Wilcox Reviews… WWE Summerslam 2002

WWE Summerslam 2002
Uniondale, New York, 8/25/02
Extras: There’s plenty of good stuff on the extras section of this DVD. On top of plethora of post-match interviews, there’s some pretty good training videos featuring The Rock and Brock Lesnar, and one of WWE’s best ever video montages featuring Shawn Michaels. Nobody has ever, ever, out-performed Shawn Michaels in a big match situation. There’s also a cool Michaels interview from Byte This, the Summerslam commercial and the making of it, and a bonus match – Lesnar vs. Hulk Hogan. The match is pretty bad, but significant if you’re looking to find out just how hard this guy was pushed.

Jim Ross and The King are your hosts for the Raw side of things, while Michael Cole and Tazz are there for SmackDown.

Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio

This would be Rey’s first WWE pay-per-view appearance. He’d been a thorn in Kurt’s side since he’d debuted so Kurt was looking to teach Mysterio a lesson here by breaking his ankle.

Rey surprises Kurt by springboard from behind into a head scissor take down. Dropkick, by Rey sends Kurt to the corner and a monkey flip follows. Angle picks the ankle though and goes for the Ankle Lock but Rey is in the ropes. Rey sends Kurt into the ropes early but Kurt ducks to the floor to avoid the 619. Kurt pulls Mysterio out to the floor and drops him. Back in, stomps by Angle to the leg. Suplex now. Rights by Rey, shoots him off and gets telegraphed. Rey goes for a wheelbarrow but gets caught with a German suplex. Rey blocks another one and gets 2 off a sunset flip, but Angle drills him with a clothesline for 2. Rib breaker by Angle gets 2 more for Kurt. Angle works over the back using the ropes to his advantage. Kurt pummels Rey in the corner but gets cocky and Rey firs off on him. Rey blocks a head scissors takedown and hits a sidewalk slam. Single leg crab now by Angle,. The fans will Rey back into it and he rolls through for 2. Angle gets up first and gets 2 off another clothesline. Angle drops him with another right. Rey gets a jawbreaker though and a series of forearms, but he gets launches by a belly-to-belly. Straps down, Angle Slam countered into an arm drag. That same counter would take Angle out of the equation to at WrestleMania 22, allowing Rey to pin Randy Orton for his first World Championship reign. §Kurt gets low-bridged and falls to the floor. Angle tries coming back in but Rey dropkicks him back to the floor. The referee blocks a dive so Mysterio sentons over him out onto Angle! Back in, springboard leg drop connects and gets Rey a near fall. Rey gets caught in an electric chair and gets dumped face-first. Rey rolls through the Ankle Lock attempt and hits the 619! WEST COAST POP! That only gets 2 though. Heel kick by Mysterio. He crawls to the apron and goes up top. Kurt looks for the running belly-to-belly but Rey hops off the top. Angle to the second rope but gets dropkick by Rey. Angle holds on to the top rope to block a rana attempt, drops down and locks in the Ankle Lock! He pulls Rey back to the middle and Rey taps!

Winner: Kurt Angle via submission @ 9:20

Match Analysis: Good choice for an opener; two very over workers putting on a fast-paced math to get the crowd envolved. They told a really good story of Rey trying to out-quick Angle and throw him off his game while Kurt was looking to inflict damage to punish Rey for embarrassing him leading up to Summerslam. This was a terrific opener and the crowd loved it. You might think the wrong guy went over but Mysterio looked as good in defeat as he would have in victory. This would be a prelude to the awesome days of the SmackDown 6. ***1/2

Stephanie McMahon is upset to find Eric Bischoff in the General Manager’s office. They exchange pleasantries and agree to share the office and watch the show together.

Ric Flair vs. Chris Jericho

These two guys didn’t have much to do around this time so they were paired up and had a bit of violent feud leading to this match. We see clips of the two taking shots at each other and Flair destroying Fozzy’s equipment.

