The Carolina Review: WWE Vengeance 2005

WWE Vengeance

Live from the Thomas Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV.

Your hosts are Jim Ross, The Coach, and Jerry Lawler.

Intercontinental Championship: Carlito (c) vs. Shelton Benjamin

Carlito jumped from Smackdown! to Raw in the previous week’s draft. He won the Intercontinental title from Benjamin in his first match on RAW. This is Shelton’s rematch. Shelton gets a good reaction. Both men used to be far more popular than they are now, how sad. Tie up to start. Shelton quickly takes down Carlito with a fireman’s carry into a pin for 1. Carlito reverses a headlock takeover into a head scissors. Shelton flips over into a pin for 2. Shelton gets 2 off a knee strike after a few moments of both men dishing out fists and forearms. Shelton kips up after a shoulderblock and clotheslines Carlito to the canvas. Carlito bails up the ramp with the Intercontinental belt. Shelton takes offense to such tomfoolery and sends Carlito back into the ring. Snap suplex gets 2 for Shelton. Nice spot as Shelton jumps to the top turnbuckle and hits a flying LARIAT as J.R. calls it! Shelton only gets two and the crowd hates it. I heard some “Shelton sucks!” chants. Carlito plays the cheating heel and kicks Shelton out the ring while in the ropes. Carlito gets only 2. Carlito repeatedly slams Shelton to the mat for a couple of 2 counts. He continues to work on Shelton’s hurt back but the former Angle bitch gets 2 off a surprise roll-up. Shelton hits a spinning back elbow and both men are down. Shelton hits a Samoan Drop, (even though he is from South Carolina), for 2. Clothesline, clothesline, back body drop and modified backbreaker only get a 2 count. Shelton hangman’s Carlito while jumping outside from the top turnbuckle. Springboard bulldog gets Shelton only 2. The crowd can’t believe it. Carlito undoes the one of the turnbuckle pads and hits a modified slam for 2. Carlito blocks a superkick but Shelton spins around for a heel kick. This is a really good match. Shelton goes for the Stinger Splash in the corner but it’s the exposed turnbuckle! Carlito gets the 1-2-3 and that is all.

Winner and STILL Intercontinental Champion: Carlito at 12:50 ***

Analysis: Nothing groundbreaking here. This was a simple cheating heel vs. exciting face encounter between who wrestlers who now seem so sadly irrelevant. The crowd was so into the match which made viewing it more exciting that the normal quiet WWE audience for an Intercontinental title match. Solid.

HHH and Ric BY GOD Flair walk to the dressing room. Simple EWR segment.

Victoria vs. Christy Hemme

This unimportant confrontation came about thanks to Victoria’s vicious attack on Christy and the other Divas after a Bikini Contest. Do not even attempt to ask. Victoria attacks the before the bell but Christy soon gets the upper hand managing to punch and choke Victoria all over the ring. Victoria hangman’s Christy over the top rope then pulls Christy up by the hair in a neckbreaker position. Victoria gets 2 after a lifting choke drop to the canvas. I think I hear some “Boring” chants or “Christy sucks,” both of which are true. Victoria applies a chinlock FOREVER until Christy manages to get out and still get knocked to the mat after a failed O’Connor Roll. The crowd is shitting on this match and rightly so. Well, at least the jocks are. Victoria tries to apply the Widow’s Peak but Christy gets out. She cannot wrestle to save her soul. Victoria misses a moonsault, but since Christy can’t wrestle she just throws Victoria around by her beautiful black hair. Christy gets a DDT for 2. Victoria blocks a sunset flip, sits down on Christy and holds on the ropes for the 3 count.

Winner: Victoria at 5:05 1/4*

Analysis: Pure crap. It was obvious at that point Christy Hemme had the wrestling skills of a dragonfly. I do not argue with that opinion today. Victoria looked good simply kicking ass. Two less minutes and more Victoria kicking ass would have made this slightly more bearable.

Cena gets Todd Grisham to reveal his nickname in high school was Todd Pissam. See, he had an accident in Biology class, and, well…that’s funny! I miss ghetto sounding, spiked haired Cena. At least then he had somewhat of a character.

