A Chaotic Rant: WWE Wrestlemania XX
-Chaotic Rant: WWE Wrestlemania XX.... where it all begins again (How many times have we heard variations of this term over the years, and couldn't the announcers go one time with just saying Wrestlemania XX and leaving out the slogan?)
-This will be truly a test to do to see how long it takes Matt to knock out a 5 hour show. I actually said I wasn't going to do this til the DVD comes out, but I saw it live and decided what the hell... I needed an excuse to watch a few of these matches again, but prolly around Wrestlemania time next year I'll end up redoing this one by implementing the DVD stuff, and seeing how well it stands up after a year.
-This ended up being interesting as I started this rant nearly a month ago, and due to being swamped with papers I didn't give myself much time to finish the last two hours of this show. Oh well at least I'm beating out the DVD release as if I ever redo this show I can do it with the new DVD.
-We're Live from Madison Square Garden in New York City where Wrestlemania began.
-Your hosts are JR and King for the RAW, Kane vs Taker, and Brock vs Goldberg matches and Tazz and Michael Cole for the SD, and Torrie/Sable vs Jackie/Stacy matches
-The Harlem Boys Choir sings America the Beautiful to kick things off, and I know its supposed to be a huge honor to have the Choir sing, but you really would have thought that Vince woulda tried his hardest to have a celebrity do it. This is good enough though.
-Awesome Video package to start, as the past 3 years of Wrestlemania Video packages have been great, but I still say that Wrestlemania X8 had the best video package. Anywho its good to mention that they choose a lot of actually talented wrestler to do the voiceovers for advertising this year's Mania altogether.
-WWE United States Championship Match: Big Show.vs John Cena: Cena's Prematch freestyle was funny albeit kinda odd because he's having to try to tone it down thanks to the Super Bowl controversy. That's another thing ticking me off you never hear about how great the Super Bowl game itself was, but all you hear about is Oh My God Janet Jackson exposed her Tit. I guess some fans can be right about the NFL season season sometimes when they say it ends at the Championship games because the Super Bowl is too commercialized, but then again the whole Playoff season was great this year so who am I to complain? Ok now to the match. They stare off and lock up to start but Big show pushes Cena into the corner. Show does it again but Cena comes back with some lefts adn rights just to be kneed in the gut and sent to the outside. Cena is laid out on the apron before he can make his way back in. Show tries to send Cena headfirst into the turnbuckle, but John says not so fast my friend and Drops Show throat first across the bottom rope with a Jawbreaker. Cena's Top Rope crossbody attempt into a powerslam by Show for 2. Show pounds and works away at the back before hitting Cena with an overhand chop int he corner. Cena mounts back an offense before getting clotheslined back down by Cena. Show scoop slams Cena and then chokes Cena with his boot across the bottom rope. Big Vertical Suplex from Show gets 2. Show hits the fat ass headbutt to knock John back down and then overhand chops him again in the corner and stands on Cena back, which I bet really does hurt. Cena pounds away back just to get destroyed with a huge boot from Show. Show drops the butt in the back of Cena and then does a final cut leg drop variation across the throat of Cena for 2. Show goes for another scoop slam, but John says your offense is boring me and reverses it into a Sleeper just to get rammed back into the corner by Big Show which is shortly followed by a clothesline. Show pulls Cena up and applies a Cobra Clutch on Cena. Cena finally battles back but Show tosses him back down and then applies the Cobra Clutch with Cena on the mat. John fights back this time and Cena fights back then time and gets the big man swaying all the way into the corner. Irish whip is reversed by Show, but Show gets a boot to the face and dropkicked in the knees. Cena then gives Show the F-U which gets a 2 count, and Cena is in disbelief. He finally decides to pull a page from Eddie Guerrero's book and grabs the chain, but the referee makes him take it off so John toses it and grabs the brass knucks just to deck Show and F-U him for the 3 and the US Championship. John's celebration afterwards is a great way to show that the title means something. The match itself seemed way better when I watched it live then it does now as Show completely stopped working the back and worked most of his offense most of the match which isn't much of a variety, and Cena being able to F-U Show basically no sells the back, but hey the crowd enjoyed it proven by the good reaction throughout the match and thats always a positive no matter how bad a match may be. * for the whole thing.
-Meanwhile Coach says hey to the boys giving an excuse to get Theodore Long on Wrestlemania, and heads to Bischoff's office where he is told to investigate the noises that are probably related to Taker.
