WWE Money in the Bank 2012

WWE Money in the Bank 2012

Pheonix, AZ - July 2012

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Sheamus was the World Heavyweight Champion, the WWE Champion was CM Punk, the Intercontinental Champion was Christian, the United States Champion was Santino Marella, the Divas Champion was Layla, and the Tag Team Champions were Kofi Kingston and R-Truth.  

Money in the Bank 2011 is widely regarded as one of the best pay-per-views in WWE history, but I'd never seen the next year's show. Our opening contest was one of two Money in the Bank Ladder matches and featured a cast almost entirely made up of young up-and-comers at the time - Dolph Ziggler, Santino, Cody Rhodes, Tyson Kidd, Sin Cara - rounded out by two veterans in Christian and Lord Tensai (aka Albert). This is a sleeper for being somewhere in the top 5 Money in the Bank Ladder Matches that I've seen. For starters, it really does feel like anyone's game as everyone involved could've theoretically won (even Tensai, who had come in just a couple months before this and held victories over Cena and CM Punk). Because there was no clear favorite, there's more suspense in this match than your typical Money in the Bank or even Rumble match (as there's usually only 1 or 2 wrestlers who could potentially win). I also liked how this match features not just a bunch of crazy, big bumps, but quite a few moments of "sloppiness." The fact that not every attempt at innovation is successful - that some of their moves aren't executed perfectly - lends itself nicely to what a ladder match should be (unpredictable, dangerous, messy). As with most matches of this type, there are some terrifically brutal spots in this match, but my favorite included Christian frog-splashing himself into a ladder, Ziggler delivering a Zig-Zag off the ladder, and an insane springboard sunset flip powerbomb by Kidd that looked like the kind of thing that you theorize doing in a match but wouldn't ever dare try. Again, it was imperfectly executed, but looked gnarly in the best way. I didn't like Santino's comedy bit or the slightly anti-climactic ending as I wish they would've built up a bigger final moment to put wrap this up. This was really, really good and I daresay a "must see" for fans of this type of match or this specific era of SmackDown. (4/5)

The Miz cut a promo before the next match, entering himself into the night's second Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Though the two ladder match concept is not one I often agree with, I like how they differentiated between the World Heavyweight Championship one and the WWE Championship one by putting the mostly younger, mostly unproven talents in the opener and then leaning heavily on established, former championships for the main event. By this point, The Miz deserved to be in the latter too.

The night's World Heavyweight Title match followed as babyface Sheamus put the title on the line against Alberto Del Rio. This match had psychology and good pacing, but was also underwhelming and unremarkable. Del Rio targeted Sheamus' arm throughout the match, which made sense because he was using an armbreaker as his finish, but Sheamus is a very unsympathetic babyface due to his size and, at the time, one-dimensional gimmick. Maybe they should've had Del Rio and his manager try to cheat more? This just wasn't a special match and shows that Sheamus, in 2012, had still not "put it all together" in terms of timing and pacing a match to keep the fans engaged. After Sheamus gets the clean victory, Del Rio and Ricardo beat him down...which leads to Dolph Ziggler running down with his new briefcase in-hand. Before Ziggler can cash in, though, Del Rio hits him with a Backstabber and then he gets knocked out by a Brogue Kick. (2/5)

The Primetime Players - heels at the time and managed by Abraham Washington - took on the The Colons in the next match. Kofi Kingston and R-Truth were on commentary, but didn't get too many words in as the audio was dominated by the normal commentary and Abraham Washington, whose gimmick was that he talked through his clients' matches on a wireless mic that (if I'm not mistaken) was also played over the PA system. The crowd was mostly dead for this, though they did pop for a questionable line from Abraham Washington (when he called Primo "Taco Bell") and for when his comments about Rosa Mendes led her to do a bit of dancing. Aside from that, this was a TV match (and when I say TV, I'm thinking more Superstars and less Raw). Titus O'Neill got a majority of the ring time for his team which I don't understand when he's so clearly better as the "hot tag" or the "heavy" of the bunch. Primo and Epico have some nice moves, but their gimmick was colorless so the crowd had no reason to care at all about them. The Primetime Players should've got the dominant win here to set them up for a fed with the champs, but instead, the Colons got a sneaky win that didn't really help them anyway. The previous match was for a title and featured relatively big names so one can understand why it was on the show. This match, however, was obvious filler that could've and should've been pulled in favor of something more unique (like, I don't know, a match featuring any of the talented women on the roster at the time). (1.5/5)

CM Punk defended his WWE Championship against Daniel Bryan in the next match. This was a continuation of the Love Triangle storyline involving AJ Lee, who was Daniel Bryan's ex but had been buttering up CM Punk in the build-up to this match to get under Bryan's skin. AJ Lee was terrific in her role, but after 2012, the writers really seemed to have lost the vision for what she could bring to the table and she became a somewhat forgettable Divas Champion rather than a key character in the main event/authority scene. The layout of this match was smart in that AJ Lee wasn't involved for the majority of its 25+ minute runtime, allowing Punk and Bryan to go ahead and wrestle a straight-up, physical and technical championship match...but because AJ had such a huge role in the build-up, its almost like there's an ingredient missing from the soup to me. Their match at Over the Limit 2012 is rightfully considered the better bout, but that's not to say that this still isn't a very good match and borderline "must see." For any other wrestler, it might even be a "career" match, but with these two, there are just too many better examples of their work. Punk is fine and over, but he's not quite as electric in his performance as he came off in the heel run that started not too long after this match. Bryan, subversively, was more entertaining when he became a babyface and had his major run a couple years later and, in terms of his heel persona, was better in 2018 too. In a sense, what everyone always wanted to see was "peak Punk vs. peak Bryan" and while we may have got the indie version of that in at least one of their ROH/IWA/FIP matches, I'm not sure we ever truly saw in the WWE as Daniel Bryan just wasn't fully actualized by this point and CM Punk, while having a spectacular year, might have been even more interesting a year earlier or a year later. (4/5)

Ryback squashed Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins in a 2-on-1 match. The crowd was not super into this and were still chanting "Goldberg" at Ryback at this point. I forgot what the turning point was for Ryback, but there was actually a time when he was getting over - maybe it was sometime around SummerSlam? This was fine for what it was and a good buffer between the bigger matches on this card. (2/5)

A six-diva match follows with Divas Champion Layla, Kaitlyn, and Tamina Snuka taking on Beth Phoenix, Natalya, and Eve Torres. A line-up like this doesn't exactly scream "great wrestling," but everybody puts in some effort even if there are some glaring miscues and lots of "teamwork among opponents" sloppiness. Layla and Beth are the clear all-stars for their team so their moments together are the best of the match, but this doesn't get enough time to really amount to much of anything. (2/5)

Main event time - the "elite" Money in the Bank ladder match - John Cena vs. Chris Jericho vs. The Miz vs. Kane vs. The Big Show. Cena comes out to a massive pop and one has to wonder if there was any chance at all of someone not named John Cena winning this thing? He's not only the most over guy in the match, but he was the sole true babyface (unless Kane or Big Show were babyfaces at this point, which they might have been but I'm not gonna bother researching). Big Show goes on quite a run in the beginning, pretty much taking everyone out and looking super dominant until he ends up on the outside of the ring and gets put through a table by a Cena Attitude Adjustment. Big Show gets buried under a bunch of ladders and things open up a bit as the remaining four duke it out. Speaking of Big Show, if I'm not mistaken, he held the WWE Tag Team Championships with everyone in this match except Cena at one point. There aren't too many creative spots, but this match is all about the star power so you don't necessarily need much by way of crazy innovation or even high-risk maneuvers. Some highlights include Miz and Jericho double-suplexing Kane, a crowd-pleasing double 5 Knuckle of Shuffle on Miz and Jericho, and an AA from Cena onto Kane on top of The Miz (who was already lying on a ladder). Jericho looks to have it sewn up at one point before The Big Show climbs out of the wreckage and stops him, sandwiching him in between the ladder legs before destroying the ladder itself. After taking out Kane and Miz, it boils down to just Cena and Big Show in the ring and Big Show dominates once more, drawing a ton of heat as he tosses ladders out of the ring (some of them landing rather brutally on The Miz). After emptying the ring, Big Show goes under the ring and grabs a super-sized ladder, which takes up quite a few minutes. If the ladder itself wasn't so impressive, it would make everyone look like goofs but it actually is such a spectacle to see that it doesn't take the audience out of the match at all. Kane climbs up but gets punched off, allowing Cena to spring up there himself (only to get head-butted off). Jericho grabs a chair and bashes Show in the back, drawing him down. Jericho bashes Big Show a couple more times for good measure and then he and Cena start to climb up the ladder...in slow motion. Dang. This was pretty good and somewhat realistic until Jericho and Cena decided to go super-melodrama as they climbed the ladder for no reason at all. Cena grabs hold of Jericho and looks like he may attempt an AA, but Jericho locks in a sleeper. Cena lowers himself a few rungs, but then somehow takes steps up the ladder with Jericho on his back! Cena reaches the top but looks to be losing consciousness. Cena looks completely out of it, but Jericho won't release the hold. The Miz sneaks up but Jericho punches him off the ladder too. Cena is back awake and he's going for the briefcase, but Jericho won't release the sleeper. Jericho finally lets go and Cena stumbles off the ladder. Jericho looks to have it won, but The Miz climbs back up and now they're both holding onto the case! Jericho hangs onto the briefcase and swings off the ladder. The Miz grabs hold of him and looks to suplex him off, but Jericho fights back. Big Show climbs up the ladder too now and knocks Jericho off with his WMD punch. Show knocks Miz off too, but Cena climbs up and uses the briefcase itself to take Big Show out. I liked some of the suspenseful minutes leading to the finish, but the finish itself fell flat because Cena the briefcase had come loose when Cena used it against Big Show, basically winning the match before he had actually "won the match." This wasn't as fun as the first match, but it was good enough for what it was. (3/5)

