My favorite WCW moment so far...

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #36: Starrcade '90 "Collision Course"

-12/16/90

-From St. Louis, MO

-Hosts are JR & Paul E.

-JR mentions that there are 14 matches on the card, so I'm expecting a lot of rushing, especially in the tournament.

-Gary Michael Chappetta announces that the show is being aired over the Armed Forces Network, and asks that everyone stand for an instrumental version of the national anthem, which was already almost half-way done when he finished his announcement.

-Every match has a "stat card" that pops up on screen and JR reads off it. I like little touches like that.

-Match 1: Bobby Eaton VS The Z-Man

-Eaton still has the Midnight Express music. Zenk is on a 35 match win streak. JR announces that due to injuries suffered in a "limousine incident", Ric Flair is pulling out of the tag team title street fight, to be replaced by Barry Windham. Fast start as Zenk hits his springboard cross body for two. Zenk locks in a hammerlock, but Eaton punches his way out of it. Zenk lands on his feet off a monkey flip, and hits a couple dropkicks for two. Zenk gets knocked to the runway, but comes back, and ends up hitting a dive over the ropes onto Eaton on the outside.

Back in, Eaton scores with a back elbow and a bulldog to a big pop. Eaton hits the Alabama Jam to an even bigger pop, but does not go for the pin. Eaton misses...something in the corner. Zenk starts showing off...to no reaction. Eaton leaps off the top, right into a superkick. Not nearly as good as Benjamin/Michaels. Zenk misses a senton off the top, and Eaton rolls him up for the pin to another big pop. Good opener, and it's funny to see the crowd turn on Z-Man because fuck Zenk.

-Match 2 Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament Round 1: Col. Deklerk & Sgt. Krueger (Africa, 8th Seed) VS The Steiner Brothers (USA, 1st Seed)

-Good entrance music for the "South Africans". Steiners come out to the national anthem. Man, in shape Ted Petty is unrecognizable. Krueger shockingly gets the jump on Rick, until he eats a clothesline. Deklerk hits a spinning heel kick. Deklerk goes for a dive, and Rick just lets him drop. I'm sure that felt great. Scott finishes quickly with the Frankensteiner, although I'm not sure the ref actually counted to three before Scott rolled off the cover.

-Match 3 Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament Round 1: Norman Smiley & Chris Adams (Great Britain, 5th Seed) VS Rey Mysterio & Konan (Mexico, 4th Seed)

-Mysterio is Rey Sr., and the last name is spelled "Mysteric" on both the entrance graphic and the pre-match "stat card". Goofy spot with the Mexicans holding Smiley in headstand position leads to the Brits hitting stereo dropkicks. Adams hits a sweet superkick to send Konan outside. Konan does some high-flying. Smiley hits a fisherman's suplex, which Konan kicks out of immediately. There are some awkward moments until the Brits take over with basic tag wrestling. Konan hits Smiley with an inverted suplex, and pins him with a bridging cradle. Mysterio (now being called "Mysterioso") dives onto Adams after the pin, and appears to hurt himself. They tried, but the crowd didn't know how to respond to any of this.

-Match 4 Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament Round 1: The Royal Family [Rip Morgan & Jack "Jacko" Victory] (New Zealand, 7th Seed) VS Mr. Saito & The Great Muta (Japan, 2nd Seed)

-Crowd is happy to see Muta, and doesn't react to anything that doesn't involve him. Royal Family work Saito over. Muta gets in, and hits a swank handspring elbow on Victory. Miscommunication allows Muta to pin Victory with a German suplex. Crowd wanted more Muta than they got, and so did I.

-Match 5 Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament Round 1: Bull Johnson & Troy Montour (Canada, 6th Seed) VS Victor Zangiev & Salmon Hasimikov (U.S.S.R. 3rd Seed)

-Zangiev & Johnson do some mat wrestling that might get a reaction in RoH, but nothing here. Zangiev grabs a waistlock, and dumps Johnson right on his face. Crowd grows restless. Hasimikov takes Montour down with an overhead belly-to-belly throw, then holds him down as the ref, after a brief pause, counts three. What the fuck was that?

-Match 6: Terry Taylor VS Michael Wallstreet (w/Alexandra York)

-Wallstreet & York predict a win in 8:32 or less, so a clock ticks down during the match. Taylor jumps Wallstreet before Wallstreet can take his suit off. Taylor controls the first couple minutes, hitting a clothesline for two. Wallstreet controls with an armbar for a bit. Wallstreet misses an elbow, but connects with a big clothesline. Legdrop gets two for Wallstreet. Taylor comes back with a flying forearm for two, but Wallstreet hits a hot shot and Stock Market Crash for the win. Your average Rotunda match.

-Match 7: Big Cat & Motor City Madman VS The Skyscrapers

-Skyscrapers win in a really quick squash. Spivey has to help Sid hit Madman with a powerbomb for the win.

-Match 8: Ricky Morton & Tommy Rich (w/Robert Gibson) VS The Fabulous Freebirds (w/Little Richard Marley)

-Gibson is still on crutches. Morton actually dominates the first few minutes. Hayes gets nailed by Gibson. Heyman's laugh when JR asserts that no one is low enough to attack a man on crutches is awesome. Morton & Rich lock in stereo figure 4s. Match quickly breaks down. Freebirds send Marley up top, but Gibson smacks Marley with a crutch, causing him to crash into Garvin. Garvin chokes Marley, so Morton school boys him for the pin. Freebirds destroy Marley after the match. Babyfaces run them off, so they drop Gibson with a double clothesline.

-Match 9 Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament Semi-Finals: Rey Mysterio & Konan VS The Steiner Brothers

-Everyone finally figures out how to say "Mysterio". Steiners quickly demolish Konan with the Doomsday bulldog, but do not go for the pin. Mysterio tries a hurricarana on Rick, who counters with a powerbomb for the pin. That's about it.

-Match 10 Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament Semi-Finals: Victor Zangiev & Salmon Hasimikov VS Mr. Saito & The Great Muta
-Zangiev almost pins Muta with a belly-to-back suplex with a bridge. Muta saves Saito from a Boston Crab. Hasimikov gets a nice suplex on Muta, but Saito finishes Zangiev with a suplex short after that. Next!

-Match 11 for the United States Championship: Stan Hansen [c] VS Lex Luger [Texas Lariat Match]

-This is a bullrope match, where the winner has to touch all four corners. Match almost immediately spills outside, where Hansen cracks Luger across the back with a chair. Back in, Luger hits a big clothesline and drops for the cover. Hansen cuts Luger off when he tries to touch his third turnbuckle, and hits a sloppy belly-to-back suplex. Hansen tries to drag Luger by the neck. Hansen tries to hand Luger. Hansen makes it to three corners, but gets cut off before he can make it to the 4th. Match goes back outside, and Luger rams Hansen into the ring post. Back in, Luger ties Hansen's hands together, and drags him across the ring. Luger crashes into the fourth corner, as Randy Anderson stupidly stands between Luger and the corner he needed to touch, so Anderson doesn't see Luger win the match.

Nick Patrick rushes out to ref the match. Hansen starts touching corners, and the crowd is PISSED. Hansen floors Luger with a lariat, and touches his fourth corner. Randy Anderson comes to as Patrick is about to award the match to Hansen, and motions that he DID see Luger touch the fourth corner, thus Luger wins the match and the title. Crowd loves that. Pretty good brawl. I even liked the Dusty Finish in this spot.

-Match 12 for the World Tag Team Championship: Doom [c] (w/Teddy Long) VS Arn Anderson & Barry Windham [Street Fight]

-Match immediately spills outside. Reed cracks Windham into the ring post, busting him open. AA whips Reed with a leather strap. Horsemen double team Simmons in the ring. AA hits a loud chair shot on Reed. Windham hits a less impressive chair shot on Simmons, who is bleeding. Simmons whips Windham into a Reed chair shot, and a Simmons' spine buster gets two. Reed hits AA with a flying shoulder block from the top. Windham DDTs Reed. Simmons blocks a AA chair shot, and hits AA for two.

Reed hits Windham with a piledriver. Simmons catches a flying AA with a clothesline. As Simmons pins AA, Windham rolls Reed up, and there's a double pin. The fight continues on the runway. JR figures out that the match is a draw due to the double pin, but no announcement is made.

-Match 13 Match 10 Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament Finals: Mr. Saito & The Great Muta VS The Steiner Brothers

-There's a Japanese ref, not Dick the Bruiser, who will be reffing the main event instead. Muta hits some nice kicks on Scott. Rick drops Saito with a dropkick. Muta threatens to dive onto the Steiners, so Rick shakes the ropes, and Muta gets crotched. Crowd gets into it with a loud "USA" chant. Muta hits the handspring elbow. Scott fucks up an Irish Whip, spinning into the corner, but comes back with a belly-to-belly suplex on Muta. Collision puts both Rick and Saito down. Muta gets in, and hits a powerdrive elbow on Rick. Outside, Saito rams Rick into the post.

Muta grabs the ring bell, and cracks Rick with it. Rick is face in peril for a couple minutes. Scott gets the hot tag, and hits a Tiger Driver on Muta for two. Saito hits a high angle suplex on Scott. The Japanese hit Scott with a spike piledriver, and Muta lays Rick out with a kick. Rick makes a blind tag while Saito has Scott in a sleeper, and comes off the top with a sunset flip on Saito for the pin, as Scott holds Muta back. Obviously the best match of the tournament, as the crowd cared about 3 of the 4 wrestlers in it. Finish was slick.

-Steiners are awarded a giant trophy by Jim Herd. Steiners wish the troops well.

-Match 14 for the World Heavyweight Championship: Sting [c] VS The Black Scorpion [Cage Match]

-Dick the Bruiser comes out to ref, and Paul compares him to Popeye. Four Scorpions come out to ringside, before a flying...something comes down, and a voice over announces that the other Scorpions were only messengers, and this one is the true Black Scorpion. Scorpion controls Sting with basic offense. Scorpion figure 4s his legs around Sting's head. Scorpion goes for the pin and puts his feet on the ropes, but Bruiser won't count. Scorpion keeps control of the match. Scorpion starts throwing punches, and they look very familiar.

Sting finally goes on offense with a military press slam, but misses a cross body, sending himself into the cage. Sting lands some punches, but the Scorpion goes to the eyes, and launches Sting into the cage. Scorpion hits a piledriver for two. Sting comes back with a Stinger Splash and the Scorpion Deathlock. Sting gets one mask off, but of course there is another underneath.

Scorpion tries to escape and sends Sting down, but Sting stumbles into the ropes, crotching the Scorpion. Sting lawn darts the Scorpion into the cage. Sting finally finishes with a cross body from the top. Well that match sucked.

-The other Scorpions hit the ring, but Dick helps Sting unmask them and fight them off. Windham and AA rush out to beat on Sting. The real Scorpion hits some weak-ass chairshots, and the way he uses the chair should have clued in anyone who hadn't figured out who the Scorpion was yet. Sting gets some help from Zenk, Morton, Taylor, and The Steiners, who open the cage door with bolt cutters. Sting finally rips the mask off the reveal Ric Flair, who quickly runs away as the show ends.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This show was destroyed by bad ideas. The tag team tournament killed the crowd and completely disrupted any kind of flow the show could have built. The Black Scorpion angle could have been saved a little bit with a decent reveal and a good match, but we got neither.

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #36: Clash of the Champions XIII: Thanksgiving Thunder

-11/20/90

-From Jacksonville, FL

-Hosts are JR & Paul E.

