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Post by darbicus on Dec 24, 2022 1:03:30 GMT 1
WWF Summerslam August 19, 2001 Compaq Center San Jose, CA
*Edge w/Christian d. Rikishi by Pinfall to Win the Intercontinental Title Edge had grown more and more disillusioned with the actions of the Sindicate, with all of it coming to a head when he and Christian were ordered to perform a Con-Chair-To on Diamond Dallas Page on the Raw following Fully Loaded. While Christian seemed willing to perform the dirty deed, Edge refused, leading to his eventual banishment from the group at the hands of their enforcer, new Intercontinental Champion Rikishi. In solidarity with him, Christian left the group as well, as Edge challenged Rikishi for the title. The large Samoan controlled much of the match, but had trouble putting Edge away. Edge suddenly surprised Rikishi with a Spear out of nowhere, but this only garnered a two count. At one point the referee went down, and Christian appeared torn between hitting Rikishi with a chair momentarily. Rikishi chased him away before he could do anything, only to be caught with an Edgecution. Edge then hit a second spear on Rikishi to pin the champion and win his first Intercontinental Championship.
*Billy & Chuck d. The Underdogs [Spike Dudley & Crash Holly] by Pinfall Billy Gunn had returned to the WWF with his new "best friend" and protege, Chuck Palumbo, forming a new tag team and going on something of a win streak. They continued this win streak by defeating the team of so-called Underdogs in Spike Dudley and Crash Holly with a Fameasser from Billy.
*Rhyno d. Rob Van Dam w/Paul Heyman by Pinfall The tentative alliance between Rhyno and Rob Van Dam had fractured when both men were vying for the Hardcore Title. Caught between the two was Rob Van Dam's manager Paul Heyman, who considered both individuals to be "Paul Heyman Guys." The former ECW owner made his decision though when he tripped up Van Dam's attempt at a Van Terminator dropkick, holding his leg to prevent the springboard. Van Dam argued with Heyman long enough for Rhyno to Gore him to the outside through a waiting table. Rhyno then tossed Van Dam into the ring and hit a sitout piledriver to pick up the victory, as Heyman allied himself with the Man-Beast going forward.
*Jeff Hardy d. Matt Hardy in a Ladder Match to Retain the Hardcore Title The two Hardy Boyz had been having disagreements for several months entering Summerslam, culminating in a feud over the Hardcore Title that was settled in a Ladder match. As was customary for the two men, they found innovative ways to use the ladder as offense against the other, including Jeff hitting a Swanton Bomb onto Matt through another ladder that was set up at ringside. In the end, Jeff climbed the ladder and acquired the Hardcore Title, retaining it. After the match, Matt raised Jeff's hand and hugged him, as the two seemingly put their issues behind them.
*The APA [Bradshaw & Faarooq] d. William Regal & Tajiri & The Dudley Boyz [Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley] by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Titles After winning the tag titles at Fully Loaded, the APA resumed a feud with their former rivals, The Dudley Boyz. They also feuded with former Commissioner William Regal and his personal assistant, Tajiri, leading to this Triple Threat match. The Dudleys nearly won the titles after hitting Faarooq with 3-D, but the pinfall was broken up by Tajiri who used the Green Mist on Bubba Ray. Bradshaw then hit a Clothesline from Hell on Bubba and pinned him to retain the titles.
*Mike Awesome w/Paul Heyman d. Kane w/The Undertaker & Sara by Disqualification The night after Fully Loaded, former ECW champion Mike Awesome was revealed as the stalker of The Undertaker's wife Sara. Undertaker immediately targeted Awesome, and the two had to be separated from each other. In the fracass, Undertaker assaulted several WWF officials, leading WWF Commissioner Shane McMahon to be forced to suspend The Undertaker, telling him he would be fired if he laid a hand on Mike Awesome. However, Awesome was challenged to a match by Kane. Undertaker and Sara accompanied Kane to ringside, much to the chagrin of Kane. Surprising everyone more was the appearance of Paul Heyman in the corner of Mike Awesome. When asked, Heyman merely described Awesome as a "Paul Heyman Guy." The Big Red Machine controlled much of the match against the highly athletic Awesome, but the mind games played by Mike Awesome caused the Phenom to snap and attack him, hitting him with the Last Ride. This would lead to, as Shane McMahon promised, Undertaker being fired (in kayfabe) the following night on Raw.
*The Rock d. Diamond Dallas Page by Pinfall The Rock had made his return at Fully Loaded, but instead of attacking Stone Cold Steve Austin as many suspected he would (he would challenge Austin to a title match the following night on Raw, disregarding his actions on the previous night) he attacked Diamond Dallas Page, for having the "temerity" to refer to himself as the People's Champion. Page returned the favor to The Rock, beating him in their first meeting on Raw with a Diamond Cutter to advance in a mini-tournament to crown a new #1 contender to the WWF title. The two men met in another singles match at Summerslam, with The Rock discounting Page's ability as part of his more arrogant, eventual heel-based character. DDP clawed and scratched his way to near victory on more than one occasion, hitting a Diamond Cutter after popping up during a People's Elbow attempt that almost got a three count. In the end though, The Rock pinned Page after a 2nd Rock Bottom. After the match, the two men shook hands seemingly as a sign of respect, only for the Rock to pull Page in and hit another Rock Bottom for good measure.
*Kurt Angle d. The Big Show by Submission At Fully Loaded, The Big Show had turned heel and joined the Sindicate, after helping Steve Austin retain the WWF title. Meanwhile the friction between Austin and Angle reached its boiling point, and Angle was unceremoniously dumped from the group after being Chokeslammed through a table by Big Show during the mini-tournament for the #1 contendership to the WWF Title. Angle then turned face and challenged Big Show to a match. The Giant tossed Angle around the arena with ease, but Angle used his technical proficiency to target the leg of the big man, chopping him down to size. Angle eventually earned the submission victory with the Ankle Lock, forcing the Giant to tap out.
*Dawn Marie d. Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley in an Evening Gown Match to Retain the Women's Title For several weeks Vince McMahon had been conducting a "semi-secret" affair with his personal assistant, Dawn Marie. As a side effect of this, Dawn Marie was entered as the last combatant in a Women's Title Gauntlet match, essentially handing her the title. Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley returned on an episode of Smackdown and confronted her father for his "womanizing ways," eventually leading to a confrontation between Stephanie and Dawn Marie. This match was set up as an Evening Gown match, with the winner being the one who stripped their opponent down to their underwear. What followed was a short comedy match, which Dawn Marie won after stripping off the gown from Stephanie. However the Billion Dollar Princess had the last laugh as she ripped off Dawn Marie's gown while the champion was celebrating, nearly causing a wardrobe malfunction that sent the embarrased Dawn Marie scurrying to the back quickly.
*Stone Cold Steve Austin d. Chris Jericho by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Championship Y2J Chris Jericho had been feuding with the Sindicate throughout much of the spring and summer, as fans rallied around the oft overlooked youngster. Jericho won a 4 man tournament on Raw to crown a new #1 contender to the WWF title, outlasting Kurt Angle, The Rock & DDP to do so. During the build, much was made about Jericho's inability to "win the big one" by Austin, though Jericho pinned Austin in a non-title match on Smackdown as well as pinning him in a six man tag on Raw. The actual match was definitively an even paced affair, with neither man gaining a strong advantage over the other. At one point the referee went down, while Jericho locked Austin in the Walls of Jericho. Austin tapped, but there was no referee to make the cover. The Rock also made his way down during this time, attacking Austin and grabbing the WWF title belt. The Rock aimed to hit Austin with the title, but inadvertantly hit Jericho. Austin then nailed the Stunner on The Rock to dispose of him, before pinning Jericho as the ref came too to win a tainted victory and retain the title.
Off-Camera Title Changes:
August 23: Perry Saturn d. Jeff Hardy for the Hardcore Title
August 23: Raven d. Perry Saturn for the Hardcore Title
August 23: Mike Awesome d. Raven for the Hardcore Title
August 27: Rob Van Dam d. Kanyon for the European Title
August 30: Tajiri d. Billy Kidman for the Cruiserweight Title
September 10: Kane d. Mike Awesome for the Hardcore Title
September 10: Rhyno d. Kane for the Hardcore Title
September 10: Shawn Michaels d. Rhyno for the Hardcore Title
September 10: Howard Finkel d. Shawn Michaels for the Hardcore Title
September 10: Rhyno d. Howard Finkel for the Hardcore Title
September 10: Chavo Guerrero d. Tajiri for the Cruiserweight Title
September 17: Tommy Dreamer d. Rhyno for the Hardcore Title |
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Post by darbicus on Dec 25, 2022 10:51:01 GMT 1
WWF UnforgivenSeptember 23, 2001Mellon ArenaPittsburgh, PA*The Hurricane d. William Regal by Pinfall
In recent weeks William Regal had been feuding with backstage interviewer Gregory Helms, bullying him and imparting verbal jabs against him. During Regal's matches, a masked super hero calling himself The Hurricane had been appearing, costing him victories. While it was clear that The Hurricane was Gregory Helms, Helms denied any involvement, leading to a match at Unforgiven where Regal promised to unmask the hero. Hurricane's high flying offense befuddled Regal, until the former Commissioner managed to make Hurricane miss a cross body from the top rope. Regal then focused on trying to rip the mask of the self-professed hero, but failed to do so. In the end, as Regal was getting ready to apply the Regal Stretch, a video showed up on the Titantron of Gregory Helms apparently making his way to the ring. Regal was temporarily flummoxed, long enough for Hurricane to roll him up from behind and pick up the pinfall victory.
