January 2001

Vince starts the show with a new year resolution for us all….. respecting authority. A sign cuts to shut up you jackass and King yells WHAT at the sign saying that. We get footage seeing Rock hit the Rock Bottom on two referees from SmackDown and how he doesn’t respect authority. We learn that Rock is in a handicap match teaming with two referees to face Rikishi and Kane. Stephanie is backstage with all the referees. She lets them know that they are under contract with WWF and therefore will do what she says. Teddy Long and Jack Doan get selected for duty. Rock interview with Kevin Kelly. Funny moment as Pat Patterson comes out of the locker and …

Weird set up as they announce everyone and then exchange a sheet of paper. We then cut forward to a tag match involving Araya/Fuchi vs Yone/Nagai. Good little tag match actually with Araya showing something and Fuchi being a prick like usual. I guess its just once you are out, it is next man up as it’s the same tag teams in the next match with Kakihara replacing Yone. Kaki disposes of Araya and we get another entry into the Fuchi torture dungeon. He has a swift exchange against Kakihara and then is vicious against Nagai. Grinding his fist into his nose and sending him to the outside for Araya to do more damage. Araya’s highspots are impressive as he hits a spinning back k…

‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, who is going to be the special referee in the ‘Canadian Penalty Box’ match is providing some guest commentary tonight and says how he is going to call that match “right down the middle” just like Ric Flair told him too. K-Dogg is still doing those wretched catchphrases to a modicum of response, although four guys in the front row are enjoying themselves, dancing along to the Filthy Animal’s anthem! Mike Tenay seems to think ‘Hacksaw’ will find it hard to stay impartial as referee, while Stevie Ray questions about when he turned his back on his country and joined Team Canada, something that Duggan claims was one of the biggest mistakes of his life. …

General Rection is backstage with Gene Okerlund and he explains to him how he was contemplating what he’s going to do in the upcoming match after Sgt. A-Wall and Crpl. Cajun were taken out by the Natural Born Thrillers, when two guys came up to him offering their services. These are two guys you just don’t say “no” to, ‘The Insiders’, Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page. The face team “sprint” to the ring and it’s funny seeing the General run full speed, Page be a few steps behind and then old man Nash with his dodgy knees bringing up the rear. Page takes Jindrak’s head off with a pair of clothesline and he decides that’s enough for the moment, letting Stasiak try h…

More Felino vs. Cerebro action. This time rudo dominated brawling. You know this isn't going anywhere but you can always dream. Not the best match of its ilk but there's some fun comedy between Wagner and Porky, and late in the tercera you get what you really want, which is Dandy vs. Wagner.

Vince starts off SmackDown with a promo. Vince says he had nothing to do with Austin being screwed out of the title on Raw. Vince says he was just as shocked as the crowd was. Vince verbally reprimanded HHH for his actions. Vince lays down their back and forth rivalry and says it will end right now. Vince has ordered a 24 hour between those two. He has strongly suggested that neither appear tonight in the interest of safety. Vince says Austin is possessed with becoming champion. In the interest of fairness, Vince will consider placing Austin in the 30 man Royal Rumble. Vince says that the #1 contender is HHH and he will face Angle at the Rumble. Cole is outraged at this. …

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Disco is more interested than dancing than wrestling so Son gives him a swift kick to the head to get his attention. Neither man is really able to gain an early advantage as the two of them trade holds. More dancing from Disco and this time Son tries to catch him off guard with a sunset flip. They attempt the Guerrero/Malenko pinning sequence, but it’s shoddily executed and they give up half way through to tag their respective partners. A ‘respect’ spot and I kinda hoped that one wouldn’t have permeated its way across to Revolution Pro. A pair of stiff open hands to the side of Dragon’s head, who responds with a forearm across the face and one of the hardest slaps to…

So, this is the last ECW show, sadly. Somewhat oddly, ECW ends in the south, far away from Philly. Maybe a metaphor for how far away from things the company had gotten by the end. They're using an odd looking red ring, too. The crowd is big and hot, though. They pop like crazy for the opening sequence. There's a brawling up the aisle sequence that's basically all walking and feels pretty unnecessary. Crazy busts out a pretty nice surfboard into a full nelson. The crowd chants for tables, and the guys go to look for one but can't find it. After that, they go straight to the finish. Match is mostly interesting for the historical circumstances - otherwise, you've seen Crazy …

