Feb 26, 202016 min read

Nerd Watch Wednesday: Survivor Series 2002

Updated: Jun 3, 2020

ELIMINATION TABLE MATCH: BUH BUH RAY DUDLEY, JEFF HARDY & SPIKE DUDLEY vs. RICO & 3 MINUTE WARNING

By Nineties Mike

So, this is a bit of a weird one! The Dudley Boyz pairing of Bubba Ray and Spike (D-Von is on Smackdown, remember?) team with JEFF HARDY?! They take on the might of 3-Minute Warning and Rico. This is an elimination rules tables match, so this could get real messy, real quick.

Before we get intros, JR and The King talk about the hellish Elimination Chamber structure loitering above and we get a good look at where the main event will take place. The Dudleys are out first and I can’t tell if the empty seats are cos nobody gives a shit about this match or WWE lied about selling out MSG. Their reaction has nothing on Jeff’s, and he’s out in his usual garb and UV face paint combo. We also see that JR and The King are MILES away from the ring. This didn’t last long, and I for one am grateful for that.

Here come 3-Minute Warning and Rico, and we get a recap of Rosie squishing Jeff and Spike on a table during the previous episode of Raw. And I mean squished.

The bell is rung and everyone piles in for some fisticuffs. 3MW and Rico go to the outside and Bubba reckons it’s a good idea to throw Spike at 3MW but Rosie and Jamal catch him with ease.

Quick as a flash (lol), Bubba gets on all fours and Jeff uses him as a springboard and launches himself at Spike and Rosie and Jamal, and all four are wiped out. Bubba grabs Rico now and drags him inside for a big elbow. He turns his back and Rico gathers himself and strikes back in attempt to gain some momentum.

Kicks and punches in the corner are ineffective as Bubba switches it around and pummels Rico with some savage chops. Jamal enters to attack, but Spike distracts him with the weakest spear ever seen, before literally climbing up him and delivering an almost athletic Hurricanrana! He and Bubba then deliver a Whassup?! to Jamal, and it looks like they have the upper hand.

Rico enters to try to turn the tide but eats a power slam and then a Hardy-ised Whassup?! of his own! Bubba pushes his partners and orders… GET THE TABLES! Spike slides one in, Bubba sets it up, but Rosey is in and runs at Bubba, who is stood in front of the table, but decides to clothesline him rather than spear him through said table. Huh?!

Spike and Jeff try to attack but Rosey sees them off with power moves. He then rams Spike’s head into the table not once, not twice, but thrice before attempting to spear Spike (which may have killed him). Spike moves, though, and Rosey goes through the table like a hot knife through butter. Lawler can’t understand why Rosey isn’t eliminated and JR has to tell him you have to be put through the table (would have been a damn cool spot if Spike just nudged Rosey on his way past and claimed to have been the reason he smashed the table in eight though).

Rosey uses the remains of the table to attack Spike. Now Bubba runs in to attack Rosey and gets power-bombed for his efforts. Jeff also tries again, and Rosey drops him (oops) before squishing him again! Rico attacks Bubba and throws him out, while Jamal gets rid of Jeff. Rico builds the table and attacks Spike, who fights back, before 3MW smash him FACE-FIRST through the table, and Spike is OUTTA HEEEEEERRE!

3MW work over Jeff and Bubba now, and Rico orders them to go to the top to hit splashes, but Hardy and Dudley fight Rico off and unceremoniously knock the big guys off the top. Rico is tossed outside and hits a camera man on the way while Jeff hits another Bubba-assisted splash, and Jamal, while attempting a clothesline on Bubba, misses and nearly runs into his brother! Jeff goes to the well again, but Jamal spots it and makes the intervention.

Spinning heel kick from Rico halts Bubba, and they go to work on him. Rosey throws Jeff over the railing and drags him through the crowd, while Rico and Jamal continue the assault on Bubba. Rosey grabs a table out there, sets up Jeff and is looking to eliminate him. Meanwhile, juts as it looks like Rico and Jamal have Bubba reeling, he grabs Rico and pulls him in the way of a speeding Jamal, and now Rico gets squished!

Bubba hits a Bubba Bomb on Rosey and runs to rescue Jeff! He hits Jamal with a metal pole and Jeff comes to assist in the attack. He climbs up the entranceway as Bubba looks to set Jamal up for the splash… and he hits huge Swanton Bomb and Rosey is OUTTA HEEEEEERRE!

