WWE King of the Ring 2002 Review

Bret Hart, Kurt Angle, Triple H, Steve Austin and not forgetting Billy Gunn all have won the King of the Ring tournament, and all have had their career stepped up since winning the tournament, well, when I say all, I mean most have had their career stepped up another level. This year’s tournament would have something much bigger waiting for the winner, a chance to have a WWE Title shot at Summerslam. So, who would be next to join the elite club of King of the Ring winners? and when I say elite, it doesn’t necessarily apply to all the members.

Cert: 15

Length: (VHS) 160 mins (DVD) 191 mins

Here is a look at the PPV card in full:

Matches

• King of the Ring Tournament Semi-finals: RVD vs. Chris Jericho / Test vs. Brock Lesnar
• WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match: The Hurricane vs. Jamie Noble (w/Nidia)
• Ric Flair vs. Eddie Guerrero
• WWE Women’s Championship Match: Trish Stratus vs. Molly Holly
• Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. Kurt Angle
• King of the Ring Tournament Finals Match: Rob Van Dam or Chris Jericho vs. Brock Lesnar or Test
• WWE Undisputed Championship Match: Undertaker vs. Triple H

Also the main event of the night would feature The Undertaker vs. Triple H for the WWE Championship. That’s right, with a roster full of so many talented guys; we are subjected to Undertaker vs. Triple H again. The feud had been ok, and it had sort of been on and off throughout the year. Undertaker had stepped his character up a little since turning heel back in late 2001, but he was becoming stale again, Triple H was playing the face, and to be fair, Triple H is a much better heel than face, this match was set, and to be honest, I would hardly say people were looking forward to the match, but lets wait and see, could Undertaker and Triple H put on a decent match? Your guess is as good as mine.

Another huge match of the night would feature the one and only Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. Kurt Angle. This match was actually the match I was most looking forward to. Hogan had been on a role since returning, he may not have been winning all the matches; but he certainly had been gaining a lot of peoples respect, well mine anyway. Hogan’s matches had not been great, and maybe not have even been good, but when he steps in the ring with Kurt Angle, I’m sure that even Kurt Angle could elevate even Hogan. So, would Hulkamania run wild again? Or would Kurt Angle elevate his legacy by beating Hollywood Hulk Hogan.

Highs and Lows

For the past few years we have been subjected to some pretty decent King of the Rings, although none of the PPVs have really been great, they have been of a decent standard. This PPV line up looked ok, well apart from the main event, the PPV looked solid, maybe not a classic, but surely it would half decent, wouldn’t it?

Ok the PPV kicked off with RVD vs. Chris Jericho, both men suitable King of the Ring candidates, and actually this match would not be predicatble, like some of the matches from this year. Anyway, the match kicked off with Chris Jericho gaining the advantage with a headlock, RVD soon came back and he then went for a two count.

RVD was performing well, and as usual Chris Jericho gave 100%. The Canadian could have easily won this match, but the ending came when Chris Jericho put RVD in the Walls, RVD reaches the ropes, and in dismay Jericho objects. RVD & Jericho go up to the top turnbuckle, Jericho falls down with a crash and RVD then nails his patented Fire Star Frog Splash. The match was good, solid throughout and probably the best match of the night. Before this PPV, I had actually picked Jericho to win, however RVD tripuphed and advanced to the final. For some strange reason Jerry Lawler interviews RVD, but the interview was cut short when Jericho attacks Mr. Monday Night.

Test vs. Brock Lesnar, now this match is actually the complete opposite to the prior match. It was crystal clear who would win this match, and he wouldn’t be Canadian. Big brawl with both men to kicks us off, both men try to out power each other, big heavy powerful moves, Brock gains the advantage with a backdrop suplex and he goes for the two count. Test then fights back, but he is halted in his tracks when Brock hits him with a powerslam. The brawling continues as two of the future WWE main event guy’s battle to earn the King of the Ring crown. Test goes for the pump handle slam, and with his second attempt, he hits the move. Test goes for the big boot, but he misses, Brock goes for a powerbomb, he can’t get Test up. Test hits the Big Boot, but he only gets a two count. Test goes for another Big Boot, but Mr. Heyman distracts Test, and Brock hits the F5 on Test to advance to the final, big surprise. Just what I expected, nothing flash, two big men brawling, in actual fact pretty boring.

