World Wrestling Federation presents Metal
Date: 6/16/2001
From: Richmond, VA
Matches:
1.) Essa Rios defeated Sean Evans
2.) Raven defeated Brad Hunter
3.) Jacqueline & K-Kwik defeated Haku & Ivory
4.) Jerry Lynn defeated Taka Michinoku
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Evans shoulder blocks Rios and blocks a hip toss, but is tripped to the mat. Rios arm drags Evans and clotheslines Evans over the top to the floor. Rios hits a running somersault dive over the ring post onto Evans on the floor. Rios rolls Evans back into the ring and slams Evans to the mat. Rios misses a slingshot leg drop attempt from the apron. Evans punches Rios a few times and delivers a kick to the side of the head. Evans misses a superkick and Rios hits a northern lights suplex for a two count. Rios clotheslines Evans and springboards off the ropes to hit a powerslam for a two count. Evans avoids Rios in the corner and spikes Rios with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Rios counters a head scissors with a side slam. Rios hits a top rope moonsault for the win. (**. A good squash match for Rios and the crowd responded well to what Rios did here.)
2.) Raven works over Hunter in the corner with strikes to the chest. Hunter kicks Raven, but is met with a drop toe hold. Raven hip tosses Hunter and clotheslines Hunter to the floor. Raven grabs Hunter onto the apron and delivers another strike. Raven strikes Hunter on the apron several times knocking Hunter to the floor. Raven delivers a side Russian leg sweep into the barricade. Raven slams Hunter’s face into the ring steps. Raven slams Hunter’s face onto the apron. Hunter drops Raven throat first over the top rope. Hunter strikes Raven a few times and delivers a leaping elbow strike for a near fall. Hunter slams Raven to the mat and misses a springboard somersault dive. Raven strikes Hunter in the corner a few times and sends Hunter chest first into the corner before delivering a clothesline. Raven splashes Hunter in the corner and hits a bulldog. Raven spikes Hunter with the DDT for the win. (*1/2. A standard squash for Raven, but the crowd is responding strongly for him.)
3.) Ivory is still using the RTC gimmick despite the stable not existing anymore in recent weeks.
4.) Jacqueline and Ivory got right after each other causing Kwik and Haku to break them apart. Haku works over Kwik with strikes. Haku misses an elbow drop. Kwik punches Haku several times. Haku pummels Kwik in the corner with strikes. Haku hits a vertical suplex on Kwik. Haku leaps off the middle rope missing a diving headbutt. Kwik punches Haku several times. Kwik ducks a clothesline and dropkicks Haku for a two count. Haku ducks a clothesline and they collide on a crossbody with Kwik landing on top for a two count. Jacqueline chases Ivory around the ring. Ivory chop blocks Kwik, and Kwik chop blocks Haku to allow Jacqueline to punch Haku. Kwik hits a leaping side kick for a two count. Haku misses a clothesline, but drives Kwik down with a flapjack. Ivory tags into the match and misses an elbow drop. Jacqueline enters and spears Ivory. Jacqueline elbows Ivory coming off the ropes followed by a dropkick. Jacqueline powerbombs Ivory for the win. (*. I could see a partnership between Jacqueline and Kwik as a fun duo. The match wasn’t anything all that great.)
5.) Taka shoulder blocks Lynn to start the match. Lynn head scissors Taka to the floor. Lynn baseball slides Taka into the barricade back first. Lynn hits a slingshot crossbody onto Taka and Funaki on the floor. Lynn rolls Taka back into the ring and delivers several strikes. Taka leapfrogs Lynn and sells his left knee acting as if he’s hurt. Funaki distracts Lynn and drops Lynn over the top rope allowing Taka to deliver a superkick proving to be faking na injury. Taka dropkicks a kneeling Lynn. Taka rams Lynn into the corner. Lynn gets a rollup out of the corner for a two count. Taka throat thrusts Lynn to the mat for a two count. They trade overhand chops in the middle of the ring. Taka decks Lynn to the mat and continues to deliver strikes in the corner. Lynn plants Taka with a sit down powerbomb for a two count. Lynn punches Taka several times and sends Taka into the ropes to deliver a backdrop followed b y a clothesline. Lynn dropkicks Taka into Funaki on the apron and spikes Taka with a tornado DDT for the win. (**. A decent match and a fairly good win for Lynn. I hope Lynn continues to get a shot to shine in the division for a bit longer.)
Final Thoughts:
A decent episode of Metal this week with the Light Heavyweight division shining throughout the show.
Thanks for reading.