Acolytes vs Hardy Boyz and Micheal P.Z Hayez

In my last post I briefly mentioned the Hardyz/Acolytes feud. Like I said I was a huge fan of the Acolytes but I was also a big fan of Matt and Jeff Hardy. This mysterious jobber tag team that would appear do some cool flyin shit then disappear. i had no idea what Omega Wrestling was or anything. I was also a big fan of "Freebird" Micheal Hayes. In February of 98 he was a victim of Kane. he thing I loved was Hayes refused to run and fought Kane. Vince Russo wrote an article called the night a Monster walked down Badstreet. Which the only worthwhile thing I will credit him with.

A year later Hayes gets a bloodbath from the Brood. Hayes vows revenge and a week later leads a revamped Hardy Boys in an attack on the Brood. At King of the Ring 99 the Hardys beat the Brood to earn a tag shot at the Acolytes.

This is what im watching Raw for the next night. Im sure the Hardys are winning and they do, which got a big reaction from me. For the next month every WWF team smells blood in the water and tris to beat the Hardyz. But its Three Stooges disease. All these teams get stuck in a door trying to enter at once. So the Hardyz make it to Fully Loaded.

Its a 3 on 2 match using Acolyte Rules. Never ever accept a challenge from somebody for a match with rules named after them.

Acolytes come to the ring and they are in no hurry they have this cold look of two guys about to ruin the Hardy Boyz world. Hayes cuts a promo about how he lead Matt and Jeff from Cutain jerking to the world titles, and tonight he would lead by example.

They come out and with hindsight you can tell they are losing because Jeff is reliahing what seems like his last few moments as a champion. They charge the Acolytes and we are off. Hardyz and Acolytes are laying into each other with stiff kicks and punches. Hayes seems a little out of his element at first. Throwing these dainty punches. After being tagged by Bradshaw enough times he starts trying to their heads off.

Matt is thrown into the steps and Hayes gets whipped into a Bradshaw lariat. NOw Hayes is thrown into the steel ring steps. After that Farooq hits him in the small of the back with them.

And with that the actual match started. There is a visual of Bradshaw pummeling Hayes outside while Farooq is beating down Jeff inside. Really cool spot of Jeff ducking a clothesline to hit a diving senton onto Bradshaw outside. Then Matt hits the diving Moonsault on both Acolytes. I liked how Jeff moved at the last second.

Matt i really laying into Bradshaw and Hayes is now with the program trying to kick Farooq's head off. Inside Bradshaw hits the fallaway slam only to be hit by a flying dropkick into a Matt rollup. Then a neat bit of Jeff hitting a running dropkick followed by Matt hitting a dropkick to knock Bradshaw out of the ring.

Bradshaw catches Matt on a plancha only to be dropkicked by Jeff. At this point if the Acolytes cant start working as a team they are done. Hardyz plan is to have Hayes distract Farooq while the Hardys swarm Bradshaw.

Hardys hit Farooq with Air Sabu. Matt goes for the suplex but its blocked so Hayes joins him and hits the double suplex followed by the swanton bomb which only get two because its not he SWANTON Bomb yet.

Bradshaw is back in now. He tosses out Jeff and now its trouble with it being Matt and Hayes against the Acolytes. Ooh and Matt just took the standing spinebuster.

and now it goes to a tag format. This happens a lot in no rules tag matchss. Not sure why but some times it works and sometimes it doesn't. In this case i does no really work but the opening and finish are so strong it does not hurt things too much. Farooq hits a really nice looking snap backbreaker. Farooq chews out the referee "What the hell is wrong with you!!!" He should do spoken work albums. I could listen to him talk for hours.

Double shoulderblock on Matt and Bradshaw attempts a powerbomb. Jeff stops it by kicking him in the head. Hayes is tagged in and he starts to clubbering on Bradshaw does not last as he eats a big boot. Followed by a big kick into Hayes back. Jeff is tagged in and starts firing at Farooq only to be hit by the powerslam.

