Stand back- there's a SPOLER comin' through!
Seriously- if you haven't seen this event don't read this review- it's full of results. This was the 4th WWF/Alliance PPV of '01 and wasn't bad- some good matches, some awful ones.
*MATCH 1* Matt &Jeff Hardy vs Lance Storm & The Hurricane. This was a good way to kick off the PPV w/ a spirited, energetic tag match. There's some good high spots and tag team moves in this one. The Hardyz get the pin w/ a Swanton Bomb from Jeff Hardy.
*MATCH 2* Test vs Kane. Very average second match. I taped this event when it was on and I only watched this match once. Test wins w/ the Big Boot.
*MATCH 3* Torrie Wilson vs Stacy Keibler [Lingerie match] Ye gods. This is the stuff that removes the credibility from the womens' division. They could have just had a bikini contest, but to dress it up (I use the term very loosely) as a wrestling match is pretty poor. Torrie won w/ a Handspring Elbow off the ropes.
*MATCH 4* The Dudley Boyz vs Big Show & Tajiri. Awful. Dudleyz win w/ 3D to Tajiri.
*MATCH 5* Edge vs Christian [Ladder match for the IC Title] Not bad. It doesn't really come close to RVD & Jeff's ladder match at SummerSlam, but there are some pretty inventive spots with the ladder. Christian's sling-shot in the corner is pretty cool, as well as the Reverse DDT and Edge-o-Matic off the ladder. Edge hits Christian w/ a one-man Con-Chair-to on top of the ladder, then grabs the belt to win.
*MATCH 6* Booker T vs The Undertaker Quite bad. Again, this is a match I'd watch just once. Undertaker gives Booker the Last Ride and picks up the 1-2-3.
*MATCH 7* The Rock vs Chris Jericho [wCw Title match] Quite good. Both are 'faces' in this one and the crowd is split fairly evenly.Jericho hits a nice standing Hurricanrana, and the Spanish announce table is (of course!) demolished with a Rock Bottom. Submission moves are used too- Rock locks in his godawful, butchered version of the Sharpshooter-I call it the RockShooter, as it's nowhere near as good as Bret Hart's version- while Jericho locks in the Walls of Jericho/Lion Tamer. (He doesn't fully get it locked though) Jericho wins the wCw title w/ a BreakDown (a full nelson into a forward sweep) on a chair.
*MATCH 8* Kurt Angle vs Rob Van Dam vs Stone Cold Steve Austin [WWF title match] Interesting blend of styles in this one, which is unusually short. How would Austin's brawling, Angle's technicality and RVD's unpredictable aerial assault mesh? Well, they put on a pretty cool match, as Austin goes technical (using an STF and Half Crab), Angle goes aerial (beautiful Moonsault) and RVD sticks to his style. (if it ain't broke...) The McMahons involve themselves and Austin wins w/ the Stunner to Van Dam.
As I said some good, some bad.
*MATCH 1* Matt &Jeff Hardy vs Lance Storm & The Hurricane. This was a good way to kick off the PPV w/ a spirited, energetic tag match. There's some good high spots and tag team moves in this one. The Hardyz get the pin w/ a Swanton Bomb from Jeff Hardy.
*MATCH 2* Test vs Kane. Very average second match. I taped this event when it was on and I only watched this match once. Test wins w/ the Big Boot.
*MATCH 3* Torrie Wilson vs Stacy Keibler [Lingerie match] Ye gods. This is the stuff that removes the credibility from the womens' division. They could have just had a bikini contest, but to dress it up (I use the term very loosely) as a wrestling match is pretty poor. Torrie won w/ a Handspring Elbow off the ropes.
*MATCH 4* The Dudley Boyz vs Big Show & Tajiri. Awful. Dudleyz win w/ 3D to Tajiri.
*MATCH 5* Edge vs Christian [Ladder match for the IC Title] Not bad. It doesn't really come close to RVD & Jeff's ladder match at SummerSlam, but there are some pretty inventive spots with the ladder. Christian's sling-shot in the corner is pretty cool, as well as the Reverse DDT and Edge-o-Matic off the ladder. Edge hits Christian w/ a one-man Con-Chair-to on top of the ladder, then grabs the belt to win.
*MATCH 6* Booker T vs The Undertaker Quite bad. Again, this is a match I'd watch just once. Undertaker gives Booker the Last Ride and picks up the 1-2-3.
*MATCH 7* The Rock vs Chris Jericho [wCw Title match] Quite good. Both are 'faces' in this one and the crowd is split fairly evenly.Jericho hits a nice standing Hurricanrana, and the Spanish announce table is (of course!) demolished with a Rock Bottom. Submission moves are used too- Rock locks in his godawful, butchered version of the Sharpshooter-I call it the RockShooter, as it's nowhere near as good as Bret Hart's version- while Jericho locks in the Walls of Jericho/Lion Tamer. (He doesn't fully get it locked though) Jericho wins the wCw title w/ a BreakDown (a full nelson into a forward sweep) on a chair.
*MATCH 8* Kurt Angle vs Rob Van Dam vs Stone Cold Steve Austin [WWF title match] Interesting blend of styles in this one, which is unusually short. How would Austin's brawling, Angle's technicality and RVD's unpredictable aerial assault mesh? Well, they put on a pretty cool match, as Austin goes technical (using an STF and Half Crab), Angle goes aerial (beautiful Moonsault) and RVD sticks to his style. (if it ain't broke...) The McMahons involve themselves and Austin wins w/ the Stunner to Van Dam.
As I said some good, some bad.
- Gary Ballance
- Mar 15, 2002