Dave Meltzer's Great American Bash Review, From the 7/5 Observer Options

[Enigma]

From the July 5th, 2004 Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Support Dave Meltzer and his newsletter by subscribing. Information at the Wrestling Observer website.

WWE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2004
Thumbs Up = 21 Votes (8.1%)
Thumbs Down = 205 Votes (78.2%)
In The Middle = 36 Votes (13.7%)

BEST MATCH POLL
Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero = 151 Votes
Eddy Guerrero vs. John Bradshaw Layfield = 82 Votes
John Cena vs. Booker T. vs. Rene Dupree vs. Rob Van Dam = 8 Votes

WORST MATCH POLL
Billy Gunn vs. Kenzo Suzuki = 79 Votes
Torrie Wilson vs. Sable = 77 Votes
The Undertaker vs. The Dudley Boys = 32 Votes
Mordecai vs. Bob Holly = 9 Votes

Goose stepping your way to the WWE title, and a storyline homicide were the themes of what was the worst WWE PPV show in a long time.

One of the key reasons WWE business overall, even with popularity falling, looks nothing like WCW, is because WWE has maintained a large percentage of its PPV audience. The reason? Unlike with WCW at the end, WWE PPV shows consistently deliver. But a collection of matches, most of which had no storyline build-up, featuring talent that wasn't ready for the PPV stage, led to a sad undercard. John Bradshaw Layfield became the most unlikely WWE champion, with the possible exception of Vince McMahon, in company history, by winning a Bullrope match over Eddie Guerrero, ending a planned long-term reign that wound up lasting four months.

But the company can't afford too many shows like the 6/27 Great American Bash at the Norfolk Scope. The fact PPVs are starting to feel like WCW in its decline was evident with a disappointing crowd of 6,500 fans for first ever WWE PPV event at the Scope, with about 5,500 paying $320,000.

The major storyline the show was built around was would Paul Bearer be put to death by Paul Heyman, inside a magician like glass case that was supposedly to be filled with quick drying cement that would suffocate him. In a scene that was partially pre-taped, Heyman's attempt to kill Bearer when Undertaker didn't lay down for the Dudleys ended when a lightning bolt came out of nowhere, stopping Heyman in his tracks. Then, Undertaker "surprisingly" pulled the lever and killed his long-time manager, for no apparent reason. What the purpose of all this was, other than an attempt to sell a weak PPV, is unknown. Bearer had just come back and only been on television a few times, so there was little emotional tie with him and Undertaker, even though they had a longstanding tie in the past. Most felt this was done to turn Undertaker heel, but that is very much up in the air, and Undertaker at this point is still being booked as a babyface at house shows. Bearer, who signed a three-year contract in late 2003, when McMahon came up with the idea to bring back the old Undertaker, is expected to work at least the remainder of his contract off in a front office job. The reaction to the angle was strongly negative. In the building, fans were quiet for a main event that came off more like a religious (non) passion play than a pro wrestling match, worse because it was in the main event spot. Fans leaving the Scope were said to be quiet, reacting as if this was hardly what they wanted to see out of pro wrestling. The curiosity over the Undertaker character has slightly increased Smackdown ratings, and strongly in his quarter hours, but it's not even certain where it ends.

There has been talk of putting Undertaker with Heyman as a full-fledged top heel, but even though that seemed the most logical direction, it's also the least likely. There was heat between Undertaker and Heyman stemming from the period when Heyman was head writer of Smackdown and wanted to tone down Undertaker's push and use him more to build newer characters. It is said Vince McMahon wanted Undertaker to be a tweener, who could work with anyone, figuring the fans would keep him babyface because it'll take a lot of work to get them to boo him. Smackdown is so weak on star power and he's considered by fans by far the biggest star, which makes it hard to be a heel, but the same thing can be said for HHH on Raw. There are three-ways with JBL vs. Guerrero vs. Undertaker booked. As things currently stand, plan for SummerSlam on the Smackdown side is JBL vs. Undertaker for the title, with Undertaker as a face, and Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle. Angle is already medically cleared to wrestle after resting his often injured neck, but the plan right now is to hold his return off until SummerSlam. Angle could also work against Cena, since that was his main rival as G.M., if Guerrero is put in the title mix. Working with Guerrero in a single would put a lot of pressure on Angle in what would likely be his first match back, because fans would be expecting a great match.

