WWE SummerSlam (August 2002)

From Uniondale, New York; Your Hosts are Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, and Tazz

Opening Match: Kurt Angle v Rey Mysterio: Kurt's tights have somehow gotten uglier since Vengeance, as he now looks like a bald candy cane. Rey doesn't appreciate it either, I guess, as he comes from out of the crowd and surprises him with a springboard headscissors from behind, and then a standard headscissors for good measure. Dropkick sets up a monkeyflip, but trying for a German suplex proves to be the limit, as Kurt counters into the Anklelock right away - Mysterio making the ropes. Rey regroups with a drop-toehold to setup the 619, but Kurt dodges, and splats him on the floor to take the pep out of his step. Back in, Kurt snap suplexes him, so Rey tries a bulldog to comeback, but Kurt counters it into a wheelbarrow suplex, then grounds him in a waistlock. Rey uses the ropes to pull himself up and escape into a sunset cradle for two, but Kurt quickly cuts him off again with a clothesline for two, then adds a backbreaker for two. Angle pounds him into the corner, so Rey tries a springboard headscissors - only to have Kurt counter into a sidewalk slam for two, then slap on a half-crab. Rey escapes into a cradle for two, but gets cutoff with the clothesline again before he can follow-up. Rey snaps off a chincrusher, but gets cutoff again with a release overhead suplex as he charges for a follow-up. Kurt goes for the kill with the Olympic Slam, but Rey counters into an armdrag, then pulls down the top rope to stall an enraged charging Angle - Kurt flying out to the floor. Mysterio manages to follow-up with a baseball slide this time, then adds a somersault plancha. Rey with a springboard legdrop for two on the way back in, and he tries a victory roll, but Angle counters into the Anklelock! Rey kicks his way out quickly and hits the 619 to setup the West Coast Pop for two. Hate those finisher names. Spinheel kick allows Rey to go to the top, so Kurt tries popping up after him for a superplex, but Rey anticipates it, leapfrogs him on the top turnbuckle, then springboard dropkicks him into a seated position up there. Awesome! He follows Kurt up for a rana off the top, but Angle counters into the Anklelock on the way down for the submission at 9:20. Hot opener, that had the crowd on their feet and rocking - just as a good opener should. ***

Chris Jericho v Ric Flair: Believe it or not, this is actually Flair's first SummerSlam match - which is kind of weird to think about when you consider how big a part he was of the 1991 and 1992 shows. Also, 'cause he's old - though he looks positively boyish compared to his later stuff. He was only some twenty years removed from his first World Title win at this point, after all. Jericho overpowers during the initial lockup, but gets slapped in the face for his efforts. Waistlock reversal sequence ends in a stalemate, so Chris starts punching him, and hits a backdrop, followed quickly with a side suplex. Elbowdrop misses, however, and Flair chops him, but ends up taking a cross corner whip, then gets clotheslined over the top after botching the Flair Flip. Chris follows out for a slam across the rail, then channels Randy Savage as he goes after him with a flying axehandle out there. Back in, Jericho hits a 2^nd rope dropkick for two, then exposes the turnbuckle as a distraction to allow him to choke Ric with his wrist tape. Sneaky. Chris hits a straddling ropechoke and a vertical suplex, but a trip to the top rope gets him slammed down. About time Flair used that strategy against someone else. Ric capitalizes with a backdrop and a side suplex for two, but a Chris manages to counter a hanging vertical suplex into the Walls - only for Flair to block with a cradle for two. Jericho stays on him with chops and a bulldog, but the lionsault misses, and Ric slaps on a half-crab - only for Jericho to counter into a figure four! Ric makes the ropes to escape, then dodges another straddling ropechoke to setup a low blow - his own Figure Four finishing at 10:21. Had its moments, but not a classic, or anything. * ¾

