World Heavyweight Championship
Big Show vs. Sheamus
Results: Sheamus would Brogue kick referee Scott Armstrong, forcing a team of doctors and referees to check on him. Big Show used the distraction to get a Knockout Punch, and another official counted the victory at 14:44. However, the referees saw the replay of Big Show pulling Scott Armstrong into the Brogue Kick, and disqualified him instead. Therefor, Sheamus won the match, but did not take home the World Heavyweight Championship. After the match Big Show got in the face of the referee who made the call, and Sheamus attacked him with over a dozen steel chair shots and a Brogue Kick.
Review: I really like the pairing of Sheamus and the Big Show. It does one thing really, really well: make the Big Show look like a dominat giant. In his long career, too many loses to guys like Rey Mysterio and CM Punk have weakened his credibility. Too many stints as a comedy act and Hornswoggle-loving babyface have weakened his credibility. But when he gets in the ring with Sheamus, he gets to use all of his strength, size and power. Sheamus is big enough, and intense enough that Show doesn’t have to pull any punches; nor does he end up looking weak because of a loss by disqualification.
If I really wanted to get into details and complain about something, it’s how Sheamus ended up winning by DQ. Big Show did pull the referee in harm’s way, but that’s all part of being a heel. Furthermore, the inconsistency when it comes to faces and referee decisions annoys me. If Big Show had gone on a chair spree after the match, the ref would have reversed the decision (something that shouldn’t be legal). But when the hero goes crazy with a foreign object, everybody turns a blind eye. If they’re going to do things like this, there needs to be a set of rules or some sort of standard to hold to.
This match wasn’t as good as their Hell in a Cell contest, and I have a feeling the inevitable Chairs Match at TLC next month will be the worst of the three. But even still, Big Show and Sheamus work really damn well together, and I’m not bored with Show’s title reign yet. Let the good times roll, I suppose…
Rating: B