– Well I’m back from Lollapalooza and it was sure nice to sleep in my own bed last night (not that the Hilton at the O’Hare Airport was horrible or anything). Had a great time, Radiohead of course put on a mind-blowing performance as always (including Airbag, The Bends & Optimistic), as did Explosions In The Sky, Black Keys, yadda yadda yadda. For more of a rant on the weekend, feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
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The NeelDown Video Review: No Mercy 2001
– From St. Louis, MO
– Your hosts are Jim Ross & Paul Heyman
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The Hardy Boyz v. Lance Storm & Hurricane – WCW Tag Team Championship
Fun fact: Everyone here is from North Carolina. This was when Hurricane was European champ and Storm, Alliance representing, came out with Ivory, and whatever happened to her anyway? You’d think she’d be with Jacqueline and the rest over “there” by now. Hurricane starts with Jeff and gets fancy with super heroics early but gets hip tossed. Matt tags in and a double suplex on Hurricane gets two. Matt slugs away but Storm gets a blind tag and a double team neckbreaker gets two on Matt. Back in comes Hurricane but Matt gets a double lariat and Jeff comes in to clean house until he gets tripped up by Ivory and Storm takes him to the outside. Storm tries holding him there for Hurricane to fly into, but Jeff catches him with a shoulder coming off the ropes inside. Mighty Molly comes in and is able to super secretly revive Hurricane of his strengths, and that propels him to go up and land a crossbody to the Hardys on the floor. Back inside they isolate Jeff and Storm dropkicks him down for two. He tags in Hurricane and a doubleteam suplex gets two. Backbreaker on Jeff gets two. Jeff is able to land the whisper in the wind on Storm and gets the hot tag to Matt who cleans house and connects with the leg drop but only for two. Storm and Hurricane pull of a double superkick but then things get ugly as all the chicks start fighting with the result of Lita getting her top rope rana on Storm, leaving Hurricane to fall victim to the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb giving the Hardys the pin to retain the titles. Decent opener despite the finish, which was to be expected with three chicks randomly floating around ringside. (**1/4)
Winner: The Hardy Boyz
– Michael Cole gets the honor of putting on Vince’s coat. Vince says the next time he drops his jacket he’s going to drop him. Unfortunately, the jacket was never dropped again.
Pop Quiz v. Kane
The build here is that on SmackDown a couple days ago, a Test-ference big boot gave Booker a pinfall over Undertaker. So of course that means next he faces his “brother”. Slugfest right off the bat to start, won out by Kane who adds a pair of corner clotheslines and the TWIRLING UPPERCUT. Test briefly goes in control via corner offense before he runs into a snap slam for two. Kane tosses him over the ropes where Test lands awkwardly on the neck and then proceeds to press slam him to the floor. Kane follows him out but gets smakced with the ring bell for his troubles, I guess that’s what you get when you lose focus on the outside and randomly decide to go after the ref instead of your opponent. JR says that it should have been a DQ, but the ref must have been looking at Paul’s cap instead. I’ll take his word for it. I always find it stupid when the announcers argue something blatant like that as it’s only going to just confuse the hell out of the average fan. Back in, Test capitalizes with a delayed suplex for two. Sloppy clothesline by Kane but the wild elbow misses and Test gets his diving elbow from the second rope for two. Side slam by Test sets up the top rope elbow but Kane dodges it and takes him down with a neckbreaker for a short double KO spot. They slug it out and Kane gets the big boot and a back suplex for two. Side slam gets two and they’re basically just recycling the same moves done by the other guy before at this point. Test goes out to take a breather but he was really playing opossum and Kane eats the post and a big boot on the floor. Back inside Kane ducks the running boot and Chokeslams him for a CLOSE two. More slugging and Test scouts out the flying clothesline and nails the Pumphandle slam for two. Flying elbow gets two. Frustrated Test goes out and gets a chair, but he gets it dropkicked in his face. Kane goes to use the chair then, but the ref grabs it so he goes to Chokeslam the ref and Test both, but Test escapes and gets the big boot for the pin. Not too bad really but it probably should have been cut in half so they didn’t recycle the whole thing again to add insult to the crappy finish (**1/4)
Winner: Pop Quiz
– In the back Matt Hardy is able to get a lucky “glimpse” of Stacy.
