In October 2004 the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) decided to create a ground breaking wrestling event. An event in which the fans would decide on opponents, stipulations, weapons etc on the card via the internet. This lead to frantic voting on WWE.Com (in which I participated), and some really interesting result, and for once critic couldn’t argue that WWE wasn’t delivering what fans wanted to see.

The PPV was held at the Milwaukee centre in Wisconsin and was on October 19th 2004. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler do the commentary for this PPV, who are pretty good.

Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho for the WWF IC Title
Both these men are very good wrestlers, and so I was pleased when this match was announced. Chris Jericho nearly always has a good match, and Shelton Benjamin has had quite a singles career in 2004. The bout starts with a lot of amateur style takedowns that Benjamin is infamous for, leading to an outside brawl. Three minutes into the match and the near falls have began already, with Jericho’s tight offence showing why he has been the IC champion this year, although in my opinion he deserves the world title. Shelton is bursting with energy as the match draws to finish, and you can really see his desire to win the title. This is a good start to the PPV, with an unexpected finish.
Rating: 7.5/10

Kane w/ Lita vs. Gene Snistky in a Chain Match
The rules of this bout are simply, it’s a DQ match but the WWE have provided a chain in which the combatants can batter each other with, this was voted for in favour over a steel chair and a lead pipe. The story leading up to this match is particularly distasteful; in brief Kane forced a sexual relationship with Lita, which got her pregnant. When she was pregnant Gene attacked Lita, and she miscarried. Thus setting up the would be father against the baby killer, in the match that likely offended many fans whom had been through the trauma of said situations such as rape or miscarriage.
The bout starts with a struggle for the chain, Kane is on form with his offence and Snistky is also wrestling well. Right from the get go the chain is used effectively, and in a variety of creative ways. The match is intense, although not as intense as it should be considering the supposed reasons that Kane has to want revenge on Gene. An outside brawl leads to the use of a steel chair (which removes the interactive subplot point of the match somewhat) and Kane spewing up blood all over the ring after having his neck crushed in a shocking manevours, which involved his neck and the rim of the steel chair being jumped onto off the top rope. This is an ok match, but after a couple of minutes seems to drag more than it should.
Rating: 5.5/10

The segment after this in which Eric Bischoff has his hair cut and shaved by Eugene, and Coach, Bischoff’s right hand man and smarmy suck-up, wears a dress is pretty funny. The expressions on both men’s faces are great as they realise what they have to go through, and is overall very entertaining.

Christy vs. Carmella in a Laundrette Pillow Fight
In the summer of 2004 WWE ran a program similar to Popstars or Pop Idol but for wrestling valets who were female. Each week they would come out, strut their stuff and bitch about each other, with a contestant being eliminated each week. It was tedious stuff, and a waste of valuable wrestling time in many fans opinions, and it certainly wasn’t family entertainment (Carmella called one girl a “cum guzzling slut” one week for instance). It came down to Christy and Carmella in the finals, with Christy picking up the victory, and the prize money of $250,000. Not satisfied with coming second Carmella challenged her to a match on WWE PPV. That’s right, WWE has decided to treat it’s viewers to more rubbish with non-wrestlers on a wrestling show.
The token eye candy match starts with the women stripping down to their very brief briefs, which is sure to offend some women. The action in the ring is absolutely dreadful, and not a single wrestling move is executed. This is a abysmal match, that lasts less than 2 minutes and is a total waste of time.
Rating: 2/10

Pictures of WWE Taboo Tuesday - DVD

Randy Orton vs. Ric Flair

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Steel Cage Match
Randy Orton vs. Ric Flair
In a normal steel cage match there is only one way to win, escaping! A steel cage of 15ft high made of steel mash is placed outside of the ropes and surrounding the ring, entrapping the combatants inside the structure. Usually to escape you have to either climb over the top, or muster up enough strength/ buy enough time to make it out of the door situated in the far corner (it sounds far easier than it actually is). For some reason though, in this cage match pin falls also count and so you can win the match via pin fall.
Before the match begins the viewers at home and at the arena are treated to quite possibly the best promo video I have ever seen, documenting the feud between Randy Orton and Ric Flair which dances on the thin line between hatred and respect. Flair comes down to the ring in his old attire looking ready for the action, as he steps into the cage. I love cage matches, there’s something about them which just gets me pumped up and in the mind for a good wrestling bout. The action starts fast with Orton and Flair really going at it, Flair’s aggressive streak is really on display here, as he breaks every rule in the book which results in Orton being a bloody mess in no time. Although there is not much technical or mat wrestling taking place, the action is intense and bloody, with the only low point of the bout being when Flair’s trunks fall down and expose his arse to the whole world. Be warned this match is very violent, and justifies the 18 certificate it has gained, for example when a chair makes it’s way into the ring the action gets nasty. An RKO (Randy Orton’s finisher move) and a pinfall later this match is over. This is a very good cage match, and is Flair’s best match for years.
Rating: 8.5/10