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| Reported by Ernest Aguilar
Dave Batista has arrived in Miami, Florida, however his presence in the city might not necessarily mean a WWE involvement.
The former WWE and World Heavyweight champion will be participating in the Nautica South Beach Triathlon in support of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on April 1, the day of WrestleMania.
Batista's name is on the runners list on the Triathlon's website with his partner Carter Lay, so while he's definitely doing the charity gig, who knows, he might have time for some wrestling if he finishes early!
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My Image
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Batista arrives in Miami...for triathlon on April 1
Cena hosting pizza party for 40 Make-A-Wish kids tomorrow
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| Reported by Ernest I Aguilar
WWE will make a lot of kids happy this weekend as the company will be hosting the Make-A-Wish Foundation kids for events and as their guests for WrestleMania this Sunday.
Tomorrow night, former champ John Cena will be hosting the Circle of Champions Pizza Party at Jungle Island for 40 wish kids and their families. This year, kids from the U.S., Canada, and Ireland will be on hand for the event.
"It's fitting for WWE and Make-A-Wish to put on the biggest wish-granting celebration each year at WrestleMania," said Sue Aitchison, Director, Community Relations, WWE. "The weekend will be full of surprises for the wish kids and their families. These wishes undoubtedly will bring the kids plenty of joy and help the families spend much-needed time together away from hospitals and medical treatments."
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Kurt Angle says he tore his hamstring while training for Olympics
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| Reported by Ernest Aguilar
n a phone call to TMZ Live, Kurt Angle announced that he has suffered a torn hamstring while training for the 2012 Olympics.
Angle said that an MRI has been scheduled for tomorrow to determine the extent of the damage and to see if his plan to make it to the Olympics one more time is still a go.
"I still plan on going...I've been training for a whole year now...so it all depends on how it heals ...but if this tear is really bad, there's a chance I may not go."
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WWE brings out the big guns for WM press conference
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| Reported by Ernest Aguilar
WE brought out the big guns earlier this afternoon for the WrestleMania press conference which was held at the Eden Rock Hotel in Miami Beach.
The Rock, John Cena, CM Punk, Triple H, Beth Phoenix, and other Superstars and Divas were present for the press conference and some of them got to talk to the fans and press who turned up for the event.
Michael Cole hosted the press conference while Matt Striker and Josh Mathews hosted the video feed, talking to the Superstars and Divas.
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz presented WWE with the Key to Miami-Dady County and declared March 28-April 2, 2012, as WrestleMania XXVIII Week.
"Our goal is not only to host the WWE Universe this week, but for WWE to return to our community again very soon," he said.
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WrestleMania pre-show to air live on YouTube on Sunday
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| Reported by Ernest Aguilar
WWE today issued a press release announcing that a WrestleMania pre-show will be simulcast live on YouTube, Facebook, and WWE.COM on Sunday starting at 6:30PM ET, 30 minutes before the show kicks off live on pay-per-view.
Promoted as the "social media event of the year," WWE will also go full speed ahead with Twitter integration with Mike Tyson tweeting from the events he will be participating in, a Twitter face-off between Rock and Cena asking fans and celebrities to choose their side, either #TeamBringIt or #Cenation, and also uploading exclusive videos from WrestleMania weekend on YouTube as part of the new deal WWE has with the Google-owned company.
Also, WWE Divas will be presenting exclusive coverage for the popular gossip website PerezHilton.com with tweets, photos, and stories from the WrestleMania VIP Party tomorrow and the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony on Saturday.
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Dixie Carter comments on Flair's WWE Hall of Fame involvement
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| Reported by Ernest Aguilar
TNA President Dixie Carter has given Ric Flair her blessing to appear at the WWE Hall of Fame this Saturday as both WWE and TNA reached an agreement over Flair's involvement on WWE TV during the weekend.
"We are proud of Ric's many accomplishments and contributions he has made to the world of professional wrestling and beyond. We wish to congratulate him on yet another honor he truly deserves," Carter said in a press release issued by Flair's agents.
"Understanding what a huge honor this is for Flair, TNA is graciously supporting him in the decision to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony alongside his fellow inductees," read the press release.
"Being inducted once was one of the greatest accomplishments of my career, so I'm humbled and honored to be recognized again. I wouldn't miss the ceremony for the world," added Flair, who made his intentions known a few months ago that he would be appearing one way or another.
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Randy Orton signs on for leading role in third movie of The Marine
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| Reported by Ernest Aguilar
Randy Orton will be the star of the third installment of the Marine movie franchise from WWE Studios.
"Looks like I'll be filming a movie in the summer, Marine 3," Orton wrote on his Twitter. "Always have wanted to do an action movie, and I'm finally getting the chance."
Orton follows John Cena and Ted DiBiase to play the leading role, which this time involves trying to rescue a kidnapped daughter. Movie will start production in mid June in Vancouver, Canada, and will be released straight to DVD.
The Marine franchise is one of the three movies WWE Studios has a deal for with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
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Christian out of WrestleMania following CM Punk's attack
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| Reported by Ernest I Aguilar
Following the attack of CM Punk on Christian, it was announced during Monday Night RAW that Christian will not be "medically cleared" to compete at WrestleMania.
This means that Christian is out of Team Johnny, opening up one more space on the team. During the show, The Miz was announced as the final member before Christian's attack, joining David Otunga, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, and Mark Henry.
Facing them will be Santino Marella, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder and The Great Khali, with one more member still yet to be announced.
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Inductors of the Hall of Fame class of 2012 revealed
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| Reported by Ernest I Aguilar
The names of who will be inducting this year's Hall of Fame inductees have been made official on WWE.COM.
Christian will be inducting his former tag team partner and long-time friend Edge, Alberto Del Rio will be inducting his uncle Mil Mascaras, Dusty Rhodes will be inducting his one-time arch rivals the Four Horsemen, Triple H and Shawn Michaels will do the honors for boxing legend Mike Tyson, JBL will be inducting his former APA tag team partner Ron Simmons, and Yokozuna will be posthumously inducted by his family members the Usos.
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Videos from the WrestleMania XXVIII announcement in Miami
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Reported by Ernest Aguilar
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WWE to highlight three HOF inductions during Monday's broadcast
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| Reported by Ernest I Aguilar March 26 2012
On Monday night at 8PM, WWE will broadcast a one hour version of the Hall of Fame ceremony on USA Network, with the full version only available on the DVD and Blu-Ray release of WrestleMania.
The three inductions that will be highlighted on the one hour version will be Mike Tyson, the Four Horsemen, and Edge.
Judging from the video teaser, it looks like Edge will be main eventing the Hall of Fame ceremony this year.
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WWE: No Mercy 2008 (2008) DVD
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| Reported by ERnest I Aguilar
List Price: $24.95
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1. ECW Title Match:
Matt Hardy (c) vs. Mark Henry (w/ Tony Atlas)
This was a surprisingly decent/watchable opener, a remarkable feat considering Mark Henry is in it, and it did its job of keeping the crowd hot. These two executed a believable and watchable match. **1/4 stars
2. Women's Title Match:
Beth Phoenix (c) (w/ Santino Marella) vs. Candice Michelle
Another surprisingly good match, and a Women's Title Match no less! While it was kept short, I was very impressed with the quality of this match and these two women deserve to be commended. This also kept the crowd hot and excited and there is nothing at all unwatchable about this match. *1/4
3. Kane vs. Rey Mysterio: if Rey Mysterio loses, he must remove his mask
While I must say that WWE really dropped the ball on this storyline, this match was quite enjoyable, and most of all, believable! You wouldn't expect a match between a 7-footer and someone who is 5 foot 6 to be believable, but these two executed the match impressively. Don't get me wrong, this is not an exceptional match, per say, but it is very watchable and enjoyable with a great ending. So far on the night we are 3 for 3 and the crowd is still fired up. **1/2
After the match MVP walks down to ring and complains about being kept off No Mercy. We then get appearances from Randy Orton, Priceless and Manu, CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, etc...The crowd did not appreciate this at all, and there were noticably loud "boring" chants echoing throughout the Rose Garden. While I agree with them, I can understand why WWE wanted to at least let these quality superstars show their faces on the ppv. Had this been a "big 4" ppv it would have been unnacceptable, but with No Mercy this is understandable and forgivable on the part of WWE. Anyway, moral of the story: while not a snag in the show thus far, as it is not a match, just skip this. Moving on...
