Review: WWE Royal Rumble 2006 DVD

BrettMix’s- WWE Royal Rumble 2006 Review:

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                      “Rey Mysterio is going to Wrestlemania!!!….” –Michael “VINTAGE” Cole

 

 

 

 

 

 

1) Opening Contest- Kid Kash (c) vs Gregory Helms vs Funaki vs Jamie Noble vs Nunzio vs Paul London in an Open Invitational 6-Way Cruiserweight match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship

This match was an open challenge by Kid Kash to all previous Cruiserweight Champions. Helms was getting off of the “Hurricane gimmick” and decided to go as this persona and it would be relatively successful. A little bit of a slow start considering the guys in the ring but the match picked up in a big way with a lot of high risk offense as you’d expect in these types of matches.

The match began with a bunch of roll-up`s and you could expect a ton of quick sequences in this one with action taking place all over the place, fast and furious.

Gregory Helms got knocked down right away. Funaki and Noble went at it, while London knocked down Nunzio. All of the sudden all the Smackdown! stars ganged up on Gregory Helms since he was the lone Raw star. The crowd laughed. Kid Kash was laughing because he was the Champion and figured people would be gunning for him.

Nunzio wisely broke up the three count as Kash almost pinned Funaki. Breaking up pinning attempts was the strategy in this type of match because whoever scored a pinfall would win the match and ultimately the title. Gregory Helms broke up an armbasr by noble and then London dropkicked Helms and covered Noble but the pin was broken up.

Paul London got taken over and thrown outside the ring, there is no elimination in a match like this, only pinfall and submission and its sudden death. A great variety of moves coming in sequences during this bout. Kid Kash got speared by Nunzio and then he backdropped Nunzio over the top taking out London and Gregory Helms. Jamie Noble then with a flying leg kick to throat of Kash, and Noble broke up the count. Funaki landed shots on Noble who was sent through the second rope onto more guys on the outside. Kash and Funaki inside the ring, and Funaki was backdropped over by Kash but he landed on the apron and gave Kash a right hand. Funaki though pushed Kash off the top rope onto the other competitors.

Kash posed and then London came in and gave Kash a thrust kick to the jaw and the fans pop. Kash goes to the outside with the others, and London headed to the top and he hit a major shooting star press to everyone else on the outside as they echoed the Holy Shi* chant and Tazz agreed with Miami.

London and Gregory Helms were up top and Gregory Helms hit a swinging neck breaker and both men felt it despite it being applied rather pefectly. Kid Kash dropped London with a dead level but Funaki and Nunzio break up the count yet again. Kash with a back breaker to Nunzio and he got a nearfall while the other men worked over the others in opposite corners. Noble caught Kash with a high kick and then Kid Kash rolled out of the ring. Funaki caught Noble with a gut shot and then went up to the second rope and then recieved a chop by Noble who put on a fireman`s carry and then knees to the gut by Noble. A Dragon Sleeper nicely applied by Noble to Funaki. Gregory Helms then threw Noble out of the ring and then hit Funaki with a shining wizard kick, and then proceeded to pin Funaki.
So in the end it was Gregory Helms who pinned Funaki after a Shining Wizard at 7:40 to become the new Cruiserweight Champion. Helms was a RAW superstar coming into the match but following his win, he moved over to the SmackDown! brand.

Fun opener here, very fast and well executed!

***

 

 

 

2) Mickie James vs Ashley Massaro (w/Trish Stratus as Special Guest Referee)

Mickie James tells Trish who was officiating the match that she loved her before the match. Ok. Ashley attempts to wrestle but her attempts come off brutal and the crowd was on her case about having PPV time. They booed and rightfully so, the booing was so evident that by the end of the match Jerry the King Lawler even pointed it out. Also when Ashley was knocked by Mickie to the outside her selling sounded like she was having an orgasm. Must have taken notes from another Diva Search contenstant from another year in Maria when she did the same thing after being attacked by Trish on Raw in 05.

This doesen`t deserve a spot in Pro-Wrestling.

I feel bad for Joey Styles trying to call Ashley technically sound when she applied an armbar in the sloppiest fashion. Whenever she`d do something like a simple clothesline from the apron, she even made that look brutal. Just awful.

This is one of the worst matches of all time.

In the end James pinned Massaro after a powerbomb at 7:44. How this mess got four seconds longer to work then the opener I’ll never know.

