World Wrestling Federation presents Metal
Date: 8/25/2001
From: Sacramento, CA
Matches:
1.) Crash defeated Funaki
2.) Raven defeated Essa Rios
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Crash and Funaki trade waist locks to start the match until Crash gets a headlock. Crash shoulder blocks Funaki and runs the ropes. Crash head scissors Funaki into the corner and continues with stomps in the corner. Crash misses a splash in the corner and Funaki hits a bulldog. Funaki taunts the crowd and stops Crash with a jawbreaker. Funaki chokes Crash over the middle rope. Funaki snap suplexs Crash for a two count. Crash sunset flips Funaki for a two count. Funaki nails Crash with a clothesline and taunts the crowd again leading to a near fall. Funaki plants Crash with a back suplex for a two count. Funaki keeps Crash on the mat with a sleeper hold. Crash breaks free and they collide on stereo clothesline attempts. Crash decks Funaki with right hands and stomps Funaki in the corner. Crash monkey flips Funaki out of the corner, but Funaki boots Crash. Crash avoids Funaki in the corner and delivers a bulldog for the win. (*1/2. There wasn’t much to this one. Towards the end they were a little sloppy.)
2.) Raven headlocks Rios at the start of the match followed by a shoulder block. Rios dropkicks Raven and clotheslines Raven to the floor. Rios slingshot crossbody blocks Raven on the floor. Rios clotheslines Raven in the corner and sits Raven on the top missing a hurricanrana as Raven held the ropes. Raven pummels Rios on the mat with right hands. Raven sends Rios into the railing with a side Russian leg sweep. Raven decks Rios from behind with a clothesline for a two count. Rios elbows Raven in the corner followed by a clothesline and dropkick. Rios spin kicks Raven to the mat. Rios kicks Raven followed by strikes. Raven flips Rios over the top rope and proceeds to hit an elevated DDT for the win. (**. That finish was honestly fantastic.)
Final Thoughts:
The show was heavy on showing clips from RAW, but that’s fine. There wasn’t much to this as a result, but the Raven finish on Rios was unique and oddly something I probably won’t forget about.
Thanks for reading.