DVD Review: History of the WWE Title Set

Disk 1: 1960's, 70's, and 80's



Jim Ross is the host, setting up angles and programs, and generally filling in the blanks between matches. Since this was released in 2005 or 2006, there's not a lot about Bruno Sammartino, because he didn't reconcile with WWE until 2012 or so. JR goes into the kayfabe tournament to crown a WWWF champion in 1963, then Bruno's 48-second win over Rogers at MSG in May of 1963. There's no film of that anywhere, and only a few still pictures exist. Bruno held the title for a mind-numbing 7 ½ years, having programs with everyone who came through the northeast in the 60's. He dropped the title to Ivan Koloff in January of 1971, with Koloff getting a clean pin following a knee drop from the top rope. They didn't announce Koloff as the new champion, fearing the MSG crowd would riot. That led to Vincent J. McMahon's decision to put the title on another ethnic hero, which led to the first match on this set:





1971.02.08

Ivan Koloff (Champion)

Vs

Pedro Morales

Jim Ross does overdubbed commentary, and there's a loop of the crowd noise in the background that is really bad, as a bell keeps ringing. Koloff is MASSIVE here, like 300 pounds, seriously about 75 pounds heavier than he would be during his run in JCP in the mid-eighties. They're in the MSG boxing ring, so there's four ring ropes. I've never understood the appeal of Pedro. He had virtually no offense beyond some basics, and mostly just kicked and punched. Is there something I'm missing? He is the US Champion here, as the WWWF had purchased the title from Ed Farhat in Detroit, basically to build Pedro up as a credible main eventer. Pedro grabs a headlock and works some basics. JR talks about the lack of aerial wrestlers back then, and Koloff buries a boot to the midsection. He goes to a rear chinlock and chokes Pedro with the strap from his singlet. Pedro fires back, and Koloff begs off. They do a test of strength, and Koloff wins that, so Pedro monkey flips him out of the corner. Koloff grabs a headlock, then goes to a bearhug. Pedro briefly escapes, but Koloff grabs it again. Pedro with a slam, but Koloff grabs a headlock. They do a double KO spot, and when Pedro attempts a slam, Koloff falls on him for 2. He misses a splash, then hits a slam. He goes for the top rope knee, but misses and Pedro hits a top rope cross body for 2. Koloff goes to a waist lock from behind, and Pedro kicks off of the buckle and they fall back. Pedro rolls his shoulder for the pin and the title at 10:35 and the crowd goes APESHIT. Not a great match by the standards of any era. *



The switches from Morales to Stan Stasiak and from Stasiak back to Bruno are skipped over.



1974.04.29

Bruno Sammartino (Champion, with Arnold Skaaland)

Vs

Killer Kowalski (with the Grand Wizard, Ernie Roth)

Speaking of guys I never understood the appeal of, here's Killer Kowalski. He was tall and lean, but he really just looked like some grumpy old guy with no muscle tone. He could do some good ring work, but he'd never get a second look today. This is joined in progress, and Bruno is working the leg. Kowalski takes over and goes after Bruno's arm. Bruno goes to the leg, and Kowalski gets a guillotine body ride. He goes to the top, but Bruno slams him off. Slam gets 2. Kowalski grabs an abdominal claw (yes, he just grabs Bruno's stomach) and this just abysmal. Kowalski dropkicks him to the floor, and Kowalski slams him for 2 when he comes back in. Bruno gets knocked back to the floor, then jumps right back in. They fight in the corner and Bruno blades. Bruno sees the blood and goes nuts and they just totally ignore the referee and the whole thing is thrown out for the double DQ at 24:10. We saw (mercifully) about 8 minutes of it. -** It really astounds me that NWA World Champions like Jack Brisco and Dory Funk were doing amazing 60-minute Broadways around the country night after night, and the McMahons were putting dogs like this on top at the biggest arena in the world and packing the place.



1977.04.30

Bruno Sammartino (Champion, with Arnold Skaaland)

Vs

Superstar Graham (with the Grand Wizard)

From Baltimore. This might be the biggest ring I've ever seen. It's seriously like 25 feet on a side. Bruno works the arm, and they do a test of strength, where Graham drives Bruno to his back for a couple of near-falls. Bruno powers up and Graham goes to the ropes. Bruno grabs a top wristlock, and works the arm. They go back and forth until Bruno whales on him. Graham grabs a bearhug, but Bruno escapes and grabs one of his own. Graham grabs the ropes, then scoops Bruno in the corner, puts both feet on the ropes, and gets the pin and the title at 13:43. Decent enough power match. *



1978.02.20

Superstar Graham (Champion, with the Grand Wizard)

Vs

Bob Backlund (with Arnold Skaaland)

This is from a CV release from 1986 or '87, and has Craig DeGeorge, Bobby Heenan, and Johnny Valiant doing commentary. Clipped to about a minute and a half, as Backlund has Graham in a bearhug, and he finishes with an atomic drop, of all things. Graham had his foot on the bottom rope, but the ref didn't see it. The whole match was 14:51, and was pretty decent, since it was voted PWI MOTY for 1978. No match, so no rating.



1982.01.16 Cage Match:

Bob Backlund (Champion)

Vs

Greg Valentine

This is another one that is clipped to shreds, with the same commentary team as above. This is a straight fight, they both tease escapes, they both blade, Backlund plants him with a piledriver and just stomps out of the cage. Again, no real match so no rating. (Why even bother including this one on this set? Wasn't there a Backlund Vs Harley Race WWF vs NWA title match somewhere they could've included?)



1982.05.23

Bob Backlund (Champion, with Arnold Skaaland)

Vs

Sgt Slaughter (with the Grand Wizard)

This was set up by Slaughter attacking Backlund on TV just prior and whipping him with his swagger stick. Backlund jumps him right away and just murders Slaughter. Slaughter can't do much of anything, so he runs away. Backlund just no-sells everything early and continues his righteous beat down. Slaughter finally catches him with a clothesline and drops him on the top rope. Knee drop gets 2. Backbreaker gets 2. Another backbreaker, another couple of near-falls. Gut buster for 2. Stomp to the stomach, then a knee to the stomach. Backlund fires back and hits a neckbreaker. He charges into the corner, but Slaughter gets his knees up. Suplex gets 2. Backlund blocks and reverses a suplex for 2. Backlund with a piledriver for 2. Slaughter busts out a DROPKICK! Holy shit! That gets 2. He drops Backlund gut first on the top rope, then an elbow gets 2. He charges Backlund in the corner, but Backlund moves and Slaughter hits the post with his shoulder. Backlund starts working the arm, and HE PROCURES THE CROSSFACE CHICKENWING! The Grand Wizard hands Slaughter the swagger stick, drawing the DQ at 16:53. Backlund grabs it from him and just wears him out with it. **



They show highlights of Backlund losing the title to the Iron Sheik when he was injured and trapped in the camel clutch and Skaaland threw in the towel on 1983.12.26. I've seen the whole thing, and it was solid. (Bill Eadie told a story recently, on Jim Ross' podcast, about how they wanted to make him, as Masked Superstar, the transitional champion, but Backlund wouldn't drop the title to him because he didn't have any amateur credentials. Also, Vince had plans for him that never panned out for some reason. They even did an angle at MSG where Masked Superstar hit the deadly swinging neckbreaker on the concrete floor on Backlund, kayfabe injuring his neck. They then shot the angle where Sheik injured Backlund with the Persian clubs, setting up the end of the match.)



