WWE Brand Split in Review – Week 2: Raw 4/1/02 & Smackdown 4/4/02

Raw June 1st 2002

• Ric Flair opens the show holding the new WWE Undisputed Championship, which he will present to Triple H later in the show. He also announces that Stone Cold Steve Austin will make his decision on which show he is signing with tonight.
• Rob Van Dam defends his title, yet again, against Booker T. RVD has now defended this title three times in 7 days. Booker wears down RVD with a chinlock. RVD goes for a Rolling Thunder but Booker hops up and kicks him in the head. Booker goes for a superplex and RVD shoves him off the ropes. RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash to retain yet again! As RVD celebrates, Eddie Guerrero runs out and powerbombs RVD. He climbs to the top and hits the frog splash.
• Vince McMahon comes out through the crowd with a clipboard, trying to convince Austin to come to Smackdown. Security comes out. Flair comes out and Vince says Austin will sign with him. Flair tells Vince that unless he has a ticket, he has to leave. Big Show comes out to escort Vince. Vince goes to talk and Big Show carries him off and throws Vince out the arena door.
• The European Champion, William Regal, faces off against Spike Dudley in a non title match. Regal hides his brass knuckles in the turnbuckle pad but the referee takes them while Regal is watching Spike enter the ring. Regal roughs up Spike for most of the match. Regal goes to look for his brass knuckles and can’t find them, giving Spike Dudley the opportunity to hit the Dudley Dog and pin Regal!
• Backstage the NWO come across the remains of the APA’s office and they decide to take it for themselves. Backstage Crash Holly breaks the news to Bradshaw and he isn’t pleased.
• Backstage Terri Runnels approaches Trish Stratus and tells her she’s been acting like she’s above everyone else since she got on the cover of the Divas magazine. Ric Flair comes along and announces a bikini paddle on a pole match. Lawler loses his mind.
• Coach interviews Debra, who is outside of Austin’s locker room. Debra says Steve hasn’t made up his mind yet but he will make the decision tonight.
• The NWO are spray painting all over the door to the APA office. Bradshaw comes in, kicks down the door and attacks then, only to get taken down by Nash and hit with a chair by X-Pac. Nash tells him he can have his office back.
• Bubba Ray takes on Raven for Raven’s Hardcore Championship. Raven comes out with his shopping cart and Bubba goes right after him, attacking before Raven even takes the title belt off. Bubba juggles some oranges and then smashes one off Raven’s face. Bubba goes for the Bubba Bomb but Raven low blows him. Raven locks in a sleeper hold. Bubba hits Raven with a stop sign and makes a comeback. Bubba hits a diving senton onto Raven for a two count. Raven drop toe holds Bubba Ray onto a chair. Raven goes for the Raven Effect but Bubba reverses into the Bubba Bomb for the win and we crown a new Hardcore Champion. That was a ridiculously fun match despite it’s length.
• Ric Flair makes his way to the ring with the new WWE Undisputed Championship. Undertaker interrupts and Flair and says he won’t let him give the title to Triple H. Taker reminds Flair of the beatdown he gave him at Wrestlemania X-8. Taker gets annoyed by the “what” chant tells the crowd to say “what” if they like to sleep with their own sister. Big “what” chant after that. Undertaker says he kicks Triple H’s ass every time they face off and claims Flair is disrespecting him. Triple H comes out and says that while Taker has beat him in the past, that was then and this is now. Undertaker challenges Triple H for the title at Backlash and Triple H accepts. Triple H tells him he wants to have the match right now but Undertaker says Backlash will do.
• The Hardyz take on the makeshift team of Big Bossman and Mr Perfect. Lawler is still talking about how there’s going to be a bikini match later. The Bossman/Hennig team beat down Matt Hardy for a while. Jeff gets tagged in and tags Perfect out of the ring with Poetry in Motion. Matt hits the Twist of Fate and Jeff hits the Swanton as Matt and Mr Perfect clothesline each other. Jeff gets the win for the Hardyz. As they celebrate, Brock Lesnar comes out and destroys Matt Hardy with a spinebuster and an F-5. Jeff dives onto Lesnar but Lesnar catches him and powerbombs him three times.
• Terri Runnels vs Trish Stratus in a paddle on a pole bikini match. Sure to be a classic. Terri slaps Trish before the bell and throws her around by the hair. She smashes Trish’s face off the ground and taunts her. Terri stomps on Tish’s butt and walks on her back. Terri goes for the paddle but Trish picks her up in the powerbomb position. Trish hits a bulldog and grabs the paddle. Trish wins the match and goes to spank Terri, only for Molly Holly to come out and attack Trish. She kicks Terri out of the ring and grabs the paddle. Molly smashes the paddle over Trish’s head, shattering it. Riveting.
• Vince is on the phone outside the arena and can’t get back in. He says some way he’ll get back in. Backstage Flair is in his office and Austin comes in. Austin asks why Vince isn’t in the building and tells Flair to let him in. Austin says he want to hear what both of them have to say.
• In the main event of the evening, X-Pac, alongside Hall & Nash, takes on Kane. Kane throws around X-Pac early on. Enziguri by X-Pac takes Kane down to a knee. While the referee is distracted, Nash attacks Kane. X-Pac fakes an injury to distract the ref again while Hall tosses Kane into the steel steps. Missile dropkick from X-Pac but Kane sits right back up. Kane comes back with some clotheslines to X-Pac and throws him up in the air just to drop him. Powerslam from Kane. Kane big boots X-Pac and attack Scott Hall outside the ring. Flying clothesline from Kane! He sets up for the chokeslam but Scott Hall runs in, rending the match a DQ. As the NWO attacks Kane, Bradshaw runs in and helps Kane fight off the NWO.
• We return from commercial and Ric Flair is in the ring. Vince makes his way as well and both are ready to make Austin an offer. Flair and McMahon bicker back and forth and Vince claims that he was the one who created Austin. Austin comes out and the crowd goes wild. Vince tries to kiss up to Austin but gets quickly annoyed when Austin gets a “what” chant going. Austin goes over all the things Vince has done to him over the years. Austin says he’ll sign with Vince and Vince begins rubbing it in Flair’s face. Austin goes to sign and then tells Vince “April Fools” and gives him a Stunner. Flair is ecstatic. Flair and Austin each grab a beer and Flair begins dancing. Flair drinks the bee, throws it down and knee drops it. Austin gets fed up with Flair and gives him a Stunner too. Austin picks up the contract for Raw and signs it, officially working under Flair.

