REVIEW: Tribute To The Troops 2006: Merry Christmas

Welcome to KB’s Old School (and New School) Reviews. I’ve been reviewing wrestling presentations for over ten years now and feature reviewed over 5,00zero presentations. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I’ll be posting a brand new evaluation right here on Wrestlingrumors.internet. It may well be anything else from trendy WWE to old-fashioned to indies to anything else in between. Note that I charge the use of letters as a substitute of stars and I don’t charge suits underneath 3 mins as actually, how excellent or dangerous can one thing that quick be?

Tribute To The Troops 2006
Date: December 25, 2006
Location: Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

It’s time for a gorgeous cool custom as that is the yearly Tribute To The Troops display. This time round they’re over in Iraq for a display the place the wrestling does no longer imply a factor and we get to look a host of wrestlers and celebrities speak about how nice the army is. This might or is probably not your cup of beverage however let’s get to it.

The opening video seems to be on the historical past of the USO and others serving to to entertaining the troops. Tonight, WWE will likely be doing precisely the similar.

John Cena vs. Edge

Non-title. Cena takes him down with a headlock takeover however Edge will get to his ft and takes it into the nook. That earns him a hiptoss and slam for 2 however Cena misses a fee and walks right into a DDT. Some proper palms within the nook stay Cena in bother till he will get dropped face first onto the highest turnbuckle. A clothesline cuts Cena off once more and he heads to the apron, that means it’s time for a slugout. Cena will get knocked off the highest and out to the ground, putting in the baseball slide as we take a damage.

Back with Edge running on a bodyscissors to stick at the ribs however Cena fights up. The Throwback drops Edge once more and it’s time for a double breather. There’s a large boot to present Edge two however he is taking an excessive amount of time grabbing a chair, permitting Cena to get two off a rollup. A spinwheel kick units up a temporarily damaged camel take hold of on Cena, who begins the anticipated comeback. The FU is countered into the Impaler despite the fact that and Edge is going up most sensible….the place he will get stuck via Cena, most effective to counter into an electrical chair to place Cena down once more. The spear hits nook despite the fact that and the FU finishes Edge.

Rating: C+. Pretty a lot a area display major match right here, which those two have had almost certainly 100 occasions via now. Granted this isn’t a display the place the wrestling itself goes to subject in any way. You aren’t going to have the All American Boy shedding right here despite the fact that and it isn’t like any person shedding to Cena is harm in any way. Is there a reason why they didn’t make this a name fit despite the fact that?

A General gave a pleasing speech about WWE and giving the warriors some Americana.

Video on wrestlers interacting with troops.

CM Punk and Shelton Benjamin want the troops and their households a contented vacations.

CM Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin

Shelton jumps him to begin however the specter of a proper hand sends him outdoor as we get some credit for the army individuals who helped air the display. Back in and Punk is distributed shoulder first into the publish, putting in a fairly logical shoulder breaker. Punk fights out of an armbar however a hair pull places him proper backpedal. That method a 2d armbar for Punk to struggle out of, putting in some kicks right into a bulldog. An army helicopter flies via as Shelton jumps the nook to snatch a superplex for 2. The Stinger Splash misses despite the fact that and Punk grabs a rollup for the pin.

Rating: C. Much faster fit right here and it labored neatly sufficient. Punk successful via fluke is methods to move as he isn’t able for a dominant win over Benjamin, however you’ll be able to see that WWE has some plans for him. Good sufficient fit right here with the arm paintings and Punk gained, that means there isn’t a lot to bitch about.

Some troops say hello and one will get pinned.

Johnny Nitro vs. Undertaker

Melina is right here too and this may well be fascinating. Undertaker’s front doesn’t paintings as neatly within the mild, however the loss of hat and coat is comprehensible within the wasteland. Nitro dodges round to begin and will get in a couple of proper palms within the nook. That earns him a snappy toss into the similar nook and a few a lot larger proper palms because the dominance starts. Undertaker begins cranking at the arm and Old School connects. Nitro slips out of the Last Ride despite the fact that and hits an enziguri however Undertaker clotheslines him down. Snake Eyes into the massive boot units up the chokeslam and it’s a Tombstone for the short pin.

Rating: C. Another quick and to the purpose fit right here with Undertaker’s look on my own giving the warriors a thrill. I consider that is the one singles fit that those two would ever have, which is more or less sudden as you could possibly assume they could have met every different down the road one day. Still despite the fact that, only a fast close to squash right here and for a display like this, that’s the suitable concept.

Undertaker poses for a excellent whilst.

Earlier these days, Lilian Garcia sang the National Anthem, which as standard, is superb.

Wrestlers and troops say seasons greetings.

Video on wrestlers interacting with troops and doing army issues when mortar assaults went off. Everyone needed to move and take duvet, which is rather the instant. Fourteen squaddies had been injured.

