Jake Roberts vs. The Undertaker

 

Just to get this out of the way
The Winner: The Undertaker

Background Noise

This match took place on April 5^th 1992. Wrestlemania 8

Jake Roberts offered to help The Ultimate Warrior prepare for The Undertaker. He then turned on Warrior by revealing himself to be aligned with The Undertaker, when he tricked Warrior into be bitten by a Cobra. Jake “The Snake” Roberts, clearly an asshole, was planning to hit Miss Elizabeth with a chair (this after sicking a snake on Randy Savage and slapping Miss Elizabeth), when The Undertaker intervened and saved Liz. Roberts then locked The Undertaker’s hand in a casket, DDT’d Paul Bearer and hit The Undertaker with a chair.

The Undertaker was accompanied to the ring here by Paul Bearer. I remember this match happened but may have only seen it once. My VHS copy of this event was corrupt so I don’t think I have seen a clear version of this match since it happened.

The Bell

Roberts has the speed advantage and also the experience. He is able to avoid The Undertaker’s strikes. But when he hits his own, it does nothing. Undertaker spent a great deal of his time on offense choking Jake Roberts. Short of a toss into the post on the outside of the ring and a flying clothesline, its not that spectacular. Roberts reverses what presumably will be a tombstone piledriver attempt into a DDT. But The Undertaker sits up about 30 seconds later. A short arm clothesline and another DDT by Roberts follows. Roberts goes outside after Bearer and strikes him. Not paying attention to The Undertaker he is caught outside the ring and tombstoned on the concrete. Game over.

The Verdict

The Undertaker didn’t do a lot BUT this match did have a back-story unlike the WrestleMania 7 match. The tombstone on the concrete could even be explained as, while it really isn’t a “heroic” thing to do, he got a hold of him out there and was defending the honor of his manager.

The closest Jake Roberts came to winning would have been the DDTs. Nobody had ever kicked out of one but Roberts was too busy posturing/attacking fat morticians to go for a pinfall after either. Overally, I enjoyed this match. And it would be the best built up WrestleMania match for the Undertaker for several years. This would be Roberts farewell match from the WWF. Undertaker looked like the underdog. Roberts was a tremendous evil mastermind.

As far as alternate opponents, Jake Roberts could have faced Randy Savage. They were feuding and it was kind of the kicking off point for this feud, with Undertaker protecting Liz from a chair shot. Undertaker could have faced The Ultimate Warrior, had Warrior not been on a sabbatical at the time. Overall, this was the perfect opponent for The Undertaker.

The Undertaker vs. Jimmy Snuka

 

Just to get this out of the way
The Winner: The Undertaker

Background Noise

This match took place on March 24^th 1991. Wrestlemania 7

I had to research this. There is no rhyme or reason for this match to happen other than showing The Undertaker making an example out of someone. Entrances took 2 minutes to the bell. Snuka was already in the ring when my version started. The Undertaker was accompanied to the ring by Paul Bearer. I remember this match from my WrestleMania 7 VHS. I remember being scared of the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. Before the match, Gorilla Monsoon referred to Jimmy Snuka as “The Phenom”

The Bell

After the bell rang, Snuka stared at Taker. Walked towards him. Backed up. Snuka turned his back and Undertaker jumped him. Whipped ass for a minute or two. Hit a huge running clothesline. Choked him in the corner. Snuka reversed a whip into the corner and ran in. Was met with a knee which knocked him to the outside. A big suplex back into the ring by Undertaker. Undertaker missed an elbow drop, which gave Snuka his opening for the offense portion of the match. Headbutts and elbow shots which do nothing. He missed a running dive and bounced off the top rope to the outside. Snuka tried a slingshot back into the ring, was caught, tombstoned and finished.

The Verdict

Definitely important, as it was the first match of The Undertaker’s streak. It confirmed his dominance. I liked the way Snuka took the beating. His bounce off the top rope to the outside was a thing to marvel at. It came and went very quickly (with entrances, about 7 minutes).

