GSR

Raven wins with the Even Flow DDT in about three minutes. He did pull out a Cactus clothesline and a Russian legsweep into the barricade but not the most exciting or memorable of enhancement matches. Jones hit a nice swinging neckbreaker although that was really it for him. This is a pretty “Jakked” episode of Jakked as we also have Donovan Morgan, Robert Thompson and Christopher Daniels doing some enhancing, the latter going against Jerry Lynn.

First round in the ARS tournament match, the action joined in progress. Hamada’s left shoulder is heavily taped, so the story here is Yagi going after that. As we join them Yagi has got an armbar locked in, Hamada picking her opponent up and slamming her way out of the submission. Hamada goes upstairs, however Yagi is up and punches that shoulder to stop her in her tracks before arm dragging her to the mat. Now she’s going after Hamada’s other arm, crowbarring that one. Hamada shakes off the shotgun missile dropkick and a quick hammerfist puts a stop to the attempted flying armbar. The targeting of those arms appears to be paying dividends, although eventually Hamada does manage to hit a spinning powerbomb for a near fall. Another armbar attempt by Yagi. Hamada with a leg scissors take down into this awesomely crazy Lucha submission where she has Yagi all tied up and stretched out. After Yagi gets to the ropes, Hamada sits her up top and drives her face first into the canvas for the three and to advance to the next round.

This was uploaded to YouTube, I’m assuming by an official Wildside account, although it has no date bar a Friday night show in 2001. Wrestlingdata only has a handful of results for Sapp in Wildside, the majority of which are in January, so the best bet is that this is from the same month. It will certainly be from the first few months of the year anyway, when Wildside was used as a developmental territory for WCW, where the Power Plant trainees and guys like 3 Count, Jindrak, O’Haire etc. would work house shows to get more experience. Onyx isn’t the tallest as it is but he looks like a midget next to Sapp. He tries to charge him but gets levelled by a bad looking clothesline. “Beast, Beast, Beast” chant for Sapp. After bouncing off him Onyx calls for a time out and starts dancing, Sapp doing the running man in response. Blimey, dance contests in 2001! A dropkick to the knee takes Sapp off his feet, Onyx then stomping and repeatedly kicking away at him. He does make a cover but gets pressed off with authority. Sapp gets back up and the end is nigh, a clubbing overhand dropping Onyx followed by a pair of elbows and finally a falling headbutt. I’m sure it was inevitable that Sapp would have eventually made it to WCW TV, although on the evidence of this who knows when that would be. He’s got bucket loads of charisma but he’d be the worst guy on the roster by someway based on what we saw here.

Taken from Impacto Total television and the action already underway. Dutch Mantel is managing Singh and he’s doing a full on Arab gimmick complete with traditional clothing and turban. It’s so strange to see and a 180 from the Western ‘Dirty’ Dutch we’re used to. Banderas blocks a powerbomb on the wooden floor and then picks up a chair Singh had originally used against him, bringing it down across his back. The crowd were hot for that. Back in the ring Singh is on his knees pleading for mercy. Banderas misses a high frog splash off the top. Dutch passes his man a second chair but before he gets a chance to use it Banderas dropkicks it into his face and small packages him for the win. Mantel attacks Ricky after the match, his shots have no effect whatsoever though, and he ends up trapped in a Scorpion Deathlock. Zarruxx the Mummy and someone I don’t recognise comes to Dutch’s rescue leading to a shirt and tie wearing Victor the Bodyguard out to help Banderas. Victor ends up busted open, the four on two odds too many, his white shirt getting covered in blood. Chicky Starr manages to placate things seemingly having a foot in both camps. I don’t speak Spanish so have no idea what he and Victor are saying to each other, however even not understanding the language Chicky is engrossing with his delivery, especially when he wipes Victor’s blood down his own face for some reason.

Golden jumps Onyx from behind as he’s greeting the fans on his entrance. Onyx is paying the price for getting on the wrong side of Jeff G. Bailey, someone who is already in a “salty” mood due to Al Getz being back on the scene. A dropkick sends Golden the floor where he looks to get some advice, and possibly a new game plan, from Jeff G. He drags Onyx out with him, however Onyx ducks his shots, slugs Bailey and then gives the pair a noggin knocker. As they return to the ring Onyx telegraphs a backdrop and Golden lands an elbow to the back of the neck. Did we ever find out if he was related to the Welch/Fuller/Golden family? The commentators are back at it with that again. Golden distracts the referee to Bailey can choke him over the middle rope. Discus lariat. He heads upstairs but jumps into a raised Onyx boot. Onyx is on the charge and as he hits his Black Out implant DDT finisher, Bailey signals for some help from the dressing room. Suicidal Tendencies, Adam Jacobs and John Phoenix rush out, attacking Onyx for the DQ. A number of lower card wrestlers/trainees try to make the save but they’re being kept at bay by the Cole twins who’re keeping guard. 450 splash by Phoenix. Wow, through the crowd comes a returning A.J. Styles just as the show goes off the air.