-Match 1: The Fabulous Freebirds (w/Little Richard Marley) VS The Southern Boys

-This was supposed to be a six man tag with Bobby Eaton with the Freebirds and El Gigante with the Southern Boys. Gigante is nowhere to be found, and Hayes implies it's because of them. The ref decides that since the Freebirds are claiming responsibility for Gigante's absence, then Eaton is out of the match too, and has to go to the back.

Freebirds double-team Smothers, but are caught with a cross body from the top by Armstrong. Smothers slams both 'Birds, and hits a double clothesline out of a three-point stance. Hayes knocks Smothers off the apron and into the guardrail. Smothers gets a sunset flip on Garvin for two, but ends up taking a clothesline. Smothers throws Garvin off the top. Match breaks down. Armstrong back drops Garvin over the top, onto the runway, then follows up with a dive over the ropes onto Garvin. Marley trips up Smothers, who stumbles into a DDT from Hayes for the pin. OK, if short, opener.

-Tony Schiavone brings out the World Heavyweight Champion Sting. Sting is hyped to go face-to-face with the Black Scorpion on the Danger Zone. The voice of the Scorpion promises more black magic tonight.

-Match 2: Buddy Landell VS Flyin' Brian

-No home field advantage for Landell. Landell jumps Pillman at the bell. Landell pounds on Pillman, but keeps getting caught in pinning positions. Pillman takes Landell outside, and hits a flying clothesline onto the runway. Pillman tries for a piledriver on the runway, but Landell backdrops his way out of it. Landell sends Pillman into the guardrail, but accidentally clotheslines the ring post. Pillman hits a springboard cross body to the outside. Back in the ring, Landell locks in an abdominal stretch, and uses the ropes for leverage. Pillman fights out, but gets caught in mid-air, and Landell hits a back breaker. Pillman fights out of a superplex, and hits a cross body from the top, and gets the pin. Shockingly good match, as these two had good chemistry. I haven't seen anything out of Landell that would have indicated he was capable of having a good match with Pillman.

-Match 3: The Big Cat (Curtis Hughes) VS Brad Armstrong

-Cat's pre-match promo indicates he's gunning for Luger, so I don't like Armstrong's chances here. If they were going to call Armstrong "The Candyman", they should have at least sprung for the rights to "The Candyman Can" from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. Hughes looks like a smaller Warren Sapp at this point. Cat catches Armstrong in mid-air, and hits an impressive series of three back breakers. Cat dominates the match, and finishes when via ref stoppage when he has Armstrong in the torture rack. Decent squash.

-Dick the Bruiser is going to be a special guest referee at Starrcade. He guarantees there will be a winner, but no mention of the match he will be reffing is made.

-Match 4: Brian Lee VS The Z-Man

-This is Lee's WCW debut. Lee takes a big bump off a hip toss. Zenk doesn't realize that Lee is selling in the corner, so he does a springboard into a flying cross body onto... nothing. That is the funniest thing I've seen in quite a long time. Thankfully, someone has uploaded this whole show onto youtube, and this part is on this video at 6:55:

I seriously cannot stop laughing at that. Lee controls with less-than-impressive offense. JR mentions that Dick the Bruiser will be reffing the finals of the Pat O'Connor Memorial tag team tournament. Zenk avoids a charge, and hits a missile dropkick for the pin. Match sucked, but that botch was AMAZING.

-Tony is with Alexandra York (Terri Runnels) and Mike Rotunda, who is now Michael Wallstreet. Rotunda says he's legally changed his name to Michael Wallstreet after receiving a large inheritance. York & Wallstreet's computer system is infallible, and he will use it to win.

-Match 5: Star Blazer VS Michael Wallstreet (w/Alexandra York)

-Crowd seems to fall asleep. The sarcastic cheer Wallstreet gets for tossing Star Blazer through the ropes is tremendous. Wallstreet locks in an abdominal stretch, and uses the ropes. Blazer gets some jobber offense as the crowd grows restless. Wallstreet fucks up a rolling Boston Crab, so he just picks up Blazer and finishes with the Wallstreet Crash (Samoan Drop). Well that was terrible.

-Gordon Solie presents the top 10 rankings:

TAG TEAMS:

World Champions: Doom
1. Steiner Brothers (U.S. Tag Team Champions)
2. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson
3. Nasty Boys
4. Fabulous Freebirds
5. Ricky Morton & Tommy Rich
6. Southern Boys
7. Master Blasters
8. Tim Horner & Brad Armstrong
9. Big Cat & Motor City Madman
10. Norman the Lunatic & The Juicer

WTF is "The Juicer"?

SINGLES:

World Champion: Sting
1. Stan Hansen (U.S. Champion)
2. Sid Vicious
3. Lex Luger
4. Ric Flair
5. Arn Anderson (TV champion)
6. Terry Taylor
7. Flyin' Brian
8. Michael Wallstreet
9. Z-Man
10. Bobby Eaton

Quite a drop off after AA.

-Short video preview for the tag team tournament at Starrcade..

-Match 6 to determine the African representative in the Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament: Sgt. Krueger & Col. Declerk VS Kalua & The Beast

-I have no idea who any of these people are. Declerk tries to keep the crowd into it with some high flying. It doesn't work. Beast gets a decent reaction with a flying clothesline on Krueger. Declerk keeps acting like he's going to do something impressive off the top, but ends up dropping axe handles on the Beast. Beast catches Declerk with a power slam, and Declerk very clearly tells Beast to cover him. Match breaks down, and as Beast has Declerk in his arms, Krueger dropkicks Declerk's back, putting him on top for the pin. Declerk looked good, but I have no idea why this was on the show.

-Video recaps the Luger/Hansen feud, and previews Luger/Madman. Paul E. looks like he jizzed his pants when Madman shoved some goober at a bar.

-Tony is with Lex. Big Cat interrupts, so Luger punches him in the face.

-Match 7: Motor City Madman VS Lex Luger

-Luger wins a slug fest with Big Cat before the match starts, but it allows Madman to get the jump on him. Luger hits an impressive suplex. Luger no-sells a bash in the corner, and clotheslines Madman for the win. Short and sweet.

-Tony is with Nick Patrick. They discuss the ongoing war between the Steiners and the Nasty Boys.

-Match 8: The Renegade Warriors VS The Nasty Boys

-JR promises to quit announcing if the Nastys beat the Steiners. Weird to think that the Nastys are four months away from winning the WWF tag titles. Nastys dominate the first few minutes. Nastys actually use some psychology, working on Mark Youngblood's arm. Saggs hits a shoulder breaker. Jay breaks up the pin, and the Steiners rush out, so the match is throw out. JR goes nuts asking why the Nastys won't stay and fight. Maybe because it would be 4-on-2? Match was just there to set up the run-in.

-Match 9: The Night Stalker (Bryan Clarke) VS Sid Vicious

-Crowd goes nuts for Sid, who looks strange as hell in amateur wrestling tights. Sid wrestles the match as a babyface, with Stalker working on Sid's "punctured lung". Big Cat walks out, so Sid nails him. Stalker tries to hit Sid with his Ax, but Sid avoids it, and hits Stalker in the throat with the handle for the pin. Stalker & Cat double-team Sid, who actually sells it well by not being able to even lift a chair to go back and fight. Odd match. Was this supposed to be an official face turn for Sid?

-The Freebirds join Tony to gloat about taking out El Gigante. Southern Boys walk up, and the Freebirds are not intimidated. El Gigante shows up, and the Freebirds bail. Nice of you to show up Gigante.

-Match 10: Magnum Force VS United States Tag Team Champions The Steiner Brothers

-Scott tosses the jobbers around, hitting one with a tilt-a-whirl slam, and the other with a flipping power slam. Surprised no one's ripped that move off, especially in RoH. Rick gets in to hit a Steinerline, and Scott finishes with the Frankensteiner. Total squash.

-The Nasty Boys run out, but are immediately shut down by the Steiners.

-Tony is with Ric Flair and AA. They say nothing of note, except AA gets in a nice line about their issue with Doom being an illustration of a man's greed destroying himself.

-Video recap of the Sting/Black Scorpion angle.

-It's time for "The Danger Zone" with Sting & The Black Scorpion, hosted by Paul E. The Black Scorpion performs some magic tricks, twisting a plant's head around 360 degrees, then making him disappear, and replacing him with a tiger. Sting wants to go after the Scorpion, but the Scorpion makes himself disappear.

-Video recap of the Horsemen/Doom feud.

-Match 11: Butch Reed (w/Ron Simmons & Teddy Long) VS Ric Flair (w/Arn Anderson)

-Coin flips determined who would represent each team. If Reed wins, Teddy Long gets Flair's yacht and limo, while if Flair wins, he & AA get another title shot at Starrcade and Teddy has to be Flair's chauffeur for a day. Reed sends Flair outside, and Simmons gets a couple cheap shots in. Reed clotheslines Flair on the runway. Reed gets a backslide for two. Flair turnes the tide. Flair gets Simmons to distract the ref, allowing Flair to toss Reed over the top, and AA to get a cheap shot in. Reed comes back with punches, and Simmons takes the opportunity to cheap shot Flair again.

Flair misses a knee drop, and Reed locks in the figure 4. Arn gets Flair in the ropes, and Nick Patrick has to pull Reed's hair to get him to let go of the hold. Reed misses an elbow drop from the top, but hits a clothesline for two. Reed hits a flying shoulder block from the top, but the ref is caught outside with Teddy & AA. Flair backdrops Reed on top of Teddy & Nick Patrick. Simmons clotheslines Flair and helps Reed get the cover. Simmons turns his back because he thinks it's over, and that allows AA to sneak in and hit Reed with a chair, and Flair gets the pin off that. The ringwork was nothing particularly special, but it was wonderfully chaotic at times, especially the finish.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Main event was OK, but the rest was mostly squashes, most of which were pretty uninteresting. See the Z-Man botch, Landell/Pillman and the main event, but skip the rest.

EWR Diary Week 5: 10/31-11/6/11

Raw 10/31/11:

-The show opens with WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio, Kevin Nash, & Awesome Truth in the ring. Miz & Truth start things off by talking about the conspiracy that was holding them down earlier this year. Miz says that they responded by forming a conspiracy of their own, one that will change WWE forever. Kevin Nash talks about doing what he thought his friend HHH would want, but when HHH rebuffed and fired him, Nash had no choice but to join up with Miz, Truth, Del Rio, and their "mystery friend". Nash says someone very close to HHH wants what HHH has, and that this group will do what they have to do to make it happen. Del Rio says he knows as long as HHH is in charge, that Del Rio will never get a fair shake as WWE Champion. Del Rio says the match at Survivor Series will go on as announced, but with one stipulation added; when their team wins, HHH is OUT as WWE COO, and their friend takes his place. Tonight the downfall of the HHH administration continues, as Del Rio & Awesome Truth will face HHH, John Cena, & CM Punk in a six man tag team main event.

-Match 1: Santino Marella VS Brodus Clay

-Santino tries his hardest, but gets destroyed by Clay. Clay continues the beatdown after the match. (*1/2)

-World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry gives an interview. He says that tonight Teddy Long has booked him in a tag match against Sheamus & Kane with a mystery partner. Henry says his partner better hold up his end, or he will join the Hall of Pain.

-Zack Ryder is walking backstage, getting ready for his match when he is jumped and beaten down by Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger.

