DVD Review: History of the Intercontinental Title
Jul 31, 2017 14:36:48 GMT -5
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Post by Shatter Machine on Jul 31, 2017 14:36:48 GMT -5
Disk One:
Todd Grisham is our host, and he runs through the kayfabe history of the title, with Pat Patterson winning it in Rio de Janeiro.
1979.10.22
Pat Patterson (Champion)
Vs
Ted DiBiase
This is from MSG, and Patterson is the heel champion, DiBiase the plucky underdog babyface challenger. Ted look so damn strange without his beard, running around in brown trunks. Patterson goes into a five-minute stall before the match starts. The bell finally rings, and DiBiase jumps Patterson and stomps him in the corner. Pat bails out, and when he comes back in, DiBiase works over his arm. Patterson sends him to the corner, but misses a charge. DiBiase locks in an abdominal stretch, which he holds for a while, but Patterson makes the ropes. He gets another, but Patterson rakes his eyes to escape. He works DiBiase over in the corner with punches and chokes. DiBiase makes a white meat comeback, hitting a dropkick, but Patterson ducks a second one and pulls out some knuckledusters, but DiBiase gets them from him. During the shenanigans, Patterson scoops him and pins him using the ropes for leverage at 7:54. * ½
Patterson would lose the belt to Ken Patera in 1980.
1980.10.20
Ken Patera (Champion, with the Grand Wizard)
Vs
Pedro Morales
Patera calls Morales a “fat Puerto Rican” on the house mic, and Pedro rushes the ring and attacks. Never understood the appeal of Pedro, as he just didn’t do much of anything in the ring beyond get beat up and throw punches. The crowd loved him though. Patera is a fucking monster here, pushing about 290 and looking like he could rip one of the ringposts out of the ground and beat someone to death with it. Pedro controls early, running Patera into the turnbuckles in the outside, but Patera catches him with an elbow to take over. He tosses Pedro to the floor, and he slams him there. He won’t let up, eventually dragging him in over the top, then hanging him in the corner. He locks in a front facelock, and this just slows right down. Pedro fights up, but Patera puts him right back down. Pedro comes up again, flipping him over for 2. He starts his patented “fiery Latin comeback” which is just throwing haymakers while Patera backs off. He rakes the face, but Patera buries a knee, then hits a suplex for 2. Elbow gets 2, then he goes to a bearhug. Morales fades, but eventually punches his way out. Patera falls over backwards, and Pedro gets 2 from that. They lay on the mat in the bearhug, and Patera gets a couple of 2-counts. They go back to standing, and Pedro rings his bell to break the bearhug, but Patera stomps and elbows away on him. They rake each other’s face and start duking it out in the corner. The ref tries to break it up, and gets shoved down by both men, then they grab him and throw him out of the ring for the double-DQ at 16:19. That was interminable. ½ * A bunch of other wrestlers come out to break it up, but they can’t seem to get them to stop.
Morales would win the title in December of 1980, then drop it to Don Muraco, then regain it from him
1982.12.28
Pedro Morales (Champion)
Vs
Don Muraco (with Lou Albano)
Muraco was so amazingly fat and happy here. He was such an amazing heel. They keep locking up, but take forever to get going. Pedro knocks him to the floor with a shot to the throat, but nothing much comes of it. Muraco gets a cheap shot to gain control, and he drops Pedro across his knee, stomach-first. He snaps Morales across the bottom rope, then a neckbreaker gets 2. Muraco grabs a front facelock, then turns him over for 2. Big suplex gets 2, even as Vince writes Morales off. Muraco tosses him over the top to the floor, then runs him to the railing. Outside in suplex gets 2 for Muraco, then a dropkick knocks him to the floor. On the floor, Muraco runs him to the post and pounds on him. Pedro gets fired up again, pummeling Muraco with kicks and punches, and Muraco falls to the floor. They fight there, then Pedro places him on the top rope. Muraco gets a punch in, and he begins to climb, but Pedro hits him and he flops into the ring. Pedro continues his onslaught, and they both knock the ref down for another lame double-DQ at 14:27. They continue the brawl, and the timekeeper just KEEPS RINGING THE GODDAMN BELL until Muraco leaves ringside. **
Muraco would win the belt from Morales about a month later at MSG.
1983.10.17
Cage Match
Don Muraco (Champion, with Lou Albano)
Vs
Superfly Snuka (with Buddy Rogers)
Before the match, Muraco is in the back with Vince McMahon, and he cuts an AMAZING pre-match promo. Snuka takes a week to get into the cage, and this is a short sprint. They pound the fuck out of each other for a few minutes, with Snuka controlling early, until Muraco buries a knee and slingshots him into the cage, busting him open. Muraco charges into the corner, but eats a knee. They brawl on the top rope, then Snuka knocks him off the top. Muraco goes for the door, but Snuka stops him, so Muraco gets a low blow. Snuka nails him a few times, then slams him and goes to the second rope. Snuka hits a headbutt, then a leaping headbutt. The ref opens the door, and Muraco goes flying over the top and out the door to win and retain his title at 6:46. Post-match, Snuka hits a suplex, then lands the Superfly Splash from the top of the cage in an iconic moment. Great short brawl. * ¾
1985.03.17 Lumberjack Match:
Greg Valentine (Champion, with Jimmy Hart)
Vs
Tito Santana
Some of the lumberjacks are Barry O, John Studd, Don Muraco, Superfly Snuka, King Kong Bundy, Rocky Johnson, Matt Borne, Ricky Steamboat, Junkyard Dog, and some others. Valentine jumps him right off, and Tito kicks him a lot. Tito breaks out the hammer on the ropes, and no one gets the joke. This is your typical lumberjack match, when the heel goes out by his buddies, they help him out, and when the face goes out, the heels attack him, and vice versa. Valentine tries to climb OVER the lumberjacks and into the crowd. Valentine gets the knees up on the blind charge, and goes to work on the knee. He sends Tito out by the faces, and JYD and Snuka tend to the knee. Valentine hits some hammers of his own, but when he goes for the figure four, Santana reverses it into a small package for two. They go toe-to-toe, and then Tito drops Valentine on the top turnbuckle. Valentine tries to leave and Tito suplexes him for two. Tito goes after Valentine’s legs, eventually getting the figure four, but John Studd pushes the ropes to Valentine, forcing the break. Tito goes after Studd, and then he and Valentine butt heads, and Valentine falls on top for the pin at 10:22. I love that finish, and nobody ever uses it any more. ***
Tito would regain the title from Valentine in a cage match about three months later.
1986.02.08
Tito Santana (Champion)
Vs
Randy Savage (with Elizabeth)
This is from Boston Garden, the first time on this set we’ve seen a match that wasn’t from Madison Square Garden. Savage was just the hottest thing they’d had in years as a heel. Him winning the title was kind of a foregone conclusion here, at least to the people in attendance, because there was no TV until this match, then they fired up the lights and the cameras. Jesse Ventura was always hard on Tito on commentary, but they were actually very good friends in real life, according to Jesse. They lock up, but Savage can’t overpower Tito. Savage is just totally bananas as a coked-up heel, and Gorilla remarks that he looks like he’s added some weight. (He did that a lot, I just never noticed til I started listening to wrestling podcasts.) They feel each other out for a long time, working some locks and holds on the mat, but Savage is just all over the place. He gets a cheap shot to the eye, but when Tito chases him, Savage bails out. Tito goes right after him, but Savage catches him and rolls him back in. Savage comes off the top, but Tito buries a punch to the gut as he comes off. Tito slams him, but Savage rolls out and runs. Tito pursues, but Savage baits him in. Tito ducks a clothesline and gets an atomic drop for 2. Savage tries a kick, but Tito catches it. Savage hits a thumb to the eye and a running axhandle for 2. Clothesline by Savage gets a long 2. He goes up again and hits a great double ax for 2. Gorilla critiques Savages pinning technique, but Savage tosses Santana to the floor and bombs him from the top to the floor. Gorilla says it’s 15 feet down to the floor, and Jesse says that he hopes that Santana doesn’t try to hold on to the title by countout. Tito runs Savage to the buckles and comes in on fire. He comes off the second rope with an elbow that sends Savage across the ring. It gets 2, but Savage’s foot is on the ropes. Tito stays on him with right hands, but eats knees on a charge in the corner. We’ve got a double-down, and Savage covers for 2. Tito kicks him off onto referee Danny Davis, who’s momentarily stunned. Tito gets an inside cradle, but Davis is slow to count so it only gets 2. Savage hurts his knee, and Tito zeroes right in, working it over and getting the Figure-Four. He makes the ropes, then bails to the apron. He fishes in his trunks, then kicks Santana off on a figure-four attempt. He goes to the apron, and Santana tries to bring him in with a back suplex, but Savage nails him with the foreign object for the pin at 10:29. Excellent match, and Savage really stood out as the guy who was headed toward the top. *** ½
1987.03.29
WrestleMania III
Pontiac, MI
Randy Savage (Champion, with Elizabeth)
Vs
Rick Steamboat (with George Steele)
These two went out to tear the house down, and tear it down they did. Sad that the only one of the participants in this match that’s still alive is Steamboat. The intensity here is off the charts, thanks to the angle that built this. They tie up, and Steamboat takes him over. Savage moves Liz away from Steele, then they reset. Steamboat gets a series of armdrags, then lifts Savage by the throat and drops him. Savage runs, then drops an elbow as Steamboat chases him. He slingshots Steamboat off the top rope by the throat, but Steamboat fires back with a chop. He puts on a wristlock and lifts Savage by the arm. He works the arm over, driving Savage to the mat, but Savage levels him with an elbow. He tosses Steamboat out over the top, then kicks him. Steamboat makes it to the apron, but Savage starts targeting the previously injured throat. He flings Steamboat back in and takes him down for 2. Steamboat runs him to the corner and starts firing off chops. He ties Savage in the ropes, but Savage kicks him in the gut. Steamboat gets a cross-body for 2. Shoulderblocks get 2 a couple of times, but Savage gets a knee to the upper back. He tosses Steamboat over the top, but he skins the cat. Savage, dick that he is, clotheslines Steamboat right back out. Savage comes out and throws Steamboat over the timekeeper’s table into the crowd. Steele helps Steamboat to the apron, so Savage lets him back in, then throws him right back out over the top. He drops the double-ax to the floor. Savage tosses him back in, then comes off the top again. Elbow to the head gets 2. Elbow to the head gets 2. Atomic drop gets 2. Suplex gets 2. Steamboat fires off a couple of shots, but Savage cuts him off. Gut wrench, then Steamboat flips over on a back suplex and hits the holy shit backdrop to the floor! Steamboat throws him back in, leaps off the top over the ref with a chop for 2. Chop to the head gets 2. Strikes to the face, and Savage tumbles to the floor. Steamboat sunsets in for 2. Steamboat gets a series of rollups and cradles for 2. He slingshots Savage into the post, then sunsets him for 2 again. O’Connor roll gets 2 for Steamboat, then Savage reverses with a handful of trunks for 2. Savage leverages Steamboat into the corner. The ref gets bumped, and Savage nails Steamboat with a clothesline. He goes up and drops the elbow, but the ref is out. Savage goes to the floor and grabs the ringbell, calling back to the original injury to Steamboat. Steele snatches the bell from him, but Savage kicks him and steals it back, so Steele pushes him off the top and Steamboat gets an inside cradle for the pin and title at 14:35. That was the best WWF match of all time for very long time. *****.
