wrestling / Video Reviews
Hall’s WWE Bragging Rights 2010 Review
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Bragging Rights 2010
Date: October 24, 2010
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 9,000
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Matt Striker
Why this show? Well back in 2010 I won ticket to a WWE show in a trivia contest on the radio and got the poster to this show as part of a prize pack. That and…well, who else is going to talk about a B-level show from the Nexus era? The big deal here is of course Raw vs. Smackdown, plus Wade Barrett challenging Randy Orton for the Raw World Title. Let’s get to it.
The opening video focuses on the other main event, as Kane is defending the Smackdown World Title against Undertaker in a Buried Alive match. Kane attacked him earlier in the year but wasn’t revealed as the attacker until Undertaker returned. Then Kane beat him in the Cell earlier in the month, so it’s time for Undertaker’s other signature match.
Matt Striker says perhaps you only see someone buried alive once in your life. One: Undertaker has been buried alive….three times now? Two: WHO REGULARLY SEES SOMEONE BURIED ALIVE???
Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler
This is an interpromotional non-title champion vs. champion match with US Champion Bryan representing Raw against Intercontinental Champion Ziggler from Smackdown. Ziggler has Vickie Guerrero with him and she says he could pick anyone to date but he picked her. That could be taken multiple ways and commentary chuckles at it so it didn’t go great. We’re also in heel Cole period here and he’s all over Bryan as Ziggler takes it to the mat to start.
Naturally Bryan is fine with the technical battle but the threat of a LeBell Lock sends Ziggler to the ropes. Ziggler bails to the floor, where Bryan jumps over Guerrero to knee him in the face. Back in and Ziggler takes him down by the neck and kicks him in the back for two. They go to the mat and…I’m not sure who is doing what to the other until Bryan reverses a neckbreaker into a backslide for two more.
Ziggler sends him throat first into the ropes (half red and half blue in a nice touch) for a reverse powerslam and two more. The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by a Hennig necksnap to give Ziggler two. The big jumping elbow gets two more and we’re back to the chinlock, complete with a bodyscissors. Bryan fights up but misses the running dropkick in the corner, banging his neck up even more in the process. The bodyscissors goes on again but this time Bryan is up with the hard kicks.
The moonsault over Ziggler in the corner sets up the running clothesline for two, followed by a big kick to the head. A springboard kick to the chest gets two on Ziggler but he’s back with a heck of a superkick for two of his own. The Zig Zag is blocked and another kick to the head gets another near fall. Ziggler catches him up top but gets crotched up there as well, only to reverse a top rope belly to back superplex into a crossbody for a heck of a landing.
Back up and they hit the stereo crossbodies to leave them both down for a bit. The pinfall reversal sequence gets two each so Ziggler hits the Fameasser, with Bryan getting a foot on the rope at the last second. The sleeper sends Bryan to the rope so Ziggler yells at him a lot. That’s enough for Bryan to pull him into the LeBell Lock for the tap at 16:15.
Rating: B. Believe it or not, these two had a good back and forth match against each other. They had the time to build things up with Ziggler working on the neck but getting too cocky (as he tends to do as a showoff) and being caught as a result. Bryan was starting to show just how awesome he was around this point and that was only going to get better. Really good opener here, to the point where I can forgive a champion tapping clean.
Team Raw (Miz, Sheamus, CM Punk) argue over who should be the captain. Santino Marella comes in and asks about the snacks and beverages, but Miz wants to strategize. Punk agrees, but Sheamus threatens to kick Miz in the face. Miz says he and Punk need to get along because they are Raw and they are awesome. Punk: “Well, some of us are awesome.” With everyone else gone, Alex Riley wants Miz to figure this out, but Miz says the team is where they need to be. That sounds nefarious.
Here are Tag Team Champions (the only titles for both brands at this point, thank goodness) Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre, for a chat. They’ve dominated the tag division in the month since they’ve been champions, but most of their competition has been from Smackdown. That leaves them with a dilemma (with commentary mocking McIntyre’s accent), but we have an email from the Raw GM (oh geez THAT thing). The GM knows a team who can come after the titles so here is Wade Barrett, who introduces the challenger.
Tag Team Titles: Cody Rhodes/Drew McIntyre vs. David Otunga/John Cena
Otunga and Cena, challenging, do not look happy to be teaming together and it’s Otunga starting things off. McIntyre stomps Otunga into the corner to start and it’s off to Rhodes for the elbow to the head. It’s back to McIntyre for a suplex, which has Otunga tagging in Cena. This doesn’t seem to have Cena feeling very happy but he sends Rhodes flying with a suplex of his own.