This match was like the first scene in a movie where the villain is established, like Darth Vader battling some random Ewok during the first scene of a New Hope. (That scene got cut, but you see my point). It wasn’t even, it wasn’t pretty, but it showed “this guy is a powerhouse”. This wasn’t his debut match, he had been in the company for a while but it was the first match in a significant streak, that in all likelihood wasn’t planned.

The closest Jimmy Snuka came to winning would have to be his frequent (three of them; he hit about three of them) headbutts, those staggered The Undertaker. Staggering is all you could do to the man at this point. Had Snuka won here, it would have ended the greatest Professional Wrestling accomplishment before it started. Koko B. Ware could have been a good replacement for Snuka, as far as the position goes but they had already battled (albeit in team form) at the previous year’s Survivor Series.

Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant

 

Background Noise

At this point Andre The Giant was “undefeated” for 15 years. This however would be his first shot at the WWF Title. The reasoning behind this is, according to Gorilla Monsoon “He never asked for a title match” and “He never wanted a title match”. These arguments seem to indicate to me that anyone could have had a shot at the title as long as they had asked for it. The story was that Bobby Heenan, who just joined Andre weeks prior had convinced Andre to ask for the title shot. 

Hulk Hogan had at this point been WWF Champion for 3 years. They announced they would be changing the title belt after this match.

The Bell

Early in the match, Hulk Hogan goes for a slam but cannot do it. He falls over and Andre lands on him and gets a two count. This failed slam led to Hogan hurting his back. For the next several minutes Andre hammers away at Hogan’s back.

Hulk managed to make a come back using his major speed advantage.  Hogan was running at one point. Andre at this point was struggling with walking. Hulk’s comeback was halted when he ran into a large boot by Andre. Andre placed him in a bearhug which after several minutes Hulk was able to break out of. Although he had broken free Hulk could not stagger the enormous Andre. The match took a spill outside. Once outside, Andre had Hulk in position against the post and attempted to head-butt Hogan and seemingly squash Hogan’s head  between the post and his own Buick sized cranium. Hogan moved and Andre’s windshield of a forehead hit the ring post. Once back in the ring Hogan was able to down the monster with a clothesline. He then proceeded to immediately body slam the big guy and drop a leg for the victory.

Final Verdict

There is no argument that this match is historically significant. However, quality wise, it wasn’t a barn burner. Hogan didn’t do much. The series of punches to break out of the bearhug, avoiding a headbutt. a miracle clothesline, the bodyslam and the legdrop. I wonder if had he hit the bodyslam at the beginning of the match, would he have been able to beat Andre then? I don’t know what much else they could have done. Andre focusing on the back was a smart move. I wonder what the finish would have been like if much like was done in the Intercontinental Title match from the same night, Andre reversed the bodyslam into a small package.

Rating: **

Rocky Maivia vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley

 

BACKGROUND NOISE

This match took place on February 13, 1997. A rare Thursday edition of Monday Night RAW. I do not recall this match but do remember this RAW very well. It was on this show that Shawn Michaels forfieted the WWF Title due to his “smile being gone”.

Rocky was challenging for the WWF Intercontinental Championship here.  Hunter Hearst Helmsley had been the champion for 74 days at this point. A title reign that actually was more established than Maivia’s WWF career at this point. An interesting fact about this match, Helmsley was scheduled to defend the title just 3 days later against Ahmed Johnson at a PPV. Rock’s position at that event was not announced.

Helmsley was the heel in this match and Maivia thus was the babyface

THE BELL 

Rocky was at this point still a commodity with in the company, the first 3rd generation Superstar. The story early in this match was simply that as much of a blue chipper as he was, Rocky was still outmatched. He went for a headlock early and was downed after a moment. This gave Helmsley a chance to posture. Helmsley was using his experience and arrogance to get into the youngster’s head.

As the match progresses, Rocky finds his niche and the move that can throw Helmsley off of his tracks, a dropkick. A dropkick that while seemingly missing twice at this point, does send Helmsley to the outside of the ring twice.

