Welcome Message:

Whatya gonna' do...brother?

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

EWR Diary: 1/9-1/22/12

-Raw 1/9/12:

-RAW GM Michael Cole announces that tonight's main event will be a rematch from TLC when John Cena faces Kevin Nash.

-WWE Tag Team Champions Awesome Truth cut another self-congratulatory promo. Their open challenge has been accepted by another former tag team championship team.

-Match 1 for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Awesome Truth [c] VS Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder

-Good match even though the crowd doesn't care about Hawkins. Ryder went for the Rough Ryder on Miz, but Miz tossed Ryder onto Hawkins, and that lead to Truth pinning Hawkins to retain. (***1/4)

-As Ryder & Hawkins argue, Ryder is jumped from behind by Primo. Hawkins & Primo double team Ryder and leave him laying.

-A video hyping Rey Mysterio's return at the Royal Rumble airs.

-Match 2: Kelly Kelly VS Divas Champion Beth Phoenix

-Beth wins clean with the Glam Slam, then adds another after the pin. Decent for a divas' match. Crowd was into it, if nothing else. (*1/2)

-United States Champion Dolph Ziggler cut a promo. He chided Jack Swagger for losing his WWE title match last week, saying it proved Swagger can't hang with the main eventers. Dolph says he'll prove, once again, that he's better than Swagger when he beats CM Punk tonight.

-Match 3: Big Show VS Ezekial Jackson [No DQ]

-Match was shockingly decent. Mason Ryan interferes, but accidentally hits Jackson with a chair, allowing Show to KO both Ryan and Jackson with the WMD for the win. (**1/2)

-Match 4: CM Punk VS United States Champion Dolph Ziggler

-MATCH OF THE YEAR right here! Awesome back-and-forth match that had the crowd rocking. Punk wins clean with the GTS. (****3/4)

-John Cena cut a promo. Cena says tonight is going to end just like TLC did, then he's going on to the Royal Rumble to regain the WWE title from Alberto Del Rio.

-Match 5: John Cena VS Kevin Nash

-Pretty much the same as TLC, only when Cena hit Nash with the Attitude Adjustment, Albero Del Rio ran in to draw a DQ. Nash & ADR destroy Cena with a Jackknife powerbomb and the cross-arm breaker as the show ends. (**3/4)

-WWE NEWS: Maryse got hurt again, tearing a calf. Since her injury will keep her out longer than what is left on her contract, I have released her.

-Smackdown 1/13/12:

-Match 1: Sheamus VS Drew McIntyre

-If it weren't for Ziggler/Punk, this would have been match of the week. Sheamus hits the Brogue Kick to send McIntyre outside, and instead of going back in, McIntyre takes a walk for the count out. (****1/4)

-A video hyping Kane's return at the Royal Rumble airs.

-Wade Barrett did an interview via satellite. Barrett says Orton tried to end his career for no good reason, and that is why Barrett risked everything to attack Orton at TLC. Barrett says he can only hope Randy Orton is in the ring when Barrett makes his return at the Royal Rumble. Barrett says he is the future of WWE, and his future is the main event at WrestleMania.

-Match 2: Brodus Clay VS Ted DiBiase

-Clay wins clean with the Fall of Humanity. Not much here. (**)

-Randy Orton cuts a retalitory promo on Wade Barrett. Orton says he did what he did to Barrett because Barrett was in Orton's way. Orton says that if Barrett continues to be in Orton's way, then it will get much worse for Barrett.

-Christian cut a promo. He says he is going to win the Royal Rumble and finally get his "one more match" for the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event at WrestleMania.

-Match 3: William Regal VS Christian

-Good match. Christian avoids the knee trembler and wins with the Killswitch. (***)

-Daniel Bryan interview. He accepts the challenge Cody Rhodes issued last week for IC title VS Money in the Bank at the Royal Rumble. Bryan looks forward to meeting Rhodes in tonight's main event, when he and Justin Gabriel team up to face Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry.

-Match 4: Sin Cara VS Sin Cara II

-Another really good match between these two. Sin Cara I finally pins Sin Cara II with La Mistica. (****)

-World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry cut a short promo. He says Justin Gabriel has no idea what he's gotten himself into, but tonight he will get a taste of what's coming to him at the Royal Rumble.

-Match 5: Daniel Bryan & Justin Gabriel VS World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry & Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes

-Rhodes exposed one of the top turnbuckles, but couldn't send Bryan or Gabriel into it. Bryan and Rhodes brawled to the back. Henry looked to have Gabriel beaten, but he got too cocky. Gabriel managed to dropkick Henry into the exposed turnbuckle, then hit the 450 splash for the pin. Gabriel celebrated his big win while Mark Henry fumed as the show ended. (***)

-Raw 1/16/12:

-The show opened with the official contract signing for the WWE Championship match between Alberto Del Rio and John Cena at the Royal Rumble. Naturally, things got heated and ADR attacked Cena. Just when Cena started to fight back, WWE officials rushed out to hold Cena back while Del Rio left the ring.

-After a commercial break, Raw General Manager Michael Cole announced that he has banned John Cena from the building tonight since Del Rio will be in action later. Cole also announced that since he believes the championship match at the Royal Rumble has a chance to get out of hand, Cole has appointed a special guest referee. One man who can keep order...himself.

-Match 1: Zack Ryder & Alex Riley VS Curt Hawkins & Primo

-Not much here. Ryder pins Hawkins clean with the Rough Ryder. (*3/4)

-CM Punk cut another promo, reiterating his claim that he will win the Royal Rumble match. Punk will team with Jack Swagger and the Big Show against United States Champion Dolph Ziggler & Domination. Punk lobs some jokes at his opponents expense.

-Just as Punk finishes his promo, Jack Swagger is jumped in the back by Ziggler & Domination. They beat him down and leave him laying.

-Match 2: Naomi Night VS Brie Bella

-Re-debut for Ms. Night. She pins Brie clean with a spinning heel kick. Not great, but not a disaster either. (*1/4)

-A video hyping Rey Mysterio's return at the Royal Rumble airs.

-Match 3: WWE Tag Team Championship: Awesome Truth [c] VS Air Boom

-No pre-match promo, as it's interrupted before it began by the former champions. Air Doom get the champions in trouble, but Truth nails Kofi with one of the title belts to draw a DQ and allow the champions to escape with their titles. Really good match. (***3/4)

-Vickie Guerrero, along with Dolph Ziggler & Domination cut a group promo. Ziggler, Zeke, and Mason Ryan all stake their claim for the Royal Rumble victory, and Ziggler says one thing is sure: Jack Swagger will not win the Royal Rumble and will never be the United States Champion.

-Match 4: John Morrison VS WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio

-Pretty much a squash. Del Rio wins clean with the cross-arm breaker, and refuses to release the hold for some time. (**1/2)

-Match 5: CM Punk, Big Show, & Jack Swagger VS United States Champion Dolph Ziggler & Domination

-Match started out 3-on-2, as Swagger did not come out during his introduction. Punk became the face-in-peril. Jackson and Show brawled to the back. Swagger finally came to the ring, and made the tag. Swagger managed to ram Ziggler into Ryan, then pin Ziggler with the gutwrench powerbomb. (**1/2)

-WWE NOTE: Raw got its highest rating since I took over WWE. SWAGGER = RATINGS!

-Smackdown 1/20/12:

-World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry opened the show. Henry says last week's loss was an abberation, and that Justin Gabriel got lucky. Henry says it won't happen again at the Royal Rumble, and tonight Henry is going to show everyone what happens when "little men" try to challenge him.

-Match 1: Yoshi Tatsu VS World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry

-Quick squash. Henry wins with the World's Strongest Slam. Henry adds another World's Strongest Slam, then Pillmanizes Tatsu, adding him to the "Hall of Pain". (**)

-A video hyping Kane's return at the Royal Rumble airs.

-Match 2: Layla & AJ VS The Divas of Doom [Divas Champion Beth Phoenix & Natalya]

-Pretty much what you'd expect from a Divas match. Layla surprises Beth with the Layout for the win. Beth freaks out afterward. (*1/2)

-Drew McIntyre did an interview. He says that now that Shane McMahon is in charge of WWE, McIntyre is once again the "Chose One", and that he will win the Royal Rumble. Drew is interrupted by Christian, who invites Drew to Christian's locker room to discuss strategy for their tag match against Randy Orton & Sheamus and, oh yeah, Christian is going to win the Rumble.

-Match 3: Daniel Bryan VS Tyson Kidd

-Pretty good match, as you might expect. Bryan wins clean with the Labelle Lock. Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes tries to jump Bryan, but ends up tapping to the Labelle Lock as well. (***1/2)

-Randy Orton & Sheamus cut a team promo. They both expect to win the Rumble. Orton reminds Sheamus that just because they're teaming tonight, that doesn't make them friends.

-Match 4: Justin Gabriel VS Brodus Clay

-Gabriel shows he can beat a big man, winning with the 450. (**1/2)

-As Justin Gabriel celebrates his win, Mark Henry's music hits. Henry slowly walks to the ring, but Gabriel goes on the attack, wiping Henry out with a dive. Henry tries to slam Gabriel on the floor, but Gabriel slides out and sends Henry into the ring post before leaving. Henry is NOT amused.

-Match 5: Randy Orton & Sheamus VS Christian & Drew McIntyre

-Good main event. Orton plays the face-in-peril before tagging in Sheamus, who pins Drew with the Brogue Kick. (***1/2)

-As Sheamus and Orton celebrate their win, Orton surprises Sheamus with an RKO. Orton stands tall as the show ends.

-WWE NEWS: Smackdown gets its lowest rating since I took over. Boo-urns.

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #44: Halloween Havoc '91 (Turner Home Entertainment Edit)

-10/27/91

-From Chattanooga, TN

-The matches left off the video are: Big Josh & PN News def. The Creatures, Bobby Eaton def. Terrence Taylor, Bill Kazmeier def. Oz, Van Hammer def. Doug Summers, and Brian Pillman def. Richard Morton to become the 1st WCW Light Heavyweight Champion.

-Hosts are JR & Tony.

-JR previews the show, and notes that we don't know the identity of the WCW Halloween Phantom. Tony says Barry Windham was attacked earlier today, and cannot compete in the Chamber of Horrors match.

-EARLIER TODAY: Eric Bischoff is in the parking lot, greeting wrestlers as they arrive at the arena. When Windham & Dustin Rhodes arrive, Arn Anderson & Larry Zybyszko slam a car door on Windham's arm.

-Match 1 is the "Chamber of Horrors": El Gigante, The Steiner Brothers, & United States Champion Sting VS Big Van Vader, Diamond Studd, Cactus Jack, & Abdullah the Butcher

-Everyone comes out to the same generic "scary" music except for Sting, who has his own. Jack brings a chainsaw with him. Jack & Abby go after Sting before he even gets to the cage. Nick Patrick has a camera on his head. Sting beats everyone on the other team with a kendo stick. A masked man jumps out of one of the caskets that are in the cage, and promptly gets beaten down by the Steiners. Sting & Vader go at it, bringing the crowd to life.

The chair is lowered, and Jack has to roll out of the way before he gets crushed by it. Vader gets rick in the chair, but Rick fights out of it. Rick throws a coffin lid at Jack's head. "Ghouls" make their way down the ramp with a stretcher. Rick bashes Jack's head into the cage. Jack gets busted wide open. Cactus and Sting climb the cage, and Sting sends Cactus down. Jack flies over the top rope and into the cage off a whip from Sting.

Everyone just wanders aimlessly for a bit. Sting got opened up somehow, Abby is too, of course. Studd almost gets Scott in the chair, but takes a stick to the nuts from Rick. Abby gets Rick in the chair as Cactus Jack prepares to throw the switch. Rick gets Abby in the chair and shackles him down. Cactus isn't paying attention, and he throws the switch to lose the match and "electrocute" Abby.

