Pulse Wrestling returns with its EXCLUSIVE REAL-TIME Coverage for this month’s WWE Pay-Per-View Spectactular: The Great American Bash! I’m Paul Marshall and I’m holding down the fort tonight. The show starts at 7PM Central!
Scroll below to comment on tonight’s show while you’re reading!
We open up tonight’s show with a video montage of all the major feuds being showcased tonight! Six titles are on the line tonight! The Tag Team Championships will be decided in tonight’s opening contest!
WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Miz & John Morrison (c)Â v. Zach Ryder & Curt Hawkins v. Jesse & Festus v. Finlay & Hornswoggle
Festus goes hog wild as the bell rings, sending everyone to the outside. Miz and Morrison tosses Hornswoggle inside the ring to face off against the giant. He rolls up his dukes and Miz & Morrison distract the midget. Flying midget sends the champions down and Miz gets tossed inside to be manhandled by Festus! Festus hits a corner tackle and tags into Jesse, who takes Miz down with a Russian sweep variant. Tag back to Festus and Jesse sends Miz into a clothesline. Finlay blind tabs in the match and pays for it later. Morrison comes inoff the tag and he takes it to Finlay. He drags Finlay to his partner and in comes the Miz. They double team a bit until Miz gets control by utilizing a headlock. Finlay knows how to fight out of it, but Miz hits the Russian Leg Sweep for two. Catapult and Morrison gets a springboard off the tag for two! Morrison applies a clutch, driving the air out of Finlay. Finlay works back to his feet, but Morrison hits a neckbreaker and tags back to Miz. Finlay does a number on Miz, so he tags back Morrison. Finlay does the same to Morrison and they crack heads! Ryder gets in and covers Finlay for a delayed one count. Ryder crimps the neck of Finlay. Hawkins gets involved and he takes it to Finlay, driving his head to Ryder’s foot. Ryder sends Finlay to the corner and Finlay hits a Celtic Cross for two! SHAILEIGH connects and that gets two! Hawkins gets back involved and Finlay is once again in trouble. Tag to Horny and he goes wild on Hawkins. Jesse tags in and he nails a corkscrew neckbreaker for two! Hawkins takes care of Horny, but in comes Festus and he’s a one-man-wrecking crew! He hits the Flying Biscuit! In comes Morrison, out goes Morrison and Miz. Ryder distracts Festus and Hawkins knocks Jesse off the top and that’s the match!
Winners and NEW Champions: Curt Hawkins & Zach Ryder
Grade: B+
Time to decide the WWE United States Championship! Jim Ross and Mick Foley gets to call this match as well! Where’s Mike Adamle and Tazz tonight?
WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
Matt Hardy (c) v. Shelton Benjamin
Match begins and they lock up. Benjamin is the aggressor, getting a roll up for a no count. He grabs a quick headlock, but Hardy gets out of it. Hardy with an inside cradle for one. They lock up in the center once again and it is a stalemate. Benjamin gets sent to the canvas twice via the armdrag. Hardy locks the arm and Benjamin fights to his feet. We get a clean break in the corner. Opposite corner we go and Hardy misses a springboard. Hardy goes for a TOF, but Benjamin counters early on. Hardy is looking for a clothesline, but Benjamin sends him up and over. Hardy holds on, but Benjamin stops that. Hardy tries to get back inside, but Benjamin sends him face first to the steel ring post. Back inside the ring, Benjamin gets a cover for two. Side slam connects and Benjamin gets another two. Benjamin gets a sidewalk slam/backbreaker move and he locks in a key lock type move. Hardy gets out of it, but Benjamin continues to press the issue. Benjamin locks on an abdominal stretch, but Hardy counters to a side slam for two! Benjamin tries a suplex, but Hardy falls on top him for two. Hardy runs into a boot and he goes for a Side Effect, but Benjamin hits a takedown for two. Modified backbreaker into a submission by Benjamin, who’s hitting on all cylinders, including the reverse enzugiri! Benjamin looks for a Stinger Splash, but Hardy has the move scouted. Hardy builds up momentum…BULLDOG by Hardy for TWO! Hardy nails the scoop slam and he goes up top. He connects with the leg drop from the top and Benjamin gets his shoulder up BARELY! Hardy goes for it again, but Benjamin catches him and POWERBOMBS HIM INTO THE TURNBUCKLE!Benjamin looks for a rollup, but Hardy counters for a two count of his own. SIDE EFFECT by Hardy and Benjamin is still alive! Hardy is looking for it…TWIST OF FATE is BLOCKED! Benjamin sets Hardy up on the top turnbuckle, but Hardy fights back. MOONSAULT is BLOCKED! The PAYDIRT CONNECTS and Shelton wins the title!
