BigSmoke64 Reviews

WCW Beach Blast (1992 TV Special)

I Liked It

[7/10 · 29 December 2006]

The 1992 Beach Blast was a pretty good event. There were many good matches, a few OK matches and some very bad matches. Far and away the best match of the night was the Iron Man Match between Rick Rude and Ricky Steamboat. The main event sucked as it was for the WCW Tag Titles and the match itself was bad. Scott Stenier and Rick Stenier vs. Terry Gordy and Steve Williams. It lasted half an hour. One 30 minute Iron Man Match was enough we didn't need another 30 minute match especially with Scott Stenier who could lose in a race against an ant. Below I have the top 3 matches and the bottom 3 matches.

Top 3: 1. Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat 2. Sting vs. Cactus Jack 3. Scitty Flamingo vs. Brian Pillman

Bottom 3: 1. The Steniers vs. Terry Gordy and Steve Williams 2. Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes, Barry Windham and Nikita Koloff vs. The Dangerous Alliance

3.Greg Valentine vs. Marcus Bagwell

Overall it was a pretty good but like a lot of WCW PPV's it had to many bad matches.

ECW December to Dismember (2006 TV Special)

The Nail in ECW's Coffin.

[1/10 · 29 December 2006]

Truly trulet awful. This event was one of the worse WWE have ever put on. I just can't believe Vince McMahon let it happen...then again this is the man who gave us King of The Ring 1995 and the World Bodybuilding Federation. It was just terrible beyond belief. Living in England I got this for free on Sky Sports so I stayed up to watch it...how terrible a move it was for me. OK so after match one The Hardyz vs. MNM which was a poor effort from both teams (but turned out to be the best match of the night) expectations were not so high. I was hoping that the main event would be good as my favourite wrestler is Sabu. Oh hang on whats this.... Sabu is injured....and who's his replacement....Not So Hardcore Holly. I respect Holly. I think his comeback from a life threatening illness was very brave of him but that dosen't make him a good wrestler. OK next match. Matt Striker vs. Balls Mahoney in a Strikers Rules Match. Strikers Rules basically means crap. Mahoney won in a poor match. This was followed by 3 awful matchs Sylvester Terkay and Elijah Burke def. The F.B.I., Daivari def. Tommy Dreamer...awful the worst...then Kevin Thorn and Aerial def. Kelly Kelly and Mike Knox, all four fighters looked terrible. Paul Heyman came out and put on a brave face for the cameras but you could tell he was gobsmacked at how crap it was. Finally the Extreme Elimination Chamber which turned into the RVD Show. He was third eliminated and it just went downhill from there. Winner and new ECW Champ Bobby Lashley. Paul Heyman looked gutted and disgusted and it looked like he meant it and it just wasn't for kayfabe. Shocked and appalled at the new ECW Heyman walked out on WWE the next week. Good on Paul. ECW hopefully will be cancelled in the next month or so. It so bad...

ECW Massacre on 34th St. (2000 TV Special)

Memories....

[8/10 · 29 December 2006]

With this crappy new ECW this brings back memories of what Extreme Championship Wrestling once was. This was made shortly before the end of ECW. Here is a match by match account of the night.

Christian York and Joey Matthews defeated Simon Diamond and Swinger(5:38)- T'was not bad. Joey Matthews went on to find success as Joey Mercury in WWE and this is one of his great matches. 8/10

EZ Money (w/Chris Hamrick and Julio Dinero) defeated Balls Mahoney(7:52) - Balls Mahoney is and always will be an ECW Icon. In this match he shows why. EZ Money were also a good tandem. I have seen Chris Hamrick fight live for 1PW over here in England and he hasn't lost it yet. This match was a good match. 7.5/10

Nova (w/Balls Mahoney) defeated Julio Dinero (w/Chris Hamrick, EZ Money and Elektra)(5:57) - Fans of WWE will know Nova for his stint last year as Hollywood Nova in the revived bWo. Also an interesting fact is that Nova is actually also Simon Dean. In this match Nova was on top for most of it and it was actually a pretty poor match. 4/10

Danny Doring and Amish Roadkill defeated The F.B.I. (Little Guido and Tony Mamaluke) to win the ECW Tag Team Championship(9:01) - Doring and Roadkill have recently been fighting for the WWE crappy ECW. Full Blooded Italians were a WWE stable a few years back featuring Nunzio, Johnny Stamboli and Chuck Palmbo but I think Guido and Mamaluke were the best version of The F.B.I. Good match. 7/10

