Burning Hammer DVD Review #22

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WWF: SummerSlam 2001
August 19, 2001

--Taped from San Jose, CA

--Your hosts are Jim Ross & Paul Heyman

--WWF Intercontinental Championship Match: Edge V. Lance Storm. Flapjack by Edge, followed up by a Dropkick and he sends Storm to the outside with a Clothesline. Crossbody off the top-rope by Edge gets 2. Storm gains the upper hand and targets Edge's stomach & ribs, getting 2 with a Gourdbuster. Edge tries for a Crucifix, but Storm counters with a Rolling Fireman's Carry for a 2 count. Storm gets 2 with a Senton. Abdominal Stretch by Storm, which fits in perfectly with the psychology he's using. Storm tries for a Springboard Crossbody, but Edge SWANKLY~ counters to a Powerslam. Leg Lariat by Edge gets a close 2 count. Lyger Bomb by Edge gets a real close 2. Single-Leg Boston Crab by Storm, but Edge makes it to the ropes. Edge gets the pin and the title at 11:18 with an Implant DDT. ***3/4 Real good match, Storm stayed on Edge's ribs & stomach from the moment the match began and a good match resulted. Edge was good as well, but he did forget about his ribs the moment he went on offense and that hurt the match a little.

--Spike Dudley (W/Molly Holly), A.P.A. V. Test, Dudley Boyz. Test, who the APA believed was a mole for the Alliance, got the shit kicked out of him by the APA. When it was revealed the APA were wrong they apologized to Test, but Test rightfully beat the shit out of them in retribution and joined the Alliance anyways. Of course since Test was completely in the right he was immediately turned heel. Bubba kills Spike with a vicious Hot Shot. Test gets the pin on Bradshaw at 7:19 after Shane McMahon came down to the ring and nailed Bradshaw with a chair. ** Decent match.

--WCW Cruiserweight Championship, WWF Light Heavyweight Championship Match: Tajiri V. X-Pac. Tajiri is the WWF champion, while Pac is the WCW champion. No real story here, just one of Pac's many feuds with varying cruisers before he once again decided he should be a main eventer. Tajiri sends Pac outside with a Baseball Slide Dropkick and follows him with an Asai Moonsault. Tajiri hits a SWEET~ Baseball Slide Dropkick while Pac is hung up in the tree of woe. Pac sends Tajiri outside and follows with a Tope Con Hilo. Albert comes down to ringside, but gets misted by Tajiri, which allows Pac to hit a Cross-Factor for the pin to unify the titles at 7:33. **1/2 Decent match, but it was too short and had a screwy ending.

--Rhyno (W/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) V. Chris Jericho. Rhyno was essentially playing the role of Triple H in Stephanie's never ending feud with Jericho that never went anywhere. Back & forth action early on until Jericho sends Rhyno outside with a Springboard Dropkick. Jericho tries to follow with a Double Axehandle off the top-rope, but Rhyno catches him with a vicious Spear in a SWEET~ spot. Rhyno pulls out a SWANK~ Airplane Spin-TKO combo for 2. Jericho slips on a Springboard Moonsault Bodyblock attempt, but he still hits the move and gets a 2 count. Jericho gets the submission win at 11:46 aired with a Torture Crab Hold. **3/4 Decent match, but it was a little slow in parts, and they clipped out a spot where Jericho badly botched a Missile Dropkick attempt.

--WWF Hardcore Championship, Hardcore, Ladder Match: Rob Van Dam V. Jeff Hardy. Hardy Hip Tosses RVD from the ring to the floor and follows with a Springboard Corkscrew Senton. RVD & Hardy hit dueling see-saw spots with the ladder, both of which looked contrived. Hardy sets RVD on the ladder and hits a Springboard Ropeflip Moonsault. RVD lays the ladder across the bottom-rope and from the opposite corner he executes the Rolling Thunder in a cool spot. RVD sets a ladder on top of Hardy and hits a Handspring Moonsault. RVD tries to climb the ladder, but Hardy takes out the ladder with a Missile Dropkick. Both men climb the ladder and RVD Brings Hardy off the ladder with a Superplex from the top of the ladder. Both men climb again, and this time Hardy takes out RVD with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb off the top of the ladder. Hardy climbs and grabs the belt, but he can't get the belt loose & RVD pulls the ladder away leaving Hardy hanging onto the belt in mid-air. RVD tries to dislodge him, but eventually Hardy falls on his own, although it didn't look like that was what was supposed to happen. RVD shoves Hardy off the ladder again, with Hardy taking a vicious bump into the ropes in the process, and RVD climbs the ladder and grabs the belt to win the match and the title at 16:32. ***1/2 Good spotfest, it was entertaining and had lots of cleanly hit and vicious spots. The ending was messed up though and some of the spots in the beginning were too contrived.

--WCW Tag Team Championship, WWF Tag Team Championship, Cage Match: Kanyon, Diamond Dallas Page V. Undertaker, Kane (W/Sara). DDP & Kanyon are the WWF champions, while Taker & Kane are the WCW champions. Sara, for those of you not aware, is in fact Taker's wife not only in storyline but in real life as well. Story here really doesn't matter, DDP & Kanyon never had any chance, in every encounter they ever had with either Kane or Taker they were always made to look like chumps and were easily dispatched. This is under pinfall/submission/escape to win rules. Taker & Kane let Kanyon escape so they can punish DDP. Taker gets the pin on DDP at 10:15 with the Last Ride to unify the titles. 1/4* A very long squash match. Taker & Kane no-sold everything DDP & Kanyon threw at them and destroyed any hope either had of ever being worth anything in the WWF in the process.