Stacy Kiebler v. Torrie Wilson – Lingerie Match
This is the first ever lingerie match, which is kind of shocking considering this is post-attitude area and in the new millennium. Well, to be fair, these are probably the best two to do it with. This was back when they actually had something semi-significant for both of them to do, i.e. Torrie being Tajiri’s girlfriend and Stacy managing the Dudleys. Well okay, not necessarily significant, but I guess morally better than having one have a blond bimbo, dog-holding gimmick and the other flashing & manipulating everybody with her ass (not that I’m complaining) though of course that vile, degrading Playboy is out of the picture. Anyway, they both come out in gowns and end up stripping down to do the typical “hot chicks in lingerie roll around the ring and the ref gets lucky”-esque stuff and Stacy explores her inner S&M fetish in by whipping Torrie and the ref with the cat-o-nine tails. I’m kind of disappointed they didn’t follow that up with a HLA spot with Shaniqua the Bashams manager a few years later. Torrie ends up winning with her boyfriend’s handspring elbow. (1/2*)
Winner: Torrie Wilson
– Christian tries avoiding future face pops by bashing Mark McQuire and the Cards.
Edge v. Christian – Intercontinental Championship, Ladder Match
Nothing like a ladder match to settle the feud of real-life, former tag team best friends. Christian tries attacking on the outside to start but he eats steps and barricade. They brawl inside where Edge adds a backdrop and kicks the leg to sweep him down. Christian is able to skin the cat and retrieve a ladder but he has it kicked in his face and the brawl spills out into some kind of isle area in the crowd where Edge continues to pummel him and back drops back to ringside, where Edge catapults him into a ladder. Edge wedges a ladder between the railing and steps but Christian rakes the eyes and dumps him on it. They slug it out on the ladder and Christian ends up getting crotched on it. Edge tries bringing a ladder in but Christian rams it into him then sets it up for our first climbing attempt, but Edge comes in to tip it over. Christian rams the ladder into Edge a few times in the corner then goes out to get a chair. Edge is albe to block the chair wack and snapmare Christian into the cornered ladder as JR references those pesky wrestling critics who say these guys know how to fall, he doesn’t know how you can learn how to fall on aluminum, which is a fair point.
Edge tosses him into the ladder and sets another one up in the corner sideways. He tries whipping Christian into it but he counters and Edge eats it, allowing Christian to stomp a mudhole and slingshot Edge up into the ladder. Christian brings another ladder in and climbs, but Edge sets one up next to it and nails the Edge-O-Matic off the ladder. Edge slowly makes it up first to climb but Christian goes up the other and plants him off of it with an inverted DDT. Well that sequence got nowhere. Christian goes out and gets two more chairs. He attempts a conchairto, but Edge scouts it out of desperation and sets sets up a third ladder across the two chairs, where he lays Christian across it and splashes onto him from the top rope as the crowd pops up as if there’s about to be a run-in. Edge climbs and gets close but Christian nails him with the third ladder and that allows him to climb and get his fingertips on the strap, but Edge is able to SPEAR him off from the top. They climb up the same ladder and of course both end up falling to the floor to the delight of the crowd. Christian slowly makes it back in first and climbs, but Paul ruins it by solidifying that he has it won here and then Edge comes in to low blow Christian with a chair in a shades of Unforgiven moment that backfired. Edge then climbs up and gets a one-man con-chairto while Christian is layed out on top of one of the ladders, and he falls off allowing Edge to unlatch the IC title for the win. A common opinion on this match is that the ladder match in general was pretty, for lack of a better phrase, used up at this point and it didn’t really bode well for a singles match, which pretty much holds true considering we’ve seen all the spots before and without all of the other guys in there which is usually tag teams it went prerry slow, but just the fact that it’s these guys and it involved ladders made it enjoyable for me. (***1/2)
Winner: Edge
– Meanwhile at WWF New York, Spike Dudley is getting tipsy and he has a new love interest to replace Molly.
