Wednesday 20 May 2015

WrestleMania 17

- Houston we have a problem ........ I may not have enough *'s to pass around! (I think I may of ripped that from JD Dunn or Scott Keith)

- 1st April, 2001 from Houston, Texas
- Attendance: 67,925
- Buys: 1,040,000

 Opening video is pretty good and highlights big 'Mania moments.

IC Title - Chris Jericho (c) Vs. William Regal
 Heyman and JR on commentary as King was gone from WWF (quit when they firednhis wife Miss Kitty, quite a ballsy move to be fair). Regal is the commissioner. Flying forearm and punches by Jericho then a crossbody over the top is almost overshot. Regal works over Jerichos shoulder. JR says UK has this on Sky Sports 1 and I bet any amount of money this would've gotten huge buys on Box Office (I wonder hsow many buys WWF missed out on in the UK market by not having Rumble 2000, Invasion et al on PPV). Jericho is thrown into an exposed turnbuckle. Regal gets a 2 count off a double underhook from the top rope. Jericho's shoulder gives out during a Walls attempt. Regal Stretch but Y2J gets a rope break. Bulldog, suplex and Lionsault gets Jericho the 3 count at 7:06. **1/2 - Well that was out of nowhere, boosted 1/2 as Jericho sold the shoulder.

Shane O'Mac is here then we see Bradshaw banging on about Texas.

RTC (Venis/Goodfather/Buchanan) Vs. Tazz/Acolytes (w/ Jacqueline)
 Venis, Taz fight then Jacquelien DDTs Stevie Richards. Tazz is isolated and Val does his knees into side russian leg sweep, as his gimmick is slightly changed he should do different moves. Bradshaw cleans house. Bradshaw is double powerbombed but about five seconds later beats Goodfather via Clothesline From Hell at 3:52. * - Had the brief, tag psychology with Tazz being isolated but if this card wasn't in Texas I highly doubt it would've made the show. 

Hardcore Title - Raven (c) Vs. Kane Vs. Big Show 
 JR says Kane may be the future of the WWF also Big Show has unlimited potential, this could be used as an argument in the is JR overrated debate (more non-sensical than over rated though I do prefer NWA/WCW JR to the WWF/E one who spouts cliches ad nauseum). They fight through the crowd then into the back where Kane is choked with a hose. Raven is tossed through a window, Kane is put through a door then Kane and Show go through a wall, I hope Tommy Walsh isn't watching this destruction. Raven crashes a golf cart then Kane follows in a cart with a referee as a passenger, Kane's a good guy at heart, he mows down Ravens leg, may be he isn't after all. At the entranceway now as Show has Raven up in a press slam but Kane boots him and both fall off the stage then Kane comes off with a leg drop for 3 at 9:16. ** - I didn't care for it that much but Kane in a golf cart is worthy of a boost.

Kurt tells Edge and Christian that he never officially tapped to Benoit.

European Title - Eddie Guerrero (w/ Saturn) Vs. Test (c)
 Sadly neither of these guys are longer with us. Saturn's hat is a ***** affair in my book. Test wins a punch off then gets 2 from a gut wrench powerbomb. Test blocks a top rope hurricanrana by holding onto the top rope. Test gets his leg twisted in the rope and Eddie has to free him to a minor cheer and now he's working the leg. Uh the leg work was for nothing as Test does a Tilt-a-Whirl slam and Powerbomb. Perry Saturn and then Dean Malenko get involved and Eddie wins via belt shot of all things at 8:05 but more important than the belt Eddie gets to wear Saturn's hat. *** - Actually a good match here, slightly annoyed at Test not selling the leg but for once i'll let is slide.

Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit
 If I remember right this is where the PPV kicks into higher gear. Kurt cuts a promo as he comes down the ramp 'lose the freakin' cowboy hats you're not seven years old'. Kurt wins an amateur wrestle off. Paul says Benoit was an undefeated WCW Champion which whilst true is slightly misleading in that he bailed from WCW soon after winning the title (Did he even appear on Nitro with it?). More mat wrestling and Benoit almost gets a Crossface. Kurt gets a cheapshot in and takes control soon fires off a couple of belly-to-bellys. The camera goes up at one point and man the Astrodome is huge. Benoit hits two germans but a third is countered to an Ankle Lock which Benoit transitions into his own Ankle Lock but Kurt turns that into a pin then applies a Crossface of his own. Ref Bump! Kurt taps to Crossface but the ref is down. Angle Slam gets a 2 count then Kurt goes for a moonsault, in my pad it says the Holly arm breaker and I didn't know what the hell I was on about, but Benoit gets his knees up. Diving Headbutt only gets Benoit 2. Kurt hits a low blow then a roll up for the 3 count at 14:02. **** - I used to hate amateur style matches as a kid but now I respect and like them and generally can't stand hardcore matches that I used to love, I've lost me sense of identity! Oh yeah the match was awesome bar the cheapish ending but i'll let it sliiiiiiiiiiiiide due to the quality beforehand. 