Not so much a match as it was a complete clusterfuck. I can appreciate them trying something different, but they went way too overboard with the Halloween theme, and the idea of a wrestler getting put into an electric chair is really fucking stupid.

-Cactus Jack tries to revive Abby by yelling in his face. It somehow works, and Abby goes nuts, attacking Jack, and the ghouls.

-"I guess when he opened his eyes, he thought he was in heaven, and realized he shouldn't be there..."-Tony Schiavone.

-Match 2: Jimmy Garvin (w/Michael Hayes) VS Johnny B. Badd (w/Teddy Long)

-JR laughs at a "Michael PMS Hayes" sign. Garvin is filling in for an "injured" Hayes. Freebirds play faces here, leading the crowd in the Atlanta Braves' tomahawk chop. You know you're over-the-top flamboyant when THE FREEBIRDS are giving you a "WTF?" look. Crowd is pretty split. There's a "Freebirds suck" chant, then more tomahawk chopping and a "DDT" chant.

Crowd pops huge when Garvin backdrops Badd over the top, and then Hayes punches Badd in the face. Garvin runs the ropes twice before hitting Badd in the face with a forearm. Badd lands some body punches and a leaping clothesline. Badd chokes Garvin with a cloth. Badd comes off the top with an ugly sunset flip for two. Crowd dies down dramatically with Badd on offense. Garvin counters a double axe handle with a punch to the stomach.

Badd misses an elbow in the corner, and flies out over the top. The two bash heads when they try a leap frog at the same time. Garvin hits the DDT, but Teddy has the referee distracted. Garvin turns right into a Badd left hand for the pin, as Teddy pushes Garvin's leg off the rope. Michael Hayes nails Teddy, and tries to explain what happened to the ref. JR refers to Teddy as "peanut head". First time for that?

-JR sends it TO THE BACK to Missy Hyatt (dressed as a showgirl). She can't find the WCW Halloween Phantom. Missy bugs Bobby Eaton, who is carrying a pumpkin because that's what people do around Halloween. Eaton says he wants to go celebrate his winning a match and leaves her.

-Match 3 for the Television Championship: Steve Austin [c] (w/Lady Blossom) VS Dustin Rhodes

-Dustin scores with a big clothesline and a dropkick for two. They go through a series of moves and counters, ending with Dustin clotheslining Austin out over the top. Austin counters a side headlock with a suplex for two. Austin blocks a bulldog. Match is slow, so JR takes time to bitch about managers constantly getting involved in matches. Dustin misses a cross body and bounces off the mat out to the floor.

Austin pounds away on Dustin, busting Dustin wide open. Match picks up as Austin pounces on the injury. Austin hits a gutwrench suplex for two. Match slows down again as Austin uses a headlock with the ropes for leverage. Dustin tries for a monkey flip, but Austin blocks it, and knocks Dustin for a flip with a clothesline. They fight over a small package, then Dustin hits a lariat for two. Dustin misses a dropkick, and Austin gets two off that.

Dustin hits an atomic drop and a clothesline for two. Dustin throws Austin outside and sends him head-first into the ring post, which busts Austin open. Dustin hits a powerslam for two. Dustin hits a bionic elbow for two. Dustin pounds on Austin's open wound with 30 seconds left. Dustin flips, flops, and flies for two. Dustin hits a cross body off the top for two as the time limit expires. Match started out painfully slow, as they used a lot of headlocks to fill time. Match picked up towards the end, but was still pretty disappointing. Jarring to see so much blood on this show with it not being a factor for some time.

-Match 4: The Z Man VS The WCW Halloween Phantom

-Phantom goes from shielding his face to attacking Zenk in a split second. Phantom hits a vicious clothesline. Close up shots pretty much give away the Phantom's identity. Zenk fights back and hits a dropkick. Phantom no-sells, and quickly finishes with a Rude Awakening. Tony pretty much gives it away by referring to the move as that. Just a quick squash to showcase the Phantom.

-Match 5 for the WCW World Tag Team Championship: The Enforcers [c] VS United States Tag Team Champions The Patriots

-Larry & Chip start it out. It doesn't go well for Larry. Arn gets in, and it doesn't get any better for him. Todd Champion gets in, and AA quickly turns the tide. Arn gets sent outside. Arn tries a piledriver on the floor, but gets backdropped for his troubles. Enforcers try double-teaming, but Champions is able to floor them both with a double clothesine.

Larry slaps Champion across the face then runs. Larry tags Arn on the way by, allowing Arn to grab Champion and hold him for a kick from Larry. Larry hits a swinging neck breaker for two. Champion becomes the face-in-peril, which seems kind of backwards, considering he is the bigger and apparently less adapt at mat wrestling half of his team. Chip gets the hot tag and hits a big slam on AA for two. Chip smashes into Larry right into a AA spinebuster for the pin. Match was pretty good while it lasted, with the Enforcers completely carrying everything, and doing it well.

-We go to ringside with Eric Bischoff dressed as the world's most effeminite vampire. Eric brings out Paul E. and Madusa. Madusa is as tall as Paul and Eric, but her hair gives her a six inch height advantage. Paul bitches about losing his job as a commentator, and says that WCW forgot he has a manager's license. Paul says he wants to bankrupt WCW, and the way to do that is destroy their heroes. Paul says he's starting at the top; Sting. Paul says he told Madusa to find the man who can eliminate Sting, and he is the WCW Halloween Phantom. Paul brings out the Phantom, who unmasks as Rick Rude. Rude wonders aloud if Sting is as small as he looks on TV. So begins the Dangerous Alliance.

-JR presents a video of Ron Simmons going to the campus of Florida State University to train for the World title match. Ron does a bunch of football drills as more music I remember from NFL Primetime plays.

-Match 6 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger [c] (w/Harley Race & Mr. Hughes) VS Ron Simmons (w/Dusty Rhodes) [2 out of 3 Falls]

-Maybe Dustin could have won the TV title if his dad wasn't too busy latching on to Simmons.

-FIRST FALL: Slow start. Simmons misses a dropkick, and Luger goes to work. JR mentions that Luger call his piledriver the "Attitude Adjustment". Simmons lands a big clothesline and a powerslam, then follows up with a spine buster for a quick pin to go up 1-0.

-SECOND FALL: Nice touch as Luger stays slumped in his corner between falls, and gingerly gets to his feet. Simmons counters a suplex with one of his own, and goes to work on Luger's back. Simmons gets two off a bulldog. Simmons gets a small package for two. Simmon keeps the momentum, getting two off a sunset flip. Luger manages to side step Simmons and send him through the ropes. Luger takes control, and hits a powerslam for two.

Luger holds a rear chinlock for some time. Simmons fights out, avoids a charges, and gets a school boy for two. Simmons gets a backslide for two. Race distracts Simmons, so Dusty goes after Harley. Luger dives at Simmons. Harley holds Simmons' tights so Simmons stays on the mat while Luger goes over, and Nick Patrick DQs Simmons to even the match at 1. I hate the total inconsistency with whether or not that is called.

-THIRD FALL: Luger connects with a cheap shot to start the fall. Luger has been cut around his eye. Simmons Hulks Up and gets two off a clothesline. Simmons hits a superplex for two. They brawl on the outside. Simmons goes for the three point stance, and hits the ring post. Luger finishes with a really shitty Attitude Adjustment to retain 2-1.

Match was OK, but it didn't look like Simmons was quite ready to be a main event guy despite the Jesus Push he was apparently getting at the time. Tony calls it "one of the greatest matches of all time", but I will respectfully disagree.

-JR & Tony recap the main event and the angle with Paul E. and Rick Rude.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Can't really comment on the show as a whole since half the matches are missing, but the home release was nothing special. The opener sucked, and Austin/Dustin was disappointing. Everything else was decent, if unmemorable.

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #43: Clash of the Champions XVI

-9/5/91

-From Augusta, GA

-Hosts are JR & Tony Schiavone. Tony's comb over is...something.

-Eric Bischoff is with Paul E. and Missy Hyatt. Missy is going to get an interview with WCW Champion Lex Luger, while Paul will interview his next challenger; Ron Simmons.

-Match 1: Georgia Brawl Battle Royale: The Z Man VS Thomas Rich VS Bobby Eaton VS Ranger Ross VS Tracey Smothers VS Oz VS PN News VS Buddy Lee Parker VS Television Champion Steve Austin (w/Lady Blossom) VS Dustin Rhodes VS Terrence Taylor VS Big Josh VS Barry Windham VS One Man Gang VS El Gigante

-WCW is quite thrilled about there being OVER 5,000 POUNDS IN THE RING. Rich has joined the York Foundation. Zenk & Josh are wearing title belts, but what they are is not mentioned in their ring introductions.

Gigante gets Taylor in a choke lift, but doesn't toss him. He does the same to Parker, who walks the top rope. News' "Yo Baby Yo" tights are truly hideous. Austin & Eaton fight on the apron, but neither are eliminated. JR gets a shot in on the Atlanta Braves, which I'm sure Ted Turner appreciated. Josh, Taylor, & Ross are eliminated at the same time. We miss Rich's eliminated. Parker is eliminated, then we miss Zenk's elimination as Gigante beats on everyone he can get his hands on. Austin ducks a clothesline and eliminates Smothers.

Eaton is whipped into OMG, who throws Eaton onto the ramp to eliminate him. News charges OMG, but misses and goes out. Windham & Austin eliminate each other, then fight some more on the floor. Final four are Oz, Gang, Dustin, & Gigante. Oz & Gang work together, and eliminate Dustin. Gigante then takes them both out with a double clothesline to win it. This was really boring and went way too long.

-Match 2: Light Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semi-Final: Badstreet (w/The Fabulous Freebirds) VS Brian Pillman

-Randy Anderson kicks the Freebirds out before the match starts. Badstreet controls the early going until Pillman gets a flying headscissors followed by a victory roll for two. Pillman gets a springboard sunset flip for two. Badstreet suplexes Pillman off the apron, to the floor. Badstreet kicks Pillman off the apron, onto the guardrail. They fight on the apron, and Badstreet uses Pillman's tights to send him back first into the ring post. Pillman comes back with a slingshot shoulder block for two.

Badstreet hits a neck breaker for two. Badstreet goes up, but Pillman dropkicks him to the floor, and follows up with a suicide dive, almost knocking himself out on the guardrail in the process. Pillman goes for a missile dropkick, and Badstreet throws a dropkick as Pillman comes down, and they both miss. Pillman hits a spinning heel kick for two. Badstreet hits a DDT for two. Badstreet counters a crucifix with a Samoan drop. Badstreet sets up for a superplex, but Pillman fights it off, and hits a flying crossbody for the pin. Really good match with action pretty much from bell to bell.

-WCW TOP TEN:
10. Bobby Eaton
9. Z Man
8. Diamond Studd
7. One Man Gang
6. Dustin Rhodes
5. Steve Austin
4. El Gigante
3. Barry Windham
2. Ron Simmons
1. Sting

-Match 3: Johnny B. Badd (w/Teddy Long) VS United States Champion Sting

-Video shows Sting opening a box and getting jumped by Abdullah the Butcher. Really fast start. Sting misses two moves off the top, and Badd gets a sunset flip off the top for two. Match slows to a crawl as they trade arm locks. Badd no-sells a suplex. Awkward moment as Badd falls down on an Irish Whip attempt. Sting misses a Stinger Splash, and Badd hits a big body punch. Badd focuses on the big box that is at ringside. Sting simply rolls Badd up with a small package for the pin and Badd's first loss. Just as Fonzie counts three, Cactus Jack rushes into the ring and lays out Sting. Cactus hits his elbow smash to the outside, and finishes Sting off with a double-arm DDT. A couple wrestlers run out to help Sting, and Jack bails. Match started out good, but they lost their way before the finish. Really crappy way for Badd to take his first loss. The Cactus Jack beatdown was pretty good though.

