The NeelDown Video Review: WWE WrestleMania 22

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– I haven’t attempted to do this show since returning from Chicago on April 3, they day after I was there live at the event. Unless you are a relatively new reader of mine, or have been in the last month or so, you know that I was at WrestleMania in April. Although my main comments on the trip and live show were in my blog, I made some short pre-rant comments about it in some of my columns around that time. Here we go with the DVD, to see the matches for the first time on the screen. I’ll also be adding in my thoughts on it live, since I still have a pretty good memory of my first live Mania event, and just to mix things up a bit…

The NeelDown: WrestleMania 22

– From Chicago, Illinoise

– Hosts are Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Tazz, & Michael Cole

– Live report: I was just finally making it to my seat when I heard JR’s music to yet another “big event name return” pop as he was making his way down to the announce booth. A 500 person-deep line outside Allstate Arena and a jam-packed interior will cause that. Stood in the merchandise line for a bit, and was highly disappointed in the t-shirt selection. Of course I bought the $20 memorabilia program (which was very well done, with full profiles for all the match participants on the card, storyline buildups, and special information pages on all of the past Manias ect), but it being a PPV, the biggest one of the year and all, I expected a lot of shirts to be available, but it was only the King of Kings, Cena, WrestleMania, and Mysterio. So, needless to say, I spent a lot of time I didn’t need to in that line. Continued…

– Anyway, after getting to my seat and getting comfortable for a bit, we got God Bless America from one of the Destiny’s Child chicks and Lillian greets us by announcing the interpromotional battle royal dark match, like at last year’s. Since this isn’t the official DVD, it is a recorded one of the show, I can’t review that, but I do remember Stevie Richards making his big return for the SmackDown brand, and Eugene getting a big pop for skipping out first for Raw. Short and to the point stuff here, with some good comedy stuff from Conway after flexing to the ref after getting dumped. All the low-mid carders not booked were involved with this one, like last year, except I noticed that Orlando Jordan was absent. Just an observation. Viscera made the surprising survival for Raw, last eliminating Animal. Carlito’s music hits and we’re underway Big Time, no pun intended…

Pre-WrestleMania 18-man Interpromotional Battle Royal
For Raw we’ve got Eugene, Big Vis, Snitsky, Murdoch, Goldust, Conway, Tomko, Cade, Matt Striker and the rest of the Heat squad. For SmackDown we’ve got the returning Steven Richards Funaki, Mexicans, MNM, Animal, Regal, Simon Dean and some others. No Orlando Jordan is kind of odd. Dean gets on the mic to start but gets booted over the top rope. Big brawl to start and Conway stops to pose on the turnbuckle and gets dumped by Richards. Conway flexes to the ref to try to get back in. Funny stuff. Funaki gets launched out. Cade goes out. Tazz stops to wonder where Richards has been, then Richards gets eliminated by Goldust. Strikers is gone. Murdoch takes out Super Crazy, Psychosis takes out Goldust. Eugene and Regal stop to hug, so Snitsky takes them out and eliminates Regal. MNM get the Snapshot on Eugene and Melina’s primal scream is f*cking LOUD. They toss Eugene then, and it turns into a Raw-SmackDown standoff with the remaining contenders, much like how they did in the Rumble. Murdoch and Psychosis are gone. MNM and Road Warrior for SmackDown, Viscera, Snitsky and Tomko from Raw are left. Vis tries to take out MNM but they survive via eye poking. MNM actually gain the upperhand on Vis, which may be a sign that they are actually taking them seriously as an established tag team. What a concept. Snapshot on Vis fails, and he takes them out. Vis humps both of them, as Melina shows signs of vomiting. Finally he eliminates them, and we’re left with just Animal from SmackDown. Snitsky accidentally big boots Tomko out, and we’re down to Animal against Snitsky and Vis. Animal goes out anticlimactically, and Snitsky misses another big boot and sends himself over the top making the winner Big Vis. Nothing but your standard pre-show fun here, and of course the winner gets no push or anything like that, so it’s useless, about as much as the Stevie Richards return here.
Winner: Viscera

