The PPV reviews will probably be a little bit delayed after this one. I'm moving up to my dorm to attend college, so I'll have to wait for Croooooow to send me the tape, since we're not allowed to have PPVs in the dorms. Anyway...
I'll get to reasons why I put this match over Jericho vs. Benoit later. The spotfest everyone knew it would be, but it was different from normal ladder matches, so it was something new. I won't run through all the spots, but some impressive ones were Buh-Buh Ray being on the top of the ladder, having it tipped over, and going through four tables at ringside he set up earlier. He also showed some good psychology by moving this time when Jeff tried to Swanton Bomb him through a table from a ladder. That took Jeff out for awhile. Matt went flying off the ladder and through a table at ringside, taking him out. When Edge and Christian went up, Lita ran out and shoved the ladder over, crotching the champs. D-von and Jeff went up and grabbed the belts. The ladder fell over, leaving them hanging there. Jeff kicked at D-von until he dropped to the mat. Edge and Christian threw a ladder at Jeff, causing him to fall. They climbed the ladders and grabbed the belts to retain their titles.
Rating: ***1/4
The reason I put the under the previous is that they could have gone out there and put on a thirty minute classic, but they just didn't get the time. The match was over at about the fifteen minute mark, and it looked as if they were both just warming up. It was still pretty damn good. Benoit quickly went for the Crossface and won the first fall at about the three minute mark. Benoit put Jericho on the tree of woe and went to the outside where he stretched Jericho's arms back behind him. He continued to work on Jericho's shoulder by throwing him into the posts. When he went for his German suplexes, Jericho countered with a victory roll and then rolled through and locked on the Walls of Jericho. Benoit tapped out, and Jericho won the second fall. Jericho went up top and hit a reverse elbow. Benoit then made a counter into a dragon suplex! Benoit went up, but Jericho crotched him and hit a hurricanrana, hurting his own shoulder in the process. Jericho hit the Lionsault for two. Benoit threw him into the ropes and tried for a knee to the gut, but Jericho reversed it into a roll-up. However, Benoit rolled through all in one motion and caught Jericho in a cradle. He held on to the ropes as the ref counted to three, giving Benoit the win.
Rating: ***1/4
Kurt made his entrance first, and then HHH. He attacked Angle right off the bat. On the outside, HHH tried for a Pedigree on the Spanish announcing table, but it broke before he could, sending them both to the floor. Oh my God! The Spanish Announcing Table just killed itself! Tu bastardo! HHH grabbed the sledgehammer and The Rock finally made his way out. They brawled all over the arena while EMTs attended Kurt, who was in pain from his *ahem*... "fall." Stephanie McMannequin-Cube arrived and seemingly randomly smacked an official who was holding the title belt. She grabbed the belt and tried to hit the Rock, but hit Triple H. Was it an accident!? Rock got a two count and HHH told Steph to leave. The Rock tried a clothesline but HHH ducked and landed a neckbreaker. He hit the Rock in the stomach with the sledgehammer and then went up top. Rock caught him and superplexed him, knocking them both out. He gets a two. Meanwhile, Stephanie convinces Kurt to get off his stretcher and help HHH. He came out and grabbed the Rock's leg, looking like he was actually going to help. HHH hit the Pedigree on Rock, but Kurt pulled him off and rammed him into the steps. He covered The Rock himself for a two count. Rock hit the Rock Bottom on Angle, but HHH broke up the pin. Steph entered the ring with the sledgehammer, and Kurt grabbed it. When HHH attempted to clothesline Kurt, he moved and he got Stephanie. Was THAT an accident!? HHH got whacked in the head with the sledgehammer, but Kurt was then clotheslined out of the ring by The Rock. He hit the People's Elbow on HHH and pinned him to retain his title. Quite the good match, actually, when compared to the rest of the card. It advanced the storyline nicely and sent the fans home happy.
Rating: **3/4
Just like always, the hardcore match ends up in the middle of the review, because although they suck, they tend to be more interesting than say, X-pac vs. Road Dogg. It started out a general hardcore match, with Blackman chasing Shane around. When he finally caught him he proceeded to hit him with things. Weapons used were a trash can lid (Put a lid on it!), martial arts sticks (let's cross the River Styx!), when T & A interfered, they used a handicapped sign on Blackman (it's a sign of the times!), confirming this was now a handicapped match. After taking care of T & A, Blackman followed Shane up to the Ovaltron, where Shane began climbing the metal tower. Blackman followed him with a kendo stick, and they reached the top which was about fifty feet off the ground. Blackman pounded on him for a bit, and then hit him with the kendo stick. Shane lost consciousness and fell all the way to the floor! HOLY SH--! Blackman then turned around and jumped right down on top of him! It's raining dogs and wrestlers tonight! Blackman covered and got the win. They landed on padding disguised as a platform, but still... HOLY SH--!
Rating: **1/4
A straight match between Val and Eddie would have been really good, but they added a whole bunch of suck to it somewhere along the way. They did keep the women out of it mostly, but of course, Chyna ended up pinning Trish. It didn't take the IC belt long to be back in the crapper, did it?
Rating: **
Tazz came out in a cowboy hat, sunglasses and a blind man's cane, making fun of JR. When he got to the announcing table, he taunted JR while the King sneaked up and ambushed him.
Croooooow: He blindsided him!
Pretty short match, but Tazz no sold Lawler's piledriver and put on the Tazzmission. The ref was out of it somehow, and Tazz dragged Lawler down right by the announcing table, taunting JR while he choked Lawler. JR got up, grabbed the candy jar and smashed it over Tazz's head. Lawler got the pin. Tazz cried.
Rating: **
Short opener, okay for what it was. Scotty got Stevenkicked just as he went to do the Worm, giving RTC the win.
Rating: *3/4
I'm not sure if I should count this as a match, since it didn't have a finish. Mostly brawling with the steel steps and UT trying to rip the mask off Kane's face. He finally did and Kane just walked back to the dressing room holding his face and UT's music played.
Rating: *1/2
Basically all they did was hit their signature moves. Of course, X-pac won with the X-Factor because he doesn't job. Afterward, Road Dogg got revenge by anally raping X-pac and giving him a Pumphandle Slam.
Rating: *1/4
You know my policy. Kat vs. Terri= one star. Gimmicked T&A match= one star. Sailor Saturn and Al Snow seconded their respective ladies. Eventually, the Kat gave Terri Head (I'll let you figure that one out) and gave her a stinkface for the win.
Rating: *
Overall PPV Rating: **1/4
Not a bad PPV, but under last month's Fully Loaded. It had some good matches but also a lot of crap. That's all for now!
Random Sound of the Night: Some fan who yelled "Day-O!" during the main event.