No Disqualification Match: Edge v Eddie Guerrero: From Smackdown, September 26 2002 (taped September 24) in San Diego California. Eddie slugs him into the corner to start, and a backelbow puts Edge down. Criss cross goes Edge's way with a monkeyflip, however, and now it's his turn to pound Guerrero into the corner. He works a hammerlock, but Eddie slugs free, and snaps Edge's throat across the middle rope with a slingshot for two. Whip into the ropes, but Edge reverses, and uses a backdrop. Edge adds a dropkick and a bodyslam to set up an elbowdrop for two, and he works an armbar. The outfits here make this look like it's a RAW v Smackdown deal. Brand supremacy! Eddie escapes the hold and starts sticking and moving with right hands, before delivering a vertical suplex for two. Chinlock follows, as Tazz makes some really stupid, very 2002 jokes on commentary. Edge escapes and uses a powerslam, but a trip to the top rope gets cut off when Guerrero vertical superplexes him for two. Reversal sequence allows Edge to turn the tide back with an inverted electric chair across the top rope, and he clotheslines Guerrero over the top. Edge follows with a ladder, but Guerrero ducks him, and Edge ends up braining the referee. Guerrero capitalizes by whacking Edge with a chair, and he takes Edge inside for more of the same. I don't get why he needed a ref bump to do that... it's no DQ. Flying frogsplash, but Edge dodges, though he has no follow-up. That allows Guerrero to unload in the corner to keep control, as we get a replacement referee. I should note that the original one is still unconscious on the outside, and they don't even bother carting him off, which is really confusing in kayfabe. Guerrero with a sleeper, as the original official finally gets carried out. Edge escapes and uses a facebuster for two, but he takes too long getting to the top for a dive, and Eddie brings him down with a rana for two. Eddie tries springboarding for another rana, but Edge counters with a powerbomb this time, and he brings the ladder in again - only to have Guerrero dropkick it back at him. Eddie brings another ladder in, as Michael Cole makes some really stupid comments about the fans 'standing, or if they're not standing, they're on the edge of their seats' that sadly he didn't leave back in 2002, because he's liable to say something exactly like that today. Eddie sandwiches Edge between the ladders to set up a slingshot somersault senton splash for two, so he goes to the top of the ladder for a dive, but Edge meets him up there for a slugfest. Guerrero gets the better of it with a sunsetbomb off the ladder, but it still only gets two. Both guys are battered, so Guerrero tries charging him, but Edge is ready with a wild backdrop into a ladder. Man, Guerrero just went for it with that bump. Edge decides to climb the ladder instead of covering, but he's so battered that Guerrero is able to follow him up. Edge gets the better of it with a DDT off the ladder, however, and that's enough at 17:43. These guys had two strong pay per view matches leading up to this, and this was right on par with those. While it took a few minutes to find its footing, once it settled into both guys seemingly trying to out bump the other, it was gold. *** ½
Triple Threat Match: Kurt Angle v Chris Benoit v Rey Mysterio: From Smackdown, September 26 2002 (taped September 24) in San Diego California. Kurt and Chris try freezing Rey out, but no one puts Rey Mysterio in the corner, and he comes at both. He sticks and moves, but Angle eventually gets annoyed with him, and dumps him to the outside so he can with at it alone with Benoit. They do some reversal sequences to a stalemate, stopping only to knock Rey back to the outside every time he tries climbing back into the ring. Finally, Rey manages to fly in over Kurt's head, and he nails Benoit with a spinheel kick. He uses a schoolboy on him for two, but an altercation with Angle allows Benoit to recover, and he drills Rey with a side suplex. Backelbow gets Benoit two, and an inverted atomic drop rattles Rey for a huge chop. Benoit with a snap suplex for two, and he works a cravat, but Rey fights free, so Chris drops him over the top. Unfortunately for Benoit, he's immediately nailed by Angle, and eats a clothesline for two. Benoit returns fire with chops, so Kurt grabs him with a vicious overhead suplex for two. Irish whip gets reversed, allowing Benoit a forearm, and he goes to town with a rolling German suplex, but Kurt reverses him ahead of the third alarm, and delivers two of his own. Benoit tries reversing back, but Kurt fights him off, and hits the Olympic Slam. Unfortunately for him, Rey dives back in with a springboard flying dropkick before he can cover, and steals the pin on Benoit for two. Angle tosses Rey back to the outside in response, but Benoit grabs him with a release German suplex that turns Kurt inside-out! Rey dives back in, and Benoit ends up on the outside, so Kurt chucks Rey INTO him out there. Inside, Angle slaps the Anklelock on Benoit, but Chris makes the ropes, and Rey rushes in with a 619 on both men. Sunset cradle on Angle gets him two, but Kurt decks him... then promptly walks into a Crippler Crossface. Chris wrenches it back, but Rey springboards in with a flying legdrop to break it up, covering Benoit for two. Angle recovers, but Rey fights him off, and Kurt ends up on the outside. That allows Rey to dive at Benoit with a springboard rana into a cradle, and that's enough at 8:43. Boy, this was a hell of a sprint. Flawless execution throughout, and just generally tons of fun, with great psychology, and guys actually doing stuff to try and logically end the match. ****
