The Wrestling Menu - Armageddon & Raw Reviews
Submitted by DaveyBoy on Wednesday, December 18, 2002 at 4:36 AM EST






THE WRESTLING MENU #27

Welcome one and all to the 27th edition of The Wrestling Menu, the column that is sure to satisfy your taste buds when it comes to discussing all things wrestling.

I did not receive a great deal of feedback last week regarding the discipline issue I spoke of, but those that did reply seemed to agree with me for the most part. However, I did receive a lot of feedback regarding the goldmine that the WWE are sitting on with regards to extras for DVDs. Some readers even let me know of the extras included on some of the DVDs that they own. All I can say is that the Hulk Hogan & NWO DVDs will be making there way into my collection sometime soon because of that feedback. As per usual, thank-you to all who responded.


APPETIZERS - Final PPV Rating...???

I'm sure that most people reading this right now, have stumbled across the information that the pay-per-view provider in Australia (Main Event) will stop carrying WWE ppv's immediately. The apparent reason for this, is because the WWE attempted to raise the cost of the rights to their pay-per-view events. In reply, Main Event practically said "Thanks, but no thanks".

Now, I'm going to disappoint some of my readers now, by not giving my full opinion on this matter here. I have stated part of my feelings elsewhere on LordsOfPain, but right now, don't believe my column to be the best place to tee off on either of the 2 parties involved. That's not to say I won't in the future. It's just right now, I'd rather calm down a little & take everything in, before I open my mouth.

Fortunately for me, I feel that the topics I discuss in my column are rather general & therefore don't think that The Wrestling Menu will be too adversely effected by my loss of pay-per-view events from next month onwards. We still have access to Raw & the SmackDown recap show 'AfterBurn' in Australia, so I should be right.

Having said that, this column will see my final 'PPV Rating' for probably quite some time. DVD's come out too long afterwards to be anywhere near timely, so the only other alternative would be WWE's Webcast. Only owning a 56K modem & living internationally, I'm not sure if these would be in any way useful. Therefore, I'm asking anyone that has purchased a webcast from the WWE previously, to let me know of your experience. Especially, if your circumstances are similar to mine. Any information would be hugely appreciated.

Anyways, onto what could be my final PPV Rating. For those that cannot recall my Survivor Series column, this is the key (of sorts), that explains what the final PPV Rating means:

<50: Ask for a refund for not only your money, but also your time. [F]
50-54: Mediocre & disappointing. [D] (EG: UnForgiven 2002)
55-59: Average. [C]
60-64: Worth A Watch. [C+] (EG: No Mercy 2002)
65-69: Good event that was worth the money. [B] (EG: Survivor Series 2002)
70-74: Very good. [B+]
75-79: Make sure you add this ppv to your video or dvd collection. [A] (EG: SummerSlam 2002)
80+ : Make sure that the video or dvd is locked in a safe & cannot be erased. Memorable. [A+]

It should also be noted that any sports-entertainment segment which I deem to take up enough time to warrant inclusion in the review, will also be rated. As a general rule, these segments will have to last at least 7 minutes.


MAIN - Armageddon

BOOKERT/GOLDUST defeated CHRIS JERICHO/CHRISTIAN, LANCE STORM/WILLIAM REGAL & THE DUDLEY BOYZ in an Elimination Match to Win the World Tag-Team Titles: The first 6 minutes of this opener was disappointingly terrible. But following the practically simultaneous elimination of The Dudleyz & Storm/Regal, the remaining 2 teams showed why this bout should have been a normal tag match. The remaining 10 minutes was a hot & predominantly crisp bout, with excellent exchanges right up until the crowd-pleasing finale. Match Rating...7

EDGE defeated A-TRAIN: I thought that this bout should have been a 'No Holds Barred' Match, in order to gain some sort of interest for this lifeless feud. Even at 7 minutes, this match went on too long. It ended with Albert using a chair to disqualify himself. Not as horrible as it could have been, but not that pretty either. Match Rating...5

