Summerslam '02

Legacy Review

Summerslam '02

August 25, 2002 from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY

 

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

 

If you want to point to a single show that shows off the insane depth WWE had on the roster after the WCW buyout had settled in and they'd sorted out who they wanted and who they didn't, this might be the best one. On paper this card is stacked top to bottom with nothing that could really be considered filler. And if that wasn't enough, in this show you have a major debut, a major return, and a major next big thing crowning.

 

The intro video has been cut off the Peacock copy of this, which is weird because I remember it being on the old Anthology DVD copy. I assume it's due to music rights issues, that's what it usually is. As I've mentioned in previous reviews the brand split is something they were still figuring out exactly how it was going to work in practice. Vengeance had Cole and Tazz calling the first half of the show with JR and Lawler doing the second half. Tonight, they'll switch off to call their respective brand's matches, which will become the norm for a while on PPVs with both brands featured.

 

Kurt Angle def Rey Mysterio in 9:25 (SD)- ReyRey had already worked a handful of TV matches on Smackdown, but this is his big PPV debut after signing with WWE in June. Coming into the company he's lost the Junior in his name, but regained the mask he lost in WCW. In fact, losing his mask has been completely erased from history as far as WWE is concerned. Why? As Yogurt would say: MOICHANDISING. Angle most definitely gets a pop on his entrance, followed by a loud "you suck" chant. Mixed messages. This is the match Angle wears the pinstripe gear, which unless I'm remembering wrong is unique to this show. No Mysterio on his entrance. Where is he? Behind Angle! Springboard flying headscissors from Mysterio! Tiltawhirl flying headscissors and Mysterio monkey flips Angle out of the corner. Angle reverses a corner whip trying to recover and Mysterio Bret bumps. Angle waistlocks for a German suplex. Mysterio blocks, standing switch, and he goes for one but Angle grabs his leg and gets a takedown. CRAZY roll off the ropes from Angle into the ankle lock! But Mysterio's right by the ropes and gets a quick break. Drop toe hold from Mysterio and he goes for an early 619 (which wasn't quite a THING thing yet). Angle ducks it, grabs Mysterio's leg and YANKS him out of the ring to the floor. Back in Angle tries to slow things down and hits a regular suplex. He cuts off a Mysterio comeback with a wheelbarrow German suplex! Angle keeps a waistlock on. Mysterio grabs the ropes to block another German, then flips around into a roll up for 2. Big clothesline from Angle for 2. Backbreaker for 2 as Angle focuses on Mysterio's back, stretching him across the ropes. Mysterio floats over the in the corner and tries another flying headscissors, but Angle blocks it into a side suplex for 2. Angle hooks on a single leg crab and really cranks Mysterio back with it, almost a Liontamer version of it. Mysterio uses that for a flash small package for 2. Angle pops up and murders Mysterio with another colthesline for 2. He again slows things down with methodical punches. Mysterio blocks one and hits a jawbreaker. He gets momentum for a sunset flip, then dodges Angle's counter punch attempt. Snap belly to belly suplex from Angle. THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Angle Sla....NO Mysterio counters into an armdrag. Angle charges and Mysterio low bridges him over the top down to the floor, then baseball slides Angle off the apron. He loads up for a dive...but ref Jimmy Korderas stops him! THE HELL, man? Mysterio says frak it and hits a tope con hilo over the ref! Springboard legdrop to the back of Angle's head back in for 2. Another counter series and Mysterio leaps onto Angle's shoulders. Angle drags him down into the ankle lock! Mysterio quickly kicks free and sends Angle into the ropes again. 619! Springboard hurricanrana! Angle kicks out! Leg lariat from Mysterio and he goes up top. Angle tries for his run up suplex counter but Mysterio has it scouted and flips over Angle! Springboard dropkick onto Angle on the ropes. Spin around top rope hurricanra.....NO ANGLE COUNTERS INTO THE ANKLE LOCK! Freaking incredible. Mysterio taps! Absolutely amazing. You can argue against Mysterio losing in his PPV debut, but it won't hurt him in the long run and Angle was about to take a permanent place in the main event mix. This is definitely in the group of greatest sub 10 minute matches of all time. ****

 

In the back, SD GM Stephanie McMahon tells a grunt to go tell Raw GM Eric Bischoff to top that. Unfortunately for her, Bischoff was already waiting for her in her office. And unfortunately for all of us, they prove very quickly they have zero acting chemistry with each other. Less than zero. Worse than Natalie Portman and Hayden Christiansen in their worst Attack of the Clones scenes.