Kane & Big Show v. Carlito & Chris Masters
Carlito adds a roll on his strut out, for good WrestleMania measure. Masters overpowers Kane to start, but Kane unleashes the DROPKICK OF DOOM, which he hasn’t pulled out in quite a while. Feel the Mania excitement! Show comes in and adds some slaps and headbuts then a scoop and a slam, forcing Masters to tag in Carlito. He tries a wirstlock, but realizes he can’t fit his wrist around Show’s, and Show crotches him on the top rope. The faces launch Carlito out onto Masters, then Kane adds his usual big event flying clothesline from the top. This reminds JR of the unorthodox dropkick we saw earlier. Carlito is able to drop toehold Show into an exposed turnbuckle and the heels are able to double suplex him for two. They try another one, but Show suplexes them instead and gets the tag to Kane who cleans house. He tries coming off the top at Masters, but gets caught in the Master Lock. Show breaks that up with a big boot, which actually draws some boos. Hey, this is the crowd who boos some notable other faces. Show tries Chokeslamming Carlito, but Masters chopblocks him. Kane tries double Chokeslamming them, but they fight out of it. Master’s double axehandle hits Carlito leaving Kane to finish him with a Chokeslam. *1/2
Winners: Kane & Big Show

– Shawn Michaels wares Coach that we should not expect a ***** out of his with Vince. We stand assured, Shawn.

– Live report: Soon after the four ladders or so got set up on the rampway as the crowd anticipated the MITB. As far as entrances go, RVD and Flair were the only ones who got pretty over with the crowd. I don’t think there was any doubt there was going to be a winner besides RVD. I was the only one rooting for Benjamin, anyhow.

Shelton Benjamin v. Rob Van Dam v. Matt Hardy v. Fit Finlay v. Ric Flair v. Bobby Lashley – Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Lashley dominates to start. A fan jokingly commented to me in the line waiting to get into the arena perviously that Lashley might possibly break the steps going up the ladder due to his strength. And that really just goes to show how I’m not expecting anything measurable to last year’s MITB with the absence of guys like Benoit, Edge and Christian and replaced with Flair and Lashley. Anyway, Lashley’s hot streak comes to a thud via Benjamin’s sweet spinning heel kick. Hardy goes out and tries to get an early ladder, but is met with RVD springing out with a pescado to him onto the ladder. So there goes those two from the beginning settled down sequence. Benjamin gets another ladder and takes Finlay out with it, then leans it against the ropes and dives off of it with a somersault plancha to everyone on the outside. Sweet. Another great spot with great elevation, nearly topping last year’s big MITB spot from Benjamin. That running up the ladder lariat was just too damn awesome, though. Oddly enough, Flair is the first one back in and the first one to make a climb attempt, which the crowd totally digs. Hardy however follows him on the otherside and superplexes him off, as Flair gets some sudden agiation in his knee, which definitely looks serious, and it is approved with two refs giving the “X” injury signal to the back. Everyone was a little confused at this, but when the signals went up and Flair was helped to the back we knew it was serious. He got a pretty big pop for the exit and effort, respectively. The rest of the guys in the ring do a good job of not looking around for what to do, and RVD hits the ladder off of a failed Rolling Thunder attempt. Lashley makes his first climb, rather slowly, and for the record no steps are breaking. Benjamin tries the sunset-flip style powerbomb him off, but can’t, so Hardy and Finlay help him and they get the triple powerbomb off. Finlay nails Hardy with a ladder, then goes to work on everyone else with it, until Flair makes the big return, as he wobbles out from the back. He makes the save and takes out Finlay, then tries his second climbing, but gets yanked down by Benjamin and Hardy. They fall victim to the chops however, Benjamin all the way to the point of tosses himself due to the chest pain from one. So Flair goes back up, but Finlay comes in and WACKS him a good one with the SHILLELAGH OF DOOM. Benjamin and Finlay try climbing then, but Lashley tips them over and gives Shelton a Dominator, for good measure purposes only. That leaves Lashley to climb, but he gets knocked off by RVD’s sudden Van Daminator from the top. Man, it has been a while since RVD has been seen or mentioned. That Rolling Thunder must have did some serious damage on his back. Hardy goes up the ladder and adds on a legdrop, even though everyone is just still psyched from RVD’s return bigspot. Hardy tries climbing then, as does Finlay however, and Hardy Side Effects him off, taking himself out as well in that recycled spot. You’d think Matt of all people would have learned by now. That leaves Finlay and RVD out of the mess, with Flair and Lashley still knocked out in the corner, and RVD delivers with the 5* Frog Splash, but it just looked like a regular splash. That buys RVD enough time to get actually close to the briefcase for the first time in the match, but Benjamin returns out of nowhere, springboarding off of the ropes to meet RVD at the top of the ladder, further continuing his Spider-Man theme in these ladder matches. And now we have the two who everyone WANTS to see going at it here. Hardy makes the anticlimactic climb on a separate ladder and tries to brawl Benjamin off, but RVD shoves them both off allowing himself to unlatch the briefcase with no threat, giving him the second annual title shot, which was easily predictable given the participants. Benjamin was probably my only second choice, but with him carrying the IC title just like he was during last year’s solidified that. Match was good with the various spots and never getting dulled, but was definitely down a lot on the excitement level due to what I talked about earlier. Anyway, it was still a load of fun and they worked through the injury well enough. ***3/4
Winner: Rob Van Dam

