WWE Velocity 8/3/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 8/3/2002
From:

Matches:
1.) Hardcore Holly defeated Albert
2.) Faarooq defeated Mike Awesome
3.) Billy Kidman defeated Funaki
4.) Billy & Chuck defeated Shannon Moore & The Hurricane

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Albert decks Holly over the back and delivers right hands in the corner to gain the early advantage. Holly boots Albert in the corner. Albert misses a splash and Holly fights back with strikes. Albert connects with a bicycle kick for a near fall. Albert kicks Holly into a corner and delivers several strikes. Albert tosses Holly across the ring and hits a splash in the corner. Albert chokes Holly over the bottom rope and catapults Holly into the ropes throat first. Holly fires back with strikes, but Albert fights back and misses a splash. Holly forearms Albert and delivers a dropkick for a near fall. Holly chops Albert in the corner and avoids a press slam. Holly decks Albert from behind and lays Albert over the top rope to deliver a kick to the lower midsection. Holly heads to the top rope hitting a flying crossbody for a two count. Holly goes for the Alabama Slam, but Albert easily blocks it. Holly fights free of Albert and connects with the Alabama Slam for the win. (*1/4. An impressive finish by Holly, but this match wasn’t all that interesting. I was expecting a more hard hitting match and this fell short of that.)

2.) During the commercial break, Hardcore Holly slapped Marc Lloyd.

3.) Awesome elbows Faarooq a few times in the corner followed by a few strikes. Faarooq blocks a kick and back suplexs Awesome. Faarooq continues by ramming Awesome into the ring steps. Faarooq continues to beat on Awesome with a shoulder block in the ring. Awesome drop toe holds Faarooq into the ropes followed by a clothesline for a near fall. Awesome slams Faarooq and heads to the top rope. Awesome hits a flying clothesline for a near fall. Awesome comes off the ropes with a clothesline for a two count. Awesome yells at the referee allowing Faarooq to fight back with strikes, but Awesome cuts him off. Awesome keeps a chin lock on Faarooq. Faarooq blocks a splash by getting his knees up. Faarooq connects with a powerslam for a two count. Awesome counters a slam with a DDT and taunts Faarooq. Awesome kicks Faarooq to the mat and comes off the ropes, but is met with a spinebuster. Faarooq covers and gets a three count. (*. Man, that kind of abrupt finish makes it kind of clear where Awesome stands in the WWE. Awesome is capable of so much in the ring, but it looks like he’s not going to be getting that chance to showcase it.)

4.) Funaki elbows Kidman followed by a few strikes. Kidman kicks Funaki followed by a wheelbarrow facebuster for a two count. Funaki sends Kidman into the ring post through the middle rope to the floor. Funaki rams Kidman into the guard railing before getting a near fall in the ring. Funaki keeps an arm lock on Kidman, but doesn’t get a submission. Kidman fires back with strikes, but misses a splash and Funaki takes Kidman down with an arm breaker for a near fall. Funaki wraps Kidman’s arm over the middle rope to keep control of the contest. Funaki keeps control with an arm bar, but doesn’t get a submission. Funaki blocks a suplex with another arm bar. Kidman breaks free and drops Funaki over his knee. Kidman clotheslines Funaki for a two count. Funaki kicks Kidman to the mat for a near fall. Funaki plants Kidman with a DDT for a near fall. Funaki heads to the top rope and is cut off by Kidman. Funaki shoves Kidman off, but Kidman recovers to hit a top rope hurricanrana for a near fall. Kidman tries for a sit out slam, but Funaki counters looking for a powerbomb, but Kidman counters with a facebuster. Kidman goes to the top rope hitting the shooting star press for the win. (*1/2. A decent match, but there has been a lot better cruiserweight matches on Velocity in recent weeks. I think my problem is that I don’t buy into Funaki as a strong opponent.)

5.) Backstage, The Hurricane is talking with Shannon Moore regarding their tag match last week. Hurricane thinks they did well last week and they have them again this week. Hurricane thinks they can beat them tonight, but they just need to be aware of Rico.

6.) Hurricane and Billy kickoff the tag main event. Billy kicks Hurricane followed by a jab and rams Hurricane into the corner. Billy misses a clothesline, but Hurricane connects with a head scissors and a shining wizard for a near fall. Hurricane plants Billy with a wheelbarrow bulldog and Chuck tries to get involved, but fails. Moore enters the match and they put Billy in a tree of woe. Hurricane stands on Billy’s groin in the corner. Chuck is sent into Billy with a drop toe hold into Billy’s groin. Chuck clotheslines Hurricane to get control for his team. Billy tags in Chuck and Chuck pummels Hurricane in the corner with right hands. Chuck tosses Hurricane overhead with a suplex for a near fall. Chuck drives Hurricane into the corner back first and Billy enters to stomp on Hurricane. Billy taunts Moore before hitting a delayed jackhammer on Hurricane. Chuck returns to the match and delivers an elbow drop for a near fall. Chuck connects with another elbow drop for a two count. Hurricane struggles to get out of a sleeper hold by Chuck. Chuck keeps Hurricane on the mat, but Hurricane prevents his arm from dropping three times. Chuck misses a discus strike and Hurricane fires back with strikes. Hurricane boots Chuck in the corner and hits a blockbuster off the middle rope! Moore is ready for a tag on the apron and cleans house with strikes and clotheslines. Moore takes Billy down with a neckbreaker and goes to the top rope hitting a twisting moonsault for a near fall as Chuck made the save. Hurricane enters and backdrops Chuck followed by a clothesline over the top to the floor. Rico pulls Hurricane to the floor allowing Billy to hit the Fame-Asser on Moore, but Hurricane makes the save. Hurricane chokeslams Billy! Hurricane sends Rico to the floor. Hurricane grabs his cape and goes to the top rope. Hurricane takes Rico out with a crossbody to the floor! Billy drops Hurricane throat first over the top rope and kicks Moore before going to the top rope. Billy is crotched by Moore. Moore tries to hit a hurricanrana on Chuck, but is caught and ends up getting hit by a Billy clothesline while on Chuck’s shoulders leading to a three count. (**. Considering this is a rematch from last week, I would have thought that Hurricane and Moore would prevail. The match was solid and I enjoyed it, but their previous encounter was more enjoyable.)

Final Thoughts:
An average at best episode of Velocity this week and I’m leaning more towards a skippable week.

Thanks for reading.