 

After that we see another change I'd actually forgotten about. Cole and Tazz are still calling matches from ringside, but JR and Lawler's Raw announce desk has been moved away into the old WCW or future NXT Takeover position near the entrance stage. Never liked that. Commentary should be ringside to feel the full energy of the match. 

 

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair def Chris Jericho in 10:25 (Raw)- Another quick note on the brand split, this show also has split ring announcing for the first time. The Fink is still handling the Raw side, while regular weekly SD announcer Tony Chimel is handling their matches. On paper this is a classic waiting to happen. Jericho's fully morphed from his early WWE look to the one we'll be seeing the next few years. As part of the build for this Flair broke up a live performance from Jericho's new band Fozzy. I doubt we'll ever hear about them again. Lockup into the corner. Jericho shoves after the break. Flair slaps him and struts around a little. Another lockup into a Jericho waistlock. Flair does a fairly ugly takedown out of that. Another reset and a little more Flair strutting. Jericho backs Flair into the corner and lays in a bunch of strikes, then backdrops Flair coming out of the opposite corner, followed by a clothesline. Back suplex from Jericho as commentary is already debating if Jericho's true heart is with wrestling or his band. Flair dodges an elbow drop and hits the first chops. Jericho gets tossed over the top rope but skins the cat back in, but then runs into another chop. Quick jabs in the corner from Flair. Jericho eye pokes to turn things around and hits his own chops. Flair Flip! Allllllllllmost but not quite over and Flair drops back into the ring. The success rate of that hasn't been great lately. Jericho, always a quick thinker, compensates almost immediately by running up and clotheslining Flair 360 to the floor. Jericho pulls the top pad off the barricade and drops Flair on it, then goes up top and dives down onto Flair on there. Back in Jericho drops Flair with some more punches and starts working his own strut up. Flair fires back with more chops. Corner back elbow from Jericho and he hits a missile dropkick for 2. Frustrated Jericho then takes one of the top turnbuckle pads off, then while ref Lil' Naitch is distracted with that chokes Flair with his wrist tape. Again Flair tries to rebuild momentum with chops but Jericho punches him back down. Suplex from Jericho. He goes up top. Flair meets him with chops and slams Jericho back down to the floor! Once again, must be very satisfying for Flair to be on that end of it for once. Flair dodges and Jericho posts his shoulder. More chops and a backdrop from Flair as he's starting to feel it. Back suplex for 2. He goes for the delayed suplex. Jericho slips free in the delayed part and goes for the Walls! Flair small package counter for 2. Misdirection bulldog from Jericho. He goes for the Lionsault but misses. Unfortunately Flair was rolling all over the place during that, clearly not knowing exactly where to be. Flair leg takedown into a Boston crab attempt, which turns into a half crab. Jericho counters out of that into a figure four! Flair fights, nearly gets to the ropes, then gets pulled back. Another try and Flair slowly grabs a rope, and then taps out at almost the same time. Really not sure what that was about, if it was deliberate or Flair just not completely understanding how tap outs worked because that was probably still pretty new to him. Jericho argues Flair tapped, but Naitch says the rope break was first. Flair dodges and Jericho crashes into the ropes. Naitch takes a minor shot and Flair low blows Jericho. Figure four! Jericho taps! No doubt about that one. That was one of those matches where two unquestioned legends for whatever reason just didn't quite click. It happens sometimes. It's nowhere near bad, but disappointing compared to expectations. **1/2

 