1987.06.02
Superstars of Wrestling
Buffalo, NY
Rick Steamboat (Champion)
Vs
Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart)
Steamboat, like an idiot, asked for time off right after winning the title, so Vince McMahon decided to take the belt off him within a couple of months. Honky jumps him at the bell and tosses him over the top. Steamboat holds in, grabs Jimmy Hart with a headscissors, flips in, pulls Honky out, then atomic drops him. He runs Honky all over, hitting chops and strikes. Steamboat gets a rollup for 2, but Honky escapes and clotheslines him on the top rope. He rakes the eyes, but Steamboat backs him into the corner. Honky with a slam, but he misses a second rope elbow. Steamboat with kicks and chops, then a knee drop. He sets early on a backdrop, but Honky can’t follow up and Steamboat backdrops him into the corner. He goes up, but Hart comes up on the apron. Everyone gets tangled up, and Honky Tonk Man reverses an inside cradle for the biggest upset in WWF history to win the Intercontinental Championship at 3:53. *
1988.08.29
SummerSlam ‘88
MSG
Honky Tonk Man (Champion, with Jimmy Hart)
Vs
Ultimate Warrior
Warrior was originally supposed to be Brutus Beefcake, but Brutus had been injured by Ron Bass a few days prior to this. Honky issued an open challenge, and Warrior accepted. Warrior charges the ring, hits a series of punches, a slam, then he wipes Honky out with a shoulderblock, then another. Splash, and it’s over in 0:31. That’s the way you put somebody over. *
Warrior would lose the title to Rick Rude at WrestleMania V, here’s the rematch:
1989.08.28
SummerSlam ‘89
Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ
Rick Rude (Champion, with Bobby Heenan)
Vs
Ultimate Warrior
This is, I think, when they realized what they had with Warrior. He clotheslines Rude out over the top, then when Rude tries a sunset flip in, Warrior just punches him in the face. Warrior presses him, then drops him all the way to the floor. Warrior runs him to the timekeeper’s table, then hits him with the belt. Jesse starts screaming about a DQ, and they go back in. Warrior hurls Rude right back out to the floor. Warrior goes to the top, and he comes off with a double ax for 2. Warrior sends Rude to the corner, then whips him across to the other side. Slam gets 2. Warrior hits a suplex for 2. Reverse atomic drop allows Rude to dramatically oversell, then Warrior drops him right on his tailbone. He does Rude’s hip swivel, then goes to the top again. Rude crotches him and goes to work on his lower back. Rude hits a nice suplex for 2. He continues pounding the back and (wait for it) NOW YOU’RE GOING TO SEE A CHINLOCK. He keeps pounding the back, but Warrior comes out of it pretty quickly. Rude goes for the Rude Awakening, but Warrior pulls his hands away. Rude spins him around and gets a sleeper. Warrior staggers around the ring, then they crash into the ref in the corner and everyone is down. Rude comes up first, and then Warrior starts to stir. Rude pounds on him, but Warrior won’t stay on the mat. He fires away, then hits Rude with a backdrop. Warrior with a bunch of clotheslines and a powerslam, but the ref is still down. Warrior goes to get the ref, then hits a piledriver, which may be the first and only time I’ve ever seen him do that. That gets 2 with Rude’s foot on the rope. Running powerslam by Warrior, but when he goes for the running splash, Rude gets his knees up. Rude sets for a piledriver, but Warrior’s head isn’t in the right spot, so Rude hits a modified Ganso Bomb that he protects Warrior really well on. Rude hits a top rope fist drop for 2, then Roddy Piper wanders out. Rude hits another piledriver that only gets 2. Rude finally notices Piper and starts screaming at him. Piper moons him, and Rude jumps on the second rope to yell at him. Warrior hits a belly-to-back suplex, then a shoulderblock. Press slam, then a splash finishes Rude at 16:02. That was an incredible effort from both guys and so much better than I remember it being. ****
DISK TWO: The 1990’s
1991.08.26
SummerSlam ‘91
MSG
Mr. Perfect (Champion, with Coach)
Vs
Bret Hart
Stu and Helen Hart are in the audience at MSG. Perfect’s back was so fucked up he could barely walk. Bret always puts him over for working in the amount of pain that he was in. I never understood the point of putting Tolos with Hennig, as Tolos just blew a whistle without saying anything, as Perfect cut his own promos. It starts really fast, as Bret hip tosses him. Perfect bails out, and when he comes back in, Bret gets a crucifix for 2. Bret grabs a headlock and uses Perfect’s hair to hold on. Perfect buries a knee but Bret hits a high cross body for 1. Outside in Sunset Flip for 2. Bret goes right back to the headlock. Perfect makes the ropes, and tries to take a walk. Bret grabs him and throws him back in, tearing his singlet. Perfect takes over, and dumps Bret to the floor. He chops him down, and pushes him off the apron into a photographer. Bret leaps over on a charge and gets a victory roll for 2. Rollup for 2, but Perfect hits a dropkick, sending Bret to the floor. They both climb to the top rope and duke it out, eventually both falling to the floor. Perfect slaps him around a bit, and does the hair toss. He grabs a sleeper, but Bret elbows out. Perfect turns a crucifix into a fall away slam for 2. Bret takes his chest-first corner bump for 2. Nowyourgonnaseea PERFECT PLEX only gets 2! Zoikes! That’s about it for him as champion. You can always tell someone is on their way out for a while, because their finish gets killed. Bret hits a Manhattan drop, then a proper atomic drop. Perfect crotches himself on the post. Bret with a suplex for 2. Small package for 2. Russian leg sweep for 2. Backbreaker, second rope elbow for 2. Bret bitches at the ref about the count, and Perfect gets a rolling reverse for 2. Bret kicks him out to the floor, and when he comes back in, Bret goes after his legs. He goes for the Sharpshooter, but Coach climbs up on the apron. This distracts Bret, allowing Perfect to go for a legdrop, which Bret turns into the Sharpshooter for the submission and the title at 18:02 **** ½
1992.08.29
SummerSlam ‘92
Wembley Stadium, London England
Bret Hart (Champion)
Vs
Davey Boy Smith
The crowd is massive and jacked, and Bret is pretty much the heel by default because of the crowd, and he does it well, wrestling his usual match, but being decidedly more heelish while doing it. In later interviews, Bret has alternately said that this was the greatest match of his career and also that Davey was either A) On drugs or B) Totally blown up five minutes in. Take your pick, based on whether Bret is talking to sister Diana, who was married to Davey, and is seated at ringside. (They keep going to Diana in an insert in the corner so we can see her lack of real emotion. How very Canadian.) They chest up to start, and Davey shoves Bret back. Bret goes to a headlock, and Davey sends him to the ropes. Bret with a leapfrog, and Davey knocks him down with a shoulder block. Bret goes to the floor, and Bobby Heenan (on commentary) says that Davey Boy has "Whoopi Goldberg Hair". Cute. Bret floats over on a press, into a rolling reverse for 2. Small package gets 2, and he goes back to the headlock. Davey Boy reverses into a hammerlock, and Bret just potatoes him with an elbow. Bret goes to a wristlock, and Davey does the flippity-floppity reversal out of it. He slingshots Bret into the top turnbuckle and goes to an armbar. Crucifix gets 2, and he goes back to the armbar. Bret slams him, but Davey Boy holds on to the armbar. Bret gets a knee to the guy, then a leg drop. He goes to a reverse chinlock. Shoulder block, then Bret hits an inverted atomic drop, which Vince McMahon calls "a reverse piledriver", which I suppose is true in that he's got him reversed from a normal piledriver, but drops him the same way. I digress. Bret blocks a crucifix into a Samoan drop for 2. He goes to a chinlock, but Davey powers out of it. They do a crisscross, and Davey gets a monkey flip. He headbutts Bret, but eats Bret's boot on a charge into the corner. Bret hits a bulldog and goes up, but Davey slams him off. Davey then goes up, but HE misses a diving headbutt. Channeling Dynamite Kid, I suppose. Davey goes for a rolling reverse, but Bret dumps him out of the ring. Bret goes for a slingshot plancha but Davey is out of position, so Bret turns it into a sort-of Slingblade. Bret was legit pissed at Davey for not being where he was supposed to, and has said that he worked a little stiffer with him for a while to let him know. He runs him to the post, and they go back in. Bret works the back, and hits a neckbreaker for 2. Backdrop gets 2. Snap suplex (they really ARE channeling Dynamite Kid) gets 2. Bret goes to a reverse chinlock to take a quick breather, and Davey comes out again. Davey with a backslide for 2. Bret hits a backbreaker for 2, then a second rope elbow to Davey's back. He pulls Davey up by the hair and then drops him, drawing boos for the first time. He goes back to the chinlock. Bret turns this into a sleeperhold, and Davey reaches the ropes. Bret won't break clean, and when he does, he goes right back to it. Davey fights out again, and press slams Bret into the ropes. A series of clotheslines gets 2. Press slam gets 2. Hanging vertical suplex gets 2. He whips Bret chest-first to the buckle, and Davey's powerslam (his finisher) only gets 2. He knocks Bret to the apron, and Bret reverses a suplex into a bridging German Suplex for 2. Davey blocks a suplex, and puts Bret on top. He hits an AWESOME superduperplex (that's a superplex with BOTH guys standing on the top rope) for 2. Double clothesline, and both guys are down. Bret goes for the sharpshooter from the mat, and gets it locked in, but Davey won't submit. He makes the ropes. Bret sends him off the ropes and goes for a sunset flip, but Davey hooks his legs and gets the pin and the title at 25:40. ***** They tease dissension and anger, but Diana comes in and emotionlessly convinces them to reconcile and Davey gets his big moment in his home country. Easily Davey’s best match ever.
1994.03.20
WrestleMania X
MSG
Ladder Match:
Razor Ramon (Champion)
Vs
Shawn Michaels
Michaels had been suspended while champion, thus vacating the belt. Razor was an entrant in a battle royal that he co-won with Rick Martel, then pinned Martel to become champion. Michaels came back, and still had his belt, so now we have this match. They do some nice chain wrestling, with Shawn flipping over, and Razor hitting a chokeslam. Shawn hits a neckbreaker, then Razor runs him to the buckle. Shawn tosses him to the floor, and Diesel clotheslines him. The ref gets pissed and throws Diesel out, and Razor nails Shawn in the chin. He clotheslines Shawn over the top, then pulls up the padding on the floor. They go back in, and Razor sets for the Razor’s Edge, but Shawn backdrops him to the exposed concrete. Shawn heads for the ladder, but Razor rolls back into the ring. Razor nails him, then throws the ladder in himself. He sets it on the apron, and Shawn dropkicks it into his face. Shawn brings the ladder in and hits Razor in the stomach with it. He jams it into Razor’s stomach, then throws it onto his back. Ouch. He throws it at him from across the ring, and Razor collapses. Shawn sets the ladder up, and he gets all the way up, but Razor stops him, so Shawn pushes him off and drops an elbow from the ladder. Shawn sets the ladder up in the corner, then slams Razor and climbs to the top of the ladder. Shawn hits a splash, then drags the ladder over to grab the belts. Razor pushes the ladder down, and Shawn bounces off the top rope. They butt heads and are both down. Shawn sets the ladder up, folded in the corner. He winds up getting whipped into it from the far corner and bumps to the floor. Razor nails Shawn with the ladder while chasing him around the ring with it. He sets the ladder up and slingshots Shawn into it. Back in, and Razor nails Shawn with the ladder, and Shawn tumbles to the floor. Razor sets up the ladder, but as he climbs, Shawn dives off the top to stop him. The ladder falls on Shawn, of course. They both start climbing, then duke it out on the top step. Razor slams Shawn off the ladder, then it falls down, getting twisted. He goes for the belts, but Shawn dropkicks him off. Shawn pushes the ladder onto him, then he hits the superkick. Shawn hits Razor with a stiff piledriver, then he rides the ladder down onto Razor. Goddamn, what an iconic shot. He sets the ladder up over Razor, but Razor tips it and Shawn gets caught in the ropes, and Razor climbs up and gets both I-C title belts at 18:47. God, that was non-stop amazing, and it totally holds up all these years later. *****
1995.01.22
Royal Rumble
Razor Ramon (Champion)
Vs
Jeff Jarrett (with the Roadie)
I’d like to state for the record how much I despise Jeff Jarrett as a worker and as a person. He just comes off as so disingenuous. Razor was on his second reign, having defeated Diesel at SummerSlam the previous year. He starts out punching Jarrett, who comes off the ropes but gets caught in a blockbuster slam. Razor goozles him, and JJ bails. Back in, and they lock up. Jarrett gets an armdrag, and they duel over a hammerlock. Razor casually clotheslines him over the top rope, then brings him back in and works an arm wringer. Jarett fights out and nails a series of gorgeous dropkicks, followed by a clothesline for 2. He goes for a kick, but Razor grabs his leg, then ducks an attempted enziguiri. Jarrett gets a chinlock, but Razor gets a backslide for 2. Jarrett gets a clothesline for 2, but has a sunset flip blocked. I guess it’s one of those rare times that having a high center of gravity helps? Jarrett with a rollup for 2. Dropkick for 2. He finally just grabs a sleeper, but Razor comes out of it. Jarrett hits a neckbreaker, then gets several rope-assisted near-falls. Razor ducks a kick, then crotches Jarrett on the ringpost. He hits a second rope clothesline for 2, then Jarrett sidesteps him and Razor goes crashing over the top to the floor. He injures his knee, the Roadie clips him from behind, and Razor gets counted out. Jarrett doesn’t want the win that way, obviously, because Razor would retain the title, so the match is restarted after some drama. Razor gets a couple of flash near-falls, then Jarrett catches him and starts working the injured knee. Razor kicks him over the top, but Jarrett comes back in and gets the figure-four right away. Razor fights and fights, almost rolling it over after several minutes. He eventually fights out and makes his comeback, hitting a fall away slam from the second rope for 2, then a clothesline for 2. He sets for the Razor’s Edge, but his knee gives way, and Jarrett gets the rollup for the pin and the title at 18:47. Considering who was involved, this just was completely uninspired. ** ½
1997.12.07
In Your House: D-Generation X
Steve Austin (Champion)
Vs
The Rock (with Kama, D’Lo Brown, and Farrooq)
Austin drives his truck to the ring and gets jumped by the Nation as soon as he gets out of it. He backdrops D’Lo onto the hood, then stunners him on the roof. This is a kick-punch walk around brawl. Rock throws Austin over the top, and Austin takes out Farooq and Kama. Rock hits a low blow, then a prototype People’s Elbow for 2. He slams Austin, and the People’s Elbow misses. Austin stomps a mudhole in the corner, then accidentally stunners the ref, then hits Rock with one for the pin after 5:37 of less-than-inspired action. Austin really had no business being in the ring at this point, but they needed him so badly they had no choice. * ½ He’d forfeit the title to the Rock the next night on Raw, touching off his feud with Vince McMahon in the process.