A delayed vertical suplex suplex gives Cena two and he signals to Otunga that he has this. Rhodes manages to take him into the corner for some big chops and a near fall from McIntyre. Cena fights up but Rhodes is back in to tie up the arm (looking like la majistral) before grabbing a crossface (that’s a cool one). That’s broken up and Cena fires off the finishing sequence. The shuffle connects and, after knocking McIntyre to the floor, Cena STF’s Rhodes for the titles at 6:25.
Rating: C-. No the match wasn’t much, but that was kind of the point. The idea here was that Cena basically won the titles by himself with Otunga just being the player you have to pick as a partner in Road To Wrestlemania mode on Wrestlemania 2000. It’s a little something different and again, it’s not like the Tag Team Titles have any value in the first place.
Post match Otunga grabs both titles and celebrates before handing one over to Cena…who plants him with an AA. That’s enough for Cena to smile and leave with both titles. That would last all of one day, as Wade Barrett ordered Cena to lay down in a title match, giving Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel the titles instead.
We recap Goldust sending various flirtatious messages to Ted DiBiase and Maryse, but it wound up being about the Million Dollar Title.
DiBiase wants the title back. And he’s going to have Goldust’s girlfriend (Aksana) deported.
Ted DiBiase vs. Goldust
Maryse and Aksana are here too and Goldust has the Million Dollar Title belt, which isn’t officially on the line. Goldust starts fast with a Rear View out to the floor as Cole explains why Goldust is a threat. Back in and DiBiase knocks Goldust off the top, meaning it’s time to talk about Aksana’s citizenship status and impending wedding with Goldust (this period in NXT was AWESOME for what it was). The chinlock doesn’t last long for DiBiase, who cuts off a comeback rather quickly.
We’re right back to the chinlock, only for Goldust to suplex his way to freedom for a double down. Goldust is back up with a bulldog for two but he gets knocked outside for a crash. Back in and Goldust gets dropkicked out of the air, only to come back with the powerslam for two. That’s enough for Maryse to jump Aksana, which leaves Goldust distracted. DiBiase jumps him from behind and hits a DDT for the pin at 7:29.
Rating: D. Here’s the thing: this match did not belong on pay per view whatsoever and that was obvious. It’s a low level feud that should have been filler on any given episode of Raw and it was mainly there to get the women on the show. DiBiase had a nice look and could talk a bit but there was just no spark to anything he did in the ring and you could see it lacking here. Just nothing to this one, as it wasn’t so much bad but uninteresting and dull.
Post match Aksana grabs the belt and teases kissing DiBiase, which is a ruse for Goldust to take DiBiase out and leave with the title.
Divas Title: Layla vs. Natalya
Layla is defending (as half of co-champions Laycool) and the champs mock Minnesota accents before the match. Striker: “That was Shockmaster bad.” Natalya starts fast with a delayed vertical suplex (with squats) for two as commentary continues to bicker, which is always the case when Striker is around. A dropkick puts Natalya on the floor and McCool pulls her off the apron.
Back in and Layla grabs a full nelson with her legs until Natalya powers up. A clothesline gives Natalya two and she makes her comeback to the usual silence, including a dropkick for two. The threat of the Sharpshooter has Layla trying to leave so Natalya makes the save and yells at McCool. That earns Natalya a big boot from McCool and Layla gets the pin to retain at 4:49.
Rating: C-. This wasn’t exactly great, as Natalya’s matches only bring in so much charisma, but Layla and McCool worked well together as a pesky set of annoyances. They were smart to keep this short too, as it was only going to go so well. Someone can come for the title sooner or later, but it needs to be someone a bit more exciting than Natalya.
Josh Matthews is standing in a grave and explains the idea of a Buried Alive match. That’s certainly a visual, if nothing else to show you how deep the thing is.
We recap Kane defending the Smackdown World Title against Undertaker in a Buried Alive match. Kane attacked him earlier in the year and Undertaker wants revenge, meaning it’s time for some serious violence. Granted it’s three weeks after they fought in the Cell so this doesn’t feel like quite the major showdown.
Smackdown World Title: Kane vs. Undertaker
Kane, with Paul Bearer, is defending in a buried alive match. Undertaker jumps him in the aisle to start and Kane is sent fast into the steps. They go inside with Undertaker stomping away in the corner before going right back outside. Kane sends him into the barricade but gets elbowed out into the crowd (meaning I have to be distracted by the Target logos on the steps). Undertaker knocks him around in front of the tech area and then takes it back to the ring.
The apron legdrop connects and it’s time to load up the announcers’ table. Instead of doing anything with it, Undertaker throws a bunch of stuff into the ring and then beats Kane up around ringside some more. They’re back in the crowd with Undertaker pummeling him up and down the steps. The fight heads back towards the ring, where Kane finally manages to get in a shot and take over.