Edge def Eddie Guerrero in 11:44 (SD)- Edge already had a feud with Angle to help build his clear potential into a complete polished package, now he gets paired up with Eddie to continue the graduate level training. Lockup into a basic start as some of Edge's dry ice fog creeps into the ring. Flapjack from Edge. Standing switch waistlocks. Edge tries to suplex Guerrero to the floor but Guerrero lands on the apron and snaps the back of Edge's neck over the top rope. Speed run and Edge monkey flips Guerrero. Powerslam for 2. Edge ties Guerrero in the ropes (sort of) and hits a spear. Another go and this time Guerrero gets free and dodges, sending Edge flying out to the floor. The ref tries to check on Edge on the floor but Guerrero says screw that and stays on the attack. Guerrero targets Edge's shoulder, which had recently been hurt. Armbar slam in the ring. Another armbar slam off the top rope for 2. Guerrero hooks on a top hammerlock to wear Edge down. Edge crawls over and gets a rope break. Guerrero stomps Edge back down and puts on what's nearly a crossface chicken wing. We go to arm drops and Edge fights free with back elbows and snap mare. Quick Guerrero drop toe hold into a Fujiwara armbar. Guerrero hits a back suplex that he adjusts midmove to hit Edge's arm hardest. Very well done. Off the ropes Edge comes back with a powerslam. Clotheslines with the good arm. Backdrop on Guerrero. Edge runs into a back elbow in the corner, but then slams Guerrero face first for 2. Suplex fight and this time Edge does suplex Guerrero out to the floor! Edge goes up top still selling the arm, and hits a crossbody onto Guerrero on the floor. Back in Guerrero catches Edge on the top rope. Long top rope fight. Edge counters a superplex attempt into a falcon arrow for 2! He sets up in the corner. Guerrero cuts off the spear with a dropkick! Now he goes up top. Edge gets his knees up on the frog splash. Edgecution! Guerrero kicks out! Northern lights suplex from Guerrero for 2. Swinging neckbreaker. Guerrero goes up top again. This time Edge meets him and we have another top rope fight. Guerrero pushes Edge back down to the mat. Frog splash ONTO THE ARM! Edge kicks out! Guerrero goes up top again. Edge slams him back down. Spear! Cover and Edge gets the pin! As good as you'd expect from these two, but not quite a classic. ***1/2 

 

WWE Tag Team Championship: The Unamericans (c) def Booker T & Goldust in 9:40 (Raw)- The comedy stylings of the odd couple Booker/Goldust team had done a lot to rehabilitate Booker in the fans' eyes after his Invasion burial. On the other side, the Unamericans trio of Canadians Christian, Lance Storm and Test had become an instant heel "hit" in this immediate post-9/11 world, at least with the WWE powers that be. It's Christian and Storm holding the belts as Test had other things going on tonight. As far as I can remember, the group never defended under Freebird rules but don't absolutely hold me to it. Goldust and Christian start. Quick start from Christian, but he runs into a Goldust hip attack, then Storm runs into a Goldust powerslam. Goldust hits the classic mat uppercut for 2. Storm tags in and runs into an armdrag. Inverted atomic drop/clothesline combo for 2. Booker tags in to a nice pop. Side suplex on Storm, followed by the kneedrop for 2. Christian distracts Goldust from the apron, allowing Storm to give him an ugly looking toss over the top in the corner to the floor. That puts Goldust officially In Peril. The heels work ref Nick Patrick (just a regular ref now) to double choke in the corner. Backbreaker from Christian for 2. Goldust dodges a Storm dropkick and quickly jackknife covers him for 2, then hits a chokeslam. Christian cuts a tag off and puts on a front facelock, which means we can all see what's coming next. Yup, there's the distracted ref phantom tag spot. Gorilla Monsoon still shouting for two referees for all tag matches from his grave. After some more in peril stuff Goldust slingshots Christian into Storm and rolls Christian up for 2, then they double clothesline each other. Christian holds Goldust back from tagging and Storm runs over to pull Booker off the apron. Storm then gets a couple of chairs. The heels set up for an old Edge & Christian style conchairto. Goldust ducks it and double clotheslines them! Tag to Booker for the crazy hot tag run. Missile dropkick on Christian for a LONG 2. Christian ducks the scissors kick! He tries for the Unprettier. Booker pushes out of that and flapjacks Christian. Booker ducks and Storm dropkicks Patrick! Both Unamericans take a scissors kick. Spinaroonie! Side kick on Christian and a cover, but there's no ref. Storm tries to attack with one of the tag belts but the faces fight him off. Unamerican #3 Test runs in and gives Booker the Bicycle Kick of Death. Christian covers and gets the pin to retain. OK formula tag stuff with a pretty unnecessary ref bump. **

