The WWE's second PPV of the year was a fairly good effort and provided a decent set-up for next month's WrestleMania XIX. The crowd, also, in Montreal proved entertaining during a number of matches due to their complete unpredictability. Anyhow, here's the matches in the order in which they occurred: (each match is rated out of 10)
MATCH 1-- CHRIS JERICHO vs JEFF HARDY. I was disappointed with this match the first time I saw it, but it gets better each time I watch it.
As an opening match it's good- it's allowed to go for a nice 15 minutes or so & there's some good near falls (for Hardy, his Swanton and Old school expulsion-like Twist of Fate and for Jericho, a soft-looking Lionsault and a Sleeper drop). There are a few faults with the match though- Jeff messes up a fair few spots (a weird roll-up near the end and a jawbreaker where he falls flat on his back) which sort of took away from the action.( Plus, Jeff looks like he's come straight from a paintball tournament.) In the end, Jericho powerbombs Jeff off the second rope and locks in what they're calling the Walls of Jericho, but what is actually just a run-of-the-mill Boston crab. Jeff taps anyway to this butchered Walls. HBK saves Jeff from the "Walls" after the match- he comes out to boos (Survivor Series 97) but ends up being cheered, which is weird because Jericho started off the match to boos, but the crowd switched to his side halfway through. (7.5)
MATCH 2-- STORM & REGAL vs RVD & KANE. OK match. Not wonderful. Storm hits a nice DDT halfway into it, but that's about it. The finish is, like one later in the evening, one you'll either like it or you won't: Storm messes with Kane's mask so he can't see, RVD is pushed into him and gets Chokeslammed. Regal covers RVD for the pin. (5)
MATCH 3-- MATT HARDY (v1.0) vs BILLY KIDMAN. Another match that grew on me after a second viewing. Matt & Kidman are two of Smackdown's greatest talents and this is a fine match. Hardy has some good offense during the match (his Side effect is impressive and Kidman takes Matt's Twist of Fate perfectly) and pulls out the win w/ a top rope Twist of Fate for the pin and the Cruiserweight Title. The crowd wasn't into this at all, which is a pity since it was one of the best matches of the night. (8)
MATCH 4-- THE UNDERTAKER vs BIG SHOW. Ugly. It's so slow at one point that Show hits 6 elbow drops (slowly) in succession as well as 5 headbutts. The only highlight of the match is Taker's plancha to Heyman and Albert (I refuse to call him A-Train- it's ridiculous). 'Taker wins with an abnormally quick chokeout w/ the Triangle hold. (The ref called for the bell way too quick) (3)
MATCH 5-- LESNAR & BENOIT vs TEAM ANGLE (HAAS, BENJAMIN & KURT ANGLE). Edge didn't compete due to a neck injury that will keep him out for a year, so they had it that Team Angle ambushed him in the back before the match. Good match as expected. Bit slow in the middle, but some great action towards the end. Lesnar F5s Angle while Charlie Haas is trapped in the Crossface. Haas taps out and Lesnar and Benoit win. (8)
MATCH 6-- TRIPLE H vs SCOTT STEINER. Big surprise as the Montreal crowd boo the crap out of Steiner and cheer The Game. The match is marred by too much interference by Evolution (though Flair's eyerake to Steiner and subsequent strut is pure gold!). Triple H manages to escape the Steiner recliner and blast him in the head with the World title. One Pedigree later and HHH leaves with the gold. Not a bad match. (6)
"MATCH" 7-- STONE COLD vs ERIC BISCHOFF. No surprise here. 4 Stunners to Bischoff from Austin, who's enjoying himself. JR goes way OTT and is advis ed by Tazz, after, to switch to decaf. Funny stuff. OK return for Stone Cold.
MATCH 8-- THE ROCK vs HULK HOGAN. New entrance vid for The Rock (very cool). Short return match between these two with a weird but excellent ending. Hogan hits the Legdrop and a guest ref (local guy) counts 1-2.. lights out. When the lights come back on, the ref is unconscious and there's a chair beside him. (I was thinking Vince at this point, then Goldberg when Vince was on the ramp, but it turns out it was the ref who was crooked). The Rock nails Hogan with the chair and Rock bottoms him. The ref springs to life and counts the 3! Interesting. (7)
Overall, No Way Out was pretty good- both Hardys had good matches, the 5 man tag was impressive and Rock-Hogan II was short, but sweet. It also set up feuds leading into WMXIX- Jericho vs Shawn Michaels (should be a classic), 'Taker vs Albert (should stink up the card), and Vince vs Hogan (should be awful!) A good night's entertainment.
