PW Boards Video Club #4 - Wrestlemania 19

Lord TSC

Low turn out last week though even I got bogged down so didn't get a chance to watch the show. Something a bit more modern this week though, so hopefully fresher in people's minds. Love this card too.

Show Ratings So Far:
WWE Money in the Bank 2011 - 8.4/10 (15 votes)
WCW Bash at the Beach 96 - 6.7/10 (4 votes)
WWE IYH 16: Canadian Stampede - 6.4/10 (7 votes)

==============

Week Four
Wrestlemania 19
picked by: beakerjoe

WWE Cruiserweight Title Match
Matt Hardy Version 1.0 (w/Shannon Moore) (c) vs. Rey Mysterio

Two On One Handicap Match
The A-Train & The Big Show vs. The Undertaker

World Women's Title Triple Threat Match
Victoria (w/Steven Richards) (c) vs. Jazz vs. Trish Stratus

WWE Tag Team Title Three Way Match
Team Angle (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) (c) vs. Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs. Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero)

Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels

World Heavyweight Title Match
Triple H (w/Ric Flair) (c) vs. Booker T

20 Years In The Making Street Fight
Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon

Steve Austin vs. The Rock

WWE Heavyweight Title Match
Kurt Angle (c) vs. Brock Lesnar

Event background from Wikipedia.

The main feud heading into WrestleMania on the SmackDown! brand was between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar, with the two feuding over the WWE Championship. Angle won the title three months prior at Armageddon by defeating then-champion The Big Show with Lesnar's help.[7][8] At the Royal Rumble in January, Angle defeated Chris Benoit to retain the WWE Championship, and Lesnar won the Royal Rumble match to become number one contender to the WWE Championship at WrestleMania when he last eliminated The Undertaker. The following month at No Way Out, Lesnar and Benoit defeated Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Shelton Benjamin, and Charlie Haas) in a Handicap match. During that Pay Per View, Edge was supposed to team up with Lesnar & Benoit to wrestle Team Angle in the scheduled Six Man Tag team match but Edge was attacked backstage and it was announced he could not participate in the match. On the March 6 episode of SmackDown!, Lesnar defeated Paul Heyman in a Steel cage match to earn a championship match against Angle the next week. The next week on SmackDown!, Angle defeated Lesnar to retain the WWE Championship. Before the match began, Kurt, who was "praying" in the corner, switched with his brother Eric. Lesnar then came out and the match began. Shortly after the match began, Benjamin and Haas came to the ring and distracted Lesnar, which gave Eric time to switch back with Kurt. As Lesnar regained his focus, Kurt was able to pin him with a small package for the win. The following week on the March 20 episode of SmackDown!, SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon told Angle that if he tries to get himself disqualified or if his brother, Benjamin, or Haas try to interfere in their match at WrestleMania, he would lose the title.

The main feud on the Raw brand was between The Rock and Steve Austin. On the February 20 episode of SmackDown!, The Rock returned to WWE after a six-month hiatus from wrestling (since SummerSlam). On that evening, he was in a confrontation with Hulk Hogan before their WrestleMania X8 rematch at No Way Out. At the No Way Out event, The Rock defeated Hogan with the help of Vince McMahon. On the following night's episode of Raw, The Rock returned to the Raw brand in a 20-man Battle royal that would determine the opponent for the World Heavyweight Championship. Rock however, was unable to win after he was eliminated by Booker T; after the match, Rock criticized Steve Austin for being chosen as the Superstar of the Decade by the WWE fans in January, beginning the feud between Rock and Austin. The following week on Raw, Austin, who was on a long hiatus before returning that previous Sunday at No Way Out, made his WWE television return, as he cut a promo about the WWE fans, before he was interrupted by Rock, who challenged him to a match at WrestleMania because The Rock, himself, was obsessed of not beating Austin at a WrestleMania event by the time they fought at WrestleMania XV and X-Seven during a four-year span. As soon as the challenge was made, Raw General manager, Eric Bischoff, announced that the following week on Raw, Rock would face Booker T in a match, and if he won, he would have the choice to face either Austin or Triple H at WrestleMania. On the March 10 episode of Raw, Rock, with Bischoff's approval, announced that he would pick his own opponent for later that night, which turned out to be The Hurricane, in hopes for Rock to gain an easy victory. However, Austin made his way down the entrance ramp, which distracted Rock and allowed Hurricane to Roll up Rock into a successful pinfall, which made the Austin-Rock match at WrestleMania official. On the March 24, and final episode of Raw leading into WrestleMania, Austin was banned from entering the arena that night. He managed to enter the arena and attack Rock, however, before Rock fled the ring.