What happens next is something I don’t necessarily understand. Maivia places a dazed Helmsley up against the ring post and goes for a clothesline. A move that would, if connected, sandwich Hunter’s head between Rocky’s arm and the post. That I get, but what I don’t get is the fact it was done by the babyface. In the Andre The Giant/Hulk Hogan match at WrestleMania 3, the spot makes sense. Andre tried for a headbutt but Hogan gets out of the way. Andre was the villian in that match. It doesn’t seem like the “right” thing to do here. Its kind of a dick move. Luckily Helmsley gets out of the way and Rocky’s arm gets hurt.

When the match gets back in the ring, Hunter goes full force over the arm. After a few minutes he starts a simplistic beat down. Chops and a neck breaker, asserting his dominance. Every time Maivia starts firing back, he is set back down. He demonstrates a counter to a sleeper hold by running Maivia face first into the corner. Something that Rocky could have used just seconds earlier because Helmsley had him in the same position.

The match takes a brief turn in Rocky’s favor when he starts firing up and is even able to hit a crossbody from the top rope. It is reversed and we go back to Hunter’s dominance. He even hits a neckbreaker that commentator Vince McMahon indicates he believes to signal the end (in fairness, this was a commentary trademark of his). After a piledriver doesn’t get it done, Helmsley begins to show frustration. He keeps going for bigger and bigger moves. After a superplex does not work, he signals it is time for The Pedigree, which he cannot hit because Rocky cannot remain standing. After a third attempt, Rocky grabs a small package (NOT A PENIS JOKE) and gets a surprise three count. 

Winner of the Match: Rocky Maivia

Final Verdict

While it is historically significant in the career of The Rock, it actually isn’t much of a match.  Rocky didn’t do a lot in the match other than manage to not lose. The actual loser of this match however was not Helmsley, it was Ahmed Johnson. The man who was supposed to face Helmsley at the PPV three days later. That match was dropped and replaced with a rematch of this encounter. Ahmed Johnson instead battled nobody. He was off the show.

Rating: **

NWA Hollywood

December 10th

Rather than opening with Dave Marquez, the show opens with Greg Sharpe and Eric Cross coming to the ring. Quickly after, Rico Dynamite and Tito Escondido. We are by Todd Keneley that this is the opening for a #1 contenders tournament for the NWA Heritage Tag Team titles held by The Tribe

Greg Sharpe & Eric Cross vs. Rico Dynamite & Tito Escondido.

Cross and Rico Dynamite start out for their respective teams.After some working on the arm,  Cross tags out, but Escondido is able to tag in very quickly. Escondido and Dynamite, who have the size advantage, are able to get some control, until Sharpe is able to break away and tag in Cross who goes wild with kicks and a big german suplex. He is quickly shutdown when he goes for a wheelbarrow bulldog, he gets stungunned on the top rope, slammed down and hitting with a slingshot senton.

Winners: Escondido and Dynamite

I was impressed with Eric Cross for his brief blitz of offense, right before the finish.

Cedrick The Hitman vs. Famous B

The crowd seems to love Famous B, with loud chants of his name before he even appears. Quick and fancy attacks by Famous B early in the match, Cedrick even resorts to the rapid movement for a brief second but after he catches Famous B with a tilt-a-whirl slam, he slows the paceand works on Famous B's neck. Famous B gets back into the action by reversing a neckbreaker, hitting a kick to the back of the head, getting a brief rollup for 2 and then hitting a superkick (named "The Flashing Lights") and senton from the top. He gets the three count

Winner: Famous B

I enjoyed this match. Especially after Famous B got back into the match. Cedrick was able to do a slow methodical style very well but when it was necessary, he was able to speed it up.

Post match, Famous B says he is gonna knock down the competition until he gets some gold around his waist. Good promo.

