World Wrestling Entertainment presents Velocity
Date: 4/5/2003
From: Spokane, WA
Matches:
1.) Chavo Guerrero defeated Shannon Moore
2.) Tajiri defeated Buddy Wayne
3.) The FBI (Stamboli & Palumbo) defeated Havoc & Tony Kozina
4.) WWE Cruiserweight Champion Matt Hardy defeated Funaki to retain the title
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Guerrero gains waist lock control on Moore followed by an arm drag. Guerrero keeps wrist control on the mat, but Moore quickly counters. Guerrero counters with a headlock for a moment. Guerrero shoulder blocks Moore, but doesn’t followup on the advantage. Guerrero dragon screw leg whips Moore to the mat. Moore reaches the ropes to stop Guerrero’s momentum. Guerrero uppercuts Moore followed by body strikes and an uppercut. Guerrero boot scrapes Moore in the corner. Moore sends Guerrero chest first into the corner followed by a back suplex for a two count. Moore elbows Guerrero to the mat for a near fall. Moore pummels Guerrero on the mat with right hands. Moore scoop slams Guerrero and keeps headlock control on the mat. Guerrero elbows free, but Moore nails Guerrero with a knee strike to the floor and rams Guerrero back first into the apron. Moore gets a two count. Moore continues by crotching Guerrero on the top turnbuckle, but is shoved away. Moore kicks Guerrero in midair and delivers a spinning heel kick for a two count. Moore snapmares Guerrero and comes off the ropes, but is met with a dropkick. Guerrero uppercuts Moore and backdrops Moore coming off the ropes. Guerrero tilt a whirl slams Moore for a two count. Guerrero tries for a suplex, but Moore counters looking for the Twist of Fate. Chavo breaks free, but Moore hits a middle rope heel kick for a two count. Moore grabs Guerrero looking for a tornado DDT, but Guerrero counters. Moore kicks Guerrero and misses a blockbuster. Guerrero hits the Gory Bomb. Guerrero locks in an STF and gets the submission. (**1/2. A competitive match with Moore performing well in this outing. Guerrero would be a good guy to focus in the Cruiserweight division at some point.)
2.) Wayne controls Tajiri with a wrist lock, but Tajiri counters with a knee drop and they have a standoff. Wayne kicks Tajiri and gains side headlock control. Tajiri sends Wayne into the ropes, but Wayne shoulder blocks Tajiri followed by a strike. Wayne gouges at Tajiri’s face between the ropes. Wayne continues with a neck vice, but doesn’t get a submission. Tajiri tries to break free, but is yanked to the mat. Wayne keeps control choking Tajiri in the corner. Wayne plants Tajiri with a spinebuster for a near fall. Wayne suplexs Tajiri and heads to the top rope missing a moonsault attempt. Tajiri delivers a few kicks followed by a superkick. Tajiri destroys Wayne with a buzzsaw kick and picks up the win. (*. Wayne got more offense than I was expecting. Tajiri continues to generate a great crowd response.)
3.) Stamboli tosses Havoc to the mat to kickoff the match out of a lockup. Stamboli backs Havoc into a corner and delivers a few strikes. Havoc dropkicks Stamboli on the knee and hits. tilt a whirl head scissors. Stamboli tries for a press slam, but Havoc avoids it. Stamboli decks Havoc with a clothesline and Palumbo tags into the bout. Stamboli press slams Havoc dangerously into the top turnbuckle. Palumbo nails Havoc with a big boot and hits a Samoan Drop. Palumbo punches Kozina off the apron. Havoc is double teamed and Stamboli delivers several stomps to the back. Havoc strikes Stamboli, but Stamboli hits an overhead belly to belly suplex before tagging in Palumbo. Palumbo decks Havoc with a clothesline. Palumbo stomps Havoc on the mat. Palumbo drags Havoc to the corner and tags in Stamboli, who delivers a few elbow drops. Stamboli chokes Havoc on the mat with his knee. Stamboli rams Havoc into the corner and tags in Palumbo. Palumbo drops Havoc with a discus punch. Kozina gets the hot tag and dropkicks Palumbo on the knee after a few strikes. Kozina is stopped by a running clothesline from Palumbo. Stamboli tags in and Palumbo delivers a backbreaker allowing Stamboli to hit a leg drop on Kozina over Palumbo’s knee for the win. (**. An enjoyable enhancement match. FBI’s finishing move looked good and they could be a fun heel group if they’re given a push in the tag division.) After the match, Palumbo superkicks Havoc. FBI pick up Havoc and Nunzio slaps him across the face. Havoc is met with a double backbreaker and Nunzio hits a sit down splash off the middle rope to leave Havoc laying.
4.) Hardy backs Funaki into a corner and taunts Funaki, but is shoved away. Funaki responds with an arm drag and a dropkick for a two count. Funaki keeps a headlock on Hardy, but is elbowed away. Funaki decks Hardy with a clothesline and pummels Hardy on the mat. Funaki kicks Hardy, but Hardy delivers the Side Effect for a two count. Hardy pummels Funaki on the mat followed by a kick to the ribs. Hardy chokes Funaki over the middle rope for a few moments. Hardy leaps onto Funaki over the middle rope. Hardy plants Funaki with a back suplex for a near fall. Funaki sunset flips Hardy for a two count. Funaki strikes Hardy, but is met with an elbow and a leg drop for a two count. Hardy pulls back on Funaki’s arms. Funaki nails Hardy with a kick to the side of the head. Hardy recovers first, but Funaki connects with a flurry of strikes and bulldogs Hardy for a two count. Hardy boots Funaki followed by a scoop slam. Hardy leaps off the middle rope to hit a leg drop for a near fall. Hardy tries for a slam, but Funaki counters with a reverse DDT for a near fall. Funaki rams Hardy into the corner and tries for a tornado DDT, but Hardy suplexs Funaki across the ring. Hardy proceeds to hit the Twist of Fate for the win. (**1/2. I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I expected. Funaki had a couple of great near falls that seemingly got the crowd to believe he could win the title. Hardy has excelled as the Cruiserweight champion.)
Final Thoughts:
A good episode of Velocity this week with some fun action throughout.
Thanks for reading.