Winner and NEW Champion:Â Shelton Benjamin
Grade: A-
We take it to Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole. They take us to RAW After the Bell with Todd Grisham, who interviewed CM Punk. Punk says how everyone doubted him. Tonight, he’s going to prove everyone wrong. He’s not John Cena. Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart – he’s CM Punk!
Back to J.R and Mick Foley, who recap the Wedding from Hell from SmackDown. Bonus points for Vickie ripping into Edge! Now for the ECW Championship Match!
ECW CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Mark Henry (c)Â w/Tony Atlas v. Tommy Dreamer w/ Colin Delaney
They go face to face and Henry shoves Dreamer. Oh by the way, my question about Adamle and Tazz were answered. Dreamer gets tossed to the corner to start, but Dreamer isn’t giving up without a fight. Dreamer hits the punches, but Henry kills him off the ropes with a clothesline. Henry kicks Dreamer and he steps on his face! Henry puts his weight on Dreamer’s chest and Dreamer has no hope. Henry is choking the life away from the lone original ECW soldier on tonight’s show. Henry tries to squeeze Dreamer’s face, but the second Dreamer gets a chance, Henry takes it away from him. Henry goes from squeezing faces to squeezing hands, but Dreamer has the don’t die attitude. Dreamer looks for one move, but Henry tackles him to the canvas. Atlas talks smack to Dreamer. Back to the action, or lack thereof…Henry continues to punish Dreamer on the canvas, but Dreamer tries another comeback, only to get dropped. Big Splash misses and DREAMER HAS LIFE! Dreamer wails away and he blocks a Henry corner charge. Henry picks Dreamer up, but he floats over. NECKBREAKER BY DREAMER GETS TWO! Dreamer hits the DDT, but Tony Atlas interferes. Colin neutralizes that risk. Colin looked to help Dreamer with the top rope move, but he TURNS ON DREAMER AND HANGS HIM OUT TO DRY! World’s Strongest Slam finishes this for Henry.
Winner: Mark Henry
Grade: C+
Recap of the Jericho/Michaels feud.
GRUDGE MATCH
Chris Jericho v. Shawn Michaels
They stare down face to face and the bell rings. They lock up and they BRAWL in the ring. Jericho gets the upperhand and he sends Michaels to the ropes. Michaels floats over a suplex and he CHOPS JERICHO DOWN! Reverse elbow strikes by Michaels to Jericho in the corner. We get a faint Y2J chant in New Jersey. Michaels locks on a Indian Deathlock submission on Jericho! Jericho hits the ropes, but Michaels is still on the advantage, targeting the leg.. Jericho tries to fight off Michaels, but Michaels is being restrained by the referee. Opposite corner we go, Michaels oversells as usual. Jericho hits a springboard dropkick, sending Michaels to the outside. Jericho adds insult to injury before sending Michaels back inside. Stiff kick to the ribs by Jericho and he hits the side slam. He now toys away with Shawn before thrusting in the corner. Michaels gets a punch in, but Jericho gets a knee to Michaels back and HBK is in pain. Michaels gets back to his feet and he stomps on Jericho’s feet. Michaels beats into Jericho…ENZUGIRI BY JERICHO! That gets a two count. Jericho hits a scoop slam and he goes up top. Cross body attempt gets countered into a super atomic drop! Michaels hits the reverse elbow and he kips up! Jericho gets Michaels into the Walls of Jericho! Michaels fighs with all his might and he slowly gets to the ropes! Jericho assaults Michaels in the ropes…SWEET CHIN MUSIC IS BLOCKED! Jericho beats into Michaels to the corner. He looks for a bulldog, but Michaels CLOTHESLINES HIM TO HELL! That gets two.
