World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 3/22/2003
From: Louisville, KY
Matches:
1.) Nunzio defeated Tajiri
2.) WWE Cruiserweight Champion Matt Hardy defeated Nova in a non-title match
3.) A-Train defeated Funaki
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The referee ejects Palumbo and Stamboli from ringside to make the match a singles match. Nunzio takes Tajiri down to the mat, but they counter each other before having a standoff. Nunzio shoves Tajiri, but Tajiri responds by kicking Nunizo to the floor. Tajiri delivers an elbow strike and puts a headlock on Nunizo. Tajiri runs the ropes and shoulder blocks Nunizo. Tajiri tries for a backslide, but Nunizo avoids it and yanks Tajiri down. Nunizo stomps Tajiri followed by a strike over the back. Tajiri delivers a spinning heel kick for a two count. Tajiri works over Nunzio with a chop against the ropes. Nunzio misses a clothesline, but gets an arm bar on Tajiri. Tajiri manages to reach the ropes to break the hold. Nunzio strikes Tajiri over the arm several times. Nunzio keeps control with a top wrist lock. Tajiri elbows Nunzio and hits a handspring back elbow for a two count. Tajiri kicks Nunzio in the corner and sends Nunzio into the corner. Nunzio knee lifts Tajiri and hits a middle rope leg drop for a two count. Nunzio knee drops Tajiri on the mat. Nunzio backs Tajiri into a corner and wraps the arm over the top rope. Nunzio is dumped to the apron, but drops Tajiri’s arm over the top rope. Tajiri recovers to superkick Nunzio off the apron to the floor. Nunzio rams Tajiri into the corner and dropkicks Tajiri on the left arm. Nunzio puts an arm bar on Tajiri, but Tajiri reaches the ropes to break the hold. Nunzio tries for an arm breaker, but Tajiri puts Nunzio in the tree of woe to deliver a baseball slide dropkick. They begin to trade strikes in the middle of the ring until Tajiri nails Nunzio with a kick for a near fall. Tajiri sits Nunzio on the top turnbuckle and delivers a strike. Nunzio shoves Tajiri away and tries for a tornado DDT, but Tajiri avoids it and locks in the tarantula. Nunzio avoids a kick to hit a tornado arm breaker to pickup the win. (**1/2. A clean win for Nunzio was not expected, at all. I like it as Nunzio can use this win to be seen as a viable contender in the future toward the Cruiserweight title. Similar to their work in ECW this was a solid match overall.)
2.) Hardy backs Nova into a corner and shoves Nova before taunting the crowd. Hardy controls Nova with a wrist lock, but Nova counters quickly. Nova is yanked to the mat by his hair. Nova puts a waist lock on Hardy for a moment. Hardy strikes Nova against the ropes. Nova hip tosses Hardy followed by a dropkick. Nova snapmares Hardy and gets a two count. Hardy dumps Nova to the apron. Moore distracts Nova allowing Hardy to ram Nova into the corner and suplexs Nova into the ring for a near fall. Hardy keeps control by kicking Nova and chokes Nova over the middle rope. Moore chokes Nova some more over the middle rope. Hardy splashes Nova over the middle rope. Hardy plants Nova with a modified side slam for a near fall. Hardy pulls back on Nova’s arms, but doesn’t get a submission. Nova kicks Hardy several times, but Hardy clubs Nova over the back. Hardy misses a splash in the corner and Nova fires back with right hands. Nova forearms Hardy followed by a kick to the head for a near fall. Nova forearms Hardy in the corner followed by a bulldog over his knee for a near fall. Hardy elbows a charging Nova and delivers a scoop slam. Hardy is stopped on the middle rope by Nova. Hardy strikes Nova and hits a middle rope Side Effect. Hardy follows up with the Twist of Fate to win the match. (**. Nova didn’t get a lot of shine here, which is a bit surprising since OVW runs in the area and Nova has been working there. I thought this would be a bit more competitive.)
3.) Big Show accompanies A-Train to the ring for the main event.
4.) Funaki runs around ringside to avoid Train and delivers a few strikes over the middle rope when Train tries to return to the ring. Funaki strikes Show, but Train catches Funaki on a springboard attempt and hits an over the shoulder backbreaker to win the match in less than a minute. (NR. This is exactly what it needed to be.)
Final Thoughts:
An average episode of Velocity this week with a decent Tajiri/Nunzio match.
Thanks for reading.