The secondary feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon. One month prior at No Way Out, during a match between Hogan and The Rock, McMahon came down to the ring, only to distract Hogan, which allowed the referee, Sylvan Grenier to give The Rock a chair, which Rock used to hit Hogan and pin him for the win. After No Way Out, McMahon proclaimed that Hulkamania was dead and proclaiming a new 'mania; McMahonamania. On the March 6 episode of SmackDown!, Hogan informed McMahon that Hulkamania was not dead and that McMahon had nothing to do with creating it. McMahon informed Hogan that he did not hate Hulkamaniacs or Hulkamania, but he hated Hogan. He then told Hogan that he hated him for leaving WWE (then known as the WWF) for Ted Turner's WCW and for testifying against him in the steroid trial in the 1990s. McMahon proceeded by challenging Hogan to a match at WrestleMania where if Hogan lost, he would have to retire from professional wrestling. Hogan accepted his challenge later that night. Two weeks later on the March 20 episode of SmackDown!, McMahon and Hogan had a contract signing for their match at WrestleMania. As Hogan was preparing to sign the contract, McMahon attacked with a steel chair from behind. Shortly afterward, McMahon hit Hogan several times with the chair in the head, causing him to bleed. McMahon then signed the contract and forced Hogan to sign with his blood.

Another feud on the Raw brand was between Triple H and Booker T, with the two feuding over the World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H won the title three months prior at Armageddon by defeating then-champion Shawn Michaels in a 3 Stages of Hell match. Since that event, Triple H had fought Scott Steiner during the following two pay per view events for the World's title. First was at the Royal Rumble, where Triple H got himself disqualified when he nailed Steiner with the Sledgehammer but retained the title. Then at No Way Out, he defeated Steiner by Pinfall to retain the title. On the February 24 episode of Raw, Booker won a 20-man Battle royal by last eliminating The Rock to become the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. On the March 3 episode of Raw, World Champion, Triple H, cut a controversial promo on Booker T. Triple H downplayed Booker T's WCW success, pointing out that the WCW Championship had been held by non-wrestlers like Vince Russo and actor David Arquette calling WCW and its title "a joke". He implied that Booker T, as a convicted criminal, would never win a world championship in WWE. In the Wrestlemania XIX press conference Michael Cole questioned Triple H as to whether he had cut a racist promo, Triple H confirmed this was not the case and was indeed referring to Booker's criminal past. A week later, Booker got revenge by attacking Triple H in the bathroom, laying him out. On the March 24 episode of Raw, Booker T & Goldust defeated Triple H & Ric Flair in a Tag team match.

Another feud from the Raw brand was the squabble over the WWE Women's Championship; the champion Victoria had captured the title from Trish Stratus back in November at Survivor Series. Then a month later at Armageddon, Victoria defeated Stratus and Jacqueline in a Triple threat match to retain the Women's title. Stratus and the returning Jazz had a match on Raw to determine who would challenge Victoria for the Championship at WrestleMania. During the match, Victoria entered the ring and hit both women with the title belt, earning a double disqualification. It was then announced that Victoria would defend the title against both Stratus and Jazz in a Triple Threat match at the pay-per-view.

A smaller feud, also from the Raw brand was between Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels. After Shawn Michaels lost the World Heavyweight Championship to HHH at Armageddon 2002, he appeared in an in-ring segment with Chris Jericho. It was there that Jericho told HBK that he was washed up and had nothing left in the tank. Jericho said he was ashamed of Michaels, because HBK was the reason he wanted to become a WWE champion, and that Michaels appeared to be a shell of himself by not being able to beat HHH at Armageddon. After mocking Michaels and threatening to attack him, Jericho turned around into a superkick from HBK. When Michaels was a guest on Jericho's in-ring show The Highlight Reel the following month, Jericho claimed he had idolised Michaels from a young age and that he had been his inspiration to become a wrestler. At the 2003 Royal Rumble, Jericho eliminated Michaels. Michaels would later return to the Rumble later in the match and attack Jericho, helping to lead to his elimination. The two would agree to meet at WrestleMania 19 in a match.

