TAZZ VS. JERRY LAWLER

 Before the match, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley is talking to "Janet" about whether she kissed Kurt Angle, or if Kurt kissed her. Also whether Kurt is a hunk or a hottie. Votes are welcome in the comments if you wish. All Steph says is that he’s a good kisser.

JR says there will be no kissing in this match, which makes sense because Goldust isn’t here. King asks if there are any Hershey’s Kisses in JR’s jar of candy that he has on the announce desk. It turns out there are some. We get a video package showing Tazz choking people out and calling out JR at the commentary desk. JR slaps Tazz after a jab about his face, Tazz asks for one more and Lawler socks him in the mouth instead. Then over on Smackdown Tazz hits Lawler with… Something, busting him open and drawing King into the ring for another punch-up. He’s then shown with Jerry Lawler’s rental car and JR’s inside (why the hell was he at Smackdown anyway?) Tazz smashes the window into JR’s face as we go back live.

Tazz makes his entrance first, pretending to be blind and wearing JR’s cowboy hat. He walks over to the announce table giving King a chance to get the first shot in and throw Tazz in the ring to start the match.

Jim Ross is flying solo on commentary for this match

TAZZ VS. JERRY LAWLER

WWF SummerSlam 2000 ( 27^th August 2000)

  Jerry Lawler connects with more right hands in the ring and a dropkick to send Tazz into the corner. Tazz is knocked down with a clothesline, more right hands from King on the mat.

  Jerry Lawler goes to lift himself onto the middle rope but stops in his tracks and chokes Tazz across the bottom rope as Theodore Long counts for the break. King breaks at 4 and hits a fist drop from the middle rope. Tazz avoids another fist drop and lays in boots and clubbing blows to Lawler on the mat. He tells JR to look at his friend and calls Ross a scumbag, bringing King to his feet for more right hands and boots. Tazz sends Lawler off the ropes, Lawler ducks a back elbow but is dropped with a clothesline. JR mentions Lawler’s first Summerslam match against Bret Hart which I reviewed what feels like an age ago (here). Tazz grabs at Lawler’s face, raking the eyes. Tazz dumps Lawler through the ropes and taks trash to JR until Lawler attacks him from behind and brings it back in the ring. Tazz headbutts Lawler in the balls but Long thinks it was above the waistline, I guess he forgot his contact lenses today. Tazz slams Lawler and climbs to the top rope as JR reluctantly puts over Tazz’s skills. Jerry Lawler rolls out of the way of a somersault senton and pulls down the strap. Lawler knocks Tazz down with right hands, he hits the Piledriver! Tazz is immediately to his feet! Fuck your finish! “Fuck you” says Tazz before knocking Lawler down with a right hand. Lawler desperately grabs a headlock but gets sent into the referee and Tazz is back over to JR, threatening to choke both King and JR out. Tazz ducks a right hand and puts the Tazzmission on Lawler, Jerry Lawler grabs the rope but the referee is knocked down.

   Jim Ross is out of his seat and he has the candy jar, smashing it over Tazz’s head. HARDCORE JR! Jerry Lawler covers in time for Teddy Long to make the count.

WINNER: JERRY LAWLER

This wasn’t much of a match, but it was what it needed to be. Lawler got some of his trademark moves in and got to get revenge for his announce colleague. It could be said that Tazz immediately standing from the Piledriver killed it for Lawler, but he hasn’t been active on a regular basis for a while by this point, and it can be countered by Tazz losing to a pair of commentators, but it was fun for a few minutes. [*¼] 3.5/10

 

JR says he may be in trouble for his part of the match, but he thinks Tazz got what he deserved as Lawler celebrated on the announce table.