1984.01.24

The Iron Sheik (Champion, with Freddie Blassie)

Vs

Hulk Hogan

Hogan attacks right off, and throttles the Sheik for a couple of minutes. He misses a charge, and the Sheik goes right after his back. He slams him, then a backbreaker. Sheik loads the boot, stomps, loads, kicks. Sheik gets a Boston Crab, but Hogan escapes. Gut wrench suplex gets two for the Sheik. He puts Hogan in the camel clutch, but Hogan powers out of it, runs the Sheik into the corner, drops the leg, and Hulkamania is born at 5:40 with the pin. Match was too short to be anything good, but holy shit history! *



1986.04.05

WrestleMania 2

Cage Match:

Hulk Hogan (Champion)

Vs

King Kong Bundy (with Bobby Heenan)

This is from the Los Angeles part of WM2, so commentary is provided by Jesse Ventura, Lord Al Hayes, and Elvira. A half-crocked Tommy Lasorda is the ring announcer, Rick Schroeder is the guest time keeper, and Robert Conrad is the special enforcer outside the ring. This was set up by Bundy attacking Hogan on Saturday Night's Main Event and injuring his ribs. It's also the debut of the blue bar steel cage, which is much more TV friendly than the cyclone fence version. This particular announcing team is one that might have seemed … interesting … on paper, but in practice, Jesse Ventura doing commentary isn't the right fit, Lord Al is okay on color, and Elvira shouldn't talk at all. This is a fairly typical Hogan cage match, and Hogan's ribs are taped thanks to Bundy's attack on SNME. He might as well be wearing a bulls-eye. Bundy beats Hogan down and attempts to exit through the door a couple of times, then Hogan fires back, sending him to the cage. Bundy does a weak blade-job, but Hogan helpfully punches the cut a whole bunch and it starts to flow a bit. He sends Bundy into the cage a few more times, then STANDS ON HIS NECK on the top rope. He tries for a slam, but Bundy falls on him. Bundy can't make the door because Hogan chokes him with the ace bandage he was wearing. Bundy hits the avalanche, then a splash, but Hogan grabs his leg to keep him from leaving. Another avalanche, but Hogan no-sells it, hits a powerslam and a leg drop He climbs up the cage, kicks Bundy off, then climbs out to escape the cage to retain his title at 10:35. He beats up Bundy and Heenan after the match, atomic dropping Heenan into the cage. Heenan blades for added effect. Not a scientific marvel or anything, but it was watchable and the crowd was hot. **



1987.01.03 (taped 1986.12.14)

Saturday Night's Main Event #9

Hulk Hogan (Champion)

Vs

Paul Orndorff (with Bobby Heenan)

This is the big blow off of the feud. Orndorff comes out to the strains of “Real American”, just to piss us all off. Joey Marella is referee, but heel ref Danny Davis comes out as well. Orndorff tries to exit the cage right off the bat, but Hogan makes the save. They take turns trying to escape, with Hogan choking Orndorff out with his headband. Hogan knocks him down, and goes for the door, but Davis has it locked. I like this. There’s actual suspense that Hogan might lose the belt. There never really was any suspense after about the first six months of his first reign that Hogan might actually lose, until now. The big, famous spot comes up, with both guys climbing the cage on opposite sides. They both come down, and both men hit the floor at the EXACT SAME TIME! Beautiful. Davis, of course, raises Orndorff’s hand, but Marella, the assigned official, raises Hogan’s. Hogan goes after Davis, and Orndorff catches him with a knee in the back, knocking Davis out. This match, of course, MUST CONTINUE! Orndorff uses a foreign object passed to him by Heenan. Hogan powers up and he runs Orndorff’s head into the cage four times! Ow. He hits a backbreaker, then the leg drop He goes to climb, but Heenan comes into the cage. Hogan runs him into the cage, hits Orndorff with an atomic drop, and climbs up and over the top for the big win at. That was great!



1987.03.29

WrestleMania III

Hulk Hogan (Champion)

Vs

Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan)



Toe to toe early on and Hogan goes for the early slam. Andre falls on top of him for two. Andre, being smart, goes after the back. He slams him a couple of times, and then he STANDS on him. Guh. Andre tosses him around, shoulder blocking him in the corner. Heenan calls for the head butt, and Andre obliges. He head butts the corner post when Hogan dodges. Hogan mounts the comeback, running him to the buckle a bunch of times. Hogan charges, and eats a boot. Andre puts him in a bear hug. Hogan starts going unconscious, but fights his way out. Hogan charges him a few times, but gets chopped to the floor. Andre backdrops Hogan during a piledriver attempt. Back in, and Hogan clotheslines Andre down. Hogan SLAMS ANDRE! Hooooooly Shit! Hogan drops the leg and gets the pin. Yet another in a streak of mediocre matches that drew insane crowd heat, and one of the largest crowds in wrestling history. * ¾



1988.02.05

The Main Event

Hulk Hogan (Champion)

Vs

Andre the Giant (with Ted DiBiase and Virgil)

Hogan jumps Andre right away, and attacks DiBiase and Virgil, which is a running theme throughout the match. He can't knock Andre down, so he goes to the top. Andre slams him off, but misses a headbutt. He grabs a choke, then sends Hogan to the corner. Slam, and they collide, with Hogan going to the floor. Virgil tosses Hogan back in, and Andre grabs a nerve hold. Hogan fights out, rocking Andre. He hits a SECOND ROPE CLOTHESLINE! LUCHA HOGAN! He goes for the leg drop, but Virgil grabs him. The ref, Dave Hebner, turns to admonish Virgil, and Hogan drops the leg on Andre. No count, he’s still yelling. Andre hits a suplex-like maneuver, and comes down on Hogan. 1, Hogan’s shoulder comes up, but the ref keeps counting, 2, 3! New Champion! This was a holy shit moment for me as a kid, since Hogan had been champion since I was 6. I nearly cried that night. Andre, a man of his word, turns around after being champion for two minutes, and surrenders the title to DiBiase. Even Jesse Ventura is a bit dubious about this, but there’s no time to talk about it, since there are now TWO Dave Hebner’s in the ring. (One is actually his twin, Earl, fresh from JCP) The evil one clobbers the good one, and Hogan tosses the evil one like 32 feet out of the ring clearing DiBiase, Virgil, Andre, and some of the agents standing there. They try to catch him, but they all fall to the ground. The match itself was about *, but the whole thing was a five-star affair.



1989.04.02

WrestleMania V

Randy Savage (Champion)

Vs

Hulk Hogan

Elizabeth is in a neutral corner, and when she's introduced, the crowd is so grabby that Pat Patterson comes to the ring with security to shield her. Savage is so amazing as a heel, just effortlessly easing back into it after a few years as a babyface. The best thing is he goes right back to the Memphis stuff that he is so naturally good at. Hogan overpowers him, so Savage goes to a headlock. Hogan hits a shoulder block, and Savage takes a walk. He comes back in, grabs a headlock, gets bumped out of the ring and takes a walk again. Hogan chases after him, so Savage pulls Liz in front of him. Back in, and Hogan takes him down with a drop toe hold. He goes to a headlock, so Savage suplexes out of it. Savage misses the follow-up, so Hogan punches and grabs an armbar. Savage thumbs out of that and hits a double-ax from the top. He grabs an armbar, then takes Hogan down by the hair. Hogan fights up, then leverages Savage to the floor. Back in, and Hogan sends him to the buckles, then hits a clothesline. He hits a couple of elbows, but Savage gets a boot in on a back body drop attempt. He hits a clothesline, and Hogan has bladed. Savage grabs a headlock, so Hogan hits an atomic drop. Savage gets a rollup for 2. He goes to work on the cut, then he SLAPS the taste out of Hogan's mouth. Hogan fires back, running Savage into the buckle. He hits a clothesline in the corner, then he slams Savage right over the top to the floor. Liz comes over to aid him, and Savage angrily chases her away. He pulls Hogan out and pummels his eye. Hogan goes to post him, but Liz stands in front of it, so Savage shoves Hogan into it as Liz scrambles away. She tries to help Hogan, but Savage starts menacing her. The ref ejects Liz from ringside, and Jesse Ventura is giddy about it. Savage hits the double-ax from the top to the floor, sending Hogan to the railing. He clotheslines Hogan on the top rope, then a slam. Knee drop gets 2, then Savage chokes him down with his wrist tape. Hogan is out, so Savage hits the flying elbow, but Hogan kicks out at 2, hulks up, hits the boot and leg drop for the pin and his second WWF World title at 17:54. Good match, but they had better. *** 1/2



