King of the Ring
Sunday, June 24th in E. Rutherford, NJ
Diamond Dallas Page entered the arena through the crowd as King of the Ring began! He climbed the barrier and entered the ring and grabbed a microphone.
Page said he came out to let the Undertaker know that he had arrived at the building. He said that Taker should be thanking him for only showing the PG-rated footage, because he had a personal collection of Sara that deserved more than just a thumbs-up! As far as DDP getting the worst ass-whooping that the Undertaker had ever handed out, Page said that he was going to kick Taker’s ass all over his own yard! DDP promised to be the first WCW wrestler to ever set foot in Madison Square Garden! Page said that he would be easy to find, because he was sitting in the front row, holding a sign that read “Make Me Famous!” DDP then went to his seat and waited.
King of the Ring semifinal match: Kurt Angle defeated Christian
The King of the Ring semifinals got underway with defending King of the Ring Kurt Angle facing his friend Christian.
Angle went out like a house afire, trying to end the match quickly, because he was facing the possibility of three matches in one night. Soon, Christian got his bearings, and as the crowd chanted “Angle sucks!,” Christian started kicking at Angle.
Kurt got back to his feet and gave Christian a belly-to-belly suplex, and the match spilled outside the ring. There, Angle continued to pound on Christian, even bouncing his friend’s head off the announce table! Christian retaliated and threw Kurt back into the ring, but Kurt shoved him off the ring apron into the security wall!
Christian got back up into the ring, where Angle hit him with another two suplexes and went for the cover, which Christian kicked out of. After the near fall, Angle kept beating on Christian, and hit him with yet another two suplexes!
Christian recovered and hit Angle with a spinning heel kick, when WCW Chairman Shane McMahon came to ringside! In the ring, Kurt laid out Christian and went for a moonsault, but Christian had rolled away! Kurt then went after Christian and locked him in the Ankle Lock, but Christian, grabbed the ropes!
After Christian flattened Angle, he went for the pin, but Shane McMahon pulled Christian away! Angle hit Christian with the Angle Slam and picked up the win as Shane looked on in approval!
In an interview with Coach, Stone Cold Steve Austin asked if he had seen Vince McMahon, and Coach said that Vince had said he wasn’t going to be there. Austin said that sometimes, Vince can be such a kidder! When Coach asked about the Benoit/Jericho WCW rumors, Stone Cold was stunned!
As Diamond Dallas Page sat in the front row, Paul Heyman went over to him and told him his actions were a bit brazen. As DDP answered, footage aired of Page while he dined! Page said he didn’t think the footage was funny, and he didn’t appreciate his personal life being shown like that!
King of the Ring semifinal match: Edge defeated Rhyno
Edge took on his good friend Rhyno in the match that would determine Kurt Angle’s opponent in the tournament final.
After the bell rang, Rhyno spat his gum out right into Edge’s face! Edge took exception to that, and started slugging Rhyno. The Man-Beast caught Edge with a stiff elbow to stop the barrage, but soon, both men found themselves slugging it out outside the ring.
Edge kept taking it to Rhyno, laying him out by pounding him repeatedly into the security barrier around the ring. Rhyno reversed the beating and shoved Edge into the walls. As Edge recovered, Rhyno entered the ring, where he untied one of the turnbuckles. When Edge got back into the ring, Rhyno threw him into that bare turnbuckle chest-first.
Rhyno continued to go after Edge’s injured ribs, and even locked Edge into the body scissors. After slamming Edge to the mat, he climbed to the top rope and nailed Edge with a huge splash, but Edge kicked out!
Edge then laid out Rhyno in the ring, and began to climb the ropes, but Rhyno knocked him down! As Rhyno pounded on him, Edge revered it into an Irish whip, but Rhyno kicked out.
As both men stood up, Rhyno went for the Gore at the same moment that Edge went for the Spear! They bounced off each other and lay in the ring in pain!
Rhyno went to Gore Edge again, but hit the bare turnbuckle! Edge then hit him with a DDT, allowing Edge to pick up the win!
As Chris Jericho prepared for his match, Tazz asked him about the rumors of him going to WCW. Jericho said that he was absolutely aware of the rumors, but he was absolutely not aware that everyone else knew of those rumors.
Tag Team Championship: Dudley Boyz defeat Spike Dudley and Kane
The Dudley Boyz put their newly won Tag Team Championship on the line against their brother Spike and someone Spike referred to as a “big surprise.”
