Reviewing EVERY WWE 2002 PPV...In 3 Words or Less | 3-Count

How would you review every WWE 2002 PPV? Let us know in the comments!
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Reviewing EVERY WWE 2002 PPV...In 3 Words or Less | 3-Count
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[@bnorris771]

How did I forget that HHH overcomes a major quad injury, wins the Rumble, beats Jericho, and then loses it immediately to HOGAN of all people…

[@Alucard-A-La-Carte]

Ever notice how so many of WWE/Vince McMahon's screw-ups are as simple as: "all you had to do was keep doing what was required of you?" The man REFUSES to take instruction, even when it quite literally costs him.

[@lazypaladin]

All you had to do, was follow the damn script! V.K!

[@cody1390]

​@@lazypaladinis he saying McMahon is who is saying that quote???

[@deepaiyer451]

I've always thought of 2002 as a very weird time for the WWE in terms of its overall presentation. With all the stuff that happened in that year, the beginning of 2002 and the end of 2002 feel like they're a thousand years apart rather than just several months apart. You can kind of divide 2002 WWE into different sections since so much happens between January and December. The first three months up to the brand extension are in what I like to call the Post-Attitude Era, where it still has all the trappings of the Attitude Era (WWF name, Raw is War set and theming, hotter crowds, Rock and Austin are still around, etc.), but the product is lacking the urgency it had when WCW was around and it very clearly is on the downswing creatively. This period also concerned itself to a degree with the fallout and aftermath of the Invasion from 2001, what with Ric Flair as 50 percent owner and Vince's subsequent recruiting of the nWo, the WCW Title belt still represented onscreen as part of the Undisputed Title, and the very existence of the Undisputed Title itself being a direct result of the Survivor Series main event. These remnant WCW elements would be phased out throughout the year, but they were most noticeable and prevalent before and immediately after Wrestlemania. Once Wrestlemania is behind us and the brand extension is a thing, we come to this weird middle period between the Attitude Era and the Ruthless Aggression era, where the product is still technically Attitude as we have the WWF branding onscreen and all the cameramen and production people are wearing Attitude shirts (plus the show-opening signature is still the classic Attitude Era one that was first used in 1998), as well as more minute-yet-noticeable things like Undertaker's entrance music still being "Rollin'" and Kurt Angle still having hair, but the overall feel of the product is beginning to shift to how the early Ruthless Aggression era felt. The Raw set is now the one that'd be used through 2008, and the Smackdown fist set has started to incorporate elements that'd stay in place until 2008 as well, such as the entrance dome's show graphic now encompassing the entire dome rather than just a small section of it. The shows were also starting to have more of an emphasis on in-ring action, as the feuds of RVD vs. Eddie Guerrero on Raw and Edge vs. Kurt Angle on Smackdown were showing. Also, the singular Undisputed Title belt was introduced at the beginning of April, and both Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton debut during this time as well. Now comes May, when the WWF has become the WWE and all the Attitude Era branding is gone. Most of the Attitude Era elements in the product have disappeared too, aside from the continued presence of both the Hardcore and European Titles for a couple more months, and Steve Austin is still an active wrestler until July. What really drives home the fact that this is both a new era in the company and somehow still the same year as three months before is the quick arrival of both Batista and John Cena on Smackdown by June's end. Try and picture either of those guys in the World Wrestling Federation of even just a couple of months ago, on the classic Raw is War set with Rock and Austin. Difficult, eh? They fit so perfectly with this new era that trying to imagine them in the WWF of the then-very recent past is practically impossible. In a more minute change, the Cruiserweight Title scene on Smackdown has finally formed for real. The Light Heavyweight title was retired in favor of the Cruiserweight gold, but the title was only sporadically defended throughout the period between Survivor Series and the name change, mostly existing just as a belt for Tajiri to wear. The belt itself wouldn't actually change to the one we remember from the RA era until after the name change too, as the original WCW belt was still used even after Survivor Series (funnily enough, though, the WCW belt would still be used in the title's onscreen graphic before title matches throughout the rest of the year and much of 2003 as well). Another minute change, one that's a little more personal to me: WWE's syndicated Saturday shows, Jakked and Metal, went by the wayside in favor of Velocity and a retooling of Sunday Night Heat into a full fledged B show after the live shows from WWF New York were discontinued. I watched Metal every Saturday when it would come on, and even though the names existed very, very briefly into the switch to WWE from WWF, that show and Jakked are so closely identified with the WWF name and production design that I can't place them in the WWE production design in my head. Same goes with Velocity being very much a WWE thing, rather than a WWF possibility. By the end of 2002, the visual presentation of WWE and the actual product itself have almost 100% morphed away from what it was at the beginning of the year. Rock and Austin were gone, Hogan had also left, Triple H and the World Heavyweight Championship are now the focal point of Raw, and Brock Lesnar is running roughshod on Smackdown as WWE Champion. The Smackdown Six are the wrestlers comprising much of the undercard on many Smackdown shows, raising the workrate in WWE across the board. Eric Bischoff is now GM of Raw, another name and face you could never imagine in the old WWF but somehow fits perfectly here. It's strange watching 2002 chronologically and seeing the rapid shift from the Attitude Era design and overall pacing of the show to the Ruthless Aggression era's slower, more wrestling-focused presentation, and by the end of the year you're trying to piece together in your brain that the company you're watching is still the same company as it was one year ago, but with a total redesign and reinvention of not just the onscreen presentation, but the very ethos of the company itself. 2002 is a bizarre transitional year for WWE between the Attitude Era and the Ruthless Aggression era, and probably the starkest shift between "eras" in the company's history.