-Match 4: Light Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semi-Final: Mike Graham VS Richard Morton (w/Alexandra York)

-Winner faces Pillman at Halloween Havoc. One lone fan chants "Rock and Roll!". Morton gets a rolling Boston Crab, but Graham counters, which sets off a roll up reversal sequence before Graham shoves Morton down, and Morton bails to conference with York and the computer. Morton gets to the second rope, but Graham takes him down with a German suplex for two. Graham locks in a quick figure 4, but Morton grabs the ropes.

Morton uses a couple hair pulls to gain the advantage and work on Graham's arm. Morton hit a reverse atomic drop, but misses an elbow drop. York distracts the ref, and Graham gets a visual fall. Morton sends Graham into the turnbuckle, and gets the pin with a school boy and a pull of the tights. Match was technically fine, but not particularly exciting. The finish was way too contrived. Graham is a pretty decent wrestler, but his look is 100% jobber, and he has no charisma to speak of.

-JR pimps the new edition of WCW Magazine. JR & Tony point out all the records Bill Kazmaier has.

-Uncle Eric brings out Kazmaier, as he tries to set another record. Kazmaier attempts to bend a steel rod around his neck and make it a closed circle. Naturally, Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyzsko, who will face Bill and Rick Steiner for the WCW tag titles later, hit Kazmaier with a weight to lay him out.

-Match 5: United States Tag Team Champions The Fabulous Freebirds VS The Patriots (Todd Champion & Firebreaker Chip)

-I love the idea of "WCW Special Forces". Like Champion and Chip are traveling the world and fighting wars to raise the flag of WCW. JR mentions that these two teams will wrestle again for the titles on Saturday Night. WHY DON'T YOU MAKE THE MATCH AT THE BIGGER SHOW THE TITLE MATCH?!

As per the Freebirds tag match manual, Chip dominates both of them to start the match off. Garvin's perm and mustache combination is a thing of beauty. Champion gets in and tosses both Freebirds around. Patriots completely dominate the match until Hayes drops an elbow on Chip behind the referee's back, and Garvin gets the pin off that. Not much here, and the finish was weak sauce.

-To make matters even better, a graphic after the match advertises Freebirds VS York Foundation for the following Saturday.

-Paul E. interviews Cactus Jack. Paul asks Jack who's behind everything, and Jack asks the fans to applaud for Sting, as Sting had a great career. Jack says it makes him smile knowing that Sting's career is over because of him. Another big box is brought to ringside. Jack and Paul assume it's Abby, and Jack goes to the box to give Abby "a big Cactus Jack hug", so naturally it's Sting in the box. Sting goes crazy on Cactus. Cactus fights back by hitting Sting with a garbage can, and they brawl as we go to another commercial break.

-We see the ceremony for the retirement of Ron Simmons' number at Florida State. FSU coach Bobby Bowden (clearly reading off cue cards), wishes Ron good luck in his world title match.

-Match 6: The Diamond Studd VS Ron Simmons

-No DDP tonight. Studd jumps Simmons' before the bell, but Ron quickly turns the tide. Studd counters a leap frog with a chokeslam. Don't think I've seen that before. Studd hits a bulldog off the second turnbuckle, but makes an arrogant cover, which gets reversed for two. Simmons crotches Studd on the ring post. Simmons finishes quickly with a spine buster and three point stance shoulder block. Not bad.

-Paul E. interviews Simmons. Simmons says he's the man to beat Luger, which brings out Harley Race & Mr. Hughes. Simmons says he's tired of seeing them, and leaves to go find Lex.

-Match 7: Terrence Taylor (w/Alexandra York) VS Van Hammer

-This is Hammer's WCW debut. Taylor whacks Hammer with the computer before the bell, but it does nothing. Hammer does a dance that gets the crowd to do the "We Will Rock You" beat, and finishes with...a flying knee to the back. OK then. Crowd was rally into Van Hammer here.

-Missy goes to interview Lex, but is interrupted by Ron Simmons. Simmons tries to get at Luger, but is held back.

-Match 8 for the Television Championship: Steve Austin [c] (w/Lady Blossom) VS The Z Man

-JR mentions that Zenk, Big Josh, & Dustin Rhodes are the 6 man champions, explaining the title belts from earlier. Mat wrestling for the first few minutes. They trade head and arm locks. Zenk hits a super kick and a back drop, causing Austin to take a powder. Zenk misses a cross body off the top. Austin hits the Stun Gun, but doesn't make the cover, allowing Zenk to get a small package for two. Zenk locks in a sleeper. Austin gets to the ropes, and Lady Blossom hands Austin some brass knuckles, which he uses to KO Zenk and retain. Match was pretty boring until the missed cross body.

-Lex Luger isn't ready for the contract signing, conveniently allowing WCW time to air a couple videos of Ron Simmons working with a children's club in Atlanta. Man, they really tried laying it on thick with Ron.

-Luger, very insincerely, applauds Simmons for his community service. Luger offers Simmons a job as his driver after Luger retains the title, which sets Simmons off. Luger and company get out of dodge ASAP.

-Video recaps the road Rick/Kazmaier and The Enforcers (AA, Zbyszko) took to the finals of the WCW tag title tournament.

-Match 9 for the vacant WCW World Tag Team Championship: The Enforcers VS Rick Steiner & Bill Kazmaier

-Titles were vacated after an injury to Scott Steiner. Enforcers are lead to the ring by Ras Al Ghul's ninjas from BATMAN BEGINS. Rick tries to fight off both Enforcers, but it doesn't work too well for him. Everytime Rick gets a move in, they cut him off. Kazmaier tags himself in. Kazmaier gets Larry in a gorilla press, but AA punches him in the injured ribs, and Larry gets the pin for the titles. Really short for a main event.

-JR & Tony interview the new champions. AA says they proved the biggest, strongest boats can't move without any wind. Larry finishes up, and we're out of here.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Not much here. Pillman/Badstreet was really good, and the angle between Cactus and Sting was good, and if you like Ron Simmons, this show featured WCW giving him a blowjob whenever he was mentioned.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

EWR Diary Week 14: 1/2-1/8/12

WWE 2012 PPV SCHEDULE:

January-Royal Rumble
February-Bragging Rights (cannot do the Elimination Chamber, so I've put Bragging Rights here for 2012, as kind of WWE's version of an "All-Star Game")
March-WrestleMania XXVIII
April-Extreme Rules
May-Over the Limit
June-King of the Ring (That's right, I'm bringing it back!)
July-Money in the Bank
August-SummerSlam
September-Night of Champions
October-Vengeance
November-Survivor Series
December-Tables, Ladders, & Chairs

Raw 1/2/12:

-Raw GM Michael Cole welcomes us to 2012. He announces that there will be three championship matches tonights, as Alberto Del Rio defends the WWE Championship against Jack Swagger, another team has accepted the open challenge of Awesome Truth, and tonight there will be a "Dolph Ziggler Invitational" with the winner immediately receiving a United States Championship match. In addition, John Cena & CM Punk will team up to face Domination.

-Dolph Ziggler & Vickie Guerrero come out to the ring. Dolph welcomes us to the "Dolph Ziggler Invitational". It will be a Fatal 4 Way match, with only one fall determining the winner. He wishes everyone involved good luck, because they're going to need it. Dolph & Vickie join the announce table for the match.

-Match 1: "Dolph Ziggler Invitational" Fatal 4 Way: Alex Riley VS Santino Marella VS Zack Ryder VS Goldust

-Not a particularly good way to start the new year. Santino pins Riley with THE COBRA. (*3/4)

-Match 2 for the United States Championship: Dolph Ziggler [c] VS Santino Marella

-Dolph retains fairly quickly with the Zig Zag. (**1/2)

-Awesome Truth come to the ring to cut a promo before their match. They are determined to be known as the greatest WWE Tag Team Champions of all time, so they are excited that their open challenge has been accepted by former WWE Tag Team Champions...

-Match 3 for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Awesome Truth [c] VS Deuce 'N' Domino
-Awesome Truth win fairly easily. Miz pins Domino with the Skull Crushing Finale. (**)

-John Cena is warming up when CM Punk enters his locker room. Punk says that he'll be there for Cena tonight, but to be honset, Punk hopes Cena loses at the Royal Rumble, because Punk will win the Rumble, and he wants to challenge the WWE Champion, and it won't be right if Punk faces Cena for the title after Cena has already wrestled the Rock. Cena says he understands, but it's too bad for Punk.

-Jack Swagger is warming up for his match when Dolph Ziggler drops by to get in Swagger's face. Ziggler says Swagger couldn't beat him for the U.S. title, and there's no way Swagger will be WWE Champion. Swagger tries to get at Ziggler, but they are held apart by WWE officials.

-Match 4: John Cena & CM Punk VS Domination

-Surprisingly good match held together by the babyface team. Cena pins Mason Ryan with the Attitude Adjustment. (***1/2)

-WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio says that Jack Swagger may be the All-American American, but Del Rio is the All-Mexican WWE Champion. Del Rio says CM Punk doesn't need to worry about having to face John Cena at WrestleMania, and that Del Rio isn't worried about facing Punk at WrestleMania, because there's no way Punk is going to win the Royal Rumble.

-Match 5 for the WWE Championship: Alberto Del Rio [c] VS Jack Swagger
-Good match that got the exact same ratings as the previous match, but I was hoping for better. Swagger manages to get Del Rio in the ankle lock, but Kevin Nash provides a distraction. This allows Del Rio to slap on the cross-arm breaker to retain. Nash & Del Rio start to double team Swagger, but John Cena runs out to make the save. (***1/2)

-Smackdown 1/6/12:

-World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry opens the show. He says tonight, he is going to start eliminating any and call competition for the World Heavyweight Championship.

-Match 1: Randy Orton VS Sheamus

-Josh Matthews & Booker T note that this match was made because Smackdown GM Teddy Long wanted a blockbuster match to open 2012 on Smackdown. Good, long opener, which Orton wins with the RKO. (***3/4)

-As Orton celebrates his win, he is attacked by Wade Barrett, who lays Orton out with Wasteland.

-William Regal warms up for his World Heavyweight Championship match. Daniel Bryan enters, and tells Regal that he knows what this means for Regal, and that Bryan will have his back tonight.

-Match 2: Daniel Bryan VS Brodus Clay

-Crowd was burned out by the opener, and didn't care for this match. Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes attacks Bryan to draw a DQ. Clay & Rhodes double-team Bryan after the bell, finishes off by Rhodes laying Bryan out with Cross Rhodes. (**)

-Cody challenges to KO'd Bryan to an Intercontinental Championship VS Money in the Bank briefcase match at the Royal Rumble.

-Match 3: Justin Gabriel VS Tyson Kidd

-Really good match. Gabriel wins with the 450. (***3/4)

-After Gabriel wins the match, Tyson Kidd's tag team partner Heath Slater gets on the mic and says he knows Gabriel well, and that Gabriel can't do that to Slater. Gabriel motions for Slater to get in the ring, and an impromptu match starts.

-Match 4: Justin Gabriel VS Heath Slater

-Gabriel does exactly the same thing with Slater, winning a really good match with the 450. As Gabriel celebrates his two wins, he is blind-sided by Mark Henry, who lays him out with the World's Strongest Slam. (***3/4)

-Match 5: Layla VS Alicia Fox

-Typical Divas' match. Just here to remind everyone Layla gets a title shot at the Royal Rumble. Layla wins with the Lay Out. (*)

-Match 6 for the World Heavyweight Championship: Mark Henry [c] VS William Regal

-Daniel Bryan sucked it up, and did accompany Regal to the ring. Henry took the opportunity to drop Bryan with a clothesline on the floor. Bryan tries to go back at Henry, but the ref holds him back. This allows Regal to load up THE POWER OF THE PUNCH...which gets two. Regal goes for the Knee Trembler, but Henry catches him with the World's Strongest Slam to retain. Bryan tries to attack Henry after the bell, but he also takes a World's Strongest Slam. (**1/4)





MATCHES ANNOUNCED FOR THE ROYAL RUMBLE:
30 Man Royal Rumble Match
WWE Championship: Alberto Del Rio [c] VS John Cena
World Heavyweight Championship: Mark Henry [c] VS Justin Gabriel
Divas Championship: Beth Phoenix [c] VS Layla

Thursday, December 8, 2011

EWR Diary Week 13: 12/26/11-1/1/12

Raw 12/26/11:

-RAW GM Michael Cole opens the show. He announces that he is still in the Christmas spirit, and tonight eight men who have never been WWE Champion will be given the opportunity to earn a WWE Championship match next week on the first Raw of 2012. These eight men will compete in a series of one-on-one matches, with the winners facing off in a 4 way elimination match in tonight's main event. The winner gets the title opportunity next week.

