WWE Backlash, Providence, RI
This is Steamboat’s first singles match in 15 years. Steamboat goes behind, takes Jericho down, and Jericho scrambles to the ropes. Jericho tells Steamboat he’ll regret that. They shove twice, Steamboat off the ropes, slips through the legs and out to the floor. Jericho to the floor, Steamboat back in. Dropkick through the ropes, then a slingshot plancha from Steamboat!
Back in, double chop from Steamboat, deep armdrag, another deep armdrag into the armbar. Jericho forearms out and hits a shoulderblock off the ropes. Jericho off the ropes, over Steamboat, Ricky with the armdrag into the armbar again. Steamboat working on the hand now. Standing armbar from Steamboat. Jericho strikes his way out, but eats a knife edge chop and a shoulderblock. Steamboat thrown over the top, but he skins the cat! Jericho clotheslines Steamboat out to the floor.
Ricky up to the apron, Jericho hits the springboard dropkick. Back suplex from Jericho, kick to the back, punch to the side of the head. Jericho talking trash, telling Steamboat he’s washed up and to give it up. Snapmare from Jericho, then the TAZMISSION used to slow things down.
Steamboat chops out, but Jericho pops him again. Jericho off the ropes, runs into the armdrag, but gets up and clotheslines Steamboat down. Cover gets two. Chinlock from Jericho. Into a side headlock standing. Steamboat tries to forearm out, then tries to send Jericho into the ropes, but Jericho blocks. Back suplex from Steamboat, but Jericho holds on to the headlock. Jericho obnoxiously screaming “ASK HIM! ASK HIM!”
Forearm from Steamboat when they stand up, then another. Jericho headbutts him. Steamboat sent into the corner, Jericho off the ropes for the faceslam, but Steamboat runs him into the opposite corner. Jericho draped over the top rope, Steamboat with a kick to the stomach. Forearm to the back from Steamboat with Jericho backwards sitting on the top rope. Steamboat goes up for a super back suplex — hell, he goes all the way up top and hits it! Delay before the cover, it gets two.
Steamboat with right hands to the head, Jericho off the ropes, he runs into the double chop. Another one. Chop to the stomach, punch to the face, cover gets two. Jericho gets an elbow up in the corner, but runs out into a powerslam from Steamboat! Two count. Chop from Ricky. Jericho off the ropes, the veteran makes the cardinal mistake, Jericho kicks him in the chest and hits an enzuigiri. Cover gets another two.
Faceslam from Jericho. Jericho goes for the Lionsault, but Steamboat cuts him off. Jericho up in the electric chair, but he gets out and locks on the Walls of Jericho! Steamboat crawling to the ropes, Jericho pulls him back, but Steamboat rolls inside out and gets out. Steamboat gets a (very modified) figure four locked on! Jericho rolls over into the ropes to break the hold.
Out on the apron now, Jericho misses a clothesline and gets backdropped into the ring. Steamboat going up top, Jericho runs in and misses again, hitting the ringpost. Steamboat with the flying crossbody! 1, 2, no!
Jericho meets a boot in the corner, Steamboat off the second rope — Codebreaker counter from Jericho! Jericho delays but rolls over, two, Steamboat gets a foot on the bottom rope! Jericho flustered, goes for a scoop slam, Steamboat cradles him for two! Up from that, Jericho sweeps the legs, Walls of Jericho locked on again and Steamboat has to tap in the center of the ring. Just nowhere to go.
Rating: 4.5/5. Again, not a star rating. Just so we’re clear on a match like this. But it’s a special match between two great performers. Does Steamboat execute everything perfectly? No, definitely not. He’s rusty, he’s old, he doesn’t have the athleticism he did when he was younger. It’s not a “vintage” Ricky Steamboat match. What it IS, however, is a tremendous match between an old guy in Steamboat and a very capable veteran in his own right in Jericho. This is an easy story to tell, but they tell it exceptionally well, and it’s a super memorable match. I think a lot more about Jericho-Steamboat than I do just about any match from 2009. To me, that makes a proper MOTY candidate. Wrestling is about a lot more than just the moves and the action to me, and this match makes me feel something.
Tape Machines Are Rolling 
You must be logged in to post a comment.