Sunday, July 24th, 2005
HSBC Arena
Buffalo, New York
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WWE Tag Team Championship Match
MNM vs. Road Warrior Animal & Heidenreich
This tag team is the ultimate bizarro world, especially with them coming out to Hawk's "Aww what a rush". Heidenreich tosses Mercury around at the start of the match. After a tag, Mercury gets the boot up on Animal, but Animal counters a suplex with a double suplex on MNM. Heidenreich has Nitro up in the air, but Mercury comes from behind and takes out his knee. As much as I hate this pairing, the crowd is seemingly into it with loud chants of "L-O-D". MNM continues to work on the knee with quick tags. Heidenreich makes the tag to Animal and he takes care of both members of MNM until Nitro hits him in the head with the belt, but Animal kicks out. MNM goes for the Snapshot, but Heidenreich breaks it up. Animal hits a body slam and they hit the Doomsday Device. We have new Tag Team Champions and a surprisingly big pop from the crowd. They say the opening match is the second most important match on the card and for me, this tells me everything I need to know about this show. However, I must just be a Debbie Downer, because those in attendance ate it up. After the match, Animal gets on the mic and tells Hawk that this one was for him.
Match Rating: 3/4* (out of 5)
Eddie Guerrero is with Josh Matthews backstage. Eddie says that manipulation is his new addiction. He says that Dominik will be at ringside tonight for his match with Rey Mysterio. After he finally beats Rey tonight, he will finally tell Dominik the bedtime story he promised to tell him a long time ago.
Christian vs. Booker T
Booker chases after Christian to start. It was a nice touch to have Christian come out first after he sneak attacked Booker during his entrance last time. Christian gets distracted by the crowd and Booker takes advantage. Michael Cole says that the crowd has been "alive all night". We are 22 minutes into the actual show. Christian uses the referee to his advantage and throws Booker into the ring post. Christian hits a swinging inverted DDT off the second rope for a 2 count. Booker tries to get out of a headlock, but Christian grabs him by his hair and slams him down. After a "Booker T" chant, we get a loud "Let's Go Christian" chant, but Vince McMahon must not have heard it. Christian ducks a kick and Booker is hung up on the ropes. Christian grabs Sharmell up on the apron, but he is greeted with a slap to the face. Christian charges at her, but Booker catches him with a Book End for a 2 count. After a counter on a pin attempt by Christian, Booker hits a big spinebuster. Booker looks particularly motivated tonight. Spinaroonie by Booker, but Christian avoids the scissor kick. Booker gets out of the Unprettier attempt and then Christian gets a nearfall after a semi-powerbomb out of the corner. Booker hits a missile dropkick, but Christian gets the bottom rope on the pin attempt. Christian gets a thumb to the eye and dumps Booker to the outside. Booker slams Christian into the ring post and then into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Booker hits a scissor kick off the second rope for the victory kind of out of nowhere there. This match was really cooking and deserved another few minutes to have a better finish. Other than that, this was really good and the crowd was really into this one too.
Match Rating: ***1/2
A frustrated Melina says that MNM will win their championships back soon. She also says there is no way that anyone is going to see her in her underwear tonight, which is strange because you do every time she enters the ring.
United States Championship Match
Orlando Jordan vs. Chris Benoit
Well, here is one way to kill a hot crowd as Jordan enters the ring to absolutely no reaction. As with most Benoit matches, we get some chops to start things off. After some back and forth, they end up outside the ring and Jordan weakly pushes Benoit's back into the ring post. Jordan goes into the ring and attempts to remove a turnbuckle pad. Benoit comes from behind and attacks him. Jordan fires back and hits a big clothesline, then goes back to work on the arm. Jordan did actually check most of the boxes for being a WWE superstar, but the lack of charisma would be his undoing. Benoit makes multiple attempts to make a comeback, but Jordan continues to get the better of him. This match already feels like it's at the 20 minute mark. Jordan goes up top, but Benoit knocks him down and hits a superplex. Benoit hits three German suplexes and then the flying headbutt. Jordan kicks out of the pin attempt and Benoit takes him to the turnbuckle. Benoit slams Jordan's head into the turnbuckle, but Jordan's head bounces back into Benoit. This allows Jordan to finish removing the turnbuckle. He slams Benoit's head into the turnbuckle and gets the pinfall. That's a dumb finish to a mediocre match.
