Review: WWE Judgment Day 2002 DVD (Extremely Rare)

Brett Mix’s- WWE “Judgment Day 2002” Review:

 

“I ended Mick Foley’s career, that is what I do inside that Cell. I am going to take Chris Jericho straight to HELL.” -Triple H

 

 

 

-This is the 4th annual Judgment Day.

-This is the first PPV under the WWE name.

-This PPV is extremely rare to own and goes for A LOT OF money for that fact alone.

-Despite all that the Main Promotional Poster still had the WWF logo.

-The event took place live on PPV, Sunday Night, May the 19th 2002 at the Sold Out Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee in front of 14,521 fans.

-Both Raw and Smackdown! Brands were still allowed to compete on the same PPV in the year 2002.

-On Sunday Night Heat before the event William Regal retained his European title over D-Lo Brown at 6:22.

-This PPV marked the last time Kurt Angle had hair.

-This PPV was broadcasted by Jerry “The King” Lawler and Jim Ross.

-This was Stone Cold Steve Austin’s last PPV for nearly one year. He had several reasons for “Taking his ball and going home” as the WWE calls it so no need to get into them here. His next PPV would be in February of 2003 at No Way Out.

 

 

 

 

1) Opening Contest- Eddie Guerrero (c) vs Rob Van Dam for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Seeing Guerrero in PPV openers makes me think of Early WCW greatness which is only a good thing.

At Backlash I gave the match between these two **** 1/4.

Ratings like that don’t come very easy at all from me.

The match was not only back and forth but featured some beyond brilliant psychology by Eddie Guerrero. This was the first of four Championship matches, there was also a handicapped match with Austin vs Flair and show, a Hair vs Hair match AND A HELL IN THE CELL MATCH on this card.

RVD comes out to a great pop after Eddie Guerrero got not much of a reaction.

Rob Van Dam was the former IC Champion entering the match and this was a great rivalry at the time.

Van Dam starts the match with a shoulder block but Eddie Guerrero went for a side headlock then did a summersault over RVD but then RVD with a lateral press then a power slam but gets a near fall!

Eddie throws a tantrum on the outside of the ring while the crowd chants for RVD who is standing cool and confident inside the ring. Eddie comes back in the ring and they tie up and RVD gets cornered as King talks more about how Eddie Guerrero has the superior frog splash.

Eddie with an uppercut and a hard irish whip to Van Dam in the corner buckle. RVD then with a back flip off the top, followed by a back-bodydrop then a leg drop as he spinned in mid-air, but got a nearfall. RVD with a spinning heel kick then RVD with a back flip over RVD and hit a spinning back breaker to Eddie Guerrero but only got a nearfall.

Eddie selling the back while RVD focuses on Eddie’s back. The Champ’s back targetted by Van Dam and then he locks on Eddie’s right arm and then his left, but Eddie Guerrero fought out of the submission predicament and reached the ropes. RVD then didn’t take no for an answer as he pulled him back to mid-ring and despite Eddie Guerrero’s attempt to fight out of the upcoming submission hold RVD dropped an elbow to Eddie’s hurt back and he collapses stomach first on the canvas. The crowd laughs as Eddie’s face hillariously lands on the mat and he’s out of it.

RVD THEN with a brilliant stretch back pulling both arms further torking Eddie’s back.

Crowd explodes after 25 seconds of pain to Eddie.

Eddie Guerrero though was rather resilient and came right back with right hands on RVD in the corner and then stomped on RVD before choking him out with his boot.

Eddie choked out RVD from outside the ring as RVD’s head was hung over the ring apron and Eddie Guerrero then got back in the ring to further damage RVD. Eddie with hard right hands to RVD in the corner but at the same time sold his back a little bit from earlier in the match when Van Dam had injured it and RVD with some right hands back. However Guerrero started to slow things down picking RVD apart with right hands but then RVD did the splits after an irish whip out of desperation then landed a kick, and then he pressed Eddie Guerrero towards him and hit a monkey flip before sending him to the corner and hit a beautiful rolling thunder to build momentum but only got a two.

Rob Van Dam the challenger in control went for a vertical suplex but Eddie countered it into a roll-up, got a near fall then RVD hit a spinning heel kick. RVD from up top goes for a back flip but Eddie caught him up high and he lands in a bad way up high.

Eddie Guerrero from up top hits a standing powerbomb after lifting up RVD who as already on the top of the turnbuckle.