[@Beastslayer688]

Good observation

[@videogameswrestling1753]

Was a good read

[@DanushKumar788]

I look at 2002 just like 2016

[@Themaskplague]

Very good read and great observations. 2002 very much reminds me of 1997. Again if you go back and watch the first raw of 97 and then watch that year, the difference between the first raw and the last raw , again it’s like two different companies. The start of ‘97 you still had the old raw set with the sirens playing in the intro and the old school wwf logo . The presentation was still 100% mid 90s “new era” wwf . And it’s like that for the first few months until they debut the raw is war set. Then you have WM13 and Brets turn and also the build with him cursing out Vince on live tv. Then mid way through the year you have the whole USA vs Canada storyline. Then by the end of the year it’s full blown attitude era mode, brets been screwed and DX are running the show with Austin as the biggest baby face on the show

[@PrinxeGaming_]

it’s weird bc WWE has roughly 5 of these eras 1997 has the same where they have the RAW entrance set that by May is the Attitude Era set but the ropes are red, white and blue still, then change to red ropes with the blue turnbuckle pads and the old gold logo on them and sometimes even had the blue outside mats, then fully shifts to red and black by I believe August and is fully Attitude by the end of December going into January with Austin being the big babyface and Shawn and Bret being complete opposite of each other as far as characters but they’re both heels it was nuts. 2002 is what you described as well so eloquently; I don’t need to get into that. 2008 was another big shift as things became brighter and more colorful from May onwards as it became PG. 2016 starts off really Roman and Raw focused then quickly shifts to Seth, Dean and AJ Styles as if Roman wasn’t champ for the first half of the year Raw feels like WWE for the past few years but Smackdown feels like NXT towards the latter half of the year after the brand split. 2016 has this weird nuance to want to be edgy from May onwards but January to April it’s the same campy kid friendly show it was the years before as well as the shows looking a bit darker compared to the beginning of the year. 2022 and up don’t even get me started

[@dragansnyder2786]

To answer the question that you may not actually care about, Deacon is an actual rank in a church, at least in my church it was when you were a step below the elders

[@robertmcdiarmid4921]

HHH begins his "lets see how long we can stretch out a 5 minute match" phase

[@dougjackson3890]

I know the Undertaker title reign wasn’t great, but why are we forgetting that great Ladder match on Raw between Taker and Jeff Hardy? That should’ve been something 3 counted on this show! One of the best matches of the year.

[@cjmoore751]

That was on a raw episode not a PPV that’s why it’s not here. Also that match is very underrated.

[@dougjackson3890]

@@cjmoore751 Still, when they’re talking about Taker’s reign being so bad, they could’ve brought that up. Plus they talked about one raw moment in there.

[@nate1066pollock]

The brand split became good when they started doing brand exclusive PPVs. They need to bring those back! The WHC became a legit title because it was the main event.

[@youngdolo8]

It got very congested towards the end though

[@theharoldsshow]

Don’t forget, Triple H beat Undertaker one on one at Suepr Showdown 2018 on PPV

[@j.m.r2797]

And inside of Elinination Chamber 😑. Goodlord Olie , you are the boss for chist’s sake , you should know this things 😑😒

[@DanHowsen]

​@@j.m.r2797He said "singles competition," so I think it's fair to exclude the EC from 2009. But Australian Super Showdown was 1-on-1.

[@CasualCornerGames]

Jericho vs Rock at the 2002 Royal Rumble is just a House of Torture match lol.

