WWE Great American Bash (2004 TV Special) User Reviews

The Great American Bash (2004) REVIEW

[cjwhite-31645 · 5/10 · 27 April 2023]

The Great American Bash (June 27, 2004)

John Cena (c) vs Booker T vs René Duprée vs Rob Van Dam (2/5) Charlie Haas vs Luther Reigns (1/5) Rey Mysterio (c) vs Chavo Guerrero (3.25/5) Kenzo Suzuki vs Billy Gunn (DUD) Sable vs Torrie Wilson (DUD) Mordecai vs Hardcore Holly (0.5/5) Eddie Guerrero (c) vs John "Bradshaw" Layfield (3.25/5) The Dudley Boyz vs The Undertaker (1/5)

The three championship matches delivered, but everything else would have fit on a weekly episode of SmackDown!

In all honesty the Cruiserweight and Texas Bullrope Match for the WWE Championship were the clear matches of the night. And in all fairness the Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match for the United States Championship was a decent match as well.

Skip every thing else.

Go ahead and call me, a party pooper! This WWE Wrestling Show was not quite a party in the USA. It was a firework dud.

[ironhorse_iv · 4/10 · 4 July 2019]

Don't get me wrong at the time, I was really looking forward to this event. After all, I was a big fan of WWE bringing back old WCW's PPVs names. 'Great American Bash' was supposedly the first of many that was supposed to return. However, the show held at the Norfolk Scope didn't do so well at the buy rate, only gaining mediocre returns. So owner Vince McMahon scrap the idea. Shows like 'Halloween Havoc' and 'Starrcade' never got off the ground. Yet, he would continue to use this event name for several more years before finally retiring it in 2009. It's sucks because I have always love how the show pay homage to America. While yes it might look somewhat cheesy; still the red, white and blue ring ropes, costumes & set design were all really catchy. It was very appealing. Much better than the lack of show decorations, we get with modern day WWE PPV events. Plus, some of the women wrestlers wearing America flag bikinis backstage in hot tubs didn't hurt. Regardless, I still wish the show wrestling could had been better. There were hardly any good matches. Don't get me wrong, the Fatal Four way elimination match for the WWE United States Championship between champion John Cena and challengers Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Rene Dupree was fine. However if I can nitpick a bit. I really didn't like how the wrestlers wait outside the ring until their spots. It was very jarring and distracting. It's also weird, not to see a mixed reaction from the crowd when Cena comes to the ring. At the time, the crowd was really into him. Anyways that brings us to the next match between Luther Reigns and Charlie Haas. A match that had little built and was not originally booked or market for the show. It was a squash match that the audience truly got right. It was indeed boring. It's a shame because the writers really could had done a really cool story feud between Haas and then Smackdown General Manager Kurt Angle after this show. Sadly that never came to existence due to Angle's neck injury at the time. Both are amazing wrestlers whom match could had torn the roof down. Instead, Haas was fed to an over jacked, highly limited, steroid freak whom never went anywhere after this. What a joke! Chavo Vs title holder Rey Mysterio was next on the card and the contest for the Cruiserweight Championship was entertaining from start to finish. Glad, Chavo Classic was nowhere near this match. It could had ruin it for me. I always felt that his past his prime wrestler presence win few months earlier kinda hurt the title. I'm happy to see that the championship division kinda rebound after this, only to turn into crap, a few months later when Spike Dudley won the title. The match that followed the Cruiserweights was Billy Gunn versus Kenzo Suzuki and watching this unannounced match, felt like seeing a clueless redneck male stripper drunkenly try to drive a used highly offensive over the top Toyota off a cliff. It was not pretty. The squash contest was slow and lumbering. Just skip it, along with the next match between Sable and Torrie Wilson. While, I had to say that both women are extremely attract and their feud over being Playboy cover girl was memorable. They are not good wrestlers in any level. Their match was hard to watch. Lots of botches moments. Not worth watching. The PPV debut of Mordecai versus Bob Holly was next. This unannounced squash fight was pure trash. It was a short nothing contest that really didn't lead anywhere. Mordecai would soon be taken off television after this to work on his in ring skills. The performer wouldn't return back until 2006 in which, he had a name and gimmick change as vampire Kevin Thorn. It's too bad, because I honestly dig the Mordecai heavenly character. That light vs dark storyline with Undertaker could had work. Glad to see that story came back years later with the Deadman's feud with Shawn Michaels. As for Kevin Thorn, he return to the developmental, yet again in 2008 and released from his contract by the end of 2009. Anyways, going back to the show. The Texas Bullrope match for the WWE Championship between challenger Eddie Guerrero and champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield was a fine brutal fight. I have always dig their feud. The whole illegal immigration angle was very entertaining at the time. This contest was not a disappointment. JBL was indeed great heel & Guerrero was a wonderful babyface. Both work with each other well. The finish was clever. It's a lot better than the final match on the card. The main event, which saw The Undertaker face off against The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) in a Handicap match was below average. The only exciting thing about this fight was the pre-match stipulation. Seeing Paul Bearer slowly being cemented in a glass concrete crypt was fun to watch even if the character is clearly played by a stunt double. Regardless, I really like the magically illusion of the trick. Even with a trained eye, the act looks somewhat real. Still, it was a bit odd to see Undertaker finish him off. This shot ended the show and caused numerous complaints toward the company, as in essence they had shown a simulated murder by a baby face. In response, WWE aired that Bearer was indeed alive, although gravely injured, for storyline purposes for the performer to undergo emergency gallbladder surgery. Regardless, it was still funny to see that a later rehearsal video of the staged stunt was leaked on internet. That video really did hurt kayfabe. Overall: In the end, the show was still mostly crap. It was not a great watch. This is one event not worth showing at the Fourth of July BBQ. Don't recommended seeing. It's trash.