While not as great as the previous year's Money in the Bank, I'd still consider this one of the best pay-per-views of its era, not just because of the loaded roster, but because of the diversity and pacing of the show. The opening ladder match is wild fun, the WWE Championship match is a top notch title fight, and the main event delivers what it needs to. Unfortunately, the World Heavyweight Championship match is dull and the "filler" matches involving the Prime Time Players, the women's wrestlers, and Ryback are not just inconsequential and inessential, they're uninteresting (with the women's match showing the most promise due to the work of Phoenix and Layla but not getting enough time to develop). The Kwang Score of 2.5-out-of-5 may not seem too great, but the show's pacing makes it more digestible than the numbers indicate. Minute for minute, this show is mostly good stuff.

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

WWE Fully Loaded 2000

WWE Fully Loaded 2000

Dallas, TX - July 2000

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this match, the WWE Champion was The Rock, the Intercontinental Champion was Val Venis, the European Champion was Eddie Guerrero, the Light Heavyweight Champion was Dean Malenko (though he's the only Radical not to appear on the show), the Hardcore Champion was Steve Blackman, the WWE Tag Team Champions were Edge and Christian, and the Women's Champion was Stephanie McMahon. 

I don't actually remember watching Fully Loaded 2000, but I'm willing to wager serious money that I did. Admittedly, though, this was around the time when I - 16 and driving in my 87' Honda Civic - was becoming less and less interested in pro-wrestling. Looking at this show 20 years earlier, though, I think my apathy (most likely caused by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin no longer being the star of the show and the ascent of Triple H as the top heel) might have been a bit premature because this show kinda ruled.

The Hardys and Lita took on Test, Albert, and Trish Stratus in an inter-gender 6-person tag to kick-off the show. This is exactly the type of match I wouldn't have given a chance to in 2000. I thought Test was awful. I thought Albert was even worse (and, to be fair, I'd still say he mostly sucks). I recognized how over Trish Stratus was, but I underappreciated how much actual wrestling her and Lita were willing to do, the amount of physicality and the fact that, compared to the sub-gutter lows of tastelessness that the WWE would plunge into in the years that followed, the actual amount of disgusting "sex appeal" stuff was actually kept to a relative minimum (though, the camera does undoubtedly focus more on Trish than anyone else in the match and its not even close). I also didn't appreciate just how good the Hardys were at this point as everything they did was well-executed, including taking a helluva beatdown during the post-match (the T&A combo of Albert hitting a splash in the corner and then whipping a guy into Test's big boot was a killer double-team move). If you said this was the best T&A match they ever had, I don't think you'd be wrong because unless they have a tremendous hidden gem somewhere in their catalog, this is it. Plus, it doesn't overstay its welcome! (3/5)

Tazz had suffered an injury not too long after he debuted in the company (at the Royal Rumble in January of the same year) and, when he returned, had basically turned heel by attacking anybody and everybody (but mostly babyfaces based on the video package). His opponent in this brief contest is Al Snow, who was a year removed from his last relevant (and great) storyline -  the feud with Big Bossman involving Pepper the Dog and culminating in a Kennel from Hell match. Snow does the J-O-B, which is nothing knew for him, but this isn't as one-sided as one might believe...which kinda doesn't work because Tazz desperately needed dominant wins and this, despite being short, was still relatively back-and-forth. I liked that this didn't go too long, but the booking wasn't what I would've done and Tazz really seemed like a guy who was doomed to fail from the get-go. I almost wonder what would've happened if Tazz had went to WCW instead of WWE in 2000. I mean, I doubt he would've been more successful in WCW, but then again, aside from his debut at the Rumble, Tazz was treated as an afterthought almost immediately and maybe the shallower talent pool in WCW would've meant he might've made a bigger splash? (2.5/5)

Perry Saturn challenged Eddie Guerrero for the European Championship in the next bout. Eddie was paired with Chyna at this time and its actually unfortunate, looking back, that this pairing occurred during undeniable "rough patches" for them. Eddie had injured himself almost immediately upon debuting in the WWE and while he would eventually be one of the company's most beloved stars, it was clear that he had not quite found his footing in the WWE yet (and was also famously "battling his demons" at this time). Meanwhile, Chyna was also famously going through personal issues around this time after parting ways with Triple H both on- and off-screen and, as many have pointed out, developing her own ego and addiction issues. But imagine if this pairing had occurred when Chyna was still a rising star, hungry for the spotlight and not yet feeling entitled to it? Or when Eddie had the confidence and fan adoration that he did in 04' and 05'? Hell, what if instead of being slotted in the midcard, Triple H and Stephanie had actually wanted to work with them at the top of the card? But, in 2000, even if the chemistry was there, the desire to really "make it work" didn't seem to be. It's a shame too because this match shows just how good the Eddie & Chyna act could be. They may not dominate the match in the traditional sense - Saturn gets plenty of offense in and its all nice and fine - but their personalities are huge and, positioned as heels rather than babyfaces, they would have been huge heat magnets for the way Eddie could outwrestle you in the ring and Chyna could manhandle you outside of it. The match doesn't go long - less than 6 minutes - but they throw a bunch of moves into it as they clearly wanted to show what they could bring to the table. I was confused by the booking of the ending as Saturn went on to do so little in the company and Eddie would blossom into a huge star, but whatever. Not a bad match, but it did make me think more about what could've been rather than what was. (2/5)

The Acolytes took on Edge and Christian in the next match. In various segments before this match, Edge and Christian were trying to get out of this match by having Christian feign illness. It made for some funny segments, but then, before the match began, to really get the crowd behind the APA, the heels cut a promo about Dallas (including a pretty wild claim about how JFK would've committed suicide if he hadn't been assassinated) and then Bradshaw cut a spirited promo to get the live crowd behind them. It was good stuff, even if it was very much of its time. The match itself wasn't anything special, but I'd call it "well-designed" in the sense that the APA got to beat down on the heels, but the heels still outsmarted the babyfaces by retaining the titles via DQ. Perfectly fine "TV match" on a loaded pay-per-view card. (2.5/5)

This was followed by Val Venis vs. Rikishi in a Steel Cage Match for the Intercontinental Championship. This match surprised me a bit as I'm not generally much of a fan of Val Venis and I've always found Rikishi to be a touch overrated (and I'll admit I never "got" his gimmick or appeal as a babyface and found the Stinkface to be corny). But, despite all my misgivings, I'll give credit where its due - these two guys really worked their asses off to deliver a match that would stand out on a card that was objectively loaded with big matches and lots of star power. Val Venis is not someone you typically think of as a bleeder, but he gets color here and takes a bit of a beating from Rikishi as the two utilize the cage quite well in an old school way. This match doesn't have much "new" to say, but Rikishi does deliver a huge splash off the top, which was a sight to behold considering his size. This was never going to steal the show because, well, look at the rest of the card and the talent involved, but this was arguably one of Venis and Rikishi's best singles matches and, though Lita and Trish got huge pops for their cameos in this match, they didn't really need to be involved because Venis and Rikishi did enough on their own to make this a worthwhile match. (3/5)

The next bout - The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle - also had quite a build as the Deadman had been stalking Angle over the course of the evening. People may look back at this match as a "squash," but Angle held his own and its important to remember that, in 2000, Kurt Angle was a wrestling prodigy but was still working a gimmick that made it completely believable that he had let all his initial successes go to his head and had bitten off more than he could chew when he stepped up against the Phenom. I'm not a huge fan of the American Badass iteration of the Undertaker, but in this context, his gimmick made way, way, way more sense than it would've had he been doing the gimmick he'd used in the decade before this. Also, having just watched the Undertaker/Shamrock from 98' (or 99'?) not too long before this, I liked that they kept things moving and didn't try to turn this into some sort of greco-roman/technical wrestling match. This is asskicker Taker vs. cowardly Angle and that dynamic absolutely works. Undertaker was reportedly injured going into this match, but he must've worked through any pain because it is not noticeable at all. At the time, many fans were upset by the finish and thought Angle should've somehow eked out a victory after he'd been on such a hot streak in 2000, but I like that they protected the Undertaker here and firmly established that, in a company that was clearly overloaded with talent, the Phenom was still the Phenom. Not a match I'd consider must see, especially compared to the matches they'd have later on when Angle was more established and credible, but perfectly fine. (2.5/5)

