Review: WWE Vengeance 2004 DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWE “Vengeance 2004” Review:

 

 

“Look at how impressive this is….Look at this man JR, look at the IC Champion Randy Orton…in all his glory…the man of Destiny!” -Jerry Lawler

 

 

 

 

-WWE Vengeance 2004 took place Sunday Night, Live on PPV from Hartford, Connecticut from the Hartford Civic Center the former home for the now departed NHL Hartford Whalers in front of 7,000 fans.
-This was the 4th Annual Vengeance event.

-This Show was the first ever Raw brand Vengeance event.

-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler did commentary for the show.

 

-The event grossed $370,000 with 7,000 ticket sales and had a 0.43 buyrate

-Before the pay-per-view aired, on Sundy Night Heat Tyson Tomko (with Trish Stratus) defeated Val Venis (with Nidia) at 2:52.
 

 

 

 
-Now onto the PPV……………

 

 

 

 

 

1) Opening Contest- Tajiri and Rhyno vs Garrison Cade and Jonathan Coachman

 

 

 

Garrison Cade who would later go on to be known as Lance Cade passed away recently as such a young age unfortunately. The curse of the business.

Anyway here we go, I actually don’t mind the Coach for some reason, as a good guy, he could be funny, in segments with The Rock come to mind with the Cow’s “Rock it was ony that one time” in the Summer of 02, or his prayer at Wrestlemania X8, or how about him listing his favourite singers to Rocky on Smackdown!

Most of these clips you cn see on Rocky’s DVD. I was even mroe of a fan of the Coach as a heel, he works for ESPN now, good on him.

Anyways we open the night here with the team of Rhyno and Tajiri, two fan favourites and ECW original’s going against these two who were definitely a strange heel pair of a tag team.

Of course this match all began because of the Eugene Musical Chairs Raw opened with from Winnipeg, Manitoba Now home to the NHL’s Jets once again and Jericho’s hometown. Now we are live on PPV from Hartford the former home of the NHL’s Hartford Whalers (always loved there unique green logo and uniform) who are now of course the Carolina Hurricanes as of 1996.

 

Tajri’s mystery partner is Rhyno and he barely gets a pop. Oh well.

Coach tags in Garrison Cade right away and EC Dub is chanted.

Cade wth a waistlock and then Rhyno reverses it into a wristlock. Cade with an arm-ringer and a standing side headlock until he runs into Rhyno.

A furious Rhyno fights back and then hits an elbow-drop.

Tajiri comes in with a series of kicks to Garrison Cade.

Coach with a cheap shot from the apron but Tajiri hit a thrust kick knocking him off the apron to the fan’s delight.

Garrison Cade wears him down and now that Coach was tagged in he kicks the back of Tajiri and spears the lower back of Tajiri.

Coach slams Tajiri and bows to him mocking the Japanese Buzzsaw but he kicks him to the face at the canvas. Crowd chants Coach Sucks but both Coach and Garrison Cade double team Tajiri with a double side-russian leg-sweep. Coach with a variation of a surfboard to Tajiri but as he charged towards him in the corner Tajiri hit the Tarantruala buying himsef enough time to tag in the man beast who runs over Coachmen.

Garrison Cade got sprayed with the mist, Rhyno gored him, Tajiri with a high kick to Coach.
In the end at 7:30 Tajiri and Rhyno won the tag match after some good double-team work.
This match is better then many expected and worked as a fine opener.

 

 

** 1/2

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Batista vs Y2J Chrs Jericho

 

 

 

Single’s match between two of Raw’s biggest stars here.

This was of course before Batista’s monster push as he was on top of the company at Next Year’s Vengeance headlining it with the Game inside that Cell.

But they were still building him big here, hence the match and booking of this encounter with Y2J.

Batista comes out using his power immediately with power moves.

Chris Jericho pulling the ropes down makes Batista run over to the floor.

Jericho with a missile dropkick from the top.

Batista drops his knee onto Jericho once back in the ring. A nice neck-breaker by Batista.

Now continuing to work on the neck with an upper arm-bar which is smart and very strategic into a full nelson potentially taking away Jericho’s fying forearms.

Batista trying to utlize the leverage advantage by maintaining his vertical base against  smaller Y2J.

Dave goes back into a full nelson grounding Chris Jericho by continuing to work on his neck.

