WWE Cruiserweight Title Match - Matt Hardy Version 1.0 (w/Shannon Moore) (c) vs. Rey Mysterio
No big build to this. Matt Hardy has been doing his famous V1/CW/making weight gimmick and Rey Mysterio made a big impact in his first months and decided to go for the CW title and beat Shannon Moore to earn the match.
The match is quick. Some solid action which included some awesome, smooth wrestling. Rey got to show off his aerial prowess and he was kept strong by the interference, but ends before it could reach the next level. **1/2
The A-Train & The Big Show vs. The Undertaker
Initially a feud between Undertaker and Big Show after Big Show threw Taker off the stage on the SD after No Mercy when he debuted on the show. Then they transition into a tag feud to put over newcomer, Nathan Jones but he was awful so he got took out. LOL.
The match is fine. The heels worked over Taker, Taker made a comeback. Ones came down. Taker won. Bland match. **
World Women's Title Triple Threat Match - Victoria (w/Steven Richards) (c) vs. Jazz vs. Trish Stratus
I’m starting to see why fans hated Women’s Wrestling for years, this was rotten. Dull and mediocre wrestling with some horrible selling and “trash talk”. *1/2
WWE Tag Team Title Triple Threat Match - Team Angle (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) (c) vs. Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs. Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero)
This was a really good match. Awesome seeing these guys all in the ring together producing their magic with each other. Team Angle especially was great with the double team moves and being smarmy heels the entire time. Team Angle and Loss Guerrero would go on to feud after this, having a few amazing matches. ***1/2
Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels
Everytime I watched this in recent years, I honestly didn't like it at all. Thought it was way too boring and dragged way too long, however it clicked for me this time - unsure what’s so different but I saw the entire match in a whole new light. I didn’t like the first part and I thought it would be the same as the other times but Jericho got a big foothold and the match took off from there. His heel work was awesome. Trash talking w/ smart counters to everything HBK did. Doing the little things like emulate HBK trying to prove he was better. A few flaws though. I wasn’t totally into HBK’s offence - a few times there were a few times I popped but it was generally just there. He looked like he took a backseat and hardly did anything interesting, this was all Jericho, imo. If this had a better HBK performance with a better start, this could’ve been a bonafide MOTYC. **3/4
World Heavyweight Title Match - Triple H (w/Ric Flair) (c) vs. Booker T
Now this is famous for basically being the focus point of Triple H’s reign of terror but this match was really, really good. Triple H did some excellent work on Booker T’s leg. The only time his limb work made sense as it prevented Booker T to capalilise of the Huston Hangover and the Scissor Kick, which is great selling on Booker T’s half. ***1/2
Street Fight - Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon
2003 Hulk Hogan vs Vince McMahon? Sounds like a disatatar but it bloody works. You could absolutely tell Vince wanted to be a wrestler as a kid because he is in his element here. He plays us the heel work to the extra hype, posing, great facial expressions. Bumps his arse off. Hogan rolls back the clock too, brings it all the way. I can’t believe I’m doing this but I’m giving it ***3/4 starts.
Steve Austin vs. The Rock
What a last match to out on. There was some awesome old school AE style brawling in the beginning before they got in the ring and had a good old fashioned back and forth battle. Rock being uber heel, stealing Austin’s moves and his jackets, Austin doing it right back. The finisher kick outs, whilst in excess, perfectly acceptable here and it made the match all the more better. ****1/4
WWE Heavyweight Title Match - Kurt Angle (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
I loved this match. I’ve heard some people say it’s basically a spot fest and no story which is clearly not the case here. Angle works on the ribs for most of the match. Lesnar sells really well too. A lot of his offence is respected as a result and all he can do is hit the F-5 but he can’t capitalise almost every time. Sure at the end, both were just hitting moves but it came across as desperation to me. Angle is flawed as a wrestler but he was great here. Honestly I think Brock is the more weaker of the two in this match. ****
For all my childhood, I always believed that this was the best WM ever. And I still agree with that assessment as of 1-19. You got two highly regarded matches in Austin/Rock and Angle/Brock. A great undercard barring the first three matches which is all missable. The pacing of the show is probably the best of the WMs so far, including WM 17 too which makes it the most easiest to sit through. It's an overall great show. BEST TO WORST: Stone Cold vs The Rock - [****1/4]. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar - [****]. Hulk Hogan vs Vince McMahon - [***3/4]. Triple H (w/Ric Flair) (c) vs. Booker T - [***1/2]. Team Angle vs. Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs. Los Guerreros - [***1/2]. Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho - [**3/4]. Rey Mysterio vs Matt Hardy - [**1/2]. The A-Train & The Big Show vs. The Undertaker - [**]. Victoria vs. Jazz vs. Trish Stratus - [*1/2].
