Trish Stratus: A Pay-Per-View Retrospective Part II
Posted by TWV Guest Columnists
on 09/11/2006
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Guest Column By Jakey Emmert
As we head into September, the month of Unforgiven and what will be the last pay-per-view appearance of Trish Stratus, a look back is warranted at the past Pay-Per-View appearances of the six-time Women's Champion.
Counting international pay-per-view matches, Unforgiven will mark Trish's 39th match on Pay-Per-View. Trish has also made non-wrestling appearances that will receive honorable mentions due to their historical importance (her turns at WrestleManias X-7 and XX come to mind).
So with no further ado, here is Part II of the "Trish Stratus Pay-Per-View Retrospective," highlighting her matches and appearances in 2001. Presented in chronological order, the matches will be graded on an A to F scale of the following criteria:
Match Quality
Importance In Trish's Career
Importance In WWE History
HONORABLE MENTION: ROYAL RUMBLE 2001
New Orleans, LA
January 21, 2001
The Match: WWF Champion Kurt Angle (w/ Trish Stratus) Vs. Triple H (w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley)
Card Placement: Pre-main event, after WWF Women's Champion Ivory Vs. Chyna and before the Royal Rumble Match.
Background: With her affair with Vince McMahon underway, Trish further earned the ire of his daughter Stephanie by agreeing to manage Triple H's opponent, WWF Champion Kurt Angle.
Match Quality: A heel versus heel match wouldn't look great on paper, but the dynamics of the goody-two-shoes Kurt Angle versus the edgier Triple H, combined with the catfight waiting to happen at ringside, made for an interesting combination, as well as the question of who the crowd would boo more (and resoundingly, it was Angle). The finish was in Angle's favor thanks to interference from "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, while Trish and Stephanie had an all-out catfight that went over the announcer's tables before being interrupted by Vince McMahon, who carried the both of them out while they continued to attack each other in Springeresque fashion.
A
Importance In Trish's Career: While fans had seen her and Trish get physical a few days prior on
SmackDown!, their catfight defied expectations, leading officials to sign Trish and Stephanie at
No Way Out.
B-
Importance In WWE History: Surprisingly little, as Angle would drop the WWF Title the next month and WWF never attempted a heel versus heel title match again, probably because they couldn't find two with the strong character appeal of Angle and Triple H.
D+
NO WAY OUT
Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV
February 25, 2001
The Match: Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley Vs. Trish Stratus
Card Placement: 3rd of 8, between a four-way Intercontinental Championship match and before Triple H Vs. Steve Austin (2 out of 3 falls)
Background: Having had their share of various catfights over the past month, Trish and Stephanie were feuding over who was the "dominant female" of the WWF. William Regal convinced Vince McMahon to sign the match at
No Way Out.
Match Quality: On paper, this was a disaster. Trish's only straight singles matches were against established workers Lita and Molly Holly; Stephanie rarely stepped into the squared circle. However, this match greatly surpassed expectations to the point of Dave Meltzer calling it a "miracle." While it had T&A elements such as Stephanie spanking Trish, the match mainly consisted of vicious attacks from both women, as Trish unveiled a DDT and Stephanie wowed everyone with a powerbomb. The end came with hijinks from William Regal, who initially interfered on Trish's behalf, then turned on her with a Neckbreaker. The match gets its high grade not so much from a wrestling standpoint, but because it did so much more than it should have.
A-
Importance In Trish's Career: Very. On her DVD, Trish recalls it being her first singles match on PPV and the match that showed her how much she enjoyed being in the ring. On that same DVD, she says that despite all of her other in-ring achievements – multiple Women's champion, the hardcore matches with Victoria – that this match is what she gets spoken to about the most.
A
Importance In WWE History: Not too important, although when the Stephanie McMahon Vs. Sable match was announced at
Vengeance 2003, several pundits wondered if it would be a disaster or be like this one. Proved to be a catalyst going into
WrestleMania X-7 as the next night Trish would find herself turned against by Regal and Vince McMahon.