Jericho out of desperation tries to kick at Batista’s Quad the biggest muscle in your body which is also logial because you take the bigger man off his veritcal base.

Legendary performer Bret Hart did this in many matches with bigger guys.

Jericho with a flying reverse elbow off the top but eventually ran into a side-walk slam by Batista who wanted a three right there.

Batista sends Chris Jericho to the ropes and deivers a hard shot to the kidneys.

Batista follows it up more damage to Jericho dropping his body weight on the ribs near the middle ropes, then his knee on neck choking him out.

Now a back-breaker by Big Dave only gets him a two.

Dave then had Chris in a back-breaker while torking the back working over his whole body inluding his neck in a neck-vice in this complex submission hold.

 

Batista then lost control of the move and Chris Jericho fired back with a forearm and tried a crossbody off the ropes and Batista tried a powerslam.

Chris Jericho with a backslide chop-blocks the knee and Jericho went for a roll up and then tried to sent Tista to the ropes.

Batista hit a Spinebuster off the ropes and Chris Jericho got his shoulder up.

Fans chant for Y2J.

Batista who has been in control of most of the match is going for a powerbomb but once more Chris Jericho hits a backslide into a cradle and he only got a two.

Batista takes Jericho’s legs now out of the Game and hit a huge Spinebuster followed by an amazing sit-down powerbomb with unbelievable power.

In the end at 12:19 The Animal defeated the former LionHeart as he tamed him putting him away after a powerbomb.
This match told a terrific story of a power guy against an athletic guy, the fans were a bit dead but the psychology from both was top notch. Perhaps on of Batista’s best matches in his young career.

 

 

*** 1/4

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) La Résistance (Róbert Conway and Sylvain Grenier) (c) vs “Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Eugene

 

Flair tagging with Eugene going for the tag title’s didn’t seem right but here we go regardless.

That was the whole idea I guess.

Eugene came out in one of Flar’s robes and Flair was not high on the idea of teaming with hm clearly.

Grenier sang the french version of Oh Canada to a chorus of boo’s before Naitch of course interupted.

Eugene began in the ring with Róbert Conway.

This must of been about a month before the fans started to turn on him. (Eugene)

Both guys go to tie up but Eugene then slicks his hair back to mock Flair as he paces on the apron in hilarious fashion.

Eugene then corners Róbert Conway and struts. Eugene carries the leg of Róbert Conway and his an atomic drop.

Frequent tags now as Grenier was tagged in and now Róbert Conway is back in chopping Eugene down to size and then Eugene does Flair’s infamous Face-Flop to a ton of laughs.

Flair comes in the ring now with the hot tag and it’s time for him to strut.

Nature Boy in complete control over Róbert Conway. Grenier however is tagged in and he stomps on Flair.

Grenier delivers elbow shots to the throat of Flair. Grenier with more fists to the head of Flair and he drops to the canvas, Flair able to kick out.

Flair with chops in the corner as both men hit one another with chops. A nice back-drop by Sylvian Grenier to Flair into a headlock.

Fans applaud wanting Naith out of the hold while Eugene bounced on the apron. Grenier with a shoulder block off the ropes.

Róbert Conway viciously continues on Flair with a choke-hold.

A front faelok this time by Róbert Conway to Ric Flair.

Eugene all of the sudden snaps and goes crazy after both wrestlers and now he slams the legs of Grenier against the ring post and fires away on Róbert Conway drilling him into the turnbuckle.

Eugene hit the Stunner, then the Rock Bottom as the ref calls for the bell.

Róbert Conway is then hit with the People’s Elbow before Flair’s strut.
In the end at 12:30 La Résistance retained their tag straps via DQ after Flair and Eugene were Disqualified.

 

This match was way more entertaining then it had any right to be.

 
 

** 3/4

 

 

 

 

 

4) Matt Hardy (with Lita) vs Kane in a No Disqualification match

 

Hardy and Kane with a personal feud here with Lita that I personally hated. Who’s Lita’s baby’s Father?

I can’t stand storylines like this in wrestling but what are you gonna do?

Thank god that Baby Killer Snitsky came by a few months later and killed her baby on Raw.

 

Anyway these two got it on outside the ring to begin.

Matt Hardy tried a twist of fate to Kane on the announce table but he was shoved off by the big Red Monster off the Espanol tableeeee or what have you.

