Hello everyone. I’m back with another round of Flashback Thoughts from WWE PPV’s past. This week, it is Vengeance 2002!
-Ah, a time when the brand split actually mattered!
Tag Team Tables: Bubba Ray and Spike Dudley vs Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit
-Why are there normal tag rules in a Tables match?
-This is Benoit’s first PPV match in 13 months since his injury at King of the Ring 2001. I wonder if Benoit would have been a big part of the Invasion angle if he wasn’t injured.
-Benoit and Eddie have dominated the whole match.
-All tag team rules are apparently out the window once the tables are introduced.
-Bubba jumps off the second rope, but Benoit moves and Bubba goes through the table. It wasn’t an offensive move so it doesn’t count, however.
-Spike hits finisher and puts Eddie through the table, even though Spike went through more of the table than Eddie.
-Benoit press slams Spike and throws him over the top through a table, then Bubba hits the Bubba Bomb on Benoit, putting him through a table in the ring. Fun, entertaining opener that got the crowd into it.
-Oh yes, the big negotiation battle to sign Triple H. Hey, I liked the brand split when it was serious like this.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Jamie Noble (w/Nidia) vs Billy Kidman
-Both of these guys have the generic jobber theme songs.
-Good back and forth action so far.
-Kidman misses a Shooting Star Press, and Noble hits the Tiger Bomb for the win. Short but entertaining match.
-Kurt Angle is interviewed backstage when Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar interrupt him. Heyman says it would be an honor to have Brock fight Angle at SummerSlam.
European Championship: Jeff Hardy (c) vs William Regal
-Even in 2002 Jeff Hardy was pretty over with the crowd. If he kept his head on straight, he could have been a MEGA star in the WWE.
-Hardy wins with a quick roll up. Surprisingly short match.
-Ric Flair congratulates Jeff Hardy backstage. Hulk Hogan comes in and does the same. They end up talking about Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon possibly running the WWE out of business.
Chris Jericho vs John Cena
-Who would have thought this generic looking John Cena would end up being hated by the IWC in 5 years time?
-Current Day John Cena needs to channel 2002 John Cena when it comes to selling.
-Apparently John Cena knew more moves in 2002. Tilt-a-whirl slam? Belly-to-Belly? Oklahoma Roll?
-Jericho is also doing a good job of making Cena look good here as well.
-Jericho gets cocky and doesn’t go for the pin. Instead he goes for the Walls, and Cena counters with a roll up for the win.
-I had to laugh when Michael Cole said, “Tonight Cena shows the name of the game is wrestling, and he beat Jericho with that tonight!”
-Backstage Stephanie McMahon’s lawyer shows up with legal documents.
Intercontinental Championship: Rob Van Dam (c) vs Brock Lesnar
-Eleven Years later and now these guys are special attractions working part time schedules.
-RVD goes for a moonsault flip, but Lesnar catches him and delivers a running slam on the floor. Ouch.
-To this day I still don’t fault the WWE for pushing Lesnar right away. They could have never known he wasn’t mentally ready for a WWE schedule.
-If RVD comes back and performs at the level he is during this match, then it will be a good run.
-RVD counters the F5 into a DDT and hits the Five Star Frog Splash, but Paul Heyman pulls the ref out of the ring, causing a DQ. After a brawl, RVD goes for a Van Terminator, but Heyman grabs his leg and Brock takes RVD out with a F5 on the chair. The crowd was very much into the match and RVD did a surprisingly good job working with Lesnar. With Lesnar going on to face the WWE Champ at SummerSlam, he didn’t need the IC Title here.
-Stephanie comes out of the office and tells Bischoff that he signed. HHH comes out and Bischoff yells at him. HHH says he signed the divorce papers, and hasn’t decided on whether to go to RAW or Smackdown.
No DQ Match: Booker T vs Big Show
-Not even 5 minutes into the match and the Spanish announce table is already being torn apart. Then Booker T does a Scissors Kick through the table.
-Back in the ring, Booker hits the Houston Hangover Kick off the top for the quick win.
