Rebellion '01

Legacy Review

Rebellion '01

November 3, 2001 from the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Paul Heyman

 

We're heading up north to Manchester for the second UK exclusive PPV of the year. Always like it when they get out of London. This show is falling into a better gap than the UK shows typically do too. It's two weeks after No Mercy, and two weeks before the big Invasion finale at Survivor Series. Since the Invasion angle is still an ongoing concern here, this is once again a show of nothing but WWF vs Alliance matches. One note before diving in- the dark match for this show featured the first ever appearance on a major show of any kind for the brand new tag team Billy and Chuck. 

 

Steel Cage Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Edge (c) def WWF European Champion Christian in 12:49- Once again the European title isn't on the line on a UK show. Massive fail. In accordance with Invasion angle title hotshotting the European title has changed hands twice in the two weeks since No Mercy. Bradshaw defeated the Hurricane, who actually managed to hold onto it more than a month, on Raw, then Christian took it from Bradshaw on Smackdown the next week. They got the old blue bar cage back out for this! Well, it's black bars but regardless. Great to see. This has to be its last ever appearance but I'll probably end up being wrong about that. Christian jumps Edge as soon as Edge gets in the cage. There's a ref in the ring so I assume this is pin or escape rules, commentary doesn't say. Edge responds with a backdrop and gets his jacket off. Christian tries to climb but Edge pulls him down with his jacket, then chokes him with the jacket. He whips Christian around the corners then kicks his leg out of his leg, something they've worked into all their matches but it never goes anywhere. Christian blocks a cage shot and hits a neckbreaker. He starts to climb again. Edge pulls him down into the top rope and covers for 2. He loads up for a spear but Christian sidesteps and sends him into the cage for 2. Snap mare/PK combo from Christian. JR says he's "focusing on the shoulder" that Edge hit the cage with but I don't see it. After some chokey stuff Christian hits a backbreaker for 2. Another climb. This time he touches the top before Edge stops him. After some more not particularly interesting Christian offense he tries for the door. Edge grabs his foot to stop him. Christian uses that position to do some ground and pound. Edge blocks a superplex attempt and drops Christian to the mat. Crossbody off the top rope from Edge for 2. Edge tries a DDT but Christian counters, slingshots him into the cage, and cradles him for 2. Chinlock from Christian. In a cage match. And they stay in it a while too. Finally Edge fights back up and hits a clothesline. Edge starts climbing up the corner. Christian uses that to back suplex him for 2. JR continues to try to push Edge's "hurt" shoulder even though neither wrestler is doing a thing with it. Mounted punches from Christian. Edge pushes him off and hits a short spear! Edge goes into full comeback flurry mode. After a counter sequence Christian goes for the Unprettier. Edge counters that and drops Christian for 2. Edge gives Christian a couple of cage shots. Full on toss into the cage. Edge climbs up and gets one leg over the cage top. Christian goes up and joins him. He gives Edge a shot at the top of the cage and Edge falls crotch first on the top rope. Christian continues to climb and gets completely over the top. As he's going down Edge pulls his legs through the cage, then takes his wrist tape and ties Christian's legs together! This is taking full advantage of the big bar cage, you couldn't do this with the chain link fence cage. Christian dangles down trapped and Edge easily climbs down to get the win! Cool finish. But like their previous matches, it's just not clicking like you'd expect these two to. Fortunately this would be their last match for a while. **3/4

 

Recap of Kurt Angle's recent shocking nonsensical defection to the Alliance, which just took place over Raw and Smackdown the past week. I don't think any real reason was ever given to justify it, it was just a swerve for the sake of a swerve as we head to the end of the Invasion. It did give us the Austin/Angle backstage comedy segments though, so it wasn't totally worthless.

 

Elsewhere, Chavo Guerrero and Hugh Morris pose as backstage interviewers and crash the women's locker room, finding Trish with a towel on. Trish tries not to slip in the drool and promises to get them an exclusive with Lita later. That's one of those bits that went on at least three times as long as it needed to, thought I'm certainly not opposed to seeing whatever bits of Trish they want to show us. 