4. # 1 Contender's Match
JBL vs. Batista
And things were going so well. This is a HORRENDOUS match, and is a borderline squash match. The only positive thing about this match is that it was short, but it was still sloppy and BORING as hell. Batista also killed any momentum JBL had as a main eventer and just made him look terribly weak (for better or for worse, you be the judge). This was a poorly worked, poorly booked match and this is certainly our first stinker of the night. What a shocker considering JBL and Batista usually deliver gems on ppv! (See Great American Bash 2005 for further details on horrendous matches). *1/4 (generous)
5. Undertaker vs. Big Show
This was a believable big man match and it far surpassed my expectations (they were extreemly low so don't get too excited). However, this was a very watchable match with some nice spots including a picture perfect DDT executed by the Undertaker (I love DDTs so I had to include that). I did not care for the ending, and neither did the crowd, but it did make sense as far as continuing the storyline is concerned (again, whether or not that is a bad thing you be the judge). This is not a bad match by any means. **1/2
So far we are 4 for 5 as far as enjoyable and watchable matches are concerned, but we have yet to have any really exceptional stand out matches that make a dvd of the ppv worth purchasing. This is about to change...
6. WWE Title Match:
Triple H (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
I just ate this match up. This was an extroadinary, yet different matchup between these two superstars. Jeff Hardy shied away from his usual high flying arsenal in the early going and proved very adept at keeping pace with the far more traditional Triple H. This juxtaposition of styles clashed in a very positive way, and as Jeff resorted to high risk maneuvers towards the middle/end of the match, things got very exciting. The ending was unbelievable, and actually had me doubting myself several times as to who would come out on top. This match was crisp, slow-building, and finished in a thrilling manner, and the crowd just gobbled this up. I can't recommend viewing this match enough, and it proves that you don't need silly gimmicks and over-the-top matches to entertain wrestling fans. ****1/4
7. World Heavyweight Title Match
Chris Jericho (c) vs. Shawn Michaels
If any match could follow up the previous one, here it is. It is worth noting that Shawn Michaels has now had an unsanctioned match and a ladder match while working with a torn tricep, and both matches have been exceptional, which is just amazing and speaks volumes about the performer that Shawn Michaels is. As far as this match goes, Jericho and Michaels are once again on their A games (should any of us be surprised?), and they deliver a fantastic match with some excellent spots. Once again the finale left me doubting myself and it was very exciting. This show could not possibly have ended in a better way, and this is the match of the night (no easy feat considering the previous match). ****1/2
So there you have it. 6 out of 7 matches are very watchable, and 2 of those 6 matches (the final 2 of the show) are among the best matches you will see all year from WWE. With the exception of one debacle (JBL/batista), this is a ppv that wrestling fans can enjoy all the way through and will be treated to two outstanding title matches to end the show. In my opinion this is a dvd worth adding to your collection, and that is coming from someone who has been very critical of WWE as of late. Is this a positive sign of things to come? Only time will tell, but I think WWE should continue to be enjoyable at least until Cena comes back from injury (hopefully AFTER Survivor Series because I want that to be an enjoyable show as well).
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WWE: Cyber Sunday 2008 (2008) DVD
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| Reported by Ernest I Aguilar
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liked this cyber sunday much better than the '06 and '07 editions. The caliber of the matches on this card were better than the previous two. Thanks for reading!
No Holds Barred
Kane vs. Rey Mysterio
The fans picked the no holds barred stipulation over falls count anywhere and 2/3 falls. This was a step up from their no mercy match. This match wasn't that brutal, but it had it's moments. Some really nice counters by rey in this one, and some really powerful counters by kane. This match delivered some pretty nice near falls and some nice weapon use. Good choice for the opener. Match Rating:3.5/5
ECW Championship
Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne
Bourne was picked to face hardy over finlay and mark henry. This is proboly one of the best ecw title matches of the year. Lots of great fast paced action and great highflying moves in this one. These two brought alot of exciting moves and they really worked hard to make this match good, and it proved sucessful. Hardy barely retains his ecw title in this one, but a great showing by bourne. Match Rating:4.5/5
Cryme Tyme vs. Miz and Morrison
The fans really should have picked the world tag team championship match over this. Besides that, these tag teams looked pretty solid against each other. Some nice double teaming in this one by both cryme tyme and miz and morrison. Not a great tag team match, but it was good. Match Rating:3.5/5
Intercontinental Championship
Santino Marella vs. Honky Tonk Man
This was really just more like a comedy segment. The only thing this match is good for is seeing honky tonk man and piper. Match Rating:0.5/5 (Generous)
Last Man Standing
Undertaker vs. Big Show
Here is where cyber sunday picks up again. I liked this match more than thier no mercy match because of the last man standing stipulation. The match started out with some nice fist shots by both men. Lots of nice weapon use in this one including some pretty clever moves with the chair. Also a cool announce table spot in here. The ref screwed up on a couple of 10 counts, but besides that the match was really good. Taker wins and gets some revenge on show. Match Rating:4.5/5
WWE Championship
Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy
Once again these two put on a great match, but i didn't enjoy this as much as their no mercy match earlier in the month. Once agian these guys wrestled well against each other. Lots of great submissions and good offensive moves in this one. The ending was also pretty clever, with triple h hitting hardy on the top turnbuckle and then pulling him down, giving him a pedigree to win. Solid wwe title match here and defiently one of the best matches of the night. Match Rating:4.5/5
World Heavyweight Championship (Special Ref:Stone Cold)
Chris Jericho vs. Batista
This was a pretty good world title match, but most people saw it coming when batista won. Jericho tried to work on batista's leg/knee area to slow him down, but batista still got some pretty powerful offense in this match. Stone cold added so much more to this match and there are even appearences from orton and michaels. Nice moment in this match where stone cold gives orton a stunner. This did feel like a true main event match and in the end batista won his 4th world title. Match Rating:4/5
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WWE Unforgiven 2008 DVD
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| Reported by Ernest Aguilar
List Price: $24.95
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This was a very good unforgiven, and this card was much better than the unforgiven 2007 card. The scramble matches were good, and they were something different. Thanks for reading!
ECW Championship Scramble Match
Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy vs. Finlay vs. The Miz vs. Chavo Guerrero
This was a very solid opener and my 2nd favorite scramble match of the night. The match started out with hardy and the miz. All 5 men gave an impressive showing. Mark Henry using his dominant power moves, chavo getting in some pretty nice frog splashes, finlay using his ground and pound skills, and even miz did a little bit of top rope action. In the end matt hardy walked away with the ecw championship, which was his first ever major world title. Match Rating:4.5/5
World Tag Team Championship
Pricless vs. Cryme Tyme
This was an average tag match, with nothing that special. Cryme tyme and pricless (now legacy) looked o.k. against each other, but thats it. Manu makes his debut in this match. Match Rating:3/5
Unsanctioned Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
This isn't your typical michaels/jericho match. This had alot of brawling and ground and pound moves. This matchup was very physical and brutal. In the opening moments shawn hit Y2J right in the head with his boot. Cade got involved in this match, which led to jericho and cade getting elbow droped through the announce table by michaels. The ending was very intense with michaels hitting jericho with a lether belt so many times, that Y2J couldn't continue. Very emotional bout and in the end shawn michaels got his revenge. Match Rating:5/5
WWE Championship Scramble Match
Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy vs. MVP vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. The Brian Kendrick
This was my favortie scramble match of the night here. The match started out with hardy and benjamin and instead of seeing a whole lot of highflying moves from these two, they gave you physical ground and pound moves, which gave this match a twist. Later in the match kendrick intersepted mvp's running boot into a huge heel kick. HHH came out last with him and hardy getting pin after pin. In the end triple h got the pedigree on mvp with only a few seconds left to retain the wwe championship. Very good championship scramble and nice sportsmanship by both hhh and hardy after the match. Match Rating:4.75/5
Divas Championship
Michelle McCool vs. Maryse
This was a very good womens match here. Nice submissions pulled out in this bout. This was easily there best match agianst each other, and one of the best womens matches of 2008. Match Rating:3.25/5
World Heavyweight Championship Scramble Match
Batista vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kane vs. JBL vs. Chris Jericho
This was a good scramble match, but not worthy to be the main event because it didn't live up to the other scramble matches. Nice showings in this match by batista and kane though. When mysterio entered, the match picked up some pace and rey used his usual great highflying moves. A big suprise when jericho replaced punk for the final entry, because of the punishment he took earlier. As soon as Y2J stepped in the ring he got speared by batista. A shocking ending where batista got a spinebuster on kane and jericho slipped in and got the pin with only a few seconds left. Batista just watched in disbelief as the clock hit 0 and Y2J became world champion. Not a great scramble, but good and the shocking ending added to it. Match Rating:4/5
Good unforiven with three good championship scramble matches and a very physical unsanctioned match. I highly recommend this unforgiven.