Bobby Phoenix with GQ Money come out (they are flanked by several large men). Phoenix's opponent is seemingly Nick Madrid. Madrid however comes in from the crowd and hits a big crossbody off the top rope

Bobby Phoenix vs. Nick Madrid

I figured out who the mystery man from last week was. The promo with the umbrella. It was GQ Money. I recognized him but could not put a name to it. He was Fabian Kaelin from WSX. I didn't like him then. The group that flanked Phoenix and Money are "The Disorder". Apparently two of the Disorder are named "M" and "W". Nick Madrid controlled a good portion of the match and got the win with a top rope splash.

Winner: Nick Madrid

Post match, The Disorder attacks Madrid. M and W come out from the back and destroy him with their apparent finishers. An Osaka Street Cutter and a curb stomp.  It is 7 on 1 until  Joey Kaos comes and saves Nick Madrid. Joey Kaos used to be the leader of The Disorder.

Dave Marquez is in the NWA Action Center for some promotion. He also does a brief summary of Wahoo McDaniel, who is being inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame.

Dan Spivey vs. Wahoo McDaniel (NOT REVIEWED)

Back to present day

Ray Rosas enters. Ray Rosas looks like a hispanic (and living) Chris Kanyon. His opponent is  Ryan Taylor. But Taylor does not enter as he was laid out by Peter Avalon in the back. Taylor has 10 seconds to get to the ring (The ref is unaware that Taylor was attacked). Taylor fights and makes it just in time. Ryan Taylor looks like a young Chris Sabin or maybe Jon Moxley

Ray Rosas vs. Ryan Taylor.

The announcers mention that in this feud (Ray Rosas and Peter Avalon vs. Ryan Taylor) there were a few haircuts. Rosas has control but Taylor is still alive. But a double underhook DDT drops Taylor for the three

Winner: Ray Rosas

Overall, not a great show.

Ring of Honor on Sinclair December 3rd

Ring of Honor on Sinclair December 3rd

Recap video of Mike Bennet interfering in El Generico vs. Jay Lethal's TV Title match.

Our announcers are Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness

The Main Event is The Young Bucks vs. Future Shock

Promo time for The Embassy's "Dominant Male" Tommaso Ciampa. He is looking a few inches left of the camera. It reminds me of a Mitch Hedberg joke. Most of the time however, they show videos of him training. Flipping tires, swinging sledgehammers. Ciampa is undefeated.

Shiloh Jonze enters the ring. Here comes The Embassy afterwards. Prince Nana, Princess Mia and Mr. Ernesto Osiris all accompany Ciampa.

Shiloh Jonze vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness seem to agree that Jonze has no chance. Ciampa hits several hard elbows in the corner and in doing so also is holding Jonze arm around he rope so he is trapped. Jonze makes a brief comeback but is cut off with a stiff lariat. Jonze does escape the ring and hits a top rope elbow smash on Ciampa followed by a running one in the corner. Ciampa though cuts him off again with a dropkick to the knee and one to the head. Repeated running knee attacks to the corner followed by a powerbomb/backbreaker combo

Winner: Tomasso Ciampa

Everything from the second cutoff by Ciampa to the finish looked great.

Video recap of Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team and The Briscoes fighting in the street. Next week WGTT vs. The All Night Express in a Proving Ground match.

Jim Cornette interviewing ROH World Champion Dave Richards. He towers over him.

In ring segment now with McGuinness, Kevin Kelly, Jim Cornette, Steve Corino and Jimmy Jacobs in the ring. Kevin Steen comes out with his lawyers. Cornette is offering a settlement. He says Steen is a great wrestler but is worried about him as a face for the company. He is too loose of a cannon. Steen says he is a loose cannon. Cornette passes off the response to Steve Corino. Corino challenges Steen to a match at Final Battle. Jim Cornette adds Jimmy Jacobs as the referee to the match. Jim Cornette will be at ringside. If Steen wins, he is reinstated. I am pretty sure that Jimmy Jacobs is turning on Corino. 

Kevin Kelly throws to break as Steen and Corino try and fight.

