January 20th, 2002 – Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia
While 2001 was a fun year to go back and watch, I'm more excited for 2002. I remember this year fondly as I thought that WrestleMania X8 was good, we had the return of the nWo, the rise of Brock Lesnar, the return of Shawn Michaels and the brand split that I loved so much. The WWF was about to become the WWE and Chris Jericho was the Undisputed Champion. Interesting time period for sure. Time for the first Pay-Per-View of that calendar year.
Tag Team Championship
Spike Dudley and Tazz (c) d. The Dudley Boyz w/ Stacy Keibler in 5:26 to retain the titles
Why Tazz and Spike won the Tag Team Titles is beyond me. Anyway, a brawl begins but things quickly simmer as Bubba and Spike start. Spike is wearing a neck brace, so Bubba rips it off and targets the neck. Good god, Stacy looks hot. A near brainbuster from Bubba before he taunts Tazz. He tries it again, but Spike reverses and hits the Dudley Dog. Classic heel work as the referee doesn't see Spike make the tag and the Dudleys double flapjack Spike and he damn near hits the ceiling. D-Von misses a splash, the Dudleys accidentally clothesline each other and Tazz gets the tag. NAPOLEON RAMPAGE! He suplexes both Dudleys and then Bubba oversells offense from both Spike and Tazz. Stacy tries to get involved and gets put in the Tazzmission. D-Von stops that but gets the Tazzmission too and he submits. Decent enough. Not sloppy, kept short and that's all you could ask for. **
Recap of the Edge/William Regal feud before Lillian Garcia interviews the Intercontinental Champion in the back. Edge says that they can play dirty because he's broke Regal's nose with a steel chair and he can play dirty with the best of them.
Intercontinental Championship
William Regal d. Edge (c) in 9:25 to win the title
Nick Patrick inspects Regal's trunks and discovers brass knuckles. Edge is on the offensive at the start as he comes out aggressively. He slams Regal's surgically repaired nose into the mat before eating a knee trembler. Regal suplexes Edge on his face in a bit of revenge. Weird how Edge goes from King of the Ring, to Intercontinental Champion, to wrestling over a freaking shampoo commercial at WrestleMania. Edge counters a double underhook powerbomb but Regal holds on and hits it anyway. He goes for the bomb again from the apron to the outside, but Edge blocks it and hits a DDT to continue focusing on Regal's face/nose. I don't know if I've ever seen a match where a guy targets the nose. Back inside, they run into each other and both men are down. Regal counters the Edgecution into the Regal Stretch because he's awesome. Edge, because he too is awesome, reverses into his own Regal Stretch. Dropkick and schoolboy get Edge a near fall before coming off the top with a spinning heel kick. Regal pulls yet another pair of brass knuckles out and levels Edge with it after Nick Patrick gets Speared by mistake. Regal covers and wins the gold. Much better than their match at Vengeance. This probably should have opened the show. ***1/2
Women's Championship
Trish Stratus (c) d. Jazz in 4:06 to retain the title
Working with girls like Lita and Jazz probably has a lot to do with Trish's vast improvement. Jacqueline is the referee for some reason. Actual Divas story here as Jazz smashed Trish's hand on a recent episode of Raw. They go for a series of quick rollup reversals to make Jackie work hard. Jazz targets the arm before dropping a leg across Trish. She wraps Trish's hand around the bottom rope and Trish sells the injury well. Jazz gets into a shoving match with Jackie, so the referee is slow to decide to count when Jazz gets a pin attempt. Jazz again destroys the hand. Trish wriggles out of Jazz's grasp and hits Stratusfaction but Jazz reverses the pin shockingly. I watched Jazz defeat men in ECW so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Trish hits a bulldog with the injured hand to win from out of nowhere, so not sure on that. Not bad, with good selling for the most part. Jazz still looked like a beast throughout, so that's good. **
Ric Flair is shown arriving with his son and daughter. It's Reid, who passed away a few years ago and Leah, the non-wrestling Flair.
Street Fight
Ric Flair d. Vince McMahon in 15:05
My goodness does Flair look young compared to the present day. Vince is jacked, especially when standing next to Flair. Vince overpowers Flair and poses before getting him in the corner and chopping him. Flair has none of that, switches places and lights Vince's chest on fire to massive “woos” from the crowd. Vince continues to control with his strength as things go outside. As they fight up the aisle, Flair is gushing blood which was expected. Vince taunts Flair's kids before going inside and focusing on Flair's legs. So far, this is kind of disappointing. I normally love Vince's brawls. Vince slaps on the Figure Four and Flair reverses it. Vince grabs a pipe and Flair hits a low blow. Flair now takes control by using the old ass monitors on Vince. Seriously, it's 2014 and they're still using the same dumb monitors. Leah takes a photo of Vince's now busted open face. The Nature Boy hits Vince with the pipe and dancing before putting on the Figure Four and a bloody Vince taps. That was underwhelming. It wasn't bad, but I expect more from a Vince brawl. Also don't know why Vince controlled the entire match. **1/2
Stephanie McMahon interrupts as Michael Cole tries to interview Nick Patrick. She calls Triple H the favorite to win the Royal Rumble until Steve Austin comes up behind her. He delivers about 100 “whats” to run her off and then he does it to Cole. I still wish that we got Austin/Hogan at WrestleMania X8 instead of Rock/Hogan or Austin/Hall.
