After Summerslam, Smackdown general manager Stephanie McMahon pulled off the coup di gras by signing WWE Champion Brock Lesnar to an exclusive Smackdown contract, meaning he will never appear on Raw, meaning in the storylines Raw will never see the world championship of the company. Fear not, however Bischoff had a plan....re-instate the World Heavyweight Championship. Yes, the old WCW title that was unified with the WWE Championship at Vengeance 01 by Chris Jericho is now back on Raw. This would actually be a good move in the long run in terms of truly splitting the brands apart, but their choice of champion was credentially qualified but reality wise, unfair. Bischoff came out on Raw and announced the return of the WHC and then started a three year reign of terror by simply handing it to....Triple H. No tournament, no match to determine the new champion, just gave it to HHH. Now its set, the Smackdown champion Brock Lesnar and the Raw champion Triple H. On Raw...The once again heel Triple H paraded around with his new title until a challenger came along, the Intercontinental champion Rob Van Dam. Triple H cost Rob the championship to Chris Jericho so Van Dam became the number one contender, now HHH must earn the title that was handed to him. On Smackdown...Brock Lesnar was fresh off defeating The Rock for the WWE Title and with Rock and Hulk Hogan out of the picture, Triple H and Chris Jericho on Raw, the only star remaining on Smackdown with any sort of shot against the monster was The Undertaker. There's your double main event, Rob Van Dam vs HHH and The Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar. Other showdowns included are an IC title match between new champion Chris Jericho and his nemesis Ric Flair, women's champion Molly Holly defending against Trish Stratus in a really pathetic storyline I'll get to later. The storyline of the night however would be the ongoing feud between Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon. This storyline will take way too long to explain on this intro so I'll get to it later, let's just get this ppv started
SEPTEMBER 22, 2002
STAPLES CENTER
LOS ANGELES, CA
Match 1
The Un-Americans (Lance Storm, Christian, William Regal and Test) vs Booker T, Kane, Goldust and Bubba Ray Dudley
Commentators: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
The Un-Americans had been dominating the mid-card on Raw by adding William Regal to the midst, but what they didn't count on was the return of Kane to active duty after being out since just after Wrestlemania. Bubba Ray Dudley had also had his problems with the Un-Americans so this 8-man tag should have no love lost here. When this ppv first aired, I remember asking why they didn't hold off this 8-man war until Survivor Series when months of buildup could have made a little more money, but you'll see why in a month or so. Kane makes his entrance with an entirely new look, his mask had been cut giving it an Ultimate Warrior type design and his gear appears to be lighter on top. Goldust starts out with Christian as JR says all 4 of the heels have been IC champion before as well as Goldust and Kane from the face team. Christian runs into a running ass bump and a Runnells Special for 1..2...nope. Christian gets the upper hand then tags in Lance Storm, but they both eat a double clothesline by Goldust. Bubba tags in and he and Goldust both do the Dusty Special (Bubba incorporated it into his offense and Goldust is Dusty's son so its all good) to Storm and Christian. Bubba's still wearing his hat backwards even after taking a jawbreaker by Lance. Storm works over Bubba in the corner before Bubba ties him in the tree of woe. On the apron, Regal ducks under a clothesline and Christian gets hit with it so Regal hits a forearm to the back of Bubba's head. Lance bounces off the ropes into a flapjack by Bubba but the cover gets 2. Goldust tags back in but is tripped up by Christian on the outside. Lance drags Goldust into his corner as Test tags in for the first time and hits a series of elbows in the corner. Test misses a clothesline and eats a flying clothesline by Goldust who then tags in ol' 5 time....Booker T. Booker delivers a flying forearm to Test, sidekicks an interfering William Regal, knocks Christian off the apron and gets hit with a forearm to the back by Test. Booker hits a sidekick before Regal tags in, but Bubba comes from behind and slams him. Booker goes upstairs and they do the Wazzzzup head butt. Bubba "Booker........get the tables!" Bubba and Booker go outside and prop a table up against the bottom rope, but outside referee Nick Patrick pulls Bubba off, allowing Storm and Christian to dropkick the table into Booker's face. Storm throws Booker into the ring where Test goes on offense in the corner. Test hits a running clothesline in the corner and covers for a nearfall before Regal tags back in. Regal floors Booker with a european uppercut and he still has his shirt on. Regal hits a t-bone suplex and covers for 1....2...nope. Christian tags in, hits a snapmare then applies a rest hold before hitting a knee tot he mid-section. Booker flips in the corner into a sunset flip (Hayes and Nikki simultaniously: WOW!) for 1...2..noooooo. Booker hits a spinebuster then tags in the returning Kane who cleans house before hitting a running clotheslines to Lance Storm. All 8 men get in the ring and its a pier 6 brawl before Kane and Test remain. Test manages to hit the pump-handle slam on Kane but Booker catches him with the scissors kick. Booker does the spinaroonie but Christian hits a reverse ddt to quel the momentum. Kane gets up and goes to chokeslam Lance Storm but Christian hits a low blow, allowing Lance to hit the superkick for 1....2...NOOOOO, Kane got the shoulder up in time. Booker hits the axe kick to Lance then misses an attempt on Christian, crotching himself in the process. Bubba gets in and hits the Bubba Bomb on Christian but Regal interferes, tossing Bubba out of the ring. Goldust gets in, sets Christian up and hits shattered dreams on the poor guy before out of nowhere Test appears and delivers the big boot to Goldust. Out of nowhere Kane hits his flying clothesline from off the top rope on Test, then chokeslams Lance Storm. Regal goes for the brass knuckles but Kane cuts him off with a clothesline, then covers the fallen Storm for 1....2....3 and this one's over. Kane leads the Americans to victory in a fast paced 8 man tag match with only one rest hold. Bubba waves Old Glory around after the match as JR hypes up the rest of the night.
