World Wrestling Federation - 2002

[Guest HYA]

World Wrestling Federation 2002

October 2001: The Invasion angle continues with WWF champion Steve Austin leading the Alliance. Chris Jericho begins his long awaited heel turn during a cracking feud with The Rock, and captures his first world championship by defeating “The Great One” for the WCW title at No Mercy. Also at No Mercy, Austin retains the WWF title in a triple threat match, turning back Kurt Angle and a piping hot Rob Van Dam.

November 2001: The poorly executed Invasion comes to an end when the WWF defeats the Alliance in a ten man, winner take all match at Survivor Series. Ric Flair returns to the WWF, emerging as the on screen 50% owner of the company. Chris Jericho establishes his spot as the company’s hottest heel. Jerry “The King” Lawler returns to the WWF after a nine-month absence, replacing Paul Heyman as colour-commentator. Eddie Guererro is released following being arrested on drink driving charges.

December 2001: With the demise of WCW and the Alliance, the WWF no longer has any reason to maintain a second "world title" and creates a four man elimination tournament at Vengeance to determine the first ever Undisputed champion. In a shocking upset, Chris Jericho defeats The Rock and Steve Austin in the same night to become wrestling’s first ever undisputed champion. Rumours circulate regarding the possibility of Kevin Nash and Scot Hall returning to the WWF. The idea of splitting the company into two entities is discussed, with rumours of the proposed brand extension occurring after the Royal Rumble. A new source of competition arrises with the opening of World Domination Wrestling announced.

WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION CHAMPIONS - as of 01/01/02

Undisputed Champion:

• Chris Jericho (12/09/01 - present)

Intercontinental Champion:

• Edge (11/18/01 - present)

Tag Team Champions:

• The Dudley Boyz (11/18/01 - present)

European Champion:

• Christian (10/30/01 - present)

Cruiserweight Champion:

• Tajiri (10/22/01 - present)

Hardcore Champion:

• The Undertaker (12/09/01 - present)

WWF NEWS & NOTES - 01/01/02

- Triple H’s return has been pushed back. He was originally scheduled to be back for the MSG Raw on January 7th. It now appears that he’ll be back for the Royal Rumble on the 30th. At very latest, expect “The Game” to be back in the ring by mid-February.

- Tazz will be transitioning into a full-time colour commentator in coming weeks. The current plan is for the former ECW champion to focus solely on colour commentary on SmackDown! over the next few months. After WrestleMania, his position will be reassessed. For now though, Tazz won’t be used in an in-ring capacity.

- It appears that Diamond Dallas Page’s wrestling days are behind him. Page has expressed interest in a road agent position with the company.

- Chris Benoit’s rehabilitation has been going extremely well and there is talk that a return for WrestleMania might be a possibility. He was originally expected to be back in the ring around June.

- Newcomer to the wrestling world, World Domination Wrestling has officially announced several new signings. The bigger names include Jeff Jarrett, Curt Henning, Ken Shamrock and Sabu. They’ve also announced their first event, which will take place on PPV on January 30th. This will be in direct competition with the WWF’s Royal Rumble.

Edited April 4, 2006 by HYA

[Guest HYA]

SmackDown!

Thursday, January 3rd, 2002

Michael Cole and Tazz welcomed us to the first show of 2002, giving a quick rundown of tonight's card. They mentioned the four way main event to determine the number one contendor to Chris Jericho's undisputed title at the Royal Rumble, before being interrupted by Y2J's theme music.

Chris Jericho d. Scotty 2 Hotty

The first show of the new year began with the undisputed champion making his way to the ring, ready for one on one action against Scotty 2 Hotty. The champ established an advantage early on in the contest and continued to dominate his opponent. Late in the match, the champion’s cocky antics lead to Scotty nearly scoring a major upset with a quick rollup. However, in the end it was Jericho taking the win after forcing Scotty to tap out to the Walls of Jericho.

Rating: **3/4

The Number One Contender?

After the evening’s opening contest, Jericho made his way to the back before coming face to face with The Rock. A staredown occurred between the two before the Rock began to speak.

Rock: “Y2J! .. The larger than life, living legend! .. The UNDISPUTED champion of the WWF! *more serious* Jericho .. tonight, the Rock is gonna walk out of here as the number one contender. And at the Royal Rumble, the Rock is taking that undisputed championship. Make no mistake about it.”

The Rock continued to stare at Jericho for a few seconds before walking off, out of screen. Jericho was left on his own and he didn’t look too happy with what the Rock had to say.