 

Scotty2Hotty def The Hurricane in 8:55- This is Hurricane's first singles match on a major WWF show. None of the usual female valets will be with their guys tonight as they have their own women's tag match later in the show. Lockup into a basic headlock/headscissors exchange. Hurricane hits a shoulderblock and poses. Scotty tries a hiptoss but Hurricane blocks it into a fireman's carry takedown. Nice little piece of wrestling right there. More poses from Hurricane. Top wristlock fight as we're going pure old school start so far. Scotty hits a shoulderblock and celebrates so obnoxiously he really should be the heel here. More hiptoss blocks leads to a long counter sequence ending with Hurricane hitting a clothesline. Back and forth slugging in the corner. Hurricane tosses Scotty over the top but Scotty skins the cat back in and poses behind an unsuspecting Hurricane. Flying headscissors and clothesline from Scotty for 2. Hurricane sidesteps and tosses Scotty shoulder first into the post, then hits a running neckbreaker. Suplex from Hurricane for 2. Hurricane hits a blockbuster and does a jackknife cover for 2. He wraps Scotty up on the mat in a modified half nelson. Scotty's comeback is cut off with a hiptoss for 2. Now Hurricane straitjackets Scotty's arms around his own throat and grinds him down to the mat. Very focused on the neck area most of the match Hurricane's been. After Scotty fights free Hurricane hits a clothesline. Hold everything! The cape is on! JR hates this almost as much as he hates the spinaroonie by the way. Scotty stops Hurricane on the top rope, but Hurricane fights off the superplex attempt. Hurricane tries to fly, but goes right into Scotty's waiting fist! Foiled again. DDT from Scotty. Scotty rips the cape off! Superhero wars have started over less. Superkick from Scotty for 2. Scotty goes for a suplex but his back goes out from the work on it earlier. He goes down right in the drop zone, so Hurricane can't resist a little Scotty worm mocking. Scotty tries to cut it off but Hurricane ducks. Goozle! Scotty fights free. Hurricane hits a superkick for 2. Both guys dodge in the corner and Hurricane tries a roll up with rope leverage for 2. More counters and Scotty drops Hurricane in the drop zone. Here comes the most telegraphed move in wrestling history that everyone should be able to dodge. W O R M hits and Scotty gets the pin. My dislike of most of Scotty's moveset aside that was a fun match, well done from both guys. ***

 

Back to the women's locker room. Trish is now fully dressed. She tells the guys to stay put, which of course they don't. They open the door and Lita's in her underwear getting dressed. Hilarity ensues. After that we cut to the returned from injury DDP, who's moved on from stalking and is now an over the top motivational speaker, though still a heel. And that's not a bad thing. That's a GOOD THING *smile*.

 

The Big Show def Diamond Dallas Page in 3:15- JR lets us know Show weighs in at 36 stone. That's stats you can use. Seriously, zero sarcasm. DDP wants to motivate but Show shoves him down. Pillar to post beating time. DDP manages to get a bunch of gut kicks and tries to put on a headlock. Show stands up straight while DDP still has the headlock on and DDP dangles off! OK, that's fantastic. Shoulderblock and DDP bounces all the way out of the ring. Show presses him back in. Coming back in DDP gets smart and tries to take out Show's leg. He adds in a clothesline off the top to get Show down. DDP goes for a figure four! Show pulls him down by the tights and chops him. Clotheslines from Show. Goozle. DDP counters with a Diamond Cutter! But he takes forever to drape an arm over and Show kicks out. Goozle again. Regoozle. Chokeslam and it's over. Pretty much a squash but DDP tried to keep it lively. Sadly even with the gimmick change his matches are going just how they did before. *

 

Once again those two knuckleheads are outside the women's locker room. How is this bit still going? Someone needs to ring the local constabulary and let them know there's two serial stalkers in the arena. This time it's Mighty Molly they accost. She's fully clothed, but her covering up and screaming like she was naked is pretty funny. "Holy peeping tom! How dare you look at a superhero without her cape on!". OK, that one was decent. After that is a solid bit of the aforementioned Austin/Angle comedy goodness. Angle going for a handshake with Austin and Austin blowing him off in a believable "oops" way is great. Austin's also starting to work the "WHAT?" in more. That's about to blow up.