No big build to this. Matt Hardy has been doing his famous V1/CW/making weight gimmick and Rey Mysterio made a big impact in his first months and decided to go for the CW title and beat Shannon Moore to earn the match.
The match is quick. Some solid action which included some awesome, smooth wrestling. Rey got to show off his aerial prowess and he was kept strong by the interference, but ends before it could reach the next level. **1/2
The A-Train & The Big Show vs. The Undertaker
Initially a feud between Undertaker and Big Show after Big Show threw Taker off the stage on the SD after No Mercy when he debuted on the show. Then they transition into a tag feud to put over newcomer, Nathan Jones but he was awful so he got took out. LOL.
The match is fine. The heels worked over Taker, Taker made a comeback. Ones came down. Taker won. Bland match. **
World Women's Title Triple Threat Match - Victoria (w/Steven Richards) (c) vs. Jazz vs. Trish Stratus
I’m starting to see why fans hated Women’s Wrestling for years, this was rotten. Dull and mediocre wrestling with some horrible selling and “trash talk”. *1/2
WWE Tag Team Title Triple Threat Match - Team Angle (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) (c) vs. Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs. Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero)
This was a really good match. Awesome seeing these guys all in the ring together producing their magic with each other. Team Angle especially was great with the double team moves and being smarmy heels the entire time. Team Angle and Loss Guerrero would go on to feud after this, having a few amazing matches. ***1/2
Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels
Everytime I watched this in recent years, I honestly didn't like it at all. Thought it was way too boring and dragged way too long, however it clicked for me this time - unsure what’s so different but I saw the entire match in a whole new light. I didn’t like the first part and I thought it would be the same as the other times but Jericho got a big foothold and the match took off from there. His heel work was awesome. Trash talking w/ smart counters to everything HBK did. Doing the little things like emulate HBK trying to prove he was better. A few flaws though. I wasn’t totally into HBK’s offence - a few times there were a few times I popped but it was generally just there. He looked like he took a backseat and hardly did anything interesting, this was all Jericho, imo. If this had a better HBK performance with a better start, this could’ve been a bonafide MOTYC. **3/4
World Heavyweight Title Match - Triple H (w/Ric Flair) (c) vs. Booker T
Now this is famous for basically being the focus point of Triple H’s reign of terror but this match was really, really good. Triple H did some excellent work on Booker T’s leg. The only time his limb work made sense as it prevented Booker T to capalilise of the Huston Hangover and the Scissor Kick, which is great selling on Booker T’s half. ***1/2
Street Fight - Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon
2003 Hulk Hogan vs Vince McMahon? Sounds like a disatatar but it bloody works. You could absolutely tell Vince wanted to be a wrestler as a kid because he is in his element here. He plays us the heel work to the extra hype, posing, great facial expressions. Bumps his arse off. Hogan rolls back the clock too, brings it all the way. I can’t believe I’m doing this but I’m giving it ***3/4 starts.
Steve Austin vs. The Rock
What a last match to out on. There was some awesome old school AE style brawling in the beginning before they got in the ring and had a good old fashioned back and forth battle. Rock being uber heel, stealing Austin’s moves and his jackets, Austin doing it right back. The finisher kick outs, whilst in excess, perfectly acceptable here and it made the match all the more better. ****1/4
WWE Heavyweight Title Match - Kurt Angle (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
I loved this match. I’ve heard some people say it’s basically a spot fest and no story which is clearly not the case here. Angle works on the ribs for most of the match. Lesnar sells really well too. A lot of his offence is respected as a result and all he can do is hit the F-5 but he can’t capitalise almost every time. Sure at the end, both were just hitting moves but it came across as desperation to me. Angle is flawed as a wrestler but he was great here. Honestly I think Brock is the more weaker of the two in this match. ****
For all my childhood, I always believed that this was the best WM ever. And I still agree with that assessment as of 1-19. You got two highly regarded matches in Austin/Rock and Angle/Brock. A great undercard barring the first three matches which is all missable. The pacing of the show is probably the best of the WMs so far, including WM 17 too which makes it the most easiest to sit through. It's an overall great show. BEST TO WORST: Stone Cold vs The Rock - [****1/4]. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar - [****]. Hulk Hogan vs Vince McMahon - [***3/4]. Triple H (w/Ric Flair) (c) vs. Booker T - [***1/2]. Team Angle vs. Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs. Los Guerreros - [***1/2]. Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho - [**3/4]. Rey Mysterio vs Matt Hardy - [**1/2]. The A-Train & The Big Show vs. The Undertaker - [**]. Victoria vs. Jazz vs. Trish Stratus - [*1/2].
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