TRISH STRATUS (C) VS. MOLLY HOLLY

 

  Molly Holly returned on 1^st April for the draft lottery and attacked Trish Stratus after a classic Paddle on a pole match with Terri Runnels. She spent the next couple of months sporadically attacking the champion leading into the match. Molly Holly also teamed with William Regal to take on Trish Stratus and Spike Dudley in a mixed tag team match 27^th May episode of Raw, and beat her 2 weeks previous on Raw to earn this match.

  Speaking of Regal, he’s shown at The World with Chris Nowinski before the match, Molly Holly enters first, Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are on commentary. I can’t overstate how popular Trish is as she makes her way out to the ring. She throws her hat at Molly Holly but is held back by the referee

 

TRISH STRATUS © VS MOLLY HOLLY (WWE Women’s Championship)

WWE King of the Ring 2002  (23^rd June 2002)

© World Wrestling Entertainment

 

  Molly Holly bypasses the referee and shoves Trish down, starting the match, she slams Trish and hits an elbow drop for an early 2 count.Trish is sent off the ropes, Molly ducks early and gets kicked. Trish connects with forearms but is sent over with a back bodydrop, she gets to her feet but Molly Holly takes her down by the hair and covers for 2 as King is talking about the size of Molly’s arse. Trish’s head gets sent into the turnbuckle, but she blocks the second attempt and gives Molly her receipt. Molly Holly takes down Trish with an armbar, then hits some kind of twisting arm wringer on the mat before going back to the move. It looked better than I’m describing it. Trish Stratus is able to roll Molly Holly up for  2 and break the hold, but the challenger cuts off any attack with a kick to the gut, then goes back to the arm with strikes. Trish is sent off the ropes and gets a 2 count from a victory roll. Trish Stratus ducks a clothesline, hitting a neckbreaker for a nearfall. The challenger is sent sternum first into the corner, Trish rolls her up for another 2 count but gets cut off with a drop toehold which sends Trish’s throat into the bottom rope. Molly Holly utilizes the 5-count, choking Trish with her boot, dropkicking her from the ring and having a quick chat with the referee before following. Trish’s head is sent into the apron, Molly Holly chops Trish and sends her into the crowd with an irish whip.

  It’s at this point Lawler finally jogs my memory that this feud was based around the Divas Undressed DVD, great. Molly breaks the count, knowing she can’t win the title on a count out, and this was the only time in my memory that commentary didn’t mention that fact. Trish is brought back to ring side, Molly throws her into the ring and gets on the apron, but Trish connects with  a roundhouse kick, knocking her down. Molly stops herself being rammed into the ringpost as she gets back on the apron and rakes Trish’s eyes to get some space.  She climbs the turnbuckles but Trish crotches her and hits some forearms, Trish climbs to the middle rope but Molly shoves her down to the mat. Trish Stratus hits the handstand headscissors, which did not look fun for Molly to take. Trish starts with what JR calls “Flair like chops” on Molly against the ropes. I wouldn’t go that far, especially after his commentary in the first half of the match, Molly tries to chop Trish but she ducks and gets some more shots in before sending Molly across the ring. Trish Stratus knocks her down with dropkicks. Molly Holly cuts of Trish with a jawbreaker as we see a replay of the kick by Trish over the top rope and one vocal fan cheers Molly on. Trish ducks a clothesline and knocks Molly down with a Chick Kick, the Stratusfaction is avoided as Molly shoves Trish into the ropes and hits a bridging german suplex for a 2 count that seemed mis-communicated. Molly lifts Trish from the ground and slams her down by the hair, then goes back to the top rope. Lawler calls her finisher the “butt bomb” as Trish is able to move out of the way of the correctly named Molly Go Round. Ross says she could have broken a 2x4 because you know, big fat arse and whatnot. Trish rolls Molly Holly up, but she rolls through at 2 and grabs the tights to win the match and the title

WINNER: MOLLY HOLLY (NEW WWE Women’s Champion)

After the match Lawler says “it was Survival of the Fattest” and comments on the size of Molly Holly’s backside before we see replays of the Molly Go Round and the finish, why not?

It wasn’t the worst match in the world. Molly Holly looked good with this new aggressive character and Trish really helped her look dominant, with short bursts of offense, usually from a mistake like taking too long, or making space and giving Trish an opportunity to get something in. Trish’s entire repitoire in this match consisted of roll-ups, strikes and the headscissors. The arm wringer between the armbar was also a nice touch, but it didn’t amount to much by the end of the match *½ match, but I’d rate it 2/10 for the terrible commentary.