Worst pay-per-view of 2004

[davidpenzer · 3/10 · 6 July 2004]

Did they use the name Great American Bash just to embarrass the former WCW because they knew from the beginning how bad this show was going to be?

Match 1: Cena vs. Booker vs. RVD vs. Dupree. Fatal Four Way Elimination.

• Why do they book a US Title match with four of the best wrestlers on the roster in an opening match? And can anyone tell me why RVD and Booker T is put into this division? Booker is a five-time WCW Champion and RVD is five-time Intercontinental Champion so why would anyone care? RVD and Dupree are eliminated early and Cena then beats Booker cleanly to retain the title and make sure the burial of Booker continues. A good match for most part. Cena turns up the crowd as usual.

Match Rating: 3/5

Backstage Angle tells Charlie Haas that he is disappointed in him and that he will have to face Luther Reigns immediately.

Match 2: Luther Reigns vs. Charlie Haas

• The crowd quickly dies for this. 'Boring' chants in the second match isn't a good sign. Haas carries this match. Highlight: Reigns finisher Roll of the Dice.

Match Rating: 2/5

Match 3: Chavo vs. Rey Mysterio.

• After giving the belt to a woman and an old man I guess there's nothing left to do but to give it to the default cruiserweight; Rey Mysterio. Rey and Chavo are excellent wrestlers and work well together but the match could be even better; Chavo spends too much time working on Rey's ankle and Rey sells the injury so much he can hardly move. What the f*** is up with that booking? Nice reversals and a great finish. Rey keeps the title.

Match Rating: 3/5

Backstage Torrie, Noble, Kidman and Funaki argue about which one of them should be cruiserweight champ, or something... Terrible segment.

Match 4: Billy Gunn vs. Kenzo Suzuki.

• Billy Gunn comes to the ring and maybe three people care. As for Kenzo Suzuki, he is one of the the worst wrestlers I have ever been seen. He is weak, has zero in-ring skills, zero charisma and a worthless gimmick – there is a reason why gimmicks like these have failed in the past; nobody cares, plain and simple. What is even worse; it seems like they are actually going to push the guy. Hell, why not sign David Arquette as well? Match goes to a No Contest when everyone in the entire arena loses interest in what is going on.

Match Rating: 0/5

We see Paul Bearer and Heyman backstage.

Match 5: Torrie vs. Sable.

• Awful match! I honestly can't find the words to describe how sad this is. Torrie wrestling always equals extreme sloppiness. Torrie pins Sable despite Sable's right shoulder are nowhere near the mat. That was five minutes of my life I will never get back.

Match Rating: 0/5

Backstage Dawn Marie interviews Dupree but FBI interrupts. What the hell is FBI doing here? Another bad segment.

Match 6: Hardcore Holly vs. Mordecai.

• If they want to get Suzuki and Mordecai over (IF being the key word here) they shouldn't put them against Holly and Gunn. Mordecai beats Holly with the Crusifix Bomb and I did SO not need to see this match.

Match Rating: 1/5

Match 7: Bradshaw vs. Eddie Guerrero. Texas Bull Rope WWE Championship.

• Someone in the crew is sleeping on his job. The lights are off when they should be on and one light is consistently blinking. Anyway this is an unusual stipulation and a good exciting match. JBL hits a nice DDT and Eddie takes some hard bumps. Eddie seems to be the winner when he hits the final turnbuckle, but Angle comes out and reverses the decision. Replay shows that Bradshaw is the first to touch the last corner. I read in a review that the part where Angle used the instant replay sucked because it was cheap and it made the referee look incompetent. I agree 100%. As for JBL winning the title, I guess the bookers think that three face champions are too much. And Eddie is so over right now he doesn't need the title.

Match Rating: 3/5

Match 8: Undertaker vs. The Dudleys. Concrete Crypt Handicap.

• Is THIS the main event??? Heyman interrupts the match several times and bugs the living hell out of me with his ugly voice. Nothing worth mentioning here, which means it is a usual DUDley match. Undertaker does all the moves he gets pops for and nothing more and gets a clean win as usual. WWE shows how much the tag titles mean by booking the champions to lose a handicap match. I wasn't enjoyed by this match at all and I won't comment the post-match stuff because I really don't give a sh*t, but I can assure you that Paul Bearer won't be back in WWE.

Match Rating: 1/5

The Good: Rey/Chavo, but most of all the fact I watched it for free.

The Bad: This was the worst piece of horse-crap I've ever seen trying to pass itself off as a wrestling p.p.v. How can anyone book such half-assed sh*t? First we get some absolutely horrible backstage segments and awful promos for feuds that nobody cares for. Then we're treated to legends like Hardcore Holly, Billy Gunn and promising young talent like Kenzo Suzuki and Mordecai (who has already been sent back to OVW!). The booking of the card was stupid and so was the finish to the WWE Title match. Dreadful main event. Close to a 0/5 rating.

Great American Bash Rating: 1/5

Great American Bash 2004

[wrestlingsitewebmaster · 1/10 · 4 July 2005]

This was not just one of the worst PPV's in 2004, but one of the worst in WWE history!!!

Match 1 sees Booker T, Rene Dupree, RVD and US Champ John Cena battle it out in a crap match. Why they put these four in this match I don't know. Cena won but no one cared.

Next up three matches, which were the worst in WWE history took place. The first match saw Kenzo Suzuki taking on Billy Gunn in a terrible match, then Charlie Haas takes on Luther Reigns in a crap match. Finally Hardcore Holly takes on Mordecai in another crap match! My god!

Torrie Wilson then battles Sable in another crap match! Why?!

Light relief comes as Rey Mysterio takes on Chavo Guerrero in a fine contest, and then Eddie Guerrero loses his belt to JBL in a fun bull rope match. The fans were miffed by the outcome, because JBL turned into a millionaire in just one week, whereas he was the APA member the week before.

Next up The main event took place. This was the worst main event in WWE history. The Undertaker took on The Dudley Boyz in a p*ss poor contest.

I do not want to comment on the rest of this, because it's not worth it!

Cena/Dupree/Booker/RVD - 5/10 Gunn vs Suzuki - 1/10 (Just for turning up to the arena) Haas vs Reigns - 1/10 Holly vs Mordecai -1/10 Sable vs Wilson - 1/10 Rey vs Chavo - 8/10 JBL vs Guerrero -7.5/10 Taker vs The Dudleyz - 1/10

Just F'N awful!

Great American Bash

[Ikepoiyen668894 · 19 September 2005]

Great American Bash 2004 what a load of TRASH!!!! without a doubt the worse pay per view i have seen since i watched wwe way back in 1992, worse thing i paid 15 quid for it off box office. half the matches were velocity type matches as they had no rivalry or background to them whatsoever

1. John cena(US CHAMP) Vs RVD Vs Booker T Vs Rene Dupree US CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

7/10 Good match ..cena was entertaining rvd was high flying..booker and Rene were OK ....but heres the thing ..smackdown use 3 of there biggest stars on the first match of the night...which signals the pp-vs downfall ...although its a good starter it wasn't clever to make this match with the superstars in it the first match of the night.

2.Charlie Haas Vs Luther Reigns.

4/10 Why are these two having a match a a pay per view ..especially Luther reigns without a doubt an absolute useless nothing wrestler.

3. Rey mysterio Vs Chavo Guerrero

7/10 rare bright spark on a poor night ..impressive cruiserweight action.

4. Kenzo Suzuki Vs Billy Gunn ( NO BUILD UP )

4/10 Once again why is this a match at a pay per view...kenzo Suzuki is almost as talentless as Luther reigns ...billy gunn is finished ..the match was crap.

5. Sable Vs Torrie Wilson

9/10 looks 2/10 everything else.. i wont slate these 2 because there not wrestlers ..but it was awful.

6. Hardcore Holly Vs Mordecai ( NO BUILD UP )

2/10 to sum up how poor Mordecai was....this was his one and only pay per view match in his time with wwe. hardcore holly lowered even more by the way ..because he loses.!!

