GSR

I really don’t like how close to the action the camera is, we’re more on top of the wrestlers here than in that LIWF match from earlier in the month. The Camera work quickly became real distracting for me, especially when they would be running the ropes and I’d start feeling nauseous as it’s trying to keep up with them. Most of the match highlights are courtesy of Rising Son with a running flip dive over the top rope to the floor, a handspring elbow, a slingshot senton/standing moonsault combo and a 619; B’s standout stuff being a slingshot sit-out powerbomb and an inverted suplex where he spikes Son on his head. B-Boy targeted the knee, which Son sold briefly on his comeback before forgetting about it, B then later returning to going after that body part. Son takes a bump to the outside off a Dragon screw and the ref is out checking to see whether he can continue. When the ref returns to the ring, maybe going to stop the match, B-Boy attacks him giving him a DDT. Christ. I forgot to mention but this is a right smarky crowd with some of their comments. After dragging Son back into the ring, literally three moves later B is going for a pin only to remember he took out the referee. Why B why? Son ends up catching him with a huracanrana for the win, although post-match B gets some more digs in on that knee. The camera work hindered things for me and could’ve clouded my judgment but I didn’t think much of this at all and B-Boy has never done anything for me even when he was getting some pub in CZW. I’m pretty sure the Super Dragon & Rising Son tag is actually from March and not this show so I will wait until then to watch that, I just hope by then the camera man has reverted to the floor to shoot. On a sad note I was shocked to find out a few week back that Rising Son passed away in 2015 at only 33, meaning he would’ve been 19 here and was 18 in what we saw of him last year. No age at all.

The Disciples of Synn make their way out for an interview, that fan in the front row there again gifting Synn some flowers, which she destroys on the ring ropes. Payne tells Brock Lesnar that he’s lucky that they didn’t break his ankle last week, this week in St. Therese’s though they’re going to finish the job. He warns Shelton Benjamin that his time is coming when the MSC join Cornette at the broadcast booth. Brock says how he kind of likes the pain he’s in, and every time he walks on his ankle it reminds him of what they did to him and how he’s going to kick their asses at St. Therese’s. Shelton adds that taking out Brock was only half the battle, so if they (the DoS) want to pick a lamb for the slaughter he’ll come down there right now and stomp a mud hole in them. That lamb to the slaughter turns out to be Damien as we’re getting ourselves some “unscheduled” action. Shelton struggles on the military press, choosing to turn it into a powerslam instead, it looking like Damien was a tad early on his jump and Shelton wasn’t ready for him. Brock gives Synn a shove off the apron, however while referee Ray Ramsey is over dealing with the pair, Payne nails Shelton from behind. Spinebuster by Damien, who then lands a high elbow drop to the chest for a two count. More interference by Payne as Ramsey is having a hard time dealing with all these bodies at ringside. Shelton blatantly telegraphs the backdrop and Damien with a DDT. He sits Shelton upstairs, but as he looks for the superplex Benjamin anchors on and pushes him off. Flip dive, Shelton hooks the leg and gets the three milliseconds before Payne is able to break it up. That would’ve been a DQ anyway and we see enough of them in OVW as it is so cool to have a clean finish. The main thing of interest here is hearing the Stretching Crew cut an interview for the first time, although Cornette’s fingerprints are all over them with the verbage they use. Understandably neither are anything special, Brock very one tone all the way through. Synn was as bad as usual, at lease Payne is competent on the mic.

Rob Conway hands his shades to referee Robert Brisco, a sign that he’s taking this match seriously by not wrestling in them. Cornette gives us an update on what happened last week; Synn has been fined $1,000 for burning the OVW Security Guard and fortunately Brock Lesnar’s ankle isn’t broken. The two battle over the top wristlock and when Damaja sees Conway overbalancing takes him down with a drop toe hold. Reverse crossbody by Damaja for a two. A ropey looking spinning headscissors. Conway tries a reverse crossbody of his own but Damaja ducks out the way and rolls him up for a near fall. They battle it out over the backslide and, with Brisco out of view, Conway mule kicks him between the legs before throwing him to the floor where he catapults him into the concrete pillar. Conway suplexes him back inside and then whips him chest first into the corner. Corny makes mention of Damaja having some stitches in the back of his head, something Conway is fully aware of, looking to open up that cut by dumping him with a belly to back. Double clothesline and both men go down. Damaja has found a burst of energy, kipping up and firing away with right hands. The Damaja splash! He connects on the missile dropkick and signals for the Brain Damage when out from the dressing room runs Sly Scraper and Johnny Spade, attacking him for the DQ. Scraper keeps the officials at bay while Spade puts the boots in. Another week of OVW television, another DQ finish. I know we’re only in February but these seemingly constant DQ’s are fast becoming more infuriating than the ref bumps from last year.

