Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 93: Raven vs. Chris Benoit (Nitro 3/16/98)

This is from those always entertaining spring break shows at Club La Vela in Panama City, Florida. You know, where they’d put a wrestling ring in the middle of the pool. Odd moment where cool theme heels look out of place: The Flock has to sit on folding chairs on a round flotation device in the pool. It’s just too goofy. Thankfully Raven was still awesome at this point (though not as awesome as his ECW run with the Nest).

Raven does mic work talking trash on DDP and alluding to their mentor, “the Snake”. Yep, WCW never bothered to bring in Jake the Snake. Later they’d have Raven at his childhood mansion with posters of Piper from when he was a kid, and that feud never got going either.

Benoit starts this match off with the most vicious and motivated series of kicks, a German suplex, and baseball slide kick I’ve seen. That covers a lot. Benoit basically beats the crap out of Raven for most of the match and Raven bumps like a pro while absorbing/selling desperation. At one point Benoit rips Raven’s shirt off, talks trash to him, and chops the crap out of him. This is pretty much an awesome semi-main eventer squash, and it’s for a U.S. title shot.

Three straight snap suplexes lead the diving headbutt finish – and Benoit misses. Raven gives Benoit a bulldog on a chair and starts his heel comeback. Odd match layout, but I like it from these specific guys. Cool spot where Benoit tries to go for the Crossface but hits his head on the chair going downward to the mat. Raven hits his DDT finish for the pin and the win. So Benoit looks like a superman, and the heel squeaks out a victory and gets a title shot he doesn’t really deserve, while also looking tough in the process. This was pretty damn cool stuff. 3 ¼ and 6.5/10.