*Billy Kidman w/Torrie Wilson d. Tajiri & Chavo Guerrero by Pinfall to Win the Cruiserweight Title
The recently renamed Cruiserweight Division had received an influx of talent from the recently closed World Championship Wrestling, of which two of the three competitors here were from. Kidman, who had taken the division by storm since his debut in the summer, was attempting to regain the title from Chavo Guerrero, who had defeated Tajiri for the gold. In a highly competitive match, Kidman eventually pinned Tajiri with his impressive Shooting Star Press to regain the Cruiserweight Title.
*Billy & Chuck d. The APA [Bradshaw & Faarooq], The Dudley Boyz [Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley] & The Hardy Boyz [Matt & Jeff Hardy] by Pinfall to Win the World Tag Team Titles
After seemingly solving their issues with one another, Matt & Jeff Hardy attempted to regain the tag team titles from the APA. However their title match was interrupted by old rivals The Dudley Boyz, as well as the relatively new team of Billy and Chuck (Billy Gunn and his "friend" Chuck Palumbo). The four teams met in a Fatal Fourway match for the gold. The Acolytes controlled much of the match, tossing everyone out of the ring left and right at the beginning, but were eventually sidelined when The Dudleys hit Faarooq with a 3-D through a table on the outside, leaving Bradshaw to essentially defend the gold alone. This caught up to the Texan after Matt hit a Twist of Fate on Bradshaw and Jeff followed up with a Swanton Bomb. However the Dudleys came in and prevented the pinfall, though forgot about Gunn who was lying prone on the ground. The veteran crawled over and made the cover on Bradshaw while the Hardys and Dudleys fought, picking up the surprise win and becoming tag team champion once again.
*Kane & Rob Van Dam d. The Paul Heyman Guys [Rhyno & Mike Awesome] w/Paul Heyman by Pinfall
Due to the Undertaker getting involved in Kane's match with Mike Awesome at Summerslam, the Phenom was fired per a pre-match stipulation. However, Kane agreed to put his own career on the line against both of the so-called "Paul Heyman Guys" in a tag match where, if he won, The Undertaker would be reinstated. Kane's partner, to Heyman's shock and dismay, turned out to be European Champion and former Paul Heyman Guy Rob Van Dam. RVD and Kane surprisingly worked well as a tag team, though eventually RVD was isolated by Awesome and Rhyno and beaten down, due to the size advantage they possessed. Once Kane was tagged back into the match though, he dominated, and eventually pinned Rhyno after hitting him with a Chokeslam, bringing The Phenom back to the WWF after a short hiatus.
*Christian d. Edge by Pinfall to Win the Intercontinental Title
The night after Summerslam, where Edge had defeated Rikishi to become the Intercontinental Champion for the first time, he was viciously turned on by his partner and best friend Christian, who proceeded to viciously assault the new champion and lay him out with a One Man Con-Chair-To, giving Edge a severe concussion that kept him off television for several weeks. Edge returned to attack Christian on an episode of Smackdown, but was clearly still showing the effects of the concussion, leaving him vulnerable going into this first ever match between the two former tag team champions. Edge gutted through a good performance, but was clearly still hindered by the concussion (an effect made worse when Christian repeatedly rammed his head into the turnbuckle early on in the match). Edge however nearly won with a Spear out of nowhere, though Christian was able to get his foot on the rope. Edge attempted another spear, but Christian dodged and Edge hit the referee instead. Christian then attacked Edge with the Intercontinental Title belt to the head, and then delivered the Killswitch onto the belt for good measure, tossing out the evidence as the ref came too and counted the pinfall.
*Vince McMahon d. Shane McMahon in an I Quit Match
Since being appointed as WWF Commissioner, Shane McMahon and his father Vince McMahon had drifted apart on how best to run the WWF, with Shane undermining Vince's authority with the Sindicate at most turns. After Summerslam, when Shane granted the #1 contendership to Kurt Angle, Vince had finally had enough and sought to end Shane's tenure as Commissioner. Per the demands of Linda McMahon, Vince couldn't outright fire Shane, thus leaving the only way that Shane could be gotten rid of as quitting. Vince challenged Shane to an I Quit match, with the stipulation that the loser would quit the WWF as well. Vince and Shane brutally battled with one another, and despite Vince's efforts he couldn't get Shane to give up. At least until Shane attacked a woman identified as Shane's wife Marissa at ringside. When Vince prepared to drill her with a steel chair, Shane dove in and gave up, allowing Vince the win. Despite this, Vince drilled Shane head first with the chair and walked off with Dawn Marie by his side. Shane was taken out on a stretcher, not to be seen again for a while.
*The Big Show & Rikishi d. Chris Jericho & The Rock by Pinfall
The growing feud between The Rock and Chris Jericho had arisen ever since The Great One's return to the WWF. Both men were seeking to become WWF Champion, with neither man willing to give an inch to the other. Vince ordered both men to team up against the Sindicate, facing off against The Big Show and Rikishi, with the added stipulation that the man who scored the pinfall would become the new #1 contender to the WWF Championship. Because of this stipulation, neither The Rock nor Jericho were able to get along with each other, and neither man was able to make a pin without the other breaking it up. Eventually their arguments came to blows, and The Sindicate was able to take advantage, with Rikishi pinning Jericho following a Rikishi Driver as The Rock abandoned his partner.
*Kurt Angle d. Stone Cold Steve Austin by Submission to Win the WWF Championship
Following Summerslam and his victory over The Big Show, Kurt Angle was named the new #1 contender for the WWF Title by then Commissioner Shane McMahon (much to the chagrin of his father). Angle sought revenge against Austin for his actions in kicking him out of the Sindicate, while also trying to win the WWF Title in front of his hometown crowd of Pittsburgh. Austin and Angle resumed their rivalry from several months earlier, with Austin controlling the match with a slow brawling style that took advantage of an injured arm that Angle had sustained in the weeks leading up to Unforgiven. It also looked as if Austin would have the match won after he locked Angle in a Stone Cold Sleeper, only for Eric Angle to appear at ringside to try and save his brother. Austin delivered a Stunner to Eric Angle, the sight of which fired up Kurt. Angle then attacked Austin with several German Suplexes before locking in an Ankle Lock. Austin fought hard to get to the ropes, nearly reaching them before Angle dragged him back to the center of the ring and grapevined the leg. Austin was forced to tap out, giving Angle the win and his 2nd WWF Championship, as he celebrated with his family in the middle of the ring to close the show.
Off Camera Title Changes:
September 24: Shawn Stasiak d. Tommy Dreamer to Win the Hardcore Title
September 24: X-Pac d. Shawn Stasiak to Win the Hardcore Title
October 1: Trish Stratus d. Dawn Marie to Win the Women's Title
October 4: Tommy Dreamer d. X-Pac to Win the Hardcore Title
October 8: William Regal d. Rob Van Dam to Win the European Title
October 8: Albert d. Tommy Dreamer to Win the Hardcore Title
October 8: Maven d. Albert to Win the Hardcore Title
October 18: Tazz d. Maven to Win the Hardcore Title |
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Post by darbicus on Dec 26, 2022 10:57:15 GMT 1
WWF No MercyOctober 21, 2001Savvis CenterSt. Louis, MO*The Underdogs [Spike Dudley & Crash Holly] d. The Dudley Boyz [Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley] by Pinfall
In a standard tag match, the tag team known colloquially as the Underdogs (Spike Dudley and Crash Holly) shockingly scored an upset victory over The Dudley Boyz, defeating them after Spike hit D-Von with the Dudley Dawg. *Diamond Dallas Page d. William Regal by Pinfall to Win the European Title
The "Real People's Champion" challenged the Champion of Europe for the European Title, after Regal derided Americans as "low-class whiners," garnering massive heel heat in the wake of 9/11. This match wound up being a rout, as DDP beat Regal inside of 2 minutes with the Diamond Cutter to win the European Title.