Kurt Angle v Edge: From Smackdown, October 3 2002 (taped October 1) in Lafayette Louisiana. Kurt takes him down in a hammerlock to start, but Edge actually manages to outwrestle him on the mat, and holds an armbar. Criss cross goes Edge's way as well with a hiptoss, and a dropkick leads to an armdrag into another armbar. Angle shifts into a cradle for two, but Edge stays on the arm with a keylock, so Kurt throws a knee to shake him off. Kurt looks to go to work, but Edge pops him with a backelbow, and armdrags him right back down into an armbar - Angle visibly frustrated now. Kurt powers to a vertical base in the corner for a rope break, and he pounds the piss out of Edge over there to take out his frustrations - only for Edge to turn the tables on him! Edge with a spinheel kick for two, and he snaps the arm across the top rope to stay on the part, so Angle bails. Edge chases after him to send him arm-first into the post, and he goes back to the armbar as they take it inside. Kurt responds by Olympic Slamming him over the top, successfully buying himself some recovery time. Angle follows to the outside to drop Edge across the barricade, and a snap suplex gets him two on the way back inside. Edge fights back in the corner, however, so Kurt launches him with an overhead suplex for two. Snapmare sets up a chinlock/bodyscissors combo, but Edge starts to fight free, so Angle starts putting the boots to him to cut that off. Kurt works an abdominal stretch, but Edge hiptosses free. Angle tries throwing a knee, but Edge is ready with a schoolboy for two this time, so Kurt gives him a side suplex for two. That allows Angle to go back to the mat with a waistlock, but Edge throws elbows to escape, and he surprises the Olympian with an overhead suplex of his own. Both men are left looking up at the lights, and the crowd is invested enough to actually count along with the referee. I love that! Both stagger up for a slugfest, dominated by Angle. Criss cross goes Edge's way, however, and he throws clotheslines. Backdrop and a facebuster get him two, so Kurt tries another suplex, but Edge blocks. Edge knocks him silly with a superkick, but the spear is countered with an overhead suplex - Edge flying right into the referee in the process! Kurt tries the Olympic Slam, but Edge counters with the Impaler - but there's no referee! Edge lets off to try and revive him, but that allows Kurt to recover, and he kicks Edge down low. Olympic Slam hits, and another official runs out, but Edge is able to shoot a shoulder up at two. Anklelock looks to finish, but Edge is quickly in the ropes. He snaps Kurt's throat across the top to buy time, and gets to the top for a dive, but Angle is on him with a superplex - Edge able to shift the cradle into a double pin situation at 15:25. Oh, but nope, we need to have a winner, so they decide to restart the match. Kurt takes him to the outside with a suplex on the floor, and he ties Edge up on the ropes as they go back inside. That allows Angle a pair of spears on the prone Edge, but a third one misses, and Kurt takes a dramatic bump to the outside. He definitely wasn't afraid of the ball on that one. Angle gets back to the apron, so Edge spears him off, then dives after him with a flying bodypress on the floor! Edge with a missile dropkick on the way back in, but it only gets two. Edge-o-Matic gets two, and the announcers are doing a good job of getting over how Edge's injured ribs are preventing him from holding Kurt down with his covers. Kurt comes back with a rolling German suplex, but the third alarm summons Chris Benoit, like some sort of wrestling Beetlejuice. Kurt keeps coming with the suplexes, but the distraction allows Edge a victory cradle for two. Anklelock, but Edge manages to dump him to the outside to buy time. Kurt responds by grabbing a chair, but a distraction from Benoit causes it to backfire on him, and Edge hits the spear at 6:52 (22:17 total). I didn't like the start/stop, and I could have lived without Benoit's interference, but the match was really good, with lots of psychology, drama, and big bumps. And, anyway, Benoit's interference isn't so bad since it's TV, and building an angle. ****
Chris Benoit v Rey Mysterio: From Smackdown, October 3 2002 (taped October 1) in Lafayette Louisiana. They had a bunch of tag matches before and after, but other than one non-televised match in WCW in 1999, this is the one and only singles match between the two. Benoit hammers him with a pair of rights at the bell, allowing him a backbreaker right away, and he adds a hard corner whip. Rey is battered, but manages to block a charge, so Chris cracks him with a chop. Another corner whip flips Rey onto the top turnbuckle, so Benoit tries a crucifix powerbomb off, but Rey is ready with a rana. Magistral cradle gets two, and a wheelbarrow bulldog is worth two. Rey with a monkeyflip over the top, and he dives after Benoit with a springboard somersault senton. Back in, that gets Rey two, but a criss cross ends badly when Benoit catches him with a pop-up backbreaker. Chris with a corner whip to rattle him, and a side suplex gets two. Chris with a backdrop, and he keeps the hurt on the back with some knees. Benoit works a straightjacket, but Rey reverses, leading to a reversal sequence that ends in Benoit throwing a clothesline. Benoit goes to work on the back, but Rey's attempt to escape a bow-and-arrow backfires when Benoit suplexes him for two. Benoit with a clothesline for two, but another pop-up backfires when Rey counters with a dropkick. Rey makes a comeback, and a split-legged moonsault is worth two. Reversal sequence ends in Rey using a leg-feed enzuigiri to set up the 619, but Benoit catches him in a shoulderbreaker, and he dives with a flying headbutt drop for two. Crippler Crossface looks to put it away, but Rey is in the ropes before Chris can even get it on. Benoit responds with a German suplex, but Mysterio blocks. Rey with a 2nd rope legdrop and the 619, but Chris dodges the springboard dive. Unfortunately for Benoit, he's immediately nailed by Kurt Angle, allowing Rey a rana into a cradle at 10:49. ** ¾