Bad Attitude are out to the Midnight Express’ music, I can’t remember if that is a new addition or whether they were using it last year too. Rick Michaels promises that tonight they’re walking out of here with the NWA World tag team titles before going on to face Total Destruction in a cage match at Hardcore Hell. I hope we’ve got that match. This is York & Matthews’ debut at the NCW arena, so worth noting again that this is for the NWA World, not NWA Wildside tag team titles. Nigh on the first thing we get is a criss cross spot, Michaels blowing himself up as he continues to run the ropes long after Matthews has stopped. Dan ‘the Dragon’ Wilson is comparing Bad Attitude with both the Minnesota Wrecking Crew and the Midnight Express. Shine for the champions pulling out a bunch of double teams and ending with stereo suicide dives. Luckily we caught that as it was just in time before we went to a commercial. We return to find Bad Attitude have been dumped into the front row. Back inside York with a front superplex on Matthews, Joey landing on Michaels, he then comes off the turnbuckles himself with a senton. Michaels snatches Matthews on the leapfrog and gives him a fireman’s carry slam. Young with a big powerslam. Now it’s Bad Attitude with the double teams before they look to slow things down. They telegraph the double backdrop and Matthews hits a double DDT, although he’s unable to make the tag. He gets whipped from pillar to post until catching Michaels with a neckbreaker. The ref lets a Young low blow go, he’s then low blowed himself as he leaps from the middle with a double axe handle. Hot tag and York opens up. Superkicks misses by a yard but is still sold. Springboard back elbow as we go to another break. Literally as soon as we return Michaels lands a frog splash and we have new NWA World tag team champions. Like WHAT HAPPENED? From the talk it sounds like the ref got knocked out as well as Bill Behrens restarting the match, all during the commercial. I’ve said previously how multiple adverts during a Wildside match can ruin the flow, never was that more in case than here with how quickly the match ended after one. Even moreso with how York & Matthews were seemingly in control when we left. Surely the tapes were running during the break, so show us what led to things ending the way they did? No issues with the work from the teams and I much preferred this to the Jr. match from the same show, but a sour note to end on.

NWA Wildside Jr. Heavyweight title match, Coleman the current champion after defeating Lazz for the gold. Springboard leg lariat by Ice. He heads upstairs but it is too early in the match and Dazz hip tosses him from the top. J.C. misses a high crossbody. Coleman goes up for a moonsault, Dazz gets underneath him and has him in the Electric Chair, pancaking him to the mat. Some contrived looking spot that results in Dazz doing a backflip off the middle. Steven Prazak says “hello” to all the fans watching in Las Vegas, Wildside now being televised on one of the channels in the city. Caprice with a slingshot senton. He hits the Thermal Shock and J.C. just about gets a leg to the ropes, really having to stretch to reach. Dazz catches him with a dropkick as it looked like Coleman had things under control. Full nelson slam followed by a standing moonsault for a near fall. He backdrops him out onto the apron and then nails him with a springboard back elbow. J.C. is caught when he goes upstairs and Caprice lands a big splash that Dazz kicks out of. Ice telegraphs the backdrop, J.C. grabs him as if for a powerbomb but instead tosses him backwards overhead. The ten minute time limit eventually expires, it looking like the bell was supposed to ring on the two count of a Dazz pin attempt, however timings were off and the ref just stopped the match signalling it was over. The crowd want five more minutes which Dazz wants to give them, Caprice has no interest though. Final couple of minutes weren’t bad but overall this felt very co-operative with little rhyme to what they were doing, such as with the opening chain wrestling then just back and forth with the movez. The over mentioning of the ten minute time limit gave the outcome away, especially when we started getting the countdown of how long was remaining. Coleman has great agility but neither would’ve left a lasting impression on me if this was all I had to go by.

A great opening as they light each other up with chops and forearm each other across the face. Very un-Memphis like. Dragon gets caught with a big boot and takes to the outside, Abs right out after him. It’s mentioned that Abs knows what it’s like to be wrestling in front of 20,000 people on Raw and the quickest way to make it back there is by being the top dog in MCW. Dragon escapes the Absolute and hits a neckbreaker. More bomb throwing. Spinning backfist, right out of the Aja Kong playbook. Abs gets tossed to the floor, accidentally wiping out Jason Sensation who wasn’t paying attention. They brawl at ringside until Dragon gets mullered with a clothesline. He’s dragged back inside where Abs lands a powerslam for a two count. Dragon again escapes the Absolute and connects with a roaring elbow, flooring his opponent. Magistral Cradle for a near fall. At the third time of asking Abs hits the Absolute and a folding press gives him the win. There’s a bunch of run-ins post-match, supposedly the Kliq, but I only spot Spanky and the other guys look to be jobbers like Tyler Gates. Abs starts waffling refs too before making a challenge, which goes unanswered, to anyone in the back who’s tough enough to get in the ring with him. Even though he left a mass of bodies all over the ring the crowd were cheering wildly for him throughout all this. Another very good TV match and in Joey Abs Dragon has an opponent prepared to give as good as good as he gets and someone who isn’t afraid of laying his stuff in. Additionally in MCW, as opposed to MPPW, they also tend to be given longer which benefits the action greatly. I mentioned it in his match with Reckless Youth from the Super 8 and Dragon’s Japanese flavours were on show again here. On the back of Spanky vs Lance Cade a really strong episode of Championship Wrestling TV today.

