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Monday 29 July 2013

Wrestlemania XIX Re-Do Review




Wrestlemania XIX Re-Do Review


I've really been looking forward to re-doing this particular Mania, as I consider it my favourite PPV of all time. Wrestlemania X-Seven is obviously the better show, but if I had to pick one show that would be my final one to watch, it'd be this one. Let's begin.


                                                                                                                                                              


The video package does a good job making Wrestlemania look huge . I loved the music from Limp Bizkit and it complimented the event nicely .


(Yeah it features the top stars talking about how much Wrestlemania means to them. I'm watching the anthology version of the show, and I jumped with glee when I saw that Limp Bizkit's theme was kept intact. I'm not even a fan of their music, but I think it goes perfectly well with this show)


Matt Hardy vs Rey Mysterio
The now defunct Cruiserweight title on the line here . This was Rey Mysterio's first ever WM match . And the match starts right away with a Corkscrew over the top to Matt from Rey . Great action throughout this whole match . Hardy hits the twist of fate and Rey kicks out ! Hardy gets the win by pinning with the bottom rope . This was very short but still good for getting that much action in the match . Should have gotten more time . **3/4

(Like Punk vs Mysterio six years later, it was a crime that this got barely any time at all. Fortunately they packed an excellent little match into a short amount of time. Great cruiserweight action for five minutes. Hard to argue with it. **3/4)



The catfight girls arrive .

(The only real dark spot of the show)



Limp Bizkit perform their hit song ' Rollin ' . Once the song nears it end , Taker enters the arena . It looks awesome .


(I love Tony Chimel announcing them as the WWE's favourite band in the whole world. Ass kissing much?)


Undertaker vs A-Train & Big Show : Handicap Match
I've heard people call this match crap , but i don't its that bad . There might be a little bias there though . Nathan Jones was supposed to be in this match but he sucked so was taken out , only to be used at the end of the match . Taker hits a chokeslam straight away but Show stops the pin . This has been a solid match . Here's Nathan to attack Show . Taker goes 11-0 at WM with a tombstone . Not a bad match . **


(This match seems to have a real bad wrap. Not sure if that's because of Nathan Jones being kept out of it and his interference at the end. The match itself is much better than it probably should have been. It's not bad at all and is entertaining just about all the way through. In fact I'd go higher with the rating and put it at  **1/4)



We are shown the catfight girls again meeting with Torrie Wilson and Stacy Kiebler . Well that was pointless.


(Well even the best shows have their bad moments)


Trish Stratus vs Jazz vs Victoria 
I'd put this as the second best divas match in Wrestlemania history . Good action throughout this match . A good triple threat match . Trish becomes the women's champion after a chick kick to Victoria . ***


(It's hard to decide which match is better, between this and the Mania 22 Women's Title match. Mania 22 has the storyline and the psychology, but this one was just plain fun. Although Trish and Victoria had  been feuding for a while. Great job by all three ladies. ***)


Backstage , The Rock gives us his classic heel style promo .

(I miss Hollywood Rock. He was one of the highlights of 2003)



Los Guerreros vs Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs Team Angle
This should be a great match . Full of great wrestlers . This has been a really good match so far . Shelton gets the pin after Chavo is gored . The champs retain . ***



(This one definitely should have been given an extra five minutes. Could have been a classic with the extra time. As it is it's still a very good tag match in which each guy got a chance to show off their moves. Bringing this up to  ***1/4)



Another catfight girls segment .

(God just end them now)



Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho
I love this match . It always seems to go under the radar when talking about the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history . This will always be a favourite of mine . This match showed Shawn that he was still the showstopper and would go on to wrestle and create classic moments and matches for another seven years . Shawn gets the win after a roll up . After the match , Jericho goes to hug HBK but ends up kicking him in the crotch . Just greatness here . ****1/2


(Still one of my favourite Mania matches, and it isn't talked about enough. I'd also put it as my favourite Chris Jericho match. Match of the Night in my eyes, and that's saying something considering the final two matches. It's also quite famous for making HBK realise that he was still an amazing wrestler, and inspired him to come back full time. Just an amazing back and forth contest between two of the best wrestlers in history. What more could you ask for? Jericho kicking HBK in the balls after the match is classic Y2J. ****1/2)



Triple H vs Booker T 
I think Booker deserved his big moment here and the ending was abrupt , but this was still a really good match here . HHH picks up the win with his pedigree . ***1/4


(Looking back at how the storyline played out, this really should have been Booker's big moment at Mania. At least this match was still really good. It's also notable that this was the first time that the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was defended at Wrestlemania. If it had a better finish, it would have a higher rating. I'll keep it at  ***1/4)



I should say , I've deliberately left out the unbelievably bad catfight match as i refuse to even accept it as a match .

(That atrocity was not a match. Yeah this was the Chyna/Ivory of this show)



Hulk Hogan vs Vince McMahon : Street Fight 
This was really big as it was 20 years in the making . Roddy Piper's appearance here was great and in a twist  attacked Hogan instead of Vince . Hulk got the win after an amazing 3 leg drops . Surprisingly good match here . ***

(With the age of both guys, and the low wrestling ability of the two should have guaranteed that this match would suck. The fact that it didn't and could actually be classed as good could very well make it one of the best booked matches ever. Vince's leg drop off the ladder and through the table was insane. The appearance of Roddy Piper was great too. I may hate on Hogan, but seeing him hulk up brings out the kid in me. The match wasn't very good, but as entertainment it was awesome and that's why it's staying at  ***)



Stone Cold vs The Rock
Their final match against each other , and Austin's final match ever . A great match to go out on . Austin kept the fact that he was retiring quiet and wanted to go off into the sunset without any fanfare whatsoever . Got to respect him for that . The Rock picks up the win after a third rock bottom to Austin . Farewell Stone Cold . ****1/2


(The third and final Mania match between these two guys. The culmination of one of the all time great wrestling rivalries. I still respect Austin for wanting to go quietly. I believe it was only Austin, Rock and JR that knew that this would be Austin's final match. What a great match to go out on. I did overrate the match a little bit but not by much. A great finisher fest between two of the all time greats. ****1/4)



Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle 
Looking at this card , it is quite amazing that this match made the main event . Both guys were capable of pulling it off , but this was Lesnar's first Wrestlemania and Angle's first time in the main event at Wrestlemania so there had to be nerves here . Vince must have had a lot of faith in both guys to put them here . Aside from the botched ending , these guys managed to give us a fantastic match on a fantastic night , to give us probably the second-best Wrestlemania in history . I think we all know the no.1 anyway . Lesnar wins after a third F-5 to Angle . A new champion is crowned . ****1/4


(These guys had quite a job trying to follow everything else on this amazing show, but they managed to do it with a technical classic. It's a shame that people mostly remember the botched shooting star press over this amazing contest. This match is even better considering that Angle was wrestling with a really damaged neck. Rating stays the same for this one. ****1/4)


9.5/10 . The 2nd best Wrestlemania in history . That is saying a lot for this amazing event . Just look at the card and you can see what made it so great . The only really bad thing was the catfight mess , but everything else made up for it . A fast cruiserweight match , Taker's streak continues , a good divas match , a good tag match , an amazing dream match , a great world title match , a match 20 years in the making , Austin's final match , and an amazing main event . Well done WWE .



(Still easily 9.5/10 for me. Only the shit with the catfight girls brings it down. You get three matches that are over four stars and another four that are three stars or over. The other two matches were very entertaining as well, so none of the official matches sucked with the lowest rating being **1/4. Awesome event that is must-see and, for me, easily the second best Mania in history with only Mania 17 ahead of it)

Sunday 28 July 2013

Wrestlemania XX Re-Do Review





Wrestlemania XX Re-Do Review



I always love going back to watch this one, as it gives me some great memories from when I first started watching. I was able to watch it because my mother had it taped on a VHS (there was no way I could have stayed up from midnight to around 4 in the morning I think) and I've basically been hooked ever since. So let's get started!




The Boys Choir of Harlem sing America the Beautiful . Having a whole choir sing it , sounds much better than just one person ( with the exception of Lilian ) . Good job boys !   Madison Square Garden ..... what a place .


(Always need to mention Lilian don't I)


The opening video package is great with the wrestlers talking about how big Wrestlemania is , along with MSG.