 

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Rob Van Dam def Chris Benoit (c) in 16:30- This is the one cross-promotion match of the night, SD's Benoit defending against the man he defeated for the title just after Vengeance, Raw's RVD. Benoit and Guerrero were on Raw at the time but jumped to SD after as the new GMs continue to set their rosters how they wanted (and also giving new SD booker Paul Heyman two more of the vaunted Smackdown Six). Nice touch with Chimel and Fink each introducing their brand's guy. Cautious start with RVD hitting an exploratory hammy kick. More kicks from RVD land and Benoit slides to the floor to regoup. Back in Benoit uses more RVD kick attempts to give him a dragon screw and transitions into a headlock that's almost half a crossface. RVD flips over in the corner and hits a springboard reverse crossbody for 2. A high kick from RVD puts Benoit down. Nice counter sequence and Benoit plants RVD with a German that gives us one of those classic RVD stacked up accordion sells. Short clothesline from Benoit for 2. Backbreaker for 2. Snap suplex for 2. Now Benoit cranks on RVD's arm in another partial crossface hold. RVD armdrags free but takes a quick back elbow. Small package from RVD for 2. Backslide for 2. He monkey flips Benoit, but again Benoit pops back up and hits a clothesline. RVD gets a boot up in the corner. He goes for a split legged moonsault but Benoit gets his knees up. Benoit calls for the finish and goes up top. RVD dodges the headbutt! Quick legdrop from RVD and now he springs up top. Benoit dodges the Five Star! Crossface! RVD slowly works over and manages to get a foot on the ropes. Benoit stays on RVD in the corner. RVD springs to the top rope again. Benoit pushes him off down to the floor! RVD hurt his arm on the landing, giving Benoit a clear target. He runs the arm into the post. Back in Benoit hits a shoulderbreaker, then grounds RVD with a butterfly type hold. RVD powers back up and they have a leverage fight for a bit. Benoit gets RVD back down and uses RVD's own arms to straitjacket his throat. RVD does a fancy escape and tries to reverse it but Benoit powers free. Leg sweep kick from RVD. He goes for the cartwheel version of rolling thunder but Benoit dodges it, and gets the crossface on again! RVD back elbows Benoit on the jaw to break the hold, but Benoit maneuvers him around into a cradle for 2. Benoit gets back on the bad arm, running it into the post again, then he puts on a hammerlock. He works around into hitting a northern lights suplex. Then another. Then another! Back into the crossface! RVD tries to grab a rope but Benoit grabs his arm and works around into a dragon sleeper. RVD bridges up and gets a crossface on Benoit! Benoit quickly escapes and hits a basement dropkick into RVD's face. RVD gets a back elbow in the corner and hits a springboard back kick for 2. Misdirection kick. Rolling thunder proper hits for 2. RVD ducks a chop and hits a high kick for 2. He tries for the corner monkey flip but Benoit blocks it and crotches RVD on the top rope. Benoit goes for a back superplex but RVD midair counters into a crossbody! He goes up top again. FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH! RVD gets the pin to win the title back, and bring it back to Raw! Like Edge/Guerrero, as good as you'd expect from those involved but it doesn't rise up to mind blowing. Since first winning the IC title RVD, and his well chosen opponents, have done a great job of reestablishing it as the worker's title. Sadly, it was about to take a rest for a while as the titles get restructured again for the brand split. ***1/2

 

Back to the joint GM room, Bischoff gloats about winning the IC title back (badly stumbling over his lines while doing so). Steph just....laughs maniacally....and walks away. OK then. If that gets followed up on, it doesn't happen tonight.

