Vengeance 2003 Review

The 1st Smackdown PPV.

• Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit to win the first WWE United States Championship (22:14)
o Guerrero pinned Benoit with a Frog Splash after Rhyno Gored Benoit.
o This was the finals of a tournament to crown the first WWE US Champion.
o ***3/4
Never liked these guys against each other in WWE. I mean they could have hit **** but never did imo.

• Jamie Noble (w/Nidia) defeated Billy Gunn (w/Torrie Wilson) (5:00)
o Noble pinned Gunn with a roll-up. As a result, Noble won the right to spend a night with Torrie Wilson.
o *1/2
Served it's purpose.

• Bradshaw defeated Shannon Moore, Doink The Clown, Faarooq, Brother Love, Nunzio, Matt Hardy, A-Train, Danny Basham, Doug Basham, The Easter Bunny, Sean O'Haire, John Hennigan, Orlando Jordan, Funaki, Los Conquistadores (Rob Conway and Johnny Jeter), The Brooklyn Brawler, Johnny Stamboli, Chuck Palumbo, Matt Cappotelli and Spanky in the APA Invitational Bar Room Brawl (4:29)
o Bradshaw won the match when he leveled Brother Love with a beer bottle.

• The World's Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas) defeated Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship (14:53)
o Benjamin pinned Mysterio after a springboard clothesline/powerbomb combo on Mysterio.
o ****1/4
Great stuff from everyone in this match.

• Sable defeated Stephanie McMahon in a No Count-Out match (6:29)
o Sable pinned Stephanie after A-Train came out and clotheslined Stephanie.
o -**
Too long and...uh...bad...

• The Undertaker defeated John Cena (16:02)
o Undertaker pinned Cena after a Last Ride.
o ***1/4
I was loving the Cena heel character around this point.

• Vince McMahon (w/Sable) defeated Zach Gowen (14:22)
o McMahon pinned Gowen when Zach missed a one-legged moonsault.
o *3/4
Too long but not God awful or anything.

• Kurt Angle defeated Brock Lesnar (c) and The Big Show in a No Disqualification Triple Threat match to win the WWE Championship (17:38)
o Angle pinned Lesnar after an Angle Slam.
o ***3/4
I remember this match being better. Hmmm. Still really good though.

~ This is more like it. 3 matches at at least ***1/2 and one as a MOTYC.

~ July 31 – Eddie Guerrero beat Tajiri. ***1/4

~ August 7 – Benoit and Tajiri beat Guerrero and Rhyno. ***1/2

~ August 14 - TWGTT beat Mysterio and Kidman. ***3/4

~ August 18 – Chris Jericho defeated Kevin Nash in a Hair vs. Hair Match. **

~ August 21 – Angle beat Big Show in a Street Fight. **1/2