2002.07.10

Monday Night Raw delivered one of the most memorable matches in recent memory. This match was not like TLC, TLC 2, or any other spectacular match Raw has given us. This match will long be remembered for how bad it was. The mixed tag team match pitting Bradshaw / Trish Stratus against Chris Nowinski / Jackie Gayda was simply embarrasing. The following quotes come from various Internet writers:

Tim Whitehead - 1wrestling.com

Trish & Bradshaw beat Jackie & Nowinski in 3:13. Save this one for your lowlight tape of awful matches. This was one of those matches where someone, namely Jackie, couldn't hit a spot if she was shooting Dalmatians with a machine gun... The ladies went in and did a couple of moves before botching a spot really bad. The crowd booed... The ladies ended up in the corner and Jackie messed up on three spots in a row, including the bulldog finish, with the fans booing the botched spots. Poor Jackie just had a bad night, and, of course, needs more experience in the real ring world. Trish looked legit irritated. At the three count, JR said, "Mercifully it's over", and Lawler added, "I've seen better catfights, JR".

Isn't it a shame Jackie's parents wasted all that money on acting lessons?

Dave Scherer - 1wrestling.com

I thought that the first hour was really dull and plodding. It also "featured" one of the worst matches you will ever see in the horrible mixed tag match. It was fitting that the finish was a completely blown move that was sold anyway because it was representative of the horrible match that preceded it. It think it's very clear that putting the green Tough Enough people, especially Jackie Gayda, on TV before they are ready is just a bad mistake. That match was a shining beacon of the first hour and just how badly things went.

Why can't Jackie Gayda figure out if she is a heel or a face?

And, wasn't that whole promo with the women almost painful to watch?

Did you wonder if the bumps they took in the mixed tag match were as painful to take as they were to watch?

Does a chop into silicone really hurt?

Good lord, how brutal was the finish of the mixed tag match?

When JR said "mercifully, it's over" was that a shoot or what?

Jason Powell - Pro Wrestling Torch

Jackie Gayda: The most embarrassing televised wrestling performance in years. At least she didn't cry about it as she would have on Tough Enough. Let's hope this makes WWE reconsider the idea of throwing every person who comes out of Tough Enough onto the active roster because Gayda clearly isn't ready for an in-ring role.

Bruce Mitchell - Pro Wrestling Torch

After a series of clumsy botched spots by Jackie, rewarded with boos by the traditional Philly crowd, Trish pins Jackie. Ross makes the bowling shoe reference. It's not just Jackie's fault since she shouldn't have been put in this position this early in her career in the first place.

Torch readers:

Jackie Gayda unseats Kronik as the worst in-ring performer I've ever seen in WWE. Send her back in tears to her song-lyric-Fed-Exing wussÊboyfriend and giveÊus Jake, the way it should have been from the beginning.

You could hear the disbelief that King and JR had at Jackie's performance, and you could hear it in the form of laughter in my living room.

Trish vs. Jackie Gayda was just awful

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I did not post these comments to further 'kick Jackie while she is down'. In some ways, I feel bad for Jackie. She messed up badly. It happens. Tomorrow is another day. Tough Enough is both a blessing and a curse for WWE. The stars of Tough Enough receive tons of TV time. It is wonderful exposure for the participants. Maven was instantly over with WWF crowds after winning Tough Enough. The fans knew him. The fans related to him. The fans cared about him. That was a blessing for the WWF and Maven. On the flip side, the Tough Enough winners lack experience. On Monday night we saw what happens when an inexperienced person is confused in the ring. It gets ugly really fast.

The indys have long been the breeding ground for tomorrow's stars. Wrestlers would spend a year, two years, ten years perfecting the skills and gaining the experience necessary to compete in the WWF. Guys like Chris Jericho, Lance Storm, Tazz, and Al Snow worked hard for a decade before receiving a WWF contract.

I have been 'wrestling' since October of 1999. I have wrestled in some decent matches. I have had my share of stinkers. I have made mistakes in the ring. I have f'd up in front of 100 people. Those mistakes are important.

I learned from my mistakes. I have no intention of repeating those mistakes. I learn something new almost every time I step in front of a live crowd. I am gaining valuable experience.

I was lucky, only 100 people saw me mess up. Unfortunately for WWE and Jackie Gayda, a few MILLION people saw the disaster that occurred on Monday evening. It was a learning experience for Jackie. It is a night she will never forget. It could haunt her for the remainder of her career or she can overcome the peril and move forward.