Y2J is look beardtastic tonight. This was Ric Flair’s first-ever Summerslam appearance, believe it or not. Lock up and a break, and a slap by Flair! Flair gets a quick pin cover for 2. They circle and we get a “woo!” Rights by Jericho in the corner. Jericho dominates early with a back drop and a knock down. Back suplex by Jericho. He misses an elbow drop and Flair lights him up with chops. Jericho skins the cat but runs right into a chop. More chops and rights in the corner. Jericho goes to the eyes and turns the tables on Flair with some more chops. Flair gets flipped in the corner and clotheslined to the floor. Jericho takes the padding off of the barricade and dumps Flair on it. Up top now and Jericho leaps off onto the back of Flair. Back in and Jericho continues to dominate with rights. Flair comes back but runs into a reverse elbow and Jericho gets 2 off a second rope missile dropkick. Jericho loosens the turnbuckle pad as a distraction and then chokes Flair with his wrist tape. Flair comes back with chops but gets dropped. Jericho chokes Flair across the middle rope and comes down on the back of his neck. Delayed vertical suplex from Jericho now. Up top, , but he gets chopped and launched from the top. Jericho misses a charge and gets posted and lit up with chops. Flair back drops Jericho and then hits a nice back suplex for 2. Jericho counters a suplex into a roll up and segues to the Walls, but Flair catches him with an inside cradle for 2 but gets knocked down. Jericho hits a bulldog but misses the Lionsault and again walks into chops. Flair tries for the Walls but can’t get it. Jericho rolls through and locks in the Figure Four! Flair fights and takes an age to get to the ropes. He taps as he grabs the ropes so Jericho thinks he’s won, but the referee says no and gets shoved for his trouble. Flair avoids a charge and Jericho gets caught in the ropes. Flair chops Jericho right into the referee, allowing Flair to go low. Figure Four applied, Jericho taps and it’s over.

Winner: Ric Flair via submission @ 10:30

Match Analysis: Bad match and a major disappointment considering who was involved. Even six years ago, essentially all Flair was bringing to the dance was chops and his usual trickery, and Jericho had an off night. They didn’t play up the Jericho trying to out-cheat Flair bit enough and the match suffered. The crowd was dead for most of it too, but they would go on to have a better match at Unforgiven, but that was suffered from an even worse finish. *

Paul Heyman tells Brock Lesnar to murder The Rock’s title reign, just like he murdered Hulk Hogan. Tonight, the Next Big Thing arrives.

Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero

Edge was on a role as a singles wrestler, having a great feud with Kurt Angle and then moving on to Guerrero after a brief tag title run with his hero Hulk Hogan. Guerrero hadn’t been back with the company long but had had a series of fun matches with Rob Van Dam on Raw before being traded to SmackDown.

Cole calls Edge “the future of SmackDown,” – how true did that prove to be? Lock up, go behind by Eddie into a hammerlock. Edge elbows out misses a clothesline and they manage to hide a botched back drop by turning it into a flapjack. They exchange waistlocks now and Edge suplexes Eddie to the apron but Eddie hangs Edge’s neck up on the top rope. Rights by Guerrero now and elbows to the back of the head. Edge leaps frogs and monkey flips Eddie coming back. Powerslam by Edge gets 2. Forearm by Edge, and now he ties Eddie up in the ropes and Spears him! Edge avoids another one and Edge falls all the way to the floor. Edge sells the shoulder and Eddie goes right after it, tossing Edge shoulder-first into the steel steps. Back in, Eddie puts the boots to the shoulder and hits an arm bar DDT. Elbows to the shoulder now. Eddie hits another arm bar DDT coming off the top. Eddie applies a figure four hammerlock to wear down Edge. Edge gets the ropes but Eddie puts the knees and then boots to the shoulder. Eddie applies a hammerlock/chinlock combination now and the referee checks Edge’s arm. It drops twice but the fans help Edge get back into it. He elbows out and gets a snapmare, but Eddie quickly goes to a fujiwara arm bar. Edge comes out but Eddie hits a back suplex and goes into a keylock. Eddie comes off the ropes now but gets caught with a snap powerslam. Clotheslines by Edge, followed up by a back drop. He runs into an elbow though but nails the half-nelson face plant. Eddie comes back and tries for a suplex, but Edge blocks it and suplexes Eddie out to the floor! Edge goes up top and hits a big dive onto Eddie! Back in, Edge goes up top but Eddie cuts him off. Eddie to the top rope now but Edge fights back. Edge hits a DDT from the second rope! One…two…thr-NO! Edge sets for the Spear, but Eddie catches him coming with a dropkick to the shoulder! Eddie up top… frog splash – into the knees! The Edgecution connects and gets 2! Eddie blocks another one and gets 2 off a Northern lights suplex. Eddie hits a neckbreaker and goes up top, but Edge is up and rocks him with a right. Edge goes up but Eddie with headbuts to the shoulder. Edge falls down and Eddie hits a Frog Splash to the shoulder! One…two…thr-NO! Eddie goes to the shoulder, walks up top but Eddie pulls him down. Edge ducks a clothesline and nails the Spear! Cover by Edge and that’s all.

Winner: Edge via pin fall @ 11:54

Match Analysis: Watching Guerrero work is just a joy. What makes this match so good is that they didn’t forget about the body part that they’d worked on the entire match and it was important right up to the finish. Edge’s series of matches with Kurt Angle and now Eddie Guerrero were turning him into SmackDown’s fastest rising star. The two would go on to have a couple of other great matches in the coming months, including a No DQ match that people are clamouring to be released on DVD. ***1/2

The Un-Americans can’t wait to expose Booker T and Goldust for the American shams that they are. They run down Long Island.

World Tag Team Championship: The Un-Americans (Lance Storm and Christian) vs. Booker T and Goldust

The Un-Americans were a pretty generic heel stable that had a good run in 2002. Booker and Goldust had got ridiculously over as a team due to their comedy skits backstage.

Goldust and Christian start off. Christian runs into Goldust’s ass early, and Storm comes in to get powerslammed. An uppercut on Christian gets 2. Storm in now and gets arm-dragged. Goldust hits an inverted atomic drop and clothesline and tags out. Rights by Booker and a reverse elbow. Knee by Storm, but he runs into a sidewalk slam. Booker hits a big knee drop and gets 2. Goldust in, and hits an elbow off the second rope. A distraction by Christian allows Storm to take over and toss Goldberg to the floor where Christian beats down Goldust. Storm gets a 2 count back in. Stomps by Storm and rights now. Christian in and shuts down a comeback. The heels work Goldust over with quick tags and classic tag team trickery. Christian gets 2 off of a back breaker. Goldust manages to catch Storm with a quick jackknife roll up for 2. A spinebuster makes an opening for a hot tag but Christian is in first and slows down Goldust again. Storm manages to distract the referee so Booker’s tag isn’t allowed and the champs pretty much rape Goldust in their corner. The isolation continues, but Goldust fights out of the heels corner, catapults Christian into Storm but Christian and Goldust take each other out with a clothesline. Storm sneaks round to pull Booker off the apron to stop another tag. The heels bring chairs in the ring and miss the conchairto. Goldust hits a double clothesline and now gets the hot tag! Booker cleans house with clothesline and back drops and chops and rights and the like. Up top, missile dropkick from Booker! That gets 2 as Goldust takes Storm out. Scissors Kick misses, Unprettier blocked, flapjack by Booker! Storm takes out the referee with a leg lariat as Booker ducks, and Booker takes care of both champs with a Scissors Kick! SPINAROONI! Christian runs into an axe kick but there’s no referee. Storm has the tag title belt but misses and gets taken out of the ring. Test slides in though and boots Booker in the face, allowing Christian to pick up the win!

Winners: The Un-Americans via pin fall @ 9:37

Match Analysis: Great little tag match here. The heels used all the tricks in the book to keep the isolation period interesting and build up anticipation for the hot tag. It got really good down the stretch. ***1/4

At The World, Nidia makes out with some guy as Jamie Noble cheers here on.

Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon talk about the interpromotional match coming up right now.

Interpromotional Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship: Chris Benoit vs. Rob Van Dam

Benoit had been drafted to SmackDown with the Intercontinental Championship, so this was Raw’s chance to get the gold back through RVD.

Stiff kick to the thigh by Van Dam. Benoit misses a right and gets kicked in the ribs a few times and goes down. Benoit rolls to the floor to catch a breather. RVD is really over here. Benoit finally blocks a kick and gets the dragon screw and grounds Van Dam with a headlock. RVD fights out but gets knocked down. RVD avoids a charge and gets a rebound springboard crossbody for 2. Benoit gets his head kicked off once more, but avoids another kick and folds RVD up LIE AN ACCORDIAN~! Benoit gets 2 off a short-arm clothesline. Another near fall off a back breaker. A third consecutive near fall comes from a snap suplex. Benoit works the shoulder now to set up for the Crossface. Van Dam gets to his feet and arm drags out but gets knocked down. Benoit’s got a busted lip. Small package gets 2 more for Van Dam, and a backslide gets another near fall. RVD sends Benoit flying with a monkey flip but Benoit is up quickly and knocks Van Dam down again. Benoit runs into a boot, but RVD’s split-legged moonsault only gets 2. Where’s his corkscrew variant? Oh, that’s right, he’s no John Morrison. Benoit goes up but misses the Swandive Headbutt. Van Dam up top and he misses the Five Star Frog Splash. Benoit up, CRIPPLER CROSSFACE! Van Dam’s feet are so educated, they get to the ropes. Stephanie McMahon and Eric Bischoff cheer on their respective superstars. Benoit runs into another elbow, Van Dam springs up top but Benoit shoves him out into the guardrail! Benoit out, applies the hammerlock and drives RVD into the ring post. Back in and Benoit hits a shoulderbreaker then drops an elbow. Benoit applies a surfboard but fights back, gets to his feet, but Benoit goes to the knees to allow him to tighten in the hold and turn it into a criss-cross sleeper. Van Dam rolls out of it, gets behind Benoit and tries to get the same hold on Benoit, but Benoit with a kick breaks the grip. Van Dam gets a leg sweep but misses the cartwheel into the moonsault, and Benoit goes back to the Crossface! RVD elbows out with his free arm, but Benoit stacks him up for 2. Hammerlock by Benoit, and he launches RVD right back into that ring post. Benoit reapplies that hammerlock and hits a Northern lights suplex, floats over and still has the hammerlock and hits another Northern lights! Float over again, still with the arm and hits the trifecta! Crippler Crossface applied for a third time! Van Dam inches his way towards the ropes, but Benoit blocks the extender arm and applies a dragon sleeper. RVD counters out and locks in his own Crossface! Benoit fights out and catches RVD with a dropkick. Benoit eats another elbow and RVD hits a springboard kick and gets 2. Step-over heel kick connects! ROLLING THUNDER! One…two…thr-NO! Van Dam hurts his shoulder on a shoulder thrust so hits a spin kick for 2. Benoit blocks a monkey flip and sets RVD up top and crotches him. Benoit up to the second rope, top rope now, but RVD counters a back suplex into a crossbody block! RVD up top… FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH! That’s it.

Winner: Rob Van Dam via pin fall @ 16:30

Match Analysis: Another fantastic match. Van Dam worked really hard and had one of his best WWE matches but Benoit was just brilliant throughout, controlling the match and working the shoulder. They used some nice psychology and eventually won the crowd over. Big thumbs for this match. ****

Eric Bischoff gloats in the back, but Stephanie McMahon laughs it off.

We get a video package highlighting the rise of the Un-Americans. The sad part is, half of what they were saying was absolutely true.

Undertaker vs. Test

Taker was coming off the back of a not-so-successful heel run, which I personally enjoyed, and Test was a member of the Un-Americans so this was a natural fit really.

Test gets a knock down early but Taker uses his agility to regain control with a hip toss and a big clothesline for 2. Taker goes old school early but Test shoves the referee into the ropes to knock Taker down. Taker gets drilled and flies into the guardrail. They slug it out on the floor but Taker gets sent knees-first into the steel steps. Back in and Test wears Taker down with elbows and choke holds. To the corner and Test hits a big clothesline. Taker fights out of a resthold and hits a back suplex. He misses an elbow drop though and they go back to a slugfest. Taker gets the better of that of course and hits Test with a DDT. Now Taker goes up again and hits Old School! Clothesline in the corner, snake eyes, big boot misses. Pumphandle slam attempt countered, goozle… Test elbows out of the chokeslam and misses the boot. CHOKESLAM! One…two…thr-NO! Taker goes for the Last Ride, but first has to take care of Lance Storm and Christian. Chokeslam for Storm, chokeslam for Christian. Big boot connects from Test, but Taker kicks out. That should’ve been the finish. Test goes to the floor and grabs a steel chair, but Taker boots that right back into his face. The Tombstone finishes it.

Winner: Undertaker via pin fall @ 8:18

Match Analysis: Much better than one would expect. When Test was motivated he could be a really good big guy, and the same can be said for Taker only moreso. Test had a few surprisingly good matches around this time and this was one of them. Taker brought it and Test excelled, but the wrong guy went over in my opinion. **3/4

Taker celebrates with Old Glory.

JR and King discuss the upcoming Unsanctioned match. 1609 days after WrestleMania XIV, Shawn Michaels is back. We see a fantastic video montage showcasing the Triple H-Shawn Michaels saga.

Unsanctioned Match: Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H

Ah, this gem. Shawn had convinced Triple H to come to Raw as opposed to SmackDown but Triple H then turned on Shawn after a faux-DX reunion. This would be Shawn’s first match back since WrestleMania XIV and the crippling back injury that should have ended his career.

If there was any doubt as to whether or not Michaels could still “go”, this would put an end to them. Shawn throws his shirt in the face of The Game and goes on the attack. Trips tosses him to the floor but HBK gets right back in and spears Triple H. Rights now by Shawn, but Triple H gets a knockdown. Leap frog by Shawn, side steps and Shawn sends The Game over the top. PLANCHA by HBK! Shawn takes Triple H into the ring post now. Clothesline on the outside by Michaels. HBK tosses some weaponry into the ring, grabs a trashcan lid, but gets drilled with a knee. Triple h ELEVATES Michaels INTO THE SECURITY WALL AND CATCHES A BREATHER. Triple H leans out to grab Shawn but gets caught with a trashcan lid shot. Michaels SKINS THE CAT and clotheslines The Game. Trashcan shot now! Shawn goes up to the top rope and comes off with a double axe handle. HBK warms up the band but the kick misses and The Game hits a backbreaker. Triple H picks him up and hits another one. The referee wants to stop the match but neither man is having any of that. Triple H whips Michaels hard into the corner and HBK buckles. And a second time. Triple H tells Shawn to suck it and boots him in the face. Elbows directly to the back now by The Game and he gets a 2 count. Triple H goes to the floor and grabs a chair and drills Shawn across the back! Shawn is limp and The Game covers for 2. Shawn fights back from his knees but The Game takes him over with a suplex, only for Shawn to land on his feet and get 2 off a O’Conner roll up. Shawn sets too early and takes a facebuster. The Game throws a chair down and hits DDT on the chair! A nonchalant cover gets 2, but Shawn is busted wide open. Triple H takes Michaels’ belt off now and whips him with it, over and over. He wraps the belt around his fist and pummels Michaels in the head. Triple H pulls Michaels up and drops him with a right. The Game to the floor and pulls out… the sledgehammer! Michaels stops him with a couple of kicks and punches to the gut though. To his feet and Michaels fires off with rights and The Game drops the hammer. Triple H reverses an Irish whip to send Shawn to the corner, and now The Game applies an abdominal stretch! He even grabs the top rope for leverage. Earl Hebner refuses to take Triple H’s shit and shoves him. Earl’s awesome here; “Knock it off! I’m sick of it. I’m sick of everything!” The Game walks into another shot to the gut from Michaels. Shawn gets slowed down with a knee though and Triple H sets him up on the top turnbuckle. The Game goes up but Shawn knocks him back down again. The fans come alive as Shawn rises… but Triple H shoves the referee into the ropes and Shawn gets crotched. Shawn’s in an inverted tree of woe, so Triple H kills him with a chair shot! The Game sets the chair up and hits backbreaker on the chair, crippling it. Triple H covers but Shawn kicks out. The Game goes back to the cover a few more times but cant’t get the win. The Game levels out the chair and hits a sidewalk slam on it! Triple H covers him three times but can’t get the win. Massive “HBK” chants now. The Game wants a Pedigree on the chair, but Shawn drops down and scores with a low blow! Both men pull themselves up, but The Game has a chair… SWEET CHIN MUSIC! Foot to chair to face! Shawn can’t capitalize though. Triple H is pissing blood from that one. Both men up. Right by Shawn, and another, and a third, one more. Triple H reverses a whip but gets caught with a flying forearm… KIP UP! The crowd explodes as Michaels back drops The Game. Shawn has a chair and KILLS Triple H with it! Shawn whips The Game into the corner and over the top. Michaels goes out now and nails The Game with a trashcan lid. Michaels has that leather belt now and whips Triple H with it a few times. Trashcan shot now! The crowd want tables. Michaels drills The Game with the trashcan lid again and knocks The Game across the announce table. Michaels takes off the Spanish announcer’s boot and hits Trips with it. HBK runs around the ring and hits a bulldog onto the steel steps! HBK goes under the ring and pulls out a ladder! The Game up… and drilled with the ladder. Shawn drives the ladder into the gut of Triple H three times and then leans the ladder up against the ring post. Triple H reverses a whip but puts the breaks on, takes Triple H down and catapults Triple H into the ladder! Back in, Michaels covers and gets a near fall. Shawn tries to bring the ladder in but The Game hits a baseball slide to send the ladder into Michaels’ ribs. Triple H uncharacteristically goes to the top but Shawn heads him off, goes up and hits a superplex! Michaels floats over and gets 2! Michaels comes off the ropes and crucifixes into a sunset flip for 2 but gets up and is met with a high knee for 2. Triple H brings the steel steps into the ring abut Shawn gets a drop toehold and The Game eats the steel. HBK clotheslines Triple H out, then HBK goes out and pulls out a table! Shawn drops The Game with a right and sets up the table. HBK drills Triple H across the skull with a fire extinguisher to set him up on the table. Michaels goes in, up top… SPLASH OFF THE TOP THROUGH THE TABLE! Big “holy shit” chants for that one. The Game eventually gets up and rolls back in but Shawn brings the ladder in. He sets it up in the corner and climbs… to the top… ELBOW DROP FROM THE LADDER! And Shawn’s OK! He’s still got it, indeed. The band is tuning up… the crowd is on their feet… The Game is up… blocks the kick… Pedigr-NO… Jack-knife roll-up… ONE…TWO…THREE!

Winner: Shawn Michaels via pin fall @ 27:19

Shawn celebrates but Triple H drills him in the back with the sledgehammer! Michaels is on his knees now and The Game drills him in the back again! He tells Shawn to suck it. Triple H leaves the ring as the biggest dick in the world as EMTs attend to Shawn. The Game is laughing. JR is awesome here, calling him every name under the sun. Michaels gets stretchered out of the ringside area.

Match Analysis: One of my favourite matches of all time. This was absolutely fantastic. Shawn is a miracle worker and proved it here, while Triple H was looking as good and as crisp as he did prior to his first quad injury. Not only was the match, storytelling and drama off the charts, but even the minor characters like Hebner and JR were awesome here. I loved the storytelling throughout. Michaels was looking to prove he was still the showstopper early and took it to The Game who didn’t expect Michaels to be ready for the match. Triple H soon took over and the work on the back was one of the few times when “methodical offence” looks good as Triple H came off as a massive prick for targeting the back so viciously and it served to get the crowd emotionally involved in the match. Shawn would get his second wind and really take it to Triple H leading to the finish, and the after-match antics put over Triple H’s resentment of Shawn. A phenomenal effort by Michaels and The Game. *****

We get one of those “Get the “F” Out” ads.

Howard Finkle wants to get a few things off of his chest. This is the first pay-per-view that he has announced in this arena since WrestleMania 2. WWE fans will always have The Fink. Trish Stratus is out to interrupt. Trish apologizes for slapping him two weeks ago. She says he has a sexy voice. She has a surprise. Trish wants to start off with a hug. Oh, but the real surprise is Lillian Garcia. She slaps him and kicks him in the balls.

We get a video montage of Brock Lesnar’s rise to the top, and The Rock winning the WWE Championship at Vengeance.

WWE Championship: The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman

Brock had had something of a meteoric rise, winning the King of the Ring and beating Hulk Hogan on his way to this match. Rock was on his way to Hollywood full-time so there wasn’t much doubt as to the outcome here.

Rock sprints to the ring and lays the SmackDown, but Brock catches him and launches him with a belly-to-belly for 2. Combination rib-breakers from Lesnar gets him two more. Brock takes Rock to the corner and drives a shoulder into the ring. Brock kicks Rock to the floor where Paul Heyman punts The Rock in the ribs. Lesnar clotheslines Rock into the front row, and then press slams him onto the guardrail. Back in the ring and Lesnar gets another overhead throw for 2. Rock comes back with rights but gets tripped by Heyman! Lesnar drops a couple of elbows and then stomps away at The Rock again. Lesnar chokes The Rock behind the referee’s back. Rock comes back with more rights to boos, telegraphs Lesnar but gets caught with a snap powerslam for 2. Big “Rocky sucks” chants now. Shoulder thrusts by Lesnar in the corner now. He misses a charge though and goes shoulder-first into the post. Rock hits a side supple but can’t recover to get a cover as the fans get on Rock’s back again. Both men kip up at the same time! Slugging it out now, Lesnar only staggers off a couple of clotheslines, but a third knocks him down. DDT! That gets 2 for The Rock. Sharpshooter attempt, but Heyman is up on the apron, so Rock drills him with a right. Rock gets a leg drag and now locks in the sharpshooter! “Let’s go Lesnar” chants! The referee gets distracted by Heyman, so Rock brings him into the ring. Rock Bottom try, but Lesnar breaks that up. Lesnar grabs a chair Heyman brought into the ring and hits Rock with it in the ribs! Lesnar applies a bear hug, the same move that defeated Hogan a few weeks ago. Rock fights back with rights but Lesnar takes him over with a suplex and maintains the bear hug. The referee drops Rock’s arm once…twice…thr-NO! Rock comes back to boos. Rock gets to his feet and fights out of the bear hug. Rock with rights sends Lesnar to his knees. Heyman distracts the referee again so Rock goes low on Lesnar! Lesnar drives him right back into the corner though and hits a charge into the ribs. He goes for another one but The Rock explodes with a clothesline and lays the SmackDown on Lesnar, sending him to the floor. The Rock gives it right back to The People as well. Rock strips down the announce table, catches Heyman trying to get involved and slams him on the table. Clothesline to Lesnar now, and then he catapults Lesnar right into the ring post! Rock takes Heyman onto the table… ROCK BOTTOM THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE! Back in, Rock sets for the Rock Bottom… and Rock hits it! One…two…thr-NO! Rock talks trash to the crowd and gets caught by a BROCK BOTTOM! One…two…thr-NO! Both men only just beat the referee’s count and get to their feet… Brock shoots him off, but Rock reverses the whip and hits the SPINEBUSTER! Elbow pad off… Brock pops up and hits the clothesline! F5-NO! Rock lands on his feet, goes for the Rock Bottom, Brock elbows out, misses a clothesline, Rock goes for the Rock Bottom again, Lesnar spins out… F5! Lesnar sends Rock packing to Hollywood!

Winner: Brock Lesnar via pin fall @ 14:38

Match Analysis: Explosive match, electric crowd. They managed to keep the theme of Lesnar working on the ribs throughout the match but change it up and keep things interesting. It was WWE main event style to the max and it had the crowd off their seats the entire time. The reversal sequence at the end was great and summed up what the match was all about – explosive, edge of your seat action. ****

The 411: Not only was nearly every single match on the card very good to fantastic, but Summerslam 2002 was also a very memorable show for many reasons. First of all you have the culmination of Brock’s reign of terror as he wins the WWE Championship in convincing fashion and in a great match, and there’s the epic Shawn Michaels return match that is pretty unforgettable. Every match felt really important either due to little things like a pre-match interview, the backstage banter of Eric and Steph or the fact that Shawn Michaels was wrestling his first match in four years. Flair/Jericho was a disappointment and actually killed the crowd for the next couple of matches but looking past that, I’ll go on record as saying that this show is on par with WrestleMania X-Seven.

Final Score:  9.6   [  Amazing ]