GSR

Great opening as Wolfie rushes at King and tries to nail him with the title belt, only for King to duck out the way and get in a couple of shots of his own. Wolfie swings, but his punches connect with nothing but air as he can’t land anything. Tilt-a-whirl headscissors followed by a dropkick which sends Wolfie tumbling through the ropes to the floor. Pescado and he rams Wolfie’s head into the announcing desk. King sets up the ring steps next to Wolfie and runs up them, but Wolfie sidesteps out the way and King goes flying into the desk. Wolfie whips his opponent into the corner, King with the tip up to try and leap over the incoming Wolfie, however he catches him, reverses his position, ‘Alabama slam’ before finally slingshotting him over the turnbuckle and into the ringpost. Legdrop for a two. Spinebuster and straight into a Scorpion deathlock as Wolfie keeps hold of King’s legs. Right hand off the middle and King just about gets his shoulder up. Scoop powerslam as the near falls continue. King counters a wheelbarrow suplex with a variation of the stunner and both men are down. Hangman’s neckbreaker from King, a pair of atomic drops and a big splash off the top for his closest fall yet. Superkick and now ‘Evil Knieval’/the getaway driver is up on the apron. As King goes over to grab him, he throws a chain to Wolfie. He wraps it around his fist and clocks King, but he’s able to kick out. Wolfie with the spinning powerbomb although he doesn’t go for the cover. An Irish whip is reversed and King snaps Wolfie’s neck across the top rope. Bodypress off the top, but Wolfie had a hold of the official and he gets taken out at the same time. Facebuster by King and a second referee slides in to count the pin, however at the count of two ‘Evil Knieval’ pulls him out of the ring. The Regulators and Seven rush down to help Wolfie, quickly followed by some of the face lockerroom and we’re out of time as the show goes off the air. When you have the two best workers in Power Pro going at it you know you’re not going to be disappointed. I liked this one an awful lot; fast, quick paced action, great near falls and it was a clean finish away from being the best Memphis match I’ve seen in 2000 so far. That ending was so disappointing though but at least we have to be guaranteed a rematch.

Page ducks out the way of the onrushing Jarrett and unloads with a series of rights and lefts. Discus lariat, reverse atomic drop and a jumping DDT for an early near fall. Jarrett rolls out the ring but DDP with a pescade out onto him. He holds ‘the Chosen One’ so Kimberly can slap him around the chops before tossing him over the guardrail and into the audience. They hit each other with trash cans and instead of a camera following the wrestlers we just get an aerial shot which means we miss some of the action. Jarrett grabs Kimberly and tries to use her as a shield but that doesn’t really work for him. Back in the ring and Page with a hard clothesline. He heads up top, however Jarrett is able to fall into the ropes and DDP loses his balance crotching himself. Superplex and then Jarrett heads outside to pick up a steel chair. He waffles Page in the back twice with it before Charles Robinson is able to snatch it from him. DDP blocks a pair of rights and delivers a couple of his own. Jarrett reverses the Irish whip but telegraphs the backdrop and a great powerbomb for a two. Eric Bischoff is now out and watching on from the aisle. Page with a ‘Cactus clothesline’ and they’re back fighting around ringside. Jarrett posts DDP and goes to do it a second time but Kimberly grabs him by the hair and pulls hims off. DDP gets a second wind and turns the tables posting ‘Double J’. ‘Diamond Cutter’ however Jarrett is too close to the ropes and holds onto them, whilst somehow in this Charles Robinson gets bumped too. Jarrett nails DDP with the World title belt but it’s not enough as he’s able to raise his shoulder at the last split second. Figure Four, and Jarrett is even able to get a couple of pin attempts with the pain almost too much for Page. DDP fights his way to the ropes for the break and when Jarrett goes to apply it again, he cradles him for a near fall. Schoolboy with the trunks for another two, and a Uranage is still not enough for the win. That numpty Mark Madden then points out that Kimberly has removed her heels meaning the finish isn’t far away. Jarrett with a sleeper, Page shoots him off and catches him with one of his own. Bischoff is up on the apron and grabs Robinson whilst Kimberly gets up on the other side of the ring. ‘Diamond Cutter’ and the commentators speculate Bischoff must be helping Page. Kimberly has Jarrett’s guitar, DDP invites her into the ring to clobber him with it, but she double crosses him and levels Page instead. Jarrett with ‘the Stroke’, Bischoff lets go of Robinson and ‘Double J’ is the new World champion while Madden screams about Kimberly being ‘New Blood’! Bischoff hugs Kim and the rest of the New Blood are out to celebrate with them. These two were having a cracking match until the horrible last couple of minutes. Every other match on the PPV had some sort of screwy outside interference so why change things here? The Kimberly turn made zero sense considering how the match had gone, and came across as a turn for turn’s sake. There had been no hint or teasing of it, in fact she’d been helping DDP in the match and then all of a sudden, turn. Charles Robinson looked a fool with that finish too, with Bischoff just grabbing and holding him for what must easily have been sixty seconds. Kudos to DDP who worked real hard here. Best match of the month for WCW, although there hasn’t really been much in the way of competition.

