WWE Vengeance 2001

RATING LEVELS:

Curt Hennig – A “GOAT” show, as Perfect as possible

Watch It – A consistently good show worth watching in its entirety

Watch It…With Remote in Hand – 3 or more above-average ratings

High Risk Maneuver – Mostly filler, inessential, but 1-2 good matches

DUDleyville – Zero redeeming qualities, chore to watch

Vengeance – December 2001

San Diego, California

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into the show, the Dudleys held the WWE World Tag Team Championships, Christian was the European Champion, his “brother” Edge held the Intercontinental Title, and Tajiri was the Cruiserweight Champion. The Womens’ Champion was held by Trish Stratus, while Rob Van Dam held the Hardcore Championship. Steve Austin was the WWF World Champion and The Rock was the WCW World Champion.

COMMENTATORS: Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross

* The concept of this show was based around the idea of a "mini-tournament" to crown an Undisputed WWE World Champion. In the first round, Austin defends his WWF World Championship against Kurt Angle, while The Rock puts his WCW World Championship on the line against Chris Jericho. The winners of these two matches will then compete in the show's actual main event - a unification bout.

Jerry Lawler is back on commentary tonight with Jim Ross after an extended hiatus from the company. The show kicks off with Vince McMahon cutting a promo about "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and the new 50/50 co-owner of the WWE, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who interrupts him to present our first match. Not a great segment, but the crowd likes it.

Test and the European Champion, Christian vs. Scotty 2 Hotty and Albert is our kickoff contest. Everything until the last 3 minutes is average at best, with the closing minutes being relatively strong - Christian teased the Worm earlier so when Scotty 2 Hotty eventually gets a chance to hit it, the crowd is ready to go, giving it a huge response. Albert and Test are not my favorite workers, but they hit their big moves well. (2.5/5)

After Regal says a few words about his opponent, he hits the ring for a match against the Intercontinental Champion, Edge. The first minutes are full of hard strikes out of Regal, but we do get some actual wrestling as the match goes on. The match transforms after Edge spears the staircase, but it doesn't necessarily get better as there are some noticeable hiccups. When Regal hits his third powerbomb and Edge kicks out, whatever realism the match had attempted has left the room. The finish doesn't make up for it either. Like any Regal match, him on a bad day is still better than most wrestlers on a good one, but this ain't one for his highlight reel. (2/5)

Before the next match, we get a recap of the emerging rivalry between Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. I like how Matt Hardy brings up Jeff's idiotic Swanton attempt at the previous PPV. The guest referee for their match tonight is Lita, who comes out dancing like no other referee I've ever seen (save Shawn Michaels, I guess). I always have high hopes for Hardy vs. Hardy matches, but I don't think I've ever seen a really great one. This one is no exception - in fact, at times it seems outright sloppy and, while I see the story they try to achieve, I've seen it better executed elsewhere. The crowd is pretty uninterested too and Lita's conflict in the match isn't explored until the tail end when there may have been more clever ways of utilizing her throughout to build the tension. (1.5/5)

WWE Tag Team Champions, The Dudleys take on Big Show and Kane next. This one is actually more watchable than it may seem on paper - the Dudleys aren't usually "the small guys" in a tag team match, but here they get to bump and stooge for the giants and they do a nice job of it. Stacy Keibler's entertaining involvement pops the crowd and adds to the fun instead of seeming cheap. Solid, but nothing greater than that. (2.5/5)

The Undertaker challenges Rob Van Dam for his Hardcore Championship next. This feud is based on Taker's heel turn and demand for respect from his peers. "Respect" is a good word for this match because the efforts put in by both men are respectable, even if the match really doesn't progress in an engaging way. There are plenty of big spots, physicality, and stunts, but at no point was I at the edge of my seat, truly caring about what was going on. Without any real drama, this match comes off as a "paint-by-numbers" hardcore match. (2.5/5)

The Womens' Championship is on the line next as Trish Stratus defends against Jacqueline. A "We Want Puppies" chant breaks in around minute, which almost seems wrong, though, its not like the ring work on display is particularly captivating. Stratus may have earned a reputation for being a great worker later in her career, but this match wasn't a strong showing for either competitor. (0.5/5)

The first of three World Championship matches is next, with Steve Austin defending his WWE World Championship against Kurt Angle. The first few minutes of this match build sufficient tension, with the action picking up quickly from there. Angle gets an Ankle Lock going pretty early on, causing Angle to focus on Austin's legs as the match progresses. There are some good sequences here and there, but this is nothing more than a good "TV main event," noticeably below their previous encounters on PPV. (3/5)

Next is the WCW World Championship match, the champion, The Rock, defending the strap against Chris Jericho. Unlike the previous match, which I didn't find much drama in, this match delivers. From the start, Jericho has an answer for everything that the Rock tries, firmly establishing himself as the Great One's equal. As Jericho grows more confident, though, the Rock digs deep and connects with a few of his signature moves as well as some key reversals, including a DDT through the announce table. In the end, when the tide shifts and it seems like Jericho has met his match, the arrival of Vince McMahon makes it clear that the Rock is going to get screwed. The execution of the finish is believable and exciting, even if predictable. While not an all-time classic, this is still the match of the night by a good margin. (3.5/5)

Before Chris Jericho can enjoy his title win, though, the sound of glass shattering signals the arrival of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and it is main event time! In hot pursuit of Austin, though, is Kurt Angle, who levels the Rattlesnake with a chair before the bell rings. To make things even more exciting, The Rock connects with a Rock Bottom on the exhausted Jericho, making it clear that both participants are heading into this match as essentially beaten men. Austin kicks out of a cover, and a brawl ensues, including an extended sequence outside the ring that seems half-baked, particularly the way Austin exposes the concrete floor but ends up taking a back bump on it himself when he suplexes Jericho (who lands mostly on the still-covered section). The finish involves even more run-ins, including Vince (again), Nick Patrick, and Booker T. While I would have liked a more definitive ending and one that didn't involve so many superfluous participants, what else could be expected for this sort of match during this era? Not a bad outing, but if you are going to anoint an Undisputed Champion in a mini-tournament, it'd be better to actually make that winner a credible victor. In this instance, Jericho's win is so tainted he comes out looking more lucky than tough. (3/5)

With an average match rating of 2.33-out-of-5, Vengeance 2001 skates by with a decent average rating thanks to a number of "good-not great" matches. Jericho/Rock is the only match really worth seeking out, but its not as if Austin, Angle, and others on the card didn't put in good effort. Both Hardy vs. Hardy and Regal/Edge are underwhelming, but the tag matches are solid. With not much to recommend for even nostalgic fans, this show comes off as an unfortunately bland event that could've been so much more.

FINAL RATING – High Risk Maneuver