Save Mart Center At Fresno State University
Fresno, California
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Edge vs. Shawn Michaels
The match gets started right away, before Michaels even takes off his jacket. Shawn clotheslines Edge over the ropes and poses for the crowd. Edge eventually gets dumped over the ropes again. Big baseball slide by Edge onto Michaels and he is now firmly in control. Edge was still getting comfortable playing this type of heel. As much as I have always liked Edge, I did often find his facial expressions to be a little over the top. Reverse chinlock with a body scissors by Edge. Edge mocks HBK's pose. Edge goes for a cross body off the top, but misses. Edge with another rest hold. I am a little surprised they are going with such a slow pace. Michaels is now fighting back including a knee lift and an inverted atomic drop. Slingshot into the corner by HBK and almost gets the 3 count. Edge attempts to leave but Michaels brings him back down the aisle. Mike Chioda tries to get Michaels back in the ring and it buys Edge some time to nail him with a spear on the outside. Edge is tuning up the band and then nails Michaels with another spear and he only gets a 2 count, causing Edge to literally pull out his hair. Edge sets Michaels on the top turnbuckle. Michaels fights back and knocks Edge to the mat. Michaels hits the elbow drop off the top rope and both men are down. Michaels is back up and he starts stomping and goes for Sweet Chin Music. Edge ducks down and lifts him up for the electric chair and a 2 count again. Edge rolls through and hits his modified version of the Sharpshooter. Michaels struggles, but finally gets to the bottom rope to break the hold. Inside cradle by Michaels for a 2 count. Edge reverses a roll up by pulling Michaels tights and grabs the ropes as well to get the 3 count. The finish was a little on the sloppy side, but it worked well enough. This wasn't the classic you would maybe expect here, but it was a good match overall.
Match Rating: ***1/4 (out of 5)
Eric Bischoff and Teddy Long are backstage talking about who is better. Ric Flair and Eddie Guerrero are there to draw their number from Christy and Torrie. Flair is pumped up with his draw. Eddie not so much. Eddie hugs Flair and steals his number.
Heidenreich is backstage talking about how he hates caskets. In come Snitsky. They talk about how they both don't like caskets and that they both like one another. Snitsky says he has a good idea, followed by some heavy breathing. Did Ed Wood direct this segment?
The druids are on their way down, which only means it's time to suffer through Heidenreich
Casket Match
Heidenreich vs. Undertaker
Just in case you were unsure that Heidenreich hated caskets after watching him talk about it and then the hype video that was mainly about that aspect, Michael Cole and Tazz confirm it by going over it for us again. After some slow moving offense to start, Heidenreich now appears to want to leave the match. Undertaker comes out to get him and Heidenreich throws him into the casket. Out comes Snitsky and he attacks Taker. Michael Cole is more upset that Snitsky is from Raw than he is that he's attacking Undertaker. Snitsky and Heidenreich hit a double suplex and continue to work on Taker. The refs open up the casket and out comes Kane to a good pop. Kane takes both men to the outside and continues to brawl with Snitsky into the crowd. Heidenreich begins to push the casket hesitantly down the aisle. Here comes Undertaker and slams Heidenreich into the casket. However, Heidenreich throws Taker into the steel ring steps. Heidenreich pulls up the mat on the outside. Heidenreich then pushes the casket into Taker. Heidenreich then tries to put Taker into a sleeper hold and seems to forget how to until Taker gives him a little bit of a hand. I wish I was joking. He actually gets Taker into the casket, but Taker fights back. With the casket lid draped over the back of his head, Undertaker hits a leg drop. It was so impressive that Cole called it "vintage Undertaker" twice. Somehow Heidenreich is fine moments later and gets some moves in. Heidenreich gets him in the casket again and again Undertaker battles out. Taker hits a DDT followed by a chokeslam. Taker signals for the Tombstone and nails it. Heidenreich is in the casket and that is all. Well, that was better than I expected, but don't confuse that for being a good match. The Kane surprise was a nice touch.
Match Rating: *
We're back again with Teddy and Eddie and he makes Eddie give his number back to Flair. Long also makes Eddie give Flair back his wallet. Batista then tells Triple H he is going to Bischoff's office, but Triple H says no, which leads to a stare down. Flair gets in the middle and breaks it up.
Christian and Tomko are with Bischoff. Long walks in and Christian and Tomko tell him they signed a petition to get him kicked off Smackdown. Christian also tells Christy and Torrie how difficult their job is. John Cena now walks in and Christian says he can beat Cena in a rap battle. Christian asks Tomko for a beat in a funny moment. Christian then cuts a lame rap, proving why he is one of my favorites. Cena then throws a rap back at him, leaving Christian upset.
