1) Super Smash Brothers v. Kevin Steen/ El Generico- 4
2) Frankie the Mobster v. Bison Smith- 3
3) Toronto Gauntlet featuring D-Lo Brown, Jerry Lynn, Sonjay Dutt, Jimmy Rave, Necro Butcher, & Davey Richards - 4
4) Claudio Castagnoli v. Brent Albright (European Rules) - 3
5) Tyson Dux v. Tyler Black- 2
6) Joey Ryan v. Colt Cabana (No DQ)- 2
7) Austin Aries/ Kenny King/ Rhett Titus v. Kenny Omega/ Briscoe Brothers- 5
8) Chris Hero v. Lance Storm- 5
The opener had it's moments, Steen has a unique presence in the ring, brutal chops, The Smash Brothers are obviously huge geeks, using a Nintendo game as their team name and adorning such symobls as the Triforce and the X-Men's logo on their tights. Besides that, they really didn't leave me with much of an impression. Thought the finisher stuff went on too long, but with the upset coming in, it sort of made sense. Generico can't do his underdog stuff with a guy smaller and for that matter more pale and unmuscular.
This match started out fun with Mobster not letting his lame name and generic frilled tights hold him back, using more suplexes with better finesse than the Red Hook midget ever thought too. Smith started doing dives just because he had the chance, which doesn't make it right, not sure if this was supposed to get Bison over as a monster, but it did a poor job.
Cool finish to DLo with the crucifix, Lynn is selling well when he's not brushing his blonde mop out of his eyes. Dutt comes in doing more moves in 3 minutes than Michael Jackson on his Moonwalker tour, circa '89. Dutt had to wait forever and a day for Jerry to hit his powerbomb off the ropes but they made up for it with a sweet TKO spot. Rave looks sloppy with Lynn, I think the elder was getting tired and all of Rave's offense on anyone besides Grizzy looks like a 13 year old trying to take off a girl's bra for the first time. Necro was as bland as marmalade until he was counted out then showed some fire in his retribution spot. Rave and Davey meshed well, Rave was taking all of his kicks really solidly, just welting under the pressure of them. Hard to buy Rave escaping all those deadly submissions, Richards did a really ugly butterfly suplex that would make Dory Funk jr slash his wrists.
So far, Claudio's selling and characterization is on another level than most anyone else on the show. Albright so looks like an unemployed plumber who surfs Mr. Skin and Ebay all day. Stupid plancha by Albright where he lands on his feet and Claudio has to sell that horrible move. Nana is great at ringside and Claudio is funny rubbing Brent's Jersey hair. Why is this mook bleeding? I bored of these gimmicks back in '05, only yellow cards i want to see are during Best of Pride on Spike or the Peanuts version of Skip Bo. Claudio has the scared act down, does a Rikishi flip on a clothesline and lands directly on his dome. Brent's forearms are lousier than RVD's and that's saying something.
Tyson used to be on Team Canada in TNA years back; Tyler comes out in a Gryffyndor shirt, i don't find myself quoting the Miz often (or never would be more accurate) but Really? He's not even worthy of giving Ron Weasley's pet rat a bath. Funny near AJ spot where Black slips off ropes, then totally WWE's it with a bump into the guard rail. Black actually pulled off a better flying elbow than Michaels but even Shawn wouldn't take two head drop suplexes and power up like he's a resident of Grayskull. Like Dux's stoic look after not getting pin there. Any chance Black could act out the scene on the back of his trunks? as Meltzer would say, DUD
Colt loves his act, and so do the fans, it doesn't really matter what he does, Ryan doesn't sell shit anyways. Another douche on the spear list: Joey Ryan. How fun would Colt have been in Mid South or Texas, guy can punch better than 90% of this roster and I love how he talks through his selling, while taking a kick, he mutters "holy shit man." My god Ryan is an emotionless hack, can't really take this as anything more than a joke match.
The heel trio is pretty great at all the heel spots, especially their cutoffs on the faces. Omega is super athletic, evidenced here and in his many outdoors matches you can locate on the most visited place on Sundays, YouTube (sorry domains of religious rites) I love Aries real falls outside the ring, they're usually really nasty looking. Speaking of nasty, flying back rake? Cool flying bodypress near count leading into ending, outside brawl was getting really pointless
Storm has aged considerably and the amateur wrestling tights do him no favors. Hero outworks him at every stage, as far as hard offense and frustration at not winning with it, to his animated overembellished selling. Storm uses a few cheap indy tricks to get crowds going but falls on deaf ears with me. Hero also noticeably cuts a few corners on stuff, like the backsplash with the ring mats over him and a few elbows. Some neat scientific counters were used though during the end, such as the backslide out of another roaring elbow attempt. Storm did pull off the one arm crab very smoothly, but i hated the finish.
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