World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 3/8/2003
From: Bridgeport, CT
Matches:
1.) Nunzio defeated Funaki
2.) Nidia defeated Dawn Marie
3.) Bill DeMott defeated John Xavier
4.) Billy Kidman defeated Shannon Moore
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Funaki kicks Nunzio and takes Funaki down to the mat trading waist locks. Nunzio gets a two count with a rollup. Funaki arm drags Nunzio followed by strikes in the corner. Funaki elbows Nunzio in the corner followed by right hands on the mat. Nunzio knee lifts Funaki to avoid a backdrop and strikes Funaki before choking Funaki on the mat. Palumbo delivers a right hand from the floor while Funaki is over the middle rope. Funaki gets out of a slam and drop toe holds Nunzio followed by a dropkick. Nunzio knee lifts Funaki in the corner and a middle rope leg drop for a near fall. Nunzio keeps a sleeper on Funaki, but Funaki elbows free. Nunzio yanks Funaki down to the mat and locks in a head scissors. Nunzio switches to a sleeper. Funaki elbows free and holds onto the ropes to avoid a dropkick and bulldogs Nunzio for a two count. Funaki back suplexs Nunzio for a two count. Funaki plants Nunzio with a tornado DDT. Funaki dropkicks Palumbo off the apron and chases Stamboli. Nunzio hits a springboard tornado arm breaker to win the match. (*. The crowd was dead silent for this and the action wasn’t all that good.) After the match, Nunzio decides against striking Funaki, but does stomp him.
2.) Nidia starts off with a headlock, but Marie counters with a head scissors. Marie gets control with a headlock on the mat. Marie tries for a shoulder block, but Nidia only staggers. Noble holds the ropes causing Marie to crash to the floor. Nidia rams Marie back first into the apron. Nidia tries for a cover, but Marie kicks out. Nidia shoulder rams Marie in the corner a few times. Nidia sends Marie into the corner and tries for another cover managing a two count. Nidia catapults Marie into the ropes chest first and lands over Nidia’s knees. Nidia locks in a half Boston Crab, but Marie doesn’t give in. Nidia misses a spear in the corner and Marie delivers a few arm drags. They trade chops with Marie getting the advantage. Nidia boots Marie in the corner, but Marie responds with a clothesline. Marie hits a middle rope splash, but Noble pulls Nidia out of the ring. Marie leaps off the top and dives onto Noble and Nidia with a crossbody. Marie manages a two count on a cover back in the ring. Marie gets another two count with a school boy. Marie clotheslines Nidia and hits a middle rope crossbody. However, Nidia rolls through and holds the tights to pin Marie for the win. (*1/2. I’d consider this an upset for Nidia to prevail over Marie. There were a couple of decent spots throughout the match and the crowd seemed more interested in the action than the opener.)
3.) DeMott leg sweeps Xavier to the mat and they have a standoff. DeMott clubs Xavier over the back and delivers a chop against the ropes. DeMott clotheslines Xavier and locks in an STF, but doesn’t get a submission. DeMott stomps Xavier on the mat and clubs Xavier over the middle rope. Xavier delivers a jawbreaker, but is met with a spinebuster by DeMott. DeMott sends Xavier into the corner, but misses a splash. DeMott avoid a rollup and headbutts Xavier in the corner. Xavier kicks DeMott away and leaps off the middle rope, but is met with a clothesline in midair. DeMott powerbombs Xavier for the win. (*1/2. DeMott is entertaining as a bully. Life imitates art.)
4.) Kidman hammers away on Moore sending Moore to the floor and rams Moore into the railing before returning to the ring. Moore sends Kidman into the corner, but Kidman head scissors Moore. Moore bails to the floor, but Kidman pulls Moore to the apron. Moore drops Kidman over the top rope throat first. Moore stomps Kidman and hits a back suplex. Moore tries for a cover, but Kidman kicks out at two. Moore rams Kidman into the corner for a two count. Moore puts a chin lock on Kidman, but doesn’t get a submission. Kidman snapmares free, but Moore delivers a spinning heel kick for a two count. Moore forearms Kidman on the lower back a few times. Moore snap suplexs Kidman for a two count. Kidman elbows free, but Moore knee lifts Kidman. Kidman dropkicks Moore charging the corner. Kidman pummels Moore with a flurry of strikes and a backdrop. Kidman sends Moore chest first into the corner and hits a clothesline for a two count. Moore eye pokes Kidman, but Kidman hits a spinebuster. Kidman hits the Shooting Star Press for the win. (*1/2. I feel like I always add half a star for whenever the SSP is used. There wasn’t much here to be entertained by.)
Final Thoughts:
The fans didn’t respond to much of anything and since they were flat for a good portion of Smackdown it shouldn’t surprise me. I’ll give this weeks episode of Velocity of a thumbs down.
Thanks for reading.