Review: WWF/WWE Vengeance 2001 DVD

 

 

Brett Mix’s- WWF “Vengeance 2001” Review:

 
 

 

“Four Men…Three Matches…Two Titles…..ONE UNDISPUTED CHAMPION!”

 

 

 

 
-WWF Vengeance 2001 took place Live on PPV, Sunday Night, December the 9th 2001 at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California in front of 11,800 fans.
-This was the 1st Annual Vengeance event.

-This Show took over the December slot of “Armageddon” because of the 911 terrorist attacks, just like the made Raw is War turn into simply WWF Raw. Armageddon would return again in the following year in the December slot where-as Vengeance in 2002 was moved to July.

 

-For the first time in history the WWF and WCW title’s would merge tonight to determine the first ever WWF Undisputed Champion. Angle would face WWF Champion Steve Austin, WCW Champion The Rock would face Jericho and the winner would meet each other to determine the Champ who would then go on to hold both belts before an official Undisputed title would be made a few months later in April of 2002, this title became later known as the WWE title until the World ttle came back into play in September of 2002 and each brand (Raw and Smackdown!) had a World title for each show after this.

-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler did commentary for Vengeance 01.

 

-Before the pay-per-view aired, On Sunday Night Heat The APA (Bradshaw and Faarooq) defeated Billy and Chuck at 6:20.
 

 

 

 

 

 

-Now onto the PPV……………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Vince McMahon cuts a Promo:

 

We begin the Anthology that is Vengeance by opening the show with the Chairman.

Basically McMahon rambles on like he likes to do ever so often because lets face it, he’s the boss and well he can do anything and doesen’t have to worry about anybody changing the channel because hey….it’s PPV.

 

He is just coming off the Smackdown! where The Rock shoved his face in the big backside of one Rikishi so he wasn’t in the greatest mood. Hey he was pretty close to Trish’s, that’s not too bad of a deal. So as expected there were many crowd signs of course make fun of Ol Vinny Mac.

Vince McMahon gets no respect from the crowd and Lawler talks about all the facials he’s had to get and Vince says there’s no one man big enough or bad enough to make him kiss anyone’s ass. Vince mentions Austin and the place pops when he mentions him beating the hell out of Angle as the fans cheer and start to WHAT Vince which was pretty new at the time. He mentions Flair suspending if someone interfered, this was when both were 50/50, he mentions The Rock shoving his face deep into the ass of Rikishi which Vince calls the most embarassing moment and the ladie’s scream. McMahon gets angry at the crowd for laughing. Vince says no one laughs at the misfortunes of Billionaires and the tone of JR’s “Oh god….” was hilarious as Vince’s “SHUT UP!!” to the crowd and then him saying you laugh when I tell you to laugh.

Vince says as for tonight, he who laughs last, laughs loudest.

Now “The Nature Boy” comes out to a decent ovation and in style with a leather jacket. Flair says people came to see Vengeance and not McMahon so the show will start now as he checks his watch.

Scotty’s music hits and this is likely the only time you’ll ever see Scotty 2 Hotty interupt Vince McMahon….and here we go:……….

 

 

 

 

 

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1) Opening Contest- Scotty 2 Hotty and Albert vs Christian and Test in a Tag Team Match

 

 

 

This was when they were trying to get big Albert as the Hip Hop Hippo, yeah that was bad. Albert’s best days if you can even call them that were on the SD! brand in 03 as the A-Train and that match he had with Benoit. Then again everyone had a good match with Chris.

 

Albert and Scotty danced as Vince stood in the ring and then slowly left. Pretty comical….I guess. Ross says then FLY for a white guy, what the hell does that mean? King says he’s not hip but needs a hip replacement to which Ross laughs.

Ah everyone has such a good sense of humor here.

Test and Christian come out to some good heat.

Albert and Scotty 2 Hotty jump the two Canadian’s and at this point Christian was the European Champ. Scotty reversed Christian’s offense with a drop toe-hold and then a tag to Test.

Test came in and obviously has the leverage advantage on Scotty 2 Hotty and King calls him horseface. Albert is tagged in. The Hip Hop Hippo lands on Test. A tag to Scotty and double-team Test to the buckle, Christian illegally takes Snake Eyes scotty and Test with a thunderous clothesline.

