No Mercy '02

Legacy Review

No Mercy '02

October 20, 2002 from the Alltel Arena in Little Rock, AR

 

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

 

After holding the first ever PPV with split world champions at Unforgiven last month, the title restructuring of fall '02 continues tonight as the brand split continues to find more sure footing.

 

A cold opening starts the show with Undertaker in his locker room, wearing a cast, and Kane walks in and asks him "So, how was your week?". I guess the cast just happened. After that is the normal intro video. 

 

WWE World Tag Team Championship: Chris Jericho & Christian (c) def Booker T & Goldust in 7:55 (Raw)- Following the split of the top singles titles, in the time since Unforgiven the tag titles have also been split. Raw got the World tag titles, which are continuing the lineage of the original WWF/E tag titles. In keeping with that these tag titles are for now still represented by the classic belts, by far the longest serving belt design in the company at the time and maybe ever, mostly unchanged since the mid '80s. Thankfully straightforward now, but the tag title lineage is going to get horribly muddled later down the road, particularly when we get to the penny belt/nickel belt era. Canadians Jericho and Christian came together as a team after the sudden dissolution of the Unamericans faction. Everybody gets separate entrances. Goldust gets in the ring with Jericho to start, but Jericho wants Booker instead so Goldust tags out. Then Jericho steps out and Christian comes in to start instead. All the shenanigans don't faze Booker, who gets off to a quick start on Christian. Side kick for 2. Goldust tags in and clotheslines Christian, then wrings his arm and hits a fancy back kick. That was different. Christian fights him off and tags out. Jericho takes a hip attack, then Goldust clotheslines Christian 360 to the floor. He slingshots Jericho over the top rope onto Christian! Booker goes down and throws Jericho back in the ring. Goldust gives Jericho some mounted punches. Christian comes from behind and uses that position to snap Goldust over the top rope throat first, then Jericho hits a missile dropkick for 2. Goldust goes in peril for a bit. Russian leg sweep from Christian for 2. Goldust fires back with a clothesline on Jericho. Christian runs in to cut off a tag and the heels get Goldust in their corner again. Goldust dodges a Christian dropkick and jackknife covers him for 2. Powerslam from Goldust. Jericho tags in and just barely cuts Goldust off. Neckbreaker from Goldust and he gets the tag to Booker! Side kick and flying forearm on Jericho. Jericho dodges the scissors kick but runs into a spinebuster for 2. Booker does his corner floatover roll up for 2. Christian pulls Jericho out of the way of a kick and Booker tangles himself up on the ropes. Goldust blind tags in and Booker double clotheslines both heels. Double bulldog from Goldust. Shattered Dreams on Christian with a hell of a sell. Goldust then trips Jericho face first into Christian's crotch and rolls him up for 2. Jericho flips out of the Curtain Call and gets the Walls on! Booker breaks it up. Scissors kick! Goldust covers but Christian pulls him out to the floor. Booker baseball slides Christian. Missile dropkick on Jericho. Spinaroonie! Christian comes in with one of the tag belts. Booker dodges the shot and sends Christian back over the top to the floor. Even though Booker's not down Jericho hops onto the second rope like he's going for the Lionsault. THE SECOND ROPE BREAKS! HOLY SHIT that could have been a disaster. Someone on the ring crew is getting an earful. Everyone tries to recover and improvise. Goldust hits Jericho with a bulldog and covers. Christian gets Jericho's foot on the bottom rope. Booker and Christian go into the crowd. Jericho bulldogs Goldust onto the belt, manages to get himself up to the top rope with no middle rope to climb on, and hits a straight moonsault! That's a new one from Jericho. Cover and Jericho gets the pin to retain. Good formula tag stuff, and they did a nice job recovering after the shock of the rope break. This definitely could have gotten more time, though they might have cut it short after the rope failure. **3/4

 

FUNAKI! SMACKDOWN #1 ANNOUNCER! Unfortunately, he's talking to Torrie Wilson's dad Al. This whole angle.....I don't even want to get into it. Basically, Dawn Marie is going after Torrie's dad for reasons that can only be guessed at, and Dad Wilson being a guy naturally broke down and succumbed. Funaki, being #1 announcer, asks the question we're all thinking, why the smeg is he in the shower with Marie fully clothed? Is he suffering from one of those Naked Time viruses that show up in the Trek universe every once in a while? Al's response is to whip out the Bill Clinton line, which the crowd laughs at but still was pretty old at that point.