With RVD down in mid-ring Eddie Guerrero took advantage of the situation and went for a Frog Splash but RVD moved out of the way since Eddie Guerrero took too long as he was showing off.

RVD chants as the two exchange blows of right hands in mid-ring, RVD gets the better of it, Eddie goes down.

RVD quickly goes up for the 5 Star Frog Splash and Eddie Guerrero moves out of the way as King laughs.

Both men down and RVD is selling his ribs from landing on the mat hard after his failed frog splash, both men have now recently failed a frog splash attempt which has grounded both of them as a result. RVD though stands tall and Eddie yells at him then comes off the ropes and after a ton of ducks, RVD hits a mid-air collision with a cross body then scores a nearfall. Both men down again but Van Dam comes up first however Eddie Guerrero hits him with an uppercut with a big forearm, RVD out of no where counters it into a back slide but gets a two. Eddie then counters RVD with a back slide right after this though and gets the three!

In the end at 10:17 Guerrero pinned RVD with a backslide using the ropes for leverage to retain his IC Title.

This was another great match but had nothing on the Backlash match as far as psychology and story telling goes.

Still a fun match that was never slow, always fast with counters and reversals among near falls and high impact moves.

 

 

*** 1/2

 

 

 

2) Trish Stratus (c) (with Bubba Ray Dudley) vs Stacy Keibler (with Reverend D-Von and Deacon Batista) for the WWE Women’s Championship

The battle of the best Ass in the WWE. Holy hell it’s my all time dream match. Just put Kelly Kelly as the special ref.

I mean the battle for who is the hottest diva in the WWE…what’s the difference?

There was LEGS as well.

These two women are insanely hot but hey I’m not exactly sexist by claiming this, did you honestly expect me to talk about the technical skill there would be in this match? Did you want me to talk about the wristlocks, the chain-wrestling and the catch as catch can style here? You’re reading the wrong review.

Reverend D-Von and Batista came out after Stacy bent over and paused for a moment (thank god, though the moment wasn’t long enough as always) then Trish felt out numbered.

All of the sudden after Vince was told by D-Von Bubba would not be here Bubba Ray came out and told D-Von “Thou shall not lie!”

Stacy with a nice kick to Trish to start the match with those long legs. Yum, both ladies it some revealing outfits in this one.

Trish hit some right hands then pulled her legs diwn and slapped on a Boston Crab and Stacy was in pain. Stacy and Trish rolled back and forth for some near fall attempts then Trish hit a neck braker but only got a two.

Trish with hard forearm shots but Stacy gets knocked right to the outside of the ring and falls on the ground where Bubba laughs at her. Stacy then slaps Bubba right in the face.

However behind the ref’s back Batista comes in the ring and slams Trish and then Stacy pins her BUT THAT STILL isn’t enough to keep Trish down.

I wish I could make Trish go down.

Anyway the fans applaud Trish’s comeback attempt and then she hits one of the worst bulldogs ever probably due to Stacy’s inexperience.

Trish pinned Stacy after that Bulldog at 2:54 to retain the Women’s title.

These two ladies are waaaaaaaaay overly attractive to give a DUD to so I’ll be nice here and give it the best next thing.

Sorry Trish, you can’t carry everyone. You could carry me but that’s another story.

1/4*

 

3) Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman vs The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff)

Brock Lesnar made a big impact F-5ing both Hardyz on the top of the ramp and pretty much just destroying the hell out of them on like on Raw tapings.

He was built up as the next big thing and a former NCAA CHampion with Heyman as the Monster’s mouth piece.

Heyman and Lesnar teamed up this time to take on The Hardyz.

Lesnar was a machine and that’s basically what this is all about.

Pushing him as just that.

The bout starts when the dare devil leaps over the top and of course i’m talking about the rainbow haired warrior Jeff Hardy who flew over the top rope with a cross body but Lesnar caught him on the outside.

Lesnar showed his power in the ring as he irish whipped Jeff into the corner then rammed his shoulder into him a few times. Lesnar then with an excellent belly to belly throw.

Jeff tags in Matt but he hits a forearm to Brock so now Matt takes the fight to Brock but it wasn’t before long he caught a high knee and shoulder shots into the belly. Lesnar irishwhipped Matt then scooped him up and slammed him down to the canvas with a high impact power slam. It sounds like the fans are chanting Goldberg….strange.

