SCOTT HALL VS. BRADSHAW

 

Before the match, the former APA meet up. They were split up in the first Draft Lottery, with Farooq being picked by Smackdown and Bradshaw being a part of the Raw brand. The nWo trashed APA’s office on Raw, which Farooq saw. He tells Bradshaw to go deal with it before the worst fist bump I’ve seen. We hear the New World Order’s music and get the effects as Scott Hall comes out accompanied by X-Pac. X-Pac’s also stolen Kane’s mask. Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are on commentary for this match. Bradshaw makes his way out, X-Pac gets into the ring and Bradshaw is outnumbered. The APA music hits again as Farooq evens the odds.

 

SCOTT HALL VS. BRADSHAW

WWF Backlash 2002 (14^th April 2002)

  Scott Hall throws his toothpick at Bradshaw but is knocked down with a right hand. This begins a flurry of strikes before Scott’s head meets the top turnbuckle. Bradshaw connects with strikes in the corner but Scott Hall reverses an irish whip, Bradshaw catches him ducking early and drops him with a DDT for a nearfall. Scott Hall staggers out of the ring but turns around into Farooq, who levels him with right hands. X-Pac runs around the ring into a shot from Farooq too as he sends Hall back into the ring.

  Scott Hall reverses another irish whip but is dropped with a shoulder tackle. Bradshaw gets a nearfall with a running elbow drop as X-Pac gets back to his position at ringside. Bradshaw kicks Hall in the midsection and clubs across his back, then gets a nearfall with a suplex. JR and King question if it’s a float-over when Bradshaw does it, as X-Pac tries to get the crowd behind Hall with the expected results. Bradshaw connects with three right hands, dropping Hall and covering for another 2 count. Scott Hall turns the advantage with a thumb to the eye, he connects with right hands, adds a spin to the third shot, and knocks Bradshaw down. He chokes Bradshaw across the middle rope, drawing Farooq into the ring so X-Pac can get a cheap shot in. Hall knocks Bradshaw into the corner, but Bradshaw fights back until he’s cut off with a kick to the midsection. Scott Hall sends Bradshaw into the corner and follows him with a clothesline. He gets some shots in before kicking Bradshaw down into the corner. Bradshaw tries to fight back but is kept in the corner with a series of kicks. The referee backs Hall off, giving Bradshaw a moment to breathe. He explodes out of the corner with a shoulder tackle, leading to a double-down. Bradshaw keeps the momentum with right hands as they make it to their feet, Scott Hall is sent off the ropes into a back elbow, he doesn’t go down so Bradshaw connects with the big boot. Bradshaw sends Scott Hall from corner to corner and follows with a clothesline. Hall reverses another irish whip, but Bradshaw moves out of the way and Hall hits the turnbuckles, turning around into a Clothesline from Hell, 1, 2, X-Pac puts Scott Hall’s foot on the rope.

 X-Pac gets a cheap shot on Bradshaw, bringing Farooq around the ring, he chases X-Pac around ringside and X-Pac gets back on the apron. Bradshaw knocks him into Farooq’s arms, it was not a loving embrace, Farooq charges X-Pac into the ring post, but that makes no difference to the actual match as Scott Hall is able to low blow Bradshaw and roll him up for the cheap win.

WINNER: SCOTT HALL

This wasn’t the best match of either guy’s career. Scott Hall looked sluggish and a step behind for reasons all to familiar to some fans, Bradshaw did what he could but I can’t see much reason for it to be on Pay Per View. It was basic to hide the limitations and kept mercifully short. [*] 2/10