Michaels goes up top and he takes too long, getting Jericho to straddle the ropes. Ouch that has to hurt. Jericho takes advantage by hitting the injured eye. They are both on top and Jericho looks for a superplex. Michaels blocks it and he kicks Jericho off. The flying ELBOW connects! He begins to tune up the band, but Lance Cade interferes. Jericho goes for the Codebreaker, but Michaels counters to a rollup for two! Jericho gets a cover of his own for two and they both go back and forth with punches and chops. Jericho gets sent AIRBORNE over the top onto Lance Cade! Michaels goes back to the top rope and he hits a moonsault onto BOTH MEN! Jericho gets a cheap shot, which allows him to get inside the ring first. Michaels is BUSTED OPEN VIA THE JERICHO ELBOW! Jericho telegraphs a back drop and Jericho goes back to the injured eye. The referee asks if Michaels is fit to continue, but Jericho continues to beat on the injury. Michael’s face is a total crimson mask. Jericho kicks Michael;s face and while the referee is distracted, Lance Cade gets a shot in. Michaels pleads for the match to continue and Jericho nails a couple headbutts! Michaels TAKES JERICHO DOWN INTO THE CROSSFACE! Jericho gets out of it and he sends Michaels to the ropes face first. The referee checks on Michaels again and Jericho complains about the officiating. The referee pleads with Michaels to accept in stopping the match once again. Jericho kicks Michaels in the head once again, and he continues to beat in his face. Michaels is a bloody mess right now…don’t know how that would register on the Muta Scale, but it is pretty bad. Hard right hands by Jericho and he gets a headlock with mounted punches. The referee breaks it up and stops the match.
Winner via TKO: Chris Jericho
Grade: A+ (despite the ref stoppage, this match told a huge story and Michael’s never-say-die attitude. Awesome match all around and hopefully the injury isn’t serious.)
After the match, the trainers tend to Shawn Michaels, cleaning up some of the blood. He walks up the ramp with assistance as Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole use hushed tones.
Back to JR and Mick Foley! They talk about the previous match before going to Edge for an interview. How does Edge feels? Triple H crossed the line and Edge calls him a pervert for placing a secret camera in his hotel room. All Edge has left is his professional life left and he’s now desparate. He’s going to ruin Triple H’s life by taking the title tonight.
WWE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Michelle McCool v. Natalya Neidhart
The Diva’s Championship looks ugly. The bell sounds and McCool takes Neidhart down! McCool gets a quick cover for one. That’s followed by a dropkick for two! McCool gets a couple uppercuts and she is on tonight. Well, until Neidhart hangs her out to dry on the top rope. She beats onto McCool for two. Neidhart works on the legs and she LOCKS ON A SURFBOARD! McCool is in painand MCCOOL COUNTERS INTO A HEEL HOOK, but Neidhart gets to the ropes. Neidhart locks on a bow and arrow on the outside. She beats into McCool again for two and she slugs away. McCool tries to fight back and Neidhart looks for the SHARPSHOOTER AND SHE HAS IT LOCKED IN! McCool reaches the ropes! DAMN! Neidhart is frustrated and she beats into McCool! She looks for the Sharpshooter again, but McCool counters to the HEEL HOOK! Neidhart hits McCool’s face, but she does not let go. She kicks her way out of it, but to no avail! Neidhart taps!
Winner and NEW Champion: Michelle McCool
Grade:Â B (While lacking timewise, the fact that two divas put on a decent submission clinic gets me hoping that their next match is an Ultimate Submission Match.)
Chris Jericho interrupts and asks the fans to hold onto their ticket stubs. Shawn Michaels was just diagnosed with a detached retina and it spells that his career is over. The worst has came for Shawn.