Kane vs. Edge w/Lita

To state the past squabbles of these two opponents: Kane and Lita were married. Lita turned on Kane and joined Edge in the finals of the Gold Rush Tournament because Lita is a whore. Lita, apparently never loved Kane and she loved the fact he did all her errands. Imagine Kane headed to Walgreen’s to purchase tampons. Ha! They chase each other around the ring until Kane gets the advantage inside. Kane continues the punishment with a boot as the crowd chants “We want Matt!” Kane clotheslines Edge outside and then dishes out more punishment on the inside. They go outside and Kane beats on Edge more. See a pattern? Edge fights back with a SPEAR to the floor. Ouch. Back in Edge baseball slides into Kane on the floor. Edge elbows and punches Kane but the Big Red Machine is HULK PISSES! Even an Edgeacution has no effect on the monster! Kane nails Edge with an uppercut and gets a 2 count after a Snake Eyes in the corner. Kane drops Edge with a side slam. Flying clothesline is blocked with a dropkick by Edge but Kane uses a big boot to block the SPEAR! That ugly boring Snitsky tries to interfere and so does Lita but he kicks Snitsky from the ring and goozles Lita. Kane wraps the chair around Lita’s head! Snitsky ruins the run with a big boot for Edge who only gets a 2 count. Kane goozles Snitsky but Edge grabs his MITB briefcase. Edge accidentally rails Snitsky with the briefcase as Kane moved out of the way. A chokeslam finishes for the 3 count!

Winner: Kane at 11:20 *3/4

Analysis: Bryan Alvarez somehow gave this match ***. All I saw here was two men barely doing anything but punching and kicking. Sure this was a heated rivalry and who expects them to get technical? Yet, I expected much more in this match, such as tables and chairs and other violent tools of doom and destruction. I wanted more and what I received was Snitsky. No thanks.

An awesome Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle video is followed by a Todd Pissam interview with Michaels. His match at Wrestlemania 21 was a classic and tonight will be his Vengeance.

Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels

Alas, the rematch I have been waiting to see. Let us see how this match compares to WM 21. Angle breaks a lockup into a corner. Angle takes down HBK with a waistlock. HBK reaches the ropes and they separate once more. HBK manages a side headlock. Angle gets up after HBK takes him down and we have a break. Angle single leg takedowns HBK but he moves to the ropes. Angle shoulderblocks HBK after a side headlock. HBK moves Angle into an armbar after a hip toss and arm drag. Angle takes HBK down with an armbar. Angle drops an evil knee on HBK’s arm. He bails and returns to chop Angle. Angle bails to the floor. Back in the ring Angle tries a single leg boston crab but HBK goes outside again. HBK moves back in and has to reach the ropes to fight off a Ankle Lock attempt and a single leg boston crab. Couple of rights, chops, boots by HBK. He tries a Sunset Flip from up top but Angle turns that into an Ankle Lock! HBK clotheslines Angle to the outside. HBK reverses an Angle Slam on the outside. Angle hits a NASTY German Suplex onto the announce table that didn’t even break! Angle only gets 2 after rolling HBK back in the ring. Angle gets a neckbreaker for 2. He covers three more times but only gets a 2 count each time. Angle dominates with a boot choke and some lethal European Uppercuts! Angle then POWERTHEFUCKBOMBS Shawn into the corner for only a 2 count! Brutal. Angle hits a few elbow drops and gets 2 from a suplex. Angle applies a rear choke but HBK eventually gets out. He whips Angle into the corner but Kurt hits a SWEET Release German Suplex for 2. Michaels counters an Angle Slam into an arm drag. Angle puts Michaels on the top rope. He fights Angle off, jumps and is butchered with a Release Belly to Belly Suplex. 1…2….NO! Angle applies a sleeper. They do the whole normal sleeper sequence until Michaels drops Angle with a Back Suplex. Angle and HBK are knocked out but eventually get up at the count of seven. They exchange blows but HBK takes control with a flying forearm, kip-up, punches, atomic drop, clothes and body slam! Michaels hits the Top-Rope Elbow Drop and prepares for the Christian Rock Band. Kurt ends up KILLING Michaels with a clothesline for 2! Michaels reverses an Angle Slam into a DDT for 2! Both men are struggling. Angle reverses a suplex into a German Suplex. HBK blocks a second German Suplex and an Angle Slam gets 2! HBK avoids an Ankle Lock and rolls Angle for 2! Wait a second; Kurt gets the Angle Lock in! The ref gets nailed by Angle after HBK rolls out of the hold! HBK ends up on the outside thanks to a body drop. Angle rolls Michaels back in while the trainers attempt to check Michael’s apparently injured knee. HBK misses his SUPERKICK OF HELL and Kurt applies the Ankle Lock! HBK tries to get out over and over but Angle keeps on twisting tighter. FEEL THE WORKRATE! HBK escapes leaving Angle to run into the steel post. All of a sudden Michaels KILLS ANGLE with a SUPERKICK OF SATAN! Both men are down and Michaels covers at the count of 9 for another 2 count! Angle climbs to the top rope and as Michaels struggles to his feet…Kurt leaps down…SUPERKICK OF JESUS H. CHRIST! GOD MANDATED! Michaels covers and wins the epic rematch!