-Match 1: Jack Swagger VS David Otunga

-Swagger beats Otunga pretty easily, finishing him off with the gutwrench powerbomb. (**)

-John Cena came to the ring for a promo. Cena says he is ecstatic that he has the WWE Championship match at the Royal Rumble against whoever the champions is at that time. Cena says he wants his match against the Rock at WrestleMania to be for the WWE Championship, and that if he had not won last week's BattleBowl, he was not going to enter the Royal Rumble match. Cena has some choice words for Alberto Del Rio, then finally the Rock before leaving.

-Match 2: John Morrison VS Mason Ryan

-Morrison tried, but this wasn't very good. Morrison has the momentum, when Ryan's tag team partner Ezekial Jackson interferes. Jackson gets caught, however, and Ryan is disqualified. Domination start to double-team Morrison, when Big Show rushes out to the ring as fast as he can to make the save. (*3/4)

-WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio cut a promo backstage. He advised John Cena not to look ahead to WrestleMania. Del Rio says he will successfully defend his title next week to open 2012, then defeat John Cena at the Royal Rumble, and move on to the real main event at WrestleMania.

-Match 3: Santino Marella VS United States Champion Dolph Ziggler


-Ziggler wins in short order with the Zig Zag. Not much to see here. (**1/2)

-CM Punk came out to the ring for a promo. Punk says that the "powers that be" in WWE do not want him anywhere near the WWE Championship or the main event at WrestleMania. Punk says they think he's too "dangerous" and "uncontrollable". Punk says that they're right, but that won't stop him from winning the Royal Rumble, then winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.

-Match 4: Zack Ryder VS Ezekial Jackson

-Not great, but a lot better than I had feared. Jackson is using his power game to take control of the match, when Big Show again makes his way back out to the ring. Jackson leaves to fight Show, and gets counted out in the process. (**1/4)

-WWE Tag Team Champions Awesome Truth come out to the ring, and proclaim themselves the greatest tag team in WWE. They say to prove this, they have issued an open challenge to any tag team that has ever competed in WWE, and will put the titles on the line against whoever steps up to face them. Miz says they know they have challengers for tonight, and calls on them to come out...

-Match 5 for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Awesome Truth [c] VS Cryme Tyme


-Yup, JTG is a face again and Shad Gaspard is back. That doesn't mean much for tonight, as Truth pins JTG clean with the Little Jimmy to retain the titles. (**1/4)

-Match 6: Jack Swagger VS John Morrison VS Dolph Ziggler VS Zack Ryder

-FIRST FALL: Ryder manages to hit the Rough Ryder on Morrison, but Ziggler sneaks in and floors Ryder with the Zig Zag to eliminate him.

-SECOND FALL: Swagger catches Morrison with the gutwrench powerbomb, but Ziggler tosses Swagger out of the ring, and eliminates Morrison with the sleeper.

-THIRD FALL: Swagger fights out of a sleeper and blocks a Zig Zag, before catching Ziggler with the ankle lock for the submission win. (**1/2)


Smackdown 12/30/11:

-Smackdown GM Teddy Long opens the show by announcing that next week, the World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry will defends his championship on the first Smackdown of 2012 against the winner of tonight's "Beat the Clock" challenge. Whoever wins their match in the fastest time will earn the title shot for next week.

-Match 1: Trent Barreta VS Drew McIntyre

-Trent put up a surprisingly good fight in this match. McIntyre does win with the Future Shock DDT, but it took him quite a while to do it. (**1/4)

-World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry cut a quick backstage promo. He says that this situation with the Beat the Clock Challenge and the title match next week is proof that Teddy Long does not want Henry to be the World Heavyweight Champion. It won't matter, Henry says, because there isn't a man in the world that can take the title from him.

-Match 2: Daniel Bryan VS Brodus Clay

-Bryan managed to very effectively use his speed advantage to mitigate Clay's power advantage. Bryan could not win the match in time, however, so it ended in a draw. As Bryan left the ring, he was jumped and laid out by Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes. (**1/4)

-Randy Orton cut a backstage promo. He faces his rival Christian in tonight's final match. Orton says he will to Christian what he did to him all summer: beat him.

-A video profiling and hyping Justin Gabriel aired.

-Match 3: Ted DiBiase VS Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes

-Rhodes looked to have the match won, but Daniel Bryan came to ringside, providing a distraction. Bryan was held back by WWE Officials so he couldn't get to Rhodes, but the distraction did allow DiBiase to hit Dream Street and win the match in time to set the new time to beat. (**3/4)

-Match 4: William Regal VS Heath Slater


-Regal loaded up the Power of the Punch and managed to hit it without the referee noticing, and Regal got the win to set the new time to beat. (***)

-Christian cut a backstage promo. Christian says he, and everyone else, knows that Christian can beat Orton, and he will do so tonight to get the World Heavyweight Championship match next week.

-Match 5: Sin Cara VS Sin Cara II

-Another excellent match between these two. Sin Cara I hit La Mistica on Sin Cara II, but the time limit expired before he could get the pin. (****1/4)

-Match 6: Randy Orton VS Christian

-Disappointing match. Neither could earn the win before the time limit expired, so William Regal gets the title shot next week. A frustrated Orton hit Christian with a big RKO to end the show. (**3/4)

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #42: Great American Bash '91

-7/14/91

-From Baltimore, MD

-Opening video puts us in the perspective of some random dude who walks into the arena and buys two tickets for the show. This is all set to music I remember from ESPN's NFL Primetime.

-Hosts are JR & Tony

-Match 1: PN News & Bobby Eaton VS WCW Television Champion Steve Austin (w/Lady Blossom) & Terrence Taylor ["Skywalkers II" Scaffold Match]

-Terrible choice for the opener. Tony openly questions why Austin, especially as a title holder, would risk his career in this match. Two ways to win: toss your opponents or capture their flag. Eaton and Taylor look to start, but Taylor says "fuck that", and crawls back and begs Austin to start. Austin lands a couple weak punches, and Eaton comes back with a kick and a modified X-Factor. Heels back Eaton up, but then beg off when News gets in front.

News easily makes it to the heels' section of the scaffold, and fights with Austin. Crowd chants for Eaton while he fights with Taylor on the face side. News lays like a slug while Austin stomps on him. News holds the heels back while Eaton grabs their flag, and walks it across for the win. Austin gets hair spray and blinds the faces, and no one seems to know the match is over. Everyone climbs down, and there's a short skirmish in the ring to at least provide some action here. This was just fucking awful. I can't stand scaffold matches, and this one, with the "capture the flag" rules, took away the one thing anyone would want to watch one of these for: someone falling/getting thrown off the damn thing and getting hurt.

-JR & Tony note that WCW has tried to re-sign Ric Flair, but he turned them down, so it will be Luger VS Barry Windham in a Cage for the vacant World title.

-Eric Bischoff interviews Paul E. and Arn Anderson. Paul says Rick would break Paul in half and shut him up for good if Paul had any other partner than AA. Arn delivers a good promo about how if they're locked in a cage like criminals, then they'll commit a criminal act.

-Tony & JR talk about the World title match, and a couple other matches on the card to kill some time.

-Match 2: The Diamond Studd (w/DDP) VS The Z Man (w/some random women)

-Zenk leaps over the top rope to lay out both the Studd & Page. DDP low-bridges Zenk to turn the tide. Studd throws Zenk into the guardrail. Studd wins a slugfest. Zenk gets a cross-body for two. Studd locks in an abdominal stretch, and uses the ropes for leverage. Zenk gets out, but misses an elbow drop. Studd hits a chokeslam for two, but his arrogant cover gets reversed for two.

Studd pounds away, but Zenk hits a kick to the face to send Studd outside. Zenk sends Studd into the guardrail. Zenk hits a missile dropkick for two, as DDP breaks up the cover by slapping Zenk across the face. Zenk attacks DDP, and gets caught with a belly-to-back suplex for the pin. Match started out hot, but died a painful death when Studd took control.

-JR & Tony preview the next match.

-Match 3: Oz (w/The Great Wizard) VS Ron Simmons

-Very slow start. Oz hits the one big move Nash had at the time: the big boot. It takes Simmons three tries to clothesline Oz over the top, but the crowd explodes when he finally does. Oz controls a test-of-strength, but Simmons escapes, and manages to throw Oz. Simmons misses a dropkick to allow Oz to regain the advantage. Oz hits a side slam for two. Simmons hits a couple low tackles, then finishes with a flying shoulder tackle. Ugh. Early Kevin Nash is NOT good. Not good at all.

-JR & Tony preview the exploding of the Rock 'N' Roll Express.

-WCW TOP TEN (w/NFL Primetime music):
10. Johnny B. Badd
9. Ron Simmons
8. The Diamond Studd
7. El Gigante
6. Arn Anderson 5
5. Bobby Eaton
4. Steve Austin
3. Sting
2. Barry Windham
1. Lex Luger

-Match 4: Robert Gibson VS Richard Morton (w/Alexandra York)

-The fight starts on the entrance ramp. Gibson controls the first couple minutes. Morton keeps stalling to frustrate Gibson. Morton goes after Gibson's previously injured knee. Morton rips at Gibson's tights to expose the knee. Small "Morton Sucks" chant breaks out as Morton continues to work the injured knee, and eventually applies a Figure 4. Morton keeps methodicaly working over the knee.

Gibson fights back, but gets cut off so Morton can work the leg some more. JR notes that he was expecting an entirely different match. Gibson hits a DDT out of nowhere to wake up the crowd. Morton goes back to work on the knee. Gibson manages to toss Morton off the top, and hit an enziguiri. They fight on the entrance way, and both go for a dropkick at the same time and miss. York distracts the ref, and Morton KO's Gibson with the computer for the win. Psychologically sound for the most part, but this was way too long if it was going to be 90% Morton working the knee. The knee didn't even play into the finish after all of that. This was like the first Michaels/Jannetty match or the first match between the Hardys, in that what the crowd wanted and expected and what they got were two entirely different things.

-Eric Bischoff is with the Young Pistols & Dustin Rhodes. Dustin tries to channel his dad a little bit, but it doesn't sound natural, no pun intended.

-Match 5: WCW 6 Man & United States Tag Team Champions The Freebirds & Badstreet (w/Big Daddy Dink) VS The Young Pistols & Dustin Rhodes [Elimination Match]

-FIRST FALL: "Freebirds Suck" chant to start. Dustin mocks Hayes' moonwalk. Dustin hits slams and elbows on all three members of the Freebirds' team. Freebirds stall. Some Freebirds fans chant "Dustin Sucks". Match speeds up for a few seconds, and the faces clean house. Freebirds stall for so long Tony wonder why Smothers doesn't clobber them from behind. Brad makes a blind tag, and sits on the top turnbuckle for an eternity before he nails Badstreet with a flying clothesline off the top. Freebirds cross Smothers up, and Badstreet low-brideges him.

