| Date: May 18, 2003
| Venue: Charlotte Coliseum | City: Charlotte, North Carolina
| Attendance: 13, 000 | Buys: 315, 000

| tweet me: @BastionBlogger

You Will Be The Judge. The judge of? Don’t know. You can judge whether you’d like to see Brock Lesnar defending the WWE Championship against Brock Lesnar again. It’s the main event for Judgment Day and for the first time in 17 years, the match will be a Stretcher Match. The rules are that you have to get your opponent on a stretcher and wheel them up the entrance ramp and over a taped line to win the match. The stipulation came about after The Big Show picked Rey Mysterio up whilst laying on a stretcher and swung him into a ring post. Lesnar has since come to the defence of his friend Rey Mysterio and Big show demanded a WWE Championship shot.

Also representing Smackdown will be Mr America. Mr America debuted after Hulk Hogan was fired by Vince McMahon and Mr America has a lot of similarities to Hogan. He wears a mask but looks a lot like Hogan facially and his body, voice and even entrance music are all very similar to the former WWE Legend. Vince McMahon is convinced that Mr America is Hulk Hogan and has put a bounty on his head. Rowdy Roddy Piper is the man that will be facing Mr America tonight and last week on Smackdown Piper mocked a fan at ringside who was waving the American flag, given to him by Mr America. The fan would jump in the ring and Piper attacked him and even pulled his leg revealing a prosthetic leg.

Also from Smackdown, Team Angle defend their WWE Tag Team titles against Los Guerrero’s. Los Guerrero’s stole the tag team titles from Team Angle after they lost at Backlash. So this match will be a ladder match. There have been plenty of singles matches between the two teams over the last few weeks with neither team getting the edge. There are rumours that Chavo Guerrero is too injured to wrestle tonight. Will the match go ahead? Also tonight will be a bikini contest between Torrie Wilson and Sable and a 6 man tag team match pitting Chris Benoit, Rhyno and Spanky against John Cena, Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli.

From the Raw side of things Triple H will be defending the World Heavyweight Championship against his old friend Kevin Nash. Triple H pinned Nash in a 6 man tag match at Backlash and since then the two have brawled all over the arena. Both men were guests on the Highlight Reel and since then Kevin Nash hit Triple H with the Jackknife. It’s a first time singles match on PPV between these two former best friends. The Women’s Championship is also set to be defended as Jazz faces off in a fatal four way match against Trish Stratus, Jacqueline and Victoria. New tag team La Resistance also make their PPV debut as they go up against Test and Scott Steiner. Test and Steiner haven’t exactly been seeing eye to eye but Stacy Keibler is trying her best to keep them together as a team.

Also tonight, the Intercontinental Championship returns thanks to Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin announced that the title would be awarded to the winner of a battle royal at Judgment Day in which all former Intercontinental Champions have been invited to compete in. Names that have already accepted the invitation are Chris Jericho, Christian, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Lance Storm, Test and Goldust. Austin has also allowed Booker T to compete in the battle royal despite not being a former IC champ.

Before Judgment Day began, The hurricane beat Steven Richards on Heat.

A VT kicks off the fifth annual Judgment Day pay per view and it’s one that looks like it’s been ripped out of an Undertaker return video. The video hypes up Triple H vs. Kevin Nash, Brock Lesnar vs. The Big Show and also the Mr America/Vince McMahon feud. Judgment Day is upon us, God have mercy upon their souls.

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler welcome us to Judgment Day and then hand over to Michael Cole and Tazz. Cole and Tazz also introduce the Spanish announcers before the glass shatters and out walks one of the co-general managers of Raw, Stone Cold Steve Austin! Austin gets on the mic and says that he isn’t out here to waste time, he’s looking forward to watching Judgment Day. And he’s going to watch it from a skybox in the arena. Austin grabs a beer and walks through the crowd up to his skybox.

