I'm trying a new review style for this apprasing the match as I go along, giving a sense of how the actions going rather than detailing everything, more of an overall critique while out lying the key spots and talking points.
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
(WWE World Title Match - Bad Blood 1997)
I recently put this match in my top ten HBK matches but I haven't watched it in a while lets see how well it holds up. This was the standard setter and for a long long time was my favorite match. The match starts at a fast pace with Taker beating the crap out of HBK with some closelines, the HBK corner spot and the Old School. It's your classic HBK opening with Shawn Michaels bumping his arse off to make Taker look like a million bucks and make up for Taker's lack of mobility. Taker pratical plays Ping Pong with Shawn Michaels. The first ten minutes of this match is literally Undertaker beating the holy hell out of HBK, swatting away all of HBK's teased come backs. Shawn's selling is just off the charts his facial expressions are bang on. The match is full of impressive bumps HBK getting throw over the top rope, the Monkey boxing spot, Taker being knocked off the apron straight into the cell.
The match really picks up when HBK gets on offence pulling out a suicide dive, a flying elbow drop off the cage and a dive from the apron. There is some brutal stuff that you don see so much of these days HBK destroying Taker with the steps before piledriving him on the steel steps. Rewatching this its a real tribute to HBK to see how he's changed his style to remains the best wrestler in the world. There are some great spots that I'd totally forgotten about like HBK tying Taker in the ropes before running into a big boot and being back body dropped ontop of a cameraman, giving them a logical reasons to leave the cage.
My absolute favorite moment of the match still remains HBK hitting the superkick and the crowd sounding deflated only for Taker to suddenly sit up and the crowd to go mental as HBK tries to run for his life. The intensity picks up as they leave the cage with HBK pulling out his legendary blade job. The action on top of the cage is great with HBK taking a back body drop and a military press?!?! They are so fucking lucky the cage didn't break they of course have HBK legendary bump of the cage, that while not as big as Foley's has the great movie style tease of Taker treading on his hands. After the bump there is no break in the action HBK's face is a bloody mess and Taker destroys Shawn. Taker hits a top rope Chokeslam? Man they really pulled out everything for this match up.
What makes this match so great as I reach the final portion is the story telling aspect, not only does it have the non stop brutal action, great selling, the psychology is really spot on, I love the way they played into Taker and HBK's backstory and Taker gets his revenge by nailing HBK with the Steel Chair that cost him the world title. The match ends with the ultimate in drama with Kane's debut, the pyro, the tombstone and Vince's epic call "That's gotta be Kane". The final visual is superb with HBK crawling out of "pool of his own blood" to cover Taker with one arm.
Bonus marks for being the original, this is a match that had it all and was executed flawlessly, I'm sticking with my original rating although this probably should be the full monty I'm deducting points for Taker's ploddery. (****3/4)
Mankind & Kane vs. Steve Austin & The Undertaker
(WWE World Tag Team Title - RAW is WAR 1998)
Foley's promo before the match is priceless. Undertaker doesn't turn up during when his music plays. This matched made for great TV, Paul Bearer locked himself in the cage to be safe from Austin. The is a wild brawl on the outside and then in a moment of TV brilliance Taker pops up through the ring mat and beats the hell out of Paul Bearer. Obviously this wasn't much of a match no wonder I couldn't remember it. Taker busts Paul Bearer open as Kane tries to claw his way in from the top of the cage. You do have to wonder why Kane didn't rip the door of the cell off? I'm mean that's how he famously debuted. Austin gives Foley an ugly unprotected chair shot to the head. Taker kills Paul Bearer with a brutal looking shot with the steel steps. Raw goes off the air with Kane and Austin brawling atop the cell. Hard to rate as the match but one hell of a TV angle to set up King of the Ring. (3/4*)
Undertaker vs. Mankind
(Hell In A Cell - King Of The Ring 1998)
I'll be interested to see if I like this match any better this time around. As we all know they start the match on top of the cell. They nearly fall through the cage as they teeter around. No military presses or back body drops here. Taker then throws Foley off the cell through the table in the most famous spot possibly ever. The crowd go mental for that of course and the standing around begins. The dead air lasts about ten minutes it's not great TV but to there credit at least it sold the drama of the match. Foley climbing back up the cage with a smile of my face remains one of my favorite moment in history. Taker then hits his legendary botched chokeslam of Doom that sends Mick crashing through the cell with the chair falling on Mick's face. J.R. makes the epic call "Somebody stopped the damned match".
