Review: WWE Bad Blood 2003 (RAW), from Houston, Texas; 6/15/2003.
This is the first brand-exclusive PPV, as I'm sure you all are aware of.
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Anyway, the first match is Christopher Nowinski and Rodney Mack w/Theodore Long vs. The Dudley BoyZ. Emphasis on the Z. Nowinski’s wearing a metal face protector, because of his nasal problems.
Blow-by-Blow: You see, on Sunday Night Heat, the guys facing the Dudley's insisted that Bubba Ray is possibly a racist. Or that's what I got from it, because, you know, Bubba's always ordering D-Von to get the tables. Why can't he do it himself? Anyway, Mack and D-Von start the match, and Mack misses a charge to the corner, so D-Von clotheslines him. It only gets a 2 count, so Mack gives D-Von a jawbreaker and tags out. Nowinski is given a drop-toe hold by D-Von, which allows Bubba to come in and gives Nowinski a shoulderblock. You have no idea how hard it is to not type Nowitzki in place of Nowinski. Moving forward, Rodney Mack gives Bubba a clothesline, but Bubba responds by crushing both he and Nowinski in the corner. Both Mack and Nowinski get tossed out of the ring, but Bubba brings Nowinski right back in, the hard way. A Bubba splash gets D-Von a 2 count, but D-Von misses a charge to the buckle. Mack then rams D-Von nut-first into the post, before tagging in and giving him an elbowdrop for 2. Mack gives D-Von a spinebuster, but it only gets 2, as does a Nowinski splash after the tag. To the 2nd rope he goes, but he misses an elbowdrop, which allows Bubba to tag in. Clothesline, backdrop, sidewalk slam for a 2 count. Nowinski misses a charge to the corner, so Bubba gives him a crossbody(?) for a 2 count. Here comes the WAZZUP headbutt, after D-Von and Mack fought for a bit on the outside. GET THE TABLES, but D-Von’s having second thoughts. Why can’t Bubba do it? Anyway, Mack clotheslines D-Von over the top, and Nowinski hits Bubba with the METAL MASK for the three count at 7:07.
Match Analysis: That was kind of a surprise. Not in a good way, though. Never could stand Rodney Mack...he was almost instant turn off the television type material. We’ll give this one my favorite rating, which is *1/2.
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The Redneck Triathlon between Steve Austin and Eric Bischoff is right now...good God. The first event is a BURPING CONTEST. The last burp, if not all of them, was/were obviously fake. Austin wins. Whoop-de-doo!
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Test and Scott Steiner are now going to face each other for Stacy Keibler’s managerial services.
Blow-by-Blow: Could there be a worse matchup? Is this the type of thing which makes you glad to have brand exclusive PPV’s? Steiner tries to leap off the apron onto Test...and falls on his face. I busted up, even though I’ve seen it much more than once. Back in the ring, Steiner gives Test a clothesline and an elbowdrop, before doing some pushups...which causes Test to bail to the outside. He uses Stacy as a human shield, then whips Steiner into the steps after a bit. Back inside, Test gives Steiner a slam, and does some pushups of his own. After a Test sleeper, Steiner misses a charge to the corner, allowing Test to make the trip up top. Steiner catches Test on the way down, and gives him a belly-to-belly suplex. After a few clotheslines and a powerslam, Steiner goes for a 10 punch. Test quickly regains control after that, with a full nelson slam for 2. No pumphandle slam though, so Steiner gives Test a reverse DDT for 2. Test then pushes Steiner into the buckle, and finally gives him the pumphandle slam, but it only gets 2. Test now grabs Stacy, but she slaps him. Steiner charges at Test, but Test avoids it and gives him a big boot for 2. Test has a chair, but Stacy tries to take it away. He pushes her to the ground, hits the top rope so that the chair hits him in the face, and a Steiner downward spiral gets the pinfall win at 6:34.
Match Analysis: The less said, the better. Although I’ll admit, it was still better than I thought it would be. 1/2*.
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Bischoff and Austin are in the back, preparing for their pie eating contest. Well, lookie here, Bischoff has some nice poontang pie. Well, Bischoff wants to go first. Austin says sure, but he gets to pick which one Bischoff, well, eats.