Brock with a back body drop to Matt and then worked over his spine before scooping him up and hitting a back breaker. Unlike he did to Jeff at Backlash 02 when he applied those back breakers in succession without dropping him to the canvas floor, he just let Matt go and it eventually helped him as he hit a tornado DDT out of no where. Heyman looked scared. Matt tagged in Jeff then Jeff took it to Brock but Brock Irishwhipped him to the corner, Jeff jumped up high and hit a corkscrew moonsault followed by a jaw breaker.

Jeff then set up Brock for a leg drop as he tagged in Matt and they both hit double team moves to Lesnar before Matt clotheslined him over the top rope. Heyman then stood alone on the apron and Jeff chased him around the ring until Matt cornered him and gave him rights and lefts. Brock then pulled Matt out of the ring and attacked him like a vicious animal. Jeff jumped off the top but Brock caught him however Jeff landed over Brock got a near fall. Once back to his feet Brock threw Jeff to Matt as he bounced off the apron.

Brock then hit an F-5 To Jeff Hardy all alone in the ring. Heyman hatless begged to get tagged in by Brock Lesnar and he did so and then Heyman covered Jeff.

In the end Paul Heyman pinned Jeff after Brock hit Jeff with an F-5 at 4:46 for the win.

Not bad at all, Brock improved even more in just one month since we last saw him at Backlash, a lot of quality moves in just 4:46 even though it was basically more of a handicapped match they a tag team match.

 

 

**

 

 

 

4) Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Big Show and Ric Flair in a Handicap match

Okay so this was Steve Austin’s last PPV till No Way Out 2003 and he was absolutely right, the creative sucked here.

The nWo was beyond washed up and now Big Show is in the nWo and he comes out with a huge grin on his face and then comes in the ring and then the Nature Boy Ric Flair comes out and enters the ring.

Slick Ric would have Austin’s final match in 2002, in what was a *** match from memory and they couldn’t use any punches or kicks on Raw, a pure wrestling match.

Steve Austin burned out here just like he was at Backlash the month before.

Austin then came out to a good ovation and he didn’t look very impressed but does he ever?

Big Show and Flair look at Austin like they have something to prove.

Austin takes down Flair with right hands and then takes on Show with some as well. Austin irish whips Flair into the corner and hits him with a back drop then he kick at Big Show, Big Show kicks Austin and pushes him but he knocks right into Flair.

Austin then hits Big Show with a ton of right hands and finally gets him down as the crowd chants What.

Austin with a lot of momentum and Flair jumped off the top but Steve caught him then clotheslined him outside of the ring.

Austin with a figure four to Big Show, Flair game back in th ring and tried to break it up but Austin raked his face then slapped the figure four onto Flair!

Big Show broke it up then Austin left the ring and grabbed a chair.

This is pretty much like two back to back handicapped matches on ONE PPV where the sole guy is dominating. The ref took the chair from Austin but he got another one but Charles Robinson warned him not to use it. Austin sat it up then sat down on the chasir and fingered him which was humerous.

Flair standing behind Show on the top turnbuckle which was hillarious and Big Show looked pissed off.

Flair then stood ahead of Show and told Austin it was him and Steve, they’re going to go at it. Two of the greatest of all time here.

Both past there prime but still, it’s still something to see.

Austin and Flair circled around each other as the crowd chanted “WHAT!?” and then Big Show stood on the ring apron and things settled down after a quick beginning, Austin with a shoulder block then a series of right hands to the Nature Boy. Stone Cold checked his watch then grbbed a couple of Steveweisers.

Stone Cold then stared down Flair as the crowd chanted for Austin this time and Flair then got sent to the ropes and shoulder blocked Austin, but Steve retaliated with a back body drop then The Nature Boy gave Austin a thumb to the eye and then Austin battled back with a ton of chops and he just chopped the hell out of Flair like it was WCW days and the crowd WHAT’d the whole time and Flair collapsed. Flair took a back body drop again before tagging in the Giant nWo member Big Show.

Steve showed he wasn’t intimidated so he did push up’s and then Big Show over powers Austin and then shoved him in the corner. Stone Cold got up and then tied up with Big Show but Austin countered with some right blows. Flair got tagged in by Show and then he went to work on Austin and hit a low blow to Steve and he fell right down.