The title change to JBL was a relatively recent decision. It was McMahon's decision, as much to get the belt off Guerrero, as there was the feeling it was time for a heel champion to be chased. While Guerrero is far more popular than JBL among most of the wrestlers, and the reaction we got was negative to the decision, from a box office standpoint it really doesn't matter at this point. JBL's character has been thought of strongly by McMahon from the start. Michael Hayes and Bruce Prichard were also said to be strong advocates of JBL as champion. JBL was helped greatly by the controversy, because putting the belt on him enabled Vince in his own mind to thumb his nose at his detractors and win what was really an imaginary fight. It was clear from the interview on Smackdown that Vince was seeing JBL, due to the controversy, as an extension of himself, being unfairly persecuted in his mind, and vowing the last laugh. The Bullrope match saw both men touch three corners, and Guerrero apparently leap over JBL to touch the fourth, and he was announced as the winner and still champion. Angle came out and showed an instant replay, which showed JBL's back hit the fourth corner before Guerrero's hand, and the decision was reversed.

McMahon was not at the show, suffering from diverticulitis, a colon infection, that hospitalized him for a few days and didn't allow him to travel. Billy Graham was suffering from it in March. It would have been the first PPV show since King of the Ring 1994 he'd missed, but he was constantly on the phone during the show. Stephanie, Shane, HHH, Jim Ross, and Kevin Dunn were all in various forms of charge in his absence.

Besides the final match being a travesty, the show was marred by four matches with almost no build-up until days before, thrown out, all of which were bad. The three consecutive matches with Billy Gunn vs. Kenzo Suzuki, Torrie Wilson vs. Sable, and Bob Holly vs. Mordecai were as bad as any three straight matches on a WWE PPV in recent memory.

Paul Bearer was not actually inside the crypt, but instead they had someone dressed up like him. The close-up shots that aired on the screen were filmed earlier in the day. When Heyman pulled the lever for the cement to come out the first time, there was a snafu in the building and no cement came out. However, on the screen, they used the pre-tape, which showed Bearer in a case filling up. The guy in the crypt was buried underneath the cement for a few seconds before they opened the door and all the cement poured open.

A. Spike Dudley pinned Jamie Noble in 4:13 with the Dudley dog. Fans were into this match as this started as a hot crowd. Both worked well given the time limitations.

1. John Cena won the four-way to keep the U.S. title over Rene Dupree, Booker T and Rob Van Dam in 15:52. Cena, in his rap, brought up "G.I. Bro," which was Booker's first ring name and a name he used briefly in WCW 2000 when nobody was watching. It appeared that remark was over the head of the crowd. He also talked about Norfolk, a Navy city, saying Dupree was overly excited when he's surrounded by seamen. Van Dam was running wild, hitting a frog splash on Dupree, and another on Booker. Cena then pinned Van Dam in 8:19 with a schoolboy. This put Cena as the face in jeopardy as they got heat on him. Cena used the FU on Dupree and Booker hit Cena with an ax kick, but went to pin Dupree instead of Cena in 11:17. Cena's forearm was all bandaged and it started bleeding. Booker missed an ax kick and Cena pinned him after the FU. Nothing wrong with the match, but Cena in the ring was clearly not at the level of the other three. I think they'd have wanted more out of this bout. **

Backstage, Cena was hitting on Miss Jackie to a degree, right in front of Charlie Haas, who was doing the same. Haas was already suited up when Angle told him he had to face Luther Reigns immediately.

2. Luther Reigns pinned Charlie Haas in 7:11. Angle was at ringside for the match. Reigns looked bad. It's a broken record, but he needed to have spent months talking before being put in the ring, because the in-ring is never going to be his thing. He won with a move that starts as a reverse DDT and ends as a neckbreaker. They badly need to give catchy names to these new guys' finishers. *

3. Rey Mysterio retained the cruiserweight title over Chavo Guerrero in 19:40. They did reference Chavo Classic. Mysterio took a very believable looking spill that looked to have hurt his left knee. He sold it the rest of the way. Very psychologically sound and from a technical standpoint this was easily the best thing on the show. I just don't think people want cruiserweights to wrestle like small heavyweights. Mysterio kicked out of a Gori bomb, and came back with an enzuigiri and 619. Guerrero did a half crab working on the leg then went for another Gori bomb, but Mysterio reversed it into an infared for the pin. ***1/4