Robbie Rage is the former one half of High Voltage, while Omen was under a WCW developmental contract, although never made television. Both are physical specimens. The match is for Rage’s Television title. It’s noted that Rage has just come back from a tour of New Japan where he teamed with Don Frye and to put over his “shoot” pedigree they talk of him making UFC champion Randy Couture tap out twice, even if it wasn’t in competition! Rage with a nice leg scissors takedown into a kneebar that forces Omen to go to the ropes early. Spinning leg trip by Omen. He then does that same leg scissors into a kneebar that Rage did on him. A great overhead belly to belly from the champion. High knee. Omen reverses the whip to the corner, picks Rage up and slams him to the mat. Snap suplex. A double clothesline sees both men go down. Rage is to his feet first and hits an Oklahoma Stampede. He lands an exploder but Omen kicks out of the cover. The challenger catches him with a powerslam for a near fall as the match goes one way and then the other. Rage reverses the Irish whip and looks as though he hooks Omen for a DDT only to roll through into a Misawa facelock. They’re too close to the ropes, however Rage with an immediate gut wrench and then he’s back at it with the same hold, this time Omen verbally submitting as his arms were trapped. The two former Power Plant graduates embrace post-match in a showing of mutual respect. An interesting, if at times clunky, watch. The commentators were trying to portray this as if it was “shoot style”, but it was more traditional pro wrestling with shoot style elements thrown in. Rage was someone who Paul Heyman was high on and you can see potential in he and Omen, although they could both do with losing some muscle mass.

I hope this is better than the last time these two met in the Combat Zone. Zandig wants to see some real blood and wonders if the people want to see the most hardcore match in the history of wrestling? That’s some brag John! He says that this isn’t no gimmicked barbed wire like his (Dreamer’s) boy the Sandman used in Atlanta, this is for real, he’s for real and tonight Tommy Dreamer is going to find out how real CZW is! John House hasn’t seen Dreamer anywhere and doubts he’s even here. Of course he is and he’s not waiting for the ring crew to finish wrapping the barbed wire around the ropes. Hangman’s neckbreaker. Zandig gets backdropped over the top rope and over the bar that is next to the ring, already bleeding when he comes up. Dreamer takes him on a walk around the building but it’s another of those typical ECW walk ’n’ brawls we’ve seen plenty of, although he does get snap suplexed on the floor at one point. They continue out through the Emergency Exit and into the car park where Zandig crotches Dreamer across the hand railing. “C-Z-fucking-W!” The action returns inside, Dreamer taking a chair to Zandig’s arm which he had trapped in a second chair and bent around the ring post. Z-Barr grabs Dreamer’s leg allowing Zandig to take over. Testicular claw! As the two trade punches Gargiulo compares what we’re witnessing to Ali vs Frazier! Those nasty chair shots to the arm have played no subsequent part in the match by the way, being forgotten about immediately. After a low blow Zandig ends up tied in the Tree of Woe, a steel chair placed in front of him. Despite Z-Barr’s pleads for mercy the chair gets dropkicked into his face. DDT onto the chair. “E-C-fucking-W!” Jun Kasai shows up, who we’re informed is part of CZW Japan. His sledges have no effect on Dreamer but he does end up catching him with a DDT. Delayed Falcon Arrow by Zandig, who even keeps Dreamer held up with just the one arm while he flips off some fans. They set up a table, which doesn’t break when Kasai comes off the top with a splash, so resort to bridging it upright in the corner and whipping Dreamer through it instead. Justice Pain and the Wifebeater are out, Zandig getting Choke-N-Steined onto some light tubes. Jeez, Justice with a release German suplex on Kasai into even more light tubes. The mat is just covered with broken glass. Dreamer takes care of Z-Barr while in the ring Beater wraps Zandig in barbed wire and he and Pain then take it in turns to wallop Kasai with chairs. When Beater starts raking the barbed wire across Zandig’s forehead even Eric Gargiulo has seen enough, wanting some help out there. Justice lets everyone know that the H8 Club is back and tells Zandig that he runs this fucking company now. Dreamer says he’s seen a lot of sick shit but this blows ECW out of the door and that Zandig is more fucking extreme than he could ever be. Ever the worker, Tommy knowing which side his bread is buttered for the time being. Loud “C-Z-Dub” chant for those comments. Doug Gentry gets a close up of Kasai’s back as he exits the ring, absolutely shredded from that German into the light tubes. Zandig closes by challenging the three of them to a match on this Saturday’s show, guaranteeing the outcome will be different next time. It looks like the match just ended, so another non-finish in CZW. The final few minutes from when Wifebeater and Justice came out was crazy, up until that point though it was another half-hearted Tommy Dreamer effort. The match loses even more points for another non-finish in a main event.