Time of match: 9:50
Winners: Kane, Booker T, Goldust and Bubba Ray Dudley by pinfall
The next segment has Stephanie McMahon trying to psych up her tag team of Billy and Chuck against their upcoming match with 3 Minute Warning......what's that you say, why is she with them and who's 3 Minute Warning? Let me try to explain, for last month or so, Eric Bischoff had been terrorizing people on Raw with his new hit squad, 3 Minute Warning....Jamal and Rosey. Jamal was Eddie Fatu, younger brother of Rikishi and Tonga Kid plus nephew of the Wild Samoans Afa & Sika Anoa'i. Rosey was Matt Anoa'i, son of Sika and older brother of Roman Reigns (who was 17 years old at the time). Unlike their predecessors, they weren't Samoan savages but Samoan gangstas which was a breath of fresh air. The cue was Eric would say the words "3 Minutes" and BOOM, Jamal and Rosey would hit the ring and lay waste to whomever was in it. Over on Smackdown the last few months, Billy and Chuck had been teasing a gay wedding between the two (which people actually thought were real, the GSA sent a fruit basket to Stanford the night the wedding was supposed to be aired), and on Smackdown one night they planned to go through with it. For a while it did look to appear legit with an ordained minister, Rico as best man, Stephanie as....well I couldn't figure out why she was there but it eventually played itself out. So just as Billy and Chuck are about to go through with it, they suddenly halt the proceedings, claim this was just a publicity stunt and they're not really gay. All of a sudden the minister rants and says "The bond you two share may last 15 years....16 months....3 minutes.....wait a minute...did I just hear myself say...3 MINUTES???" The minister then takes off a wig and mask revealing to be ERIC BISCHOFF himself, and sure enough 3 Minute Warning enter the ring and along with Rico put the boots to Billy and Chuck then lay waste to Stephanie as well. In the aftermath, Eric Bischoff started this whole tangent about bringing Hot Lesbian Action (HLA for short) to Raw to spice up ratings. After being surrounded in the ring by a group of women's rights activists, the leader booted him in the nads and revealed herself to be Stephanie herself, then Billy and Chuck hit the ring to serve payback to Eric. Furious, Eric then sent a proposal to Stephanie, 3 Minute Warning vs Billy and Chuck at Unforgiven but with added stipulations.....if Stephanie's team wins, he'll kiss her ass in the middle of the ring but if Eric won, she'd have to perform HLA in the ring later on that night. It was a win/win situation either way in my book, we get to see Stephanie's ass one way or another. Back to the segment, Stephanie says the match is for Smackdown and says "This is about pride, this is about redemption, this is about..." Billy cuts her off "Make sure you don't have to french kiss a lesbian later on tonight!" Chuck chimes in and says they're gonna win and Eric will kiss her ass, prompting King to say he likes the sight of that.....ugh, on to the next match.
