THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH '06

on Sunday, July 23rd 2006

in Indianapolis, Indiana

at the Conseco Fieldhouse

- Hosted by Michael Cole & JBL

 - The show opened up with the usual very good video montage.

1) WWE Tag Team champions, Paul London & Brian Kendrick beat The Pittbulls at 13:28 when Kendrick Sunset Flipped Kid Kash after a London Dropsault.

London & Kendrick came out in their usual masks and did the Moonsault entry. Some mistimes moves early on, but the crowd in hot. JBL put over the tag team division big, and also the history of the GAB. He said that Kid Kash won the NWA tag team title with his trainer Ricky Morton, but he forgot to mention his 2 title run with Dallas (Lance Hoyt) in TNA. London got a hot tag at 6:30 after some nice action. He tried to "skin the cat" but Noble dropkicked him while he was upside down and London took a nasty and very impressive bump on the outside. The Pitbulls worked on London until 11:30 when Kendrick got the hot tag. With the short hair, Kid Kash looks exactly like Owen Hart. At 13:00 Kendrick Springboarded to the outside on Noble. He then Sunset Flipped Kash from the top rope and London Dropkicked Kash to make him fall. The champs retain.

Note : Very hot opener from what, on paper looked like the best match on the show.

- Backstage, Daivari was trying to calm The Great Khali down. Khali was irate and wanted to call out The Undertaker right now.

- SD GM Teddy Long came to the ring and announced that Lashley had liver problems and wasn't cleared to wrestle tonight. Lashley came out in wrestling gear and confronted Teddy. He said he's ready to fight and doesn't think there's anything wrong with him. Teddy said he couldn't do anything and was worried about his long term health. Long promised him a US title match as soon as he's cleared to wrestle. On his way backstage Lashley crossed path with Fit Finlay and William Regal who looked at him in disgust. Finlay took the mic and said that this liver problem was BS and just said that Lashley was yellow. He asked Long to announce him a winner by forfeit. Long refused and announced that Regal would fight Finlay one on one right now for the US title. Finlay & Regal looked surprised at that decision by the GM. A decision that everyone in the world and his brother knew since it was announced everywhere on the net that that match would take place.

2) WWE US champion, Fit Finlay beat William Regal at 13:49 with his feet in the ropes after a boot shot to the head.

2 minutes in and those 2 were already being boo'ed out of the building. Very few care about this match between 2 heels considered boring by the casual fan. At 3:50 the Little Bastard appeared to pop the crowd and chased Regal around the ring. At 5:00 they exchanged tons of stiff European Uppercuts which is the standard old school spot of Euro wrestling. Supposed to prove you're tough. At 6:00 the crowd started a huge "We Want Lashley" chant. The troll interfered again and bit Regal's hand. At 8:00 the "Boring" chants started and the crowd sweetener was on full blast. At 10:40 Regal pulled out a Dropkick! Didn't go high at all, but a nice new move from him. Huge "Boring" chants started again and Cole had to acknowledge it. He did say it was because they wanted Lashley though. JBL even said that they weren't chanting Boring, but "Bo-Bby!, Bo-Bby!" At 12:40 the leprechaun stole one of Regal's wrestling boot. Finley KO'ed Regal with his own boot and then pinned him with leverage on the ropes. He retains the US title. The troll tried to leave with the title. Finlay took his belt back and threw the dwarf back under the ring.

Note : They worked super hard and the match was good, but the SD crowd didn't like it. It could've been much worse crowd-wise. The troll saved it.

- A commercial for the American Dream story on PPV this month on the Fanatic Series.

- Chavo Guerrero gave a pep talk to Rey Mysterio backstage. All the Guerreros and their fans are very proud of Rey-Rey who is living his dream. Chavo said that Eddie's last dream was to regain the title, so in a way Rey is living Eddie's dream. Chavo told him that tonight he'll be with him to make sure that dreams do come true.

3) WWE Cruiserweight champion, Gregory Helms beat Matt Hardy at 11:44 with a Roll-Up while holding the tights.

Hardy came out first and they barely played the fact that he was the surprise opponent for the champ tonight. Hardy is very over but the match is nothing special. Standard house show-type match for now. At 6:20 Helms hit his impressive top rope Swinging Neckbreaker. They acted as if they've never seen that before when Helms pretty much does it once every 2 matches. At 10:20 Hardy kicked out after a Shining Wizard. Hardy got a 2 count after a Moonsault at 10:55. After 10 years, I still have no idea what the deal is with Hardy's legs. That bend is scary. Helms dropped Hardy on the corner face first and followed up with a Roll-Up while holding the tights for the win.

Note : Okay match, but no storyline kinda kills it.  Very good second part of the match.

- Daivari pleaded with Khali backstage to stay cool and not try to find Taker right now. Taker arrived from nowhere and attacked Daivari. Big Show came in and attacked The Undertaker before he could touch Khali. Officials came in teh break everything up.

