WWE Velocity 8/17/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 8/17/2002
From:

Matches:
1.) Hardcore Holly defeated Rico
2.) Bull Buchanan defeated Albert
3.) John Cena defeated Rev. D-Von
4.) Billy Kidman & Funaki defeated WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jamie Noble & Tajiri

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Holly slingshots Rico into the ring from the apron and continues with several chops in the corner. Rico counters with strikes of his own and taunts the fans. Holly kicks Rico several times in the corner. Holly kicks Rico over the middle rope to the lower midsection and delivers a clothesline for a two count. Rico spin kicks Holly to the midsection and a standing spin kick to the face for a near fall. Rico forearms Holly a few times followed by a jump kick to the face for a near fall. Rico connects with a hip toss turned into a neckbreaker for a near fall. Rico heads to the top rope and is crotched by Holly. Holly hits a top rope superplex leading to another two count. They chop each other several times with Holly getting the advantage and delivers a clothesline. Holly nails Rico with a standing dropkick for a near fall. Holly tosses Rico with an overhead belly to belly suplex. Holly climbs to the top rope hitting a crossbody for a two count. Holly tries for a rollup, but Rico blocks it and superkicks Holly for a two count. Rico misses a spin kick and Holly plants Rico with the Alabama Slam for the win. (**. A decent match that might have been a little better because match actually served a purpose since they have a little feud going on. Rico is underrated and isn’t appreciated enough likely because of his character.)

2.) Albert blocks a boot attempt and atomic drops Buchanan. Albert press slams Buchanan to the mat causing Buchanan to bail to the floor. Albert decks Buchanan to the mat. Buchanan cheap shots Albert in the corner and they trade right hands. Albert rams Buchanan into the corner back first and misses a splash. Buchanan hits a neckbreaker and an elbow drop. Buchanan delivers a forearm drop and covers Albert for a two count. Bull forearms Albert a few more times and puts a neck vice on Albert. Albert tries for a suplex, but Buchanan blocks it and hits a springboard clothesline. Buchanan knee lifts Albert and chokes Albert over the ropes. Buchanan continues with right hands and rams Albert into the corner. Albert backdrops Bull over the top, but Bull comes back in and is met with a bicycle kick. Albert clotheslines Buchanan a few times and connects with a clothesline in the corner. Albert hip tosses Buchanan out of the corner for a near fall. Albert splashes Bull in the corner followed by a clothesline. Albert tries for a middle rope splash, but Buchanan got his knees up. Bull goes to the top rope, but is stopped by Albert. Albert is shoved off the middle rope and Buchanan hits a top rope leg drop for the win. (*1/2. What in the world? What a random decision to have Buchanan win over Albert. I can’t imagine they have big plans for Buchanan, right? Regardless, for a big man match I thought it was okay, but forgettable.)

3.) D-Von attacks Cena from behind before the bell to get the cheap advantage with strikes in the corner. D-Von sends Cena into the corner, but Cena avoids D-Von and delivers a hip toss and clothesline for a two count. D-Von nails Cena with a clothesline. D-Von connects with an elbow drop to the lower midsection and gets a two count. D-Von rams Cena into the corner face first and hammers away on Cena with several strikes. D-Von jabs Cena down to the mat. Cena fights back with strikes, but D-Von delivers a spinning forearm smash. D-Von drops Cena with a jawbreaker and chokes Cena on the mat. Cena comes off the ropes and ducks a clothesline hitting a crossbody for a near fall. D-Von nails Cena with a clothesline to regain control of the contest. D-Von slams Cena and taunts the crowd some more. D-Von heads to the top rope, but takes a lot of time. Cena stops D-Von with a slam off the top rope. Cena blocks a few right hands and backs D-Von into the ropes. Cena nails D-Von with a flying forearm and a hip toss for a two count. Cena boots D-Von in the corner and connects with a belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Cena punches D-Von a few times, but D-Von breaks free and hits a middle rope neckbreaker for a near fall. D-Von begins to argue with the referee and that allows for a rollup by Cena after countering a suplex. After the match, D-Von plants Cena with a reverse DDT. D-Von goes to the top rope hitting a diving headbutt to leave Cena laying. (*1/4. It was a lifeless match as the crowd seemed to just not care about it. Cena doesn’t have a good flow and his offense is so generic that it’s not interesting or overly fun to watch. D-Von’s heel work was slow and plodding too.)

4.) Noble and Funaki start the tag main event. Noble knee lifts Funaki and delivers a shoulder block. Funaki tries for a hip toss, but Noble counters with one of his own. Funaki kicks Noble away and delivers a kick to the head. Kidman tags in and head scissors Noble followed by a dropkick. Kidman drops Noble over his knee for a two count. Tajiri kicks Kidman from the apron. Kidman tries for a hurricanrana, but Noble holds Kidman allowing a dropkick by Tajiri. Tajiri knee drops Kidman leading to a near fall. Kidman comes off the ropes and is met with a spinning heel kick by Tajiri for a near fall. Noble tags in and Kidman is driven down with a double gut buster followed by a double dropkick for a near fall. Noble keeps control on Kidman with a sleeper hold, but Kidman doesn’t give in. Kidman is held by Nidia, but Torrie does the same to Noble. Noble plants Kidman with a back suplex and Tajiri tags into the match. Tajiri misses a top rope moonsault. Kidman crawls to the corner and tags in Funaki. Funaki bulldogs Tajiri and decks Noble off the apron. Funaki gets a two count following a backbreaker. Tajiri tries for a tarantula, but Funaki drives Tajiri down to the mat. Kidman pulls Noble to the floor and Tajiri kicks Funaki for a two count. Funaki backdrops Kidman onto Noble on the floor. Funaki has a bridging suplex on Tajiri, but the referee is distracted. Torrie and Nidia have a catfight. Tajiri misses a kick on Funaki and Funaki manages to win with a rollup. (**. A fine main event with something different by having Funaki pickup the win. I doubt this elevates Funaki, though. They did well for the limited amount of time they were given.)

Final Thoughts:
The two matches that have any kind of angle attached to them were entertaining matches. It was an easy forty-five minute watch this week for Velocity.

Thanks for reading.