*Maven d. Tazz by Pinfall to Win the Hardcore Title
Maven Huffman had been declared the winner of Season 1 of Tough Enough, a WWF reality show where several individuals competed for a guaranteed WWF contract. After winning the competition, Maven made his debut on WWF television in late September, surprisingly winning the Hardcore Title in early October. On the go home episode of Smackdown though, Maven was challenged by one of his Tough Enough trainers in Tazz, who made Maven tap to the Tazzmission and won the Hardcore Title from him. In this rematch, Maven utilized the no rules nature of the hardcore match to best his trainer, and pin him after a kendo stick shot to the head to regain the title. However, after the match as Maven was celebrating with his other trainer Al Snow, Snow hit Maven in the back with a baseball bat, before drilling him with the Snow Plow on a Stop Sign, pinning him to win the Hardcore Title and run off with it.
*Billy Kidman w/Torrie Wilson d. X-Pac w/Ivory by Pinfall to Retain the Cruiserweight Title
Former cruiserweight champion X-Pac had begun feuding with the man who had won the title from him earlier in the summer, even employing former Women's Champion Ivory as his new valet to counter Torrie Wilson on the outside. Despite the potential cat fight distraction, Kidman survived X-Pac's challenge, defeating him with a Shooting Star Press after the former champion missed a Bronco Buster, setting him up for the fall.
*Edge & Kane d. Christian & Rhyno w/Paul Heyman by Pinfall
At Unforgiven, Christian had taken advantage of the lingering effects of a concussion to defeat Edge to win the Intercontinental Title. Edge naturally wanted his rematch, but Vince McMahon wouldn't grant it due to his lack of doctor's clearance. Instead Edge had to face Christian with each man taking on a partner of their choice. Edge teamed with Kane, after Christian chose to partner with Kane's rival Rhyno. Edge was taken out of the match early on, as before the match began Rhyno gored him through a portion of the No Mercy stage, leaving Kane to face the Intercontinental Champion and the Man Beast alone. However Edge eventually made his way back to ringside and got the Hot Tag from Kane. Edge then laid out both Rhyno and Christian with Spears, finishing off the Intercontinental Champion with a 2nd Spear and pinning him to get some degree of revenge.
*Billy & Chuck d. The Hardy Boyz [Matt & Jeff Hardy] by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Championship
After sneaking their way to the tag team titles at Unforgiven, Billy and Chuck were forced to defend their titles against The Hardy Boyz, who had seemingly been robbed of the titles then. The match took a turn early on when Jeff seemingly injured his knee in the match, leaving Matt to face Billy and Chuck alone. The champions were able to double team Matt with impunity, though Jeff tried to get back in the match on numerous occasions. Matt eventually did make the hot tag to Jeff, who cleaned house briefly. He set up Chuck for a Swanton Bomb, but lost his footing with his injured leg on the top rope, collapsing to the ground. This left him open for a Fameasser from Billy, which allowed the champions to make the cover and retain the titles. After the match, Matt argued with the still injured Jeff, before kicking his leg out from under him and leaving him in a heap on the ground, once again frustrated with their lack of success.
*The Undertaker w/Sara d. Mike Awesome w/Paul Heyman in a Biker Chain Match
Ever since Mike Awesome had been revealed as the stalker of The Undertaker's wife Sara in the summer, The Phenom had been pursuing vengenace against the former ECW champion. After being temporarily fired and later reinstated, The Undertaker finally got Mike Awesome in a one on one match, this time with a Biker Chain stipulation to ensure that Awesome couldn't go anywhere. The new look Undertaker (having cut his trademark long hair) dominated the match throughout, despite Awesome attempting to get some offense in here and there. However Undertaker eventually finished off the Paul Heyman Guy with a Last Ride (while Sara kicked Heyman straight in the junk on the outside for good measure), winning the feud with Awesome.
*The Rock d. Chris Jericho by Pinfall
With the attempted tag team of The Rock and Chris Jericho having failed at Unforgiven, and thus neither man had a chance to earn a title shot in the near future. The Rock now challenged Jericho to a match at No Mercy in an attempt to gain some measure of revenge on him, becoming increasingly annoyed with the crowd's reactions in favor of Y2J over reactions to him. Jericho was looking to prove that he could hang with the biggest names in the industry, something he had been derided for in recent months due to failures against Austin and The Rock. Jericho controlled much of the match, to The Rock's surprise, using his unique style of high flying offense to stymie the People's Champion. The Rock eventually turned the tide with a quick DDT off a Y2J miscue, establishing control for himself. After hitting a Rock Bottom, though, The Rock was increasingly shocked by Jericho kicking out. The Rock went to the outside and attempted to use a steel chair on Jericho, only for the referee to get in the way and pull the chair from the Rock's hands. This led to Jericho hitting the Breakdown on The Rock, and scoring a near fall. Jericho was undaunted and tried to lock in the Walls of Jericho, only for the Rock to power out, sending Jericho into the referee. While the ref was down, The Rock resorted to a blatant lowblow followed by a 2nd Rock Bottom to pick up the win, oblivious to the chorus of boos raining down on him.
*Stone Cold Steve Austin d. Kurt Angle in a Steel Cage Match to Win the WWF Championship
After losing the WWF Title to Kurt Angle, Stone Cold Steve Austin immediately cashed in his rematch on the new champion the following night on Raw, only to lose again (this time due to mistimed interference from The Big Show) to the Olympic Champion. Austin went to his benefactor Mr. McMahon, demanding a steel cage match from him, only for McMahon to hesitate, growing tired of Austin's "constant whinging". Eventually McMahon relented, reminding Austin that he was to be the face of the company per the deal they had made back before Wrestlemania, and he was "faltering" on his end of the bargain. In the Steel Cage, Austin attacked with an intensity that he hadn't had since turning heel back in March, but was easily met by Angle, who matched his intensity. The match went back and forth, and nearly ended after an Angle Slam from halfway up the cage to the challenger. Angle attempted to climb up the cage and get out, but Austin crawled his way to the door, where Mr. McMahon was waiting for him. After a moment where it seemed McMahon would slam the door in Austin's face, McMahon instead pulled Austin out of the cage just before Angle fell down to the floor, giving Stone Cold the win and his 5th WWF title reign.
Off-Camera Title Changes:
October 29: Jim Cornette d. Al Snow for the Hardcore Title
October 29: Maven d. Jim Cornette for the Hardcore Title
October 29: Justin Credible d. Maven for the Hardcore Title
October 29: Maven d. Justin Credible for the Hardcore Title
November 1: The Big Show d. Maven for the Hardcore Title |
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Post by darbicus on Dec 26, 2022 23:35:24 GMT 1
WWF RebellionNovember 3, 2001Manchester Evening News ArenaManchester, England*The Hurricane & Mighty Molly d. William Regal & Ivory by Pinfall
The WWF's resident Super Hero, The Hurricane, had taken on a new sidekick in "Mighty Molly", the former Molly Holly. Hurricane was still embroiled in a feud with William Regal, leading to this mixed tag match that saw Regal team with former women's champion Ivory. In a standard match, Molly pinned Ivory following a cross body block from the top rope, while the Hurricane again stifled attempts by Regal to unmask him, hitting him with his own brass knuckles in the process.
*Diamond Dallas Page d. Kanyon by Pinfall to Retain the European Title
Two former WCW alums went head to head for the European title. It was clear that Kanyon was familiar with DDP's offense, as he had a counter for every way in which the Real People's Champion attempted to apply the Diamond Cutter. However Kanyon's own offense couldn't compete with Page ultimately, leading to Page eventually hitting a Diamond Cutter out of nowhere and picking up the win to retain his title.
*The Big Show d. Maven, Al Snow, Tommy Dreamer & Justin Credible in a 4 on 1 Handicap Match to Retain the Hardcore Title
On the episode of Smackdown prior to this event, The Big Show had won the Hardcore championship in a rout of the rookie Maven. For this night, Big Show instituted a 4 on 1 Handicap Match which saw him take on 4 former Hardcore Champions in the afore mentioned Maven, Al Snow, Justin Credible and Tommy Dreamer. Despite the odds being against the World's Largest Athlete, he easily bested all four men, pinning Dreamer after Chokeslamming him through a table to the outside.
*Bubba Ray Dudley w/D-Von Dudley d. Billy w/Chuck by Pinfall
The Dudley Boyz were engaged in a feud with Billy & Chuck over the tag team titles following the latter's title victory at Unforgiven a month and a half earlier. In this match however, due to an "injury" to Chuck Palumbo, Billy Gunn would take on only one of the Dudleys in a singles match. During the course of the match though, it became clear that Chuck's injury was a ruse, as he hit a superkick on Bubba Ray Dudley while the referee was distracted by D-Von on the outside inadvertently. Gunn then took control for a brief time, before Bubba hit a Full Nelson Powerbomb that turned the tide of the match again. Chuck attempted to intervene a second time, only to be intercepted by D-Von, while Bubba hit a cutter on Billy to pick up the victory.