C.W. Anderson defeated Tommy Dreamer(16:47) - Anderson and Dreamer are two hardcore icons. This match did go on for to long however I must admit. I think Anderson and Dreamer put on a good show for 10 minutes and then it outstayed its welcome. 4.5/10

Rhino defeated Spike Dudley to retain the ECW World Television Championship(9:51) - Awful match. I like Rhino but I don't like Spike Dudley. He is like Rey Mysterio take away 100. He has a limited move set and his size dosen't help. I was glad when Rhino hit him with a chair three times at the end of the match. 2/10

The Unholy Alliance (Yoshihiro Tajiri and Mikey Whipwreck) (w/The Sinister Minister) defeated Super Crazy and Kid Kash (18:24) - Again this entire thing went on for to long. Super Crazy, Kash and Tajiri were great ECW wrestlers who have been mis-used by WWE. Let's hope Kash gets the push he deserves. Mikey Shipwreck was a cool wrestler but I never really liked him. This match was way to long. 3/10

Steve Corino (w/Jack Victory) defeated Jerry Lynn and Justin Credible (w/Francine) in a Three-Way Dance to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship(22:51)

Credible pinned Lynn after a That's Incredible!(11:42) Corino pinned Credible after a Old School Expulsion(22:51)

Corino deserved to win this match. I was a fan of Lynn and Corino but Credibile didn't really float my boat as it were. I just didn't like him and thats that. Corino is now enjoying a successful career in TNA which is best for him cos WWE would mis-use him and have some no good like John Cena beat him. I do think that this match again was to long but the first 11 minutes with Corino and Lynn were excellent viewing. 5/10

This event was good. There were just a few matches were dragged on. I would recommend this tape if you are interested in old school ECW.

Halloween Havoc (1997 TV Special)

Age In The Cage

[4/10 · 28 December 2006]

Steel Cage Match (non-title): WCW Champion Hollywood Hogan vs. Roddy Piper, WCW United States Title: Curt Hennig vs. Ric Flair, WCW Cruiserweight Title (Belt vs. Mask Match): Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Misterio Jr., Sudden Death Match: Randy Savage vs. Dallas Page, Scott Hall vs. Lex Luger (special referee Larry Zbysko), Disco Inferno vs. Jacqueline, Chris Jericho vs. Gedo, Yuji Nagata vs. Ultimo Dragon, Alex Wright vs. Steve McMichael

The match card looks good but this PPV wasn't. The steel cage had so much stuff wrong with it. Non-title and the two contender's were well passed retirement age. Ironically Age In The Cage was a slogan used by WWE who wanted people to watch there show instead of Halloween Havoc and here we are almost 10 years later with WWE using the exact same participants, who are even older. Hennig and Flair was god awful also, as was Wright/McMichael, Savage/Page and Hall/Luger. Below are my top 3 matches and worst 3 matches.

Worst: 1. Piper - Hogan 2. Disco Inferno - Jacqueline 3. Savage - Page

The ones that are not in the Best 3 list were terrible also.

Best: 1. Nagata - Dragon 2. Jericho - Gedo 3. Guerrero - Mysterio.

I have given this a four only because of the matches above.

WrestleMania I (1985 TV Special)

The First One (Spoiler's Ahead)

[8/10 · 17 March 2006]