Poll up, excited for this one.

(EDIT: Aaaand the poll didn't post. Will ask a mod to add it.)

gimmick

Poll added

gimmick

Hmm, I remember really looking forward to this and being happy enough with it at the time. But looking back, I can only really remember Angle Lesnar, HBK Jericho and the opener as being any memorable for the right reasons.

The former 2 were brilliant matches, the opener was solid. But we had the absolute atrocity that was Hogan Vince and Taker Vs A Train and Show. I genuinely cannot remeber much else about the other matches other that predictably being pissed off that HHH went over.

I think maybe a 7 would eb about right and thats purely down to the main and HBK Jericho.

gnfnrhead

gimmick wrote: »

I genuinely cannot remeber much else about the other matches other that predictably being pissed off that HHH went over.

Thing I always remember is Triple H hitting a Pedigree and laying there for 20 minutes before pinning Booker.

Deadlie

Just finished watching this. Hadn't seen it since it first aired, so I'd forgotten most of it - or at least the entirety of the undercard.

The opening promo is one of the least inspiring promos on a Wrestlemania. It's essentially a load of lads saying 'yeah, it's the big one. It's our Superbowl', etc., but not really selling the whole thing. After this one though, the rest of them are great.

-Matt Hardy vs. Rey Mysterio:

I always hated Matt Hardy's 'V1' gimmick. I also hated Matt Hardy. But his match with Rey, who was wearing some The Flash meets Dangermouse gimp costume was decent enough. There was a cool over the top rope leg drop and a hurricirana that was so close to being dangerous it was awesome. The ending seemed kinda flat with the dirty pin. Got a chuckle from remembering that I sat next to a gril in school called Shannon Moore.

Limp Bizkit mini show was actually pretty tight. Not a beat missed and really clean vocals. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

-Undertaker vs. Big Show & A-Train:

Didn't really understand this one. All the other matches had great hype, and their promos explained the story, but not this one. Not sure why taker was taking on these two, or why the FBI guy took out his partner. Regardless, it's a pretty standard match for big guys. Maybe Taker was jealous of A Train's vest made of human hair. The leg drop from Big Show was a highlight - he landed it perfectly. But then at the end, despite it being announced as "Now a handicap match" by the announcer, Taker's partner comes out and infront of the ref, roundhouse kicks Show and then Big Boot's Tensai. It's gas, the ref literally just shrugs his shoulders.

Some catfight girls come out and your IQ drops. They meet with Torrie and Stacey, who are, y'know, just hanging out in the hall reading a Playboy, as you do. But the line of the night is delivered by Stacey:

"Speaking of testicles, I have a new marketing idea that will blow you away"
Speaking of b*lls the next match is for the women's championship, would have been a better segue.

-Trish Stratus vs. Jazz vs. Victoria:

Didn't really watch this one, if I'm honest. I saw the spots, but I was not really that interested.

-Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin vs. Los Guerreros vs. Chris Benoit & Rhyno:

I hate this type of tag match. It makes no sense to have one team just sitting on the apron waiting to be tagged in. That said, it's not bad at all. The Guerreros are clearly the highlight, but Beniot and Rhyno put on a great show too. The snappy brainbuster from Eddie on Benoit was lovely. You really could watch them wrestle all day.

-Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels:
Not really much to be said about this that we don't already know. I loved it. Start to finish, I thought it was brilliant. Jericho being a dick at the end was a nice touch to really sell him as total douche.

-HHH vs. Booker T:
I thought Booker was great in this. He sold those injured legs like a champ and that flip off the turnbuckle was a beautiful thing. Great pace to the match, I thought and a good story behind it - the rehabilitated lowlife facing the assh*le entitled rich kid. That HHH kicked out of a Scissors kick and that Harlem Hangover kinda pissed me off, but he looked battered at the end of it, and I really bought that Flair was the only reason he walked outta there still with the strap. Well that and his marriage to Steph.

Some arse slapping bit with four semi nude women next. Everyone claps when it's over.

-Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon:
This match proves to me why Vince is the greatest heel of all time. You're told that Hogan testified against McMahon and that he could have ruined the WWF. You're told Hogan left the WWE for it's biggest rival WCW

AND YET VINCE IS STILL THE BLOODY HEEL!

