World Wrestling Federation presents Metal
Date: 6/9/2001
From: Minneapolis, MN
Matches:
1.) Haku defeated Rory Fox
2.) Jerry Lynn defeated Michael Shane
3.) Steve Blackman defeated Steve Lumpkin
4.) Justin Credible & X-Pac defeated Billy Gunn & Raven
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Haku works over Fox in the corner with strikes. Fox dropkicks Haku into the corner and delivers right hands. Haku atomic drops Fox to break free. Haku clotheslines Fox in the corner and connects with a flurry of strikes. Haku headbutts Fox to the mat and Fox bails to the floor. Haku sends Fox back first into the apron. Haku backdrops Fox leading to a near fall. Fox kicks Haku and tries for a dropkick, but misses. Haku misses an elbow drop and Fox hits a middle rope shoulder block, but Haku doesn’t budge. Fox hits a missile dropkick. Fox ducks a clothesline, but Haku delivers a backdrop and signals for the Tongan Death Grip. Haku locks it in and takes Fox down for the win. (*. Not too bad of a showing for Fox, who was noted as being on MTV a few years ago as the newspaper boy gimmick that I actually remember watching. Haku came across better here than he has in other appearances.)
2.) Michael Shane would go on to have success in TNA. He’s the cousin of Shawn Michaels.
3.) Lynn takes Shane down to the mat to get out of a hammerlock. Shane puts a hammerlock on Lynn, but Lynn counters with a headlock. Lynn shoulder blocks Shane and runs the ropes, but Shane held onto the ropes to avoid a rollup. Shane nails Lynn with a spinning heel kick. Shane rams Lynn into the corner and delivers a few chops. Lynn overhand chops Shane in the corner. Lynn crotches Shane on the top rope and dropkicks Shane off the ropes to the floor. Lynn runs the apron to hit a somersault dive to the outside. Lynn hooks Shane for a suplex, but Shane counters with a suplex of his own. They trade right hands in the middle of the ring until Shane drops Lynn face first over his knee. Shane hits a flying forearm smash. Shane hits a wheelbarrow bulldog out of the corner for a near fall. Shane sends Lynn into the corner, but is met with a boot. Lynn tries for a tornado DDT, but Shane avoids it. Lynn comes off the ropes and hits the tornado DDT to win the match. (**. A good, quick match. I’d give Shane an OVW contract after this showing.)
4.) Blackman works over Lumpkin with strikes to start the match. Blackman chops Lumpkin in the corner, but misses a dropkick. Lumpkin dropkicks a seated Blackman. Blackman slams Lumpkin followed by a stomp to the chest. Blackman tosses Lumpkin to the floor. Blackman chops Lumpkin on the floor and drops Lumpkin face first onto the ring steps from the apron. Blackman sends Lumpkin hard into the corner. Blackman elbows Lumpkin to the mat coming off the ropes. Lumpkin dropkicks Blackman away, but can’t recover quick enough. Blackman delivers a backbreaker and puts a surfboard on Lumpkin. Blackman tries for a powerbomb, but Lumpkin counters with a rollup. Blackman strikes Lumpkin and hits a belly to belly suplex for the win. (1/2*. Lumpkin is not good and considering Blackman isn’t the strongest in-ring worker this didn’t come across well.)
5.) Raven and Credible kickoff the main event. Credible works over Raven with right hands in the corner. Raven sends Credible into the corner to deliver a clothesline. Raven tags in Gunn and Gunn axe handles Credible over the arm. Credible breaks free and tags in Pac. Pac chops Gunn against the ropes, but Gunn responds with right hands. Pac ducks a clothesline, but runs into a powerslam for a two count. Gunn arm drags Credible and tags in Raven. Raven kicks Credible to counter a backdrop. Raven splashes Credible in the corner and follows up with a bulldog. Pac superkicks Raven as Albert distracted the referee. Credible rams Raven into the corner and Pac returns to the match to send Raven to the floor. Albert rolls Raven back into the ring. Pac leg drops Raven for a two count. Pac kicks Raven several times in the corner and misses the bronco buster. Credible misses a baseball slide and hits the post groin first. Gunn waits on the corner for a tag. Raven tags in Gunn and Gunn cleans house. Gunn plants Credible with a tilt a whirl slam. Gunn press slams Pac into Credible and decks Albert off the apron. Albert plants Gunn with the Baldo Bomb as the referee was distracted and Pac pins Gunn for the win. (*1/2. It’s completely random for Gunn and Raven to team, so it’s not surprising they’d lose to an actual tag team. The action was basic for the most part. Commentary put Albert over big time for what happened on RAW with Kane, too.)
Final Thoughts:
An average episode of Metal this week with the Lynn/Shane match standing out as the best match. Nothing much of note this time around.
Thanks for reading.