1998.07.26
In Your House: Fully Loaded
2/3 Falls 30-minute time-limit
The Rock (Champion)
Vs
HHH
Rock comes down with the whole Nation, and HHH comes out with DX, so WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter just ejects them all from ringside. They trade clotheslines, but HHH gets the advantage and hits an elbow. Chyna, who’s somehow remained at ringside, takes a cheapshot at the Rock, but he backdrops out of a Pedigree. HHH tosses him out and they brawl up the aisle. Rock reverses a whip and sends HHH to the steps, then drops him on the railing. They go back in, and he whips HHH to the corner and hits a clothesline for 2. HHH hits a neckbreaker and a suplex. Kneedrop gets 2. They trade chops, and Rock whips him over the top to the floor, where he hits a suplex. Mark Henry sneaks back out and hits HHH with a splash on the floor. Billy Gunn runs him off as Chyna argues with the ref. While this is going on, the Rock nails HHH with the belt, resulting in a 2-count. He gets a neckbreaker for 2, then goes to a chinlock to set up the next sequence. HHH fights out, but Rock hits a clothesline for 2. The go to the floor again, where the Rock chokes him with a TV cable. Back in, and the Rock hits a DDT for 2. He goes to the chinlock, and HHH’s arm drops twice, but he fights out and starts his comeback. He hits a kneelift (This is my shocked face: <:-0), but Rock hits a Stun Gun. Godfather tries to come out, but the New Age Outlaws run him off. Rock kicks HHH in the corner, and D’Lo tries to interfere, but HHH hits him with the European title belt, but turns around into a Rock Bottom by the Rock for the pin at 20:22. (Rock is up 1-0) Second Fall: Rock dumps HHH to the floor, then sends him to the railing. HHH comes back with a clothesline, but Rock catapults him to the Spanish Announce Table. Back in, Rock hits the People’s Elbow for 2. HHH hits a clothesline, and D’Lo tries to climb in, but Chyna distracts the ref, allowing X-Pac to come in and hit the Rock with the X-Factor. HHH gets 2 from that. HHH grabs a chair, but Rock snatches it away and clobbers the ref with it. Chyna low blows the Rock, then hits him with DDT on the chair and HHH gets the pin at 26:35 to even it up at 1-1. Third Fall: HHH crawls over, but the original referee is totally gone. Earl Hebner runs out, but it takes too long, so it only gets 2. 2 minutes left. They brawl on the floor. Back in, HHH hits a facebuster and a clothesline for 2. 1 minute left. Rock with a Samoan drop for 2. They just start duking it out in the middle of the ring, and HHH counters the Rock Bottom into the Pedigree, but there’s just no time left and the bell rings for the draw. The Nation and DX brawl in the ring after the decision. This was great, and it would only get better for these two, as they’d have an amazing ladder match at SummerSlam ’98 that tore the house down even more so than this one. ****
1999.10.17
Good Housekeeping Match
Jeff Jarrett (Champion, with Miss Kitty)
Vs
Chyna
This is no-DQ, no countout, with various household implements around the ring, to be used as the competitors see fit. Jarrett was I-C champion as his contract was expiring, and wouldn’t sign a new one, so he held Vince McMahon up for $100,000 to drop the title on his way to join his buddy Vince Russo in bringing down WCW. There’s a ton of unprotected head shots with various culinary items, and considering the mess that Joanie Laurer’s brain became before she died, I can’t really watch this without cringing. She puts Jarrett on a table, but he moves and she goes through it. They both wind up covered in flour (probably not the last time Chyna would be covered in white powder). She hits him with two pies and (I’m not kidding) an actual kitchen sink. That gets 2. Jarrett hits her with the title belt, and that’s enough to get the pin, but Teddy Long reverses the decision and orders a restart because the title belt “isn’t a household item”. You can’t make this stuff up. Jarrett grabs Long, Chyna hits Jarrett with his guitar to win the title at 8:37. DUD (but only because I don’t do negative stars anymore).
DISK THREE: The 2000’s and Beyond
2000.02.27
No Way Out
Chris Jericho (Champion, with Chyna)
Vs
Kurt Angle (European Champion)
I don’t think anyone ever picked up the nuances of pro wrestling faster than Kurt Angle. What an amazing talent he was. I had the chance to meet him this year, and he’s a genuinely nice guy who looks like he could tear you in half. They cut an incredible pace in this one. Angle goes flying over the top rope to apron, and Jericho hits a springboard dropkick on him there. They brawl on the floor and Angle gets posted. Jericho clotheslines the post when Angle moves, but then hits an Asai moonsault off the ring steps. Back in, and Jericho goes up, but Angle crotches him. He hits a belly-to-belly for 2, then starts working the arm. Angle gets a chinlock, but Jericho gets out of it and hits a Tiger Driver backbreaker that only gets 1. Angle gets a belly-to-back suplex for 2, then goes back to the chinlock. Angle pummels him in the corner, but Jericho hits a spinning heel kick, then a bulldog and a flying forearm for 2. Angle attempts a ‘rana, but Jericho blocks it into a deadlift powerbomb. Angle gets a kimura, but Jericho makes the ropes. Angle slam gets 2. Angle grabs the I-C title belt, but Jericho gets the Walls of Jericho as Angle struggles to the ropes. They go to the floor, and Jericho knocks Angle into Chyna. Jericho suplexes Angle back in, but Angle grabs the belt, and when Jericho tries the Lionsault, he nails himself with the belt, and Angle gets the pin and the title at 8:02. If they’d given them more time, I feel like this could have been amazing. ***
2000.10.12
Smackdown
Eddie Guerrero (Champion)
Vs
X-Pac
Vs
Chris Jericho
This is Triple Threat rules, meaning first man to get a pin wins the match. Contrary to what you might hear, X-Pac’s “go away” heat was a real thing. It’s more “Get the fuck out of here” heat. X-Pac and Jericho tangle to start, and Eddie watches. Jericho hits a springboard dropkick to the floor. He winds up catching a beating in the corner, and X-Pac hits a Bronco Buster. God, I hate that move. Guerrero and X-Pac double-team Jericho, but Guerrero turns on X-Pac. Jericho clotheslines X-Pac to the floor, then hits a Lionsault on Guerrero. X-Pac hits a low blow on Jericho, then an X-Factor. Guerrero dropkicks X-Pac off Jericho, then steals the pin at 3:50. That was brief. **
2001.04.12
Smackdown
HHH (Champion)
Vs
Jeff Hardy
This was during the “Two-Man Power Trip” stuff right after Austin’s WrestleMania XVII heel turn. Jeff had attacked HHH, Austin, and Stephanie McMahon to set this one up. HHH just absolutely murders him at the start. Jeff hits a Hurricanrana, then a couple of dropkicks. He counters the Pedigree into an abdominal legdrop for 2. He mounts the corner and punches away, but HHH pushes him off. He hits whisper in the wind for 2 and HHH is reeling. HHH sends him to the floor and runs him to the steps. Jeff leaps from the barricade, but HHH slams him to the mat. He leaps from the apron, and HHH powerslams him on the floor. He runs Jeff to the steps, then throws him back in for a kneelift. HHH starts the beating in earnest, with punches and some good old-fashioned rope choking. He gets the sleeper, but Jeff breaks it up with a jawbreaker. HHH with a Russian leg sweep. Jeff goes up, but HHH pulls the ref into the ropes to knock him off balance, crotching him there. HHH shoves the ref down, and Matt Hardy runs down and hits HHH with a chairshot, allowing Jeff to get the pin after a Swanton from the top at 8:06. That was an amazing TV match. *** ½
2002.07.22
Monday Night Raw #478
Intercontinental Title/European Title Unification Ladder Match
Rob Van Dam (I-C Champion)
Vs
Jeff Hardy (European Champion)
I could never get into RVD as a worker. He does too many unnecessary flourishes that don’t add anything to the match. And don’t get me started on Jeff. They wrestle a little bit, then Jeff takes RVD over with a headscissors and clotheslines him to the floor. He goes to bring a ladder in, but RVD dropkicks it into his face and moonsaults off the apron onto him. He sets up the ladder, but Jeff pulls him down and stomps him. Nice spot where Jeff legdrops both of RVD’s hamstrings. Jeff dropkicks a ladder out of the ring, then they both run to get another and have a duel. RVD spin kicks one into Jeff’s face. He sets Jeff on a ladder, laying down, and does a flip splash onto him He starts the climb, but Jeff back suplexes him off. Jeff lays a ladder on him and hits a Swanton onto him. Ow. They fight on top of a ladder, and RVD does a flip-over powerbomb from there. Awesome. He nails Rolling Thunder on a ladder. He starts climbing, and Jeff hits him in the back with a ladder. They fight on top of twin ladders, and RVD kicks him down and splashes him from there. He climbs back up and grabs the I-C belt to win it at 6:58. Awesome spotfest! *** ½
2004.07.11
Vengeance
Randy Orton (Champion)
Vs
Edge
Orton looks like he’s aged in dog years since this match. Good lord. He’s drawing some chants from the crowd over the babyface Edge, who hadn’t quite found his footing by turning heel. They trade headlocks, then fight over a wristlock. Edge mows him down with a shoulderblock, but Orton buries a knee to the gut and works the neck a bit. He goes back to the headlock. They do a long criss-cross, and Edge takes him down and gets a headlock. Why are they starting so slowly? It’s like All-Japan. Orton fights out and Edge knocks him down with three straight shoulderblocks. Orton takes a walk and teases leaving, but Edge chases him down and brings him back to ringside, running him into the apron. Back in the ring, and Orton tosses him over the top to the floor. He runs him to the apron and a suplex back in gets 2. He goes to work with kicks and stomps. He starts working the back and neck, then he snap mares Edge over and puts on a neck crank. Orton lets him go and sends him off, but Edge fires back with a flying forearm, then clotheslines Orton out to the floor. Orton teases leaving again, this time grabbing the belt, but Edge hits a baseball slide dropkick. He clotheslines Orton from the apron, then throws him back in. More chanting for Orton, and Edge goes up and hits a missile dropkick for a long 2. He sets for a spear, but Orton kicks him in the face and hits a modified backbreaker for 2. They go to the floor, then Orton hits the Murdoch elbow on the apron a couple of times. Orton is doing everything he can to be a heel, but the fans keep cheering him. He drops a leg to the back of Edge’s neck for 2. He takes him down with a knee to the gut and drops a knee to the chest. Nice dropkick gets 2, and Orton goes to his patented Orton Chinlock. Edge fights up, but Orton takes him down by the hair and drops another leg for 2. He pounds away with forearms, then back to the chinlock. They’ve been at it for 15 minutes, and this is some of the most boring shit I’ve ever seen out of either one of them. “Boring” chants start, as I’m typing that. Edge’s arm drops twice, but he starts fighting out. Orton tries to hold on, but Edge hits a cross-body for 2. Rolling reverse gets 2, but Orton hits a clothesline to cut him off. He comes off the second rope, but Edge hits him with a dropkick to the gut. Edge spins him into a reverse neckbreaker, and both guys are down. The ref gets to 8, then they start duking it out. Edge hits a Russian leg sweep for 2. Orton goes for a dropkick, but Edge holds on to the ropes. He catapults Orton into the buckles, then pulls him over backwards for 2. He goes up, but Orton meets him with punches and tries a superplex. Edge drops him across the ropes, then hits a cross-body, but Orton rolls through for 2. He thumbs Edge in the eye, then takes off a turnbuckle pad. This distracts the ref, and Edge gets an inside cradle for a long 2 because the ref was trying to fix the buckle. Orton rolls him up for 2. Leg lace gets 2. Edge gets an impaler DDT for 2. He mounts the corner for punches, but Orton pushes him up and drops him on the exposed buckle and uses the ropes for leverage for 2. He teases the RKO, but when Edge goes for the spear, Orton leapfrogs him and Edge hits the corner. Edge blocks the RKO into a backslide for 2, then sends Orton to the exposed buckle and finishes at 26:06. That was mostly interminable, like they had no idea where to go with it until the finishing sequence. Orton would land on his feet by winning the WWE title about a month later. ***
