1. John Cena defeated JBL by pinfall
This was actually slightly more entertaining than I remember. I still love their match from Judgment Day three years back, but this was not even close to that one. Nothing horrible, but definitely not their best work either.
Rating: 2.25 (out of 5)
2. The Miz and John Morrison defeated Kane and CM Punk by pinfall
This was on the short side, but fun for the time given. I love the team of Miz + Morrison and of course CM Punk is another favorite of mine. It needed about 5 minutes more because the ending came out of nowhere.
Rating: 2.5 (out of 5)
3. Shawn Michaels defeated Chris Jericho by pinfall
***Match Of The Night***
This was an awesome match courtesy of my two favorite performers of all time. I loved all of the reversals and the spot where Jericho hit the Code Breaker was phenomenal. While this wasn't as good as WrestleMania XIX, it is most definitely one of the best matches of the year thus far.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
4. Mickie James defeated Melina and Beth Phoenix by pinfall
This was a solid women's match that really showcased the talents of Mickie James. All three women worked hard and delivered a solid match.
Rating: 2.25 (out of 5)
5. Undertaker defeated Edge by countout
No one likes to see a countout finish, especially a weak one like this one. This was definitely the worst match of their series, but still a good match.
Rating: 3.25
6. Jeff Hardy defeated MVP by pinfall
I don't really agree with Hardy winning so cleanly. MVP seems to never win and I think it has hurt him with the fans. It was nice to see him get the win over Hardy recently at SummerSlam.
Rating: 2.5
7. Triple H defeated Randy Orton by pinfall
This was a good, old-fashioned cage match. It lacked the blood, but the pacing and storytelling was good. It was lacking that special something from making it a classic, but still a good main event.
Rating: 3.5
Apparently, I seem to like this show more than most. It is probably due to the fact that I loved the Michaels/Jericho matchup and found everything else to range from solid to good. The crowd was flat, but the wrestling was entertaining throughout the night.
Rating: 77%
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
SummerSlam 1988
1. The British Bulldogs and The Fabulous Rougeaus wrestled to a time limit draw
***Match Of The Night***
This was a great way to kick of the SummerSlam event. Two fun teams that usually put on a good show, and this was no exception. I'm not a fan of draws, but both teams made the most of it.
Rating: 3.5 (out of 5)
2. Bad News Brown defeated Ken Patera by pinfall
I like Bad News Brown, but this match was horrible. Ken Patera couldn't have looked dumber than he did with the perm he was showing off tonight. This was like a bad Raw match.
Rating: .25
3. Rick Rude defeated Junkyard Dog by disqualification
First things first, Rude's music is awesome. Secondly, this match is bad. However, when Jake comes in to attack Rude, the pop is just amazing. Unfortunately, that doesn't make the match good.
Rating: .5
4. The Powers Of Pain defeated The Bolsheviks by pinfall
I'm not quite sure who thought this would be a good idea, but I hope they got fired.
Rating: .25
5. The Ultimate Warrior defeated Honky Tonk Man by pinfall
I remember renting this video back in 1990ish and just going bananas for this match. Even most Warrior haters admit that this was a great moment. Another great pop from the crowd.
Rating: .25
6. Dino Bravo defeated Don Muraco by pinfall
Lucky us, we get the rematch from WrestleMania IV. Next.
Rating: .75
7. Demolition defeated The Hart Foundation by pinfall
Solid match, but not nearly as good as the opening match. It sure is good to hear the classic Demolition song though.
Rating: 2
8. Big Boss Man defeated Koko B. Ware by pinfall
I bet you never would have predicted the Boss Man would win, did you?
Rating: .5
9. Jake Roberts defeated Hercules
This was slightly better than I thought it would be considering who was in it, but still nothing worth talking about.
Rating: 1
10. Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage defeated Ted Dibiase and Andre The Giant by pinfall
This was a fun match, even if it wasn't a technical classic. Plus we got to see Miss Elizabeth in her be family friendly risque.
Rating: 3.25
This was a much better show than WrestleMania IV, but still by no means a great show. There weren't too many of those at this time, with WrestleMania III being the closest they had come to this point. Still, this has two solid matches and a few great moments that make this worth watching to a diehard fan.
Overall Rating: 62%
***Match Of The Night***
This was a great way to kick of the SummerSlam event. Two fun teams that usually put on a good show, and this was no exception. I'm not a fan of draws, but both teams made the most of it.
Rating: 3.5 (out of 5)
2. Bad News Brown defeated Ken Patera by pinfall
I like Bad News Brown, but this match was horrible. Ken Patera couldn't have looked dumber than he did with the perm he was showing off tonight. This was like a bad Raw match.
Rating: .25
3. Rick Rude defeated Junkyard Dog by disqualification
First things first, Rude's music is awesome. Secondly, this match is bad. However, when Jake comes in to attack Rude, the pop is just amazing. Unfortunately, that doesn't make the match good.
Rating: .5
4. The Powers Of Pain defeated The Bolsheviks by pinfall
I'm not quite sure who thought this would be a good idea, but I hope they got fired.
Rating: .25
5. The Ultimate Warrior defeated Honky Tonk Man by pinfall
I remember renting this video back in 1990ish and just going bananas for this match. Even most Warrior haters admit that this was a great moment. Another great pop from the crowd.