*Trish Stratus d. Jacqueline by Pinfall to Retain the Women's Title
In a standard title defense, Trish Stratus successfully defeated Jacqueline with the Stratusfaction to retain the Women's Title.
*Christian d. Rob Van Dam by Disqualification to Retain the Intercontinental Title
RVD challenged Christian to try and regain the Intercontinental Title that he held earlier in the year. Christian, who had adopted the moniker of "Captain Charisma", had trouble dealing with the former IC Champion, but was able to sneakily hit a low blow on Van Dam during the course of the match to turn the tide. RVD fought out of an attempt at the Killswitch, pushing Christian into the referee by mistake. Christian then hit a second low blow and went to grab the Intercontinental Title belt to use as a weapon. However, before he could he was hit with a Spear from Edge, who came in from the crowd. Van Dam then hit a Five Star Frog Splash and was announced as the winner of the title, but a second referee came down and overruled the first, disqualifying RVD due to Edge's interference and giving Christian the win and title retention.
*The Undertaker d. Kurt Angle by Pinfall
With his feud with Mike Awesome in the rear view mirror for the most part, The Undertaker turned his attention towards trying to regain the WWF Championship. In order to do that, he took on Kurt Angle in a Wrestlemania rematch. The Phenom, who had adopted a far more aggressive style since his return from his kayfabe firing, muscled Angle around the ring with relative ease, but the Olympic Champion was able to bounce back and hit several suplexes to get near falls on the Deadman. The Undertaker rallied though and caught Angle with a chokeslam, who's flailing arms inadvertently hit the referee. With Angle and the ref down, Undertaker grabbed a Biker Chain from his motorcycle and wrapped it around his fist, decking Angle with the foreign object for good measure before picking up the pinfall victory.
*Chris Jericho d. Stone Cold Steve Austin by Disqualification [Austin Retains WWF Title]
With Austin set for a Wrestlemania rematch against The Rock at Survivor Series, he first had to contend with Chris Jericho in a Summerslam rematch. Jericho and Austin had a replay of their highly competitive Summerslam main event, and like in that match it appeared that Jericho would have the match won several times in the course of it. However Y2J was thwarted by the appearance of the Rock, who was the challenger for the champion waiting at the upcoming major event. He attacked Austin, both to soften him up for Survivor Series, and partly to screw Jericho out of a chance to become champion as well. As The Rock celebrated briefly, he was confronted by Jericho who hit him with the Breakdown as Austin scurried away, barely holding on to his title yet again.
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Post by darbicus on Dec 29, 2022 0:33:10 GMT 1
WWF Survivor Series November 18, 2001 Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, NC
*Scotty 2 Hotty, Albert, Spike Dudley & Crash Holly d. Bradshaw, Faarooq, Hardcore Holly & Justin Credible in a Survivor Series Match - Albert d. Justin Credible by Pinfall - Bradshaw d. Crash Holly by Pinfall - Bradshaw d. Albert by Pinfall - Scotty 2 Hotty d. Faarooq by Pinfall - Spike Dudley d. Hardcore Holly by Pinfall - Bradshaw d. Scotty 2 Hotty by Pinfall - Spike Dudley d. Bradshaw by Pinfall Sole Survivor: Spike Dudley
*Billy Kidman w/Torrie Wilson d. Chavo Guerrero by Pinfall to Retain the Cruiserweight Title In a standard title defense, Billy Kidman successfully defended his Cruiserweight Title against Chavo Guerrero, polishing off the former champion with a Shooting Star Press.
*Test w/Stacy Kiebler d. Diamond Dallas Page by Pinfall to Win the European Title In recent months Test had been on a mild losing streak. In order to combat this streak, he had hired image consultant Stacy Kiebler to spice up his career. She had advocated for a whole new approach, among other things beginning to call his fans "Testicles." Whatever she did, it worked to his advantage, as Test reversed his fortunes and entered a winning streak. This culminated in a European Title match at Survivor Series against Diamond Dallas Page. Test used his height and strength advantage to overcome the veteran Page and defeated the European Champion in a contested but fair match, defeating him with a Top Rope Elbow Drop.
*Ivory, Jacqueline, Dawn Marie & Jazz d. Trish Stratus, Lita, Mighty Molly & Nidia in a Survivor Series Match The women's Survivor Series match saw the debut of former ECW talent Jazz, and she easily defeated the competition, single handedly eliminating all four members of the opposing team, including the Women's Champion Trish Stratus.
*Billy & Chuck d. The Dudley Boyz [Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley] by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Titles The Dudleys finally earned a singular World Tag Team Title shot against Billy & Chuck after Bubba Ray and D-Von defeated them in individual singles matches. The veteran Dudleys controlled much of the match, even after Billy Gunn attempted to take out D-Von's knee to isolate him from his partner Bubba Ray. The referee was inadvertently knocked out from an errant elbow strike from Bubba though, rendering him unconscious and unable to count the fall after the Dudleys hit both Billy and Chuck with separate 3-D's. At that point from out of the crowd came two large Samoan men in street clothes, who viciously assaulted the Dudleys, leaving them lying. One in particular hit a huge splash from the top rope on Bubba Ray, leaving him unconscious. Billy rolled over and covered the unconscious Dudley just as the referee came to, picking up the tainted victory and retaining the world tag team titles.
*The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho & Rob Van Dam d. Mike Awesome, Rhyno, Matt Hardy, Rikishi & The Big Show w/Paul Heyman in a Survivor Series Match - Kurt Angle d. Rikishi by Submission - Matt Hardy d. Jeff Hardy by Pinfall - The Undertaker d. Matt Hardy by Pinfall - The Undertaker was Disqualified - Mike Awesome d. Kurt Angle by Pinfall - Rob Van Dam d. Mike Awesome by Pinfall - Chris Jericho d. Rhyno by Pinfall - Rob Van Dam d. The Big Show by Pinfall Sole Survivors: Chris Jericho & Rob Van Dam
*Edge d. Christian in a Ladder Match to Win the Intercontinental Title Edge had been out of action for several weeks due to lingering effects of a concussion he sustained after attacks from his former tag partner and friend Christian. When Edge returned, he immediately challenged Christian to a match for the Intercontinental Title. He then won a match against Rhyno for the right to name the stipulation to the match, challenging the champion to a ladder match. With both men being well versed in the intricacies of a Ladder Match, it was entirely anyone's guess as to who would win. Christian tried to attack Edge's head and neck area, hoping to exacerbate the effects of his previous injury. However Edge was ready for Christian's offense and countered, culminating in Edge hitting a one man Con-Chair-To on Christian, only with his head against a fallen ladder instead of a Chair. This incapacitated the champion long enough for Edge to climb a ladder and retrieve the IC Title, regaining his championship.
*Stone Cold Steve Austin & The Rock ended in a No Contest (Austin Retains the WWF Title) To the shock of everyone, Triple H had returned on the night after No Mercy, making his first appearance since tearing his quadricep in May. While he wasn't cleared to compete yet, the former member of the Sindicate made it clear that he was coming after the WWF Title, despite Vince McMahon attempting to smooth things over between his champion and his son-in-law. Adding to the complication was The Rock, who had finally been granted a Wrestlemania rematch with Austin at Survivor Series. Linda McMahon also interjected herself by naming Triple H to be the Special Guest Referee. The one on one contest was similar to their Wrestlemania encounter, though with this added twist. To the surprise of many, Triple H called the match fairly down the middle, neither favoring Austin or The Rock and instead focusing on doing his job. However that changed as outside individuals came in to stake their own claims to the title, namely Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle and The Big Show (though this latter one was more trying to help Austin retain). Eventually Triple H threw out the match, ending it in a No Contest. As each man in turn nailed a finisher on another, it ended with Triple H finally getting physically involved, hitting Austin with a Pedigree and then posing with the WWF Title to close the show.
Off-Camera Title Changes:
November 19: Spike Dudley d. The Big Show to Win the Hardcore Title
November 22: Crash Holly d. Spike Dudley to Win the Hardcore Title
November 22: Maven d. Crash Holly to Win the Hardcore Title
November 22: Raven d. Maven to Win the Hardcore Title
November 22: The Big Show d. Raven to Win the Hardcore Title
December 6: Rikishi d. The Big Show to Win the Hardcore Title |
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Post by darbicus on Dec 30, 2022 15:55:34 GMT 1
Note: Triple H returns to action a month before normal time here, discounting his referee appearance at Survivor Series in my timeline. Since it is in a multi-man match, he wouldn't have to carry the match himself.
