GSR

Tazz is now on commentary, taking the place of Jerry Lawler who he injured on Monday’s edition of Raw. He and Michael Cole talk about X-Pac having a falling out with Road Dogg, so it looks as if he’s moving away from the tag team division and into the singles ranks. Spinning heel kick by Y2J and as Pac ducks out onto the apron Jericho nails him with a springboard dropkick. He avoids the baseball slide and then whips Y2J into the ringside barricade. Sleeper hold is reversed but Pac then counters with a belly to back suplex. Bronco buster, however as he stands on the turnbuckles above his opponent to celebrate, Jericho gets to his feet underneath and powerbombs him to the mat. Flying forearm followed by a bulldog for a two. Pac gets his knees up on the Lionsault and after a low blow, the upset pin with a backslide, using the bottom rope in the process for added leverage.

About thirty seconds into the match GTV plays on the big screen and we see Eddy Guerrero coming out of a shower cubicle which he’d been sharing with Mandy and Victoria, the ho’s. He immediately tries to explain himself to Chyna, but she just turns her back on him and sits on the ring steps facing away, where she stays for the rest of the match. She’s not the most emotive, only having the one expression while she mulls over where to go from here. The match itself is nothing special, Val pinning Eddy after a Blue Thunder Driver. Steven Richards gets in Chyna’s face to gloat and she responds by forearming him across the chops. The other members of the RTC drag her into the ring, but before they can do anything Mr Ass (wearing another badly judge wardrobe outfit) makes the save. Backstage a tearful Chyna is leaving the arena while Eddy is still trying to apologise and explain. For once she’s not interested though and throws her engagement ring at him, telling him that she never wants to see him again. There is some pretty wooden acting here on her part. As Eddy looks around on the floor for the ring he bumps into Mr Ass who had been watching on. Gunn advises him to take that ring to the pawn shop as while he’s around he’ll never get close to Chyna again. Eddy looks like he’s heeding his words, but the moment the ‘Ass man’ turns his back on him he breaks a beer bottle over his head to leave him laying.

Mick Foley is walking with a purpose and has one rattlesnake shaped problem. He says that both he and Steve Austin have been conducting their own investigations into who ran ‘Stone Cole’ over last November, however he has an issue with the way Austin has been conducting his. On Thursday night he told him to “stop the Stunner’s or else”, but those words were ignored as he proceeded to subsequently interfere in two title matches. When he tried to speak to ‘Stone Cole’ to find out what was going on, he disrespected him, so would like to give him the opportunity to come out here now and explain himself. Austin joins Foley and Mick tells him that as Commissioner, when he makes a promise he needs to keep it, otherwise he may as well not be here. He understands that he’s pissed off and is free to conduct his investigation however he wants, but needs to have his word that he won’t interfere in matches again. Austin clearly isn’t impressed with the way Mick’s investigation is going, saying that he knows full well he has no idea who ran him over and is doing nothing while the person responsible is sat out in the back. Sherlock Foley corrects him and claims to have made some developments, calling out ‘Bad Ass’ Billy Gunn. Christ, Mr Ass looks ridiculous. A confident Commissioner believes he has solved the case and leaves the pair of them to it. Mr Ass realises that he is a prime suspect, what with being unaccountable for on the night it happened and at the time a loyal member of D-Generation X, but tells Austin that he did not run him down. He does have some information for him though, as when he arrived to the arena late that evening he saw the car which ran him over and whoever was driving it had blonde hair. ‘Stone Cold’ is not sure whether to believe him, so Mr Ass says he can check with the Brooklyn Brawler as he picked him up from the airport and was there too. Austin looks into his eyes, says that he believes him, but ‘stunners’ him anyway as he never really liked him! Jim Ross wants his copy of Playboy back from ‘the King’ who has had it for four days now. Considering how excited Lawler was to see a naked Chyna you would’ve thought he would’ve bought his own copy! The match goes all of sixty seconds before Bull Buchanan and the Goodfather interfere for the DQ. Austin comes out and stunners the RTC and as it looks like Richards is about to get away, he runs into Chyna who grabs him by the balls and drags him back to the ring. Stunner for Richards, one for Eddy and ‘Stone Cold’ celebrates with some brewskis. ‘The King’ mentions how Austin has interfered in yet another match and wonders what Commissioner Foley is going to do now. Right on cue here he is! He tells Austin that he has no choice and can either fine or suspend him, but before Mick can finish his sentence, he gets stunnered as well.

Lilian Garcia wonders if The Rock can trust the Undertaker going into this tag team tables match, it’s inconsequential to him though as he’s already made up his mind that he can’t and the only person he can trust is himself. We get a recap of Steve Austin being run down at the Survivor Series and are reminded that he has given the man responsible ten days to come forward; if he doesn’t the interrogation will begin at Unforgiven. Bubba with a succession of hard slaps to the chest of the Rock. All that does though is rile the ‘Great One’ up, who switches positions with him in the corner and fires away with flurry of punches. Old school rope walk by Taker who then drops Bubba with a clothesline. D-Von gets some of the same when he tries to help his partner out, but with Taker losing his focus it enables Bubba to gain control. The Dudley’s then work him over until D-Von runs into a big boot. They’re quickly back in charge mind, hitting the ‘wassup’ diving headbutt to The Rock before collecting a table from under the ring. As they are in the process of setting it up though the Undertaker kicks it into their faces. Taker props that table up in the corner, Rock whips D-Von into it, however Bubba rugby tackles his own partner to prevent him from going through it in a nice little tease. Rock fetches a second table and another tease, this time D-Von flipping it out of the way just in time as Rock is about to ‘Rock Bottom’ Bubba through it. A couple more close calls before Bubba clotheslines Rock over the top rope to the outside. Taker slugs Bubba and then gestures to his partner on the floor, telling him to “come on” and help him out in here. When he turns around he walks into a 3-D, getting put through a table in the process in what Michael Cole calls the biggest win in the Dudley’s career. Post-match Taker chokeslams Rock through the other time, either in frustration at the loss or holding him responsible for what just happened.