Rating: .25
6. Dino Bravo defeated Don Muraco by pinfall
Lucky us, we get the rematch from WrestleMania IV. Next.
Rating: .75
7. Demolition defeated The Hart Foundation by pinfall
Solid match, but not nearly as good as the opening match. It sure is good to hear the classic Demolition song though.
Rating: 2
8. Big Boss Man defeated Koko B. Ware by pinfall
I bet you never would have predicted the Boss Man would win, did you?
Rating: .5
9. Jake Roberts defeated Hercules
This was slightly better than I thought it would be considering who was in it, but still nothing worth talking about.
Rating: 1
10. Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage defeated Ted Dibiase and Andre The Giant by pinfall
This was a fun match, even if it wasn't a technical classic. Plus we got to see Miss Elizabeth in her be family friendly risque.
Rating: 3.25
This was a much better show than WrestleMania IV, but still by no means a great show. There weren't too many of those at this time, with WrestleMania III being the closest they had come to this point. Still, this has two solid matches and a few great moments that make this worth watching to a diehard fan.
Overall Rating: 62%
WrestleMania IV
1. Bad News Brown won the 20 Man Battle Royal
The actual match was just your standard affair, but the ending was memorable. If you're a Bret Hart fan, this is worth watching as it was one of the first times he stood out on his own.
Rating: .5
2. Ted Dibiase defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan by pinfall
Dibiase was always the man. Duggan, on the other hand, not so much. It's amazing that people still cheer the guy, it really is. I can definitely say that the right guy went over in this match.
Rating: 1.5
3. Don Muraco defeated Dino Bravo by pinfall
Now, I didn't watch wrestling during this time period, but I have to think that no one in their right mind thought that either of these guys were going to win the WWF Championship this night. This was your basic 80's steroid match.
Rating: 1.25
4. Randy Savage defeated Butch Reed by pinfall
Looking back now, Savage looks light years better than just about everyone on the roster, with the exception of a few. Even Savage's bad matches are entertaining.
Rating: 2.25
5. Greg Valentine defeated Ricky Steamboat by pinfall
Had this just been a normal match on a card, rather than part of a tournament, I think we could have had something special here. Either way you slice it, this was by far the best match of the night up to this point.
Rating: .5
6. One Man Gang defeated Bam Bam Bigelow by countout
This match had a terrible ending. Not that it was good before that or anything. Bam Bam wasn't nearly as good as he was a few years later.
Rating: .25
7. Rick Rude and Jake Roberts wrestled to a draw
I always think that this match will be better than I remember and it never is. Rick Rude was capable of a lot more than what he showed here. They looked like they had never wrestled a 15 minute match before and the crowd seemed to agree.
Rating: .25
8. Ultimate Warrior defeated Hercules by pinfall
I was a Warrior fan growing up, so I typically have more interest in his bad matches than I would a bad Hogan match. Either way, this was still bad, which unless he was fighting Rude or Savage, was the norm.
Rating: .5
9. Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant wrestled to a double disqualification
I actually like this better than their match at the previous WrestleMania. However, the ending is absolutely absurd. Why would these guys try to hit each other with their chairs with the title on the line? Well, at least we didn't have to watch Hogan win the title again.
Rating: .75
10. Ted Dibiase defeated Don Muraco by pinfall
Just another 5 minute match in a night that is filled with them. Ugh.
Rating: 1.25
11. Randy Savage defeated Greg Valentine by pinfall
One of the few solid matches of the night, outside from the main event. Once again, had it just been a one on one match with no tournament, this probably would have been better.
Rating: 1.5
12. Brutus Beefcake defeated Honky Tonk Man by countout
Looking back, Beefcake was probably the lamest wrestler of this era. Couldn't they have just had Honky win by a fluke pin?
Rating: .75
13. The Islanders and Bobby Heenan defeated The British Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware
The Bulldogs had to know they were in trouble when they realized Koko was on their team. I'm not sure I've ever seen him win a match. This was pretty good, but probably would have been better as a normal tag match.
Rating: 1.5
14. Randy Savage defeated One Man Gang by disqualification
Another horrible ending. I guess the One Man Gang would rather give up his title hopes because he couldn't beat Savage in 4 minutes.
Rating: .75
15. Demolition defeated Strike Force to win the Tag Team Championships
I always liked Strike Force, as Martel and Santana were two of my favorite mid-card wrestlers of the era. Granted, I never actually watched wrestling when they were a team, but I always found them to be underrated. Demolition isn't as bad as most people claim either.
Rating: 1.75
16. Randy Savage defeated Ted Dibiase to win the WWF Championship
***Match Of The Night***
After 15 matches, we are finally at our main event. It's a good match, but it feels more like a good TV match rather than the main event of the biggest show of the year. It still is a great moment for Savage fans, even if Hogan found a way to steal some of the spotlight.
Rating: 2.5
This show is nicknamed WrestleMania Bore for a reason. At 16 matches, this show seems to go on forever. Even if there were a classic match, you would most likely forget it due to the dullness of the rest of the show. This is definitely not the WWF's finest night.
Overall Rating: 39%
The actual match was just your standard affair, but the ending was memorable. If you're a Bret Hart fan, this is worth watching as it was one of the first times he stood out on his own.
Rating: .5
2. Ted Dibiase defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan by pinfall
Dibiase was always the man. Duggan, on the other hand, not so much. It's amazing that people still cheer the guy, it really is. I can definitely say that the right guy went over in this match.
