Bang For Your Buck PPV Review: 2014 Hell in a Cell

Big Show vs. Rusev

Best Case Scenario: They give us the sweet, sweet, hossy goodness they’ve hinted out in the previous matches between these two, with Rusev dispatching both Big Show and that “soldier” who tried to attack Rusev on Raw. Also, Lana singing the Russian national anthem at some point.

HOSS FIGHT! And easily the match of the undercard for your correspondent.

My (almost irrational) love of Rusev may slightly color what I’m about to say, but bare with me, please: Rusev is the best thing going in the company right now. While there are any number of complaints — some genuine, most extraordinarily not — to be made about nearly every other performer/feud on this PPV and in this company, Rusev’s booking, his performances and the crowd reaction for he and Lana has been spectacular. Even the things that have been problematic for him — Big Show’s promos, that idiotic thing with the Soldier, the fact that he turned an old racist face — aren’t anywhere near his fault.

This match was the very best kind of Big Show match: one where he gets bumped around by a “normal” big dude. As we talked about during the match — which, is $9.99 less than the cost of the network, and available for you to listen to below —  Big Show makes Rusev (and nearly everyone other person on earth) look small just by virtue of standing next to them. HOWEVER, in situation Show’s immense size helps instantly articulate the idea that past a certain point size doesn’t matter as much.

While Rey Mysterio — or Daniel Bryan — could never beat someone like the Big Show, as they are (quite literally in Rey’s case) half his size. But someone like Rusev, who is big for a normal person, can use their own considerable size to chop Show down to their more reasonable level. That Rusev moves like a cat, sells like a champ and puts everything he has into every match makes showcases like this perfect for someone like him.

Although his future may be partially cloudy with a chance of “hustle, loyalty and respect” sinking his ship in a maelstrom, this was the exact type of match Rusev needs to — and has had — every time he goes out on PPV. He’s rapidly becoming something nearing the rare “hoss show-stealer” and considering I’ve watch the match three times now, that’s something that’s surprisingly rewatchable (for me, at least).

Match .8 PPV 3.4

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