CHRIS BENOIT defeated EDDIE GUERRERO: A technical masterpiece, this bout showed why these 2 superstars are recognized as 2 of the best mat technicians ever. A match that highlighted the great intensity of both combatants, I'm going to be ultra critical & state that there wasn't enough fast-paced high-flying action thrown into this 17 minute match. Guerrero finally tapped to a crossface that Benoit applied from the opposite side than usual. Match Rating...8

DAWN-MARIE, AL & TORRIE WILSON Segment: A segment has to be really good to be given over 15 minutes on a pay-per-view. This wasn't!!! Sure, some teenage males may have got something out of it, but even that could have been done in less time. I wonder how many parents would have been put off by this segment...??? The one thing the segment did succeed in doing, was heating up the crowd. That can't be denied, but almost one tenth of the whole event was spent on this. Segment Rating...3

BATISTA defeated KANE: Folks, this was a painful 7 minutes to watch. This match was just plain horrible at times. Everything seemed wrong, even the timing of Flair's interference. I've been saying it for months; As good as Batista's potential is, he clearly is not ready for a singles push yet. Match Rating...4

VICTORIA defeated TRISH STRATUS & JACQUELINE to Retain the Womens Title: This triple-threat match was extremely fast-paced early on & I was wondering how long the 3 combatants could keep it up for. Then I realized why it was so frenetic. When you're only given 4 minutes or so to work with, you have to go that fast. The entire ppv did run over time & I got the feeling that this was the match that suffered the consequences. I actually didn't mind the match until the ridiculous finish that saw Victoria pin Jackie following a belt shot to the head. Why wouldn't they let Victoria use that devastating finisher of hers? Match Rating...6

KURT ANGLE defeated THE BIG SHOW to win the WWE Championship: Major props to Kurt Angle in this match. To show the intensity & enthusiasm that he did to get such a good 13 minute match out of The Big Show, is exactly why the WWE needs Kurt to be the face of the WWE in 2003. Genuinely well put together match with a crowd-pleasing ending. Match Rating...7

TRIPLE H defeated SHAWN MICHAELS 2 Falls To 1, to win the World Heavyweight Title: Hard to rate, this match seemed to lack the freshness of the duo's SummerSlam bout, nor equal the brilliance of Triple H's '2 out of 3 falls' match against Steve Austin at No Way Out 2001. But comparing this match to 2 matches I rated a perfect 10, is definitely a compliment. The effort these 2 put into the 22 minute streetfight, 10 minute cage match & 8 minute ladder match cannot be questioned. Far from perfect, the sum total of 40 minutes was nonetheless entertaining, and at the end of the day, being entertained is why we as fans watch professional wrestling. Match Rating...8

PPV RATING (48/80) = 60

Looking at the key (in the 'Appetizers' section), I have basically given Armageddon a 'C+' grade & said that it was 'worth a watch'. It only just got into that rating range, yet I'm still happy with that overall grade & comment. It was an up-and-down pay-per-view event, which when examined closer, shows us the potential strengths & weaknesses of the current WWE product:

- We are yet to see the full benefits of 2 Heavyweight Titles, and more importantly, 2 genuine main events each ppv.
- Any combination of the so-called 'SmackDown 6' can be relied upon for at least one good match per ppv.
- Tag-Team wrestling is still vital for the product as a whole, and the more regular teams there are, then the better the division is.
- The Women's Division continues to improve, but whoever is booking the finishes, needs to take a good hard look in the mirror.
- Pure & simply, the undercard needs major help.
- Excluding the Cruiserweights is a sin.
- Excluding talent like RVD & both Hardys is almost as bad.


DESSERT - Raw

Forgive me for simply copying & pasting the introduction to my Raw review from last month's column, but I feel it is warranted. Please pay particular attention to the line about sarcastic comments, as a few readers took me too literally last month:

I like to follow my pay-per-view review every month with a summary of the next night's Raw. I'll warn you now that it's not as serious as the 'PPV Review' & I will throw in the odd sarcastic comment. I also do it in point form so that I don't rant on too much. I usually look forward to seeing the Raw after a pay-per-view for many reasons. The WWE occasionally come up with a surprise or two & it's good to see the ramifications of the show the night before. It also throws up many questions such as; Will this feud continue? Who will he feud with next? & How will a certain wrestler react to last nights win or loss? Oh well, let's find out how Raw performed, shall we:

- Quite a hot opening intergender match pitting Test & Trish vs Richards & Victoria. Short & fast-paced, this match did what it had to do; fire up the crowd.