Rating: 1.5
3. Don Muraco defeated Dino Bravo by pinfall
Now, I didn't watch wrestling during this time period, but I have to think that no one in their right mind thought that either of these guys were going to win the WWF Championship this night. This was your basic 80's steroid match.
Rating: 1.25
4. Randy Savage defeated Butch Reed by pinfall
Looking back now, Savage looks light years better than just about everyone on the roster, with the exception of a few. Even Savage's bad matches are entertaining.
Rating: 2.25
5. Greg Valentine defeated Ricky Steamboat by pinfall
Had this just been a normal match on a card, rather than part of a tournament, I think we could have had something special here. Either way you slice it, this was by far the best match of the night up to this point.
Rating: .5
6. One Man Gang defeated Bam Bam Bigelow by countout
This match had a terrible ending. Not that it was good before that or anything. Bam Bam wasn't nearly as good as he was a few years later.
Rating: .25
7. Rick Rude and Jake Roberts wrestled to a draw
I always think that this match will be better than I remember and it never is. Rick Rude was capable of a lot more than what he showed here. They looked like they had never wrestled a 15 minute match before and the crowd seemed to agree.
Rating: .25
8. Ultimate Warrior defeated Hercules by pinfall
I was a Warrior fan growing up, so I typically have more interest in his bad matches than I would a bad Hogan match. Either way, this was still bad, which unless he was fighting Rude or Savage, was the norm.
Rating: .5
9. Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant wrestled to a double disqualification
I actually like this better than their match at the previous WrestleMania. However, the ending is absolutely absurd. Why would these guys try to hit each other with their chairs with the title on the line? Well, at least we didn't have to watch Hogan win the title again.
Rating: .75
10. Ted Dibiase defeated Don Muraco by pinfall
Just another 5 minute match in a night that is filled with them. Ugh.
Rating: 1.25
11. Randy Savage defeated Greg Valentine by pinfall
One of the few solid matches of the night, outside from the main event. Once again, had it just been a one on one match with no tournament, this probably would have been better.
Rating: 1.5
12. Brutus Beefcake defeated Honky Tonk Man by countout
Looking back, Beefcake was probably the lamest wrestler of this era. Couldn't they have just had Honky win by a fluke pin?
Rating: .75
13. The Islanders and Bobby Heenan defeated The British Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware
The Bulldogs had to know they were in trouble when they realized Koko was on their team. I'm not sure I've ever seen him win a match. This was pretty good, but probably would have been better as a normal tag match.
Rating: 1.5
14. Randy Savage defeated One Man Gang by disqualification
Another horrible ending. I guess the One Man Gang would rather give up his title hopes because he couldn't beat Savage in 4 minutes.
Rating: .75
15. Demolition defeated Strike Force to win the Tag Team Championships
I always liked Strike Force, as Martel and Santana were two of my favorite mid-card wrestlers of the era. Granted, I never actually watched wrestling when they were a team, but I always found them to be underrated. Demolition isn't as bad as most people claim either.
Rating: 1.75
16. Randy Savage defeated Ted Dibiase to win the WWF Championship
***Match Of The Night***
After 15 matches, we are finally at our main event. It's a good match, but it feels more like a good TV match rather than the main event of the biggest show of the year. It still is a great moment for Savage fans, even if Hogan found a way to steal some of the spotlight.
Rating: 2.5
This show is nicknamed WrestleMania Bore for a reason. At 16 matches, this show seems to go on forever. Even if there were a classic match, you would most likely forget it due to the dullness of the rest of the show. This is definitely not the WWF's finest night.
Overall Rating: 39%
Saturday, August 23, 2008
In Your House 4: Great White North
1. Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Fatu by pinfall
This was actually a better match than I expected. You could see Helmsley slowly turning into the performer he is today. The funny thing is, about 5 years later, this would have been a main match on a pay-per-view.
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
2. The Smoking Gunns defeated Razor Ramon + 1-2-3 Kid by pinfall
***Match Of The Night***
This was a solid match, although nothing spectacular. Sean Waltman was still a good performer at this point and I always thought the Gunns were a little underrated. The crowd seemed to be into this match.
Rating: 2.5
3. Goldust defeated Marty Jannetty by pinfall
Goldust, at this point, was focusing more on his character than on his actual matches. It worked in the long run, but unfortunately it didn't help this match out.
Rating: .75
4. Mabel and Yokozuna fought to a double countout
For some reason this match was edited out of the WWE 24/7 version.
5. Razor Ramon defeated Dean Douglas by pinfall to win the Intercontinental Championship
This match should have been a lot better than it turned out. Scott Hall seemed to lack motivation and perhaps he was already planning on leaving soon. Douglas was never a great performer, but he was typically solid.
Rating: 1
6. British Bulldog defeated Diesel by disqualification
This match started off hot, but then turned into a bunch of submission moves, followed by a weak disqualification ending. I think had they just done a screwy ending that led to a pinfall, this would have been better.
Rating: 1.75
You never really hear anybody talk about this show and for good reason. Nothing is particularly memorable with the exception of Shawn Michaels forfeiting the Intercontinental Championship. WWF would redeem themselves next month with a great show.