7. Eddie Guerrero (WWE CHAMP) Vs JBL Bull rope match for wwe title

7/10 some nice hard spots but nothing special...ending is tried to be made controversial but it is so obvious what has happened and what will happen. good blood spills

8. Undertaker Vs Dudleys...concrete crypt match if undertaker doesn't do what heyman wants bearer goes down.

5/10 average match AWFUL MAIN EVENT ...i will now start my process onto why this summed up the ppv POOR ....Dudley's in main event ???? why?? god knows ...the most ridiculous storyline..... a handicap match with no titles on the line for a main event ..wat is going on...the role Dudley's play in the rivalry so doesn't suit them..they should have got gangrel and viscera to do it...all in all it summed up the pay per view ....AWFUL DIOBOLICAL PETTY SILLY LACK OF BUILD UP ...PLAIN RUBBISH

Man what a rip off

[SteveDonnachie20022001 · 2/10 · 28 May 2005]

I just went to Walmart of all places to get a wrestling DVD{not good choices guys} and they had the great American Bash on DVD so I thought what the heck it looks pretty good. So I bought it,got home and watched it and man did I feel ripped off. I had more trouble trying to stay interested in this then I did trying to actually watch it. They had like 2 good matches but the rest of the card had slow boring matches.

1. John Cena vs RVD vs Renne Dupree vs Booker T. The first match for Booker T and Renne Dupreee since the pointless draft of Smackdown and Raw of 2004. I guess it started out OK but the match got kind of stupid as it became more of a 1 on 1 match when just 2 of the 4 wrestlers would fight each other and there would be 2 more wrestlers outside the ring doing nothing. Its a fatal 4 way guys. That means all 4 wrestlers are supposed to fight in this. Anyways I'm no John Cena fan but I thought he really kept the crowd interested in this. So did Booker T. They have pretty good chemistry. I give this match a 2 out of 10.

2. Charlies Hass vs Luther Reigns. This was a terrible match. Charlie Hass how far you have fallen since your tag team days with Shelton Benjamen. Charlie Hass did have to carry Luther through this match who looked lost at times and didn't seem like he knew what he was doing. This match got really good when it ended.

3.Billy Gunn vs Kenso Susuki. Another bad match with missed spots. The match itself was so and it was hard to stay interested. You would think after 10 years of being in the WWE that they would push Billy Gunn better. But this had to be the worst match ever.

4. Rey Mystero vs Chavo Gurerrero. Good match,high movies,great fast paced action. Finally it was starting to get good. Rey and Chavo work great together and they managed to wake up the fans in this match. This is the way a wrestling match should be. Fast paced and more then just punching and kicking.

5. Hardcore Holly vs Mordeci. Not the best match. Hardcore Holly put the rookie over and the fact is the WWE much like the way they are using Billy Gunn,are doing the same thing to Hardcore Holly. Used to push wrestlers that can't wrestle.

6. Eddie Guerrero vs JBL. Man this was the match that start a pointless JBL push. The guy can't wrestle at all. All he does is punch and kick. Not a bad match but I feel sorry for the WWE having to let Eddie lose the title to a man with no ability rather then keep the title on a man who has ability. And people wonder why Smackdown ratings have been down since JBL won the title.

7. Undertaker vs the Dudley Boyz. This match wasn't what it could have been. I was expecting more violence in this one. The fact is this match was more of a tag team match then a 2 on 1 match. And the way they handled this storyline was awful. The Dudleys are OK but this wasn't the storyline for them. The Undertaker put on a OK match but he was better of as the American Badass. Besides if you look real carefully the Undertaker looked really bored during this match and looked like he didn't want to be part of this Paul Bearer abducting angle anymore.

I gotta tell ya after seeing this pay per view it makes me wonder what ever happened to the heart of the WWE. Skip this pay per view by any means.

I got this Smackdown pay per view event on DVD

[kliko400 · 7/10 · 8 January 2007]

I bought this Smackdown pay per view on DVD & I've got to say, I was not disappointed.

First match- John Cena vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Rene Dupree vs. Booker T in a Fatal 4 way match for the WWE United States Championship.