The Dudley Boyz v. The Big Show & Tajiri – WWF Tag Team Championship
Bubba goes on the attack of Tajiri to start after D’Von distraction and the Dudleys double clothesline him down. Tajiri gets a snap kick and standing moonsault on D’Von for two. Tag to Big Show who comes in to ASS SPLASH D’Von in the corner, and he cleans house on the Dudleys. They bail to the floor where Tajiri follows them with a suicide dive. Back in Show gets a side slam on D’Von as JR does what he does best while calling a Tajiri match, reminds us that he is also an intelligent young man with a degree in economics. Tajiri’s luck soon runs out and he gets a full nelson bomb from Bubba. D’Von comes in as they continue to isolate Tajiri and add a double flapjack for two. D’Von comes back in and locks in a rear choke which amazingly is out first resthold of the whole show. Tajiri catches D’Von with a kick coming off the second rope allowing the tag to Show, but the ref missed it and the Dudleys add the wazzzup headbut. Bubba tries a powerbomb but Tajiri counters it to a DDT and gets the legit hot tag to Show who cleans house until he gets chopblocked. Tajiri blind tags himself in seeing the opportunity, but he gets tossed off the top and the Dudleys knock Show off the apron. Tajiri teases a one-man comeback by kicking them down to size and he locks in the Tarantula on D’Von. Bubba breaks it up but Tajiri takes them both down with the back handspring elbow. He tries spitting the mist but Bubba ducks and gets the ref. Show sneaks back in and Chokeslams Bubba but the ref is out from the mist, and that allows Rhino to run in and GORE GORE GORE Show. Buzzsaw Kick connects but only gets two, and Tajiri falls victim to the 3D giving Dudleys the pin to retain the tag titles. This had no real flow to it whatsoever and was just there. (**)
Winner: The Dudley Boyz
– Meanwhile William Regal is proud of Rhino’s effort for the Alliance, and Shane knows Booker can do it.
Booker T v. The Undertaker
Booker jumps him outside to start but Taker wins the slugfest back inside. Booker gets a clothesline and pounds away, but misses a charge, and UT goes to working on the arm. He continues that by going Old School. We go outside where Booker goes in control and tries using the bell like Pop Quiz did earlier, but the ref stops it and Taker dumps him into the crowd. Back at ringside Taker eats post, and Booker capitalizes with a Missile Dropkick for two. Sidewalk slam gets two. Paul calls the Spinaroonie the most electrifying move in sports entertainment, although gets fooled since Booker decided not to do it. Neckbreaker by Booker gets two. Spinning heel kick gets two. There should be an extra button available that types “gets two” for you in matches like these, with UT. I guess now would be a good time to bring out the Underseller persona. So after all that setup for Taker’s big comeback, Taker hammers away and gets the legdrop for two. Oh, but that’s not all! Booker comes back with a spin kick and gets the break dance. Taker climbs back in but falls victim to the Scissor Kick, but UT gets the ropes. Booker goes low to block the Chokeslam, but Taker comes back with the Last Ride for the win out of nowhere. This match sucked for a lot of reasons, like how we saw Taker go to new territories by selling most of the whole thing just to come back and get the powerbomb to make the whole thing forgettable. (*3/4) Not that it wasn’t to be anticipated, though.
Winner: The Underaker
The Rock v. Chris Jericho – WCW Championship
Rock grabs a headlock to start but Jericho reverses to a hammerlock and works over his own. Jericho shoulders him down but falls victim to a vicious hip toss by Rock. Jericho gets his own now and drops a few knees on the arm. Rock shoulders him down but Jericho retaliates with the cocky slap of death and chokes him in the ropes. He adds a few chops but Rock takes him down and slugs away. Early Rock Bottom attempt is reveres to an early Walls attempt but Rock quickly gets the ropes and Jericho dropkicks him off the apron. He follows with a top rope elbow back inside for two. Rock fights back but a short lariat and Jericho’s back in control and he chops away in the corner. The Rock reverses the treatment but Jericho levels him with a leg lariat following an Irish whip for two. Rock reverses the pin to a schoolboy for two. Jericho lays in some cocky stomps and chops. Rock comes off the ropes with a flying forearm but Jericho flapjacks him into the ropes to stay in control. Scoop slam by Jericho and he goes up top but gets croched (a particular favorite spot of this PPV) and Rock follows him up to capitalize with a superplex for a double KO. They’re up at eight and Rock wins a slugfest followed by a hip toss and Samoan drop for a close two. Jericho oversells a big punch in the corner and it ends up sending him all the way to the floor where Rock follows him out to add a few shots to the announce table. The Rock hauls him back in and turns him inside out with a lariat for two, followed by a suplex for another two. Jericho tries fighting back with chops but he charges and gets tossed to the floor. That gets another near fall for Rock back inside.
