WWE Heat 6/30/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Heat
Date: 6/30/2002
From: Columbus, OH

Matches:
1.) Eddie Guerrero defeated Spike Dudley
2.) Sean O’Haire defeated Justin Credible
3.) Tommy Dreamer defeated Johnny Stamboli by disqualification
4.) Raven defeated Matt Hardy

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Guerrero takes Spike down to the mat with a headlock, but Dudley gets up quickly. Guerrero forearms Dudley several times followed by an uppercut. Dudley backdrops Guerrero, but misses a dropkick. Guerrero rams Dudley into the corner and continues with right hands and elbow strikes. Dudley monkey flips Guerrero out of the corner, but is met with a clothesline. Guerrero plants Dudley with a back suplex for a near fall. Dudley nails Guerrero with a headbutt to the midsection and they trade right hands. Guerrero gets the advantage, but Dudley comes back with a clothesline and a dropkick for a two count. Guerrero knee lifts Dudley and tries for a brainbuster, but Dudley counters with a neckbreaker. Dudley tries for the Dudley Dog, but Guerrero delivers a backbreaker to counter. Guerrero plants Spike with a powerbomb. Guerrero heads to the top rope hitting the frog splash for the win. (*1/2. A predictable outcome, but Dudley put forth a valiant effort. They probably could have gotten a better match going if they were given a couple of more minutes.)

2.) O’Haire backs Credible into a corner, but Credible kicks O’Haire followed by strikes. Credible bails to the floor, but O’Haire follows and decks Credible with a right hand. O’Haire press slams Credible to the mat and Credible begs off. O’Haire kicks Credible in the midsection and hits a middle rope rolling neck snap. Credible superkicks O’Haire out of the corner through the ropes to the floor. Credible chokes O’Haire in the corner, but isn’t following up with much offense. Credible elbows O’Haire to the mat coming off the ropes. O’Haire ducks a clothesline and punches Credible several times. O’Haire nails Credible with a clothesline and superkick. O’Haire plants Credible with a twisting slam for the win. (*. I thought this was a poor showing for Credible. He had an opportunity to hook the crowd following the superkick to the floor, but his offense dried up and the match became a slow moving one that was tough to get through. O’Haire has loads of potential and I still think he would have been a star in WCW if they stayed afloat.)

3.) Backstage, Terri interviews Johnny Stamboli. This is Stamboli’s WWE debut. Stamboli thinks that Tommy Dreamer is nuts to even think that he could beat him. Stamboli doesn’t like Dreamer and doesn’t have to like him at all. Stamboli likes Terri and checks her out. Stamboli says that Dreamer has to respect him and walks off.

4.) Stamboli starts off with a knee lift and a scoop slam to control Dreamer in the opening moments of the contest. Stamboli continues with strikes against the ropes. Dreamer hip tosses Stamboli and a clothesline over the top to the floor. Dreamer spits a drink into Stamboli’s face. Dreamer ducks a wild strike and takes Stamboli down with a side Russian leg sweep. Dreamer is dropped over the top rope by Stamboli. Dreamer hammers away on Stamboli, but is met with a clothesline for a two count. Stamboli chokes Dreamer on the mat and taunts Jacqueline, the referee. Stamboli scoop slams Dreamer and delivers a leg drop for a two count. Stamboli jumps to the top rope, but Dreamer crotches Stamboli off the ropes. Stamboli’s knees still hit Dreamer, but Dreamer recovers to drop Stamboli with a right hand. Dreamer backdrops Stamboli and delivers a spinebuster for a two count. Dreamer spikes Stamboli with a DDT for a near fall. Stamboli blatantly low blows Dreamer causing a disqualification. After the match, Jacqueline clotheslines Stamboli out of the ring to prevent a further attack on Dreamer. (*1/2. The match wasn’t going too bad, really. I’m not sure what the finish accomplishes other than a match between Stamboli and Jacqueline? Stamboli looked better than I was expecting and the action wasn’t boring.)

5.) Hardy hammers away on Raven to start the match and Raven backs into a corner to regroup. Raven sends Hardy into the corner, but has to elbow Hardy to break free. Hardy blocks a kick and tries for the Side Effect, but Raven elbows free. Hardy kicks Raven and is sent through the ropes to the floor with a drop toe hold. Raven drives his knee into the back of Hardy from the middle rope for a two count. Raven knee lifts Hardy a few times against the ropes. Raven gets a running start to knee lift Hardy again. Hardy takes Raven down with a side Russian leg sweep. They begin to trade right hands with Hardy getting the advantage. Hardy clotheslines Raven followed by a fist drop for a near fall. Raven misses a clothesline and Hardy delivers a neckbreaker. Hardy comes off the middle rope hitting a leg drop for a two count. Hardy misses the Twist of Fate, but counters a DDT with the Side Effect for a near fall. Raven eye rakes Hardy and avoids a spear sending Hardy shoulder first into the ring post. Raven sits Hardy on the top turnbuckle and gouges Hardy’s face. Raven tries for a back suplex, but Hardy elbows free and misses a moonsault. Raven covers Hardy with his feet on the ropes to win the match. (*1/2. I honestly surprised that Raven won here. I’m fine with it, though. The match was fine enough and they worked fairly well together. I could get behind Raven being the main guy on Heat since he’s regulated to the show and no longer allowed on RAW.)

Final Thoughts:
The action wasn’t bad this week and it featured some notable names. Plus, we got two debuts of O’Haire and Stamboli if you ignore that O’Haire was in the Alliance last year. There was enough on this show to make it a positive experience.

Thanks for reading.