April 2000 ECW 1. Super Crazy vs Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Little Guido (TNN 4/14) 2. Tommy Dreamer & Sandman & New Jack vs Jack Victory & Steve Corino & Yoshihiro Tajiri (TNN 4/21) 3. Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Tommy Dreamer (Indianapolis, IN 4/13) 4. Mike Awesome vs Tazz (Indianapolis, IN 4/13) Indies 1. Low Ki vs Mike Mayhem (FWA 4/15) 2. Dino Bambino vs Adam Pearce (SDW 4/8) 3. Steve Corino vs Tommy Dreamer (CWF 4/20) 4. Little Guido vs Mikey Whipwreck (CWF 4/20) 5. Chris Candido vs Shane Douglas vs Sabu (XPW 4/15) 6. Bad Crew vs Backseat Boyz (EWF 4/28) 7. Los Gringos (Ricky Reyes & Rocky Romero) vs Sun Warrior & Red Tornado (IWC SoCal 4/21) 8. El Hijo del Santo vs Mike Quackenbush (FWA 4/15) 9. Ian Rotten & Ox Harley vs Corporal Robinson & Blaze (Fans Bring the Weapons) (IWA-MS 4/28) 10. Los Boricuas vs Starr Corporation (IWA-PR 4/28) 11. Frankie Kazarian vs Josh Galaxy (IWC SoCal 4/21) 12. Randy Tyler & Mike Roselli vs C.W. Bergstrom & Mark Large (Portland Total Chaos TV 4/00) 13. CM Punk vs Eric Priest (SDW 4/8) 14. Los Gringos vs Eric Matlock & Devin Willis vs Sun Warrior & Red Tornado (IWC SoCal 4/28) 15. Sabu vs Johnny Devine (Stampede 4/21) 16. Scoot Andrews vs Jet Jaguar (IPW Crystal River Carnage 4/22) 17. Dirk Rotzek & Bobby Gaetano vs Sepp Trenker & Gunther Wagner (NWA Germany 4/7) NR - Bart Sawyer vs Brian Cox (Portland Total Chaos TV 4/00) LA - Barry Horowitz vs Hack Myers (IPW Crystal River Carnage 4/22/00) ‘LA’ stands for ‘Late Addition’, meaning I watched it a long time after everything else and it would be unfair to rate it against the other matches. JAPW 1. Billy Reil vs Low Ki vs Sabu (4/7) 2. Ian Rotten vs Louie Ramos (4/7) Memphis 1. Steven Regal vs Reckless Youth (MCW 4/8) 2. Wolfie D vs Derrick King (MPPW 4/15) 3. Wolfie D vs Ali (MPPW 4/8) 4. Wolfie D vs Derrick King (MPPW 4/22) 5. Deon Harlem & Rob Harlem & Seven & Lance Jade & Havok vs Derrick King & Blade Boudreaux & Alan Steel & Moondog Spot (Evening the Odds Showdown) (MPPW 4/1) 6. Steven Regal vs Reckless Youth (MCW 4/15) 7. Jerry Lawler & Bill Dundee vs Bull Pain & Todd Morton (MCW 4/8) 8. ‘Evening the Odds II’ (MPPW 4/29) 9. Jerry Lawler vs Bull Pain (MCW 4/1) 10. Jerry Lawler vs K-Krush (MCW 4/22) NWA Wildside 1. A.J. Styles vs Jesse Taylor (4/29) 2. A.J. Styles vs Eddie Golden (Ladder) (Hardcore Hell 4/1) TWA 1. American Dragon & Spanky vs Board of Education (Mask & Titles vs Hair) (4/8) 2. Shawn Michaels vs Venom (4/15) WCW ‘A’ Shows 1. Jeff Jarrett vs DDP (Spring Stampede 4/16) 2. Billy Kidman vs Horace Hogan (Thunder 4/26) 3. Hulk Hogan vs Billy Kidman & Mike Awesome (Nitro 4/24) 4. Billy Kidman vs Vampiro (Spring Stampede 4/16) 5. Ric Flair & Lex Luger vs Shane Douglas & Buff Bagwell (Spring Stampede 4/16) 6. DDP vs Bam Bam Bigelow (Thunder 4/12) 7. Chris Candido & Juventud Guerrera & The Artist vs Shannon Moore & Crowbar & Lash LaRoux (Thunder 4/12) 8. Ric Flair & Lex Luger vs Johnny the Bull & Big Vito & Ron & Don Harris (Spring Stampede 4/16) 9. Booker T vs Mike Awesome (Thunder 4/26) 10. Terry Funk vs Norman Smiley (Spring Stampede 4/16) 11. DDP vs Jeff Jarrett (Cage) (Nitro 4/24) 12. Brian Knobbs & Fit Finlay vs Meng & Hugh Morrus vs Terry Funk & Norman Smiley (Hardcore) (Thunder 4/12) 13. Scott Steiner vs Sting (Spring Stampede 4/16) 14. Jeff Jarrett & Eric Bischoff vs DDP & David Arquette (Thunder 4/26) 15. Sting vs Vampiro (First Blood) (Nitro 4/24) NR - Hulk Hogan vs Billy Kidman (Nitro 4/10) WCW ‘C’ Shows 1. Los Fabulosos (Dandy & Silver King) vs Tommy Rogers & Jeremy Lopez (Saturday Night 4/1) 2. J.C. Ice & The Frog vs Jung Dragons (Worldwide 4/15) 3. PG-13 & The Frog vs Jung Dragons (Worldwide 4/22) 4. Villano IV & V vs Lenny Lane & Lodi (Worldwide 4/15) 5. Villano IV & V vs Lenny Lane & Lodi (Worldwide 4/8)

Guido is distracted by the mist and Tajiri immediately nails him with a boot to the mid-section. Side headlock, Guido shoots him into the ropes, leapfrog attempt but Tajiri with a dropkick as he’s in the air ‘mid-leap’. Guido reverses a whip to the corner, Tajiri with the tip up, however Guido catches and plants him to the canvas. ‘Hotshot’ from Tajiri and Guido rolls out the ring and onto the rampway. Tajiri follows him out, kicks him around the head and then gives him a snap suplex on the ramp. He grabs a table from underneath the ring and sets it up in the corner. ‘Italian’ whip into the table is reversed, but Guido is able to put the brakes on just in time. Tajiri picks up the chair that Sal had previously passed to Guido and absolutely launches it at him, although he’s able to dodge ou the way as it flies into the table. Guido catches a Tajiri kick and a double leg takedown for two. Handspring elbow and we leave the action for a commercial break. When we return Tajiri is laid out on the table and Big Sal is in the ring with Guido stood on his shoulders. Tajiri is up and stands on the table, mist to the face of Sal and a facebuster into the table on Guido. Suplex onto a seemingly unbreakable table and Guido kicks out at two. ‘Tree of Woe’, Tajiri places a chair infront of Guido’s face and just kicks it unmercifully. Dragon sleeper and Guido is able to get his foot over the bottom rope. Another handspring elbow, but this time Guido counters with a Hangman’s neckbreaker. ‘Silician slice’ for two as Tajiri kicks out. Tajiri then power blocks a tornado DDT and sits Guido back on the top turnbuckle. Brainbuster/superplex and that’s all she wrote. After three months of matches I’m running out of things to say when it comes to these two (and Super Crazy in fact!). Another good match (aren’t they all?) and that finishing Brainbuster looked great. As always they continue to mix things up and add in new spots (fighting on the rampway, Tajiri on the table with Guido on Sal’s shoulders etc) so the match always feels fresh.

Bobcat is out first and she’s providing guest commentary for this match. We miss all of Krush’ rap and whatever he has to say to the crowd because she is talking at the same time. Turns out Krush is now the MCW Southern Heavyweight champion, not sure how (last we saw was Bull Pain stealing it), but guess that’s one of the downsides for not watching everything. Guy Coffey is also out there tonight, wonder if he’s still self-appointed ‘acting’ Commissioner? Lawler ducks out of the way of a right from Krush and delivers one of his own, only for Krush to complain to the official about a closed fist. The commentators talk about it being the first meeting between these two, clearly forgetting the match they had last month! Elbow to the back of the head and Krush takes to the floor to try and compose himself. Lance Russell will be back next week (he’s on vacation) so there is some good news as this match is going nowhere fast. Krush does a terrible Ali (not the guy from PPW!) shuffle and a slightly better Ralph Macchio crane kick pose. This is just Lawler throwing punches and not much else. Krush reaches into his pants for a foreign object and decks ‘The King’. Two count near fall to zero reaction. Scoop powerslam from Krush. As Lawler tries to fire back, Krush reaches into his pocket and again nails ‘The King’ with the object. Stinger splash, Krush then whips Lawler to the opposite corner, goes for a second, however ‘The King’ moves and somehow (the camera angle isn’t great) the official gets splashed. Fist drop off the middle, and just like his match against Bull Pain at the start of the month, Lawler makes a cover even though he knows full well the referee is down. Guy Coffey gets in the ring and counts the pin (Krush is down for around twenty second’s total) and ‘The King’ celebrates. Bull Pain is out, grabs Coffey and talks about him sticking his nose into things and is about to clobber him when Lawler makes the save. Krush levels ‘The King’ with the title belt, the referee comes around, counts the three and declares Krush the winner. Coffey tries to explain to the official what happened but Krush gets out of there sharpish with his belt. For a MCW match this was given longer than normal, although that wasn’t a plus here. A lot of stalling and just so slow paced as the two of them did nothing but throw punches for what felt like the first five minutes. Done well I don’t have a problem with a match like that, this wasn’t done well and just bored me. Krush’s bumping and selling is so over exaggerated all the time too. Crowd was dead again for Lawler’s combacks and the near fall after he was decked with the foreign object, to the point I’m thinking the crowd for the 4/8 show (which responded to everything) had to be an anomaly. Bobcat was dire on commentary and at least Lance Russell is back next week, the shows definitely don’t feel the same when he’s not there. Less said about the finish with Guy Coffey (who part makes me laugh, part plain infuriates me) entering the ring to count a pin the better.