Flair then as the dirtiest player in the game had a chopping war with Steve, he chopped Austin went to the top but Stone Cold caught him and threw him off the top rope. Austin stomped on Flair in the corner while the crowd chanted WHAT. Flair got to Big Show some how and then he power slammed Austin and tagged back in Flair. Big Show utilized his size and then Flair the better wrestler then Show even at his age quite obviously was not better inside the ring so he let Flair wear Steve’s legs down. Big Show came in once again and twisted Steve’s knee then he dropped an elbow onto Austin further twisting his knee, Flair went for a Figure Four leg lock on Austin but he countered into a roll-up as the fans cheered but only a two count.

Steve Austin then dragged to the center of the ring and Naitch locked it in perfectly this time and Austin’s knees was in a ton of pain he had already had the decked stacked against him earlier on.

Austin went to protect himself but Big Show came up and dropped an elbow. However Steve Austin hit a spine buster and then went into another Figure Four in mid-ring but once AGAIN The Big Show broke it up once more which got kind of annoying and repetitive.

Austin hit a Lou Thesz press on The Giant then a spine buster to Flair till Big Show came in and Austin hit the stunner on the Big Show.

X-Pac came in and then kicked Big Show down when Austin ducked. Flair then got hit with the Sunnter and Austin pinned him. Stone Cold collapsed on the ramp on the way out, he was rather tired.

In the end Steve Austin pinned Flair after a Stone Cold Stunner at 15:36.

Surprisingly this had some great moments and was a lot of fun.

***

 

5) Edge vs Kurt Angle in a Hair vs Hair match

 

In a review of Backlash 2002 I gave the match between these two guys *** 1/4.

It’s a match that is frequently rated much higher due to the great pace, the awesome back and forth action with impressive spots and the like….

However as I stated in that review, it lacked serious selling, story telling, and psychology which made me deduct perhaps an entire star!

I really hoped for better story telling this time around because I know these two together have the chemistry to pull it off, and from memory I remember this match being fairly good.

So I hope it’s the improvement I’m expecting.

The loser gets his head shaved, fairly simple. Can’t remember the last time a BABYFACE Lost this kind of match so the ending was fairly predictable but still the match quality is what matters here in this match review.

By this time the two had an excellent rivalry and put on some great matches!

Front face lock applied by Kurt Angle and he corners Edge to the buckle, then flattens him straight down on the canvas floor to wear him down more.

Hilariously King says if stupidity was an Olympic Spot Edge would get a gild medal.

Kurt Angle comes off with a shoulder block then Edge came off the ropes and delivered a roll-up on Angle but got a nearfall as he looked to out wrestle Kurt. Edge then threw Angle over the top rope then delivered a backslide from inside to outside the ring to Angle under the ropes. Edge then got thrown against the security wall by Angle for revenge. Angle then worked on him back in the ring until Edge reversed an irish whip and hit a back drop.

Edge tied up angle’s arms in the ropes and hit a SPEAR! Nice move.

Angle eventually got free and Edge charged towards him and Angle hit a belly to belly from inside the ring to the outside! Wow.

That was an awesome move that hurt Edge.

Angle then in control and kicked at Edge’s face. Angle heard ANGLE SUCKS chants and takes his time chopping Edge in the corner which may give him some time and it does as Edge took advantage of Angle’s slow offense and comes back with a forearm, and as he charged from the corner Angle still hit a hard spine buster to Edge to maintain the control of the match and got a nearfall.

Kurt kept the momentum and then choked out Edge on the middle rope planting his boot on his back for leverage before stomping on Edge some more to give him more blows and trying to take the big guy down to the mat to work his type of match apparently.

Angle goes down stairs on Edge attacking the legs and then hit a DDT but Edge kicked out. Angle then slapped on a rear chinlock and then went down to the canvas floor in the same familiar spot he did at Backlash 2002 to buy themselves a bit of time.

Almost the exact same version of it as the crowd applaud and cheer on Edge to get back in the match when his two arms drop and then he lifts his arm on the third attempt. Angle is squeezing Edge and then he battles out of the headlock but Angle grabbed onto Edge’s long hair and slammed him down. Angle then hit a snap shot vertical suplex but only got a two count.

Edge this time got caught in a front facelock by Angle trying to ground Angle some more.

I like this match better then the Backlash match already, due to the risky spots, and the fact Angle looks to actually have a game plan here. He’s trying to ground Edge and take him off his feet this time rather then a belly to belly war.

