Review for WWE Tagged Classics: Rebellion 2001 & Insurrextion 2002

WWE Rebellion 2001 and Insurrextion 2002are two UK exclusive PPVs that are almost as good (if not better) than the usual PPVs WWE produce. The only problem I have with these PPVs are that they generally feel like House Shows. In other words, feuds will never be ended or developed and championships will never change hands (and no the Hardcore Title doesn't count). Because of this a lot of these matches feel a little throwaway and so it never really feels like a true PPV more like just the recording of a live event (similar to the WWE Raw/Smackdown in UK releases). However, both of these events are filled with some great matches and even some great segments. Most are of a obviously non-PG nature such as in Rebellion Chavo Guerrero and Hugh Morris trying to interview the Divas, this involved near naked scenes with Trish Stratus, Lita and Molly Holly. Insurrextion 2002 is also notable as being the last WWF event promoted before the name change.
Rebellion 2001
Steel Cage Match
Intercontinental Match
Edge vs. Christian
A great match. Watching a match like this you can understand why both are now main eventers in the WWE. This was a great cage match and though I would have preferred them to have had a ladder match this was still great and such a wonderful way to end the match.
Scotty Too Hotty vs. The Hurricane
One of the few WCW stars who actually benefitted from a WWE overhaul when he came over. It could have bombed, but this gimmick actually went on for a number of years and was actually pretty popular. The match itself was not a bad Cruiserweight-style, but nothing that was very memorable.
DDP vs. The Big Show
Speaking of someone who didn't benefit from his WWE overhaul. Poor DDP! This match was utterly pointless and I think the entrances were longer than the match.
WCW Tag Team Championship Elimination Match
Dudley Boyz vs. APA vs. Hardy Boyz
Now this is tag team wrestling. Tag teams of today really need to look at these types of matches to show them how it is done. All three teams are in their prime and even though the Dudleys were the bad guys in this match, it was so good it didn't matter who won. Just perfect.
Tajiri vs. Commissioner Regal
An ok match and Regal is such a great heel, but this wasn't exactly the best match by either.
WCW Championship Match
Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho
Yes you read that correct. WCW Champion Kurt Angle? However this was a great match. Of course it was, look at who is wrestling. I don't think Angle and Jericho could have a bad match and this is certainly a great technical match from them both.
Diva's Tag Team Match (Trish Stratus as Special Referee)
Mighty Molly & Stacy Keibler vs. Torrie Wilson & Lita
It's odd how the Divas from 2001 are not only so much hotter than they are in 2011, but also so much better in the ring too. Lita and Molly do most of the great work, but Stacy and Torrie certainly give each team a certain something. The match is not exactly a five star classic, but compared to the matches I have had to watch from the Divas over the past year by comparison this match was great. Also any time I can watch Trish Sis a good match in my book.
WWF Championship
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock
Let's face it, I don't think I have ever seen a bad Austin/Rock match. Never! I don't think it's possible. The two have such great chemistry and the feud going into this match was so heated that you could feel a real tension as you watched. Even though you knew that the WWE would never change a title on a UK PPV there was a feeling that maybe… just maybe they would. The match was full of some great moments and certainly one of the best matches from either of them.
Surprisingly, the DVD actually comes packed with some great extras, a trailer for the PPV, a video of Kurt Angle defecting to the Alliance which was good… sadly when you consider Chris Jericho would have made more sense the choosing of Angle is a little bizarre, a video of the feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock which was great. Also included is two full matches between The Rock and Chris Jericho from Raw and The Undertaker vs. Stone Cold and Kurt Angle these are both great and a nice bonus as I expected it to be just a highlight package, but these were great matches almost as good as anything on the PPV.
WWE Insurrextion 2002
Intercontinental Championship Match
Eddie Guerrero vs. Rob Van Dam
One of the best matches I have seen from either of these guys. They worked so well together that I wonder why when Guerrero was world champion WWE didn't match them up (I get the feeling that RVD was injured at the time though). This was just a perfect match from both and despite the obvious Heel/Face alignment you couldn't help but route for either of them.
Jazz &Molly Holly vs. Trish Stratus & Jacqueline
Wow! Worth watching for the Puppies alone (and that includes the excellent interview with Terri beforehand). A good match from all and one of the best endings to a Divas match I have ever seen and they didn't even have to strip off for it!
Bradshaw vs. X-Pac
I thought this match would suck to high heaven. This was the nWo's dying days with Scott Hall, X-Pac and Big Show, but this actually wasn't too bad a match. Not great, but not unwatchable.
Hardcore Championship Match
Steven Richards vs. Booker T
How the mighty had fallen! In 2001 Booker T was the main star of WCW and Five Time, Five Time, Five Time, Five Time, Five Time WCW World Champion. The Hardcore Championship was something of a joke and this match though fun was not as exciting as some and rather than being the OTT Hardcore match it became more of a run of the mill wrestling match. It did have a fun extreme ending though.
Hardy Boyz vs. Brock Lesnar & Shawn Stasiak
This is not a team that I would ever think would exist: Lesnar and Stasiak? Really? To be honest this probably should have been a two on one match just to show how dominant he was. This was an odd match. I just don't know whether I enjoyed it or not. Going into the match you know that Lesnar could easily take both of them out on their own and watching him bulldoze through each Hardy is a little awkward at times. Still as a display of Lesnar's awesome power it is a great match.
European Championship Match
Spike Dudley vs. William Regal
Always good to see Regal and he knows how to work a crowd, but this match was totally forgettable.
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Big Show
This wasn't too bad a match. The addition of a second referee (in the form of Ric Flair) was a nice addition. Though does make you wonder why they don't have this all the time. I enjoyed this match, but it wasn't as great as the previous one against The Rock. The nWo interference was a little obvious, though one was surprising. The ending with Austin drinking beer with Flair would probably have been better to end the PPV, but still a great sight to see… if a little short.
Triple H vs. Undertaker
This was an average match for the two of them. I never really enjoyed Taker as the Bad Guy and this one felt forced. Triple H's return is hyped up a little too much as at this time he had already been back for a good few months and in that time won the Royal Rumble and World Title and so it was hardly like he had only just started. Still, this was better than most matches and I was satisfied with the ending as it thankfully did not just disintegrate into a brawl or a cheap finish.

No extras came with this DVD which is a shame. One thing I will say about both DVDs that is a little odd is that when you skip a match the promo piece that hypes up the match is actually the last part of the previous chapter. This is annoying, especially if you have a habit (like me sadly) of skipping a match if it's a wrestler I don't enjoy or if I'm not enjoying the match. It would have made more sense to include these as a separate chapter or to include it at the beginning of that particular match.
Rebellion 2001 and Insurrextion 2002 are two great PPVs with a lot of good matches. Sure not everything here is gold, but for the Rock/Austin, the two Divas matches and the Triple Threat Tag match it is worth the money for these alone!