The second of three touted "main events" follows - Triple H vs. Chris Jericho in a Last Man Standing match. I'd have to go back to some of my notes - and probably re-watch quite a few bouts of the years - but is this the best Triple H/Jericho match? I'm not 100% positive it is, but I'm also not 100% positive it isn't. Its important to remember that, in 2000, the WWE had not beaten the Last Man Standing match stipulation into the ground yet. This is a match that is almost entirely contained in the ring, which, in and of itself, was fairly special compared to many of the major matches in 98' and 99'. This match is built on a fair amount of wrestling - not weapon shots, not crowd brawling, not stunts. To be sure, those weapon shots do come into play as the match builds (and, boy, do we get some blood), but it takes time to get there and the suspense and escalation of violence is there in a way that today's Last Man Standing matches lack. At the time, this match received rave reviews and, 20 years later, it still stands the test of time as one of the better matches of this era, benefited tremendously by a red hot crowd that absolutely hated Triple H (and Stephanie) and was fully behind Jericho. I read one review that said that Jericho and Triple H may have "done too much," but I actually found this to be considerably less "loaded" than many of the LMS matches that came after it, with (thankfully) noticeably less "false finishes." There was an attention to detail here that made sense without being too cutesy too as Triple H's finisher, for example, was treated as a finish...but not enough for a 10 count. To me, that makes way more sense than having guys kick out at 2.9. I liked that Triple H targeting Jericho's ribs throughout the contest, but wish the ribs had played a bigger role in the actual finish. Speaking of the finish, it stands out more because of how simple it is. This is not a match that could ever be criticized for being "overbooked" or relying on too much shenanigans and, in a sense, modern audiences might even be confused with the straight-forwardness of an LMS match like this (kinda like how the Bret/Owen Cage Match at SummerSlam 94' could be confusing if watched with a modern lens), but listen that crowd - this was awesome. A "must see" match for its time and even 20 years later, even for a guy like me who isn't necessarily very high on either competitor. (4/5)

Main event time - The Rock defending the WWE Championship against Chris Benoit with the added stipulation that if The Rock were to get disqualified, the title would change hands. Earlier in the show, Shane McMahon had challenged The Rock, but really just to goad him out of the locker room so that Benoit could trash his dressing room (and expensive clothes). I'm not sure who was booking/writing the scripts for the WWE at this time, but shows like this really did feel a bit more like an extended episode of Raw or SmackDown at times - and I'm not sure that was necessarily a bad thing as it provided some real variety to the show and kept the crowd engaged. Anyway...The Rock and Benoit tore the house down here and did it without relying on too much shenanigans. It really seems like they were working to have an even better match than Triple H and Jericho, which was a real challenge because unlike those two, Benoit and The Rock hadn't worked together too much before this and, unlike The Game and Y2J, Benoit and The Rock didn't have similar styles. This is by no means a "carry job," but I've read far too many reviews that inexplicably talk about The Rock having to "keep up" with Benoit and I just didn't see that. If anything, this match not only showed how good The Rock's bumping and selling could be, just how good he was at "the basics," but also how much he could use his charisma to make Benoit (and Shane) credible threats at a time when The Rock was far and away the much bigger and more established star to the WWE audience. The false finish was nicely done - again, credit The Rock for his expert timing - and the crowd bit on it until Foley showed up. My biggest criticism would be that the actual finish felt a little "out-of-nowhere" with The Rock catching Benoit in the Rock Bottom, which felt a little anti-climactic as they hadn't really been working towards that with all the focus on submissions. If I recall, these two would never have another major PPV match against each other, though I think that has less to do with a lack of chemistry than it does that The Rock, not too long after this, became a much more sporadic wrestler and was really only utilized in the biggest matches possible on PPV (he and Benoit would compete against each other on TV in singles and tags multiple times over the next couple years). A very good main event that might actually be a quite contender for both guy's Top 20 matches ever, which is saying something when you consider the number of legendary matches these two have on their resume. (4/5)

Its crazy to think about it now, but Fully Loaded 2000 was a show built around the "creation" of three new main event stars - Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, and Chris Benoit - with Triple H, The Rock, and The Undertaker playing "The Old Guard." Even in losses, all three of the "young guns" got to shine in major matches...but, if you think about it, "The Old Guard" didn't really go anywhere after this (aside from The Rock, who went to Hollywood and became an even bigger star). Triple H had only been in the main event for a year and a half or so and would continue to dominate the WWE as both a heel and a face for the next decade. The Undertaker would win multiple World Championships, main event countless pay-per-views, and wrestle close to 20 more years. For a show that was perceived to be about the creation of three new stars, in hindsight, its really more about the future of all six individuals (with The Rock/Benoit match being an almost symbolic representation of how the WWE itself would transition from the entertainment-heavy, "more sizzle-less steak" emphasis of the Attitude Era to the more gritty, physically-taxing toll of the Ruthless Aggression years. Jericho and Triple H would headline a WrestleMania against each other not too long after this, while the Undertaker and Angle would end up being anchors for the SmackDown brand from the mid-00s on. Unfortunately, the Guerrero/Saturn match isn't as good as one would wish (but still maybe worth watching if you're curious about the Guerrero and Chyna partnership), but the opener is better than I expected, helping this show earn a very respectable 2.94-out-of-5 Kwang Score and a...

FINAL RATING - Watch It

ECW Living Dangerously 99'

ECW Living Dangerously 99'

Asbury Park, NJ - March 1999

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Taz was the ECW World Heavyweight Champion, the ECW Television Title was held by Rob Van Dam, and the ECW World Tag Team Champions were Rob Van Dam and Sabu (who also held the FTW Championship).

Yoshihiro Tajiri vs. Super Crazy was the opening contest and, though this wasn't as good as their first match, it still had some remarkable moments, most of which came out of Tajiri. I loved his somersault dive to the outside in the opening minutes as this sort of maneuver was almost unheard of in 1999. Super Crazy's moonsaults are also a highlight, but really, Tajiri is in control for much of this match. Speaking of Crazy, he botches a move at one point, but I don't mind it too much as this is the sort of thing that makes "high risk offense" actually come across as high risk (Joey Styles trying to explain it away as the result of it being rainy outside makes little sense, though). The finish is a bit sudden and flat, but this was a good enough opener, if not quite as stunning as their match at Guilty As Charged. (3/5)

Steve Corino came out to deliver a promo before his match. I'm not an ECW historian so I'm not 100% sure that Corino was the first guy to come into ECW as an "anti-hardcore" type, but he's arguably the most well-known version of the act. After saying he doesn't need steroids to look as good as he does (he looks scrawny), Balls Mahoney comes out. They have a fairly short match and Corino essentially gets squashed. I think this would've been a more effective introduction for Corino if he'd actually somehow eked out a victory, but I'm not sure if Heyman was aware of how much of a cornerstone Corino would become in the last years of ECW, maybe even presuming that the guy would eventually just work as a lower midcarder in WCW or WWE. Who knows. Nothing special here, but I did like the bit where Corino almost used a chair on Balls but then just decided to sit it in and apply a headlock. (1.5/5)

Another short and relatively meaningless match follows as Little Guido takes on Antifaz del Norte. Guido was a solid worker, but Antifaz is just too bland and the ECW audience seems mostly indifferent to this match, at one point even chanting "We Want Tracy" in reference to Tracy Smothers, who was, if I'm not mistaken, on the outs with the rest of the FBI at this point. This did not feel "PPV worthy." (1.5/5)

Jerry Lynn challenged Rob Van Dam for the ECW Television Championship in the next match. I remember watching this at some point in the early 00s on a rented VHS of an ECW Best Of compilation and being blown away by it. Unfortunately, 20+ years later, what made this match so special is a bit harder to see and understand after seeing so many better versions of this sort of thing. Some of the spots are tremendous, but unlike, say, the stuff that Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio could do, the execution is not as breathtaking and, in terms of character work, RVD still wasn't really all there yet (in fact, its Jerry Lynn who kinda shines most as the resilient underdog). Some of the sequences are intricate - which should be a positive - but the intricacy mixed with the "almost-there" execution prevents things from feeling 100% organic. After 20 minutes, they should've went with a straight-up finish instead of the time limit ending leading to Lynn asking for 5 more minutes (inexplicably as the ref was going to reward him the match and ostensibly the title) and then losing. It was just a convoluted finish that was unnecessary as Lynn had successfully gotten over with the crowd (and, while I understand RVD's gimmick wasn't really about him cheating, having him actually try to cheat to win at some point would've only helped give this match the underdog/cocky heel story structure that it needed). Some people really loathe this match, but there is too much good stuff to shit on it and its undeniable how much this match blew away everything on the WrestleMania show from that same month. In context, this was considered an instant classic. 20 years later, I'd just say its pretty darn good, but maybe no longer essential viewing. (3/5)

A Jasmine St. Clair/Francine segment followed. I'm sure Francine is a nice person and she is obviously very good looking. I have nothing but respect for what she did as Shane Douglas' valet and for creating something of a career in ECW...but there's a noticeable difference in what she did and what, say, Tammy Sytch accomplished or even Sable. Francine is in that class of women like Debra McMichael who didn't really have "it factor" and so a segment like this doesn't really work because neither her nor St. Clair had much charisma, mic skills, or presence individually.