 

The Undertaker def Test in 8:10 (Raw)- The next two matches feature two adjustments that needed to be made after they weren't working out so well the first half of the year: turning Triple H back heel and Taker back face. Pretty obvious pairing here with the all-American American Badass Taker taking on the singles star of the Unamericans. Before the bell JR says Test has been living off the "unlimited potential" label for a while. Unintentional shoot comments for the win. Lockup! Bit surprising here. Speed run with Taker ACTUALLY DOING A LEAPFROG and hitting a hiptoss. He does his usual arm cranking. Test responds with knees to the gut. Flying clothesline from Taker for 2. More Taker arm cranks and he goes for old school. Test pushes ref Jack Doan into the ropes, crotching Taker and sending him collapsing to the floor. That leads to some of the usual ringside knockaround, including Taker running over the stairs with his legs. Back in with Test still in control. Big corner clothesline. Short clothesline and Test hooks on a simple ARMBAR. Taker slowly fights back up and hits jabs to the gut, then after a rough exchange gives Test a back suplex. Stand up slugfest. DDT from Taker for 2. Another go for old school works this time. Snake eyes. Test ducks the big boot follow up. He goes for the pumphandle powerslam but Taker slips free. Goozle! Test fights off the chokeslam. Taker ducks the bicycle kick. Chokeslam! Slow cover and Test manages to kick out. Taker sets up for the Last Ride. Storm and Christian run in and Taker takes them both out. Chokeslam for Storm. One for Christian. Test his the kick! Taker kicks out! Frustrated Test goes out and gets a chair. The ref tries to take it away and goes down. Taker big boots the chair into Test's face! Tombstone! That's it. It started somewhat promisingly, but quickly devolved into a typical Test match. *3/4

 

And now for tonight's big return, the beginning of the second coming of Shawn Michaels. Shawn severely injured his back landing on the casket in a Casket Match against Taker at the '98 Royal Rumble. He managed to gut through his era changing Wrestlemania 14 main event against Steve Austin in clear pain, but retired immediately after. In the intervening years he's made semi-regular appearances on TV, usually as a guest referee, and had a stint as WWF Commissioner, but never doing anything really physical. During that time in his real life he also rebuilt himself emotionally and spiritually after being, put frankly, a complete dick during most of his late '90s main event run, something I'm sure even he would own up to now. The build for this got started at Vengeance when free agent Triple H was choosing between Raw and SD. Shawn swayed him to Raw with the promise of reuniting the band. Soon after they did do the full DX reunion on Raw, which abruptly ended when Trips kick wham Pedigreed Shawn during their classic intro. That also allowed Trips to get back to the heel role he was much more suited for during this time. One bloody attack involving a car window later, Shawn shocked the world by saying he was getting back in the ring at Summerslam. Being a pure old school blood feud, Bischoff made it clear this was going to be an unsanctioned match. WWE ref, WWE ring, WWE show, but still unsanctioned. Always a funny loophole.

 