[@Homerstar]

Wait, Kurt Angle faced Hulk Hogan on PPV, and Hogan tapped out. Why did I never know that.

[@brentsmith9134]

Kurt told the story on Inside The Ropes 😂 Go and check it out

[@ThePaineTrain]

@@brentsmith9134That was hilarious. 😂

[@TheThird1977]

The original brand split worked well because the brands WERE split, and because of it we got wrestlers elevated who would likely have missed out, plus it gave us the Smackdown Six era of greatness too.

[@DamionStingerDrake]

A deacon is a high ranking member of a church that helps and serves with the goings on of said church.

[@num1Jaysta]

18:42 Matt and Brock were having a mini feud on Smackdown.

[@riotd.r.8363]

In regards to Undertaker's reign, that Jeff Hardy fued was great. I recommend you all look into that.

[@SD-eo1mt]

Seems like u guys have great chemistry together....u should start a podcast....

[@TheLeoSale]

09:57 I don’t have a “Fact Check” sign like Tempest but sorry Oli, HHH has two singles PPV wins over Taker. Insurrextion in 2002 and again at Super Show-Down in Australia in 2018.

[@Avatar1977]

I think Luke was using Steiner Math to count the words there...

[@francoliles189]

Maybe it's because I wasn't able to watch any ppv's live for so many years. But I guess I stayed a fan for so long during the bad 2000's years for so long because I only watched ppv matches through highlight recaps and magazine reviews. So my only time investment was usually just 3 hours total each week. The recap of raw show on channel 48 and smackdown ... good times, honestly.

[@noahhickey7196]

9:57 FACT CHECK! Triple H defeated The Undertaker at Super Showdown 2018 in Australia. I should know, I was there. Apologies Oli BUT YOU ARE WRONG! Triple H has beaten Undertaker more than once on Pay Per View! Still Great Video 👍

[@KingKrimmles]

Saudi shows aren't canon 😂

[@bradleymartin3439]

@@KingKrimmlesit was in Australia. 2018 was the Aussie one. I would know. I was there.

[@KingKrimmles]

@@bradleymartin3439 international shows weren't Canon with vince in charge😂

[@freakfoxvevo7915]

​@@KingKrimmlesTell that to Shane McMahon "best wrestler in the world"

[@TehBuggy]

I always forget that match was technically one on one 😂

[@landen3994]

A deacon is a status in Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox churches which ranks right under priest.

[@lostintheark5728]

Hey I was new to wrestling in 2002, the summer and beyond of Smackdown was fire. Smackdown is what won me over.

[@BrandonWillWin]

Came for the nostalgia of it all, stayed for Luke’s American accent

[@ministryofungentlemanlywarfare]

The hair transplant joke was excellent, as is Oli's hair transplant.

[@IamMichael365]

The way Oli explains The Haunting, i literally left this video to watch the Owen Wilson death scene 😂. Is it bad the part made me laugh?

[@dakotasouthard]

Luke sounds like Christian Cage when hes doing his Triple H voice hahaha

[@fatullahwahap7392]

It’s such a lost that you guys don’t do smackdown review. Especially when they’re going hot right now.

[@JoelVanEtten-qo5cc]

I was new to wrestling in 2002! A friend of mine in high school went nuts about the NWO showing up, and I remembered them from the N64 WCW games, so I started tuning in.

[@TehBuggy]

I really hope you continue going through each year, I started watching wrestling in early 2004 when I was 12 years old so everything felt super cool to me 😂 I’d love to hear what “experienced” wrestling fans thought of it at the time. This is also one of my favourite videos series (tied with Tables Lists and Chairs) so I think it would be hilarious

[@user-js1un4ff7m]

i think 2004 was a good year. right around the time i started watching too lol.

[@sinjin4563]

20:00 Actually Insurrextion 2003 was last UK exclusive.

[@DuoBandz]

I love how when Luke does his HHH impression, he actually sounds like Christian Cage 😂

[@Sige_Himself]

I love how whenever someone brings up Maven they always bring up his YT channel and I'm here for it. Amazing channel.

[@thberger61794]

Welcome to the ONE, TWO, THREE-WIND!

[@demarcoadkins]

It is always nice going back and watching past PPV’s from WWE so you can relive the experience seeing your favorite superstars as champions.

[@steveg1098]

Watching upto date on you tube, while I'm on 2020 on podcast, great to see luke and oli still here 4 yrs on, always was the dream team.

[@Blueeyepirate]

Day 6 of asking Simon Miller to join Wrestle-talk/TLC for an episode.