Moving on...New Jack vs. Mustafa is next. This was "The Battle of the Gangstas" after Mustafa turned on New Jack in his war against The Dudleys. This is the brawl you'd expect, though nothing more. New Jack isn't exactly known for having great matches, but what he could do was crazy stunts and hardcore brawling and, against certain opponents on certain nights, the chaos and charisma was enough to make for a memorable match. I wish this match was one of those events as the storyline leading into it deserved to end an ultra-violent clash of two former best friends, but this is just too messy and formless and there's no real escalation of violence or even an attempt at cohesion of any kind. The biggest spot of the match is a balcony dive, but Jack barely connects with it and looks like he may have busted his ankles more than hurt his opponent. They both make their way to the ring for no apparent reason beyond the need for ending the match and having New Jack to make the cover. Why not either end the match with the balcony dive as a "double count-out" or ref stoppage or, if that doesn't work, make it a Falls Count Anywhere bout? And because this was ECW, they could've just had New Jack make the cover on the floor anyway and just have the ref declare him the winner because ECW's rules were fluid anyway! This was pretty bad. (1/5)

The Dudleys show up and beat down New Jack and then issue an open challenge. Out comes Super Nova and Spike Dudley, but they get handled fairly quickly with Spike getting heaved into the crowd (I love that visual every time). The Dudleys keep talking until we get...Sid! Sid in ECW had some real potential because he had definite star power and seeing him in this environment was surreal. This somehow ends up with Spike Dudley returning to the ring and, after an Acid Drop and Sid hitting a powerbomb on D-Von to essentially take him out of action,  scoring a pinfall over Bubba. This is hard to rate as a "match" because it doesn't really have a clear "start" (I mean, was Nova actually Spike's partner or was Sid?), but as a segment, this was the right kind of madness for an ECW show. That being said, the never-ending Dudleys/Spike rivalry is wearing thin for me as a viewer (I would imagine even moreso if one was a weekly viewer of the TV shows at the time) so I was glad to see Sid get thrown in the mix as he feels like a fresh new act in this context. (2/5)

Another tag match - Shane Douglas and Tommy Dreamer vs. Justin Credible and Lance Storm - follows. This was a continuation of a couple different storylines with Dreamer and Credible having been embroiled in a long-term blood feud and Storm and Douglas having some history from when Lance was trying to join the Triple Threat. Douglas, meanwhile, was heading out of ECW and wanted to pass the torch to the next "Franchise" of ECW: Tommy Dreamer. This was fine for what it was, but it ran a bit too long to hold my attention. There were lots of predictable spots, including Douglas teasing a heel turn. Eventually Francine showed up and got into it with Dawn Marie. Cyrus showed up too during the post-match, further muddying up what I imagined was going to be a big send-off for Douglas. (2/5)

After a backstage segment involving John Finnegan and RVD, its time for tonight's main event - the FTW Champion, Sabu challenging Taz for the ECW World Championship. This reminded me of the Austin/Rock matches from around this time as it featured lots of brawling in the crowd, around the ring, and in the entrance way. There are some good hardcore moments in this match, including the cameraman getting taken out right as Taz nearly breaks Sabu's neck with a suplex through a table on the floor. Sabu nearly injures himself a little later when he attempts a sunset flip powerbomb but gets tripped up on the guardrail. There's furniture damage, there's the occasional wrestling hold, there's suplexes galore out of the champ - this match is exactly what you'd expect out of these two, goes close to 20 minutes, but still doesn't quite feel like the "classic" I wish it was. (3/5)

With a Kwang Score of 2.13-out-of-5, ECW's Living Dangerously 99' show was a bit of a disappointing watch for me. On paper, Sabu vs. Taz and RVD vs. Jerry Lynn are matches that should've been great, but were just good. Similarly, I wanted the New Jack/Mustafa match to be an ultra-violent spectacle, but it was sloppy and somehow felt heatless despite the history between the two men. Of the Sid appearances I've seen from his ECW run, this might be the least remarkable despite the Dudleys being one of the most over acts in the company. The best match of the night was probably the opener, but Tajiri and Crazy had better matches to come too, further making this show feel a bit inessential. Recommended if you're a fan of ECW as the star power on this show is undeniable, but if you're seeking top-to-bottom excellence, there are more worthwhile ECW shows to check out. 

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE Backlash 99'

WWE Backlash 99'

Providence, RI - April 1999

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was the WWE World Champion coming into this event, while The Godfather was somehow the Intercontinental Champion. The Women's Champion was Sable, the Hardcore Champion was Hardcore Holly, and the Tag Team Champions were Kane & X-Pac. Shane McMahon was the recognized European Champion and Duane Gill was the Light Heavyweight Champion (having won the title in November under his "Gillberg" gimmick).

The Acolytes (future APA) and Mideon took on The Brood in the opening contest. I wasn't expecting much out of this match, but Mideon delivered a beautiful vertical suplex at one point and the Acolytes, while still working quite stiff, allowed their opponents to shine at certain times. JBL's offense on Christian was particularly devastating as he delivered an insane powerbomb out of the corner and then an absolutely devastating Clothesline from Hell to wrap things up. The crowd didn't react to much of this, but the Brood had only just recently turned babyface (more by default than anything as Christian was punished for "ratting") and Edge and Christian had not yet shown their personalities. Not a bad opener, but nothing too special. (2.5/5)

Al Snow challenged Hardcore Holly for the Hardcore Championship in the next match. After the brevity of the matches on the WrestleMania that came before this, I did not expect to see a hardcore garbage match like this go for 15+ minutes. This was just too long and drawn out and, despite the number of weapons used and the locales visited, tiresome. It almost seems like Snow and Holly wanted to outdo the famous Benoit/Sullivan match from a few years prior, but that match stood out because it was so different than anything that WCW had put on in the years before it. This felt like they were stretching out old ideas instead of really doing anything new and, when it came time for the finish, it was a little too cutesy for me. Maybe this would've worked better if they had shaved 3-4 minutes off, but this was a loooong 15 minutes to me. (1.5/5)

The Godfather was the Intercontinental Champion for no apparent reason and defends the title against Goldust in the next match. The Godfather was a fairly terrible wrestler and this was his most grating and annoying gimmick, though I guess the original Kama character was also pretty bad. When people talk about how impossible it seemed that Goldust (Dustin Rhodes) would ever be a decent worker again, this is the era in which it really seemed like he had completely sunk to the bottom of the roster. The audience is only interested in the Godfather's Ho Train, but who can blame them with what these two were doing in the ring? The ending is incredibly dumb as Goldust gets "blinded" and attacks his right hand man, The Blue Meanie, believing it to be The Godfather. A half-point for them keeping it short and for The Godfather's effort, I guess. (0.5/5)

The New Age Outlaws took on Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart in a match to decide who the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championships would be, but this was really just about 10 minutes of fans chanting for Debra McMichael's chest and occasionally popping for a nearfall. A year after this, the WWE's tag team division would actually go through a bit of a renaissance as The Hardys, Edge and Christian, and the Dudleys raised the bar with their car-crash, high-spot-loaded style of matches. This was more "traditional," except Road Dogg sucked as a worker and Jarrett and Owen were always solid workers, they didn't have as much chemistry as one would've assumed (watching Owen, it really does seem like despite the WWE's success, he had completely "checked out" on what the company had become and his place in it). I think I would've liked this more if the audience hadn't been so obsessed with Debra, who was really just eye candy on the outside and not much of a character/manager. (2/5)

In my review of WrestleMania XV I wrote that I was pleasantly surprised by the chemistry between Big Show and Mankind and opined that they should've worked together more extensively in the months to come, forgetting all about this match (which isn't hard to do because it is very forgettable). Instead of squaring off in the ring, the two heavyweights do battle in a Boiler Room Brawl and it is just not as good. Mankind was immensely over with the live crowds at the time and Big Show was never a great gimmick wrestler so he wasn't suited for this. They use a ton of weapons and some of the slams and bumps are great...but, remember, less than a half hour before this, Al Snow and Hardcore Holly had brawled in a very similar setting and worked a very similar match, taking much of the novelty out of this. Also, aesthetically, this match was promoted as a Boiler Room Brawl and, technically, it was...but when people think of boiler rooms, they tend to think of dark and dangerous and confined, not well-lit and open. I'm guessing these two guys put on some good matches on the house show loop around this time, but in this context, we didn't get to see them tell an actual story in front of an actual crowd. I'll also readily admit that I may be in the minority with how disappointed I was as, if you check out Cagematch, this match has a surprisingly high score and may even be considered, based on its rating alone, one of Big Show's best matches. (2.5/5)

