Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'RAW'.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton vs Chris Benoit - RAW 8/16/04 This is a really simple layout, but executed to perfection. They both played their roles to a tee. Benoit came out hot right of the gate and delivers one of the all-time great shitkickings. If the Michaels match was an exhibition of how great Benoit is at selling, this match is an exhibition of his offensive prowess. To Randy's credit, he sells being overwhelmed perfectly. I love all his little attempts of creating space like an eyepoke or tights pull, but nothing is stopping the Rabid Wolverine, who is chopping the fuck out of him. Benoit hits an awesome superplex and cant get the pinfall. He just keeps tearing into Orton. Dropkick from the apron to the floor, kneecrusher on the steps and then a Sharpshooter and they are in Canada, BABY! This is a great shine. Benoit is on the apron when Orton nails him with a dropkick and this was the exact opportunity Orton needed. Orton sells the knee throughout his heat segment and even though it was no super focused on he is still selling it. Impressive. Orton is focusing on Benoit's neck with neckbreakers and a great, great chinlock. I remember him getting a lot of guff around this time for his chinlock this is one of the best damn chinlocks ever. Nothing lazy about it. Benoit three elbows and fires off his offense rolling Germans, Diving Headbutt, Crossface. I love the tenacious roll throughs on the Crossface ala Wrestlemania XX. Evolution hits the ring and it is an RKO outta nowhere! Damn they started doing the "outta nowhere" that early! The end of this match is quite famous and one of the more memorable angles of my teens. Orton was totally not ready to be babyface, HHH totally kneecapped him by winning the title back in September. You can argue Orton never really recovered. If he did it was probably not until 2011 I would say as a babyface at least. Great TV match with Benoit firing on all cylinders. I would say Orton has shown more promise than Cena so far and Big Dave has not even had a match worthy of my attention. We will see when Cena pulls ahead, but not for a while because I am returning to 80s wrestling. ****
-
World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit vs Shawn Michaels - RAW 5/3/04 Where the flying fuck did this match come from??? This was absolutely terrific! I think I may need to rewatch again because I cant believed how much I liked it. I am talking like "Best WWE match ever" contention after seeing it for the first time since I originally saw it. Shawn Michaels haters be damned. He fucking brought it in this match. This was his best offensive performance since the AWA. He knew he was going up against Benoit and just laid all his shit in and really brought to Benoit. I thought this was one of Benoit's all-time best selling performances. I really cant think of a better Benoit match in North America, but I have seen only a smattering of his matches since their original airing. For HBK, I think only Wrestlemania 25 or one of the Cena matches (I cant remember, which one I like a lot) can compete with this in terms of his post-comeback. I can't say enough how good I thought this was having just watched it. Stone Cold says you can tell how great a match will be based on they lock it up and it was ferocious lock up. You expect that out of Benoit, but when I saw HBK lock up like that I knew the muthafucka meant business. They established right from the get go how serious Michaels was taking this as he went chop for chop with the heavy-handed Benoit. I liked Michaels keeping Benoit grounded early. It is exactly the perfect strategy against Benoit to sap that energy. Once Benoit got a head of steam, he crushed Michaels. If you let Benoit create movement, he will win and he is pouring it on snap suplex and backbreaker. Michaels actually uses a slugfest to hit his flying Burrito/kip up. Ballsy. Benoit teases the Crippler Crossface. I love the early finish run tease. Coming back from commercial, Benoit takes a hard, hard back bump into the turnbuckle. PITCH PERFECT SELLING! Awesome! Awesome. He takes a back body drop and is now in the ab stretch. Michaels works the back like a champ. I have never seen Michaels work such a great heat segment. He was laying those knees in and another whip into the turnbuckle. I loved Benoit busting a barrage of quick nearfalls for his hope spot. It was ballsy with the more "likeable" and "charismatic" also "weaker on offense"Shawn Michaels playing de facto heel against his polar opposite. It worked great! Michaels hits a wicked clothesline. Who is this man??? Top rope elbow and he is tuning up the band. Rolling Germans counter and when he sees HBK stirring it is a fourth one for good measure, but still misses the diving headbutt. Michaels going for the cover there was the right move, but only gets two. He goes back on top and Benoit unleashes a crazy onslaught of chops that Michaels sells so fucking well. This was just awesome to watch. Suplex to the floor! I am such a mark for that. Michaels nails a moonsault from the top to the floor, probably his best ever! They tease the double countout and when they both get up, Michaels shoves him into the post and busts Benoit open. Blood! Shawn hits a wicked dropkick. This is Shawn working like he is in All Japan. Michaels returns to the back and goes Liontamer, but too close to the ropes. Benoit reverses an Irish Whip (to send his back into the turnbuckles for a 3rd time) and in total desperation goes for his one bomb the Crippler Crossface, but he is too close to the ropes. Now Michaels feeling the desperation that he may be losing his grasp on the match and basically choking goes for Sweet Chin Music, but Benoit catches the foot looks Sharpshooter! If that was the finish, I think I would have gone the full monty, but when Benoit kicks him off there is a ref bump. Michaels hits Sweet Chin Music, but HHH pedigrees him to mar the match. Benoit gets a tainted victory. Tremendous match. I cant praise Shawn's offense enough in this match. He went after this one and worked the best heat segment of his life. The finish stretch starting with the elbow drop was perfectly worked. Benoit was trying to avoid Sweet Chin Music at all costs, but was in too much of a hole to climb out of and then being ran into the post made it seemed insurmountable. I loved that his first move upon regaining the advantage was to apply the Crossface. It was avoid the Superkick and apply a finishing hold down the stretch for Benoit that was perfect strategy. Michaels was looking for finishing hold targetting the back or his bang bang Sweet Chin Music. Benoit's selling was off the charts good. Honestly, besides the finish I cant find much wrong with this match. Best WWE match of the 00s so far. ****3/4
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
World Heavyweight Champion Triple H vs Shawn Michaels - RAW 12/29/03 Terrific match! I have a lot I want to say about this, but it is getting pretty late. Probably the greatest American 80s match not to happen in the 80s. HHH does one of the best Flair impersonations ever and I mean that with respect and admiration. He was a consummate heel champion in this match. Michaels was an awesome, awesome fired up underdog hometown babyface. Both of them were constantly fighting back at each other. HHH was was getting outwrestled early in a great shine, but Shawn earned it. Awesome transition to the heat. HHH worked a great heat segment. Great transition to Shawn's figure-4. Not the best strike exchanges ever in terms of execution, but I liked the frequency of them and I liked the sense of the effort and struggle. Loved the lighthearted moments with Shawn abusing HHH's testicles. That's what made the 80s so great is having dramatic struggles but incorporating bits of fun to keep you entertained in a totally comprehensive way. Loved the drama with the ref bumps and Bischoff coming in. All this 80s goodness culminates in a Dusty Finish in the babyface's hometown. HUGE BABYFACE POP FOR MICHAELS! That's just cruel. They aren't coming back to San Antonio the next week so they have to blow it off right them and there. Loved this! I really want to analyze this in full because both guys gave awesome performances. ****1/2, easy.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
-
Talk about it here.
