Cryme Tyme vs. Chris Masters and Viscera - (WWE Heat 5/4/07) - 3

This is only a few months old, so it’s kind of surreal that only one of these guys still is employed by the WWE. This is Viscera pre-suspenders, so he’s still rocking the silk pajamas that very effectively showcase his lovely non-lady lumps. There wasn’t much of note here, but a few things did catch my eye, namely Shad’s excellent sells of some Masters kneedrops, where he screamed and squirmed displaying pain better than any of the victims in Saw movies. There isn’t any notable bumps or stiff shots, the storytelling’s basic, but outside of those limitations it’s a fairly inoffensive bout. I look forward to seeking out soon some videos of Masters matches in-front of 250 people in poorly organized independent shows. Next time your boss leaves the immediate area, don’t go lusting after girls you’ll never touch on MySpace, but instead, hit up the wealth of wrestling footage available for free on the WWE site, as in the canon of quality wrestling, Heat’s going to go down as one of the most unappreciated gems.

World Class Championship Wrestling presents David Von Erich Parade of Champions Memorial Show- 05/09/86

1 Butch Reed v. Chic Donovan- 2

Chic belongs in the Mullet Hall of Fame, hands down. This match is pretty short and standard squash fare, although Donovan does get in a fair amount of offense, including his neck cranking headlock special that used to be the finishing move of those old WWF action figures. Donovan also has a great looping right hand that he uses effectively. I've always heard so much shit about how good Reed was, but he looks lost in this match. He has a severe time even finding the ring ropes at one point to bounce off of. Reed hits a flying tackle for the finish in this dud which was rather unimpressive, much like Vince McMahon's overhyped dork.

2 Great Kabuki v. Kimala- 3

Don't ask me how, but I actually got into this one….a little. Kabuki's physique is as asthetically pleasing as roadkill. This match is about two monsters getting it on. Kabuki's chops are feared like anthrax and Kimala sells his fear accordingly. Kabuki has some great kicks and he's really not afraid to shoot them into the Ugandan Giant's belly repeatedly. Kimala hooks on a armpit/ side boob nerve hold for the better part of 5 minutes and I've honestly never seen that before, but I bet it god damn hurts! Kabuki grits his teeth and shows some emotion, after he brushes his hair out of his face like Fabio would at a romance novel cover photo shoot, subsequently taking 5 or 6 shots of man goo to the face from the severly disturbed camera crew. This ends in manager interference so we will never know who was the fattest, oldest monster heel with face paint. Somewhere Ron Howard says "Gosh Darn it!"

3 Junkyard Dog v. the Missing Link- 2

I almost gave this a 3 because the Dog was pretty funny, but I'd be hard pressed to really tell you about anything he did in the ring that could be considered athletic. Link was bumping through the ropes looking like the stretchy Judge Doom from the final fight in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" This was a battle of who had the strongest head. Well, when it's straight up head to head combat, go with the black man (I'm sure there are some really perverted connotations to this) as Dog gets on all 4's and repeatedly ram's Link square in the cranium. Link finds his weakness and realizes his head can hurt any part of JYD's body except his cranium so he wins with a shitty flying headbutt. Link must have had a migraine because he was gripping the side of his head as he did the finish. The fans were into it, as with most of Dog's matches, but from a techincal standpoint, this was bottom of the barrel wrestling, probably much like Kevin Nash's in ring return at Genesis will be like.

4 Iceman King Parsons/ Buck Zhumhofe v. Super Destroyers- 1

You hardly ever see a Tag Title match with faceless, masked jabroni teams as the challengers, but that's what we have here. Buck is way too energetic and is desperately trying to be noticed by this humongous crowd. I'm guessing his wife just left him and his kids told him he smells like garbage. Anyways, this match is COMPLETELY PITIFUL. No tag work at all and 3/4 of the participants look like day 1 Rookies in a ring. The crowd isn't even buying this and there's 50,000 people there. You would think there would even be a little noise if 2 monkeys were slapboxing in the middle of the ring but no one cares about this shit.