Commissioner Foley is doing what he does best in getting plenty of ‘cheap pops’ in. Steve Austin is planning on interrogating each and every WWF superstar at Unforgiven to find out who ran him over last November, but says that they don’t have to wait until then as he is going to conduct an investigation of his own. He explains that ‘Stone Cold’ isn’t here tonight, and if anyone wants to come forward and admit they were responsible it will be far easier facing calm, cool, collected Commissioner Foley than an unforgiving rattlesnake. With Austin waiving off criminal proceedings nobody is going to be criminally negligent and, although there will be some repercussions, if anyone has the guts they can settle the matter here tonight in Phoenix, AZ (another bleeding cheap pop!). The Rock’s music plays and as he makes his way down the ramp way, a confident Jerry Lawler claims that he knew it was him all along. Foley is in disbelief and as he starts going off at the Rock for his cold hearted callousness, ‘the Great One’ puts up a hand to stop him mid-tirade. The Rock calls this the biggest half assed criminal investigation he has ever seen, with the penny slowly dropping with the Commissioner that he didn’t run over Steve Austin after all. ‘The King’ has a sudden change of heart, now claiming that he really didn’t think he was the one responsible! When Foley asks him outright if he ran ‘Stone Cold’ over, he replies with an “Oh, hell no!” The Rock goes on to say that the only reason he came out here was for payback after what Kane did to him on Smackdown, and he wants him to bring his number one contendership to Unforgiven so he can lay the smacketh down on his candy ass! On hearing the words “number one contender” it brings out Chris Benoit who surely hopes that Mick Foley isn’t going to make a title match between the Rock and Kane? He says that he’s already beaten this “joke of a champion” once, so if anyone deserves a title match it should be him. ‘The Crippler’ is followed by Kane and then the Undertaker, both thinking that they too should be the number one contender. All four start fighting amongst each other with Foley even getting bumped from an errant Kane shot. A bunch of referees and officials eventually separate them as a confused Commissioner looks on wondering how he is going to solve this. Backstage Foley tells Michael Cole that by the end of the night he will announce the number one contender before setting up a tag team match between the four for later in the show. It’s going to be Chris Benoit teaming with Kane, so ‘The Crippler’ goes to see his partner in the dressing room beforehand stating that they need to function as a team, regardless of who ends up being the number one contender. They try to add some humour into the dialogue which doesn’t work with either’s character, especially Kane’s. Rock and the Undertaker have a pretty similar conversation, although it’s clear that the three main protagonists have their eyes on the main prize of getting that title shot at Unforgiven. After the Benoit and Kane team make their entrance, Commissioner Foley joins JR and ‘the King’ at the commentary desk and it turns out he still hasn’t come to a decision about the number one contendership. The Undertaker picks up right where he left off against Kurt Angle, hitting that same modified powerslam and forcing Kane to break up the early pin. Rock with a back elbow smash before using Benoit’s own finisher against him. Kane is again in the for the save, and when the Undertaker tries to even things up in there Earl Hebner prevents him from doing so, giving Kane and Benoit the chance to double team ‘the Great One’. Kane pulls the Rock to the floor where he drops him throat first across the barricade. Rock with a clothesline to Benoit followed by a spinebuster. He’s about to hit the ‘People’s elbow’ when Kane trips him from the outside causing him to face plant into the mat. Diving headbutt connects, although it looks like that took as much out of Benoit as it did the Rock. Irish whip is reversed, release overhead belly to belly and Rock makes the hot tag to the Undertaker. Taker clears the ring of Kane leaving him all alone with ‘the Crippler’. Huge chokeslam and he’s about to give him the ‘Last Ride’ when Kane returns and clotheslines him. He’s still got hold of Benoit though who uses the momentum to flip over and cradle Taker for the upset three. Great finish! So great in fact the JR loses his train of thought and says that “Chris Jericho pinned the Undertaker”. The four of them continue to go at it after the bell, and Foley says they have all been so impressive that the only thing he can do is make it a ‘Fatal Four-Way’ match at Unforgiven.

Commissioner Foley has put ‘the Game’ in a match with an unnamed opponent. Triple H tells Stephanie that he doesn’t trust Foley for a second and therefore doesn’t want her coming to the ring with him tonight, preferring her to stay here in the dressing room. HHH makes his entrance and no-one is any the wiser as to who his opponent is. We go backstage to see Chyna, frustrated yet again with Eddy Guerrero’s behaviour, while he tries to sweet talk his way around her. When he tells her how fine she looks and that she should be in pictures, she admits to him that before they were together she had some photographs taken and is going to be on the cover of Playboy. Eddy at first thinks it’s great that she’s doing an interview with them, when he realises that she is in fact having nude pictures printed he flips his lid, telling her that no-one is seeing his Mamacita. He doesn’t care if he has to storm the palace or beat up Hugh Hefner himself, no-one is seeing her! Back in the ring and ‘the Game’s’ opponent turns out to be Chris Jericho. Jerry Lawler is practically beside himself at the prospect of seeing a naked Chyna. Spinning heel kick by Y2J, but as he charges HHH backdrops him over the top rope and to the outside. Double axe handle off the apron. Triple H throws him shoulder first into the ring post and then back inside, however rather than follow up on his opponent he prefers to have words with referee Tim White. The delay allows Jericho to nail him with a springboard dropkick sending Hunter sprawling to the floor. JR and ‘the King’ are back talking about the number one contendership being announced later in the show. Lawler jokes that no-one knows what Mick Foley will do, so it could end up being someone like Taka Michinoku or Funaki. Jericho slams HHH’s head into the ring steps and gets a two count after a nice top rope flying back elbow. ‘The Game’ regroups quickly and a high knee floors Y2J. HHH is about to hit ‘the pedigree’ when Stephanie makes her way down towards the ring, disobeying Hunter’s request from earlier. All that does is distract him and Jericho is able to counter. He looks for ‘the Walls’ but isn’t able to fully turn HHH over, so instead catapults him into the turnbuckles. Triple H gets his knees up on the Lionsault and with both men down, here comes Kurt Angle trying to drag Stephanie to the back. ‘The Game’ sees what’s going on and sets off after them. While he and Angle have an exchange of words, X-Pac arrives through the crowd and attacks Jericho, giving Y2J the DQ win. Triple H is irate that Pac cost him the match and the two get into it as it looks like their friendship is now no more.