Funk does his best and takes a chokeslam to buy Foley some time to recover. Taker breaks his foot and begins hobbling around. Foley is so fucked he crumbles rather than selling, if this were UFC the fight would be stopped. From here on in its effectively two cripples hobbling around with Mick's tooth sticking out fo his nose. Taker does what he can to creat movement on his bad foot including a suicide dive into the cage (which WWE cameraman manage to make look credible) as well as blading. The remainder of the match is just depressingly ugly, they manage a couple of okayish spots with the piledriver and the tacks before Taker mercifully ends in with the tombstone.
Rewatching it this is a match that gets worse every time, it's a hard one to rate, it's in the HBK-Flair catagory, that match was about three star execution five star storytelling and drama. This match was about one star execution but four stars worth of drama. I'll be nice. (***1/4)
Note to TNA: IF YOU DO A STUPIDLY DANGEROUS SPOTFEST, REPLAY IT TO DEATH, TALK ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS IT WAS, MAKE THE ANNOUNCE USE THE SERIOUS TONE, DWELL ON THE RESULT DON'T CUT AWAY! MAKE IT FEEL SPECIAL BECAUSE IT IS SPECIAL, DON'T FORGET ABOUT IT TWO SECONDS LATER AND GO ONTO THE NEXT STUPID OVER THE TOP THING!!!! IF YOU TREAT IT AS RUN OF THE MILL IT BECOMES RUN OF THE MILL, IF YOU TREAT IT AS SOMETHING SPECIAL IT BECOMES ICONIC!!!! Okay rant over.
Mankind vs. Kane
(Hell In A Cell - RAW IS WAR 1998)
Foley was just beginning to turn full fledged face at this period you really do forget just how good his promos were back then. It reminds me of when Foley used to be one of my favorite wrestlers before he got erh...goofy, he is starting to get better on TNA lately. Foley kills the referee to start and then slams the door shut on Kane's head. This is another match that's testing my long term memory. Foley fails twice to throw a chair ontop of the cell in a comedy spot! IT LANDS ON KING bwahahhahahahahaha. Foley tries to climb the cell but Taker pulls Foley of the side through a table. Kane manages to score with a tope, God it's been a while since he last did that. Foley hides under the ring to suprise Kane with chair shots. Foley tries get the tacks but Kane closelines him very hard face first into the tacks. Kane gets piledriven onto the tacks and his arse is turned into a pin cushion as Foley promised. Kane hits a tombstone but refuses the pin and instead hits Foley with some nasty unprotected chair shots but a Tombstone on chair looks to end it but Austin appears from no where and beats the hell out of Kane.
Not much of a match I would say there were some pretty memorable visuals if I hadn't forgotten them already. Total garbage, glad this kind of stuff isn't on TV anymore. (*)
Undertaker vs. Big Bossman
(Hell In A Cell - Wrestlemania XV)
Ah for a long time this was considered the worst of all the hell in the cells, we shall see. One word phrase comes to mind when one rewatches this match "uninspired brawling". This is basically what you'd of expected between a pre golden years Undertaker and well an old Bossman. Bossman isn't HBK that is blindingly obvious as he just can't create enough movement, they even try the Irish whip cage spot but without Shawn pin balling around it just looks lame. Bossman isn't Foley either, the action is equally crappy but he's not risking his life to make up for it, nor should he. The crowd are bored sensless oh wait I forgot my WWE code The crowd are "in awe of the match" or in a "Stunned Silence" they are "transfixed". Watching these two blog around you can't help but think that this match desperately needs a babyface. Who is the crowd meant to cheer for? Vince's henchmen or the Evil murder Undertaker? Taker mercifully ends it about nine minutes with the Tombstone.
We then of course get our too cringe inducing to be true moment when the Brood descend from the celling and they hang the Bossman waisting five minutes of my life with the most cheesey embarsing crap imaginable. I'm guessing the noose is either on Bossman's chin or attached to his clothes. Either way he does a good job of selling this goofy stunt. This match was really hurt by having Cole not J.R. there to sell the action. Ugly as fuck. (1/4*)
Al Snow vs. Big Bossman
(Dog Kennell From Hell - Unforgiven 1999)
This feud was based around Big Bossman killing Al Snow's dog pepper and Bossman feeding it to Al Snow. Thank christ I have the Mick Foley commentary version so hopefully this should make me laugh. Kevin Kelly then reminds us of Big Bossman's feud with Big Show with the funeral skits and Big Show's dad. For those of you who don't know we've got the crappy blue cage with a hell in the cell round it, and then a "Trained pack of wild dogs" in between the two. MY GOD YOU RETARDS!!! YOU CANNOT HAVE A TRAINED BACK OF WILD DOGS! IF THEY ARE TRAINED THERE NOT WILD AND VICE VERCA.
