[2000-10-20-JCW-Battle at Becton] Doug Gilbert & Tommy Rich vs Russ & Charlie Haas

[soup23]

Gilbert does an amazing promo before the match running down the crowd and the state in general. Up there with the best Jeff G Bailey stuff we have seen this year as far as crowd heat is concerned. The announcer mentioning the really fun opening stanza between Charlie and Rich being slow paced was so annoying. They were really setting the table and settling into a traditional tag which is what we got. It was incredibly impressive to watch. Like lucha maestros, Rich and Gilbert have a distinctive style but as the opponents, you can either go with that or get swallowed up. To the Haas credit, they work it in. Doug on the mic tries to get a go Tommy go chant started to crickets. The heat segment comes when Doug pulls down the top rope and Russ goes to the outside. All the heel tricks are pulled out including wrist tape as a choke and Gilbert throws powder in Russ’s eyes when he mounts a comeback. Hot tag is made to Charlie and the Haas offense with the flips in the corner isn’t very impressive. Also, sadly the crowd is pretty dead and putrid. Ref bump and Moondog Winston(?) comes out but accidently hits Gilbert with the bone and the Haas brothers win. Moondogs 2000 attack Haas after the match until Da Hit Squad comes in for backup. Haas Bros and Da Hit Squad bury the hatchet after the match to end their feud and unite together. Overall, I would say we have seen plenty of tribute acts to the Attitude Era and some of the worst parts of 90’s wrestling cloud some matches in 2000. Seeing Rich/Gilbert as fish out of water in this environment was a nice change of pace and good essential viewing for those really chronicling 2000 overall. ***1/2 (7.1)

[Tim Evans]

Tommy and Doug teaming in Jersey in 2000 is just weird. I know Doug worked in the northeast for years but I had no idea Tommy was still doing indies in 2000. It's cool to see them vs the young up and comers like the Hass bros. Sadly, this match isn't very good. Tommy was in most of the way and the match doesn't really get going before the run in. Moondogs 2000 are even more low rent than Moondog Splat and the Big Black Dog.

[GSR]

That’s some paunch on Tommy Rich!  A confident Doug Gilbert thinks they’ll beat these job boys in less than five minutes.  The Haas brothers are now officially under contract to the WWF and the commentator says how everyone at JCW is incredibly proud of them.  A slow paced start to proceedings with Doug using his experience to get the better of Charlie.  Tommy Rich tags in but doesn’t fare as well as his partner, resorting to repeated pulling of the hair to gain the advantage.  Double dropkick by the Haas’.  Side headlock by Russ, however Rich with the blind tag as he shoots him off, drop down and Doug then pulls down the top rope, Russ tumbling over it to the floor.  Rich’s goading of Charlie on the apron has the desired effect as while Charlie tries to get to him and is being held back by the official, on the outside Gilbert is putting the boots to his brother.  The longer the match goes on the more the referee struggles to keep order, Rich and Gilbert utilizing the double team as well as plenty of illegal tactics.  As Russ starts to fight back he’s stopped in his tracks by some powder that Gilbert throws in his face, passed to him by their generic manager.  Doug teases a move off the top only to get side-tracked, mouthing off to a fan at ringside.  I thought that might give Russ the additional seconds he needed but Gilbert still lands the fist drop.  Russ ducks the clothesline, comes back with one of his own and finally makes the hot tag.  Charlie comes in like a house on fire and Russ very quickly gets a second wind.  Referee Steve Paradiso gets bumped when Gilbert shoves Charlie into him and at the same time Rich throws Russ to the floor.  The Moondogs 2000 are out to help Rich and Gilbert, but their interference back fires as Wenzel accidentally KO’s Doug with a bone leading to the Haas brothers picking up the win.  Long time rivals Da Hit Squad help the Haas’ clear the ring of the Moondogs, although not before they give Wenzel the banana split/flying elbow.  We get some nice speeches from them all Mafia thanking the brothers for putting Da Hit Squad on the map, Charlie confirming that they signed their WWF contracts a couple of weeks ago and that this is their farewell and finally Mack joking that when they’re WWF tag team champions that they better give them (the DHS) a call to let them know there’s a spot on a house show for them!

It was cool to see the Haas brothers working a different style of match compared to the stiff hard hitting ones they would work with Da Hit Squad, but I found this quite boring.  I was looking forward to seeing what Rich and Gilbert had to offer, the answer isn’t much.  The post-match send-off was nice and probably better than the match itself.