April 2000

Dundee is the referee. This is probably the best Lawler MCW match so far. Bull got most of the offense and did some solid brawling. It's a shame the booking really sucked. I don't mind restarts and outside interference and all of that, but the manager (I'm tired of typing his stupid name, and I only typed it once) was horrible at interfering in his ref distraction spots, and doing a restart in a match that only gets five minutes is stupid. There is good work in this, but the match isn't even something I'd call fun because of all the crap it's drowning in.

April starts off with a bang. Super fun five minute match that didn't feel lacking in any way. I noticed when they did the wide shot that people were still filing in, but based on the heat, you wouldn't know that had they not done the wide shot. This was fast-paced and a total bombfest, and a great way to start the tournament to get people excited about what would be ahead. ***1/4

Another very good match, this time with two vets of the KDX days. I wish it had a little more time because it seemed like five more minutes could have made it great. I remember Dave saying on WOL around this time that Kaz Hayashi was better than Tajiri but look which company did a better job getting over their guy. It's something interesting to ponder after watching this, and he looks excellent in this for sure. I love the snap and urgency in Sasuke's execution, and it's good to see him. Sometimes short matches don't seem too short. In fact, the opener didn't. This was almost twice as long, but felt too short, I think because it seemed like it was just really getting cook…

The crowd treats Liger like the superstar of the tournament, giving him the biggest reaction so far, and really responding in a huge way when Tiger Mask gets offense on him, almost like they totally didn't expect it to happen at all. This is almost like the best moments Vader-Sting matches without the size difference in terms of how much the crowd gets into TM's bursts of offense. I *love* how heated the matwork is. Liger was very giving here, which worked because of how much of a bully he has been all year, so fans have grown to expect him to steamroll everyone. TM getting the first shotei kickout was awesome too. One of those matches I'm not sure I would have appreciate…

Not quite as flashy as the first match, but good stuff, and probably the best outing I've seen from Sano so far this year. It's interesting to see how a lot of these guys work shorter matches when I've typically only seen them in longer matches, as it levels the playing field a bit between them and their American counterparts. That's not to say this isn't impressive, but more to say that the gulf isn't as wide as some might think. SUWA isn't as strong of an all-around performer as CIMA, but when it comes his strengths, which are mainly centered around American-style heeling, he's probably a little better. He almost feels like he should be either Gedo or Jado in the Gedo a…

This is War Games Rules in the sense that a new guy comes in more than it is that there's a cage, but it's still a cool concept smack in the middle of a Saturday morning war for TV viewers. This doesn't really work without better production, a way for the crowd to countdown to new entrants and some focused heel attacks to set up saves. This was a lot of just aimless action that wasn't really all on the same page. I appreciated the novelty of this, but I don't think it worked. Ali really does seem like a superstar, though. Closer to a Royal Rumble I guess, but without the eliminations. Great heat as it went on, and wild studio action, so it has its positives. Just didn't q…

I wanted to like this more than I did. It was a good match though. The opening minute with the fast-paced exchanges was the best part of the match and made me want to see them in a straight-up wrestling match against each other. Eddie Golden can go! This lost me after a ref bump. I think that's unnecessary in this type of match, which is usually designed to have a more decisive finish. The table didn't break when Bailey shoved Styles off the ladder, which never bugs me, but what did bug me is that they planned a spot for a manager to put AJ Styles through a table. I love Jeff G. Bailey, but he's a non-wrestler. Once the booking kicked in, this became really disappointing,…

It sounds like Silver King is ripping off The Rock in his delivery when he refers to himself and Dandy as “Latin America’s most desirable men!” Lopez comes out on the wrong end of a shoulder tackle, stumbling backwards out and through the ropes. It looks like Lucha rules may very well be in operation here as that brings Rogers in without a tag. Lopez trips King from the outside though he avoids the Rogers elbow drop. Lateral press after the snap mare, Lopez with a slingshot senton but King is too quick for both, moving out the way as he lands on his own partner. Dandy is in, however Lopez and Rogers counter what they had planned, shooting Los Fabulosos into one anot…