Decent match for two auld lads. Vince is ripped and it's hard to remember he's a feckin' billionaire who doesn't need to be there, bumping himself, coming off ladders and being battered. Commentary was gas at the start of this:

"The debate has raged for 20 years - Who created Hilkamania?... ...And, well, we won't find that out tonight, but Vince is going to try kill Hulkamania".

-Rock vs. Steve Austin:

I remember loving this, but maybe I've become more cynical. It's basically just a match full of finishing moves and eff-all else. Don't get me wrong, it's still enjoyable because of who is involved, but I didn't think it was as good as it has been made out to be since.

-Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar:

Match of the night. Two quality wrestlers going at it. Every throw is like something out of a computer game, precise and clean. It's so good that even the chokeholds are good. I don't mind seeing chokeholds or slow paced bits when the pace is as relentless as this. That said, that shooting star press is so botched, it's hard to watch. Good ending - really sold the two guys as being hard as nails.

What makes the match even better is that it shouldn't have gone ahead. Kurt's neck was technically broken and from what I'm reading, everyone thought he'd drop it in a simple match. Consider he's going in with Lesnar, not someone renowned for being a soft hitter and you realize how great this is.


I don't like individually rating matches, but on the whole I thought this was great. Everything after the tag matches was really, really good. 8/10 from me.

Ape Lincoln

XIX was a weird show. Still is. Some people often prefer this to X-Seven and I think in terms of in-ring wrestling XIX is the better show because X-Seven's best matches were all filled with gimmicks, using weapons, blood, outside interference etc. although that was the way things were booked during the period of Austin/Attitude.

XIX came off the heels of the best stretch of Smackdown again, at least in terms of in-ring wrestling and workrate where you had the Smackdown Six, Lesnar and then Haas/Shelton. When it comes to watching the matches I prefer XIX but X-Seven is the better all round show. For some reason XIX just doesn't gel as a show for me, can never figure out why. Even X-8 felt like a special Wrestlemania thanks to Hogan vs Rock.



The show only did about a half million pay-per-view buys which was down on X8 and it's still up for debate as to why. It could have been that wrestling's popularity had peaked in 2001 but this was the first Wrestlemania post-brand split (at the time Raw sucked as Triple H was either burying people or engaging in necrophilia) and it was somewhat confusing as to what the main event was going into the show.

All over the TV leading up to Mania Vince McMahon vs Hulk Hogan seemed to be plugged as the main event and it was their match featured on posters and the DVD. They ended up placing in the middle of the card. I disagree by the way, they had a good match considering what it was - two aul fellas battering each other with household items. That image of Vince's bloody face peaking up from the apron was very memorable at the least. Afaik Austin vs Rock was scheduled to go on last. Austin, Vince and Rock knew it was Austin's last match however, he was taken to hospital the day before suffering perhaps from panic attacks and he spent the night in hospital. So I'm guessing the decision was made to put Angle vs Lesnar on last which I thought was weird as they had had matches that year for free already on Smackdown. Due to the deteriorating health of Kurt Angle's neck (he had no feeling in some of his fingers and was booked for neck surgery) there was a plan to have Angle drop the belt to Benoit on Smackdown and book the WWE title match at Mania Brock vs Benoit.


tl;dr wrestling wise the in-ring stuff was great but it wasn't as hot or exciting as X-Seven. Easily top-5 Wrestlemanias for me and probably in the top 3.

The Mania of Wrestlemania documentary shot during the XIX weekend is well worth a watch: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxdf06_the-mania-of-wrestlemania_sport

gnfnrhead

I just cant find the time to watch this. Every time I start, something comes up and I have to turn it off within about 10 minutes :mad:

jmolloy

after watching again xix was a great show a bit uneven but a great show, this has probably been said elsewhere if anyone has the 20 dvd watch the mania of mania to get a deeper appreciation of the chaos that surrounded this event

Deadlie

That doc is amazing. Two major matches in one night, four main guys and only one walks out happy. Must be crap for Brock not being able to enjoy/remember his first big moment.

Chagan

I've been up to my eyes in essays for the last week so I've only managed to watch the show just now. I'll stick my score into the poll and then throw in a write up later in the week sometime.

I gave it an 8/10, best PPV we've reviewed so far. HHH/Booker was the only disappointment.

