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Date Posted: 12:03:03 07/15/02 Mon
Author: BMN
Subject: RAW Review 07/14/2002

Real Action Wrestling at the North Sydney Forum
July 14, 2002

Well, it's been almost 11 months since my last show attended in North Sydney. Quite sadly, I never did recap it. But it's a new year and I'm back on the ball. Will R.A.W. be too?

The show opens with Mike Hughes introducing heel champion Chi Chi Cruz to the arena. This is all so the two can gloat about having absconded Evil Eddy Watts' stick because I know you're all crushed to see him without it and given what indy wrestling pays out, it's known that he can't afford to go out and get other one. Watts comes out to take the two on but Vance Nevada breaks it up to commence a 3-on-1 beatdown.

On to the matches,

1. Scott Savage (w/ Starla) vs. Lincoln Steen (w/ Kevin Dubrow hair times 2) (***)

From bell-to-bell: 7:52
From first contact-to-bell: 7:04

Good little match with great pace. Steen was sloppy in the early going but makes for a great comedic heel. He's a small guy but I think he'd make a great manager. Too bad they don't have managers nowadays...Savage wins it by reversing the powerbomb into a hurricana a-la-YOU-CAN'T-POWERBOMB-KIDMAN and laying atop Steen for the pin. I hope that these guys get more time in the future.

2. Duke MacIssac vs. Johnny Wiseguy (w/ Rachel) (**)

From bell-to-bell: 11:54
From first contact-to-bell: 10:00

Wiseguy comes straight from the AWA 70s heel textbook. Crusher and Bruiser would be proud. I actually manage to get Rachel to laugh by starting the first "STALL! STALL!" chant of the night as the Wiseguy goes into his sunglass removal routine. Match gets up to ** because of Duke's work (he's really improved) and the heat on Wiseguy despite his rather flat work. Duke wins it with a rollup and Wiseguy scolds Rachel for getting the interference wrong. Duke saves the damsel in distress and they do a happy jig. I see a lot of potential in Rachel as a R.A.W. personality but I wonder why they would rush a face turn so quickly?

3. Vance Nevada (w/ presumably beefy goodness) vs. Eddie Watts (w/o stick) (**)

From bell-to-bell: 11:47
From first contact-to-bell: 11:47

Watts wins it with his patented middle-of-second-rope legdrop. Decent match that would have been better if Watts had gotten more offense in before the win.

We have our intermission.

4. Madman Williams vs. Mike Hughes (***)

From bell-to-bell: 15:01
From first contact-to-bell: 13:47

OK match that really heated up for a great finish. Hughes is obviously going to be carrying a lot of the heel heat for whatever remaining shows the promotion will run this summer. Hughes nails the Michinoku Driver and adds the dastardly heel foot on the rope for the pin.

Two years and several pounds later...

5. Wildman Williams vs. Chi Chi Cruz (w/ Smoking Skull ripoff belt) (** 1/2)

From bell-to-bell: 14:06
From first contact-to-bell: 13:15

This match was all right but I disagree with the finish. Hughes comes out to aid Cruz. While the ref is distracted, Cruz tapes up his fist and eventually nails Williams with a forearm for the win. Had the booking ended there, I'd have liked it because I like the idea of the heel champion having a bit of heat on him. Instead, Madman comes out and eventually the ref reverses the decision for a DQ Wildman win. Wildman (prior to the reversal) declares that, two weeks from now, he'll take Cruz on in a taped fist match. That's great but it'd have more heat on it if you let the Cruz victory stand.


Highest match ranking: *** (Steen-Savage, Hughes-Madman)
Lowest match ranking: ** (Nevada-Watts, Wiseguy-MacIssac)
Avg. match ranking: ** 1/2
Event ranking: ** 3/4

Decent show that can keep everyone interested and coming back. You can't throw a blockbuster on every time but if you can keep your head above the * 3/4 water on every match and have at least one or two *** matches, that's enough to make the show seem somewhat worthwhile. On the negative side, though, I thought the booking was sloppy. The Rachel turn seems either rushed or like an excuse for her to turn back heel two shows from now and the pin in the main event should have held up. It wasn't enough to keep me from enjoying the show, but little booking flaws can ofttimes be irksome.

Sunday, July 28th, a matinee at the Forum. 2 p.m. I'll be there (I think), will you?

BMN

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