June 2002 - Week 2 Retrospective
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More stream of conscious thoughts while rewatching wrestling from 2002.
Even 2002 has started to fall into the WWE Format of opening 15 minutes setting up the show, although there's still a few random Raws where matches open or attacks backstage which is refreshing.
So last week Austin beat Flair in an 'Old Time Wrestling Match', which basically meant Austin couldn't punch Ric Flair - you could say the odds were stacked against him. I guess that's a running theme in WWE (and wrestling in general), the odds being stacked against the Face but it doesn't seem so worn out and tired. The 'WHAT?!' chants are so strong, and all the wrestlers seem to encourage them with the way they pause after each sentance. It's so damn odd. It's like the start of the 'Catchphrase' pushing that bugs me in the current (2014/15) product. So, Austin hasn't shown tonight, I'm not sure if this is storyline or legit the time he walked away (I know it was around this time). Anyway, Vince McMahon (Owner of Smackdown) has turned up, he looks so damn smug. Seemingly he created RAW nearly 10 years ago, interesting. McMahon thinks Ric Flair has driven RAW into the toilet and sucks as an owner! I can't remember if Flair and McMahon ever fought each other, I seem to remember something happened between them (it might even have been in 2001), but I honestly can't remember - I'm going to check internets. Oh crap, they fought each other at Royal Rumble 2002...
I've forgotten it already (but I did watch it 6 months ago or so). It's interesting to see McMahon flat out admit he works for the Ego Boost, he doesn't need the money unlike all the people watching. I'm starting to think 2002 Vince McMahon is just Vince being Vince.
Oh it's Flair v McMahon tonight on RAW - No Holds Barred for 100% Ownership of WWE. WOOOOOOOOOO! Even though Flair has been benching Austin for weeks, the crowd still love him (probably because he's up against McMahon). I think this might be the actual show where Austin No-Showed.
2002 Vince is totally jacked, probably more than during his feud with Austin. Arn Anderson warns McMahon about going up against one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and risking losing full control of WWE.
The NWO. Kevin Nash is reading a Newspaper. Shawn Michaels is having 'private time' in the locker room. 2002 Booker T is amazing, even if he is wasting away in the NWO. X-Pac, Big Show & Booker T are up against Spike Dudley, Shawn Stasiak & Tommy Dreamer (with sick bucket) - big fan of Booker T refusing to come out to the NWO Music, coming out on his own to his own music. He knows NWO2002 sucks. Oh look Chris Nowinski (Tough Enough 1 Finalist). The crowd are chanting X-Pac sucks, the wave of 'X-Pac Heat' seems to come ago, it usually comes back after he's turned on Kane. I had no idea Shawn Stasiak was still in the WWE in 2002, man that guy never did much even though he was 'Meat' and probably his stand out moment - those few weeks where he kept trying to tackle people backstage. Booker T hits the Spinnerooney, which the people have paid to see! I forgot all about this. Love it. Atlanta crowd love it too.
It's honestly strange seeing HBK in the NWO, I don't remember this at all (even from documentaries or promo vids over the years), so it mustn't be anything they were overly fond of... even if they did just use it at Wrestlemania against Sting. He runs his mouth about being the only real thing about the WWF during the 90s, and being attitude before 'attitude' was a catchphrase. He's not bitter at all... as he shits on Stone Cold Steve Austin for bailing out on the WWE, and the fans running from HBK to Austin in their droves. It's a pretty sweet way to get the fans to turn on him. The reason he's joined the NWO? Kevin Nash was the only one stood by him. Aww.
HBK puts over all the members of the NWO - Nash, X-Pac, Big Show, Boo... SWEET CHIN MUSIC! HBK knocks Booker T for trying to steal the spotlight from the HBK & the NWO.
X-Pac sucks chants. Again.
Oh shit, Goldust as the 'Undercover Brother' haha. This level of comedy is great, it's not goofy, it fits the WWE and is totally character driven. I can't understand why this isn't still a thing in the current product (other than writers). Wrestling should be a varity show, right?
Molly the Virgin setting the standards for WWE Divas, hating on the way they dress and show off their nipples. Trish reckons Molly has a big ass. Molly is pure & wholesome, I'm sure SunnyMac would approve. Molly gets a title shot if she beats Trish toight, but if she loses she has to wrestle in a thong next week. Oh. Fans go crazy for Trish, which is understandable as she was (and still is) amazing. Cameraman does his best to get some creep shots of Molly's behind, obviously King loves it - "I'm not saying Molly's ass is big; but she gets fan mail from Rikishi"... ouch.
