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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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