The year 2002 was a time of transition for WWE. In name and in execution.
Not only did they officially change the name of the company from WWF to WWE, but this was also the year WWE finally moved on from the Attitude Era.
With the debuts of stars like Batista, John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, and Rey Mysterio, the Ruthless Aggression Era began in full in 2002. The likes of Steve Austin and The Rock were on their way out, and the new stars had started to take over.
There were a few very good pay-per-views this year with many great matches. Let’s take a look at them.
These are the 11 best WWE pay-per-view matches of 2002.
11. Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio – SummerSlam
SummerSlam 2002 remains one of the best pay-per-views in WWE history. Not only that, but it has one of the best opening matches in WWE history as well.
Rey Mysterio had just arrived in WWE and his first pay-per-view match was against Kurt Angle. You will not find a better first opponent than that.
This match started off hot with Mysterio hitting a hurricanrana at the bell and they were off and running. Mysterio has never been known for his technical wrestling but he was able to hang with Angle in a fabulous match.
Angle was arguably the best wrestler in the world at the time, and even in an opening match, he could pull off a legendary performance.
10. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker – No Mercy
When you talk about Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker in Hell in a Cell, most new fans will point to their 2015 match. However, their match at No Mercy 2002 was arguably just as good.
The Undertaker was wrestling with his hand in a cast and so much of this match focused on his injury. Lesnar was still a very fresh face after winning the WWE Championship at SummerSlam and finally defeating The Undertaker was a big moment for him.
This was a very strong Hell in a Cell match complete with excessive blood loss from The Undertaker. Twas the time for blood after all.
9. Chris Jericho vs. The Rock – Royal Rumble
Chris Jericho’s reign as Undisputed Champion was not terribly successful. No matter how many times he will remind you he beat The Rock and Steve Austin in the same night, the title reign that followed was very lackluster.
Thankfully, he at least got a very good title defense out of his reign. At the Royal Rumble 2002, he battled The Rock for the Undisputed Championship.
There was an incredible amount of interference in this match which certainly tainted a bit of the impact a win over The Rock had for Jericho, but the work in the match itself was top notch.
Jericho and The Rock had great chemistry together and this was one of their best.
8. Kurt Angle vs. Edge – Backlash
When asked for examples of wrestlers getting over in defeat, I often point to this match. At Backlash 2002, Kurt Angle took on up-and-coming babyface Edge.
Edge had come out of his team with Christian and had a few decent midcard feuds with the likes of William Regal and Booker T. This was the first time he was given the chance to move up the card.
Edge and Kurt Angle had a great match and even though Edge lost, he was able to get close enough to change the way the fans looked at him. Not only did he get close, but he also had a great match.
When they did have their rematch with Edge getting the win, fans were excited to see it. But we will get to that later.
7. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H – SummerSlam
It is difficult to imagine a time before Shawn Michaels’ second run in WWE. From SummerSlam 2002 onward he had the best work of his career.
At the time of SummerSlam, however, there were questions about what Shawn Michaels we would see after four and a half years away. Sure enough, the Heartbreak Kid stepped back in the ring as if he didn’t miss a day.
His match with Triple H was fantastic and the culmination of a well-told story lasting the Summer of ’02.
It takes a very special talent to be able to have zero ring rust after so long but people don’t call Shawn Michaels the GOAT for no reason.
6. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan – WrestleMania X8
While this match is by far the worst on this list from an in-ring standpoint, this was an example of why that is not always what matters most.
Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock at WrestleMania X8 remains one of the most iconic matches in WWE history.
They didn’t light the world on fire with high spots, most of this match involves back rakes and shots with a weight belt, but it was the reaction the people gave that gave this match its legendary status.
The moment Hogan kicks out of the Rock Bottom and Hulks Up, the Skydome in Toronto came completely unglued.
Thousands of wrestling fans who had seen Hogan as kids were getting to see him again and that reaction is virtually impossible to match.
5. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kane vs. Booker T vs. Rob Van Dam – Survivor Series
WWE has a few truly great original match stipulations. The Royal Rumble, Hell in a Cell, Money in the Bank, and the Elimination Chamber all come to mind. The latter debuted at Survivor Series 2002 with a home run match.
With such a unique concept, it would have been easy for this match to be a mess. Thankfully, it wasn’t, and with the talent involved perhaps that should be no surprise.
Shawn Michaels was competing in just his second match but he was surrounded by Triple H, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, Booker T and Kane. A very solid lineup indeed.
In the end, it was Michaels who captured the World Heavyweight Championship, last eliminating Triple H in a fantastic introduction to one of WWE’s most iconic stipulations.
Also, he was wearing poop brown pants. Lest we all forget the poop brown pants.
4. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit – Unforgiven
Many of these lists will include a match between Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit. Of all the rivalries that have taken place in WWE, few have involved the kind of chemistry these two men had.
This is one of their less-talked-about matches but the quality is still on par with many of their other matches.
At Unforgiven, Benoit and Angle wrestled at the beginning of the SmackDown Six Era. They had yet to start their “can they co-exist” tag team and this match is a great look at their rivalry before the super memorable moments.
3. The Rock vs. Kurt Angle vs. The Undertaker – Vengeance
When the topic of the best Triple Threat matches in history comes up, this match will be mentioned more often than not. Three of the biggest stars of the Attitude Era competing in a top-notch match together as the company was going through transition.
The Rock was on his way out at the time, but had returned to challenge for the Undisputed Championship. This was one of the last pay-per-view main events featuring the biggest stars of the Attitude Era and it felt very big.
Not to mention that these are three of the best wrestlers in WWE history. Anyone could have won the match and that is a very cool thing that helps elevate matches of this caliber even more.
If ever you want to see a classic Triple Threat match, dust off Vengeance 2002 and give this a watch.
2. Edge vs. Kurt Angle – Judgment Day
I told you we would get to this match. After their excellent match at Backlash 2002, Edge and Kurt Angle squared off again at Judgment Day and blew their previous match out of the water.
This was a Hair vs. Hair match so the stakes were very high. Edge was even told he was losing beforehand and bought several hats to hide his bald head in shame. Thankfully that was a rib and he got the biggest singles win of his career to that point, beating Angle clean.
Not only was this the biggest win Edge had had, this was also the best singles match he had had. To this day, you could argue it is still his best.
These two were presented as equals and with Edge winning, he was elevated to a whole new level. No longer was he the handsome babyface with potential, now he was the handsome babyface on the rise.
1. Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit – No Mercy
To date, I consider this the best main roster WWE tag team match of all time. In the Fall of 2002, you could not find four better wrestlers to have a tag team match than Edge, Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit.
This is the SmackDown Six at its very best. Wrestling to become the first WWE Tag Team Champions, the two teams squared off at No Mercy in a hardcore fan’s dream.
If workrate is what you care about in pro wrestling, this is the WWE tag match for you. You still had the “CAN THEY CO-EXIST” bollocks that WWE loves doing, but this is where it was done the best.
Mix in Edge and Mysterio’s recent history with Angle and you had a ridiculously heated and equally brilliant match. These may have been two thrown together teams, but they might be the two best thrown together teams ever,
Watch this match. Watch it right now. Hell, I’m gonna go watch it again.
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