Survivor Series 2002 Review

This was a very non traditional Survivor Series because there were no traditional elimination tag matches yet we’ve got a six man elimination tag tables match, a triple threat elimination tag team match and the Elimination Chamber.

Match #1 – Elimination Tables Match

Jeff Hardy, Bubba Ray Dudley & Spike Dudley vs 3 Minute Warning & Rico

This was the perfect match to kick off the show. Rosey & Jamal were pretty green at the time so this was the perfect environment for them. Spike goes out first, getting double teamed and thrown right through a table. Bubba & Hardy manage to even up the odds when they isolate Rosey in the crowd and Jeff dives off a balcony onto him through a table! Jamal puts Jeff on a table outside the ring and dives off the top rope, splashing him through the table in brutal fashion. Bubba manages to powerbomb Jamal off the ropes through a table, leaving just Bubba Ray & Rico left. Rosey & Jamal come back out and attack Bubba, making it a 3 on 1. D-Von Dudley, who had been Reverend D-Von on Smackdown at the time, comes out and the crowd erupts. The Dudleyz fight off the Island Boyz and 3D Rico through the table, giving Bubba’s team the win in a ridiculously fun opening match.

We get a quick live performance of “Always” by Saliva from WWE New York with quick video packages hyping up the rest of the matches. Always liked that song.

Match #2 – Cruiserweight Championship

Billy Kidman vs Jamie Noble (c)

Billy Kidman has one seriously underrated theme song, imo. This was a really good back and forth match. Remember, you can’t powerbomb Billy Kidman…unless it’s a Tiger Bomb, which Noble does here. Nidia gets involved a few times and she’s a great manager. Kidman with a beautiful facebuster off the ropes. A little later Noble hits a brutal hangman DDT that drops Kidman right on his head. Kidman and Noble battle on the ropes before Kidman tosses him off and hits the Shooting Star Press, ending Noble’s fantastic reign as CW champion.

Backstage Benoit & Angle try to get on the same page. Angle wants to hug it out. Benoit reluctantly agrees.

In another area backstage, Victoria shatters a mirror and rips the head off of a Trish Stratus cardboard cut-out.

Match #3 – Hardcore Match for the Women’s Championship

Victoria vs Trish Stratus (c)

The build going into this feud was pretty damn intense. It was basically Victoria beating the hell out of Trish every week with a chair, steel steps, the stage, etc. Early on Trish and Victoria battle over a broom that Victoria chokes Trish with. Trish fights out and goes for a trash can lid but Victoria hits the broom into the lid, into Trish’s face. On the outside, Victoria throws Trish into a trash can that was attached to one of the ring posts. Trish beats down Victoria with a kendo stick after catapulting her into a trash can and throwing her at an ironing board. Victoria swings a trash can lid of Trish’s head. Victoria’s nose is busted open. Trish hits her with the trash can lid but eats a powerbomb shortly after. Victoria sprays Trish with a fire extinguisher and hits a suplex for the win while Trish is blinded. This match is one of my favorite women’s matches of all time. Trish is an amazing seller and Victoria plays the heel role so well and in my opinion, is the best woman wrestler WWE has ever had. She could play multiple characters, face or cheer, was an incredible wrestler and could talk pretty well on the mic. And she can still go to this day!

Match #4 – WWE Championship

Big Show vs Brock Lesnar (c)

This is a fairly short match that mostly features Brock and Big Show trying to drop one another early on. After a ref bump, a chair gets introduced. Big Show punches the chair Lesnar is holding but Lesnar follows it up with a shot to the head and an F5. The new ref sprints down to the ring and counts but Paul Heyman pulls him out of the ring at two, turning on Brock Lesnar. Heyman takes out the ref and Lesnar sets his sights on Heyman. Big Show gets up and hits Lesnar with a chair, then chokeslams him onto one. Ref wakes up and makes the count, declaring Big Show the new WWE Champion and Paul Heyman his new manager. Match itself wasn’t anything special but I like the story it told.

We’ve got wonderful soon to be married couple, Dawn Marie and Al Wilson (Torrie’s kayfabe father) at ringside.

Match #5 – Elimination Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships

Eddie Guerrero & Chavo Guerrero vs Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit vs Edge & Rey Mysterio (c)

At No Mercy, Edge/Mysterio vs Angle/Benoit was arguably the greatest tag match of all time. Now we’re adding Los Guerreros into the mix too! Angle & Benoit are the first team eliminated after a long battle. Edge speared Benoit after sneaking out of a Crossface attempt to knock them out. However Benoit & Angle would stick around first and attack everyone else involved before leaving while yelling at each other. Edge plays the face in peril, taking a beatdown from Los Guerreroes until the hot tag to Mysterio. Edge vaults Mysterio up onto Eddie in the corner where he hits a huracanrana. Rey hits the 619 on Eddie, however while he’s going for the West Coast Pop, Chavo hits him with the title belt. Edge goes after Chavo but in the ring, Eddie locks in the Lasso From El Paso and Rey taps giving Los Guerreros the win in a fantastic match!

Christopher Nowinski and Matt Hardy V1 come out and trash the NYC crowd. Scott Steiner makes his first appearance in WWE since the fall of WCW and takes both of them out. Scott then cuts a promo but WWE Network cuts out the “gimme a fuckin’ mic part” so you aren’t really obligated to watch this.

We get an update from Randy News Network. Young Randall Orton’s arm is still in a sling but he assures us that there was no further damage to his arm on the flight to New York, thanks to the sexy flight attendant giving him an extra pillow. Remember to send your best wishes to GetWellRandy@WWE.com.

Match #6 – Elimination Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship

Rob Van Damn vs Booker T vs Shawn Michaels vs Kane vs Chris Jericho vs Triple H (c)

The first ever Elimination Chamber. We kick it off with RVD in the ring and the other four in their respective pods. Everyone in this match had beef with Triple H. Kane had the whole Katie Vick angle the previous month. RVD got screwed over in his title match against Triple H. Jericho & Triple H had a bloody feud the first half of 2002. Shawn and Triple H were in the midst of their blood feud. And well, Booker’s actually came shortly after this, but still! Triple H gets busted open early, selling the power over the chamber itself. Jericho makes his way into the match and despite their differences, works with Triple H. Booker T makes his way into the match to a pretty massive pop as he cleans house and does a spinerooni. Van Dam hits a Five Star Frog Splash off one of the pods onto Triple H but no one pins Triple H. RVD finally gets his bearings but Booker T missile dropkicks him and eliminates him. Kane makes his way into the match and throws Jericho through a pod. A chokeslam from Kane, followed by a Lionsault from Jericho sends Booker T out of the match. Jericho is bleeding pretty bad at this point too.

Michaels makes his way into the match and cleans house. Kane chokeslams everyone but as he goes for a Tombstone to Triple H, Michaels hits Sweet Chin Music, Triple H pedigrees him and Jericho hits the Lionsault to eliminate Kane. Jericho and Triple H double team Michaels. Michaels is bleeding. Jericho and Triple H’s alliance falls apart as they brawl. Jericho has the Walls of Jericho locked in on Triple H but Michaels Sweet Chin Musics Jericho and pins him, leaving just Michaels and Triple H. Triple H sends Michaels through one of the pods. Michaels hits the diving elbow off the top of a pod. Triple H blocks a superkick and hits the pedigree. But he takes forever to make the cover and HBK kicks out. Triple H goes for a second one but Michaels flips him and hits the Sweet Chin Music for the victory!

Final Thoughts

This is a great all around PPV, in my opinion. Most of the matches were good to fantastic and even though Lesnar/Show wasn’t great, it told an interesting story and the spectacle of Show and Lesnar facing off is pretty cool. I would highly recommend to anyone that hasn’t seen it.