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The following is a report originally published here 20 years ago this week…
WWE LIVE EVENT REPORT
OCTOBER 29, 2006
ROCKFORD, ILL. AT METRO CENTRE
REPORT BY CHRIS VETTER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
The wrestlers’ parking lot was outside, adjacent to the building. While the parking lot was taped off, fans circled the lot. Kenny Doane, Torrie Wilson, and Mickie James signed a lot of stuff. Jeff Hardy was the last to arrive at 12:50 p.m. (show time was 2 p.m.!) Fans told me that the announced match in local ads was John Cena vs. Edge in a street fight, but Edge wound up not being on this show.
The crowd was about 2,000. My first time in this venue, and it was freezing inside! (This is a hockey venue, with a nice setup for wrestling.) The show got underway at 1:58 p.m. by my clock!
Howard Finkel hit the ring to GnR’s “Welcome to the Jungle.” He announced the show was brought to us with the sponsor, “The Marine,” and the crowd HEAVILY booed! Funny.
(1) J.T.G. & Shad (Cryme Tyme) defeat Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch at 11:32. Murdoch stalled, and the fans booed him. Jay T.G. threw some punches. Murdoch charged at some fans in the front row; Cade had to hold him back! The fans were HOT, chanting, “You suck!” at the heels. Cade hit a guillotine legdrop on Jay T.G. Jay T.G. hit some dropkicks, and Shad hit a double clothesline to clear the ring at 5:00. Shad hit an elbow drop on Cade for a nearfall. Murdoch hit a hard kick, and he paused to soak in the boos! (Murdoch is a tremendous heel live!)
Murdoch ripped off Shad’s white T-shirt and hit some chops, then he choked Shad in the ropes. The heels continued to work over Shad for several minutes. Shad hit a back suplex at 10:30, and he made the hot tag to Jay T.G., who hit some punches and a missile dropkick on Cade. Jay T.G. faked a knee injury; as the ref checked on Jay T.G., Shad hit Murdoch with a weapon! Jay T.G. jumped on Murdoch for the cover and the pin. Great heel heat and fan reaction throughout this match.
(2) Carlito defeats Shelton Benjamin at 8:17. Solid, average match, but nothing special, so to me, it was a bit disappointing. Carlito shoved Shelton to the mat, and Shelton cowered in the corner. Carlito’s left arm was taped up, and Shelton began punching at the taped arm. Shelton wrapped the arm around the ring post. Carlito gave Shelton a monkeyflip; Shelton landed on his feet, and the crowd popped for his agility. Shelton stayed focused on the arm, and the crowd rallied for Carlito. Shelton nailed a Divorce Court armbreaker at 3:30.
Carlito hit some punches, a running knee and a flying back elbow for a nearfall, then his corkscrew Lionsault for a nearfall. Shelton tossed Carlito in the air, and Carlito crashed stomach-first to the mat. Shelton went for a superkick, but Carlito blocked it. Shelton applied a Fujiwara Armbar, but Carlito reached the ropes at 7:30. Carlito nailed the Back Cracker/lungblower for the pin. Surprisingly short.
After the match, Carlito bit into an apple and spit it at Shelton, drawing a huge pop.
(3) Val Venis defeats Big Deal at 5:25. Big Deal wore a long, glittery red & silver robe. He has short blonde hair, and at first I thought it was Mark Jindrak, or perhaps Trytan. The guy has a fantastic physique, but he is a terrible worker! Big Deal attacked Val from behind, and he hit some kicks and elbow drops. Val hit some punches. Big Deal hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall. There is zero crowd heat at this point.
Val unloaded some hard chops, and Big Deal slapped on a Bear Hug at 2:00, and the crowd rallied for Val. Val hit a clothesline and a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall. Big Deal got a rollup with his feet on the ropes for a nearfall, and he jawed at the ref. Val hit a uranage, then the Money Shot frogsplash for the pin.
Chris Masters hit the ring and got on the mic. (By the way, he is ridiculously muscular, even now.) He said a travesty of justice occurred a few weeks ago when Super Crazy beat him. He said Super Crazy didn’t belong in the same ring with him, and Super Crazy should be out gardening Masters’ lawn! This got tremendous heel heat (as Rockford, in my one-day stay, appears to have a LARGE Hispanic population.)
