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For a go home show, this was a great effort from CMLL. It was nice to see this type of trios from Satanico as while he brings his hate and evil persona, this hasnt developed into a blood feud per say like the altercations with Tarzan Boy. As a result, we get a nice trios match with a good amount of time and some solid action. I am really forward to the Cibernetico on the 3/17 show. ***

Damn, did this build up a great feud out of nowhere between Rivera and Mr. Mexico of all people. It starts with a fun vignette and Mr. Mexico being in a disguise and the match is a war. Mexico blades, everyone else plays a good complimentary role. The finish was awesome with old ass Emilio Charles and Ringo doing topes to compliment an awesome one by Black Warrior and Mexico fouls Rivera with the ref occupied. The ref turns around right when Rivera low blows Mexico giving the rudos the win. Mexico has a revenge promo to close things out. ***3/4

Really strong minis action that with more time could have been a classic. I thought this was one of the best versions of a straight spotfest we have seen so far this year. Everything from the floatover arm drags to the incredible array of dives really kept the match moving at a blistering pace. ***1/4

I am starting to turn against Onita Pro. I am a Onita mark and death matches are my soft spot so this is tough but here we are for the third month in a row with a big multi man match where a lot of the end result doesn’t have any rhyme or reason. There still is enough Onita fire and big spots to keep me somewhat entertained but I want more substance. It is compounded by the fact that even though I feel like I am fairly astute at Japanese wrestlers in history from this timeframe, I had huge troubles distinguishing many people in this match. It felt like a lot of the match was Onita and everyone else and that includes great workers like Togo who just weren’t the focal point until the very end where he gets the pin. I do still dig the finishing runs where the crowd is right around ringside making everything feel more chaotic. **1/2

Fun to see an Onita Pro undercard match and these two guys are banging around FREEDOMS today with Sasaki especially being a big deal within that promotion. Good action here besides a horribly botched Sasuke special. The Korakuen crowd seems appreciative too. A really interesting look at the genesis of the deathmatch workers of the future and even present. **3/4

In one of the more tragic things in a litany of tragic things for WCW, seeing the reaction that the Flair vs. Hogan Nitro match got and making them the focus of the tv going forward may be one of the worst. The promo we get here is full of history and not that bad per say. I think both Flair and Hogan have gotten better reactions than Terry Funk in 2000. However, it is such a stark contrast to what was on the other channel at the same time and looks like such a direct violation of this was the past, why not watch the now. The crowd that is there is full of nostalgia and Hogan doesn’t shy away from it saying Providence is Hogan country, etc. It really is conflicting to see. Even more amazing is watching it in 2017 retroactively on the precipice of a WrestleMania headlined by Brock Lesnar and Goldberg. WWE has fallen victim in current day to much of the same problems that are inhibiting WCW at this time. The difference is the lack of that other company in mainstream eyes to challenge that perception and create a new baseline. Anyway, this segment ends with Luger beating Hogan with the bat and Flair getting shots in with a strap which we have seen too much. We cut to the main event and Stone Cold Hulk Hogan has hijacked the ambulance to come to the arena. Luger and Hennig have a two minute match and Hennig looks as much of a relic as anyone else out here. Total schmozz finish with Flair interfering and Hogan coming in with his strap. A tag title match is made for the main event. Hennig and Hogan together as a team is weird until Hogan reminds us they were in the N W O together. Oh yeah. Hogan’s thumbnail is so goofy looking as Tony hypes the match one more time. I actually liked the match here as it developed into a nice structure with the heat being worked over from Team Package. Finish was predictable bullshit with Elizabeth, Jimmy Hart and the bat getting involved. Ending comes with the lights going out, Vampiro inexplicitly getting inserted into the main event scene and Sting strolling down the ramp way to attack Luger. **1/2

Opening promo to start with HHH doing his water spit for the first time I can recall. Shane runs down what happened to Rock on SmackDown and they really have milked him not being at Mania for all that it is worth. Steph gets the payoff of telling Rock he is facing the “Twin Towers” at Mania and out comes two little people. That is a trope DX loves huh. They make it an evening gown match which makes me think they really should have had Mae Young and Moohlah in this role instead of hiring these two. The crowd isn’t really responding until Rock comes out to a huge reaction. Main event gets set up for tonight with Rock’s career on the line. This feels like a reach but Rock is so over the crowd goes for it and at least Cactus Jack was just retired so it could be a possibility. The match proper is a toned down version of the No Way Out match and not that good at all. It revolves around the announce table and Shane being a crooked referee. The finish is really memorable as we get Hebner running down again and getting taken out by Shane before we see a limo pull up and out walks Vince McMahon who hasn’t been seen since Unforgiven. Vince decks HHH in the back and heads to the ring. He clocks Shane with a chair and takes off his referee shirt to count the 3 count on Show after Rock hits a Rock Bottom. This gets a thunderous pop and it is fun seeing the crowd high five and hug each other going nuts. The Rock is going to WrestleMania. **