NOTE:Unforgiven's name changed to breaking point, which is next month. I know proboly most of you know that, but i just put it on here just in case.
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WWE: Night of Champions 2008 (2008)
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| Reported by ERNEST AGUILAR
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NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS 2008, while successful in some areas, is the PPV marker of when things have gone sour.
1) WWE Tag Team Championships
John Morrison & The Miz (champions) v. Finlay & Hornswoggle
---If you're expecting a tag classic when one of the competitors is a dwarf, you're missing the point. From the opening bell, the match maintained a good pace, with some midget spots, smart teamwork, and crowd-pleasing maneuvers. Is it a great match? Certainly not. But I was entertained from start to finish.
"6.5 / 10"
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2) United States Championship
Chavo Guerrero v. Matt Hardy (champion)
---This was a tough one to call. I love both of these guys, and I admired this particular match because both men look like they were always trying to win. There were no unnecessary high-risk spots or flashy counters. The two engaged in a smart contest with quick pinfall attempts and submission holds. What held it back for me was a ton of little things. The occasional weak clothesline, or those few punches that didn't connect, or that predictable counter...you know, just small stuff that added up after a while. Worth a watch, but kinda sloppy considering the talent involved.
"6.5 / 10"
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3) ECW Championship
Mark Henry v. Big Show v. Kane (champion)
---Boy, this turned out way worse that I thought it would. While I don't usually like "big man" matches, I understand they appeal to some. But frankly, judging by the Dallas crowd, it's gotta be a small demographic. The whole affair was a slow, plodding affair that had very little excitement. Kane's not even in most of the match! Maybe he was legitimately hurt, but you wouldn't know it after he got involved in those pseudo-exciting last few minutes. If you're still pining for the old ECW, you better move on quick.
"3.5 / 10"
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4) World Tag Team Championships
Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes (champions) v. Ted Dibiase & ???
---Even if I paid the $40 fee to watch this, I'd still think it was worth my time. The whole scenario was so well-executed. Dibiase's music, entrance, and delay tactics were perfect. The "match" was quick, as wrestling double-crosses should be. Yes, I'm disappointed that there was no actual match. But Dibiase needed this moment to get on the map. The new World Tag Team champs are better off because of this PPV moment.
"No Score"
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***Right about here, JBL cut a promo from his luxury skybox in the arena. Interestingly enough, I found this to be one of the PPV's highlights. I'm not a fan of JBL's in-ring skills, but on the microphone, few are his equal. He berated Todd Grisham and the fans for not being considered a champion. Throw in a spectacular camera angle where JBL towered over the background arena, and I think WWE deserves a few bonus points.***
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5) Intercontinental Championship
Chris Jericho (champion) v. Kofi Kingston
---After our cocky IC champ cuts a promo to further his Shawn Michaels feud, "The Jamaican Sensation" reveals himself to be the mystery opponent. Sadly, I can't believe this match wasn't better than it turned out to be. Jericho is one of the all-time greats in professional wrestling, and Kingston is so unorthodox in the ring - I was really looking forward to this one. Like the U.S. Title bout, there are so many moments where things were just off. Again, little things missed strikes or unimpressive high-risk moves. There was even a "BORING" chant in the middle somewhere. The last couple minutes were exciting with nice counters and close pinfalls. Plus, the aftermath involving HBK was intriguing if a bit weird. All in all, this one looked better on paper.
"6.5 / 10"
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6) Women's Championship
Mickie James (champion) v. Katie Lea Burchill
---At this point, NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS has reached it's hour-and-a-half mark. Thankfully, for the next 70 minutes, the event will be worth your time. I've been really into the resurging women's division for months now, and if this one doesn't impress you, nothing will. I don't know much about Katie Lea, but after this impressive showing, I'm gonna do some research. Mickie James is one of the most reliable Divas, both in character and in-ring performance. The match includes some nice counter-wrestling, and very good submission-storytelling. Good wrestling, good length, good pace, good match.
"7.0 / 10"
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7) World Heavyweight Championship
Edge (champion) v. Batista
---Yes, these two had an almost identical scenario at last year's NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS. However, that also means Edge and Batista had one of the evening's best matches. Edge is so gifted that I will never get tired of him being involved with the championship. Batista has come a long way over the past year or so, and Edge complements him as well as anyone (even Undertaker). The best part about this contest is that it never slowed down too much, meaning both men got a good amount of time to control the pace. The match did feel a little short, and I'm not 100% satisfied with the screwy finish. But rest of the match featured a nice slow build-up, and some new tricks that these hadn't shown me before. Overall, a very good showing. I'd love to these two go at it again.
"7.5 / 10"
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8) WWE Championship
John Cena v. Triple H (champion)
---As most have probably said, this main event was similar to the WRESTLEMANIA 22 showdown. The contest was very slow-paced and methodical. The focus was on the reversals and psychology, and not so much on the physical action. If that's not your cup of tea, then pass the DVD up. As for myself, I sat back and went for the ride. There are a couple of reasons why this match works, where other similar angles fall flat. Triple H, like him or not, is one of the most prolific WWE superstars; this 12th run as champion is arguably his most successful. John Cena has been criticized for his "lack of talent." I disagree there, because Cena is an amateur wrestling champion, which he demonstrated during his first few months on WWE TV. Instead, Cena loses me when he overplays his underdog character. But on this NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS showdown, the fight is more evenly-matched. Both men made each other look good, and even though Cena still didn't use a lot of moves, he kept the match going. What's most remarkable is that this rematch makes the WM 22 encounter better. I don't think I understood the Chicago storytelling at the time (partly because it wasn't the "true" main event). But now, like a good sequel, I can appreciate the original. To my astonishment, my favorite match of the PPV.
"7.5 / 10"
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OVERALL
---NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS 2008 might be worth a peek for some fans. It's full of surprises that still work, and has a good overall feel to it. The Dallas crowd was reacting to the matches, the production crew used some good camera angles, and the last three matches delivered. But fans who are into physical wrestling more than the "E" in WWE better look elsewhere.
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WWE One Night Stand 2008 (2008)
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| REPORTED by Ernest Aguilar
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1) Falls Count Anywhere
Jeff Hardy vs. Umaga
---I have to admit I didn't want to see these two square off in the first place. Not only were my prayers not answered, I got a throwback of the worst kind. Remember those "hardcore" matches from about 1999 or 2000? You know, where the WWF thought if a match wasn't in the ring, then it must have been "hardcore"? I'm afraid this opener was basically these guys just brawling around the arena with little-to-no Extreme moments. There were a few innovative spots, like when Jeff slid down a stair-railing to deliver a clothesline. But then the festivities ended with a Swanton Bomb from atop a truck, where we couldn't see the impact. If you've seen some of Shane McMahon's famous TitanTron falls, where you barely saw where he landed, you know what to expect. This one didn't even come close to doing the trick for me.