A very great opener which Rob Van Dam first gets eliminated by a roll-up by John Cena. Second Rene Dupree gets eliminated after an F-U by John Cena but Booker T covers to eliminate Dupree. Third & last Booker T gets eliminated after an F-U by John Cena who wins the whole Fatal 4 way match to keep his WWE United States Championship. 6/10 Second match- Luther Reigns w/ Kurt Angle vs. Charlie Haas w/ Miss Jackie {This match was added as a bonus match after an backstage encounter between Charlie Haas & Kurt Angle} Believe it or not this was actually a great match which Charlie Haas tried to pull the best he can to win but to no avail Luther Reigns nailed a freaky looking neck breaker to get the win. 4/10 Third match- Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship These two blow the roof off the arena when they meet one on one in the ring. Despite injuring his knee during the match & getting it targeted by Chavo Guerrero. Mysterio was able to reverse a Gory Bomb into a roll-up attempt to get the victory & still keep his WWE Cruiserweight title. 7/10 Fourth match- Mordecai vs. Hardcore Holly This was just a slight brawl by these two men nothing special. Mordecai wins after what looks like a Crucifix Powerbomb. 3/10 Fifth match- Torrie Wilson vs. Sable Diva matches like these are always boring especially this one. Sable pulls out the victory on Torrie after a reverse roll-up. 2/10 Sixth match-Kenzo Suzuki w/ Hiroko vs. Billy Gunn Another boring match which Kenzo Suzuki pulls out the victory. 2/10 Seventh match- JBL vs. Eddie Guerrero in a Texas Bullrope match for the WWE Championship.

Now knowing that this was a first Texas Bullrope match it wasn't really bad. Eddie Guerrero touched the four corners to win. But after the match, Kurt Angle came & said JBL's shoulder touched the pole first which led the decision that Eddie Guerrero lost & JBL won which mean't that JBL was surprisingly the new WWE Champion. 5/10 Eight match- Undertaker vs. Dudley Boys in a 1-2 handicap match Undertaker defeated the Dudley Boys in a good but a bit boring match. After the match Taker decides to not join Heyman's team & therefore let his close friend Paul Bearer get buried in cement. 4/10 So this is the Smackdown pay per view event that I have on DVD & it really isn't that bad, it's pretty good.

Overall: Not bad pay per view event as I'll give it a 7/10 & a C

Worst SmackDown! Pay Per View of 2004

[nick_6100 · 3/10 · 19 August 2010]

I though that WWE Great American Bash 2004 was one of the worst WWE Pay Per views that we have seen in a long time. And I was right, thank-god I didn't spend my hard earned money on this. I watched it for free via the Internet streaming.

1. John Cena defeated. Booker T, Rene Dupree, Rob Van Dam in a Fatal 4 Way Elimination Match to Retain the United States Championship. This match was a very bad opener.

Rating: 4/10 ( D - )

2. Luther Reigns w/Kurt Angle defeated. Charlie Haas w/Miss Jackie This should have been on SmackDown!, Velocity not Pay Per View.

Rating: 1/10 ( F )

3. Rey Mysterio defeated. Chavo Guerrero to retain Cruiserweight Championship. A very great match indeed lots of action too. Best match of the night.

Rating: 7/10 ( C + )

4. Kenzo Suzuki w/Hirokio defeated. Billy Gunn Like I said for Haas vs. Reigns match this should have been on SmackDown! not Pay Per View.

Rating: 0/10 ( F )

5. Sable defeated. Torrie Wilson in a average divas match. Before Sable was in a bathtub wtf.

Rating: 0/10 ( F )

6. Mordecai defeated. Hardcore Holly in a not so good match. This should of also been on SmackDown! or Velocity.

Rating: 2/10 ( F )

7. John "Bradshaw" Layfield defeated. Eddie Guerrero to win the WWE Championship in a Texas Bullrope Match. This match was second best in my mind. I thought Eddie had won but then General Manager Kurt Angle dropped a big bomb and showed a replay of JBL touching the last turnbuckle before Eddie did, new Champion JBL.

Rating 6/10 ( C )

8. The Undertaker defeated. The Dudley Boyz w/Paul Heyman in a Concrete Crypt Handicap Match, this match was really dull and boring, for the first time ever an Undertaker match turned out to be garbage.

Rating: 3/10 ( F )

Taker would then crypt Bearer in concrete.

Overall: Worst PPV of 2004.

The Great American Bash 2004: 3/10 ( F )

About John Cena's injury

[timonlex1 · 10/10 · 1 December 2007]

RANDY SACKS if he wanna prove he is good then he could have gone on a match with John Cena from the beginning guess what you sack Randy and that is the reality. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo Randy sacks ha ha ha ha. Randy accept that you are a weak link and you actually know that Cena is good than you are. Gosh I've never seen a person who sacks like you; you are worse than everyone I've ever know and you know what you are afraid of challenges POOR THING. Actually you deserve to be a loser because you already are ha ha. Just pray to your cowboy so that he can pray that you can win because you terribly sack. Since you have started wrestle you have proved that you are a disorganized loser and a FREAK.