Pre-match interview from Regal with Bobcat and Regal tells Reckless again that he is not in the same league as him. He doesn’t belong in the same ring as him, in fact he doesn’t belong in the same business as him. He’s bought respect and credibility to this sport for 17 years in 24 countries around the world, and a miserable little toe rag isn’t going to get anything from him except a bloody good hiding. He then calls Bobcat a ‘tart’ and tells her to stop looking like that at him as he’s spoken for! No Lance Russell! Regal’s out to the British Bulldog’s old music and is accompanied by Lady Ophelia-Bristol (Bristols being a UK slang term for breasts!). Reckless reverses an armbar, Regal with a top wristlock and Youth with a headscissors takedown. Headstand escape. Forearm to the back of the head of Reckless, however he is able to counter a powerbomb with a huracanrana. Regal slingshots Youth over the top rope to the floor and starts talking to the official about something. As Reckless climbs back up to the apron he’s joined by Ophelia who, with the referee distracted, kicks him in the stomach and then applies the ‘Tarantula’. Regal with those knee strikes and a seated full nelson. Reckless fires back with some forearms of his own, but a drop toehold puts a stop to that. Lady Ophelia gets involved again, this time choking Reckless behind the official’s back. Youth flips back into the ring and a flying headscissors followed by a dropkick. ‘Ace Crusher’ and a tornado DDT for a near fall. Regal reverses an Irish whip and holds onto the arm and an abdominal stretch takedown into a pinning position for the win. Reckless again offers his hand and this time Regal accepts only to blindside him with some forearms, leaving him laying on the canvas. If there is a wrestler who doesn’t need a valet it’s Steven Regal and this all looks rather odd with this dominatrix looking women accompanying him to ringside. I’m pretty sure that Lady Ophelia is later revealed to be Nora Greenwald, although my betting is this isn’t her (Ophelia wears a Zorro mask and has a long, big red wig). It’s amazing how much she actually detracts from him. Pretty disappointing after last week although I like the way Reckless mixes up his offense with traditional wrestling and flashier stuff. The guy was before his time.

We’re advised to set our video recorders as this is apparently the last time ‘The King’ and ‘The Superstar’ will team together. Lawler with a side headlock, Morton shoots him off and they do a criss cross spot. ‘The King’ ducks out the ring to deck Al K. while Morton continues running the ropes not realising he’s on his own in the ring. Bull grabs Lawler and as Morton goes to knee him, ‘The King’ moves and he nails his own partner. Dundee then snatches and holds Morton, Lawler goes to give him a knee and this time Morton moves. He points to his head thinking he’s outsmarted them and that ‘The King’ as hit ‘The Superstar’, however Lawler stopped himself just in time and when Morton turns around he drops him with a left to the jaw. One more right later and Morton’s a little punch drunk staggering all over the place. Morton is able to drive ‘The King’ back into their corner where Bull grabs him around the neck so Morton can start to unload on him. Double clothesline and Morton with a forearm. Snap legdrop from Bull, and after a headbutt floors Lawler he just kicks him out of the ring. Bull grabs the microphone and tells him that he stole his belt and is now going to beat him like the dog he is! Back in the ring and Lawler starts to fire back on Morton with Lance Russell cheering him on. All four men are in there and a right from ‘The King’ sends Bull tumbling through the ropes to the floor. Outside he spots the MCW title belt on the announcer’s desk, picks it up and does a runner to the back with it. Al K. is now in the ring and Lawler throws a fireball at him. Piledriver on Todd Morton and ‘The King’ and ‘The Superstar’ come out on top in their ‘last’ match together. Lawler then tells Pain that he can run but he can’t hide, and this isn’t over. For the last time Lawler and Dundee would ever team together this all felt a bit subdued. They started off with some comedy spots before getting into the meat of the match and the heat section on Lawler. The faces fire back and then it’s more about Bull stealing ‘The King’s’ title. Surely if this would be the last time Lawler and Dundee would team together there would be a sense of closure to things? There wasn’t at all and this feud is far from over. To me, also, one of those nights where Lawler and Dundee seemed ‘old’.

PPW title defense for Ali with all the members of The Cartel in Wolfie’s corner. ‘Evil Knieval’ and Perry James (the lawyer for The Cartel) get in the ring and this distracts Ali allowing Wolfie to jump him from behind. His chops have no effect and Ali responds with a huge chokeslam. While this is going on, the official has had enough of The Cartel and orders them all from ringside and to the back. Press slam, Wolfie with an eye rake and a suplex, but that has as much effect as his chops did! Ali clotheslines him over the top rope to the floor and follows him out. He throws Wolfie into the announcing desk and they head to the hallway where he cracks him over the head with a chair before slamming a locker room door shut on his head. They return to the studio with Wolfie backing off seemingly had all he can take. Ali forgets about him and goes after ‘Evil’, however Wolfie picks up his motorcycle helmet, puts it on and headbutts Ali. He doesn’t stay in control for long as Ali ducks a clothesline, boot to the mid-section and a powerbomb. Powerslam for two. Whip to the corner is reversed, and Wolfie whips Ali into the official squashing him in the corner (just like the Lawler/Pain match from MCW last week). Uranage on Wolfie but no referee. Deon Harlem is in and he gets Samoan dropped and a chokeslam on Perry James as Wolfie is now having to deal with all of The Cartel. Wolfie grabs Ali and Seven goes to hit him with a stop sign, only for Ali to move and him hit Wolfie instead. Uranage on Seven. Ali covers Wolfie and a second referee rushes out and slides into the ring but Wolfie is able to get the shoulder up at two for a great near fall. As Ali is arguing about the count, Wolfie with a knee to the back which sends him colliding into the replacement official and now he’s down! ‘Ali Driver’ when Brandon Baxter signals for something, and the lights in the studio go out. You can still hear action in the ring and the lights comes back on to see both men laid out but with Wolfie covering Ali. The original referee counts the pin and we have a new PPW champion as The Cartel celebrate. Good match here with both continuing to look impressive. Ali controlled the majority of the match and he’s great on offense with his power moves, while Wolfie flew around and bumped for him. I really liked the brawl into the hallway as it’s the first time in Memphis that the wrestlers going backstage hasn’t seemed contrived (see Wolfie/Smothers from a couple of months back); here it felt like a natural progression of the match. Finish protected Ali as he was able to handle The Cartel until the odds were just too much and they had to turn off the lights so he couldn’t see what was coming. If this is the end of Ali in PPW it’s been a fun ride.

