VIEWS TODAY: 1
VIEWS TOTAL: 36
POPS: 1
CLIPS: 0
COMMENTS: 0
REVIEWS: 0
ADDED: 30.06.2008
AVG RATING: 5.0
TOTAL RATING: 2
Real-time results courtesy of PWTorch.com (direct link to Caldwell's ongoing report)
1 -- WWE tag champions THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON vs. FINLAY & HORNSWOGGLE -- WWE Tag Title match
Ross with plenty of old school references early on in this one. Foley with the obligatory World Class reference equating Hornswoggle's tadpole splash to coming off the top rope like a Von Erich. Hornswoggle was caught on the outside, but he snuck back into the ring and rolled up his sleeves to challenge the champs to a mini-fight. The distraction allowed Finlay to surprise them with a double clothesline, though. After a few minutes of the champs working on Finlay, Hornswoggle took a hot tag and landed offense before taking a knee to the back from Morrison. The champs then effectively built up sympathy for Hornswoggle by working him over in the corner. Finlay eventually took the hot tag at 8:00 and cleaned house. Challengers seemed to have the Celtic Cross and tadpole splash set up for the finish, but Miz knocked out Finlay from behind and Morrison threw Hornswoggle hard off the top rope. Morrison made the cover for the win.
WINNERS: Miz & Morrison in 10:00 to retain the WWE Tag Titles. Fine opening match. Tag champs clearly established themselves as jerks after building up sympathy for Hornswoggle, leading to a good finish for the champs to retain the belts and reinforce their characters. (*1/2)
2 -- U.S. champion MATT HARDY vs. CHAVO GUERRERO -- United States Title match
As expected, Chavo went for the left knee to establish his offensive attack. At 5:00, Chavo wanted an early frog splash, but Hardy moved and nailed a clothesline when Chavo rolled through and popped to his feet. Hardy then avoided a clothesline and hit the side effect for a nearfall. He tried to follow with a move from the second rope, but Chavo yanked him to the mat and slapped on a half-crab. Chavo went for the Three Amigos suplexes, but Hardy suddenly countered the third into the Twist of Fate for the win. Nice. Afterward, ref Posey helped Hardy hobble to the back after the work on the knee.
WINNER: Hardy in 9:00 to retain the U.S. Title. Fine match. Nothing spectacular or memorable, but fundamentally sound. Looks like the makings of a good card tonight. (*3/4)
3 -- ECW champion KANE (Raw) vs. BIG SHOW (Smackdown) vs. MARK HENRY (ECW) -- ECW Title match
First match tonight with the formal ring intros. Adamle is all about the definite article, giving Big Show the label of simply "The Show." He then dated himself comparing this to Jurassic Park. Kane sold a knee injury on the outside, with doctors coming to ringside for a quick check on him. After Henry and Show had a few minutes of sluggish action, Kane re-entered the match with a flying clothesline from the top rope on Henry. Kane and Show then battled, with Show landing a chokeslam in center ring for a close nearfall when Kane rolled a shoulder up just before three. Show wanted to go up top, but Kane blocked and landed a superplex after a struggle. Sick. Henry suddenly re-entered the picture and gave Kane a huge splash before making the cover for the win.
WINNER: Henry in 8:00 to capture the ECW Title. And so the belt stays on ECW. Match had an extended slow period between Henry and Show, but finished strong. Henry as ECW champion means we're in store for another round of slow-paced matches on Tuesday nights. (*1/4)
4 -- World tag champs CODY RHODES & HARDCORE HOLLY vs. TED DIBIASE, JR. & ??? -- World tag title match
The bell sounded and Cody geared up to face DiBiase, but DiBiase asked for Holly. Cody reluctantly tagged out to Holly, then Cody turned on him with a spike DDT in center ring. DiBiase announced his tag partner as Cody Rhodes, then DiBiase tagged in. He slapped on the million dollar dream, then transitioned into a Russian legsweep for the pin and the win. The ref confirmed the outcome to Lillian, who made the announcement. Cody wasn't satisfied, so he announced new tag champs.