WWE Tag Team Title Tournament Semifinal Match: Los Guerreros v Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit: From Smackdown, October 17 2002 (taped October 15) in Toronto Ontario Canada. Edge and Rey Mysterio attack the Guerreros before the match, before getting beat up by Angle and Benoit, since everyone hates everyone here, and it's wonderful. So the referee finally manages to clear the invaders out so that match can start, and everyone is all beat up before the bell even sounds. We get Eddie Guerrero and Angle to start, and Eddie manages to pound a battered Angle down. Kurt comes back with an elbow, and he unloads in the corner, so Chavo Guerrero tries charging, but gets quickly dumped. Kurt stays on Eddie with a clothesline for two, and a vertical suplex is worth two. Tag to Benoit for a backelbow for two, and a backbreaker is worth two. Back to Angle to continue working Eddie over, but a criss cross goes badly, and Chavo gets the tag. He nails Kurt with a short-clothesline for two, but a reversed whip into the ropes results in Angle overhead suplexing him. He passes back to Benoit to throw a knee, and the Crippler adds a side suplex for two. Short-clothesline, but Chavo ducks, and drops Chris with a side suplex of his own. Chavo works a chinlock while passing to Eddie, and Eddie puts the boots to Benoit. Suplex, but Chris counters to the Crippler Crossface - Chavo hopping in for a quick save. He tags in so he can unload on Benoit in the corner, and it's back to the mat for a chinlock. Benoit fights free, so Eddie takes a cheap shot from the apron, allowing Chavo a dropkick for two. Eddie tags in with a slingshot somersault senton splash, and he and Chavo are not shy with the cheating here as they work Chris over. Benoit manages to fight a dive from Chavo off with a superplex to allow the tag to Kurt, and Roseanne Barr the door! Overhead suplex on Eddie gets two, so Chavo nails him with a dropkick, but Benoit is back to take Chavo out with the rolling German suplex. Eddie tries to save, so Benoit suplexes HIM as well, and then dives with the flying headbutt drop on Eddie! That allows legal man Kurt to cover, but Chavo breaks the pin at two. Chavo gives Kurt a brainbuster to allow Eddie to hook the leg for two, and the flying frogsplash looks to finish, but Benoit breaks the cover. He slaps on the Crossface, but Chavo saves, so Chris suplexes him over the top. The referee gets bumped in the process, and Eddie ends up putting Kurt in the Lasso, but there's no one to check for the submission. No matter, Kurt counters to the Anklelock, and Eddie is tapping, but there's no referee. Chavo capitalizes by coming in with a chair, but Benoit pulls it away from him - though only because he wants to hit Kurt himself! Chavo actually falls for that shit, but not even Chris is that crazy (and he's pretty fucking crazy), and he kills both Guerreros with the weapon to allow Angle to pin Eddie at 11:44. Everything after the final hot tag was wild. ** ½
#1 Contender's Match: Edge and Rey Mysterio v Los Guerreros: From Smackdown on October 24 2002 (taped October 22) in Memphis Tennessee. Edge and Chavo Guerrero start, and they feel each other out a bit, Edge dominating. Tag to Rey for a combo in the corner, but Chavo lifts his knees to block a slingshot moonsault, and he passes to Eddie Guerrero. Rey fights off a double team that sends the Guerreros to the outside, and he tries a plancha but gets caught. Cue Edge for the assist, but the Guerreros use Rey as a weapon against him, and then toss Edge into the steps for good measure. Back inside, they go to work on Rey, until Mysterio manages to fight Eddie off, and there's the hot tag to Edge - Roseanne Barr the door! Edge-o-Matic on Chavo gets two when Eddie saves, so Rey backdrops Eddie over the top to get rid of him. He goes for the 619 on Chavo, but Eddie catches him from the outside to block. Edge responds by spearing Chavo, but Eddie saves at two. Another try at the 619 on Chavo works better, and a powerbomb/springboard flying seated senton looks to finish, but Eddie saves again. He uses a slingshot somersault senton splash on Edge, then puts Chavo on top - only for Rey to reverse the cover to allow Edge the pin at 7:10. This was watchable, though fairly uninspired. * ½
Kurt Angle v Chris Benoit: From Smackdown on October 24 2002 (taped October 22) in Memphis Tennessee. They are co-holders of the WWE Tag Team title here, fresh off of winning them at No Mercy a few days prior in a great match. Feeling out process to start, dominated by Benoit, and he takes Kurt into the corner for chops. Irish whip, but Kurt blocks with a short-clothesline to turn the tide, and he puts the boots to him. Vertical suplex gets two, so Benoit tries fighting back with another big chop, but Kurt stomps him down to cut it off. Side suplex gets Angle two, but a corner charge ends badly, and Benoit drops an elbow. Kurt comes back with a backdrop, but Benoit responds in kind, and grabs the dazed Olympian with a rolling German suplex. Kurt reverses after the second alarm, delivering three of his own for two. Olympic Slam, but Benoit blocks, and turns him inside-out with a release German suplex. Chris goes up with a flying headbutt drop for two, so he tries the Crippler Crossface to put it away, but Angle shifts it into a cradle for two, then uses the momentum of the kickout to apply the Anklelock. Chris fights free and cradles for two, so Angle drops him with the Olympic Slam for two. Back to the Anklelock, but Benoit counters to the Crossface. Angle escapes, so Chris clotheslines him down, and he goes back up for another dive - only for Angle to pop up with a superplex for two! That draws Chavo Guerrero in to nail him with one of the tag belts behind the referee's back, and Benoit cradles at 8:14. Phenomenal execution throughout, but the match was definitely a lesser work for each, and the finish sucked. **