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Now, we move forward to Booker T vs. Christian for the Intercontinental Championship.
Blow-by-Blow: They lock up to start, and after a Christian armdrag, Booker gives him a shoulderblock. After a hiptoss, Booker gives Christian a bodyslam and takes him down with a headlock. Booker backdrops Christian for a one count, and gives him a spinebuster for 2. Christian rams Booker into the steel steps after a few punches, then goes to a chinlock...which thankfully doesn't last long at all. Booker misses a charge to the corner, but he gives Christian a flapjack anyway. After a flying forearm, Booker gives Christian a sidewalk slam for a 2 count. A side kick gets 2, and after a hotshot, a reverse DDT gets the same. Christian misses a charge to the corner, but he still is able to pin Booker with his hand on the ropes for a 2 count. Christian gives Booker a uranage for a 2 count, but Booker quickly responds with a small package for 2. Christian tosses Booker onto the apron, but Booker responds with the SCISSOR KICK, and a missile dropkick for a 2 count. Booker does a SPINAROONIE after another side kick, which gives Christian to bail out, and head to the back. AHHH. Well, the referee says that Christian better get his ass back to the ring or he'll lose his belt. Once, just ONCE, I want someone to keep walking and give up their title. It would be the ultimate in chicken-shit moves. Booker chases Christian back into the ring after he bailed out again, so Christian hits him with his title belt to get disqualified at 7:52.
Match Analysis: I know WWE was on this town killing kick back in 2003, but seriously, WHAT THE FUCK are you doing here? I swear, WWE was intentionally trying to draw people away from their product. People paid good money to watch this shit, this isn't an episode of Monday Night Raw. Or is it. Match was **, but the booking is as fucking stupid as it gets.
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Kevin Nash is warming up in the back...
Now, Jerry Lawler introduces part two of the Redneck Triathlon, which is the pie eating contest. Of course, Bischoff is supposed to go first. Austin makes a few jokes about mature women, before calling out Bischoff's slice of pie...Mae Young. Oh no. Well, she takes off her skirt, revealing a thong. UGH. She gives Bischoff a broncobuster...and now, it's Austin's turn. He says no thanks, and gives her a STUNNER. It's now 1 to 1.
Gail Kim hype video...
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Next match is La Resistance vs. Rob Van Dam and Kane for the World Tag Team Titles.
Blow-by-Blow: First though, La Resistance talked with Jonathan Coachman. Yeah yeah yeah. Rene Dupree and RVD start, and they start by, you know, squaring off. Dupree does that stupid dance of his, so RVD rolls him up for 2. A spinning heel kick follows, and then a springboard crossbody, which gets a 2 count. RVD cradles Dupree for 2, but Sylvan Grenier quickly comes in and allows Dupree to gain control with a DDT for 2. Dupree goes to the chinlock, but RVD replies with an enziguri so he can tag in Kane. Kane gives Grenier a big boot, and tosses Dupree over the top rope. He gives Grenier a sidewalk slam for 2, then goes up to the top, and comes down with a big clothesline for 2. La Resistance gain control as best they can, with a double neckbreaker, but Kane comes right back and clotheslines both of them. A flying kick from RVD lands on Dupree, so RVD backdrops Dupree over the top. RVD flies out with a TOPE CON HILO, but he connects with Kane just as much as he does with his opponents. They bring him back in, double chokeslam, pinfall victory and new champs at 5:47.
Match Analysis: This really is an episode of RAW, isn't it. Fuck. What a waste of my time that match was. *. I still cannot think of any positives (in regards to the fanbase) of these brand exclusive PPV's. I just cannot. While it's good that some guys get a PPV payday, there is little, if any benefit for those paying their hard earned money to watch this.
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Hype video for Goldberg vs. Chris Jericho...and we go to the match.