 

The saddest thing is, this isn't the worst angle that's going to come up tonight. 

 

Torrie Wilson def Dawn Marie in 4:57 (SD)- During entrances for this match the crew is still in the ring fixing the second rope. Marie doesn't want to get in the ring so Torrie says frak it and dropkicks her off the apron. Torrie hits some clotheslines back in. Marie gets a boot up in the corner while commentary speculates what Marie's motives are for going after Torrie's very aged dad. Yeah, that's kind of something that should have been laid out at the start. Sunset flip from Torrie for 2. Marie leaps over in the corner and snaps Torrie over the top rope, but Torrie then baseball slides her. Marie runs Torrie's back into the apron and slides her back in. Commentary plugs the UK only PPV next week, a very rare move. They're normally barely mentioned on regular US TV. Marie continues to target Torrie's back. Then forgets about it and hits a headbutt to Torrie's gut or maybe lower for 2. Double leg takedown from Torrie and it's roll over the ref cat fight time. The ref pulls Marie off then actually does a little celebration like he's enjoying himself. Marie thinks he SICK for that. Torrie hits a suplex for 2. Basement dropkick for 2. She slingshots Marie into the corner for 2. Sort of hot shot from Torrie. She hits a swinging neckbreaker and gets a slightly sudden pin. I will give them both credit for trying, which they clearly were, but neither of them were ready for prime time. Not unlike a Divas/butterfly belt era match in a lot of ways. 1/2*

 

Rob Van Dam def "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in 8:05 (Raw)- I like how they're pairing Flair up with a variety of opponents as he gets serious about his comeback. This came about from Flair turning heel and aligning with Triple H to cost RVD in his World title shot at Unforgiven, the early groundwork laying for what would become Evolution. Think Flair has a new robe tonight, it's one I associate with his Evolution era. Flair tries to bail during RVD's entrance but RVD follows him out and attacks him on the floor. He whips Flair into the post. RVD's diving back kick off the apron sends Flair over the barricade, then RVD hits the spinning legdrop off the apron. Diving one foot kick from RVD off the top rope coming back in as the bell rings to officially start. Cartwheel thunder hits for 2. Flair begs off! Yup, finally back heel. They exchange shots in the corner. Flair Flip! Did not make it over, again. He falls back into the ring. Spinning heel kick from RVD and he ground and pounds Flair a bit. Lawler: "Flair's 53? Dawn Marie will be hitting on him next". Ha! Another back kick from RVD for 2. Flair begs off again. He hides in the ropes to hit the classic sneaky style low blow. Chop block! Time to go to school, kids. He stomps away on RVD's knee. Flair then forgets the knee and pounds RVD down in the corner. Probably realizes that as good as RVD is, consistent limb selling and psychology is not one of his strong suits. After some chops Flair wraps RVD's knee around the middle rope to try to stop him fighting back, then pounds him down in the corner again. Another RVD comeback attempt is cut off by a kick to the knee. Another chop block. Flair and ref Nick Patrick get into it a bit after some more corner shots. More chops and jabs from Flair in the corner. Back suplex. Figure four! Flair gets a couple of near falls off it, then RVD manages to reverse it. Rope break and Flair gets back on the knee. Sunset flip off the apron from RVD, which Flair does not work with well at all. RVD blocks a hiptoss into a backslide for 2. Flair grabs the ropes to dodge a dropkick, then struts a bit as the crowd is still pretty behind him, heel or no. Another figure four attempt. RVD does the small package counter for 2. Back elbow in the corner from Flair. He goes up top. Since he's a heel again we know how that goes for him. RVD hits rolling thunder for 2. Roundhouse kick and RVD springs up top. FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH! Cover and RVD gets the pin! Like Flair's matches with Jericho, this didn't quite click. **

 

In the back, Big Show bitches to SD GM Steph about never being booked. Raw GM Eric Bischoff charges in furious that they're talking because Show is on the Raw roster. Steph leaves and Show lets out all his frustrations on Bischoff. I'm pretty sure there's some real life being channeled here after Show was held off TV for a long stretch for being out of shape. Bischoff doesn't give Show the answer he wants so Show puts his hands on him and warns Bischoff to give him what he wants. Say one thing about Bischoff, he's not easily intimidated. However, Show would get what he wanted in the end as the next week he was traded to SD and would immediately get into the main event picture.

