Nov 25, 20205 min read

Nerd Watch Wednesday: Shawn Michaels vs. RVD (Raw, 25 Nov 2002)

By Ross Casey

"For the foreseeable future, Nerd Watch Wednesday's will feature a match that fell 'on this day' and this week I have picked a match from a live RAW in 2002. It's the main event match between World Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels & the #1 contender RVD. This was the first time HBK wrestled live on RAW in over five years and on paper is a pure dream match. Bring it on!"

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: SHAWN MICHAELS (C) vs. RVD

Shawn Michaels had recently won the World Heavyweight Championship in the first ever Elimination Chamber match at Survivor Series and his first defence takes place on this episode of RAW.

He is taking on Rob Van Dam who the week previous had defeated Booker T and Chris Jericho in a #1 contenders triple threat match.

Backstage Terri Runnels asks Shawn how he is feeling ahead of his first match on RAW in five years and he is super babyface and says there is no one who he would rather face tonight than RVD as he is the most deserving. He then states he has lots to say to Van Dam - but he's going to so do to his face.

Later in the broadcast HBK finds RVD backstage doing his mad leg stretches and tells him that he reminds him of a young Shawn Michaels because every time he performs, he leaves everything in the ring and gives the fans all he has.

Then he says that there is just one thing missing... he pauses and SLAPS his opponent. RVD doesn't miss a beat and slaps him just as hard straight back, which Shawn is surprised by and then smirks.

"Now you're speaking my language" says Shawn and we have ourselves a bit of bite to what was previously a respectful title match between two babyfaces.

So the table is set... let's get to the main event!

RVD is out first to a pleasant if not deafening pop. The returning HBK gets a bigger pop but it's still quieter than I was expecting, considering the circumstances. Jerry Lawler makes a great point that although Shawn won the Elimination chamber, he wrestled far less than RVD as he was out of his pod much later into the match.

Shawn takes control early doors with chain wrestling as Jim Ross highlights that the lower back will be a target for RVD as Michaels was out for five years with a back injury.

This is RVD though, so I don't think we will see body part targeting in his moveset! We do get a moonsault off the apron though, which is cool.

Shawn shows his wrestling acumen by targeting the educated legs of RVD, aiming to slow the former ECW Champion down. He even goes fairly heelish and uses the ring post and the ring rope to dissect the knees and legs. I like that the backstage stuff earlier is paying off here.

HBK synchs in a figure four leglock to further punish the legs of Van Dam and this is causing his fans to perk up with RVD chants. He struggles to the ropes, but the relentless Michaels continues the assault.

I'm surprised but love the psychology here. RVD reminds HBK of a younger self and he is utilising that knowledge by targeting the legs and taking the speed from him - just like the likes of Bret Hart used to Michaels in the nineties.

The pace picks up when Shawn nips up and attempts a Sweet Chin Music, but he misses and RVD responds with a heel kick and Rolling Thunder. The match psychology pays off when RVD attempts a suplex, but his knee gives out allowing HBK to hit a DDT and elbow drop. This is getting good now!

Finally, RVD thinks with his brain and he hits a backbreaker on the injured lower back of Michaels and a Five Star Frog Splash to the back but nooooo Triple H arrives, drags him out of the ring and pedigrees Van Dam on the floor!

It's a DQ win for RVD - and RAW goes off the air with HHH dropping HBK back first on a steel chair, which looks absolutely vicious.

WINNER: ROB VAN DAM BY DQ

THOUGHTS: For a sub 10 minute match, they squeezed in an awful lot of content into this one. I loved the psychology of the wiser HBK knowing how to slow down RVD. I also absolutely loved how RVD would have been champion if it were not for Trips as it highlights the fact that Michaels' back is his kryptonite.

That then leads into the finish with HHH attacking the back in a sick manner, safe in the knowledge that he will probably now be entered into championship contention... because wrestling.

No one came out looking bad here in my opinion. HBK remains champion as a sympathetic babyface. RVD showed he is World Champion material and Triple H stuck his nose in and got great heat. Perfection.

A great match that left me wanting more.