This was the first ever Wrestlemania event and set the tone and the bar for the rest. It was a quiet good event and it impressed me. OK let me take you back in time....March 31st 1985 Madison Square Garden. Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura on commentary and let's go.......... Match One: Tito Santana vs. The Executioner: OK the first match of the first Wrestlemania Santana/Excutioner. I was always impressed by Tito I have saw many of his matches on tape and he is a really great wrestler who I rate very highly. However in this match he was fighting, ermmm what's his name? Ermmm nobody a jobber pretty much, Tito carried this match. Winner: Tito Santana Rating: 5/10: Match Two: David Sammartino vs. Brutus Beefcake: Hmmmm, mmmm no didn't like it. It wasn't a bad match just not my cup of tea. The match is probably most notable for the appearance of Bruno Sammartino. Winner: Double dq: 3/10: Match Three: Ricky Steamboat vs. Matt Borne: oh yes!!!! this is more like it the future dragon vs. the future ermmmm Doink. Borne was capable of more then Doink as this match shows. The Dragon's matches are always outstanding and he performs his best. So this was a good solid match: Winner: Ricky Steamboat: Rating: 8.5/10: Match Four: King Kong Bundy vs. S.D. Jones: 7 seconds how can I rate a match 7 seconds long???!!!!Winner: King Kong Bundy: Rating: Noyt Rating it 7 seconds long blink and you miss it. Match Five: Andre The Giant vs. Big John Studd: A battle of two legendary giants in a body slam match I believe. Very entertaining in the 80's it was rare to see anyone over the size of 6ft 6 so to see these two were like Colossal back then. This was an amazing body slam match which I would ranks as being one the greatest matches of the night. Winner: Andre The Giant (hurrah): Rating: 9/10: Match Six: Junkyard Dog vs. Greg Valentine: Intercontental Champion The Hammer taking on JYD a personal favourite of mine (rip). The Dog was one of the best competitors in the 80's and even though I wasn't even born then I still look at the video's and think whoa what a fighter. Very impressive match but am going to give it a 7 due to the crappy ending. Winner: Draw: Rating: 7/10: Match Seven: Un-Americanz vs. The US Express: Don't be fooled. The Un-Americanz are not the crappy 2002/3 stable they where Nicholai Volkoff and Iron Sheik, a great tag team. They fought Barry Windham and ermmmmm what was his name now errr Mike Rotundo !!!!(got it) I knew it would come to me. Good solid Tag Match. Winners: Un-Americanz: Ratings: 8/10: Match Eight: Wendi Richter vs. Leliani Kai: Whats the big deal? Everyone says this match was so good but the only thing good about it was Cindi Lauper on ringside and her dodgy bearded manager ermm Wolfman or something. Anyways rubbish match: Winner: Wendi Richter: Rating: 2/10: Main Event: Tag Match: Mr. T and Hulk Hogan vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff: OK I do think this match should have been a title match instead of a Tag Match. But who am I to judge. This was the very first Wrestlemania Main Event and was a clever idea. Get a popular TV Star and a popular wrestler and what do you get? Your first Wrestlemania. Extremely good match and Mr. T is a pretty good wrestler you know. I was impressed as always by Roddy Piper a true ring great and Mr. Wonderful what can I say? One of the greatest in ring competitors of the 80's and you think Chris Master's has a body to brag about? You should see this guy. So there you have it 3 of the best superstars of the 80's and 1 TV Star. A great main event which set the tone for the rest. Winners: Mr. T and Hulk Hogan: Rating: 8.5/10 And there you have it folks we have just reviewed the very first Wrestlemania, an event which started a legacy of great events to come. Rent out this if you can if not for quality (and there is a lot of quality) then for historic value.

WrestleMania 2000 (2000 TV Special)

My First One

[7/10 · 1 June 2005]

I got into wrestling in 99/00 and I thought it was the coolest thing ever at the time but lets get to the point if Wrestlemania 2000 have failed I would not have been into it. Here is a match by match breakdown. Match 1: Big Boss Man and Bull Buchannan def. Godfather and D'lo Brown: Fit ho's and Ice T singing Pimpin Ain't Easy what more do you want? 7/10 Match 2: Hardcore Battle Royal: Enjoyed it. The mayhem spilled all over the arena. Hardcore Holly won in controversial fashion. This match made me hungry as there were Snickers everywhere in the ring. 9.5/10 Match 3: T and A def. Al Snow and Steve Blackman: Anyone remember the Head Cheese Team? Well after there loss Snow and Blackman battered a Human Cheese. Made me hungry as well, bad match though. 3/10 Match 4: Tag Titles: Triangle Ladder Match: Edge and Christian def. The Dudley Boys and The Hardy Boyz: I didn't know at the time but I witnessed a piece of history in this match. I remember this match for Jeff Hardy's Swantan Bomb off a Ladder onto Bubba Ray Dudley. Match of the Night. 10/10 Match 5: Terri def. The Kat: Awful match these two don't even look good. Time to go and get some cheese and a snicker. 0/10 Match 6: Too Cool and Chyna def. Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn and Dean Malinko: See 5. 0/10 Match 7: Intercontental Title: Chris Benoit def. Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle: In 2000 Angle was the Euro and IC Champ until a certain muppet :cough Bob Backlund cough: made him defend both titles at Mania. The rules are the first match is for the IC Title as soon as the title is won we go to the Euro Title match. Good match all 3 wrestlers are great pure wrestlers. 9/10 Match 8: Euro Title: Chris Jericho def. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle: I felt so sorry for Kurt he didn't even get pinned and he lost both titles. He was left crying in the ring. This match gets a 10 however because Jericho won and at the time I was a big Jerichaloic, not anymore but I was then. 10/10 Match 9: Kane & Rikish def. X-Pac and Road Dogg: As anyone who has read my WM19 review will now I am a big fan of the D-O-Double G. But I wanted Kane n Riksih to win this. Pete Rose got chokeslammed for the 3rd and final time. Match 10: Fatal Four Way for the WWF/E Title: Triple H def. The Rock, Big Show and Mick Foley. The Rock was about to win this until Vince who was in his corner hit him with a chair so his son-in-law could win the title. 8.5/10 Great event just some bad matches. Rent it if you can I enjoyed it.

