WWF Smackdown 4/18/02
1. Billy & Chuck (w/Rico) & Albert vs Rikishi, Al Snow & Maven
Chuck attacked Snow with several punches but Snow fought back with
some kicks and punches of his own. They had a criss cross and Snow gave
Chuck an atomic drop. Snow landed a punch and gave Chuck another atomic
drop. Snow tagged Maven, who came off the top rope with an axhandle on
Chuck’s arm. Snow and Maven double hiptossed Chuck and elbowed him. Maven
worked on Chuck’s left arm but Chuck poked his eyes. Chuck telegraphed a
backdrop and Maven kicked him. Maven armdragged Chuck and applied an
armbar. Snow came off the top rope with an elbow to Chuck’s arm and hit
Billy and Rikishi as well. Chuck clotheslined Snow and Albert pummeled
Snow in the corner. Albert whipped Snow really hard (like Bret Hart hard)
into the corner. Albert double arm suplexed Snow for a near fall. Billy
pummeled Snow in the corner but Snow countered a whip and fought back with
a clothesline. Rikishi tagged in and no-sold several shots from Billy.
Billy attempted a sunset flip, Rikishi teased a butt splash but Billy
scampered out of harm’s way. Rikishi powerslammed Chuck, punched both he
and Billy, and superkicked Chuck. Rikishi knocked Billy for a loop with a
clothesline. Rico stood on the apron but Rikishi flipped him into the
ring. Rikishi then corner splashed both Rico and Chuck and teased a
stinkface. However, Albert came in and high kicked Rikishi after which
Chuck gained a near fall. Albert pummeled Rikishi and gave him a few
kneelifts. Albert slammed Rikishi but Rikishi fought back with a Samoan
drop. Maven made the hot tag and attacked both Billy and Chuck. Maven
dropkicked Chuck out of the ring but Billy fought back and gave him a
fameasser. Rikishi superkicked Billy but Albert then knocked him for a
loop with a clothesline. Snow gave Chuck a spinebuster but Rico then cane
in and gave him a sharp spinning reverse roundhouse kick. Maven hit a
flying bodypress on Chuck and pinned him at 6:22 for a big pop. What a fun
opener this was! Nothing really great, but everything clicked and the
chemistry between the six was as strong as you could ask for. The pacing
was also strong as something was always happening. Lots of moves popped
the crowd, and it was like the six knew exactly what to do to elicit such
a response while working within their limitations. I also love seeing
Maven get pushed. Sure he’s nothing special yet, but he’s a decent worker
and it’s nice to see that the WWF was serious about rewarding the Tough
Enough champion with a push. **1/4
2. Yoshihiro Tajiri (w/Torrie Wilson) & Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs Billy
Kidman & Hurricane
Guerrero hammerlocked Kidman, who countered with a snapmare.
Kidman armdragged Guerrero. Guerrero whipped Kidman into the corner but
ran into a shoulderblock. Kidman jumped over the top rope and gave
Guerrero a headscissors takedown. Kidman dropkicked Guerrero. He and
Hurricane double hiptossed Guerrero and Kidman hiptossed Hurricane onto
Guerrero. Tajiri kicked Hurricane and they exchanged headlocks. Hurricane
did this goofy pose but Tajiri caught him with a stiff kick. Tajiri and
Hurricane traded chops and Tajiri scored with a great superkick. Guerrero
gave Hurricane a couple European uppercuts but Hurricane fought back with
a slam. Kidman gave Guerrero a slingshot legdrop and knocked Tajiri off
the apron. Guerrero applied a Gori special on Kidman and then threw him
backwards and neck first onto the top rope. Guerrero distracted the ref
and Tajiri kicked Kidman in the head. Guerrero attempted a suplex but
Kidman countered. Guerrero grabbed Kidman’s leg but Kidman gave him an
enzuguiri. Hurricane went after Guerrero with punches and gave him a
clothesline. Hurricane backdropped Guerrero and punched Tajiri on the
apron. Guerrero kneed Hurricane in the gut and tagged Tajiri. Tajiri came
in but ran into a superkick from Hurricane. Hurricane chokeslammed Tajiri
for a near fall. Guerrero attempted a back suplex but Hurricane countered
and gave him a neckbreaker. Hurricane went for the eye of the hurricane on
Tajiri but Tajiri countered and Guerrero backdropped Hurricane out of the
ring. Kidman caught Guerrero on the top rope but Tajiri intervened and
lifted Kidman on his shoulders. Hurricane knocked Guerrero off the top
rope to the floor and Kidman sunset flipped Tajiri. Tajiri countered and
grabbed Kidman’s legs but Hurricane gave him a flying bodypress for a near
fall. Guerrero tripped Kidman and Tajiri gave Hurricane his roundhouse
kick of death for the pin at 5:03. A good match, but nothing you wouldn’t
expect from these four on an ordinary day. Better than the opener, but not
quite as enjoyable, which is a surprise. **1/2
3. Test vs Faarooq
Test attacked Faarooq before the bell but Faarooq fought back with
an elbow and a clothesline. He punched Test in the corner but Test dropped
him head first on the top turnbuckle. Test hit a running clothesline in
the corner and a second one in the opposite corner. Test continued his
attack until Faarooq fought back with a low blow. Faarooq gave Test a
couple clotheslines and a powerslam for a near fall. He whipped Test into
the corner but ran into an elbow. Test went to pin Faarooq with his feet
on the ropes but the ref saw the infraction. Faarooq went for a
spinebuster but Test punched him. Test missed a high kick and caught his
leg in the ropes. Faarooq tackled Test for a near fall. Test fought back
with a kick but Faarooq countered a pumphandle powerslam attempt. Test
missed a corner splash and Faarooq rolled him up for the pin at 2:54.