Spanky thinks that it’s time they finally settle things with Lance Cade after he turned his back on the Kliq a couple of weeks ago. Cade sprints from the dressing room to answer the challenge, Spanky quickly overwhelmed when he walks into an almighty boot. They’re cutting a fast pace here. Nice vertical suplex for a two. Spanky ducks under a second big boot and spears Cade’s left knee, taking him down. Dragon screw. Jason Sensation passes his man a chair, the ref just watching as Spanky then hits him in the knee with it. How on earth is that not a disqualification? Oh, apparently since Al K. Holic started the hardcore division the refs have been getting more and more lenient with the rules. That’s a cop out I’m afraid. Cade makes it to his feet from the spinning toe hold however a dropkick to the knee immediately takes him back down. Half crab submission. Spanky heads up top for a moonsault press but Cade falls into the ropes causing him to tie himself in the Tree of Woe. One kick is all he can manage though before that knee gives out. He grabs the chair and places it in front of Spanky’s face which Spanky ends up launching at him despite being upside down. Cade blocks Sliced Bread #2 and reverses it into a modified Driver. He can’t follow up, every time it looking like he’s in control that hurt wheel letting him down. Spanky counters the chokeslam with Sliced Bread and once more goes upstairs. For reason known only to him Sensation enters the ring, even though Spanky has got the situation firmly under control. Cade snatches him and throws him into the corner causing Spanky to once more crotch himself. A chokeslam off the top follows which gets Lance the win. It looks like Spanky has finally had enough of Jason Sensation post-match before they hug it out and make up. Do yourself a favour Spanky and ditch this ball & chain pronto. A real good match with a great sell job by Lance Cade that I was seriously impressed with. These guys, along with the Haas’, are the highlights in Memphis at the moment. Jason Sensation continues to come across as someone who they’re struggling to find a role for and he doesn’t work with the Kliq either, he’s completely out of place. It’s not as if they need someone to do the talking for them either as Spanky could fulfil that role for the group if they wanted a designated spokesman.

I love the way on the words “I need a hero” on his entrance Hero looks directly into the hard cam. Fuck, he starts cutting a promo on Kickboxer when a fan yells “shut up you cocksucker” and Hero jumps out the ring and squares up to the fella begging him to touch him. Kickboxer with the first submission attempt, a Fujiwara armbar that Hero rolls through on and out to the floor. He want a test of strength on his return but gets annoyed by the fans heckling and makes out as if he’s going to leave. A different fan gives him the finger so he’s in this ones face, even spitting at him which is totally out of order Back at the test of strength he’s getting the better of things so Kickboxer leaps into a bodyscissors and takes him down with an arm drag. Hero charges, he’s snatched with a Fujiwara armbar takedown and taps furiously for the flash first fall. Knowing he can’t lose another Hero has his fists clenched ready to fight. That doesn’t make much difference, Boxer locking in another armbar, only they’re too close to the ropes this time. He kicks Hero around the head although this isn’t even Ric Blade let alone Tajiri levels. Hero blocks the leaping rana and turns it into a high angle Boston crab. When it looks like he’s about to escape he lifts him up and hits a slingshot sit-out powerbomb. More working over the back, even doing the old Mike Rotunda tactic of using the ropes for additional leverage on the abdominal stretch. Hero did himself no favours earlier the way he reacted to them but this is another awful crowd when it comes to throwing gay slurs out. Jumping piledriver. Kickboxer can barely stand and Hero gives him a second. He doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to finish him off, happy to climb the turnbuckles or just wait in the corner. Eventually he applies a camel clutch and Boxer gives it up immediately, tying us up at one fall apiece. Hero jokingly questions what the bell ringing means, allowing him to keep that hold applied for a few seconds longer doing yet more damage to Kickboxer’s back. The crowd are doing their best to encourage Kickboxer here. Every time he would get to his feet though, Hero decks him and he falls back down. That happens one time too many for the referee’s liking, hooking Hero’s arm to stop him connecting on the shot. Hero gives the ref a shove wondering what he’s playing at. Me too. The ref dropkicks Hero in the back sending him tumbling to the floor and hits a pescado. Oh dear! As he then checks on Kickboxer, Hero spears him before tossing him outside. With Hero more interested in the official than his opponent he fails to notice Boxer up and perched on the turnbuckles. Tornado DDT onto the concrete! I think Hero accidentally kicked a blonde lady in the crowd on that as she’s having to be held back from going after him. Another IWA-MS match where rows of unoccupied chairs gets wiped out. Boxer is up in the balcony and jumps off, catching Hero perfectly with this incredible leaping rana. Cross armbar submission on the floor and Hero taps. Did I miss this was falls count anywhere then? A soft spoken Hero, almost apologetic in his tone, says that it was an honour to wrestle Kickboxer and how he was someone he looked up to a lot. The fans are clapping his words but I’m waiting for a double cross. He gets everyone to stand up and applaud him while he wants to shake his hand. The two hug, Hero raises his arm and then clocks him with microphone busting him open. Jumping piledriver onto a chair and finally a frog splash off the top. Hero says how he’s done all kinds of matches but challenges Kickboxer to a straight up technical match next Saturday. Boxer sells the piledriver being carried out of there on a stretcher. I enjoyed Hero’s performance here, there was a method to what he was trying to do, concentrating on the back. It all felt a lot more random when it came to Kickboxer who’s Martial Arts didn’t look good and neither did his submissions either. His high spots were bang on mind and that rana off the balcony was crazy, Hero based him perfectly. Naturally they lost me when we got the fighting referee, although at least that was towards the end of the match. The post-match stuff was all way too predictable and obvious.

Has Cash forgotten his gear? He blind sides Wolf as he makes his entrance, coming from the side of the arena, one of the House of Hardcore regulars doing her best to warn Wolf where he is. There is some good stuff in the opening brawl as Cash throws him around the building, although it becomes one of those “ECW walks” back to ringside. Wolf reverses the whip into the ring post and even though Cash goes into it at some speed, there is something comical about the way he does so. A rake of the eyes and he’s back in control, laying in some hard knife edge chops. He runs the grotty ring steps into Wolf and then starts picking his shots, jabbing away like a pro boxer. Bloody hell, there’s a girl in the audience with a young baby. Cash spots her and hurls a few insults her way. The obligatory wrecking of the empty rows of seats. That regular who was earlier trying to forewarn Wolf is now imploring him to get back to his feet. Bulldog onto the ring steps. We finally return inside where Cash brings a metal chair down across Wolf’s back. He picks him up for a slam but Wolf with a float over and a reverse DDT onto the chair for the win. Bar that briefest of flurries where he reversed the whip into the ring post that was his only other offensive move in the match. Cash is not happy; he attacks both the ref and is opponent after the match, hitting some sort of jumping Flatliner on Wolf. Harry Palmer makes the save just as Cash was about to come off the top onto a chair which he had placed over Wolf’s head. Wolf is not someone who’s left much of a lasting impression on me so far. It’s like he’s the whipping boy of IWA-MS; sometimes he’ll get a win, sometimes he’ll lose, every time he’ll take a beating. Cash brought the intensity though and, with the exception of that one walk, the brawling was aggressive and on point.