DUD

 

 

3) The Boogeyman vs John “Bradshaw” Layfield (w/Jillian Hall)

Just when I thought you couldn’t get much worse. What happened to the WWE here? I mean I know Eddie Guererro had just died but it seems like in my mind around Survivor Series that everything just went to hell. Look at this undercard for crying out loud.

Boogeyman pinned JBL after a Pumphandle Slam at 1:54.

Less then two minutes of something that felt like ten minutes long.

No point, no substance, no credit deserved. A waste of time, it`s NOT so smart to follow up a DUD with another DUD.

 

 

DUD

 

 

 

4) The 2006 WWE Royal Rumble Match

Something to clap about now.

The Royal Rumble Match was the Main Event from 1999-2005 (7 years in a row) so this was a different feel, the last time the Rumble match didn’t go on last was when Kane put Undertaker’s casket on fire in 1998.

Some Rumble notes to start….

1) Rey Mysterio broke the record for lasting the longest in a Royal Rumble match, 1:02:12. The previous record was 1:01:34, set by Chris Benoit at the 2004 Royal Rumble. Mysterio also became the first superstar in WWE history under 200 pounds to ever win the Royal Rumble, as well as the first masked superstar to win.

2) Glen Jacobs (Isaac Yankem D.D.S., Fake Diesel, Kane) made his tenth appearance in a Royal Rumble match, tying the record for most Royal Rumble appearances with Solofa Fatu (Fatu, The Sultan, Rikishi). It also marked his eighth consecutive appearance in the Royal Rumble as Kane, breaking the previous record of seven consecutive appearances held by himself, Owen Hart and Rick Martel.

3) During the Rumble match, Shane McMahon came in and eliminated Shawn Michaels after being distracted by Vince McMahon. This marked the second consecutive year that Michaels was eliminated by somebody other than a qualified participant. In 2005, he was eliminated by Kurt Angle after having already eliminated Angle earlier.

Here were some of the bigger names in the 2006 Rumble:

  1  Triple H
  2  Rey Mysterio
  3  Simon Dean
  4  Psicosis 
  5  Ric Flair
  6  The Big Show
  7  Jonathan Coachman 
  8  Bobby Lashley
  9  Kane
  10  Sylvan
  11  Carlito
  12  Chris Benoit
  13  Booker T
  14  Joey Mercury 
  15  Tatanka
  16  Johnny Nitro 
  17  Trevor Murdoch
  18  Eugene 
  19  Road Warrior Animal
  20  Rob Van Dam
  21  Orlando Jordan
  22  Chavo Guerrero 
  23  Matt Hardy 
  24  Super Crazy 
  25  Shawn Michaels
  26  Chris Masters
  27  Viscera 
  28  Shelton Benjamin
  29  Goldust
  30  Randy Orton

I find it humerous how Jerry Lawler says if you`re number one or two, you`re screwed. He must have missed the 1995, 1999, and 2004 Royal Rumble`s.

Either way they were just trying to show how it`d be a difficult task for Rey or HHH to win this match.

When odds are they’d still be in the final four of the match. Switch this up WWE….

HHH and Rey start out the match and both of them were favouries but some doubted Rey still because of his size and many weren`t positive he could main event a Mania. Rey Mysterio came out in a lowrider and the fans chanted Eddie as he put HHH in a side headlock.

Rey Mysterio whipped off the ropes and ducked under HHH and dropkicked The Game down hitting the knee before springboarding off the ropes back into HHH and delivering shots to his head. HHH reversed an irishwhip but Rey still came off with a headscissors. Rey then took Hunter to the corner and hit him a bunch of times while the fans chanted Eddie`s name some more. HHH though used his size advantage to flip Rey over the top onto the apron but he springboarded from the outside back in to dropkick HHH. Rey went for a 619 but missed.

Simon Dean was out next as he rode out. HHH went to work on Rey Mysterio. Rey Mysterio layed there as Simon Dean started to stomp on Rey. The fans booed and Dean gave Hunter the thumbs up, Dean went to throw out Rey but HHH wouldn`t have any of Simon Dean`s celebration. Rey Mysterio flipped in the ring with a senton and took down Dean. Both HHH and Mysterio then threw out Simon Dean. Rey Mysterio hit a droptoe hold to HHH and he hit face first. Rey Mysterio charged towards HHH and hit a bronco buster.

