Monday, June 30, 2008

Night of Champions 2008 Review

Can the WWE's hot streak of good PPV's continue?

The Miz and John Morrison defeated Finlay and Hornswoggle to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship (8:46)
Morrison pinned Hornswoggle after a throwing him off the top rope
**
This was better than I thought it was going to be. That shows just how awesome Miz and Morrison are.

Matt Hardy defeated Chavo Guerrero (w/Bam Neely) to retain the WWE United States Championship (9:21)
Hardy pinned Guerrero after the Twist of Fate.
**1/4
Generic Smackdown math.

Mark Henry defeated Kane and The Big Show to win the ECW Championship (8:17)
Henry pinned Kane after the Splash.
*
So awful when Mark Henry was in control. Once it became Kane vs. Show it got better but that's not saying much. I was shocked to see Henry win a "world" title.

Ted Dibiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes defeated Hardcore Holly to win the World Tag Team Championship (1:30)
Dibiase pinned Holly after the Million Dollar Dream Leg Sweep.
Rhodes turned on Holly to align himself with Dibiase.
DUD
Almost how I predicted but no Harry Smith. This was more of an angle advancer than an actual match.

Kofi Kingston defeated Chris Jericho (w/Lance Cade) to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship (10:59)
Kingston pinned Jericho after the the Trouble in Paradise
Shawn Michaels interfered on behalf on Kingston.
***
I was kind od suprised that they gave Kofi gold already.

Mickie James defeated Katie Lea (w/Paul Burchill) to retain the WWE Women’s Championship (7:16)
Mickie pinned Lea after the Mickie-T
*1/4
Katie Lea does not impress me so far. They were so awkward together.

Edge defeated Batista to retain the World Heavyweight Championship (16:49)
Edge pinned Batista after hitting him with the belt.
During the match, Vickie Guerrero appointed Chavo Guerrero the Referee.
***3/4
Their best match no doubt. They had me believing that Batista had a shot.

Triple H defeated John Cena to retain the WWE Championship (19:37)
Triple H pinned Cena after the Pedigree.
****
This was suprisingly awesome. I'd go as far as to say that this was better than their Wrestlemania match together.

~So now Smackdown has both World titles? I don't see that lasting. This PPV was salvaged by the last 2 matches. I'd say the streak is barely alive by the skin f their teeth. Hopefully they put together a better card for Great American Bash.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Night of Champions Predictions

WWE Title
HHH (C) vs. John Cena
The 2 title matches are very hard to pick now that we know about what happened at the draft. If these 4 would have stayed where they were, I'd pick the world champions to retain across the board. I either have to pick HHH and Batista to win or Cena and Edge to win (by my logic of each show having a specific champion, but who knows?). I like Edge's chances the best so I'll pick him to retain and Cena to win and take the belt to Raw.
Winner: Cena

World Title
Edge (C) vs. Batista
See WWE title match thoughts...
Winner: Edge

ECW Title
Kane (C) vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry
The only reason Henry is in this match is to take the pinfall. I'll say Show takes the title and sets up a 1 on 1 match vs.Kane next month.
Winner: Big Show

US Title
Matt Hardy (C) vs. Chavo Guerrero
Chavo just seems to be a challenger for the sake of being there. Hardy retains.
Winner: Hardy

IC Title
Chris Jericho (C) vs. ???
Y2J was supposed to face Shawn Michaels here but HBK is "injured." So apparently there will be another challenger. I'll say it's Punk (just because he has nothing else to do) and Y2J gets the win. It may still be HBK but Jericho goes over none the less.
Winner: Jericho

WWE Tag Titles
Miz & Morrison (C) vs. Finlay & Hornswoggle
I pray to God that one of the most entertaining WWE teams in years holds on to the titles here. I don't think WWE has the guts to put another title on a midget.
Winners: Miz & Morrison

World Tag Titles
Rhodes & Holly (C) vs. Dibiase Jr. & ???
Dibiase's partner here should be Harry Smith and I expect Rhodes to turn on Holly to form a 2nd generation group with the other 2. I'm probably way off and Holly & Rhodes continue their deathgrip on the titles, but I'll go with the former.
Winners: Dibiase & ??? (Smith)

Women's Title
Mickie (C) vs. Katie Lea
This is tough. Mickie hasn't really done much with the title so I think the new girl takes over.
Winner: Katie Lea

Divas Title
Natalyia vs. ???
Not sure if this is officially taking place on this show, but If it does, I say it's against Michelle McCool and McCool wins.
Winner: McCool