– Live report: Hall Of Fame ceremony meant piss break for a lot of the crowd, which was expected due to the Bret Hart absence, unless everyone was dying to see Refrigerator Perry. The Fink made the announcement that Bret wouldn’t be here to all of the numerous crowd signs’ dismay. I don’t think you need me to run down the inductees for you, but the only thing notable for the crowd was Vickie Guerrero’s appearance.

– Next the whole entrance rampway had to be lifted up, which all of us were pondering over, but it would then soonly reveal that the Longhorn Limosuine needed room to come out. That JBL, all the luxery.

Chris Benoit v. JBL – United States Championship
On an interesting note, the last time the US belt was defended at WrestleMania was when Benoit won the World title. JBL grabs a headlock to start but Benoit takes him in an early Crossface attempt, but JBL gets the ropes and goes back to the headlock. Benoit takes him to the corner for the chops but meets boot on a charge. Now Benoit tries the Sharpshooter, but Benoit simply kicks out of it, then uses Jillian as a shield on the outside and thumbs the eye. Cue Michael Cole heel-gasm~! JBL continues attacking the surgically repaired neck but misses a charge to the corner and Benoit snaps off the rolling germans. He goes up, but JBL crotches him via ropes, then mocks Eddie’s shuffle and chest slaps, the classy fellow. JBL follows with a superplex resulting in a short double-KO, and JBL gets two out of it. JBL now hits a nearly perfect pair of Three Amigos, which is pretty funny looking, but Benoit blocks the third. He then runs into a big boot however for two. Jillian seems to be taking some notes from Melina on these screams, although hers sound manlier. JBL locks in a rear choke but Benoit is able to suplex out of it. Now Benoit gets the real Three Amigos. But really, what makes JBL simply doing the move disrespectful? Couldn’t he just be paying his honor? He isn’t saying anything bad about the guy. The fact that he is simply a heel? Benoit gets the SWAN DIVE OF DOOM for a close two. He tries a german, but JBL grabs the referee. He tries the Clothesline From Hell, but Benoit counters to the Crossface. JBL however rolls him over into a pin and grabs the ropes for the pin and the US title. Okay match for the crappy buildup it had going for it. I can’t say I’m not looking forward to United States champion JBL with his current American hero gimmick, though. **1/2
Winner: JBL

– Live report: Joe Theissman is with us. I had been wanting to know what celebrities would make the front row appearance, and there he is.

Edge v. Mick Foley – Hardcore Match
Joey Styles of course joins commentary for the ECW nature of the match’s buildup, as we all expect a few OMG’s or at least one to be thrown in here. Edge tries some swings with his baseball bat gift to start, but Foley dodges them and hangs him to dry in the tree of woe elbow smash. Lita slides in the COOKIE SHEET OF DOOM, which Edge wacks Foley with. She then provides the street sign, which is the only logical follow-up to the cookie tray. Edge dropkicks the sign into Foley’s face, then gets an early Spear, but seems to be on more of the misgiving end. Foley then reveals that he had armed himself with barbed wire under the flannel jacket. So THAT’S the mysterious advantage of wearing a flannel jacket as ring attire. Foley uses the wire to whip and cut up Edge with it, in true Itchy & Scratchy fashion. I hate that show, by the way. Edge gets tied up in the ropes, which is a perfect time for Foley to whip out the barbed wire baseball bat. Lita runs in and jumps on his back to prevent that, so Foley clotheslines Edge over the top with Lita still on him, sending them all spilling to the floor. Now thing’s get interesting. Out there Foley adds a neckbreaker to the floor and gets two. Edge turns the tide and sends Foley into the steps. Edge sends him back into them a second time so he can take his usual running flip bump over the steps. They go back in, but a baseball slide from Edge sends them back out. Edge gets a table and sets it up out there, which I had a great view of from my corner seat. Foley prevents going through a table but gets pummeled on the ramp. Back inside Edge finds a bottle of lighter fluid and douses Foley with it. Foley retaliates by getting a piledriver. Now there’s an effective follow-up move. Foley tries using a chair but Lita gets involved again, allowing Edge to DDT him for two. Edge uses the barbed wire bat in his favor now, causing some major crimson mask action. Edge steals a page of the one of the many books, not counting the fictional stories, and reveals he has a bag of tacks. He empties them, and yes folks, there are a lot. Foley however back suplexes him into them, which is a SICK looking spot compared to most half-witted ones done with the tacks. That ruled. Mr. B.W. Socko, barbed wired that is, makes an appearance, and it’s barbed wire Mandible Claw action on Edge as well as Lita! Rightfully, it is a bloodfest at this point. Foley empties the rest of the fluid on the table still set up at ringside. As he goes back on the apron to climb back in, Lita nails him in the crotch with the barbed wire bat, ouch, then ignites the table. Edge then SPEARS him through the ropes and through the burning table, which is a great spot and too much for Foley, and it gives Edge the win. The bloodied, battered and burned Edge, with a good portion of tacks still stuck in his skin to boot is obviously still hurting from that. Awesome spots here all around, with the great ending to top it off. INCREDIBLY live match as well, as I was in a great visible spot for the burning table Spear. ****
Winner: Edge