 

After that we get a video highlighting the legacy of the Intercontinental title, which is being retired tonight. Thankfully temporarily as it would turn out. More on that in a bit. 

 

WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Jamie Noble (c) (w/Nidia) def Tajiri in 7:20 (SD)- Noble's had that belt bolted to his waist since winning it at King of the Ring, but it hasn't been defended on PPV in a while. Noble and Nidia continue to be one of the best acts in the company. Another fast start tonight as Tajiri baseball slides Noble before Noble can get in the ring. Asai moonsault! That the cameras mostly missed. Back in Tajiri covers for 2. Noble reverses a corner whip and Tajiri Bret bumps, then Noble hits a high knee to Tajiri's back. Noble yells "What are you doing, boy?" at Tajiri and stomps him down in the corner. Noble spends most of the match jawing at Tajiri. Snap mare and big PK to the back from Noble. Tajiri responds with his own snap mare/PK combo that Noble sells the hell out of. Kneedrop from Tajiri for 2. Noble tries a sunset flip but Tajiri walks him to the edge and flips out of the ring! Nice. Another big kick from Tajiri for 2. After some corner maneuvering Noble gets Tajiri up and hits an electric chair for 2. Tiltawhirl backbreaker for 2. Noble then grounds things and butterflys Tajiri's arms with a knee in his back. Tajiri powers up and tries a crucifix, but Noble blocks it and Samoan drops him for 2. Counter cradle from Tajiri for 2. Noble gets Tajiri down again and is disgusted at the lack of competition. Tajiri tries another cradle counter but Noble rolls through and hits an elbow drop to Tajiri's back. Back to the butterfly style hold. After Tajiri tries to get back up Noble continues the punishment on his back. He lifts Tajiri up to the top rope. Tajiri fights off a back superplex attempt. He goes for a moonsault but sees Noble dodging and lands on his feet. Tornado DDT! But Tajiri is too hurt to follow up. After both guys stagger back up Tajiri starts up a strike combo to build momentum, eventually going crazy with rapid fire strikes. The handspring back elbow hits. Noble dodges a buzzsaw kick attempt but Tajiri catches him with the other foot and covers for 2. Tajiri hooks Noble across his back, gives him a bit of an airplane spin, then hits a German suplex for 2. Tarantula! Tajiri sets up to finish it. Noble ducks another buzzsaw kick and goes for a Tiger Driver. Tajiri counters that into a corner slingshot. The buzzsaw kick hits! Nidia instantly gets up on the apron and distracts Hebner Junior by sticking her gum in his mouth with her mouth. Noble uses the distraction to hit the Tiger Driver. Tajiri kicks out! Tajiri fights off another Tiger Driver attempt, leading to another counter sequence by the ropes. Nidia trips NOBLE, but it was on purpose because it gave Noble the position to get Tajiri cradled and get the pin to retain! She's not as dumb as she looks. After the bell Tajiri plants a kiss on Nidia, which Nidia kind of likes. That sets Noble off again and he shows Tajiri how a "real man" does it. Buzzsaw kick to Noble from behind for revenge. Rock solid match but not top shelf stuff from either guy. **1/2

 

To lead into the next match: After the split of the world titles, it was decided that one top title on each brand was all that was needed. No more secondary titles, just specialty ones for specific divisions like the Cruiserweight and women's titles. The long redundant European title was first to go, merged with the IC title in July even before the world title split. The Hardcore title was next, unified with the IC title and retired on the Raw after Summerslam. The September 30 edition of Raw featured what was billed as the final straight IC title match ever, with Kane defeating RVD for the title. The winner would face World champ Triple H tonight to unify the titles. All well and good. Well, not really because getting rid of the IC title was dumb and they'd eventually realize it. But unfortunately, something else happened during this feud, something so universally reviled it completely overshadowed what should have been a historic title unification, no matter if it was reversed later. That something is Katie Vick.

