WWE Summerslam 2002 Review
I’m excited for this one - Summerslam 2002, many call it the greatest Summerslam of all time and today, I’m going to see if that’s true or not so here we go, Summerslam 2002.
Kurt Angle Vs. Rey Mysterio
As soon as I saw Kurt Angle come out, I knew he would be taking on Eddie Guerrero or Rey Mysterio and it’s Rey Mysterio. Tazz & Michael Cole are on commentary and they’ll be providing commentary for the Smackdown matches while Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross do commentary for the RAW matches. Mysterio appears behind Angle and the match kicks off at a fast pace! This was a fantastic opening match as expected between these two. Angle was working on the legs and ankles of Rey Mysterio for the majority of the match and I enjoyed seeing that throughout the match. Rey Mysterio wanted to dive over the ropes into Angle but the referee stops him. However, the referee turns to Angle on the outside and Mysterio dives into him. Kurt Angle kicking out of the 619 followed by the splash came as a shock as I thought it was done. After countering a hurricarana, Kurt Angle locks in an ankle lock and Mysterio has no choice but to tap.
Thoughts: To be honest, this was a fantastic opening match! Mysterio looked great and despite not winning, this set him up to become a big name. Angle, the established name should’ve won and I’m glad he did.
We see Stephanie McMahon enter her office and Eric Bischoff is there. They agree to share the office for the night.
Thoughts: To be honest, this was a fantastic opening match! Mysterio looked great and despite not winning, this set him up to become a big name. Angle, the established name should’ve won and I’m glad he did.
We see Stephanie McMahon enter her office and Eric Bischoff is there. They agree to share the office for the night.
Ric Flair Vs. Chris Jericho
Fun fact: This is Ric Flair’s first Summerslam. This was actually quite a good match which surprised me as Ric Flair was over 50 at the time of this match - 52 to be exact. We saw Flair go for the walls of Jericho and we saw Jericho go for the figure four but Flair reaches the ropes however does tap out which confused Jericho. Flair low-blows Jericho which the referee didn’t see and the nature boy that won with the figure four leg lock.
Thoughts: This was okay. I wasn’t entirely against the match as it was quite good but it was what it was.
We see Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman talk backstage and Heyman was basically charging Lesnar up.
Thoughts: This was okay. I wasn’t entirely against the match as it was quite good but it was what it was.
We see Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman talk backstage and Heyman was basically charging Lesnar up.
Eddie Guerrero Vs. Edge
I wish I didn’t have to say this was great as you’d expect but this was great as you’d expect. These two men put on a fantastic match. Guerrero spent a good part of the match going after Edge’s shoulder that Michael Cole states he injured in a steel cage match prior to Summerslam. This was a gruelling match but after Edge countered the frog splash and hit him with the edgucution - the match was nearly over. Eddie Guerrero hit a frog splash on the injured shoulder of Edge which was brilliant. A spear out of nowhere got Edge the win.
Thoughts: This was a great match, didn’t see the spear coming and neither did Eddie Guerrero. These two men put on a great match and continued the fantastic Smackdown portion of this show.
Thoughts: This was a great match, didn’t see the spear coming and neither did Eddie Guerrero. These two men put on a great match and continued the fantastic Smackdown portion of this show.
Christian & Lance Storm (C) Vs. Booker T & Goldust (WWE Tag Team Championships)
Christian and Lance Storm or The Unamericans as they call themselves will defend their tag team titles against the pairing of Booker T & Goldust. The pairing of Booker T & Goldust strangely works well which is a surprise as their personalities are completely different. Booker T gets tagged in but the referee didn’t see it so in his books, Goldust is the still the legal man against Lance Storm. After Christian and Lance Storm miss chair shorts to Goldust, Booker T becomes legal. The spinarooni followed by a spinny kick is enough for the 3 count for Booker T and Goldust to win the titles...but the referee is down. After a big boot from Test who came sprinting down from the tramp to Booker T, Christian gets the pin and retains the tag team titles.
Thoughts: This felt like it went on for too long but I was still a fan of the match at some points.
Thoughts: This felt like it went on for too long but I was still a fan of the match at some points.
Chris Benoit (C) Vs. Rob Van Dam (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
I was really curious to see why the WWE Network lists this as “Rob Van Dam in an Intercontinental title match” but he’s taking on Benoit and we know how WWE feels about talking about him. This was a brilliant match between the two, Rob Van Dam is one of my favourite wrestlers, if not, my favourite. These two put on a near twenty minute match and it didn’t feel that long. The wrestlers pulled out all stops to win the match but it was Rob Van Dam who won the match with the five star frog splash and picked up the Intercontinental Championship in the process.
Thoughts: RAW’s Rob Van Dam won the title from Smackdown’s Chris Benoit. This was a brilliant match from both men.
We see Eric Bischoff say that Stephanie can now see the Intercontinental title on RAW but Stephanie just starts laughing.
Thoughts: RAW’s Rob Van Dam won the title from Smackdown’s Chris Benoit. This was a brilliant match from both men.
We see Eric Bischoff say that Stephanie can now see the Intercontinental title on RAW but Stephanie just starts laughing.
