Thursday, September 21, 2023

Ruthless Aggression Era Project: WWE Monday Night Raw Review - September 8th, 2003

WWE Monday Night Raw
September 8th, 2003
Huntsville, Alabama 

World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H (since 12/15/02)
Intercontinental Champion: Christian (since 8/10/03)
World Tag Team Champions: La Resistance (since 6/15/03)
WWE Women's Champion: Molly Holly (since 7/28/03)

Commentators - Jim Ross & Jerry "The King" Lawler



1) Rob Van Dam vs. Kane - Steel Cage Match

This was a good cage match. Van Dam charges Kane at the bell and mounts an early flurry. Eventually, Kane overpowers him and this becomes just a straight up assault on RVD. Van Dam gets some color and bleeds a bit. This was just an awesome.. almost squash, but moreso just a complete annihilation of Van Dam. Kane chokeslams him off the middle of the top rope off the cage for the win. Cool spot.

Match rating - ***

2) Rico (w/ Jackie Gayda) vs. Lance Storm (w/ Goldust)

Rico cuts a promo on Storm beforehand and says he’s always gonna be nothing but BOOORING. Storm fires off at him and this match is pretty much about him trying to prove he’s not boring. Storm kisses Jackie on the apron and pins Rico soon after. 

Match rating - *

3) Trish Stratus & Jacqueline vs. Molly Holly & Gail Kim 

“You think Jackie has to have a permit to carry those 38’s?” -Jerry Lawler 

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Ruthless Aggression Era Project: WWE Smackdown Review - September 4th, 2003

WWE Smackdown 
September 4th, 2003
New Orleans, Louisana 

WWE Champion: Kurt Angle (since 7/27/03)
WWE United States Champion: Eddie Guerrero (since 7/27/03)
WWE Tag Team Champions: Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas (since 7/3/03)
WWE Cruserweight Champion: Rey Mysterio (since 6/5/03)


TONIGHT: Kurt Angle defends the WWE Championship against The Undertaker plus The Bourbon Street Bikini Contest 

1) World’s Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas) (c) vs. The APA (Bradshaw & Farooq) - WWE Tag Team Title Match 

Haas & Benjamin charge the ring and this gets underway as soon as the bell rings. WGTT get Farooq and isolate him from Bradshaw for a minute or two. Bradshaw gets a hot tag and cleans house. Things sort of break down from here and go back & forth for a bit before Benjamin uses the tights on a roll up to pin Bradshaw following a belt shot from Haas behind the ref’s back. 

Match rating - **1/2

Backstage, Eddie Guerrero is polishing up his US Title on the hood of his car. A limo pulls up and it’s Big Show, Sable, & Mr. McMahon. Brock Lesnar walks up and asks what the hell is going on because he hasn’t heard from Vince since SummerSlam. Vince says it’s because Brock tapped out. This pisses Brock off and Vince tells him to chill and come to his office so they can talk about it. 

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Ruthless Aggression Era Project: WWE Monday Night Raw Review - September 1st, 2003

WWE Monday Night Raw
September 1st, 2003
Lafayette, Louisiana 

World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H (since 12/15/02)
Intercontinental Champion: Christian (since 8/10/03)
World Tag Team Champions: La Resistance (since 6/15/03)
WWE Women's Champion: Molly Holly (since 7/28/03)



Replays of Shane killing Kane via arson last week. Yeah, man. It’s 03 baby. 

Jerry Lawler is out first for his match with Jonathan Coachman. God help us all. 

1) Jerry “The King” Lawler vs. Jonathan Coachman

Thursday, August 24, 2023

WCW Monday Nitro Review - June 24th, 1996

WCW Monday Nitro
June 24th, 1996
Charlotte, North Carolina 

LIVE FROM THE QUEEN CITY OF THE SOUTH 

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)
WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)
WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)
WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)
WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Tony Schiavone is on one tonight!! It’s Tony and Larry Zbysko for hour one again. They once again show us Nash & Hall destroying Eric Bischoff at Great American Bash a week ago. Meanwhile, the crowd is chanting “WE WANT FLAIR” — we are in Nature Boy country baby!!!! 