I’m not sure if this is Regal’s re-debut so to speak, but I think it might be. I completely forgot that he was doing this ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ shtick on his return. A Japanese stranglehold out of his Lordship. Smart little Lucha-style cradle from Crash for a two, however Regal is immediately back on him, dropping him with an uppercut. Tazz is so bloody annoying! A seated ‘Cobra clutch’ which Regal gives up on and Crash is able to get a flurry of flash near falls. Missile dropkick off the top but he then runs into a big boot. Regal with a ‘Kamikaze Crash’ (something else taken from his WOS days like the Japanese stranglehold) and the ‘Regal Stretch’ gets the tap shortly after. Talking of things I had forgotten, Naked Mideon makes an appearance after the match and Regal looks disgusted on seeing a starkers, bar fanny pack, Dennis Knight. He’s not the only one!

No Chyna with Eddy tonight as she’s in Washington getting ready for an autograph signing. Tazz, who knows how to keep a broad in line, isn’t liking that ‘Latino Heat’ is now so supportive of Chyna and thinks that he needs to get back on her. The match is all Road Dogg, to the point that Eddy is on his knees begging for mercy. Dogg accepts his offer of a hand only to double cross him with a short lariat. Eddy resorts to a poke in the eye and gets a two count after a slingshot senton. Dogg ducks a clothesline and floors the I-C champion before dropping a knee across his throat. Scoop powerslam, but Eddy rolls through and, using the ropes for added leverage, gets the pin.

Malenko is being portrayed as a ladies man as a way to try and give him a bit of a personality. He’s got a couple of rough looking women on either arm and Michael Cole even refers to him as “the James Bond of the World Wrestling Federation”. Tazz and Cole are doing commentary from WWF New York as opposed to ringside, while Tazz is still at it with the joke telling and forced OTT laughter. A Taka dropkick sends the Light Heavyweight champion through the ropes to the floor, and as he’s distracted by Funaki, Taka nails him with a double axe handle off the apron. Basement dropkick to the face of a seated Malenko. Flying crossbody for a two. Malenko reverses the Irish whip and flapjacks Taka to the mat. It looks like he may have hurt his shoulder on landing the way he’s grabbing at it. Taka counters the Texas Cloverleaf with a small package and he’s definitely hurt that shoulder as his arm is just dangling there. Snap suplex that Malenko floats over on and he gets the subdued three. For the first thirty seconds while they were wrestling I thought we were in for a heck of a short match. No idea how the Taka injury affected the ending, although the finish coming after a suplex felt flat, almost as if they called an audible because Taka could no longer continue.

Strap match where you can win by pinfall, submission or dragging your opponent to all four corners. Wow, Lawler even goes up for one of Tazz’s suplexes. He tosses ‘the King’ through the ropes to the outside and uses the strap to choke him right in front of JR. Tazz and Ross have a heated verbal exchange at the same time, but Tazz ends up letting go of the strap as he’s more interested in getting in Ross’ face. Lawler makes the most of the situation, using the strap to choke Tazz as JR plays number one cheerleader “get him King! Choke the hell out of him!” Both take some hard lashes from that strap although there is nothing fancy going on here. Tazz no sells THREE piledrivers before a ridiculous looking delayed face plant after the third. Lawler touches three turnbuckles then hangs Tazz over his shoulder as he goes for the final one. Surprisingly for the WWF we get some poor camera work, missing seeing Tazz kick the referee. Ross says that it was accidental as he was trying to kick out but who knows? It does look a weak bump from our vantage point, so maybe that’s why we have this angle as it would have looked even worse if we had a clear view of it. Raven debuts to a huge ovation and gives Lawler the ‘Even Flow’ DDT before disappearing back into the crowd. Tazz locks in the ‘Tazzmission’ and he gets the win when ‘the King’s’ arm drops for the third time. I can just about live with one no sold piledriver, but what we got here was ridiculous. Completely forgettable match bar the Raven debut and I bet he never expected it would be all downhill for his time in the WWF from here.

A jealous Eddy Guerrero is seen causing a disturbance at the Playboy Mansions, but Hugh Hefner says that his objections makes no difference and everyone will see Chyna in the next issue of Playboy and see her like they’ve never seen her before. More apologizing to Chyna, although he seems to have changed his tune, thinking that because she is so beautiful everyone deserves to look at her. Chyna tells him that she had already forgiven him and there’s no need to apologise, however he does have one more thing to worry about, a match with Rikishi. All of a sudden Eddy starts coughing as if he’s coming down with something and tells her that he feels a little wheezy. Next time we see him he is wrapped in a blanket while Chyna is taking his temperature. She wants to get Commissioner Foley to cancel the match as he’s not well enough, but he ends up talking her into taking his place. Tazz imposes himself as honorary ring announcer, with Jerry Lawler saying that he’s probably a better ring announcer than he is wrestler. This looks like it’s going to be some angle involving the two of them, however Jim Ross informs us that the Commissioner made it clear than neither are to touch each other until Unforgiven on Sunday. ‘The King’ notes that Eddy came down with whatever it was awfully quickly, seemingly not buying it for one second. After both participants are introduced Eddy gets off his death bed and struggles his way down the aisle, still wrapped in that blanket. Rikishi leaves the ring to get his hands on him and throws him into the ring steps. As he is about to give him the ‘stink face’, Chyna again saves her man at which point Eddy pulls out some mace which he sprays in Rikishi’s face. Chyna, not happy with the way Eddy clearly used her, goes to check on Rikishi, but he grabs and gives her a ‘Samoan drop’. Rikishi, who still wants Eddy, gestures for him to come back to the ring, but when he shows no sign of doing so pulls Chyna into the corner. He’s basically trying to force Eddy’s hand implying that if he’s not going to get it, his Mamacita is. Eddy is on his knees pleading for her, but there is not a cat in hells chance he’s getting back in that ring. When he realises he’s not, Rikishi gives Chyna the safest, most protected ‘Bonzai splash’ you’re ever likely to see.

