Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 120: Raven and Saturn vs. Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko (Nitro 3/22/99)

Very cool. Two of my favorite ECW transplants (well four, but I’m referring to Saturn and Raven) meet up with a great unrecognized tag team that was a part of the Four Horseman at this point. At Spring Break no less.

This is odd. Last year Raven had a match where he was booked to get the crap kicked out of him at the spring break show by Chris Benoit. This year, he’s out by himself to get the crap kicked out of him by Benoit – and Malenko. Really solid and strong style methodical beating on Raven here. He refuses to give up, even when put in the Texas Cloverleaf and the Crippler Crossface. A bit creepy to Benoit yelling, “Now it’s time for some pain” in the post – well, Benoit World.

Saturn comes out in a dress while they beat on a lifeless Raven, turns (I guess) on the Horseman, and suplexes everyone to hell. Now we’ve got a good match. Too bad this crowd really sucks reaction wise. Raven is out, so now the Malenko/Benoit team methodically beats the crap out of Saturn. I say methodical only because of the lack of reaction, it’s actually a pretty sweet display of wrestling. After a while watching a beating without much bumping (kicks and punches), I’m not really sure where this should go. It’s solid, but it’s like a machine, which is an apt criticism of these work rate guys. No true connection to the audience at times. Raven comes out for the babyface tag and clears everyone. Nifty move where Saturn gets out of the Crossface, back trips Benoit, and transitions into the Rings of Saturn submission. Suddenly the crowd is alive for these new babyfaces.

Decent to very good finish setting up the future, as Raven cuts off a Dean Malenko belt shot to Saturn with one of his own, and the ref rings the bell for a DQ while Saturn is about to make Benoit tap. That developed into a compelling story and turn some guys faces. 3 and 6.2/10.