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2002 was an odd year for WWE.
On paper, the company had the most star studded roster in it's five decade history.
Mainstay main eventers such as Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, The Undertaker, Kane, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair, DDP and Booker T were part of the roster and underneath were top line mid-carders like Rob Van Dam, Edge, Christian, Scott Hall, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero and others.
After trying and failing to elevate career mid-carder Jericho into a bonafide headliner, WWE gave Triple H his fifth World crown at WrestleMania X-8, when he comfortably defeated Y2J for the gold. It spent the next few months swapping the World title among veteran main event stars as WWE searched for a new identity in the post-Attitude era.
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It was a year of transition and WWE recognized that fact.
Although they were booking tried and tested talent in the headline positions, they were also keen on building for the future and debuting on WWE television in 2002 were 24 year old Brock Lesnar, 22 year old Randy Orton and 25 year old John Cena.
There was also Batista, although he was much older than those three also debuted in 2002, as he discovered wrestling later in life.
All four of those men would be World Champions by the time 2005 rolled around. Lesnar would win the WWE Heavyweight crown just five months after his debut, shortly after his 25th birthday.
Indeed, Lesnar was the man that WWE saw as the next Hogan/Rock/Austin level superstar, even going so far as to literally dub him "The Next Big Thing". They believed that Lesnar would be the man to dominate the next decade of WWE. He had youth, sterling amateur wrestling credentials and a massive six feet five inch, 280 Ibs frame.
Ironically, Lesnar would dominate the subsequent decade instead. In his original run in WWE, he only competed in the company for two years between 2002 and 2004 before tiring of the grind of traveling on the road and deciding to take a crack at becoming a NFL player instead.
Lesnar would return to WWE in April 2012 following stints in New Japan Pro Wrestling and as a heavyweight UFC champion and would hold World titles almost continuously until time of this writing, even on a part time schedule.
The 2002-2012 period that was supposed to be the Lesnar Era instead became the Cena Era.
Part 12 in this series will look at the early reigns of Cena as WWE Champion.
Previous articles in this series can be found here:
Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9 and part 10.
Triple H (March 17, 2002 - April 21, 2002)
Triple H tore his quadriceps muscle in a Tag Team Championship match-up with partner Stone Cold Steve Austin versus the tandem of Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho on May 21, 2001. His road back to in-ring action was long and arduous.
However, eight months later, "The Game" finally returned to WWE television to a thunderous reaction on the January 7, 2002 Raw, hailing from historic Madison Square Garden.
Triple H won the Royal Rumble later that month and defeated Jericho in an average match in the main event. The crowd reaction was lukewarm for the bout due to Y2J being a massive flop as champion. Plus, it followed the The Rock versus Hulk Hogan dream bout one match earlier.
Despite the less than impressive start to his reign, Triple H expected to an enjoy a lengthy run on top, due to the momentum of his return.
However, "The Cerebral Assassin" had not counted on the massive wave of nostalgia engulfing Hogan, who had turned face during his 'Mania collision with The Rock. Hogan had (intentionally) turned the crowd against The Rock at WrestleMania and employed the same trick versus Triple H at Backlash the following month.
The original result booked was a Triple H win, but blinded by Hulkamania, WWE boss Vince McMahon decided to capitalize on the nostalgia pops Hogan was receiving and give the 48 year old veteran the title win.
"The Game" and his real life (by this point) fiancee, Stephanie McMahon frantically tried to change McMahon's mind to no avail.
Triple H's comeback title win lasted a mere five weeks.
Hulk Hogan (April 21, 2002 - May 19, 2002)
Hulk Hogan returned to WWE after a nine year absence at the 2002 No Way Out pay per view on February 17, 2002.
Many in WWE opposed the signing of Hogan, along with his nWo comrades, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, fearing they would be a bad influence in the locker room. In particular, Stone Cold Steve Austin was deeply upset by the signings and when he was offered a WrestleMania bout with Hogan, he refused it. Austin suspected (rightly) that Hogan would attempt to steal the spotlight in the 'Mania match. Hogan did exactly that but it was The Rock who was the victim, not Austin.