– Live report: On the titantron In the back, to pick up on the Booker T: Freak Magnet storyline, Booker and Sharmell run into a bunch of freaks, like Paul Burchill, Goldust, Snitsky, Moolah, ect. Only real humorous part sees Ted DiBiase trying to test Eugene’s basketball dribbling skills, only to knock the ball away to avoid giving away the money. Crowd got a good laugh out of it, didn’t seem so assuring watching it over on the screen.

The Boogeyman v. Booker T & Sharmell
This is where we hit the first dull roadblock of the night, at least of the excitement of the crowd. Booker makes Sharmell start as a shield then attacks and nails a rather quick Book End for two. Scissorkick misses and Boogeyman takes care of Booker. Sharmell tries attacking, as if it isn’t a total waste, but Boogeyman gets some worms and gives her a kiss. Booker tries attacking from behind again, but gets Derailed. This was REALLY not needed on the card, especially since they ended up going nowhere with the Boogeyman character. And just think, at this show three years ago Booker was semi-main eventing for the Heavyweight title. Now he’s stuck jobbing in three minutes to a closet monster. -*
Winner: The Boogeyman

– Live report: As evidence showed by what was heard on the TV, Trish-Mickie was electric with the crowd due to Mickie’s overness. It was just like an early version of Cena-HHH. Fun stuff, fun match live. The botched bulldog started a HUGE “You Fucked Up” chant which I’m sure will be edited, as will most of the many chants associated with “Cena” and “Fuck” in the same line might be.

Trish Stratus v. Mickie James – Women’s Championship
You know, people have wondered about the crowd turn on Trish, but I think it is simple. They are just tired of her. Sure she has big knockers and is impressive in the ring, but we have seen the same cycle of moves and jugs for years on end. Now we have someone else who can do something in the ring (although if they ever were long term with the seriousness of Victoria we might be saying this about her) and has a heel gimmick the crowd can get into it. So why the hell not? Mickie gets cocky to start and slaps Trish a bit, so Trish retaliates with the press and goes in control. Trish uses the old splits trick to duck a heel kick and they go to the outside, where Mickie takes over by working the knee. A few post pulls and working the knee back inside and you can REALLY hear the crowd get behind Mickie good. She continues working it with a Boston Crab that gets two. Some more working over the knee, and she locks it in a hold. Trish makes the comeback with the headscissors, drawing a bad crowd reaction. That’s something you don’t see every day. Trish tries the ranna but get slammed back down. They exchange cradles resulting in a pair of twos. Trish catches her with a slam for two. Mickie blocks the springboard bulldog and tries her own, but they BOTCH it HORRIBLY. Man was that ugly, even more so than it looked live. So Mickie retaliates by just hitting the Mick Kick for the pin and title, all cleanly. Easily a great women’s match since Trish actually had someone to spar with, botched ending spot aside. **3/4
Winner: Mickie James

– The McMahon family prays.