- After a promo clip for the Punjabi Prison match, SD GM Teddy Long confronted Daivari, Big Show & Khali. For no reason whatsoever Teddy decided that to punish Daivari, BS would fight Taker instead of Khali. They all screamed in disgust. Crowd boo'ed bad at that stupid decision.

- Michael Cole read out the rules of the Punjabi Prison match to the crowd. It's basically a bamboo cage match where you have to escape 2 structures to win. He actually said that the 2nd structure had no exit, but you had to exit both structures to win! Ugh.

4) The Undertaker beat ECW champion, The Big Show in a Punjabi Prison Match at 21:35.

 Before the match, #1 ECW heel The Big Show was actually crying in the ring in fear of fighting The Undertaker. The visibility of the action is pretty limited because of the huge bars of the 2 bamboo cages. Pace is ultra slow. They have leather straps hanging from the top of the first cage. BS used the straps to Choke Taker at 4:30. Taker countered a Chokeslam with a sloppy DDT at 6:50. Horrible match saved only by the hot crowd. A door was opened and they started a 60 seconds timer until it was closed. BS tore out a leather strap and whipped Taker. BS then tore a corner pad while talking to referee Nick Patrick on the outside. Something is wrong with the match, or they really had no clue what they were getting into because it's pretty much the most obvious audibles calls in history of PPV. Theyt seem to talk to each other more than wrestle. BS Chokeslammed Taker but couldn't escape. They bleeped a "Sh*t" by BS. At 13:25 a huge "Big Show sucks" started. It could also be "This show sucks" chant though as this match is the ultimate crowd killer. Taker started to bleed. At 15:15 Taker Superplexed Big Show in a true Holy Shit moment. Taker escaped the first cage. Taker stood around for 40 seconds waiting for the BS to follow him. The first one to climb over the huge cage wins. BS put Taker back in the ring and the door closed so Taker is trapped. JBL actually said "This is almost sad to see". Taker climbed over the first cage and Tarzan'ed on a rope to Dropkick BS. At 19:50 Taker Legdropped BS through a table that just happened to be there inside the cage, and BS started to bleed. Daivari & Khali came out through th crowd. Taker Crossbosyblocked BS through the cage which opened up in a super lame and super weak spot. They both went out but Taker was declared winner at 21:35.

Note : Horrible stuff. Never-ending and just poorly thought out. It'll look cool in pictures and screencaps. The actaly match was torture.

- They aired a great SummerSlam promo.

- Queen Sharmell pumped up King Booker in the back and said that tonight he'll be King of the World! Booker screamed King of the world several times and kissed the toad.

5) Ashley beat Jillian, Kristal & Michelle in a 4-Way Bra & Panties match at 5:18.

Jillian held Kristal while Ashley took off her top. Ashley was announced as winner without any explanation. Ashley and Jillian stripped to the bra & panties anyway.

Note : Just bad. Amateur city. Neither sexy nor interested, and about 6 minutes too long. 

 - They plugged "Lonely Train" by Black Stone Cherry, the official theme song for the GAB.

- The Miz interviewed Kennedy who did his best to not look into the camera as instructed, and that looks really stupid. His "Misteeeeeeeeer Kennedy" line was super over.

6) Kennedy beat Batista at 8:38 by DQ.

They showed clips of Mark Henry's surgery before the match, while explaining the storyline. Batista is wearing white tights who from afar looks exactly like briefs. Not a good choice. Batista attacked Kennedy before the bell and before he could do his own ring intro.  2 minutes in and Kennedy is bleeding hardway from the forehead pretty bad. At 8:38 the ref DQ'ed Batista for refusing to break a hold. Batista went crazy after the match and hity a few Spinebusters and a Batista Bomb.

Note : Bad booking, crowd boo'ed the finish, but Batista was super over in his post match attack. Kennedy is protected.

- A promo for the Hogan Vs Orton match at SummerSlam aired.

7) King Booker (with Queen Sharmell) beat World champion, Rey Mysterio at 16:47 to capture the title after a Chairshot from Chavo Guerrero.

Booker's entrance lasted 10 minutes. They tried the Borash TNA-like intro for the world title, but Chimmel doesn't cut it, and it's one of the rare things that TNA looks much more professional at than WWE. At 10:15 Sharmell was ejected from ringside for too much interference. At 13:30 the ref was bumped. Rey hit the 619, did the Eddie Strut and hit the Frog Splash but the ref was out. Booker hit a low blow and the Bookend. He then took a chair, but Rey Dropkicked it in his face. Chavo Guerrero came in and blasted Rey-Rey for no reason. The hot crowd was shocked! Booker covered Rey while the ref woke up and made a super slow count. King Booker is the new World champion at 16:47. Sharmell came back to celebrate with "her man". She screamed "All Hail King Booker" over and over again.

Note : Good match, maybe a bit short for a main event, but anyone watching wrestling for more than 2 weeks could book such a simplistic formula.