Disk 2: The 1990's



1990.04.01

WrestleMania VI

Hulk Hogan (Champion)

Vs

Ultimate Warrior (Intercontinental Champion)

This is title vs title, and it's probably Warrior's second-best ever match, behind the retirement match against Randy Savage a year later. Warrior's heat is off the charts, and Hogan's is HIGHER. Warrior blows himself up running to the ring, and Hogan, the confident champion, just walks. They go nose to nose in the middle of the ring, and the fans are ready to explode. I was a Hogan guy as a kid, and I was marking out so hard I thought my head would explode. They trade shoves, then they trade lock-ups and shoving each other into the corners. They do the test of strength, but it's inconclusive. Warrior drives Hogan to his knees, then Hogan powers up and drives Warrior down. It's nice that there's no cheap shot on it, because the internal logic of the match is that if a guy has to use a shortcut, he's admitting the other guy is stronger. Warrior powers up, and Hogan does a back heel trip and drops an elbow for 2. They do a couple of mid-ring collisions, and Hogan gets a slam. Warrior no-sells, and they do a criss-cross. Warrior gets a slam, and Hogan sells it. Warrior clotheslines him out of the ring to the floor, and Hogan has injured his knee. (To this day, I'm not sure if he hurt his knee legit or if it was part of the match. It's his left knee, so I'm assuming it's scripted. He does tell the ref that his knee is gone, but he's going to try to get back in.) Warrior tosses him in, and goes right after it. They exchange chokes, and Warrior cheap shots him in the corner on a break. Hogan gets him from behind, and clotheslines him in the corner. Mounted 8-punch in the corner, and a couple of elbows get 2. Hogan gets a front facelock (Gorilla: “What a punishing hold this is!” Jesse: “Absolutely, ask Richard Belzer.”) Small package gets 2. Hogan goes to a chinlock, then just punches him in the face. Punches and chops in the corner, then a clothesline. That gets 2, and Hogan bitches about the count. Backbreaker gets 2. Hogan goes to a chinlock to give Warrior a breather. He drives a few knees into the spine, then a back suplex gets 2. Back to the chinlock. (Dave Hebner always telegraphs that it's not going to be a three count, and he's sometimes premature with stopping the third count. Kind of annoying.) Warrior comes back out of the chinlock, getting to his feet and driving elbows into Hogan's stomach, then they clothesline each other down. The ref gets to 7, but Warrior sits up. He starts shaking the ropes, no-selling Hogan's forearm shots. Warrior grabs him, then hits a series of clotheslines. Chops in the corner, then he whips him across. Suplex by the Warrior for 2. He grabs a bearhug. Hogan fades, his arm dropping twice. He starts coming back with punches and breaks the bearhug, and the ref gets wiped out by the Warrior. Warrior goes up and hits an ax handle He goes to the other side and hits another. He misses a shoulder block, and Hogan rolls him over, but there's no ref to count. Warrior hits a back suplex, but there's STILL no ref. Hebner crawls over...and...very...slowly...counts...to...2. Hogan with a schoolboy for another slow 2. Hogan elbows him over the top, and they brawl to the floor. He tries to run Warrior to the post, but Warrior headbutts him and runs him to the post. Back in, Warrior with a clothesline. He gets Hogan in the launch position, but only lifts him about 2/3 of the way up for the gorilla press. Splash, and it only gets 2! Wow! Hogan starts coming back, no-selling all. Punch, Punch, Punch, boot, leg drop..MISSES! Warrior splashes him and pins him at 22:51! Hogan's first clean pinfall loss in North America in about 8 or 9 years at that point. Really, really good match. Hogan presents Warrior with the belt and raises his hand. They do the babyface embrace, and it's Warrior's night. **** ½



1994.08.29

Summer Slam '94

Cage Match:

Bret Hart (Champion)

Vs

Owen Hart

They just go right at each other right away, with Owen pounding him down, trying to prove that he's as good as his brother. Owen pounds him in the corner, then kicks him in the head. This is, I believe, escape the cage rules. Bret hits a clothesline. Jerry Lawler is over the top on commentary, just laying the bad mouth on Bret and his parents. Bret blocks an Owen attempt to send him to the cage and buries a knee to the gut. DDT, and Bret starts with the punches. They trade attempts to climb out, and Owen runs him to the mat. Owen does the slow climb, but Bret stops him. Owen is standing on the top rope and Bret suplexes him off. Bret tries for the door, and Owen drags him back in. Bret with a bulldog. Bret goes for the door, and Owen pulls him back and dives for it, then they do it a couple more times. Owen touches the floor with his hands, but not his feet, and Bret drags him back in. Davey Boy Smith is in the crowd, and we see a shot of him and his emotionless automaton of a wife. Bret tries to climb again, but Owen pulls him down. Owen climbs in the corner, and gets over the top, but Bret just barely catches him and drags him back in. Slugfest on top, and Bret falls back in. Owen with a missile dropkick, then he nips up. He tries to climb up, but Bret grabs his foot again. Bret climbs over him, and they continue to duke it out up top. Bret runs him into the cage, then they go down to the mat. Backdrop by Bret, and he grabs a headlock. They butt heads mid-ring, and both guys are down. We see a shot of Jim Neidhart in the crowd as well. Owen tries for the door. Bret with a forearm, then an elbow smash. Bret goes to climb, but Owen grabs his ankle on a lunge. Owen runs Bret's knee into the cage, and Neidhart celebrates. Owen struggles for the door, but Bret grabs him again. Owen kicks at him, but Bret drops the headbutt to the belly. Owen climbs, but Bret grabs his knee pad. He chokes Owen on the top of the cage as Owen tries to drop. Slam into the ring, and Bret starts his climb. Owen leaps and grabs his ankle again. He pulls Bret back in, and Samoan drops him down. Both guys are down again. Owen climbs up, but Bret stops him. They do a split screen of Bruce Hart and Neidhart in the crowd as Bret runs Owen into the cage. He climbs up, but Owen grabs him, pulling him back in by the hair. With Owen standing in the middle of the second rope and Bret standing on top, Owen back suplexes him in. Owen with a piledriver. Owen does the slow climb again, but Bret grabs him again. They trade shots on top, and Owen knocks him down, then falls himself. Bret struggles for the door, but Owen drags him in. Bret punches him a few times, then struggles again for the door. Owen hammers him, but can't escape. Bret drags him in and slingshots him into the cage, and Owen is out. Bret with a slam, then leverages Owen HARD into the cage. Bret's knee hits the cage as well. Bret gets to the top, but Owen grabs him again, pulling him in by the hair. Owen with a side heel kick, and Owen climbs the side. He gets about halfway out, and Bret grabs him through the bars. They duke it out on top again, and Bret runs Owen into the cage and knocks him down. Owen manages to grab Bret and pull him down. Owen ducks a clothesline, and hits a flying forearm. Both men are down, and Owen climbs up in the corner. Bret leaps up, scrambles into the corner and hits the single most beautiful superplex I've ever seen, off the top of the cage! Bret struggles for the open door, but Owen grabs him. Owen locks in the sharpshooter, and there's no submission, so Owen just cranks on it. Bret reverses it and locks in his own. Owen is waving for Neidhart to come into the cage to help him, and Bret releases it and starts climbing. Owen grabs him by the hair and pulls him back in. They both fall off the top and crash into the ring. Owen slithers over Bret and starts climbing the cage. Bret grabs him, and they both climb down on the outside, Bret runs Owen into the cage, then jumps down as Owen hangs upside down to win the match and retain the title at 32:02. **** ¾



1996.03.31

WrestleMania XII

Iron Man Match:

Bret Hart (Champion)

