OCTOBER 21, 2002
GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT CENTER
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE
Commentators: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
Now that No Mercy is over, now its time for the lead up to Survivor Series. But first, let's talk about No Mercy from the Raw end of things. The Intercontinental championship is gone but Triple H is still the World Heavyweight Champion. Chris Jericho and Christian are still the World Tag Team Champions, Rob Van Dam had beaten Ric Flair in a single's match, Big Show is unhappy that he's doing nothing on Raw and Trish Stratus had beaten Victoria to remain women's champion but Victoria beat her up after the match. Hopefully they can put the Katie Vick crap in the past and focus on Survivor Series. Before the show starts, we have a dark match and Sunday Night Heat. We'll only do the dark match.
Dark Match
Redd Dogg and Kevin Fertig vs Charlie Haas and Justin Credible
Talk about before they were stars. Born Rodney Begnaud, he was trained by the Junkyard Dog and worked the indies until signing with Extreme Championship Wrestling at the end of their run. After ECW got bought out, Redd Dogg worked OVW and was getting his tryout here. Charlie and his brother Russ were known as The Haas Brothers in Heartland Wrestling but tragically Russ had a heart attack and died in November 2001 at the age of 27. If you ever see Charlie with the initials RH on wrist tape or his rights, that's why. Kevin Fertig was working Memphis Championship Wrestling under the name Seven when WWF switched from MCW to Ohio Valley Wrestling as their developmental. Kevin got signed by WWE in April and this was a tryout match. We all know who Justin Credible is. Haas and Credible got the duke.
Winners: Haas and Credible
We begin the show with a montage of "Kane is a murderer" along with Triple H winning the night before so there goes my "put Katie Vick in the past" idea. Triple H and Ric Flair dressed in business casual hit the ring for a speech. Jim Ross says Shawn Michaels is in a wheelchair now due to Triple H's attack at Summerslam and he'll check in later. Hunter tells the crowd, writers and anyone who felt he didn't deserve to be handed the title "Screw you!" He says he's beaten everyone and ended 23 years of IC title history, he does what he wants and nobody can do anything about it. Hunter tells "Naitch" that he can do it because he's untouchable and he says beating Kane is like one more nail in Katie Vick's coffin. Triple H "I hope Kane hasn't gotten into an accident and killed someone." Ross "That's supposed to be funny?" Hunter says he's got a video tape of Kane having sex with Katie Vick when she's dead and warns people that its the most graphic thing he's ever seen. All of a sudden The Hurricane hits the ring and cleans house of Hunter and Ric. He grabs the tape and runs for it but Flair cuts him off and drops him. He gets thrown into the steps and Hunter grabs a mic to say it doesn't matter what Hurricane does because after he shows the tape, Kane's career will be like Katie, dead. Ross says this is distasteful and I couldn't agree more. I don't want to spoil the ending for those reading this for the first time but let's just say it was to this day one of the worst wrestling angles of all time.
Match 1
Jeff Hardy vs Christopher Nowinski.
When we get back from commercial, Jeff Hardy comes out for a singles match and Ross is still distracted by Hunter's words. Nowinski enters walking to the ring without his Harvard varsity jacket. King hypes up Harvard football and says Oklahoma beat Nebraska. Ross "Everybody beats Nebraska this year" The bell rings as Nowinski takes Hardy over with a snap mare. King hypes up Chris' legit Harvard background as Chris gets in a headlock. Nowinski dropes Hardy before being thrown over the top rope. Hardy plancha's over the referee, over the top rope and onto Chris. Nowinski hot shots Jeff off the top rope and drops Hardy with elbows. Ross hypes up Nowinski's Tough Enough run but King comntinues to babble about the "sex tape". Hardy almost gets a three off a Thez Press as King won't shut up about sex and semen. I hate when commentators ignore the match at hand but luckily Ross tries to keep his composure. Nowinski gets a series of near falls as Ross says its going to be Kane and RVD against Triple H and Ric Flair. Hardy catches Chris with an inside cradle but Nowinski knocks him down again. Ross hypes up Velocity and Confidential this coming Saturday as Nowinski hotshots Hardy again leading to a near fall. Chris gets mulekicked and starts open handed chopping Nowinski in the chest. Hardy drops both legs on the mid-section of Nowinski but Chris goes outside to avoid the swanton bomb. Hardy drops on top of Chris anyway which pisses Nowinski off. Nowinski grabs a chair but Al Snow comes out of nowhere to stop him from using it. Nowinski rips it away only to turn around into a dropkick into the chair by Hardy. Nowinski falls ontop of the chair and Hardy goes for the swanton but Snow pulls Nowinski out of the way. Hardy lands on the chair and Nowinski covers for 1...2.....3 that's it. Snow looks miserable and Ross wonders why he'd hurt and help Nowinski. Its obvious storyline wise Al cares about his ex student enough to stop him from breaking the rules but won't let him get hurt. Ross says Nowinski doesn't even appreciate it as we cut here. Not a bad match but nothing special either, Nowinski was a rising heel star and needed a victory over Jeff to add to his resume.
