World Wrestling Entertainment presents Heat
Date: 2/9/2003
From: Washington, DC
Matches:
1.) Tommy Dreamer defeated Christopher Nowinski
2.) Rico defeated Bryan Danielson
3.) Batista defeated Spike Dudley
4.) Sgt. Slaughter defeated Steven Richards
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Dreamer isn’t allowed to use his kendo stick and the fans chant for ECW. Dreamer backs Nowinski into a corner, but backs off. Nowinski takes Dreamer down to the mat and delivers a smack to Dreamer’s butt. Nowinski bails to the floor to runaway from Dreamer. Dreamer blocks a kick and takes Nowinski down to the mat where Dreamer kicks Nowinski on the butt. Dreamer drop toe holds and arm drags Nowinski. Dreamer drops Nowinski over the top rope arm first and continues to slam Nowinski’s arm over the top rope. Nowinski drops Dreamer over the top turnbuckle and stomps Dreamer for a moment. Nowinski baseball slides Dreamer off the apron to the floor where Nowinski continues to club away on Dreamer. Nowinski tries for a cover with his feet on the ropes, but the referee saw the cheating. Nowinski axe handles Dreamer followed by a backbreaker for a near fall. Nowinski puts a bearhug on Dreamer, but doesn’t get a submission. Nowinski yanks Dreamer down by his hair and leaps off the middle rope, but is met with a strike. Dreamer punches Nowinski followed by a neckbreaker. Dreamer backdrops Nowinski coming off the ropes. Dreamer bulldogs Nowinski for a two count. Dreamer tries for a Death Valley Driver, but Nowinski breaks free and clotheslines Dreamer. Nowinski grabs the kendo stick, but Dreamer ducks a shot and spikes Nowinski with a DDT to pickup the win. (*1/2. Dreamer looks to be in the best shape of his life and hoping to be a main event guy on RAW, but that’s never going to happen. I’m actually surprised Dreamer picked up the win here, but the crowd popped for the DDT and Dreamer in general.)
2.) Danielson gains control with a headlock and shoulder blocks Rico. Rico gains wrist control, but Danielson breaks free and snapmares Rico to the mat to keep control for a moment. Danielson counters a suplex attempt and dropkicks Rico. Danielson misses a running splash in the corner and Rico delivers a couple of kicks to the chest for a two count. Rico nails Danielson with a short arm clothesline. Rico sends Danielson into the corner and delivers a kick. Rico has Danielson over the shoulder, but Danielson counters with a backdrop for a near fall. Rico kicks Danielson in the midsection followed by a mule kick for a near fall. Rico controls Danielson on the mat, but doesn’t get a submission. Danielson kicks Rico away, but is met with a clothesline for a two count. Danielson boots Rico in the corner and sidesteps a splash to kick Rico on the side of the head. Danielson uppercuts Rico several times. Danielson drops Rico with another uppercut and hits a running forearm smash in the corner. Danielson takes Rico over with a snap suplex for a near fall. Rico is met with another forearm, but stops Danielson with a spin kick to pickup the win. (**1/2. I enjoyed this more than Danielson’s match with Cena on Velocity, which isn’t something I expected to say. Rico is criminally underrated and is undervalued due to his character and I’m doing it to him, too.)
3.) A vignette promoting the debut of Nathan Jones is shown. “Everyone pays a price.”
4.) Batista sends Dudley into the ropes to deliver a shoulder block. Batista steps on Dudley’s neck on the mat. Spike bails to the floor to regroup. Spike gets back into the ring and dropkicks Batista a couple of times. Spike delivers a running forearm in the corner, but Batista responds by throwing Dudley across the ring. Batista sends Dudley chest first into the corner. Batista chokes Spike over the bottom rope. Batista clubs Spike over the back and connects with a short arm clothesline. Batista tries for a press slam, but Dudley fights free and attempts the Dudley Dog. Batista shoves Dudley away and delivers the spear. Batista plants Dudley with the Batista Bomb to win the match. (*1/2. It may sound silly, but to see Spike retreat from Batista and regroup on the floor gives Batista creditability as a badass as if he needed it any more than he does. Spike never backs down or retreats, but it happened here. I liked that. Spike is great at taking a beating and enhancing the bigger names.)
5.) Slaughter tosses Richards into a corner and taunts Richards for a moment. Slaughter tosses Richards into the corner again and ducks a clothesline. Slaughter puts the cobra clutch on Richards, but Richards reaches the ropes quickly. Slaughter knee lifts Richards followed by several strikes to the back. Slaughter forearms Richards on the lower back several times. Slaughter tries for the cobra clutch, but Richards kicks Slaughter away. Slaughter rams Richards into the corner head first and sends Richards into the corner. Slaughter overhand chops Richards in the corner. Richards sends Slaughter chest first into the corner and Slaughter falls over the top to the floor. Richards rams Slaughter into the apron back first and they return to the ring where Richards elbow drops Slaughter a few times. Richards snapmares Slaughter and puts the camel clutch on Slaughter, but doesn’t get a submission. Slaughter backs Richards into the corner, but Richards keeps control with a scoop slam. Richards leaps off the middle rope, but is met with a boot to the face. Slaughter punches Richards several times, but Slaughter responds with a clothesline. Slaughter puts the cobra clutch on Richards and manages to get the submission victory. (*. Not sure who this benefits other than Slaughter staying current for conventions at the time. Richards isn’t a priority, but he’s been with Victoria and seemed to be gaining some traction as her lackey. I wouldn’t mind seeing Richards get a fair shot as a low card heel.)
Final Thoughts:
A decent episode of Heat with a good Danielson/Rico match and Batista destroying Spike Dudley for a few minutes. A harmless hour of programming this week.
Thanks for reading.