Summerslam 2002
August 25, 2002
Uniondale, NY
Reviewed on April 18, 2014

Background: 2002 was all about change in WWE. After purchasing WCW in 2001 Vince had a virtual monopoly in the wrestling business. This led to some guys not getting pushed as there just weren’t enough spots. Even with the Brand Extension there was just not enough room at the top. Guys like Chris Benoit, Booker T and RVD…and to an extent Jericho still had to wait for their chance.

There are three reasons why spots weren’t available, but one of those reasons was in the process of solving itself. This reason was top guys weren’t going anywhere. Triple H and Undertaker were going to be top guys however you looked at it. This was solving itself though, as The Rock had become a part timer and Stone Cold walked out after Vince tried to shunt him down the card a bit.

The other two reasons are on full display on this PPV. The first is older stars coming back. Hulk Hogan grabbed a main event spot for a few months before this PPV. Here, Shawn Michaels was coming back. That’s another top spot gone (not saying the HBK return was bad, because it wasn’t). The other is Vince still went with his development territory. I’m sure tons of guys were downright shocked when Vince megapushed Brock Lesnar, heck some theorized that’s why Hardcore Holly was stiff with him (and Brock broke his neck). It’s interesting to point out though that Vince was on the money with both of these (even if Brock left two months later).

But change is the theme. If you told me at Summerslam 2001 that Brock Lesnar and Shawn Michaels were going to be in the top two main events at Summerslam 2002…I would have asked who Lesnar was and reminded you that Shawn’s career was over.

Summerslam 2002 is also a great example of just how much talent Vince McMahon actually had of his disposal here. WCW guys, ECW guys, legends, rookies with huge potential, top WWF Attitude guys, it’s all here.

The Card

It is worth mentioning that the theme for Summerslam, Fight, is pretty awesome.

Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio

Story: I don’t quite remember it, but I recall Rey getting a couple of pins on Angle in tags, and Angle being angry about it.

The circumstances of this match are far more interesting anyway. Mysterio had just debuted in WWE about six weeks ago. It was cool that instead of just putting him in the Cruiserweight Division, they gave Rey a top tier storyline right off the bat…which led to the incredible Tag Title matches later in the year with The Guerreros, Edge, Angle and Benoit.

Rey attacks Angle with a springboard headscissors from behind as his music still plays!

Fun opening sequence with leads to Angle almost getting the Ankle Lock.

Mysterio goes for his bodyscissor bulldog, but Angle turns it into a German!

There’s a good story here as Rey had been doing a lot of high flying stuff that we may be accustomed to now as we’ve seen 12 years of WWE Mysterio matches…but at the time was absolutely awesome. But Angle had scouted many of them and comes up with great counters for a lot of it. It was like this way Rey’s first chance with the big leagues, if that makes sense.

Awesome spot where Rey was gonna fly over the top but the ref stopped him…then Rey just jumped over the ref instead! Great stuff.

Rey flips off the top to counter Angle, then hits a springboard dropkick!

Kurt Angle makes Rey Mysterio submit in 9:20. Top rope hurricanrana, but Angle counters by landing on his feet…then getting the Ankle Lock for the win! Incredible opener. Like I said earlier it loses a little luster as we’ve seen these Rey Mysterio matches for years now, but at the time it was something new in a WWE ring. It’s one thing to have that match with Juventud Guerrera. It’s another to have it with a main event guy like Angle. This match is also an example of putting a guy over even as that guy loses. Rey looked great here.

Looks like Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon have to share the General Manager’s office. What an early waste of Eric Bischoff this was.

Chris Jericho vs. Ric Flair

Story: Flair attacked Jericho during a Fozzy performance. They went at it for weeks, and Flair ended up destroying the set in a Fozzy performance.

Flair does not make his flip here.

Pretty much all Jericho early on.

Pretty stupid idea where Jericho had Flair in the Figure Four, but Flair grabbed the ropes and tapped out at the same time. Kinda confusing.

Ric Flair makes Chris Jericho submit in 10:22. Flair gets the Figure Four and someone actually taps out! Match was pretty disappointing considering who was involved. Just a lot of punching and chops. This was during Flair’s no confidence in himself part of his career. Flair going over also seemed odd, but according to Jericho he thought it was a great way to re-establish Flair.

Heyman pep talks Lesnar. THE ROCK IS THE UNDERDOG!

Eddie Guerrero vs. Edge

I believe this rivalry spawned from when Rock and Edge fought Guerrero and Benoit. They went the jealously route then, Edge looks handsome, got everything, etc. etc.