 

To sum this up as succinctly as possible....Triple H found out that 10 years ago, Kane and a girl (implied girlfriend) named Katie Vick were at a party, Kane tried to drive her home drunk, got in a wreck and killed her. Kane later admitted this was true. To be clear, this is supposed to be during the same time that Kane was either still in the burn recovery unit or the mental asylum or whatever backstory he's supposed to have today. It's worse than that Red Dwarf continuity gaffe where Lister had his appendix removed twice. Bad enough already. But it gets worse. On one Raw leading up to this show, Triple H had a video played that he said showed Kane was even more than a murderer. The video was Triple H in a Kane mask pretending to have sex with Katie Vick's corpse with Trips as Kane describing it in extremely disturbing graphic detail. The backlash for that particular segment was so fierce and instant it's generally credited with WWE gradually reversing course away from Attitude Era style storylines and more toward what we'll see in the PG era. To this day, all you have to say to a longtime wrestling fan is "Katie Vick" and they'll know right away.

 

Unification Match: WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H def WWE Intercontinental Champion Kane in 16:15 (Raw)- One side thought, I love the Raw graphics from this era. Which are drawn from the Raw set at the time, which is also the best one Raw ever had. Lawler goes full pro-HHH heel on commentary for this match, which is super annoying, especially because all they want to/are allowed to talk about is the stupid angle and not the title unification. After a standoff we get the first lockup of the night. HHH hits the first punch. Kane punches back and floors him. HHH quickly backs off into the corner. After some weak back and forth stuff Kane goes full angry monster and pounds HHH down in the corner. He barely gets HHH up for a backdrop and HHH rolls out to the floor. He tries to pull Kane out but Kane pushes him into the barricade. HHH counters a backdrop but Kane no sells it and hits a clothesline for 2. Corner clothesline and HHH does one of his classic flop sells. HHH dodges in the corner and goes for a running neckbreaker. Kane's out of position but HHH goes for it anyway, pretty much pulling Kane down by the hair instead of hitting it properly. This match is not off to a good start. Kane sits up and they do some more weak counter stuff before Kane hits a powerslam. HHH hits the facebuster, then clotheslines Kane 360 to the floor. Kane goozles HHH on the floor. HHH eye pokes free and knees Kane in the back to send him into the post. Back and forth slugfest back in. HHH cuts it off with a kick and hits a swinging neckbreaker for 2. Another hangman's neckbreaker from HHH, properly hit this time. And yet another one because why not. Another cover for 2. A Kane back elbow wobbles HHH, but Kane runs into a spinebuster for 2. HHH slingshots Kane up into the middle rope. Good thing it's secure now. Kane tries to come back again with some gut punches, then a punch combo. HHH ducks a clothesline, hops on Kane's back and hooks on a sleeper. Kane fades down, then fights back up and back suplexes free. HHH dodges an elbow drop, but then runs into a big boot. Another corner clothesline from Kane, followed by a side suplex. Clothesline off the top rope. Here comes Ric Flair, straight into the ring. Hebner gets knocked down and Flair snaps Kane over the top rope. Another big boot from Kane on HHH, then he punches Flair down. HHH has one of the belts and nails Kane with it. Cover. Kane kicks out! Now the Hurricane runs out and attacks Flair. Kane and Hurricane had been teaming together recently, even winning the pre-split tag titles at one point. HHH goes out and Pedigrees Hurricane on the floor. Kane sits up in the ring and starts pummeling HHH again. Powerslam for 2. Kane catches HHH coming off the second rope and runs him into the corner, then places him on the top rope. HHH fights off a superplex. He comes off the top rope, right into Kane's boot. Kane sets up to finish it. Goozle. HHH back elbows free, then ducks a big boot and Kane takes Hebner out again. HHH backdrops Kane over the top to the floor. Kane chokeslams HHH through the Spanish announce table! That's the most randomly thrown in Spanish announce table spot you'll ever see. Flair tries to attack Kane but Kane no sells it all and punches Flair out. Kane rolls HHH back in and covers, but Hebner is still out. Flair has HHH's trusty sledgehammer. He tries to attack Kane with it but Kane cuts it off. Big boot to Flair. Kane has the sledge. HHH sees and begs off. Low blow on Kane. HHH now has the sledge. Kane scoops him, but HHH hits him with the sledge to get free. Kane ducks another sledgehammer swing. Chokeslam! Another cover with no ref. A backup ref runs in to count but Flair takes him out. Flair goes up top, manages to launch but lands right into a chokeslam. HHH uses the distraction to ram Kane into the corner. Pedigree! Cover and Hebner's back to count 3. A pretty big overbooked mess, the outcome was never in doubt, and the atrocious angle completely overshadowed what should have been a historic title unification. So ends the IC title, not with a bang but a whimper. *3/4