WWF Vengeance December 9, 2001 San Diego Sports Arena San Diego, CA
*Test w/Stacy Kiebler d. Christian by Pinfall to Retain the WWF European Title After losing the Intercontinental Title the previous month to Edge (and subsequently losing a rematch on Smackdown), Christian was desperate to once again become a singles champion. To that end, he challenged Test for the European Title. Christian attempted to get under the big Canadian's skin by attacking his image consultant Stacy Kiebler on the go home episode of Raw. Test certainly took an affront to this and attacked Christian before the bell rang on this opening match. Christian used this anger to swerve Test and target his knee, nearly getting the submission victory with a single leg Boston Crab. However Test fought back through the pain and eventually hit the Big Boot on Christian to retain his title.
*The Big Show d. Rikishi by Pinfall to Win the Hardcore Title The remaining members of the Sindicate (which had fallen by the wayside as Austin and McMahon more focused on their own issues) on the go home episode of Smackdown, when Rikishi turned his back on The Big Show and pinned him to win the Hardcore Title. The two big men fought in a rematch, that ended when Big Show punched a chair into Rikishi's face, knocking him out cold. However, The Big Show's title reign was short lived, as the exhausted Giant was accosted by both Spike Dudley and Crash Holly. While The Big Show was able to fend both of them off, he was hit from behind by Tommy Dreamer, who KO'ed the Giant with a chair shot to the head and pinned him to regain the Hardcore Title. Dreamer's reign was undone in the backstage area as The Hurricane "flew" in from off camera and knocked Dreamer into a stack of heavy boxes, before pinning him to win the title. The Hurricane was betrayed by his own sidekick, Mighty Molly, who KO'ed him with a Frying Pan shot. Molly herself was hit by a sudden door to the face by Christian, who was desperate to leave Vengeance as a champion. Before Christian could accomplish his goal though, he was waylaid by Bradshaw, who delivered a Clothesline from Hell to the Canadian (for having the temerity to hit a woman) and then pinned him to leave Vengeance as the Hardcore Champion.
*The Island Crue [Jamal & Rosey] d. The Dudley Boyz [Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley] by Pinfall At the Survivor Series, the Dudley Boyz attempt to become World Tag Team Champions was thwarted by the sudden debut of two Samoan men who were later identified as The Island Crue of Jamal and Rosey. The two new stars said they immediately wanted to make an impact on the WWF, by taking out the big dogs of the tag team division. This led to a match between the veteran Dudleys and the youngsters, and to the surprise of many the Island Crue dominated the match. Both Bubba Ray and D-Von were either unable to or had underestimated the newcomers. Rosey hit D-Von with a Samoan Drop while Jamal hit a huge splash from the top rope to pick up the surprisingly dominant win.
*Jazz d. Trish Stratus by Pinfall to Win the WWF Women's Title At the Survivor Series, Jazz had debuted to great effect, completely and almost single handedly eliminating the entire opposing team, including pinning the Women's Champion Trish Stratus. This earned Jazz a Women's Title match at Vengeance, and despite Trish holding her own better than she had at the previous Pay Per View, Jazz was still able to handle her easily, pinning Trish after a double chickenwing slam to pick up the victory and the win the title.
*Jeff Hardy d. Matt Hardy by Pinfall The continuing feud between the Hardy brothers reached another climax at Vengeance, as they engagaed in a match, this time with Lita acting as the Special Guest Referee to try and keep things even. Lita was torn between her friendship with Jeff and her relationship with Matt. As such, she called the match down the middle, much to Matt's chagrin. During an argument with Lita, Matt was rolled up from behind by Jeff, which gave him the victory. After the match, Lita tried to make up with Matt, who shoved her away and walked off.
*Billy & Chuck d. Scotty 2 Hotty & Albert by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Titles The unlikely pairing of Scotty 2 Hotty and the self-professed "Hip Hop Hippo" Albert had recently been on a winning streak as a tag team, earning a shot at Billy and Chuck for the tag team titles. The challenger's strategy was upended early on when Albert seemingly hurt his knee, forcing Scotty 2 Hotty to go it alone for a time. Albert attempted to make a comeback late in the match, but his knee gave way when he attempted to hit Billy Gunn with a Baldo Bomb, leading to Billy hitting the Fameasser to pick up the win.
*The Undertaker d. Edge by Pinfall to Win the Intercontinental Title After weeks of adopting a far more aggressive tone, The Undertaker fully turned heel the night after Summerslam, attacking his brother Kane after the latter lost a match to Rhyno on Raw. With Kane out injured, The Undertaker set his sights on Intercontinental Champion Edge, after the latter "disrespected him" by not showing him due deference backstage. Edge fought as hard as he could to try and retain his title, even getting a near fall after a Spear on The Undertaker. However The Phenom proved to be too much to overcome, and he pinned Edge after a Last Ride, winning his first Intercontinental Championship in the process.
*The Rock d. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle & Rob Van Dam to Win the WWF Championship Following Austin's near loss of the title at the Survivor Series, Mr. McMahon began questioning whether or not his chosen champion was deserving of being the face of his company. For Austin to prove himself, he agreed to face five of his top challengers in a Six Pack Challenge with the WWF Title on the line. These included men he had feuded with all year in The Rock, Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle, as well as Rob Van Dam and the returning Triple H. The match quickly devolved into an all-out brawl, with everyone struggling to gain the coveted title. The match ended after Triple H hit Van Dam with a Pedigree and seemingly had the match won, only for Austin to Intercede and hit the Stunner on Triple H. The Rock then jumped in and hit Austin with a Rock Bottom before pinning Van Dam and getting the 1-2-3 to win the title for an unprecedented 6th time, celebrating to close the show.
Off-Camera Title Changes:
December 13: Tommy Dreamer d. Bradshaw to Win the Hardcore Title
December 17: Kanyon d. Tommy Dreamer to Win the Hardcore Title
December 17: Shawn Stasiak d. Kanyon to Win the Hardcore Title
December 17: Steven Richards d. Shawn Stasiak to Win the Hardcore Title
December 27: Matt Hardy d. Billy Kidman to Win the Cruiserweight Title
December 27: D'Lo Brown d. Steven Richards to Win the Hardcore Title
January 7: The Underdogs [Spike Dudley & Crash Holly] d. Billy & Chuck to Win the World Tag Team Titles
January 7: Rob Van Dam d. D'Lo Brown to Win the Hardcore Title
January 10: Rhyno d. Rob Van Dam to Win the Hardcore Title
January 10: Bradshaw d. Rhyno to Win the Hardcore Title
January 14: Raven d. Bradshaw to Win the Hardcore Title
January 14: Hardcore Holly d. Raven to Win the Hardcore Title
January 14: Kanyon d. Hardcore Holly to Win the Hardcore Title
January 17: Maven d. Kanyon to Win the Hardcore Title
January 17: Steven Richards d. Maven to Win the Hardcore Title |
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Post by darbicus on Jan 1, 2023 2:27:16 GMT 1
Note: In a special segment at this show, it is announced that a returning Hulk Hogan will be the Special Guest Host for Wrestlemania X-8, which storylines will play off of going forward.WWF Royal RumbleJanuary 20, 2002Phillips ArenaAtlanta, GA*Stone Cold Steve Austin d. Triple H by Pinfall to Qualify for the Royal Rumble Match
As part of Vince McMahon's increasing "crisis of confidence" in his chosen champion, Stone Cold Steve Austin, McMahon did not automatically grant Austin a spot in the Royal Rumble match. Instead, he forced Austin to attempt to gain entry into the match by first defeating his son-in-law, Triple H, who had also been a slight thorn in the side of McMahon since his return (mostly in pointing out the Chairman's not-so-secret affair with Dawn Marie to Linda, though Vince insisted that they weren't sleeping together). The two former teammates in the Sindicate had a highly competitive match, with Austin using his more technical based style to target the surgically repaired leg of The Game. Triple H though fought through Austin's Stone Cold Sleeper, eventually also countering the Stunner attempt into a Pedigree, though that only garnered a 2 count as well. Before long Vince made his way to ringside, with the announcers uncertain of who's side he would be on. McMahon declared the match to suddenly be No Disqualification and tossed a chair in between the two competitors, telling them to fight it out. Austin went for the chair first, but Triple H countered with a high knee to the face. The Game then attempted to use the chair, but Austin kicked him in the gut and delivered a Stone Cold Stunner to KO Triple H and pick up the victory, qualifying for the Rumble.
