WWE Velocity 9/21/2002

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 9/21/2002
From:

Matches:
1.) Tajiri defeated Billy Kidman
2.) Funaki defeated Albert
3.) The Hurricane defeated Crash Holly
4.) Randy Orton defeated Shannon Moore

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Tajiri sends Kidman into the ropes and is met with a shoulder block. Kidman takes Tajiri over with a hurricanrana and goes to the floor where Tajiri delivers a kick. Tajiri sends Kidman into the railing shoulder first leading to a near fall. Tajiri keeps wrist control on Kidman followed by an arm breaker. Tajiri keeps Kidman on the mat with arm control, but doesn’t get a submission. Kidman forearms Tajiri followed by an arm drag, but Tajiri goes back to work on the arm with stomps. Tajiri keeps a hammerlock on Kidman, but Kidman snapmares free and is met with a kick. Kidman dropkicks Tajiri and holds his shoulder. Kidman kicks Tajiri away a few times and delivers a few clotheslines. Kidman kicks Tajiri on the side of the head for a near fall. Tajiri savant kicks Kidman coming off the middle rope for a near fall. Tajiri tries for a powerbomb, but Kidman counters with a facebuster for a near fall. Tajiri kicks Kidman, but misses another kick to the head. Kidman plants Tajiri with a middle rope bulldog and heads to the top rope. Kidman misses the shooting star press and is kicked by Tajiri for a near fall. Kidman can’t perform a sit out powerbomb because of his arm and Tajiri kicks Kidman on the shoulder to win the match. (**. A decent match that a little bit of story to it and not just two talented workers doing spots.)

2.) Prior to the next match, Funaki taunts Albert by reminding him that the fans chanted for him to shave his back. Funaki agrees with the fans and calls Albert a hairy bully.

3.) Funaki tries to control Albert with a headlock, but is sent into the ropes and is met with a shoulder block. Albert misses a splash and is dropkicked by Funaki for a two count. Funaki dropkicks Albert followed by a bulldog. Albert plants Funaki with a powerslam for a two count. Albert elbow drops Funaki on the lower back to maintain the advantage. Albert puts a chin lock on Funaki, but doesn’t get a submission. The crowd chants for Albert to shave his back. Funaki tries to fight back, but Albert delivers an over the shoulder backbreaker for a two count. Albert rams Funaki into the corner and punches Funaki several times. Funaki kicks Albert away and is met with a knee lift. Albert sends Funaki hard into the corner back first. Albert nails Funaki with a headbutt and signals for the Baldo Bomb. Albert tries for it, but Funaki twists Albert’s chest hair. Albert runs into boots in the corner, but blocks a tornado DDT attempt. Funaki pulls Albert’s back hair and then kicks Albert into the corner chest first. Albert falls over Funaki and Funaki wins the match with a rollup. After the match, Albert decks Funaki with a clothesline. Funaki baseball slide dropkicks Albert, but is caught on a crossbody attempt and rammed into the ring post back first a couple of times. (*1/4. I just hate the booking of having Albert lose. If he could win these matches and do the beatdowns then we’re getting somewhere, but this is accomplishing nothing for Albert.)

4.) Earlier today, Funaki interviewed Crash Holly backstage. Crash is confident about wrestling Hurricane tonight. He’s undefeated and feels like he’s unstoppable. Funaki thinks that Hurricane can stop Crash tonight.

5.) Crash and Hurricane shake hands to show respect for each other. Hurricane arm drags Crash and they trade pin attempts leading to a standoff. Crash kicks Hurricane, but is hip tossed followed by a scoop slam. Crash bails to the floor to avoid a chokeslam. Hurricane stomps on Crash’s hand and pulls Crash to the apron to deliver a strike. Crash drops Hurricane over the top rope throat first and manages a two count with a rollup. Crash sends Hurricane into the corner back first and delivers a forearm strike to the lower back. Crash attempts a cover, but only gets a two count. Crash slams Hurricane to the mat. Crash clubs Hurricane over the back and locks in an abdominal stretch. Crash hooks the ropes for leverage, but the referee sees it and breaks the hold. Crash goes back to the abdominal stretch, but can’t get a submission. Hurricane arm drags free, but is met with a boot to the midsection. Hurricane boots Crash and hits a blockbuster off the middle rope. Hurricane clotheslines Crash followed by an elbow strike. Crash is sent into the corner and Hurricane hit a neckbreaker for a two count. Crash rams Hurricane into the corner for a near fall. Crash sits Hurricane on the top turnbuckle, but is shoved off. Hurricane hits a top rope crossbody for a two count. Hurricane nearly wins after a chokeslam. Crash avoids a neckbreaker, but Hurricane wins following a shining wizard. (**1/4. That was a lot better than I was expecting it to be. Crash seems like a guy who can thrive well in the division and get out of the hardcore wrestler stigma. The action was constant and held my interest.)

6.) Orton takes Moore down with a headlock, but Moore gets control after a drop toe hold and they have a standoff. They shake hands to show respect for each other. Orton has a hammerlock on Moore, but switches to a wrist lock. Moore arm drags Orton followed by a spinning heel kick for a two count. Orton gets out of a go-behind and drops Moore face first over the top turnbuckle. Orton hits a top rope flying crossbody, but Moore rolls through for a one count. Orton nails Moore with a clothesline. Orton kicks Moore in the face to gain the advantage. Orton sends Moore shoulder first into the corner a few times. Orton yanks Moore down to the mat by his left arm. Orton keeps arm control on the mat, but Moore doesn’t submit. Moore forearms Orton a few times, but Orton kicks Moore. Moore avoids a DDT by holding the ropes and dropkicks Orton. Moore connects with a neckbreaker for a near fall. Moore hits a springboard moonsault for a two count. Moore forearms Orton a few times, but runs into a snap powerslam for a near fall. Orton sits Moore on the top turnbuckle looking for a back suplex, but Moore elbows Orton to the mat and hits a corkscrew moonsault for a two count. Orton kicks Moore and hits the O-Zone for the win. (**. Moore was solid in there again with some fun offense. It is very noticeable that Orton is being more aggressive and isn’t tentative in there. I’m thinking this is going to be a character change for him and I think that’s a good direction to go in.)

Final Thoughts:
A solid episode of Velocity this week with the majority of the matches being fun to watch this time around.

Thanks for reading.