WINNERS: Rhodes & DiBiase in 2:00 to capture the World Tag Titles. Predictable, but a good start for the new heel tandem. Fine. (n/a)
5 -- IC champion CHRIS JERICHO (w/Lance Cade) vs. KOFI KINGSTON -- Intercontinental Title match
It will be weird not hearing Adamle call out Jamaican Me Crazy on Tuesday nights. I already miss it...slightly. Kofi showed off his athleticism early on, so Jericho bailed to the outside to catch a breather. Kofi then flew over the top rope with a splash in front of the broadcasting thing. Back in the ring, Jericho took control and worked over Kofi's mid-section. They picked up the pace when Kofi tried to come back with the boom-boom leg drop, but Jericho grabbed Kofi's legs into an attempted Walls of Jericho. Kofi escaped, though, and nailed a standing leg drop for a nearfall. Jericho cut him off with a clothesline, then landed a Lionsault. He didn't make a cover, however, and opted for the Walls of Jericho in center ring. Kofi was bent like a pretzel, then people in the crowd started screaming as Shawn Michaels ran through the crowd. After dropping Cade with sweet chin music, he hopped up on the apron. Jericho speared him off the apron into the guardrail, then he turned around and took the buzzsaw kick from Kofi. One...two...three, Kofi won the IC Title.
Post-match: Kofi took the belt and left the ring while Jericho collected himself in the ring. Medics checked on Michaels, who was still selling his eye injury. Jericho then approached Michaels on the entrance ramp as officials tried to separate them. He waited for refs to subtly part the red sea, then he smashed Michaels with a right hand to the injured eye. Michaels dropped to the floor and flopped around like a fish out of water as medics checked on his eye.
WINNER: Kofi in 11:00 to capture the IC Title. Good decision here. Kofi can develop as a viable mid-card babyface to be featured each week on TV. Jericho didn't need the belt for his feud with Michaels, so it was the right call. (**1/4)
6 -- Women's champion MICKIE JAMES vs. KATIE LEA (w/Paul Burchill)
Katie bailed to the outside early on to regroup with Paul. After Katie returned to the ring, Mickie gave her a double foot kick to the face. Katie came back with a suplex to set up her attack on Mickie's shoulder. During a silent stretch at 5:00, a few fans chanted, "You're a pirate" at Burchill ringside. Mickie came back with a head scissors on Katie, then wanted her leaping DDT finisher, but Katie applied a cross arm breaker. Mickie escaped, then slipped out of a suplex and nailed the leaping DDT for the pin and the win.
WINNER: Mickie James in 8:00 to retain the Women's Title. There were moments of good action here. Maybe slightly below expectations, but still a good showing. (*1/4)
7 -- World Hvt. champion EDGE vs. BATISTA -- World Heavyweight Title match
Justin Roberts handled the formal ring intros, with the bell sounding at 8:49 Central time. They're leaving a good hour for the two main events. Batista and Edge started off quickly, almost like they're having a 15-minute match. The action spilled to the outside where Batista rammed Edge into the guardrail. Back in the ring, Batista went to work on Edge until Edge caught him with a slam across the edge of the ring apron. Edge then dropkicked him across the ECW announce table to wake up Adamle, but Batista beat a ten count back into the ring.
Batista came back at 10:00 and this really turned into an excellent match with several nearfalls for both men following spears. Hawkins and Rider then wheeled Vickie to ringside for a closer look. Batista dropped Edge with a front powerslam, then he made a cover, but Vickie hopped out of her wheelchair and yanked the ref out of the ring to stop the count. Edge then smashed the ref with a right hand to knock him out. Announcers called for a DQ, but Vickie asked for another ref, then Chavo came out sporting a ref t-shirt with Bam by his side. Batista had enough and grabbed Vickie. He brought her into the ring, then press slammed Vickie over the top rope onto La Familia on the floor. Big pop for that. Batista turned around, though, and took a belt shot to the head from Edge. Chavo recovered and slipped into the ring to make a three count for the win.
Post-match: La Familia quickly skipped out from ringside and high-tailed to the back. Batista slowly recovered in the ring, half-way selling a head injury/concussion. He eventually left the ring while Foley asked why Vickie Guerrero still has a job.
WINNER: Edge in 16:00 to retain the World Hvt. Title. Excellent middle portion of this match with the crowd really into the back-and-forth action. In each big match, Edge constantly reinforces himself as one of the top wrestlers in the company. Batista was very good in what's become the rule and not the exception. An over-done finish to this one can be accepted after clean finishes prior to this match. (***1/2)