- Backstage segment between Bischoff & Morley plants the seeds for a Triple H - Scott Steiner confrontation later in the night. Then Goldy Claus asks Booker T if he wants to touch his sack & gives Christian some 'new & improved' ass cream. Very good start to Raw indeed.

- Holy cow!!! This crowd is hot tonight. Booing Nowinski despite no microphone time & cheering Maven because... ummm... just because. Average, if not terrible, 5 minute match that saw Mr Harvard end up victorious.

- Next comes HBK & he's obviously concussed, because he's acting like he won at Armageddon. I find it real hard to be sarcastic towards HBK, as his comeback has been phenomenal. Ahhh, nothing like a Jericho interruption!!! Hey, I haven't heard Jericho's serious voice for years. Oh please WWE, give us a feud between these 2. No titles need to be on the line & the true torch can still be passed.

- Christian goes over Goldust in the next match, but will we ever get to see the Unprettier again?

- In the next backstage segment, Triple H threatens to pull a Stone Cold Steve Austin & walk out. That comment has just pushed back Austin's return by at least another 3 months.

- The Dude (aka Kane) & Subtitle Van Dam are next up in a handicap tag match. The odds are evened when Flair orders Big Dave Batista back to the dressing room, and the faces make short work of Rosey & Jamal thereafter.

- Good tag match next as Regal & Storm square off against The Dudleyz. Disappointing finish though, as Regal goes back to the knucks, to attempt to gain more heel heat.

- Jeffrey Hardy beats Bobble-Head Brown next & even this hot crowd struggles to take notice. Oh no, D-Lo's playing the race card. Won't the WWE ever learn? Oh well, I suppose he's getting tv time... & so is Raven!?!?!?

- Bad memories of WCW, as a commercial break is taken while Jericho is talking. I wonder if Triple H ordered this, just after he kept RVD off Armageddon & put the hole in the Ozone Layer!!! Jericho & Booker surely deserve a proper pay-per-view feud. Nothing given away during these 6 minutes, as Booker wins by DQ when Christian runs in.

- The show ends with the battle of the main events, as Triple H & Scott Steiner meet face-to-face in the ring. The intriguing intensity between these 2 was excellent. I always prefer a match as the main event of any show, but this segment got the job done.

All in all, I liked this past episode of Raw. Seven matches & 2 good in-ring segments is pretty much what the prototypical tv show should consist of. Major props to the Orlando crowd who probably gave the indication that some matches were better than they actually were. Moving into 2003, the Raw roster has 2 main event feuds it can rely on, but the undercard will continue to be its downfall, if it remains ignored.


As always, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail letting me know what you thought of Armageddon, Raw or my opinions. I don't think there has been one e-mail that I have received thus far, which I have not replied to. You are quite welcome to give me any feedback that you like for my column. Also, anyone that has any information for me on WWE webcasts, please let me know. It would be greatly appreciated. My e-mail address is DaveyBoy123@bigpond.com.

Now, as most of you have probably worked out by now, my gig at LordsOfPain is every Wednesday. The next 2 Wednesday's happen to be Christmas Day & New Years Day. So DaveyBoy will do a 'NWA-TNA' & not show up the next 2 weeks right...??? Wrong!!! I'll be here. Those that have the pleasure of taking vacations (or getting so drunk that they can't read) in the next couple of weeks, will have to catch up in the future. Next week, I will have a very different column for Christmas Day & then the week after on New Years Day, I'll present to you my 2002 Awards. Until Christmas Day, this is Davey Boy signing off & asking you to remember that dinner is best served in 3 courses.










*NEW GALLERY* Exclusive Photos of WWE's 12 Rounds Starring JOHN CENA!

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