Rating: 96

Hardcore Title Match: The Undertaker d. Tommy Dreamer

The second contest of the night saw the Undertaker add another victim to his list, retaining the hardcore title against Tommy Dreamer. The Undertaker lashed out on Dreamer with a relentless assault, dominating the challenger in convincing fashion. Dreamer was busted open with a steel chair shot to the head, before Taker finished him off with the Last Ride to retain.

Rating: *

The Dudley Boyz d. The APA

This tag team contest was much more competitive than the opening two bouts of the night, with the tag team champions facing the hard hitting APA in a non-title bout. It looked as if an upset was on the cards when Faarooq set D-Von up for the Dominator, but Stacey Keibler grabbed onto the APA member’s foot. This distraction was enough to get the job done, when Faarooq turned his attention back to his opponents he was met with the 3D, wrapping up the W for the champions.

Rating: ¼*

Christian Speaks With The Boss

We crossed to the back where Christian was approaching Vince McMahon.

Christian: “Hey Vinnie Mac! Ya’know I was thinking, the Royal Rumble’s coming up. And I know that all my fans all over the world are dieing to see their European champion in action ..”

Vince: “And let me guess, you wan’t to defend your European championship?”

Christian: “Well .. I mean, that’s not exactly what I had in mind, but ..”

Vince: “Christian, I’ve got to admire your attitude. I mean, you really are a fighting champion! I tell you what, at the Royal Rumble, I guarantee that you’ll get a chance to defend your European title!”

Vince walked off, as he seemed to be in a hurry. Once he’d left, Christian was clearly annoyed with the news that he’d be defending his title at Royal Rumble.

Rating: 80

Christian & Lance Storm d. The Hardy Boyz

Michael Cole informed us that this would be the first match of a four team elimination tournament to determine the number one contenders to the tag team titles. The winners would receive a title shot against the Dudleyz at the Royal Rumble. The highflying Hardyz looked impressive early on, hitting a number of high risk manoeuvres. As the match wore on though, Storm and Christian began to ground their opponents and isolated Jeff for much of the match. Eventually Matt was tagged in, immediately taking control and hitting the Twist of Fate on Christian. He made the cover, but Storm placed his partner’s foot on the rope before the three count could be made. Matt turned his attention to Storm, before turning around right into a small package from Christian, which lead to the 3 count for the win.

Rating: ***1/4

Talking Tactics?

Booker T was in the locker-room preparing for his match later on, when approached by Kurt Angle. Angle mentioned a few ideas regarding the night’s main event, while Booker listened in interest. The cameras panned out as the two seemed to be discussing tactics.

Rating: 85

Edge d. Test to retain the Intercontinental title

The IC title was on the line here, between two men who’d been involved in several heated matches over the last year. The champ looked to be in trouble as Test continued to use his power and strength to his advantage. Edge hung in though, kicking out of several close pin attempts. Test became frustrated and sought the aid of a steel chair. He attempted to take Edge out, but the champ ducked and came back with a huge Spear, leading to the three count.

Rating: *

RVD Lays Down The Challenge

After a hard fought title defence, Edge celebrated with his title, before being interrupted by the music of Rob Van Dam! RVD congratulated Edge on the win, before going on to challenge the champion to a title match in a week’s time on SmackDown! Edge said that he was never a man to turn down a challenge and accepted as the fans showed their appreciation, clearly excited about what will no doubt be one hell of a match.

Rating: 82

Steve Austin d. Booker T, The Rock & Kurt Angle

Tonight’s main event had plenty on the line, with the winner going on to face Chris Jericho for the Undisputed champion at the Royal Rumble. This was an action packed contest with four of the top players in the WWF going full tilt, Angle and Booker T tried to team up throughout the bout, but it amounted to very little. Each time the two tried to make a double team attack, Austin or the Rock was there ready to step in. In the end, Austin levelled Booker T with a Stunner for the victory. After the match Austin celebrated with a few Steveweisers and wrapped his arms around his waist, signalling that he was coming for the undisputed title!

Rating: ***1/2

Overall Rating: 80

TV Rating: 5.54

[Visionary]

First of all your backstory is good and solid so kudos on that.

As i read Smackdown, Y2J to open the show in a squash match? Wouldn't be my choice but i guess i can see the logic behind it. Ok looks like you want to get Rock in Y2J's face, good way to hype up the main event, nice work and well booked. Taker defending against Dreamer i guess is a decent brawl although it look pretty poor on your rating there, Taker needs to lose that belt but who too? Finally a non squash and the Dudley's go over the APA which is fair enough. You got Christian over pretty well there, very much in character there and seems he gets to defend his title, i wonder who against? Not sure about the Hardy losing as they need to either be pushed strongly or split up in my view, perhaps your going to do the later? More hype for the main event with the two coniving heel plotting, good booking again. Shame about Edge Test as you seem to write it up quite well but defainlty a match i would like to see on Smackdown. RVD/Edge, sounds good to me. Austin winning is a good choice i guess as u need a big name for Y2J's first defence, i just hope you don't make him drop the title until Mania, perhaps against Triple H again?

