Waterhouse Center – Orlando, FL – TV Rating – 3.6
We start with a recap of Diamond Dallas Page [ DDP ] revealing himself to be the person who has been stalking the Undertaker’s wife Sara before getting to the arena where Michael Cole reminds us we’re just three days away from King of the Ring. There’s no Tazz tonight, presumably because he’s preoccupied with his stint on Tough Enough which was premiering the same night on MTV (after Smackdown had finished of course) so we get Paul Heyman.
Kurt Angle’s music kicks in so we’re starting with a promo. Cole reminds us that Angle could have THREE matches in one night at KotR and then Angle starts to tell the fans that he’s a superhero who stands for truth, justice and the American way. He talks about how he will show that Shane is a mere mortal, makes references about talking to Shaquille O’Neal about repeating success and then moves on to the other three semi-finalists in the KotR tournament. Angle says it’s the grown-up’s table and he’s a “man playing with boys” but then realises what he’s said. Before he can correct himself Edge & Christian make their way to ringside. The call him a dork and Edge tells Angle they didn’t make it this far in the tournament not to win. Edge says that if Christian doesn’t beat Angle in the semi, then he will beat him in the final. Christian takes offence to the idea that he won’t beat Angle and tells Edge that he will beat Angle and then beat him. Angle wants them to stop arguing and apologise to him but Rhyno comes out and tells Angle that E&C never needed him and that one of the three will stop him from repeating his KotR victory. Just when it seems like it’s the world against Angle, Rhyno Gores Edge and leaves. As Christian checks on Edge, Angle hits him with the Olympic Slam.
We go to the back of the arena where The Undertaker has Sara by his side and is waiting for Diamond Dallas Page to arrive. This is all very well, but I’m certain that one of the main thrusts of Page’s promo on Raw was that he would see Taker at KotR. Taker has been really dumb throughout all of this.
Inside the arena, Spike and Molly are continuing their Romeo and Juliet love affair. Spike Dudley is the latest wrestler to be “punished” by being booked in a match with the Big Show tonight. Molly is concerned but Spike says he will be fine and asks her to stay away from ringside tonight as he doesn’t want her to get hurt because of him. Molly agrees, albeit reluctantly, but gives him a good luck kiss.
The Big Show Vs Spike Dudley – No DQ Match
Given this is Spike Dudley there is the chance for once that Big Show being booked as a figure of punishment to teach someone a lesson might actually work for once. Spike looks completely overmatched in the early going as Show shrugs off any offence he manages to get in and lays a bit of a beating on him. Against all the odds though Spike manages to create an opening with a low blow and even manages to hit the Dudley Dawg. Could there be an upset? Well, D-Von and Bubba are here to make sure there isn’t as they run in and hit Spike with a 3D. So punishment “enforcer” Show needs help to beat Spike despite beating him up throughout this three-minute match.
Taker and Sara are still waiting for DDP to show up (despite DDP never saying he would show up) when a limo pulls up. Taker is ready for action but is disappointed when he opens the door and it’s Vince McMahon. Vince says he had nothing to do with anything that DDP has done (and why would Taker think he had anyway) and that he promises that security will keep DDP away tonight. Quite apart from the fact that Vince’s crack security squad never can keep anyone away, Take says that’s a bad idea. If DDP shows up, Taker wants him letting in so he can go and get his hands on him.
Kane & The Hardy’s Vs X-Factor
Of course, what is a show without the X-Factor on it? And we get all three in action. Michael Cole announces that Jeff Hardy has signed to defend his Light Heavyweight Title against X-Pac at KotR so we can guess what might happen tonight. They set up that Kane/Albert is the big confrontation in this one but it’s actually Jeff and Justin Credible that start off. What follows is five minutes of the usual X-Factor style action with some Hardy high spots thrown in. As if to prove just how meaningless the WWE thinks the Light Heavyweight Title is we actually see Jeff pin X-Pac to win the match, which is a sure-fire way to build up that title encounter isn’t it. In reality, the main focus of this one is indeed Kane and Albert’s ongoing feud. This is odd as they are not scheduled for the upcoming PPV.
