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 

Bash at the Beach 2000

Legacy Reviews

Bash at the Beach 2000

July 9, 2000 from the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, FL

 

Commentary: Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson and Mark Madden

 

Welcome to the final Bash at the Beach, which had become one of WCW's biggest shows during the Bischoff years. This year's version will certainly be remembered, but like most of 2000 WCW it won't be for anything good.

 

The show opens with Ernest Miller, who's apparently the WCW Commissioner now, getting out of a limo and telling someone that the Filthy Animals are banned from ringside in one match or another tonight. Maybe all of them. After that the Jung Dragons try to attack him in a scene shot like it should be in a ripoff of Miami Connection but Miller fights them all off. The show's intro graphics look like something you'd find as the intro on a cheap CD-ROM encyclopedia at the time.

 

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Lieutenant Loco (c) def Juventud Guerrera in 12:07- We've got another "stolen belt" angle going with Juvy sporting the CW title belt that rightly belongs to Lt. Loco/Chavo Guerrero Jr. Konnan decides he needs to talk as usual before the match, which is nothing special but Disco Inferno acting as his Mini-Me is amusing. Juvy's in the Filthy Animals, so this is the match they're banned from ringside. Looks like Chavo's MIA faction is being booted out too. Nice they're keeping things even at least. It takes Madden barely 2 minutes to be a weird creep about the Animals' token woman from commentary, so right on schedule for him. Quick back and forth once we get things going. Chavo gives Juvy an extra sized inverted atomic drop. Then a traditional atomic drop, followed by a 360 clothesline to the floor. Juvy takes a while to recover on the floor, then Chavo tries to keep him from getting back in the ring. Juvy maneuvers around to catch Chavo coming back in. Juvy tries an apron suplex but Chavo suplexes him out of the ring to the floor! Springboard plancha from Chavo. Back in Juvy begs off, then pants pulls Chavo into the corner. He then takes forever for no reason and Chavo pops out of the corner with clotheslines and hits a backbreaker for 2. Chavo then grounds things with an ARMBAR. Corner flying headscissors from Chavo, followed by a powerslam for 2. Chavo hits chops so hard in the corner Juvy tries to crawl away over the top rope. Chavo uses that position to spank him! Ultimate embarrassment. After some more rapid fire counters they double clothesline each other. Chavo counters a Juvy waistlock by momentum tossing him through the ropes to the floor. Dive off the top to the floor from Chavo. To the shock of no one, the Filthy Animals "sneak" back to ringside all wearing masks. Less convincing than Bobby Valentine's glasses and fake mustache. Look it up, kids. Chavo ends up on the floor and Juvy slingshot legdrops him. Back in Juvy hits a setup slam and hits a slingshot splash for 2. Juvy goes up top. Chavo fights up to join him. Juvy flips over and hits a walking buckle bomb, pretty much a slow Liger bomb, for 2. Front drop powerbomb from Juvy. He takes the elbow pad off. Gimmick infringement. Now the MIA are coming in with masks on. Frakking hell, Juvy really was doing a full on People's Elbow? I'd forgotten that. Good thing WWF wasn't even bothering with the lawyers anymore, except to help price out how much WCW will cost. Chavo kicks out of that. Juvy goes up top but gets distracted by the not at all good looking Major Gunns teasing flashing the fakest tits known to man. Chavo knocks Juvy down and has him pinned, but ref Lil' Naitch is distracted by the other MIA guys. Another series of counters and Chavo hits a reverse DDT for a long 2. Juvy Driver! Chavo barely gets a foot on the rope before 3. Chavo hits the tornado DDT for the pin! It was disjointed and came in fits and starts, but was pretty good the spurts they actually had their foot on the throttle. Considering this is two Russo factions it's pretty interference light too. **3/4

 

If you'll indulge me for a moment, I have some overarching thoughts on the state of WCW commentary right now, since this team's been together most of the year now and this is a fairly major show. You've got Scott Hudson, who's desperately trying to call all the action like a straight up traditional wrestling match and is so out of place in this promotion and this era it's ridiculous. Then there's Mark Madden, who's an abject moron that spews whatever slop comes into his head with zero filter like verbal diarrhea and is a complete chore to listen to, though by pure law of averages he manages to usually have one decent line per show. And poor Tony, who's clearly beyond done with all this shit but is using every ounce of energy he has trying to stay professional.

 

Handicap Match for the WCW Hardcore Championship: Big Vito (c) def Norman Smiley and Ralphus in 5:56- Apparently Johnny the Bull was supposed to challenge here as part of a big Mamalukes breakup, but he got himself hurt so Smiley was pushed back into action as a last second replacement. Why he's still dragging Ralphus with him like useless luggage I have no idea. Vito takes Ralphus out in the aisle while Smiley runs. Vito catches Smiley on the stage and attacks him with a bootleg mafia kendo stick. Tony says hardcore matches "are supposed to start in the back and then go into the ring". Isn't the point of hardcore that there are no rules? Vito still has the belt on during all of this. He takes the belt off and drags Smiley behind the curtain to the back. Smiley gets the edge back there with a trash can shot and breaks a plank of wood over Vito's head. Ralphus then gets trash can shots in and still somehow makes it look like he has no idea what he's doing with something that simple. Smiley then gives Vito a bit of a wiggle. I like how their shoes are squeaking on the concrete back there like it's a basketball game. Ralphus pounds on Vito with a trash can lid. Vito punches back and knocks Smiley around the available backstage objects. Someone's diet soda got spilled. Hope it wasn't CM Punk's. Some rando gets tossed out of the elevator, then Vito leaves Smiley's carcass in there and presses the button to close the door. Vito then chases Ralphus back toward the ring as fast as Ralphus can go. Ralphus is in the ring in 2000 trying to work a solo match. Lord help us. Vito puts a trash can lid over his crotch and kendo sticks it. He then gets a table and tries to set it up in the ring, but he broke one of the legs getting it in the ring. He puts Ralphus on the one legged table anyway. Vito big splash off the top that does somehow manage to put Ralphus through the table and Vito gets the pin. 3/4*

 

Wedding Gown Match: Daffney def Miss Hancock (w/David Flair) in 4:14- I'm sure this will be nice looking and nothing else. Hancock (Stacy Keibler) broke Daffney and her ex-fiancee David Flair up to set this up. There's actually a wedding cake ringside, so you know that's not going to last the match. Flair comes out wearing a tux to match Hancock's miniskirt wedding gown. Hancock and David get funky with each other in the ring after their entrance. Someone please throw a bucket of cold water on Madden. Or acid, whatever. Daffney comes out in all black, which is totally in character. This is strip your opponent to win rules. Daffney low blows David from behind and attacks Hancock. While she's gently ramming Hancock's head into the mat Daivd grabs Daffney to let Hancock attack. Handspring back elbow from Hancock! Daffney grabs Hancock by the hair and snap mares her around. Both women tease sending the other into the cake. David gets in the ring again and gets punched out by Daffney. The ref tries to hold Hancock back for some reason and she nut punts him. Then pulls his pants off! The hell? Then Daffney pulls David's pants off. What the hell is going on here. Daffney sends Hancock face first into David's crotch. If I'm David I'm not complaining. Hancock then makes a meek attempt at getting Daffney's dress off and they "chase" each other around the ring. David grabs Daffney again and has barber's shears. So now we're head shaving? Crowbar runs in and back suplexes David to save Daffney. Then Crowbar takes his jeans off to join in with the other guys. Sure. Why not. Someone mallet an ice pick into my skull while you're at it, it'd be less painful than watching this match. Crowbar falcon arrows David, then uses his pants to hold David down in the corner by the throat. Then Hancock gets a mic, says stop everything, and strips. That I'm OK with even if it is beyond nonsensical. If it wasn't for all the trouserless guys lying around it's almost a "I'll be in my bunk" moment. The bell rings so I guess Hancock voluntarily lost by taking off her own dress. After the bell Daffney throws some wedding cake into Hancock's face and it's FOOD FIGHT time. The destroyed cake is less of a mess than this match was. MINUS FIVE STARS

 

In the back, the Jung Dragons try another amateur hour ambush on Miller but can't pull it off. After that commentary vamps for a bit while the ring crew clean up the cake, and the memory of that last match, as best they can. 