Chris Benoit v Edge: From Smackdown, October 31 2002 (taped October 29) in Grand Rapids Michigan. Feeling out process to start, until Edge throws a knee during a criss cross to get control, and he adds a stomachbreaker. Edge takes him into the corner to pound on, but Chris fights him off with chops, and throws a short-clothesline. Corner whip, but Edge reverses for two, and he dumps Benoit to the outside, diving after him with an axehandle from the apron. Edge drops him across the barricade and rolls him in for two, so Benoit tries chops again, but Edge dumps him back to the outside to keep control. Baseball slide, but Benoit dodges, and he gives Edge a seated dropkick against the steps. Back in, that gets Benoit a two count, and he goes to work on the shoulder. Chris with a side suplex for two, and a drop-toehold sets up a dropkick to the shoulder. Snap suplex gets two, and a cross corner whip sets up a legdrop. You didn't see too many legdrops from Benoit. Superplex, but Edge counters with a gourdbuster on the way down, and Benoit wisely bails. Edge drags him back in to dive at with a missile dropkick, but Chris sidesteps, and immediately shifts to the Crippler Crossface. Edge is in the ropes right away, however, so Benoit gives him the three-alarm rolling German suplex instead. Flying headbutt drop misses, and Edge makes a comeback. Edge-o-Matic gets two, and a facebuster is worth two. Flapjack leads to the spear, but Benoit counters to the Crossface, and he seems to have it won, only to get distracted when Kurt Angle shows up at ringside. That allows Edge to nail him with a baseball slide, and the spear puts it away at 13:24. * ¼
Kurt Angle v Eddie Guerrero: From Smackdown, October 31 2002 (taped October 29) in Grand Rapids Michigan. Kurt dominates on the mat to start, leaving Eddie hiding in the ropes to avoid getting trapped in a hold. Eddie forces a criss cross, but gets launched with hiptosses and armdrags, and he takes a breather on the outside. Guerrero manages to pop him in the jaw on the way back in, and he pounds Kurt down in the corner, but that only serves to fire the Olympian up, and Angle hits a clothesline. Jumping forearm gets him two, so Guerrero shakes off another charge with a drop-toehold, and he uses a saito suplex to slow Kurt down. Eddie keeps him down with a chinlock, but Kurt fights free, and manages a powerslam. Guerrero cuts him off with a dropkick to the knee, and a vertical suplex gets him two. Back to the chinlock, but Kurt fights free, so Eddie goes to a headscissors to keep him grounded, and this time uses the ropes to make sure Angle gets the message. Kurt fights out and into the Anklelock, but Guerrero escapes before he can really lock it in, and he dropkicks Angle back down. German suplex, but Kurt reverses, and both guys stagger up for a slugfest. Angle gets the better of it, and he's on the comeback trail. Belly-to-belly suplex gets him two, and a three-alarm rolling German suplex is worth two. Olympic Slam, but Guerrero counters into a cradle for two. Angle cuts him off with a quick clothesline, but misses a corner charge, and Guerrero dives with a springboard DDT for two. Lasso looks to make Kurt tap, but instead he counters to the Anklelock! Guerrero makes the ropes, so Kurt tries another suplex, but Eddie mulekicks him to buy time. That allows Guerrero a suplex of his own, and he goes upstairs for the Frogsplash, but Kurt shoves the referee into the ropes to crotch him up there. That allows Angle to try a superplex, but Chris Benoit pops up from out of nowhere to whack him in the head with the tag title belt, and Guerrero capitalizes with the Frogsplash at 13:19. This was fine, but it felt like they spent too much time on the mat with stuff that ultimately didn't build to anything. **
WWE Tag Team Title Match Two-out-of-Three Falls Match: Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit v Edge and Rey Mysterio: From Smackdown, November 7 2002 (taped November 5) in Manchester New Hampshire. Kurt and Rey start, and Rey is able to outmove him, causing a frustrated Angle to fall out of the ring during a chase. That was a nice bit, and Benoit's reaction to it was fantastic. Back in, Kurt tries getting more aggressive, but still ends up getting taken down with a headscissors, and both guys decide to tag out. Edge dominates him with a pair of armdrags and a dropkick, so Kurt offers a distraction from the apron, and Chris capitalizes with a side suplex. Tag to Angle to ropechoke his challenger, and a vertical suplex is worth two. Back to Benoit for chops in the corner, but Edge counters a German suplex with the implant DDT. Tag to Rey for a springboard flying legdrop for two, and a drop-toehold sends Benoit into the middle turnbuckle. That draws Kurt in, but Edge cuts him off, and then alley-oops Rey into a rana on Benoit for two. Edge and Rey with a powerbomb/springboard flying seated senton combo, and that's enough for the first fall at 5:57. Kurt responds to the fall by grabbing Rey with a suplex, but it only gets two, as the dust settles. Kurt with a side suplex