"5.0 / 10"
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2) Singapore Cane Match - #1 Contender Match
CM Punk vs. John Morrison vs. Chavo Guerrero vs. Tommy Dreamer vs. Big Show
---Now THIS was more like it! One of those crazy fights that had some good laughs, and some "OUCH" moments too. Big Show took a nasty cut above his left eye. San Diego Charger Sean Merriman got to smack Chavo with a cane. Tommy Dreamer proved he can still hang in an anything-goes environment with the rest of the talent. Even Mike Adamle got a good chuckle from me: "Big Show's grabbing canes from that trashcan like Tiger Woods grabs his clubs from his bag!" That Adamle is starting to grow on me. I'm not looking forward to Big Show and Kane (ECW champion) having another faceoff, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. All in all, this was about 12 minutes that would earn the Hammerstein Ballroom's approval.
"7.0 / 10"
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3) First Blood Match
JBL vs. John Cena
---It's official: Cena and Bradshaw had a one-hit wonder 3 years ago, and that's the end of it. I'm tired of waiting for these two to deliver an excellent brawl again. Like their JUDGMENT DAY opener --- which I liked a lot more than everybody else --- it wasn't not bad, but not very good either. Thankfully, we saw a few decent weapons spots and a little back-and-forth fighting; just not a whole lot. Also, these two beat each other's heads so much, I just started laughing that neither bled for 15 minutes. It was also funny to hear the crowd cheer JBL for a change. It's too bad he lost in a rather weak finish. This rivalry was on the shelf for 3 years; it probably should've stayed there.
"6.0 / 10"
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4) "I Quit" Match
Beth Phoenix vs. Melina
---This was more of a Submission Match than an "I Quit" Match, but so what? These ladies engaged in a remarkable technical showdown. They got about 10 minutes to show off a variety of holds, which was a thrill for the mat-wrestling mark that I am. The finishing submission looked like one of the most painful holds I've ever seen. I'm a little disappointed that the crowd didn't get into it more, but maybe that's a reality that won't change. I think I heard a "Chyna" chant going on, which was even weirder. Anyway, I think the WWE Divas have been steadily improving since October. Phoenix and Melina gave a good example of why.
"7.0 / 10"
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5) Stretcher Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Batista
---First off, I liked how SMACKDOWN got to announce this match, since RAW got to call these two back in April. Some other good news is that this Stretcher Match was just as good as their BACKLASH encounter. The first time around was very technical, and this rematch was very similar, just with some Stretchers at ringside. Batista and Michaels still utilized submission holds, while throwing in some nice Stretcher spots. The triangle storyline including Chris Jericho got a little weird, when Y2J came out to encourage a weakened Michaels to keep fighting. The finish was even stranger, with an unexpected nod to the Flair/HBK finale at WRESTLEMANIA 24. I'll leave that one for you to watch. I can't tell how I feel about the storyline developments, but if you wanna check out the match on DVD, it'll be worth a watch.
"7.0 / 10"
---------------------------------------
6) Last Man Standing Match - WWE Championship
Randy Orton vs. Triple H (champion)
---One of the most unpleasant surprises in recent memory. I've put up with this rivalry going on as long as it has, because the matches between HHH and Orton have usually been worth the PPV airtime. But this time, it backfired. About 10 minutes in, Orton was tossed over the top rope, and landed so awkwardly that he hurt his collarbone. The action before this finish was decent, but Orton's injury (which seemed to be very real) apparently ended things prematurely. Like the Montreal Screwjob, the finish was so shocking I won't remember the rest if it.
"5.5 / 10"
---------------------------------------
7) TLC Match - World Heavyweight Championship (vacant)
Edge vs. The Undertaker (Banished From WWE If Defeated)
---How do these two men keep doing it? This was the only reason I needed to order this PPV in the first place, because of these guys' outstanding encounters. But time after time, Edge and Undertaker have put on a Match-of-the-Year candidate. This rivalry is the stuff of classics, folks. So how's the match? In short, it was outstanding, and both men did nothing but improve their reputation as WWE legends. Taker and Edge deserve a ton of credit for going through with this spot-fest, considering they're both kinda injury-prone. I enjoy TLC for the carnage; besides Taker and Edge spent 3 months delivering sensible displays of in-ring psychology. When it comes to TLC Matches, I don't expect logical competition. That does bring up one big complaint from me, however. The final high-risk spot, while more daring than anything I'd ever attempt, was beyond predictable. Other than that, this main event did the TLC lineage proud.
One last note - big props to WWE for treating Taker's loss with class and respect. This match only had 2 weeks of build-up, so I didn't think this would be his last match. I know you it's never-say-never in wrestling, but Taker's departure felt just as real as Austin's "retirement" from 5 years ago. If this is a storyline, WWE played it very well. But if this is the last time Undertaker graces a WWE presentation, it's a hell of a way to go out!
"8.0 / 10"
---------------------------------------
________________________________________________
CLOSING THOUGHTS
---ONE NIGHT STAND 2008 has put me in a puzzling state of speculation. This 2008 edition was a genuine rollercoaster. It started slow, gained speed, hit a roadblock, and ended with the ultimate adrenaline rush. My only real gripe is that nothing really seems resolved from tonight's PPV. Orton's injury and Taker's banishment (real or fake) have abruptly taken them out of the big picture, which means HHH and Edge have no momentum as champions. The HBK/Jericho/Batista triangle is far from over, so tonight was a mid-novel chapter. Big Show is the #1 Contender foe the ECW Title, but I doubt anybody is looking forward to that. And the rest of the card, while entertaining in patches, isn't anything to go out of your way to see.
Is this ONE NIGHT STAND better than last year's garbage? Absolutely! Is it better than the 2005 & 2006 ECW events? Not even close. I don't know if this PPV will age well. Like I said, it was a rollercoaster - entertaining while it lasted, but won't be the same the next time around.
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WWE The Great American Bash 2008 DVD
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1)WWE Tag Team Championship Fatal 4 Way: Ryder/Hawkins d. Finlay/Hornswaggle, Jesse/Festus, and Miz/Morrison(c) - This one starts out with Festus hearing the bell, going crazy, and taking everyone out. Once order is restored, it is decent with frequent tags and different encounters between the combatants. Ends up in a brawl, where everyone takes somebody out. Weak finish with Hawkins just tripping Jesse up on the top rope and getting the three-count. Sorry Miz/Morrison, NEW CHAMPIONS. 3.5/10
2)United States Championship: Shelton Benjamin d. Matt Hardy(c) - This is probably the highlight of the evening for me. These two work decent together and provide an entertaining match. Hardy goes for a moonsault on Shelton and hits his head on Shelton's knee. Shelton takes advantage and hits his finisher for the win. I'm glad that Shelton Benjamin finally got something accomplished this year. He has been such a waste of great talent. I would definately consider him the most "athletic" in the WWE right now. 6.5/10
3) Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho - This one isn't a classic, but does what they wanted it to...continue the story. They go back and forth for a few, then, Jericho hits HBK with an elbow to his eye. The trademark "HBK Bladejob" follows. Jericho beats him down until the ref eventually calls the match due to HBK no longer able to go on. Jericho gets the victory because of this. This storyline really intrigues me. 6/10
4) ECW Championship: Mark Henry(c) d. Tommy Dreamer w/ Colin Delaney - The match is decent considering Dreamer is involved. The shock here comes when Colin Delaney turns on his mentor. Mark Henry retains. WOW! Didn't see that one coming. 3/10
5) The *NEW* Divas Championship: Michelle McCool d. Natalya - These two work well together for another good women's contest. The bad thing was the crowd in this one. They didn't get into it at all. Natalya and Michelle McCool was even able to pull of the hard to do Mexican Stretch submission hold. Apparently, everyone was gone to the restroom, and that's a shame. McCool gets the win and is the new Divas Champion. 6.5/10
*After Michelle McCool celebrates in the ring, Jericho comes out and informs the crowd that they probably have seen HBK's last match, and that they should save their ticket stubs. That HBK has suffered a detatched retina that will keep him from competing.*
6) World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk(c) vs. Batista *NO CONTEST* - The match starts out really good w/ CM Punk showing off his athleticism going toe to toe w/ the bigger Batista. They really worked well together until Kane comes to ringside and takes both of them out. The ref calls for the bell and declares a NO CONTEST. Kane repeats the same question he's had for weeks...."Is he Alive or Dead?!" 6/10
7) NYC Parking Lot Brawl: John Bradshaw Layfield d. John Cena - I really didn't enjoy this one at all. WWE did this one backstage, and it just seemed like too much of a production. Had too many camera angles, no commentary, and too spotty. JBL lights a car on fire with Cena in it. Then, Cena rams the car with a forklift that holds JBL. They end up at the rampway leading to the ring, where JBL counters a FU and throws Cena off the stage on to a car's windshield. JBL gets the win finally! Wait, JBL actually beat Cena for a change, WOW!! Cena isn't as invincible as he is often portrayed. 4/10
8) WWE Championship: Triple H(c) d. Edge - Starts out decent, Edge and Triple have some good chemistry. I was enjoying this one most of the match, until the end. Edge and Vickie's wedding planner comes out and tries to help Edge, but Vickie follows to confront her. They both get in the ring where Vickie inadvertantly gets the spear by Edge. Edge then turns around into the Pedigree in classic fashion. Triple H gets the win and retains. 6/10
Overall - This PPV you could probably leave on the shelf, unless you're a huge Triple H fan, or you want to see JBL finally get his against Cena. This is really one of the weakest of the year to date. Most of these matches have the quality of just being on their respected shows. Really, really expected.