(Love this video package)


John Cena vs The Big Show
Cena's first ever Wrestlemania . Quite historic . Cena talks trash about Big Show before the match . Quite entertaining . I love the fact that there's a guy in the crowd wearing a Cena shirt , cheering for him , when today he is a proud Cena-hater ! Talk about hypocrites ! Anyway here we go . This is was just basically Big Show beating up Cena , with Cena getting in a bit of offense . The crowd was into it though and it gave Cena his first singles title in the WWE . **


(As time has went on, this one seems more highly appreciated due to it being Cena's first title win and his first of many Wrestlemania matches. Seems strange to see Cena in the opener of Mania. First and last time he'd be doing that. Show got most of the offense, but there was something very entertaining about Cena trying to get his comeback. I'm rooting for him even though I know he wins! Entertaining opener. **)



Backstage Eric Bischoff wants the Coach to look for the Undertaker for no reason whatsoever .

(There was a reason: shenanigans)


Randy Orton is talking backstage with Evolution , and is talking about when he kicked Mick Foley down the stairwell at MSG and some of the other things that happened during their feud .

La Resistance vs Jindrak & Cade vs The Dudley Boyz vs Booker T & RVD
This is here just to get more people on the card but it should still be fun . The tag team champs , Booker & RVD , retain . I found this entertaining and enjoyed it . **1/2


(Yeah this is the first of three matches that was designed to get more wrestlers their Wrestlemania payday and give them a chance to say they performed at Mania. Throwaway match, but it was fun mainly thanks to Booker T, RVD and the chaotic finish. Bringing it down to  **)


In a funny moment , Coach finds Mean Gene & Bobby Heenan fooling around with Moolah & Mae Young .

(Yeah this was pretty funny)



Chris Jericho vs Christian
I think this is one of the most forgotten about and underrated Wrestlemania matches of all time . Both guys put on a great match here . Great back and forth action so far . Trish comes down to ringside . Christian wins with a school boy after Trish elbows Jericho in the face . This was a great match . ***3/4


(Here we have our first great match of the night. This storyline had been going on for a while with Jericho desperately trying to be with Trish Stratus. Christian became sick of it, attacked both Jericho and Trish and it all culminated in this match. Except there was a twist in the story, with Trish betraying Y2J and going with Christian. Even with the melodramatic story in the background, they managed to have an awesome, highly underrated contest. Still  ***3/4 in my eyes)



Backstage , Lilian interviews Mick Foley and The Rock comes along and gives one of his classic promos .

The Rock 'N' Sock Connection vs Evolution 
I remember this being awesome . Let's hope it still is . And it starts off right away with a fist fight . The exchanges between Flair and the Rock were a lot of fun . Flair going for the people's elbow was great . The Rock hits it in retaliation but only gets 2 . Batista hits the batista bomb but that only gets a 2 . Orton hits the RKO and gets a 3 count . This was such a great match that was entertaining all the way through . ****


(From one great match to another. I don't think anyone could have predicted this match being as fun and entertaining as it was. You had the Rock and Ric Flair being awesome, Batista and Orton showing what they had in their first Mania match, and Foley continuing his great rivalry with Orton. The right team got the win as well which made it all the better. This was also Rock's final match until the 2011 Survivor Series. Awesome match that is definitely worth a watch. ****)



We are shown the Hall of Fame class . A great class here . With guys like Tito Santana and Harley Race .

Sable & Torrie Wilson vs Miss Jackie & Stacy Keibler : Playboy Evening Gown Match
Sable takes the mic and turns the match into a no evening gown match . Wow they look good . This match gains half a star thanks to this . That ref is one lucky bastard . Torrie picks up the win with a roll up and shows Jackie's ass ! Screw it , this gets  * .


(The great thing about this match is that the women knew that they weren't out there to try and have a wrestling match, they knew that they were there for the eye candy. And they did that VERY well. As a match this obviously wasn't very good, but as entertainment, it was awesome. I'll go with 1/2*)


Eddie Guerrero has a pep talk backstage with Chris Benoit . God i miss both guys .

First Ever Cruiserweight Open
I've heard a lot of people say this match should have been better , but i thoroughly enjoyed it . And here we go , starting with Ultimo Dragon and Shannon Moore . Moore out after a reverse DDT and Jamie Noble enters . Dragon now eliminated and Funaki in then straight out again ! Nunzio comes in . Nunzio out , Kidman in . Kidman with a shooting star press to the outside ! Noble out , Mysterio in . Kidman out , Tajiri in . Tajiri eliminated , and the champ , Chavo , is in . Chavo wins with help from his dad . Fun little match here . **3/4


(I've always wondered why people seem to dismiss this match when talking about it. I know that no one really got enough time to do much, except for Jamie Noble, but that doesn't stop it from being an entertaining match all the way through. Kidman's springboard shooting star press was awesome. Sticking with the  **3/4 rating)


Brock Lesnar vs Goldberg : Special Referee - Stone Cold Steve Austin 
Ah this infamous match . I remember at the time thinking it was going to be great , and once it was over , even at 9 years old , I thought ' what the fuck was that ??' I had no idea both guys were quitting after the match . The match isn't good but is worth watching thanks to the great crowd reactions to both men . The match starts with a ' You sold out ' chant . They even start singing ' Na na na na Goodbye ' . Both guys just walking around the ring staring each other down . Austin gets his own nice chant and has a little grin on his face . Finally some contact . Even that's boring . Finally they get going with some power moves . Goldberg wins with a Jackhammer . I'll give the whole thing  *1/4 . The fans made this match worth watching . Lesnar gives the fans and Austin two middle fingers and Austin returns the favour with a stunner . Austin also hits Goldberg with a stunner leaving the fans happy . Quite surreal to say the least .


(One of the most disappointing Wrestlemania matches of all time, and yet it is still so much fun to watch again and again. It's hilarious to watch the video package before the match, making it look like it's going to be a huge brawl and then you get a real sucky match that the crowd turns into a surreal experience that should be viewed by every wrestling fan at least once. It's rare that a show is made better by a bad match. Austin is fun to watch as well. I'll go with  *)



Vince McMahon comes out to thank the fans for making Wrestlemania what it is today . That was quite nice considering what just previously occurred .

(Actually it seems more ironic after that debacle. And funny)



World's Greatest Tag Team vs APA vs Basham Brothers vs Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty
This is the same as the raw tag match , in which it was used just to get more people on the card . Should still be fun though . Rikishi wins the match for his team and retains the tag titles . This wasn't as good as the previous tag title match , but was ok . *1/2  Rikishi and Scotty have a dance after the match .


(Final match of the night to be throwaway, just to get more people on the show. Fun match, not much else to say. **)



Jesse Ventura comes out to give Donald Trump an interview . This seemed pretty pointless .

Victoria vs Molly Holly 
If Molly loses the match , her head will be shaved . The match was ok but people were here just to see if Molly would lose her hair . Victoria wins with a backslide . * . After the match Molly is shaved bald and it continues into the next contest .

(Rare to see a woman getting her hair shaved in the WWE. Actually I think it was the only time, not counting the Straight Edge Society shaving. The hairdresser reminds me of Brad Maddox. The match was quite sloppy at times and just not very entertaining. It was about  1/4*, but at least we still got the head shaving)



Eddie Guerrero vs Kurt Angle
When we come back from the video package , Molly is now practically bald . This should be a great match . Some nice mat wrestling to start with . Eddie goes for a huge crossbody to the outside and instead hits the barricade .  Sick . This has been a fantastic match so far . Eddie hits the frog splash but Kurt kicks out ! Eddie rolls through Angle while holding the ropes and gets the win ! Awesome match . ****1/2


(When Angle came out and saw Molly bald, he must have been having some bad flashbacks. Anyway this match seems to be forgotten about when talking about fantastic Mania matches, which is a shame because this one was amazing. It's Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle, how can you not love it? The match just builds and builds into a brilliant back and forth contest worthy of the WWE Championship. A technical classic. ****1/2)



The Undertaker vs Kane
This is the match where the deadman gimmick returned after 4 years of the biker gimmick . Needless to say , this was a very anticipated matchup . The deadman was always better suited for Taker . Paul Bearer coming back was great as well . Here he is ! Taker gets a huge pop from the crowd . Kane doesn't believe Taker is really there and so goes to touch him but instead gets  a few punches to the face . I really enjoyed this match at the time , and i still enjoy it . Taker wins with his tombstone piledriver and goes 12-0 . Solid match . **1/2


(As a kid, this was my favourite match. It's not a very good match, but seeing Undertaker coming back with the Deadman gimmick, the druids and the late, great Paul Bearer. The build up was good with Taker constantly torturing Kane with his usual Deadman tricks. Not too bad. **)



Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit 
Here we are at the main event WWE wishes they could forget . Even after the Benoit tragedy , it is still one of the greatest matches of all time . This match showed that great wrestlers like Benoit can have their big moment . Here we go ! Michaels with an amazing moonsault to the outside . HBK has been bloodied by the ring post . Benoit double-suplexed through a table ! Triple H now bleeding from the head ! HHH hits the pedigree ! Benoit saves the match . Benoit locks in the sharpshooter ! Sweet chin music to Benoit ! Only 2 ! What a match ! Benoit locks in the crossface ! Triple H taps and Benoit defies the odds ! An all time classic . I can't see any reason not to give it  ***** . After the match , Benoit and Guerrero embrace in the ring in a true Wrestlemania moment .