Overall a decent show but nothing too amazing, i'd give it a C+.

[KJE]

This is awesome. I love everything so far.

-Don’t like the opening squash for Jericho, but he had to do something with most of the main eventer’s gone.

-The Rock’s promo was very good

-Hopefully Undertaker loses the Hardcore title soon and goes back to the main event scene

-I like non-title wins for champions

-Great angle by Christian/Vince

-Obviously Christian/Storm won’t be winning if Christian has to defend his title at the RR

-Surprised Edge/Test was just *

-Looking forward to RVD/Edge, that should be great

-I initially wanted Rock to win, but now hopefully that sets up a Rock/Jericho WM18 match.

Technically, the wrestling was sub par until the main event. But it was well written. I love the short write-ups, I am assuming you will include more for PPV’s, but if you didn’t, I’d like that just the same. Another thing, the font kicks ass.

[Guest HYA]

Scheduled for Monday Night RAW 01/07/02:

• The Rock takes on Booker T and Kurt Angle in a handicap match.
• RVD & Edge will square off for the IC title in three days time, but tonight they’re partners as they take on the Dudley Boyz!
• The tag team tournament to determine the number one contenders continues when Kane & Big Show face the APA.
• The cruiserweight and hardcore titles will both be on the line!
• Undisputed champion Chris Jericho and his Royal Rumble opponent Steve Austin will both be in the building!

[Guest HYA]

RAW

January 7th, 2002

William Regal d. Al Snow

The first match of the night was a back and forth type of match with neither man being able to establish a clear advantage. Late in the bout Snow looked for the Snow Plow, but Regal blocked it and delivered a vertical suplex before locking in the Regal Stretch. Snow struggled to reach the ropes and came close, before Regal managed to drag Snow back into the middle of the ring. It wasn’t long before Snow was tapping out and Regal’s hand was being raised in victory.

Rating: **¼

Angle and Booker T aren't happy!

In the backstage area, Lillian Garcia was standing by with Kurt Angle and Booker T. Lillian asked the duo if they were confident heading into their handicap match with The Rock tonight.

Angle: “Are we confident? This is two on one, this is a handicap match, of course we’re freaking confident! And ya’know something Lillian, I’m getting a little annoyed of people like you. People who underestimate Kurt Angle, who don’t give world class athletes such as Booker and I the credit we deserve! Everyone’s always talking about The Rock and Steve Austin. But we’re twice the athletes they are! I mean, I’m an Olympic gold medallist for cryin’ out loud!”

Booker: “Lillian all we hear about is The Rock and Austin. Well hell, I’m the 5-time, 5-time, 5-time, 5-time, FIVE TIME WCW champion sucka! And one way or another, people are gonna be starting to talk about Booker T. They’re gonna be talking about Booker T, the man who ended The Rock’s career right here tonight on SmackDown! Now can you dig that?”

Both Booker and Angle eyeballed Lillian in anger before walking off out of the shot. We then crossed back to ringside, ready for the Cruiserweight title match.

Rating: 79

Tajiri d. The Hurricane to retain the Cruiserweight title

The first cruiserweight matchup of the year didn’t disappoint. This was full of high risk offence and solid mat wrestling. The finish came when Hurricane’s attempt at the Eye of The Hurricane was escaped by Tajiri, who shot Hurricane off into the ropes. When Hurricane shot back off the ropes, he was levelled with a stiff death kick to the head from the champion. This was enough for the win and a successful title defence for Tajiri.

Rating: ****¼

The Undertaker d. Jeff Hardy to retain the Hardcore title

Jeff caught the Undertaker off guard early on with a few high risk moves and it appeared as if we might have had an upset on our hands. However, the Undertaker was quick to shut the challenger down and went on to dominate the rest of the match. The bout ended after Taker nailed Jeff with the Last Ride onto a trashcan.

Rating: *¼

The Larger Than Life, Living Legend!

Chris Jericho was seen in the backstage area hanging out with Christian and Lance Storm before being approached by Kevin Kelly. Kelly questioned Jericho if he was worried about having to defend his undisputed title against Steve Austin at the Royal Rumble.