Things are not looking goo for the champions. Bradshaw is back in Jeff tries a whisper in the wind and gets power bombed. Hayes and Matt save Jeff. I really like how Hayes seems genuinely pissed off and frustrated at the Acolytes.

Farooq goes for the Dominator but Matt attacks before he can and the tag format is gone. Hayes is back in and Bradshaw tosses him to the floor. Matt avoids the Dominator and hits the Twist of Fate and Bradshaw has to save Farooq for the first time. He then hits Matt with a short arm clothesline.

Now he hits Matt with a super backdrop suplex. Jeff jumps in for the save. Now Jeff breaks Hayes cane over Bradshaw's head. Hardyz attempt Air Sabu only for Jeff to get decapitated by the Clothesline from Hell. Matt narrowly makes the save. Hayes gets back in but its Wrestlemania V and Demolition finally have Fuji alone. AKA the Acolytes kill Micheal Hayes to reclaim the tag belts.

Love this match

It is basically an extended squash and it is perfect.


Loved this when I aw it on Raw in 2006. Kane and Big Show are one of my favorite make shift teams. Show brought out the best in Kane.

They are facing Val and Vis here. Val start out going a 100 miles an hour trying to get Kane down. Clips Kane then bulldogs him. When Kane sits up he tags in Vis and Vis toses Kne around with little trouble.

You do not get how huge the Big Show is til you see him dwarf Viscera. Hits this huge running shoulderblock. Then a big body slam. Double chokeslam seals Vis's fate.

Now the infamous Hollys/Acolytes match

In 1999 my two favorite things in wrestling were the Acolytes and Hardcore Holly. Every week on Raw I waited to see the Acolytes beat the hell out of somebody. I never got why Vince did not just put Austin in handicap matches with these two. At the same time I loved it when the Hardy Boyz beat them for the tag belts. Had a month of every team smelling blood in the water and trying to win the tag belts back before the Acolytes killed the Hardyz at Fully Loaded. Thought it was some bull plop when X-Pac and Kane got the belts back.

I remember when the "Hardcore" Bob Holly gimmick started. I was skeptical because this was Thurman "Sparky" Plugg acting like he was Hardcore. But week by week he proved himself and then the Big Shot gimmick started. With him going up to guys like Big Show, Kane and the Acolytes and telling them to fuck off. Eventually cousin Crash was added and I felt (still do) that it watered down the gimmick. But it was great too and Crash proved himself.

Eventually Crash and Hardcore won the tag belts. On a random episode of Heat they get challenged by the Acolytes for the Tag belts in a No DQ match.

Holy poo it is violent. They beat the tar out of each other. Crash takes this brutal looking Dominator on the table and It did not even break. They are hitting each other with everything. Time keepers table, steel chairs (but they did not know that was dangerous, im cereal), ring steps. Hardcore takes the ref's belt and chokes Bradshaw. In an incredibly brutal move Crash gets drop toe hold femur first on the ring steps. It ends when the Holly's decide to just run away. Which honestly is a bit out of character for Bob Holly.

This match is just as violent as the infamous Public Enemy match. Maybe more violent since they were not out to hurt each other.

Hollys vs APA from 2001

This is not the famous Hollys/Acolytes match but I still like it.



Crash is upset about losing the Light Heavyweight title and is drinking his problems away with the Acolytes. Cousin ob comes in ask what the hell is wrong with him and tells him to get ready to wrestle. Throws a beer in Bradshaw's face, and challenges him to do something about it.

In the match Crash is drunk and Hardcore can't fight both Acolytes alone. One thing in the match is the APA sem to like Crash and try not to hurt him. Just slugging him one time near the end. End comes when a drunk Crash acciently hits a flying dropkick on Hardcore his partner. Followed by Hrdoe getting the clothesline from hell. Nice PSA about the evils of drinking.

Big Daddy Daycamp

This kicked ass. Tommy has to wrestle Big Daddy V in a Extreme Rules match and V wrecks Dreamer. Everything V does looks like it hurts. Tommy gos for the kendo stick Big Daddy V no sells it then breaks it over his knee. Finish is a brutal Samoan drop thru a table.