Kamala trashes Regals office then Benoit makes Angle tap backstage, WWF should've taped that over the ending of  the match, i'm sure no-one would've noticed the different setting.

Womens Title - Chyna Vs. Ivory (c)
 This match is not rateable under my rules as it's sub 3 mins. The best bit JR 'maybe we could call that a Chyna-line, or maybe not' Heyman 'Let's stick with maybe not', Chyna won with a Press Slam.

Street Fight - S/Ref - Mick Foley - Vince McMahon (w/ Steph) V Shane McMahon
 Imagine if this was Vince Vs. Bischoff (should've booked that to mock WCW more and say they booked the match WCW couldn't deliver on at Slamboree). Vince was ready to buy WCW but Shane bought it instead, Shane shouts out to his WCW homies(/jobbers) in attendance. Has a ref ever got an entrance between the wrestlers ones before? Foley was Commish until Vincenzo fired him in December. Vince hits punches but Shane then spears him, Vinnie must've potatoed Shane-O as his eye is swollen. Sign shots by Shane then a clothesline off the barricade. The Spanish Announcers have their work place trashed for the 100th PPV in a row, TV monitor shot sparks Vincent out but Shane misses his elbow from the top as Steph moves Vince. Trish Stratus wheels down Linda McMahon, Vince was having an affair with trish or something kind of like he is WWF's Flair. Trish slaps Vince to a pop then chases Steph up the aisle leading to a B-Move style fall from Steph. Vinnie Mac hits Mick with a chair, seems to hit him in the back of the head or at least partly, he places Linda in the ring and puts her in a chair. Vincent Kennedy McMahon goes to hit Shane but Linda stands up to a pop, she's WWF's version of Spike! She low blows VKM then Foley gets shots in thus raising the pop. Shane ends it in quite spectacular fashion with a Trash Can assisted Van-Terminator, Rob Van Who? 14:12. **** - This is kind of what the WWF did best in that we got an overbooked but entertaining spectacle where the heel got his comeuppance. Some may think overrated but I stand by it also as of now Vince is my WWF/E Konnan in that I'll try to use a different version of his name in his matches.

WWF Tag Titles - TLC II - Edge/Christian Vs. Hardyz Vs. Dudleyz (c)  
 Speaking of overbooked spectacles. I think JR says E&C won at No Mercy '99 but that's wrong. This is classed as TLC II as the term TLC wasn't used for WrestleMania 16. Edge and Christian are quadruple teamed to start. Hardyz and Dudz are taken out by a ladder then Jeff is drop toe holded onto a chair. Dudz have a ladder but get hit by a MLB slide. legdrop and splash combo to Christian then Edge is hit with the Wassssup headbutt. 'D-Von get the tables!!!!!' Edge is put on a table and Jeff is powerbombed through him. All six guys climb ladders in the ring then fall off them, Christian takes a particularly brutal fall as he goes right to ringside. Spike Dudley runs in and Acid Drops Christian through a table. Rhyno comes down and takes out Dudleyz and Gores Matt through a table. Spike knocks Rhyno into a ladder knocking Edge off, speaking of knocking Edge off, Lita's here and almost kills Spike with a chair shot, she removes her top and is 3Dd. Rhyno and Spike are placed on tables and Jeff Swantons them both, well he barely clips Rhyno as Spike takes the brunt of it. D-Von and Christian hang from the belts then they come back down to ground level the hard way. Jeff uses ladders like stepping stones and is now hanging from the belts and this leads to one of wrestling's most famous moves as Edge Spears Jeff as he hangs from the titles. Rhyno dumps Matt and Buh Buh off a ladder through a stack of tables on the outside. Rhyno lifts Christian up a ladder and to the belts. **** - Pretty good spot fest but not as good as I remembered, this may sound ridiculous in the context of a TLC match but with the other three people getting involved it almost felt like overkill. Kind of like having a good night out with mates then when you are sober and think back about it the night wasn't that good after all. Anyone else now want a beer? I think I prefer SummerSlam 2000s TLC. (I do prefer the 1st one indeed)

Highlights of Axxess.

