WWE Heat Report: 23rd March 2008
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Commentators: Todd Grisham & Josh Mathews
Ring Announcer: Lilian Garcia

Welcome to the show. That Raw Main event last Monday was just plain ridiculous. Who booked that crap??? Not a good idea burying the roster that you’re looking at to draw following WrestleMania. Also, it looks like London and Kendrick may be splitting up. Again not the best of ideas in my view as they could be the cornerstones of a rejuvenated Tag Team division, but no-one even acknowledged Kendrick walking off on TV. Don’t get me started on Big Show and Floyd Mayweather. Trying to work out what’s going on there will only make your head hurt. Back to today’s show and we begin with………………………..

Charlie Haas vs Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Say what you will about Hacksaw, he knows how to get a reaction. The crowd continue to love him and pop big. The referee stops Hacksaw from swinging his 2×4 at Haas. Tussle to the ropes, Haas lands punches. Hacksaw reverses off the ropes into a hiptoss. Two clotheslines by Hacksaw send Haas under the ring for a costume change. Hacksaw starts to count Haas out with the referee. Haas re-emeges with the skeletor mask and hangs Hacksaw up on the top rope. Haas chokes Hacksaw in the ropes with his hands, rams his head into the corner twice, then delivers some stomps. A nearfall is followed up by a chinlock. Hacksaw fights free before running into a knee to the gut. Haas works the back with stomps, a knee then a big kick. Haas hammers on the back some more for a nearfall. Haas clubs Hacksaw’s chest. Hacksaw starts to pace around the ring, firing up. Haas cuts off Hacksaw’s punches with a poke to the eyes. Haas punches Hacksaw down, and nearly gets into it with a fan, before boot choking Hacksaw. Haas knees the back and re-applies the chinlock. Hacksaw escapes again with elbows and punches. Haas knees the gut and rams Hacksaw’s head into the corner. Hacksaw blocks another head ram, turns the tables on Haas and yanks his mask off. Hacksaw seems surprised to have exposed Haas. The mask gets discarded as Hacksaw lands punches then a backbodydrop off the ropes. Haas goes to put the mask back on but gets hit with a three point stance clothesline. 1-2-3. An upset win for Hacksaw. Here is Your Winner: HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN. A typical Hacksaw match. He’s limited with regards to bumping but Hacksaw kept the crowd hot throughout. Post match, Hacksaw tosses and catches his 2×4 as the commentators blame Haas’ loss on the mask.

Paul Burchill w/Katie Lea vs Val Venis
Paul has a mic upon entering. Two weeks ago he took out our ‘Great American Hero,’ Hacksaw Jim Duggan. To say the least, his little sister Katie loved every second of it. Paul continues by saying that Katie loves to watch her big brother at work. Keeping Katie happy, makes him happy. Paul concludes by saying who is he to disappoint his baby sister tonight. Katie finishes off by remarking, as big brother likes to say, whatever Katie wants, Katie always gets. Cue Val Venis and a big crowd pop. Val opts to toss his towel this week. A side headlock and shoulder tackle gets Val a quick one count. Burchill lands some shots, but Val reverses him off the ropes and follows through with two running kneelifts, then a side russian legsweep for another one count. Val applies a front facelock, Burchill lifts and places him on the ring apron. Val lands a forearm counter. Val goes to step back in but Burchill shoves him down and Val’s leg gets trapped in the middle rope. As Val dangles, Burchill steps on Val’s knee then drives his own knee into the back of it. Burchill pulls Val back in where Burchill brings his weight down onto Val’s knee against the bottom rope. Val dodges a second attempt but is unable to capitalise. Val gets up, only to get clotheslined back down again. Burchill drops an elbow onto the knee and wrenches away. Burchill repeats the combination as Val tries to grab Burchill in vain. Val uses punches to break Burchill’s grip. Burchill grabs Val’s foot, Burchill flips over Val as he tries to hyperextend his knee. Burchill swats Val, slaps him and talks trash. Val retaliates from the mat until Burchill grabs Val’s leg, goes outside and rams it against the apron three times. Burchill gets back in to wrench at the knee some more. Burchill twists Val onto his side with a single leg grapevine. Val refuses to quit and uses his other leg to kick Burchilll off. Both get up, Burchill hoists Val up before driving him into the corner. Burchill ties Val’s knee up in the ropes and begins to kick and punch at it. The referee steps in to reprimand Burchill. Burchill adavnces into punches. Val counters a punch with a half nelson slam for a nearfall. Val stays on the offense with a chop, clothesline, backelbow and twisting neckbreaker for a second nearfall. Val gets Burchill up who kicks the knee. Burchill runs the ropes, Val ducks a clothesline and catches Burchill in a sitout powerbomb for a third nearfall. Val readies Burchill for a fisherman suplex but Val can’t lift him. Burchill quickly chopblocks the knee, wraps it around his head and makes Val tap with a leglock. Good match and a much better showing from Burchill who used wrestling 101 of working a body part to his advantage. Good showing from Val also. Here is Your Winner via submission: PAUL BURCHILL. Post match, the Burchills raise their arms in the ring, then again on the entrance way.