Unless she's some sort of prodigy seems strange putting Taynara Conti in this. I think she's had like three matches total and one of those was a Battle Royal.

C.B. Wyatt-Hales is out at the start of the show and claims that his ‘dad’, Randy Hales, has fallen back in love with his Mother, is with her now and has appointed him as the new President of Power Pro Wrestling. As ‘President’, he announces that Ali will defend his PPW title against Brandon Baxter’s Cartel in a 5 on 1 match. Almost as soon as he’s announced that, Randy Hales arrives in the studio, says that he’s in charge and is ripping up C.B.’s show format. He’s fed up of all the 5 on 1, the 10 on 1, so at the end of the show today they will have an ‘Evening the Odds Ten Man Brawl’ between Team Power Pro Wrestling and The Cartel (basically War Games without the cage). There will be three advantage matches thoughout the show and which ever team wins two of those will have the advantage in the main event. In the advantage matches, Seven beats ‘All That’ Alan Steel, Ali ties it up getting a victory over Lance Jade and finally Rob Harlem defeats Derrick King to give The Cartel the advantage. Deon Harlem of the Regulators and Derrick King start this one with a new man scheduled to join the fray every minute. Seven is the second man for The Cartel and a high double press slam on King. They don’t really make much of their advantage as Deon spends most of the sixty seconds shouting instructions to Seven and telling him what to do. Blade Boudreaux is followed by the other member of the Regulators, Rob Harlem, and he looks like an unpainted Kamala with his (lack of) physique. The crowd come alive for the entrance of Ali who takes it straight to The Cartel. Lance Jade is next only to immediately get backdropped over the top rope and out onto his team mates who were regrouping on the floor. Ali press slams King and throws him onto The Cartel and a flip dive of his own as everyone is now fighting on the outside. Alan Steel, Havok and Moondog Spot round out the participants. Rob with a DDT to King on the platform by the announcer’s desk whilst Spot is waffling Jade with the trash can. Ali hits Rob with the wooden ring steps, but he gets some revenge, absolutely leathering Boudreaux with a chair. Spot’s nailing everyone in sight with the trash can, before raplacing that with a chair and carrying on his attack. King with a superkick to Rob Harlem and then one to Havok. Alan Steel comes off the top with a splash on Havok and Team PPW are victorious. The Cartel jump Havok after the match holding him responsible for the loss, with each of them giving him their finisher and continue to beat on him as the show goes off the air. I thought this was smartly booked. The heel side aren’t that good, but structuring King, Ali and Spot to come in at one, three and five for the faces meant that if there was a lull (and the match was struggling before the arrival of Ali) the crowd would quickly pick back up. This was a bit all over the place, and some blood would certainly have helped things and not made the match seem like it was just hitting each other with whatever objects were at hand. Still it was fairly wild action (especially after Ali arrived and the more I see the more I’m surprised WWE never took a shot on him) and I think I enjoyed it more than everyone else judging by the comments.

Regal gives Reckless the chance of “saving himself a bloody good hiding” before this one gets underway. He advises him to go and take a shower and they can forget all about this as he’s not in his class. Reckless is going nowhere though and the bell rings to start the match. Youth with a headscissors and his Lordship’s legs start to twitch and you can see the anger building up in him. He riles him even more by doing the old Blue Blood strut and playing with his wrists just like Regal. Double underhook suplex and Regal tells him “to make bloody fun of that sunshine!”. Uppercut and a strike to the bridge of the nose and Regal continues to make Reckless pay for mocking him. A series of pin reversals which Youth finally transitions into a Boston crab that Regal is able to power his way out of. Regal with a couple of forearm smashes to the chest and an uppercut which drops Reckless. Abdominal stretch with Regal picking up the leg to increase the pressure. Whip to the corner, however Reckless leaps to the second turnbuckle and comes off with a clothesline. Dropkick followed by a somersault splash, but Regal responds with a forearm to the chops. Reckless tries one of his own, which is blocked, so changes tact with a dragon screw. Dropkick to the leg, kneebar and Regal grabs the ropes for the break. Sunset flip by Reckless, but Regal’s momentum carries him all the way over and the WOS favourite folding press for the win. After the match Reckless takes the mic and says how he grew up watching Regal, has nothing but respect for him and that he’s one of the greatest technical wrestlers in the sport today. He tells him it’s always a learning experience against him and would like to shake his hand. Regal ignores the hand and exits the ring saying “why would he want to shake hands with this grubby little urchin!” I said how after last week I didn’t think this venue was conducive for wrestling due to how quiet the crowd were, but these two certainly got a reaction out of them. Really enjoyed this with the crafty veteran who had too much for the young up and comer. There is a real viciousness in Regal’s uppercuts, forearms and the strike to the bridge of Youth’s nose. Liked Youth’s change of tact towards the end with the dragon screw and focussing on Regal’s leg and nice to see a folding press on US tv! I didn’t have a problem with the post match and Regal blowing off Reckless’ handshake as it just makes him comes across as an even bigger dick. Having checked out the spreadsheet looking forward to the rematch.

This was the final of the Southern Heavyweight title tournament. Pain had advanced over Steven Regal via an incredibly lame DQ earlier in the show, and Lawler had defeated Masked Man #1 after a piledriver. Commissioner Bruce Prichard is absent and Guy Coffey can’t believe he’s missing the most important night in the company’s history so far. He therefore declares himself ‘acting’ Commissioner and as his first duty appoints Bill Dundee as the special referee for the tournament final. Pain sneak attacks Lawler on the outside before he even makes it to the ring. When they get inside Lawler starts to fire back with some rights but Bill Dundee is in to warn him about using a closed fist. Bull with a headbutt and when ‘The King’ rolls to the floor, double axe handle from the apron on to him. Pain rams him into the ringpost and then cracks him over the head with a can of beer that Al K. Holic had given him. Lance Russell is getting more frustrated with Pain’s tactics and Dundee not enforcing the rules “this is a championship match and let’s have some championship reffing!” Sit down legdrop and Lawler gets his foot over the ropes to break up the pin. Al K. passes Bull some camera cable and he ties that around ‘The King’s’ neck and drags him across the ring. Instead of trying to put a stop to this, Dundee exits the ring and chases after Al K. Headbutt to the groin and as Dundee has words with Pain, Al is choking Lawler behind his back. Lance seemingly tries to get Dundee’s attention “Hey Bill, look at this guy!”, while David Jett tells him to stay out of the match as he’s supposed to be objective and impartial. He then accuses him of just being another of ‘The King’s’ buddies and wonders if this is Jerry Lawler’s birthday party? Dundee gets bumped after Lawler reverses an Irish whip and whips Bull into him, although even though he sees ‘The Superstar’ go down, he covers Pain! With the referee out of it, Todd Morton is down and decks ‘The King’ with a chain. He rolls Pain on top of him and a groggy Dundee counts the three. As Dundee is about to hand Bull the belt, acting Commissioner Coffey points out Todd Morton on the floor, explains what happened and ‘the Superstar’ restarts the match. Bull goes back to working over Lawler, but he telegraphs a backdrop and ‘the King’ counters with a piledriver. Morton is in to break up the count and Dundee calls for the bell disqualifying Pain due to the interference. Yup, they crowned their first champion on a DQ finish! After Dundee hands Lawler the belt, the three KAW guys attack them both as the show goes off the air. I actually watched this one twice. First of all I’m not convinced that the venue is conducive for wrestling in the first place as the crowd always seems so quiet (don’t know whether they are or whether it’s the acoustics). As I was watching the opening brawl (which wasn’t bad), I kept thinking how this would come across better in the Memphis studios that Power Pro Wrestling use. From the moment Pain started to choke Lawler using the cable though, the match quickly went down the pan. Why did Dundee just leave the ring to chase aftrer Al K.? Why didn’t he DQ Pain? Lawler is a smart guy so why did he cover Bull when he knew the referee was down? I’m not a huge fan of restarts because more often than not the match is over soon after it’s been restarted (and that was the case here). The finish was beyond awful, especially as it was to crown the companies first champion. Lawler should’ve just got the pin after the piledriver and then been attacked by the Kick Ass crew. Worth watching for Lance Russell’s commentating and seeing him slowly get more and more annoyed with things, but that’s it.

