WWE Great American Bash 2008 DVD Review

The Great American Bash started life as a PPV event (apart from the 1986 and 1987 events which were multi-date tours) under the NWA banner back in 1985. WCW took the mantle and ran GABs in 1991 and 1992. Three years later, WCW brought back the Great American Bash and ran it every year until the summer of 2000. WWE would then purchase WCW and that was that… until 2004 (headlined by a stupid gimmick match between Undertaker and The Dudleys), when WWE resurrected the event as a Smackdown-only PPV.

Certificate: 15

Running Time: 163mins (excluding extras)

Discs: 1

Chapters

Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship: John Morrison & The Miz vs. Finlay & Hornswoggle vs. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder vs. Jesse & Festus
United States Championship Match: Matt Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin
Todd Grisham Interviews CM Punk
Triple H Interrupts Edge & Vickie Guerrero’s Wedding Ceremony
ECW Championship Match: Mark Henry vs. Tommy Dreamer
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
Edge Responds to Triple H Ruining His Wedding
WWE Divas Championship Match: Natalya vs. Michelle McCool
World Heavyweight Championship Match: CM Punk vs. Batista
New York City Parking Lot Brawl: John Cena vs. JBL
Eve Torres Interviews Triple H
WWE Championship Match: Triple H vs. Edge

Extras

Edge is gonna pay
Kane needs to know

To be brutally honest, the GAB has proven to be one of the weakest events on the WWE calendar, so there wasn’t a lot of expectations going into this one. Triple H and Edge had never really had a singles run against each other, so this, at least, added something to an otherwise average-looking PPV.

The show opens with a better-than-expected Fatal Fourway for the WWE Tag Team Championships as Miz & Morrison (the best tag team in recent memory) defending against Jesse & Festus, Ryder & Hawkins and (the heavy crowd favourites) Finlay & Hornswoggle. Whatever happened to tag-teams having team names?

JBL and Mick Foley do a sterling job of putting Festus over in the early going, while the champs do their heelish thing and hurl Hornswoggle between the ropes to start the match with the “Transforming Titan”. From here, you get the usual four-way match situations of tags, breaking falls and the obligatory “everyone in at once” spot. The finish is nicely done though and gets a decent pop from the crowd.

Miz & Morrison are the stars of the bout (as if you expected anything less), but I do feel sorry for Ryder & Hawkins. Their association with Edge should have led to a great run and a strong push, but nothing could be further from the truth. A wasted opportunity to establish a tag team as something important.

From a match that was better than expected, we go to a match that has high expectations to live up to. Matt Hardy has been on a great run ever since he started his feud with MVP. Shelton Benjamin is as hot-and-cold a wrestler you can get. When he’s “on” he’s amazing, but when he’s not, the guy can stink out the arena. The big question would be which Shelton would turn up.

For the second match in a row, Jim Ross and Mick Foley provide commentary duties and help to make the match that little bit more credible.

I’m glad to say that it was “On” Shelton Benjamin that showed up for his title shot and, as such, the match is pretty damn good. The crowd are hot throughout and the action is intense (with a sequence having Shelton catch Hardy in mid-air and then powerbomb him into the turnbuckles being a highlight) and hard-hitting with near-falls aplenty. Again, the finish is nicely done and the crowd give a loud reaction for the three-count.

Two matches in and two good outings to show for it. Would the “E” be able to sustain this momentum for a third bout? We’ll find out after Todd Grisham’s WWE Mobile interview with CM Punk from the previous Monday’s RAW, which is good (but drags on) and a look back at the Edge & Vickie wedding (which also mercifully edited into a highlight package instead).

Can the ECW Championship match continue the great run? The simple answer is no, it cannot. It’s ok, but nothing special. The saving grace is that the bout is very short (5m30s) and is most notable for the actions of Colin Delaney (who would be out of the company a few weeks after this event). Mark Henry is joined by Tony Atlas as his manager for the first time. I really like the pairing, so I’m glad WWE have stuck with it so far. Tommy Dreamer is accompanied by “Diet-Mikey Whipwreck” Colin Delaney.