WrestleMania 21 (2005 TV Special)

Hollywood Ending

[10/10 · 1 June 2005]

Now readers of Raw Magazine will now I copied that. It was truly are historic PPV and one of my favourite Mania's. It is probably the best one since WM17. Here is a breakdown Match by Match. Match One: Tag Champ vs. Tag Champ: Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio: Both men made really good entrances. The match was lighting quick and if you blinked you would have missed something. Great opener. 9/10 Winner: Rey Mysterio after a 619 Match Two: Money In The Bank Ladder Match: This and the Michaels/Angle match were probably the best of the night. Amazing moves and as guest the young star Shelton Benjamin stole the show. Chris Benoit was so close to getting the case but then Edge hit his arm with a chair and he went to the floor clutching his shoulder/arm. Edge then claimed the Ladder and won. Winner: Edge, 10/10 Match Three: Legend vs. Legend Killer: Undertaker vs. Randy Orton: This was good for a UT match. I am a big UT fan but his moves are not original and its the same rountine every match. When WWE made this match one gimmick was going to be ruined. If UT won Randy Orton's legend killer gimmick would be ruined but if UT lost it would be the end of his WM streak. Taker won after Randy attempted a Tombstone but Taker reversed it and delivered his own Tombstone. Winner: Undertaker after a tombstone. 8.5/10 Wrestlemania Moment: Eugene was talking to the crowd when Muhammad Hassain and Khorsow Divari came out. Eugene got locked in the Camal Clutch but out comes...... Mr. Wrestlemania Hollywood Hulk Hogan. He beats up Hassain and Divari and does his pose just for old times sake. Match Four: Womens Championship Match: Champion Trish Stratus vs. Challenger Christy Hemme: Hemme did well for her first match. It's a shame however there are more talented wrestlers such as Jazz and Victoria who are now at mid-card status just because of Christy. Someone ponited out Trish is the Triple H of the Women's division. That is right. Winner: Trish by a Chick Kick, 7/10 Match Five: HBK vs. Kurt Angle: Wow! This was probably the greatest pure wrestling match of all time. No weapons just pure wrestling. Great performances from both men. Kurt Angle wins by an Ankle Lock. Winner: Kurt Angle Pipers Pit with Stone Cold: Piper welcomes Stone Cold with a slap. Austin returns and the the insults began. Next minute Carlito comes out with his apple talking about who's cool and who's not. Then Piper spits in Carlito's face and Carltio gets Stunnered and then Piper does. Match Six: Sumo Match: Akebono vs. The Big Show: Two fat men wearing thongs. Not my cup of tea. Time to go and get a coffee. Winner: Akebono, 2/10 Match Seven: WWE Championship: John Cena vs. JBL Champion: Short match for a Title Match. Good though I like some matches short and sweet. Well done to both men and JBL gave a good performance knowing that he was going to loose. Winner and new WWE Champion: John Cena. 8/10 Match Eight: Raw Championship Match: Triple H Champion vs. Batista Champion: What a match! Great performances by both men. Lots of bloodshed and a devasting Batista bomb for the win. Winner and new champion: Batista Great event I could watch it over and over again. A+

WrestleMania X8 (2002 TV Special)

There Have Been Better Ones

[5/10 · 1 June 2005]