Tazz is confident that these two will tear it up here and put on a wrestling clinic. We get the WWF version of a ‘stand off’, and although you see a couple of fans get to their feet to give them a round of applause most are just blasé about it. Malenko rolls through on the Lynn sunset flip out of the corner, but as he tries for the Texas Cloverleaf the champion cradles him up. Deep, deep powerslam by Malenko. Lynn transitions to a sunset flip off the crucifix after first ducking a clothesline, they then run through the fabled Malenko/Guerrero sequence of pinfall attempts and reversals. That does get a slight murmur from the crowd who are still on the whole fairly indifferent to these two. Tazz talks about how he thought he was in Tijuana whilst he was watching that. Malenko with a suicideplex, Lynn cradling him on landing for a near fall. He looks for a Victory Roll but Malenko sits him in the top turnbuckle to block it. Lynn with a right hand to stun the challenger and a leaping tornado DDT sees him retain the strap. Dull. Lynn hasn’t gotten over one iota in the WWF and comes across very bland while Malenko is even worse. At this stage I’d just have Lynn go full on heel, not this slight tweener act he’s been playing, give the fans some reason to care about his matches or care about seeing his title potentially being ripped away from him.

It’s all a bit easy for the ‘Lethal Weapon’ so he demonstrates a few one arm push ups after a flying shoulderblock. He runs through Nana with a double chop and now onto some clap push up. Nana gets his feet up on the Vader bomb and then floors Blackman with a clothesline. I don’t know if there has been any sweetening of the audio but the Prince is garnering a fair bit of heat. He tries some one handed press ups of his own, only to collapse to the mat! Blackman throws him over the top rope to the outside before dragging him up onto the apron and driving him into the ring steps. Back in the ring and Nana is backing off. A big kick is the set up for the Dragon sleeper and the Prince taps. Nana makes up for a clear lack of ability with personality and between him and Steve Blackman’s cool array of kicks this was a fun little watch.

I think the only people missing are Dean Malenko and Essa Rios, which goes to show how little depth there is to the WWF’s Light Heavyweight division that when you have a Fatal Four-Way match it features two-thirds of said division. At least everyone was afforded an introduction here, unlike on Smackdown. What they weren’t afforded though was much time. All action for the couple of minutes it lasts, although that action primarily consisted of one man going for a pin and then another man breaking it up at two. After Lynn backdrops the Grandmaster over the top rope to the outside onto Taka he’s left all alone with Crash and immediately hits a high impact DDT for the win. He puts the boots to him post-match, continuing these slight heelish traits he’s been showing since he debuted in the WWF.

A pretty sizeable ovation for Tajiri in this dark match, getting both “E-C-W” and “Tajiri” chants. Funaki has Taka Michinoku with him and they do the dubbed interview with some lame comedy about how Tajiri is not Japanese and is in fact from New Jersey, because if he was Japanese he would be like Kaientai and would be “evil”. Funaki gets backdropped out onto the apron where Tajiri kills him with this awesome kick, Taka selling that too by holding his face. Nice spinning heel kick followed by a standing moonsault. The crowd are “Ooh-ing” after everything Tajiri does at the moment. Funaki catches him with a pretty shoddy looking reverse crossbody off the middle. Tajiri with the handspring elbow after being whipped into the ropes. He ties Funaki in the Tree of Woe, getting a loud response from the crowd as he encourages them, and then nails him with a baseball slide, leading to more “E-C-W” chants. Rude Awakening neckbreaker for a near fall. Seated abdominal stretch, Tajiri smacking Funaki on the ass, the ‘making fun of the opponent’ spot that always went down so well in ECW for him. The two trade chops in the middle and no need to say who came out on top there. Funaki ducks a clothesline and dumps Tajiri with a belly to back. He comes in for a double axe handle although leaves himself wide open for a kick to the chest followed by another to the side of the head. Tajiri sits him upstairs but Funaki blocks his shot and hits an inverted tornado DDT for the win. “Gotta show those ECW boys that what they did there means nothing when they get here to the big leagues.” Tajiri took the vast majority of the match here and I thought looked real good in doing so, even if maybe he did tone things down slightly from what he would do in ECW. No Tarantula though.

On first glance maybe not the sort of match I would choose to check out (i.e. something involving Billy Gunn), but this is the WWF TV debut of Randy Orton. I’m not sure if this ever aired in the U.S. as the versions on YouTube have it as a ‘Dark’ match, and there is no commentary track, although it definitely aired on Heat here in the U.K. and there is a version online from the German broadcast. Orton gets some entrance music and even cuts a promo to dissimilate him from your regular jobber, which the crowd most likely, having never seen him before, view him as. His promo was just the running down of a local sports team to garner some cheap and easy heat. Young Randall gets the jump before the bell as he looks to gain an early advantage. The Irish whip is reversed and Gunn with a drop toe hold as Orton starts to bump and fly about for him. He ducks to the floor for a bit of a breather but ends up getting his head slammed into the ring steps. Back inside he snatches a swinging arm and grabs Gunn for the full nelson slam. ‘The One’ sits out of it to escape, however Orton then lifts him up and pancakes him to the mat. He unloads with some punches from the mount before just blatantly choking him in front of the referee. A clothesline line gets him a two count. The attempted backdrop is telegraphed and Gunn takes over, landing a backdrop of his own followed by a powerslam. After a clothesline he keeps hold of the arm, lifts Orton back up to his feet and then plants him with the Love Gunn (Cobra clutch slam) for the win. A competitive match in which Orton looked good. We don’t have any OVW post-February at the time of writing, so it will be a case of retroactively watching that stuff later, but you can see clear improvement in Orton. He doesn’t look phased in this environment and it’s fairly obvious that the WWF has big things planned for him.