Just when I say that Edge hits a desperate belly to belly to Kurt and now both men are down selling the pain.

Angle and Edge both slowly rise to there feet at the five count and Edge hits Angle with right hands, ducks a clothesline and then comes off with a flying forearm, then a clothesline, then a spinning heel kick all very quickly. Edge then pulls Angle’s hea down to the mat with a reverse X-Factor and gets a nearfall. Edge then caught his first belly to belly by Angle of the match.

Kurt Angle charged towards Edge but he hit a back body drop to Angle and as he went to the outside he displayed great agility by landing on both of his feet outside the ring apron and then Edge dropkicked Angle to the outside still as he improvised as his original move didn’t work out quite as well as planned.

Edge then flew over the top rope with a cross body to the outside with another high risk move.

Edge though went to the top after placing Angle in the ring, Angle jumped up and went to suplex Edge from the top as he jumped up and Edge blocked it as he pushed Angle back to the mat from the top rope blocking his belly to belly from the top attempt. Edge had that move properly scouted since Angle had successfully applied that move to Edge in impressive fashion at Backlash. Edge then waited for Angle to once again get to his feet and then came off the top with a missile drop kick! 1….2…NO! Edge can’t believe it.

Angle kicked out of that high impact move after another high impact move and Edge had believed he had truely out wrestled Angle here. Edge then with a roll-up on Angle and still a two! Edge getting desperate as he was the one who had been on the defense most of the match but as it seems now had the Olympic Gold Medalist just where he wanted him. Edge went for a big impact DDT on Kurt Angle and planted him face first, in almost a modified version of the Edge-A-Cution that he likes to utilize. Edge goes to the top but this time Angle hits a belly to belly out of no where off the top to Edge.

Yeah that spot is always cool but how is he selling the moves? I don’t get Angle sometimes but still it’s exctiting to watch if you can suspend your disbelief.

Edge then with another big impact DDT to Angle and every time Kurt Angle kicks out Edge grabs onto his hair and looks like the world is coming to an end.

Angle reverses Edge’s irish whip then Edge bounced off the ropes and went for a spear but Angle dodged it and he hit the ref! Crowd “OOOOHHHH” and Angle then hit a huge suplex to Edge.

Angle grabbed a chair on the outside went for a shot on Edge with the ref down but Edge hit a big SPEAR ON ANGLE. Edge with the cover but the ref is down.

Edge tried to wake up the ref and Angle got to his feet slowly, Edge went for another spear but Angle caught Edge with a big boot to the face. Edge got up and hit Angle with another SPEAR.

Edge then covered him but Angle kicked out again as the fans thought that was surely it, the 2nd spear to Angle with the ref having a slow count, big spot.

Angle then countered Edge’s offense as he hit an Angle Slam to Edge! Edge kicked out. Angle stomped on the canvas as he was pissed off and took the straps off and then locked in the ankle lock and then Edge used the ropes for leverage and hit a spinning heel kick that caught Angle right in the temple. Angle then locked in an Ankle Lock out of no where and Edge tried to reach for the ropes but Edge kicked him off against the ropes and rolled up Angle….

Edge pinned Angle with a small package at 15:30 for the win.

Angle looked like he was going to cry and then after the match beat down Edge while JR said Kurt Angle would SOON BE BALD.

Edge though hit a huge Edge-A-Cution to Angle.

Edge then all smiles grabbed Angle and after that big DDT he dragged Angle outside the ring and signalled to the CHAIR.

Later in the night when Edge cut his hair the crowd chanted `Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey…GOODBYE`

 

 

This is the last match with Angle having hair so I guess it is a bit historic. In a way it was like saying goodbye to the Dorky Kurt because that was the Kurt that had hair, he became more vicious and a supposed “Wrestling Machine” when bald as far as I’m concerned.

This match was better then Backlash’s match.

It was just two minutes longer but the pace was even better. Most importantly Kurt Angle improved in this match as he tried to GROUND edge with front facelocks, reverse chinlocks, he targetted the legs to take the taller Edge off his vertical base in attempt to work his mat game so that was strategic wrestling worked great by Kurt Angle for the most part.

Edge came back though in mid-match and really was the agressor in the 2nd half as I remember some big spots where he’d hit a cross body over the top rope, also who can forget him getting belly to belly’d out of the ring over the top rope hitting the mat on the outside, that was a dangerous spot.