-Match 2: Handicap Match: Mason Ryan VS Zig-Swag

-Ryder was supposed to be Ryan's tag team partner. Ryan holds his own, but Vickie Guerrero provides a distraction, allowing Ziggler to hit the Zig Zag for the win. (**3/4)

-Zig-Swag double team Ryan, until Ezekial Jackson rushes out to make the save.

-Match 3: AJ VS Beth Phoenix

-Beth wins quickly with the Glam Slam. (*3/4)

-Match 4: Sheamus & Kane VS World Heavweight Champion Mark Henry & ????

-Henry's tag team partner is...The Big Show. Henry is NOT pleased, and that proves to be well-founded when Show refuses to tag in. Sheamus hits the Brogue Kick for the win. (**1/4)

-After the match, Kane adds a chokeslam, and Show finishes it off with the KO punch.

-Match 5: John Cena, CM Punk, & Triple H VS WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio & Awesome Truth

-Long main event. Match breaks down and Cena has Truth in position for the AA when Kevin Nash walks in and boot Cena in the face, drawing a DQ. (***)

-After the match, Nash & Del Rio fight with HHH & Punk all the way to the back, allowing Awesome Truth to double-team Cena. Just when it looks like Awesome Truth may finish him off, THE ROCK comes sprinting down to ringside to lay the smack down. Rock & Cena uneasily watch each other's backs as Awesome Truth bails.

Smackdown 11/4/11:

*WWE News: Kane suffered an arm injury during the tag team match on RAW, and will be out until the new year.*

-World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry opens the show. He says that Teddy Long is mad because Mark Henry made him an example of what happens when you cross the World's Strongest Man. Henry says Long was going to make Henry defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Sheamus, Kane, & The Big Show in a Fatal 4 Way at Survivor Series. Henry says that after RAW this past Monday, Henry got his hands on Kane, and he won't be making it to Survivor Series. Henry says the match is now a Triple Threat match between himself, Sheamus, and Big Show...for now. Tonight, Henry has asked for, and received a non-title no-disqualification match against Sheamus. Henry says he is going to take the opportunity to eliminate Sheamus from the match at Survivor Series, then Big Show is next...

-Match 1: Ted DiBiase VS Wade Barrett

-Barrett wins relatively quickly with Wasteland. Barrett goes to add another like the last time he faced DiBiase, but William Regal made the save. (***1/4)

-Heath Slater & Tyson Kidd are in the ring. They talk about being the future of the WWE, but they are tired of being overlooked by both the WWE brass, and the WWE Universe. They have joined forces, and starting tonight, they will no longer be the overlooked.

-Match 2: Heath Slater & Tyson Kidd VS The Usos

-Short match. Slater gets a roll-up on Jey, and some help from Kidd to get the pin. The crowd was so into the opener, they were burned out for this match. Did not see that coming. (*3/4)

-Matt Striker meets up with Wade Barrett backstage. Barrett is upset at William Regal, saying that Regal should be by his side, not Daniel Bryan's. Regal shows up and gets in Barrett's face. Barrett challenges Regal to a match for next week, and Regal accepts.

-Elsewhere, Christian says that Teddy Long has been negligent in not giving Christian his "one more match" for the world title, but tonight, after he beats Daniel Bryan and gains posession of the Money in the Bank briefcase, he can have that match whenever he wants.

-Match 3: Justin Gabriel VS Sin Cara II

-Really good TV match. Gabriel wins with the 450. Christian sprints down to the ring, and lays Gabriel out with a spear and the Killswitch, showing their issue is far from settled. (***3/4)

-Match 4: Randy Orton VS Jinder Mahal

-Quick squash. Orton wins with the RKO. (**)

-As Orton celebrates his win, Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes comes out onto the stage, and says that after Rhodes' victory at Vengeance, he is moving on to bigger and better things, leaving Orton in his rear-view mirror. Booker T wonders why, if Rhodes is moving on, why he has to keep saying it.

-Match 5: Daniel Bryan VS Christian

-Long match. Christian escapes the Labell Lock and takes control with a low blow. The ref gets bumped, and Christian KO's Bryan with the MitB briefcase. Christian wakes up the ref and looks to finish with the Killswitch, but Justin Gabriel is trying to fight his way through WWE officials to get to Christian. He can't, but the distraction is enough for Bryan to roll Christian up for the pin. Christian has a tempet tantrum after the loss. (***1/2)

-Match 6: Sheamus VS World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry [No Disqualification]

-Another long match. Henry jumps Sheamus during Sheamus' entrance, so Sheamus has to fight from underneath the whole match. Henry tries to slam Sheamus through the announce table, but Sheamus avoids it. Sheamus splashes Henry through a table for a near-fall. Henry lays Sheamus out with a belt shot and the World's Strongest Slam. Henry doesn't want the pin until he Pillmanizes Sheamus. As he prepares to do so, the Big Show emerges from the crowd. Show nails Henry with a KO punch, causing Henry to turn right into the Brogue kick for the Sheamus victory. Sheamus and Big Show shake hands as the show ends. (**1/4)

MATCHES ANNOUNCED FOR SURVIVOR SERIES:

Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match with HHH's Job as WWE COO on the line:
Triple H, John Cena, The Rock, & CM Punk VS The Conspirators of WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio, The Miz, R-Truth, & Kevin Nash

Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship:
Mark Henry [c] VS Sheamus VS The Big Show

Divas Championship:
Kelly Kelly [c] VS Beth Phoenix

WWE Vengeance 2011

-Match 1 for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Air Boom [c] VS United States Champion Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger (w/Vickie Guerrero)

-Dolph has new USA-themed tights. Ziggler takes a KING-SIZED bump off a Kofi monkey flip. Bourne rolls Swagger up for two. Champs hit a double baseball slide on Swagger, and Bourne gets two. Swagger catches Kofi in mid-air and dumps him, allowing Ziggler to get a two count. King makes a really terrible joke about Vickie bathing in Oil of Olay. Bourne hits Swagger with a series of kicks and knees for two. Bourne goes for Air Bourne, but Swagger gets his knees up.

Bourne becomes the face-in-peril. Swagger hits a Vader Bomb for two. Zig Swag double team Bourne. Swagger goes for a second Vader Bomb, but Bourne counters, and makes the tag. Kofi cleans house, and hits a crossbody from the top (that Ziggler jumps into) for two. Kofi hits the Boomb Drop. Ziggler avoids the Trouble in Paradise, but takes the S.O.S. for two. Champions take Swagger out, then Trouble in Paradise leads to Air Bourne on Ziggler, and the champions retain. Good opener.

-Match 2 for the United States Championship: Dolph Ziggler [c] VS Zack Ryder

-Swagger & Vickie stay for Dolph, so Air Boom stays for Ryder. Ryder gets a hard Irish Whip for two. Ziggler is sent outside. Air Boom throw him back in, and the ref ejects them for that. Ryder hits a flapjack for two. Dolph works Ryder over as the commentary team ponder over who Zack beat to become the Internet Champion. Ziggler avoids one Woo Woo Woo kick, but not the second. Ryder avoids a Zig Zag and fights off Swagger, but then he walks into a superkick for the pin. Not bad. Crowds are starting to get behind Ryder.

-Backstage, Punk is talking to Ted DiBiase for some reason. HHH enters, and says he wasn't screwing with Punk last week when HHH had to leave the arena, and thus their tag match, due to immigration issues. They forgo the rah-rah speeches, and appear to be on the same page.

-Match 3 for the Divas Championship: Beth Phoenix [c] VS Eve

-There was a backstage fight earlier, so Kelly and Natalya are banned from ringside. Eve has a new crappy remix of her entrance theme. Eve comes off the top with a sunset flip for two. Eve uses Beth's outfit to handcuff her to the middle rope. That doesn't go anywhere. Beth hits a gutbuster for two. Beth locks in a bodyscissors and tries to get Eve to cry. Eve hits a front flip splash for two. Eve locks in a (very loose) triangle choke.

Eve counters the Glam Slam, and gets a schoolgirl for two. Eve hits a buzzsaw kick, but misses a moonsault, and Beth finishes with the Glam Slam. Really good for a Divas match.

-Matt Striker is backstage with the Big Show. Show plans on taking everything that Mark Henry has worked for away from him.

-Match 4: Christian VS Sheamus

-They pound on each other in the early going. Sheamus takes Christian out onto the apron and pounds on his chest, which Booker T dubs the "Irish Hand Grenade". Christian climbs on Sheamus' back, but gets dumped. They are really struggling to establish a flow here. Christian hits a missile dropkick. Sheamus blocks the upside-down corner kick and is supposed to stomp Christian down, but they blow the spot.

Christian avoids the Celtic Cross, but gets caught in mid-air and hit with the Irish Curse back breaker for two. Christian avoids the Brogue kick, and hits a spear for two. Christian hits a top rope hurricarana, but a spear is countered with the Brogue kick for the win. Match was quite disappointing, but the finish was nice.

-Johnny Ace is with David Otunga. Awesome Truth enter to suck up, which Ace notes they are good at. Ace leaves, and Miz & Truth argue over who sucks up better, before turning their conversation into a contrived and writer-y list of who sucks.

-Match 5: Awesome Truth VS HHH & CM Punk

-Truth does some break dancing, so HHH punches him and gives him a crotch chop. HHH chops blocks Miz, applies the figure 4, and gets some assistance from Punk. Punk locks in an armbar, and gets some help from HHH. Truth gets a cheap shot on Punk to turn the tide. HHH gets the tag, and cleans house. Awesome Truth work on HHH. There's an awkward pause in the commentary, then Lawler says younger children need earmuffs when Booker T talks, so I'm guessing he cursed, and it was caught by WWE censors.

Miz hits HHH with the Reality Check for two. Truth gets two off a big boot sandwich on HHH. HHH drops Truth with an electric chair. Miz charges into a huge clothesline from HHH. HHH avoids a scissors kick from Truth, and hits drops Truth with a spike DDT. Punk cleans house off a hot tag. Punk hits the Savage elbow (which Miz not-so-subtly rolls into position for), and calls for the GTS. Kevin Nash attacks HHH as he fights with Truth on the outside, allowing Awesome Truth to finish Punk with the Little Jimmy's Finale (skull crushing finale/downward spiral combo). Awesome Truth had to win here to get some momentum and credibility back. Match was decent.

-Nash destroys HHH, finishing with a fucked up jackknife powerbomb. Nash has been hitting the gym, as he looks pretty jacked.

-Ace has some words with Alberto Del Rio, and wishes him luck.

-Match 6: Randy Orton VS Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes (w/Baggers)

-Orton throws Cody off a bulldog attempt, and clotheslines him to the outside. Cody uses headbuts to turn the tide. Cody hits a clothesline for two. Orton hits a belly-to-back suplex, but Rhodes comes back with a dropkick for two. Rhodes locks in a Boston crab. Orton rolls out, and kicks himself free. Rhodes hits the Alabama Slam for two. A beautiful Cody moonsault misses. Rhodes fights out of a neckbreaker, and hits the Beautiful Disaster for two.

Rhodes fights off the elevated DDT, so Orton hits the 3.0 for two. Elevated neck breaker (LOVE that move) gets two for Orton. Rhodes hits a moonsault press for two. Rhodes misses a flying kneedrop, but a distraction from one of the baggers allows Rhodes to hit Cross Rhodes for two. Rhodes sets up for an RKO, but Orton counters with a dropkick and an elevated DDT. The second bagger gets wiped out, and Orton finishes with an RKO. Match was technically sound, but not any kind of big coming out party for Rhodes.

