WWE Velocity 6/22/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 6/22/2002
From: Sacramento, CA

Matches:
1.) Randy Orton defeated Rob Conway
2.) Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Albert
3.) Tajiri defeated Hugh Morrus
4.) Rev. D-Von defeated Faarooq

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Orton takes Conway down with a drop toe hold, but they quickly have a standoff. Conway takes Orton down with a fireman’y carry. Orton comes back with one of his own moments later. Conway avoids Orton in the corner and believes he’s hurt his left leg causing a medic to come down to the ring. Orton is checking on Conway, as well. Orton holds the ropes for Conway, but Conway reveals he was faking it and kicks Orton to the floor to deliver strikes. Conway drops Orton face first onto the ring steps. Conway nails Orton with a running clothesline on the floor. Conway keeps control with stomps in the corner and taunts the referee. Conway drops Orton with a right hand. Conway keeps Orton on the mat with a chin lock. Conway nails Orton with a back elbow and misses a jumping fist drop. Orton hammers away on Conway followed by a flying forearm, clothesline and dropkick. Orton boots Conway in the corner and leaps off the middle rope to hit a bulldog. Conway plants Orton with a DDT for a near fall. Orton connects with a snap powerslam for a near fall. Conway eye rakes Orton and misses a crossbody off the middle rope. Orton hits a flying crossbody off the top to win the match. (**1/2. I enjoyed that more than I was ever expecting to. The fake injury angle seems to have been done a bunch of times, but it worked here fairly well. As soon as they did that, the intensity for the match picked up and Conway looked good in there. It ended up making the match serve a purpose rather than just a squash for Orton.) After the match, Conway has to be held back by the referee.

2.) Jamie Noble cut a pre-tape promo saying that he’s going to prove he’s the best Cruiserweight and the people will know his name. Nidia gets turned on by his attitude.

3.) Albert tosses Guerrero across the ring into the corner. Guerrero hammers away on Albert, but gets tossed into the corner again. Albert clotheslines Guerrero to gain the advantage and continues with strikes. Albert misses a clothesline and Guerrero dropkicks Albert a couple of times for a two count. Guerrero dumps Albert over the top to the floor. Guerrero tries for a slingshot crossbody but is caught and rammed into the ring post back first. Albert rams Guerrero back first into the apron to maintain the advantage. Albert press slams Guerrero and walks up the ring steps before dropping Guerrero dangerously into the ring. Albert delivers a running splash in the corner. Albert catapults Guerrero throat first into the ropes and manages a two count. Albert keeps a neck vice on Guerrero, but doesn’t get a submission. Guerrero kicks free and hammers away on Albert before delivering a kick to the head. Guerrero hits a springboard twisting splash for a near fall. Guerrero forearms Albert a few times. Albert delivers an over the shoulder backbreaker for a two count. Albert removes the top turnbuckle pad. Albert catapults Guerrero into the corner, but Guerrero lands on the ropes and sends Albert face first into the exposed buckle leading to a rollup for the win. (*1/2. This was essentially two heels working a match with Chavo being the face because he’s smaller. I’m not sure people wanted to actually cheer him, though. Albert is a dangerous worker and any time I see a guy over his head I pray that the other guy trusting his life with Albert’s arms goes down safely.)

4.) Morrus misses a strike in the corner and is kicked on the leg by Tajiri. Morrus misses another strike and is kicked. Morrus clotheslines Tajiri to gain the advantage but misses an elbow drop. Tajiri dropkicks Morrus on the knee. Tajiri stomps on Morrus’ knee over the middle rope and delivers a chop. Morrus no sells it and chops Tajiri in the corner several times. Tajiri dropkicks Morrus from the apron. Tajiri puts the tarantula on Morrus, but has to let go. Tajiri kicks Morrus several times and gets out of a press slam. Morrus plants Tajiri with a powerslam for a one count. Tajiri hits a handspring back elbow, but Morrus hits a Samoan Drop to counter a crucifix. Morrus heads to the top rope hitting an elbow drop for a near fall. Morrus clotheslines Tajiri several times. Morrus splashes Tajiri followed by a flapjack. Morrus heads to the top rope missing the moonsault. Tajiri misses a moonsault off the top, but lands on his feet. Tajiri nails Morrus with a kick to the head for the win. (*1/2. It’s a bit of a shock that Tajiri would go over cleanly over Morrus. The narrative has always been WWE never pushes smaller wrestlers, but now two times on this show the smaller wrestlers have picked up wins. The match was decent and held my interest.)

5.) Rev. D-Von cuts a pre-match promo saying that people think he’s gone too far and too radical, but they haven’t seen anything yet.

6.) D-Von attacks Faarooq before the bell, but Faarooq drives D-Von down to the mat face first followed by strikes to the back. Faarooq back elbows D-Von coming off the ropes for a two count. D-Von elbows Faarooq in the corner and sends Faarooq into the middle rope allowing Batista to deliver a forearm from the floor. D-Von sends Faarooq to the floor where Batista delivers a running clothesline. D-Von dropkicks Faarooq coming out of the corner and taunts the fans leading to a near fall. D-Von controls Faarooq on the mat with a sleeper hold. Faarooq elbows free, but is yanked down to the mat. D-Von misses a top rope diving headbutt. Faarooq clotheslines D-Von followed by a powerslam for a two count. Faarooq has D-Von over his shoulder, but D-Von breaks free. Batista accidentally decks D-Von on the apron. Faarooq plants D-Von with a spinebuster, but Batista rolls in and attacks Faarooq while the referee is down. Batista hits a slam on Faarooq allowing D-Von to win the match. (*. I didn’t have much interest in this match and I’m not surprised that Batista helped D-Von. I like the Rev. D-Von character, but I don’t see him getting much of anything substance wise.)

Final Thoughts:
Orton/Conway was a standout match for Velocity quality. I’ll say the show was good overall with some other decent matches taking place.

Thanks for reading.