Big Show vs Chavo Guerrero vs John Morrison vs CM Punk vs Tommy Dreamer

One of my favorite multi man matches. You have five distinct personalities in here. Match starts with everyone fighting Big Show but he just beats on them all with ease. He misses an elbow drop on Tommy Dreamer and they take their chance to gang up on him. Dreamer hitting a DDT, Punk and Morrison hitting hard kicks and Chavo the frog splash. Then grabbed the singapore canes hanging around the ring and took turns hitting Show before knocking him from the ring. Though these guys were more Justin Credible and less Sandman.

Cool sequence between Tommy Dreamer an CM Punk. Tommy goes for the Death Valley Driver but Punk avoids it goes for the GTS but Dreamer turns it into a Texas Cloverleaf. Morrison his Dreamer with a cane and Punk and Chavo go at it. Another good sequence between Punk and Chavo and Chavo hits some foozball player with a cane. Later Punk gets the advantage and allows the hockey player to hit him with the cane.

Outside Show is taking Morrison apart bringing out the Miz. Show beats him up and goes to hit Miz with ring steps only to have Morrison take him out at the knee causing Show to hit his face in the steps.

Inside Tommy Hit Morison with a sweet cane assisted pumphandle suplex. Also gotta mention Tommy's player 2 pants, they are great.

Outside Big Show gets up bleding and pissed. Its a really iconic moment for Show. Like Godzilla climing out a smoking crater. He goes over and finds a garbage can full of canes. Just destroys that Bam guy who was Chavito's bodyguard. Then hit Miz hard and starts pummeling him with the cane. Goes in and destroys everyone with hard cane shots. Tommy tries to hit him with a cane and Show casually stops him with a hard chokeslam. One cane shot later and it is over.

Great well put together match.

Paging Dr.Stevie

Stevie Richards is a long time favorite going back to his days as Raven's dancing sidekick. I want to put up a few of his matches.

Stevie Richards vs Hardcore Holly Velocity August 05


This is the last appearance of the WWE bWo. He is is his Big Stevie Cool outfit but coming out to the Steven Richards music. I remember watching this on tv in 2005. One of those rare Saturday evenings where I actually remember Velocity is on.

Was not expecting too much from this match but i really blw me away. A fantastic sub ten minute match.

Match starts with Stevie mocking Hardcore and chopping him in the chest then running away. They lock up and look to be doing a basic wrestling sequence then Holly goes fuck it and drives Stevie into the corner, tears his shirt off and chops the piss out of him. Then does that boot to the gut hanging move he does.

Stevie dropkicks him in the thigh bone and from here he control Holly working over his leg. Holly gets back on offense occasionally but Stevie cuts him off quickly each time. Has to be said Holly looks great in this too. Does a really good job selling for Stevie.

Once he is making the big comeback he never stops selling his knee. Best thing is the struggle to hit the Alabama Slam. Makes it look like a huge deal. Stevie is fighting it like it is going to kill him. I remember this match having a little buzz online and apparently Vince himself loved it since they had a rematch a week later.


Stevie Richards vs Hardcore Holly Velocity one week later.




The rematch

This match Stevie is back in the pink tights. This time Stevie takes the fight right to Hardcore. Until Holly hits back and he retreats to the corner but Holly will have none of that and starts slaping Stevie in the ropes Ref pull him of giving Stevie the chance to kick Holly in the back really hard. This match Stevie works over Holly's back instead of his knee. Tossing Holly to the floor and ramming him into the ring then tossing Bobcore back inside. Stevie hits the rare Emerald City Slam on Holly.

Stevie is waiting on Holly, who chops the piss out of Stevie again who responds with a body slam. Then slams him again. Really basic stuff but done really well.

Stevie clamps on a bear hug. Holly is doing a great job selling this in spite of him being much larger than Stevie. Holly fights out of it just waiting to hit Stevie with two good ones. But Stevie hits a surprising powerslam.

