WWF House Show 09/01/01
Posted: 09/03/01
Okay, so I sent in a report on the 9/1 WWF House Show to Dave Meltzer, but that was just a bare bones account of the evening. Here's the inside story.
I get a call from the Amazing CK on Saturday-he's driving up from Connecticut and we plan on hitting the house show at the Centrum that night. CK also informs that he got a call from the Meltz; rumor is that Swoll (of the No Limit Soldiers) will make his WWF debut tonight and squash Raven in preparation for a program with the Rock.
CK gets to my place at about 5:30, and is kind enough to lend me the Clash of the Champions with the NWA Tag Tournament on it. Now I can finally see that Liger/Pillman vs. Benoit/Wellington match. We take off and debate whether or not Silver King 2 is a Villano or Dr. Wagner Jr. (my money's on the latter).
With some time to kill before the show, we find a place to park and stop in a bar for a few brewskis. My stool is uneven, and I nearly fall off of it about 50 times, making it hard to look like a badass. I still get my ID checked, which does my 24 year old heart good. CK promises to play the drunk rowdy fan.
Since there's a metal festival a few blocks from the show, we have to wade through a throng of metal kids. I stop and grab an Italian Sausage grinder from a snack truck, saving myself from inflated Centrum food prices.
Food in stomach, we make our way to the Centrum. This will actually be only my fourth WWF live show. I've attended two other house shows (one in '87, the other '91), and a Smackdown taping a little over a year ago. I really hope Austin's on the card, since I've never seen him live. And I never got to see an ECW show live, I'm really hoping to see a good number of old ECW alumnus.
We buy our tickets at the box office, opting for some cheap seats. The girl at the counter gives us Row M, which makes no sense since Rows C-P are unoccupied. We move down a few rows almost instantly. I scan the merchandise, but since they don't have any ECW or Tommy Dreamer shirts, I opt to keep my money in my wallet.
Crowd looks to be about 6,000, not even half full for the Centrum. Lots of families with kids, which I guess is okay, since house shows tend to be "cleaner" than Televised Events.
The Fink comes out and gives the standard opening spiel, then hawks Corn Nuts ("Corn Gone Wrong"). I wish I had the Fink's job. They play the National Anthem, and CK goes off on a bizarre rant: "The police beat me and give me tickets, the fire department doesn't come when I call, the government takes half my salary, but I love America anyway."
The card starts promptly at 7:30. I will note that we didn't get a program, so we had no idea who was on the card.
1. Spike Dudley (w/Molly) vs. X-Pac [c] (WWF Light Heavyweight Champion)
Spike and Molly get a nice ovation coming out-either they're really over in Worcester or they got the "hey, the show's finally starting" pop. Everybody hates X-Pac, of course, as well they should. Good match follows, nothing terribly inventive, but certainly watchable and fun. X-Pac gets monster heat by shoving Molly off the apron; she later gets revenge by crotching Pac on the top rope. Spike hits a 'rana off the top for a 2 count, then tries the Dudley Dog, but X-Pac escapes and hits the X-Factor for 3. 1 for 1.
2. Justin Credible vs. Christian
Oh crap, it's Justin. If he wins this match we're leaving. CK and I debate what Justin's finisher is, since Edge is using the Implant DDT. I guess it could be the Superkick, but Chuck Palumbo and Lance Storm already use that. We try to come up with a jobber finisher for him; CK picks the Sleeper, I go with the standing Samoan Drop. But since Justin never wins, I guess it's a moot point. Anyway, this match is actually quite decent. Justin hits the Superkick, but Christian kicks out at 2 and follows with the Unprettier/Tomikaze/Kid Krusher/Kiss of Death. Ya know, it's tough to go home and watch Justin headline ECW Heatwave 2000 when he's currently just about jerking the curtain at a house show. 2 for 2.
3. Hurricane Helms/Ivory vs. Matt Hardy/Lita:
CK takes a bathroom break, noting that he hates Mixed Tag matches. But this was actually a pretty good match. Matt and Lita were waaaay over with the crowd, but I was happy to see Shane Helms wrestle. Ending saw Matt go for the Twist of Fate, only to be low blowed by Ivory and small packaged by Helms. 3 for 3.
4. Raven (w/Terri) vs. Saturn
Eew, we hate Saturn's gimmick. It just makes you embarrassed to be a wrestling fan. Raven gets on the mic and says he knows where Moppy is, and points to Terri, who's holding a mop. But oops, it's not really Moppy, just a fake. Raven beats on Saturn and says he doesn't know who has Moppy. The mystery continues. Match just didn't do it for me. Both guys tried, but I'm so apathetic to Saturn's new character that I just don't care. Saturn hits the Corkscrew Fisherman's Suplex, but Terri pulls out the ref. Raven then hits the Evenflow for the win. Saturn spanks Terri after the match. 3 for 4.