-Match 7 for the World Heavyweight Championship: Mark Henry [c] VS The Big Show

-Show manhandles Henry early. Henry tries to take a walk, but Show cuts him off. Henry slams Show, and goes to work on his injured leg. Show tries to slam Henry, but Show's leg gives out, and Henry falls on top for two. They clothesline each other to put both of them down. Show builds momentum, and bodyslams Henry. Chokeslam gets two. Show loads up the KO punch, but gets caught with the World's Strongest Slam for two. Henry goes up, but gets chokeslammed off the top...for two. Show goes up, but Henry superplexes him...and the ring implodes, a la Show/Lesnar. Crowd LOSES ITS COLLECTIVE SHIT for that.  Match is a no-contest. Started slow, but picked up when they started throwing bombs, and didn't overstay its welcome. Cool finish that got both guys out of losing.

-Show & Henry are carried out. Johnny Ace says the main event will go on as planned.

-Match 8 for the WWE Championship: Alberto Del Rio [c] (w/Ricardo Rodriguez) VS John Cena-Last Man Standing

-Ring is still messed up from the previous match, and no attempt is made to fix it. Cena, in his new RISE ABOVE HATE t-shirt, makes a point to stand next to a guy with a WE HATE CENA shirt, and tosses the guy his hat. Cena is changing his look; he now is wearing camoflague jorts. Del Rio keeps kicking Cena down. King actually brings up Brock Lesnar, when talking about seeing an imploded ring before. The traditional dueling Cena chants pick up as Del Rio keeps the pressure on.

Del Rio hits three belly-to-back suplexes. Del Rio hits two snap suplexes, but Cena blocks a third, and hits a suplex of his own. Cena goes into his comeback with shoulderblocks, a blue thunder bomb, and the five knuckle shuffle. Cena goes for the AA, but Del Rio counters into a German suplex. Cena hits a gutwrench suplex. Del Rio puts the top of one of the collapsed ringposts on top of Cena's chest, and follows up with a running double stomp. Cena gets up at seven, and catches Del Rio with the AA.

Ricardo saves Del Rio from another AA. Del Rio takes advantage, locking in a sleeper. Cena gets up, and launches Del Rio from the ring, into the barricade. Cena hits a charging Del Rio with a drop toe hold onto a fallen ringpost, which teeter-totters into Ricardo's nuts. The fight their way to the back. Cena pushes a giant case over that probably would have legit killed Del Rio, had Del Rio not moved.

Del Rio buries Cena under the backstage set, but Cena still gets up at eight. Ricardo gets involved again, allowing Del Rio to throw Cena through a giant V at the entrance. Del Rio sets Cena on a table and starts climbing another set piece, but Cena yanks him down, through the table. Del Rio gets up at eight. Back at the ring, Cena ducks an enziguiri, and Del Rio kicks the ringpost. Cena props the ring steps up, and gives Del Rio an AA off the steps, through the spanish announce table.

That looks to finish, but Awesome Truth attack Cena, diverting the ref's attention. Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale, and Truth hits the downard spiral. Del Rio gets up at seven, Cena at nine. Del Rio nails Cena with the title belt, and that is barely enough to keep Cena down for ten. Really strong main event. Cena is great at these last man standing matches, and the collapsed ring added a little something extra to it.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Definition of "decent", even with the good main event. Nothing was blow-away awesome, and there were a couple disappointing matches, but nothing outright bad. It will be interesting to see the buyrate for this show, as it was the 3rd WWE pay-per-view in six weeks, and the build wasn't exactly strong.

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #35: Halloween Havoc 1990 (Turner Home Entertainment)

-10/27/90

-From Chicago

-Hosts are JR (as a gangster) & Paul E. Dangerously (as a vampire)

-PPV matches that didn't make the home video: Terry Taylor def. Bill Irwin, Brad Armstrong def. JW Storm, The Master Blasters def. The Southern Boys, & The Junkyard Dog def. Moondog Rex

-Tony Schiavone (as the Phantom of the Opera) interviews Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich, who is subbing for the injured Robert Gibson. Morton wishes Gibson well.

-Match 1: Ricky Morton & Tommy Rich VS The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette)

-Quite a positive reaction for the Midnights. The ring looks TINY. The middle rope has black stripes on it. Eaton gives a clean break (while trash talking), so Paul makes JR applaud Eaton for his good sportsmanship. Eaton tosses Morton around, but takes time to play to the crowd while going to the top, and gets nailed on the way down. Pace picks up, which doesn't go well for Eaton. Midnights hit a double team suplex to turn the tide. Lane slingshots in with a clothesline, and dances.

Morton is the face-in-peril already. Morton hits the ring post on a charge. Eaton sends Morton out. Eaton goes up top to nail him, but Morton, apparently forgetting the spot, moves out of the way when he wasn't supposed to. Cornette nails Morton in the throat with the tennis racket, and Eaton continues to punish Morton before sending him into the ring. Cornette distracts the ref so he doesn't see Morton get a sunset flip on Lane or Eaton coming in to break it up. Lane sends Morton outside, then slams him on the floor and the entrance ramp. The Midnights hit the Rocket Launcher while Morton is still on the entrance ramp. Lane does the Cabbage Patch before trying a jackknife cover, which gets two.

Eaton gets in, and hits a SWEET slingshot into a back breaker. Morton tries to roll up Lane, but gets hit with an awkward DDT by Eaton. Midnights throw Morton outside, but Eaton runs into the ring post, and takes a hurricarana on the floor. Lane holds the ref as Cornette gets a cheapshot in. Eaton hits the top rope leg drop, and instead of going for the cover, he DEMANDS that Nick Patrick count Morton out. Morton gets up at 8, so Lane kicks the shit out of him in the corner. Morton starts no-selling and slugs Lane down, but the Midnights prevent a tag.

Morton gets his knees up on a second Rocket Launcher, and finally makes the hot tag. Rich hits the Thesz press on Lane, but Eaton makes the save. Rich goes up top, but Cornette knocks him down with a tennis racket shot. The Southern Boys come out dressed as Cornette to distract the Midnights. It works as Rich KO's Lane with Cornette's racket for the pin. Terrific opener. It's a huge testament to the Midnights that they could take 90% of the match, and keep it interesting.

-Tony is with Sting (dressed as Sting), who is hyped for his title defense against Sid Vicious. As Sting finishes up, the Black Scorpion comes out, drags an audience plant behind a curtain, and performs "black magic", which makes the Scorpion and the plant re-appear behind Sting. Black Scorpion's taunts to Sting are played over the PA system. Sounded like Ole Anderson was doing the voice over.

-Match 2: The Renegade Warriors (Chris & Mark Youngblood) VS The Fabulous Freebirds (w/Little Richard Marley)

-Both teams get a mixed reaction. Marley is the former Rocky King, and he's sporting a Robert Gibson look after the Freebirds injured Gibson. JR is PISSED at the Freebirds for their recent actions. Chris becomes the face-in-peril after getting nailed by Hayes and thrown over the top by Garvin. Marley gets his licks in while the Freebirds distract the ref. Paul's complete lack of caring that the Freebirds have "ended five careers" recently is great.

Hayes almost gets the DDT, which causes the crowd to EXPLODE. Freebirds continue to work Chris over, and the crowd chants for the DDT. Chris makes the hot tag, but the Warriors make the mistake of bringing Marley in. This allows Hayes to hit a shitty DDT on Mark (which the crowd loves) and Garvin to get the pin. As awesome as the Midnight Express are at making their control segments awesome, the Freebirds are...not.

-Tony is with Flair, AA, and Sid. AA points out that the tag title match is not a "good guy/bad guy situation", and says he won't blame Doom if they back out. Flair says tonight he and AA will win the tag titles, then watch Sid win the world title. Sid says the trick tonight is to make it out alive. Crowd seems to like the Horsemen.

-Match 3 for the United States Tag Team Championship: The Steiner Brothers [c] VS The Nasty Boys

-Rick wears his belt backwards. Match immediately spills outside. Sags cracks Scott with a chair across the back of the head. Inside, Scott fights off a superplex and tosses Sags with an overhead belly-to-belly off the second rope, which gets two. Scott tosses Sags with a double-underhook suplex. Steiners appear to finish with the bulldog off Scott's shoulders, but Knobbs drills Scott with a chair while the ref's back is turned, and that gets two. Sags slams Scott, and hits a series of headbuts to Scott's back.

Nastys double-team Scott. Rick tries to help by dropping Knobbs with a clothesline. Rick misses on a second and falls outside, allowing the Nastys to hit Scott with a spike piledriver, but the ref is busy with Knobbs, and Rick pastes Sags with a chair, which busts the top of Sags' head. Nastys keep the pressure on Scott, but then Sags misses a splash in the corner, allowing Scott to make the hot tag.

Match breaks down and both Steiners are thrown outside. The Nastys celebrate, and don't see Rick getting ready to clothesline the both of them from off the top until it's too late. Scott breaks up a Nastys double-team. Rick floors Knobbs with a clothesline, and Scott finishes with an ugly Frankensteiner. Match was at its best when the two teams were fighting it out, as the Nastys' control segments were pretty boring.

-Nastys gets some revenge after the bell, ramming Rick into the ring post twice.

-Tony gets a word with Scott, who says it's not over. He gets jumped by a vendor, who turns out to be Sags. The Nastys beat Scott down and leave. Paul is very excited about the attacks.

-Match 4 for the World Tag Team Championship: Doom [c] (w/Teddy Long) VS Arn Anderson & Ric Flair

-AA starts with Simmons. Reed gets into the ring for no reason, allowing the Horsemen to double team Simmons. Simmons no-sells a suplex. Horsemen try more double teaming. but Simmons lays them both out with a double clothesline. Horsemen go after Teddy, and he responds by slapping Flair in the face and giving a "woo". Flair pounds on Reed, but a chop wakes Reed up, and he hits Flair with several punches and a gorilla press slam. Flair lands a couple HARD chops, but Reed shrugs them off and comes back with punches.

Reed lands several more punches. Flair extends his hand for the tag, but then flops. AA gets in, and takes a high knee from Reed. AA locks Reed in a Boston crab, and Flair drops a knee to the back of his head. Flair gets Simmons in the figure 4, and AA lends a hand. Simmons whiffs on a dropkick, and AA gets two off that.

Simmons takes some more punishment before making the hot tag to Reed. Reed hits a shoulder block on Flair for two. Reed fights off Flair on the outside, and saves Simmons from a AA piledriver with a flying shoulder block for two. AA catches Reed with a DDT, and Simmons makes the save. Match breaks down. AA and Simmons brawl on the outside. Flair and Reed join them, and they fight down the aisle for a double count-out. Damn, match was getting good before the weak finish.

-Stan Hansen spits on a pumpkin and says he's going to take the U.S. title back to Texas.

-Match 5 for the United States Championship: Lex Luger [c] VS Stan Hansen

-Luger starts fast, and Hansen has to bail early on. Hansen mauls Luger, and gets an elbow drop for two before battering him some more on the outside. Luger fights back and takes control, but the crowd is oddly silent. They slug it out some more. Hansen hits a bulldog for two. Hansen counters corner punches with a double leg take down for two. Hansen misses an elbow drop from the second turnbuckle.

Luger hits a nice dropkick. Luger hits a slam and elbow for two. Luger hits a suplex for two. Hansen pounds on Luger in the corner, and shoves the referee down. Luger hits a big clothesline. Dan Spivey, who is Hansen's protege, hands Hansen the cow bell. Luger backdrops Hansen, and hits a modified bulldog. Luger motions for the rack, but runs into a lariat to give Hansen the title.

