Review: WWF/WWE No Mercy 2001 DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWF No Mercy 2001 Review:
  
 

 
 

 

 

 

“Steve Austin, no doubt….. IS The Greatest WWF Champion of ALL TIME…..” –Jim Ross

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
-WWF No Mercy took place on Sunday, October the 21st, 2001 in front of 15,647 fans at the Savvis Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

 

-This was the Third Annual No Mercy event produced by the WWE.
-Jim Ross and Paul Heyman did commentary.

 

-Prior to the show airing live on pay per view, on Heat two matches took place.

 
Heat Match #1) Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw) defeated Chris Kanyon and Hugh Morrus at 5:20.

 

Heat Match #2) Billy Kidman (c) defeated Scotty 2 Hotty to retain the Cruiserweight title at 7:53.
 
 

 

 

 

-Now onto the PPV……………
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
1) Opening Contest- Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) (c) (with Lita) vs Lance Storm and The Hurricane (with Mighty Molly and Ivory) for the WCW Tag Team Championship

 

 
We begin No Mercy 01 with Team Xtreme before they break up defending the WCW tag straps against two members of the Alliance in an aerial cruiserweight in The Hurricane and a technical, mat-technician in Storm.

The Hurricane the current European champion with a snapmare to Jeff after a waist-lock then stopped for a pose. Jeff with a hip-lock.

Should be fast action here and I’ll do my best to keep up.

Matt in now and Storm tagged in but Matt Hardy with a double clothesline. Jeff back in takes apart both men with a drop-kick, now Matt with a jaw-breaker to Storm.

Both guys get taken out to the outside and then The Hurricane flies to the outsde. Hurricane took everyone out.

Once back in Lance Storm took it to Jeff, cut off half the ring and now Hurricane slams Jeff with a side suplex to the canvas.

The Hurricane with a back-breaker to Jeff Hardy grounding the champ. The Hurricane came in and choked him outon the midddle rope.

Jeff could tag Matt in just in time and he takes it to Storm and The Hurricane, a fast paced back and forth contest. Hurricane down, Matt covers Storm.

Whisper in the wind, and Jeff misses it, The Hurricane with a modifed Oklahoma roll and almost got the upset three but he kicked out. Matt then in control and drops a leg on top of The Hurricane fro the top.

Matt going for the twist of fate but walks into a double thrust kick by the Hardyz.

Lits jumed Mighty Molly then Ivory came in, Jeff then leg-dropped Ivory.

Storm with a half-crab and Lita with a Litacanrana off the to to Storm.

Mayhem everywhere. Impossble to keep up.

No onw knows who is legal.

Jeff with a Swanton to The Hurricane and Matt covers him.

 
In the end Team Xtreme won the match at 7:42 to retain the WCW tag straps after a quick kick off to No Mercy!

This tag-team opener got the crowd hotter then most PPV’s due to the non-stop acton.

INSANITY.

 

 

 

*** 1/2
 
 
 

 
 

 

 
2) Test vs Kane

 

 

A solid big man’s match here.
So the two slug it out.
The late Andrew Martin going at it against Kane here, Kane the stronger of the two at about 325. Test is…Test.

Test is scooped up and millitary pressed oer the top ropes and he falls right to the floor.

Kane with another right, after a right, after another right.

Test is busted open a little bit and caught a stiff European uppercut.

Test is on the move then jumped into Kane with a reverse elbow shot to Kane up high. Kane couldn’t of been put away.

Test hit with a suplex by Kane right out of the corner, perhaps too low on the abdomen, not enough weight on the shoulders since Test is such a big man.

Kane hits a big side-walk slam.

Test keeps kickng out and now Kane walks into a big boot.

This time Kane dodged the big boot, he kicked out the sequence before.

Kane hits a chokeslam.

Test kicks out!

Kane can’t believe it and shows signs of frustration. Kane then in a slug-fest with Test and now Kane ht a Power Slam. Kane with amazing agility for a man of his size goes for a flying clothesline, Test scouted it going for the Pumphandle Slam.