Edge hurts his shoulder on missing a spear and landing on the outside, and the psychology of the match begins.

They even tie in the whole Edge’s shoulder was injured months ago, so good storytelling here.

Eddie with a top rope leap into an arm DDT. Nice!

Eddie is twisting Edge’s arm in every way available. Good stuff.

Edge hits a flying press from the top to the outside, and Eddie takes this awesome bump where he just bounces off the barricade. Just looked cool.

Frog Splash on the arm! Nice idea!

Edge pins Eddue Guerrero in 11:47. Edge gets a Spear out of nowhere for the pin. Finish is lame as it came out of nowhere…and Edge’s arm was suddenly just fine. But the match itself was really good, with great psychology all around.

World Tag Team Championship
Lance Storm and Christian© vs. Booker T and Goldust

Un-Americans in the house!

I never liked Booker T’s delayed kneedrop.

Goldust gets thrown over the top turnbuckle onto the floor, crazy bump for Goldust.

Good heel spot where Booker gets the tag but the ref didn’t see it cause of Storm. You just don’t see that anymore.

Another good heel spot where Storm pulls Booker off the apron, and Goldust gets there and tags no one.

Un-Americans retain when Christian pins Booker T in 9:36. Storm bumps the ref, and Booker hits a double Scissors Kick. He has it won. Test comes down and hits Booker with the big boot for Christian to get the win. Decent match with some good heel stuff. Finish sets up a rematch. A little too much Goldust for my tastes, at least 2002 Goldust.

Makeout contest in WWE New York. Winner makes out with Nidia. Highlight being JR saying he entered the contest a couple of time.

Intercontinental Championship
Chris Benoit© vs. Rob Van Dam

Benoit beat RVD for the title…then jumped to Smackdown. Rematch here. Truthfully I wish there was more story here, as this was one of the few interpromotional matches at the time of the early Brand Extension. There was some part with Dawn Marie and Stacy Keibler messing up paperwork or something, but come on, one RVD attack on a Smackdown could have been cool.

Benoit is another example of someone who deserved to be in a higher spot, but there was no room at the top. Benoit just came off of a year long injury and got no hype coming back and then just got slotted in the IC level as he always did. What a shame.

This was actually kind of a dream match for me when I was kid. Even before I got all smarkish, I knew Benoit and RVD were awesome in the ring.

Benoit has dominated this match, and while it’s been a hard hitting affair it’s a bit disappointing.

I believe this is the only show ever where RVD loses his ponytail.

Benoit with one of my favorite submissions, the double self choke.

Benoit is doing some awesome technical wrestling and really working on the arm…shame that RVD hasn’t sold any arm damage.

Of course now RVD is selling the arm. At least he finally did it.

Rob Van Dam wins the IC Title when he pinned Benoit in 16:30. Five Star for the win! It’s a good match, but really disappointing when you consider these two should have been having incredible matches. RVD seemed a bit out of it. This match was supposed to lead to a Unification match vs. HHH (RVD has unified the Hardcore and European titles earlier in the year), but it didn’t end up quite going that way.

Steph with some creepy laugh to Bischoff. Crazy what a better performer she is now.

The Undertaker vs. Test

Story: Test is the muscle for the Un-Americans, Taker is the American Bad Ass. This had a Taker face turn in it, which was done out of necessity as Lesnar, HHH, Angle were all on the heel side.

Pretty boring match here.

JR saying Oh My God when Test kicked out of the chokeslam was a sign of everyone just trying too hard to get Test over.

The Undertaker pinned Test in 8:18. Storm and Christian show up, but Taker takes them out of course. Taker finishes Test with a Tombstone (what made this match special enough for that?) Taker goes all American out (continuity from Survivor Series 93?!?!). Anyway, match sucked. I feel like this was Test’s last chance to have a good match (see Billy Gunn vs. Benoit at Armageddon 2000), as his career nosedives after this. To be fair though, the booking is the kinda stuff we hate about John Cena today. Did Taker have to bury all three UnAmericans?

Weird crowd shots. I wonder what WWE was censoring there.

Un-Sanctioned Match
Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels

Storyline: HBK brought HHH to RAW. HHH and HBK were going to recreate DX…but HHH turned on HBK. Now, the standard young guy thinks he surpassed the older guy story. HHH is the ungrateful star. HHH thinks HBK used him to stay on top five years ago.

Real life story: HBK’s career ended at Wrestlemania XIV. His career was as good as over…but his life turned for the better. HBK changed from the pill popping jackass he was to a born again Christian. HBK also said in his book the more he worked out, the better his back felt. He wanted to do a Streetfight because it was easy to do, and his back wouldn’t take damage (and he was originally gonna do it vs. Vince). This was a HUGE deal. I’m actually shocked it didn’t go on last. It was also supposed to be a one time thing…but as we all know he lasted 8 more years.

