dancinns
07-12-04, 01:26 AM
Results via http://www.rajah.com
WWE Vengeance
Hartford, Connecticut
07/11/04
We start with an OUTSTANDING video package highlighting the history between HHH and Benoit this year. It was especially great, I thought.
Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler hype the main event, as well as the other title matches. I think JR said that HHH and Benoit are meeting for the “first time” on PPV, which is wrong because they had a great match at No Mercy 2000. Why would they say something so stupid? Why ignore the past? I hate that. They throw to the Spanish table at ringside.
Jonathon Coachman & Garrison Cade vs. Tajiri & Rhyno
My Pick: Tajiri & Rhyno
This match came up on Heat when Coach asked for a match from Bischoff because Tajiri spit on his face during musical chairs on Raw. They each got to pick a partner. Coach & Cade come out first. Tajiri comes out next with Rhyno as his partner. No pop for Rhyno at all. It’s an ECW reunion.
Rhyno and Cade start. Arm wringer for Cade. Rhyno gets a shoulderblock. Cade argues with the ref about something. He slaps Rhyno. Rhyno pounds on him. Whip in and a hiptoss. Cade dodges a Gore, Rhyno tags in Tajiri. He gets a kick on Cade, but is punched down. Tajiri with a boot to the face and a dropkick to the knee, cradle gets two. Tajiri whipped in, Coach gets a knee to the back. Tajiri decks Coach, but Cade hits him with a backdrop. Cade tags in Coach, who gets some kicks into the back. Coach gets some shoulder tackles and punches to the back. Whip in the corner, Coach gets a bodyslam, bows to Tajiri and gets kicked in the face. Coach hits an elbow. Tag to Cade, double suplex gets two. Tags Coach back in for some reason. Whip to the corner, Tajiri boots him and hits a Tarantula. Tajiri makes the hot tag to Rhyno, who gets a clothesline. Back bodydrop on Coach, then Cade and a belly to belly gets two. Whip in, Tajiri tags Rhyno’s back. Cade and Coach double, but eat a double handspring elbow by Tajiri. Tajiri mists Cade by accident, he was going for Coach. Rhyno’s up, goes to Gore Coach, but he ducks. He Gore’s Cade. Tajiri boots Coach in the face and gets the win after 7 minutes.
Winners: Tajiri & Rhyno
Analysis: *1/4 Typical midcard TV match. It was fun.
Backstage, Flair, Orton and Batista await Hunter in the dressing room. He comes in the room. Orton asks him what’s the deal with Eugene. Flair and Batista also wonder. Triple H tells him that when the time is right…but he can’t continue. He asks where Eugene is. They all don’t know, they took turns watching him this week. Triple H leaves to go find him. He’s talking to Chris Benoit in a hallway. A camera goes close enough to hear it. Benoit tells Eugene that Evolution is using him. He tells Eugene to be careful. Triple H is hiding behind a door, so Eugene and Benoit never saw him.
Chris Jericho vs. Batista
My Pick: Chris Jericho
We see the replay of the clothesline that “knocked Jericho out.” We also get highlights from last week when Batista cost him the IC title. Then Manhasset, New York’s own (groan) Chris Jericho comes out. He was from Winnipeg on Monday. He’s from wherever is convenient. Batista comes out next.
Batista powers him in the corner, pounding away. He gets a shoulder block in the corner. Whip in, Jericho holds onto the ropes, ducks and Batista goes over the top to the floor. Springboard dropkick to the floor by Jericho. Back in the ring, neckbreaker by Batista for two. He goes for a vice grip type thing. Batista punches him down. Now he grabs a full nelson. Three minutes in and he’s already slowing it down. Jericho backs his way out, then slings Batista out threw the middle ropes. Batista actually tripped up in the ropes, then went through for good. He climbs back in, Jericho dropkicks him in the left leg. Kicks to the leg, Batista no sells and decks him. Batista goes for a top rope back suplex, but Jericho fights off and hits a back elbow off the top for two. Forearm for Jericho and another, he runs the ropes and eats a sidewalk slam for two. Crowd is great, chanting TWO every time. Pound to the back for Batista. Why does Batista wear his wedding ring during his matches? He has to be one of the only wrestlers to wear a ring on his finger during a match.
