The Wrestling (Hub)Bard 5.10.08: Foley is Good

Finally…The Bard has gone back…to his format!

After two weeks of random columns, I am attempting to go back to my roots, so I hope you enjoy. I’ve enjoyed the reader feedback (well, most of it). We still have a few things that are added to the column so we have more material than previously, but this will more closely follow the format of the first three columns.

However, I do have something I would like to address.

411 Newbies Have HUGE Shoes to Fill

When I sent in an application to 411 about six-seven weeks ago, I had no idea that I would be selected, especially when all the newbies showed up. I was honored that I was given the opportunity, which I would again like to thank Csonka and Ashish for. But I was concerned about why there were so many new columns.

I recently checked the articles and found at least three people who are leaving this site. Forgive me I forgot others, but here are the three I’ve noticed: Samuel Berman, Chris Lansdell, and Ryan Byers. It’s a shame to see these three leave. Byers is an excellent writer and his contributions will be missed. Lansdell’s articles were always random and surprising. The one I will miss the most is Berman, who’s Independent Mid-Card has consistently been one of my favorite columns. I also remember Brad Garoon leaving, which made me sad, as we have lost our top recapper of ROH and SHIMMER shows.

Samuel’s departure hit hard for me. With the IMC gone, my column is essentially the only one that does match reviews. That’s a little uncomfortable. I have HUGE shoes to fill there, and I just hope that I can do a decent job at it.

However, with the leaving of the old guard comes an influx of new writers. Julian Bond has made a less complex version of “In Defense Of…” with his Please Don’t Hate column, which I have enjoyed so far. Mike Chin’s “The Importance Of” is also a good weekly column that focuses on some the unsung great things in wrestling. Gary Traverson provides a concise and entertaining read with “Are We Having Fun Yet?”, perhaps the most suitable name, as I have always been entertained by him. Dan Torkel’s “Brooklyn Brawlin'” attempts to rewrite history. W.S. Thomason’s “The Wrestling Doctor” takes a look at problems in wrestling and offers solutions. Jake Chambers’ “Wacky Wrestling Theory” has provided the most controversy. I think he’s just trying to be funny, although his humor doesn’t work with me. I don’t like wrestling being mocked by anyone, much less a 411 writer, but hey, you might find him entertaining.

And of course, there’s me, the eighteen year-old guy that doesn’t watch puro and has way too detailed match reviews. (SARCASM.)

What I would like to address is this…I know that many writers on here have a loyal following. I see the same people posting comments on their columns every week. Other than the ridiculous amount of negativity on “WWT”, most of the new guys haven’t had too many comments. Sometimes, I wonder if people even read our stuff.

So I send a petition here. Read the newbies’ stuff, and let them know you are reading it. Leave a comment, send an e-mail, reference it to your friends, whatever. Personally, I judge how well my columns connected with my audience by seeing how many comments I got. If I can implore you, everyone who reads this, leave a comment for me. I want to see how many people read this. You don’t have to do it every week, but just so I know that some people are reading my stuff. It’s the motivation to write more columns.

Remember, we are all kind of new at this. This is my first job as a writer, I have no prior experience writing on other sites, I have no books, I have no reviews. I was blessed with the fact that some higher ups liked my reviews of two Royal Rumble shows and my willingness to do a column. Writing is a nice escape from the rest of my life, and I am so thankful that I get a chance to do this. Those of you who do not write cannot understand what a joy it is for me to have my opinions published on a site I’ve been a fan of for years. I hope I have brought a smile, a mark-out moment, fond memories, or a new idea to every one of my readers, something that makes them say, “That wasn’t a waste of my time.”

I just hope that I am not wasting my time writing for 10 people every week. And I hope the other newbies don’t have that uncertainty in them as well. So please, just do us new guys a favor and give us a shout out this week. Let them feel as though they matter.