WWE Championship Match
Kurt Angle vs. Big Show vs. JBL
Watching this pay-per-view is a remind as to how much I miss the themed ring entrances. I absolutely get why they were cut, but they helped make the show stand out. JBL and Big Show start things off as Angle stands outside the ring. So after all of the TV dedicated to this feud, they dont's even get a hype video. After some huge slaps, Big Show hits a powerslam and leg drop on JBL, which causes Angle to finally enter so he can break up the pinfall attempt. Big Show hits a double clothesline, sending both other men over the top and onto the floor. Big Show sets up JBL for a chokeslam through the announcers table, but Angle gives him a low blow and hits him with a monitor, causing Show to fall through the table. After some offense by JBL, Angle is able to get him up for a German Suplex. He tries to go for more, but JBL counters it and goes for the Clothesline From Hell, but he counters it into another German. Big Show is back in the ring and he takes care of both men again. Show hits a double splash and a double clothesline. He tries for a double chokeslam, but Angle and JBL get out and hit him with a chop block and a clothesline. Angle hits the Angle Slam on Show Angle was really, really good here. Show chokeslams JBL for a 2 count. JBL is outside the ring in the corner, so Show decides to pounce on the opportunity and takes himself and JBL through the outside wall. This is the first time I remember seeing that spot, which they seemingly have used 100 times since here. Show was about to pin Angle, but Mark Jindrak breaks it up. The Cabinet begins to attack Show. Orlando Jordan picks up JBL and throws him back in the ring. JBL hits a Clothesline From Hell and wins the match. I really enjoyed that match, but after all of the TV time spent on this feud, why not give it a few more minutes?
Match Rating: ***3/4
Batista runs into Carlito in the back and refuses to sign to sign his petition. Carlito starts chewing his apple, but Batista talks him out of it. He is now in there to pick his number and Bischoff announces that Evolution is banned from ringside for the Triple H/Orton match. Batista says he'll let Triple H know.
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Randy Orton vs. Triple H
We get a somewhat surprisingly fast start to the match, which makes me wonder how many Orton chinlocks are in this match? For as much as I rag on Orton, he does throw a nice dropkick. Orton goes for an early RKO, but Triple H catches him and throws him over the top rope. Triple H begins to go to work on the left leg of Orton, which was hurt on Monday's Raw. Triple H is going through all of the submission moves and gets Orton into a figure four. This has to be about the longest I have seen a figure our left on before it gets reversed. Orton gets him over, but Triple H gets the bottom rope. I do miss having Earl Hebner as a referee. Orton is up and hitting Trips with some rights and lefts, followed by a swinging neckbreaker. Orton hits a flying crossbody off the top rope, but only gets a 2 count. Triple H counters Orton with a facebuster and gets him ready or a Pedigree, but Orton reverses for a slingshot. Orton goes for an RKO, but Triple H counters him and he gets Orton with a knee to the face. It has been weird to watch a match like this and not see 100 instant replays throughout. Triple H is barely standing, but is able to hook the second rope as Orton goes for the DDT. Both guys are in heavy sell mode as Triple H tries to get to his feet and Orton tries to remain on his feet outside the ring. Hebner warns Orton that he may get counted out. Triple H charges at Orton and shoves both Orton and Hebner into the corner and both are down. Triple H goes under the ring and gets out his sledgehammer. I didn't notice this earlier in the match, but they put up caution tape where the ringside wall was destroyed in the previous match. Triple H goes to hit Orton with the sledgehammer, but Orton pulls Triple H face first into the ring post. Orton grabs the sledgehammer, but Triple H nails him with a really nice clothesline. Triple H hits the Pedigree and gets the victory. That was a solid Triple H-paced match. They nailed all the spots they had to and it sets up the inevitable Triple H/Batista feud up nicely.
Match Rating: ***1/2
Nunzio is all excited about his number and then Kurt Angle steals it from him.
Back to the GMs, as they discuss the Triple H match. In comes JBL and the cabinet with champagne. Teddy tells JBL that he will face Big Show at No Way Out in a barbed wire steel cage match, which is a WWE first.
Jim Ross and Tazz are the two announcers for the Rumble.
