By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SUPERSTARS REPORT
APRIL 23, 2009
DEBUT EPISODE ON WGN

[Q1]

-The show opened with a video package featuring Shane and Vince McMaon. Then the Superstars opening debuted. Jim Ross and Todd Grisham introduced the show and they went right to the ring intro for the Undertaker.

1 -- UNDERTAKER vs. MATT HARDY

Grisham said Hardy told him earlier that he would not be intimidated by Undertaker. I wonder if this is Matt's first singles match with Taker? Taker went on early offense, but Matt caught him with a boot as he charged him in the corner. Taker fired back with a clothesline and threatened a chokeslam, so Hardy bailed out to ringside. He dragged Taker to the floor with him, but Taker reverse-whipped him into the security wall. Back in the ring Taker leaped off the top rope with a forearm to Hardy, then clotheslined him to the floor. They cut to a break at 2:00.

[Commercial Break]

Taker guillotine legdropped Hardy on the ring apron and then scored a near fall at 5:00. Taker set up a chokeslam and milked it, but Hardy countered and hit a neckbreaker. Hardy worked over taker with aggressive elbows and then a choke on the top rope. He should go true old school and rub his face and eyes across the top rope like Da' Crusher (or was it Mad Dog Vachon?). Hardy applied an overhead chancery with his legs wrapped around Taker's body in a standing position. Taker powered out by shoving Hardy into the corner. Taker came back with a snake eyes and a big boot to the face followed by a legdrop for a two count. Does that sequence ever win it for Taker? He followed up, as is par for him, with a chokeslam attempt, but Hardy bailed out to ringside where he got intentionally counted out. "He walked away, he quit, J.R.!" exclaimed Grisham. Ross said, "Coward!" Grisham said it was an entertaining, competitive match. Jeff Hardy charged out and jumped Matt. That drove Matt back into the ring where Taker gave him the chokeslam.

WINNER: Undertaker via countout in 9:00.

STAR RATING: **1/4 -- Solid match, average or slightly above for nine minutes.

-They showed a split screen of Christian and Finlay heading to the entrance tunnel.

[Q2]

[Commercial Break]

-They showed Matt Striker and Josh Matthews at ringside. They threw to the WrestleMania 25 highlight video. I liked this the first half dozen times I saw it. This is approaching overkill this far past WrestleMania, though.

2 -- CHRISTIAN vs. FINLAY

Striker said Christian is sleek, agile, and quick whereas Finlay and strong and tough. Finlay dominated the early minutes with is methodical, crisp offense, including some ringside action. At 3:00 Christian caught Finlay with a boot as he leaped off the ropes. Christian backdropped Finlay, an old school move you don't see as much anymore as in the 1980s, and the hit a top rope crossbody. Finlay rolled through for a near fall. He set up a Kill Switch, but Finlay blocked it and set up a Celtic Cross. Christian slipped out of that and climbed to the top rope. Finlay met him at the top, but Christian shoved him down and kicked him in the face, then gave him a tornado DDT for a two count. He followed up with a Kill Switch for the pin. Said Striker, "And then there was one!" Christian and Finlay shook hands after the fight.

WINNER: Christian in 5:00.

STAR RATING: *1/4

-Matthews plugged Cody Rhodes vs. Shane McMahon.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

-Eve Torres interviewed Shane McMahon. She said he must be disappointed that he won't be facing Randy Orton on Raw on Monday. He said he is disappointed, but now it's up to Hunter to get the job done. He said without Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, Orton couldn't have done what he did to him and his family, so he's glad to have a chance against Rhodes. He cut a nice old school promo. Too bad it's patently absurd that with a straight face he acts like he should have a chance in a one-on-one fight against Randy Orton or, for that matter, even Cody Rhodes. At some point I hope he decides the real value of his character will be to acknowledge what an underdog scrappy non-wrestler brawler he is, and the fans will be more behind him than if he continues this Super-Shane-o-Mac persona where at 39 years old and no full time wrestling career or anything that would establish him as anything but an ordinary guy (McMahon name notwithstanding), he expects fans to take him seriously as a threat to hold his own and win against established top heels. He's like the rich kid in class who makes the team because his dad is the coach, but he has no business being on the bench, much less a starter, but he doesn't realize it because nobody dares say anything for fear of retribution. Shane can be valuable in WWE, but not portraying himself as Stone Cold Shane. This isn't about Shane proving he can work a competent match, it's about the absurdity that he acts like he's on the level of other top full-time wrestlers rather than portraying himself as a scrappy, resourceful underdog fighting for what's right. Otherwise it's just a sad fantasy camp for the boss's kid and we're all subject to it.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- CODY RHODES vs. SHANE MCMAHON

He shoved Cody at the bell and then punched him in the face. He followed with a barrage of body shots and a lousy clothesline and a good pair of armdrags. Cody dragged himself to the ropes to force a break. At ringside, Shane outmaneuvered Cody and shoved him into the ringpost. Shane launched off the ringside steps and dove onto Cody. He continued to beat him up at ringside. Cody knocked Shane off the ring apron as he tried to get back into the ring, getting in his first offense of the match.

[Q4]


[Commercial Break]

-Cody had Shane down on the mat with an armbar. Cody went on sustained offense and scored several near falls. Lawler said Shane is "a McMahon through and through; he refuses to give up." Shane shoved Cody to the mat on a superplex attempt. When he dove at Cody, Cody caught him with a dropkick leading to a two count. Shane made another comeback. Cole said he might be trying to knock the cockiness out of Cody. The ref tried to stop Shane from punching Cody in the corner and had to physically interject himself. Nice to see a McMahon disregarding the authority of the referee like that - and get away with it. Cody knocked Shane to the floor, but then Shane jabbed Cody in the ribs with a chair prompting the DQ.

WINNER: Cody Rhodes via DQ in 13:00.

-Afterward Shane bashed Cody with a chair across the back with the chair, then across the side of his shoulder and head. With Cody groggy in the corner, Shane brought a trash can into the ring from ringside. He climbed to the top rope. The ref was upset, but not too upset to move the trash can out of Cody's lap. Shane hit the flying dropkick "Coast to Coast." Shane's music played as Cole talked about Shane's feeling of retribution, but the challenge that lay ahead at Backlash.

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