Edge and Christian, after getting in some jibes at the local Arizona sports teams, make it clear to everyone that they had nothing to do with what happened to Steve Austin last November (“that was heinousity to the max!”) and if they had a time machine they would go back and stop it from taking place, because that’s just the kind of guys they are. Christian reminds his partner that they do have a time machine though, and what better way to put it to use than by bringing back the Hardy Boyz of the future to see if they learnt anything from all the beatings they gave them. They introduce the Hardyz from the year 2050 and it’s a couple of old guys dressed up to look like them. Michael Cole says that this is “embarrassing for the Hardyz”, he didn’t really need to add “for the Hardyz” as this is embarrassing period. It gets worse as we’re joined by Lita from the future, another OAP. ‘The King’ is in his element here firing off jokes at their expense. As E&C are about to spear the pensioners, they’re interrupted by Commissioner Foley. Nothing gets past our erstwhile Commissioner, who informs them that he knows that isn’t the real Hardyz of the future, because if it were they would have been able to tell them not only did they take them on at Unforgiven, but they did so within the confines of a steel cage. Foley calls out the Hardyz of the present and after taking a bit of a beating from them, the champions high tail it out of there. Y2J and the Hardyz make their entrance through the crowd, attacking their opponents from behind as they’re watching the entrance way expecting them to arrive the traditional way. Jericho goes straight for X-Pac, looking to get some payback after what he did to him on Raw. The requisite flying forearm and bulldog out of Y2J to Christian. Middle rope leg drop by Matt who doesn’t even bother with the cover, preferring to dish out more punishment instead. Edge is in to help out but ends up getting the same treatment. The distraction pays off mind, as Christian then hurls Matt between the turnbuckles and shoulder first into the ring post. He fights his way out of the attempted superplex, but still ends up getting press slammed to the mat. Lita involves herself from the outside, tripping and posting Edge. A pair of tags and we’re back where we started with Jericho and X-Pac. Y2J traps him in ‘the Walls’ when Edge nails him in the back to break the submission. ‘Whisper in the Wind’ by Jeff as the Hardyz run through their trademark offense. After Jeff lands a ‘Swanton bomb’, X-Pac snatches him and hits the ‘X-Factor’ stealing the win for his team.

Not only would Kurt Angle like to dedicate this match to all the Olympic athletes who are going for Gold later this month, but also to his good friend Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. After HHH faced T&A last week, JR explains that Angle’s motivation for taking this handicap match is to show that he can do whatever Triple H can do, only that he can do it better. Release German suplex on Albert, but as Kurt celebrates, Test takes his head off with a boot to the face. Yet again HHH is shown watching on from his dressing room and while he finds the beating he is taking funny, Stephanie not so much. Great looking double press slam as they drop Kurt chest first to the mat. Full nelson slam and there is some serious high impact offense on display from T&A that Angle is bumping around for. After Test clotheslines Kurt over the top rope to the outside, we again cut to HHH laughing at what he’s seeing, but when he tells Stephane to “look at this”, she’s gone, out of there. Trish Stratus puts the boots to Angle on the ringside floor which brings out Stephanie who takes care of her. Test grabs Steph, but she makes the mistake of ducking into the ring to escape, ending up sandwiched between both members of T&A. As her former fiancé is about to powerbomb her, Triple H sprints out to make the save. ‘The Game’ and Angle work together to clear the ring, but while HHH continues to let them have it, Kurt is checking on his wife. Hunter turns around, catching him doing so and has that face of thunder again. Stephanie gets between them, but Triple H shoves her to the mat, incensed at what he just witnessed. As the two trade blows, a couple of referees try to separate them to no avail. HHH is getting the better of things and is about to give Angle the ‘pedigree’ when Steph gets behind him to pull him off. Thinking that it’s another one of the officials, he elbows her in the head. ‘The Game’ can’t believe what he’s done when he realises, although it’s not over for Stephanie who gets bumped a further time, taking a spill off the apron to the floor. Eventually HHH carries her off to the back but is cheapshotted by Kurt. Surprisingly Angle then doesn’t pick Steph up and carry her to the back himself, just leaving her there. Backstage Triple H is tending to his wife when Commissioner Foley enters the room and tells him that this has gotten out of hand, he is therefore booking a match between them at Unforgiven with himself as the special guest referee.

After a video package recapping the recent problems between Eddy and Chyna we got to some footage taped earlier in the day. Chyna is getting ready in her dressing room when she’s approached by a rather tentative Eddy. He’s all apologetic over his actions these past few weeks and explains how he feels that the belt was coming between them. Eddy goes on to say that he loves her more than anything and wants her as his partner in life forever. It doesn’t take much before Chyna is forgiving him. A relieved Eddy suggests that they celebrate by dancing and kicking some ass. When she questions who they’re going to beat up, he replies “Too Cool”. With them being their friends she’s not overly keen on the idea, although again goes along with what Eddy wants. Eddy attacks Too Cool before the bell, throwing Scotty to the outside and levelling the Grandmaster with a clothesline. Despite Chyna saying how he needs to control his temper, he continues with the aggressiveness in the ring, so much so that and “Eddy sucks” chant breaks out amongst the fans. He runs into a thrust kick and GMS comes off the middle with a missile dropkick. Too Cool makes a wish and Scotty with a flying crossbody for a two count. Belly to back suplex as both men are already starting to show the effects of this battle. Eddy is to his feet first, but even though Chyna is begging for the tag, he tells her “no” and that he can do this on his own. Meanwhile S2H has tagged the Grandmaster in who picks up Eddy for a bodyslam, only for an inadvertent swinging leg to catch Chyna on the apron, knocking her to the floor. Bulldog, W-O-R-M and finally a ‘Hip Hop Drop’ to the back of the neck as Too Cool pick up the win. Chyna is wanting to dance with the victors and JR and ‘the King’ wonder whether Eddy will go through with it, even though he promised her that win, lose or draw, he would. It looks at first as if he isn’t going to, but then offers Too Cool his hand and in turn they give him a pair of shades. Eddy dances for a matter of seconds before bailing out of there, returning with the IC title belt which he clobbers them both with. Rikishi saves Too Cool and in turn Chyna saves Eddy, picking up that belt and nailing him with it just as he’s about to deliver the ‘stink face’. Chyna is clearly tormented by her actions, torn between her friends and her man, although the knowing smirk on Eddy’s face as they leave is that of a man who knows his woman will do whatever for him. Whatever you may think of the storyline and Eddy being saddled with Chyna, his character work has been top notch throughout. Crazy that people used to believe he was a bland guy with no personality or charisma, something that will be refuted more and more the further we dive into the decade.