Out next was Psicosis from the Mexicools. Psicosis would join Triple H and Rey Mysterio inside the squared circle as the fourth entrant in this 30 man Rumble match. Rey got some kicks by Psicosis and EC Dub chants were chanted. Psicosis hit HHH with a hard shot and then planted Rey innovatively on top of HHH with a leg drop, King calls it team work by the Smckdown! superstars. Rey with a back elbow but was caught by Psicosis, these two have had history. Psicosis hit a side slam and then sent Rey to the corner. Psicosis stomped on HHH and then went to powerbomb Rey and he countered it into a headscissors where he eliminated Psicosis. Back down to HHH and Rey while Hunter caught Rey with a Spinebuster.

WOOO hit, the Nature Boy was number five. Ric Flair and HHH had a rivalry going and had been through wars at Taboo Tuesday inside a Cage, and at Survivor Series 05 in a Last Man Standing match just a couple of months before this. Every time Flair hit the Game the crowd chanted “WOOO“ and Flair showing he still had charisma danced around until meeting a facebuster by Hunter. HHH picked up Flair and went for a Pedigree attempt but the Dirtiest Player in the game grabbed a trunk full of junk and that stopped HHH but he ended up backdropping him up and over while the fans boo. Rey Mysterio and HHH left alone again.

No breaks for Hunter as out next was another man who had problems with Triple H. Big Show stormed out and HHH looked furious. Big Show came inside the ring now and delivered a headbutt to HHH. Big Show kicked at Hunter in the corner and then told Miami to “SHHH“ while he slapped at HHH`s chest with his palm and then Hunter dropped to the mat. Big Show picked up Rey and hit the much smaller Rey down. Big Show had been in the final two twice before in 2000 with Rock, and 2004 with Benoit. Big Show beating up both HHH and Rey Mysterio who were more fatigued. Elbow drops by Show after a slam to HHH by Show.

Out next was The Coach with his second Rumble appearance in two years. Coach begged for Show not to hurt him and then Show mocked him. Big Show choked Show and then eliminated him while Lawler laughed because apparently he`s a babyface now. Ten years before this, King would love a guy like The Coach since he did things like him, I miss THAT King. Big Show with a chokeslam to Rey and then a chop to Hunter.

Big Show with a chokeslam to HHH. Bobby Lashley made his Rumble Debut and Cole called him the real darkhorse in this match. Lashley and Show met eye to eye and after a shove from Lashley, Show gave him a right hand. Show caught Bobby by the throat and he countered a chokeslam into a go behind-waistlock. Lashley then came up and hit a backdrop on a 500 pounder. Lashley kicked Show out of the ring under the bottom rope and the idiotic fans cheered who thought he was out. Lashley irishwhipped Rey to the corner buckle then hit a hard shoulder block to HHH.

Why is it that Kane is usually always entered whenever Show is, I have no idea. Either way Kane and Lashley met face to face and after a double shoulder block neither went down until Kane hit a boot to the face of Lashley. Kane was Show`s co-tag champ at the time. Kane caught a belly to belly by Lashley. Bobby Lashley started to dominate and hit suplexes everywhere in the ring on everyone.

Sylvan came out. Smackdown!`s fashion consultant. Lashley took right hands by Sylvan and then he threw Sylvan over the top easily. Lashley turned around and caught a double chokeslam by the World Tag Team Champions, Kane and The Big Show. They both throw Lashley out and end his short lived impressive run as some boo`s were heard. Show and Kane then fired off and it was every man for themself just like every other year. HHH and Rey Mysterio layed in one corner while this action went on. Big Show ran into a boot from Kane and then he grabbed Show by the throat and choked him at the side ropes. HHH came up and eliminated both Kane and Big Show at the same time similar to how Michaels did Vader and Yokozuna in 1996.

Carlito came out next and he was very promising at this time as he joined Rey Mysterio and HHH. Carlito attacked Rey straight away. Why do they have to bill every heel as “Cocky and Arrogant.“ Can they be a bit more original is what I want to know. Carlito irishwhipped Rey but he ran into a boot and then Rey missed a springboard but then Carlito got Rey with a backstabber, a knee to the spine on Rey Mysterio. HHH caught a thumb to the eye by Carlito. The Game though caught an uppercut by Carlito.