 

WCW World Tag Team Championship: KroniK def The Perfect Event (c) in 13:34- Even at this late stage when the war had pretty much been decided I'm still a bit surprised WCW got away with making Stasiak's music a blatant ripoff of Mr. Perfect's old music. I'll give KroniK one thing, they've actually got pretty good music. They'd been getting a big monster babyface push since coming in as a team and had actually gotten pretty over as awful as they were in the ring, as much as anything in 2000 WCW. Adams and Palumbo start with lots of jawing before locking up. Shoulderblock standoff. Off another rope run Adams momentum tosses Palumbo over the top to the floor. Adams then press slams Stasiak down onto Palumbo! Perfect Event stall on the floor and tease leaving like all good weasel heels do. When they get back in we've swapped to Clarke and Stasiak in. Rough corner lockup that wee little ginger ref has to force a break on. Stasiak uses that to get cheap shots in. Clarke responds with his own corner beatdown. Stasiak comes off the second rope right onto a goozle. Clarke switches grip and hits him with a uranage. Double shoulderblock from KroniK. Big boot from Adams. Stasiak crawls over and tags out. Palumbo runs into a full nelson slam for 2. After another tag Palumbo pulls the top rope down and Adams needs about 5 full seconds to slowly maneuver himself over and down to the floor. Perfect Event double team him on the floor and give him a chairshot. Cover from Stasiak back in for 2. Tackle off the top rope from Palumbo for 2. He then hooks the slowest sleeper ever on Adams. Adams fights free but takes a knee to the gut. Flying back elbow from Stasiak for 2. Now Stasiak puts on a sleeper. After arm drops Adams fights back up and we have a midring collision. Tags on both sides. Clarke slips and almost falls while going to give Palumbo a corner clothesline. Clarke goes for the pumphandle powerslam on Palumbo. Palumbo gets free and hits a DDT. Stasiak tags in and runs Clarke over with a shoulderblock. Clotheslines and dropkicks from Stasiak on both KroniK guys. A hot tag run from the heels. Diving clothesline off the apron to the floor on Clarke. Back in he covers for 2. Perfect Event double team Clarke in the ring and clearly lose their place at one point. Double flapjack on Clarke. Adams breaks the pin up and tosses Palumbo out. Cutter on Stasiak. Then Adams gets on the apron so Clarke can tag him in. I guess I should be happy they're trying to follow the rules. Double big boot on Stasiak. Double chokeslam. Palumbo breaks the pin up, so KroniK double chokeslam him instead. Stasiak comes in with Perfect Event's gimmick bar but gets taken out. KroniK hit a powerbomb Doomsday Device and get the pin to win the titles! The basic formula tag layout with no interference was refreshing and mostly worked, but it all started to fall apart the last 5 minutes, like they were going longer than they planned for. *1/4

 

Back to Commish Cat's office in the back, where the Jung Dragons finally pull off a successful attack. 

 

"Positively" Kanyon def Booker T in 10:04- Thankfully the "GI Bro" nonsense with Booker T is over. Kanyon comes out to DDP's music, does DDP's full entrance, is wearing a DDP shirt and is toting around a book mocking DDP's highly promoted on TV book. It's all a giant troll after Kanyon turned on his fellow Jersey....ian at Great American Bash. Lockup and basic start. Booker hits a side kick and Kanyon rolls to the floor. His I assume DDP wig also came off. Another speed run with Kanyon hitting a shoulderblock, then he does the DDP diamond symbol in Booker's face. Booker hits a dropkick and clothesline, then tears the DDP shirt off Kanyon and tosses him over the top to the floor. Booker gets the book from Kanyon's corner and a brick falls out! To the floor with Booker knocking Kanyon around ringside. Coming back in Booker hits a clothesline off the top rope for 2. Kanyon manages to tights pull Booker back out to the floor and now Booker takes the ringside knockaround. Kanyon takes the stairs, sets them on top of Booker's arm, then hits the stairs with a chair. Then everyone instantly forgets about the hurt arm. Back in Kanyon baseball slides Booker ribs first into the post. He apron suplexes Booker back in for a long 2. Kanyon takes the chair and wedges it into the corner. The ref clearly doesn't care. Booker has a comeback flurry and hits a powerslam for 2. Booker gets whipped toward the chair, avoids it, but Kanyon catches him and gives him a spinebuster for 2. Kanyon puts on a.....reverse? Boston crab. OK then. Don't see how this is better than a regular one. It does allow Booker to easily counter into a cradle for 2, which Kanyon then reverses for 2. Running forearm from Booker. He whips Kanyon into the corner chair and hits a spinebuster for 2. Booker takes the chair and goes to hit Kanyon with it but the ref takes it away. Oh NOW you start enforcing some rules. Crappy WCW refs. At least evil Nick Patrick was consistent. While the ref's back is turned Kanyon waffles Booker with the book, I'm assuming with the brick replaced inside. Booker JUST gets a shoulder up! Oh, the brick is on the timekeeper's table, that was a brick-less shot. Kanyo opens the book to find the brick missing and is furious. Booker spinaroonies (off camera, wouldn't know it if commentary didn't say it) back up and hits a side kick. Scissors kick! Book End! Kanyon kicks out! Booker climbs up top. Jeff Jarrett runs out and gives Booker our first guitar shot of the night. I'm sure it won't be the last. Kanyon sets Booker back up top, hits the avalanche Diamond Kanyon Cutter, and gets the pin. A good match that I'm sure could have been way better in a different time and place. ***

