Ring Crew Reviews: WWE Survivor Series 2004

• A repost from last year.

• Relevant Storylines: Jesus stabbed Cena and Cena wants payback. Carlito spits in the face of people who use rental cars. Heidenreich is crazy and wants Undertaker. Snitsky is crazy and ugly and wants Triple H’s belt. And JBL’s Honky Tonk Man Reunion Tour hits Cleveland.

• Scheduled Card:
1. Fatal Four Way for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Rey Mysterio vs. Billy Kidman vs. Chavo Guerrero
vs. Spike Dudley (c).
2. Intercontinental Championship: Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin (c).
3. Traditional Survivor Series Match: Kurt Angle, Mark Jindrak, Luther Reigns, and Carlito vs. Eddie Guerrero,
The Big Show, Rob Van Dam, and John Cena.
4. Undertaker vs. Heidenreich.
5. WWE Women’s Championship: Lita vs. Trish Stratus (c).
6. WWE Championship: Booker T vs. JBL (C).
7. Traditional Survivor Series Match: Triple H, Batista, Snitsky, Edge vs. Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Maven.

• Awesome video to start that focuses more on the history of the event than the current feuds. Highlights include footage of Undertaker’s debut in 1990, Bret Hart spitting on McMahon in 1997, Stone Cold getting ran over in 1999, and the first elimination chamber in 2002.

• We get the crowded ringside set-up with RAW (JR, King), Smackdown (Taz, Cole), and the Spaniards all having their own commentary tables set-up.

• Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Rey Mysterio vs. Billy Kidman vs. Chavo Guerrero vs. Spike Dudley (c). This is not elimination style so first pinfall wins. Kidman has short hair, is rocking a red sequined jacket like Tully Blanchard, and comes out to a Latino rap song. When the fuck did this happen? I must have blocked this out of my memory. This ought to be frantic. They pair off early: Mysterio with Spike and Chavo with Kidman. Spike gets a bodyslam and a double footstomp and heads over to get Chavo from behind. Spike and Kidman doubleteam Chavo with some assisted whips and clotheslines until Kidman dropkicks a charging Spike and dumps him. Kidman whips Rey and goes for a push-off flapjack but Rey counters to an X-factor and clotheslines Kidman to the floor. Rey and Chavo play up being friends and finally slug it out. They work a strength of test reversal sequence where Rey gets a sunset flip from Chavo’s shoulders for 2. Chavo picks him up for a powerbomb but gets rana-ed into the corner. Rey goes for a springboard moonsault but Chavo catches him and Rey counters to a spinning armdrag. Spike AKA “The Boss” as per Cole is back in. Spike stomps away in the corner, chokes some, then does the Snitsky taunt. Chavo attacks Spike from behind. They counter each other a few times then both hit a clothesline on each other. Meanwhile, Rey and Kidman are on adjacent aprons fighting around the ringpost. Rey gets the advantage and hits a picture perfect springboard huracanrana (West Coast Pop) to the floor on Kidman. That was beautiful and fluid. Back in, Spike and Chavo are up. Chavo whips Rey into Spike, then preps a wheelbarrow suplex but Rey counters and Chavo instead dumps him right into Kidman for a seated senton. Nice sequence. Off a whipe from Spike, Chavo then planchas to the floor. Spike then goes for a plancha but whiffs to the crowd’s amusement. Back in, Kidman begs off Flair-style from Chavo. Cole says this is months in the making, but by reading the fan’s reactions no one gives a shit. Chavo hits some European uppercuts and clotheslines. On the floor, Spike whips Rey into the stairs. Backdrop and back suplex gets nothing for Chavo as Spike breaks up the pin attempt. Spike hits an inverted atomic drop and a clothesline but Rey breaks up that pin attempt. Rey takes a stiff whip in the corner and sells it to the mat. Rey is awesome in this match, much more mobile than now. Spike tosses Rey to the floor baseball slide-style and Rey eats it chest first. While Rey sells, the other 3 do a Tower of Doom and everyone is down. Rey crawls in and tries a couple of pins but Kidman breaks them up. Kidman hits a BK Bomb, according to Cole, which is just a Ron Simmons spinebuster and sets up the Seven Year Itch but Chavo knocks him off then Spike dumps Chavo. Spike hits a running headbutt, taunts and the crowd responds nicely, then preps the Acid Drop but Rey counters out to set up the 619. He goes for the WCP but Kidman drags him down. Chavo hits the Gori bomb but Kidman breaks up the pin with a guillotine legdrop. Mysterio headscissors himself and Kidman to the floor as Spike sneaks in a pinfall for the 3 to retain at 9:03 This was harder to recap than it was to watch. Solid work all around, but Dudley is way too generic as a heel and the crowd only cared about Mysterio. ***