Badstreet and Dink work Smothers over on the outside. Back in, Hayes locks in a sleeper on Smothers. Freebirds slowly work over Smothers. Smothers gets a sunset flip on Badstreet for two. Hayes hits a big left hand and struts. Smothers blocks a DDT and tags in Armstrong. Match breaks down. Armstrong tries to unmask Badstreet, but ends up taking a spectacularly fucked up double DDT from Badstreet and Hayes for the pin.

-SECOND FALL: Smothers charges Hayes and gets backdropped over the top. Randy Anderson DQ's Hayes for that. Haven't seen that one called in a while. Hayes rightfully complains that all he did was duck.

-THIRD FALL: Smothers gets pounded on. Smothers makes the tag, but Anderson doesn't see it, and Garvin and Badstreet finish Smothers with a much smoother double DDT.

-FOURTH FALL: Dustin immediately pins Garvin after a big clothesline.

-FIFTH FALL: Badstreet gets the advantages, but Dustin manages to punch Badstreet as he comes off the top, and hit a flying clothesline. Dink distracts the ref, so that only gets two. Dustin quickly hits a bulldog on Badstreet and a dropkick on Dink at the same time to win the match. Finish was hot, but that first fall was way too long for what they were trying to accomplish.

-Match 6: The Yellow Dog (w/Man's Best Friend) VS Johnny B. Badd (w/Teddy Long) [If Dog loses, he must unmask.]

-JR & Tony note that the speculation is that Dog is Brian Pillman. A fan holds up a sign for Badd, which JR jokes that he hopes the fans parents don't see. Dog calls Badd "Johnny B. Gay", which JR notes does not represent the opinion of WCW, then leads fans in a "cigarette" chant. Pillman lands a nice dropkick and a STIFF chop to send Badd outside. Dog gets a crucifix into a sunset flip for two. Teddy picks a bad time to conference with Badd, and Dog dropkicks Badd in the back, sending him into Teddy.

Badd wins a chop exchange. Dog misses a cross-body. Badd comes off the top with a sunset flip for two. Badd hits a high knee, but Dog avoids a left-handed punch, and hits a German suplex. Dog hits a spinning heel kick. Dog hits a cross-body from the top, but Teddy runs in for the DQ. Teddy tries to unmask Dog and gets laid out, but Badd then lays Dog out with a left hand. Match was getting good before the finish.

-Eric Bischoff goes into Missy Hyatt's locker room for an interview. Eric's good buddy Jason Hervey sends Missy some flowers and a card. Eric gets real excited when he hears the shower running and goes in. Missy freaks out when she sees him, and throws stuff at Eric until he leaves.

-Match 7: Big Josh (w/country girls) VS Blackblood [Lumberjack Match]

-Blackblood is announced as being from "a little town in France". Blackblood gets the early jump, and tosses Josh outside on the heel side, where they beat Josh up, then the face side, where they don't. Josh fights back and hits a dropkick. Josh sends Blackblood over to the heel side, where they let Blackblood rest. Blackblood regains control and knocks Josh out on the face side. The faces let Josh rest, which pisses off the heels. Blackblood works Josh over as the lumbjerjacks brawl.

Josh takes control as the fight outside subsides. Josh runs into a boot from Blackblood, and the lumberjack fight re-ignites. Blackblood grabs the ax, but Dustin Rhodes hits Blackblood in the knee with Josh's axe handled, and Josh gets a small package for the win. This was pretty crappy.

-Eric Bischoff interviews Kevin Sullivan and the One Man Gang, who look appropriately dressed for an Alice Cooper. Sullivan tells a story about him and Gang meeting a woman with a third eye.

-Match 8: One Man Gang (w/Kevin Sullivan) VS El Gigante (w/little men)

-OMG avoids a charge and hits a flying clothesline, that knocks Gigante to his knees. OMG hits Gigante with a wrench. OMG slowly works Gigante over, and Sullivan adds a couple cheap shots. 747 splash only gets two for OMG. OMG goes up, but gets tossed. Sullivan tries to give OMG powder, but Gigante kicks the powder into OMG's face, and finishes with a clothesline from behind. This sucked, but that's no surprise.

-Video recap of the Sting/Koloff feud.

-Match 9: Nikita Koloff VS Sting [Russian Chain Match]

-Sting immediately takes Koloff outside. Sting manages to get to two corners before Nikita breaks his momentum. Sting pulls Koloff shoulder-first into the ring post. Nikita chokes Sting with the chain. Sting uses the chain to low-blow Nikita, which the crowd loves. Nikita drags Sting by the collar around his wrist to three corners, before Sting breaks the momentum with a kick to the gut. They hit two corners simultaneously, then give each other Flair uppercuts. They rush to hit corner three at the same time. Koloff prevents Sting from getting to corner four, and hits the Russian Sickle. Sting dives at Koloff, knocking both men into the fourth corner. Since Nikita was on the inside, he touched the corner first for the win. A regular match could have been good, but this got bogged down by the gimmick, and by ignoring the rules about breaking the momentum when it was convenient for the finish. Sting bashes Koloff's nuts with the chain one more time before leaving.

-JR & Tony, then a video package, preview the World title match.

-The cage is still being set up. "WE WANT FLAIR!..."

-Match 10 for the Vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Barry Windham VS WCW United States Champion Lex Luger [Cage Match]

-Since Flair is still in possession of the Big Gold, the "World title belt" is another belt with a cheap and ugly name plate slapped on it that says "World Champion". That's pretty terrible. "WE WANT FLAIR! WE WANT FLAIR! WE WANT FLAIR!"

Very slow start. These two seem as disinterested in this match as the crowd is. Lex blocks a kick, and hits an atomic drop. They trade sleepers. Lex hits a DDT for two. Windham tosses Luger off the top, and drops a knee to Luger's face for two. Windham goes up, but misses the big elbow, as the crowd forgets to chant for Flair for a little bit. Luger hits a series of clotheslines for two. Luger gets Windham in the Torture Rack, but Windham fights out, and hits a belly-to-back suplex.

Windham fights off a superplex, and hits a flying clothesline for two. Windham hits an awkward missile dropkick for two. Harley Race & Mr. Hughes come down to the ring. Hughes distracts Windham, while Race tells Luger that "now's the time". Luger clobbers Windham from behind, and wins the title with a piledriver. The crowd actually pops a bit for the finish. Luger leaves with Race & Hughes, as the crowd can't seem to figure out that this is a heel turn. Match started off bad, got good, then ended with a weak sauce finish and an un-needed heel turn by Luger.

-Match 11: Paul E. Dangerously & Arn Anderson VS WCW World Tag Team Champion Steiner & Missy Hyatt [Cage Match]

-Dick Slater & Dick Murdoch kidnap Missy before she gets to the ring. Rick catches AA in mid-air with a slam. Rick picks up AA, but Paul actually hits Rick from behind. Paul gives AA one of Paul's boots, but Rick nails AA as he comes off the top. Rick destroys Paul, pinning him with a clothesline. What a main event.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Absolutely awful show, especially booking wise. The matches were mostly bad, and even the ones that looked to be getting good were hampered by either a sudden finish, bad booking, or both. Boring wrestling + horrible booking = one of the worst shows I have ever seen.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

EWR Diary Week 12: 12/19-12/25/11


Raw 12/19/11:

-RAW GM Michael Cole opens the show. Cole announces that tonight will determine who will face WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio at the Royal Rumble. Cole says ten teams have been paired by random drawing, and will face-off in a series of 5 matches. The winners of the tag matches will then participate in a battle royale, with the winner receiving the championship opportunity. Cole notes that Del Rio is not here tonight, as he is recovering from the TLC match from last night. (NOTE: I really did randomly draw these teams.)

-Match 1: Kofi Kingston & Goldust VS WWE Tag Team Champion The Miz & Zack Ryder
-Miz is NOT thrilled with his partner. Decent reaction for the returning Goldust. Miz pins Goldust with the Skull Crushing Finale, however. (**3/4)

-CM Punk barges into Michael Cole's office. Punk is upset because he's not in the running for the title shot. Cole reminds him that last night was Punk's last chance at Del Rio. Punk says he wants Drew McIntyre then. Cole says he traded McIntyre to Smackdown, and per the order of Shane McMahon, RAW and Smackdown are to be kept separate. If any RAW superstar shows up on Smackdown without an invitation from the GM or vice versa, then they will be automatically suspended. Punk isn't happy with any of this, but says he'll just have to win the Royal Rumble then to get another shot at the WWE Championship.

-Match 2: Ezekial Jackson & Michael McGullicutty VS Jinder Mahal & John Cena
-Mahal is announced as the man Cole traded McIntyre for. Cena pins McGullicutty with the AA, with no help from Mahal. (**1/4)

-Match 3: Jack Swagger & David Otunga VS Kevin Nash & WWE Tag Team Champion R-Truth
-Poor Swagger. Otunga gets alligator arms on a tag attempt from Swagger, allowing Nash to drop Swagger with a big boot, and Truth to finish with the Little Jimmy. (**1/2), but got the biggest crowd reaction so far.

-Backstage, United States Champion Dolph Ziggler mocks Swagger for losing that match, and their match last night. Ziggler says he will prove beyond any doubt that he is better than Swagger by carrying his partner to a win, no matter who it is.

-Match 4: United States Champion Dolph Ziggler & Santino Marella VS John Morrison & Evan Bourne
-Marella's screwing around cost his team the match. He was going for THE COBRA on Morrison, but he took too long, allowing Morrison to hit a kick to head, and Bourne followed up with Air Bourne for the pin. (**3/4)

-Ziggler is PISSED and lays Santino out with the Zig Zag, before adding some mounted punches. Jack Swagger rushes out to the ring to chase Ziggler away.

-Match 5: JTG & Alex Riley VS Big Show & Mason Ryan
-Match should have been an easy win for Show & Ryan, but they started arguing, and eventually started fighting amongst each other. Their fight went outside the ring, and they were counted out to give Riley & JTG the upset win. (*1/4)

-Match 6: 10 Man Battle Royale: The Miz VS Zack Ryder VS Jinder Mahal VS John Cena VS Kevin Nash VS R-Truth VS John Morrison VS Evan Bourne VS JTG VS Alex Riley
-Nash lawn darted poor Evan Bourne over the top and out. Morrison dumped Riley. Cena eliminated Mahal. Miz & Truth eliminated Ryder. Cena eliminated JTG. Morrison eliminated Truth. Miz & Nash eliminated Morrison. Cena eliminated Nash, then Miz to win it. (*)

-As Cena celebrates, Alberto Del Rio comes out of nowhere to attack him. Del Rio hits a belt shot and a running enziguiri before locking in the cross-arm breaker. Del Rio has to be pulled off Cena, and stands above him while holding the WWE title belt as the show ends.

Smackdown 12/23/11:

-Justin Gabriel opened the show, speaking about his win over Christian and his position as the #1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. Gabriel is interupted by Mark Henry, who tells Gabriel that winning the match against Christian was both the best thing, and the worst thing to ever happen to Gabriel. The best, because Gabriel gets to main event the Royal Rumble for the World Heavyweight Championship. The worst, because he has to do it against Mark Henry. Henry looks like he's going to attack, but decides to simply smile and walk away. This segment did not go over well.

-Match 1: William Regal VS Drew McIntyre
-Drew's return to Smackdown. Booker T & Josh Matthews talk about Drew running away from RAW after his actions at TLC. Drew wins with a thumb to the eye and the Future Shock DDT. He adds a second Future Shock, just because he can. (***)

-McIntyre then got on the mic and kissed up to Shane McMahon, saying he share his father's brilliance for recognizing Drew's talent and making him the "Chosen One" once again.

-Match 2: Randy Orton VS Darren Young
-Orton squashes black John Cena in about two minutes with the RKO. (**1/2)

-As Orton is in the ring posing for the crowd, Wade Barrett appears on the TitanTron and says that Orton deserved what happened to him at TLC, because of what Orton did to Barrett a few weeks back. Despite getting physically involved at TLC and really wanting to get true revenge on Randy Orton, Barrett has not been cleared to compete. Barrett says he hopes to be cleared right round...the Royal Rumble.

