Courtesy of
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Cage's Blog of StuffThis is my recap and review of SummerSlam 2002, which was headlined by a double main event of Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H and Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock.
Kurt Angle def. Rey Mysterio via Submission (9:20): This match was a great way to kick off the event. Mysterio's WWE PPV debut taking on quite possibly the greatest technical wrestler to ever grace a WWE ring. Neither man carried the other. Angle took flight a few times, but kept a nice mat strategy. Mysterio took flight throughout the match, including a hurricanrana which was reversed by Angle in mid air, and Angle got the ankle lock. One of my favorite spots in the match was when Angle was outside of the ring, and the referee was in the middle of the ropes trying to get Angle back in the ring. Mysterio dove over the ref, and over the top rope hitting Angle with a plancha. Probably the highest high spot of the match. The ending was fantastic as well, with Angle locking Mysterio in the ankle lock after a reversed West Coast Pop. Mysterio gave it his all, but eventually tapped out and we've got our winner. It should have gotten more time, but for a 10 minute match, they packed all the action that they could and damn sure delivered. ****3/4
Ric Flair def. Chris Jericho via Submission (10:30): I loved this match, and always thought it should have happened in WCW. Jericho was massively over then, as was Flair. It happened at SummerSlam finally, and I thought that Jericho should have won this match, but it wasn't meant to be. However, it didn't stop me from enjoying it. All the normal Flair spots, and Jericho and his great heel tactics. The match should have been given more time as two great performers could have told a much better story, but meh. What brought down the match for me was that Jericho had Flair in the Figure Four, but Flair grabbed the ropes and then tapped out. It was my pick for 'WTF' moment of the match. Jericho thought he won, but got pushed into the ref, Flair got the low blow and then locked in the Figure Four for the win. Decent match. ***
Edge def. Eddie Guerrero via Pinfall (11:54): This match was pretty good. I may not care for Edge nowadays, but he DOES put forth the effort in the ring, as was proved by this match. Of course Eddie didn't disappoint. There weren't really spots in this match that made the match stand out, however it was very fast paced but for some reason this is the one match that didn't keep my eye focused. Don't know why, but of the entire Edge/Eddie serious which followed, this was the one that didn't do it for me. Edge ended up winning, but at the end of the match, I was just happy that is was over. Go figure. **1/4
- WWE World Tag Team Championship
Christian & Lance Storm © def. Booker T & Goldust via Pinfall (9:37): I enjoyed this match, and it picked me up after the Edge/Eddie match. Storm and Christian, while stuck with a lameass gimmick always put forth the goods in the ring. Booker and Goldust were SO over at this time, that it was amazing that they didn't put the titles on them, but I can understand that they wanted the UnAmericans to look like strong champions. The crowd was really into this match, as was I. Test ended up coming in and getting the Big Boot on Booker, allowing Christian to pick up the win. Kinda disappointing seeing as Booker and Goldust were so over going into it, but the match was pretty good. ***1/4
- WWE Intercontinental Championship
Rob Van Dam def. Chris Benoit© via Pinfall (16:30): Wow. Just wow. If HBK/HHH wasn't on the card, this would have my vote as match of the night. It was so technically sound. RVD was at his best, as was Benoit. RVD took a major beating. He had to have taken a beating as this is like the only match where his lame little ponytail came undone. I liked a part of this match when Benoit hit RVD with 5 Northern Light Suplexes in a row, but had RVD's arm wrenched the entire time. The focus of the match was RVD's arm, and boy did it take a pounding. RVD had missed a Five Star earlier in the match, but got his second attempt and got the win taking the IC Title to Raw. Great match. ****3/4
The Undertaker def. Test via Pinfall (8:18): Decent. That's all I can say. Undertaker representing America is kinda lame, but whatever. Christian and Storm ran in and got boots and chokeslams for their troubles. Test held up well and didn't look out of place, and Undertaker was decent as well. Tombstone, surprisingly, got the win. If anyone saw Test going over Taker though, they were on drugs. Taker got the win and celebrated with the American Flag post match. Meh. **
- Non Sanctioned Street Fight
Shawn Michaels def. Triple H via Pinfall (27:19): If there was ever any doubt about this one, Shawn Michaels got the victory. A good match, pretty bloody and lots of high spots. This match made the night and made me happy to be a wrestling fan. JR and King were at their best for this match. HBK's back took a beating, considering he broke his back (4 years ago mind you), and HHH was like an unrelentless asshole. I loved when Hebner went crazy on HHH showing compassion for HBK screaming at him to "Knock it off!". HHH did everything he could to HBK's back. He even hit a backbreaker through a steel chair. HBK didn't give up. HBK even superkicked a chair into Trips' face. I had some doubts at this part as to whether HBK was gonna win or put HHH over, but when he nipped up and got that rush of adrenaline, I knew he had this one. Everything came in to play during this match. I'm surprised they didn't use the kitchen sink. Even a ladder came into play, and HBK got a HUGE elbow drop off the top of it, and boy did I mark out. Tables came into play, and HBK hit a huge splash off the top rope to the outside, through the tables and on to HHH. At the end, HHH went for a Pedigree, but HBK reversed it into a roll up and got the win. Afterwards, HHH hit him in the back with the sledge and left to one of my favorite JR comments: "Do you have no heart, do you have no conscience, do you have no soul?! You son of a bitch, do you realize what you've just done?". Greatness. I loved it. Best match of the year. *****
- Undisputed Championship
Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman def. The Rock© via Pinfall (15:59): This was decent. The hype for the match wasn't really needed. They said this was the most anticipated match in SummerSlam history? I'd say that Angle/Austin had more heat going into it than this match. Taker/Austin back in 98 had more heat going into it. Whatever. Not a bad match, but not great by any means. It was very fast paced and intense, and both men did their best to entertain. At this point, I was fed up with both men. I hated Rock due to his title win the previous month. His match with Taker and Angle at Vengeance in July was kick ass, and I wanted Angle/Lesnar, and then Rock could have had Taker or something. Heyman got involved, but got a Rock Bottom through the announcers table for his troubles. The crowd once again turned on The Rock during this match, and I loved it, but I still hated Lesnar. Lesnar got the F5 and a picture perfect F5 at that and got the win and then began screaming at the belt as the show went off the air. ***3/4
Overall, this PPV was in my eyes, the best of 2002 and the wrestling was at it's best. Probably the best PPV WWE put on up until WrestleMania XIX. In my eyes, this is one of the best PPV's WWE has EVER put on and one of the best ever, period. I can watch this repeatedly and not get tired and it's a must see for any wrestling fan. It's got the total package. Technical wrestling, brawling, action, crowd reactions, high spots and everything.
Overall: ****3/4 = MUST SEE!!