4. Kenzo Suzuki pinned Billy Gunn in 8:06 with a low blow and another move that started like a reverse DDT, but dropping high on Gunn's back on his knee like a backbreaker. Crowd was dead. The show started falling apart here. Suzuki's push is that he's a personal project of John Laurinaitis, who saw something in him that nobody else sees. Can you believe that, having never seen him wrestle (even though plenty of tapes of him in TNA and MLW were available), that this guy was booked to headline Bad Blood and all summer against Chris Benoit before it was dropped because his planned gimmick was recognized as a bad idea? -*

5. Sable pinned Torrie Wilson in 6:06. Only thing entertaining here was when Michael Cole talked about how the crowd was chanting for Torrie, and if you looked at the crowd, they were dead. The two knocked heads and that looked good. Sable was selling like she was knocked out. Problem is they've done this spot far too many times. You could see nobody buying it. Wilson wouldn't press the advantage. Sable then woke up and used a schoolgirl and turned Wilson over so far that one shoulder was nowhere near down and the other may not have been down either. It was so bad Cole and Tazz had to say how ref Charles Robinson counted when her shoulders weren't down. I thought the refs were instructed to call a match as if it was a shoot. I guess with these two in there, he didn't trust to not follow the original plan and force them to improvise. -*

6. Mordecai pinned Bob Holly in 6:31 with the razor's edge, which at least has a name and people popped for the finish. They made a big mistake having Mordecai sell so much, because it went from the powerful squash it needed to be to a boring match that hurt the guy who won. Holly was making the new guy pay with hard clotheslines, which is well and good, but that's not how you elevate a newcomer being geared for Undertaker and Guerrero. After this match, maybe they'll have second thoughts.1/4*

7. John Bradshaw Layfield won the WWE title from Eddie Guerrero in 21:06 in a Bullrope match. The rules were you had to touch all four corners and they had lights, one for each guy, when you touched a corner, which was a new touch. No pinfalls or submissions. As someone who saw tons of Bullrope matches involving Dusty Rhodes and others, it's not the easiest match to work and they did a good job. This wasn't as good as the Judgment Day match. There was good strategy such as guys hooking themselves to the ropes so they couldn't be tugged to new corners. Cole called Guerrero's car wrong, prompting Tazz to say that he didn't know his wrestling or his cars. JBL bled after a chair shot, in basically the same scene as their first PPV match. Guerrero rocked him with a second chair shot. Guerrero used three vertical suplexes and a frog splash, but Bradshaw rolled out of the ring before Guerrero could touch for fourth comer. JBL threw Guerrero off the middle rope and onto the Spanish announcers table, and the table didn't break, which had to jar the hell out of Guerrero. JBL then power bombed him through the table. Match ended with your classic Bullrope match finish, as both guys touched three corners and were struggling for No. 4. Guerrero leaped over JBL to win, which is the classic face finish, and was announced as the winner, until Angle reversed it. When fans realized Guerrero lost the title, he got a hell of a reaction out of appreciation. ***1/4

8. Undertaker beat The Dudleys in 14:42. Remember "The Dudley" gimmick to push them as singles? Yeah, in another month, nobody else will have either. Bubba taunted Undertaker, telling him to lie down and be pinned. He lay down, but then snatched D-Von and started fighting. The match consisted of Heyman pulling the lever whenever he was mad at Undertaker, who was supposed to lie down. Bearer kept saying that Undertaker would never let him die, and became so obnoxious about it that people would have half wanted him gone, if they cared. This was just dying as if felt like people just didn't want wrestling to turn into this and they didn't have their finger on the pulse. D-Von used a low blow, but Undertaker sat up. Paul Heyman pulled out the urn to control Undertaker, but instead, he choke slammed Bubba and pinned D-Von after a tombstone. Heyman vowed to flip the switch for good, when lightning struck him down. Undertaker paused in front of the switch, and then pulled it. A major flop of a main event. *

[haVoc]

Cena, in his rap, brought up "G.I. Bro," which was Booker's first ring name

Um, isn't Booker T his first ring name?

[Hektik]

I can't believe this, I was fully expecting Meltzer to say that Bradshaws title reign was going to be short transitional one back to Eddy. I am completly speechless.

[Guest_Wondermouse_*]

Cena, in his rap, brought up "G.I. Bro," which was Booker's first ring name

Um, isn't Booker T his first ring name?

Actually, I think the GI Bro run in WCW was a revival of his first gimmick.

[haVoc]

WWE management have been know to read websites.

[Dark Age]

Booker's first name was Kole.

[thuganomics]

No. Booker T was GI Bro long before he arrived in WCW, and before he'd worked with his brother. When Harlem Heat first formed (under a different name I believe), they became Kole and Kane, before eventually switching to real names, aka Booker T and Stevie Ray.