-Divas Champion Beth Phoenix did an interview. She will be defending the Divas' title at the Royal Rumble against Layla, but is not concerned, because even though Layla is not blonde, she's still just a Barbie girl, and will pose little challenge.

-Match 3: Layla & AJ VS Tamina & Alicia Fox
-AJ takes punishment from the heels, but makes the hot tag, and Layla ends up pinning Tamina with the Lay Out. (1/2*)

-Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes did an interview. He said that now he has beaten Cody Rhodes and staked his claim as the greatest Intercontinental Champion in WWE history, it is time for him to move on to the World Heavyweight Championship. Tonight, Rhodes faces Daniel Bryan, and as always, Bryan's Money in the Bank briefcase is on the line. Rhodes says he'll beat Bryan, and cash in when it's most convenient.

-Match 4: Ted DiBiase VS Brodus Clay
-Pretty non-descript match. Clay wins clean with the Fall of Humanity. (**1/2)

-Match 5: Daniel Bryan VS Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes
-Decent main event, but I was hoping for better. Bryan fights out of Cross Rhodes and makes Cody tap to the LaBell Lock. (***1/2)

-After the match, Rhodes lays Bryan out, hits Cross Rhodes, and puts a paper bag on Bryan's head.

-MATCHES ANNOUNCED FOR THE ROYAL RUMBLE:
The Royal Rumble Match
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP: Alberto Del Rio [c] VS John Cena
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: Mark Henry [c] VS Justin Gabriel
WWE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP: Beth Phoenix [c] VS Layla

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #41: Clash of the Champions XV

Clash of the Champions XV 6/14/91
-6/14/91

-From Knoxville, TN

-Hosts are JR & Tony Schiavone

-Missy Hyatt opens the show, welcoming us to Knoxville, USA. Paul E. Dangerously interrupts, asking why no one told him we were live. Paul throws it to JR & Tony.

-Match 1: WCW United States Tag Team Champions The Fabulous Freebirds & Badstreet (w/DDP, a Diamond Doll, & Big Daddy Dink) VS The Young Pistols & The Z Man
-As usual with the Freebirds, the face team dominates the opening couple minutes. The 'Birds manages to cross Tracy up, and send him over the top. Freebirds whip Badstreet into the face team's corner, and he knocks Armstrong & Zenk off the apron. Twice the Freebirds send all three babyfaces outside, but they take time to celebrate, and get caught with three simultaneous sunset flips for a triple pin. Short and sweet, and the finish was cute.

-Great American Bash sweepstakes commercial featuring Ric Flair. Man, things must be going great for Ric in WCW. I don't see anything bad happening in the near future. Nope, nothing at all.

-Match 2: Oz [Kevin Nash] (w/The Great Wizard) VS Johnny Rich
-Oz's entrance is interesting, and his pre-match attire is...something. Rich falls right on his head and neck off a clothesline. Nash finishes the squash with a helicopter slam.

-Hype video for PN News.

-Match 3: Dan Spivey VS Big Josh
-They trade punches and no-selling of those punches, until Spivey goes to the eyes. Josh gets a double-leg takedown, and pounds on Spivey. Spivey gets an arm drag, but Josh counters a suplex with one of his own. Spivey misses an avalanche, and Josh hits a nice belly-to-back suplex. Kevin Sullivan walks out, and breaks a crutch over the back of Josh (which Nick Patrick clearly sees). Spivey catches the distracted Josh with a German suplex for the pin. This was not good.

-WCW TOP TEN:
10. Stunning Steve Austin
9. One Man Gang
8. Barry Windham
7. Arn Anderson
6. Sting
5. Nikita Koloff
4. Bobby Eaton
3. El Gigante
2. The Great Muta
1. Lex Luger

-Paul E. is in the Danger Zone with Jason Hervey. Paul does the old gimmick of asking questions, and not giving time for Hervey to answer them. Hervey says he's dating Missy Hyatt. Paul says his dad is a lawyer and good at pre-nuptual agreements. Paul asks Hervey if he and Missy are in love. Hervey doesn't answer, instead he wants to ask Paul how it felt to get his butt kicked by a woman. Paul asks Hervey if everything in his life is new (like his car and his house), then why is his girlfriend "used merchandise". Hervey gets upset and ends the interview, and Paul responds by KO'ing Hervey with the cell phone.

-Match 4: Dustin Rhodes VS Terrance Taylor (w/Alexandra York & Mr. Hughes)
-JR & Tony note that the York Foundation has signed a new member, to be announced later tonight. Shoving match leads to a Rhodes near-fall. Dustin hits both a regular and inverted atomic drop, but misses a charge and rams his shoulder into the ring post. Taylor hits a knee drop for two. Taylor hits a sit-out gutwrench powerbomb for two. Dustin gets a sunset flip for two. Dustin gets a backslide for two. Dustin flips, flops, and flies. Dustin hits an elbow drop for two.

Dustin hits the bulldog, but Hughes has the ref distracted. Ricky Morton rushes out. Hughes hits Dustin in the back, for the DQ, and Morton stomps on him, showing himself to be the newest member of the York Foundation. Big Josh makes the save with his axe handle.

-Johnny B. Badd hype video. It makes him look irritating as hell, so I guess it was effective.

-Video recaps Nikita Koloff interfering in the tag title match at SuperBrawl, and Sting going after Nikita backstage.

-Match 5: Nikita Koloff VS Sting
-Sting sprints to the ring, but Nikita catches him as Sting gets caught up in the ropes. Nikita works Sting over, but stops to talk trash. Sting hits a piledriver, which Nikita no-sells, and goes back on offense. Nikita hits a tombstone...for two. Nikita completely overwhelms Sting, hitting a back breaker for two. Koloff slowly works Sting over. Sting gets a couple shots in, but Koloff shuts him down. Sting starts to slowly Hulk up, and eventually counters a whip into the guardrail with one of his own.

Sting counters a tombstone with one of his own. Sting fires up, but misses a Stinger splash. Koloff misses the Russian Sickle, and Sting school boys him for the pin. Pretty disappointing match, actually. Koloff's slow offense didn't do much for the match, and the Sting comeback could have gone longer, or been his first comeback out of two or three.

-Tony brings out PN News (w/Salt 'N' Peppa). Before the interview can really start, Johnny B. Badd comes out with Teddy Long. Teddy tells SnP that both can't be next, but one can be first. Badd calls News ugly. News gives Badd a shove, and Teddy hold Badd back.

-Hype video for The Diamond Studd (Scott Hall).

-Match 6: Arn Anderson & Barry Windham VS El Gigante & Brian Pillman
-The man that loses the fall must leave WCW. Pillman gets a couple near-falls right off the bat on AA. Windham gets in, and spikes Pillman with a DDT for two. AA goes up, but Pillman dropkicks him down to the floor. AA tries to cheap shot Gigante, and almost gets choked out for his troubles. Pillman hits a cross body off Gigante's shoulders onto Windham, but AA makes the save at two. Pillman stupidly goes up from the Horsemen's corner, and AA trips him. Gigante locks the claw on AA outside the ring, but Windham kicks Pillman in the face for the pin. Probably a good thing Gigante never got in, but that was inexcusably short for a Loser Leaves Town match.

-Paul E. previews the Great American Bash tour, with the PPV on 7/14 from Baltimore. Some footage from last year's PPV airs, specifically the finish to Steiners/Freebirds.

-JR & Tony present a video of the Steiners winning the IWGP tag titles at the Japan Supershow.

-Match 7 for the IWGP Tag Team Championship: The Steiner Brothers [c] VS Hiroshi Hase & Masahiro Chono
-Scott and Hase start. Hase catches Scott with an enziguiri to the face. Scott hot shots Hase (say that three times fast) for two. Hase hits Scott with a swank kick to the face, but takes time to gloat, and gets taken down. Chono kicks Rick so hard it breaks Rick's head gear. Steiners try to murder Chono with an overhead back breaker drop/flying elbow combo. Rick casually tosses Hase with a release German suplex. Hase catches Rick with a slam, then holds Rick for a flying shoulder block from Chono.

Chono hits a Samoan drop on Rick, and locks in the STF. Scott suplexes Hase on the floor, then misses when he tries to fly off the top to break up the STF. Scott basically dives on Chono to break the STF. Scott & Hase tag in, and Scott takes Hase over with a tilt-a-whirl slam, then follows up with a Tiger Driver. Scott hits Hase with a belly-to-belly throw off the top, but Chono makes the save at two. Hase hits Scott with a full-nelson suplex, but Rick makes the save at two.

Hase & Chono try to double team the Steiners, but Rick trips up Chono, and Scott catches Hase with the Frankensteiner for the pin. Pretty action-packed match, even if the psychology was pretty non-existant.

-The Hardliners (Dick Murdoch & Dick Slater) run out and destroy everyone, focusing on Rick's arm.

-Match 8: The Diamond Studd (w/DDP) VS Tommy Rich
-Rich doesn't even get an entrance, so he must be pretty low on the totem pole at this point. DDP calls a plant in to disrobe Hall, stating that there's a nationwide search for a "Studette". Studd hits a chokeslam to take control. Studd splash hits knees, but he avoids a cross body, a quickly finishes with the DDD (Diamond Death Drop), a.k.a. the Razor's Edge. Match was nothing.

-JR interviews Ben, the winner of the "Sting Look-Alike Contest", who just so happens to be from Knoxville. Sting comes out to see him, but then is ambushed by Nikita Koloff. Koloff makes moves towards the kid, but is held back by WCW officials.

-The BRUISE CRUISE is coming!

-Match 9: The Great Muta VS WCW United States Champion Lex Luger [Winner gets a World title shot at the Great American Bash]
-Lex no-sells a chop, and hits a belly-to-back suplex for two. Luger hits a slam, but misses an elbow drop. Luger hits a military press slam. Muta hits a kick to the throat, but misses the hand spring elbow, and flies outside over the top. Luger blocks the green mist, and hits a powerslam for the pin. Criminally short.

-Steve Austin hype video.

-Match 10: Stunning Steve Austin (w/Lady Blossom) VS Jumpin' Joey Maggs
-The crack WCW team puts up Maggs' graphic while Austin is on the screen. Austin wins in seconds with the Stun Gun. Well that was brisk.

-Black Blood hype video. Anyone know who that is?

-Richard Morton is officially introduced as the newest member of the York Foundation. Morton says it's the greatest night of his life, because signing the contract means he never has to sign another autograph. Robert Gibson comes out to find out what's going on, and Morton sucker-punches him before hitting a piledriver. Dustin Rhodes rushes out to make sure no further damage is done to Gibson.

-Match 11 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Ric Flair [c] VS Bobby Eaton [2 out of 3 Falls]
-Flair tries to intimidate Eaton, but it doesn't work. Eaton hits an elbow drop, and Flair bails. Eaton wins a chop/punch exchange, and hits a backdrop for two. Eaton almost gets a pin with a short-arm scissors. Eaton keeps the pressure on Flair's arm. Eaton takes a chop, and responds with a huge right hand. Flair bails, and suckers Eaton into following him outside, then gains the advantage when Eaton rolls back in. Big "Bobby" chant. Flair launches Eaton into the corner, and Eaton's head smacks the ring post. Flair keeps the pressure on, and drops a knee for two.

Flair drops Bobby on his ass with a butterfly suplex. Flair uses the ropes to try to score the pin, but Nick Patrick notices. Eaton wins a slug fest. Eaton slams Flair off the top. Eaton hits a back breaker, and follows up with a neck breaker. Eaton hits the Alabama Jam for the pin to go up 1-0.

Eaton counters a hip toss with a backslide for two. Eaton hits a swinging neck breaker and goes up, but Flair falls into the ropes, and Eaton falls to the floor, hurting his knee. Eaton is counted out to tie the match at 1.