Wolfie D is out with Havok and has some bad news, during the brawl earlier in the show, his buddy Brandon Baxter got beaten half to death. Dave Brown isn’t buying it and thinks that Brandon is just chicken and doesn’t want to be in this match. Wolfie says that he’s no chicken and someone did this to Brandon, probably Ali! When Dave tells him that Ali has already left, he claims someone did it because Brandon Baxter is back there all beaten up and he doesn’t tell a lie! The camera cuts to a bloodied Brandon layed out backstage and Dave says how he doesn’t look in very good shape. Wolfie wants an apology off Dave, only for Cory to tell him that Brandon got what he deserved. They’re both testing his patience, but because his buddy is hurt backstage he’s got to name a new partner and he’s naming Havok. Derrick King is blowing the whistle and Moondog Spot is carrying a trash can which he throws into the ring. Spot nails Havok with the garbage can and then King uses it on Wolfie. More garbage can shots, and Spot and Wolfie end up over by the announcing desk with the Moondog ramming Wolfie’s head into it. Wolfie uses a camera cable to choke Spot, while King and Havok go at it on the otherside of the arena. Back in the ring, not for long mind, and Spot waffles Wolfie some more with the garbage can. Spot uses an umbrella off one of the fans as a weapon until Wolfie snatches it off him. A step ladder is next to make its way into the match as Spot sets it up in the corner and whips Wolfie into it before delivering a soft looking clothesline for a two. Wolfie reverses an Irish whip and this time it’s Spot who crashes into it, chest first. The ladder continues to be used as a weapon with now King being whipped hard into it. Brandon Baxter is out and it transpires he faked the whole thing, used ketchup for blood and wasn’t hurt at all. He tells Dave and Cory that they can’t force him to do anything and heads to ringside however Dave says “we’ll see about that”. As Havok holds King, Baxter climbs to the top turnbuckle, but Dave has had enough of him, goes to the ring and shakes the top rope so Baxter falls and crotches himself. King with a schoolboy on Havok for the win and he and Spot are the PPW tag team champions. Real fun studio match and Wolfie’s strong start to the year continues with more verbal goodness too in the initial exchange with Dave Brown. Spot can’t do much except hit people over the head with a garbage, but what more do you want or expect from a Moondog! The Dave Brown interference for the finish was a ‘holy shit!’ moment as that’s the first time I can ever recall him getting involved in a match. By the way, glad we’ve now got the rest of the year to enjoy.

This was scheduled as a ‘no-DQ handicap match’ and everyone was kept in the dark over who Triple H’s partner would be. Kane is out first and in the ring when HHH makes his entrance. No partner and he’s all alone except for Stephanie. X-Pac’s music plays and here he comes (accompanied by a neckbrace wearing Tori), with Jim Ross quite excited thinking Kane will handle him with ease. It’s all a ploy though, as they get halfway down the runway, stop and the Big Show’s music starts. Kane tries to get the jump on his opponents, tossing HHH into the ring whilst he’s doing his water blowing entrance. He’s able to keep Big Show and X-Pac out of there to begin with, however a chokeslam attempt is cut off by a Big Show double axe handle. Show’s punches are looking bad and pulled here. He telegraphs a backdrop and Kane with a big right. It’s not long before Show’s back in charge after reversing an Irish whip and landing a chokebomb. A high knee and an elbow drop by HHH for a two. DDT for another close count. Kane starts to fire back and takes Triple H’s head off with a clothesline. Big boot to ‘The Game’ and Big Show is in but Kane floors him with a flying clothesline. As he signals for the tombstone (on Show!), HHH with a low blow. Show with a side slam and X-Pac hands Triple H a steel chair. He goes for a ‘pedigree’ on the chair when here comes The Rock, sprinting to the ring only to be immediately met with a chokeslam from the Big Show. Kane counters the pedigree with a backdrop and now X-Pac is in there helping out his buddies. Cactus Jack’s music plays and he’s the next man out. It’s the fastest I’ve seen Cactus run for quite a while, and he goes straight for Triple H, not wanting to wait for No Way Out. Show sets Kane up for a powerbomb, Rock’s back to his feet and cracks him in the back with a chair. One chokeslam later and Kane is victorious. Cactus uses a wrench to clear the ring and as a result of getting the win, Kane now gets a match against X-Pac at No Way Out. This didn’t do much for me and I found it quite dull up until The Rock and Cactus Jack’s involvement (although the opening swerve with Show being revealed as the parner was smartly done). One thing that I don’t understand is why, in a no-DQ match, are Triple H and the Big Show behaving as though it’s a regulation tag match? Make the most of your advantage! Why is one of them waiting on the apron to be tagged in to the match? If the match it no-DQ you wrestle it that way. I know the stipulation was required for the finish with Rock and Cactus’ interference, but I find it infuriating having a stipulation like that and then the participants not ‘using’ it. As a bit of comic relief, Cactus’ charge and shoulderblock on Tori when he was jogging to the ring was pretty funny.

Jerry Lawler informs us that the Big Show is in Hawaii on vacation and not in the arena tonight. Hmmm… Benoit with a clotheseline that puts a stop to Rock’s early onslaught and I like how he sells his own arm shaking it out. Snap suplex followed by a backbreaker for two. Rock reverses an Irish whip and a swinging neckbreaker for a two of his own. Eddy Guerrero hooks the Rock’s ankle and Benoit fells him with a back elbow. Eddy continues to get in some shots behind the ref’s back before the combatants go at it on the outside and Benoit hammerlocks the Rock and rams him shoulder first into the ring post. Chair shot to the back as Earl Hebner is pre-occupied with Guerrero. ‘The Crippler’ with a cross armbar but he’s not able to fully extend the Rock’s arm so gives up on it. Hard knife edge chops, Rock then reverses another Irish whip and levels Benoit with a clothesline. Benoit ducks a right and hits a belly to back suplex. DDT by the Rock and a cover, but Guerrero is up on the apron and again distracting the referee. The Rock’s had enough and drops Eddy with a big right. ‘Crippler crossface’ but Rock is able to inch his way to the ropes for the break as JR screams how there’s no counter for the hold. Rock fires back with a Samoan drop for a two. Spinebuster and a clothesline which sends Benoit over the top rope to the floor. Rock follows him out and as Guerrero has the official’s attention, here comes the Big Show (didn’t think he was in Hawaii!) who paws Rock in the face. He throws him back inside, German suplex and Hebner, after what felt like an eternity, sees what’s going on and counts the pin. Rock chases up the runway after the Big Show, however Benoit and Guerrero are on hand to help him out. They drag him back to the ring and Benoit with a diving headbutt as they leave the Rock laying. Another good Benoit outing although this one didn’t grab me as much as the Triple H or Rikishi ones (the latter got rated lower purely due to the length of the match and schmozz finish). It’s been some fortnight for Benoit: visual tap on the World champion (Triple H), gets the pin in the ten man tag, goes toe to toe and made to look strong in a match against the hottest new act (Rikishi) and then a pin over one of the biggest stars ever (Rock). They’ve put the guy over huge. Impressive stuff from Guerrero (with his facials, selling, interference and that apron bump) at ringside too who has managed to stay relevant even with the elbow injury.