Jeff is feeling the effects and Jamal comes out looking for some modicum of revenge for his fallen comrade. He sets up Bubba on the table and Rico goes up top for the Moonsault. He teeters, and Jeff has recovered enough to shake the ropes and Rico falls on his unmentionables. Bubba goes up to German Suplex Rico through the table he was just on himself, but Jamal spots the danger and moves the table!

Jeff attacks Jamal and hits a Whisper In The Wind. Could he really be the one to eliminate the big man? Irish Whip from Hardy, Jamal tries to counter into a pop-up powerbomb, but Jeff counters the counter into an impressive dropkick.

Jamal slides outside and Jeff follows him for some reason and hits him with a table. He climbs the barricade and looks to use it for a run up, trips and ends up going through the table Jamal is holding. He’s not eliminated, however, and Jamal grabs ANOTHER table, sets it up and lays Jeff on it be fore climbing to the top and SQUISHING Jeff who is now (this time for sure) OUTTA HEEEEEERRE!

SO, we’re left with Jamal and Rico against Bubba Dudley. Rico goes for it, but Bubba hits him with some typically offensive offense before laying Rico on the table. Jamal pushes Rico out of harms way and climbs up with Bubba on the top rope, but that’s a mistake as Bubba powerbombs Jamal through the table and now Bubba is OUTTA HEEEEEERRE!

Rico goes in for the kill again, and gets some success nailing him with kicks and punches. Rico grabs a table now, and Rosey is back somehow?! Get a grip ref. Some double-teaming ensues before the ref eventually tells Rosey to beat it. There are obviously no DQs, but if a man’s been eliminated, he’s out, right? Seems not!

Three-on-one assault continues until D-Von runs out from the back and lays them all out and throwing both of 3MW out. Rico turns around and eats a big old 3D through the table and he is OUTTA HEEEEEERRE!

Well, that was a whole lot of fun. Everyone got their bits in AND we got the big reunion of The Dudley Boyz! It’s sad to think that both members of 3MW have passed away, but this was an impressive showing from them. It’s also crazy to think of what Jeff went through at the conclusion of this match! The trip through the table looked gnarly enough without having to get squished by Rosey again! (insert squished Jeff Hardy GIF here)

WINNERS - DUDLEYZ & JEFF HARDY BY 3D THROUGH THE TABLE

WWE CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: JAMIE NOBLE (C) vs. BILLY KIDMAN

By Ross Casey

Before this match starts, we head to Times Square where Stacy Kiebler introduces us to Saliva, who perform their song 'Always'. It is interspersed with highlights of how each of the matches came to be. It's awesome and something NXT should do with their live music interludes. It also acts as a palette cleanser after the insane opener!

Jamie Noble is out first with his girlfriend Nidia. In 2002, I was a little out of love with wrestling and failed to fully appreciate the greatness that was this partnership. The southern sleazeballs were fantastic weren't they? Commentary explain that Kidman had pinned the current Cruiserweight champion Noble twice in three weeks and earned this title opportunity.

We start off with Kidman coming out of the blocks with THREE pin attempts in the first 20 seconds of the match! I like that, he has beaten him twice already of late and he is showing optimum confidence - he knows he has Noble's number.

Noble powders because this dirty southern boy ain't stooopid! There is some back and forth before Noble tries a crossbody off the top but eats a dropkick on the way down. The crowd popped big for that as the timing was perfection.

They trade high impact moves including a falcon arrow and an ushigoroshi before Kidman sets Noble up for the Shooting Star Press. Nidia is wise to the situation though and drags her man under the bottom rope to the floor by his ankle. The crowd boo. You love to see it.

Rather than piss and complain to the ref, Kidman simply changes angle and jumps off the top rope to the outside with a beautiful crossbody. Back in the ring, Nidia gets involved again by hanging onto Kidman's leg by the ropes. Billy somewhat objectionally pulls her up to the apron by her hair, so Noble tries to bash him, but Kidman moves which sends Nidia to the floor.