Match 2
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair vs Chris Jericho for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Commentators: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
Jericho had recently won the IC title from Rob Van Dam which means they were playing hot potato with the IC title as well as the WWE one. Flair had beaten Jericho the last month at Summerslam so its only natural he be the number 1 contender. JR brings up how Flair lost to Rico (who turned on Billy and Chuck then jumped to Raw to manage 3 Minute Warning) and was very displeased so he gets to take his frustration out on Y2J. Jericho backs Flair into the corner where Ric slaps him across the face. JR stirs the pot by asking if Flair can revert to his old ways that made him a legend, setting up events later in the night. Flair had beaten Jericho the previous month at Summerslam, yet Ross is making it look like that never happened. Chris goes upstairs but Flair hits a shot to the mid-section on the way down then eats a series of chops. Flair catches Jericho and goes for the figure four but Chris boots him out of the ring. Flair gets on the apron so Jericho hops up on the second turnbuckle and dropkicks Ric to the floor. Jericho goes on offense outside the ring before tossing Nature Boy back inside. Jericho goes upstairs and hits a missile dropkick then covers for 1...2...nope. Jericho chokes Ric on the second rope then jumps on him before doing the Ali shuffle. Y2J locks in an abdominal stretch before eventually Flair hiptosses Chris out of it. Jericho whips Ric into the corner where he Flair flips out onto the apron as King continues to stir the pot by saying this is not the same Flair as 20 years ago. Back inside Flair throws Jericho over the top of the ring post then into the steel steps outside the ring. Back inside Flair drops a knee, goes up to the second rope then drops a knee from the second rope on the back of the head. Flair covers for a near fall then chops Y2J in the corner followed by a single-legbreaker. Flair goes for the figure four but Jericho counters into an inside cradle for 1...2....nope, Flair kicked out. Flair runs into a back elbow smash but Y2J misses the lionsault then appears to have blown his knee out. Jericho says "I felt somethin pop" and Flair is reluctant to deliver anymore damage. Referee Charles Robinson motions for a trainer as Flair walks away, then all of a sudden Jericho pops up un-hurt, takes Flair down and applies the Walls of Jericho.....BRILLIANT! Charles Robinson turns around, confused then Flair taps to end the match. Flair falls for the oldest trick in the book as the announcers are shocked....that's not Horsemen style to fall for something like that. Jericho taunts Flair as he walks away and later events are now set in motion. Jericho finally breaks his ppv losing streak and maybe now will go on an extended run as IC champ after the company had been playing hot potato with just about every title since Backlash.
Time of match: 6:17 Winner: Chris Jericho by submission (Still IC champ)
The next segment is Eric Bischoff basically giving the same spiel Stephanie did except saying its for Raw instead of Smackdown. Bischoff then brings in Rico who says he's in the corner of Rosey and Jamal and be prepared to watch some HLA. Back to ringside they show Shaquille O'Neal at ringside for absolutely no reason.
Match 3
Edge vs Eddie Guerrero
Commentators: Michael Cole and Tazz
This re-match from Summerslam stems from Edge humiliating Eddie on Smackdown the last month with assistance from Rikishi. Eddie stalls outside the ring before sneaking up behind Edge and rolling him up for a 2 count to get things started. Edge chases Eddie around the ring but falls for the "first guy in puts the boots to the other" trick before Edge backdrops him 7 feet in the air. Edge hits a flapjack before firing away at Eddie in the corner as Cole brings up Edge's King of the Ring victory the year earlier. Edge hits a powerslam for a nearfall then executes a suplex for yet another near fall. Edge whips Eddie in the corner but a charge eats elbow, then Guerrero goes upstairs and connects with a tornado ddt. Eddie puts the boots to Edge then executes a snap suplex of his own for a 2 count before applying a butterfly neck lock. Edge powers out of it but Eddie delivers a back suplex as Michael Cole brings up Edge's legitimate concussion suffered on Smackdown 3 days prior. Guerrero applies a front facelock before turning it into a neck vice before Edge powers out of it but runs into an elbow smash. Eddie puts the boots to Edge as the announcers play up the severity of the concussion before Edge absolutely unloads a right hand to Eddie....who Valentine Flops backwards. They both slowly get to their feet, Edge charges but misses, Eddie continues the assault with forearms, boots and fists. Eddie chokes Edge on the bottom rope as someone holds a sign in Japanese in the second row. Eddie taunts the crowd as Edge rolls him up for 1....2....negative. Edge cradles Eddie for a 2 count then hits a reverse neckbreakeer that also hurts himself. They trade blows before Edge rallies with right hands, inverted atomic drop and a face plant. Edge covers for a deuce before Eddie flips over a charging Edge but runs into Edge-O-Matic for 1....2....nooooo. Eddie nails Edge with a jawbreaker but Edge counters the lucha libre move attempt with a power bomb for 1.....2....NOOOO, half the crowd thought that was the finish. Edge counters a victory roll with snake eyes but misses the spear, but delivers edgecution for 1....2...nope, Eddie got his foot on the bottom rope. Edge goes upstairs but misses the missle dropkick so Eddie takes the opprotunity to unhook the turnbuckle pad in the corner. Edge whips Eddie into the exposed steel and spears him into it. Edge sets Eddie up on the top rope but Guerrero rams Edge's head into the exposed steel, then executes a rolling power bomb for 1.....2....3 and there's your winner. Great match and the finish was beautiful, on to the next match.