(Still the best triple threat match in history, as well as being one of the greatest matches of all time. I've watched it so many times and it never gets boring. Nothing more to say, other than Match of the Year. *****)




8.5/10 . Great Wrestlemania that has something for everyone . The main event is one of the greastest Wrestlemania matches ever and the WWE title match is also amazing . A highly recommended event .



(9/10. Still one of my favourite Manias ever. Both World Title matches more than delivered and Jericho/Christan and RocknSock/Evolution gave us some greatness from the midcard. There's nothing really terrible on the card and even the bad stuff was worth watching for one reason or another. Highly recommended)

Wrestlemania XXI Re-Do Review






Wrestlemania XXI Re-Do Review



I've always thought this this was one of the better Wrestlemania shows. Let's see if I still keep that opinion. (By the way, I cannot wait to watch HBK/Angle again! Seems like ages have passed since I last watched it) Alright let's get started. I hope you know the drill by now.





Lillian Garcia does another fantastic job of America the Beautiful .


(As usual she kills it. Might be her best performance of the song actually)


The movie parodies by the superstars are shown . I hope they can do this again , as it was done brilliantly in my opinion . They show the Stone Cold Steve Austin one in full . This one was pretty good . Here we go !


(Yeah just about all of them were really enjoyable. Loved the Booker T/Eddie Guerrero Pulp Fiction parody and the Basic Instinct parody as well)


Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio
These guys always had amazing matches together . This was no different . What a way to open up a Wrestlemania . They were tag team champions at the time and this was to prove who was better . The crowd applauds the great start to the match . Good to see there is a great , respectful crowd tonight . Amazing corkscrew crossbody to Eddie on the outside . What a match this has been . Mysterio gets the 3-count out of nowhere with a hurricarana . Great opener for 'Mania . ***1/2


(I've noticed that I always say the same thing with Eddie/Rey matches: I always mention their other great matches. Need to stop doing that. Anyway this was a great choice for the opener and probably the best choice. I think they were going for a repeat of the Halloween Havoc classic, but thanks to Rey's malfunctioning mask, they weren't able to do that. That doesn't stop it from being a great match though. It had it's slow moments, but it also has it's great moments. The great thing is that they both looked equal during the contest, and it took a lucky pin for Mysterio to get the victory, thus continuing their feud. Still  ***1/2 to me)




Money In The Bank
The first ever MITB match . And we've had so many great ones since this one , but none have had the same impact or have been as good as this one . Can't beat the original . Kane enters but all the other participants come out to attack him . Kane takes out just about everyone with a flying clothesline to the outside . Benoit gives Jericho a german suplex while holding a ladder ! Kane attempts to break Benoit's arm . E&C team up once again . So many great moments in this match . I won't try and list them all . T-Bone off the ladder ! Shelton runs up a ladder and clothelines Jericho ! Absolutely amazing . Benoit diving headbutt from a ladder ! Edge takes advantage of Benoit's injured arm and takes the briefcase . What a classic . ****1/2


(It could be argued that this match is just as innovative as the TLC matches that came before it, as the MITB is one of the most anticipated shows/matches of the year due to their excitement and unpredictability. This is still the best of the bunch in my opinion. Everyone brought something to this match, whether it be Shelton's crazy spots or Benoit's arm psychology. Maybe there should be another MITB with just six guys. Anyway it's still a classic ladder match and a classic Mania match to boot. Raising this rating to  ****3/4)



Eugene comes out . Well this can't be good . Mohammed Hassan comes out to attack Eugene . Out comes Hulk Hogan to protect America from evil foreigners . Hogan cleans house and everything is once again good in the world .


(Only just realised his name is spelt 'Muhammed'. My bad. Anyway the Eugene stuff sucks, but it was cool to see Hulk Hogan, even if soon after this he would continue his burying spree. Although that also led to a very good HBK/Hogan match at Summerslam. Nice cool down after the awesome ladder match. 


Undertaker vs Randy Orton
I believe this was the first time the Streak was really referenced . Thankfully they turned Orton heel again because his babyface thing sucked . This match was pretty good though . Druids surround the ring . Undertaker floats down to the arena . Orton is looking impressive in this match . The ref gets knocked out , and Bob Orton interferes to hit Taker with the cast . Only a 2 ! Orton turns a chokeslam into an RKO ! Again only a 2 ! Taker tombstones Orton to pick up the win and go 13-0 . Great match . ***1/2


(This is quite the under-appreciated match in my opinion. It seems forgotten among the Undertaker's Mania classics. It's not as good as them, but it still deserves a mention. It's actually quite historical, since it was the first match that used The Streak as part of the storyline and, obviously, it's been used a lot since then and has become bigger than any title in the company. At the time, this was Taker's best match since his WWE Title match with Kurt Angle in 2003. Still a great match with a great finish and I'm keeping the rating at  ***1/2)



Trish Stratus vs Christy Hemme
Wasn't Lita healthy enough to wrestle here ? If she was this could have been the best Wrestlemania ever . Instead we get this . At least Christy's great to look at . Well this is pretty sloppy . By ' this '  i mean Hemme . Trish wins with the Chick kick . 1/2*


(Christy definitely wasn't ready for a match this big yet. I think it was originally meant to be Lita because they'd been building it for a while, but she was injured. Christy was great to look at at least. Trish definitely carried this one. Keeping this at  1/2*. At least Trish would have a much better match the next year)


Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle
This is a huge dream match . It was expected to deliver a great match , but gave us much more . Here we go ! These guys stare each other down , in what is a true Wrestlemania moment . The idiotic ' You screwed Bret' chants start . Amazing mat wrestling at the start with dueling chants from the crowd . Both guys get into a fist fight . HBK takes an angle slam into the ring post . HBK gives Angle a crossbody but HBK's knee hit Angle in the face . HBK leaps from the ring to Angle on the announce table ! Unbelievable . Angle bleeding from the mouth . Sweet chin music turned into an angle lock ! Everyone is on their feet . Angle slam off the top ! Only 2 ! Sweet Chin music ! A 2 count ! Angle lock ! Shawn taps . An absolute classic . *****


(When thinking about this match, I started thinking that maybe it wasn't the five star classic I remembered. After watching it again today, I call myself an idiot for even daring to think that. Still the absolute classic match I remember. Nothing much else to say, as everything good under the sun has been said about this contest, much like the HBK/Taker match from Mania 25. Match of the Night, and that's saying something with the MITB being a near five star clash. Without a doubt, still  *****)


(I think I need a fifteen minute breather after that one. Just wow)



Piper's Pit now . Piper calls Stone Cold a rebel and then calls it bullshit . Austin comes down and Piper slaps him in the face . Austin slaps back . They have a good back & forth conversation . Carlito comes down for some reason . Piper and Austin take out Carlito . Austin stuns Piper and leaves . Fun little segment


(I used to think that there was no point for this to be on a Mania card, but now I realise that it was just to give the whole crowd one big breather)


The Big Show vs Akebono : Sumo Match
This was pretty unique but i'll give it a DUD .

(Yep still a DUD. It only really served as ammunition for Cody Rhodes seven years later)



John Cena vs JBL
This match wasn't very good but it is historical . This was Cena's first WWE Championship win and would go on to win around 10 more . This was a lot like the Cena/Big Show opener from WM 20 . I think people were expecting a bit more from it though . It's been all JBL so far . Finally Cena gets his offence in . Cena gets the win with the F-U . I'll give it *1/4 . A great moment .


(Yes the match pretty sucked, but it FINALLY got the Title off of JBL after what felt like an eternity of a title reign. Most of all it led to the huge rise of the future Superman and Cenation leader, John Cena. While it was a bad match, so was Hogan/Andre, but both have big reasons to be known as historical contests. Obviously Hogan/Andre was much better but you know what I mean. JBL being on offense most of the match was just boring, but Cena getting the win at the end is the only interesting part. Lowering it to  *)



The 2005 Hall of Fame is shown . A great class here with Paul Orndorff , Hulk Hogan , Roddy Piper , Bob Orton ,Jimmy Hart , Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik . Got to give it Bob for continuing to sell his bruises from earlier .