This one was very very average. There have been better but then again there have been worse. Here is a match by match breakdown. Match One: Rob Van Dam def. William Regal: I sorta wanted Regal to win this one being English and all but I wasn't disapponited by the match. 7/10 Match Two: DDP vs. Christian: And the point was? This was a crap match. With no story telling from anyone. NEXT! 2/10 Match Three: Spike Dudley def. Maven: This was one of about 10 hardcore matches. Let me put it bluntley this night a woman won the belt and about 6 people had there turn. Yet Maven still walked out of Wrestlemania X-8 champ. 4/10 Match Four: Kurt Angle def. Kane: Despite many matches between the two this one is overlooked. They both put on a vailent effort. 7/10 Match Five: Undertaker def. Ric Flair: 2 legends going at it, should've been good but it was average. I'm a big UT fan and I am angry he didn't put up a good fight here. This was Flairs first WM appearance in 10 years as well. 5/10 Match Six: Edge def. Booker T: See 2, ponitless Edge is capable of so much more. Good fighters but no story lines. 2/10 Match Seven: Stone Cold def. Scott Hall: I would have expected better. Between them these two have had many great matches but this does not rank with the top ones. 2.5/10 Match Eight: Billy & Chuck def. APA, The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boys: Billy and Chuck were a horrible Tag team. Every other tag team in this match are great but they didn't get another chance at Tag Team Glory. Oh well NEXT! 4/10 Match Nine: The Rock def. Hollywood Hogan: This was the most anticpated match in WM history. I liked it and Hogan is back after 9 years! But now he's gone AGAIN. 8/10 Match Ten: Jazz def. Lita and Trish: Now the Womens division has lost a lot of credabilty laterly because the only good wrestlers are Trish, Lita and maybe Victoria, Stacy and Torrie. Why did the WWE release Jazz or put her in mid-card just so someone like Christie can get her job. Good match though. 7/10 Match Eleven: Triple H def. Chris Jericho: Bad, bad title match. HHH's efforts at WM are fallling I think. Compare his match at WM 12 to his match at WM18 and the one at WM19. But WM20 and WM21 were good efforts, however this one one of his bad ones. 3/10 Overall a very average Mania it was like a Survivor Series. Avoid it if you can because there are better ones like WM17 but there have been worse.

WrestleMania XV (1999 TV Special)

This event, Wrestlemania 10 and Wrestlemania X-Seven are the best 3

[10/10 · 31 May 2005]

A very good Wrestlemania. I really enjoyed it and a lot of Wrestlings fans will. It was a great event. Here are the matches Match One: Hardcore Holly def. Al Snow and Billy Gunn: Entertaining enough, and every time I watch it, it brings back memories of the old Hardcore division which we all love and miss, lol. 8/10 Match Two: Owen Hart and Jeff Jarett def. D'lo Brown and Test: This was Owen Hart's last Wrestlemania. It happened a month or so before he died. It was nice to see him win and it would have been upsetting if he had lost. 9/10 Match Three: Butterbean def. Bart Gunn: Entertaining and it was short and sweet. 7/10 Match Four: Mankind def. Big Show: This was the Wrestlemania debut of the one and only Big Show. He has never won at Wrestlemania he is 6-0. I hope he does win soon however. Entertaining Boiler Room Brawl however. 10/10 Match Five: Road Dogg def. Ken Shamrock, Goldust and Val Venis: The D-O double G was always one of my favs and I was ecstatic when he won this match as I thought he was going to loose. 10/10 Match Six: Kane def. Triple H via DQ: Kane believed he had the services of ex-DX member Chyna but she turned on him. HHH delivered a horrible chair shot to his head, it was so bad you could she the chair bend. 7/10 Match Seven: Undertaker vs. Big Boss Man: Hell in A Cell means 1 thing in WWE- Money!!! This one is never mentioned on best Hell In a Cell matches but it is. It is an amazing match but it cannot match up to Mankind vs. Undertaker but no matches can. This is the best match of the night. 10/10 Match Eight: Stone Cold vs. The Rock: This is a true classic and one of the best main events. 9/10 What more could you want, a boxing match, a Hell In A cell match AND a Brawler Room Brawl. What a great match card and a historic Wrestlemania

Kes (1969)

Jud we hate you!

[9/10 · 31 May 2005]

This film always makes me cry. Jud is a complete muppet. The actor plays him so well that you actually hate him. It represents growing up in Northern England in the hard times 1960-late 80's. I didn't grow up then but my dad did and he says it was very true. The kestrel took Casper away from the struggles of his life. In the end his brother Jud the muppet lol asks him to go to the Bookmakers and place a bet on two horses which are wildcards. Instead he buys fish and chips for himself and Meat for his kestrel. Then the horses win and Jud would have won £16 if the bets had been placed £16 is worth about £400/$650 today. Then he break's Kes's neck. The last shot of the film is Casper digging a hole for Kes to be buried in.