Chris Benoit, Rhyno & Brian “Spanky” Kendrick vs. John Cena and The Full Blooded Italians (Johnny “The Bull” Stamboli & Chuck Palumbo)

This is an unnanounced match added to the card. I would have liked to have seen Undertaker on the Benoit team and Nunzio wrestling with the rest of the FBI. This match marks a pay per view debut for both Stamboli and Spanky. Rhyno, Benoit and Spanky rush the ring and everyone scarpers before Spanky dives to the outside taking out the FBI and Cena. Nunzio is at ringside with Stamboli and Palumbo. Spanky and Cena start the match and slug it out with right hands. Spanky then knocks Cena down with an enzeguri but Palumbo and Stamboli take Spanky down with some double teaming. Stamboli lays into Spanky with some big kicks before tagging in Chuck Palumbo who stomps away at the youngster. Palumbo throws Spanky around and then covers him for the first near fall of the night.

Chuck Palumbo applies a bearhug to Spanky which Spanky does get out of but finds himself on the wrong end of a clothesline. Spanky manages to tag in Chris Benoit and all hell breaks loose. Benoit hits Palumbo and Cena with German suplexes and then flies off the top with a flying headbutt on Palumbo. Nunzio then comes in but Rhyno Gore’s Nunzio out of the ring. Spanky tags in and hits a dropkick off the top on Cena. He then goes for slices bread #2 on Palumbo but Nunzio grabs Spanky’s leg, stopping him from doing so. Palumbo and Stamboli then hit a backbreaker/legdrop double team and that is enough for the match! John Cena and The FBI win the match! A short match but a wild one to kick off Judgment Day 2003.

Overall Rating: 5.75/10

Stone Cold is up in his skybox when Eric Bischoff walks in. Bischoff says that it’s a joint skybox Austin gives Bischoff his hotdog and then offers his co-GM a beer. Austin toasts the beer, spilling it everywhere as he does.

Next up is a bit of history between Steiner, Test and the new tag team of La Resistance.

Test & Scott Steiner vs. La Resistance (Rene Dupree & Sylvain Grenier)

This is a pay per view debut for La Resistance and a return to PPV for Scott Steiner who is making his Judgment Day debut. Test wrestled at the 2001 event in a losing effort to Rhyno. Stacy Keibler is in the corner of Test and Steiner, she actually wrestled at last years event, losing to Trish Stratus. Test and Rene Dupree start the match. Dupree slaps Test in the face and then shuffles from left to right but Test lamps him. Test hits a back body drop and then tags in Scott Steiner. Steiner lays in to Dupree with right hands and chops and then a clothesline. Steiner takes a few cheap shots at Sylvain Grenier on the outside before doing some press ups. Grenier hits a cheap shot on Steiner but Steiner hammers him off the apron. This allows Dupree to throws Steiner out of the ring and we see some double teaming from La Resistance.

Dupree tags in Grenier who gets the first near fall of the match and then applies a chinlock. Steiner gets out of it but Grenier hits a boot to the face and then a clothesline off the second rope for a near fall. Grenier tags Dupree back in who comes in off the top but Steiner catches him and hits him with a belly to belly suplex. Dupree tags in Grenier and Steiner tags in Test! Test takes down both members of La Resistance with clotheslines, boots and then a full nelson slam to Grenier. Test then lines up his running boot on Dupree but Dupree pulls the referee in the way. All four men go at it as all hell breaks loose. Steiner throws Dupree out of the ring and Test hits the full nelson slam on Grenier. Stacy is too busy talking to the referee for him to make the pin and Test isn’t happy. Grenier dropkicks Test into Stacy but Steiner catches her.

Steiner makes a tag and takes down both members of La Resistance. The numbers get too much and from nowhere Test comes up, attempting his running boot but Grenier moves out of the way and Test nails Steiner! La Resistance hit a double flapjack on Steiner and Grenier pins him for the three! La Resistance win the match on their pay per view debut! After the match Stacy Keibler checks on Steiner and Test isn’t happy. Test practically throws her out of the ring. Big win for La Resistance tonight.

Rating: 6.5/10

Mr America is shown walking backstage when Gregory Helms shows up and accuses him of being Hulk Hogan. Hogan then accuses Gregory Helms of being The Hurricane. Helms and Hogan both say that their sources must be wrong.

John Mathews is backstage with Eddie Guerrero. Chavo is injured and Team Angle have said that Eddie has to go in alone or forfeit the match. Eddie says he has the right to find a tag team partner. Eddie says he has find a partner and in walks Tajiri!

Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri vs. Team Angle (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) – Ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championships

This matchkicks off before the bell. Guerrero has won his two previous matches at Judgment Day whilst the other 3 men make their Judgment Day debuts. Team Angle attack Eddie and Tajiri as they make their entrance and then double team Tajiri in the ring. Eddie gets into the ring but Team Angle hit him with a double gutbuster. Benjamin and Haas go out to get a ladder and then Tajiri and Eddie both botch planchas to the outside. Haas then slides a ladder into the ring and both members of Team Angle climb the ladder until Tajiri hits a handspring elbow to the ladder to knock them both off. This is the third tag team match in a row tonight. Eddie and Tajiri dropkick the ladder into Charlie Haas’s crotch.

Tajiri and Eddie bring a second ladder into the ring and sandwich Charlie Haas between them before Eddie hits a senton splash onto him. Tajiri sets up a ladder and climbs up it painful slowly but Benjain pulls him off. Benjamin then climbs up the ladder but Guerrero dropkicks him off. Eddie sets up the ladder in the corner and attempts to Irish whip Benjamin into it but Shelton reverses the Irish whip into a powerslam right into the ladder. Haas lays Tajiri down on a ladder and then picks up the ladder. Benjamin climbs half way up a ladder and then jumps off it on Tajiri! Team Angle are the first men to have wrestled on every PPV so far in 2003. Haas climbs up a ladder but Guerrero pushes him off it all the way to the outside of the ring. Benjamin Irish whips Eddie Guerrero into a ladder but then Tajiri kicks the ladder into Benjamins face!

Tajiri takes Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin down with kicks and then the former Cruiserweight and US Champion Tajiri grabs the ladder and takes down the tag team champions with it. Tajiri applies the tarantula on Charlie Haas until Shelton Benjamin smashes a ladder into Tajiri’s skull. Team Angle then double team Eddie Guerrero until Guerrero monkey flips Benjamin right into Haas who is holding a ladder. Eddie then tosses Benjamin and Haas out the ring and sets up the ladder. Haas and Benjamin are in the ring before Eddie can climb the ladder but Guerrero does fight them off. Eddie then hits a frog splash off the top of the ladder on Benjamin. Haas climbs the ladder but Eddie climbs up the other side and meets him at the top. They exchange right hands at the top until Eddie hits a sunset powerbomb off the top!

Guerrero is first up and climbs the ladder again but this time Shelton Benjamin grabs his tights. Tajiri then climbs up the other side of the ladder and spits green mist between Guerrero’s legs, right in the face of Benjamin! Guerrero climbs up to the top of the ladder and grabs the titles! Eddie Guerrero and Tajiri are the new WWE Tag Team Champions! A bit of an upset tonight but a good match between these four men.

Rating: 7.5/10

Austin and Bischoff are still up in their skybox and Austin is plying Bischoff with beer. He gets Bischoff a hamburger which he isn’t too happy with. Austin then opens the skybox, says that the last match was excellent and then makes Bischoff drink some of his beer. Bischoff sips it and then Austin shows him how to drink it properly.

Terri Runnels is backstage with Chris Jericho asking him what his chances are of winning the battle royal tonight. Rowdy Roddy Piper then shows up and mocks Jericho. Jericho tells Piper the old people’s home is the other way. The two then verbally spa it out.

Video package up next for the return of the Intercontinental Championship. It’s the same video as when they canned the title last October.

Val Venis vs. Chris Jericho vs. Goldust vs. Lance Storm vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Christian vs. Test vs. Kane vs. Booker T  – Battle Royal for the Intercontinental Championship

Pat Patterson is out first, he’ll be presenting the Intercontinental Championship to the winner of the battle royal. He comes out to The Fabulous Moolah’s music, that must be a rib. Val Venis is the first competitor out, Eric Bischoff told Chief Morley earlier that he had never been Intercontinental Champion but Val Venis has and he’s out to compete. This is Val’s second Judgment Day appearance, he previously lost to Goldust. Val gets on the mic and gives us a classic Val Venis promo. Jericho has a 2-1 record at Judgment Day, he lost in an IC title match to Chris Benoit at the 2000 event. Goldust has a 1-0 record at Judgment Day whilst Lance Storm and Booker T make their Judgment Day debuts. Rob Van Dam has a 0-1 record at Judgment Day, Christian has a 1-2 record, Test has a 0-2 record and Kane has a 1-0-1 record. Booker T is the only man in this match not to have been Intercontinental Champion before.