Jericho: “Well big Kev, that’s a really a great question there. I mean, surely anyone that had to defend their title against Steve Austin would be worried, right? Well if you were talking to any ordinary old wrestler, I’m sure they would be. But Chris Jericho is no ordinary wrestler. Chris Jericho is the only ever undisputed champion in the history of this business. Chris Jericho is the only man to ever defeat The Rock and Steve Austin, BACK TO BACK, on the same night! And at the Royal Rumble, I’m going to beat Steve Austin one more time. You see, he may be the world’s “toughest son of a bitch.” But I’m the LARGER THAN LIFE, LIVING LEGEND! .. And these titles *taps shoulders* .. are going nowhere. That, I assure you Kevin Kelly. Now beat it fatty, I was actually in the middle of a conversation with Christian and Lance here before you came and interrupted!”

Jericho waited for Kelly to leave before resuming his conversation with Storm and Christian, before the cameras crossed back to ringside.

Rating: 100

Rob Van Dam & Edge d. The Dudley Boyz

There was some doubt that RVD and Edge would be able to work well as team, considering the fact that they’ll be facing off for the IC title this Thursday on SmackDown! However, the two gelled very well and had an obvious mutual respect for one another. Despite constant interference from Stacey Keibler, Rob Van Dam scored the three count after nailing the 5 Star Frog Splash on D-Von.

Rating: ***½

Fifty Fifty!

In the backstage area Vince McMahon was seen ending a cell phone conversation. He didn’t realize that Ric Flair was standing right behind him and when he turned around he suffered a displeasing shock.

Flair: “Whoooo! Now Vinnie Mac, I hope you weren’t making any business deals there. Cause don’t you forget .. every single business decision has to go through me. Fifty fifty! Haha”

McMahon angrily walked off with a look of disgust on his face as Flair looked on with a smirk.

Rating: 88

Kane & Big Show d. The APA

The winners of this match would go on to face Christian & Lance Storm, with the winners getting a title opportunity against The Dudleyz at the Royal Rumble. This was a slow paced brawl, and there definitely weren’t any flying head scissors or 450 splashes to be seen. The finish came when Bradshaw missed the Clothesline From Hell, leading to Kane hitting the Chokeslam for the victory.

Rating: **

The Rumble Comes Early!

The music of Y2J hit and the undisputed champion made his way down to the ring, getting on the mike and preparing to address the 16,351 in attendance.

Jericho: “Just in case anybody’s confused, I wanted to come down here and remind everyone of a few things. I am the undisputed champion. And not only does that mean that I’m the best this company, hell, ANY company has to offer .. it also means that the entire world revolves around ME! And if anyone thinks that I’m afraid .. that I’m intimidated by a redneck piece of trash like Steve Austin is very, very mistaken!”

Suddenly Jericho was interrupted by the sound of glass breaking! Steve Austin made his way down to the ring and did his usual salute up all four turnbuckles before coming face to face with Jericho.

Austin: “So you’re the undisputed champion? *What?!* Living legend? *What?!* Larger than life? *What?!* You say you’re not afraid of Stone Cold Steve Austin? *What?!* Well son, you damn well should be! Cause in 23 days time, I’m taking those two belts and I’m marchin’ my ass into WrestleMania as the undisputed champion! But the Royal Rumble is quite some time away .. you might be getting a little impatient. So what I’m gonna do, is give you a little preview right now!”

Suddenly Austin lashed out, kicking Jericho in the gut and dropping him with the Stunner! Austin began celebrating with the fans as Jericho struggled to make it back to his feet while backing up the ramp. Austin starred down with a smile on his face at an absolutely living Chris Jericho!

Rating: 90

Kurt Angle & Booker T d. The Rock

The main event was a first class display, as The Rock took on Booker T and Angle in a handicap match. It was Booker and Angle who controlled much of the match. Each time it looked as if Rock was about to turn things around, the numbers game would take it’s toll on “The Great One.” As the finish neared, The Rock made a strong comeback and set up to level Angle with the People’s Elbow. However, Booker managed to trip the Rock as he came off the ropes. This distraction was enough for Angle to hit the Angle Slam and wrap up the victory.

Rating: ****

Overall Rating: 83

TV Rating: 6.83

[SRN]

Really good read and a solid backstory.

The Austin / Jericho Segment really rocked. I'm looking forward too seeing those two battle it out.

But in my mind Undertaker just dose'nt fit with the Hardcore Title; I would give it to Dreamer. But it ain't my diary, so there is not much I can do.

But still, a good and solid diary!