Royal Rumble Match
It is so good to hear the Fink do the ring announcing. For my money, there has never been anyone close to him. Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit are number 1 and 2 here. Can't argue with that. Daniel Puder is number 3 and talks some trash on the mic. Good luck, pal. Eddie and Benoit take turns chopping him and destroying him with suplexes. Number 4 is naturally Hardcore Holly, because who else would love to beat the crap out of a young kid more than Holly? I can't remember an instance of seeing a guy chopped as hard as Puder is here. Puder is sort of unceremoniously eliminated as Hurricane's music started playing. Holly also gets eliminated. Hurricane is also eliminate pretty quickly. Kenzo Suzuki is up next. Guerrero and Benoit are mostly working together, but taking turns trying to eliminate one another. Next up is Edge and runs down to the ring and goes after all 3 men. Rey Mysterio is in and we have 5 of the Smackdown 6 in there. My appreciation for Rey Mysterio grows seemingly every time I watch him. Shelton is in there now and adds to a pretty amazing crop of talent. Booker T is next and goes after the guy he feuded with over a shampoo commercial with. Bischoff is out there now for some reason. Y2J time. This may honestly be my personal favorite group of wrestlers in the ring at the same time in a Royal Rumble match. Too bad that's about to be ruined as Luther Reigns is next. The Raw and Smackdown wrestlers divide like boys and girls at an 8th grade dance and now we get the big brawl, as Teddy Long and Eric Bischoff look on from ringside. Muhammad Hassan time as he comes out to a pretty decent chorus of boos. Everybody stops and attacks Hassan and he is out of there. Orlando Jordan is the next draw and he goes after Luther Reigns. Scotty 2 Hotty is #15 and he is my pick to win this thing. Hassan attacks him from behind before he gets to the ring. Charlie Haas is up next. Rene Dupree is in next, as it is clear they are trying to get rid of all the crappy entrants in the middle of the match. We get a quick The World's Greatest Tag Team reunion and then Edge eliminates Shelton from behind. One of my personal favorite one note gimmicks is up next, none other than Simon Dean. Dean is outside the ring doing exercises. Edge also eliminates Eddie Guerrero in somewhat of a surprising elimination. Dean gets in the ring to exercise and HBK eliminates him quickly after getting in there. #20 is Kurt Angle and he is suplexing everyone. We get back-to-back Michaels/Angle and they follow it up with Jonathan Coachman. Mysterio and Jericho are having a nice little battle on the ropes, but then it is ruined by Jindrak's entrance. Angle then dumps Michaels over the rope and starts destroying him, busting him open in the process. Finlay and Skinner are finally able to stop him. Viscera time! How are they going to get him over the top rope? Paul London is next and he sprints down the ring and nearly slides across the entire ring. Dupree goes for the French Tickle, but Jericho comes from behind and eliminates him. John Cena is your next entrant and he dumps out Viscera. I can't believe it! One big man out, another one enters to fill the void and that man is Snitsky. London jumps on his back and puts him in a sleeper, but Snitsky dumps him on the apron. Snitsky hits a wicked clothesline and London does a standing shooting star press to the floor in one of my all time favorite eliminations. Well if Snitsky is in, that can only mean Kane is not far behind and he is #27. The EMTs are out for London. THere are a lot of bodies in there right now and the majority of them are on the ground. Kane is chokeslamming everyone and gets rid of Jindrak. Batista is up next and the crowd is on their feet. Batista eliminates Snitsky and now is standing face to face with Kane. Batista Bomb to Kane. Jericho runs at Batista, but Batista catches him and throws him over the top. Captain Charisma is #29 and goes after Cena, who quickly takes it to him. Cena gives an FU to Kane over the top rope. Mysterio and Cena are talking about working together. Last, but certainly not least, is Ric Flair. Flair eliminates Coach after a spinebuster from Batista. Evolution eliminates Benoit and then Flair tries to eliminate Batista. Batista isn't upset, but gets dropkicked before he can act upon it. Edge eliminates Flair and we are down to our final four: Batista, John Cena, Edge and Rey Mysterio. Mysterio jumps over the top rope to the apron and Edge eliminates him with a spear. Batista and Cena both eliminate Edge and we are down to the two favorites. This is definitely not a Roman Reigns situation, as it's clear that these are the two guys the crowd wanted to see here. Batista puts Cena up for the Batista Bomb, but Cena tries to block it while he is up top. Both men go towards the ropes and they both flip over the ropes and land seemingly at the exact same time. From all accounts, this was apparently a mistake. Batista seems to be a little confused on what to do. Vince McMahon comes out and blows his quad upon entering. They both throw each other over the top rope to loud cheers. Fink announces that the match is going to be re-started. Batista immediately goes for the Batista Bomb and Cena counters for an FU, but Batista nails him with a spinebuster. He picks him up and throws Cena over the rope. I know this is probably the most unpopular opinion there is, but this is my favorite Royal Rumble match. Yes, more than 1992. I love the chaos that was the ending and there were so many of my all time favorites in this match.
Match Rating: ****
I really liked this show a lot. Everything made sense from a booking standpoint and the matches were all entertaining in their own way (a * rating for a Heidenreich match is a minor miracle). I think they did a nice job setting up Edge for his big run he was going to have in the next year and also setting up Cena and Batista for their more immediate pushes. The Rumble was a really fast paced one that featured a ton of great workers and even the strange finish makes it all the more memorable. I highly recommend this show, as it was one of the best from this era.
Overall Rating: 90%
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