Inside ROH: It is announced that at Final Battle 2011, Mike Bennett vs. Jay Lethal vs. El Generico
The last unbeaten man will get the ROH Television Title. Todd Sinclair, by Bennett's request, will not be the referee.

Eddie Edwards is with his trainer, Dan Severn. Dan Severn has a sweet mustache. They show clips of Eddie Edwards training camp. Davey Richards has closed his camp (which I will tentatively refer to as Munchkin Land) but he did give comments. He says he wants to remember Eddie Edwards as a man of honor and is trying to ignore the reports that Eddie is a bad man.

Camp Strong: Roderick Strong is with 3 very attractive young ladies. He implies that he is working out very hard with these women (SEXUALLY). He says if nobody dies in the main event of Final Battle, he will go down to the ring and kick them in the testicles and ask for a refund.

Main Event time

The Young Bucks promo: They talk about not respecting anyone. They say they are too good to have to respect anyone.

Now Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly come to the ring. They make up Future Shock. The Young Bucks follow.

Future Shock vs. The Young Bucks

Future Shock controls the opening of the match but a very organized (read: choreographed) session leads to The Young Bucks taking over. One highlight after what I consider to be some uneventful minutes was a wheelbarrow suplex onto the apron by Adam Cole to Nick Jackson. O'Rielly has Matt Jackson in a guillotine choke and nothing Nick Jackson does breaks it until a Matt is able to lift Kyle up and Nick hits a springboard reverse ddt. Bucks finish with "More Bang for Your Buck" and get the win

Winners: The Young Bucks

The match was kind of a drag in the middle but picked up with the slam to the apron. I did like the neverending guillotine but think that it took something out of the finish. As soon as it got broken, the match peaked and even though it ended just seconds later. It still feels like a down ending.

NWA HOLLYWOOD~!

Stu Stone opens the show saying that he thought he had the upperhand on Percy Pringle, Adam Pearce and Bob Trobich but didn't. He is looking for someone to take the NWA Title from Adam Pearce. He said he is coming back once he finds that guy.

"The Mirror Image" Ricky Mandel vs. Jarek Matthews

Mandel has a title belt with a mirror on it. The analysis for this, being provided by Jeff Resnick, Todd Kennely or James Morgan. Mandel is an all around athlete and Matthews is a submission specialist. After every few moves, Mandel goes to his title and checks his reflection to make sure his looks are still intact. He makes a mistake and while he is checking his looks Matthews rolls him up and gets the victory

Winner: Jarek Matthews

A short match but told a simple story

Someone with an umbrella has a microphone and is singing about Nick Madrid.

Next from Hoboken, New Jersey is Hobo. His opponent is K-Man.

Hobo vs. K-Man.

This appears as if it will be a one sided encounter, Hobo isn't small but K-Man is bigger. Hobo got very little offense in. K-Man won after a full nelson slam.

K-Man reminded me of a one man Road Warriors. Used Ironman by Black Sabbath as his theme much like the Road Warriors did. Controlled a good portion of the match and overpowered Hobo. After the bell, he raised Hobo's hand like a good sportsman. Then when he dropped it, Hobo fell down.

Earlier this week they got reports saying that The Ugandan Giant Kamala had his foot amputated and were unable to confirm this. But Kamala apparently sent in a video to confirm this himself. They go to the video tape now. Kamala says he is blessed he is alive. He thanks people for their support. I was hoping the video would be of him in character. I know it is a serious issue but that would be awesome to see.

Dave Marquez with news about TV tapings that already passed (at least as of my viewing), then a video of Peter Avalon talking about Ryan Taylor and Scorpio Sky. Peter  Avalon is still a tiny man, nothing has changed in the year since I last saw this program.

8 man tag main event hype: Johnny Yuma, Willie Mack, Terex and Brian Cage make up apparently the babyfaces. Yuma runs through their accomplishments. Terex is undefeated. Now we go to the heels. Shaun Ricker, Watts, Mikey O Shea and Timothy Thatcher. The heels do a better promo (well Shaun Ricker does) but cannot agree who is the leader.