• Paul Heyman and Heidenreich are in the back. Heyman pumps him up then goes to look for his jacket. Snitsky interrupts and they go eye to eye and snarl at each other for about 30 seconds. Snitsky says he likes Heidenreich’s poetry, and Heidenreich says he likes what Snitsky goes to babies. Then they bid adieu. This segment deserves a 10-part YouTube fan tribute.

• WWE Intercontinental Championship: Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin (c). This is the debut of Christian’s theme “Just Close Your Eyes.” Shelton works an arm wringer and hammerlock early but that’s quickly reversed as per Shelton’s superior mat wrestling. Christian grabs the ropes to get a break. It’s more of the same as Christian gets a waistlock that goes nowhere but to Shelton’s advantage and Christian gets the ropes again. JR quips that Christian looks like a “blonde-headed orangutan.” A couple of criss crosses and a leap frog and Benjamin gets a shoulderblock and Christian begs away again. Christian has a new plan: he taunts and smacks Benjamin. Benjamin responds in kind and Christian tries to dump him but Shelton skins the cat behind his back, then hits a springboard blockbuster for 2. In the corner, Christian takes over with chops and smacks then shouts, “I’m Captain Charisma! What do you think about that?!” With that, Christian’s contingent cheers. Christian whips and tries a monkey flip but Benjamin lands on his feet, hits a flapjack, and an Oklahoma roll up for 2. Shelton sets up a superkick but Christian ducks to the outside and calls timeout. Shelton pursues, Tomko cuts him off, Christian tries to attack from behind but no go as Shelton pounds him down and chops away. Back in, Christian distracts the ref. Tomko harasses Shelton and Christian comes from behind to nail Benjamin and he flies into the barricade. Christian kicks Benjamin and wants to know where his peeps are. It’s those little things that separate Christian from generic heels.Shelton gets a cross body for 2. Christian gets a neckbreaker for 2 than gouges the eye and gets a chinlock. Shelton powers up but Christian dumps him. On the floor, Tomko rams him into the apron. Back in, Christian gets 2. Christian gets an inverted tornado DDT for 2. Nice. Christian uses Shelton as a stool to choke him into the second rope then taunts. This is some no nonsense, quality heel work. Christian smacks Shelton hard then calls him a “flash in the pan” and a “son of a bitch.” Shelton takes offense and smacks back. Christian eats a whip sternum first in the corner. Three clotheslines and a side Russian legsweep get 2 for Benjamin. Christian holds up to the ropes but Benjamin pulls him back to the middle and another roll up gets 2. Christian cuts him off, taunts more, and goes for a reverse DDT but Shelton counters to a springboard reverse suplex called a “reverse fisherman suplex” by JR. Back up, Christian reverses Shelton in the corner and gets an elevated DDT for close 2. Christian argues, Tomko slides in the belt, then distracts. Christian tries to waffle Shelton with it but eats boot. Shelton gets a top-rope flying clothesline for a near fall. Crowd thought that was it. While the ref disposes of the belt, Tomko in and hits a big boot. But that only gets 2. Tomko to the apron, but Shelton hits his spinning roundhouse. Christian attacks from behind, preps the Unprettier, but it’s reversed to the T-Bone powerslam for the 3 to retain at 13:24. Christian dragged the crowd kicking and screaming into hating him and it made a difference. ***1/4

• Backstage, Angle finds Edge getting some coffee. Edge spills it on him, then quips: “Sorry champ, didn’t mean to burn ‘ya.” Angle gets in his face, destroys concessions, vows revenge and they fight for the next several months over this incident. Oh sorry, wrong feud. Actually, he’s just pissed about what Edge said about him in his book. Edge shrugs it off. Angle wants to know where the chapter about Edge being world champion is. At that time, Edge was on the cusp but not there yet. Angle walks off but runs into Eugene and mild hilarity ensues.