Back to the ring we go for Triple H vs. X-Pac, a heated battle between two former best friends. At nearly 20 minutes, this match goes way too long and featured way too many restholds and headlocks for me. The ingredients were there for a really great match - X-Pac was still over as a babyface, Triple H and Chyna were getting heat after joining the Corporation, theoretically these two guys had the physical skills to tell a riveting story - but this match did not click for me. It wasn't that the psychology was off as Triple H really did do a good job of targeting X-Pac's neck, but parts of this were just too repetitive. Like, how many spin kicks can you throw into a match and still make them meaningful? How many times can Chyna grab someone's foot? This match needed some escalation of offense and it wasn't there. Then, when the match finally seemed like it was coming to a conclusion, Kane showed up to make sure it ended with enough shenanigans that nothing was accomplished and nobody left with more credibility or overness than anyone else. Too long by at least 5 minutes, too meaningless of a finish, too many repeated moves and spots, no escalation - this is why Triple H would go on to become one of my least favorite workers to watch despite everyone calling him a "ring general." (1.5/5)

The Undertaker took on Ken Shamrock in a heel/heel match that also went super long (nearly 20 minutes) next. On paper, this sounds like it might be an interesting match. The Undertaker always had a bit of an MMA fetish, though it wouldn't really become a part of his character for another few years. Shamrock was a legit bad-ass so, again, this might seem like a precursor to Taker's big matches with Lesnar...but it isn't anything like that. Instead, its a slow, ground-based match where the Deadman looks like he's literally months away from death - I'm not sure if he was just working injured or what - and Ken Shamrock is working at his least dynamic pace. This match could've been a brawl with big transition spots built on power (like Taker's series with Batista), this match could've been a clash of styles built around both guys' signature offense (or at least the Undertaker's) like the Taker/Angle matches, or it could've been a blend of both (like the aforementioned Taker/Lesnar matches), but this none of the above. It was just boring. The story was that Shamrock was attacking Taker's legs and keeping him grounded and while that psychology makes sense, it also makes for a boring match that makes the Undertaker almost too human (especially as this is still quite a bit of time before the American Badass Era really humanized him). Shamrock had many of the tools to be a bigger star in the WWE, but I'm not sure things ever really "clicked" all the way with him or if he was coached/mentored properly. The crowd chants for Shamrock's kayfabe sister (Ryan) multiple times in the match (when they're not chanting "boring"). There's also a very glaring nearfall miscue where Shamrock clearly gets pinned, but Hebner doesn't count the three. I guess its interesting to see the Undertaker deliver submission moves in 1999 against a smaller opponent, but that novelty isn't enough to make a 20-minute match satisfying beginning to end. In the end, Shamrock attempts a Tombstone - which shows that he likely could've delivered some big suplexes and slams even against a larger opponent that might've popped this crowd - but the Phenom reverses it to get the clean pin. The Undertaker fought too many immobile monsters in true stinkers over the years for this to ever be considered his worst...but it might be in the bottom 10. (1/5)

Main event time - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin defending the WWE Championship against The Rock with Shane McMahon as the guest referee (and the extra stipulation that if Austin touched Shane, he'd be DQ'd and lose the title). At the previous pay-per-view, WrestleMania XV, Austin defeated The Rock for the title. However, after unveiling the new "Smoking Skull belt," it ended up in the hands of The Rock, who then proceeded to try to throw it into a river - which was a callback to Austin and The Rock's feud over the Intercontinental Championship years earlier. Anyway, Austin ended up in the river, The Rock's car got crushed by Austin in a monster truck, and Shane McMahon got involved too and it all did huge ratings. So, we get to this match, which plays a bit like a looser, somehow less "stuffy" version of their WrestleMania match (which was already just a mostly wild brawl featuring multiple ref bumps and run-ins). Meltzer gave this match over 4 stars, which seems silly because it is not at all any sort of "workrate" match. However, it might also be the most "classic" and memorable of all the classic and memorable Austin/Rock matches. When people think of their bouts, this is the match that features many of the "classic moments" that might spring to mind - the Rock putting on a headset mid-match to do some commentary, the iconic spot where The Rock grabs the camera and the audience gets to enjoy a POV-style Stunner, the Rock Bottom through the table, and then the finish, which sees Vince McMahon do the unthinkable and essentially turn babyface to allow Austin to get the clean W over The Rock (this would, of course, be part of his long con ruse leading to the Higher Power angle some time later). I can definitely see the argument that this is the quintessential Austin/Rock match, though this is also a style of match that was emulated for far too long with far less heat and, consequently, might be considered a bit old hat 20+ years later. (4/5)

After the match, we get the famous "Where to, Stephanie?" kidnapping angle. That earns a plus one because it became a major tag for my friends and I as freshman/sophomores in high school. (+1)

With a not-too-great Kwang score of 2.06-out-of-5, Backlash 99' is not a show that offers too much great wrestling aside from the excellent main event. The Boiler Room Brawl is not nearly as good as the original, though its not bad. The Shamrock/Taker and HHH/X-Pac matches are both major whiffs considering the talent level and nothing else on the card is "PPV worthy." If you're looking for an Attitude Era show to watch, there are better ones to check out, but the main event of this show is essential viewing for fans of Austin and The Rock.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE Survivor Series 2022

WWE Survivor Series 2022

Boston, MA - November 2022

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Roman Reigns was the WWE and Universal Champion, the Intercontinental Champion was Gunther, the United States Champion was Seth Rollins, the RAW Women's Champion was Bianca Belair, the SmackDown Women's Champion was Ronda Rousey, the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Champions were the Usos, and the Women's Tag Team Champions were Dakota Kai and Io Sky. 

Opening up the show is our Women's War Games match - Team Belair (Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Mia Yim, and Becky Lynch) taking on Damage Ctrl (Bayley, Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky) and their partners Nikki Cross and Rhea Ripley. This match seemed like it was building up well until it hit a rough, slow patch as it almost seemed like they "peaked" a little early and had the babyfaces beaten down a full 5-10 minutes before Becky Lynch came in to make the heroic save. Highlights included seeing Asuka and Iyo tear it up, Nikki Cross being nutty (though I do prefer her as a loony-but-lovable babyface rather than a heel) and cleverly stopping the Tower of Doom spot , and a very good final stretch that saw Becky Lynch square off against Bayley and then Ripley. The low points were Bianca Belair, who put in an undeniable Ironwoman performance by "going the distance" (as did Dakota Kai) and competing for 40+ minutes, getting lost in the shuffle at times and not really establishing that next rival the way I would've hoped and Mia Yim spending what seemed like an eternity just tossing useless weapons into the ring that didn't lead to anything special (and, again, were completely needless by that point as the ring had already been filled with kendo sticks and trash can lids). A solid match, but not must-see, and featured too much overly-choreographed spots. (2/5)

Next up - AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor in a match that would've felt like a huge deal 5-10 years ago (and did when they faced eachother in 2017), but this felt considerably lesser. For starters, neither AJ or Finn have been booked as super strong main event-level guys for at least a couple years, a real consequence of only booking Lesnar and Reigns (and slightly below them Seth Rollins) as true top guys. But even if this didn't feel special, Styles and Balor are good enough workers to avoid ever putting on a stinker. This went a touch long for me and, while there weren't any real "slow" moments, this didn't wow me (or the live audience either). Another good-not-great match that ended surprisingly clean with Styles getting the clean W with a Phenomenal Forearm. (2.5/5)

This was followed by, to my eyes, one of Ronda Rousey's worst WWE showings ever. Now, not all that blame lies with Rousey as her opponent, Shotzi Blackheart, is not a ring general or super established star. The chemistry between them was just not there. There were moments of sloppiness, but what was most unlikable about this match was that it seemed fairly obvious that neither performer was really having any sort of fun out there. The crowd wasn't either as they erupted into a loud "We Want Sasha" chant at one point. Rousey shines best when her feuds are built around her star power and her opponent either being someone with pro-wrestling credibility - Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, the aforementioned Banks - or is a competitor with a big enough personality or gimmick to counterbalance Rousey's serious MMA bad-ass gimmick (Nia Jax and, in their first match at least, Liv Morgan). I'm digging seeing Shayna Baszler getting some time in the spotlight because she's been underutilized multiple times over the years, but they need to find an interesting, fresh challenger for Rousey or the Sasha chants will continue. (1/5)

The United States Championship was on the line in the next match as Seth Rollins defended the title against Bobby Lashley and Austin Theory in a threeway match. Seth Rollins is over with the live crowd, but I'll continue to harp on him being basically cherry-picking elements of more original wrestlers to "create" his new character - Becky's wardrobe, Asuka's weird dancing, half of the riff from Shinsuke's music for fans to sing along to. Austin Theory, meanwhile, jettisoned whatever gimmick he had going on before this as a cocky, self-obsessed prima donna but that gimmick was so thin and uninteresting, I wouldn't call him no longer smiling a real character reinvention. I'm not 100% on-board with Lashley's recent heel turn as he was enjoying a really good run as a babyface with the most glaring flaw being that he simply had run out of top heels to beat up (because, well, there's kinda really only one truly dominant heel on the roster right now and he's not losing anytime soon). But, even though I'm not really a fan of any of these guys' current incarnations, this match had a great breakneck pace and lots of clever - if not a touch hokey (a double full nelson? really?) - spots involving all three men. I audibly gasped when Lashley, who had Theory in his Masterlock, got his shoulders pinned and essentially took a blind frog splash from Rollins that looked like it could've cracked a whole bunch of his ribs. The finish wasn't exactly "botched," but the execution was clearly imperfect and even the commentators had to admit that Lashley's spear - which inadvertently led to Theory's victory - wasn't on the money. This might've been the match of the night...but that doesn't mean it was must see. (3/5)