Vs

Shawn Michaels (with Jose Lothario)

It's the first hyped Iron Man match, and it is just packed with behind the scenes drama. Bret felt disrespected by Vince McMahon, and that he was not booked to look strong in the lead-up to WrestleMania. He needed help from the Undertaker to win his match against Diesel at the Royal Rumble, he was made to look weak in the vignettes for this match, while Shawn was shown working out like a maniac in the lead-up. It's all water under the bridge now, though. Referee Earl Hebner gives in-ring instructions while WWF Commissioner Gorilla Monsoon looks on. They lock up and jostle into the corner. Shawn gets a knee to the gut and they go to the mat. Bret grabs a headlock, but Shawn escapes. And again. Shawn works a wristlock, but Bret grabs another headlock, and holds on this time. Bret takes him down a couple of times while maintaining the headlock. He gets a couple of near-falls, and Shawn rolls him over as well. Shawn escapes, gets a hiptoss, but Bret kicks at him and takes him down with a headlock again. Shawn fights into a top wristlock and back heel trips Bret. Bret grabs a front facelock, then transitions into a side headlock again. Shawn escapes and gets an armdrag, then goes to an armbar. He starts working some knees in, then drops a leg across the elbow. Bret tries to armdrag him out of it, but Shawn holds on. There's a great shot of Stu Hart and Freddie Blassie in the front row, as Jerry Lawler starts with the old jokes about Stu. Shawn hits a shoulder block, but Bret gets a drop toehold. He goes for a headlock, but Shawn slips out and grabs a hammerlock. He tries a ¾ nelson, but winds up going back to the armbar. Bret with cheap shots in the corner, and Shawn fires back. Shawn headscissors him out of the ring, so Bret takes a walk. 10 minutes gone now. Shawn takes him down with an armdrag and goes back to the armbar. Bret sends Shawn over the top, but he skins the cat and grabs the armbar again. Bret buries a knee to Shawn's gut and drops the headbutt to the lower abdomen. He grabs a reverse chinlock. Shawn with a jaw jacker, then he takes Bret down with a Fujiwara armbar. He goes to a regular armbar as Bret rolls over. Bret gets out, catches Shawn on a leapfrog and teases a sharpshooter until Shawn wriggles out. He clotheslines Shawn over the top, and follows him out. Shawn reverse a whip and Bret lands on the timekeeper. Bret dodges a superkick, and the timekeeper is out cold. Whoops. Back in, and Bret drops an elbow to the head. Reverse chinlock by Bret. This is very old school, with the guys grabbing a hold, working some spots in, then going back to the hold. Bret maintains the headlock, but Shawn escapes and hits a clothesline. Bret with a hella stiff clothesline of his own, and he goes back to the chinlock. Michaels escapes, but Bret blocks a rolling reverse, so Shawn hits a dropkick and grabs an armbar. 20 minutes gone, and nobody has a fall yet. Shawn works the arm, gaining several two-counts. Bret tries to escape, but Shawn holds on, just yanking on the arm. Bret rolls out of it and grabs a headlock. Shawn slips out of that, and goes right back to the hammerlock. I wonder if they'd even consider something like this today? Bret escapes and gets some shots in the corner. Shawn sends him to the ringpost on the inside. He grabs the arm and yanks it around the post. Shoulder breaker sets Shawn up to come off the second rope with an ax handle to the shoulder. Hammerlock slam, then runs the hammerlock to the buckles. Bret takes a chest first bump to the corner. Bret gets some punches in, but Shawn gets an armbar takedown, then works the cross arm breaker Bret rolls it over and stomps Shawn's face to escape. Shawn with boots in the corner, then into another armbar. Bret escapes and hits a stun gun. Slingshot to the buckle and Shawn is out. Right here would have been a perfect spot for a fall. It only gets 2. Shawn blocks an attempt to send him to the buckle and sends Bret in a couple of times. Shawn misses a charge in the corner, and Bret hits an atomic drop and a clothesline for 2. Bulldog, and Bret goes to the top. Shawn catches him but can't slam him off. Bret grabs Shawn and takes him down by riding him down with a knee to the back of the head, taking the ref down with it. Shawn gets a powerslam for 2. 30 minutes gone. Piledriver by Bret, but that only gets 2. Another spot where there could have been a fall. Shawn slams him off the top and gets a 'rana. Backbreaker for 2. Shawn sets for Sweet Chin Music, but Bret bails. Shawn hits a top rope dive to the floor! Sweet high spot! He breaks the count, then tosses Bret back in. Bret rolls through a top rope cross body for 2. Backslide attempt, but Shawn flips over, so Bret grabs an inside cradle for 2. Shawn with a cradle suplex for 2. Sleeper by Shawn, but Bret backs him into the corner. Shawn breaks and grabs it again. Bret fights out, but Shawn lets him run into the corner and grabs the sleeper, then a back elbow and a mule kick. To the buckle, and Bret backdrops him OVER THE RINGPOST to the floor! Shawn takes out the camera man on the way down, and this is another spot where there could have been a fall. Bret sends him to the post. He rolls him back in, but can't get a fall. Bret sends him hard to the corner, then a second rope elbow to the back. Backbreaker, leg drop, and there's 40 minutes gone with no falls. Bret stomps a mud hole in the corner, continually working the back. He sends him across and Shawn flips up on to the top rope. Back suplex off the top, that gets 2. (another spot for a fall). Bret to a camel clutch. Shawn escapes and gets a sunset flip for 2. Bret sets him up for a superplex, but Shawn shoves him off. He comes off the second rope, and Bret gets a shot to the stomach. Russian leg sweep by Bret. That gets 2. Bret sends Shawn to the corner and he flips over the top and hits Jose Lothario on the floor. Bret sends Shawn to the steps and it wipes out Lothario again. Bret has something to say to Lothario. Lawler wonders out loud why Bret hasn't gone for a sharpshooter more. Belly-to-belly for 2. Shawn fires back, but Bret cuts him off. Uppercuts in the corner and Shawn floats over on a suplex and gets a rolling reverse for 2. Bret's kick-out sends Shawn to the floor. PESCADO BY BRET! He leaves Shawn there for the countout, taking a breather in the ring. Bret, like an idiot, breaks the count. Shawn crawls back, and Bret tries to suplex him in. Shawn reverses that, but Bret hits a bridging German suplex for 2. Shawn starts firing back, and Bret just potatoes the fuck out of him. Headbutt by Bret, and they're both down. Bret goes to a camel clutch with 10 minutes to go. Shawn fights out, so Bret goes to a rear chinlock. Shawn with an elbow to the gut. They clothesline each other, and they're both down. They duke it out, and Bret sets for a superplex, then hits the Dynamite Kid superduperplex! Bret goes for the sharpshooter, but Shawn blocks. Shawn scrambles for the ropes, but Bret won't let go, first getting a spinning toehold, then a half crab. Shawn gets to the ropes, and there's five minutes left. Backbreaker, and Bret goes for a second rope elbow, but Shawn gets his feet up. Shawn fires off a dropkick, then a forearm in the corner. Bret takes the chest-first bump in the corner. Shawn with a flying forearm. Shawn nips up, and he's got his second wind. Roaring elbow! Slam, then a twisting double ax handle for 2. Suplex, and Shawn drops the Macho Man elbow for 2. (Note: That's a Macho Man elbow, not a Jerry Sags elbow). Shawn with a gut-wrench bomb for 2. Moonsault gets 2, and we're down to 1:45 left. Shawn gets a top rope rana for 2. Slam, and Shawn collapses. There's a minute left. Shawn goes up, and Bret blocks a dropkick and gets the sharpshooter! There's 20 seconds left! Shawn won't give up, and the bell rings as the time limit has expired. Gorilla Monsoon orders a sudden-death overtime as Bret leaves with his belt. Bret is pissed because there must be a winner. The bell rings, and Bret goes right after Shawn's lower back, just driving knees to it. Huge backdrop! Backbreaker! Shawn floats over on a charge to the corner and Bret turns around into a superkick. Bret is dazed, but he's up first. Shawn hits another, and it's over at 61:52. Really good match, but they could have done SO much more with it. The first 40 minutes are decent enough, the last 20 minutes were a five-star match by themselves. The whole thing is **** ¼.