• Wrestlemania Recall is Austin winning the belt at WM XIV.

• Traditional Survivor Series Match: Kurt Angle, Mark Jindrak, Luther Reigns, and Carlito vs. Eddie Guerrero, The Big Show, Rob Van Dam, and John Cena. These teams are seriously lop-sided in terms of star power. Jindrak and Reigns look juiced to the max. The heels get one entrance and each face gets their own entrance. I miss RVD’s old music. Huge pop for Cena. Cena immediately attacks Jesus, who storyline stabbed Cena at a nightclub. This may sound crazy but Cena looks smaller than he does now. Cena chases Jesus and Carlito to the back. Cena attacks a ref and no sells a trashcan shot from Jesus. Carlito and Jesus struggle to get away, steal a car and Cena pulls a Goldberg and tries to bust out the window with his bare hands. They drive away though. Back to the ring, the bell hasn’t rung while the faces are in the ring and the heels are outside. A brawl breaks out and Big Show palms Jindrak up to the apron and then hip tosses him from the apron into the ring. Show destroys Jindrak with a chop, slam, and headbutt. Van Dam tags in and hits the step over roundhouse. Rob tags in Eddie. They hit a beautifully timed springboard hilo/rolling thunder combination. But that only gets 2. Eddie hits a belly to belly and a flying headscissors before Reigns comes in but then Eddie hits a headscissors/flying armdrag combo. Kurt jumps from behind and puts an end to Eddie’s rally. Kurt pounds away. Mild “Cena” chant breaks out as Kurt tells the crowd to kiss his ass. Reigns hits a couple of backbreakers and a side slam and tags in Jindrak. Jindrak goes to the Masterlock. Eddie counters and goes for the tag but Kurt tags in and cuts him off. Belly to belly and Angle taunts. Reigns and Jindrak work over Eddie for a couple of minutes. Eddie gets a jawbreaker and flapjack but Angle is back in to prevent the tag again. They work the front facelock and tease a tag but Angle elbows Eddie down. Jindrak does nothing of note for a minute. Eddie gets a huracanrana and tags in RVD. RVD with some kicks and a monkey flip on Angle. RVD whiffs on the enzuguri but comes back with a heel kick. He gets for the 5 star frogsplash but Jindrak tries to pull Angle out. RVD instead splashes Jindrak across the back. Nice spot. RVD knocks Reigns off the apron but is rolled up by Angle and he grabs the ropes to get the 3 and RVD is out first at 9:04. The heels run to the outside. Angle tags in Jindrak. He tries to attack Cena from behind but gets rolled up by Eddie at 9:11. Angle’s pissed that Eddie outsmarted him. He drops the straps and calls Eddie out to the middle. Eddie instead tags in Show. Angle runs away and tags in Reigns without his cooperation. Big Show chops and kicks him. Angle tries to jump from behind but eats a big boot. Reigns goes after Show’s ankle but eats a choke slam and he’s gone at 10:30. Show grabs Angle for the choke slam but Angle reverses to an ankle lock on the injured ankle but Show fights out and dumps Angle. Angle tries to walk out but RVD cuts him off at the set. Angle backs into Show who throws him into the ring where Cena FUs him, Eddie frogsplashes him, and Show covers him at 12:28. This was on its way to being excellent until the rapid eliminations. They all made sense and were effective but I just wish they wouldn’t always do that. ***1/2

• In the back, Coach interviews Maven. Coach wonders if Maven is ready for the big time. Maven tries to set him straight but Snitsky attacks from behind. Maven juices as then road agent Fit Finlay helps him up.

• We get a video package of Heidenreich driving a Ford Bronco into Undertaker’s hearse and it has the Hollywood explosion on impact.

