wrestling / Columns
Wrestling’s 4R’s PPV Edition 6.03.08: WWE ONE NIGHT STAND (2008)
How the 4R’s of wRestling Work!
Here is a quick explanation of the 4R’s. I will take the 4 main shows (5 if I go RetRo) of the week: TNA Impact, WWE Raw, ECW on Sci-Fi and WWE Smackdown. If we have a PPV, that show will get a special PPV edition of the R’s all to its own. I then group my feelings on the shows in various categories: The Right, the wRong and the Ridiculous. The Right is stuff that worked very well: a great promo, a great match and so on. PuRgatoRy is a section between the right and wrong. It shows equal traits from both sides that cannot be ignored and need discussed. It is not a bad place per say, as things can get remedied or go the wrong way the very next week. The wRong is what it sounds like: bad matches, bad or boring promos and so on. The Ridiculous is stuff that had no right on TV: Stupid angles, Diva searches and so on. And there is always a possibility of a 5th R, which is as bad as they come, unless you are TNA. They have a special R all of their own, the 6th R; the Russo-FN-Riffic~! This column is supposed to be analytical, and at the right time very critical of the shows, it was the whole reason it was created. This is not a “mark” column, nor a “smark” column, my goal is to analyze the show from many different fronts, reward the good and call out the bad. There are also occasions where I will bring out a 5th or even a 6th R to the column, so beware of those~! I will not apologize for my opinions, they are as they are, whether very positive or negative.
The Matches:
I QUIT MATCH: Some people seemed to be down on the match and were calling it the worst of the night, but I have to disagree. Overall the ladies worked a good match and also worked the stipulation well. The first half of the match was a little slow, but it was all the building process as we got a very strong second half of the match. Melina got to look good against Beth, not only surviving but also coming close to victory. The only other women to look good against Beth has been Mickie and Candice, so that is saying a lot for Melina there. As mentioned, a hot second half of the match I thought and FINALLY, finally the ladies were actually given adequate time to perform and work the stipulation, and it paid off with a good match here. Keep having faith in these ladies WWE, you have some talented ones that can deliver if you allow them.
SINGAPORE CANE/ECW TITLE #1 CONTENDER’S MATCH: This match was just perversely entertaining to me, but in reality it did end up being a good match. Even though Kane was on the poster, I liked that the ECW title was held off of the show and that they did the #1 contender’s match. Night of Champions is coming up and they don’t need to burn us out on title matches. Everyone worked hard, the involvement of Shawn Merriman was fun and short, Punk didn’t job and in the end they FINALLY made the Big Show the dominant monster he needs to be. I am sure it sucked to get busted open as he did, but the image of the angry blood covered giant was great. He ran wild, he killed people and beat Dreamer, who was over in the match and in the end had good sympathy. Sure Kane vs. Show isn’t going to be pretty, but this was good and Show looked like a killer.
STRETCHER MATCH: I got some shit for saying that stretcher matches don’t deliver a lot of the time, and that HBK would have to be in peak mode here to really get this across the way they needed to. Not only did he deliver big time, but I felt that Batista did as well. I was really digging HBK working any angle he could, including some MMA stuff, ala the guillotine to break the big man down and get him on the stretcher. They worked the bout as smartly as they could, a few dead spots, but the work was good as well as the angle stuff. The inclusion of Jericho was interesting as he never got involved, he only cheered on HBK to keep fighting, which is fascinating after last Monday. Even with Jericho’s cheering, HBK could only muster a weak ass superkick attempt that didn’t even phase big Dave. But it got awesome as HBK struggled to his feet, big Dave grabbed him, looked him in the eyes and said, “Just so you know, I don’t love you…and I am not sorry!” BIG DAVE DOES NOT APPROVE SHAWN MICHAELS! That shit was awesome for the simple fact that this all began over the Flair retirement, and that was NOT lost here. Batista continued to brutalize him on the way up the ramp and that would be that. Batista won in DOMINATING fashion, which he needed to do here. In the end they were heavy on the theatrical aspect, but that all plays into the angle that had been established and built on TV. I would suspect/hope HBK goes to thank Jericho tomorrow night or something and Jericho takes him out. Batista also dominated him in the end, which he needed to do. Good match overall, not great but the angle stuff was excellent.