Unsanctioned Street Fight: "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels def Triple H in 27:50 (Raw)- I should point out at the top, at this point no one was sure if Shawn was coming back full time or if it was just for one more match. Fortunately it would eventually turn out to be the former, though the ramp up would be slow. Unsurprising huge pop for Shawn on his entrance. Since this is a street fight he's wearing the Dusty Rhodes Special jeans. He soaks it all up during his entrance, as he should. HHH is clean shaven for the first time in forever for this match, very likely a callback to the early DX days. Shawn lounges on top of the corner during HHH's entrance to start up the mind games early. HHH doesn't do the water spit and pose at all, he's 100% focused on Shawn. When HHH gets in the ring Shawn tosses his shirt at him and attacks! HHH tries to toss Shawn to the floor for space but Shawn comes right back in with a tackle and some ground and pound. Shoulderblock from HHH. Off the ropes again Shawn momentum tosses HHH over the top to the floor. Shawn plancha! He's so back. HHH takes a post shot on the floor. Clothesline from Shawn on the floor. Shawn goes under the ring and gets a trash can. He tries to attack HHH with a can lid but HHH cuts him off and drops him on the barricade. While HHH is trying to pull Shawn back into the ring Shawn hits him with the lid! Shawn then grabs the top rope and skins the cat back into the ring! Re: my he's back point, see again. Clothesline from Shawn. Trash can shot for HHH. Standing elbow off the top rope from Shawn and he's already setting up in the corner. HHH ducks the superkick and PLANTS Shawn with a backbreaker. There's the back coming into play, as it should. Shawn's immediately selling the hell out of it. Another big backbreaker from HHH. Hard corner whips and Shawn bounces off the turnbuckles. HHH gives him the DX crotch chop in his face, then drops elbows on Shawn's back. Cover for 2. HHH goes out and gets a chair. Chairshot to Shawn's back! He's complete dead weight as HHH pulls him over to cover, but somehow he still kicks out. Shawn tries to punch back, slips out of a HHH suplex attempt and rolls him up for 2. HHH hits the facebuster. He sets the chair up in the middle of the ring, then DDTs Shawn onto it! Another Shawn kickout! But he's busted open from that last shot. HHH takes Shawn's belt off and starts whipping him with it. Government mule time. HHH wraps the belt around his fist, making sure the buckle is outside, and punches at Shawn's cut. HHH goes under the ring, has to look a while, where the hell is it, and finally pulls out Mr. Sledgehammer. Shawn cuts him off with kicks and punches to the gut. HHH reverses a corner whip with another hard hit for Shawn, then hooks him in an abdominal stretch. HHH grabs extra rope leverage right in Hebner's view since it's no DQ. Hebner makes him break it anyway. He and HHH get in a shoving match. Hebner gets in HHH's face so much HHH backs up into the corner! "I'm telling you right now, KNOCK IT OFF!". When HHH turns around Shawn gives him some more shots in the gut. HHH hits a knee to the gut and puts Shawn up on the top rope. Shawn fights HHH off, who falls back down to the mat, then fights his back to try to set up on the top rope. HHH shoves Hebner into the ropes and crotches Shawn. Another chairshot to Shawn's back while he's dangling upside down in the corner! HHH sets the chair up standing in the middle of the ring. He backbreakers Shawn onto the chair seat! Freaking hell that looked horrible. Amazing and horrible. HHH covers but Shawn keeps kicking out, refusing to die. HHH tries to flatten the chair back out and places it again. Side suplex onto the chair! Another kickout! It's at the point JR is telling Hebner to fast count to save Shawn from himself. HHH slowly sets Shawn up for a Pedigree onto the chair, milking every second. Shawn gets free and low blows HHH! He pulls himself up with the ropes while HHH has the chair again behind him. Superkick into the chair into HHH's face! Now HHH is bleeding. Both guys stagger up and for the first time in a while Shawn gets the first punches in. Flying forearm! Kip up! The crowd goes nuts for that. Backdrop almost onto the chair. Chairshot to HHH's head! Corner whip reversal and Trips Flip! He goes all the way over the top into the barricade! On the floor Shawn gets his belt and whips HHH with it. Another trash can shot for HHH. A can lid shot sends HHH flopping over the SD announce table. Shawn takes off Hugo Savinovitch's boot and hits HHH with it! Lawler: "A heel for a heel!". Shawn goes around for a head of steam and bulldogs HHH onto the stairs! Now Shawn goes under the ring and gets....a ladder! He's proven he knows what he's doing with one of those. He runs the ladder into HHH. Shawn props the ladder into the corner and, after fighting off a reversal, slingshots HHH into it. Cover from Shawn back in for a long 2. He goes back out for the ladder. HHH uses the opening to baseball slide the ladder into him. Back in both guys go up top again and Shawn hits a superplex! That gets another 2 count. Off the ropes Shawn does a crucifix into a roll up for 2. HHH just hits the high knee after that for another long 2. HHH brings the stairs in and aims for Shawn with them. Shawn drop toe hold and HHH goes face first into the stairs! Shawn 360 clotheslines HHH back to the floor. Now Shawn gets a table out from under the ring. I think we've done the full weapon bingo card. Shawn sets the table up on the floor, gets a fire extinguisher, and hits HHH with it to set him up on the table. Shawn gets back in the ring and goes up top. Big splash off the top sending HHH through the table! Big "Holy shit" chant for that. Shawn brings the ladder into the ring and sets it up in the corner, then climbs up. Elbow drop off the ladder onto HHH! Shawn is fired up! Time to tune up the band! Sweet Chi...NO HHH blocks it. Into a Pedigree hookup! Shawn counters that, gets HHH trapped in a jackknife cover, and pins him! My God what a return. Brilliant match, brilliant finish. There was so much emotion here, but the action in the ring more than equaled it. If this had turned out to be the proverbial one more match, Shawn would absolutely have gone out on a high. Fortunately, it's just the start of a long extension to his career no one ever could have anticipated at the time. ****3/4