Kane then took the padding off the top of the security wall and dropped Matt Hardy on it. Kane with hard right’s.

Complete domination here.

Now in the ring Kane with a hard kick to the face of Matt Hardy. Kane chokes out Matt in the corner with his big boot. Kane with stiff European uppercut in the corner to the Sence of Mattitude.

Or what once was.

Crowd is pretty dead as Matt comes from the corner with an attempted clothesline and Kane runs him over stopping him.

Kane takes Matt to the outside ramp while the crowd chants for tables? Huh? Are they cheering for Kane? Do they think one of these is a Dudley? Do they think it’s a tables match, I honestly don’t get it?

I guess they needed an excuse to cheer as this bout was getting a tad long.

Kane trash-talks Matt Hardy back in the ring now.

Matt does FIGHT after Glen Jacobs asks why don’t you fight MAAATTTTT!

Kane though continues to take it to Matt. Matt Hardy runs at Kane with a chair but Kane puts up his big size whatever boot straight to the face.

Kane grabbed a chair then droped it.

Matt Hardy with his first bit of offense with a lariat take-over clotheslining Kane down to the floor and his boot is traped in the ropes.

Matt Hardy has the crowd behind him (most of them) and Matt runs a monitor to Kane’s head.

I forgot this was a NO DQ match in all honesty, that could explan the table chants earlier, my bad. Matt with a big leg drop from the top and then it took Kane no tie to re-gain momentum with a back-body drop.

Matt Hardy fights back the best he can but Kane hits a chokeslam.

Kane nods his head as if to say he’s not done. Kane goes outside the ring. Pushes the steps over. Ross does his usual bit of sympathy, BAW GOD its no DQ but do ya got no heart, do ya got no soul baw god!

Lita runs to the ring, lookin fit for a Pregnant broad.

Kane drops the steps as the crowd boo. LOOOOL.

Kane says watch what I do to your boyfriend.

Matt Hardy smacks the chair into the steps and into Kane.
In the end at 10:34 Matt actually got the win over Kane in a NO DQ match.

Because THAT is how you push a monster. He’d also job to Michaels and rookie Snitsky later in the year on PPV. Terrible booking.
This match was pretty pointless. Kane dominated for a boring ten minutes, Lita came out, Matt hits Kane with a chair into the steps and gets the three for an upset. Alright onto a more compelling match.

 

 

3/4*

 

 

 

 

 

 

5) Randy Orton (c) vs Edge for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

 

 

To say this match got a lot of time to work, would be an understatement.

I have found you either love this one or you hate it.

I love it.

There’s an obvious 90-120 second pause in the middle while Orton continues to weardown Edge with a reverse chinlock and the fans get on his case, but outside that I felt everything was neccessary.

 

Orton comes out to the Evolution theme, Edge has his basic “You think you know me, know me” that he used before picking up Rob Zombie.

Orton’s long reign as IC Champion had been building not only himself up, but the IC title’s credibility as well. The days where Macho Man Randy Savage, The Honkytonk Man, Pedro Morales, Mr. Perfect, The Rock among others who held the IC title for a long time and defended it time and time again seemed to be coming back here with Orton.

That’s how it seemed anyway, seeing as of this writing there’s hardly been a credible IC reign since this one.

Randy Orton had his fans here, his character was catching on, whereas Edge was a bit stale upon returning and was rather blah as a babyface, he’d late go HEEL but this match took place in a time where he was about to go in a transitional period, so the crowd is split here.

Edge had that look on his face when Orton came out, as if to say “So you think you’re the new thing around here?” you could easily see that line directly in front of you as Orton did his pose with the IC title. Randy Orton’s entrance looked awesome around this time.

Edge and Orton tied up in mid-ring and there were a ton of noticeable “lets go Orton” chants which Lawler and Ross at first ignore. Neither man gained an advantage on the intial tie-up. Edge got caught in a side headlock by Randy Orton and Edge willed his way out of it with an over-head wristlock into a side headlock of his own onto the Champion.

A nice little feeling out stage here, Orton sent Edge off the ropes but he bounced back from the other side hitting a shoulder breaker on Orton in mid-ring to which many fans boo. Orton looks frustrated and Edge gets caught by Orton who slaps on a wristlock. Edge tries to power out of it and eventually does hitting an arm-ringer on Randy Orton and then another side headlock, off the ropes, Orton with a leapfrog, Edge ducks, and then off the ropes Edge gets the better of Randy Orton once more with another shoulder block.