While he did face off against Grandmaster Sexay on Smackdown, the night after winning the Light Heavyweight title, Jerry Lynn was nowhere to be seen on Raw, instead being relegated to the Metal portion of the taping. We get some backstage words from the new champion who says that when he got the opportunity to be in the World Wrestling Federation he made a promise to himself to make an impact. Last week on Heat he did just that by capturing the Light Heavyweight title and now he’s going to take the belt to new levels Kevin Kruger was an early 90s WWF job guy so it’s a bit of a surprise to still see him wrestling in the same role a decade later. This is a title match by the way. A title match against a jobber! They begin with a bit of chain wrestling, Lynn looking suitably impressed by Kruger’s armdrag and offering him his hand as a way of appreciation. Lynn backs him into the turnbuckles on the lock up and as the ref is in to separate them, the champion gets the first shot in. Not cheap, but he didn’t give Kruger any time to think about things. Running lariat in the corner. He picks up a near fall off a backbreaker and again after a reverse DDT. As he argues the count with the official, Kruger schoolboys him for a two count of his own. Middle rope legdrop by Lynn. Single leg crab and Kruger crawls to the ropes for the break. He reverses the Irish whip but telegraphs the attempted backdrop, Lynn hitting a tornado DDT for the win. I think those new levels may not be the levels you had in mind Jerry!

The new Light Heavyweight champion gets the opportunity to defend it on one of the ‘A’ shows for the first time, although typical for the way they treat that belt his opponent, Grandmaster Sexay, doesn’t get an introduction and is already in the ring. Tazz talks about knowing Lynn well from their time in ECW together but is kinda shocked the way he hooked Crash by the trunks to win the title. Lynn gets not much in the way of a reaction from the crowd and continues to show these slight heelish tendencies that Tazz alluded to, attacking the challenger both from behind and before the bell. Michael Cole wonders if maybe it’s frustration on his part for it taking him so long to make it to the WWF. The Grandmaster stuns the champion with an enzuigiri and then throws him to the outside. Bulldog onto the metal rampway. As they return to the ring Lynn steps out the way of the shoulder barge and drops a leg to the back of GMS’ neck. Belly to back suplex. A lovely looking sunset flip out of the corner. After a sideslam he steals the Grandmaster’s goggles, puts them on, however misses a Hip Hop Drop of his own. GMS battles back and picks up a near fall following a scoop powerslam. Thrust kick, this time Lynn gets his foot over the bottom rope to break the count. He runs into a big boot but then blocks the Tornado DDT, countering with a Northern Lights suplex. There wasn’t much of a bridge on that mind. Lynn grabs a quick double leg takedown, flips over and puts his own feet over the ropes as he gets the pin. It hasn’t even been a week but it’s pretty safe to say that Jerry Lynn isn’t going to the saviour of the WWF’s Light Heavyweight division. I don’t think this added ‘win at all costs’ edge that they’ve given him is working either.

They’re still calling Jeff’s victory over Triple H a couple of week’s back when he won the Intercontinental title as the biggest upset in the history of Smackdown. After HHH is introduced out comes Steve Austin who joins Michael Cole and Tazz at the announcer’s desk. Stephanie, Jeff and Lita are all at ringside. ‘Stone Cold’ says how he is still getting people coming up to him at airports asking “Why ‘Stone Cold’ why?” admitting that he sold his soul to be the World Wrestling Federation champion but is happier now than he’s ever been in his life. He can’t wait until Judgment Day and the Undertaker needs to worry about his own business rather than his. Jeff with a running crossbody although that only gets him a one count. As Triple H starts to work over Hardy’s leg, through the crowd comes the Undertaker who attacks Austin with his chain. He manages to get a couple of shots in before ‘Stone Cold’ runs out of there and back to the dressing room. The commotion distracts HHH, who now has his back to his opponent, and Jeff dropkicks him, sending him through the ropes to the outside. Triple H steps out the way of the pescado as Jeff crashes and burns on the ringside mats. He drags him back inside, hits the Pedigree for the win and then sets off to the back to go and help his partner.

