8/29/08 Smackdown

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/29/08 Smackdown:
R-Truth vs. Kenny Dykstra: Nice to see Ron Killings back in WWE with an interesting gimmick. Obviously just short victory here just to get momentum for R-Truth. Some very impressive moves from R-Truth. Axe kick for the finisher...with a little corkscrew action. R-Truth should get a very nice push. Fans loved the short match, which boosted the rating a little more. 1/2*

Maryse & Natalya vs. Michelle McCool & Maria: Good moves from everyone in the match. Maria really made Maryse's finishing DDT look great. Finish was abrupt and out of left field for me. Fans seemed disinterested, and I was for the most part. DUD

Jeff Hardy vs. MVP: Just tremendous buildup for the matches in this feud; probably only surpassed among current feuds by the HBK/Y2J feud. This was the best match of the night. Excellent execution of basic wrestling moves and counters. I liked how MVP went after Hardy's leg, but Hardy went after MVP's arm. We also got the usual, exciting Jeff Hardy offense. MVP came back with great moves and utilized the ringpost very well to go after Jeff's back. MVP really knows how to deliver devastating kicks. MVP's release belly-to-belly suplex reminded me a bit of Kurt Angle's great matches. Jeff went for the Whisper in the Wind and took a SICK fall, landing on his neck. Outstanding back-and-forth action. ***3/4

Jesse & Festus vs. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins: Festus is just so entertaining to watch. And basically that's all the offense we saw because Big Show came out and cleaned house. For me, that match was just a waste of two minutes to introduce two tag teams. Probably the only reason I didn't give this a negative five-star rating was because the crowd loved the beatdown and Show's promo. -****

Brie Bella vs. Victoria: Brie, Smackdown's newest Diva, makes her on-screen debut against a ring veteran. Unique snap mare from Brie. Crowd was very dead except for Victoria's backbreaker on Brie. Nice inside cradle by Brie for the win, but more bad than good in this one. It was very clear that Brie is green right now and still learning. -**

Triple H vs. Shelton Benjamin: Great basic wrestling at the beginning; very quick pace. Both men showcased exceptional rest holds. Shelton focused well on the neck and head of HHH. What a counter by Shelton countering the suplex into a neckbreaker. The last five minutes were excellent. If Khali didn't show up at the end of the match, I would have given it the same rating as the Hardy match. ***1/2

8/28/08 TNA Impact!

I decided to do TNA again, but won't give my explanations this time.

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
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8/28/08 TNA Impact!:
Awesome Kong vs. Josie: -****
Consequences Creed & "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir & "Maple Leaf Muscle" Petey Williams: **1/2
Curry Man vs. Jimmy Rave: *3/4
Kurt Angle vs. Kevin Nash (Four Ways to Glory Qualifying Match #2): ***
The Beautiful People vs. Roxxi & Taylor Wilde: **

8/26/08 ECW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
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8/26/08 ECW:
Matt Hardy vs. John Morrison (ECW Championship Scramble Qualifying Match): Two athletic stars going at it in this one. I would have hoped both would be in the scramble. Impressive moves as always from Morrison...that split-legged corkscrew is just amazing. Morrison tried to get the heel win with the foot on the ropes, but I like that the ref caught it and then Hardy tried the quick roll-up. Great back-and-forth action; several exciting near-falls boost the rating. Hardy countered the Moonlight Drive about four times and hit the Twist of Fate for the win. Crowd was into it for most of the match. Fantastic opener; logical to give the most time for this one. ***1/2

The Miz vs. Evan Bourne (ECW Championship Scramble Qualifying Match): Nice fast-paced start; excellent countering and basic wrestling skills. Bourne hit some of his usual quick, high-flying offense, while Miz smartly tried to slow the pace down a little and ground the high-rising star. Some nice near falls. The crowd definitely got back into the match at the end after being indifferent otherwise. Nice clean win for Miz. Rating is not as high as the first one because of less crowd reaction and there were flashier spots in the Hardy match. **3/4

Chavo Guerrero vs. Tommy Dreamer (ECW Championship Scramble Qualifying Match): Again, good basic wrestling from both men. Nice wrestling holds from Chavo. Good offense by Dreamer. Of course, Bam Neely gets involved, allowing Chavo to hit the Frog Splash for the win. Just your average match, in my opinion; nothing breathtaking. *

Finlay vs. Mike Knox (ECW Championship Scramble Qualifying Match): Already some good history between these two, so that scores some points off the bat. The match had a slow pace, as both wrestlers are more known for power or brawling. The powerslam on the outside from Knox was a nice spot. Crowd got back into it a little when Finlay got on the offensive near the end of the match. Shillelagh shot to Knox's head got the win. Good stuff, but still a high-end average match to me because the match just seemed too basic. *3/4

So our ECW Championship Scramble will feature Mark Henry defending against Matt Hardy, The Miz, Chavo Guerrero, and Finlay. Should definitely be a PPV-caliber match.