The action is slow and plodding, with the occasional decent clothesline by Henry. The finish, however, is the highlight (after the champ basically no-sells a Dreamer DDT) and leaves the fans with a sense of outrage the convey very vocally. This is the dud of the event and one match that doesn’t really need to be seen by anyone ever again.

From the worst match of the night to one of the best. The fantastic rivalry between HBK and Chris Jericho is chronicled with a fantastic video package. From the smashing of Shawn’s head into the Jeritron, the loss of the IC Title and ‘Night of Champions’ to the beautifully paced and crafted heel-turn of Jericho into one of the best characters in pro-wrestling today, this feud has been a joy to watch unfold.

Jericho and Michaels have always had good chemistry (they stole the show at Wrestlemania XIX) and this match had the potential to top them all. Michaels had an eye injury (sustained in the Jeritron assault) and Jericho’s heel persona took the “the heel has to believe what he says is true” mantra to it’s logical conclusion by actually being right and speaking the truth about the fans hypocrisy and double-standards when it comes to Shawn Michaels.

This match is awesome, from the entrance music to the mannerisms of both men before the opening bell, you know this is going to be something special… and they don’t disappoint. With intense action and a red-hot crowd, both HBK and Y2J give a performance that outshines everything else on the card. Sure, there are the standard spots from both men (which, to be fair, all pro-wrestlers are prone to do), but they deliver them with panache and emotion. It’s the emotion that separates the good from the great and these two deliver it by the bucketload.

The finish is set up by a basic and innocuous reverse elbow that reopens the cut above HBK’s eye and causes him to bleed a gusher. I mentioned emotion earlier, but it’s in the closing few minutes that this becomes really apparent as both men work their asses off in giving their all to their characters (especially Jericho at the moment he realises Shawn is bleeding). Also, the referee warrants a mention for the great job he did in the closing moments.

Deservedly so, this is the longest match on the card and it does a great job of prolonging the feud for another few months.

Edge’s backstage promo is decent enough, but is, ultimately nothing special… which is exactly how I would describe the match between Natalya (oh, how WWE is misusing The Anvil’s daughter) and Michelle McCool. A sub-five minute bout to crown the first WWE Diva’s Champion. Both women can do better than this, and with Natalya, she really should be on RAW and having a drag-out feud with Beth Phoenix.

The action is basic, but I’m disappointed in Natalya using the Sharpshooter and having it countered so effortlessly. The finish, as legit a hold as it is, looks really flat and uninspired. For pro-wrestling, having a basic-looking submission that hasn’t really been built up (the Anklelock is as basic as it comes, but it was pushed to the moon) just doesn’t cut it, so the finish falls down and is, for lack of a better term, an anti-climax. In fact, when Jericho comes out (still covered in Shawn’s blood) to cut a heel promo on HBK while the Divas are celebrating a new champion, it’s the highlight of the segment.

Five matches in and, so far, only three of them have been worth watching. With only three matches left (and one of them featuring JBL), I was wondering if this PPV would be the first one in a long time to have more bad matches than good ones.

Up next, hopefully to add another good match to the show, Batista tries (again) to win the World Heavyweight Title from CM Punk. This is a mild improvement over their previous matches, but it’s still a drop down when compared to what both are capable of. The strikes are hard-hitting and the action is logical in regard to both men’s styles. The only downside is the finish. It really leaves a bad taste in your mouth after investing over ten minutes in an evenly fought contest.

The penultimate match in the card is a bout between two wrestlers who have quite a bit of history. Because of that history, this contest had to have something different to draw the fans in one more time… and in the “New York City Parking Lot Brawl”, that’s exactly what we got.

Cena had been in a similar match, which was very enjoyable, in the past against Eddie Guerrero (a fight that is on the new Eddie DVD), so there was some point of reference to work with. The opening of the match is a little strange; JBL arrives in his limo, dressed in a suit and with crowbar in hand, and spends around 90secs just looking for his opponent.

The action, as with most stipulation bouts, is predictable, but that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable. The two men hurl each other around the “parking lot” with reckless abandon and give themselves some seriously stiff shots throughout. Even a dangerous spot where JBL traps Cena in a car and sets it on fire (with the man himself still inside) doesn’t seem to ridiculous and the finish is a basic and brutal crunch that makes you wince.

