Sunday, January 7th, 2007
Kemper Arena
Kansas City, Missouri
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Steel Cage Match For The Intercontinental Championship Match
Johnny Nitro vs. Jeff Hardy
I know it's the opener, but the crowd is very much into Jeff here. After getting in the opening offense, Hardy misses in the corner and Nitro hits him with a springboard kick to the head. Nitro uses the cage to his advantage, but then Hard hits a springboard dropkick to a seated Nitro into the cage. Hardy attempts to sneak out the top of the cage off of an Irish whip, but Nitro gets there and super back suplex back to the mat. Hardy is able to launch Nitro into the cage and again is unsuccessful in escaping. Nitro meets him on the top rope and hits a side Russian leg sweep. They battle again on the top and Nitro hits a sunset flip powerbomb from the top of the cage. Nitro gets to the top of the cage, but Hardy meets him there. Nitro hangs his legs in the top of the cage and throws Hardy to the mat. Nitro hits a missile dropkick after some Melina interference. Nitro tries a top rope crossbody, but Hardy tries to catch him, but more or less just pushes him down. Hardy then hits a Swanton Bomb, but Nitro gets his foot on the bottom rope. Nitro gets to over the top of the cage, but Hardy pulls him back over. Hardy tries a Twist Of Fate, but Nitro is able to hang on and Hardy falls hard. Nitro climbs over the top with Melina trying to block the door. Hardy dropkicks the door and Nitro gets crotched on the top of the cage. Hardy escapes and picks up the victory in a finish that's still among the best I can think of for a cage match. These guys worked very hard, keeping up a good pace throughout the match. They also had a number of clever spots that still hold up 16 years later. Very strong opener to the show.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Todd Grisham is with Rated RKO. Edge says that DX reformed to have some fun and they formed to take DX out.
World Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Tag Team Turmoil Match
Highlanders vs. World's Greatest Tag Team vs. Jim Duggan & Super Crazy vs. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch vs. Cryme Tyme
JR and Lawler try to pretend to be excited for this bonus match. No one ever wants to see a tag team turmoil match. Highlanders and TWGTT start the match off. Shelton and Haas dominate most of the matchup here until we finally get a hot tag. It feels like they already lost the crowd here. Robbie knocks Shelton out of the ring and hits a back suplex on Haas. Benjamin hits a superplex after raking Robbie's eyes and that's enough to eliminate them. Up next it's Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Super Crazy. Remember when Super Crazy was actually on Raw for a few matches? We actually get a small "Super Crazy" chant as we are stuck watching Duggan get beat up. Duggan fights back with his running clothesline and makes the tag to Crazy. Crazy hits a series of dropkicks and a standing moonsault on Haas. Shelton gets in a cheap shot, which allows Haas to hit a German suplex into a bridge for the victory. Cade and Murdoch come running out and get right to business. We get the rare heel/heel dynamic in these matches. Maybe it isn't rare. I honestly can't remember there ever being a good one of these. Murdoch hits his big running boot to the face on Shelton. Haas comes back with a missile dropkick, but Cade attacks him from behind after. Haas hits a flapjack on Murdoch, but gets hit by Cade off the top rope and Murdoch pins Haas. They keep trying to make these guys a thing and it just never worked. Out comes Cryme Tyme and the crowd wakes up a little bit. Lawler announces that these are the final two teams here. Cade and Murdoch hit their high and low combo on JTG. I'm just at the point where I've lost all interest in this match. I'm just not sure this needed to be nearly 20 minutes long when they never invest any time for these guys. Murdoch is just one of those guys I don't want to see on my TV and not in the "he's a heel" type of way. This heat segment is just completely not needed for this match and I would call for them to go home here. JTG gets his boot up on a leaping Murdoch, but Cade knocks Shad off the apron before the tag can be made. JTG escapes a double clothesline and tags in Shad. Shad escapes the high and low and they hit a neckbreaker/Samoan drop for the victory. They were the only team even remotely over out of this bunch, so they were the obvious choice. None of the work was bad or anything, but there was just nothing to care about.
Match Rating: *
We go to Vince McMahon and Jonathan Coachman. He talks about his good friend Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell. God, please help me. Vince says that on Monday Night Raw tomorrow it will be "Donald Trump" vs. "Rosie O'Donnell". Coach just keeps talking about Vince taking his "You're fired" catchphrase away from Trump and how it's the greatest catchphrase, which leads to Ron Simmons doing what he does.
Kenny Dykstra vs. Ric Flair
Dykstra is wearing a Flair-esque robe. Dykstra cuts a dorky promo before the match. I'm not sure why you put these two dud matches back to back. Flair starts off slowly, but effectively until Kenny suplexes him outside the ring. He hits another one inside the ring for a 2 count. Kenny locks in a Boston crab seemingly because it's a move that he happened to remember he knew how to do. Flair is in the hold for a bit of time before he grabs the bottom rope. I wonder if Flair believed in Dykstra on a personal level or if he just was doing what he was told here. I have said it before, but watching Flair here just makes my mind even more blown that he decided to wrestle again as recently as he has. Flair climbs up top as Lawler pleads for him not to. Shockingly, Kenny throws him off the top and then hits a missile dropkick. Flair is able to come back with a chop block after a thumb to the eye. Flair slaps on the Figure Four for an extended length of time until Kenny grabs the bottom rope. Flair starts to get aggressive and this allows the referee to get involved and Kenny hits a low blow for the victory. It was very obvious that Kenny was not ready for this push.