Benoit takes it to Rikishi right away with his trademark knife edge chops. Irish whip is reversed, Samoan drop and Benoit rolls to the floor. There’s no safety for him out there as Rikishi whips him into the ring steps. Back inside and Benoit with a drop toe hold and a nice dropkick to the head of his floored opponent. Rikishi squashes Benoit in the corner, signals for the ‘Rikishi Driver’ however Benoit is able to escape. ‘Crippler crossface’ but Rikishi manages to scramble to the ropes to break the hold. Awesome Northern Lights suplex on Rikishi! He counters a sleeper with one of his own, only for Benoit to hit a belly to back suplex on him. Diving headbutt is missed and Rikishi with a thrust kick. Belly to belly suplex, and as he drags Benoit over to the corner for the Bonzai splash the Radicalz are out for the DQ. Too Cool make the save, and after clearing the ring the three of them all dance. We didn’t get much, but we got enough to know that these two could have a hell of a match if given longer. Similar to Benoit’s match with Triple H, very physical again and there was no holding back on those chops Benoit was delivering. The Northern Lights and belly to back spots were the standout moments, just seeing a guy Benoit’s size getting Rikishi up for them (the Northern Lights especially).

Quick promo from Cactus as he says that they’re just 17 days away from the biggest night of his career at No Way Out, and while tonight it might not be ‘Hell in the Cell’, it will be hell to pay in Austin, TX! A ludicrously loud pop for The Rock when he makes his entrance and there’s no messing around here as the four of them get it on straight away. Cactus beats Road Dogg down in the corner and Gunn tries to help his partner but Cactus gets in there first. Rock takes it to Mr Ass until he reverses a whip to the corner and hits a running bulldog. The Outlaws ascendancy doesn’t last for long and a Samoan drop on Dogg for two. When Gunn kicks Rock in the back from a reversed Irish whip, Rock responds with a right that sends Mr Ass flying from the apron to the arena floor, however the distraction allows Road Dogg to nail him with a boot to the face. Road Dogg with a series of jabs, he shouldn’t have had a little dance though, as Rock blocks a right and fires back with some of his own. DDT, Gunn is in to break up the pin, but Rock moves and he lands an elbow drop on his own partner. He tosses Mr Ass over the top rope to the floor, ‘Rock Botton’ on Road Dogg and Gunn pulls the official out the ring at two to stop the count. Cactus heads around the ring to get at Gunn and Earl does his best to try and regain some order, ushering Cactus back to his corner. With the official otherwise engaged though, Mr Ass picks up one of their tag belts and nails Rock with it. Great near fall as Rock kicks out at the last moment and the Outlaws can’t believe it. Double clothesline and both men are down. Rock with the tag to Cactus and he’s running roughshot over the Outlaws. The match breaks down with everyone fighting on the arena floor and Rock drops Mr Ass throat first across the barricades. Cactus pulls out a pipe from under the ring and clocks Road Dogg with it. He covers him but pulls him up at the count of two, not yet finished dishing out the punishment. Piledriver and this time he lets the referee complete the count as he and the Rock come out on top. Real good TV match here with an electric crowd. Billy Gunn in particular was flying and bumping all over the place for Rock’s offense. I liked the continuation from Monday’s ten man, with Cactus using a pipe on the Road Dogg after the Outlaws had attacked him and his partners with pipes at the end of that match. Cactus lifting up his opponent to dish out punishment was also a nice touch in the lead up to the ‘Hell in the Cell’ match, with Jerry Lawler picking up on it and calling Cactus ‘sick’ and worrying for Triple H who has got to go in the cell with him.

They’ve taken to describing the Dudleys as ‘sick’. We get a recap from Monday night of the tag title bout and of the Dudleys match against the Godfather & D-Lo Brown where they were about to put the EMT, Barbara Bush, though a table until Edge & Christian came to her aid. Double dropkick to both Dudleys and a double shoulderblock gets Bubba out of there. Double flapjack on D-Von and Christian with a Russian legsweep for an early two. Nice neckbreaker off the turnbuckles by D-Von after Bubba had distracted Christian. Huge back bodydrop from Bubba as the Dudleys start to take control. ‘Wassup’ behind the referee’s back and D-Von with a flying elbow. Bubba whips Christian to the corner, but when he charges at him Christian gets a foot up and then hits a tornado DDT. Tag to Edge who takes it to the Dudleys. Bubba with a reversal on an Irish whip and he holds on lifting Edge up for a Samoan drop, however drops him and clutches at his knee. As Bubba rolls to the outside Christian with a diving sunset flip off the top to D-Von. He fights it but an Edge missile dropkick enables Christian to complete the move and give them the victory. Bubba is on the arena floor and looks in agony going “oh please, not now!” The referee calls for some help for him and the EMTs are out and lift him on to a stretcher. Bubba says “it’s my knee, it’s my knee” and when D-Von asaks him if it hurts, his demeanour immediately changes and says “no it doesn’t hurt” and grabs Barbara Bush. D-Von sets up a table in the ring and Bubba powerbombs her off the top through it. Edge & Christian return to help B.B., but Bubba is in an almost trance like state after what he’s just done and doesn’t even notice them. D-Von absolutely cracks Christian over the head with a chair and a bunch of officials (including Sgt. Slaughter) are down to try and get the Dudleys out of there. Match was fine, but the post-match angle was outstanding. I genuinely thought Bubba had hurt himself so it was an awesome sell job from him. As it was, it was all a rouse so he could get his hands on the EMT to put her through the table. There was a heavy emphasis in the announcing, and also with the camera focussing on Bubba’s face, that he was getting some sort of sexual kick out of putting her through the table. Heavy stuff with Bubba prepared to sacrifice the match just so he satisfy this kink.

