WWE Taboo Tuesday 2004
Live from Bradley Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin
First ever WWE interactive PPV. Where the concept is simply the fans vote on what they want to see. It's a RAW brand PPV.I attended the RAW a week before so this PPV always brings back good memories for me
The show begins with all the Divas coming out to learn their fate for their match later-The fans vote on what they dress up as: Schoolgirls, French maids or Nurses. This segment gives a fantastic chance to show of the stage, the Keyboard stage looked really good imo. The fans voted Schoolgirls, much to the delight of the crowd.
Chris Jericho v Shelton Benjamin
IC Title
The Vote? Pick one of 15 wrestlers
I voted for : William Regal
The thing that really strikes me about this match is the lack of star power to vote for, the IC is a title really intended for Mid-Upper card yet the vote was full of lower card wrestlers. Batista ironically got booed before hand and Christian had zero reaction. The match itself was fairly solid although it did not exactly have me on the edge of my seat, it was a good enough opener. The finish is a bit hit and miss, nice to see it happen so sudden but at the same time I feel they must of ran over the time limit on the match and ended it fast or something. Nice upset though
**3/4
Backstage segment With Edge, Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels, all 3 cut a short promo and it is revealed the fans chose HBK, sigh
Trish Stratus v Molly Holly v Gail Kim v Jazz v Stacy keibler v Nidia v Victoria
Fulfil Your Fantasy battle Royal
Womens Title
The Vote? Schoolgirl, Nurse or French maid outfits
I voted for: Nurse
This match is surely fixed-can you see WWE buying 21 different outfits only not to use 14 of them? I thought it before the match and I still think it to this day. First thing I have to say about the match is how ridiculously sexy Trish Stratus looks, She always looks hot but on this night she hit it out the park. What amazes me about his match is you have 5 women who can actually wrestle (and arguably are very decent wrestlers) yet they put on a stinker of a match. It looks like a ring full of Maria's and Kelly Kelly's, out of all the women to put on a good show it's actually Stacy who came of looking best here unbelievably. But like all these type of matches-It is what it is.
Trish in her outfit- *****
Match-½*
Kane w/Lita v Gene Snitsky
Weapon of Choice match
The Vote? Pick a weapon out of Lead Pipe, Steel Chair and Chain
I voted for: Lead pipe (Chain won)
It's amazing what hindsight does. Looking back on Snitsky here he was actually a good heel who showed potential, cut decent-ish promos and had a good catchphrase "it wasn't my fault". I never liked him at the time but looking back he actually was alright and could have been something, WWE really blew it on him I feel. This was a decent monster match which surprisingly ran at a good pace throughout. Lita looked great as always, just wished she would of participated somehow just to drive home the emotion of the storyline more. The double big boot was a cool spot. Towards the end Snitsky uses a steel chair-if the chain was selected as weapon of choice surely that's a DQ? Pretty brutal finish in a way and Snitsky looked impressive, again I feel WWE blew it on him
**¾-***
Edge cuts a decent promo about not being chosen for the world title match
Eugene v Eric Bischoff
Choose the losers fate
The Vote? Loser must either have their head shaved, be a servant or wear a dress for a month
I voted for: Be a servant (head shave won)
I don't know how Vince persuaded Eric to have his head shaved but none the less it's an entertaining moment. The match is short (thank god) and all the action happens after as first Jonathan Coachman trys to help Eric wiggle out of getting his head shaved until Vince comes down and forces him and then makes the Coach wear a dress for good measure. The Coach really is great in the role he plays on WWE TV, I know he has his haters but I think he always puts on a great performance. Fun filler but far to predictable and maybe last a few mins to long
¼*
Chris Benoit &Edge v Le resistance
Due to Shawn winning the world title vote they got put in a tag match
World Tag Team titles
Le Resistance sang the anthem at the start, much like when Jillian sings now it goes on to long, it gets the point you want to switch over or fast forward till it finishes-why does WWE think this is funny? I found this match a bore to be fair and obviously so did the crowd and the King and JR since they spend most of the match just babbling about god knows what. King makes a good joke about maybe the votes should be recounted esp In the Florida area but even then he stretches that joke out till it's no longer funny. This match only got Interesting when Edge walked out and left Benoit on his own. It was clever booking but just not a particularly great match. Got a feeling most will disagree with my raring with this match but like I said i found it a bore and it did nothing for me
**
HHH cuts a promo and JR & The King the backup what the promo was about, selling HBK's injury
Christy Hemme v Carmella
The Vote? Lingerie pillow Fight, Evening gown match or Aerobics challenge
I voted for: Evening Gown match (Lingerie pillow fight won)
Why this match ever made it to PPV is beyond me and every wrestling fan out there. If nothing else this match serves 2 good purposes-1)Carmerlla stands in the wrong place behind the screen so all we can see is her legs whilst she is getting changed and it's pretty funny tbf-she cant even do that right. 2) Carmella looks hot before and when she changes into her Lingerie, I like Christy but Carmella was hotter on this night. 2 Diva gimmick matches is WAY to many for a PPV or infact any show, the audience has already had their fill of women in sexy outfits-why do it again? The match blows beyond relief, Christy actually wins by knocking her out with a feather pillow, Carmella had her shoulder up which even the King pointed out
DUD
HHH v Shawn Micheals
World title
The Vote? Shawn Micheals, Edge or Chris benoit to face HHH
I voted: Edge
Shawn is heavily selling his knee injury. A whole match of Shawn selling his knee whilst HHH beats him down-my Idea of hell. I'm sorry but if that was Hogan on the mat getting a beat down whilst selling a injury he would get panned for it but for some reason the golden boy gets applauded? This match sucks, there is nothing to it and it ends on a screw job, roll your eyes because it's a well known fact I despise HBK but the fact is-biased or unbiased this match sucks. Only saving grace Is a nice collection of moves by HHH and JR's outburst to the king about all he talks about Is "puppies, lingerie and schoolgirls". As Edge walks away shouting "It should have been me" I'm left thinking that Edge is absolutely right
**
They do a nice recap of the night
Ric Flair v Randy Orton
Legend V Legend Killer
The Vote? Steel cage, 2/3 falls or submission match
I voted: Steel Cage (Cage won)
WWE hype a lot of matches between '2 generations', the old vs. new so to speak but this is a match that really does deserve that title. Flair-THE greatest of the 70's,80's and 90's, Orton-One of the greatest in the 00's and no doubt he will be in the next decade. The build-up to this match was great and it was heavily anticipated. Both men turned up on the night and delivered so to speak. The match was a good pace throughout, both men got busted open pretty badly, both men showed they had the ability to sell as well as beat down, both men used the cage as a weapon (something which a lot of steel cage matches miss), both men were brilliant. It's so good to see Flair in the main event again and still putting on the match of the night despite his age. Nice old skool brass knuckle spot by flair, infact this match had a very old skool feel about it, which prob just added to the magic. My only complaints about this match is the length, I feel it could of gone another 5 mins or so, just as it is really drawing you in Orton hit's a RKO from nowhere and wins. They embrace after to give the night an iconic moment. MOTN
***½
Final thoughts
Strong PPV despite some low scoring matches it is still entertaining throughout. looking back it must have been quite a risk at the time but they pulled it off. Solid matches throughout more or less, maybe one to many comedy/fun matches but 2 title changes out of 4 title matches makes up for it. Take away the Christy/Carmella match and had HBK/HHH put on a better match this PPV would have been a lot better. The main event stole the show (like it should) but Kane/Snitsky was a surprise gem. It's interesting that in 2004 they made a big deal out of this PPV where these days it's just a filler PPV
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