Best of the Velocity Matches #3

 Hardcore Holly vs. Chavo Guerrero, Velocity 7/6/2002

 

Low key great four minute match between two miserable bastards. Starts great with Chavo not handshaking and Holly slapping the taste right out of his mouth. We get some pretty hard hitting for WWE standards with Chavo setting himself up in fun ways to get chopped by Holly, as well as a nasty Chavo face scrape and Holly dropkicking Chavo in the face. Ending was totally awesome with multiple cool Alabama Slam attempts and counters, Chavo stomping Holly in the face, plus Holly busting out a gnarly powerbomb. Will Velocity make a Holly fan out of me?

Test vs. Val Venis, Velocity 7/9/2002

 

This was a match that I got weirdly invested in. The action was rather standard WWE TV stuff, but they really committed to their stuff. Test has great clotheslines and man looking at him you think he would be a megastar now, being big and good looking, but in 2002 he is doing a generic anti-american thing and getting himself DQ‘d. Venis always has ridiculously perfect offense, an absolutely sick boot to the face (the GUTS to completely outdo a guy whose finisher is a big boot), he also has a reverse figure 4 which he locks in in super slick fashion and Test really puts it over as this dangerous submission nearfall, coming up limping and everything. Crowd got really hot for this too and into the fire of Val Venis of all people, and the DQ actually left me salty. It didn‘t even lead to anything, but at least I know now they gave it their all with what limited tools they had to have a 6 minute Velocity main event.

Jamie Noble vs. Funaki, Velocity 7/16/2002

This was GREAT. Funaki had his working boots on. I didn‘t think he still had it in him, but he was busting out slick armbars and taking mad bumps like he was in his prime. Noble was great too, and him zoning in on Funakis leg lead to some damn great selling from Funaki. They did some great stuff with a northern lights suplex and a tornado DDT, not exactly the most exciting junior moves at this point, but they made them look cool. Super neat finish too. It‘s funny how Noble had this trailer trash gimmick but works like a brainy technician. This has to be the top match in the pile for today.

Tajiri vs. Mike Awesome, Velocity 7/23/2002

Well I may have spoken too soon, because this goes right head to head with Noble/Funaki. Great mix of Mike Awesomes power offense and willingness to take absolutely psycho bumps, and Tajiri taking him apart with brilliant kicks. Tajiri is an absolute god of the b-show match, he‘s just doing something neat ever second. Here he was attacking Mike with all kinds of kicks from odd angles, axe kicking the knee, kicking the back of the knee, stomping on his neck, it was just the right mix of flashy and ruthless. Loved the Tarantula specifically targetting the leg. Mike looked to be in a rough place but gave his all, diving face first into Tajiris feet, splatting on the floor in crazy moment, selling the leg at just the perfect time. Best 4 minute b-show match ever?

Best of the Velocity matches #1

 

Tajiri vs. Billy Kidman, Velocity 5/21/2002

 

Really freaking good Tajiri performance, who may be one of the all time great TV workers. He just did it all here, busting out cool holds, viciously cutting off Kidman, timing some excellent spots, kicking the crap out of Kidmans shoulder. Kidman was good as your cookie cutter flyer selling an arm injury but Tajiri was the man in this. Loved all the unique spots like the Tarantula getting denied and then turned into an armbreaker, Tajiris awesome handspring right into a Kidman dropkick etc. I didn‘t love the distraction but I guess at least they didn‘t go the obvious route ending it on a roll up right there.

Hardcore Holly vs. Val Venis, Velocity 5/21/2002

This was a four and a half minutes heavyweight sprint! And these two work a nice heavyweight sprint but damn, would it have killed them to stretch out 2 or 3 more minutes and let things breathe and work the crowd a bit? But damn, for two early 2000s WWE muscle heads they do a nice job working like a pair of joshis. Really nice opening with both guys working some fast trips and snug headlocks, before they really leather each other with some hard chops and clotheslines. Venis doesn‘t even do any sexy man spots, he‘s all business hitting snug elbow drops and knee drops! And he busts out a lot of high end offense against Holly, even dropping him with a big Blue Thunder Driver! I loved that move in WWF No Mercy. Holly evades the Money Shot and he nails Venis with a dropkick in the face and pins him. Yeah, Holly won a match with a standing dropkick and that rules.

Hugh Morrus vs. Albert, Velocity 5/28/2002

Hugh Morrus was working WWE TV in 2002?! And of course Morrus is game to work hard in a 4 minute big boy clash! Really fun work with Morrus clashing into the bigger Albert trying to take him down. Morrus hits a nice powerslom, but then dives right into Alberts big boot in a really cool big man spot! I‘d expect Morrus to job but he refuses too, he hits a huge german suplex on Albert and then goes for the kill with a huge moonsault off the top!!! That misses! Good try. Albert takes a hard chest bump into the corner for no reason before winning with the Baldo bomb. This was a heap of fun.

Val Venis vs. Reverend D-Von Dudley, Velocity 5/28/2002

Val Venis, 2002 Velocity workrate matchine? This was the main event and they work an epic 7 minute match with narrow kickouts and everything! It‘s fun to see how two guys like these two would work that kind of match and this had some nice moments. D-Von is aggressive to start but Venis comes back with his snug offense. Venis works the legs for a minute, even getting the tap with a cool reverse figure 4 but the hilarious Deacon Batista has the referee distracted. D-Von works the back, including doing a Fuchi-ish turnbuckle assisted stretch and Venis is selling really nice and makes a nice comeback. Venis hits the Blue Thunder Driver, which Devon again kicks out and Venis sells it huge, full Taker/HBK Wrestlemania Shocked Face! Venis goes to the top but Devon catches him with a second rope neckbreaker in a really nice moment. Devon takes a really nice bump on a missed diving headbutt but the ref ends up getting bumped and Venis eats the COLLECTORS BOX from Batista! What a match.