A backstage promo airs on the video screen for everyone in the building. It’s all very cordial, Ki saying “may the best man win,” Dragon saying how he came here to win at any cost and this will be the stiffest match he’s ever had. Hat Guy in attendance. There’s some early testing of the waters as they exchange kicks to the thigh. Dragon with a double leg takedown, they interlace fingers and Ki with a neck bridge. He fights to his feet but Dragon throws some headbutts to the side of Ki’s head to take him back down. Ki is to is feet again, this time he breaks the grip and then stuns Dragon with a koppu kick. He’s backdropped onto the apron where a Mafia kick sends him sprawling to the outside. Elbow suicida. Back inside there is more hard chops being thrown before Ki connects on the Tidal Crush. Ki is measuring his kicks, however Dragon catches one and rips his knee with a reverse Dragon screw. Just as he targeted Spanky’s arm in the opener, he’s targeting Ki’s leg in here, as a bad leg should limit both his kicks and his flying. Inverted Deathlock. Shinbreaker into a combination kneebar/toe hold, Dragon using his other foot to keep Ki at bay. The submissions continue, grapevining the leg and applying a Butterfly stretch at the same time. Ki throws strikes from the bottom whilst trapped in the heel hook, when they don’t work he resorts to a seated enzuigiri to free himself from the hold. Dragon gets backdropped onto the apron and a Ki kick to the side of the head sends him falling to ringside. Ki struggles to climb the turnbuckles with that bad leg, Dragon probably standing there waiting a tad too long for him to do so, however then connects on a death defying Phoenix splash to the floor. On returning to the ring Dragon is looking for the Dragon suplex but can’t land it. Ki with the Ki Krusher, although he is unable to immediately follow up, the additional seconds allowing Dragon to kick out of the eventual cover. Dragon snatches him on the handspring and finally lands the Dragon suplex for a near fall. Without missing a beat straight into the Cattle Mutilation, the hold that has won him both matches tonight. Ki doesn’t tap and Dragon gives up on the hold rather than wearing himself out trying to for the submission. Roaring elbow by Dragon, Ki getting a shoulder up in the nick of time. He removes his elbow pad, throwing it away, it’s going to be bone on bone this time. Ki blocks the shot, Ki Krusher, Dragon clutch and Dragon taps. The rest of the participants in the tournament are out to congratulate the wrestlers while the fans give them a standing ovation. The fans take it in turn to chant Ki and Dragon’s name, the two finalists embracing in the middle, each knowing that they’ve been in a real battle here. I was surprised at how short this was, only about ten minutes or so I’d estimate. It was everything promised in the pre-match interviews though, stiff strikes, lots of bombs being thrown. Dragon working a body part is a thing to behold, here mixing in a bunch of MMA submissions with traditional pro wrestling ones. Nice story of taking out Ki’s leg so he wouldn’t be able to kick and fly, with Ki doing a cracking sell job, maybe too well with how long he took to climb the turnbuckles and Dragon having to stand there and wait for the Phoenix splash. Loved Dragon catching him on the handspring and hitting the Dragon suplex, then Ki being the one person all night who the Cattle Mutilation wasn’t quite enough for. Great match and comfortably the match of the tournament, a tournament which has been some showcase for Dragon.

That's because they weren't to be considered in this project.

Reckless defeated Mike Sullivan in making it to the semi-finals where he meets American Dragon, a matchup we saw several times in Memphis Championship Wrestling last year. There’s a slow feeling out process, Dragon in control until Reckless is able to get a single leg and transition to an STF. Following a snapmare Dragon kicks Reckless in the back and that sets the tone for the intensity levels to move up a few notches. Reckless with a facebreaker from the top after having blocked the attempted monkey flip and sat Dragon upstairs. Dragon floats over on the Northern Lights and lands a cool bridging fallaway slam for a two count. Big Mafia kick and Reckless is up to his feet showing his fighting spirit. Running forearm smash. Reckless ducks the clothesline and hits a reverse DDT. He blocks Dragon’s roaring elbow, countering with a rolling cradle for a near fall. Dragon suplex at the second time of asking, a roaring elbow to the back of the head softening up Reckless sufficiently after he was unable to hit it first time around. A belly to back dumps Dragon before a stiff clubbing clothesline folds him up double. He’s too slow heading up top and although does fight off the superplex, Dragon still takes him to the mat with a flying Fujiwara armbar. From there straight into the Cattle Mutilation, that hold giving Dragon his second submission of the night. Go back one year ago and Reckless Youth was the Indy workrate darling, fast forward and he’s surpassed, as a wrestler, by Dragon. It is astonishing to think where Dragon was twelve months ago compared with today and how quickly he’s improved. There was a very Japanese flavour to this with how hard they were hitting each other, especially in the second half, which was nice to see, as I’ve said previously how Reckless almost seems a different wrestler this year. Dragon brought the best out of him that’s for sure. I did prefer the Spanky match over this though and it’s cool how they’re building the Cattle Mutilation submission with both of Dragon’s victories tonight coming from it.