*The Underdogs [Spike Dudley & Crash Holly] d. Billy & Chuck by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Titles
On the first episode of Monday Night Raw in 2002, the underdog team of Spike Dudley and Crash Holly had upset Billy & Chuck to win the World Tag Team Titles, setting up this title rematch at the Royal Rumble. Billy & Chuck were hell bent on regaining the tag titles and avenging the embarrasing loss. Isolating the "runt of the Dudley litter" in Lil Spike Dudley, it seemed as if the former champions were going to do exactly that, as Chuck had Spike up in an Argentine Backbreaker for a good amount of time. However Spike was eventually able to make the tag to Crash, who came in a house of fire and cleared the ring of both of the larger opponents. Billy & Chuck resumed momentum when Billy hit Crash with a Fameasser, but Spike broke up the pin attempt to save the titles. While Palumbo dealt with Spike on the outside, Billy went for a second pin on the fallen Crash, who suddenly jumped to life and rolled up Gunn for a small package pin, retaining the titles in unlikely fashion yet again.
*Jazz d. Mighty Molly by Pinfall to Retain the Women's Title
After Jazz had defeated Trish Stratus to win the Women's Title at Vengeance, she continued her reign of terror throughout the division, defeating both Ivory and Lita in short order in subsequent title defenses. The sidekick of The Hurricane, Mighty Molly, had emerged as the latest challenger to the dominant champion, and she fared as well as her predecessors. Despite a high flying offense that made Jazz come up short briefly, Molly succumbed to the same power moves that Jazz had used to polish off her other foes, pinning Molly after a huge powerbomb into a pinning predicament.
*The Godfather Emerged With the Hardcore Title
On Sunday Night Heat, Vince McMahon had announced that whomever the Hardcore Champion was at the time of the Rumble match would earn a spot in the match and a chance for a main event spot at Wrestlemania X-8. Immediately this sent Mike Awesome after the Hardcore Champion, as he pinned Richards after delivering a Powerbomb on the floor. However Awesome turned right around into a Gore from Rhyno, who pinned him to win the title himself. Rhyno would hold the belt briefly, before being outsmarted by Tommy Dreamer, who delivered a Kendo Stick shot to the Man Beast and picked up the belt. Steven Richards regained the belt as Dreamer was warming up for the Rumble match, only to be rolled up from behind by Maven, who ultimately held the belt going into the Royal Rumble. However Maven, upon being eliminated, would quickly lose the title as the also recently eliminated Godfather would pin him on the outside, winning the title and walking out of Atlanta as Hardcore Champion.
*Kane d. The Undertaker by Disqualification [Undertaker Retains the IC Title]
After Survivor Series, The Undertaker had turned on his brother Kane and tried to eliminate him from any title contention, attempting to shatter his hand by running over it with his motorcycle. This kept Kane out of action for several weeks, but the Big Red Machine made his return on the first Monday Night Raw of 2002, attacking his brother (newly crowned as Intercontinental Champion) and challenging him to a match for the title at the Royal Rumble. Despite his injuries having apparently healed, the hand of Kane was still taped up going into the match, and The Undertaker zeroed in on it. Despite this, Kane refused to give up, even after The Undertaker locked him in a painful armbar. As he held Kane in the Submission hold, though, the lights began to flicker and the words "I'm Still Watching" appeared on the Titantron in ominous lettering, with the sound of birds cawing in the background. As this had happened several weeks in a row to the Undertaker, he stood looking at the Titantron, only to turn around into a big boot from Kane. The Big Red Machine then mounted a comeback, but when he attempted to Chokeslam the Undertaker, his hand cramped up and he was unable to execute the move. Not wanting to take a chance, The Undertaker grabbed the biker chain from his corner and wrapped it around his fist, shoving the referee down which resulted in a disqualification. He began to pummel Kane, only for the lights to flicker again, this time going black. When they came back, Kane was gone and The Undertaker was left staring at a crow in the middle of the ring, who promptly flew away.
*The Rock d. Rob Van Dam by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Championship
The Rock had won his unprecedented sixth WWF Championship at Vengeance, in part by pinning Rob Van Dam in the six pack challenge to win the title. RVD however wanted a one on one match with the champion, something The Rock initially refused to grant, owing to Van Dam not "being in The Rock's league". RVD however proved himself when he pinned the champion clean in a non-title match on Smackdown, leading to Vince McMahon agreeing to name RVD as the #1 contender to the title. Van Dam was also courted by his former manager Paul Heyman in the lead up to the match, by Mr. Monday Night outright refused Heyman's overtures. In the match itself, despite his previous loss, The People's Champion disregarded Van Dam's skill set and approached the match with a laissesz faire attitude. This nearly cost him after Van Dam hit a serious of kicks to the jaw followed by Rolling Thunder to get a near three count. The Rock then took RVD more seriously, slowing the match down and trying for a submission victory with the Sharpshooter. Van Dam was able to get to the ropes though, and hit another spinwheel kick on The Rock to put both men down. Van Dam got to his feet and looked to hit a 5 Star Frog Splash after hitting another high impact series of moves on the champion, however Paul Heyman came to ringside and distracted his former client. Van Dam was distracted long enough for The Rock to knock him off his perch into a sitting position on the top rope. The Champion then climbed to the second rope, set up Van Dam, and hit an elevated Rock Bottom from the Top Rope onto the challenger in order to pick up the victory.
*Chris Jericho Won the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match
The Rumble match featured a large number of returns, as The Godfather, Goldust and Mr. Perfect all made their returns during the Rumble match itself, with the former two actually being the first two to start the match. The match also saw the debut of former WCW champion Booker T, who survived to near the end of the match. In the end, the match came down to Steve Austin, Booker T, Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle. Booker was eliminated by Angle, who immediately was tossed out by Austin. Jericho, who had survived the longest of the final four, seemed like he would come up short in the big match yet again, but countered a stunner with a dropkick that sent Austin sprawling into the ropes. Jericho then followed up with a clothesline to eliminate the Rattlesnake and score the upset, winning the Rumble and heading to the main event of Wrestlemania X-8.
Royal Rumble Entry/Exit Order (2:00 Intervals)
1. The Godfather
2. Goldust
3. D-Von Dudley
4. Raven
5. Maven
- Raven Eliminated #1 by Goldust
6. Rikishi
- The Godfather Eliminated #2 by Rikishi
7. Booker T
- Maven Eliminated #3 by Booker T
8. Bubba Ray Dudley
9. Chris Jericho
- D-Von Dudley Eliminated #4 by Chris Jericho
10. D'Lo Brown
11. Tazz
12. Jeff Hardy
- Rikishi Eliminated #5 by Booker T
13. Diamond Dallas Page
- Tazz Eliminated #6 by Jeff Hardy
14. Faarooq
- Goldust Eliminated #7 by Booker T
15. The Big Show
- Bubba Ray Dudley Eliminated #8 by The Big Show
16. Christian
- Diamond Dallas Page Eliminated #9 by The Big Show
- The Big Show Eliminated #10 by Chris Jericho
17. Billy Kidman
18. William Regal
19. Mr. Perfect
- Faarooq Eliminated #11 by William Regal
20. Bradshaw
21. Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Billy Kidman Eliminated #12 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
- D'Lo Brown Eliminated #13 by Christian
22. Edge
23. Al Snow
24. Scotty 2 Hotty
- Bradshaw Eliminated #14 by Booker T
25. Kurt Angle
- Christian Eliminated #15 by Edge
- Edge Eliminated #16 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
26. Albert
- Al Snow Eliminated #17 by Chris Jericho
27. Val Venis
- Albert Eliminated #18 by Mr. Perfect
28. The Hurricane
- The Hurricane Eliminated #19 by Kurt Angle
29. Test
30. Matt Hardy
- Scotty 2 Hotty Eliminated #20 by Matt Hardy
- Val Venis Eliminated #21 by Mr. Perfect
- Jeff Hardy Eliminated #22 by Matt Hardy
- Matt Hardy Eliminated #23 by Test
- William Regal Eliminated #24 by Test
- Test Eliminated #25 by Chris Jericho
- Mr. Perfect Eliminated #26 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Booker T Eliminated #27 by Kurt Angle
- Kurt Angle Eliminated #28 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Stone Cold Steve Austin Eliminated #29 by Chris Jericho
Off-Camera Title Changes
January 21: William Regal d. Test for the European Title
January 21: The Island Crue d. The Underdogs for the World Tag Team Titles
January 21: Booker T d. The Godfather for the Hardcore Title
January 24: Rhyno d. Booker T for the Hardcore Title
February 4: Bradshaw d. William Regal for the European Title
February 4: Crash Holly d. Rhyno for the Hardcore Title
February 4: Raven d. Crash Holly for the Hardcore Title
February 4: Mr. Perfect d. Raven for the Hardcore Title
February 7: The Big Show d. Mr. Perfect for the Hardcore Title
February 11: Jeff Hardy d. The Big Show for the Hardcore Title |
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Post by darbicus on Jan 2, 2023 16:25:45 GMT 1
Note: During this event, Shawn Michaels appeared to announce his return from retirement, only to be attacked by Triple H. This sets up their match at Wrestlemania X-8.