Time of match: 11:55
Winner: Eddie Guerrero by pinfall
The next segment is World Heavyweight Champion HHH walking into the Raw locker-room where Rob Van Dam is getting ready for his match and Ric Flair sits at his locker completely dejected. You can also see Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley in the background, for a minute I was hoping the 3 ECW alumnists would put the boots to HHH, oh well. HHH says that Rob is too calm to beat him tonight for the title. He then goes off on Ric Flair saying how Ric used to be as ruthless as he was and made a great champion because he had that killer edge, but now he's just a loser. Flair hops up but Rob restrains him and says he's rather associate himself with Flair than HHH. Now its time for the inter-promotional showdown....
Match 4
Billy and Chuck vs 3 Minute Warning (Jamal and Rosey) with Rico
Commentators: Michael Cole and Tazz
We've gone over everything there is to cover so I think you readers know the drill by now. This is the ppv debut of 3 Minute Warning but we'll be seeing a lot of Jamal awhile down the road. Despite the fact they announced they weren't gay, Billy and Chuck still come out to You Look So Good To Me....idiots. Billy and Chuck rush the ring but Rosey and Jamal cut them off and put the boots to them. Billy clotheslines Jamal and himself out of the ring so we start out with Rosey and Chuck. Chuck goes for a running roll up but Rico hops up on the apron and kicks Chuck in the head. Rosey hits a back suplex as Michael Cole brings up Rosey's days as an offensive lineman for Hawaii U. Rosey forearms Chuck in the sternum as Michael Cole brings up a laundry list of people 3 Minute Warning has attacked in the last month. Jamal tags in but a charge in the corner eats boot but Jamal comes back with a knee lift. Jamal fires back with boots as Cole says 3 Minute Warning is from Sunnydale, California......isn't that the storyline hometown of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Imagine on one episode if Buffy gets attacked then she says "3 minutes" when all of a sudden Rosey and Jamal appear and lay waste to the demons or vampires attacking her, now THAT would have been interesting. Back to the match Rosey tags in and they continue the punch/kick offense and a rake to the eyes. Rosey scoop slams Chuck for a 2 count as Cole brings up when 3 Minute Warning attacked Stephanie the entire Smackdown locker room hit ringside to chase them away while when Billy and Chuck served payback on Raw, none of the Raw guys came out. Chuck tries to rally but Rosey ends that with a headbutt. Jamal tags in and they do an old school double samoan headbutt. The crowd starts chanting "Rico's gay" as Jamal knocks Billy off the apron, causing Billy to rush the ring allowing 3 Minute Warning to put the boots to Chuck. Rosey taunts Billy in the corner before hitting another scoop slam as Michael Cole says Rosey played against Dallas Cowboys legend Emmit Smith in college.....didn't know Rosey was THAT old. Rosey once again knocks Billy off the apron before going upstairs....but he misses the moonsault (Nikki: Wow!) attempt. Chuck crawls over to make the tag as the announcers cheer for Chuck since they're representing Smackdown. Billy tags in who's a house of fire knocking down Jamal, dropkicking Rosey and kicking Rico off the apron. Billy does a double noggin knocker.....which 3 Minute Warning don't sell (they're Samoan, did Billy expect that to work?) and they double headbutt Billy to the ground. Jamal goes upstairs but Chuck interferes and slams him off the top rope. Billy goes for One and Only on Rosey but he counters it with an over the head suplex. Chuck hits the superkick on Rosey but Jamal hits a superkick on Chuck, then taunts Billy to get up. Jamal goes for a samoan drop but Billy counters midair with a fame-asser. Rico interferes so Billy clotheslines him to the ground and throws him over the top rope. Rosey sends Billy into Jamal who hits the jumping samoan drop and covers for 1....2....3 and its over. 3 Minute Warning wins this horrific match and now Stephanie must perform HLA later in the evening. Bad match and don't forget to say goodbye to Billy Gunn who soon after this match suffered a shoulder injury and would be out a long time.
Time of match: 6:37
Winners: 3 Minute Warning by pinfall (Stephanie must perform HLA later tonight)
Back in Bischoff's office Jonathan Coachman tries to get a word with the victor, who now has 3 lovely ladies with him. Bischoff gets the whole arena to chant HLA and this may turn out to be better than I expected. Back to JR and King for the Raw main event.