"You know what these dogs don't know right from wrong,Bossman from Snow, they didn't go to school". Speaking of piss one of the dogs urinates on the outside. As Kevin Kelly points out the crowd are in a "Stunned Silence". It's amazing that a match that you consider one of the worst of all time can actually be worse when you watch it a second time. Bossman manages a superplex of the cage in a nice spot. Bossman gets powder "Of all the treachurous evil of man not the powder to the eyes". This match is unbelievably awful sub indy level hardcore action. Two of the dogs start having sex at ringside. Bossman handcuffs Snow to the top rope and slowly begins climbing out of the cell. "Al Snow with the strenght of a thousand men escapes the hand cuffs". The match ends when both men climb in different dirrections and Snow climbs out the door.
Undoubtably one of the all time worse matches in the history of the WWE and possible the worst gimmick match ever, well next to the reverse battle royal. On a side note Five Stars to Mick Foley's guest commentary. (negative: -****)
Triple H vs. Cactus Jack
(WWE World Title - No Way Out 2000)
The early portion of the match revolves around Foley trying to escape the cell but finding that it's been locked with multiple padlocks. The match starts similar to HBK-Taker minus the creativity and great selling with some solid brawling around the ring. Foley takes some nice bumps one of the ring apron into the cell and then his famous Foley bump on the ring steps. It takes less than ten minutes for Foley to take an unprotected chair shot to the head. From then in the match reverts to the spot fest formula with Mick hitting a series of moves on the steel chair. I really liked the spot were Foley sits Tripper in a steel chair for the Foley flurry but when he attempts the knee strike Triple H counters with a drop toe hold sending him into the steel chair.
The match picks up a little when Triple H gets busted open and Tripper bumps around the cell for Foley. This match suffers from the same problem as most late Foley matches that he's not very mobile but Foley manages a nice chair assisted Cactus Elbow drop on Triple H. In another nice spot Triple H dodges a set set of steel steps but when they hit the cell it breaks open. The match now gets very gory and intense as Foley piledrives Triple H on the announce table. The match is clevely planned out to create maximum drama from minimum movement. Stephanie involves her self and Foley pulls out is Barbed Wire 2x4 and they do there own copy of HBK bump through the table.
More embarsing moments as Mick for the fourth time fails to throw a chair to the top of the cell. The match gets pretty lame pretty fast as they neverous teeter around trying not to fall through the cell. Triple H mans up and takes some back bumps and nearly goes through the cell. Foley then hits a snap suplex ontop of the cage, major Kudos for that one. Unfortunately that's followed by a horrible looking double arm DDT but I'm inclined to let then off as they are trying not to die. Then in this matches most Iconic moment Foley sets the 2x4 on fire and nails Triple H and then tries a piledriver on the fire but in another scary but not so famous bump Tripper back body drops Mick through the cell.
All credit to Triple H as he stalls and has some great facial expressions as he buys Mick time with by acting scared and then sells the shock of Mick recovering brilliantly. Unfortunately we are in that territory where Mick is in no condition to wrestle and Tripper ends it with a Pedigree. Foley walks out with his head held high.
Definitely an improvement over Foley-Taker although not quite so iconic and it has been weakened historically by Foley's multiple returns to the ring, had Foley stayed retired this would be vastly better remembered than it is currently. It never managed to acomplish what HBK-Taker did by encorperating big spots but remaining a wrestling match without turning into a spotfest. This match match became a spotfest but a good spotfest and had enough back and forth wrestling at the outset to make it good contest. Right on the cusp of four stars. (****)
The Rock vs. The Undertaker vs. Rikishi vs. Steve Austin vs. Triple H vs. Kurt Angle
(Armaggedon In A Cell - Armaggedon 2002)
I haven't seen this match since I first saw it live back in 2002, not that I've had much of a desire to watch it since, I'll be intrigued to give it my first star rating. Unsuprisingly it starts out with a wild brawl with the crowd trading chants. We get the standard six man formula where they take it in turns two at a time rolling into the ring and hitting spots. Triple H and Austin have the best of these exchanges with some great intensity as they exchange face busters and Thez presses. You can certianly see the positives and negatives of this approach right from the off, on the plus side its and all action affair but on the minus side everything is inconsiquential and forgetable, nothing really maters.
Rock and Kurt do some good work and Austin and Triple H continue to tear it up, I can't help but think I'd rather watch Austin-Triple H instead. In a nice touch Triple h convinces Rikishi to work with him only to Pedigree him for a near fall. Watching this you really do start to miss the Rock. About twelve minutes in they start to exchange finishers back and forth. The back and forth action continues in fun fashion until.....Vince comes to ruin the fun and everything gets retarded.