Nobody has wrestled as many PPV matches as Christian without main eventing a PPV, this is his 49th PPV match. Rob Van Dam and Kane, the World Tag Team Champions go right after each other. The rest of the participants then go after Kane, trying to eliminate the biggest man first but they fail. Kane then throws out Lance Storm, eliminating him from the match! Everyone then teams up on Kane and this time eliminates him. Kane then gets back in the ring and takes everyone down! He hits Test, Val Venis and Rob Van Dam with chokeslams. Booker T then eliminates Test and Goldust eliminates Val Venis. Jericho eliminates Rob Van Dam. 

We’re down to the final four. Goldust, Chris Jericho, Christian and Booker T.  Jericho hits Goldust with a dropkick off the middle rope. Christian lays into Booker T as Jericho hits Goldust with a side suplex. Jericho and Christian actually wrestled Booker T and Goldust at No Mercy last year. Goldust sets up Christian for Shattered Dreams and Booker T sets up Jericho for the same move. Goldust then hits both men with the move! Booker T hits Jericho with a big kick and then Booker gives us a spin-a-roonie! Goldust attempts to blindsid Booker T and eliminate him but Booker reverses it and eliminates Goldust! Chris Jericho and Christian double team Booker T, hitting him with a double suplex. Christian holds Booker T for Jericho who hits him with jabs and a clothesline.

Booker fights back but the numbers are too much. Christian and Jericho try to eliminate Booker T who manages to hold on. Booker then fights back but it’s still too much for him. Jericho and Christian take it in turns to chop Booker but Booker fights back with clotheslines  and then throws Jericho over the top rope but Jericho skins the cat and gets back in the ring. Christian slams Booker and Jericho is now bleeding. Christian hits a reverse DDT on Booker T and then Jericho goes for the Lionsault but Christian runs at him and pushes Jericho over the top and out of the match!

We’re down to just Christian and Booker T! Christian lays into Booker T with right hands but Booker comes back with some chops and a flying forearm. Booker hits a spinning heel kick and a flapjack but misses with a roundhouse kick. Christian takes Booker down by his hair and then aims to dropkick Booker whilst on the floor but Booker moves and Christian dropkicks the referee! Booker then sends christian over the top and out of the ring. Christian lands on the apron so Booker kicks him to the ground! Booker T’s music hits and Pat Patterson goes to hand Booker T the title but Christian attacks Patterson and grabs the Intercontinental title belt! Christian lays out Booker with the belt and then throws him over the top rope to the outside. The referee comes back round and calls for the bell! Christian is then announced as the winner and new Intercontinental Champion!

Rating: 5.75/10

Sable is backstage with Torrie Wilson telling her she should be nervous. Torrie isn’t worried because the fans will decide the winner tonight. Sable then applies some oil to her leg.

There’s a tale of the tape and a video package up next for Sable and Torrie Wilson.

The bikini contest is up next. Torrie is first out and Lilian Garcia sings Torrie’s entrance music. She does a pretty terrible job of it. The two girls do their bikini contest and when Tazz asks who won it seems like Sable gets more cheered. I’m sure that wasn’t in the plan. Torrie does a second striptease and is announced the winner. She gives Sable a kiss and leaves.

Stone Cold and Bischoff are up in their skybox. Bischoff is feeling sick and Austin makes it even worse by giving him some hot pickles. I don’t see this ending well for Bischoff.

Rowdy Roddy Piper and Sean O’Haire are backstage talking about Chris Jericho when Vince McMahon shows up and riles up Piper for his match with Mr America.