 

Triple Threat Elimination Match for the WCW Tag Team Championship: The Dudley Boyz (c) def The APA and The Hardy Boyz in 12:01- All these guys should be able to have a decent match with each other in their sleep at this point. Wait, weren't the Dudleyz WWF tag champs at No Mercy? Yup. They lost those and gained these since. Did I mention title hotshotting was insane during the Invasion? With two sets of tag titles too, it got to the point no one could come close to caring anymore. There was nothing to really differentiate them from each other either. At least in the coming brand split they were on different brands with different rosters. It did make the Dudleyz the only team in history to hold the ECW, WWF and WCW tag titles, but to my mind the WCW ones have a big asterisk on them. Bubba Ray wants to start with Matt and Matt obliges. Big waistlock takedown from Bubba Ray. Matt gets a couple of armdrags and a diving clothesline for 2. Bradshaw tags himself in on Bubba Ray. He and Matt team up to take Bubba Ray out, then Bradshaw plants Matt with a DDT for 2. Big boot from Bradshaw. He tries to set Matt up for a superplex but Matt turns it into a tornado DDT for 2. Tag to Jeff, who's still in his wearing a baseball cap during the match phase. Let's see how long it lasts this time. Double suplex from the Hardyz and Jeff covers for 2. Clubbing blow from Bradshaw on Jeff. The cap's still on. It's already lasted longer than any other PPV match so far. Faarooq pounds Jeff on the mat and the cap finally comes off. Powerslam from Faarooq for 2. Jeff tries a backslide but Faarooq easily overpowers that. Jeff adjusts and a shotgun dropkick. D'Von tags himself in on Jeff but runs into a Faarooq drop toe hold. Flying clothesline from D'Von. Swinging neckbreaker. Spinebuster from Faarooq for 2. Bubba Ray runs in and sets Faarooq up for the Whazzup Drop. Bradshaw breaks that up and gives D'Von an avalanche fallaway slam! The Hardyz run in and it's a full on DONNYBROOK! The Dudleyz give Faarooq a reverse 3D. Bradshaw runs in and clotheslines Bubba Ray. Not quite a full Clothesline from Hell. Clothesline from Purgatory. Wait. Clothesline from Newark....which is probably still hell. The ring clears out and Matt hits the Twist of Fate on Faarooq! Pin and the APA are gone. Once again it's Dudleyz/Hardyz time. The Hardyz hit some double teams on both guys. D'Von grabs Jeff's foot from the floor to let Bubba Ray ambush him. Bubba Ray calls for the tables. Jeff shotgun dropkicks the table into D'Von's face! Bubba Ray grabs Jeff and hits the Bubba Bomb despite Jeff fighting it the whole way down (very well done). That puts Jeff in peril for a bit. Matt distracts from the apron and that lets Jeff give Bubba Ray a Greco Roman Nut Punch! Jeff hurricanranas Bubba Ray off the top rope and falls on top of him for 2. Both sides tag. Hot tag run from Matt. The legdrop off the second rope hits on D'Von for 2. Everyone in the pool! Poetry in Motion on Bubba Ray. They go for it again but D'von dodges. Jeff ends up on the top rope and goes for the Swanton Bomb but D'Von dodges. Bubba Ray counters a Matt Twist of Fate attempt. 3D! It's over. Good stuff. Even with as much as these teams have wrestled each other they still manage to not let it feel stale. ***1/4

 

Recap of continued issues between WWF teammates Rock and Jericho following Jericho defeating Rock for the WCW title at No Mercy. We then go live to the back where Vince is holding a peace summit between them. Vince makes his pitch for team unity, says Rock and Jericho don't have to like each other but they do need to work together for the greater good, then flat out orders them to stand up and shake hands. They do. Rock walks away. But then Jericho calls Rock back. He tells Rock good luck tonight, and "try not to lose a big one AGAIN". Rock then says he's got something Jericho should take with him for his match tonight. It's the Rock's fist. That sets off another brawl! The whole ref gaggle has to run in to break it up. So much for diplomacy.

