred by the banal Rollins/Ambrose match, filler tag title contest, and lame Strowman/Corbin angle (one that they would stubbornly and stupidly repeat the next night sans Braun). There were some questionable bookings thrown in too, but for the most part, the right man (or woman) won every match and when they didn't, at least a storyline was pushed. With a Kwang Score of 2.80-out-of-5 that betrays just how high the peaks of this show were, TLC 2018 can be classfied as...

FINAL RATING - Watch It (With Remote in Hand)