Winner: Shawn Michaels at 26:16 ****3/4

Analysis: What a freakin’ ride. That match was so incredible on so many levels but for some reason I felt like it was missing something that I can’t quite put my finger on. I think I was expecting a little more mat wrestling that I saw here. For me, it doesn’t live up to Angle/Benoit from RR03 or the Angle/HBK at Wrestlemania. Nevertheless, it is one of my top 10-20 matches of all time, period. The brutality and crispness of Kurt’s moves was highly impressive and Michaels was amazing as usual. These matches make me love wrestling.

Angle gets a standing O from the crowd. He deserves it because he looks completely drained and beaten.

Batista tells Coach that he ain’t scurred of HHH. The Game joins the interview by getting in Batista’s face. This leads to a pull-apart brawl. BUILD-UP!

Next is the Lillian and Viscera love angle. It sucks. That’s all you need to know and not care for.

A good video of the Cena/Christian/Jericho history, however brief it was at the time. I wish Christian would have won a World title in WWE. *Sighs.*

WWE Title: Christian vs. Chris Jericho vs. John Cena ©

Big staredown from all three men. Christian and Jericho go after Cena, kicking and punching him around for a few moments. Christian back elbows Jericho but Jericho returns the favor with an elbow drop. Tomko takes Jericho from the ring and tosses him into the crowd barrier. Cena comes back with an armdrag to Christian. The ref catches Tomko trying to get involved and orders him from ringside! Christian hates that and Cena takes advantage, hitting a Slapjack and FU to the floor! Jericho returns with a flying back elbow that only renders a 2 count. Jericho hits a suplex and a dropkick but Cena fights back after being whipped to the corner. Cena punches Jericho. Jericho manages to hit a bulldog. Jericho misses a moonsault but saves himself by landing on his feet. He throws Cena to the outside. Jericho tries a suplex but Cena reverses into a DDT on the title! Ouch! Christian finds his way back into the picture and rolls Cena back into the ring for 2. Cena fights out of a rear choke and hits a couple of clotheslines. Sweet DRIVER for the 2 count! Jericho pulls Cena out into the ring and slings him into ring steps. Christian hits a baseball slide on Jericho. Jericho recovers back in the ring and puts Christian in the WALLS OF JERICKO! Nice sequence as Christian kicks him from the hold so Jericho charges at Cena, knocking him from the apron. Christian rolls Jericho up for 2! Jericho stops Christian from using a superplex but Cena comes in and all three come falling in the mat in an awesome Powerbomb/Superplex combination. Sweet. Cena takes over now, covering Christian and Jericho then knocking them silly with a clothesline. He bodyslams Jericho and gives a drop toe hold to Christian! Next is a weak looking Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena tries a sunset flip on Jericho but Christian rolls Cena up for 2. Jericho rolls up both men for a 2 count in a pretty sweet segment. Cena gets a 2 on Christian after both blondes collide. Christian gets a 2 count after reversing an FU into a reverse DDT! Tomko returns to boot Cena in the mug but STILL Christian only gets a 2 count! Jericho locks Cena in the WALLS OF JERICKO after Christian is backdropped to the floor. Christian back on the apron and Jericho springboard dropkicks him instantly! Jericho goes back to the WALLS OF JERICKO but Christian rolls him up for 2. Cena picks Christian up for the FU and uses the Captain’s legs as a weapon, knocking Jericho to the mat! FU gets the 1-2-3!

