Guest Aero Report post Posted October 9, 2002 Live from the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY, it's WWE Summerslam 2002! --- What!? No opening video? That's odd... --- Opening Match- Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio This one came about when Mysterio upset Kurt Angle in a Six-Man Tag. Kurt responded afterward with, "I just got beaten by a freaking 12-year old!" This is actually Rey's PPV debut. Mysterio surprises Angle by coming from the crowd I guess. He comes in with a springboard hurricanrana and headscissors! Dropkick followed by a monkey flip out of the corner. Kurt whips him to the turnbuckle and sets up for a German suplex, but Mysterio turns it around. Kurt takes him down and grabs the leg, but Mysterio kicks out. Kurt takes the leg again and rolls over into the Ankle Lock, but Mysterio easily grabs the ropes! Lightning quick action here. Kurt doesn't let go, so Mysterio reverses and gets to his feet. He escapes with a standing backflip off of Kurt's chest and drop toeholds him to the second rope! 619 attempt, but Kurt rolls outside and pulls him out. Back inside, Angle stomps away and delivers a snap suplex. Irish whip, but Mysterio hits a spinkick. Angle comes back with a German suplex and works the lower back, but Mysterio sunset flips him for two. Angle quickly takes back control and hits a backbreaker for two. More back-work, and the crowd starts an "Angle Sucks!" chant. He pounds away in the corner, but Rey ducks one, and they criss cross to the corner. Rey goes for another headscissors, but Angle counters into a backbreaker for two! Angle locks in a half-crab, and Rey small packages for two. Angle clotheslines for two and hits a few shots to the head. Mysterio counters one into a jawbreaker. Whip sequence, and Angle counters a sunset flip. Overhead belly-to-belly! Angle Slam countered into an armdrag, and Mysterio tosses him out! Rey tries to go for a dive over the ropes, but for whatever reason, the referee isn't letting him. The ref checks on Angle through the ropes, so Mysterio takes advantage and dives over onto Angle anyway! Springboard legdrop to the inside gets two. Mysterio slides under Angle's feet and jumps off the turnbuckle to Kurt's shoulders. Kurt drops him to the mat and into the Ankle Lock! Rey kicks out of it and hits the 619! West Coast Pop only gets two, though! Heel kick and Mysterio goes upstairs. Angle gets an energy burst and runs up the turnbuckles, but Mysterio jumps over and hits a springboard dropkick! Rey goes up and goes for the turnaround hurricanrana, but Kurt counters it and locks in the Ankle Lock! He drags him to the center of the ring, and eventually, Mysterio taps out, giving Kurt the win, at 9:20! All hail Kurt Angle! Great opener... ***1/2. Although I hate to see Kurt go from main event of the July PPV to opening in August, as long as he puts on amazing matches like these on a monthly basis, I'm a satisfied fan and PPV customer. --- Backstage, Smackdown GM, Stephanie McMahon gives a production worker a lecture about Smackdown, before finding RAW GM Eric Bischoff in the room labeled, "General Manager". They decide to share the office for the night. --- Chris Jericho vs. Ric Flair As a recap shows, on RAW last Monday, Jericho and Flair traded ambushes. Flair took Jericho apart in the middle of a Fozzy concert, actually. Grapple to start, and Flair slaps him. Flair takes him down for two. Jericho pummels in the corner and chokes him from the second rope. Backdrop and a clothesline take the Nature Boy down. Jericho misses an elbow, and Flair hits the knife-edges. Irish whip, and Jericho catches him with a kick. Flair tosses him over, but Jericho skins the cat back in before getting chopped to the mat. Flair pummels in the corner, but Jericho takes the eyes and hits some chops of his own. Whip to the corner sees a Flair flip, and Jericho clotheslines him outside. Jericho exposes the guard rail and rams Flair into it. He goes up to the top and nails Flair with a shot! Back inside, Jericho gives Flair some right hands, but Flair counters into the chops. Whip to the corner, but Jericho catches him with an elbow for two. He rips off the turnbuckle pad, so the referee takes it back and occupies himself trying to get it back on. Meanwhile, Jericho, ever the heel, chokes Flair with the tape off of his wrist. The ref finally breaks it, and they exchange chops. More choking, and Jericho hits a knee to the lower back. Vertical suplex and he goes up top. Flair chops him down and slams him to the mat! Jericho misses a charge and collides with the ringpost. Flair hits a backdrop and suplex for two. Flair uses closed fists