Mr America vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper

Well. This is a PPV debut for Mr America. IF Mr America is Hulk Hogan then it’s a second Judgment Day for Hogan who lost to Undertaker at last years event. This is actually the first singles match of the PPV, only an hour and forty minutes in. Hogan and Piper have met on PPV once before, that was at Wrestling Classic back in 1985 where Hogan won by disqualification. Piper has Sean O’Haire in his corner and Mr American introduced the man that will be in his corner, the one legged fan from Smackdown last week Zach Gowan. Sean O’Haire and Roddy Piper attack Mr American before the bell. O’Haire takes a lot of cheap shots in the early going. Mr American gets back into it, slamming Pipers head into the top turnbuckle. This is Roddy Piper’s first WWE PPV match since Wrestlemania 12 back in 1996. Sean O’Haire pulls Mr America out of the ring and lays into him.

Back in the ring and Piper whips Mr American with his own weight lifting belt. Mr America manages to grab it off him and whips him back with it! Piper applies a sleeper as a “USA” chant breaks out. Mr America fights back and “Americans up” before pointing the finger at Piper, hitting him with big right hands, hitting O’Haire with a big right hand and then a big boot to the face of Piper. Vince McMahon then comes out from the back, distracting Mr America and allowing Piper to hit him with a low blow. McMahon then hands Sean O’Haire a pipe and distracts the referee. O’Haire gets in the ring and swings the pipe at Mr America but America ducks and O’Haire leathers Piper! America drops the leg on Piper and pins him for the 3! McMahon tried to get in the ring and break up the cover but Zach Gowan grabbed his legs! Mr America wins the match!

Rating: 5/10

Triple H is walking backstage when Stephanie McMahon appears and tells him to be careful.

Video package next for Kevin Nash and Triple H.

Triple H (c) vs. Kevin Nash – World Heavyweight Championship Match

Shawn Michaels is out first, he’s in the corner of Kevin Nash and gets his own elaborate entrance. These two men have never met on pay per view before. It’s a Judgment Day debut for Nash whilst Triple H has a 2-1 record at the event having beaten Chris Jericho and The Rock but lost to Kane. Ric Flair is in the corner of The Game. Nash attacks Triple H as he makes his entrance and Ric Flair tries to get involved but Shawn Michaels fights him to the back. Triple H is in purple trunks and boots tonight. Nash fights Triple H all round the ring and then into it where the bell finally rings. Nash hits a back body drop on Triple H on rolls to the outside. Nash follows him out but Triple H catches him with a kick. Nash rolls the champion back in the ring and then hits him with a big boot.

Kevin Nash hits a powerslam and then hits three elbow drops. Triple H rakes Nash in the eyes and referee Earl Hebner kicks off at Triple H only for the champion to shove the referee to the mat. Hebner doesn’t DQ Triple H who hits Nash with a swinging neckbreaker. Nash reverses an Irish whip and follows it up with a clothesline before laying into The Game with big right hands. Nash shoves away the referee and then intimidates him which gives Triple H time to get out of the ring. Back in the ring and Nash ducks a clothesline and the champion takes out the referee! With the referee down, Triple H hits Nash with a low blow and then takes off  one of the top turnbuckle pads. Helmsley attempts to smash Nash’s face into the exposed steel but Nash fights him off and hits him with a sidewalk slam.

Nash hits some reverse elbows and then a big boot knocking the champion down. Kevin Nash then motions for the Jackknife! Instead he puts Triple H on his shoulder and looks to drop Triple H on the exposed steel but Triple H rakes him in the eyes, pushes him into the corner and then hits him with a Pedigree! Triple H covers Nash but Nash kicks out at 2! Triple H then tries for another Pedigree but he’s way too close to the ropes which means Nash back body drops him out to the floor. Helmsley then grabs his trusty sledgehammer from under the ring and as Hebner tries to get it off him, Triple H smashes Hebner with it! The bell rings, this one is a disqualification! After the bell Nash drops Triple H on the exposed steel turnbuckle and then hits him with the Jackknife. Nash then grabs the sledgehammer but then drops it and goes after Triple H who is being helped to the back. Flair then re-emerges but Nash fights him off. Shawn Michaels turns up but Nash shoves him away and then Jackknife’s Triple H through the Raw announce table! It’s a win for Big Daddy Cool tonight but he won’t be taking hom the title.

