WWE Velocity 6/15/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 6/15/2002
From: Greenville, SC

Matches:
1.) Smackdown Tag Team Champions Billy & Chuck defeated Randy Orton & Mark Henry to retain the titles
2.) Rikishi defeated Albert
3.) Jamie Noble defeated Funaki
4.) Kurt Angle defeated Hardcore Holly

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Chuck and Henry kickoff the tag title match with Henry shoving Chuck through the ropes to the floor. Henry clotheslines Chuck and misses a splash in the corner. Chuck hammers away on Henry and ducks a clothesline. Henry forearms Chuck to the mat, but Chuck crawls to his corner and tags in Billy. Orton tags in to try his luck against Billy. Billy starts off with a few jabs, but Orton arm drags and dropkicks Billy. Orton dropkicks Chuck, as well. Billy plants Orton with a DDT. Chuck scoop slams Orton and comes off the ropes with a few elbow drops for a two count. Chuck decks Orton with a clothesline and works over Orton in the corner. Henry distracts the referee allowing Billy to cheap shot Orton. Billy jabs Orton several times in the corner. Billy runs into a boot in the corner and Orton collides with Billy with stereo clotheslines. Henry tags in and decks the champs with clotheslines. Henry powerslams Chuck for a near fall. Henry comes off the ropes with a double clothesline. Orton and Billy go over the ropes to the floor. Rico distracts Henry allowing Chuck to hit a superkick after ducking a clothesline. Billy slides in and hits the Fame-Asser on Henry. Chuck covers and wins the match. (**. Not a bad title defense as the crowd was into the contest. I thought the champs looked good in there and they made Orton look impressive in the ring for the brief time he was in the match.)

2.) Rikishi hammers away on Albert to start the match after avoiding a clothesline. Albert gains control with strikes and stomps in the corner. Albert clotheslines Rikishi and continues with stomps on the mat. Albert tries for a sunset flip, but avoids a sit down splash instead. Albert tries for a slam, but Rikishi lands on top for a near fall. Rikishi hammers away on Albert, but Albert hits a running splash in the corner. Rikishi rolls to the floor to regroup. Albert rams Rikishi into the ring steps face first a few times. Albert splashes Rikishi a few times for a two count. Rikishi plants Albert with a Samoan Drop and waits in the corner to hit a running back splash, but Albert moves. Albert nails Rikishi with a bicycle kick for a two count. Rikishi crotches Albert on the top rope and Albert flips over to the mat. Rikishi hits a running back splash in the corner followed by a savant kick. Rikishi finishes Albert off with the Bonzai Drop for the win. (*1/2. There hasn’t been much of Albert since the brand split and I’m surprised that he’s losing to Rikishi cleanly. However, Rikishi is a guy that continues to get a push that I simply don’t understand why it’s happening.) After the match, Rikishi danced on the entrance way.

3.) Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young come down to the ring to wave to fans. The announcers promote Moolah’s new book. That was nothing.

4.) Noble knee lifts Funaki followed by a scoop slam and an elbow drop for a two count. Funaki hip tosses Noble followed by a drop toe hold and a dropkick to a kneeling Funaki. Noble plants Funaki with an electric chair slam. Noble gets out of a rollup and clotheslines Funaki for a two count. Noble rams Funaki into the corner followed by stomps. Noble sends Funaki hard into the corner and drives Funaki hard into the corner back first. Noble delivers a backbreaker for a near fall. Noble keeps his knee between Funaki’s shoulders, but Funaki gets to his feet. Noble holds onto the ropes to avoid a dropkick and misses an elbow drop. Noble knee lifts Funaki coming off the ropes and chokes Funaki over the ropes. Nidia chokes Funaki while the referee is distracted by Noble. Funaki locks in an abdominal stretch, but Noble hip tosses free. Noble runs into a boot in the corner and Funaki hits a head scissors and dropkick. Funaki bulldogs Noble out of the corner and manages a two count. Noble takes Funaki down with a dragon screw leg whip. Noble locks in the Trailer Hitch submission and wins the match. (**. I don’t know what it is about Noble, but I find myself enjoying his work. This was a solid match and Funaki did well in a competitive situation.)

5.) Kurt Angle broke Hardcore Holly’s arm on a moonsault off the top rope nearly two years ago. Holly is looking for revenge and he’ll attempt to get revenge on Velocity. They had wrestled two weeks on Smackdown where Angle stole a victory.

6.) Angle stomps on Holly to start the match, but Holly fires back with right hands. Holly sends Angle into the corner face first a few times. Holly goes to rip Angle’s wig off, but fails. They go to the floor where Holly chops Angle a few times. Holly rolls Angle into the ring and misses a clothesline, but powerslams Angle for a near fall. Holly kicks Angle, but is met with an overhead belly to belly suplex. Angle continues to work over Holly with stomps on the mat and a right hand. Angle gets a two count after a snap suplex. Angle tosses Holly overhead with a suplex. Angle hits another overhead belly to belly suplex. Holly plants Angle with a DDT and both men are down. Holly battles back with right hands to stagger Angle. Holly backdrops Angle coming off the ropes. Holly connects with a series of clotheslines and a standing dropkick for a two count. Holly holds Angle’s legs up and kicks Angle between the legs. Holly drops Angle with a powerbomb for a near fall. Angle eye rakes Holly and hits a German suplex. Holly nearly wins with a rollup. Angle takes Holly down with an ankle lock. Angle drags Holly to the middle of the ring. Holly kicks Angle away and hits a belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Holly tries for the Alabama Slam, but Angle holds the ropes. Angle gets a rollup and holds the ropes to win the match. (**. There was never a doubt as to who was going to win this one. The action was fine enough, but I’d rather they not do the same finish they did on Smackdown between these two.)

Final Thoughts:
A solid overall Velocity with several entertaining matches taking place. A breeze of a forty-five minute episode.

Thanks for reading.