Weekly Top Ten List: Personal Favorite Wrestlers

• Eddie Guerrero: This guy always entertained me. Whether he was having a great match or making me laugh at his “Lie, Cheat & Steal” antics, I was never bored watching Eddie. Eddie died the day after my sixteenth birthday, and his book helped me turn my life around and get back on track. Too personal to really explain why he’s my all-time favorite.
• The Undertaker: I’ve always been a fan of the Undertaker. When I was a kid I was in awe of his ability to control darkness and lighting. I loved how he could walk the top rope even though he was huge. I loved how he could take so much abuse and still fight back. Later, I identified with the biker Taker and then I marked so much for his return to the Deadman. He’s the best big man worker.
• Kenta Kobashi: Kobashi is a guy just love to watch perform. He’s a great worker that’s evolved over the years. I love his chops, his head-drop suplexes, his moonsault, his submissions, his finishers like the Orange Crush and Burning Hammer. But what I most love are his facial expressions. He just has such a vibrant personality that makes me like him more than Misawa.
• Triple H: Yes, I know this is like a cardinal sin nowadays, but I have always liked Hunter. He’s a thinking man’s wrestler, and always looks like he’s two steps ahead of his opponents. The man seamlessly transitions from cowardly heel to superhuman babyface to ruthless monster heel to humorous everyman. I just like his style, even if he has lost a step or ten since his first knee injury.
• Ricky Steamboat: I once read a comment that said this guy was the most overrated wrestler ever. Really? I mean…some people liked Sid…anyway, I love Steamboat. The ultimate good guy, Steamboat was a technician long before Benoit, Guerrero and Malenko made it passé. He had classic matches with Flair and Savage, and good matches with everyone else.
• Christopher Daniels: Probably a surprise pick, but I love the Fallen Angel. His execution is always spot-on, his moveset is vast and varied, his promos are always great, and he even has a comedic side with Curry Man. I dug his religious character and always thought he deserved a higher spot on the card. Hopefully he will return to his Fallen Angel persona and climb the TNA ladder.
• Shawn Michaels: I’ve always kind of been a casual fan of HBK. I loved watching his matches, but always thought his promos were bland. Over the last year or so I’ve come to appreciate Shawn more and more. I’m amazed at how he has evolved from spot monkey to workhorse to brawler to technician over the course of his career. He may very well be the best, ever.
• Kurt Angle: I wrestled in middle school, and I have a great appreciation of the amateur style. I must say that Kurt has successfully transitioned from amateur to professional better than anyone ever. It’s mostly his style more than the man, but I absolutely love Kurt Angle matches. His matches with Undertaker are personal favorites of mine, as are his classics with Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels.
• Ric Flair: Ric was one of the first people I REALLY cared about in wrestling. I started with WCW in the mid-nineties. I liked Hogan and liked Sting more, but I HATED Ric Flair. I wanted to see him get beat so badly, but he always seemed to get away. As time went on I started realizing that the guy was an amazing wrestler and promo man, and that he entertained me each and every night. Watching his classics from the 1980’s made me like him even more.
• Mick Foley: Foley is an enigma to me. Based on my preferences (I love scientific wrestling and do not like hardcore very much), I should hate Foley. But the guy just connects with me. Perhaps it’s because he’s very intelligent. Maybe it’s because he sums up the everyman that achieves his dreams. Or maybe it’s because he can combine epic storytelling with barbaric acts of violence so effectively.

Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy

And that manages to segue perfectly into the main subject of this column: one Michael Francis Foley. I was asked by Samer from Lebanon to examine Foley, and what with him now on the Smackdown! announce team, I thought it was a good time. Shouldn’t be too hard to make this into an interesting column.

Cactus Jack: The Early Years

Foley learned his trade under the guidance of Dominic DeNucci and debuted in June 1986. He spent his fist several years wrestling in various independent companies, most notably the UWF, as Cactus Jack. His high-impact brawling style made him something of a cult hit, and he was quickly noticed by WCW.

Cactus had mixed success in WCW. He had high level feuds with Vader and Sting, and was a tag team champion. But he really did very little of note. His career would take a drastic turn when WCW had him do a special hardcore dream match with Sabu…in ECW.

