WWF Backlash, Washington, DC
Malenko is defending the WWF light heavyweight title, a few days after beating Scotty for the belt by holding the ropes on Smackdown.
Malenko tries to attack right off with Scotty showboating, but Scotty ducks a clothesline and throws some right hands in the corner. Malenko off the ropes, back elbow from Scotty. Off the ropes again, and a back body drop from Scotty. Clothesline gets an early two count.
Malenko with a knee to the gut, up for a power bomb, turned into an armdrag by Scotty and another two count. Right hand from Scotty. Scotty up and over in the corner, catches Malenko with a back suplex, then kips up and moonwalks. But that gets him hit from behind.
Reversal of a whip to the corner, Malenko goes for an inverted atomic drop, blocked, and Scotty maintains control. Malenko counters a bulldog attempt with a quick clothesline to finally get some breathing room.
Face to the turnbuckle, Scotty down on the apron and then drops to the floor. Malenko rams him into the turnbuckle. Back in the ring, Malenko dropkicks the knee and goes to work on the leg. Quick two count, then some elbows to the knee and another two count with Malenko cranking on the ankle and knee. Dean driving knees into the knee. Knee your knee outta your knee.
Malenko takes it to the ringpost and wraps Scotty’s leg around the steel. Jim Ross makes some very timely Monica Lewinsky jokes. More leg work from Malenko. Scotty goes for an enzuigiri, Malenko ducks and we stay in the methodical Malenko leg destruction, as he continues to hold a leglock, grounding his quicker, younger opponent.
Malenko uses some leverage with the ropes, but he gets caught and forced to break. Malenko continues to work on the knee, goes for a kneebuster, Scotty, uh, blocks, I guess, and hits Dean with an enzuigiri. Right hand to the body from Scotty, then rights up top.
Whip to the corner, Malenko reverses and Scotty hits hard, going down on impact. Knee driven into the canvas. Malenko continues taking his time, picking Scotty apart. Baseball slide dropkick into the knee. To the corner, Scotty’s knee draped over the middle rope and Malenko kicks away.
Gotta say the crowd’s not particularly wild about this match, and they were hot for the show’s opener. This doesn’t have a lot of ATTITUDE or anything. Fight goes to the floor, where Scotty pulls Malenko’s legs and makes him hit his face on the apron. Scotty going up top, but too slow and Malenko catches him on the way up.
Malenko sets for a superplex, and he hits it. Both men down. Scotty goes for a backslide when they’re up, gets two. Malenko drops him with a right, goes for the Texas cloverleaf, Scotty counters with an inside cradle for two. Back suplex from Malenko, but Scotty dished out some rights on the way down. Malenko goes for another power bomb, Scotty flips out and hits the bulldog.
It’s worm time. Scotty hops on the bad leg and does the worm chop while Lawler shouts, “Pretty fly for a white guy!” But then Malenko catches Scotty in a rollup with his feet on the ropes, and the referee catches it. Malenko goes for a brainbuster, Scotty counter,s more counters, and we wind up with Malenko hitting a tiger driver for two. Malenko with a powerslam for two.
Malenko dumped to the apron, but catches Scotty on the way down with a guillotine over the top rope. Malenko to the top, not his standard, but the match is getting desperate. Scotty catches Dean climbing with a right hand and goes up with him. Scotty trying for a superplex, but Malenko counters in mid-air with a top rope DDT for the win. Tremendous finish.
Rating: 4/5. It’s just a very good match, a true Dean Malenko match under the WWF lights, a rare thing. There’s nothing particularly flashy (until the spectacular finish), it’s just good, sensible professional wrestling. I understand why some younger folk don’t get into Malenko, but I’ll always love watching him. This is his best WWF match, and Scotty’s best singles match, period.
Tape Machines Are Rolling 
You must be logged in to post a comment.