In more interesting observations, certainly when you consider the recent #givedivasachance movement - 2002 has some really good Diva matches. They get time, they do some moves, they tell a story. Their storylines are generally trash and tasteless to some, but at least they're interesting and part of the show. Molly wins, so gets a title shot next week... and she chokes Trish with the thong. Of course.
Bradshaw (The Hardcore Champion) is up against William Regal (Europeaon Champion), Regal's title is on the line. Bradshaw is full on cowboy now, which seems so out of place, but the fans are loving it. I guess some gimmicks are timeless and just endlessly associated with wrestling. Regal has been in his 'Brass Knuckes' phase over the last few months, which has been fun to watch; simple concept that fits well with Regals heel character. It's interesting that we have a brawler (Bradshaw) up against Regal (European Style) and they totally let each wrestler wrestle their own style this match. Again this is something I miss from the current product where everyone seems to wrestle the same style (WWE Style?) there's no in-ring personality. Chris Nowinski tries to interfere and Regal uses that to whack Bradshaw with the brass knucks. I have little to no recollection of Chris Nowinski's WWE Run. Oh he's leaving with Regal. Actually, maybe I remember this somewhat - OH! He threw the brass knucks to Regal. The bastard, the well educated bastard. Ah, it's because he's a Harvard Graduate - the first in WWE! I wonder if he was in the same frat as Otunga.
Eddie Guererror v RVD in the King of the Ring Qualifying Match. I miss King of the Ring, even more watching 2002 (was this the last one?). The quality of wrestlers involved is high, it's almost a self writing story/feud for 4 weeks and has the potential to launch a career if handle correctly. I have no idea why WWE isn't using it anymore, although Sheamus' King of the Ring victoy is coming to mind... what a waste that was.
Possibly an unpopular opinion, but I miss 2002's style of entrance themes with heavy as fuck guitar riffs and rock lyrics. I mean Test had some killer music. TEST. TEST - this is a TEST. Anyway, Test is still alive and in the WWE in 2002 and he's against The Hurricane in a qualifyer for King of the Ring. Hurricane has a stalker (Nidia) and it's really odd, with a ton of sexual innuendoes... and Jamie Noble. The Hurricane was great in 2002, one of the rare examples of WWE 'getting it' when it came to comedy characters being entertaining in and out of the ring. Oh damn Test hits the 'Test Drive', I don't remember that finisher at all, I much prefer his Running Big Boot.
Jamie Noble's accent is amazing. Nidia and Noble attack The Hurricane and demask him - OMG it's... Gregory Helms?! Nidia stills the mask and cloak. It's entertaining. It really is.
Even the random matches, like this tag match between Jericho & Lance Storm v Val Venis & Kidman is entertaining. 2002 has it all. Good in-ring matches and entertaining storylines. I still can't believe how far Jericho has fallen in the pecking order, he's went from Undisputed Champion to random midcard matches in a matter of months. Lance Storm calls out Brian Hebner for screwing Canadians after the dodgy finish to the match. Nice touch!
It's the WWE Undisputed Champion THE UNDERTAKER - DONG, DEAD MAN WALKING. BIKE. Last week he was drop kicked into Tommy Dreamer's vomit by Jeff Hardy. For real. Tommy Dreamer is going through a phase where he eats disgusting crap. For some reason The Undertaker has handed the title to some random stage crew member to hold up. The Undertaker's current deal is demanding to be treated with respect, he's the champion after all. If someone disrespects him he tends to 'educate em' in the ring, which has led to a lot of random matches lately... which to be honest has been great. He's pretty busy too, often pulling double shifts across RAW & Smackdown (probably due to being the Undisputed Champion).
Well this all leads to Jeff Hardy v The Undertaker, as no one dropkicks The Undertaker into a puddle of vomit! So easy. But alas, Matt Hardy answers the call from The Undertaker to come and get his ass whooped to learn some respect and Matt Hardy has a ... ladder?! Both The Hardys attack The Undertaker and the crowd are going nuts for it. Damn, I had no idea how popular The Hardys were in 2002. Undertaker kicks them around for a bit until The Hardys team up and use the ladder to get their revenge. This is nuts and feels so foreign after watching the current (2015) product. The WWE Undisputed Champion has just been left down in the middle of the ring, after being attacked by two middleweight midgets that the crowd love. I guess this all leads to the much praised Jeff Hardy v Undertaker Ladder Match, which I've never seen.