Note to fellow UK fans: ‘Diva Diaries’ comes to Sky Sports 3 on Tuesday 25th March at 10pm.

Robbie McCallister vs D.H. Smith
Grisham dubs this a UK battle. Smith receives the piped in applause treatment. He needs to find a ring persona. Both men lockup to the corner where Smith wins a shove exchange. Smith throws Robbie off a side headlock and takes him down with one of his own. Robbie sends Smith off the ropes, Smith lands a shoulder tackle but runs into a boot to the gut. Robbie delivers a headbutt, two back clubs and an armwringer into a wristlock. Smith uses a roll, back bridge, nip up combo to break Robbie’s grip. Smith sends Robbie to the corner following three forearms. Smith delivers an Irish whip, two slams, then a stomp and kneedrop to the face for a nearfall. A second Smith Irish whip is followed up by a boot to the gut by Smith. Smith snapmares Robbie out of the corner and drops a leg for a nearfall. Smith Irish whips Robbie again, then eats a boot to the face, following a charge. Smith reverses a waistlock. Robbie blocks a rollup attempt off the ropes by hanging on. Smith rolls back before charging. Robbie hotshots Smith against the top rope. Robbie focuses on Smith’s throat with two double axehandles, some stomps and a falling headbutt for a nearfall. Robbie locks in a brief chinlock then an armbar as Robbie wraps his other arm around Smith’s throat. Robbie lands some more shots for a one count. Robbie disputes the count allowing Smith to fight back briefly with a punch and head shot to the gut. Robbie cuts Smith off with a club to the back. Robbie chokes Smith with his hands. The referee mistakenly counts a nearfall. Robbie breaks to argue with the referee again. Robbie chokes Smith in the ropes with his leg draped over Smith’s head. Robbie snapmares Smith then sits on a camel clutch. As Smith starts to get up, Robbie lands a sitdown shot against the back. Smith sustains his position as Robbie re-applies the hold. Smith uses a back suplex to make his escape. Smith uses the ropes to get up in the corner. Robbie charges and hits a battering ram. Robbie tries a second one but runs into a knee to the face. Smith hits a clothesline, flying forearm then some mounted mat punches to the head. Smith hits another clothesline then a backbodydrop off the ropes. Smith motions for a full nelson as he stalks Robbie. Robbie tries and fails to block Smith from cinching in a full nelson, but almost immediately, Smith turns it into a german suplex to get the 1-2-3. Here is Your Winner: D.H. SMITH. Not a bad match. Smith broke out a nice finishing combo that can work well for him. He’s out of the jobhouse this week. Unfortunately, the crowd stayed silent during most of this. Smith needs to interact with the crowd more during his matches and get a marketable personality. Can’t fault him in the ring though. Good, solid worker. As for Robbie, well he’s in a tough spot. He’s floundering without his injured partner but had a good showing here. Post match sees Smith raise his arms in the corner, then leave, slapping some hands on his way to the back.