IVP Videos Presents: ROH Invades Japan Review

Aries/Strong vs. Doi/Yoshino (ROH Tag Titles) --- ***3/4

Mushiking Terry vs. Rocky Romero --- **1/2

KENTA vs. Bryan Danielson --- ****1/4

Liger/Evans/Sydal/BxB Hulk vs. Doi/Yoshino/Kishiwada/Steen --- ****

McGuinness/Williams vs. Rikio/Kawabata --- **1/2

The Briscoes vs. Marvin/Suzuki (GHC Jr. Tag Titles) --- ****1/2

Hero/Williams vs. Ota/Yone --- ***

Morishima vs. KENTA (ROH World Title) --- ***1/2

PWG Album of the Year Review

Frankie Kazarian vs. Disco Machine --- **

Arrogance vs. Franknsteen --- ***

T.J Perkins vs. Ronin --- **1/4

Phoenix Star vs. Nemesis --- **1/4

Joey Ryan vs. Top Gun Talwar (Tuxedo Match) --- *

Karl Anderson vs. Colt Cabana --- **1/2

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Rocky Romero --- ***3/4

El Generico vs Davey Richards (PWG Title) --- ***3/4

Thursday, June 19, 2008

TNA Slammiversary 2008 Review

Petey Williams (w/Scott Steiner and Rhaka Khan) defeated Kaz to retain the TNA X Division Championship[5] (15:18)
Williams pinned Kaz after a Canadian Destroyer.
After the match, Abyss returned and attacked Steiner, Williams and Khan, delivering a Black Hole Slam to each of them.
***3/4

Gail Kim, O.D.B., and Roxxi defeated The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky) and Moose[5] (10:15)
O.D.B. pinned Moose after a running powerslam.
**1/2

The Latin American Xchange (Homicide and Hernandez) (w/Salinas and Hector Guerrero) defeated Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) to retain the TNA World Tag Team Championship[5] (15:44)
Homicide pinned Ray with a roll-up.
**1/4

Awesome Kong (w/Raisha Saeed) defeated Serena Deeb in a $25,000 Fan Challenge[5] (2:26)
Kong pinned Deeb after an Implant Buster.
¼*

Awesome Kong (w/Raisha Saeed) defeated Josie in a $25,000 Fan Challenge.[5] (1:53)
Kong pinned Josie after an Awesome Bomb
½*

A.J. Styles defeated Kurt Angle (w/Tomko)[5] (22:50)
Styles pinned Angle after a Styles Clash
After the match Angle hit Styles with a steel chair.
***3/4

Samoa Joe defeated Robert Roode, Booker T, Rhino, and Christian Cage (w/Kevin Nash as the Special Ringside Enforcer) in a King of the Mountain match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship[5] (19:51)
Booker qualified by pinning Rhino after a Book End.
Roode qualified by pinning Cage after a chair shot.
Rhino qualified by pinning Roode with a roll-up.
Cage qualified by pinning Booker after a frog splash.
Joe qualified by pinning Roode after a Muscle Buster.
Joe hung the belt to win.
***1/2

FIP Payback Review

Rainman vs. Jared Steel --- *

Steve Madison vs. Kahagas --- *

Spanky vs. Tony Kozina --- **3/4

Banks/Dunn/Marcos vs. The Heartbreak Express/Don Juan --- ***

Jay Fury vs. Sal Rinauro vs. Tony Mamaluke (Three Way Dance) --- **3/4

Samoa Joe vs. Azrieal --- **1/4

Rave/Fast Eddie vs. Strong/Clark (FIP Tag Titles) --- ***

CM Punk vs. Colt Cabana --- ****

FIP Violence is the Answer Review

Spanky vs. Roderick Strong --- ***

Antonio Banks vs. Ryze --- *1/2

Rainman vs. Sal Rinauro vs. Jared Steele vs. Kahagas (4 Way Fray) --- **

Dunn vs. Fast Eddie --- **3/4

Jimmy Rave vs. Jerrelle Clark --- **3/4

Carnage Crew/Marcos vs. Heartbreak Express/Don Juan --- **1/2

James Gibson vs. Steve Madison --- ***

Homicide vs. CM Punk (FIP Title; Anything Goes) --- ***1/2

FIP Bring the Pain Review

Ryze vs. Masked Fipper #1 --- DUD

Roderick Strong vs. Insane Dragon (#1 Contendership for ROH Title later tonight) --- **3/4

