WWF King of the Ring
June 24, 2001
- Random Scrooge Tidbit: This would mark the final time I watched a WWF PPV via Scramblevision. I know, it sounds weird to say Scramblevision still worked in 2001, but I guess Cable was still evolving to eliminate cheating viewers like me who were satisfied just listening to the broadcast. Even though I would consider myself a hardcore fan at this point, never missing an episode of Raw or Smackdown, I really have to struggle to recall the key storylines going into this PPV. It's not like KOTR 99 where the storylines were non-existent, it's just the WWF was going through a transition with the purchase of WCW and trying to figure out what to do with it, and also having to deal with some untimely injuries.
- COURTESY OF THE WWE NETWORK (which means chapter skips ignore the Main Event)! Originally presented live on Pay-Per-View on June 24th, 2001, from the Continental Airlines Arena in East Ruthorford, NJ. I'm pretty sure they did Raw the following evening at MSG, but I'm getting off track, again. Jim Ross and PAUL HEYMAN are at ringside to call all the action, unless otherwise noted. I always have to remind myself Jerry Lawler quit the week after No Way Out ('01) in protest of WWF releasing his wife, Stacy "The Kat" Carter. Then she wound up cheating on him and wanting a divorce, so we all can say in hindsight it wasn't the best career move for Lawler to do that (leave, that is. I would've given my left nut to bang The Kat back in the day).
- Diamond Dallas Page shows up to call out The Undertaker. Remember, it was DDP who revealed to be the stalker of The Undertaker's wife, Sara. He wants the Undertaker to "Make Him Famous." Not exactly the best use of DDP, considering what happens later in the show, and the following weeks on WWF television.
Christian vs. Kurt Angle:
Semi-Finals Match #1. Yes, we're back to only two rounds on the PPV, but it works in this case. Yes, they're both heels, and on semi-friendly terms (Team ECK!). Angle, the defending KOTR Winner, defeated Hardcore Holly and Jeff Hardy, while Christian had a much more difficult road, having to get past Kane and the Big Show. Christian attacks before the bell and works Angle over in the corner. Angle takes him down with a waistlock and returns the favor, stomping him down in the corner. Christian avoids a charge and takes Angle down with a swinging neck breaker for two. Angle rolls through a sunset flip and goes for the ankle, but Christian fights free. Angle with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and sends Christian to the floor. They brawl around the ring, with Christian regaining control. He heads to the top, only to get shoved down to the arena floor! Angle with a gutwrench slam and back suplex for two. Snap suplex gets two. Christian with a surprise inside cradle for two. Angle muscles him over with another suplex for two. Criss-cross and Christian connects with a spinning heel kick. Shane McMahon shows up (wearing a WCW shirt) to create a distraction. Angle misses a moonsault, but a cover only gets two. Christian with a reverse back breaker for two. Angle counters the Unprettier with the Ankle Lock, but Christian uses the referee to pull himself to the ropes. Christian counters the Angle Slam with the Unprettier, but Shane pulls him off the cover! Angle Slam from the apron on a distracted Christian, sending Angle to the Finals at 8:17. Shane obviously wants Angle to work the maximum three matches (remember, Shane vs. Kurt in a Street Fight, on top of the Tournament), so the finish makes sense. ***1/4 Hot opener. Crowd was into it, the action was crisp, and there was zero resting. I don't recall seeing much between Angle and Christian over the years, but they had pretty good chemistry.Edge vs. Rhyno:
Semi-Finals Match #2. Yes, all four Semi-Finalists are heels, and all four had a decent relationship before the Tournament started (Rhyno added to team ECK made Team RECK!). Edge defeated Test and Perry Saturn while Rhyno went through ECW alumni Tazz and Tajiri. Slugfest to start, won by Rhyno. Whip and Edge connects with a jumping heel kick. Rhyno gets a knee up on a charge, but finds himself on the apron, and knocked off with a dropkick. They brawl on the floor, with Rhyno getting crotched along the security wall in the middle of it. Edge works Rhyno up the aisle and takes a hot shot into the rail. These matches sure have a relaxed Count-Out policy. Whip to the corner, and Edge meets an exposed middle turnbuckle. Rhyno works the back and midsection for a near fall. Rhyno with a snapmare and body scissors applied in the center of the ring. Rhyno with a modified Michinoku Driver. He heads to the top rope and gits a big splash, but only gets a two count. Edge with a weak Hot Shot, inverted atomic drop, and clothesline. Edge with a sunset flip powerbomb for two. Whip and Rhyno with a spinebuster. He sets up for the GORE~!, but Edge meets him head on with a spear! Rhyno recovers first and covers for two. Edge avoids another Gore and the Impaler DDT finishes at 8:52. **1/2 Good match, but on the dull side at times with pointless brawling on the floor in the middle. Rhyno's body work was alright and the finish was hot, but not as much as the opener.WWF Tag Team Championship Match:
The Dudley Boyz © vs. Spike Dudley & Kane:
The Dudley Boyz recently turned heel and have been making Spike's life hell, so he's enlisted the help of the Big Red Monster, and reigning Intercontinental Champion, Kane, to assist him. Kane won the belt from Triple H at Judgment Day, only to lose it about a week after this in a fairly memorable match with Albert that included the first ever Hurri-Kane-rana. Kane and Spike (but mostly Kane) clean house to start. Bubba throws Spike at Kane, Kane catches him, and throws him back on top of Bubba for a near fall. Kane with a big boot for another two count. Kane no-sells punches from D'Von and takes him down with a Powerslam. The jumping elbow actually connects for the first time ever, but only gets two. D'Von pulls a Hitman and fakes a knee injury, taking control on Spike. Spike takes an impressive beating as Heyman reminds me of the Holly vs. Dudley version of Romeo and Juliet that turned the Dudleys heel in the first place. Spike goes for a hurricanrana, but Bubba counters with a Powerbomb. D'Von misses a diving headbutt, allowing Kane to get the hot tag. He unloads on Bubba with rights, follows him in the corner with a clothesline, and takes him down with a neck breaker for two. Hip toss on D'Von and a side slam on Bubba for another two count. Kane with a huge Powerslam for "two", and the crowd definitely picked up on the blown spot (D'Von was to break the cover). Spike tags in and gets launched over the top rope onto the Dudleys! Kane with the flying clothesline to Bubba and Spike covers for two. Dudley Dog and D'Von breaks the cover in time. Dudleys with the No-Wassup Headbutt on Kane. Spike with a missile dropkick on both men. Spike can't hit the Dudley Dog, and the 3D finishes at 8:43. Post-match, Bubba gets put through a table via Chokeslam. **1/2 Surprisingly good considering my low expectations. Lots of energy from all four men, minimal resting, and the only problem I had was the obvious blown near-fall spot.
KOTR Finals: Edge vs. Kurt Angle:
Yes, we're wrapping up the Tournament before the first hour of the PPV has concluded. It's about time someone in the creative team learned to just get this stuff over with and get to the non-Tournament Main Event(s). Angle tries to sweet talk Edge into laying down to conserve his energy, but it's no dice. Edge pounds away and takes Angle down with a flapjack. Angle turns things around and puts the boots to Edge in the corner. Whip and Edge with a jumping heel kick. Angle with a belly-to-belly, sending Edge over the top rope, to the floor. Edge gets sent to the steps, still selling the ribs from earlier. In all fairness, that was only 15-minutes ago. Angle with a back suplex for two. Snap suplex gets two. Angle grabs a chinlock to slow it down. Edge fights Angle off the top rope and school boys him for two. Angle with an overhead belly-to-belly for two. Angle with a snapmare and back to the chinlock. Edge fights free, only to get tossed to the floor. Angle (with a busted lip) follows for another pointless brawl around the ring. Angle to the top, but a dropkick crotches him across the buckle. Edge with a hurricanrana for two. They have a slugfest from their knees. Edge with clotheslines and a back drop. Angle misses a dropkick and Edge slingshots him into the buckle for a near fall. Edge counters the Angle Slam, Angle counters the DDT, and Edge counters the Ankle Lock with a victory roll for two. Reverse DDT, but Christian comes out for an inconvenient distraction. Angle with a roll up for two. Angle ducks a slam, giving us our first ref' bump. Ankle Lock applied, but the tap-out means nothing without a referee. Shane McMahon sneaks in and hits Angle with a Spear! Edge with the Impaler, and it's good for the three count and the KOTR at 10:21. *** Slow-ish start and Edge still technically being a heel made for weak crowd responses until a very hot finish with some nice counter sequences. Edge would officially turn the following night, and got to make fun of King of the Ring Flop Billy Gunn in the process.- What is this, a 1989 PPV Intermission? We jump from an interview with Chris Benoit (with an awesome t-shirt), to talking about DDP, to an interview with Edge (and attention stealer Christian), to Kurt Angle wandering around yelling about kicking Shane McMahon's ass.
WWF Light-Heavyweight Championship Match:
Jeff Hardy © vs. X-Pac:
Ugh. X-Pac. I just can't contain my excitement. And to make it worse, it's The X-Factor era, complete with GOD FUCKING AWFUL UNCLE KRACKER ENTRANCE MUSIC. Matt Hardy and "the rest of X-Factor" (Albert and Justin Credible) are banned from ringside. Jim Ross hypes "Fully Loaded" next month, which wound up being "Invasion" for storyline purposes. Lockup and X-Pac with an arm drag. X-Pac with a weak chain wrestling sequence. Criss-cross, Hardy with an arm drag into an armbar. Hardy sends him to the floor with a spinning head scissors, and comes running off the security rail with a clothesline. Jeff misses the Willow the Wisp or whatever the fuck the move is called. X-Pac grabs an abdominal stretch, possibly because Mike Rotunda was a road agent (checks) Never mind, that's not for a few more years. X-Pac busts out a springboard plancha for old times sake, but the crowd doesn't respond, then boos him looking trying to play it up for a reaction. Criss-cross ends with a spinning heel kick for two. X-Pac goes for the Bronco Buster, but fails. Hardy with a goofy dropkick and clothesline. They blow a leap frog spot. Hardy comes off the top with a corkscrew moonsault for two. X-Pac rolls through a body press for two. Hardy takes off the shirt, so X-Pac hitting the X-Factor makes me smile. Hardy gets the foot on the rope as the referee counts three, so the match MUST CONTINUE! Hardy with a jawbuster to counter another X-Factor. Swanton Bomb finishes at 7:11. I bet X-Pac won the rematch on Raw, since more people would watch that than the PPV... (checks)... yep. *1/2 Some decent spots, but the crowd wasn't into it as much you'd think, and there wasn't any real flow.
- We waste roughly 15-minutes for an unadvertised "brawl" between The Undertaker and Diamond Dallas Page that was essentially a Undertaker squash. No, this wouldn't be the WORST thing for DDP to have to go through during this angle over stalking the Undertaker's wife. Judging by how the segment went down, you would think DDP was already being turfed from the company (cough:BuffBagwell:cough). Most surprising moment: WWE didn't edit out Limp Bizkit's "Rollin"?! Did someone fall asleep at the switch?
Street Fight: Shane McMahon vs. Kurt Angle:
I've been looking forward to this. Scrooge Fact: This was the first match I watched upon completing my subscription to the WWE Network. Short and sweet: Angle was doing a mock ceremony in honor of reclaiming his gold medals from Chris Benoit, Shane disrespected him, Angle accepted the challenge despite being in the KOTR Tournament, because he's that awesome. Weird to see Shane McMahon, "Owner of WCW", portrayed as the babyface. That wouldn't last long, but it's nice to see WWF not be treated as the clear-cut babyface any time they ever bring in other companies (see also: ECW in 1996-97). Shane's custom jersey of the night has "Super Mac, Kurt's Kryptonite" on the back. Anyway, I'm rambling as usual, so lets get to the matchAngle comes in looking super pissed off. Angle with a spear and a pair of waistlock takedowns. Angle pounds the back and takes him down with a back suplex. Kurt with a flurry of knees to the midsection. Shane grabs a boot and leg whips Angle. Shane with a takedown and immediately escapes to the floor. Angle gets on his knees and dares Shane to try and do it to him Amateur style. Angle has blood above his eye and his lip is bleeding again. Angle easily rolls out of Shane's grapple and pounds away with rights and lefts. Angle with a gutwrench, followed by an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Angle looks like he's hitting some legit stiff forearms across the face. He takes Shane down and gives Shane a taste of his own attempts at embarrassing him. Shane appears to have a busted mouth, too. Angle offers Shane another try in the Amateur position, but Shane outsmarts him this time with a kick to the ribs. Whip and Shane with a diving back elbow, followed by clotheslines. Angle with a waistlock takedown. Shane uses the momentum to throw Angle to the floor.
They play cat-and-mouse, with Shane leaping off the security wall with a forearm. He climbs onto the rail again and does a body press OVER Heyman, Jim Ross and the table! Shane whips out a Kendo Stick, and J.R. somehow mocks the New York Mets, making him my hero. Angle meets the post on a charge, making significant contact. These two realize the goal of the show is to NOT hurt each other (too much)? Shane with rights and an arm drag, sending Angle into the wall. Shane with a tackle, knocking Angle back into the steps. Shane introduces more plunder, including a large board, garbage cans, and parking signs. Whip and the diving sign shot to the head gets two. Angle misses an enziguri and Shane slaps on the Ankle-Lock! Angle kicks Shane in the face to break it. Shane avoids a charge and hits the Rock's "Layin' The Smackdown" DDT. Shane actually goes for the Sharpshooter, and it looks better than The Rock's. Angle with the kendo stick, whacking Shane across the back to break the hold. The ref' no sells a wild cane shot as Shane does his best Marvelous Marc Mero impression. Shane punishes Angle with trash can blows, climbs the top rope, and HOLY SHIT, a shooting star press misses everything but the can! This match should be over, but it's only getting started. Angle with a fireman's carry to throw Shane over the top rope, to the floor.
They find their way up the aisle towards the entrance set. Angle goes for a suplex, but Shane blocks and counters with his own, and you can see Angle land hard on his tailbone, suffering a legit injury in the process. I don't have to tell anyone how painful that can be, let alone trying to do anything revolving around lifting even the smallest amount of weight. They trade blows until Kurt just pulls Shane in and overhead suplexes him into the set, BUT IT DOESN'T BREAK, and Shane lands on his fucking HEAD, making the loudest thud you will ever hear. That might be the most sickening sound I've ever heard. Angle pulls him up and does it again, through a giant glass wall! Shane is covered in blood, as is Kurt. That's not stuntman glass like we saw at WrestleMania 17. That's thick glass and they're cut all over their bodies. I guess it's not enough, so Angle tries it again, and again it doesn't break, but Angle tries to catch him. We break kayfabe for a second as they have a mild conversation to make sure Shane isn't dead. One more failure, so Kurt goes "FUCK THIS" and THROWS SHANE THROUGH THE GLASS, HEAD FIRST. The replay of that from the other side is just amazing. Some insane prick decided the match HAS TO END IN THE RING, so Angle, with a potentially broken tailbone, and Shane playing dead, have to get back to the ring somehow. Kurt lays Shane across some kind of transport case on wheels and slowly makes it back to the ring.
Angle nudges Shane back in the ring, and a cover only gets two. Guys, you've more than given the fans their moneys worth. Angle tries to use a trash can lid, but Shane low blows him, whacks him with all his might with the lid and hits the Angle Slam! Arm across the chest and it only gets two! Angle slingshots Shane onto the top turnbuckle. He grabs that wooden board from earlier and smacks Shane across the back with it. He sets it across the top rope as some sort of a floor, climbs up with Shane, and hits a Super-Sized Angle Slam to finally end Shane's misery at 25:58! ****1/2 I stand by my original opinion that this was one of the greatest "street fights" I've ever seen. You can argue Shane's credibility and taking a spot from a regular, full-time worker, but this was more than the usual from Shane: They went out there, wrestled, beat the shit out of each other, and actually kept the weapon stuff to a minimum. Highlighted by an intense sequence that gave us one of the most sickening spots in WWF History, this stole the show and was more than worth the price tag of the original PPV costs. As I mentioned, I didn't order the PPV. I remember the majority of this match being replayed on the "Best of 2001" TV Special, and rewatching it over and over again on my VCR, it was that awesome. I hate to be the poor bastards who follow this...
- Steve Lombardi shows up to tell Steve Austin his match is coming up next.
WWF Championship Match:
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin © vs. Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho:
... Okay, so maybe this CAN top the previous match. Weird build-up to this saw Austin pretty much beat both men in singles matches on free T.V. (including a lost-classic with Benoit from Edmonton on Smackdown), and tension that Benoit and/or Jericho would "sign with WCW" if they win the Title. Austin is in the complete-paranoia phase of his character, a heel run that most people are quick to say was a total botch job, but it had potential, but NO ONE WANTS TO BE STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN. Austin stalls, hoping Mr. McMahon would show up, forcing Benoit and Jericho to take the fight to him. That just seems wrong to type that Austin is running from people, but it's the character he's playing at the time, and J.R. does a great job putting it over. Team Canada take turns chopping the skin off his chest. It doesn't take long for Chris & Chris™ to get in each others face for breaking up a cover. Austin ducks a spinning heel kick, letting Benoit take the bullet, instead. Jericho helps him up, then puts the boots to him, much to Paul Heyman's approval. Austin sneaks in to help take care of Benoit, then singles out Jericho. Thesz Press is countered with the Walls, but Benoit breaks it with an axehandle to the back of the neck. He sends Jericho over the top rope, to the floor, with a back suplex. Benoit goes for the Crossface, but Austin frantically grabs the ropes. Benoit with forearms and a hard elbow for two. Austin takes it to the floor to take control. Austin pounds away with rights until Benoit surprises him with a roll up for two.
Jericho wakes up from his Bob Backlund Memorial Nap™, sporting a busted forehead. Austin throws the two challengers together, keeping Benoit alone in the ring. Benoit counters the Stunner, knocking Austin into the referee. Benoit hits Austin with the Stunner, but it only gets two! Benoit grabs the WWF Title and smacks Austin in the face with it, but Jericho breaks the count. They take it to the floor for a slugfest, ending with Benoit taking a flapjack into the post. Austin sweeps the legs of Jericho and goes for the Walls, but Jericho counters. Jericho with a suplex for two. Whip to the ropes and Austin plants him with a spinebuster for two. Russian leg sweep gets two. Austin grabs a sleeper, but Jericho counters with a back suplex. Jericho with a diving forearm and a pair of clotheslines. He knocks Benoit off the apron with a springboard dropkick. He takes Austin down with a bulldog, but the Lionsault meets knees. Jericho counters the Stunner, but Austin comes off the ropes with the Thesz Press. Benoit comes in with a chair and knocks Jericho into next week with it. Ge tthe hands up, man. It's not worth it. Austin ducks a second swing and knocks Benoit to the floor with the Stunner. Austin continues to single out Jericho and takes him off the top turnbuckle with a Super-Plex. Austin sets him up and connects with it a second time for a two count. Benoit interrupts a third, taking Austin down with his rolling Germans, FIVE total. Austin goes low to interrupt potential 5 more, like what happened in their match on Smackdown.
Jericho with the Walls, and Benoit quickly joins in the fun with the Crossface!! Austin taps out, but it doesn't count because both men can't be WWF Champion, unless Vince Russo is booking. Benoit dives at Jericho and traps him in the Crossface! Jericho rolls through to counter and goes for the Walls, but Benoit fights him off. They trade chops until Benoit takes him down with a snap suplex. Austin grabs another chair, but Benoit sees it and knocks it back in his face with a baseball slide. Jericho counters a DDT, dumping Benoit over the top rope, but gets himself hung across the top rope, in the process. Suddenly BOOKER T hops the rail, pounds away on Austin, and hits the Scissors Kick to a big pop. Then he puts him through the Spanish Announcers Table to a bigger pop. I completely forgot about Booker T doing a run-in for this match. Jericho puts Benoit in the Walls, but he makes it to the ropes. Benoit plants Jericho with a slam and goes up for the headbutt, but Jericho slams him off. Jericho with the bulldog and Lionsault, but Benoit was way out of position for Jericho to make contact. He still covers, for two. Jericho sets his attentions back on Austin, throwing him back in the ring. Jericho climbs up and hits a picture-perfect moonsault, but Benoit breaks the cover. Benoit to the top for his signature Headbutt, and Jericho interrupts that count. Benoit sets Jericho across the top rope, pounding away on his back. Benoit climbs up with him for a Super-Back Suplex. Everyone is down and out, Austin crawls onto Benoit... and it's a three count at 27:50. Color me surprised by the finish, but not out of the realm of believability. **** I've never been a huge fan of Triple Threat's, just because it takes a lot to keep them interesting. Each man took a serious bump to write them out of the match for extended amounts of time, allowing it to be one-on-one for the most part. Benoit and Jericho tore the house down together, Austin brought his typical A+ effort, and holy cow, Booker T?! What does this mean for WCW?!
Final Thoughts: I think it's very safe to say this was the best King of the Ring PPV ever produced by the WWF. You have a 4-star Main Event for the WWF Championship, an outstanding 4-star Street Fight that blew away all expectations, and an all-star performance from Kurt Angle, who not only competed in that Street Fight, but two King of the Ring matches earlier in the show. There's a few negatives, like a pointless Light-Heavyweight Title Match and the garbage between The Undertaker and DDP, but the good far outweighs the negative. Strong Recommendation to check out, especially the Angle vs. Shane McMahon Street Fight.
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