2005.11.01
Taboo Tuesday
Cage Match
Ric Flair (Champion)
Vs
Triple H
They start in the corner, with Flair landing a chop, then they just start duking it out. Flair is all about straight punches, then HHH reverses a whip and hits a high knee. He runs Flair to the buckle, then chokes him with his boot. More back and forth, then HHH hits a spinebuster. He peppers him with punches, then sends Flair to the cage, face-first, busting him open. He does it again, and Flair is wearing the crimson mask almost immediately. HHH does the cheese-grater, and just massacres him, splashing into him against the cage. More punches from HHH, and this blade-job is almost Muto-level. HHH taunts him, then drops a knee. He sends him to the cage again. HHH waves goodbye, then starts the climb out. Flair chases him down and chops him on the top rope. They crush each other, then both get crotched. HHH tries to climb back up, but he finds a length of chain and wraps it around his fist. He comes off the ropes with it, but Flair gets a boot up and HHH goes down. Flair gets the knee crusher into the figure-four, but HHH gets a punch with the chain for 2. Fist drop with it for 2. The ref gets the chain away, so HHH just punches Flair in the forehead. He’s absolutely merciless in the corner, then Flair flops down, so HHH drops a knee to the back of the head. HHH mocks Flair more, then puts on the figure-four. Flair tries to fight it, but it turns into several two-counts. He gets pissed and flips him off and reverses it. HHH releases the hold, then goes for it again, but Flair kicks him into the cage. HHH is busted open, and Flair is all over him. These two are an absolute mess. Flair runs HHH across the cage, then FISH HOOKS him. ARGH. Suplex by Flair, then a knee, and my wife freaks out about how bloody Flair is. Flair’s onslaught continues, then he chop blocks him and starts working the previously torn quad of HHH. He’s like a surgeon, then he gets the figure-four. HHH can’t get out, and they go to the middle of the ring. Flair flips him off. HHH pulls the ref into Flair to break it up, but he’s in a bad way. Flair keeps working the knee, and he goes to the cage, but HHH stops him. Flair rakes his eyes and comes off the top with a forearm for a long 2. Low blow, and both guys are down. Flair crawls to the door, almost gets out, but grabs a chair, as HHH drags him back in. HHH steps on it, hurting Flair’s hand. He goes to swing it, but Flair gets a testicular claw. HHH sets for the Pedigree, then Flair backdrops him into the chair. Multiple headshots to HHH with the chair, and he’s dead. Flair just walks out of the cage to retain at 23:36. That was fucking amazing. Flair is very emotional as he leaves, and HHH is awesome, selling the beating he just took as the refs help him out. He gets a big hand from the crowd. *****
2006.04.30
Backlash
Money in the Bank Vs Intercontinental Championship
Shelton Benjamin (I-C Champion)
Vs
Rob Van Dam (Contract Holder)
Benjamin takes him down and slaps him, acting really cocky. He works RVD’s arm, but they struggle over a wristlock. RVD is crazy over here, and Benjamin isn’t far behind. Benjamin does a lot of “hit a move, strike a pose” stuff. RVD takes him down for 2, then a couple of armdrags. Benjamin ducks between the ropes to get a break. They tie up, and Benjamin cheap-shots him on the break. RVD hits a spin kick, and a frustrated Benjamin takes a walk to gather himself. Back in, and he hammers RVD down. RVD flips over on a backdrop, then hits a kick that leaves a lot of light. He slams Benjamin, and Benjamin rolls to the floor, so RVD hits a plancha. He tries for a sunset back in, but Benjamin powerbombs him off the apron to the floor. Yow! He rolls RVD back in for 2. He focuses on RVD’s back and kidneys, with a sitdown splash on the ropes getting 2. Benjamin gets a reverse chinlock, but RVD elbows out. Benjamin pulls him down, then punches him on the ropes. Running knee to the face on the apron gets 2 for Benjamin. Backbreaker, then Benjamin goes to a chinlock again. Camel Clutch, but RVD grabs the ropes. He slams him a couple of times, then another brief chinlock. RVD fights out, but rolls right into a Samoan drop for 2. Benjamin gets a waistlock on the mat, then sets RVD on the top rope. He sets for a superplex, but RVD shoves him off. Benjamin, however, runs up, leaps to the top, and superplexes him off for 2. He gets a rear naked choke, but RVD fights up and avoids a dropkick. RVD blocks a buckle shot and kicks him in the face. Benjamin misses a splash in the corner, so RVD starts clotheslining. He starts laying in kicks, then hits rolling thunder for 2. RVD slams him near the corner and hits a split-legged moonsault for 2. He hits shoulderblocks, then blocks a kick from Benjamin and goes up for the Five-Star Frog Splash, but Benjamin moves. Benjamin gets a DDT for a couple of near-falls. RVD bails out, so Benjamin follows. He charges, but RVD drops him into the barricade. Benjamin grabs the briefcase to lure RVD in, then he kicks him in the face. Benjamin goes to the top, but RVD rolls through on a cross-body for 2. RVD hits a Hurricanrana and the ref gets bumped. RVD hits a Van Daminator with the briefcase and finishes with the Frog Splash at 18:41. The crowd way into it, but Benjamin was in over his head. *** ½
2006.06.25
Vengeance
Shelton Benjamin (Champion)
Vs
Johnny Nitro (with Melina)
Vs
Carlito
I don’t know if anyone is a babyface here. Carlito dumps Nitro right away, then he and Benjamin exchange roll-ups for a bit. Carlito gets a headlock, then Nitro charges, and he holds it while backdropping Nitro. Benjamin takes out Carlito with a boot, then controls Nitro. Carlito clotheslines him out, then catapults Nitro out. He goes for a plancha, but Melina pulls Nitro out of the way. Benjamin and Nitro duke it out, and Benjamin slams him on the floor. Carlito climbs to the apron, then does a double springboard into a flip plancha onto both of them. He rolls Nitro in and covers him for 2. Nitro counters a backbreaker into a Russian leg sweep, then elbows Benjamin off the apron. He covers Carlito for 2. Carlito springs off the second rope, over Nitro, then hits a ‘rana. Benjamin interrupts what’s happening and does a lift and drop, throwing Carlito about nine feet in the air and dropping him in his face. Benjamin throws Nitro to the floor and goes to work on Carlito. Suplex gets 2. Samoan drop, but Nitro breaks it up at 2. Nitro goes for a ‘rana, but Benjamin turns it from a powerbomb into an over the shoulder snake eyes. That gets 2, but Melina puts Nitro’s foot on the ropes. Carlito gets a rollup for 2. Nitro monkeyflips Benjamin into a Carlito dropkick for 2. Nitro puts Carlito on top, but Benjamin shakes him down. They do a great spot where Nitro hangs upside down as Benjamin leaps up to superplex Carlito. Nitro turns it into a modified Tower of Doom for 2 on Benjamin. Carlito comes in and starts dishing out clotheslines. Inside cradle on Benjamin. He gets a double springboard back elbow on both guys and covers Nitro for 2, then Nitro covers Benjamin for 2. Nitro charges Carlito, but Carlito pulls down the top rope and he goes to the floor. Benjamin hits Carlito with an enziguiri for 2. Carlito hits a back cracker on Benjamin, but Nitro pulls him out at 2 and steals the win at 12:20. That was super-spotty, and I feel like Benjamin was put in this spot on the card before he was ready. ** ½
2007.07.22
Great American Bash
Umaga (Champion)
Vs
Jeff Hardy
Fun fact: This is the first Umaga match I’ve ever seen. Jeff takes it right to him, but Umaga nails him. He tosses him to the floor and just whales on him. Jeff hits a jawbreaker, but Umaga counters a charge into a Samoan drop. He headbutts him down, then drops a leg. Big elbow to the face. He beats him down, throwing him all over the ring. Umaga grabs a nerve hold and they do a great job of working while doing it. Jeff doesn’t stop trying, and Umaga doesn’t stop beating on him. Jeff fights out eventually, but when he tries a slam, Umaga falls on him for 2. Huge butt drop, then another, but when he tries a third, Jeff gets his knees up and crotches him. Jeff comes off the second rope, but Umaga catches him and turns it into a spinning Urinage. He only gets 2. Second rope headbutt misses, and Jeff might get some offense. He starts hitting strikes and kicks, then low bridges Umaga. Plancha follows. Back in, and Jeff tries a sunset, but Umaga stops it and tries a sit-down splash, but Jeff moves. Seated dropkick, but Umaga kicks out at 2. Jeff gets caught, but Umaga misses a charge. Jeff hits a Twist of Fate. Umaga misses a charge to the corner and hits the post. Jeff hits the Swanton, but Umaga kicks out at 2. Jeff goes for the Twist again, but Umaga sends him to the corner and nails a thrust kick. Samoan Spike finishes at 11:20. That was a very good match. ***
2008.03.10
Monday Night Raw #772
Jeff Hardy (Champion)
Vs
Chris Jericho
They lock up, then start slapping. It degenerates into a fight, with them rolling around on the mat. Jericho goes for a rana, but Jeff counters into the abdominal legdrop for 2. Jericho sends Hardy to the floor, and they cut to a break. Back in, and they’re working a headlock spot. Jericho charges him in the corner, but misses and goes flying to the floor. Jeff hits a sliding dropkick, but when he tries the running dive off the barrier, Jericho moves and faceplants him into the announcer’s table. Back in, Jericho gets a near-fall. Jericho with a backbreaker, then he stretches him. Jeff rakes his eyes to escape, but Jericho maintains control. He chokes Jeff on the ropes and acts much more heelish here that I remember him being. Jeff gets a Slingblade and they’re both down. Jeff hits a corkscrew dive off the top for 2. Jericho with a Northern Lights Suplex for 2. They bridge into a backslide by Jeff for 2. Jeff misses a split-legged moonsault but Jericho goes to the floor. He comes off the top, but Jeff rolls through the cross-body for 2. Jericho tosses him off on the Twist of Fate and hits a Lionsault for 2. He blocks a suplex, but Jeff gets an inside cradle for 2. Jeff hits the Twist, but misses the Swanton. Jericho nails him with the Codebreaker for the pin and his eighth Intercontinental Championship at 11:02. Excellent TV match. ***
The Bottom Line: They left a TON of shit out. Really. They could have gone five disks and not gotten it all. What I don’t get is including all the matches that weren’t title changes with Patterson/Patera/Morales/Muraco/Santana/Valentine
That being said, this is a ten-year-old DVD set that has some great history on it, but most of it is available on the WWE network. Grab it if you can get it for a bargain, like I did. If not, give it a pass. Thumbs in the middle, leaning ever-so-slightly up.