and goes for another suplex, but Jericho counters into the Walls! Flair quickly escapes and cradles for two. Bulldog, but he misses the Lionsault. More chops, and Flair goes for the Walls, but Jericho counters into the figure-four. Flair gets the ropes but also taps out. Smart tactics, depending on how you look at it. On one hand, it successfully got Jericho to relinquish the hold, but on the other, Flair is risking a loss. Jericho thinks he's won, as he walks away with his arms raised, but the referee informs him that Flair got the ropes. Jericho immediately goes back to work but misses a shot. Jericho hits the referee down for a second, so Flair takes advantage and goes low. Flair locks in the Figure-Four, and Jericho taps out, at 10:23. Another PPV, another job for Jericho. I give it **, mainly because there was just too much chopping by each. I was expecting a little more, but at least they do better at Unforgiven. --- Ad for Hulk Still Rules, a great DVD, and is definitely worth the money. Meanwhile, Paul Heyman & Brock Lesnar watch the ad and gloat about taking out Hulkamania. --- Eddie Guerrero vs. Edge It's the first of what would end up being an amazing series of matches. According to the story, Eddie is supposedly jealous of the attention Edge gets. Grapple to start, into an armbar sequence. Guerrero ducks a clothesline but gets caught by a flapjack. Edge goes for a suplex, but Guerrero goes over and lands on the apron to catch Edge with a neckbreaker! Inside, Edge leapfrogs him and monkey flips him. Falling slam gets two. He traps Guerrero's arms in the ropes and hits a Spear, but when he goes for the second, Guerrero sends him flying outside! Guerrero immediately attacks outside and tosses him into the steel steps. Back inside, Eddie continues to work the injured shoulder. Armbar take-down, and he pounds away on the shoulder. He twists the arm and walks up to the top rope, delivering an elbow on the way down. Very similar to Undertaker, just without the ropewalk part. Two-count for Eddie. Another submission to the arm/shoulder, and Edge eventually gets the ropes. Hammerlock, and Edge is fading. Edge breaks out with a snapmare, but Eddie quickly goes back into an armbar, and he even back suplexes him while still working the arm. Edge catches Guerrero off the ropes with a powerslam. A series of clotheslines and backdrop, but Guerrero catches him with an elbow. Edge hits a facebuster for two. Guerrero goes after the shoulder, but Edge suplexes him outside! Edge goes upstairs and jumps out onto Guerrero! Back inside, and Edge again goes up, but Eddie catches him and goes up, too. Edge manages to go into suplex form but turns it into a face-plant for two! Edge goes for the Spear, but Guerrero counters with a dropkick! He goes for the Frog Splash from the top, but Edge gets the knees up. Edgecution, but it only gets two! Another Edgecution attempt, but Guerrero turns it into a Northern Lights suplex for two. Neckbreaker and he goes up top again. Edge follows but gets knocked down. Guerrero hits the Frog Splash right to Edge's shoulder for two! He goes for top rope armbar again, but Edge pulls him down and hits a Spear for the win, at 11:45! Great match. ***1/4. These two would go on to have an even better match the next month at Unforgiven, and then they had the MOTY canadite in the No DQ match on Smackdown the next week. --- "WWE... Our Season Never Ends." Hey didn't they say the exact same thing during the baseball strike of 1994? What a coincidence, baseball was just a few days away from a possible strike at this time, too.. Oh, I get it, it's WWE Logic: Strike the "opponent" when they're down. --- Backstage, The Coach interviews the Un-Americans, particuarly the Tag Team Champions, Lance Storm & Christian, as they prepare to defend the belts. --- WWE Tag Team Championship- Lance Storm & Christian © vs. Booker T & Goldust Goldust and Christian start. Christian gains the advantage with some right hands, but Goldust catches him off the ropes with a BUTT-buster. Lance Storm runs in but gets powerslammed. Tag to Storm who gets an atomic drop. Tag to Booker T, who hits Storm with an elbow. Sidewalk slam and his pattened knee drop get two. Goldust tags in and hits an axehandle from up top. He goes off the ropes, but Christian hits him. Goldust knocks him off the apron, but gets poked in the eyes and thrown outside by Storm. Outside, Christian takes it to Goldust and throws him in, as Lance covers for two. He pounds away and tags Christian. He chokes him with his boot, and Storm chokes him behind the referee's back. Christian hits a backbreaker for two. Tag to Storm. He misses a dropkick, Goldust