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Mike Awesome def Scott Steiner (c) (w/Midajah) by DQ in 9:09- Steiner jumps Awesome off the apron during his entrance. Awesome backdrops Steiner over the barricade into the first row, then charges and dives over the barricade onto Steiner! Crowd brawl time. They find a spot by the arena doors and go at it a while over there, then work their way back ringside. Steiner gets a padded chair and hits Awesome with it. In the ring for the first time Seiner hits the Steinerline/elbow drop combo for 2. Awesome gets a boot up in the corner to turn things around. He goes up top. Steiner fights up with him and hits a belly to belly superplex for 2. Steiner lifts Awesome up and seems to be thinking about something big, but then just hits a meek backbreaker. Awesome blocks a suplex and drops Steiner ribs first over the top rope, sending Steiner to the floor. Awesome hits an elbow drop off the apron, then gives Steiner a couple of plastic chair shots to the gut. He gets the bell and hits Steiner with it, then gives Steiner a chairshot with a proper chair, then Steiner's back into the ring apron, then the guardrail. Back in Awesome hits a slingshot splash for 2. Clothesline off the top rope for 2 as Commissioner Miller decides to wander out to ringside, Jung Dragons attack completely forgotten by everyone. Now Steiner blocks and hits a suplex. Belly to belly suplex that nearly drops Awesome on his head. Miller gets a mic and says "Oh no you don't" and Steiner hits him off the apron. I think there was a thing going on at this point where the Steiner Recliner was banned, I think that's what the Steiner/Miller beef is. WCW commentary is beyond useless at bringing people who aren't watching every minute of every weekly show up to speed. Awesome straight low blows Steiner right in front of the ref and Alabama slams him with a jackknife cover for 2. Big splash off the top rope from Awesome for 2. Awesome hooks up for a powerbomb. Steiner backs him into the corner and the ref goes down in the following exchange. Miller gets in and goes for a superkick, but Steiner ducks and Awesome takes it instead. Steiner belly to bellys Miller, then covers Awesome for 2. Another belly to belly on Awesome. Miller gets the mic again and tells Steiner he'll strip of the title if he puts the Recliner on. Scott being Scott, he does anyway. Miller orders the ref to ring the bell and says Steiner's been stripped of the title. Steiner t-bone suplexes Awesome after the bell just because. Much like when Steiner lost the TV title, this was getting the belt off him because he was ready to move on to bigger things. The vacant title would be won on Nitro the following week by Lance Storm, kicking off his Canadian Superchamp run that's one of the few highlights of this era. The match was decent before all the overbooking kicked in. **1/2

 

Graveyard Match: Vampiro def The Demon in 8:07- This is one of those cinematic matches before cinematic matches were really a thing. The lighting is terrible so you really can't see anything, but this graveyard looks less real than the obvious backlot graveyard from the first couple of seasons of Buffy, before they got the budget to shoot at real graveyards regularly. The lighting gets even worse when Demon drops his torch and the only light is a flashlight Lil' Naitch is holding. So there's no way in hell to see what's happening, but I suspect it's not really worth seeing anyway. While this is plodding along I'll mention the rules for this is whoever fights out of the graveyard and gets into the arena is the winner. Which spurs another thought- who zoned an arena right next to a graveyard? Tony asks if that's an open grave. Who the hell knows, no one can see anything. Asya, who's now Demon's fiancee, also gets involved. Vampiro grabs her and drags her away while Demon crawls out of the open grave. They end up next to a lake or river and Vamprio comes out of it to attack Vampiro. Someone watched that WWF Hardcore title match with the river and decided that's what they needed to do. Except this time they actually fight in the water. Vampiro drags Asya away again while Demon tries to figure out if he can swim or not. Eventually Demon finds Asya again. This time Vampiro comes out of a coffin and spits something in Demon's face. Vampiro breaks a rock over Demon's head and stuffs him in the coffin. If it was a casket match it'd be over. Vampiro dumps the coffin into the open grave, says "Say hi to Sting, if you see him in hell" and drops the torch in the grave with the coffin, where it does.....absolutely nothing. And.....it's over? So much for the get back to the arena rules. Besides, it's pure WCW to forget about the rules they lay out for these types of matches. Let's all be grateful it's over because that was as big a train wreck as that Human Torch match debacle at GAB. MINUS FIVE STARS

 

Presented without comment:

 

 

The Franchise def Buff Bagwell in 7:52- Bagwell and Douglas were tag champs a couple of months ago for an entire month, which is practically a year in Russo time, but have since broken up because their egos couldn't coexist. Lots of jawing and crowd playing after the bell. Douglas shoves. Bagwell punches. A dropkick from Bagwell sends Douglas to the floor and Douglas takes some ringside knockaround. Douglas hits a sneaky style low blow to turn things around and drops Bagwell on the guardrail, then he pulls up one of the ring mats. AND carpet. That's hardcore. Bagwell backdrops out of a piledriver attempt, giving Douglas a super soft landing on the stack of pads. Back in Bagwell hits a swinging neckbreaker and Douglas rolls right back out to the floor. Back and forth slugfest on the floor. Douglas picks Bagwell up and sends him crotch first into the ring post. Bagwell cuts off a chairshot, but Douglas punches the chair into Bagwell. We actually stay in the ring for more than one move as Douglas hits a snap mare/neck snap combo. He then cranks Bagwell's neck while commentary acts like Bagwell's neck is barely hanging on by one single thread that could snap at any time due to his injury history. Extra funny nowadays considering how many top level guys have come back from what were originally career ending neck injuries (Edge, Daniel Bryan Danielson, Shibata, Paige and I could probably go on). Torrie Wilson makes her way out and comes all the way up on the apron. She slaps Douglas and Bagwell rolls him up for 2. Back elbow and clothesline from Bagwell. Crossbody for 2. Torrie's on the apron again. Bagwell hits a Vader bomb for 2. Bagwell makes eyes at Torrie and she gets in the ring. Bagwell turns around to pose....and kicks him right in the nads! Madden's "That's kind of weird foreplay" is his one decent line for the night. Douglas hits the Pittsburgh Plunge. Bagwell kicks out! Bagwell hits a double underhook DDT for 2. He goes up for the Blockbuster. Torrie grabs his foot. Bagwell grabs her hair to get her off, but that allows Douglas to pick him up for an inverted atomic drop. Douglas hits a new lifted jawbreaker to the shoulder finisher, and that gets the pin. Afterward Douglas and Torrie make out. 1/4*

 

Are you ready for the real shit? Because here it comes. 

 

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Hollywood Hogan "def" Jeff Jarrett (c) in 1:19- People should have known right from the off something was up here because it was highly unlikely Goldberg and Nash were going to main event. Jarrett takes forever to come out after his music hits. Then Jarrett doesn't come out first, Russo does. After Russo Jarrett finally comes out. Hogan is in black and white Hollywood mode for anyone keeping track tonight, and he comes out to the NWO music. During Hogan's entrance Jarrett walked all the way back up the ramp and takes his sweet time coming back in. When he does the bell rings to start......and Jarrett immediately lays down. Russo holds the belt up and tells Hogan to pin him. Hogan looks shocked and confused. Russo tosses the belt in the ring at Hogan's feet and walks away. Hogan asks for a mic. "Is this your idea, Russo? That's why this company's in the damn shape it's in, because of bullshit like this". Hogan reluctantly puts one foot on Jarrett. The ref counts 3, Jarrett gets the hell out of town, and a disgusted looking Hogan is handed the belt. We cut to commentary and Tony says "We've seen a slice of real life here" and says we've all been swerved. Tony looks almost as disgusted as Hogan. Clearly the match is NR because it's not really a match. More in a sec.

 

First off, we cut to Vampiro arriving at the arena from the Parts Unknown Graveyard, which I guess officially gives him the win in that match. Cut back to commentary and they still have no idea what's going on. Vampiro's music hits and he comes out with a mic. He gets in the ring and says the Demon is dead, and he destroyed both the Demon and Sting. A bunch of bootleg Undertaker demons wearing Sting masks roll in a coffin. Vampiro is shocked, so clearly this isn't his guys. Vampiro opens the coffin and it's another fake Sting that commentary thinks is the real Sting. Baseball bats are swung, the lights do that lightning effect again, and next thing we know Vampiro's been stuffed in the coffin. End scene.