5 Fritz/Kevin/ Mike Von Erich v. the Freebirds- 2

I love classic Rock n Roll songs and while "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent is in that category, I would rank "Badstreet" probably right up there with William Shatner's rendition of "Rocket Man" Besides that, this match was a joke. Mike was selling like he had that voodoo curse dead Bernie had on him in that Sequel to Weekend at…the aforementioned Bernie's. It was really over the top. Kevin was his usual stiff self just flying around and punching people really hard. The sad part is he was barely in the ring. All 3 Freebirds were being complete bitches for Fritz, especially Gordy doing two flips across the ring from a right hand from the old corpse…and that was before he was dead. The way it was booked reminded me of a McMahon ego stroke and I really despised this match.

6 Ric Flair v. Kerry Von Erich- 5

This was the match that was supposed to be David's title win, but it was pushed to Kerry, who arguably deserved it just as much. Flair sold big time for Kerry, really landing awkwardly and hard for his picturesque dropkicks. He also loved kneeing Kerry in the junk, as Flair perpetrated that very move at least 4 times during the match. Flair's psych was off though; he really didn't attempt to work Kerry's legs at all, opting to use shoulderblocks and snapmares as the majority of his offense. Didn't make much sense. Kerry had some really good crowd pleasing spots that worked, but his mat technique leaves much to be desired. Several times he just kind of held onto Flair's arm on the ground like a kid to the safety bar on a roller coaster, really nothing behind it. The finish was well conceived, but it was pretty apparent Flair was going to be beltless long, especially after he barges into Kerry's victory party and pretty much tells him that.

7 Chris Adams/ Sunshine v. Jimmy Garvin/ Precious- 3

This match was all about the ladies going at it, but neither of them could wrestle or had chesticles that were visually appealing so already this match has a lot dragging it down. That said, Adams' work was really crisp and Garvin has great heel tendencies. He suffered as his fellow World Class cohorts did that night of major overselling and it wears him out. Not a lot to say about this except why the hell was it main eventing over a World title switch?

RF Video Shoot Interview - Koko B. Ware

This shoot was a far cry from the recent Too Cold Scorpio shoot I watched. In the Too Cold interview, Scorpio detailed a lot of dirt from the different scenes he was a part in, and didn’t hesitate to bury other guys and call people out. Ware was much more humbler, his memory a bit foggier, and made it clear he wasn’t the type to hold grudges. They spent a good amount of time discussing all of his different territorial runs before getting the call from Vince to join the WWF. The juiciest story from his early days was one in which Steve Kiern suckerpunched Ware in a locker room shower.

Koko talked a lot about all of the different people he worked against and with in the WWF. He didn’t have much to say negatively, outside of not enjoying being on the receiving end of a Headshrinkers splash, as they never held back. He talked very fondly about WrestleMania III and it was obvious it was one of the highlights of his life. He told the origins of his mascot bird Frankie. I won’t get into details, but he discussed over a dozen of the company’s top performers from that era, and if you’re a fan of that period you should seek this out. He talked about an incident while touring in Europe where he beat the shit out of one of McMahon’s executives, which played a major factor in his being released by the company.

Near the end of the interview, Koko talked about being discouraged about not being contacted by Jarrett to do anything with TNA, and how he just wishes WWE would give him the opportunity to walk down the aisle in Madison Square Garden one last time. The video ends with a solitary tear running down Ware’s face as he gets choked up. This wasn’t acting, it was real emotion, and the incompetents at RF Video couldn’t have scripted something this sincere if they tried. I genuinely hope Koko is inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame one day, as he deserves his due, and seems to be one of a few from that era who’s heart is bigger than his head.