I was so excited to get the chance to watch this. Cougar and Disco are both guys that I consider friends. Cougar's been my drinking buddy for over 8 years now, and Disco is close friends with my good friend Verne Seibert - which is one of those "If you're a friend of his, you're a friend of mine" type scenarios, and we all (Verne, Disco, Cougar, and I) have the Vancouver All Star Wrestling connection as well. Seeing them work together was a real trip for me. I'm fairly sure this was Disco's first match in Japan (he also went over to work for M-Pro, if I remember correctly), and it just about killed me when the Korakuen Hall crowd popped loudly for his patented disco …

This starts with an award for Wrestler of the Year, which of course Punk thinks he deserves and does not win (it goes to Dino Bambino). Punk and Prazak's reactions to this are great, and Punk is getting pretty good heat ("Pepsi sucks!). Punk eventually wins Most Hated, and freaks out. Cabana's doing a pretty good fired up babyface act here to start. Pretty solid dive for a big guy. I like that he's using the Ted Dibiase style fist drop. Punk takes over, and I like that he takes his time to actually heel it up with the crowd. Great stun gun out of the corner. Cool reversal sequence too (that's not the overused one that had come into vogue). Bit of a botch towards the e…

Corey is still wearing that yellow beanie, while he has passed the shades onto Dave. Bulldog blocks Shooter’s attempted German, scoots behind, shoves him into the ropes and then powerslams him to the mat. Tag to Steel, but he gets dropped by a Schultz clothesline. He makes a tag of his own to Spanky, however he fails to connect on a wild swinging right as ‘All That’ ducks out the way. They run through a few counters and reversals before Steel pancakes Spanky to the mat for a two count. Derrick King makes his first appearance in the match, but before he can get his hands on Spanky he’s crawled back to his own corner and tagged Shooter. Huracanrana by DK, Schultz reve…

Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee, along with the Kat, join Corey to promote the big ‘Corinth Chaos’ show tonight. ‘The Superstar’ says being the Commissioner he could quite easily just stick on a suit and walk about all night, but he likes to ‘compete’ so is putting himself in the Royal Rumble Battle Royal. ‘The King’ interrupts him, knowing full well that the only reason he’s entering that Rumble is because the winner gets $10,000 and everyone knows what Dundee would do for $10,000! The Kat addresses Ivory’s comments from earlier in the show (they’ve a match at Corinth Chaos), before we get a taped video interview from Steven Richards. Richards says how he’s been called …

Following a year long absence, making his return to the Power Hour is Grandmaster Sexay, Brian Christopher. Before they get started he informs Dave and Corey that whoever is going to conduct this interview with Too Cool is going to have to do it ‘Too Cool style’! He pulls out a chain and passes that to Corey before putting some shades on him and a bright yellow beanie hat. They’ve supposedly got Scotty 2 Hotty live by satellite to say a few words, but I’d be amazed if that was the case and it wasn’t pre-taped. When they return to the studio the Mean Street Posse head out to join the Grandmaster. Rodney tells him that he may have been someone here a long time ago, but…

Jack has a quick word as the Dupps make their entrance, saying how they’re going to mow through Lance Cade & Joey Abs this morning and then tonight they’ll squash ‘the Kliq’ in Corinth to once again become the Power Pro tag team champions. Things don’t start out too well for them here mind. It’s only when Jack trips Abs from the floor does it allow them to turn the tide. Dave Brown talks about how the Dupps’ ‘Brain Scrambler’ finisher has already caused a couple of concussions, while Corey adds that it is one of the most devastating moves he’s seen in a long time. They’re putting it over big. Bo runs into a big boot and Abs with a jumping clothesline. Hot tag to…

Talk about it here.

Talk about it here.