After the match Test gave Faarooq a high kick. Not good, and not
surprising. Faarooq just doesn’t cut it as a single and his feud with Test
is certainly not a high point of the current product. 3/4*
4. DDP vs Hardcore Holly
Holly attacked DDP early but ran into an elbow. DDP landed some
punches and after a couple hiptoss counters, clotheslined Holly. DDP gave
Holly a neckbreaker and more punches in the corner. Holly lifted DDP and
dropped him head first onto the top turnbuckle. Holly choked DDP in the
ropes and kicked him low. Holly landed a chop and kick in the corner but
DDP fought back with a barrage of punches and chops. He whipped Holly into
the corner but ran into a boot and Holly clotheslined him. Holly suplexed
DDP and went to the top rope but DDP fell on the ropes and crotched him.
DDP then superplexed Holly, taking a big bump himself in the process. DDP
landed a couple punches and a discus clothesline. DDP landed another
clothesline for a near fall. Holly countered a diamond cutter attempt and
gave DDP a sharp dropkick for the pin at 2:56. DDP gave Holly a diamond
cutter after the match. Nice to see a simple, but sharply executed move
given a push. A short match, but hey- that’s not a bad thing, it’s a good
thing. *
5. HHH & Hulk Hogan vs Chris Jericho & Kurt Angle
HHH got the better of Angle until Angle raked his eyes. Angle
landed some punches but HHH whipped him into the corner and backdropped
him. Angle ran into a couple punches and HHH pulled down his tights to
reveal a red thong. Angle then punched Hogan and HHH tagged him in. Hogan
overpowered Angle, who tagged Jericho. Jericho hilariously mocked Hogan’s
poses and Hogan easily won a test of strength. Angle attacked Hogan from
behind but Hogan clotheslined both opponents. Hogan landed a couple
punches, whipped Jericho into the corner but ran into an elbow. Hogan
caught Jericho on the top rope and slammed him to the mat. Hogan
clotheslined Angle and continued to dominate Jericho. Hogan and then HHH
pummeled Jericho in their corner. HHH missed a clothesline but knocked
Jericho for a loop with a jumping knee. Jericho tried a dropkick but HHH
grabbed his legs and catapulted him into Angle in the heels’ corner. HHH
gave Jericho a spinebuster for a near fall. Jericho fought back with a low
blow on HHH. Angle stomped HHH and German suplexed him for a near fall.
Jericho whipped HHH into the corner and hit a running clothesline. Jericho
kicked HHH in the corner but HHH then attacked him. HHH choked Jericho but
Jericho then applied a sleeper. HHH finally fought back and gave Jericho a
back suplex. Angle charged but HHH moved and Angle crashed shoulder first
into the ringpost. Hogan got the better of both opponents and rammed their
heads together. Hogan clotheslined Jericho out of the ring. He booted
Angle and went for his legdrop but Jericho tripped him. Jericho rammed
Hogan into the barricade and the ring steps. Jericho grabbed a chair and
threw the ref out of the ring. Jericho went to hit HHH with the chair but
HHH kicked him and DDTd him. HHH got the better of Angle and went for a
pedigree but Jericho attacked him. The heels double teamed HHH until Hogan
recovered and went after Jericho. Hogan went to hit Angle with the chair
but Angle moved and Hogan KOed HHH with the chair. The heels double teamed
Hogan. Angle went to hit Hogan with the chair but Edge ran in and speared
Angle for a pop. Edge then fought with Angle through the crowd. Hogan
punched Jericho, booted him and legdropped him. HHH then hit Hogan with
the chair and stood over him as the show ended. I guess the match went
about 8:30. About as good as you could get with Hogan involved, I guess. I
don’t think it was as dramatic as it could have been, but it was a solid
main event. **1/4
Best Match: Tajiri/Guerrero vs Hurricane/Kidman- not surprisingly the
best match, but no better than an average match for these guys.
Worst Match: Faarooq vs Test- Just not a match or feud that I could see
anyone getting excited about.
Overall: Considering that it was no better than an average lineup, I
thought the in-ring work was pretty good. None of the matches disappointed
while the opener had much more redeeming value than it should have had. A
fun show because the lackluster matches were short while the good ones
received more time. Only 5 matches, but three were longer than 5:00, and
those three were all solid.
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