Batista vs Triple H
This is the same as the last match , in that it is important historically . Although this is the better match and the better storyline with Evolution imploding . Motorhead are here to play HHH to the ring . I think Lemmy may have forgotten the words . Here we go . The main event of a fantastic Wrestlemania . Overall i'll give the match **3/4 .


(Quite an anti-climactic match, but like the previous match, it made a rising star out of Batista. At least this match was better than the WWE Title match. Still got the same opinion on this one and keeping it at  **3/4)


8.5/10 . This was a fantastic event that just didn't end very well . Watch for 2 great matches , 1 amazing match and 1 absolute classic . Highly recommended .



(Yeah still keeping this at 8.5/10. Could have been one of the best ever had the World Championship matches delivered. The sumo and divas match don't help either. But fantastic MITB match, a five star classic in HBK/Angle, two great matches in Eddie/Rey and Orton/Taker, and the rise of two future stars in John Cena and Batista. Still a highly recommended show in my eyes)

Saturday 27 July 2013

Wrestlemania XXII Re-Do Review




Wrestlemania XXII Re-Do Review



This just arrived today and was the last Mania I needed to have the complete collection. Unfortunately I was an idiot and bought the region 1 version. Luckily I can still watch on my laptop so let's get to it!





Michelle Williams does a pretty good job of America the Beautiful.


(I don't know why I keep judging these people on how they sing. I'm not Simon Cowell. After wathing all these Manias, I feel like I know this song inside out)


Loved the video package for the event , the Shinedown song they used just felt right for Wrestlemania . This was definitely gonna be an action packed night . I would put this as one of my favourite events of all time .


(Not sure I would put it as one of my favourites now, but it's still a great event in my eyes)


And here we go with this great night ...

Kane & The Big Show vs Carlito & Chris Masters
This was a good choice for an opener as it got the crowd fired up for the rest of the night . I always liked the team of Kane & Big Show . Wow i really think Kane's athleticism is underrated , especially with that dropkick . Kane's diving clothesline to the outside was awesome . Kane gets the win with a chokeslam .
This was a lot of fun . **1/2


(This really didn't feel like a proper Mania match, but at least it was still fun while it lasted, which is all you can ask for sometimes. It's amazing that this was the first traditional tag title match since Mania 15. Then it wouldn't happen again until Mania 26. I overrated it but not by much. Short but fun opener. **)


Great promo from Shawn Michaels telling us not to expect a classic wrestling match , but to expect violence.

(I think he gave us enough of a classic match the year before with Kurt Angle)

  

Money In The Bank
Always get excited for these matches . Gotta give it to Ric Flair for going in there . I think he might regret it now . Shelton's running senton from the ladder to the outside was amazing . Flair being suplexed from the ladder was sick , especially when you hear his screams of pain . Quite uncomfortable . He is assisted to the back . RVD's rolling thunder to the ladder looked brutal . Flair comes back down . What a guy ! Fans are really behind Flair . RVD out of nowhere knocks Lashley off the ladder ! Unbelievable leg drop off the ladder from Matt Hardy . Shelton leap frogs onto the ladder out of nowhere ! Shelton & Hardy knocked off the ladder to the outside ! RVD grabs the briefcase . This was exciting all the way through . ****


(There was no way that this was going to be able to follow the classic original match, especially since there was less star power, but damn they tried their hardest in an awesome match. RVD was the clear favourite the entire time. This is another one I may have overrated a little bit. Still an awesome match though. ***3/4)



Backstage Batista says by WM 23 he will be the World Champion again . Got to give it to him for telling the truth .

Howard Finkel states that Bret Hart was uncomfortable participating in the event . Can't blame him . This was another great Hall of Fame class with legends like Mean Gene , Sensational Sherri , Verne Gagne and of course the late , great Eddie Guerrero and the legendary Bret ' The Hitman ' Hart . I actually cried during Eddie's induction and i'm not ashamed to say so . I still can't believe he's gone ....
Anyway back to the event .


(Yeah Eddie's induction to the Hall of Fame is really hard to watch, and I can just about guarantee that there will be tears when watched)


Chris Benoit vs JBL
And speaking of people i cant believe are gone , here comes Benoit . There was no need for JBL to mock Eddie . This is a nice solid matchup . I don't think JBL winning was a good idea . **1/4


(With Benoit in the match, there was a chance of this being the sleeper hit of the night. Unfortunately JBL was there to make sure it wasn't. I don't know why, but it seems that every match he's in feels really sluggish. JBL mocking Eddie to get some cheap heel heat is still disrespectful. Solid, unspectacular match. Sticking with  **1/4)


Edge vs Mick Foley : Hardcore Match
I think that Foley can make just about anyone into a superstar . He did it here with Edge on this night . How the hell is Foley still alive after all this time ? His body has taken so much abuse over the years . Nice to have Joey Styles assist with commentary , he always adds to matches . Here we go . Edge spears Mick and Edge appears to hurt more , and thats because Mick was weearing BARBED WIRE AROUND HIS WAIST !! How awesome was that ! He whips Edge with the barbed wire . Mick has his barbed wire bat ! Foley arm dragged onto the steps . Edge douses Foley with lighter fluid ! Mick takes the bat to the head . Bulldog on the bat ! Here come the thumb tacks . Edge back suplexed right on the tacks ! Mr Socko ! WRAPPED WITH BARBED WIRE ! Holy shit ! Both guys bleeding . This is like a horror movie . The table is on fire ! SPEAR THROUGH THE FLAMING TABLE !! There's your Wrestlemania moment Foley . Edge wins . This was amazing . Probably the most violent match in Wrestlemania history .  ****1/4


(Looks like a wrote a freaking essay on this match. Can't blame since it's such a great match. My opinion has changed a little. Still awesome, still brutal and the final spot is still such a great Wrestlemania moment and image. But I'm just gonna bring it down to  **** because I overrated it just a little bit)



Booker T and Sharmell meet all the weirdos backstage in a funny moment .

Booker T & Sharmell vs The Boogeyman
Skip this please . DUD


(No real point to this except to cool down the crowd after the crazy hardcore match. Still a DUD)


Trish Stratus vs Mickie James
I consider this the greatest Womens match in Wrestlemania history , even if that's not saying very much at all . I loved Mickie as a psycho bitch . The unedited version of this match is the best , since it has Mickie acting her lesbian best . Mickie groping at Trish was awesome . Good match . ***


(This match puts all other divas matches, except the triple threat at Mania 19, to shame. It had a story that had lasted a few months with Mickie being Trish's psycho stalker and it all culminated in this match. On the DVD version, we still get Mickie groping Trish, but she doesn't lick her fingers afterwards. Still  *** to me)


Vince McMahon is really muscled up backstage .

Undertaker vs Mark Henry : Casket Match
Another extension for the legendary WM Streak of the Undertaker . Too bad the match wasn't that good . This was when Undertaker started diving over the top rope at Wrestlemania again . Taker wins . *


(Well at least Taker started having amazing matches at Mania after this one. Just a roadblock for the Deadman here. Mark Henry was still a while away from his Hall of Pain awesomeness. Very boring match and the rating is still  *)


Shawn Michaels vs Vince McMahon : No Holds Barred
This match showed that HBK can have a great match with anyone . The elbow drop off the huge ladder onto Vince ,who had a trash can around his head and was placed on a table , was amazing . Great match . ***1/2


(This got the Match of the Year award from PWI. I really wouldn't go that far with it, but it was still very fun. It had been built up for a while with Vince constantly screwing with HBK. HBK would get his revenge on this night and with the reformation of DX. Well done to Shawn for making this as fun as it could have been. Consider Vince the broomstick in this bout. The huge elbow from the huge ladder is still an amazing sight to behold. Still  ***1/2 to me)


Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle vs Randy Orton
Add ten minutes to this match and you have a classic . As it is , it's still a great match that was action-packed . Rey Mysterio finally got the moment he deserved . One of my favourite matches . ***1/2


(Yeah I wouldn't consider this one of my favourite matches now. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great little match, but imagine how good it could have been had they given them twenty minutes to work with. I guess using the death of Eddie Guerrero never really worked out well for Rey, since his title reign was mediocre, and he wouldn't win another World Title until 2010 and even then he only held it for a month. He won the WWE Title for only an hour in 2011!
Short but very good match. ***1/2)



Torrie Wilson vs Candice Michelle
Who the hell booked this crap ??! Absolute DUD .