rolls him up for two. Christian gets the tag, and prevents Goldust from tagging Booker. Front facelock, and the crowd gets behind him. Goldust escapes with a backdrop and tags Booker, but the referee is distracted. When Booker comes in to clean house, the ref sends him back. Storm tags in and hits a clothesline for two, as Booker saves. Christian tags in and stomps away. Goldust hits both down and catapults Christian into Storm on the apron. Roll-up gets two. Goldust crawls over to for the tag, and Christian tries to pull him away. Meanwhile, Storm runs around the ring and pulls Booker off the apron. Goldust finally gets the oppurtunity to tag, but Booker's gone. Christian slams him to the mat, and Storm brings in two chairs for the Conchairto, but Goldust ducks and hits both with a double-clothesline! Hot tag to Booker! He's a house of fire, back dropping Storm and going to work on Christian with some chops. Big clothesline and he hits Christian with a missile dropkick for two. Scissor Kick misses, but Booker escapes the Unprettier and hits a flapjack! Storm goes for a dropkick, but Booker ducks and Storm nails the ref. Booker hits both Un-Americans with the Scissor Kick and hits the Spinerooni! Harlem Sidekick to Christian, but there's no ref. Storm comes in with a belt, but Goldust fights him to the outside. Suddenly, Test runs in and big boots Booker! Christian covers just as the ref recovers to make the count. Un-Americans retain, at 9:36. Match was decent, nice formula tag match. **1/4. --- Down at The World in Times Square, Nidia makes out with some guy. --- Backstage, Stephanie & Eric Bischoff argue over who's going to win the upcoming interpromotiol match between Chris Benoit and Rob Van Dam. --- WWE Intercontinental Championship- Chris Benoit © vs. Rob Van Dam Benoit is representing Smackdown, and RVD is going for RAW, of course. This was the feud that involved everyone. Firstly, Benoit won the title from RVD a few weeks after Vengeance, on RAW, but immediately jumped ship to Smackdown. Meanwhile, Bischoff tries to secure RVD's contract, which apparently holds a clause giving RVD & RAW another shot at the IC Title. With Stacy Keibler's help, and Dawn Marie's mistakes, Bischoff gets the contract to give RVD the rematch. One week before RAW, Big Show targets RVD, but Bischoff doesn't want Show going after him because it will soften him up for Benoit. RVD disagrees and goes into the match. Show ends up annihilating him. Before he finishes him off, Bischoff storms the ring with Jamal & Rosie to take Show out. That's alot of participants in this feud: Chris Benoit, RVD, Eric Bischoff, Stephanie, Stacy Keibler, Dawn Marie, Big Show, Jamal, & Rosie. With all that said, let's go... RVD starts out with martial arts kicks to knock Benoit down and outside. He comes back in and takes RVD down and into a face lock. RVD gets to his feet and sends him off the ropes, but Benoit hits him down. Whip to the corner. Benoit charges, but RVD flips over him and does a somersault to the opposite corner, jumps onto the second rope, and hits Benoit with a crossbody for two! Benoit ducks a clothesline and spin kick to hit a release German suplex. Quick elbow drop and he tosses him to the turnbuckles. Short arm clothesline gets two. Backbreaker gets two. He stomps away and hits a float-over snap suplex for two. Inverted armbar, but RVD breaks free with an arm drag. Benoit still knocks him down, but RVD cradles him for two. Back slide gets two. Monkey flip, but Benoit comes back with a lariat. Chops in the corner. He charges, but RVD kicks him to the mat. Split-legged moonsault misses, as Benoit gets the knees up. Benoit misses the Flying Headbutt, so RVD goes upstairs. Five-Star Frog Splash also misses! Benoit locks in the Crippler Crossface! RVD manages to gets his foot on the ropes. Backstage, Stephanie & Bischoff cheer on their respected representatives. Benoit pummels him in the corner, but he runs into an elbow. RVD quickly jumps up to the top rope, but Benoit immediately pushes him off and into the guard rail outside! Hammerlock outside, and they head back in. Shoulderbreaker and elbow by Benoit. He drags him to the center of the ring and hits some chops. Irish whip and a forearm get two. Benoit locks in the surfboard stretch. RVD gets to his feet and turns it around, but Benoit immediately reverses it again and turns it into a chokehold like maneuver. RVD flips it around, but Benoit manages to slam him to the mat. RVD heel kicks him to the mat. He misses a cart-wheel into a backflip splash, and Benoit quickly locks in the Crossface again! RVD elbows his way out and rolls him up for two. Benoit bashes