Match of the Day - Jun Kasai versus MEN's Teioh in a bunny suit

Jun Kasai vs. MEN's Teioh - BJW (2002)

Not exactly the Easter Bunny, but you get the idea.

Comedic wrestling at its Japanese-est.

Happy Easter!

Match of the Debut - The one in twenty one and one

Brock Lesnar vs. Jeff Hardy - Backlash (2002)

While I would normally honor the new WWE World Heavyweight champ (for more than 24 hours this time), Daniel Bryan for his glorious victory over not one but three former champions last night, I have decided to give the debut of the day to Brock Lesnar... the beast who conquered the Undertaker's Wrestlemania undefeated streak.

I'm not going to say if I enjoyed last night's match or not, but the streak ending was the last thing I thought would happen at Wrestlemania. But it is what it is, "The Next Big Thing" Brock Lesnar is now the 1 in 21-1 among all those other accomplishments he has over the years from Amateur Wrestling to Pro Wrestling to Foot-- to MMA.

Anyways, here's Brock Lesnar's first official WWF/E televised match at Backlash 2002 against Jeff Hardy - winner gets Lita's thongs. Excuse me, I mean the "2014 Hall of Famer" Amy Dumas's thongs.

Match of the Day - Guerrero/Flair at King of the Ring '02

Eddie Guerrero vs. Ric Flair - King of the Ring (2002)

Only about a month before Eddie Guerrero took on The Rock in a match that has now been regarded as a "dream match that actually happened", Guerrero took on another wrestling for the first in WWE in the form of the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. It wasn't the first time that the two had wrestled before, they

 actually put on pretty good matches in their WCW days together, but this is the first and only time that these two masters of the ring squared off against each other in WWE.

What made this match so enjoyable has to be the different styles that Eddie Guerrero and Ric Flair brought to the table. Flair, being the ring psychology veteran taking on Guerrero, a quicker and high-flying-based wrestler. I would argue that this difference of styles really echos the days of Flair vs. Steamboat which many consider the greatest rivalry of all time. Flair/Guerrero might not have any six star matches, but I think it's worth watching their matches if you are a fan of pure wrestling a la Flair/Steamboat.

Match of the Day - Elimination Chamber #1

Shawn Michaels vs. Rob Van Dam Vs. Kane vs. Booker T vs. Chris Jericho vs. Triple H - Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship - Survivor Series (2002)

Whether or not you are watching Elimination Chamber, or No Escape as it's called in Germany, here is look back at the very first Elimination Chamber match from 2002.

The match includes HBK's hella god awful "returning after four years" ring gear, RVD destroying Triple H's throat from the first "top of the pod" shot ever performed, and an overall good first Elimination Chamber.

Match of the Day - The Low Ki/Lynn/Styles triangle ladder match

Low Ki vs. Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles - Triangle Ladder match for the X Division title - TNA PPV (2002)

Two up and coming indie sensations and a wily vet still kicking it look to take the world by storm. In the young, Wednesday night PPV from Nashville days of Total Nonstop Action, the name of the game was the X Division. While the main event scene had mostly all established stars, the X Division was in beginning to flourish with great young talent like AJ Styles, Low Ki, Amazing Red, Chris Sabin, Michael Shane, and Sonny Siaki just to name a few. It was new, it was exciting, and it was actually good.

While Low Ki and AJ Styles came into this match already current/former X champs, Jerry Lynn had yet to hold the title. Even though he could go the length with the young guns, he still needed that X Division glory that only Low Ki and Styles had up to this point.

Also, this was the time in TNA where Mike Tenay and Don West would get really excited about everything. I understand the need to sell the product, but come on, this match is good, if not better, without constant marking out by the commentary team. It isn't Matt Striker commentary bad to listen to, but it still gets a little redundant. Especially when every match was called the greatest TNA match of all time and this was only their first year.

Match of the Debut - Batista... Deacon Batista.