What made this match outside of the improved psychology was the near falls and the great climax, I can suspend my disbelief that the MOVES didn’t hurt either man because they were both countering off adrenaline, this was more then personal, this was a battle to save embarassment and keep your hair so the two men told a wonderful story about doing whatever it takes to keep there hair and Angle resorted to doing the move that Edge had scouted earlier and hit a belly to belly.

Angle kicked out of two spear’s, Edge kicked out of the Angle Slam and reversed his Ankle lock, winning the match by kicking him off to the side of the ropes and then into that small package.

So summing up the match it’s perfectly understandable to see why this is so much better then the Backlash encounter as it did so much more with just two more minutes this time around, and these two athletes can work wonders if they actually just throw in a story, and then a climax that is absolutely enthralling to boot.

Fantastic stuff.

****

 

 

6) “The Game” Triple H vs Y2J Chris Jericho in a Hell in a Cell Match

One of the least talked about Hell in the Cell matches that is actually quite the CLASSIC from this man’s opinion so it’s a pleasure to review this match again as I don’t remember it as well as the others but knew I rated it over four stars before.

These two had a 5 star match at Fully Loaded 2000 (according to yours truly of course) in a Last Man Standing Match that featured perfect gimmick PPV Wrestling at its best with maybe some of the best psychology I HAVE EVER SEEN by The Game.

Triple H won that match.

These two also met for the WWE Title two months before this at Wrestlemania X8 in an underwhelming match that struggles to be even three stars due to the dead crowd, the fact it wasn’t the same Hunter after the injury and lay off and the feud had to do more with Stephanie and HHH.

This was another chance for the two to get some of there magic back, Trips had lost the title recently and this match didn’t have the best build as Vince was involved for some strange reason against a BABYFACE Triple H and that just seemed so random as a HEEL Y2J was once again seemingly secondary to a McMahon family member in a HHH/Y2J feud.

Triple H posed inside the cell and Jericho looked up at him knowing he is about to go to hell with the Cerebral Assassin.

This is it, they lock up the chains and Triple H an Chris Jericho are about to get it on in the most demonic structure and one of the best gimmick matches if not the very best inside the WWE.

Triple H and Jericho look eye to eye inside the ring and the bell rings.

A staredown to start.

The Game then nods that Jericho better know what to expect, and the two begin with a slugfest and Jericho ducks a clothesline but caught a high knee by The Game.

Triple H then irish whips Chris Jericho and catches him with a back body drop as Jericho signals thast his back is hurt. Chris Jericho got pounded on in the corner by Hunter extremely viciously, seems Trips has an edge to him after losing the title belt to a senior citizen.

HHH attempted to throw Chris Jericho into the CELL but Jericho blocked it and tried to throw HHH into it but he blocked it and then they both got back into the ring, and Jericho came flying off the ropes with a flying forearm. Jericho hits two hard chops on Triple H in the corner after choking him out and calling him a Son of a Bitch.

This must have motivated Trips as he turned Jericho around into the corner and hit some right hands to him and then Jericho threw him to the corner of the ring. Jericho went charging for Hunter but missed him and hit shoulder first against the ring post and fell to the outside.

Triple H taking advantage of the situation got violent with Jericho.

Hunter threw Chris to the sides of both parts of the Cell.

Triple H did it a third time throwing Jericho into the cell then hit him with a HARD clothesline to the mat after that. Jericho in a ton of pain got placed back inside the ring and then hit a big time clothesline on Jericho a couple of times. HHH with a big vertical suplex then a nearfall.

Jim Ross puts over how this is the ultimate way to settle the score in a rivalry inside the cell when King questions why anyone would even compete in a match.

With Hunter in control still Jericho out of no where grabbed HHH’s head out of desperation and threw him over the top rope.

Jericho then with right hands to the roof of Triple H’s head and threw him to the side of the Cell. Jericho’s first time he hit HHH against the side of the steel, but Triple H countered any Jericho offense with an irish whip to Jericho hard into the steel steps.

Jericho down on the ground then Hunter goes for a PILE DRIVER onto the steel steps! Jericho pushed him off and catapolted The Game from the steps face first into the Cell as he went flying. Jericho bladed his shoulder area from crashing into the steel steps. Jericho then pulled out a ladder from under the ring and Chris Jericho is familiar with this weapon and he rammed it face first into Trips’s head. Hunter then blades. Triple H a bloody mess and Jericho has a bloody shoulder. Jericho then with a sadistic side grates Hunter’s face against the side of the Cell.