[Visionary]

As i read Raw, Good opening match but i'd like to see Regal doing something more productive and hope you get him into a program soon. Good interview and does its job of hyping the main event but why is it a handicap match? Why not just throw Austin in although i imagine he will be a part of the match with Y2J in someway shape or form. CW defence seemed good and good to see Hurricane retain. Why is Jeff challenging Taker? Anyway decent enough but i want Taker to drop the belt somehow. Decent enough interview but i hope Y2J does more than that tonight. Interesting way to give the two fueders the win but very interesting to say the least. Yeh Flair and Vince need to start some sort of feud soon so that seems a good teaser for it. Kane and Show together is an interesting pairing and they rightly got the win, i wouldn't give them the belts though simply because much alike real life WWE it be very hard to get them off them. Didn't Jericho make his point in the interview backstage, why is he coming out again to say the same thing, strikes me as very random. I don't like this, i see no reason for Y2J to be out there and it seems a little lazy to me. Angle and Booker beating Rock is a bit of a let down for the main event, i think giving it to Rock would of been a better send off.

Overall a decent show that earns another C+. The opening hour was certainly deserving of better however.

[Guest HYA]

Scheduled for SmackDown! 01/10/02:

• Edge defends the Intercontinental championship against Rob Van Dam in the main event!
• The Rock teams up with The Hurricane to take on Booker T & Kurt Angle in a huge tag team contest.
• The Undertaker looks to add another victim to his list when he defends the Hardcore title against Val Venis.
• Plus, what will undisputed champion Chris Jericho have to say after being hit with the Stunner last Monday night on Raw?

[Guest HYA]

SmackDown!

Thursday, January 10, 2002

The Undertaker d, Val Venis to retain the Hardcore title

The Undertaker made quick work of yet another competitor in the hardcore division, easily turning back Val Venis. This was practically another squash match with Taker retaining the title quite comfortably. In the end Taker hit the Last Ride for the victory. After the match he decided that wasn’t enough, and returned to the ring to nail Venis with the Tombstone.

Rating: *

Jericho Wants Austin Stripped Of His Title Shot

The undisputed champion approached Vince McMahon in the back.

Jericho: “Vince, did you see Austin hit me with the Stunner last Monday night? I’m the undisputed champion damnit! I’m a larger than life, living legend! Nobody can lay a hand on me! That was an unprovoked attack! And now that son of a bitch has a title shot at the Royal Rumble? That certainly isn’t the way a champion should behave. I’m demanding that Austin is stripped of his title shot, immediately!”

Vince agreed with Jericho and said that he’d see what he could do, before Ric Flair appeared out of nowhere. Flair said that the match had already been made and Jericho WOULD defend the undisputed title against Austin at the Royal Rumble. Flair then said that as for tonight, Jericho had to step into the ring with Kane! Jericho argued that Flair couldn’t make that match happen tonight, as both he and Vince had to agree on it. However, Flair said that the match had already been made and gone through the board and therefore it was official! Jericho left unhappy as Vince and Flair stared each other down in an intense standoff.

Rating: 91

The Champs Want Some Wood!

The Dudley Boyz came down to the ring with Stacey Keibler and made an open challenge to any tag team in the WWF, as a warm up for their title defence at the Royal Rumble. However, the challenge wasn’t for any normal match, but for a tables match! After a brief wait, Scotty 2 Hotty and Albert came out onto the ramp dancing, ready to take on the Dudleyz at their own game!

Rating: 74

The Dudley Boyz d, Scotty 2 Hotty & Albert in a tables match

The dancing duo brought plenty of enthusiasm to the ring, but it didn’t amount to much more. The two showed some brief flashes of good teamwork, but the experienced Dudleyz were quick to regain the upper hand. The match came to an end after the tag champions put Scotty through a table with the 3D.

Rating: ½*

Not Your Average Tag Team

The Rock was seen in the back, warming up for his upcoming tag match against Booker T and Kurt Angle, when The Hurricane appeared out of nowhere and asked if Rock was ready to take care of the “evil doers.” The Rock starred at Hurricane, who was in a Hurri-pose before shaking his head and walking off.

Rating: 85

The Rock & The Hurricane d. Booker T & Kurt Angle

Rock and Hurricane were looking in trouble early on, with Angle and Booker working well together. However, as the match wore on, arguments began brewing between the Olympic champion and the former WCW champion. Once Angle and Booker’s communication went downhill, the Rock and Hurricane hit a flurry of big moves. The finish came when Booker accidentally nailed Angle with strong side kick, leading to The Rock hitting the Rock Bottom for the victory. After the match Booker and Angle started arguing, which eventually lead to a shoving contest. Before things nearly erupted into a brawl, Booker left to the back in an angry state.