This match was a total surprise in how good it actually was, with some of it being outright exciting. JBL and John Cena deserve credit for going all out and giving the fans a violent and memorable hardcore brawl. Cena’s punches still suck, though.

The main event between HHH and Edge was an intriguing one for me because they’d never really had a programme with each other before. Mick Foley, commentating with Jim Ross, was in a unique position of insight as he had been in major feuds with both men… and those feuds, arguably, were what cemented Edge and Triple H in the upper-echelon of WWE (with HHH v Cactus Jack and Edge v Mick Foley being, in my opinion, the greatest examples of a Street Fight and Hardcore Match respectively). Edge, who going into the match had nothing left to lose, was without Vickie Guerrero as he challenged Triple H for the WWE Championship, was the most consistent performer in the company at this point in time.

The fans in Long Island were seriously up for the main event and the wrestlers didn’t disappoint; the action was great and paced to perfection. The appearance of Alicia Fox is a disappointment (even if it makes sense in regards to the storyline), but the finish is as heated as you’re likely to find on a “B-Level” PPV.

The main-event couldn’t possibly hope to live up to the HBK/Jericho match (either emotionally or with the in-ring action), so with “Match of the Night” honours already sewn up, the two guys in the ring could focus more on a story-driven contest that showcased Edge’s strength as a physical performer in regards to facial expressions and the small things that separate a wrestler from a wrestler with personality.

A satisfactory close to a satisfactory pay-per-view.

Extras

The two extras are pretty much worthless. The first, an exclusive backstage segment immediately following the main event, has Vickie Guerrero promising that Edge will pay for his indiscretions (ultimately leading to her re-instating Undertaker and booking a ‘Hell in a Cell’ match between the men who competed in my feud of the year).

The second is simply Kane talking backstage and holding up his little sack. This was in the midst of the “Is he dead or is he alive” angle that had me thinking that Masked Kane would be returning. Instead, it led to a pointless feud with Rey Mysterio that eventually fizzled to nothing and had no impact whatsoever.

Overview

A decent event, but not a hugely memorable one. Of the eight matches on show, six of them were title bouts and two of those were not PPV-worthy (ECW and Divas Title matches). The non-title matches (JBL/Cena and HBK/Y2J) stole the show and are the reason to watch this event.

The opening match is fun, but the wrong team won, while the US Title match is pretty good too, but again, WWE didn’t really do anything with the winners of both matches afterwards, rendering them meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

The Great American Bash wasn’t a bad pay-per-view, it just wasn’t a very good one. Very little is memorable outside Michael/Jericho and very little had any real bearing on what followed in WWE. Even the WWE Title Match seemed like just an excuse to continue the Edge/Vickie situation and lead into an angle that brings back The Undertaker.

A disappointment and the worst show of the year so far. Only buy it if you can get it cheap or you really want to have a complete collection of WWE events.

Points: 6/10

Buy It:

UK: DVD

USA: DVD

Cookie	Description
_pxvid	This cookie is used for detection of the browser and distinguishing whether it is a real user or malicious bot.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	This cookies is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin. The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-non-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Non Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	This cookie is used to keep track of which cookies the user have approved for this site.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-preferences	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Preferences".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-uncategorized	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Uncategorized".
CraftSessionId	This cookie name is associated with the Craft web content management system, where is functions as an anonymous session identifier.
csrftoken	This cookie is associated with Django web development platform for python. Used to help protect the website against Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks
DSID	To note specific user identity. Contains hashed/encrypted unique ID.
JSESSIONID	Used by sites written in JSP. General purpose platform session cookies that are used to maintain users' state across page requests.
PHPSESSID	This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Description
b30msc
btc
CMST
cref
d
gpl
i
icts
ig_did
mdata
na_rn
na_sc_e
na_sr
na_srp
session_depth
visitor-id