Main event time - The Bloodline vs. Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre, and The Brawling Brutes in the Mens' edition of War Games. This was all story and, for some reviewers, this was the perfect pay-off to a months long storyline centered on Sami Zayn and the Bloodline and, more recently, Kevin Owens. But, as someone who is not invested in the weekly TV series (but does follow along a little bit via YouTube and podcasts), I was hoping for something a bit more along the lines of the Brutes/Imperium series and, as naively as it may sound, some actual blood. I mean, Owens and Zayn have done violent brawls before and, with Triple H in charge and such a big fan of "classic" wrestling, it seemed at least within the realm of possibility that he'd allow this match to go a little "old school" and live up to the War Games of the past. Unfortunately, this was just not the case. Instead, we got some good wrestling, some very stiff exchanges, and some cool sequences, but nothing I'd really consider to be extra special. As one reviewer put it - this felt more like your standard 5-man match than a career-threatening grudge match. If AEW's Blood and Guts matches may be a bit too gory, this match didn't push the envelope enough. Like the women's match, we saw all sorts of "plunder" thrown in the match, but the cage itself felt underutilized (if anything, the most innovative moves were based more on there being two rings rather than the steel wrapped around them). As I'm not a weekly viewer, I hadn't seen much of Solo Sikoa before this match but I was impressed with his presence. This also seemed like a real spotlight match for Pete "Butch" Dunne (whose name is still a major injustice in my book), who got to start things out for his team. All in all, not a terrible match and there's no denying that the live crowd absolutely exploded for the finishing stretch involving Sami, KO, and Reigns (and then popped huge again during the post-match), but this still felt a bit light on the brutality that I'd really like to see in a War Games match. (3/5)

Survivor Series 2022 was a show for today's WWE superfans (read: not me). The entertainment value relied heavily on how invested you are in the WWE's current storylines - Damage CTRL vs. Bianca Belair, the Bloodline saga, AJ's rivalry with Judgment Day, and the Rollins/Theory/Lashley three-way feud for the United States Championship. As someone who doesn't watch the weekly shows, I wasn't as engrossed in the show as others and not as ready to heap praise on either of the War Games matches. With a Kwang Score of 2.3-out-of-5, Survivor Series 2022 was an underwhelming show for an increasingly casual viewer like me.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuever

WWE Crown Jewel 2022

WWE Crown Jewel 2022

November 2022 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Roman Reigns was the WWE and the Universal Champion, the Usos held the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Championships, the Intercontinental Champion was Gunther, the United States Champion was Seth Freakin' Rollins, Bianca Belair was the RAW Women's Champion, Ronda Rousey was the SmackDown Women's Champion, and the Women's Tag Team Championships were held by Alexa Bliss and Asuka. 

I don't usually review these shows because they are despicable cash grabs put on for one of the worst governments on Earth, but...it ain't like the US's shit don't stink and, I'll just go ahead and admit, this card was stacked and, for the first time in the history of the event, hooked me as "must see." 

Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar was our opening contest, most likely because Lesnar wanted to get in and out of Saudi Arabia as quickly as possible. Before Lesnar could hit the ring, Lashley went right after him, driving him into the steps and then spearing him on the floor. Lashley hit him with a second one in the middle of the ring, but couldn't capitalize as the Beast went to the floor, selling a damaged knee. Lashley speared him through the barricade and rolled him back into the ring for a fourth spear. Lashley looked to apply the Hurt Lock, but Lesnar countered with a big german suplex and then a second. Lesnar connected on a third suplex and played to the crowd a bit, all the while still selling the knee damage. Lesnar hit the F5, but only got a 2 count. He attempted another one, but Lashley escaped and clotheslined Brock to the floor. Lashley then hoisted Lesnar up in a fireman's carry and drove him into the post, garnering a sizable amount of boos from the crowd. Lashley went for another spear, Lesnar countered, but Bobby was able to counter-the-counter with a huge sidewalk slam. Lashley got the Hurt Lock on, but Lesnar wouldn't quit. Lashley got him down to one knee, but Lesnar kept fighting, evenually kicking himself off the top turnbuckle and getting the pinfall when Lashley wouldn't release the hold and had his shoulders to the ground. This was another "sprint" out of Lesnar and could've really been something special if they had actually set the table a bit more and given us a full 1st and 2nd act. Instead, we got an interesting opening minute with Lashley playing the heel and going after Lesnar's knee, but then never doing anything to continue to target the leg. After the match, Lashley re-applied the Hurt Locker and, for the first time in recent memory, Lesnar really did look like he'd been overpowered as Lashley essentially left the ring looking like the victor. If these two wanted to, I have no doubt they could have an incredible match...but this wasn't it. (2.5/5)

Next up - Alexa Bliss and Asuka defended the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Dakota Kai and Iyo Sh - whoops, Skye of Damage Control. During Alexa's pre-match promo, a nearby screened flickered with a Bray Wyatt clip, a nod to Bliss's past with the Fiend. I'm a big fan of Bliss, an even bigger fan of Asuka, and though I haven't seen a ton of their work, have appreciated what I've seen out of Kai and Skye. This was a really solid match with some good double-team work out of the babyfaces and cut-offs by the heels. There was some noticeable telegraphing at times (at one point, Bliss seemed overly distracted by Shirai before she attempted a Twisted Bliss), but also some seriously devastating moves (a Code Red that looked like it could've resulted in a concussion). I liked the finish, which saw Nikki Cross attack Bliss, seemingly as revenge for her abandoning their partnership? I'm not really sure, but I'm intrigued just because looking at RAW's women's division, there is just so, so much talent to work with. A very solid match here and, who knows, maybe the start to the Women's Tag Team Championships being featured more prominently? (3/5)

Karrion Kross vs. Drew McIntyre in a Steel Cage match followed. I'm not sure what wrestler I loathe more in 2022, Jay Lethal or Karrion Kross. Lethal is someone I used to enjoy, so I guess he's got the slight edge, but I just don't see why he should be featured on AEW so prominently. Karrion Kross, meanwhile, is a guy who I can't even say I used to enjoy. This was better than I expected to be, but I'd give most of the credit to the audience as the Saudi Arabian fans were inexplicably very into this. I didn't like the overdramatic dialogue in this match and I didn't like the pacing, which was slow at times, but there were enough big spots (including Scarlet attempting to use pepper spray) to keep things moving and the crowd engaged. I still wouldn't ever want to re-watch this, but this was noticeably better than their Strap Match last month. So far, this show has absolutely deliver what it has needed to. (2.5/5)

The O.C (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows) vs. Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Dominick Mysterio, and Damien Priest). Despite not being in the match, plenty of attention was heaped onto Rhea Ripley at ringside. As one would expect, this was a fine match, but nothing super special. The stretches involving AJ and Finn were the highlights (no shock there), but maybe the most noteworthy aspect of the entire match was how freely Michael Cole and Wade Barrett spoke about the history of each team member, outright referencing the original Bullet Club and NJPW at times. It may seem like a small thing, but in 2022, there's simply no reason not to speak openly about the histories of competitors like Balor and AJ, two guys who did so much internationally that it only makes the WWE look better to have them on their roster. I'm not saying every wrestler should come in as a "top prospect" from Impact or Ring of Honor and be touted as such, but in no other sport would someone who won a major championship in the minors or in another league be inexplicably presented as a "rookie" or "unproven" once they made it to the bigger stage. Anyway...this crowd really loved Tower of Doom spots and, frankly, most everything that happened in this match. It wasn't the smoothest contest of all time and I would've liked to see some storyline development with someone, anyone - Doudroup? Carmella? Tamina for chrissakes? - coming out to help even the odds. Another inoffensive match that benefited considerably from a hot crowd and the dependability of Styles and Balor to maximize their minutes. (2.5/5)

Braun Strowman vs. Omos followed in a match that many expected to be a total trainwreck. Strowman did most of the selling throughout the match, which made sense considering that Omos does tower over him and is a much less versatile performer. That being said, Strowman isn't good enough to carry anyone so this match was uninteresting, one-note, and drew the first real wave of indifference from the otherwise lively Saudi crowd. Strowman eventually won with an impressive powerslam, but it didn't feel like much of an accomplishment because so much of the match felt overly-scripted and "designed" to make the victory seem organic. I'm not sure why they were so quick to separate Omos from AJ Styles as Omos does have undeniable presence and the potential to be a decent big man in time...but this was the type of pair-up that exposed both guys instead of amplifying their strengths. (1/5)

The Usos defended their Smackdown and RAW Tag Team Championships against The Brawling Brutes (Butch and Ridge Holland) in the next contest. At times this felt more like a long advertisement for the Usos/New Day match on SmackDown, but that's not to say they were half-assing it. The Usos have made a strong case for being on the shortlist of the best WWE tag teams of all time, while the Brutes are still developing as a team and simply couldn't match their double-team firepower. I don't think anyone in the arena thought the Brutes stood a chance, so the nearfalls didn't quite "hit" as big as they could've. A solid outing. (2.5/5)