Terry Funk vs Norman Smiley As Hulk Hogan is being led away by the cops we see Terry Taylor talking to Terry Funk, and Taylor says how Norman is nervous to fight him tonight and that he’s not in the ring, he’s in catering. The Funkers heads to catering and when he asks if anyone has seen Norman Smiley, every one of them is only happy to point in his direction. Funk heads to the bathroom and asks if Norman is in here and a scream answers that one! Funk kicks down the cubicle door and gets hold of Smiley to get this one underway. They make their way into catering, with Funk letting a fire extinguisher off in Smiley’s face and emptying a fridge of cold drinks onto him. Funk fires Norman through the kitchen hatch, crawls through after him, but Smiley dowses him with water and hurls a plastic bin at his head. He levels him with a cookie sheet and throws him in the trash (with the Funker ending up upside down in it). They continue their tour around backstage and Funk cracks Smiley over the head with a laptop three times before going for the first pin of the match. Norman climbs a ladder (I think to try and escape), but ends up clutched to a pipe on the ceiling. Funk wallops him with a chair and he loses his grip falling through a table that Funk had set up underneath. Smiley with a chair shot to the head and he drags the Funker to the ring, repeatedly clocking him over the head with it as they go. They finally make it to the ring and Smiley continues to use the chair as a weapon. He thinks he’s got Funk worn out enough to do ‘the big wiggle, however the Funker picks up the chair and swings it backwards over his own head and cracking Norman with it. Funk pulls out some ladders from under the ring but then gets jumped by Dustin Rhodes. Hard chair shot to the head and a piledriver on the chair by Dustin. He climbs the turnbuckles and goes to hit him with it again, this time though Funk gets a foot up. Funk hits Norman with the ladder, drops it on him and then covers Screaming Norman on the arena floor to become the new Hardcore champion. Entertaining in places but not a good match. They have a trip around the backstage area, hit each other with weapons and that is pretty much it. The chair shots were overkill and not sure what was going on with the Dustin Rhodes interference? It looks like Dustin was perhaps supposed to fall into the ladder after Funk got his foot up but they messed the spot up (which the crowd picked up on by their groans come laughter).

Hansen worked opposite David in a couple of six man tags in Florida in June '82.

X-Pac heads to the ring with Tori and he’s soon followed by The Radicalz. He steps outside to grab a chair but Saturn tells him that they’re not here to cause trouble. He says last week they showed up, tried to make a little noise, they tried to make an impact, but more than anything they wanted a contract to wrestle in the WWF. Malenko says last Thursday they were given the chance to earn their way into the WWF, and while they were good, on that night they weren’t quite good enough. Guerrero thanks the fans for their support and Jerry Lawler wonders if they’re saying goodbye? Benoit then talks about how they came here to personally thank the man who made this opportunity possible, Cactus Jack. A rather solemn looking Cactus is out and gives them all a hug, when Triple H’s music plays. Asshole chants for Hunter! He tells Cactus that he makes him sick and his patience is starting to wear very thin of this whole situation. He couldn’t get the job done, they (the Radicalz) couldn’t get the job done and they’re still all in his face. It’s time to put the matter to rest, it’s gone on too long and it’s time to finish it once and for all. HHH proposes that they face each other one more time at No Way Out, but it will be Cactus’ last shot at him and his last shot at the WWF title. He gives Cactus the choice of whatever match he wants, with a few caveats, and Cactus chooses ‘Hell in the Cell’. After thinking it over Triple H agrees, but he wants Cactus’ career on the line. If he wins, Cactus Jack retires, and that includes Mick Foley, Dude Love, Mankind and Cactus Jack. Cactus says how in his 15 years in this business he’s done it all except main event Wrestlemania, so he’s going to add one final stipulation; if, no, when he wins, he goes on to defend the World title at Wrestlemania. No stipulations, no rematches, he defends the belt against the winner of The Rock and the Big Show. Triple H tells him that he has about twenty days left of his glorious career, and at ‘Hell in the Cell’ he’ll finish what he started. He goes on to say he takes whatever he wants, and right now he wants a piece of his ass! Hunter gets up on the apron and tells the Radicalz they can either get their asses out of the ring and save themselves a beating, or they can show their appreciation to the man that gave them the opportunity…to the man that gave them their contracts! The Radicalz jump Cactus and it’s four on one with Triple H directing things. They beat him down in the corner, bronco buster from X-Pac, Malenko and Saturn with a double suplex and a Benoit diving headbutt to finish things off. HHH tells Cactus that it’s the beginning of the end, hits a pedigree on him and they all leave him laying in the ring. Dressing room interview between Cactus and Michael Cole. Cole says how tonight Cactus goes into a five on two situation against HHH, X-Pac and the four men who stabbed him in the back. Cactus tells Cole not to count him out because for 25 years he’s been proving people wrong. He was fully prepared to go five on one, he didn’t ask for The Rock’s help but he’s not stupid enough to turn it down. Will it be enough? It’s going to have to be because he will get through tonight, he will get through ‘Hell in the Cell’ and he will go to Wrestlemania. This looks as though it’s going to be five on two, but just as Rock and Cactus enter the ring Rikishi’s music plays and he rushes out with Too Cool to even up the odds. Wild, action packed opening to proceedings with everyone getting it on. Rock suplexes HHH on the steel runway, Cactus and Benoit end up in the crowd before things appear to calm down with X-Pac and Grandmaster Sexay duking it out in the ring. Grandmaster with a ‘Rude Awakening’ neckbreaker, but he then misses a kneedrop off the middle. X-Pac tags out to Saturn, however GMS immediately catches him with a powerslam. Bulldog from Scotty and an early version of ‘The Worm’. Malenko knees him in the back off a reversed Irish whip and the distraction allows Saturn to hit a double underhook belly to belly. Heel kick from Malenko but Scotty counters the suplex attempt with a reverse suplex. Nice Samoan drop by Rikishi on Benoit. ‘The Crippler’ with a go behind, he tries to land a German but he can’t get Rikishi up, one strike to the back of the head later, and this time he manages it. Reversal of the whip to the corner sees Benoit go careering chest first into the turnbuckles and Rikishi with a belly to belly. Cactus unloads on Benoit, beating him down before making a beeline for Triple H. After a bit of help from his team mates, ‘The Game’ starts to get the better of things. Boot to the mid-section of X-Pac, swinging neckbreaker and he’s able to make the hot tag to The Rock. Spinebuster to Malenko, one for Benoit, ‘Rock Bottom’ to X-Pac and Triple H is in to break up the pin. He goes for the pedigree on Rock but Rikishi levels him with a thrust kick and Saturn evens things up with one for The Rock. Rock cuts off the bronco buster with a clothesline and tags the Grandmaster. Legdrop off the top but he gets tripped by Guerrero while dancing in celebration and that distraction gives X-Pac the chance to nail him with a spinning heel kick. High knee by HHH, big clothesline by Saturn as they focus their efforts on GMS. He ducks a double clothesline from Benoit and Malenko and counters their backdrop attempt with a double DDT. Hotter than hot tag to Cactus Jack and the match quickly breaks down with everyone fighting each other. As the ring begins to clear, Triple H with a pedigree on Grandmaster Sexay and Benoit with the diving headbutt for three. Even though the match is over the fight shows no sign of stopping and now the New Age Outlaws are out with weapons which they uses to lay out The Rock and co. The lights in the arena go out and Paul Bearer is out followed by Kane who heads straight to the ring, seven on one odds don’t bother the ‘Big Red Machine’! They all pinball for him, chokeslam on Saturn, one for Mr Ass and order is finally restored as the show goes off the air. The opening interview was tremendous with Triple H sticking with Cactus on the mic every bit of the way, in fact I thought he was out doing him until Cactus came back with about how he’s achieved everything in his career he ever wanted bar main eventing Wrestlemania. They way they slowly built things to we got the ‘career on the line’ stipulation was first class, and then we get the coup de grace of The Radicalz turning on Cactus to cement their place in the WWF. The match itself was all action, fast paced and everyone got a chance to shine with crowd heat that was off the charts. The lone negative was Stephanie who was atrocious on commentary for the duration. Nevertheless it’ll take something pretty special to beat this as for WWF TV match of the year.