Match 5
Rob Van Dam vs Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship
Commentators: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
It made sense that Rob win the number 1 contender fatal four-way giving his rising star power and hot streak of late, but just giving Triple H the title was wrong on so many levels. The least they could have done was make this match for the vacant title, oh well on with the show. Van Dam gets a huge pop from the crowd just to show you how over he was before headlocking HHH to the ground. They repeat the sequence twice as JR and King insult Flair some more before HHH knocks Rob down. They exchange hammerlocks and headlocks before they tie each other up in the ropes before Rob slaps Hunter across the face. Rob taunts as Hunter is in shock of being slapped as JR says RVD better watch himself. King "Isn't Rob's father a famous movie star?" JR "No King, his father was not Jean Claude Van Damme." King "Now I was thinking more of Tommy Chong." Rob delivers another headlock takedown before Hunter slides outside to regroup while referee Earl Hebner refuses to count Hunter out. All of a sudden someone tosses Rob a water bottle so he mocks Hunter's water spitting entrance. An angry Hunter charges right into an arm drag and yet another side headlock before backing Rob into the corner. Hunter whips Rob off but RVD sunset flips a charging HHH for a nearfall, then Hunter botches a rollup causing Van Dam to roll through a backslide. Rob goes for an enziguiri but Hunter ducks, so rob leg sweeps him off his feet then covers for a near fall. Rob goes back to the side headlock as King says there's no way HHH is losing the title by being headlocked. Rob rolls through a back suplex attempt and delivers a spinning back kick, knocking Hunter to the floor. Rob goes for a sommersault plancha on the floor but Hunter moves just in time...ouch. Earl Hebner counts to 9 but stops before Rob even makes it to the apron so King scoffs at the non count-out. Hunter works over Rob on the ring apron with elbows to the sternum and a whip into the steel steps. Back inside Hunter covers for 2 and proceeds to guillotine Rob between the first and second rope as King and JR discuss Bischoff simply handing the title to HHH. Rob rolls through a suplex and hits a running roll up for a near fall before Hunter counters with a neckbreaker. Hunter tosses Rob outside but RVD is the one to ram HHH's head into the Smackdown announce table. Back inside Hunter hits a high knee for a near fall then inexplicably goes upstairs where Rob hops up and savate kicks him off. Rob runs right into a sleeper as King makes a dumb comment on how nobody has used the sleeper in years nevermind the fact its incorportated into at least one match during every broadcast. Van Dam heaves Hunter into the corner but misses a charge and when Hunter chargers, delivers a spinning heel kick to The Game. They trade blows in the center of the ring before Rob delivers a step-over heel kick. Rob hits another kick then a cartwheel moonsault and covers for 1....2...nope, Hunter kicks out at 2. Rob whips HHH in the corner, monkey flips him into the center of the ring and counters a clothesline with a second rope super kick. Rob executes rolling thunder then covers for 1...2....noooo, again Triple H got the shoulder up. Hunter rolls outside but Rob delivers a vaulting bodypress to the floor before rolling HHH back inside. Rob goes upstairs and hits a missle dropkick but the cover only gets a near fall, all the momentum is on RVD's side. Hunter counters a backdrop with a knee to the face then goes for a charge, but Rob jumps over him and Hunter goes crashing into Hebner. Hebner falls through the ropes to the outside as Rob hits another spinning heel kick on the champion. Rob covers but Hebner's out so Hunter tries a pedigree, which is countered into a slingshot by RVD. Rob goes upstairs and hits the 5 Star Frogsplash but Hebner's still out. Rob leans through the ropes to revive Hebner so Hunter low blows him and rolls to the outside. Hunter goes under the ring and grabs the sledgehammer before rolling back in only to be met by a spinning heel kick by RVD. All of a sudden Ric Flair runs out to the ring and picks up the hammer invoking Wrestling 101 Rule #7 which I'll get to in a minute. Flair teases hitting Hunter but then shockingly turns around and hits RVD in the ribs with it. Hunter, Ross, King and the crowd are all shocked before HHH delivers the pedigree on RVD. Flair throws Hebner back into the ring where he counts 1.....2.....3 and its over. Flair grabs the title belt then hands it to Hunter and mouths "You're the man!" Flair raises Hunter's arm in victory and says "Thank you" before they hug. Its crystal clear, Flair wasn't drawing as a face so by turning heel he figured being HHH's lackey would extend his career at least a few more years. Make no mistake, at 53 years old Flair could still play a hell of a heel so this was actually a good thing in the long run. The storyline was Flair had lost his edge and Triple H helped get it back. When Flair came out Wrestling 101 Rule #7 was in effect, which is anytime a face does a run in where another face is in control of the match, 9 times out of 10 its a heel turn. Why would Flair run in to help RVD when Rob was in control of the situation? Anyway Hunter retains the title in a shockingly good mat based match and the three year reign of terror has only just begun.