The next match was a Last Women's Standing bout between Biance Belair and Bayley with Belair's RAW Women's Championship on the line. I've become a not-so-big fan of Last Man Standing matches, mostly because of how anti-climactic they tend to be compared to matches that end with a pinfall or submission. The 10-count is just too long to work and ends up leading to ridiculous scenarios where a wrestler will be out for a 7 count but miraculously pop up at 9. Anyway...there were some good spots in this, but most of my favorite were really just normal maneuvers with the added bonus of being performed atop steel (a suplex on the ramp, a spinebuster on the steps, etc.). The women used every weapon they could've - the aforementioned steps, a kendo stick, a chair, a table - and we even got a set piece moment when Belair came down the ramp with a golf cart. It was a "kitchen sink," almost cartoonish match, not too far removed from the Last Man Standing match that Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns had at SummerSlam. This wasn't an all-time great match or anything, but this was certainly above-average. The finish was innovative, though I'd have preferred to see someone get knocked unconscious after a big spot rather than just being "tied down" or "pinned" by a ladder. (3.5/5)

Before the main event, Bray Wyatt came out and delivered a promo. I found the White Rabbit promos to be clever, but this felt like a promo lifted straight from 3-4 years ago, lacking any real meaning and overly flowery for no reason, yet another example of Wyatt just weaving phrases together without saying anything of substance. Sure, we got to see the face of what seems to be the next Bray Wyatt character, but that does nothing for me, just like I didn't really care who the newest freak in the Dungeon of Doom was after awhile. 

Main event time - Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul. While I wouldn't say this one "spoiled" for me, the buzz after the match was so big that it was impossible not to hear how good this was. Typically, so much hype would have me going in with lots of cynicism, but from the early going, this has "big fight feel" even if the chances of Reigns dropping the title were very slim. Though I wouldn't say I "bit" on any of Logan's nearfalls towards the end of the match, I did think they were really, really well-executed. After a match like this, there is always some debate on whether or not this was a "carry job" or if the only reason it was so successful was because Paul had weeks and weeks to train and prep for wrestling just one match, but these same sort of criticisms have been lobbed against Randy Savage and Chris Jericho in the past, both guys with reputations for laying out every sequence of their biggest matches. So, while this match was certainly not "called in the ring," it doesn't really matter when the result is something this great. What might've been most impressive out of Logan Paul were the little things - from making sure his head was down and turned away from the camera to obscure the spot-calling to making sure his strikes looked convincing and stiff to knowing when and for how long to sell. Considering this was only his third match, Paul looked incredible and it will be interesting to see where he goes from here as there's little doubt he's capable of putting on great performances. The real question going forward, though, is who is the right star to pair him with on his next go? Should he get a rematch against Roman? How about Brock? Or is he potentially interested in becoming something resembling a "full timer" who can actually help build or maintain the star power of other workers - like, say, Seth Rollins or Kevin Owens? Of course, with so much emphasis on how natural Paul looked, few of the reviewers I read said much about Reigns' performance, which was also top notch. Reigns dominated for most of the match, but when it was time to let Paul strike, he did a wonderful job of making it appear like an upset could happen. Again, Reigns proved that he may be one of the best "less is more" workers in WWE history, a guy that really knows how to space out the big hits of a match and whose use of trash talk comes across far more natural and organic and entertaining than any time we've seen Rollins or, on this same show, Karrion Kross attempt it. A sure-fire contender for the WWE's Match of the Year. (4/5)

As others have written, Crown Jewel 2022 was undeniably the best Saudi Arabian Blood Money show in the company's history. Morally, it pains me to say how watchable and, more importantly, relevant this show was as, in the past, these international super-shows have generally existed outside of "canon" in some ways. Crown Jewel 2022 felt vital, like the events that occurred here really mattered (even when, ultimately, no titles changed hands). The Bayley/Belair match felt like a decisive ending to that rivalry for now. Ditto for Kross/McIntyre. Lesnar/Lashley seemed to hint to a third clash between the two on the horizon and maybe even signaled what Lesnar's motivation will be going into the Rumble in January. Reigns/Paul exceeded expectations and, again, raised some intrigue about what Paul will be doing next. This show didn't feel designed to be forgotten the way previous Crown Jewel shows have been. With a Kwang Rating of 2.69-out-of-5, its impossible to enjoy every minute of this show as Strowman/Omos was ugly and there was quite a bit of average-level "filler," but there were enough bright spots to make this worth catching most of.

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

WWE WrestleMania XV

WWE WrestleMania XV

March 1999 - Philadelphia, PA

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, The Rock was the WWE World Champion, Road Dogg was the Intercontinental Champion, Billy Gunn was the Hardcore Champion, the WWE Tag Team Champions were Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett, Shane McMahon was the European Champion, and Sable was the Women's Champion. 

WrestleMania XV kicks off with Boys II Men singing "America The Beautiful" and drawing a whole bunch of boos from the notoriously rough Phillie crowd. This crowd is here for what the WWE "style" was at this time - brawling, raunch, swearing, whatever the opposite of wholesome was and Boys II Men just didn't fit the bill at all.

Our opening contest is for the Hardcore Championship held by Billy Gunn. His opponents are ECW alum Al Snow (with Head) and Hardcore Holly. In the weeks building up to this show, the expectation was that Road Dogg would be the one heading into the match as the Hardcore Champion (while Gunn would hold the Intercontinental Championship), but there was a switcheroo for whatever reason. My guess is that one of the Vinces - McMahon or Russo - just wanted to subvert expectations as part of the "crash TV" method they were using to make their shows feel chaotic and "must see." Anyway...this was funner than I thought it would be. Its not a very "hardcore" match in the true sense of the word as there's no blood and only one table bump, but everyone in the match was relatively over and the action is non-stop with everyone working like they want to leave with the title. Plus, at 7 minutes, there's just no time for anyone to be bored by the action. I also liked the finish, which saw Gunn hit his Fameasser but then get screwed out of the title by Holly. Not a bad opener at all. (2.5/5)

The WWF World Tag Team Championships were on the line next as Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett (and a very scantily clad Debra McMichael) took on the team of D'Lo Brown and Test. Brown and Test were the last two men to survive a pre-show battle royal, which made them the number one contenders because...well...that's just how the titles were treated in the WWE at the time. This match only goes 4 minutes, but again, kudos to the competitors for making the most of those minutes and actually getting something of a story across (even if the story has more to do with D'Lo's valet Ivory and her on-going conflicts with the Pretty Mean Sistas, Terri Runnels and Jacqueline). Also, any Owen Hart on a show is better than no Owen Hart. Inoffensive except if you were expecting an Attitude Era show from 99' to actually feature some sort of real tag team action. (1/5)

The next "match" is a notorious one - Butterbean vs. Bart Gunn in a Brawl-for-All style boxing match. This one is hard to rate as a "match" because, in terms of actually providing a hard-hitting battle, it offers none. This is what one would call a two-hit fight: Butterbean hits Gunn, Gunn hits the mat. But what a story! The Brawl-for-All tournament was supposedly designed because Good Ol' JR had let it be known that when "Dr. Death" Steve Williams arrived in the WWE, he'd be the toughest guy in the locker room or something like that. This led to "the boys" debating who would actually win in a legit boxing-style fight, with guys like Marc Mero (who did have amateur boxing experience) and JBL all entering the contest that was, again, supposedly originally designed to get over Steve Williams (who was nearing 40 and hadn't been a major star in the US for at least a decade when he was signed by McMahon to be a potential rival for Austin). Anyway...Bart Gunn was not expected to win the tournament, but he happened to have a ridiculously strong left hand and was tougher than he seemed. Of course, because Gunn wasn't supposed to win the tournament, the company refused to get behind him despite him being 34 years young, objectively handsome (or at least not ugly), in great shape, and having respectable size (at 6'4'', he'd basically be considered a giant in today's wrestling scene). So, instead of pushing him as a hired gun for the Corporation or as a legit bad ass that could reasonably hold his own against other known or perceived tough guys - Shamrock, Taker, Big Show, really anyone - Vince decided to embarrass him on the biggest show of the year and then swiftly fire him. Which brings us to Butterbean, the "King of the 4 Rounders," a guy most known for his imposing and unforgettable look and ability to knock out his competition quickly. Now, true boxing aficionados will tell you that Butterbean was more "sizzle than steak," a Harlem Globetrotter more than an NBA All Star, but this bout with Gunn was going to be a spectacle and Butterbean was the perfect opponent in that regard. And, when the bell rings, anyone with even passing knowledge of Butterbean's abilities - limited as they may have been - knew he was going to take Gunn out quickly (which he does). What people may not remember, though, is that Gunn actually gets up from Butterbean's initial flurry, which is commendable in its own right and way, way, way beyond what most anyone else inside or outside of the WWE locker room on that night could've done. Is this a "must see" match? No, of course not. Its not a pro-wrestling match at all. But in terms of being a "must see" Attitude Era moment? It definitely ranks in the top 15-20 moments of that entire span, which is no small feat considering how wild and crazy the WWE was over those years. (5/5)

Big Show faced Mankind in the next contest to decide who would serve as the guest referee in the night's main event. I don't remember this being very good, but I was pleasantly surprised by the action in this. Mankind did a great job of bumping for Big Show and I'm a bit surprised that these two didn't have an extensive feud after this match because Foley was such a great sympathetic babyface that I think he could have salvaged the ridiculously poor job they did with Big Show as a monster heel upon his debut (he actually came into this match winless despite being in the company for a full month). Big Show gets frustrated and resorts to using chairs against Mankind, which results in him getting DQ'd in under 8 minutes. Vince comes down and gets in Big Show's face and Big Show eventually decks him, turning babyface. I'd be curious to know what the plan was when Big Show first came to the company and if Vince always viewed him as a babyface and wanted this to be his big "coming out" party. Regardless, Mick Foley carried this match into "good" territory and Big Show was perfectly fine, so perfectly fine that I'm surprised that Vince supposedly soured on him not too long after this. (3/5)

Backstage, Vince tells his goons to have Big Show arrested. They also notify him that Mankind was injured after getting chokeslammed through the chairs.