Some chair shots have Undertaker down for a change, followed by a pair of chokeslams. That’s enough to carry Undertaker up the aisle but he slips out to start another slugout. Undertaker gets the better of things and punches him down near the technical area. An attempt at putting Kane in the grave is broken up as he slips out and knocks Undertaker down, with Undertaker sitting up.
The Hell’s Gate has Kane in trouble and since tapping means nothing, he’s out cold. Undertaker throws him into the grave, sends Bearer face first into some dirt….and the Nexus (no John Cena of course) runs in to beat Undertaker down. Kane gets out of the grave and hits Undertaker in the head with the urn. Both said Undertaker and said urn are thrown into the grave, with the Nexus pouring the dirt in. That’s not fast enough, so Kane uses his powers (still a thing) to get a bulldozer to dump dirt into the grave to retain at 16:55.
Rating: C. I actually didn’t hate this, despite it basically being one long brawl until the Nexus came in for the screwy finish. I’d definitely take that over seeing the two of them try to wrestle, because that was just never a good idea for these two. The match didn’t feel as long as it was and while it was mainly just a bunch of brawling, it certainly could have been worse.
Post match the villains leave and the gong sounds, with Undertaker’s symbol appearing on the tombstone. Undertaker wouldn’t be seen again until February and, save for a one off hint at a bigger plan, the Nexus stuff was never mentioned again.
Randy Orton says John Cena better behave himself or he’ll get laid out.
Bragging Rights Trophy: Team Raw vs. Team Smackdown
Raw: Miz, CM Punk, John Morrison, Ezekiel Jackson, Santino Marella, R-Truth, Sheamus
Smackdown: Big Show, Rey Mysterio, Jack Swagger, Tyler Reks, Kofi Kingston, Alberto Del Rio, Edge
Elimination match for the trophy, Alex Riley is here with Miz, Hornswoggle is the Smackdown mascot (complete with viking horn helmet and Braveheart paint) and this is during the “Get Crunk” period for Truth which….made me miss What’s Up. Morrison and Reks start things off with Reks kicking away in the corner. This lets commentary argue about which show is better, with Striker saying he has to interrupt. Lawler: “No you don’t have to interrupt.” I’m not sure how it was really going, but Lawler sounded like he couldn’t stand Striker most of the time.
Reks knocks him down in the middle but gets dropkicked into the corner. Striker goes on about the etymology of the word Smackdown, because Striker is bad at his job. Marella comes in, takes too long loading up the Cobra, and gets hit in the face. A Burning Hammer lets Reks eliminate Marella at 2:38. Jackson comes in and knocks Reks down, meaning it’s off to Show for the power off. Show rocks Jackson with the big headbutts and the chop against the rope.
Mysterio comes in for a legdrop but Jackson shoulders Mysterio and Kingston down with ease. It’s off to Sheamus to slam Kingston, which feels like it has quite the potential as a singles match though I don’t remember them doing anything great together. Kingston fights out of a chinlock for a quick crossbody but Trouble In Paradise is broken up. The SOS gets two as Sheamus grabs the rope so Kingston hammers away in the corner. That’s not a good place to be though as Sheamus High Crosses him out of the corner for the pin to tie it up at 6:52.
It’s off to Mysterio to kick away at Punk’s legs but Punk knocks him down, allowing Sheamus to come back in for a clothesline. Mysterio fights back up and brings in Del Rio, who kicks Punk in the head. Hold on though as Del Rio sends Mysterio crashing into the barricade (out of hatred/arrogance, which fits him well). Del Rio goes back inside for a bridging German suplex on Punk as the medical team checks on Mysterio, who is favoring his shoulder.
Swagger comes in for a belly to belly suplex and we hit the double arm crank. That’s broken up and Punk kicks Swagger in the head, allowing Morrison to come in and slug away. Morrison misses a running knee but settles for two off a sunset flip instead. Swagger hits a heck of a powerslam for two but it’s too early for an ankle lock. Morrison kicks him down and a quick Starship Pain gets rid of Swagger at 13:07.
It’s back to Reks to crank on Morrison’s arms as commentary starts their bickering again. That’s broken up and Sheamus comes in again for the Brogue Kick to get rid of Reks at 14:31. A ticked off Show comes in and shrugs off a chop block from Sheamus, who is sent outside. Sheamus goes after Hornswoggle and the two brawl up the aisle as the referee does the big count which you only see when a countout is coming. Neither beat the count (though Show tried) and they’re both eliminated at 15:30.