Match Rating: **
World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender Match
Muhammad Hassan vs. Undertaker
Hassan is carried out by the masked men on his way to the ring. Undertaker no sells a flurry in the corner and gives Hassan one of his own. Undertaker hits Old School and then drives Hassan face first into the mat. Undertaker misses with a boot and falls outside. The "sympathizers" attack the Taker while the ref is distracted. Undertaker ends up outside the ring again and this time is choked by a sympathizer. Back in the ring, Hassan puts Taker in the Camel Clutch. Taker powers out of it and hits an electric chair. Taker hits Snake Eyes, all while taking care of sympathizers coming into the ring. For some reason Hassan is not disqualified and I am tired of typing sympathizer. Taker hits a chokeslam and Taker picks up the victory. He is quickly attacked by the masked men, but they are no match for him. One of them eats a chair to the throat while being slammed onto the table, which is kind of random for this type of attack. Taker then turns his attention to Daivari and he dumps him out of the ring. He then throws him through the bottom of the announcer table with a little assistance from Daivari. Taker then goes after Hassan on the ramp and starts messing with the stage. Taker then gives Hassan a Last Ride in the hole he made on the stage and that is the last we would hear of from Hassan. Boy, did this suck. The match was passable just above miserable, but the entire 25 minute presentation was garbage.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Torrie Wilson says that she's going to give everyone something to remember.
Mexicools vs. bWo
The Mexicools come down while they are still tending to a bloodied Hassan. bWo come out on big wheel tricycles. I appreciate the effort put into making Nova not look too much like Simon Dean, but his bandana comes off early on. Juvy hits Nova with a springboard corkscrew from behind and the Mexicools have him cornered. Super Crazy hits a nice low dropkick on Nova for a 2 count. Nova gets a tag to Stevie Richards and hits a sideslam on Psicosis. Richards misses with a Bronco Buster. Psicosis hits a leg drop from the top rope and that's it? It looked like they were setting up for a dive spot on the outside, but maybe I'm just imagining things. I'm not sure why they couldn't have just done this one on SmackDown.
Match Rating: *1/2
After a lengthy highlight package of their feud, Rey is shown backstage praying with his son.
Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio
Eddie aggressively attacks Rey, but Rey's able to get a couple of quick pinfall attempts in. That was a nice little start to the match. Rey looked to have gotten a stiff back elbow in on Eddie, but Eddie is able to hit an inverted atomic drop. Eddie goes up top, but Rey knocks him down and hits a hurricanrana from the top for a 2 count. I give Dominik credit, he's doing a good job considering the circumstances. Eddie knocks Rey down off the top rope and goes for a Razor's Edge, but Rey counters and hits a 619 followed by a seated senton and Eddie kicks out. Eddie rolls out of the ring and turns his attention to Dominik. He pulls him in front of himself to stop a charging Rey. This is just one of those storylines that seems to take it too far for my taste. Eddie attacks a distracted Rey and brings him back in the ring. He hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and continues to work on his back. He dumps Rey out of the ring and again goes towards Dominik. Michael Cole is probably an underrated announcer, but I always feel like in moments like this he can be too much to handle. Eddie hits a nice wheelbarrow suplex and tries three times to pin Rey. Eddie screams at Charles Robinson and then blows a kiss at Dominik. Rey is able to hit a dropkick to the knees and follows it up with a kick to the head. Rey counters Eddie with a tornado DDT and Rey reaches over and gets a 2 count. Rey hits a dropkick from behind and hits the 619 again. Eddie is able to move out of the way of a springboard dropkick and Eddie is feeling confident. Eddie hits a quick Three Amigos and goes up top, but Rey rolls out of the range for the Frog Splash. He hits two more suplexes, but Rey is barely moving, so he picks him up for a third one but turns it into a brainbuster. He then stares down Dominik and heads up top. Eddie hits the Frog Splash. He goes for a cocky pin and Mysterio hooks him from behind and sneaks out the victory. After the win he runs out and embraces Dominik. Eddie starts slamming his own head into the turnbuckle in disgust. The match had some really nice segments in it, but like I said, the dark storyline sort of took me out of it a little. Tazz and Cole sell that the secret Eddie has will remain a secret.