WWF Undisputed Championship
Chris Jericho (c) d. The Rock in 18:55 to retain
Alright, so after No Mercy and Vengeance, I have high hopes for this. Staredown highlighted by Jericho talking trash in Rock's face. Rock goes to retort and Jericho goes all WWF No Mercy/WCW Revenge by stealing his taunt. Rock levels him and we're underway. They trade moves in the ring until Jericho busts out the EDDIE GILBERT HOTSHOT! Jericho hits a spinning heel kick, and after seeing Edge busts one out earlier, it must be the Canadian theme of the night. He goes for the “COME ON BABY” pin but obviously doesn't win. Jericho exposes the turnbuckle very early and continues to hold serve. Rest hold time as Jericho puts on a headlock. Rock fights out of it and hits a second rope suplex. I refuse to call it a superplex unless it's from the top. Rock is in control until Jericho hits a face buster and Lionsault. A second Lionsault follows but Rock kicks out, so there goes his finisher as legit. Jericho pulls a HHH and gets into a shoving match with Hebner. They telegraph a spot where Rock catches Jericho in the Sharpshooter. Jericho taps but Lance Storm is out to distract the ref. Christian enters and Rock disposes of him. Jericho hits the Rock Bottom but Rock gets his shoulder up again. Jericho goes for the Jerichoholic Elbow but Rock tosses him outside. They clear off the announce tables and Jericho gets Rock Bottomed through one of them. Back in the ring, Rock gets a near fall. Jericho locks on the Walls but Rock reaches the ropes. Jericho tries again but gets pulled into a small package for two. Referee goes down and Jericho cold cocks Rocky with the belt for yet another near fall. Rock plants him with a DDT and Nick Patrick acts like he doesn't see. That's weird because he was the ref who sent Christian and Storm to the back. Rock takes him out and hits the People's Elbow but Hebner is still out. Rock goes to wake him and Jericho goes ultimate heel with a low blow, sending Rock into the exposed turnbuckle and rolling him up with his feet on the ropes. SUPER HEEL. Great match again as they have awesome chemistry. Just a shade below their other matches. ***3/4
HBK is LIVE...AND IN YO FACE at WWF New York. His prediction for the Royal Rumble is between The Undertaker and Steve Austin because they're all from Texas. And because it's Austin and the Undertaker. The Royal Rumble video package has generic music over it as I guess Kid Rock's “Cocky” is something they don't have the license for.
Royal Rumble
Triple H wins in 71:24
Rikishi was number 30 last year and he's number 1 this time around. The returning Goldust draws number two. Basic back and forth with Goldust sneaking out around two minutes. It's weird to think that Goldust currently wrestles against Rikishi's kids. Big Bossman joins and I had no idea he was still employed. Goldust and Bossman double Rikishi and try to get him over. Business picks up as Bradshaw is out next. He shoulder blocks the hell out of Goldust. Stink Face and superkick for Bossman is followed by a clothesline that eliminates him. If this can be serious for a minute, Lance Storm draws number five. Time gets wasted by futile efforts to eliminate people. I miss the Storm/Hurricane tag team. Even their names say they should have lasted longer. WHAT DOES EVERYBODY WANT?! Al Snow enters at six. Bradshaw takes Storm's head off with a Clothesline from Hell. Not any credible threats in right now, which means someone like Kane needs to enter and clean house soon. Number seven arrives in the form of Billy Gunn. He eats a big boot from Bradshaw who is dominating. Storm and Snow do battle on the apron as Snow superkicks Storm and rids the match of him. Billy eliminates Bradshaw, which is disappointing. Intervals are longer than two minutes oddly. I asked for Kane, but The Undertaker at eight will do just fine. Taker chokeslams the hell out of Gunn and disposes of Goldust. Snow, who was getting a good pop is out as is Rikishi. Why would they leave Billy Gunn in of all of them? And there goes Gunn. Undertaker is alone. Matt Hardy is next, returning from Undertaker taking out both Hardys. Lita jumps in and hits Taker with a low blow. Lita and Matt stomp on Taker but he quickly recovers and runs things again.