Kane got out!

The fans are more into this one then I would of thought.

Test drops an elbow off the ropes to Kane and he still kicks out and now Test is arguing with the official. Kane with a drop-kick to Test, Kane about to use a chair, then grabbed Patrick and Test by the throat each.

Test with a low-blow.

 

 

In the end Test put Kane away at 10:09.

This match was actually decent.

 

 

 
** 1/4
  
 

 

 

 

 

  
 
3) Torrie Wilson vs Stacy Keibler in a Lingerie Match

 
This match had as much hype or almost as the Main Event.

Stacy and Torrie were the new in-diva’s around mid to late 2001, the two hottest WCW Diva’s were more then welcome and this was a Lingerie match.

Using Sunny’s “I Know You Want Me” theme for the match build.

 

Stacy Keibler strips as does Torrie throughout the crowd, they shake their stuff.

Stacy with her signature choke-out to the neck with her legs, and her hand-springs to impress the crowd.

Then the match consisted of both ladies scoring nearfalls showing the crowd off the missionairy position from a great angle, legs in the air, and a lot of ass.

In the end Torrie Wilson defeated Keibler at 3:08 by doing a back roll, pinning combintion, pinning Stacu in a compromising position stretching her legs back with a spank on top.

Fans cheer.

Hey, I’m a straight male. I’d have to be not to give this a lower rating with Stacy Keibler in Black Lingerie. Damn you Clooney.

 

 
 
3/4*

 

 

 

 

 
4) Christian (c) vs Edge in a Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship

 

 
Christian defeated his “brother” Edge at Unforgiven 2001 for the IC title and now here is the re-match in Edge’s speciality, A ladder match.

Would Edge defeat Christian to become the new IC Champion?
Christian and Edge began battling on the ramp and since there are no rules the bell rang there. Christian took it to Edge in the ring.

Christian grabbed a Ladder then Edge hit a base-ball slide to Christian and the fans OHHH and now Edge throws his younger “brother” over the barricade and now both guys battle near the barricade.
Christian comes back clobbering him on the back with right’s, Christian charged to Edge and he back-dropped himm onto the floor.

This match had a bit of a slower pace for a Ladder match.

Edge catapolts Christian into the Ladder from the floor on the outside.

 

Christian, innoatively set-up the Ladder horizontal-like on the Steps and Barricade then back-dropped his Brother Edge on the Ladder. Now both stand on the Ladder and Edge with a slugfest drops Christian as he drops and straddles the rung, groin-first.

Ouch.

christian hurtins his own peeps.

Edge then sets up a Ladde horizontal but diagnoal in the midde of the turnbuckle, but Christian then reverse irish-whipped Edge into the Ladder ribs first.

Both men hurt and now Christian catapolts Edge from the bottom of the turnbuckle head-first right into the Ladder with some more innovative work with the Ladder. Methodically picking apart Edge piece by piece, Heyman says he’s gotta now climb the Ladder and get the hell out of St Louis now.

Christian the newest member of the Alliance sets up a Ladder while Edge is on the Canvas. Edge sets up his slower. Edge slowly gets up to Christian grabbing him with a rear choke, and the lower-back of Edge ould get hurt more from the impact to the mat but Edge with a drop to Christian as both men crash and burn to the canvas.

Both men hurt.

So this means the pace of the match is slow and Edge is gong to grab the ladder but this is Pro-Wrestling so of course it’s taking him 30 minutes to climb, and Christian stops him and then hits the impaler to Edge.
Christian slowly grabs a Chair so there are signs he’s still hurt goes to smack Edge but Edge from the position of laying down shoves it back in Christian’s face as the fans cheer.

Edge grabs a Ladder from under the ring and puts Christian on top of a Ladder seperated on two chairs.

Edge from the top splashed Christian. Ouch.

It may of hurt Edge just as much as it hurt Christian.