for two, and he passes back to Benoit, along with a subtle 'don't fuck it up again' look. Chris gives Rey a gutbuster, then takes him upstairs for an exploding version, but Rey counters with a bulldog on the way down! Both guys crawl for tags, both making it. Edge charges in with a pair of clotheslines and a backdrop, but Kurt dodges the spear, and Edge runs right into a title belt holding Crippler. That allows Kurt to slap on the Anklelock, and a loopy Edge taps at 9:24. Chris and Kurt then arguing over which of them gets their arm raised is a great touch. Dust settles on Angle and Mysterio, and a cheap shot from Benoit allows Kurt to win a criss cross. Suplex, but Rey reverses, and he throws a spinheel kick to buy time. Tag to Edge, and he unloads for a but, but charges right into a suplex. That allows a tag to Benoit, and Chris gives him a backdrop and a backbreaker for two. Elevated half-crab follows, but Edge fights free, so Kurt tags in to cut off the pass to Mysterio. Angle hits Edge with a short-clothesline for two, and it's back to Benoit as they work to cut the ring in half. Chris gets overzealous with a side superplex that ends up knocking him silly as well, and both guys are able to tag. Rey puts Kurt down in the corner for a bronco buster, but that draws Benoit over to German suplex him. Kurt with the Olympic Slam to finish, but Rey blocks, and Angle collides with Benoit. 619, but Kurt blocks. Reversal sequence ends in Rey hooking a sunset flip, and we have new champions at 17:00! Oh, but wait, it turns out Kurt was in the ropes, and so the referee restarts the match. Angle and Benoit are still arguing as it gets going, so Rey dives in with a springboard flying dropkick on both, and they go down like bowling pins. Rey tries a cross corner whip on Benoit, but Chris reverses, and Rey EATS that buckle! Benoit with a side suplex, followed by a snap suplex for two. The champs work Mysterio over, but he fights Angle off long enough to tag, and Edge comes in hot - Roseanne Barr the door. Edge-o-Matic on Angle gets two, but Kurt comes back with another Anklelock - only this time Edge fights free. That allows Rey a 619, and Edge hits the spear. Cover, count, but here comes Benoit with the flying headbutt drop to break it up - only to land on Angle when Edge sees him coming! Rey knocks Benoit to the outside after the miss, and Edge hooks Kurt's leg to win the belts (for real) at 21:39. It wasn't quite on par with the No Mercy match, but this was another tremendous bit of tag wrestling, going over twenty minutes without so much as a resthold. I thought the 2/3 falls gimmick hurt it a little, but this had great pacing, great use of tags, and strong storytelling. I also really liked how it had multiple heat segments without any of them feeling boring or repetitive, and it was nice to get a clean finish. I also thought the variation on the usual 'false finish means these guys won't win the actual match' cliché was a good bit of booking. ****
Triple Threat Match: Chris Benoit v Edge v Eddie Guerrero: From Super Tuesday on November 12 2002 (taped November 5) in Manchester New Hampshire. First fall wins it here. Benoit beats the crap out of Edge to start, as Eddie hangs back on the outside. Edge fights back and delivers a suplex, and NOW Eddie comes back into things, breaking up the pin at two. Benoit thanks him via side suplex, and he throws chops in the corner, but Edge pushes him aside so he can do his own unloading. Edge gives Benoit a flapjack, but a trip to the top gets cut off by Eddie. Eddie tries a superplex, but Benoit pulls him off with an electric chair, and Edge dives with a missile dropkick to turn it into a combo for two. Benoit gives Edge a German suplex, but Guerrero grabs Chris with a vertical suplex for two. Frogsplash, but Benoit dodges, and Chris puts Edge in the Crippler Crossface. Eddie looks to save, so Benoit puts HIM in the hold instead, but Edge saves before Guerrero is forced to tap. Edge spears Eddie, and he adds the implant DDT, but Chavo Guerrero pulls the official out of the ring at two. That draws Rey Mysterio out to brawl with him, and inside, Benoit gets Eddie in the Crossface. That draws Angle out to revive the official, but he accidentally causes the hold to break while rolling him in. That earns him in earful from Benoit, and Guerrero capitalizes with a schoolboy at 8:18. This sounds great on paper, but in actuality was nothing special, but I imagine Benoit and Edge were pretty tired from their performances in the earlier tag match anyway. The Triangle match this was setting up for Survivor Series was pretty great, though. *
Edge v Chavo Guerrero: From Smackdown on November 14 (taped November 12) in Columbus Ohio. Feeling out process to start, dominated by Edge. Chavo catches him with a dropkick to turn the tide, and a clothesline sends Edge over the top, but Edge manages a flapjack for two on the way back inside. Chavo responds by going low, and THAT's enough to give him firm control of the bout. Clearly, Eddie's coaching hasn't fallen on deaf ears. Chavo with a short-clothesline for two, and he traps Edge in an armbar for a bit. Edge fights free, but Chavo counters an Edge-o-Matic with a side suplex for two, and then dives with a flying bodypress - only for Edge to dropkick him out of the air. That one looked great. Edge makes a comeback, and the Edge-o-Matic gets him two this time. Spear, but Guerrero sidesteps him, and then hits one of his own for two. Chavo tries a 2nd rope sunset flip, but Edge counters with a catapult - only for Chavo to land on the ropes. That triggers a reversal sequence, and Edge hits the implant DDT to win it at 6:06. Just kind of a match, nothing much to it. *
