Judgment Day '02

Legacy Review

Judgment Day '02

May 19, 2002 from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, TN

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

 

Change in both the WWF and wrestling world as a whole has been seemingly nonstop since the purchase of WCW in March '01, and coming into this PPV there's been yet more change. I won't get deep into the legal weeds on this, but for the past decade or so WWF had been embroiled in an on again, off again legal dispute with the other WWF, the World Wildlife Fund, over the official WWF trademark. Wrestling WWF's international expansion had brought on a new lawsuit from animal WWF, and it was animal WWF that was winning in court because they did have claim to the trademark first. As a result of this, wrestling WWF decided to throw in the towel and change the name of the company to World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE. To the howls of dismay of a lot of hardcore wrestling fans, already unhappy with the company's frequent prioritizing of entertainment over straight wrestling and, at the time, no real alternatives, but everyone got used to it eventually. To help the name change go down smoother WWE started a new Attitude Era style campaign called "Get the F out!".

 

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Eddie Guerrero (c) def Rob Van Dam in 10:47- This is a rematch from Backlash, where Guerrero won the IC title in his WWE return. Or technically a rerematch as they also opened the show at Insurrextion but that was only seen in the UK. Lots of jawing and some shoving after the bell. Speed run and RVD runs Guerrero over for 2. Off the ropes again Guerrero does a fancy flip over RVD, but gets up into an RVD clothesline for 2. Scoop powerslam from RVD and Guerrero rolls to the floor FURIOUS at how things have gone so far. Forget Latino Heat, this is Latino temper. Reset lockup back in and Guerrero hits a cheap shot in the corner. European uppercuts. RVD gets a boot up in the opposite corner, hops to the second rope, fakes Guerrero out, and hits a split legged moonsault onto his back. Very nice. Kicks to the back from RVD. Big backdrop and legdrop for 2. Straight kick to Guerrero's head. RVD continues to outmaneuver Guerrero, working him into a tiltawhirl backbreaker for 2. More kicks to the back as RVD clearly has a target. RVD tries to hook on a surfboard but Guerrero manages to fight free. Elbow drop from RVD and this time the surfboard is on! They hold it a LONG while too. Guerrero goes down onto his shoulders and we get a 2 count on both guys as all for shoulders were down, but they both get a shoulder up without breaking the hold. RVD pulls Guerrero back up! Phenomenal. Then he uses his legs to push Guerrero up and down to the mat! Very appreciative ovation from the crowd for that fantastic sequence. RVD standing moonsault for 2. Guerrero's had enough and begs off. RVD stays on him and Guerrero hides in the corner, then gets a cheap punch in when the ref tries to pull RVD back. Guerrero stomps away and wildly pounds RVD down in the corner. He goes into some chokey/eye rakey stuff to rile the crowd up some more. RVD tries to chop back but Guerrero eye pokes him. Off a whip reversal RVD does his split legged duck and monkey flips Guerrero. Stand up slugfest in the corner. Corner whip and Guerrero Bret bumps with RVD shoulderblocking him in the back at the same time! Backflip from RVD and he monkey flips Guerrero again. Hot shot from RVD. Rolling thunder hits for 2. I see someone in the crowd has an "RIP Davey Boy" sign. He had passed away just the day before. Guerrero counters a suplex into a roll up for 2. Misdirection kick from RVD. He springs up top, but Guerrero comes from behind and crotches him, then powerbombs RVD off the top rope. Guerrero slowly goes up top as RVD is in the drop zone. RVD dodges the frog splash! Guerrero took WAY too much time. A big "RVD" chant starts up as they slug it out again. Guerrero goes down in the zone and now RVD goes up top. Guerrero dodges the Five Star! Both guys slowly stagger up and stare down again. Speed run, lots of dodging, and RVD hits a crossbody for a long 2. Guerrero eye rakes again and hits a European uppercut. RVD ducks another into a backslide for 2. Then Guerrero ducks an RVD high kick into his own backslide, gets his feet on the ropes, and gets the pin! Fantastic finish. More goodness from these guys as this feud continues to deliver in the ring, a very old school IC title as the worker's title feud. ***3/4

 

Speaking of "Get the F out", here's one of the get the F out commercials. 

 

WWE Women's Championship: Trish Stratus (c) (w/Bubba Ray Dudley) def Stacy Keibler (w/Reverend D'Von and Deacon Batista) in 3:00- The Dudleyz, who dominated the tag title scene most of 2001 as heels, were one of many established teams broken up in the brand split. Bubba Ray turned face and stayed pretty much who he'd always been. D'Von stayed heel and introduced the new Reverend D'Von character, and was paired up with another OVW Class of 2002'er making his debut, none other than Batista. Little did anyone know how big he'd become, he was really the least likely star out of the Class of '02.....er, trio plus one? How do you say group of four? Quadrangle? Anyway. I haven't said anything about the women actually in this match yet, because they are very much proxies here and little else. Lotta hotness in that ring though. Not counting the ref. Obviously. After the women make their entrances D'Von and Batista make their entrance. Then the missiles hit and Bubba Ray comes out. While all that's going on Trish jumps Stacy from behind. Speed run and Stacy hits a high kick for 2. Backdrop from Stacy. As commentary points out, Stacy is the latest in a long list of women, including Trish, now serving as Vince's "personal assistant", with all the privileges and responsibilities thereof. Trish cranks Stacy's arm into a short clothesline. Double leg takedown into a Boston crab! Well, Stacy would be a big target for that. They go into a couple of roll up counters. Kick and hangman's neckbreaker from Trish for 2. She hits some forearms and head kicks Stacy out to the floor. Right in front of Bubba Ray. Bubba gets in her face and laughs. Stacy slaps him! Bubba is not happy. The glasses are off! While the ref is distracted by them Batista gets in and slams Trish! Stacy covers for 2. She keeps Trish grounded with a couple of hair pulling holds. Trish comes off the ropes and counters a backdrop with a big kick. Baseball slide to Batista! Trish ducks and Stacy clotheslines Batista! Batista didn't even flinch. Sloppy bulldog from Trish and that gets the pin. OK for the time they got. The women's division is still miles better than during the Attitude Era even if it's getting booked largely the same. *

 

After the bell D'Von tries to attack but Trish gets the hell out of town. The Dudleyz then stare down in the ring. D'Von offers a handshake and Bubba Ray takes it. Batista tries to jump but Bubba Ray was ready and tosses him over the top to the floor. That allows D'Von to run Bubba Ray over with a clothesline, which he instantly regrets. Batista gets back in and stomps on Bubba Ray until D'Von tells him to stop. D'Von then has a change of heart, punching Bubba Ray down and telling Batista to get the tables. After the table is set up Bubba Ray tries to fight them off but Batista hits him with the METAL collection box. They 3D Bubba Ray through the table. 

 

In the back, Vince visits Raw owner Ric Flair and VP Arn Anderson. After feuding for so long as the WWF co-owners, they're now buddies because Flair's gone back heel since he's feuding with Austin and WWE was obsessed with heel authority figures. Flair promises Vince he'll take care of Austin tonight. 

 

Brock Lesnar & Paul Heyman def The Hardy Boyz in 4:00- The whole teaming Lesnar up with Shawn Stasiak at Insurrextion thing didn't work (big shock), so Heyman's now taking the spot himself knowing all he has to do is stay out of Lesnar's way. Lesnar's still using the short lived alternate more heelish version of his music. The logo on the back of his tights is closer to what it would ultimately be now. Jeff tries a plancha as Lesnar comes in but Lesnar catches him! Matt saves him with a baseball slide and they stomp Lesnar down on the floor, then corner Heyman in the ring. Lesnar makes the save as the bell rings to officially start. Right back to Lesnar manhandling Jeff. Jeff tries coming off the second rope but falls into a belly to belly suplex. Jeff slips out of a powerslam attempt at tags Matt. Matt gets some shots in but it's short lived as Lesnar takes control again. Press slam on Matt as the crowd starts to sarcastically chant "Goldberg" at Lesnar, which is how he was understandably perceived at the time. Powerslam from Lesnar on Matt. Backbreaker on Matt. Matt manages to counter with a DDT. Tag to Jeff. Whisper in the Wind hits. Jawbreaker on Lesnar. Double team ledgrop from the Hardyz. Poetry in Motion hits and Matt 360 clotheslines Lesnar to the floor. They then turn their attention to Heyman. Heyman tries to run but gets caught. Poetry in Motion on Heyman! Lesnar drags Matt out to the floor and takes him out. Jeff sets up on the top rope. Lesnar gets in between Jeff and Heyman and DARES Jeff to jump. Jeff does....right into Lesnar's waiting arms. He never knew when to back off. But somehow he does manage to leverage Lesnar down into a cover for 2. Matt gets taken out again. F5 on Jeff! Now Heyman wants to be tagged in! Brock does. Heyman flops over the top rope to get in the ring (fantastic), covers Jeff and gets the pin himself. Like all the Lesnar/Hardyz stuff it accomplished its mission, but it's time to move on. *1/2

 

In the back, a short lived interview guy I don't even remember is with the newest member of the NWO, Booker T. Another thing I'd forgotten, the WWE version of the NWO actively recruiting. Booker is distracted during his promo by the presence of some random woman backstage, probably a ringrat. She gives Booker her hotel room key and slinks off. I have a feeling Booker's falling victim to one of the classic blunders, up there with not starting a land war in Asia or going up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.

 

The video package for the next match makes is clear they're trying really hard to make Austin/Flair the next Austin/Vince feud. An Austin/Flair feud was a great idea, as I went over in the Insurrextion review they always killed it the few times they were in the ring together in tag matches in WCW, but this was totally the wrong way to go about it. Not to mention they shoehorned Big Show in to do the heavy lifting in the ring, denying us a straight one on one match between the two. 

 

Handicap Match: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin def "Nature Boy" Ric Flair & The Big Show in 15:34- Austin gets in the ring, tosses his vest aside, and attacks to get us going. Flair takes a backdrop and Austin tries to kick Show down. He goes for an early Stunner but Show pushes free, sending Austin into Flair. More kicks from Austin and he swings a bunch of double ax handles to Show's head that eventually get him down. Flair tries coming off the top rope but Austin catches him with a gut shot. Flair clearly sets himself up to be clotheslined over the top by Austin, which Austin does. Austin gets the figure four on Show! Flair quickly gets in to break it up. Austin figure four on Flair! Show tries to hit Austin with an elbow drop. Austin manages to dodge it while keeping the hold on Flair, but loses grip and has to let go after. Austin goes out and gets a chair. Ref Lil' Naitch gets in Austin's face and yells at him to get rid of it. Austin reluctantly hands the chair over....then goes out and gets another one! Again Lil' Naitch says what the hell. Austin sets the chair up in the ring and sits down! Then flips Lil' Naitch a double bird. Austin then tosses the chair out of the ring. Lots of jawing and jockeying after and we eventually get Austin and Flair in the ring, something that should be a much bigger deal than this feud and angle have given it. Lockup! Austin hits a shoulderblock and gives Flair some ground and pound. Flair quickly slides out for some space. Austin checks the tape wristwatch, then goes to the cooler and gets a Steveweiser. Lil' Naitch, again, wants that out of the ring. An annoyed Austin tosses it away. Reset lockup and speed run. Flair gets a shoulderblock but runs into another Austin backdrop. Flair begs off to get the eye poke in. Chop time. Austin reverses and hits his own chops. Flair Flop! Yet another backdrop and Flair again begs off. Mounted punches from Austin. Flair tries to counter with an inverted atomic drop but Austin blocks it and clotheslines him. But, Flair falls into his corner and is able to tag Show in. After some mind games push ups from Austin they lock up. HUGE chop in the corner from Show. Austin almost likes it. Another Show chop. Duck under from Austin and he pummels Show with punches. Big boot from Show and he tags Flair back in. Flair makes an attempt to hold Lil' Naitch back as he low blows Flair, but there's no way Naitch couldn't see that. Another chop from Flair leads to a full on chopfest exchange. Flair goes up top and Austin slams him off, right into mudhole stomps. They're in a groove and going real good now so of course Show has to interject himself. He catches Austin off the ropes and powerslams him. Flair continues to pick Austin apart after that. More chops in the corner and after that Flair starts in on the knee work. Show tags in and, per Flair's instructions, continues to pick the knee apart. Flair tags back in and goes for the figure four. Austin does the small package counter for 2. Clothesline from Austin. Flair goes back to the knee to get him down. Figure four! Flair gets some near falls as Austin fights it. Austin gets the reversal. Show runs in and elbow drops Austin in the back. Austin counters Flair into a backslide for 2. Another big Flair/Austin chop exchange, letting the crowd do a dueling "WOOO/WHAT" chant. Austin spinebuster and he gets Flair in the figure four! This time Show legdrops Austin to break it up. Flair disentangles himself and tags out. Show runs into an Austin boot. Thesz press off the second rope! Elbow drop. Flair comes in and gets Thesz pressed! Another spinebuster on Flair for 2. Show drags Austin up by the throat. Austin hits Show with the Stunner as we see X-Pac has come to ringside. Show's in the WWE NWO, hadn't mentioned that because it's generally not worth mentioning. Austin goes for a second Stunner on Show. Pac tries to interfere but Austin ducks and Pac kicks Show! Stunner on Pac! Stunner on Flair! Austin covers Flair and gets the pin! I'm 95% sure Flair wasn't legal but whatever. There's hints of how great a straight Flair/Austin match could be even this late in their careers, but it's held back by Show's presence, the angle, and the fact that Flair clearly still isn't quite 100% himself yet after end of life WCW. **3/4

 

Smackdown commentary team Michael Cole and Tazz do a stand up from the crowd to hype up the next match. We get a shot of the barber chair and the barber hired for the night takes his place. 

 

Hair vs Hair Match: Edge def Kurt Angle in 15:28- Another rematch from Backlash here, but that was just the start of this feud that was the early kickoff of the Smackdown Six era, and helped Edge to finally start putting the pieces together to eventually get to main event level. Angle's got his Superman logo gear on for the first time on PPV. Lockup into a quick Angle facelock. Great extended speed run that ends with Edge countering an Angle knee to the gut attempt into a roll up for 2. Edge then lets Angle know how close that was. More speed and Edge momentum tosses Angle over the top to the floor. Baseball slide from Edge. Angle catches Edge with stomps coming back in. Backdrop from Edge. He ties Angle up in the ropes! Spear into trapped Angle! Edge goes for another. Angle gets free, catches Edge running, and belly to belly suplexes him over the top to the floor! Fantastic sequence. Angle pounds Edge down in the corner back in. Chops from Angle. Edge reverses and hits his own chops. Nice Arn Anderson style spinebuster from Angle for 2. Not a usual move for him. Edge manages to get a back elbow, but Angle ducks a clothesline and hits a DDT for 2. He grounds Edge with a chinlock for a bit. Lawler has the first WWF slip of the night. Edge tries to fight back up but Angle jerks him back down by the hair. Suplex from Angle for 2. He hooks on a front facelock. Edge fights up again and hits Angle with his own belly to belly suplex! Crazy hang time from Angle on that. Speed run and Edge builds momentum with a flying forearm, clothesline and spinning heel kick. Reverse DDT for 2. Angle comes back with another belly to belly. Edge tries to backdrop Angle to the floor but Angle lands on the apron. Edge sees and basement dropkicks Angle off to the floor. Edge running plancha! Coming back in Edge goes up top. Angle tries his run up the ropes snap suplex, but Edge had it scouted and pushes him back down! Missile dropkick from Edge for 2. Angle ducks under and PLANTS Edge with a German suplex. He goes for another. Edge counters with a roll up for 2. Front drop falcon arrow from Edge and he goes up top again. Angle gets the run up snap suplex this time! Think that one was even quicker than usual. Superkick from Edge. He climbs up the ropes to get some extra oopmh on a DDT. Angle kicks out! Angle ducks and Edge spears ref Hebner the Younger! Release German suplex from Angle that Edge does a NUTS 360 sell of. Angle sees the ref down and gets a chair. Edge cuts it off with a spear! Cover but no ref. Edge sets up for anther spear. Angle cuts it off with a kick. Angle Sl...no Edge squirts free! Another spear! Hebner Jr counts and Angle JUST kicks out! The crowd is lapping this up now. Edge goes for the Edgecution. Angle counters out. Angle with a spear! Angle Slam! Edge just kicks out! Angle is FURIOUS. THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Ankle lock! Edge quickly pulls up the ropes and hits an enzuguri. Angle recovers to grab the ankle lock again! He drags Edge back to the middle. Edge uses that tiny opening to turn over and push free. When Angle bounces off the ropes Edge gets him in a Paul Smackage to get the pin! Second fantastic out of the usual finish tonight. The first half of the match was a bit pedestrian, nowhere near bad but not pointing to a classic, but the second half was all kinds of awesome. ****1/4

 

After the bell a pissed off Angle attacks Edge again. Edge hits the Edgecution to put Angle back down. He drags Angle out and toward the barber chair. Angle realizes what's happening, pushes Edge into the entrance ramp, and runs off.

 

Cut to the Marriott across the street (the McMahons always stayed in a Marriott, fun little tidbit for you there), where Booker is in bed waiting for his ringrat. She gets in with him and tells him she wants to do it in the dark. Booker's cool with that. After the lights are out the lady asks to be kissed "right here" and we get comedy kissing noises. Booker says he loves her talking dirty (that's dirty talk?) and wants her to say something else. Totally different voice: "I want you to leave the NWO and come back to......GOOOOOOOOOOOOLDUST!". The light comes on and Goldust is in bed with them! Goldust says Booker doesn't return phone calls and he set all this up to try to get his tag partner back. Booker gets out of the bed and runs off, showing us WAY more Booker than we ever needed to see.

 

Cage lowering music! Cole and Tazz jump in for hype again as this is another Smackdown match.

 

Hell in a Cell Match: Triple H def Chris Jericho in 24:59- After two Backlash rematches, we now get a rematch of the very underwhelming Wrestlemania 18 main event. After spending that feud as Steph's proxy, Jericho is now Vince's proxy in his feud with his ex-son in law. Austin vs Flair. Trips vs Vince. Did I mention WWE had gotten obsessed with heel authority figures? Jericho gets NOTHING from the crowd on his entrance. It's going to take a solid two years of rehab after that awful title reign and WM 18 feud before he gets back on track. Why do they even bother locking the cage door when they still get out every single time? They go nose to nose in the ring after the bell. Opening slugfest. HHH hits an early high knee and gives Jericho a backdrop. He pounds Jericho down in the corner, then tosses him over the top to the floor. Both guys block cage shots and get back in the ring. Flying forearm from Jericho. He hits chops in the corner and they both trade corner shots. Jericho posts his shoulder and falls out to the floor. Jericho takes the first cage shots. Back in HHH hits a short clothesline. Snap suplex for 2. They do the corner whip reversal do-si-do and we get a Trips Flip to the floor. Jericho whips him into the cage. HHH whips Jericho into the stairs and I just now catch Jericho is bleeding on his upper arm, I assume from one of those earlier cage shots. HHH teases a piledriver on the stairs. Jericho gets free and slingshots him into the cage! He goes under the ring and we now have a ladder in the Cell match. Jericho runs HHH over with the ladder. HHH is busted open and Jericho gives him the cheese grater spot on the cage. Another run over of HHH with the ladder in the ring. HHH gets whipped into the propped up ladder, then falls to the floor and bounces off the stairs! HHH amusing himself as much as anything else there. Jericho then drops the ladder onto him! HHH tries to slug back but Jericho whips him into the cage again. Back in Jericho goes for another running ladder shot. HHH cuts it off with a chair into the ladder! Straight chairshot to Jericho. Jericho bulldogs HHH into the ladder! Now Jericho puts the stairs in the ring. He tries to run into HHH with them, but HHH drop toe holds him into the stairs! Neckbreaker from HHH. Facebuster. He tosses the stairs into Jericho! Jericho took that right on the arm. HHH picks Jericho up and lawn darts him into the cage. Back in Jericho hits the ropes. HHH dodges and send Jericho into ref Tim White. WHITE FLIES OFF THE APRON AND INTO THE CAGE! Holy shit that's one of the greatest ref bumps I've ever seen. He hit the cage HARD. There's a reason he's a Hall of Famer. Jericho gives HHH a chairshot and pointlessly covers. White's dead, dude. And not by suicide. This time. Jericho drags White up and tosses him into the cage again! WHITE'S BUSTED OPEN. What a ref performance. Absolute gold. Back in Jericho runs into a HHH spinebuster. The other refs use bolt cutters to get the cage door open and try to help White. They came up with a good excuse to open the door this time, I'll give them that. HHH goes under the ring and gets Mr. Sledgehammer. Sledge shot to Jericho. He covers but none of the refs could be bothered. Jericho crawls out the door as HHH tries to get one of the refs to take the match over. Jericho slams the door into HHH's face! Now HHH crawls out and we're officially out of the cage. Again. 100% of all the Cell matches so far. Jericho sets up the Spanish announce table and drags HHH onto it. He sets up for a Pedigree. HHH fights out and DDTs Jericho through the table! HHH gets out the barbed wire 2x4! Mick Foley left it for him. Jericho climbs the cage to get away. All the way to the roof of the cage. Another one for the HIAC bingo card. HHH follows with the 2x4. But he makes the mistake of tossing it onto the roof before he gets up there, allowing Jericho to get it and hit him with it. HHH writhes in pain on the roof. Another 2x4 shot from Jericho. Double leg takedown from Jericho and he puts HHH in the Walls on the roof! Ref Mike Chioda climbs up to the roof to check for the submission. HHH uses one of the support beams for leverage to push free. Jericho gets the 2x4 again. Low blow from HHH! HHH goes for a Pedigree but Jericho backdrops free. You can tell from the crowd reaction they expected HHH to go through the roof back down into the ring there, like Mick Foley at King of the Ring '98. HHH gets the 2x4 and hits Jericho in the head with it! HHH covers on the roof for 2. HHH hits the Pedigree on the roof! Another cover and HHH gets the pin! It's not the greatest HIAC match, but that was a VERY high bar at the time. It's still great, though a lot of what they'd been doing for HIAC matches were at risk of becoming overly cliche and needed some refreshing, or resting for a bit. Definitely HHH's best match since coming back from the quad injury. ****

 

In the back, Angle continues to run. He disguises himself at what I assume is the makeup station and Edge misses him. After that is a very risque "get the F out" ad that uses Mark Henry's old Sexual Chocolate music.

 

WWE Tag Team Championship: Rikishi & a mystery partner def Billy & Chuck (c) in 3:50- Once again the tag titles are the pre-main event cool down match. Rikishi comes out first, then Fink announces "as chosen by Mr. McMahon" Rikishi's partner.....(very pregnant pause).....RICO! B&C's manager stylist! Rico crosses sides and seems fine with it. Rikishi is less fine with it. At the bell Billy tries to jump but Rikishi is ready for him. Kick wham DDT from Billy. Rikishi no sells it (Samoan skull) and hits a superkick. Chuck runs in and initially gets taken down, but then B&C manage to double flapjack Rikishi. Rikishi dodges a Billy dropkick and wants to tag, but Rico is jawing with a fan and has his back turned. Billy comes behind Rikishi and hits a neckbreaker. Chuck pounds away on Rikishi in the corner. He belly to belly suplexes Rikishi! Nice. Cover for 2. Billy hits the Fameasser for a long 2. Rikishi dodges Chuck and Chuck almost runs into Rico, then he turns around into a Rikishi belly to belly suplex. Rikishi covers but then collapses off Chuck. Is he selling, or is he really as blown up as he looks? Because he looks completely blown up. Rikishi manages to suck enough oxygen in to start knocking B&C around again. He butt splashes Chuck as a sunset flip counter for 2 and still looks like he's struggling. He tries a pop up neckbreaker on Billy but can't get it quite right. Dropkick from Chuck. He calls Rico in. Rikishi ducks and takes out Chuck! Rikishi superkicks Rico, covers Chuck, and wins the tag titles for himself and Rico. While Rikishi dances on the stage Rico leaves with B&C but still takes his belt. I don't *hate* the angle, but it needed way more buildup and a longer match to play out. Rikishi looking like shit didn't help any. B&C would win the titles back on Smackdown a couple of weeks after. 1/4*

 

In the back, Edge is still looking for Angle. Angle ambushes him with a trash can lid! He knocks Edge around the tunnel to Gorilla, then through Gorilla. There's a couple of interesting signs there. One says "WWE- World Wrestling Entertainment, NEW LOOK (in bold), Same Attitude", obviously to remind guys about the name change. The other says, underlined, "Stay away from the Spanish announce table!". Anyway, Angle drags Edge onto the stage and asks people if they want to see a haircut. He calls the barber out. Angle punches Edge into the barber chair. Edge fights out, slips out of an Angle Slam attempt, and puts on a sleeper! Angle goes out! Edge puts him in the chair, gets the shears, and goes to work on Angle's hair! Some fun shenanigans of Angle trying to cover up his new baldness will ensue in the weeks after this, but we all know we get to peak Angle when he becomes bald Angle. He's now bald Angle.

 

Undisputed WWE Championship: The Undertaker def Hollywood Hulk Hogan (c) in 11:20- Longtime fans will remember these two had a feud over this title back in the fall of '91. While those two matches absolutely sucked, they were notable for Taker's first title win, and for the continued interference of Flair in the matches, leading to the title being held up for Flair to win in the Royal Rumble. The buildup to this match was also, putting it mildly, less than spectacular. Since Hogan's a motorcycle guy and Taker's fully in Biker Taker mode there were motorcycles involved. Taker actually comes out sans bike. He's wearing one of Hogan's weightlifting belts that he stole. Hogan slides in and Taker whips him with the weightlifting belt. YAPPAPI! I have no idea why that keeps popping into my head. Hogan attacks back with punches, picks up the belt and whips Taker back with it. Hebner grabs the belt and tosses it away, and the bell finally rings to start things for real. Taker's still wobbly and Hogan hits a corner clothesline. Backdrop. Hogan 360 clotheslines Taker to the floor and finally does the shirt tear. They go back and forth on the floor and Taker gets whipped into the stairs. Someone in the crowd loudly shouts "HOLY SHIT DID YOU SEE THAT". Back in Taker gets some shots back and cranks Hogan's arm. Hogan counters old school by crotching Taker. Hogan with a superplex! He gives Taker some ground and pound. Taker ducks a clothesline swing and chop blocks Hogan. He starts working on Hogan's knee. Hogan pounds on Taker's face with his good leg to get free. Stand up slugfest. Taker catches Hogan with a throat shot that might have been a bit stiff. Hogan responds with a running double ax handle. Hogan big boot! He goes for the legdrop but Taker dodges. Taker uses that position to hook on a half crab on the bad knee. After a bit of a fight Hogan gets a rope break. Punch combo from Taker in the corner. He goes for a running big boot but Hogan ducks and Taker gets tangled on the top rope. Taker ducks another clothesline. Goozle! Chokeslam! Man Hogan could barely get himself up for that, it looked weak as hell. Cover. Hulk Up! Point! Three punches, big boot. The legdrop hits! Taker kicks out! It's not the '80s anymore. Taker counters a very obvious backdrop attempt with a DDT for 2. Vince McMahon makes his way out as Taker goes out and gets a chair. Hogan big boots the chair into Taker's face! The legdrop hits again! Hogan covers but Vince has Hebner distracted. Hogan flips Vince into the ring! Big punch to Vince! LEGDROP ON VINCE! Taker nails Hogan with the chair from behind! Chokeslam! Taker covers and wins the title! After the bell Taker destroys Hogan's throat with the top of a chair. As I said when Hogan won the title at Backlash, I really don't disagree with the call because Hogan nostalgia was really running wild (reference intended), but this was also a good call. It didn't need to go any longer as it was just a nostalgia run. The match was better than their '91 matches, but that's not saying much. **

 

Three title changes in three months, they're clearly trying to figure out exactly who's going to lead the company in this new era, knowing Austin's body was about gone and Rock, who for the second year in a row has been out since WM, was making serious eyes at Hollywood. Not to mention still figuring out how this new brand split is going to work in practice. The rapid fire title changes are far from done.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- The trend is continuing from 2001, particularly the Invasion angle, of good individual matches on PPVs helping to somewhat overcome creative that's been largely stuck in neutral for nearly a year. The strength and quantity of the good matches lifts this to be one of the best PPVs of the year so far.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B 

Insurrextion '02

Legacy Review

Insurrextion '02

May 4, 2002 from the Wembley Arena in London

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

 

Another year, another spring/fall pair of UK exclusive PPVs. This would turn out to be the last year they did two however, as the returns were becoming very diminished. This show is a great example. The UK PPVs normally have more of a house show feel, and this card is probably the most house showish on paper out of all of them yet. It's also the final one that would take place in London. This would turn out to be a historically significant show though, as it's the last semi-major show to take place under the World Wrestling Federation name. Just two days after this the WWF would be forced to change their name due to the lawsuit from the other WWF, the World Wildlife Fund. And even more not so good history would be made after the show, but I'll get into that later.

 

One plus tonight, there's finally a dedicated stage for this show instead of being the regular Raw set repurposed. Appropriately, the main part of the stage is a giant X. Putting the X in InsurreXtion. In keeping with the new brand split, and the overall house show feel, tonight's show is a Raw exclusive show. When they came back for the fall PPV Rebellion it would be with the Smackdown roster.

 

WWF Intercontinental Championship: Rob Van Dam def Eddie Guerrero (c) by DQ in 11:24- Guerrero defeated RVD for the title at Backlash in his return match after being re-hired, but that was just the start of what's going to be an extended feud. They go to lock up but Guerrero ducks under into a waistlock instead, then starts in with some arm work. RVD reverses and they have a small fluff while doing a leg takedown counter sequence but nothing too bad. Stalemate and crowd ovation. Guerrero shoves, getting boos. RVD shoves back and does the RVD thumb point in Guerrero's face. Eddie didn't like that and takes a cheap shot. RVD hits a spinning heel kick and Guerrero rolls to the floor. High angle baseball slide followed by a quick apron moonsault from RVD. He rolls Guerrero back in and hits a slingshot legdrop for 2. Split legged moonsault! That gets a 2 count. RVD goes for the corner shoulderblocks. Guerrero counters into a roll up attempt but RVD blocks that. Speed run and RVD gets a monkey flip. Guerrero ducks and RVD goes flying through the ropes to the floor. Guerrero is quickly all over him out there. Lawler tries to pretend he knows Britishisms, which is just sad. We get a big "Eddie sucks" chant as Guerrero stays on offense in the ring. Suplex from Guerrero for 2. Straight drop back suplex from Guerrero, followed by a slingshot senton for 2. RVD takes a rope break on a chinlock but Guerrero won't break, using the full count. He continues chokes on the ropes and argues with the ref to rile the crowd up more. RVD gets a sunset flip from the apron for 2. Roll up from RVD for 2. Guerrero responds with a clothesline and hooks on a kind of reverse ankle lock. RVD gets to the ropes again. RVD reverses in the corner and tries to get going with a kick combo but Guerrero puts him back down with a sweep kick. Legbar type hold from Guerrero taking full advantage of RVD's flexibility. RVD hits a kick right on Guerrero's forehead to get free. Basement dropkick from Guerrero and he continues to pick the knee apart. Speed run and Guerrero flips over an RVD backdrop attempt, but turns around into an RVD superkick. Stand up slugfest. Corner monkey flip from RVD. Clothesline and floatover suplex for 2. Rolling thunder hits for 2. Guerrero counters an RVD slam attempt by getting on his shoulders for a hurricanrana. RVD blocks that, hits a rolling slam, and goes right into a springboard moonsault off the second rope for 2. So freaking smooth, man. Misdirection kick from RVD. He springs up top to finish it. Guerrero dodges the Five Star! Then he goes out and gets the belt. Ref Chad Patton tries to take it away, so Guerrero tosses him away. Patton calls for the bell, DQ'ing Guerrero. Mission accomplished. Guerrero pretends to be mad and chases Patton around, running into an RVD side kick. RVD hits a crazy pop up dropkick, then picks up the belt and whacks Guerrero with it. He drops the belt on Guerrero and starts to walk away, but the crowd wants one more thing. FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH to send the crowd to the next match happy. Good stuff, but pretty much their floor match. RVD not selling the knee after all the work on it is just par for the RVD course. ***1/4

 

In the back, Molly Holly goes full Right to Censor (she's even wearing the right colors), running down Trish, Jacqueline and every other WWF Diva for showing off the goods to get ahead, then taking a shot at UK Page 3 Girls, even flashing a page that has to be pixelated for rebroadcast.  

 

Trish Stratus & Jacqueline def WWF Women's Champion Jazz & Molly Holly in 7:40- The heels jump before the bell. Double suplex on Jacqueline. Jacqueline hits Molly with an atomic drop and gives her the old women's wrestling mat head pounding, topped off with an old school roll over the ref. Molly gets mad at ref Jack Doan for getting handsy or something and Jacqueline rolls her up for 2. The heels sucker Trish in to double team some more. Nice crossbody catch and powerslam from Jazz on Jacqueline, followed by a legdrop. Big clothesline out of the corner. Jacqueline dodges another legdrop and gets the tag to Trish. Trish hits some forearms but quickly gets cut off by a Jazz jawbreaker. Trish kicks Jazz down, then decides to flip Molly into the ring. Tactical error I think. Big chop from Trish on Molly in the corner, but she turns around into a Jazz kick. Jazz hooks on a double chicken wing! Always like to see that, straight from the Flair/Steamboat trilogy. Yes, I'm referencing that in a pre-modern era women's match. Crazy. Jazz drops Trish and covers for 2. Short handspring elbow from Molly on Trish for 2. Jabs from Jazz. Trish fires back with forearms. Molly knees Trish in the back from the apron and gets a forearm for her trouble. Trish gets a backslide on Jazz, but her own partner Jacqueline is distracting the ref. Trish argues and Jazz rolls her up for 2. Hangman's neckbreaker from Trish for 2. Jazz puts Trish down again with a crazy punch, but Trish falls back into her corner and tags Jacqueline in. Hot shot from Jacqueline and she rolls Jazz up. Jazz reverses that and grabs a handful of pants for 2. Kick wham DDT from Jacqueline. Molly breaks the pin up and Jacqueline forearms her right out of the ring. Jazz gets a leg takedown and puts on a half crab, literally pulling Jacqueline up by the leg which is nasty looking. After a long fight by Jacqueline to get to the ropes Jazz drags her back to the middle, switches positions and hooks on an STF. Trish flies in with a basement dropkick to break it up! Double clothesline from Trish and Jacqueline on the heels as we DONNYBROOK. Do-si-do whip reversal and both Trish and Jacqueline hit the Stratusfaction! Double pin on both heels! Trish pinned Jazz, giving her a rare pin on her rival and giving her reason for another title shot. A few small rough spots aside perfectly acceptable wrestling, especially for the women's division of the era. **1/2

 

We go backstage to the NWO locker room, down to just Scott Hall and X-Pac, and I can smell the booze through the screen. Probably other stuff too that I'm pretty sure was legal in the UK even back then. 

 

X-Pac def Bradshaw in 8:46- This was the first major attempt to give Bradshaw a singles push on Raw, after the APA was one of many teams broken up in the brand split draft. Pac is still wearing the injured Kane's mask and he's also got nunchuks with him. Pac prances around forever on his entrance, and also somehow takes a middle turnbuckle pad off. We'll see if that was intentional or not. Former NWO ref Nick Patrick is reffing this one, which isn't referenced any but amuses me. Lockup and Bradshaw TOSSES Pac across the ring. Requisite "X-Pac sucks" chant from the crowd. Big shoulderblock from Bradshaw. Pac goes to the desperation eye poke, but that just annoys the bear and he puts Pac back down with a big boot. Huge clubbing blows from Bradshaw. Backdrop and Pac wants a time out. Bradshaw isn't interested and hits a corner clothesline. He goes for a second but Pac dodges and hits his corner kick combo. Bradshaw catches Pac trying a spinning heel kick and slams him. Pac ducks under a clothesline and hits a basement dropkick. He starts working on Bradshaw's leg, takes the middle buckle pad off more (it was on purpose) and rams Bradshaw's head into it. More shots from Pac on Bradshaw's head and Bradshaw's busted open! Breaking out the blood on the middlest of midcard matches. A great NWA throwback if I've ever seen one. Props to Bradshaw. Swing kick from Pac for 2. Ground and pound from Pac on the cut. Running kick to the cut. Pac hooks on the oddest looking chinlock I've ever seen. He lets go quickly and hits some chops in the corner. Mounted punches. Bradshaw counters with a powerbomb! Back elbow from Bradshaw as he builds momentum. Powerslam for 2. Neckbreaker from Bradshaw and he goes up top. Tackle off the top for 2. Pac ducks another clothesline and hits a spinning heel kick for 2 with a big Bradshaw kickout. Pac tries coming off the top but Bradshaw catches him and hits the fallaway slam. Scott Hall saunters out to ringside. Bradshaw takes a swing at him, then big boots Pac. Hall gets Pac's nunchuks and nails Bradshaw with them. Bradshaw kicks out! Pac sets Bradshaw up for the shitty bronco buster. Bradshaw dodges! He goes for the Clothesline from Hell. Pac ducks, but Bradshaw keeps running and takes Hall out instead! Pac low blows Bradshaw, hits the X-Factor, and gets the pin. Bad match and worse booking decision, but it amused me some with Bradshaw's stiffness and the blood. *1/4

 

Backstage, Undertaker's in a bad mood. Yeah, for six months running now at least. He also has a very hard time syncing up his cadence to the crowd's "WHAT" chant, leading to a lot of awkward pauses. Not his thing.

 

WWF Hardcore Championship: Booker T def Steven Richards (c) in 10:48- The Hardcore title was on life support by this point. They were doing a bunch of random changes per night on the house show loop as a special attraction but that's about all it was good for now. Booker gets a nice pop considering how thoroughly he was buried during the Invasion. HARDCORE LOCKUP! HARDCORE ARMDRAG! Richards celebrates pulling that off. Even commentary points out it's a weird start for a Hardcore match. Booker gives Richards some chops in the corner and stomps him down. He goes under the ring and gets the first hardcore toys. Everything he throws in Richards throws back out the other side! OK, that's pretty good. Booker brings in a silver tray and WHACKS Richards in the back of the head with it. Damn! Side kick from Booker and he tosses Richards out to the floor. Richards takes some of the usual ringside knockaround. Booker gets a broom out from under the ring and hits Richards with it. Back in Richards hardcore begs off, then uses that opening for a hardcore eye poke and some chops. Booker doesn't like Richards yelling "Yeah, sucka!" at him and wrings Richards' arm to hit a hook kick for 2. Suplex from Booker. He goes out and gets a trash can. He gives Richards a couple of shots with that for 2. He shrugs off more Richards chops to hit a flapjack. Richards goes to the desperation low blow to finally turn things around. He gives Booker a receipt shot with the tray for 2. Whip reversal and backdrop from Booker. Richards backdrops Booker over the top to the floor. He gets a trash can and drops it down on Booker from the ring, then covers on the floor for 2. Back in Booker tries another side kick but Richards dodges and Booker wraps himself up in the ropes. Another tray shot from Richards. Match killing chinlock time. Booker fights up and slams Richards. Richards dropkicks the trash can into Booker's face for 2. He wedges the trash can into the ropes. Booker reverses the whip and Richards takes the can shot. Flying forearm from Booker. Spinebuster for 2. Another side kick. Booker gets a fresh trash can and puts it on top of Richards. Missile dropkick from Booker into the can on Richards for 2! Booker sets up for the scissors kick, but Richards counters with the Steviekick for 2. Book End! Booker gets the pin to win the title! Pretty not too shabby match when Booker was in control, much less so when Richards was. It was also in that weird gap where they didn't seem sure if they wanted to keep it a pure wrestling match or dive fully into hardcore and tried to split the difference. Usually best to pick one or the other in these matches. *3/4

 

But we're not done! Crash Holly is in with a ref! He rolls Booker up and gets the pin to win his baby back! While he's celebrating Booker gives him the scissors kick! Another pin and Booker's champion again. Now here comes Justin Credible and Tommy Dreamer. Credible DDTs Booker and Dreamer gets a hardcore table they set up in the ring. Booker manages to fight both guys off and his music plays again. No way in hell that table's going unbroken. But first, a celebratory spinaroonie! That Booker can barely do. Not sure if he's selling or legit gassed. Now Jazz is in and low blows Booker! Richards hot shots Booker onto the table! Oof, Booker hit the edge of it and it didn't break. Richards covers anyway and Booker kicks out. Another try and this time the hot shot does break the table. Cover from Richards and, after all that, he walks out with the title he walked in with. Pretty much what they were doing on the house show circuit to give the crowds some crazy fun. I think every time I look at the title on Wiki there's more changes added.

 

The Hardy Boyz def Brock Lesnar & Shawn Stasiak (w/Paul Heyman) in 6:42- Brock's still in his debut feud. He murdered Matt Hardy on Raw, then pulverized Jeff Hardy in his PPV debut at Backlash. Now to face both Hardyz, he and Heyman figured he might as well have a partner. Enter....Shawn Stasiak? Talk about one of the oddest of odd couples. Before the match backstage Heyman tells Stasiak to just stand on the apron and let Brock take care of business, then Brock puts the hammer down and says Stasiak will regret it if he doesn't. Lesnar comes out to a rarely heard more overtly heelish alternate version of his music that didn't last long. That goof Stasiak then does his usual thing, running in like the Ultimate Warrior and trying to ambush everyone, contrary to instructions. Stasiak slams Jeff the does some not unlike Warrior posing. Side suplex on Jeff for 2. Stasiak puts on a chinlock and Heyman yells at him "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?". Jeff fights out, hits a jawbreaker and tags. Matt speeds around Stasiak and slams him. They go for Poetry in Motion but Lesnar "saves" Stasiak, drags him to the corner, and tags himself in. Lesnar lifts Matt up, powers him into the corner and lays into him while Heyman verbally lays into Stasiak on the floor. Brock then stares daggers at Stasiak while Heyman yells at him to focus. Matt wobbles Lesnar with a couple of boots to the face and tries coming off the second rope. Lesnar easily catches him, gives him a backbreaker and deadlifts him up into a running powerslam. Another Matt comeback attempt is cut off with a scoop powerslam. More punishment on Matt while Heyman lets Matt know about it. Delayed suplex from Lesnar. Again Lesnar smashes Matt into the corner, into complete playing with his food mode. Matt dodges a charge and Lesnar posts his shoulder! Stasiak hears the voices and tags himself in. He tries for Matt and of course misses. Tag to Jeff. He slams Stasiak and gives him the crotch legdrop. Whisper in the Wind hits for 2. Both Hardyz knock Lesnar off the apron before he can get involved, then continue to double team Stasiak. The Twist of Fate/Swanton Bomb combo hits and Jeff pins Stasiak! As soon as the bell rings Lesnar comes in and destroys both Hardyz with F5s. Then he spinebusters Stasiak for fucking up! Spinning powerbomb on Stasiak, which was still his official finisher instead of the F5 at this point. Perfectly fine match that accomplished all it set out to do with everyone playing their parts well. **1/4

 

WWF European Championship: Spike Dudley (c) def William Regal in 4:56- Another title on the verge of going into hospice care. At least they've finally got it being defended on a UK show. Spike upset Regal for the title on Raw the week after Wrestlemania, using Regal's own brass knucks to take it. Off the lockup Regal cranks Spike's arm into a knee drop. Leg takedown and stomp from Regal. Snap mare into another kneedrop and Regal swaggers around a bit. He pounds Spike in the corner with some un-Regal like closed fists. Spike fights back with forearms and a trio of dropkicks. He goes for an early Dudley Dog but Regal fights it off. Spike hurts his ankle on the landing and it looks for real as everything comes to a halt. He tells the ref "It fucking popped". The ref holds Regal back and calls for a trainer. The trainer comes in and cuts Spike's boot off while Regal hovers in the background. The trainer says they need to take him to the back and gingerly helps Spike out of the ring. Regal attacks the trainer from behind! Well, this is one hell of an elaborate work then. Regal drags Spike back into the ring and attacks the hurt ankle. He slams Spike by the ropes, dropping Spike's ankle right onto the ropes. Double underhook powerbomb. Regal pulls Spike up at 2. Oh, that never ends well. Spike wraps up a Paul Smackage and upsets Regal again! A seemingly unfazed Regal gets the knucks out and puts Spike out with them after the bell. Well, that was something else. I have no idea if that was a crazy elaborate work, or if Spike got hurt for real and was able to compensate to finish the match. He did not put any weight on that foot after it was hurt, or "hurt", but he also didn't miss any time after. So who knows. Either way it doesn't amount to much as a match. Regal would end up winning the title back on Raw two days after this, his 4th win of this title, tying him with the greatest ever European champion D'Lo Brown for the most ever. 1/2* 

 

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin def The Big Show in 15:00- This is Show's first PPV match since a very short run in this year's Royal Rumble as WWF was still having issues with his weight and conditioning. Oh yeah, Show had joined the WWF NWO. Completely forgot that. That's what, the fourth time he'd joined the NWO over his career? Raw owner Ric Flair comes out first and appoints himself the special guest second ref for this match to "make sure no one interferes". Well you can't trust Nick Patrick to stop any NWO guys. Flair and Austin were low key feuding after Flair's bad call as guest ref in Austin's Backlash match against Taker cost Austin the match, but Flair was still acting like an anti-NWO face. It's a damn shame we never got a full PPV one on one Austin/Flair match. They were part of some killer tag matches as both partners and opponents in WCW and even at this stage of their careers could have put on something special. Show's got some crazy color in his hair and beard. Not an unusual color, it's just way darker and deeper than usual. He's spent his time away playing with hair dye apparently. Neither guy is in a hurry to get going. Show gestures and says he's going to break Austin in half. Austin responds by telling Show he's #1 with an alternate finger. More slow caution and they finally lock up. Show actually breaks clean in the corner. Another lockup and again Show powers Austin into the corner but then breaks clean. Austin looks like he's rethinking things. Then drops down and does some push ups for some mind games. Third lockup and Show shoves Austin into the ropes. Austin looks almost amused. Another corner lockup and this time Austin throws punches out of the corner. Show reverses a whip and hits a back elbow. Austin rolls out for another rethink. Both guys slowly reach for a knucklelock, but Austin uses that to land some kicks. Off the ropes he runs into a Show clothesline. In the corner Show hits his big open hand chops. Austin counters a backdrop and starts attacking Show's knee, then hits a running double ax handle to the head to put Show down. With Show on the mat Austin starts knee work in earnest. Post shots for the knee. Leg takedowns and a chop block keep Show down as Austin stays 100% focused on the knee. After a long rope run and Show scoops and slams Austin, hurt knee already forgotten. The straps go down and Show hits an elbow drop. He does some bare minimum lip service to the knee work by shaking it off a little bit. More big Show chops in the corner and he tosses Austin across the ring. One strap goes back up, giving Show his WCW look again as he suplexes Austin. Another big chop with Austin on the apron. Back in Austin kicks at the knee again but Show whip reverses him into a backdrop. After a very long pause Show does another backdrop. Austin tries a kick but Show ignores it and murders him with a clothesline for 2. Bear hug time, because this match hasn't been slow enough since Show went on offense. Austin bites free! Show counters that with a headbutt for 2. Back to the bear hug. We go to arm drops and Austin headbutts free. Thesz press off the second rope! Extra sized one for Show. He tries ground and pound but Show tosses him away. Austin pummels Show with a ton of straight right hands, but then runs into a Show big boot. Austin ducks a clothesline and Show kills Nick Patrick. Stunner! Cover but there's no ref. What happened to ref #2? Flair finally comes in to count but Hall and Pac run in and pull him out of the ring at 2. Flair fights them off. He gets mops out from under the ring and chases them off with them! Austin walks into a goozle, but manages to fight off a chokeslam. Another Show big boot followed by an elbow drop. Show gestures to someone and Kevin Nash comes in the ring. So he *was* still around. Austin Stunner on Nash! Stunner to Show! Double Stunner! Patrick counts and Austin gets the pin! Austin tried but between plodding Show and the crazy overbooking there was too much for him to overcome. 3/4*

 

As Austin's celebrating with some Steveweisers Flair slides back in, grabs a couple of cans, then gets a mic and says he and Austin took care of business against the NWO tonight and he always believed in Austin. Austin takes the mic, "what"s Flair to death, then points out the overtly anti-Austin things he's been doing lately. He says now Flair wants to drink a beer with Austin, and after doing the full list of alternate beer names for the what chants says OK then. Stunner to Flair! JR acts shocked that Austin would attack someone in authority like we've never seen that before.

 

Triple H def The Undertaker in 14:31- WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, like the WCW days, isn't working the UK tour so this is our alternate main event, with Trips crossing show lines as he was on Smackdown after losing the title. Taker has a title shot against Hogan scheduled for Judgement Day in a couple of weeks. There's wet spots all over the ring as this starts, presumably due to Austin's beer bash. Bell rings and we're immediately slugging it out. HHH hits the high knee, then loses his balance on the landing and falls down. Backdrop on Taker that commentary for some reason goes nuts for. It was a perfectly normal backdrop. HHH 360 clotheslines Taker to the floor. After some back and forth slugging on the floor Taker hits a clothesline back in for 2. He wrings up HHH's arm and does some basic work there. He goes up for old school but HHH pulls him back down. Or jerks him off, as JR can never resist saying. Suplex from HHH, followed by an elbow drop for 2. Taker actually begs off! That's unheard of. He uses that to tights pull HHH out to the floor, but HHH is quickly back on offense, running Taker into the announce table and hitting a clothesline. Taker snaps HHH over the top rope from the apron. Corner clothesline and HHH does a patented delayed fall. Taker hits a couple of apron elbows, then the apron legdrop. I think Hebner shouting at him to "GET IN THE RING" is only making him stay out there longer. Back in HHH hits a back elbow to turn things around. Taker ducks a clothesline and chop blocks HHH's knee. Time for some more knee work. Hope this sticks better than the previous matches with that tonight. HHH pounds Taker's face with the bottom of his good leg to get out. Taker hits the ropes and the top rope breaks! Shit, that was not good. Taker's back fell back onto the middle rope with a real bad looking snap. I'm not sure which corner it was that broke but you could hear it loudly snap off. The top rope is barely dangling on. Taker low blows HHH while Hebner pointlessly tries to put one of the turnbuckles back on. Yeah, you're not fixing that with your bare hands, Earl. Elbow drop from Taker as they're clearly rethinking and figuring out how to work around the broken rope. To that point Taker hooks on a chinlock. HHH fights up and hits a back suplex. Double clothesline. HHH dodges a big boot and Taker crotches himself in the corner. Swinging neckbreaker from HHH. He ducks a Taker punch and hits a hangman's neckbreaker. Spinebuster from HHH for 2. Kick wham Pedigree setup. Taker backs HHH into the corner and hits a big boot. Goozle. HHH counters the chokeslam with a DDT (barely)! Cover for a long 2. They chance a corner whip and when HHH hits the corner something again audibly breaks. Don't think they'll try that again. HHH comes back out and hits the facebuster. Another Pedigree attempt. Taker twists free and hits the chokeslam! HHH kicks out! Taker goes out and gets a chair. HHH high knees the chair into Taker's face! Taker kicks out! DDT from Taker for 2. Throat slash, but not for the Tombstone, for Taker's new submission hold, basically a guillotine if I remember right. HHH counters before it's on and hits a clothesline. HHH manages to take another corner bump without breaking anything and Taker hits him with snake eyes. HHH comes right back with yet another high knee. Pedigree! HHH gets the pin! I get they had to work around the broken rope and it limited what they were able to do, but still, very underwhelming. Everyone, especially commentary to an annoying degree, was trying their damndest to make this seem epic when it was anything but. Of all the Triple H/Undertaker matches, that's one of them. **

 

I mentioned one more historical event happening right after this show. It was the trip back from this tour that the infamous Plane Ride from Hell took place. There's been a ton written and said about this very low point in WWF/E history so I'll keep it short. The chartered plane back to the US had an open bar, and too many wrestlers indulged. Curt Hennig went rib crazy, apparently involving shaving cream. One victim was a very unamused Brock Lesnar, who proceeded to start a fight with Hennig over it. On an airplane. Their fight nearly accidentally opened an emergency exit door in midair. The two female flight attendants on the plane accused Scott Hall (who shouldn't have been within 500 yards of alcohol), Dustin Rhodes, and Ric Flair of various levels of sexual harassment. They later sued WWE and it was settled out of court. Flair and Dustin were both formally reprimanded, while Hennig and Hall were flat out fired. Hennig would never again appear in WWE before passing away young like way too many others from his generation in 2003, while Hall would never wrestle in WWE again.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- One of the weakest UK PPVs. It's a low energy no consequence house show with a halfway decent UK crowd. The whole concept had clearly run its course, they could easily draw crowds for UK tours without putting anything on TV.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D+ 

Spring Stampede 2000

Legacy Review

Spring Stampede 2000

April 16, 2000 from the United Center in Chicago, IL

 

Commentary: Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson and Mark Madden

 

Uncensored in March was such an unmitigated disaster it led to WCW/Turner brass once again reshaping the top of the company pyramid. Kevin Sullivan was re-fired as head booker barely three months after getting the job back. Vince Russo returned from whatever exile he had been in during that time (I think it was called Thunder) to take over creative once again. In order to try to get some control over his, well, insanity, WCW also hired back former exec Eric Bischoff, but this time strictly as an on screen character and creative consultant, i.e. someone to tell Russo when he was being stupid. Hopefully. They wasted no time making huge changes. After completely cancelling the live Nitro the week prior and running a "best of" clip show in its place as a buffer, the April 10 episode of Nitro saw another significant signpost on the road of WCW's demise: the reboot. Russo (now fully an on screen character himself after being the shadowy "Powers That Be" during his initial run the last part of '99) and Bischoff called the entire roster into the ring, then declared the entire company had been turned off, turned back on and restored to factory settings, and demanded every champion hand over their belt right now because they weren't a champion any more. Some wrestlers were less happy about this than others. Incidentally, after Sid lost the World title here he'd disappear from WCW until November for no discernible reason. Tonight is stage one of what comes next.

 

The first major storyline to get started as part of the reboot was the New Blood, comprising of all the younger wrestlers in WCW, going up against the Millionaire's Club, all the old or older veterans. A good idea in theory. The problem is, they did it completely bass ackwards with the New Blood as the heels and the Millionaire's Club as the faces. WCW desperately needed to make new stars, and this was the wrong way of going about it. I guess those egos weren't going to stroke themselves. Russo and Bischoff at least are positioned right as heels, which puts them on the side of the young guys. But another issue is Russo and Bischoff immediately made themselves the most important and prominent men in the company on screen, with their new individual feuds (Russo vs Flair and Bischoff vs Hogan) taking almost all the oxygen away from everything else.

 

In the opening video Russo says "shit" twice in the first five seconds. We are so back. To my point earlier, the entire opening package is entirely focused on Russo vs Flair and Bischoff vs Hogan and nothing else. After the opening we cut straight to the New Blood locker room where Russo and surprising New Blood front man Billy Kidman are trying to get Bischoff to relax. And now...another opening video. This one is much more generic, what you'd normally see on weekly TV. Tony says "It's the dawning of a new era" and resists the urge to say "again". There's another change in the booth as Scott Hudson has replaced Mike Tenay. Sadly no one has forklifted Mark Madden out yet. I'm a fat guy, I can say things like that. Commentary then says the DQ rules have been "relaxed" for tonight and you won't see wrestling matches, you're going to see FIGHTS. Like that's new, I can't remember the last time a WCW ref enforced any rules.

 

WCW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinals: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair & The Total Package (w/Elizabeth) def The Harris Brothers and The Mamalukes (w/Disco Inferno) in 6:16- You read that right, a three way match in a tournament. Take that, stick and ball sports. It was originally supposed to be Flair & Luger against the Mamalukes, but after their entrances Russo comes out and put the Harris Brothers in the match just because. SWERVE. Flair's wrestling in his slacks and polo because, in his words, Russo has made it clear it's a STREET FIGHT. I want to say he's taking the piss out of Russo in real life but I can't say that for sure. The Harriseses get in and it's a full on three way brawl, with the New Blood teams ganging up on the vets. After a bit Flair starts throwing chops out of the corner while Luger clears out the ring on his side. Flair back suplex on Bull. Figure four! That Flair lets go of after a whole 5 seconds because I guess he was watching the guys behind him, which allowes one of the Harrisi to big boot him. That puts Flair in peril as things settle down into a regular tag match. Harris double big boot on Flair for 2. Corner clothesline and FLAIR FLOP! Flair gets a back elbow and goes up top so he can be slammed off. He dodges a couple of elbow drops and tags but the ref is distracted, allowing all four guys to attack Flair again. Disco also posts Luger on the floor. A couple of mob looking guys grab Disco and drag him off. Commentary has no idea who they are. Meanwhile Luger's decided screw the rules I'm coming back in and the vets clear the ring out. Bull does his spring to the top rope and clotheslines Luger. Luger reverses a whip and the Mamalukes collide. Bull gets put up in the Torture Rack and it's over. An appropriate reintroduction to Russo style chaos and emphasizing brawling over wrestling. 3/4*

 

In the back, Mean Gene introduces Mike Awesome as the "surprise" eighth entrant in the US title tournament. Bigelow then tries to interrupt Awesome's promo but Awesome lays him out instead. Massive fail. 

 

Mancow (w/posse) def Jimmy Hart (w/Hail) in 2:46- The one non-title tournament match tonight, and it's going to be an absolute circus. Thankfully he's faded into obscurity now, so for the 95% of those reading that blissfully don't know, Mancow was one of the more successful Howard Stern wannabe shock jocks in the '90s. Just hearing his name could almost force me to have an involuntary eye roll strong enough to cause whiplash, much less hearing his voice. Hart's got a big dude by the name of Hail with him so there's someone involved in this that actually looks like a wrestler. Hart's also wearing a Howard Stern shirt to troll Mancow. Mancow comes out with a shitload of women hired for the night (several of which have serious trouble navigating the girded metal entrance ramp in their heels) as well as the usual goofs that made up his crew on his radio/TV show. I have no interest in who any of them are. Before the match Mancow takes the mic and desperately tries to get his hometown Chicago crowd on his side. Considering he's from Chicago it's a very lame response. Hart then turns his back and Mancow attacks because he's a real man or something. They roll around on the mat and try to pretend to fight until Hail distracts Mancow. Hart hits a low blow and it's back to the mat rolling. Hart gives Mancow about the worst "takedown" there's ever been, then goes UP TO THE TOP ROPE. Hart big splash! Well, he landed on his feet then fell down but we can't expect much better. Mancow also pulled the ref in the way to block it so we have a ref down. Hail pulls Mancow off Hart, presses him up, and drops him onto all of Mancow's goons! Credit to a non-wrestler for being willing to do that. Hail puts Mancow back in the ring. Hart covers but the ref is still out. Mancow is back in with a chair. Chairshot to Hart. Horrible cover (how can you mess that up) and Mancow gets the pin. I'm not dignifying this farce with a rating, even an awful one. NR

 

After the bell Hogan foe Kidman comes out and lays out Hart as a message to Hogan. Elsewhere, Russo goes full angry New Yorker on the Mamalukes and Harrises for failing their literally one job.

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Quarterfinals: Scott Steiner def The Wall by DQ in 3:37- Wall's finally ditched the IRS shirt and tie look. If you look up "foregone conclusion" in the dictionary there's a picture of this match. Lockup! Russo must be spitting nails. Steiner does not break clean and pounds Wall down in the corner. The crowd is fully behind him with as much enthusiasm they can muster at a 2000 WCW show. Wall then takes his turn for a corner beatdown. He tries for mounted punches but Steiner low blows him. Belly to belly suplex. Wall blocks a German suplex and hits his own low blow. Running big boot and legdrop from Wall for 2. He lifts Steiner up with a choke and tosses him away. Hot shot from Steiner. They go to the floor for a bit and I notice that WCW's finally trying to copy WWF's superior barricade look by draping some black cloth over their guardrail. It looks cheap as shit, but that's 2000 WCW for you. Wall goes under the ring and gets a table out. Scott attacks and finishes the table setup. Wall blocks a suplex attempt. Scott eye rakes out of a chokeslam, then pulls the ref in. Wall chokeslams the ref through the table! A backup ref runs in and rings the bell. I guess they found something they'll DQ for. It makes zero sense why Scott couldn't win clean here. Did Wall need to be protected that badly? 1/4*

 

Bigelow tries again, this time attacking Awesome's opponent Ernest Miller during Miller's promo. He's more successful this time. 

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Quarterfinals: Mike Awesome def Bam Bam Bigelow/Ernest "The Cat" Miller in 3:20- This is former ECW star Awesome's first WCW match after making his surprise debut on the reboot Nitro. During Awesome's entrance Bigelow attacks him again. And the bell rings to start the match? The fuck? In the ring Awesome barely taps Bigelow with a big boot then clotheslines him 360 to the floor. Awesome with a pescado! He then dumps Bigelow over the guardrail, then charges and dives over the guardrail onto him. Clothesline off the top back in for 2. Awesome tries a Saito suplex but Bigelow twists and lands on top of him for 2. Setup slam from Bigelow. The headbutt off the top rope hits. He calls for the Greetings from Asbury Park to finish it. Miller runs in the ring and superkicks Bigelow! Miller then takes a mic and says he's going to dance instead. On go the red shoes and hit his music. The match is still going by the way. Awesome gets up and murders Miller with a clothesline. Big splash off the top and it's over. Awesome was actually putting some effort in for his debut on the sinking ship, but someone please make the whole Bigelow starts the match then Miller takes over thing make sense. I guess file it, like so much else, under "don't ask, it's Russo". *

 

WCW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinals: Shane Douglas & Buff Bagwell def Harlem Heat 2000 (w/J Biggs and Kash) in 2:47- 2v2 brawl jump start. The ref somehow quickly gets control with Ray and Douglas in the ring. Bagwell tags in and works Ray over. Blind tag in from Big T and he spinebusters Bagwell with a Ray legdrop follow up. Bagwell back elbows Big T in the corner and hits a Vader bomb for 2. Both guys crawl over and tag like we've gone 10+ minutes already. Douglas does the hot tag run while Kash takes Bagwell out on the floor. Double big boot on Douglas. Douglas low blows Big T, tries to hit Ray with the Pittsburgh Plunge (a perfectplex) but can't hold his grip and just pins him regularly instead. Big T (Ahmed Johnson) would be released by WCW shortly after this for his continued inability to stay in shape, mercifully ending the whole Harlem Heat 2000 thing. 1/4*

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Quarterfinals: Sting def Booker in 6:35- With all the Harlem Heat 2000 bullshit almost done hopefully Booker can get his last letter back. Nose to nose jawing after the bell. Sting shoves but Booker doesn't lose his cool. Lockup into some nice basics to start. Sting gets a hiptoss and reset. Booker hits a knee to the gut and gives Sting some clubbing blows. After a couple of duck unders Sting hits a slam, then clotheslines Booker 360 to the floor. Whip reversal on the floor and Sting runs Booker into the cameraman! Wrong place, wrong time. Booker hot shots Sting onto the announce table! Back in Booker hits a back elbow for 2. Sting tries a comeback but Booker cuts it off with another knee to the gut for 2. Snap mare/kneedrop combo for 2. Another chinlock/comeback sequence that Booker kills again. Scissors kick! Booker takes his time covering and Sting kicks out. Flapjack from Booker. Spinaroonie! Sting ducks a side kick and hits a DDT for 2. Stinger Splash! Booker cuts off a second with a kick. Sting hits a crossbody for 2. Both guys slip out of suplex attempts. Scorpion Death Drop! Sting gets the pin! After the bell Booker calls Sting back in the ring, teasing an attack, but instead we get a respect fist bump. Easily the best match so far tonight. Put the peak versions of these two guys together and it'd likely be fantastic. **3/4

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Quarterfinals: Vampiro def Billy Kidman (w/Torrie Wilson) in 8:24- As alluded to earlier, Kidman is as of now the de facto leader of the New Blood because he's embroiled in a feud with Hogan along with Bischoff, which also means he's a full heel now. Kidman tries to jump before the bell but Vamprio's ready for him. Corner clothesline from Vampiro. Belly to belly suplex. Clothesline off the top rope for 2. Kidman slides under and hits his pop up hurricanrana, followed by a dropkick. He tries mounted punches but Vampiro lifts him up and flat tosses him across the ring. Saito suplex from Vampiro. But then he makes the mistake of trying a straight powerbomb and Kidman faceplants him. Slingshot legdrop from Kidman for 2. Tony calls a normal kick a "back leg front kick" and I can't help but think he's trolling Bischoff. Side suplex from Kidman for 2. Suplex fight that Vampiro wins. Uranage from Vampiro for 2. He calls for the finish. But, Nail in the Coffin has the same setup as a powerbomb so you know how that goes against Kidman. This counter sends Vamprio's face into Kidman's knees. He tosses Vampiro out to the floor. They have a terrible miscommunication and Vampiro runs his own leg into the stairs for no reason. Back in Vampiro hits a kick combo for 2. He tries some arm holds. Kidman reverses that into a DDT. We cut to the back where an old Dodge Charger is driving in. And inside it is Hogan. We follow him through Gorilla out into the arena. The match grinds to a halt as Hogan comes out. Kidman attacks Hogan as soon as he gets in the ring. Hogan doesn't care, grabs Kidman by the throat and tosses him to the floor. All with ref Lil' Naitch looking on. Relaxed DQ rules! CRASH TV BABY! Hogan continues to pound Kidman on the floor. Kidman dodges Hogan tossing the stairs at him. Hogan resets the stairs, climbs up them, and chokeslams Kidman into the announce table! But the table didn't break, so Hogan slams Kidman through it too. Now it breaks. He rolls Kidman back into the ring and tells Vampiro to pin him, which Vampiro dutifully does. That was definitely an extreme interpretation of "relaxed" DQ rules. They were going along pretty decent until Hogan interjected himself. **1/4

 

Hogan takes a commentary headset and says Bischoff's ass is next "you son of a bitch". Cut to the back and again Russo is telling Bischoff to chill, then says he'll take care of it and leaves. Cut back to Hogan walking backstage looking for Bischoff. An innocent catering table gets murdered in the process. After trying about five doors Hogan finds the right one. The key clue was the sign on the door that says "ERIC BISCHOFF". Hogan kicks the door open and Bischoff tries to protect himself with a chair. Hogan easily swats that away and gets his hands on Bischoff. Here come the cops! They have their GUNS DRAWN on Hogan! Well they're from Chicago, pulling guns is a natural reaction to almost anything. Hogan backs off quick and gets cuffed. Hogan and Bischoff continue to bark at each other as Hogan gets drug off arrested. End scene....no, we're not done. Smooth transition in the hallway to Terry Taylor telling Terry Funk where to find....someone. We then follow Funk, who passes the cops and Hogan who are now slowly meandering around now their scene is done. Funk forces a door open into a room, catering per commentary, full of some non-wrestler people. He asks if anyone's seen Norman Smiley and they all point to the back in unison. Funk goes into the men's bathroom and we hear Norman SCREAMIN'! Funk drags Smiley, wearing full baseball catcher's gear and a Cubs uniform, out of the stall and I guess the next match is on. Honestly that was a really nice scene transition from Hogan to Funk. 

 

Vacant WCW Hardcore Championship: Terry Funk def Norman Smiley in 8:40- As Funk knocks Smiley out of the bathroom the bell rings to officially start. He sets a fire extinguisher off on Smiley. Slam onto a table. Funk pours out the contents of a Coke fridge onto Smiley. Cans, not bottles. He shoves Smiley through the slot that goes back to the kitchen. Smiley sprays Funk in the face with some water to turn things around. Trash can shot on Funk. Cookie sheet shots as Funk does his trademark wobbleleg selling. Smiley tosses Funk into a large trash can. He hits Funk with a Coke can. Funk hits Smiley with a laptop! A late '90s laptop so you know it has some heft. Cover for 2. Smiley climbs a conveniently placed ladder. Funk pulls the ladder away and Smiley dangles off a pipe on the ceiling! Funk hits him with a chair and Smiley falls down through a table! Funk tries to throw a chair at Smiley but misses by a mile. Smiley gets his own chair and hits Funk with it. They go through a curtain into the arena. More Smiley chairshots for Funk as they wander into the stage area and down the aisle toward the ring. Smiley hits another chairshot in the ring that looks like it catches Funk flush right on the back of the head. Ouch. Smiley decides things are going good so he can dance a bit. More chairshots and we get a full on wiggle. Funk swings the chair backwards to take Smiley out. He goes under the ring and gets a ladder. Dustin Rhodes runs in and attacks Funk. Dustin chairshot to Funk. He piledrives Funk onto the chair. He tries coming off the second rope with the chair, but Funk gets a boot up sending the chair into Dustin's face, then Dustin falls into the ladder sending that into Smiley! Getting into Rube Goldberg territory. Funk picks up the ladder and drops it onto Smiley on the floor! Pin and Funk is our first new post-reboot champion. Pretty fun all arena plunder brawl, easily the best thing Funk's done in this current WCW run. ***

 

In the back, Russo is disgusted with Booker for showing respect after losing to Sting and demands an unknown favor from him. 

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semifinals: Scott Steiner def Mike Awesome in 3:13- Circle, lockup, and Scott gets a quick amateur takedown. Awesome looks like he wants to fight back but Scott says "Nah, forget that, kid" and gives him a Steinerline. Scott tosses Awesome to the floor and does some push ups. Awesome comes off the apron with a slingshot tackle! Big splash on Scott for 2. Clothesline off the top from Awesome for 2. Scott goes to the low blow and hits a belly to belly suplex. Chops in the corner that seem to fire Awesome up. Awesome walks up the opposite corner and hits a flying back elbow for 2. Legdrop for 2. The crowd gets distracted by something but it takes forever to see what it is. Turns out it's Kevin Nash with a crutch. He knocks Awesome off the top rope with it. The Steiner Recliner is on and it's over. Awesome attacked Nash on his Nitro debut so that wasn't totally out of nowhere. Again, they were going OK before the interference. *

 

Back to the back, now Russo is shouting at Dustin. His default mode at all times seems to be shout at someone. In other words, typical New Yorker. But he's going even further this time, Dustin is FIRED for letting old man Funk win the Hardcore title! Russo then says Dustin was nothing without Goldust, "and who created Goldust and put those words in your mouth?". Dustin would in fact not be seen again in WCW until January, after Russo was given his walking papers. 

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semifinals: Sting def Vampiro in 5:54- Remember last month when these two seemed to come to some kind of mutual respect of facepaint agreement and I speculated it'd take about three weeks for Vampiro to turn on Sting? Turns out I was more or less right on the money. Always count on people to turn on Sting. Sting charges in and it's on. It's all Vampiro to start as Sting still has his coat on. After he gets the coat off Sting hulks up and fires back. He pounds Vampiro down in the corner. They go to the floor and Vampiro stumbles around as Sting tries to run him into a chair. Slam from Sting back in the ring and he goes up top. Big splash for 2. Back to the floor and Vampiro does the Stinger Splash dodge so Sting can crash into the guardrail. That spot had become so commonplace I wrote that whole sentence during the setup before it actually happened. No joke. Vampiro runs Sting into a chair and gives him a superkick. Vampiro sets up on the top rope, but Sting never gets in position for him or something so he just hops back down. Flying tackle/legdrop combo from Vampiro for 2. After what seems like a long discussion Vampiro hits a back suplex for 2. After starting toward the top rope and changing his mind again Vampiro starts laying in kicks. Chops in the corner and Vampiro hits a suplex for 2. Setup slam and Vampiro goes up top again. This time he launches successfully, but neither guy seems sure what they're doing and Vampiro's leg collides with Sting's head as he comes down. They sell it as a Sting counter. Scorpion Death Drop. Sting hooks on the Scorpion Death Lock and it's over. They weren't just not on the same page, they were reading completely different books in totally different languages. Vampiro is one of those guys that every match I've ever seen him in has looked like that to one degree or another. 3/4*

 

Six Way Match for the Vacant WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Chris Candido def Juventud Guerrera, Shannon Moore, Lash LeRoux, Crowbar and The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea in 5:10- I think the technical term for this match is "clusterfuck". At least they don't bother with separate entrances, the two members of 3 Count that are here tonight try to do their thing and everyone else attacks them. They settle in with Candido and Crowbar in the ring and everyone else on the apron. So it's tag rules? If it is it won't last any time at all. Crowbar hits a northern lights suplex for 2, then a slingshot legdrop for 2. Crowbar literally does a couple of bumps with no one near him. Is that....something he does normally I don't remember or is it as bad as it looks? Or did he suddenly turn into Damien Mizdow? LeRoux hits some moves on Crowbar as we continue with the save and swap theme. Juvy and LeRoux do some counters and a Juvy Driver hits. Iaukea tries to wheelbarrow Juvy but takes a cutter instead. Meanwhile Candido and LeRoux are fighting on the floor. Crowbar calls Daffney up to the top rope. Juvy dodges and Daffney very slowly hurricanranas Crowbar instead. Juvy kicks Daffney and tries to Juvy Driver her. Crowbar makes the save before he can. Because what this match needed is yet another body involved in it. Start the everyone dive segment! Shane Helms gets in. David Flair gets in. Anyone else in the back want to overcook this any more? Candido fights off an Iaukea superplex attempt. Iaukea dodges a headbutt off the top and gives Candido a Samoan drop. Tammy (FKA Sunny, yes she went to WCW with Candido for a short time) runs in and pushes Iaukea off the second rope into a chair, and Candido covers to win the title. After the bell Tammy and Paisley cat fight because Russo. Yup, clusterfuck. Way too many people with way too little time trying to do way too much. DUD

 

Vacant WCW World Tag Team Championship: Shane Douglas & Buff Bagwell (w/Vince Russo) def "Nature Boy" Ric Flair & The Total Package (w/Elizabeth) in 8:36- Flair's still in his street clothes. Commentary makes a lot of hay out of Douglas' longtime real life bad blood with Flair. Russo accompanies the New Blood team on their entrance, then becomes the first person to take commentary spot #4 tonight. Surprising non-jump start with Bagwell and Luger starting. Bagwell offers a handshake. Luger takes it, then jumps Bagwell before he can be jumped. Boot up and clothesline out of the corner from Bagwell. He slams Luger and dances, then turns around into Flex Luger flexing. Clothesline and slam from Luger. Bagwell goes to the eye rake and tags Douglas in. Douglas knocks Luger around the tunbuckles and hits a running kick to the gut. Luger gets him up for a press slam. Flair grabs Douglas from the apron and pulls him to the floor, then goes wild on him out there. Back in everyone decides Flair's legal without a tag. You can clearly see Flair tell Douglas to eye poke him, which Douglas does. Bagwell tags in and knocks Flair around. Tony straight up says "bullshit" to one of Madden's rants and Russo pretends to be upset about it. The New Blood team keeps Flair in peril is the basicest of basic offense. Flair tries to chop back on Bagwell but Bagwell punches him back down. Flair/Douglas speed run and they collide. Douglas is still back up first as someone is chanting "boring". Flair Flip! He allllllllmost got over the top but couldn't quite and falls back into the ring. Douglas says "Fuck you, Flair" while hitting mounted punches. Another Flair Flip attempt and this one succeeds. Douglas clotheslines him on the apron. Luger then clotheslines Douglas from the apron. Tags on both sides and Luger hot tag run into a DONNYBROOK. Flair puts the figure four on Douglas. Russo's had enough and gets off commentary, but doesn't do anything but offer moral support. Flair ducks and Bagwell hits Douglas with the blockbuster. Flair covers but Russo pulls Nick Patrick out. Patrick and Russo get in a big shoving match on the floor. While that's going on, we get more runs ins. It's Brian Adams and Bryan Clark, soon to be known as Kronik. They double chokeslam Luger, Russo tears off Patrick's ref shirt, tries to put it on but can't and just leaves it around his neck as he gets in the ring and counts 3 to give the tag titles to Douglas and Bagwell. Boring ass match even before the requisite interference with zero effort being given by Bagwell or Douglas. 1/2*

 

Vacant WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Scott Steiner def Sting in 5:38- Both guys play to the crowd before locking up. Quick start from Steiner, beating Sting down in the corner. Speed run, ducks unders and Sting hits a couple of dropkicks. Steiner rolls to the floor for a think. He wants a time out. Sting responds with a plancha! Back in Sting goes for a big splash off the top rope but Steiner gets his knees up. Gorilla press and Steiner does his usual jawing with the crowd. Steinerline/elbow drop combo for 2. T-bone style suplex and now Steiner goes all the way to the floor to have some words with the fans. He sets Sting up top. Sting fights off a belly to belly superplex and hits a couple of clotheslines. Stinger Splash. He goes for two and Steiner pulls the ref in the way to get squashed. Sting really needs to stop going for more than one of those, it never ends well. But then Sting says eff it and goes for it again, and it hits. Then ANOTHER. Vamipro comes up out of a hole in the ring and gabs Sting's feet! I guess he missed his cue earlier. He drags Sting down STRAIGHT INTO HELL. Sadly no smoke comes up out of the hole. I guess Vampiro's not Undertaker or Kane. After a bit Vampiro drags Sting back up with a dribble of blood on his mouth. It looks less like Vampiro beat Sting up and more like Sting's in a sugar coma after eating too many jelly donuts. Steiner drags the ref back up, puts on an academic Steiner Recliner, and it's over as Scott wins the US title for the second time. It's the right result as Scott continues his move up the card, but it was ugly getting there. *1/4

 

Vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Jarrett def Diamond Dallas Page (w/Kimberly) in 14:58- I mentioned earlier Kidman being the de facto frontman for the New Blood. That's something Jarrett desperately wants to be but, well, it's Jeff Jarrett so no one is taking him seriously as a top guy. There was a tournament for this title like the other major titles, but everything before the finals was on weekly TV. They tried to add a bit of juice to this with Jarrett hitting Kimberly with, what else, a guitar. Anyone want an over/under on how many guitars will be broken in this match? The bell rings and it's a quick DDP start. Discus clothesline. Jarrett tries a slide under but DDP grabs him into an inverted atomic drop. DDP then counters a hiptoss into a DDT for 2. DDP's counterwrestling was always so damn smooth. Jarrett tries to roll out for some space but DDP quickly launches onto him with a plancha. He holds Jarrett so Kimberly can get a slap in. Over the guardrail and it's crowd brawl time. They stay in a wide shot so we hardly see any of it. There's trash cans involved. And a crutch. Back over the rail Jarrett tries to hide behind Kimberly, then pushes her into DDP to get a sucker punch in. DDP shrugs it off and stays on offense. Sunset flip back in the ring and both guys get near falls. Another DDP clothesline. He goes up top but Jarrett hits the ropes to crotch him. Superplex from Jarrett. He goes out and gets a chair, shoves Lil' Naitch away, and lays into DDP with chairshots. Lil' Naitch has enough and takes the chair away. Jarrett stays targeted on DDP's previously hurt back. DDP uses a whip attempt to hits a ripcord back elbow and both guys are down. DDP starts to slug back and hits a sitout powerbomb for 2. Bischoff has shown up in the aisle. DDP Cactus clotheslines Jarrett down to the floor. Floor brawl with Jarrett taking control back. DDP ducks a swing with the ring bell. Jarrett grabs a copy of DDP's new book and tears it up. This is soon after Mick Foley had success with his biographical book so now everyone was trying to cash in, or was being told by the company to try to cash in. Either way. Crotch post shot for DDP. Kimberly grabs Jarrett by the hair! DDP then pulls Jarrett into the post. Jarrett stays on DDP back in the ring with stomps to the ribs and chokes. DDP pulls back up in the corner. Slide under in the corner and now Jarrett takes a nads shot on the post. DDP calls for the Diamond Cutter, but it's close to the ropes so Jarrett is able to block it. Jarrett goes out and gets the belt. Belt shot to DDP. DDP kicks out! Jarrett hooks on the figure four. While DDP's fighting that we see Kimberly has Jarrett's guitar and Bischoff has now meandered all the way down to ringside. After a near fall DDP gets a second wind and manages to fight to the ropes. Jarrett goes for the figure four again. DDP small packages him for 2. DDP roll up for 2. Jawbreaker from Jarrett. Jarrett tries coming off the second rope but DDP catches him into a uranage for 2. Jarrett sleeper! DDP slowly fights out and hooks on his own sleeper. Jarrett quickly does a fancy cutter like counter to get free. Bischoff gets on the apron and grabs Lil' Naitch, like he's actually going to DQ anyone. Kimberly is on the apron with the guitar. Diamond Cutter on Jarrett! DDP sees Kimberly and wants her to give Jarrett a guitar shot receipt. Kimberly hits DDP! On purpose! SWERVE! Sadly we'd all seen enough of Russo by now everyone saw it coming a mile away. Jarrett hits the Stroke and gets the pin to win his first ever world title. Kimberly and Bischoff hug and the whole New Blood come into the ring and celebrate to close the show. Under the circumstances that was about as good a match as you could hope for, though given Jarrett's close relationship with Russo on screen and in real life the outcome was never in doubt. Despite all my longstanding skepticism of his ceiling as a star I don't even think putting the title on Jarrett here is a bad call at all. They needed new stars and Jarrett was at that stage in his career that you put him up there and see if he can swim. **3/4

 

Jarrett's title reign would be short lived, as DDP took it from him a week later on Nitro to put the three in THREE TIME THREE TIME THREE TIME. Amazingly that was the first time the title properly changed hands without it being vacated in between since September. SIX straight World title reigns had ended with it being stripped or vacated before that, with the reboot being #6. But DDP would also hold it all of one day. Who did he lose it to? Well.....it's another very important death of WCW moment so I'll leave you in suspense until next time. But you know.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- It is a marginal improvement over the last couple of Sullivan led PPVs, which doesn't say much. They actually managed to get some halfway decent matches out there. The main problem is Russo's ADD production style, trying to cram all these matches with backstage segments in between every one into the same PPV run time that previously only had 7-8 matches. Not to mention the incessant run ins and interference finishes. The reboot comes across as the last act of a desperate man (not the first act of Henry V), and while the New Blood/Millionaire's Club feud had potential, they were going about it the completely wrong way.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D

Backlash '02

Legacy Review

Backlash '02

April 21, 2002 from the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, MO

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

 

We're one month out from Wrestlemania 18 (or X8 if you prefer) and that show stealing Rock/Hogan match, and since then one of the biggest changes in WWF/E history has taken place- the very first roster split/brand extension, whichever term you prefer. The first ever draft was held on Raw the week after WM with the roster divided up between Raw and Smackdown. On screen the "owners" of each brand were Vince for SD and Ric Flair for Raw, playing off them still being 50/50 owners of the whole WWF. This initial split is different from all those that have come sense because it was completely solid. Raw guys stayed on Raw, SD guys stayed on SD, never shall the twain meet except under very special circumstances, usually one interpromotional match on Big 4 PPVs. Another caveat of this initial split was the WWF Champion, the tag champs and the women's champ could appear on either show, for now. There'll be a lot of changes where the titles are concerned the next few months as they iron out how exactly to set things up for this new era. And if that wasn't enough change, little did anyone know at the time, this would also be the last regular PPV to take place under the WWF name.

 

WWF Cruiserweight Championship: Tajiri (w/Torrie Wilson) def Billy Kidman (c) in 9:04- First PPV Cruiserweight title defense since early in the Invasion, and the first since the WCW Cruiserweight and WWF Light Heavyweight titles were unified. Amazingly they're still using the WCW belt for now. Since we last saw him on PPV Tajiri has turned heel and has gone full Japanese Randy Savage on Torrie, forcing her to wear a kimono and generally act like a meek Japanese woman. Also notable, Kidman is wearing proper wrestling gear for once. Lockup! Stalemates and both guys shove. Kidman hits a clothesline. Speed run, fancy escapes and dodges, both guys get armdrags, then Tajiri suckers Kidman into the corner for a shot. Both guys exchange chops in the corner. Kidman hops on Tajiri's shoulders and tries for a hurricanrana but Tajiri blocks it into a slingshot. But Kidman counters that by hopping up to the second rope! Missile dropkick off the second rope for 2. Corner floatover and flying headscissors from Kidman. Tajiri rolls out to the floor off that then blames Torrie for everything going wrong. Kidman tries to take advantage but Tajiri pulls him off the apron and wheelbarrows him into the barricade. Man, those floor mats are SUPER shiny tonight. Guess they just got a fresh batch in. Basic slam back in from Tajiri followed by a kneedrop. He slides to the floor to give Kidman a nice kick right on the forehead. Kidman fights out of a chinlock and hits the pop up hurricanrana. Tajiri grabs him into a tiltawhirl backbreaker. He hooks Kidman up in the tree of woe. Baseball slide into Kidman's face! He cranks Kidman's back across the ring post. Stomps to Kidman's back followed by a backbreaker as Tajiri clearly has a target. Knee to the face from Kidman to counter out. Tajiri gets right back on the, er, back. Run into the corner and Tajiri goes for the tarantula, which still gets a pop from the crowd even though he's a heel now. Kidman manages to get free before it's fully on. Another kick from Tajiri, he slinghots off the ropes onto Kidman's back, and gets the tarantula on! Very nicely done. He sets up for the final decapitation kick. Kidman ducks it and they slug it out. Tajiri goes for the handspring back elbow but Kidman dropkicks him in the back! Cover for 2. Tajiri flips out of a suplex and hits a reverse enzuguri. Standing switches and Tajiri hits a German suplex with a bridge, then transfers into a Euro clutch for 2. Tajiri superkick! Kidman kicks out! Tajiri makes the tactical error of trying to powerbomb Kidman and Kidman does the faceplant counter for 2. People should have learned by now. Does no one watch tape? Kidman drags Tajiri into the drop zone and goes up top. Tajiri dodges the SSP! Head kick! Kidman kicks out again! The crowd's really behind Kidman now. Tajiri sets him up top. Kidman fights back and avalanche spinebusters Tajiri! That gets a 2 count. Now Kidman goes for a powerbomb. After Kidman gets him up Tajiri blows the red mist into his face! Tajiri falls on top and gets the pin to win the title back! Fantastic finish. Fantastic opener, not unlike peak WCW Cruiserweight division PPV openers. The Cruiserweight division will soon become a key part of the famous Paul Heyman booked Smackdown Six era. ***1/2

 

The APA reunite backstage as Faarooq wishes Bradshaw luck in his match tonight. Nearly all the longstanding tag teams (including the Dudleyz and Hardyz) were broken up in the draft as the tag division was completely reshuffled. 

 

Scott Hall (w/X-Pac) def Bradshaw (w/Faarooq) in 6:42- After Hogan's face turn and return to the red and yellow X-Pac was reunited with his old buddies as the new third NWO guy. Commentary says Nash isn't here because he's suspended. I can't remember if there's some real life story behind that but we all know Nash and Hall don't last long anyway so who cares. Pac is also wearing Kane's mask on their entrance. The NWO had recently attacked him to write him out due to injury and he wouldn't be back until August. Pac stays in the ring while Hall and Bradshaw circle. More APA music and here comes Faarooq to even the odds, brand split or no brand split. The NWO guys are furious they don't have their usual numbers advantage. The bell rings. Cautious start and Hall does the toothpick flip, greatly amusing himself. Bradshaw indicates his amusement by decking him. Which honestly seems like a very Bradshaw thing to do. It's all Bradshaw early on. He hits a DDT for 2. Hall rolls out for a think, but unfortunately for him right in front of Faarooq. Time for Faarooq to get some shots in. Lawler rightly points out that JR would be furious if Pac had done that to Bradshaw. Shoulderblock from Bradshaw back in. More clubbing blows and chops from Bradshaw. Suplex and floatover for 2. Hall does his wobblelegged selling off punches. Eye poke from Hall and he gets some shots in. Pac gets his shot in. Corner clothesline from Hall and he stomps Bradshaw down in the corner. Bradshaw pops out of the corner with another shoulder tackle. More punches put Hall back down. Back elbow and big boot from Bradshaw. Return corner clothesline from Bradshaw. Clothesline from Hell! They're near the ropes and Pac puts Hall's foot on the rope before 3. Faarooq chases Pac around the ring and runs him into the post. Hall uses the distraction to low blow Bradshaw, roll him up and get the pin. What you'd expect. Hall, once again, was just in no shape to be wrestling anymore, and Bradshaw was not a comfortable singles wrestler yet. 1/2*

 

WWF Women's Championship: Jazz (c) def Trish Stratus in 4:35- After Trish's entrance Molly Holly (no longer Mighty Molly) comes out. Trish beat Molly in a #1 contender's match on Raw to get here. Molly takes a mic, says Trish is nothing but a cheater, and lays her out! As they're fighting on the floor Jazz makes her way out. Molly whips Trish into the stairs. Jazz happily takes full advantage of the situation. Side suplex in the ring for 2. Trish manages to counter and hit Jazz with a hot shot. Jazz shrugs it off and hits a rolling slam. Trish rolls under and hits a clothesline. Again Jazz shrugs it off and hits some jabs. Trish slugs back with forearms. Jazz ducks a high kick, but can't avoid the second one and Trish covers for 2. Chops from Trish. She handstand hurricanranas Jazz off the top rope and hits more clotheslines. Neckbreaker for 2. Jazz counters a backdrop and plants Trish with a sit out powerbomb. Trish barely gets a weak shoulder up before 3. Jazz goes into heel punchy chokey stuff against the ropes. Trish dodges in the corner. Jazz crashes and Trish rolls her up for 2. She goes for the springboard bulldog but Jazz counters into a slam for 2. Dragon screw out of the corner from Jazz! Into a Boston crab on Trish! Trish tries for the ropes but Jazz drags her back and switches to an STF! Trish can't get to the ropes and taps! Death, taxes, Rollins beats Reigns and Jazz beats Trish almost every single time. Very nice stuff, by normal women's standards at the time. Like I've said before, Trish and Lita get the headlines, but Trish and Jazz was the feud that really made this era in the ring. **1/2

 

Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) def Jeff Hardy (w/Lita) in 5:32- The Next Big Thing has arrived. Lesnar, already with solid credentials as a former NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion, is the first of the famed OVW Class of 2002 to make his debut on the main show. In fact this isn't just his PPV debut, it's his first official televised WWF match ever, though he had been working main roster house shows since late '01. Heyman was brought back for the first time since the end of the Invasion to be Lesnar's manager, kicking off a lifelong on screen business partnership and real life friendship between the two. Lesnar's already taken Matt Hardy out during the buildup to this match, and Heyman's also taken some time to do some creepy stalking of Lita just because. Brock's got some weird triangle/pyramid design on the back of his trunks that won't last. Jeff, knowing he's in trouble, attacks Lesnar as soon as he gets in the ring. He lasts about 5 seconds before Lesnar pounds him down and slides him out to the floor. After Lesnar does his soon to be signature leap onto the apron Jeff kicks him off it, then tries a plancha. Nope. Lesnar easily plucks him out of the air. Jeff manages to counter and run Lesnar into the post. Back in Jeff hits a crossbody off the top for barely 1. Lesnar scoops Jeff up and RUNS him into the corner! Belly to belly suplex from Lesnar. He knows what he's doing. He stands over Jeff almost wanting him to put up more of a fight. Another belly to belly. TWO! Oh, we aren't there yet. He pulls Jeff up by his belt and gives him a series of huge backbreakers. Jeff tries to fight back out of the corner again. Lesnar reverses a whip and sends Jeff into the corner again. Jeff springs up top and hits Whisper in the Wind! Jawbreaker on Lesnar! The crotch legdrop hits and Jeff goes up top. Swanton Bomb! Lesnar kicks out! Desperate, Jeff goes out and gets a chair. Lesnar scoops him up again! F5! Which actually hadn't been named or become Lesnar's official finisher yet. Heyman shouts to not pin him yet, keep hurting him. Big delayed double powerbomb from Lesnar. After enjoying his work Lesnar picks Jeff up again, spins him around, and plants him with another powerbomb. Ref Teddy Long has enough and calls for the bell playa. Lita and a whole gaggle of refs come in to check on Jeff's carcass as Brock leaves happy. Amazing debut. Guys that looked generally like Brock were a dime a dozen in the '80s and into the '90s, and at the time Goldberg comparisons were inevitable, but actually watching him you knew this guy was a special, freak athlete. Jeff was also the perfect bouncy ball to make him look good out of the gate while keeping the crowd in it with good hope spots. In terms of an impactful monster debut, the best equivalent I can think of, that took place before this, is probably Vader's debut in WCW. Absolute, impressive destruction, and it was all up from here. The greatest rookie year in WWF history was underway. **

 

Kurt Angle def Edge in 13:24- This is the feud that was the unofficial kickoff of the Smackdown Six era, though the era wouldn't get going in full until the summer when Heyman became SD's head booker/writer. In the buildup to this show we got the legendary backstage segment where Edge "found" a bunch of pictures of him and Angle in his attic and when Angle holds them up to look at them they have "You suck" or some other insult written on the back of them. They'd already started, but that cemented the crowd chanting "you suck" to Angle's music forever. Circle and lockup. Angle grabs a headlock into a basic start while the crowd chants "Angle sucks". Angle tries to fake Edge out but runs into a couple of forearms. Back elbow from Angle in the corner but he runs into a dropkick. More dodges and Edge hits a flapjack, then clotheslines Angle 360 to the floor. Angle catches Edge with stomps coming back in. Spinning heel kick from Edge. Angle duck under and German suplex! He pounds Edge down in the corner and hits some chops. Edge turns around and hits his own chops. Angle belly to belly outta nowhere! Lesnar's here now, but this is Suplex City v1.0. Well, 1.5, the Steiners in their prime were 1.0. After a slugfest Angle hits a regular suplex for 2. He grounds Edge with a chinlock. After arm drops Edge fights back up. Another Angle duck under into ROLLING GERMANS. Or not, Edge fights out after the first one. Edge belly to belly! Edge hits a flying forearm and starts building momentum. Backdrop. Kick wham DDT for 2. Edge flips out of a back suplex attempt and faceplants Angle for a long 2. Edge goes up top, allowing Angle to do his classic run up the corner and snap superplex for 2. Ankle lock! Edge quickly fights out. After Edge tries to fight it off again it's ROLLING GERMANS for real time. The third gets a 2 count. Angle wants Edge to get back up. Angle Sl...no Edge slips free, goes around, and hits his own German with Angle flipping back on his head! Edge backdrops Angle over the top rope to the floor! Edge crossbody off the top to the floor! Back in Edge hits a missile dropkick for another long 2. Both guys trade counters and Angle hits the Angle Slam! Edge kicks out! THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Ankle lock! Edge tries to get to the ropes but Angle drags him back. Edge rolls around into a roll up for 2! Clothesline from a very frustrated Angle. He goes out and gets a chair. Edge ducks the swing and the chair bounces off the ropes into Angle's face! Edge covers but Angle kicks out! Eye rake from Angle. He goes for the chair again but Edge knees him in the face and Hebner the Younger takes the chair away. Edge sets up for the spear. Angle cuts it off with a kick! Angle Slam! Angle gets the pin! Clean as a sheet win. Phenomenal match. Edge's best match since he broke out into singles wrestling. After scuffling in the ring for a while this feud did a lot to help get him from middling midcarder with potential to a solid future main event path, while Angle is right on the cuspiest cusp of going from really damn good to otherwordly. ****1/4

 

The countdown hits and former Undisputed champion Chris Jericho makes his way out to the ring for some PPV promo time. I should point out that Steph isn't with him because as a stipulation to the rematch Jericho lost against Triple H for the title on the same Raw as the Draft she was (temporarily) banned from WWF. Jericho reminds us he was the top guy and bitches that now he doesn't even have a match tonight. Given how he was booked during his reign I'd take issue with "top guy" but whatever. He does some of his usual crowd running down, then complains that Hogan has a title shot tonight and not him. He concludes by saying if no one's going to bother with him he's leaving RIGHT NOW. Insert "Well, bye" GIF. Guess that was a way to get Jericho on the show and do a bit of rehab for him after a truly awful first title reign.

 

WWF Intercontinental Championship: Eddie Guerrero def Rob Van Dam (c) in 11:37- After being on the receiving end of a "You're messed up, go fix yourself" firing in mid '01 (and Guerrero worshipers should not kid themselves, that's exactly what it was), Guerrero made his big return to the WWF right after WM and immediately targeted new IC champ RVD. It takes Lawler all of two seconds to whip out the super annoying "LATINO HEEEEEEEEEET". Great. On paper this could be an incredible match. Guerrero attacks before the bell and we're off. He tries to flip over RVD's back but RVD waits for him to land and hits a side kick. Handspring monkey flip out of the corner from RVD and Guerrero, being Eddie, manages to go all the way to the other side of the ring selling it. RVD follows up with a spinning heel kick for 2. Stand up slugfest. Guerrero grabs a kick attempt and gives RVD a dragon screw. RVD reverses a corner whip and starts hitting the corner shoulderblocks. Guerrero tries to counter after the backflip but RVD was ready again, ducking under and grabbing a waistlock. Guerrero back elbows and backs RVD into the corner. Both guys trade shots in the corner and RVD hits another kick combo. Standing moonsault for 2. Another kick right to Guerrero's head for 2. Nifty suplex with an instant floatover from RVD for 2. He springs up top but Guerrero gets up and crotches him. Guerrero hooks up for a superplex. RVD willingly drops off the top rope down to the floor in order to drop Guerrero on the top rope! Very innovative counter. He goes back up and hits a diving kick off the top rope. Cartwheel moonsault for 2. Guerrero uses a suplex hookup to wrap up a small package for 2. Another suplex attempt from RVD and this time Guerrero counters in midair into a roll up for 2. Guerrero goes to the apron and RVD baseball slides him off. Moonsault off the apron from RVD that I'm not sure hit quite right as they both go down a bit weird. RVD sets Guerrero on the barricade and hits the spinning legdrop off the apron. Back in RVD goes for rolling thunder but Guerrero gets his knees up. Tiltawhirl backbreaker from Guerrero. Straight drop back suplex for 2. Drop toe hold from Guerrero and we're going surfing. He cranks RVD all the way back with a top facelock. RVD's so flexible he can stay in this hold longer than most guys. Eventually he fights free but Guerrero gets right back on his back. Gory Special! After a bit RVD gets free and uses his position to roll Guerrero up for 2. Guerrero comes back up with a clothesline. Leg lariat from Guerrero and he hits the slingshot senton for 2. He knucklelocks RVD and does the lucha corner run up and flying headscissors for 2. Brain buster from Guerrero, then a Saito suplex for 2. He sets RVD up and calls for the finish. RVD pops up and kicks Guerrero on the top rope. Top rope fight and Guerrero PLANTS RVD with a sunset bomb for 2! The crowd, which had been giving the long absent Guerrero nothing all match (his entrance was dead silence), finally gets into an "Eddie sucks" chant. RVD flips out of a powerbomb attempt and hits a misdirection kick. Guerrero rolls out and get the IC title belt. RVD kicks and grabs it away from him, but in the exchange ref Tim White goes down. Guerrero neckbreakers RVD onto the belt! He goes up top. Frog splash! Guerrero gets the pin to win the title! Very nice comeback win for Guerrero. You can argue jobbing RVD out, but this was just the start of a long feud that would end up being good for both guys. Very good match, but you know they've got a better one in them once they iron out some more chemistry. ***1/2

 

Commentary does their contractual promotion work for Rock's first movie, The Scorpion King, out now! Side thought, I'm assuming Rock isn't here tonight because he was out doing promo work for it. Not too much longer now and that will be the norm.

 

Undisputed WWF Championship #1 Contender's Match: The Undertaker def "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in 27:02- By my count this is the seventh one on one PPV match between these two (not counting multi-man matches). I'm not deep diving to crunch the numbers but I feel pretty confident in saying that was a record at the time. This would also be their final encounter. After wrestling each other at WM in an old school blood feud match, Raw owner Flair made Taker his #1 draft pick out of respect and they've continued to butt heads since. Austin also gave Flair a Stunner on Raw because that's what Austin did to authority figures. Because of all that, Flair has appointed himself the special guest ref for this match. Flair's wearing his red boots with his ref outfit. Makes him look like Red Shoes. The crowd is NUTS for this after entrances are done, which sadly won't last the whole match. Bell and it's an unusual cautious start in an Austin match. They go nose to nose in the middle of the rings while flashbubs pop from everywhere. More cautious and they finally lock up. Taker grabs a headlock and Austin tries to power out. Taker then runs Austin over with a shoulderblock and Austin rolls out to rethink things. Reset lockup and this time it's Austin with a headlock. Shoulderblock collision that wobbles Austin and doesn't bother Taker at all. Austin checks his wristape watch and decides to do some push ups. Mind games. Another lockup. Taker gets another shoulderblock, but then runs into an Austin clothesline. Now it's Taker that takes a moment to think. Austin reminds Taker he's #1 while he's doing that. Again both guys cautiously lean in...and Austin flips Taker off again! Taker's angry "FUCK!" reaction to that is pretty funny. More speed and Austin gets a hiptoss. Deep armdrag! Going back to the old Austin playbook. He drop toe holds Taker and starts working on Taker's arm. Eventually Taker backs Austin into the corner and gives him a punch on the nose. Austin switches in the corner and starts laying in the chops. Austin and Jericho both used a ton of chops in their No Way Out match, now with Flair in the ring Austin's shouting out again. Clothesline from Taker for 2. Flair's doing a very old school style count, barely putting his hand above the mat. Not showy at all like refs are normally trained. Taker cranks Austin's arm and hits old school. Austin Thesz press! Elbow drop follow up for 2. Austin clotheslines Taker 360 to the floor. Taker, as usual, lands on his feet and drags Austin out. The go back in and Austin 360 clotheslines Taker right back out! Taker does not land on his feet this time. This has been a very old school style match so far, but I suspect we'll be going Attitude Era brawl for a bit now. Coming back in Taker big boots Austin off the apron back to the floor. Austin does some crazy wobblelegged selling while Taker knocks him around ringside. Austin slugs back and Taker goes over the barricade into the crowd. Crowd brawl time! Well sort of, they never get away from the barricade. Now Austin knocks Taker around ringside and hits some more chops. Taker backdrops out of a piledriver attempt on the floor, then drops an elbow. Austin takes a shot on Taker's bike. I'm surprised Taker would want to risk denting it. Oh great. Hall and Pac are wandering out, Pac still wearing Kane's mask. Austin takes a hard stair shot and goes down. Flair tries to get Taker to back off so he can check on Austin but Taker is disinclined to acquiesce. Means no. Taker stays in control as the match goes into almost slo-mo, like they're waiting for something else to happen while the NWO guys stand at the bottom of the stage not doing anything yet. Taker hits the apron legdrop. Back in the ring Taker starts working on Austin's knee. He wraps up a couple of different leg scissors. Austin slowly gets over and gets a rope break. Austin fights back but Taker slugs him back down for 2. Guess we're forgetting about the knee, now Taker goes to a chinlock instead. The crowd also looks distracted by something. Off a whip Austin hooks on a sleeper. Taker back suplexes out for 2. Lawler says that count was slower than Flair's others and I think he has a point. Austin slugs back and goes for a Stunner. Taker pushes free and hits a clothesline for 2. The NWO guys are STILL standing around not doing anything by the way. Why did they come out so early? Flying clothesline from Taker for 2. Taker goes over and takes a top turnbuckle pad off. Austin reverses a whip and Taker takes the exposed buckle shot. Double clothesline. Both guys stagger back up and slug it out. Austin gets Taker down in the corner and stomps the mudhole. Taker scoops Austin for either a Tombstone or snake eyes onto the exposed buckle. Austin gets free and goes for a clothesline. In the exchange Flair gets knocked down and goes out like a light like a normal ref would. Surprised he didn't blade. Stunner! Cover but no ref. Low blow from Taker. Chokeslam! Flair's back up to count. Austin kicks out! Taker, like almost everyone else tonight, goes out and gets a chair. Flair takes it away and Austin hits a low blow. Big boot from Taker for 2. Austin spinebuster for 2. Double bird kick wham no Taker pushes out of another Stunner, and the push sends Austin right into Flair. Taker gets the chair again and waffles Austin with it. Cover and Flair staggers over. Austin just manages to kick out. Clothesline from Austin for 2. Taker gets the chair again. Austin ducks the swing and stomps another mudhole. Now he takes the chair. Flair tries to take it away and Taker big boots the chair into Austin's face! Flair counts a pin, but Austin's foot was clearly and obviously on the rope before Flair even started counting. That's what you get for getting untrained refs. Flair gets the hell out of town as soon as the match is over. Austin gives Taker a Stunner for the road to vent some frustration. That started extremely promisingly with very old school and good groundwork laying first 10 minutes, I'm a sucker for that stuff, but the wheels came off after that. And what the hell was the point of sending the NWO guys out there for more than half the match to just stand there and not do anything? **1/4

 

Coach catches Flair coming back through Gorilla and asks if he saw Austin's foot on the rope. Flair says no so Coach brings him to a monitor to watch the replay. Flair watches, disgustedly says "Shit." and walks off. Appropriate to the situation swearing, I have zero issue with that on a PPV.

 

WWF Tag Team Championship: Billy & Chuck (c) (w/Rico) def Al Snow & Maven in 5:56- I mentioned earlier almost all the longstanding tag teams getting broken up in the draft. That left the fairly new Billy & Chuck duo as the de facto top team while the rest of the division was rebuilt. Snow and Maven have the Tough Enough coach/student connection so at least their pairing isn't completely random. B&C jump start as the challengers get in the ring. Snow & Maven fight off a double team and clothesline both B&C to the floor. Maven appropriated one of their headbands in that exchange and he gives it to Snow to prance around in a bit. Chuck pulls Maven out to the floor and they work him over a bit down there, then more in the ring. Maven whips Chuck into his own partner Snow on the apron, then DDTs Chuck. Snow runs in angry at B&C and that allows them to get the kid down again. Enzuguri from Maven on Chuck. Tags on both sides and Snow runs wild. Rico gets on the apron to distract ref Nick Patrick, allowing B&C to double team again. Shake, Rattle and Roll style neckbreaker from Billy on Snow for 2. Chuck comes in and butterflys Snow's arms while the crowd chants "Rico's gay" at Rico. Just Rico? Belly to belly suplex from Chuck for 2. Snow tries to do his corner slide but coming back Billy pushes him face first into the other corner. Snow dodges a Stinger splash, then drop toe holds Chuck into Billy. Tag to Maven. Hot tag run #2. Billy uses a backdrop setup to hit the Fameasser. Snow pulls Maven out of the ring before he can be pinned. Superkick from Chuck on Snow. Rico comes in for a cheap shot but takes Chuck out instead. Snow spinebuster on Chuck. Crossbody off the top from Maven! Billy kicks out! Maven wants Billy to get up so he can finish it. Rico comes in again but Snow chases him off. Chuck superkick on Maven. Billy covers and gets the pin to retain. *1/2

 

The reaction Hogan got at WM kicked off a huge wave of Hogan nostalgia among WWF fans. WWF decided to ride the wave and got Hogan right back into the title picture, a move much criticized over the years but personally I've never really had an issue with it. People complain all the time about wrestling companies, especially Vince run ones, rarely giving them what they want and this clearly was something the fans wanted, if only for a short time. Also of note, the modified Winged Eagle and Big Gold Belts were retired after WM (temporarily in Big Gold's case), and the new Undisputed Champion belt has been introduced. To my mind a belt that's been sorely underrated over the years, and was killed off way too soon in favor of making Cena's crappy personal spinner belt the main one for far too long. 

 

Undisputed WWF Championship: Hollywood Hulk Hogan def Triple H (c) in 22:00- It's been nearly 9 years since Hogan was last WWF Champion, but of course he had many WCW World title reigns during that time. This match is the introduction of Hogan wearing long tights in red and yellow mode instead of trunks. Trips hasn't turned back heel just yet so this is a respectful face vs face match though HHH has been the default heel all through the build, which will continue tonight. Fantastic shot during HHH's entrance of Hogan staring him down over his shoulder while HHH does his apron pose. The title match graphic still has the two old belts, they need to update that. Short staredown and lockup. HHH wins the power fight! That surprised Hogan. Another lockup and HHH wins again. The crowd is still crazy behind Hogan, which sets HHH off more. This time Hogan wins the lockup to a big pop and poses. Cautious knucklelock into a test of strength. HHH starts to go down, then powers back up and puts Hogan down. Hogan fights back up, but HHH lets go, back elbows Hogan and puts on a top wristlock that grinds Hogan down again. HHH willingly working a full Hogan style match so far. Not that Hogan was capable of doing a full HHH style match, he wasn't. Hogan powers the wristlock over into a headlock on HHH. Shoulderblock from Hogan and another pose. Kind of amazing his bandana has stayed on this long. Lockup and slow clean corner break. Mostly clean as HHH slaps Hogan, then starts pounding him down in the corner. There goes the bandana. Corner whip reversal and backdrop from Hogan. He hits a couple of clotheslines and pounds HHH down in the corner. Mounted punches. HHH counters a backdrop, but then charges and Hogan backdrops him over the top to the floor! Hogan gives HHH some ringside knockaround. He suplexes HHH on the floor! HHH takes control back with a stair shot and keeps control back in the ring. He starts a Pedigree setup but Hogan counters, slingshots him into the corner, and rolls him up for 2. Corner clothesline from Hogan. Another. Running cutter from Hogan! That's a new one. And it gets a 2 count. HHH slips out of a scoop and chop blocks Hogan's braced knee. I think we're going to school, kids. Another chop block. Apron shot for the knee. And a post shot. Another chop block in the ring as the crowd has completely turned on HHH now. He continues to pick the knee apart. He goes for the figure four but Hogan pushes free. Yet another chop block. Another Hogan push free sends HHH face first into the corner. That sets off HHH, as he goes to ground and pound and chokes. Figure four! HHH cranks like crazy on it, then gets desperate and gets extra rope leverage. Hogan tries to reverse but HHH grabs the ropes again. No way Hebner didn't see that. Another try and this time Hogan gets the reversal and HHH lets go. Sleeper from HHH. Hogan goes down and we get arm drops. Hogan powers back up with some really weak back elbows and manages to get HHH up for a back suplex. He looks gassed. None of his WCW main events went this long. Comeback punches from Hogan. Running double ax handle. Big boot! The legdrop hits. But Chris Jericho is running out with a chair! He didn't leave the arena the lying liar! Hebner tries to cut him off and Jericho punches him out. Chairshot to Hogan! Jericho picks Hebner up and puts him back in the ring. HHH sees Jericho and is not happy. Facebuster on Jericho and he clotheslines Jericho 360 out. HHH punch on Hogan. No affect! Uh oh. Here comes the Hulk Up! Point! Three punches, big boot. HHH dodges the legdrop! Kick wham Pedigree! Hebner struggles up to count. Now Taker runs out and punches Hebner out! Hebner's going to need some ice after this match. Taker chairshot to HHH. The story is Taker wants Hogan for his title shot, not HHH. Hogan Hulks Up again on Taker! Hogan clotheslines Taker to the floor! The legdrop hits on HHH! Hogan gets the pin and is once again WWF Champion! Even today I still have to pinch myself a bit to make sure I'm seeing it right, Hogan being WWF Champ again at this late stage. It's Hogan's 6th title win, tying him back with Rock and Austin for the most ever at that point. HHH, bloody from the chairshot, gets up, acts like he wants to continue the fight, then offers a hand that Hogan takes. As a side note, losing the title means that HHH will now be on Smackdown. While I won't criticize the booking as much as others for the reasons I explained above, I will naturally criticize the match because it's objectively crap, even before all the crazy overbooking. As much Hogan nostalgia there was, it couldn't turn back time to de-age Hogan's body. 2000 HHH could probably have gotten more out of this, but 2002 HHH was still rounding back into form from the quad injury. They did at least mix up the usual Hogan finish formula though. *

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS-  I don't think it's quite as bad as its reputation, though I wouldn't call it overall good. The top matches disappoint, but there's no outright total disasters and good stuff to be found on the undercard. This was a weird time for WWF overall as they were working out exactly how the brand split was going to work in practice and not just in theory. And the next time on PPV they'll be dealing with yet another major change, though one forced on them this time- an entirely new company name.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C+