Match was mostly punches to a silent crowd. The finishing lariat didn't look that good, and there's no reason for Hansen not to get DQ'd for shoving the ref.

-Tony is with Teddy Long, who reminds Tony that "homey don't play that", and that the Horsemen will not get another title shot.

-JR is with Missy Hyatt and Paul. JR notes that both have predicted a Sid Vicious title win. Missy says it will be easy.

-Match 6 for the World Heavyweight Championship: Sting [c] VS Sid Vicious

-Vicious is announced as being from "anywhere he darn well pleases". Tremendous. Sting stupidly turns his back after a stare down, and gets jumped. He really is the dumbest wrestler ever. Sting no-sells a slam, and almost gets Sid in a figure 4. Sid misses a clothesline and falls outside. Sid gets rammed into the ring post. Match slows to a crawl. Sting gets a sunset flip for two.

Sid hits a big boot, but plays to the crowd before covering, so he gets nothing. Sid applies a nerve hold, which is not what this match needs. Sting misses a Stinger splash. Sid turns his back, and takes a crossbody from the top for a one count. Match spills out onto the entrance ramp. Nick Patrick goes with him instead of counting. Cool spot as Sting sprints down the ramp and leaps over the ropes at Sid.

Sid walks away from the ring as Flair and AA provide a distraction. Sid and Sting come back to the ring. Sting tries slam Sid, but can't hold him. Sid falls on top...for the pin, and the title? Sid celebrates as fireworks go off and balloons fall from the ceiling. The real Sting emerges from the back with a rope tied around his wrist, and Nick Patrick re-starts the match. Sting hits Sid with the belt (which Patrick ignores), and a Stinger splash before rolling Sid up for the pin to retain.

Damn, whose brain fart was that? The match sucked, and that finish...I don't even know what to say about that.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: The opener was great, the world tag title match was getting good at the end, but everything else was pretty bland. Nothing here you need to go out of your way to see.

RoH Honor Takes Center Stage Chapter 2 4/2/11

-Match 1: Kings of Wrestling (w/Shane Hagadorn) VS Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reilly

-KoW jump Future Shock instead of shaking their hands. O'Reilly lands a series of strikes on CC, but doesn't see Hero get tagged in, and gets laid out. CC hits a sloppy gorilla press slam. CC gets two off a clothesline. Cole gets the hot tag, and blocks a Hero senton with his knees, before hitting a leg lariat off the second turnbuckle. Cole dropkicks CC outside, and O'Reilly hits a running dropkick off the apron onto CC, while Cole hits a crossbody from the top on Hero for two.

Hero avoids a roaring elbow from O'Reilly, and lays out both opponents with roaring elbows of his own. O'Reilly locks in a guillotine choke on CC, holding on even after two kicks to the head from Hero. Cole cuts off a Hero roaring elbow with a superkick, then superkicks CC in the back so he goes back down to the mat with O'Reilly still holding onto the guillotine choke. Cole hits a suicide dive onto Hero. CC powers out of the guillotine choke, and hits a pop-up European uppercut on O'Reilly. Hero gets tagged in, and stereo bicycle kicks on O'Reilly finish for the Kings. Good opener, but not as good as the previous night's.

-Cole & O'Reilly get a standing ovation and a "that was awesome!" chant for their efforts.

-The Embassy (Prince Nana, Princess Mia, Ernesto Osiris, and R.D. Evans) come out. Nana introduces the newest member of the New Embassy; Dave Taylor.

-Match 2: Dave Taylor (w/The Embassy) VS Colt Cabana

-Taylor takes Colt down, and hits a dropkick. Cabana comes back with a backdrop. Taylor works Cabana over, but misses a charge. Cabana hits a flying asshole. Cabana schoolboys Taylor out of nowhere for the pin. What was the point of bringing Taylor in for THAT?

-The Embassy stay in the ring as Kevin Kelly previews the Briscoes/All Night Express match. R.D. Evans tells Nana to forget about Taylor's loss, because they have another match next.

-Match 3: Tomasso Ciampa (w/The Embassy) VS Homicide

-Ciampa dropkicks Homicide as the ref checks him. Homicide takes Ciampa outside, and rams the barricade into Ciampa's head. Homicide grabs a chair, but the ref takes it away. They fight outside. Homicide drops Ciampa throat-first onto the barricade. Homicide tosses Ciampa with an overhead throw. The Embassy distract Homicide from hitting a tope con hilo. Ciampa gets Homicide on his shoulders, and dumps on his head for two.

Ciampa lowers his knee pad, and hits a running knee to the face for two. Ciampa kicks Homicide on the arm to block a lariat, and hits a lariat of his own for two. They trade punches, then Homicide sends Ciampa outside. Homicide climbs onto the stage, and hits a somersault onto Ciampa. Homicide hits a tornado DDT and an exploder suplex for two. Ciampa counters an Ace Crusher with a backbreaker for two.

Mia distracts the ref while Homicide has Ciampa's arms butterflied. Ciampa fights out, and hits a funky neckbreaker for two. Homicide hits an Ace Crusher out of nowhere. Homicide goes for the Cop Killer, but Mia distracts him, allowing Ciampa to hit a Northern Lights Suplex for the huge upset. Match was decent, but nothing special.

-Homicide grabs a chair and launches it at the face of R.D. Evans. The Embassy scatters.

-Match 4: Michael Elgin (w/Truth Martini) VS Ring of Honor Television Champion Christopher Daniels

-Daniels starts off fast, but walks into a suplex. Daniels comes back with a chinbreaker and an enziguiri. Elgin sends Daniels outside with a flying shoulderblock. Outside, Elgin picks up Daniels and runs him into the barricade. Back in, Elgin hits a flying shoulderblock for two. Elgin hits a long delayed vertical suplex for two. Elgin sends Daniels shoulder-first into the ringpost, and locks in a Boston Crab with Daniels still locked in the ropes.

Daniels fights back, but Elgin blocks the Angel's Wings. Elgin hits a pump handle driver for two. Elgin hits an Oklahoma Stampede for two. Elgin misses a twisting splash. Elgin charges right into an STO. Daniels counters a waistlock with a low blow, and Best Moonsault Ever finishes. Decent undercard match. This was pretty much there to further Daniels' heel turn, and foreshadow Daniels joining the House of Truth, as Martini didn't make any moves to help Elgin.

-After intermission, Jim Cornette comes out to kiss up to the RoH fans and bring out Davey Richards. Richards congratulates Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team on winning the Tag Team titles, but says tonight when they face him and Eddie Edwards, it's a whole new level. Richards asks the crowd to chant for Eddie, and says he's not jealous of Eddie for winning the title. Cornette essentially asks Richards to challenge Edwards for the RoH World title, as it would be a boost to business. Richards refuses, saying he won't be the one who destroys Edwards' dream. Edwards takes offense at what Richards said, saing that he made it sound like it's a forgone conclusion that Richards would beat him. Edwards reminds Richards that the one time they did face each other, Edwards won. Richards shifts the focus back on the main event of Wolves VS WGTT to end the segment.

-Match 5 for the Shimmer Tag Team Championship: Daizee Haze & Tomoka Nakagawa [c] VS Hiroyo Matsumoto & Ayumi Kurihara

-Champions heel it up. Hiroyo hits a crossbody on both for a double near-fall. Haze gets caught in an arm submission while in the ropes. Kurihara becomes the face-in-peril. Matsumoto gets the tag, and goes through a series of moves with Nakagawa to end up with a belly-to-back suplex. They do some stuff. I can't be moved by any of it, since I don't give a shit about joshi. Nakagawa prevents the ref from counting three after Matsumoto hits a Backdrop Driver on Haze, and Haze soon finishers Matsumoto with a Tiger suplex. Haze just looks ridiculously unhealthy.

-Match 6: The All Night Express VS The Briscoe Brothers

-The Briscoes jump the ANX from behind to kick things off, and the match immediately spills outside. Back inside, the ANX hit a legdrop/standing frog splash combo for two. Match becomes an all-out brawl, so a second ref joins in to try to regain order. Titus hits Jay with a dropkick for two. Titus hits a leg lariat for two. Jay takes control of Titus, and the Briscoes drag him outside. As King has the referees tied up, the Briscoes send Titus head-first into the ringpost, busting him open.

Briscoes hit a double shoulder block on Titus. Briscoes continue to work Titus over. Mark hits a slingshot double stomp for two. Jay hits a sliding boot, but his cover is reversed into a crucifix pin by Titus, and that gets two. Titus hits a double knee drop from the top on Mark, and finally makes the hot tag. King hits a capture suplex on Jay for two. King hits shotgun knees on Jay for two. King sends Jay onto the apron, and Titus hits him with an X-Factor, sending both he and Jay through the timekeeper's table.

ANX go for a double team, but the Briscoes break it up. Jay is leaking like a faucet after being sent through the table. Mark goes for a top rope hurricarana on Titus, who alley-oops him onto the ringpost. Titus and Jay slug it out as the crowd REALLY gets into it. ANX hit the powerbomb blockbuster on Jay, but Mark makes the save at two. Jay then manages to hit King with the Jay Driller for the win. Really good tag team brawl that the crowd got way into towards the end.

-Jay gets on the mic and mocks Titus for bleeding (while Jay's own face is covered in blood), and heels on the crowd a bit before saying the Briscoes won't lose again in RoH.

-Match 7: Roderick Strong (w/Truth Martini) VS El Generico

-Strong works on Generico's arm to start. Generico hits a couple armdrags and hits a back heel kick for two. Martini trips Generico up and works him over on the outside while Strong has the referee occupied. Generico frees himself from an armhold, but runs into a dropkick for two. They go outside and exchange forearm shots, then Strong catches Generico with a high knee and sends him into the barricade. Strong whips Martini into Generico (somehow not getting DQ'd for it), and Martini does a victory lap around the ring.

Generico hits a Blue Thunder bomb for two. Strong runs into a modified Michinoku Driver for two. Strong fights back and hits a backbreaker for two. Strong hits a high knee for two. Strike exchange proves nothing. Generico hits a tornado DDT to send Strong outside. Martini interferes and looks to perform a dive, but Strong low-bridges him on accident, and Generico hits a dive on both of them.

Generico hits a Yakuza Kick and half-nelson suplex for two. Generico sets up for the turnbuckle brainbuster, but Martini distracts the ref to allow Michael Elgin to interfere. Generico fights Strong & Elgin off, hitting a brainbuster on Strong for the win. Good match. Minor upset, considering Strong was just world champion, but it looks like they were running with a losing streak for him.

-The House of Truth attack Generico, which brings out Colt Cabana. Cabana gets stomped by Elgin. Christopher Daniels, wielding the Book of Truth, which he had taken from Martini enters. He teases hitting Martini and/or Elgin, so naturally he turns around and nails Generico with it. Strong ends the beat down by driving Generico through a chair.

-Match 8: Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team VS The American Wolves

-Haas & Richards start with mat wrestling. Edwards & Benjamin with more of the same. Haas becomes the focus of the Wolves, and Richards puts him in a Muta lock. Wolves go to work on Haas' left arm. Richards double stomps it, and covers for two. WGTT manage to turn the tide on Richards. Benjamin hits a gourdbuster for two. Benjamin locks in a Boston Crab. Richards hits a handspring enziguiri, but Benjamin stops him from diving. Richards sends Benjamin to the floor, and the Wolves hit stereo suicide dives.

