WWE House Show Results from Washington, DC 6-28-02
Submitted by Calvin Martin on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 12:58 PM EST



Report by Graham Cawthon
http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777

The Raw brand represented the WWE when it came into DC on Friday night. I had previously attended the April Smackdown! show in Baltimore but had yet to see the Raw brand in action since the extension. Expectations were high considering the talent scheduled to be on hand; the result was not as high but it was still an enjoyable show.

Bubba Ray & Spike Dudley vs. WWE European Champion William Regal & Christopher Nowinski

Bubba was the only thing in this match to really get the fans going. They hated Nowinski with a passion, for which I really have to give him credit since he's been on TV less than a month. The match was fairly typical - lots of illegal double teaming behind the referee's back, Spike is beaten down for the majority of the bout, and often when he makes the tag - the referee doesn't see it because of distractions by Regal & Nowinski.

Once Bubba makes the hot tag in, he cleans house - eventually setting up Spike for the Wazzup drop on Nowinski. As Bubba gets a table from the floor, Regal attacks him from behind - allowing Nowinski to hit the full nelson slam on Spike for the pinfall. After the match, Bubba sets up the table and Spike hits a double stomp off the top onto Nowinski and through the table.

Winners: William Regal & Christopher Nowinski

WWE Women's Championship - Trish Stratus vs. Molly Holly ©

Trish was way over with the crowd from the moment her music hit. The challenger put up a tough fight but Molly eventually walks away with the title after blocking a monkey flip out of the corner, pushing Trish to the mat, and putting her feet on the ropes for the pinfall. After the match, Trish gave a ringside fan a kiss on the cheek (looked to have been a teenager but maybe younger).

Winner: Molly Holly

D-Lo Brown vs. Justin Credible

Decent contest with highlights that included Credible catching D-Lo coming off the top and hitting the superkick as he was in mid-air. Eventually, D-Lo catches Credible with the Sky High powerbomb to pick up the pinfall.

Winner: D-Lo Brown

WWE Hardcore Championship - Shawn Stasiak vs. Bradshaw ©

The champion came to the ring in full cowboy attire, boots, hat, even cowbell. The two put on an okay match - although it wasn't very hardcore. I think I saw more wristlocks and arm bars in this bout than in any other hardcore match in recent history. I think this has been pretty much the cookie-cutter finish for all the house show hardcore title matches - Steven Richards runs in, hits Bradshaw with a cookie sheet, Stasiak wins the title, Spike interferes and hits the Dudley Dogg and wins the title, Richards hits the Stevie Kick and wins the title, Bradshaw hits the Clothesline from Hell and regains the title.

Winner (after several title changes): Bradshaw

Matt Hardy vs. Raven

Matt was very much over with the crowd, although I believe Jeff would have been more so. Back-and-forth match that sees Raven miss his attempt at Matt's legdrop off the top, with Matt hitting the Twist of Fate seconds later for the pinfall.

After the match, Raven crotches Matt on the top rope and walks away. One referee comes to check on Hardy…then another…and minutes later, he's still on the arena floor. Howard Finkel comes back into the ring with a puzzled and concerned look on his face, so by this point even I'm questioning if it's legit or not.

Winner: Matt Hardy

Ric Flair vs. Brock Lesnar

By the time Flair's music hits, Matt is being helped from ringside by two referees. Brock comes out alone (Paul Heyman was advertised as being in Brock's corner) and almost immediately attacks Matt Hardy in the aisle - putting to rest any doubts I had as to whether or not the 'injury' was legit.

Flair comes to Matt's aid on the floor and eventually drags Brock back inside the ring. 'The Nature Boy' puts up an unexpectedly strong offense, rivaling that of RVD against the massive Lesnar. Brock uses his power to single handedly stop Flair's momentum but Flair fights back with low blows (after distracting the referee first) and classic Flair psychology.

