World Wrestling Federation presents Metal
Date: 1/27/2001
From:
Matches:
1.) Perry Saturn defeated Chris Nelson
2.) Essa Rios defeated Scoot Andrews
3.) Taka Michinoku defeated Vito DeNucci
4.) Hardcore Holly defeated Mike Sullivan
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Saturn takes Nelson down and does a few pushups on his back before getting a kiss from Terri on the floor. Saturn gets a headlock on Nelson and delivers a shoulder block. Saturn tries for a hip toss, but Nelson counters with a backslide for a two count. Saturn knee lifts Nelson a few times after kicks in the corner to maintain control of the match. Saturn delivers a neckbreaker and chokes Nelson with a cobra clutch. Saturn tosses Nelson overhead with a suplex. Saturn follows up with a brainbuster and taunts the crowd. Saturn controls Nelson with a neck vice on the mat, but doesn’t get a submission. Saturn kicks Nelson to the apron and delivers an elbow strike on the apron. Saturn controls Nelson with a head scissors on the mat and goes to Terri to flirt with her. Nelson punches Saturn a few times and hits a spinning heel kick. Saturn cuts Nelson off with a clothesline. Saturn drives Nelson into the corner with a running powerslam. Saturn finishes Nelson off with the Death Valley Driver to win the match. (*1/2. Saturn is a lot of fun to watch. Nelson wasn’t anything notable.)
2.) Rios controls Andrews with a headlock, but Andrews tries to fight out. Rios avoids a suplex, but Andrews shoulder blocks Rios for a near fall. Andrews tries for a snapmare, but Rios takes Andrews down with a Thez Press and right hands. Rios chops Andrews in the corner a few times. Rios misses a splash in the corner. Andrews dropkicks Rios coming off the ropes to gain the advantage. Andrews rams Rios into the corner and continues with chops. Andrews goes to the apron and Rios dropkicks Andrews off the apron onto the railing. Rios somersaults over the ring post and Andrews barely catches Rios. Rios tries for a cover, but Andrews kicks out at two. Rios tries for a head scissors, but Andrews drops Rios to the mat and gets a two count on a cover attempt. Andrews chokes Rios over the middle rope, but misses a splash in the corner. Rios punches Andrews down to the mat and hits a vertical suplex. Rios covers Andrews for a two count. Andrews backdrops Rios and hits a fallaway slam. Rios tries for a handspring, but settles for a spinning heel kick. Rios punches Andrews a few times and hits a powerslam. Rios goes to the top rope hitting a moonsault for the win. (**. Andrews can’t be at fault for barely catching Rios since Rios didn’t seem to get great momentum. Rios most impressive move being the dive to the floor should be a finishing move, but it takes too long to get a cover, so it doesn’t make sense. The moonsault by comparison looks kind of lame.)
3.) Prior to the next match, the voiceover for Taka says that his opponent should be afraid and ready to die.
4.) Taka starts off with a few right hands and a kick to the midsection. Taka ducks a clothesline, but is met with a hip toss. Taka runs on the floor and Funaki hits Vito with a clothesline. Taka drops Vito with a strike and delivers a martial arts strike. Taka snapmares Vito and delivers a kick to the back. Taka dropkicks a seated Vito and taunts the crowd for a near fall. Taka strikes Vito a few more times. Taka sunset flips Vito for a near fall. Taka ducks a clothesline to deliver a spinning heel kick for a near fall. Taka controls Vito with a chin lock for a moment. Taka kicks Vito in the corner several times. Taka chokes Vito in the corner. Taka snapmares Vito and keeps control with a sleeper. Taka strikes Vito on the mat and goes to the top rope, but Vito dropkicks Taka in midair. Vito scoop slams Taka for a two count. Taka boots a charging Vito in the corner. Taka nails Vito with a superkick and signals for the Michinoku Driver. Taka can’t lift the larger Vito, and Vito plants Taka with a powerbomb for a two count. Funaki trips Vito, and that allows Taka to hit the Michinoku Driver for the win. (*1/2. Vito is a basic wrestler that didn’t do anything too far out of the norm. Taka getting a squash is a bit surprising especially against a larger worker. Taka is a good wrestler, obviously, so it’s fine with me.)
5.) Holly controls Sullivan early on and delivers a shoulder block. Holly atomic drops Sullivan followed by a clothesline. Holly works over Sullivan in the corner with stomps. Holly boots a charging Sullivan and rams Sullivan into the corner. Sullivan clotheslines Holly and puts a choke on Holly. Sullivan clubs Holly several times followed by stomps. Holly tosses Sullivan over the top to the floor. Holly grabs a chair, but the referee prevents Holly from using the chair. Sullivan clotheslines Holly on the floor. Holly sends Sullivan shoulder first into the ring steps. Holly lifts Sullivan up and hits a vertical suplex on the floor. Holly rolls Sullivan into the ring and kicks Sullivan between the legs over the ropes. Holly delivers a backbreaker for a two count. Sullivan fights back with strikes, but is met with a big boot to the face. Holly nails Sullivan with a dropkick. Holly drives Sullivan down to the mat with a slam for the win. (**. I liked the brawling on the floor and it felt different than anything else on the show. A simple, but effective match.)
Final Thoughts:
A good episode of Metal with the matches being entertaining and not feeling like a chore to get through.
Thanks for reading.