Cookie	Description
__gads	This cookie is set by Google and stored under the name dounleclick.com. This cookie is used to track how many times users see a particular advert which helps in measuring the success of the campaign and calculate the revenue generated by the campaign. These cookies can only be read from the domain that it is set on so it will not track any data while browsing through another sites.
__stid	The cookie is set by ShareThis. The cookie is used for site analytics to determine the pages visited, the amount of time spent, etc.
_ga	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, camapign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assigns a randoly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_60765351_1	Google uses this cookie to distinguish users.
_gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
ad-id	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content
demdex	This cookie is set under the domain demdex.net and is used by Adobe Audience Manager to help identify a unique visitor across domains.
DigiTrust.v1.identity	Registers data on visitors’ website-behaviour. This is used for internal analysis and website optimization.
dmvk	This cookie is set by DailyMotion who display videos, it registers statistical data of visitors' behaviour on the website.
gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
GPS	This cookie is set by Youtube and registers a unique ID for tracking users based on their geographical location
is_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
sc_is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
v1st	This is set by DailyMotion to display videos.

Cookie	Description
__asc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__auc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__qca	This cookie is associated with Quantcast and is used for collecting anonymized data to analyze log data from different websites to create reports that enables the website owners and advertisers provide ads for the appropriate audience segments.
_cc_aud	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_cc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_dc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_id	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_kuid_	The cookie is set by Krux Digital under the domain krxd.net. The cookie stores a unique ID to identify a returning user for the purpose of targeted advertising.
_px2	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxff_tm	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxhd	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
ab	This cookie is generally provided by agkn.com and is used for advertising purposes.
ad-privacy	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content to the users.
ayl_visitor	This cookie registers data on the visitor. The information is used to optimize advertisement relevance.
bafp	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bafp_t	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_pl	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rf_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rt_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_t_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_td_2d31c94105a0aa6d1ceaea0c86c6b656	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bito	This cookie is generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bitoIsSecure	This cookies are generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bsc	The cookies is set by ownerIQ for the purpose of providing relevant advertisement
CMID	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPRO	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPS	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
dc_id	This cookie is used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator's permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers.
did	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
didts	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
dpm	The cookie is set by demdex.net. This cookie assigns a unique ID to each visiting user that allows third-party advertisers target that users with relevant ads.
eud	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
euds	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
everest_g_v2	The cookie is set under eversttech.net domain. The purpose of the cookie is to map clicks to other events on the client's website.
evo5_popin_instance	Prevents an interaction from reoccurring for visitors not accepting 3rd party cookies.
id	This cookie is set by DoubleClick (which is owned by Google) to build a profile of the website visitor's interests and show relevant ads on other sites.
IDE	Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
io.narrative.guid.v2	This cookie is generally provided by io.narrative.io and is used for advertising purposes.
KADUSERCOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
KTPCACOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
matchliveramp	This cookie is provided by w55c.net and is used for advertising purposes.
mc	This cookie is associated with Quantserve to track anonymously how a user interact with the website.
mxpim	This cookie is generally provided by mxptint.net for advertising purposes.
na_tc	This is a Social Media sharing tracking cookie.
NID	This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users.
nnls	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxrc	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxvid	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
rlas3	The cookie is set by rlcdn.com. The cookie is used to serve relevant ads to the visitor as well as limit the time the visitor sees an and also measure the effectiveness of the campaign.

Cookie	Description
__jid	Cookies set on the website by the third-party commenting platform Disqus.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
disqus_unique	These cookies are set by Disqus so that users can comment on website/platform.
G_ENABLED_IDPS	The cookie is used by Google and is used for Google Single Sign On.
mid	The cookie is set by Instagram. The cookie is used to distinguish users and to show relevant content, for better user experience and security.
na_id	This cookie is set by Addthis.com to enable sharing of links on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter
ouid	The cookie is set by Addthis which enables the content of the website to be shared across different networking and social sharing websites.
ov	This is a generic functional cookie that provides enhanced functionality and personalisation.
ts	This cookie is generally provided by PayPal and supports payment services in the website.
vuid	These cookies are used by the Vimeo video player on websites.

WWE Great American Bash 2008 DVD Review

Chapters

Extras

Overview

You might also like

FIND THE TOPICS YOU WANT...

Recommended for you