• Heidenreich vs. Undertaker. Heidenreich, lead by Heyman, comes out in a straitjacket to some oddly catchy music that just repeats his name over and over. I think the straitjacket entrance is underrated. It’s sort of goofy when you can walk yourself to the ring but can’t use your arms. However, after they unmasked Kane in 2002, he had a period of wearing a towel like Taz and was brought to the ring in a straitjacket and escorted by armed orderlies. THAT was awesome and should be brought back for someone. It’s worth noting that backstage with Snitsky earlier HR was not in a straitjacket. Storyline wise, this match was HR’s idea and Heyman thinks it was a mistake. Staredown to start. Undertaker pounds away early and glares at the ref and he dives all the way out of the ring. Now, that’s dedication. HR gets a back elbow but runs into a big boot. A couple of elbows get 2 for UT. Taker works the arm Anderson style with a hammerlock and some hard elbows. He preps Old School but Heyman distracts and HR low blows him, then gives him a groin shot on the ring post. To the outside, HR punches a lot but Taker blocks a shot into the stairs and instead smashes HR into them. UT gives him a couple of forearm smashes on the apron, then hits the apron legdrop. Cole: “Vintage Undertaker!” How long has this line been going on? Back in, Taker gets 2 as HR sells the damage to his neck. Taker gets Old School. For some reason, he doesn’t attempt a pin and instead hits a Downward Spiral and that gets 2. UT scares the ref away again and Heyman is furious at the ref. Continuity and logic. I like it. UT goes for a running big boot but whiffs and eats turnbuckle. After some rights, HR tosses Taker into the barricade. After more rights, back in, HR gets 2. Off the ropes, HR hits a Batista kick for 2 and goes to the chin lock. UT punches out but Heidenreich clotheslines him down for 2. They trade punches and kicks until HR hits another clotheslines and drops some elbows. OK, enough with the punches, we get it. HR tries a vertical suplex but Taker reverses to his own. More fucking right hands from each. Taker gets dumped but stun guns HR. Flying clothesline gets 2 for UT. Snake eyes, big boot, and a leg drop get another 2. Taker preps the choke slam but HR counters with more punches and a sidewalk slam that UT jumped into. HR mounts in the counter and throws more fucking right hands and poses but no one gives a shit. Taker counters to the Last Ride but is too close to the ropes. Sleeper by HR but Taker suplexes out and both are down. Off a whip, Taker hits a jumping clothesline and grabs the throat for the choke slam. Taker signals for the Tombstone and hits it with no interference from Heyman and gets the 3 at 15:57. This was surprisingly watchable, but peaked early and went downhill once everyone figured out Heidenreich only could punch. If Heidenreich had a moveset, they MAYBE could have given him a run with the belt but this exposed him as more Kozlov than Sid Vicious. **1/2

• Maria interviews Bischoff and wants an update on Maven. She’s actually not being an airhead here. Maven may not be able to compete, but Bischoff says there will be no replacements because he’s going on vacation.

• WWE Women’s Championship: Lita vs. Trish Stratus (c). Trish is of course hot. Lita’s not to bad herself. Trish punches early because she means business. She punches more in the corner. She mounts and punches yet some more. Trish takes a break but Lita pursues. Trish smashes her into the announce table but Lita pulls her down into a chair and then “hits” her a couple of times with a chair for the DQ at 1:22. DUD All angle. Post-match, Trish is bleeding from the nose and possibly above the hairline. The refs have to pull Lita off of her. Trish refuses help to the back and grabs her belt. Trish sells the shock and anger well.

• In the locker room, Teddy congratulates Eddie, RVD, Cena, and Show on their victory but he wants a word with Cena. Show gives Cena a towel and tells him to cover up. Funny. Teddy thanks Cena and welcomes him back from injury. Cena thanks him but wants a piece of Carlito. Teddy books Cena vs. Carlito for the US Title on Smackdown