Rating: 5.5/10

Stone Cold is up in the skybox with Eric Bischoff who can barely talk. Bischoff then pukes up, first hitting the waitress and then outside of the skybox on the fans!

Jazz (c) vs. Trish Stratus vs. Victoria vs. Jacqueline – WWE Women’s Championship Match

Trish Stratus has now wrestled the most PPV matches for a woman in WWE history with 21. Victoria is joined by Steven Richards and Jazz is with her manager, Teddy Long. Trish is the only one of these ladies to have wrestled at a Judgment Day PPV before and that was last year when she beat Stacy Keibler. Richards trips Trish as the bell rings and Victoria goes after Trish. Trish and Jacqueline take down Victoria and Jazz and then square off against each other. Jacqueline takes Trish down nicely and then Victoria drags Trish out. Jazz gets back in the ring but Jacqueline takes her down with a suplex. Victoria throws Trish into the ring post. Victoria then hits a spinning sidewalk slam on Jacqueline but Jazz breaks up the cover.

Jazz hits her chickenwing throw on Victoria and then Jacqueline. Trish gets back in the ring and hits Jazz with some forearms and a clothesline for a two count. Trish attempts the chick kick on Jazz but Jazz catches her legs and spins her into the STF. Jacqueline then locks a half crab on Victoria! Trish gets to the ropes so Jazz kicks Jacqueline off Victoria. Jazz then locks the STF on Victoria! Trish dropkicks Jazz off but Jazz hits Trish with a jawbreaker. Jazz and Trish slug it out but Trish avoids the kick with a matrix type move before kicking Jazz in the face for a 2 count. Jacqueline and Victoria are back in the ring. Trish hits a hurricanrana off the bottom rope on both Jazz and Victoria and then attempts the Stratusfaction on Victoria but Victoria launches Trish out of the ring in a painful looking bump.

Jacqueline hits a northern lights suplex on Victoria but Jazz breaks it up. Jazz then hits Jacqueline with a DDT ans covers her for the 3! Jazz retains her Women’s Championship, pinning Jacqueline. Fast paced match that was good fun and made all the girls look good.

Rating: 6/10

There’s a video package next for Brock Lesnar and The Big Show.

Brock Lesnar (c) vs. The Big Show – Stretcher match for the WWE Championship

This is the third PPV match between these two men. Big Show won the first at Survivor Series and Brock Lesnar won the second at Royal Rumble. Big Show has a 0-3 record at Judgment Day events, Lesnar has a 1-0 record. Big Show brings a stretcher to the ring with him and swings it at Lesnar but Lesnar ducks it and smashes Big Show with it, sending him out of the ring. Outside the ring Lesnar shoves Big Show into the ring post and then the champion grabs the stretcher and runs it into Big Shows face. Big Show takes the advantage and throws Lesnar into the stretcher. Back in the ring and Lesnar lays into Big Show  but Big Show puts the brakes on and then chokeslams Lesnar in the middle of the ring! Big Show then hits a legdrop on Brock in the middle of the ring.

Show drags Lesnar out of the ring and puts him on the stretcher. Show now has to wheel Lesnar up the aisle and over a line at the top of the ramp. Lesnar kicks out at Big Show but Big Show clotheslines him, knocking the champion off the stretcher. Big Show picks up the top of the stretcher and smashes Lesnar with it . Brock fights back, clubbing Big Show with right hands and then Brock picks up the top of the stretcher and leather Big Show with it. Brock chokes Big Show with some cable in the middle of the entrance way. Big Show is out so Brock smashes Big Show with the top of the stretcher again. Lesnar lowers the stretcher and then puts Big Show on it. Big Show still has the cable around his neck and as a result, Lesnar can’t pull Big Show any further on the stretcher. Big Show gets up and starts to fight back but Lesnar uses some of the set to hang off and kick Big Show before hitting the big man with a big spear!