D+
HONORABLE MENTION: WRESTLEMANIA X-7
AstroDome in Houston, TX
April 1, 2001
The Match: Vince McMahon (w/ Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) Vs. Shane McMahon in a Street Fight with Special Guest Referee Mick Foley
Card Placement: Between Women's Champion Ivory Vs. Chyna and TLC II
Background: Vince McMahon had proven himself a tyrant, humiliating Trish and his wife, Linda. His son Shane came back to the WWF in fiery fashion, purchasing WCW from under Vince's nose (of course, we all know how well
that turned out).
Match Quality: All gimmick with Shane McMahon getting most of the offense against Vince until he took a missed elbow drop into a table. This led to Trish wheeling out a sedated Linda McMahon...only Linda wasn't really sedated and Trish Stratus finally found a backbone. Shane McMahon won the match by using Rob Van Dam's Van Daminator on Vince with a garbage can.
A-
Importance In Trish's Career: Again, very. After a year, her character finally evolved into something other than "slut," as Trish slapped the spit out of Mr. McMahon's mouth and chased Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley up the ramp following a catfight. It also had dramatic pay-off for fans who were disgusted watching Trish be humiliated week after week. Trish would stay a popular face for the following three years.
A
Importance In WWE History: Another famous McMahon match and a satisfying finish to the "Vince McMahon is a tyrant" storyline.
A-
WWF/WCW/ECW INVASION
Gund Arena in Cleveland, OH
July 22, 2001
The Match: Lita & Trish Stratus (Team WWF) Vs. Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler (Team WCW)
Card Placement: Pre-main event, between Hardcore Champion Jeff Hardy Vs. Rob Van Dam and before the 10-man tag team match
Background: Trish and Lita were rejuvenating their usual feud, but chose to fight for WWF together after WCW's Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson showed up
Match Quality: These matches are difficult to rate, but it did its job as far as entertaining (it didn't hurt that Mick Foley was the special guest referee). Could also have been much worse, as originally the agents booked more complicated sequences before Lita changed them to help out the less inexperienced Stacy and Torrie.
C
Importance In Trish's Career: Absolutely none, although it may have done so in tragic ways as on the way up the ramp she almost fell off before Lita grabbed her to safety.
F
Importance In WWE History: None; a gimmick match during an era that most fans prefer to forget.
F
SURVIVOR SERIES 2001
The Coliseum in Greensboro, NC
November 18, 2001
The Match: Ivory Vs. Jacqueline Vs. Jazz Vs. Lita Vs. Mighty Molly Vs. Trish Stratus in a six-pack challenge for the vacant WWF Women's Championship
Card Placement: Pre-main event, after the Immunity Battle Royal and before the 10-man tag team match
Background: Almost on a whim, the match was made days before the Pay-Per-View. Three women represented the WWF, while three represented the Alliance - including William Regal's mystery entrant (later revealed to be Jazz).
Match Quality: Exciting and fast-paced, with nearly every competitor being allowed to hit her finisher. The North Carolina crowd was solidly behind Lita, but was enthusiastic nonetheless when Trish pulled off the upset by hitting Ivory with the Stratusfaction.
A-
Importance In Trish's Career: Very. While clearly an upset victor (as Jim Ross noted), Trish ushered in a new era in women's wrestling for the WWF. As the new champion, she had a lot to prove.
A
Importance In WWE History: The Women's Championship was brought back as a division and over time became promoted to be on par with the men's belts.
A-
VENGEANCE 2001
The Sports Arena in San Diego, CA
December 9, 2001
The Match: WWF Women's Champion Trish Stratus Vs. Jacqueline
Card Placement: Pre-triple main event
Background: Not much to speak of; Jackie was quietly named #1 Contender a week before the match, but never interacted with Trish on TV before the match.
Match Quality: Not great, as Trish botched a fancy roll-up spot (one she would never try again until
WrestleMania XIX). But the work rate was elevated and the crowd was legitimately surprised by how much of a beating Trish took at the hands of the Texas veteran.
C+
Importance In Trish's Career: Not very high on the surface, but save for her lackluster match against Lita twenty-four hours after
Survivor Series, this was Trish's first one-on-one match as champion. The fact that she was being placed against Jacqueline, known for being stiff and tough as nails in the ring, was proof that this match was a litmus test.
C
Importance In WWE History: None, as the following events of the night (Chris Jericho becoming the first official Undisputed WWF Champion) would overshadow all.
F
Up next...why 2002 was "The Year of Trish!"
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