Erick Stevens vs. Don Juan --- **

The Heartbreak Express vs. Epic/Kahagas --- *1/2

Steve Madison vs. Tony Kozina --- **

Jared Steele vs. Evan Starsmore --- *3/4

Vordell Walker vs. Masada --- **

Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong (ROH World Title) --- ***1/4

CM Punk vs. Bryan Danielson (2/3 Falls) --- ****1/2

FIP Dangerous Intentions Review

The Heartbreak Express vs. Epic/Kahagas --- *1/2

Rainman vs. Evan Starsmore --- ½*

Sal Rinauro vs. Erick Stevens --- *1/4

CM Punk vs. Bryan Danielson --- ****

Antonio Banks vs. Scoot Andrews (#1 Contendership for FIP Title) --- **1/4

Austin Aries vs. Vordell Walker (ROH World Title) --- ***1/4

Fast Eddie Vegas vs. Puma vs. Jerrelle Clark vs. Azrieal (4 Way Fray) --- **

Homicide vs. Rocky Romero (FIP Title) --- ***

PWG Battle of Los Angeles 2006 Night 3 Review

El Generico vs. Chris Sabin --- ***1/4

CIMA vs. Kevin Steen --- ***

Dragon Kid vs. Roderick Strong --- ***3/4

Austin Aries vs. Davey Richards --- ***1/2

Genki Horiguchi vs. Jack Evans --- ***

Super Dragon vs. Frankie Kazarian --- N/R

CIMA vs. El Generico --- ****1/4

Davey Richards vs. Roderick Strong --- ***1/4

Super Dragon vs. Jack Evans --- **1/2

Delirious/Cabana/M-Dogg 20/Quicksilver vs. Romero/Hero/Castagnoli/Necro Butcher --- ***1/2

CIMA vs. Davey Richards --- ***1/4

Saturday, June 7, 2008

PWG Battle of Los Angeles 2006 Night 2 Review

Austin Aries vs. Disco Machine --- **3/4

Davey Richards vs. Ronin --- **3/4

Jack Evans vs. Claudio Castagnoli --- ***1/4

Genki Horiguchi vs. Chris Hero --- ***1/4

Human Tornado vs. Joey Ryan vs. Petey Williams vs. Excalibur (PWG World Title) --- **1/2

Arrogance vs. The Briscoe Bros. vs. Homicide & B-Boy (PWG Tag Titles) --- ****1/4

Frankie Kazarian vs. Scorpio Sky --- ***1/4

Super Dragon vs. Necro Butcher (Falls Count Anywhere) --- ***3/4

PWG Battle of Los Angeles 2006 Night 1 Review

Chris Sabin vs. Colt Cabana --- ***

El Generico vs. Delirious --- ***

CIMA vs. M-Dogg 20 --- **3/4

Kevin Steen vs. Matt Sydal --- ***1/4

Dragon Kid vs. Quicksilver --- **3/4

Roderick Strong vs. Rocky Romero --- ****

Excalibur/Tornado/B-Boy/Homicide vs. Ryan/Lost/Bosh/Williams --- ***3/4

WWE One Night Stand 2008 Review

Jeff Hardy defeated Umaga in a Falls Count Anywhere match (9:27)
Hardy pinned Umaga after a Swanton Bomb off a parking lot semi-trailer.
**1/2
Just a generic Attitude brawl.

The Big Show defeated CM Punk, John Morrison, Chavo Guerrero (w/Bam Neely) and Tommy Dreamer in a Singapore Cane match (8:35)
Big Show pinned Dreamer after hitting him with a Singapore cane to earn an ECW Championship match at Night of Champions.
**1/2
Better than I thought it would be.

John Cena defeated John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) in a First Blood match (14:30)
JBL bled from the mouth while Cena applied the STFU with a chain around his neck.
**3/4
Also better than I thought it would be. I hope this rivalry is over though.

Beth Phoenix defeated Melina in an "I Quit" match (9:14)
Melina said "I quit" while Phoenix had her in a modified chickenwing.
**1/2
Not bad for a Divas match.

Batista defeated Shawn Michaels in a Stretcher match (17:00)
Batista placed Michaels on a stretcher and pushed it across the line after he delivered a Spinebuster on Michaels onto the steel ring steps.
***1/4
Probably should have been a little better.

Triple H defeated Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match to retain the WWE Championship (13:15)
Orton failed to answer the ten-count after Triple H hit him with a sledgehammer.
During the match, Orton legitimately broke his collarbone.
**1/2
The match was really starting to get good when the injury happened.