Lesnar powerslams Big Show who bounces off the stretcher. Brock then rams the stretcher into the gut of The Big Show. Big Show over-powers Brock and rams the stretcher into Lesnar. Big Show then rams Lesnar into the ring post. Back in the ring and Lesnar hammers Big Show off the apron. Show bounces off the stretcher again and Brock walks backstage. Big Show gets to his feet on the outside and rolls back into the ring. Rey Mysterio’s music then hits and Rey Mysterio appears in the ring! Mysterio hits a 619 on Big Show but Big Show soon swats Mysterio to the mat. Big Show motions for a chokeslam but Brock Lesnar re-appears in a forklift! Mysterio gets on Big Shows back but Big Show fights him off. Lesnar then jumps off the top of the forklift into the ring with a cross body!

Lesnar has taken it up a gear as he lays into Big Show. Brock hits a suplex and then the F5! The WWE Champion then puts the top of the stretcher on the forklift and then rolls Big Show on top of that! Lesnar raises the forklift right up and then backs it up across the line to win the match! Brock Lesnar wins the match and retains his WWE title! An enjoyable match between these two.

Rating: 6.75/10

And that was Judgment Day 2003. An 8 match pay per view with a bonus bikini contest. The opener was a quick match, lasting less than 4 minutes. I was a little surprised by the result but John Cena in particular seems to be getting a decent push at the moment. Spanky is still relatively new so doesn’t come across as too weak. I’m sure the FBI’s feud will continue with Chris Benoit and Rhyno. This was basically filler. La Resistance then beat Scott Steiner and Test which was the right result. There’s definitely friction between Steiner and Test and that’ll continue for a while. I’m a big fan of “proper” tag teams so I hope La Resistance do well. Maybe they’ll be tag team champions? RVD and Kane could do with a decent heel team to defend against at next months Bad Blood.

Tajiri filled in for Chavo Guerrero Jr and unbelievably, the team of Tajiri and Eddie Guerrero won the WWE Tag Team Championships! I quite like this team, it’s oozing with charisma and could lead to some funny segments. I also have a feeling it might lead to Chavo returning and being jealous of Eddie’s relationship with Tajiri and a heel turn. Team Angle will still be in the tag team picture and a re-match at the next PPV wouldn’t surprise me too much.  It’ll also be interesting to see Team Angle’s dynamic with Kurt Angle when he returns as it looked as though Angle turned face at Wrestlemania.

Then came the battle royal for the vacant Intercontinental Championship. Lance Storm, Val Venis, Kane, Test and Rob Van Dam were all eliminated very quickly which showed that they were just there to make up the numbers. It came down to Christian and Jericho against Booker T and Goldust until Goldust was chucked out. Christian then eliminated Jericho which was a shocker before being eliminated himself, sneaking back in and winning the match. I like Christian as Intercontinental Champion, he’s been so good as of late. It looks as though the main feud around the IC title going forward will be Christian and Booker T which is a strong feud for the secondary belt.

Then came the bikini contest. This was hot but didn’t serve a lot of purpose. The feud between Torrie and Sable rolls on. Mr America beats Rowdy Roddy Piper in a rematch from Wrestling Classic 18 years ago. This wasn’t the best but what would you expect between two men around the age of 50. This is all good fun with the “will Mr America be revealed as Hulk Hogan” storyline. I’m all for it to be honest, it gives Hogan something different to do.  Zach Gowan also benefits from the storyline, I think he’s destined for a match with Sean O’Haire or maybe a tag team match with all four men involved. Kevin Nash beat Triple H in a weak match with a weak finish. It’s obviously setting up another match between the two men at the next PPV. It can only be an improvement on this match.

Jazz retains her Women’s Championship and if you were wondering why Jacqueline was in this match then it was probably because someone had to take the fall. They seem to like Jazz, she’s good in the ring, has a good look and with Teddy Long she has the voice. The complete package if you ask me. Hopefully Lita will be back soon to give something different to the division. In the main event Brock Lesnar predictably beat The Big Show. Definitely the right result. Although it did seem like a vehicle to continue the Big Show/Rey Mysterio feud. This was a decent enough match between these two.

Overall Rating: 60.9/100 (ranked 47th out of 151)

Match Of The Night: Team Angle vs. Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri
Worst Match Of The Night: Mr America vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper
Surprise Of The Night: Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri win the WWE Tag Team Titles
Worst Booking Of The Night: N/A
Superstar Of The Night: Brock Lesnar
Judgment Day 2003 Will Be Remembered For: The return of the Intercontinental Championship