Random Match Reviews #8 (12/31/15)

More from CZW, Lucha Underground, NXT, TNA, & WWE!

1.) CZW – Down With The Sickness 2014 (9/13/14) – CZW Tag Team Titles – Triple Threat Ladder Match – The Juicy Product (JT Dunn & David Starr) vs. The Beaver Boys (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) vs. OI4K (Dave & Jake Crist): ****1/4

If you read my previous Random Match Reviews, you’ll know that The Juicy Product successfully retained their CZW Tag Team Titles in a Four-Way Match at New Heights 2014. This time, they’re defending their titles in a Triple Threat Ladder Match, with the same teams from the aforementioned Four-Way Match (minus Team Tremendous). Ladder Matches are usually chaotic, and given that this is CZW, it was extra-chaotic. I actually really liked these Ladder Match. These three teams just went all-out right from the opening bell, and didn’t let up until the match reached its conclusion. There were some incredible, crazy, and dangerous spots throughout this match. While the big things were the highlights, there were little things that worked as well. One of the themes of this match was that The Juicy Product would keep going after the legs of their opponents (specifically John Silver), with the idea that it would hinder them trying to climb the ladder. Silver sold this later on in the match, and I think it worked really well. Eventually, The Juicy Product were somehow able to survive the carnage to retain their CZW World Tag Team Titles.

2.) TNA Impact Wrestling (10/8/14) – TNA World Tag Team Titles – Triple Threat Full Metal Mayhem Match – The Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs. Team 3D vs. The Hardys: ****1/4

In my last Random Match Reviews, I took a look at the 3^rd match in this TNA World Tag Team Title Series, that being the Triple Threat Ladder Match. This time, I’m looking at the Triple Threat Full Metal Mayhem Match, which was the 4^th, and deciding, match in the series, with The Wolves winning the previous match, that meant every team came into this with one win. As far as the match itself goes, it was pretty great for a Full Metal Mayhem Match. I mentioned in my review of the Ladder Match that Team 3D & The Hardys excel in this environment, and that still applies in this match, and The Wolves were able to work really well here as well. With regards to Team 3D & The Hardys, it still amazes me that, fourteen/fifteen years after their incredible Ladder/TLC matches in the Attitude Era, they’re still able to pull this stuff off. There were loads of crazy spots in this match, as you would expect. All three teams got a chance to shine, and it definitely came off as the best match of the entire series, which is exactly what you want in this situation (for the concluding match in a series to be the best). The Wolves were able to survive the chaos to win the match, take the series, and retain their TNA World Tag Team Titles.

3.) Lucha Undeground – Season 1, Episode 5: Boyle Heights Street Fight (11/26/14) – Boyle Heights Street Fight – Prince Puma vs. Big Ryck: **3/4

In the early part of this 1^st Season of Lucha Underground, the two main babyfaces of the promotion, Johnny Mundo & Prince Puma, have gotten into a feud with The Crew (Big Ryck, Cortez Castro, & Mr. Cisco). Earlier in the show, Konnan (Prince Puma’s mentor), convinced Dario Cueto to put together a Boyle Heights Street Fight between Big Ryck & Prince Puma. The match itself was fine. It was your typical street fight match, not the kind that you would expect on a PPV, but acceptable as the Main Event of a TV Show. The story here was that Cortez Castro & Mr. Cisco attacked Johnny Mundo earlier in the show, so that he couldn’t interfere. Castro & Cisco would interfere on behalf of Big Ryck, but Mundo still came out to help Prince Puma. There would be miscommunication, as Mundo accidentally hit Puma with a chair, allowing The Crew to take advance. Big Ryck puts Prince Puma through a table and scores the pinfall for the win.

4.) WWE Monday Night RAW (5/4/15) – WWE United States Title – John Cena vs. Sami Zayn: ***1/2

This match was part of John Cena’s U.S. Open Challenge, where he basically had an open contract for anyone to come out and face him in a United States Title Match. In this instance, Bret Hart came out to a huge ovation (this show took place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada), and he introduced Cena’s actually opponent, NXT Superstar, former NXT Champion, and hometown hero Sami Zayn! Of course, everyone knows that this is the match where Zayn injured his shoulder, which would lead to him being out of action for a number of months. Despite that, Zayn was able to work through the injury, and put on a gutsy performance against John Cena. A really good television match! Zayn showed a lot of heart and worked well here against Cena. Lots of really solid back & forth action here. Even though Cena would eventually get the win to retain his United States Title, it was awesome to see Sami Zayn go toe-to-toe with the top star in the WWE.

5.) WWE NXT TV (10/28/15) – Samoa Joe vs. Tyler Breeze: ***1/2

This match came about as a result of what had happened a few weeks prior. Samoa Joe had eliminated Tyler Breeze during a #1 Contender’s Battle Royal, and then, out of frustration, Breeze eliminated Samoa Joe. The match itself was pretty good. While it didn’t top the amazing tag team match that occurred on the same episode, it was still very solid, with some cool back & forth action throughout. In the end, Samoa Joe would force Tyler Breeze to tap out for the win. This would actually be Breeze’s last match in NXT, as he would be promoted to the main roster shortly after this match took place.

That's it for this edition of my Random Match Reviews! I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!