Grilling JR - Judgment Day 2001 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

We’re back with another edition of Grilling JR and today we’re talking about Judgment Day 2001!

We just covered Backlash 01 where Steve Austin & Triple H walked away with the tag team titles just last month and just last week we covered the Raw AFTER THIS SHOW where Triple H tears his quad.

The whole WWF is all shaken up over all the changes between acquiring WCW, injuries to top guys, talent going away, etc. Is this one of the craziest times you remember in the business let alone your end of things?

ECW files for bankruptcy during all this time. How much are you being kept abreast of the on-goings and did Paul Heyman ever discuss this with you?

Vince McMahon goes on “Off the Record” with Bob Costas during this time. What do you remember about this and the fallout?

From the Observer…”I'm Ross has spent the past two weeks with meetings in Atlanta and Los Angeles putting together the talent end of the new WCW organization which is tentatively being targeted for a 6/13 re-launch taping for air date on 6/16. Ross met with Rob Szatkowsky (Rob Van Dam), his wife and agent Michael Meltzer for the first time on 4/25 and in his Ross Report described the meetings as very positive. There was a major roadblock dating back to the few shows Szatkowsky worked for WWF while being part of ECW, including refusing to do a job at a television taping. Szatkowsky and Terry Brunk (Sabu) ended their WWF relationship on a bad note with Vince McMahon, but that was also several years ago. Ross had one phone conversation with Meltzer several months back, and it appeared there was no interest in him. The reality that the new WCW product would be short of potential headliners, particularly at first, plus the fact Ross had been wanting to meet with him for some time, led to the meeting. No decision has been made if a deal were to be made whether he would be placed in the WWF or WCW camp, but just because WCW would be short at first on headliners, one would think he'd be placed there. The feeling was that the meeting went well, but no money or contract offer was made by Ross.”

What do you remember about the meeting with Rob and his previous issues with the company?

“There was also a meeting with Brad Small, the agent who represents Booker Huffman (T), Page Falkinburg, John Laurinaitis (Johnny Ace), Pete Gruner (Billy Kidman) and Chris Klucsaritis (Chris Kanyon). Each of the aforementioned people have different issues. Klucsaritis' contract with Time Warner expired last week, so he's basically a lock to go in. Ross has made it clear to virtually everyone he's negotiated with that the salaries offered will not be in the league of what they were used to earning, but there is potential to earn more of the new company is successful. Many involved with meetings with Ross have noted that he's not tried to snow them with the idea they'd be making more, and brings up potential negatives and most felt they were being dealt with more honestly then typical wrestling negotiations.”

How difficult was it to manage and negotiate these things?

Jerry Lawler is going on radio discussing his issues with the company. Are you talking to him and advising him on what the best steps were?

The WWF has a pay-per-view in England during this time called Insurrextion. Were you there and what do you remember about this show

Meltzer reports you were ill during this time and unable to push forward with the WCW relaunch. What do you remember about that?

You’re dealing with a ton of injuries according to your own Ross Report. Do you think there was a reason for the rash of injuries?

Is Paul Heyman trying to sell you on the ECW talent that’s out there?

XFL announces on 5/10 that it’s closing. What do you think was the main reason it all failed?

How stale is creative right now? There’s really nothing of note being done to build anything. It’s one of the least built PPVs in WWF history.

The business of the show doesn’t really reflect that. Judgment Day 2000 had a buy rate of 420,000 while 2001 was only at 405,000 but the house is bigger. In 2000...which was main evented by Triple H vs. The Rock in a one-hour iron man match featuring HBK as the referee and the built return of the Undertaker interfering drew 16,827 in Louisville while here at the Arco Arena we’re at 13,623 people but with a house of $670,000 which was $100,000 more than 2000. Do you know if that was a result of higher ticket prices?

Here we are JR!

From the Observer…

1. William Regal pinned Rikishi in 3:57. This was also more like a television match because of its quickness. Amazing how quick Rikishi has fallen, from TV main eventer against Austin all the way to losing clean in the opener in two weeks. Ross mentioned Rikishi going in with a shoulder injury. Regal did his usual tough offense with the legit looking forearms and knees. Regal also bled after being hit with stairs. They built to a stink face spot with Regal doing his great facials which got a lot of heat. Regal came back almost immediately with a flying neckbreaker like move for the pin. *1/4

It is amazing how quickly Rikishi fell. Why do you think that is? How good is Regal?