Overall Rating: 33%
This was actually a better match than I expected. You could see Helmsley slowly turning into the performer he is today. The funny thing is, about 5 years later, this would have been a main match on a pay-per-view.
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
2. The Smoking Gunns defeated Razor Ramon + 1-2-3 Kid by pinfall
***Match Of The Night***
This was a solid match, although nothing spectacular. Sean Waltman was still a good performer at this point and I always thought the Gunns were a little underrated. The crowd seemed to be into this match.
Rating: 2.5
3. Goldust defeated Marty Jannetty by pinfall
Goldust, at this point, was focusing more on his character than on his actual matches. It worked in the long run, but unfortunately it didn't help this match out.
Rating: .75
4. Mabel and Yokozuna fought to a double countout
For some reason this match was edited out of the WWE 24/7 version.
5. Razor Ramon defeated Dean Douglas by pinfall to win the Intercontinental Championship
This match should have been a lot better than it turned out. Scott Hall seemed to lack motivation and perhaps he was already planning on leaving soon. Douglas was never a great performer, but he was typically solid.
Rating: 1
6. British Bulldog defeated Diesel by disqualification
This match started off hot, but then turned into a bunch of submission moves, followed by a weak disqualification ending. I think had they just done a screwy ending that led to a pinfall, this would have been better.
Rating: 1.75
You never really hear anybody talk about this show and for good reason. Nothing is particularly memorable with the exception of Shawn Michaels forfeiting the Intercontinental Championship. WWF would redeem themselves next month with a great show.
Overall Rating: 33%
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
WrestleMania III
1. The Can-Am Connection defeated Bob Orton and Don Muraco by pinfall
Just so I don't repeat myself over and over, the problem with the early WrestleManias is that there are too many matches and too little time. For some matches, it's not a bad thing. Not every match needs 15 minutes to accomplish it's goal. But with a match like this one, it would have been a lot more fun had it lasted a few more minutes. This is still a good opener that got the crowd into it.
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
2. Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules Hernandez fought to a double countout
This was a battle of full nelsons and while it wasn't that good, it certainly wasn't the worst we'd see on this show. This is the only match I've ever seen Billy Jack Haynes fight in.
Rating: .5
3. Hillbilly Jim, The Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver defeated King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord Littlebrook by disqualification
The match itself is awful, but I enjoyed the moment of King Kong Bundy beating up the midgets much more than I enjoyed Hogan slamming Andre. Seriously. You'll start to pick up that I can't stand Hulk Hogan.
Rating: .25
4. Harley Race defeated Junkyard Dog by pinfall
Harley Race was good. Junkyard Dog, on the other hand, stunk. He could connect with the crowd well, so at least his matches usually had good fan interaction. This was quite disappointing.
Rating: .5
5. The Dream Team defeated The Rougeau Brothers by pinfall
This is another one that was going along fine and then just ended. This basically was on the card just to have Beefcake become a face.
Rating: .5
6. Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis by submission
This wasn't necessarily the greatest match, but it was darn entertaining. It's crazy that Piper had a retirement match in 1987, yet was a tag team champion in 2007. This match is also notable as it is the night that Brutus Beefcake became "The Barber".
Rating: 2
7. The Hart Foundation and Danny Davis defeated The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana
I would have much rather seen a straight up tag team match for the titles, but this is the second best match on the card. I don't think anyone doubted that these guys would have a good match.
Rating: 3
8. Butch Reed defeated Koko B. Ware
Despite Koko always being a solid jobber, this was treated as filler. Butch Reed never really went on to big things in the WWF, so this win was pretty much pointless.
Rating: .5
9. Ricky Steamboat defeated Randy Savage by pinfall to win the Intercontinental Championship
***Match Of The Night***
By now you have all heard about this match. This is probably the greatest WWF match of the 1980s and it is one that you must watch if for some strange reason you haven't.
Rating: 5
10. The Honky Tonk Man defeated Jake Roberts by pinfall
Even though I never found either of these guys to be good performers, for some reason I always think this match will be good. Every time I'm let down. This was the definition of "blah".
Rating: .5
11. The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff defeated The Killer Bees by disqualification
This was another filler match to get these guys on the card and to let Hacksaw Jim Duggan have his big USA moment before the main event. This was slightly better than I remembered.
Rating: .75
12. Hulk Hogan defeated Andre The Giant by pinfall
People ramble on and on about this match, which I can see if you were a Hulkamaniac at the time, it probably was pretty cool. However, I never have been a Hulkamaniac (and never will be) and after watching it for about the 10th time with an open mind, I still can't stand it. I know Andre was limited and I know everyone was just dying to see Hogan slam him, but that doesn't make up for the fact that the whole match is a bear hug, a slam and a leg drop. Sorry folks, I hate this match.
Rating: .25
While I do not like this show as much as most do, this was the first good WrestleMania. You have one of the greatest matches ever and a few fun undercard matches. Most people like the main event more than I do, so that probably would explain why this is not one of my favorites.
Overall Rating: 76%
Just so I don't repeat myself over and over, the problem with the early WrestleManias is that there are too many matches and too little time. For some matches, it's not a bad thing. Not every match needs 15 minutes to accomplish it's goal. But with a match like this one, it would have been a lot more fun had it lasted a few more minutes. This is still a good opener that got the crowd into it.