1996.09.22

In Your House: Mind Games

Shawn Michaels (Champion, with Jose Lothario)

Vs

Mankind (with Paul Bearer)

Since he's still involved in his seemingly never-ending program with the Undertaker, Mankind arrives in a casket, which is then stationed at ringside. This will be important later. Mankind gets an elbow to the jaw on Michaels. Punches follow, then a back body drop and a Cactus clothesline. I love seeing Shawn take an ass-kicking. He kicks Shawn to the railing, then pulls up the mat on the floor. As he holds up the mat, Shawn dropkicks him through it, then jumps on it. Shawn climbs to the second rope on the outside and hits a cross-body. He kicks Mankind in the head, then they go back in. Shawn with a top rope ax handle. He ducks a clothesline, then a series of punches and a clothesline. Slam, then a top rope elbow, and Shawn starts warming up the band. Mankind scurries from the ring, and Bearer consoles him. Back in, and Manny fires back at him. They set up a spot where Mick is out of position for a spot, and Shawn throws a hissy fit about it, as a callback to his match with Vader a few months before where he actually did throw a tantrum because Vader was not where he was supposed to be. Anyhow, it's smarky and insider and just generally went over everyone's head. They brawl to the mat, and Mankind gets the mandible claw. They fight up and Mick throws him to the floor. They brawl there, and Shawn suplexes him into the steps, banging Mankind's knee. Shawn zeroes in on the knee, bouncing it off the casket. He busts out the Dragonscrew, then the Figure Four. Mankind escapes, and they stand up. Shawn dropkicks the knee. Half crab, but Mankind grabs the ropes. Shawn with a crucifix into a sunset for 2. Mankind gets a stun gun and he sits on the apron and grabs a pen from Paul Bearer and jams it into his knee to get feeling back. He chokes Shawn to the floor. Back in, and he beats him in the corner. He does a running knee to the head, but Shawn hits a backdrop suplex, Mankind cuts him off with a boot to the gut. Shawn takes over briefly, but gets hung In the tree of woe. Mick hits a diving elbow in the corner, then a leg drop to the back of the neck. He kicks him to the apron, then knocks him to the floor. Mankind misses a charge and hits the steps, then Shawn does a drop toehold to them as well. They fight over a suplex, and Shawn ducks and Mick crashes to the post. Shawn with a powerslam for 2. Mankind does the Don Muraco hangman spot, and when Shawn comes over, he grabs the mandible claw. They go to the floor, and Mick grabs it again. Shawn grabs a chair, and Mick punches the chair, injuring his hand. Shawn goes right after the hand, stomping the fingers to prevent him using the claw. Mick back body drops him to the floor again, then he does the apron elbow and a neckbreaker on the floor. Shawn crawls in, but Mankind hits a leg drop across the second rope. Double arm DDT gets 2. Piledriver for 2. Rolling cradle for 2. Mankind goes berserk throwing himself all over, throwing chairs. He opens the casket, and wants to put Shawn in it, but Shawn fights out and starts his comeback. He slams Mankind from the top rope, then he hits him with a high cross-body for 2. He goes up and gets crotched. Mick suplexes him off the apron through the Spanish announce table. Paul Bearer distracts Shawn and Mick goes up with a chair. Shawn kicks it and that gets 2. Vader runs in out of nowhere for the lame DQ at 26:25, and Bearer kayos Shawn with the urn. Sid comes in and runs Vader off. Mankind gets the mandible claw on Shawn and calls for the casket to be opened and THERE'S THE FUCKING UNDERTAKER. Whoa. They brawl to end the show. **** ½



1998.03.29

WrestleMania XIV

Shawn Michaels (Champion, with HHH and Chyna)

Vs

Steve Austin

Mike Tyson, the outside the ring enforcer, is aligned with DX here, having participated in several beat-downs of Austin. Shawn dances around, so Austin gives him the finger. Shawn out-quicks him early on, getting several jabs in. He outruns Austin, but gets clobbered coming in. Austin goes to work on Shawn's leg, then he backdrops him out over the top onto HHH and Chyna. HHH goes after Austin and gets ejected from from ringside along with Chyna. Michaels runs Austin to the railing, but Austin chases down HHH in the aisle. Shawn catches him and hits him with a cymbal, then runs him into a dumpster. They go back to the ring and Shawn comes off the top. Shawn takes an upside down bump in the corner and Austin hits an atomic drop for 2. He works the arm, but Austin gets a stun-gun for 2. They tease the stunner, and Austin knocks Michaels off the apron into the announcer's table. Murdoch elbow on the apron. That gets a couple of near-falls, then Austin goes to a chinlock. Michaels with a jaw-jacker, and he's in some obvious pain due to his back injury. He tries to pull Austin into the post, but Austin yanks him to the post. They brawl to the crowd, and Michaels hits Austin with the ring bell. Michaels is in such obvious bad shape, I can't believe he's out there. Snap mare by Shawn, and he just tries to walk it off. Austin tackles him and throws him over the top rope. Kudos to Shawn for taking that bump. Michaels manages to grab Austin's leg and wrap it around the ringpost. He focuses on the left knee, and Austin is down. Austin kicks him into the corner and gets a rollup for 2. Michaels continues on the knee, a la Ric Flair, and Austin goes to the floor. Sliding dropkick by Shawn, and Tyson tosses Austin back into the ring. Chop block by Shawn. Shawn gets a figure-four and uses the ropes for advantage. It gets Shawn a couple of two-counts. Austin rolls over, so Michaels goes to the ropes. Austin fires back and catapults him into the corner. Michaels with a sleeper. The ref gets squashed in the corner. Austin drops Shawn on top, then sends him to the buckles. Huge backdrop, but Michaels hits a forearm. Shawn kips up and goes up top. Top rope elbow, and Shawn tunes up the band. Austin ducks the superkick, goes for the stunner, Michaels pushes him off, Austin catches his leg, and drops him with the stunner. Mike Tyson counts the pin at 20:01, and it's been a plan between him and Austin all along. Great match from two guys who were definitely at about 50% each at this point. *** ½ Tyson drops Michaels with a right hand after a brief exchange.



Disk 3: The 2000's



2000.01.23

Royal Rumble

Street Fight

Triple H (Champion)