MATCH 1-- CHRIS JERICHO vs JEFF HARDY. I was disappointed with this match the first time I saw it, but it gets better each time I watch it.
As an opening match it's good- it's allowed to go for a nice 15 minutes or so & there's some good near falls (for Hardy, his Swanton and Old school expulsion-like Twist of Fate and for Jericho, a soft-looking Lionsault and a Sleeper drop). There are a few faults with the match though- Jeff messes up a fair few spots (a weird roll-up near the end and a jawbreaker where he falls flat on his back) which sort of took away from the action.( Plus, Jeff looks like he's come straight from a paintball tournament.) In the end, Jericho powerbombs Jeff off the second rope and locks in what they're calling the Walls of Jericho, but what is actually just a run-of-the-mill Boston crab. Jeff taps anyway to this butchered Walls. HBK saves Jeff from the "Walls" after the match- he comes out to boos (Survivor Series 97) but ends up being cheered, which is weird because Jericho started off the match to boos, but the crowd switched to his side halfway through. (7.5)
MATCH 2-- STORM & REGAL vs RVD & KANE. OK match. Not wonderful. Storm hits a nice DDT halfway into it, but that's about it. The finish is, like one later in the evening, one you'll either like it or you won't: Storm messes with Kane's mask so he can't see, RVD is pushed into him and gets Chokeslammed. Regal covers RVD for the pin. (5)
MATCH 3-- MATT HARDY (v1.0) vs BILLY KIDMAN. Another match that grew on me after a second viewing. Matt & Kidman are two of Smackdown's greatest talents and this is a fine match. Hardy has some good offense during the match (his Side effect is impressive and Kidman takes Matt's Twist of Fate perfectly) and pulls out the win w/ a top rope Twist of Fate for the pin and the Cruiserweight Title. The crowd wasn't into this at all, which is a pity since it was one of the best matches of the night. (8)
MATCH 4-- THE UNDERTAKER vs BIG SHOW. Ugly. It's so slow at one point that Show hits 6 elbow drops (slowly) in succession as well as 5 headbutts. The only highlight of the match is Taker's plancha to Heyman and Albert (I refuse to call him A-Train- it's ridiculous). 'Taker wins with an abnormally quick chokeout w/ the Triangle hold. (The ref called for the bell way too quick) (3)
MATCH 5-- LESNAR & BENOIT vs TEAM ANGLE (HAAS, BENJAMIN & KURT ANGLE). Edge didn't compete due to a neck injury that will keep him out for a year, so they had it that Team Angle ambushed him in the back before the match. Good match as expected. Bit slow in the middle, but some great action towards the end. Lesnar F5s Angle while Charlie Haas is trapped in the Crossface. Haas taps out and Lesnar and Benoit win. (8)
MATCH 6-- TRIPLE H vs SCOTT STEINER. Big surprise as the Montreal crowd boo the crap out of Steiner and cheer The Game. The match is marred by too much interference by Evolution (though Flair's eyerake to Steiner and subsequent strut is pure gold!). Triple H manages to escape the Steiner recliner and blast him in the head with the World title. One Pedigree later and HHH leaves with the gold. Not a bad match. (6)
"MATCH" 7-- STONE COLD vs ERIC BISCHOFF. No surprise here. 4 Stunners to Bischoff from Austin, who's enjoying himself. JR goes way OTT and is advis ed by Tazz, after, to switch to decaf. Funny stuff. OK return for Stone Cold.
MATCH 8-- THE ROCK vs HULK HOGAN. New entrance vid for The Rock (very cool). Short return match between these two with a weird but excellent ending. Hogan hits the Legdrop and a guest ref (local guy) counts 1-2.. lights out. When the lights come back on, the ref is unconscious and there's a chair beside him. (I was thinking Vince at this point, then Goldberg when Vince was on the ramp, but it turns out it was the ref who was crooked). The Rock nails Hogan with the chair and Rock bottoms him. The ref springs to life and counts the 3! Interesting. (7)
Overall, No Way Out was pretty good- both Hardys had good matches, the 5 man tag was impressive and Rock-Hogan II was short, but sweet. It also set up feuds leading into WMXIX- Jericho vs Shawn Michaels (should be a classic), 'Taker vs Albert (should stink up the card), and Vince vs Hogan (should be awful!) A good night's entertainment.