The Velocity Report (6/25/05): Benoit and Booker T in action
Submitted by Chad Matthews on Sunday, June 26, 2005 at 2:19 AM EST





The Velocity Report (6/25/05)

Match 1: Booker T (w/ Sharmell Sullivan) vs. Billy Kidman (w/o Torrie Wilson)
-(CMV1 note- before the match began, Josh Matthews, no relation, talked about having street cred and giving people their props…. what a tool). The highlight of the early part of the match was Book taking Kidman down with a unique armbar. He basically did a standing mahistrole cradle and came down in a side armbar rather than a pinning combo. Kidman eventually scored with his textbook dropkick and took control with a series of hair pulls and rear chinlocks. Book made his comeback with a few clotheslines and a suplex, and proceeded to go for the finish with an axe kick. However, BK moved and tried to hit a bulldog. The finish came when Book countered Kidman’s offense and hit the axe kick for the win at 5:05 (CMV1 rating- ¾ *) (CMV1 note- a five minute match that’s dominated by a 1-minute chinlock-hair pull combination is never a good way to go in a match. Still, the action was crisp and each man looked good for the most part despite the short duration of the match. The announcers frequently talked about Book potentially winning the SD title…I don’t think that will happen, but I’d damn sure like to see it)

Clips aired of Muhammed Hassan’s debut on SD and subsequent win over the Big Show.

Josh Matthews’s previously taped interview with Chris Benoit aired. Benoit said that his win at Wrestlemania XX over HBK and HHH was unprecedented, but that his win this Thursday would be historic. He said he was confident he’d be walking away from next week’s 6-man elimination match as the new SD Champion.

Match 2: Rene Dupree vs. Patrick Leizer
-(CMV1 note- before the match, Dupree got on the mic and got some good, yet a little cheap, heat. It’s a shame they don’t repackage him and give him something better to do than his played out gimmick. He gets good heat and he’s a decent performer…). Dupree dominated the whole match, hit a spinebuster, did the French Tickler (which I’m sure Tazz was happy about if he got to see it), and finished the guy off with the Cobra Clutch. Dupree defeated Leizer via submission at 2:50 (CMV1 rating- ¼ *) (CMV1 note- nothing to it really, so it got rated accordingly. I can’t not mention the heat the Dupree received, though, as the guy was very over with the crowd whether it was due to cheap heat or not).

Match 3: Chris Benoit vs. Steve Gray Eyes
-Benoit and Gray Eyes traded chops in the opening moments, but the Rabid Wolverine wasted little time in taking control. The former World Champion dominated for the majority of the match, only allowing Steve Gray Eyes to connect with a scoop slam. Benoit hit three rolling German suplexes, hung on for a fourth, but instead switched it into the Crossface. Benoit won via submission at 2:17 (CMV1 rating- ½ *) (CMV1 note- Benoit is Benoit…he’s the real wrestling God…but not even a real wrestling God can do much with two minutes. I hope he wins the title on Thursday).

Backstage, Funaki did an interview with the Big Show concerning the 6-man title match next Thursday. Show downplayed Hassan’s victory over him last week and said that he’d win the championship. He then asked Funaki who he thought would win, to which Funaki replied, “Big Show.” TBS said that’s why Funaki is SD’s number one announcer!

Highlights of the Eddie vs. Rey match from last week aired. It was quite a match due to the story told in the ring, and I honestly doubt that it’s really over between them since the announcers and wwe.com insist that it is. Since when is anything in the WWE actually over when they say it’s over?

Match 4: United States Champion Orlando Jordan vs. Nunzio
-The match began with an awkward exchange, but then Nunzio gained first attack points with a series of armdrag takeovers. The action spilled over to the outside soon after. Little Guido tried for a running cross body from the apron, but OJ caught him and connected with a fall-away slam. Upon re-entering the ring, OJ applied the first of several bearhugs and impressed the world by spelling his name in the air with his fingers. Nunzio quickly scored a near fall out of nowhere with a roll-up, but couldn’t maintain any sustained offense, as OJ caught him with a backbreaker. Eventually, Nunzio made one final attempt at a comeback with a running head scissors and the Sicilian Slice second-rope leg drop. The finish came when OJ reversed a Nunzio sunset flip into what Steve Romero called the Greatest Move Ever. Jordan defeated Nunzio via Flatliner at 4:32 (CMV1 rating- sloppy, awkward looking match with no particularly redeeming qualities. I’ll just leave it at that. By the way, whoever named the Flatliner the greatest move ever should ask Muhammed Hassan, Undertaker, and whoever the hell else does that move and ask them if they want it called the GME also)


All in all …you know, I took this job to see some cruiserweight action on what’s essentially the cruiserweight/has been/no talent B-show for SD. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any CW action tonight because it was replaced with 2 quick squash matches and 2 other extended ones. For that reason, the show rates a 4/10, which is the lowest rating I’ve given yet. Don’t get me wrong, there were some strong segments with Benoit, Show, and the highlights of the Eddie-Rey match, but in terms of wrestling action, the show was far too lacking to be passable. Better luck next week, Velocity. Oh BTW, the WWE needs to remind Josh and Steve to actually discuss what’s going on in the ring once in awhile rather than being two big tool bags who would prefer to talk about anything and everything other than whose in the match at hand



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