Vs

Cactus Jack

This is the match that MADE HHH. He did the best possible thing in selling Cactus as a force of nature. This is, as the name of the match says, just a fight. Cactus is in the best shape I've ever seen him, and he just bludgeons Hunter to the floor. As Hunter tries to climb back in, Cactus drops a leg across his back on the bottom rope. He runs HHH to the steps, and HHH hits him with the ring bell, to virtually no effect. Hunter goes back in, taking a chair with him. Pow! Unprotected shot to the head! HHH tries to undo the turnbuckle pad, but Cactus wipes him out with a clothesline. He leg drops the chair on HHH's face for 2. Replay of the chairshot, and it was more to the shoulder, which is good. Cactus stomps him to the floor again, where Hunter fires back. Cactus backdrops him over the barrier and into the crowd. They brawl all over the place, up into the stands and down to the entrance. Cactus sets up palates that were used as props in the entryway and suplexes Hunter on them. He nails HHH with a trashcan, then whips him to the metal doors in the entrance. They head back toward the ring, and HHH suplexes Cactus on the trashcan. Cactus hits the rapid-fire punches against the steps, then a running knee. He tosses HHH back in, and grabs a barbed wire board from under the ring, and the crowd ERUPTS! HHH gets a low blow, and HHH grabs the board and wears him out with it. Several shots to the stomach and back, and it starts to unravel. He goes for the head shot, but Cactus gets a shot in, then a low blow with it. Double-Arm DDT, and the ref has hidden the board with the Spanish announcers. The DDT gets 2. Cactus threatens the ref, who attacks Hugo Savinovich, and they give it back to him. It's very obviously a different board, looking back to normal and rubberized. He nails HHH in the face with it a couple times, and the ref gets crushed in the corner. Hunter has tapped an artery, and Cactus nails him again. Cactus just rubs the board in HHH's face, and the visual is great. HHH is on the floor, and Cactus starts working the cut. They set up the announcers table, and Cactus goes for a piledriver, but Hunter backdrops him through it. HHH must have taken his aspirin or something, because he's wearing a true crimson mask at this point. Also, it looks like the suplex on the palate gashed his leg open. Back in the ring, and Cactus blocks a pedigree into a slingshot into the corner, then he bulldogs him onto the barbed-wire board for 2. Cactus clothesline! Hunter dodges a charge and hip tosses him into the steps, then he whips him over the steps. They go back in, and HHH cuts his leg out from under him. He hits Cactus' knee with the board and slumps to the ropes. Hunter's selling here is amazing. He grabs a bag from the ring announcer, and it's got handcuffs in it, making a callback to the year before when the Rock did the same thing to Foley. He cuffs Cactus' hands behind his back and just pounds on him. He grabs the top of the ring steps and puts them in the ring, he goes to nail Cactus with it, but Cactus dodges and hits a drop toehold and Hunter hits his face on the steps. He drops a headbutt to Hunters junk, then bites his forehead. HHH fires back then grabs the chair. No shots to the head this year, and Cactus tumbles to the floor. Cactus goes up the aisle, and HHH hits him with the chair, they do some trash talking , and THERE'S THE ROCK! He absolutely murders HHH with a chairshot and a cop uncuffs Cactus. Hunter is on the run now, and they start brawling around ringside. Cactus pile drives HHH on the Spanish announce table, but it doesn't break. He carries a limp HHH out from behind it and tosses him back in. Cactus goes under the ring, and there's the cotton bag of doom. Yes, it's full of thumbtacks. Stephanie McMahon comes out to distract Cactus, and HHH backdrops him on the tacks. Pedigree! 1, 2, no! Cactus kicks out! HHH is livid! A second pedigree, this time on the thumbtacks! That's good enough for the pin at 26:55. Like I said at the top, this is the match that solidified HHH in the eyes of the fans and especially the IWC. He went from being someone who was mostly annoying as a heel to being someone who could wrestle a technical match or a brawl, or a combination of both. His selling in this, and his willingness to show some ass really helped, too, as Cactus kicked his ass all over the place. *****



2000.08.27

Summer Slam

Triple Threat, No Holds Barred Match:

The Rock (Champion)

Vs

HHH

Vs

Kurt Angle

Kurt comes out first, and he cuts a promo about his interaction with Stephanie, and here's HHH, who is PISSED. They start brawling before the Rock even shows up. HHH clotheslines him, then punches him in the corner. The ref gets bumped, and Angle clotheslines him to the floor. They fight at ringside, and the match hasn't even started yet. HHH tosses Angle over the top rope, then runs him to the steps. He bounces Angle off the announcers table, then sets for a pedigree. The table collapses, and Angle is hurt and hurt bad. Angle's eyes are glossed over, and HHH stalls for time. The Rock's music hits, and here he is. The Rock comes in and the bell finally rings. Samoan drop! Back elbow, and they go to the floor. HHH drops Rock face first on the English announcers table. Back in, and there's a stretcher for Angle. He's hurt legit. HHH starts kicking the Rock in the corner and hits a back elbow. Angle is carted out, and HHH dumps the Rock over the top. HHH goes after Angle on the stretcher, dragging him back toward the ring, he attempts to work him over, but the Rock clotheslines him. They brawl on the set, and the Rock slingshots him into the steel scaffolding by the entrance. HHH whips him into the ring apron, and the Rock clotheslines him. Stephanie is out to tend to Angle, and HHH and the Rock brawl around ringside until someone can figure out what to do. HHH rolls the Rock back in, and Steph comes back to talk to HHH. Hunter with the high knee for 2. Steph jiggles over and grabs the belt, but hits HHH with it when the Rock moves. Steph bails out, but Rock grabs her. HHH hits a low blow and tells her to leave. Rock comes back with a leaping forearm, then HHH hits a neckbreaker. HHH grabs a sledgehammer, but Rock blocks that. Hunter hits him in the stomach with it, and the ref tosses it out of the ring. Kick to the gut by HHH. Shoulder blocks in the corner. The Rock is writhing in the corner, but he gets a hope spot in. Face buster by HHH gets 2. Stomps to the back, and Rock rolls to the floor. HHH picks him up and runs him kidneys first to the ringpost. HHH runs him into the apron, and they go back in. More stomping, this time to the ribs. He sends him to the buckles, and Rock comes back a little, hitting a swinging neckbreaker. HHH cuts that off with a knee to the gut. He goes up, but Rock is up, too. Rock hits a superplex, and both guys are down. Cut to backstage, and Steph begs Angle to go help HHH. Rock crawls over, and the ref counts 2. Rock fires back and hits a belly-to-belly for 2. Stephanie is dragging Angle back out to the ring. Rock and HHH trade shots, and Angle trips the Rock. HHH hits the pedigree on the Rock, but Angle pulls him out at 2 and sends him to the steps. Angle runs in and covers the Rock for 2. Angle with a back elbow for 2. Rock hits some stiff right hands, but Angle hits a belly-to-belly for 2. Rock hits a double-arm throw, then a DDT gets a long 2. HHH climbs up on the apron, Rock sends Angle into him, then hits the Rock Bottom, but HHH pulls the Rock out at 2. HHH calls for the hammer, but Angle grabs it. He ducks a punch from HHH, and HHH punches Steph. Angle hits HHH with the hammer, then the Rock knocks him out of the ring. The Rock hits the People's Elbow on HHH for the pin at 17:48. *** ¾



2001.04.01

WrestleMania X-7

The Rock (Champion)

