Retro Rowe: WWE Money in the Bank 2011

WWE Money in the Bank - July 17, 2011

by SamoaRowe

-From Chicago, IL. Your hosts are Booker T, Michael Cole, and Jerry Lawler.

Smackdown Money in the Bank Ladder match:
Sin Cara vs. Wade Barrett vs. Justin Gabriel vs. Sheamus vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Heath Slater vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane

Absolute chaos erupts as the bell rings. Kane is the last man standing as the ring gets cleared out. Bryan drop-kicks a ladder into Kane but Gabriel and Slater do the same. Sin Cara tries to follow the act but ends up eating a ladder shot from the former Corre members. Gabriel tries shifting the ladder into position by hopping by Bryan knocks him off. Sheamus blocks Rhodes (to a face pop) and finds himself in a potential winning situation. Kane cleans the ring again. The high fliers take turns hitting their patented dives to the floor in spectacular fashion. This sort of thing doesn’t happen very often in WWE, so it feels fresh. Sin Cara hits the moonsault slam on Bryan to a huge ovation. Sadly, Sin Cara ends up taking a power bomb off the apron onto a propped ladder, courtesy of Sheamus. Sin Cara sells the attack as if it was death itself and is stretchered out for a wellness policy violation vacation. All three former Corre members triple-team Kane. Rhodes sprints up the ladder but the Corre strikes. Bryan suffers a similar fate. It doesn’t take long before Barrett tries ordering Slater and Gabriel to stand back and the alliance dissolves. Bryan and Sheamus battle on the ladder, with Kane clothes lining Bryan off the shoulders of Sheamus. Kane goes on a chokeslamming spree. Bryan counters the choke slam with an arm submission and counters again with a DDT! Sadly, Daniel suffers a neck breaker off the ladder thanks to Heath Slater. Innovative spot with Sheamus and Barrett using the ladder to awkwardly push Slater off the turnbuckle! Sheamus drops Gabriel on a propped ladder and hits the Brogue kick. Kane choke slams Kane off the ladder onto a second bridged ladder! Kane takes a series of finishers, capped off with Gabriel hitting a 450 splash off a propped ladder! Barrett climbs but Rhodes pulls him down. Bryan and Rhodes fight at the top and Barrett sneaks up and reaches over Bryan for the case. Bryan knocks Rhodes off but Barrett looks for Waste Land. Bryan kicks Barrett in the head and grabs the case for the win at 24:27! I can honestly say, this is the best WWE match I’ve seen in months. Also, this is one of the best MITB matches I’ve ever seen. They worked in some new tricks and everyone had a chance to get over, ****½.
Winner: Daniel Bryan

EVOLVE 58 Review

EVOLVE 58
April 1st 2016

-From Dallas, TX. Lenny Leonard and Rob Naylor do an in-ring introduction announcing that this is the highest attended EVOLVE show in history. Ah, the wonders of getting into business with WWE.

EVOLVE Tag Team Championship:
Johnny Gargano and Drew Galloway (c) vs. The Premier Athlete Brand (Anthony Nese and Caleb Konley, with So Cal Val and Andrea)
Drew Galloway rallies the troops with a promo putting over EVOLVE for his life after WWE. Gargano surprises Drew and the fans by bringing out Kota Ibushi for their corner. Apparently, if Nese and Conley lose, they can never team up again. The PAB kick things off with a good old fashioned cheap shot from behind. Galloway catches Konley in a dive and slams him on the apron. Nese cartwheels over Drew but gets caught by Johnny's tope. Gargano goes on a chopping spree and nearly finishes Nese with an Ace Cutter. Gargano gets isolated and plays a nice face in peril. Drew gets a hot tag and gets to play a big man role, plowing through Nese and Konley. The match breaks down, and Konley blocks Gargano's spear, leaving him in a draping position for Nese's flying crossbody! Konley gets caught with stereo enziguris on the top rope and sets Drew in a tree of woe. Drew sits up and powerbombs Konley off the top! DDT by a sneaky Johnny earns a 2 count and "This is awesome" chant. All four men trade super kicks and near falls for a standing ovation. The PAB hit a nasty neckbreaker combo but Gargano implausibly kicks out. Nese prepares to use string, but Ethan Page runs in to neutralize him. Konley powerbombs Galloway into the buckles and drops Gargano onto him. Galloway uses a wheelbarrow suplex to set Konley up for the GargaNo Escape for the apparent submission, but the ref isn't calling for the bell at 13:01. The fans chant "this ref sucks" while the match is award to Gargano and Galloway after all. That confusing finish hurt what had been a tight spot-fest, ***.
Winners and still EVOLVE Tag Team Champions: Drew Galloway and Johnny Gargano

NXT Takeover: Dallas Review

WWE NXT Takeover: Dallas
April 1st 2016

-From Dallas, TX. Wrestlemania weekend kicks off in a big way with a stacked NXT card that is top-to-bottom more appealing than the Wrestlemania 32 line-up. Our hosts are Corey Graves and Tom Phillips.