And his partner was Kane!
Spike didn’t waste any time, and went right after his brothers. Spike took down Bubba Ray, but the older, and bigger, brother soon crawled away and tagged in D-Von. At that, Spike tagged in Kane.
The Big Red Machine laid out D-Von, and took him to the corner where Spike tagged back in. Spike wanted revenge on D-Von for hitting him with a 3D, so he went after him with a fury!
Soon, Bubba was tagged back in, and he locked on a sleeper hold, which Spike battled his way out of. Even though he escaped, Bubba nailed him with a powerbomb, flattening him on the mat. D-Von then joined in on the act, and tried to hit Spike with a headbutt, but the runt of the litter escaped and tagged in Kane.
Kane took down both older Dudley brothers, and even got two near falls on Bubba. Kane then tagged Spike in, and threw him like a human javelin at both D-Von and Bubba! Spike went for the cover, but Bubba kicked out! Spike tried to pin Bubba after a Dudley Dogg, but D-Von pulled him away!
D-Von and Bubba hit Spike with a 3D, allowing them to get the pin and retain their Championship!
After the match, D-Von went to get the table, but Kane hit him with a powerbomb! Then, Kane tossed Bubba through the table!
As Diamond Dallas Page sat at ringside, more footage aired of Page as he conducted his personal business! DDP demanded for Taker to come out to the ring immediately!
King of the Ring Tournament Final: Edge defeats Kurt Angle
Edge took and his friend Kurt Angle in the King of the Ring final. Before the match, Kurt apologized for getting mad at Edge last week- he didn’t want anything to get in the way of their friendship. Kurt told his opponent that he had a Street Fight with Shane, and asked Edge to forfeit, saying it was the ring thing to do! Edge just looked at Kurt and flattened him with a stiff punch!
After trading punches, Kurt tossed Edge out of the ring with a belly-to-belly toss! Outside the ring, Angle continued to pound on Edge, going after the ribs he had injured in his previous match against Rhyno. After wearing down Edge, Kurt dragged him back into the ring.
There, he applied a chokehold, and as the crowd rooted for him, Edge slowly began standing up. When he did, Edge started nailing Kurt with punches. He continued the barrage by whipping Angle off the ropes, but Kurt caught him with another suplex.
Again, Kurt went after a reverse chinlock, cutting off Edge’s air supply. Edge eventually escaped the hold again, but Kurt tossed him out of the ring again! There, Kurt started pounding on his friend, even dropping him on the security wall. The referee told them to get back in the ring.
Back in the ring, Edge took down Angle with a hurricanrana. When Edge went for the pin, Angle kicked out. On their knees, both men slugged it out. Once they got back on their feet, Kurt locked on the ankle lock, but Edge reversed it! When Edge went for the pin, the referee was distracted when Christian ran out to ringside!
Kurt again locked on the ankle lock, and Edge tapped, but the referee was distracted! Kurt went to grab the ref, and Shane McMahon ran to the ring and speared Angle! Edge got up and hit Kurt with the Impaler, getting the win and becoming the 2001 King of the Ring!
In the back, Tazz asked Chris Benoit if there was any truth to the WCW rumors flying around. Benoit said that was a very good question.
Coach asked Edge how it felt to be King of the Ring, when Christian came up, telling him that he only came to the ring to help him earlier.
Light Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Hardy defeats X-Pac
Jeff Hardy put the Championship on the line against X-Pac. The match began with both high-flyers pounding on each other, but soon, Jeff gained the advantage, locking on X-Pac’s arm. X-Pac reversed the hold and tossed Jeff out of the ring. X-Pac flew at Jeff with a springboard, and then pushed him back into the ring.
There, X-Pac nailed Jeff with a spinning heel kick, and started pounding on him on the corner. When he went to hit the bronco buster, Jeff rolled away! Utilizing the advantage, Jeff started pounding on X-Pac, even hitting him with a corkscrew! Jeff went back up top, but X-Pac caught him and rolled through, gaining a near-fall!
X-Pac nailed Jeff with an X-Factor, and the ref counted to three! He then realized Jeff had his foot on the rope, so the match continued!
Jeff climbed up to the top rope, hit X-Pac with a Swanton Bomb to retain his Championship!
In Commissioner Regal’s office, Stone Cold called Vince McMahon and told him of the WCW/Benoit/Jericho rumors. Regal got on the phone and backed up Austin’s claims. Stone Cold grabbed the phone and told Vince he needed him, and that he could make it in time from Greenwich. Austin then hung up after thanking Vince.