The winners of this will go on to face the WWF tag team champions at Unforgiven, and with those champions currently being Edge & Christian, they head to ringside after the teams to provide some colour commentary of their own. The match only goes two minutes before an ECRI (Edge and Christian Run In), but they do manage to cram in a fair bit in that short space of time including a Jeff flip dive over the top rope to the floor, a Bubba bomb, a Jeff clothesline from the barricades, a Matt middle rope guillotine leg drop and a combination neckbreaker/belly to back by the Dudleys. Matt climbs to the top turnbuckle for a moonsault bodyblock when the ECRI sees Edge clock him with one of their title belts. He flies backwards into Bubba, KO’ing him in the process, and with the unconscious Matt falling on top it’s the Hardyz who advance to Unforgiven. Having cost them a title shot, the Dudleys attack the champions after the bout giving Edge a 3-D through an unbreakable table. It does feel like I’ve been watching these teams feud all year and a kind of backward step for the champions after mixing it with the Rock and the Undertaker. Glad I wasn’t the only one who thought they were going for a double pin situation with both teams going on to Unforgiven; it was only when JR explained was it made clear that the Hardyz won and that E&C interference had backfired on them.

The Undertaker is manhandling Kurt with ease in the early moments, including hitting a cool variation of the powerslam, almost like Duke Droese’s old ‘Trash Compactor’ finisher. Triple H is shown watching on from his dressing room and finding Angle’s predicament all too amusing. Taker looks more motivated than usual tonight, even busting out the old-school walk across the top rope. A drop toe hold stops Taker in his tracks, before Kurt kicks him in the groin and gets a two count after a DDT. Angle runs into a big boot but manages to escape the tombstone, hitting a high release German suplex. We see HHH looking on again and while he is no longer looking as pleased as he did previously now that Kurt's in control, Stephanie is certainly enjoying what she sees. A flying clothesline takes Angle off his feet and as Taker goes for the last ride, he’s attacked by Chris Benoit for the cheap DQ. ‘The Game’ makes the save, but Michael Cole portrays it that he’s more interested in getting his hands on Kurt Angle than he is of helping the Undertaker. With Angle now out of there, Taker eventually delivers the ‘Last Ride’ to ‘the Crippler’ to leave the fans happy.

Edge and Christian are opening up this episode of Smackdown, so it looks like there is an attempt to push them to the upper card after that win on Monday. Edge says that they could come out here and brag about their Monday night win over The Rock & The Undertaker, or ‘Rockertaker’ as they like to call them, but they’re not the bragging types and instead of giving everyone a brand new pose they’re going to give them a history lesson. So much for not being the ‘bragging types’ as that history lesson always worms its way back into them airing the footage of Christian pinning Rock on Raw. Tazz’s forced laughter during this is really annoying. As they’re about to replay that footage for the fourth time, they’re interrupted by The Rock. He’s not hanging around and challenges them to a handicap match for later in the show. E&C tell him that’s not going to happen as they’re not going to risk their “undefeated against the Rock in Kentucky streak”. After Rock makes them look foolish in the verbal stakes they agree; only under the proviso though that instead of them tagging in and out in this handicap match, they’re both in the ring at the same time. Edge doesn’t think he’ll accept that, but when he does, adds a further stipulation that he has to put the WWF World title on the line also. Yhey’re doing all they can to try and not have to have the bout, but again Rock takes them up on it. As E&C are backstage on their way out for the match they’re jumped by the Rock who nails Edge over the back with a chair, puts the boots to Christian and then throws Edge into a soda machine leaving the pair of them laying. Tony Chimel introduces the champion first for this World title match, however when he announcers the challengers, Edge is nowhere to be seen. Christian says how the Rock thinks he’s so smart jumping them from behind and taking out Edge, but he’s got some news for him. By the orders of Commissioner Foley there will be a handicap match for the WWF World championship tonight and he introduces his new tag team partner, Kane. Christian looks for a high five from the ‘Big Red Machine’ who marches straight past him and into the ring, concerned only with winning the World title. Kane runs into a big boot and Rock with a Samoan Drop as Christian watches on from the outside. He blocks a ‘Rock Bottom’ and a right hand sends the champ over the top rope and to the floor. They head into the crowd, fighting amongst the fans with Christian continuing to watch on. Jerry Lawler (who is back) surmises that he probably hopes that Kane knocks the Rock out and he can then steal the pin and the title. Rock blasts Kane in the head with the ring bell when he’s levelled by a Christian clothesline as he finally gets involved in the action. Spinning heel kick for a two count. He comes off the top, but Rock catches him with a kick to the gut followed by a DDT. Spinebuster and as he’s about to drop ‘the People’s Elbow’ he’s cut off by a returning Kane who plants him with a chokeslam. Christian breaks up the pin, confirming what ‘the King’ thought earlier. Reverse DDT and now Kane is the one doing the breaking up. Kane launches Christian to the outside, however he pulls him out under the bottom rope as the two partners start fighting each other. Edge rushes down to ringside to help his ‘brother’ as Earl Hebner leaves the ring to try and restore some order. In the confusion, Christian grabs one of the title belts, swings at the Rock, but he ducks the shot and hits ‘the Rock Bottom’ to retain the gold. A livid Kane chokeslams the Rock through the announcer’s table post-match as Michael Cole says how he will stop at nothing to get the WWF World title.