Miz vs. Matt Hardy (WWE Smackdown! 5/25/07) – 6

This was really good I thought. Pretty early on, Hardy ate a couple nasty Miz back elbows and took a bump backwards, snapping his neck on the way down against the middle rope. From that point on, Hardy acted concussed, really selling the disorientation and head trauma. Miz took control, working over Hardy, cinching a great cravate, rolling through to keep a hold of it, etc. Hardy’s comeback was believable, and featured a great near fall where you thought Miz was definitely done. The only minor quibble is Miz sold the “Twist of Fate” like a reverse neckbreaker, but that aside, this was real solid and told a good story.

WWE Survivor Series '07

Miz vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison - 5

This was a fairly good, fast-paced opener that was lacking in build and storytelling, but made up for it with an up-tempo pace and the support of a lively crowd. Punk was in the corner when he delivered a brutal straight kick to Miz's face that he ate like a burger. Portions of the crowd were very hot for Punk, and he did a decent job of being a leader here, even if the majority of his offense is blatantly stolen from KENTA.

Beth Phoenix, Jillian Hall, Layla, Victoria, and Melina vs. Torrie Wilson, Mickie James, Maria, Michelle McCool and Kelly Kelly - 2

Melina botching her entrance was a real laugh, as was the majority of this eyesore of a bout. They kept it relatively short, thankfully, but it still induced some cringes. Torrie's been wrestling part-time for almost a decade and still doesn't appear to have a clue. When Mickie James entered she was full of energy and woke up the crowd. Her making out with Melina was about as appetizing as the soufflé of shit Scott Hall swapped for Sunny's room service dinner years ago.

Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch vs. Cody Rhodes and Hardcore Holly - 4

Being a regular OVW watcher, it's obvious that thus far Cody sticks largely to what he knows, thus his weapon of choice, often a side headlock. Holly delivered some mean shots, per usual, and this was moderately good for a match with little fan interest surrounding it. The story was fine, that Cody's inexperience led him to be distracted enough to get quickly pinned by Murdoch, but if I have to see Trevor attempt the "Canadian Destroyer" again I might gouge out my eyes.

Mr. Kennedy, Fit Finlay, Umaga, MVP and Big Daddy V vs. Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, Kane, and Triple H - Survivor Series Match - 7

I'll say assuredly that this was one of the better traditional Survivor Series styled matches we've seen in quite a long time. I wouldn't necessarily say everybody got a chance to shine, but for the most part everyone did their part well, and they gave it a decent amount of time to build and tell a tale. I won't go into details about the particular eliminations, but suffice to say, most of them were solid and I was especially happy to see Kane eliminated first. Finlay didn't get utilized a lot until the last section, but in that time, took some quality bumps and worked hard in his role. Big Daddy V came off looking like a legit monster. I was really pleased with this.

Hornswoggle McMahon vs. Great Khali - 0

This was a festering piece of garbage that we could all see coming from miles away. At least after they got past the entire pre-match hullabaloo it was kept mercifully short. It'll birth a Finlay versus Khali feud surely, but if I have to watch anyone wrestle Khali, it may as well be one of the company's better overall workers.

Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels - 8

This was a phenomenal match and featured two top-notch performances. They did a lot of mat work early, more than you'll typically see on a WWE show by far, and while the crowd live may have not got into it, I thought it was fantastic. Michaels actually looked credible on the ground. Michaels busting out Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, and Kurt Angle's patented submissions was a real treat, too. Orton's selling seemed to be a bit toned down, as sometimes he borders on the absurd, although I did love his post-match facial with the glazed stare after eating "Sweet Chin Music." The psychology of the finish, where Michaels' hesitation caused him to be on the receiving end of "RKO" was brilliant.

Undertaker vs. Batista - Hell In A Cell Match - 7

This was a bloody battle, and in the context of their feud, was a great capper. Jumping to the ending, the surprise interference from Edge hurt its overall impact, but was probably a smart move booking wise. The match itself was a war, with some believable brawling throughout, nasty chair and steel ring steps shots, and a breathtaking table bump. While this isn't their best work together, it still maintained the feeling of a major match, and was a fairly unobjectionable closer to one of the more enjoyable pay-per-views of 2007.

