Judgment Day 2006 Review

Sunday, May 21st, 2006
US Airways Center
Phoenix, Arizona

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WWE Tag Team Championship Match

MNM vs. London & Kendrick

London and Kendrick start the match off hot and London uses a back body drop to send Kendrick soaring over the top rope and onto MNM. London then goes up top, but misses with a crossbody and it's now MNM in control. Despite a flurry by Kendrick, MNM hit the Snapshot, but London is able to make the save. This leads to lots of illegal teamwork by MNM, as they cut the ring in half. London finally gets tagged in and hits an awesome dropsault into a pin, but Melina comes in and yells in the referee's face to break up the count. MNM tries the Bobby Heenan WrestleMania V pin, but London is able to kick out. Kendrick misses with a dive outside, but London ducks under Mercury's double team. Kendrick rolls him up and we have new champions. This was a good opener and they got a good pop for the victory. After the match, Melina yells at Mercury and slaps him in the face. He grabs her by the arm and Nitro starts attacking him. Mercury turns it around, but Melina hits him with a kick to the head. Melina then gives the ref a low blow and they walk off. Mercury attacks Nitro from behind and they brawl on the ground until it's broken up by officials. I honestly forgot that they broke up this early on. 

Match Rating: ***1/2

They show highlights of Bret Hart winning the King Of The Ring in 1993. You can find my review of that show in the archives. 

Chris Benoit vs. Finlay

If you weren't sure that this would be a physical match, don't worry, Tazz and Michael Cole are going to tell you about it. Benoit misses with a headbutt off the top rope, but is able to follow up with a baseball slide into a steel chair that Finlay grabbed outside. Back in the ring, he hits the flying headbutt on the second attempt. Finlay slows things down, but even at that, the crowd is still really into this. The action spills outside and naturally Finlay grabs for his shillelagh. Benoit avoids it and hits a German suplex on the mats outside. Benoit suplexes Finlay in and hits the Three Amigos. Benoit is getting ready to climb up top, but Finlay runs over and knocks him to the floor. Finlay is able to throw Benoit into the ring post, but then Benoit is able to put on the Crippler Crossface in after a struggle from Finlay. Finlay immediately taps in a lengthy match that mostly delivered. 

Match Rating: ***1/2

Jillian vs. Melina

I don't think this where I would have put this match on the card. After what happened earlier tonight, it's only Nitro out with Melina and the referee sends him to the back before the match even starts. Jillian starts off aggressively, but once the action spills out of the ring, Melina is able to kick her into the steps. They actually are given a little bit of a chance to wrestle here, which is a rarity. Jillian makes a comeback and she gets the victory off a roll up in the corner, even though Melina had her hand on the bottom rope. Melina is yelling at the ref after the match and I'm still surprised they had Jillian go over. Kristal comes down to interview Melina and rubs it in her face, so Melina attacks her and they start brawling on the entrance ramp. The match was what it was.

Match Rating: 3/4*

JBL says that tonight is JBL's time. In walks Chavo Guerrero, who says he's here to watch Rey Mysterio. 

Did you know Steve Austin won the King Of The Ring? 

Cruiserweight Championship Match

Gregory Helms vs. Super Crazy

Crazy tries a bunch of quick pinfall attempts to start off and then ends up clotheslining Helms to the floor. The referee stops Crazy's dive, so he goes over his back. This starts a "E-C-W" chant. Helms is able to drop Crazy on the top rope and then hits a swinging neckbreaker. Helms slows it down before hitting a knee to the face. Crazy makes a comeback after a missed elbow drop and gets a 2 count off a standing moonsault into a pin attempt. Crazy hits a nice missile dropkick and again Helms kicks out. The pace quickens and it leads to Helms hitting a powerbomb and then using the ropes to gain the victory. This was pretty good, but I know they are both capable of better. 

Match Rating: ***

They show Melina and Nitro going into Teddy Long's office. Teddy says that he's not going to do anything about what happened tonight, so Melina slaps him. Teddy says he needed that and fires both of them. 

They show Kurt Angle beat Rikishi in 2000 for the King Of The Ring. 