Benoit slumps down in the corner after a running clothesline, but before Rikishi can ‘back dat ass he rolls under the bottom rope to the outside. Rikishi follows him out, however ‘the Crippler’ reverses the whip sending Rikishi crashing into the ring steps. Belly to back suplex on the 350lber. Diving headbutt off the top and even though he hooks the leg, Rikishi kicks out of the cover. Benoit hits a Northern Lights suplex which Michael Cole erroneously calls a ‘German suplex’ and “the idiot” is quickly corrected by Tazz. Cole almost sarcastically thanks him for his analysis, to which Tazz tells him to do his job the right way and do what Vince pays him for. Go Tazz! Benoit is slow on the climb when heading up top and a Rikishi right sees him tumble to the mat. He gets a couple of near falls after a belly to belly and then a Samoan drop, and just as it looks like he’s got this under control out runs Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather from the Right to Censor. Benoit takes advantage of their interference picking up the win with a German suplex. Too Cool are out to help Rikishi but they make the mistake of attacking ‘the Crippler’ as he is leaving and he returns to the ring to team up with the RTC. The Benoit Northern Lights suplex on Rikishi never ceases to amaze me. Not sure what to make of Tazz at the moment; correcting Michael Cole is great, but the maniacal laugh seems so forced and unnatural.

Jim Ross informs us that Steve Austin plans on making a special announcement this Thursday on Smackdown and has a lot to say about his return, his future and his assailants from last November. Kane heads to ringside and takes a seat next to a rather surprised JR to provide commentary for the upcoming tag title match. Neither Edge nor Christian look to keen to start for their team, and as they play ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ to decide, Christian is jumped by ‘the Great One’. Taker with a big boot followed by an elbow drop for a two as the Hardy Boyz and Lita are shown watching on a monitor backstage. Running lariat in the corner, side slam and this time Edge is in to break up the pin. Taker runs into an elbow and Christian comes off the middle with a clothesline before making the tag to his partner. Edge telegraphs the attempted backdrop, DDT and Christian returns the favour with the save. As the Undertaker lets Christian have it, he forgets about Edge who wipes him out with a spear. Edge and Christian utilise quick tags and double team offense to get the heat on Taker, goading Rock on the apron as they do so. Double clothesline sees both Edge and Take go down. Hot tag to the Rock who gets an insane reaction from the fans. It’s like their response to him gets louder each week, just crazy. He plants Christian with a tilt-a-whirl slam and gets a two after a DDT. Chris Benoit is out and goes straight for the Undertaker. On the other side of the ring a Rock right hand sends Edge over the top rope and to the outside. ‘Rock Bottom’ on Christian and you can see Earl Hebner just slightly delaying things in order for Edge to have enough time to make the save. Christian then distracts Hebner as Edge grabs a chair from ringside and blasts Rock over the head with it. Great near fall with Rock kicking out at the last moment. Taker is now back on the apron, having missed what just went down, but having dealt with ‘the Crippler’. Spinebuster, Rock drapes an arm over Edge and it looks like we’re about to have new tag team champions when Kane pulls Hebner from the ring to prevent him finishing the count. Taker goes after his brother and Earl is trapped between them as he tries to separate the pair. ‘Conchairto’ to “the skull of the Rock” behind the official’s back and the champs retain the titles. Ross is in disbelief that Edge and Christian came away with the gold here, calling them the “luckiest men in the world”. After how previous matches between Edge & Christian and the Undertaker had gone, another match between these is the last thing I wanted to see…or so I thought. E&C were treated as equals as opposed to jobbers, were credible and, for the first time, came across as legit main event players. Only slight negative would be the Benoit interference, but this is a very good, bordering on great TV match.

No Shane O’Mac with ‘the Crippler’, presumably still selling the fall he took at Summerslam. A number one contender’s match for the WWF World Heavyweight title where you can only gain that contendership by pinfall or submission. The Undertaker rushes Benoit but ‘the Crippler’ avoids the swinging arm, boots him in the mid-section and immediately takes it to his opponent with his trademark intensity and aggression. Taker blocks the clothesline and presses Benoit overhead dropping him chest first to the mat. He misses a charging knee in the corner though, jamming it against the top turnbuckle. Benoit then goes to town on that knee, kicking away at it, wrenching it and slamming it into the canvas. As it looks like ‘the Crippler’s’ got this under control he runs into a big boot. Taker grabs Benoit by the throat for the chokeslam when he’s jumped from behind by Kane. The referee calls for the bell but, incensed that he has cost him the chance of being the number one contender, Benoit then attacks Kane. All three slug it out amongst each other and when it looks like ‘the Crippler’ and Kane are starting to work together, The Rock returns the favour from Raw, running out to an incredible reaction and helping Taker clear the ring of both. The Undertaker wins the match as a result of a disqualification, although we’re no closer to finding out who the number one contender is.

