-Today we look at King of the Ring 2001 from the WWF.
-King of the Ring 2001 was shown on PPV on June 24, 2001 from the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, NJ. There were 17,777 in attendance and the show did 445,000 PPV buys.
-WWF and KOTR Intros.
-Jim Ross and Paul Heyman welcome us to the KOTR. Diamond Dallas Page comes to the ring through the crowd. He gets on the mic and tells the Undertaker that he has arrived. This is the whole Undertaker's wife Sara's stalker angle. It doesn't hit on any level. This goes on way too long. He shows his ticket he bought and has a sign that says make me famous. He takes his seat.
-JR and Paul E talk about the rumor that Chris Benoit or Chris Jericho have been negotiating with WCW.
-King of the Ring Semi-Final. Kurt Angle vs. Christian: Angle out first, and he's all business. Angle is trying to repeat as KOTR. Christian attacks Angle right away. Angle slams Christian down. Back and forth Christian with a neck breaker for a two count. He stomps Angle to the apron as an Angle sucks chant goes out. Angle with a belly to belly suplex. A let's go Angle chant goes out. Fickle crowd. Angle stomping Christian on the outside. Christian runs Angle into the ring steps. Christian goes up top, but Angle pushes Christian off into the barricade. Angle gets a two count. A gut wrench slam by Angle. He gets a two count. He continues to stomp Christian down. He hits a snap suplex for a two count. Christian with an inside cradle for a two count. Angle with a near fall after a suplex. They trade blows. Christian with a spinning heel kick. Shane McMahon comes down to the ring. Angle misses a moonsault. Christian gets a two count. McMahon has distracted Angle. He gets a variety of near falls. Angle gets the ankle lock, but Christian gets to the ropes. They vie for position. Christian hits the Unprettier, but McMahon pulls Christian off Angle. Angle hits the Angle slam to get the pin. The crowd and I are both confused.
-Jim and Paul talk about what just happened.
-Steve Austin and Debra are shown in the back. Coach comes in and asks about the triple threat match coming up and Austin asks Coach if he's seen Vince McMahon and Coach hasn't. Coach says the the rumor is that if Chris Benoit or Chris Jericho win tonight, they're taking the title and going to WCW. Austin is stunned, no pun intended.
-They run down what has happened between DDP and The Undertaker. Paul Heyman comes over to interview DDP. He calls DDP brazen. DDP says the word is balls coming after the Undertaker like he did. They show hidden video of DDP in a restaurant. DDP doesn't like it and begs the Undertaker to come out.
-KOTR Semi-final. Edge vs. Rhyno: Rhyno attacks Edge right away. Edge comes back with a spinning heel kick. Back and forth. Edge dropkicks Rhyno from the apron to the floor. They battle on the floor. Edge drops Rhyno on the barricade. Rhyno was then thrown into the barricade. Edge then guillotined on the barricade. The referee checks on Edge while Rhyno unties a turnbuckle pad. Edge corner whipped into the exposed buckle. Rhyno goes after Edge's midsection. He gets a two count. Rhyno with a body scissors. Edge tries to get out of the move. Rhyno with a slam and a splash for another two count. Edge gets a foot up on a charge. Edge coming back. He hits a neck breaker. He hits a sunset flip from the top rope for a two count. Rhyno goes for the Gore while Edge goes for the Spear, and they collide. Rhyno gets a two count. Edge then gets a cover for a two count. Rhyno rushes Edge, only to get thrown into the exposed buckle. Edge hits the Impaler to get the pin.
-They show Spike Dudley's interview on Heat. He says he wants to challenge his Brothers for the tag titles. JR then interviews Spike. He says he's found a partner. He says everyone will have to wait to find out who it is. Devon and Bubba come in to intimidate Spike.
-Tazz interviews Chris Jericho. He addresses the rumors of his going to WCW. He plays coy.