Some fans boo, yet again. Orton psyched out Edge by going in for a tie-up but hit a knee to the abdomen of Edge, then a kick to the lower back. Edge in mid-ring got a side headlock by Orton, the two criss-cross and off the ropes Edge leaped over Orton and hit a shoulder block once more, into a side headlock takedown. Edge now on the canvas had Orton temporarily in a pinning position but Orton got his shoulder off the mat. Down on the canvas Edge kept the sleeper locked on Orton wearing down the Champion some more.

Randy Orton back to his vertical base and he sent Edge to the ropes and he hit a series of shoulder blocks to Orton until he had enough and walked around the ring saying he had enough of this. Edge then went up the ramp and hit a forearm to the back of Orton’s head, Edge did not want to win by countout or he wouldn’t get the title. More hard shots by Edge outside the ring until he sent Randy Orton back inside. Edge irishwhipped into the ropes and Randy Orton elevated Edge high over the top rope to the floor buying himself some time.

Edge now down on the mat and the official began to count until Randy Orton himself broke the count. Orton slammed Edge’s head into the bottom of the canvas.

Orton then suplexed Edge from the outside apron into the ring, slamming him back first on the canvas, which gets some applause from the split-crowd.

 

Another nicely executed offensive move from the Champ, which scores him a nearfall. Orton then raked the face of Edge with his boot.

Randy Orton with a hard uppercut sending the challenger down to his knees, and Orton then choked him out on the middle rope. Orton with a kick to the mid-section of Edge a couple of times. Randy Orton dropped an elbow into the throat of Edge in vicious fashion two times and then posed, some of the crowd cheer.

Orton with a snapmare takeover into a reverse chinlock, meanwhile holding the elbow of Edge directly over his head, a unique submission hold. Edge battled out slowly but met another kick by Orton, but off the ropes Edge came flying at Randy Orton out of desperation with a flying forearm and then a couple of quick shots to the head of Orton.

Edge charged to Randy Orton and hit him with a running clothesline taking him over the top rope landing directly on the floor. Orton grabbed his IC title on the outside but Edge hit a baseball slide to Orton levelling him down on the floor, then Edge with a high impact clothesline to Randy Orton on the outside of the ring. Edge pulled up Randy and tossed him back inside the ring.

Edge from the top rope hit a nice missile dropkick from the top rope, and it scores him a two. Lawler points out the fans are cheering for Orton and Ross is forced to now agree. Finally.

Edge is signalling for the spear and Randy Orton caught him with a high kick to the face. Out of the corner Randy Orton then hit Edge with a modified backbreaker and it got him a two count.

Some “Lets go Edge” chants break out as Orton works over the challenger, Randy delivered an elbow to the esophagus of Edge who’s head hung upside down outside the ring apron. Orton then choked out Edge on the bottom rope some more, wearing down the Champ. Randy Orton dragged Edge back to mid-ring and choked him out once more before kicking Edge in the head.

Orton grabbed Edge by his hair and then delivered a slap before a legdrop on the top of Edge’s neck. Orton threw Edge into the corner but Edge caught Orton coming in with a high boot to the jaw. Orton with a righthand to Edge and then he buried his knee into abdomen of the challenger. Edge tried to fight back but it didn’t work.

Every time Edge gained momentum, Orton shut it down. Orton dropped the knee onto the back of Edge’s head and then he choked him out on the bottom rope again.

Randy Orton in mid-ring with a textbook standing dropkick gets him a two count. Randy Orton then in mid-ring using leverage slapped on a reverse chinlock on Edge gripping his neck.

This was one of the spots mid-match which seemed to drag, but I felt it followed the story accordingly because Randy Orton was going to do anything to wear down the Challenger here, who he knew had great conditioning.

Edge to his feet hit Orton with some fists to the head but Orton dropped him yet again and then this time hit legdrop, a nearfall followed by more vicious, striking blows to the neck of Edge by Randy Orton.

Orton went back into the side headlock, and as the fans got on his case he just soaked up in the Heel Heat he was recieving, which means he was doing his job.

The sleeper had been slapped on for a good 90 seconds and the “boring” chants come out, and now Orton slaps on a bodyscissors on Edge on top of the reverse chinlock.

Edge was beyond fatigued at this point.