Triple H is pacing about outside the building waiting for Stephanie to arrive as he hasn’t seen her since yesterday. X-Pac makes light of the situation cracking a joke about her being in “good hands”, while Road Dogg is a bit more sympathetic thinking that it’ll work itself out. On hearing Kurt Angle’s entrance music HHH sets off into the arena to get some answer from him convinced that he knows something. Jim Ross mentions that Kurt was released from the hospital earlier this morning after suffering a concussion at the hands of Triple H at Summerslam. With Stephanie still nowhere to be seen, as Angle makes his way down the aisle, JR and ‘the King’ start to speculate that maybe she spent the night with him after all. Kurt says that due to the concussion there are a lot of things that he doesn’t remember about last night; he does know that Hunter struck his wife in the middle of the ring though and then got his butt kicked by the Rock! He’s been told that he came out to help Stephanie, to take her away from any further brutality, and bought her to safety to seek medical treatment, although that is all he knows. HHH has always been a shady character in his book and what he did to a poor innocent girl like Stephanie is borderline criminal! He makes a lousy WWF champion and an even lousier husband! That brings ‘the Game’ out and he informs Kurt that he didn’t ‘get’ a concussion last night, he gave him one, and wants to know where his wife is. Kurt tells him, like he told everyone else, that he doesn’t have a clue about last night and certainly doesn’t know where his wife is (although the smirk on his face implies otherwise). JR and Lawler question whether he’s telling the truth while HHH isn’t buying it at all, saying how he’s the ‘King of the Underhand’ and wants some answers before he beats his ass! Angle reiterates that what he’s saying is the truth and tells Hunter that maybe Stephanie hasn’t contacted him because she’s scared of him, doesn’t trust him and when he hit her in the head it knocked some sense into her! On hearing that Triple H gives him a shove sending him flying through the ropes to the floor. Kurt’s ready for a fight but they’re both held back by officials. The camera cuts to Eddy Guerrero and Chyna watching backstage and Chyna says that she sort of feels sorry for Hunter. Eddy can’t see why as he doesn’t know how to treat a lady, can’t be trusted and all she should be worried about is the Intercontinental title. Michael Cole questions Angle in the dressing room, not really believing that he doesn’t really remember anything about last night. Kurt again says how he had a concussion, but suddenly recalls being in the hotel lobby with Stephanie. He goes on to mention Room 814, his room, before correcting himself and saying it was in fact Stephanie’s room. Chyna goes to check on Triple H who is concerned that his marriage is falling apart with this whole Kurt Angle situation. She tells him that relationships are tough and that it’s all about trust as without that you have nothing. The reason she and Eddy work is because they love each other, support each other and trust each other, and says to just give her a chance and everything will work out fine. He thanks her with a hug when in walks Eddy. It turns out he isn’t so trusting after all, shoving Hunter and dragging Chyna away. Eddy is still hot over what he saw, punching locker room doors, when he’s approached by Angle. Kurt does his best to stir the situation some more, pushing Eddy’s buttons and telling him to fight for his woman as guys like Triple H need to be taught a lesson. Chyna tries to talk Eddy out of the match saying that it’s stupid, but he says he’s got to take care of it ‘man on man’ and tells her to stay here. There’s quite the size difference between these two when you see them in the ring together. Head scissors take down by Eddy followed by a clothesline and he’s got ‘the Game’ reeling. Despite being advised to stay in the back, Chyna can’t help but watch on from one of the monitors as a pair of European uppercuts drop HHH. Hunter reverses the Irish whip and Eddy runs into a high knee. After a vertical suplex, Triple H drops a knee across the forehead with Jim Ross saying how it’s obvious that he’s taking out his aggression that should be directed at Kurt Angle on Eddy. Huracanrana by Eddy who starts to fire back. Tornado DDT lands and Eddy then heads upstairs for the frog splash. HHH manages to avoid it, but he moved early enough that Eddy was able to roll through before fully executing. As Guerrero charges, ‘the Game’ elevates him up and over into the turnbuckles. He sets him for the ‘pedigree’ when out runs Kurt Angle who blasts him over the head with a chair for the DQ. Angle nails Eddy too but scarpers when he sees Chyna running down the aisle. Chyna is equally concerned about both men while JR is certain that Kurt knows more than he is letting on.

Corp does have one of the best worked punches going. Page crashes and burns on a cannonball from the apron, landing in a bunch of ringside chairs, while inside Cash empties a shaker of thumbtacks all over the mat. He bodyslams Corp into the tacks but is dragged to the floor by Mitch who rams his head into a chair. Corp is the first to be busted open and as he gathers his bearings, Page counters the Cash running crossbody by slamming him into the tacks. Thumbtack baseball bat across the back of Page before Corp grinds it into his forehead and then wallops Flo between the eyes. Barbed wire baseball bat shot to the butt! Corp sets up some chairs and light tubes on the concrete, but Cash sneaks up on him and suplexes him through the contraption. As he takes it to him on the floor, Mitch props up some more light tubes against the turnbuckles in the ring. He whips Corp into them, however they don’t break. Page then charges and comes flying at Corp, who moves out the way, and now they break! Mitch is able to recover first but Corp escapes the attempted powerbomb and counters with a ‘Bootcamp’ into the thumbtacks. Before he can get the three though, Bull Pain runs out and creams him with a full force chair shot to the head. There are some “bull shit” chants in the crowd and if I’d known when I started to watch this stuff I’d have made a note to keep count because we are hearing an awful lot of them. Cash looks at both men, almost as if he’s weighing up who to pin first, eventually deciding on Corp and eliminating him from this three way. They’re back exaggerating the time again. Chokeslam on Page but he avoids the Cash frog splash. Mitch heads up top himself and a big splash puts Flo down for the count as he becomes the number one contender for the IWA-MS Heavyweight title. Corp and Bull go back and forth on the mic after the match, setting up a bout for the next show, with Bull calling him a “stepping stone” in getting to Ian Rotten. One of the better Indy ‘death matches’ we’ve seen so far, aided by the fact that it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome which is a problem at times with them. Props to Cash Flo, the least associated death match worked of the three, for being the only one to wrestle without a shirt on and take bodyslams into the thumbtacks. Corp is someone who I’m enjoying a fair bit on the re-watch and even Mitch Page looked competent here.