Winner and STILL WWE Champion: John Cena at 15:35 ***1/2
Analysis: This is mostly everything I look for when watching a triple-threat match. Fast paced action, fun sequences and a good story to go along. Jericho and Christian teamed up on Cena at the beginning but the two couldn’t get along that long which proved to be their downfall. I only wish Christian would have gone over to shock the world but Cena couldn’t lose the title considering he had only been on RAW for a week.

The lower the EVILZ Hell and a Cell and give us the history of HHH/Batista is a nice video package.

World Heavyweight Championship: HHH vs. Batista ©

HHH starts the match by attacking Batista who then clotheslines HHH to the floor. Batista rams him into the cage. Back in Batista gets a shoulderblock, clothesline and another one sends HHH back outside. Batista keeps on ramming HHH into the cage. HHH finally uses some offense by sending Batista into a ring post. HHH knocks Batista off the apron and he bounces off the cell wall! HHH whips Batista into the cell a couple of times then clotheslines him to the floor. They go back into the ring. HHH has the SILVER CHAINZ! He whips him a couple times then lynches him from the top rope with the chain! Batista manages to get the chain and returns the whipping to HHH! They end up on the outside where Batista takes joy in whipping HHH once again. In a great display of strength Batista carries HHH, slamming into the steel post a bunch of times and then into the cell wall! They head back into the ring while HHH bleeds from his forehead. Eww. HHH manages to connect with the DOUBLE AA SPINEBUSTA. HHH is going outside. Is he getting a sledgehammer? No, a FREAKIN’ BARBED WIRE CHAIR! He slams that damn thing over the back of Batista! SHIT! Batista is bleeding and that just simply has to be painful! HHH gets a facebuster but Batista fights back with a clothesline. Batista grabs the chair and HOLY HELL he whacks HHH right in the face! He rakes that damn thing into HHH’s face like a grinder! They go back to the floor where Batista rakes HHH’s face into the cell wall. He then sends HHH head first into the cell from his shoulder. They go back inside the squared circle. Batista goes shoulder first into post after a couple of shoulder strikes to the gut of The Game. Batista backdrops out of a Pedigree attempt on the steel chair. HOLY CRAP Batista slammed The Real Mr. McMahon on the barbed wire chair! It only gets a 2 count though. Before Batista can use the chain once more HHH DDTs Batista onto the chair! Batista is bleeding! It’s a bloodbath! The Animal gets his head grated against the cell. HHH grabs the SLEDGEHAMMA from under the ring. Back in, Batista kicks HHH who drops the hamma. They duke it out until HHH backdrops Batista in a Demon Bomb attempt. He whacks Batista with the Sledgehammer for 2! Batista gets a low blow. HHH stops a sledgehammer-wielding Batista with a chain-wrapped fist! 1……….2…………NO 3! Batista stops a HHH fist drop with the sledgehammer. Batista beats the living shit out of HHH then whips him over the corner and out of the ring. Batista begins to use the steps, whipping HHH into them then hitting him upside the head with the steel! Batista puts the steps into the ring and puts them in the corner. HHH is rammed into the steps! Brutal! HHH tries to come back a low blow and a PEDIGREE but that only gets 2! Big Dave must be his friend to get the privilege to kick out. Batista fights back to SPINEBUST HHH ON THE STEPS! GOOD GAWD! Demon Bomb gets Batista the 1…….2…………3!

Winner and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Batista at 26:55 ****

The 411: This is one of my favorite WWE PPV offerings I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. With four matches rated three stars or higher and two of those matches being four star, you can't go wrong in purchasing this DVD. The Angle/Michaels match is worth the price of admission alone. Complete recommendation.
Final Score:  8.7   [ Very Good ]