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Date Posted: 08:10:55 08/13/01 Mon
Author: BMN
Subject: RAW review 08/12/2001

Real Action Wrestling at the North Sydney Forum
August 12, 2001

Someone finally clues in that having the "f" word scattered all over the pre-show music isn't the most prudent thing in the world. Cathy is up to role #4; this week, it's camerawoman. Say, Cath, why not train to take some bumps and be a ref? There haven't been any female refs (aside from "guest refs") since Rita Chatterton. I'd be up for that idea.

But hey if you do, don't get caught in any limos with lecherous promoters...

Smaller crowd as the Sunday adjustment occurs. Next week, it's Summerslam. If they start at 7:30, they're going to screw themselves over.

A big surprise: no pre-show promos. A new ring announcer announces our double main event and introduces our first match.


1. Corporal Chaos vs. Mike Hughes (**)

Wow, the booker goes from champ to wrestling the jobber in the opening match. And a pretty good match for the curtain-jerker to boot. Hughes goes over. Chaos continues to improve. Next.


2. Chi Chi Cruz vs. Massive Damage (** 1/2)

Wow, surprise #2! A babyface match that sees Cruz in the second match of the evening and Massive in a scientific element. A lot of the crowd, of course, doesn't go for this scientific stuff, including our friend Stevie. But I think this makes for a good change in pace. Sometimes the restholds could be draining but I thought the flow was good and Damage held his own. Hughes runs out for a DQ finish which was disappointing. Damage chooses to waffle Hughes with a chair, thus cementing his babyface status- if there was any doubt.


3. Duke MacIssac/Eddy Watts vs. Flesh Gordon/Custom Made Man (****)

This was a fantastic match and really showed us what the "Custom Made Marks" were on to. CMM (see, I got the initials right this time!) does a great Ricky Morton impersonation and all four men keep the crowd involved from start to finish. Good old-school tag finish- as Custom hits the frog splash but Watts nails him with the guillotine legdrop and the heels win. MacIssac also continues to improve- I think R.A.W. is taking extra care with its workers. Either that or they're more dedicated than a few G.P.W. workers were; I'm not sure. The North Sydney match of the year so far.

We have our intermission.


4. Wildman Gary Williams vs. Bobby Rude (** 1/2)

Williams is the champ and the North Sydney Forum has seen three different champions in the last three shows. Good match between great workers hurt by the dopey "foreign object" finish in which Rude thinks he's won only to have the match restarted. But Williams nails his finisher very well.


5. Tables Match: Joe E Legend vs. Kingman (***)

I'm normally not crazy about table matches but this was pretty good. They teased the table breaking in "little" ways by using it as a ringpost of sorts for brawling spots. Alas, Kingman goes over with the help of Bobby Rude thus giving Kingman a top heel run. But the great news: this sets up a Legend-Rude match for next week. That could be the gem to rival the tag match from tonight.


Highest match ranking: **** (CMM/Gordon v Watts/MacIssac)
Lowest match ranking: ** (Hughes v Chaos)
Avg. match ranking: between ** 3/4 and ***
Event ranking: *** 1/2

Best RAW show yet despite some small booking stumbles and limited mic work. Yes, you read right: no matches under **. What I loved about this effort was that it showed some balls on the promotion's behalf. They weren't afraid to roll the dice on a babyface match to solidify Damage's status and set up a Cruz-Hughes feud. They were able to cull their North Sydney match of the year thus far out of a midcard tag match featuring performers that all fall out of the "big six." I can do without title-hotshotting but with Williams, the title could have a good home for a few weeks. And while Legend didn't get the title feud I predicted, he did get his feud with Bobby Rude- something I've been calling for. The only problem I see is that the company is going run smack dab against Summerslam: and that's a shame because people oughtn't choose to duck out as these shows get better and better.

A hearty thumbs up and anticipation for my final two shows before ducking out for the fall.

BMN

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