8/25/08 RAW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
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8/25/08 RAW:
CM Punk vs. JBL: Great moves by Punk. Awesome suicide dive from Punk to the outside scores some points. JBL executed some good submission holds and impressed me a little by delivering a suplex and floating over into the cover. Great back-and-forth action. Punk's martial arts moves combined with his aerial attack are just a thrill to watch. JBL hit his finisher but Punk got the ropes; very nice to see the credibility of JBL's Clothesline From Hell remain strong. Tons of near falls and definitely a tough match to top. ***1/4

Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix: Kelly's mat wrestling was not bad. Kudos to Beth for continuing with the bloody nose. Nice roll-up by Kelly for the win. Crowd also marked out for that one, and I liked the underdog winning, so I'll give it a couple points. 1/2*

Primo Colon vs. Charlito (Charlie Haas): So Haas has joined the likes of Goldust and Big Show in impersonating other wrestlers in the ring. Some people were probably amused, but I wasn't. Nice moves from Primo, but the crowd was absolutely dead for this one, and I didn't get into the match, either. Clearly should have been a dark match. -***

Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler & "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan: The two 50-somethings still got the wrestling left in them. I like the brash, arrogant team of Rhodes/DiBiase; they both have potential to be successful singles wrestlers in the future as well, should they keep improving. I liked that they kept it on the short side, since there is only so much two young guys can do with two guys well past their prime. 1/4*

Santino Marella vs. Kofi Kingston (IC Title): The match started out well. I liked the fast start to the match with Kingston trying for the quick win. Great basic pro wrestling moves, a fast pace, and some good wrestling holds score some points in my book. However, the finish was a mega letdown. How can a wrestler be pinned after getting tripped up? I don't care if it was Beth who tripped Kofi, or if Kofi's head struck Santino's knee. Atrocious finish which totally negates any good things I had to say about this match. I must say though, the whole Glamerella relationship is amusing. -*

Batista vs. Kane: These two big men executed some great mat wrestling and excellent wrestling holds. Batista targeted Kane's left arm in the match, scoring some rating points. Kane went after Batista's injured knee, gaining more points in my book. Kane is quite an athlete for such a big man. Too many wrestling holds slow the match down. Too many slow spots in the match, and the crowd was dead for most of the match. I guess that's what happens when two big men both go after an injured body part. To their credit, Kane and Batista did show me their versatility. DQ finish was another letdown. I liked the brawl after the match though; both men beat the crap out of each other. *3/4
_________________________________

Unforgiven predictions:
The Cryme Tyme match with Rhodes and DiBiase should be your traditional decent PPV tag team match. I won't expect much from this one. My prediction as of now: **

The best part about the championship scramble matches is that there should be non-stop action everywhere. Put the best workers at the front and the not-so-good workers at the end, and the matches should be great.

The addition of Rey Mysterio to the World Heavyweight Championship scramble (replacing the injured John Cena) makes the match even better, in my opinion. I can see a ton of big spots and aerial moves in this one. Mysterio jumps back into the picture at the best time, as Cena may be out for about 18 months if the neck injury is indeed that severe. My prediction as of right now: ***3/4

The WWE Championship scramble looks to be at least 4-star material. I hope WWE continues to make Kendrick look strong. Everyone else should pull out their usual moves and we should have a match fit for PPV. My prediction as of right now: ****

The ECW Championship scramble announced in previews should be good, but they have nowhere near as deep a talent pool, so I'm not expecting much from this one, especially with Mark Henry as champ. Big men can only do so much. My prediction as of right now: **1/2

Look for the HBK/Y2J match to steal the show, especially because it is non-sanctioned. I was thinking a Last Man Standing Match, but this works too. Seriously, this has 5-star material written all over it. You cannot have a better storyline buildup to this match. My prediction as of right now: ****3/4 to *****