Rey Mysterio v Eddie Guerrero: From Smackdown on November 14 (taped November 12) in Columbus Ohio. Feeling out process to start, Eddie able to control most of the time by not being afraid to get cheap. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets him two, and he works an armbar, pounding Rey with elbows when Mysterio starts trying to escape. Rey uses a springboard takedown to try and rattle Guerrero, but Eddie manages to grab another armbar to keep him grounded. Rey forces a criss cross, and uses a monkey flip (which looked horrible, with Guerrero's timing off), but Eddie pulls the referee into the path of the 619 to save himself. That allows Chavo Guerrero to run in with a gory bomb, and Edge runs in as well to save his partner. Damage is done, however, and Guerrero powerbombs him, but Rey gets a shoulder up at two. Edge responds by spearing Guerrero, and Rey capitalizes with a slingshot moonsault for two. Rey with his own tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, and a bronco buster follows. Eddie's gear here evokes classic Jake Roberts, and it suits a slimy heel like him well. Rey goes upstairs for a dive, but Eddie shoves him to the outside to block, then dives with a plancha. Back in, Guerrero delivers a side suplex, but a trip to the top ends badly when Rey brings him down with a superplex for two. Eddie comes back with a clothesline for two, and he grounds Mysterio with an armbar, but Rey fights to a vertical base. Guerrero responds by trying a side superplex, but Rey blocks, and dives with a flying moonsault press for two. Springboard moonsault press follows, but Guerrero blocks, so Rey knocks him to the outside instead. Rey follows with a slingshot somersault senton splash on the floor, but a springboard flying splash on the way back in hits Eddie's knees. That allows Guerrero a cradle for two, and a brainbuster follows. Flying somersault senton splash, but Rey dodges, and uses a spinheel kick to set up the 619. Springboard flying sunset flip looks to finish, but Eddie dodges, and locks Rey in the Lasso - using the ropes for leverage to force a submission at 13:02. This got really good by the end, though it had some dull spots before the interference bit. ** ½
Kurt Angle v Chris Benoit: From Smackdown on November 14 (taped November 12) in Columbus Ohio. They trade off on the mat to start, and the execution is all really great here. Even compared to other top level workers, it stands out as notably great. Kurt gets control with a German suplex, but stops to taunt Los Guerreros at ringside, and Benoit recovers with chops. Kurt fights him off with an overhead suplex, but he wastes time on the Guerreros again, and Benoit decks him. This time Chris is able to add a backelbow for two, and a backbreaker is worth two. Corner whip rattles Kurt, and Benoit pounds on him in the corner for a bit, but gets distracted by Edge and Rey Mysterio, allowing Angle to recover. The sneak attack fails, however, and Benoit chucks Kurt into the tag champs for good measure. Back in, Benoit uses the rolling German suplex, but Kurt reverses before the third alarm, and delivers three of his own for two. Olympic Slam, but Benoit counters to the Crippler Crossface, and he's got it locked at center ring. Kurt manages to counter to the Anklelock, but Benoit fights him off after several attempts. Kurt responds with the Olympic Slam, and he decides to taunt Eddie by finishing Benoit with the lasso, but Eddie runs in. Kurt blocks the attack, but he has to break the hold to do so, and Benoit recovers with a release German suplex. Meanwhile, the other four guys have started brawling at ringside, and it quickly spills into the ring for a no-contest at 6:43. This didn't really go anywhere, as they were surrounded by angles, saddled with a bad finish, and given little time. * ¾
Chavo Guerrero v Chris Benoit: From Smackdown on November 21 (taped November 19) in Hartford Connecticut. Chris wastes no time, hitting him with a backbreaker for two right away, and a tilt-a-whirl version gets another two. Corner whip rebounds Chavo into a rolling German suplex, but Guerrero manages to block after one alarm, and a reversal sequence allows him a backbreaker of his own. Chavo starts ramming the shoulder into the buckles to weaken him, and he goes to work. Benoit quickly fights him off by trying the Crippler Crossface, but Chavo dumps him to the outside to block, and he dives with a tope. Chavo tries a slingshot splash on the way back in, but Benoit lifts his knees to block, and grabs Guerrero for the rolling German suplex - hitting all three this time. Flying headbutt drop gets two, so Benoit drops him front-first across the ropes. Chavo tries one more attempt at getting back on track by getting to the top for a dive, but he lands right in the Crossface at 4:47. * ½
Eddie Guerrero v Kurt Angle: From Smackdown on November 21 (taped November 19) in Hartford Connecticut. What was with this era and referee's not really signaling for the bell? Kurt digs in with a headlock right away, so Guerrero tries forcing a criss cross, but gets knocked to the outside via shoulderblock. Eddie regroups out there, and goes to the eyes on the way back up, but Kurt quickly escapes a headlock attempt. Angle knocks him around, and a vicious spinebuster sends Guerrero bailing for the safety of the outside. Or, well, relative safety, as Kurt is right on his ass. Eddie manages to railroad him into the steps to buy time, and he distracts the referee with one chair, allowing him to whack Kurt with a second chair for two. That was a nice bit of cheating. Guerrero with a cross corner whip, followed by a northern lights suplex for two, and he grounds Kurt