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Randomly watching Vengeance ‘03. It’s crazy how even back when WWE was terrible and on the decline, it was still way better than wrestling today.
* Show opens with a really cool video package. It’s Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Stephanie McMahon and Zack Gowen all talking about their hopes, dreams, etc. They’re the faces. It’s all contrasted against Vince McMahon’s desire for control.
* Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero open with a good match to decide the new US Title. I remember that belt being considered ugly. Clever how they worked it into the finish. They went a bit overboard with the sports entertainment, but it was funny when Eddie is trying to revive Mike Chiota but Chiota won’t stir. Cool to go back and watch the moments where Eddie was really starting to win people over. He’d be a face before long. I also like how Benoit and Eddie seemed to coordinate their attire.
* Stephanie McMahon was a HORRIBLE actress back then. Vince is amazing as a performer, but it’s weird seeing them do backstage segments and Vince be so much better.
* Jamie Noble and Billy Gunn have an “Indecent Proposal” match. If Noble beats Gunn, Torrie Wilson is going to have sex with him on SmackDown. This doesn’t age well. At least Torrie offered herself. I thought the Billy Gunn/Torrie Wilson/Jamie Noble/Nidia stuff happened way later. This is possibly Billy Gunn’s best singles match.
* They did a Bar Room Brawl between a bunch of the undercard, Brother Love, Brooklyn Brawler, Doink the Clown and The Easter Bunny (it’s July). This was like a cross between the Gimmick Battle Royal and the awful shit Matt Hardy does now. He didn’t even come up with the prototypes. Asshole. It’s interesting to be reminded of just how many people WWE had under contract. You’ve got Rhyno’s involvement in Benoit/Eddie, Nidia and Torrie as side pieces to Billy/Noble and you’ve got The Bashams, Orlando Jordan, Funaki, Matt Hardy, Shannon Moore, Sean O’Haire, Kanyon, The FBI, Brian Kendrick, John Hennigan, Matt Cappotelli and whoever else in here. Brawler is the best worker of the bunch. But it’s crazy to think of how “deep” the roster was.
* About to watch Kidman/Rey vs. World’s Greatest Tag Team, which I remember loving.
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