A tag to Christian he hits a powerslam and stomps on Scotty 2 Hotty and proceeds to level him with right’s and a choke-hold. Behind the official Test and Christian double-team Scotty 2 Hotty in the corner with kicks which draws good heel heat. Test back in and a high boot to the face of Scotty 2 Hotty.

Christian back in frequent tags as they begin to isolate Scotty 2 Hotty and Christian chokes him out ith his boot in the buckle.

They continue to cut off the ring as Test is tagged back in and he pounding Scotty 2 Hotty and then Scotty hits a reverse elbow, goes for a boot, ducks a Test clothesline and lands a thrust kick high on the late Andrew Martin aka Test.

Albert wants the hot-tag, gets it and clotheslines Christian and then Test who’s tagged in and Albert tries to dance as the fans laugh. Albert then Stinger Splash’s Test and Christian both in the corner and then spins Christian around and lands an elbow getting a two. A double team irishwhip to Albert but he double clotheslines Test and Christian.

Albert set up Christian for the Baldo Bomb but Test trips him up. Scotty then went to drop Christian to go for the worm but Christian hits the un-prettier and goes for the worm himself. Albert though is sent right into Test’s big boot. Scotty 2 Hotty interupted the three. Test back-drops Christian accidentally over the top rope and NOW Scotty 2 Hotty goes for the Worm on Test.

The Worm as ridiculous as it was, was always extremely over. Albert hits the Baldo Bomb on Christian.
In the end at 6:20 the winners were The Hip Hop Hippo and Scotty 2 Hotty in a very fast moving opener.

I liked this because the crowd was hot, this was very quick and to the point and probably the best match these four could ever do together.

For that I’ll give it a high grade. Fun opener.

 

*** 1/4

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Edge (c) vs William Regal for the WWF Intercontinental Championship

 

William Regal and Edge had a pretty big feud, and pretty underrated to boot because the match quality in their series of bouts while not classics still were all pretty damn good.

What I liked most is they told such a good story, sure some were slower and methodical but I believe here, the Rumble and No Way Out they had three one on one IC title matches.

William Regal is left-handed, a south-paw…pretty sure JR says this in every William Regal match so okay.

I’m a fan of this underrated rivalry because this felt pretty real, the hatred felt very legit.

Edge hit a dropkick and William Regal goes for a walk outside the ring and then played an act on Edge and kicked hin in the mid-section before throwing him to the post. Fans chant that he sucks.

I for one love his style much more then Edge’s. Edge is one hell of a worker but I’ve never considered him a tremendous wrestler by any means and a small lets go Regal chant even starts up. William Regal sends Edge to the buckle and clicks with a forearm.

Regal with knees to the head and a true European uppercut to Edge.

Edge with an arm-ringer, Regal into a full nelson, Edge counters and looks for the sunset flip and grabs a lot of hair and slams him down.

It’s really sad looking at the crowd and how many people are walking around not watching this match.

It’s called wrestling, this is a fine match, you payed money to see it live, enjoy the damn thing.

Anyway Regal is in complete control of the first few minutes of this bout.

More Regal sucks chants as he has a nasty look to the crowd which gains more heel heat and stomps on Edge.

William Regal a natural heel hit a snap-shot vertical suplex and his version of a latteral press and a nearfall. Edge kicks William Regal and then scored with a swinging neck-breaker and Edge then fights bac with a couple of hard right’s before grabbing him by the neck and slamming him back-first to the mat.

Edge and Regal exchange blows and Edge from the top hit a top-rope hurricanrana taking William Regal down and he gets a long two.

Edge hit with a gut-wrench suplex and then Regal tries to re-gain lost momentum but Edge kicks out then elbows him off the apron. However William Regal gets back in the driver’s seat and slams Edge hard against the steel steps.

Now William Regal grabs the brass knucks. Regal grabs Edge by the hair on the outside and tosses him in the ring like a piece of trash and goes for the quick pin but Edge resourcefully gets his leg on a rope.