Number ten arrives and it's Matt's brother Jeff. Now, Jeff, Matt and Lita stomp on Undertaker. Jim Ross is totally fine with Lita interfering in anything but not other valets. Undertaker shows that he's the big dog in the yard again but the Hardys don't give up. Twist of Fate and Swanton work but Poetry in Motion fails as Undertaker catches Jeff and dumps him. Matt goes for his Last Ride and is eliminated as well, leaving Undertaker alone once again. Well that was fun while it lasted. Tough Enough winner Maven draws unlucky number 11 and he looks very concerned. He runs into a big boot and Taker goes to eliminate him but Lita gets on the apron. Taker piefaces her hard and the Hardys are back in. Undertaker thwarts them and Maven dropkicks him out. The look on the Undertaker's face is one of the greatest things of all time. Undertaker proceeds to beat the holy hell out of Maven all around the arena. Scotty enters at 12 but also gets hit by Undertaker. Christian, his European Title and his epic entrance are number 13. Undertaker has now beaten Maven up even by the popcorn machine. YO, ITS ME, ITS ME, ITS DDP. I like him, you like him and he's gonna help you like you. In a preview of the European Title match at WrestleMania X8, DDP and Christian square off. Scotty hits Christian with the Worm. Halfway home as Chuck is out next. Scotty is dumped out as Christian and Chuck work over DDP. The Godfather arrives at 16 with the hoes. And more hoes. And more hoes. DDP is knocked out. Godfather's entrance takes up the entire 2 plus minutes. 17 is the hip hop hippo Albert. He doesn't last long as he and the Godfather are eliminated before weird ass Perry Saturn comes in at 18. He is wearing cow pattern on his trunks. The roof comes off as Steve Austin draws number 19. He beats Christian, Saturn and Chuck up and eliminates all three.
Because there's still time for number 20, Austin brings Christian and Chuck back in the ring to give them Stunners and eliminates them again. In a callback to 1997, Austin checks his watch. The Big Valbowski returns at 20. He puts up a good fight against Austin and survives the two plus minutes. Test is in to no reaction. Weird how Test went from seven feet when he first arrived to “nearly 6'8” tonight. Doesn't matter as Austin ends up dumping both of them out. Triple H draws number 22 and ITS ABOUT TO GO DOWN. The Two Man Power Trip collides. The Game takes nearly as long as Godfather to make it to the ring where a fist fight ensues. Number 23 quickly arrives and its the Hurricane. Austin and HHH do the double clothesline spot allowing the Hurricane to pose. He goes to double chokeslam them and Austin and Hunter realize this and toss him out before focusing on each other. Faarooq draws number 24 and puts up a better fight than Hurricane but doesn't last much longer. Mr. Perfect enters at number 25 and I'm loving this. He does his thing but HHH and Austin try to knock him out until Kurt Angle arrives at 26. This is his first Rumble ever and he goes right for Triple H. “YOU SUCK! WHAT?” chants from the crowd. Austin saves Triple H from getting eliminated weirdly. I guess he still believes in the Two Man Power Trip. Big Show hits the scene next and he dominates as big men do. Chokeslams and big boots for everyone. Number 28 is Kane, who has beef with Show after their tag team failed miserably at Vengeance. They trade punches and both go for a chokeslam. Kane hits Show low and body slams him over and out, but it was nowhere near as good as Cesaro at WrestleMania XXX. A Stunner and Angle Slam cause Kane to be eliminated, putting us back to four. This is a star studded back end as Rob Van Dam is 29 and he instantly hits a Five Star Frog Splash. RVD owns everyone and hits Austin with Rolling Thunder. He turns into a Pedigree from Triple H though. The last man in is Booker T. He comes in and eliminates RVD to the crowd's dismay, but he turns that to cheers with a spinaroonie. Austin hits him with the Stunner and the final four is the same four that have been in for the most part. Austin reverses an Angle Slam and a Pedigree. Perfect and Angle nearly eliminate Austin but he holds on. Austin surprisingly is the first of the four out regardless and he takes Perfect outside to beat on him. Angle throws him into the steel steps but Austin gets a chair and lays out all three guys in the ring. They all slowly get up and Perfect gets a pop when he avoids elimination and hits the Perfect Plex. Triple H clotheslines him out though and it's down to Triple H and Angle, which should've been obvious because of their issues since HHH returned. Angle nearly gets him out and prematurely celebrates, which allows HHH to hit a knee to the face and clothesline him out.
Long Royal Rumble, but it kept me entertained throughout. We had Goldust returning, The Undertaker/Hardys portion, the Undertaker/Maven moment, Austin dominating and Triple H returning. Overlooked Rumble that doesn't get its due. ****1/4
Overall: 8/10; A great show. That's three straight years with a really good Rumble Pay-Per-View, but this was below both 2000 and 2001. Still, a solid Intercontinental Title match, decent brawl between Flair and Vince, really good Undisputed Title match and great Royal Rumble give this a high grade. Go out and see it.