RVD's shoulder into the ringpost and locks in a hammerlock. Northern Lights suplex, which Benoit rolls over and to his feet to another one. Once again, he holds onto the hammerlock and hits another suplex! He gets up again, but this time turns it into the Crossface! RVD tries crawling to the ropes, so Benoit stops it and locks in a dragon sleeper. They get to their feet, and RVD counters it into a Crossface of his own! Benoit easily breaks free and dropkicks him down. Whip to the corner, but RVD hits him with a boot and a springboard kick for two. Step-over heel kick followed by the Rolling Thunder gets two. Irish whip to the corner and a shoulder thrust. Heel kick gets two. Another whip to the corner. RVD rolls over, but Benoit catches him and places him on the top rope. RVD kicks him away, but Benoit still crotches him. Both are upstairs. Benoit goes for a back suplex off top, but RVD rolls over on top. He goes up top again and hits the Five-Star to get the win and regain the Intercontinental Title for RAW, at 16:29! Great match, as usual for RVD & Benoit. **** --- In the GM office, Bischoff rubs it in that RVD won. Stephanie responds with a big laugh, and leaves. --- Video package for Undertaker-Test. You, the Un-Americans were doing Un-American stuff, and they quickly targetted the so-called, "American Bad Ass", the Undertaker, particuarly Test. Test even pinned Undertaker in a tag match. --- Test vs. Undertaker Grapple to start. Headlock into a whip, and Test hits him down with a shoulderblock. Off the ropes, and Taker catches him with a hiptoss. He ducks a clothesline and hits a flying clothesline for two. Hammerlock into the Old School Ropewalk, but Test shoves the referee into the ropes, crotching Taker on the rope and to the outside. They brawl outside for a minute, and Test throws Taker into the steel steps. Back inside, Test kicks him back down to the mat and bashes his head into the turnbuckle. Foot choke in the corner. Taker tries to come back, but Test cuts him off with a knee. Body avalanche in the corner. Slugfest, and Test hits a clothesline. Armbar, and Taker back suplexes out of it. He misses an elbow off the ropes. Another slugfest, and Test knees him to the stomach. Test off the ropes, but Taker catches him with the big DDT for two. Old School ropewalk succeeds this time. Snake eyes to the turnbuckle. Taker goes over Test's shoulders in a pumphandle attempt. He sets up for the chokeslam, but Test breaks free. Big Boot misses, and now Taker hits the chokeslam for two! Lance Storm & Christian run out, but they both get taken out with chokeslams. Test hits the Big Boot, but Taker kicks out! Test walks outside and grabs a chair. Taker boots it into his face, and a Tombstone finishes, at 8:18. Not as bad as you would think. 3/4*. Taker grabs a US Flag from the crowd and holds it up for the crowd... except backwards. --- Ad for WWE Shopzone --- Footlocker presents WWE Summerslam 2002! --- Before the match, here's what was really supposed to happen for Triple H at Summerslam. At King of the Ring, Triple H, as a face, was injured and taken off of TV for a month. Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, & the rest of the nWo invited Triple H to join them. When he didn't respond for a week, Shawn gave him an ultimatum: Join the nWo at Vengeance, or suffer the consequences. During an 10-Man Tag match on RAW, nWo leader, Kevin Nash, finally came in and fought his rival, Booker T. No more than 30 seconds passed before Nash ran across the ring and collapsed, apparently tearing his quadricep, just like Triple H had in 2001. Now, the nWo only had two active wrestlers in Big Show & X-Pac, but they hardly drew any money. Then there was Shawn Michaels who was simply a speaker. The original plan for Vengeance was for Triple H to turn down the nWo and feud with them until Summerslam, where he would face Nash. Just like Triple H, Nash was looking at a seven months' absence. The whole "Joining nWo" angle was scrapped and replaced with "Join RAW or Smackdown", with Bischoff & Stephanie arguing over him. At Vengeance, Triple H ended up joining RAW, due to some persuation from his friend, Shawn Michaels. And now, the actual on-camera feud with its video package... In late-1997, Shawn & Triple H were buddies in DX. Now, in 2002, Shawn & Triple H came on RAW, apparently ready to reform DX. Just as Triple H finished saying, "Let's get ready to Suck It!" he kicked Shawn and Pedigreed him! Swerve! The next week, just as Triple H was explaining his actions, he received word that Michaels was unconsious backstage. As Triple H arrived on the scene, he was on the floor wearing the crimson