-Orton cuts an extremely good promo with Flair and Batista by his side as he stands in front of the very same steps that he threw Foley down, and that's really a nice touch as I forgot that the steps Foley were thrown down in MSG. Anywho Randy promises the same ole weekly beatdown for Rock N Sock.
-World Tag Team Title Match: Dudley Boys vs RVD/Booker T vs La Resistance vs Cade and Jindrak. This is one of those matches where you ask why even bother booking on Mania as none of these teams have any momentum as the tag division as of right now is in need of rebuilding. RVD and Dupree start it off as Dupree gets the first shots in, but Rob gets the last laugh as he drives the shoulders in the corner, and follows it up with a Monkey Flip and a tag to Booker. Nice Spot here as Rob slingshots Dupree into a Booker T Superkick for 2. Dupree attacks just to get Flying Clotheslined and then to have Conway get Hip tossed and sent over the top rope. Bubba is tagged in as he locks up with Booker and gets a knee into the midsection and gets some shots in as the Crowd starts to chant for tables making me wonder if there will ever be one Dudleys match without a Table chant. Bubba ducks a sidekicka nd hits a neckbreaker for 2. Booker mounts an attack just to get back elbowed and get the Dusty Rhodes combo from Bubba, but Booker says Rhodes sucks so give it up baby and leaping Side kicks Bubba back down for 2. Lifting Reverse DDT from D-von as RVD makes the save and kicks down D-von. Tag to Jindrak who pushes Booker T back down for 2 adn the stomps away and sends Booker into the corner to tag in Cade. Cade and Booker exchange blows, but Cade wins the battle and kicks Booker in the face on a back body drop attempt. Dupree makes the blind tag and covers for 2. Dupree stomps Booker in the corner and tags in Conway who snapmares Booker into a Surfboard. Booker gets back to his feet but Conway stays on the attack and gets a back elbow for 2 and goes back to the surfboard. Booker reahces down this time and battles back and Spinebusters Conway leaving both men on the mat. Tag to RVD who cleans house of all 6 men with a ton of his flashy yey crappy kicks. Rob then goes for the *****, but D-von pushes Rob off the turnbuckle sending Rob face first into the security barrier. The other 5 remaining men brawl back and forth as it gets back to Booker and D-von. Booker gets the better of the exchange so Bubba comes in to wreck the day and knocks Book down and waits for the 3D, but Cade stops the 3D by attacking Bubba leaving Booker to be Flapjacked and D-von to get DDTed by Conway. Booker then hits the axe kick on Conway as RVD comes off the top with the ***** for the 3 and to retain. Match was shory and really had no purpose for being on the card at all in my opinion, but who am I to question the all mighty WWE bookers who just wanted to get more names on the card *rolls eyes*. Match was about a *, but add 1/4* for the cool Double Team Spot on Dupree early in the match. *1/4
-Meanwhile Coach discovers that the Strange noises are Heenan and Mean Gene with Moolah and Mae Young as hillarity yet somewhat gross ensues, and Heenan adds the nice touch like always by struggling to stay out of the room screaming my Doctor... My doctor won't let me go and keeping his arm in the door from shutting.
-A good build up video segways into our next match.
