Show started at about 815pm, but that place was jam packed way ahead of time. If you can visualize yourself standing on the entrance ramp looking down towards the ring – my seats would be to your right. First row loge slightly diagonal to the entrance ramp. Perfect unobstructed view, and close enough to feel the heat from the pyro.
Justin Roberts got the first pop of the night when he took the ring after a lengthy match-for-match recap of Wrestlemania 26. He announced an opening video montage, followed by a brief pyrotechnics display and then SUPERSTARS taping. My boy “The Fortunate Son” Ted Dibiase w/ Maryse entered first. His opponent for the night was Goldust and the two had a good match, nailed all their spots and took it outside the ring. After a close calls and reversals, Dibiase got the win with Dream Street and posed with Maryse. It’s interesting to watch all the production that is really going on, from the lighting to the pyro set-ups to camera angles. Maryse and Dibiase posed on the entrance ramp and kissed. Then the camera man held up his hand to tell them “one more time” so they did it again for the camera. Then he counted them out with his fingers and cut filming. Little things like that.
Santino and Kozlov got a big pop, and Santino beat one of the Uso bros in a singles match when Uso hit Santino’s knees with his top rope splash. The love affair with Snuka’s daughter continued when she gave him her lei after the match.
Finally RAW started and we were off. They did the live USA spot on the lead in, and filmed a bunch of signs. What I remember most about the night was the distinct lack of wrestling action. It was all a lot of pomp and little circumstance. Big exiting entrances, talking, then darkness and waiting. Morrison and R-Truth did a funny little riff on Drew’s Scottish accent before their match. I thought the crowd was flat for most of the opening acts. They show A LOT of commercials in between matches, if not just leaving us in darkness for minutes on end.
I think the biggest pop of the night and most fun was definitely CM Punks’ “Stone Cold” tease. That even had ME on my feet in anticipation. The second biggest pop of the night was Randy’s first RKO after the crowd had been chanting, followed by an even bigger pop when he immediately hit his second one. When the GM announced Bret vs. Taker the crowd was audibly displeased. Like it was a heelish decision on behalf of the GM.
A bunch of stuff happened, I’ll have to rewatch to see what wasn’t on camera. The one “real” match we had going (Swagger and Bourne) didn’t even get going before Alberto’s entrance drew all eyes away from the ring. I know Sheamus came out during what must have been a commercial break and cut a promo on Triple H. But then Edge cut him off and dueled with him a little on the mic, calling him “Beaker” from the Muppets and doing the little impersonation. Then Sheamus went backstage just to come out again with full music for his entrance.
The main event was over in a blink of an eye, obviously. So fast it didn’t even really register the surprise ending. We got up to leave a little disappointed cuz we didn’t actually see any action. But then they started setting up the cage (the little one I saw last night in Springfield) and FINALLY the crowd started getting going. They announced a triple threat WWE match with Sheamus versus Cena versus Taker!!!
Sheamus first, followed by Cena – both still “selling” their injuries from their match 2 minutes prior. Finally Taker who always moves with a pronounced limp. Started fast with Sheamus getting pinned between the ropes and the cage with a big boot, knocking him out where he lay motionless for the rest of the night. Then we got a preview for Wrestlemania 27 (???) when Cena collided with Taker. VERY good and fun, back and forth, reversals, fast paced. But still brief. Taker did “old school”. Cena gave him an Attitude Adjustment. Finally at the end, Taker tied up Cena in the Hells Gate allowing the NOW moving Sheamus to slide out of the open cage door and win. I think that, and the opening Dibiase match, were the only bits of wrestling we saw.
Overall, 3.5 out of 10 for the lack of surprises, madd delays and minimal wrestling. After letting it sink in for a while, the CM Punk bit hyping the Rock and Stone Cold was severely depressing!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
SMACKDOWN LIVE House Show
August 29th was my sons 5th birthday (and 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina). The main event for the evenings festivities was my presentation of these two tickets. The look of suprise and anticipation on his face was all worth it.
Sprinfield is about a two hour drive from Broken City. Show started at 5 at the old Mass Mutual center. Very quaint feeling, like one step up from an indy show. There were rows of folding chairs set up around the ring, but the last 15 rows of each were completely empty. Contrast that with full balcony seats all the way around. Seems like a shame to waste such primo seating, but oh well. Our seats were first row fold-outs, just beyond the circle of chairs around the ring. Perfect seats, with a clear view and very close to ringside. My 5 year old have an unobstructed view.
WWE has a very strict policy about photography and filming, as they remind you on every written notice and pre-recorded segment before the show. But, just to be dicks, they then lowered the arena lighting to BARE minimum visibility levels. Seriously, it was like watching wrestling in a strip club or something. They briefly shone the spotlight on wrestlers as they entered the match, but from there they were wrestling in dusk.