Road Dogg makes his way down the aisle to defend his Intercontinental Championship against Ken Shamrock, Goldust (who is accompanied by Blue Meanie and Ryan Shamrock), and the former champion, Val Venis. Unlike your "fatal" four-way match, this was fought under the rules that only two men could be in the ring at the same time and it was "elimination-style." Those rules lead to this being one of the longer matches of the night - a whopping 9 and a half minutes! Anyway, I'm a fairly big Goldust fan but this wasn't his in-ring peak. Road Dogg bothers me more and more as the years go on, but I'll admit his shtick was really over at this time. Shamrock is a guy I would've loved to see come up in a different era because I'm curious if having different coaches and trainers would've helped him become a smoother in-ring worker along the lines of a Kurt Angle or even Ronda Rousey. Val Venis is Val Venis. This was decent, but felt like a piss-break match after the more exciting Big Show/Mankind and the novelty of Butterbean/Gunn. (1.5/5)

Big Show gets shown being arrested backstage and then we get a classic WrestleMania moment as Pete Rose attacks Kane dressed as the San Diego Chicken and gets tombstoned. Kane was technically a heel going into this match, but was seen as somewhat sympathetic because he was so easily manipulated. His opponent was Triple H, who was a babyface and had been "betrayed" by his longtime manager, Chyna. This match goes 11 minutes, which feels a bit like a marathon compared to everything else on this show. I've always found Triple H to be a touch underrated when it comes to working with larger opponents as, in that context, he tends to bump and sell and not dominate a match with his "methodic" style and sometimes outright unimaginative style. The crowd is undeniably into this match too. Chyna eventually makes her way down and *surprise surprise* turns on Kane to rejoin Triple H, but Kane still somehow wins via DQ, which seems like a half-hearted finish. Not a bad match, but nothing remarkable. (2.5/5)

Backstage, Vince declares himself the special guest referee in tonight's main event. 

Back in the ring, Sable defended her Womens' Championship against Tori. I wouldn't consider this among the worst WrestleMania matches ever like some only because (a) its too short and (b) its not like anyone was going into this expecting much. Tori was among the most experienced womens' wrestlers on the roster at the time, but she didn't have enough charisma to make this storyline work and get the crowd behind her (as Sable was in the midst of a drawn out heel turn). When Nicole Bass shows up, Lawler introduces her as being from the Howard Stern show, but really, there was no introduction needed as she had such a strong physical presence (even if she looks like she nearly injures Tori performing the one simple move she performs). Sable's performance here - from the pre-match promo to her wrestling - are interesting not so much because she's good, but because you can really tell how much her ego had swelled from when she first started and that this inflated sense of star power seems to have prevented her from actually being a bigger star. Like, if she'd actually had some fun out there, maybe her promos wouldn't sound so forced? If she'd actually trained a bit, maybe she could've come up with some fun moves to perform that would've popped the crowd (for example, remember when Snooki wowed everyone because she could do a backflip elbow)? (1/5)

Shane McMahon vs. X-Pac was the next contest. Shane hadn't yet started building all his matches around giant stunts so this is more-or-less fought in the ring and built around Shane getting help from the Corporation and the Mean Street Posse to try to beat X-Pac. Shane McMahon was technically the European Champion, though a Google search reveals that he "retired" the title not long after this - and then gifted it to Mideon not long after that. Anyway, Shane and X-Pac work well together, which isn't surprising considering that X-Pac, at his best, was always reliable to put on a decent match. Shane was limited in what he could do, but he was athletic and coordinated enough to do more than just brawl. The finish is the real story here as Triple H and Chyna turn on X-Pac and join the Corporation. Not a bad match, just kinda average. (2.5/5)

Before the next match, we get a nifty video package showcasing the Undertaker's feud with the Corporation. Looking back, the fact that Vince McMahon, later revealed to be the Higher Power behind the Ministry, would want the Undertaker to terrorize him and his family makes no sense, but that was the WWE during the Attitude Era, when allegiances and long-term character motivations would be abandoned for no reason other than the writers wanting to "spice things up." The Undertaker wrestles The Big Bossman in a Hell in a Cell match to continue the feud and the two proceed to put on one of the worst Hell in a Cell matches ever (if not the worst). There's a funny moment when Undertaker gets handcuffed to the cell wall, but the cuffs break almost instantly. On the plus side, I like that both men got "color," which isn't enough to save the match or anything but still makes it seem at least a little more violent than many of the cell matches we get nowadays. I'll also give some credit to the Deadman for his leaping clothesline, which looked terrific. The Undertaker won fairly handily, which was what everyone expected and part of the reason why this match had no heat. After the match, the Undertaker called down the Brood, who propelled from the ceiling and then gave the Undertaker a noose. He hooked the noose around Bossman's neck (not actually, but it did look real) and then Paul Bearer raised the cell, effectively "hanging" the Bossman while Michael Cole repeatedly asked/shouted "Is this supposed to be symbolic?" No, Michael, he's actually hanging the Big Bossman. This stunt was considered one of the most tasteless things the WWE ever did back in 1999 and, close to a quarter century later, it has aged even worse. Still, like the Butterbean match earlier in the show, it is undeniably memorable in its awfulness. The match is less offensive than I remember it being and the post-match angle is more disgusting than I remember it being. (1.5/5)

Main event time - Vince McMahon comes down the aisle, set to handle referee duties, but is interrupted by the return of the WWE Commissioner Shawn Michaels! Michaels gets a fairly big pop, though his performance isn't too good here and some of his lines (and readings of said lines) are woeful. I'm not sure if Michaels was still a drunk/druggie, but I wouldn't doubt it. Michaels announces that only he can decide who the special guest ref is (okay, sure) and that Vince is not it! Vince is sent to the back and out comes Mike Chioda to take over for The Rock defending the WWE Championship against "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. The match itself is fine, but not all that memorable. They brawled outside of the ring and into the crowd, by the entrance way, by the ring...nothing too special. If I was in that crowd I think I would've been kinda miffed about so much of the action being only viewable on the screen or by a portion of the audience. They finally got into the ring and we almost instantly get to the finishers as The Rock hits a Rock Bottom for a nearfall and then we get a ref bump off a chair shot. This match was no DQ so the use of a chair wasn't going to end the match anyway, but they needed multiple ref bumps anyway because...? Tim White replaces Mike Chioda but he gets taken out by a Rock Bottom and then the same basically happens to Earl Hebner as he's knocked out by Vince McMahon. The crowd is into this match and I'll give credit to Vince for laying out so many nearfall  and swerve situations, but there was no way in hell Austin wasn't leaving with title and the audience knows it. Mankind shows up to prevent Vince and Rocky from dominating Austin and the Texas Rattlesnake overcomes the odds to regain the WWE Championship. I like the poetry of Mick Foley helping Austin win the title as, months earlier, it was Austin who helped Mick get the W over The Rock. I also like how much The Rock, even in losing, was treated like a top guy. After the match, Austin celebrates and hits a Stunner on Vince to close out the show. This would've been a bigger moment had it not happened countless times before. All in all, a satisfactory main event due to the star power involved, but not an all-time classic match or anything. (3/5)

With a Kwang Score of 2.35-out-of-5, WrestleMania XV is not the worst WrestleMania of all time as some may try to argue, but it doesn't feature a ton of great wrestling either. On the plus side, most of the matches go by swiftly and there are at least 3-4 truly classic Attitude Era moments. Unfortunately, when things do drag - the Intercontinental Championship match, the slower parts of HHH/Kane, the entirety of the Tori/Sable match - they really, really drag. Foley/Big Show is better than I remember it being (as was the opener) and the main event is fun enough, but the most entertaining 10 minutes on this card are the ones devoted to the notorious Brawl for All, which barely qualifies as a pro-wrestling storyline/angle. If you're not at all interested in that aspect, steer very clear of this entire show.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver