Armageddon '02

Legacy Review

Armageddon '02

December 15, 2002 from the Office Depot Center in Sunrise, FL

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler (Raw), Michael Cole and Tazz (Smackdown)

 

The Armageddon name returns for the December PPV after a year off (it was deemed inappropriate in the immediate post-9/11 months). The opening video recycles the "dramatic Freddie Blassie" footage we saw multiple times in PPV opening videos during the Attitude Era. It makes no more sense now than it did any other time. The skeleton robot thingie marching with a sword in the opening after that is hilarious. It looks like the guy from Medievil on PS1. But as usual for an Armageddon, the stage setup is *phenomenal*.

 

Fatal Four Way Elimination Match for the WWE World Tag Team Championship: Booker T & Goldust def The Dudley Boyz, Lance Storm & William Regal and Chris Jericho & Christian (c) in 16:44 (Raw)- The Dudleyz reunited at Survivor Series, a tacit admission that breaking them up earlier in the year in the brand split draft didn't work. Bubba Ray is still wrestling in shorts. The Regal/Storm team is the final remnant of the Unamericans faction from earlier in the year. Booker and Goldust have been teaming off and on since the brand split started and have been extremely popular but had yet to find tag team gold, making them the sentimental favorites coming into this match. Christian is still wearing a singlet, which looks so wrong on him. This is the PPV debut of the new World tag title belts, replacing the longtime WWF tag title belt design that had been in use with only small modifications since the mid '80s. A supposed coin toss took place backstage that determined the Dudleyz and Regal/Storm would start, with Bubba Ray and Storm stepping in. Guess that avoids the usual prematch discussions about it. Regal quickly distracts Bubba Ray from the apron and Storm jumps him. Big forearm flurry from Storm. Bubba Ray punches Regal off the apron and avalanches Storm in the corner, shouting "Die Canadian scum!" on the way in. Storm tags Christian in and the Dudleyz double flapjack him, three guys that know each other very well. Christian fights free and tags Regal. D'Von weathers some European uppercuts and hits a diving clothesline/elbow drop combo for 2. D'Von then tags Goldust in as everyone's willing to tag other teams early on. Regal clotheslines Goldust in the back and covers, but Christian had blind tagged himself in on Regal. The champs trap Goldust in their corner. Jericho goes for a dropkick but Goldust catches him and slingshots him over the top to the floor. Apron suplex for Jericho back in for 2. Jericho comes back with a flying forearm. Goldust gives Christian an inverted atomic drop/clothesline combo for 2. Goldust and Bubba Ray work some stereo flip, flop and fly jabs on the champs, then take Regal and Storm out. Classic Dudleyz Whazzup Drop on Christian. Right as Bubba Ray tries to tell D'Von to get the tables everyone charges in and it's a full on 8 man DONNYBROOK. Everyone goes to the floor fighting, leaving Christian and D'Von in the ring. 3D on Christian, but Regal blind tagged himself in on Christian just before it hit! Storm comes off the top rope with a legdrop on Bubba Ray. Regal comes in and covers Bubba Ray, but rolls him over too much and they have an ugly exchange where Bubba Ray ends up on top and Regal is trying to get him back over to pin him. Finally he does and the Dudleyz are out. No idea what was going on there, it's like Bubba Ray was legit fighting Regal to not get pinned. Bubba Ray also nearly kicked out in time and commentary is confused as to whether he's out or not. Total mess. Ref Nick Patrick tells the Dudleyz to hit the showers and commentary figures it out. While that's going on Goldust powerslams Regal and pins him to eliminate the Regal/Storm team. No question on that one, and it's down to the heel champs and the crowd favorite going in. Goldust hits a hip attack on Jericho. Booker finally tags in for the first time all match and gives Jericho some chops. Side kick for 2. Booker grounds Jericho with an ARMBAR. Hart Attack style double team with Booker hitting another side kick for 2. Jericho basement dropkicks Goldust and gets a tag out to Christian. Goldust hits the slide down uppercut, but then misses a crossbody and crashes out to the floor. That was a move Dustin loved to do in his WCW days. Not as much air on it now though. Jericho runs Goldust into the stairs. Christian continues targeting Goldust's rib area in the ring and hits a gutbuster for 2. Abdominal stretch. Jericho tags in and goes full on arrogant basic shots on Goldust until Goldust cuts it off with a clothesline. Christian runs in and knocks Booker off the apron to cut a tag off. After some taunting Christian slaps Goldust fights out of the champs' corner and plants Christian with a mini choke slam. One last fight off of Christian and tag to Booker. Hot tag run. Booker does his corner floatover roll up on Jericho for 2. Big chop flurry on Jericho in the corner. After a Christian distraction Jericho clotheslines Booker down for 2, then hits his own chops. Double leg takedown into a Walls attempt. Booker small package counter for 2. Jericho dodges the scissors kick, then counters a Booker spinebuster attempt into the Walls! There's a bit of blood on Jericho's face and chest from somewhere. Goldust comes in and bulldogs Jericho to break the hold up. Christian goes up top with one of the tag belts. Goldust hits the ropes and crotches him. Booker runs Jericho into Christian's crotch and hits a side kick for 2. Now Booker goes up top. Christian distracts him enough to let Jericho get up with him. Booker fights off a superplex and hits the missile dropkick for a long 2. Misdirection bulldog from Jericho. Booker counters the Lionsault and hits a flapjack. Time out for a Spinaroonie. Scissors kick! But Christian distracts Patrick just enough for Jericho to kick out! Jericho pops Booker with a tag belt! Lionsault! Booker kicks out! Jericho is beside himself. Booker ducks another belt swing. Book End! Booker gets the pin and he and Goldust have finally won the tag titles! Good match once they got rid of the extra riff raff. ***1/4

 

Earlier tonight, brand new backstage interviewer Josh Matthews catches up with ex-WWE Champ and newly face turned Brock Lesnar. After asking who the hell Josh is, Brock promises to make an impact tonight. So, he's signing with TNA. 

 

Edge def A-Train by DQ in 7:11 (SD)- Albert has been renamed A-Train in an effort to give him some push traction, but apart from his name nothing else has changed. He still needs an all over shave. Possibly a body wax. Is there such a thing? I'm no expert. Edge is coming in with a hurt knee after Train attacked with a chair a couple of times on SD but does nothing to sell it on his entrance. Lockup that Train easily wins. Train's power quickly takes the match over as we get a "shave your back" chant. Edge slips off Train's shoulder and dropkicks him face first into the corner. He tries to crotch Train on the post but Train powers free, pushing Edge into the barricade. Edge dodges and Train goes arm first into the post, then Edge gives the arm some more post shots. Then Edge switches gears in the ring, hitting a chop block and dropkick to Train's knee. He follows that up with a dropkick the back of Train's head for 2. Another corner dodge and roll up from Edge for 2. Train comes back with a powerslam for 2. He hits some almost Vader level potato shots on Edge in the corner. Edge gets slingshot into the middle rope for 2. That was one of the "in" moves at the time, been seeing it a lot on recent shows. Chinlock time. Edge jawbreakers free and hits some chops, then punches Train down in the corner. Clothesline that has no effect on Train. Edge fires back with a running forearm and standing heel kick. Faceplant on Train for 2. Edge goes up to the second rope and hits his reverse DDT for 2. Then he goes up top. Train hits him with a bicycle kick as he comes down! That gets a 2 count. Frustrated Train goes out and gets a chair. Edge baseball slides him and rolls him back in. Crossbody off the top rope for 2. Train counters out of the Edgecution and hits the Baldo Bomb for 2, then he picks the chair up again. Ref Jimmy Korderas tries to take it away. Spear! Train kicks out! Train gets the chair and nails Edge in the knee with it for a cheap DQ. After the bell Edge shotgun dropkicks the chair into Train's face and nails Train on his bald cranium, the only place on Train's body with no hair. I mean, I assume. Some places I'm not checking to verify. More charishots from Edge and end scene. These are the bad things that happen when you book yourself into a corner by putting together a match you don't want either guy to lose. Seeing as how Edge was supposedly wrestling with a "torn MCL" that should have played a lot more into the match. Still, Edge tried his best with what he had to work with after spending most of the year in advanced training feuding with some of the best workers in the company (Angle, Benoit, Guerrero), the wrestling equivalent of graduate or even PhD courses, and I've seen much worse Albert matches. *3/4

 

In the back, Big Show is panicking over Lesnar's "make an impact" promise, saying he's being disrespected as champ and wants to go speak his mind to Steph personally. Heyman tries to persuade him that's a bad, bad idea and to let him talk to Steph alone, otherwise she'll think Show's there to intimidate her and "McMahons don't respond well to physical intimidation". Show backs down and tells Heyman he better take care of it.

 

Chris Benoit def WWE Tag Team Champion Eddie Guerrero in 16:46 (SD)- For the first time in their WWE careers, Benoit and Guerrero are on opposite sides. Benoit eliminated Guerrero in the four way WWE Title #1 contender's match on SD Angle won to get tonight's title shot, then Guerrero attacked Benoit with the tag belt to get him eliminated. Since then they've been former best friends at odds. Both guys jockey for position. Guerrero tries a leg takedown but Benoit fights him off. Straight lockup. Guerrero switches to a waistlock and Benoit gets an arm takedown. Guerrero works around into a leg takedown. Nice chain wrestling to start. Guerrero gets Benoit in the corner and hits some chops to escalate things. Reset lockup and Guerrero gets a headlock takedown. Speed run and Benoit hits a backdrop, then snap mares Guerrero into a sleeper. Guerrero fights back up and hooks on a short arm scissors. After some counter attempts Benoit deadlifts Guerrero up and slams him! The old British Bulldog/Shawn Michaels spot they worked into all their matches. Benoit hits his first chops. Guerrero ducks under, snap mares Benoit and puts him in a headscissors. Faceplant backdrop from Benoit. He charges and Guerrero is supposed to backdrop him over the top to the floor, but Benoit gets wrapped up in the ropes and has to slowly work himself down. Crossbody off the top to the floor from Guerrero! Back in Guerrero targets Benoit's knee. Benoit hits stiff kicks to Guerrero's back to try to get free. Guerrero twists around into a kind of half crab/ankle lock combo. After a fight Benoit gets a rope break. Guerrero gets back on the knee, wrapping it up and snapping it back. He then switches gears to more high impact offense in the corner, giving Benoit an opening to get his boots up as a counter. Benoit grabs the arm for the crossface. Guerrero quickly escapes, but Benoit ducks under and hits a German suplex! ROLLLLLLLING GERMANS! 2! 3! 4! 5! Throat slash. AND snot blow! Benoit's serious about finishing it. But Guerrero slowly starts to roll, and Benoit's knee doesn't seem to hold up on the top rope so he aborts. Another German! A 7th! Guerrero wraps up in the ropes, clearly having been Germaned enough. Benoit tries a powerbomb but Guerrero flips through, ducks under, and hits his own German! Into more rolling Germans, with Guerrero hitting three. Benoit fights free, so Guerrero hits a regular suplex. Now he goes up top. Frog splash! Benoit kicks out! Guerrero charges and tackles Benoit, and himself, through the ropes to the floor. Ref Hebner Junior literally waistlocks Guerrero to keep him from going back to the floor to punish Benoit some more. That allows Chavo Guerrero to run in and nail Benoit with his tag belt! Eddie drags Benoit's carcass back into the ring and covers. Benoit kicks out! Both Guerreros are furious. Benoit flips out of a suplex attempt, but Eddie drop toe holds him and hooks on the Lasso from El Paso. Benoit quickly gets a rope break. A chop from Benoit drops Eddie. Another one. Big powerbomb from Benoit. He goes up top. Eddie grabs Hebner Junior, allowing Chavo to go up top with Benoit. Benoit fights him off and Chavo does a crazy oversell of falling throat first on the top rope. Eddie then gets up and crotches Benoit on the top rope. Benoit fights Eddie off and sends him back to the mat. Headbutt off the top rope! Slow cover. Eddie pops up and gets the Lasso on again! Benoit twists free and tries for the crossface! Eddie tries to fight it, so Benoit switches to the other arm and gets it on! Roll back into the middle! Eddie taps! As good as you'd expect from these two, but there was just a little something missing that keeps it from hitting the upper echelon. Chavo's interference didn't help. ***3/4

 

Steph is in her SD office, posing in a not at all "look at my legs" staged way on her desk. Not that I'm, you know, complaining. Heyman comes in and Steph makes it clear Lesnar's suspension is over as of tonight no matter what Heyman says. Heyman says that's fine and starts spinning one of his yarns. Steph cuts him off and says that if Lesnar wants to be in Angle's corner tonight, that's Lesnar's decision. Heyman knows he's lost, but on his way out tells Steph if Lesnar is out there tonight, "no more Mr. Nice Guy" and Show will break Lesnar's neck. A side thought, Steph and Heyman really had great chemistry. Total opposite of Steph and Bischoff, who had less than zero.

 

I regret to inform you that the whole Dawn Marie/elderly Al Wilson thing is still going on. The latest soap opera twist is Marie swings both ways and gets Torrie in bed under the promise of breaking off her engagement to Al, then of course reneging on her promise after. Dad Al seems perfectly fine with all this by the way. This is definitely in all time stupid angle territory, especially since it involves two women that can't wrestle well enough to have a proper blow off match anyway.

 

Marie and Al come out to the ring for a promo segment. Marie has been promising to show the entire sex tape she apparently made with Torrie that night. Did Torrie consent to that? Torrie is not here tonight. For real, not in a "she's showing up anyway" way. Marie says roll the footage. Once both women are down to their bras and panties and the kissing starts and starts threatening to get out of PG-13 territory Al finally puts his foot down and says enough is enough, that's my damn daughter, getting him heel heat on the level of 2015 Roman Reigns. Like anyone should have realistically expected it would go beyond that anyway.

 

Over 15 minutes of PPV time wasted with that. Everyone should have demanded a partial refund. 

 

Batista (w/Ric Flair) def Kane in 6:37 (Raw)- Batista appeared on PPV earlier this year as the Deacon to Reverend D'Von, but this is his first actual PPV match. Triple H advisor Flair is now also advising Batista as the pieces of Evolution slowly get put together. The ENTIRE SET lights on fire for Kane's entrance. That's fantastic. Lockup into a shoulderblock standoff. Kane comes off the ropes again and Batista hits a clothesline, then quickly pounds away on Kane. Kane blocks a hiptoss into a swinging neckbreaker, then clotheslines Batista 360 over the top to the floor. Back in Kane counters and hits a slam, followed by an elbow drop for 2. Off a charge Batista goes to either hot shot Kane or throw him over the top rope, it's hard to tell, and Kane pretty literally lands somewhere in the middle. Needless to say it's not pretty. Charging tackle from Batista for 2. Suplex for 2. Kane fires back with punches and a clothesline. Batista momentum tosses Kane back over the top and out. Kane snaps Batista over the top rope. Flair runs over and runs into Kane! Literally ran into. On purpose. He tries to whip Kane on the floor but Kane refuses to move and Flair just bumps himself on the floor. He wants in the ring so bad. Flair chops on Kane! All no sold. Kane grabs a goozle. Batista comes from behind to make the save. Back in Kane slugs back again and hits a corner clothesline. Big boot. Side suplex. Batista ducks Kane's clothesline off the top rope. He goes for a powerbomb, can't hold Kane up, and nearly drops him on his head. As Batista's hitting shots to Kane's back Kane low blows him. The clothesline off the top hits this time. Goozle. Batista back elbows free. Ugly spinebuster from Batista for 2. Kane hits the chokeslam! Flair distracts the ref and Kane flips him into the ring. Big boot for Flair and Flair begs off. Kane turns around into a kick. The sit out powerbomb hits this time and Batista picks up an upset win. Not exactly an auspicious debut for Batista, nearly everything he did looked unnatural or slightly off. And they knew it too, having Flair provide all the smoke and mirrors he could. But, for full disclosure, I've never been a fan of Batista the wrestler anyway. He never did anything for me. I much prefer Batista the actor, the best wrestler turned actor there's ever been. WWE managed to get through the 2002 PPV year without a single DUD match by my reckoning, so this just might be the worst PPV match of the whole year. 1/4*

 

Ladies and gentlemen, the Doctor of Thuganomics John Cena is here. He'd just recently debuted the character and this is it's first appearance on PPV. And he's dragging Bull Buchanan with him for some reason. Anyway, Cena does some rap lines, none of which are particularly remarkable, and leaves. Guess it's PPV time for him.

 

Triple Threat Match for the WWE Women's Championship: Victoria (c) def Trish Stratus and Jacqueline in 4:29 (Raw)- Since winning the title at Survivor Series Victoria has continued to go full crazy chick on every other woman in the roster and they're all ganging up to try to beat her. Victoria charges into the ring like she's the Ultimate Warrior and we're on. Jacqueline tosses her out so she and Trish can go at it. Trish tosses Jacqueline and she tries to skin the cat, but Victoria knocks her off to the floor, then hits a slingshot legdrop on Trish in the ring. Jacqueline pulls Victoria out to break the pin up. Nice sweep kick from Jacqueline, my old spam move on Mortal Kombat (yes I suck at fighting games), for 2. Roll under into a clothesline. Trish goes for a Stratusfaction on Jacqueline. Victoria blocks it, then she and Jacqueline double back suplex Trish. Victoria gets Trish up and hits a superplex. While Jacqueline and Victoria are fighting Trish rolls Jacqueline up for 2. Jacqueline gets a nice spinning headscissors on Victoria. Double slam on Victoria, then Jacqueline tosses Trish out and covers for 2. Trish crossbody off the top on Jacqueline for 2, then Jacqueline rolls through it for her own 2. Big back kick from Jacqueline that sends Victoria through the ropes to the floor. Trish pummels Jacqueline with forearms, but runs into a back elbow. Jacqueline goes up top and Trish does the handstand hurricanrana. Chick kick on Victoria! Then Trish hits Jacqueline with a neckbreaker. Big kick from Victoria that puts Trish down. She goes up top but Jacqueline pushes her off to the floor. Chick kick on Jacqueline! Trish takes forever to cover, stalling to give Victoria time to get back in and break it up. Corner clothesline from Trish on Jacqueline. While she's covering Victoria hits Trish with the belt out of ref Lil' Naith's sight, then covers Jacqueline to get the pin to retain. Meh. *

 

In the back, Angle is in Lesnar's locker room. Angle reminds Lesnar what happened at Survivor Series, then says if Lesnar's in his corner he'll just be 20 feet away from Heyman and retribution. As Angle leaves he pops in a tape of the Survivor Series match to make sure Lesnar remembers. 2002, I don't remember if WWE was putting shows out on DVD yet or not. I'll say one thing, taking Brock's mouthpiece away this early in his career and relying on him to talk for himself was a brave choice. 

 

WWE Championship: Kurt Angle def The Big Show (c) (w/Paul Heyman) in 12:36 (SD)- Speaking of brave choices, Show's still wrestling in black jeans over his singlet. Angle's also still wearing the knee brace he had on at Survivor Series. Lockup and Angle quickly and smartly goes for the legs. Show easily pushes him away. Duck under into a waistlock from Angle. Show gets a takedown and actually does some mat wrestling as a huge "Let's go Angle" chant starts up. Angle runs into a shoulderblock and quickly bails for the corner. When Show gets close Angle puts him in a front facelock. Show easily muscles him up into a fireman's carry. Angle tries to fight free, but Show backs up and dumps him over the top rope to the floor! That took Heyman out too! Angle takes advantage, sneaking around and behind Show then dumping him out Royal Rumble elimination style. Angle tries coming off the apron but Show easily catches him and drops him on the barricade. First big chop from Show. As they're getting back in Angle hits the ropes and charges at Show. Show grabs him by the throat and tosses him back over the top to the floor! Show hiptosses him back in and hits a clothesline. Straight suplex from Show. That gets a 2 count. Angle tries to slug back but runs into a side suplex for 2. Big headbutt from Show. Angle fires back with a jawbreaker. Show catches a crossbody attempt, casually swings Angle down and hits a GTR like move for 2. Commentary reminds us Heyman is still down. Bear hug from Show. Angle bites free! Back elbow and Angle hops on Show's back to put on a sleeper. Show one hand snap mares Angle over to get free. Angle hops to the second rope to hit a tornado DDT! Basement dropkick from Angle to Show's knee. That gets Show down to his knees and Angle hits a running kick to his face. Angle goes up top. Missile dropkick! That's a new one. Cover for 2. Off a corner whip Angle hops to the top rope and comes down with a moonsault! His feet caught Show's head. Another 2 count. Show uses Angle trying to whip him to hit a short clothesline. Angle fights out of a powerbomb attempt, comes off the ropes, spins around Show.....ANGLE SLAM! Show kicks out! THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Ankle lock! Show pretty easily rolls over and hooks on a goozle. Angle counters the chokeslam into a roll up into the ankle lock! Show uses Chioda to try to fight, then when he rolls over and pushes free he pushes Angle into Chioda, knocking him down. Everyone's down in the ring, and Heyman's back up. He tosses a chair in the ring. Angle is first to the chair. Show tries to punch it away, but Angle muscles through it and nails Show with it! Cover and Chioda's back up. Show flips Angle over to kick out, which takes Chioda out again. Angle puts the ankle lock on and Show taps, but there's no ref. A-Train comes in and takes Angle out. Everyone's down in the ring again as the crowd desperately wants Brock out here. Show hits the chokeslam. Here comes Lesnar! F5 to Show! He picked his spot. Heyman runs for his life and Lesnar chases him. Angle crawls over, covers, and gets the pin to win the title! His third WWE Title win and first in over a year. Angle was absolutely on fire more than the show's stage, carrying Show to a really good match for the most part, but all the overbooking undercut that quite a bit. **3/4

 

The next week on SD, Heyman would reveal that he was actually working for Angle all along. Heyman pulling the Sunny, making sure he stays with the champ no matter what. Also of note at the same time, Heyman would present Angle with a gift, a brand new tag team to put under his wing: Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas, who would be known as Team Angle. 

 

For those keeping track that's 7 WWE Championship changes over the course of 2002, across 8 (!) different champions with no one repeating (Jericho to Triple H to Hogan to Undertaker to Rock to Lesnar [title split here] to Show to Angle). Fortunately 2003 will provide more stability, with only either Angle or Lesnar holding it over the course of the year.

 

Three Stages of Hell Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Triple H (w/Ric Flair) def "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels (c) in 38:33 (Raw)- This is designed to be the final blowoff of this feud that kicked off Shawn's comeback. So far Shawn is two for two, winning with a flash cradle after an absolute street fight war at Summerslam, then defeating HHH at the end to win the title in the first ever Elimination Chamber match at Survivor Series. HHH has some extra tape on his formerly hurt quad tonight. Shawn's wearing some of his classic pre-injury gear for the first time in his comeback tonight. During his entrance Shawn mocks Flair by doing Flair's usual hit the ropes warmup and strut, which sets Flair off. Then Hebner tosses Flair before the match starts! FLAIR BUMPS OFF HEBNER BARELY SHOVING HIM! I love it. While HHH is protesting that Shawn hits him from behind and we're on.

FIRST FALL (Street Fight)- No normal rules tonight, starting up with the same stipulation as the Summerslam match. Speed run with Shawn going all out on the dodging. HHH tries to toss him over the top but Shawn gets an early skin the cat in, then he 360 clotheslines HHH to the floor. While out there HHH goes right under the ring to get a trash can. Shawn baseball slides him. Shawn goes for a plancha, but HHH moves and Shawn lands on the trash can. That was badly timed, when Shawn launched he could clearly see it was only the trash can down there. Clothesline from HHH on the floor and he's already gimping on his bad leg. HHH goes for a trash can shot but Shawn kicks it out of the way. Springboard dive to the floor and Shawn gets both HHH and the trash can. They're off tonight. You can see it already. No idea why and there might not be a concrete reason, but they are. Shawn goes under the ring and gets a table, setting it up on the floor. HHH blocks a suplex attempt into the table. Shawn runs HHH into the stairs and rolls him back in the ring, then goes up top with the trash can. HHH gets a boot up and sends the can into Shawn's face. Shawn recovers and goes for a crossbody off the top rope. HHH has a hell of a time trying to work Shawn over for a reversal, finally doing it for a 2 count. Yeah, definitely off. Another clothesline from HHH and he's still limping around on his bad leg. I wonder if he tweaked it again for real sometime before the match, might explain some of why they seem to be struggling so far. HHH goes out, gets a second table, and sets it up on the floor next to the other one. He teases suplexing Shawn out of the ring onto the tables. Shawn reverses it into a suplex into the ring for 2. More speed and HHH hits the high knee, then falls down. That leg ain't right. Now HHH gets a chair from under the ring. Back in HHH starts working on Shawn's bad back. He sets the chair up in the middle of the ring and picks Shawn up to backbreaker him onto the chair again. Shawn spins around and gives HHH the backbreaker on the chair! HHH takes some hard corner whips and rolls back to the floor. With that setup he'd normally do the Trips Flip over the corner to go out, to me more evidence that his leg isn't 100%. Also the fact Shawn never goes for his leg despite it clearly being a problem. Shawn diving ax handle off the apron and he runs HHH's back into the ring. He then gets a trash can lid out and nails HHH's back with it. Shawn sets up in the corner while HHH wobbles in the middle of the ring. Superki...NO HHH blocks it and rams Shawn's knee into the mat! Knee shot into the trash can. Post shot for the knee. As Shawn's trying to struggle back to his feet HHH chop blocks him. HHH figure four! Shawn's selling it to the cheap seats in a way that has to be making Flair happy. Shawn slowly drags himself to the ropes. HHH pulls back and gets him back in the middle. That leads to a couple of near falls. Shawn has another burst and manages to reverse it. HHH quickly releases. He gets the lid, but instead of going for Shawn's knee again, just WHACKS him upside the head with it! Cover for 2. HHH tosses Shawn out to the floor again and pounds him slowly up the aisle to the stage area. Shawn gets bounced off the stage metal. HHH goes behind the stage....and comes out with a barbed wire covered 2x4! Courtesy Mick Foley. HHH loads up to hit Shawn with it, then seems to have second thoughts. Nope, not second thoughts. A better idea. He sees the flames that have been part of the stage all night. Now it's a FLAMING barbed wire 2x4! Shawn kicks HHH in the gut and makes him drop it! HHH had to be VERY careful that didn't end up in the crowd. Shawn crawls over and picks it up. He hits HHH with it! HHH is, naturally, bleeding off that shot. Not burned though. Now Shawn knocks HHH down the aisle back toward the ring. HHH tries to beg off. Shawn says nah and runs him into the post. Now Shawn gets a fresh chair out from under the ring, then gives HHH a shot with the can lid. The new chair is set up in the ring. HHH reverses the whip and drop toe holds Shawn into the chair! Somewhere Raven is smiling. DDT from HHH. He sets Shawn up for the Pedigree. Shawn low blows free! Flying forearm. Kip up! HHH clips the knee again! The Pedigree hits! HHH covers and gets a pin for the first fall.

SECOND FALL (Steel Cage)- HHH quickly goes out, gets another table and slides it in the ring before the cage is lowered. Fink lets us know this fall will be pin or escape rules. No cage lowering music? Shame. Trash can shot to Shawn's head as the cage comes down. HHH props the table up in the corner. Both guys block shots into it. HHH blocks a Shawn dropkick and slingshots Shawn into the cage! Now Shawn is busted open. HHH sees it and punches away on the cut. Another trash can shot for Shawn. Cheese grater spot! Another cage shot. After a backdrop counter Shawn reverses and gives HHH a couple of cage shots, then a clothesline. Thesz press from Shawn! Hi Steve Austin wherever you are right now. HHH is still up first and climbs up the cage. Shawn drags him back down. HHH gives him a shot on the cage top and climbs again, getting horizontal on the top. Shawn gets back up and stops him, then hops up himself. Slugfest on the top of the cage! While that's going on we see Flair is back out. HHH almost screws himself by punching Shawn so hard he nearly falls to the floor, which would give Shawn the fall. HHH tells Flair to do something. Hey, another table. Why not? That's three out there now. Flair sets it up on top of the other two. Now Flair gets a fourth to make it a double wide, double high table stack. HHH and Shawn are clearly stalling while Flair gets all this hardware set up. Then they go back inside the cage. HHH falls crotch first on the top rope. Shawn elbow drop off the top rope! He starts tuning up the band. Flair unlocks the door to get in the cage. He comes at Shawn with the chair but Shawn dodges him and punches Flair down. While that's happening HHH tries to sneak out the door. Shawn sees and stops him. Then Shawn takes the chair from Flair and hits HHH and Flair with it! FLAIR'S BLEEDING! Hell yes this is a complete package now. Shawn runs Flair into the cage and gives him the cheese grater bit. Shawn stays focused on Flair, giving him mounted punches and blocking his inverted atomic drop counter. HHH finally uses the distraction to hook Shawn up for another Pedigree. Why didn't he just go out the door, he was right there. Ego I guess. HHH then turns around so Shawn can backdrop counter in a clear space. See, a bunch of little things they normally have right just a bit off tonight. Superkick for Flair! Superkick on HHH! Instead of covering Shawn gets the table from the corner and sets it up in the ring. He sets HHH up on it. Shawn climbs up to the top of the cage and looks back down. Big splash off the top of the cage through the table! Shawn gets the pin for the second fall!

THIRD FALL (Ladder Match)- All the talk going into this match was Shawn had a huge advantage if this went to a third fall because it's "Shawn's match". HHH has been in a ladder match before you know, and won it. After the cage is raised a ref gaggle drag Flair's bloodied carcass out. The belt is put on the hook and raised. Shawn already has a ladder in the ring. No time to waste as they've already gone over 30 minutes with just the first two falls. He sets it up in the corner and whips HHH into it. Shawn runs HHH over with the ladder, then drops it on him! Then he suplexes HHH onto the ladder! Well, sort of. HHH did some serious twisting to avoid hitting it too hard. Shawn sets the ladder up in the corner and I'm getting flashbacks to his famous splash off the ladder at WM 10. That's what it looks like he's setting up for. And what he goes for, but HHH dodges! HHH hits another Pedigree! Again just barely, whether selling or legit both guys look spent. HHH sets the ladder up and starts the slow climb. Shawn grabs his feet to stop him and jerks him back down. Superkick! HHH falls out of the ring! Now Shawn drags himself up to climb. He gets a hand on the belt. HHH pushes the ladder and Shawn crashes through the table stack on the floor! HHH resets the ladder, climbs, and gets the belt to get his baby back. The current WWE Evil Empire is back on top, and he won't give it up again for a while. On the other side, despite challenging multiple times in the years after this Shawn will never hold singles gold again. I said last review you can never, ever go wrong with these two. I guess this is the exception that proves the rule, because as I pointed out at points during the match for whatever reason they just weren't on their A game tonight. It's not bad, but it's definitely disappointing for them. They even clearly lost the crowd during the third fall. As much as I love him I also could have done with a lot less Flair during the second fall. The Summerslam match is still their best so far. **3/4

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- December PPVs are always tough because it's usually wheel spinning before the Rumble hits. This is far from the worst of them, but it's no better than OK. WWE's consistent trend throughout 2002, and really the second half of '01 before that, has been an absurdly stacked roster post-WCW buyout consistently putting on good to very good wrestling matches, but with a lot of pretty bad angles being written around them.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C 

Survivor Series '02

Legacy Review

Survivor Series '02

November 17, 2002 from Madison Square Garden in New York City

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler (Raw), Michael Cole and Tazz (Smackdown)

 

As we head into the final Big 4 PPV of the year the brand split has nicely settled in during the months since Summerslam, with each brand starting to establish a distinct identity under GMs Eric Bischoff (Raw) and Stephanie McMahon (SD) (and aided by separate creative teams, particularly with Paul Heyman leading creative on SD). The split of the world titles has even brought some stability on that front after a multitude of WWE Championship changes the first half of the year, with both champions holding onto the belts since the title split in early September. Doesn't seem like long, but that's how often the title was changing hands before then.

 

They're using the short MSG entrance again tonight, which I always like, same as the last couple of PPVs here (Summerslam '98 and Royal Rumble 2000). The opening arena shots focus on what's hanging above the ring, the large, ominous and brand new Elimination Chamber. More on that when we get there.

 

Elimination Tables Match: Bubba Ray Dudley, Spike Dudley and Jeff Hardy def 3 Minute Warning and Rico in 14:20 (Raw)- This is the closest thing there will be to a traditional Survivor Series match tonight. It's individual elimination rules tonight instead of team elimination, probably because it's Survivor Series. The heels charge the ring on their entrance and we're off. After a bit of brawling the faces clear the ring. Bubba Ray is still wrestling in shorts, a fairly recent change. Bubba Ray tries to toss Spike onto 3MW on the floor but they catch him instead. Bubba Ray sets up and Jeff launches off him to do a Poetry in Motion type dive down onto everyone on the floor! Bubba Ray flips Rico back in the ring. They do some basic back and forth stuff while the crowd does the dumbass "We want tables" chant. IT'S A TABLES MATCH, OF COURSE THERE'LL BE TABLES! Serious pet peeve of mine, that chant. Anyway, both Spike and Jeff take turns hitting variations of the old Dudleyz Whazzup Drop on Rico and Jamal. After that Bubba Ray says get the tables. Bubba Ray gets one propped up in the corner before Rosey comes in and clotheslines him. Spike tries to jump Rosey, which of course doesn't go well for him, then Rosey backdrops Jeff over the top out to the floor. Rosey rams deadweight Spike into the table. Spike dodges a charge and Rosey goes through the table! JR points out that doesn't count, it's "it has to be an offensive move" rules. Which thankfully is easier to figure out than trying to determine what that ever elusive "football move" is while doing the advanced calculus necessary to determine if a catch was a catch in the NFL. Nice bit where angry Rosey throws off the table pieces like it personally insulted him. He hits Spike with a piece of the table. Spinebuster for Bubba Ray coming back in. Jeff tries a crossbody off the top but Rosey flat swats him out of the air and splashes him. Rico sets up a table in the ring and hooks up Spike. Spike fights off a suplex attempt. He tries for a Dudley Dog on Rico, but Rico blocks it and places him in the waiting arms of 3MW. They smash him face first through the table! Damn! Spike's out, and probably out out. The heel team sets up Jeff and Bubba Ray in the middle of the ring and Rico directs traffic, telling 3MW to each go up top. When they do Bubba Ray fights back up, kicks Rico away, and knocks Rosey off the top rope. Rosey split legged moonsaulted himself down, that was crazy. Jeff then gets Jamal on the other side. Rico gets tossed over the top to the floor, and takes out both a TV cameraman and I think poor Bill Apter in the process. Jeff hits Poetry in Motion once, but Rosey pulls him down by the hair to cut a second one off. Rosey takes Jeff to the floor while Jamal and Rico stomp Bubba Ray down in the ring. In fact Jeff and Rosey are going all the way into the crowd, under hard camera. Rosey sets up a table there. If I remember right, it's in the same place the Dudleyz and Hardyz had their crazy table dive in their match here at the 2000 Rumble. Meanwhile in the ring, Bubba Ray dodges in the corner and Jamal avalanches Rico, then he hits Jamal with a Bubba Bomb and runs out to go help Jeff. There goes Jeff climbing up the arch. Swanton Bomb down onto Rosey though the table! That's Rosey out. When Bubba Ray gets back in the ring Jamal and Rico jump him and get another table set up. Rico sets up for a moonsault, but Jeff comes up and shakes the top rope to crotch him. Bubba Ray back superplexes Rico, but Jamal moves the table out of the way! Nice save. Jeff hits Whisper in the Wind on Jamal. Pop up dropkick and Jamal goes to the floor again. Jeff gets a table and drops it on Jamal. He goes for the barricade run, slips and almost falls, but still manages to finish and run into the same table that Jamal uses as a shield. The ref judgement call is Jeff is still in. Jamal sets Jeff up on another table on the floor and goes up top. Big splash to the floor, putting Jeff through the table! Zero question Jeff's eliminated now. Bubba Ray lays in his jab combo on Rico in the ring, then sets him up on a table. Jamal runs in to make the save, pushing Rico off the table. He goes up top with Bubba Ray. Bubba Ray lifts him up and puts him through the table, classic Dudleyz style! Jamal's gone and it's down to Bubba Ray and Rico. I don't like Rico's chances. Rico slugs Bubba Ray down, then goes out to get another table. Rosey also gets in the ring and stomps on Bubba Ray despite ref Jack Doan's protests that he's already out. Rosey saves Rico from a Bubba Bomb and gives Bubba Ray a belly to belly suplex. Now Jamal is back in as total control of the match is lost. HERE COMES D'VON! IN FULL DUDLEYZ GEAR! He fights off all of the heel team and tosses 3MW to the floor. The Dudleyz 3D Rico through the table! Bubba Ray wins the match, but even more importantly the Dudleyz are finally back together. An admission that breaking them up in the brand split was a bad idea. Typical fun Dudleyz led tables match. ***1/4

 

There's a WWE Network/Peacock/Netflix/wherever the hell I'm watching this from now edit here. A live performance by Saliva performing this year's Survivor Series theme has been cut, due to rights reasons I'm sure. Side note, I'm so glad with the archive no longer on Peacock all those damn edited in ad fadeouts are gone. Talk about destroying the flow of the show. 

 

WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Billy Kidman def Jamie Noble (c) (w/Nidia) in 7:10 (SD)- Noble's been champion since King of the Ring in June, which, not counting Tajiri's reign at the end of the Invasion because they weren't sure if the title was going to continue at that point or not, is the longest reign in the title's history, going back to its creation in WCW in '96, which is the lineage this title is continuing, not the WWF Light Heavyweight title. Speaking of WCW, Kidman is very familiar with this title from there, having held it three times in WCW proper, twice during the Invasion, and once more already after the title went Smackdown exclusive, giving him the most reigns with this title to this point. Kidman's debuting new music tonight, which bodes well for his chances. Kidman goes for quick win roll ups and cradles right after the bell, trying to surprise Noble. While that's going on I also see there's a blood stain in the ring. Didn't see anyone get busted open that last match. Wonder if it was Rico on that last table shot. After a few near falls Noble goes to the floor for some space, but Kidman follows and rolls him right back in. After taking a Bret bump Noble does a nice counter on a charging Kidman into a neckbreaker. That puts Noble in control, hooking up Kidman's arms in a butterfly while doing his usual "Come on boy!" jawing. Kidman tries to fight back and Noble momentum tosses him over the top to the floor. Noble tope suicida! Coming back in Noble tries coming off the top rope. Kidman dropkicks him out of midair! Running back elbow, clothesline and dropkick from Kidman. Noble does a nice counter sequence into a pumphandle, but Kidman back elbows out. The gimmick masked it, but Noble really is a fantastic technical wrestler, as he'll later show in golden era Ring of Honor. Kidman works Noble up into a fireman's carry and drops him into a neckbreaker for 2. Falcon arrow from Noble for 2. Standing switch and Kidman faceplants Noble, then sets him up in the corner. He goes up top, but Nidia pulls Noble out to the floor to save him. Kidman dives onto Noble on the floor instead! Slingshot legdrop from Kidman coming back in for 2. Another nice workaround by Noble into an attempt at his Tiger Driver finisher. Kidman counters into a backdrop. Nidia grabs Kidman's foot and Kidman drags her up to the apron. Nidia slaps Kidman! But Kidman pushes Noble into Nidia and powerbombs him for 2. Another long counter sequence. Kidman gets Noble in a backslide, but Noble fights free and uses the arm hookup to hit the Tiger Driver! Kidman kicks out! Boot up from Kidman in the corner. He goes up top. Noble goes up to join him. Avalanche faceplant from Kidman! Noble kicks out! Noble gets Kidman in the corner, sets him up top in a kind of magic killer position, then DDTs him! That gets a long 2. Enzuguri from Kidman and he sets Noble up in the corner again. Again Nidia tries to distract but Kidman kicks her away. That gave Noble enough time to get up. Kidman fights him off and Noble's in the drop zone again. SSP! Kidman gets the pin to win the title for the 7th time overall! Another good match with some nice counter work, which again was quietly one of Noble's strengths. ***

 

In the back, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit have one of their typical prematch team meetings. They may be equally matched in the ring, but there's no doubt Angle carried these promo segments. Meanwhile, something called "F-View" catches Victoria going psycho and arguing with herself in the mirror. Was F-View run by the same people that did GTV?

 

Hardcore Match for the WWE Women's Championship: Victoria def Trish Stratus (c) in 7:04 (Raw)- Trish successfully defended against Victoria last month at No Mercy, but Victoria's continued insanity has pushed Trish into giving her another match, and under rules that seem to favor Victoria. Victoria helps Trish by taking her jacket off for her, and then chokes her with it which is less nice. There's trash cans of hardcore goodies hung in all the corners for this match. That's convenient. Victoria pulls a broom out of one. Trish dodges swings with it and monkey flips Victoria with the broom, but Victoria hangs on, flips back over, and chokes Trish with the broom. She walks up in the corner and basically hangs Trish with the broom. Trish gets a kick in and flips Victoria over to get free. She then turns around and gets a trash can lid out. Victoria swings the broom into the lid! Good shot there. She rams Trish's face into the lid on the mat. They go to the floor and Trish gets whipped face first into one of the hanging trash cans! Slingshot legdrop from Victoria coming back in for 2. She goes under the ring to get a trash can, as if there weren't enough on the corners already. She wedges it into the corner. Trish gets a double leg takedown and slingshots Victoria face first into the can! Then she kicks the can off Victoria's head for 2. Trish goes under the ring and gets an ironing board! Yup, it's a women's hardcore match. Last time I can remember seeing an ironing board was when Jericho and Chyna had that match based around household chore themed weapons. Trish props it up in the corner and whips Victoria into it. Bicycle kick from Trish for 2. Now she gets a kendo stick and goes to town on Victoria with it. Victoria fights her off and waffles Trish with a can lid! Trish tries her handstand hurricanrana in the corner but Victoria blocks it. Trish gets the lid and hits Victoria with it! Victoria hits a powerbomb and goes under the ring again. She gets out.... a mirror. Well she's already broken one tonight. Trish hits a glancing chick kick as Victoria gets back in. Another swing and it hits full on for 2. Trish goes for another toy out of one of the hanging cans. Victoria hits her in the back with the kendo stick. Trish grabs her around the head and they muff the hell out of a bulldog spot. Trish knows it too, the look on her face. Victoria drop toe holds Trish as she's charging with a kendo stick. Now they do the fire extinguisher spot with Trish taking the spray in the face, once Victoria can get it working. Snap suplex from Victoria, and that's all she needs for the pin to win the title! Pretty sudden ending there. Decently solid plunder brawl otherwise. **1/4

 

WWE Championship: The Big Show def Brock Lesnar (c) (w/Paul Heyman) in 4:23 (SD)- Big Show complained to Bischoff about never being booked on Raw, which channeled some real life frustrations as Show had been off TV for significant portions of the past couple of years due to not being able to stay in shape, so Steph cooked up a trade to bring him to SD. He immediately targeted Brock and the WWE Title, right after Lesnar considerably upped his stock with fans thanks to a bloody and impressive Hell in a Cell victory over Undertaker at No Mercy. Lesnar is coming in with taped up hurt ribs from a Show attack, as well as Heyman having serious doubts as to whether Lesnar can handle Show or not. Show's wearing black jeans over his singlet. That's a different look. He's also got his own wound, a wrapped up arm courtesy of Lesnar. To my point about Lensar's credibility going way up after beating Taker in HIAC, he gets a huge pop in MSG. Lesnar's all business on his entrance, handing the belt right to Chioda and getting right in Show's face. Shove, lockup and here we go. Big "Let's go Lesnar" chant during lockup stalemates. Show then manages to shove Lesnar into the corner and toss him out. Corner avalanche from Show. He calls for the chokeslam already. Spear from Lesnar! Ground and pound and Show goes to the floor. Lesnar follows and stays right on him. Show lifts Lesnar up and runs his hurt ribs into the post. Back in Lesnar tries to slug back. Goozle from Show. Lesnar ducks under and just barely gets Show up for a side suplex! Not pretty but they got there. Corner shoulderblocks from Lesnar. GERMAN SUPLEX ON SHOW! Fantastic. He tries to get Show up for the F5. Show counters with knees to the ribs. Chioda gets in the wrong place and Lesnar runs him over. Lesnar ducks a big boot. HE BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEXES SHOW! Freak of nature, man. Heyman throws a chair in the ring. Show goozles again but Lesnar low blows him. Chairshots to Show's head! Lesnar gets Show up! F5! Here comes a backup ref. HEYMAN PULLS HIM OUT OF THE RING AND DECKS HIM! WHAT? Lesnar realizes what happened and stares Heyman down. Heyman looks like he needs a new pair of underwear. Show uses the distraction to hit Lesnar with the chair. Chokeslam onto the chair! Heyman slides Chioda back in and Show gets the pin to win the title, his second WWE Title win. After the bell Heyman jumps into Show's arms, plan accomplished. There's Lesnar's official face turn. Ironically, it was also at Survivor Series 3 years ago that Show won his first WWF Title, and also in a surprisingly short match. You want a longer match of course, but in bang for the buck terms it accomplished what it needed to, and the turn was well done and had been teased out well the previous weeks. *3/4

 

After replays we cut to Heyman and Show hustling through the back to a waiting limo. They hop in and it tears off.

 

Triple Threat Elimination Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Los Guerreros def Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit and Edge & Rey Mysterio (c) in 19:26 (SD)- It's a Smackdown Six special! All six members of the unofficial group in one match. Angle & Benoit defeated Edge & Mysterio at No Mercy in an all time classic to become the inaugural champions for these new titles, but only held them a couple of weeks before losing to Edge & Mysterio in a two out of three falls match on SD. Angle continues to get pops before the "You suck" chant starts up. Angle's got a knee brace on for this one. Interesting. Guess something was bothering him, fortunately only temporarily. Mysterio has his entrance on the side stage set up for pyro so he can do the "pop up out of the stage" bit. Everyone jaws with a bit of shoving after the bell before settling into corners. We end up with Benoit and Mysterio starting. Guerreros are too smart for that. This is losing a fall eliminates the whole team rules. Mysterio slides under Benoit, but Benoit turns around and whacks him with a chop. Pop up hurricanrana from Mysterio, then a flapjack. Legdrop to the back of Benoit's head. He drop toe holds Benoit into his corner and tags Edge in. Double hiptoss, Rockers style. Edge drops a couple of elbows. More chops from Benoit and he tags out to Angle. Backdrop from Edge on Angle. Flying forearm. Angle grabs the ropes off a whip, tags Chavo in against Chavo's consent, and bails! There's the Intelligence in the Three I's. Edge dropkick and slam on Chavo. Mysterio tags in with a springboard big splash for 2. Chavo faceplants Mysterio and tags Eddie in. Rekindling one of the great WCW Cruiserweight feuds for the first time in WWE. It won't be the last. Mysterio does a crazy long flying headscissors on Eddie, then gives him a monkey flip. Eddie rolls over and tags Angle in whether Angle wanted it or not. Mysterio has a hard time hitting the ropes, ducking under a bit too much and almost catching his head on the top rope. He recovers to give Angle a slightly sloppy flying headscissors. Nice flip over from Mysterio in the corner and Angle flies under and posts his shoulder! Angle quickly recovers, flips Mysterio over and he CRASHES on the top rope in the corner. The way he hit I don't think that was intentional, I think he was supposed to land on the top rope. Rough night for Mysterio so far, but that's how lucha goes sometimes. Things can go wrong quickly. Angle keeps Mysterio in trouble and in his corner. Benoit tags in and hits a neckbreaker, then a back suplex for 2. Another back suplex from Angle for 2. Angle goes for the Angle Slam early. Mysterio counters with an armdrag. HUGE clothesline from Angle for 2. Snap suplex from Benoit for 2. Snap mare into a front facelock from Angle. And there they stay for a while. Unusual dead stop in the match from these guys. When Mysterio eventually fights back up Angle uses his power advantage to keep him in it, until he tries a suplex and Mysterio flips free out of that. Mysterio tries the wheelbarrow bulldog. Angle blocks it and tosses Mysterio backwards. Mysterio flips over and lands on his feet! Heel kick from Mysterio! Angle craws over to the Guerrero corner. They both hop down! Angle switches direction and tags Benoit instead, but the extra time allowed Mysterio to tag Edge too. Hot tag run from Edge. The Guerreros take shots on the apron. Edge belly to belly suplex on Angle! Chavo runs in and Edge tosses him over the top to the floor. Eddie and Mysterio hook back up and both tumble over the top rope. Edge sets up in the corner. Angle drop toe holds him and Benoit hooks on the crossface! With an ankle lock on too! Great teamwork. Mysterio makes the save before Edge taps. Chavo pulls Angle out to the floor. Mysterio corkscrew plancha onto both of them. Benoit German suplex on Edge. Eddie comes off the top rope with a sunset flip, and Benoit Germans Edge again into a crazy double pin combo that everyone kicks out of. Benoit counters a brain buster and dumps Eddie out to the floor. ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLING GERMANS on Edge, all three hitting. Throat slash. While he's climbing Eddie frog splashes Edge! Benoit sees and hits the headbutt on Eddie! Angle Slam on Eddie! THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Ankle lock on Eddie! While Benoit has the crossface on Edge. The ref argues with Angle to break because he's not legal. While that's happening, Chavo comes in with a belt and nails Benoit with it! Angle sees and punches Chavo. Chavo tosses the belt to Angle! Benoit gets up and sees Angle holding the belt! Uh oh. They start shoving. Mysterio flies in and dropkicks both of them! Mysterio baseball slide flying headscissors Chavo all the way up the aisle, leaving Edge and Benoit alone in the ring. Spear! Edge pins Benoit, and Benoit & Angle are eliminated! Angle comes in and Germans Edge for some revenge. Behind that Benoit Germans Mysterio. They start shoving again, with a break for Benoit to back suplex Chavo. Angle hits an Angle Slam on Edge, and they walk out arguing and shoving. This would be the last time Angle and Benoit would team up as their odd couple team on TV (they would keep it up on the house show loop the rest of the year) as they start to fully build up to their legendary match at the '03 Rumble. Sneaky Eddie tries to steal a pin on Edge but Edge kicks out. Forearms and elbows from Eddie on Edge, followed by a suplex. Chavo baseball slides Edge for 2. European uppercut from Chavo. Slingshot senton from Eddie for 2. He hooks a sleeper on Edge. Chavo blind tags in and hits a dropkick. Eddie chokes Edge with the tag rope while the ref is distracted. Back suplex from Eddie on Edge and he hooks on a front facelock keeping Edge trapped in their corner. Edge ducks a double clothesline and hits a double flapjack! Tag to Mysterio! He uses Eddie holding him to flying headscissors Chavo. Tiltawhirl backbreaker on Eddie. Chavo Stinger splashes Eddie! Whoops. Edge spear on both of them! Chavo falls out of the ring and Eddie goes down in the corner. Mysterio basement dropkick on Eddie. Edge sets Eddie up top and they hit the double team hurricanrana. Chavo just breaks the pin up. Chavo has a hard time finding the gap in the ropes while being tossed out, then Eddie and Edge have kind of a rough exchange. Eddie ends up bouncing face first off the middle rope. Mysterio hits the 619! He goes for the West Coast Pop. Chavo hits him in the back with a belt! Edge goes after Chavo on the floor while Eddie hooks Mysterio in the Lasso from El Paso. Mysterio taps out! Los Guerreros win their first tag titles, and the new WWE tag titles have now bounced around to all three Smackdown Six teams in its first month of existence. This was a subtraction by addition type match. It's good, no doubt about that, but not as great as any combination of two of these three teams had been putting on. ***1/2

 

Before the main event, Chris Nowinski makes his first real PPV appearance for a promo segment. No one cares. Basically he says New Yorkers are stupid and gets the cheap sports heat by saying the Yankees (BOOOOOOOOO) bought all their recent World Series titles. This is right after the last Yankees dynasty ended. Fortunately I can still say last instead of most recent at the time. But dude, you want to talk about buying titles, all you have to do now is look at the 2020s LA Dodgers. The load bar hits and Matt Hardy V1 makes his way out. MATT FACTS: Matt keeps the room temperature at a toasty 75 degrees, and Matt only drinks lowfat chocolate milk. Getting a Raw/SD crossover here. Matt says New Yorkers aren't stupid. They're losers. There's a difference. Not enough Mattitude in the building. JR: "Where is this going, King?". Possible shoot comment there. We're all wondering that. SIREN! "HOLLA IF YA HEAR ME!" BIG POPPA PUMP IS HERE! Scott Steiner, making his WWE debut! Over a year late, really could have used him during the Invasion. Matt shoves Nowinski into a Steinerline, then tries to attack Steiner but takes a belly to belly suplex. Another one for Nowinski. And a another one for Matt as the crowd goes nuts. Nowinski gets tossed to the floor, then Steiner presses Matt onto him. Followed by push ups and the usual catchphrases on the mic. Great debut. Sadly it'd all be downhill from here.

 

As mentioned earlier, tonight's main event is the first ever Elimination Chamber match. Bischoff took full credit for the match's creation on screen as only he can, but in reality it was pre-CCO era Triple H that came up with the initial concept. The idea was a match that would combine elements of Hell in a Cell, the Royal Rumble, Survivor Series matches (hence its debut here) and War Games. That "combining the old with the new" element would become a staple in Trips' booking career. There are six entrants in the match. Two start, the other four are locked in individual pods located adjacent to all four ring corners. Every 5 minutes a pod will be opened at random and that man will enter the match. Wrestlers are eliminated by pinfall or submission until only one man is left standing. This is also the original Chamber structure, circular as opposed to the more square modern one, and without any padding on the inside covering the steel. It looks phenomenal, better than the modern version in my opinion, but it also tore guys' bodies to shreds every time they got in it.

 

Shawn's backstage promo is interrupted by BREAKING NEWS FROM RNN! Randy Orton is here, injured but despite that making his first ever PPV appearance. He assures everyone that he's just fine and healing nicely, especially thanks to "that sexy flight attendant Sherri" that gave him an extra pillow on the flight to NY. Not sure you want to be saying things like that just months after the Plane Ride from Hell. Remember to send your get well wishes to GetWellRandy@WWE.com. Wonder if that email still works?

 

Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels def Triple H (c) (w/Ric Flair), WWE World Tag Team Champion Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, Booker T and Kane in 39:21 (Raw)- This is Shawn's first match since Summerslam and just the second match of his comeback. It's also the first match for short hair Shawn. Clearly HHH/Shawn is the big feud here, the rest of Raw's top upper midcarders are pretty much just taking up the remaining slots. Bischoff comes out first to do some more bragging about "creating" this match, explain the rules and show the structure off a bit before the match starts. I've always loved the "10 tons"and "2 miles of chain" taglines. Jericho gets a live play in from Saliva, which just sounds....weird. Nice pop for Shawn. I distinctly remember Survivor Series in MSG 6 years before this when he lost the WWF Title to Sid and the MSG crowd wanted *nothing* to do with him. How times change. Very different design for Shawn's tights tonight too.

P1. After everyone else comes in it's RVD and champ HHH starting us off. Trips will have to go the distance to defend. JR points out HHH is 0-6 in his career at Survivor Series. The anti-streak. The bell rings, the door is locked, and here we go. Lockup! RVD gets a strike combo in the corner. Spinning heel kick and misdirection kick. HHH hits the facebuster to come back. He hooks up for the Pedigree, but near the ropes. Backdrop counter from RVD and HHH is the first man to take a bump on the unpadded steel grate outside the ring. I don't think much selling is required. You'll notice those hits get softer and softer as the match goes on and they realize how hard it really is. HHH then takes the first proper cage shots. RVD uses the floor grating to whip HHH off the ropes into the cage. The last time the door pops open! Whoops. Teething troubles. HHH is already bleeding off the cage shots. RVD monkey flips him onto the steel. Rolling thunder over the top rope onto the grate! He clotheslines HHH over the top back into the ring. Normal slam and RVD is already going nuts, climbing up the cage onto the top of Jericho's pod. Jericho reaches through the pod roof to grab his leg! HHH goes up there too and gets himself crotched on the turnbuckle. RVD gets free from Jericho and decides to go down a step onto the top rope. Senton onto HHH on the grate! Great shot of the grate marks on HHH's back. This new structure is delivering so far for sure. HHH flop sell back into the ring. RVD stomps HHH down in the corner as the 10 second countdown starts.

P2. Jericho gets the spotlight to get free. The sound effect on that is not that great. Something to adjust later. He runs into an RVD heel kick. Standing moonsault from RVD for 2. Leaping back kick off the second rope from RVD. HHH is wisely taking advantage of the two of them going at it to rest and recover some HP. Think he needs a hi potion. RVD clotheslines Jericho 360 onto the steel, then goes up top again. Jericho dodges, but RVD lands on the cage wall like Spiderman! Then comes off with a crossbody! Big ovation from the crowd for that. HHH is back up with a clothesline on RVD, then collapses again. Back suplex from Jericho on RVD. Arrogant cover! RVD spoils it with a quick kickout and fight back up. HHH hits the high knee, then Jericho follows up with a senton and covers RVD for 2. Jericho holds RVD for HHH to punch as they fully team up. Got over all that stuff they were fighting over earlier in the year then. RVD takes a shot on the steel grate. They team up to whip RVD's back into the cage. Side thought, prime JR is absolutely the guy to sell this structure its first time out. "These guys are going to be so sore they're going to have a hard time bathing tomorrow!". Chops from Jericho in the corner on RVD. RVD dodges another double team and dropkicks Jericho. HHH comes in and DDTs RVD with a great self plant sell from RVD as the countdown comes up again.

P3. Booker is in, with side kicks for everyone. He tries to clothesline Jericho over the top but Jericho doesn't seem interested in going over onto the steel and just rolls out instead. Ha! HHH does do the 360 over. Ring cleared, we get a spinaroonie. Check. RVD then gets in and, after a quick staredown, he and Booker go at it. Every man for himself. Real nice speed/counter run that ends with Booker hitting a side kick for 2. Misdirection kick from RVD for 2. Another side kick from Booker for 2. HHH gets back in and attacks Booker. Gut kick and Booker hits the scissors kick. Jericho hits Booker from behind before he can cover. RVD then flies in with a missile dropkick on Jericho. With HHH in the drop zone, RVD springs up top. No, wait. All the way to the top of the empty pod! Frog splash off the top of the pod! But he's understandably too hurt to follow up. Booker is poised up top and hits RVD with a missile dropkick. Booker covers RVD and gets a pin! RVD is out, the first ever Elimination Chamber elimination. Big boos from the crowd for that. Booker then covers HHH but Hebner is with RVD and by the time he gets there HHH has a foot on the rope. Jericho comes in with a basement dropkick on Booker. Corner chops from Jericho on Booker. Misdirection bulldog. He goes for the Lionsault. Booker dodges and hits a spinebuster. Slow cover for 2 as we count down again.

P4. Here comes Kane. He slugs away on Booker and Jericho. Corner clothesline on Booker. He tosses Jericho over the top onto the steel. Jericho did it that time. Kane lawn darts Jericho into the cage! He tosses Jericho into a pod and the "bulletproof plexiglass" breaks! Should have made it out of transparent aluminum. Shots for HHH from Kane with another great flop sell. Jericho crawls out of the remains of that pod and low blows Booker from behind. Kane chokeslam on Booker! Kane gets distracted by HHH, so Jericho sneaks in, hits the Lionsault on Booker, and pins him. Booker's out. We get a close up and see Jericho bleeding from that shattered plastic. For some reason he tries to climb the cage to get away from Kane, which doesn't work at all. Kane presses him back into the ring. Suplex on Jericho from Kane back in for 2. Jericho dodges a big elbow drop and kicks Kane onto the grating. HHH climbs up top. Kane catches him and gives him the classic Flair slam off. Jericho hits a missile dropkick on Kane. As soon as the last countdown hits the crowd starts chanting "HBK".

P5. And here he is, going nuts on everyone. Backdrop on Jericho. Kane cuts off his momentum with a clothesline. Shawn gets a huge head of steam off the ropes and hits the flying forearm on Kane. Shawn flip in the corner! Kane hits him in the back in the middle and he drops back into the ring. Goozle on Shawn. Chokeslam! Thanks for coming, Shawn. But Kane doesn't cover. Instead he chokeslams HHH too. Jericho tries coming off the top rope, right into a chokeslam. Hat trick done. Kane calls for a Tombstone on someone. He picks up HHH. HHH fights free and pushes Kane right into a Shawn desperation superkick! Kane sits up! Kick wham HHH hits the Pedigree on Kane, but can't cover. Again Jericho hits the Lionsault for the final final finish and pins Kane to eliminate him. Shawn is the first one back up. A Jericho backdrop counter gives us a classic Shawn spit sell and Jericho 360 clotheslines him onto the grating. Cage shots for Shawn.  HHH is finally back up and he and Jericho team up again to pound on Shawn. Shawn's got a tiny little cut from the cage shots. Jericho and HHH take turns pounding on it to try to open it up more. Shawn gets tossed onto the steel again. HHH gives him the classic cheese grater spot against the chains. Shot after shot from Jericho and HHH to his forehead cut. Shawn tries to back off in the ring but Jericho stays on him as he's bleeding pretty good now. Shawn blocks another cage shot and sends Jericho into the cage! He 360 clotheslines HHH into the ring. Shawn hooks Jericho up for a piledriver on the steel. Yeah, that's not happening. Jericho backdrops free. Back in Shawn hits HHH with the flying forearm. Kip up! But Jericho comes from behind with a bulldog! Lionsault on HBK! Shawn kicks out! Brilliant layout there, after Jericho got two pins already with that. Shawn gets a boot up in the corner, goes up top, and hits a moonsault with a cradle for a long 2. Might have been 3 if Hebner was quicker on the uptake. Shawn puts Jericho in a Boston crab. HHH quickly comes over and kicks Shawn to break it up. DDT on Shawn. Jericho covers Shawn. HHH pulls him off! He wants to be the one that finishes Shawn off. There's the ego getting in the way of smart strategy. He and Jericho come to blows over it. HHH clothesline on Jericho. Facebuster for 2. Jericho springs to the second rope and tries to come off, but it's into Pedigree position. Jericho counters into the Walls! HHH tries to crawl to the ropes, but Jericho pulls him back. Shawn's back up with a superkick on Jericho! Cover and Shawn pins Jericho to eliminate him!

FINAL TWO- The first guy in and the last guy in are the final two. Shawn's a bloody mess now, full on crimson mask. Well, half mask. Midring slugfest. HHH hits the Arn Anderson spinebuster for 2. HHH backdrops Shawn over the top onto the steel! Bad landing for him too. Whip reversal and HHH goes into the cage. Shawn hooks up for a Pedigree on the grate. HHH counters out and slingshots Shawn through another pod's plexiglass! Transparent aluminum, I'm telling you. Works great for humpback whale tanks, even inside a Klingon bird of prey, why wouldn't it here. Shawn's a complete wreck, not even moving. HHH drags him back up and tosses him into the ring. Cover. Shawn kicks out! HHH wants Shawn to get back up. Shawn does, using HHH. Punches from HHH stagger Shawn but don't drop him. Shawn fires back! Another slugfest. And another facebuster from HHH that Shawn sells as only Shawn can. 360 clothesline and Shawn goes into the steel again. Now HHH hooks up for a Pedigree out there. Shawn counters and slingshots HHH into the cage! He clotheslines HHH back in and goes up top. All the way up top, on a pod. Elbow drop off the pod! Shawn drags himself back up without covering and gets in the corner. Tune up the band! HHH blocks the superkick! Pedigree! But HHH can't cover right away. Slow crawl over and one arm drape cover. Shawn kicks out again! HHH is furious at Hebner for not getting to 3. Shawn staggers back up and HHH hooks up for another Peidgree. Shawn backdrops out! SUPERKICK! Shawn falls on top of HHH and gets the pin to win the World title! The crowd goes bonkers and a shit ton of confetti is pumped into the arena in celebration. Good thing they had that on standby. Before now no one was sure how serious Shawn's comeback really was. This cemented that he was in fact back for real. There were no part time champions in those days. Overall, that was a great match that sold and cemented the Elimination Chamber concept perfectly, paving the way for it to eventually become the center of its own PPV and still be an annual staple today (though with some adjustments to the physical structure, like padding). It drug a little in parts and everyone pretty much knew it was going to come down to Shawn and HHH, but you can never ever ever go wrong with those two together. Shawn's title win is also an all time great moment. Amazingly, despite many other attempts this would turn out to be his only singles title win of his entire second coming. ****1/2

 

For those keeping track that's a title change in every title match tonight. So much for what I said about newfound stability in the world title scene. For now. 

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- A serviceable undercard, a very good tag match and a great main event introducing a new match concept and providing a legendary win. It's even got Scott Steiner's big debut mixed in, though of course that wouldn't turn out so good in the long run. The only real complaint is the short WWE Title match, even if it facilitated Lesnar's first face turn. Survivor Series had been in a rut for a long time, easily the red headed stepchild of the Big 4 PPVs, but this is a fantastic recovery and one of the best shows in its history.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: A-

Rebellion '02

Legacy Review

Rebellion '02

October 26, 2002 from the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England

 

Commentary: Michael Cole and Tazz

 

The UK exclusive PPVs are winding down. This will be the final fall one, and the next to last one ever. As usual with these shows having a short turnaround from regular PPVs, this is taking place just a week after No Mercy. Since the spring UK PPV was with the Raw roster just after the start of the brand split, tonight the UK fans are getting the Smackdown roster.

 

Whoever wrote the dialogue for the intro video deserves a raise. Very cool stage for this show, kind of playing off the Mancunian grunge indy music scene. SD GM Steph's music hits and she comes out to start the show with a "card subject to change" announcement. Brock Lesnar was originally supposed to defend the WWE Championship (in a handicap match teaming with Heyman) against the Undertaker, but Taker was back home in the US because his wife Sara was about to give birth. Edge is stepping in as a replacement. Steph also says that as part of the trade she just made earlier in the week to get Big Show from Raw, she's managed to get "the most exciting superstar on Raw" on the SD roster for one night only, Booker T.

 

Booker T def Matt Hardy Version 1 in 12:00- MATT FACTS: Matt loves English muffins (me too, though I rarely eat them). Matt's Version 1 entrance is still the best. And yes kids, that's what watching a video on the internet looked like in the days before Youtube. Minus the 10 minutes of buffering. Well, by 2002 that part had gotten better. Matt wants a knucklelock to start out, then pulls back when Booker goes for it. Now Booker offers a knucklelock and pulls away. After some more jockeying both guys agree to a regular lockup. Quick armdrag from Matt. Booker's almost amused. Another lockup and Booker cranks a headlock, then goes around into a hammerlock. Matt reverses. Speed run and shoulderblock standoff. More speed and we get hiptoss blocks, then Booker hits a clothesline. Dropkick and Matt goes to the floor for a think. Quick roll up from Matt back in for 2. Booker didn't appreciate the tights pull and starts laying in shots. Matt dodges a side kick and bails to the floor again. This time Booker follows and stays on Matt. Back in Matt hits a hot shot, followed by a swinging neckbreaker for 2. After some bland heel offense from Matt Booker does his corner floatover cradle for 2. Matt hits a uranage for 2. Booker fights out of a chinlock but runs into a back elbow. Legdrop from Matt. Hangman's neckbreaker for 2. During another chinlock Tazz is already out to lunch on commentary, and he'll be out there all show. I'll say it again, AEW Tazz is not new, it's who Tazz has always been on commentary. Booker comes back with a spinebuster. He lays into Matt with punches and chops. Forearm and superkick for 2. Spinning heel kick for 2. Matt gets a boot up in the corner. Booker dodges the legdrop off the second rope and goes up top. Missile dropkick for a long 2. Side kick from Booker. He loads up for the Spinaroonie. Matt stops him and hooks up for the Twist of Fate. Booker pushes free. Book End! Matt just gets a foot on the rope before 3! Twist of Fate! But Matt's too hurt to cover right away. When he does Booker just kicks out. Matt goes for another one. Booker twists free. Scissors kick! Booker gets the pin! Since it was cut off during the match Booker gives the crowd a Spinaroonie after the bell. Rock solid opener. Iron out a few rough patches and they definitely have a better match in them. **1/2

 

In the back, Heyman storms into Steph's office and complains how unfair it is he has to be in a handicap match with Brock's title on the line, tries the "I got busted open in Hell in a Cell last week" card, then when Steph rebuffs that gets desperate and says he didn't bring his wrestling gear and all he has is the $2500 suit he's wearing. Steph says that's $2500 down the drain. Heyman says "You're so much like your father" and walks out. Ha!

 

After that is a recap of the whole "Dawn Marie macking on Torrie's elderly dad" angle, which I went into enough for the No Mercy review and refuse to do so again. 

 

Billy Kidman & Torrie Wilson def John Cena & Dawn Marie in 5:22- Zero reaction for Cena, who's making just his second PPV appearance ever. He and Kidman teamed up in the WWE tag title tournament, but after losing in the first round Cena turned on Kidman to turn heel. The guys hold the women back at the bell because they want to tear into each other, then Cena attacks Kidman from behind. Speed run and Kidman hits a flying headscissors. He gets on Cena's shoulders, but Cena pushes him off down into the top rope. Cena gets Kidman up for a delayed suplex and shows off with some squats. Kidman takes advantage to get free and roll Cena up for 2. Big clothesline from Cena. Marie tags herself in and starts kicking Kidman. Guess guys vs girls is legal in this one. Kidman easily shrugs Marie's offense off, grabs her hair, and tags in Torrie. Kidman drapes Marie over his knee so Torrie can spank her. Someone in the crowd is getting off on that. Armdrag and basement dropkick from Torrie for 2. Marie gets a roll up for 2 and faceplants Torrie. Torrie rolls under, gets a double leg takedown and it's roll around cat fight time. Kidman decides to join the pile just because. The ref gets Kidman out, and Cena uses that opening to come in and slam Torrie. Marie hits some weak ass stomps and a "gut" headbutt. Torrie kicks Marie away, but she lands in her corner and tags out. Cena runs over and takes Kidman out so he can get Torrie on her own. Low blow from Torrie on Cena! Kidman tags in and hits a diving back elbow off the top rope. Dropkick for 2. Marie kicks Kidman in the back from the apron. Kidman grabs her and flips her in the ring, but then runs into a Cena spinebuster for 2. Kidman hits the flying bulldog for 2. Torrie tackles Marie and they fall out of the ring "fighting". Enzuguri from Kidman with a great delayed flop from Cena. Kidman goes up top. SSP! Pretty off target but still. That gets the pin. Happy Torrie plants one on Kidman after the bell. There's definitely some tongue in there. Either Torrie's a hell of a kissing actress or there was something real there because that was some legit making out. *1/2

 

Funaki def Crash in 5:36- Nice to see Crash still around, I figured after the retirement of the Hardcore title he had no purpose in life anymore. He does seem to have lost his mind though. Nice basic start with a lot of mirrored counters and stalemate. Funaki offers a handshake and Crash slaps it from behind. Crash then goes into hits tights and pulls out a headband with a rising sun logo on it, then goes into a bunch of mocking martial arts moves. Funaki waits for him to bow, then kicks him in the face. Smart. Deep armdrag from Funaki. Hiptoss and dropkick and Crash backs off and begs off. Now he offers a handshake. Funaki takes it, then kicks Crash. Funaki corner cradle for 2. Crash goes to the floor and pulls Funaki down with him. Apron elbow. Tazz, again, is off on his own planet somewhere. Cole calls him out on it. Tazz says he's just trying to have fun and entertain people. Cole: "Well we're three matches in, you want to start anytime soon?". DUDE. Tazz, taking it in stride, says Crash just hit Funaki with a stiff shot like he just took from his broadcast colleague. Springboard crossbody from Funaki. Crash rolls through it for 2, then hits a side suplex for 2. The headband is off! Guess Crash is serious now. And then he hooks on a chinlock. Devastating. Crash dodges a Funaki dropkick. Funaki kicks him from the mat and wraps up a small package for 2. Crash pops out and hits a HUGE clothesline. Funaki dodges in the corner and hits a bulldog. DDT and basement dropkick for 2. Inverted atomic drop from Crash. Funaki recovers to hit a clothesline for 2. They trade a couple of cradle near falls. Crash ducks an enzuguri and tries a magistral cradle. Funaki blocks it and pins Crash! Mildly fun character stuff but not much else. *3/4

 

Triple Threat Elimination Match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Jamie Noble (c) (w/Nidia) def Rey Mysterio and Tajiri in 12:47- Noble and Nidia can't wait to get away from the UK and all the classless, stinky people and back to West Virginia, which is hilarious. Sorry West Virginia. I'd think complaining about the room temperature beer would be an easy way to go for them but they don't. Quick start with Noble shoving Mysterio off the apron and Tajiri attacking Noble from behind. Noble tosses Tajiri through the ropes to the floor, then catches Mysterio coming in. Mysterio backdrops Noble onto Tajiri on the floor! Running corkscrew plancha onto both guys! Tajiri keeps Mysterio from pinning Noble and attacks him. Just noticing Mysterio is wearing Spiderman gear tonight. Not full on, just slightly themed. Mysterio and Tajiri do some nice rapid fire counters. Mysterio takes Noble out while hitting a wheelbarrow bulldog on Tajiri, and covers Tajiri for 2. Northern lights suplex from Noble on Mysterio that Tajiri breaks up. Big chops from Tajiri on Noble. He hits the handspring elbow on both other guys. Tajiri puts Noble in the tree of woe and hits a baseball slide, then gets Mysterio in the tarantula. Noble gets planted with a Tajiri kick to the head. Tajiri sets up for the buzzsaw kick, but sees Mysterio behind him and superkicks him off the apron. That opens the door for Noble. Tiger Driver! Noble pins Tajiri to eliminate him. Mysterio crawls back in and Noble hooks him up to finish it. Mysterio counters into a hurricanrana with a cradle for 2. Running heel kick from Mysterio. He flying headscissors Noble into the corner, then goes up top. Noble catches him into a powerbomb for 2. Noble posts Mysterio's shoulder, then Nidia helps out by stretching Mysterio's shoulder on the post. Noble stays focused on the arm. He grinds Mysterio down and works a hammerlock. Mysterio tries to flip snap mare out but Noble rolls through and keeps the hold on. Elbow drop to the arm. Modified ARMBAR with a knucklelock from Noble. Mysterio tries to fight back but Noble kills him with a clothesline for 2. He gets right back on the arm. Noble runs Mysterio's shoulder into the corner and dropkicks it against the turnbuckle. Mysterio tries to kick back out of the corner. Noble gets Mysterio up for an electric chair. Mysterio twists around and hits a DDT! After the 10 count both guys slug it out. Mysterio hits a flapjack. Springboard guillotine legdrop for 2. Mysterio goes up top and hits a butt splash for 2. Noble hits a falcon arrow for 2. Mysterio hits a Code Red! Nidia immediately gets on the apron to distract Chioda. Mysterio drop toe holds Noble into the ropes. Noble's out of 619 position, but he does a good job of using Chioda to get right and make it look organic instead of staged. Doesn't matter anyway, because Nidia trips Mysterio on his run. Noble hits the Tiger Driver. Mysterio kicks out! Mysterio works around and looks like he's trying for a poisonrana. Noble blocks it, stacks Mysterio up, and gets a leverage assist from Nidia to get the pin! After the bell Mysterio hits a double 619 (1238?) on the couple for revenge. Very nice match, though the opening section with Tajiri seemed a little redundant as much as I love Tajiri. ***1/4

 

In the back, tag champs Angle and Benoit are still working on their team chemistry. 

