WWF No Mercy (October 2001)

From St. Louis, Missouri; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Paul Heyman

Opening WCW World Tag Team Title Match: The Hardy Boyz v Lance Storm and The Hurricane: Jeff Hardy starts with Hurricane, and they trade off on the mat for a bit, and reversal sequence ends in Jeff hitting a hiptoss before tagging to Matt Hardy. Matt peppers Hurricane with elbowdrops, but runs into a neckbreaker from Storm. The challengers try to cut the ring in half, but Matt manages to take them both out with a clothesline, and tags back to Jeff. He comes in hot, but quickly runs into a cheapshot from Ivory, and it's heat segment time! Lance ends up taking a corkscrew in the corner to allow the tag to Matt, and he's a crackhouse of fire! Four-way brawl, but Jeff misses the Poetry in Motion in the corner (for those wondering why we have such shitty finisher names today, the blame rests on this era), and Hurricane covers Matt for two. Double-team superkick on Matt is worth two, and we get the obligatory catfight between all the valets. Storm tries to finish Jeff with the Maple Leaf, but takes a rana from Lita to break it up, and Jeff kills Hurricane with a Swanton at 7:14. Energetic enough for an opener, but total paint by numbers stuff. *

Kane v Test: Kane dominates a slugfest at the bell, and backelbows Test down for an elbowdrop. Pair of cross corner clotheslines setup a standard clothesline, and a powerslam follows for two. He tries for a press-slam out of the ring, but they botch it, and he ends up awkwardly dropping him across the top rope to avoid killing him. Well, that's preferable. Lather, rinse, repeat - Kane press-slams him out of the ring, but ends up getting cracked with the ring bell as he follows, and inside, Test hits a hanging vertical suplex for two. 2^nd rope backelbow for two, and a sidewalk slam sets up a flying elbowdrop - only for Kane to roll out of the way. Kane recovers with a neckbreaker, then takes his head off with a big boot. Side suplex gets two, and a sidewalk slam is worth two. Clothesline puts Test back on the outside, but a shot into the post gets reversed, and Test rolls him in to cover for two. Test with a big boot of his own, but Kane counters into a chokeslam for two, and adds a powerslam to setup a flying clothesline - only for Test to dodge HIM this time out. Test capitalizes with a pumphandle-slam for two, and hits his flying elbowdrop for two. Frustrated, Test decides to grab a chair, but Kane straight up dropkicks it into his face. He tries to use the chair himself, but the referee objects, and Test uses the distraction to blast him with a big boot for the pin at 10:09. Not an all-time classic, or anything, but MUCH better than expected, as they kept a great pace for ten minutes, and I found myself getting really into the power exchanges. **

Lingerie Match: Torrie Wilson v Stacy Keibler: Kinda weird that while WCW fucked nearly everything up, they actually managed to sign two of the hottest girls in the history of the business within months of each other, while the WWF was still shoving Chyna and Ivory down our throats. Stacy charges as Torrie strips down to her undies, and spanks her with a crop. The referee gets whipped for trying to interfere, and of course, they end up rolling all over him during a catfight. Stacy with a bootchoke in the corner, but Torrie fires back with a sunset flip into a reversal sequence that allows both gals to show off their assets. Torrie with a snapmare for two, and a handspring elbow finishes at 3:07. Not a good match, but I much preferred this era of three minute T&A shows over today, when they try selling them as actual wrestlers. DUD

WWF Intercontinental Title Ladder Match: Christian v Edge: After their disappointing outing at Unforgiven, I guess they figured they'd give them their favorite toy to play with, and see what happens. Fine by me! Brawl in the aisle to start, and inside, Edge hits a backdrop, then bounces the champs head off the mat a few times for good measure. He takes a few field goal kicks at Christian's leg, but gets his neck snapped across the top rope as he tries heading out, and Christian grabs the ladder - only to have it knocked back into his face with a baseball slide. Edge tosses him into the crowd that goes nowhere, then backdrops him back to ringside for a slingshot into the ladder. Edge props the ladder up between the rail and the steps, but takes too long setting it up, and Christian stunguns him across it. He pulls Edge up onto the makeshift plank for a slugfest, but the champ ends up getting crotched on one of the rungs, and Edge brings the ladder inside - only to have it seesawed into his face. Christian climbs for the belt, so Edge tips it over, but Christian expects it and lands on his feet - immediately charging his challenger with a lariat. Christian drives the ladder into his midsection a couple of times to leave Edge pinned in the corner, then decides to grab a chair to smash his trapped face in - only for Edge to slam him onto the ladder before his devious plans come to fruition. Edge drops Christian onto the ladder nuts first, but a whip into it gets reversed, and Christian snaps off an inverted DDT over the knee. He cracks Edge's face across the ladder with a slingshot, and decides to make another climb attempt, but Edge follows, and brings him down with the Edge-o-Matic. Edge climbs, but now Christian is on his heels with an inverted DDT off the ladder. This match is really starting to drag, as the time between those last two spots was a solid three minutes. And, yes, they're selling, and yes, selling is good, but watching two guys lie around for minutes at a time is not. Christian grabs a chair (again, like, two minutes after the DDT spot), but it backfires, and Edge grabs a ladder. He planks it between two chairs and lays Christian out on it, then comes off the top rope with a flying splash onto him - a spot that sounds better on paper than in reality, unfortunately. Edge climbs, but gets knocked off, and Christian climbs, but gets speared off. Meanwhile, people can be seen actually yawning in the crowd, because the lag time between the spots is getting to be so extreme, and there's no real psychology behind them to make up for it. Both guys climb for a slugfest on top, but the ladder tips, and they both go splatting out to the floor. Christian gets the best of it and climbs, but Edge manages to blow him low, and knocks him out with a solo conchairto, then climbs for the belt at 22:17. Plenty of time, plenty of bumps, but fell flat overall, and didn't really feel properly dramatic to backup the spots. ***

