World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 7/6/2002
From:
Matches:
1.) Tajiri defeated Billy Kidman
2.) Hardcore Holly defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
3.) Albert defeated Rob Conway
4.) Christian defeated Mark Henry
5.) WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jamie Noble defeated The Hurricane to retain the title
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Tajiri kicks Kidman and gets a two count holding Kidman down on the mat. Kidman gets a sunset flip for a two count. Kidman takes Tajiri over with a hurricanrana and a dropkick to send Tajiri to the floor. Kidman hits a slingshot crossbody to the floor. Tajiri lifts Kidman into the air and drops Kidman face first onto the ring steps. Tajiri chops Kidman a few times, but Kidman responds with chops of his own. Tajiri tries for the the tarantula and eventually gets it locked in for a moment. Tajiri keeps control with a sleeper hold, but Kidman doesn’t stay down for long. Kidman connects with a kick to the side of the head. They trade a few strikes until Kidman hits a head scissors and a clothesline. Kidman plants Tajiri with a bulldog for a two count. Tajiri nails Kidman with a superkick for a two count. Tajiri tries for a handspring, but Kidman counters with a sit out powerbomb. Tajiri kicks Kidman and almost wins with an inside cradle. Tajiri tries for a powerbomb, but Kidman counters with a facebuster. Kidman tries for a cover, but Tajiri kicks out at two. Kidman runs into the green mist and is met with a kick to the head leading to the three count. (*1/2. Certainly a much different match than we got on the debut episode of Velocity. A decent match with a bit a lackluster finish.)
2.) Holly slaps Chavo after Chavo rejected a handshake. Chavo misses a splash in the corner is chopped by Holly a few times. Holly decks Chavo with a clothesline, but Chavo dumps Holly over the top to the floor. Chavo nails Holly with a baseball slide dropkick and a slingshot crossbody to the outside. Chavo rolls Holly back into the ring and keeps control with a kick to the ribs. Chavo chops Holly in the corner and keeps control with stomps. Holly blocks a dropkick and catapults Chavo into the corner. Holly backdrops Chavo coming off the ropes. Holly plants Chavo with a belly to belly suplex. Holly ducks a clothesline to nail Chavo with a dropkick for a two count. Chavo sends Holly face first into the middle turnbuckle. Holly tries for the Alabama Slam, but Chavo holds onto the ropes. Holly delivers a kick to the lower midsection and hits a powerbomb for a two count. Holly counters a head scissors in the corner, but Chavo counters the Alabama Slam with a rollup for a two count. Chavo can’t get a sunset flip and Holly hits the Alabama Slam for the twin. (*1/2. I thought they did a good job with Chavo countering the Alabama Slam and there was one moment where I thought that Chavo could steal a win. These two were trainers on Tough Enough, which made this match more interesting for me than had they not been.)
3.) Albert casually shoves Conway off the apron before the match starts. Conway responds with right hands, but Albert knee lifts Conway. Conway sends Albert chest first into the corner and delivers a few right hands. Conway chop blocks Albert followed by a dropkick for a near fall. Albert back elbows Conway followed by a bicycle kick for a near fall. Albert tosses Conway over the top to the floor. Albert rams Conway back first into the apron and ring post. Albert manages a two count upon returning to the ring. Albert continues to work over Conway with a chop and a running big splash in the corner. Albert locks in a bearhug, but Conway doesn’t give in. Albert rams Conway into the corner and runs into boots. Conway drop toe holds Albert into the corner and forearms Albert. Conway dropkicks Albert on the knee and goes to the middle rope. Conway punches Albert and hits a tornado DDT for a near fall. Conway tries for a superkick, but Albert blocks it. Conway breaks free with superkicks Albert, but runs into a clothesline. Albert drives Conway down with an over the shoulder backbreaker for the win. (*1/2. I thought this was going to be a lot more one sided and a quick match, but they actually gave Conway a little bit of shine. That makes me wonder if Conway is going to stick around on the main roster. I’m sure these kind of defeats annoy Jim Cornette in OVW, where Conway is a top guy.)
4.) Henry sends Christian into the corner, but doesn’t followup on the advantage. Christian gets a headlock on Henry, but is sat on the top turnbuckle and Henry mocks Christian. Henry shoulder blocks Christian charging at him. Henry is kicked by Christian and sends Christian over the top to the floor. Henry blocks a punch and press slams Christian over the ropes and then walks the ring steps with Christian in a press slam position before dumping Christian into the ring. Christian sneaks a low blow and hammers away on Henry followed by stomps in the corner. Henry tosses Christian into the corner with right hands. Christian hits a middle rope clothesline for a two count, but Henry powers out. Christian goes to the floor to grab a steel chair, but the referee stops that from happening. Christian goes to the top rope, but is caught in midair. Christian runs into a body tackle and clothesline. Henry lifts Christian into the air and down to the mat for a near fall. Henry splashes Christian in the corner and goes for a splash, but Christian bails to the floor. Henry collides with the referee and Christian hits Henry with a chair. Christian rolls Henry up with his feet on the ropes to win the match. (*. The finish was nicely done as I kind of forgot the chair was on the ground. That’s about the only good thing about the match.)
5.) Noble starts off working over Hurricane before the bell even sounds. Noble stomps on Hurricane in the corner followed by shoulder rams and a right hand to the mat. Noble kicks Hurricane and is met with a clothesline. Hurricane continues with right hands and a fireman’s carry. Hurricane connects with a shining wizard, but Nidia gets on the apron. Noble dropkicks Hurricane on the left knee to get the advantage. Noble keeps Hurricane on the mat and locks in a stretch muffler, but Hurricane doesn’t give in. Noble switches to an STF, but Hurricane refuses to submit. Noble rams Hurricane’s knee down onto the mat and traps Hurricane in the ropes to stomp on the injured knee. Noble drives Hurricane down with a knee breaker and keeps a leg lock on the mat. Hurricane almost wins with an inside cradle. Noble kicks Hurricane on the leg a few times and keeps working over the injured knee. Hurricane fights back with right hands, but Noble delivers another strike to the knee. Noble keeps a leg lock on Hurricane, but fails to get a submission. Hurricane fights free from the leg lock and is taken down by Noble. Noble is kicked away by Hurricane. Noble tries for a knee breaker, but is punched away. Hurricane nearly wins with a sunset flip. Hurricane ducks a clothesline and plants Noble with a leaping neckbreaker. Hurricane punches Noble a few times and plants Noble with a powerslam for a two count. Hurricane misses a superkick and clotheslines Noble. Hurricane goes to the middle rope hitting a blockbuster for a two count. Noble is dumped over the top to the floor. Hurricane hits a springboard somersault dive to the floor. Hurricane tries for a suplex into the ring, but Nidia trips Hurricane. Noble only manages a two count as Nidia held Hurricane down. Noble gets out of a chokeslam and delivers a dragon screw leg whip. Noble locks in the Trailer Hitch and wins the match by submission. (**. A fine match to close out the show and a strong match on paper since they were able to promote this as a rematch from KOTR. Noble continues to impress and Hurricane losing here doesn’t hurt him at all. I like that the finish was clean and Noble is getting his submission move over in wins.)
Final Thoughts:
There’s nothing that stands out on the show, but there was some decent wrestling to fill out an hour program. Can’t go wrong with that.
Thanks for reading.