The opening promo for this PPV promised "Triple H vs. Chris Benoit, one-on-one, NO DISTRACTIONS". It lied.
1) Jonathan Coachman and Garrison Cade vs. Tajiri and Rhyno. Tajiri's fantastic kicks and Rhyno's boundless energy make this, arguably, the most enjoyable match of the night. These two RULED as a team - too bad Rhyno is no longer with the WWE. The company could use more "no bulls**t, down to business" guys like him. ***
2) Chris Jericho vs. Batista. An obvious mismatch. Batista applies two full nelsons (perhaps the only wrestling holds of the match), delivers a powerbomb and generally dominates his opponent rather easily. The "instant replay" at the end makes the referee look totally blind. **
3) La Resistance vs. Ric Flair and Eugene (for the tag team title). Oh, look! Mr. Woooooooooo! and Mr. Unfunny Retard against the Stale-Gimmick-National-Anthem-Singing-Canadians. Aren't you excited? Woooooooooo! 0
4) Kane vs. Matt Hardy. No disqualifications. The match was too boring and routine to pay attention to, so I was thinking about Lita instead. Thinking how frustrating it must be for this woman to have worked so hard to be one of the very best at what she does, only to get wasted in a stupid, pathetic, insulting story like this "love triangle". *1/2
5) Randy Orton vs. Edge (for the intercontinental title). Orton must be one of the best actors in the business. I like his facial expressions and his cocky attitude. I also like his simple but expertly executed submission holds. The match, however, is too long (30 minutes) for what it has to offer. Mediocre most of the way, it does pick up some steam near the end. **1/2
6) Victoria vs. Molly Holly. After the EXCELLENT match Victoria had with Lita only a couple of months before, in "Backlash 2004", this is a major disappointment. Molly Holly looks ridiculous with that wig and has no audience pull whatsoever. What's more, Victoria hurts her left shoulder for real (I think) in the middle of the match, and it's obvious that she is unable to perform as well as she would like to (I still love her). But she does strike with an impressive (and great-sounding) kick for the finish. **
7) Triple H vs. Chris Benoit (for the heavyweight title). For the first 20 minutes, this was better than I expected. Mostly technical in-ring wrestling, with a particularly focused HHH performance. In the last 10 minutes it turns into a real mess, as Eugene shows up, the ref gets knocked out and a steel chair is introduced to the mix. Putting Eugene in the main event and having him play such a major role in its outcome tells a lot about how seriously the WWE takes the second "W" in its name. **