Although maybe not as they sign a contract on Smackdown for HHH v The Undertaker at King of the Ring. When does that Jeff Hardy/Taker Ladder Match happen? HHH is crazy over in 2002, which is well deserved as he's an amazing 18 months or so. It's a shame that he seemingly undoes all that great work with the often degraded 2003 era of bullshit. Anyway as most contract signings go, the table is flipped and there's a fighting. HHH armed with a sledgehammer after The Undertaker beatdown holds the show hostage, destroying Billy & Chuck ("You guys have found a new meaning to 'Suck It!'").
HHH does this for 10 minutes or so, and Vince doesn't show until HHH threatens to smash up a camera costing McMahon "50g's". In the end HHH gets his match against The Undertaker, but it's a tag match - Undertaker & Angle v HHH & Hogan.
This makes me realise that this crossing over and storylines and angles very rarely happens these days, the way that two feuds come together with random partnerships in Tag Matches. Yet, it makes sense too since Kurt Angle has often been a McMahon 'stooge', and he attacked Hogan last week after the brutal match between Hogan and HHH for the #1 Contendership. It all makes sense, and I really like the way it all interweaves, keeping things fresh and not just having the same two people fighting each other in 1v1s for weeks before a PPV.
I've said this a lot lately - 2002 Hulk Hogan has made me a Hulkamaniac again although I'd really like him to shave the black beard off, but I guess this is part of the Hogan image now.
Talking of tag teams that are super over in 2002 here's Bubba Ray Dudley, who is pretty popular and doing well for himself during his solo run. Last week he actually suplexed Brock Lesnar, and was probably the first person to actually do anything to Lesnar. He's facing Lesnar in a King of the Ring Qualifyer now and shit Lesnar is destroying him. On the flip side Devon is running around as Reverened Devon (which I slightly remember), it's sort of fun to watch but the crowd don't really care for him unless he's getting the shit kicked out of him. Thankfully Faarooq is on hand to destroy Devon and Deacon Batista! haha amazing.
WWE Confidential is mentioned a ton this week, it must have been their 'new' thing, but I can't really remember. It's interesting to see WWE embrace the 'behind the scenes' angle so early, before most other TV shows went with reality TV. WWE did Tough Enough too, which was pretty 'before it's time' in some ways. Linda has a match on Smackdown. Remember Linda Miles from Tough Enough? I don't, even watching it again I don't remember her. I don't think she lasted long, but the WWE must have had high hopes for her as she's getting teamed up Trish Stratus in a tag match to face Jackie and Ivory. Trish and Linda win the tag match, but I'm more impressed with just how much Trish Stratus improves match upon match. She can't have been wrestling much more than 6 months at this point, and she's already helping to carry people in matches.
2002 Vince McMahon v 2002 Ric Flair for FULL control of 2002 WWE. I agree with Data West, 2002 Vince McMahon is god-tier; he's jacked, a womaniser and a total dick. This is Final Form Vince McMahon with everything turned up to 11 (1 more than 10). Vince McMahon doesn't get enough credit for getting the crapped kick out of him whenever he wrestles, he takes some really sick looking bumps and moves. The other side of the coin is Ric Flair taking the ringbell square on the forehead after McMahon missed Flair's hands. HARDWAY , SON!
Ref (Hebner) takes a bump, as Flair puts McMahon in the Figure Four, Arn jumps to act as the ref and... holy shit, Arn Anderson and Brock Lesnar stand off. Arn bails. Amazing. Lesnar F5s Flair for McMahon to get the win and full control of the WWE once again. Damn that was pretty amazing, I had no idea Brock Lesnar was so handled so well so early.
Smackdown opens with McMahon dancing in the ring on top of a boardroom table with a contract on it. Jobber Security surround him. I can honestly believe this is a daily occurance back at Stamford. "Powerful individuals only become more powerful. Rich people only become more rich." - Vince McMahon (2002).
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Week 3 includes
MLW Genesis
WWE Raw
NWA-TNA PPV #1
WWE Smackdown