Monday, January 2nd, 2006
Giant Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Follow me on Twitter: @WorkTheNetwork2
After a long recap of New Year's Revolution, John Cena is here to kick off the show. He goes on about how people hate him, but he loves his fans. He also states that he is going to cash in his rematch clause tonight. Edge's music hits, but it's just Lita holding the WWE Championship. Lita of course lets us know that Cena is not getting his shot tonight. She references the live sex celebration and makes a few jabs at Cena. Cena fires back in a very non-PG way.
WWE Women's Championship Match
Trish Stratus vs. Ashley
Mickie James is in the ring and gets on the mic as Trish is heading down to tell the crowd that Trish deserves a better ovation and tries to get the crowd behind her. Ashley has the Audioslave entrance music here on the Network. I am guessing they missed that one. We surprisingly get some mat wrestling from both ladies here to begin. Ashley catches Trish and slams her face-first. In runs Mickie James and she attacks Ashley for the disqualification. Trish then confronts her and asks her what she is doing. Lilian Garcia messes up and announces Trish as the winner, but corrects herself. This only existed to further the Trish/Mickie story.
Match Rating: 1/4* (out of 5)
We get a hype video for Rob Van Dam and it announces that he will be in the Royal Rumble. I like it better when something like that is a surprise.
Vince McMahon confronts John Cena about his match at the Royal Rumble against Edge. He then asks that he not interrupt the live sex celebration.
Chris Masters is mad at Carlito for what happened at New Year's Revolution.
Royal Rumble Qualifying Match
Rob Conway vs. Chavo Guerrero
Conway sends Chavo over the top rope, but Chavo skins the cat. On his way up, Conway knocks him down and off to the floor. Chavo makes a comeback and launches himself over the top and to the floor onto Conway. Chavo hits the Three Amigos and then hits the Frog Splash for the win. This was just to get Chavo an easy victory.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels are arguing about the Elimination Chamber last night. They have to team up tonight against Carlito and Chris Masters.
Shelton Benjamin is walking around the building with his mom. Val Venis is casually folding his towel in the middle of the production area. Shelton's mama thinks he's seen him in movies before, which leads to him rambling off some of his films. Shelton's mom says that he's going to hell and it's happening tonight.
Carlito & Chris Masters vs. Kurt Angle & Shawn Michaels
Carlito and Masters attack Michaels and Angle, who were arguing. After the melee, Michaels and Carlito start things off. He and then Angle both have their way with Carlito in the early going. Carlito gets a boot up on Angle, but Angle just levels him with a clothesline. Michaels is tagged in and he ducks down too early, eats a kick to the face and in comes Masters. Michaels plays possum and tags in Angle. Masters hits a nice powerslam and signals for the Master Lock. He tries to apply it, but Angle counters it into a German suplex. Angle gets thrown into the ring post and then Michaels gets dumped outside as well. They begin to argue again as we head into the commercial break. Angle makes his comeback on Carlito and they both make tags. Michaels explodes with a leaping forearm and an inverted atomic drop. He dumps Carlito out of the ring and hits the elbow drop on Masters. Michaels signals for Sweet Chin Music, but Carlito trips him up behind the referee's back and uses the ring post to knock him down. Carlito tags in and hits a big dropkick. Michaels cut from last night begins to bleed again. Carlito hits the Backstabber, but is unable to capitalize. Michaels tries to make a tag, but Angle walks to the opposite corner, while Masters is tagged in by Carlito. Michaels is able to hit a DDT and again crawls to tag in Michaels. Angle talks to Daivari instead. Michaels throws Angle in the ring and hits Sweet Chin Music on him. Masters puts the Master Lock on Angle, while Michaels waives and leaves him in the ring. Daivari tries to stop him, so he gets a Sweet Chin Music to go with it. Angle doesn't submit, but the referee calls the match. This was a solid TV tag match that had the benefit of being able to tell a story that has been going on for months. It also gives them the opportunity to say that Carlito and Masters both defeated Angle and Michaels as they continue to build both of them up.
Match Rating: **3/4
Vince McMahon approaches Michaels on his way back to the locker room area. McMahon says that Michaels leaving Angle is the real Michaels. Vince lets him know that he will be taking on Angle next week.
Triple H is backstage with Todd Grisham. He says their whole world has been shaken up with Edge beating the unbeatable Cena. However, the one constant around here is him. Triple H says that he is going to win the Royal Rumble and win the WWE Champion at WrestleMania. Mark his words.
Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle and Victoria are getting the bed ready for Lita and Edge.
They show an exclusive interview after New Year's Revolution. This is where he announced the celebration for tonight. What a time to be alive.
Royal Rumble Qualifying Match
Shelton Benjamin vs. Val Venis
Shelton attacks Venis as he is throwing his towel to the audience. What a treat for the lucky lady in the first row. The action spills outside and Shelton hides behind his mom and gets back in the ring. He hits Val with a knee lift as he's getting back in. When will wrestlers learn? Val makes a valiant comeback and hits a big spinebuster. He heads up top for the Money Shot, but Shelton rolls out of the way. After a little bit of awkward action, Shelton leaps up to the second rope and Val rolls him up into a powerbomb type move. Shelton's mom stabs Val with a hair pin behind the referee's back and Shelton hits the Exploder suplex for the victory. The match was decent, the mom story was still lame.
Match Rating: *
Royal Rumble Qualifying Match
Snitsky vs. Kane
Snitsky gets no entrance and attacks Kane upon arrival. Kane no sells a boot and hits a side slam. Kane hits a chokeslam and that is all for poor Snitsky. After the match Kane cuts a promo about winning the Rumble.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Edge is shown arriving and being greeted by Lita.
Well, they're here now for the live sex celebration. I always block out how much they still tried to be the Attitude Era in 2006. They start undressing each other and then head into the bed in the middle of the ring. I can only imagine what is going through the minds of these two as this is going on. Obviously this was going to get interrupted, but it's not Cena. Instead it's Ric Flair and he's entering as only he can. He knocks Edge out of the ring, but Edge nails him with a chair and he is busted open. Edge then hits a one man conchairto on him. Cena finally comes in to make the save. A little late there, John. Lita is still in the bed. Cena puts Lita up and hits the FU on her and Edge does nothing to stop it. Not one of these things would happen in present day and in this case, that is absolutely a good thing. This was an absolute failed experiment.
After a strong start to 2006, this episode was anything but that. They tried something different and it failed miserably. The tag team match was the lone highlight of the show, as the rest just felt rushed and unnecessary.
Overall Rating: 41%
No comments:
Post a Comment