Blow-by-Blow: I don't want to get started on Goldberg's WWE run, so we'll start the match off with Goldberg tackling Jericho, knocking Jericho out of the ring. Goldberg brings Jericho in and slams him to the canvas, twice. He misses a charge though, but still gives Jericho a press slam. A press slam in which Goldberg drops Jericho nuts-first onto the top rope, that is. Then Goldberg drops Jericho onto the retaining barrier at ringside, but he misses a SPEAR, and goes through it. Ouch. Jericho now rams Goldberg's shoulder into the ringpost, and now, Goldberg's bleeding. Barely. Jericho gives Goldberg a missile dropkick for 2, then he wrenches Goldberg's arm in the bottom rope. Goldberg replies with a shoulderblock, but Jericho gives him a single-arm DDT and goes to the armbar. Goldberg kicks Jericho in the mush, and gives him an inverted atomic drop. Jericho quickly conters with a DDT for 2, and after Goldberg misses a charge to the corner, Jericho gives Goldberg a dropkick. That's followed up with a facebuster, and a LIONSAULT, but Jericho only gets a 2 count. Here's another Jericho facebuster, but Goldberg slams him instead of being given another LIONSAULT. SPEAR, no to the JACKHAMMER, because Jericho gives Goldberg a low blow. WALLS OF JERICHO, but Goldberg kicks off Jericho and runs to the corner. SPEAR, JACKHAMMER, Goldberg wins by pinfall at 10:59.
Match Analysis: This was pretty good, thanks to Jericho. Not to say that Goldberg didn't do his share of the work, it's just that Jericho has/had the ability to make almost any match a watchable one, at the least. Easily the best match on the show thus far, and we'll slap a *** rating on it.
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The third spin of the Redneck Triathlon wheel leaves us with....a sing-off! Bischoff is happy because he KNOWS that Austin can't sing.
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Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair is up next...
Blow-by-Blow: See, Flair attacked Shawn Michaels in a tag match after they agreed to face each other, so this thing isn't about respect anymore. They lock-up at the start, then break and Flair struts. Shawn applies a hammerlock, and takes Flair down to the canvas, before walking over him just like I walk on the carpet that's currently below my feet. He then slaps Flair, which causes Flair to take Shawn down to the mat. After Shawn gets to the ropes, he gives Flair a drop-toe hold, and a clothesline that sends Flair over the top and to the floor. Shawn follows Flair out with a pescado, then brings Flair back in for a shoulderblock. Flair chops away, but Shawn goes for a 10 punch in the corner. After that 10 punch, Flair comes out of the corner with a chopblock, and goes to work on the leg. He kneedrops Shawn's left leg, and applies the FIGURE-FOUR, to many cheers. Shawn breaks the hold, and comes back with an enziguri and a backdrop. Shawn misses a charge to the corner, so Flair goes up top...only to be slammed down to the canvas. Flair blocks SWEET CHIN MUSIC, but Shawn responds with a small package for 2. Shawn now goes to the FIGURE-FOUR, but Flair thumbs him in the eye, and tries a back suplex. No to that, and we've got a ref bump. Shawn sends Flair into the corner and upside down, so when Flair runs onto the top rope, Shawn clotheslines him on the way down. Shawn gives Flair a superplex, before looking under the ring for a table, which he finds. It's set up on the outside, but Flair's now up, and tries to suplex Shawn out of the ring. That won't happen, so Shawn rams Flair into the steel steps and places Flair on the table. Randy Orton tries to run through the crowd and attack Shawn, but HBK gives him SWEET CHIN MUSIC. Shawn goes to the top, and SPLASHES Flair THROUGH THE TABLE. Good. The back of Flair's head is bleeding as both wrestlers climb into the ring, and at the corner, Flair gives both HBK and the referee a low blow. Shawn goes into the regular offense, which starts with a flying forearm and a kip-up. After a bodyslam, Shawn goes to the top, and drops the elbow on Flair. TUNE UP THE BAND, SWEET CHIN MUSIC...but Randy Orton hits Shawn with a chair, and Flair covers Michaels for 3 at 14:19.
Match Analysis: Average match, but the table spot bumps the match up a bit. Somewhat less that what I expected, unfortunately. **3/4. Clearly, it's nice to see Flair getting a victory over a big name during his WWE run, as that was not exactly commonplace, especially in 2003.