 

After a backstage Goldberg promo with nothing worth mentioning, Russo storms back to the ring. He says he's going to tell it like it is. That's a first. He looks very pained and tortured. Whether he really is or not, who knows. He says he left WCW 3 weeks ago and didn't know if he was going to be back. He says since he's gotten here he's done nothing but deal with bullshit backstage politics. The reason he came back was for the guys in the back that bust their ass every week for WCW and names names: Booker T, all of MIA, all of the Animals, Jarrett. Everyone that gives a shit about this company. "And let me tell you who doesn't give a shit about this company, that goddamn politician Hulk Hogan!". Russo says he's been playing politics with Hogan all day because Hogan wanted to play his creative control card (the one Hogan many years later denied ever having or using, a very provable and obvious lie) and win the title tonight. Russo says Hogan got his wish, then he went home. Russo promises everyone that "you'll never see that piece of shit again". He says Hogan can keep that belt and stick it up his ass (my summation, not his exact words), and there'll be a new belt tonight (which will really be the old belt, Jarrett had been carrying a new one). Russo says Jarrett is still the champion and will be properly defending the title later tonight against a guy that's been busting his ass for 14 years and can't get a break because of the "Hulk Hogans", Booker T. "Hogan, you big bald son of a bitch, kiss my ass!", mic drop and Russo out. Commentary then does their best to clean up knowing that Russo is their boss and needs to be kept happy. Tony definitely looks like he's completely done with this shit.

 

So much has been written and said about this night over the years, and there's been as many stories told about what the truth supposedly is as there were title vactions under Russo's tenure. As usual I'm not going to get deep into the "he said, he said" weeds, especially because everyone involved in this are professional and notorious lifelong liars, and just stick to the known verifiable facts. I'd also need a whole separate article for it all. How much Hogan knew or didn't know, how much he was really involved or not involved in it, the fact is as soon as his part was done he walked out of WCW, never to return. A side casualty to all this, his buddy Eric Bischoff went with him, ending his return Russo wingman run just a few months after coming back. Hogan then filed a defamation lawsuit against Russo and the company, a suit that was later dismissed. This whole incident is generally considered to be the last major signpost on the road to WCW's eventual demise. Starrcade '97, the Fingerpoke of Doom, hiring Russo, and tonight. If you're looking for definable single events that more than anything else led to WCW's death, those would probably be the core four, though there were many, many other smaller and longer term ones that also contributed just as much.

 

One last thought on all of this- Looking at what Hogan says about Russo and what he's done to the company, and what Russo says about Hogan, it's glaringly obvious what the biggest problem in this situation is. They're both right. 

 

Goldberg def Kevin Nash in 5:27- Goldberg had his big (and ill conceived) heel turn at GAB after coming back from injury, and his old foe turned temporary friend returned foe Nash is who he turned on so here we are. On top of that, this match is for Scott Hall's professional life. I'm not kidding. The details are of course vague, but Goldberg's somehow gotten a hold of Hall's contract and will burn it or eat it or something unless Nash can win it back tonight. Very sporting of Goldberg to give Nash a shot. Also ironic, as Hall was already long gone from the company, having had his last match at Superbrawl. Lockup! Slow corner break and Goldberg takes a cheap shot. Nash responds with knees to the gut and hits his usual corner knees and elbows. Goldberg powers out of Nash's standing boot choke and hits his headlock suplex for 2. Big kick from Goldberg, similar to the one that finished off Bret Hart. Nash comes back with a chokeslam. Scott Steiner makes his way out to ringside. He takes Hall's contract and tries to motivate Nash with it. Nash gets a boot up in the corner and hits a side suplex for 2. Goldberg pops up and charges. Nash dodges the spear and Goldberg hits the middle turnbuckle. The straps are down. Nash hooks up for the jackknife. Steiner gets in and attacks Nash *sigh* yet another obviously coming Russo SWERVE. Nash big boots Steiner, but then gets speared by Goldberg. Goldberg barely gets Nash up for the jackhammer and it's over. After the bell Goldberg tears up Hall's contract in Nash's face. You could do that finish since, again, Hall was already long gone. Possibly the worst of all the Goldberg/Nash matches. Negative effort, buried by overbooking, commentary desperately trying to pretend it's some kind of epic, yet another Russo swerve for a swerve's sake. The only redeeming feature is it's short. DUD

 

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Booker T def Jeff Jarrett (c) in 13:41- Improv main event time. It's funny they're trying to claim this is the second World title match tonight. Like you could call that mess earlier a match. You know Jarrett's got the original belt back, the top part of it is bent. After the bell Booker is fired up and Jarrett hides in the ropes. The crowd is pretty fired up for this all things considered. Lockup into a headlock/headscissors exchange and stalemate. Another run of that sequence and when they get back up Booker shoves Jarrett down. Some more basic feeling out and Booker cranks a headlock. Speed run and Booker hits a dropkick. Jarrett goes to the floor for a think. He comes back in swinging punches as things crank up a bit. Jarrett slides under Booker off the ropes, but Booker turns around and hits him with a side kick, then tosses him back out to the floor. Ax handle off the apron. Booker tosses Jarrett over the barricade and for the second time tonight it's crowd brawl time. They find the same spot Steiner and Awesome went to, I guess that's the designated area. Jarrett takes a bump off a concrete wall. They're doing a wide swath of the floor, making sure everyone gets an up close look, but not doing much more than walking through. Back to ringside Jarrett gives Booker a chairshot, then dumps him over the announce table. Jarrett piledrives Booker on the announce table! And the table didn't break! Hudson: "They finally got the construction right on this thing!". Nicely done Hudson. Back in the ring with Jarrett still in control. Booker tries to slug back but Jarrett gets the sleeper on. After arm drops Booker fights back up, but runs into a Jarrett corner boot. He puts the sleeper back on. Booker fights free and reverses into his own sleeper. Jarrett uses that position to hit Booker with a kneebreaker! Jarrett goes for the figure four. Booker counters with a small package for 2. Another go and this time Jarrett gets the figure four on. After a long fight Booker manages to reverse it and Jarrett takes a rope break. Jarrett stays on the knee. Booker gets his leg out of the way to make Jarrett butt splash himself and starts a comeback flurry. Ripcord knee from Booker. Scissors kick! Spinaroonie! Spinebuster for a long 2. Jarrett ducks a side kick and Booker hurts his knee again on the ropes. Corner whip do-si-do and down goes the ref. Jarrett gets the belt. Booker dodges a shot, picks the belt up, and nails Jarrett with it! Cover. Phoenix down used to revive the ref. Jarrett kicks out! Straight Greco Roman Nut Punch from Jarrett. He goes out, gets a chair, and wedges it into the corner. Booker counters and Jarrett goes head first into the chair! Another cover and another just barely kickout. Jarrett kicks Booker, then kicks the ref and gives him the Stroke. Another low blow on Booker. Jarrett goes out again. He's tried the belt, he's tried a chair, what could he possibly be going for now? You called it, it's guitar #2 for the night. Jarrett goes up top with it. Booker catches Jarrett coming down and hits the Book End! A backup ref runs in and counts 3! Booker T has won the World title for the first time! Despite all the nonsense getting here, this was exactly the match and moment WCW needed. All the ref bump nonsense holds it back, but before that it was encroaching on being really good if not great with two clearly motivated wrestlers. Of course with Russo still in charge ready to piss away any goodwill earned here, and the Hogan incident being the only thing people would really remember from this show, it won't matter any in the long run. ***1/4