Time of match: 5:53
Winner: Chris Nowinski by pinfall
We cut to Eric Bischoff in his office watching the tape from No Mercy of him getting punked out by Big Show. Someone knocks on the door and Eric thinks it's Big Show but its actually Stacy Keibler. She wants to referee a match and Eric tells her any match but the main event, just leave. Stacy leaves and in walks Big Show. Eric says he's sorry about last night but turns around and says Show is in a 3 on 1 handicap match with Rico, Jamal and Rosey. Eric says there's nothing he can do about it and laughs in his face.
After that we cut to Tommy Dreamer finding Al Snow and asking him why he cost Tommy the match with Chris Nowinski the week before. Al says what I said earlier and didn't want Nowinski to get hurt. Tommy counters by saying HE'S gonna get hurt because its going to be him against Snow in a Singapore Cane match later. Nowinski shows up and says he doesn't need Snow's help, thanks but no thanks. Both segments established matches later in the night so at least they weren't pointless.
Match 2
Lance Storm and William Regal vs Bubba Ray and Spike Dudley
The winner of this match is the number 1 contender to the World Tag Team Championships held by Christian and Chris Jericho. Lance in the short red tights wants to be serious for a minute, he says The Unamericans are finished but he and Regal are together. Lance says the US is a zoo of savages and Regal says the US is a cesspool. Regal "How far does this country deteriorate before you people listen to us?". The Dudleys come out to shut up the heels as Ross says Bubba suffered a grade 2 concussion and Lawler says he's got a grade 2 brain. Spike and Lance start and Lance takes him down with a go-behind. The crowd chants "We want tables" immediately as Spike executes a nice cradle on Storm for a two count. Ross says they're going to see the tape later and Ross sarcastically says they should talk about Katie Vick for weeks. Bubba tags in and they STILL babble on about Katie Vick as Bubba gets the upperhand. Ross brings up Big Show crossing Bischoff leading to a handicap match as the crowd chants USA. Regal hits Bubba in the back of the head and Bubba sells it like he's still concussed. Regal tags in as Ross says William is one of the most viscious wrestlers ever. A camera shot shows Kane arriving at the arena as Storm saves Regal from a Spike pinfall attempt. Storm gets nailed with a hurricarana off the top but Regal stops him. Bubba hits a Bubba Bomb on Storm as Spike nails Regal with the Acid Drop. Spike covers Regal for 1...2....3 and the Dudleys are the number 1 contenders. Storm hits Bubba with a superkick to the back of the head then holds Spike for Regal's brass knuckles. Regal caves in Spike's ribs with the knucks and Spike starts spitting up blood. The heels keep their heat despite Spike and Bubba being the number 1 contenders. Short, sweet and to the point.
Time of match: 3:26
Winners: The Dudleys by pinfall
After the commercial, Ross hypes up the intergender tag match later between Booker T, Goldust and Trish Stratus against Christian, Chris Jericho and Victoria. Trish finishes a photoshoot as the camera dude asks why Victoria jumped her after last night's match and Trish says she's jealous and crazy. She goes to say that Victoria is spreading rumors about Trish sleeping her way to the top when Jericho and Christian show up. They tell the camera guy to get lost and Jericho sarcastically wishes her good luck. Christian passive aggressively says why should we believe she didn't sleep her way to the top after she barked like a dog on all fours for Vince McMahon (how overcame that is a testament to her dedication to improving as a wrestler because to this day people still remember her doing that). Jericho says to send a message to Booker and Goldust that they're not "suckas" and they're the champs. Jericho says the stories of Trish sleeping around is true and she should get her some of her. After they leave Trish says "Talk about delusional". Wait 17 months and we'll come back to this.