Todd Grisham is our host, and he runs through the kayfabe history of the title, with Pat Patterson winning it in Rio de Janeiro.
1979.10.22
Pat Patterson (Champion)
Vs
Ted DiBiase
This is from MSG, and Patterson is the heel champion, DiBiase the plucky underdog babyface challenger. Ted look so damn strange without his beard, running around in brown trunks. Patterson goes into a five-minute stall before the match starts. The bell finally rings, and DiBiase jumps Patterson and stomps him in the corner. Pat bails out, and when he comes back in, DiBiase works over his arm. Patterson sends him to the corner, but misses a charge. DiBiase locks in an abdominal stretch, which he holds for a while, but Patterson makes the ropes. He gets another, but Patterson rakes his eyes to escape. He works DiBiase over in the corner with punches and chokes. DiBiase makes a white meat comeback, hitting a dropkick, but Patterson ducks a second one and pulls out some knuckledusters, but DiBiase gets them from him. During the shenanigans, Patterson scoops him and pins him using the ropes for leverage at 7:54. * ½
Patterson would lose the belt to Ken Patera in 1980.
1980.10.20
Ken Patera (Champion, with the Grand Wizard)
Vs
Pedro Morales
Patera calls Morales a “fat Puerto Rican” on the house mic, and Pedro rushes the ring and attacks. Never understood the appeal of Pedro, as he just didn’t do much of anything in the ring beyond get beat up and throw punches. The crowd loved him though. Patera is a fucking monster here, pushing about 290 and looking like he could rip one of the ringposts out of the ground and beat someone to death with it. Pedro controls early, running Patera into the turnbuckles in the outside, but Patera catches him with an elbow to take over. He tosses Pedro to the floor, and he slams him there. He won’t let up, eventually dragging him in over the top, then hanging him in the corner. He locks in a front facelock, and this just slows right down. Pedro fights up, but Patera puts him right back down. Pedro comes up again, flipping him over for 2. He starts his patented “fiery Latin comeback” which is just throwing haymakers while Patera backs off. He rakes the face, but Patera buries a knee, then hits a suplex for 2. Elbow gets 2, then he goes to a bearhug. Morales fades, but eventually punches his way out. Patera falls over backwards, and Pedro gets 2 from that. They lay on the mat in the bearhug, and Patera gets a couple of 2-counts. They go back to standing, and Pedro rings his bell to break the bearhug, but Patera stomps and elbows away on him. They rake each other’s face and start duking it out in the corner. The ref tries to break it up, and gets shoved down by both men, then they grab him and throw him out of the ring for the double-DQ at 16:19. That was interminable. ½ * A bunch of other wrestlers come out to break it up, but they can’t seem to get them to stop.
Morales would win the title in December of 1980, then drop it to Don Muraco, then regain it from him
1982.12.28
Pedro Morales (Champion)
Vs
Don Muraco (with Lou Albano)
Muraco was so amazingly fat and happy here. He was such an amazing heel. They keep locking up, but take forever to get going. Pedro knocks him to the floor with a shot to the throat, but nothing much comes of it. Muraco gets a cheap shot to gain control, and he drops Pedro across his knee, stomach-first. He snaps Morales across the bottom rope, then a neckbreaker gets 2. Muraco grabs a front facelock, then turns him over for 2. Big suplex gets 2, even as Vince writes Morales off. Muraco tosses him over the top to the floor, then runs him to the railing. Outside in suplex gets 2 for Muraco, then a dropkick knocks him to the floor. On the floor, Muraco runs him to the post and pounds on him. Pedro gets fired up again, pummeling Muraco with kicks and punches, and Muraco falls to the floor. They fight there, then Pedro places him on the top rope. Muraco gets a punch in, and he begins to climb, but Pedro hits him and he flops into the ring. Pedro continues his onslaught, and they both knock the ref down for another lame double-DQ at 14:27. They continue the brawl, and the timekeeper just KEEPS RINGING THE GODDAMN BELL until Muraco leaves ringside. **
Muraco would win the belt from Morales about a month later at MSG.
1983.10.17
Cage Match
Don Muraco (Champion, with Lou Albano)
Vs
Superfly Snuka (with Buddy Rogers)
Before the match, Muraco is in the back with Vince McMahon, and he cuts an AMAZING pre-match promo. Snuka takes a week to get into the cage, and this is a short sprint. They pound the fuck out of each other for a few minutes, with Snuka controlling early, until Muraco buries a knee and slingshots him into the cage, busting him open. Muraco charges into the corner, but eats a knee. They brawl on the top rope, then Snuka knocks him off the top. Muraco goes for the door, but Snuka stops him, so Muraco gets a low blow. Snuka nails him a few times, then slams him and goes to the second rope. Snuka hits a headbutt, then a leaping headbutt. The ref opens the door, and Muraco goes flying over the top and out the door to win and retain his title at 6:46. Post-match, Snuka hits a suplex, then lands the Superfly Splash from the top of the cage in an iconic moment. Great short brawl. * ¾
1985.03.17 Lumberjack Match:
Greg Valentine (Champion, with Jimmy Hart)
Vs
Tito Santana
Some of the lumberjacks are Barry O, John Studd, Don Muraco, Superfly Snuka, King Kong Bundy, Rocky Johnson, Matt Borne, Ricky Steamboat, Junkyard Dog, and some others. Valentine jumps him right off, and Tito kicks him a lot. Tito breaks out the hammer on the ropes, and no one gets the joke. This is your typical lumberjack match, when the heel goes out by his buddies, they help him out, and when the face goes out, the heels attack him, and vice versa. Valentine tries to climb OVER the lumberjacks and into the crowd. Valentine gets the knees up on the blind charge, and goes to work on the knee. He sends Tito out by the faces, and JYD and Snuka tend to the knee. Valentine hits some hammers of his own, but when he goes for the figure four, Santana reverses it into a small package for two. They go toe-to-toe, and then Tito drops Valentine on the top turnbuckle. Valentine tries to leave and Tito suplexes him for two. Tito goes after Valentine’s legs, eventually getting the figure four, but John Studd pushes the ropes to Valentine, forcing the break. Tito goes after Studd, and then he and Valentine butt heads, and Valentine falls on top for the pin at 10:22. I love that finish, and nobody ever uses it any more. ***
Tito would regain the title from Valentine in a cage match about three months later.
1986.02.08
Tito Santana (Champion)
Vs
Randy Savage (with Elizabeth)
This is from Boston Garden, the first time on this set we’ve seen a match that wasn’t from Madison Square Garden. Savage was just the hottest thing they’d had in years as a heel. Him winning the title was kind of a foregone conclusion here, at least to the people in attendance, because there was no TV until this match, then they fired up the lights and the cameras. Jesse Ventura was always hard on Tito on commentary, but they were actually very good friends in real life, according to Jesse. They lock up, but Savage can’t overpower Tito. Savage is just totally bananas as a coked-up heel, and Gorilla remarks that he looks like he’s added some weight. (He did that a lot, I just never noticed til I started listening to wrestling podcasts.) They feel each other out for a long time, working some locks and holds on the mat, but Savage is just all over the place. He gets a cheap shot to the eye, but when Tito chases him, Savage bails out. Tito goes right after him, but Savage catches him and rolls him back in. Savage comes off the top, but Tito buries a punch to the gut as he comes off. Tito slams him, but Savage rolls out and runs. Tito pursues, but Savage baits him in. Tito ducks a clothesline and gets an atomic drop for 2. Savage tries a kick, but Tito catches it. Savage hits a thumb to the eye and a running axhandle for 2. Clothesline by Savage gets a long 2. He goes up again and hits a great double ax for 2. Gorilla critiques Savages pinning technique, but Savage tosses Santana to the floor and bombs him from the top to the floor. Gorilla says it’s 15 feet down to the floor, and Jesse says that he hopes that Santana doesn’t try to hold on to the title by countout. Tito runs Savage to the buckles and comes in on fire. He comes off the second rope with an elbow that sends Savage across the ring. It gets 2, but Savage’s foot is on the ropes. Tito stays on him with right hands, but eats knees on a charge in the corner. We’ve got a double-down, and Savage covers for 2. Tito kicks him off onto referee Danny Davis, who’s momentarily stunned. Tito gets an inside cradle, but Davis is slow to count so it only gets 2. Savage hurts his knee, and Tito zeroes right in, working it over and getting the Figure-Four. He makes the ropes, then bails to the apron. He fishes in his trunks, then kicks Santana off on a figure-four attempt. He goes to the apron, and Santana tries to bring him in with a back suplex, but Savage nails him with the foreign object for the pin at 10:29. Excellent match, and Savage really stood out as the guy who was headed toward the top. *** ½
1987.03.29
WrestleMania III
Pontiac, MI
Randy Savage (Champion, with Elizabeth)
Vs
Rick Steamboat (with George Steele)
These two went out to tear the house down, and tear it down they did. Sad that the only one of the participants in this match that’s still alive is Steamboat. The intensity here is off the charts, thanks to the angle that built this. They tie up, and Steamboat takes him over. Savage moves Liz away from Steele, then they reset. Steamboat gets a series of armdrags, then lifts Savage by the throat and drops him. Savage runs, then drops an elbow as Steamboat chases him. He slingshots Steamboat off the top rope by the throat, but Steamboat fires back with a chop. He puts on a wristlock and lifts Savage by the arm. He works the arm over, driving Savage to the mat, but Savage levels him with an elbow. He tosses Steamboat out over the top, then kicks him. Steamboat makes it to the apron, but Savage starts targeting the previously injured throat. He flings Steamboat back in and takes him down for 2. Steamboat runs him to the corner and starts firing off chops. He ties Savage in the ropes, but Savage kicks him in the gut. Steamboat gets a cross-body for 2. Shoulderblocks get 2 a couple of times, but Savage gets a knee to the upper back. He tosses Steamboat over the top, but he skins the cat. Savage, dick that he is, clotheslines Steamboat right back out. Savage comes out and throws Steamboat over the timekeeper’s table into the crowd. Steele helps Steamboat to the apron, so Savage lets him back in, then throws him right back out over the top. He drops the double-ax to the floor. Savage tosses him back in, then comes off the top again. Elbow to the head gets 2. Elbow to the head gets 2. Atomic drop gets 2. Suplex gets 2. Steamboat fires off a couple of shots, but Savage cuts him off. Gut wrench, then Steamboat flips over on a back suplex and hits the holy shit backdrop to the floor! Steamboat throws him back in, leaps off the top over the ref with a chop for 2. Chop to the head gets 2. Strikes to the face, and Savage tumbles to the floor. Steamboat sunsets in for 2. Steamboat gets a series of rollups and cradles for 2. He slingshots Savage into the post, then sunsets him for 2 again. O’Connor roll gets 2 for Steamboat, then Savage reverses with a handful of trunks for 2. Savage leverages Steamboat into the corner. The ref gets bumped, and Savage nails Steamboat with a clothesline. He goes up and drops the elbow, but the ref is out. Savage goes to the floor and grabs the ringbell, calling back to the original injury to Steamboat. Steele snatches the bell from him, but Savage kicks him and steals it back, so Steele pushes him off the top and Steamboat gets an inside cradle for the pin and title at 14:35. That was the best WWF match of all time for very long time. *****.