The first incarnation of the match I watched the most in 2000. They open by working things around the wristlock with reversals and counters before they trade knife edge chops in the centre. Spanky cuts off the headbutts with a forearm but then badly slips on a springboard, Dragon stomping him to cover for it. Dragon blocks the wheelbarrow and kicks Spanky’s shoulder. I can’t really describe it but it was so good. Speaking of “so good” so is Dragon’s working over of that shoulder, the way he pulls him into the ringpost, the way he kicks it, the reverse arm wringer into the mat, tying the arm around the ropes and then dropkicking it. After being whipped into the corner Spanky comes off with a reverse crossbody but Dragon snatches him with a Fujiwara armbar. Spanky rolls through on the second armbar attempt and launches Dragon with a release German suplex. A springboard reverse forearm smash, he was brave to try that one again after slipping earlier. Northern Lights bomb. He’s slow climbing the turnbuckles and Dragon takes his legs away. Spanky fights off the double underhook superplex but then fails to connect on the high frog splash, rolling to the outside to try and get his breath back. Wow, Orihara moonsault by Dragon, I can’t remember ever seeing him do that before. Wrist clutch suplex. The two jockey for position in the centre, Dragon blocks Sliced Bread #2 and then hits a Dragon suplex, transitioning to the Cattle Mutilation for the win, moving onto the semi-finals at the same time. Dragon’s work is so tight, especially when he’s focussing his attack on a specific body part. Where did that Orihara moonsault come from also? Considering this was only a first round tournament match I thought it was really good for that.

William Regal is exercising a clause in the contract for a rematch after losing the European title last month. Nice gut wrench powerbomb by Test. Regal avoids the charge and Test goes shoulder first into the ring post. The match has been only been going sixty seconds when Al Snow, who is campaigning to be Commissioner, walks out. The cameras are focussing more on Snow dishing out buttons to the fans than the action in the ring. Test starts battling back and hits a side slam for a two. He accidentally straddles himself across the top rope, Regal then tying him up in them. As referee Teddy Long tries to untangle him, Regal goes to the other side of the ring and puts his head through the ropes to say something to Snow. The wannabe Commissioner wallops him with ‘Head’ and Long has freed Test who connects with a big boot to retain the gold. I was hoping that the European title was coming home but it wasn’t to be. The match is more a backdrop for the Snow Commissionership storyline and it looks like Regal is heading for a feud with him.

These four participants are scheduled to face off at No Way Out in a Fatal Four Way, that match and this tag made by Mr McMahon who took exception to some comments made by the Intercontinental champion. I know! You’re thinking Jericho running his mouth and antagonizing someone? Unlike their opponents the Radicalz walk out together so they should have some cohesion. Jericho with a drop toe hold sending Benoit crashing into the bottom turnbuckle. He goes over to tag X-Pac but he’s not interested, telling Jericho to carry on what he’s been doing. Y2J grabs him by the hair and flips him into the ring, the two engaging in a shoving match that ‘the Crippler’ takes advantage of. Spin kick to Benoit and a crotch chop draws Eddy inside. Pac ends up straddling himself across the middle as Eddy is tagged in. That trusty spin kick works again, Pac dropping him in the corner. He starts celebrating in anticipation of the Bronco buster only for Jericho to slap him on the hand for the tag. Double underhook into a backbreaker, Eddy kicking out of the cover on two. Benoit hooks Y2J’s ankle from the floor and that swings the match in their direction. Caught in a front chancery Jericho slowly powers his way towards his corner, Pac actually wanting the tag for once. No he doesn’t. The moment Y2J gets to his corner Pac jumps off the apron out of his reach. He’s now distracting the referee so that the Radicalz can double team him behind his back. ‘The King’ make a good point, that in the grand scheme of things this match isn’t important, Sunday is the big one, and anything to help soften Jericho up for then will be beneficial come the PPV. Jericho holds on on the top rope rana and lands a missile dropkick. After the flying forearm he attacks everyone, including his partner. Bulldog. He goes for the Lionsault but Pac kicks him in the face as he springs off the ropes. Benoit locks on the crossface and the champion taps. Eddy and Pac end up coming to blows while ‘the Crippler’ keeps that submission hold on. Justin Credible is out to help Pac, low blowing Guerrero. X-Factor on Eddy and then a double superkick to Benoit, the commentators still trying to work out what is going on with X-Pac and Justin Credible. Pac is the one you think has got no chance of winning going into the Four Way so smart to have him being the only one left standing tall at the end of the match.

On the back of Monday’s tag we have a singles match between Rikishi and Jeff. The Matt and Lita liplock gets replayed again. Rikishi is easily overpowering Jeff in the opening moments. Hardy ducks under a clothesline and tries a sunset slip, sliding out the way just in time as Rikishi was about to bring all his weight down onto his chest. Shotgun dropkick followed by a somersault legdrop. He comes off the top but Rikishi catches him in a bear hug. Belly to belly. Lawler is back talking about his favourite subject, Lita’s underwear. Rikishi has the Whisper in the Wind scouted, stepping out the way, Jeff having run up the turnbuckles after being whipped into them. Samoan drop. Following a thrust kick he drags Jeff into the corner for the Bonzai drop and this one’s over. Post-match he’s about to give him a second when he senses Lita up top and shakes the ropes causing her to lose her balance. Stink face on Lita. Matt Hardy makes the save, running him off, Lawler thinking it highly unlikely he’ll want to kiss her any time soon now! The match was a squash and did feel like a rehabilitation for Rikishi.