Number twelve was Chris Benoit who got a great pop. Benoit came out and he had gone coast to coast the previous two Royal Rumble events. Benoit chopped the hell out of Rey, Carlito and HHH. Benoit with an amazing release on Rey with a huge German and Rey went flying. Benoit then with a German to HHH, and a German to Carlito and he landed but then Benoit put him in the crossface and he tapped out. HHH broke up the Crossface. HHH irishwhipped Benoit to the corner hard and he hit the turnbuckle into the sternum. HHH suplexed Benoit up and he landed on the apron. Benoit with right hands to Hunter but he remained inside the ring. HHH elevated Benoit up off the outside of the ring apron and dropped him on the top turnbuckle. Benoit with big headbutt`s to HHH off the top to HHH who landed in the ring. Benoit dove off the top with a flying headbutt that hit HHH.

Joey Mercury came out now and gave Carlito a jawbreaker followed by a standing dropkick and charged towards him in the corner, followed by a right hand to HHH. Triple H started to wear down as did Rey Mysterio. Rey Mysterio hadn’t done much in awhile and finally kicked at Carlito after Benoit suplexed Mercury.

Tatanka came out next. He was somewhat of a surprise to see for some people. Carlito and HHH looked confused. Tatanka hit chops on HHH and Carlito and the fans gave a chant cheering on Tatanka as he chopped on everyone at ringside. Benoit attacked Hunter in the corner.

Nitro came out and Melina told him to hurry because Mercury needed some help from the punishment from Tatanka. Action continued with nothing very significant to note.

Entrant #17 was Trevor Murdoch. Mercury and Nitro took apart Benoit on a side of the ring while HHH tried to throw out Rey Mysterio and Cole and Lawler claim someone must be looking out for him. Rey Mysterio dropkicked the knee of HHH and then gave him an extra shot to the head. Out came Eugene to some cheers and some boo’s. He’s back unfortunately. Eugene caught some right hands from Trevor Murdoch and he did the Hogan point and then picked up Murdoch with an airplane spin. Mysterio planted EUgene and Murdoch with a double blow via a bulldog. Not many eliminations around this time as the ring was really filling up. Animal from the Legion of Doom came out. Animal caught MNM with a double clothesline and then powerslammed Triple H followed by a right hand to his sternum. Eugene went to throw out Murdoch but he hung on. Benoit and Tatanka tried to throw out Carlito.

The return of Rob Van Dam scored a huge pop. RVD with kicks to everyone in the ring and then finally to HHH who catches a big heel kick. RVD and Benoit go head to head and Benoit catches a big spinning kick. RVD kicked up and then dropkicked Benoit. Animal charged towards RVD to try and eliminate him but he got backdropped out of the Rumble match by Van Dam and some of the crowd booed, well it was only given Animal was going to go out eventually.

Orlando Jordan came out at #21 to virtually no responce at all. RVD chants by the crowd as he was choked out in the corner by Triple H. I guess you could say Hunter was burying Van Dam. I wonder why that is such an easy thing to say? RVD with a spinning leg drop on Carlito while HHH worked over Eugene, Benoit worked over Nitro. RVD nearly had eliminated Carlito but he hung on.

Out next was Chavo Guerrero who got a huge pop and remember, this event took place just a few weeks after Eddie died. Eddie chants filled the arena as Chavo got a chance to work over everyone and then he planted Rey Mysterio face first. Chavo hit a hurricanrauna to Carlito and then did the Eddie dance. Chavo then hit the Three Amigo’s. Chavo then went for a frogsplash but Triple H pushed him out which got him some nice heat. Benoit then came and shoved Hunter over as this obvioussly didn’t please him.

Matt Hardy came out and was attacked by MNM. Matt hit a side effect on Nitro and then one on Mercury. Matt layed out Orlando Jordan. Rey Mysterio and RVD looked to throw out HHH as he just barely hung on and rolled back in as HHH was nearing in on 39 minutes. MNM took a picture of Tatanka so to speak and then dropped him. Matt Hardy almost got Jordan out but he hung on. Tatanka was thrown out by MNM.

Entry #24 was Super Crazy. He flew off the top taking out both MNM with a flying crossbody. Benoit worked over Murdoch in a corner of the ring. Carlito then went to suplex Johnny Nitro but couldn’t as he reversed the suplex attempt and dropped Carlito on the top rope. Carlito hung onto the apron and caught a Rey Mysterio dropkick but still stayed on. Matt Hardy tried his best to throw out HHH, but that didn’t happen obvioussly.

Shawn Michaels came out to big HBK chants as he cleaned house for a bit until taking a knee to the gut by Trevor Murdoch.