-WWF Tag Team Championship Match. The Dudley Boys Devon and Bubba Ray vs. Spike Dudley and Kane: The Big Red Machine is Spike's partner. They show how the Dudley's won the titles on Smackdown. Kane and Spike attack Bubba and Devon right away. Spike and Bubba start. Bubba throws Spike to Kane, who throws Spike back, and Spike gets a two count. Kane and Devon tagged in. Kane drops an elbow for a two count. Devon slammed down, and he is hurt, and referee Teddy Long keeps Spike away from Devon. Bubba distracts Long for Devon to get Spike down. Bubba tagged in and kept the assault up. Devon tagged back in as the we want tables chant went out. Kane breaks a pin attempt. Bubba with a backdrop. Back and forth. Bubba with a chin lock. He follows it up with a powerbomb. Devon tagged in. He kicks Spike down in the corner. He misses a headbutt. A double count going. Bubba and Kane tagged in. Kane cleans house. He gets a neck breaker for a two count. He hits a power slam for another two count. Spike tagged in, and Kane throws Spike onto his brothers on the outside. Bubba rolls in and Kane hits him with a top rope throat thrust. Spike overs for a close two count. Spike hits the Dudley Dog, but Devon breaks up the count. Dudley's hit the Whassup to Kane, but get hit with a double dropkick from Spike. Spike goes for the Dudley Dog on Devon, who blocks it, and the Dudley Boys hit the 3D to get the pin. Devon grabs a table. He sets it up and Kane powerbombs Devon. He choke slams Bubba through the table.
-Christian wishes Edge good luck in the finals. We then see another hidden video of DDP as he calls out the Undertaker.
-JR and Paul talk to Billy Gunn at WWF New York, who's pissed that he wasn't in the tournament. This seems to be a pattern of WWF New York guests.
-KOTR Finals. Kurt Angle vs. Edge: Both men come out looking determined. Angle grabs the mic and says he's sorry for getting mad at Edge the week before. He says he has a street fight with Shane McMahon later and asks Edge to forfeit. Edge hits Angle to answer him. Edge hits a flapjack. They trade blows in the corner. Edge with an Irish whip and a back elbow. Angle belly to belly suplexes Edge to the outside. Angle runs Edge into the ring steps. Angle kicks Edge on the outside. Angle throws Edge back in and gets a two count from a belly to back suplex. Another two count after a suplex. Angle with a reverse chin lock. Edge gets out. Angle puts Edge on a turnbuckle. Edge hits a back elbow and gets a roll up off the turnbuckle for a two count. Angle counters with another suplex for a near fall. Angle with a chin lock. The referee checks the hand, but it doesn't fall three times. Edge comes back, only to get thrown out by Angle. They fight to the outside. Edge dropped on the barricade. He throws Edge in and goes up top, but Edge hits a dropkick to Angle. Edge hurricanranas Angle off the turnbuckle to get a two count. They trade blows. Edge hits a series of clotheslines. Angle misses a dropkick, and Edge catapults Angle into a turnbuckle. Angle slam and the Impaler both countered as Angle reverses into the ankle lock. Edge rolls backwards to get a roll up for a two count. Edge gets a slam as Christian comes out and gets on the apron to distract the referee. Edge doesn't get his count. Edge asks Christian what he is doing only to get rolled up by Angle for a two count. Angle slams Edge into a corner. Edge goes to clothesline Angle, but takes out the referee when Angle ducks. Angle gets the ankle lock on, and Edge taps, but the referee is still out. Angle checks on the referee as Shane McMahon gets in the ring and hits Angle with a spear. Edge hits the Impaler to get the pin and become the 2001 King of the Ring. Edge gets out of the ring visibly hurt and limps back up the aisle.
-Tazz interviews Chris Benoit about the WCW Rumor. Benoit makes fun of Tazz, but doesn't answer the question.
-Coach interviews Edge. He's happy to be KOTR. Christian comes in and congratulates Edge. Angle shown in the back complaining about what happened.
-WWF Light-Heavyweight Championship Match. Jeff Hardy vs. X-Pac: JR plugs the next scheduled PPV which is supposed to be Fully Loaded, but a lot of things are about to change. The bell rings and they lock up. X-Pac with an arm drag and a takedown of Hardy. X-Pac with a side headlock. Hardy comes back with an arm drag. They go outside, and Hardy hits a clothesline off the barricade. X-Pac with a slam to Hardy. X-Pac with an abdominal stretch. He uses the ropes and gets caught. X-Pac hip locks Hardy to the outside and then crossbodys Hardy to the outside. Back and forth. X-Pac with a chin lock. They trade blows. X-Pac with a heel kick for a two count. X-Pac beats Hardy down in the corner, but misses the Bronco Buster. X-Pac reverses an Irish whip attempt, but Hardy holds on to the ropes, and X-Pac misses a dropkick. Hardy hits a leg drop. They botch a spot, but quickly recover. Hardy with a corkscrew for a two count. Hardy with a crossbody, but X-Pac rolls through for a two count. Hardy with corner mounted punches. X-Pac gets a pin, but Hardy had his feet on the ropes. X-Pac goes to hit the X-Factor again, but Hardy counters with a jaw breaker. Hardy goes up top, but gets caught. Hardy pushes X-Pac off and hits the swanton to get the pin. William Regal and Tajiri are shown in the back. Steve Austin comes in and asks to use the phone. He calls Vince McMahon. He tells McMahon about the Benoit and Jericho rumor and tells McMahon to hurry.
