WWE show reports from 2/21 Sprinfield, IL

[Guest wildpegasus]

From the Observer web site

 

WWE house show report 2-21 Springfield, IL

 

 

 

by Jason Piscia and Andrew Harris

 

WWE Road to WrestleMania Tour

Raw House Show

2-21-04

Springfield, IL

Prairie Capital Convention Center

 

The lineup turned out to be a little different than the one reported in Evansville last night. Basically, here's what happened.

 

Coach came out to open the show, but the sound system didn't work. After a few minutes of trying to figure out how the fix the thing, they just started the event with ...

 

1. Steven Richards w/Victoria d. Test

You don't realize how much a ring announcer and entrance music add to the wrestling experience until they are gone. It was sort of strange watching these three come down with no fanfare. Match ended when Test tried to grab Victoria and was then pinned by Richards.

 

2. Lance Storm d. Nick Dinsmore

A ref brought a hand-held megaphone down to the ring for Coach to use to introduce this match. But it didn't work either. Not sure if it was supposed to, or if someone was just playing a rib on Coach. So again, no ring intros or music for these two, which was especially bad for Dinsmore, since he's not that well known. Luckilly, his last name is on the back of his tights. Dinsmore tapped out on a Storm single-leg Boston Crab. The good news is Storm's music came on after the tap-out, signaling the repair of the sound system!

 

3. Rico w/Jackie d. Horshu

End came when Jackie got up on the apron and flashed Horshu. (She was wearing red nipple shields or whatever Janet Jackson calls them.) Horshu was so distracted, Rico stole the win.

 

Coach, obviously catching up on stuff he would have said if the mic worked earlier, told us about the two title matches later.

 

4. Mark Jindrak & Garrison Cade d. Kevin Fertig & Travis Tomko.

The OVW guys have a good look (Tomko reminds me of a bald Sean O'Haire) and work well. I found them more entertaining than the Bashams ever are. They got a nice ovation, despite the loss.

 

5. Trish Stratus & Lita d. Molly Holly & Jazz (with Teddy Long)

Theodore hollared at us playas before the match.

 

6. Christian d. Val Venis

Val went for the Money Shot, but Christian got his knees up. Chrisitian won with the Unprettier.

 

Coach called out Benoit for an in-ring interview to talk about his Wrestlemania match. It ended with Coach getting the Crossface.

 

Intermission

 

Coach came back out with his arm in a sling. He told us that Chris Jericho was in Springfield, but he was too hurt to wrestle due to Kane's attack on Raw. Jericho's music hits. He grabs the mic and says that even though his doctor and therapist have told him not to wrestle, the Jericholics want him to, so he will.

 

7. Kane d. Chris Jericho via DQ

Kane choke-slammed Jericho, but pulled up Chris's shoulder before getting the 3-count. Kane then went for the Tombstone, but Trish ran to the ring to distract Kane. Trish got tossed into the ring, and Kane was about to choke-slam her when the Undertaker's gong hits. That's distracts Kane long enough for Trish to escape and Jericho to grab a chair and crack Kane with it, resulting in the DQ. UT's gong sounds again as Kane is walking back up the ramp.

 

7. RVD & Booker T d. Randy Orton & Batista

Booker hit his scissors kick on Orton, followed by RVD hitting the frog splash for the 1-2-3. RVD called Booker back into the ring to do a spinarooni.

 

8. Triple H d. Chris Benoit

Benoit connected on all his signature moves (crossface, sharpshooter, flying headbutt) at some point during the match. Orton and Batista interfered, allowing HHH to get in a belt shot to Benoit's head. The Pedigree soon followed.

 

Comments: The sound difficulties at the beginning made for a bad start. But once that got fixed, things got rolling. All of the matches were solid, especially Benoit and HHH. Add HBK to this mix, and we're going to have one techically sound main event at WM in three weeks I hope. I do have to complain about the lighting situation. For past house shows I've gone to in other cities, WWE has brought its own overhead lighting rig to illuminate the ring area. They didn't have that here, relying primarily on the not-so-bright lights on the bottom of the overhead scoreboard unit. They did have spotlight operators lighting up the talent as they entered and left the ring. But the matches themselves were hard to see. Coach announced a SmackDown house show will be coming to Springfield June 14.

 

Jason Piscia

Springfield, IL

 

WWE Raw House Show

Saturday, February 21st, 2004

Springfield, IL

Prarie Capital Convention Center

 

Coach opened the show, he tells the people to shut up and... oops the sounds goes out. Coach looks legitimately angry and grabs another microphone but still gets no sound. After a few minutes Earl Hebner comes out and he tells Coach to leave the ring.