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
2. Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules Hernandez fought to a double countout
This was a battle of full nelsons and while it wasn't that good, it certainly wasn't the worst we'd see on this show. This is the only match I've ever seen Billy Jack Haynes fight in.
Rating: .5
3. Hillbilly Jim, The Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver defeated King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord Littlebrook by disqualification
The match itself is awful, but I enjoyed the moment of King Kong Bundy beating up the midgets much more than I enjoyed Hogan slamming Andre. Seriously. You'll start to pick up that I can't stand Hulk Hogan.
Rating: .25
4. Harley Race defeated Junkyard Dog by pinfall
Harley Race was good. Junkyard Dog, on the other hand, stunk. He could connect with the crowd well, so at least his matches usually had good fan interaction. This was quite disappointing.
Rating: .5
5. The Dream Team defeated The Rougeau Brothers by pinfall
This is another one that was going along fine and then just ended. This basically was on the card just to have Beefcake become a face.
Rating: .5
6. Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis by submission
This wasn't necessarily the greatest match, but it was darn entertaining. It's crazy that Piper had a retirement match in 1987, yet was a tag team champion in 2007. This match is also notable as it is the night that Brutus Beefcake became "The Barber".
Rating: 2
7. The Hart Foundation and Danny Davis defeated The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana
I would have much rather seen a straight up tag team match for the titles, but this is the second best match on the card. I don't think anyone doubted that these guys would have a good match.
Rating: 3
8. Butch Reed defeated Koko B. Ware
Despite Koko always being a solid jobber, this was treated as filler. Butch Reed never really went on to big things in the WWF, so this win was pretty much pointless.
Rating: .5
9. Ricky Steamboat defeated Randy Savage by pinfall to win the Intercontinental Championship
***Match Of The Night***
By now you have all heard about this match. This is probably the greatest WWF match of the 1980s and it is one that you must watch if for some strange reason you haven't.
Rating: 5
10. The Honky Tonk Man defeated Jake Roberts by pinfall
Even though I never found either of these guys to be good performers, for some reason I always think this match will be good. Every time I'm let down. This was the definition of "blah".
Rating: .5
11. The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff defeated The Killer Bees by disqualification
This was another filler match to get these guys on the card and to let Hacksaw Jim Duggan have his big USA moment before the main event. This was slightly better than I remembered.
Rating: .75
12. Hulk Hogan defeated Andre The Giant by pinfall
People ramble on and on about this match, which I can see if you were a Hulkamaniac at the time, it probably was pretty cool. However, I never have been a Hulkamaniac (and never will be) and after watching it for about the 10th time with an open mind, I still can't stand it. I know Andre was limited and I know everyone was just dying to see Hogan slam him, but that doesn't make up for the fact that the whole match is a bear hug, a slam and a leg drop. Sorry folks, I hate this match.
Rating: .25
While I do not like this show as much as most do, this was the first good WrestleMania. You have one of the greatest matches ever and a few fun undercard matches. Most people like the main event more than I do, so that probably would explain why this is not one of my favorites.
Overall Rating: 76%
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Backlash 2008
1. Matt Hardy defeated MVP by pinfall to win the US Championship
This was a great pick as the opener and it was nice to see Matt Hardy win a singles title, even if it's one that doesn't mean a whole lot these days. It's just too bad these guys had to wait so long to end their feud.
Rating: 3.5 (out of 5)
2. Kane defeated Chavo Guerrero by pinfall
This ended up being better than I expected, with Kane giving a more spirited performance than normal. However, I don't think anyone bought Chavo being able to beat Kane and that hurt the match.
Rating: 1.25
3. Big Show defeated Great Khali by pinfall
This was bad, not that you would expect anything else from these two. One of these days, you'd think they would put Big Show in an interesting feud.
Rating: .25
4. Shawn Michaels defeated Batista by pinfall
This was the beginning of the best feud of 2008 and a fine match to boot. Great storytelling by the master, who for my money is the greatest wrestler of all time.
Rating: 3.75
5. Beth Phoenix, Melina, Layla, Jillian Hall, Victoria, and Natalya defeated Mickie James, Maria, Ashley, Michelle McCool, Cherry, and Kelly Kelly by pinfall
This was just an excuse to get the divas on the show and it was a mess. Why not just have a 2-on-2 match and eliminate the rest?
Rating: .75
6. Undertaker defeated Edge by submission
***Match Of The Night***
I never would have thought that these two would have such great chemistry together. This was another great match from these two. If Edge isn't the best heel in wrestling right now, I'd like to see who is.
Rating: 4
7. Triple H defeated Randy Orton, John Cena, and JBL to win the WWE Championship
I actually enjoyed the 4-man part more than the 1-on-1 portion of the match. I was surprised to see Cena eliminated so quickly. He's almost becoming a main event jobber. Either way, this was a good main event even if it makes no sense why Triple H has a belt with a spinner on it.
Rating: 3.75
This was another good show from the WWE in 2008. While not as good as the first 3 shows of the year, this is a show definitely worth checking out, as 4 of the matches hit 3.5 or higher.
Overall Rating: 82%
This was a great pick as the opener and it was nice to see Matt Hardy win a singles title, even if it's one that doesn't mean a whole lot these days. It's just too bad these guys had to wait so long to end their feud.