Flair eventually targets the legs and takes Brock to school. However, before the figure-4 can be applied - Chris Benoit jumps up on the apron. The distraction is only momentary but it allows Brock to hit the Brock-Buster to pick up the win. Benoit's interference in Flair's match would not be forgotten later in the card.

Winner: Brock Lesnar

Intermission

Tommy Dreamer vs. Steven Richards

Few people were into this match, which is a shame because I think both of these guys can deliver. The match included Dreamer taking various items from ringside fans - including drinks and a box of Cracker Jacks - which he and Richards took turns eating as they were in control of the bout. The finish came as Dreamer attempted the Spicolli Driver, only for Richards to squirm out and hit the Stevie Kick for the pinfall.

Winner: Steven Richards

WWE Intercontinental Championship - Eddie Guerrero vs. Rob Van Dam ©

Two disappointments in this match - 1) it was scheduled to be a ladder match 2) Chris Benoit, although interfering late in the match, was supposed to be in Guerrero's corner for the duration of the title contest. Even for this being a straight one-on-one title match and not a ladder match, I was sure it was going to be the best of the night - and it was.

The two put on a solid contest with plenty of crisp exchanges. Toward the end of the contest, RVD had the challenger ready for the five star - only for Chris Benoit to push the champion off the top rope. Ric Flair ran up behind Benoit in the aisle and began beating him down as the champion regained the momentum and hit the frog splash for the pinfall. After the match, Flair & RVD had a lengthy standoff against Benoit & Guerrero before the former members of the Radicalz left ringside.

Winner: Rob Van Dam

Booker T & Goldust vs. the Big Show & X-Pac

DC loves Booker T! I cannot believe how over he has become in a matter of weeks; his ovation was probably the third biggest of the night - behind only Hogan and RVD.

The match was very entertaining, with Goldust hitting the Shattered Dreams on X-Pac, Booker body slamming the Big Show, and then eventually hitting the Bookend on X-Pac for the pin. But of course, the highlight of the match was seeing the most electrifying move in sports entertainment today - the Spinarooni.

Winners: Booker T & Goldust

WWE World Championship - Hulk Hogan vs. the Undertaker ©

There's little doubt in my mind who all the fans came to see during this show - Hogan. Young or old, long-time fan or not, the entire crowd was pro-Hogan like nothing I had ever seen. Personally, I have never seen Hogan wrestle live. It's an experience if nothing more, to see the effect one man can have over nearly 20,000 fans.

The finish of the bout came after the referee took a hard bump to the mat. Taker hits a pathetic chokeslam, Hogan jumps right back up, Hulks up, hits all the classic spots, drops the leg, and no referee! Then, as the challenger tries to revive the ref, Taker grabs his belt - smacks Hogan with it and then hits another pathetic chokeslam for the pin. The fans cry foul until the Hulkster comes back after the match, eventually tossing the champion over the top rope before doing the traditional 10-minute post match posedown.

Winner: the Undertaker

The end result: A good show with 4 stand out matches in a 10-match card. Booker / Goldust vs. X-Pac / Show, RVD vs. Guerrero, Flair vs. Lesnar, and Hogan vs. Taker delivered enough to make up for the rest of the lackluster undercard. Most of the other matches were average to below average, with Dreamer vs. Richards drawing no heat and the hardcore title match just being a big comical waste of time.

I've never been one to second guess Vince McMahon, but I'm not so sure how this whole brand extension is going to benefit the company in the long run, especially when half the participants of this particular card get minimal to zero mic time per week.

Of course, I'm sure my opinion may have been different had we gotten the scheduled IC title ladder match as well as the Hogan / Triple H vs. Undertaker / Big Show main event. I'm just happy I finally got to see Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan wrestle live, even if it's at the twilight of their respective careers.

Graham Cawthon
http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777



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Report by Joe

I was at the MCI Center last night for the Raw house show. The attendence was poor, only about 7-8,000 people for a 17,000 seat arena. Other house shows have sold out, so there is definately a decline in the D.C. area. Oh well, onto the results:

William Regal & Chris Nowinski v.s. Spike and Bubba Ray Dudley
This was suprinsingly a very good match that went 20 minutes. The WWE should set a program up with these two teams for Raw. Regal and Nowinski got the win after Chris used his finisher-a modified inverted sidewalk slam on Spike. Afterwards Spike and Bubba put Nowinski through a table.