• WWE Championship: Booker T vs. JBL (C). This was set up by Booker T defeating Orlando Jordan, JBL’s Chief of Staff. This is Booker T, not to be confused with King Booka. The belt here is the Unified Strap that Lesnar went to Smackdown with in 2002 and was later converted into Cena’s current contraption. Lock up goes nowhere. They try again and get similar results. Booker punches and chops away in the corner. JBL takes over with his own punches and chops. JBL goes to the side headlock but Booker pushes him off. JBL gets a shoulder block. They criss cross, trade hiplock counters and Booker clotheslines him down. Standing side kick and JBL rolls to the outside. Misdirection and JBL boots Booker coming back in. Neckbreaker and a liver shot get 2. Booker counters a whip to a back body drop and clotheslines JBL to the outside again. JBL pokes the eye and tosses Booker over the announce table. Booker trips JBL coming over the announce table and tosses him back in. But OJ attacks from behind. Back in, JBL gets the Cobra Clutch. Booker tries to rally but JBL big boots him down, drops a few elbows, for a 2 count. JBL goes to the sleeper. It’s barely 5 minutes in and JBL is working the rest holds. Booker powers out but JBL elbows him down. JBL goes up for whatever but Booker cuts him off and gets a superplex. Delayed cover gets 2. JBL dumps Booker and OJ attacks from behind but Booker retaliates. JBL goes to the floor and runs into a Book End on the floor. OJ eats a standing side kick. “Booker T” chant breaks out. Booker T continues to break the count and work over… OJ? What? That doesn’t make any sense. He’s treating JBL like the distractor and OJ like his opponent. Back in, Booker gets the missile dropkick. He covers but JBL gets the ropes. Sideslam and Booker signals for the Harlem Hangover but OJ distracts enough that Booker whiffs as JBL rolls out of the way. Both are up. JBL goes to the sleeper but Booker suplexes out. Booker hits some lariats, a roundhouse, and a bicycle kick for 2. Crowd getting mildly restless. Booker T goes for the ax kick but OJ pulls him down. DDT gets 2 for JBL. Crowd is more interested in whistling at something. Whip reversal and Booker sends JBL accidentally into the ref. OJ in and jumps Booker from behind. Crowd’s now interested. OJ’s got a chair but Josh Matthews runs in to even the odds. Um, OK. That makes storyline sense but is less than inspirational if you’re pulling for Booker. JBL boots him down and gives him a short arm Clothesline from Hell. Booker up and hits a drop kick and an ax kick but the ref is still down. Charles Robinson comes out but OJ pulls him to the outside. With each false finish, the crowd gets more vocal. OJ in but Booker Book Ends him. JBL cuts him off with a belt shot and Nick Patrick recovers to count the 3 at 14:46. They just didn’t click together. They told a decent story but Booker T’s gimmick was stale as dirt and JBL’s Honky Tonk man routine was more annoying than heat-worthy. Plus, JBL seemed somewhat out of his depth. I’m not sure how many people ever bought him as a World Champion. JBL’s ceiling probably should have been a highly effective upper midcard heel with a secondary title or as a occasional threat to the main belt. He was at his best as an antagonist with promos and gimmicks, but being world champion is about more than that. **1/4

• WWE Tribute to the Troops promo set to “One” by Creed.

• Batista, Flair, and Triple H strategize backstage. Triple H walks off and Batista tells Flair he can’t wait for his week to run RAW. Hmm. By the way, Flair looks a head (6 inches give or take) shorter than both here. The wrestling boots have thick soles though and Flair is in street clothes so who knows.

• Traditional Survivor Series Match: Triple H, Batista, Snitsky, Edge vs. Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Maven. Each member of the winning team gets to be RAW General Manager for a week. By the way, that is a totally awesome stipulation that should be brought back. This was set up by the fucking great RAW on 10/25/2004 when the entire face locker room turned on Evolution. The video packages focuses on how everyone plans on going after the belt if their team wins and they become general manager. Orton is awkward as the ultra babyface. He comes out and just hits his pose like 45 times with very little rhyme or reason. For those who don’t remember, the Evolution entrance music by Motorhead is a great song.