with a camel clutch. Not a very good one, unfortunately. Kurt escapes, so Eddie snapmares him over for a bootrake, but a suplex gets countered with a DDT. Angle makes a comeback, and a clothesline gets him two, but Guerrero fights back with a tilt-a-whirl slam. Vertical suplex, but Kurt counters with a three-alarm rolling German - Eddie blocking the third with a mulekick. That allows him to dump Angle to the outside for Chavo Guerrero to abuse, and Eddie uses the slingshot somersault senton splash on the way back in. Lasso looks to finish, but Kurt counters to the Anklelock – Guerrero countering back to the Lasso. More counters end in Angle hitting a German suplex, but Guerrero blocks the Olympic Slam, and delivers a vertical suplex. Frogsplash, but Kurt crotches him on the top before he can dive, and he brings him off with an Olympic Slam at 9:39. **
WWE Tag Team Title Match: Los Guerreros v Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit: From Smackdown on November 28 2002 (taped November 26) in Columbia South Carolina. Chavo Guerrero starts with Benoit, and Chris immediately armdrags him, prompting Chavo to complain of a tight pull. Chris responds by putting him in a headlock, so Eddie Guerrero takes a cheap shot from the apron, but instead of derailing Benoit, it just makes him MADDER, and he cleans house on both champions. Dust settles on Eddie and Angle, and Eddie grabs a headlock of his own. Kurt forces a criss cross, and he manages a powerslam, so Chavo runs in... to a powerslam. Both champions bail to regroup, and try a sneak attack, but Benoit saves. That earns him an earful from his own partner, allowing the champs to sneak up again, but they get quickly dispatched with stereo German suplexes. That was great. Kurt and Chris continue arguing so much that they fail to notice that the champions are walking out, but the referee pulls the old 'come back or lose the belts by countout' bit. That's a great bit in terms of crowd investment, but I really hate it from a rule enforcement perspective. Like, the official is supposed to enforce the existing rules, and make judgment calls, but not make up new rules on the fly. The champs come back in, and manage to get control of Benoit, cutting the ring in half on him. Chris fights off a double team and suplexes the champion onto each other to allow the hot tag to Kurt, and Roseanne Barr the door! Overhead suplex on Eddie gets two, and Benoit dives with the flying headbutt drop on Eddie for two. That was a close, close count. Chavo tries to help, but Kurt quickly gets rid of him. He grabs Eddie for the rolling German suplex, but Guerrero uses a mulekick to shake him off. Frogsplash, but Angle dodges, and he delivers an Olympic Slam. Anklelock, but he and Benoit get into an argument over who gets to use their finisher to put it away, and end up settling for both holds at the same time. Unfortunately, the referee won't allow it, so no belts. Chavo is back with his own frogsplash on Benoit, and Eddie gets a cover for a dramatic two. Eddie goes up to do a proper Frogsplash, but Angle superplexes him to block, so Chavo whacks Benoit with the title belt - allowing Eddie to score the pin at 13:16. ** ½
Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match: Eddie Guerrero v Kurt Angle v Chris Benoit v Edge: From Smackdown, December 5 2002 (taped December 3) in Dallas Texas. Albert attacks Edge with a chair before the match, and they tease him needing to sit the bout out, but he limps into the ring to perform. Everyone goes right for him at the bell, of course, targeting the knee that Albert damaged. Benoit dumps Angle and Guerrero to the outside to isolate Edge, but a corner whip gets reversed, and Edge gets two. Eddie runs back in to suplex Benoit over the top, but Kurt gives Eddie a suplex of his own for two. Eddie fights back with a vertical suplex for two, so Angle overhead suplexes him, but Eddie blocks the Olympic Slam. Eddie with a saito suplex to set up the Frogsplash for two, and Angle wisely bails, as Benoit sneaks in with a German suplex on Eddie. Benoit dives with a flying headbutt drop for two, but eats an implant DDT from Edge for two. These are quality nearfalls, with each one going to 2.9. Edge with a spear on Eddie, but Benoit dumps him before he can cover, and he traps Guerrero in a Crippler Crossface at 6:28. Angle doesn't even wait for the hold to break before attacking with a three-alarm rolling German suplex, but Edge dives at him with a missile dropkick for two the moment the move is finished. Kurt responds with the Olympic, but Edge counters with the Edge-o-Matic for two - broken when Benoit puts him in the Crossface. Angle saves so he can put Benoit in the Anklelock, and I'm not sure what's going on here - it's elimination, stop saving guys. Eddie comes back in with the title belt to knock Benoit out, and Edge covers at 8:14. Angle immediately attacks with the Anklelock, but Edge manages to dump him to the outside to buy recovery time. Unfortunately, he's still pretty battered, and Angle drags him out to send into the steps before Edge can capitalize. Inside, Kurt hammers him with mounted punches, and a short-clothesline is worth two. Suplex gets two, but Edge gets fired up, and unloads in the corner while enjoying a second wind. Kurt fights back with an overhead suplex, and he puts Edge in a chinlock, but Edge fights free after two arm drops. Edge comes back with his own overhead suplex, and he wins a slugfest. Pair of clotheslines and a backdrop follow, and the Edge-o-Matic gets two. Kurt fires back with the rolling German suplex, but Edge counters the third alarm with a victory cradle for two. Spear gets a dramatic two, and a reversal sequence ends in the implant DDT for two. Edge goes up with a missile dropkick for two, but another spear attempt hits boot, and Kurt lands the Olympic for two. Anklelock, but Edge counters with a cradle for two. Kurt puts him right back in the hold, however, and Edge's desperate attempts at escaping don't go anywhere. He finally makes the ropes, but Kurt won't let go, so he's forced to pull himself to a vertical base for a leg-feed enzuigiri. Edge with his own take on the Olympic slam for two, but a trip to the top ends badly when Angle pops up with an Olympic off for the pin at 20:42. This had really great nearfalls throughout, and boy was that final section a humdinger. *** ½