Backstage Vince is on the phone complaining to someone about the Undertaker demanding he lets a “WCW Creep” like DDP into HIS arena. Stone Cold Austin interrupts and after some back and forth reminds Vince of his bizarre “me or Linda” ultimatum from Raw and demands to know if Vince has made his choice. Vince says he’s still thinking but that Austin might know which way he will go. Austin thinks he might and gives him his hunting bow as a gift. He also gives him a camouflage hat. Of course he does.
Taker is still outside the back of the arena waiting for DDP, upset and impatient that his foe, who has never said he would be here, hasn’t arrived. In lieu of anything else Taker kicks some wooden pallets.
Elsewhere, Tajiri is backstage watching clips of his loss on Raw. William Regal joins him and blames Tajiri for not listening to him and tells him he has to make it up to him. Kaientai interrupt and they demand a World Title match for Taka tonight. Regal refuses but then it turns out that Taka meant the light-heavyweight title. Regal says that Hardy has a match against X-Factor tonight. We know William, we’ve just seen it. This seems like a production mistake because Cole talks over Regal saying this reminding us that Jeff has already fought tonight. Anyway the upshot is we’ll get Taka and Tajiri tonight.
Now we’re with Kurt Angle and Rhyno. Angle says Rhyno has the right idea about KotR being every man for himself and that he’s glad that Edge & Christian challenged the two of them to a match tonight as he wants to make them pay for calling him a dork. Angle says that it could be the two of them in the KotR final on Sunday and that there’s no shame in Rhyno getting the silver medal spot as runner-up. Rhyno doesn’t seem amused.
Who needs wrestling on a wrestling show as we’re back with Vince getting another visit from Stone Cold. This time Debra has brought some cookies. Vince tries them and you can see that he thinks they are terrible but he says he loves them. Austin replies that he’s always hated Debra’s cookies and that he feels Vince doesn’t really like them. He yells at Debra for putting too much sugar in them. Ok, then.
Edge & Christian Vs Kurt Angle & Rhyno
These are, of course, the four semi-finalists in the KotR tournament so there is a deep question about whether partners in this are even on the same page even though there has been an affiliation between all four in the past months. This is another in a long-line of TV matches that are perfectly fine but at the same time disappointingly short (four minutes here). Still the quartet pack in what they can as we move to the inevitable finale of something going wrong. This comes when Christian tries to clothesline Rhyno but the man-beast ducks and Christian ends up clobbering Edge instead. Rhyno then Gores both his opponents and walks off, leaving Angle to cover Edge for the win. Post match, Shane McMahon does a run in and cracks Angle with a Kendo Stick before running back out through the crowd.
More Austin and Vince next. Austin presents Vince with a signed photograph of their WrestleMania “Handshake” saying that this is where their friendship started. He says Vince can put it where he wants but to keep it near his heart.
After some footage of the Tough Enough Premiere Party from WWE New York (and Cole reminding us that it premieres on MTV right after Smackdown), William Regal is attempting to speak to Perry Saturn whilst Terri looks on. Regal is annoyed that Test won the Hardcore title after help from Shane O’Mac and as he wants to see that punished, Saturn will get a Hardcore Title match tonight. Because that’s just what someone suffering from going “loopy” after repeated shots to the head needs. Saturn doesn’t seem all that bothered and is more interested in dogs eating apple sauce. To fire him up, Regal tells him Test has been going around saying dogs eat kumquats. That gets Saturn annoyed enough to want to beat Test. Of course, it does.
We’re back in the arena so maybe there’s a match coming up, but no. Stone Cold Steve Austin wanders out and he’s for some reason he’s here to have a go at Michael Cole. Heyman senses what’s coming and so quietly moves away. Austin is annoyed that Cole thinks he will lose at KotR but is more upset he called Vince the devil. He proceeds to beat Cole up whilst ordering him never to say another word about Vince again. It is what it is, I guess, but three days removed from KotR it’s noticeable that Benoit and Jericho don’t make a save. They are really being pushed strong as challengers aren’t they?
After a break, Austin heads to Vince’s office to tell him about what he did to Cole but Vince isn’t there. Back in the arena, Jim Ross has replaced Cole on commentary after the latter has had to be stretchered out.
