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This year feels like it was the most telegraphed voting out of all the Taboo Tuesday/Cyber Sunday events. I do find it a little surprising that Christian didn't get more votes. I am a mark for the keyboard entrance ramp. Joey Styles is also the announcer along with Jerry Lawler here. Edge and Lita get on the mic and say that he will not wrestle here tonight. He doesn't care about anyone other than himself. Snitsky is the replacement and he attacks his opponents from behind when he is making his entrance. We now have two referees in the ring and they are arguing over who is counting the pinfalls. Meanwhile, Masters is working the back of Mysterio. Mysterio hits the hot tag to Hardy, who hits a Side Effect for a 2 count. Hardy hits a scary looking superplex on Snitsky and Masters makes the save. Hardy and Mysterio have their working boots on here tonight though. Hardy gets distracted and eats a boot the face from Snitsky. Masters hits a huge clothesline on Hardy, but Mysterio makes the save. Snitsky hits a big spinebuster and a catapult throat first into the bottom rope. Snitsky catches Hardy in the air, but Hardy is able to counter it into an inverted DDT and he finally makes the tag to Msyterio. He hits the seated senton on Snitsky and then a springboard crossbody on Masters. Snitsky tosses Mysterio into the arms of Masters and he immediately puts him in the Master Lock. We get some shenanigans with the referee, so Hardy hits a leg drop on Masters and he breaks the hold. Both Hardy and Mysterio hit leaps off the top rope to Snitsky and Masters on the floor. Snitsky trips up Mysterio and Masters hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Hardy comes in and hits a big DDT on Snitsky. Drop toe hold by Hardy allows Mysterio to hit the 619. Hardy hits a Twist Of Fate and then Mysterio finishes him off with a springboard leg drop. That match was so much better than it had any right to be. The team of Hardy and Mysterio was fantastic and they brought the best out of this match. Good opener.
Match Rating: ***1/4 (out of 5)
Mick Foley is in the back, holding some lingerie. He thinks his and Maria's luggage got mixed up, as she is wearing the Mankind mask. She then gets undressed and Mick says that he had a nice day.
Rob Conway & Tyson Tomko vs. Eugene & Jimmy Snuka
Consider me surprised that Snuka won even 15 years later. I'm thinking he wouldn't have had his episode of Dark Side of the Ring aired prior to it. I can't believe this is a match on a pay-per-view. Conway now has a picture of himself on his tights. They are trying everything with him, but it just isn't clicking. He does hit a nice standing dropkick though. After a boring heat segment, Eugene hits a clothesline on Conway, but he is unable to make a tag. Eugene hits a jawbreaker and then he and Snuka hit back and forth headbutts. Eugene hits the Rock Bottom and then Snuka goes up top and hits the splash. After the match, Tomko attacks the victors, but Duggan and Kamala come out and make the save. This would have played a lot better on Raw.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Carlito vs. Mankind
The WWE Network has a weird edit where it goes from Hacksaw's celebration right into the match, so they obviously edited something out. I know I would have voted Dude Love, who got massacred. We get heel era Mankind music, which makes me happy. Carlito hits a big dropkick, but Mankind stays on his feet. Mankind hits a back elbow and then puts him in the tree of woe. He then hits a baseball slide and a reverse neckbreaker on the floor. Carlito though hits another dropkick and Mankind falls back into the steel steps. Mankind fights off a weak looking headlock and they hit a double clothesline. Mankind hits a big running knee and then clotheslines Carlito out of the ring. He hits the elbow off the apron and gets a 2 count once he got him back in the ring. Double arm DDT and then Foley pulls out Mr. Socko, who is sporting a Carlito wig. The Mandible Claw is in and the ref calls for the bell. That was basically a squash match. If I remember correctly, Foley thought this was a waste of a return for him and it's hard to argue it. Carlito was not worthy of being in this spot and the creative did them no favors. This was just a match.
Match Rating: **
Eric Bischoff is on the phone complaining about Teddy Long, when in walks Mr. McMahon. Vince said he's late, but he can't wait for the Raw vs. SmackDown match. Bischoff tells him that Raw lost and blames Long for it all. Vince tells Bischoff that he's disappointed in him and then gives a negative pep talk. Vince tells Bischoff that he's on his own from now on.
World Tag Team Championship Match
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch vs. Kane & Big Show
Shawn Michaels wins the main event spot, thus giving us a Kane and Big Show tag team. Who are the 38% of people who voted for Kane? They start brawling to start things off. The two big men dominate as most would expect. The champs get a little bit of offense in, but they end up getting even more slaps to the chest from Big Show. Murdoch shoves Kane off the top rope to the floor and they hit Sweet and Sour on the outside. The big men clean house and then hit a double chokeslam on Cade and we have new tag team champions. Say what you will about this match, the crowd absolutely loved the team of Big Show and Kane. After the match, we get a post-match interview, which leads to them hit a double chokeslam on Murdoch.
Match Rating: *1/2
Vader and Goldust are in the back getting ready.
They then announce that the Diva battle royal will be a lingerie themed.
Street Fight
Johnathan Coachman vs. Batista
When you throw in the fact that Vader and Goldust are both basically part of this match as well, this has to be one of the most random matches in WWE pay-per-view history. Coach and the gang start whipping Batista with a belt, but Batista quickly fights back, hits some spinebusters and hits the Batista Bomb on Coach for the victory. Yep.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Shawn Michaels is back with Todd Grisham talking about how he was picked two years in a row to be in the main event at Taboo Tuesday. In walks Kurt Angle and he wants Michaels to help him take Cena out and leave it to the two of them. Michaels lets him know that he'll think about it.
Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal For The WWE Women's Championship
Ashley vs. Candice Michelle vs. Mickie James vs. Victoria vs. Maria vs. Trish Stratus
Trish and Victoria have a nice spot in the corner, where Mickie saves her hero. Maria is thrown out by Trish and Mickie, who then try to dump Victoria but are unsuccessful. Candice hits an upside down choke with her legs, but when she releases the hold, she celebrates on the apron and Ashley knocks her out. Victoria hits a side slam on Trish, but Mickie then makes the save. Her and Ashley try to dump Victoria, but she lands on the apron. Victoria then catapults Ashley over the top and out of the match. Trish and Victoria tease being eliminated and again Mickie makes the save. Mickie drives Victoria through the ropes, but in doing so eliminates herself as well. Trish is the last woman standing and retains her championship. While this was obviously not anything great, once it was down to Victoria, Mickie and Trish, it was pretty well done. After the match, Todd interviews Trish, but Mickie interrupts her as Trish tries to keep her composure.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Steel Cage Match For The Intercontinental Championship
Triple H vs. Ric Flair
This is such a good example of a feud being rushed simply because there are so many pay-per-views on the calendar. This could have easily been stretched out to WrestleMania if they wanted to. Obviously the plan was for Triple H to take on Cena, but they could have made it last to New Year's Revolution. They start brawling immediately and Flair gets the first knockdown via a chop. Triple H comes right back with a high knee. Triple H hits a big spinebuster and he is now taking his time here. Flair is already busted open and Triple H hits him with a calculated knee drop. Triple H starts using the cage as a cheese grater on Flair's face. Triple H starts climbing, but Flair gets up there and starts chopping him. They both fall and get crotched on the top rope. Triple H now has a chain and goes off the top rope, but Flair gets his foot up. Flair goes for a Figure Four, but Triple H uses the chain to break the hold before he can get it on. Flair is a bloody mess now, as Triple H hits a knee to the back of the head. Triple H now puts Flair in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring. Flair is able to reverse it, but Triple H quickly reverses it back and is into the ropes. Triple H goes for it again, but this time Flair is able to kick him face-first into the cage and he is now busted open. Flair hits a chop block, as he goes after Triple H's left quad. Flair gets the Figure Four locked in now and Triple H is screaming in pain. Both Joey Styles and Jerry Lawler have done a nice job calling this match and telling the story. Flair hits a big low blow and both men are down. Flair begins to crawl towards the door, but Triple H grabs his foot. Flair grabs a chair on his way back in. Triple H stomps on the chair, injuring Flair's hand. As Triple H goes to swing it at Flair, Flair uses the testicular claw. He sends Triple H off the ropes, but Triple H goes for the Pedigree. Flair hits a back body drop onto the chair and then hits Triple H in the head with said chair. He hits two more chair shots and again crawls to the door and makes it out. This was a little plotting, as Triple H matches often tend to be, but it was still good entertainment.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Triple Threat Match For The WWE Championship
Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena
Most people really don't care for triple threat matches, but I am in the minority. Each competitor gets a quick chance to dominate right off the bat. Michaels goes to work on Cena, as Angle is on the outside. In comes Angle and he hits German suplexes on both men and then follows it up with belly-to-belly overhead suplexes. Michaels counters the Angle Slam into a sunset flip, which Angle counters into the Ankle Lock. Cena breaks the hold and then almost gets a pinfall on Michaels. Michaels and Angle start working together and beating Cena down. Angle and Michaels throw Cena shoulder-first into the ring post. Michaels begins to clear the Spanish announce table and they hit a double face-first suplex through the table. They then begin slugging it out and head back into the ring. Michaels hits a powerslam and gets a 2 count. Angle hits a vertical suplex and then puts Michaels into the body scissors. Angle hits another belly-to-belly overhead suplex. He goes for a superplex, but Michaels counters. Angle comes running back up the ropes and hits a super Angle Slam off the top rope for a near fall. The straps are down, but in comes Cena and he takes Angle out of the ring. These are probably the most audible boos for Cena other than SummerSlam. Cena goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle on Michaels, but Angle trips him up and throws him into the crowd. In comes Michaels with a somersault dive over the top rope! That was awesome. Michaels hits an inverted atomic drop on Angle and hits a couple of clotheslines. In comes Cena and Michaels greets him with some chops. He hits the flying forearm, but as he nips up, Angle catches him and hits a belly-to-belly over the top rope. Cena comes from behind and hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle on Angle. Cena has Angle up for the FU, but Angle counters it into the Ankle Lock. Cena tries to roll through, but Angle hangs on. Michaels goes up top and hits an elbow drop on Angle and he breaks the hold. Michaels hits Sweet Chin Music on Angle, but Cena hits the FU on Michaels and gets the victory. This is an absolutely underrated gem of a match. This was non-stop action from start to finish and all three men were awesome here. The story they told made a lot of sense and it still leaves room for the Angle/Cena feud to continue. Big thumbs up here.
Match Rating: ****1/2
This is one of those tough shows to grade. On one hand, it featured one of my favorite matches of the year, a great brawl and a fun opener. Unfortunately, everything else was barely Raw quality. Still, I can't recommend the main event enough and I'm sure there are people who would enjoy the cage match much more than I even did. The last hour is absolutely worth your time and the rest is a decent diversion.
Overall Rating: 75%
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