More footage aired of Dallas Page as he conducted personal business, as DDP fumed.
Page climbed over the security walls and entered the ring again. He demanded that Undertaker show his face immediately! After more goading, and more footage of Page was shown, and then it was revealed that it was Sara who had aired the footage! She told Page that it was time for him to become famous!
Page/Taker confrontation: Undertaker wins
The Undertaker made the long, slow walk to the ring, where DDP stood. When he got there, he stood outside the ring and put on fighting gloves. Page paced and waited. Taker stared at him and climbed the steps.
He brawl began immediately with Taker pounding on DDP. With the brawl being just that, there was no referee, and no rules!
After Undertaker cornered Page, DDP knocked the Dead Man down with a low blow. Taker recovered and began pounding on Page, when Sara walked down to the ring carrying a camcorder! She began taping the brawl!
Undertaker continued to take Page apart as Sara watched on. The brutal beating went, and no fan was seated. Eventually, DDP grabbed a steel chair and started nailing Undertaker. The two men then flipped over the announce table and hammered on each other.
As Sara taped, Undertaker told Page that he hoped he liked being famous. DDP jumped over the top rope, and then he jumped the barricade and made a hasty exit from the building! Undertaker and Sara celebrated in the ring!
Street Fight: Kurt Angle defeats Shane McMahon
The Street fight between Shane McMahon and Kurt Angle began with the Olympic Champion pounding the WCW Owner to the ground! Kurt kept pounding on Shane until Shane retaliated with quick punches.
Angle kept going, however, and hit Shane with some more right hands and a belly-to-belly overhead throw. Angle took Shane to suplex school tossing the Boy Wonder around, and then nailed him with some forearm chops.
When Shane stood up, Angle got down on all fours and challenged him to beat him amateur-style. Shane hovered around the Olympic Champion, but instead of agreeing, Shane kicked Angle in the side!
The match soon spilled out to ringside, where Shane climbed up on the barrier behind J.R. and Paul. When Angle went after him, Shane jumped right over the announcers and took down Kurt! The WCW Owner picked up a kendo stick and started pounding on Angle!
As Kurt lie down trying to recover, Shane stopped to take a breather. It was then that Angle jumped on Shane from behind! Shane escaped, however, and started pounding Kurt’s head off the ring steps. Shane pushed Kurt back into the ring and went for a cover, but Kurt kicked out!
Shane climbed back out of the ring and started getting out some weapons – garbage cans and street signs! Shane started smacking the Olympic Champion with the signs, and went for another cover, which Kurt reversed out of!
But, Shane reversed that and put on the Ankle Lock, which Angle barely escaped. Shane then put Kurt in the Sharpshooter! Angle screamed as Shane held on! Kurt was able to grab a kendo stick to free himself before he had to tap out.
Shane went after a garbage can and started slamming it over Kurt Angle’s head. When Kurt was lying in the ring, Shane put the can on Kurt’s chest and began climbing the ropes. He got to the top rope and went to do the Shooting Star, but Angle moved! Kurt went for the pin, but Shane kicked out!
The brawl spilled outside the ring again, and Kurt started beating Shane up the entrance ramp. There, he nailed Shane with another suplex! After pounding on Shane some more, Angle suplexed Shane right into the King of the Ring stage, bouncing Shane’s head off the floor! Angle went after him again, and tossed Shane through the glass set!
Both men were bleeding after being cut by the glass, and Angle tried to suplex Shane through the glass two more times, and then he threw him through it head first!
As Shane was bleeding profusely, Angle went to pin him, when he was informed that the match was not falls count everywhere – he had to pin him in the ring! Kurt grabbed a travel case and put Shane on it and began wheeling him to the ring!
When they got there, Kurt put Shane in the ring and covered him, but Shane kicked out! Angle grabbed a garbage can lid and set Shane on his knees, but Shane hit the low blow! Shane started nailing him, and then hit him with the Angle Slam! Shane was able to put his arm over Kurt, but Angle kicked out again! It was then that Kurt went for the Ankle Lock, but Shane was able to escape!
Angle grabbed a piece of lumber and started pounding on Shane, and then propped the board as a platform! He and Shane stood on the platform on the top rope and Angle slammed him into the ring, where Kurt pinned Shane to win the match!
After the Street Fight, the crowd gave Shane McMahon a standing ovation as he left the ring.