Triple H’s bloody head was smashed with another Ladder shot that was horizontal on Chris Jericho’s shoulders and he just drove it right into HHH’s face inside the ring.

Chris Jericho then set up the ladder diagnol in the corner and irish whipped Hunter hard into the LADDER!

Triple H began to fight back but Jericho reversed an irishwhip attempt and levelled HHH right into the side of the Cell all bloodied. Y2J threw a ladder and a chair inside the ringn and Jericho picked up the ladder, while HHH picked up the chair. Out of desperation Jericho got hit by a chair shot while holding the ladder by Hunter. Triple H with Steel Chair shots to Chris Jericho holding a ladder, then a Steel Chair shot to his back flat out.

Triple H then threw Jericho into Tim White and he jumped off the ring apron and slammed into the side of the CELL HARD. I believe this put Tim White out for quite a long time, a huge ref bump and the crowd reacted appropriately. This bump likely lead to his future suicide (Kayfabe) attempt.

Jericho then smashed HHH with a big chair shot.

Jericho then attacked Tim White on the outside because he had the key and he threw him to the side of the cell and he had been all bloodied.

This bought HHH a bunch of time because Jericho was on the outside beating up Tim White and he hit a spinebuster to Jericho.

The Game kicked a steel chair right in the face of Jericho who came charging towards him in the corner of the ring.

Triple H then looked under the ring for a Sledge Hammer. Triple H then smashed Jericho right in the face with a sledge hammer but there`s no one there to count the three due to Tim White being severly hurt.

The other refs just before this Sledgehammer spot had broken through the cell door, chopped the lock to protect Tim White and Jericho with the door open escaped the Cell then slammed the cage door into Trips`s head. Both guys beyond bloody.

This is a very well booked Cell match. Very, very good.

Jericho then kicked Trips in the mid-section a few times and brawled with each other a bit outside the ring. Jericho then took the monitors off the Spanish Announce Table, called him a son of a bitch and then went for a pedigree on the table, but Triple H countered the move and hit a DDT through the table!

Big spot that wears out Jericho some more, both guys had to of been battered by this point in the match, it`s been a great bloody battle to this point in time. Triple H grabbed a Barbedwire 2 X 4. Jericho then climbed the cell. HHH climbed the cell with the barbedwire stick and he threw it up but Jericho caught it. (Obvioussly a dumb move by HHH to just give it to him) and Jericho hit Trips with it on top of the cell twice with the barbed wire stick. Chris Jericho then knocks HHH down on top of the cell and applies the Walls of Jericho on top of the cage. Mike Keota climbed to the top of the Cell and asked HHH is he was going to give up. That`s cool, we see one Ref take huge bloody bumps and wee another ref climb to the top oc the cell. HHH pushed Jericho off with his other leg. Jericho picked up the 2 by 4 and then HHH hit Jericho with a low blow on top of the cell. Jericho with a back body drop on top of the cell and there was definately a high risk with that type of move. Triple H then hit Jericho with a 2 X 4 in the head he only gets a two.

 

 

 

Still on the top of the Cell Triple H hits the Pedigree face first on top of the Cell! Keota is up there to count the three on top of the Cell. In the end Triple H pinned Jericho after a Pedigree on top of the cell at 24:31.

Jericho took it to The Game in a big way and vice versa, MOTN for sure and definately a GREAT HELL IN THE CELL MATCH. Definitely one of the most underrated Cell matches ever for sure.

****

 

 

7) Rikishi and Rico vs Billy and Chuck (c) for the WWE Tag Team Championship

The Fink said Rikishi`s mystery tag team partner was RICO! Rikishi did not look pleased and he told him to get outside the ring. Billy with right hands to Rikishi but he pushed him down. Rikishi with right hands caught a DDT but he no sells a Gunn move and then hits him with a thrust kick.

Rikishi though got double teamed by Billy and Chuck (IN THE RING of course) Chuck Palumbo certainly helped Billy hit a double suplex to Rikishi then Chuck drove his shoulder into Rikishi a bunch of times, then Billy went to work on him. Then Chuck went to work on Rikishi once again until Rikishi kicked Chuck`s head and then hit him with a belly to belly slam.