‘Stone Cold’ was originally scheduled to defend the World title against Kane, however as Mr McMahon is addressing the fans over last night’s events, cursing “each and every damn one of them” when they all cheered as he recapped Kane kicking Stephanie in the face, he’s interrupted by Linda McMahon who’s at WWF New York. They try to shoe horn and promote that place at every opportunity. The CEO thinks it isn’t fair that Kane has to wrestle when he’s in no physical condition to (his arm is still badly bruised and hurt). She says how she may be prepared to temporarily halt divorce proceedings - their lawyers are due to meet the end of the week - if certain events were to occur and strongly recommends that Kane has the night off. With Austin itching for a fight and intent on defending his title she then suggests he should defend against the Undertaker, the Chairman in no real position to overrule her. That doesn’t sit well with ‘Stone Cold’ who later has words with McMahon, letting him know that his divorce is affecting business and to get it sorted. Match time and the challenger is out first. ‘The Rattlesnake’s’ music plays but there is no sign of him, just as Jim Ross is wondering where he is we cut backstage to see he and Triple H launching a two man assault on Kane. Taker rushes off to help his younger ‘brother’ who is getting destroyed. He arrives and immediately throws HHH into the metal gate before setting his sights on the World champion. The two fight back towards the ring with Taker manhandling ‘Stone Cold’, the match apparently not yet official because they haven’t made it inside yet. Eventually they do, although it has barely got going when Triple H shows up with his sledgehammer. DQ in sixty seconds if that. Despite getting in the first shot, a low blow stops Taker in his tracks and then it’s all the ‘Two Man Power Trip’. HHH uses the sledgehammer while Austin is relentless with a metal chair. The shot to Taker’s head is particularly nasty, although the repeated blows he delivers to his back are hardly love taps. Kane staggers out to try and stop things but should’ve probably feigned being KO’d backstage. They immediately go after his arm, Triple H holding it in place on the ring steps so that ‘Stone Cold’ can bring the chair down on it time and time again. JR thinks he can hear bones snapping while this is all going on. There’s a real heinous feel to things, like Austin has totally lost the plot. I’ll say it again, he’s such a tremendous heel. Absolute carnage at the end with the ‘Brothers of Destruction’ laid out and Heyman saying how they’ve been destroyed. A great way to end the show.

Jonathan Coachman arrives at the Commissioner’s office as apparently he wanted to see him about something. With complete and utter contempt, the Commissioner questions why on earth would he want to see ‘him’? No, he summoned him here as he wanted to make an announcement. Even though he beat Chris Jericho in the ‘Duchess of Queensbury Rules’ match last night, Y2J’s actions against the Duchess were disgraceful. As a consequence of him taking her out of her element, he is going to take Jericho out of his, and is putting him in a Hardcore match against Rhyno. He then proceeds to tell the “blithering idiot” to “bugger off” and do his job! Commissioner Regal joins Jim Ross and Paul Heyman prior to this, Heyman sucking up like its nobodies business, even calling him “Sir”. The Commissioner doesn’t know how Chris Jericho dare show his face after besmirching the Duchess, “bloody appalling” is what it was! When JR insinuates that it wasn’t a real “Duchess”, it doesn’t go down too well. After Rhyno gets backdropped over the top rope to the outside, Ross thanks Regal for the appropriate action he took against ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin when he kicked his ass in front of his family in Oklahoma. Vince always out to humiliate JR in his home town for his own perverse pleasure. Regal, completely dead pan, says that he’s welcome and that it’s nice to be appreciated for once! Rhyno collects a bunch of weapons from the ring which he tosses inside, however as he climbs up onto the apron clutching a ‘Stop’ sign, Jericho nails him with a springboard dropkick sending it crashing into his own face. They make their way around ringside and to in front of the announcer’s desk where Y2J whips Rhyno into the ring steps. He picks up a chair, but then on seeing the Commissioner sat there it looks like he is about to change his mind and blast him with it instead. That momentary lapse allows Rhyno to rush him before he can in fact do anything. There are these three lads in the front row, shirts off wearing massive afros! Jericho gets whipped into the barricade, however he avoids the Rhyno charge who goes flying into it. Rhyno doesn’t half throw himself about and doesn’t hold anything back. A trash can is wedged between the top two turnbuckles, Rhyno running Y2J’s head into it and denting the can. He gets blasted with a chair when he heads upstairs and Jericho hits a top rope Frankensteiner, Rhyno landing on some chairs that Y2J had positioned only moments earlier. Edge & Christian are out, Christian letting off a fire extinguisher and in the confusion Rhyno gores Jericho for the win. Regal is beaming and very, very impressed with Rhyno. The Commissioner looks to dish out a bit of retribution of his own, but up on entering the ring and picking up the trash can, Jericho gets the first shot in. From there he flattens the can out on Regal, a bunch of refs try to contain him although struggle to do so. Regal is so awesome on commentary. A fun watch.

As unappealing as the X-Factor group is, I do find their music rather catchy. X-Factor walked away with the win over the Dudleys at Backlash although the feud looks to be continuing, Pac after a bit of revenge as he ended up getting 3D’d through a table last night, something he holds Spike responsible for. I doubt there has been too many times X-Pac has locked up with someone and overpowered them. Nice armdrag by Spike. Spinning headscissors. X-Pac puts a stop to the punches in the corner by lifting Spike up and then wiping him out with a spin kick. And I mean wiped him out! Spike escapes the rear chinlock but then runs into a sleeper. That gets reversed and Pac ends up dumping him with a belly to back, which is the exact same sequence/spot that Eddy Guerrero and Matt Hardy did on this past week’s Smackdown. Spike ducks a clothesline and connects on a flying headbutt to the chest, almost like a battering ram type maneuver. Huracanrana for a two. Pac goes to the eyes and a running shoulder charge sees Spike collapse in prime position for the Bronco Buster. He avoids that and comes off the top with a double foot stomp. Albert climbs up on the apron leading to Bubba going after him. Action continues inside at the same time, X-Pac blocking the Acid Drop and then hitting the X-Factor for the win.