 

D'Von & Ron Simmons def Chuck Palumbo & The Big Valbowski in 4:06- Lots of guys in transition in this match. D'Von was already out of his Reverend phase but hadn't gone back full Dudley yet. The APA was one of the many teams broken up in the spring in the brand split draft, and Simmons was wrestling under his real name for the first time in WWE instead of as Faarooq. Billy & Chuck had just split up and Palumbo got his last name back, as well as I assume his original sexual orientation. The former Val Venis was a redundant hanger on post Attitude Era and would soon be repackaged under his real name, Sean Morley. Jump start by the D'Von/Simmons team, who are the heels here. Simmons hits a powerslam on Palumbo but the ref is getting Venis out of the ring and is late on the count. Abdominal stretch from Simmons. Palumbo gets free, hits a belly to belly suplex, and tags. So does Simmons. Clotheslines and a backdrop from Venis. He plants D'Von with a side slam for 2. Simmons gets fought off and Venis hits a double underhook suplex. Simmons gets back in and plants Venis with a spinebuster, sending Venis in peril. D'Von hits the flying back elbow. On some rear chinlock working Venis crotches Simmons and both sides tag. Hot tag run from Palumbo. He jabs D'Von down as we go full DONNYBROOK. Double hiptoss on D'Von. Palumbo tries his jabs on Simmons but he's less amused. Or affected. Palumbo hits Simmons with another belly to belly. Superkick on D'Von for 2. Simmons hits Palumbo from the floor, and D'Von rolls Palumbo up with a handful of tights for the pin. Not a lot happening here. 1/2*

 

Kiss My Ass Match: Rikishi def Albert in 7:15- Albert's chest and stomach need a razor as bad as his back does right now. Big meaty lockup! We get a couple of shoulderblock standoffs. Rikishi flips the script and hits a clothesline. As Albert's coming off the ropes Rikishi ducks down for Albert to run into his ass. Albert sees, quickly hits the brakes and bails. After some thinking time Albert wants a test of strength. Headbutt tradeoff that somehow Albert wins. Against a Samoan. Is his skull loaded? He pounds Rikishi down in the corner. While ref Jimmy Korderas is with Rikishi Albert takes a top turnbuckle pad off. He then whips Rikishi into it and avalanches him against it. Cover for 2. Chinlock with rope leverage from Albert. They go to arm drops and Rikishi fights back up. Albert forearms in the back and pulls him back down by the hair. Double clothesline. After both guys stagger back up Rikishi gets some momentum with jabs and hits a Samoan drop. DDT from Rikishi for 2. Bicycle kick from Albert for 2. Albert charges the corner again but this time Rikishi moves and Albert takes the exposed buckle. Superkick. Rikishi hits the Banzai drop and it's over. What you'd expect. 1/4*

 

After the bell Albert tries to leave without fulfilling the match stipulations. Rikishi gets a mic and reminds him. Korderas then takes the mic and says Albert has until the count of 10 to get back in the ring or he's SUSPENDED. WITHOUT PAY. Albert gets back in but he's not happy about it. He gets down on one knee....then low blows Rikishi when he turns around. Albert goes to stinkface Rikishi. Low blow from Rikishi to cut that off and Albert takes the stinkface. Rikishi then gets the mic and says he's not leaving before he busts a move, and he wants the SD announce team to join him. Cole and Tazz join him in the ring, then Tazz says they need ALL the announcers! That means you, Chimel. All four guys take positions, the music starts, and the less said about after the better. With the combination of that hat and suit Chimel looks like a '20s mobster. Typical make the crowd happy house show stuff. 

 

WWE Tag Team Championship: Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit (c) def Los Guerreros in 16:35- The reluctant team of Angle & Benoit took out the Guerreros in the semifinals of the tournament to crown the inaugural champions for this new title, then defeated Edge & Rey Mysterio in the finals at No Mercy in an all time classic. This is also just the start of a long on again, off again feud Angle (and his future proxies Team Angle) will have with the Guerreros over the next year or so. The UK crowd doesn't seem to give a damn about the Guerreros one way or another but they LOVE Angle and Benoit. Both teams jockey around and posture a lot after the bell. Angle eventually makes the call he's starting and Benoit says OK. Eddie gets in with Angle. Then backs off and tags out to Chavo. See, this is where the Guerreros' usual mind games have been backfiring the last few weeks. All they've accomplished is uniting Angle and Benoit in anger and irritation over the Guerreros' attempts to annoy them. Angle and Chavo lock up and we're on. Quick headlock takedown from Angle. Angle hiptosses Chavo and hits a backdrop. Eddie runs in, but right into a back elbow. The Guerreros roll out to rethink as Benoit aggressively tags himself in to Angle's chagrin. The crowd starts loudly chanting "We want Angle", leaving little doubt who the local favorite in this match is. Benoit and Eddie work some nice basic stuff in the ring. After a speed run Benoit hits a tiltawhirl backbreaker. Chavo runs in and takes a chop. Angle tags back in to a pop and the champs pound Eddie in their corner. Eddie fires back with a back elbow and tags out. European uppercut from Chavo on Angle. Quick Angle duck under into a German suplex! While Angle's bragging to Benoit about that Eddie nails him from behind. Benoit comes in and Germans Eddie! The champs get into a shoving match with each other, then turn and German both Guerreros! Eddie doesn't look right at all after that. Angle kicks him out of the ring and the ref throws up an X. That's not good. Angle goes over to Chavo and flips him into the ring. Snap suplex on Chavo while Benoit stomps on Eddie on the floor. Eddie can't be hurt that bad then. Chavo fights back on Benoit and tags out to Eddie, who'd crawled back up on the apron. Yeah, he's fine. Crazy stomps from Eddie in the corner. When the ref backs him off Chavo chokes Benoit. Eddie runs Benoit into an exposed top turnbuckle, the same one that was exposed from the last match. Wonder if the pad was never put back on, I honestly didn't notice. Back suplex from Eddie as we get another "We want Angle" chant. Benoit and Chavo exchange chops. Benoit arm takedown on Chavo into a crossface attempt! Chavo fights and gets to the ropes before it's on, then he tights pulls Benoit out to the floor. Eddie hops down and suplexes Benoit on the floor. Slingshot senton from Eddie for 2. He hooks Benoit up in the Gory Special. Benoit slides free and gets a sunset flip for 2. Clothesline from Eddie to put Benoit back down. More Euro uppercuts from Chavo. Benoit ducks one and backslides Chavo. Eddie breaks the pin up. Back suplex from Chavo. Benoit manages to front backdrop Eddie and gives him a powerbomb, but he's still in the wrong half of the ring and Chavo clotheslines him from the apron. Chavo tags in...right into the crossface! Eddie comes into break it up and Angle comes in to break him up. Eddie goes up top. Benoit dodges and Eddie frog splashes Chavo! Tag to Angle! Huge clotheslines on Eddie. Backdrop. Chavo gets planted with a German. Belly to belly suplex on Eddie for 2. Chavo gets Angle with a dropkick but gets jumped by Benoit as things really start to break down. Benoit German on Chavo. He tries for rolling Germans but Eddie breaks it up and takes his own German for his trouble. Benoit goes up top. Headbutt off the top on Eddie! Angle crawls over and covers. Chavo just barely breaks it up! Brain buster from Chavo on Angle, then he Cactus clotheslines Benoit out. Eddie covers Angle for 2, then goes up top. Angle run up! Guerrero blocks the suplex and pushes him back down! FROG SPLASH! Benoit saves the pin and puts the crossface on Eddie! Chavo breaks that up. Benoit dumps Chavo over the top to the floor. Eddie slips out of an Angle Slam attempt and pushes Angle into Benoit. That sets them off again. Eddie dropkicks Angle from behind (that's not pulled off every well). He wraps Angle up in the Lasso from El Paso (a modified cloverleaf). Oh, the ref's down on the floor. Didn't even see a ref bump in all the madness there. Angle gets free and puts the ankle lock on! Eddie's tapping but there's no ref. Chavo comes in and hits (taps) Angle with one of the tag belts. Eddie covers and Chavo gets the ref back in. Angle kicks out! Chavo tells Eddie to hold Angle and goes up top. Benoit pushes Chavo off down to the floor, then snaps Eddie over the top rope. Angle Slam! Angle gets the pin to retain! Four guys that could have a good match with each other (or pretty much anyone) in their sleep doing what they do. ***3/4

 

In the back, Heyman is doing push ups about as well as I would. Lesnar tells Heyman if Edge beats him to cost Brock the title he will "bust you in half". 

 

Handicap Match for the WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) & Paul Heyman def Edge in 18:50- Edge's main event preparation education continues. Heyman's dressed like he normally would if he was just managing, lanyard and all. The only difference is his fists are taped up. On his entrance we get a close up of Lesnar's stitches from the HIAC match with Taker. Heyman hides on the apron in the corner while Lesnar starts the match. Lesnar goes full Macho Man on Elizabeth, directing Heyman exactly where to stand. Lockup that Lesnar easily wins. Edge ducks another lockup to try to annoy Lesnar. Then does it again and mocks Lesnar's little jump. Lesnar lifts Edge up and rams him into the corner! I don't think that was a good idea on Edge's part. Edge gets a back elbow, drop toe holds Lesnar into the corner and dropkicks him to the floor. Heyman runs over to try to calm Lesnar down. Back in Edge goes into dodge mode again, flipping out of a backdrop attempt to cradle Lesnar for 2. Another cradle off a press slam attempt. Lesnar clubbing blows put Edge back down. Edge grabs the ropes to stop, mocks Lesnar's flexing, and low bridges Lesnar back down to the floor. Now Brock's PISSED, taking it out on the stairs. Edge goes out and attacks Lesnar from behind. Lesnar's power overwhelms him, but Edge manages to whip Lesnar into the post. As he's getting back in Heyman grabs Edge's leg to pin him down. It's legal tonight. Lesnar pounds Edge and Heyman dances around the ring celebrating what he did! Fantastic. Spinning heel kick from Edge. He spears Heyman off the apron! Lesnar belly to belly suplex on Edge. He goes back to the floor and drags Edge out with him. Post shot for Edge's back. Back in Lesnar hits his big deadlift backbreaker. Again Edge tries to slug back but runs and bounces off the brick wall that is Lesnar. More Lesnar punishment to Edge's back. Lesnar puts on his idea of a Boston crab. That's a new one. Edge gets to the ropes. Chinlock from Lesnar with his knee in Edge's back. Arm drops and Edge fights back up. Lesnar catches a crossbody attempt, but Edge works around into a roll up for 2. Clothesline from Lesnar for 2. He hooks on that reverse bear hug on the mat he used to "retire" (temporarily) Hulk Hogan. Edge slowly crawls to the ropes. When he's almost there Lesnar turns him over into a bridge for 2, then cranks on the hug some more. Again we go to arm drops as Edge looks like dead weight. But it's not over yet. Lesnar backs Edge into the corner to cut off him fighting back. Edge dodges around and manages to dropkick Lesnar into the corner! He takes a second to baseball slide Heyman, but again switching focus backfires as Lesnar hits a spinebuster for 2. More big corner shoulderblocks from Lesnar. Edge dodges and Lesnar goes into the post! Roll up for 2. Edge tries clotheslines that have zero effect on Lesnar. Flying forearm from Edge that puts Lesnar down. He goes for a spinning heel kick but Lesnar catches him! Edge uses that position to work Lesnar around into a faceplant! Reverse DDT for 2. Edge clotheslines Lesnar 360 to the floor. Heyman's on the apron. Big mistake. Edge flips him into the ring! Remember, handicap match so Heyman's legal. Edge double ax handle off the top! He covers Heyman. Lesnar just barely pulls Edge off before 3! Edge goes up top and dives down onto Lesnar on the floor. He slides Lesnar back in and goes up top again. Missile dropkick! Lesnar kicks out! Edge goes up top again. Lesnar ducks and Edge crossbodys Chioda! F5....NO Edge counters into the Edgecution! Cover but no ref. Heyman slides a chair to Lesnar, then distracts Edge. Edge ducks the chair swing. Spear to Lesnar! Lesnar kicks out! Edge goes up again, but Lesnar still has the chair. Chair to Edge's gut as he comes off the top rope! F5! Heyman gets Chioda back in and Lesnar gets the pin to retain. Well done by everyone involved. Smart layout with the handicap stipulation actually being a negative for Lesnar and Heyman instead of a positive. Lesnar and Edge worked great together too. I've seen this compared to the Sting/Vader playbook, which has some truth in it. I also get vibes of the Flair/Giant matches in WCW. ***1/2

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Stop me if you've heard me say this before: it's a UK house show on PPV. Fortunately I'll only have to say that one more time after this. Still, the last two matches deliver enough to get this up to average, which is pretty good by usual UK PPV standards.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C