Molly Holly v.s. Trish Stratus- WWE Women's Title Match
What can I say? A typical women's match. Good effort. Trish pulled down Molly's pants revealing grandma bloomer underwear. Molly got the win.

D'Lo Brown v.s. Justin Credible
Good match from these two. The crowd was into D'Lo. It's a shame that Credible can't be used correctly. D'Lo won with the sky high.

Bradshaw v.s. Shawn Stasiak- WWE Hardcore Title Match
BORING. This was a hardcore match, but, it took the two five minutes before a trash can lid was used. After Stevie Richards interferred, Stasiak won the hardcore title. Then, Spike beat Stasiak for the belt. Richards beat Spike, then Bradshaw beat Stasiak to win back the hardcore belt.

Matt Hardy v.s. Raven
Typical match from these two. Effort given from both guys, but Raven just doesn't seem to care anymore(not, that I can blame him), and Matt Hardy is nothing special, never has been. Matt wins with the twist of fate. Afterwards Raven crotches Matt on the top rope, and Hardy falls onto the floor and appeared to get hurt, legit. He was on the ground for a good 5 minutes with refs checking him. 3 refs begin helping him to the back which took another 5 minutes(I began seeing that this was a work). Brock Lesnar then came out and threw Matt Hardy into the crowd and beat the poor sap down somemore.

Ric Flair v.s. Brock Lesnar
No Paul E. for this match. This was Brocks best match to date. Ric Flair can make anybody look good. Good back and forth action. Ric Flair, like always, gave more than half the guys in the back. Chris Benoit, came out and distracted Flair, allowing Brock to hit his TKO move and get the win. Benoit leaves.

Intermission

Tommy Dreamer v.s. Stevie Richards
I can't believe the reaction these guys got. No one cared. It was sad. I was the only one cheering these guys, and Tommy aknowledged me for doing so(I was 6 row on the floor), as he pointed to me and said "Thank you." Stevie began stomping his foot signaling sweet chin music ala his BWO days, Tommy began laughing at him for that. I thought that this was good match, although the rest of the crowd could care less. Stevie won with, I think, his super kick.

Rob Van Dam v.s. Eddie Guerrero-IC Title Match
I was really PO'd that this was not the ladder match that was advertised on the WWE website. Anywas, it was a good match with the same spots they used in their previous matches. At the end, Chris Benoit comes out again, and tries to distract RVD, but Ric Flair comes out, and Flair and Benoit go at it on the outside, allowing RVD to his frog splash. RVD picks up the win as he and Flair celebrate afterwards.

Booker T. & Goldust v.s. Big Show & X-Pac
The only bad thing about this match was the Big Show, who looked like he was about to pass out after 5 minutes of less than stellar ring work. Everyone was behind Booker(about time if you ask me). Booker T and Goldust got the win after Booker hit the Book End on X-Pac.

Undertaker v.s. Hulk Hogan-WWE Undisputed Title
Well, you know the PPV match these two had recently. Ok, go watch that match, because it was better than this house show match. If that is even possible. Hogan had the crowd eating out of his hand all night. The ref bump occurs, and 'Taker hit Hogan with the title belt and 2 choke slams to get the win. Afterwards Hogan attacks Undertaker, then poses for the crowd for an undiclosed amount of time. I left right after the ref's hand hit the mat for the 3 count. I had no desire to see Hogan do what I have seen him do countless other times live.

Biggest Pops
RVD
Ric Flair
Booker T
Trish Stratus' cleavage

Biggest Heat
The Fink's microphone cutting out at the beginning of the night
Regal/Nowinski
Raven

For such a low turnout of fans, the crowd was really hot all night, as is the case whenever the WWE comes to D.C.








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