ECW! ECW! ECW!

The brutal style that Jack wrestled fit in perfectly in ECW, and after a controversial promo got him released from WCW, Extreme Championship Wrestling would be his home. Although the confines of ECW style kept Foley from ever having true classics there, he solidified himself as one of the best promo men in the business with his anti-hardcore promos, including “Cane Dewey”, often considered to be the best promo ever. He also wrestled in Smokey Mountain Wrestling and IWA Japan, where he won the first ever King of the Deathmatch tournament. By 1996, the WWE was interested in Foley, and after an emotional farewell match against Mikey Whipwreck, Mick would leave for better opportunities.

“I’ve lost many things, but the one I miss most…is my mind!”

The day after Wrestlemania XII, Foley made his WWE debut. But it was not as Cactus Jack, but as Mankind. He would attack the Undertaker and engage in a year long feud with him, having several great matches at Summerslam ’96, In Your House: Buried Alive, Survivor Series ’96, and In Your House: Revenge of the Taker. In between the wild brawls with the Deadman, he found time to have a classic wrestling match with Shawn Michaels at In Your House: Mind Games.

After his legendary feud with the Phenom, Mankind would slowly change into a babyface. A series of interviews with Jim Ross helped to make the crazed madman more relatable as we found that he was indeed human. He then got involved in a lengthy feud with Triple H, during which he revealed two other parts of his personality to the WWE: the debut of the fun-loving, happy-go-lucky Dude Love, and the return of the barbaric Cactus Jack. Mick would end his feud with Hunter after a brutal falls count anywhere match in Madison Square Garden on Raw is War.

Heading into 1998, Foley was an established babyface in all of his personas. He had the unique distinction of appearing the Royal Rumble three times in 1998, first as Cactus Jack, then Mankind, and then Dude Love. He was the #1 entrant and was in the final four, though as different personalities. At Wrestlemania XIV, he and Terry Funk defeated the New Age Outlaws to become WWE Tag Team Champions.

After that, Dude Love would have other aspirations. He had a memorable feud with then champion Stone Cold Steve Austin, working as McMahon’s stooge. Their match at Over the Edge was one of the highlights of 1998. During this time, Mick Foley also wrestled for the first time as himself, winning a great match against Terry Funk on Raw is War. But soon, Foley would participate in an event that would transform him from hardcore icon and WWE Superstar to wrestling legend.

“With God as my witness, HE IS BROKEN IN HALF!”

King of the Ring 1998 isn’t a very good pay-per-view. Kane won the WWE Championship and Ken Shamrock won the tournament, but nobody really cared, as the card was poorly wrestled. But one match has made the pay-per-view legendary.

The Undertaker versus Mankind inside Hell in a Cell.

Or perhaps, we should say, Hell ON a Cell, as that’s where the match started. After some basic brawling on top of the cage roof, the most shocking moment ever took place as the Deadman threw Foley OFF of the Cell, sending him sixteen feet to the floor through the Spanish Announce Table. Simply put, the insane dive was the most incredible bump ever, and it will probably never be topped. After a considerable time, Mankind, now without his mask, again climbed the cage, only to be chokeslammed THROUGH the Cell, with his head colliding with a chair in mid-air. The bump took out a tooth and left him unconscious for several minutes. They then preceded to have a match in the cell, where Foley took two bumps into thumbtacks before losing the match. But wins and losses didn’t matter, as Mick was now a certified legend.

Mick Foley has often been criticized, most notably by Ric Flair, as a man who only got over because of this match. Flair called him “a glorified stuntman”. I’m kind of half-and-half on that. On one hand, I feel that Mick wasn’t “just” a stuntman, as he was a great storyteller in the ring and was a hard worker. He is still one of the best on the microphone. On the other hand, I don’t think that Foley would have become as big as he is without this match. That’s just my opinion however.