Recap of CM Punk winning the Money in the Bank match and cashing it in to win the World Championship. As an added bonus, we get the feud between Punk and Batista to hype our next match.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
CM Punk (c) v. Batista
The bell sounds and the match is underway. They lock up and Batista uses his power to intimidate Punk. Punk gets a headlock, but Batista powers out of it. Another lock up and Batista hits a reverse elbow, catching Punk in the jaw. Punk goes MMA all over Batista, kicking him at every point of his body. Punk almost gets powerslammed, but he gets out of it. Batista hits a big boot and gets the first cover of the match, a two. Batista misses a corner charge, but a Punk rollup gets himself splashed by Batista. ENZUGIRI by Punk sends Batista out of the ring! He hits a baseball slide, sending Batista straight into the wall. Punk dives outside and he takes it to Batista. Back inside, Punk gets two, and another two. Stiff kick by Punk sends the Animal reeling. Batista reverses a whip, sending Punk hard into the corner. Opposite corner we go and Punk gets his back tested. Batista nails a suplex and gets a two count for it. Batista loks on a reverse choke before dropping his weight on Punk’s back. Batista targets the back of CM Punk with stiff shots in the kidney area. Punk gets a kick to Batista’s face, sending the challenger out of the ring. The kicks are working well for Punk, but Batista sends Punk to the corner. Springboard Crossbody by Punk gets TWO! TWO! Punk KICKS Batista with AUTHORITY, but he almost gets BATISTA BOMBED for his trouble. Batista gets a powerslam and he looks for the Batista Bomb but Punk gets the ropes. Punk gets the KNEE TO THE FACE, but the Bulldog is blocked. ROUNDHOUSE KICK WITH AUTHORITY GETS A NEAR FALL! Punk picks Batista up for the GTS, but Batista counters and he sends Punk to the corner. Opposite corner we go and Batista derails into Punk! He sets Punk up top, but Punk gets an awkard KEY LOCK USING THE ROPES FOR LEVERAGE! Punk gets a springboard for two and he gets a headlock locked in! Punk gets some kicks in, but Batista grabs a leg, causing Punk to slap away at Batista. Batista hits a clothesline and he sends Punk to the corner. He looks for a spear, but Punk moves and Batista meets steel. Punk dives off the apron…SPINEBUSTER ON THE OUTSIDE! Punk is out! KANE IS HERE! KANE beats the Hell out of Batista! He gets inside the ring and he CHOKESLAMS CM PUNK TO HELL! He goes for his bag and he leaves the ring. IS HE ALIVE OR IS HE DEAD? SUPERKICK TO THE CAMERAMAN! This is ruled a Double DQ, which I have to question, because he attacked Kane first.
Result: Double DQ
Grade: B+
CM Punk holds the title high and that pisses Batista off…BATISTA BOMB!
Recap of the John Cena/ JBL feud.
NEW YORK CITY PARKING LOT BRAWL
John Bradshaw Layfield v. John Cena
JBL arrives in a suit and a tire iron and Cena is nowhere to be found. JBL looks around wondering where Cena is. Noise is heard and JBL is pissed off. JBL gets on top of a red car, but Cena was in the black car. He runs it into the red car, hops out, and beats the hell out of JBL. He chokes JBL with the battery cables and he drops the hood on JBL. He takes the battery cables and he HOOKS THEM ON JBL’S TESTICLES! He proceeds to shock them to a crisp. Cena picks up a heavy oil drum and he throws it JBL’s way, but he rolls off the car. JBL tries to run, but Cena bashes JBL’s head into the steering wheel. JBL gets the advantage now for a moment. Cena nails a punch and he tries to send JBL into the open door, but Cena ends up going through it! Gotta say – No commentary is great. JBL makes a dent on the busted door using Cena’s head. He hits witht he fists and he introduces Cena’s head onto a car hood. They fight on tiop of the car and JBL hits a neckbreaker! He covers Cena, but he gets his shoulder up.  JBL is back with the punches and he HURLS CENA STRAIGHT THROUGH THE CAR WINDSHIELD! DDT ON THE TOP OF THE CAR BY JBL! Cena is out…NO! JBL tells Cena to quit. He grabs his tire iron and Cena misses the shot! JBL knees Cena in the sternum and he sends Cena’s head THROUGH A CAR WINDOW! Cena isn’t bleeding which is a shock. JBL tosses Cena into a car and he heads back to his limo. He takes out a can of gasoline. He douses the car with gasoline as the referee pleads him to not do it. He flames up the Zippo and THE CAR IS ON FIRE! They quickly extinguish the flames much to JBL’s frustration. Cena is out and he beats the Hell out of JBL! He sends JBL to a car and he sends him to the car again. This time Cena puts JBL inside and he gets on a forklift! HE DRIVES THE FORKS THROUGH THE CAR DOOR, then he lifts the car up! He hauls the car down into the arena! Cena celebrates as JBL rolls out of the car. Cena decks JBL again, but he fires back. They brawl back and forth, JBL getting the upperhand. PROTOBOMB BY CENA! You Can’t See Him and he drops the Five Knuckles. He waits for JBL to get back up. FU attempt is paused by Cena, who sees the car. He takes JBL over to the edge of the stage, but JBL rolls over and HE SENDS CENA OFF THE STAGE AND THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD! JBL gets a cover and he wins! I called it!
Winner:Â John Bradshaw Layfield
Grade: B+
Both men went through Hell and it shows. Cena’s left arm is full of cuts! JBL is escorted with help from two referees and Cena just sits there for a moment. Cena waves off the help and he walks on his own power.