Colt tells Paul E. Smooth that he can handle this, to go to the back and they’ll meet up in the hotel later. Smooth gives him a kiss on the cheek before he does so, eliciting the expected, and sadly predictable, “faggot, faggot” chants at the pair. No Jim Fannin tonight and whoever it is replacing him on announcing duties is struggling to pronounce Colt’s surname. The cat calling gets worse as the match goes on, someone shouting “how do you like that you queer?” when Hero backs Cabana into the corner to free himself from a sleeper. After a bevy of right hands Colt rolls to the outside and calls for a time out. I don’t know if it’s due to Cabana’s gimmick and the crowd like cheering against him, but they are into this more than most IWA matches so I doubt we’ll be seeing Ian out at the end to rag on them like last time. Hero makes the cardinal error of chasing after his opponent and when Colt ducks back in it allows him to get the jump on him. He comes off the middle with a double axe handle, but Hero snatches him and hits a ‘flatliner’ only to miss his intended target on the moonsault. Flying back elbow by Colt who then gyrates his hips to the fans. That’s not going to get them to change their opinion of him. Slingshot senton followed by a baseball slide dropkick that sends Hero to the floor. Crossbody off the middle and over the top out, however Hero catches Cabana and rams him backwards into the ring post. Neckbreaker for a two. Colt blocks the piledriver and counters with a Russian leg sweep. He hangs Hero in the ‘tree of woe’, places a chair in front of his face but takes far too long in doing so as Hero is able to free himself before Colt does any damage. DDT by Hero, frog splash elbow drop and Cabana kicks out in the nick of time. Hero telegraphs the backdrop and Colt grabs him by the hair, slamming him backwards to the mat. Double jump springboard leg drop. ‘Hero’s Welcome’ when Smooth runs back out and breaks up the pin. Suicide Kid makes the save and evens things up, although for some reason despite this interference the ref is letting the match continue. Kid nails Hero with a flip dive to the floor while Hero plants Smooth with a great looking powerbomb. He’s about to give Colt a second ‘Hero’s Welcome’ when Paul E. low blows him and Cabana with a small package for the win. Fed up of the two of them constantly interfering Kid thinks that next Saturday he and Hero should “kick the fuck out of those two fags”. I spoke too soon, here’s Ian! He says how Chris Hero is becoming a draw in IWA-MS (really? Is anyone a draw in IWA-MS? A fan favourite sure, but not a draw) and is happy to make the match, although insists on Cabana and Smooth taking and AIDS test first in case either of them get busted open. Fucking hell, that’s low even for the standards I expect from this company. These finishes in IWA-MS are killing me as every match seems to end on an unsatisfying note at the moment. I genuinely thought Hero was going to pin Smooth after the powerbomb to win this, so at least the right man took the fall and it does build to a future tag match. The work was generally pretty good throughout although the gay slurs, jibes, insults and the like are a real turn off when watching this stuff.

Cuts in the video are often infuriating, not so here though as whoever did the editing saves us from a long winded Blaze promo! Corp is itching for a fight and chases after his opponent, pummelling him with some rights and a stiff looking clothesline. Blaze rolls under the bottom rope but he’s not getting away that easy, Corp following him out and whipping him into the rows of chairs before digging a broken light tube into his forehead. We lose the action for a while as they head off into the car park and on their return see that Corp is now busted open. Robinson piledrives Blaze onto a pile of chairs but Blaze’s second, Nathan Future, breaks up the pin. They disappear off out of sight for a second time and this time when they return it’s Blaze in charge. Corp reverses the Irish whip on the floor sending Blaze crashing into the ring post. Someone is greatly exaggerating the time here as we get a “fifteen minutes has passed” announcement, even though my counter is saying nine and that doesn’t take into account four minutes at the start for introductions and ring entrances! Corp gets a two count following a superkick but, when he goes for it again, Blaze catches the leg and plants him with a modified powerbomb. He dumps Corp across the top rope and then comes off the middle with an elbow to the back of his head. Corp blocks the top rope rana with a low blow, powerbomb and Future once more with the save. After a DDT yields the same outcome, Robinson has had enough and grabs ‘the protégé’. All that does though is to allow Blaze the opportunity to jump him from behind. Corp looks for a frankensteiner but a swinging leg catches the official knocking him down. ‘Bootcamp’ however there is no-one to count the fall. Corp looks daft as here, knowing full well that he took the ref out, not to mention that he could clearly see him laid on the mat. Future is back involving himself and its two-on-one time as they double team Corp. He positions some light tubes between a pair of chair and spinebusters Robinson through them. Blaze makes the cover and Future drags the ref over, assisting him in making the count. Corp gets a bit of post-match retribution, giving Future a ‘Bootcamp’ onto some broken light tubes and it sounds like he’s setting up a Taipei Death match as the footage cuts out. I don’t know why, but I get the impression that Blaze is a pretty reluctant Death match worker. Considering this was ‘fans bring the weapons’ they didn’t bring many, while bar one pin attempt on the floor, the wrestlers didn’t utilise the ‘falls count anywhere’ aspect of things either. This was the polar opposite to the previous match in that it started out strong but went downhill from there; the ref bump was weak, the Nathan Future interference repetitive and the match was longer than necessary.

Not only an IWA-MS Light Heavyweight title match but, according to Jim Fannin, an independent wrestling fan’s dream match. I said in Hero’s bout against Harry Palmer how the wrestling looked loose and it’s very raggedy here too ending with a ‘stand-off’. They do the same lock up spot from Low Ki/Homicide although it doesn’t have anywhere near the same intensity as it did there. Hero misses a tumbleweed after a brainbuster but Kid is unable to capitalize. Bar one person cheering for the Kid the crowd is deathly quiet. A great rana by Kid followed by headscissors take down. Double jump split legged moonsault. Hero backdrops Kid over the top rope and, after he lands on the apron, then whips him into the ring post. Kid collapses on the apron however uses his legs to launch a charging Hero head first into the top turnbuckle. Hero tumbles to the outside and quick thinking on Kid’s part to cover for the blown slingshot rana by just raining down punches instead (it looks like Hero loses his footing before taking the move). Tumbleweed off the middle for a near fall. A tornado DDT spikes Hero on the top of his head but when he goes for it a second time Hero counters with a sit out spinebuster. Running ‘Liger bomb’ that Kid barely gets a shoulder up from. ‘Toyota Roll’ to counter a powerbomb as this has developed into a pretty good match. Hero with a superplex, but on landing both men hook the leg of the other and we get a double pin. After they put each other over, with Kid offering Hero another title match whenever he wants one, Ian Rotten waddles out. Rotten calls the fans “ungrateful fuckers” for not appreciating the wrestling match that they’ve just witnessed and then tells them that due to how small the crowds have been that this will be the last show at this venue. He can’t believe that they put on “the best shows on the planet” and draw less than 100 people! Rotten claims that he’s $500 in the hole and that’s without paying the boys. They’re going to take an intermission and unless they sell an awful lot of concessions and merchandise they won’t be coming back! After the iffy start this turned into a good match. I thought Kid looked the better of the two, but Rotten, in between letting the fans have it, speaks highly of Hero and clearly sees something in him going forward. I still hate his ring gear though!