Blood, Sweatsocks, and Championships

After the ultimate act of violence, Foley turned Mankind into a comedic character. In a memorable skit, Mankind would reveal Mr. Socko to the world while trying to make Vince McMahon feel better while he was in the hospital. The skit also included the debut of Yurple the Clown. The sock puppet instantly got over with crowds all over the place as WWE headed into it’s most successful period. Mr. McMahon would award Foley with the Hardcore Championship and it seemed as though Mankind was headed to become the WWE Champion. Foley made it to the finals of a tournament at Survivor Series before McMahon and The Rock screwed him out of the championship.

For a brief time, Foley really was the #1 babyface in the company. On an episode of Raw, Foley would defeat The Rock on an episode of RAW for his first WWE Championship. In an ironic event, the episode was taped. Tony Schivone in WCW spoiled the results on Nitro, and added, “That’ll put butts in seats.” Turns out, roughly half of WCW’s audience switched to RAW to watch Mankind become Champion. It was a great feel good moment.

Foley would lose the championship at the Royal Rumble in a match made infamous by the Beyond the Mat documentary. Foley took ten unprotected chair shots before again being screwed out of the championship. He and Rock would trade the title again before Foley entered obscurity for a few months. 1999 was a bit of a lackluster year for Foley, but he found his place by teaming with The Rock late in the year. The Rock & Sock Connection provided plenty of humorous promos, the most famous one being the “Rock, This Is Your Life” segment, which drew an 8.4 Nielson Rating.

Retirement

Foley decided to call it quits in 2000. Even though he was only 34, no one could blame him, as he had already had an astounding career. He was able to end it on a high note with a classic street fight with Triple H at Royal Rumble, and had a great Hell in a Cell match with him at No Way Out. He then main evented Wrestlemania XVI in what would be his last match for four years.

Starting with his autobiography, “Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks”, Foley became an accomplished author. Both that book and the sequel “Foley is Good” would top the New York Times bestseller’s list. He would write two novels, “Scooter” and “Tietam Brown”, which is a great page turner that I would recommend. “The Hardcore Diaries” was released later and is also a very good read.

Foley would continue to serve as the WWE Commissioner throughout 2000 and would make sporadic appearances in 2001. He left WWE on bad terms in 2001, and wouldn’t come back until he refereed a Hell in a Cell match between Triple H and Kevin Nash. But he couldn’t avoid the call of the ring forever.

Many Comebacks

Mick would make his first return to the ring in 2004 to feud with Randy Orton. He would team with The Rock against Orton, Ric Flair and Batista in his first match in four years. Then he would lose a fantastic match to Orton at Backlash. He would have a match with Carlito at Taboo Tuesday 2005, and then would have his best Wrestlemania performance against Edge at Wrestlemania XXII.

Mick would surprisingly turn heel and be a semi-regular competitor in 2006. He and Edge defeated Terry Funk and Tommy Dreamer in a great match at One Night Stand, and then have a pair of matches with Ric Flair at Vengeance and Summerslam. The I Quit match with Flair is probably the last great match that Foley has had so far.

He has made sporadic, mostly comedic appearances since then. He competed in the 2008 Royal Rumble and had some interaction with Triple H that brought back memories of their classic eight years earlier.

However, now Mick Foley has become the color commentator on Smackdown! He has settled into that role quite comfortably so far, and I am anxious to see how well he will do. And who knows? Mick expressed disappointment in the match with Flair and wants to have one last great match, so maybe it will happen.

Mind Games

I think Foley is greatly unappreciated when it comes to his wrestling ability. His brawling style will always be either love or hate, but I think that he has been able to prove that he is more than a garbage wrestler. He’s a fantastic storyteller and has a great gasp on psychology. To illustrate that point, I provide you this match, my personal favorite Mick Foley Match.