-Another DDP video is shown. DDP gets in the ring and calls out the Undertaker again. The video shows that the Videographer was Undertaker's wife Sara. Undertaker comes out. He takes his time getting to the ring. He puts his gloves on. They trade blows. Undertaker beats DDP down. He stomps DDP in the corner. DDP hits a low blow. DDP knocked to the outside. Sara comes down with the camera. She films Undertaker beating DDP. Undertaker runs DDP into the timekeeper's table. DDP hits Undertaker with a chair. Undertaker tackles DDP over the announce table and attacks DDP. He throws DDP into the ring. He keeps beating DDP while Sara films it. A big boot knocks DDP to the outside and DDP takes off.
-Steve Austin is shown in the back waiting on Vince McMahon.
-Flashback to what led up to the street fight.
-Street Fight. Shane McMahon vs. Kurt Angle: McMahon comes out first looking very relaxed. Angle comes out looking intense. He takes McMahon down right away. He does several takedowns. All Angle so far. McMahon comes back with an arm drag and a modified SCF. McMahon rolls out, and Angle assumes the down position and tells McMahon to come down and challenge him. McMahon does and Angle attacks immediately. Angle with a gut wrench suplex. He follows it up with a belly to belly suplex. Angle just keeps hitting suplexes. He gets McMahon down in the corner and slaps him. Angle goes back to the down position and tells McMahon to come on. McMahon kicks Angle. Back and forth. McMahon dumps Angle to the outside. Angle takes off after McMahon. McMahon with an elbow off the barricade onto Angle. McMahon leaps over the announce table onto Angle. McMahon gets a kendo stick and beats Angle down. He clotheslines Angle over the barricade. He then snap mares Angle back in. He arm drags Angle into the barricade. Angle ran into the ring steps. McMahon drives Angle into the steps again with a shoulder tackle. Angle thrown back into the ring. Angle keeps bridging out of pin attempts. McMahon starts throwing plunder into the ring. He beats Angle with a handicapped sign for a two count. Angle comes back, but misses a heel kick, and McMahon gets an ankle lock on. Angle kicks him away. Angle misses a corner charge, and McMahon hits a DDT. McMahon gets a sharpshooter on. Angle gets to the ropes, but McMahon pulls him away. Angle hits McMahon with the kendo stick to get out. A double count going. McMahon hits Angle with a right hand for a two count. Another double count going. McMahon hits Angle with a trash can. He beats Angle with the trash can. He goes up top and hits a shooting star press, but Angle moves and McMahon lands on the trash can. A Holy Shit chant goes out. Angle gets a two count. Angle dumps McMahon to the outside. They battle up the aisle. McMahon with a suplex to Angle. Both men down. They trade shots in front of the Titantron. Angle runs McMahon into a piece of the set. He then belly to belly suplexes McMahon into another piece of the set. He does another suplex and McMahon goes through the set as it shatters in the most memorable spot of the PPV. Both men are bleeding, and there is shattered glass everywhere. Angle goes to the other side and belly to belly suplexes McMahon into the set and I don't know if it was supposed to break, but it didn't Another belly to belly and the glass still doesn't break. Angle then just throws McMahon through the glass. Both are blooded. Both down on the ground. Angle grabs a rolling anvil case and puts McMahon on the case. He rolls McMahon to the ring. He gets him in, but McMahon kicks out on two. Angle goes to hit McMahon with a trash can lid, but McMahon hits a low blow. McMahon hits Angle with the trash can lid and hits the Angle slam on Angle to get a two count. McMahon catapulted into the ring post. He hits McMahon with a board. Angle places the board on the ropes, and Angle slams McMahon off the ropes. The holy shit chant goes out again. Angle gets the pin. That was a hell of a match. The fans give McMahon a standing ovation as he is carried away.
-Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit are shown in the back. Steve Austin is shown pacing, waiting for Vince McMahon. Steve Lombardi tells him it's time for his match.
-WWF Championship Triple Threat Match. Flashback to what led up to the match. Steve Austin vs. Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit: Benoit out first. Jericho is out next. Austin out to a big ovation. The fans don't want to boo him. He keeps looking back for McMahon and stalling. Benoit and Jericho come out and attack Austin. Austin is running trying to keep away from Jericho and Benoit. They go out in the crowd and throw Austin to ringside. He runs again. He backdrops Jericho to ringside. Benoit throws Austin into the ring. Austin stomps Benoit down. He attacks Benoit in the corner. Double team to Austin. Back and forth. Jericho gets a one count on Austin. Austin was pummeled by both men. Jericho with a spinning heel kick to Austin, who ducks, and Benoit gets hit instead. Jericho is beating on Benoit in a corner while Austin takes the turnbuckle pad off another corner. Austin and Jericho then both beat Benoit down and out. Austin goes for the Thesz press, but Jericho counters and goes for the Walls of Jericho. Benoit comes in and suplexes Jericho to the outside. Benoit beats Austin down in a corner. Austin goes for a clothesline, but Benoit goes for the crossface. Austin gets to the ropes. Back and forth. Austin throws Benoit to the outside. Austin runs Benoit into the ring steps. Austin throws Benoit back in and chops him. Austin gets a two count. Jericho gets on the apron, and Austin runs Benoit into Jericho. Austin with a leapfrog body guillotine. Austin goes for the stunner on Benoit, who pushes Austin off and into referee Earl Hebner. Benoit hits the Stunner on Austin, but only gets a two count as Hebner was getting up after being hit. Hebner is still recovering as Benoit goes out and gets the championship belt and hits Austin with it. Jericho breaks up the count. Benoit and Jericho battle at ringside. Benoit beaten down, and Jericho gets a two count. Austin goes for the Walls of Jericho, but Jericho blocks it. Jericho gets a suplex and a two count. Austin with a slam to Jericho for a two count. Side Russian leg sweep to Jericho. Austin with a sleeper to Jericho and Jericho fading. He counters with a side suplex. They trade chops. Jericho with a corner whip and clothesline. Jericho dropkicks Benoit off the apron as he was coming back in and hits Austin with a bulldog. Austin gets his knees-up on a lionsault. Austin gets the Thesz press on Jericho. Benoit comes in with a chair and hits Jericho after Austin ducks, and Austin hits Benoit with a Stunner. Austin gets a two count on Jericho. Austin superplexes Jericho. He then hits another one for a two count. Austin puts Jericho on the top rope for a third superplex, but Benoit grabs him from behind and German suplexes Austin several times. Austin with a mule kick to get out, and all three men are down in the ring. A triple count going. Jericho gets Austin in the Walls of Jericho and Benoit gets the crossface on Austin at the same time and Austin taps. Double submission. Hebner breaks it up as there can only be one winner. Benoit gets Jericho in the crossface. He gets out and goes for the Walls of Jericho, but Benoit kicks off and suplexes Jericho. He gets a two count as Austin gets a chair. Benoit baseball slides into Austin and the chair. Jericho tosses Benoit to the outside. Booker T comes from the crowd and hits Austin with the Axe Kick. He sidewalk slams Austin through the SAT. Booker T leaves through the crowd. Benoit with German suplexes to Jericho, who rolls through one and gets the Wall of Jericho on. Benoit gets to the bottom rope. Back and forth. Benoit goes for the flying headbutt, but Jericho slams him off. Jericho goes for the Lionsault, but Benoit partially blocks it. Jericho clotheslines Benoit and both go out. Jericho takes a piece of the SAT and attacks Austin with it. He brings Austin into the ring. Jericho hits a moonsault, but Benoit breaks up the cover and hits the diving headbutt. Jericho pulls Hebner out before he can count. Benoit hits Jericho with a top rope belly to back suplex. All three men down again. Austin rolls over and pins Benoit. Austin gets his belt and crawls out of the ring. He slowly walks up the aisle.
-They recap what happened and sign off from New Jersey.
-Final Thoughts: This was a pretty good show. The Street fight was absolutely insane.