 

Two takeaways from this. One, this match and Booker winning was 100% the right call. The company was already beyond saving, but Booker, along with Jarrett and Scott Steiner, were just the getting into or in their prime guys they needed to be the new backbone if they had any chance at all. Second, the title win is slightly tainted by the fact that it largely came about due to Booker, along with his brother Stevie Ray, Sonny Oono and others, threatening to file a racial discrimination lawsuit against Russo and the company. Full context no matter how much Booker really did deserve it.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Take away the whole Hogan/Russo debacle and it's not completely one of the great stinkers of the era. Sure there's the usual awful shit you expect, but it's actually countered with a few solid to good matches and a surprisingly good impromptu main event and great moment to finish. Like a turd with some candy sprinkles or hot fudge sauce on top.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D 

Vengeance '02

Legacy Review

Vengeance '02

July 21, 2002 from the Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit, MI

 

Commentary: Michael Cole and Tazz (first half); Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler (second half)

 

We're now about four months into the first ever brand split, and they're still sorting out how exactly it's all going to work. Going into this show, changes have once again been made. The initial on screen catalyst for the split was 50/50 WWE co-owners Vince McMahon and Ric Flair not being able to get along. However, in June on Raw Flair lost a match to Vince to give Vince full control over the entire company again, relegating Flair back to being just a wrestler. But they still wanted each show to have its own identity, so in lieu of running everything himself Vince decided to appoint the first ever General Managers for each show, both of whom were introduced the week before this PPV. On the Raw side, in one of the biggest surprises in wrestling history, Vince shocked everyone by introducing none other than former WCW showrunner Eric Bischoff as the new Raw GM. Bischoff's official role in WWE would be entirely on screen only, no executive or creative power, but he would still have some unofficial input. For Smackdown, Stephanie McMahon returned to TV to be the brand's GM, and she would reposition as the babyface GM opposite Bischoff's heel. The first fight between the two started right away, a bidding war for free agent Triple H, who will be making his decision tonight. Also, behind the scenes around the same time Paul Heyman took over as the head writer/booker for Smackdown, officially kicking off the Smackdown Six era.

 

During Sunday Night Heat it was decided that after hanging out in the upper arena levels to hype up the SD matches the last couple of PPVs, SD commentary team Michael Cole and Tazz will get to commentate the first half of the show tonight, then JR and Lawler will take over the second half. Again, still trying to figure out how this brand split thing is going to work.

 

Elimination Tables Match: Bubba Ray Dudley & Spike Dudley def Eddie Guerrero & Chris Benoit in 15:01- This is Benoit's first PPV match after coming back from a year long neck injury. He gets a pretty decent pop too, especially since he and Guerrero are supposed to be the heels here. Quick start from Benoit after the bell on Spike. Spike manages to get a flash armdrag and quickly tags out to Bubba Ray. He runs into a Benoit drop toe hold/Guerrero basement dropkick combo. Clothesline and snap suplex from Benoit. Another basement dropkick from Guerrero to Bubba Ray's knee. Basic slam/elbow drop combo from Benoit. German suplex! The heels keep Bubba Ray trapped in their corner by any means necessary. Bubba Ray tries to chop back on Benoit but doesn't get anywhere, then gets double team choked in a neutral corner. He tries to wildly fight out of that but still gets put back down again. Benoit tells Guerrero to get a table. Spike runs in, launches off Bubba Ray's back, and dives onto Guerrero on the floor! Benoit goes out and whips Spike into the stairs. Back in another Bubba Ray comeback is cut off by a Guerrero trip from the floor. The way Benoit is going at it there's no doubt he's not altering his style at all after his major injury. Also, there's a woman dressed like Chyna ringside that I'm not completely sure isn't really Chyna. Guerrero gets another table from in front of her and sadly doesn't acknowledge her any. They set the table up in the ring, then set Bubba Ray up for a double superplex. Spike gets the table out of the way! They still superplex Bubba Ray, but at least it wasn't through a table. Spike goes nuts until Benoit puts him down with a wicked stiff blow right on the back of his neck. Gutbuster from Benoit on Spike. The heels prop the table up in the corner. They whip Spike toward the table, but Bubba Ray grabs him and drags him down to stop him! Great save. Spike grabs Guerrero by the leg, letting Bubba Ray finally get some offense in on Benoit. Guerrero tries his lucha style knucklelock armdrag off the top rope but Bubba Ray blocks it and slams him off the top. Bubba Ray slams Benoit, then Spike hits a double stomp off the top rope on him. Benoit then takes the Spike version of the Whazzup Drop. "Spike! Get the table!". There's one already in there. Benoit grabs Spike and puts the crossface on! Spike taps but it doesn't mean anything in this match. Bubba Ray saves Spike and Samoan drops Benoit, then resets the table in the ring. Benoit gets set up on the table. He dodges and Bubba Ray puts himself through the table! But he's not out, we're doing the "has to be an offensive move" rules. Spike gets a flying headscissors on Guerrero, then dodges and Benoit wipes himself and Guerrero out over the top rope to the floor. Guerrero shoulderblocks Spike coming back in, then sees the table on the floor. He tries to suplex Spike out of the ring into it but Spike lands on the apron. Spike Dudley Dogs Guerrero through the table! Guerrero is out! Benoit slides Spike back in the ring then gets another table out. Spike goes for the Dudley Dog but Benoit blocks it. Benoit presses Spike and drops him through another table on the floor! That's Spike gone. Benoit sets the table up in the ring, then waistlocks Bubba Ray to German him through it. Bubba Ray fights free. Bubba Bomb through the table! The Dudleyz win! Damn good stuff, very well laid out and Benoit and Guerrero definitely had some extra pep in their step being back together again. ***1/2

 

In the back, new Raw GM Bischoff and his very new hair dye chase down Triple H. Bischoff lays in the semi-hard sell, but is annoyed when he sees Trips is going into the Smackdown office to talk to Steph. Trips says Bischoff got to make his pitch last week, now he needs to hear what Steph has to say. 