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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(4) Super Crazy defeats Chris Masters at 6:01. Masters hit some stomps and punches. Super Crazy hit a missile dropkick. Masters slammed Super Crazy’s head on the apron. Masters hit a double underhook suplex for a nearfall and a guillotine legdrop, and he paused to pose. Super Crazy hit a crucifix takedown for a nearfall at 3:00. Masters hit some punches, jawed with the ref, and he hit a backbreaker over his knee. He applied a sleeper, and the crowd rallied for Super Crazy.
Super Crazy hit a nice headscissors takedown and a basement dropkick to the face! Super Crazy stayed on offense with a missile dropkick and a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Masters hit a standing powerbomb, and he applied the Master Lock. However, Super Crazy sat down, squirming out of the Master Lock, got a rollup, and the pin!
(5) Mickie James defeats Victoria at 6:54. Victoria wore a spider Halloween outfit. Mickie was a cowardly lion. Mickie got a quick rollup early in the match, and Victoria was frustrated. Victoria tied up the head and bridged back for pressure. Mickie kept a headlock on Victoria. Victoria nailed a kick that sent Mickie to the floor, and they fought on the floor. In the ring, Victoria whipped Mickie across the ring by her hair at 3:00.
Victoria hit a hard clothesline and her standing moonsault for a nearfall. They traded punches, and Mickie tossed Victoria by her hair! Mickie hit a nice headscissors takedown and some punches. Victoria came back with a sideslam for a nearfall at 6:00, and she yelled at the referee. Mickie hit a Tornado DDT out of nowhere for the pin. Solid.
(6) The Highlanders defeat The Spirit Squad at 11:23. Ugly match. All five members of the Spirit Squad were here, and they got great heat! Nick and Johnny wrestled while the other three stood on the floor. Johnny hit a shoulder tackle on Robby. Robby hit some shoulder tackles. The Highlanders hit simultaneous dropkicks, which cleared the ring. Kenny on the floor was visibly upset. The Highlanders hit headbutts on Nick at 4:30. Rory hit a flying crossbody block for a nearfall.
The three SS guys not in the match beat up Robby on the floor. Johnny hit a bulldog for a nearfall. The Spirit Squad choked Robby in the ropes. Johnny hit a nice dropkick for a nearfall at 8:30. The crowd rallied for Robby, who hit a double neckbreaker and made the hot tag to Rory. Rory hit some punches, some Polish Hammers, and a backbreaker over his knee. Nick accident hit Johnny with a guillotine legdrop! Rory tossed Nick to the floor, and Rory covered Johnny for the pin. Blah action.
Kenny yelled at the rest of his team, then he started to attack Nick & Johnny, but Mitch and Mikey separated them. Ken left alone.
Intermission. The only non-Raw brand merchandise for sale was Rey Mysterio masks.
Torrie Wilson (in either a train conductor or inmate costume — quite honestly, it was too small to tell what it’s supposed to be) and Maria (in a devil’s costume) hit the ring and threw out T-Shirts.
(7) Jeff Hardy defeats Johnny Nitro (w/Melina) at 10:27 to retain the intercontinental title. Melina wore a black policewoman garb. Jeff came out to a HUGE pop. Nitro tried to get the fans to clap, but we just booed him. Nitro hit a European Uppercut and some punches. Hardy hit a running clothesline and a double-legdrop between Nitro’s legs. Hardy hit a catapult basement dropkick in the corner, and Nitro bailed to the floor at 3:00. Melina tried to sneak in the ring, but Hardy saw her, and she ducked back to the floor. Nitro hit a nice dropkick that sent Hardy to the floor.
Nitro hit a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall. Melina beat up Hardy, and she hit him with her police baton! Nitro hit a nice springboard spin kick in the ring for a nearfall at 6:00, and he choked Jeff. Hardy hit the Whisper in the Wind/spinning press for a nearfall, but Melina put Nitro’s foot on the ropes. The referee ejected Melina, which made the crowd roar in approval!
Hardy hit a plancha to the floor. In the ring, Hardy got a folding press for a nearfall, then a sitdown powerbomb for a believable nearfall. Nitro got a backslide for a nearfall, then a standing Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 10:00. Hardy hit a DDT, then he perfectly nailed the Swanton Bomb for the pin. Good match.
Triple H came to the ring for perhaps the longest intro I’ve ever seen live. He led the fans by pointing at each of the four sides of the arena and getting fans to cheer on cue. He finally took the mic, and he implied that Randy Orton is gay, and Orton would do his gay-looking pose.