Edge v Eddie Guerrero: They fight over a hammerlock to start, and Edge flapjacks him, but gets his neck snapped across the ropes while trying a suplex. Criss cross goes Edge's way with a monkeyflip, and he powerslams Guerrero for two. Spear, but a second one is sidestepped, and Edge goes flying out of the ring as a result - landing on his shoulder. Eddie follows, and goes after the shoulder with a shot into the steps, then hits a single-arm DDT on the way back in. Eddie then ups the ante with a flying version of the move for two, and he grounds Edge in a modified hammerlock to work the shoulder, but Edge makes the ropes. Eddie takes the disappointment badly, however, and stomps his shoulder. Crossface chickenwing, but Edge starts to escape, so Eddie goes to a fujiwara armbar instead. Edge tries escaping again, so Eddie cuts him off with a side suplex and a short-clothesline - only to walk into a powerslam. Edge with a backdrop and a bulldog for two, so Eddie tries cutting him off with a vertical suplex, only for Edge to reverse - and Eddie to go over the top! Edge follows with a flying bodypress out there, then executes a forward-falling superplex on the way back in for two. Spear, but Eddie blocks with a well placed dropkick - only for the Frogsplash to hit the knees! Edge capitalizes with the Impaler for two, but a second try is countered into a northern lights suplex for two. Serves him right... he should have learned not to try repeating spots on Guerrero after missing the second spear earlier. Eddie is right on him with a swinging neckbreaker to capitalize, and he hustles up for the Frogsplash, but Edge follows him up for a superplex - only for Eddie to shove him off, and hit the Frogsplash right onto the shoulder for two. Eddie is visibly frustrated, and tries another flying single-arm DDT, but Edge slams him down, and manages the spear for the pin at 11:48. I liked that the finish showed that Edge had to disorient Guerrero before trying the spear again, but I hated that he used the bad shoulder to negate all of the shoulder work. ** ¾

WWE Tag Team Title Match: The Un-Americans v Booker T and Goldust: Christian starts with Goldust - who somehow is still in both this gimmick and role twelve years later. I guess when you find your niche, you stick with it. Goldust quickly butt-bumps him, so Lance Storm tags in - and promptly takes in inverted atomic drop. Over to Booker with a backelbow and a kneedrop for two, then back to Goldust for a 2^nd rope elbowsmash. Cheapshot from Christian allows Storm to turn the tide, however, and Goldust takes a bump out to the floor. The champs cut the ring in half, but an attempt to conchairto Goldust into oblivion misses, and he gets the tag. Booker is a house of fire for a four-way brawl, and has Christian beat with the Harlem Sidekick, when Test suddenly runs out and blasts him with a big boot - Christian scoring the fall off of it to retain at 9:38. Everyone's competent enough to make this watchable, but this was strictly paint-by-numbers stuff, with a bad ending. ¾*

WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Chris Benoit v Rob Van Dam: They cautiously size each other up, and Benoit ends up on the floor in a hurry after a flurry of kicks from Van Dam. Back in, Benoit tricks him into going for the kicks again, then legwhips him down when he does, and neutralizes him with a mat-based side-headlock. Rob wrestles to a vertical base, so Benoit shoulderblocks him, but misses a corner charge, and Rob parkours his way into a 2^nd rope bodypress for two. Spinkick hits, but a second try is countered with a release German suplex, and Benoit short-clotheslines him for two. Backbreaker for two, and a gorgeous snap suplex is worth two. Another suplex, but this time Rob inside cradles him for two, then dodges a chop with a backslide for two. Monkeyflip, but Chris levels him with a lariat before he can follow-up, then brutally turnbuckle smashes him to setup some chops. Rob scrambles for the splitlegged moonsault, but Benoit lifts the knees to block, and tires for the flying headbutt, but Van Dam dodges, and goes for the Five Star Frogsplash - which Benoit dodges. Chris immediately capitalizes with the Crippler Crossface to finish the finisher bonanza, but Rob gets the ropes. He tries going up to mount a comeback, but Chris shoves him all the way down to the floor to stop that particular effort, then rams his shoulder into the post for good measure. Back in, Benoit hits a shoulderbreaker, then slaps on a bow-and-arrow. Hey, love the psychology, but they might been better off not doing the shoulder after Eddie and Edge just did the same thing two matches ago. Rob tries escaping, so Chris turns it into a straightjacket instead - only for Rob to reverse. He can't get it fully locked, however, and Benoit quickly powers out, so Rob sweeps the leg and tries to punctuate it with a handspring moonsault, but Chris dodges into the Crossface. Rob escapes, so Chris cradles him for two, then dumps him shoulder-first into the post before slapping on a hammerlock. Really cool sequence follows, as Benoit unveils a three-alarm rolling hammerlock suplex into another Crossface. Rob inches towards the ropes, so Benoit lets off when he gets within a hair of them, and slaps on a dragon sleeper instead, but Rob counters into a crossface of his own! Chris quickly escapes that, so Rob springboard sidekicks him instead for two, then spinkicks him to setup rolling thunder for two. Another spinkick gets two, and he tries a flying moonsault, but Benoit crotches him and goes for a side superplex - only for Van Dam to counter into a bodyblock on the way down, then hit the Frogsplash for the title at 16:24. Another fun match, with Benoit's brilliantly innovative offense and Van Dam's willingness to bump making for a good combination. *** ¼