Batista chokes Jericho down with his knee. Backbreaker gets two. They mentioned Winnipeg is Jericho’s hometown, yet he’s still announced from Manhassat. Logic hurts my brain. Batista drapes him over on his leg, his stomach facing the sky and chokes him on there. Jericho fights out with knees to the face. Backbreaker reversed by Jericho, he gets some fists, Batista knees him, Jericho with a kick and flying forearm knocks down Batista. Jericho charges in, Batista catches him, powerslam is slid out of, clip the knee. Batista kicks out of the Walls of Jericho. Trip sets up Batista over the middle rope, the Jericho charge is countered with a massive Spinebuster. That was really impressive, I must say. That gets two, a close one. Y2J chant starts as Jericho reverses a powerbomb for two. Batista just pounds on him. Jericho with a boot to the face and bulldog off the top. Jericho goes for a Lionsault way across the knee, Batista gets his knee up. He was too far to hit him anyway. Jericho struggles up, Batista clothesline misses, Jericho with a running enziguri gets a delayed two. Another cover for two.
Back to a vertical base, they exchange blows and Batista hits another spinebuster, showing his wide array of moves. Batista picks him up and hits a huge sitdown powerbomb. The ref counts three, but Jericho’s foot is on the bottom rope. Ref never saw it even thought it was SO obvious. How could Hebner not see it? Batista takes his foot off the rope. Anyway, this probably means a rematch in the future.
Winner: Batista
Analysis: **1/4 It was alright. There were far too many slow spots in the match, but it was certainly watchable. The finish was way too obvious though. Batista worked hard, though, so I’ll give him credit for that.
Backstage, Eugene is in the Evolution locker room. Triple H is alone with him after Orton and Flair leave. He basically tells Eugene that Benoit lied to him about being his friend. The usual stuff. Triple H promises a surprise, then tells Flair to get it. Flair comes in with it and it’s a blue Nature Boy robe. He loves it, then struts out of the room. Ric Flair doesn’t look thrilled about it all. Tag title match is next.
World Tag Team Titles: La Resistance vs. Ric Flair & Eugene
My Pick: Flair & Eugene
La Resistance comes out first. Grenier comes out to sing O Canada in French. Crowd boos. Cheap heat is fun. Flair’s music starts up. Flair comes out first, Eugene is right behind him wearing that blue robe. JR said Flair & Eugene will win, so obviously they will not. Eugene mocks everything Flair does as Flair gives him an irritated look. JR notes that Flair has been wrestling for 32 years.
Eugene starts us off against Rob Conway. He does a big WHOO to the delight of the crowd. Eugene runs his hands through his hair like Flair. Eugene with another WHOO in the corner, then a Flair strut. Eugene with a drop toehold then a headlock. Conway whips him in, Eugene with a big armdrag and a chop that sends him down. Flair yells at him for stealing his moves. Grenier comes in, Eugene with a knee breaker, the running knee and a chop. All Flair moves. Grenier knees him in the gut. Backdrop for Grenier, Eugene backs off and does a thumb to the eye. Flair is upset. Conway tagged in, chops Eugene. Eugene counters with chops of his own, but Conway pounds him down. Eugene walks over the corner, but falls face first like Flair. Flair is pissed off. Figure four countered by Conway with a boot, Flair tags in.