Edge finally out hit a desperation cross-body out of no where got him a two. A roll-up by Edge gets him another two count, then out of no where Randy Orton delivered a nice clothesline to Edge. Orton with a high risk move now came off the top perhaps looking for a double axehandle drop, but Edge in mid-air hit him with a high impact dropkick and the place erupts.

Both men down.

Edge now gets irishwhipped by Orton, reverses a hiplock, went for a swinging neckbreaker and hit it on Orton to buy himself time. Both men spent and down now and the official began to count.

At the count of eight, both men from there knees exchange blows with righthands to one another, a slugfest broke out, Edge caught Orton off the side ropes and hit him with a side russian legsweep and got a two count out of this. Randy Orton slowly tried to get to his feet and off the ropes, Randy Orton went for a dropkick but Edge made a U-Turn at the ropes and grabbed on, Edge then catapolted Randy Orton into the top turnbuckle and then dropped Edge back first as he planted him to the canvas. Edge gets a two.

Edge climbed to the outside apron and began to climb to the top turnbuckle, from there Orton caught him with a hard forearm shot. Orton with slow rights, and then met Edge up top. Randy Orton going for a Superplex on Edge from up high gets dropped by Edge face first hung up on that top rope out of the front facelock and Orton had his head planted on the turnbuckle.

Edge then with a flying crossbody but Orton rolled through and got a two. Edge went for Orton out of the pinning attempt and Orton hit Edge with a thumb to the eye, Ross says “Thank you Ric Flair” as Orton may have learned it from Naitch himself.

Edge with an inside cradle as Orton came towards him but got a two count. Edge argued with the official and Orton grabbed the tights but only got two himself on an inside cradle.

Randy Orton though did get the best of this predicament hitting another standing dropkick, but just another two count. Orton sent Edge to the ropes, and Edge hit a unique looking DDT after several small reversals and still just a two.

The crowd is loving this now.

Edge in the corner went up high on Orton and landed blows and on the sixth Orton elevated Edge in the air and he hit face first on the top buckle clotheslining him back, Orton covered him and got a long two, pretty exciting stuff here.

Orton signalling for the RKO but Edge pushed him into the corner and now signalled for the spear, Orton leapfrogged Edge and he crashed into the corner face first into the second turnbuckle.

Orton then went for the RKO but Edge countered it into a backslide and got just a two count. Orton with a righthand to Edge and an irishwhip gets reversed as Orton crashed into the exposed turnbuckle this time.

Edge hits the SPEAR!

In the end Edge became the NEW Intercontinental Champion at 26:36 after he finished Orton off with his spear, huge pop considering the split crowd.

I remember always wanting Orton to retain the title, and looking back he probably should have considering the fans opinion on Edge at the time, and the fact I don’t believe Orton was ready to become World Champion just yet. The WWE definitely dropped the ball on the ending here I feel, but still, it was a terrific match.

A Classic as far as I’m concerned, I loved this old school material brought back to life, completely refreshing. As mentioned, it’s usually hit or miss with most folks. I consider it a smashing hit.

One of the best matches in the career’s of both guys. Still is.

 

 

 

**** 1/4

 

 

6) Molly Holly vs Victoria

 

Just a basic ladies match here, no title on the line. The had a good division here at this time.

They usually like putting matches where the crowd is likely to be a tad dead before the main event. No dis-respect to either ladies as they are two of the finest ever for ladies wrestling. But facts are fact, fans don’t show the same passion for ladie’s matches unless say a top or bottom was removed.

 

Does anyone else find it absollutely hilarious that when Victoria is a heel she walks out COMPLETELY different then when she is a babyface. As a face she points to the crowd, smiles, struts, does a stupid dance as she does here.

As a heel she glares and looks at nobody. It’s just so off it’s absolutely hilarious. Jericho is kind of that way but he means for it to be completely off.

Molly Holly with a side headlock. A weak arm-drag by Victoria to Molly Holly twice and then Victoria came flying off the top onto Molly.

Molly flips into the corner and hits a high elbow.

One of these two will meet the injured Trish for the title I guess.

Molly Holly slaps on a reverse chinlock into a armbar.

A LOUD BORING is chanted.

Haha….poor gals.

The crowd looks SO restless. It’s actually funny.

These ladies are not doing anything bad in the least but this match was placed here on the card before the Main Event for a precise reason.