WWE Title Match: Kurt Angle v Chris Benoit: From Smackdown on December 19 2002 (taped December 17) in Tampa Florida. Criss cross ends in Benoit armdragging the champ a few times, and he unloads with chops in the corner from there, until Kurt bails. Chris chases him back in for more chops, and a clothesline leads to a snap suplex for two. Criss cross allows Kurt to come back with an overhead suplex, and he puts the boots to the Crippler in the corner. Kurt dumps him to the outside for Paul Heyman to whack with the title belt, and Angle hauls his limp challenger in to cover for two. Kurt stays on him with a vertical suplex for two, and the throws chops in the corner, followed by a chinlock/bodyscissors combo. Chris escapes, so Kurt throws a knee for two, but Benoit comes back again with chops. Kurt cuts that off with a German suplex, but Benoit blocks the Olympic Slam, and both guys collide for a double knockout spot. Chris is up first, and he starts making a comeback. Rolling German suplex gets countered into the Anklelock, but Benoit counters back with another rolling German, and Kurt bails. Chris is on him with chops on the outside to force the champion back in, and it's time for more rolling Germans. Flying headbutt drop immediately leads to the Crippler Crossface, but Big Show runs in to attack Benoit for the DQ at 9:45. * ¾
Kurt Angle v Rey Mysterio: From Smackdown on January 23 2003 (taped January 21) in Albany New York. Angle is the WWE Champion here, but this is non-title. Kurt gets right to brutalizing him, but Rey uses speed to buy time, and manages a spinheel kick. Drop-toehold and a dropkick rattle Angle, but a rana attempt goes badly when Kurt delivers a sitout powerbomb for two. Side suplex gets two, and a short-clothesline is worth two. German suplex gets two, so Kurt grounds him in a front-facelock, but Rey gets to a vertical base, and uses a suplex to escape. Rey comes back with a springboard bodypress, and another spinheel kick corners Kurt. Dropkick puts the champion on his ass, and a headscissors sends him to the outside - Mysterio building momentum. Rey dives after him with a somersault suicida, and a springboard flying legdrop on the way back in is worth two. Kurt tries a desperation charge, but hits the post, and Rey uses a split-legged moonsault - only for Angle to dodge. Anklelock, but Rey escapes, so Kurt overhead suplexes him. Olympic Slam, but Rey blocks, and tries the 619 - only for Angle to catch him. That leads to a reversal sequence that ends in Rey hitting a wheelbarrow bulldog for two, but a springboard flying rana ends badly when Kurt drops him across the top turnbuckle to block, and then shifts it into a vicious electric chair at 7:11. This was short, but all action. ***
Kurt Angle v Chris Benoit: From Smackdown, February 6 2003 (taped February 4) in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Angle is the WWE Champion here, but this is non-title. Kurt takes him down for a headlock at the bell, but Benoit forces a criss cross - winning it with a big chop. An armdrag allows Chris to put Benoit in an armbar, but Kurt drops him into the corner to escape, and they slug it out. Angle hits boot on a charge, allowing Benoit a snap suplex for two, but he runs into an overhead belly-to-belly suplex during a criss cross, as Tazz talks about the similarities between Benoit and Dynamite Kid. Kurt dumps him to the outside for Paul Heyman to abuse, and Kurt gets a two count off of it on the way back in. Benoit should not be giving up two counts off of Paul Heyman running axehandles, sorry. Belt shot, or GTFO. Kurt with a suplex for two, so he tries the chinlock/bodyscissors combo to force a submission, but Chris escapes, so Kurt throws a knee for two. Side suplex gets two, so Chris starts throwing chops, and a short-clothesline builds momentum for a comeback. German suplex, but Angle counters to the Anklelock, so Benoit counters to a cradle for two. Crippler Crossface looks to make Angle tap, but Kurt fights up to a vertical base to try the Olympic Slam, but Benoit counters to a cradle for two. Rolling German suplex, but Angle blocks after the first alarm. Olympic Slam, but Chris counters to the Crossface again. Kurt fights out and into the Anklelock, but Benoit reverses back to the Crossface. He digs in, but Angle makes the ropes, and gives Benoit a bucklebomb. Chris shakes it off and turns Angle inside-out with a German suplex, and Benoit is busted open here, what might be hardway. He manages to hook the leg for two, and calls for the flying headbutt drop, but then stops to give Kurt another German suplex first to soften him up. Unfortunately for Benoit, Kurt STILL manages to dodge, and Angle hooks an Oklahoma roll for two. Reversal sequences ends in Kurt hitting the Olympic Slam, and that's enough at 10:36. This felt pretty paint-by-numbers for these two most of the way through, but they turned it up and peppered in some unique stuff in the third act. ** ½
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.