Boring material here. Esepcially following a Cell match but they always put lackluster events before Main Events on purpose to build suspense. I call it the Rooster-Heenan rule from Wrestlemania 5 before Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan-Mega Powers Exploded.

Chuck and Rikishi both got to there feet slowly and this match was placed here to get the crowd ready for the Main Event again clearly.

In the end Rikishi pinned Chuck after Rico accidentally hit Chuck with a Roundhouse kick at 3:50 to win the WWE Tag Team Titles.

After the match Rikishi put on a hat at the top of the ramp and danced at the top of the stage but someone forgot to tell him it`s not the year 2000. Pyro`s go off isn`t that great….

Yawn.

1/4*

 

 

8 ) Main Event- The Undertaker vs Hollywood Hulk Hogan (c) for the Undisputed WWE Championship

So McMahon, Cornette and Ross all employed by the then known as WWF in 1997 and 1998 all make fun of WCW for having guys like Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan as World Champion’s.

Fast forward half a decade….okay…..

Here we go.

Taker caught Hogan on the outside with a reverse elbow and now both men have no shirts on except Taker`s muscle shirt which is light and both have bandana`s to paint a mental picture.

Then the Hulkster who was determined to retain the title against a fresher Hulk, got caught as Taker worked on Hogan`s arm and dropped down to the mat with leverage as the fans chanted for Hogan but Undertaker remained in control.

The Undertaker then climbed the ropes up high for Old School.

Big Evil fell down though as the Power of Hulkamania shifted him off and he landed on the top and Hogan pulled him down and gave him a few shots to his head and Taker sat up and continued the Hulkster beat down.

Before he went for up high on Hogan on the arm as he torked it and went for an Old School attempt that failed. This time he attacked Hogan`s legs. He pulled the left leg of Hogan down and slammed it against the apron. Undertaker then stretched that very left leg and smacked it against the steel post.

Taker came in and applied a leg lock to Hogan but Hulk eventually fought out of it.

The Undertaker went up to a knee and had Hogan down laying on the canvas. Hogan got up out of no where.

Hogan irishwhipped Taker to the ropes and came off with a shoulder block and missed a leg drop.

 

 

 

The Undertaker then applied the worst looking chokeslam of all time due to Hulk Hogan being so damn old.

Hogan then hulked up and did his usual routine and hit a leg drop to Taker and he couldn`t get the three.

Taker got sent to the ropes but he hit a desperation DDT to Hogan.

1…2….Hogan kicked out.

Vince then came out but Hogan hit another leg drop and Vince distracted the ref and Hogan brought Vince back in the ring and Vince got layed out by Hogan and nobody cared.

Taker hit Hogan with a chair behind the official`s back then hit a chokeslam and we got a new WWE Champion.

In the end it was The Undertaker who pinned Hogan after a Chair Shot followed by a Chokeslam at 11:17 to become the NEW WWE Undisputed Champion.

Well at least the title was back on someone credible and the one last nostalgia rush was finally over, brother! Hogan then stuck around in the mid-card as his pops were amazingly quiet for the rest of 02 until finally going away after a Lesnar beat down that I can`t believe he agreed to in the Summer of 2002.

Undertaker was Champion and remained Champion until the Summer when another returning star took the title off of him, that was the theme in 2002 I guess.

This match overall had decent work by Taker with how he focused up high on Hogan for the first part of the match, then his lower part for the 2nd half of the match. Hogan tried to gain momentum and even had it in the match due to the power of Hulkamania but in the end Taker needed Vince`s interference to become the man once again. Just like he needed Flair`s interference and a chair involved 11 years before this at Survivor Series 1991.

Had its moments but it also had its ugly times quite obviously.

* 1/4

——————————————

Final Rating for WWE Judgment Day 2002 = 6.5/10

This show was not a HIT OR MISS SHOW. It was both HIT “AND” MISS in a lot o ways. It had it both, a lot of variety, we had two near DUD`s and they might as well have both been. We had another medicore way to end the show, we had a surprising but average for Austin match and we had two great matches, the same two from Backlash in Eddie vs RVD and Angle vs Edge. The Hell in the Cell gives this show an extra 0.5 though and that`s where the event is quite impressive overall and should be remembered for. Three great matches is reason enough to give this at least a look if you can, I know it`s rare for reasons stated above but it`s still worth a look if you find it cheap. Unless you don’t have the Cell DVD and want to see this Triple H-Chris Jericho match more then anything in the world, do not buy this DVD.