 

William Regal def WCW Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri in 5:55- Some history here as Tajiri spent his first few months in WWF as then Commissioner Regal's understudy, before Regal defected to the Alliance. Like the European title, you'd think they'd book Regal in something bigger in his home country. Before the match Regal takes the mic and does his usual "Get the home fans to hate me" promo, with some Manchester United hits thrown in. Lockup and reluctant clean corner break. After some more rope break maneuvering Tajiri nails Regal with a superkick out of nowhere! Regal quickly scrambles back to the corner. Nice takedown sequence from Regal. They knucklelock and do some very nice maneuvering around the mat. Another hard kick from Tajiri, followed by an enzuguri that sends Regal to the floor. Tajiri teases a plancha but swing kicks Regal down on the floor instead. Regal pushes Tajiri into the post to turn things around. Back in Tajiri gets a backdrop. Standing moonsault for 2. Shoulderblock from the much larger Regal. Tajiri tries to fight back but Regal knees him in the gut, then hits a running knee to the head for 2. Tajiri tries a crossbody but Regal catches him and deposits him crotch first on the top rope. That keeps Regal solidly in control. European uppercuts. Big double hand chop from Tajiri! He tries a dropkick but Regal swats it away. Taijiri hops the top rope to the apron, gives Regal a high kick, and goes up top. Missile dropkick! Cover for 2. Handspring elbow! Tarantula! Tajiri goes up again. Regal dodges the moonault! The Regal Stretch is on and Tajiri taps out. After the bell Tajiri green mists Regal for some revenge. That's about as good for 5ish minutes as you can get, they did all they could in the short time. ***

 

Angle gives one of the strangest promos I've ever seen from him, running Jericho's Y2J nickname down in a very weird way, singing the Mickey Mouse song for no discernible reason and then seeming to come back to reality and saying he's coming for Jericho's gold before dropping the catchphrase. Did he get concussed beforehand?

 

WCW Championship: Chris Jericho (c) def WCW United States Champion Kurt Angle in 14:53- The Big Gold Belt looks so good on Jericho, largely because you know when he was in WCW they never ever would have put him in a spot like this. The same company that thought Steve Austin and Mick Foley could never be main eventers. Rough lockup into standing switches combined with swinging fists and mat takedowns. This is INTENSE right out of the gate. Jericho gets Angle out of the corner and hits some chops. Angle does a nice fireman's carry takedown counter. Leg lariat from Jericho. Suplex from Jericho, and he hangs on! Trio of suplexes from Jericho for 2. Nice play on the rolling Germans. Speaking of, Angle ducks under a Jericho clothesline attempt and plants him with a German suplex. He goes for an early Angle slam. Jericho fights out and goes for the Walls. Angle gets to the ropes before Jericho can turn him over. Jericho springboard dropkick! That puts Angle on the floor. More chops from Jericho on the floor and he runs Angle into the post. Angle eye rakes and hits his own chops. Jericho whips Angle into the stairs. Back in Jericho hits a crossbody off the top for 2 and lays in some forearms. Angle goes down and grabs Jericho's ankle! Jericho quickly fights free before the ankle lock is on and throws Angle's shoulder into the post. Shoulderbreaker from Jericho. Angle tries a sunset flip, but Jericho rolls through it and tries for a cross armbreaker. Angle flips himself over to counter that and grabs a waistlock. Jericho back elbows free before he can get Germaned again. Angle hooks up for a belly to belly but again Jericho back elbows out. All those matches against Benoit have Jericho's suplex counters on point. But then Angle grabs him running and gives him a hot shot! Finally got something to work. The belly to belly hits. Corner beatdown from Angle. JR says Angle is "going commando". Er, I don't think that means what you think it means, JR. Jericho tries a dropkick, but Angle grabs his legs and tries to turn Jericho over for a Boston crab. Jericho gets free before it's on. Angle runs into a back elbow in the corner, but then blocks Jericho's attempted double ax handle off the second rope and gives him another belly to belly. Cover for 2. With Jericho's feet under the ropes, there shouldn't have been a count at all. Regular suplex from Angle for 2. Angle gets a couple of near falls out of a chinlock. That's nicely different. They then go to arm drops. Jericho fights up. Angle cuts it off quickly with a single leg takedown and stomps on Jericho. Jericho gets a nice wraparound cradle for 2. Clothesline from Angle and he does some ground and pound. Back to the chinlock as the match is losing the energy its had for most of it. Again Angle tries the single leg takedown after Jericho gets free, but this time Jericho expects it and uses it to hit an enzuguri. Both guys stagger up into a slugfest. Running forearm from Jericho. Swinging neckbreaker. Hurricanrana for 2. Jericho counters a German attempt and puts on an ankle lock! Angle gets over and gets a rope break. Rolling Germans time! All three hit and Angle covers for 2. The ankle lock is on! Jericho quickly counters and gets the Walls on! Again Angle gets a rope break. For no reason WCW ref Nick Patrick tries to get Jericho off Angle even though Angle's off the ropes. Angle uses that to jump Jericho from behind. Jericho shrugs it off and hits the misdirection bulldog. Lionsault! Angle gets his knees up! Angle Sla....NO Jericho slides down Angle's back, rolls him up, and gets the pin! After the bell Angle attacks and Angle Slams Jericho twice. They started out amazingly but couldn't quite hold that momentum the second half of the match. Still really damn good though. ***3/4