I don’t remember Edge getting booed as a face in 2002 (I do in 04) but not back here but I guess it happened as I hear small boo’s when Edge takes it to Regal. Regal goes for more pins and they all result as nearfalls which frustrates him. Despite Regal maintaining the control of the bout Edge hit a spin-kick which sent both men to the mat getting up at the eight.

Edge with two nearfalls including a back-slide attempt and William Regal hits a forearm clubbing blow to the native of Toronto.

A double arm-powerbomb, into a gut-wrench powerbomb with a bridge pinning attempt. Edge keeps kicking out, very resilient in the match and Regal stomps away. Regal grabs the knucks but Edge hits the spear out of no where!

Everyone pops!
In the end at 9:06 Edge retained his title in another great match between the two in their series here of battles with-in these few months.

Jim Ross admits Edge was “Schooled” by William Regal for the majority of the match but just before William Regal could use the Brass Knucks Edge had it scouted and speared him keeping his title.

Ross says this thing isn’t over and it definitely wasn’t.
This match was great mostly due to William Regal.

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) Jeff Hardy vs Matt Hardy with Lita as the Special Guest Referee

 

 

Hmmmm…..

 

Some ideas just look better on paper I guess.

This got double the time as the opener, and three minutes longer then the last one. Perhaps a bit too much.

This was akward as it was due to the weird build and the fans didn’t know how to react. Mostly the crowd was dead and lets just say Matt versus Edge is no Bret versus Owen.

No Owen-Bret here for sure.

 

Jeff Hardy and Matt would improve at say Wrestlemania 25 about a decade later but that still wasn’t even note-worthy.

Before the match Lita says as his girlfriend she’s always on his side. No comment.

Ross suspects this will be an aerial match and the first person to crash and burn will likely lose.

Matt comes out to the same theme Jeff Hardy did right after and didn’t get the same reaction.

Lita looks like she doesen’t want to be there.

3 members of team Xtreme.

(Waits for when the traditional girl pop happens after they take the shirts off.)

Jeff begins the match with his hat on….weird. I guess Randy Savage used to wear his cowboy hats during matches also, or Rock would wear his shades.

Jeff Hardy out-wrestled by Matt in the beginning and fans chant Lita.

Oh the shirt removal thing will happen, unfortunately it’s the guys though and not Dumas, she did a nice one at Mania X7, another reason that’s far and away the greatest show a wrestling promotion has ever put on.

Matt is torking the arm of Jeff. Matt slams Jeff Hardy to the canvas then drops an elbow.

Fans are absolutely dead, then Matt chops Jeff which recieves boo’s because we find out Ric Flair is actually alive a month before this when he made his return.

Jeff hit with a hot-shot and then a clubbing clothesline by Matt after a thumb to the eye.

Like it was all Regal in the last bout, it’s been ALL Matt here and now a headlock by Matt the better wrestler of the two, a reversal into a side head-lock by Jeff Hardy and then Matt with a side suplex.

The girls seem to like Jeff more, he’s down and then Matt goe for a flying leg-drop and then Jeff moves and hits two clotheslines.

Jeff with a boot to Matt and Jeff then lands on Matt as Jeff Hardy connects with the leg-drop and Lita gets to just a two.

Jeff Hardy going for a corkscrew and Matt ties up Jeff and takes some cheap kicks at Jeff’s chest and Lita moves Jeff doing her job and Matt is a bit confused. Very Mega Powers-ish when Hogan grabbed Liz or something and the look on Macho’s face.

Matt goes for a sunset flip to Jeff Hardy on the outside but it’s countered in mid-move as Jeff hits Matt with a hurricanrana on the floor, nicely done.

It hasn’t been a terrible match it’s just a bit akward and no real story is being told, just a lack of chemistry here which is strange since you’d figure the two would of been at least familiar with having gone at each other growing up.

We know they’re not gonna be Bret-Owen but still…

Matt torks the right leg of Jeff and then drops his knee on the right leg of Jeff Hardy and then he says one more and does so again. Jeff Hardy hit a side russian leg-sweep, Matt kicked out and hit a half-boston crab onto his bro Jeff Hardy. Matt torking the right leg until Jeff gets to the rope. Lita isn’t being biased here to Matt like one may of speculated. Matt playing the heel here as he was never the dare-devil Jeff was and girls have a softer side for Jeff I guess.