Flair rolls Eaton back in, but Eaton fights back, and hits a superplex for two. Flair hits a teardrop suplex, and apllies a ropes-assisted figure 4. Patrick makes Flair break the hold. Figure 4 attempt is countered with a small package for two. Third figure 4 attempt is successful. Flair uses the ropes for leverage, and Eaton leaves his shoulders down for the pin, and Flair retains 2-1. Really good main event. I reminds me that WWE today is largely missing these types of TV world title defenses these days.

-Flair walks away with the belt, and barring injury or someone getting fired, Flair will defend the title against Lex Luger at the Great American Bash. That should be huge, and I sure hope nothing happens to rob WCW fans of it...

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This show could have been a lot better with some trimming. Eleven matches is just way too many, and some good matches on paper fell way short of their potential because of the lack of time. The main event was really good, but also suffered the same fate.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #40; SuperBrawl I "Return From the Land of the Rising Sun"

-5/19/91

-From St. Petersburg, FL

-Hosts are JR & Dusty

-Match 1 for the WCW United States Tag Team Championship: The Freebirds (w/DDP, a Diamond Doll & Big Daddy Dink) VS The Young Pistols

-The Pistols are formerly the Southern Boys. U.S. tag titles are vacant because the Steiners won the world tag titles. Hayes gets some positive reactions to his preening. Armstrong avoids a cheap shot from Dink, and lays him, then both Freebirds out on the floor. Dink does manage to trip Armstrong, allowing Hayes to take over. Brad Armstrong rushes out, and challenges the Freebirds to make it 3-on-3. Since this is a title match, it's not happening, but after Brad leaves, the ref does eject Dink from ringside.

Both Freebirds get knocked outside. Pistols hit a double shoulder block on Garvin for two. Cute bit as Hayes tries to get the crowd behind the Freebirds to no avail. Garvin low-bridges Smothers to make him the face-in-peril. Some fans cheer for the Freebirds, and Dusty brings out the "we're so great because we let the fans cheer for who they want to" line that WWE has used for so many years. Smothers hits a nice super kick on Garvin, and makes the tag. Pistols gain the advantage, but they both miss missile dropkicks to turn the tide back to the Freebirds.

Smothers comes back and clotheslines both Freebirds outside, allowing Armstrong to hit a dive off the top. Armstrong holds Hayes up for a flying back elbow from the top by Smothers. Smothers holds Garvin for a missile dropkick from Armstrong, but the ref is bumped in the process. Someone in a weird bird costume runs out and drops both Pistols with clotheslines and DDTs from the second rope, and that allows Hayes to get the pin on Armstrong for the titles. Good opener.

-Missy Hyatt makes another attempt to get a dressing room interview. She runs into Terry Taylor, who says the situation between Dustin Rhodes & The York Foundation is not over. Hyatt sees Z-Man's stuff, and asks Taylor if Zenk is in the shower. Taylor tells her to go look...and of course, it's Stan Hansen (thankfully in boxers). He gives her a spanking with his hat, and kicks her out.

-Match 2: Brian Pillman VS Barry Windham [Taped Fist Match]

-Windham comes out to an instrumental version of "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing". Pillman gets a hip toss and flying shoulder block before landing several punches. Windham gets a body slam and goes up top, but Pillman dropkicks him off the top, to the floor. Pillman flies outside onto Windham. Pillman is on the attack, but Windham uses Pillman's tights for leverage to send Pillman face-first into the ring post. Windham is busted open from Pillman's punches. Windham takes Pillman onto the runway, then throws him off the runway, onto the guardrail. Pillman is now busted open.

Pillman lands some stiff overhand chops. Windham hits a belly-to-back suplex. They knock heads, but both don't stay down for long. Pillman goes up, but Windham shoves the ref out of the way, low-blows Pillman, and hits a superplex for the win. Windham adds some punches and a kick to the head after the bell. Another good match. Odd to see a superplex get the win after all these years.

-Match 3: Sid Vicious VS El Gigante ["Battle of the Giants" Stretcher Match]

-Gigante struggles to roll the gurney to ringside, so he just says fuck it and carries it. Gigante overpowers Sid. Sid lands a couple blows in the corner (which Gigante sells like he's going "weeeeeeeeee" in a roller coaster). Sid charges into a boot, and Gigante applies the big claw to Sid for the pin. Well that was brisk. One Man Gang and Kevin Sullivan attack Gigante. Gigante gets OMG on the stretcher, but OMG throws powder in Gigante's eyes to get some shots in before Gigante shrugs it off. Crowd sings the "goodbye song" to Sid, who will make his WWF debut in a few months. Don't see the point of making it a stretcher match if, you know, it didn't involve anyone getting put on the stretcher, but that's WCW for you.

-Match 4: Butch Reed VS Ron Simmons [Thunderdoom Cage Match]

-Teddy Long is locked in a cage that's raised above the ring. Everyone uses the Doom entrance musice. JR mentions that Simmons is Burt Reynold's favorite wrestler. Not sure what the difference is between a "Thunderdoom" cage and a regular cage. Both guys meet the cage in the opening moments. Reed sends Simmons into the cage again, and Simmons is busted open. Reed goes to work on the open wound. Simmons fights back, but whiffs on a dropkick.

Reed hits a couple fist drops. Simmons comes back with punches, but gets pulled into the cage wall. Reed hits a piledriver for two. Reed works Simmons over with unexciting offense, and the crowd is just dead for this. Crowd suddenly gets into it with a "Go Ron Go" chant. Simmons fights back, but lowers his head too early, and Reed hits a swinging splash, but Simmons gets his knees up.

Reed cuts Simmons off again with a high knee. Double clothesline puts both men down. Teddy tosses an international object into the ring. Reed misses a punch with the chain Teddy threw, and Simmons hits a vicious spinebuster for the win. Well that match sucked.

-Hilariously over-the-top sad and melancholy video for the Steiners VS Sting/Luger tag title match. Was there even an angle here beside Sting & Luger simply requesting a title shot?

-Match 5 for the WCW World Tag Team Championship: The Steiner Brothers [c] VS Sting & WCW United States Champion Lex Luger

-Slow start until Rick does a Jannetty sell off a Luger clothesline. Rick comes back with a big clothesline of his own for two. Rick takes another big bump off a running Luger clothesline. Rick is sent outside, and Sting dives over the ropes out onto him. Back in, Sting hits a bulldog, but Rick no-sells. Sting gets Rick upside down and rams him in the corner, stealing a page out of Rick's playbook. Rick avoids a Stinger Splash, and tags Scott. Scott hits a Tiger Driver and a tilt-a-whirl slam on Sting, and the crowd explodes. Sting hits a hot shot on Scott, and makes the tag.

Scott sets Sting on the second turnbuckle, and hits an overhead belly-to-belly throw for two. Scott misses a running clothesline, and flies outside over the top. Luger gets in, and hits a suplex for two. Luger gets a powerslam on Scott. Awkward moment is Scott is supposed to fight off the rack with a Russian Leg Sweep, but they both just fall down. Rick gets a blind tag, and hits a sweet bulldog off the top on Luger, then drops an elbow for two.

Sting hits a missile dropkick on Rick. Sting counters a tombstone from Scott, and hits one of his own for two. Ref gets bumped (Nick Patrick is having a bad night). Sting hits a Stinger Splash on Scott. Nikita Koloff comes out and tries to hit Luger with a chain, but Sting takes the bullet, and Scott gets the pin to retain the titles. Match was pretty great while it lasted, but was disappointingly short.

-We go TO THE BACK with Tony Schiavone. Nikita says Sting was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sting runs to the back and jumps on Nikita. The two brawl out into the parking lot.

-Match 6 for the WCW Television Championship: Arn Anderson [c] VS Bobby Eaton

-This should be great. Reversal series ends when Eaton catches AA with a hard right hand. AA walks into a high knee, then a big boot, then a clothesline for two. Eaton goes up, but gets launched off the top, onto the runway. AA goes for a piledriver, but Eaton counters with a backdrop. Back in, Eaton hits a double axe handle for two. Anderson starts working on Eaton's leg, wrapping it around the ring post.

Eaton fights back, and bashes AA's head into all three turnbuckles in one corner, but AA gets back on the injured leg to regain control. Match really slows down as AA ties up the leg. Eaton gets out, and lands a couple right hands. AA gets knees on a splash, but hits a spinebuster for two. Eaton hits a swinging neck breaker. Eaton goes up top. Barry Windham tries to interfere, but Brian Pillman cuts him off. Eaton hits the Alabama Jam for the pin and the title. Eaton is so excited, he hugs Nick Patrick after the pin. Match started out really good, then slowed to a crawl with all of Anderson's leg work. A nice feel-good moment with the Eaton title win.

-Tony Schiavone is outside Tasumi Fujinami's locker room. Tony gets a word with Hiro Matsuda, who says they are bringing the title back to Japan.

-Match 7 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Ric Flair [c] VS IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tatsumi Fujinami

-Tiger Hatori is the official of record, with Bill Alfonso as a backup. Flair takes control early on with chops. Fujinami fights back with chops of his own, and hits a backdrop. Fujinami locks in a bow-and-arrow. Flair gets out, so Fujinami locks in a Boston Crab, then an Indian Death Lock. Fujinami hits a flying forearm for two. Fujinami knocks Flair outside, but makes the mistake of following him out, and Flair crotches Fujinami on the guardrail.

Flair goes to work on Fujinami's leg. Flair gets the Figure 4. Flair starts slapping Fujinami across the face while the hold is still on. Fujinami manages to reverse the hold. Fujinami locks in a Scorpion Death Lock. Fujinami hits a side suplex for two. Fujinami repeatedly tries to bridge with Flair on top of him, but can't do it. They go outside, and Fujinami rams Flair's head into the guardrail, busting him open.

They exchange strikes. Fujinami forgets to roll with Flair on an Oklahoma Roll. Flair goes up, and gets slammed down. Fujinami locks in an Octopus Stretch. Crowd chants "USA" while Flair struggles in the hold. Shoulder block sends both men outside. Flair can't hold Fujinami on a slam, and Fujinami almost pins him. Fujinami gets a small package for two. Fujinami accidentally smacks heads with Hitori, and Flair gets a school boy for the pin by pulling the tights with Alfonso counting. Match was weird in that it was worked more like an actual fight than usual in U.S. pro wrestling. I liked it in that sense, but the crowd really wasn't buying what they were selling.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a pretty good show. The first couple matches were good. The next two, not so much. Then the show picked back up with the tag title match, and had a feel good moment with the Eaton TV title win. The main event was something different, and worth checking out if you haven't seen it.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

EWR Diary Weeks 10 & 11 12/5-12/18/11


Raw 12/5/11:

-RAW GM Michael Cole opens the show by announcing John Cena VS Kevin Nash at TLC, and Cena & CM Punk VS Alberto Del Rio, Nash, & The Miz in a 3-on-2 handicap match in tonight's main event.

-Match 1: WWE Tag Team Champion Evan Bourne VS R-Truth
 -Cole banned Kofi Kingston from ringside, but allowed Miz to come to the ring with Truth. Miz provided a distraction, allowing Truth to hit the Little Jimmy for the win. Awesome Truth beat Bourne down after the match. (**1/2)

-CM Punk did another promo. Punk says no matter what Del Rio and Michael Cole throw at him between now and TLC, there is nothing that will stop Punk from becoming the new WWE Champion.

-A video hyping the upcoming debut of Diva Naomi Night airs.

-Match 2: Jack Swagger VS Michael McGillicutty
 -Shockingly awesome match. Swagger wins clean with the ankle lock. Too bad no one cares about McGillicutty, or this would have been a WWE match of the year candidate. (****1/4)

-After his win, Jack Swagger gets on the mic, and challenges Dolph Ziggler to a U.S. title match at TLC. Ziggler comes out to the entrance ramp, and accepts.

