WWE Velocity 7/13/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 7/13/2002
From:

Matches:
1.) Billy Kidman defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
2.) Tajiri defeated Shannon Moore
3.) Randy Orton defeated Albert
4.) Val Venis defeated Test by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Kidman arm drags Guerrero to start the match. Kidman shoulder blocks Guerrero coming off the ropes. Guerrero kicks Kidman in the midsection and continues with right hands and an uppercut. Guerrero has a hammerlock on Kidman, but Kidman snapmares free and dropkicks Guerrero. Kidman continues with right hands in the corner. Kidman head scissors Guerrero through the ropes to the floor. Kidman misses a baseball slide and Guerrero powerbombs Kidman over the railing. Guerrero rams Kidman into the railing back first a second time. Guerrero shoulder rams Kidman in the corner a few times followed by a backbreaker for a two count. Guerrero controls Kidman with a chin lock and pulls back on Kidman’s arms. Guerrero knee lifts Kidman and locks in an abdominal stretch. Kidman elbows free and and tries for a kick, but Guerrero catapults Kidman into the ropes and lands over Chavo’s knees. Guerrero scoop slams Kidman and locks in a modified bow and arrow. Chavo stomps on Kidman a few times. Kidman fights back with right hands and is sent into the corner. Chavo stomps on Kidman in the corner, but Kidman fights back with right hands. Chavo stops Kidman with a knee lift. Kidman nails Chavo with an uppercut and clothesline. Kidman backdrops Chavo. Kidman has Chavo on his shoulders and drops Chavo over his knee for a two count. Guerrero sends Kidman chest first into the corner and sits Kidman on the top rope. Kidman tries to fight free, but Guerrero drops down with a backbreaker for a near fall. Guerrero plants Kidman with a DDT. Guerrero is sat on the top rope and Kidman hits a hurricanrana for the win. (**1/2. A good match to start the show with some unique offense, especially Guerrero on the floor with Kidman. The pace was solid throughout and it held my interest.)

2.) Moore elbows free from Tajiri and arm drags Tajiri a few times. Moore heel kicks Tajiri for a two count. Moore arm drags Tajiri and runs into a savant kick by Tajiri. Tajiri stomps on Moore and delivers a few chops in the corner. Moore almost wins with a victory roll. Tajiri drop toe holds Moore and puts an Indian death lock on Moore, but doesn’t get a submission as Moore reaches the ropes. Tajiri stomps on Moore before delivering a scoop slam and a knee drop for a two count. Tajiri chops Moore in the corner a few times. Moore responds with chops of his own to stop Tajiri. Moore clotheslines Tajiri in the corner, but Tajiri locks in the tarantula in the corner. Tajiri kicks Moore from the apron and misses a springboard moonsault. Moore forearms Tajiri a few times and delivers clotheslines after a dropkick. Moore comes off the ropes with a swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Moore kicks Tajiri in the corner and hits a corkscrew moonsault for a near fall. Moore plants Tajiri with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Moore is sent through the ropes to the floor, but slides back in and baseball slides Tajiri. Moore takes Tajiri out with a somersault dive over the top to the floor. Moore heads to the top rope, but Tajiri kicks Moore and delivers another kick to the face for the win. (**1/2. Another enjoyable match with Moore having an impressive debut on Velocity. Moore looked good in there with his dives, and Tajiri is usually great. This match flew by, too.)

3.) Albert tosses Orton to the mat to start the contest. Orton fires back with right hands, but Albert gets Orton his shoulder only to be sent into the corner. Orton tries for a clothesline, but Albert doesn’t budge and tries for a press slam, but Orton lands on his feet and dropkicks Albert for a near fall. Orton gets decked by Albert to the mat. Albert rams Orton into the corner followed by stomps. Albert keeps control with strikes and threatens the referee. Orton fires back with right hands and knee lifts. Orton comes off the ropes and attempts a crossbody, but is caught and rammed into the corner in a powerslam position. Albert connects with a running powerslam for a near fall. Albert kicks Orton in the ribs and catapults Orton throat first into the ropes. Orton gets his knees up to block a splash by Albert. Orton hammers away on Albert and elbows Albert followed by another boot. Orton leaps off the middle rope to hit a bulldog for a near fall. Albert knee lifts Orton, but Orton comes back with a flying forearm smash for a two count. Orton forearms Albert and manages to dropkick Albert into the corner. Albert splashes Orton in the corner, but only gets a two count. Albert tries for another splash, but misses and Orton gets the win with a rollup. After the match, Albert nails Orton with a bicycle kick. Albert has Orton in a torture rack position before hitting a neckbreaker. Albert returns to the ring and plants Orton with a Baldo Bomb. (*1/4. The finish was a bit lackluster, but it’s a big win for Orton regardless at this point in his career. I tend to enjoy Albert’s work, so I wouldn’t mind him getting some push on Smackdown to add to the heel depth.)

4.) Venis starts off with right hands to stagger Test into the corner followed by stomps and more right hands. Test misses a clothesline in the corner and Venis drop toe holds Test. Venis dropkicks Test to the floor. Venis rams Test into the railing face first before returning to the ring. Test nails Venis with a clothesline and hammers away on Venis with right hands. Test sends Venis into the corner to deliver a running clothesline. Test delivers another running clothesline in the corner to drop Venis to the mat. Test continues with strikes and elbow shots in the corner. Test drops Venis with a right hand a few times. Venis fires back with right hands, but a knee lift stops Venis. Venis boots a charging Test and ducks a clothesline to shoulder block Test. Venis continues with a scoop slam and is fired up hitting a knee drop for a near fall. Test kicks Venis in the midsection and looks for the pump handle slam, but Venis counters. Test elbows Venis, but Venis takes Test down to the mat and locks in a leg submission. Test is trapped in the middle of the ring, but doesn’t give in. Test is able to reach the ropes to break the hold. Test connects with a full nelson slam for a near fall. Venis ducks a big boot and connects with a spinebuster on Test. Venis is stopped by a low blow and Test is disqualified. After the match, Test nails Venis with a running big boot. (*. I really didn’t care for this match and the fact that Test lost be disqualification is a bit annoying. He is part of a top heel stable and he can’t beat Val Venis? Sometimes the booking of these guys is really questionable.)

Final Thoughts:
The cruiserweights carried this show to be a decent viewing experience. I almost wish that Velocity was 205 Live before there was a 205 Live.

Thanks for reading.