Welcome to the eleventh instalment of Tybo Talks… 2002 – Survivor Series
With the ease of access to pretty much all of WWE’s back-catalog on the WWE Network I thought it would be cool to change it up a bit and do some classic reviews (with a twist). So, where better to start than 2002. The plan is to review every PPV of 2002 while watching all Raw and Smackdown episodes in between.
Let’s get the stats out the way first, Survivor Series 2002 was held on November 17th at the at Madison Square Garden. In front of 17,930 fans. This was the sixteenth annual Survivor Series PPV in history. This would be the first time we see the Elimination Chamber match, and only the second time in Survivor Series history to not feature the classic 5-on-5 Elimination Match.
Now before I go any further, I’m not really going to explain the matches move for move. No one needs that, the PPV is on the WWE Network. This is going to be my thoughts on the booking and general thoughts about the matches and the event.
I do like when WWE use the tunnel in MSG, really adds something to the event. The opening vignette shows the dominance of Lesnar and the destruction of Big Show. It also shows the evolution of the Raw brand, and the Elimination Chamber getting built.
The first thing you see is the Chamber above the ring, All these year on and it still looks beyond cool.
Six-Man Table Match – Bubba Ray, Spike & Jeff Hardy vs 3 Minute Warning & Rico – 3 Minute Warning continue their road of destruction on Raw, no one has been safe the last few weeks. It’s really sad to think that both members of the team have passed away. Bubba Ray and Jeff Hardy have been tagging a lot recently if they were going to keep Bubba and Jeff in the tag division, why move D-Von and Matt to Smackdown?
There are a lot of big bumps in this match as pretty much everyone goes through tables, starting with Rosie no-selling putting himself through a table. Spike is flap-jacked though a table, Jeff Swanton Bombs of the crowd exit door (a nod to Royal Rumble 2002) through a table eliminating Rosie. Then Jeff takes a Frog-splash from Jamal from the top rope to the outside to be eliminated, and Bubba power-bombs Jamal, leaving Bubba Ray and Rico. After 3 Minute Warning double team, Bubba Ray out comes D-Von in classic Dudley Boys camouflage. Rico takes a 3D through the table. Are the Dudley Boys back? Winner – Bubba Ray, Spike & Jeff Hardy
Backstage (The World) – Stacy Keibler introduces Saliva singing ‘Always’ the PPVs theme song, with a great video package build for the event.
Cruiserweight Championship – Jamie Noble (C) vs Billy Kidman – Jamie Noble has been the Cruiserweight Champion for five months, so right now he is the longest reigning champion. Kidman has recently beat Noble in two none-title matches on Smackdown. The cruiserweight division is easily one of my favourite things on Smackdown right now, Noble has been a great champion. As always Nidia is involved, after winning Tough Enough it seems a bit of a waste to not have her wrestle. This is a great fast paced match, and Noble’s new ‘Tiger Bomb’ finisher looks great. Kidman hits a beautiful ‘Shooting Star Press’. Winner – Billy Kidman
Backstage – Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit are overly friendly, considering they really don’t like each other. Angle hugs Benoit, Benoit’s face is priceless.
Raw has recently started ‘F-View’ which is basically a re-hash of the old ‘G-TV’ the candid camera clip shows just how crazy Victoria is talking to a mirror.
Hardcore Rules Women’s Championship – Trish Status (C) vs Victoria – Victoria is continuing her first major push and I had forgotten just how crazy they made her at the beginning of her career. This match has had a hardcore feel to the whole build so the match being hardcore rules makes sense. This is the first hardcore rules match since 1999 (Ivory vs Tori). Victoria is vicious in this match and Trish takes a lot of weapon shots like a champ. All the weapons are in trash cans strapped to each ring post, this looks great. Neither diva holds back, the match is none stop. It looks like there was meant to be a mirror spot at the end but it was smashed. Great match all round. Winner – Victoria
Backstage – Coach is talking to Bischoff when Big Show comes in to say Bischoff made a mistake trading him to Smackdown.
There is then an interesting backstage segment between Heyman and Lesnar, where Heyman says he guarantees ‘his client’ will walk out as champion tonight.
WWE Championship – Brock Lesnar (C) vs Big Show – This is the most dominant Big Show has been since his WWE debut at ‘St. Valentine’s Day Massacre’. Last month Big Show was pissed off on Raw because he hadn’t been on a PPV for months, fast forward to three weeks on Smackdown and Show has been on an absolute warpath. He has taken out everyone from Matt Hardy to The Undertaker. The Big Show even threw Lesnar off the stage and ‘broke’ his rib.
The feud with Big Show has been a complete switch for Lesnar, he has gone from the unstoppable machine to the underdog looking small, even Heyman has been saying Lesnar can’t beat Big Show. The match is all power moves, the finish is a bit screwy but it’s a standard blind switch. After the referee is knocked out and a chair is introduced, Lesnar gets the pin but Heyman pulls the referee out. This is the big news of the match, Heyman has turned on Lesnar. With Lesnar distracted, this means Big Show can hit a chokeslam on a chair. Winner – Big Show
Backstage – Heyman and Big Show jump in a limousine and are gone. Heyman did say that ‘his client’ would walk out the champion.