Rating: ***¾

Can The Whole Damn Show Take The Gold?

We crossed to the back where Jonathon Coachman was standing by with Rob Van Dam. Coach asked about RVD’s thoughts heading into his IC title match with Edge later on this evening.

RVD: “Ya’know something Coach, Edge has been a great Intercontinental champion, and hey, he’s one hell of a wrestler. But at the end of the day, he’s no *does the thumbs* Rob–Van–Dam! I’m the whole damn show. And tonight, I’m gonna walk out with that Intercontinental title right around my waist!”

RVD walked out of the shot, looking rather calm and collected as always heading into his IC title bout with Edge later on in the show.

Rating: 81

Kane d. Chris Jericho

Kane looked strong in this bout, but it never looked like he was going to walk away with the win. Every time Kane managed to take the upper hand, Jericho had an underhanded tactic to regain the advantage. Late in the match after the ref had been knocked down Jericho went to make use of one of his undisputed title belts. However, Steve Austin ran down to the ring and hit Jericho with the Stunner! As the ref came to, Kane made the cover and scored the upset over the champion! After the match Jericho was in an enraged state, taking his frustrations out by repeatedly hitting the steel steps with a chair.

Rating: ***

The WWF Isn’t Big Enough For The Two

We crossed to the office of Mr. McMahon where he had some comments for Ric Flair. Vince said that the WWF wasn’t big enough for the two of them and one way or another, Flair will be forced out of the federation for good. Vince demanded that Flair resign from his position as co-owner before next week's SmackDown! otherwise he’d have to put a “special plan” into action. Vince said that Flair can do things the easy way or the hard way .. but either way, Vince would take back his WWF!

Rating: 100

Rob Van Dam d. Edge to win the Intercontinental title

The main event was an above average match between two great competitors who had a high level of respect for one another. This was a back and forth bout, with neither man able to cement an advantage for a significant amount of time. There was a mix of brawling, high flying and mat based wrestling. Late in the match Edge looked for the Spear but RVD dodged it and his own momentum carried him into the turnbuckle. RVD then levelled a spin kick, before going up top and hitting the 5 Star Frog Splash for the victory and the Intercontinental championship! After the match Edge offered a handshake which RVD accepted, and the show went off the air with the new IC champion celebrating with the fans.

Rating: ***½

Overall Rating: 82 (-1)

TV Rating: 5.60 (+.06)

Edited April 17, 2006 by HYA

[SRN]

Good SmackDown! overall. You're good at making the build-up for the Austin vs. Jericho match, and I think you ''play'' the Austin character very well.

But still, i'm not into the 'Taker = Hardcore Title. But it's you're choice.

Vince / Fliar segment good, but IMO i think that the RVD interview was a little, what should I call it, short. I'd guess he had more to say, but still it did the job.

Good matches, realistic ending with the Table Tag Team bout.

Good overall show. Keep up this great piece of work.

[Guest HYA]

Good SmackDown! overall. You're good at making the build-up for the Austin vs. Jericho match, and I think you ''play'' the Austin character very well.

But still, i'm not into the 'Taker = Hardcore Title. But it's you're choice.

Vince / Fliar segment good, but IMO i think that the RVD interview was a little, what should I call it, short. I'd guess he had more to say, but still it did the job.

Good matches, realistic ending with the Table Tag Team bout.

Good overall show. Keep up this great piece of work. smile.gif

[Visionary]

As i read, Is Taker defending the belt on every SD? Oh well another squash, i guess you have nothing for him yet. More tension between McMahon plus a Y2J Kane match, good stuff. Fair enough i guess but will we hear from the challengers? I think The Rock and Hurricane had more potential that what you gave it but i guess Rock is in a pissed off mood so fair enough. Ah a Booker Angle feud could be good but i think Angle should become the face in some way shape or form for it. Good hype for the IC match. Doesn't this put Kane in contention for the title? Interesting. Like the booking so far. Special plan? Sounds good. Coll match but i think it could of swapped places with Kane Vs Jericho on the card or even Rock/Hurricane Vs Angle/Booker but overall a good show.

Good show with some good booking. A B+ from me and no major complaints.

[Guest HYA]

Scheduled for Monday Night RAW 01/14/02:

• Kane & Big Show take on Christian & Lance Storm to determine who will face the Dudleyz for the Tag Team titles at the Royal Rumble
• The Undertaker defends the Hardcore title against Matt Hardy
• The new IC champion Rob Van Dam will compete in non-title action against an old ECW rival in Perry Saturn
• What will undisputed champion Chris Jericho have to say after Steve Austin cost him a win against Kane last Thursday night?
• The alliance between Kurt Angle and Booker T seems to have come to an abrupt end after last week’s SmackDown! Will the two cross paths on Raw?
• And will Ric Flair do things “the easy way” and resign as co-owner of the WWF?

