Wrestlemania 22

Jun 6, 2010 - by Steve Gerweck

wrestlemania22

Sunday, April 2 in Chicago, IL

– Michelle Williams did a nice rendition of “America The Beautiful.”
– Video highlights of past Wrestlemanias aired.
– More Wrestlemania hype; video highlights of current programs.
– Pyro blasting at 7:07PM kicks off the live show with Jim Ross welcoming us.

1. World Tag Team title match: Carlito & Chris Masters vs. Kane & Big Show. Two separate two-man booths are shown. Ross & Lawler in the Raw position, Cole & Tazz in the Smackdown booth. Bell rings at 7:12PM ET to kick off the first match of the night. Match starts off with Big Show and Masters in the ring. WWE has large posters of many current and past superstars hanging from the raftors. Kane comes off the top rope onto Carlito and Masters on the arena floor early in the match. Earlier in the match, Carlito was able to remove the top rope turnbuckle in the heel’s corner. Masters puts Kane in the master lock at 5:10, but a big boot from the Big Show breaks that up. Masters bumped Carlito coming from the top rope trying to save his partner from a chokeslam, but it backfired. Kane pinned Carlito at 6:41 to retain the tag team straps.

WINNERS: The Big Show and Kane

After the match, Masters and Carlito exchange words.

– Backstage, The Coach interviewed HBK. Michaels said tonight’s match is going to be ugly, and not a five star classic. HBK said McMahon is going to endure hell tonight.

2. “Money in the bank” ladder match. Rob Van Dam, Ric Flair, Shelton Benjamin, Matt Hardy, Fit Finlay, Bobby Lashley. All four announcers are calling the action. RVD does an early cross body over the top rope onto Matt Hardy holding a ladder. Benjamin follows suit over the top rope onto Lashley, Van Dam and Lashley on the arena floor. Hardy superplexes Flair from the top of the standing ladder. Referees called for help, and Flair was helped to the back. Benjamin powerbombed Lashley off the ladder, but it took help from Finlay and Hardy. Chants of RVD are heard. Cole noted that its Hardy’s third Wrestlemania ladder match. At the 6:18 mark, Flair returned from the back and went after Finlay. Fans chanted whoo. Flair almost had the brief case, but Finlay stopped him with a foreign object. Lashley hit his finisher on Benjamin and grabbed a ladder. RVD hit a dropkick using a chair from the top rope to stop him. Hardy dropped a leg on Lashley coming off a ladder. Hardy hit a side effect on Finlay off the ladder at the 10:20 mark. RVD splashed Finlay off the top of the ladder. Chants of ECW were heard. RVD knocked off Shelton and Hardy from a second ladder and grabbed the brief case at 12:20 to win the match.

WINNER: Rob Van Dam

– Backstage, Josh Matthews interviewed Mean Gene Okerlund. He talked about his bar tab last night, but was interrupted by Randy Orton. Orton said he would be inducted into the hall of fame some day. A dressed up Batista interrupted, and said the winner of the 3-way match is just holding the title until he returns.
– Howard Finkel introduced the class of 2006 hall of fame inductees. Fink said Bret “Hitman” Hart was uncomfortable and wouldn’t appear. Vickie Guerrero came out with Chavo Guerrero Jr. in Eddie’s spot. Fans chanted “Eddie, Eddie.” The Blackjacks raised Vickie’s arms in the air.

3. U.S. title match: Chris Benoit vs. JBL (with Jillian Hall). They raised the enterance ramp to allow JBL’s limo to drive in. Early in the match, Benoit worked on JBL’s injured left hand and tried for an unsuccessful crippler crossface. Benoit hit a few German suplexes, and did his throat slash gesture, but JBL was able to counter. JBL hits a superplex on Benoit, as chants fan “let’s go Benoit.” JBL attempted Eddie’s three amigos, but Benoit blocked the third attempt. JBL slowed the match down with a headlock on the mat. Benoit hit the three amigos on JBL and called his for headbutt. Benoit hit the headbutt, but JBL kicked out. JBL went for the clothesline from hell, but Benoit countered. JBL held the rope and pinned Benoit at 9:45 to win the U.S. title.