WWE Smackdown! house show (Wellington, New Zealand 3/04/06) Co-Review

1. Road Warrior Animal vs. Matt Hardy - (J:1 B:2)

Jessie: man, Animal has fallen far from grace. I was just watching a tape the other day where he could put the tips of his boots in a guy's face with a dropkick. In this match, he's lucky to hit Matt's small and curlies. Hardy brings stiff and realistic punches to Hobbitland, as he does everywhere else. He plays up a leg injury, one of his signatures and Animal makes it look shoddy as an invention from the Dad from "Gremlins." He botches a dragon screw leg whip for the finish and barely covers Matt. Really disappointing.

Brian: At this point, Animal had a harder time trying to fit into an XXL t-shirt, and likely put more efforts towards such activities than he did having competent matches. Hardy generally works hard to add touches of realism to his sells, but I’d rather watch him as teenager taking awkward bumps on a trampoline than participating in the further diminishing of a legend like Animal in a throwaway bout.

2 Finlay vs. Lashley - (J:4 B:3)

Jessie: Before the match, we are treated to a really funny Lashley segment where he seeps charisma, For the 1st time in recorded history. He walks down to a beach and says "Hogan, The Rock, Bobby Lashley" as a pickup line and this large chested Kiwi girl practically throws herself on his large black cock. As far as the match, Finlay during most of 2006 was paired with Lashley in a feud to school Lashley, which was pretty effective. In this match, the Irishman would rather play folly to the loud and obnoxious crowd. There were some good exchanges from them and you can see the familiarity helping Lashley feel comfortable with Fit. The match isn't very hard hitting, and is short, but what they did was believable.

Brian: I’m with Jessie and that I was really amused be the video package showing Lashley beachside being smooth. The match itself is fairly decent, as Lashely was in full pupil mode, soaking up the knowledge of veteran statesmen Finlay. This wasn’t bad, per se, but doesn’t fair well when compared to some of their actual televised bouts, thus the weaker grade.

3. Orlando Jordan vs. Boogeyman - (J:1 B:1)

Jessie: OJ looks bad, but Boogey far surpasses him. He can't even brawl properly. He can't splash in the corner. He can't sell a punch without shaking like a fool. He can't wrestle. But he goes over. I won't insult your intelligence and ask you to explain.

Brian: I was in a minority that saw some potential in Jordan, but he squandered his opportunity, deeming it more important to take drunken pictures in photo booths with other gay men than being at shows. Boogeyman has improved at this point, as evidenced by some of the recent ECW stuff, but at this point he was one of the worst workers in the business. While still limited, he’s now acquired the knowledge to try to make his stuff compatible with an opponent’s, and pacing issues, etc. I wouldn’t be surprised if later that night Jordan tried to put Boogeyman’s “worm” in his mouth.

4. Booker T v. Chris Benoit - (J:4 B:4)

Jessie: These guys have had wonderful matches in the past, even during this run, but you could call this match a Fed Ex death match because this was mailed in from way back in America. Booker is usually one of the few guys to take Benoit's Germans like a real man, but here he settles for half assed, comedic sells. Benoit doesn't even bring the stiff and you can see his desire to hurt his family in his eyes. Don't you wish he just would have taken out his rage out on The Miz, or even Vince? Wouldn't have been so tragic. I honestly don't remember the finish because this was a plain match that didn't suffer from mistakes just didn't benefit from passion.

Brian: These guys have built a legacy of stellar work together, sadly, this ranked near the bottom of their omnibus. Booker seemed distracted, probably crunching numbers in his head, wondering why $5 goes missing at his urban clothing shop back in Texas every time Jerome closes. Benoit ate a scissors kick nicely at one point, and seeing Booker tap cleanly was a pleasant way to end this forgettable bout.

5. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio - (J:5 B:5)

Jessie: The only match that seemed to put it in 2nd gear. Orton's selling these days is masterful and you can see hints of it here in this match, after his awesome sell of a tornado headscissors. Rey can look lethargic now with all his added steroid weight, but his offense calls for him to put something into it, or else he gets hurt, so even his half- assed stuff looks pretty good. I don't think these two styles mesh well but both are great workers and put together a match that's almost worth seeking out.

Brian: These guys had a match on Smackdown! in ’06 that was unanimously praised as a MOTY candidate. I don’t necessarily agree with Jessie that their styles don’t mesh well, as Rey as of late, much like Shawn Michaels has throughout his career, has made it his modus operandi to adapt to other guys. This didn’t have the drama or storytelling of their aforementioned classic, but was still largely good under the context of being a house show match. Orton’s sells were extreme, bordering on the asinine, but just finding that perfect balance before slipping over the edge.

6. Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker vs. Mark Henry - (J:4 B:4)

Jessie: Everytime I see Angle wrestle now and unload with his barrage of 5000 punches per match, I can't help but think of Brian's review where he likened his motion to that of a grade school child applying a Slap Bracelet to their wrist. The resemblance is uncanny. Mark Henry was a big ole' tub of mutated lard. He was slow and didn't really add anything to this match. Angle and Taker had some good spots together by now, but they don't really blend in well with a thrown together 3 way. Taker looked pretty focused, but what can you do with a gorilla and a coke head in a foreign country? Well, you can't watch "Two and a Half Men" and go to bed early, I know that.

Brian: I don’t think Henry’s as useless as most, just like Orton he had an unbelievable match with Rey Mysterio on Smackdown! in ’06, and just the other night I saw him make a Batista spear look absolutely vicious. Still, nothing was there to save this retched excuse for a main event. Undertaker and Angle had some ridiculously good singles matches together; both forcing the other guy to rise to another level, but none of that passion or dedication was showcased here. These guys were on autopilot, so much so that in fact, they metaphorically wrecked this thing right into a building. There were some decent reversals of Angle’s submissions, but most of the exchanges in this match were hackneyed, and the finish was a complete mess with a unrealistic ref bump, etc.

WCCW TV - 1/15/83

1) Buddy Roberts vs. Brian Adias - 2
2) Michael Hayes vs. Al Madril - 3
3) Andre the Giant vs. Terry Gordy vs. King Kong Bundy vs. Bugsy McGraw vs. Wild Bill Irwin vs. Kerry Von Erich - Six Man Elimination Match - 4

Well, this was basically just a Freebird showcase. Adias was about as pasty as a ball of dough at a cake shop. Roberts wasn't really impressive but had a nice look about him. Afterwards, a video of Bill Mercer visiting the Freebirds at home and asking questions about the finish of the Flair/Kerry cage match from Reunion Arena. While it was a fun little package, the background music was edited over which left some of the dialogue hard to hear.

The bout with Hayes and Madril was a little more action packed than the opener but still wasn't much more than a showcase for Hayes. The reason this gets a better grade than the opener was because the selling from both guys was way better than the first bout. Hayes hit a piledriver and pulled Madril up from a pin followed by an attack from Jose Lothario who challenged Hayes to a match.

A six-man match like the main even was a rarity back in the day. It was basically a six-man battle royal but the talent array was so interesting that it warranted a decent rating. Also, seeing Andre in World Class was a treat as well. The main story of the match was focusing on the Gordy/Von Erich issue that had spawned from the finish of the Flair/Von Erich cage match the previous week. Andre dominated Gordy who eliminated Kerry early on. The match dragged at points but was still cool to watch with the talent involved.

Overall, this episode focused mainly on building the Freebirds up as threats to the Von Erichs with the main point being the finish of the cage match from the previous week. The Freebirds/Von Erich feud would eventually turn World Class into the hottest territory of the 1980s and all the seeds that were planted in the previous episode were expounded upon here. I would definitely recommend watching the Flair/Kerry cage match before viewing this in order to know exactly what's happening.