No Way Out 2002

[Guest HoakHogan]

No Way Out 2002:  2/17/02

 

I will begin with No Way Out and book towards Wrestlemania and perhaps beyond.  The changes to this PPV are somewhat minor, but will set the stage for major happenings later.  Here goes…

 

1- Goldust vs. Rob Van Dam

 

It was revealed that Goldust had targeted RVD in his Shattered Dreams Productions promos, and this is their first official match.  Both men trade some good offense, but RVD eventually comes out on top with the Five Star Frog Splash.  RVD celebrates on the turnbuckle after the victory, and Goldust nails him from behind with a chair.  The two men battle all the way back to the dressing room as officials try to separate them.

 

*Segment 1:  Vince comes out and addresses the n.W.o. situation… saying that Ric Flair forced his hand in bringing in Hogan, Hall, and Nash.  Vince says the poison gets injected tonight, and the WWF will begin to crumble thanks to Ric Flair.  Backstage, Ric tells the security crew to not allow the n.W.o. into the building.  Flair says he beefed up the security staff for tonight’s event, and several individuals in the back of the group appear to be wearing SWAT team jackets and masks.  

 

2– Tag Turmoil:  APA v. Chuck/Billy v. Storm/Christian v. Dudleyz v. Albert/Scotty v. Hardyz

 

Chuck & Billy face off against Scotty and Albert first, and quickly dispatch them.  The Hardyz are out next with Lita, and Matt eventually hits the twist of fate on Chuck to eliminate them.  Storm and Christian are next, and Jeff gets the Swanton on Christian to eventually eliminate them.  The Dudleyz are out next, and these 2 teams trade some very good offense until D-Von brings a table into the ring.  The Dudleyz get the 3-D on Matt through the table, but the ref has no choice but to disqualify the Dudleyz since it was not a No-DQ match.  Finally the APA come out and we have the APA vs. Hardyz as the final match-up.  JR notes that it’s quite impressive that the Hardyz have outlasted 3 teams thus far.  APA takes advantage of the already weakened Hardyz, and Farooq drills the Dominator on Matt to go for the pin, but Jeff leaps off and hits the Swanton on Farooq to break it up.  Farooq tags in Bradshaw, and then Jeff tackles Farooq out of the ring.  Bradshaw lines up for the Clothesline From Hell on the groggy Matt, but Matt ducks and jumps up for a pinning crucifix… the ref counts…1,2,3 and the Hardyz have won!!!  Hardyz are going to Wrestlemania to fight for the Tag Titles.

 

*Segment 2:  Stephanie is with Kurt Angle, and she is guaranteeing that Kurt will win and go on to Wrestlemania… when Vince walks in and says that the only thing that is truly guaranteed is that the n.W.o. will turn the WWF on its ear tonight… Vince just hopes that Steph doesn’t get hurt.

 

3 – Tag Titles:  Taz & Spike vs. Booker T & Test

 

This match is fairly one-sided as Booker and Test dominate the champs for most of the match.  Spike and Taz fight back briefly, but in the end Booker T hits the Book-End on Spike and covers for the 1,2,3… we have new Tag Champs!!!

 

4– IC:  Regal v. Edge (knuckles on a pole match)

 

The match is back and forth, with no man gaining a clear advantage.  Edge finally reaches the knuckles and goes to hit Regal, who ducks… and Edge has knocked out the ref!  Regal slaps the knuckles away and hits Edge with a powerbomb.  Regal then goes outside the ring and gets a chair, which he decimates Edge with.  The ref comes to and Regal makes the cocky pin to retain the IC belt.  

 

*Segment 3:  Flair once again goes to the security crew, and asks if they have seen any trace of the n.W.o. yet?  They say no… just then RVD walks up to Flair and demands a return match with Goldust tomorrow night on RAW, and Flair agrees.

 

5– Rock v. Undertaker

 

This one is very brutal, as both men seek to punish the other rather than winning the match.  The Rock hits the Rock Bottom out of desperation and falls down, draping his arm across the Undertaker as the ref counts….1….2….3!!! The Rock wins, and then celebrates at all of the ringposts.  The Undertaker gets to his feet and looks like he’s going to attack the Rock, but he simply turns and leaves on his bike… and the crowd is stunned!

 

6– HHH v. Kurt Angle (no. 1 contender at Wrestlemania) w/Steph ref

 

This match is packed with the excitement and switches in tempo that fans expect from a match between these two.  After several minutes, Vince walks his way down to ringside with a smirk on his face.  Steph nods at her father with an evil grin on her face.  HHH sets up for the Pedigree on Angle, but Angle backdrops out of it, and HHH’s foot catches Steph in the head and she goes down to the mat!  Vince looks concerned and starts to climb into the ring, when Ric Flair and a couple of the masked SWAT team members run out to ringside.  Flair drops Vince with a series of right hands and chops.  Angle gets the Olympic Slam on HHH, but Steph is out and can’t make the count.  Angle looks over and sees Flair (but not Vince since he is laying on the ground) and begins to yell at him.  Angle finally goes too far and Flair climbs up into the ring, followed by the security guys.  Flair just stands toe to toe with Angle and listens to the verbal abuse with a big smile on his face.  Angle finally just nails Flair with a punch that drops Flair to the mat.  Angle stands over Flair, who is on his knees and is holding his jaw.  Flair out of nowhere hits the low-blow on Angle and Angle spins around right into a kick and a Pedigree by HHH.  HHH covers but Steph is still out.  Flair gets up and starts to leave, when the 2 security guys stop him, and start beating him with a billy club!!!  The 2 men remove their masks to reveal Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, and they continue to assault Flair.  HHH goes over to try and stop them, and he gets a beating with the clubs also.  Angle gets up and sees that Hall and Nash have beaten down HHH, and he goes over to thank them… but Nash boots Angle in the gut and hits him with the Jackknife Powerbomb.  Hall and Nash grab the groggy Flair, and they and the shaken-up Vince head back to the locker room.  Steph finally comes to and sees HHH, who rolls over and drapes an arm over Angle… Steph has no choice but to count the pin, although it is an incredibly slow count, and HHH is going to Wrestlemania!!!

 

JR and the King comment on how dastardly Hall and Nash are, attacking Flair, HHH and even Kurt Angle!!!

 

7– Undisputed Title:  Chris Jericho vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

 

This match is very good, and Austin gets many near-falls, as does Jericho.  Austin finally sets up for the Stunner, when Hollywood Hogan struts down the aisle with a microphone.  Hogan gets in Austin’s face, saying things like ‘Who do you think you are?’  Austin finally has enough and he goes to hit Hogan, but Hogan blocks it and knocks down Austin with a punch.  The ref tries to make Hogan leave, and Hogan shoves down the ref…  the ref singals for the bell and Ausitn has won this match by DQ, but he fails to win the belt.  Jericho doesn’t know what to think, and he grabs his belts and scurries to the back.  Hall and Nash come back out with the spray paint cans.  Hogan gets a chair and decimates Austin with the chair, then sends Austin into the ropes for the big boot, followed by the leg drop.  Hogan puts his foot on Stone Cold and Hall counts the “pin” 1,2,3.  Nash spray-paints n.W.o. on Stone Cold’s back as the REAL security finally makes their way down to ringside, and the PPV ends.