[Obfuscation]

Originally Posted by AndreBaker

Yeah. So I walked into my local cex on friday to find that they had received a shit load of classic post 2001 WWE DVD's. Managed to pick up No Mercy 2002, Backlash 2004, Bad Blood 2004, Unforgiven 2004, Survivor Series 2005, No Way Out 2008 and One Night Stand 2008 for just over £20. I stopped watching after SummerSlam 2002 so this was a real treat for me. Going back for more tomorrow.

Watching in date order and currently on Bad Blood 2004. No Mercy 2002 was decent with a good main event and Backlash 2004 was an absolute cracker in general. One thing that I'm really noticing is how much of a star Orton was back then. Fucking hell, the guy actually had passion and an ounce of charisma. Based on his early showings I can see why Vince placed so much faith in him.

I'm not big into the whole snowflakes thing but thought that this was the most appropriate place to drop this story.

Oh, and talking of Funaki, his interview with Al Wilson during No Mercy 2002 had me in stitches!

No Mercy was decent but it had the two stellar matches from Smackdown. Undertaker/Brock & Angle/Benoit vs Edge/Mysterio. Much of the same with Backlash actually. Decent overall show filled with two incredible strong classics.

NWO '08 is a load of fun to watch. I'm sure you'll dig the RAW elmination chamber. It ruled.

Originally Posted by funnyfaces1

Get ready for 2005, Choke2Death. There were tons of great feuds and moments (HHH/Batista, Hardy/Edge, Angle/HBK, Orton/Undertaker, Christian's rise, HHH/Flair, ONS, Guerrero/Mysterio matches, MNM, Benoit/Booker T, Hassan). However, there were so many absolutely awful parts of that year as well (Cena's first reign of terror, Chris Masters, Kurt Angle jobbing out, Guerrero/Mysterio storyline, Batista's string of terrible matches, Smackdown midcard/PPVs, death of Cruiserweight division, Hogan, Big Show, weak television).

none of those were bad (specify the custody part of Eddie/Mysterio only)

[Big Z]

Originally Posted by Ever Wolf

Soooo, anyone think there will be some near classics tomorrow night? i mean Show/Sheamus right

Doubt we'll get anything great from HIAC. Maybe one ***1/2 at best.

Show/Sheamus has potential to be a good brawl though. Ryback/Punk intrigues me because I just don't know what the fuck they are going to do. And in wrestling, I like that (most of the time, anyway lol). Tag title match could be really fun and is probably the one match likely to be MOTN if it gets the time. STF with Bryan playing FIP is all they need to do.

Oh hey, apparently Russo was interviewed for the new NWO documentary. I said when we heard about his release from TNA that it would be cool if they could get him for the AE set. With him in the NWO doc I'd say there is a good chance he is/was/will be involved in that set too.

[THE DARK ANDRE]

Originally Posted by Hailsabin

No Mercy was decent but it had the two stellar matches from Smackdown. Undertaker/Brock & Angle/Benoit vs Edge/Mysterio. Much of the same with Backlash actually. Decent overall show filled with two incredible strong classics.

NWO '08 is a load of fun to watch. I'm sure you'll dig the RAW elmination chamber. It ruled.

Taker/Brock was great and I did enjoy the tag match. The crowd was absolutely red hot for HHH/Kane, I didn't realise how popular the big red machine was at that time, and that's in spite of that dreadful angle!

I enjoyed the triple threat at Backlash just as much as I did Mania XX, especially for the home crowd reaction, you know, despite everything. LOVED Orton vs Foley, just brutal.

Up to the Women's match on Bad Blood 2004, a bit meh so far.

Looking forward to that Raw EC at No Way Out 08 now

[Ever Wolf]

Honestly i can't see Punk/Ryback being anything other than an awkward fumble of a match, one of their credibility will be DESTROYED. If i had to choose just keep Punk as champion, it seems everyone has turned on him a bit, but i'm still loving him.

[Obfuscation]

Originally Posted by AndreBaker

Taker/Brock was great and I did enjoy the tag match. The crowd was absolutely red hot for HHH/Kane, I didn't realise how popular the big red machine was at that time, and that's in spite of that dreadful angle!

I enjoyed the triple threat at Backlash just as much as I did Mania XX, especially for the home crowd reaction, you know, despite everything. LOVED Orton vs Foley, just brutal.

Up to the Women's match on Bad Blood 2004, a bit meh so far.

Looking forward to that Raw EC at No Way Out 08 now

KANE has a good history of being over with the fans. It's why he's managed to work the same gimmick for well over a decade. But yeah, Katie Vick stuff...yikes.