Reverend D-von & Deacon Batista vs. Randy Orton & Faarooq - Smackdown (2002)

Obligatory debut match of the day for the returning Batista.

While this wasn't the first time that a man named "Deacon Batista" was seen carrying around a donation box for D-Von Dudley's Reverend alter-ego, this was the first time that this large individual actually stepped into the ring and had a match on Smackdown. 

It just so happens that one of the competitors on the other side of the ring would eventually accompany Batista into a much bigger role in the WWE with the forming of the modern-day Four Horsemen stable, Evolution. That individual would be Randy Orton. He's apparently a champion or something right now but I couldn't tell you because I always fall asleep when he's on TV. 

Match of the Day - Eddie Guerrero takes on Super Crazy at the first ROH show

Eddie Guerrero vs. Super Crazy - ROH The Era of Honor Begins (2002)

The late great Eddie Guerrero wrestled the "Insane Luchadore" Super Crazy at ROH's inaugural show, The Era of Honor Begins. This match was the finals for the Puerta Rican promotion, IWA's Intercontinental Championship tournament to crown the first-ever champ - as well as the first time these two crafty individuals had wrestled each other in the US.

It's a match of firsts.

Match of the Debut - AJ Styles' debut, TNA's debut show, and TNA's debut match!

AJ Styles, Jerry Lynn, & Low Ki vs. The Flying Elvises (Jorge Estrada, Sonny Siaki, & Jimmy Yang) - first TNA match on the very first TNA show - NWA: TNA PPV (2002)

While technically this is everyone involved's debut match in TNA, since it was TNA's first match seen on the very first TNA show via Pay Per View, AJ Styles won the TNA world title last night and therefore gets the recognition above as part of new champ Debut Monday tradition.

Anyways, here's the genesis of the X division showing what they got to the Nashville crowd and the NWA legends in the back... and whomever heard about TNA and bought the PPV in 2002.

Over 10 years later and AJ Styles is still the future of the company. At least he's the top face again, for now.

Also, The Flying Elvises, the team of Sonny Siaki, Jorge Estrada, and Jimmy Yang (Later known as Akio or Jimmy Wayne Yang in WWE) are not to confused with the skydiving Elvis look-a-likes who jumped out of the airplane with Nic Cage in Honeymoon in Vegas. Being that early TNA had a lot of leftover WCW talent that didn't get picked up by Vinnie Mac, it's no surprise that they would have a Nic Cage gimmick on their program!

Match of the Debut - Randy Orton's "try out" match

Randy Orton vs. Hardcore Holly - Smackdown! (2002)

In honor of Randy Orton's Money in the Bank cash-in last night at Summerslam. Whether it was predictable or not...

Here's Randy before the voices.

Match of the Day - RVD van-terminates almost every midcard title in 2002!

Speaking of hardcore Intercontinental Championship matches:

Rob Van Dam (c) vs. Tommy Dreamer (c) - Intercontinental title match/last Hardcore title match - Raw (2002)

In 2002, RVD made (little known) history when he unified the European title with the Intercontinental title after defeating Jeff Hardy (Euro champ) and then faced Hardcore champion Tommy Dreamer in a hardcore unification match a little under a month later. Rob Van Dam with his IC title was pretty much the go-to guy for defuncting a midcard title back then. Maybe if Rob returned to WWE today he could win the IC title and unify it with the US title since, like the Hardcore and European title in 2002, the US title serves zero purposes anymore.

Theme Results:

Final match: final Hardcore title match.

Match of the Debut - Shark Boy gets over at his debut in XPW

Shark Boy vs. Chris Chetti - XPW Exit Sandman (2002)

Tale of the tape:

Taz's first cousin and ECW alum, Chris Chetti takes on the only wrestler from 2000 leagues under the sea* in Shark Boy's first match for Xtreme Pro Wrestler. The match itself is a little slow but as it progresses the crowd really starts to get behind the finned superstar who would eventually defeat Chetti using his top rope stunner. The crowd did not stop cheering for Shark Boy once this match was over, however, and in a sequence that is documented on Botchamania - the crowd demanded "We Want Shark Boy!" clap clap clap-clap-clap and even, "Holy Shark!" "Holy Shark!" "Holy Shark!" for the rest of the night.