Vince brings out at toe truck full of hey and cushions....Lame!!! And pulls the door off the cell adn then attempts to pull down the side of the cage until Foley's music hits. He beats up Paterson and Brisco before throwing Vince out. Well that killed the drama stone dead. We get a miny Austin era main event brawl as he and Triple H use cars and cameras while everyone else is presumably lying around. This portion of the match is very cartoony and pretty lame. The rhythem of the match has really been disrupted.
The match has become a B Movie brawl with the wrestlers all brawling ontop of cars, this portion of the match has now lasted for around ten unispired minutes. Triple H and Austin climb to the top at of the cage, in another silly spot but we to get the dramatic visual of Tripper and Austin brawling atop the cell. Austin then gives Tripper a terrible looking Stunner but I'll let him off as it really is a case of safety first. Kurt and Taker make there way to the top of the cell that from the over head shot has clearly been reinforced since the HBK-Foley days. Rikishi joins the party as everyone exchange chair shots.
The one thing I do really like about this match is the idea that people ran away and down the cage to escape Rikishi and taker rather than staying up there like idiots. Rikishi then takes his bump onto safety mats and saw dust. Now the side show crap has finished we get some wrestling awesomeness as Rocky and Austin have there showdown. The match starts getting good with some nice finisher exchanges but while Austin and Triple H battle Kurt falls ontop of Rock for the 1-2-3.
This match really really does not age at all well, and I didn't like it much at the time. The first ten minutes were fun but inconsiquential and the same goes for final five minutes but the middle Fifteen minutes were utterly dire, cartoony goofy crap. The only really drama this match produced was who would take the big bump and when you know it's Rikishi there's nothing else to make the match intriguing. They really didn't play up how hard it would be for Kurt to retain his title at all. Ultimately this was an incredibly inconsiquential match, the action was instantly forgettable and total interchangeable, there was no storytelling, minimal drama and no psychology.
The big bump is remembered poorly, unlike Foley's spots which became Iconic where were you moments, but instead it's remembered as a contrived embarising moment. I remember the day after Armaggedon me and my friends were joking about how lame it was that he jumped onto a load of sawdust and bed sheets, and watching back older and wiser it's even more cringe enducing. The great moments in this match were when Austin, Hunter and Rock interacted sadly there was too much goofy crap inbetween their awesoness. Relatively fun but totally forgettable, a spectacle not a match. (***)
Chris Jericho vs. Triple H
(Hell in A Cell - Judgement Day 2002)
A quick pre match observation, firstly did the Jericho-Triple H feud really call for a Hell in the Cell, so Vince thought it'd punish the Triple H, the man booked as the companies number one bad arse in company, to be locked in a cage with the companies number one pussy heel?
The match opens with a relatively intense brawl between the two with Triple H using his punch, punch, punch offence, Jericho takes a nice bump into the ringpost. Interestingly to confirm my earlier assesment when the King and J.R. are searching for names assoicated with hell in the cell they still say "HBK and Foley" not "Rikishi, Bossman and Undertaker". They relive the Foley-HHH catapult spot. Jericho mixes it up by bringing out a ladder and pummeling Hunter with it. Jericho takes about five minutes on offence before Triple H turns it around with a steel chair. Jericho then does his bulldog spot completely misses the ladder but HHH comes up bleeding so they sell it like he did.
This match really lacks creativity and pacing, its competantly executed it just lacks inspiration and just as I say that Tim White gets bumped off the apron, Five stars for effort goes to Tim White, Jericho then throws the referee into the cage busting him wide open. Other referees use bolt cutters to open the cage door to rescue Timmy allowing Y2J to escape. Triple H nails Jericho with a sledge hammer but there's no referee to count the pin and Y2J crawls out of the cage. In a really nice spot Jericho slams the door hard on Triple H's face, both men have bladed. Triple H DDTs Jericho through the announce table.
The finishing sequence involves Tripper and Jericho brawling atop the cage with the barbed wire 2x4, Jericho locks Tripper in the walls of Jericho and the referee climbs to the top of the cell. Jericho back body drops Triple H ontop of the cell before Triple H kills him with the Barbed wire bat and finishes him with the Pedigree.
Well that was a very dramatic finale to match and the final barbed wire shot to the head was absolutely brutal. The referees stole the show in this one and added the most drama to the match. The match overall had both highs and lows it had some good action but couldn't help but feel mediocre. (***1/4)
Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
(WWE World Title - No Mercy 2002)
The match starts at a good pace with Taker using the cast to his advantage on several occasions before throwing Brock repeatedly face first into the cell busting Brock wide open. Brock's selling is superb in the opening five minutes taking a really nice flying face first bump into the cell. We get the great visual of Taker's cast covered in blood. Unfortunately Taker after hitting a nice apron leg drop completely blows a spot jumping off the top rope really tamely and just about hitting a knee of the apron, take was terrible. Heyman does some good work at ringside before being big booted and driven into the cell. Heyman even blades, Brock even acidently spears him from the other side.