The Undertaker Vs. Test
This was a fine match. The commentary team kept prompting Test and how he was going to be a future world champion. The Undertaker done his usual moves throughout the match. The Unamericans tried to get involved but The Undertaker took them out. Test tried to get a chair involved but The Undertaker boots it into Test’s face and The Undertaker wins with a tombstone piledriver. The Undertaker gets an American flag and starts celebrating with it.
Thoughts: This was fine. This was something for America which isn’t the worst thing in the world. This match was fine.
Thoughts: This was fine. This was something for America which isn’t the worst thing in the world. This match was fine.
Triple H Vs. Shawn Michaels (Non-Sanctioned)
The promo before the match was excellent, it’s such a great story! Shawn Michaels goes straight after Triple H right as soon as Triple H enters the ring. It’s hard to think that this is Shawn Michael’s first match in over 4 years considering how well he’s moving about and doing in the ring. He takes out a trash can and trash lid. Triple H throws Michaels into the barricade and HHH enters the ring. He tries to pull Michaels into the ring but Michaels smashes him with the lid. The trash can has a Triple H sized dent thanks to Michaels smashing it over Triple H’s head. Michaels hits the elbow drop and goes for a sweet chin music but Triple H counters. I wonder how hard it is to hit a sweet chin music while wearing skinny jeans. Triple H keeps giving Michaels the sidewalk slam into his knee which isn’t good for the back of Shawn Michaels. Triple H continues to just go after the back of the Heart Break Kid. Triple H just shows how ruthless he is by DDTing Michaels into a steel cage which bursts Michaels open for a two count. He takes Michaels’ belt off of him and assaults him with it. He wraps it round his hand and punches Michaels with it. Triple H just tears into Michaels to the dismay of refereee, Earl Hebner who tries to break it up. HHH pushes Hebner who pushes Triple H right back and starts shouting at him. This match is one of the most brutal matches in the history of the WWE as there’s just so many stuff involved. Chairs, ladders, sledgehammers, blood - the list goes on. Triple H eventually gets busted open as well and both men give it everything they’ve got. Michaels starts getting an energy boost after delivering an elbow drop from the ladder. He tunes up the band but Triple H catches the sweet chin music and goes for a pedigree but Michaels rolls him up for the win. After the match, Triple H clobbers Shawn with a sledgehammer to the back. This takes Shawn down and Triple H leaves proudly of what he done. He smiles as he walks away while Michaels is helped onto a stretcher.
Thoughts: What. A. Match. This was incredibly brutal! Shawn Michaels wins his first match back in over 4 years and it’s a fantastic storyline. Brilliant match!
Howard Finkel talks for a little bit about how this is his first PPV in this venue since Wrestlemania 2. Trish Stratus comes out and says she finds his voice attractive. Howard says she has the puppies while he has the wiener and this is so weird. They hug and she says that Lillian Garcia is behind him. Garcia slaps her and kicks him.
Thoughts: What. A. Match. This was incredibly brutal! Shawn Michaels wins his first match back in over 4 years and it’s a fantastic storyline. Brilliant match!
Howard Finkel talks for a little bit about how this is his first PPV in this venue since Wrestlemania 2. Trish Stratus comes out and says she finds his voice attractive. Howard says she has the puppies while he has the wiener and this is so weird. They hug and she says that Lillian Garcia is behind him. Garcia slaps her and kicks him.
The Rock (C) Vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE Undisputed Championship)
It’s time for The Rock Vs. The Brock, The Brock Vs. The Rock! I’d really like to see this match nowadays and at a point I thought we were going to see it. Lesnar arrives first followed by The Rock who sprints down to the ring and they brawl. Lesnar gets the upper hand with a belly to belly suplex. The two brawl in the crowd and Lesnar just wrecks The Rock. As soon as The Rock got a little bit of momentum, Paul Heyman put a stop to it. Both men are down but the referee gets to the count of 5 and they kip back up. That was cool. The Rock starts to get a bit of steam so of course Paul Heyman has to end it. The Rock finally gets Lesnar in the sharpshooter and Brock is in great pain. Rock reverses Lesnar’s F5 but it didn’t last long as Lesnar eventually did hit him with an F5 to become new WWE Undisputed Champion.
Thoughts: This was a great match, this helped Lesnar become the monster that he is today.
Overall Thoughts: This was a brilliant Summerslam event! This has to be one of the best Summerslams I’ve watched so far however I do have 2 more to go (2006 & 2013). I remember 2013 being a good one but I can’t quite remember it being better than the 2002 event. This has to be one of the best Summerslams of all time and that’s why I’m giving it a 9.
Rating: 9
Thoughts: This was a great match, this helped Lesnar become the monster that he is today.
Overall Thoughts: This was a brilliant Summerslam event! This has to be one of the best Summerslams I’ve watched so far however I do have 2 more to go (2006 & 2013). I remember 2013 being a good one but I can’t quite remember it being better than the 2002 event. This has to be one of the best Summerslams of all time and that’s why I’m giving it a 9.
Rating: 9
