Well, Smackdown was a lot better than I thought it would be....
Before we get started on the PDC, I want to apologize for an error in yesterday's column. I hyped the Hardys/Angle vs. Dudleys/Austin match by questioning why the Hardys were involved in this match. Little did I know that my bad short-term memory got me again, since I forgot about the Matt Hardy vs. Steve Austin match that was on RAW. D'oh. Again, I apologize.
If you read in Ray's Post earlier, you read that former wrestling superstars Randy "Macho Man" Savage and Hulk Hogan have signed to STAR in the sequel to the funny 1990 film Men At Work. The original film starred Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez, and I laugh my ass off everytime I watch it. But to have Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage as lead actors, let alone in a comedy, will be an absolute joke! Emilio Estevez is apparently the brains behind the whole sequel, and he has to be out of his mind to let Hogan and Macho star in an embarrassing sequel. I really hope this is just a bogus rumor.
Anyway, on to the PDC.
Well, Smackdown was a lot better than I thought it would be....
After a quick pep talk by Steve Austin with the Alliance backstage, we immediately go to a match to start off the show. It was Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon against the Acolytes. Could someone please give me a reason why the WCW superstars were booked into a WWF Tag Team Title bout? See, this is what angers me. Please, for the love of God, put reasoning behind nearly every match booked, especially when the titles are on the line. Please explain, to the fans, why the Acolytes disappeared for a while on WWF television, only to come back to wrestle WCW guys who haven't earned a shot in the tag division just yet. The match was pretty decent, with the crowd really hot for the opener. The LA crowd was very good for the whole night. DDP and Kanyon won after a swerving Test ran in to cost the Acolytes the titles. Wow, that's a few weeks too late. I'm thinking that Faarooq was battling some injuries to keep the APA off television, and the WWF turned Test this late because they wanted him to turn on the Acolytes and Acolytes only. This Alliance turn can only help Test, who's career has been going in the gutter by sticking with Team WWF.
Wow, what a quick match the Perry Saturn vs. Raven bout was. I just blinked, and BAM, it was over. Apparently, Terri is sleeping with the Alliance now, as she came down with Raven and used the match as an opportunity to steal Moppy. Geesh, what bad television. At least Perry Saturn isn't being booked to wrestle a boxing Kangaroo, like the Disco Inferno is with Vince Russo booking in Australia.
Oh lord. David Arquette, former WCW World Champ, was in attendance, and acting like the immature self he's said to be. Boy, Courtney Cox must be really proud to have married *that* guy.
Next match is Edge vs. Rob Van Dam for the hardcore title. Why does Edge get a Hardcore shot, and the same goes for the others? Do they just randomly challenge RVD or what? Well, at least Rob Van Dam is becoming the BEST hardcore champion ever, not including the founder, Mick Foley. RVD makes that title cool again, and he hasn't been a letdown yet as a wrestler, as predicted by many. Why not just keep RVD as Hardcore champ? If you don't want to elevate him up the ladder, why that's fine. Just keep him as hardcore champ, and that works for me. RVD's match versus Edge was beginning to get good until Lance Storm ran down for minutes of interference. After a Conchairto (sp?) on Edge, RVD scored the win, making me wonder where Christian was for all of this insanity. Christian isn't on Heat this week, either, making me wonder what the bookers have planned.
I'll tell you what, the X-Factor vs. Spike Dudley/Tajiri match was fun and entertaining to watch. It seems like X-Pac is starting to wrestle a lot like his weightclass, for a change, Albert did his usual tossing of the little guys, and Spike/Tajiri were solid as always. The body press that Albert did on Spike, where Spike was dropped all the way down to the floor was just brutal. The match had a solid ending, with Tajiri getting nailed with the belt by X-Pac into a Baldo Bomb by Albert. This match was set up well, with the Regal office segment. I still wouldn't label Albert as anything with "potential" yet. In this match, he had two little guys to toss around. Come on, anyone could look good working with that. Just watch Albert's recent match with Hugh Morrus that was on Heat recently if you truly want to see Albert's "potential", if you'll call it that.