5. Chuck Palumbo vs. Albert:
Ugh, Cuck Palumbo. I actually pray for the Undertaker to come out and squash Chuck like a bug. But no, it's Albert. Albert gets booed when his theme plays, then cheered when it's announced he's from Boston. CK and I agree that both guys need new names. CK: "Sometimes using your God-given name just doesn't work." Albert uses the body avalanche a few times, and we accuse him of ripping off Vader. And then, on cue, he tries a Vader Bomb. Only good thing about this match was the Palumbo Superkick, which gives me the opportunity to yell "Jungle Kick!" Albert with the Baldobomb 3 for 5.
6. Rhyno vs. Kurt Angle
We bow in awe at Kurt's awesomeness. He and Rhyno put together a good match. Rhyno goes for the Gore, but Kurt ducks. Kurt then goes for the Angle Slam, but Rhyno escapes and we have a double KO. Rhyno does finally hit the Gore, but Kurt kicks out at 2. Kurt then hits the Angle Slam and locks in the Anklelock for the tap. I'll note that Rhyno imitated some of Kurt's mannerisms during the match and had us in stitches. 4 for 6.
Intermission. Before I forget, Teddy Long reffed one of these matches, and as I always do when I see Teddy, I yell "Bring back Doom!" CK, not missing a beat, breaks into a Gordon Solie impression:
"Both 'The Natural' Butch Reed and All-American Ron Simmons have been MIA for several weeks. In other news, a new tag team called Doom is on the scene. But just who are these masked men?"
7. Lance Storm vs. Edge [c] (IC Title Match)
Storm gets on the mic and badmouths offbeat shenanigans, but gets interrupted by Edge's music. Another good match-these two really click. Edge wins with the Buzzkiller. I point out that's it's cool to watch a guy live who's competed in Japan and fought Jushin Liger in the ring. Well, I think it's cool. 5 for 7.
8. Chris Kanyon [c] vs. Jeff Hardy (U.S. Title Match)
Kanyon doesn't say "Who better than Kanyon?" on the mic, which breaks our hearts. This was another really good match. Kanyon gets pissed at the ref (Billy Silverman?) and chases him around the ring, but ends up getting nailed by Hardy. Finish sees Kanyon belt Hardy with his, uh, belt, and get the pin. 6 for 8.
9. Rob Van Dam vs. Chris Jericho
Van Dam is over in Worcester, maybe more than Jericho. Dueling chants all throughout the match. CK and I cover our ears in preparation for Jericho's pyro, but I guess they don't bring it to house shows. Another good match…if these two work a program together, fans are in for a treat. Finish sees Van Dam block the Lionsault with his knees and go up for the Five Star Frog Splash. But Raven runs in and knocks him off the top (continuity!). Jericho hits the Lionsault for the win. Best match of the night, and an easy 7 for 9.
Main event time. By this time I'm guessing we won't see Tajiri or Tommy Dreamer…
10. Test/Dudley Boys vs. Undertaker/APA
No Austin tonight, I guess. Earl Hebner came out to ref this match, and got a huge ovation, no joke. Undertaker is over, and got the biggest pop of the night. But there was one section that chanted "We hate the Undertaker," which made them A-OK in my book. CK calls the finish-Undertaker over D-Von with a chokeslam. What follows is a pretty standard RAW main event. And yes, Undertaker does work in the cross armbreaker. Look out, Kendo Ka Shin! CK tries to convince me that D-Von is a future world champion. I think he was joking. Finish sees a big schmozz, and yep, Undertaker pins D-Von after a chokeslam. Match wasn't bad, but not great…I'll wimp out and use a half point. 7.5 for 10. CK runs to get a closer look, and reveals that Bradshaw's not in very good shape. Use this information wisely.
Overall a very good show. I was disappointed there was no Austin, Tajiri, or Dreamer, but the show was packed with guys I like. Nothing outright stunk, either. And seeing RVD, Rhyno, Spike, and Justin Credible, this was just like going to an ECW show, only better. But still, I wanted to buy Tommy Dreamer a beer.
To recap:
What's good about house shows:
1. Longer matches
2. No one brings signs
3. Don't have to wait through annoying commercial breaks
What's bad
1. Nothing ever happens (no title changes, angle advancement)
2. Upper carders don't always show.
But at day's end, I saw some good matches and a bunch of wrestles I never saw live before. All in night, not a bad night.
Next time: MSG.
Joe Gagne
bwo@telegram.infi.net