Edge comes in for the first time and hits a bunch of clotheslines until Truth flips over him in the corner. The side kick sets up a missed ax kick and Edge hits the spear to get rid of Truth at 16:40. Morrison runs in for a running knee to Edge and a near fall but Edge spears him down for the pin at 17:09. Punk comes in and tries the GTS but gets reversed into the Edgecution. Another spear hits the buckle though and Del Rio comes in to kick Punk in the chest. A backslide gives Punk a pin out of nowhere at 18:04 and we’re down to Punk/Miz/Jackson vs. Edge.
Del Rio leaves but here is Mysterio, with his arm still kind of hanging, to jump him from behind and get back on the apron. Miz is right there to cut off the tag attempt and stomp away as things slow back down. Jackson comes in to drop an elbow for two and Punk is in to add more stomping. The running knee in the corner misses though and it’s back to Mysterio to pick up the pace. Mysterio rolls through Punk’s sunset flip and kicks him in the head for two. The GTS attempt is blocked and they get into the pinfall reversal sequence for a staredown. The 619 and a slingshot splash are enough to get rid of Punk at 24:05.
It’s down to Jackson/Miz vs. Mysterio/Edge, the latter of whom are former Tag Team Champions, and yes this is supposed to have some drama. Jackson shoulders Mysterio down and gets powered into the corner, only to come out with a jumping DDT (seemingly after Jackson wasn’t ready for a 619 as he just stood up and shrugged off a dropkick).
The 619 (connects and Mysterio kind of falls down on the springboard (could be blamed on the bad arm) splash to get rid of Jackson at 26:12. Miz runs in and goes after Mysterio, who fights up and tries a 619. Riley takes the shot for him though and it’s back to Edge for the spear and the win for Smackdown at 27:43.
Rating: B. I actually liked this, as they basically had a beefed up Survivor Series match, which is something that worked well. Having Mysterio go away for a bit worked well, though once he came back there was absolutely zero reason to believe that Raw had a chance. It’s a fun match on its own and far better than I was expecting, even if it makes next to no sense. The Summerslam main event was an elimination tag and we’re a month away from Survivor Series, which is all about these matches. Kind of beating the concept into the ground no?
Post match Striker is so over the top that Cole and Lawler almost sound embarrassed by him. As they should be.
We recap Wade Barrett challenging Randy Orton for the Raw World Title. The Nexus cheated to get John Cena on the team (including interference from Husky Harris, later to be known as Bray Wyatt) and then had Cena do his dirty work, including helping Barrett become #1 contender. Cena had to do it or he would be fired, and perfect hero Cena had to be all honorable. Now, it’s Cena has to help Barrett win or he’s fired.
Raw World Title: Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton
Barrett, with John Cena in his corner, is challenging and makes it clear that he’ll fire Cena tonight if he doesn’t win. Orton, who feels like a total afterthought in this, hammers on Barrett to start and knocks him into the corner. Barrett is knocked down and the big knee drop gets two but he’s back up with some right hands. That only gets him so far as Orton takes over again, meaning it’s time for the chinlock.
Barrett fights up again and they go outside, with Orton’s arm being sent into the steps to put him in trouble. Commentary brings up how Orton should be upset over being seen as an afterthought, actually offering a good point, only to have Striker made word play about Barrett’s fists a few seconds later. A middle rope elbow gives Barrett two and they fight outside, with Barrett continuing his assortment of generic beatings.
They come back inside with Orton fighting back but the hanging DDT is blocked. The referee gets bumped so Barrett has Cena get onto the apron, only for Orton to send them together. Cue the Nexus to beat on Orton but Cena makes the save (not hitting Barrett), allowing Orton to make the comeback. The referee is up again and the powerslam drops Barrett, setting up the hanging DDT. Cena comes in…and AA’s Barrett, which is the DQ, meaning Barrett WINS at 14:34, thereby saving Cena’s job. It completely kills the crowd, but it does save Cena’s job.
Rating: C. The problem here was obvious: the World Champion felt like a total afterthought in the main event of a pay per view because this was all about Cena and Barrett. That makes sense as it’s the top story, but it’s not the most thrilling way to put a World Title match together. The match itself was just kind of dull, with neither of them coming anywhere close to a higher gear, which again isn’t a surprise given the entire point of the match. It’s a clever enough ending, but it didn’t exactly save the match.
Post match Orton gives Cena an RKO, poses a lot, gives Barrett an RKO and poses a lot more to end the show as commentary explains the result to us like we’re morons.
Results
Daniel Bryan b. Dolph Ziggler – LeBell Lock
John Cena/David Otunga b. Cody Rhodes/Drew McIntyre – STF to Rhodes
Ted DiBiase b. Goldust – DDT
Layla b. Natalya – Big boot
Kane b. Undertaker – Kane buried Undertaker alive
Team Smackdown b. Team Raw last eliminating the Miz
Wade Barrett b. Randy Orton via DQ when John Cena interfered