Edge defeated The Undertaker in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match to win the vacant World Heavyweight Championship (23:50)
Edge won the match by retrieving the belt suspended above the ring.
Per the pre-match stipulation, Undertaker was forced to leave WWE.
***1/2
I don't love this match like most do. It jsut felt like big spots that we've all seen before and you could see them coming a mile away. I mean, most matches like this you can see the spots coming, but not this obvious.

~ Another solid show but probably the weakest PPV of the year.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

One Night Stand Predictions

I'm gonna keep this short and sweet because I'm tired.

World Title - TLC Match
Undertaker vs. Edge
Winner: Edge

WWE Title - Last Man Standing Match
HHH (C) vs. Randy Orton
Winner: HHH

Stretcher Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Batista
Winner: Shawn Michaels

Falls Count Anywhere Match
Umaga vs. Jeff Hardy
Winner: Jeff Hardy

I Quit Match
Melina vs. Beth Phoenix
Winner: Beth Phoenix

First Blood Match
John Cena vs. JBL
Winner: John Cena

Singapore Cane Match for ECW Title #1 Contendership
CM Punk vs. Tommy Dreamer vs. Big Show vs. John Morrison vs. Chavo Gueerero
Winner: Big Show

PWG All Star Weekend VI Night 2 Review

Karl Anderson vs. Alex Koslov --- **1/4

Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Hero --- ***

Black/Jacobs vs. The Young Bucks --- ***3/4

Jack Evans vs. Roderick Strong (Match 2 of 3 for PWG Title #1 Contendership) --- ***1/4

Candice LeRae vs. Human Tornado --- ***1/2

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Necro Butcher --- ***1/4

El Generico vs. Susumu Yokosuka --- ***1/4

Muscle Outlawz vs. The Dynasty --- ***1/4

Super Dragon vs. Taro --- **1/2

Bryan Danielson vs. CIMA (PWG Title #1 Contendership) --- ****1/4

PWG All Star Weekend VI Night 1 Review

Bryan Danielson vs. Low Ki (PWG Title) --- ****1/2

El Generico vs. Karl Anderson --- ***1/4

Ronin vs. Scorpio Sky --- ***1/4

The Dynasty vs. Jacobs/Black --- ***3/4

Jack Evans vs. Roderick Strong (Match 1 of 3 for PWG Title #1 Contendership) --- ***
1/4

Muscle Outlawz vs. The Young Bucks --- ***1/4

Alex Koslov vs. TJ Perkins --- **1/4

CIMA vs. Susumu Yokosuka --- ***1/2

Hero/LeRae/Necro Butcher vs. Human Tornado/Castagnoli/Kingston --- ****

PWG The High Cost of Doing Business Review

Karl Anderson vs. Ronin --- **

TJ Perkins vs. Claudio Castagnoli --- ***

The Dynasty vs. The Young Bucks --- ***1/2

El Generico vs. Roderick Strong --- ***1/4

Rocky Romero vs. Scorpio Sky --- **1/2

Hero/Mystery Partner vs. Human Tornado/Mystery Partner --- ***3/4

Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Evans (PWG World Title) --- ***

WWE Judgement Day 2008 Review

Cena opening the show and a cage match as the main event...what is this...Raw?

John Cena defeated John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) (15:09)
Cena pinned JBL after an FU.
**1/4
Solid enough opener.

John Morrison and The Miz defeated Kane and CM Punk to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship (7:30)
Morrison pinned Punk after a Moonlight Drive.
**1/2
Standard stuff.

Shawn Michaels defeated Chris Jericho (15:56)
Michaels pinned Jericho after countering the Walls of Jericho into a straddle pin.
****
Not as good as their Mania XIXmatch but still really strong.

Mickie James defeated Beth Phoenix and Melina in a Triple Threat match to retain the WWE Women's Championship (4:55)
Mickie pinned Melina after a Mickie DT.
**
About as good a women's match as you'll ever get for less thatn 5 minutes.

The Undertaker defeated Edge by countout for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship (16:30)[4]
SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero declared the title would remain vacant since a championship cannot be decided by countout.
***3/4
Still like their Backlash match a little more. On par with Wrestlemania.

Jeff Hardy defeated Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP) (9:50)
Jeff pinned MVP after a Whisper in the Wind.[16]
*3/4
Just thrown on here and it showed.

Triple H defeated Randy Orton in a Steel Cage match to retain the WWE Championship (21:20)[3]
Triple H pinned Orton after a steel chair shot and a Pedigree.
***
Generic cage match best describes this.

~ Another solid show from WWE.