[UseTheSledgehamm...]

1. G.I. Bro = Indies circa 1990

2. Booker T. = GWF/Texas circa 1991

3. Kole = Initial WCW name with partner Kane (Stevie Ray) circa 1993

4. Booker T. = WCW re-name (Their "real names" as said by the announcers...)

5. Booker. = Minus the "T" early in 2000, after losing rights to Harlem Heat and the "T" to Stevie Ray and Big T (Tony Norris, aka Ahmed Johnson)

6. G.I. Bro = Stupid Russo idea, briefly captained the Misfits in Action, circa mid-2000

7. Booker T. = resumed use of "T" in name before a tag match in mid-2000 on Thunder

8. Booker T = Dropped the "." after the "T" after joining the WWF in 2001.

[Youth N Asia]

Was Booker T "Kole" when he was doing the Ebony Experience gimmick?

[Enigma]

Was Booker T "Kole" when he was doing the Ebony Experience gimmick?

No. He was Booker T. in the Ebony Experience.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Michael Hayes and Bruce Prichard were also said to be strong advocates of JBL as champion.

Boy, another gem from our boy Bruce Prichard (IMG:http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[haVoc]

This is the problem with older guys being in charge. Sometimes they're too old school and they don't know how to evolve. Other times they play favorites to "older" guys.

You have someone like Bradshaw, who been around a while, probably has a close friendship and working relationship with guys like Prichard, Hayes, Ross and Vince McMahon. So of course they're going to play favorites and look at him differently them some of the others who are connecting with the crowds or have the potential to.

They've know Bradshaw and Taker a long time so they push them instead of people like RVD, Booker or Cena. While those three have their weakness' as workers, they still have been able proved they can connect with the crowd and actually be entertaining when not held back.

Then you have someone like Eddie. He comes from the old school, but knows how to connect with the fans today. He connects with the crowds with his character and his ring work. He blends the "wrestler" with the "entertainer."

But, the guys in charge think they know best, so they hold Eddie back and make him work with their buddy Bradshaw.

[SuperJerk]

Michael Hayes and Bruce Prichard were also said to be strong advocates of JBL as champion.

Boy, another gem from our boy Bruce Prichard (IMG:http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

TheManErnieRowe said it best, as seen in my sig.

[Placebo Effect]

8. Booker T = Dropped the "." after the "T" after joining the WWF in 2001.

Can't believe you included that.

[Guest_wrestlingbs_*]

I completely forgot that they were pushung for Kenzo to face Benoit during the summer. Jeez, how fucked up would that be?

[Guest_combat_rock_*]

I completely forgot that they were pushung for Kenzo to face Benoit during the summer. Jeez, how fucked up would that be?

It'd be just like the old days on Smackdown, when all he did was make Vince's crappy hosses look better than they really were.

[UseTheSledgehamm...]

If I didn't include it, someone would have asked, which would have led to 5 replies. Or, someone would say "there was never a "." in Booker T's name", check the Smackdown roster at wwe.com.

Saving time.(IMG:http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Adam]

I still hold out hope that Bradshaws reign will only last two weeks.

[Guest_Anglesault_*]

Nothing wrong with the match, but Cena in the ring was clearly not at the level of the other three. I think they'd have wanted more out of this bout. **

Cena has allowed himself to slip lower than Rene Dupree in ring skills?

[teke184]

I still hold out hope that Bradshaws reign will only last two weeks.

Keep hoping. The current Summerslam plans for the Smackdown title is Bradshaw vs. Undertaker, which is right up there with Ron Simmons vs. the Barbarian in terms of world title matches.

[CanadianChick]

I still hold out hope that Bradshaws reign will only last two weeks.

Keep hoping. The current Summerslam plans for the Smackdown title is Bradshaw vs. Undertaker, which is right up there with Ron Simmons vs. the Barbarian in terms of world title matches.

What's Eddie suppose to be doing then? Feuding with Booker?

[algrim]

I like Cena, but I've always felt that he lacks a strong offense. The five knuckle shuffle is "old school," but I don't think it should be used like the People's Elbow. Then again, this is the same company that allows the WORM to exist. Cena really needs to add some new moves. (IMG:http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Guest_Fook_*]

What's Eddie suppose to be doing then? Feuding with Booker?

Angle.

[Guest_Staravenger_*]

So Holly stiffs ANOTHER person he has to job too? MAH-velous.