I’ll let you come to that conclusion.

Victoria uses her strength and leverage advantage out but Molly lands her on the top rope and kicks her to the floor.

A fan says Molly I LOVE YOU!

Molly Holly pushed off by a kick.

I think Jim Ross was literally falling asleep calling this match, I’ve never seen him sound more dead.

Not a knock to the girls again, but seriously he must of hated this. Lawler was actually into the moves and not the bodyparts more then Ross that’s when you know he was bored.

Victoria went for a Widow’s peak but her shoulder gave out, she still landed a high thrust kick to Molly Holly.

 

In the end at 6:20 Victoria beats Molly as the crowd sure reacted to that move.
This match was decent, Raw quality but with a dead, DEAD crowd.

 

 

* 1/4

 

 

 

 

 

7) Main Event- Chris Benoit (c) vs Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship

 

 

We all knew these guys had chemisty in the triple threat’s that also included the likes of Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XX and Backlash 04.

They also had two great Raw matches, one in the Goldrush tournament (This however was in 2005) where Benoit went over Hunter and of course their Ironman match on WWE Raw.

So to see this match headline Vengeance was special as it potentally looked like they were perhaps going to ths route for Summerslam but they had other plans with Orton catching on big time as a heel. (They’d royally screw up that face-turn due to bad booking)

 

I’ve seen a lot of hate for this match due to the Eugene factor and him being booked over the importannce of the World title for instance. I fully unerstand that, I was sick of the gimmick from the beginning.

But here we go.

Benoit who had been Champ for a few months now defending it against a man who was no stranger to that prize.

Bell rings and the fans are all behing the Canadian Crippler.

 

Triple H locks up with Benoit and they go to the corner with a collar-bone tie-up.

Keota breaks up the tenacious get-going

I hope I didn’t hear a Boring chant in the fourth straight match of the night? What a horrible crowd.

You’d think Sensatinal Queen/Scary Sherri was in the crowd as someone screams.

A loud Lets Go Benoit is chanted. I missed the days people admired this man. Coincidentally Sherri died the week before Benoit.

Anyway he hits a side headock and Trips is taken into a head-scissors and then gets up and then both guys lock up again and perform a high intense level of chain wrestling.

Fans applaud and rightfully so.

Trips pushes the Champ down.

A cheap move for additional heel heat that The Game honestly didn’t even need.

Benoit with an arm-drag takedown and then tried to put Hunter in the crossface. Out to the outside Chris Benoit chopped the hell out of HHH. Chris Benoit turned the corner and Triple H tried slamming Chris Benoit’s head on the top of the barricade but Benoit did it to Hunter.

Benoit throws Triple H to the ropes and Trips comes off with a high face-buster.

A front face-lock into a snapshot vertical suplex by The Game. Another vertical suplex.

Triple H in control early.

Hunter then goes to put Chris Benoit in the corner but he quickly unloads chops.

 

Lawler says “You ever see Benoit in a weight room?” Eeeesh. That line is pretty creepy now….

 

 

Anyways The Game picks up the Crippler and hits a back-breaker. Perhaps this is The Game’s strategy.

Lawler makes fun of Ross saying when is the last time he was there? Ross says this morning. King says not the waiting room, the weight room. I chuckled.

This duo really lost their comedic steam around this time so I applaud any humor they tried even if it was old or boring.

Benoit chops Hunter back any time he picks up on the offense and then the Crippler, the Reigning champ hit a suplex to Hunter and then chopped him down to size in the corner. Chris Benoit with a hard irishwhip then a reverse elbow is dodged by Chris.

A waistlock and a belly to back German suplex. One down, Benoit went for a hattrick but Hunter countered it. Benoit went for a Sharpshooter but HHH catapolted him to the corner, out of the corner Hunter got up and then got clotheslined out to the floor by Chris Benoit.

Momentum swithing back and forth.

Chris Benoit then irishwhipped Trips hard into the steel steps. Ouch.

Back in the ring Chris Benoit did what he loved to do and that was destroy his brain cells by going for a diving headbutt.

Can`t help but cringe at that now, the Dementia causer, or the main cause if you will.

Both men down and hurting.

Chris Benoit now up and goes to send the Game into the corner but he reversed the irish-whip and with high impact sent the CANADAN CRIPPLER who`s NOW RESIDING in ATLANTA, GEORGIA (Boy, I`m bet that city is glad he took their name now) Sternum first into the turnbuckle again and again.