30 minute draw that we get about 7 minutes from. They really splice the highlights together to make this look pretty damn good with two bulls just waylaying on each other. Some botches but the effort and energy was there. Certainly can see from this how they were high on both going forward. NR

I think this was the best AJ match we have seen so far. He still feels miscast as a heel but plays it up better here by having his athleticism lead to his demise and the cavalcade of characters around ringside including Onyx and Jeff G Bailey helped stack the deck against Air Paris. The work here was crisp and they told the story they sat out to without a hitch. It isn’t one of the top 100 matches of AJ career but it does feel like a historical point watching a match like this. ***1/2 (6.9)

An NWA Wildside tag team title match with the Boogalou Crew putting the straps on the line against the number one contenders, Suicidal Tendencies, who tonight consist of Adam Jacobs and John Phoenix. The commentator states that that these are the two finest teams in the country bar none, which are some lofty words to live up to. The first move of the match is the ‘Boogalou bounce’ and Phoenix is alert enough to break up the pin otherwise this one could well have been over before it got started. High leg lariat by Dazz on Phoenix and this time its Jacobs doing the saving. Wrenn is in to help his partner and they have the ST backed up against the ropes. The Crew run at…

Sean Casey & Chris Michaels are managed by (former?) heel referee Phil Fair. I could do with less officials going at in 2001 compared with last. Michaels tries to use his speed and experience advantage over Lesnar but it’s not long before he’s getting muscled about. As he goes to tag out, Casey wants no part, however foolishly he turns his back on his partner and Michaels tags him anyway. The two exchange words, Michaels giving Casey a shove into a Lesnar boot. Big powerslam for a two count. Shelton with a spinning kick that barely connects, if at all. Michaels knees him in the back as he hits the ropes before clotheslining him across the top rope. Reverse ne…

A new referee for OVW in the shape of Donna Derring. In all honesty she looks positively ridiculous wearing the skimpiest refereeing outfit you’re likely to see; hanging out her bottoms, falling out her top and by the volume going on, probably having used a whole can of hair spray on her barnet. One positive about the female official is it means less chance of fighting referees, something I was worried about in the previous Stretching Crew tag. Kenny Bolin is up at the announcing booth, not happy that Cornette has been slandering a WWF superstar like Mark Henry with his accusations of him having running over the Big Show. He claims Henry was at the Bolin Mansion at th…

Constantino is making his return to the ring after suffering an injury in a match with Flash back in July. After what we witnessed last week, returning with a new attitude too. Non-title match, which angers him, although Cornette explains that he hasn’t had a match in five months so will have to work his way up the ladder. The hyping of Dinsmore taking on Chris Benoit at Christmas Chaos continues, ‘Mr Wrestling’ even styling his offense after some of ‘the Cripplers’. Dinsmore counters the Cobra clutch and reverses into another crossface, forcing Rico to grab the ropes for the break. Constantino takes a powder on the outside, drags Dinsmore out with him and the two exc…

A Cruiserweight title defence for Chavo and he’s straight in Karagias’ face, shoving him to the mat the moment he enters the ring, as Mike Tenay talks about this new attitude he’s adopted. Evan responds in kind while Chavo is handing his title belt to the official, unloading with a trio of rights. He whips Chavo into the corner but then runs into a big boot. Aggressive rear chinlock, where Chavo snatches Karagias around the neck and drags him to the canvas. Evan with a double leg take down as the two are rolling around getting shots in wherever possible and it looks more like a fight than your stereotypical cruiserweight match. The referee manages to separate them bu…

It’s time to get rowdy and move some things! There’s an advert for Tough Enough on the bottom of the screen telling you how to apply if you think you’ve got what it takes to be a WWF superstar. Morgan escapes the hammerlock with a lovely roll through and grabs the wrist. Kwik with the reversal, however Morgan backs him into the corner and drives a shoulder into his mid-section on the break. A series of forearms, uppercuts and kicks drop Kwik, but as Morgan starts running his mouth to the fans and forgetting about his opponent, Kwik flips himself up to the top turnbuckle and lands a missile dropkick. The pair of them badly screw up a frankensteiner with Kwik spiking M…