--WWF Heavyweight Championship Match: Kurt Angle V. Steve Austin. Austin had defected to the Alliance, attacking Angle in the process. Angle vowed revenge and vowed to bring the WWF Heavyweight Championship back to the WWF, this match is a result of that. Slugfest to start, surprisingly won by Angle. Angle gets 2 off of a Crossbody. Stepover Toehold by Austin, but Angle counters with an Anklelock, but Austin gets to the ropes. A trio of Vertical Suplexes by Austin gets 2. Austin tries for a fourth, but Angle counters with the Rolling Germans, stopping at seven. Angle Slam attempt by Angle is blocked, and Austin sets Angle on the top-rope. Superplex attempt by Austin is blocked, but Austin keeps wearing down Angle and hits a massive Superplex on the second try. Austin hits a Stunner out of nowhere, but somehow Angle kicks out after 2. Another Stunner by Austin, but this time Angle manages to roll to the outside. On the outside Austin rams Angle headfirst into the post a few times, busting Angle wide open. Back in the ring Austin gets a close 2 with a Lateral Press. Snake Eyes attempt by Austin, but Angle manages to wriggle free and send Austin over the railing and into the crowd, only to have Austin Vertical Suplex him over the railing and onto the concrete. Anklelock by Angle on the outside and he drags Austin all the way into the ring, but Austin crawls to the bottom-rope and back outside. Angle nails Austin with an Overhead Belly-To-Belly Suplex on the floor. Vicious Backdrop Driver on the floor by Angle. Angle brings Austin back into the ring and hits his SWANK~ & beautiful Moonsault Press for a real close 2. Series of reversals sees Austin grab a Cobra Clutch, which in itself is a great bit of storytelling. Austin can't put Angle away with any of his usual moves or tricks, so he's getting desperate and pulling out moves that he hasn't used in years. Angle tries to break the hold by walking up and falling back off the ropes & gets a 2 count, but Austin manages to roll through and maintain the hold in an awesome bit of psychology. Angle, who's bleeding buckets by this point, finally breaks the hold, but Austin is able to recover very quickly. Stunner by Austin, but Angle kicks out for a real close 2 count. Now Austin tries to get into Angle's head by slapping him and playing around with him, all because Austin is getting increasingly desperate about the fact that he can't put Angle away, but Angle hits an Angle Slam out of nowhere for an incredibly close 2 count. Austin decks the ref with a Punch. DDT by Angle, and another ref counts a close 2. Austin gives that ref a Stunner and brings the title belt into the ring, which he knocks a third ref out with. Angle Slam by Angle, but a fourth ref, Nick Patrick from the Alliance, comes out and disqualifies Austin for excessive abuse of the referees and gives Angle the disqualification win at 22:32. ****1/2 Awesome match with a somewhat screwy finish. I say somewhat because as much as I didn't like it, it fit in with both the story and Austin's character. Austin's character at this point was someone who was willing to do anything to keep his title, while the story of Austin becoming desperate over the fact that he couldn't put Angle away was played out perfectly with him going after the refs in a final act of complete and utter desperation. I've heard many people claim this match to be a carry-job by Austin, but I just don't see it. Austin was obviously calling the shots in the ring, but that doesn't equal a carry-job. Angle was with Austin every step of the way, bringing just as much to the match as Austin did. When Ric Flair wrestled Harley Race and Race was calling the shots that didn't mean he carried Flair to a good match, that's what the leader in the ring is supposed to do. In this match that's what Austin did, but Angle did what the other participant in the match is supposed to do, work off of the ring general and add to what he's doing in the match, and I don't know of any instance in which that's a carry-job. Austin & Angle's combined efforts told a great story, and brought some awesome psychology to the table, with great selling, some real cool spots, and a great bladejob by Angle. An All-around great match of the year contender from both wrestlers.

--WCW Heavyweight Championship Match: Rock V. Booker T (W/Shane McMahon). No real story here, Rock returned from one of his hiatuses and Booker challenged him to a match. They fight outside where they exchange Low Blows. Rock hits a weak Spinebuster, which was more like a Double-Leg Takedown, and hooks in a Sharpshooter, but Rock breaks the hold to go after Shane. Shane hits Rock with the title belt, so the APA come out and Bradshaw kills Shane with a Lariat on the outside. Bookend by Booker only gets a 2 count. Spinebuster by Rock, followed up by an Elbowdrop, but Shane breaks up the count at 2. Rock takes care of him with a Rock Bottom on the floor. Spinaroonie by Booker, but Rock kips up and hits a Rock Bottom for the pin & title at 15:19. *** Hidden amid all the interference there was a good match, not a good enough match to follow Austin/Angle, but a good match nonetheless.

--Final Flash: Four matches at ***+, one of which was a legit MOTYC, and the rest of the card was decent with only one match dragging it down. This event is well worth your time.

Highly Recommended

Singles Going Steady

--Ivory, Stacy Keibler, Torrie Wilson V. Jacqueline, Molly Holly, Lita. This is from the Heat before SummerSlam 2001. Originally this was supposed to be a handicapped match, but Molly comes down and enters the match, and she's followed shortly thereafter by Lita, who hits a Twist Of Fate on Ivory, and Jackie covers for the pin at 2:55. DUD Nothing match.

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