2. Kurt Angle won two of three falls from Chris Benoit in 23:54 to regain his medals. First fall, pinfalls only, with each doing the other ones' moves, Angle doing the rolling german suplex and missing a diving head-but, and Benoit doing the Angle slam for the pin in 1:07. Second fall, which was submissions only, saw Angle crotch Benoit. There was some tremendous mat wrestling in this fall. Angle's calling spots was pretty audible in spots. Story of the fall was Angle kept blocking the crossface, or staying near the ropes so when Benoit would get a move on, he'd make the ropes. Benoit used moves like the boston crab and the figure four but Angle would make the ropes. Angle ended up taking the fall at the 12:10 mark with the Angle slam and ankle lock. Third fall was the ladder match. Pretty good third fall with Angle taking a good bump when Benoit used the ladder almost like a knockout punch, and later Benoit catapulted him into the ladder as well as did the teeter totter spot. Angle suplexed Benoit on the ladder. In a pretty clever spot, Benoit put the ladder on Angle, basically burying him, so he could climb up. However, it wasn't that clever, as from the bottom, Angle was able to lift the ladder, sending Benoit catching his throat on the top rope. Benoit made a comeback and got the crossface and Angle was tapping, but it didn't matter. Finish was kind of basic and a little weak, as Edge & Christian ran in and held Benoit, allowing Angle to climb the ladder and retrieve his medals. Best match on the show. ****

These two are just so good. Great spotlight but looking back odd Benoit doesn’t go over since he’s going to main event Raw the next night.

Jerry Lynn did a promo from WWF New York complaining that as light heavyweight champion, he should be on the PPV as opposed to being in WWF New York. The fans there cheered him, not picking up that he had basically insulted where he was. Lynn did a hell of a promo, doubly notable because the book on him is he's not good on promos. If this was WCW, that would be the last one he'd ever do.

Where did the WWF miss with Jerry Lynn and the light heavyweight division?

3. Rhyno retained the hardcore title in a three-way over Test and Big Show in 9:15. A lot better than it sounded on paper, although that was more due to Rhyno and Test. Finish saw Rhyno throw a garbage can to Show, who for whatever reason, and I doubt it was natural instinct of being a wide receiver as a kid, caught it and Rhyno gored him for the pin. *3/4

What is Big Show just missing at this point? Was there more that could be done with Rhyno?

4. Chyna pinned Lita in 6:29 to retain the womens title. Very weird match. Lita got the biggest face pop of anyone up to this point in the show. At one point Chyna used a press-slam and went for the pin, lifting Lita up at two. Usually that's the signal that the person lifting the person up is doing the job as a way to protect them showing they could have just as easily won but they were too cocky. What the motive for that spot was here when Chyna was going over isn't as obvious, maybe as a subtle spot for the heel turn, although that would be more effective as part of the finish as opposed to a spot everyone would forget. They tried doing submissions, with Lita doing an armbar and Chyna doing the old head scissors but nobody knew what they were doing. Eddy Guerrero came out on the aisle to watch. Chyna pinned Lita clean with a power bomb, which seemed kind of a strange way to book it. 1/2*

How unprofessional was this and how does this happen? Was this Chyna going into business for herself?

5. Kane pinned HHH to win the IC title in a chain match in 12:29. An old school style match. HHH worked on Kane's arm including using a chair. HHH juiced early from a spot where he was outside the ring and holding a chair, and Kane tugged the chain causing HHH's head to hit the chair and he did the blade job. At one point Kane slammed HHH off the barricades onto the mats outside the ring. Kane used a chain to the groin (a key low blow, as mentioned before, there were about 50 of them on the show) as a way to block the pedigree. Finish saw Kane use a choke slam. Austin did a run-in. HHH used a low blow to set up the spot where he held Kane, but Austin grabbed a chair and went to hit Kane, actually when watching it, there wasn't even an attempt to hit Kane visually, and hit HHH with the chair which led to Kane's title win. **1/2

The IC title changes hands AGAIN here. Do you think it hurt everyone by doing this. Does anyone care about Kane as a babyface at this point?