NXT Tag Team Championship:
The Revival (c) (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) vs. American Alpha (Jason Jordan and Chad Gable)
Putting Gable and Jordan over would be an easy way to please the crowd early and set an exciting tone for the event. Dawson backs Gable into the corner and patronizingly slaps his face. The fans came to get themselves over and chant "Which one's Dawson, which one's Dash." Gable returns the mocking slap to the face, almost sparking a brawl. Gable surprisingly sprints into a hip toss but manages to set Dawson up for a perfect Jordan drop-kick. Jordan gets a crowd chant that would make Roman Reigns envious. Dawson rakes the eyes but America Alpha avoid isolation with stereo backdrops. Gable goes off with a series of arm drag, Jordan saves him from a double team and American Alpha pop the crowd with stereo German suplexes! Gable blocks several spots that normally lead to a babyface isolation before finally succumbing to a clothesline ambush at ringside. The fans chant "Save the Gable" in New Day rhythm, aren't they adorable? Gable counters with a double DDT and as smarky as the fans are, I'll be damned if they aren't legitimately into the story of this match. Wilder crawls under the ring to stop a Gable tag, but the Revival botch a double team move and get a Botchamania chant. The building explodes for a Jordan hot tag. Jordan is apparently a resident of Suplex City. Dash grabs Dawson's leg to prevent Jordan's superplex and holds Jordan down to almost steal a pinfall. The a series of believable false finishes comes at rapid fashion. Jordan makes a blind tag setting up the Grand Amplitude for the win at 15:06! Fantastic opener that gave the fans exactly what they wanted. That one really ugly botch drags this down from the four stars zone, but this was a major league effort from everyone involved, ***3/4.
Winners and new NXT Tag Team Champions: American Alpha

Retro Rowe: WWE Summerslam 2002

WWE Summerslam

August 25, 2002

by SamoaRowe

-From Uniondale, NY. Our hosts are Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, and Tazz.

Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio

Rey ambushes Kurt with a hurricanrana from behind. Angle goes after the ankle, but Rey sets up 619, which misses. Angle drops Mysterio hard on the floor to gain the advantage. Sick German suplex by Angle, who slows the pace to wear out Mysterio. Rey ducks a punch but Angle counters with a side slam. Kurt applies a half crab but Rey counters into a roll-up. Angle’s clothesline keeps Rey down. Rey hits a jawbreaker but Angle counters with a belly to belly throw. Rey sets up a dive, but the ref says no. Rey leaps over the official and wipes Angle out on the floor! Springboard leg drop by Rey gets a near fall! Angle goes for the ankle lock again but gets caught with 619! The West Coast Pop only gets 2! Rey catches Kurt on the top rope for a hurricanrana, but Angle awkwardly counters into the Ankle Lock! Rey taps at 9:21. Rey had a lighter frame at the time of his debut and was eager to please against a top name in Angle. Great opener, ***¼.
Winner: Kurt Angle

Retro Rowe: WWF No Way Out 2000

WWF No Way Out

February 27, 2000

by Samoa Rowe

-Follow me on Twitter: @SamoaRowe

-From Hartford, CT. Our hosts are Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

-I had an extremely difficult time picking my first show to review on WWE Network, but this one just kept calling out to me.

Intercontinental Championship:
Chris Jericho © (with Chyna) vs. European Champion Kurt Angle

Angle cuts a short patronizing promo, promising to return to Hartford later on as the hero they all deserve. Jericho responds by calling “Kirk Angel” an ignoramus. The crowd is red hot for Jericho at the opening bell. They keep a fast pace, with Jericho dropping Angle over the ropes for the drop-kick off the top. Jericho misses a clothesline and hits the ring post, but he rebounds with a moonsault off the ring steps! Angle crotches Jericho on the top rope for a belly to belly superplex. Jericho rebounds with a double underhook backbreaker, but Angle retaliates with a German suplex for 2. Angle goes to work on the hurt arm, but Jericho surprises with a spin heel kick. Jericho makes a comeback, complete with a dead lift power bomb. Angle rolls into a cross arm breaker! Angle nails the Olympic Slam but is too slow to cover and gets 2. Jericho avoids a belt shot and applies the Walls! Angle escapes and tries another belt shot, but Jericho inadvertently knocks him into Chyna against the steps. Angle blocks the Lionsault with a title belt and wins the match at 10:11. They packed a lot of action into a short amount of time, the cheap finish works in the context of Angle’s ongoing story, **¾.
Winner and new Intercontinental Champion: Kurt Angle