TAZZ VS. JERRY LAWLER

  After Summerslam, Jerry Lawler (and JR) interfered in Tazz’s matches costing him both the WWF Hardcore Championship and the WWF European Championship, leading to a tag team match with Lawler and Tazz on opposing teams. Tazz attacked Lawler with a strap after the match and quit the company, but Mick Foley was able to convince him to stay, giving him a short vacation and making the match official. Jerry Lawler’s music hits and he makes his way from the announce table to the ring. The Fink is our ring announcer, and he tells us that this is touching the corners rules. Jim Ross is on commentary alone, Tazz makes his way out, looking as cheerful as usual. We cut to Tazz choking Lawler out with the leather strap on Smackdown.

 

TAZZ VS. JERRY LAWLER

(Strap)

WWF Unforgiven 2000 (24^th September 2000)

  Jerry Lawler takes his time putting the strap around his wrist as Tazz is fired up. Tazz jerks Lawler close and stomps him on the mat before wrapping some of the leather strap around his fist. King is knocked down with a right hand and sent overhead with a T-Bone suplex.

  Tazz with another right hand before sending Lawler to the floor. Tazz starts choking Lawler out in front of the announce table, arguing with JR and asking if there’s something Ross will hit him with again. JR tells Tazz he’s in a strap match and impartiality goes out of the window as Jerry Lawler starts choking Tazz with the strap. Lawler sends Tazz’s head into the apron and starts whipping him with the strap. Tazz gets back into the ring for a moment of respite but gets choked. Tazz gets to his feet and swings the momentum with a kick to the balls, then whips at Lawler’s back with the strap. Tazz sends Lawler’s head into the top turnbuckle, he kicks Lawler in the midsection and brings him down to the mat with a snapmare. More strap shots from Tazz, he goes back to choking as he stands over Lawler. Tazz brings Lawler to his feet, but Jerry Lawler blocks the right hand, connecting with a combination of lefts and rights. King hits the Piledriver, but Tazz is back to his feet. FUCK YOUR FINISH! JR can’t believe it, but it did happen the previous month. Lawler hits another Piledriver and Tazz is back on his feet again. Just as I go to launch into a tirade, Jerry Lawler hits a third consecutive Piledriver, Tazz gets to his feet before flopping to the mat. Lawler starts touching the corners, Tazz stops King’s momentum after the third turnbuckle, Lawler lifts Tazz with the strap, and the referee gets knocked down.

  Raven slides into the ring, coming face to face with Lawler. He hits the Evenflow DDT and escapes through the crowd. Tazz puts Lawler in the Tazzmission and the referee lifts King’s arm. He doesn’t respond after three so the referee calls the match for Tazz.

WINNER: TAZZ

This was a pretty decent match, but it was just a paint-by-numbers strap match. The finish was confusing but I guess after choking Lawler out the corners would be a formality. I didn’t like the three Piledrivers spot, but bringing JR in on commentary was a nice touch, so it almost evens out. [*¾] 3/10

After the match, Tazz holds onto the chokehold until a swarm of referees are able to peel him away.