They come up with some creative stuff as Lesnar takes over on offence, Heyman holds Taker against the cell using his belt while Lesnar destroys Lesnar's hand with the steel chair. The match slows to mid match lull as it takes a while for Lesnar to remove Taker's cast. Lesnar comes up with another unique spot placing Taker on top and swinging back and forth on the cage kicking Taker in the faces. The match really slows down and Taker hits a nice big boot off the apron and suicide dive combo.
While the pace has lulled as we enter the final portion the brutality is off the charts as Lesnar hits Taker with two brutal steel steps blows busting Taker wide open. You rarely see Taker bloody but this is one of the goriest blade jobs ever. In a nice touch Taker attempts to break Lesnar's hand. It is not a cliche the blood is literally pouring out of Undertaker's face. They go back and forth with counters and high impact moves before Taker hits the Last Ride for the 1...2...Lesnar gets his hand on the rope. Major kudos to them for the way they've got the crowd in the palm of their hands without even teasing a monster spot. In one of the best finishes ever Brock flip counters a tombstone and then pops Taker into the F-5 for the 1...2...3.
Really enjoyable match, the were some sloppy moments, plodding moments and some definite lulls but even in the slow portions they brought a great intensity and brutality. Taker deserves a medal for his blade job which totally stole the show, the match showed some really creativity and Heyman greatly enchanced the match in his managerial role. Lesnar is so good a playing the Deuchebag heel wrestling sorely misses him as much as UFC loves him. Although dropping the psychology based around selling the caste for the final quarter was kinda dumb. The first good brtual brawl style Hell in a Cell. (***3/4)
Kevin Nash vs. Triple H - Special Referee: Mick Foley
(WWE World Heavyweight Title - Bad Blood 2003)
The match starts a suprisingly fast intense pace and the first five minutes fly by, nothing overly memorable but good strong action. In what is certainly a unique spot Triple H attacks Nash with a hammer until Mick Foley makes the save. Nash has bladed but it fails to impress but then how could it after the Lesnar-Taker match. Tripper then rakes at the face of Nash with a screw driver before nailing Nash in the gut with the barbed wire bat. Nash then takes his turn waffling Tripper with the bat and Hunter comes up bleeding. That's a blade job Taker would be proud of. At the twelve minute mark Nash hits Snake Eyes onto the barbed wire bat in a pretty cool spot that Triple H sold excellently.
The match slows down when Nash is on offence but thankfully Tripper waffles Nash with a wooden crate smashing it over Nash's face. Foley won't let Tripper use the Sledgehammer so Tripper nails Hunter. They continue to brawl with weapons and then in a great spot Tripper nails Nash and then suddenly turns and creams Foley with a chair busting Foley open but Foley responds with Mr. Socko. They blow a spot with the steel steps. Nash gets a visual pinfall but Foley is out of it. In the bump of the match Tripper knocks Nash into Foley who goes flying into the cell at great speed. Nash hits a catapult sending Tripper into the barbed wire bat and then hits a Jacknife for a 1...2...nearfall, wow great stuff. The finish comes when Triple H hits a sledge hammer shot and pedigree for the 1...2...3.
Well I remember not liking that match at the time, most likely because I was younger but that was well above expectations. They went all out for a weapons brawl, aside from the high brutality level this was more of a street fight than a HITC. The drama of the final six minutes was fanastic and the crowd while indifferent to Nash throughout was massively into the final few minutes, Foley's involvement really helped too. The major criticism of this match would be that it never felt special but was consistantly satisfying. Good effort, under rated match, most likely Nash best one on one encounter since 1996. (***1/2)
Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H
(WWE World Heavyweight Title - Bad Blood 2004)
Now I've never seen this match before, and I've seen most of HBK's PPV matches, ironically the only other major HBK match I've never seen is HBK-Triple H in the three stages of hell match. The match starts with a back and forth brawl, Shawn bumps over the top rope a couple of times, its stiff stuff but nothing particularly exceptional. Tripper blades early. The action is good but very delibrately paced, I suspect their going long. The first fifteen minutes are effectively a regular match with back breakers, suplexes and chops filling most of the action.
They then work around the outside with HBK taking some bumps into the cage before Tripper hits a side walk slam on a steel chair. Okay I'm going to point out a massive flaw right now. Triple H is hitting a series of wrestling moves and going for multiple pins, IT'S A HELL IN THE CELL, they are supposed to hate each other, its supposed to blood, intense and the blow off to there feud, Triple H should be beating the Hell out of HBK and only going for a cover once he's a bloody beaten pulp!