Match 1- Curt Hawkins and Zach Ryder d. John Morrison and The Miz ©, Finlay and Hornswoggle, and Jesse and Festus.
This was a nice opener to the show but I would've preferred if this was on the mid-card and not just the first match. Miz and Morrison were barely tagged in the entire time as Finlay, Hornswoggle, and Curt Hawkins and Zach Ryder were in the ring mostly. One of my favorite moves in the match was when Hornswoggle did a Hurracarana on I think was Festus. Curt Hawkins and Zach Ryder won when Jesse was on the top rope and he pushed Jesse off and pinned him. 4/5
Match 2- Shelton Benjamin d. Matt Hardy ©
This was a really good back and forth match between two accomplished competitors. I made a prediction before the match that because Matt Hardy had held on to the championship for so long that he was booked to lose it. I was right. Shelton beat Matt Hardy with Paydirt and pinned him for the three-count. Unfortunately, It wasn't as good as the tag team match. 3/5
Match 3- Mark Henry © w/ Tony Atlas d. Tommy Dreamer w/ Colin Delaney
This was a pretty good match. My prediction was that Dreamer was gonna get squashed like a bug. I was wrong. Dreamer hit the Dreamer DDT and Mark Henry was down. Then Colin Delaney yanked Tommy Dreamers leg which led Tommy right into Mark Henry's Worlds Strongest Slam which decimated Tommy Dreamer. I even got a picture of the moment when Colin was Yanking Dreamers Leg. Again, just an okay match. 3/5
Match 4- Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels
Anytime these two get into the ring it is magic. This match was bloody, gruesome, and awesome all at the same time. Chris Jericho destroyed Shawn Michaels giving him the Lionsault and the Codebreaker onto the rope. With Shawn Michael's ailing injuries Y2J had this one in the bag. Lance Cade interfered on Chris Jericho's behalf. This was probably one of the better matches. I feel very lucky that I got to see Shawn Michaels before he's going to retire. 5/5 Great Match!
Match 5- Michelle McCool d. Natalya
Michelle McCool was super hot so everybody stood up when she came down the ramp. Natalya- not so much. Brian remarked that she looked like a fat cow but I let that go as I watched two of my favorite SmackDown divas engage in combat. Michelle McCool tried a heel hook at the start but Natalya reversed it. Natalya eventually applied the Sharpshooter but amazingly, Michelle McCool made it to the rope and broke out. Michelle than applied the heel hook and Natalya suffered her first singles loss in the WWE. This match was way to short but WWE made up for this by having Eve and Cherry come down the ramp to celebrate with Michelle. 3/5
Match 6- C.M. Punk fought Batista to a double disqualification
This match was a very good match with a lot of back and forth between Punk and Batista. The Match lasted around 10 minutes and ended when Kane interfered and kicked the cameraman over. He Chokeslammed C.M. Punk and Batista looked pissed. Batista then Spinebustered C.M Punk. The next night on Raw JBL and Batista both asked for title shots and now it's C.M Punk vs. JBL for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. It was sick when Kane kicked the cameraman. Man is he demented!
4/5 good match.
Match 7- JBL d. John Cena in a Parking Lot Brawl
The most violent parking lot brawl I've seen. John Cena electrocuted JBL's balls, JBL set a car with John Cena in it on fire, and many more violent things happened. The car actually went on to the stage. John Cena went to F-U JBL unto the car but JBL realized it and pushed John Cena face first into the windshield. JBL got the pinfall. John Cena actually bleeded real blood on his elbow. Cryme Tyme did not interfere for Cena nor did Simply Priceless interfere for JBL. Great Match 5/5
Match 8- Triple H © d. Edge
Boy! What can I say about this match? Both competitors are seasoned veterans of the ring and it was a mostly fair match. Triple H the game got a huge pop while Edge got many boos due to him cheating on Vickie Guerrero with Alicia Fox, the wedding planner. There were many memorable moments between the two competitors such as when Edge DDT'd Triple H onto the hard ring floor. Every fan can agree that one of the best parts was when Alcia Fox interfered to give Edge the title belt to use on Triple H, and Vickie Guerrero came down the ramp and clotheslined her. Then Edge was gonna spear the wedding planner but she ducked and Edge speared Vickie. Best Match Hands Down 5/5
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WWE: Breaking Point 2009 (2009) DVD
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The traditional September PPV of Unforgiven was replaced this year by a new concept where it was all about making someone submit by pushing someone past their limit to their "Breaking Point."
Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show vs. M.V.P. & Mark Henry - The opening match was contested between two similar teams. Both weren't established as a long term tag team and both teams contested of one individual who was the speed & more agile wrestler while the other was the bigger & strong member of the team and you saw that similarites in this match as the match really picked up whenever Jericho & M.V.P. were in the ring while it was more of a slower power style whenever Henry & Show were in the ring. It was a solid opening tag team match.
United States Champion Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz - When you take into concideration how both men have been used all year with the Miz being a comedy act for weeks after months of buildup going to waste by being buried by John Cena while Kofi constantly being an uneventful champion booked in last minute multiman matches...this was the shock of the night for just how good this match was. It started off slow but picked up over time with the crowd getting into it as both men kept pulling out counter after counter for various moves. This was definately a "sleeper" match that was way better than you expected it to be going in.
Submissions Count Anywhere Match: D-Generation X vs. The Legacy - This is the first of 3 different types of submission matches throughout the night with a special type of twist on a normal "falls count anywhere" match as for those who know their WWE history in regards to the city of Montreal, you'll get a laugh out of DX's introduction. As you expect in this match, more of the action happened outside of the ring than it did in the ring as they fought through the crowd, ringside, near the stage, backstage. Along with the normal submission moves you've seen in the past from DX like a figure four & even the crossface, you saw various unique types of submission moves both teams like Shawn doing a reverse dragon sleeper using the handrail in the isleway, DX using a boston crab/camel clutch combination, a variation of the Gory Guerrero backbreaker, and even Ted doing his dad's famous "Million $ Dream". This was the type of match that an unestablished team like Legacy NEED as they divived & conquered here resulting in them doing something that no other team before them as ever done.
Singapore Cane Match: Kane vs. Great Khali - Kane is in a match that was named after him (get it...Kane & cane?). Alright, I know that was a bad joke but that was more entertaining than this match itself as these two just don't work well together with Kane only being as good as the person across from him while Khali just isn't good unless he's with a small guy who knows how to bounce around & be a personal spot monkey for him & the canes hurt more (as if that's possible) than it helped here. Sorry for the rant but whoever seriously thinks that these two facing each other are an attraction that people want to see needs to be fired.