Matt, fresh off his victory in the three-way at Backlash, tonight defends the European title against Edge, who was interfering freely last night in his efforts to help Christian. Big running lariat in the corner by Matt. He goes for a second but ends up running into a raised boot. Edge heads upstairs, where he is met by Matt, however he blocks the attempted suicideplex and front suplexes the champion across the top rope. Hardy falls to the floor, Edge then joins him out at ringside slamming his head into the barrier. Back inside Matt fires off some elbows after being sat on the top turnbuckle but fails to connect on the moonsault. High crossbody by Edge, Matt uses his momentum though to roll through for a near fall. DDT followed by an inverted atomic drop. Middle rope legdrop. Christian is up on the apron, distracting the referee, which brings Jeff around to take care of him. Matt turns around into a spear and as it looks like Edge has got this won, Jeff throws Christian into the ring at the referee to interrupt the count. I liked that. Edge wonders what Christian’s playing at, costing him the title, but as he tries to explain what just happened Matt shoves Edge in the back sending him clattering into his partner. Twist of Fate for the three, Christian unable to get there in time for the save. That was a really smart spot at the end of the match to break up the ref’s count.

The TV debut of Jerry Lynn. Jim Ross talks about some rumblings he heard earlier in the day of Lynn challenging Crash Holly for the Light Heavyweight title although doesn’t know if the challenge has been accepted. Paul Heyman notes that he is very familiar with Jerry Lynn (you don’t say Paul?) and says how he’s a former ECW champion and, in his opinion, one of the finest athletes ever from Minnesota. There’s a light “E-C-Dub” chant as Lynn grabs the ring mic. He says that judging by the response here in Chicago everyone knows what Jerry Lynn is all about before informing them that earlier today he challenged Crash Holly and thinks it’s about time that a born champion like him bought some respect to the Light Heavyweight title. Crash isn’t bothering to waste any time although gets caught with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Heyman brings up Lynn’s feud in ECW with Rob Van Dam as we get a much louder “E-C-Dub” chant. The champion ducks a clothesline and floors the challenger with two of his own followed by a dropkick. Powerslam. Crash forearms Lynn in the lower back and then stomps away on him. Nice Bow & Arrow submission. Lynn breaks free but Crash goes right back to work on that lower back. They run through a series of pinfall reversal and counters, Lynn ending up hooking the tights on a roll up to become the new Light Heavyweight champion. While not surprised with the outcome, JR was surprised with the way in which he won. Not the most auspicious of debuts for Lynn, even if he did get the win and the title. The match was nothing special and there was nothing in his arsenal to where, if you haven’t seen him before, you would know that he is actually a very good wrestler. Whilst not really a flyer, he didn’t do any dives and you’ve been kind of conditioned to expect that out of the Cruiserweights/Light Heavies. Obviously this is with hindsight knowing how his run went, but I would’ve been very concerned for him on the back of this match. He can get by for a bit on the ex-ECW rub, although he just comes across bland and as someone who’ll struggle to make a connection with the fans in this environment.

Some developments after Matt Hardy’s European title win. Edge & Christian went to see Commissioner Regal and managed to negotiate a European title match for Christian against Matt at Backlash. The Commissioner also added Eddy Guerrero, making it a three-way, knowing that it wouldn’t be long before he was knocking down his door wanting a rematch. With Raven originally scheduled, he ended up being moved across to face Rhyno, because as E&C says “he likes all that Hardcore stuff.” Test backdrops Rhyno over to the outside but ends up getting clotheslined across the top ropes as he reaches down to grab him. Rhyno collects a garbage can from under the ring which he wedges between the top two turnbuckles. He ends up taking two bumps into it mind, first after Test had reversed the Irish whip and second after Test sidestepped out the way of the gore. Thinking a breather is in order he ducks to the outside. Test follows him out however is unaware that Rhyno has got hold of a fire extinguisher which he uses to momentarily blind him. He whips Test into the ring steps and then swings a trash can lid into his head which sends him flying over the barricade and into the front row. The two fight their way through the crowd to the back of the arena. Test blocks a right hand and fires back with some of his own, Rhyno ending up in a shopping cart, which he runs into the wall before using to mow his opponent down. They continue backstage, an awesome Test big boot kicking another trash can lid into Rhyno’s face. As it looks like we’re about to have ourselves a new Hardcore champion Test is jumped by the Big Show. He picks Test up and throws him into the metal gate, at the same time intimidating a bunch of refs who have showed up. Rhyno crawls over to make the cover to retain a title he looked destined to lose. Show isn’t finished, chokeslamming Test on a bunch of wooden pallets to leave him lying.