 

WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Jamie Noble (c) (w/Nidia) def Billy Kidman in 7:27- Now Heyman's in creative control of SD the CW title and division is going to become a staple of the brand, not unlike the classic WCW Cruiserweight division, though with not as quite high quality matches. Nice to see Kidman in proper wrestling gear, but I guess his old gear would have encroached on Noble's gimmick. Nice rough lockup. They tumble out of the ring still locked up, separate, slide in, then lock up again! Love it. They go into a crazy high octane flash cover/counter run. Noble gets frustrated and rolls out to regroup with Nidia. Back in Noble gets the first strikes in, but Kidman cuts him off with a flying headscissors. Noble tries to fight off the apron in the corner, but Kidman gives him a nice legdrop while he's draped on the ropes, knocking him back to the floor. Kidman tries a plancha but Noble blocks it, then he tosses Nidia into Kidman to distract him and hits an armbar slam on the floor. Nidia didn't mind. Noble runs Kidman's shoulder into the post. Northern lights suplex from Noble back in for 2. He goes back to Kidman's arm, cranking it back. Kidman tries one of his usual pop up moves but the shoulder is too hurt and he can't do it, then Noble posts his shoulder again. Back in Noble has a nice hammerlock takedown into what would later be KUSHIDA's hoverboard lock. Kidman manages to fight back with one arm and hit a hurricanrana, followed by a dropkick. Fireman's carry neckbreaker from Kidman for 2. After a couple of attempts by Kidman to fight it off Noble hits another armbar slam into a Fujiwara armbar. Kidman crawls over and gets a rope break. Noble then changes tacks and makes that supreme tactical error in any match against Kidman, he goes for a powerbomb. Kidman does his faceplant counter for a long 2. Enzuguri from Kidman. He drags Noble into the drop zone and goes up top. Noble fights up top with him. Avalanche spinebuster from Kidman! That gets another long 2. Kidman tries for a tornado DDT but Noble blocks it. Kidman uses that to snap Noble over the top rope and goes up top again. Noble dodges the SSP! Oklahoma roll from Noble for 2. Another series of rapid fire counters. Noble hits the double underhook powerbomb and that gets the pin! Cole: "I guess Noble and Nidia can eat at the buffet tonight". Their trailer park trash gimmick was so good. Another good, high octane match. I wish the hurt arm had played more into the finish because the psychology was sound with it up until then, but that's just not WWE's style. ***1/4

 

In the back, Heyman interrupts Angle's promo to introduce Angle to BROCK LESNAR. Angle's not intimidated one bit. Heyman miscalculated that this is Bald Angle now, he's not a weenie anymore. Angle's "I hate pompous people" is a great little kicker. 

 

WWE European Championship: Jeff Hardy (c) def William Regal in 4:13- Hardy defeated Regal for the title on Raw a couple of weeks prior, this is Regal's rematch. It was also earlier this month that Hardy had his famous Ladder Match against Undertaker for the WWE Title, one of the greatest matches in Raw history, aided greatly by JR's "Climb the ladder, kid! Make yourself famous!" call. Hardy actually locks up, which gives the more experienced and traditional Regal an opening to get shots in. Hardy floats over Regal in the corner, but then poses when he lands, allowing Regal to slap the absolute stuffing out of him. Big shoulderblock from Regal and quick cover for 2. Hardy tries a sunset flip but Regal lifts him up and kneedrops the back of his neck for 2. Hardy dodges another kneedrop, hits a couple of kicks to the knee, and a jawbreaker for 2. It's only 2002 and Tazz is already out to lunch on commentary. This was not an AEW only thing. Hardy slingshots Regal over the top to the floor. After a couple of slightly rough counters Hardy hits a flying headscissors on the floor. He goes for the running barricade dive but Regal ducks and Hardy splats on the floor. Back in Hardy springs up top and hits Whisper in the Wind. He tries sliding under Regal. Regal grabs his foot, but Hardy uses that to hit a kick. Gut legdrop from Hardy and he goes up top. Swanton Bomb! But Regal gets his knees up! Half nelson suplex from Regal for 2. Backbreaker and PK kick to Hardy's back. Hardy counters something by cranking Regal's arm, which sends Regal face first into the mat, and he rolls Regal up for the pin to retain! Bit of a sudden finish. Pretty oil and water match and they didn't get enough time to work through it. *1/2

 

That would turn out to be the final proper defense of the European title. The next night on Raw they had a unification match to merge the European and Intercontinental titles, deactivating the European title, something they honestly could have done months if not years ago as it had become pretty useless, and kicking off the next round of title structure reshuffling due to the brand split that'll go on the next few months and eventually give us the first split world champions.

 

John Cena def Chris Jericho in 6:14- Another of the famous OVW Class of 2002 has arrived. Cena made his main roster debut on the June 27 episode of Smackdown, challenging Kurt Angle in what's become a legendary moment. His reason for the challenge? "RUTHLESS AGGRESSION!", playing off a recent speech by Vince to the roster, the motto that would later become the name for this entire era. Incidentally, Randy Orton has also made his main roster debut, before Cena actually, but it's still going to be a while before his first PPV appearance. This is a rematch from the last SD, where Jericho got intentionally DQ'd by low blowing Cena then went nuts on him with a chair. Cena's early entrance music is the most generic thing possible. We're a long way away before the Doctor of Thuganomics gets going, right now he's essentially still in the Prototype gimmick he was using in OVW, but not using that name on the main roster. Jericho tries to come at Cena with a chair in the aisle on his entrance but Cena fights him off. Cena gets the chair and nails Jericho with it! Long way away from squeaky clean babyface Cena too. They get in the ring and the bell rings to officially start the match, with Cena giving Jericho the full pillar to post beating. Jericho grabs the top rope and gets the hell out of town. No space given from Cena as he chases Jericho back into the ring, hits a back elbow and a hiptoss. Spinebuster from Cena for 2. Jericho gets Cena with a hot shot to turn things around. Back suplex from Jericho. He tries to take a top buckle pad off but ref Mike Chioda catches him. While Jericho backs up Cena rolls him up for 2. Leg lariat from Jericho. Jericho continues to pound Cena down while adding in some commentary to remind him it's happening. Jericho ducks a swing and hits a skull crushing finale. He goes up top but takes too much time and Cena joins him. Superplex from Cena for 2. Tiltawhirl slam for 2. Cena goes for something in the corner, but while he's in midair Jericho hits him with a missile dropkick off the second rope! Nice. Cena grabs Jericho's legs and tries to slingshot him but Jericho lands on the second rope, but then Jericho leaps off into a Cena belly to belly suplex for 2. Jericho dodges a Cena dropkick. He goes for the Lionsault but Cena dodges. Oklahoma roll from Cena for 2. Jericho reverse DDTs Cena and tries for a leverage pin but Cena still kicks out. Misdirection bulldog. Lionsault! But arrogant Jericho doesn't cover. He wants Cena to tap and goes for the Walls. Cena counters into a Paul Smackage and gets the upset pin! Jericho is FURIOUS and Cena gets the hell out of town. Cena certainly looked green, but they paired him up well as it was pretty much impossible to have a bad match with Jericho. And we all know Jericho has never had any issue with putting new guys over. Three words (well two words and a number): Fandango, Wrestlemania 29. **1/4

 

In the back, Bischoff and Coach are still waiting for Trips outside Steph's office. Steph's attorney shows up with legal documents. Bischoff tries to stop him but has no controlling legal authority to do so. After that, JR and King get their full entrance to take over commentary for the second half of the show. I like the little staredown Lawler and Tazz have, not forgetting their feud from a couple of years ago.