Masters came in and helped out Orlando Jodran. HHH and Matt almost eliminate each other. Benoit and RVD are working each other over while Masters then goes for Rey Mysterio. Matt couldn’t get HHH over. Shawn had Mercury in a head scissors to try and get him out but Nitro hillariously and innovatively I guess pulls him by the jeans to make sure he stays in.

#27 was Viscera who was the love machine at this point. Seeing him come out in Pajama’s and wrestling them is a little strange, seeing him taunt is worse, oh and then there’s the pelvic thrusting from behind which always gets boo’s. I wonder where those people who claim Wrestling is Homosexual get there material from? Vis got Matt up and over. Matt Hardy sure had a ton of momentum when returning in 05 didn’t he? I’m being sarcastic here.

Out at 28 was Shelton Benjamin with his Mama. Benoit threw out Eugene. Carlito and Masters went to throw out RVD which got Van Dam chants. HHH caught a spinning heel kick by Shelton.

Coming in next was Goldust. The 2002 Rumble appearance worked much better and that one was actually announced beforehand. Vis chopped away at flesh and then did a funny walk. HHH backdropped Shelton to the apron but he landed on the apron and speared Hunter.

The 30th and final entrant was none other then Randy Orton. One of the favourites to win the match. Everyone had now entered.

The ring was full.

Orton threw out Benoit which got some boo’s from the crowd and Cole said Orton did that for revenge from losing a Smackdown! match. Vis caught an RKO from Orton. Masters and Carlito team up to eliminate Vis and then Carlito threw out Masters as he double crossed him. Goldust gave Carlito some shots in the corner while RVD worked on MNM. Goldust gave Carlito shattered dreams and then RVD eliminated him. Orlando Jordan got elimnated by Randy Orton as he bounced his head off the top rope and he fell off the apron. Carlito and Shelton working each other over ont he apron. After Shawn hit an atomic drop on HHH both of MNM take him down and drop his groin onto there knees. They signal it is time for the snapshot and then Shawn took down Nitro with a thumb to the eye and he accidentally eliminated Mercury did Nitro when he charged towards Michaels but caught Mercury. Shelton then hit a big kick to Shawn’s head after Nitro was thrown out by a man he is often compared to, Shawn Michaels.

Mr. McMahon’s music hit, this time he doesen’t try and get in the ring to avoid injuring himself I guess. Shane comes in from behind as HBK is distracted and they work to get him up and over. Shawn came in to attack Shane but HHH put a pedigree attempt on, HBK got out and kicked HHH in the jaw. Shawn chased the McMahon’s out.

Carlito dropped RVD with a DDT. Rey Mysterio, Carlito, Van Dam, Orton and Triple H were the last five left. RVD kicks Carlito and he goes out in pretty pathetic fashion, not the best elimination ever. The final four. Mysterio makes it two years in a row to the final four but still seemed like an underdog, in a bigger man’s environment. RVD said he’d form an alliance with Rey and they go for the two heels left in Orton and HHH. RVD with a rolling thunder on HHH and then backflipped Mysterio over onto Orton. RVD and Rey with great double team moves. HHH caught RVD up at the top and flipped Rey Mysterio up to knock out RVD. Now the odds were against Rey Mysterio as HHH and Orton were left with him. Orton and HHHH irishwhipped Rey Mysterio to the ropes but he bounced back with a DDT to both guys. Rey gave HHH a head scissors into the ropes and doesen’t it look nice that HHH held Orton’s head there for the double 619 spot. Eddie’s name was chanted and Lawler said he felt the presence of Eddie Guerrero.

Orton hit a clothesline on Mysterio and a powerslam to HHH. HHH went to Spinebuster Rey but he got him up and over and out which ultimately got an amazing ovation. People legitimately thought he would win for some reason, a HEEL HHH winning didn’t seem realistic, even though HHH still went to the MAIN EVENT of that years Mania even though he didn’t win. HHH took Rey out of the ring and threw Mysterio into the steps so if you didn’t know Rey was going to win, you did now as the WWE was CLEARY doing the “Oh, there’s no way he could win” type deal with Rey as of this point.
In the end Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton were the last two participants. Mysterio reversed Orton’s toss attempt into a headscissors takedown over the top rope to win the Royal Rumble at 1:02:12. Rey sets a new record for lasting the longest in a Rumble and my only real complaint with this was that they made a bigger deal in the past when a guy lasted 30 minutes in the ring (when the rumble was new) then they do these days when a guy like Benoit goes coast to coast in 04 and 05, as well as Rey here in 06. This marked the third year someone who started the rumble match went coast to coast as I just pointed out.