Attempting to wring every drop of nostalgia out of Hogan's return, he was booked to defeat Triple H for the Undisputed Championship at Backlash on April 21, 2002.
However, WWE soon realized their mistake when the numbers came in. Backlash pulled 345,000 buys, fewer than WWE expected for Hogans's quest to win the modern version of the Championship he had previously held five times between 1984 and 1993.
Hogan's joint record sixth title win (matching The Rock and Stone Cold's six title victories) was a memorable moment to be sure, in a decent bout with "The Game." However, the disappointing numbers meant it was going to be short lived,
Hogan would drop the belt to the man he lost his third title to: The Undertaker.
The Undertaker (May 19, 2002 - July 21, 2002)
Hulk Hogan versus The Undertaker for the WWE Championship.
WWE fans would be forgiven for thinking it was 1991 when they saw that match on the marquee. However, in 2002, WWE presented the same title match they had booked a decade earlier at the 1991 Survivor Series and This Tuesday In Texas six days later.
The 1991 bouts were lackluster and the 2002 encounter was no exception. Hogan could only go against the right opponent in 2002 and the Deadman was not that man.
The Undertaker ended the nostalgia Hogan title run at Judgment Day and moved on to new challenges.
He next defended the belt in a truly lethargic bout with Triple H at King of the Ring 2002 which would be the worst match the pair would ever have, before redeeming himself with a fantastic Ladder Match versus Jeff Hardy, the next night on Raw.
Full of brilliant high spots, energy and drama, 'Taker's successful defense against one half of the Hardy Boyz was everything the Triple H bout wasn't.
The American Bad Ass continued his fine run of matches with an equally brilliant title defense versus Kurt Angle in which he tapped out at the same time he pinned the Olympian. The bout was ruled a draw and when WWE tries to tell you The Undertaker has never tapped out, revisit the July 4, 2002 episode of SmackDown for proof that he has.
Undertaker's fourth WWE Championship run ended at Vengeance on July 21, 2002 in a triple threat title defense versus The Rock and Kurt Angle. 'Taker was miffed at the loss as he was not involved in the decision which ended his reign, but Undertaker's final WWE Championship run was over.
The Rock (July 21, 2002 - August 25, 2002)
The Rock became the first wrestler to win seven WWE Championships at Vengeance on July 21, 2002.
It was a superlative match-up between Rock, Kurt Angle and Undisputed Champion, The Undertaker. At the time it was the finest triple threat match WWE had ever produced. Rock's record title win was acknowledged on commentary.
Rock's title quest attracted 375,000 orders, which surpassed the 320,000 buys the A-show, King of the Ring had pulled a month earlier. However, despite the impressive box office, Rock's title reign could not last.
The Rock had to exit WWE once again for commitments in Hollywood and thus had to drop the Undisputed Championship.
WWE decided that Rock should put over their rising star, rookie Brock Lesnar.
Lesnar had won the King of the Ring tournament the previous month and was unbeaten ever since he debuted on the post-WrestleMania X-8 Raw.
The build-up to SummerSlam, headlined by Rock versus Brock had a true sports feel, with WWE screening videos of both men in training for the bout.
At SummerSlam, Rock did his duty and laid down for the Next Big Thing. Rock would not win another WWE Championship for a decade.
Brock Lesnar (August 25, 2002 - November 17, 2002)
Brock Lesnar was 25 years old when he marched into SummerSlam 2002 as the challenger to The Rock's Undisputed Title.
Lesnar had been on a tear since he debuted in WWE five months earlier, decimating former World Champions such as Booker T, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan, most notably as he shot to the top of the card in record time.
He became the youngest WWE Champion in WWE history when he pinned The Rock in the SummerSlam headliner in his finest performance to date.
Lesnar then signed an exclusive contract with SmackDown, making the Undisputed Championship a single brand title. Therefore, Raw created the World Heavyweight Championship, and the Undisputed Title was no more. It was re-named the WWE Championship.
Lesnar was next moved into a feud with The Undertaker with whom he clashed in the main event of Unforgiven.
'Taker had originally been booked to drop the WWE Championship to Lesnar at SummerSlam but had refused.