Flair struts to a huge pop, then some more. He WHOO’s a bit. Flair chops Conway in the corner, then Grenier comes in to eat one. Backdrop on Grenier. Chops to Conway again. He pounds him in the corner. Another chop to Grenier. Why are they both in the ring? I have no idea. Knee drop to Grenier. Another chop. Chop to Conway. Flair with a delayed suplex on “Robaire” Conway. “Now we go to school,” says Flair as he wraps on the figure four. Grenier breaks it up with an elbow to the head. Conway tags in Grenier. Grenier elbows him in the chest a couple of times. Back in the ring, he pounds him down for a two count. Tag to Conway, Flair exchanges chops to him. More punching and chopping. Conway with a clothesline for two. Tag to Grenier.
A backdrop gets two, then he grabs a headlock. Flair fights out, but Grenier decks him. Tag to Conway, who gets a headlock. As Flair is about to tag, Grenier cheapshots Eugene. Conway brings Flair back. Camera on Eugene, he looks to be Hulking Up. La Resistance gets the Au Revoir finisher. Eugene tosses Conway out to a huge pop. He wraps Grenier’s legs around the ring post. Eugene pounds down Conway, the ref gets bumped. Ref DQ’s Eugene for accidentally hitting him. Eugene hits a stunner on Grenier, Rock Bottom on Conway and a People’s Elbow on Conway. Match ends in DQ with La Rez winning at 13 minutes. Flair and Eugene leave together.
Winners: La Resistance
Analysis: *1/2 Good for a laugh, but not much in the way of quality. Its intent was to get a rise out of the crowd and I think it did that. I laughed a hell of a lot during this match.
No Disqualification Match: Kane vs. Matt Hardy
My Pick: Kane
We get the long video package highlighting the feud. It’s pretty good, as usual. Actually, pretty good doesn’t do it justice. It was absolutely outstanding, even though I’m not even a huge fan of the feud. Kane comes out first. Matt Hardy is next, sporting a new t-shirt, it looks like. No Lita.
They meet out on the floor, Hardy whips him into the ringpost and the announce table. He drills him with a TV monitor the head. There goes the shirt. He goes for a Twist of Fate on the table, but Kane shoves him off and punches him into the crowd. Kane drops him jaw first onto the security wall. Back at ringside, Kane pounds on him, then rolls him into the ring. Kane with some more pounding around the ring. It’s hard to describe, mostly just him throwing Matt into things. Kane with a clothesline on the floor. In the ring, side slam by Kane gets two. Kane gets a hard grab to Matt’s face, whatever that is called. Matt punches him away. Kane tosses Hardy head first into the top turnbuckle. Out on the floor again, Kane knocks him down on the entryway. To the top, Kane with his usual clothesline. He yells at Matt, telling him to fight. Hardy punches back, so Kane tosses him out to the floor by the announce tables.
Hardy’s got a chair on the floor, he chairs Kane in the gut. He charges, but Kane hits a big boot to knock him down. Kane has the chair as Matt is in the ring. Hardy with a stunner like maneuver on the apron. Kane’s wrapped up in the ropes, his left foot stuck in the ropes and his body on the floor. Matt pounds away on him. He gets the ring bell and drills Kane with it in the head. To the top, Matt gets a legdrop to the back of the head in the ring. He signals for the Twist of Fate, Kane powers out with a backdrop. Kane powerslam reversed to a Twist of Fate and he hits it. It only gets two. Kane sits up. Chokeslam, but no immediate cover. Kane has the ring steps. Here comes Lita. Worst mom ever. Kane puts the steps down because she tells her. Kane grabs her, then tells her to get away. He picks up the stairs, Hardy with a chair to the stairs, cover and that gets three. It was 11 minutes.
Winner: Matt Hardy
Analysis: *3/4 It was slow at times when Kane was on offense, which was most of the time, but the finish was really strong. I’m glad they gave Hardy a win because it’ll be good for his career. Kane doesn’t really need to win since he’s always over. I doubt this feud ends. They hyped it up as a big upset.
Backstage, Lita asks Matt to talk. Matt tells her she shouldn’t have been there because the baby could have been harmed. He asks her to stay away from the ring and until he figures things out, stay away from him too.