[@esquire9644]

Here for the 3 count on Monday night war era defections

[@millzypoo1004]

The promo package for rock/angle/taker is a top tier promo video

[@Wedoheal]

Okay but oli fully predicted mavens next video 😂😂😂😂😂

[@aaronsparrow2650]

2002 was the year I started watching. As a 4 year old, I loved everything. The 2002 Royal Rumble was the first PPV I ever watched (on video tape)

[@spiderdansweb]

This was my first ever full Raw, so I was new

[@mikeromo5008]

I kept thinking the chip in the paint behind Oli was something on my screen. 😆

[@EMAFlights]

I thought WWE 2002 was quite underrated imo. And the Taker vs Jeff match on RAW was brilliant.

[@ronram4742]

Where is smackdown review

[@robg8307]

Mondays

[@Matt913]

Actually, this was the fourth straight year of the Rumble winner losing at the February PPV - Vince McMahon (1999), The Rock (2000), "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (2001), and now Triple H (2002).

[@ThePaineTrain]

At least in ‘01 they had the sense to not put Austin’s title shot on the line.

[@Surv1vor1993]

Triple H VS Shawn Michaels: Earliest Wresting Memory. I was 9 years old at the time of this match and at the time, seeing Triple H hit Shawn with the sledgehammer impacted 9 year old me forever until I was much older

[@JGrath029]

Jericho has gone on record saying that he wanted to cheat as much as possible against Rock at the rumble

[@Just_Lionz]

5:41 the only match to capture the look spot close to this level was Omega vs Danielson at the first Grand Slam in 2021.

[@CarlosCruz-ox9wc]

Idk, rock and cena doing the look spot at mania 40 was electric. If that was in an arena and not an open air stadium, it would've been more insane

[@augustdavis4725]

Best. Preview. Ever.

[@bryanlindsay3261]

Elimination Chamber in 3 Words: ALWAYS, ALWAYS ALWAAAAYS

[@TeganCantEven]

You missed out on the letterplay of HHH v HHH at Backlash (Hunter Hearst Helmsley v Hollywood Hulk Hogan)

[@nathanoates5310]

Can’t wait for the Ruthless Aggression PPV three count

[@Yugioh420]

Could be wrong, but I think a deacon is the person who passes the collection plate and the collects then again with the donations in them.

[@Insomniaaron]

3:04 Maven actually did make a video about his small program with The Undertaker.

[@tinotica]

Hope y’all eventually do The New Generation Era or the rest of the Ruthless Aggression Era

[@TeganCantEven]

I attended Vengeance 2002 so I’m planning to attend whatever show ends up being Cena’s farewell so I can complete the bookends.

[@cody1390]

14:27 sounds more like my favorite wrestler Bret than my favorite wrestler Hunter lol

[@bradmullins9132]

Is it me or does Luke actually sound like Christian when he does his Triple H impersonation?? And it's a really good Christian voice, spot on!!

[@camoveteran2219]

Just a reminder, Steiner Math > Pipebomb

[@adamulrich758]

That Armageddon 2002 show was my first in person ppv experience. I popped watching Lednar F5 Big Show in person

[@user-wy7pc5mu2q]

I was also there 8 days after my older brother passed away

[@lsj6721]

First, where is the smack down review? Second, are you going to tackle the horrendous ratings of the dynamite?😃😃😃

[@bigdogthehedgehog5906]

Next up, WWE might change its name to WPWF by next year. Meaning: World Professional Wrestling Federation

[@DmitriyPoot]

Why don't you review smackdown?

[@robg8307]

They do, podcast on Mondays

[@anakinjmt]

I actually was new to wrestling on 2002. I started watching rigut before Survivor Series 2001, so I was quite excited for a brand split 😂😂

[@williammcmillan-johnstone3962]

Inserection 2003 was last uk exclusive ppv in may 2003

[@lcruz0113]

I was very very young in 2002 and I started watching wrestling around that time. I didn't Have any prior knowledge before so I wasn't annoyed or mad I enjoyed it. Then the ruthless aggression happened and that's when I became a super fan all the way till today.😂

[@ujai5271]

The way Oli describes the scene of The Haunting is inaccurate. Wilson just gets thrown into what looks like a fireplace by a flying carpet (yes, really) and then dies to a pendulum. There is no slapstick near miss... only a flying carpet.

[@FilthyCasualYT]

I'm stoked, we're coming up to when I started getting into wrestling. I'm so happy my first proper into to WWE was 2003 Summer Slam. Didn't have to put up with all this nonsense.

[@ajk]

Rebellion 2002 wasn't last UK exclusive show, Insurrextion following spring was.

