This week on Rewind-A-Wai, we review WWE Global Warning Tour: Melbourne from August 10, 2002.
The event marked WWE’s return to Australia for the first time since 1986, recorded live from Colonial Stadium and later released on home video.
This review was chosen by Espresso Executive Producer, Alex Williams.
We’ll be reviewing the WWE Network version of the card. Watch it by clicking here.
WWE Global Warning Tour: Melbourne
August 10, 2002
Colonial Stadium
Melbourne, Australia
*WWE Undisputed Championship: The Rock © vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H
*Bra & Panties Match: Torrie Wilson vs. Stacy Kiebler
*Chris Jericho vs. Edge
*WWE Tag Team Titles: The Un-Americans (Christian & Lance Storm) © vs. Kidman & Rey Mysterio
*WWE Cruiserweight Title: Jamie Noble © vs. The Hurricane
*Kiss My Ass Match: Rikishi vs. Rico
https://watch.wwe.com/program/Global-Warning-12420
1 Like
Chris Thunder from Down Under.
While I was aware of this show at the time I didn’t attend or watch it at the time.
In hindsight the taped matches on the undercard are an odd choice considdering the quality of the non televised dark matches on paper.
Rikishi vs Rico & Jamie Noble vs The Hurricane were nothing matches. The Un-Americans vs Kidman & Mysterio was a good match as far as 2002 standards went. Edge vs Chris Jericho was a great match and the crowd chant of “You Are A Wanker” before Jericho grabs the Mic to put them all in their place.
The women’s match between Torrie Willson vs Stacy Keibler was simply a product of the time. The Main Event, Rock vs Triple H vs Brock Lesnar. It’s fasanating to see Brock in his first year on main roster in 2002, and 18 years later he’s still in the company but now as World Champion.
All the spliced in tour footage felt unneeded, but it was all far superior to the Uso’s American Pie spot we’d revive in 2018 during Super Show-Down at the MCG.
Question:
Now New Japan Pro-Wrestling has a focus on Australia & New Zealand with it’s affiliation from Fale Dojo and sending talent to company’s like MCW & PWA (mistakenly said PCW).
Do you expect WWE to focus more on the Australia & New Zealand area now that it’s bids to buy a Japanese company with the intention for it to become NXT Japan were blocked by Japanese companies?
Diego from San Antonio
Maybe it was not knowing what to expect, maybe it was burden Super Show-Down (2018) left on me, but I found this show to be quite enjoyable. The length felt just right and the hot crowd throughout was a big plus.
The tag team match and Edge vs. Jericho are interchangeable for the best match of the event. Brian Hebner’s kick to Jericho’s hand is something I’d like to see some more of when referees need to enforce the rules. While the bra & panties match wasn’t the “Extremely technical match-up” Taz promised, its short length made it just bearable.
Arguably the worst thing about watching this event had nothing to do with it. In navigating the network to watch this, seeing Adam Cole vs. Akira Tozawa headline the Evolve special and thinking about Tozawa’s placement now was heartbreaking.
Overall, an fine show with an appropriate length.
Question: If the auction dinner were to take place today and one of the items up for auction was The Fiend’s replica title, would anyone in that setting be willing to bid on it?