LUTHER REIGNS VS. CHARLIE HAAS

 Before the match, Charlie Haas is shown backstage with his girlfriend, Jackie Gayda. They congratulate John Cena on his victory and Cena tells Jackie to call him. Kurt Angle wheels himself in and says Haas used to be his protégé and now he’s talking to his girlfriend and John Cena, which should be beneath him. He makes a match between Haas and Reigns tonight. Sable is in a hot tub backstage and decides to conduct an interview with herself. No innuendo, she just cuts a promo on looking better in red white and blue than Torrie Wilson.

Michael Cole and Tazz are on commentary for this match, and they agree with Sable, something tells me that could be because they just saw her in a hot tub though. Charlie Haas makes his way out to the ring with Jackie. Luther Reigns is out with his generic big bad fucker music. He pushes Kurt Angle to the ring and there’s a head vs. heart battle over which manager I’d prefer here. Angle slaps Reigns to fire him up before he gets in the ring.

 

LUTHER REIGNS VS. CHARLIE HAAS

WWE Great American Bash 2004 (27^th June 2004)

Charlie Haas circles Reigns before shooting for the leg, Reigns gets to the ropes and Haas has to break. Haas gets a waistlock, but breaks it, ducking Reigns’ elbow in the process. Haas goes back to the leg and forces Reigns back into the corner.

  They lock up again after the break and Luther Reigns knees Haas in the midsection, Haas is clubbed across the back of his neck and my Network buffers as we see over Kurt Angle’s shoulder. From this side it looks more like a French flag than anything. Reign kicks Haas in the midsection and drops him with a punch. Charlie Haas reverses an irish whip and rolls Luther Reigns up for 2. Reigns slaps Charlie as they get to their feet and knocks him down with a big boot. Reigns stomps at Haas on the mat before driving him into the turnbuckles from halfway across the ring. Haas is sent into the corner again before an irish whip sends him across the ring. Luther Reigns gets a nearfall with a backbreaker and forces Haas into the middle rope, Charlie Haas fights back with right hands and baseball slides through Reigns’ legs, he sends Reigns into the ropes with dropkicks but can’t knock him off his feet. Luther Reigns reverses an irish whip, sending Haas out to the floor. Reigns sends Haas’ spine into the side of the apron and brings it back into the ring, he applies a chinlock, pushing his knee into Haas’ back.

  Tazz says as he gets more seasoning he’ll know to go for a cover there, but Cole thinks his orders are to punish Haas. The fans get Charlie Haas to his feet, he tries to break free with elbows but Reigns clubs him down again. Charlie Haas is sent into the corner, stumbling out into a military press slam for a nearfall. Luther Reigns puts Haas in a modified single-leg boston crab, pressing his knee into Haas’ back. Reigns pulls Haas away from the ropes and puts the hold back in, but Haas is able to roll over and gets a shot at Reigns’ face. Haas slips out the back of a slam attempt and rolls Reigns up or 2. Luther Reigns flattens Haas with a clothesline and covers for 2. Kurt Angle says time is an issue as Reigns goes to work on the other side of the ring. Haas is sent into the corner, Reigns charges but Haas moves out of the way and hits a T-Bone suplex on Reigns! Charlie Haas gets another nearfall with an Oklahoma roll. Charlie Haas grabs a waistlock and Reigns grabs the top rope, Haas clubs at Reigns and he loosens his grip, Charlie Haas hits a german suplex and bridges, but only gets 2.

  Luther Reigns is sent into the corner, Charlie Haas follows but his shoulder hits the ring post, Kurt Angle calls for the finish and Luther Reigns hits a spinning neckbreaker for the win.

WINNER: LUTHER REIGNS

This match was more competitive than it really should have been to showcase Reigns, but Charlie Haas was needed to keep the structure of the match. But not being able to take Luther Reigns from his feet except to roll him up was a nice story for the match. They did what they could, and Reigns didn’t look too exposed so it was a solid match. [**½] 4/10