Triple Threat Elimination Tag Team Championship (Smackdown) – Edge & Ray Mysterio (C) vs Eddie & Chavo Guererro vs Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit – In this match, there are rivalries in rivalries in rivalries. There are feuds between everyone, even Angle and Benoit don’t like each other. Since the Smackdown Tag Championships were introduced these titles have been a just part of what makes Smackdown so good. The six guys in the feud are all singles competitors working as teams, five out of the six are future world champions.
On a side note, there is a ‘2 out of 3 Falls’ match between Angle & Benoit vs Edge & Mysterio on Smackdown the week prior to this PPV, which I highly recommend.
It said a lot for this match and the championships that they are on the PPV card after the WWE Championship match. This is easily a match of the night contender. It’s none stop action throughout, the idea of three teams but only two guys in the ring mean anyone can tag anyone, which add an interesting dynamic. With Angle & Benoit eliminated first, it then leaves a one-on-one tag match, and it’s Mysterio who eventually taps the Eddie’s ‘El Passo Lasso’. Winner – Eddie & Chavo Guererro
Scott Stiner WWE debut – Chris Newinski comes to the ring and cuts a standard heel promo about New Yorkers being stupid and out comes Matt Hardy to say New Yorkers are losers. The whole thing goes on too long but then out comes Scott Stiner and the crowd pop is insane. Stiner is a monster! He beats down both Newinski and Hardy. At this point, Scott Stiner is a free agent so he can show up in both Raw and Smackdown till he signs with one or the other.
Elimination Chamber World Heavyweight Championship – Triple H (C) vs Shawn Michaels vs Booker T vs Kane vs Rob Van Dam vs Chris Jericho – As I’m sure you all know this is the first Elimination Chamber match in WWE history, the story on TV is that this was Eric Bischoff’s creation.
The truth is this is the brain-child of Shawn Michaels. I’m sure you all know what the original chamber is made of (a new structure was debuted in 2017) It’s 10 tons of steel, 36-foot-wide and 16-foot-tall, with 2 miles of chain, and bulletproof plexiglass.
This match has a lot of intertwining rivalries, Triple H has recently beat Kane, RVD and Michaels. Jericho and Booker T have had a long-running feud involving the Tag Championships, and Booker T has recently had an issue with Triple H. During Jericho’s entrance, Saliva performs ‘King of my World’ live in “The World”. While they are playing this, they show a great video package with all the wrestlers involved.
So, the match starts with Jericho, Booker T, Kane and Michaels in the pods, meaning Triple H would have to go from start to finish to retain his World Championship. The anticipation of this match is insane, the whole match still feels like it’s a big deal 15 years later. There are fair few big spots in this match and most of them from RVD. By the time Jericho comes in (first pod open) Triple H is already busted open and RVD has done his ‘Spiderman’ move off the chain wall. When Booker T gets in (second pod open) RVD has basically been double teamed for the last five minutes, he clears the ring and even gets a ‘Spin-a-roony’ in.
The next big spot is RVD, frog-splashing Triple H, this is where RVD injures Triple H. RVD’s knee hits Triple H’s throat and apparently crushes his windpipe. I’m not sure if this really happened but Triple H did spend the night in hospital on oxygen because he couldn’t breathe on his own.
Before Kane enters (third pod open), Booker T eliminates RVD, and Jericho eliminates Booker T. Kane enters throws Jericho through the bulletproof glass. If he wins tonight he would be the first ever masked wrestler to hold the World Heavyweight Championship. Michaels enters last (forth pod open) just after Jericho eliminates Kane after taking everyone’s finisher. This is Michaels first Survivor Series since 1997 (Montreal Screw-job). Michaels eliminates Jericho, and it’s down to two.
It’s clear at this point that Triple H is injured, but he keeps going. Michaels goes through the glass giving Triple H some rest bite. Then after a pedigree and an attempt at a second, Michaels hits the Sweet Chin Music. Winner – Shawn Michaels
Confetti rains and a huge celebration for Shawn Michaels winning the World Heavyweight Championship.
Overall – This was a great, fun PPV. One of the best of the year, with all the twist and turns. Not to mention I think this is one of the only PPV’s where every championship changes hands. Smackdown killed it tonight with Heyman’s turn on Lesnar and Big Shows dominance and the amazing Tag Team Championship match. Raw also pulled it out the bag with the first ever Elimination Chamber match, and Michaels winning was a great move. There were so many shocks in one night. The Match of the Night would be the Smackdown Tag Team Championship match if it wasn’t for the Elimination Chamber, but the Chamber stood out as a great match for 15 Years. It was so good in fact it has its own PPV.
2002 PPV Ranking
- Wrestlemania X8 – 4.5
- Survivor Series – 4.5
- Vengeance – 4.5
- No Mercy – 4
- Royal Rumble – 3.5
- Summer Slam – 3
- Unforgiven – 3
- No Way Out – 3
- Judgement Day – 3
- King of the Ring 2002 – 3.5
- Backlash – 2.5
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