Smackdown June 4th 2002

• Vince McMahon is in his office and announces that because he won the coin toss before the draft he also gets to choose the first #1 contender for Triple H’s title, rendering Undertaker’s title shot null and void. Vince says he’ll choose the #1 contender later.
• Kurt Angle makes his way to the ring in our opening segment. Kurt Angle says he’s officially willing to face Triple H for the WWE title at Backlash. Angle goes on and on talking about why he’s better than Triple H until Chris Jericho interrupts him. Jericho claims that no one deserves the title shot because he’s yet to get his one on one rematch for the title. Jericho says that he’s not a has been which causes the crowd to chant it. Jericho says the he wants to face Angle tonight and the winner gets Triple H at Backlash. Angle agrees but The Rock’s music hits. The Rock is about to say no one deserves a shot more than him but thinks about it for a second. The crowd chants for Hogan and Rock says they should give the title shot to him. Rock asks the fans who they want after Jericho & Angle complain and the crowd chants Hogan.
• Billy & Chuck defend their Tag Team Championships against the team of Albert & Scotty 2 Hotty. Scotty hits a big tornado DDT to Billy, however Albert and Chuck were fighting outside the ring and the ref never made the count. Rico sneaks in the ring and spinning heel kicks Scotty, allowing Billy to roll over and get the pin. After the match Scotty bulldogs Rico as Alberto intimidates him. As Scotty is about to do The Worm, Albert boots him in the face and beats down Scotty. Alberto puts the finishing touches on Scotty with a Baldo Bomb as he tells him he let him down.
• Vince gets interviewed outside his office. He said he couldn’t care less what the fans or The Rock think but that he knows who he’s going to select. Vince announces that Triple H will defend the title against Hulk Hogan. In the locker room, Jericho is pissed. He confronts The Rock in the hallway and complains. Jericho talks about all the times he’s beat Rock and Rock tells him to try and beat him tonight.
• Video package of Christian throwing a temper tantrum and DDP trying to make him a more positive person. Christian takes on DDP in a Wrestlemania rematch. DDP manages to turn a rollup attempt into a wheel-barrel suplex. Discus clothesline from Page. DDP hits a sitout powerbomb and Christian just kicks out. Christian reverses a clothesline and hits a backbreaker. Christian hits a reverse DDT and DDP just kicks out. Christian begins throwing a temper tantrum. DDP gets back up and smiles but Christian is ready for him and rakes the eyes. Unprettier for Christian gives him the win.
• Backstage Edge confronts Kurt Angle. They face each other later tonight. Edge shows Angle some old pictures of them when they teamed together. On the back of the pictures it says “you suck” pointing to Angle and other small phrases making fun of him. Angle doesn’t realize it until after Edge leaves. Really funny segment.
• Triple H makes his way to the ring and talks about how he’s facing Hogan at Backlash and how once he wins, he’ll still face Undertaker. Hogan’s music hits but instead of Hollywood Hulk Hogan, we get Hulkamania Hulk Hogan, back in the red and yellow. Hogan goes on a trip down memory lane. Triple H says that Hogan is someone he’s looked up to for years but is still just an obstacle. Hogan asks Triple H what he’s gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on him.
• Kurt Angle and Edge go head to head and Angle is mad about Edge’s prank earlier. Michael Cole calls Edge and Angle bitter rivals desite them feuding for exactly a week now. Spinning wheel kick from Edge and Angle comes right back with a german suplex. Angle goes for the Angle Slam but Edge reverses and hits a half nelson side slam. Angle gets tied up in the ropes and Edge spears him two times in a row. Angle rolls outside the ring and grabs a chair. The ref pulls Edge off of Angle and Angle grabs the chair. Edge goes or a spear and Angle holds the chair out, causing Edge to go face first into it. Edge wins via DQ. Angle goes to hit Edge with the chair again but Edge ducks and grabs it. Angle runs off as we get a closeup of a nasty cut above Edge’s eye. Now, Michael Cole, I feel like they’re bitter rivals.
• Former married couple Billy Kidman and Torrie Wilson talk backstage. Kidman is facing Torrie’s boyfriend, Tajiri for the Cruiserweight Title later. He says no hard feelings and wishes them luck. Kidman hugs Torrie and Tajiri comes around the corner and isn’t happy. He makes Torrie kiss him on the cheek.
• Tajiri vs Billy Kidman for the Cruiserweight Title. Tajiri with a diving moonsault on the outside to Kidman. Tajiri goes for a tornado DDT but Kidman holds him up and hits a sitout spinebuster. Kidman climbs to the top and goes for the shooting star press but Tajiri rolls out of the way. Buzzsaw Kick to the head from Tajiri and Kidman just kicks out. Tajiri grabs the title and brings it in the ring. While he’s fighting Kidman, Torrie grabs it to hold onto. Tajiri turns around and can’t find the title, allowing Kidman to roll him up and win the title! Tajiri is not pleased with Torrie. Tajiri yells at Torrie in Japanese and leaves.
• Vince McMahon is backstage and he’s angry about Maven losing the Hardcore Title to a Raw superstar. He tells Hardcore Holly to teach him a lesson tonight. Holly leaves and Stacy Keibler comes in. She says she wants to offer her services and Vince almost loses it. She says she wants to be his assistant. Vince and Stacy talk going into the commercial.
• Back from the commercial and Stacy is gone but D-Von Dudley comes into Vince’s office. D-Von is angry that Vince split the Dudleyz apart just because of his games with Flair. Vince says that he took D-Von because he thought he was the best pick and was hoping he’d branch off and become his own superstar. Vince tells him to leave and not come back until he finds out who he is.
• Backstage Maven and Al Snow talk about how far Maven has come.
• Maven goes up against the veteran Hardcore Holly. Holly with some stiff strikes to Maven. Holly with a beautiful standing dropkick. Maven hits a missile dropkick off the top rope. Alabama Slam from Hardcore Holly puts away Maven for the three count.
• Jericho vs The Rock is our main event and Jericho and Rock waste no time, brawling around the ring to start the match. Jericho catapults Rock into the ring post. Jericho talks a lot of trash to Rock but Rock bounces back with multiple chops to the chest. Jericho with a missile dropkick. Jericho climbs to the ropes again and Rock shakes them. Superplex from The Rock and both men are down. The Rock hits a float over DDT and shortly after the referee gets knocked out. Rock locks in the Sharpshooter but the ref is out. Kurt Angle runs in and The Rock takes care of him. Jericho body slams Rock and tries to do the People’s Elbow. Rock jumps up and spinebusters Jericho. Rock goes to do his own People’s Elbow but Angle intercepts him. Angle Slam from Angle. Jericho crawls over for the cover and Rock just barely kicks out at two. Edge runs out and chases off Angle. Jericho goes for a Lionsault and misses. Rock Bottom from Rock for the win!

Positives

• The Flair/Austin/McMahon segment was extremely fun.
• Jericho & Rock have good chemistry with each other.
• The Angle/Edge feud got taken up a notch. Greatly appreciate them not giving away the long match already.
• The NWO/Kane/Bradshaw stuff is pretty cool.
• Bubba/Raven was extremely fun.
• The show itself feels unpredictable.

Negatives

• Taker on the mic is kind of awkward.
• Didn’t really care for the HHH/Hogan promo.
• There’s so many title matches that get zero hype. I understand with the hardcore but the rest are weird.
• Some of these title matches go real short.

Performer of the week: Kurt Angle

Match of the week: Chris Jericho vs The Rock

Who had the better show?: Monday Night Raw