Stevie continues working on the back. He also insist on having a chopping match with Bob Holly. Not a good look if you are Stevie Richards. Holly hits two huge chops. But his back is really hurt and Bobcore is selling it for all he can. Stevie comes back and beats him down again. But again he goes back to the chops and is paying for it. But STEVIe dos the eyepoke to bail himself out. Love how Stevie is now just holding his chest looking like he is in agony.

Now Stevie lays in another hard kick and chokes Hardcore on the middle rope. Then he goes back to trying to exchange chops with Holly again!!

Holly goes into his big comeback and again he really gets across his back being hurt. He hits the big dropkick but still sells the back. Goes for the Alabama Slam but his back is too banged up. Stevie goes for the top but Hrdcore crichs him on the top. He is able to get him up for the Alabama Slam. Stevie fights it even more intensely this week. Acting like he is going to die and everyone he loves. But Holly still hits it and gets the win.


Love both of these matches. they are genuinely great and I will put them up against any tv matches from the last decade. Also forgot how great Hardcore Holly could be at times.


Stevie Richards vs Sabu ECW 7/16/06

ECW Fancam shows

http://www.sendspace.com/file/2ln3wn

11-21-97
1. Roadkill/Paul Diamond vs Jerry Lynn/Tommy Rodgers
2. Mikey Whipwreck vs Justin Credible
3. Chris Chetti vs Shane Douglas
4. Taz vs Spike Dudley
5. The Dudley Boyz vs New Jack/Kronus vs The FBI vs Balls Mahoney/Axl Rotten
6. Bam Bam Bigelow vs Chris Candido
7. Sabu vs The Sandman
8. Tommy Dreamer vs Rob Van Dam

Only thing on here I would say to avoid is Dreamer vs RVD. Tommy's foot is broke. Though RVD is great at heeling it up.

Mikey vs Justin is one of the best sub ten minute matches I have seen. Will make my top fifty easy.


http://www.sendspace.com/file/xfmfr2

9-17-98
1. Mikey Whipwreck vs Jerry Lynn
2. Spike Dudley vs Big Sal
3. Lance Storm vs Chris Candido
4. FBI vs Blue Meanie/Chris Chetti/Super Nova
5. Dudley Boyz vs Balls Mahoney/Mike Awesome
6. Tommy Dreamer/New Jack/Kronus vs Jason/Danny Doring/Jack Victory
7. Sabu vs Shane Douglas

Mikey vs Lynn sucked at first because Lynn tried to force Mikey into the RVD match template. Then Lynn starts just beating the hell out of Mikey and it gets good. I really think Lynn would of been really good as a heel. Also amazing how his look improved growing a bear and losing the dutch boy hair cut.


FBI vs Meanie, Chetti and Nova kicks ass. FBI are the best team in ECW history. This is just really fluid tag team wrestling. FBI can go from menacing to funny and back on a dime. Cool spot with Chetti getting rocket launched into the crowd. I have this idea Russo or Shane McMahon saw these matches and thought "This Blue Meanie is a superstar and signed him instead of the FBI.



Dudleys vs Mike Awesome and Balls kicked ass. Awesome does these great power spots then does a good job playing face in peril. A sick reversed double suplex on the DUdleys.

Georgia Brawl from September 91 Clash

Some people do not like battle royals. To me that's like hating tag team wrestling. Its a unquely pro wrestling concept. Hating it is like hating wrestling. Or is to me anyway. Watching this just now I was naturally paying attention to One Man Gang. You can't really do play by play here. But highlights are Bobby Eaton taking a sick bump to be eliminated by Gang. A three man elimination with Terry Taylor, Big Josh and Ranger Ross.

Get down to the final four of Oz, One Man Gang, Dustin Rhodes and El Gigante. Gang and Oz take turns swarming Dustin and Gigante. Awesome assisted avalanche on Dustin. Now they are ganging up on Gigante and Gigante starts swinging wild and the fans start cheering. But pretty soon Oz and OMG get him down again. Pretty cool watching Gang direct a young Nash. Now they casually eliminate Dustin when Gigante takes them both out. Great match and best thing Gigante ever did.