-At WWE New York, Torrie Wilson and Dawn Marie argue over whose ass looks better.
Triple H Decides Between RAW or Smackdown
-Eric Bischoff tells HHH that if he joins RAW they have no personal history like him and Stephanie do.
-Stephanie comes out. She reminds Bischoff telling HHH that he had no charisma at all.
-HHH tells Bischoff he could say ‘Screw You” and he wouldn’t like it. HHH tells Steph he could say “Screw You” to her, but he knows she likes it.
-HHH is ready to make his decision when Shawn Michaels comes out. Shawn tries to convince HHH to come to RAW and help make Eric Bischoff’s life a living hell.
-After HBK’s sales pitch, HHH says “Sorry Steph” and decides to join RAW. Did you really think HHH would work Tuesdays?
-Bischoff tells Steph the difference between them is that he has testicles. Steph then slaps him. Thanks for the health lesson!
-Rikishi is disappointed that HHH chose Smackdown. Goldust says HHH may play the game, but him and Booker have the bigger joysticks.
WWE Tag Team Championship: Hulk Hogan and Edge (c) vs Christian and Lance Storm
-Still don’t believe Hogan ever had Voodoo Child as his theme song. It will always be “Real American” to me.
-Who would have thought in 2002 that out of these four, Hulk Hogan would still be around in wrestling and Edge and Lance Storm would be retired?
-The announcers keep talking about how proud Hulk Hogan is to be Tag Team Champion. I’m sure he appreciates the paycheck more than anything.
-Look at the Hulkster actually selling and then MAKING the hot tag to Edge!
-Edge goes for a Spear but Lance Storm leap frogs it, and Edge spears the ref. Edge hits the Edgecution but Test comes out and hits the big boot on Edge. Edge kicks out at two. Rikishi comes out to fend off Test. Edge hits another Spear but the ref is distracted by Christian and Hogan brawling. Chris Jericho comes from the crowd and hits Edge with a Tag Title belt, allowing Lance Storm to pin Edge and giving him and Christian the Tag Titles. Average Tag Match with a lot of moving parts in the finish.
-Eric Bischoff tries convincing Kurt Angle to come to RAW, but Stephanie responds by saying she is in contact with every superstar on RAW, and will rip the heart of RAW out when the time is right.
WWE Championship: The Undertaker (c) vs The Rock vs Kurt Angle
-Some people wants Biker Taker back. I think that character only works if he ever came back full time, which he never will.
-The Rock and Undertaker stare each other down. Kurt feels left out and waves his arms around to get their attention. Taker and Rock then shove down and beat up Kurt.
-Rock hits Taker with a Chokeslam, then uses the Ankle Lock on Angle. Angle then hits a Rock Bottom on The Rock. To finish it off, Taker hits an Angle Slam on Kurt.
-Angle is bleeding after being thrown into the post. Remember the days of blood in the WWE?
-With the ref distracted (even though it’s a Triple Threat Match so there should be No DQ), Angle hits Taker with a chair then the Angle Slam on Rock. Angle tries pinning both men but they both kick out.
-Taker breaks up the Sharpshooter on Angle, then hits the Last Ride on Rock. Angle pulls Taker off the pin and applies the Ankle Lock. Taker rolls through and goes for the Last Ride, but Angle applies a Triangle Choke.
-Rock breaks that up but quickly gets caught in the Ankle Lock. Rock rolls through into a pin attempt for two. Angle walks into a chokeslam from Taker, but Rock hits the Rock Bottom. Taker gets his shoulder up before 3!
-Angle hits the Angle Slam on Taker, but Rock hits the Rock Bottom on Angle. Taker is late breaking up the three count and Rock becomes Undisputed Champion. Very strong final 5 minutes with the crowd into every near fall.
-Overall, I would say this was a slightly above average show. The last half of the main event was very good. The opener was solid and a great way to get the crowd into it. RVD/Lesnar was entertaining as well. Cena showed promise in his debut. Everything else was on the short side and not to memorable. I’d give the show a solid 6.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