• Edge and Benoit to start. No mention of Maven early as he didn’t come out. Benoit takes Edge down with a back elbow and some chops and Edge takes a break. Back in, Edge quickly tags out to Snitsky and Benoit tags in Orton. Orton clubs him a bunch and then hits a stilted pose. What the fuck? Orton drags Snitsky to the face corner and tags in Jericho. Jericho kicks Snitsky, whips him, but Snitsky comes out with a clothesline. Snitsky tags in Trips. Back elbow from Jericho. Orton back in. Orton boots him about 50 times and postures. It’s odd because this should have been the money confrontation in the match but it has no sizzle for the crowd. Off a whip, Trips gets a high knee and tags in Batista. Batista with some shoulder rams in the corner and a powerslam for 2. He tags in Edge. Edge taunts Orton with his own pose then boots him some and a drop toe hold gets 2. Edge hits a dropkick and then runs over to hit Jericho and distract the ref. But oddly the heels don’t work on Orton behind his back. Orton clotheslines Edge down and tags in Benoit. Benoit is a house of fire as he takes out every heel. He hits a snap suplex on Triple H and Germans on Snitsky and Batista and rolling Germans on Trips and signals for the headbutt. First, he suplexes Edge onto H and then hits a diving headbutt on both. But Snitsky breaks up the pin and Jericho cuts him off and to the outside they go. Benoit gets the sharpshooter but Snitsky breaks it up before H can tap. Jericho drags Snitsky back to the outside. Benoit gets the Crossface on Edge but Batista breaks it up. Pedigree behind the ref’s back and Edge drapes the arm and gets the 3. Benoit is eliminated at 7:27.

• Edge and Jericho fight immediately. After a brief flurry, Edge gets a neckbreaker and tags in Snitsky/Triple H. They fight over who got the tag and Snitsky shoves H down. Batista gets in Snitsky’s face. While they argue, Jericho puts H in the Walls but Batista notices and breaks it up in time. Then Orton rams Dave from behind and inadvertently takes down Snitsky too. Jericho gets a bulldog but Flair breaks up the Lionsault and the ref ejects him. The jacket comes off and the workrate goes up 3x. Flair throws it at Sign Guy. In the meantime, Jericho and Orton try to double team but Batista clotheslines both and then gets a spinebuster on Jericho. The crowd is interested but not cheering Batista. That would change drastically over the next few months. Batista preps the bionic elbow but Orton hits him with the belt from behind to a sizeable pop. Jericho follows up with the enzuguri and he’s gone at 10:40.

• Jericho takes down Trips with a clotheslines and springboard dropkicks Edge from the apron into Snitsky. Ha. Before leaving though, Batista nails him with the bionic elbow. Back in, Snitsky chokes Jericho then tells the ref to shut up because he has til 5. Snitsky was doing it before Bryan Danielson. I have video proof. Edge in. He punches Jericho but eats a sleeper neckbreaker. Snitsky in and goes after Orton and dumps him. Edge and H work over Orton while Jericho DDTs Snitsky but there’s no one to tag. But MAVEN HAS COME OUT! He jumps Snitsky with a flying forearm that busts him open hard way above the left eye. Maven dumps Snitsky then Edge and hits a second rope bulldog on Trips. Maven turns around into a brutal chairshot that he takes stiff on the head. The crowd audibly gasps. Ref DQs Snitsky at 15:58.

• Before exiting, Snitsky chairshots Orton and Jericho across the back. Amidst the carnage, Triple H covers Maven and he’s gone at 16:53.

• We’re down to Trips/Edge and Orton/Jericho. Edge tries a few pinfalls on Jericho’s lifeless corpse but he kicks out. Jericho comes to life but they doubleteam him. Trips preps the pedigree but Jericho backdrops out but Edge spears him and gets the 3 at 18:05.

• Orton’s done but wants more. Edge and Trips oblige with rights and boots. JR getting pissed at the ref’s discretion at allowing the double teaming. Orton tries to fight back but Trips gets a DDT for 2. Edge in but Orton gets a powerslam off a whip. They are selling exhaustion. Back up, Orton dropkicks Edge into Trips on the apron and rolls Edge up but only gets 2. Orton up but Triple H slides in with a spinebuster. Edge goes for the spear but Orton ducks and Edge nails Triple H. RKO and Edge is gone at 22:58.

• RKO chant. He preps it again but H counters to a low blow that the ref didn’t see. Triple H sets up the pedigree but Orton counters to an RKO and that’s it at 24:30. Smart booking helped this. Maven and Snitsky’s mini story helped tell the larger story of the faces being underdogs but united against the tenuous heel team. You could tell Batista was a star in the making. ****

The 411: This show got off to a blazing start and managed to carry most of that momentum into an awesome main event. Easy thumbs up.
Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]