This Rumble felt dull throughout as a whole.

Definitely wasn’t booked well although there were a few fine moments, but give an hour and I can give you some fine moments as well. Nothing more then PRETTY GOOD at the very best.

This rating being relatively low for a RUmble match has NOTHING to do with the fact Rey Mysterio won, I like Mysterio and had no problem with him winning.

 

 

 

** 1/2

 

 

 

5) John Cena vs The “Rated -R- Superstar” Edge (c) (w/Lita) for the WWE Championship

Cena had a Wrestlemania like entrance and entered the ring on a large steel catwalk-like scaffold that had been lowered from the ceiling. The entrance was used probably because Cena was becoming booed more and more regularly on a consistent basis.

Edge came out with Lita as he was a new champion at this time in his first ever PPV Title defense as WWE Champion. I loved Edge bragging about the ratings being good for his live sex celebration and completely ignoring it was supposed to be SEX.

John Cena tied up with the Champion Edge and he cornered John Cena until he gave him a shot to the gut with his knee. Edge irishwhipped John Cena but he bounced off the other corner with a clothesline. Edge took a walk and then grabbed Cena out of the ring and hammered him with a right. Cena then slammed Edge`s head off the ring apron. Edge used his body weight inside the ring to force Cena`s head to bounce off the corner. Cena sent Edge hard into the corner and then he planted him with a sidewalk slam which doesen`t get him a two. Cena with an irishwhip but he hung onto the outside ropes and went to the outside.

Typical Heel-Face spots to start. Cena threw Edge into the steps rather gently and then Edge hid behind Lita to use her as a shield. Edge then speared Cena into the steel steps. That was well done, just like I`m sure Lita was.

Edge came in and played the part of the HEEL you just love to hate rather well, he was completely in control now and hit a baseball slide to Cena which caught him in the face and sent him to the front row over the barricade. Cena was just able to break the ten count and Edge continued it by stomping on him and then mocked his “You can`t see me“ taunt. Some fans chant “Let`s go Cena” and then other try a Lets go Edge. Edge hit a spinning heelkick to Cena. Edge then left his feet for added momentum to add to the impact of a vertical suplex. Cena fought back with some shots but Edge raked the eyes of John Cena and then out of the corner hit a nice standing dropkick. Edge with a hard forearm shot to Cena`s head and then left the inside of the ring to irishwhip Cena into the steps once more. Edge threw Cena in the ring and then from the top gave Cena a nice missile dropkick and this only got him a two, he went for the cover again and only got a two once more.

Cena could fight through anything was the clear message here. Cena bounced off the ropes and ran into a big clothesline by Edge. Edge got Cena up and sat him on top in the corner of the ring and then Cena sent Edge off which bought him time. Cena then went for a leg drop fromt he top and crashed hurting his leg. Edge went for a cover out of instinct but he put his leg on the bottom rope to break the count. Edge landed shots to John Cena with good accuracy and then asked for some support from the crowd and actually got some. Edge went to land on Cena but he got caught by Cena who almost hit an F-U then Edge raked the eyes, tried a roll-up and Cena got out but then ran into a kick by Edge. Edge flew off the top then with crossbody, but Cena rolled him over and got a nearfall. Both men to there feet and Cena hit rights, but Edge caught a sleeper on Cena. Edge went into a bodyscissors and a rearchoke on Cena down on the canvas. This lasted a good minute or two and Cena was still being choked out.

John Cena somehow managed to get Edge up but he threw Cena in the corner and Edge went for a spear and missed it hitting the buckle. Cena capitalized on Edge`s missed spear and hit him with a DDT to the canvas. Both men got to there feet slowly here and John Cena hit a running shoulder block on Edge followed by some clotheslines and then a belly to back powerbomb. Five knuckle shuffle hit and then Lita got up on the ring apron and Cena grabbed her by the hair and Edge went to charge into Cena but got LITA instead. Cena hit the FU then the STFU for the win.

In the end it was John Cena forcing Edge to submit with the STFU to become a 2 time WWE Champion at 14:02.

Some good material but it`s the same recycled formula they`ve don a million different times.