Richards hits a diving headbut on Haas for two. Edwards gets tagged in, and Benjamin starts working over his leg. Edwards wins a chop exchange against Haas while in a leg lock. Haas continues to work on Edwards' leg, until Edwards hits a Code Breaker and makes the tag. Richards hits Haas with a superplex for two. Wolves forget about Haas' arm, as Edwards hits a Dragon Screw legwhip in the ropes, and Richards applies an ankle lock.

Benjamin gets the tag, but misses a Stinger splash. Wolves work on WGTT in opposite corners. Wolves put together a couple kick combinations, and Richards gets two on Benjamin. WGTT come back with stereo rolling German suplexes, which the Wolves reverse into some of their own. WGTT counter back with stereo German suplexes, but the Wolves counter with stereo rollups for two. Two double-clotheline spots put all four men down. Crowd chants "this is wrestling!", but that's just way too contrived for me.

Richards hits an enziguiri on Haas, but eats a superkick from Benjamin. Edwards drops Benjamin, but then takes an Angle slam from Haas. Richards runs into an inverted atomic drop from Haas, which sets him up for another superkick from Benjamin for two. WGTT try to double team Richards, as apparently tagging is out the window. Wolves hit Benjamin with a powerbomb/lungblower combo, and that only gets two.

Richards locks in an ankle lock on Benjamin, while Edwards gets the Achillies' lock on Haas. Benjamin kicks Richards into Edwards, then hits Richards with Paydirt out of nowhere for the pin.

Damn this match was annoying. First, they had solid psychology that wasn't that visually exciting, then they threw out the psychology for that contrived sequence, and decided that tags didn't matter towards the end, then topped it off with a sudden finish.

-Mutual admiration society, followed by the American Wolves bickering ends the show.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Definitely the lesser of the two shows, as the undercard wasn't anything special. The two matches before the main event were good, but I really didn't care for the main event itself.

Ring of Honor Wrestling #4

-LAST WEEK: Davey Richards successfully defended the Ring of Honor World Championship against Roderick Strong.

-Kevin Kelly & Nigel McGuinness start the show in the ring, and hype this week's "double main event". It's hard to have a double main event when your show only has two matches on it.

-Briscoes wax nostalgic about the time when the All Night Express would be asking for their autographs and offering to carry their bags. The Briscoes say not to think of them as two dumb rednecks.

-The All Night Express talk about how their rivalry with the Briscoes has changed them. Titus wants to put a scar on their heads to match the one they gave him.

-Match 1 to name #1 Contenders for the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship: The Briscoe Brothers VS The All Night Express

-Match immediately spills outside. Briscoes work over King, but get taken out by stereo dives from the ANX. Titus gets caught with a big boot/chop block combo, and he becomes the face-in-peril. Titus no-sells a HARD chop and slaps Mark in the face. Jay hits Titus with a clothesline for two. Mark hits a bulldog for two. Mark tries to hurricarana Titus off the top, but ends up getting alley-ooped for snake eyes.

King gets the hot tag, and Kevin Kelly likens him to a "shutdown corner" in football. Now that's just fucking stupid. Briscoes are outside, and King backdrops Titus over the top onto them. King hits Jay with a powerbomb, and Titus follows up with a double knee drop from the top for two. Mark dives off the apron at Titus, which the camera misses. Mark hits a frog splash into an elbow drop off the top onto King, and Jay gets two.

As Mark and Titus look like they're going to spill onto the announce table, Jay kicks King square in the nuts, and rolls him up with a small package for the pin. Titus points out the kick to the nuts and referee Todd Sinclair actually uses his head to figure it out, but he can't call it because he didn't see it. The two teams have to be separated. Match was good, not great.

-Profile on Ring of Honort Tag Team Champions Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team. They should never be allowed to talk, let along have a lengthy video segment about them.

-Jim Cornette says that because the Briscoes cheated, NEITHER team are the number one contenders to the tag titles. Way to negate the point of the last match, guys.

-A look inside "The House of Truth". Nothing of note here.

-That leads into the question of when the Richards/Edwards rematch will happen.

-Match 2: Michael Elgin (w/Truth Martini) VS Eddie Edwards

-Strike exchange proves nothing. Elgin hits a long delayed vertical suplex for two. Elgin wins a chop exchange, but walks into a hurricarana and the Achillies' lock. Edwards hits a Lionsault for two. Elgin catches Edwards, bashes him into two opposite corners, and throws him down for two.

Back from a commercial break, Elgin hits a back breaker and a side slam for two. Elgin no-sells one superkick, but a second slows him down, and Edwards dumps Elgin on his face. Edwards hits a missile dropkick for two. Edwards sends Elgin outside, and hits a suicide dive. Edwards hits an enziguiri, but a clothesline knocks him for a flip, and gets two for Elgin. Out on the apron, Edwards hits a double stomp on Elgin.

Back in, Edwards hits a double stomp to Elgin's back. Elgin comes back with a buckle bomb. Edwards counters the spinning sit-out powerbomb with a roll up for two. Edwards hits the Die Hard (the renamed 2k1 bomb) for the pin. Good, hard fought main event.

-Roderick Strong comes out to get into Edwards' face. Nigel notices that it's three-on-one in the ring, and climbs in to even the odds. Edwards/Nigel face off with the House of Truth as the show ends.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Not a bad show, but it still has some issues. Still too much time wasting for a one hour show that's supposed to be focused on in ring action. Kevin Kelly should never try to use a football analogy ever again.

RoH Honor Takes Center Stage Chapter 1 4/1/11

-Every year, RoH does two shows on WrestleMania weekend at whatever city WrestleMania is in. This is the first time the shows were broadcast on iPPV.

-From The Center Stage Theatre (hence the title) in Atlanta, GA

-Hosts are Dave Prazak & Kevin Kelly

-Match 1: Michael Elgin VS El Generico

-Elgin looks like Tazz and Santino Marella mated. Generico avoids an avalanche, and hits a crossbody from the top for two. Elgin counters a swinging DDT into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker in an impressive spot. Crowd is really hot for Generico. Generico gets a schoolboy for two. Ring is mic'd so you can hear everything. I like it when that's the case. It makes everything seem more impactful. Elgin stops a sunset flip, but misses on the sitdown splash.

Generico comes off the top with a hurricarana, and follows up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Elgin fights off a half-nelson suplex, but charges into an exploder suplex, which sends Elgin upside-down into the turnbuckles. Generico gets two off that. Elgin hits a big lariat for two. Elgin hits a sweet black hole slam for two. They go outside as Elgin catches Generico diving off the apron, but Generico shoves Elgin into the barricade.

Generico dives between the bottom two ropes, and hits a swinging DDT on the floor to a MASSIVE reaction. Generico looks ready to finish, but a mystery man dressed in all black with a black mask grabs Generico's boot, allowing Elgin to hit a spinning sitout powerbomb for the win. Really strong opener.

-A replay of Eddie Edwards winning the RoH World title airs.

-Match 2 Four Corner Survival: Caleb Konley (w/Truth Martini) VS Tomasso Ciampa (w/The Embassy) VS Homicide VS Colt Cabana

-Crowd chants "Let's Go Spanky!" at Konley, as he does look a lot like Brian Kendrick. Cabana gets a folding press on Konley for two. Colt his a flying ass for two. Homicide goes after Nana, but gets laid out by Princess Mia. Embassy stomp Homicide, and roll him inside for a two count for Ciampa. Konley hits a decapitator on Homicide for two. Cabana lays out the heels with elbows, then some members of the Embassy before stealing a kiss from Mia and hitting a quebrada on Konley for two.

Ciampa hits the Project Ciampa on Konley, but Homicide had tagged himself in, and he steals the cover for two. Homicide hits three tope con hilos, the last laying out all three opponents. Back in, Homicide finishes Konley with the Cop Killer. Fun four corners match. Needed more Ciampa though.

-Truth Martini gives Konley the thumbs up, but it's APRIL FOOLS, and Elgin lays Konley out with a powerbomb.

-Kevin & Dave talk about SHIMMER being the sister promotion of RoH to set up the next match.

-Match 3: Sara Del Ray & Serena Deeb VS Hiroyo Matsumoto & Ayumi Murihara

-Deeb & Hiroyo trade arm drags. Del Ray gets double teamed, and Ayumi hits double knees to SDR's chest twice. Deeb gets tagged in and immediately is locked into a nice submission I haven't seen before, forcing SDR to make the save. Deeb misses a spear and falls out to the floor. Ayumi follows up with a dive, wiping out both Deeb and SDR. Ayumi locks Deeb in a ropes-assisted armbar, but SDR breaks it up with a low dropkick.

SDR hits a wheelbarrow slam on Murihara for two. Deeb hits a legdrop for two. Ayumi gets a rollup for two. Hiroyo gets the hot tag and takes it to both opponents. Hiroyo hits SDR with a gutbuster for two. Deeb takes a urinage from Ayumi, and a backdrop driver from Hiroyo for the pin. Suspense was ruined by the announcement that the Japanese team would be getting a SHIMMER tag team title shot at Chapter 2. Match wasn't bad, definitely a step up from anything you'll see out of the WWE Divas division.

-A replay of the post-match fight between the All Night Express and the Briscoes from Manhattan Mayhem IV airs.

-Match 4: Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reilly VS The Briscoes

-Jay gets caught with a cross-armbeaker by O'Reilly, so Jay kicks him in the head after the hold is broken. Futureshock hit Mark with a flapjack/bulldog combo for two. Jay floors O'Reilly, and hits a legdrop for two. Briscoes chop the shit out of O'Reilly, and hit a huge double-beal toss for two. Cole hits Jay with an enziguiri, and a suicide dive. Jay responds with a nasty spinebuster to turn the tide. Briscoes hit Cole with a double shoulderblock for two.

Cole takes a pounding, but does manage to make a tag. O'Reilly takes Mark down with a series of strikes, followed by a legsweep. O'Reilly takes both Briscoes down with a double dragon screw legwhip, and follows up with a double missile dropkick for two on Mark. O'Reilly hits a couple rolling butterfly suplexes. Cole tags himself in, and hits a double-arm DDT while O'Reilly holds Mark, then Cole adds a German suplex with a bridge for two.

The match spills to the floor, and O'Reilly hits a missile dropkick off the apron onto Jay. Back in, Futureshock hit Mark with a roundhouse kick sandwich for two. Jay spikes Cole with a Falcon Arrow for two. O'Reilly tries to hit Mark, but walks into a SICK superkick from Jay. Briscoes finish Cole with the springboard Doomsday Device. Excellent tag match that really cemented Cole & O'Reilly as players in the tag division.

-The All Night Express come in through the front door and charge into the ring to fight with the Briscoes. Officials come out to separate the two teams. ANX look to set up a spike piledriver on Mark onto the floor, but Jay tosses a security guard over the top rope to break it up. Great segment to set up the match at Chapter 2, and the continuing feud between the two teams.

-Match 5: Roderick Strong (w/Truth Martini) VS Davey Richards

-They trade takedowns to start. Richards hits a snap suplex for one. Richards locks in a version of the Tequila Sunrise, and he turns that into a pinning combination for two. Davey goes up top, but Martini causes a distraction, allowing Strong to hit an enziguiri and knock Richards to the outside. Strong knocks Richards around, and locks in a sitting abdominal stretch. Richards' mouth gets busted open.

They go outside, and Strong tosses Richards onto the barricade. Strong hits a slam onto the corner of the ring apron. Back in, they slug it out. Strong hits a backbreaker for two. Strong follows up with a belly-to-back suplex for two. Richards hits a running kick off the apron, then follows up with a suicide dive. Back in, they slug it out again, and Richards hits a handspring enziguiri for two.