Time of match: 18:17
Winner: HHH by pinfall (Still WHC)
The next segment is in the Smackdown locker room where Billy Kidman and D-LO BROWN go over what we just saw. When was the last time we've seen D-Lo, last year? All of a sudden the guy from Young and Restless appears....um what? D-Lo and Kidman suck up before Dawn Marie comes along and steals the guy away.....pointless but always great to see D-Lo. On to the next match.
Match 6
Trish Stratus vs Molly Holly for the WWE Women's Champion
Commentators: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
This will be the last Raw match of the night so of course we have to listen to the endless barrage of jokes from the King before he signs off. The whole storyline to this was really stupid, Trish claims the reason Molly is a heel is because she's got a big ass and is really insecure about it then makes fun of her for being a virgin. Molly reverses a full nelson with a hairgrab takeover as JR still can't get over what happened to RVD. Molly executes a nice firemans carry but Trish delivers an arm drag and a dropkick. Trish delivers a neckbreaker before JR shills how far she's come along in terms of in ring ability, yeah no shit. I still cringe when thinking about her "matches" with Lita back in 2000 when all she could do was a simple bulldog. Molly delivers a snap suplex then throws Trish to the mat then outside of the ring. Molly throws Trish face first into the steel steps then into the security wall as Lawler makes fun of Molly's virginity. Yes, make fun of Molly for NOT being a complete slut like every other diva on the roster.....ugh. Thank christ she finally took the high road 2 1/2 years later after all the nonsense they put her through. Anyway back to current affairs, Molly applies a really nice butterfly bridgelock as King squeals over the upcoming HLA performance, then Trish snapmares out of it. Molly hits a dropkick but Trish cradles her up for 1...2...nope, Molly kicked out. Trish does a poorly executed roll up for 2 then is drop-toe holded (Nikki: Is that even a word?) onto the bottom rope. Trish rolls through a sidewalk slam into a bulldog then covers for 1...2....nooooo. Someone shouts out "YO GUYS FINISH" and Trish convieniently hits the Chick Kick then covers for 1...2....nope. Hmm, guess that wasn't the finish after all. Trish charges in the corner but eats boot, so Molly goes upstairs but is crotched by Stratus. Molly blocks Stratusfaction and ties her into the tree of woe before executing a handspring back splash. Molly covers for a nearfall before Trish does a Rey Mysterio like counter bulldog and covers for 1...2.....3 and we got a new champion. Awesome match but oh great.....Coachman hits ringside to interview the new champion. Trish gets emotional and says she lives for moment's like this, she'll have plenty of moments like this in the future.
Time of match: 5:42
Winner: Trish Stratus by pinfall (New Women's Champion)
Back in the general manager's office there's a whole bunch of ladies partying it up with 3 Minute Warning, Rico and Eric Bischoff. Bischoff thanks the guys for a job well done and sends them off for a wild party, leaving 2 ladies for the HLA coming up later. On to the next match....
Match 7
Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle
Commentators: Michael Cole and Tazz
This match stems from when Rikishi hit the stinkface on Angle during a tag match and Benoit laughed at him. The next week Angle beat up Benoit during his singles match with Rikishi and held the arms allowing Rikishi to deliver the stinkface to Benoit. The storyline may be comedic but the simple fact is we got two great wrestlers ready to get in on, this could be the sleeper of the night. They roll around the ropes before both fall to the outside to start the match. They stare each other down back inside before they go into a chain wrestling sequence. Angle rides before Benoit switches out into a crippler crossface which Angle quickly puts his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Angle scores with an ankle pick then rides perfectly, countering every sit out and switch attempt by Benoit, good thing this isn't the olympics otherwise Chris would be screwed. Angle goes for the ankle lock early but Benoit makes it to the ropes then they engage in another staredown. Angle reverses a top wristlock before Benoit runs into a shoulderblock then Angle goes for a fireman's carry which Chris sunset flips out of for a near fall. They exchange a series of pinfall attempts before Benoit bridges and turns a headlock into another crossface attempt. Kurt makes it to the ropes again then retreats outside to regroup as the crowd pops the action. Benoit tries for another crossface