Rock locks in a rear choke now, and he grounds it for a while. Jericho ultimately refuses to quit and elbows his way out, but he misses a dropkick and Rock slingshots him to the corner where he follows with a lariat. Rock sets him up top to attempt another superplex, but we all know that wont happen twice and Jericho shoves him off and connects with the missile dropkick. He then goes to work with shoulders and adds a running neckbreaker, then a pinning rana for a close two. Jericho slips out of a back suplex and out of nowhere nails his own version of the JERICHO BOTTOM for two! Paul goes crazy at this. Lionsault gets two and a bulldog sets up the Jericho’s Elbow, but Rock rolls out of the way. Rock catches a kick and dragonscrews the leg then successfully locks in the Sharpshooter mid-ring … Jericho fights and makes the ropes as the divided crowd is on their feet. Things spill to the outside where Hector and company are payed a visit, and Jericho gets Rock Bottomed through the Spanish table. Rock makes it back to the ring to break the count and then goes back to add more assault. Back inside Rock makes sure he rids the ring of Jericho’s wristband from mocking him earlier, then goes for the Rock Bottom, but Jericho blocks it only to run straight into a spinebuster to set up the People’s Elbow … but Jericho counters it to the Walls of Jericho! Absolutely love that spot every time I see it. StepHHHanie McMahon-Helmsley makes her way down now to slide a chair in the ring which allows Rock to DDT Jericho down. Stephanie cheers for The Rock on the apron but he hauls her and and gives her an actually nice looking Rock Bottom, but then turns around into the Breakdown onto the chair, which is Jericho’s debut of the move, for the pin and the WCW title. Okay, without getting into the politics in a post rant like I typically would regarding what would become of this feud with Jericho jobbing the title back to Rock on RAW and the mistreatment of Jericho during the Undisputed title run ect, the match was awesome in every sense of the word and although it lacks the intensity that it did live, which was obviously to be anticipated, still one of my favorites of all-time, and one that you can’t let the screwy McMahon finish get in the way of in the long run. (****1/2)
Winner: Chris Jericho
Steve Austin v. Kurt Angle v. Rob Van Dam – WWF Championship
While Austin and RVD bicker to start, Angle sneaks in and Germans both of them, but he ends up getting stomped out by them. RVD stops to taunt so Angle sneaks in and gives him a Russian leg sweep. Austin stomps everybody, yawn. Angle blocks the Stunner and turns it into the Ankle Lock but RVD breaks it up. RVD gets a spin kick and mule kick on Austin and Angle. Rolling Thunder on Angle gets two. Angle gets tossed again. It’s almost as if Angle has no relevance since the whole buildup to this match was the RVD-Austin Alliance relationship, with Vince in the limousine. Anyway, Austin uses the KNEE BRACE OF DEATH to pound on RVD, but Angle makes another return appearance, only to get backdropped back out. Angle comes back in and returns the favor to Austin, but Austin pokes the eye then slingshots Angle into the post. RVD takes some leg shots into the post, and the Angle-Austin brawl spills into the crowd. They go back to ringside where RVD hits them with a top rope senton. Know what would have made that so much sweeter? If he would have did it into the crowd where they just were, to bring back ECW shades. Back in RVD goes for a kick but Angle catches it, then delivers a belly to belly. More awesomeness from Angle. Angle gets his moonsault but Austin sneaks in the pin for two. Angle tries to get rid of Austin with a sleeper, but Austin gets out and tries a Stunner, Angle blocks and tries his own, but Austin blocks, and they collide for a double-KO.
RVD tries the 5* but both men roll out of the way. This time he didn’t even HAVE to choose like before. Stunner on Angle, RVD breaks it up. Split-legged moonsault on Austin, Angle breaks it up. Angle Slam on RVD, Austin breaks it up. Austin gets dumped for the forty-third time in this match, and they go the announce table, where Austin tries a piledriver but Angle backdrops out of it, where the table doesn’t break. Out strolls Vince McMahon to peer at the action. Back inside RVD gets a heel kick and goes up for the Frog Splash, but Angle runs up and gets a super belly to belly suplex. Austin sneaks back in and gets the Stunner on Angle, but Angle does the smart thing of falling outside. So now he has to go to RVD, and Vince wacks Austin with a chair. That leaves RVD to hit the Frog Splash, but Angle is back right in time to break up the pin. Rolling Germans on RVD, FOUR to be exact, and then the Angle Slam, but Shane McMahon comes out, breaks up the pin, and tosses Angle. Vince tackles Shane over the announce table. Meanwhile we have Austin Stunnering RVD to retain the title. It sure is nice to see Austin go over again, huh? At least Kurt got to be on the tape cover. This is one of those matches that you really enjoy, yet all the annual McMahon interference (hey, why does that seem familiar) leaves a sour taste in your match. I still enjoyed it enough, plus with the awesome from Angle. (***3/4)
Winner: Steve Austin
End of show.
The NeelDown – Solid show completely down the line here. It’s really worth having just for the Rock-Jericho match really, but the main event also delivered and the undercard was good enough to keep the entire show interesting outside a couple of matches. Alas, three matches either above or dangling around the **** mark made this an easily enjoyable show. Highly recommended.
