Welcome to the ninth instalment from 2003 of Tybo Talks… Fifteen Years Ago – SummerSlam 2003
I started this a full year ago when I thought it would be a good idea to start a ’15 Years Ago’ series. Twelve months and over 500 hours of wrestling later I’m starting all over again with 2003.
If you want to read my Tybo Talks… 2002 series CLICK HERE!
(This is possibly the best most comprehensive series I have ever done and loved it!)
If you want to read my Tybo Talks… 2003 (so far) CLICK HERE!
The idea was simple, with the ease of access to pretty much all of WWE’s back catalogue on the WWE Network I thought it would be cool to change it up a bit and do some classic review and drop them on the day they were held. Where better to start than 15 years ago. The plan is to review every PPV of 2003 while watching all Raw and Smackdown episodes in between.
Now before I go any further, I’m not really going to explain the matches move for move. No one needs that, the PPV is on the WWE Network. This is going to be my thoughts on the booking and general thoughts about the matches and the event.
The Stats
This was the 16th Annual SummerSlam event, As this is one of the ‘big four’ this event is co-branded with Raw & Smackdown
Venue – America West Arena, Phoenix. Arizona
Attendance – 16,113
Theme Song – St. Anger by Metallica
The event started as the big shows usually do, with someone singing ‘Star Spangled Banner’ this year it was Lillian Garcia. The opening after that didn’t really have any music, more atmosphere, with a black and white. This is a far cry from the ‘biggest party of the summer’.
That being said, SummerSlam 2003 had the best WWE advert ever, Brock Lesnar F5’s a shark.
Raw Tag Team Championship: La Resistance (C) vs The Dudley Boys
La Resistance has taken the Raw tag division by storm over the last few months, they came seemingly out of nowhere to be Tag Champions in a matter of weeks. They are great heels, although being French and hating America is cheap heat.
The Dudley Boys at this point are 16-time tag team champions, that is an insane feat when you think they continued to wrestle for another 10+ years.
This is a hard-hitting physical match, with none stop action. This is a solid opening match for the PPV. This all ends when Devon gets knocked out by a ‘cameraman’, a new La Resistance member? Winners – La Resistance
Backstage – Bischoff is seen doing some judo when Christian comes in pissed off that he hasn’t got a match. To be fair, he has a point. This is one of the big four PPVs of the year, you would expect the Intercontinental Championship to be defended.
Undertaker vs A-Train (Not an actual train)
A-Train has been off TV for a while, so when he comes back as Vince’s ‘hired gun’ he is built as an unstoppable… well… freight train. This one all came about because Undertaker was defending Steph McMahon after A-Train took her out during her match at Vengeance. A-Train is getting some perks of being Vince’s muscle, being escorted to the ring by Sable.
This is another hard-hitting match, where two big men are doing all power moves, even the punches look stiff. It’s easy to forget just how good A-Train was in the ring, it seems like he has had a lot of failed gimmicks and no one remembers he can work.
After Undertaker gets the win, Sable tries to get in his face, but outcomes Steph (this is the first time she has been seen since Vengeance) and attacks Sable. Winner – The Undertaker
Shane McMahon vs Eric Bischoff
There are so many stories wrapped up in stories for this one, which all started with Kane losing his mask and becoming a mega heel, even setting JR on fire, and tombstoning Linda on the stage. This is obviously where Shane came into the mix, but Bischoff said he can’t have a match with Kane. Meanwhile JR wants to sue Bischoff, instead, he has to have a match with Kane the winner will face Shane at SummerSlam. Kane purposely got counted one and here we are.
Just to add a little more fuel to the fire, Bischoff hates Shane for buying WCW, During the build to this Bischoff also ‘seduced’ Linda, as you do, to your bosses’ wife. For all the twists and turns this has been a great watch and the end goal is going to be Kane vs Shane.
The match is not great, but about 10 minutes in Coach comes down and Bischoff makes it no DQ, making the whole thing a Shane McMahon beatdown. Enter Steve Austin to a huge pop (possible pop of the night) and Stunners for everyone. Shane hits his elbow off the top rope through the announce table. Job done. Beers with Austin. Winner – Shane McMahon
Backstage – Flair is telling Orton that Triple H needs to leave the Elimination Chamber with the Championship. Basically, don’t go into business for yourself.
United States Championship: Eddie Guerrero (C) vs Chris Benoit vs Rhyno vs Tajiri
It was only a few months ago that these were in tag matches together, then it all fell apart when everyone turned on everyone. Eddie on Tajiri, Rhyno on Benoit, and last week on Smackdown, Eddie even attacked Rhyno.
Before this match starts you know it’s going to be great, the calibre of superstar in the ring and the work they can all do, this could be ‘Match of the Night’. I Think the best thing about this match is it could easily be anyone who walks out the champion. They all have legitimate reasons to win and more importantly, they could all be believable champions.
The match is as good as you would think, it feels like a triple threat a lot of the time because Eddie is just chilling outside the ring and stopping pins if they happen. Classic Eddie. Great back and forward with none of the guys keeping the upper hand for long. There is a great moment where Tajiri and Rhyno are both in submissions and the referee has no idea what to do. Its all over when Eddie basically steals the win, but would you expect any less? Winner – Eddie Guerrero
WWE Championship: Kurt Angle (C) vs Brock Lesnar
Before the match, there is a video package that shows the brutal beatdown from Lesnar to Zack Gowen. This is one of those moments that stands out as one of the most shocking moments of the Ruthless Aggression Era. Gowen is defenceless and they both end up covered in his blood.