The crowd pop big for that spot and absolutely buy a very close 3 count via a Lo-Down. I did too, to be fair. Soon after, Noble again kicks out at the last second having been hit with a jumping inverted DDT off the top rope! Kidman does a great job of selling his exasperation, before getting hit with a draping DDT off the top rope which absolutely SPIKES his neck into the mat. Somehow Kidman is the one to kick out now.

The match is building to a crescendo, with move after move, near-fall after near-fall . Kidman sets Noble up for his finishing Shooting Star Press once more and yet again Nidia arrives to put him off, so he kicks her off the apron, like he is shooing away a pet.

Noble smells blood and joins him on top, but gets hit back down allowing Kidman to prove that the third time is indeed a charm, hitting his Shooting Star Press for the three count. He celebrates in the crowd, Cruiserweight Championship aloft. It's a feel good moment as his new music (which sounds a lot like AJ's WWE theme) plays. It is a far cry from the emotion of say Eddie jumping in the crowd after his win over Lesnar, however.

SUMMARY: Clocking in at just seven minutes, this is a reminder to modern wrestling fans that you can cram in an awful lot into the time you are alloted. Not every match on a PPV needs to be an epic. This was fast paced, told a perfectly simple story and crowned a new champion. The kick-outs stopped at the perfect point before becoming a little too exhausting and my only qualm is with the face treating Nidia to hair pulls and a kick. Yes, he needed to nullify her threat, but not like that in my opinion. Great stuff overall, though.

WINNER - AND NEW WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION, BILLY KIDMAN BY SHOOTING STAR PRESS

WOMEN'S TITLE HARDCORE MATCH: TRISH STRATUS (C) vs. VICTORIA

By Matt Connolly

So this week I've been given a contest between two of the very few memorable female stars from this era. Your WWE Womens Champion Trish Stratus and her opponent Victoria - here tussling under hardcore rules. As the match graphic is on screen Jerry Lawler says "Anything goes in this one. I just hope it's the clothes!" Urgh.

The hype package for this is cheesy as hell but I'm digging it. The feud appears to be born out of Victoria's jealousy of the success Trish is having. We hear promos of her stating that WWE was interested in both of them but Trish got the lucky break first. After witnessing Trish win the belt it seems Victoria was ready to challenge her and we see images of some vicious beatdowns, including an unprotected chair shot that will surely not be the only CTE scare on this card.

She also battered poor Terri because she had "Pretty little puppies just like Trish". Hmmm. Not only does she want the Championship from Trish, but she is attempting to take her soul. I knew Victoria ran a crazy gimmick around this period but was there a satanic element? I'm here for it.

First out is your nut box challenger Victoria. I'll be honest I'm kind of bummed that A) Steven Richards isn't following her around completely besotted and B) She hasn't got the TATU music I remember. These main two things I remember about her are both absent here.

Trish out next. She doesn't even get time to take her jacket off here though as Victoria blindsides her and we are underway. First weapon used is a broom. They fight back and forth with it until Victoria tries to strangle Trish. There are loads of terrible King jokes during this. One about how Victoria should ride the broom. One where he shoehorns PMS in. Anyway, in the ring Trish grabs a Bin Lid to try and even things but Victoria smashes it back in her face. Looked nasty.

After brawling about and getting a bin involved, Trish is able to get on top here and goes for an ironing board as her next weapon. Yes, King makes some jokes about it. Trish can't seem to set the thing up though, so has to settle for just Irish whipping Victoria into it in the corner. It looked like it hurt to be fair.

A kendo stick gets involved. Then Victoria grabs another bin lid and whacks Trish so hard around the mush that the crowd make the biggest gasp of the match so far. This hasn't been particulaly pretty but violence has been had. Victoria is even busted open.

Into the finishing stretch and Trish hits a rushed and ugly looking bulldog for a two count. She goes to belt Victoria with one of the kendo sticks but Victoria hits a drop toe hold that disarms her. Victoria goes to the outside and unbeknownst to Trish has grabbed a Fire Exstinguisher. She lets it off in Trish's face before hitting a suplex and....thats it!

Victoria wins. Rather weak finish. I should of explained that there was also a mirror in the ring but that didn't get used because these girls don't play by Chekhov's rules. This was fine. I'll forget it soon but it wasn't a mess and both of these tried to bring the violence which I dig. Was probably a good palate cleanser on this card.