Matt continued the leg-work and attempted a figure four or a spinning toe-hold and with his back turned to Jeff Hardy he kicked him out of the ring. With the time he bought he hit a baseball slide to Matt. Jeff attempted to elevate himself over the rope with a crossbody but the leg gave away and Matt then went for the leg again but a reverse spinning heel kick by the left leg of Jeff Hardy.

Ross says he’s never seen a ref wear a thong. Haha…..

Both men slug it out….

Matt goes for the twist of fate and Jeff drops the leg to the lower abdomen of Matt but with the bad leg. Jeff Hardy with a side suplex. Jeff goes to the outside up top but a lot of his offense was tornn due to the bad leg that Matt worked over, knowing his brother’s offense resorted to aerial tactics.

Great psychology by the better wrester in Matt who drops Jeff Hardy off the top.

Academic here as Matt goes for another twist of fate, Jeff Hardy counters it and then Matt into a backslide with a long two. Jeff Hardy goes for a powerbomb then a sunset flip and Matt tried to Pin Jeff Hardy with leverage from the ropes and Jeff rolls up Jeff Hardy and Matt barely kicked out. Matt knocked Jeff down and kicked at his waist-line.

Matt Hardy meets his bro up top and went for a twist of fate from up top and Jeff Hardy hits the Swanton despite the bad leg, Jeff counts even with Matt Hardy having his foot on the rope.

Lita didn’t see it and she is visibly upset she counted Jeff the three and Matt is dis-pleased.

The whole Hardy feud didn’t last long and the WWF realized they were better as a unit as by the time of the 02 Rumble they all worked together until Taker took care of them all.

I was wrong about them taking off their shirts at least. Happy about that.
In the end at 12:32 Jeff got the win after the Swanton even though Matt’s foot was on the rope, despite this Lita counted the three as mentioned.
This match was A LOT better then I remembered. Awesome work by Matt here.

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

4) The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) (c) (with Stacy Keibler) vs Big Show and Kane for the WWF Tag Team Championship

 

Just before this match Trish kissed Rock for saving her on Smackdown! and Rock said to Trish that later on in the night there’d be plenty of time for her to smell what he’s cookin’.

Stacy of course bends over and gets her usual cheap pop but hot pop.

King is speachless twice in a row.

Trish then Stacy is always nice, a double Schwing as I’d call it. We get a very good camera angle if ths as well. Usually not facing our side but here she was with the short black mini-skirt.

Ross calls the Dudleyz arguably the greatest team in history. I’m happy I got a picture in the ring with them. Only problem, it’s a TNA ring…oh well.

So can even the Dudleyz survive this huge team that would team up off and on over the years.

I think the E, or the WWF here always found Big Show and Kane always in a random spot with a randon allignment, back and forth face to heel with no real push or motivation just a monster in a vulnerable to any booking type role.

The bout starts with Kane taking it to Bubba Ray Dudley and then Show doing the same as they stay vertical and keep it to their pace slowing it down. Show hits a big slam and Bubba goes for a tag and D-Von didn’t feel like it. Funny, he finally does come in and Show hits a side-walk slam and then a clothesline.

Show doing a good job at throwing the Champs who are looking more like chumps now. Show tosses themm to the floor. Kane with a huge flying clothesline outside to the floor.

NEXT COMES THE POP OF THE NIGHT as Stacy shuld know by now not to get back in the ring and Big Show from behind pantses her, well skirts her. Then SPANKS her in her red thong. Nice angle.

Yum.

Dudleyz though come back in the bout and take it to Kane and a missile like blow to the lower region of Kane.

Bubba Ray Dudley isolating Kane in the Dudley corner and then D-Von in the ring and double team flapjack to the Big Red Machine shades of the Midnight Express one of my favourite teams ever that used to be managed by James E Cornette, the most entertaining shooter in the biz. Youtube some, it’s fun. Show comes in and this tag is going bac and forth.