Okay they do one really nice spot where HBK avoids a abdominal stretch and then reverses a hip toss tossing Tripper over the top rope in the process, haven't seen that before. HBK gets on offence and its pretty unique a low blow and two atomic drops. The action goes to the outside and Tripper counters a steps piledriver with a back body drop. Back in the ring HBK kips up misses his superkick and gets nailed with the steps drawing a bladejob. That blade job seems to perk up the match as it at last begins to get brutal as Tripper uses the cage to work over HBK.
It doesn't take long for the match to turn methodical again as Tripper pulls out the spinebuster (fine) and a sleeper (what the fuck HITC dude). HBK manages to counter a pedigree into a DDT. Anyway the match gets more brutal with a series of chair shots and ladder shots from HBK. Triple H finally pulls out one of his patternted blade jobs. Tripper takes his corner bump on the ladder in a nice spot. The match continues to have some good action but it's incredibly frustrating that they won't kick up through the gears.
They brawl on their knees in the centre of the ring and HBK slugs down Triple H and both men are down and the crowd is still flat. Tripper throws HBK shoulder first into the steel ring post before getting a table, the match is so slowly paced. Shawn lays Tripper on a table and sets up a ladder in the corner before dropping and elbow through the table. In a nice spot Tripper counters Sweet Chin Music with a big low blow and scores with a Pedigree. In a nice visual both men gradually get to there feet before HBK nails Sweet Chin Music for a near fall. Triple H then hits a Pedigree and both men are down for an eternity. After about two minutes of Lying down Tripper hits a third and final Pedigree for the 1-2-3.
Well that was absolutely grueling and brutal, that was by design of course, however while they achieve a certain level of success the final twenty minutes were very strong, but the first twenty were wrestled at a incredibly slow pace and like a regular wrestling match looking for pin falls. This undermined the match, had they gone hell for leather and wrestled a brutal pacey first twenty minutes then the grueling second half with the epic imagery and great selling would really have countered for something. Dissapointing, lofty ideas below bar execution. (***)
Triple H vs. Batista
(WWE World Heavyweight Title - Vengeance 2005)
The match starts with Batista on offence with his methodically paced power offence. The crowd are very much into Batista and Batista takes a nice bump off the ring apron into the cell. Tripper takes over on offence at around the five minute mark but the pace doesn't pick up. In a relatively unique spot Tripper whips Batista with a long thin chain before hanging Batista with it. The intensity is kicked up a notch when Batista gets the chain and whips Triple H around. One obvious observation about this match is that these guys both need someone to bump around for them and create movement.
Triple H pulls out a blade job, a gory one, next to Flair Triple H has to be the most consistantly impressive blader in the business. This match adds something else new when Tripper pulls out a chair wrapped in barbed wire at the then minute mark and cuts up Batista's back. Tripper mans up and takes the barbed wire unprotected chair shot. Batista then begins ripping away at Tripper's flesh withou mercy. At the fifteen minute mark Triple H goes for a pedigree on the barbed wire chair but Batista counters and powerslam's Tripper onto the barbed steel chair. Triple H replies with a DDT on the chair busting Batista open and he takes over on offence.
At Eighteen minutes in Tripper counters a Batista bomb and plants Batista with the sledgehammer for the 1...2...near fall! In a nice spot Batista charges with the sledge hammer but Tripper meets him with a big loaded right hand with the chain. Triple H tries to come off the second rope with a fist drop but Batista puts the sledge hammer up to counter and Triple H sprays blood into the air, really great spot. Batista brutalizes Triple H for the last couple of minutes destoying Triple H's face against the steel steps before Tripper suprises him with the pedgiree for the 1...2...near fall! In a nice touch Batista goes for the batista Bomb Tripper has the sledge hammer but Batista hits the Batista bomb before Hunter can hit him for the 1-2-3.
The first third of the match was rather unimaginative but this match was never dull and was satisfying from start to finish. They deliver exactly what you expect nothing more nothing less, Triple H is good at these brutal bloody brawls and it showed as he produced a suprisingly satisfying match with Batista. (***1/2)
Undertaker vs. Randy Orton
(Hell In A Cell - Armaggedon 2005)
The match starts in typical Taker fashion with Taker taking the lead on offence with his high impact methodical style. The first ten minutes is absolutely all Taker he beats Orton with chairs, chains and of course the cell itself, Orton is busted open and this is just brutal. Orton tries to uses the steps to get back in the match but has those booted back into his face as well. Orton suprises Taker with an RKO on the top rope out of nowhere to finally get some offence at near fifteen minutes into the match. Once Orton gets on top he brings some good intensity with the steps and chokes Taker with a big chain.