 

But we're not done. After the bell an incensed HHH nails Shawn in the back with the sledgehammer! HHH tells Shawn "Look at me!" and hits his back with the sledge again! HHH poses and soaks in the boos while Shawn lays dead. The attack is so heinous even Lawler is hating HHH. One last "FU" crotch chop from HHH as medical runs in to check on Shawn. HHH looks back and laughs at what he does as he's leaving.

 

As a transition from that to the main event, we're getting some heel Howard Finkel goofiness. Fink has some stuff he wants to get off his chest. First off, this is the first time he's announced a show in this arena since Wrestlemania 2, so you're welcome. MLB may be going on strike (they didn't), but "you'll always have the Fink". Trish Stratus makes her way out. She and heel Fink have been doing a bit of a evil misogynist thing the last few weeks. Trish butters Fink up by saying he has a sexy voice and says she has something for him. Yeah, Trish giving any man that look would instantly shut them down. But it's all a RUSE to let Raw announcer Lillian Garcia come in and low blow Fink as revenge for him taking her spot tonight.

 

Undisputed WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) def The Rock (c) in 15:58 (SD)- "Next Big Thing" Lesnar got this title shot by winning what would be the final yearly King of the Ring, and it's clear that the company was putting a warp drive on him the likes of which had never been seen before, having only been out of OVW and on the main roster since March. Rock lays the belt down at the top of the aisle on his entrance, charges in and it's on. Lesnar grabs Rock and belly to bellys him! Cover for 2. Backbreakers from Lesnar while there's a definite "Rocky sucks" chant from some of the crowd, but it's soon drowned out by a larger, and higher pitched, "Rocky" chant. See, at this point it was becoming clear that Rock was getting serious about moving on to Hollywood fully, which was causing hardcore fans to turn on him. More on that later. Corner shoulderblocks from Lesnar and he kneelifts Rock out to the floor. Heyman runs over and gets a cheap kick in. Lesnar clotheslines Rock over the barricade, then presses him way up and drops him onto the barricade, and clotheslines him back over. Back in Lesnar hits another belly to belly for 2. Rock tries to slug back to some definite boos. Heyman trips Rock from the floor and Lesnar is right back on him with elbow drops. Heyman then chokes Rock while Lesnar has Chioda distracted. Again Rock tries to slug back but Lesnar powerslams him for 2. Another "Rocky sucks" chant. More corner shoulderblocks. Rock dodges another and Lesnar posts his shoulder. Back suplex from Rock and again him going on offense gets boos. Both guys kip up at the same time! A clothesline from Rock doesn't even faze Lesnar. Another one finally puts him down. Rock DDT for 2. Rock starts to put on the World's Shittiest Sharpshooter but Heyman gets on the apron, so Rock punches him back off. Lesnar tries a kick but Rock blocks it and gives Lesnar an awful dragon screw. Neither guy pulled that off well. World's Shittiest Sharpshooter! Yes, you can definitely boo that. A loud, low pitched "Let's go Lesnar" chant starts up. Lesnar teases tapping, and again Heyman gets on the apron. A chair has also appeared in the ring. Rock flips Heyman into the ring. Lesnar saves Heyman from a Rock Bottom. Lesnar chairshot into Rock's already hurt ribs. Bear hug! As part of getting him ready for this match and make him look even more like an unbeatable monster, Lesnar had taken Hulk Hogan out of action for a while by making him pass out in this very bear hug. Rock tries to fight so Lesnar lifts him up and suplexes him down, then hooks the bear hug back on while on the mat. Another, louder, "Let's go Lesnar" chant as Lesnar tries to roll Rock over into a pin. Rock fades down and we go to arm drops. Rock refuses