1987.06.02
Superstars of Wrestling
Buffalo, NY
Rick Steamboat (Champion)
Vs
Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart)
Steamboat, like an idiot, asked for time off right after winning the title, so Vince McMahon decided to take the belt off him within a couple of months. Honky jumps him at the bell and tosses him over the top. Steamboat holds in, grabs Jimmy Hart with a headscissors, flips in, pulls Honky out, then atomic drops him. He runs Honky all over, hitting chops and strikes. Steamboat gets a rollup for 2, but Honky escapes and clotheslines him on the top rope. He rakes the eyes, but Steamboat backs him into the corner. Honky with a slam, but he misses a second rope elbow. Steamboat with kicks and chops, then a knee drop. He sets early on a backdrop, but Honky can’t follow up and Steamboat backdrops him into the corner. He goes up, but Hart comes up on the apron. Everyone gets tangled up, and Honky Tonk Man reverses an inside cradle for the biggest upset in WWF history to win the Intercontinental Championship at 3:53. *
1988.08.29
SummerSlam ‘88
MSG
Honky Tonk Man (Champion, with Jimmy Hart)
Vs
Ultimate Warrior
Warrior was originally supposed to be Brutus Beefcake, but Brutus had been injured by Ron Bass a few days prior to this. Honky issued an open challenge, and Warrior accepted. Warrior charges the ring, hits a series of punches, a slam, then he wipes Honky out with a shoulderblock, then another. Splash, and it’s over in 0:31. That’s the way you put somebody over. *
Warrior would lose the title to Rick Rude at WrestleMania V, here’s the rematch:
1989.08.28
SummerSlam ‘89
Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ
Rick Rude (Champion, with Bobby Heenan)
Vs
Ultimate Warrior
This is, I think, when they realized what they had with Warrior. He clotheslines Rude out over the top, then when Rude tries a sunset flip in, Warrior just punches him in the face. Warrior presses him, then drops him all the way to the floor. Warrior runs him to the timekeeper’s table, then hits him with the belt. Jesse starts screaming about a DQ, and they go back in. Warrior hurls Rude right back out to the floor. Warrior goes to the top, and he comes off with a double ax for 2. Warrior sends Rude to the corner, then whips him across to the other side. Slam gets 2. Warrior hits a suplex for 2. Reverse atomic drop allows Rude to dramatically oversell, then Warrior drops him right on his tailbone. He does Rude’s hip swivel, then goes to the top again. Rude crotches him and goes to work on his lower back. Rude hits a nice suplex for 2. He continues pounding the back and (wait for it) NOW YOU’RE GOING TO SEE A CHINLOCK. He keeps pounding the back, but Warrior comes out of it pretty quickly. Rude goes for the Rude Awakening, but Warrior pulls his hands away. Rude spins him around and gets a sleeper. Warrior staggers around the ring, then they crash into the ref in the corner and everyone is down. Rude comes up first, and then Warrior starts to stir. Rude pounds on him, but Warrior won’t stay on the mat. He fires away, then hits Rude with a backdrop. Warrior with a bunch of clotheslines and a powerslam, but the ref is still down. Warrior goes to get the ref, then hits a piledriver, which may be the first and only time I’ve ever seen him do that. That gets 2 with Rude’s foot on the rope. Running powerslam by Warrior, but when he goes for the running splash, Rude gets his knees up. Rude sets for a piledriver, but Warrior’s head isn’t in the right spot, so Rude hits a modified Ganso Bomb that he protects Warrior really well on. Rude hits a top rope fist drop for 2, then Roddy Piper wanders out. Rude hits another piledriver that only gets 2. Rude finally notices Piper and starts screaming at him. Piper moons him, and Rude jumps on the second rope to yell at him. Warrior hits a belly-to-back suplex, then a shoulderblock. Press slam, then a splash finishes Rude at 16:02. That was an incredible effort from both guys and so much better than I remember it being. ****
DISK TWO: The 1990’s
1991.08.26
SummerSlam ‘91
MSG
Mr. Perfect (Champion, with Coach)
Vs
Bret Hart
Stu and Helen Hart are in the audience at MSG. Perfect’s back was so fucked up he could barely walk. Bret always puts him over for working in the amount of pain that he was in. I never understood the point of putting Tolos with Hennig, as Tolos just blew a whistle without saying anything, as Perfect cut his own promos. It starts really fast, as Bret hip tosses him. Perfect bails out, and when he comes back in, Bret gets a crucifix for 2. Bret grabs a headlock and uses Perfect’s hair to hold on. Perfect buries a knee but Bret hits a high cross body for 1. Outside in Sunset Flip for 2. Bret goes right back to the headlock. Perfect makes the ropes, and tries to take a walk. Bret grabs him and throws him back in, tearing his singlet. Perfect takes over, and dumps Bret to the floor. He chops him down, and pushes him off the apron into a photographer. Bret leaps over on a charge and gets a victory roll for 2. Rollup for 2, but Perfect hits a dropkick, sending Bret to the floor. They both climb to the top rope and duke it out, eventually both falling to the floor. Perfect slaps him around a bit, and does the hair toss. He grabs a sleeper, but Bret elbows out. Perfect turns a crucifix into a fall away slam for 2. Bret takes his chest-first corner bump for 2. Nowyourgonnaseea PERFECT PLEX only gets 2! Zoikes! That’s about it for him as champion. You can always tell someone is on their way out for a while, because their finish gets killed. Bret hits a Manhattan drop, then a proper atomic drop. Perfect crotches himself on the post. Bret with a suplex for 2. Small package for 2. Russian leg sweep for 2. Backbreaker, second rope elbow for 2. Bret bitches at the ref about the count, and Perfect gets a rolling reverse for 2. Bret kicks him out to the floor, and when he comes back in, Bret goes after his legs. He goes for the Sharpshooter, but Coach climbs up on the apron. This distracts Bret, allowing Perfect to go for a legdrop, which Bret turns into the Sharpshooter for the submission and the title at 18:02 **** ½
1992.08.29
SummerSlam ‘92
Wembley Stadium, London England
Bret Hart (Champion)
Vs
Davey Boy Smith
The crowd is massive and jacked, and Bret is pretty much the heel by default because of the crowd, and he does it well, wrestling his usual match, but being decidedly more heelish while doing it. In later interviews, Bret has alternately said that this was the greatest match of his career and also that Davey was either A) On drugs or B) Totally blown up five minutes in. Take your pick, based on whether Bret is talking to sister Diana, who was married to Davey, and is seated at ringside. (They keep going to Diana in an insert in the corner so we can see her lack of real emotion. How very Canadian.) They chest up to start, and Davey shoves Bret back. Bret goes to a headlock, and Davey sends him to the ropes. Bret with a leapfrog, and Davey knocks him down with a shoulder block. Bret goes to the floor, and Bobby Heenan (on commentary) says that Davey Boy has "Whoopi Goldberg Hair". Cute. Bret floats over on a press, into a rolling reverse for 2. Small package gets 2, and he goes back to the headlock. Davey Boy reverses into a hammerlock, and Bret just potatoes him with an elbow. Bret goes to a wristlock, and Davey does the flippity-floppity reversal out of it. He slingshots Bret into the top turnbuckle and goes to an armbar. Crucifix gets 2, and he goes back to the armbar. Bret slams him, but Davey Boy holds on to the armbar. Bret gets a knee to the guy, then a leg drop. He goes to a reverse chinlock. Shoulder block, then Bret hits an inverted atomic drop, which Vince McMahon calls "a reverse piledriver", which I suppose is true in that he's got him reversed from a normal piledriver, but drops him the same way. I digress. Bret blocks a crucifix into a Samoan drop for 2. He goes to a chinlock, but Davey powers out of it. They do a crisscross, and Davey gets a monkey flip. He headbutts Bret, but eats Bret's boot on a charge into the corner. Bret hits a bulldog and goes up, but Davey slams him off. Davey then goes up, but HE misses a diving headbutt. Channeling Dynamite Kid, I suppose. Davey goes for a rolling reverse, but Bret dumps him out of the ring. Bret goes for a slingshot plancha but Davey is out of position, so Bret turns it into a sort-of Slingblade. Bret was legit pissed at Davey for not being where he was supposed to, and has said that he worked a little stiffer with him for a while to let him know. He runs him to the post, and they go back in. Bret works the back, and hits a neckbreaker for 2. Backdrop gets 2. Snap suplex (they really ARE channeling Dynamite Kid) gets 2. Bret goes to a reverse chinlock to take a quick breather, and Davey comes out again. Davey with a backslide for 2. Bret hits a backbreaker for 2, then a second rope elbow to Davey's back. He pulls Davey up by the hair and then drops him, drawing boos for the first time. He goes back to the chinlock. Bret turns this into a sleeperhold, and Davey reaches the ropes. Bret won't break clean, and when he does, he goes right back to it. Davey fights out again, and press slams Bret into the ropes. A series of clotheslines gets 2. Press slam gets 2. Hanging vertical suplex gets 2. He whips Bret chest-first to the buckle, and Davey's powerslam (his finisher) only gets 2. He knocks Bret to the apron, and Bret reverses a suplex into a bridging German Suplex for 2. Davey blocks a suplex, and puts Bret on top. He hits an AWESOME superduperplex (that's a superplex with BOTH guys standing on the top rope) for 2. Double clothesline, and both guys are down. Bret goes for the sharpshooter from the mat, and gets it locked in, but Davey won't submit. He makes the ropes. Bret sends him off the ropes and goes for a sunset flip, but Davey hooks his legs and gets the pin and the title at 25:40. ***** They tease dissension and anger, but Diana comes in and emotionlessly convinces them to reconcile and Davey gets his big moment in his home country. Easily Davey’s best match ever.
1994.03.20
WrestleMania X
MSG
Ladder Match:
Razor Ramon (Champion)
Vs
Shawn Michaels
Michaels had been suspended while champion, thus vacating the belt. Razor was an entrant in a battle royal that he co-won with Rick Martel, then pinned Martel to become champion. Michaels came back, and still had his belt, so now we have this match. They do some nice chain wrestling, with Shawn flipping over, and Razor hitting a chokeslam. Shawn hits a neckbreaker, then Razor runs him to the buckle. Shawn tosses him to the floor, and Diesel clotheslines him. The ref gets pissed and throws Diesel out, and Razor nails Shawn in the chin. He clotheslines Shawn over the top, then pulls up the padding on the floor. They go back in, and Razor sets for the Razor’s Edge, but Shawn backdrops him to the exposed concrete. Shawn heads for the ladder, but Razor rolls back into the ring. Razor nails him, then throws the ladder in himself. He sets it on the apron, and Shawn dropkicks it into his face. Shawn brings the ladder in and hits Razor in the stomach with it. He jams it into Razor’s stomach, then throws it onto his back. Ouch. He throws it at him from across the ring, and Razor collapses. Shawn sets the ladder up, and he gets all the way up, but Razor stops him, so Shawn pushes him off and drops an elbow from the ladder. Shawn sets the ladder up in the corner, then slams Razor and climbs to the top of the ladder. Shawn hits a splash, then drags the ladder over to grab the belts. Razor pushes the ladder down, and Shawn bounces off the top rope. They butt heads and are both down. Shawn sets the ladder up, folded in the corner. He winds up getting whipped into it from the far corner and bumps to the floor. Razor nails Shawn with the ladder while chasing him around the ring with it. He sets the ladder up and slingshots Shawn into it. Back in, and Razor nails Shawn with the ladder, and Shawn tumbles to the floor. Razor sets up the ladder, but as he climbs, Shawn dives off the top to stop him. The ladder falls on Shawn, of course. They both start climbing, then duke it out on the top step. Razor slams Shawn off the ladder, then it falls down, getting twisted. He goes for the belts, but Shawn dropkicks him off. Shawn pushes the ladder onto him, then he hits the superkick. Shawn hits Razor with a stiff piledriver, then he rides the ladder down onto Razor. Goddamn, what an iconic shot. He sets the ladder up over Razor, but Razor tips it and Shawn gets caught in the ropes, and Razor climbs up and gets both I-C title belts at 18:47. God, that was non-stop amazing, and it totally holds up all these years later. *****
1995.01.22
Royal Rumble
Razor Ramon (Champion)
Vs
Jeff Jarrett (with the Roadie)
I’d like to state for the record how much I despise Jeff Jarrett as a worker and as a person. He just comes off as so disingenuous. Razor was on his second reign, having defeated Diesel at SummerSlam the previous year. He starts out punching Jarrett, who comes off the ropes but gets caught in a blockbuster slam. Razor goozles him, and JJ bails. Back in, and they lock up. Jarrett gets an armdrag, and they duel over a hammerlock. Razor casually clotheslines him over the top rope, then brings him back in and works an arm wringer. Jarett fights out and nails a series of gorgeous dropkicks, followed by a clothesline for 2. He goes for a kick, but Razor grabs his leg, then ducks an attempted enziguiri. Jarrett gets a chinlock, but Razor gets a backslide for 2. Jarrett gets a clothesline for 2, but has a sunset flip blocked. I guess it’s one of those rare times that having a high center of gravity helps? Jarrett with a rollup for 2. Dropkick for 2. He finally just grabs a sleeper, but Razor comes out of it. Jarrett hits a neckbreaker, then gets several rope-assisted near-falls. Razor ducks a kick, then crotches Jarrett on the ringpost. He hits a second rope clothesline for 2, then Jarrett sidesteps him and Razor goes crashing over the top to the floor. He injures his knee, the Roadie clips him from behind, and Razor gets counted out. Jarrett doesn’t want the win that way, obviously, because Razor would retain the title, so the match is restarted after some drama. Razor gets a couple of flash near-falls, then Jarrett catches him and starts working the injured knee. Razor kicks him over the top, but Jarrett comes back in and gets the figure-four right away. Razor fights and fights, almost rolling it over after several minutes. He eventually fights out and makes his comeback, hitting a fall away slam from the second rope for 2, then a clothesline for 2. He sets for the Razor’s Edge, but his knee gives way, and Jarrett gets the rollup for the pin and the title at 18:47. Considering who was involved, this just was completely uninspired. ** ½
1997.12.07
In Your House: D-Generation X
Steve Austin (Champion)
Vs
The Rock (with Kama, D’Lo Brown, and Farrooq)
Austin drives his truck to the ring and gets jumped by the Nation as soon as he gets out of it. He backdrops D’Lo onto the hood, then stunners him on the roof. This is a kick-punch walk around brawl. Rock throws Austin over the top, and Austin takes out Farooq and Kama. Rock hits a low blow, then a prototype People’s Elbow for 2. He slams Austin, and the People’s Elbow misses. Austin stomps a mudhole in the corner, then accidentally stunners the ref, then hits Rock with one for the pin after 5:37 of less-than-inspired action. Austin really had no business being in the ring at this point, but they needed him so badly they had no choice. * ½ He’d forfeit the title to the Rock the next night on Raw, touching off his feud with Vince McMahon in the process.