WWF No Way Out February 17, 2002 Bradley Center Milwaukee, WI
*Mr. Perfect d. Christian by Pinfall WWF Legend Mr. Perfect had made his return to the company during the course of the Royal Rumble match, making a good showing of himself before being eliminated just outside the final four. Despite this, Christian had criticized the former Intercontinental Champion's return, calling him over the hill and well past his prime, and saying he should let the newer generations have their turn. Perfect simply told Christian to put up or shut up. The self-professed Captain Charisma held his own against the wily veteran Hennig, matching him move for move and even pulling some of the same underhanded tactics that Perfect would have used in the past. However Mr. Perfect one upped Christian in the technical wrestling ability, and countered an attempted Killswitch into an Atomic Drop, before hooking Christian in the Perfect-Plex and scoring the pinfall victory.
*Jeff Hardy d. The Big Show by Pinfall to Retain the Hardcore Title Jeff Hardy had won the Hardcore Title on the Go Home edition of Raw prior to No Way Out. The Big Show was out to reclaim the title, and through sheer size advantage easily pelted away most of the Daredevil's offense. Hardy however kept wearing down the Big Show, taking out his knee with various pieces of weaponry before getting him down on the ground near the stage. Jeff then climbed up partway the No Way Out set and performed a Swanton onto the Big Show, picking up the pinfall and the win.
*Booker T d. William Regal by Pinfall Booker T had made his hyped debut at the Royal Rumble, with the former WCW champion being one of the longest lasting competitors in the match. Booker had run afoul of another former WCW alumnus in William Regal during the match, as well as afterwards when Booker defeated Regal in his first official match on Raw. Regal was able to even the score on Smackdown, albeit with help from his "Power of the Punch." In the rubber match, Booker T countered Regal's attempt at using his brass knuckles, catching him with a Book End to pick up the victory.
*Stacy Keibler d. Dawn Marie in an Evening Gown Match Vince McMahon had recently been flirting with Test's image consultant, Stacy Keibler, in direct competition with his "personal assistant" Dawn Marie. This led to Dawn challenging Stacy to an Evening Gown match at No Way Out. Despite not ever having a match, Keibler was able to out "catfight" the former Women's champion, and stripped her of her dress much to the delight of the crowd (and the lecherous McMahon, who was watching from the entryway.)
*The Hurricane w/Mighty Molly d. Matt Hardy w/Shannon Moore by Disqualification [Hardy Retains the Cruiserweight Title] Since fully breaking away from his brother Jeff, Matt Hardy had adopted the moniker of "Matt Hardy v 1.0", and become a purveyor of the philosophy of "Mattitude." He had also acquired an acolyte in the form of Shannon Moore. Defending his cruiserweight title against the super hero The Hurricane, Mattitude seemed to fail the champion, as The Hurricane was on the verge of winning the title following hitting Matt with a Vertebreaker. However Shannon Moore broke up the pinfall by pulling the ref out of the ring, resulting in a DQ victory for Hurricane but keeping the title on Hardy. Before Moore could attack Hurricane though, he was saved by his "sidekick" Mighty Molly, and the heroes stood tall in the end.
*The Dudley Boyz [Bubba Ray, D-Von & Spike Dudley] d. The Island Crue [Jamal & Rosey] & Rhyno by Pinfall The feud between The Dudleys and Jamal & Rosey had expanded to include Bubba & D-Von's Little Brother Spike, after The Island Crue demolished Spike and his partner Crash Holly to win the tag team titles right after the Royal Rumble event. The Dudleys teamed with Spike to face off against the champions, who teamed with another former ECW alumnus in Rhyno for this match. In the end, the Dudleys managed to get their first victory over the new tag team champions, pinning Jamal after hitting a 3-D on him.
*Alundra Blayze d. Jazz by Pinfall to Win the Women's Title In the leadup to No Way Out, a special tribute to the pioneers of women's wrestling took place, featuring former champions like The Fabulous Moolah and Alundra Blayze. The current Women's champion Jazz came out and threatened the legends, leading to Blayze standing up for the elderly Moolah and Mae Young. This led to Jazz challenging the semi-retired Blayze to come back for one more match, even agreeing to putting the Women's Title on the line. In the beginning, Blayze showcased her veteran saavy and held her own. But quickly the powerful champion was easily able to overpower the veteran challenger, but grew overconfident and refused to put her away. This proved to be her undoing after the referee was knocked down, because Trish Stratus came to ringside, attacking Jazz with a Chick Kick to the side of the head. This disoriented the champion long enough for Blayze to hit a Bridging German Suplex as the ref came too, scoring the major upset and regaining the Women's Title for the first time since 1995.
*Maven w/Al Snow d. The Undertaker by Pinfall to Win the Intercontinental Title Since winning the Intercontinental Title, The Undertaker had been haunted by repeated messages on the Titantron involving someone saying "I'm Watching," along with several bird and scorpion motifs. This had increased the paranoia of the already high strung IC Champion to begin with, causing him to lay waste to anyone or anything in his path. The latest to raise his ire was the Tough Enough rookie Maven, who had the "temerity" to save his trainer Al Snow from the Undertaker's wrath, causing the Phenom to challenge the rookie to a title defense. Maven was obliterated by the Deadman for the most part, as the only offense Maven could offer was to try and get away. The Undertaker was set to finish off Maven with a Tombstone, with the referee knocked out, when suddenly the lights went out. On the Titantron, the message read "I am...Here." Suddenly the lights came back up and Sting appeared in the middle of the ring to confront the Undertaker. The Franchise of WCW attacked the Franchise of the WWF with his baseball bat, before delivering a Scorpion Death Drop to Undertaker. Al Snow then rolled the unconscious Maven onto the fallen Undertaker, as the rookie scored a surprise pinfall and the biggest upset in a long time, winning the IC Title.
*Chris Jericho d. Stone Cold Steve Austin by Submission to Retain his Wrestlemania Title Shot AFter Stone Cold Steve Austin had been the last man eliminated from the Royal Rumble match, he had appealed to his benefactor Mr. McMahon to earn a title shot at The Rock at Wrestlemania after all. McMahon granted this request, provided Austin attacked Hulk Hogan, whom Linda McMahon had named as the Special Guest Host of Wrestlemania X-8. After doing so, Chris Jericho was forced to defend his title shot against Austin. Like their match at Summerslam, both men were evenly matched, with Jericho countering all of Austin's offense. In the end Austin attempted to win with a roll up while using the ropes for an advantage. However Hulk Hogan arrived at ringside and informed the referee of Austin's duplicity, causing the match to be restarted. Austin went after Hogan at ringside, only to turn around into a Breakdown from Jericho. Y2J then locked the Rattlesnake in the Walls of Jericho, which eventually caused Austin to tap out, causing Jericho to retain his title shot.
Off-Camera Title Changes:
February 25: Mike Awesome d. Jeff Hardy for the Hardcore Title
February 28: Tazz d. Mike Awesome for the Hardcore Title
February 28: Crash Holly d. Tazz for the Hardcore Title
March 4: William Regal d. Bradshaw for the European Title
March 4: Shawn Stasiak d. Crash Holly for the Hardcore Title
March 4: Bradshaw d. Shawn Stasiak for the Hardcore Title
March 7: The Big Show d. Bradshaw for the Hardcore Title
March 7: Goldust d. The Big Show for the Hardcore Title
March 11: Raven d. Goldust for the Hardcore Title |
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Post by darbicus on Jan 5, 2023 3:07:05 GMT 1
Note: This is the last event to be branded with "WWF", as the switchover to WWE takes place at Backlash in my timeline (for storyline reasons as will be explained in the Backlash write-up following Wrestlemania.) Secondly, this event is subtitled with the tagline "Legends Never Die" as the whole theme of the majority of the show is the Legends of Yesteryear versus the Legends of Today. Third and finally, assume that this show runs 4 hours instead of 3, due to the number of matches on the card.
WWF Wrestlemania X-8 March 17, 2002 SkyDome Toronto, Ontario, Canada
*Kurt Angle d. Mr. Perfect by Pinfall After attempts to win a spot in the Intercontinental Title Ladder match or secure a match of any type at Wrestlemania failed, Olympic Hero Kurt Angle lamented the fact that he had no dance partner for the Show of Shows. So he issued an open challenge, which was answered by former Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect, leading to this opening contest of the show. In a stellar match that featured great technical wrestling, Angle reversed a Perfect-Plex attempt into an Angle Slam to score the pinfall victory.
*The Dudley Boyz [Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley] d. The Island Crue [Jamal & Rosey] by Pinfall to Win the World Tag Team Titles After months of dealing with Jamal & Rosey, The Dudley Boyz got their chance at revenge against The Island Crue in an attempt to regain the World Tag Team Titles in the process. Jamal and Rosey isolated D-Von Dudley for the majority of the match, as Bubba was left unable to tag his partner due to referee distractions. Once Bubba did tag in he cleaned house and left the Samoan pair reeling. Eventually The Dudleys scored the victory with a 3-D on Rosey, regaining the World Tag Team Titles in the process.