Bischoff comes out and say tonight Big Show's gonna find out what happens when you put your hands on him and at Survivor Series, Stephanie McMahon is going to find out what happens when you try to out-promote Eric Bischoff. Eric says Hell in a Cell the night before was awesome but Eric claims its going to pale in comparison for the match he has in mind. He says he has an ingenious creation at Survivor Series which he will call the Elimination Chamber. Ross "The hell is that?" Lawler "Sounds scary". Eric puts on a mean mug and leaves as Lawler says he wants to hear more. Basically this was the start of what we now know today as the Elimination Chamber. So mark your calandars, October 21, 2002 was when it was first mentioned.
Stacy Keibler in her referee bra walks down the hallway as King whoops it up. Apparently she's going to refereeing the next match when we get back from break. Back from break we get a vignette hyping up Batista coming to Raw. The Reverend D'Von angle had run its course and wrestling history was about to be made with Batista coming to Raw, but that's for another time.
Match 3
D-Lo Brown vs Test
Keibler will be the referee for this match and she bends over much to the crowd's delight as JR reels off legendary wrestling referees including WWWF's own Dick Woerhle. Test comes out in the short gray tights and Stacy lets him in the ring. Test looks at her funny and goes to the second rope to absolutely no pop from the crowd. Stacy tells both men she's the boss and slaps D-Lo across the face, which causes Test to laugh before calling for the bell. D-Lo goes to back her down but Test attacks him from behind. Test hits a backdrop as D-Lo got serious airtime on it. Test goes to work with elbows and boots in the corner. Ross says Test is 6'7 and 280 pounds but has no idea what Stacy weighs. Test clotheslines D-Lo in the corner as Ross once again talks about the "sex tape". D-Lo hits Test with clotheslines and says "getcho ass up" before dropping him with a dropkick, scoopslam and D-Lo leg drop. D-Lo covers and Stacy counts pathetically slow as the crowd boos. D-Lo reverses the pump handle slam and hits sky high. D-Lo covers but Stacy ties her shoe. D-Lo yells at her but turns around into the Test big boot. Test covers and Stacy fast counts 1-2-3 as King scoffs. Stacy jumps into Test's arms after the bell as JR says "Now have you ever seen Earl Hebner do that to somebody?" Hahahahahahahaha!!!!! Test leaves arm in arm with Stacy and Test starts to like it. Bad match but it set up Test and Stacy as a couple moving forward.
Time of match: 2:21
Winner: Test by pinfall
We go to Terri Runnells interviewing Victoria who runs down Trish saying they were friends that were supposed to make it together. In the middle of her ranting, Goldust sneaks up from behind and mocks her before insulting her. Booker T comes in and helps Goldust insult her. He says you can't spell Jericho without the H-O. He says he's gonna give Jericho some Vitamin T up his ass, SUCKAAAAAAAAA. The crowd pops as Goldust spanks Victoria before they leave. Twitter would explode if he Goldust did that today. Anyway the match is up next after the commercial break.