Rating: 3.5 (out of 5)
2. Kane defeated Chavo Guerrero by pinfall
This ended up being better than I expected, with Kane giving a more spirited performance than normal. However, I don't think anyone bought Chavo being able to beat Kane and that hurt the match.
Rating: 1.25
3. Big Show defeated Great Khali by pinfall
This was bad, not that you would expect anything else from these two. One of these days, you'd think they would put Big Show in an interesting feud.
Rating: .25
4. Shawn Michaels defeated Batista by pinfall
This was the beginning of the best feud of 2008 and a fine match to boot. Great storytelling by the master, who for my money is the greatest wrestler of all time.
Rating: 3.75
5. Beth Phoenix, Melina, Layla, Jillian Hall, Victoria, and Natalya defeated Mickie James, Maria, Ashley, Michelle McCool, Cherry, and Kelly Kelly by pinfall
This was just an excuse to get the divas on the show and it was a mess. Why not just have a 2-on-2 match and eliminate the rest?
Rating: .75
6. Undertaker defeated Edge by submission
***Match Of The Night***
I never would have thought that these two would have such great chemistry together. This was another great match from these two. If Edge isn't the best heel in wrestling right now, I'd like to see who is.
Rating: 4
7. Triple H defeated Randy Orton, John Cena, and JBL to win the WWE Championship
I actually enjoyed the 4-man part more than the 1-on-1 portion of the match. I was surprised to see Cena eliminated so quickly. He's almost becoming a main event jobber. Either way, this was a good main event even if it makes no sense why Triple H has a belt with a spinner on it.
Rating: 3.75
This was another good show from the WWE in 2008. While not as good as the first 3 shows of the year, this is a show definitely worth checking out, as 4 of the matches hit 3.5 or higher.
Overall Rating: 82%
No Way Out 2008
1. Chavo Guerrero defeated CM Punk by pinfall
This is a really underrated match. I have to say that this was probably my favorite match of their series, although most people seem to think this was just okay.
Rating: 3.5 (out of 5)
2. Undertaker defeated Batista, Finlay, MVP, Great Khali, and Big Daddy V
This is another match that I found better than most. While it was not as good as the Elimination Chamber match later on, this was a very fun match. My only complaint is that I didn't like was how weak MVP looked.
Rating: 3.75
3. Ric Flair defeated Mr. Kennedy by submission
This was better than the MVP match at Royal Rumble, but not by much. No one really thought Flair would lose and Mr. Kennedy just wasn't capable of making this anything beyond "decent".
Rating: 1.75
4. Edge defeated Rey Mysterio by pinfall
This match is tough to rate because there really wasn't much of a match and Rey was hurt. They did the best they could with what they had, but this probably shouldn't have happened.
Rating: 1.25 (out of 5)
5. John Cena defeated Randy Orton by disqualification
This was a disappointment, even though had they not done the screw job ending and added 5 more minutes, it could have came close to their SummerSlam match-up. This still was good, just nothing amazing.
Rating: 3.5
6. Triple H defeated Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho, JBL, Shawn Michaels, and Umaga
***Match Of The Night***
This was an awesome match. The ending was predictable, but the action was fast paced and full of cool spots. No one involved in this match walked away looking bad and Umaga gave one of his best performances since Royal Rumble 2007.
Rating: 4.25
I seem to like this better than most, but this was an awesome show. I didn't even mention the whole Mayweather confrontation with the Big Show, which came off great live. I think this is a must-see show.
Overall Rating: 90%
This is a really underrated match. I have to say that this was probably my favorite match of their series, although most people seem to think this was just okay.
Rating: 3.5 (out of 5)
2. Undertaker defeated Batista, Finlay, MVP, Great Khali, and Big Daddy V
This is another match that I found better than most. While it was not as good as the Elimination Chamber match later on, this was a very fun match. My only complaint is that I didn't like was how weak MVP looked.
Rating: 3.75
3. Ric Flair defeated Mr. Kennedy by submission
This was better than the MVP match at Royal Rumble, but not by much. No one really thought Flair would lose and Mr. Kennedy just wasn't capable of making this anything beyond "decent".
Rating: 1.75
4. Edge defeated Rey Mysterio by pinfall
This match is tough to rate because there really wasn't much of a match and Rey was hurt. They did the best they could with what they had, but this probably shouldn't have happened.
Rating: 1.25 (out of 5)
5. John Cena defeated Randy Orton by disqualification
This was a disappointment, even though had they not done the screw job ending and added 5 more minutes, it could have came close to their SummerSlam match-up. This still was good, just nothing amazing.
Rating: 3.5
6. Triple H defeated Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho, JBL, Shawn Michaels, and Umaga
***Match Of The Night***
This was an awesome match. The ending was predictable, but the action was fast paced and full of cool spots. No one involved in this match walked away looking bad and Umaga gave one of his best performances since Royal Rumble 2007.
Rating: 4.25
I seem to like this better than most, but this was an awesome show. I didn't even mention the whole Mayweather confrontation with the Big Show, which came off great live. I think this is a must-see show.
Overall Rating: 90%
WrestleMania 2
1. Paul Orndorff and Don Muraco fought to a double countout
This match was going along just fine until the terrible ending. No opening match should end in a double countout. We're off to a bad start.
Rating: .5 (out of 5)
2. Randy Savage defeated George Steele by pinfall
Even at this point it was pretty obvious that Randy Savage had "it". George Steele was never a very good worker and it showed here. This was basically Steele chasing Savage around the ring until Savage could find a chance to cheat and win. This was disappointing.