Note to fellow UK fans: The 2008 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs Sunday 30th March at 8am on Sky Sports 3 & Sky Sports HD 3. Encores are on the same day at Noon on Sky Sports Xtra and 5:30pm on Sky Sports 2 & Sky Sports HD 2.

Melina w/Beth Phoenix vs Mickie James
Main Event and an exact rematch from two weeks ago. Melina treats us to her spank, split legged entrance. Melina dishes out verbal insults as Mickie makes her entrance and bows to the crowd. Lockup, Melina backs Mickie to the corner then backs away. Mickie ducks a lunge and slaps the face. Mickie counters a punch, rolls Melina up off the ropes and bridges back but only manages a nearfall. Melina gets a single leg takedown but misses a fistdrop. Mickie kicks Melina across the throat then throws Melina’s hand to the mat. Mickie stands on Melina’s hand as she groans. Mickie throws Melina down by the arm but can’t register a cover. Mickie lands a forearm. Melina reverses an Irish whip but charges into a backelbow. Mickie comes out of the corner with a hurricanrana. Melina tries to buy some time but Mickie hooks the hair. Melina hooks Mickie’s hair and throws her to the outside. The referee spots Beth trying to sneak up on Mickie. Melina uses the distraction to hoist Mickie onto the apron by the hair. Mickie breaks Melina’s grip and sends her away with a high kick. Mickie goes for a springboard maneuver but Beth yanks her to the floor. The referee catches this but fails to send Beth to the back. The referee gets to a six count before Melina pulls Mickie back inside by the hair. Melina throws Mickie down by the hair a couple of times. Melina continues to pull the hair as she stands on Mickie’s shoulder then ties up both of her legs. Melina gets a nearfall before punching away on the fallen Mickie’s side and back. Melina uses the top rope to trap Mickie’s hair and pull at it some more. Mickie kicks Melina away but Melina comes back with shots of her own. Melina locks Mickie in a bodyscissors against the ropes and pulls her hair…..again. Mickie advances out of the ropes with Melina still wrapped around her. Now both Divas are pulling the other’s hair. Both Divas roll back and exchange pinfall attempts then forearms. Melina tries another hair pull so Mickie slaps her. Mickie catches a boot attempt, pulling Melina down into a splits position. Mickie rolls over Melina with a headstand before hitting her with a low dropkick. Mickie kicks and forearms Melina in the corner before charging into a kick. Melina goes to the second rope to pull at Mickie’s hair for the umpteenth time. Learn how to work instead. Mickie counters by forearming Melina who gets sprawled across the ropes. Mickie arches Melina’s back to pull at her hair then release. Melina falls back to the mat and Mickie covers for a nearfall. Mickie kicks and lands two forearms to Melina. Mickie ducks a clothesline and hits a front bulldog then a spinning back kick to the gut. Mickie knocks Melina down with a high kick. Mickie lands a seated senton from the top rope. Mickie leans forwards and hooks both legs. 1-2-no. Crowd boo Melina’s kickout as Mickie stalks, urging Melina to get up. Beth gets on the apron to distract Mickie who forearms her to the floor and out of contention. From behind, Melina rolls Mickie up, hooks the tights and gets the cheap 1-2-3. Here is Your Winner: MELINA. Awful match. Mickie tried but Melina was embarrassing. Try watching a TNA knockouts match toots. Post match, Melina rolls out, Beth raises Melina’s arm and they leave as Mickie protests.

Grisham tells us to get ready for WrestleMania and Heat fades away as Grisham wraps it up. End of show.

Best Match: Paul Burchill vs Val Venis.
Worst Match: Melina vs Mickie James.
Show Verdict: Thumbs in the middle from me. The middle portion of the show was best in my opinion.

One final note before I sign off this week. I urge everyone to keep supporting Jeff Hardy through this difficult period he’s facing. Matt Hardy’s MySpace blog says it all. Jeff has given so much to his fans over the years. Now’s the time for us to give back in his hour of need and look at the bigger picture. Have a good week and I’ll see you next Sunday, just hours before WrestleMania. Shaun.

If anyone wants to sound off, chew the fat or talk wrestling get in touch. Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.