Edge begins to Climb but Christian knocks Edge off with a bigger Ladder and he goes flying. Big singular yellow bold E D G E sign to the bottom right on the main camera angle in the crowd.

Christian from his knees sets up three ladders.

Christian going up and Edge spears him from the top rope to the ladder and the Champion and Challenger are both down.

 

Now a slug-fest on the Ladder and as the Ladder falls to the ropes on the outside both guys fall to the floor and there is nothing there to break their fall.

Big spot.

Christian then climbs slowly and Edge uses a chair just as Christian did at Unforgien and places Chairs below the Ladder and now Edge is looking to pancake Christian’s head on the top of the ladder in-between two chair’s!

The ultimate revenge.

Christian falls.

Great ending to a pretty under-whelming match

 

In the end at 22:16 and became the NEW IC Champ to a loud pop by grabbing the gold after a memorable ending.

 

 

 
***
 

 

 

 

 

 
5) The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) (c) vs Tajiri and The Big Show for the WWF Tag Team Championship

 

 

Big Show and Tajiri the challengers here for tag title’s.

Bubba Ray Dudley and Tajiri begin in the ring and an irish-whip off the ropes from Bubba to the Japanese Buzzsaw, the two former ECDubber’s working in the ring. Bubba with vicious shots.

D-von Dudley tagged in and then Tajiri with a big thrust kick up high.

Tajiri with a front facelock and tags in the Big Show backing his add into D-von Dudley in the corner taking out their air. Bubba tagged in and now Big Show double clotheslined the Dudeyz wth ease.

Tajiri springboards like a cannon ball over the top rope wth a summemrsault on top of D-von Dudley and Bubba Ray.

Big Show with a hard shot to D-von Dudley and then Tajiri with high kicks to D-von Dudley who tags out to Bubba and off the ropes Bubba Dudley hit the Bubba Bomb on Tajiri!

Tajiri down.

D-von Dudley tagged in as they try and cut off their half of the ring in Dudleyville which Ross calls their corner as they begin to isolate the Japanese Buzzsaw. A double flapjack and now Bubba Dudley goes to work further on Tajiri. Bubba tags in D-von Dudley.
Fans clapping or Tajiri and some fans still want tables despite the Dudz being heels.

D-von Dudley on the mat holding a side headlock. The Dudleyz have allowed at least one tag to Show, they don’t want to allow any more. D-von Dudley missed a shot n the corner and D-von Dudley comes off the top and Tajiri met D-von Dudley in mid-ar with another thrust kick.

Show leaps up and down on the apron, a tag but it was blind so they don’t allow it. Bubba holds Tajiri for What’s Up by D-von Dudley. And now a horrific break says Ross. Bubba then tries a powerbomb on Tajir and then he somehow got to a position to ddt Bubba and he does so while Big Sho ties to get in.

FINALLY the ht-tag, Bg Shw clotheslines D-von Dudley then splashes Bubba. Then a chop-block by D-von Dudley from behind before Show was about to chokeslam Bubba. Tajiri with a blind-tag and comess in tryng to take out Bubba.

He then applies the Tarantula on D-von Dudley. Bubba stops his offense. Bubba and D-von Dudley couldn’t apply the 3D and then the mist from Tajiri to Bubbba, Big Show chokeslams Bubba but the official doesen’t see.
Rhyno comes from n where and gores Show!
ECW alumni all over the place, Heyman was marking on comentary.

Tajiri aoided the contact and an enziguri to D-von Dudley and a loooong two count.

He kicks out.

What drama.

What a match.

Fans love ths.

 

Dudleyz get the 3-D on Tajri with Show down.

Dudleyz find a way to retain their title’s at 9:19 after the 3-D!
Bubba Ray says they did it for the Alliance.

 
One of the most underrated PPV tag-team gems I’ve ever seen.
Surprising Star Rating? Absolutely.
However, Well Deserved.

Click, Click Boom.