Backstage, Mean Gene has Luger, Sting, & Macho Man to talk about conquering The Outsiders and fighting for WCW. Harlem Heat and The Steiner’s interrupt. They basically say they’ll have their backs in fighting for WCW, but tonight they’re taking those tag titles. It’s a triangle match for the WCW Tag Team Championships later on! 

1) Blue Bloods (Lord Steven Regal & Dave Taylor) vs. Public Enemy 

WCW Monday Nitro Review - June 17th, 1996

WCW Monday Nitro 
June 17th, 1996
Richmond, Virginia

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)
WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)
WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)
WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)
WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 


Tony Schiavone is joined by Larry Zbysko tonight. They quickly recap everything that happened at the Great American Bash last night, most notably focusing on Kevin Nash and Scott Hall’s attack on Eric Bischoff. They tease showing the whole clip, but cut it before the full thing and say they will show the rest of the horrific attack later.

1) Rick Steiner vs. Stevie Ray 

Short, short match. But typical Steiners and Harlem stuff. Hard hitting power shit. Rick wins with the Steinerline. 

Match rating - *1/2

After the match, Booker T comes down to attack Richard and this brings Scott out to save his brother. Harlem Heat gets the upper hand and Rick seemingly injured his ribs during the attack. 

2) Disco Inferno vs. Joe Gomez 

WCW: Great American Bash 1996 Review - June 16th, 1996

WCW Great American Bash 1996
June 16th, 1996
Baltimore, Maryland 

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)
WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)
WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)
WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)
WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 


Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes welcome us to the event and preview all the main stories going on tonight including the major one involving Scott Hall & Kevin Nash being in attendance looking for a fight.


1) The Steiner Brothers vs. Fire & Ice - There Must be A Winner

This was a pretty banging opener between these bulky bastards. The crowd is hot for it, too. Norton isolates Scott and it leads to the hot tag to Rick and things break down. Steiner Bros comeback leads to some good false finishes before the FRANKENSTEINER from Scott ends things. These boy dropping bombs.

Match rating - **1/2

2) Konnan (c) vs. El Gato - US Heavyweight Title Match 

They tried their best here, but a lot of this looked clunky. It definitely didn’t deserve the boring chants that were scattered throughout. Konnan powerbombs Gato to the floor off the apron and Gato gets back in the ring before they can even really start counting for a count out and then they go to the finish. Just fucking weirrrd. This kinda was ass. 

Match rating - *3/4

Backstage, MEAN GENE IS WITH STING. They’re talking about our Lord Steven Regal. It gets real weird and 1996 real fast with Sting talking about how American men are raised different than the “prissies” in England. Meh meh. No good.

3) Diamond Dallas Page vs. Marcus Bagwell

Friday, August 18, 2023

WCW Monday Nitro Review - June 10th, 1996

WCW Monday Nitro 
June 10th, 1996 
Wheeling, West Virginia 

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)
WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)
WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)
WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)
WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Commentators - Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko (Hour One) and Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan (Hour Two) (ugh)  



Tony & Larry show us a replay of the verbal showdown between Scott Hall and Sting that ended the broadcast last week. Hall promised a big surprise for Sting this week so I guess we will be finding out what that entails tonight. This is the final Nitro before The Great American Bash PPV. 

1) Booker T vs. Scott Steiner 

These two are normally in tag matches around this time, but tonight they’re going singles. This is short and inoffensive. A lot of power moves and trading kicks & suplexes. Booker dominates most of it only to lose in the end after about 5-6 minutes. The Steiner’s have a PPV match coming up against Fire & Ice so makes sense for Scott to get the win here. 

Match rating - **1/4

Back from commercial, Mean Gene is interviewing Scott Steiner. He gets interrupted by Debra. Debra hasn’t been able to sleep worrying about her husband’s well being at the PPV Sunday and she wants a meeting with Flair & Anderson to call off the match. Mean Gene says he will try to arrange it. 

2) “Diamond” Dallas Page vs. Jim Powers