A-TRAIN VS. EDGE

   Michael Cole and Tazz are on commentary for this match. Edge is out first as Michael Cole discusses Lesnar’s interview about tonight’s main event. Tazz says the crowd are “going bonkers” for Edge which I don’t think I’ve heard an American say before. A-Train makes his way out and Cole makes a big deal of his quest to make it to the main event of Smackdown. We see that he has attacked not just Edge, but also his tag team partner, Rey Mysterio sending him out for one of his famous left knee surgeries.

 

A-TRAIN VS. EDGE

WWE Armageddeon 2002 (15^th December 2002)

  They lock up and A-Train shoves Edge back into the corner. Edge hesitates before locking up again, he puts a headlock on A-Trian but is carried to the ropes and sent across the ring. A-Train knocks him down with a shoulder tackle, then brings Edge to his feet and lays in a right hand as the fans tell A-Train to shave his back. They have a point. Edge is sent across the ring but cuts A-Train off with a back elbow. A-Train catches the crossbody from the middle rope, he lifts Edge to one shoulder but is sent into the turnbuckles. Edge dropkicks A-Train into the corner and goes to the floor, tripping the big man and he tries to crotch A-Train on the ring post but is kicked away into the barricade. A-Train continues the attack on the floor but is sent into the ring post. Edge sends A-Train’s shoulder into the ringpost, but A-Train is able to escape in the ring, breaking the referee’s count at 5. Edge follows and tries to cut A-Train down with a chop block, sending him down to one knee. Edge hits the ropes for a basement dropkick to bring A-Train down, following with a legdrop for a nearfall.

 

  Edge goes back to the left shoulder but a right hand staggers him back into the corner, A-Train charges but hits the turnbuckles and Edge rolls him up for another nearfall. Edge gets a couple of right hands in before running into a powerslam by A-Train for a nearfall. A-Train sends Edge into the top turnbuckle and lays in right hands in the corner, then clubbing blows and a knee to the midsection before the referee backs him up. A-Train chokes Edge across the bottom rope, he brings Edge into the ring with a guillotine and covers for a nearfall. We get a replay as A-Train catches his breath with a chinlock. Edge counters with a jawbreaker, he chops at A-Train, ducking haymakers before backing him into the corner with right hands, he doesn’t let up on A-Train in the corner, clubbing down on him before Edge hits the ropes. A-Train doesn’t budge after the clothesline, Edge ducks an attempt at a receipt and knocks A-Train down with a jumping forearm. A-Train stands up into a spinning kick by Edge.

  A-Train immediately gets to his feet, Edge catches the clothesline and hits a facebuster for a nearfall. Tazz says the longer this match goes the more it works in Edge’s favour, because cardio is a thing that matters. A-Train reverses an irish whip but runs into a kick to the gut. Edge hits a tornado an Edge-o-Matic from the middle rope and covers but A-Train kicks out at 2. Edge goes to the top rope but he jumps into a Bicycle Kick by A-Train! 1, 2, no! A-Train tells the referee it should have been 3 before going to get a chair from ringside. Edge cuts A-Train off before the chair can be brought into the ring, Edge sends A-Train into the ring and hits a crossbody from the top rope for a nearfall. A-Train counters the Edgeucution into a sitout chokebomb (which I think he would later call the Derailer) 1, 2, Edge barely kicks out again. A-Train shouts at the referee for doing his job before grabbing the chair from the apron. A-Train and the ref have a tug of war over the chair as Edge gets to his feet, he hits the Spear on A-Train! 1, 2, 2.9! A-Train goes back to the chair and hits Edge’s bad knee causing the disqualification.

WINNER: EDGE (Disqualification)

This was an OK match, but it never seemed to get going. Edge kicked out of a Bicycle Kick and chokebomb, killing his big moves. The match had no flow, and Edge’s injured knee didn’t come into it until the finish. The only thing that made sense was Edge going for a cover as often as possible. [*½ ] 2/10.

  After the match Edge dropkicks the chair into A-Train’s face, Edge swings the chair into A-Train’s cranium before bending it around the hairs on the former Albert’s back.