ECW Champion Christian vs. William Regal - This match was exactly what you expected it to be in that it was a technical matbased match between two heavily underrated competitors with Regal showing signs of his old WCW "Lord Steven Regal" character with some of those knee shots he delivered. Similar to the earlier match with Kofi/Miz, the crowd got more into it over time as we got the match here that we should have gotten at SummerSlam.
Right around here was a segment featuring WWE Hall Of Famer, the first Intercontinental Champion, and Montreal's own Pat Patterson & the #1 contendor for the I.C. Title in Dolph Ziggler that just wasn't funny or entertaining at all.
"I Quit" Match: WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. John Cena - Due to what happened at SummerSlam, the stipulation here was that Orton will lose the title if anyone get involved. This is one of those matches that's more about "putting over a character" more than actual wrestling quality because the actual physical part of the match itself (haven't seen their matches past this PPV) ranks below their previous two SummerSlam matches but above their other two PPV matches that were also setup to just further a storyline. This match heavily showcased Orton's "Viper" character as being cold hearted & calculating & merciless by just attacking Cena's head with the hanging DDT and weapons like a monitor & steel chair & the steps. Orton also at one point had Cena handcuffed and just beating the hell out of him & so obsessed with having Cena say "I Quit" that he even refused to allow Cena to "get out easy" & passout from the pain while Cena's character was pushed here too as he just kept taking a beating but refused to quit. I'll give credit in that I thought it was a creative way of applying the STF but the finish just came too quick to be believeable. In the end, you have to look at this match for what it was in that it was more of a "character driven" match more than anything else.
Submission Match: World Champion C.M. Punk vs. Undertaker - This is one of those matches that was good for what it was but it should have been better. Taker & Punk started off well with both men going back & forth with Punk heavily relying on his kicks against Taker here but as soon as the match was starting to develop, it was suddenly cut short with the screwjob ending involving the referee, Punk, and Theodore Long that left the crowd with no reaction more than anything else. This wasn't a good way to end the show.
DVD extras include highlights of former "Price Is Right" host Bob Barker hosting RAW along with a post match interview with Chris Jericho & Big Show. In the end, this is one of those average shows where it wasn't bad but it certainly wasn't a memorable show itself. There was just as much bad (Punk/Taker & Kane/Khali & that Ziggler segment) as there was good (DX/Legacy & Kofi/Miz & Regal/Christian) while the rest of the matches were either solid or average but nothing to really brag out. So if you have a couple of spare bucks that you won't miss, go ahead & pick this up but it's nothing to go out of your way to see.
1. WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Chris Jericho (c) & Big Show (c) vs. MVP & Mark Henry
Decent opener. Match was not good when either Henry or Show were in it, but Jericho and MVP worked together nicely and made up for it. Nothing to go out of your way and see, but this was a perfectly fine wrestling match. "Jerishow" go over clean after Show KOs Henry. **1/4
2. WWE United States Championship Match
Kofi Kingston (c) vs. the Miz
Crowd wasn't really into it, but they had a good match. Lots of nearfalls and the finish was well executed. Both guys worked hard and they had the crowd pretty into it by the end. Kofi wins clean with the Trouble in Paradise. ***1/4
3. Submissions Count Anywhere Match
Shawn Michaels & Triple H vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
Long match and very sloppy in spots. Crowd booed HBK, being as the event was being held in Montreal, and really wasn't all that into DX for much of the match, and it made this feel like it dragged. They brawled all over the arena and it just went on and on and on. There were some innovative spots and everyone worked hard, but this just wasn't that good. Problem was, nobody involved really had a submission move that was over, so the crowd was pretty dead when, say, Cody Rhodes put an ankle lock on Shawn Michaels. At least DX put over Legacy. **1/4
4. Singapore Cane Match
Great Khali vs. Kane
I didn't think it possible, but they had an even worse match than their previous encounter at SummerSlam. An abortion of a match, utterly shocking to behold. -**
5. ECW Championship Match
Christian (c) vs. William Regal
Very solid pro wrestling match. Crowd wasn't into it but it's understandible after what they had just witnessed. Very technical match, and the crowd did get into by the end when Christian started making his comeback. Christian pins Regal clean as a sheet with the Killswitch. **3/4
6. WWE Championship "I Quit" Match
Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
The psychology and storytelling of this match was really excellent. Most of the match revolved around handcuffs, with Orton cuffing Cena and just beating the hell out of him, but Cena kept refusing to quit. Orton took most of the match, but it was Cena who eventually turned the tide and Orton quit after an STF. As tired as Cena's unstoppable Hogan gimmick is, and as much as I don't like him as champion, I thought this was a very good match. And seriously, did anyone think Cena was going to quit? For me, the outcome was never in question because of the stips, but I'll give credit where credit is due. ***3/4
7. World Heavyweight Championship Submission Match
CM Punk (c) vs. Undertaker
They were strapped for time by this point, so they only got about 8 minutes. That being said, the match was good while it lasted but the ending came rather abruptly. Undertaker submitted Punk with the Hell's Gate, but Teddy Long came out and reminded everyone that Vickie Guererro's ban of that hold was still in effect, and therefore the match was restarted. Punk quickly applied the Anaconda Vice, but as he did so the ref immediately rang the bell. So yes, it was the Montreal Screwjob in 2009. Teddy Long looked morose and stood next to a jovial Punk as the show went off the air. **1/2
While this was an interesting show, this concept should never again be used by WWE. The nature of the stipulations were such that WWE booked themselves into a corner, and had to resort to 12 year old tricks to get the outcomes that they wanted. There was definately a mix of good and bad on the show, and I don't think one really outweighed the other, but when you look at this ppv as a whole, it is not worth your money. Rent it if nothing else
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WWE Backlash 2009 DVD
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ECW Championship
Christian Vs. Jack Swagger - This was a solid back and forth match. Christian and Swagger makes a good pair in the ring and if Swagger was trying to prove something here that he can perform on a big stage well, he certainly did that. Lots of near falls with the crowd getting into it. Solid opening contest and a great match to start the show. 4/5
This segment of the show I recommend checking out. After the opening match, Christian runs into Edge backstage. Edge and Christian has words with each other which may lead to something in the future between them.
Chris Jericho Vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat - Another great back and forth match. This is the match we should've got at WrestleMania. Yes, Steamboat is up there in age so some of his moves were off but he performed a solid wrestling match with Chris Jericho. Again, the crowd was into it and they were behind Steamboat all the way. This match has some nice counters but in the end it was Chris Jericho with his Walls Of Jericho making Steamboat tap out. 3.5/5
C.M. Punk Vs. Kane - This wasn't a bad match either. Kane and C.M. Punk previously fought on Raw but this match was much better. A couple minutes into the match Kane starts to target the mid-section of C.M. Punk. Kane and Punk put on a good effort and they delivered a well paced match. After a series of consecutive kicks and punches from Punk, Kane counters with a big chokeslam on Punk for the win. Without question, Kane derseved this win. 3.5/5
"I Quit" Match
Matt Hardy Vs. Jeff Hardy - This was a good match. Possibably better then their match from WrestleMania because the psychology in this match was better played out. Not as brutal and violent as previous "I Quit" Matches but this was still a good match. Matt morely targets the leg of Jeff and at one point applying a figure four leg lock. Jeff put on a good performance and at one point delivering a Twist Of Fate to Matt on the floor. The ending was a bit too cheap but that doesn't take away from the good performance Matt and Jeff put on. 4/5
The Great Khali Kiss Cam - This was absolutely a big waste of PPV air time. Santino isn't entertaining and his persona as "Santina" is just ugly and horrendous. Just stupid. BATHROOM BREAK!