[KJE]

-Hopefully Undertaker moves onto something else soon, as these random matches are just … random.

-I love Jericho.

-The tag match was kind of the same as Undertaker’s matches.

-Heh, this Hurricane/Rock team should be great. Reminds me of the Rock n’ Sock.

-I’d love to have Kane win cleanly, because I mark for him, but Jericho really couldn’t suffer the loss, so this match served its purpose.

-Hmmm, hopefully this match leads to an RVD push. And an Edge push, for that matter.

[Guest HYA]

RAW

Monday, January 14th, 2002

Tonight’s Main Event Is Set!

Kurt Angle made his way down to the ring to kick off the show, discussing his short lived alliance with Booker T. Angle said that he initially thought that Booker could be of help to him, but on SmackDown! he learnt that Booker was nowhere near his league. Angle continued to talk trash about the former WCW champion before being interrupted by Booker.

Booker: “Tell me you did NOT just say that! Angle, yo’ass needs to listen up real good right now sucka, NOONE talks about Booker T like that! But hell, if you got a problem, why don’t we settle it in the ring, right here tonight in front of all these pieces of trash in Dallas!”

Angle was quick to accept the challenge, before the music of the Nature Boy Ric Flair hit! Flair came out and appointed a special guest referee to the match between Angle and Booker T later on tonight – someone both men knew very well – The Rock! Both Booker and Angle visibly weren’t happy with the announcement.

Rating: 92

Kane & Big Show d. Christian & Lance Storm

Much was on the line in this match, with the winners getting a title shot against the Dudleyz at the Royal Rumble. While Christian and Storm displayed some great teamwork at times, the power and strength of Kane and Big Show proved to be too much for them to handle. In the end, the finish came when Kane hit Storm with the Chokeslam for the victory.

Rating: ***½

The Champ Is Here!

Chris Jericho arrived at the arena looking in a rather good mood before being approached by Kevin Kelly. Kelly asked why Jericho seemed so cheerful, considering what happened on SmackDown! and the fact that his title defence against Austin was only weeks away.

Jericho: “Why the hell shouldn’t I be cheerful jerky? I’m the undisputed champion. I’m an international superstar! And I assure you, these title belts are going absolutely nowhere! Heh, and as far as Steve Austin goes .. let’s just say that I’ve got something special in store for him tonight.”

Jericho walked off with a smirk on his face, as JR and Jerry Lawler pondered what he could possibly have in store for the “Texas Rattlesnake” this evening.

Rating: 94

Rob Van Dam d. Perry Saturn

The new IC champ was on a roll coming in to this match after taking the belt from Edge on SmackDown! RVD made quick work of an old ECW rival in Perry Saturn. Late in the match Saturn looked for a Death Valley Driver, but RVD managed to get out of it and nailed Saturn with a spinning back kick. RVD then went up top and hit the 5 Star Frog Splash for the win.

Rating: **¾

The Rematch Is Set!

RVD celebrated his win over Saturn before the music of Edge hit! Edge came out to the top of the stage and said that they had one hell of a match on SmackDown! and RVD proved he was the better man on the night. Edge then issued a challenge for a rematch in three days time on SmackDown! to which RVD quickly accepted!

Rating: 75

William Regal d. The Hurricane

The fans were right behind the Hurricane in this one, but that wouldn’t be enough to get him over the line against his British opponent. With the referee distracted, Regal made use of his trusted pair of brass knucks. After a solid shot to the head, Regal made the cover and got the win over the resident superhero of the WWF.

Rating: **¼

What’s The Plan?

In the backstage area Jonathon Coachman approached Vince McMahon, trying to find out more about his supposed “special plan” to rid the WWF of Ric Flair.

McMahon: “Well Coach, I hope it doesn’t come to that. If Flair is smart, he’ll take the easy option and simply step down as the co-owner of the WWF. However, if he chooses not to .. then .. well .. you’ll see ..”

Vince continued on his way, leaving JR and King to discuss McMahon’s comments.

Rating: 97

The Undertaker d. Matt Hardy to retain the Hardcore title

The Undertaker made his fourth successful title defence in as many shows, easily turning back Matt Hardy in a quick bout. There were a few brief instances were Hardy looked impressive, hitting some big aerial moves. However, Taker was quick to regain the upper hand and eventually ended the bout with a Tombstone onto a stop sign. He then came back after the match and nailed another Tombstone, just for the hell of it. The Undertaker is a very angry man as of late.