 

 

 
****
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
6) The Undertaker vs Booker T

 

 

The Undertaker rides to the ring and Booker is aggressive.

Match officially is under-way s the bell rings when both men go at it in the ring.

Should be a big man, brawling match like Test versus Kane, exactly what Ross said.

Booker though does have his kicks, and The Undertaker has his agilty so it`s not like the match cant be complex or diverse.

The Undertaker with un-believable strength to Booker T twisting an arm-bar sitting down on the mat twisting and turnng with it to hyper-extend the Booker Man.

The Undertaker focusing on the joints of the elbow, and shoulder joints walks the top rope for Old School and hits it expertly.

Booker rolls to the foor and reveresed an irish-whip and used some leverage sending the old Deadman into the steps to buy him some time.

Booker T a native Texan to another native Texan gives Big Evil an uppercut. Now the two go over the barricade and The Undertaker is sent head-first into the ring-post.

Booker`s got a chance now.

T goes up high and needs to hit a home-run here with a high risk move and nails a missile dropkick to The Undertaker from the top!

The Book connects!
Booker then with a reverse, thrust-heel kick to The Undertaker. Nice kick and another nearall as The Undertaker rolls off his bac and now Booker picks The Undertaker up and hits  side-walk slam.

Booker T then was about to go for the Spinnerooni but The Undertaker then sat up so he sent Taker into corner and he got a boot up

Deadman fought back with right`s and now scoops him up but he lands on his feet, Booker shoved Taker into the corner and landed with a neck-breaker.

The Alliance member Booker T mesured The Undertaker, and he comes off the top and the boot of Taker caught Book.

Awesome back and forth pace, much better then I had remembered.

Taker scores with more offense but official Tim White says no. The Undertaker with a left shot and a leg-drop, Booker kicks out.

To be honest I remembered this match as sort of dull to say the least, but not anymore.

This match has had such a tremendous flow like Ross has said.

Booker hits the Spinnerooni and Heyman calls it the most electrifying move in Sports Entertainmment, the fans love it, JR disagrees as he`s a Rock guy (WWF) obviously.

Booker with an impressive Scissors-Kick and The Undertaker had to use the botton rope to kick out sensing he was in trouble.

Taker went for a chokeslam and then an un-detected low-bow to The Undertaker and then givng him the Last Ride does it!
In the end Taker went over Booker at 13:12 picks up Booker as he-loaded him up for a Last Ride and he got him!
Awesome contest.

 

 

 

*** 1/2
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
7) The Rock (c) vs Y2J Chris Jericho for the WCW Championship

 

 

Jericho was a tweener of sorts here.

He and Rock had not been exactly getting along but that didn’t make Jericho a heel by any means because some people thought Rock was getting a little stale so Jericho had his marks.

Love how JR takes a shot at WCW before the match.

Heyman and Ross on commentary.

This match is a classic by memory.

Jericho might of even had more fans in this match as it went along, people wanted to see him win the big one.

Chris Jericho with a headlock out of a hammerlock and “Rocky Sucks” is already chanted. Rock with an arm-drag takeover to Y2J.

Back and forth pace early on Jericho dropped a knee onto the bicep of Rock. Jericho torks the arm of Rock but he got a reverse elbow out of the deal.. Jericho then hammers away with right hands onto Rock.

Chris Jericho chokes Rock out on the middle rope.

Jericho with a springboard dropkick to the Rock sending him to the floor after a stun gun. Jericho on the outside drops Rock on the barricade. Chris Jericho breaks his own count and Rock sells his ribs and Jericho flies off the top rope with a reverse elbow and Rocky kicks out.

All Jericho early as he lands a flying forearm. Rock still selling previous injuries. Rock cornered by Jericho and caught a hard chop.

Rock turns it around and chops Jericho but he ran into a spinning heel kick by Chris Jericho which gains a huge roar from most of the males. The Females likely were more on Rock’s side. Jericho picked up Rock and hit a backbreaker. Off the ropes he dropped his legs on the abdomen of Rock. Jericho with a quick dropkick to Rock.