Just as the bell rings the Dudleys are out and have a slow walk to ringside. The two of them join Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross at the announcer’s desk and Bubba proceeds to spend the entire match getting in JR’s face about him calling them ‘the damn Dudleys’. Christian ducks under a crossbody, drop toe hold and a pair of nice armdrags. Plancha to the floor on Road Dogg which the camera only just catches as the producer is more interested in showing us Bubba intimidating JR. Gorilla press slam by Gunn. Edge with a spinning heel kick to the Dogg for two. Dogg then reverses an Irish whip, Gunn hooks his ankle and pulls him to the outside where he rams his head into the ring steps. The Outlaws work over Edge and a jackhammer from Gunn for a near fall. ‘Stinger splash’, the Outlaws go for a double belly to back, but Edge flips over and a double neckbreaker to both. Tag to Christian who takes it to the NAO. A clothesline sends Mr Ass over the top rope to the floor, reverse DDT to Dogg and Gunn is able to get back in the ring in time to break up the pin. Edge with a spear, but Dogg then sidesteps a Christian charge and he goes shoulder first into the ringpost. As Edge and Gunn go at it on the outside and the ref is having words with Road Dogg, Bubba senses an opportunity and an ‘Ace Crusher’ from the apron across the top rope to Christian. Road Dogg with a pump handle slam and the New Age Outlaws retain. As Bubba gets in the face of JR post-match, he’s attacked by Edge and they briefly go at it before the Dudleys high tail it out of there. I’m in the Loss camp with this one. Christian was the clear standout here and the two teams worked well together, even though you know what you are getting when it comes to the Outlaws. Quality near fall off the reverse DDT which the crowd totally bought. Not sure why as the Dudleys on commentary should’ve been a red light that they’re going to get involved at some point. I thought they both did a good job with D-Von the saner, composed one and Bubba as the crazy, intimidating one, a character he can certainly pull off. The camera missing that plancha was very un-WWF like and the cameras in general spent more time concentrating on the Dudleys than you would expect.

Jerry Lawler is a bit concerned for HHH because with DX having already defeated the Radicalz 2-0, in a situation like this Chris Benoit has got nothing to gain and nothing to lose. The two of them are nose to nose exchanging words before this one has even begun. They trade shoves, Benoit blocks a right and replies with one of his own which floors his opponent. Hunter rushes him and Benoit slaps on the crossface with ‘The Game’ wisely scrambling out and rolling to the outside. Knife edge chops by Benoit and a vicious looking elbow smash. Snap suplex and again HHH takes to the floor, but this time ‘the Crippler’ nails him with a baseball slide dropkick. He beats on him on the outside until a drop toehold sends Benoit head first into the ring steps. Triple H then whips him into the steps for good measure too. High knee for two and Lawler says how Benoit was the best the boys in Atlanta had as he was their champion and never lost the title either. Benoit starts to fire back and a clothesline drops ‘the Game’. Belly to back suplex for two. ‘The Cripper’ whips HHH chest first into the turnbuckles and three rolling belly to belly suplexes. He heads up top for the diving headbutt, but while Earl Hebner is checking on Hunter he then shoves him into the ropes causing Benoit to lose his balance. Superplex and Benoit kicks out at two. Benoit counters the pedigree with a double leg grab and then slingshots Hunter into the corner, only for Earl to be again in the way and he gets squashed by ‘the Game’. ‘Crippler crossface’, HHH taps but the referee is down. He goes to check on Hebner (who looks like he’s having a heart attack) and when Hunter comes for him he slaps the hold on a second time. This time though it’s too close to the ropes and HHH is able to force a break. Diving headbutt and Earl’s groggy again! Slow count and Triple H gets the shoulde up at the last second. Low blow, pedigree and it’s a clean sweep for DX. Comfortably the best match of the three in this series tonight. A much more physical match than you would normally expect from Triple H too, almost as if he’s trying to prove he can hang with Benoit. If Benoit wasn’t ever going over here they did everything they can to make him look strong, especially with the visual tap to the crossface while the official was down. Talking of officials I’d forgot how much I hate those contrived Earl Hebner bumps and we get two of the bloody things here!

Pre-match backstage interview from The Rock with Kevin Kelly, where Kelly explains that the Big Show has got his wish and will face Rock at No Way Out, with the winner going on to face the WWF champion at Wrestlemania. Rock tells him not to concern himself with The Rock’s business and go and get a glass of ‘shut up juice’ from the back! He then congratulates the Big Show, as for after all his whining and complaining he’s finally got another shot at The Rock. At No Way Out though he promises he’s going to layeth the smacketh down on his candy ass, and after Wrestlemania he’s walking out and going down in history as the best WWF heavyweight champion there ever was. Angle cuts a local promo to the crowd and how they are all upset with him because their Olympic hero suffered his first loss on Monday night at the hands of The Rock. It’s alright though and it’s why he’s glad to be here, because if there was ever a town that can relate to losing, it’s Detroit, MI! Kurt rushes at Tazz the moment he steps through the ropes and the two of them trade blows. Rock is out about 30 seconds later and makes a beeline straight for Angle. Clotheslines for both and a punch to Tazz’s balls! Angle reverses an Irish whip, keeps hold of Rock’s arm and an overhead belly to belly. Tazz and Kurt then team up to put the boots to him. That doesn’t last long though, as Angle with a lariat that Tazz ducks under and he nails him with a head and arm Tazzplex. Rock with a clothesline on Tazz before tossing Kurt over the top rope to the floor. The three of them go at it on the outside and amongst the crowd. Irish whip reversal by Tazz and Rock collides with Angle who was up on the apron and attempting to get back in the ring. Lovely Northern Lights suplex for two. Angle saves Tazz from a ‘Rock Bottom’ but he responds by slapping the ‘Tazzmission’ on him. This time it’s Rock with the save and all three are showing the effects of the match. Rock unloads on Angle in the corner, DDT to Tazz, spinebuster on Kurt and ‘Rock Bottoms’ to both. As he covers Angle, Big Show is out and pulls Rock from the ring. Show’s had his hair cut! He attacks Rock on the outside and Angle is able to drape an arm over Tazz to get the win and hand Tazz his first loss in the WWF. Show ends up leaving Rock laying after a chokeslam on the arena floor. Good stuff here and Tazz didn’t look out of place at all in this company. I’m going to be interested to see how quickly he starts slipping down the card from here, or even if this was the start of it. The result, unless they were doing a schmozz, seemed obvious though as you shouldn’t be pinning Rock in the lead up to No Way Out, and Angle just lost on Monday. Talking of No Way Out, I’m getting a bit fed up of Big Show’s interference. You’ve got your match at the PPV Show, stop disrupting the matches now!