attempt and Kurt forgoes chain wrestling and simply heaves Chris through the ropes to the outside. Kurt press slams Benoit sternum first on the security wall then throws him back inside as Tazz gives us the history of Angle's title accomplishments. Angle hits a backbreaker for a near fall then applies a reverse bearhug on the ground....which looks really really bad if this weren't a wrestling match. Chris applies pressure to the ankle like any collegiate would in that position and Kurt breaks the hold but Benoit runs into a knee to the mid-section. Kurt does shoulderblocks in the corner as Cole brings up how Rikishi had stinkfaced both men to set this up......think about that, as great of a match this is turning out to be, it all started because a fat guy shoved his ass in their faces while the other laughed at them. Angle charges but goes shoulder first into the ring post so Benoit takes his advantage by throwing him into the adjacent ring post. Chris executes a back suplex for a 2 count and delivers a short armed clothesline before Angle ducks under the second attempt. They exchange knees to the mid-section then Angle finally hits an overhead BtB suplex as both men are down. Benoit ducks under a clothesline, delivers 2 german suplexes before Angle switches out of the third and executes 2 of his own. Benoit executes another german before Angle finally does all 3 to Benoit before releasing. The crowd pops again and Angle pulls his singlet straps down, giving the sign for the Angle slam. Benoit rolls through the Angle Slam then does an over the head german suplex that looks to have knocked Kurt out cold. Benoit goes upstairs but is a hundred feet away so Angle gets up, runs up the turnbuckle and BtB suplexes Benoit off the top rope. Angle covers for 1....2....negative, Benoit bridges but Kurt locks in the ankle lock before Chris powers out of it. Benoit hits a tombstone shoulderbreaker then goes for the flying headbutt and connects but takes too long to cover. Benoit gets a 2 count then applies the crossface, Kurt motions he's going to tap before applying the ankle lock in crossface position (!!!). Benoit releases and they exchange their finishers before Kurt applies the ankle lock in the center of the ring. Chris makes it to the ropes, Angle applies the crossface before Chris does a peterson roll, cradles up Angle, puts his feet on the rope for 1....2....3 and this one is history. Benoit CHEATS but technically both are heels so its all good, Kurt throws a tantrum in the ring after the match. As great as this match was, it was only a preview of what was to come months later.
Time of match: 13:55
Winner: Chris Benoit by pinfall
We go to Dorkus Malorkus who interviews Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar about his upcoming title match with Undertaker. Heyman says if Undertaker wants to get personal with Brock, they're gonna get personal. Now its time for the HLA as Bischoff hits the ring with the 2 lovlies before calling out Stephanie. The two ladies feel each other up as a sneak preview before Stephanie makes her appearance as King squeals. Bischoff gloats and says we're gonna have a three-way. The 2 ladies remove their shirts and Bischoff orders them to do the same to Steph, but they only get as far as her jacket before Bischoff halts the action....now what? Bischoff says he changes his mind, dismisses the 2 hotties but not Stephanie, then says he's found the ugliest lesbian in the history of mankind and brings out Hildegard....who happens to be over 6 feet tall, over 400 lbs with dark skin and a huge ass. Gee....who could that possibly be? Bischoff says Hildegard has done prison time and orders her to take control of Steph....but Steph then wraps her arms around the giant and makes out with it. They then feel each other up before Bischoff finally realizes what's going on....only to be superkicked by Hildegard. Yeah, if you couldn't guess.....the 6 foot 400 lb monster is none other than Rikishi in drag, yuck. Anyone notice how Rikishi has been involved in just about every Smackdown match storyline it seems? Rikishi does the running ass bump in the corner to Bischoff then motions for the stinkface. Stephanie cheers on as Rikishi delivers the stinkface to Bischoff for a good 10 seconds as King pretends to throw up. Rikishi and Stephanie have a dance number in the ring as I wonder from a storyline standpoint how stupid Bischoff is. He couldn't tell that was Rikishi in drag all this time? Have any of you ever seen a woman that tall or that fat before? Anyway...Bischoff's been humiliated and Stephanie gets the last laugh. Ironically Bischoff's team was Rikishi's real life brother and cousin. On to the Smackdown main event.