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ALL JERICHO.

I completely forgot how much of this match Jericho dominated, but it has been 95% thus far.

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Loud Rocky Sucks chants come out. And out of no where Rock hits a clothesline, Jericho elevated him and dropped his chest on the top rope which gained a roar from most males in the crowd that Jericho was seemingly back in control.

Rock with a front facelock to Jericho and a Superplex buys himself some time.

Rock firing back with right hands and a belly to belly. A Samoan drop and Chris Jericho kicked out! Jericho re-gains his momentum slamming Rock down but he kicked up and layed the samacketh down and cleared the ring throwing Jericho out of the ring. Rock places Jericho on the table bouncing his head off. Jericho thrown into the ring caught a sharp kick to the abdomen.

Rock stomping on Jericho and looking around noticing the crowd is divided just like he did in Brock-Rock, Hogan-Rock, Austin-Rock, etc.

Rock hits a nice suplex on Jericho and got a two. Chris Jericho able to kick out left shoulder off the canvas.

Tons of back and forth action leading up to the climax.

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What may be most appealing is how Heyman and Ross put this over on commentary whether Jericho is a choke artist or not.

Great stuff!

Jericho hits a Lionsault on Rock and then after a Rock Bottom got a two. Jericho takes the elbow pad off and misses the elbow as Rock gets up. Rock takes a leg lace take-over.

Rock puts Jericho in the Sharpshooter.

Jericho gets out they take it to the outside, but Rock plants Jericho with a Rock Bottom through the table hard. Great stuff.

Rock breaks the count.

Rocky back out and brings Jericho in and hits a spinebuster on Y2J. Jericho blocks it and goes into the Walls of Jericho.

Chris Jericho pulls Rock to the center of the ring and Stephanie comes out throwing a chair into the ring. Rock hits a ddt to Jericho and now Charles Robinson talks to Steph, Rock brings in the Princess and Rock Bottoms her which damns himself, and Steph was even cheering Rocky on.

Jericho with a face-first inverted bulldog onto the chair does Rock on and the place goes wild!

 

 

In the end at 23:44 Jericho defeated The Rock.

to FINALLY become WCW Champion.

This was Jericho’s first BIG title win, he would later be the Undisputed Champion that merged both title’s a couple of months later, but this was his first major win, well deserved and the place popped. These two would go on to have another classic at the 2002 Royal Rumble but this personal feud’s best match was right here at No Mercy 2001.

Arguably a top 5 match in both men’s career. The clear match of No Mercy 2001.

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**** 1/2

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8 ) Main Event- Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) vs Kurt Angle vs Rob Van Dam in a Triple Threat match for the WWF Championship

 

 

 

Steve Austin, “THE MAN” of 2001 came out with his newly won title from Angle on Raw when Regal screwed him out of the title. A forgotten Raw gem. Austin came out to a loud ovation after Angle and RVD who were both clear cut babyfaces had already came out.

Fans loved all three men so the match had a high crowd reaction no matter what happened.

 

 

JR calls him arguably the greatest Champion of all time and he gets a mixed-reaction, RVD and Angle got great babyace pops.

Angle with a quick German sulex to Austin, then to RVD then to Austin.

Stone Cold Steve Austin and RVD two members of the alliance were stomping on Angle.

Austin turned his rattlesnake like Venom to knock Angle off the apron.

Angle with a side russian leg-sweep to RVD then Angle is attacked by Austin. Stone Cold showing No Mercy, with the pun intended.

Austin was paranoid having lost his title to Angle alredy the month before and he knew that he didn’t have to be involved in the decision to lose the title.

So RVD interupts the Ankle Lock on Austin.

RVD lands right on Angle’s face with Rollng Thunder. Austin on Angle with a double axe-handle blow.

Spinebuster slam to RVD with Angle on the outside. Austin gets a to. Austin then goes to work on the legs of RVD taking out his aerial offense.

Austin using his knee-brace to try and go against his QUad. Austin going downstairs applies a half-crab, the crowd chant WHAT!? and Angle then stops Austin and lets right hands go to Austin but he back-drops him over the top rope to the floor.

Austin then with an STF, a Step-over cossface.

You don’t usually see Stone Cold Steve Austin apply these many moves and Austin was in every move.

It was never just Angle and RVD, Austin was always involved.

it’s little things like that which make Steve the greatest of all time.

Angle man-handlng Austin over the barricade with a series of solid blows. USA chants.

Rob Van Dam then sling-shotted off the top with  cannon-ball like maneuver catching Austin and Angle. ustin thrown in  table. Angle with a ide suplex to RVD and then Angle hit a moonsault to RVD.
Stone Cold Steve Austin tries to come in and capitalize and pins RVD but he kicks out.

Angle comes in towards Steve and kicks at the only part open on him, his ribs. Austin going for the Stunner, then Angle did, pushed off to the ropes and they double clothesline each other.

RVD tries to ive-str frogsplash either Austin or Angle and they both move.

Angle with A German Suplex with a Bridge and Austin kicked at it to break it up.

Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the Stone Cold Stunner on Angle, Rob breaks it up.

RVD hits a split-legged moonsault to Austin, Angle breaks it up.

Angle hit the Olympic Slam to RVD and Austin breaks it up just barely.

Austin somehow with tremendus cardio-vascular conditioning is chppng the hell out of Angle.

I love this match. Vince comes down to the ring.

One of the fastest matches you will ever see.

Angle with a back-drop to Austin as he lies their motion-less on the concrete floor. RVD, Angle and Austin are all down with TV monitor’s of the table, nothing but carnage.

Angle chopped RVD. Angle reverse heel kicked and now Van Dam went for a frogsplash, Angle expoded and went to the top with a belly to belly, that had to take a lot out of both men.

Stone Cold Steve Austin still down by the table.

McMahon watching as an outsider.

Austn got the Stunner on Angle for a second time and he bounced outside the ring.

Stone Cold Steve Austin with an evil sile looks at his fellow Alliance member.

McMahon with a chair and its no DQ busted open Steve’s hed permanently, blood everywhere.

RVD hits the five star frog splash. Angle interupts the count. Austin bleeding horrible from that chair-shot from the back of hs head.

How many suplexes can RVD take by Angle, Kurt going for his fifth as he keeps the waist-lock on, now an Olympic Slam.

Angle covers RVD and Shane McMahon runs out and throws Angle out of the ring.
vince then charges at Shane, The McMahon’s are kicking each other’s ass, Austin stunners RVD!

Stone Cold Steve Austin wins!

So in the end at 15:15 Austin retained the title.

What a fast paced adrenaline rush.

If Austin ever had a beer belly, he doesen’t no more. Probably lost fifteen pounds during those fifteen minutes and I can’t stress that enough.

Wow.

Just wow.
SO as I elluded to earlier, it’s a fact, Austin speaks about it briefly in his book that during this match when McMahon hit Austin in the head with that chair-shot it left a permanent deep scar which Austin still has today and publically states it was the hardest chair-shot he had ever taken.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this could very well be Steve Austin’s most impressive performance of his entire career.

He carried the entire match. What a machine. He made a *** 1/2 match go all the way up to four.

The Stone Cold Steve Austin show folks! Another reason he owned 2001!

 

 

 

 
****
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Final Rating for WWF No Mercy 2001  = 8.5/10
 

 
This show was unbelievable on another watch. The Tajiri tag at four stars. That was one of the biggest shocks I`ve seen in awhile. Rock and Jericho with the best four and half star match they ever had. Austin with the performance of his life carrying two men like Angle and Van Dam much younger then him, an absolute work-horse. The opening tag in the same territory over three stars as Taker and Booker T. A sexy Lingeie match and a decent Ladder match. This is one of the best No Mercy`s out there. Pick it up.