-Christian vs Chris Jericho: Christian talks some trash before both men lock up. They lock up a second time to have Tim White Break it up this time and Christian get drilled by a right hand from Jericho. Jericho stays on the attack and finishes it up with a back elbow and a back suplex. Jericho's Irish whip is reversed, but Jericho holds on and clotheslines Christian down. Jericho chokes Christain in the corner and then gets sent to the apron, but Jericho gets the better of that and drives the shoulder and then backdrops Christain to the floor. Springboard Crossbody from Jericho as he then slings Christian into the security barrier. Back in the ring Jericho goes for a back drop, but Christian tries to sunset flip which Jericho sits on for a 2 count and then tries to go for the walls of Jericho but Christian quickly grabs the ropes. Thumb to the eye by Christian as he then back suplexes Jericho over the top rope. Christian lets Jericho tastes the steps and then tosses him back in and stomps, punches, and chokes Jericho in the ring. Jericho fights back just to get kitchen sinked by Christian for 2. Christian rakes at the eyes and then applies a chin lock which Jericho fights out of just to get hair pulled back down to the mat for 2. Christian chokes Jericho across the top rope and then snapmares him into a chinlock with the knee to the neck. Jericho elbows out of it and then goes for the Walls of Jericho again but Christian fights out of it and hits a spinning heel kick for 2. Christian just toys with Jericho for a bit before whipping Jericho into the corner and both men collide heads. Jericho's up first as both men trade blows, but Jericho gets the better with a Clothesline and then drop toe holding Christian onto the middle rope to juke n jive and Rope Drop Avalance Christian. Enziguiri for jericho gets a 2 count. Waistlock gets a roll up exchange for a pair of 2 counts as Christian grabs the rope on his. Christian goes for a Reverse DDT which is reversed into a Northern Lights Suplex for a 2 count which is bridged for another 2 count. Both men stalemate before Jericho hits a bulldog, but Christian gets the knees up during the lionsault. Unprettier is blocked as Christian hits a tornado reverse DDT for 2. Christian gets a few shots in and sends Jericho into the ropes, but Jericho hits Christian with a sleeper neckbreaker. Christian hits a reverse DDT into a backbreaker as Christian climbs the top, but Jericho haults him just to get Front Suplex off the top. Christian hits a crossbody which is rolled through by Jericho for 2. Jericho chops and pounds Christian into the corner before Christian kicks Jericho in the injured knee and hits a Texas Cloverleaf as Malenko finds his way into Mania without having to wrestle or be on camera! Jericho gets out of it into a cradle, but gets the walls of Jericho long enough for Christian to have the ropes and then fall to the mat where Jericho holds onto the hold on the outside. Jericho goes for a butterfly Suplex off the top just to fall off the top, but hits the move on the second try and gets a 2 count. Trish comes running out to the ring basically guaranteeing a heel turn as both men are trading blows. Christian hits an implant DDT for a pair of 2 counts. Christian heads to the turnbuckle but instead brings Trish into the ring as Jericho sends Christian over the top and checks on Trish just to get elbowed in the face and Christian to hit the roll up and grab the tights for the 3 count. After the match Trish pretends to be shocked and acts like she screwed up, but when Jericho tries to attack Christian Jericho shows her true side and slaps Chris a couple of times allowing Christian to hit the unprettier. As they celebrate and head up the entrance ramp where they kiss at the top. Hey I shocked one of my friends by calling the kiss 2 minutes before it happened. Well Trish needed some freshness to her character, but I dunno if this was the way to go about it, but it does make for some new interesting angles. The only really frustrating thing about this is that Jericho has now lost 3 straight Manias, and is moving down the card each show as 2 years ago he was main eventing. The match itself was really good other than the botch near the end and the ending, but by good I don't mean MOTYC good I just mean good. ***1/4
-Very entertaining promo from Rock and Foley to liven up the crowd as Rock is always good to liven up the crowd. Rock continues the funny exchanges with Lillian and catches Hurricane and Rosey with a hamburger, continuing his hamburgurlar jokes.
-Rock N Sock Connection vs Evolution: All Five Men slug it out to start as Foley handles Flair in the corner and Rock takes on Batista and Orton. All 5 members of Evolution are sent outside adn then Rock and Flair start things off to let the goodness begin. Both lock up and then Rock gets sent into the ropes and hits a Shoulder Block and then lets off a Nature Boy Strut. They lock up again as Flair chopes the mess otu of Rock just to have Rock come back with some lefts and rights and a back body drop. Rock follows Flair on the outside just to get thumbed in the eye, but back body drops Flair as Foley comes off the Apron in a true BANG BANG Spot. Flair is tossed back in the ring as huge Foley chants start and Orton is tagged in the ring allowing Rock to tag Foley forcing Orton to bail and Foley to follow with some lefts and rights ont he outside adn then Orton meets the SD announce table before