Hurricane vs. Jamie Noble now, in the WWE Cruiserweight Championship match. This feud was lacking in the storyline department, but it wasn’t too bad. Both of these guys are top talents, and both could have put on an excellent match, however it never really happened this time around. The match was good, but it seemed to lack something, it did have some great wrestling in, nice mat work, and even possessed a storyline, even though it was lame. Anyway, very disappointing outing from both men, although they both gave 100%, the match did not do it for me, and it was more Smackdown material than PPV. The match came to an end when Noble hit Hurricane with a powerbomb, and Hurricane went down like Superman would after having a face full of Kryptonite. Very disappointing overall.

A match that had very, very little history now, Ric Flair vs. Eddie Guerrero. Before we start let me have a little moan, Ric Flair is a legend, he is an icon, but no way should he be wrestling as much as he does. Anyway, grumble out of the way, Eddie G has a pre match promo about all his family, very nice, then Flair comes down to the ring, with dubbed music for the early 1990’s may I add. (PAL Version), Eddie comes down to the ring, and the match kicks off. Eddie gains the early advantage and he takes in to Flair, drop kick to Flair and that sends him packing to ringside. Flair gets back in and delivers a barrage of chops, (Whoooooooo!) to Eddie. Few thousand chops later, Eddie locks a headlock onto Flair, but Flair reverses it into a suplex. Eddie gets back up, and he turns his attention to the knees of Flair. Flair manages to reverse a Figure Four Leg lock attempt for the two count. The match continues with Eddie working on Flair. Eddie hits a suplex, and then he goes for the Frog Splash but he misses and Flair starts to work on Eddies knees. Benoit walks down to the ring and Flair delivers another dose of chops, but Eddie rolls Flair up for the two count and then again for another two count. Eddie hits a DDT on Flair, and Benoit graciously helps Eddie G, by locking the Crossface onto Flair outside of the ring. The referee sends Benoit to the back, but all of a sudden Bubba Dudley runs in, hits the Bubba Bomb on Eddie, and Flair gets the pin. This ending was pointless and another wasted match, not very good at all, it’s a shame about Flair, but he was a shadow of his former self.

Women’s Championship now, Molly Holly vs. Trish. Not sure about this one, not many people are into the WWE Women’s Championship matches, I for one am pretty much the same. For this time only, I will keep an open and clear mind when looking at this one, well I’ll try to. Molly goes straight into Trish, and she goes for the cover, but only gets two. Trish fights back, only to be met with a backdrop and a two count. Molly hits an armbar onto Trish, but Trish rolls her up for the two count. Match continues, back and forth, back and forth, Molly goes for the Molly go round, Trish reverses it into a pin, but Molly reverses it into another pin, gets the 3, and she walks home with the title. Good stuff, two of the best Women in the WWE, and a good match to prove it. Told you I would keep an open mind, I’d almost say I enjoyed the match.

Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. Kurt Angle, Hogan had been facing all comers, Rock, Triple H, Undertaker and now with Mr. Angle, this surely would be one of Hogan’s better outings. Hogan gains the early advantage and he puts a headlock on Angle, Angle then reverses the moves into a wrist lock, but Hogan sends Angle packing out of the ring. The brawl continues and Hogan takes it to Angle, once again Angle goes outside of the ring. Once back in the ring, Hogan introduces Angle to the turnbuckle a few times, then nails him with the magic Hogan punch. Angle hits Hogan in the crown jewels and then lays into Hogan, followed by a backdrop, and another, followed by a pin attempt, which only gets a two count. Angle goes for a third backdrop, but the Hulkster blocks it, delivers a backdrop of his own, and then hits Angle with a mighty powerslam. Hogan puts Angle in a sleeper hold, Angle reverses and hits another backdrop onto Hogan, Hogan tries to fight back only to be met with a Angle Slam. Finally Hulk starts to Hulk up, punch, punch, punch and the good old big boot, and Hogan goes for the wig, he rips Angle’s head warmer off, and Mr. Angle runs to the outside of the ring. Kurt Angle returns to the ring with steel chair, swings, but nails himself in the head. Hogan then hits the trusted big boot, misses the leg drop and Angle locks the ankle lock onto Hogan, and surprisingly Hogan taps out graciously to Mr. Angle. I never expected Hogan to lose to Angle, but he did, and well done Hulk, not a bad match at all, just what I expected.

Clearly the best part of the show now, Goldust and his Rocky impersonations. Top-notch stuff, and very darn funny. Goldust and Booker T, not just great tag team specialists, but extremely funny as well.

Anyway, KOTR Final match now. Brocky vs. RVD, pretty predictable outcome, but nether the less, it could be a good match. RVD attacks Brock to get us kicked off, he then superkicks Brock, and RVD goes for a Monkey Flip but Brock hits a powerbomb. Brock follows up with stomps and a powerslam and he gets a two count. Brock continues the onslaught, until RVD nails Brock with a missile drop kick, and then follows him with the Rolling Thunder thingy, and gets a two count RVD hits a leg drop and Frog Splash for another two count. The brawl continues until RVD goes up top, RVD then goes for a move of the top rope, Brock catches him and hits the F5 for the win. No surprise, Brock wins, goes to Summerslam and you know how it goes from there.

WWE Undisputed Championship Match: Triple H vs. The Undertaker, not the most anticipated match, but heck, we better like it or lump it. Match kicks off with a brawl, continues to be a brawl until Undertaker hotshots Triple H, and then nails a few clothlines. Brawling starts up again, and then Taker hits a sideslam for two. The match continues, punch, punch, a move, and then more punching. Fast-forward away from the brawling and punching, The Rock makes his way down to the ring for some Play-by-Play. As both men lay on the floor, Undertaker manages to get up, grabs a chair, but Undertaker’s eye sight must be bad, he nails The Rock with the chair instead of Triple H. Rock goes after Taker, but nails Triple H with a chair. Hebner is down, as Undertaker hits the Last Ride on Triple H, only gets a two count. Nick Patrick comes down, but the Undertaker nails him. Rock jumps back in, he nails Undertaker with a Rock Bottom, Triple H gets a two count. Undertaker manages to roll Triple H up for the pin count, and he comes away with the belt. Pitiful main event, it wasn’t very good at all, but we all knew that anyway. I thinks its time for the WWE powers to think up some new main events, a persons system, can only take so much of the same thing.

Overall

What can I say, the PPV was not great, in fact it was not good, however it did have a few good points. RVD vs. Jericho was a solid match, and it was the best match of the night. The tournament matches were pretty solid, nothing special. The Goldust/Booker T/ Rock promo was great stuff, but sadly that’s about it. The rest of the PPV was appalling to be quite honest. If you haven’t seen this, then you might want to l buy it, if you have, seen it, keep your wallet shut and your credit card in your pocket.

DVD Extras

• King of the Ring Auditions: The Lion, The Tough Guy, The Queen of the Ring, King Tut and Behind the Scenes
• King of the Ring Preliminaries Quarterfinal Matches: Highlights of the quarterfinal matches in the KOTR 2002 tournament.
• Interviews: Kurt Angle, Test, Jamie Noble (w/Nidia) and Brock Lensar

A small selection of DVD extras, no major incentive to buy the DVD over the VHS, but its up to you. Once again, KOTR 2002 is an average WWE PPV, if you want a quality picture and sound, and then get the DVD. Many, many thanks to Silvervision.co.uk for supplying me with this Video, for all your WWE/WWF Video needs, head down to there, get your credit card out, splash some cash, then sit back, open some munchies and watch some top notch WWE action.

Points: 5/10

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