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The Dudley Boyz v Big Show and Tajiri: Bubba Dudley starts with Tajiri, and tries a cheapshot, but walks into some lightning kicks, and D-Von Dudley takes more kicks, plus a standing moonsault for good measure. Tag to Show to clean house with some bodyslams, and Tajiri punctuates it with a somersault plancha onto both Boyz. Inside, Show sidewalks slams D-Von for two, but Tajiri runs into a Bubba Bomb, and the champs cut the ring in half. Wassup Drop nearly finishes, but Tajiri manages to counter a Bubba powerbomb with a DDT, and makes the tag! Show is a big-and-tall store of fire to trigger a four-way brawl, but here comes Rhyno to Gore Show, and Tajiri takes the Death Drop at 9:19. Not actively bad, but really dull, formula stuff. ¼*

The Undertaker v Booker T: Brawl on the floor to start, with Booker controlling, but Undertaker managing to charge him with a lariat. Inside, 'Taker wins a slugfest, and hits a big boot for two. Booker fires back with a diving forearm for two, but misses a blind charge, and 'Taker tosses him shoulder first into the corner to capitalize, then slaps on an armbar. He shifts into a short-armscissors, and a fujiwara armbar as Booker tries to escape. Ropewalk forearm (which actually makes psychological sense for the first time in his career) gets two, and Booker rolls out before any more of this strange psychology stuff can progress. 'Taker follows and knocks him into the crowd for some brawling, but a whip into the rail gets reversed, and Booker rolls him in for a missile dropkick for two. Savate kick gets two, and a sidewalk slam follows for two. Neckbreaker is worth two, but a splash from the middle rope hits boot, and Undertaker plants a big boot on him for two. Jumping clothesline, but Booker counters with a spinkick for two - only to telegraph a backdrop, and take a DDT for two. Pair of cross corner clotheslines setup a legdrop for two, but Booker counters a stinger splash with a stungun, and hits the Harlem sidekick. Axekick gets two, so 'Taker tries for the chokeslam, but Booker is ready with a low blow - only to make the (very stupid) mistake of trying a ten-punch count, and taking the Last Ride at 13:20. Hate that ending. You'd think guys would know better after it happening to, like, every opponent Undertaker had during this period. They sort of forgot about it, but the psychology was interesting as a glimpse of what Undertaker's style would evolve into as the decade progressed, and there was some solid effort from both guys here. *