mask. Apparently, his head had been smashed through the glass window of a nearby car. Triple H vowed to find the culprit. So, during one episode of RAW, he spend most of the show questioning superstars. Later, during an interview with Shawn, via satelite, footage showed it was really Triple H who did it. Triple H responded by saying that he wanted to prove a point... that Shawn was weak. From there, Shawn made the challenge, and it was accepted. Eric Bischoff made the match "Unsanctioned". Now, if it were my way, I would have scrapped the whole "Who Done It?" part and went on right after the DX incident. But hey, at least it's not Kevin Nash, right? --- Unsanctioned Match- Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H Shawn comes out first, with alot of pyro and confetti. Unfortunately, he's not decked out in his wrestling attire, but rather a white tanktop and jeans. At least he's got the entrance attire, though. As HHH makes his entrance, Shawn relaxes on the top rope. Shawn takes off his shirt and throws it in HHH's face to start, as he goes to work with right hands. HHH throws him through the ropes, but Shawn comes right back in with a spear. HHH hits a shoulderblock. Shawn leapfrogs over him and toss him out. Vaulting body press over the top rope and on HHH! He throws him into the ring post. Clothesline. Shawn goes under the ring and pulls out a trash can. He has the lid, but HHH goes low and drapes him across the railing. HHH goes in and tries to pull him back in, but Shawn hits him with the trash can lid and skins the cat back in! Running clothesline and he grabs the trash can to nail HHH over the head. He goes upstairs and hits an axehandle. He warms up the band, but misses the superkick! HHH immediately hits a vicious backbreaker! One more and HHH pounds away. Irish whip to the corner, as Shawn sells the back. Another whip the the corner, sending Shawn to his knees. HHH simply kicks him down and hits an elbow to the back. First cover of the match gets two. HHH goes outside and grabs a chair. He nails Shawn right over the back, for two! Suplex countered, and Shawn rolls him up for two. HHH comes back with a facebuster. DDT on the chair, gets two! He grabs the belt off of Shawn's jeans and begins to whip him. He wraps it around his fist and starts punching him, using the metal belt buckle. A shot sends Shawn down to the mat. HHH goes outside and grabs the sledgehammer from under the ring. On commentary, JR gets into concerned mode, as usual when the sledgehammer makes an appearance. Shawn kicks HHH to the gut before he can use the sledgehammer, though. He makes the comeback, pummeling in the corner, but HHH tosses him to the corner again! Abdominal stretch, and JR now urges Shawn to simply quit! HHH uses the ropes for leverage, but it's legal in this match. Referee Earl Hebner finally has had enough and pushes HHH away. Shawn tries to come back, but HHH places him on the top turnbuckle. Shawn hits him down to the mat and tries to his feet, but HHH shoves the ref into the ropes. Shawn's hanging upside down from the turnbuckles, so HHH grabs the chair and hits another direct shot to the back! He sets the chair up in the middle of the ring and slams Shawn's back right over it, bending the chair in the process! He covers, but Shawn manages to get the shoulder up! HHH puts the chair back into normal position and sidewalk slams him on it! HHH covers several times, but only gets two. HHH sets up for the Pedigree on the chair, but Shawn lowblows, and they're both out. They both finally get to their feet. HHH has the chair, and suddenly, Shawn catches him with Sweet Chin Music to HHH, firing the chair right back to his face! HHH does the blade job, and Shawn makes the comeback. Off the ropes, and he hits a flying forearm! After a sudden burst of energy, Shawn is jumping up and down! Backdrop to HHH. He takes the chair and levels the Game! Whip sequence to the corner, and HHH Flair Flips out. Outside, Shawn grabs his belt and returns the favor from earlier. Trash can shot. He takes the lid and hits HHH over the Spanish announce table. He even grabs Hugo Savanavich's shoe and nails him! He runs around the ring and bulldogs him right to the steel steps! Under the ring, he grabs a ladder, much to the delight of the crowd! Shawn hits shot after shot with the ladder and sets it up against the ring post. Irish whip attempt. HHH reverses it, but Shawn puts the breaks on it and takes him down. Catapult right to the ladder! Back inside, Shawn covers for two. He goes out to bring the ladder in, but HHH baseball slides it right to his face! They head in again, and HHH goes upstairs. Shawn stops him and goes