Match 8
The Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) for the WWE Championship
Commentators: Michael Cole and Tazz
The backstory is Sara Calloway was pregnant with Taker's child and with The Rock gone, Taker switched to babyface again. On Smackdown, Lensar beat the crap out of Taker right in front of her. He then put his hand on her stomach and scares the bejeebus out of her, so this becomes personal hatred rather than professional jealousy. Brock walks up to Taker to engage in a staredown proving he's not afraid of the deadman. Taker shoves Brock away then they circle as Lesnar goes for an ankle pick, which is countered. Lesnar locks up and tosses Taker around like a rag doll before Taker repays the favor. Lesnar runs up and applies a side headlock before running into a hiptoss, then is clotheslined over the top rope to the floor. Lesnar kicks over the steel steps as Heyman goes "Wrestle him! Wrestle him!" from an in ring standpoint that's the best way to beat the dead man. Back inside Taker applies an arm wrench before Lesnar backs Taker in the corner and delivers shoulderblocks. A charge in the corner eats boot and Taker hits his pattented flying clothesline for a near fall before going for old school. Taker hops off the top rope and connects then whips Brock into the corner as Cole brings up the Sara storyline. Heyman hops up on the apron so Taker knocks him off, Tazz "There's my favorite part of this match". Lesnar spears Taker into the corner twice then delivers a vertical suplex but the cover only gets a deuce. Lesnar chokes Taker in the corner then rams him rib first into the ring post as Cole brings up how he put Hogan out of action. Lesnar continues over the rib with right hands and shoulder blocks in the corner before Taker rallies with right hands. Lesnar hits a powerslam and covers for 1...2...nope, too early for that. Taker sells a rib injury as Lesnar smells blood and goes for a bearhug. Taker tries to roll out of it but Lesnar keeps the hands locked eventually turning it into a bridge for 1...2..nope. Taker powers out of it but once again Lesnar goes back to the bearhug as the crowd slowly begins to quiet down, better do something else Brock. Taker does a standing switch and Lesnar goes through the ropes to the outside, then back inside Taker begins going to the body himself. Turnabout's fair play and Taker punches Lesnar through the ropes and to the outside....funny thing was Lesnar had to run to go through the ropes as they were standing near the other side of the ring. Taker goes outside, throws Lesnar into the time-keeper's table, goes to nail Heyman but is distracted and Lesnar hits him with the WWE title belt while the ref was with Paul. Undertaker blades and the entire front row goes "Ohhhh" when the crimson mask appears. Back inside Lesnar covers then goes back on offense like a shark that smells blood as Tazz says "He didn't learn that at the university of Minnesota." They exchange right hands then Taker avalanches Lesnar in the corner twice. Taker signals for the chokeslam but Lesnar counters it then runs into a big boot for a long 2 count. Taker executes snake eyes in the corner then does another big boot then covers for 1...2....negative, Brock gets the shoulder up. Taker whips Brock into referee Brian Hebner then hits the chokeslam but with the ref out there's no one to count the fall. All of a sudden Matt Hardy hits the ring who is promptly given the last ride which allows Brock to sneak up from behind Undertaker and executes a spinebuster. Matt had recently turned heel and began what was to become the V1 gimmick which I'll get into later. Brock covers, Hebner revives and we got 1......2....noooo, Taker gets the shoulder up. Taker delivers his running ddt then covers for a near fall as Heyman looks to be sweating bullets. Taker signals for the tombstone but Brock rolls out and shoves Taker into Hebner again, talk about like father like son. Heyman chucks a steel chair in the ring, Brock goes to level Taker with it but the dead man big boots Lesnar in the face. Taker picks up the chair and wallops Lesnar in the head with it, denting the chair in half almost. Taker goes after Heyman outside, punches him into the first row then walks back into the ring. Lesnar comes up and he blades for the first time in his WWE career so the veteran Taker goes for the open wound with a big boot. Taker drops a big leg (Nikki: Nice Hogan imitation) and covers for 1....2...noooo, Taker can't believe it. Taker signals for the last ride but Brock backdrops out of it then signals for the F-5. Taker counters the attempt where they brawl into the corner. Hebner tries to break them up but once again they pummel each other in the corner. Lesnar throws Hebner into the turnbuckle then resumes brawling with Taker as the ref calls for the bell......wow. The crowd is livid as Taker throws Lesnar over the top rope. Referee Jimmy Korderas runs to ringside but he too is dispatched by Lesnar and he continues to trade fists with Taker. All the Smackdown referees get in the ring as Taker delivers a chokeslam too little too late. Lesnar rolls outside as Taker follows then they brawl to the back where Taker heaves Lesnar through the glass UNFORGIVEN backdrop.....what a way to end the ppv.
Time of match: 20:23
Winner: No one (Double Disqualification)
After last month's awesome ppv, this has to be considered an expected let down. Don't get me wrong, the in ring action was once again stellar but the comedic storylines took away from the overall point to the matches. The main event's non decisive decision was more or less a set-up to No Mercy basically saying to the people (well Smackdown fans anyway) that your 35 dollars were for naught. Least it did have memorable moments such as Flair's heel turn and Rikishi doing a 10 second stinkface to Eric Bischoff. Things were slowly beginning to look up for Smackdown with the influx of cruiserweight talents to Smackdown as well was outstanding wrestling by Benoit, Lesnar, Angle, Edge and Guerrero....which basically left Raw in the dust for the next year and a half it seemed. As for this ppv, it was very good but definitely not on the level as Summerslam the month before. 4 stars out of 5 and definitely recommended
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