*William Regal d. Maven, Al Snow, Jeff Hardy, Edge, Christian, Booker T & Kane in a Ladder Match to Retain the Intercontinental Title With several challengers contending for the Intercontinental Title, Stephanie McMahon (filling in for her father, who was solely focused on "ending" Hulkamania at the show) ruled that the Tough Enough rookie Maven would have to defend the title in an 8 Man Ladder Match. The champion availed himself well, at least until his mentor Al Snow turned on him in an attempt to win the title himself. In the end it would be William Regal who would win the title, unifying the European and Intercontinental Titles in one fell swoop.
*Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman d. Rob Van Dam by Pinfall For several weeks Paul Heyman had been trying to bring back Rob Van Dam as one of his Paul Heyman guys, only to be rebuffed every time. Eventually Heyman claimed his new client would easily dispatch RVD. That client turned out to be rookie sensation Brock Lesnar. The Next Big Thing dominated Van Dam in a way that Mr. Monday Night had never been dominated before, easily finishing him off with an F-5 to pick up an impressive debut win at Wrestlemania.
*Crash Holly Won The Last Chance Hardcore Battle Royal to Become the Final Hardcore Champion The Hardcore title was being retired following this event, with the 24/7 rule having already been vacated. 15 men all vyed to be the final Hardcore Champion. In the end, Crash Holly last eliminated Raven (who had been the champion entering the match) to win the title and become the last ever WWF Hardcore Champion.
*Trish Stratus d. Alundra Blayze by Pinfall to Win the Women's Title This match was initially planned to be a Triple Threat match also involving Jazz, but the suspension of the latter by Stephanie McMahon (after she had attacked several WWF officials) instead made it a one on one encounter between the past of Women's Wrestling and the Present. The veteran champion availed herself well, showing that she still had plenty in the tank against Trish. But in the end Stratus hit the Stratusfaction on Blayze and pinned her to regain the title.
*The Legion of Doom [Hawk & Animal] d. Billy & Chuck by Pinfall The former tag team champions Billy & Chuck came out unannounced to Wrestlemania, lamenting the fact that they didn't have a match on the show of shows. This changed with the sudden appearance of Hawk and Animal, the Legion of Doom, who came to ringside to give them a fight. LOD crushed the former champions in under a minute, defeating Billy Gunn with a Doomsday Device to the delight of the crowd.
*Shawn Michaels d. Triple H in a Non-Sanctioned Street Fight At No Way Out, it was announced that the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels would have a special announcement concerning his future in wrestling. The former WWF champion had been forced into an early retirement 4 years earlier due to a back injury, and speculation was rife that he was announcing a comeback. However, the comeback announcement was superceded by Triple H turning heel and attacking his former best friend. Trips said that he made his name without Michaels holding him back, and as a result he wanted to ensure that Michaels stayed retired. Michaels came back, demanding an Unsanctioned Street Fight with Triple H. In the match, Michaels looked as if he hadn't lost a step, putting on a display that stole the show. Michaels picked up the victory with a rollup on Triple H, scoring the upset. After the match, however, he was attacked by Triple H who hit him straight in the back with a sledge hammer. This led to Michaels being carted off to the back.
*The Undertaker d. Sting by Pinfall The franchise of WCW, Sting, made his official debut at No Way Out, costing The Undertaker the Intercontinental Title and officially challenging him to a match at Wrestlemania, as he sought out to end the Undertaker's undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. Undertaker agreed to the match, hoping to end the Icon once and for all. Both men attempted to play Mind Games with the other in the build to the match, and during the match itself. In the end, Sting came up just short in his attempts to end The Undertaker's streak, falling to a Tombstone Piledriver from the Phenom. After the match, Undertaker shook Sting's hand as a sign of respect.
*Stone Cold Steve Austin d. Hulk Hogan by Pinfall At the Royal Rumble, it was announced that Hulk Hogan would serve as the Special Guest Host for Wrestlemania X-8. This was against the wishes of WWF owner Vince McMahon, who still held a grudge against Hogan for leaving the WWF a decade earlier. McMahon directed his chosen champion, Stone Cold Steve Austin to take out Hogan at Wrestlemania. In addition, Austin and McMahon's alliance was starting to fray, especially since The Rattlesnake lost the WWF Title in December. In this match of icon versus icon, the crowd was solidly behind Hogan, as he fought his first WWF match since King of the Ring 1993. Hogan nearly won the match with his patented legdrop, but Austin was able to kick out at the last minute. When Hogan went for a second leg drop, Austin moved out of the way and then hit a Stunner to pull out the victory. After the match, McMahon demanded Austin beat down Hogan with a steel chair, however Austin finally had enough of McMahon's antics and hit a Stunner on the boss, turning face fully once more. Afterward, Austin and Hogan shook hands as equals.
*Chris Jericho d. The Rock by Submission to Win the WWF Championship In the build to the WWF title match, the Hollywood character of The Rock was in full effect, as he utterly dismissed Y2J as a legitimate contender to the WWF Title. However the Royal Rumble winner humbled The Rock by defeating him in a six man tag match. Much of the build consisted of whether or not Jericho was capable of "winning the big one." As it turned out, he could, as Jericho capped off Wrestlemania with a title win, making The Rock tap out to the Walls of Jericho, celebrating finally winning the WWF Title to close out Wrestlemania.
Off-Camera Title Change:
March 21: Mr. Perfect d. William Regal to Win the Intercontinental Title
March 28: The Hurricane d. Matt Hardy to Win the Cruiserweight Title |
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Post by darbicus on Jan 5, 2023 12:14:33 GMT 1
Storyline Intermission
On the night after Wrestlemania X-8, after Stone Cold Steve Austin turned face again and stunned Mr. McMahon, the Chairman of the Board was ready to fire Austin from the company once and for all. He planned to make a huge spectacle of it, firing him in the main event segment of the Raw after Wrestlemania. However, it was here that Vince's nearly year-long relationship with Dawn Marie finally came back to haunt him. Throughout the night, Dawn (Vince's "personal assistant") had been trying to get Mr. McMahon's attention to talk to him about something important. She was rebuffed at every turn, though. Eventually, when Vince came to the ring to publically fire Austin, Dawn Marie approached him and, just as Vince was about to say his famous "You're Fired!" line, Dawn Marie revealed she was pregnant with Vince's child. This immediately silenced Vince, and brought the wrath of Linda McMahon down upon him. Linda had tolerated Vince's infidelities and dailliances in the past, but a line had been crossed. Linda slapped Vince and immediately declared that she wanted a divorce.
As part of the "divorce settlement", Raw and Smackdown would be split between the two estranged McMahons. Vince would control Smackdown and Linda would control Raw. The roster would also be divided between the two shows, with Backlash being the final show before the brand split went into effect. The roster was divided at random (therefore there was no "draft" in this first brand extension). Backlash would also be the last chance for existing titles to switch brands before becoming exclusive to separate brands (though the Women's Division was exclusive to Raw and the Cruiserweight Division was exclusive to Smackdown, at the outset.) Thus, the brand split happened as follows, with superstars listed in alphabetical order.
Raw
Al Snow
The Big Show
Bill DeMott
Booker T
Bradshaw
Bubba Ray Dudley
Christian
Christopher Nowinski
D-Von Dudley
David Flair
D'Lo Brown
Diamond Dallas Page
The Godfather
Goldust
Ivory
Jacqueline
Jazz
Jamal
Jeff Hardy
Jerry "The King" Lawler
Jim Ross
Justin Credible
Kane
Kanyon
Lita
Mark Henry (injured)
Maven
Molly Holly
Mr. Perfect
Randy Orton
Rob Van Dam
The Rock (inactive)
Rosey
Shawn Stasiak
Stacy Keibler
Steven Richards
Sting
Tommy Dreamer
Triple H
Trish Stratus
Val Venis
William Regal
Smackdown
Albert
Billy Kidman
Billy Gunn
Brock Lesnar
Chavo Guerrero
Chris Benoit (injured)
Chris Jericho
Chuck Palumbo
Crash Holly
Eddie Guerrero
Edge
Faarooq
Funaki
Hardcore Holly
Hulk Hogan
The Hurricane
Jamie Noble
Jerry Lynn
Kurt Angle
Lance Storm
Matt Hardy
Michael Cole
Mike Awesome
Nicos Arion
Nidia
Perry Saturn
Raven
Rhyno
Rico Constantino
Rikishi
Scotty 2 Hotty
Shannon Moore
Spike Dudley
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Tajiri
Tazz
Test
Torrie Wilson
The Undertaker
X-Pac
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