Match 4
Chris Jericho, Christian and Victoria vs Booker T, Goldust and Trish Stratus
Trish enters to her new Lil Kim theme that she'd keep for the rest of her WWE run as JR asks King if he likes Lil Kim. King says Goldust was disrespectful for smacking Victoria's bee-hind and JR says King is just jealous. Booker T gets the loudest pop of anyone as King hypes up tonight's sponsors. Victoria enters to some generic theme as Christian is still using the opera theme. King babbles on about the sex tape as Trish bumrushes Victoria off the bat and gets a nearfall. Victoria counters with a drop toe hold before hitting a back drop. Trish kicks Victoria down then Christian tags in, backing her into the corner. Trish slaps his face and ducks under a right hand before making the tag to Booker T. Booker axe kicks him down before attacking him in the corner. Jericho interferes and gets dropped before T hits another kick on Christian. Ross says Booker is a nine time tag team champion as a cover gets a deuce. Booker chops Christian then drops Jericho to the floor. Booker goes after Victoria as Christian clotheslines him out of the ring. All 3 heels put the boots to Booker before throwing him inside where Jericho covers for a two count. Y2J suplexes Booker before striking him repeatedly with JR continuing to babble about the sex tape. I have to wonder if Vince is in his ear telling him to repeat it again and again or if Ross is doing it on his own merit? Hopefully its just Vince since its well documented that Vince proudly paraded around this storyline to a room full of horrified writers and agents. Booker sunset flips Jericho for a two count as JR ignores the match to hype up tonight's upcoming matches....and I hate it. Christian tags in as JR and King continue to babble on about Big Show's handicap match. Christian gets in a chinlock that Booker powers out of. Christian tags out to Jericho who taunts the crowd and gets the upperhand. Booker T lands the Alabama slam before tagging in Goldust. Goldust cleans house of Christian and Jericho and even drops Victoria with an ass bump. He hits a powerslam on Jericho but the cover gets a two count. Goldust lands a bulldog but Jericho gets his foot on the rope. Jericho elbows Goldust into the corner and Trish tags in. Trish hits a bodypress from off the top but the cover only gets two. Christian trips up Trish and pulls her out of the ring but Goldust sets up Y2J for shattered dreams. Victoria stops him but Goldust kisses her before sending her into Jericho. Christian runs in with a title belt and waffles Goldust with it before he's sent to the outside by Booker T. Trish does the stratusphere to take Jericho off the top rope, but runs into a lariat. Jericho applies the Lion Tamer and Trish taps to end the match. Refree Nick Patrick tries to get Jericho off but Booker T knocks Jericho off of her. JR "That Jericho is a real jerk!". Jericho raises Victoria's arm and says "I'm no sucka!" We go to the replay of Jericho winning the match as JR continues to scoff. Intergender matches in those days could go either way but that was a good one. The heels keep their heat and establish Booker T as a contender.
Time of match: 7:10
Winners: Victoria, Chris Jericho and Christian by submission
After the match, HHH hands the tape to the production truck as we look at the WWE website. Ah the good ol days of dial up and DSL in its infancy. We go to Terri Runnells who is outside of Kane's lockerroom and sends it to Jonathan Coachman with Triple H. Coach asks why he's doing this and Hunter says its to expose Kane as a freak. Hunter says roll the tape and its dated 10/09/92. I'm not going to describe it other than its a now infamous video where Hunter dressed as Kane molests a body inside a casket. Ironically the great RD Reynolds of Wrestlecrap.com bought the actual Katie Vick outfit from this show as a joke. Anyway, its one of the most distasteful segments in wrestling history and I don't want to remember it. We cut to Triple H laughing his ass off with Coach giving him a "really?" look. Hunter "What a sick freak"...ironic. Back to Terri who tries to enter Kane's room but he slams the door on her. Let's go to commercial.
Match 5
Al Snow vs Tommy Dreamer in a Singapore Cane match
JR said it best as Al Snow makes his intro "What the hell was Triple H thinking?". More so Vince McMahon coming up with it and Hunter going along with it. Anyway, we look at Al Snow saving Nowinski earlier King "When's Al going to figure out that he's not wanted." Dreamer and Snow circle each other armed with canes and they start cane fighting. They whack each other in the legs before Al clotheslines Dreamer out of the ring with it. Dreamer nails Snow in the ribs coming off the apron then continues to wail on Snow. Al headbutts Dreamer before suplexing him on the floor. Al throws Dreamer inside but Dreamer grabs a cane inside. King continues to ramble on about the "sex tape" as Dreamer winds up the cane. Dreamer nails Snow in the gonads before wailing away on him. Chris Nowinski runs to ringside, grabs a cane and goes to hit Dreamer. Unfortunately Nowinski nails Snow in the head by accident and Dreamer covers for 1...2...3 to end it. JR is confused as Dreamer looks mad that Nowinski did that as Chris himself walks off expressionless. Dreamer checks on Snow as JR says they go way back to ECW. I like old ECW so it didn't bother me but I can see how others can see this as boring. Point was Nowinski and Snow are not on the same page.
Time of match: 3:00 (did I just type out....THREE MINUTES??)