 

Lita & Torrie Wilson def Stacy Keibler & Mighty Molly in 4:16- Cool down T&A time. Adding to that, Trish Stratus is the special guest ref for this match. JR and Heyman go right into bullshitting mode during intros which is a lot of fun. Stacy's wrestling in her Dudleyz outfit. Stacy and Torrie start out with some hugging that's supposed to be whips and carwheels before Torrie dropkicks Stacy in the back. Torrie counters a headlock into a cradle for 2. Glad they sorted that out, it looked like they had no idea where they were going for a second. Tag to Lita, who easily outclasses Stacy in the ring. Once she's softened up Torrie comes back in. Molly kicks Torrie in the back and Stacie tags her in. Now Molly completely outclasses Torrie in the ring. Is it too much to ask for the two properly trained wrestlers to get in the ring together? The Alliance team work Trish to double team. They try to put on a camel clutch/Boston crab combo but it doesn't go too well. Torrie totally deadweights Molly while trying to do a backbreaker. Molly goes up top. Torrie hits the ropes and Molly does a crazy forward flip back into the ring. That was a violation of the laws of physics. Lita tags in and finally we get the two proper wrestlers together, but sadly it doesn't help a whole lot. Hot tag clotheslines from Lita. Flying headscissors. She whips both Alliance members into the corner and Torrie sets up for a Poetry in Motion. Molly cuts it off with a clothesline! Torrie slingshots Molly into Stacy, Lita gives Molly a Twist of Fate, and that's it. Afterward Stacy gets upset with Trish and slaps her. Trish responds with a bulldog. Women's wrestling in WWF is about to hit a pretty good era, the best until the start of modern women's wrestling. This ain't it. 1/4*

 