The Undertaker v Test: Undertaker acting like fucking Kid Rock (complete with white trash arm thrusting) has got to be the low point for the character. Undertaker goes after the arm early, and catches Test with a jumping clothesline out of a criss cross for two. Ropewalk forearm, but Test crotches him on the top rope to block, then knocks him out of the ring with a knee. Test follows for a whip into the steps, then back inside, he unloads elbowsmashes in the corner. Did they ever do Test/Kevin Nash in 2002 before Nash got injured? I mean, dream match! Test with a cross corner clothesline, and he slaps on an armbar, but Undertaker escapes with a DDT for two. This match is so plodding, I think Big Show on 'ludes would be more energetic. Undertaker with the ropewalk forearm and a snake-eyes, but the big boot misses, so Test tries a pump-handle slam. Undertaker counters into a chokeslam, so Test counters that into a big boot, but Undertaker counters back to the chokeslam - and hits it this time for two. Okay, at least there was one good sequence to break up the monotony. Last Ride time, so the Un-Americans run in to payback Test's assist from earlier, but they get chokeslammed for their troubles. The distraction does allow Test the big boot, but it's only worth two. Oh, sucks to be him. Test goes for a chair, but gets it booted back into his face, and the Tombstone finishes at 8:19. Well, this was hopefully the low point of what is shaping up to be a good show, otherwise. ¼*