up to hit a superplex, for two! Irish whip, and Shawn hits a crucifix into a sunset flip for two! HHH hits the flying knee for two. HHH goes out and brings the steel steps in. He picks them up over his head, but Shawn drop toeholds him, sending HHH face-first into the steps! Shawn heads outside and pulls out a table. He sets it up outside while maintaining control of the match. He levels HHH with a fire extinguisher, forcing HHH onto the table. Shawn goes up top and hits HHH with a splash through the table! He walks around the ring and brings the ladder into the ring. HHH comes in, but is still out. Shawn climbs the ladder inside and hits the flying elbow on HHH all the way down to the mat! Once again, Shawn has the burst of energy and gets to his feet. He tunes up the band once again, as HHH stumbles to his feet. Sweet Chin Music is blocked. HHH goes for the Pedigree, but Shawn takes him down and flips over for the roll-up, to get the win, at 27:23! The crowd loves it, as Shawn celebrates. Suddenly, HHH grabs the sledgehammer and nails Shawn over the back! Shawn falls to his knees, and HHH follows up with another shot to the back! Shawn is nearly unconsious now. Referees and doctors run in to check on him. HHH walks to the back with a big smile on his face. The match was great. ****1/2. Going in, I was actually expecting a brawl with no referee, ala Undertaker-DDP from KOTR 2001. Luckily, Shawn & HHH managed to pull it off and produce a great fight, that had the entertainment, drama, and action. Good booking at the end, too. Not only did it put Shawn over for what could possibly be his final WWE match, but HHH regained his heat afterward with the sledgehammer attack. --- WWE Unforgiven 2002, live, September 22, 2002, from Los Angeles, CA. --- Bathroom break time, as Howard Finkel gets on the mic to address the fans, saying that although baseball may be going on strike, the fans will always have "The Fink"! Trish Stratus comes out, which is coming off of the Island Boys assault of Lillian Garcia, when Howard threw her to the wolves, so to speak. Therefore, all the women despise Howard. Trish promises a surprise, as she pretends to hit on him. After a hug, she claims that the real surprise is Lillian Garcia! Howard turns around, and Lillian attacks him. Bad angle, to say the least. --- Video package for Rock-Brock. Ever since the day after Wrestlemania, Brock Lesnar has been on a rampage in the WWF. At Backlash, he made his in-ring debut defeating Jeff Hardy. Two months later, he won the King of the Ring Tournament to earn the No. 1 Contenders spot for Summerslam. For most of July, he feuded with Rob Van Dam. Meanwhile, on the July 9 Smackdown, (From Atlantic City, NJ... I was there you know), The Rock made his return. He immediately went into a feud with the Undisputed Champion, Undertaker, and Kurt Angle. At Vengeance, Rock pinned Kurt Angle in a Triple Threat match to win the title for an unprecedented seventh time. Now, the main event for Summerslam was set: The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar. Week after week, it seemed as though Brock played all kinds of mind games with the champion. Weeks before Summerslam, Brock defeated Rock's friend, Hollywood Hulk Hogan on Smackdown. Brock claimed he had killed Hulkamania, a legend, and at Summerslam, he'd kill another legend in The Rock. In the weeks leading to the show, the fans were treated to special videos of each man preparing for the match. The whole storyline actually reminds many of the movie, Rocky IV, with Brock playing the part of Ivan Drago, and Rock playing.. well, Rocky. Also, there's Hulk Hogan playing Rock's close friend, who Brock puts on the shelf. It was just played out so much to the movie.. weird. Bottom line, the whole angle, ranging from June's KOTR PPV all the way to Summerslam worked for me, and I actually looked forward to the match. --- WWE Undisputed Championship- The Rock © vs. Brock Lesnar The Rock sprints to the ring, immediately getting into a slugfest, but Brock hits an overhead belly-to-belly suplex for two! The fans already start a chant, but it's not for but against Rock. "Rocky Sucks!" they chant. Brock hits multiple gut busters for two. Shoulder charges in the corner, and Brock knees him outside. Paul Heyman even gets a cheapshot in. Brock comes out and throws him over the railing. Gorilla press drop onto the railing, and they head back into the ringside area. Back inside, Brock hits another overhead belly-to-belly for two. Rock makes a comeback, but when he goes off the ropes, Heyman trips him, and Brock stomps away. Heyman starts choking him behind the referee's back. Rock gets a kick in, but