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Eric Bischoff is down for part 3 of the Redneck Triathlon...he's going to sing his theme music! Ha, he's not singing! He's lipping it. Austin notices that, and tells him to actually begin singing. Bischoff does, and it sucks. Austin says, well, we're going to re-spin the wheel, as a compromise. It 'lands' on Pig Pen Fun. The winner of this is the one who tosses the other into the pig pen. Austin gives Bischoff a STUNNER, takes him to the stage, and tosses him into the pig pen, to win the Redneck Triathlon. -***** for the entire thing. I don't know, why couldn't they do this on RAW? What makes this worth paying for, anyway?
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Kevin Nash vs. HHH is your Hell in a Cell main event for the World Heavyweight Title, and Mick Foley is your special guest referee.
Blow-by-Blow: None of the referees wanted to officiate this, explaining Foley's appearance. Anyhow, we start, as HHH attacks Nash in the ring. Nash tosses HHH out, but in we go quickly, where they trade punches. Nash pushes HHH into Foley, and then he lines up HHH in the corner for his elbows and knees combo. Nash gives HHH a back elbow and clotheslines him over the top, before ramming him into the post on the outside. He tosses HHH into the cell, and slams him on the floor, before bringing him into the ring. A sidewalk slam from Nash gets 2, and so does two elbowdrops. Nash hits HHH in the mid-section with a chair, and then in the back. Outside now, and Nash picks HHH up so he can ram him into the cell. Then the steps, and HHH tries to run away...only for Nash to toss the steps at him. But they miss, and HHH rams Nash into the other set of steel steps. On the inside now, Nash tries the JACKKNIFE, but HHH takes him to the canvas, before going out to look for more weapons. HHH finds a tool box, and he pulls the lid off, to hit Nash with. Instead, he grabs a hammer out of the box, and hits Nash in the knee with it. Then in the head, and Nash is busted open. Foley pushes HHH down as they argue, and when HHH gets up, he grinds Nash's face into the cell. HHH now has a screwdriver after a bit more of that, and he stabs Nash in the face with it. Awesome. Now HHH grabs a BARBED WIRE 2x4, with which he hits Nash in the gut. Nash then takes the 2x4, and clobbers HHH in the head with it, making him bleed. Nash sets the 2x4 up at the buckle, and after two clotheslines, Nash snake eyes HHH onto the 2x4. The cover only gets 2, so Nash is about to turn to DRASTIC MEASURES. Drastic meaning, bringing in the steel steps from the outside. HHH hits Nash with a wooden box, and he's got the SLEDGEHAMMER! Foley takes it away, so HHH hits him. Nash drop-toe-holds HHH into the steel steps, but that only gets a 2 count. HHH kicks Nash in the knee, so he can hit both Foley and Nash in the head with a steel chair. Foley's bleeding like mad, but he's got Mr. Socko, which finds its way into the mouth of HHH. HHH kicks Foley in the nuts, and Nash hits Foley with the steps on accident, so he's out of commission. HHH knocks Foley off the apron and into the cell, on accident...and tries to give Nash the PEDIGREE. Nash slingshots HHH into the buckle where the 2x4 is currently sitting, but the JACKKNIFE and pinfall only get a TWO count. HHH crawls his way to the corner, and grabs the SLEDGEHAMMER, which he uses to knock Nash woozy for a bit. PEDIGREE, pinfall victory for HHH at 21:03. End show.
Match Analysis: It was actually quite good, but the finish really lacked gusto. They could've fought over the SLEDGEHAMMER, but HHH crawling over and using it without any resistance from Nash was pretty lame, to say the least. ***1/4, with a quarter knocked off for the finish. I take my ratings seriously. Honestly though, this was pretty good, and it adds another name to this question...
Did Nash ever have a good match with someone not named Bret, Shawn, Owen or Razor?
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Rating: Bad. Not exactly how you'd like to start the brand exclusive PPV formula. Not even two *** matches can save this one from being called bad, the first half of the show was just a pile of trash. And on the "would I be pissed if I paid for it" scale, it's about an 8, in the negative section. Plus, the Booker T vs. Christian finish is icing on the cake.
Best Segment: Triple H vs. Kevin Nash. I suppose it's a good thing that so many matches have been rated equally recently, because then I don't have to choose what's the best.
Worst Segment: Redneck Triathlon. Never.Repeat.Again.
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Next, I'll review the house shows that were aired on 24/7 this month. Arrivederci!
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