Santino Marella’s theme song opened the show to huge cheers. He and Kozlov beat Curt Hawkins & Vance Archer in the opener. I never understood the new general WWE direction until I saw this match live with my 5 year old son. The comedic stylings and humourous antics of Santino and the others (stuff you and I would roll our eyes at or dismiss completely) went over like GANGBUSTERS with the kids in the crowd. I mean laugh out loud funny at Santino’s little “my butt hurts” strut after eating an atomic drop, or his big climatic “Cobra” finisher (that actually pinned Hawkins). Not bad. After the match, Alberto Del Rio ran in and attacked Santino, then cut a promo saying HE should be in the main event instead of facing Chavo Guerrero later tonight. Big boos.
TYLER REKS (looking the same, yet almost unrecognizable like a big, dreadlocked barbarian – a taller version of Taz 2000) lost to Christian in the second match. The Bella Twins BEAT Lay Cool after the old Killer Bees switcheroo routine. Man, they are SO fine in real life. Like, the finest women in the world. There was a brief intermission.
CM PUNK came out to a HUGE reaction. Mostly boos, but the only 3 signs in the audience were all pro-Punk. He cut a long pre-match promo, riffing on the city and getting heat, and making sure his opponent for the night got cheered. CM Punk then beat MVP in match of the night. Couple of close calls, very Pro-MVP crowd (his name is easy to chant) and some near falls at the end that the crowd totally bought. He finally lost to the GTS but got cheered when he left the ring. Alberto Del Rio beat Chavo with his armlock submission. Another false ending with Chavo hitting the frog splash, but Alberto barely getting his hand on the ropes. The armlock looks awesome in person.
Main event was Kane beating Big Show in a steel cage (the little miniature mesh version) after CM PUNK slid a chair in the ring and Kane DDT’d Show onto it. Big Show is very poor. I saw him live at Survivor Series 08 most recently, and tonight too – there’s just a lot of space in his moves. They’re not tight or snug at all. Even his headbutts clearly miss by inches, and his punches are so obviously and weakly pulled. He chokeslammed Kane to play his music and end the night with cheers. Was over by 7:30 pm EST. Good times. 900 RAW next!!!!
Sprinfield is about a two hour drive from Broken City. Show started at 5 at the old Mass Mutual center. Very quaint feeling, like one step up from an indy show. There were rows of folding chairs set up around the ring, but the last 15 rows of each were completely empty. Contrast that with full balcony seats all the way around. Seems like a shame to waste such primo seating, but oh well. Our seats were first row fold-outs, just beyond the circle of chairs around the ring. Perfect seats, with a clear view and very close to ringside. My 5 year old have an unobstructed view.
WWE has a very strict policy about photography and filming, as they remind you on every written notice and pre-recorded segment before the show. But, just to be dicks, they then lowered the arena lighting to BARE minimum visibility levels. Seriously, it was like watching wrestling in a strip club or something. They briefly shone the spotlight on wrestlers as they entered the match, but from there they were wrestling in dusk.
Santino Marella’s theme song opened the show to huge cheers. He and Kozlov beat Curt Hawkins & Vance Archer in the opener. I never understood the new general WWE direction until I saw this match live with my 5 year old son. The comedic stylings and humourous antics of Santino and the others (stuff you and I would roll our eyes at or dismiss completely) went over like GANGBUSTERS with the kids in the crowd. I mean laugh out loud funny at Santino’s little “my butt hurts” strut after eating an atomic drop, or his big climatic “Cobra” finisher (that actually pinned Hawkins). Not bad. After the match, Alberto Del Rio ran in and attacked Santino, then cut a promo saying HE should be in the main event instead of facing Chavo Guerrero later tonight. Big boos.
TYLER REKS (looking the same, yet almost unrecognizable like a big, dreadlocked barbarian – a taller version of Taz 2000) lost to Christian in the second match. The Bella Twins BEAT Lay Cool after the old Killer Bees switcheroo routine. Man, they are SO fine in real life. Like, the finest women in the world. There was a brief intermission.
CM PUNK came out to a HUGE reaction. Mostly boos, but the only 3 signs in the audience were all pro-Punk. He cut a long pre-match promo, riffing on the city and getting heat, and making sure his opponent for the night got cheered. CM Punk then beat MVP in match of the night. Couple of close calls, very Pro-MVP crowd (his name is easy to chant) and some near falls at the end that the crowd totally bought. He finally lost to the GTS but got cheered when he left the ring. Alberto Del Rio beat Chavo with his armlock submission. Another false ending with Chavo hitting the frog splash, but Alberto barely getting his hand on the ropes. The armlock looks awesome in person.
Main event was Kane beating Big Show in a steel cage (the little miniature mesh version) after CM PUNK slid a chair in the ring and Kane DDT’d Show onto it. Big Show is very poor. I saw him live at Survivor Series 08 most recently, and tonight too – there’s just a lot of space in his moves. They’re not tight or snug at all. Even his headbutts clearly miss by inches, and his punches are so obviously and weakly pulled. He chokeslammed Kane to play his music and end the night with cheers. Was over by 7:30 pm EST. Good times. 900 RAW next!!!!
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