[@NeatoBurrito05]

Olie forgot about when triple h beat taker at supershowdown 2018

[@showstealer1829]

I was one of those fans that left in 2002. I left pretty much the same time Luke did. I did come back and see the Armageddon main event (Because my GF at the time was still a fan and she was watching it when I went over to her place) and was pretty much like "Nope. Still done" Probably why I broke up with her. Didn't come back till 2007 (Besides one House show in 2004, because it coincided with me being in Melbourne, Australia from the country town I lived in and it was the one chance I was ever going to get to see Undertaker live.)

[@toenails7089]

Luke sounds more like Christian when trying the HHH impression.

[@MostCharismaticEver]

I think 2002 was a great year for WWE

[@paulc1553]

SummerSlam 2002 and No Mercy 2002 the standouts.

[@arunavenkatesh6029]

Where are the Smackdown Reviews?!?!?!

[@PowerPackers90]

Monday

[@TehBuggy]

They mentioned a while ago that didn’t get many views and they wanted to give the guys the weekends off

[@rrmdrobi8807]

I miss smackdown review. nice video btw

[@skillgull]

Always excited to see these

[@BerylliumGold]

Where's the Brock Shockmaster edit?!?!

[@andersoncontreras183]

Last time I was this early Oli was still wearing a Pipebomb > Steiner math t shirt 😂

[@LoudFlimzz]

GIMMMIETHEFUGGINMIC!

[@idontusetwitter]

2

[@aaronborough619]

Does anyone else find it strange that they haven't made a news video, covering the debut of Jacob fatu. It was a great episode of smackdown as a whole. So much is happening and they have nothing to report or say? Did wrestletalk really avoid making a news episode because aew got a horrible rating? Sorry if I'm wrong but that what it seems like

[@ad206]

You guys should do a recurring bit where you dress up like someone from the year you review. Like Luke dresses up as Fred Durst.

[@alejandrocalerogutierrez4805]

They should do All in predictions

[@TheMutation]

My 3 words for Survivor Series 2002 I Was There.

[@Redlineshadow29]

Maybe you guys can do every Ruthless Agression Era PPV in 3 Words or less/fewer

[@stjimmy1642]

Can u do a three count of wwe video games?

[@VinnieBartilucci]

Because I know you don't care - at least in the Catholic church, a Deacon is the step before becoming a priest. You're a Deacon for some time, and if you decide it's not for you, you can leave with little issue. Once you become a priest it's a bigger deal to leave. Deacons can read the Gospel, and perform several of the sacraments, but cannot do all of them. There's also a position called the Permanent Deaconate, where you remain at Deacon level, well, permanently. And permanent deacons can get married. It's their way to get more guys into the ministry.

[@IamtheEkco]

I think rvd is on the cover to represent ECW maybe?

[@ohhhkingslayer]

2002 is when I become a fan 😂

[@TripleThreat172]

I know it’s a stretch it but I know Luke might enjoy and Oli might go insane but can you guys you do a 3 count with TNA

[@Vaifal]

oh and please reach out to maven for a video

[@jordanmartinez1081]

For Armageddon 02, I would’ve said hotel room service (shoutout to pitbull) ifykyk 😉😂

[@nolankuffner3573]

Whitest guy to ever do the rewind sound effect 😂

[@redcomet0079]

Summerslam 2001 is wayyyyy better than 2002

[@theycallmedom4157]

Triple H pinned Taker at No Way Out 2009 if that means anything.

[@TheCCNetwork]

Reminder to all that Triple H was No.1 Contender to Brock’s Undisputed title before he exclusively signed to SmackDown and was given the belt because he couldn’t wrestle that match. So Trips wasn’t just ‘given’ the belt because ‘reign of terror BS’, and I wish that narrative wouldn’t constantly be stated without this key bit of information. Sure it’d have been great to have Trips VS RVD at Unforgiven to crown the new champ but at least it technically made sense.

[@meatypatte7125]

10:05 Triple H beat taker at super showdown in 2018

[@gameaholicadam1969]

i didnt have cable but because the wb was a local channel i could get it in and could watch smackdown durring rhe attitude era. but it was fuzzy. i stopped watching when wb went off air and didnt watch again till about the time the hardy bous returned at wrestlemania. i started caring alittle bit back then. i rly started wathing again like 2021 or 2022 when sami zayn joined the bloodline.

[@narenmappat576]

Luke .I ACTUALLY started watching in 2002..I was 12 yrs old 🙈🙈😜😜

[@dutenica7429]

Favorite year in wrestling