Intercontinental Title Match: Randy Orton vs. Edge
Winner: Randy Orton
We get a video package for it. Usual good stuff. I do have to laugh at Edge’s “I don’t like you” line. They couldn’t do better? Oh well. I liked his promo last week on Raw. Edge comes out first. Orton comes out next. JR drops this stat saying that the IC title has been lost the most in the month of July as if that’s supposed to be an important stat. With only three announced matches next and the time being 9:20pm, I expect these guys to get at least fifteen minutes, which should mean a solid match. JR mentions that Orton hasn’t lost on PPV in nearly a year.
They do some headlocks, Edge gets a shoulderblock after a whip into the ropes. Another whip, Edge gets another shoulderblock following some leapfrogs and ducks. They do a criss cross in the ropes, Orton drops down and Edge gets another shoulderblock, then a headlock. A criss cross? Now THAT is old school. The third “Let’s Go Orton” chant starts up. Whip in, Edge gets three more shoulderblocks. Was he watching Ultimate Warrior tapes last night or what? Five minutes in, there hasn’t been much in the way of action. They’re definitely getting lots of time. Edge tosses Orton back into the ring. Orton whips him in, Edge charges back and Orton tosses him over the top to the floor. Suplex back into the ring gets two for Orton. Orton pounds on him in the back and chest. Orton with a snapmare, then a chinlock type maneuver. No idea what it would be called. A small Orton chant again. Kick to the gut, Edge gets a forearm and clothesline, then another. Into the ropes, Orton holds on and Edge clotheslines him out. Some of the crowd boos. The crowd is about 50/50 due to all the Orton support. Orton takes the IC title, but Edge hits a baseball slide dropkick sending Orton to the floor. Edge with a clothesline off the apron.
Back in the ring, Edge hits a missile dropkick. Announcers finally acknowledge the Orton support. That got two. Edge goes for a spear, Orton hits a HHH-like high knee to counter. Orton backbreaker gets two. Now a “let’s go Edge” chant. Orton works him over on the floor with elbows to the head. I like this crowd. He chokes the neck of Edge, then works him over. Orton yells out at the crowd that he doesn’t need their help. Legdrop to the neck gets two. Edge charges, Orton knees him to the gut. He drapes his knee across Edge’s throat. He picks him up, then hits a nice dropkick for two. Orton grabs a chinlock. He loves those chinlocks. Chant for Edge now. Edge fights out, Orton with a legdrop for two. Back to the chinlock. I give Orton credit for really using his face and his body to make it look killer. Some of the crowd is chanting “Boring! Boring!” but not that much. It’s been three straight minutes of chinlocks. Edge’s arm drops twice until he gets back up vertically. Into the ropes, crossbody for Edge gets two. Rollup gets two. Orton with a clothesline. Orton to the ropes, comes off the middle ropes with something and Edge hits a dropkick.
Edge has momentum now, dropping Orton with a neckbreaker. Crowd is still mixed. Double knockout spot as the ref counts them down. They slug it out from their knees to their feet. Edge with a side Russian legsweep for two. Orton goes for a dropkick, but Edge holds onto the rope. Catapults Orton to the corner, Edge-omatic (like a sleeper drop) gets two. JR doesn’t call it by name. To the top, Orton pounds Edge up there. Edge goes to front suplex him down, but Orton’s legs hit the top ropes and he lands awkwardly. Edge with a crossbody off the top, Orton rolls through for two. Orton exposes the turnbuckle. Edge cradle, but the ref is trying to fix the turnbuckle. Orton with the rollup, grabbing tights for two. Dropkick for Orton gets two. Edge counters something with an Impailer (Edgeucator) for a good nearfall. Edge goes for a ten punch count in the corner. Orton drops him headfirst into the turnbuckle, roll up with feet on the ropes gets two. RKO countered, shoving Orton off. Crowd is going nuts. Spear, Orton does a leapfrog so Edge eats the corner. RKO reversed to a backslide for two. Edge whips him into the exposed corner, back first. Spear and Edge covers for three. Match went 27 minutes.