WINNER - NEW WOMEN'S CHAMPION, VICTORIA BY FIRE EXTINGUISHER SUPLEX

WWE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: BROCK LESNAR (C) vs. THE BIG SHOW

By Matt Brummitt

The Big Show is out first & he looks weird. I don’t remember this Big Show look. He’s wearing baggy black jeans over a singlet; Boss Man hair; & a handlebar moustache. I am not a fan.

Brock comes out accompanied by Heyman. The only way I know it’s not 2019 is because Heyman is wearing a baseball cap. No grand introductions as Brock piefaces Show whilst his music is still going. Bell rings. Here we go.

Crowd are into Lesnar. Brock’s ribs are taped as Big Show broke them on SmackDown. A couple of lock ups to start off. Big Show is the first man to take control. He still looks like a buffoon though. He does a taunt and turns into a Brock takedown!

Brock is wailing punches down on Show. He then boots him to the outside & follows him. After a few strikes, Show drives Brock into the ring post. Brock is screaming as the commentators sell his ribs. Back in the ring, Brock fights back & hits a back suplex on Show. It wasn’t the cleanest so Tazz describes it as a “modified suplex”.

After some back & forth, Brock hits Show with a German. Nothing “modified” about that. He can’t pick him up for the F5 though & Show gives him a good thwack. Brocks comes off the ropes at Show but he moves out of the way & Brock takes out the ref. Feels a bit early for a ref bump but let’s see where this goes.

Brock ducks a boot & hits an overhead belly-to-belly! Nice! Heyman throws a chair into Brock. Isn’t he the face? Brock low blows Show and picks up a chair but Show punches it! Brock hits him with an unprotected chair shot (eek) & then an F5! A new ref comes out and counts 1… 2…. Heyman pulls him out!! WHAT.

Heyman then hits the ref and his hat falls off. Brock chases Heyman & as they run into the ring, Show hits Brock with a chair. Chokeslam on said chair and the original ref counts the 3. New champ. First man to pin Brock!

SUMMARY: My horrific memory made that a genuine swerve. Fun 5 minutes. I assume I booed the shit out of my TV 18 years ago when it happened though. Worth a rewatch just for how shit Big Show’s look is. Not exactly world title material.

WINNER & NEW CHAMP – THE BIG SHOW WITH A SHOWSTOPPER ON A CHAIR

WWE TAG TEAM TITLE ELIMINATION MATCH: EDGE & REY MYSTERIO (C) vs. CHRIS BENOIT & KURT ANGLE vs. LOS GUERREROS

By Dom Van Dam

G’day lads and welcome to DVD’s latest pick for NWW. I was inspired to select a show from this era after the recent success of the Ruthless Aggression documentary series on the WWE network and because this period of time seems to be a bit of a hot topic recently. I haven’t watched this show (or anything at all from this era really) since it was run for the first time, but I remember convincing my parents to order this PPV for me, when I was in year 10, and loved it.

It’s WWE Tag Team Championship time and as this show was my pick I got first selection of the spoils from this stacked card. I chose this match because looking back at the match bill I remembered the main event and the tables match but had a feeling this Tag Title match could be a bit of a hidden gem.

The MSG entrances are so cool. They are understated with the video wall doors which the competitors come through, but there’s also always something special about that entrance way. “Guerreros mow lawns.” Bloody hell, some casual xenophobia for your Wednesday evening here lads.

The context for this one, for the newly minted Smackdown titles, is that the inaugural champions, Angle and Benoit, lost the titles to Edge and Mysterio due to dissension in the ranks. There was also some involvement in previous championship matches from our third team; Los Guerreros, so here we are with a Three Way Dance.

Mysterio is ripping it up early in this one; against Benoit, then Eddie, then Angle until he has a nasty slip on the top rope and is crashing down like a dropped pint, on the back of his hooded head. This miscue allows Benoit and Angle to take over and slow the pace set by the Luchador.

This wrestling really is fun (see what I did there); all 6 guys come off like a million bucks but it is Mysterio who really steals the show. He is flying all over the joint (not really selling, but that’s not what this is about).

Eddie hits a Frog Splash to Edge and it looks like we are ready for our first elimination, but Benoit breaks it up with a diving headbutt. Don’t really get that logic in an elimination match, but I also don’t really get the logic of a diving headbutt in any type of match. It’s like a screen door on a submarine.