I think it’s insane that HBK just went all out right away. I mean 40 seconds in and we already get an over the top rope bodypress.

HBK dominates the first few minutes. Great way to show he’s still at a main event level (kayfabe).

HHH uses the obvious psychology available: Backbreaker from the Game.

HHH continues working on the back, and HBK sells it like a million bucks.

Also worth pointing out that JR is amazing here…talking about how he wants to see HBK’s arms moving to make sure he isn’t paralyzed.

Great heel spot with HHH holding the top rope right in Earl Hebner’s face while HHH had HBK locked in the abdominal stretch. The HHH-Hebner history comes into play here too.

Brutal chair shot to the back. Just awesome psychology.

Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere…which is actually a bit disappointing as it’s the first SCM in a match in like 4 years.

HBK with the nipup and HUGE pop.

Bulldog on the steps!

We’ve got a ladder. Still crazy how HBK went all out here.

Table! HBK didn’t even use tables in his prime.

Splash from the top rope through HHH through the table! What was Shawn thinking?! (Of course, I assume he thought his back was still fucked at this point).

Shawn Michaels pins HHH in 27:20. Elbowdrop off the ladder! Time for SCM…no, blocked! But HBK counters a Pedigree into a pin, 1…2…3! Huge pop! HHH nails HBK in the back with the Sledgehammer, and HBK is carried out. Amazing match, purely five stars. Crazy how HBK just comes back and owns right away. Arn Anderson told HBK before the match, “You need to practice, it’s not like riding a bike”…and then afterwards said “I guess for you it is like riding a bike”. Match of the Year for 2002 Contender for sure.

Absolutely random Howard Finkel banter. This is the first PPV he has announced since Wrestlemania II in this arena! And baseball may be going on strike…but they will always have the Fink. Here comes Trish! Finkel compares her to other Long Island skanks. Trish apologizes for anything she’s done to the Fink…and tells Fink she loves his sexy voice! Now he points out that Trist has the puppies and Finkel has his weiner. Trish then brings out Lillian Garcia and she beats Finkel up. Random fun I guess to serve as a buffer between the two main events. Poor Fink.

WWF Undisputed Championship
The Rock© vs. Brock Lesnar

Story: Brock won this title shot after winning KOTR 2002. Rock won the title in a three way with Angle and Taker. Brock retained his title shot when he took out Hogan on Smackdown. And here we are.

Did anyone look like a superstar from the beginning more than Brock Lesnar?

You can tell they are a little short of time. I assume HHH and HBK went extra.

Lesnar gets a really quick belly to belly and a 2.

Fans are AGAINST The Rock here…they knew he was leaving for a movie.

Double nipup was cool.

Weird selling from the Dragon Screw there.

Let’s Go Lesnar chants!

Worst Sharpshooter ever.

Bearhug spot actually works…as Brock established it when he killed Hogan.

You can tell Brock still didn’t know how to sell correctly at times…he clearly oversells a punch when he flies over the top rope.

Rock drives Paul Heyman through the Announcer’s table with a Rock Bottom!

Lesnar survives a Rock Bottom!

Rock survives a…Brock Bottom?!

Brock Lesnar wins the WWE Title in 16:10. People’s Elbow…but Brock gets up before Rock finishes it and hits a huge clothesline. Finisher reversal sequences ends with a F5 and the title. Big props to the Rock here, not only did he just put over Lesnar clean, but he got a good match out of him (Lesnar was still quite raw here). This match and Lesnar’s HIAC with Taker solidified him as a top guy for good. Well done.

And well done is what you can say about this PPV. But there’s a hidden shame in here. This PPV had A+ potential. You had a match of the year candidate with HBK-HHH, a solid main with Lesnar-Rock. A great Rey-Angle match. A very good RVD-Benoit match. A very good Edge-Eddie match. Historically the show mattered two, Brock Lesnar would be an over main event staple for the next two years…and HBK of course was on the top of the card for the next 8. Rey also showed he could hang with top guys too…and that the idea of being too small didn’t really apply to him (Finlay said it in a shoot once that small guys would hurt the title…except Rey because he was THAT good).

What brings it down? While decent, it’s a shame Jericho and Flair didn’t click. Taker vs. Test was whatever and the tag title match, while solid, also seemed a little off (too much GOldust, not enough Booker T).

But I mean, there’s some great shit here. And The Fink was pretty funny!

Final Grade: A