(As if the rating was going to increase. Total shit. DUD)


(I still giggle when I see CM Punk dressed as a 1920s gangster. Don't worry Punk, in five years they'll all be chanting your name)


John Cena vs Triple H
This match helped make John Cena into a superstar . But it was also the real start of the anti-Cena movement . The match is great and was worthy of the WM Main Event . ***3/4


(This was Cena's big moment to show that he belonged in the main event scene, and he's been there ever since! However, this is also when the crowd started it's mega hate on Cena. They really hated him here, but nothing will ever match up to the One Night Stand hate. Still it's an awesome match and a great main event to close Mania out with. Definitely increasing this to  ****)



8/10 The good outweighed the match on this show , but the bad was REALLY bad . You do however get 5 great matches and 3 that were solid or good . Recommended .



(Sticking with the 8/10 rating here. You had a great crowd, both World Title matches delivered, HBK put on a great performance against Vince, the hardcore match was awesome and the MITB was a lot of fun. Only a couple of DUDs and the boring Casket match let it down. Overall a great Wrestlemania.





Wednesday 24 July 2013

Wrestlemania XXIII Re-Do Review





Wrestlemania XXIII Re-Do Review



On paper, this didn't look like a particularly great Mania, but somehow it all just came together and worked, creating a great show. But do the matches still hold up since last I watched? Let's begin.






Loved the choice of using Vince's intro to WM 3 to introduce Aretha Franklin to sing America the Beautiful like she did twenty years before . She does a great job singing and makes it a big deal .


(Still enjoyed this, and that wouldn't be the last time that Mania 3 was referenced. Unfortunately it was during the Kane/Khali match)


Money In The Bank
Very star-studded MITB this year . It's just a shame they didn't have storylines going into Mania , especially Edge & Orton . The back of Kennedy's neck hitting the ladder was brutal . Jeff jumping from the HUGE ladder in the ring onto Edge on the ladder outside is one of those moments that will live forever . This was just flat out awesome . When the match was aired , i was genuinely surprised that Kennedy won the match . I expected Punk to win . KENNEDY !!!! ****


(Some people regard this as the best MITB match. I personally believe that it's the second best. Something that helps is that there are a lot of stars in this match. It was hard to predict who was going to win, but I'm not sure if Kennedy was a favourite to win. Up until Cena, Kennedy was the only MITB winner not to win the championship, mainly thanks to Edge. Still an excellent ladder match with some great spots, including the insane spot with Jeff jumping about 20ft onto Edge. Great stuff and still  **** in my eyes)


Kane vs The Great Khali
This match wasn't as bad as I thought it would be . Still not good , but not very bad . Although I am a big fan of Kane so that might explain it . Thought it was cool they tried to recreate the WM 3 slam , but obviously it didn't have the same impact . *


(I always wonder who it is backstage that thinks these two have great chemistry. Why at Mania as well? It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it still wasn't great or even good. It wasn't really a good idea to try and recreate the Hogan/Andre slam as there was no way in hell it would have the same impact. If it was just meant as a tribute then that's cool. Kane tried his best to make the match good, but just wasn't able to. I'll go with 1/4*)


Fun backstage segment follows .

Chris Benoit vs MVP
This would be Chris's final Wrestlemania match . For those wondering , i hate Benoit the person who destroyed his legacy with despicable actions , but i still love Benoit the wrestling character who gave us so many amazing moments and matches . This started with great mat wrestling that had me impressed and just kept going until the end . Had it been longer , it could have been a classic . ***1/4



(I've gotten to that point where I can watch any Benoit match without thinking about the elephant in the room. MVP had only been in the company for around six months at this point, so it must have been a big deal for him to have his own Mania singles match. He did well in first Mania, looking like he could wrestle with the likes of Benoit. I'd always thought this one was quite underrated, but it's not as good as I remembered. Still quite a good match, just needed more time to be better. **3/4)


Another fun backstage segment featuring Donald Trump .


(Meh, it was ok)


This was a great Hall of Fame class featuring many that deserved to be there such as Mr Perfect , Jerry Lawler , Jim Ross , Mr Fuji , Nick Bockwinkel , The Sheik , The Wild Samoans and Dusty Rhodes . ( I think i just named them all )


(Yes I did, and with uncapitalised I's)


Attendance record for WM 23 set for just over 80,000 . Wow i think that's the second best for Wrestlemania's .


(Still don't know if I'm right about that. Could be wrong)


Thought i should mention that while reviewing this event , I ordered the History of the WWE Championship DVD so now i have all 3 ! I will certainly be reviewing that one along with the other two someday .


(And now someday I'll be re-doing it! Excellent DVD though)


Batista vs Undertaker
I remember before this match took place , i was sure it wouldn't be a very good match . Boy was i wrong . This match rocked . Love it when Taker uses druids for his entrance . Amazing entrance for Taker . Really surprising fast pace for this match . Love the Undertaker's WM suicide dive . Always great to see . These two guys went out there and tore down the house and showed they deserved to be in the main event at Wrestlemania . Taker goes 15-0 and wins the world title with a tombstone . ****


(Quite possibly the most surprisingly great match in history. I don't think anyone was expecting even a good match, and I wasn't surprised when it went on so early, but it stole the damn show. It wasn't the best match of the night, that would be the main event, but because it wasn't expected to be so good, it made it look legendary. Just an awesome big man vs big man match all the way through. This is what happens when you just let two big guys beat the crap out of each other. Awesome. In fact, I'm gonna increase this to ****1/4)



ECW Originals vs The New Breed
The was an emotional moment for ECW fans as their guys finally got to the biggest stage of them all , Wrestlemania . A good Wrestlemania moment . Standard entertaining tag match . **


(Still nice to see the ECW Originals make it to Wrestlemania, but it's just a shame that they had to follow that awesome World Title match. Another one that could have used more time, and probably would have been better as an extreme rules match. The match was quite enjoyable, but the crowd was just burned out after the World Title match. In fact they only livened up when RVD was in the ring. I'll stick with  **)



Battle of the Billionaires : Bobby Lashley vs Umaga
So they can give these two a storyline but not Edge or Orton ? Interesting . I think this is the match that made the PPV the highest selling for a few years . Ok match that left us with a Wrestlemania moment . **1/4


(This is the reason that this Wrestlemania had the highest buyrate for any Mania up until that point. The storyline did create a nice opportunity for both Lashley and Umaga. This was Umaga's Mania debut and Lashley had only been in MITB at that point. Lashley would leave a few months after this and Umaga would continue being awesome. Thankfully they never let the two have a proper match, as they didn't have a lot of chemistry, so they overbooked it to hell. That made it a lot of fun. I'll keep it at  **1/4)


Ashley vs Melina
Next !! DUD


(Ah the obligatory divas match, who doesn't love these? Really a step down from the previous year's match between Mickie James and Trish Stratus. Just a really sloppy, really bad divas match. It's still a DUD)


John Cena vs Shawn Michaels
Wow they really made this match a big deal . Awesome match that was just as good as the Batista/Taker match . Great stuff . ****1/4


(The build for this match has been repeated a few times over the years, with the two guys who were feuding ending up winning the Tag Titles together. Originally this was meant to be a rematch of Cena/HHH, but obviously HHH was injured. I think this match ended up being the better choice anyway. This was also the first time since Mania 17 that the main event was a face vs face match. The match did start a bit slowly with HBK doing a lot of leg work in vain, since Cena basically no-sold it for the rest of the contest. The rest of the match felt epic though, which definitely made up for it. A main event worthy of Wrestlemania. I'm increasing the rating to  ****1/2)







7.5/10 Underrated Wrestlemania that is worth watching for the two World title matches and the MITB .


(Bringing this one up to 8/10. A surprisingly great Mania here worth a watch, with the two World Title matches being MOTYC and one of the best MITB matches. Add a solid US Title match and a fun battle of the billionaires, and you have a great Mania. Check this one out.

Monday 22 July 2013

Wrestlemania XXIV Re-Do Review




Wrestlemania XXIV Re-Do Review


One of my personal favourite Manias. Does it still hold up since my last viewing? Let's begin.




John Legend does a good job singing America the Beautiful .