ITS AN ELIMINATION MATCH~!

Promo by Famous B.

The heels are apparently named "The Gravy Maniacs" Shaun Ricker is a former NWA Heritage tag team champion with Brian Cage, one of his opponents for tonight. Mikey O'Shea has a look, at least in attire and size, like Bam Bam Bigelow. Watts is probably the best known member of this match with his appearance on USA Network's Tough Enough earlier this year. Timothy Thatcher has a look resembling early ECW Mike Knox. He is British though. That is the best I can do.

Next the babyfaces who will apparently be known as "The Cage Rage" Brian Cage had a WWE developmental deal as Kris Logan is signed to a deal with Jeff Katz Wrestling Retribution Project (as is Shaun Ricker), Terex is the biggest man on "The Cage Rage" and is apparently undefeated.
Johnny Yuma is a former NWA Heritage Tag Team champion with Johnny Goodtime and Willie Mack is a member of the UWF crew 40 Glocc. He also has appeared on The Art of Wrestling with Colt Cabana. Earlier when Dave Marquez was talking about the match, he said Johnny Yuma was the captain of the babyface team but apparently Brian Cage is the leader. Interesting note, the referee is bigger than Johnny Yuma

Gravy Maniacs vs. The Cage Rage

Ricker and Cage start out but Ricker tags out to Mikey O'Shea. O'Shea is a large man and Cage is struggling to get him off his feet. Timothy Thatcher tags in. Watts tags in as we  go to commercial. Then when they come back, Watts tags out immediately. Not really a good sign about Watts. Brian Cage is able to get some offense in and tag in Terex. Terex is obese. After some offense on Thatcher by Terex, Johnny Yuma tags in. Yuma is tiny. Willie Mack tags in now. Quick tags by each team. Some triple teaming by the babyfaces leads to a pin attempt. Then all hell breaks loose. All 8 men brawling around the arena. BRIAN CAGE WITH A MOONSAULT FROM THE TOP TO THE OUTSIDE! Terex threatens to dive out of the ring, but Watts cuts him off. Which is good. Because people would have died. After things get cleared up. Ricker and Yuma are in the ring. Ricker showboating but is unable to get a 3 count. Mikey O Shea tags in. Yuma is able to escape. Terex tags in and he delivers clotheslines to all the heels until the two fat men (O Shea and Terex) spill outside. Double countout.

Mikey O Shea and Terex both counted out.

Watts and Mack are in the ring but Mack tags out to Brian Cage. Cage working over the arm of Watts. Which apparently Watts will need for his finisher. Quick tags by the heels and Cage is being stomped on by the heels. After several minutes Cage is able to tag in Willie Mack. Thanks to a distraction by Shaun Ricker, Watts (with a handful of tights) rolls up Mack and eliminates him

Willie Mack eliminated

Johnny Yuma comes in and is trying his damndest against Watts. Willie Mack runs in and attacks Watts. Allowing Yuma to hit what appeared to be a modified piledriver (could have just been a double knee jawbreaker and I saw it wrong, looked good regardless) on Watts and pin him

Watts eliminated.

Poor Yuma is stuck in the ring with Thatcher and Ricker. Repeated tags by the heels. Shaun Ricker gets Johnny Yuma with a side suplex slam and pins him

Johnny Yuma is eliminated

Two on one against Brian Cage. Thatcher locks in a submission but Cage gets his feet on the ropes.  A quick neckbreaker by Cage sends Thatcher out

Timothy Thatcher eliminated

Quick pinfall attempts by Cage. Ricker has more energy than Cage, conserving his energy early in the match. After escaping a suplex attempt, Brian Cage is able to hit another neckbreaker and get the victory for his team.

Winner: The Cage Rage (Brian Cage)

Overall, I really liked Shaun Ricker on this show. The main event was the definite highlight of the night, although I did not like Willie Mack running back in to cost Watts the match. It made sense because Mack got eliminated by suspicious means but it happened right in front of the referee to no consequence.