Vs

Steve Austin

The match is announced as being no DQ, which was not a stip leading up to it. Austin's pop is unreal, the Rock's not as much. This was set up as being a “Mega-Powers Explode” kind of thing. They duke it out right away, and Austin nails the Thesz Press. Austin sets for a backdrop, and Rock hits a neckbreaker, they attempt finishers, and Austin tosses him over the top rope. They brawl into the crowd, with the Rock controlling. He throws Austin back into the ringside area, and Austin reverses a whip into a short clothesline. Back in the ring, and Austin puts the boots to him, then chokes him on the middle rope. Butt drop across the middle rope gets 2 for Austin. He sets the Rock on the top rope and hits a dandy superplex. That gets 2. Austin removes a turnbuckle pad, but Rock fires back at him, hitting a leaping forearm. Suplex gets 2. He clotheslines Austin over the top, and follows him out. He runs Austin to the announce table, the timekeeper's table, then knocks the ref over the steps. Austin nails him with the bell, and Rock has bladed. Austin sends him to the steps, then the announcers table, which finally just collapses. Back in, and Austin lands a flurry of punches, then chokes the Rock on the mat. Rock fights back with elbows, but Austin hits a neckbreaker for 2. It's funny to hear the crowd cheer EVERYTHING Austin does here, since he was clearly working as a subtle heel. He stomps the Rock in the corner, then chokes him out. Austin bullies the ref, and turns around into a Rock clothesline. And another. Austin gets a knee to the gut, but the Rock starts punching. He runs Austin to the unprotected buckle on the other side of the ring. He grabs the bell, and now Austin has bladed as well. He clobbers Austin with the bell, and that gets 2. Austin struggles to his feet, and Rock hits a series of right hands. Austin won't stay down, so the Rock just pummels him. They brawl to the floor again, and both guys are a bloody mess. Austin drops Rocky on the barrier neck first. He slingshots the Rock into the ringpost. They brawl over toward the announcer position, and it's like a war zone. Austin hits him with a monitor, and they go back in. Austin gets a near-fall. Austin gives him the double bird and goes for the stunner, but the Rock counters and gets a sharpshooter. Nice throwback to Austin Vs Bret from WrestleMania XIII. Even the visual is the same. Austin makes the ropes. Rock sets for it again, Austin blocks it, then takes the Rock down and gets one of his own. Rock powers out, so Austin starts working the knee. He grabs the sharpshooter again, and Rock is right by the ropes. Austin won't break, but when he does, he waits for Rock to stand up and locks in the MILLION DOLLAR DREAM! Rock fades, but won't go out. They do the spot where Rock kicks off the top rope and rolls up Austin for 2. Rock hits a Stone Cold Stunner and slowly crawls over for 2. Vince McMahon struts out to ringside, and Austin and Rock start duking it out. Rock with a spinebuster for 2. Another spinebuster, and Rock sets for the People's Elbow, which he hits, but McMahon pulls him off of Austin at 2. Rock is PISSED. He goes after McMahon, but Austin catches him with a Rock Bottom for 2. Nobody had any idea what was going on with Austin and Vince at this point. Austin goes for a stunner, but the ref gets bumped to the floor, and Austin hits a low blow. Why do a ref bump in a no-DQ match? Vince comes in with a chair and levels the Rock with it as Austin holds him. That only gets the patented Earl Hebner long 2-count. Austin grabs the chair, flips the Rock the bird, but Rock hits the Rock Bottom! Vince grabs the ref to prevent the count. Rock pulls Vince in an starts to pummel him. Austin hits a stunner, but that only gets 2! Vince hands the chair to Austin, and Austin flattens Rock with it. THAT only gets 2. Good lord. Austin's frustrations boil over, and he just beats Rocky senseless with the chair, getting the pin at 28:07. That was an amazing match. The Austin heel turn was ill-advised, as business took a steep downturn after this, and it pretty much ended the Attitude Era. Even with the overbooked ending, the match was damn near perfect. **** ¾



2001.12.09

WWF/WCW Title Unification

Vengeance

Chris Jericho (WCW World Champion)

Vs

Steve Austin (WWF World Champion)

Austin had defeated Kurt Angle earlier in the night, and Jericho had just beaten the Rock. Angle comes out and clobbers Austin with a chair, while the Rock comes in and hits Jericho with a Rock Bottom. Rock chases Angle from ringside. The bell finally rings, and both guys are down, so the ref starts counting. How pissed would the fans be if they did the double KO finish? Jericho crawls over and gets a quick 2. He stomps Austin, then lays in some chops. Forearm, and Jericho punches him. Clothesline in the corner, and Austin tackles him and punches. They brawl to the floor, and Austin sends him to the post. He does it again, then he pulls up the mat on the floor, exposing the concrete. Jericho sets up the Spanish Announce Table, but they fight there. Jericho tries to lock in the Walls of Jericho on the table, but Austin leverages him off. Suplex on the concrete, and they go back in. Austin misses a charge in the corner, running his shoulder to the post. Jericho runs him into the post again, then more chops in the corner. Jericho misses a dropkick, and Austin catapults him into the corner for 2. Jericho grabs a Fujiwara armbar and uses the ropes for leverage. The ref catches him, so Jericho breaks. Suplex and he goes up. Austin buries a punch to the gut coming down and gets a bunch of chops. Jericho with a schoolboy for 2, then he locks in the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring. Austin struggles to the ropes and Jericho breaks. Jericho wipes out the referee, and Austin gets an elbow. Jericho with a low blow, then a Stunner, and here's Vince McMahon with a new referee (It's Nick Patrick!) Ric Flair comes out and levels him. McMahon cheap shots Flair, then Austin nails him. It's a mess. Austin with chops int eh corner, but Jericho gets his foot up on a charge. Austin gets a Boston Crab, and Jericho taps, but there's no ref. Booker T comes on and hits Austin with the belt and runs out through the crowd. Jericho crawls over and gets the pin to become the first undisputed WWF Champion at 12:34. Surprisingly bad match between these two. ** ¾ Vince laughs on the ramp as Jericho celebrates. It really sucks that such a historic, important title match was overbooked to such an extent, and it really set up Jericho having a sabotaged title reign.



2002.07.21

Vengeance

Undertaker (Champion)

Vs

Kurt Angle

Vs

the Rock

Undertaker hadn't had his career renaissance yet, so he's firmly in his grizzled vet phase. They all square off, with UT talking shit to the Rock. Angle is pissed because they're ignoring him, so they take him down and stomp him. UT with a boot on Angle, and Rock clotheslines him over the top. UT and Rock go at it in the corner, and UT hits a leaping clothesline. Angle tries to get back in, and Rock whips Undertaker into him. Rock clotheslines Undertaker to the floor, and Angle sends UT to the steps. Angle hits the Rock with a release German then stomps him in the corner. Angle was pretty amazing in 2002. They exchange chops, and Angle hits an over head belly-to-belly. And another. Rock blocks a third with a DDT. They go to the floor, and UT clotheslines Angle. He works over the Rock, then tosses him back in. They go toe-to-toe, and UT hits a side slam for 2. Rock CHOKESLAMS the Undertaker! That gets 2! Angle breaks it up, then pounds on the Rock. Rock clotheslines him, then locks in an ankle lock, Angle reverses and hits a Rock Bottom! UT breaks that up. Angle goes for the Olympic Slam, but UT breaks that up and hits one of his own for 2. Undertaker hits a back elbow. Rock tosses Angle over the top, then the Rock hits the People's Elbow, but Angle drags him out and drops him on the announcers table. He gets 2 on the Undertaker. They take turns punching in the corner, then Undertaker hits a clothesline in the corner. Angle charges him, but Undertaker moves and Angle hits his shoulder on the ringpost. Undertaker beats him down on the floor, but here comes the Rock, spitting water in Undertaker's face. Undertaker dumps Rock on the table. Angle has bladed, and UT hits the apron leg drop Jesus, Angle must've used a goddamn steak knife to blade. Undertaker does the rope walk, and flattens Angle. Rock goes after UT, but UT hits a DDT for 2. Angle comes in with a chair, but UT stops him, and they ping-pong Angle. UT goes for the chokeslam, but Rock hits him low. Angle LEVELS Undertaker with the chair, then hits Rock with the Olympic Slam, and all three guys are down. He slowly crawls over to cover Undertaker, but UT kicks out at 2. He crawls to the Rock, but only gets 2 there. He goes for something, but Rock hits a Dragonscrew and gets a sharpshooter, but UT breaks it up. Undertaker hits the Last Ride on the Rock, but Angle breaks it up and locks in the ankle lock. UT rolls out of that and goes for the Last Ride, which Angle turns into a triangle choke. UT gets several near-falls, but he starts to fade. His arm drops once, twice, but Rock breaks it up. Angle gets an anklelock on the Rock, but Rock reverses that into a rollup for 2. Rock ducks a clothesline, and UT choke slams Angle. Rock hits UT with a Rock Bottom for 2. Angle rolls Rock up for 2. Undertaker hits a boot on the Rock, but Angle hits the Olympic Slam on him. Rock hits HIM with a Rock Bottom for the pin at 19:35. Good match. *** ¼



2002.08.25

Summer Slam

The Rock (Champion)

Vs

Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman)