(Yes he does)


Finlay vs JBL : Belfast Brawl
Good way to open Mania . Trash can garbage . I do believe Finlay should have picked up the victory here though . Good solid match . ***


(This was a strange one, as it didn't really feel like a proper Mania match. Felt more like a match on a B-Show PPV. The storyline wasn't well put together either. Somehow JBL managed to find out that Hornswoggle's father was Finlay. How? Anyway that doesn't stop the match from being a lot of fun. For some reason, seeing people hit with garbage cans is very entertaining. Nice energetic match to open up the show. Good for a garbage match  ***)


Money In The Bank
One of the best spotfests in WWE . It worked really well for a match that had 2 faces and 5 heels . Loved the sunset flip suplex off the ladder and Shelton falling all the way outside the ring onto another ladder . Brilliant match . Punk wins his first , but not his last , MITB .  ****


(Probably one of the better MITB matches in history. At the time I thought having only two faces was bad, but look at the recent MITB match that had nothing but heels! Anyway this match was awesome all the way through, and just about everyone had something to bring to the match. The interference of Matt Hardy was very well done too. Punk deserved the big win. ****)



(Showing the Hall of Fame class of 2008 is a lot harder to watch now, due to the tragic death of Ric Flair's son, Reid. RIP)


Batista vs Umaga
This was a bit of a disappointment . The crowd kept it entertaining though . *


(Billed as Smackdown vs Raw, but this was basically just an excuse to get both guys on the big card. I think they may had been hoping that these two would have surprise chemistry like Batista and Taker the year before. That was not the case. The crowd chanting for Umaga was cool though. The match wasn't too bad and started off quite well, but really slowed down after that. I'll go with  *1/2 for this one)


Kane vs Chavo Guerrero
I'm a Kane fan so this wasn't all bad for me . Still a spit in the face to ECW . DUD


(Still a DUD. The ECW Title deserved more. That's all I have to say about that)


Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair
Perhaps the most emotional match in WWE history . Everyone knew that Flair was going to lose but everyone wanted to see it happen . Quite hard to rate this match as you have to take the wrestling and the emotion of it all into it . Overall i'd give it about ****1/4


(Some say that this one has lowered in quality since it took place, but not to me. I still love the fact that both guys worked their asses off, trying to pull off a brilliant match and give Flair the appropriate sendoff. Flair got to put in just about his whole move-set, which is always a good thing. I think HBK broke his ribs when he landed on the table early in the bout, so well done to him for keeping the match going. Still sticking with the  ****1/4 rating)



Beth Phoenix & Melina vs Maria & Ashley : Bunnymania Lumberjack
The lights going out distracted from the match but there wasn't much to be distracted from . 1/2*


(Got to give them credit for continuing the match while in the dark. The match wasn't great as the team of Maria and Ashley should have been dubbed 'Sloppymania'. Beth and Melina kept things watchable though, along with the addition of Lawler and Santino. Still  1/2*)


John Cena vs Triple H vs Randy Orton
I love triple threat matches and this one was great . WWE made the smart move by letting Orton get the upset win . No one expected him to , even myself . They had a poll earlier in the night to see what the fans though , and only 9% picked Orton to win . Great match ***1/2


(At the time, I was expecting this or the Mayweather match to be the main event, so it was quite a surprise to see it come before the other two main matches. Most people were expecting either HHH or John Cena to win. Barely anyone thought that Orton would win. Nice little swerve, and the first time since Mania 2000 that a heel won the WWE Championship match. Also Cena's first loss at a Mania. It did feel like a big match, with the three top Raw guys trying to prove that they were the best. Still a great match. ***1/2)



Floyd Mayweather vs The Big Show : No DQ
This was very good for a celebrity vs wrestler match . Better than WM 11 match anyway . Good thing they didn't again make the mistake of a match like this going on last . Good match ***


(Don't know why I seemed to be hating on the Mania 11 celebrity match since it was actually quite good. Anyway this match was quite highly anticipated and I'm surprised that they didn't put it as the main event, although that turned out to be a great decision. The match may be my personal favourite celebrity wrestling match, and probably the best in WWE history. Still a lot of fun to watch. ***)



Edge vs The Undertaker
This is one of my favourite Wrestlemania matches . This is probably the best of the Edge/Taker series of matches and that is saying something . Great back and forth match worthy of the main event of Wrestlemania  . Undertaker wins another world title after making Edge submit to the hell's gate submission . ****1/2


(Still one of my favourite Mania matches. I'd probably put this as my match of the year for 2008, even with the amazing HIAC match and awesome HBK/Y2J feud. The crowd were very quiet to start, but these guys managed to liven them up with some great in-ring action. Best decision of the night was to put this as the unexpected main event, since it ended up being the best match of the entire night. Great ending to a fantastic show. ****1/2)


8.5/10 A great Wrestlemania and one of the best of the 21st century . Definitely a memorable one .



(I think I'm gonna put this up to 9/10. One of the better Mania's for sure with each main match delivering, and some extra fun with the MITB and the Belfast Brawl. The bad stuff was made very short which is a bonus. Overall a must-see Mania.

Saturday 20 July 2013

Wrestlemania XXV Re-Do Review





Wrestlemania XXV Re-Do Review



I've always found this one a little underrated, as it's usually ranked with the worst of Wrestlemania events. Let's begin.




Didn't really enjoy the Nicole whateverhernameis rendition of America the Beautiful . Felt forced .


(I do think they could have gotten someone a bit classier for this, rather than someone from the Pussycat Dolls. She did a good job though)


Money In The Bank Ladder Match
I love this ladder match no matter how many botches are in it . With money in the bank at Wrestlemania , how can you go wrong ? ***3/4


(I don't know why they put Mark Henry in this match, as there was no way he would make it any more exciting. Still an awesome MITB match which is only let down by some of the slower moments at the beginning. I think some people were disappointed with Punk winning again, but that ended up being a great idea since it led to the Punk/Hardy feud. The match is much shorter than I remember with a big noticeable botch from Shelton Benjamin. I'll give this match  ***1/2)



(Fortunately for me, the Kid Rock concert is not on the DVD, so I won't be able to watch it. Thank god)


25 Diva Battle Royal
SKIP !  DUD


(I'm tempted just to stick with that review. No divas were announced which was really stupid since there were returning stars like Victoria and Sunny. Just pointless and boring with the worst choice of a winner you could imagine. Santino dressed as a woman. Are you kidding? The scary thing is, they stuck with that gimmick for a couple of months. The worst match in Mania history? Quite possibly. Big DUD for this one)


Chris Jericho vs Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka & Ricky Steamboat
When Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka were in the ring , the match sucked , but when Steamboat was in the ring it was magic . It should have been those 2 going one on one like Backlash one month later . Good match . ***


(I overrated this one a bit. The stuff with Snuka and Piper was bad as they couldn't really do anything in the ring, but the stuff with Steamboat was just fantastic. He could have came back full time and showed some of the younger stars a thing or two. I'll say  **1/2 for the whole thing, but definitely watch it for the Steamboat moments)


Jeff Hardy vs Matt Hardy : Extreme Rules
I don't know who said these two have crappy matches together because I thought this was great and brutal . I think Jeff is trying to be too much like Sting with that face paint . Absolutely sick finish and the ladder moment didn't help either . ***1/2


(For some reason, these two just weren't very good against each other in singles matches. Luckily this was an extreme rules match, so they were able to disguise some of that with weapon and high flying spots. This isn't as interesting as I remembered, just a few big spots really. I'll give it  **3/4)


Rey Mysterio vs JBL
Straight away a DUD . Should have been longer . JBL then quits the WWE . Hallelujah , a saving grace !


(Yeah I really wasn't a big JBL fan. I do love him doing commentary though. Would have been nicer if we had a full length match. I'll raise it to a  1/4* because it was still fun to see JBL beaten so quickly)


Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
In my opinion , this is the greatest match of all time . Everything about it was great : the referee , the commentators , the entrances , the red hot crowd , the amazing nearfalls , and the two legends in that ring . The man who never loses at Wrestlemania vs Mr Wrestlemania . These two have never had a bad match against each other and this was their best . IMO only Bret vs Steve Austin at WM13 comes close to beating this . I've watched this match around 12 times and it still amazes me . Best match ever . Taker goes 17-0 after a tombstone . *****


(The match that got me back into watching wrestling full time in 2010. Still my favourite match of all time and still, in my opinion, the greatest Wrestlemania match of all time. Everything to be said about this match has already been said, and there's nothing I can really add, except to say watch it immediately if you haven't already seen it. Obviously still  *****. Should have been the main event, no way anything was ever going to follow this)



John Cena vs The Big Show vs Edge
This match did quite well considering it had to follow the greatest match of all time . Good little triple threat going on here . Wow John Cena is powerful ! ***1/4


(I'm surprised that the crowd had any energy left to boo Cena with. Main storyline in the match was the love triangle featuring Vickie Guerrero, Edge and Big Show. Cena tried to use that to his advantage. It is amazing that this still managed to be very good, while following an all-time classic match. Probably should have been Cena vs Edge to finally give them that big match feel, but it was still good as it was. Cena lifting both Edge and Show is still a sight to behold. I'm gonna increase this to  ***1/2 as it impressed me even more)


Triple H vs Randy Orton
Talk about disappointing . I'll just leave this **1/2 and be done with it .


