This was one good episode of Superstars and I couldn't recommend it more. I'm starting to give ratings for the matches and here's my scale: 1-5 stars total, 3 stars and above are usually for being pretty watcheable, anything lower are not memorable, and 4 stars and above are the sweet spot. Basically, really good matches that everyone should see, here ya go...
Justin Gabriel v. Heath Slater-These two really worked hard, despite being green still. First, I like Heath's song. Second, I know he isn't very good but he's kinda like the cheesy douche who you just want to hit in the face. I think he'd make a good heel mid-card job guy for the faces. He's really corny but very hateable. Good heat from the start and for the show for that matter. We saw a greco-roman knuckle lock in this into a wrist lock. Later, Gabriel hit a running Slater with a dropkick to the knee which sent Heath onto his face. Justin was on top most of the match and worked the arm of Slater a lot. At one point though, Heath caught Gabriel out of a suplex and crotched him on the top rope. Slater stayed on Gabriel until he missed a kick and soon came Gabriel's comeback, which included a rolling elbow. Nothing memorable from the comeback. Justin hit a springboard moonsault spot on at one point but later Heath hit a nasty neckbreaker out of a top-rope Gabriel. Gabriel looked like he went down real fast before Slater. The finish was the 450 by Gabriel. Like I said, these guys worked hard. **and a half.
Ted Dibiase v. Jinder Mahal-Dibiase has really improved a lot since I saw him last. He seems to do better as a face here. He got a USA chant going early but he didn't stay on top for long. Mahal went on the offensive with a couple neckbreakers, a knee drop, and some heel choking and then went straight after Ted's injured left arm. Eventually, Mahal went to the top but coming down Ted hit him with a dropkick straight out of a Jushin Liger-Brian Pillman match. Ted hit a fiery comeback and I was impressed here as he hit stuff like a sit-out spinebuster but he went to the middle rope and Mahal caught him with a knee. Next, came the camel clutch and the win. Dibiase needs more time on Smackdown, I'm convinced. His comeback was great and I'd like to see more of him. * and a half.
Kofi Kingston v. Dolph Ziggler-This was the main reason I decided to watch Superstars this week and it did not disappoint. They locked up and immediately Ziggler started strutting around like a peacock and went for the sleeper early but it was countered. Kofi went for a quick roll-up but Dolph kicked out and shut him down. They got going running the ropes as Kofi nailed two leapfrogs and Dolph's timing was great. Later, Dolph was top and hit a rolling neck snap and he mocked Kofi's boom, boom, boom which Vickie liked. Soon though, Kofi would gain control with a monkey flip out of the corner leading to another Dolph flipping bump that he does so well. Kofi went for a backslide but Dolph kicked out and nailed a clothesline but quickly Kofi would go for two failed roll-ups. He then went for a kick but Dolph nailed his own dropkick and he started his sit-ups routine. Ziggler threw Kofi into the corner, went for a big splash, but Kofi moved. Looked great and it signaled Kofi's comeback. He hit the SOS but Ziggler kicked out and then he hit the boom, boom, boom. Kofi tried for the Trouble In Paradise but Dolph ended up catching him backfirst in mid-air and slamming him face first. This thing ended up with both men up top fighting as Kofi won out with a headbutt and a punch that sent Dolph down. Kofi went for a crossbody but he missed and Dolph hit the Namedropper/Rocker Dropper but only got a 2. He went for the sleeper but missed again and Kofi hit Trouble In Paradise for the finish. Treamendous stuff here that really picked up towards the end and had great heat. Track this one down and the whole episode at Youtube. ****
Justin Gabriel v. Heath Slater-These two really worked hard, despite being green still. First, I like Heath's song. Second, I know he isn't very good but he's kinda like the cheesy douche who you just want to hit in the face. I think he'd make a good heel mid-card job guy for the faces. He's really corny but very hateable. Good heat from the start and for the show for that matter. We saw a greco-roman knuckle lock in this into a wrist lock. Later, Gabriel hit a running Slater with a dropkick to the knee which sent Heath onto his face. Justin was on top most of the match and worked the arm of Slater a lot. At one point though, Heath caught Gabriel out of a suplex and crotched him on the top rope. Slater stayed on Gabriel until he missed a kick and soon came Gabriel's comeback, which included a rolling elbow. Nothing memorable from the comeback. Justin hit a springboard moonsault spot on at one point but later Heath hit a nasty neckbreaker out of a top-rope Gabriel. Gabriel looked like he went down real fast before Slater. The finish was the 450 by Gabriel. Like I said, these guys worked hard. **and a half.
Ted Dibiase v. Jinder Mahal-Dibiase has really improved a lot since I saw him last. He seems to do better as a face here. He got a USA chant going early but he didn't stay on top for long. Mahal went on the offensive with a couple neckbreakers, a knee drop, and some heel choking and then went straight after Ted's injured left arm. Eventually, Mahal went to the top but coming down Ted hit him with a dropkick straight out of a Jushin Liger-Brian Pillman match. Ted hit a fiery comeback and I was impressed here as he hit stuff like a sit-out spinebuster but he went to the middle rope and Mahal caught him with a knee. Next, came the camel clutch and the win. Dibiase needs more time on Smackdown, I'm convinced. His comeback was great and I'd like to see more of him. * and a half.
Kofi Kingston v. Dolph Ziggler-This was the main reason I decided to watch Superstars this week and it did not disappoint. They locked up and immediately Ziggler started strutting around like a peacock and went for the sleeper early but it was countered. Kofi went for a quick roll-up but Dolph kicked out and shut him down. They got going running the ropes as Kofi nailed two leapfrogs and Dolph's timing was great. Later, Dolph was top and hit a rolling neck snap and he mocked Kofi's boom, boom, boom which Vickie liked. Soon though, Kofi would gain control with a monkey flip out of the corner leading to another Dolph flipping bump that he does so well. Kofi went for a backslide but Dolph kicked out and nailed a clothesline but quickly Kofi would go for two failed roll-ups. He then went for a kick but Dolph nailed his own dropkick and he started his sit-ups routine. Ziggler threw Kofi into the corner, went for a big splash, but Kofi moved. Looked great and it signaled Kofi's comeback. He hit the SOS but Ziggler kicked out and then he hit the boom, boom, boom. Kofi tried for the Trouble In Paradise but Dolph ended up catching him backfirst in mid-air and slamming him face first. This thing ended up with both men up top fighting as Kofi won out with a headbutt and a punch that sent Dolph down. Kofi went for a crossbody but he missed and Dolph hit the Namedropper/Rocker Dropper but only got a 2. He went for the sleeper but missed again and Kofi hit Trouble In Paradise for the finish. Treamendous stuff here that really picked up towards the end and had great heat. Track this one down and the whole episode at Youtube. ****
I followed the link to your blog through DVDBR. Haven't seen Kofi/Ziggler yet but Justin Gabriel vs Heath Slater is tremendous. I kinda liked their rivalry, this is if I'm not mistaken their 4th match in 5 months. You need to watch their match from NXT 28 November 2011, their best one in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteYea, I liked that match and wouldn't mind seeing more. I'll check out that NXT match real soon and I'll probably end up doing a write up for it too even though it's from last year. Thanks for the comment!
Delete