Rating: *¼

Kurt Angle d. Booker T with The Rock as special guest referee

The main event saw a great contest between Booker T and Kurt Angle. The Rock called it right down the middle and refused to take any attitude from either Angle or Booker T. In the end, Angle picked up the win after making Booker tap out to the Ankle Lock. After the bout, Booker got in the face of the Rock, trying to say that he didn’t tap .. which lead to a Rock Bottom! The Rock then levelled Angle with a second Rock Bottom for good measure, before celebrating with the fans in Dallas.

Rating: ***¼

Jericho Can’t Wait For The Rumble?!

Chris Jericho made his way down to the ring and said that he didn’t want to wait until the Royal Rumble to kick Stone Cold Steve Austin’s ass, he wanted to do it RIGHT NOW! The glass shattered and Austin was quick to appear at the top of the ramp. Austin stomped down to the ring and began brawling with Jericho, when all of a sudden Christian and Lance Storm ran in and began beating down Austin! The trio beat Austin down with Jericho leading the shots. However, after a few minutes Austin began to fight all three off, before all of a sudden, Test came sprinting down the ramp! Test nailed Austin with a Big Boot, and the four began a vicious assault on Stone Cold. Christian and Storm lined Austin up, before nailing a sickening Conchairto! Along with Test, they then held Austin up, as Jericho took him out with a belt shot to the skull! The trio held Austin down as Jericho talked trash to his Royal Rumble opponent and slapped him several times, before applying the Walls of Jericho. After the beat down, Jericho got on the mike and introduced “the greatest team ever assembled in the history of the WWF – The Canadian Alliance!” The show went off the air with Jericho, Christian, Storm and Test celebrating over the fallen and bloodied Steve Austin!

Rating: 89

Overall Rating: 82 (=)

TV Rating: 6.82 (- 0.01)

[Guest HYA]

Scheduled for SmackDown! 01/17/02:

• Last week on SmackDown! RVD defeated Edge to become the Intercontinental champion. This week we see the rematch, with the title on the line!

• Monday night saw the formation of the Chris Jericho’s Canadian Alliance, unleashing a vicious gang assault on Steve Austin! The Rattlesnake will be looking for some revenge when he teams up with The Rock to take on Chris Jericho and Test in tag team action on SmackDown!

• Will Ric Flair step down as co-owner of the WWF? If he doesn’t, Vince McMahon has guaranteed that a “special plan” will be put into place. What could it be?

• Christian will face Al Snow in a warm-up match for his European title defence at the Royal Rumble

• Kane & Big Show will face The Dudleyz at Royal Rumble, but on SmackDown! they go up against Billy & Chuck!

Edited April 19, 2006 by HYA

[KJE]

-I’m hoping Big Show and Kane do not team for too long. I’d rather see the Brothers of Destruction come back.

-I’m actually upset that Edge versus Rob Van Dam is on Smackdown and not the Royal Rumble.

-As I have said before, hopefully these Undertaker bouts eventually lead to something.

-Well, I absolutely LOVE Canada.

This was a solid show, Smackdown should be that much better.

[SRN]

Good RAW thoguh with some minor ''bad'' things.

First of all, I did'nt like the McMahon interview, it was just ... too short.

And still there is the Undertaker Hardcorething, which I think i've made a good point that I don't like, but i'm looking forward too seeing him in this upcoming major angle.

More good build-up for RR, esepcially with that Candian Alliance-thing. Though, I can't wait for Steve Austin too form the Texas Alliance. (Y)

Kurt Angle / Booker T feud is bound too be interesting, especially if the Rock is also in between.

Now again, good show and can't wait for SmackDown!.

[Visionary]

As i read, Very interesting angle to start and this three way feud is the best thing around at the moment in my eyes. Kane and Show should win but i'd prefere to see then in singles. Interesting i wonder what Jericho has? Good hype there that has me interesting in the later show. RVD gets the academic win and a rematch? I can smell a Edge heel turn to win the belt back perhaps? Should be interesting to see where you're going here? Regal beats Hurricane i a filler, i think you need a few more feuds to give the superstars in the midcard something to do. Hmm i wonder what McMahon has in store and i sure Flair won't step down. I see what you're doing with Taker but i'm not sure where its going? Interesting and good stuff by The Rock but i hope the feud doesn't end here. I dunno about the Candian Alliance i guess it could be ok but i'd prefer Jericho on his own than in a stable but we'll see where it goes.

Overall a good show, B from me.