WWF Championship: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (c) def The Rock in 22:09- Rock and Austin are getting in the ring together for the first time on PPV since their epic clash at Wrestlemania 17 (there was one Raw match in between). This will also be their last one on one match until their era ending final match at WM 19. Austin, as usual, jumps us off, this time attacking Rock while he's doing his pose in the corner. Chops from Austin. Rock turns around and hits his own chops. Clothesline from Rock. Swinging neckbreaker. Austin finally gets his vest off. He fights out of an early Rock Bottom attempt. Rock tosses Austin over the top to the floor. Rock gets a swig of water on the floor and spits it in Austin's face in between some of the usual ringside knockaround for both guys. Austin leads Rock behind the announce table to make JR and Heyman scatter, I'm thinking that was Austin having a laugh at their expense. Austin then does a huge over the top flop over the announce table, making me only more sure. Rock rolls Austin back in the ring just so he can clothesline him 360 and out again. Now they work their way up the ramp to the stage. Checking off all the old Attitude Era main event boxes. The red lighting they've got under the ramp looks fantastic on the wrestlers as they fight up it. Rock suplexes Austin on the metal grating on the stage. Austin goes to a low blow to get back in control. He goes for a piledriver on the stage. Rock counters with a backdrop. They head back toward the ring after that. Austin slingshots Rock into the post, then slams Rock on the floor. Finally back in the ring with Austin still in control, giving Rock some kicks in the gut. Rock tries some counters but Austin outmaneuvers him and hits a clothesline, then let's the whole UK crowd know they're #1. While his back is turned Rock rolls Austin up for 2. Another clothesline from Austin. He covers multiple times but Rock keeps kicking out, so Austin pounds away on him on the mat then tosses Rock out to the floor again. They get up on the announce table. Rock low blows Austin! Austin quickly recovers and drops Rock on the announce table that way Rock always liked to do, then he chokes Rock with a TV cable. Big chop exchange on the floor. Austin suplex drops Rock on the announce table. That hurt Rock's knee and he slowly crawls back to the ring. Back in Austin drops knees in the corner. Hebner pulls him away and Austin doesn't like that one little bit. Austin flips Hebner off. Hebner flips Austin off! Austin turns around into Rock punches! Thesz press from Austin with CRAZY wild punches after. Austin really loads up the usual elbow drop follow up, flipping off every section of the crowd before hitting it. Cover for 2. Chop block on Rock's knee! Austin hits a couple of shots from the floor, then while walking back in the ring puts up a middle finger behind his back to the crowd. So great. This is the best heel work Austin's done all year. But again Austin's preoccupation with the crowd hurts him as Rock slugs back. Thesz press from Rock! Then he goes crazy loading up and throwing middle fingers before hitting an elbow drop! They're having so much fun with each other. Austin hooks in a sleeper! Rock slowly fades down. After a bit too long we go to arm drops. Rock fights back up and we have a slugfest. Rock puts on a sleeper! Austin jawbreakers free. Austin spinebuster! He doesn't follow up right away. In fact Austin looks strangely blown up, crawling in the corner sucking up air, then barely draping himself over Rock for 2. Maybe he had a bad cross-Atlantic flight. Austin then puts on a Boston crab. Rock uses his long arms to reach over and get a rope break. Austin gets in Hebner's face again and once again turns around into Rock punches. You'd think he'd have learned by now. Double clothesline! Rock hits a flying clothesline and belly to belly suplex for 2. They do the corner whip do-si-do and Hebner gets squashed, then Rock clotheslines him to make sure he's dead. Rock fights off a Stunner and hits the spinebuster. World's Shittiest Sharpshooter! While he puts that on there's a great shot of Hebner laying where his top half is dangling off the apron out of the ring. Well done. Rock lets go to check on Hebner. Austin takedown into this own sharpshooter! Rock manages to reverse it. Here comes Angle with a chair. Chairshot for Rock. Now Jericho runs in and attacks Angle. Rock gets up holding his back, sees Jericho holding the chair, and puts two and two together. This isn't going to help finding a diplomatic solution. Rock attacks Jericho! Austin tries to take advantage. Rock Bottom on Austin! Cover but Hebner's still down. Angle gets in again and slugs away on Rock. Rock ducks and 360 punches Angle out. Rock spinebuster! Angle trips Rock to cut off the People's Elbow! He hits Rock with the belt! Stunner! Austin covers and gets the pin to retain. Angle helps Austin up and they hug like the best buds they are now. Solid fun Rock/Austin stuff but a bit too heavy on the interference at the end. Doing a full Attitude Era style main event was a decent contrast to the straight wrestling match Angle and Jericho had earlier. ***1/2

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Once again an Invasion angle PPV manages to offset the dismalness of the long term story with good individual matches up and down the card. In fact, I'd call this one of the best UK exclusive PPVs because it felt more like a proper PPV rather than a glorified house show. Or, alternatively, a really good house show.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B