Sound familiar?

Match of the Debut - lol cena debuts

Kurt Angle vs. John Cena - Smackdown! (2002)

Since I posted The Rock's debut match the night after beating CM Punk for The World Championship at Royal Rumble a few months back, I guess it's only fair that I do the same for our new champion, John Cena.

For the haters: he's not wrestling in short shorts, he's not sporting his wrist bands or a hustle/loyalty/respect shirt, he doesn't do his signature run to the ring or his Cenation salute, he doesn't say "you can't see me" or even "word life", he loses, and Kurt Angle doesn't shake his hand.

Love him or hate him (it's the internet, so the latter), Cena's still gonna be a babyface carrying the WWE flag 50 years from now...

PS: I actually watched WrestleMania live for the first time since WrestleMania 24. Let's just say that last night's Raw was much more exciting.

Match of the Day - Raven breaks Pre-Damien Sandow's fingers

Raven vs. Aaron Stevens - Heat (2002)

Probably the most remembered moment in Aaron Stevens', now known to the little Jimmies of the WWE Universe as Damien Sandow, first run in the WWE. Raven, who had been banished to wrestle on WWE's c-list shows thanks to the dreamer back in June, decided to humiliate his poor rookie opponent by "breaking" his fingers after the match was over. 

What does this have to do with Easter?

Less than a year after this, Aaron Stevens returned to WWE to take part in APA's Bar Room Brawl Invitational as the one and only, Easter Bunny!

So basically Aaron Stevens is Jesus... He suffered (as Aaron Stevens), died (as the Easter Bunny), and was buried (as Idol Stevens), but then was resurrected (as Damien Sandow)!

Song of the Day - Seasons In The Sun (Television Personalities version)

Television Personalities - Seasons In The Sun  from Fashion Conscious (2002)

Television Personalities take on Jacques Brel's (Though clearly perfected by Terry Jacks) beautifully twisted medley about death and twist it even more into a disoriented psychedelic track.

This cover was originally released in 1996 as a single.

Eff Westlife.

Last.fm

Match of the Day - The skinny Briscoe Brothers debut in TNA

The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark) vs. The Hot Shots (Cassidy & Chase) - NWA:TNA (2002)

Here's a little Briscoe Brother action starring 18 year old Jay and Mark Briscoe (no relation to Jack or Gerald Brisco). It also stars Cassidy Riley (or O'Reilly at the time) and Chase Stevens who would go on to work for the TNA full time.

In it we see the very fragile looking Briscoes, who had already been wrestling 2 years (I'm guessing in the backyard or *cough cough* CZW), looking to make a name for themselves in what is said to be their first taste of national TV spotlight, that is, if you can even count NWA:TNA's PPV-broadcast-ed set-up very national TV-like at the time. I know I never heard anything about TNA back in 2002.

No, it wasn't until 2004 when TNA made it to FSN and used a very sports-like approach with the time-clock and all that that they really hit somewhat of a national TV spotlight, but The Briscoe Brothers were neither here nor there by that time. This is really only the first of maybe two other matches The Briscoes would have in TNA, and while I'm no talent scout I can guess by the size and age of this young team that they weren't ready for the major - err, semi-major - leagues just yet.

That's okay though, as dem boys did the best they could with what they had at this time and even took some of the nastiest (and loudest) chokeslams I've ever seen (and heard) via the hands of Malice (remember The Wall from WCW?) who runs in to ruin the match. After this Jay and Mark had another match against a team called Divine Storm and maybe one more before heading back to the indies where they would fine tune their craft as well as mold themselves into a much better, but still pretty ugly-looking, hard-working tag team.