Blackman and Snow are an odd couple comedy tag team called Head Cheese and they are joined by a little person in a cheese suit. Blackman wants to Snow to be serious, where Snow can't help himself from being goofy. The actual wrestling here wasn't terrible, but not one soul in the audience seems to care. This felt like it went on forever. After a decisive loss, Snow agrees to get serious and announces that it's time to cut the cheese before taking out their mascot. It seems that this entire match and angle solely existed to make a fart joke. A complete waste of everyone's time. ★

Godfather is one of the most over undercard acts during this period. The crowd eat up all his signature spots and it makes this opener so much more palatable. Bull Buchanan might not be very charismatic, but he impressed me with his surprising athleticism. He launches himself up to the top rope without using his hands as he hits D'Lo with a springboard clothesline. The air he gets on his leg drop was also incredible. Initially I questioned the logic of sending out two teams that are barely scraping the midcard to open Wrestlemania, but the fans loved this and it was better than it had any right to be. ★★½

This really is probably the last time WrestleMania felt like it could be any other PPV in a given year. Even the three years of this decade where they aren’t in a stadium had plenty of other big moments and caveats that this show really didn’t. This could have been Backlash and everything would have been the same. That being said, this as a main event was a tale of two matches. I actually thought the four way stuff was really effective. Big Show is giving a good run where he looks strong with them knowing he is going out early. Once he is gone, Foley and HHH and Rock have a compelling three way with bonds being formed and broke. The history between these three is so stori…

A really good match that needed a crowd to invest into the action more. I thought the spots they innovated here were well done and the cutoffs and pin saves were also effective. The storyline of Kurt losing both of his belts in one night is pretty humorous but kind of hokey in execution. Benoit winning the IC belt is a big step and perfect placement for him at this point. My favorite spot of the whole match was Kurt locking in the chicken wing and the pop that received from the otherwise dead Anaheim crowd. ***1/2

Guerrero was such a treat to watch in this. Of course he could keep up with Too Cool doing their cruiserweight sequences, but he was fantastic at doing the character stuff with Chyna and walking that thin line between charming and sleazy. Chyna wasn't good at all here, but she was mainly relegated to cleaning house after getting the hot tag and following Eddie's lead when he tried to flirt with her. Guerrero does the honours for Chyna, but he wasn't hurt by this lose and would carry on his program with Chyna. ★★½

After the 15 minute time limit has expired, whoever scored the last decision is announced as the winner. This was a complete mess. Pete Gas and Crash Holly end up bleeding like pigs in what looks to be a botch, as who's going to tell Pete Gas of all people to go out there and get colour? Most of this match was just 13 guys brawling around the ring and hitting each other with things like cookie sheets. The botched finish in infamous, but it doesn't affect my overall enjoyment is hampered too much as this wasn't exactly Flair Vs Steamboat in the first place. A crap match, but I can't say that parts of this wasn't entertaining. ★½

I don't know what to think of this. I really enjoyed the Tables Match in January because it was an actual violent fight that made sense. This was more just a bunch of people jumping off of stuff. It was cool seeing a more primitive version of the TLC matches and it's hard not to respect the effort involved, but it's just stunt. stunt. stunt. stunt. stunt. stunt. stunt. stunt. stunt. Gets old after a while.