Holy shit. Brock was an absolute monster back then. He was this buzzsaw that just decimated EVERYONE in his path, including getting a submission win over Hulk Hogan. They duke it out, but Brock hits an overhead belly-to-belly for 2. Backbreaker, then he lifts Rock over his head and hits another one. Brock pounds his ribs, then dumps him to the floor for a Heyman cheap shot They brawl on the floor, and Brock clotheslines him over the barrier, then PRESS SLAMS him on the barrier. Holy fuck. Another belly-to-belly gets 2. Rock gets a right hand in, but Heyman trips him. Lesnar continues the stomping as Heyman chokes Rock on the apron. Rock with punches, but Brock hits a powerslam for 2. Lesnar is starting to get frustrated. The crowd has totally turned on the Rock here, chanting “Rocky Sucks!” Brock misses a charge and posts his shoulder. Rock with a suplex, but he's out. They both kip up and trade punches. Rock needs three clotheslines to knock Brock down, then a DDT gets 2. Heyman jumps up on the apron to break up a sharpshooter, so Rock nails him. Dragonscrew takes Brock down, and he gets the sharpshooter, but Lesnar is pretty much able to power out. He teases tapping, but Heyman jumps up on the apron again. Rock breaks it up and drags Heyman in. Brock levels the Rock, and grabs a chair, helpfully provided by Heyman. He nails Rock in the ribs with it, then he goes to the bearhug. Rock tries to fight out, but Lesnar hits a suplex. He rolls Rock over for 2 as the crowd chants “Let's go Lesnar!” He gets a waist lock on the mat, rolling Rock over for a couple of near-falls. Rock starts to fade as Brock has turned it into a bearhug. His arm drops twice, but he escapes. Heyman distracts the ref again, and this time, Rock hits a low blow, and the crowd shits all over it. Brock drives him into the corner, then a hard shoulder block Rock hits a clothesline, then knocks him out of the ring. The crowd is totally split now, and Rock starts playing heel. Heyman tries to cheap shot the Rock, but Rock flattens him. He clotheslines Brock and slingshots him into the post. Rock grabs Heyman and Rock Bottoms him through the announcers table. He tosses Lesnar back in, then hits a Rock Bottom, but Lesnar kicks out at 2. Wow. Rock takes too long to follow up, and Brock hits a Rock Bottom of his own for 2. Rock hits a spinebuster, then goes for the People's Elbow, but Brock almost murders him with a clothesline. Brock goes for an F5, but Rock counters out of it. He goes for a Rock Bottom, but Brock hits the F5 for the pin and his first WWE title at 16:01. ****



2003.01.19

Royal Rumble

Kurt Angle (Champion)

Vs

Chris Benoit

They trade some feeling out stuff, then just go nuts. Benoit hits a double foot kick from a trapped leg, then he goes for the knee, since Angle was apparently nursing a knee injury. Benoit misses a charge, and Angle just starts pounding on Benoit's surgically repaired neck. Overhead belly-to-belly by Angle for 2. Chops by Angle, and Benoit fires back. He hits a clothesline to the back of Angle's head. That gets 2. Michael Cole talks about how Benoit said he'd “sacrificed his family” and “his own life” for wrestling. No shit, right? He clotheslines Angle on the top rope and they brawl on the apron. Benoit drops all the way to the floor, DDTing Angle on the apron. Wow. Back in, and Benoit gets 2. Benoit goes up, and it's time for the swan dive headbutt, but Angle moves. Benoit grabs a sharpshooter, and it's locked in. Angle struggles, but makes the ropes. Benoit with a back suplex for 2. Angle with an awesome belly-to-belly throw, and Angle has bitten his tongue. He dumps Benoit to the floor, then follows him out, dropping him neck-first onto the barricade. Back in, Angle hits a short clothesline for 2. Snap mare, then a rear naked choke by Angle, and Benoit fades. Benoit escapes, but Angle hits a belly-to-belly. Back suplex for 2. He goes back to the rear choke, but Benoit fights out of it. Double clothesline, and they're both down. The ref actually gets to 9, and they start duking it out. Benoit with a backdrop, and he starts the rolling Germans, but Angle switches and hits one of his own. Benoit switches back and hits another one. Benoit does the Okie Blow and throat slash and goes up, but Angle springs up and holy shit hits an overhead throw off the top for 2! He goes for the Angle slam, but Benoit counters that into the crippler cross-face Angle struggles for the ropes, and eventually grabs it. Benoit locks in an anklelock, but Angle reverses into one of his own. Benoit reverses THAT into a cross-face, but Angle uses a banana split to get a 2 count. Benoit locks in the cross-face again, but Angle will not give up. He rolls out of it though, and gets an Olympic Slam for 2. Wow. Angle takes the straps down, and grabs another ankle lock, but Benoit leverages him into the corner. Leg waist lock into a rollup for 2, then they start trading German suplexes, and Benoit plants him with a release German. Benoit goes to the top, but Angle is 4/5 of the way across the ring. He nails the diving headbutt, and that gets 2. He grabs the cross-face, but Angle rolls through. Angle with the snake eyes, then the Olympic Slam for 2. Jesus. This is absolutely amazing. Benoit grabs ANOTHER cross-face, and Angle teases tapping, but he reverses into an anklelock. Benoit won't give up, but can't escape. He kicks off , but can't get away. Crikey. Angle turns it into a knee bar, and Benoit has to tap at 19:50. Holy shit that was good. ***** I wonder if that was MOTY in 2003?



2005.06.26

Vengeance

John Cena (Champion)

Vs

Christian (with Tyson Tomko)

Vs

Chris Jericho

I really missed this era completely. They face off in the middle of the ring, and Jericho slaps Cena. Cena takes him down, but Jericho and Christian stomp Cena in the corner. Jericho turns on Christian pretty much right away, and Tomko pulls him out of the ring, dropping him on the barrier. Cena with a hip lock on Christian. Tomko knocks Cena down, so the referee ejects Tomko, much to Christian's chagrin. The crowd chants “Na-na, hey, hey, goodbye!” at Tomko. Cena catches Christian in the corner, setting him for the FU, but Christian holds the ropes, so Cena tosses him to the floor. Jericho hits a top rope roaring elbow for 2 on Cena. Suplex, followed by a baseball slide dropkick. Jericho with chops in the corner, but Cena gets his foot up on a charge. Jericho with a bulldog, but he lands on his feet when Cena rolls out of the way on the lionsault. He dropkicks Cena off the apron, and they brawl on the floor. Jericho readies the Spanish Announce table, but Cena blocks a suplex and DDTs him on the floor. Ow. Christian sends Cena to the stairs, then rolls him back in for 2. Christian goes to a rear naked choke, but triple threat matches are no DQ. Christian does the “You can't see me!” but Cena clotheslines him. Shoulder block, and Cena hits a powerbomb. He goes for the “You can't see me!” But Jericho pulls him out and runs him into the steps. Christian baseball slide dropkicks Jericho. They go back in, and Jericho locks in the Walls, but Christian shoves him into Cena on the apron. Christian rolls him up for 2. Christian goes up, but Jericho catches him and goes for a superplex, but Cena turns it into the Tower of Doom! Cena crawls over to Jericho, gets 2, crawls to Christian, gets 2 there. He hits a clothesline, then just starts clotheslining everyone. He drop toe hold's Christian so that Christian headbutts Jericho. Double five knuckle shuffle, and a sunset on Jericho for 2. They start trading near-falls, and double knock out spots. Everyone is down, and Jericho crawls to the top. Cena crotches him, then sends Christian into his nuts. Rollup by Cena for 2. Christian blocks the FU and hits the Unprettier for 2. Christian grabs the belt, and Tomko comes out and clotheslines Cena while the ref's back is turned. That gets 2. Cena dumps him to the floor, and Jericho does a double leg and locks in the Walls on Cena. He hits Christian with a springboard dropkick, then locks in the Walls again. Christian rolls Jericho up for 2. He goes for the Unprettier, but Jericho blocks and shoves him into Cena, who knocks Jericho down with Christian's feet, then hits the FU for the pin to retain at 15:20. It was good, but it wasn't great. ***





The bottom line: Really good set, but as usual, they left some stuff out, and included some stinkers. If they did this set today, they might include some other choices, but a lot has happened in the last 10 years. Recommended, but you can generally find the good stuff in other places.