Message-ID: 

Finally...  Christopher Robin Zimmerman 
has come back to rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated...

>Thanks to: wrestlingdb.com, Torch and Observer websites
>(Match times from Torch report)
>
>SmackDown and Subway present WWE No Mercy
>Baltimore, MD
>1st Mariner Arena
>
>Official Theme Song: "Today is the Day" by Dope
>
>1...  WWE cruiserweight champion Tajiri (12'05" kick -> pin) Rey Mysterio
>

Excellent opener.

>2...  Chris Benoit (12'21" Crippler crossface) A-Train
>

Sharpshooter, not crossface.

VERY good match, and wins the scary spot of the month award when
A--Train's hand slipped and he dropped Benoit on his head.

Is anyone else starting to see the same results with A-Train's long
feud w/Benoit that we saw with Booker T after the best-of-seven series
in WCW?  Albert's always tried hard, but he seems to be putting it
together for only the 2nd time in his career (the 1st to me was when
he feuded with Kane for the IC title).

>3...  Zach Gowen (6'50" moonsault -> pin) Matt Hardy
>

Why?  Who did Matt piss off?  Unless he goes Brock on Zach, this
serves no purpose at all.

>4...  Basham Brothers     A.P.A.
>      Doug Basham     vs. Bradshaw
>      Danny Basham        Faarooq
>
>      Doug (8'55") Bradshaw
>

Hopefully, the "passing of the torch."  APA has aged faster than any
other tag team I can remember over a short period of time and look
sadly out of place with any of the young teams.

Oh, and I called the "swollen chest from the clothesline from Hell" as
soon as I saw Shaniqua run out.  While I marked out for the outfit.
;-)

>5...  First-Ever Father/Daughter "I Quit" Match
>      Vince McMahon (9'28" Linda McMahon throws in towel) Stephanie McMahon

Better than expected, but still bad.  

Should never have happened, and maybe we can get lucky and have the
Maryland Comission ban Vince and Steph from further in-ring
performances in Maryland (with the ban honored by sports comissions of
other states like in boxing), along with the $2,000 fine they
threatened for the mixed-gender match (mixed-gender matches are
"illegal" by the rules of the Maryland State Comission)..

>
>6...  Kurt Angle (18'24" anklelock) John Cena
>

VERY good.  I'm waiting for the rematch(es).

>7...  Big Show (11'22" chokeslam -> pin) Eddie Guerrero
>      Show wins WWE U.S. championship
>

Ugh.  Eddie tried... I guess the cuts on his back are from the glass
ceiling, not the lowrider.  SOMEONE obviously doesn't want him to be a
breakout star.  :-/

>8...  Biker Chain Match
>      WWE Champion Brock Lesnar (24'20") Undertaker
>

Again, ugh.  I was expecting the rest of the heel lockerroom to run
out and help roll 'Taker into a coffin like they did years ago.

Overall, a show that will be remembered as average at best (despite
the 3 excellent matches) because all the goodwill of the viewing
public was sucked away by the final 2 matches and their finishes.

Bill
-- 
By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually 
get to be boss and work twelve hours a day. - Robert Frost


--- Internet Rex 2.29