TLC MATCH FOR THE VACANT WORLD TITLE: After the ending of the HHH vs. Orton match, I knew that these guys would have to work close to if not over 20-minutes to close out the show. This wasn’t all a bad thing, considering the chemistry that these guys have shown in their previous matches. I figure that most people either love TLC type matches or think that they are too contrived, which is fine, opinions are great. The first 10-minutes was the normal tame spots, the set up for the big time. Plus with them having to stretch for time, it worked out perfectly. We had a good flow, it never really slowed down and we got all of the big spots you expected and have come to love in these kind of matches. I will say that there were a few too many unprotected chair shots to the head for my liking, but it is the nature of the beast. The RMY all got involved and took big bumps and played their roles well. In the end Edge tipped the ladder over and Taker took the BIG bump through the four-stacked tables, which was his end as Edge would win the match. In the end, if I am being honest, is about what I expected. Edge and the entire RMY charging against Taker, doing anything they can to secure the victory. It was a crazy match, tons of bumps and while some will say it was overbooked, there is an art to it. You have to get it all right, and they did it all at the right time here. The end where Taker left was well done and pretty convincing actually. He showed emotion for a moment, and it made you believe that this COULD be his final fight as he walked into the sunset so to speak. I do believe Edge as Champion is the right call, and will be very interested to see how Taker returns from banishment. Another good match from these guys, they certainly work well together but I will be glad to see some new matches for the title soon.
NADDA
FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE: I had very high hopes for this match. I think Umaga is a great big man, and when Hardy is on he is very good, especially selling for someone like Umaga. Basically they did some stuff, they brawled through the building, (ok, the banister spot was cool) and to the outside. Brawling, throwing each other into things and then they climbed a trailer of an 18-wheeler, Jeff kicked Umaga off and as the landing area was blocked, Jeff got the swanton, and then we got to see them laying on the ground for the finish. Please don’t get me wrong, I don’t want guys jumping onto concrete, but the ending, while well shot, was completely laughable. In the end this was like variations on their past matches, in a bad way, as they only picked some cool spots they have done and worked them in with a touch of 1998 WWF Hardcore Title match thrown in, including Hardy failing 2 or 3 times to use the fire extinguisher properly. The ending was creative camera work, but about what everyone expected; Jeff jumps off of something high and wins. It could have been so much better than this; unfortunately the bout wasn’t even a good TV match.
FIRST BLOOD MATCH: Right now I have to say that after looking at everything he has been involved in, that JBL’s return to the ring has not been good. It hasn’t been “OMG EPIC FAIL” but for the most part, I have been bored with almost all of his in ring performances, although his mic work has been great. It happened last month and again it happened this month. These guys were having a first blood match, because they hate each other and JBL wants to end Cena to get his WWE Title shot. It felt as if they got into the beginning stages of really building something. It started to get exciting, JBL traps Cena and has the whip and I think we’re really going somewhere. And then Cena kicks him in the balls, gets the STFU with the chain, mouth blood and the end like that. To me it was totally anticlimactic, which is a shame because I thought that this is where they would really thrive.
NADDA:
At the end of the night this was a very solid PPV, but not great. There was one bad match, one boring match and one match that was affected by injury. Everything else was good or better, but in the end one of the WWE’s weaker PPV efforts in my opinion. But that isn’t actually as bad as it sounds thus far. The gimmicks got a bit tiring, but as long as they lay off for a while and don’t use them on the next PPV, it’s fine as their “one night a year” deal. Overall I will go with a 6.8 out of 10, and overall not recommendation. Save you money kids, there are two more PPV’s this month to consider. There was nothing glaringly bad, but the good was merely “good,’ with only a small amount of stuff that actually was great added into it.