We go back to the Wedding from Hell from SmackDown as we gear up for our MAIN EVENT!
Triple H walks towards the ring as some random interviewer chick asks if he regrets causing Edge a lot of trouble. Actually, does Trips regret anything?
Sign of the Night: “On the Edge of Divorce”
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Triple H (c) v. Edge
Edge jumps on the bell and he BEATS THE HELL OUT OF TRIPS! Trips is blocked and Edge gets some more shots in, but Trips gains control by sending Edge out of the ring. He whips him to the barricade before bringing the fight back in the ring. Trips hangs Edge out to dry on the top rope, and he DOES IT AGAIN to the back of his neck! He drops the knee to Edge’s face twice. Edge hits the turnbuckle facefirst and Trips knocks him loopy on the outside. Edge gets introduced to the sttl ring post and he goes on the outside. Trips comes after him, and Edge sends him up and over the top of the barricade. Edge scores a stiff kick and he SPEARS TRIPS IN THE CORNER! Edge hits a wicked kick to Trips sternum. Trips gets a right hand, but Edge stops the momentum. He sends Trips HARD to the corner and the fight goes back outside. Edge sends Trips to the steel steps! Trips is hunched on the commentary table and Edge makes sure that Trips can’t get any control. Flapjack to the table, back inside Edge gets two! Edge locks on a bodyscissors, driving the air out of Triple H’s lungs. They trade covers for one apiece. Trips gets to the mounted position to break the hold. Both men back up…DROPKICK BY EDGE! That gets two.Trips teeters on the ring apron and Edge slugs away. Off the ropes and he MISSES Trips! Edge goes through the second rope and he beats the count back in. Kick by Trips…and again. Trips goes with the punches as Edge misses. To the ropes and Edge telegraphs the Knee Smash. Edge gets clotheslined for his troubles. Another attempt, Edge gets KNEE SMASHED to the outside.
We head back outside and Trips beats Edge against the steel steps. He also cracks Edge against the ring post. Edge, back in the ring, misses a baseball slide – but he hits the Impaler DDT on the outside! They slowly get back inside the ring and Edge forces a cover…FOR TWO! Edge goes to the second turnbuckle, but Trips catches him and CATAPULTING HIM TO THE OTHER CORNER. DDT by Trips gets TWO! Edge sends Trips to the ropes…PEDIGREE ATTEMPT IS BLOCKED! Edge drops Trips head south and he gets a close two count. Edge looks for the spear and Trips avoids it. Edge gets rolled up for two by Trips. KICK TO THE HEAD BY EDGE! Both men are down! Edge looks for the spear once again and he runs into the spinebuster by Trips! Pedigree is blocked again, as he thrusts Trips to the corner. He hoists Trips on the top turnbuckle. Trips fights, but Edge hits a headbutt. SUPERPLEX HITS! Both men are down again. Out comes Alicia Fox, who steals the title! She tosses it in the ring, but Vickie is out, clotheslining Alicia! She gets in the ring, looking to belt Edge, but Alicia comes back in! Edge HITS VICKIE GUERRERO WITH THE SPEAR! JR says that the spear was intended for Alicia Fox but I doubt that. He turns around and PEDIGREE! That’s all she wrote.
Winner:Â Triple H
Grade: B+
Chavo consoles Vickie as Trips stands tall with his title.
Show Over.
The Great American Bash Report Card
Zach Ryder & Curt Hawkin d. The Miz & John Morrison, Jesse & Festus, & Finlay & Hornswoggle to win the WWE Tag Team Championships: B+
Shelton Benjamin d. Matt Hardy to win the WWE US Championship: A-
Mark Henry d. Tommy Dreamer to retain the ECW Championship: C+
Chris Jericho d. Shawn Michaels via TKO: A+
Michelle McCool d. Natalya Neidhart to win the WWE Divas Championship: B
CM Punk v. Batista went to a double DQ; Punk Retains the World Heavyweight Championship: B+
John Bradshaw Layfield d. John Cena: B+
Triple H d. Edge to retain the WWE Championship: B+
The Final Grade for WWE: The Great American Bash: B+
The card wasn’t a disappointment, least from my viewing pleasure. The main events delivered and the undercard was awesome as well. Even Mark Henry had a watchable match. Thumbs up for this show. Catch the replay or get the DVD definately!
Mark Neeley will be here tomorrow night, covering RAW for me. Show him the love and I will see you soon! Have a great week!