Mark Henry vs. Kurt Angle

Before the match, Mark Henry clears the announce table and grabs a mic. He tells Angle that he hurts people and that if he comes out here tonight, it's on him. Angle was most definitely injured heading into this match. Angle attacks Henry right away and he even pulls off a running kick, which I don't think I've ever seen Angle do. Angle goes for a German suplex through the table, but he can't get Henry up. Back in the ring, he runs right into Henry and this leads to a beatdown. Angle is relentless and hits a German suplex. The straps are down and he hits the Angle Slam. Angle's ribs are wrapped. Henry hits a huge clothesline and the World's Strongest Slam. Angle rolls into an Ankle Lock, but Henry is able to roll through and send him to the outside. Henry sets up Angle on the announce table, but Angle is able to move before Henry jumps. Henry drives Angle into the ring post. Henry rolls back into the ring and wins by countout, which draws a lot of groans from the crowd. That's a terrible finish on a pay-per-view. After the match, Henry goes after Angle again. Angle grabs a chair and starts unleashing like he did at Royal Rumble. Angle put son the Ankle Lock and Henry is tapping. The officials come out to pull Angle off of Henry. Angle gets away and hits an Olympic Slam onto the table and somehow it doesn't break. So Angle hits a chair shot to the head that sends Henry through the table. That was an irresponsible chair shot there. This was just poor booking all around. 

Match Rating: **

Sharmell is wearing a crown and she reminds Booker that tonight he becomes royalty. 

King Of The Ring Finals

Booker T vs. Bobby Lashley

They quickly go to their favorite spot still to this day, the shoulder to the ring post spot. Lashley is able to make a comeback shortly after though and sets him up for the Spear. Sharmell grabs his leg and Booker hits him with the superkick. Booker hits the Book End, but Lashley is able to kick out. Lashley catches him for a running powerslam and we get another close call. Booker fights back and hits a very different looking Scissor Kick for a 2 count. Lashley comes back with a Spear and again Sharmell distracts the referee. Finlay comes down and hits Lashley with the Shillelagh. Booker hits the Scissor Kick and is your King Of The Ring. This very much felt like a TV match. They didn't get a ton of time, but it was entertaining enough. Lashley naturally ruins Booker's coronation. 

Match Rating: **3/4

Great Khali vs. Undertaker

Khali tosses Undertaker out of the ring a couple of times, but then Taker baits Khali into coming at him and snaps his neck on the top rope. Taker goes for Old School, but Khali tosses him off the top rope. Outside the ring, Khali throws Taker into the steps. I can't believe I'm watching this match again. Taker is able to hit Old School and Khali's sell is just terrible. Taker hits a leaping clothesline and Khali ends up tied up in the ropes. Khali hits a chop to the head and then a boot to the face. He stands on him and pins the Undertaker. This is just as surprising 15 years later as it was when it happened. The match was terrible. 

Match Rating: 1/4*

World Heavyweight Championship Match

JBL vs. Rey Mysterio

Rey starts the match off hot and hits a seated senton off the apron to the floor and then a reverse crossbody off the second rope. Rey hits a sliding dropkick and nails JBL below the belt, but when they go outside, JBL hits a boot to the face. JBL then hits the Three Amigos. JBL keeps taunting Rey's wife and then hits a fall away slam. Rey is busted open here and now that I think of it, I can't really remember another match where that happens. Mysterio catches JBL with a knee to the face on a desperation moonsault and almost gets the win. Rey sets JBL up for the 619 and he connects. He goes for the follow up, but JBL pulls the ref in front and Rey accidentally hits him. Another ref comes down to count and Rey kicks out. JBL isn't happy and knocks him out. He goes and grabs a chair, but Rey kicks it into his face. He hits the 619 and a Frog Splash for the victory. This was a better match than I remember, with both guys making each other look good. Chavo Guerrero comes down to celebrate as we go off the air. 

Match Rating: ***1/2

This is kind of a tough show to rate. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't bad and had some solid matches. Unfortunately, it felt more like an episode of SmackDown rather than a big pay-per-view. There is nothing that is must see, but it was a strong use of talent. 

Overall Rating: 69%