Gimmick Battle Royal
 Under the Patrick Doesn't Review Battle Royals act of 2013 I can't give this a score but I'll tell you the participants - The Bushwhackers, Duke 'The Dumpster' Droese, Iron Sheik, Earthquake, The Goon, Doink The Clown, Kamala, Repo Man - Gene: 'About five years ago he got my mother-in-law' Bobby 'About four years ago everyone got your mother-in-law', Jim Cornette, Nikolai Volkoff - his music reminds me of the Sonic 2 level on the plane, Michael 'PS' Hayes - Badstreet theme alone is worth *****, One Man Gang, Gobbly Gooker - Hector Guerrero is under the outfit tonight I believe, Tugboat, Hillbilly Jim, Brother Love, Sgt. Slaughter.  Iron Sheik won it as he can't actually go over the top rope. I made a note during BL's entrance re the Bobby Roode contract fiasco of a few years ago so that gives some idea of when I did this review. Earthquake and Tugboat may be better remembered as Golga and Typhoon respectively (I doubt Golga is more remembered than Earthquake and I loved The Oddities).

Mark Calaway Vs. Triple-H
Basic angle here 'I've between everyone' 'You ain't beat me' 'let's get it on' though not how Marvin Gaye meant. Will Terra Ryzing end Mean Mark Callous' Mania streak?  (No but some guy in developmental will) Starts on the outside. Powerslam by the Dead Biker but he misses an elbow. HHH pulls Taker off the top to counter old school. Mike Chioda and HHH have a shove off. Ref Bump! after only six minutes as HHH is slingshotted into him. Chokeslam only gets 2 so Taker attacks the ref. Fighting through the crowd and now I think they're at the hard camera station, HHH is Chokeslammed off the structure then Taker does an elbow off it, we see that they seemed to land on a bouncy castle it had that much give. They are now back in the ring where Mike Chioda is still out, what a seller. HHH tries a Tombstone but Taker counters and hits his own, quite notable as he rarely used it at this point. Last Ride is attempted but HHH takes a Sledgehammer up with him and cracks UT with it for a 2 count and a 2002 Christian fir from Hunter, Sledge hammer must be the most Suspension Of Disbelief killing weapon in wrestling even above Halls taser. Then we get the usual Last Ride ending where Takers opponent does the 10 Corner Punches and he Last Rides them. (18:17) ***1/2 - It was enjoyable but my question is did HHH and the match structure help hide Takers weaknesses as he was bad for awhile upon his 2000 return or did UT up his game as he faced The Game?

WWF Title - Stone Cold Vs. The Rock (c)
 Austin won the Rumble and Rock won the title from Angle at No Way Out. Pretty darn good video set to that 'My Way or the Highway' song. Stone Cold gets a pop that may still be reverberating around Houston. The match is made No DQ. Thesz Press and elbow by Steve then Rock hits a neckbreaker. They fight in the crowd then back to the ring as Austin is in control. Wahey Earl trips over the ring steps, Rock is cut from a ringbell shot. Austin does something that isn't a punch and that alone may shatter the space time continuum, as a neckbreaker gets 2. Austin is bounced off an exposed turnbuckle and hit with a ringbell, we now have a double juicer. Stunner is blocked and Sharp Shooter *WrestleMania 13* is applied but Austin gets a rope break, it's No DQ so why should Rock break it? Rock counters Million Dollar Dream *WrestleMania 8* for 2. Stunner by Rock gets 2 and here's Vincenzo. Peoples Elbow but Vince pulls Rock off Austin, Rock gives chase but is Austin Bottomed for 2. Vince hits Rock with a chair for 2. Stone Cold ends it with 18 chair shots after a Stunner gets 2 and the chair shots finally put Rock away at 28:06. Vince and Steve drink beers as Vince turns face! oh no sorry Austin goes heel as he's cheered in hindsight everyone, including the people involved I believe, thinks this was the wrong way to go. **** - Very good WWF style main event, however personally I do think it drags towards the ending and would've been better had we cut to the ending after Vince breaks the Rocks pin when he comes out. This I think is generally placed near the top of Mania matches but I don't agree with that.

28  / 45 - That's a real good score believe me. The first part is pretty poor but from Eddie/Test onwards all is good to very good, the fact three of matches are **** makes this a easy thumbs up. The card had something for most people - the wrestling from Ben/Ang, car crash spot fest - TLC, WWF style matches - Vince/Shane and Rock/Austin.
 I do think the main event is over rated in general and is not the best Wrestle Mania main event let alone match but overall the PPV is very, very good. 
Easy Thumbs UP here. 

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