‘Totally Buff’ defeated Kronik last night and in doing so they earned themselves a tag team title shot at Greed. Luger tells the fans that they’ve been waiting for a big star to come out all night and now they’ve got it! He says that O’Haire & Palumbo messed up when they snubbed their offer to join the new WCW, now they’re going to take their World titles at Greed and send them packing, just like they did Bill Goldberg. I reckon ‘Totally Buff’ are going to be milking that one until the end of the company, just like Scott Steiner milks the Sid broken leg (even though the latter was nothing to do with him). Sean O’Haire has been banned from ringside for the match, Ric Flair flexing his authority. A high dropkick by Palumbo and ‘the Package’ is begging off in the corner trying to buy some time. He yanks Chuck by the pants through the ropes to the floor where he does some damage before throwing him back inside. Forearms to the lower back as Luger looks to soften it up. Belly to back. The Palumbo comeback is cut-off with a scoop slam and he motions for the Rack. Mike Tenay notes the arrogance Luger’s showing, talking to the fans and taking his opponent for granted. As he leans over to pick him up, Palumbo hooks him with an inside cradle for the win. Lex attacks him post-match, O’Haire running out to save his partner and then Buff Bagwell dragging ‘the Package’ to safety. It’s noted that he may have been banned from ringside for the match but there was nothing to stop him from coming out after it.

Mike Tenay is still raving about the Shooting Styles Press from last week and how it’s been the talk of the town ever since. A glorious European uppercut by Alex to Air. Combination inverted atomic drop/spinning heel kick. A.J.’s in but doesn’t fair much better, also on the receiving end of the Wright uppercut. Disqo with a Russian legsweep. He starts dancing and Styles is able to crawl between his legs to make the tag. Paris does stagger Disqo but then goes knee first into the top turnbuckle as he avoids his charge. The Boogie Knights target that leg briefly before moving onto the lower back. Wright gets crotched upstairs, however as Paris sets for a superplex, Disqo, after nailing Styles on the apron first, gets underneath him and has him on his shoulders in the Electric Chair. Missile dropkick. Styles pulls his partner out the way of a corner splash only to immediately walk into a scoop slam when he’s tagged in. Disqo misses a double axe handle off the middle and A.J. with a DDT for a near fall. Atomic drop/high knee combination, this time Alex in to break up the cover. As Disqo takes some respite on the floor Alex is over wondering what he’s doing. Jeez, what looks like a springboard double dropkick to the floor by Styles! The Irish whip on the concrete is reversed, A.J. crashing into the barricade, while at the same time Paris wipes out Wright with a crossbody off the top. Back inside Disqo celebrates after landing a reverse DDT dropped into a backbreaker on Air, not realising Styles is up, perched on the top turnbuckle waiting. When he turns around he’s caught with a high crossbody, the Wildside boys picking up their first televised win in WCW. Post-match the Boogie Knights have words, Wright not impressed one bit by Disqo who seemed more interested in dancing than getting the job done. It boggles my mind that when WCW closed Alex Wright pretty much never wrestled again, what a wasted talent. A veterans vs rookies story, the rookies picking up the win to take into the Cruiserweight tag team tournament. It had to be really, you can’t have them going into a tournament on the back of two straight losses in their two televised bouts. Thought Paris looked a lot more greener this week than he did last.

The Kwee Wee is tired of coming out here and trying to get Ric Flair’s attention. He’s going to make him regret not having him on his team so is offering an open challenge to anyone on the roster. Surprisingly the challenge is answered by Kaz Hayashi, not the person I would’ve expected to be high on the list of something like this. A spinning heel kick sends the Kwee Wee to the outside. Sweet twisting dive and he unloads with punches from the mount before rolling him back inside. Kaz runs into a big boot and Kwee Wee with a running Thesz press. This unique suplex variation where he suplexes Kaz into the turnbuckles. Snap suplex. The two jockey for position and as the Kwee Wee looks to have it, Kaz flips over on the belly to back landing on his feet. Spinning back kick to chest. Kwee Wee gets backdropped out onto the apron and goes to suplex Kaz to the floor, however he slides down his back looking for a sunset flip, Kwee blocking that by hammering down punches. He fails to connect on the suicide dive and a Kaz headscissors on the outside sends him into the steel steps. In the ring Kwee blocks the implant DDT and levels Kaz with a short clothesline. He’s crotched upstairs, but counters the superplex with a front suplex. This is going one way and then the other as Kwee’s caught mid-air with a dropkick when he comes off the top. Kwee Wee pancakes Kaz to the mat on the tilt-a-whirl for a near fall. It’s Kaz’s turn to be backdropped onto the apron, from there though he hits the slingshot DDT for the win. The Kwee Wee has been embarrassed, and everyone knows he doesn’t like to be embarrassed, so gives Kaz a post-match piledriver. Decentish back and forth action, although I was expecting more from these two.