 

Steven Richards w/Victoria defeated Test

 

Rather good match, Victoria got on the apron but was attacked by Test. This gave Richards enough time to get back to his feet and hit the DDT for the victory.

 

Lance Storm defeated Nick Dinsmore

 

Bad match. Storm botched several moves as did Dinsmore. Storm eventually got the half crab on for a submission victory. The sound returned as Storm was leaving the ring.

 

Rico w/ Miss Jackie defeated Horshu

 

Decent match. Rico was able to carry Horshu to a watchable match. Jackie flashed Horshu allowing Rico to get the roll up and the pin.

 

Mark Jindrak and Garrison Cade defeated Fertig and Tomko

 

Fertig and Tomko were REALLY sloppy. Jindrak and Cade counteracted this by putting on a very good performance which made the match okay. Cade used some form of foreign object to hit Tomko to score the pin.

 

Trish Stratus and Lita defeated Molly Holly and Jazz

 

Best match of the night so far. Trish pinned Molly after a Stratusfaction.

 

Coach returned to the ring and brought out Chris Benoit. Coach urged Benoit to just leave because he surely couldn't even come close to defeating Triple H. Benoit contemplated the idea but decided it would be a better idea to wrestle. He then put Coach in the Crippler Crossface.

 

Christian defeated Val Venis

 

Christian got the clean pin with the Unprettier around fifteen minutes in.

 

We go to a fifteen minute intermission.

 

Coach returns to the ring, this time with his arm in a sling. He announces that Smackdown will be here on June 14th and says that Chris Jericho can't wrestle tonight because of his knee injury... Coach is proven a liar as Jericho shows up and tells Coach that he's ready to wrestle and will take Kane "Downtown to China Town".

 

Kane defeated Chris Jericho

 

Kane attacked Jericho's knee which Jericho sold extremely well. Kane hits the chokeslam but pulls Jericho back up at two. Kane lifts Jericho up for the tombstone piledriver but here comes Trish. Trish stands at the apron but is quickly pulled into the ring by Kane. Kane lifts her up for a chokeslam but Jericho has managed to grab a chair which he hits Kane with. Disqualification is called as Jericho and Trish escape.

 

The Undertaker's music begins playing and Kane looks terrified. The music stops and Kane begins to walk to the back... but it starts up again and Kane once again becomes scared... the music stops again and Kane goes to the back. Well that was pointless...

 

Tag Team Championship: Rob Van Dam and Booker T defeated Randy Orton and Batista

 

After the bell rang both teams simply posed for five to six minutes. Finally Batista and Van Dam locked up with Batista shoving Van Dam and then making angry faces. Van Dam decides the best thing to do at this point is to pose... and we get another several minutes of back and forth posing for fan reactions. Van Dam and Batista lock up again and end up hitting only punches and kicks. Match goes back and forth, based mainly on "intense brawling" with Van Dam hitting the frog splash on Orton for the win.

 

World Heavyweight Championship: Triple H defeated Chris Benoit

 

Excellent match. Benoit worked Triple H's neck early while Triple H attempted to work Benoit's back. Benoit tried for a Crippler Crossface which Triple H escaped from, Benoit later goes for it again which sends Triple H to the floor. Triple H comes back in and takes the offensive, but not for long as Benoit hits a back suplex and goes to the top rope for the diving headbutt. Triple H rolls out of the way... Benoit crawls to his feet but is hit with the running knee. Triple H goes for the pedigree but a back body drop allows Benoit to escape. Benoit with the triple german suplexes and Benoit is back on the top rope to go for the headbutt. This time he gets it... 1...2... he's got him... no!

 

Benoit applies the sharpshooter, Triple H is nearing the ropes but Benoit pulls him back into the center of the ring. Triple H uses everything he's got left to get to the ropes again and this time he holds on. Triple H tries for a clothesline but Benoit counters into the crossface! Triple H is about to tap but here comes Randy Orton... Benoit breaks the hold and knocks Orton from the apron to the floor. Triple H is back to his feet and kick... here comes the pedigree but Benoit back body drops him again. Benoit reapplies the crossface... but here is Batista... on the top rope? Benoit releases the hold and punches Batista several times and throws him off the rope. Benoit turns around... kick and pedigree it's all over. 1....2....3.

 

After the match Evolution celebrated in the aisle way with Triple H holding up his world title belt. In the ring Benoit made it to his feet and was given a standing ovation to end the show.