Moneymaker

WWE Cruiserweight Title Match
I liked this match but i'd have had Rey go over. I'm a big believer in opening the show with a babyface win.

Two On One Handicap Match
Boring match. You never doubted Taker was winning.

World Women's Title Triple Threat Match
Pretty good for a diva's match, Trish going over was good stuff. I'd rather have just seen Victoria v Trish, Jazz wasn't up to much.

WWE Tag Team Title Three Way Match
I wish they gave this match more time. It never really got going. It was fine but I expect better from these six.

Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels
Great match, arguably the best match of Jericho's career. Told a great story, some great spots and I loved the piece after the match ended.

World Heavyweight Title Match

UGH.

All the HHH bashers use this match to bash him. I don't blame them, I hated this feud, such poor taste and then the hour delay between the Pedigree and the cover. Doesn't even hook the leg. Dreadful.

I'm a fan of Hunter but this was bad.

20 Years In The Making Street Fight
Loved this, great story and for their age both guys put everything on the line. Vince coming off the ladder was crazy.

Steve Austin vs. The Rock
Not their best match, but very emotional. Austin coming to the ring, Rock breaking character after the pin, Austin's exit from the ring. I think everyone knew that was it for him, and no better way for him to go.

WWE Heavyweight Title Match
Given Angle's condition going in, this was a great match. Chain wrestling, back and forth action, reversals, it had it all. The botched shooting star is brutal to watch though, how the **** did Lesnar walk away from that. :eek:

Great show, well worth an 8/10 but maybe it could have been even better. Underwhelming undercard and a brutal WHC match, and those damn catfight girls drag the show down.

beakerjoe

A PPV i wanted to be discussed turns out to be the first week Im able to contribute, Sorry i missed other weeks guys, pissed I missed Canadian Stampede....


Matt Hardy vs Rey Mysterio:

I always loved Matt Hardy's 'V1' gimmick.He seemed destined to be the Janetty of the two and always seemed so bland and boring before this. Totally forgot about this match and loved it back then and still love it now. Great opener. Hated Reys attire though. A rather weak finish though took the shine off it

7/10

Limp Bizkit makes an appearance at at the time I really enjoyed them but in time Ive grown to hate Durst more.

Undertaker vs. Big Show & A-Train

Nathan Jones was supposed to be with Taker and it was taking him out of the match was poorly done, Im guessing WWE had no faith in Jones. lPoor match but wasnt expecting a classic. It was what it was, a piece of poor booking and a poor finish again. One of UTs worst matchs at Mania

4/10



Trish Stratus vs. Jazz vs. Victoria:

Loved Trish and Victorias matches prior to this event and adding Jazz should of made it better, but Jazz just wasnt great and took away from the match. IMO it would have been better without Jazz. Couldnt help but notice how I much prefered Trishes look back than to now.

5/10



Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin vs. Los Guerreros vs. Chris Benoit & Rhyno

Great match but the feud in general could have been better between the 3 teams. Sad to think none of them are still in WWE today. Watching these lads go at it was quality though and I miss all of these guys in WWE today. Wanted more from it though.

7/10

Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels:

Propbably my fav match of all time, the psychology in this bout was spot on. Everything about it was just right, from Jerichos perfectly arrogant heel entrance to him show boating mid match only to be taken down a peg from HBK. Great finish and great aftermath though I kind wished Jericho turned face sometimes here.

10/10


HHH vs. Booker T:

Good match but booker should have went over. It buried Booker in hindsight and should have made him a bigger star.

6/10



Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon:

On paper it looked awful but for what it was, it rocked. Vince v Hogan wasnt a mat classic but it was solidly entertaining and everything about it made sense storyline wise. Vince takes bumps like a pro.

7/10

Rock vs. Steve Austin:

The match should have been better, it wasnt a great match or a great finish and was a bit stale in my opinion. Wasnt a patch on there other Mania matches. Nice ending though and great looking back on it now.

6/10

Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar:

would have been match of the night if it wasnt upstaged by Y2JvHBK. Great main event and the dawning of a new era of Lesnar (well it should have been.) How Brock wasnt more hurt after teh Shooting star press ill never know. Looked sick. An underrated match IMO esp given Kurts neck problem. Hes a freakin machine.

9/10

Overall



7/10