Match Rating: ***1/4
JBL is backstage in red, white and blue. He says that Batista caused him his greatest embarrassment, ruined his celebration and that he will be the first one in Buffalo to wear these colors to win a championship since the Bills never have. He guarantees that he will beat Batista tonight.
Bra & Panties Match
Melina vs. Torrie Wilson
Melina shows off her frustration, but Torrie attempts to head scissor her, but their timing is off. Torrie puts Melina in an abdominal stretch and takes off Melina's shirt. She goes for her pants, but Melina escapes. Melina rips off Torrie's shirt and starts hitting her with forearms on the mat. Candice Michelle is the guest referee if it matters. Torrie mounts her comeback with a dropkick and a suplex. Melina then hangs her up on the top rope and then takes Torrie's pants off for the victory. After the match, Melina attacks Candice Michelle. Torrie makes the save and takes Melina's pants off. Didn't see that one coming. Then Candice Michelle follows suit. I can't believe that these were still a thing in 2005, but here we are.
Match Rating: 0 Stars
World Heavyweight Championship Match
JBL vs. Batista
This match starts off slowly, as you would expect from two heavyweights. They exchange small bits of offense until Batista clotheslines JBL out of the ring. Back in the ring, JBL tries to suplex Batista into the ring, but has to resort to giving him a Stunner on the top rope. Batista catches JBL off the apron in an impressive display of power and drives him into the hardest part of the ring. It doesn't last long, as JBL throws Batista behind the announcer table and then into the timekeeper table. Batista tries to fight back, but JBL gets him in a sleeper hold. After what feels like forever, Batista fights out of it, but JBL gets outside the ring and throws him into the steps. Whoever was the agent for this match, should definitely maybe find a new role. Batista explodes to knock JBL over the barricade and follows it up with fists. Back in the ring, JBL throws Batista into the corner, but Batista then blatantly runs into the ref on the Clothesline From Hell attempt. I'm sure that was supposed to look like an accident, but it certainly didn't. The ref is knocked down and here comes Orlando Jordan. They hit Batista in the back with a chair and throw the ref back in. Batista kicks out at 2 and JBL is in shock. JBL goes for the Clothesline From Hell again, but Batista counters with a spinebuster. Jordan runs in, but Batista dumps him out of there. Batista then picks up the chair and destroys both Jordan and JBL with awful chair shots to the head. The ref sees it and calls for the bell, so JBL's guarantee was correct. Batista goes to town with chair shots to the back of both men. After they announce JBL as the winner, Batista comes back down the ramp and gives both JBL and Jordan Batista Bombs. That was not a good main event at all. Not only do you get a garbage finish, it was slow and plotting. I have no idea why anyone would have thought these guys should go almost 20 minutes.
Match Rating: 3/4*
I couldn't imagine having paid $30-40 for that live and being happy with that. There was just way too many TV worthy matches and it was full of terrible segments like the 20 minute Undertaker/Hassan burial. It's back to the drawing board for the blue brand and unfortunately, I'm not sure that they really find their groove until closer to the end of the year.
Overall Rating: 41%
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