 

Fortunately the IC title would only stay deactivated about 6 months before they realized their mistake, and that both brands needed secondary titles. The IC title returned in May '03 to Raw, then in June/July '03 the US title was reactivated for Smackdown (and unlike the WWE Big Gold Belt did officially continue the lineage of the classic NWA/WCW US title). 

 

Tournament Final for the Inaugural WWE Tag Team Championship: Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit def Edge & Rey Mysterio in 22:01 (SD)- As mentioned before, the World tag titles on Raw are keeping the old title lineage, so this is to create a whole new title with a whole new lineage. An 8 team tournament had taken place on SD, with the finals being held tonight. The main story of the tournament was Steph forcing longtime rivals Angle and Benoit to be a team because she knew they could be awesome, and to ensure their cooperation she threatened them both with a large fine and one year suspension if they hit each other. They had some issues at first, but have slowly been getting on the same page, in no small part thanks to attempted manipulations by the Guerreros (who Angle & Benoit knocked out in the semis) backfiring. Once again everyone gets separate entrances. Angle and Mysterio start, refiring their great match from Summerslam. Quick armdrag from Angle. Reset lockup and Angle gets a waistlock takedown, then slaps Mysterio in the back of his head to let him know it. Angle then easily scoops up Mysterio by the legs and TOSSES him across the ring into his own corner. Angle's had enough, he wants Edge in now. Mysterio doesn't like that and says he's going to take Angle on. Another Angle waistlock. Mysterio tries to find a leverage point to get out, much to Angle's amusement....then says screw it and stomps on Angle's foot! That's one way to get out. Angle is less amused by that. Fireman's carry takedown from Mysterio! Followed by a basement dropkick. Mysterio hops to the second rope and gives Angle a reverse hurricanrana! Angry Angle runs into a drop toe hold and now Mysterio slaps him all over the back to mock him. Pissed Angle chases Mysterio out of the ring. Now Mysterio tags out to Edge. Nice waistlock takedown from Edge. On the mat Angle works around into a hammerlock, then a headlock. Shoulderblock from Angle. Another speed run and Edge does a hiptoss/armdrag/dropkick combo. Angle decides to let Benoit have a turn. I like Benoit taking a random swing at Mysterio as he walks by before locking up with Edge. Good rapid fire basic counter sequence. Edge locks in an ARMBAR and Benoit backs him into the corner, then lays in some shots. Benoit then works a headlock for a bit. They go speed with Benoit hitting a shoulderblock, then Edge gets a knee to the gut. Gutbuster from Edge for 2. Then he goes to the other side with a backbreaker for 2. Edge tries some chops. Benoit shows him how that's done. Flapjack from Edge, and he follows up with a Oklahoma roll for 2. Edge goes for a whip. Benoit positions him perfectly and reverses it, allowing Angle to knee Edge in the back from the apron. Another whip in the same spot and this time Edge spears Angle through the ropes off the apron! Edge then fights off a Benoit German suplex attempt and rolls him up for 2. Benoit's kickout sends Edge in Angle's direction again and Angle snaps him over the top rope. Clothesline from Benoit. Neckbreaker. Angle tags in as we go fully into Edge in peril. Angle grounds Edge with a grapevine chinlock. Edge fights up and backs Angle into the corner. Angle belly to belly suplex! Always fun when the crowd that was chanting "You suck" or "Angle sucks" the first part of the match starts to get behind Angle because he's just that freaking awesome in the ring now. Benoit comes back in with some chops and Edge takes a Bret bump. Ripcord knees from Benoit. Another Bret bump and it's ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLING GERMANS time. All three hit, then he knocks Mysterio off the apron. Throat slash and Benoit goes up top. Edge gets up, knocks him down and joins him. Edge superplex! Crawl over and tag to Mysterio! Flying headscissors on Benoit. He drop toe holds Benoit into the corner. Everyone thinks he's going for the shitty bronco buster, but he basement dropkicks Benoit in the corner instead. Much better. Angle comes in and gets dropkicked to the floor. Mysterio hangs Benoit in the ropes and hits a springboard guillotine legdrop! Cover and Angle breaks the pin up. Edge Cactus clotheslines Angle back out to the floor while the legal guys fight. Mysterio tries the wheelbarrow bulldog, but Benoit blocks it into the crossface! Edge gets in and breaks it up before Mysterio can tap, then Angle drags him back to the floor. Shotgun dropkick from Mysterio to Benoit's back and he's in position. 61...NO Benoit blocks it! He gets Mysterio into shoulderbreaker position. Edge comes off the top rope with a missile dropkick to Mysterio's back, putting him in a pinning position on Benoit! Benoit kicks out! Mysterio goes up top. Here comes Angle out of nowhere with the run up superplex! He takes Edge out again and tells Benoit to cover Mysterio. Benoit does but Mysterio kicks out! Angle wants to tag in. Benoit whips Mysterio into their corner and does tag. They both pummel Mysterio's back. Backbreaker from Angle for 2. Snap suplex for 2. Angle hooks on a facelock to grind Mysterio down. Mysterio manages to suplex out! Angle belly to belly suplex! Another 2 count off that. Benoit tags in and hits a backdrop for 2. Back suplex for 2. Big chops from Benoit. Mysterio gets boots up in the corner and headscissors Benoit into the ring post. Tags on both sides. Edge goes wild on both guys. Backdrop on Angle. Faceplant on Benoit. Reverse DDT on Angle for 2 as we go into a full on DONNYBROOK. Mysterio whips Edge into a corner spear on Benoit. Now Mysterio does the shitty bronco buster. Edge spears Angle in the corner. Mysterio runs up and Edge lifts him up to hurricanrana Angle off the top rope! Edge covers. Benoit goes for the headbutt off the top to break it up, but Edge dodges and Angle takes it! A shotgun dropkick from Mysterio sends Benoit to the floor. Edge covers. Angle JUST kicks out! Angle quickly ducks under Edge and hits a German! He sets up behind Edge. Edge backdrops a charging Mysterio right into Angle! Now Edge sets up. Benoit takes Edge down from behind and tries for the crossface! At the same time Mysterio dragged Angle to the floor. Edge tries his damndest to fight but Benoit gets the crossface on. Mysterio comes in and 619s Benoit to break it up! Angle Slam on Mysterio! THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Ankle lock on Edge! Edge quickly rolls over, pushes free, and small packages Angle for a LONG 2! The crowd's eating all of this up now. SPEAR on Angle! Benoit saves the pin! Mysterio baseball slides Benoit. Another funky double team where Mysterio launches off Edge to moonsault Benoit on the floor! Edge goes for the Edgecution on Angle. Angle counters to the ankle lock! Edge counters into his own ankle lock! Angle recounters back and CRANKS on Edge's ankle! Edge taps! Angle and Benoit are the first ever Smackdown WWE tag champs! That, my friends, was a masterclass in tag team wrestling. You can't ask for a better start for a brand new set of titles. A somewhat forgotten classic, but the fact Benoit is involved probably has a lot to do with that. *****