 

 

WP -- Add another standing ovation to Benoit's list. He's gotten quite a few on house shows. This is the kind of thing though that'll cut your career short. Wrestling long single matches in the main event. Brock Lesnar has to watch out for this too. If anyone knows of any other reports from the show please report them.

 

I noticed that Michaels wasn't on the card. Now I know he doesn't wrestle as much house show cards as other people on the roster but I had heard word he was going to wrestle more house show cards not too long ago. Since he wasn't wrestled on the last couple it looks like he definitely doesn't want to risk further damage to the leg.

[The Bad Guy 0]

I wasn't shocked not to see Shawn Michaels, I assumed that his injury would likely keep him from working house shows. Who I was shocked to not see was Ric Flair, since the pre-show advertisements heavily hyped that he and Batista would fight RVD and Booker. Did he get injured and just don't remember so?

 

The Triple H vs. Benoit match was amazing. After seeing that match I see no reason why the WWE feels it necessary to toss Shawn Michaels into the main event as well. If Helmsley and Benoit can put on a ****1/2 match on an unimportant house show they could have easily equaled that or put on something even better at Wrestlemania.

[iliketurtles 0]

I can just picture HHH refusing to come out because the sound system wasn't working...and he couldn't have his entrance with the water and stuff.

[Guest wildpegasus]

I would be the Andrew Harris who sent in results to the show. I wasn't shocked not to see Shawn Michaels, I assumed that his injury would likely keep him from working house shows. Who I was shocked to not see was Ric Flair, since the pre-show advertisements heavily hyped that he and Batista would fight RVD and Booker. Did he get injured and just don't remember so?

 

The Triple H vs. Benoit match was amazing. After seeing that match I see no reason why the WWE feels it necessary to toss Shawn Michaels into the main event as well. If Helmsley and Benoit can put on a ****1/2 match on an unimportant house show they could have easily equaled that or put on something even better at Wrestlemania.

Thank you for sending in such a detailed report. I always like reading what happens at house shows.

[Matt Young 0]

SON OF A BITCH!

 

I had been to every single WWF/E and WCW show, as well as nearly every indy show, in Springfield in the last 6+ years- a total of around 25 shows- and then the first show that comes through there after I move is the best one yet. We used to always get the B level shows, and now they have Triple H vs. Chris Benoit for the World Title ONE MONTH AFTER I LEAVE? Mother fuckers.

 

We also never got any Smackdown shows- always Raw. Smackdown was always in Peoria. We were lucky to get 1 Raw show per year. Now Smackdown's coming to Springfield, and only 4 months after the last WWE show? Andrew, you know you're my favorite cousin, right? If I don't end up moving back there by then, I so need to come visit you in June.

[Guest Anglesault]

1. Steven Richards w/Victoria d. Test

You don't realize how much a ring announcer and entrance music add to the wrestling experience until they are gone. It was sort of strange watching these three come down with no fanfare.

Oh, no, I hope it didn't kill Test's heat.

 

BWAHAHAHA

 

And even at a houseshow, there's something hilarious about HHH kicking out of all his opponents big spots and winning after one pedigree.

 

Reminds me of Mania.

[Guest wildpegasus]

I would be the Andrew Harris who sent in results to the show. I wasn't shocked not to see Shawn Michaels, I assumed that his injury would likely keep him from working house shows. Who I was shocked to not see was Ric Flair, since the pre-show advertisements heavily hyped that he and Batista would fight RVD and Booker. Did he get injured and just don't remember so?

 

The Triple H vs. Benoit match was amazing. After seeing that match I see no reason why the WWE feels it necessary to toss Shawn Michaels into the main event as well. If Helmsley and Benoit can put on a ****1/2 match on an unimportant house show they could have easily equaled that or put on something even better at Wrestlemania.

I was reading another report of the show and they were talking about the Benoit vs HHH match citing it as the best WWE match in a long time. From his description it sounded like Benoit might've done the spot where he bridges up using his neck once the opponent gets you down to the mat in a mercy fight. Since you were there could you possably tell me if Benoit was bridging with his neck? Thanks

[haVoc 0]

I could see that Benoit/Triple H match happening on Raw only with HBK costing Benoit the match.

[Guest Banders Kennany]

Damn, I wanted to read something about how Ric Flair or Matt Hardy lost to Spike in a squash because they were in his hometown.

[Matt Young 0]

Damn, I wanted to read something about how Ric Flair or Matt Hardy lost to Spike in a squash because they were in his hometown.

Spike is most certainly NOT a fellow Springfieldian.