Rating: .25
3. Jake Roberts defeated George Wells by pinfall
Boy, did the people in New York get screwed. This was just basically a house show quality squash match. It's kind of weird to see Jake Roberts looking so trim.
Rating: .5
4. Mr. T defeated Roddy Piper by disqualification
This isn't as bad as people say, but it's still pretty horrible. Piper put in a good effort, but the idea was just pretty ridiculous. Luckily, the show picks up later on.
Rating: .5
5. The Fabulous Moolah defeated Velvet McIntyre by pinfall
We move to Chicago and we're off to another bad start. This was sloppy and short, not a good combination.
Rating: .25
6. Corporal Kirschner defeated Nikolai Volkoff by pinfall
This was another match that was going just fine and then ended out of nowhere. Not that I'm begging for a 15 minute match, but would it have killed them to give them 5 minutes?
Rating: .25
7. Andre The Giant won the 20 man Battle Royal
This was pretty standard and the only real reason it's memorable is due to the involvement of William Perry.
Rating: .25
8. The British Bulldogs defeated The Dream Team by pinfall to win the WWF Championship
***Match Of The Night***
Hey, what do you know? A good match! At this point, this was the greatest match in WrestleMania history. The Bulldogs were always solid and I've always been a fan of Greg Valentine, and while this match isn't great, it is very good. Definitely the highlight of a dull show.
Rating: 3.5
9. Ricky Steamboat defeated Hercules Hernandez by pinfall
We move to LA and things start off on a solid note. While this is nothing special, it at least kept the momentum rolling from the previous match. Even if they were in a different time zone.
Rating: 2.25
10. Adrian Adonis defeated Uncle Elmer by pinfall
And back to the crap. Was it really necessary for Uncle Elmer to be on the biggest card of the year?
Rating: .25
11. Terry and Hoss Funk defeated Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog by pinfall
This was a very solid match. The Funks were always way ahead of their time and I feel they get overlooked as just being hardcore wrestlers sometimes. Tito's losing streak began here.
Rating: 3
12. Hulk Hogan defeated King Kong Bundy by escape
Surprisingly, this was pretty good. It was about ten minutes, which was the perfect length for these two. They were able to keep the pace quick and as a result, this was a solid main event.
Rating: 2
Parts of this show are just awful, while at the same time there are a couple matches that are better than just about everything on the first WrestleMania. As a result, I'll give this one a slightly higher rating.
Overall Rating: 42%
This match was going along just fine until the terrible ending. No opening match should end in a double countout. We're off to a bad start.
Rating: .5 (out of 5)
2. Randy Savage defeated George Steele by pinfall
Even at this point it was pretty obvious that Randy Savage had "it". George Steele was never a very good worker and it showed here. This was basically Steele chasing Savage around the ring until Savage could find a chance to cheat and win. This was disappointing.
Rating: .25
3. Jake Roberts defeated George Wells by pinfall
Boy, did the people in New York get screwed. This was just basically a house show quality squash match. It's kind of weird to see Jake Roberts looking so trim.
Rating: .5
4. Mr. T defeated Roddy Piper by disqualification
This isn't as bad as people say, but it's still pretty horrible. Piper put in a good effort, but the idea was just pretty ridiculous. Luckily, the show picks up later on.
Rating: .5
5. The Fabulous Moolah defeated Velvet McIntyre by pinfall
We move to Chicago and we're off to another bad start. This was sloppy and short, not a good combination.
Rating: .25
6. Corporal Kirschner defeated Nikolai Volkoff by pinfall
This was another match that was going just fine and then ended out of nowhere. Not that I'm begging for a 15 minute match, but would it have killed them to give them 5 minutes?
Rating: .25
7. Andre The Giant won the 20 man Battle Royal
This was pretty standard and the only real reason it's memorable is due to the involvement of William Perry.
Rating: .25
8. The British Bulldogs defeated The Dream Team by pinfall to win the WWF Championship
***Match Of The Night***
Hey, what do you know? A good match! At this point, this was the greatest match in WrestleMania history. The Bulldogs were always solid and I've always been a fan of Greg Valentine, and while this match isn't great, it is very good. Definitely the highlight of a dull show.
Rating: 3.5
9. Ricky Steamboat defeated Hercules Hernandez by pinfall
We move to LA and things start off on a solid note. While this is nothing special, it at least kept the momentum rolling from the previous match. Even if they were in a different time zone.
Rating: 2.25
10. Adrian Adonis defeated Uncle Elmer by pinfall
And back to the crap. Was it really necessary for Uncle Elmer to be on the biggest card of the year?
Rating: .25
11. Terry and Hoss Funk defeated Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog by pinfall
This was a very solid match. The Funks were always way ahead of their time and I feel they get overlooked as just being hardcore wrestlers sometimes. Tito's losing streak began here.
Rating: 3
12. Hulk Hogan defeated King Kong Bundy by escape
Surprisingly, this was pretty good. It was about ten minutes, which was the perfect length for these two. They were able to keep the pace quick and as a result, this was a solid main event.
Rating: 2
Parts of this show are just awful, while at the same time there are a couple matches that are better than just about everything on the first WrestleMania. As a result, I'll give this one a slightly higher rating.