Jeff Hardy, Lita, Perry Saturn and Terri all at ringside in the respective corners for this match. Eddy is still scheduled to defend the European title against Raven at this point, even though Backlash is only three days away now. Michael Cole plugs a Smackdown taping this Tuesday in Indianapolis, Tazz saying how he loves that place and has a big history there. Clueless Cole clearly has no idea what he’s referring to, Indianapolis being where Tazz beat Mike Awesome last year for the ECW World title when he was a WWF contracted wrestler and Awesome a WCW contracted one. Eddy with a drop toe hold that sends Matt crashing into the bottom turnbuckle. Suplex followed by a slingshot senton. Jeff and Lita are complaining to the official as Eddy steps on Matt’s throat. Keylock submission. Matt escapes but runs straight into a sleeper. That gets reversed a couple of times, ending when Matt counters Eddy’s most recent effort with a belly to back. Middle rope legdrop, the champion just about kicking out of the cover. Eddy gives Matt a helping hand through the ropes to the outside but ends up having his head slammed into the ring steps after Matt had blocked him from doing the same to him. He throws him back inside and heads up top, however Terri is on the apron distracting the official allowing Saturn to pull a leg out from under him. Saturn’s hat is ridiculous by the way! Jeff runs across the barricade and nails Saturn with a flying clothesline. Matt is still sat on the turnbuckles and Eddy lands a top rope Frankensteiner for a near fall. With Saturn and Jeff going at it on the floor, Terri gets a cheap kick on Jeff which leads to Lita taking off after her. Terri darts into the safety of the ring, but as the ref tries to get her out of there Lita off the top with a leaping rana to Eddy. A Twist of Fate, which Eddy takes superbly, and we have ourselves a new European champion. Two good matches in a row on this episode of Smackdown. Hopefully Eddy now realises that the Radicalz are more of a hindrance than a help to him!

The Commissioner is in his wrestling gear as opposed to his suit. Tazz and Michael Cole are still clueless when it comes to these ‘Duchess of Queensbury rules’ that are in place for Backlash. We’re getting a rematch from Raw to open up Smackdown which is a bit strange considering how comfortable a victory that was for Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho on Monday. Regal says that this bout will be fought under the very prestigious ‘Duchess of Queensbury Tag Team rules’, Cole thinking that may finally give them an insight as to what they are. The match at first follows a similar vain to their Raw one with submissions being broken up, the Regal and Benoit stuff leading up to the crossface being lovely. Angle makes a blind tag but he ends up being hiptossed onto his own partner. He goes to launch Y2J over the top to the outside, however Jericho manages to land on the apron, scoots up to the top turnbuckle and then nails him with an elbow to the forehead. As he looks for the Walls he sees Regal incoming so let’s go of the hold to get a shot in on him. The Commissioner is at it again, causing a commotion when Benoit grabs a go behind, the set up for the rolling Germans, and is in to help his partner out. The two of them work over ‘the Crippler’ isolating him from Y2J. Accidental clash of heads and both men make a tag. Jericho with a bulldog as he builds some momentum. Middle rope missile dropkick. Regal goes to break up the cover but Y2J moves out the way and he ends up dropping an elbow onto his own partner. Angle hot shots Jericho across the top rope as they now set about getting the heat on him. Belly to back for a near fall. Tazz is still on about this Duchess “broad”, wanting to know who she is. Jericho ducks a right hand and KO’s Angle with a flying forearm. The Commissioner grabs hold of an ankle to prevent him from making the tag but then gets nailed with an enzuigiri. Hot tag to Benoit who is all over Angle. He connects on the diving headbutt and Regal is in to break up the cover. That begins a pattern, as covers after the Hangman’s Noose neckbreaker, Lionsault and Olympic slam are all broken up by the spare man. ‘The Crippler’ tosses Angle to the floor however the whip is reversed and he goes crashing into the metal ring steps himself. Regal and Angle then apply a combination Regal Stretch/ankle lock back inside on Jericho that forces the tap. Tony Chimel is about to announce the disqualification of Regal and Angle but the Commissioner stops him, pointing out the fine print of ‘the Duchess of Queensbury Rules’ which mean a team can both apply their submissions at the same time, and therefore they are the winners.