WWE Championship Match: Shawn Michaels © vs. Mankind, In Your House: Mind Games, September 22 1996

Mankind comes down to the ring in a casket. HBK comes down to the ring and seems a a little bit frazzled. Mankind rocks in the corner as Shawn showboats. Shawn tries a headlock but eats a back elbow and Mankind beats him down and hits the Cactus Clothesline to small “ECW” chants. Mankind tries to lift the pads to expose the concrete but HBK dropkicks him under the padding and jumps on him. Shawn hits some high spots to gain control. HBK peppers Foley with jabs and hits a clothesline. HBK hits a scoop slam and the elbow drop early and goes for Sweet Chin Music, but Mankind wisely bails. The intensity is already quite high.

Foley stalls before getting back and he pummels HBK, but Shawn reverses it and returns the shot. Mankind whips HBK and avoids a springboard crossbody. Foley slaps him and HBK unloads on him with punches, but Foley grabs a bodyscissors and tries to get the mandible claw applied, but HBK elbows out of it and goes all MMA with strikes. Mankind takes Shawn out with a punch and tosses him to the floor. Mankind moves the announce table but HBK jumps over the table and continues to beat Foley down. HBK suplexes Foley and Mankind’s knee hits the steel steps. See, a hardcore spot to set up an injury. There can be psychology in brawls.

HBK works the leg over, even using the casket. Shawn is getting noticeable angry as he shoves the referee. Mankind battles back but HBK hits a PERFECT dragon screw and applies a figure-four. Foley escapes and whips HBK but Shawn dropkicks the knee and hits a leg trap kneedrop (one of Mr. Perfect’s moves). Shawn works a single-leg crab and one man chants, “Boring”. HBK gets a crucifix into a sunset flip for 2, but Mankind drops Shawn throat-first across the top rope and he stabs his leg with a pencil to get some feeling back into it. It’s strange, but fits the Mankind character perfectly.

Foley sends HBK to the floor and continues to sell his leg. Foley forearms and the corner knee smash connect. Mankind continues the beatdown and even bites Shawn. Foley hits a facebuster and HBK hits a back suplex. Mankind continues to beat him down abut Shawn slides through Foley’s legs and trips him. HBK pummels Foley and whips Shawn into the patented HBK corner flip, which sets up Mankind’s a pair of patented tree of woe flying headbutts. Mankind follows with a legdrop to the back of the neck. It should be noted that Mankind has not gone for any covers. Foley hits a big boot that sends Shawn to the mat.

Mankind tries the knee into the steps but it won’t work twice and Foley goes knees first into the steps. HBK hits a drop toehold into the steps. They fight over a suplex on the apron and Shawn lands on the apron. Then Shawn subtly avoids a charge and Mankind headbutts the iron post. He couldn’t have done that any more perfectly. GREAT acting and timing. HBK whips Foley and hits a flying reverse elbow and a powerslam for 2. Mankind gets hung up in the ropes, but gets the Mandible Claw for a few seconds before falling to the floor.

On the floor, Foley reapplies the Claw, but Shawn pulls him by the tights and sends him into the railing. Shawn grabs a chair and uses it to block a Foley punch. He takes out his legs with the chair and then slams the chair on Foley’s hand. Michaels works over Mankind’s hand. I guess he’s had enough of that claw. This is brilliant psychology. To Mick’s credit, the hand took quite a beating and looks very sore. HBK gets a little overzealous and Foley dumps him to the floor.

Foley hits the elbow drop off the apron and then the neckbreaker on the concrete. He hits a legdrop as Shawn crawls into the ring and hits the Double Arm DDT, and COVERS for 2. Stump piledriver gets 2 and another 2, and Foley even tries a cradle for another 2. See, he’s lost his Mandible Claw and now has to try all his WRESTLING moves to try and pin Shawn. Mankind starts having a fit and throws chairs into the ring. Foley tries to roll HBK into the casket but Michaels fights back and hits the flying forearm and a scoop slam. HBK hits a crossbody but only gets 2. Shawn heads up top but Mankind trips him and crotches him. Foley up top, BACKDROP SUPERPLEX THROUGH THE SPANISH ANNOUNCE TABLE! Egads!