 

In the back, Taker demands Larry the Trainer give him a shot in his hurt hand to get him through his match. Wonder if Larry works for BALCO.

 

WWE Women's Championship: Trish Stratus (c) def Victoria in 5:30 (Raw)- Once again the women's title is the cool down match. This is Victoria's PPV debut after being slowly ramped up during the course of the year. Lockup! Victoria slaps on the rope break. Headlock takedown from Victoria. Shoulderblock and Trish seems to back off a bit. Victoria doesn't care and kicks her in the forehead. Comeback clothesline from Trish for 2. She starts up a kick combo. A misdirection kick catches Victoria for 2, then Victoria rolls out for some space. Trish comes around and pulls her shoulder into the ring post, then floors Victoria with one of those great elbow shots of hers. Victoria then recovers and shoves Trish into the post. She drops Trish on the barricade. Coming back in Victoria hits a nice slingshot legdrop for 2. She monkey flips Trish out of the corner, which is not particularly well done on either end. She tries for it again and Trish blocks it. Victoria fights off a superplex. Trish does her handstand hurricanrana instead for 2. Victoria gets Trish up in a Canadian backbreaker. On the Canadian. Trish flips around into a near fall and they're in bridge up/backslide position, but for whatever reason don't try to do it. BIG slap from Victoria. Basic bodyslam. She gets Trish up on her shoulders and spins her around, but only into a side suplex. A lot of noise for not a lot of action there. Victoria starts up top again. Trish catches her and electric chairs her back down for 2. Slugfest and Trish comes back. Chick Kick! That gets a 2 count. Swinging neckbreaker from Trish. A second. She goes for the Stratusfaction, but then decides to flip out of it for some reason. I think Victoria was supposed to counter but it wasn't really obvious. Trish rolls Victoria up and gets the pin to retain. Meh. It's better than the last women's match. Victoria had some rough spots but overall looked solid in her PPV debut. *1/2

