WWE Velocity 6/1/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 6/1/2002
From: Calgary, Alberta

Matches:
1.) Mark Henry defeated The Godfather
2.) Albert defeated Hugh Morrus
3.) Rev. D-Von defeated Val Venis

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Henry shoves Godfather down to the mat as the crowd is chanting that they want hoes. Godfather hammers away on Henry, but is sent into the corner. Henry tries for a slam, but Godfather pushes Henry away. Henry plants Godfather with a running powerslam. Godfather drops Henry throat first over the ropes from the apron. Godfather takes Henry down and delivers an elbow drop. Godfather continues with stomps to the knee. Godfather is sent into the corner, but eye rakes Henry. Godfather chokes Henry in the corner followed by a leaping clothesline for a near fall. Henry kicks out and sends Godfather to the floor. Henry decks Godfather with a clothesline. Henry back elbows Godfather and plays to the crowd. Henry splashes Godfather over the middle rope and slid to the floor. Henry sends Godfather hard back first into the corner a few times. Henry locks in a bearhug and wins by submission. (*. Well, I wasn’t expecting a bearhug finish, but I guess it fits Henry’s persona as being the strongest man in the world. Godfather’s act is watered down and kind of pointless without the women by his side.)

2.) Albert hammers away on Morrus to start the match followed by a clothesline. Albert chops Morrus in the corner, but Morrus counters with chops of his own. Morrus ducks a clothesline and hits a powerslam for a two count. Albert sits Morrus on the top rope, but is shoved off the middle rope. Morrus leaps off the middle rope and is met with a bicycle kick in midair. Albert forearms Morrus several times on the lower back. Albert continues with strikes in the corner and Morrus drops to the mat. Albert locks in an abdominal stretch, but Morrus doesn’t give in. Albert misses a clothesline and Morrus hits a shoulder block and a clothesline. Albert back elbows Morrus, but Morrus hits a German suplex for a near fall. Morrus heads to the top rope hitting an elbow drop for a near fall. Morrus signals for a moonsault, but Albert rolls out of the way. Albert runs into a boot in the corner. Albert misses a splash, but avoids a clothesline and plants Morrus with the Baldo Bomb for the win. (*1/2. I was expecting a more hard hitting match and that wasn’t really presented here. This felt like more of a showcase for Albert than it was a competitive match. Albert should be in line for a bigger role at some point on SD.)

3.) Backstage, Stacy Keibler meets up with Torrie Wilson. Keilber asks what the deal is with Maven. Wilson asks if not spending time with a man 3x her age is odd to her. Wilson suggests that Keibler has some competition with Dawn Marie. Keibler is left baffled by that.

4.) Maven suffered an injury to his leg on Smackdown and is out 4-6 weeks.

5.) Prior to the main event, Rev. D-Von cuts a promo about being in Canada and delivers a sermon. However, Batista goes around collecting money. D-Von wants them to be generous because a dollar today means salvation tomorrow.

6.) D-Von attacks Venis before the bell with right hands in the corner. D-Von clotheslines Venis coming off the ropes. Venis back elbows D-Von followed by a knee drop and more right hands. Venis chops D-Von in the corner followed by stomps in the corner. D-Von misses a clothesline and they collide with stereo clotheslines. Venis counters a hip toss with one of his own followed by a series of arm drags. Venis kicks D-Von on the knee a few times. Venis delivers a chop block as the show goes to commercial.

Venis locks in a reverse figure four and D-Von is tapping out, but Batista got on the apron to distract the referee. D-Von sends Venis hard into the corner back first. D-Von dropkicks Venis in the corner. D-Von stomps on Venis in the corner and wraps Venis around the ring post back first. D-Von nails Venis with a spinning elbow strike for a near fall. Venis backdrops D-Von and tries to recover in the corner. Venis elbows D-Von in the corner and drops D-Von throat first over the top rope. Venis hammers away on D-Von and ducks a clothesline to hit a leaping shoulder block. Venis continues with a few clotheslines and a neckbreaker for a two count. Venis hits a fisherman suplex for a near fall. D-Von connects with a neckbreaker off the middle rope, but Venis kicks out at two. D-Von heads to the top rope, but Venis stops D-Von with right hands. D-Von shoves Venis off the ropes and misses a diving headbutt. Venis hits a sit out powerbomb for a near fall. D-Von elbows Venis in the corner and the referee collides with Venis. Batista trips Venis from the floor and decks Venis with the collection box allowing D-Von to win the match. (*1/2. The action wasn’t boring, but I just didn’t care for the match. I’m not sure why Venis was protected by the interference seems to be a guy that has a focus and attention on the brand.)

Final Thoughts:
A weak episode for Velocity this week. I think I’d make sure to have at least one Cruiserweight match on the show each week and let them shine. I wonder when we’ll see Albert on Smackdown on a regular basis as I think he’d do well with a push on SD.

Thanks for reading.