World Wrestling Federation presents Metal
Date: 6/23/2001
From: Tampa, FL
Matches:
1.) Haku defeated Billy Fives
2.) Funaki & Taka Michinoku defeated Christopher Daniels & Scoot Andrews
3.) WWF Hardcore Champion Test defeated Mike Sullivan in a non-title match
4.) Crash Holly defeated Jerry Lynn
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Haku’s match with Billy Fives was not on the copy that I have as it’s an incomplete version. However, it’s safe to bet that Haku won the match with the Tongan Death Grip.
2.) Funaki and Andrews kickoff the match with Funaki hitting a shoulder block and a kick to the midsection. Funaki drives Andrews down to the mat with a vertical suplex. Andrew knee lifts Funaki followed by a strike over the back. Daniels tags into the match to strike Funaki, but Funaki delivers a kick to yanks Daniels down to the mat. Taka tags into the match and trades overhand chops with Daniels. Taka eye pokes Daniels and delivers a strike to the face for a near fall. Funaki tags into the match and Daniels rolls over Funaki’s back to deliver an atomic drop and an elbow drop for a two count. Daniels strikes Funaki, but is met with a knee lift. Funaki double stomps Daniels and hip tosses Andrews followed by another double stomp. Daniels and Andrews hit a back suplex/clothesline combo on Funaki. Andrews chokes Funaki on the mat briefly. Andrews nails Funaki with a standing dropkick for a two count. Daniels powerbombs Funaki out of a hip toss by Andrews for a two count. Daniels decks Taka off the apron and Andrews returns to chop Funaki followed by a slam. Andrews heads to the top rope missing a leg drop attempt. Daniels tags in and is met with strikes by Taka. Taka cleans house with a spinning heel kick to Andrews. Funaki puts a chin lock on Daniels to allow a dropkick by Taka. Andrews delivers a double clothesline. Funaki dumps Andrews to the floor and bulldogs Daniels. Taka finishes Daniels off with the Michinoku Driver for the win. (**1/2. That was a good tag team match for Metal standards. Daniels and Andrews worked well as a team and their offense was enjoyable.)
3.) Test shoves Sullivan to the mat in the corner, but Sullivan complains of a hair pull. Sullivan responds with left hands, and ducks a clothesline. Test hits a tilt a whirl slam. Test clotheslines Sullivan in the corner a couple of times. Test kicks Sullivan and hits a gut wrench sit down powerbomb. Sullivan bails to the floor to regroup. Test decks Sullivan on the floor with right hands. Test drops Sullivan chest first over the barricade. Sullivan works over Test with strikes over the back. Test misses a clothesline and Sullivan dropkicks Test on the knee. Sullivan boots Test in the corner, but is met with a clothesline by Test. Test press slams Sullivan to the mat gut first. Sullivan elbows Test in the corner and continues with left hands. Test stops Sullivan with a full nelson slam. Test follows up with the big boot and wins the match. (*1/2. Test looked good here.)
4.) Crash slaps Lynn and is promptly backed into the ropes. Crash kicks Lynn, but Lynn hip tosses and clotheslines Crash. Lynn stomps Crash on the mat followed by a right hand. Lynn shoulder blocks Crash and runs the ropes. Crash hits a standing hurricanrana, but Lynn hits a tilt a whirl backbreaker for a two count. Lynn drops Crash with a right hand. Lynn elbows Crash in the corner, but runs into a powerslam by Crash for a two count. Crash stomps Lynn on the lower back. Crash wedges his knee into Lynn’s lower back and continues with a forearm strike. Crash covers for a two count. Lynn avoids Crash in the corner and almost wins with a rollup. Crash sends Lynn chest first into the corner and almost wins after a back suplex. Crash drives his knee into Lynn’s back while pulling back on Lynn’s arms. Crash drives Lynn down with a side slam for a two count. Crash goes back to pressing his knee into Lynn’s back. Crash switches to stepping on the upper back of Lynn, but doesn’t get a submission. Crash yanks Lynn down by his hair. Lynn is fired up and strikes Crash. Lynn backdrops Crash followed by a clothesline. Lynn plants Crash with a spinebuster for a near fall. Lynn gets a rollup out of the corner for a near fall. They trade a few pin attempts, but neither man gets a three count. Lynn sends Crash into the corner chest first and hits a German suplex for a two count. Lynn clotheslines Crash to keep control of the match. Lynn kicks Crash in the corner and tries for the tornado DDT, but Crash avoids it and hits a springboard bulldog out of the corner to pickup the win. (**1/2. A solid main event between these two. I wasn’t expecting Crash to prevail here as Lynn seemed to have a lot of momentum going for himself in recent weeks. Crash is trying to escape the hardcore stigma and performances like this should help his case.)
Final Thoughts:
A good show this week for Metal with some solid action and it flew by as a result.
Thanks for reading.