Therefore, The Rock had been inserted into the title picture instead and ended 'Takers's reign specifically so he could drop the belt to Lesnar.
Two months later and the American Bad Ass's opinion had not changed and he was still reluctant to put the youngster over. This led to a deeply dissatisfying end to the Unforgiven bout, which ended in a Double Disqualification after both men attacked the referee.
In another blow to Lesnar, Undertaker hurled him through the stage after the decision to further demonstrate his superiority. However, 'Taker had a change of heart at No Mercy on October 20, 2002 and put Lesnar over in a big, big way.
The Deadman and Lesnar contested a bloody and dramatic brawl in which Lesnar caused 'Taker to bleed like a faucet from his forehead. Lesnar eventually retained after an F-5.
Lesnar, who had felt dissed by 'Taker at Unforgiven no sold the beating he had suffered in the match and climbed onto the cell roof in seconds to celebrate as the Deadman looked up, visibly annoyed.
Lesnar had had the last laugh.
Surprisingly, Lesnar's reign only lasted another month. However, dropping the title was designed to turn Lesnar face. WWE saw him as the next superstar babyface to follow in the footsteps of Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold and The Rock.
In order to turn face, he had to split with his manager, the reviled Paul Heyman. That turn took place at Survivor Series in Lesnar's shock title loss to Big Show.
The Big Show (November 17, 2002 - December 15, 2002)
After Big Show's transitional WWE Championship reign in 1999-2000, few expected the seven foot tall giant to ever hold the big belt again.
Since 2000, Big Show had gradually slipped down the card, due to WWE management's frustration with his ballooning weight and disinterested attitude.
As WWE tends to do with performers who do not follow instructions, they jobbed him out. In 2001-02, Big Show lost to everyone.
Therefore, eyebrows were raised when Show was booked to fight WWE Champion Brock Lesnar at the 2002 Survivor Series.
In the build up to the event, Lesnar's manager, Paul Heyman repeatedly told his charge that he could not defeat Big Show as he could not lift him up for the F-5. It seemed disingenuous to promote Big Show as superior to Lesnar, who was unbeaten and had just crushed The Rock and The Undertaker in consecutive title feuds.
However, in hindsight, it made sense. When Lesnar did hit the F-5 on the mammoth Big Show, the Madison Square Garden crowd cheered in delight and that same audience was massively miffed when Heyman cost his client the gold and assisted Show to win.
Heyman had betrayed Lesnar and aligned himself with Big Show.
Show was champion again and Lesnar was WWE's new star babyface.
Show's reign existed solely as a transition. WWE wanted to promote the first ever meeting between the Amateur Wrestling giants, Lesnar and Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XIX. In order to do so they wanted to make Angle champion and book Lesnar to win the Royal Rumble match and challenge the Olympian for the gold.
Therefore, Big Show's reign ended at Armageddon, just one month later
Kurt Angle (December 15, 2002 - March 30, 2003)
Kurt Angle had not held the WWE Championship since October 2001. By the time December 2002 rolled around he was overdue.
He challenged Big Show for the title at Armageddon 2002 and asked Brock Lesnar, who had been betrayed by Show and his new manager, Paul Heyman to be in his corner.
Lesnar was initially non-committal but did eventually intervene on Angle's behalf and assist the Olympian in becoming a three time WWE Champion.
However, it was a set up all along! Lesnar and Show had been duped by the dastardly Heyman, who was in cahoots with Angle. Heyman ditched Show and aligned himself with Angle, becoming the first manager in WWE history to manage three consecutive WWE Champions.
Angle wrestled long time rival/ally Chris Benoit in an instant classic technical battle at the 2003 Royal Rumble before finally clashing with Lesnar in a highly anticipated match-up at WrestleMania XIX.
Angle and Lesnar contested one of the greatest main event matches in WrestleMania history.
Angle, who entered the bout with a career threatening neck injury delivered an imperious performance and put his younger opponent over in a big way. But, more about that coming up soon.
Stay tuned for part 12 coming soon and be sure to leave your thoughts and memories in the comments below!