Brock hits a powerslam! It's been all Brock so far, with very little offense from the champ. Brock hits a charge into Rock's injured ribs in the corner. He misses another one, and Rock hits a back suplex. Cool spot, both men are out on the mat. Suddenly, they both jump to their feet at the same time and have a staredown. Rock hits two clotheslines, but they only send Brock realing. One more sends him down, and a DDT gets two. Heyman gets on the apron, so Rock hits him down and goes right back to his opponent, hitting a dragon screw into the Sharpshooter, to the jeers of the crowd. Rock is shocked by the crowd's reactions. Eventually, Heyman once again gets on the apron to throw a chair in, but this time, Rock flips him into the ring. Rock Bottom attempt on Heyman, but Brock saves him. As the referee sends Heyman outside, Brock uses the chair to hit Rock's injured ribs. He locks in the bearhug, the move that finished Hulk Hogan on Smackdown. Rock punches his way out, but Brock turns the bearhug into a Samoan drop. Brock still has the bearhug applied on the mat, and he rolls him up for two. Brock still holds it, as the referee begins to drop Rock's hand. It only goes down twice, as Rock gets to his feet and battles out of the hold! The crowd is totally split on this one. You occasionally hear "Rocky!" chants, but whenever Rock makes a big comeback, you hear the jeers. Paul Heyman gets on the apron again, distracting the referee. Meanwhile, Rock hits a lowblow, and the crowd doesn't like it. Brock spears him into the corner and drives the shoulder to the ribs again. One more attempt, but Rock quickly hits a jumping clothesline. He lays the smackdown on Brock, hitting him outside. Finally, Michael Cole & Tazz begin to acknowledge the crowd's hatrid for Rock, unlike what they've been doing all night. Rock bashes Brock's head into the steel steps several times, and he takes apart the Spanish announce table. Paul Heyman gets in Rock's face, so he hits him down. Rock catapults Brock into the ring post and heads up on top of the table to Rock Bottom Heyman through it! Nice spot, I guess... but wouldn't it have been more climatic if it were Brock? Rock goes in and hits the Rock Bottom on Brock, but it only gets two! Brock suddenly gets to his feet and surprises Rock with a (B)rock Bottom of his own for two! Irish whip, and Rock hits a spinebuster. People's Elbow set-up, but when Rock's coming off the ropes, he catches him with a big clothesline! F-5 set-up, but Rock lands on his feet. Rock Bottom attempt, but Brock elbows out of it. Another attempt, but again, Brock counters it... this time into the F-5! Brock covers to win the Undisputed Title, at 16: 03! Therefore, Brock is the youngest champion of all time, dethroning Rock in two different things at Summerslam. As for the match, pretty good effort overall, but I was actually expecting more, like maybe Brock finally debuting the Shooting Star Press on TV. Sure, Kidman does it, but I want to see Brock. I love to see those main event matches where each guy is doing whatever it takes to win. For instance, Brock could use the Shooting Star. That's why I loved the Rock-Austin match from Wrestlemania X-Seven so much. Anyway, ***. Brock celebrates his title win as the PPV goes off the air. --- --- --- --- --- --- Overall, the show is great, and definitely the best PPV of 2002, as I sit here writing this on October 8, 2002. Shawn Michaels-HHH is amazing, and definitely worth a look, especially if you're an HBK fan. Chris Benoit-RVD, Rock-Brock, Angle-Mysterio & Edge-Guerrero also great. Plus, there was really nothing terrible, except maybe the Undertaker-Test match, but did that last too long? When it all comes down to it, everything is watchable. The show has great wrestling and entertainment. Recommended Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Aero Report post Posted October 9, 2002 Damn... screwed up the sub-title... HHH should be replaced by HBK. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest nWoScorpion Report post Posted October 9, 2002 Great Review..up until the main event which I have stated i refuse to watch, read or talk about. (I havn't seen a brock match, angle or interview since then in part of my boycott.) You made HBk/HHH match sound like MOTY with all the "!"s and not typing run on sentences. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Aero Report post Posted October 10, 2002 Thanks for the positive feedback. IMO, HBK-HHH is probably up there in the top three matches this year, along with Benoit-Angle at Unforgiven and RVD-Guerrero Ladder Match from Raw in May. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