–WWE WRESTLEMANIA {8.7}
–ROH RISING ABOVE {8.6}
–ROH UNDENIABLE {8.5}
–ROH TAKE NO PRISONERS {8.3}
–TNA LOCKDOWN {8.2}
–WWE NO WAY OUT {8.1}
–WWE ROYAL RUMBLE {8.0}
–TNA AGAINST ALL ODDS {7.5}
–TNA DESTINATION X {7.25}
–WWE BACKLASH {7.0}
–WWE ONE NIGHT STAND IV {6.8}
–TNA FINAL RESOLUTION {6.75}
–WWE JUDGMENT DAY {6.0}
–TNA SACRIFICE {6.0}
–(WWE WRESTLEMANIA 24) CAREER THREATENING MATCH: Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels *****
–(WWE WRESTLEMANIA 24) WORLD TITLE MATCH: Edge © vs. The Undertaker ****½
–(ROH TAKE NO PRISONERS) ROH WORLD TITLE MATCH: Nigel McGuinness © vs. Tyler Black ****½
–(ROH RISING ABOVE) ROH WORLD TITLE MATCH: Nigel McGuinness © vs. Austin Aries ****½
–(TNA LOCKDOWN) TNA WORLD TITLE MATCH: Kurt Angle © vs. Samoa Joe ****½
–(ROH TAKE NO PRISONERS) Bryan Danielson vs. Austin Aries ****¼
–(ROH UNDENIABLE) GRUDGE MATCH: Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong ****¼
–(WWE NO WAY OUT) RAW ELIMINATION CHAMBER ****¼
–(TNA AGAINST ALL ODDS) TNA WORLD TITLE MATCH: Kurt Angle © vs. Christian Cage ****
–(TNA FINAL RESOLUTION) TNA WORLD TITLE MATCH: Kurt Angle © vs. Christian Cage ****
–(WWE ROYAL RUMBLE) The Royal Rumble Match ****
–(WWE ONE NIGHT STAND) TLC: The Undertaker vs. Edge ****
–(TNA FINAL RESOLUTION) TNA NO-DQ WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH: Gail Kim ©vs. Awesome Kong ***¾
–(TNA LOCKDOWN) LETHAL LOCKDOWN: Team Cage vs. Team Tomko ***¾
–(TNA AGAINST ALL ODDS) HARDCORE STREET FIGHT: Team 3D and Brother Devine vs. Black Machismo and the Motor City Machineguns ***¾
–(ROH UNDENIABLE) ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: Jay & Mark Briscoe © vs. The No Remorse Corps ***¾
–(ROH RISING ABOVE) ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH – 2 of 3 Falls: Jay & Mark Briscoe © vs. The No Remorse Corps ***¾
–(WWE NO WAY OUT) SMACKDOWN ELIMINATION CHAMBER ***¾
–(WWE WRESTLEMANIA 24) WWE TITLE MATCH: Randy Orton © vs. John Cena vs. HHH ***¾
–(WWE BACKLASH) WORLD TITLE MATCH: The Undertaker © vs. Edge ***¾
–(WWE WRESTLEMANIA 24) MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH: Chris Jericho vs. MVP vs. John Morrison vs. Carlito vs. CM Punk vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin ***¾
–(WWE JUDGMENT DAY) HBK vs. Chris Jericho ***¾
This is a little added deal I started last year, as I feel that there are some other things that should be mentioned from the PPV’s. Not every PPV will have one, it just depends on who I think steps up and deserves some extra recognition.
–ROH RISING ABOVE: Nigel vs. Aries (Stealing the Show)
–TNA FINAL RESOLUTION: Gail Kim vs. Awesome Kong (Making us Care about Women’s Wrestling on the National Stage)
–ROH UNDENIABLE: Strong vs. Aries (The Grudge is Settled)
–WWE ROYAL RUMBLE: John Cena Shocks the World (No One Saw it Coming)
–TNA AGAINST ALL ODDS: Black Machismo Saves the X-Division (He is a Superman)
–WWE NO WAY OUT: Taker Eliminates the Competition (Elimination Chamber MVP)
–TNA DESTINATION X: Gail Kim vs. Awesome Kong © vs. ODB (Stepping up Again)
–WWE WRESTLEMANIA XXIV: Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels (Thank You Flair)
–TNA LOCKDOWN: Angle vs. Joe (Great Build, Great Delivery)
–TNA SACRIFICE: Roxxi gets a Haircut (And makes the ultimate Sacrifice…)
–ROH TAKE NO PRISONERS: Tyler Black (Becoming a Star at 21)
–WWE ONE NIGHT STAND: The Undertaker (You Crazy Fuck)