Overall Rating: 42%
Monday, August 11, 2008
WrestleMania
1. Tito Santana defeated The Executioner by submission
I've always thought Tito was a solid performer and unfortunately this is his only victory at WrestleMania. This match was too short to be anything worthwhile, but for what it was, it was solid. This whole show feels rushed and this match is no exception.
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
2. King Kong Bundy defeated SD Jones by pinfall
This was just a squash to show the world that King Kong Bundy was one bad dude.
Rating: .25
3. Ricky Steamboat defeated Matt Borne by pinfall
Every time I watch this, I expect it to be better than it actually is. Steamboat is one of my favorites from this era, but this match is a disappointment. I would have rather watched Steamboat take on Greg Valentine.
Rating: 1.75
4. David Sammartino fought Brutus Beefcake to a double disqualification
This was basically just an excuse to get Bruno Sammartino involved. David never amounted to much and Brutus was never known for his skills. I don't quite understand why you would have these two fight if you were just going to have a double DQ at the biggest card of the year?
Rating: .75
5. Junkyard Dog defeated Greg Valentine by countout
Another screwy ending. This was actually a little bit better than I remember. Truth is, Junkyard Dog really wasn't very good. The crowd loved him, so I don't blame the WWF for pushing him, but like I said, Valentine vs. Steamboat would have made this a much better show.
Rating: .75
6. Nikolai Volkoff and Iron Sheik defeated Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham by pinfall to win the WWF Tag Team Championship
Rotunda and Windham were actually a pretty solid tag team. This match was going pretty well, but once again was too short to be anything above average. Why Sammartino/Beefcake got 12 minutes and all the other undercard matches only got about 5-7 minutes is beyond me.
Rating: 2
7. Andre The Giant defeated Big John Studd by bodyslam
Not that much was expected, but this was a horrible match. I would have thought they would have given Big John Studd at least a little offense, but that was not the case. The moment where Andre tosses the money out to the crowd is really the only thing worth watching.
Rating: 0
8. Wendi Richter defeated Leilani Kai by pinfall to win the WWF Women's Championship
This was the only match that was better than I remembered. This was a decent little match from the era where the women wrestlers weren't models turned into wrestlers.
Rating: 1
9. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeated Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff by pinfall
I've always thought Tito was a solid performer and unfortunately this is his only victory at WrestleMania. This match was too short to be anything worthwhile, but for what it was, it was solid. This whole show feels rushed and this match is no exception.
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
2. King Kong Bundy defeated SD Jones by pinfall
This was just a squash to show the world that King Kong Bundy was one bad dude.
Rating: .25
3. Ricky Steamboat defeated Matt Borne by pinfall
Every time I watch this, I expect it to be better than it actually is. Steamboat is one of my favorites from this era, but this match is a disappointment. I would have rather watched Steamboat take on Greg Valentine.
Rating: 1.75
4. David Sammartino fought Brutus Beefcake to a double disqualification
This was basically just an excuse to get Bruno Sammartino involved. David never amounted to much and Brutus was never known for his skills. I don't quite understand why you would have these two fight if you were just going to have a double DQ at the biggest card of the year?
Rating: .75
5. Junkyard Dog defeated Greg Valentine by countout
Another screwy ending. This was actually a little bit better than I remember. Truth is, Junkyard Dog really wasn't very good. The crowd loved him, so I don't blame the WWF for pushing him, but like I said, Valentine vs. Steamboat would have made this a much better show.
Rating: .75
6. Nikolai Volkoff and Iron Sheik defeated Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham by pinfall to win the WWF Tag Team Championship
Rotunda and Windham were actually a pretty solid tag team. This match was going pretty well, but once again was too short to be anything above average. Why Sammartino/Beefcake got 12 minutes and all the other undercard matches only got about 5-7 minutes is beyond me.
Rating: 2
7. Andre The Giant defeated Big John Studd by bodyslam
Not that much was expected, but this was a horrible match. I would have thought they would have given Big John Studd at least a little offense, but that was not the case. The moment where Andre tosses the money out to the crowd is really the only thing worth watching.
Rating: 0
8. Wendi Richter defeated Leilani Kai by pinfall to win the WWF Women's Championship
This was the only match that was better than I remembered. This was a decent little match from the era where the women wrestlers weren't models turned into wrestlers.
Rating: 1
9. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeated Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff by pinfall
***Match Of The Night***
This show is saved by this match. I'm not quite sure why they didn't just make it a 6 man tag and add Orton and Snuka to the teams, but what was here was fun. Sadly, this is probably one of my favorite Hulk Hogan matches and it's at a whopping 3.
Rating: 3
This is basically a one match show and that one match is not nearly good enough to make this show anything special. However, it does get a pass for being the first WrestleMania, giving it historical significance. It's a show that everyone should see, but there's no need to watch it more than once.
Overall Score: 48%
This show is saved by this match. I'm not quite sure why they didn't just make it a 6 man tag and add Orton and Snuka to the teams, but what was here was fun. Sadly, this is probably one of my favorite Hulk Hogan matches and it's at a whopping 3.
Rating: 3
This is basically a one match show and that one match is not nearly good enough to make this show anything special. However, it does get a pass for being the first WrestleMania, giving it historical significance. It's a show that everyone should see, but there's no need to watch it more than once.
Overall Score: 48%
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