Test Vs Perry Saturn – Hardcore Title
Test comes in with his ribs taped, after the damage Rhyno did to him last week so we’re supposed to think his reign is at risk here. Saturn may not be “right” but he has the sense to go straight for Test’s ribs as the commentators cover this by suggesting that it’s only out of the ring that Saturn has issues. Test hits back with some clotheslines before we get trash cans and kendo sticks introduced into the proceedings. We also get a mop, which as we know is not only there to be a weapon. Test boots the mop into Perry’s face and gets the win. The usual hardcore stuff that’s pretty boring when you don’t care about the participants/they’re not suited for this style. Post-match Terri tries to get rid of the mop but Saturn grabs it and caresses it. Paul Heyman foreshadows where we’re going by suggesting the mop looks like Terri.
Undertaker and Sara have perhaps decided that DDP isn’t showing up as they are wandering around. They bump into Kane who says that he has Taker’s back should DDP bring his WCW friends with him tonight The other side of an ad break Stone Cold is looking for Vince. Someone tells him Vince has already left but Austin simply can’t believe that Vince would leave without saying goodbye.
Back in the arena, The Undertaker and his wife Sara make their way to the ring. He rhetorically asks who DDP is and answers by saying he’s the sorry punk he’s going to beat up as soon as he gets the chance. Taker has beaten a lot of guys but if DDP wants to be famous he’ll make sure he is… by giving him the worst beating he’s ever given anyone. He begs DDP to be at King of the Ring on Sunday. The same DDP who said only three days ago that he would be at King of the Ring on Sunday. DDP is here though as we hear his voice… from the Taker’s Ranch. He gives us a tour of the house and then says he’ll see Taker on Sunday.
We get “during the break” footage of Austin going to Vince’s office and seeing the gifts he got him all still there. He reasons it must have been an emergency for Vince to leave without them and he picks up the gifts to give to Vince at a later date. Debra says not to forget the cookies but after a glance from Austin, they leave without the cookies.
Tajiri Vs Taka Michinoku
These two meet for the second time on WWE TV, the only other time being a Raw match in July 1997 when Tajiri was little more than an “enhancement” talent. They went nearly four minutes then. Tonight it’s less than two. Presumably, that means Taka is the enhancement talent now. Taka/the voice over guy lambasts Tajiri for his degrading portrayal of the Japanese but it’s to little avail. Tajiri runs through some of his greatest hits and gets the win following a Buzzsaw kick. William Regal seems very pleased, but not pleased enough to accept the hug he is offered by Tajiri.
Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho Vs The Dudley Boys – World Tag Team Titles
To re-cap, Benoit and Jericho are challenging for the World Title on Sunday. This is the go-home show for that PPV and this is the first time we have seen them tonight. And they’ve not interacted with the Champion either. Seasoned wrestling viewers will perhaps guess how this one is ending then. The two teams put on a good enough TV match. It’s back and forth and all-action but we’re just killing time until the inevitable Austin run-in. This comes when referee Earl Hebner takes a bump and so is out cold when Benoit puts Bubba in the Crossface and so can’t see him tapping. Austin runs out, bashes Benoit in the back of the head with his title and Bubba drapes his arm across the prone Benoit for the 1-2-3. Wrestling is very easy to over-think but surely the simple act of having this match on Raw (the Chris’ needed to lose the belts) and having the six-man from there here, so the final image before the PPV would have been them standing tall and having the win over Austin would have been so much more effective.
We’ve one more thing though; Austin is backstage and finally catches up with Vince. Vince has been with Michael Cole at the hospital and Cole had threatened to sue the company. Vince then says he is still thinking about Austin’s ultimatum but he won’t be at King of the Ring so Austin will have to win on his own. He has his own ultimatum too…if Austin loses the title Sunday their alliance is over!
As a “go home” show for the King of the Ring, it does manage to create intrigue for the tournament matches and sort of pushes along with the DDP/Taker stuff and, belatedly, the Austin/Jericho/Benoit title match. But overall it’s an average show at best and in hindsight, it seems clear that by now KotR is just a show they have to get out of the way before they can start the Invasion angle in earnest.