WWE King of the Ring 2002 Review

Hello Misfits! It’s the Wrestling Classic here with a classic review for King of the Ring 2002. I randomly started watching Raws and Smackdown’s from June of 2002. It led me to watch King of the Ring 2002. It was such a transitional and unique time in the WWE. WCW and ECW had both closed their doors and we just got over the Invasion storyline. The roster was loaded with so many former WCW and ECW stars. It was the first few months of the brand extension between Raw and Smackdown. There was also plethora of legends back in the locker room including the likes of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. The New World Order was in the WWE. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin had walked out of the company after being its top star for nearly 7 years. The Rock was slowly transitioning to Hollywood. The WWE was desperately trying to build new stars and force this new “Ruthless Aggression” era with Brock Lesnar being the leader of the new era. The locker room was filled with so much talent spreading across different eras of wrestling. Anything was possible at this time and things were changing week by week. 2002 was a really interesting year and so was this event.

Image via WWE.com

This show is coming to us from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

– The show opened up with great hype video for the event focusing on the King of the Ring tournament and the four semi-finalist.

King of the Ring Semi-Final Match
Rob Van Dam def. Chris Jericho
in 14:32 by pin fall
This was a Raw vs. Smackdown semi-final King of the Ring match between two super talented stars in their prime. This was a quality back and forth match. These two worked well together and there were a ton of near falls. It really set the pace for the night and was a solid opening match. Jericho was hot off of being the Undisputed Champion and Rob Van Dam was still a fan favourite with the WWE crowd since debuting the year before. If I am correct this was the infamous match where Jericho ripped on fans online who complained about this match online directly after it had happened live. He called them ungrateful or something on a forum and I can’t disagree with him. This wasn’t bad at all especially comparing it to most of the other matches on this card. This was two workhorses doing exactly what that nickname defines. The right guy won in the end to keep the fans happy and to continue the rivalry that was playing out between Lesnar and RVD on the Raw’s leading up this event. If you didn’t like this match back in 2002, I suggest you go check it out again and I’m sure your opinion might change.

King of the Ring Semi-Final Match
Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman def. Test
in 08:18 by pin fall
Two tough big men just hammering at each other is what this was. Test was a big guy in his own right but Lesnar just looked like a genetic freak. Test got a positive ovation here but I am guessing its because the fans weren’t sure what to make of Brock Lesnar yet even though his push was inevitable. Brock finally looked challenged against a bigger opponent. I forgot that fans used to chant Goldberg as Lesnar during his early days. Heyman was doing a lot of yelling to keep Brock in the match every time that Test got the better of him. Test even got a few near falls. Brock no sells a pump handle slam basically just kicking out right away. Test even lands one of his big boots but Lesnar still kicks out. I’m guessing it wasn’t as dangerous of a big boot because Test never slapped his thigh which adds extra power of course. Heyman distracts Test as he tries for another big boot only to allow Brock to catch Test with a F-5 for the win. This was a solid big man match and reminded me of the potential Test had to be a top guy if they ever decided to push him that way. The guy could really work and this match showcased that. This was the right amount of time because if it was any longer, I am sure we would have had some slow spots or multiple rest spots. Brock Lesnar picks up the win like we all expected back then which means the KOTR finals will be Raw vs. Raw with RVD vs. Brock Lesnar.

– There are some backstage interviews about peoples thoughts on the finals of KOTR tournament.

Cruiserweight Championship
Jamie Noble w/ Nidia def. The Hurricane (C)
in 11:38 by pin fall
The cruiserweight division during this era provided a lot of quality matches on the undercards of these PPVs that for some reason during the time kind of just flew under the radar for me. I do remember being a Hurricane fan. I remember really disliking Nidia and finding everything about her repulsive. I also remember being excited to see Jamie Noble in the WWE. Although, if you asked me about this rivalry prior to this week when I started watching these 2002 shows again, I wouldn’t be able to tell you a thing about it. These guys put on a helluva a match that made the championship feel important. This is another match between two workhorses with the intention to have the best match on the card. There was a spot during this match where Hurricane suplexed Noble from inside of the ring to the outside and it caught me off guard. Its one of those spots we rarely see pulled off successfully and they did it here in 2002. Of course with Nidia at ringside the finish came with some shenanigans and distractions. Nidia distracts the ref after a nasty neck breaker off the top rope to Noble. The Hurricance gets up and sends Noble into Nidia off the apron. Hurricane hits a chokeslam on Noble but he still kicks out. Eventually all of the shenanigans catch up to Hurricane and Noble wins his first championship in the WWE after a powerbomb. This was a quality match between two talented guys.

– Eddie Guerrero cuts a promo before the match where he is giving shoutouts to everyone in his family which goes long and its funny. He also mocks Flair and says he can do stuff in that ring that Flair can’t even dream of doing.

Ric Flair def. Eddie Guerrero
in 16:50 by pin fall
This was a match that was thrown together after “Stone Cold” Steve Austin walked out of the WWE due to being burnt out and creative differences that hit a high when it was suggested he lose to Brock Lesnar is hot shot match on Raw. For months, Austin had been feuding with Ric Flair and it ended up involving Guerrero and Benoit too. The same night Austin walked out, Flair lost his 50% ownership of WWE and soon after was confronted by Eddie and Benoit which eventually led to this match. I believe we were most likely going to get Steve Austin vs Eddie Guerrero on this card but I don’t think we’ll ever really know. Ric Flair is an absolute legend and was already established his legacy at this point of his career. Eddie Guerrero was undeniably one of the best wrestlers on the planet and building his legacy at the time. Unfortunately, Eddie had to carry an unmotivated Ric Flair and take the L in a match that seemed great on paper but really didn’t play out that way. It went a little longer than it should have and ended with controversy. The finish came with Benoit making his way out helping Guerrero out only for things to turn around on them when Bubba Ray came out to hit the Bubba Bomb on Guerrero allowing Flair to pick up the win. They had big plans for a Bubba after this initial brand split but looking back at this now, the finish just didn’t fit the match.

WWE Women’s Championship
Molly Holly def. Trish Stratus (C)
in 05:41 by pin fall
This feud was about slut and body shaming. Basically, Molly Holly was calling Trish Stratus an embarrassment to women wrestling for posing in swimsuits shoots and Trish mocked Molly Holly for having a fat ass which in reality isn’t a bad thing. I mean at least at todays society standards. This match only went five minutes and reminds you how far women’s wrestling has come. It was pretty good action for a five minutes and considering the workers involved, I’m curious how good the match would have been if they got more time. The finish came when Molly got Trish in a roll-up and was able to pull on tights to become the Women’s Championship. This was what it was but I would have loved to see these two wrestle against each other in the current era.

Kurt Angle def. “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan
in 12:09 by submission
This was the battle of who was more of an American Hero. Never in my life prior to 2002 did I think I was going to see Kurt Angle versus Hulk Hogan. I think when most people think of Hulk Hogan’s run in the WWE in 2002 they mainly think of Hogan vs The Rock and Hulk winning the tag team titles with Edge. However, there were so many other Hogan matches and moments I don’t think we ever thought we were going to see. Hulk Hogan vs Kurt Angle was one of them. I also think one of the reasons people don’t remember this match was because it wasn’t that good. To be honest, it moved really slow and felt like it dragged. The thought of Hogan and Angle is great but it didn’t play out that way. Angle had recently had his head shaved bald and the man he was facing knows all about balding. Angle also was wearing that silly wrestling head gear with a wig under it. There were a few reasons why this match stood out though. This was Hulk Hogans fist appearance at the King of the Ring since 1993 and once again he lost. This was also the first time I can recall Hulk Hogan tapping out to anyone. What an achievement for Kurt Angle to own He would submit again later this Summer but at the hands of Brock Lesnar. It was shocking to see the “Hulk Up” sequence not lead to victory for Hogan in this era but it still got the crowd hyped. I think this match is fun to watch considering the names involved, the nostalgia factor, Angle beating Hogan and just because how unique this period was in the WWE, but overall it wasn’t that good.

– Backstage promo with The Rock, Booker T and Goldust that everybody should watch. Absolutely hilarious and one of the highlights of this show. Goldust is dressed as The Rock pretending to be him, only for The Rock to show up behind him. The Rock and Booker T trade catchphrases and Goldust tries only to fail. They talk about having a common enemy in the NWO. The Rock says the WWE title is more important than the People’s Elbow, Spinnerooni and whatever it is Goldust does. Goldust repsonds with “I have more ammunition in my cannon than…” and Rock cuts him off asking what’s wrong with him and calling him sick freak. This goes on until The Rock and Booker T leave Goldust confused. Anything I type, doesn’t do it justice so just watch it here.

King of the Ring Finals
Summerslam Championship Opportunity
Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman def. Rob Van Dam
in 05:44 via pin fall
This was the King of the Ring finals of the last ever King of the Ring PPV. The winner was also going to be awarded an Undisputed Championship match at Summerslam. I actually enjoyed this stipulation as it made the tournament feel more important. Both guys were popular so it could have gone either way but I think we all knew that they were pushing Brock Lesnar as the “Next Big Thing.” Its also always cool think about the relationship between Heyman and RVD, as they go back to the ECW days. This was a good contrast of power and size versus speed and agility. It was a fairly quick bout that told the story of the fighting RVD trying to overcome the overpowering monster. RVD almost picked up the win after a frog splash but Lesnar kicked out. Van Dam went to the top again, only for Heyman to cause a distraction to stall Rob Van Dam just long enough for Lesnar to get back up to catch RVD for an F-5. Lesnar became the last ever official King of the Ring until the tournament returned in 2008 but not as an official event. This was a solid quick final match that made RVD look good but also served the ultimate goal of placing Lesnar in the role of the “Next Big Thing” to face the champion in the main event of Summerslam.

– The NWO (Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels, X-Pac and Big Show) greet and wish Triple H luck in his match tonight with the Undertaker. They tell him to holler if he needs them. It was cool to see this mini Kliq reunion along with the Big Show.

WWE Undisputed Championship
Undertaker (C) def. Triple H
in 23:44 via pin fall
Well…what can I say about this match? Two legendary superstars wrestling for the Undisputed Championship sounds like it can’t go wrong but it did. First let me give a bit of a background here. Triple H defeated Chris Jericho for the Undisputed Championship at Wrestlemania X8. He then lost the championship to Hulk Hogan a month later at Backlash. A month following that The Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan for the championship at Judgement Day and Triple H earned a shot at Undertaker by defeating Hogan on an episode of Smackdown. The Rock had his sights on the Undisputed Championship and I can’t really remember if he had any issues with The Undertaker or Triple H at this point but he still was involved. I think this was to increase the butyrate and hype the PPV overall. There was clearly a void they were trying to fill losing Steve Austin and having The Rock on a part-time basis. Heyman was on commentary for the match scouting who may possibly become Lesnar’s opponent at Summerslam. This match had all the potential in the world but left a lot to be desired. The Attitude Era had come and gone but this match kicked off with that brawling style we got use to during that era. They had a lot of time to work with and it seemed like they were trying to make the most out of their time but it just came off slow and methodical. Definitely a step down from their match at Wrestlemania X7 and the matches they would have against each other way later in their careers. I also enjoyed Undertaker more as a babyface and always preferred heel Triple H but the roles were reversed in this match which also might have added to my feelings towards it. Of course by Summerslam, Triple H would be heel again and The Undertaker would be a babyface so as I mentioned before, it was just a weird time in the WWE.
There was a ref bump that took the referee out for what felt like forever.  The Rock made his way out to an electrifying pop. Heyman kicked it as soon as Dwayne made his way down and Rock takes over on commentary. Eventually, The Undertaker took a shot at The Rock which led to The Rock getting involved aiming a chair shot at The Undertaker but hitting Triple H. Undertaker hits a last ride but only gets a two count. Undertaker throws the ref out of the ring and this allows Rock to hit Undertaker with a Rock Bottom which made the crowd erupt. Both Taker and Triple H are layed out. Triple H tries going for the pin but both Hebner and Nick Patrick are knocked out. Triple H hits the pedigree but still no referee alive. Taker low-blows Triple H and rolls him up with a handful of tights for the victory. Talk about an overbooked finish with minor ref bumps killing refs. After the match, Taker talks trash to the Rock and takes a Rock Bottom. Helmsley jumps the Rock and gives him the Pedigree, but the Undertaker recovers and chokeslams Helmsley. Undertaker stands tall in the end. You would imagine the next month would be Triple H vs. The Rock vs. The Undertaker but somehow that isn’t the case but Kurt Angle gets involved instead. This wasn’t the greatest.

Final Thoughts
This was a weird time in the WWE as mentioned earlier and the booking seemed to be all over the place. The WWE was relying on superstars they had already built to carry their brands in The Rock, Triple H, Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin but everything seemed played out or overkill. However, with many of those names either leaving, slowing down or feeling recycled in top spots the WWE was forced to build new stars and there was sign of that here with Brock Lesnar. If you’re a big Lesnar fan, you’ll enjoy this event because it is a pivotal part of his rise to the top. Other than that, all of the stars you might be tuning in for didn’t really leave you with memorable matches or moments. The two semi-final KOTR matches were better than I remembered the first time around. Jericho vs. RVD and Test vs. Lesnar deserve a watch if you’ve never seen them before. The cruiserweight championship match was some quality wrestling as well. The backstage segment with The NWO and Triple H was cool to see and still leaves a “what if” feeling in your mind. The backstage spot with Booker T, Goldust and The Rock is must watch and I shared the link above if you’ve never seen it. Everything else was decent at best.
If you have a free Sunday afternoon, I’d say this event is a fine watch just for nostalgia purposes and getting a feel of just how lost the WWE was during this transition time from the Attitude Era to the Ruthless Aggression Era. I’d also suggest you watch a few of the Raw’s and Smackdown’s leading up to the event and following it to really enjoy the event more. It’s unfortunate that the King of the Ring event ended and I wouldn’t mind seeing it make a return taking over a silly gimmick PPV.
Final Rating – 6.5/10

What were your final thoughts on King of the Ring 2002? What final grade would you give the event? Where would you rate it on a scale of ten? Do you agree with my review? Leave your comments, opinions and thoughts below in the comments section.