to go down and that gets more boos, then another high pitched "Rocky" chant. Rock punches free and staggers Lesnar. Again Heyman distracts Chioda, but Rock takes advantage of that and Greco Roman Nut Punches Lesnar. But only temporarily, as Brock grabs Rocks and backs him hard into the corner. Another running shoulderblock. Rock pops out with a clothesline. Big smackdown punches and Lesnar goes 360 over the top rope to the floor. Rock goes out and clears off the Spanish announce table. Heyman tries to argue and gets taken out again. Rock shines up the ring post real nice, then slingshots Lesnar into it. Rock then gets on the Spanish announce table and drags Heyman up. Heyman gets Rock Bottomed through the table! Back in Rock coils. Rock Bottom! Lesnar kicks out! Lesnar grabs Rock and gives him a Rock Bottom! Rock kicks out! Rock spinebuster! Elbow pad off. Peopl....NO Lesnar cuts it off with a clothesline! F5, NO Rock just slips free to save himself. Lesnar fights off a Rock Bottom. F5! Lesnar gets the pin and becomes the youngest WWE Champion ever! Very big pop for the win too. On the main roster for less than 6 months, and he's on top. Absolutely unprecedented to that point, especially in a major company. But given the revolving door of champions that hadn't stuck so far this year, and the fact the titles were about to be split (more on that below), it was a risk that was more worth taking than it would have been at other times. The match was excellent, with Rock still giving it his considerable all and Lesnar already showing signs of developing into a quality worker, and certainly someone capable of being carried. Maybe a bit too much Heyman though, which Lesnar clearly already didn't need. The bonkers heavily split but all red hot crowd definitely elevates it too. ***3/4

 

As mentioned before, Rock's interest in Hollywood had gone from a small dalliance to something very, very serious. In fact, this would turn out to be the very last match for the Rock as anything resembling a full time wrestler. He'd take off for Hollywood again right after this, and not return again until early 2003 to start building his WM 19 program with Austin. By that point it was obvious Rock had chosen Hollywood over WWE, and the company would fully play into that with the "Hollywood Rock" heel turn. This was also Rock's last match with hair. Before coming back he'd concede to the obvious receding hairline and go bald for, so far, the rest of his life.

 

One final thing. What would a Brock title win be without some controversy, right? Yes, even this very first one. At least this one was scripted, unlike, say, his tumultuous time as IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Until now the rules of the brand split were champions were available to work both shows. But Brock Lesnar does not work two nights a week. Over the course of the week after Summerslam Lesnar decided to remain exclusive to Smackdown, much to the chagrin of Bischoff. That directly lead to the start of the first ever split World titles. On the September 2 edition of Raw Bischoff reintroduced the Big Gold Belt, now rebranded as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and despite being the classic belt design carrying a brand new title lineage with no connection at all to the traditional NWA/WCW World title, to be the top title on Raw. And to further cement his return to heeldom, Bischoff handed the belt to Triple H without Trips having to do a single thing to earn it other than walk out and accept it.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Since putting on one of the best shows of the entire Attitude Era in 1998 Summerslam has been on a hot streak with good to great shows every year since, and this might be the best of the bunch. It absolutely deserves a place among the best, and most important, Summerslams ever.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: A