-Match 3: Big Show VS Mason Ryan
 -Not great, but a lot better than I feared. Ezekial Jackson uses a distraction from Vickie Guerrero as the opportunity to come into the ring and lay Show out with a huge clothesline, and Ryan gets the pin. (**1/4)

-Kevin Nash cut a promo on John Cena. Tonight will be just a little taste of what Cena has coming to him at TLC.

-Match 4-Four Corners Match with the winner receiving a Divas' title match next week on Raw: Kelly Kelly VS Eve VS Maryse VS Brie Bella
 -Eve pins Maryse clean with a moonsault. The less said, the better. (1/2*)

-John Cena is shown walking backstage in preparation for the main event, which is next.

-Match 5: John Cena & CM Punk VS WWE Champion Albero Del Rio, The Miz, & Kevin Nash
 -Decent main event. Del Rio KO's Cena with the WWE title belt, allowing Nash to hit the Jackknife Powerbomb for the win. (**3/4)

Smackdown 12/9/11:

-A video recapping the Sheamus/Mark Henry feud opens the show. The official contract signing for TLC is tonight.

-Match 1: Sin Cara VS Sin Cara II
 -Great opener. The Sin Caras fight all the way to the back, ending this match with a double count out. (****)

-Randy Orton cut a promo. He and Justin Gabriel will face Christian and Cody Rhodes tonight. Orton says what he did to Wade Barrett will be nothing compared to what he does to Cody Rhodes given the opportunity.

-Match 2: Daniel Bryan VS Jinder Mahal
 -Bryan wins a quick squash with the Labell Lock to remind everyone he's still around, since I haven't had anything for him since Survivor Series. (**)

-Cody Rhodes cut a return promo on Orton. Rhodes says that no matter what Orton has in mind for him, what Rhodes has in mind for Orton is much, much worse.

-Match 3: William Regal VS Brodus Clay
 -Regal put up a good fight, but fell to the Fall of Humanity. (**1/4)

-Christian cut a promo. He says that at TLC Justin Gabriel has his chance to step up to the big time and climb the ladder of success, but Christian is the master of the ladder match, so Gabriel will go crashing down to nowhere.

-Match 4: Ted DiBiase VS Darren Young
 -Match was put here, simply because I needed one. Neither did much to impress. DiBiase wins with Dream Street. (*1/4)

-Justin Gabriel cut a promo. He said that the match at TLC is the biggest match of his career. Gabriel knows it won't be easy beating Christian in a Ladder match, but believes he has what it takes to move to the next level, and become the World Heavyweight Champion.

-Match 5: Randy Orton & Justin Gabriel VS Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes & Christian
 -Pretty good main event. Rhodes takes a page out of Christian's book and spits right in Orton's face, and he reacts just like he did at Money in the Bank, kicking Rhodes in the nuts for a DQ. Orton then grabbed a chair and cracked both Rhodes and Christian, before almost nailing Gabriel in a blind rage. (***1/4)

-The Henry/Sheamus contract signing closes the show. This will officially be Sheamus' last shot at the title while Mark Henry is champion. Naturally, Henry goes on the attack. Sheamus fights back, but takes a belt shot and the World's Strongest Slam through a table to close the show.

-WWE NEWS: WWE has come to terms on the release of Kaitlyn (Celeste Bonin). We wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Raw 12/12/11:


-WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio opens the show. Del Rio says that it's his destiny to retain the WWE championship at TLC. Del Rio says he is simply better than CM Punk, and that TLC will be his last opportunity at Del Rio's title. This brings out Punk, who wonders aloud if Del Rio is so confident not because Del Rio believes destiny is on his side, but because Del Rio has the backing of Shane McMahon, Michael Cole, Kevin Nash, The Miz, and R-Truth. Del Rio says he needs no help in beating Punk. Punk tells Del Rio to prove it, and challenges him to a fight right then and there. Del Rio notes they will meet in a six man tag in tonight's main event, and says he will fight Punk then, before backing out of the ring.

-Match 1: Big Show & Jack Swagger VS Domination
 -Show KO'd Mason Ryan with the WMD and Swagger had Jackson tapping to the ankle lock, but Vickie Guerrero distracted the ref and Big Show, allowing Dolph Ziggler to sneak in and drop Swagger with the Zig Zag. Jackson followed up with the Book of Ezekial for the win. (**1/4)

-CM Punk corners RAW GM Michael Cole in Cole's office, and intimidates him into banning Ricardo Rodriguez, The Miz, Kevin Nash, & R-Truth from ringside during the WWE championship match at TLC.

-John Cena cut a promo on Kevin Nash. Cena calls Nash a bitter and jealous man whose best days are behind him. Cena says the money Nash will get paid for their match at TLC will not be worth what Cena does to him.

-Match 2 for the WWE Divas Championship: Beth Phoenix [c] VS Eve Torres
 -Natalya trips Eve while she's building momentum, allowing Beth to win with the Glam Slam. Two-on-one beat down is stopped by the debuting Naomi Knight, who manages to knock both Divas of Destruction out of the ring. (*1/2)

-Matt Stryker interviews Awesome Truth. They say they are finally going to win the WWE Tag Team Championship at TLC, like they should have three months ago. Then, after Del Rio retains against CM Punk and Kevin Nash destroys John Cena, The Conspirators will own Monday Night Raw.

-Match 3: Zack Ryder VS Tyler Reks
 -Ryder fights from underneath, and wins with the Rough Ryder. Needed a match to fill a segment. (*3/4)

-Match 4: John Cena VS Drew McIntyre
 -Terrific match. Drew got more than his share of offense. Cena made his comeback, but then Kevin Nash gingerly made his way into the ring and attacked Cena for the DQ. (****1/4)

-Cena fights back, dropping McIntyre with an Attitude Adjustment and going after Nash. The two briefly exchange blows before they are separated by WWE officials.

-Match 5: CM Punk & WWE Tag Team Champions Air Boom VS WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio & Awesome Truth
 -Decent main event. Match breaks down, and Punk pins Del Rio with the GTS. (**3/4)
-Awesome Truth and Air Boom fight to the back. As Punk celebrates the win and holds the WWE title belt in the air, Ricardo Rodriguez tries to attack. Just as Punk is about to drop Ricardo with the GTS, Kevin Nash hits Punk from behind. Nash, Del Rio, and Rodriguez work Punk over before being joined by Awesome Truth. Del Rio locks the cross armbreaker for a good amount of time, before finally letting go. The Conspirators surround Del Rio as he stands over Punk and holds the WWE title belt over his head.

Smackdown 12/16/11:

-Match 1: Sheamus VS Heath Slater
 -Sheamus wins clean with the Brogue kick and the Celtic Cross. After the pin, Sheamus gets a table, and puts Slater through it with a powerslam. (***3/4)

-After putting Slater through the table, Sheamus got on the mic and said he would make good on his last opportunity at Mark Henry, and do the same to him at TLC.

-A video recapped the Cody Rhodes/Randy Orton feud.

-Match 2: Trent Bareta VS WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes
 -Rhodes win clean with Cross Rhodes. (**1/4)

-Cody Rhodes got on the mic, and announced that at TLC, he will defend his Intercontinental Championship against Randy Orton in a chairs match. Rhodes says that at TLC, Orton's past will finally catch up with him, then gives an uncomfortable evil laugh.

-A video recapped the Christian/Justin Gabriel feud. They will be guests on the Cutting Edge with Edge tonight.

-Match 3: Layla VS Alicia Fox
 -Total filler. Layla wins with the Lay Out. (3/4*)

-Match 4: The Usos VS World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry in a Handicap match
 -The Usos were supposed to face local competitors, but Henry came out and told them he beat up their opponents backstage, and now wants to do the same to them. Henry dominates both Usos, and pins Jey with the World's Strongest Slam. Henry then gets a table, puts Jey on it, then slams Jimmy onto Jey, through the table. (*)

-Henry says that anything Sheamus can do, Henry can do better. Henry says that after he puts Sheamus through a table, the only time Henry will think about him is when he looks at Sheamus' plaque in the Hall of Pain.

-Match 5: Daniel Bryan VS Sin Cara II
 -Good main event. They are going back-and-forth when the original Sin Cara walks down to ringside. Sin Cara II goes out to fight him, and ends up getting counted out when they fight to the back. (***3/4)
-Edge hosted The Cutting Edge with Christian & Justin Gabriel. Edge says he sees a lot of himself and Christian in Justin Gabriel, and is reminded of the time they used a ladder match to make names for themselves. Christian gets upset, and asks of Gabriel is Edge's new best friend. Edge says no, and not-so-politely "asks" Christian to stop acting like a bitch. Christian cheapshots Gabriel, and the fight is on. Gabriel gets the upper hand, and Christian backs away as the show ends.

Tables, Ladders, & Chairs 12/18/11:

-Match 1: Sin Cara VS Sin Cara II
 -Great opener. Sin Cara executed a cross body from the top, but Sin Cara II rolled through, and held the tights to win the match. (****)

-Match 2-Ladder match for a World Heavyweight Championship match at the Royal Rumble: Justin Gabriel VS Christian
 -Another great match. Gabriel knocked Christian off the ladder, hit the 450 splash off the ladder, then climbed and grabbed the contract for the title match to win. (****)

-Match 3 for the WWE United States Championship: Dolph Ziggler [c] VS Jack Swagger
 -The greatness continues. Swagger got Ziggler in the ankle lock, but Vickie provided a distraction. Ziggler rolled out of the ankle lock, sending Swagger into Vickie, then hit the Zig Zag on the rebound to retain. (****)

-Match 4 for the WWE Intercontinental Championship: Cody Rhodes [c] VS Randy Orton [Chairs match]
 -Not quite up to the level of the first three matches, but still really good. Rhodes' prophecy from Smackdown came true. After a ref bump off an erant chair shot, Orton hit Cody in the nuts with a chair, then followed up with an RKO. That's when Wade Barrett came out and laid waste to Orton with chair shots, and put Cody on top for the pin. After the bell, Barrett came back in the ring, and gave Orton Wasteland through the seat of a chair. (***3/4)

-Match 5 for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Air Boom [c] VS Awesome Truth
 -A step down from the previous matches, but still good. Truth lays Kingston out on the floor, then shoves Bourne off the top while he was preparing to deliver Air Bourne on Miz. Miz follows up with the Skull Crushing Finale for the pin and the titles. (***1/4)

-Match 6 for the World Heavyweight Championship: Mark Henry [c] VS Sheamus [Tables match]
 -Pretty pedestrian brawl, looking worse by the awesome matches that have preceeded it. Henry wins clean with the World's Strongest Slam through a table. (**1/4)

-Match 7: John Cena VS Kevin Nash
 -Nash appears to have it won after ramming Cena's head into an exposed turnbuckle and hitting the Jackknife powerbomb, but Cena kicks out at two, before coming back with the Attitude Adjustment and STF for the submission win. An OK match with a hot crowd, what I was expecting. (**3/4)

-Match 8 for the WWE Championship: Alberto Del Rio [c] VS CM Punk [TLC match]
 -Terrific main event. True to Cole's word, no one from The Conspirators interfered, and Ricardo Rodriguez was sent to the back after announcing Del Rio. Punk looked to have it won, when Drew McIntyre suddenly came out of the crowd and rushed the ring, shoving a ladder over while Punk was grasping for the title, and sending Punk crashing outside through a table. That allowed Del Rio to climb the ladder and retain the title. (****1/4)

-Unlike Survivor Series, this show pretty much lived up to my expectations. I figured the first four matches would deliver, was pleasantly surprised by the tag title match, and knew that the main event would be the best match out of them all. This was a tough card to configure, as I was worried about at least one of the matches taking a hit when the crowd got burned out by the one before it, but that didn't happen. Probably too many heel victories, but because of where I want the booking to go, it was neccessary.