Bubba Ray Dudley with a chop bock to Kane but Show comes in and takes it to Bubba Ray Dudley and Kane from the top went for D-Von and accidentally hit Big Show. Bubba Ray Dudley pins Show but Kane stops the count and tossed Bubba Ray Dudley to the outside.

Show and Kane have a mis-comunication and now the Dudz take advantage but that fails as well, D-Von to the floor and Bubba Ray Dudley hit with a big boot by Show’s size 22.

Stacy laughs at Big Show who accidentally laughs at Show knocking Kane off the apron.

The top buckle is exposed and the Dudleyz 3D’d Big Show into that after that they pin him and Kane is mad at Show.

In the end at 6:49 the Dudleyz retained the title’s.
This match was very solid, nothing overly long, kept short which was good with four bigger guys.

 

 

** 1/2

 

 

 

 

5) Rob Van Dam (c) vs The Undertaker In a NO DQ match for the WWF Hardcore Championship

 

Well obviously it’s a NO DQ match with falls counting anywhere, anything goes for the Hardcore title.

By this time Taker had transformed from the long hair bad ass to the short-haired heel BIG EvIL, or Booger Red that wanted to show punks like RVD respect and go for the Hardcore title.

A bit strange but we got used to it. The veteran wantred to teach punks a lesson. Fast forward a decade and he’s still doing it but under his deadman persona again. Taker has been wrestling all my life pretty much with the exception of a few years in the 80’s, its truly going to feel different when he lves.

Decent package for this match showing Taker’s hdeel turn.

This was either the first appearance of him with his short hair, but it was definitely the first PPV with the short hair, that DEFINITELY took awhile to get used to seeing.

RVD was as over as ever here which helped the match.

Fans chantiing RVD, signs everywhere in San Diego. Chanting his name, Taker pushes the smaller Van Dam away and he flips over on the canvas as the bigger and taller Taker uses his leverage to begin.

Van Dam with some right-hands kzcnowing he has to lay in some crushing blows to be in any kind of fight with the Deadman but the old deadman pushed him to the corner where RVD used his fortay offense and went to the aerial game with a top rope summersault, but Taker quickly dropped RVD groin-first on the top rope and slammed him head-first into the steps.

The Undertaker was going to drive  RVD head-first into the post on the outside but RVD landed on his feet, hit a spin-kick to RVD who knocks Taker over the barricade, he launches himself onto Taker but The Undertaker hits Van Dam with a gut-shot.

The Undertaker then drags RVD by the hair into the crowd and roughs him up while a fan holding a Mexico flag covers RVD’s head, then The Undertaker hilariously grabs the flag and choked out RVD with it.

RVD resourcefully springboarded off the concrete barricade with a moonsault onto The Undertaker but he got directly back up and crashed RVD into the metal barricade on the floor.

It wasn’t before RVD came back buying himself time with a fire extinguisher. Then spin-kicks and a high crossbody off the top of a mini-Vengeance sign probably fifteen feet in the air.

Un-real.

Fand cant for RVD but since The Undertaker was also amazingly reselient gets caught by The Undertaker and he rams RVD head-first into that steel staging. Undertaker went for a last ride on the steel, RVD kiced off but Taker hit cans and char on the back of RVD bending the metal.

All of the sudden Undertaker with a choke-slam off the stage through a table and The Undertaker covered RVD. Wow.

In the end at 11:04 Undertaker wins the Hardcore title with out first tile switch of the night after he hits the spot of the match.

 

This match was definitely HARDCORE.

 

*** 1/2

 

 

 

 

6) Trish Stratus (c) vs Jacqueline for the WWE Women’s Championship

 

Earlier in the night Trish and Rock had a backstage segment where they flirted with each other as I said. Blah, I hate that corny stuff in Wrestling. But I guess all Wrestling is corny to an extent but we love it all anyway…

Fans chant for puppies from the get-go.

Always wondered how the divas feel about this when they go out of there way to learn how to be great wrestlers or god ones in this case at the very least anyway…

Trish scores with me, I mean with early shots and then all of the sudden Jackie took it to her for a bit but ultimatey in the end Trish cause Jackie off her feet in a back-slide.

In the end at 3:35 Trish retained her title to a good pop.
This match was obviously kept veeeery short.

 

3/4*

 

 

 

 

7) Semi Finals: Stone Cold Steve Austin (C) vs Kurt Angle for the WWF Championship

 

Single elimnation, this one for the title here obviously as would the next but this the WWF title. Austin re-gained it on Raw in October of 01 when Regal sided with the Alliance turnng heel on Angle making Steve Champ again. Austn had been Champ all the way from Mania to Unforgiven but spent just a few weeks without it as right after 9-11, Kurt Angle the patriotic, sympathetic hero and home-town Pittsburgh boy they obviously cashed in on. That story was very good though.

 

Austin had just turned babyface and the fans couldn’t wait to cheer him and he’s the good guy once again against Angle like the good old times.

Austin’s ovations from 2002 on were NEVER like they were from 97-2000 but hey, they were still loud as hell…it’s Austin here.

 

 

When thinking of these two men having matches against each other, three in paticular easily stand-out, Summerslam 2001 ther best, Unforgiven 2001 which was also tremendous and of course the match 9 months before it on Raw in January of 2001 where Hunter cost Austin the title when Angle had it, helping the HHH-Austin rivalry into that 3 Stages of Hell match at NWO 01.

So this match isn`t discussed a lot, I do believe Meltzer has this at *** 1/2, that is if you remotely care what he thinks.

I do,  always like hearing an opinion. Feedback is good, any kind…

 

 

Here we go, Austin with a great ovation, Angle with boo’s.
\
Bell rings.

Crowd is ready for the first of the three Main Event matches here all back to back.

Austin and Angle!

Kurt Angle and Austin tie-up with an overhead wrist-lock. Steve still in fabulous condition with all the work-rate he had to endure in this calender year which was arguably his best ever which is ironic because it was after his injury that set him back, can`t say that about a lot of guys.

Angle is baced off as he corners Austin and then Steve gives Kurt a smirk. Stone Cold Steve Austin chops Angle at the ropes but he held onto the top rope on the other side of the ring to slide out and re-group for a moment.

Angle then with a wast-lock take-down and then Austin rolled out, now Stone Cold flips off Angle to a good pop, Angle torks the arm of Austin but runs into a reverse elbow. The 96 King of the Ring then rolled out of a potential Ankle Lock from the 2000 King.

Angle off the ropes goes for a waist-lock, Stone Cold Steve Austin had it scouted and Austin had an arm-ringer and stomped on the mat torking the arm. Austin with a thumb to the eye and then Austin chokes him on the middle rope. Austin then throws Angle who`s charged at him all the way to the floor.

Ross points out how Stone Cold Steve Austin did a good job at preventing Angle at taking him to the mat because Steve wasn`t the technician on the mat he used to be or on par with Angle.

However Austin off the ropes did find himself caught in the Ankle Lock!

He got to the ropes.

Austin selling the leg back-dropped Angle to the floor then Steve roughs him up utside the ring dropping him on the table and chopping him.

Stone Cold Steve Austin having a hard time standing then Angle comes out of no where and drags Steve`s knees to the ring-post and Angle slams the both hard nt the ring post. Now Angle with a figure-four to Austin`s leg Bret Hart style from the floor to the botto of the ring post.

Right back into the Ankle Lock. Austin gets out, bounced off the ropes and Angle hits the first suplex of the match a belly to belly. Steve`s not supposed to take to many of those obviously with the neck which made Austin`s Benoit matches that much more impressive in this year of 01.

Stone Cold Steve Austin reversed Sternumm first into the bucle. A waist-lock suplex to Austin, then three German`s to the rattlesnake but only a two.

First Angle started with the bad legs and now the bad neck and mid-section, core Angle targetted with suplexes and went for a Moonsault after viciious stomps.

Strong story being told, Austin selling great, limping around the ring bught himself tie hits the Thesz press. Angle runs into a Spinebuster and Angle kicked out. Angle then rakes the face and Austin hits a German to Angle, then another, then ANOTHER is attempted, Angle tried to elow out of the third.

Austin goes for a fourth and he hits its and then five.

Crod applaud Austin`s efforts. Not enough people for my liking since that really must of took it out of him, that`s why he`s the greatest of all time.

A low-blow then the Angle Slam and Stone cold kicked out.

Austin got out of it and Angle stmps on the mat thrwing a tantum but Angle off the ropes runs into the Stunner. Austin wins and everyone thinks it`s going to be Austin-Rocky…surely it`d be..right…..right…

 

So in the end at 15:05 Austin advanced to the finals, love it as Austin limps up the ramp after retaining his title.

Fun Fact: This was the last night Austin was ever the WWE Champion and this here was his last ever successful defense.

 

Match of the PPV-Night!

Classic, almost as good as their 2001 January Raw match, this is their fourth best encounter ever together only behind the three I mentioned in the beginning.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 ) Semi Finals: The Rock (c) vs Y2J Chris Jericho FOR THE WCW aka World Heavyweight championship

 

 

Winner here is WCW Champion and faces Austin to see who will be crowned the finaland UNDISPUTED WWE Champion directly after with no rest, putting this man in a disadvantage as Austin gets a bit of a rest.

Both these guys had tremendous chemistry.

At No Mercy 2001 they competed in a **** 1/2 match.

At the 02 Rumble, a **** 1/4 match.

Lets see what I rare this one on at…

 

Chris Jericho leapfrogs Rock and then Rocky slaps an arm-bar on Jericho.

Even though Rock gets a huge pop we a large Rocky Sucks chant going. Just one of those things in Jericho matches where crowds love turning on the face in order to cheer for Jericho.

I can`t help but ask myself though, if Jericho was facing Austin, would hey be chanting Austin sucks… I just can`t picture that, that was never ever a popular chant. I have heard Steve get booed a little but never to the point where there were chants so that is why I think he is not only the greatest of all time, but likely the most popular as well, Hogan level anyway.

Plus you combine that with how many people hate Hogan the person as a person it`s not close.

Jericho dies his pony tail red round this time to give him sort of an eccentric list.

Jericho with a COME ON BAY BAY pectorial pose as he stomps the sternum of ROck in a cocky pinning attempt to which gets a good pop and laughs.

Rock shoots off the ropes and hts Y2J with a clothesline.

Now a ROCKY chant goes high in the air as the majority are definitely going for Rocky there is no doubt about that here.

At No Mercy 2001 way more were going for Jericho.

Y2J chants start up, some people say SUCKS after, Rocky hits Jericho with a Samoan Drop.

Jericho holds a sleeper on Rock, now the small chant is Lets go Jericho lets go! Lets go Jericho, lets go!

 

Chris goes for a running bulldog and got a two and Hebner pushes him back and some of the crowd bo this when it was done for cheap heat.

Jericho going all out charisma-wise in this match.

I mean who wouldn`t, this is the ultimate peak night of your career. Who else can say they beat Austin and Rocky in the same night to become the first ever Undisputed Champion….

You really, really can`t take that away.

Jericho catapolted Rocky into the ring post and now he reoved monitor`s off JR and the King`s table and Rock reverses it into the Rock bottom right though the table to a good pop.

Both men look lke they`re in a car-wreck now.

Jerich fights for his life looking for a Rock Bottom in the ring but Jericho counters it into a face buster and Jericho landed on the abdomen of Rock.

Y2J goes for the people`s elbow and then Rock countered into the Sharpshooter, then Rock is countered into a Sharpshooter of his own and Rock got to the ropes.

Rock with a cradle and Jericho kicked out. Jericho walks into a Rock Bottom and and instead of the pin Vince is distracted by Hebner and Rock drops Vince with a right.

A Spinebuster to Jericho then the real peple`s elbow. Rock drags Vnce in and lays the people`s elbow on Jericho. Rock layed the Smackdown! on Vince, Jericho with a low-blow and then covered Rock after a Rock Bottom.
In the end at 19:08, Jericho put away The Rock to become the new WCW Champion and Main Event with Steve Austin now after he beat Rock with a lot help from Vince.
This match was a lot of fun.

 

 

*** 1/2 
 

 

 

 

 

9) Main Event- Final: Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) Vs Y2J Chris Jericho (c) in a Title Unification match for the WCW Championship and the WWF Championship unified into the Undisputed WWF Championship

 

 

Okay, so here’s what people don’t often talk about anymore when remembering this event but due to the poster reminding me (one of the posters to this show) and crowd signs and chants and re-calling the big stir on the IWC on the night this show happened I’ll remind you all.

 

 

 

People thought (Fans) that Triple H would make his return on this night. In his return packages he’d say things like “Did you forget me? Did you forget my VENGEANCE.”

Or the PPV poster has his face with a Sledgehammer and all reports online said he’d interfere in the undisputed title match with whoever won. (See Poster Above) Many fans don`t realize posters were-are made months in advance.

SO when he didn’t show the crowd was pretty dissapointed to say the least. Add in the shock of who actually won the Undisputed title and the ending felt very strange….

Anyway onto this match. Jericho scored a HUGE victory over Rocky which most people couldn’t believe because when Austin won surely everyone thought it’s going to be Austin vs Rock in a match this big it just had to be.

Wrong.

 

Stone Cold Steve Austin came out to join Jericho fatigued and had already won himself, and just like that the first bout for the Undisputed title was on.

No vest and he grabs Jericho by the head.

Kurt came out and smacked Austin in the head with a chair proving he was a sore loser. The real reason is so both men were fatigued and had about even strength for the finals.

Rock even came out and Rock Bottomed Jericho.

Chris Jericho and Steve Austin are both down.

 

Fans chant TRIPLE H with both men down. Stone Cold Steve Austin down and Jericho stomps on Austin by the ropes and he pushes Hebner off. Jericho in full heel mode here chopping Austin. Jericho clotheslines Steve in the corner.

Stone Cold Steve Austin with his first real offense spearing him out of the corner. Stone Cold slammed the head of Jericho into the top turnbuckle. Austin looked for the Stunner as he flipped him off but Jericho shoved Austin until he shoved him off the apron.

Stone Cold Steve Austin chops Jericho outside the ring now by the barricade. Jericho taking over Austin as he was in better shape, younger, etc. Austin catapolts Jericho into the corner after a lot of abuse Steve had sustained by Jericho earlier in the match by the Spanish table on the outside.

Stone Cold Steve Austin’s arm was in trouble as Jericho held an armbar, Jericho kept bugging Hebner to ask him as Jericho used his legs as a dirty heel tactic for additional leverage.

Finally the official catches him. Jericho knees Austin up high and he goes down. Stone Cold Steve Austin down and Chris taking his time off the top going for a Randy Savage like double axehandle but Austin caught him in the gut with a right.

A rush of adrenaline Ross states for Austin and Stone Cold hit some shots, a backdrop failed and Jericho has got the Walls of Jericho locked in!

Austin with bad legs had taken a beating and the official got thrown to the outside. Fans want HHH.

Austin with a reverse elbow. Jericho hits Austin with a terrible Stone Cold Stunner.

Now Vince McMahon brings in Nick Ptrick and Flair brings down the ref. Vince punches Flair and runs him into the steel.

Jericho caught a lowblow by Austin. Stone Cold sees McMahon and punches him down, that never gets old.

Both men back in the ring, everyone down and Austin hit the Lou Thesz press and an elbow drop. Stone Cold chops Jericho and runs into a leg-drop. Austin turning Jericho around with the Walls of Jericho.

Booker T hit Austin in the back of the head with a title belt and he ran off.

McMahon shoved Hebner back in to do the count.

 

In the end at 12:31 Jericho defeated Stone Cold and The Rock in the same night to become the first ever Undisputed Champion.

Let the celebration for Jericho begin. It’s just too bad how his reign was booked.

This match worked very well all things considered.
 

 

***

 ————————————————————————-

 

 Final Rating for WWF Vengeance 2001 = 7.5/10

 

 

This show was unique in crowning the first ever Undisputed Champion (And I hate saying first ever because Macho won the WM 4 tournament to be called this as well) But the first ever that merged WCW and WWE. This is the last Vengeance under the WWF name and it had a very solid card even if the main event scene was booked dissapointing to some. A very good PPV all around, you just have to know what to expect with Jericho up-setting not only Rock, but Austin as well. And don’t expect HHH to be there because he was on a previously made poster months before. Overall….I’d suggest this PPV.