WrestleRant
  • Home
  • Columnist Corner
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Audio
  • Videos
  • Store
  • About
  • Contact
Picture

SummerSlam Recall, Match #12: The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar, SummerSlam 2002

8/9/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Here on SummerSlam Recall, I will be ranking my top 20 favorite matches in WWE SummerSlam history. A new installment will be posted every day leading up to SummerSlam 2016, culminating with my No. 1 favorite match on Saturday, August 20th. Each article will offer an in-depth look at each match and an analysis of why it is among my favorites.​


I often talk about my retrospective admiration for 2005 in WWE (meaning I wasn't watching at the time but looking back I appreciate how awesome of a year it was), and 2002 was no different. From the institution of the Brand Split to the debuts of John Cena, Randy Orton and others to SmackDown catching fire, there was a lot to love about 2002, including its incredible SummerSlam pay-per-view that hailed from the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island.

I already discussed how stacked of a show it was earlier on in SummerSlam Recall when I reviewed Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio, so I'll try no to echo those same thoughts here, but it was quite the perfect storm for WWE. Speaking of the perfect storm (what a segue!), SummerSlam was destined to be Brock Lesnar's night, who after months of running rampant over the Raw roster, was ready to take his place atop the card as the new WWE Champion.

It is definitely a different dynamic when you look back at this bout. Since his arrival on Raw the night after WrestleMania 18, Lesnar had been built up to be this unstoppable monster, decimating everything and everyone who dared to step foot in his path of destruction. Hell, he even annihilated fan favorite Hulk Hogan and put him on the shelf for months on end! There was nothing redeemable about this guy other than he was a fresh face, yet the fans respected that greatly.

Meanwhile, The Rock was the farthest thing from a fresh face in WWE. He had only been around for six years, which is nothing compared to the likes of Big Show and even John Cena this day and age, but the audience was tired of him, nevertheless. They were simply resentful of how he kept leaving to go film movies only to return and take the WWE Championship for himself. If the fans had their way, that would cease at SummerSlam when Lesnar contended for the gold against The Great One.

All that said, the crowd was firmly behind The Beast throughout this bout. He had been well-received as a ruthless antagonist in the months preceding the pay-per-view, but something about this rowdy crowd in Long Island turned the tide in his favor. Similar to at WrestleMania 18, The Rock was vehemently booed by the audience, though that didn't stop him from putting forth an exceptional effort in attempt to retain his title at all costs and prove he could still hang with the best of them in the twilight of his career.

As such, Rock wasted no time in taking the fight to the hungry challenger, rushing to the ring the second his music hit the Nassau Coliseum. It wasn't long before their brawl spilled out of the ring and into the crowd, and once Lesnar regained control of the match, he went back to working over The Great One. Granted, Paul Heyman made his presence known at various points during the matchup, but make no mistake about it: Lesnar was fully capable of conquering Rock all on his own.

Brock's performance on this night wasn't nearly as dominant as it was 12 years later at the same event, and in fact, he was spent spiraling into the ring post on the outside by Rock. When The Brahma Bull took Heyman out of the equation with a Rock Bottom through the commentary table, Lesnar's chances of triumph were put into question. However, after powering out of a Rock Bottom and delivering an F5 of his own, he was crowned the new champion, and thus, a star had been born.


SEE ALSO: "SummerSlam Recall, Match #13: Alberto Del Rio vs. Christian, SummerSlam 2013"
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Categories

    All
    #AskGSM
    Battle Of The Belts
    Cruiserweight Classic
    Halftime Heat
    Hidden Gems
    Interviews
    Lists/Rankings
    Mae Young Classic
    Mixed Match Challenge
    News
    NJPW
    NWA Shockwave
    NXT PLEs
    Opinion
    Previews
    Retro Reviews
    Reviews
    RJ's Two Cents
    Satire
    Slammy Awards
    SNME
    SummerSlam Recall
    The Deadly Draw
    The World Is A Vampire
    Tribute To The Troops
    Women's Eliminator
    Worlds Collide
    WrestleMania Recall
    WWE Draft
    WWE Network Specials
    WWE PLEs
    WWE Starrcade


    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

    RSS Feed

©2025 WrestleRant. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • Columnist Corner
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Audio
  • Videos
  • Store
  • About
  • Contact