No interesting offense from Cena or selling for that matter, and no psychology and for a match that wasn`t action packed it was a problem.

A generic face vs heel booked match.

 

 

** 3/4

 

 

 

6) Main Event- Kurt Angle (c) vs Mark Henry (w/Daivari) for the World Heavyweight Championship

This main event match marked the first time that two former Olympians battled for a world title in history as stated above.

It went on last because of the finish with the ring breaking down due to the Undertaker spot.

With Mark Henry the man in there with Kurt Angle I didn’t expect a fast flowing match, I expected a lot of submissions and power moves if Henry was dominate at all. So when I knew what to expect the match didn’t come off as bad to me but it just didn’t feel like it should of been the main event. The crowd has just experienced a Royal Rumble as well as Cena winning the WWE Title and now they get a match like this, it didn’t come off well for them as they were silent throughout. That was until the end anyway which was very good and answered a lot of questions about the booking of the matches on the night.

Henry got Angle into a corner as the fans were strongly behind Kurt obvioussly. Angle went to the single leg of Henry in attempt to get him up but Henry overpowered him and knocked him off.

Angle went behind Henry after that with a go-behind and then dodged a clothesline attempt by Henry after he spun around. Angle avoided Henry attacking him in the corner to show he was quicker. Henry couldn`t catch Kurt Angle in the corner then kicked the turnbuckle out of frustration. Henry overpowered Angle and his test of strength brought him to his knees. Henry after a wristlock flipped Angle over and then he got up and hammered Henry with right`s, bounced off both ropes and then he got caught by Henry who threw him over the top rope. Daivari then leaped onto Angle and gave him some right hands. Angle got back in the ring with Henry and applied a front facelock and then Henry picked him up and hung him on the top rope before delivering a kick.

Mark Henry then used the ropes for leverage to pressure both of his boots into the chest of Angle. Henry then with a big splash in the center of the ring which scores him a nearfall. Mark Henry was working at his own pace here which is never a good thing and then he locked on a bearhug to make matters worse. Angle tried to get out of it by hooking the tricep but he couldn`t get Henry up or get out of the hold. Angle somehow managed a hip throw which took a lot out of him as well just to hit the move, it was the only move hit in 100 seconds. Angle thrown into the corner and landed a reverse elbow to Mark Henry. Angle flew off the top rope and was caught in mid-air by the challenger who went for a slam but Angle countered with an Ankle Lock attempt as he rolled underneath him and then pulled Henry into the center of the ring.

However, Henry`s power worked in his favor as he shoved Angle off of him, Angle went for an Angle Slam but couldn`t hit it. Angle could hit a German though. Angle measured Henry and hit an Angle Slam but only got him a two count and he became frustrated and pounded on the mat. Angle yelled out and lowered the straps and went back into the Ankle Lock. Daivari then got on the apron and Henry kicked Angle into referee Charles Robinson. Angle got a chair but Daivari stopped him from coming in, or tried to as Angle hit him with a chair. Angle went to hit Henry with the chair and he stopped the momentum of the chair and flipped Angle over. Henry then went over to Angle who hit a lowblow on him. Angle got the chair and hit Henry right in the head twice. Angle got referee Robinson up and still Mark Henry kicked out.

Angle exposed the second turnbuckle but was irishwhipped into it back first, however still managed a droptoe hold to Henry and he hit the corner and inevitably got the worse of the exchange.

In the end Angle pinned Henry with a roll-up after Mark Henry’s head hit an exposed turnbuckle at 9:29 to retain the World Title.

After the match the gong hits, the place goes crazy and Taker scares Angle by signalling that his title will be his soon. That set up a great main event the following month in what was in my eyes the match of the year at No Way Out.

This match was decent. Pretty slow though, not much of a story developed either, the last few minutes were booked alright which is why it can come across as Decent at best.

If not for the Taker thing at the end it would of been an absolute disaster to end the show with this match.

 

 

 

* 3/4

——————————————————————
  

Final Rating for WWE Royal Rumble 2006 = 4/10

This was one of the worst Royal Rumble events of all time. A “pretty good” at best Rumble match with a decent at best main event, and strong opener which was the match of the night at three stars is about all to watch for. The other match which closed the show was under two stars by my count and the other two were DUD`s. Can`t completely fault the company as they had to re-work some booking perhaps because of the Guerrero death but it was still a bad event. It is what it is, avoid this and only own if you are collecting in which case I suggest you just get the Anthology.