8/22/08 Smackdown

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/22/08 Smackdown:
Natalya vs. Maria: Maria has improved dramatically in the ring, and to have a ring veteran like Natalya work a match with her will only make the match better. Excellent job by Natalya to work on Maria's leg, perhaps to set up the Sharpshooter. The match was actually very good until Maryse came down to interfere. The interference does make sense because Maria broke Maryse's nose in a previous match, but regardless, the rating must take a slight hit. *1/2

10-man Battle Royal (WWE Championship Scramble Qualifying Match featuring The Brian Kendrick, Curt Hawkins, Zach Ryder, Jimmy Wang Yang, Vladimir Kozlov, Armando Estrada, Funaki, Super Crazy, Scotty Goldman, & Ryan Braddock): The one thing I like about battle royals is the non-stop action the match provides. I like how they made Kozlov look strong by having a ton of people eliminate him. Big Show then comes in and puts on an impressive cleaning house display, including a spot where he eliminated three people at once (Hawkins, Ryder, and Super Crazy). Show then exited the ring over the top rope, but didn't notice Kendrick wasn't eliminated. Smart to have Kendrick win on a technicality (Ezekiel Jackson caught Kendrick and Kendrick's feet never touched the floor). That was entertaining and very smart booking. I did wish the match went a little longer though so I could see some flashy moves from the actual participants in the match. *3/4

MVP vs. Festus (WWE Championship Scramble Qualifying Match): Festus is one hell of an entertaining character. Great impactful moves from Festus. Nice work by MVP to target the arm of Festus throughout the match. Nice back-and-forth action. The finish was a bit confusing and quite a letdown, but MVP maintains his big-time momentum. **1/4

Shelton Benjamin vs. Finlay (WWE Championship Scramble Qualifying Match): The best match of the night, featuring a ring veteran in Finlay and an awesome talent in Shelton Benjamin. Great talent as usual from these two. Exciting brawling segment. Great submission wrestling from Finlay, and he showed his toughness by keeping the submission on despite the kicks and shots to the face from Shelton. Shelton then worked on Finlay's injured arm; very smart wrestling strategy. Exciting match overall, but Knox's interference, although logical from a storyline standpoint, does decrease the rating. **3/4

Jeff Hardy vs. The Great Khali (WWE Championship Scramble Qualifying Match): I remember these two did a match several weeks back which I originally gave negative stars but decided to give a DUD later. Khali is a terrible worker (it was probably one of the worst-looking Twist of Fates and Whisper in the Winds I've ever seen) and has such a limited moveset, so it's real hard to get into the match. It was a pretty cool ending, however. In my opinion, this is a match where HHH needed to get involved to get the crowd pumped again, so the interference was a good thing. 1/2*

So the Championship Scramble for the WWE Title at Unforgiven will be HHH vs. Kendrick vs. Benjamin vs. MVP vs. Jeff Hardy. Should be an excellent match.

8/21/08 TNA Impact!

For likely one night only, I will do a rating for Impact because school will definitely get in the way over the next three months.

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
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8/21/08 TNA Impact!:
Hernandez vs. Robert Roode: Love the fast start to the match. Awesome delayed vertical suplex from Hernandez. Impressive balanced assault (power and aerial) from Hernandez. Good mix of high flying moves, power moves, and ground attacks. Interference knocks the rating down a peg, but it was entertaining interference. **1/2

"Showtime" Eric Young & B.G. James vs. Motor City Machine Guns: Great chain wrestling and kicks from Sabin. Extremely fast-paced match with outstanding tag team wrestling from the Guns. I think the only complaint I would have is that it was too quick a match; certainly it would be longer on a PPV. **3/4

"The Blueprint" Matt Morgan vs. Frankie Capone: Just your usual squash match. However, I'll be more favorable in the rating because: (1) Morgan's moveset is impressive for a 7-footer, and (2) the crowd enjoyed the beatdown. But since it was a squash, I wouldn't necessarily put it on a PPV. 1/4*

Booker T vs. Rhino: This was a qualifying match to be one of three challengers for Samoa Joe at No Surrender. I liked Rhino going to the top, even though he missed the move. I liked the fact that both men had their finishers countered in some way because it gives the match more dimension. It didn't blow me away because the pace was so slow, but it was a decent match. **