Mark Henry v. Undertaker – Casket Match
Mizark jumps him to start, so Taker tries to knock him down, to no avail of course, and he gets knocked down himself. Things slowly spill to the outside where Henry feeds him to the steps. Back in Henry continues his amazing technical onslaught of offense, until evil UT goes low and tries the ropewalk. Henry blocks that though, and continues that amazing technique of his. Neither can close the casket on each other on a series of dull spots where they punch their way back out of the casket. Henry tries a slam but again can’t seal the deal. UT is able to dump him back in, and follows with the suicide dive over the top, getting great elevation even over the casket to the floor, in what is the only thing that might save this match from sinking under the negative rating blues. They regroup in the ring and Taker ends it with a Tombstone, reluctantly. This was nothing but boredom, which is nothing but expected in a Taker-big man match, let alone with a casket stipulation. 1/2*
Winner: Undertaker

– Live report: Funny fact on HBK’s entrance: All of the silver lining ribbon you see stuck up on the rafters were shot up during his fireworks but all ended up getting stuck.

Vince McMahon v. Shawn Michaels – No Holds Barred
Vince unveils a giant-sized edition of his Fitness & Muscle magazine at ringside, for good measure. Of course we all know it will probably end up being smashes over his head at some point in this match. Brawling on the floor ensues right way, and they go over the announce table where Shawn nails him with a water bottle. Hey, it worked for Austin-Bret in their WrestleMania match when they pulled out the fan’s Coke as a weapon, and look where that one got. They go inside, and Shawn, like I predicted, smashes the magazine cover over his head. This draws the five disciples of the Spirit Squad out for a quick cheer and they try the legdrop, but HBK is able to dodge it. Shawn takes care of Kenny after the missed attempt and tosses him out onto the rest of the Squad. That allows Vince to make the sneak attack and choke him out with his belt. He tries a Sweet Chin Vince, but Michaels catches the kick and takes him down, then whips him with the belt to return the medicine. He follows with the Heartbreak Elbow from the top. Yes, I am making up these move names, but wouldn’t you agree that they should at least be named? Shane McMahon heads out to pick up the slack of the SS, equipped with a kendo stick. Shane makes quick work of him though, and handcuffs him to the ropes outside. Ooh, there goes a big spot. Michaels continues the attack and wacks Vince with a chair. Michaels tunes up the band but instead goes out and gets ladder to set up in the ring. He goes for it again, although the band should be pretty tuned up by now, but stops again, and this time gets a garbage can and table. He beats on Vince with those, then goes out and retries a 17 foot ladder instead. He lays Vince on the table and covers his head in the can, then climbs up the big one and delivers the BIG elbow drop, through the table. And that’ll do it, indeed. **, a lot of you are probably wondering about that low rating, but much like the 1998 HIAC, think about what would classify the match to be good besides the big spot at the end? The match itself was nothing, some run-ins to set up the big ladder ending.
Winner: Shawn Michaels

– Live report: No one was really that excited for the SmackDown main event, which was expectable. We though they had canned the Playboy pillow fight, not that it mattered. Crowd was for the most part behind Mysterio, for obvious reasons. I got a good view of POD performing Mysterio’s awful new theme music, Boobyikki 619 or whatever, which the crowd was absolutely dead for. I have certainly bashed Limp Bizkit’s live version of Undertaker’s horrible theme, and it holds to its name here.

