WWE Velocity Report-14th May 2006
By Shaun Best-Rajah.Com Reporter
Commentators: Steve Romero & Josh Mathews
Welcome aboard Velociters to what looks like a good edition this week. Funaki vs Sylvan has been edited off. Before we dive in I'd like to say farewell to Oratory and fellow Rajah.com writer John C who posted his last column within the last few days. I enjoyed all of your columns especially the For Love or Money one you did with Matt. Farewell John you will be a hard act to follow. Back to the show and first out of the chute this week is...........................
Simon Dean vs Matt Hardy
Simon comes out alone on his Dean machine and flourescent green outfit. Simon with some mic work to begin. After introducing himself Simon says his opponent tonight Matt Hardy claims he will not die which is quite different for most of the fans who won't be around too much longer due to their morbid obesity and unhealthy lifestyle. Simon throws in a Mattitude taunt before saying since Matt Hardy won't die why doesn't he come out so he can get beat up really, really, real bad. Cue Hardy who has a new titantron. Simon tries to attack Hardy before the bell but is blocked by the referee. Lockup leads to a jostle in the ropes. Simon with a gut punch, Hardy sends Simon away with a closed fist prompting Simon to complain to the referee. Lockup, Simon with a hammerlock and illegal choke. Hardy with a backelbow to escape followed by a snapmare. Hardy chokes, Simon breaks then knees the gut. Hardy reverses a ram in the corner and punches Simon away into another corner and then down to the mat. Hardy gives the V1 sign before bringing Simon out of the corner with a powerbomb for a nearfall. Simon reverses off the ropes and puts his head down allowing Hardy to boot. Hardy charges but Simon drop toeholds him out onto the apron. Hardy rolls back in to a Simon kneedrop. Simon with some stomps, Simon wrenches Hardy to the mat by the arm. Simon ties up Hardy with a canvas hammerlock while pulling at the hair and driving a knee into his back. Hardy gets up tries to snapmare Simon off but Simon keeps the pressure on the arm and drops Hardy with a single arm DDT for a nearfall. Simon twists away at Hardy's wrist and arm gets a nearfall and keeps Hardy grounded. Hardy eventually gets to his feet. Hardy lands some punches. Hardy catches a Simon lunge with a side effect. Hardy with some forearms and a double sledge off the ropes. Hardy drops a leg, Simon gets up and wanders to the corner, Hardy charges in and hits a clothesline followed by a running bulldog. 1-2-no. Hardy hits an elbow to the back of the head from the second rope and signals for the end. Hardy boots the gut goes for the Twist of Fate but Simon escapes with an armwringer. Hardy reverses an Irish whip but charges into a Simon boot. Simon to the second rope mocks Hardy who punches the gut before executing the Twist of Fate to a perched Simon for the 1-2-3. Hardy was very over with the crowd with several Hardy chants throughout. He needs a new feud. Not a bad opener. Here is Your Winner: MATT HARDY.
Orlando Jordan vs Gunner Scott
Well at least Jordan isn't in the main event again but for a third straight week he's on Velocity. It looks like he'll be involved in the cross dressing program with Vito based on SmackDown! this past week. Why can't the writers find something for someone talented like Matt Hardy to do instead of this waste of space. I think Gunner Scott needs to show some personality too as no-one has any reason to care about him at the moment. Crowd is silent for this one. Josh puts over Gunner's first victory against Booker T saying how everyone knows who he is now but it was a fluke victory which didn't really elevate him. I know he had a good thing going in OVW which baffles me as to why when people get called up from OVW the things that brought them to the dance are dropped in favour of crap (eg The Dicks and Matt Morgan) or nothing in poor Gunner's case. A lockup leads to both men jostling in the corner and pressing away at each others faces to begin before Jordan ducks his head outside forcing Gunner to back off a little and stare. Lockup, Jordan elbows out of a waistlock hesitates then snapmares and goes to an armbar. Gunner gets up counters with an armwringer into a hammerlock which Jordan drop toeholds out of applying a side headlock. Gunner sends off the ropes, Jordan with a shoulder tackle misses with an elbow. Gunner goes back to the armwringer which takes Jordan down. Gunner traps the arm drops his weight onto the mat before applying an armbar. Gunner rolls through a Jordan armdrag attempt keeping the hold applied. Jordan steps one foot out forcing Gunner to break. Jordan steps back in boots the gut and punches. Jordan sends Gunner off the ropes, Gunner rolls under a clothesline hitting a dropkick and hiptoss that prompts Jordan to roll out to the apron. Gunner picks him up, Jordan hangs Gunner up on the top rope gets in stomps, punches and delivers a swinging neckbreaker. Jordan drops a knee onto the head for a nearfall clubs at the back of Gunner then applies a rear naked choke. Gunner elbows and forearms free but Jordan hits a backcracker for a nearfall before going back to the rear naked choke. Jordan has just taken over Randy Orton's mantle as Mr Resthold. Gunner goes to elbow out, Jordan knees and Irish whips. Gunner sidesteps a charge, Jordan hits the corner face first allowing Gunner to hit a side russian legsweep. Jordan is first up, Jordan boots the gut, Jordan breaks out the Johnson Shuffle (punches) Gunner ducks and hits a flapjack. Gunner forearms Jordan down twice. Gunner chops then hits a backbodydrop off the ropes and fires up to show some of his personality at last. Gunner with a northern lights suplex for a nearfall. Gunner goes for a slam, Jordan slips behind goes for a rollup off the ropes but Gunner hangs onto the ropes. Jordan rolls back, Gunner charges ducking under a backelbow attempt. Gunner sends Jordan off the ropes into a belly-to-belly overthrow/overhead suplex for the 1-2-3. Here is Your Winner: GUNNER SCOTT. A boring match on the whole which picked up a little towards the end thanks to Gunner. I've said it before I know but Orlando Jordan is the absolute pits.