"Maple Leaf Muscle" Petey Williams vs. Consequences Creed (X-Division Title): Again, great chain wrestling from two TNA wrestlers. There were a lot of flashy moves, which got me into the match. Great counters and aerial attacks. Extremely fluid wrestling. Everything was going great until the interference, which is an automatic deduction in the rating. Sheik Abdul Bashir again made his presence felt, and based on the reaction after the match, Bashir wants to get into the X-Division Title picture. Despite the ending, it was an excellent match. ***1/4

Awesome Kong vs. Gail Kim (TNA Knockouts Street Fight): Again, I loved the fast start. Brawling in the stands is another big plus in my book. Nice double axe handle from Gail in the stands. Gail delivered some nice shots to Kong with the chair. Raisha Saeed took some Singapore Cane shots...kudos to her. I would have loved a little longer of a match, but there's only so much to do when there is such a size difference. Apparently Gail Kim is headed to WWE; TNA will be sorry to have lost such talent. **3/4

AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle (Ladder Match; for Angle's Olympic gold medal): AJ Styles had beaten Angle for Angle's Olympic gold medal the previous week, and this was Angle's way of trying to get his medal back. Nice fast start. Booker T tried to get involved, but Samoa Joe was there to take out Booker. Good use of the ladder as a weapon. The crowd is always going to be going nuts when two of TNA's best workers go at it. Great mix of wrestling, using the ladder, and counters. The mystery of the guitar strikes again, allowing Styles to grab the gold medal. Nothing real innovative; just a straightforward ladder match. ***

8/19/08 ECW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
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8/19/08 ECW:
Chavo Guerrero, John Morrison, & The Miz vs. Tommy Dreamer, Evan Bourne, & Super Crazy: I am so proud of Tough Enough graduates like Miz and Morrison, who have just been so impressive. Also, I don't think I will ever see a bad match when Evan Bourne gets offense in. Two great big spots from Super Crazy and Bourne significantly kick up the rating. ***

Ricky Ortiz vs. Gavin Spears: Spears cut a nice taped promo. Good back-and-forth action. Both men pulled off some nice moves. Glad to see Ortiz has a finisher. *1/2

Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy (ECW Title): Glad to see a rematch come about after the SummerSlam debacle. This should have been the SummerSlam match, not the crap I saw at the PPV itself. Matt Hardy gets a huge pop as always. Good job by both wrestlers to target a part of the body and sticking with it. Because of Henry taking over much of the match, the pace was slower than I would like. The last few minutes were well done. Again, I don't like Atlas' mini-interference, but it's still understandable to generate heel heat. I see yet another title match down the road...maybe a cage match? **1/2

8/18/08 RAW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/18/08 RAW:
Batista vs. Paul Burchill: This squash would have been in the negatives, but I liked how Burchill attacked Batista's injured leg throughout the match before falling prey to Batista. DUD

Mickie James & Kelly Kelly vs. Katie Lea & Jillian: A fun match with some nice wrestling and tag team moves. **

JBL vs. Jamie Noble: Just plain atrocious. First, the match went way too long. JBL would have been better off KO'ing Noble with a chair and beating him with that instead. Or this could have been a backstage segment. Second, what was the deal with the ref counting to two and stopping the match in favor of JBL?! Why not slap the mat a third time at that stage? Simply a horrible match by all participants - including the ref. I swear the only reason I didn't hear "BORING" chants was because those people were probably at the vendors getting more beer. -****

John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase: It was not bad, but a bit too slow for my liking. Great tag team wrestling from Rhodes and DiBiase, but of course, Cena has his predictable comeback at the end. Honestly, I enjoyed the divas match way more. *3/4

Santino Marella vs. D-Lo Brown: Nice pop for D-Lo, since RAW took place in his hometown of Chicago. Santino hits some moves and gets in trouble, so naturally, Beth comes in, prevents D-Lo from hitting the Lo-Down, then slaps D-Lo. Disqualification. BS finish. -**

As a note, I like Kane's new music - it's a remix of his first entrance theme.

Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk: Easily the best match of the night. The two have excellent chemistry in the ring. Perhaps Jericho can weasel his way into the 5-man scramble now...? Very good back-and-forth action. Punk pulled out some moves I hadn't seen before, which was a huge plus. Cade's mini-interference knocks the rating down a little, but a PPV-worthy match for sure. ***1/2

8/17/08 SummerSlam

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/17/08 SummerSlam:
MVP vs. Jeff Hardy: ***
Beth Phoenix & Santino Marella vs. Mickie James & Kofi Kingston (IC and Women's Title intergender tag match): **1/4
Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry (ECW Title): -*
CM Punk vs. JBL (World Heavyweight Title): **1/2
Triple H vs. The Great Khali (WWE Title): 1/2*
Batista vs. John Cena: ***3/4
Undertaker vs. Edge (Hell in a Cell): ****3/4

8/15/08 Smackdown

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/15/08 Smackdown:
Jeff Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin (U.S. Title): ***1/4
Maryse & Natalya vs. Maria & Michelle McCool: *1/2
The Brian Kendrick vs. Scotty Goldman: 1/2*
Triple H vs. Kenny Dykstra: -**
The Big Show vs. Ryan Braddock: -****
Vladimir Kozlov vs. Festus: *1/2

NOTE: Keep in mind that these ratings are put on the same scale as PPV matches. Trust me, if Vince McMahon put some of these squash matches on a PPV (see matches with negative star ratings), fans would want their money back.

SummerSlam on Sunday. The card looks very strong, and I can't wait to review those matches.

8/12/08 ECW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/12/08 ECW:
Tommy Dreamer vs. Colin Delaney (Extreme Rules): *1/4
Evan Bourne vs. Bam Neely: *1/2
Finlay vs. Armando Estrada: *3/4
Matt Hardy & Mark Henry vs. The Miz & John Morrison: *1/2

8/11/08 RAW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/11/08 RAW:
Beth Phoenix vs. Kelly Kelly: DUD
Santino Marella vs. Mickie James: 1/4*
Cryme Tyme vs. The Highlanders: 1/4*
Chris Jericho vs. Kane: *1/4
William Regal vs. Jamie Noble: DUD
Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena & Batista: *1/2

8/8/08 Smackdown

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/8/08 Smackdown:
Maryse, Victoria, & Natalya vs. Michelle McCool, Cherry, & Maria (6-diva Olympic tag match): *1/2
Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder vs. Shannon Moore & Jimmy Wang Yang: *1/4
Jeff Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin: ***3/4
Vladimir Kozlov vs. Jesse: DUD
The Brian Kendrick vs. Super Crazy: *3/4

Hardy/Benjamin would have gotten at least **** if not for the MVP interference. The abrupt ending took the wind out of the match.

8/5/08 ECW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/5/08 ECW:
Evan Bourne & Ricky Ortiz vs. Bam Neely & Chavo Guerrero: *3/4
Armando Estrada vs. Tommy Dreamer: 1/4*
Braden Walker vs. James Curtis: DUD
_________________________________

Again, Smackdown ratings will be delayed until around late Sunday or Monday.

8/4/08 RAW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/4/08 RAW:
Kofi Kingston vs. Paul Burchill (IC title): **1/2
Mickie James vs. Katie Lea (Women's title): **
JBL & Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk (#1 Contender's Match): ***1/4
Kane vs. Matt Striker: -**
John Cena & Batista vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase (Tag Team Titles): ***1/4

8/2/08 SNME

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/2/08 SNME:
JBL, Kane, Cody Rhodes, & Ted DiBiase vs. Cryme Tyme, Batista, and John Cena: **1/2
The Great Khali vs. Jimmy Wang Yang: -**
Edge vs. Jeff Hardy: ***1/4

8/1/08 Smackdown

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
_________________________________

8/1/08 Smackdown:
M.V.P. vs. Jimmy Wang Yang: DUD
Mr. Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin: ***
The Brian Kendrick vs. Stevie Richards: 1/4*
The Great Khali vs. Jeff Hardy: DUD
Maria vs. Victoria: 1/4*
The Big Show vs. Domino: -***

With the exception of the Kennedy/Shelton match, the matches were pure crap. It puzzled me why Khali didn't get disqualified when M.V.P. interfered in that match. It's also quite troubling when one of the most entertaining parts of the 2-hour show was The Cutting Edge where Edge beat up Foley.

NOTE (8/4/08): Upon further review, I gave the Khali/Jeff Hardy match a DUD rating instead of -**. This was due to the spirited Jeff Hardy comeback sparking a bunch of crowd interest, to the point where it canceled out Khali's inept wrestling skills.

Saturday Night's Main Event matches will likely be posted tomorrow. I leave Honolulu Sunday night and get back into Oregon Monday morning.

Also, next week's Smackdown match ratings will be delayed as I go to OLIO, a law retreat for minority students. I'll be relying on YouTube or Dailymotion to watch the show.