 

After the bell Victoria floors Trish with a nasty looking kick to the chin. Ref Jack Doan freaking TACKLES Victoria! He has to drag her away to keep her from attacking Trish more.

 

Sad to say, we've got one more train wreck trash angle to get through tonight. Lesnar and Taker had a double DQ no contest in their WWE Title match at Unforgiven. The feud's escalated to the point that they're going inside Hell in a Cell tonight. Again, all well and good. But that's not all. The build to Unforgiven involved Lesnar and Heyman doing some weird shit with Taker's (legit) pregnant wife Sara. Leading into this show, they've gone a step further and dug up some hussy named Tracy that's accused Taker of having an affair with her. But earlier tonight, Steph got her to admit that her fling with Taker was years ago and she's making the recent affair up, so that's already pretty much been taking care of. Random fun fact, the actress (seeing her performance tonight a very broad definition of the word) playing "Tracy" was also one of Biff's jacuzzi floozies in Back to the Future II. Also, the reason Taker's wearing a cast and needed a pain killing shot it because Lesnar broke his hand backstage last week on SD.

 

Hell in a Cell Match for the WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) (w/Paul Heyman) def The Undertaker in 27:15 (SD)- No bike again for Taker on his entrance, but that cast would make it hard. I assume, I'm not a motorcycle guy. Not even bike curious. Cole has the funniest line tonight, saying it's hard to get out of Hell in a Cell. Please. Every damn match the wrestlers escape from it. It'd be a change if they DIDN'T get out. Cautious start with both guys jockeying for position. Lesnar ducks under and gets a waistlock takedown. Taker back elbows free. Powerslam from Lesnar for 2. He lays in his corner shoulderblocks. Taker hits a punch to the gut with his cast that Lesnar does a crazy sell for, half flipping forward and damn near landing on his head. But that hurt Taker too. Off a whip Lesnar grabs the ropes and bails. He goes to the door and wants out but it's locked. Heyman can't help either. Taker stalks Lesnar around and back into the ring, but Lesnar jumps him coming back in. He starts punishing Taker's hurt hand. ARMBAR from Lesnar that stretches out Taker's hand. Taker gets free and hits another punch with the cast. Punch right on Lesnar's head with the cast. Again that hurt Taker just as much. Lesnar goes to the floor and he's busted open. Taker sees and targets it. He's bleeding pretty damn good. Taker tosses Lesnar into the cage for the first shot there. Taker covers on the floor for 2. Since when have outside falls been legal in HIAC? Guess that's something new for this match. Bit WCW for them to not say so beforehand though. Another hard cage shot for Lesnar. He drapes Lesnar on the apron, hits another cast shot, then the apron legdrop. Taker then goes up top. Heyman shouts "What are you doing?". Not sure Taker knew, because he tries to come down with a kneedrop on the apron that doesn't land good at all. Tried something new, didn't work. Another cover on the floor for 2. Heyman gets his arm inside one of the holes cut into the cage for guys to climb up. Taker big boots Heyman! HEYMAN'S BLEEDING! Fantastic. Then Taker grabs Heyman's tie and uses it to pull Heyman into the cage! Freaking phenomenal. Then Taker dodges Lesnar charging and Lesnar takes Heyman out! Taker charges but Lesnar flapjacks him into the cage. He lifts Taker up and runs him into the post, then the cage corner. Taker lays in the cage corner, with Heyman right on the other side of the cage gushing blood. Yes, Heyman is gushing blood. Heyman gives Lesnar a belt through one of the cage holes. Lesnar wraps the belt around Taker's hurt hand like a strap, then gives the other end to Heyman to hold Taker up against the cage. Lesnar gets a chair and nails Taker with it. Chairshots to the hurt hand! Over and over and over and over again! Lesnar takes the belt off, then starts ripping the cast off. Taker goes nuts with punches to stop him! He's still too hurt and Lesnar gets on him again, ramming the hand into the cage. Lesnar tries again and gets more of the cast off. Taker manages