Next, it's our long interview with Shane and Booker T. However, we'll let it slip by because Booker T has a legit leg injury, and what else could he do? Have more acting skits again? HELL NO!!! But I guess this interview was a good thing, because a lot of the Rocky fans seem to listen to what the wrestlers have to say instead of what the wrestlers do in the ring for a match. After taunting the Rock, the Great One came down, cleaned house, Rock Bottomed Shane through the announcer's table, and left with his head high. Well, I guess Booker T and Shane are playing the roles of "pussy heels", and it's not as bad because the Rock had to actually fight both of them off to get the better of them, instead of just running in with a fury of righthands. I really want to see this match at Summerslam!
I did like the comedy behind Shawn O'Haire/Chuck Palumbo being so stupid to challenge anybody from the back. Well folks, it looks like the WWF didn't have any confidence to have an Undertaker vs. DDP singles match, because now we have a tag match with DDP/Kanyon vs. Kane/Undertaker instead. It wouldn't put it past me that the WWF will do Undertaker vs. DDP at Unforgiven, the Pay Per View that I'll be watching, live, in Pittsburgh. Oh thank you WWF. I wonder if O'Haire and Palumbo lost the titles as a lesson on paying dues for the WWF? Hmm, I don't know, especially since they did defeat the Hardy Boyz on last week's Smackdown. Remember that? The Match was the usual Undertaker match, which I won't go into detail because I'll start swearing.
Chris Jericho is the man. Hugh Morrus isn't. Good thing the right man won, and quickly. Need I say more? Oh yeah, I guess this endless feud between Rhyno and Jericho will finally blow off at Summerslam, where they'll be going one on one. Nasty Gore through the video screen, by the way. Too bad Jericho doesn't have the world title, or Rhyno would have the first shot. Remember that stuff from around King of the Ring or whatever?
Hey, the Main Event.... Overall, the wrestling was pretty good. However, these guys have done battle SO MANY times that it's like many of these wrestlers just go through the motions of each match. Ah well, at least it was a main event and not pure sports entertainment to finish off the show. Odd use of the commercial break, by the way, to split this match up. I wonder if commercial break and the weak undercard at the beginning of this show will decrease the ratings for Smackdown? We'll find out later today! I wasn't too thrilled with the DQ finish to this match, but there was at least some decent drama building for the Austin vs. Kurt Angle match at Summerslam.
LAST WORD: Well, we have one more week of hype for Summerslam, and what, we have 4 matches signed already? That's not too bad for WWF standards, and I really hope we get some more good matches, signed, this Monday on RAW for Summerslam. I don't know, we'll go with a B for this show, more or less leaning slightly towards a B+. I can't say there was anything bad about this show, but I can't say there were any real stickouts either. Nothing was announced or hyped for RAW, unless I'm blind, deaf, or just plain stupid enough to not catch an announcement.
For this show, the Hardy Boys and Lita showed up to offer advice and to actually wrestle the contestants. Everyone was just delighted to see all 3, and they went at Team Xtreme hard in the ring. Poor Nidia and Josh were battling injuries, or they would have had fun too. The Hardys and Lita were letting the contestants have it, and the wannabes were loving every second of it. Taylor, especially, was working well with the Hardys.
There was some resentment between Nidia and Taylor throughout this competition, with Taylor looking great cause she's healthy and Nidia getting the nod for hear heart by working through injuries. I'd honestly look into taking both, because both ladies have a good look and great determination to become professional wrestlers. If you had to choose one, I'd go with Taylor for the simple fact that she can take care of her body a little better.
Nobody was cut this week, as the trainers have the feeling that Greg might bow out. I bet he does go, and after that, Josh will be the next, followed by little Chris, and then it will be a tough fight between Maven and Chris From Harvard. That's a close call there, but if I was going on sheer attitude, I'd stick with Maven. So my new bets are Maven and Taylor to get the WWF contracts.
LAST WORD: It's about fucking time this show focused more on the WRESTLING aspects instead of the bullshit going on in the house or whatever. The Hardys were probably the best special guests, for they let the contestants have it by wrestling them in the ring. Keep the REAL WORLD garbage out of this wrestling show!
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@That's all for today's edition of the PDC. I hope to be back, tomorrow, with the Week in Review column, reviewing this week's news and giving out awards. Until then, just chill......
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