We get a recap of what happened on Smackdown before seeing a clip of Vince McMahon in the dressing room with Steve Austin and Triple H, which I’m guessing has to have aired on Heat. He informs them that as per the pre-match stipulations, with Kane & the Undertaker defeating Edge & Christian and becoming the new World tag team champions, it means they will now face the two of them (Austin & HHH) at Backlash. ‘Stone Cold’s’ not too bothered by that, saying how they want to be tag team champs anyway, however Mr McMahon says that he had to do some negotiations with Linda, not only will the World tag team titles be on the line, but now so will Triple H’s Intercontinental title and Austin’s World title. The Undertaker & Kane are out to address the fans. Taker says how he’s never been known for his sense of humour, it’s been a “Decade of Destruction” and not a “Decade of Laughs”, however gets the TV producer to play some footage which he did find funny - it’s where Triple H called himself and ‘Stone Cold’ “the most dominant men in the World Wrestling Federation.” He and Kane would’ve been satisfied with a match just to see who the most dominant team is, but the stakes have now risen to where every title in the WWF is on the line. That match is set for Backlash, although they want another one tonight to determine who the most dominant team is. Despite being called out there is no sign of Austin & Triple H, instead, out walks Edge & Christian. They seem to think that there seven tag team titles make them the more dominant team and technically seven times better than Kane & the Undertaker. Christian says how the new champions don’t have the guts to put the titles on the line against then, but if it’s a fight they want, they’ll fight them right now. It’s a set up! With Kane & Taker all over the former champs they’re jumped from behind by their opponents at Backlash. Austin wears a chair out over Taker while Triple H targets Kane’s already injured arm, the Brothers of Destruction left battered and beaten. Triple H & ‘Stone Cold’ head to the ring, to ‘No Chance in Hell’, having just been given the word that Kane & the Undertaker are in the trainer’s room and are done for the night. HHH gives a recap of the evening’s events and again calls himself and Austin the two most dominant men in the World Wrestling Federation. ‘Stone Cold’ calls Taker & Kane out, that if they want some more they don’t have to wait until Backlash, knowing full well that they won’t be coming out. When they don’t show he talks about them not having the guts, two men who do though are Matt & Jeff Hardy. Matt says how they’re real brave calling out two guys they jumped from behind, Jeff continuing that they don’t know the meaning of the word “quit”, will keep coming back again and again and again and if they’re looking for a fight they don’t have to look far. Austin and Triple H remove their shirts ready as the Hardyz start to walk to the ring, only they haven’t come alone, hobbling behind are Kane and the Undertaker. ‘The Game’ and ‘the Rattlesnake’ think better of it, jumping to the floor and out into the crowd. We cut to Mick Foley who has been indulging in some free food at WWE New York. Foley pulls out a contract that he signed with Linda McMahon when he was still Commissioner, that contract gives him the right to make a main event for Raw any time he likes. He chooses tonight to make that main event, an eight man tag pitting Kane, the Undertaker and the Hardy Boyz against Steve Austin, Triple H, Edge & Christian. Austin & Triple H are giving their partners some last minute advice in the back. Triple H telling them that the Undertaker & Kane don’t take their titles without getting their asses kicked and to show the Hardy Boyz that they’re not in their league. Austin says it’s time to turn the voltage up. A right old brawl at the start of this eight man tag, Austin even taking an early spill over the announcer’s table. Jeff hits a Poetry on Motion to Edge and then one in the opposite corner on Christian. Christian is able to get the upper hand after a shot to the gut, but at the same time as he tags ‘Stone Cold’, Jeff tags in the Undertaker. The crowd are on fire for Taker here as he’s all over his Backlash opponents, Hunter even taking a high backdrop from him. Kane with a flying clothesline followed by shots for Edge & Christian on the apron. He snatches Austin around the throat for the chokeslam but HHH waffles him from behind. Single arm DDT by ‘the Rattlesnake’, Kane now trapped in the opposition’s corner as everyone gets digs in on that injured arm which they continue to work over for the next few minutes. As it looks like Kane is mounting a comeback, Austin is in illegally to put a stop to things. Kane connects on a big boot to Edge but this time it’s ‘Stone Cold’ and ‘the Game’ cutting off any prospective tag. With Earl Hebner distracted and oblivious to the four on one attack that’s going on behind his back, the Hardyz and Taker have had enough. Taker with a chokeslam on Triple H as JR screams “break his damn back, break him in half!” Before he can make the cover though he’s double teamed by E&C. Matt does make the cover, however Austin pulls him off and gives him a stunner, the heels getting the victory by the skin of their teeth. You can say all you want about the Austin heel turn, the aligning himself with Vince McMahon and Triple H, but there is no denying he is fantastic in the role. I do like how they’ve tried to alleviate the likes of the Hardyz, Edge & Christian recently by aligning them with the main players and involving them in main event programs. The crowds have been electric recently too.

Just as I’m writing ‘so much for Raven getting a European title match after his pin over Eddy on last week’s Raw,’ JR says how he will be facing him at Backlash for the belt. That’s a pretty big deal for Raven, although something must happen in the intervening days as he ends up facing Rhyno for the Hardcore title instead. We get a recap from last night’s Heat where Eddy’s interference cost him the match against Saturn. It’s all the face trio until Eddy’s distraction of the referee allows Saturn to clothesline the Grandmaster across the top rope. Combination drop toe hold/baseball slide. Saturn with a gut wrench, putting GMS over his shoulder and running him into the corner. The Grandmaster ends up sat on the top turnbuckle but fights off the superplex attempt, sending Saturn crashing backwards to the canvas. High crossbody. Hot tag to Raven, Saturn having made a tag to Eddy at the same time, although when he sees Raven heading his way he quickly backs out and ushers Malenko to take his place. Raven does end up getting his hands on him although goes down to a half nelson cradle. A bit strange him dropping the fall here seeing, at the moment at least, he is scheduled for a title match in a shade under a week.