Kurt Angle v. Randy Orton v. Rey Mysterio – World Heavyweight Championship
Orton jumps the champ to start. Mysterio tries ending his momentum by coming off the ropes, but is met with a nice midair dropkick. Good exciting way to get this one started. That dropkick gets two. Angle retaliates the attacking by giving them a two-way German, which of course is sweet, and gets two for Angle. Orton gets a neckbreaker on Angle for two. Angle delivers a belly to belly on Orton. Angle spots Rey perched on the top, so he tosses him off, with Rey turning it into a ranna on Orton. Cool. Angle picks Mysterio up and simply slides him out of the ring, then pins Orton for two, in a cool spot you just have to see on TV. HAH! I was marking out for that big time. While Rey is occupied on the floor, Angle tries the Ankle Lock on Orton. Rey comes back into break that up, but gets taken down by Angle. Mysterio rannas Angle into the ropes for the 619, but it is much too early for that, and Angle catches the lets and pulls him back into the Ankle Lock. Rey taps out from that, however Orton is keeping the ref distracted. Uh … what? They are going to pull a tapping with the ref distracted four minutes into the thing? Orton gets involved then, but Angle fights them both off, including Olympic Slamming Mysterio to the floor to rid the ring of him. Now they repeat that sequence, with Orton tapping out to the Ankle Lock while Mysterio distracts the ref. EVIL REY! Angle is sure being put over big thus far. Of course that means he will lose, though. Angle pulls Orton into the grapevine, but Mysterio springboards in with a legdrop to break that up. Angle AGAIN just simply tosses Mysterio back outside, which although is entertaining strategy for the viewer’s part, wouldn’t he rather be taking on the smaller Mysterio, not the former champion? If he were still working the heel role it would make sense, but I thought this was the “I respect Mysterio for winning the Rumble and he is a worthy challenger” Angle. Oh well. Orton counters the Olympic Slam into the RKO, but it only gets two. Cue Angle’s great close kickouts now. Orton decides to climb, meaning the crossbody or dropkick, but Angle runs up and delivers his snap superplex. Mysterio tries a 619 using the post, but botches it, so he just kicks Orton in the head instead. Ugly. Very. Orton gets his neckbreaker on Rey for two, killing whatever momentum Mysterio was supposed to have coming back in. Angle sneaks back in with the Olympic Slam, again going after Orton, but that only gets two. He tries it on Mysterio, but he counters to his rolling armdrag to get out of it. Orton gets caught with the 619, followed by the West Coast Pop giving Rey the title. Well, uh… okay. This match was really mind boggling, which is about as much of an appropriate term as disappointing would be. It was all a “finisher misses, finisher hits, finisher gets broken up” scenario through the only thing, and incredibly SHORT. That ending really did come out of nowhere too. **3/4
Winner: Rey Mysterio

– Live report: Now comes the REAL fun and excitement of being at a WrestleMania atmosphere, main event time. “Cena sucks” and “Fuck you Cena” were among the long array of anti-Cena chants heard throughout the arena the whole night. The crowd was ELECTRIC in this match, as is evident when viewing it. Triple H’s overness was truly an awesome sight, as was the Cena hatred. Entrances were fun, too of course. The King of Kings bow was pretty cool.

Candice Michelle v. Torrie Wilson – Playboy Pillowfight
Well I was wrong, this one did happen, to let everyone get a breather and piss break inbetween the main events. A little too long I thought, since they actually abanedoned the bed spots and tried some real pointless brawling. -*

John Cena v. Triple H – WWE Championship
Being there live, of course I missed CM Punk’s appearance during the gangster car entrance the first time through. This caused all the “Punk was teh best part of Mania!!111” slurs heard following the event from all the TNA and ROH trolls afterwards. Idiots. HHH takes him down to start via wrestling, which might be a scary concept for John. The crowd chimes in early with the loud “Fuck you Cena” chants. They slug away, with each Cena punch connecting drawing a loud “Boo!” and every HHH punch drawing a huge “Yeah!”, executed nearly to perfection by the Chicago crowd. And I was part of it, so kudos to me. Cena fights back out of the corner and gets a backdrop for two, followed by a suplex for the same, and we get a rear chinlock sequence, where the crowd hits Cena with a loud “You Can’t Wrestle” chant. HHH takes a BIG missed corner charge jump bump and hits the floor. Out there HHH attempts the Pedigree but Cena backdrops out. Back inside for more brawling, and HHH goes in control, and sends him to the steps. HHH locks in a sleeper. Cena fights out and they repeat the punching sequence which if course rules due to the crowd reaction’s timing and loudness. Cena gets a slam and attempts the People’s Elbow Rip-off, which really gets the crowd pissed off, but they are relieves when HHH hops up and counters it with the BIG spinebuster. Cena comes back with a STFU attempt, but HHH grabs the ropes to all of the crowd’s convenience. Cena tries the FU, but HHH slips out and bumps into the ref. The crowd is of course hoping for an FU here for the no count. HHH adds the DX chop like Shawn had done earlier, hint hint, then gets the sledgehammer. Crowd goes wild for that. He levels Cena with it, ref is back, and it only gets two. HHH tries the Pedigree, but Cena gets out and gets the FU, but Triple H KICKS OUT of it!! I say that with excitement because I really can’t remember anyone kicking out of it before, but I might be mistaken if Angle did it a couple times in their onslaught of four month feuding matches. HHH tries the Pedigree again, but Cena pulls out the legs to block, then locks in the STFU. Crowd is very worried as the arm drops twice, but is not on the third. But that doesn’t get anywhere since HHH just taps out afterwards, in a completely flooring and crappy ending, especially for the crowd. Crowd starts a “bullshit” chant afterwards and leave unhappy. Best HHH match in a while, and he really carried Cena like a pro here. ***1/2
Winner: John Cena

End of show.