Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents Smackdown
Date: 1/10/2002
From: New York, NY
Matches:
1.) WWF World Tag Team Champions Tazz & Spike Dudley defeated Christian & Lance Storm to retain the titles
2.) WWF Intercontinental Champion Edge defeated Big Bossman to retain the title
3.) The Rock & Rob Van Dam defeated WWF Undisputed Champion Chris Jericho & Test
4.) Rikishi defeated Booker T by count-out
5.) Steve Austin fought Kurt Angle to a no contest
Angle Developments/Notes:
1. Stephanie met Debra backstage to let her know that HHH is going to kick Austin’s ass in the Royal Rumble.
2. Stephanie comes out to the ring to thank the MSG fans for showing they respect HHH. Stephanie noted that HHH had yet to arrive to the arena but she feels like she can do whatever she wants to do. Stephanie takes credit for HHH’s success believing that he depended on her brains. She also thinks that with her by his side he will win the Rumble and regain the WWF World Championship. She talks about how Flair should’ve listen to her and that as a result he wouldn’t have gotten hurt by the hands of her father. She continued by saying that Flair doesn’t want her to point her finger at him because HHH will destroy him. Eventually, security comes out to escort Stephanie from the ring.
3. Backstage, Christian talks to Lance Storm about how easy it is going to be to win the WWF World Tag Team Championships tonight.
4. Early on, Spike takes Storm out with a top rope cross body on the floor. Christian rams Spike gut first into the ring steps. Spike is worked on by both Storm and Christian for a few moments. They focus on Spike’s injured midsection but are unable to put him away. Spike head butts Storm in the gut and tags in Tazz who cleans house with clotheslines and suplex’s. Tazz locks in the Tazz Mission on Christian and forces him to tap out. Christian was looking for a reverse DDT on Spike. After the match, the Dudley Boys attack the champs but the champs are able to fight them off.
5. It is announced that Val Venis will be competing in the Royal Rumble match!
6. Edge was able to successfully retain the Intercontinental Championship over the Big Bossman after hitting the Edge-ecution on Bossman’s nightstick. After the match, William Regal appeared on the big screen and tells Edge that he had three surgeries to fix his nose. Regal claims that English people are the most brutal people in history. Regal ends up challenging Edge to a match at the Royal Rumble with the WWF Intercontinental Championship on the line and Edge accepts the offer.
7. It is announced that Goldust will be competing in the Royal Rumble match!
8. Backstage, Lillian Garcia interviewed Kurt Angle. Angle says that he prevented HHH upstaging him on RAW from getting to him. Angle gets annoyed with the fans chanting “What” all the time and decides to challenge Steve Austin to a match later tonight so he can kick his ass.
9. Booker T is in the bathroom complaining about the smell someone has created while using the toilet. The man who was letting lose the awful smell was Rikishi! It turns out that Rikishi will be meet Booker T in the ring! Could you imagine the stink face tonight? Yikes!
10. Rock wanted to get his hands on Jericho early on but had to fight off Test first because Jericho cowardly went to the apron. Jericho cheap shots Rock after he ducks a clothesline by Test. Jericho enters once Rock is weakened and stomps away on Rock in the corner. Rock drives Test down to the mat with a Samoan Drop before tagging in RVD! RVD hits a spinning heel kick and a step over heel kick on Test. RVD nails Jericho with the rolling thunder! RVD is on fire tonight! RVD takes Jericho out with a top rope somersault dive! Jericho gets control of RVD on the floor and drops him gut first on the announcers table. Test clotheslines RVD in the corner and allows Jericho to pick apart RVD. Test runs into a back elbow and is sent chest first into the corner before being met with a spin kick. Rock and Jericho get the hot tags with Rock just hammering away on Jericho followed by a overhead belly to belly suplex. Rock plants Jericho with the Rock Bottom but Test breaks the count up just in time! Rock avoids the big boot and nails Test with a DDT. Jericho whacks Rock with the championship belt. RVD leaps off the top to hit Jericho to a kick and dives over the top rope to take Test out with a suicide dive on the floor! RVD and Test end up brawling into the crowd. Jericho covers Rock but only manages a two count. Jericho bulldogs Rock but Rock gets his knees up to block the Lionsault! Rock plants Jericho with a spine buster and locks in the Sharpshooter to get the submission win! That was a really good televised tag team match.
11. Jim Ross conducted an interview with Vince McMahon that was recorded earlier in the day. McMahon refused to talk about family issues that may arise now that HHH is back and his wife is Stephanie. McMahon believes that Flair is a underhanded businessman, not a gentleman and any actions McMahon did were not unprovoked. McMahon told Ross that he is a calculated risk taker and says he wants Flair’s family to be at ringside so they can see what he is going to do to their father. McMahon reveals that destroying lives turns him on. McMahon believes that Ric Flair will beg for McMahon to buy his stock back!
12. It is announced that Mr. Perfect will compete in the Royal Rumble match!
13. Well, today was rough one for Booker T. Rikishi was able to deliver the stink face and Booker just couldn’t handle it. After receiving the move, Booker walked around ringside and puked on Michael Cole! After the match, Booker went to the bathroom where DDP gave a motivational talk saying that he was glad it didn’t happen to him!
14. Backstage, Coach interviewed the Rock who said that at the Royal Rumble he is going to beat Chris Jericho just like he did tonight on Smackdown. After saying a few things that would make you think Rock was talking about a certain friend, Rock told Coach that he was going to use his big boot and shove up Jericho’s ass!
15. It is announced that the Godfather would be competing in the Royal Rumble!
16. Austin gets the early control by working on Angle’s shoulder by sending him into the ring post and steps a few times. Angle hurt his shoulder when he missed a spear in the corner and hit the ring post. Angle recovers and begins to drive his shoulder into Austin’s midsection. Angle connects with an overhead belly to belly suplex as well for a near fall. Austin drops Angle throat first across the top rope to gain the advantage and follows up with a discus clothesline. Austin delivers a couple German suplex’s until Angle battles back with a couple of his own! Angle hit’s a top rope moonsault but Austin kicks out at two! Angle has the ankle lock on Austin! Austin rolls through and nearly pins Angle. Austin counters the Angle Slam and nails Angle with the Stunner. Uh oh, here comes Kane! Kane grabs Austin and drives him down to the canvas with a choke slam! Kane also grabs Angle and delivers a choke slam to him! Oh man, here comes the Big Show! They try to choke slam each other until Show gets the better of Kane and connects with one. But wait, there is more! Triple H makes his way down to the ring as the crowd explodes! HHH low blows Show and hit’s the pedigree! The Undertaker appears at the top of the ramp way and locks eyes with HHH to end the show.
Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed the whole program, really. The tag match with Rock, RVD, Test and Jericho was a fun match full with action throughout. The Booker/Rikishi segment was actually pretty funny and the main event was good along with the aftermath to get all the major players focused on the show. It was a solid all around show.
Thanks for reading.