Bobby Lashley vs. Hardcore Holly

Non-title. Lashley drives him into the nook to begin and busts out the gorilla press, which at all times seems to be excellent. A shoulder places Holly down once more and a snap suplex will get two. There’s the behind schedule vertical suplex for a similar and so they move outdoor, the place Holly sends him arduous into the stairs. Back in and Holly sends the shoulder into the publish, putting in the armbar. Lashley fights up and slaps on a torture rack, which he drops down right into a backbreaker for every other two. Holly will get in his personal suplex however Lashley grabs a operating powerslam for the pin.

Rating: C-. Another quick and to the purpose fit right here with Lashley, the ex-military man, getting to seem lovely dominant within the win. Lashley is the following large factor in ECW and it’s making him really feel like a miles larger deal, even supposing he’s caught beating up folks like Holly and Test each and every so ceaselessly.

An Iraqi Army captain explains a few of what the 2 militaries are doing.

Wrestlers meet troops and do stuff.

Umaga vs. Jeff Hardy

Non-title. Hardy hammers away to begin however will get knocked down with out a lot effort. The sitdown splash misses despite the fact that and so they head outdoor with Umaga sending him into the publish. Another ram into the barricade helps to keep Hardy in bother and so they head again inside of for a kick to the backbone. The nerve dangle is going directly to stay Hardy down however Umaga’s most sensible rope splash misses. Hardy is again up with the Whisper within the Wind for 2 and there’s the Twist of Fate. The Swanton most effective hits knees despite the fact that and Umaga unloads within the nook. The operating hip assault units up the Samoan Spike to place Hardy away.

Rating: C. Ok then. I’m no longer certain what the purpose was once in having the champion lose right here however once more, it isn’t find it irresistible issues. Umaga is on a roll at this level and we’re going to be getting a heck of a showdown with Cena on the pay in line with view. Going over Hardy makes Umaga glance excellent, despite the fact that it is more or less bizarre to look a champion getting most commonly squashed.

The Director of Armed Forces Entertainment provides a lieutenant the two.6 millionth letter the army has gained.

Carlito vs. Randy Orton

Carlito’s headlock doesn’t remaining lengthy to begin so he is going with the left palms within the nook as a substitute. An armdrag units up an armbar however Orton pokes him within the eye and hits a dropkick. A swinging aspect slam provides Orton two and we hit the chinlock. Carlito fights up for the slugout and the springboard elbow to the face will get two. The RKO is countered into the Backstabber however Orton grabs the ropes to avoid wasting himself. A rollup with ft at the ropes will get two so Carlito rolls him up and grabs the trunks for the pin.

Rating: C-. They couldn’t have had Carlito lose to Umaga and feature Hardy win right here? Anyway, Carlito continues not to be probably the most inspiring man and having him beat Orton feels slightly misplaced. The lovers gave the impression to just like the dishonest win on the finish despite the fact that and it’s great to present the warriors one thing to cheer.

Santa meets one of the ladies, who’ve been naughty this yr.

Some troops labored in considered one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces.

And now, JBL Claus (pull your beard up guy). Santa talks about how nice the troops are and brings out Krystal, Maria and Torrie to satisfy some troops. Santa: “Does Santa Claus rock or what?” We get some jokes about how the ladies glance after which Santa has them throw out some presents. This is going on for a excellent bit till Chris Masters comes out to break.

Masters says he hates Christmas and doesn’t consider in Santa Claus. He doesn’t like the best way the troops drool over Santa’s helpers, so let’s have a Masterlock Challenge for one of the most troops. Well hold on a 2d, as first he’s difficult Santa to the Masterlock Challenge. The dangle is going on and JR thinks Rudolph must make a save. Santa is out and Masters wins, announcing there’s no Christmas (as a result of Masters doesn’t get that Santa has already finished his paintings for the yr).

Masters seems to be for a soldier to take the problem and alternatives one of the most smallest round. The Masterlock is going on once more and this time JBL is available in to wreck kick Masters within the again….which is sufficient to damage the dangle and the soldier wins. JBL and the ladies say Merry Christmas to wrap it up.

One extra lengthy video at the shuttle ends the display.

Overall Rating: C. I by no means know the way to charge a display like this however that is the very fundamental model in comparison to what the display would grow to be. What we were given right here was once excellent sufficient despite the fact that because the wrestling was once high quality sufficient and it nonetheless felt particular. Above all else, the speculation of going over to Iraq makes the display come off as necessary. WWE putting in place some effort is sweet and this labored out fairly neatly for a Christmas evening particular.

Thomas Hall has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has observed over 50,00zero wrestling suits. He has additionally been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 5,00zero complete presentations coated. You can in finding his paintings at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or take a look at his- Amazon author page with 30 wrestling books.

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