(Up there with Lesnar/Goldberg for disappointing Mania matches. The build for the match was excellent, with Orton at his viper best taking out the McMahon family one by one, including Stephanie. It also included HHH going to Orton's house and kicking his ass. It all built up to a whimper, not a bang. I truly believe that if they had done the same as Austin/Rock by announcing the match as No DQ, it could have been awesome. Instead they went in the idiotic opposite direction and made it that HHH had to follow the rules. Bullshit, this should have been a war. Such a missed opportunity. Lowering the rating to  **1/4)


7/10 Good show with a couple of DUDs and a disappointing main event . Everything else was great though .




(Lowering the overall rating to 6.5/10. It should have been bigger for the 25th event of the Showcase of the Immortals. The main event, the Divas battle royal and an out of place IC Title match let it down, but the phenomenal Taker/HBK match gives it 5 points quite easily. The extra 1.5 is for the MITB and World Title match, and also a solid extreme rules match.

Friday 19 July 2013

Wrestlemania XXVI Re-Do Review





Wrestlemania XXVI Re-Do Review

This has always been one of personal favourite Manias. When I think of it, all I remember was a fun show, capped off with three great main events. Let's see if any of that has changed.



I've decided that after I finish reviewing every Wrestlemania , I will attempt to rank every single Wrestlemania match . Can't be that hard , there's only like 300 of them .


(I'm still gonna attempt this after I finish re-doing/reviewing the rest of the Mania shows. Looking forward to doing it actually)


Ok whoever this Fantasia is , she cannot sing properly . WWE please just stick with Lilian Garcia and leave it at that .


(Ok I was being way too harsh there, she actually did a very good job with the song, although I do agree that it should be Lilian's honor each year)


John Morrison & R-Truth vs The MizShow
This was actually really good match for the 3 minutes it was on for . Too bad it had no hype . Still good though *3/4


(Might be one of the better three minute matches you'll ever watch. They really did use their time to the best that they could, providing a fun, if unmemorable match. I do think my original rating is a bit high for what it was. I'll change it to  *1/4)


Randy Orton vs Ted Dibiase vs Cody Rhodes
This match was a bit disappointing but still good . What the hell was Cody wearing though ? It would have been better if Ted or Cody had won , but at least Cody has risen up from it . **


(This should have been a bigger deal than it was. As it is, it's still a solid match that the crowd was into. I think this match really kick-started Orton's face turn that still goes on today. The crowd couldn't have cared less about Rhodes or Dibiase, but they were hot for Orton. I'll stick with the  ** rating)


Money In The Bank Ladder Match
I would say out of every Wrestlemania Money in the bank this is probably the worst , but that is not a bad thing at all , as i love every one of those matches. Great match with Kofi and Evan , in my opinion , stealing the show . Surprising win with Jack Swagger which would turn out to be a bad idea . ***1/4


(The worst MITB match in my opinion, and yet it's still very good and very entertaining. That's just how good these ladder matches are. I did think that there were way too many participants, but they all had a little something to bring to the match. Swagger winning was a surprise at the time, and quite a bad idea in hindsight. Kofi's stilts spot was fucking awesome. As always, a fun match. I'll keep it at  ***1/4)



Triple H vs Sheamus
Once again we receive another wrong winner . Sheamus could have done well with the win . At least he's now doing well as the World Champion . Good solid match here . ***


(I wouldn't say wrong winner since Sheamus is doing well for himself. It was really strange to see HHH this low on a Mania card, since he was usually in a major Mania match since Mania 2000. Quite a big moment for Sheamus since he was stepping in the ring with a veteran that had taken on many greats throughout the years and at Mania. I've always found this one a little underrated, as it was entertaining all the way through. Staying with  ***)


CM Punk vs Rey Mysterio
Ok , i know this has been repeated many times , but who's bright idea was it to give these guys 6 minutes ?! Well they really managed to use those minutes and gave us probably the best 6 minute match ever . ***1/4


(It's wrestling blasphemy to only give these guys six minutes. Imagine what they could have done with fifteen! In their classic style though, they were still able to give us a very good match in a very short amount of time. This was like one of their better matches scrunched up into a short amount of time. Gonna lower the rating just a little bit. ***)



Bret Hart vs Mr McMahon : No Holds Barred
My opinion on this match is that is that it kind of sucked , but it gave fans like me closure over the whole Montreal Screwjob incident . 1/4* for that match . ***1/2 for the closure.


(What an anticipated match this was. Thirteen years in the making. No one was expecting a classic wrestling match here, but everyone wanted to see Vince getting the shit kicked out of him, which he did. The problem is that, like the Lawler/Cole match, it went way too long, but unlike that match, it actually meant something and had a great Mania moment with Bret locking Vince in the sharpshooter and getting his revenge for Montreal. Still it's a very boring match so I'll stick with my  1/4*)


Edge vs Chris Jericho
This match seems to get better every time I watch it . At first I thought it was ok , then good , and now I think it's great . The crowd was dead thanks to the Bret/Vince match , but they got into it by the end . Jericho got the upset victory with a codebreaker . ***3/4


(This match had been built up for almost a year and started when Edge was injured. Jericho started saying insulting things, like thanking him for getting injured because he was just holding him back. Ouch. The crowd started quiet for this thanks to the boring Bret/Vince match, but because both guys are so good, they were able to get the crowd into it. Jericho winning was a big surprise too, as most were expecting Edge to get his revenge. He did get it after the contest when he speared Jericho off the announce table. Like the Punk/Jericho match, I gain an appreciation for the match each time I watch. Great match and the rating stays at  ***3/4)


Divas Tag Match
Just skip. DUD


(Nice little analogy from my past self there. I did like Vickie trying to send a tribute for Eddie by attempting his frog splash. The participants were Alicia Fox, Maryse, Vickie Guerrero & Laycool vs Mickie James, Beth Phoenix, Kelly Kelly, Eve & Gail Kim, for those interested. Match wasn't as bad as I thought. 1/4* for the finisher fest at the end)


John Cena vs Batista
This match was great . Not as good as their match at Summerslam in my opinion , but still a great math and the crowd was really into it . ***3/4


(Great choice for the WWE Championship match. The only match they had before this was their awesome Summerslam match in which Batista injured Cena. It was time to see if Cena could actually beat Batista. Batista's final Mania match as well which is a shame. He would leave only a couple of months after this. A power match done very well here. Great match overall. Really could have been something special if given some extra time. Rating stays at  ***3/4)


Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels : Streak vs Career
This has got to be one of the greatest matches of all time . The emotion and anticipation for this match was off the charts . It will always be remembered by wrestling fans and for good reason . I still think their first match was better but only by a small margin . Incredible classic . Taker ends HBK's career and goes 18-0 with a third tombstone . *****


(As if the rating for this was going to change. Easily still one of the greatest Mania matches ever and one of the best final matches if not the best. Perfect match for Michaels to go out on against, arguably, his best opponent. You could put this back-to-back with their Mania 25 match, but for me, Mania 25 just edges this one out a bit. An all time great match that'll be remembered forever. *****)



I'll give it 8/10 , such an underrated event that could maybe be in the top ten for Wrestlemanias.



(8/10 still sounds right to me. The three main events definitely delivered, add a nice, solid undercard that is only brought down by a boring Bret/Vince match and some time constraints. A Mania worth watching.

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Wrestlemania XXVII Re-Do Review






Wrestlemania XXVII Re-Do Review



Not one of my better reviews. Hopefully you guys know how these re-do reviews work by now. Right let's begin.




Great video package to start off WM . Gets the blood pumping .