Once again there’s a miscommunication between the former champions when Chavo nails Benoit in the back of the head with the championship title and leaves Angle holding the assault weapon, red handed. This all leads to a spear on The Wolverine and our first elimination. The Crippler and the Olympic Hero are eliminated but not yet finished. They vent their frustrations on the 4 survivors before exiting the series; the tribe has spoken.

This match has been the perfect example of why they call these men the Smackdown Six; the action has been thick and fast. The finish comes when Chavo is able to employ the title belt for the second time in as many minutes, waylaying Mysterio mid-springboard, leaving Uncle Eddie to pick up the scraps with the Lasso from El Paso and the submission victory. Your winners and new WWE Tag Team Champions: Los Guerreros.

Drink lots of water; look after your mates.

WINNERS - AND NEW WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS, LOS GUERREROS BY BELT SHOT

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH: TRIPLE H (C) vs. KANE vs. BOOKER T vs. CHRIS JERICHO vs. SHAWN MICHAELS vs. ROB VAN DAM

By JCH

We open up with RVD vs Triple H. As this is Triple H I assume he will be still in there at the end? It’s all RVD in the opening 5 minutes. Introducing Triple H to the chain link structure on multiple occasions. Trips is busted open already.

RVD hits a monkey flip on the outside. Dumbass. RVD climbs on top of Jericho’s Pod and gets his legs pulled through but he fights off both Jericho and HHH with one leg and goes back to beating up Trips.

Jericho is the next man out and RVD takes time out of his busy schedule of beating up HHH to beat up Jericho for a bit. This includes a jump at Jericho who ducks, so RVD clings on to the structure and hits a crossbody coming back off the other side.

This allows HHH to attack RVD and now Jericho and Triple H team up to beat up Van Dam for a while. Ah it’s King of the World Jericho, is this about the time Fozzy started? 5 minutes is up and Booker T comes out.

He clears the ring of HHH and Jericho and hits a spinarooni. We now have Booker T and RVD facing off. Trips is back in and RVD and Booker take him out. RVD goes up top for the frog splash, then climbs higher to the top of a pod. Frog splash from the top of the pod hits, but RVD can’t make the cover. Booker comes off the top to take out Van Dam and gets the 3 count!

Booker has Trips pinned as well, but Hebner is too busy telling Van Dam to get out the ring and to the back to set up his shirt stall, so by the time he finally notices and starts the count, Trips manages to get a foot on the ropes.

Kane is next out. The Big Red Machine beats people up for a bit, He throws Jericho through a pod. Jericho eliminates Booker T, I missed what happened as I was looking up the 1997 F.A Cup tie where Chelsea came form 2-0 down to beat Liverpool 4-2.

HBK is last in. Kane chokeslams everybody, then doesn’t pin anyone. Triple H fights out of a tombstone and sends Kane into a Sweet Chin Music, a pedigree and a Lionsault and we’re down to 3.

Jericho and HHH are both bleeding so they decide to make Michaels bleed. This goes on for a while with the two of them taking it in turns to beat up Michaels. At one point Michaels kicks out of the Lionsault. Jericho covers HBK and Triple H (being a dumbass) pulls him off and the alliance is ended as Trips and Jericho go at it.

Jericho reverses the Pedigree into the Walls, however HBK gives Jericho a Sweet Chin Music (not a dumbass, as HBK knows it’s Triple H and he would never tap out.) We are down to the final 2. HHH consistently going after the formerly injured back of Michaels, then he catapults him through a pod.

We get your standard brawling and throwing each other into the chains a lot, before Michaels ups the ante with an elbow drop off the top of the pod. Instead of going for the cover though, Michaels waits for the Sweet Chin Music which is blocked into a pedigree. Trips is slow to cover. 1, 2, NO, Kick out.

Trips goes for another, which Michaels counters, hits the Sweet Chin Music and it’s over -HBK WINS THE TITLE in his second match back from injury! JR is great in this. Someone I often criticise, but he’s at his best here alongside bellend King who is being a great heel.

The match was alright, RVD was a highlight. It told some nice stories. The winning moment is excellent.

WINNER - NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, SHAWN MICHAELS BY SWEET CHIN MUSIC