Fun Fact: Vince and Bruce Prichard were trying to figure out a way to throw Zack Gowen off the huge fist on the Smackdown stage, and even tried to get hold of a one-legged stuntman.
According to Vince, this is the ‘real’ Brock Lesnar, and he was never Angle’s friend. For months before this match Angle and Lesnar have been best friends with some very funny and entertaining segments.
Lesnar would pull the switch during a cage match that he had to have with Vince and Angle was the special referee to get this match. Lesnar would fake a concussion then when Angle’s back was turned pop up and destroy him, aligning himself with Vince. It’s strange that they never brought Heyman back for Lesnar’s heel turn.
Angle and Lesnar always put on an absolute wrestling clinic and this Wrestlemania rematch is no different. They know each other so well in the ring, and the story of familiarity, betrayal and revenge is told so well. The first thing you notice about this match is the aggression from Lesnar, he wrestles different to how he did as a face, he looks like he legitimately wants to hurt Angle, this may be commonplace now, but it wasn’t the case 15+ Years Ago.
The last few minutes of this match need to be watched if you call yourself a wrestling fan, Angle is on fire. After a chair shot from Vince and an F5 from Lesnar, Angle still kicks-out, and the crowd can’t get enough. Angle reverses an F5 into an Anklelock, and Lesnar taps. Truly an amazing match, easily Match of the Night. Winner – Kurt Angle
After the match, Vince takes an Angle Slam on an open chair, which looks like it breaks something.
Fun Fact: SummerSlam 2003, happened on Vince McMahon’s birthday. Great birthday present from Angle there.
No Holds Barred: Kane vs Rob Van Dam
I personally think that Kane should be in the World Heavyweight Championship picture. Kane has somehow become even more of a monster than he ever was with a mask. This is the best version of Kane we have seen in years, he is a though and through sadistic monster who will take out anyone, including Linda McMahon and setting JR on fire.
Whoever it was that came up with the idea to have him ‘under house arrest’ deserves some major props, making Kane come to the arena in a paddy wagon in chains and guards walk him to the ring add something to the gimmick few ‘monsters’ ever had.
RVD is relentless with non-stop speed moves, but Kane is like an unflinching tree, nothing is going to move him. Considering the match is ‘no holds barred’ there aren’t a huge number of weapons used, although RVD’s coast-to-coast with a chair is insane. This one all ends with a Tombstone on the steel steps. Winner – Kane
Elimination Chamber – World Heavyweight Championship: Triple H (C) vs Kevin Nash vs Shawn Michaels vs Goldberg vs Randy Orton vs Chris Jericho
Fun Fact: Kevin Nash is sporting a new haircut after losing a Hair vs Hair match on Raw, this was actually because Nash was cast as ‘The Russian’ in ‘The Punisher’ movie.
Why is Triple H wearing shorts?!
Anyway, Jericho and Michaels start it out after about 15 minutes of entrances. It would be easier to tell you that everyone has an issue with everyone, the only two guys of the six that don’t have some sort of beef are Triple H and Orton.
This all feels tame for an Elimination Chamber match, Orton out of the pod first, then Nash comes out of his pod, and it’s not long before he is eliminated. Third out of the pod is Triple H, but he gets Superkicked soon as the door opens and is knocked out in the pod.
Everyone is beginning to look gassed, but there have been no major chamber spots yet. Last out the pod is Goldberg, this is where they match gets interesting. Orton is Speared and eliminated in about 90 seconds. Goldberg turns his sights on Jericho who takes a huge bump with a Spear through the plexiglass of a pod. The crowd are popping hard from Goldberg, next up it’s a Spear and Jackhammer for Michaels and he is eliminated. Jericho is fed the exact same and he is eliminated too. This is dominance like I have never seen before, Goldberg is like a one-man army.
FunFact: Triple H was dealing with a groin injury, that’s why the match was changed from Triple H vs Goldberg, and also why Triple H ‘wrestles’ about 90 seconds on the whole match.
There is only Goldberg and Triple H left, and Trips is still in his pod. In one of the coolest moments in an Elimination Chamber match, Goldberg kicks straight through the pod door and attacks the champion. Triple H is getting absolutely mauled till Flair throws in a sledge-hammer and its all over when Goldberg runs right into it and Triple H steals the win. Winner – Triple H
After the match, Triple H, Orton and Flair all beatdown and bloody, defenceless Goldberg who ends up handcuffed to the chamber. This is the most ‘human’ I think I have ever seen Goldberg look.
Overall
This was a great PPV all around, this could be because both Raw and Smackdown were represented, or the big guns were pulled out as SummerSlam is one of the ‘Big Four’ either way it was an enjoyable watch all the way through.
Although Raw seemed to have more memorable matches (Shane McMahon vs Eric Bischoff and The Elimination Chamber) the best wrestling matches came from Smackdown (Fatal Four-Way United States Championship and Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar). As always, the Match of the Night would depend on what you’re looking for, but personally, I think the WWE Championship match was clearly the best of the night, from the wrestling and the story they told, it just pipped everything else on the card.
That being said I can’t not mention the Elimination Chamber, as this would probably be a more memorable match, and using the chamber was a nice change of pace from the recent bout of Hell in a Cell matches, which have started to become somewhat overkill lately.
The ultra-violent and graphic ending to the PPV makes me want to watch the Raw after straight away, to see the PPV fallout.
SummerSlam 2003 – 4 / 5
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