WWE Velocity 8/31/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 8/31/2002
From:

Matches:
1.) Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated The Hurricane
2.) Mark Henry defeated Albert
3.) Billy & Chuck defeated Hardcore Holly & Randy Orton
4.) WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jamie Noble defeated Funaki to retain the title

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Guerrero throws Hurricane’s cape to the floor and is decked by Hurricane as a result. Hurricane eye rakes Guerrero and sends Chavo into the corner. Chavo tries to float over, but is punched again. Hurricane puts Chavo in the tree of woe and stands on Guerrero’s groin. Hurricane connects with a shining wizard sending Guerrero to the floor. Guerrero avoids a slingshot crossbody and clotheslines Hurricane on the floor. Guerrero rams Hurricane into the apron back first followed by a kick to the midsection. Chavo stomps on Hurricane to maintain control of the contest. Guerrero clubs Hurricane over the back, but Hurricane delivers a headlock slam. Hurricane boots Guerrero in the corner, but walks into a dropkick. Guerrero continues to work over Hurricane in the corner. Storm plants Hurricane with a back suplex for a near fall. Hurricane connects with the Eye of the Hurricane, but can’t follow up on the advantage. Guerrero kicks Hurricane and runs into a leaping clothesline. Hurricane backdrops Guerrero and goes to the top rope hitting a flying crossbody for another two count. Guerrero is sent chest first into the corner and Hurricane hits a leaping neckbreaker for a two count as Guerrero got his boot on the bottom rope. Hurricane ducks a clothesline and tries for a chokeslam, but Guerrero elbows free. Hurricane kicks Guerrero and looks for the Vertebreaker , but Guerrero counters with a rollup and a handful of tights to steal the win. (**1/4. A fine start to the show as these two tend to have a solid match each time they square off dating back to WCW. Hurricane has been losing quite a bit lately it feels like and I’m wondering if a heel turn could be in the works at some point.)

2.) Henry shows off his strength by shoving Albert into the corner. Henry takes Albert down to the mat, but Albert gets up and backs up into the corner to regroup. Albert tries to send Henry into the corner, but Henry press slams Albert to the mat instead. Albert tries for a suplex, but Henry blocks it and hit a delayed vertical suplex for a two count. Albert knocks Henry to the floor with a bicycle kick. Albert sends Henry into the barricade and delivers a knee strike. Albert rolls Henry into the ring, but Henry fights back with strikes. Albert sends Henry chest first into the corner and delivers a splash. Albert hits a middle rope splash to the back of Henry and taunts the crowd. Albert tries to get a submission with his knee in Henry’s back, but Henry refuses to give in. Albert elbows Henry, but Henry fights back with a series of clotheslines. Albert kicks Henry, but runs into a belly to belly suplex and Henry nearly wins the match. Henry tries for a slam, but Albert breaks free looking for the Baldo Bomb. Henry breaks free and slams Albert for the win. (*1/2. Henry showcased some impressive power moves. I am surprised that Albert continues to lose on Velocity. So much for a push on Smackdown at this point.)

3.) Billy and Chuck attack before the bell, but Holly and Orton manage to send them to the floor. Orton and Holly follow sending Billy and Chuck into the barricade. Holly rolls Chuck into the ring to legally start, but Orton is there too and they deliver a double elbow strike. Holly chops Chuck against the ropes a few times to control the bout. Billy drops Holly throat first over the top rope. Chuck works over Holly with right hands and stomps in the corner. Billy tags into the match and they yank on Holly’s legs. Billy pummels Holly with right hands on the mat. Billy jabs Holly several times in the corner, but Holly fights back with strikes of his own. Holly chops Billy, but Billy comes out of the corner with a clothesline. Billy covers Holly, but only manages a two count. Chuck tosses Holly with a belly to belly suplex. Billy returns to the match and stomps on Holly before distracting the referee to allow a cheap shot by Chuck. Orton tries to get involved, but isn’t able to help. Chuck keeps a chin lock on Holly, but can’t get a submission. Holly fires back with chops and runs into a boot. Chuck drives Holly down with an over the shoulder backbreaker and tags in Billy. Billy stomps on Holly a few times and runs into a dropkick by Holly. Chuck and Orton are tagged in with Orton cleaning house on Chuck and drops Billy with right hands. Orton snap powerslams Chuck before going to the top. Orton leaps off hitting a flying a crossbody for a two count. Holly and Billy brawl on the floor. Orton plants Chuck with the Play of the Day, but Holly goes after Rico distracting the referee. Billy hits the One and Only on Orton leading to the three count. (**. An enjoyable tag match and I like that Rico continues to get underneath Holly’s skin to cause the loss. It sure seems like just a matter of time before Holly turns on Orton if they continue to team and lose together.)

4.) Funaki hammers away on Noble and delivers a kick, but Noble knee lifts Funaki. Funaki dropkicks Noble trying to get back into the ring. Nidia seduces Funaki allowing a cheap shot from behind. Noble elbow drops Funaki a few times on the mat. Noble delivers a neckbreaker for a near fall. Noble puts Funaki in a tree of woe and chokes Funaki from the floor. Noble decks Funaki with a short arm clothesline. Funaki fires back with strikes, but misses a dropkick attempt. Funaki almost wins with an inside cradle. Noble tosses Funaki with an exploder suplex for a near fall. Noble keeps control with a leg drop for a near fall. Noble keeps a cobra clutch locked in on Funaki, but doesn’t get a submission. Funaki breaks free with a back suplex. Funaki kicks Noble on the side of the head for a near fall. Funaki forearms Noble followed by a bulldog for a near fall. Noble kicks Funaki and tries for a under hook powerbomb, but Funaki counters with a rollup for a near fall. Funaki tries for a rollup out of the corner, but Noble hits a reverse piledriver for a two count! Noble tries for another powerbomb, but Funaki breaks free with a backdrop. Funaki kicks Noble in the corner and hits a tornado DDT off the middle rope. Funaki tries for the cover, but Noble kicks out at two! Funaki tries for a German suplex, but Noble counters hitting the Tiger Bomb for the win. (**1/2. That exceeded my expectations as Funaki held his own against Noble. Noble is a lot of fun to watch and I’ve really enjoyed his run as champion thus far on Smackdown. Noble and Nidia are an underrated couple.) After the match, Funaki grabs a microphone. Funaki says he may have lost to Noble, but he knows that the people still love him. Because, he’s Funaki and is Smackdown’s number one announcer.

Final Thoughts:
I thought this was a good episode of Velocity as all the action this week was pretty solid and enjoyable. The announcing is growing on me as I’m getting entertainment from Cole just shredding on Marc Lloyd and completely crapping on his work.

Thanks for reading.