King of the Ring 2001

(All screen captures are the property of World Wrestling Entertainment)

King of the Ring

June 24, 2001

Continental Airlines Arena

East Rutherford, New Jersey

News & Notes: Austin gloated about his win over the Undertaker after Judgment Day. He said Taker wouldn’t receive a rematch, but Taker told him it wasn’t over. This left Austin paranoid. To make matters worse, Triple H yelled at him about his mistake at the PPV. They agreed to work as a team, but Austin didn’t like Hunter’s tone. Then Jericho interrupted Austin and demanded his tag title shot and Jericho and Benoit got their wish. During the fight, Triple H hit Austin with the sledgehammer by accident, so Jericho and Benoit became the tag team champions! However, this wasn’t the worst news for the Two-Man Power Trip. Hunter tore his quad during the contest. He finished the match, but Triple H would need surgery. They said Helmsley would be out for four months. It ends up being longer.

Now for a rundown of some extra storylines. The WCW invasion has begun! Lance Storm, Hugh Morrus, and Stacy Keibler all appeared on WWF television. They attacked and caused distractions before escaping with Shane McMahon. Shane even took over the production truck to put a WCW logo on the Titantron. Vince threatened to fire his security team if they let it happen again. Meanwhile, William Regal found an assistant. Tajiri arrived in the WWF and wanted an opportunity, so Regal suggested he work for him. William made him get tea and crumpets. Later, Tajiri impressed Regal with his debut, but he disappointed him when he lost in the tournament. And finally, Saturn went a bit loopy after too many shots to the head. He frequently spouted nonsense and followed it up by saying, “You’re welcome.” (This storyline is a punishment because Saturn roughed up a jobber.)

The opening video focuses on Austin’s feud against Benoit and Jericho, Angle’s rivalry with Shane McMahon, and the issues between the Undertaker and DDP. The narrator talks about a spent mind, a broken body, and aching muscles. He wants someone to lead him to his throne. While he says this, we get clips from the three main storylines. Austin thinks somebody is conspiring against him by putting him in a triple threat. Angle vows to repeat as the King of the Ring, and he promises to beat Shane in a Street Fight. And DDP wants the Undertaker to make him famous. The footage ends with a shot of a throne that changes into an electric chair.

JR welcomes everyone to the show before DDP’s music plays. He enters through the crowd and gets into the ring. Heyman says the Undertaker asked security to allow Page into the building, but Heyman doesn’t like it. A WCW wrestler doesn’t belong in a WWF arena! While Heyman and JR complain, DDP goads the Undertaker. He says he only showed the PG-rated content he has of Sara. His personal collection gets more than a thumbs-up! As far as Taker’s threat of the worst ass-whipping ever, DDP doesn’t see it that way. He threatens to kick the big dog’s ass all over his yard. Then DDP will become the first WCW Superstar to set foot in Madison Square Garden. With that said, DDP reveals he has a front-row ticket. He says he won’t be hard to find. Page will be the man with the sign that says, “Make me famous!”

Once DDP takes his seat, JR and Heyman discuss the card. Spike Dudley challenged his brothers for their tag team titles, but we don’t know the identity of Spike’s partner. Also, JR and Heyman heard a disturbing rumor. Word has it, Benoit and Jericho are negotiating with WCW. They might defect to WCW with the WWF title if one of them wins it! JR says this could rip the fabric of the WWF. What does Vince think of this?

Semifinals: Kurt Angle vs. Christian

Storyline: Kurt Angle told Regal he wanted to compete in the tournament, despite already having a match with Shane McMahon. Regal thought Kurt was out of his mind, but he granted his request. Meanwhile, Christian lost an Intercontinental title match because Hugh Morrus invaded. Since he failed, Christian looked to become king instead. Unfortunately, this caused tension between Edge and Christian once Edge also entered the tourney. The issues only grew when both men speared each other by accident while trying to help. Then Edge made fun of Christian for complaining about his opponents. Christian had to defeat Kane and Big Show to advance. Whereas Angle beat Hardcore Holly and Jeff Hardy. Later, a brawl erupted between the four semifinalists after Angle claimed he would win. Angle gave Christian an Angle Slam during the melee. This led to E&C vs. Angle & Rhyno, and Angle scored the pin.

The Match: They trade strikes until Christian scores a neckbreaker, but Angle answers with a belly-to-belly after two tries. When Christian regroups, Angle knocks him down onto the barricade and they scuffle around ringside. Back inside, Angle fends off pin attempts and lands more suplexes. He even stops a comeback with an eye rake while Shane McMahon appears in the aisle. This distracts Angle, so he misses his moonsault. A series of counters follow until Angle grabs the anklelock, but Christian crawls over the ref for a rope break. Next, Christian reverses an Angle Slam into the Unprettier. When he covers, Shane pulls Christian outside to prevent a three. Angle uses the distraction to grab Christian on the apron and nail an Angle Slam back into the ring for the win. This pleases Shane.

Thoughts: This was everything it needed to be. The action wasn’t flashy, but it told a nice story. Angle tried to finish it quickly because he had to face Shane. Shane helped Kurt win to make him wrestle again before meeting him. This was simple storytelling done right. (On a side note, Kurt suffered a concussion during this bout. This is on top of the injuries he sustains later in the show.)

Winner: Kurt Angle (8:51)

Backstage, Austin asks Debra why Vince isn’t there. He’s never let him down. While they talk, Coach enters the room to interview Austin. Steve asks Coach if he’s seen Vince, but Coach reminds Steve that Vince said he wasn’t coming. This makes Austin laugh. He says tempers flared, but Vince still loves him the way he loves Vince. Steve expects him to arrive. Coach says he hasn’t seen him before asking Austin about the rumors. Steve doesn’t know what he’s talking about, so Coach says Jericho or Benoit might take the WWF title to WCW if they win. Austin can’t believe his ears. He makes Coachman repeat what he said and stares in disbelief upon hearing it again.

Next, Heyman interviews DDP after a recap. He says Page is sitting in a WWF arena among WWF fans with WWF sports entertainers in the locker room. Yet he is brazen enough to call out the Undertaker. DDP says the word Paul E. is looking for is balls. He is calling Taker out in his yard here in Jersey. While they speak, somebody plays footage of DDP eating breakfast at a diner. This doesn’t amuse DDP. He asks if this is Heyman’s doing. Page doesn’t like someone taking after his personal life. He’s easy to find if Taker has a problem with him. DDP begs Taker to make him famous.

Semifinals: Edge vs. Rhyno

Storyline: Rhyno lost and regained his Hardcore championship before losing it a second time. First, Big Show beat him for it. However, Jericho defeated Show, so Rhyno gored Jericho on the stage to reclaim his gold. This didn’t last because Test captured the Hardcore belt when Stacy Keibler invaded and distracted Rhyno. As far as the tournament goes, Rhyno bested Tazz and Tajiri to get here. Meanwhile, Edge also got an Intercontinental title opportunity, but he failed. Edge entered the tourney afterward, much like Christian. He faced Test and Saturn to reach this point. Christian helped him advance, but he took some punishment for his trouble. Then they had the brawl I mentioned earlier. Rhyno gored Edge during the melee. This resulted in E&C vs. Angle & Rhyno, and Angle pinned Edge after Rhyno gored Edge and Christian.

The Match: Rhyno spits his gum at Edge, which causes an exchange of strikes and knockdowns. Then Edge dropkicks Rhyno off the apron and they fight around ringside. They use the barricade, post, and steps before Rhyno returns to the ring. Before Edge joins him, Rhyno removes a turnbuckle pad and whips Edge into it. This injures Edge’s ribs, so Rhyno targets them. Rhyno nails a powerslam and puts Edge in a bodyscissors. He also lands a flying splash. Next, Edge rallies with a hotshot and a neckbreaker. Rhyno blocks a superplex, but Edge scores a sunset bomb. When this only gets a two, Edge and Rhyno try a spear and a Gore at the same time and both men go down. After a roll-up by Edge, Rhyno hits the exposed buckle with a missed Gore. It opens the door for Edge’s Impaler DDT and the three.

Thoughts: This was another strong outing that weaved a fine little story. I liked Rhyno’s strategy, and I enjoyed how Edge used it against him to win. Once again, this was simple storytelling done well.

Winner: Edge (10:20)

They show a recap from Heat. Spike Dudley challenged Bubba and D-Von for their newly won tag titles before heading to find a partner. After the replay, Spike and Molly are ready for a live interview. JR asks Spike if he found someone to team with him. Spike says yes, but he won’t tell JR because it’s a big surprise. Upon hearing this, Bubba and D-Von interrupt Spike. Bubba says if it’s a big surprise, it can’t be Molly. Besides, she’s a disappointment. D-Von calls this fitting. After all, Spike has always been a disappointment. With that said, Bubba says they should leave. Apparently, they’re in a whole lot of trouble.

Meanwhile, Tazz interviews Jericho about his match and the rumors. Will Jericho or Benoit defect to WCW? Jericho admonishes Tazz for disrupting his preparation. Then he talks about WCW. They have a true boss in Shane McMahon, so maybe it won’t be a bad place after all. As far as the rumors, Jericho says yes. He knew about them. But in all seriousness, the answer is absolutely not! He wasn’t aware Tazz heard them. And if you want to know his answer, you won’t get it because Chris says he’s going to shut the hell up.

Now it’s time for the tag title bout. The Dudleys enter first and wait for Spike and his mystery ally. They don’t wait long before Kane’s pyro explodes. While the Dudleys react in shock, Spike rushes to the ring.

Tag Team Title Match: The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. Spike Dudley & Kane

Storyline: The Dudleys blamed Molly for all their troubles. Unfortunately, Molly’s attempts to keep the peace backfired and made things worse. As a result, the Dudleys vowed to put her through a table. Spike placed himself on the table to save her, but the Dudleys powerbombed Molly onto him. While Molly recovered at home, Spike sent her gifts and told her really liked her. She said she felt the same. Later, Spike got into fights with Angle and Stone Cold when they insulted and threatened Molly. This led to Spike vs. Austin for the WWF championship, but Spike lost. When Spike asked for a rematch, Austin gave Molly a Stunner. All the while, the Dudleys refused to help Spike. They were jealous because they never received WWF title shots. Bubba and D-Von even gave Spike a 3D! Plus, the Dudleys regained the tag titles after Austin attacked Jericho and Benoit.

The Match: Everyone brawls until Bubba and Kane play a game of catch with Spike. This ends when Kane gives Bubba a big boot. Then Spike and Kane tag themselves in and attack D-Von, so D-Von feigns an injury to lure Spike into a trap. Now the Dudleys subdue Spike with a side slam, a monkey flip, and a powerbomb out of a hurricanrana attempt. D-Von tries to add a diving headbutt, but he misses, and Spike tags Kane. Kane fends off Bubba and D-Von with clotheslines, a side slam, and a powerslam. Sadly, Bubba doesn’t kick out in time, but the ref stops his count. The audience boos until Kane press slams Spike onto the Dudleys. Next, Kane prevents a 3D and Spike hits a Dudley Dog, but D-Von breaks the pin. Afterward, they give Kane a Wassup Drop, block a Dudley Dog, and pin Spike after a 3D.

Thoughts: This was a solid encounter, outside of the botched three count. Thankfully, they rebounded with an impressive spot that brought the people back into it. The only problem is, I don’t think the Dudley heel turn worked. The fans still cheered them. They also appreciated Spike and they enjoyed the Molly storyline, but the crowd didn’t boo the Dudleys.

Winners: The Dudley Boyz (8:24)

Afterward, the Dudleys try to put Spike through a table, but Kane stops them. He powerbombs D-Von and chokeslams Bubba onto the table before setting off his pyro. Then Kane carries Spike backstage.

Elsewhere, Christian enters Edge’s locker room. Christian apologizes for saying Edge had it easy, but Edge expects him to make excuses about his loss. Is he going to claim he got robbed? Christian doesn’t say that. Instead, he wishes Edge luck and hopes he wins the thing. When Christian leaves, Edge looks skeptical.

Meanwhile, they show more stalker footage of DDP from earlier in the day. We see him walking through a parking lot. This irritates DDP, so he tells Taker to come find him. He’s sitting in the front row!

Next, JR interviews Billy Gunn, who is at WWF New York. JR asks Billy for thoughts and predictions about tonight’s tournament, but Gunn would rather discuss his feelings. He was the 1999 King of the Ring, yet they stuck him in New York! Hell, they didn’t even let him compete in this year’s tourney. So how does he feel? Gunn says it’s pathetic before walking away.

Now it’s time for the finals. When Edge and Angle arrive, Kurt grabs a mic. He apologizes for getting mad at Edge last week. Kurt wants nothing to get in the way of their friendship, so they shake hands. However, Kurt needs to rest before his match with Shane. He asks Edge to forfeit this bout as a friend. After all, he can’t beat Angle, and Kurt wants to spare him the embarrassment. Edge thinks about this for a second before punching Kurt in the face!

Finals: Edge vs. Kurt Angle

The Match: They exchange strikes and takedowns until Angle sends Edge over the ropes with a belly-to-belly. Then they brawl outside and scuffle on the top rope. Edge knocks him down and rolls into a pin, but Kurt answers with another suplex and a chinlock. Once Edge breaks free, he scores a Frankensteiner and catapults Kurt into the corner. Next, they block each other’s finishers, so Edge lands an Edge-O-Matic instead. However, Christian arrives and distracts the ref. While Edge asks what Christian is doing, Angle rolls Edge up for two. Now Christian leaves, as Edge wipes out the ref by accident. Since the referee is down, he misses Edge tapping out to the anklelock. He also doesn’t see Shane enter the ring to spear Angle. The interference allows Edge to nail an Impaler for the victory.

Thoughts: This was good. It got them where they needed to go and covered all the important story beats. Plus, they did a fine job setting up the angle between Edge and Christian going forward. It wasn’t as good as the semifinal contests, but this was still enjoyable.

Winner: Edge (King of the Ring) (10:20)

Backstage, Tazz and Benoit watch the replay of Edge’s win before Tazz interviews Benoit. He asks Chris if there is any truth to the rumors. Benoit asks him what kind of question is that. He even repeats himself before changing his mind. It is a pretty good question, but Benoit laughs and walks away without answering Tazz.

Meanwhile, they show DDP looking impatient and paranoid.

Afterward, Coach interviews the new King of the Ring, Edge. He asks Edge how he feels. Edge says this reeks of royalty. While he says this, Christian joins him. Christian claims he was just trying to help Edge when he came out there. A confused Edge asks what other reason Christian would have for coming out there, so Christian says there is no other reason. Then Christian leaves to find some balloons for their celebration while Edge says this begins the Era of Awesomeness.

Elsewhere, Kurt Angle throws a fit and complains to some security guards. He vows to put any WCW wrestler who interferes in his Street Fight on welfare. After all, he has influence with Mr. McMahon!

Now it’s time for Jeff Hardy vs. X-Pac for the Light Heavyweight title. During the entrances, JR says Tough Enough will debut on Thursday. He also says Hardy and X-Pac mutually agreed that no members of X-Factor or Team Xtreme would accompany them to ringside. Plus, JR plugs the next PPV. He says it is Fully Loaded, but that changes soon.

Light Heavyweight Title Match: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. X-Pac

Storyline: X-Factor attacked Jeff and Lita during a European title match between Matt and X-Pac. This led to a six-man feud between the Hardys, Eddie, and X-Factor. Unfortunately, they soon wrote Eddie off of TV with a knee injury so he could go to rehab. Nevertheless, the Hardys/X-Factor rivalry continued. Meanwhile, Jeff Hardy captured the Light Heavyweight belt from Jerry Lynn. X-Pac failed to claim the European and Intercontinental gold, so he wanted Jeff’s newly won championship. X-Factor faced the Hardys in tag matches, but Jeff pinned X-Pac twice. Then X-Factor wiped out Team Xtreme after Matt Hardy vs. Albert ended in a DQ. And speaking of Albert, he had his own issues with Kane because Albert interfered in Kane vs. X-Pac. X-Factor recruited Angle to help them with Kane, but Kurt didn’t hold up his end of the bargain.

The Match: They trade headlocks and takedowns until X-Pac regroups. However, Hardy goes outside and hits a clothesline off the barricade. Back inside, Jeff misses a Whisper in the Wind, so X-Pac locks Jeff in an ab stretch with leverage. When the ref catches him, X-Pac hip tosses Jeff to the floor and nails a springboard crossbody. Pac follows with kicks and a chinlock, but Hardy evades a Bronco Buster. After an awkward collision, Jeff lands the Whisper in the Wind and a flying crossbody. Pac rolls through the latter for a two. Plus, X-Pac rakes Jeff’s eyes and scores the X-Factor. The ref counts three, but he waves it off after seeing Jeff’s foot on the ropes. X-Pac argues with the ref and attempts another X-Factor, which Jeff counters. Finally, they scuffle on the top rope before Jeff shoves X-Pac down and does the Swanton for the three.

Thoughts: This was decent, but it was a little shaky and the crowd was only mildly into it. It worked well as a breather between the finals and the main attractions, but this would have been better as a fast-paced opener. The placement on the card hurt it.

Winner: Jeff Hardy (7:10)

Back in Regal’s office, William and Tajiri discuss the card so far. While they talk, Austin barges in and complains about a lack of signal on his cell phone, so Regal offers him his office phone. While Steve dials, Austin and Regal swat Tajiri’s hand away when he reaches for Steve’s cell phone. Austin gets a hold of Vince, but he has to clarify it is Stone Cold Steve Austin because Vince can’t hear him. Steve tells McMahon about the rumors. He even has Regal confirm them. Then Austin begs Vince to find a driver to drive him from Connecticut to New Jersey. He needs him, so he tells Vince to hurry.

Afterward, someone presents more footage of DDP in the parking lot, which makes Dallas lose his cool. He jumps over the barricade and tells the Undertaker to get out there now! He’s sick of the mind games. While he says this, another video plays. This time, it shows DDP walking backstage. The camera turns around to reveal Sara is the one filming. She says it’s time for DDP to become famous.

Undertaker/DDP Confrontation

Storyline: JR received a strange tape after Judgment Day. It showed someone stalking the Undertaker’s wife Sara from afar. With each passing video, he dared to move closer and closer. Taker confronted JR, who told him to talk to Vince. Vince accused Shane, but Shane pointed the finger at Angle. When Taker went after Kurt, he gave him the Last Ride. However, Angle didn’t do it. The stalker was in Sara’s hotel. Next, Taker didn’t attend RAW, so the stalker drove into the arena on a motorcycle and revealed himself. It was DDP! Dallas said he did this to make an impact. He wanted Taker to make him famous, and he would come to King of the Ring to confront Taker. Later, on Smackdown, Taker told Vince to let DDP into the building, but Page wasn’t there. He was at Taker’s house, going through Sara’s things.

The Segment: Taker makes DDP wait while he puts on his gloves, but DDP attacks first. They trade punches until Taker gains the advantage. Now Page throws a low blow and taunts him, but Taker fires back with rapid body shots before sending Dallas outside. While this happens, Sara arrives with the camera. She films them, as Taker rams DDP into the timekeeper’s table. With DDP dazed, Taker turns to talk to Sara, so Page grabs a chair and hits Taker. Undaunted, Taker tackles Page over the announce table and brings him back inside. He targets Page’s ribs with kicks and punches, which makes Page regroup. This time, he tries to grab Sara and pays for it. After Taker kicks him through the ropes again, Page retreats into the crowd.

Thoughts: This was awful. It was a one-sided mauling, and it didn’t do either man any favors. They took one of the few big names they had from WCW and presented him as a chump. The problem was, DDP made a bad first impression with Taker. He liked to plan out his matches and segments, so DDP dictated what they would do. This rubbed Taker the wrong way. Taker didn’t want to do this storyline, and it showed.

Backstage, Austin waits for Vince to arrive. He spots a security guard, so Austin asks him how long it takes to drive from Greenwich to New Jersey. The guy doesn’t understand, so Austin repeats the question and he learns it takes an hour and a half. Once Austin hears this, he tells the guy to find him when Vince arrives.

Street Fight: Kurt Angle vs. Shane McMahon

Storyline: Kurt reenacted his medal ceremony after Judgment Day, but Shane McMahon interrupted him to talk about WCW and insult Kurt. As a result, Angle gave Shane an Angle slam off the podium and put him in an anklelock. Then security removed Shane from the building, but he returned to cost Kurt a match. When Shane’s WCW invasion began, Vince told security to block Shane from entering the arena. This didn’t stop Shane from sneaking in and helping Jericho defeat Angle. The loss infuriated Angle, so he stormed into Regal’s office and demanded a fight with Shane at the PPV. Kurt even attacked Tajiri out of anger. Later, Shane jumped Kurt and gave him an Angle Slam after Taker beat Angle up. Plus, Shane got Kurt again with a hit-and-run Kendo stick attack.

The Match: Kurt challenges Shane to try some amateur wrestling, which Angle dominates. This continues until Shane drops an elbow on Kurt and leads a chase. Now Shane dives off the barricade twice before collecting weapons. He uses trash cans, lids, a sign, and a Kendo stick. Shane follows with a DDT and a Sharpshooter, but Angle breaks the hold with the Kendo stick. Next, Shane sets a can on Angle and attempts a Shooting Star Press. When Angle moves, Shane crashes onto the trash can!

Afterward, the action spills into the aisle where Shane reverses a suplex. (This move breaks Angle’s tailbone.) Once they recover, Kurt tries to suplex Shane through a glass side panel on the set. It doesn’t break, and Shane’s head bounces off the concrete! The second attempt finally shatters the pane. While on the other side, Kurt tries to send Shane through another panel. He doesn’t smash it with two suplexes, so Kurt puts Shane through it head-first! A weary Kurt covers Shane, but the ref won’t count. Thankfully, Kurt has an idea. He wheels Shane to the ring on an equipment case. When they arrive, Shane shows life and strikes Kurt with a trashcan lid before using the Angle Slam! It isn’t enough. Angle places Shane on the top rope, creates a platform with a wooden board, and performs a super Angle Slam for the three.

Thoughts: I loved this. It was a brutal spectacle that got out of hand, but you couldn’t take your eyes off it. I would compare this to the infamous Hell in a Cell. It’s one of those moments you want to watch, but you hope you never see something like it again. The problem was, they used the wrong glass and didn’t tell Shane or Kurt. Since it wasn’t sugar glass, it wouldn’t break. Vince was backstage, calling for the ref to end the fight, but Shane refused. He suffered a bad concussion when his head hit the concrete, so they would have definitely ended this early these days.

Winner: Kurt Angle (25:58)

They show Jericho walking backstage while Benoit warms up for the main event. Then they cut to Austin, still waiting for Vince. The security guard says he hasn’t seen him. While he says this, the Brooklyn Brawler tells Austin it’s time for his match, so Austin tells the guard to direct Vince to the arena when he arrives.

This leads to the entrances. Jericho debuts a new Titantron and a remixed version of his theme. Meanwhile, Austin keeps looking for Vince, as he joins Benoit and Jericho, but Vince isn’t there.

Triple Threat Match for the WWF Title: Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho

Storyline: Vince punished Jericho and Benoit with matches against Big Show, Rhyno, and Angle. He also made them defend their tag belts in TLC III. Then he had them compete for a WWF title opportunity. Benoit faced Austin, but Vince recreated the Montreal Screwjob in front of the Hart family to humiliate Benoit. Austin gave Benoit a rematch, but Vince was the ref. He distracted Benoit to help Austin win. Afterward, Vince said Benoit wouldn’t get another shot. However, Foley showed up with another of his signed contracts and gave Jericho an opportunity. Unfortunately, Foley cost Chris the win by accident, so Linda booked this Triple Threat. This pushed Austin over the edge. He acted strangely and demanded Vince choose him or Linda. Austin even attacked Michael Cole, but Vince said Cole was thinking of suing. Vince told Austin they were through if he lost at King of the Ring.

The Match: Austin tries to buy time until Vince arrives by escaping into the crowd, but it doesn’t work. Once they bring him back, Benoit and Jericho double-team Austin, but this doesn’t last. They fight with each other after preventing pin attempts and submissions, so Austin uses the opening to remove a turnbuckle pad. Now Benoit dumps Jericho outside and focuses on Austin. They brawl in and out of the ring until Benoit hits Austin with a Stunner! The problem is, the ref went down, so it only gets two. Since this didn’t work, Benoit uses a belt shot, but Jericho returns and takes out Benoit with a hotshot on the post. This allows Jericho to take over.

Steve avoids the Walls and raises his knees on a Lionsault. Worse yet, Benoit hits Jericho with a chair by mistake. This leads to two superplexes by Austin on Jericho! He seeks a third, but Benoit grabs Austin and lands five rolling Germans. With Austin dazed, Benoit and Jericho put him in a combined Walls/Crossface, but the tap out doesn’t count because it’s an illegal double hold. After they release him, Austin goes outside, and Benoit and Jericho face off. While this happens, Booker T jumps over the barricade! He slams Austin on the announce table and leaves. Meanwhile, Benoit and Jericho tussle back and forth and end up on the floor. Austin is still down, so they roll him inside, but they break up each other’s covers. Finally, Benoit gives Jericho a back superplex. It leaves everyone laid out, but Austin drapes an arm over Benoit for the three.

Thoughts: The action wasn’t bad. In fact, it was quite good, but this had a few things going against it. First, I’m not a fan of triple threats where one person lies on the floor for a while to let the others fight. Secondly, they lost the crowd and only got them back at the end. And thirdly, they had a flat finish. I wanted to like this, but it wasn’t great. (On a side note, Austin broke his hand on the table spot. It was a freak accident. He hit the chair upon impact. This wasn’t Booker’s fault. Also, Benoit injured his neck during TLC III. He takes time off to get surgery after this PPV.)

Winner: Stone Cold Steve Austin (27:52)

JR calls Austin the luckiest man in New Jersey, as Austin crawls away with his belt. However, Heyman makes Ross admit Austin did it on his own. He didn’t need McMahon’s help. Then JR wonders when Austin’s luck will run out.

The Good:

• Angle vs. Shane

• All the tournament matches were good

• The tag title contest was solid.

The Bad:

• The DDP/Taker confrontation

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Kurt Angle and Shane McMahon. They put themselves through hell during that Street Fight, and it was amazing.

Final Thoughts:

This was a return to form after two disappointing PPVs. Sure, the main event wasn’t great, but it was a fine contest. Only the DDP/Undertaker stuff was bad. Everything else ranged from decent to fantastic.

Thank you for reading. My next review is Invasion. Look for it next Sunday!