Winner: Tommy Dreamer by pinfall
We go to commercial and come back for the next match
Match 6
Big Show vs 3 Minute Warning (Jamal and Rosey) and Rico in a 3 on 1 handicap match
I love how they don't even mention how Jamal's brother Rikishi completely humiliated Bischoff the night before. Anyway Big Show comes out completely pissed off and the trio bum rush him at the opening bell. He fends them off at first but they corner him. Show drops all three of them and cleans house to a babyface pop. JR finds it impressive that Show just manhandled the 375 pound Rosey and 350 pound Jamal. Rico regroups with his team outside and gets caught on camera saying "circle his fucking ass". They do circle Big Show as Jamal and Rosey hit him with a double clothesline that he doesn't sell. Show double clotheslines them out of the ring then beats around Rico. Show chops and hiptosses Rico but Jamal and Rosey prevent the chokeslam. Jamal hits a superkick to drop Show and the three of them beat the daylights out of Show. Show kicks Rico down before sending 3 Minute Warning into each other. Show scoop slams the 375 pound Rosey and hits a sidewalk slam on Jamal. Show throws Rico and Rosey out of the ring before chokeslamming Jamal. Show covers Jamal for 1...2..3..to win the match amidst a huge babyface pop. JR says the giant has awoken as Big Show leaves as angry as ever. JR says when this man is motivated, he's an extraordinary athlete. Unfortunately WWE creative had other plans for Big Show because THIS angry giant who just mowed down 3 guys at once would have been a perfect opponent for Triple H. But that's a story for another day.
Time of match: 2:54
Winner: Big Show by pinfall
Shawn Michaels wheels himself around as JR says he's coming up next. When we come back from commercial Coach interviews Big Show but Bischoff interrupts. Bischoff says Show has been traded to Smackdown and he never wants to see him again. Bischoff says he'll be hearing from his attorney in the morning as Show tells Coach "Don't feel sorry for me, you still have to work with that asshole." Hahahahahaha. Like I said a minute ago, WWE had different plans for Big Show and its unfortunate because of the pop he got from laying waste to 3 Minute Warning. JR asks who he was traded for when a car backs into the camera frame. Its The Hurricane who stands in front of an open trunk as Ross asks what's the meaning of this.
The camera shows The World in Times Square as we go to highlights of Michaels vs HHH at Summerslam where Hunter attacked him with a sledgehammer. Shawn wheels himself onto the stage of The World and Ross asks how he's feeling. Shawn says he's feeling better but not 100 percent yet. Shawn says his rehab is going slow and he's got nothing left to prove in wrestling but he doesn't want to quit. He says he's doing it for God, his wife and his son and he says Triple H shouldn't hunt what he can't kill. HBK says he's going to get Triple H down the line and says he's going to show Ross something. Shawn nips up out of the chair showing he's fine and he cuts a promo saying Hunter will never see it coming when Shawn gets his revenge. The crowd pops when HBK pops up and its very apparent that Shawn is ready to return to active duty after 4 and half years off. We cut to commercial as JR says Hunter isn't going to like this at all. Let's go to commercial.
We come back from commercial and head right to the main event.