WWE Championship
Triple H, Batista, & Shane McMahon Vs. Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase, & Cody Rhodes - This was also a good match. Early in the match, HHH chases Orton up the ramp and Orton disappears for a little while leaving Rhodes and DiBiase by theirselves. However, Orton returns and from there the match picked up and became a fairly good and enjoyable match. I will not say this match is better then HHH's and Orton's WWE Title Match from WrestleMania but this match surely didn't disappoint. The suspense factor was there if HHH, Batista, and Shane were all on the same page. The finish was great and it was a good move to give Orton the WWE Title (something WWE should've done at WrestleMania). A very entertaining and good match. 4.25/5
Last Man Standing Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Edge Vs. John Cena - Tremendous match and by far the best match of the night. This match could have ended so many times. All the 10 counts were extremely close. I give props to John Cena in this match. He isn't the best wrestler but when the rule book is thrown out, he certainly knows how to put on a grade A match and he did that here. The match was built very well that holds a lot of finishers and escapes (some we haven't seen before) that includes some new innovative spots. Edge and Cena both has fantastic showings. They both produced a great and exciting World Title Match. The ending was great to set up the BigShow/Cena feud and to give Smackdown a new World Champion in Edge. Outside of their TLC Match from Unforgiven, this was the best Cena/Edge match. Match of the night. 5/5
Overall, this was a great Backlash event and is surpassed WrestleMania 25. Edge and Cena gave a great performance and their match stole the show. I recommend this event. A very good follow up to WrestleMania.
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WWE: Judgment Day 2009 (2009) DVD
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| Reported by Ernest I Aguilar
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1. CM Punk vs. Umaga
Very good opener. Punk was super over in his home town and the crowd was very into it. Match slowed down a bit in the middle while Umaga was getting the heat on Punk but the crowd didn't die and the last several minutes were quite good. Great Start to the show. ***1/4
2. ECW Championship Match
Christian (c) vs. Jack Swagger
They had their usual good match, but I didn't think it was quite up to the level of their previous encounters. I didn't care for the ending, even though it made sense in the storyline, but it looks like this fued will continue which is not a bad thing. ***1/4
3. John Morrison vs. Shelton Benjamin
This was a good match that was horrifying at times, because there were several moments where moves were not executed all that safely. The crowd popped for the moves, but not so much for the superstars. It doesn't appear people quite buy Morrison as a face just yet, and the fact that he's working against an heel who isn't very over doesn't help, but by the end of the match they were into him. ***1/4
Once this match ended there was a segment involving the Miz, Alfonso Soriano of the Chicago Cubs, and Santino Marella (although briefly). I am usually not of a fan of having these segments on ppv, but this was all very good and Miz was tremendous in running down the Cubs. He was getting a ton of heat and it was great, and if I have one complaint it's that the segment went too long. Usually I'd say skip this but I quite enjoyed this spectacle.
4. Intercontinental Championship Match
Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Chris Jericho
This was a great match, the best match of the night. These two have always worked well together over the years, and this was one of their better matches. The crowd was mega hot for all of this, and Jericho had plenty of fans in the building, but nobody was booing Rey. Tons of near falls and false finishes at the end and the crowd was going hoss for all of it. Awesome stuff, I loved this match. ***3/4
5. WWE Championship Match
Randy Orton (c) vs. Batista
I thought this was a good match. It wasn't great, but it was well booked, with the basic story being Orton repeatedly trying to get counted out and Batista not allowing him to do so. This put Orton over as a coward and Batista over as a force to be dealt with and it worked. There were some good near falls at the end and the crowd was very into it. They even did the "BOO!", "YAY!" chants for the back and forth punches, with Orton getting cheered and Batista getting booed. The finish was atrociously bad, but when Flair made his run in the fans completely forgot about it so in that case this was a success. ***
6. John Cena vs. the Big Show
This was the weakest match on the show by far. These two have never worked well together and the match was very slow paced and boring. The crowd popped for the finish but were pretty dead for most of the match, aside from some dueling "cena sucks!" and "lets go cena!" chants. It's not unwatchable, but don't go out of your way to see it it will make you sleepy. *1/2
7. World Heavyweight Championship Match
Edge (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
Very good match, only a notch below the IC title match in quality. The crowd was pretty dead for the first half of this due to the Cena/Big Show match, but they really got into by the end which is a credit to the workers. The finish was awesome, and they managed to execute a few innovative spots. It was also nice to see Edge retain because the titles have been changing hands far too frequently as of late. Great way to end the show. ***3/4
I highly recommend adding this dvd to your collection. With one exception, every match on the show is good to very good, and that's a rarity in this day and age. This makes two great ppvs in a row from WWE, and I hope they can keep this streak going.
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WWE: The Bash 2009 (2009) dvd
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| Reported by Ernest I Aguilar
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1) ECW Championship Scramble
---In case you don't know the rules, basically two wrestlers compete for a few minutes, and then another one enters. After all five guys have entered, the 5 wrestlers only have a few more minutes to compete. Whoever has the last pinfall or submission victory before the time limit expires will walk away as the champion. Christian and Jack Swagger started things off, and worked very well together, like they always do. Finlay is always a reliable performer. I hope WWE realizes the value in having a hard knocks worker like Finlay with their company. Tommy Dreamer (the champion) and Mark Henry did what we expected them do as the hard-working veteran and giant athlete, respectively. I guess my overall reaction is that I enjoyed this Scramble Match, especially when all five men are...well, scrambling to get the title with very little time left. However, as the WWE's fourth Scramble Match, I didn't get into this quite as much as the first three from the "Unforgiven 2008" event in Cleveland. But that's just nitpicking. Bottom line is that ECW's only match on the card got me into the mood for the rest of the event.
"7.0 / 10"
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2) Mask-vs-Title
Chris Jericho (Intercontinental champion)
v. Rey Mysterio (Must Unmask If Defeated)
---If you can forget that Rey was demasked 10 years ago in WCW, then you can get into this match like the rest of us. Don't you hate it when everyone seems to love a match, and you're wondering, "What's the big deal?" Let me assure you, just like everything you read about HBK/Undertaker from "WrestleMania 25", this seesaw classic is the real deal. Jericho and Mysterio play off their previous matches, by adding more counters and twists, just like Rob Van Dam and Jerry Lynn used to do in their ECW contests. There's really nothing I need to say to persuade you to check this out. Even if the "Judgment Day" or "Extreme Rules" showdowns weren't your cup of tea, I beg you to give this one a chance. If you know what Jericho is capable of, and you know what Mysterio is capable of, then you need to at least YouTube or rent this DVD just to watch this match. At the time I'm writing this review, we've got a few months before 2010 hits us. But so far, I haven't seen a better match this year. Watch it immediately!
"9.0 / 10"
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3) No Disqualifications
Dolph Ziggler v. The Great Khali
---This match got its own video package? O...Kay. Now, like everyone else who watched "SmackDown" leading up to this, I just knew that Kane was going to ruin everything for our beloved Punjabi Giant, giving the cocky Ziggler his 3rd "win" over Khali. However, I had some fun watching this. There's something about seeing a giant just manhandle the tar out of a smaller jackass that I just love watching. I mean, come on, don't you like seeing Ziggler pounding and trash talk to Great Khali, only to have Khali's palm smack Ziggler's chest? I can't believe I'm sticking up for this one, but I have to be honest, and say that Ziggler really worked his tail off to make this fresh.
"6.0 / 10"
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4) Unified Tag Team Championships
Carlito & Primo (champions)
Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes v.
v. Edge & Chris Jericho
---Alright, this is one of the crazy things from "The Bash" that I won't stick up for. You see, Edge & Jericho were last-minute additions so that "SmackDown" GM Theodore Long could shake things up to keep his job. That's cool. But, the whole match basically has the Colons and Legacy duking it out for the gold, as if it was the original advertised match before Y2J & dge were added. Now, the commentoators and WWE try to spin this as a storyline, because Edge & Jericho do nothing until the very end. But just because you're letting us in on the joke doesn't make the joke funny. In fact, the original two-on-two suspense was taken away from me, and I didn't even get to see my two favorite working Canadian wrestlers participate in the action. What a ripoff! To be fair, Legacy & The Colons had a decent match together, but I felt just as screwed as they did when Edge got the pinfall.