They reshow the kiss between Matt and Lita from earlier, Lawler calling him a “lucky dog”. The Hardyz catch the Island boys napping, Matt coming off the top with a crossbody and Jeff running across the barricade at them. Poetry in Motion on Rikishi. Haku no sells having his head rammed into the corner and when they go for a Poetry in Motion on him, he just catches Jeff and tosses him to the outside. Matt tries to go it alone but gets floored by a Haku thrust kick before Rikishi drops a big leg across him. There’s no-one home when Rikishi backs dat ass up and as he staggers Jeff clotheslines him across the top rope. Matt with the hot tag. Haku’s not bothering to wait for a tag, although maybe he should have as he gets taken out by a Whisper in the Wind. Leg lariat to Rikishi. A dropkick sends Haku out to the floor, however Rikishi sidesteps Jeff’s charge and sends him out to join him. Twist of Fate by Matt, Jeff, the legal man, has recovered and lands the Swanton. As Teddy Long tries to get Matt back on the apron, Haku nails Jeff behind his back and they steal the win. The brothers want some more but walk into a double Tongan Death grip. They get stacked on top of each other, presumably for a double Bonzai drop, although the Island boys decide against it, choosing to just leave instead. Unless there is some long term booking plan for Rikishi & Haku and they’re looking to rehabilitate them I’m not sure about them getting the win here.

To make sure there is no outside interference Mr McMahon has appointed Chris Jericho as the special guest referee in this match as two of his rivals for the IC title go head to head. Y2J has a few words with his old pal “Mitchell Cole” which was just away of plugging this “He Hate Me” chap from the XFL, Jericho wearing a shirt with his name on to officiate this. Both wrestlers have words with Y2J on their arrival, presumably telling him not to screw them over. Pac with the first pin attempt of the match and Jericho’s count is lightning fast. It’s a different matter altogether when Eddy makes a cover, Y2J checking all the angles, making sure both shoulders are down, dragging it out as much as he can to allow X-Pac to kick out. Looks like Pac is the lesser of two evils for him. Abdominal stretch by Eddy who is grabbing his opponent’s hair at the same time. He does break when Jericho tells him, only to immediately grab it again. This happens a second time forcing Y2J to physically pull him off. They get into a shoving match and Eddy is still arguing with him as he heads upstairs. The distraction allows Pac to catch him with a dropkick causing him to lose his balance. Superplex. Pac with a bronco buster, he too though feels the hands of the official as he continues to ride is opponent long after Jericho has told him to break. Eddy gets suplexed over the top rope to the outside and Pac is being restrained from going after him as Y2J tries to do his job. He ends up slapping Jericho across the back of the head, who responds in kind. Justin Credible is out to help X-Pac, Jericho does beat him to the punch but is quickly outnumbered. Eddy returns to the ring and makes a beeline for Pac, Jim Ross noting that he’s not coming to the defence of Y2J, he just wants to get his hands on X-Pac. That is evident after they clear the ring of the two, Eddy and Jericho then going at it themselves. It looks like the IC champ came out of this all unscathed when he hits a Lionsault on Eddy, however as he makes his way back up the ramp he’s jumped by Chris Benoit who DDT’s him on the steel. ‘The King’ thinks he’s pissed off the wrong men here and Y2J is going to have to find himself some allies fast if this three way feud with him, Eddy and Pac is continuing.

Jim Ross says that Lita and Dean Malenko are set to go one on one, to which ‘the King’s’ response is how he’s always wanted to go one on one with Lita. We know you dirty old goat, you can’t contain yourself whenever you see her. A lengthy video package reminds us what led up to this match, an obsessed Malenko even forcing himself on an unconscious Lita in one of the clips. She may have requested this match but things don’t start out well for her. Malenko grabs a chair from the outside, but as referee Jack Doan tries to pry it away, Lita schoolboys him, although she doesn’t even get a one count with it. He’s having his way with her here, deliberately putting Lita’s leg over the ropes at two to break up a pin attempt, and later, after a belly to belly, lying there and draping her arm on top of him so she’s the one doing the covering, even though she’s completely out of it. Doan gets bumped by a swinging leg when Malenko picks her up for a slam, then collects a second chair from ringside. As he sets himself to clock her, Matt Hardy runs through the crowd into the ring, kicks him in the gut and then blasts him with the chair. Lita crawls over to make the cover, Doan coming around to count the fall in the blow off to their angle. Hardy looks more pleased than Lita with the win, lifting her up to celebrate and even kissing her on the lips. Immediately he apologises, saying how he got caught up in the moment and leaves, thinking he’s screwed up a friendship Lita runs after him, turns him around, Matt goes to apologise again but she full on kisses him. The crowd were electric for that.