 

Trips drops the knee to the sternum two or three times. These two had a great Ironman math on Raw around this time, their chemistry was there between the two really al year in 2004.

Again exposing the injured, battered and bruised sternum of Benoit he drops him with a suplex hard to the mat Chest First and got a two. Hunter stomped on the Champ in the corner. The Cerebral Assasin picking apart the technical expert with another chest-first suplex.

The Game not overly rattled at the two count. Now Hunter seperates the chest using great strategic holds here with his leverage advantage with a variation of a surfboard type hold stretching out Chris`s arms.

HHH gthen hit with some kicks until Hunter tossed Benoit using his own momentum sending him over the top rope to the floor crashing right into the mat. The Game sent Benoit sternum first into the barrcade beside the ramp and Benoit being the excellent seller he was sold the injured ribs down on the mat despite the numerous Benoit chants in the crowd.

Hunter tossed Benoit back in the ring and Benoit crashed into the turnbuckle sternum first second to only Bret Hard as he had a whiplash-like effect falling back. Benoit and Bret the two best ever in the ring sell this move to absolute perfection.

Now the Game continuing to rip apart the sternum on Benoit with an abdominal stretch off the ropes. Benoit bleeding from the mouth as well due to Hunter`s tough punishment.

Benoit then with a good arm hit a hiplock foring his way out of the predicament.

Chris Benoit holding the Sharpshooter on Hunter and he reaches for all he has and finally gets to the ropes.

Benoit though hits a hattrick of German Suplexes with a firm waistlock. Chris Benoit still despite being on the offense remembers back to sell the injured sternum from earlier on. Chris Benoit now goes for the flying headbutt.

Hunter though who was methodically breaking Benoit down wanted to make sure he continued to measure the Champion so he slapped on a headlock. A sleeper to Chris Benoit. HHH then wore him back down.

Some fans grew a bit tired of the methodical beat-down but like it or not that`s usually how WWE Championship matches or World title matches I should say go down.

Benoit breaks the sleeper for a second then goes for the Sharpshooter but Hunter kicked out of it and then Benoit sucessfully locks it in.

The place pops.

Benoit throws HHH to the outside. Benoit with a suicide dive to the outside, no pun intended and he takes apart HHH. The official was collided with.

HHH in the ring waited his turn hit a Spinebuster and called for Eugene.

Chris Benoit turned it over and asked for a ref for Eugene to grab a ref.

HHH tapped to Chris Benoit`s crossface.

Eugene came into the ring and Benoit knocked him off the apron to a chorus of boo`s.

Hilarious.

 

HHH with a low-blow from behind Benoit and he hits the Pedigree. Hunter then asked Eugene to get the official and now he tosses a horrible actor named Mike Keota back in the ring.

Chris Benoit kicks out.

Eugene looks troubled.

But when does he not….

HHH grabbed a chair from Eugene and shoved him to the floor, Benoit grabbed the chair and knocked down Hunter.

Benoit now with a chair runs it into Naitch`s head and then Batista who ran out. Eugene then said don`t use the chair but Hunter kicked him in the groin.

 

God does Russo still work for the WWE, this whole thing is so over-booked.

Hunter hit a low-blow.

It is hlarious how some fans are going crazy and the fans in the front row could care less.

Eugene attempts to hit Hunter and then Benoit and he listens to the fans.

Eugene and Benoit fight for the chair, tugging for it and Eugene hits HHH by accident. King lets go a hilarious, squeaky and familiar WHAAAAAT, and Eugene knows HHH will be mad at him.

The crowd grow tired of Eugene and chant that he sucks, finally.

 
In the end at 29:04 Benoit ultimately retained the title after he rolls up Hunter after that chair shot from the mighty and powerful Eugene must have done the Game in.
This match would be Benoit’s last World title defense on PPV in his life.

It`s really a shame that good in-ring chemistry and psychology with this kind of work-rate is ended by an over-booked and retarded (no pun-intended) ending.

 

 

 

 

 

*** 1/2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Final Rating for WWE Vengeance 2004  = 6.5/10

 

 

This show was both hit and miss, a few matches might make the show worth it, the others are tv quality. If you find it cheap or are a collector or like the old-school methodical matches like Orton-Edge here then pick it up! Not bad.