WINNER: JBL, the new U.S. champion

4. Hardcore match: Edge (with Lita) vs. Mick Foley. Ross and Lawler welcome Joey Styles into the Raw booth as he has called a few hardcore matches in his day. Styles did the play by play with The King. Edge hits Foley with the cookie sheet over the head. Edge hit the spear, but appeared to have his injured his shoulder in the process. Foley had barbed wire under his clothes, as Edge starting bleeding from the shoulder area. Foley clotheslines Edge and Lita onto the arena floor. Foley covered Edge for a two count. On the outside, Edge slams Foley into the ring steps. Edge sets up a table on the floor, and puts Foley onto it. Edge headed towards the top rope, but Foley gets off the table. In the ring, Edge pulls out the lighter fluid and pours some on Foley. Edge hits Foley with his barbed wire covered baseball bat, as Foley begins to bleed. Edge pins Foley, but he kicks out. Edge brings in a sack with thumbtacks, and spreads them out on the mat. Foley reverses a maneuver, and puts Edge back first on the thumbtacks! Foley drops “barbie” onto Edge as he juices “big time” from the forehead. Foley puts lighter fluid on the table. Lita hits Foley with “barbie” in the mid section. With the table on fire, Edge spears Foley on the arena floor. Styles gives his classic “Oh My God.” Edge pinned Foley at 14:35.

WINNER: Edge

After the match, a bloody Foley raised his arms to chants of “Foley!”

– Backstage, Booker T and Sharmell are nervous. They see Paul Birchall doing his pirate gimmick with a sword. As they walk backstage, they see Ted DiBiase and Eugene bouncing a basketball. Snitsky is licking Mae Young’s foot. Gross! Goldust is wearing a dress. Goldust said all of them are freaks, as they all gather around Booker T and Sharmell and talk about the Boogyeman. Goldust whispered something to Booker, and he said tell me you just didn’t say that. The Million Dollar Man did his classic laugh as Booker T and his wife walked away.
– They show the Snicker contest winners.
– They show NFL’s Joe Theismann and Michelle Williams sitting ring side.

5. Handicap match: Booker T and Sharmell vs. The Boogeyman. Booker and Sharmell act totally scared of the Boogeyman. Booker hits the book end at the 2:00 mark, but Boogeyman kicked out. No crowd reaction whatsoever for this match. Sharmell attempted to hit Boogeyman with his staff, but is stopped. Boogeyman kisses Sharmell with a bunch of worms in his mouth. Sharmell runs off screaming. Boogeyman pinned Booker T at 3:52. Total waste of time.

WINNER: Boogeyman

6. Women’s title match: Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James. Ross rejoins the booth. Looks like Styles was brought to Wrestlemania to call the hardcore match only. Chants of “lets go Mickie” could be heard. James goes for the single leg boston crab and pulled Trish’s hair until the referee was forced to break the hold. Odd, fans appear to be really behind James, even is acknowledged by JR. James kicked out after a running powerbomb. At the 8:48 mark, following a missed Stratusfaction attempt, James pinned Stratus.

WINNER: Mickie James, the new Women’s champion

– Backstage, Vince called for a McMahon family prayer. Vince gets on his knees with Stephanie, Linda, and Shane. Vince tells God he is going to send HBK to hell.

7. Casket match: The Undertaker vs. Mark Henry. Cole and Tazz played up Taker’s 13-0 Wrestlemania streak. This is the first casket match at Wrestlemania, and for the first time, Undertaker doesn’t have to be pinned for his winning streak to end. At 4:20, Undertaker goes old school and walks the top rope and nails Henry. Chants of “Henry sucks” could be heard. Henry falls into the casket and pulls Taker in with him. Henry hit a power manuever, and tried to cover The Undertaker, but of course, pin attempts don’t count. The Undertaker hit the last ride from one corner of the ring. The Undertaker flies over the top rope (over the casket) to hit a clothesline. Taker hits the tombstone at 9:10 and pushes Henry into the casket and closes it at 9:26 for the victory.

WINNER: The Undertaker is now 14-0. What a shocker.

After the match, Cole talked as if Taker would get into the title picture.