Nothing shows a company is running out of ideas more like repeating the exact same skit they did a month ago. Just like when Goldberg was forced to leave WCW and a mock funeral was held for him, one is being held for Kevin Nash, ‘the Magnificent Seven’ all dressed in black as a casket is brought to the ring. Ric Flair starts off talking in sombre tones saying how Nash’s career has come to an end... because ‘the Magnificent Seven’ struck again and now there’s no-one left to stand against them. Scott Steiner takes over from him, saying that their motto in the new WCW is winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing, and if they have to break a few bones or break a few rules that’s exactly what they’ll do. He runs through his victims (Sting, Booker, Goldberg and Sid) and intimates that he’s not yet finished with Nash because he made the mistake of putting his hands on his “freak” (Midajah). Despite Flair saying how there was no-one left to stand against them, Steiner mentions there is one man left. He opens the casket to reveal Kanyon, dressed as DDP, doing his Positively Kanyon gimmick. A rematch from last night has been signed for later in the show and Steiner wants Kanyon to beat Page, to hurt him, just enough though for him to survive to Greed where he can get his hands on him himself. Steiner has stumbled over his words several times throughout this promo. DDP shows up in the crowd, plugs the Greed match because as long as he has that there is nothing Steiner can do to him, then reels off his catchphrase. Kanyon is wrestling this, at least he’s starting, as Positively Kanyon, complete with badly fitting wig and motivational book. DDP slides into the ring and Kanyon tries to run away but gets grabbed by the pants and tossed over the top to the floor. Pescado by Page. Kanyon reverses the whip into the railing and a right then sends DDP over it into the crowd. Back in the ring Page with a tilt-a-whirl slam. They’re calling Kanyon’s win last night the biggest win of his career. Page goes for the ‘ten punch in the corner’ spot but Kanyon Snake Eyes’ him into the top turnbuckle. Sicilian slice for a two. DDP is about to escape the rear chinlock so Kanyon grabs him by the hair and slams him back to the mat, reapplying it. He escapes at the second time of asking, shooting Kanyon off after some back elbows and then planting him with a modified uranage. Both men are down but when they get to their feet it’s Page who’s got the second wind as he unloads with right and left combinations. Discus lariat followed by a belly to back. He signals for the Diamond Cutter however Kanyon low blows him. DDP kicks out of the Kanyon Cutter, Schiavone erroneously thinking that is what beat Page last night. Kanyon slogs him with a loaded book, Charles Robinson otherwise occupied, disposing of a chair that he’d moments earlier bought into the ring, and again he kicks out of the cover. As he puts some knux on his hand, given to him by Scott Steiner, Diamond Cutter and Page avenges his loss from yesterday. Steiner is on his way out, but DDP sees him and the troops coming so hops out into the crowd before they’re able to get their hands on him.

The dreaded Chavo & Animal team! Hopefully Konnan is able to match up against him better and we don’t have a repeat of when they faced Rey & Kidman. We get a recap of Konnan coming to Kidman’s aid last night after Animal had taken him out of the Six Way Elimination match. Chavo makes his entrance at which point we cut backstage to see Animal and Konnan already going at it. To be honest, keeping those two back there and having Kidman and Chavo wrestle a singles match wouldn’t be the worst idea. As Chavo watches the goings on on Nitrovision he’s jumped from behind by Kidman, doing like everyone else these days and coming through the crowd. This has barely got started and we head for a commercial break. On our return a bunch of referees are out struggling to separate Chavo and Kidman while Konnan and Animal have fought their way down to the ring. Tornado DDT by Chavo who then steps out to help Animal, nailing Konnan in the back and then throwing him into the guard rail. Konnan looks motivated here and even pulls out a springboard dropkick. There’s nobody home on Kidman’s top rope splash but Konnan is able to cut off Chavo’s tag, Tony Schiavone saying how their strategy has to be to keep “that monster” on the outside. Konnan ties up Chavo in this cool Lucha leglock submission and Animal is in to break it up, he’s being heavily portrayed as the difference maker between these teams. Chavo distracts the official so Animal can choke K-Dawg over the ropes. Irish whip is reversed and Konnan with the roll through clothesline. I’m sure I heard someone call that Rolling Thunder by the way. Tag to Kidman and the Animals have done a good job of keeping Animal out of there. Right as I type that in he comes again, although every entrance has been illegal, Chavo working the entire match for them. A double clothesline sends Animal to the outside and Chavo is all alone. An ugly looking facejam, timings slightly off. Kidman drags Chavo over to the corner for the Shooting Star but Animal pulls him out of harms way. Animal catches Kidman on the crossbody from the middle turnbuckle to the floor so Konnan comes off the apron himself with a somersault onto them. The match has returned to where we started, Kidman and Chavo in the ring while the referee is doing his best to separate Animal and Chavo on the floor. Kidman lands a sit-out powerbomb when from the back sprints Rey Mysterio. They team up for a Nutcracker, Kidman then hits the Kid Crusher and Konnan holds Animal’s leg to prevent him from saving his partner as the Animals take the win. For reasons known only to a few ,Animal has to look strong, even though he was kept that throughout, and leaves Kidman laying with a huge powerbomb. Expectations were low and I was dreading this but it was an enjoyable bout and they did the best possible considering the almighty handicap that is Road Warrior Animal. This push of his in 2001 is one of the most perplexing things going. Nice to see K-Dawg bringing it, even if there was that unfortunate botch in there.

The Cat has announced that there will be a Cruiserweight tag team division with a tournament to decide the winners starting next week, the finals taking place at the Greed PPV. Well Lance Storm’s Commissionership didn’t last long. At least with Cat back in charge it should mean we see him wrestle less, which can’t be a bad thing! Noble is seconded by Evan Karagias, so presumably they’re going to be one of the teams in the tournament. Considering how they don’t seem to be on the same page the majority of the time I’m not sure that’s the smartest decision. A bad looking top rope headscissors by Shannon after Noble had been slow on the climb. Scott Hudson thinks that Noble & Karagias are one of the favourites for the tournament despite their problems. I don’t. Noble with a nice Northern Lights suplex only to run into a big boot. Twisting corkscrew senton off the top. Jamie rolls to the floor out the way of the slingshot senton but then gets nailed by a baseball slide dropkick. Over the top rope tope con hilo. Karagias’ attempted interference doesn’t pay off and Shannon ends up dropkicking Noble into him. Whoa, Karagias DDT’s Noble on the apron. I’m assuming that’s some sot of payback for him accidentally bumping into him just now. And Hudson thinks these two are favourites?!? Shannon with the Bottoms Up and the win. Ooh no, Karagias and Moore are stomping down Noble and dancing together, it’s they who’re the team for the Cruiserweight tournament, a reunited two thirds of 3 Count, not who we all assumed. Disappointing match that felt more about the angle at the end than anything.