Match 7
Kane and Rob Van Dam vs World Heavyweight Champion Triple H and Ric Flair
Flair comes out first as Ross says he's been wrestling for 30 years. Hunter makes his entrance and JR continues to scoff at him for the stupid necrophelia. JR "We can't have semen in wrestling." Yeah really, leave this crap in the Attitude Era. JR says Hunter has beaten nobody since he needed Ric Flair's help to beat RVD at Unforgiven and Kane at No Mercy. Lawler hypes that Survivor Series will be at Madison Square Garden. Rob Van Dam enters as JR says he beat Flair the night before. Kane walks out who sells the ribs after getting hit the night before with the hammer. Its a brawl to start with Kane taking on Hunter in the corner with Van Dam and Flair in the other. Kane and RVD contol with tag team tactics to start before Kane clotheslines Hunter out of the ring. Flair chops Rob but Van Dam counters with his step over kick and rolling thunder. Rob covers for 1...2....nope. A charge in the corner by Flair eats elbow and Van Dam delivers a dropkick from the second rope. Kane throws Hunter in the ring who knocks Kane off the apron into the security wall. Van Dam nails Hunter inside the ring with a spinning wheel kick and goes upstairs. Flair throws Van Dam off the top to the security wall as JR screams at King that it wasn't actually Kane on the sex tape. Earl Hebner yells at Hunter as Flair throws Van Dam into the ring steps by Flair. JR calls Ric the dirtiest player in the game as Hunter covers Van Dam for a deuce inside the ring. Lawler said he saw JR kiss Vince's ass before and JR counters by saying he's seen Mae Young give birth to a hand. Talk about bringing up all the garbage in the past couple of years. Flair hits a low blow on Rob and puts the boots to him. Hebner shoves Flair away as Hunter takes advantage with a right hand. Flair chops away in the corner as JR says Kane had the match won the night before. Flair drops Rob before making the tag to Hunter. Hunter delivers a high knee to RVD and covers but Kane breaks it up. Flair tags in and continues to work over Rob as Lawler continues to laugh at the sex tape. Lawler says the only people who didn't find the tape funny was JR and Kane. JR "Next time I drive by an accident on the interstate, I'll start booing." Flair rams Rob into Hunter's knee before Hunter tags in. Rob catches Hunter with a roll up for a deuce before he eats a clothesline from The Game. Hunter locks in a sleeperhold as King says Hunter took Kane off his game with his antics which is the only logical explanation to this horrible storyline. Flair tags in but eats a savate kick only he gets up first to prevent a tag. Flair goes upstairs as JR says "This never works. What an idiot!" Sure enough, Van Dam slams him off the top rope as JR says "He's been doing this for 20 years and it never works. One of these days he'll actually land on somebody." Van Dam hits a spinning wheel kick on Flair but Flair once again prevents a tag. Hunter tags in as Lawler asks what yin yang is. JR "I wear a black hat, how the hell would I know?" JR scolds King for laughing but Van Dam drops Hunter with a dropkick. Flair distracts the referee so they do the "face makes the tag but the ref doesn't see it" routine as Lawler talks about Stacy Keibler. Hunter sends Van Dam into the ringpost and Flair covers him inside for a deuce. Van Dam finally crawls over to tag Kane who cleans house of Hunter and Flair. JR "What does Hulkamania and necrophelia have to do with anything?" Kane grabs HHH and Falir but they block the double chokeslam. Kane and Hunter spill to the floor as Van Dam ends up in the ring. Flair hits a low blow and back suplex as Kane sends Hunter into the entrance before they both are out of sight. Down to Flair and Rob, Rob hits a top rope missile dropkick. Rob hits rolling thunder, goes upstairs and hits the five star frog splash. The cover gets 1..2...3 to end the match. The match itself was fine but the Lawler and JR commentary was just eye roll inducing, even by Ruthless Aggression standards. Van Dam gets one over on Flair again as Ric makes another younger guy look good.
Time of match: 13:24
Winners: Kane and Rob Van Dam by pinfall.
We cut to Kane continuing to beat up Hunter in the back. He throws Hunter around the interview area and then spots Hurricane with the trunk open. Kane sends Hunter into the Pepsi vending machine and then into the parking vendor door. Hunter goes for the pedigree on the cement but Kane slingshots hunter into Hurricane's rental car. Kane chokeslams Hunter off the hood then throws him into the trunk. Hurricane slams the trunk shut and Kane tells him to get out of there. He says "Hunter, you hear me in there? I'm gonna screw YOU! The only question is, will you still be alive or should I wait till your dead?" Kane gets behind the wheel and drives off to end the show. Guess that was Kane's rental but Hurricane was definitely in on it. Either way the show ends with Kane about to get some payback on Triple H, hopefully its not as distasteful as what Hunter had in mind.
All in all in ring wise it was a good show but was overshadowed by the god awful Katie Vick storyline. They barely spoke about No Mercy on commentary and didn't even mention the British Rebellion pay-per-view coming up, but then again maybe that's for the best. Hey Smackdown, save yourselves! Speaking of Smackdown, that's the next show after this and it'll be interesting to see the fallout of Hell in a Cell with Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker. Not to mention Big Show just got traded to Smackdown so let's see what happens there. As for this Raw, the less said of it, the better.