1998.07.26
In Your House: Fully Loaded
2/3 Falls 30-minute time-limit
The Rock (Champion)
Vs
HHH
Rock comes down with the whole Nation, and HHH comes out with DX, so WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter just ejects them all from ringside. They trade clotheslines, but HHH gets the advantage and hits an elbow. Chyna, who’s somehow remained at ringside, takes a cheapshot at the Rock, but he backdrops out of a Pedigree. HHH tosses him out and they brawl up the aisle. Rock reverses a whip and sends HHH to the steps, then drops him on the railing. They go back in, and he whips HHH to the corner and hits a clothesline for 2. HHH hits a neckbreaker and a suplex. Kneedrop gets 2. They trade chops, and Rock whips him over the top to the floor, where he hits a suplex. Mark Henry sneaks back out and hits HHH with a splash on the floor. Billy Gunn runs him off as Chyna argues with the ref. While this is going on, the Rock nails HHH with the belt, resulting in a 2-count. He gets a neckbreaker for 2, then goes to a chinlock to set up the next sequence. HHH fights out, but Rock hits a clothesline for 2. The go to the floor again, where the Rock chokes him with a TV cable. Back in, and the Rock hits a DDT for 2. He goes to the chinlock, and HHH’s arm drops twice, but he fights out and starts his comeback. He hits a kneelift (This is my shocked face: <:-0), but Rock hits a Stun Gun. Godfather tries to come out, but the New Age Outlaws run him off. Rock kicks HHH in the corner, and D’Lo tries to interfere, but HHH hits him with the European title belt, but turns around into a Rock Bottom by the Rock for the pin at 20:22. (Rock is up 1-0) Second Fall: Rock dumps HHH to the floor, then sends him to the railing. HHH comes back with a clothesline, but Rock catapults him to the Spanish Announce Table. Back in, Rock hits the People’s Elbow for 2. HHH hits a clothesline, and D’Lo tries to climb in, but Chyna distracts the ref, allowing X-Pac to come in and hit the Rock with the X-Factor. HHH gets 2 from that. HHH grabs a chair, but Rock snatches it away and clobbers the ref with it. Chyna low blows the Rock, then hits him with DDT on the chair and HHH gets the pin at 26:35 to even it up at 1-1. Third Fall: HHH crawls over, but the original referee is totally gone. Earl Hebner runs out, but it takes too long, so it only gets 2. 2 minutes left. They brawl on the floor. Back in, HHH hits a facebuster and a clothesline for 2. 1 minute left. Rock with a Samoan drop for 2. They just start duking it out in the middle of the ring, and HHH counters the Rock Bottom into the Pedigree, but there’s just no time left and the bell rings for the draw. The Nation and DX brawl in the ring after the decision. This was great, and it would only get better for these two, as they’d have an amazing ladder match at SummerSlam ’98 that tore the house down even more so than this one. ****
1999.10.17
Good Housekeeping Match
Jeff Jarrett (Champion, with Miss Kitty)
Vs
Chyna
This is no-DQ, no countout, with various household implements around the ring, to be used as the competitors see fit. Jarrett was I-C champion as his contract was expiring, and wouldn’t sign a new one, so he held Vince McMahon up for $100,000 to drop the title on his way to join his buddy Vince Russo in bringing down WCW. There’s a ton of unprotected head shots with various culinary items, and considering the mess that Joanie Laurer’s brain became before she died, I can’t really watch this without cringing. She puts Jarrett on a table, but he moves and she goes through it. They both wind up covered in flour (probably not the last time Chyna would be covered in white powder). She hits him with two pies and (I’m not kidding) an actual kitchen sink. That gets 2. Jarrett hits her with the title belt, and that’s enough to get the pin, but Teddy Long reverses the decision and orders a restart because the title belt “isn’t a household item”. You can’t make this stuff up. Jarrett grabs Long, Chyna hits Jarrett with his guitar to win the title at 8:37. DUD (but only because I don’t do negative stars anymore).
DISK THREE: The 2000’s and Beyond
2000.02.27
No Way Out
Chris Jericho (Champion, with Chyna)
Vs
Kurt Angle (European Champion)
I don’t think anyone ever picked up the nuances of pro wrestling faster than Kurt Angle. What an amazing talent he was. I had the chance to meet him this year, and he’s a genuinely nice guy who looks like he could tear you in half. They cut an incredible pace in this one. Angle goes flying over the top rope to apron, and Jericho hits a springboard dropkick on him there. They brawl on the floor and Angle gets posted. Jericho clotheslines the post when Angle moves, but then hits an Asai moonsault off the ring steps. Back in, and Jericho goes up, but Angle crotches him. He hits a belly-to-belly for 2, then starts working the arm. Angle gets a chinlock, but Jericho gets out of it and hits a Tiger Driver backbreaker that only gets 1. Angle gets a belly-to-back suplex for 2, then goes back to the chinlock. Angle pummels him in the corner, but Jericho hits a spinning heel kick, then a bulldog and a flying forearm for 2. Angle attempts a ‘rana, but Jericho blocks it into a deadlift powerbomb. Angle gets a kimura, but Jericho makes the ropes. Angle slam gets 2. Angle grabs the I-C title belt, but Jericho gets the Walls of Jericho as Angle struggles to the ropes. They go to the floor, and Jericho knocks Angle into Chyna. Jericho suplexes Angle back in, but Angle grabs the belt, and when Jericho tries the Lionsault, he nails himself with the belt, and Angle gets the pin and the title at 8:02. If they’d given them more time, I feel like this could have been amazing. ***
2000.10.12
Smackdown
Eddie Guerrero (Champion)
Vs
X-Pac
Vs
Chris Jericho
This is Triple Threat rules, meaning first man to get a pin wins the match. Contrary to what you might hear, X-Pac’s “go away” heat was a real thing. It’s more “Get the fuck out of here” heat. X-Pac and Jericho tangle to start, and Eddie watches. Jericho hits a springboard dropkick to the floor. He winds up catching a beating in the corner, and X-Pac hits a Bronco Buster. God, I hate that move. Guerrero and X-Pac double-team Jericho, but Guerrero turns on X-Pac. Jericho clotheslines X-Pac to the floor, then hits a Lionsault on Guerrero. X-Pac hits a low blow on Jericho, then an X-Factor. Guerrero dropkicks X-Pac off Jericho, then steals the pin at 3:50. That was brief. **
2001.04.12
Smackdown
HHH (Champion)
Vs
Jeff Hardy
This was during the “Two-Man Power Trip” stuff right after Austin’s WrestleMania XVII heel turn. Jeff had attacked HHH, Austin, and Stephanie McMahon to set this one up. HHH just absolutely murders him at the start. Jeff hits a Hurricanrana, then a couple of dropkicks. He counters the Pedigree into an abdominal legdrop for 2. He mounts the corner and punches away, but HHH pushes him off. He hits whisper in the wind for 2 and HHH is reeling. HHH sends him to the floor and runs him to the steps. Jeff leaps from the barricade, but HHH slams him to the mat. He leaps from the apron, and HHH powerslams him on the floor. He runs Jeff to the steps, then throws him back in for a kneelift. HHH starts the beating in earnest, with punches and some good old-fashioned rope choking. He gets the sleeper, but Jeff breaks it up with a jawbreaker. HHH with a Russian leg sweep. Jeff goes up, but HHH pulls the ref into the ropes to knock him off balance, crotching him there. HHH shoves the ref down, and Matt Hardy runs down and hits HHH with a chairshot, allowing Jeff to get the pin after a Swanton from the top at 8:06. That was an amazing TV match. *** ½
2002.07.22
Monday Night Raw #478
Intercontinental Title/European Title Unification Ladder Match
Rob Van Dam (I-C Champion)
Vs
Jeff Hardy (European Champion)
I could never get into RVD as a worker. He does too many unnecessary flourishes that don’t add anything to the match. And don’t get me started on Jeff. They wrestle a little bit, then Jeff takes RVD over with a headscissors and clotheslines him to the floor. He goes to bring a ladder in, but RVD dropkicks it into his face and moonsaults off the apron onto him. He sets up the ladder, but Jeff pulls him down and stomps him. Nice spot where Jeff legdrops both of RVD’s hamstrings. Jeff dropkicks a ladder out of the ring, then they both run to get another and have a duel. RVD spin kicks one into Jeff’s face. He sets Jeff on a ladder, laying down, and does a flip splash onto him He starts the climb, but Jeff back suplexes him off. Jeff lays a ladder on him and hits a Swanton onto him. Ow. They fight on top of a ladder, and RVD does a flip-over powerbomb from there. Awesome. He nails Rolling Thunder on a ladder. He starts climbing, and Jeff hits him in the back with a ladder. They fight on top of twin ladders, and RVD kicks him down and splashes him from there. He climbs back up and grabs the I-C belt to win it at 6:58. Awesome spotfest! *** ½
2004.07.11
Vengeance
Randy Orton (Champion)
Vs
Edge
Orton looks like he’s aged in dog years since this match. Good lord. He’s drawing some chants from the crowd over the babyface Edge, who hadn’t quite found his footing by turning heel. They trade headlocks, then fight over a wristlock. Edge mows him down with a shoulderblock, but Orton buries a knee to the gut and works the neck a bit. He goes back to the headlock. They do a long criss-cross, and Edge takes him down and gets a headlock. Why are they starting so slowly? It’s like All-Japan. Orton fights out and Edge knocks him down with three straight shoulderblocks. Orton takes a walk and teases leaving, but Edge chases him down and brings him back to ringside, running him into the apron. Back in the ring, and Orton tosses him over the top to the floor. He runs him to the apron and a suplex back in gets 2. He goes to work with kicks and stomps. He starts working the back and neck, then he snap mares Edge over and puts on a neck crank. Orton lets him go and sends him off, but Edge fires back with a flying forearm, then clotheslines Orton out to the floor. Orton teases leaving again, this time grabbing the belt, but Edge hits a baseball slide dropkick. He clotheslines Orton from the apron, then throws him back in. More chanting for Orton, and Edge goes up and hits a missile dropkick for a long 2. He sets for a spear, but Orton kicks him in the face and hits a modified backbreaker for 2. They go to the floor, then Orton hits the Murdoch elbow on the apron a couple of times. Orton is doing everything he can to be a heel, but the fans keep cheering him. He drops a leg to the back of Edge’s neck for 2. He takes him down with a knee to the gut and drops a knee to the chest. Nice dropkick gets 2, and Orton goes to his patented Orton Chinlock. Edge fights up, but Orton takes him down by the hair and drops another leg for 2. He pounds away with forearms, then back to the chinlock. They’ve been at it for 15 minutes, and this is some of the most boring shit I’ve ever seen out of either one of them. “Boring” chants start, as I’m typing that. Edge’s arm drops twice, but he starts fighting out. Orton tries to hold on, but Edge hits a cross-body for 2. Rolling reverse gets 2, but Orton hits a clothesline to cut him off. He comes off the second rope, but Edge hits him with a dropkick to the gut. Edge spins him into a reverse neckbreaker, and both guys are down. The ref gets to 8, then they start duking it out. Edge hits a Russian leg sweep for 2. Orton goes for a dropkick, but Edge holds on to the ropes. He catapults Orton into the buckles, then pulls him over backwards for 2. He goes up, but Orton meets him with punches and tries a superplex. Edge drops him across the ropes, then hits a cross-body, but Orton rolls through for 2. He thumbs Edge in the eye, then takes off a turnbuckle pad. This distracts the ref, and Edge gets an inside cradle for a long 2 because the ref was trying to fix the buckle. Orton rolls him up for 2. Leg lace gets 2. Edge gets an impaler DDT for 2. He mounts the corner for punches, but Orton pushes him up and drops him on the exposed buckle and uses the ropes for leverage for 2. He teases the RKO, but when Edge goes for the spear, Orton leapfrogs him and Edge hits the corner. Edge blocks the RKO into a backslide for 2, then sends Orton to the exposed buckle and finishes at 26:06. That was mostly interminable, like they had no idea where to go with it until the finishing sequence. Orton would land on his feet by winning the WWE title about a month later. ***