I continue to like the HHH vs. Rikishi feud and all the ancillary elements that allow HHH to have ring time on tv but not against any of the Mania opponents. The Worm is really getting over as one of the biggest moves in WWF and Rikishi had a better reaction here than the previous week which was just an off crowd. Another shoddy finish that was too similar to the European title match as this time X Pac uses the ring bell to hit Rikishi allowing HHH to get the pin. *1/2

Tazz is still hanging around with the bigger stars longer than I remembered. Action here was only three minutes but had a good bit of high impact suplexes and powerbombs. Tazz gets the tazzmission on Angle to not much of a reaction. The one he gives to Backlund gets a much bigger one which is interesting. Backlund looks for the chicken wing but gets a low blow from Chyna. With all this chaos going on, Kurt is able to use a belt shot to win the match. *

Awesome interrupts a Diamond vs. Kash match and gives them the choice to flee or stay and die. Diamond and crew flee and Kash attacks Awesome. This is essentially a squash with Kash getting a big moment by hitting a springboard dive onto Awesome in the crowd which looked impressive. Tables come out and Awesome hits a super Awesome bomb from the top rope to win pretty handily. I don’t really understand why this took up PPV time or why as tag champion and World Champion ECW felt the need to establish Awesome even more. *1/2

This starts off with Corino running down Lori Fullington with a berating promo calling her a whore. She slaps Corino and gets into the ring. Sandman rushes out but gets beaten down by Corino, Victory and Rhino. Lori takes a gore through the table and the crowd chants E C Dub. Dusty comes out and we have the match proper. The match isn’t bad but certainly not great IMO with a heavy dose of cowbell shots and brawling around the building. The blood helped to add some drama to everything. I really didn’t like the finish as the taping of the cowbell on top of Corino’s head looked way too contrived and required a lot of assistance from the referee. **3/4

This match started out really middling with a lot of grappling that was dull but really opened up in the back half and became enjoyable overall. Usuda was the standout here as he was electric and brought intensity which helped with his non descriptive appearance. March feels like the month for good matches so far but not a whole lot is knocking my socks off to a great level that was so prominent in January and February. ***1/4

If you must start a match JIP, there is worse ways than Otsuka dropkicking ishikawa right on the head. I thought Yone looked better here than usual and it makes sense as he pulls off the really surprising choke win on Ishikawa. That finish really took me by surprise. This was the best Yone had looked at his kicks and precision. We only get about five minutes of an 18 minute match. NR.

I found this to be middling overall. I know it is unfair because she certainly isn’t in her prime but I watch this stuff and question why I voted Akira Hokuto for GWE. This had interference and a lot of back and forth action. It wasn’t as reckless as the stuff again from earlier in the year but with these four I expected and hoped for something much more with an enriching storyline and instead just got a collection of spots. Meiko gets tapped out at 7 minutes when she was clearly my favorite of the four competitors. **

I found this to be middle of the road GAEA. It certainly wasn’t as atrocious as the January stuff but it also didn’t reach near the highs of February. A lot of that hinges on Sato and Chikayo as I think their spunkiness really helps distract a lot of the elements of the January matches that were prelevelent here. This did get chaotic but not TOO chaotic that it was indistinguishable. It really flirted with that edge though. Kong is made to look vulunerable again with a point of emphasis again being her arm region. The interference at the end was something I really could have done without. The sandwich clothesline and brainbuster followed by the spinning back fist moments later was a nice combo to put the opponents away allowing Kong and Lioness to win. ***

Mackenzie the Fun Girl is accompanying Morgan here. I may sound like a broken record with the APW stuff but there is just something about most of the competitors in that while I can see they are very good workers, a disconnect happens and I am not into the match much at all. The heat here felt all over the place a bit as to who was the heel and who was the face and there wasn’t much focus overall. Modest ends up picking up the victory with a DVD. **3/4

I liked this. I really enjoyed the dynamic of both teams with one powerhouse member and one high flyer. It added a lot of diversity to the match and a many off shoot mini matches that looked interesting. Even the big guys looked good with moving around and hanging with the others. Massaro eats a 3D to a big pop and then stereo dives that looked really impressive. I would like to see more from these four guys. ***1/4

