WWE Global Warning Review - August 10, 2002

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Rikishi def. Rico in a "Kiss My Ass" Match

I can't recall too many great Rikishi matches, and by 2002, he was largely only useful for stuff like this. The match was completely harmless at two and a half minutes long and the crowd was into everything Rikishi did. Rico was also the right guy to take the loss since he meant nothing, anyway. Also, what was the point of the stipulation if Rikishi would always put his ass in the face of his opponents regardless?

WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jamie Noble def. The Hurricane

Despite his goofy gimmick and having Nidia as his valet (who I understand helped him generate heel heat), Noble was an excellent in-ring competitor and didn't get enough credit for having the solid matches he was at the time. This was an enjoyable encounter between himself and Hurricane where the story was that had it not been for Nidia, Hurricane would have become champion.

WWE Tag Team Champions The Un-Americans def. Billy Kidman and Rey Mysterio

I was curious how The Un-Americans would be received by the fans in Australia (given their gimmick was that they were anti-America) and they seemed to be pretty hated there, too. That said, Kidman and Mysterio were the perfect opponents for them because they had such strong chemistry together and were beloved by the audience. This was really fun while it lasted, despite having an obvious outcome. Mysterio had debuted in WWE only a few weeks earlier and was already winning the masses over.

Edge def. Chris Jericho

I think fans tend to forget that Edge was never the same wrestler (at least in the ring) after he suffered that neck injury in early 2003, because this was totally different than any other encounter I saw Edge and Jericho have years later (and that isn't just due to them being younger here). This was a very entertaining match with strong showings from both men. Edge did some tremendous work throughout 2002 while Jericho never ceased to make himself and his opponents look like a million bucks.

Torrie Wilson def. Stacy Keibler in a Bras and Panties Match

Ugh, I hate having to re-watch this garbage from back in the day. I can't even say anymore that they were a guilty pleasure because the wrestling was so atrocious that the sight of these ladies in their underwear essentially doesn't make up for it. It was a mere five minutes in length, yet not short enough. Nidia getting involved came out of nowhere as well. The less said about this, the better.

WWE Undisputed Champion The Rock def. Triple H and Brock Lesnar in a Triple ThreaT Match

Interestingly enough, this marked the first time Triple H and Lesnar ever crossed paths, and the last time they'd cross paths until their unforgettable feud in 2012. Lesnar was already set to go for the gold against Rock at SummerSlam, so although Rock retaining the title was never in doubt, this could have headlined an actual pay-per-view and it wouldn't have felt out of place. The match was that fantastic. There were plenty of nearfalls, Rock and HHH were able to work their magic, and Lesnar was protected in defeat. Rock and HHH teaming up to take out Lesnar and Paul Heyman afterward dragged on and was a bit pointless, though.

Overall Show

More matches took place at the event, but these were the only ones that made the broadcast. I'm glad it was cut down to two hours because these matchups were the only ones that mattered, anyway. The Bras and Panties bout was as abysmal as expected and the "Kiss My Ass" match was pure filler, but everything else was well-wrestled and the main event is especially worth a watch. The two hours fly by, even if it was a glorified house show (a la WWE Super Show-Down), and it's cool to check out for historical purposes.