Richards hits a German suplex with a bridge for two. Strong counters an anklelock with the Labelle Lock. Strong hits a slam for two. Strong hits a turnbuckle backbreaker for two. Strong locks in the Stronghold, but Richards makes it to the ropes. Strong hits several chops, and Richards comes back with kicks. Richards tries going up top, but gets caught with a side slam onto the ring apron.

Richards no-sells some strikes, and comes back with slaps before taking a Sick Kick for two. Death from Above gets two. Strong spits in Richards' face after a buzzsaw kick, and ends up taking a superkick and another buzzsaw kick for two. Martini provides a distraction, allowing Strong to hit the Falcon Arrow backbreaker for two. Strong hits the Gibson Driver for two, then turns it into the Stronghold.

Richards lays out Martini, and catches Strong's Sick Kick with an anklelock. Richards hits a superplex and a Falcon Arrow before applying a heel hook for the submission. Good, hard fought match, but Richards needs to figure out how to make his offense work into the finish.

-Match 6 for the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship: The Kings of Wrestling [c] (w/Shane Hagadorn & Sara Del Rey) VS Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team

-Shelton controls both Kings to start, before tagging in Haas. Haas hits hero with an overhead throw for two. Haas no-sells some chops, so Hero goes to the eyes. WGTT go to work on Claudio's leg. WGTT get stereo two counts off German suplexes. Del Ray causes a distraction, allowing Hero to hit Shelton with a bicycle kick for two. Shelton becomes the face-in-peril. Shelton counters one Claudio chokeslam into a rollup, but a second attempt hits for two.

CC hits a gorilla press into a hot shot for two. Haas gets the hot tag and cleans house, getting two off an exploder suplex on Hero. Hero walks into a superkick from Shelton, and they hit both KoW with a double team. Haas gets two on Hero off that. Hero hits a roaring elbow on Haas, and a double bicycle kick gets two for CC. Giant swing into a low dropkick gets two on Haas.

Shelton hits Paydirt on Hero out of nowhere. CC hits the pop-up European uppercut on Haas for two. Haas fights off the Riccola bomb on locks in the Haas of Pain on CC. Hero gets the loaded elbow pad, but Shelton tosses Hero off the top, and Claudio taps to hend the Kings' near one year long title reign. Match was pretty slow for the longest time. Quite a step down from their first match.

-Match 7 for the Ring of Honor World Championship: Eddie Edwards [c] VS Ring of Honor Television Champion Christopher Daniels

-This is Edwards' first title defense, and he has never beaten Daniels, who was the man who beat Edwards for the TV title.

Neither man gets much of an advantage for the first couple minutes. They both a hurricarana spot, as Daniels lands right on top of Edwards after taking the move. Daniels counters another hurricarana attempt with the Achilles' lock. They go outside, and Daniels gets hip-tossed into the barricade. Kelly and Prazak talk about a world title only changing hands once in Atlanta, with Dusty Rhodes winning the NWA title in 1981, but they forget about Goldberg beating Hogan in the Georgia Dome.

Edwards ties Daniels to the tree of woe, and jumps off the floor onto the ring apron to deliver a dropkick. Edwards hits an overhead throw for two. Edwards runs into a Blue Thunder bomb. Edwards tries to hit a backpack stunner off the apron, but Daniels counters, and drives Edwards through a table with a urinage. Daniels breaks the referee's count, and slams Edwards onto a seated chair.

Daniels focuses on Edwards' back with slams and a hard whip into the buckles. Daniels hits a suplex for two. Daniels keeps right on Edwards' back. They go through a rollup series, but neither gets the pin. Edwards sends Daniels outside, and follows with a suicide dive. Edwards hits a crossbody for two. Edwards chops the shit out of Daniels in the corner, and follows up with a Tiger suplex for two.

Edwards hits an enziguiri and a throw for two. Daniels avoids a top rope double stomp, and locks in a standing Koji Clutch. Daniels hits a side slam from the second rope for two. Edwards locks in the Achillies' lock. Edwards hits the 2k1 bomb for two. Prazak and Kelly correct their mistake, apparently being reminded of Goldberg/Hogan via twitter. Edwards avoids the Angel's Wings off the top, and hits a double stomp to the back of Daniels.

Daniels blocks a powerbomb, and hits the Angel's Wings for two. Daniels hits the BME for two. Edwards gets his feet up on a second BME, and locks in the Achillies' lock. Edwards hits the 2k1 bomb off the top, and follows up with a regular one for the pin. Match was good, but the crowd was oddly quiet for the most part, except for the Daniels' near-falls towards the end.

-Daniels does not shake Edwards' hand, drawing boos. Edwards sucks up to Atlanta to close the show.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: A good, but not a blowaway show. The tag title match was pretty disappointing. I liked Cole & O'Reilly VS The Briscoes more than anything else on the show, which is saying something, as I used to hate the Briscoes. I don't think anyone thought Edwards would lose the title, which really hurt the reception the main event got.

EWR Diary Week 4: 10/24-10/30/11

Raw 10/24/11:

-WWE COO Triple H came down to the ring to open the show. Before he could say a word, WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio, Awesome Truth, & Kevin Nash rushed the ring and beat the shit out of HHH.

-John Cena is being interviewd backstage, and he is PISSED about what happened in the WWE title match last night, and about what just happened to HHH. CM Punk enters, and he's upset about what happened in the tag team cage match. They end up challenging any two members of the Del Rio/Nash/Miz/Truth group to a match for tonight.

-Match 1: Santino Marella VS Drew McIntyre

-Santino won a fairly short match with THE COBRA. As Santino celebrates, he is ambushed and destroyed by Brodus Clay. (***1/2)

-Backstage, Teddy Long announces that because of how the World Heavyweight Championship match ended last night, Sheamus will get a re-match this week on Smackdown.

-Match 2: 10 Diva #1 Contender's Battle Royale: Eve Torres VS Beth Phoenix VS Natalya VS Maryse VS Nikki Bella VS Brie Bella VS AJ VS Kaitlyn VS Alicia Fox VS Tamina

-Beth Phoenix wins, eliminating Eve Torres last, right after Eve eliminated Natalya. (1/4*)

-The Divas of Doom double team Eve, until Divas Champion Kelly Kelly rushes out to make the save.

-Zig Swag are backstage with Vickie Guerrero. Dolph & Vickie get on Swagger's case, blaming him for their loss last night. Dolph will defend the U.S. title against Mason Ryan next, and they warn Swagger not to screw up again tonight.

-Match 3: United States Championship: Dolph Ziggler [c] VS Mason Ryan

-Dolph had plenty of issues with Mason Ryan's power game. Ryan looks to finish, but Vickie distracts the referee, allowing Swagger to lay Ryan out. Dolph follows up with the Zig Zag to retain. (**1/2)

-Match 4: Ted DiBiase VS Wade Barrett

-Barrett takes out his frustrations from last night on DiBiase, finishing clean with Wasteland, and adding another after the bell for good measure. (**1/2)

-Match 5: John Cena & CM Punk VS Awesome Truth

-Long main event, with Punk playing the face-in-peril. Once Cena & Punk look like they might win, Del Rio and Nash interfere, drawing a DQ. As the four men destroy their opponents, HHH rushes out with his trusty sledgehammer, and the heels run away before they can take a shot. (**3/4)

-Triple H gets on the mic, and announces that at Survivor Series, the four man group will face himself, John Cena, CM Punk, and a fourth man in a traditional Survivor Series match. HHH says his team's fourth man will be...THE ROCK. The arena explodes as Rock's music hits. He doesn't come out, but the heels look worried as the show ends.

Smackdown 10/28/11:

-World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry opens the show. Henry says Sheamus doesn't deserve another title match, since Henry beat him at Vengeance. Henry calls out Smackdown GM Teddy Long, and asks Long to explain himself. Long says he feels Sheamus was cheated at Vengeance, and deserves another opportunity. Henry gets really upset, asking Long if he thinks Sheamus is better than him. Long stammers, and gets laid out with a big clothesline and the World's Strongest Slam.

-Match 1: Justin Gabriel VS Heath Slater

-Gabriel wins clean with the 450. Christian attacks Gabriel after the match, laying Gabriel out with the Killswitch. (***1/2)

-Wade Barrett is backstage. He cuts a promo on Daniel Bryan, saying Bryan got lucky once at Vengeance, while Barrett has beaten Bryan over, and over. Barrett says he's getting another shot at the Money in the Bank briefcase tonight, and tonight Bryan's luck runs out.

-Christian is walking backstage, when Matt Striker stops him to ask about his attack on Justin Gabriel a few minutes ago. Before Christian can answer, Gabriel jumps on him and pounds away before being pulled off by several WWE officials.

-Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes goes to the ring. Rhodes says Randy Orton knows that Rhodes is better than him now, and that Orton knew he could not beat Rhodes at Vengeance, that's why he got himself disqualified. Rhodes says he is moving on to new challengers, namely tonight's opponent, Ezekial Jackson.

-Match 2 for the Intercontinental Championship: Cody Rhodes [c] VS Ezekial Jackson

-Rhodes win clean with the Beautiful Disaster kick, followed by Cross Rhodes. Rhodes puts a paper bag on Jackson's head after the match. (**1/2)

-Match 3 for the Money in the Bank Briefcase: Daniel Bryan VS Wade Barrett

-Long match. Barrett gets Bryan in position for Wasteland, but Bryan counters into a crucifix for the pin. Barrett lays out Bryan after the match. William Regal tries to intervene, but he gets dropped with a big boot, black hole slam, and Wasteland. (***3/4)

-Match 4: Sin Cara I VS Sin Cara II

-Sin Cara II cheats to win by grabbing the ropes while rolling up Sin Cara I. II gets out of dodge after the bell rings. (****)

-Match 5 for the World Heavyweight Championship: Mark Henry [c] VS Sheamus

-The two battle outside the ring, and end up getting counted out to end this match as a brawl. The two are pulled apart. Mark Henry gets in the ring and holds up the World title as Sheamus is led to the back. (**1/4)

-As Henry poses with the World title belt, Kane makes his return, laying Henry out with a flying clothesline and a chokeslam. Kane holds the title belt as the show ends.

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #34: Clash of the Champions XII "Fall Brawl-Mountain Madness"

-9/5/90

-From Asheville, NC

-Hosts are JR & Bob Caudle

-Match 1: The Fabulous Freebirds (w/Buddy Lee/Jack Roberts) VS The Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (Bullet Bob Armstrong)

-This was supposed to be a six man, and Chapetta announces it as such, but JR points out that Roberts is injured, so it's a regular tag match. JR also refers to Roberts as both Buddy Lee and Buddy Jack. Both teams love themselves some stars and bars. Freebirds go the full nine with face paint.

Smothers drops Garvin with a superkick. Freebirds double-team Smothers, who leads them into a cross-body from Armstrong, and the 'Boys try to double-pin Garvin. Smothers takes a beautiful bump off a Hayes bulldog, which gets two. Hayes locks in a rear chinlock as Smothers blatantly relays the next spots to him. Garvin gets in, but Smothers catches him going up top with a slam. Smothers makes a diving tag, and Armstrong cleans house.

Roberts provides a distraction, which allows Hayes to roll up Armstrong. The ref is not looking, so Bullet Bob nails Hayes, and Armstrong gets two off that. Roberts tries to through an international object to the Freebirds, but Roberts' throw is Mark Sanchez-esque, and the 'Boys hit stereo sunset flips for a double pin as the Freebirds look for the object. Freebirds attack after the bell, and lay out Bullet Bob with a double DDT. Decent opener.