"5.5 / 10"
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5) Women's Championship
Melina (champion) v. Michelle McCool
---To my surprise, I really enjoyed this match too. Melina and Michelle McCool are Divas who usually try to throw different things into their performances, the former more high-risk, the latter more technically diverse. The Sacramento crowd didn't getinto this match much, which is common for women's matches in the WWE. But I still enjoyed watching McCool and Melina put on their aggressive battle.
"7.0 / 10"
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6) World Heavyweight Championship
CM Punk (champion) v. Jeff Hardy
---One of the highlights of 2009 is definitely going to be CM Punk's slow gradual turn into a villain. At this point in time, he was merely an opportunist rather than the self-righteous Straightedge Superstar he became. When it came time for Jeff Hardy to challenge Punk for the gold, they both put on a very good match. The two men complement each other quite well, especially because Punk seems to show off his skills more than he used to in the past few years. This man is an ROH veteran, you know. I also was a bit late to the Jeff Hardy wagon; he really is a reliable and entertaining singles competitor. This "Bash" title bout, like Punk's character turn, takes its time to put the piece together, but doesn't test your patience. It's just a solid back-and-forth affair. What'll frustrate some people is the cheap finish in which Punk got himself disqualified. I say that it's alright to be ticked off once in a while, because we can't have justice 100% of the time. We'd have no storylines! The ending helped the storyline and was well-executed.
"7.5 / 10"
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7) John Cena v. The Miz
---Like everybody else who watched this match, I was disappointed to see 4 months of Miz's trash ta,lking result in a glorified 6-minute squash. I naively hoped that Miz would get to look like a million bucks, and move to the next level. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. However, just like Ziggler/Khali somehow managed to entertain me, I can't say I was bored. Sure, if I paid $40 for this PPV, I would've been harsher. But from the DVD viewing, I guess I'm grateful that it was longer than most squash matches, and admire seeing some unusual offense from both men.
"6.0 / 10" (most will rate this lower)
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8) 3 Stages of Hell - WWE Championship
Randy Orton (champion) v. Triple H
---Like many hardcore fans, I'm tired of seeing these two work together. Over the past two years I've seen these guys in a Steel Cage, three Last Man Standing Matches, two title matches in a single night, home invasions, family assaults...what else could they do? Unfortunately, this 3 Stages of Hell Match probably won't please most people. It lacks the feeling of a long gurleing battle, like what Steve Austin and HHH put together at "No Way Out 2001". Even the "Armageddon 2002" HBK/HHH showdown (overrated in my opinion) had a lot more intensity. This 3 Stages of Hell Match was entertaining enough for me, but I have a feeling I'm just the forgiving type. The first two falls end in a matter of minutes; WWE would call it storytelling, I call it time-crunching. The rest of the match seems to be WWE's new definition of brutality: If both guys are fatigued, it must be a brutal match. But for a match with the word "Hell" in it, this one was a little soft. But like most other matches on this card, I never got restless, and I somehow enjoyed it. I like this match, but I won't recommend it to anybody else.
"7.0 / 10"
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"The Bash 2009" really shouldn't get a positive review like this. But if I like something, I'm gonna say it, even if there are a lot of conventional reasons why I shouldn't. "ECW" has had a good PPV year so far, and their Championship Scramble was another good match. It was nice to see "SmackDown" stay reliable as the wrestling show, with an incredible IC Title match, and solid Women's & World Heavyweight Championship matches. Even Khali/Ziggler wasn't too bad in my book. "RAW" is sadly becoming the weakest of the three brands, with barely passable PPV matches like what we saw from this PPV. It's also too bad that the Unified Tag Team Titles seem doomed to be an afterthought.
I understand why most won't like "The Bash 2009", but I bought it on a whim, and I'm glad I did.
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WWE: Extreme Rules 2009 (2009) DVD
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| Reported by Ernest Aguilar
Price: $6.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
In Stock.
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Price: $6.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Only 5 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).
Format:DVD
This was a very newsworthy show from WWE as there had been 5 title changes during the night. I did not, however, think this was a great show. I did like it, but only mildly, because the two matches I was looking foreward too (the IC title match and the Ladder match) were both very good. I did not think it was nearly as good or as well-rounded as Backlash and Judgment Day, but it held its own. Personally, I would not purchase this on dvd, but it is worth a rental. Matches are rated out of 5 stars (*****).
1. United States Title Match
Kofi Kingston (c) vs. MVP vs. Matt Hardy vs. William Regal
Fast paced match to start, but it was rather short and felt rushed. There were botched spots aplenty in this one, but they pulled out some nice moves as well. Overall this was fine and the guys worked hard, and the match did it's job by getting the crowd pumped up. **
2. No Holds Barred Intercontinental Title Match
Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Chris Jericho
Another great match from these two. The crowd wasn't particularly into it at first, but by the end they were going insane, which is a tremendous credit to the workers. The pace was superb and they did their usual great moves, and I thought they worked the No Holds Barred stipulation in nicely by letting the fans know it was there but not going overboard with gimmicks (all they used was a steel chair). The finish was also brilliant and allows for this fued to continue. ***3/4
3. Samoan Strap Match
CM Punk vs. Umaga
There was not a lot of heat for this one. The match was OK and nothing more, but I will say the ending was good. Pretty average otherwise, not nearly as good as their match at Judgment Day. *3/4
4. ECW Championship Hardcore Triple Threat Match
Christian (c) vs. Tommy Dreamer vs. Jack Swagger
This was a pretty fun match, and was good for what it was. Fans wanted tables but they got trash cans and kendo sticks, and they used those two weapons for basically the entire match. Personally I thought it went a little long, but that's just me. Fans loved Tommy getting the win, and his celebration afterwards was really great. **1/2
5. Hog Pen Match
"Santina" Marella vs. Vickie Guerrero (w/ Chavo Guerrero)
I knew going in this was going to be bad, but this was SHOCKINGLY bad. They had an absolutely hideous match, one of the worst I've seen in years. Worst of all, with promos and the aftermath included, this probably wasted close to 20 minutes of ppv time. I want to hear someone from WWE try and justify fans paying money for this. - (negative) ***
6. WWE Championship Steel Cage Match
Randy Orton (c) vs. Big Dave Batista
This was the real shocker of the evening, as I did not think even for one second that Dave was going to win this match. Not to mention that he pinned Orton clean as a sheet in the middle of the ring after about 7 minutes of action. However, I do not have a serious issue with the length of the match, because for those 7 minutes it was all solid pro wrestling action instead of a long drawn out brawl. Again, this was too short to really be good, but for what it was I liked it. **1/4
7. Submission Match
John Cena vs. The Big Show
Very boring match. This was basically the exact same boring match they had last month, only there were no pin fall attempts and subsequent near falls. Big Show dominated Cena FOREVER with his slow plodding offense, and I was nearly dozing off. At the end, Cena tangled Show's foot in between the middle and bottom rope, which took care of the "t" in stf, and then he applied a crossface. Problem is, show's foot fell out and he had to pretend it was still there in that bent position. This was not good folks, I pray that this fued is over. 3/4*
8. World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match
Edge (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
Very good match, but not quite the classic I was expecting. They both worked really hard and tried some innovative moves, some of which were truly horrifying. Unfortunately they didn't have a whole lot of time because of all the other matches on the show, so they may have had to cut some things out. This match didn't blow me away like I thought it would, but like I said it was still very good and I was quite satisfied when it was over. The finish was also great. ***3/4
9. World Heavyweight Championship Match
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk
Punk got a major mixed reaction coming out. Basically, Punk hit the GTS, hardy kicked out, place went insane, hardy rolled up Punk and Punk kicked out, place went nuts, then Punk hit another GTS for the pin, and the crowd died. The crowd was super into this untill the very end, and then there really wasn't a big pop for the title change. That being said, this was GREAT for the one minute that it lasted. (NR)
This show was a mixed bag. It was very newsworthy and interesting, because I really don't know where they are going from here. There were two great matches on the show and some fine little matches as well, but the middle of the card really dragged the show to a screeching halt, particularly the Hog Pen disaster and the Submission match. If you really enjoy gimmick matches then I'd consider picking this up, otherwise save your money and rent it for a rainy day. Overall I give this show a moderate thumbs up.
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