World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 10/19/2002
From:
Matches:
1.) Tajiri defeated Funaki
2.) Albert defeated Bobby Roode
3.) Crash Holly defeated Shannon Moore
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Prior to the first match, Funaki cuts a promo on the aisle. Funaki says that in order for people to like Tajiri maybe Tajiri shouldn’t make ugly faces. Funaki suggests Tajiri smile.
2.) Funaki wants to shake hands and is instead met with a kick to the leg. Tajiri misses a kick and is dropkicked by Funaki followed by an arm drag. Funaki is backed against the ropes and Tajiri delivers a knee strike. Funaki arm drags Tajiri a couple of times and keeps arm control. Funaki ducks a clothesline and Tajiri delivers a superkick. Tajiri stomps on Funaki and delivers a scoop slam. Tajiri continues with a knee drop and locks in a surfboard, but Funaki counters with a two count on a cover. Funaki sunset flips Tajiri, but Tajiri reaches the ropes and goes to the floor to elbow strike Funaki on the apron. Tajiri controls Funaki with a sleeper on the mat. Funaki fights free, but is yanked down to the mat. Tajiri drives Funaki down with a backbreaker and misses a moonsault. Funaki delivers a bulldog out of the corner for a near fall. Tajiri tries for the tarantula, but Funaki plants Tajiri with a facebuster for a near fall. Tajiri hits a handspring back elbow. Tajiri misses a kick to the head. Funaki misses a kick and Tajiri finishes Funaki off with a kick to the head for the win. (*1/2. A decent match with an obvious outcome since Tajiri has a title shot the next night at No Mercy. Tajir’s kicks are super over with the crowd and is the kind of finisher that could defeat any person no matter their size. Tajiri is the kind of guy who could get a better push and it would be believable.)
3.) Bobby Roode is in fact the same Roode that would go on and make a name for himself in TNA/Impact Wrestling before eventually joining WWE over a decade later.
4.) Albert works over Roode in the corner, but Roode fights back with a few strikes. Roode avoids a slam and kicks Albert on the leg, but is met with a shoulder block. Albert misses a knee drop and Roode kicks Albert on the leg several times. Albert stops Roode with an over the shoulder backbreaker. Albert splashes Roode in the corner and delivers several forearm strikes to the back and knee lifts. Roode fires back with right hands, but is clotheslined from behind. Albert catapults Roode into the ropes for a two count. Albert keeps a neck vice on Roode, but doesn’t get a submission. Albert clubs Roode over the back, but Roode dropkicks Albert on the knee. Albert powerslams Roode and drags Roode to the corner. Albert misses a middle rope splash. Roode boots a charging Albert followed by a strike. Roode plants Albert with a DDT and plays to the crowd. Roode goes to the top rope hitting a missile dropkick for a near fall. Albert knee lifts Roode and connects with a bicycle kick for the win. (**. Honestly, that was actually a really fun enhancement match. Roode looked good and Albert gave him quite a bit of shine. This early into Roode’s career and it’s obvious that Roode has a bright future.) After the match, Albert isn’t done and delivers the Baldo Bomb.
5.) Moore wants to shake hands, but Crash slaps the hand away. Crash shoulder blocks Moore after being sent into the ropes. Moore slaps Crash and delivers an arm drag and dropkick. Crash goes to the floor, but is rolled back in and Moore hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Crash drops Moore throat first over the top rope and Moore crashes to the floor. Crash drives Moore back first into the apron and rolls Moore into the ring. Crash tries for a cover, but Moore kicks out at two. Crash delivers a knee to the back and takes Moore over with a snap suplex. Crash stomps on Moore and presses his knee into Moore’s lower back. Crash tries for a cover, but Moore kicks out at two. Crash slams Moore to the mat and taunts the crowd while kneeling on Moore’s back. Moore kicks Crash into the ropes and nearly wins with an inside cradle. Moore boots Crash in the corner and avoids a splash in the corner. Moore elbows Crash followed by right hands. Moore forearms Crash to the mat. Moore delivers a spinning heel kick for a two count. Moore delivers a kick to the head for a near fall. They trade pin attempts with both men getting near falls. Moore is dumped to the apron and trips Crash. Moore goes to the top rope hitting a corkscrew moonsault for a near fall. Moore rams Crash into the corner, but his back is bothering him. Moore kicks Crash out of the corner and tries for a sunset flip, but Crash sits down and uses the ropes for leverage to win the match. (*1/4. A poor choice to have this main event. I was bored by this one as it lacked any real excitement. Moore continues to be handicapped when he has a limb worked over preventing any fun offense.)
Final Thoughts:
Aside from the Albert/Roode match, there wasn’t much going on this week for Velocity.
Thanks for reading.