World Wrestling Federation presents Heat
Date: 3/25/2001
From:
Matches:
1.) Perry Saturn defeated WWF Lightweight Champion Crash Holly in a non-title match
2.) WWF European Champion Test defeated Haku to retain the title
3.) Hardy Boys defeated Taka Michinoku & Funaki
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Earlier today, George walked up to a relaxing WWF Hardcore Champion Raven. George wants Raven to teach him the hardcore way. Raven calls him a strange man and walks off.
2.) WWF Hardcore Champion Raven appears on the stage at WWF New York, which is full of weapons. Raven says that in seven days the culmination of his life work comes to an end. Raven promotes his upcoming title defense against Big Show and Kane at WrestleMania 17. Raven is going to wage a war against both men that will leave them battered. Raven has alway been on the outside looking in, but has always prevailed. Raven says that pain will see him through. Fate, destiny and pain will see him through at WrestleMania.
3.) Saturn backs Holly into a corner and delivers several strikes for the advantage. Holly comes back with a rollup for a two count. Holly head scissors Saturn and follows up with a hurricanrana for a two count. Saturn savant kicks Holly to the mat. Saturn drops Holly gut first over the top rope and decks Holly off the apron to the floor. Saturn rams Holly back first into the ring post. Saturn drives Holly back first into the ring steps to continue his momentum. Saturn delivers a swinging neckbreaker and a brainbuster. Saturn keeps Holly on the mat with a chin lock. Holly fights back with elbow strikes, but Saturn sends Holly through the ropes to the floor. Holly shoulder rams Saturn and tries for a slingshot sunset flip managing a two count. Holly drops Saturn over the middle rope and ducks a clothesline to hit a spinning back elbow. Saturn decks Holly with a clothesline to stop Holly’s momentum. Holly boots Saturn in the corner and leaps off the middle rope, but is caught by Saturn. Holly leaps off the top to hurricanrana Saturn. Holly hits a bulldog out of the corner, but Dean Malenko gets on the apron and trips Holly. Molly hits the somersault dive onto Saturn while the referee was distracted. Malenko grabs Molly on the floor and Crash is dropped over the top rope. Saturn hits the roll of the dice neckbreaker for the win. (*1/2. I wish Saturn would have won without the help, but this was a good match for Saturn. Saturn showed some intensity that came across well to me. I wish Saturn could get a bigger focus as he’s a lot of fun to watch.)
4.) Backstage, George continues to bother Raven in the hallway. George wants to be taught the hardcore way. Raven calls George a moron and tells him to push his shopping cart. George takes that as a yes.
5.) Backstage, George is with Raven in the bathroom. Raven says hardcore matches can end up in the bathroom. Raven wants George to put his head in the toilet to prove he’s hardcore. Raven pushes George head into the toilet.
6.) Haku knee lifts Test to start the match and delivers an elbow strike. Haku works over Test, but misses a clothesline and Test nails Haku with a clothesline. Haku hits his head on the turnbuckle, but Test hammers away on Haku a few times. Test hits a side slam for a two count. Haku chops Test in the corner followed by a flurry of strikes. Haku drops Test with a headbutt for a near fall. Haku continues with strikes to the chest. Test hammers away on Haku, but Haku connects with a side suplex Haku comes off the ropes with an elbow drop a few times for a two count. Haku chops Test against the ropes followed by a choke. Haku atomic drops Test and goes to the middle rope missing a big splash attempt. They trade a few strikes with Test getting the better of the exchange. Test clotheslines Haku a few times and goes for a full nelson slam dropping Haku to the mat for a near fall. Haku hits a Samoan Drop for a near fall. Haku tries for the Tongan Death Grip, but walks into the big boot and Test wins the match. (*1/4. These two did not work well together at all. Haku had been working well with his previous opponents, but I think this was a poor spot to put him in there with Test.)
7.) Backstage, Raven is with George, who has his face wet from the toilet. I think George has “poop” on his face. After a commercial, George shows Raven some weapons, but Raven isn’t interested.
8.) Eddie Guerrero makes his way out to a cut a promo. Guerrero knows that this may be a shock and even hard to understand. Guerrero has noticed that education in America is not a top priority. Guerrero notices to takes them a little longer to understand what is being said and calls the fans dumb. Guerrero says that Test isn’t European and doesn’t think it makes sense for Test to be champion. Guerrero claims to have European blood in him and is going to get the belt back around his waist where it belongs. Guerrero believes he was the best WWF European Champion that the fans had ever seen. Guerrero issues a challenge to Test. Guerrero says it is going to take him two seconds to win the title at WrestleMania 17 in seven days.
9.) Backstage, Raven bullies George by taping his mouth and pouring ice down his shirt. Raven slaps a trash can over his head, too.
10.) Backstage, Raven wants George to hit Tazz with a trash can lid as hard as he can tonight to face his fear. George tries to hit Tazz, but backs off. Tazz hits Michael Cole on the hand with the trash can lid.
11.) Matt and Funaki start the main event with Matt shoulder blocking Funaki. Funaki dropkicks Matt followed by right hands in the corner. Matt counters with strikes in the corner and tags in Jeff to double team Funaki for a few moments. Funaki head scissors Jeff and decks Matt off the apron. Funaki is stopped by a jawbreaker from Jeff. Jeff hits a leg drop to Funaki’s groin and tags in Matt while Taka is tagged in, as well. Matt clotheslines Taka coming off the ropes. Matt hit a gut wrench suplex on Funaki. Matt slams Taka and hits a middle rope leg drop for a two count as Funaki made the save. Taka stops Matt with a strike and Funaki pulls Jeff to the floor. Lita leaps off the steps to hit a hurricanrana on Funaki on the floor. Poetry in Motion on Taka in the corner. Matt with the Twist of Fate and Jeff hits the Swanton Bomb leading to the pin on Taka. (*. Way too short of a match to mean anything. It was a fast pace enhancement match, so that was a plus, I guess.)
12.) Backstage, Raven says that he just wanted to see if George was dumb enough to try and attack Tazz. They’ll talk later, which George agrees they will talk later.
13.) Raven finishes the show appearing on the stage at WWF New York. Raven cuts another promo on Big Show and Kane, but George cuts Raven off. George wants to become champion and has a trash can. Raven isn’t bothered and hits George with the trash can leading to a quick pin before walking off the stage to end the show.
Final Thoughts:
George continues to diminish my enjoyment for Heat. The lack of entertaining action didn’t help, but George has made it 10x worse.
Thanks for reading.