Back in the ring Foley sets up some chairs and climbs up top, but HBK Air Sabu’s into a Superkick to Mankind on the top. That was cool. He tries to cover but only gets 2 as Vader comes out and the match has been thrown out. HBK hits a flying forearm and sends Vader to the outside, but Paul Bearer hits him with the urn. Psycho Sid comes out to dispose of Vader and Foley applies the Claw on Shawn. He asks for Paul to lift the casket but THE UNDERTAKER is there and chases Mankind off. Shawn soaks in the well deserved cheers.

Match Analysis: This match is a personal favorite of mine. I’ve watched this match probably a dozen times and I still love every bit of it. There’s a lot of subtle things they do in here that add to the match, but the obvious psychology of the leg and hand work was well done as well. I liked how they set up both of Shawn’s “working a body part” segments with weapon spots. These guys worked really hard to make this as fun as possible and it’s my favorite match from both guys. Put a finish on this match and you would have had a match to put in the top ten ever. As it is, it’s still absolutely awesome. *****

The Dream Match Returns

As promised, here is the Abyss vs. Rob Van Dam dream match.

Abyss w/James Mitchell vs. Rob Van Dam w/Bill Alfonso

RVD tries to grapple Abyss but gets shoved down to the mat. He tries a go-behind, but Abyss escapes with a butt bump. RVD applies a side headlock, but Abyss just picks him up and tosses him to the mat. RVD grabs an arm wringer and hits a few kicks to the shoulder. He wrenches the arm again, CLOTHESLINE by Abyss turns RVD 360°! RVD backs into a corner and Abyss poses. RVD plays to the crowd, who are clearly behind him, and tries a clothesline, but Abyss is a stone wall. RVD tries another clothesline to more no selling. He fakes a third clothesline to roll under a clothesline from Abyss and tries a springboard crossbody, but Abyss catches him and hits a scoop slam. RVD rolls to the floor to consult Fonzy. Mitchell talks to Abyss as Fonzy gives RVD some water.

Back inside RVD taunts Abyss some more and Abyss takes a few swings, and RVD hits a few jabs and a Kawada style kick to the face. He hits the ropes but Abyss just gorilla presses him into a flapjack. Abyss walks over RVD and RVD goes to the corner. Abyss hits an avalanche and he covers for 2. Abyss clubs at RVD’s back and RVD goes to the floor. This time Abyss follows and drops him throat first on the guardrail. Abyss whips him into the steel guardrail and follows with a vertical suplex on the floor.

Abyss rolls RVD inside and covers for 2, and then works a neck vice. RVD fights to his feet but eats a headbutt and Abyss hits a sidewalk slam for 2. Abyss stomps at RVD and RVD goes to the floor and Abyss follows and slams him into the ring apron. He whips RVD into the steel steps and hits a hip attack into the steel steps. Abyss rolls RVD in and covers for 2. Abyss whips RVD to a corner and tries an avalanche but RVD leaps over and gets a schoolboy for 1. RVD hits a springboard thrust kick and Abyss stays up. RVD hits a series of kicks but runs into a big boot. Abyss lifts RVD up, SHOCK TREATMENT! 1…2…NO!

Mitchell hands Abyss a chair and Abyss hits RVD in the gut with the chair before slamming it across his back. Abyss sets the chair between the buckles but RVD runs and hits him with a spinning crescent kick in the corner. RVD hits a series of shoulder thrusts, backflips off of Abyss and charges but Abyss moves and RVD goes headfirst into the steel chair! Abyss covers but only gets 2. Abyss rams the chair into the gut of RVD and then chokes him with it. He tosses it on the ground and tries a suplex but RVD slides out this time, CHAIR SHOT TO ABYSS!

Abyss stays standing, so RVD sweeps his legs out from under him with the chair and hits a chair shot to the back of the skull. RVD hits a spinning leg drop and sets the chair on top of Abyss, ROLLING THUNDER onto the chair! RVD covers but only gets 2. RVD hits a springboard legdrop for another 2 count. RVD heads up top and hits a crossbody, but Abyss rolls through and grabs a goozle, but RVD goes low with a kick. Abyss sits in the corner, SKATEBOARD BY RVD! RVD pulls Abyss out of the corner, SPLIT LEGGED MOONSAULT! 1…2…NO!

