WWF Heat 1/28/2001

World Wrestling Federation presents Heat
Date: 1/28/2001
From:

Matches:
1.) Billy Gunn defeated Albert
2.) Perry Saturn defeated WWF Hardcore Champion Raven in a non-title match
3.) Al Snow defeated Essa Rios
4.) WWF Tag Team Champions Dudley Boys defeated D’Lo Brown, Chaz & Tiger Ali Singh in a handicap match

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Albert backs Gunn into a corner, but misses a right hand. Gunn hammers away on Albert several times. Gunn boots a charging Albert and hits a running bulldog for a two count. Gunn rams Albert into the corner, but Alert comes back with a clothesline. Albert chokes Gunn over the top turnbuckle and delivers a strike to the midsection. Albert hip tosses Gunn across the ring. Albert comes off the middle rope with a strike for a two count. Albert kicks Gunn in the ribs. Albert catapults Gunn throat first into the ropes. Gunn comes off the ropes to hit the Fame-Asser, but can’t make the cover. Gunn jabs Albert a few times, but Albert puts a bearhug on Gunn in the middle of the ring. Gunn fights out and bites Albert’s face. Gunn jabs Albert a few times to knock Albert to the mat. Gunn misses a splash in the corner and Albert nails Gunn with a bicycle kick for a near fall. Gunn avoids the Baldo Bomb and plants Albert with the cobra clutch slam for the win. After the match, Albert clotheslines Gunn and hits the Baldo Bomb. (*1/2. Not a bad match to start off as they kept a fine pace and I think the cobra clutch slam is a better finish than the Fame-Asser. Albert getting his heat back is fine with me, as well.)

2.) Coach and Tazz are on commentary and they are doing it in the arena, not from WWF New York.

3.) Raven backs Saturn into a corner before the bell and delivers several punches. Saturn responds with an overhead suplex and a superkick to drop Raven. Saturn does a few pushups on Raven before kissing Terri. Saturn elbows Raven coming off the ropes and plays to the crowd on the middle rope. Saturn is sent chest first into the corner and Raven connects with a clothesline and knee lift sending Saturn through the ropes to the floor. Raven rams Saturn into the railing with a side Russian leg sweep. Raven grabs a trash can lid, but Terri grabs the weapon. That distracts the referee allowing Raven to hit Saturn two times with it for a near fall. Raven clotheslines Saturn and they mess up with a running bulldog for a near fall. Saturn plants Raven with the Death Valley Driver for the clean win. (*1/4. Saturn winning is perfectly fine with me, but it’s interesting that Raven has been losing recently cleanly despite being a champion. I wish they had more time, but they hit their signature moves, so that’s good enough.)

4.) Steven Richards makes his way down to the ring to cut a promo. Richards says he hopes that the fans will come together to help him combat the poison that MTV provides to them. Richards instead sees hopelessly lost souls in the crowd. Richards says their message has been clear from the beginning and how children shouldn’t be exposed to half naked women and the vulgar words that the superstars share. Richards doesn’t believe the fans should be cheering for when wrestlers use weapons. Richards mentions that parents turn a blind eye to the violence. Richards says the RTC refuses to turn a blind eye to this disgrace. If you are not with them you are against them.

Steve Blackman makes his way out to join the segment. Blackman has kendo sticks with him, of course. Richards tries to beg off saying he doesn’t have any weapons. Richards is pleased to see Blackman out there. Richards tells Blackman that he doesn’t need the sticks and mentions that Blackman is a martial arts master who doesn’t need them. Richards asks for the sticks and Blackman acts like he may be listening to the request. Blackman hands them over, but has chucks in his back pocket and decks Richards with them. Blackman grabs a microphone and says that Richards should take the pain and enjoy it.

5.) Snow takes Rios down to the mat, but Rios counters. Snow kicks Rios several times and yanks Rios down to the mat. Snow scoop slams Rios followed by strikes. Rios tries for a baseball slide, but Snow delivers a few strikes. Rios avoids a German suplex, but is taken down with a leg sweep. Rios kicks Snow, but is driven down to the mat gut first off of Snow’s shoulders. Snow misses a clothesline and Rios head scissors Snow to the mat. Rios springboard off the ropes to arm drag Snow followed by a dropkick through the ropes to the floor. Rios tries for a springboard dive to the floor, but Snow moves and Rios hits the guard railing. Snow sends Rios into the corner to deliver a clothesline. Rios dropkicks Snow through the ropes to the floor. Rios takes Snow out with a somersault dive over the ring post to the floor! Snow clotheslines Rios to regain control of the contest. Snow stops Rios in the corner and tries for the Snow Plow, but Rios counters with a superkick. Snow tries again for the Snow Plow and spikes Rios for the win. (**. I enjoyed the match and liked that Rios was given a few moments of shine. Rios should be a focus in the Lightweight division, but it seems like he’s just a forgotten enhancement guy at this point. Snow tends to work well with smaller opponents and looked good here.)

6.) Tiger Ali Singh, Chaz and D’Lo Brown cut a promo on the ramp. Chaz says that Singh refuses to speak because of the fans are against their religion and beliefs. Brown demands silence for them to pray and show their respects.

7.) Dudley Boys are attacked before the bell and Bubba is knocked down to the mat by back elbows. Brown scoop slams Bubba followed by a right hand. Bubba comes out of the corner with a clothesline and atomic drops Brown into the corner where D-Von decks Brown with a right hand. D-Von hammers away on Brown and hits a leaping clothesline and a spinning elbow strike. Brown punches D-Von into the corner and is met with a boot to the face. D-Von is rammed groin first into the post by Chaz and Singh. Chaz tags in and they hit a side slam/leg drop combo. Chaz chokes D-Von with his shirt and rams D-Von into the corner. Chaz boots D-Von in the corner followed by a clothesline. Singh wants a tag and enters the match. Singh throat thrusts D-Von to the mat followed by several stomps on the mat. D-Von fires back with strikes, but Brown clotheslines D-Von from the apron. Chaz puts a camel clutch on D-Von, but doesn’t get a submission. Brown enters the match and stomps on D-Von a few times. Singh enters the match and misses a clothesline allowing D-Von to hit a neckbreaker. Bubba gets tagged in and clotheslines Singh before sending Singh to the floor. Bubba drops Chaz over the top rope followed by a backdrop. Singh is knocked off the apron by his partners. Bubba and D-Von hit an electric chair neckbreaker combo for a two count on Chaz. Dudley’s hit the What’s Up on Brown. Singh prevents the champs from getting tables. That is short lived as the Dudley’s hit the 3D on Singh to win the match. (**. Singh has heat and the finish was ideal to get the best possible reaction. The match was fine for what it was, but it was a formula Dudley’s match for the most part. It was better than I expected, though.)

Final Thoughts:
There were a couple of solid matches this week for Heat, which made for an easy watch. I’ll give it a thumbs up.

Thanks for reading.