Yep. Same here. I give both the full 5 snowflakes. Managed to create two different matches with the same 3 guys and have them both be perfect. Unreal. Foley vs Orton is classic. I want to know anyone who honestly doesn't enjoy that match. Something we've all (at least myself and my brother at least) have seen many, many times.

Bad Blood '04 is meh. Granted it does have 3 solid/good matches. Crowd blows though. Benoit/Kane was the MOTN. HHH/HBK is one you'll see mixed reviews on. Be prepared for the long haul in that one if you weren't aware.

Russo actually did something with the E again? Wow. That's worth buying alone to hear what he has to say.

[THE DARK ANDRE]

I believe that Punk can get a passable to decent main event out of Ryback, all he needs to do is be a punching bag/bump machine while derailing the match from time to time with some dirty tactics. Should be a simple enough formula.

It's too early for Ryback to be WWE champion, not to mention it scuppers Punk vs Rock at the Rumble. If Punk drops it to Ryback and then takes it back it ruins both guys' momentum. Just silly.

Have Brock (or Goldberg, I'll wake up soon) interfere and have Punk retain. Simple stuff and it gives Ryback a feud after hell in a cell. Could even have Lesnar, Punk, Ziggler, Del Rio vs Ryback, Cena, Sheamus, Orton at Survivor Series, or something like that.

[Ever Wolf]

WWE need to have a huge 5 on 5 at Survivor Series, Team Heyman vs. Team HHH or McMahon or something.

Build up like we had in 2005 would be awesome.

[Choke2Death]

Originally Posted by funnyfaces1

Get ready for 2005, Choke2Death. There were tons of great feuds and moments (HHH/Batista, Hardy/Edge, Angle/HBK, Orton/Undertaker, Christian's rise, HHH/Flair, ONS, Guerrero/Mysterio matches, MNM, Benoit/Booker T, Hassan). However, there were so many absolutely awful parts of that year as well (Cena's first reign of terror, Chris Masters, Kurt Angle jobbing out, Guerrero/Mysterio storyline, Batista's string of terrible matches, Smackdown midcard/PPVs, death of Cruiserweight division, Hogan, Big Show, weak television).

I am well ready for it. And funny you say that about Cena's reign because I've loved the bits of it I've seen. As a huge Cena fan, I expect to enjoy his supposed "reign of terror" throughout 05-07. SPECIALLY in 05 when he was still a fresh face in the main event. But it's all opinions, I guess. Similarly, I know you have enjoyed Phil's reign of terror this year whereas I've stopped watching thanks to it.

Originally Posted by Oliver-94

I remember Funaki's push very well lol. He wins a battle royale, holds the title for a couple of months then loses and becomes a jobber again. Very strange

I thought we would see the same thing happening (but this time winning the US title) when the Kung Fu Naki gimmick started.

I hate when they do this type of stop-start-stop pushes. It's so damn stupid and it's abused today more than ever.

Originally Posted by AndreBaker

Up to the Women's match on Bad Blood 2004, a bit meh so far.

Get ready to enjoy the Benoit/Kane match which is absolutely awesome but also be prepared to fall asleep thanks to the HIAC main event which is absolutely terrible.

---------------------------------------------------

Random ratings:

Edge vs Chris Benoit (Steel Cage) - Raw 22/11/04 (*** - Decent at best, surprised that I didn't enjoy it much. Probably because it was a bit too short and the cage stipulation was not really put into effect as much as it should've. My least favorite cage match with Benoit. I prefer all the bouts with Angle, Rock and JBL to this.)

HHH vs Chris Benoit vs Edge - Raw 29/11/04 (*** - Again, it was a decent match but feels a bit short and doesn't have that huge main event "thing" written all over it like such a match should. Still liked it while it lasted and the finish was a funny way to strip HHH off the title. I guess they did it just for the 10th reign and to reinsert Orton into the picture.)

Randy Orton vs Edge - Raw 13/12/04 (***1/2 - Absolutely awesome match. This one gets a lot of time and both men put on their best in a decent back-and-forth well-paced match. Also about time I've seen a main event face get a decisive victory over a heel on Raw 04 since everything ends in DQ or a controversial win for the heels. This is a very underrated match that needs to be checked out by more!)

[THE DARK ANDRE]

Originally Posted by Choke2Death

Get ready to enjoy the Benoit/Kane match which is absolutely awesome but also be prepared to fall asleep thanks to the HIAC main event which is absolutely terrible.

Just started watching and both guys are working a stiff style so far which is a good start as far as I'm concerned.

[Brye]

I'm not really expecting any match to pass ***1/4 tomorrow night other than the tag title match. Maybe Del Rio/Orton but I just can't give a fuck about it.