A lot more RNR Express in 2000 than I would have expected. This has them being their traditional faces against a pretty generic crew and was nice to see just a basic indy match. I wouldn’t say the heat for Mack vs. Ki was bad but I will say the heat here in this basic match is better which is pretty astounding giving the match structure. Double dropkick gains the win for the RNR Express. **1/4

This is being billed as Quack’s retirement match which in retrospect is more insulting than Foley at No Way Out. Montoya in this snarky heel role really reminds me of Kevin Steen once he comes on the scene. Overall I thought this match had some good ideas but was way too long in execution. At one moment, a patron throws a drink at Montoya and he is pissed off as the announcer runs down the fan. I didn’t like the banana peel finish that allows Quack to get the win. A weird angle follows as the promoter informs Quack that Santo is coming in next month and he wants the belt. Quack doesn’t really answer him one way or another. **3/4

Drew Lazerio is someone I have never seen before. Drew is apparently on the cover of GQ. Well good for him. This is a bit sloppy but these guys weren’t really pulling back much at all on these strikes and that is something that can be appreciated and really excuse some of the strikes not hitting perfectly. Low Ki does one of the best springboard moonsaults I have ever seen in this match getting insane air time. Monsta Mack wringing out his arm after each strike is a nice touch to get over the violence. Ki retrieves a table and the crowd is really electric for it. Monsta Mack powerslams Ki from the apron through the table on the floor in a great looking spot. Back inside, Mack misses his big splash from the top and Ki misses his moonsault double stomp. Mack is able to hit a super doctor bomb from the top that doesn’t look great but what ambition. Low Ki kicks out of that as well. Low Ki goes for another dive and gets caught with two powerbombs and the Greetings from Brooklyn which is the Greetings from Asbury Park with Low Ki spiked right on top of his hand. Ki is able to fight back and land a Ki Krush for the win. This is really a match where they unloaded the kitchen sink at each other and made it tough for any match to follow but the stiffness helped ground everything to make it really enjoyable overall. ***1/2

The WWF tag division is so good at this point that I think the Mamalukes are underrated throughout history. A good tag team with a good gimmick filling out the cards for WCW. This was a blast with King and Dandy showing a lot of fire and flying around. Even Tenay and Heenan wanted to spend the time talking about Luger and Flair but they get caught up in the action and stay focused on it for the final 3-4 minutes. The Harris brothers interfere at the end which doesn’t make sense because you have a heel vs. heel feud and the Harris brothers suck. I will say their beatdown here was good. Fun 5 minute match on Worldwide. **1/2

You should know the story by now. 5-6 minutes of good action with a bullshit finish finishing a ref bump and interference. It’s the same shit literally every week. They are promoting a hanging match involving Trailer Park Trash and the black Robbie D which is beyond tasteless. Once again, cornette was going unjustifiably nuts on commentary at the end without hardly any heat from the crowd. I am really ready for this era of OVW to be over more than WCW and ECW right now. **1/4

Another fun match for Wildside as I continue to enjoy Golden. The bigger development happens after the match as the referee gets bumped and announcer Steve Martin takes matters into his own hands counting the pinfall. Big time beatdown by the heels after the match including giving Martin a haircut. The segment ends with Bailey being chased off by a crazed woman. **1/2

Corey is by himself as Dave hasn’t made it to the studio. It is the 100th edition of the Power Hour. Brandon Baxter’s crew is like 8 deep at this point. That tiger striped red shirt is unfortunate. I love Corey getting into it. After their long promo, we hear from Dave Brown by phone that has suspicions that Baxter sabotaged him and that is why he can’t make it to the show. Corey gets into it again. Wolfie D cuts a promo and is attacked by Derrick King to some great heat. A really excellent 4 minute match ensues. Derrick King really should have been a star. He looks more refined and polished than anyone in OVW. Wolfie gets the win and Corey is disgusted. I loved all of this. ***

Life comes at you fast. A good but typical six man from these guys that will be raised when you think about the fact that this is the second to last time ever that Kobashi and Kawada stepped into the ring against one another. Even Misawa and Kawada only have a handful of these on tape. That is what made me cherish every interaction here a little more. Beyond that, Fuchi was really game and as someone that was forced to step into a more prominent role with the wake of the exodus that is looming, it was really nice to see him already bringing his working boots pre split. Goodbye 1990's All Japan. ***1/2