8. No Holds Barred: Vince McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels. McMahon has a blown up picture of his Muscle and Fitness magazine cover. Match starts on the outside as HBK wraps a cable around Vince’s head. In the ring, HBK smashes the magazine cover over his head. The Spirit Squad did a run in and beat down HBK. Kenny tries to drop an elbow, but HBK recovers. HBK hits each member of the squad with their megaphone. McMahon, now slightly bleeding from his head, uses his belt on HBK. Vince does the stomp for the superkick, but HBK catches his foot. HBK whips Vince with his own belt. HBK drops the top rope elbow at 7:15. Michaels calls for the superkick, but Shane McMahon hits HBK with a kendo stick. Vince pulls down his pants, but HBK blocks and pushes his son’s face into his exposed rear end. HBK grabs Shane’s handcuffs and cuffs him to the middle rope. HBK canes Shane with the kendo stick. HBK nails Vince with a chair in the ring. HBK calls for the superkick again, but pulls up. HBK goes outside and grabs a ladder from under the ring. HBK rams the ladder into Vince’s head, as Mr. McMahon’s head pours out blood. HBK goes for the kick again, but Vince dropped to his knees. HBK throws garbage cans into the ring. HBK nails Vince with a can as a helpless Shane looks on. HBK sets up a table in the ring, and places the chairman on it. HBK climbs the ladder, but climbs down. HBK goes out for a taller ladder. HBK puts a garbage can over Vince’s head on the table and climbs the ladder. HBK does the DX chop and drops the elbow through the table. Medical staff surrounded the ring. HBK gives Vince the superkick and pins him at 18:25.

WINNER: HBK

After the match, medical staff put Vince on a stretcher and wheel him out. Vince, being carted off, still gives HBK the finger as Shawn looks on.

HBK leaves the ring and gives his wife a kiss.

– They announced that Wrestlemania 23 will be at Ford Field in Detroit on April 1, 2007.

9. World Heavyweight championship: Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio. P.O.D. performed “619” song as Rey was the first one out. Before the match, Orton grabbed the title belt from Charles Robinson and nails Angle. Angle does a double German suplex. Wow! Lots of early action. Fans chanted “lets go Angle.” Rey went for the 619, but Angle catches him and puts him into the ankle lock. Angle forced Orton to tap out, but Rey had the referee distracted. Orton hits the RKO at 6:06, but Angle kicked out at 2 1/2. Rey totally blew a spot on the outside. Orton hit a reverse neckbreaker on Rey for a two count. Lots of near falls. Rey hits a 619 on Orton followed by a springboard into a pinfall. Good match, just way too short.

WINNER: Rey Mysterio to win the World title

After the match, they showed Rey’s family. Chavo and Vickie Guerrero came out to congratulate Rey.

– Ross and Lawler talk about the HHH-Cena match. They showed Cena on the big screen, and already he’s getting booed. Ross talked about Cena being a controversial champion.

10. Playboy Pillow match: Candice Michelle vs. Torrie Wilson. They announced Michelle from Boise, Idaho, but its Wilson who is from Idaho. Ross said the gate was over $2 million. Chants of “boring” were heard. Michelle pulled out scissors and cut off Torrie’s black outfit. Wilson pinned Michelle with a roll up at 3:52.

WINNER: Torrie Wilson

11. WWE title match: John Cena vs. Triple H. HHH came out with a crown on his head with his symbol on a neckless and waist belt. He looked like a barbarian of some sorts. Cena came out ala the old Chicago style gangsters with a gun in hand. As you might expect, Cena was largely booed. Early on, HHH tries to “school” Cena. HHH hit a vicious clothesline, but Cena kicked out at two. HHH puts Cena into a sleeper hold. Cena hits a clothesline as both men fall to the mat. HHH hit a Horsemen like spinebuster to a babyface crowd reaction. Cena landed the five knuckle shuffle, and applied the STFU, but HHH made it to the ropes. HHH blocks the FU, but HHH, Cena and the referee end up in the corner and Triple H goes for a low blow and hits the referee. HHH gives Cena the DX chop. HHH gets the sledgehammer, but Cena blocked it first, but then is struck by it. Cena kicked out as the referee recovered. HHH kicks out after Cena hit the FU. Cena slaps on the STFU again. Referee checked HHH’s arm, but it wouldn’t drop for a third time. HHH tries for the ropes, but taps out at 22:03.

WINNER: John Cena

What did you think of Wrestlemania 22?

Thumbs Up – 51%

Thumbs In the middle – 16%

Thumbs Down – 16%

Didn’t see it – 16%

Gerweck Poll

Best match at Wrestlemania XXII?

Handicap match – 1%

Money in the bank – 16%

Benoit-JBL – 1%

James-Stratus – 7%

Vince-HBK – 18%

Tag Title – 0%

Foley-Edge – 26%

Taker-Henry – 3%

Rey-Angle-Orton – 18%

Cena-HHH – 9%

Gerweck Poll

Was Wrestlemania 22 worth $49.95?

Yes – 49%

No – 51%

Gerweck Poll


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