Abyss hits the ropes and RVD tries a baseball slide but Abyss catches him and SWINGS HIS HEAD INTO THE GUARDRAIL! SICK! Abyss sets up a table at ringside and he grabs his steel chain. Abyss uses the chain as a clothesline and then as a whip. Abyss chokes RVD with the chain and then wraps it around his fist. Abyss hits RVD with the chain covered hand and RVD is busted open. Abyss pummels RVD with his fist and slams RVD into the chain on the turnbuckles. He ties it around like a noose and chokes RVD with it.

Abyss gives up on the chain and goes for the steel steps. He tries to nail RVD with it but RVD hits a drop toehold and Abyss goes into the steps. RVD covers but only gets 2. RVD grabs the steps and nails Abyss with them and Abyss goes against the ropes. RVD punches at Abyss as he leans against the ropes, hits the opposite ropes, BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX OVER THE ROPES AND THROUGH THE TABLE BY ABYSS! Abyss rolls RVD inside and covers…for 2.

Abyss sets up a table in the center of the ring, but RVD tosses him a chair, VAN DAMINATOR! RVD covers but he only gets 2. Abyss heads out to the floor and RVD grabs the chair, SOMORSAULT SENTON OFF THE APRON WITH THE CHAIR! RVD goes to the guardrail and tries a moonsault, but Abyss catches him and tries to use him as a battering ram into the iron post but RVD sends him headfirst into the post instead. RVD charges but Abyss tosses him into the crowd. Abyss follows and they brawl though the crowd.

RVD manages to get the advantage by slamming Abyss into a fan’s chair. He heads back to ringside and Abyss follows, RVD is on the apron, APRON CORKSCREW LEGDROP ON THE GUARDRAIL BY RVD! RVD goes up top, CROSSBODY INTO THE CROWD! But he’s not done yet! He goes back inside, HILO OFF OF THE TOP INTO THE THIRD ROW OF RINGSIDE BY RVD!

RVD brings Abyss back to ringside and back into the ring. RVD heads up top and hits a flying thrust kick but only gets 2. RVD picks Abyss up and hits a series of forearms. He hits the ropes and GOOZLE…CHOKESLAM THROUGH THE TABLE! Abyss takes a breather and only gets 2 off of the cover. Mitchell directs him to ringside…BARBWIRE BOARDS! TWO OF THEM!

Abyss gets one in and tries to get the other one in but RVD dropkicks the barbwire into Abyss’ face! RVD tries a pescado and Abyss catches him in a bearhug and rams him into the iron post. Abyss rolls RVD into the ring hits a chokebomb for 2. Mitchell is up on the apron, DOOMSDAY! Abyss sets the barbwire board in the center of the ring. Abyss whips RVD but RVD rolls over him, VAN DAMINATOR AND ABYSS FALLS ONTO THE BARBWIRE!

RVD slams the other board onto Abyss, SICK! Abyss is in a barbwire sandwich, and RVD heads up top, FIVE-STAR FROG SPLASH ONTO THE BARBWIRE SANDWICH! SICK, SICK, SICK! It takes a while for RVD to get Abyss out of the boards, 1…2…NO! Abyss crawls to the corner and RVD charges with the barbwire board into the corner. VAN DAMINATOR INTO THE BARBWIRE BOARD! Abyss crumples in the corner, and his face and shoulders are COVERED in blood. Fonzy sets up a chair as RVD goes to the other corner, VAN TERMINATOR! RVD pulls Abyss out of the corner…1…2…3!

Final Thoughts

Well, that’s the third dream match. Hope you have enjoyed them. Please leave a comment as to whether or not you want me to continue this. Majority will decide.

Have a good week, everyone. Be sure to check out the other newbies’ articles.