(The music for the video was Diamond Eyes by Shinedown, and I still listen to it today. Good song that's worth checking out. Keri Hilson sings America the Beautiful and does a good job of it. For some reason I never mentioned Rock's introduction. Pretty meaningless and the time wasted could have been used for other matches. He was trying to pump up the crowd, but the World Title match could have done that)


Edge vs Alberto Del Rio
Kinda sucks that in the last two Wrestlemanias , the World title has started off the night . Hot match that would end up being Edge's final ever match in WWE . That alone makes it historic . Great match to start the night off . ***1/2


(It was kind of redeemed at this year's when the World Title match was on before the three main events. Still an historic match since it was Edge's final match. I don't think he could have left more perfectly. I mean it was at Mania, was a World Title match, and he won it! Just a shame that we never knew this would be his final match. I think I overrated it just a little bit. I'll change it to  ***1/4)


Cody Rhodes vs Rey Mysterio
Very underrated match here that I thought was incredible and a great win for Cody . Without a doubt a match worth watching ***1/2



(Last time I watched this, I thought it was vastly underrated. Watching it now, I still think it's vastly underrated. Cody's delayed superplex is still a thing of beauty. Mysterio really put Rhodes over here, and he's been doing reasonably well ever since, with a long IC Title reign and what looks to be a good feud with Damien Sandow. I liked the psychology of Cody using Rey's knee brace and Rey using Cody's mask. Very good match with a big win for Cody. Still  ***1/2)



(Shitty auditions for Snoop Dogg take place. It wasn't all shotty though since everything William Regal touches is golden and I still get a giggle from Zack Ryder singing 'Friday')


Big Show , Kane , Santino Marella & Kofi Kingston vs The Corre
Thought this would get at least 5 minutes of time to work with but didn't even make it to 2 ! Good for what it was , but still should have been longer . 1/2*



(And they wondered why the Corre wasn't a successful group. Time from the Rock's intro and the Lawler/Cole match should have been given to this. At least it was fun for the very short time that it lasted. Still  1/2*)


Randy Orton vs CM Punk
This match was a little disappointing but still good . Great finish with the RKO after Punk jumps off the rope . ***1/4


(This might have been the first match that these two ever had together, which made it very fresh at the time. The reasoning for the feud was quite stupid, as it was because Orton cost Punk the World Title over two years previously, in a moment that no one really remembers. At least both guys were capable of putting on a good match. Something that I didn't notice when I first reviewed this are Punk's great facial expressions, something of which he has become a master of. Really does help the match, along with the work on Orton's leg. I think I underrated this the first time, and I'm increasing the rating to  ***1/2)



Jerry Lawler vs Michael Cole : Special Referee- Stone Cold
What to say about this match . I'd say watch the start and a bit of the finish then leave it at that . What a waste of time that could have went to better matches . The fact that Cole never took a stunner is highly disappointing . DUD


(What a bad idea this was. Don't get me wrong, I was actually looking forward to this match at the time, but I was expecting it to be five minutes at the most with Lawler kicking Cole's ass for that time and giving Cole his comeuppance like everyone else. Instead they did the complete opposite. The match was way too long, Cole got most of the offense in, and Lawler didn't even get the win! And the feud went on for another two PPVs! Quite possibly the worst match in the history of Wrestlemania. Complete and utter DUD)


Triple H vs Undertaker : No Holds Barred
Amazing at the time , but now they have surpassed themselves at WM XXVIII it seems a little irrevelent . Still a great match though . ****1/2


(Loved the intros which unfortunately dubbed over in the DVD version. The match has lost a little bit of it's mystique since the HIAC match was so much better in quality and in emotion. That doesn't stop it from being awesome though. The slow moments are a little more noticeable this time though. Nobody seemed to like the moment after the match, in which the Undertaker was unable to leave the arena without help. Since it led to their next Mania match, I was fine with it. I'm reducing it to  ****1/4. Still a great match!)


John Morrison , Snooki & Trish Stratus vs Dolph Ziggler & Laycool
Good for what it was , but I'd say skip because I absolutely detest shows like Jersey Shore . 1/4*


(The fact that Snooki has had a Wrestlemania match, and guys like Antonio Cesaro and Damien Sandow haven't, pisses me off to absolutely no end. Another way too short tag match, but thanks to Ziggler, John Morrison and the return of Trish, it was still quite fun. I'll raise it to 3/4*, as I may have been a little harsh the first time)


John Cena vs Miz
Who's idea was this ? I thought everything was ok up until the double count out which made me think ' Why at Wrestlemania ?? **1/2 for the match . DUD for the rest .


(Miz's intro video was awesome. Cena's wasn't very good though. Looked like they were referring to Cena as some kind of angel. Anyway the match up until the double count-out was actually quite solid and Miz even got a nice nearfall after kicking out of the second AA, which made him look really good. The finish to the whole thing made it feel like a regular episode of Raw, which isn't good at all for Mania and probably the reason why this Mania doesn't have a good reputation. Sticking with  **1/2 for the whole thing)



6.5/10 . It would be good for a PPV , but  for Wrestlemania there was nothing memorable apart from Edge's last match and the NHB encounter . Watch with the mindset that you're watching a normal PPV.



(Still quite a surreal Mania to watch, as most of it seemed out of place and it had a very bad ending, but that doesn't make it a bad show. It's not a great show but it's not bad. The ending of the show, the Lawler/Cole match, and the very short tag matches don't help matters. It's Edge/Alberto, Rhodes/Mysterio, Orton/Punk and Taker/HHH that makes the show solid. I think I'll reduce the overall rating to  6/10. Not the worst Mania ever, but not the best either)



Monday 15 July 2013

Money in the Bank 2013 Review





Money in the Bank 2013 Review



Fandango vs Dean Ambrose vs Jack Swagger vs Antonio Cesaro vs Cody Rhodes vs Damien Sandow vs Wade Barrett : Money in the Bank
Quite a peculiar match here since every one of these guys is a heel. The fans decided to pick their own favourites: Dean Ambrose, Fandango and, eventually, Cody Rhodes. Cody was the absolute star of this match. Before the match, I thought he had no chance of winning it, but as the match went on, I was rooting so hard for him to grab the briefcase. The cut on his head helped too. Anyway this was an awesome match that was exciting all the way through and even featured some innovative offense. The interference from The Shield and The Usos didn't hinder it either. All in all a great way to start off the show. Damien Sandow is this year's winner of the World Title briefcase. ****




Curtis Axel vs The Miz
Whose idea was it to have Paul Heyman ejected from the match so early? Did they even know what crowd they were in front of? The crowd was more interested in having Heyman back than the IC Title match in front of them. Curtis did look pretty good too. I thought we would get a shitty finish, but Curtis pinned Miz clean in the middle of the ring to retain. Match wasn't too bad either. Although I must say this: can we stop with the Perfectplex kick outs? It should be his finisher and yet everyone seems to kick out of it. Solid little match anyway. **1/4




AJ Lee vs Kaitlyn
After their awesome performance at Payback last month, I was really looking forward to this, and I think that may be the first time I've ever said that about a divas match. It wasn't nearly as good as the Payback match, but it was still enjoyable. They just needed more time. I wouldn't mind if this feud continues. AJ makes Kaitlyn submit to retain. **1/4




Ryback vs Chris Jericho
What a filler match this was. It wasn't even a feud, they were just paired up randomly and Jericho started attacking Ryback for no real reason. At least Ryback got his first PPV win since who knows when. Even if it was with a really shitty roll up. The match wasn't bad. It started off really slow, but picked up in the final few minutes. **1/2




Dolph Ziggler vs Alberto Del Rio
Glad to see that Dolph is still getting huge reactions from the crowd. Although this didn't have the psychology of their last match, they just about made up for it with some great in-ring action. There were even some nice nearfalls which is something I love. It's a shame the finish had to ruin it. As soon as AJ came out, I knew that she would end up costing Dolph the match. I didn't know it would look so stupid though. Why would she hit Del Rio with the belt right in front of the ref? Maybe we'll find out on TV soon. Overall a very good match with a bad ending. And no cash in either. ***1/2




John Cena vs Mark Henry
Now this was a lot better than I thought it would be. Cena made Henry look like an absolute monster in there until the finish. The finish is the only bad part about it, as I can't really see someone as big and bad as Henry tapping to the STF. At least he got to kick out of the AA. That was cool. The crowd was hot for it all the way through as well. Exceeded my expectations. ***1/4




CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan vs Rob Van Dam vs Randy Orton vs Sheamus vs Christian : Money in the Bank
Well I have to give them credit for ending with a result that I wasn't expecting. There was no way that I thought anyone except RVD or Bryan was gonna win. They really gave this match a lot of time, almost half an hour I think. It felt like they were holding back at times, but there were still a lot of awesome moments, like RVD showing us all his moves again, or Bryan going crazy on everyone, or Heyman betraying Punk with a vicious ladder shot. The highlight for me was Sheamus's bumping. When he first fell off the ladder, I gasped thinking that he must have been injured. The he has his head smashed to the canvas with a ladder, and then goes through one on the outside! I would not be surprised if he took some time off after this. Match of the Night for this one. ****



8/10. Awesome show here. It took a little dip from the IC Title match to the Ryback/Y2J match, but there was nothing bad. The finishes were really strange though and kind of took away from some of the matches. Other than that, we had two unexpected winners in the MITB matches. Two awesome ladder matches, two and two very good World Title matches make this an easy recommendation.