 

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Rob Van Dam (c) def Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) by DQ in 9:39- Brock won a WWE Championship shot at Summerslam when he won King of the Ring, but needed something to do in the meantime. RVD was who he beat in the KOTR final, RVD was IC champ then and now, and beating a champion in a non-title match usually gets you a shot at that title, so here we are. This would be the only time in Lesnar's career he would challenge for anything as piffling as the IC title. Big pop for RVD in his home state. RVD goes to lock up. Lesnar isn't interested. Lesnar counters a whip attempt into a quick fireman's carry slam, then manhandles RVD into the corner. RVD uses a strike combo to push Lesnar back into the opposite corner, then he drop toe holds him into the middle turnbuckle and back kicks him out to the floor. Heyman has to calm a pissed off Lesnar down. "Stick to the game plan". Back in RVD starts working on Lesnar's knee. Nice high angle basement dropkick right into Lesnar's jaw. RVD then makes the mistake of grabbing a headlock. Lesnar easily tosses RVD across the ring to get out of it. RVD ducks a clothesline against the ropes and Lesnar tumbles over the top to the floor! That would be a great Rumble elimination. RVD goes for a plancha but Lesnar catches him. RVD manages to avoid getting posted and tries for an asai moonsault. Again Lesnar catches him and powerslams him on the floor! Might want to give up on trying that, Rob. Cover back in for 2. Lesnar deadlifts RVD up for a gutbuster. Another one. Belly to belly suplex. ONE! Wait, we're not doing that yet. RVD slips free off Lesnar's shoulders and hits a misdirection kick. RVD tries for a moonsault off the top rope but Lesnar dodges it. RVD then tries for his corner monkey flip but Lesnar powers him over the top out to the floor! I'm loving the counter game Lesnar's bringing tonight. He runs RVD's back into the apron and gives him a stair shot. Back in Lesnar hooks on a bear hug with Heyman shouting "SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE!" from the floor. RVD tries to fight out so Lesnar backs him into the corner hard. Now Lesnar puts on an abdominal stretch, with some extra clubbing blows. RVD dodges in the corner again and gets some momentum with shoulderblocks and a diving back kick off the second rope. He basement dropkicks Lesnar to the apron then hits a slingshot dropkick. Flying kick off the top rope. Rolling thunder! Cover for 2. Superkick from RVD and he springs up top. Lesnar scoops him off into F5 position. RVD counters the F5 midmove into a DDT! Freaking fantastic. He goes up top again. FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH! But he's slower than usual to cover. Heyman pulls ref Lil' Naitch out of the ring at 2! Naitch calls for the bell, DQ'ing Lesnar. RVD baseball slides Heyman and then Naitch starts WAILING AWAY on Heyman! I love it! I think Naitch just signed his death warrant though, as Lesnar sees, goes out, and tosses him away. RVD senton off the top rope to Lensar on the floor! Another superkick back in puts Lesnar down in the corner. RVD gets a chair. We know what's coming. Heyman grabs RVD before he can get the Van Terminator off! Lesnar grabs RVD and fisherman suplexes him onto the chair. Then he F5s RVD onto the chair and end scene. Good stuff. They backed themselves into a corner booking this and pretty much had to do a finish like that, but since coming to WWE RVD's been doing nothing but ripping off good matches, and you can see Lesnar starting to put the pieces together already. This is also a rare case where the postmatch extracurriculars were as good as the match proper. ***1/4

 

Back to a very anxious Bischoff. Steph emerges from her office and stares Bischoff down. Bischoff says he can tell by the look on Steph's face that she didn't get Trips signed. Steph says "He signed" and walks away. Trips comes out and Bischoff is furious with him. Trips: "Listen you ass! Those papers I signed, they were my divorce papers!". Checking that box off. Trips says as far as business goes, he hasn't made up his mind yet.

 

No DQ: Booker T def The Big Show in 5:50- I believe this feud initially got going when both guys were involved with the WWE NWO, but the NWO was recently disbanded by Vince after he got full control back. A mercy killing really, they never mattered one little bit since coming to WWE. Fast start from Booker at the bell. Show catches him swinging a kick and slams him. He tosses Booker out of the corner across the ring. Great facial reaction from Booker after that. Booker tries to slug back but gets put back down with a headbutt. Booker manages to work around and hit an enzuguri. Show goes for a clothesline but only manages to rub the top of Booker's head. Booker still gives it a 360 sell. Show chop time. Cole's running across the arena to get back on commentary to shout "frying pan". Show then literally sets Booker against the ropes to 360 clothesline him to the floor. Booker gets a chair and tries to hit Show with it but Show punches it away. Post shot for Booker. Booker dodges and Show posts himself, then he gives Show a bunch of shots on it. Booker tries to chop but Show pushes him away. Booker then gets a TV cable and chokes Show with it. No DQ. They get behind the Spanish announce table and Spanish commentary rapidly vamanoses. Monitor shot for Show! Booker then gets up on the English announce table, runs, and scissor kicks Show through the Spanish announce table! Very nice, that was different. Back in Booker continue to lay in the punishment. He runs into a goozle and straight Greco Roman Nut Punts to get out. Scissors kick! Booker goes up top and hits the old Harlem Hangover! That gets the pin! After the bell Booker gives the crowd a spinaroonie for the road while commentary calls it a massive upset and the biggest win of Booker's WWE career. You're only ever going to get so much out of Show, but Booker looked great as he slowly crawls out of the very large hole he was ground into during his Invasion burial. **1/2

 

At WWF New York The World, Torrie Wilson and Dawn Marie have an even faker debate "argument" than your standard daytime ESPN two morons scream at each other show.

 

PPV promo time as Triple H comes out to make his decision. Before Trips can say anything..."I'M BACK! And I'm better than ever!". Such perfect music for Bischoff in WWE. Bischoff apologizes for getting into Trips' personal business earlier, and says that's a plus for Raw because he can separate business and personal. Bischoff then offers Trips his Hollywood connections. That's the last thing WWE needs, another top guy going over there. Steph then makes her way out and tries to spin that her personal history with Trips is a positive because they know each other. She then hits Bischoff for saying Trips had "no talent and no charisma" and releasing him when he was in WCW. Trips seems to count that as a big point for Steph. Trips takes over the conversation and says he didn't really want to be in this position and now he's stuck between an arrogant prick and a cold hearted bitch. He says he thinks he's made his decision, and after faking out Bischoff he says he'd rather go with the devil he knows, seemingly choosing Smackdown. BUT WAIT! Trips' REAL life partner Shawn Michaels is here! Shawn says he promised he was going to bring Trips back to the Kliq boys with the NWO, but Vince says the NWO doesn't exist anymore. But that's neither here nor there. Shawn says he wants Trips to consider two things, friendship and fun. "Triple H, Shawn Michaels, back in the saddle again, making this guy's life a living hell!". The DX pitch. Trips: "Sorry Steph!". It's Raw. The band is back together. For now. This is all setup for Shawn's in ring return, which is now right around the corner. I can't wait.