-Tony Schiavone is with the NEW U.S. Tag Team Champions The Steiner Brothers. Scott stumbles over his lines (shocking, I know). No one knows anything about the Steiner's opponents Maximum Overdrive. Rick mumbles something about wrestling bums while trying to get another world title shot against Doom.

-Match 2: Buddy Landell VS Mike Rotunda (w/Sydney Anderson)

-Sydney won a Burger King contest to get her spot as Rotunda's valet. Landell has Skid Row on his shoulder. Basic wrestling. Landell locks in the always-excting ropes-assisted abdominal stretch. Landell goes up top, but gets caught with a punch on the way down. Rotunda drops a leg for two. Rotunda pins Landell with a backslide. This was a lesson in how to get paid for a match without actually doing anything.

-Tony is with the Freebirds. Roberts says General Robert E. Lee is telling them to get rid of the Southern Boys. Hayes introduces a video of The Freebirds going to Hollywood. They get mobbed by a small group of fans at the Holiday Inn, dance with the Hollywood sign in the background, and get hot dogs.

-Match 3: Tim Horner & Brad Armstrong VS The Master Blasters (Kevin Nash as Steele, Corey Pendarvis as Iron)

-Nash has an orange mohawk. This is the Blasters' debut. Both Blasters are so tanned they're almost black, and covered with "soot". Blasters demolish Horner, and the crowd is not impressed. Armstrong gets in, and takes a powerslam from Nash for two. Iron loves to use the flying shoulderblock. Horner gets back in, and is quickly finished with a double shoulderblock. NOT. GOOD.

-Tony is with Brian Pillman. Pillman has no idea who the Black Scorpion is. Pillman will be the first man to run the Gauntlet. To run the Gauntlet, a wrestler draws three names, and he will wrestle those guys on the WCW Friday-Sunday shows. The the man running the Gauntlet makes it all the way through undefeated, he wins $15,000. If he loses one of the matches, the three opponents split $15,000. Not a bad concept, actually.

-Missy Hyatt introduces Ric Flair as "the Greatest World Champion of ever". Flair does his usual.

-Match 4: The Nasty Boys VS Jackie Fulton & Terry Taylor

-Fulton uses his speed advantage. Taylor hits Knobbs with a neckbreaker for two. Faces control the first few minutes until it's time for Taylor to play the face-in-peril. Knobbs hits a splash in the corner for two. Taylor makes the tag after the Nastys run into each other. Fulton hits Knobbs with a bridges German suplex for two, as Sags breaks it up. Knobbs catches a flying Fulton with a powerslam, and Sags finishes with a flying elbow. Taylor tries to get a measure of revenge after the bell. Bad match, good finish.

-Tony Schiavone interviews Sid. Sid wants a shot at Sting.

-Match 5: Bill Irwin VS Tommy Rich

-Irwin cracks a whip, and gets booed out of the building. Irwin hits a nice high knee. Rich tosses Irwin over the top, but does not get DQ'd. They go back-in-forth with nothing particularly exciting happening, until Rich slickly counters a tilt-a-whirl into a sleeper. Rich ends it soon after with the Thesz Press. I can't get over that being a finisher.

-NWA TOP 10 RANKINGS:
10. Buddy Landell (WTF?)
9. Tommy Rich
8. JYD
7. Brian Pillman
6. Stan Hansen
5. Sid Vicious
4. Barry Windham
3. Arn Anderson
2. Ric Flair
1. Lex Luger

Ok, did anyone see Rich or Landell ever getting a world title shot?

-TOP TEN TAG TEAMS:
10. Rotunda & Horner
9. JYD & El Gigante
8. Pillman & Zenk
7. Samoan Swat Team
6. Fabulous Freebirds
5. Southern Boys
4. Midnight Express
3. The Horsemen
2. Rock and Roll Express
1. Steiner Brothers

Were the bottom three teams even still together at this point?

-Tony is with Stan Hansen. Hansen has chew in his mouth, and dripping all over him. Hansen is pissed that he's only ranked sixth.

-Match 6: LPWA Women's World Championship: Susan Sexton [c] VS Bambi

-Well, you can't say either were hired for their looks. JR & Bob ignore the match for a bit to talk about hiring kids to get a free Sting watch at the next Atlanta show. Caudle chides JR, saying the winner gets a dinner date with him. They're trying, but the crowd couldn't care less. Bambi gets a nice cradle for two. Sexton hits a nice springboard into a flying forearm. Bambi gets a small package for two, but Sexton reverses it for the pin. Biggest reaction was Sexton getting booed during the introductions, despite them both apparently being babyfaces. This reminded me of when the WWF tried having midget matches on PPV in 1997-early 98.

-Match 7: NWA United States Tag Team Champions: The Steiner Brothers VS Maximum Overdrive (Jeff Warner & Tim Hunt)

-The heels should have had Emilio Estevez as a manager. I have no idea which member of MO is which. Steiners toss MO around for a little bit. Rick actually sells a couple moves, before going back to beating on his opponents. Scott hits a DDT from the top, and Rick gets the pin. Quick squash, which it should have been.

-Match 8: Stan Hansen VS Tom Zenk

-Zenk gets a loud, high-pitched reaction. Not liking Z-Man's chances. Hansen immediately roughs Zenk up on the outside. As Hansen pounds on Zenk, they show Tony in the back with Luger, and they intercut Luger accepting Hansen's challenge (should Luger get by Flair) while Hansen continues to demolish Zenk. Zenk hits a couple dropkicks. Hansen finishes with the lariat in short order, as JR credits Hansen with inventing the clothesline/lariat. Needed more murder of Zenk.

-Match 9 for the NWA United States Championship: Lex Luger [c] VS Ric Flair

-Luger no-sells some chops, and clotheslines Flair to the outside, before hitting another clothesline on the floor. Luger hits a big Gorilla Press, but misses an elbow drop. Flair fakes a shoulder injury to gain the advantage. Flair has fun whipping Luger into the guardrail. Flair really works Luger over on the outside, as the ref doesn't even consider counting both men out. Luger finally gets tired of getting beat on and lands a series of punches before getting poked in the eye.

Luger gets a backslide for two. Luger decides it's time to start no-selling again. Luger hits a big clothesline for two. Luger hits a Gorilla Press for two. Luger hits a powerslam and calls for the Rack. Luger hits a superplex for two. They tumble outside, and when Luger gets back in, he is blitzed by Stan Hansen, drawing a DQ. Match was usual Flair/Luger, elevated by a really hot crowd. I was wondering if either man would actually job in this match.

-Hansen chokes Luger with his rope, and spits all over him.

-The Black Scorpion says he'll reveal who he is if Sting wins tonight.

-Match 10 for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Sting [c] VS The Black Scorpion

-ProWrestlingHistory.Com has Al Perez playing the Scorpion on this show. Scorpion is all nondescript jobber offense. Sting tries to unmask the Scorpion, but he can't do it. Scorpion wears Sting down as JR & Bob put the NWA title as tracing back to 1905. Sting finishes out of nowhere with the Stinger Splash. Crowd was into it, but this match S-U-C-K-E-D!

-Sting rips off the Scorpion's mask...to reveal another mask. Sting dispatches the man he was wrestling as another Black Scorpion makes his way onto the ramp for a staredown. Sting is sufficiently bewildered, and Nick Patrick holds him back from going after the other Black Scorpion.

-JR interviews Sting. JR makes it clear that the second Scorpion is the real one. It's implied that the Scorpion is someone Sting trained with. Sid Vicious jumps in to challenge Sting. Sting makes the mistake of brushing Sid off, and gets jumped on the ramp for his troubles. Sid makes it known that he rules the world.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Nothing to see here. Some bad matches, and the decent ones are matchups you can see elsewhere.

Ring of Honor Wrestling #3

-LAST WEEK: Jay Lethal defeated El Generico in extra time to win the RoH Television Championship.

-Jim Cornette starts the show in the ring, and he brings out the Briscoe Brothers. Mark is mad that the $5,000 fine they got for attacking WGTT cost them a lot of beer and bullets. Jay is less upset, but says WGTT are afraid to give them a title shot. Cornette responds that WGTT want to face them, but Cornette doesn't want to reward them for their attack. Cornette has a compromise; next week, the Briscoes will wrestle the current #1 contenders the All Night Express, with the winners getting the next title shot. Briscoes are OK with that.

-Profile video on "The Dominant Male" Tomasso Ciampa, the only undefeated wrestler in RoH. Largely about how he is soley focused on wrestling, and Prince Nana's money affords him the ability to avoid worries everyone else has.

-Match 1: Andy Ridge VS Tomasso Ciampa (w/Prince Nana & Ernesto Osiris)

-Ridge's nickname, "Right Leg" is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. Steve Corino joins us for color commentary. I don't like Ridge's chances.

Ridge starts off with some kicks, but runs into a big clothesline. Ciampa ties Ridge in the ropes, delivering a backchop, kick, and German suplex. Out on the apron, they trade chops (Ciampa) and kicks (Ridge). Ciampa swings Ridge like a baseball bat into the barricade. That gets two. Ciampa figure 4s his legs around Ridge's head, delivers some elbows  and a skullfucker, but only gets one out of it.

Ridge hits a slingshot Ace Crusher for two. Ciampa yanks Ridge out of the corner, delivers several running exposed knees, and finishes with Project Ciampa. I LOVE that move. A lot better than I was expecting, as Ridge did a good job of fighting from underneath and being a sympathetic babyface. I've been impressed with Ciampa since the first time I saw him.

-Pre-match video for the RoH title match. Strong wants to be champion again to make Davey's life miserable. Richards talks about the death of his grandparents.

-MAIN EVENT: Ring of Honor World Championship: Davey Richards [c] VS Roderick Strong (w/Truth Martini)

-Barebones stuff to start. Davey locks in an anklelock, but Strong rolls through to send them both outside. They battle out there for a bit. Strong wins a chop exchange. Back in, Strong stomps a mudhole. Richards hits an enziguiri, but gets distracted by Martini as he climbs on the turnbuckles, and ends up taking a flying knee to the face for two.

Back from a commercial break, Richards takes control, sending Strong to the outside, then running along the apron and kicking Strong in the head. Richards hits a suicide dive. Back in, Richards hits a missile dropkick for two. Richards hits an Exploder suplex for two. Strong hits a powerslam for two. Richards gets a crucifix pin for two. Strong avoids a kick, and hits one of his own for two. Strong drops Richards back-first on the corner of the apron for two.

Richards hits the Alarm Clock, avoids a boot, and hits a discus clothesline for two. Richards kicks the shit out of Strong in the corner, but takes an enziguiri and Death from Above for two. Richards hits a superplex and a falcon arrow for two, then locks in an ankelock. Richards avoids falling on the knees on Death from Above, and locks in the anklelock again before turning it into a heel hook. Strong taps, but Martini has the ref.

Richards gets rid of Martini. Strong takes the opportunity to hit the Sick Kick for two. Stronghold is countered into the anklelock. Strong no-sells a kick, ends up taking three more, and the anklelock into a heel hook gets the submission for Richards conveniently right before TV time expires. Match was good. I might have been blown away if I had never seen them wrestle before.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Solid show this week, with a little less time-wasting than the first two. For a company that says it's all about wrestling, it does take them too long to actually get into the wrestling on these shows (this week, the first match didn't start until 15 minutes in). Hopefully they tweak the format a little bit and find the sweet spot.