Val Venis is the special guest referee and he's wearing his infamous shirt with the font that's made to look like sperm. Who brought that bit of merch? Moolah and Mae are at ringside as managers. Anyways, this was your typical bit of Attitude Era smut, but I won't hate on it too much as some of the comedy with Val, Moolah and Mae was halfway entertaining. Mae screws up her interference spot but I'm not going to pretend that I care. ½★

The story goes that X-Pac turned down a programme with Chris Jericho so that he could finally wrap up his long dead rivalry with Kane. This didn't feel like a conclusion to a months long blood feud, but instead a perfectly acceptable filler match where Kane could get his hands on Pete Rose for the third year running. Rikishi is over as rover and the crowd go mental for the stinkface, especially when he's doing it to Rose. Still, X-Pac should of taken up the chance to work with Jericho instead. ★★

Some mini is dressed as the Easter Bunny. Also big props to the group of guys they cut to dancing in sync in the stands. Menudo reunion. Action here was fine but Marvin seemed to be having an off night. The real highlight paring was between Octagoncito and Abismo Negro culminating in a huge twisting dive. Sagrada does his moonsault to the outside and Abismo and Marvin get counted out. Marvin gets the win which always irks me when easily my least favorite person in a given match secures the victory. **1/2

With my Foley/HHH/Rock 3 way Mania main event in motion, allow me to fantasy book again and say this should have been a Mania singles match. Rikishi was still hugely over and felt tacked on in the Kane and X-Pac saga. An easy angle could have been formed of Show getting screwed out of the main event picture and Rikishi coming to him and saying he knows he is a funny guy but that his frustration and grumpiness is preventing him from excelling. This could lead to the Mania match with Rikishi winning and Show looking like he is about to boil over but he stops short. This would set up the return match which would be move for move what we have here. Show does the worm two minu…

Chyna has been a failure with everything they have tried to do for her since she split from HHH. They seem to have finally honed in something with the Latino Heat character of Eddy. Eddy’s personality is starting to shine and the Radicalz are becoming more and more splintered day by day with Eddy and Benoit at the forefront, Dean hanging on to the Cruiser belt run and Saturn quickly losing a purpose. The chemistry between Jericho and Eddy has always been good and this was no exception. A really fast paced 7 minute match that culminates in the big turn for Chyna as she walks to the back with Eddy kick starting the angle overall. ***

Tazz is still hanging around the upper mid card as evidenced by this match vs Benoit but while he does get some offense in here, the match is only four minutes long and Benoit wins with a single German. The writing was on the wall for Tazz at that moment as it looks like Benoit is continuing to be favored by upper management within the company. Saturn did provide himself useful by adding an assist in this match. *1/2

Long drawn out promo by Vince and company here with all of them reconciling and being on the same page. Vince’s promo is pretty great but it still doesn’t justify all the lead up to Mania and why now everyone is one big happy family. Vince, Shane and HHH both throw challenges at Rock tonight. HHH’s promo is again strong as he wants to honor Stephanie but does it in a sleazy heel way. We get many backstage segments before the main event of them choosing straws and Shane getting the honor of facing Rock. The match starts proper and isn’t much with all sorts of hijinks and stuff going on around ringside. The culmination is Rock getting HHH in the ring as Shane and Vince retr…

Porky does a cartwheel in his opening pairing with Guerrera which was excellent. Markus honestly doesn’t look that far behind Porky in the weight department. Villano and Atlantis have another good brief exchange that culminates in Villano submitting to the Atlantida again. Villano again cant get along with his team and this is becoming a trend my man. Fuerza shoves him to knock some sense into him but he shoves Fuerza back to the cheers of the crowd. With all of that miscommunication, the tecnicos are able to gain the victory as Villano stomps out in disgust. Ok this is leading somewhere and I am interested. We did get enough glimpses of action here to that moved things a…

Quite the disparate collection of talent here. This is actually not a 14-man tag so much as it is a 7x7 series, and it's not nearly as fun as it sounds based on the 13 minutes of clips we get. Pretty rudimentary, which is an odd thing to say about a match where Tracy Smothers is on the same team as Kyoko Inoue. But I don't get the sense that not getting this in full is any type of injustice.

I am all in for this Benoit push. This was only three minutes but worked high impact and spirited. Benoit bumps well off of Rikishi’s neckbreaker and back heel kick. The biggest news though is that Benoit hits a Northern Lights suplex and pins Rikishi right there clean as a sheet. Wow. They are really working to make Benoit look like a big deal and it is paying dividends so far. **