Unsanctioned Street Fight: Triple H v Shawn Michaels: This is, of course, Michaels' big comeback after being on the shelf since WrestleMania XIV in 1998, in what was supposed to be a one-time return. Shawn shows no fear as he attacks HHH with closed fists as soon as he sets foot in the ring. Hunter tosses him to the floor like an annoyance, but Shawn hustles right back in and keeps taking it to him! Criss cross (including Shawn almost botching a leapfrog) ends with HHH on the floor, and Shawn follows with a plancha, just in case anyone thought he couldn't. He tosses Hunter into the post out there, and HHH is on the run - Shawn on his tail with a clothesline. He grabs a trashcan and beats Hunter back into the ring with it, then adds a flying axehandle to setup the Superkick, but HHH ducks it, and plants him with a backbreaker - Shawn selling it like death. He did a better sell job off that one move than RVD did in the entire Intercontinental Title match, I might note. Hunter adds another one to freak the crowd out, and it looks like Shawn's comeback is over! HHH decides to punish him with a cross corner whip (again, sold by Michaels like he's been shot), then drops a series of elbows onto the part. He decides to put him out of his misery, and hooks the leg, but Shawn kicks out at two. That only serves to piss Hunter off, however, and he grabs a chair for a shot to the back. Again, he shows mercy and decides to cover, but Shawn kicks out at two. Vertical suplex, so Shawn counters into a rollup for two, but walks into a kneeling facebuster before he can mount a comeback. HHH with a DDT onto the chair for two (triggering a flawless bladejob from Shawn), and Hunter decides to punish him for the kickouts by taking Shawn's own belt, and whipping him with it. He wraps it around his fist and works the cut, then grabs a sledgehammer from underneath the ring to finish the little twerp, but Shawn knocks it away from him - only to end up getting caught in an abdominal stretch. Hunter sets up a superplex, so Shawn slugs him down and perches for his flying elbowdrop, but takes too long, and ends up getting crotched. HHH brings him down with a chairshot to the lower back, then unfolds the chair and breaks the damn seat by sidewalk slamming Michaels across it! That only gets two - frustrating Hunter into covering a few more times in shock. Another sidewalk slam onto a chair is worth only two - HHH again getting multiple pin attempt out of it, with Shawn kicking out of every damn one! Shawn is a pile of mush now, but just doesn't know when to quit, so Hunter decides to knock him out with a Pedigree onto the chair - only for Michaels to blow him low! Nice to see they're finally coming out with their relationship, and letting the freak flag fly. Shawn's still dead, and can't capitalize, so Hunter grabs the chair - Michaels snapping off a Superkick to knock it back into his face, and trigger a bladejob. Shawn's still too battered to cover, however, and by the time he gets up, HHH is right there with him. Shawn puts him back down with a diving forearm, and he adds a backdrop as he catches his second wind. Shawn uses the chair and the belt to get some payback, then adds some abuse with the trashcan on the floor for good measure. Still not satisfied, he takes a cowboy boot off one of the Spanish announce team members' own foot to wallop HHH with, then STILL not satisfied, he pulls a damned ladder out from underneath the ring! Shawn whacks him with it, then puts him into it with a slingshot for two. HHH manages a baseball slide into the ladder to avoid more punishment, but a trip to the top rope is met with a superplex from Michaels for two. Shawn with a sunset cradle for two, but HHH cuts him off with a high knee before he can continue. Hunter drags the ring steps in, but Shawn drop-toeholds him into them to block, then uses a fire extinguisher to knock Hunter onto a table out on the floor, and drives him through it with a flying splash! See, unlike all those goofy hardcore and table matches, the weapon use here is actually dramatic, and meaningful. Back in, Shawn sets up the ladder and delivers a flying elbowdrop off the top of it, to a great reaction. Superkick, but HHH counters into the Pedigree - only for Shawn to counter into a somersault cradle for the pin at 27:20. Despite some noticeable ring rust, Shawn turned in a brilliant performance here (his timing and selling both exemplary) that, even if it was his one-and-only comeback, would have been well remembered - let alone as what ended up becoming the kickoff for his monumental career resurrection. ****

Main Event: WWE Title Match: The Rock v Brock Lesnar: Rock charges in and unloads, but Brock casually stops him with a release overhead suplex for two, then hits a two-alarm no-release backbreaker for two. Brock destroys him in the corner and dumps him to the floor with a kneelift, then follows for a press-slam onto the rail. Back in, Brock overhead suplexes him again for two. Rock slugs back, but Paul Heyman is ready with a well timed trip, and he chokes the champ behind the referees back. Lesnar with a powerslam for two, but a corner charge misses, and Rock side suplexes him for a double knockout - leading to the awesome double kip up spot that anyone who has fantasy booked Rock/Michaels has likely thought about. It takes three increasingly strong clotheslines to put Lesnar down, and Rock snaps off a DDT for two. Sharpshooter, but Heyman is on the apron, and Rock lets off to go deal with him - allowing Brock to clobber him from behind. Fair enough, that hold looked terrible, and it Brock selling it wasn't honestly believable. Lesnar uses a chair to weaken the back for a bearhug, and Brock hits an Olympic slam when Rock tries escaping. Lesnar grounds the champ with a waistlock on the mat, but Rock slugs free after two arm drops, then blows him low. Rock levels him with a lariat and knocks him out of the ring with right hands, then follows with a slingshot into the post. Heyman annoys him again, so Rock stops to put him through the Spanish announce table with Bottom, then back in, Brock takes one too - for two. Another, but Brock reverses for two. Rock spinebusters him to setup the People's Elbow, but Lesnar cuts him off with a clothesline, and tries for the F5 - but Rock escapes! Bottom, but Lesnar counters back to the F5, and wins his first title at 15:49. Sure, the ending was inevitable, but they still built the appropriate drama, and it was an exciting main event. **

BUExperience: Actually a really fun show, with fresh matchups up and down the card, one great match in the Street Fight, and tons of historical significance with Brock’s first title win, and Shawn’s return after a four year hiatus.

****