getting tossed intot he ring. Elbow Drop from Foley gets 2. Orton is stuck in a tree of Woe as Rock is tagged in and Foley Elbow Drops Ortons throat and Rock hits orton in the nuts as King gets one of the funniest lines of the night when he says Rock is walking Tall and Orton is walking Funny. Rock goes for a back body drop, but gets kicked in the face just to Clothesline Orton. Rock comes off the ropes as Wooooooooooo Flair hits Rock in the back of the Head so Rock ends up knocking both men down. Rock tries to lay the smackdown on Orton but gets tossed outside as Batista is nice enough to get Rock acquainted with the Barricade, and Randy gets some shots in before putting Rock back in the ring. Tag to Batista who Drives knees in Rock's midsection before Rock comes back with some lefts and rights just to get Back elbowed for 2. Tag to Flair who uppercuts Rock and then Cuts off a Tag while screaming I don't think so Mother Fucker I got you now. Gotta love Flair. He then puts Rock in the Corner and WOOOOOOOOOO chops the shit out of him a few times as those chops take me back to Flair's amtches from the 80s. Flair then lets off a Nature Boy strut of his own just to get clotheslined by Rock. Flair goes to climb the turnbuckle, but gets tossed off the top, which is typical. Tag to Batista who pounds away and drives Shoulders at Rock after all Dave uses a lot of GENERIC HOSS OFFENSE! Rock finally after taking a beating comes back with a clothesline and tags in Foley who comes full fledge at Batista with lefts and rights and a knee to the face. Foley even takes time to knock of Flair and Orton and then goes for a Double Arm DDT on Batista just to get sent in the corner as both men trade back licks before Foley finally pounds Batista down CACTUS STYLE! And is about to follow it up but gets clotheslined down and tossed out of the ring just to give Orton a Mandible Claw, but that Naitch is always there for his pals and helps double up on Foley as Foley makes a sickening thud while being sent into the steps. Orton tosses Foley in the ring and then covers him for 2 before stomping and driving knees in the corner. European Uppercut by Orton who then tags in Flair who stomps away at Foley's knee and then chops him down. A few more thuds as they get louder with each thud Foley battles back and goes for a tag, but Flair does a drop toe hold and keeps ahold of the ankle while tagging in Orton. Randy then applies a camel clutch with a knee in Foley's back and occasionally rakes the face. Foley elbows back into a comeback just to get slung back down and to have Batista tagged in. Batista gets a few short arm clotheslines in and then mounts some punches on Foley, but Foley covers up and hits the Mandible claw long enough for Orton to make the save with a boot to the face. Flair is tagged in as he is the real face in this match. Flair stays on the attack and destroys every Foley comeback and quickly tags back in Batista. Batista goes for a back body drop, but Foley hits a swining neck breaker leaving both men on the mat. Both men get to their feet and send each other back down with a double clothesline. Batista tages in Flair who stops Foley who ducks a clothesline and decks Flair and then tags in Rock who comes out in electrifying fashion with Rock Style Rights and lefts and then a flying forearm. Rock DDTs Orton and then slings Batista in the ring Cleaning house of the heels before getting spinebustered by Batista. Flair then begs for Dave to leave him alone as Flair then goes for the true most electrifying move in all of sports entertainment The Nature Boy elbow, but Rock nips up and lays the smackdown, but not before adding a little flavor to the Strut. Damn if only Flair coulda finished that elbow. Rock then hits a DDT on Batista and a Spinebuster on Flair setting up the Real Deal Peoples Elbow (hell the move may be embarassing to lose to, but at least its always fun to watch) and struts before dropping it. This is pure gold. Flair kicks out at two. Flair gets thumb to the eye and tags in Orton who goes for the RKO, but gets Reversed into a ROCK BOTTOM. Rock gets 1 before Flair pulls Rock outside just to get clotheslined and then running halfway across the ringside area to grab a chair sending the ref after him and allowing Batista to clothesline and GENERIC HOSS POWERBOMB FINISHER #302 Rock. Ok the number's made up but you get the point. Orton slickly makes the cover but Rock kicks out at 2 two a ton of 2s chants and a few boos. Rock tags in Foley who comes slugging away at all three members of Evolution. Double arm DDT to Orton as Foley pulls out Socko and waits to put on the Mandible Claw but WHAM RKO which gets the 3 and the victory. That ending was smooth and kick ass, as Orton may not be the best wrestler in the world, but I still mark out for him. After the match Rock and Foley look in disbelief and sad as they both get a standing ovation and Foley chants, while Rock and Foley shake and Raise hands in the ring. All marking out aside this was an extremely fun match especially during the really good yet entertaining Rock and Flair segments, and it also worked a really good old school southern tag wrestling format and being from the South I'm a mark for the Southern Style. So marking out and an all in all great match make this match well deserving of this rating, and now I'm dieing to see a Flair vs Rock Singles match. ****.
Continued
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