WCW World Title Match: The Rock v Chris Jericho: Jericho is dressed like X-Pac, circa 1999 here. First lockup goes to a stalemate, and they trade headlocks out of the second. Criss cross goes Rock's way with an exaggerated armdrag (guy makes Steamboat look tame) into an armbar, then back to the headlock when Jericho tries to escape. Another criss cross allows Chris to return fire with an armdrag/armbar combo of his own, but Rock backelbows his way out, so Chris slaps him across the face, and slugs him down. That's quite a disproportionate response. Rock responds in kind, then goes for the Bottom, so Jericho counters into the Walls, but Rocky's in the ropes. Chris responds with a springboard dropkick, and a flying backelbow follows for two. Diving forearm gets two, and dumps him into the corner for some chops, then cross corner whips him into a spinheel kick for two. Chris unloads two consecutive backbreakers and a senton splash for two, but Rock crucifix cradles him for two, so Chris baseball slides him to cut a comeback off. Rock shrugs him off an hits a jumping forearm anyway, but Jericho is determined, and stunguns him to cutoff the comeback again, then adds a series of mounted punches to make sure Rocky gets the message. Bodyslam sets up something off the top, but we never get to find out what because Rock crotches him (and a beauty, too), then superplexes him down. Both guys stagger up for a slugfest, and Rock wins with his shitty overhead suplex, but Jericho pops right back up, so Rock drops him like a Samoan for two. Series of rights in the corner send Chris FLYING out of the damn ring, and the champ follows to abuse him with some weapon goodness. Back in, Rock levels him with a lariat for two, and adds a vertical suplex for two. Chris fires back with chops, but gets tossed like yesterdays trash, and Rock forces him back in to cover for two. Snapmare sets up a chinlock, so Chris fights up, but Rock dodges a dropkick, and hits a slingshot. Rock decides to superplex him again, but Jericho shoves him off, and comes at him with a missile dropkick. Both guys stagger up for another woozy slugfest, this time won by Jericho, and he unloads shoulderblocks, followed by a swinging neckbreaker. Rana gets two, and he hits a Rock Bottom of his own to setup the lionsault for two. Bulldog leads to Jericho trying his own People's Elbow, but that's crossing the line, and Rock legwhips him into a sharpshooter - Jericho making the ropes to escape. Chris immediately bails to avoid getting pinned or having the hold reapplied, but it backfires when Rock follows, and puts him through the Spanish announce table with the Bottom. Back in, Rock goes to Bottom him again, but Jericho elbows his way free, so Rock punishes him with a spinebuster instead. People's Elbow, but Jericho sweeps the legs into the Walls! Unfortunately, here comes Stephanie McMahon with a chair, and Jericho lets off to deal with her - walking into a DDT from Rock as a result. Stephanie tries to get on Rock's good side, but Bottom's out - allowing Jericho to forward Russian legsweep Rock onto the discarded chair for the pin at 23:47. Really good, well worked match, with both guys keeping up a great tempo, tons of excitement built out of reversals and drama, and very well booked with Jericho coming off as a plucky, determined, and sympathetic underdog. The interference in the finish was unnecessary, but overall this was a great return to form for both guys, especially Rock. ****

Main Event: WWF Title Triple Threat Match: Steve Austin v Kurt Angle v Rob Van Dam: Angle grabs Austin with a German suplex as he makes his entrance, then gives Rob one too. Another for Austin, then an overhead suplex for Van Dam, but that strategy doesn't win him any friends, and the other two kick the shit out of him in short order. They leave Kurt for dead on the floor, but they take too long taunting each other, and Kurt sneaks back in with a Russian legsweep on RVD. Austin takes advantage and stomps both guys down, but Kurt manages to get the Anklelock on the champ - Rob breaking it up with a springboard dropkick. He grabs Steve for a spinkick, then adds a springboard sidekick for two - saved by Angle. Kurt tries to German suplex Van Dam again, but Rob is ready with a back flip to escape, and he plants a superkick on him to setup Rolling Thunder for two. Slugfest with Austin actually goes Rob's way, but he walks into a spinebuster for two, and Steve slaps on a half-crab - broken up by Angle. Steve tosses him again, and slaps an STF on RVD, but Kurt hustles in to save, then tosses Austin out of the ring before Steve can do it first. It backfires when Austin fires him into the post with a slingshot, but here's RVD with a flying somersault bodyblock to take both guys out, and he adds a pair of spinkicks for Stone Cold. Inside, he tries the same on Angle, but gets caught in a capture suplex, and Kurt adds a flying moonsault - only to have Austin sneak in and get the two count off of it. Kurt responds by slapping on a sleeper, but Austin escapes and tries for the Stunner, reversed by Angle, and countered into a clothesline from Austin! That leaves both guys looking up at the lights, and Van Dam decides to Five Star Frogsplash them both - but misses. Kurt German suplexes him for two, but Austin breaks up the count and hits a Stunner for two - saved by RVD. He bodyslams Austin to setup a splitlegged moonsault for two, but Kurt breaks that up, and Olympic Slams his fellow challenger for two. Out to the floor, Steve tries to piledriver Kurt through the announce table, but gets backdropped onto it, and Van Dam suddenly flies back into things with a bodypress onto the staggered Angle. Inside, Angle gives him a Raging Bull style beat down on the ropes, but Van Dam snaps off a spinkick, and goes up - only for Kurt to pop up and grab him with an overhead superplex! Austin comes in with a Stunner before Kurt can capitalize, however, and he's chomping at the bit to do the same to Rob, but Vince McMahon clobbers him with a chair to cut that off. RVD with the Frogsplash on Austin, but Kurt breaks up the count, and gives Rob the real rolling thunder: the three-alarm German version! Olympic Slam caps it off, but Shane McMahon runs in to break the count and post Angle. He gets into a brawl with dad, but Austin manages to grab Van Dam in the Stunner to retain at 15:19. Could have really done without another overbooked ending (the match was fine with the guys fighting over falls and breaking up their own pin attempts - McMahon's were superfluous), but it was a really fast paced and exciting three-way up to that point, in the style of the old ECW days. ***

BUExperience: The two last matches and the Ladder match are enough to knock this up into ‘recommendation’ territory, and while the rest of the card is quite solid, there’s just not enough outstanding or historically significant stuff to make this a knockout.

**