In the parking area, Stone Cold Steve Austin awaited the arrival of Vince McMahon when he was informed that he needed to go to the ring for his match.
World Wrestling Federation Championship:
Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho and Stone Cold Steve Austin all faced off in a Triple Threat match for the World Wrestling Federation Championship. Any man could be pinned to end the match. As Austin walked to the ring, he kept looking over his shoulder, hoping that Vince McMahon would be arriving soon.
When his back was on the ring, Benoit and Jericho both went after him, causing Stone Cold to run through the crowd for the exits. Benoit and Jericho chased him down and forced him to return to the ring.
Once they entered the ring, Austin started pounding on Benoit until Jericho climbed in. Then, Benoit and Jericho started double-teaming Stone Cold. Austin tried in vain to fight them off, and Benoit and Jericho kept coming after him.
When Benoit tossed Austin off the ropes, Jericho went for a spinning heel kick, but Austin ducked and Y2J hit Benoit in the head! Jericho went to check on Benoit and then started double-teaming Benoit with Austin!
Austin then went after Jericho, be Y2J was able to counter and put Austin in the Walls of Jericho! Benoit recovered, and suplexed Jericho over the top rope to the floor outside the ring!
In the ring, Benoit tried to lock Austin in the Crossface, but the Bionic Redneck was able to make it over to the ropes. With Jericho still outside the ring, Benoit went after Austin and picked up a near fall!
Austin stood up and started hitting Benoit with stiff chops to the chest. After Benoit fell to the mat, Austin started pounding on him. As Benoit was suffering, Chris Jericho began making his way up to the ring apron. Austin noticed that, and shoved Benoit into him, knocking Jericho back down to the floor!
Austin went to hit Benoit with a Stunner, but Benoit shoved Austin into the referee! Benoit then hit Austin with the Stunner and made a cover, but Austin kicked out at two! Benoit went for another cover, but Jericho pulled Benoit away!
Jericho and Benoit battled outside the ring, where Y2J took down Benoit. Jericho got back up in the ring and made a cover, but Stone Cold kicked out! Austin tried to put Y2J in the Walls of Jericho, but Chris was able to block it!
Benoit started to stir on the outside of the ring as Austin pounded on Jericho. Jericho fought back with all he had, and as Benoit climbed up to the apron, Y2J kicked him down! Jericho went to hit Austin with the Lionsault, but Austin saw it coming and got his knees up.
Meanwhile, Chris Benoit grabbed a steel chair and smacked Chris Jericho with it! After that, Benoit went to hit Austin, but Stone Cold was able to hit him with a Stunner! The Bionic Redneck went for the cover, but Jericho pushed Austin away! The Rattlesnake grabbed Y2J and took him to the top rope, where he flipped him over his head with a superplex. After Jericho kicked out, Austin took him to the top rope and hit him with another superplex!
As Stone Cold was set to do it all again, Chris Benoit entered the ring and started hitting the Champion with suplexes! The crowd counted along as Benoit delivered three consecutive suplexes! Austin was able to escape with a low kick.
Jericho stood up and went after Austin and locked him in the Walls of Jericho. Benoit locked on the Crossface at the same time, and Austin tapped out! The referee continued the match saying that there can only be one champion! As Benoit and Jericho expressed their displeasure, Benoit put the Crossface on Jericho, who was able to make his way out.
Outside the ring, Stone Cold grabbed a steel chair. As Austin went after both Chrises, WCW Champion Booker T entered the arena and slammed Stone Cold through the Spanish announce table!
In the ring, Benoit started suplexing Jericho, but Y2J reversed it into the Walls of Jericho, but Benoit was able to make it to the ropes to break the hold. Jericho hit Benoit with a Lionsault, and both men felt the impact. Jericho went for the cover, but Benoit kicked out!
As Stone Cold lie unconscious outside the ring, Jericho went after him and started using pieces of the table to attack the Rattlesnake. Jericho started pushing Austin into the ring, and when he got him there, Y2J nailed Austin with a moonsault! Benoit took Jericho out and hit Austin with a headbutt! When he went for the cover, Jericho pulled the referee out of the ring!
With all three men motionless in the ring, Austin crawled over to Chris Benoit and covered him for the win!
GERWECK POLL
What did you think of King of the Ring?
Thumbs Up – 39%
Thumbs In the middle – 27%
Thumbs Down – 9%
Didn’t See It – 24%