[reign]

WWE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2004
Thumbs Up = 21 Votes (8.1%)

I didn't know 21 people in the world were that fucking retarded

1. Vince(of course he likes it)
2. Linda(still holdin' on to the idea that Vince is just "acting" with Trish and Stacy)
3. Shane( baby needs some new shoes)
4. Stephanie(says she did but probably hated it like she does the rest of the WWE)
5. HHH('hey I think Eddie needs to lose the belt too, I lost mine)
6. Brisco(really LOVES Vince)
7. Patterson(REALLY LOVES the boys,especially new champ's broom stick)
8. Slaughter(because Vince still lets him get on tv)
9. Good Ol JR( has too as part of the KMA Club)
10. Regal(see entry #9)
11. JBL( what a motherfucker)
12. Brock Lesner(who REALLY looks like the man now?)
13.Meltzer(something to talk about whether he says it or not)
14. Johnny Ace( because he and buddy Tom Zenk are working the WWE right now and laughing their asses off as they flush SD! down the toilet)
15. UT( a main event squash?get the f' out)
16. Matt Hardy( at least there are worst fates for him)
17. Baby Shane( what...you think they aint got him watching PPVs yet)
18. Jerry Jarrett(loves watching Vince fuck himself)
19. Kevin Dunn(he better fuckin say he liked it)
20.Bruce Pritchard( enjoys killing innocent brands as much as he does burying that bloated Paul Bearer in oatmeal)
21. Me....yeah I was the last 21st retard that said I like the show...something about watching silent crowds suffer through this garbage is appealing.

[Use Your Illusio...]

If only JBL could back up his character in the ring, because his gimmick is one of the best WWE has delivered in a good while.

What I don't understand is the demotion of Booker T. Book is obviously the best contender on SD! for the top heel position, however they continue to degrade him and have him float around in the US division with the idioctic John Cena. The way I see things, Eddie should of retained then gone on to feud with Booker T while JBL could have faced the Undertaker or possibly Rob Van Dam.

For shame, Vince.

UYI

[Enigma]

If only JBL could back up his character in the ring, because his gimmick is one of the best WWE has delivered in a good while.

What I don't understand is the demotion of Booker T. Book is obviously the best contender on SD! for the top heel position, however they continue to degrade him and have him float around in the US division with the idioctic John Cena. The way I see things, Eddie should of retained then gone on to feud with Booker T while JBL could have faced the Undertaker or possibly Rob Van Dam.

For shame, Vince.

UYI

I think Bradshaw has stepped up his wrestling for Bradshaw. I mean, honestly, who gave Bradshaw a chance of pulling ***+ matches, even if it was with Eddie Guerrero? Guerrero couldn't pull * out of people like Kevin Nash or Nathan Jones or any of Hoss, Inc. so I think Bradshaw deserves credit where credit is due. At least he's gotten to a level where he can be led through a better-than-average match.

[Creepy Crawl]

It really was the crappiest PPV in a long time . It was like a good Smackdown ......... hell I've seen better Smackdowns as a matter of fact .

[Use Your Illusio...]

If only JBL could back up his character in the ring, because his gimmick is one of the best WWE has delivered in a good while.

What I don't understand is the demotion of Booker T. Book is obviously the best contender on SD! for the top heel position, however they continue to degrade him and have him float around in the US division with the idioctic John Cena. The way I see things, Eddie should of retained then gone on to feud with Booker T while JBL could have faced the Undertaker or possibly Rob Van Dam.

For shame, Vince.

UYI

I think Bradshaw has stepped up his wrestling for Bradshaw. I mean, honestly, who gave Bradshaw a chance of pulling ***+ matches, even if it was with Eddie Guerrero? Guerrero couldn't pull * out of people like Kevin Nash or Nathan Jones or any of Hoss, Inc. so I think Bradshaw deserves credit where credit is due. At least he's gotten to a level where he can be led through a better-than-average match.

Oh, no doubt, JBL has really stepped up his game. The thing is, Bradshaw at his best still leaves us with bad matches. He tries, yes, but he just isn't an entertaining wrestler as much as he is an entertaining character.

I highly disagree with Meltzer's star rating for that match. No way in hell was it ***. In fact, Judgement Day was better and it wasn't even ***. While it is going to come down to a matter of opinion, I just cannot see how anyone could give it anything higher than **3/4.

UYI

[humongous2002]

What's Eddie suppose to be doing then? Feuding with Booker?

Angle.

I feel that Eddie will go back to the midcard ranks because Vince doesn't think of him as a believable WWE champion.