2005.11.01
Taboo Tuesday
Cage Match
Ric Flair (Champion)
Vs
Triple H
They start in the corner, with Flair landing a chop, then they just start duking it out. Flair is all about straight punches, then HHH reverses a whip and hits a high knee. He runs Flair to the buckle, then chokes him with his boot. More back and forth, then HHH hits a spinebuster. He peppers him with punches, then sends Flair to the cage, face-first, busting him open. He does it again, and Flair is wearing the crimson mask almost immediately. HHH does the cheese-grater, and just massacres him, splashing into him against the cage. More punches from HHH, and this blade-job is almost Muto-level. HHH taunts him, then drops a knee. He sends him to the cage again. HHH waves goodbye, then starts the climb out. Flair chases him down and chops him on the top rope. They crush each other, then both get crotched. HHH tries to climb back up, but he finds a length of chain and wraps it around his fist. He comes off the ropes with it, but Flair gets a boot up and HHH goes down. Flair gets the knee crusher into the figure-four, but HHH gets a punch with the chain for 2. Fist drop with it for 2. The ref gets the chain away, so HHH just punches Flair in the forehead. He’s absolutely merciless in the corner, then Flair flops down, so HHH drops a knee to the back of the head. HHH mocks Flair more, then puts on the figure-four. Flair tries to fight it, but it turns into several two-counts. He gets pissed and flips him off and reverses it. HHH releases the hold, then goes for it again, but Flair kicks him into the cage. HHH is busted open, and Flair is all over him. These two are an absolute mess. Flair runs HHH across the cage, then FISH HOOKS him. ARGH. Suplex by Flair, then a knee, and my wife freaks out about how bloody Flair is. Flair’s onslaught continues, then he chop blocks him and starts working the previously torn quad of HHH. He’s like a surgeon, then he gets the figure-four. HHH can’t get out, and they go to the middle of the ring. Flair flips him off. HHH pulls the ref into Flair to break it up, but he’s in a bad way. Flair keeps working the knee, and he goes to the cage, but HHH stops him. Flair rakes his eyes and comes off the top with a forearm for a long 2. Low blow, and both guys are down. Flair crawls to the door, almost gets out, but grabs a chair, as HHH drags him back in. HHH steps on it, hurting Flair’s hand. He goes to swing it, but Flair gets a testicular claw. HHH sets for the Pedigree, then Flair backdrops him into the chair. Multiple headshots to HHH with the chair, and he’s dead. Flair just walks out of the cage to retain at 23:36. That was fucking amazing. Flair is very emotional as he leaves, and HHH is awesome, selling the beating he just took as the refs help him out. He gets a big hand from the crowd. *****
2006.04.30
Backlash
Money in the Bank Vs Intercontinental Championship
Shelton Benjamin (I-C Champion)
Vs
Rob Van Dam (Contract Holder)
Benjamin takes him down and slaps him, acting really cocky. He works RVD’s arm, but they struggle over a wristlock. RVD is crazy over here, and Benjamin isn’t far behind. Benjamin does a lot of “hit a move, strike a pose” stuff. RVD takes him down for 2, then a couple of armdrags. Benjamin ducks between the ropes to get a break. They tie up, and Benjamin cheap-shots him on the break. RVD hits a spin kick, and a frustrated Benjamin takes a walk to gather himself. Back in, and he hammers RVD down. RVD flips over on a backdrop, then hits a kick that leaves a lot of light. He slams Benjamin, and Benjamin rolls to the floor, so RVD hits a plancha. He tries for a sunset back in, but Benjamin powerbombs him off the apron to the floor. Yow! He rolls RVD back in for 2. He focuses on RVD’s back and kidneys, with a sitdown splash on the ropes getting 2. Benjamin gets a reverse chinlock, but RVD elbows out. Benjamin pulls him down, then punches him on the ropes. Running knee to the face on the apron gets 2 for Benjamin. Backbreaker, then Benjamin goes to a chinlock again. Camel Clutch, but RVD grabs the ropes. He slams him a couple of times, then another brief chinlock. RVD fights out, but rolls right into a Samoan drop for 2. Benjamin gets a waistlock on the mat, then sets RVD on the top rope. He sets for a superplex, but RVD shoves him off. Benjamin, however, runs up, leaps to the top, and superplexes him off for 2. He gets a rear naked choke, but RVD fights up and avoids a dropkick. RVD blocks a buckle shot and kicks him in the face. Benjamin misses a splash in the corner, so RVD starts clotheslining. He starts laying in kicks, then hits rolling thunder for 2. RVD slams him near the corner and hits a split-legged moonsault for 2. He hits shoulderblocks, then blocks a kick from Benjamin and goes up for the Five-Star Frog Splash, but Benjamin moves. Benjamin gets a DDT for a couple of near-falls. RVD bails out, so Benjamin follows. He charges, but RVD drops him into the barricade. Benjamin grabs the briefcase to lure RVD in, then he kicks him in the face. Benjamin goes to the top, but RVD rolls through on a cross-body for 2. RVD hits a Hurricanrana and the ref gets bumped. RVD hits a Van Daminator with the briefcase and finishes with the Frog Splash at 18:41. The crowd way into it, but Benjamin was in over his head. *** ½
2006.06.25
Vengeance
Shelton Benjamin (Champion)
Vs
Johnny Nitro (with Melina)
Vs
Carlito
I don’t know if anyone is a babyface here. Carlito dumps Nitro right away, then he and Benjamin exchange roll-ups for a bit. Carlito gets a headlock, then Nitro charges, and he holds it while backdropping Nitro. Benjamin takes out Carlito with a boot, then controls Nitro. Carlito clotheslines him out, then catapults Nitro out. He goes for a plancha, but Melina pulls Nitro out of the way. Benjamin and Nitro duke it out, and Benjamin slams him on the floor. Carlito climbs to the apron, then does a double springboard into a flip plancha onto both of them. He rolls Nitro in and covers him for 2. Nitro counters a backbreaker into a Russian leg sweep, then elbows Benjamin off the apron. He covers Carlito for 2. Carlito springs off the second rope, over Nitro, then hits a ‘rana. Benjamin interrupts what’s happening and does a lift and drop, throwing Carlito about nine feet in the air and dropping him in his face. Benjamin throws Nitro to the floor and goes to work on Carlito. Suplex gets 2. Samoan drop, but Nitro breaks it up at 2. Nitro goes for a ‘rana, but Benjamin turns it from a powerbomb into an over the shoulder snake eyes. That gets 2, but Melina puts Nitro’s foot on the ropes. Carlito gets a rollup for 2. Nitro monkeyflips Benjamin into a Carlito dropkick for 2. Nitro puts Carlito on top, but Benjamin shakes him down. They do a great spot where Nitro hangs upside down as Benjamin leaps up to superplex Carlito. Nitro turns it into a modified Tower of Doom for 2 on Benjamin. Carlito comes in and starts dishing out clotheslines. Inside cradle on Benjamin. He gets a double springboard back elbow on both guys and covers Nitro for 2, then Nitro covers Benjamin for 2. Nitro charges Carlito, but Carlito pulls down the top rope and he goes to the floor. Benjamin hits Carlito with an enziguiri for 2. Carlito hits a back cracker on Benjamin, but Nitro pulls him out at 2 and steals the win at 12:20. That was super-spotty, and I feel like Benjamin was put in this spot on the card before he was ready. ** ½
2007.07.22
Great American Bash
Umaga (Champion)
Vs
Jeff Hardy
Fun fact: This is the first Umaga match I’ve ever seen. Jeff takes it right to him, but Umaga nails him. He tosses him to the floor and just whales on him. Jeff hits a jawbreaker, but Umaga counters a charge into a Samoan drop. He headbutts him down, then drops a leg. Big elbow to the face. He beats him down, throwing him all over the ring. Umaga grabs a nerve hold and they do a great job of working while doing it. Jeff doesn’t stop trying, and Umaga doesn’t stop beating on him. Jeff fights out eventually, but when he tries a slam, Umaga falls on him for 2. Huge butt drop, then another, but when he tries a third, Jeff gets his knees up and crotches him. Jeff comes off the second rope, but Umaga catches him and turns it into a spinning Urinage. He only gets 2. Second rope headbutt misses, and Jeff might get some offense. He starts hitting strikes and kicks, then low bridges Umaga. Plancha follows. Back in, and Jeff tries a sunset, but Umaga stops it and tries a sit-down splash, but Jeff moves. Seated dropkick, but Umaga kicks out at 2. Jeff gets caught, but Umaga misses a charge. Jeff hits a Twist of Fate. Umaga misses a charge to the corner and hits the post. Jeff hits the Swanton, but Umaga kicks out at 2. Jeff goes for the Twist again, but Umaga sends him to the corner and nails a thrust kick. Samoan Spike finishes at 11:20. That was a very good match. ***
2008.03.10
Monday Night Raw #772
Jeff Hardy (Champion)
Vs
Chris Jericho
They lock up, then start slapping. It degenerates into a fight, with them rolling around on the mat. Jericho goes for a rana, but Jeff counters into the abdominal legdrop for 2. Jericho sends Hardy to the floor, and they cut to a break. Back in, and they’re working a headlock spot. Jericho charges him in the corner, but misses and goes flying to the floor. Jeff hits a sliding dropkick, but when he tries the running dive off the barrier, Jericho moves and faceplants him into the announcer’s table. Back in, Jericho gets a near-fall. Jericho with a backbreaker, then he stretches him. Jeff rakes his eyes to escape, but Jericho maintains control. He chokes Jeff on the ropes and acts much more heelish here that I remember him being. Jeff gets a Slingblade and they’re both down. Jeff hits a corkscrew dive off the top for 2. Jericho with a Northern Lights Suplex for 2. They bridge into a backslide by Jeff for 2. Jeff misses a split-legged moonsault but Jericho goes to the floor. He comes off the top, but Jeff rolls through the cross-body for 2. Jericho tosses him off on the Twist of Fate and hits a Lionsault for 2. He blocks a suplex, but Jeff gets an inside cradle for 2. Jeff hits the Twist, but misses the Swanton. Jericho nails him with the Codebreaker for the pin and his eighth Intercontinental Championship at 11:02. Excellent TV match. ***
The Bottom Line: They left a TON of shit out. Really. They could have gone five disks and not gotten it all. What I don’t get is including all the matches that weren’t title changes with Patterson/Patera/Morales/Muraco/Santana/Valentine
That being said, this is a ten-year-old DVD set that has some great history on it, but most of it is available on the WWE network. Grab it if you can get it for a bargain, like I did. If not, give it a pass. Thumbs in the middle, leaning ever-so-slightly up.