to kick Lesnar in the face to get free. They go back in the ring with Lesnar on offense again. He stomps away on Taker, and finally gets the cast fully off. Lesnar continues the punishment on the now exposed broken hand. It's weird seeing Taker's hand with no glove or anything on. Lesnar lifts Taker up and puts him on the top rope. He climbs up, then uses the cage roof to swing kicks into Taker's face! Low blow from Taker! He pushes Lesnar back down, with Lesnar going nearly halfway across the ring. Taker uses the roof for balance to walk across the top rope, then comes down with an elbow drop for 2. Lesnar gets on the apron and snaps Taker over the top rope. Been a lot of that tonight. The in vogue move. Taker big boots Lesnar off the apron into the cage! Taker TOPE SUICIDA INSIDE THE CELL! He hit the cage as hard as Lesnar. Taker tries to get the stairs but can't with his hurt hand, giving Lesnar an opening to attack him from behind. Lesnar gets the stairs and runs into Taker with them. Now Taker's bleeding like mad. OK, I have to call this one. Taker's so instantly covered in blood I'm going blood capsule over legit blading. No way did he bleed that much that quickly. Another stair shot to Taker's head. Lesnar then TOSSES the stairs all the way over the damn ring to the other side! Dude's a legit freak. Back in the ring Taker takes advantage of Lesnar getting cocky to get some shots in. Lesnar fires back with a spinebuster for 2. Lesnar keeps wobbling Taker with punches but Taker still has fight left in him. He gets desperate enough to swing punches with his hurt hand and puts Lesnar down. Then he stomps on Lesnar's hand for a bit of revenge. Taker wraps up Lesnar's arm and slowly climbs up for old school. Lesnar flips him back down to the ring. On a close up shot it looks like Taker's still bleeding. Man, maybe that stair shot really did bust him open hardaway. Lesnar scoops for the F5. Taker slips free. Chokeslam! With the hurt hand. Lesnar kicks out! Fuck, Taker is completely covered in blood. Crimson mask doesn't even cover it, it's like a crimson life cast. My earlier call might well have been completely wrong. He gets Lesnar in the corner and hits a corner clothesline. On the other side Lesnar gets a boot up. He hooks Taker up for a powerbomb. Taker backdrops out. Leaping DDT from Taker. He hooks up for the Last Ride. Lesnar backs Taker into the corner, hits more shoulders, then mounted punches to Taker's huge cut. Taker uses that position to hit the Last Ride! But he covers too slow and Lesnar gets a hand on the ropes. Also, there's clearly still blood pouring from Taker's cut, you can see it dripping. There's as much blood all over the ring as I've ever seen. At the level of that Yuji Nagata/Kensuke Sasaki match from one of the last January 4 Tokyo Dome shows under the Wrestling World name where both guys must have lost half a body's worth of blood. Taker scoops for the Tombstone. Lesnar reverses it! He muscles Taker onto his shoulders and hits the F5! Lesnar gets the pin to retain! Magnificent match. All the brutality you want from Hell in a Cell, but logically laid out into a cohesive match. Kind of wish Taker's hand had played more into it after so much focus on it but that's about it. Also, they finally stayed in the cage for once. Lesnar sort of makes up for it by climbing up the cage and posing with the belt on the roof to close the show. Watching this, you'd never think Lesnar had only been on the main roster since the previous spring. His development has been incredible. ****

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Two great matches and nothing that was really mind meltingly awful in the ring usually equals a damn good show. But it's drug down a bit by some truly awful angles surrounding it all. No less than three horrible ones on this show, including both world title matches, and one being the all time stinkbomb that is Katie Vick. That's a problem WWE has had since the Invasion the previous year, good wrestling but shit angles, but it's only seemed to have gotten worse. Plus those two matches are the only ones that really get up to the "good" mark, the rest are decent at best.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B-