(8) Triple H defeats Randy Orton at 14:41. Entertaining match! Orton hit a shoulder tackle and the crowd LOUDLY booed him. Triple H immediately went for the Pedigree, but Orton squirmed out, went to the floor, and jawed with fans, getting tremendous heat! Triple H hit a shoulder tackle, and he mockingly did the Orton pose! Funny. Triple H again went for the Pedigree, and again Orton bailed. Triple H got on the mic and told Orton to stop jawing at the fan. Hunter said the fan “isn’t interested in you, Randy! No means no!” FUNNY. The whole crowd started chanting “No means no!” and Orton was fuming!!
Orton started to head to the back, so Hunter followed him, and hit him on the floor at 5:30, and they brawled briefly on the floor. In the ring, Orton snapped Hunter’s neck on the top rope, and he hit some basic punches and blows to the back, as the fans again chanted “No means no!” Orton hit a DDT and a flying knee to the face for a nearfall. Orton hit his cross-the-back neckbreaker for a nearfall at 9:00, then he applied a sleeper. Hunter rallied and escaped.
Orton hit a back suplex, and they were both down. They traded punches, with Hunter hitting more. Triple H hit a running knee then a hard Spinebuster! Orton avoided a Pedigree; Triple H avoided an RKO. Orton hit a low blow, and he went to get a chair! The ref took the chair. Triple H hit a low blow (as the ref was putting the chair on the ground), and Triple H hit the Pedigree for the pin! The crowd thoroughly enjoyed this match.
Umaga & Armando Alejandro Estrada hit the ring. Estrada said no one can beat his Samoan Bulldozer, and he proclaimed that UUUUUUUmaga would win the title tonight!
(9) John Cena defeats Umaga via DQ at 12:16 to retain the heavyweight title. Good match. Cena got a HUGE pop; maybe only 10 percent boos. (A lot has changed since I was at Wrestlemania!) Cena hit some punches, kicks, and a double-arm DDT, which Umaga no-sold entirely. Cena couldn’t hit a bodyslam. Umaga hit a flying body splash and some chops. Estrada kicked Cena on the floor. Umaga hit a dropkick, and he whipped Cena into the ring steps at 3:00. In the ring, Umaga hit a flying kneedrop. Cena hit two shoulder tackles, but Umaga didn’t go down. Cena went for a third shoulder tackle, but Umaga grabbed Cena and hit a Samoa Drop! Nice fluid spot.
Umaga hit a Bulldog Powerslam off his shoulders. Cena fired back with some punches, but Umaga nailed a hard clothesline at 6:30. Umaga applied a nervehold on the shoulder. Cena hit a flip neckbreaker. Umaga hit a spin kick. Umaga tied Cena in the Tree of Woe, and Umaga nailed a flying headbutt as Cena was tied upside down! Umaga went for the finger to the throat, but Cena blocked it.
Cena applied the STFU, but Umaga reached the ropes. Umaga hit a superkick at 10:00! Umaga missed a second-rope diving headbutt. Cena hit some more punches, a Blue Thunder Bomb, did the Five-Knuckle Shuffle, and looked like he was going to hit the FU. However, Nitro ran in the ring, but Cena dropped Nitro over the top rope. Estrada entered the ring and hit Cena, causing the DQ.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The show ended at 5 p.m., so a full three-hour event. The first half of the show, while it drew some good crowd heat, was pretty blah as far as action goes. The three matches after intermission were much, much better, and were the top of the show.
Best match goes to Triple H-Orton, and I’ve never been accused of being a Triple H fan! Hunter had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand, and Orton played up the homophobic chants perfectly. It’s funny how this little “No means no” line got the crowd going, and they kept chanting it during the match!
While I was disappointed Edge wasn’t here, Umaga was serviceable in the main event, and I’ll give that second best, just ahead of Hardy-Nitro. Nitro definitely has the look and charisma going for him, and Hardy is as popular as ever.
The Highlanders are terrible. The Big Deal guy has a good look, but he is really terrible too. Shelton-Carlito could have been so much better. Super Crazy-Masters went an appropriate length; any longer and fans would have lost interest.
I’ve seen better WWE house shows. A lot better. That said, at least WWE brings most of its top names on the roster to house shows, which is something WCW didn’t do often in smaller markets. I think most of the fans here — who rarely see live wrestling — were pretty happy with what they saw, and were less critical of the quality of wrestling than myself.
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