Winner: Edge
Post match, Edge celebrates with the title in the aisle way. His fifth time as IC champ. Edge says three more to go, meaning Evolution. Orton is crying due to the loss.
Analysis: *** This match was really solid. I think it went about ten minutes too long, though. The spots in the middle were just way too slow, eliciting boring chants from the crowd. The last seven or eight minutes were outstanding, however. It ended beautifully. I loved the spots, the counters and even the finish was handled well.
King and Ross hype up the Diva Search being on Spike TV this Thursday at 10pmET. The judges for the contest are Randy Orton, Triple H, Edge and Chris Jericho.
Molly Holly vs. Victoria
My Pick: Victoria
This is a number one contender’s match. Molly is out first. “Molly needs Rogaine” sign rules. Victoria is next. Molly’s got the blonde wig going.
Molly starts with an arm wringer, Vic counters, they exchange blows, Vic does the splits and a monkey flip. Bodyslam for Victoria, the jiggle leads to a rollup for Molly. Whip in, Victoria hits a standing moonsault. She hits a plancha to the floor. As she goes up the steps, Molly trips her up, causing her to go arm first onto the steps. Victoria’s left arm is hurting. Molly drapes it over the ropes, then kicks at it. Crowd is pretty dead for this. Can’t blame them since there’s no real storyline here. Molly with a handspring elbow for two. Molly with an armbar. Molly drops the knee on the arm. Some of the crowd is booing as Molly goes for another armbar. Vic fights out with punches, but Molly drops her arm first onto the top rope. She boots Victoria out of the ring, then rolls her in. Victoria kicks her in the face, Molly’s elbow drops miss. Vic with a rollup for two. Backslide for two. Vic hits a couple clotheslines, then a back elbow. Molly charges, Victoria hits a powerslam. Victoria goes for the Widow’s Peak, but her shoulder gives out. Molly comes back at her, Vic gets a superkick and wins. Match was about 6 minutes.
Winner: Victoria
Analysis: *1/4 I think Victoria legitimately hurt because I doubt the kick was the real finish. Kudos to her for working through it. Just a filler match basically. Victoria is the number one contender to Trish’s title.
Fun Summerslam commercial with Stacy Keibler competing in gymnastics at the Olympics. She bends down and gets tens across the board.
World Title Match: Chris Benoit vs. Triple H
My pick: Chris Benoit
We get the awesome video package again. All the Eugene stuff is shown. I think it’s likely that he’ll play a part in this match, probably being the accidental cause of HHH losing it. HHH comes out first. For the second time in the night, Jim Ross says this is the first one on one match between Benoit and HHH. Why are they not acknowledging their match at No Mercy 2000, which was quite excellent. I think not acknowledging their previous match is stupider than announcing the Canadian guys from American cities in order to make them more appealing. Benoit is out next.
Staredown to start, then a strong tie up. They break, then hook up and Benoit with an arm drag. “Let’s Go Benoit” chant starts up. More holds and counter holds. Good stuff. Into the ropes, HHH hits him with a hard shoulder tackle. Benoit hips him in, ducks under and hits an arm drag. Crossface attempt, but HHH gets ropes and bails to the floor. Benoit chops away at him. HHH gets thrown headfirst into the railing. In the ring, HHH with a high knee. Suplex for HHH. Another vertical suplex. Benoit chops, HHH counters and hits a back elbow for two. Backbreaker for HHH. On the floor, he drives Benoit back first into the side of the ring. Benoit chops away, HHH pushes him into the corner, whip across, Benoit with knees, chops and a snap suplex. Benoit whips him into the corner, HHH with a reverse elbow, clothesline ducked and Benoit hits a German suplex. HHH fights out of another one, Benoit trips him up, slingshot and clothesline over the top to the floor.
