Full Credit: Todd Martin, WrestlingObserver.com
By: Todd Martin
Email: MartinT2007@lawnet.ucla.edu
Date: 04/25/05 from Birmingham, UK.
The Big News:
Title Changes/Turns: None.
Match Results: Chris Jericho b Sylvan Grenier; Muhammad Hassan & Khosrow
Daivari b William Regal & Yoshihiro Tajiri; Edge b Val Venis; Dave Batista b
Christian.
Show Analysis:
I have been getting a number of e-mails recently from people wondering why I
have been such an outspoken critic of the draft lottery concept. I explained
this a few weeks ago, and you can find my thoughts here:
http://www.liveaudiowrestling.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=12764
Batista came out to start the show, receiving a great reaction and Batista
chants. He was in a giggly mood, and introduced Jim Ross, who he said
accomplished in one night what it took him two years to do. Ross looked in
awful shape after last week’s match. Batista congratulated Ross, and said on
top of being the best wrestling announcer ever, he also has some wrestling
skills. Ross tried to discourage him. Batista said it takes guts to get in
the ring with HHH, and he took his beating like a man. The crowd chanted JR.
An angry HHH came out, but Batista kept cutting him off. He laughed at HHH,
suggested JR should now be the number one contender, and repeatedly showed
the footage of Ross pinning HHH. HHH was shaking with anger. He teased
coming to the ring, but thought better of it. Ross did a tremendous job here
selling the precariousness of his situation. Batista once again was
underwhelming on the microphone.
They showed the first of a series of vignettes on the Trish Stratus-Viscera
date. It was total goofy comedy, and Vince Russo would be proud. Viscera
arrived late because he was picking up condoms at the pharmacy. Chris
Jericho beat Sylvan Grenier with the Walls. Resistance jumped him after the
match, but Shelton Benjamin made the save. Benjamin proceeded to give
Jericho the T-Bone, which drew rather heavy boos. Trish and Viscera made
small talk in the restaurant. Viscera said eating gets him in the mood, to
which Trish responded he must be the horniest guy on the planet. Viscera
ordered a lot of food, as I had flashbacks to Yokozuna vignettes on Coliseum
Home Video.
Backstage, Ric Flair told Christian and Tyson Tomko to beat up Batista so
HHH can take over. Christian told Flair and HHH to stay out, because tonight
was his night. It seemed as if they were teasing a face turn for Christian.
Christian then came out in front of the crowd, and got a big face reaction
that Ross even acknowledged. He insulted the British to ensure he would get
the proper reception in the main event. He vowed to beat Batista, and again
knocked John Cena. Kane then came out and laid out Tomko for no reason.
Christian left through the crowd. Backstage, Christian came back to Ric
Flair, apologizing and looking for help now that Tomko was out of
commission. Flair got HHH, who let Christian into his dressing room to talk.
Chris Masters won another challenge. He offered $2,000 this week, since
nobody explained to him the concept of an exchange rate. Coach was going to
interview Shawn Michaels and Hulk Hogan, but Michaels told him to beat it.
Gene Okerlund did the interview, which was built around the nationalism
card. They pretended to be in England even though it was tape recorded. A
bunch of generic models came out, both WWE and non-WWE. They plugged William
Regal’s autobiography. Regal and Tajiri came out. Regal said a few years ago
he didn’t think he would be here to put it into print, and got a bit
emotional. Regal and Tajiri then danced with the women. This stupid segment
did nothing to make the average fan want to read the book, which is a shame
since I expect it to be great. Muhammad Hassan and Khosrow Daivari
interrupted, and pointed out the brainless bimbos were dancing around like
mindless idiots. Amen, Muhammad. OK, so maybe that wasn’t the right figure
of speech. He challenged Regal and Tajiri to a match.
Hassan and Daivari beat Regal and Tajiri. Regal and Tajiri dominated early,
since they were doing the job. Daivari interfered behind the referee’s back,
giving Hassan the advantage over Regal. The heels worked over Regal back and
forth until he made the hot tag to Tajiri. Daivari quickly cut him off,
Hassan hit the downward spiral, and Daivari hit the leg drop off the top for
the pin. They laid out Regal after the match. How lame. I know they need to
keep Hassan and Daivari as strong as possible, but there are other people on
the roster they could beat. Beating people in their home areas save for the
most select of circumstances is stupid. Beating them quickly and easily, and
treating them like an afterthought is even dumber. Remember how Davey Boy
Smith drew one of WWF’s all time largest crowds at Wembley Stadium? Well it
wasn’t because he jobbed out every time they went to England in 1990 and
1991.
Trish tried to offer Viscera Christy Hemme as a sacrifice, but he wasn’t
having it. Viscera wanted to dance, but accidentally bumped into the busser.
Edge beat Val Venis with the spear. Edge received more heckling about Hardy
and Lita. I would just use a jobber rather than Val Venis, because then he
can dominate the whole match and show off all his moves with no selling.
Edge gave Venis a leaping DDT, and used the sharpshooter and crippler
crossface after the match. Benoit came out, gave Edge some German suplexes,
and Edge left.
Backstage, HHH gave Coach a referee shirt. He said Coach would be the
referee for the main event, Flair the time keeper and HHH Christian’s
problem solver. He told Coach that he didn’t need Bischoff’s permission,
just HHH’s. Well, that makes sense to me. He shouldn’t have booking power as
a work, but he shouldn’t have booking power as a shoot either. Trish and
Viscera finished dinner. Viscera was ready for a kiss, but Trish slapped
him. She said she needs Viscera to destroy Kane, and he doesn’t get her
until he gets the job done. Trish “flashed” him as an advance.
Batista beat Christian in the main event. This was almost a complete copy
down to the finish of the Steve Austin v. Mick Foley match from Over the
Edge 1998. Batista had Christian pinned early with a power slam but Coach
went to tie his show. HHH gave Batista a low blow, and HHH and Flair
proceeded to interfere freely with Christian in control. When Batista made
his comeback, there were noticeable boos, and “let’s go Christian” chants.
Christian went for the unprettier but was caught with the electric chair.
Coach pulled up on the count, clutching his arm. Batista gave him a
clothesline, knocked Flair and HHH out of the picture, and shook the ropes
like the Ultimate Warrior. He gave Christian the demon bomb and counted the
pin with Coach’s limp arm. After the match, HHH gave Batista the pedigree.