Taker gets back on top with a steel chair shot and the big beat down of Randy Orton resumes until Taker misses a top rope elbow drop. Orton gets a spell on offence and does some good work including powerslamming Taker into the cell in a spot that looks better in reality than it sounds on paper. Taker smashes Orton Snr. into the cage alla Heyman opening up a nasty hard way cut over his head. Taker then continues to work over Orton with his usual offence. The match begins to tell the story of Orton being hit with everything but continuing to kick out frustrating Taker.
Orton manages to take over on offence hitting a top rope splash through a table and following up by countering a chokeslam into the RKO for the 1...2...kick out. Taker hits the Tombstone 1....2...Orton Snr. pulls the referee out. Orton then counters a Tombstone and scores with one of his own for a very near fall when Taker sits up, Taker continues to sit up but Orton slugs him down, When Orton finally thinks Taker's down he grabs Orton suddenly by the throat and then kills Orton Senior, then counters an RKO, nails both Orton's with the urn and gets the win with the Tombstone.
The final few minutes were really good but everything was rather take it or leave it with Taker providing a long long beatdown. Orton sold well but couldn't carry the action in a meaningful way. The match suffered from some ludicrious over booking too. Not terrible but not great either. Enough solid action to satisfy. (***)
Triple H & Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon & Big Show
(Hell In A Cell - Unforgiven 2006)
This is the debut of the new Hell in the Cell its bigger stronger, harder to see through, a less intimidating desbite it's size. The match starts with DX simultaniously kicking a field goal between Big Show's leg and we get our customary "You Screwed Bret" chant, seriously get over it, he totally deserved it. Both Shane and Vince are bleeding almost immediately. Triple H drives a screw driver into Vince's face the cameraman helpfully stands in the way so no one in the audience can see. At about the six minute mark Big Show recovers and takes over on offence.
Triple H hits one of the worst knee drops in human history missing by about a mile right on camera. The action really slows when the heels take over on offence fully, Tripper is chokeslam and HBK is alleyooped into the cell. At about twelve minutes HBK is busted open and he's doing a nice job of bumping around for Big Show. Shane then hits the Van Shaneinator on Triple H busting Hunters ear wide open, ouchy!!! Shane adds to his mamoth list of stolen spots now stealing the catapult spot from the earlier Hell in the Cells.
Fifteen minutes in Vince turns down a three count after a Vader Bomb from Big Show, Show then hits a Cobra clutch back breaker and Hog Log but Vince still won't take the pin. Shane stops a come back by botching an Angle Slam, then trying to make it a torture rack but that gets botched too, I think it was supposed to be a TKO. Thankfully HBK kills Shane with an Enzenguri to stop Shane before he steels anymore spots. God Vince then pulls his pants down, wedgies himself and bends over, thankfully Big Show breaks it up. I don't know what to say about this crap.
I've got to give credit to Shawn for carrying this thing and taking all the embarsing spots and Big Show for his superb facial expression. Big Show expression are awesome when he accidently hits Vince and then even better when he gets crotched. DX hit some double team offence at the Twenty minute mark. They then Pillmanize Shane's neck with a HBK elbow drop and Shane bleeds from the mouth. Tripper kills Big Show with a steel chair and steel steps combo before Shawn kills him with a Superkick bending Show over the top rope.....Vince's face is cartoony excellence as he stares down DX, then his ridiculous shock when they pull down Big Show's trousers. They then of course shove Vince's head up Big Show's arse, J.R says "Vince needs doctor Hinnie" in a nice touch. DX end it with the superkick sledgehammer combo for the 1...2...3.
Well this is rather a take it or leave it match, there was some good action and enough zany crap going on to make this match enjoyable. Very self absorbed but Vince and Big Show's facial expressions were brilliant in this match and Shawn did a good job of giving thisn match movement an quality. Not a match you'd rewatch but it accomplished all it set out to achive, a suitably ludicrious final chapter to one of the most morose feuds of recent times. (***)
Undertaker vs. Batista
(WWE World Heavyweight Title - Survivor Series 2007)
Surprisingly considering whose in the ring they start with a counter exchange that ends with Taker scoring with a hard closeline. The pace is methodical but they pull out some nice spots early, Batista counters a chair shot with a spear before Taker boots the chair back into Batista's face. The action continues to the outside and remains plodding but minus creativity. After about three minutes of mindless plodding Batista counters Taker's rope walk with a spinebuster in a nice spot. Batista takes over on offence at the eight minute mark.