 

WWE Tag Team Championship: The Unamericans def Edge & Hollywood Hulk Hogan (c) in 9:48- This was another fun angle from Hogan's good return to WWE run. On the 4th of July Smackdown, Edge teamed up with his childhood hero Hogan to defeat Billy & Chuck for the tag titles, the first and only time Hogan ever won tag titles in his career. Meanwhile, the Canadian Unamericans team of Christian and Lance Storm (plus Test) had been getting a big push on Raw. Storm's diatribe on the US starting a bunch of wars is questionable (the ones he mentions at least), but World War I? Come on. All we did was come in at the very end and push the two years long stalemated sides into a result. That's not instigation, that's cleanup. Hogan and Christian start. Hogan's lockup push sends Christian all the way out to the floor! Storm slaps Hogan's back, giving Christian an opening to attack. Double suplex on Hogan. Hogan pops back up and double clotheslines them. Classic double noggin knocker. Clothesline on Storm. Edge tags in and flapjacks Storm. Flying forearm. Edge goes for mounted punches but Christian pushes him down to the floor. Storm dropkicks Edge and tags out. Christian gives us some more brother on brother violence, back in the ring together for the first time since the end of their rather underwhelming breakup feud. Backbreaker from Christian for 2. Edge fights out of a chinlock but Christian hair pulls him into a neckbreaker for 2. Edge dodges an elbow off the second rope. Christian tries to hold him back from tagging so Edge enzuguris him, then faceplants Storm onto Christian! Tag to Hogan. Big boot on Storm. Christian ducks the big boot and hits a reverse DDT! Cover. HULK UP! Point! Heh, that sets off a Christian temper tantrum. Nice. Punches for Christian and Storm. Big boot for Christian. Legdrop! Storm pulls Hogan off before 3! Christian eye pokes Hogan and Storm snaps him over the top rope. Superkick from Storm to Hogan on the floor. Back in the heels keep Hogan in peril. Hogan fights off a double team and he and Storm double clothesline each other. Tag to Edge! Hot tag run. Edge backdrops both Unamericans. Corner spears for both guys. DDT on Storm for 2. DONNYBROOK! Hogan and Christian go to the floor. Storm leapfrogs and Edge spears the ref! Edge blocks a superkick and hits the Edgecution! Test is now out. He takes out Hogan. Big boot of death to Edge! Storm covers. Edge kicks out! Now Rikishi is out and he attacks Test. Edge spears Storm! But Christian distracts before he can cover. While the ref's distracted Chris Jericho comes in and hits Edge with a tag belt! Storm covers and gets the pin to win the titles! Another Canadian has joined the group. Solid if overbooked formula stuff, and I think everyone knew Hogan and Edge's title reign would be short lived. **1/4

 

Bischoff interrupts Angle's prematch walk to pitch Angle flipping to Raw. Angle's only focused on his match and won't talk right now. Cut to Steph, who says she's not worried because she's in contact with "everyone" on Raw and when the time is right she'll make her move and "rip the heart" out of Raw.

 

Triple Threat Match for the Undisputed WWE Championship: The Rock def Kurt Angle and The Undertaker (c) in 19:47- Taker's title reign was the latest in a run of lackluster ones this year, and with Lesnar looming Rock seemed like an obvious winner here, so what was originally a straight Taker vs Rock match had Angle thrown in to try to give it a bit of intrigue. Everyone picks a corner before the bell and are extremely cautious to start. Rock and Taker start jawing at each other. Angle DEMANDS attention, so Taker and Rock team up to beat him down. Got what he asked for. Big 360 clothesline from Rock sending Angle to the floor. As soon as that's done Taker is all over Rock. Rock counters a backdrop, then Taker hits the flying clothesline. As Angle's trying to get back in the ring Taker runs into him and knocks him off the apron. Angle nearly falls into Taker's bike, which would be an instant death sentence. Rock then 360 clotheslines Taker out to the floor. Angle jumps right on Taker and whips him into the stairs. He gets on the apron and Rock belly to belly throws him over the top rope back into the ring. Angle ripcord German suplex! Corner stomps and chops from Angle. Rock turns it around and hits his own chops. Angle belly to belly suplex! Another. The original Suplex City, right here. Angle says one more, but Rock cuts it off with a DDT for 2. They go to the floor for some usual ringside knockaround, where Taker rejoins the fray. With both Angle and Rock down Taker makes a deliberate decision to go after Rock. Back in we get some typical slow heel Taker beatdown on Rock. A Rock comeback flurry is cut off with a side suplex for 2. Taker takes a second to punch Angle off the apron again. Rock goozle on Taker! Rock hits a chokeslam! Angle breaks the pin up. He pounds away on Rock against the ropes. Rock fires back with a clothesline. Rock ankle lock on Angle! Angle gets free and hits Rock with a Rock Bottom! Taker breaks that pin up with a legdrop. It's definitely trading moves, or move stealing, night. Taker slips out of an Angle Slam and hits his own Angle Slam! Case in point. Rock breaks up that pin. Big Taker back elbow on Rock. Rock kips back up and hits a clothesline, then momentum tosses Angle back out to the floor. I like how the other two guys keep getting rid of Angle whenever possible, like he's just in the way. Rock spinebuster! Someone's going to hit their own move for once tonight. People's Elbow! Angle pulls Rock out before he can cover and drops him on the announce table. Angle sneaks in and covers Taker for 2! That's most definitely the Intelligence in the Three I's. Now Angle beats Taker down in the corner. Taker comes out with this corner toss and rapid fire punches. Corner clothesline. Taker dodges and Angle posts his shoulder. Back to the floor as Taker knocks Angle around ringside a bit more until Rock comes from behind and spits water in his face! Taker flops Rock onto the announce table, then goes back to punish Angle, who's now bleeding after a post shot. Apron legdrop from Taker. Old school hits, with a slight twist as Taker punches Angle right on the cut. Rock breaks up another pin and goes nuts on Taker. Taker counters a backdrop with a DDT for 2. He sets up for the chokeslam and goozles Rock. Angle comes in with a chair, but Taker cuts him off with a punch. Rock and Taker punch Angle back and forth between them. Taker fights off a Rock Bottom. Another goozle. Rock goes to the Greco Roman Nut Punt to cut off the chokeslam. Chairshot from Angle to Taker! Angle Slam on Rock! Man, Rock even managed to sell that more than most people. Everyone's down. Angle slowly crawls over and covers Taker. Taker kicks out! Slow crawl to cover Rock. Rock kicks out! Angle wants Rock to get back up. Rock cuts him off with a dragon screw! World's Shittiest Sharpshooter! Angle teases tapping before Taker breaks it up. Last Ride on Rock! Angle pulls Taker off the cover with the ankle lock! And he's cranking the hell out of it. Taker flips Angle over to get free. Last Ri.....NO Angle counters with a triangle choke! This is what Angle did in their recent match on Smackdown to get inserted into this match. Taker powers Angle back up and powerbombs him, but Angle keeps the hold on! Hebner arm drops Taker. Before it can drop a third time Rock breaks the hold up. Rock coils. Angle fights off a Rock Bottom into an ankle lock! Rock rolls Angle around into a cradle for 2. Taker chokeslam on Angle! Rock Bottom on Taker! Taker JUST kicks out! I'm not sure he properly got his shoulder up there. Angle rolls Rock up with a handful of tights for 2. Big boot from Taker on Rock. Angle Slam on Taker! THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Rock Bottom on Angle! Taker is literally a HALF SECOND too late on the pin breakup and Rock pins Angle to win the title! Great match, tremendous finish. Rock's 7th WWE Championship win, a new record to that point. When this took place it was generally considered the greatest triple threat match ever, and became the template for the match type for years. It's also the best WWE Title match so far this year, in what's been a rough year for main events so far. ****1/2

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- A sneaky good B PPV here. Several good matches, nothing really bad, a great main event and even a rare good promo segment on PPV. The past year or so has been a rough creative stretch for WWE, but signs seem to be pointing slightly up again as we approach what will be a spectacular Summerslam.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B+