6. Benoit & Chris Jericho (Chris Irvine) won what was essentially a tag team gauntlet match to become No. 1 contenders. Benoit was the mystery partner of Jericho, and wound up wrestling five different falls on the night. Maybe why a lot of people liked the show.

Is Benoit the only one who can pull off doing all these different matches in one night?

a) Match opened with APA over Dean Malenko & Perry Saturn in 1:32 when Faarooq pinned Saturn after a spinebuster. Too short to comment much on it.

b) APA beat Dudleys in 4:56. This had great heat because of the Dudleys trademark spots which at this point are probably as much over with the crowd as any of the trademark spots. This was one of the most heated matches on the show. Dudleys did the old Road Warrior doomsday device on Bradshaw and the wazzup on Faarooq. Place went nuts for the "get the tables" spot. However, Bob & Crash Holly ran out and Bob did the whiplash power bomb on D-Von through the table he had pulled out and Bradshaw pinned Bubba with the clothesline from hell.

c) X-Factor beat APA in 3:45. Bradshaw sure didn't seem to like selling much for his smaller guys. Albert interfered and ended up leading to the win, tripping Bradshaw and holding his legs to keep him from kicking out when X-Pac covered him. A decent TV style match.

d) X-Factor beat Matt & Jeff Hardy in 3:11. This was a real hot short match. Matt set up the twist of fate on X, but Credible hit Matt with the superkick and X-Pac got the pin.

e) Benoit & Jericho beat X-Factor in 5:16. Albert was killing Jericho early. Got some heat on Benoit until X-Pac missed the bronco buster. Benoit hot tagged to Jericho. Ref bump. Albert was attacking Benoit and they did the double superkick spot on Jericho, who kicked out. Jericho catapulted Credible into X-Pac. Benoit & Jericho gave Albert a double suplex, and then double suplexed Credible onto Albert. Benoit used the crossface on Credible and Jericho used the walls on X-Pac for a double submission. Real good.

f) Benoit & Jericho beat Edge & Christian in 7:08. Yet another real good match. E&C did the stacked up superplex. Benoit did a dropkick off the top onto Christian who was sitting on Jericho's shoulders way up there for a near fall. E&C got chairs, but were thwarted as the chairs ended up in their own faces courtesy of a double baseball slide. Benoit & Jericho teased a concerto, but E&C broke that up. E&C teased the concerto, but they missed and Benoit took down Christian with a crossface for the submission. ***1/2

The tag team division is so deep is crazy and wow the level of talent in this match. It’s a way deeper tag team division than a lot remember or give credit for. Is this something lost in wrestling between then and now with AEW focusing so much on tag team wrestling?

7. Steve Austin retained the WWF title pinned Undertaker in 23:07 of a no holds barred match. Vince McMahon came out for commentary. This was similarly booked as most WWF title matches where the heel is going over, tons of interference and like all Austin matches, lots of brawling, although not as much as usual in the entrance way. Undertaker really worked hard, and he needed to with such a long match. Fast-paced match early. This was better than some Austin-Undertaker bouts of the past but not as good as the best ones. HHH came out with a sledge hammer. Undertaker killed both HHH and Austin with chairs to the head, a spot saved for the finish rather than used throughout. Vince saved Austin from a pin. Taker went after Vince. Austin went to hit Taker with a chair but instead hit Vince. Undertaker set up the last ride. At this point, Kane did a run-in. The cameras were on Kane, and missed the finish, and that is one of those things that used to only happen in WCW. HHH hit Undertaker with the sledge hammer and Austin got the pin. Kane arrived a second too late for the save. So even though HHH did the job, he was the one who was the decisive force in the main event. However, Austin did hit both HHH and Vince with chair shots during the show. ***1/4

A lot here. Not like the 98 Austin-Taker but still they both worked super hard and it was amazing the change in terms of the switch of the roles. Did Austin excel in a heel role where Taker didn’t seem to as a babyface?

What did you think of the show Jim? Thumbs up, thumbs down, thumbs in the middle?