Match Rating: *
Johnny Nitro is shown getting medical attention with Melina. Nitro tells her to call Joey and to tell him that the Hardys are going to pay for what they have done. Melina leaves and runs into Victoria talking about her list. She says that there is only one diva left off her list and that's Melina. She says that the two of them could take over the division. She tells Melina that she would give her the first title shot and then heads off.
To WWE's credit here, we actually get a lengthy recap of Victoria's list.
WWE Women's Championship Match
Victoria vs. Mickie James
So we finally have a women's title match with a build and it features the two most talented on the roster at the moment. Mickie gets kicked off the apron and falls to the floor. Back in the ring, Victoria chucks Mickie across the ring by her hair. She goes up top and misses with a moonsault, giving Mickie her opening. Mickie knocks Victoria off the apron and out comes Melina to check on Victoria. Mickie gets in a shot on Melina and throws Victoria back in the ring. Melina grabs Mickie's ankle and this allows Victoria to get Mickie up for the Widow's Peak. Mickie counters out and rolls her up for a 2 count. Maria and Candice Michelle are out to keep Melina away. Mickie hits the DDT and picks up the victory. This wasn't quite the match I was hoping for since they didn't get much time, but it was a pretty well worked match.
Match Rating: **1/4
D-Generation X vs. Rated RKO
They get to brawling outside the ring right away before the bell rings. We get into the ring and we're underway with DX working on Edge in their corner. Edge avoids a charging Michaels and he rams his shoulder into the ring post. That's enough to allow him to tag in Orton, but Michaels recovers and they're still on offense. It's not long before Triple H unloads on him and he's bleeding from the forehead. Rated RKO uses some illegal double teaming to finally gain control. It's not long before Michaels is up top and hitting an elbow drop. Michaels hits a dive onto both opponents. Orton is able to hit Michaels with one of the tag belts behind the ref's back and Michaels is busted open. We get our big heat segment and no one is better at teasing a comeback than Michaels. Michaels tries to get the tag, but Edge ducks a chop by Michaels and hits him with a boot to the face. Orton tries a RKO, but Michaels is able to avoid it and makes the tag. Triple H hits some clotheslines and a high knee on Edge. He clotheslines Edge over the top, but when he hits a spinebuster on Orton, Triple H is visibly injured. He hits one on Edge and the referee throws up the X. Triple H goes for a Pedigree, but Orton has to hit a half RKO. Michaels comes back in and they throw him out. Edge rolls over to pin Triple H, but he kicks out. Edge sets up for the Spear, but Triple H avoids it, but he can't even walk. He "hits" a Pedigree, but Edge kicks out. Michaels hits a dive through the ropes onto Orton and then hits the referee on purpose. He grabs a chair and hits both Edge and Orton with it. Triple H starts using a chair too multiple times. Goodbye, WrestleMania 23 main event. Triple H hits a Pedigree on Edge onto the table and then Michaels hits a to rope elbow drop on Orton through the table. The referee is still out for all of this. DX's music hits and we just have a non-finish. Triple H would go on to miss the next 6 months due to this injury. I'm not sure what was supposed to happen, but if a non-finish was the audible, that doesn't make much sense to me. The action was solid and the crowd enjoyed it as well.
Match Rating: ***1/4
Todd Grisham is with John Cena to talk about the undefeated Umaga. He says that there's nothing that will stop him from walking out of here as the WWE Champion.
Carlito vs. Chris Masters
These two just can't keep away from each other. Carlito hits a double springboard moonsault to wake up the crowd a little bit. Masters goes for the Master Lock, but Carlito is able to get to the ropes. Carlito ducks a clothesline and hits a springboard reverse elbow. He hits a high knee and a clothesline. Carlito goes for a reverse roll up, but Masters blocks it, grabs the tights and gets the pin. After the match, he kicks Carlito and slaps on the Master Lock before throwing him to the mat. He rubs it in Torrie Wilson's face. JR thinks that the referee should reverse the decision. This was a nothing match that the crowd had little to no interest in.
Match Rating: *1/4
WWE Championship Match
Umaga vs. John Cena
Cena goes after Umaga with everything he has and lowers the top rope, sending Umaga over the top. Umaga is furious before climbing up to the apron. Cena tries to attack him, but Umaga sends him over the ropes and to the floor. Umaga hits him with a Samoan drop and then knocks him off the apron and into the announce table. Umaga misses with a splash and Cena goes for a body slam, but Cena's back gives out and Umaga gets a 2 count. Cena is able to snap Umaga's neck on the top rope. He runs up top, but Umaga catches him into a spinning Rock Bottom. Umaga comes back with a spin kick. Cena is able to get Umaga up for the FU, but again isn't able to keep him up. Umaga throws Cena out of the ring again. Umaga misses with a splash off the second rope. Cena makes his comeback and throws Umaga into the ring post. He hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Umaga is able to hit a belly to belly suplex. He hangs Cena in the tree of woe and Umaga hits a leaping headbutt. Cena gets his knees up when Umaga goes for the butt in the face and quickly rolls him up for the surprise victory out of nowhere. I get the thinking there, especially since I remember just assuming it would end with some sort of DQ finish. With how short the show ran, they probably could have had the match run a little longer. They were having a good match and still seemed to have a lot of gas left in the tank. Regardless, this was an entertaining main event and better than probably most were expecting at the time.
Match Rating: ***1/2
This is one of those shows that most people forgot existed, but actually wasn't bad. It was essentially a very stacked episode of Raw, with the opener and main event delivering. The DX/Rated RKO match was good as well, but went off the rails after the injury. I would have liked to have seen the women's match get a few more minutes, but that just wasn't meant to be. The rest of the card was disposable and that hurts the show overall.
Overall Rating: 58%
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