Benoit comes after him outside, HHH with a thumb to the eye, but Benoit gets the advantage by whipping him shoulder first into the ring steps. Back in, Benoit goes to the top for a headbutt, but HHH rolls out of the way. JR makes a good point in saying Benoit’s attack was going good, but his high risk move was costly. They both struggle to their feet, HHH whips him in and Benoit takes the Bret Hart sternum first bump. HHH whips him into the other corner sternum first. HHH boots him in the ribs as we reach the ten-minute mark.
HHH picks him up for a suplex, but then tosses him forward so he lands sternum first. Cool move because it follows the psychology of Benoit having hurt ribs. That gets two. He does another suplex toss on the ribs for two. Triple H pulls back on his arm with his knee on the spine. Benoit fights out with knees, he charges in and HHH tosses him over the top to the floor. Triple H whips him ribs first into the ring barrier. He rolls him back in, then does another hard whip into the corner that Benoit takes sternum first. That gets two. Benoit chops, HHH whips him in, Triple H with an abdominal stretch. Crowd is clapping for Benoit, urging him to fight back. Benoit counters with an abdominal stretch for a second, but HHH hiplocks out of it. Back up, Benoit charges and HHH gets a sleeper on him. Benoit counters, HHH tries for a backdrop, Benoit lands on his feet, Sharpshooter is shoved off. Kick to the gut for HHH, Benoit fights out and sinks in the Sharpshooter. As HHH nears the ropes, Benoit pulls him back to the center. Triple H makes ropes to break the hold as we reach the twenty minute mark.
Benoit gets advantage with the three rolling German suplexes. Benoit’s bloody from the mouth a bit. He gets up first, signals for the headbutt. Triple H rolls out of the ring. Benoit charges and hits a suicide tope through the middle ropes. Benoit’s body bounced off the barricade wall, as did HHH’s back. Benoit rolls him back in, HHH charges at him, Benoit ducks and out goes the ref. Triple H hits a DDT. He turns up the aisle, then calls for Eugene. Eugene appears in the aisle. He pulls Benoit up, ordering Eugene to get to the ref. Benoit hits a crossface. Benoit is yelling at Eugene to get the ref. Benoit rolls through in the crossface, HHH taps out. Ref is on the floor. Eugene coming into the ring, Benoit punches him down. HHH hits a low blow. Here comes the Pedigree for HHH. He nails it, then tells Eugene to get the referee. He slides the ref, Mike Chioda, in. One…two…shoulder up!
HHH orders Eugene to get a chair. He hands it to Triple H. Crowd is booing. Triple H goes to swing it, Eugene takes it from him. Triple H shoves him off the apron to the floor. Triple H turns around and Benoit hits the chair back into HHH’s face. He’s got the chair now as the ref is still out. Here comes Ric Flair and Batista, they eat chair shots. Benoit tells Eugene to get out. HHH knees Benoit in the ribs. Eugene still in the ring. HHH’s chair shot countered by a low blow for Benoit. Everybody down except for Eugene. He gets the chair, but he can’t chair Benoit. He can’t chair Triple H. Back to Benoit, no chair shot. Back to HHH, he puts the chair down. Benoit takes the chair from him, they’re pulling at it. HHH is up behind, Eugene wins the pull and it drills HHH in the face, knocking him out. Eugene to the floor, saying HHH will be mad at him. Benoit’s up with a cradle for one…two…three. Benoit wins after 29 minutes.
Winner: Chris Benoit
Post match, Triple H stares at Eugene looking all pissed off. The show ends with HHH looking mad.
Analysis: ***3/4 This was more a storyline advancement match than a classic, as we had hoped. I thought the first ten minutes or so were okay, the next ten minutes with Benoit getting offense was really good, but the ending was way overbooked. I understand they love the Eugene character, but I have to wonder if it’s worth playing such a big role in a major title match.
Buy: