WWE House Show 9/20/2003

Written By: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Entertainment House Show
Date: 9/20/2003
From: New York, NY

NOTE: This is a house show and was filmed by a fan. It should be noted that two matches are not on the video. They included the following:

Albert defeated Orlando Jordan
WWE Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Tajiri.
Those matches were fifth and sixth on the show. Everything else appears to be full matches.

Opening Contest: Chris Benoit defeated the Big Show: Benoit with several chops in the corner and boots to start the match. Show misses a clothesline and is met with a dropkick to the knee. Benoit goes for the Crossface but is slammed down with a side slam. Show steps on the lower back of Benoit and drops down across his back a few times. Show with a overhand chop in the corner and Benoit goes down to the mat where Show gets a near fall. Show with a standing leg drop and steps on the side of Benoit’s head! Show kicks Benoit on the lower back and scoop slams Benoit. Show with a head butt to maintain his dominance of the match so far. Benoit with a series of chops but runs right into a big boot. Show yanks off the top turnbuckle pad but is met with more chops from Benoit. Show with a head butt to stop Benoit’s momentum. Show charges towards the corner but goes head first into the exposed turnbuckle. Benoit with a shoulder block off the top and goes up top where he connects with the flying head butt. Benoit covers but Show is able to kick out. Benoit with several boots but Show shoves him away and goes for the choke slam but Benoit reverses into the Crossface and Show is forced to give up! **¼
After the match, Benoit just heads to the back.

Second Contest: Matt Hardy/Shannon Moore defeated Spanky/Paul London: Moore and London start things off. Moore with a go behind but London comes back with one of his own. Moore slaps London in the corner and runs towards the ropes as London chases after him briefly. Moore with another go behind but London gains control with a side headlock. London with a shoulder block and a couple of arm drags and dropkick for a near fall. Spanky tags in but Moore goes to his corner as Spanky goes up top. Hardy tags in and gets a good pop for doing so. Hardy with a wrist lock but Spanky counters with a side headlock. Hardy shoves Spanky out of the corner as he reaches the ropes. Hardy slaps Spanky and is met with a dropkick. Hardy with a few right hands and misses a clothesline. Spanky knocks Moore off the apron and works on Hardy with a few right hands. London tags in and takes Hardy down with a spinning back elbow. Hardy regains control and tags in Moore who clubs away on London. Reverse STO/spinning kick combo on Moore for a near fall. Spanky comes off the ropes but Hardy pulls down the top and Spanky crashes to the floor. Moore covers but Spanky is able to kick out. Hardy chokes Spanky between the ropes and leaps onto Spanky’s back getting a near fall for doing so. Moore tags in and kind of botches a spinning neck breaker while still getting a near fall. Moore with a back suplex and gets a two count. Moore with a bow and arrow submission hold but Spanky isn’t going to give up to that! Spanky gets up and works on Moore with forearm shots. Moore misses a dive in the corner and is met with a face buster across Spanky’s knee! Hardy tags in and nails Spanky before he can tag in London. Spanky stuns Hardy and tags London who comes off the top with a dropkick on Hardy and backdrops Moore. London with a forearm smash and a spin kick on Moore. London lands on his feet on a German suplex from Hardy and delivers a dropkick for a near fall. Hardy with the Side Effect but London is able to kick out! Spanky works on Hardy and they both hit a clothesline in the middle of the ring. London jumps off Spanky’s back hitting a shooting star press on Hardy for a near fall. Spanky sends Moore to the floor and dives onto Moore. London goes up top but Moore shoves him off and Hardy hit’s the Twist of Fate to win the match. **½

Third Contest: Sho Funaki defeated Nunzio (Little Guido): Funaki tries to get the crowd behind, but actually fails to get them to clap for him! Guido with a knee lift to the gut and a side headlock as he tricked Funaki into going for a test of strength. Funaki with a side headlock of his own but Guido battles out of it. Funaki with a backdrop and a dropkick that sends Guido reeling to the floor. Funaki chases Guido on the floor and slides in only to be met with a series of boots. Guido with a chop in the corner and dropkicks Funaki in midair as he attempted a cross body. Guido covers and gets a near fall. Guido begins to do some jumping jacks and stomps away on Funaki for a few moments. Guido with a headlock in the middle of the ring. Funaki battles out of it and attempts a dropkick but Guido avoids that. Funaki with a backslide but Guido kicks out and continues to stomp away on Funaki. Funaki with a inside cradle but Guido kicks out and clotheslines Funaki. Funaki with a series of right hands but is poked in the eyes. Funaki avoids a missile dropkick and connects with a running bulldog for a near fall. Funaki gets both feet up as Guido charges in the corner. Funaki with a kick to the back of Guido’s head and nearly wins the match. Funaki goes up top and connects with a cross body but Guido rolls over and nearly steals the win. Funaki attempts a suplex but Guido goes for a arm breaker but Funaki rolls Guido up for the win. *¼

Fourth Contest: Basham Brothers defeated Ultimo Dragon/Jamie Noble: Dragon actually gets some fire pyro for his entrance. Doug and Dragon start off the contest with Doug backing Dragon into the corner but doesn’t do anything. Doug mocks Dragon and they lock up once again. Dragon with a wristlock and side headlock to control Doug in the early stages of the contest. Dragon with a shoulder block and a leg sweep take down. Dragon with a series of kicks and a spin kick for a near fall on Doug. Noble tags in works on the left arm of Doug. Noble with a tilt a whirl arm breaker but Doug gets out of it. Doug with a knee lift to the midsection and sends Noble hard back first into the corner. Danny enters and stomps away on Noble for a few moments. Danny with a series of right hands in the corner but is met with a drop toe hold into the middle turnbuckle. Noble sends Danny into Dragon’s knee and they take Danny down with a double back elbow for a near fall. Dragon with a few chops and is clubbed on the back by Doug. Doug drops Dragon’s arm across the top rope and Danny drives Dragon down with a arm DDT for a near fall. Doug yanks down on the arm of Dragon and Danny hooks it underneath the top rope. Danny sends Dragon shoulder first into the top turnbuckle and Doug tags in to stomp away on Dragon. Doug hooks Dragon’s arm underneath the bottom rope and distracts the referee as Danny slams Dragon’s arm on the apron. Doug goes for the cover but Dragon is able to kick out. Doug continues to work on Dragon’s arm with a shoulder block and the fans begin to chant “boring”. Dragon tries to tag but Danny knocks Noble off the apron. Danny with a scoop slam on Dragon and gets a two count. Danny with a arm lock as Noble tries to get the fans into the match. Danny with another scoop slam on Dragon and Dragon blocks a splash off the middle rope by getting his feet up. Doug prevents Dragon from making the tag to Noble. Dragon takes Doug out with a kick and tags in Noble. Noble with a series of right hands and kicks. Noble dropkicks both Basham’s in the knee and head. Noble with a front face lock and Dragon has the dragon sleeper on Danny. Danny hits Noble with a boot and Dragon attempts a moonsault off the apron but Danny yanks Dragon down and Dragon goes face first onto the apron! Noble takes Danny out with a suicide dive and is met with a baseball slide from Doug. Doug goes up top but is crotched by Noble. Noble and Dragon try a double team move but the referee prevents that from happening. Danny enters and helps Doug deliver a spine buster off the middle rope on Noble for the win. *½

Before the next contest, Charlie Haas grabs a microphone and says that his partner Shelton Benjamin isn’t here because of Eddie and Chavo Guerrero. Haas says that Benjamin has surgery and it was a success and he will be back soon. Haas is going to taking care of business by himself until Benjamin comes back.

Fifth Contest: Charlie Haas defeated Billy Kidman: Haas with a leg take down and rolls Kidman around until he reaches the bottom rope. Kidman lands on his feet on a fireman’s carry and takes Haas down with a head scissors and a series of arm drags. Haas backdrops Kidman to the apron and sends Kidman back first into the ring post that sends Kidman to the floor! Haas rams Kidman back first into the apron and covers back in the ring for a two count. Haas with a backdrop and taunts the fans. Haas with a scoop slam and a running clothesline for a near fall. Haas locks in a half Boston Crab but Kidman doesn’t give in to the move and reaches the bottom rope. Kidman goes to the apron and punches Haas a few times followed by a shoulder block. Kidman attempts a sunset flip but is taken down with a suplex for a near fall! Haas with a back suplex for a two count again. Haas sends Kidman hard back first into the corner. Kidman charges right into a snap scoop slam and Haas nearly wins the contest. Haas with a bear hug to slow down the match. Kidman takes Haas down with a dropkick as he came off the ropes. Kidman with a big boot and a couple of running clotheslines. Kidman with a backdrop and rollup for a near fall. Kidman with a hurricanrana and Haas barely fell down correctly. Haas with a overhead belly to belly suplex for a two count. Haas goes for a power bomb but Kidman reverses with a face buster and only gets a two count. Kidman attempts a wheelbarrow face buster but is driven down with a full nelson slam of sorts. Kidman with a spine buster and sets Haas up for the Shooting Star Press. Kidman goes up top but misses it and is rolled up by Haas who gets the three. *¾

Before the next match, John Cena grabs a microphone and tells the fans that they do not deserve a freestyle from him.

Sixth Contest: WWE United States Champion Eddie Guerrero defeated John Cena and Rhyno to retain the title: Eddie is cornered by Cena and Rhyno but avoids the double attack and taunts them. Cena charges but Eddie avoids again. Rhyno comes over and clubs away on Eddie along with Cena. Cena sends Eddie hard into the corner and Rhyno starts to punch Cena several times. Rhyno with a running attack in the corner to knock Cena down. Eddie with a head scissors takedown on Rhyno but is taken down by Cena with a delayed vertical suplex for a two count. Cena works on Rhyno with a series of right hands and a forearm shot to the chest. Rhyno with a delayed vertical suplex on Cena and gets a two count as Eddie breaks up the count. Eddie rubs Rhyno’s eyes onto the top rope and is attacked by Cena who drives Eddie down with a back suplex. Cena stomps away on Eddie and delivers a running back elbow. Cena with right hands on Rhyno and a side slam for a two count. Rhyno with a spine buster on Cena and Eddie tries to steal a win but isn’t able to get the three. Eddie with a few right hands to knock Rhyno down and does the same to Cena. Eddie with a clothesline on Cena and a dropkick to keep control of the match. Eddie with a dropkick on Rhyno and sets Rhyno up for hurricanrana and connects. Eddie covers but Cena breaks up the pin at two. Cena goes for the FU on Eddie but Eddie counters with a tornado DDT! Cena rolls to the floor and Rhyno misses a short arm clothesline. Eddie takes Rhyno down with rolling snap suplex’s. Eddie goes up top and misses a frog splash and hit’s the referee as he rolls through the move. Eddie avoids a Gore from Rhyno and he hits Cena! Eddie goes up top and hit’s the Frog Splash on Cena to retain the title! **

Main Event: WWE World Champion Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker in a steel cage match to retain the title: Taker stalks Lesnar in the corner but Lesnar avoids any shots from Taker in the first few moments of the match. They lock up and Lesnar shoves Taker away a couple of times. Taker with a side headlock to control the champion and takes him down with a shoulder block. Lesnar slides over to the corner to prevent any other offense. Lesnar with a boot and several right hands to the midsection of Taker in the corner. Taker comes out of the corner with a back elbow and Lesnar again heads over to the corner again. Lesnar with a go behind but is taken down with arm bar by Taker. Taker with a few shoulder blocks but is met with right hands from Lesnar. Lesnar with a few boots in the corner and Taker runs into a double boot. Lesnar with a running clothesline and begins to climb the cage to escape. Taker gets up and stops Lesnar with a few right hands and Lesnar falls behind the ropes. Taker works on Lesnar in the corner with a few right hands and stomps. Lesnar sends Taker face first into the cage and it looks like the cage wasn’t put together all that well. Lesnar with a vertical suplex and looks to eave through the cage door. Taker comes over and prevents that from happening and trips Lesnar down and works on Lesnar’s knee. Taker begins to climb up the cage but Lesnar prevents Taker from leaving, at first. Taker kicks Lesnar off and leaps off the top rope nailing Lesnar with a forearm shot. Taker sends Lesnar face first into the same side he was sent into a minute earlier. Taker has a brace is looks like and hits Lesnar right between the eyes. Taker follows up with a leg drop and tries to leave through the door but Lesnar stops him just in time. Lesnar lifts Taker off the bottom rope and slams Taker down to the mat. Lesnar with a couple of stomps in the corner and right hands. Lesnar tries to escape the cage as Taker is sitting in the corner. Taker gets up and rams Lesnar back first into the top of the cage. Taker stomps away on Lesnar and charges delivering a big boot as Lesnar is up against the cage. Taker begins to climb up the cage but Lesnar grabs his foot and pulls Taker back into the ring. Lesnar with several shots to the back in the corner. Lesnar with a series of shoulder blocks and manages to take Taker down with a big spine buster! Both men are down on the mat as the crowd tries to cheer Taker up to his feet. Taker with a series of right hands as Lesnar comes back with a few right hands of his own. Lesnar goes for the F5 but Taker gets out of it and choke slams Lesnar! Taker goes to leave but Vince McMahon runs down and slams the door into Taker’s face! McMahon goes to do it again but Taker grabs McMahon into the cage, no selling the cage door shot basically. Taker with a series of right hands and goes for the Last Ride. Taker ducks a clothesline and Lesnar hits Vince with a clothesline. Taker with a big boot on Lesnar and begins to climb the cage. Lesnar stops Taker at the top of the cage but is kicked down to the mat, twice. Taker is almost over the top of the cage as Lesnar climbs to the top as well. Lesnar with several boots as they are on the top rope. Taker falls down to the mat and Lesnar powers his way over but Taker grabs his foot but is kicked away. Taker with a uppercut and takes Lesnar down with a top rope back suplex! Taker and Lesnar struggle to their feet and they both climb up the cage on opposite sides. McMahon has gotten up and is grabbing Taker’s legs. Lesnar is able to drop off the side of the cage as Taker is dangling from the top of the cage! Lesnar retains the championship! ***¼
After the match, Taker sends McMahon face first into the steel cage and goes for the tombstone but Lesnar enters the ring. Taker sends Lesnar into the cage a few times and spikes Lesnar with the tombstone to allow the fans to go home slightly happier then they would have!

End of show

My Take: Benoit/Show was a surprising opener to me. They didn’t go over five minutes and I’m sure its because of the lack of ability to do anything all that great. Two completely different styles and the match was kept short because of that I would assume. That is fine with me as they kept the crowd throughout of the contest. Good decision to have Benoit go over too.

The next match is one I would have lead off the show with, personally. The match would just feel better with a hot crowd as compared to a crowd let down as they just watched two upper card guys in Show/Benoit. It was a good fast pace match as it was entertaining but the position on the card was the only bad thing, in my opinion. Just as Shannon Moore isn’t important really in 2003, he isn’t important in 2010. Too bad TNA doesn’t realize that!

I type this before watching any other matches, so what the hell is Funaki vs. Nunzio doing on a MSG house show? Come on now, that can’t be seen as a fun or interesting match. Hell, if you look at the under card, aside from the opener, it is pretty weak. WWE must have a firm grip on the NYC area to produce a rather weak line up.

Funaki/Nunzio and the tag team match were both boring to me. The tag team match was getting some very vocal “boring” chants as they didn’t really put on a good showing. Haas/Kidman wasn’t all that special either,

Haas/Kidman was another match that wasn’t all that great and it has to do with the fact that Haas and Kidman don’t have styles that compliment each other. I wonder if Haas was suppose to get a decent singles push on Smackdown following the promo where he said Benjamin was hurt. Best to my knowledge, he didn’t get that singles push.

Triple threat match was decent for what it was and the action kept going at a good rate. Eddie sure was over with the MSG crowd, and even though Cena was very, very green at around this time the fans still seemed to be interested in what he was all about. Rhyno? Not all that much on either front.

I really enjoyed the cage match between Taker/Lesnar. I thought they both put on a great effort and the finish is one that I could see the crowd really getting into thinking that Taker could possibly win. Though, at around this time titles never switched has. I always get a laugh when people actually think the title is going to switch hands. It never happens anymore.

Anyway, the last two matches and the opening two matches were respectable matches and in the main event case was a good contest. The under card seemed to be rather weak, but that’s bound to happen with a roster split.

Thanks for reading.