"This is starting to get monkey butt ugly Michael and its only going to get worse" man I miss JBL's commentary. Taker takes back control quickly and beats Batista with steps, chairs and of course the cell itself busting Batista open. Batista hits a not-so-super-superplex but Taker surprises him with a Triangle Choke. Taker hits the worlds worst Suicide Dive. The plodathon is back on. Batista then pulls out a new spot by repeatedly bluggening Taker with the steel steps against the cell busting Taker open.
At the fifteen minute mark Taker scores with the last ride for a nearfall. Taker then hits a chokeslam for another nearfall. Batista counters with a spinebuster for a near fall. Batista gives Taker a Jacknife powerbomb through a table for a near fall, that was an excellent spot. Taker counters a Batista bomb back body dropping Batista on the steel steps. Taker then hits a tombstone but Batista kicks out at the twenty minute mark. Taker then hits a tombstone piledriver on the steel steps 1...2...The Referee gets pulled out. Edge then nails Taker with a camera and gives Taker a con-chair-to on the steel steps. Edge puts Batista on top for the 1...2...3.
Very dramatic conclusion to a match that really lacked drama, there were plenty of big kick outs but because they never really engaged the crowd or had them caught up in the near falls the crowd never felt absorbed in the drama. To their credit they pulled out some nice and unique spots especially towards the end. The final seven minutes couldn't make up for the first twelve. (**3/4)
Edge vs. Undertaker
(WWE World Heavyweight Title - Summerslam 2008)
I really liked this match at the time giving it four stars but I'll see if it aged well, these two had tremedous chemistry. Taker starts out on offence as per usual with the ringside action. In our first creative spot Taker sets the steel steps up in the corner and hits snake eyes on them, Edge counter the big boot and sends Taker into the steps and then hits a basements spear. When then get about two minutes of dead air while Edge sets up the next spot, double stacking tables at ringside. They nicely tease going through them before going back to regular action.
At the eight minute mark Edge beats Taker with a chair shot while he sets up another table. seriously at least 50% of the match so far has been setting up spots. Taker continues to crawl around and now gets a ladder. Edge hits Taker with an unprotected chair shot so he can set up even more spots. Seriously 60% setting up spots 40% actually having a match. Edge lays Taker on a table and hits a chair assisted elbow drop off the ladder. That was a reference to a skit with Mick Foley prior to his match, Mick's last on WWE TV ironically. That looked less cool than I thought it would.
They start doing some wrestling exchanges and guess what? It gets exciting and the crowd go nuts! It's almost as though these people paid to see wrestling. Taker boots Edge off the apron and into the cell. Edge then runs up the steel steps and spears Taker through the cell, nice spot and they didn't take too long setting it up. They brawl on the outside with Edge nailing Taker with a monitor before spearing Taker through an announce table. To both mens credit their really selling the spot rather than going straight to the next spot.
They return to the cage at the eighteen minute mark. Edge nails Taker with a camera in a nod to the last Hell In A Cell match that I reviewed. Taker counters a spear and hits a very good chokeslam for a near fall. Edge hits the impaler for a near fall. This is just a total spotfest, Edge coutners a Last Ride into a spear for a near fall. Taker hits a last ride for a near fall. Taker takes time to set up another spot, it ends up with Edge hitting a sort of Edge-o-Matic on the steel steps. Edge gets crotched on top at the twenty six minute mark and Taker chokeslams him through two tables at ringside.
Taker hits a spear of his own and then gets the Camera of DOOM and smashes it on Edge. Taker then gives Edge a con-chair-to. Taker then hits the tombstone for the 1...2...3. Taker sees Edge getting up as he walked away and decides to Chokeslam Edge through the ring into a pit of fire, no I'm not making this up.
Well on a second viewing this is still a very entertaining match up but it's definitely exposed for what it truly is a OTT spotfest. Most of the match and I'm talking nearly fifty percent comprised one guy rolling around on the floor while the other set up intracate spots. There wasn't much in the way of action or psychology inbetween. However this was still very exciting, and I loved they way they played into their more than year long rivalry with the finishing sequence of Taker doing to Edge everything he'd done to Taker. I feel that when a match is this obviously contrived it's hard to give it four stars and combined with the fact that it hasn't really gone done in legend or imfamy I'm dropping my mark down a little, still very good, just not great. (***3/4)
Final thoughts: Well there we have it every Hell In A Cell match in history, from the great begining to a great ending, there were highs and lows but this is a consistantly entertaining concept. It has become Taker and Triple H's speciality match from the year 2000 onwards which is a little dissapointing as it's a really great match and I'd love to see two fresh faces given a chance. Orton and HBK in the cell for example sounds amazing to me. The match evolved from crazy all over the place brawls with big spots to brutal bloody wars. The Taker-Edge match suggests there is wiggle room in the format but we shall see I look forward to this years addition but only if the bloodly feud calls for the hell in a cell match.
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