WWE : The Great American Bash 2008

WWE : The Great American Bash 2008


The Great American Bash 2008 took place in New York, and blended the 3 brands of WWE in one night, with a spectacular PPV event.


The night kicks off with Mick Foley and J.R at the commentator's table and a recap of the feuds which will be explored in events to come and kicks into the first match of the evening.

Fatal 4 way for the WWE tag team title : Miz + Morrison Vs Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder Vs Jesse and Festus Vs Hornswaggle/Finlay

This bout is a classic mixture of comical characters and talented wrestlers, including Festus 'the moving man' whose intriguing quirk of launching into fury at the sound of a bell is put to good use and the 'father/son' duo of Hornswaggle and Finlay. In these there lies power, which is contrasted in the charisma and athleticism of The Miz and Morrison.


With the WWE Tag title on the line, the champions need not be pinned to lose the title, and this bout is the perfect opener to this dramatic night.


Next the DVD launches straight into the next match,

United States Title Match : Matt Hardy vs Shelton Benjamin

A battle ensues with 2 athletes born in North and South California respectively. One of the strongest athletes in the industry against the high octane, passion of Matt Hardy. The Gold standard is looking to strip hardy of his title and end his 2 year drought of championship gold. This bout is worth watching for it's skill and technical ability, it's proverbial crack for the eyes.

ECW championship fight : Mark Henry vs Tommy dreamer

This title match puts the World's strongest man against the 'heart and soul' of ECW Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer wants the title badly, but is faced against the pure muscle of Henry, whose high muscle moves are a constant threat.


At times in this match, there is typical dominance by Henry, a hallmark of his matches to date - however Dreamer's heart battles through, and a surprising double cross provides the match with an interesting final result.

Shaun Michaels vs Chris Jericho

Much is made of the long standing rivalry between two of the greatest face/heel combinations in modern WWE history, and a long montage documents the breathtaking battles these two have raged through, bursting into another epic battle.


Jericho comes out with typical arrogance, but also with body language which says he is ready to entertain. The iconic music of HBK rings out and Michaels appears in the entryway - cowboy hat and all, with intensity in his eyes which epitomises the battle between these two. Nursing injuries to his ribs and eye.


A long, bloody battle ensues, typical of the recent meetings with Lance Cade getting his usual contribution as bodyguard, this fight is a true classic.

WWE Divas Title match : Michelle McCool Vs. Natalia

Beauty meets Braun with two submission wrestlers locking horns - Love or hate the divas, they're in full force - and now they have their second title in the divas championship. There are Decent technical skills on show, with beautiful ladies in great costumes. A nice break from the intense bouts is worth the watch, with a Surprise announcement from Jericho relating to the nights earlier events

WWE World Heavyweight Title Match : C.M Punk Vs Batista

Vignettes compose the pride CM punk has at being the world heavyweight champion, trying to post the merits of an underdog, and a recap of how Punk won the title act as a precursor to this much anticipated match.


Batista has such strength, matched against CM Punk's heart on his top bill PPV debut.
Punk's unique leg based offence is used against the muscle of Batista, combined with the high flying moves which he learned in ECW.


This match that is literally the might of Coca Cola vs. the charisma of Pepsi (apologies, but there had to be at least one bad pun made in this review - and Punk's tattoos lent themselves to the task). The animal clearly deserves this shot, and surely to win, as it was his work which gave punk the title, and if Punk is to be taken seriously he has to be able to win - it's truly an old fashioned battle between 2 faces.

John Cena Vs JBL - New York parking lot match

There's a long compilation documenting the rivalry and build up to this match, starting in parking lot with a ring of cars. The Entrepreneur vs. You Can't See Me. . Brutality ensues, but initially lacks atmosphere.


The bout starts well, but is a far cry from the days of cactus jack and the rock. Stunning use of environment, but lacking commentary leaving it a bit lifeless, but once it spills into the arena the commentary begins which breathes atmosphere and life into the bout


Cena is a true showman throughout this bout, and Bradshaw plays the villain perfectly and they both battle, stretching their bodies to the limit, with a spectacular finish.

WWE Championship Match : Edge vs Triple H

Memories are brought up about the exposure of Edge's affair, leading to the break up of his and Vicki's engagement at the hands of Triple H. Further fuelled by a Text Poll on who is sympathised with more.


Some may think that edge's storyline is bad writing, and all seen before - but I think the pairing of Triple H, one of the good actors in the WWE, with edge's comic style of acting is enough to pull this off, and get the crowd taking sides. This match is between two of the WWE's biggest superstars.


The entrances of these athletes encapsulate what a main event is all about, and they both are classic throwbacks to sinister entrances of the golden era of wrestling, worth watching - and the battle is truly awesome, and gruelling with a slightly disappointing ending which hails to the storyline rather than the bout, but still a great watch.