William Regal vs Chris Benoit
I'm predicting a mat classic here. Benoit has had Regal's number in pretty much all of their previous WWE meetings. Pops for Benoit's entrance. A long lockup with both men showing their strength leads to Benoit backing Regal to the corner where both block each other's shots and stare one another down. Lockup and some quick movement by Regal leads to an armdrag and wristlock on the mat. Josh notes the classic Pillman memorial match these two had a few years ago (I think it was 2001). Benoit rolls out, single leg takedown to Regal leads to Benoit torquing at the leg. Benoit drops down ties up Regal's other leg and sits down on a leglock. Benoit blocks Regal's attempts to escape. Regal tries to grab Benoit's midsection but Benoit shoves Regal's head down and goads Regal by telling him to come on. Regal tries to rake the face, Benoit locks Regal's hands, Regal escapes and tries to wrap his boots round Benoit's neck and swats at Benoit's face with them. Regal nips up as both men keep their hands locked. A test of strength ensues with Regal backing Benoit to the corner. Regal with a monkey flip, both men roll back into one another and the coming together results in a Benoit bodyscissors. Benoit blocks Regal's shots to the face while trying to keep his own shoulders from getting counted on the mat. Benoit blocks Regal's attempt to apply a keylock submission and keeps the bodyscissors cinched in. Regal tries to slug at the face but Benoit catches an arm and turns Regal over trying to apply the Crippler Crossface. Regal prevents Benoit from locking the hands around his face and counters to a front facelock with an immediate switch attempt to a Crossface Chickenwing but Benoit quickly gets to the ropes. Regal utilises the full four count before releasing and we get a standoff. Lockup, Regal grabs a leg, Benoit hits an enziguiri sending Regal to the apron. Benoit gets Regal up, Benoit punches and goes to suplex Regal back in but Regal blocks by placing a foot between the ropes. Benoit with knees to the gut steps out and tries to german suplex Regal off the apron. Regal holds onto the top rope backelbows Benoit and DDT's him down across the apron. Benoit is out as Regal rolls back in and the action breaks off for a commercial break. We're back to see Regal deliver a kneelift to Benoit back inside the ring. Benoit chops back but Regal drops Benoit with a high knee to the face. Regal gets Benoit back up for some more kneelifts. Regal kicks Benoit down before going outside placing Benoit's head against the ringpost stepping back and kicking it. Regal clubs the head once before getting back in and we get a close up shot of Benoit with his eyes wide open lying motionless. Regal takes time out to play to the crowd and debate with the referee before dragging Benoit away from the ringpost and back up only to uppercut him back down. Regal with an elbowdrop for a nearfall. Regal applies a modified abdominal stretch (which looks a cross between an abdominal stretch leaning more towards a dragon sleeper). Benoit struggling for air tries to power out but ends up driving Regal backfirst into the corner. Benoit with a single chop right between the eyes of Regal. Benoit advances into a high boot to the face. Regal with an uppercut, Benoit takes Regal down and goes for the Sharpshooter but Regal stops Benoit from turning him over by hitting some shots to the face. Regal manages to push Benoit's face down with his boot. Regal attempts the Regal stretch and ties up Benoit's legs but Benoit blocks the move from being fully cinched in so Regal applies a modified surfboard maneuver while applying a facelock to the stretched out Benoit. Benoit elbows his way free, Regal gets to his feet first and hits two exploder suplexes. Regal with a kneedrop to the throat/face for a nearfall. Regal with three more immediate consecutive nearfalls. Regal goes for a half nelson german suplex but Benoit blocks with his leg. Benoit goes for a full nelson but Regal armdrags Benoit down. Both men quickly get up with Regal trying for the full nelson again but Benoit switches and manages to hit a full nelson german suplex. Both men are down, both get up, Benoit is first to react by hitting two german suplexes. Regal stops a third by pounding on Benoit's face which unlocks Benoit's grip. Benoit blocks a butterfly suplex and reverses with a suplex of his own despite Regal tying up his arms. Benoit quickly pounces on the fallen Regal and finally manages to lock in the Crippler Crossface after hammering Regal's hand away. It doesn't take long for Regal to tap and alas this wrestling clinic and match of the year candidate is over. These two didn't disappoint. The crowd were with Benoit all match with quite a few Regal sucks chants too. A great Main Event put on by two of the finest technicians today with both men selling each other's offense really well. Here is Your Winner via Submission: CHRIS BENOIT. I'd love to see Benoit mix it up with Jamie Noble in a match like this on Velocity as that would be given ample time rather than a few minutes on SmackDown! plus it would give Noble the rub he would need to the WWE audience that haven't seen his work in ROH. The Judgment Day card is filling up now-seven matches so far. It looks unlikely many more will be added so people like Hardy and Benoit look like being without a match. Maybe they could do a Fatal Four Way No 1 Contender for the US Title involving Hardy, Benoit, Finlay and Regal. Just a thought.
A great way to end Velocity this week which is well worth checking out. Thumbs up from me. Josh gives the Benoit match five stars to which I agree. Steve mentions Judgment Day and speculates on SmackDown! this week before signing off. End of show.
Keep it here for Heat. Shaun. Comments/praise/feedback/criticism please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.
