History of Vengeance/Night of Champions

[Mike]

WWE Vengeance originally took place in December in 2001, before becoming an annual Summer PPV. It has shifted between June and July over the years, but for the past few years it has become Night of the Champions and it has now returned to July. I'll post the history over the next month, feel free to comment on any favorite moments you've had through the years.

[Mike]

WWE Vengeance 2001[/u]

Sunday, December 9, 2001
San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego, California
Attendance: 11,800
Announcers: Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler

Matches:[/u]

--Scotty 2 Hotty and Albert def. Christian and Test.

--Edge def. William Regal to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

--Jeff Hardy def. Matt Hardy

--The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) w/ Stacy Keibler def. Big Show and Kane to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.

--The Undertaker def. Rob Van Dam to win the WWE Hardcore Championship.

--Trish Stratus def. Jacqueline to retain the WWE Women's Championship.

--Steve Austin def. Kurt Angle to retain the WWE Championship.

--Chris Jericho def. The Rock to win the World Championship.

--Chris Jericho def. Steve Austin in a Title Unification Match to retain the World Championship and win the WWE Championship and unite them.

Match of the Night: Matt vs. Jeff and the last 3 matches.

Interesting Notes:[/u]
--Jericho became the first man to simultaneously hold two World Titles. He carried around both of them. The World Title would then be ditched until late 2002, and the two titles became known as The Undisputed Championship.
--This was the only Vengeance to take place in December.
--Lita was the Special Guest Referee for the Hardy vs. Hardy Match.
--Undertaker chokeslammed RVD off the stage and through three tables to win the Hardcore Title for his first and only reign.
--Vince McMahon interfered in Rock/Jericho providing enough distraction for Jericho to hit a low blow and beat The Rock with his own Rock Bottom move.
--Flair and McMahon both interfered against each other in the Jericho/Austin match, and Nick Patrick was brought in by Vince to screw Austin, but Flair pulled him out. Austin had Jericho tapping out but there was no ref. Booker T came in and hit Austin with the WWE Championship. Jericho then got the pin and the win.
--Jericho beat the two biggest stars in WWE in one night.

[Mike]

WWE Vengeance 2002[/u]

Sunday, July 21, 2002
Joe Louis Arena
Detroit, Michigan
Attendance: 12,000
Announcers: Jim Ross (RAW), Jerry "The King" Lawler (RAW), Michael Cole (SD), Tazz (SD)
"Quick and Merciless"

Matches:[/u]

--Bubba Ray Dudley and Spike Dudley def. Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero in an Elimination Tables Match.

--Jamie Noble w/ Nidia def. Billy Kidman to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.

--Jeff Hardy def. William Regal to retain the WWE European Championship.

--John Cena def. Chris Jericho.

--RVD def. Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Haymen by DQ to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

--Booker T def. The Big Show in a No Holds Barred Match.

--The Un-Americans (Lance Storm and Christian) def. Hulk Hogan and Edge to win the WWE Tag Team Championship.

--The Rock def. Kurt Angle and The Undertaker in a Triple Threat Match to win the Undisputed Championship.

Match of the Night: Main Event.

Interesting Notes:[/u]
--This PPV was the first of 3 consecutive Vengeances to take place in July.
--This Vengeance had John Cena's first PPV match, where he beat Jericho.
--Edge and Jericho were feuding, however when Edge and Hogan won the Tag Titles, Jericho told the GM to let The Un-Americans face them.
--Eddie Guerrero was the first man eliminated in the tables match, followed by Spike and finally Benoit.
--Michael Cole and Tazz announced the first half of the PPV, and after the Cena/Jericho match, JR and King came down to announce the rest of the card.
--RVD had the match won when Paul Haymen pulled the referee out, leading to the referee disqualifying Lesnar.
--Triple H was involved in a storyline with the NwO, but due to backstage issues the NwO was written off. It then became about which brand he would join. Bischoff and Stephanie both pleaded with him to join their respective brands. Shawn Michaels then came out and convinced him to join RAW. He agreed and left with Michaels. Bischoff gloated and Stephanie slapped him.
--Jericho interfered and hit Edge with the Tag Titles, causing the Un-Americans to win.
--Though the Undertaker was Champion going into the Triple Threat, The Rock actually pinned Kurt Angle to win the Undisputed Championship.
--This was The Rock's record breaking WWE Title reign, it was also his last.
--The next night on RAW, RVD beat Jeff Hardy in a Title Unification Match IC vs. European. The European Title was then retired and RVD lost the IC to Benoit later on in the month. Benoit brought the title to SD, but RVD used his rematch clause at SummerSlam to bring the title back to RAW.

[Mike]

WWE Vengeance 2003[/u]

Sunday, July 27, 2003
Pepsi Center
Denver, Colorado
Attendance: 9,500
Announcers: Tazz and Michael Cole

Matches:[/u]

--Eddie Guerrero def. Chris Benoit in the Tournament Finals to win the WWE United States Championship.

--Jamie Noble w/ Nidia def. Billy Gunn w/ Torrie Wilson.

--Bradshaw def. Shannon Moore, Doink the Clown, Faarooq, Brother Love, Nunzio, Matt Hardy, Chris Kanyon, Danny Basham, Doug Basham, The Easter Bunny, Sean O'Haire, John Hennigan, Orlando Jordan, Funaki, Los Conquistadores (Rob Conway and Johnny Jeter), The Brooklyn Brawler, Johnny Stamboli, Chuck Palumbo, Matt Cappotelli, and Spanky in an APA Invitational Bar Room Brawl.

--The World's Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin) def. Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.

--Sable def. Stephanie McMahon in a No Count Out Match.

--The Undertaker def. John Cena.

--Vince McMahon w/ Sable def. Zach Gowen.

--Kurt Angle def. Brock Lesnar and The Big Show in a No DQ Triple Threat Match to win the WWE Championship.

Match of the Night: Tie between US and The Main Event.

Interesting Notes:[/u]
--SmackDown held an 8 man tournament to determine the new United States Champion as the title was brought back after being unified with the IC Title in November 2001 at the Survivor Series.
--Rhyno interfered costing Benoit his match.
--The stipulation of the Noble/Gunn match was that if Noble won he got to sleep with Torrie. Noble had the match won but Nidia put Gunn's foot on the rope breaking it up. Noble flipped out at her and her and Torrie slapped him, Noble ended up getting the win anyway.
--Bradshaw won the Bar Fight by being the last man standing.
--Stephanie attacked Sable before the match started, however lost due to interference from Albert.
--Eddie beat Ultimo Dragon, Billy Gunn, and Chris Benoit in root to winning the US Title Tournament.

[Mike]

WWE Vengeance 2004[/u]

Sunday, July 11, 2004
Hartford Civic Center
Hartford, Connecticut
Attendance: 7,000
Announcers: Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler

Matches:[/u]

--Tajiri and Rhyno def. Garrison Cade and Jonathon Coachman.

--Batista def. Chris Jericho.

--La Résistance (Róbert Conway and Sylvain Grenier) def. Ric Flair and Eugene by disqualification to retain the World Tag Team Championship.

--Matt Hardy def. Kane in a No DQ Match.

--Edge def. Randy Orton to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

--Victoria def. Molly Holly.

--Chris Benoit def. Triple H to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

Match of the Night: Orton vs. Edge.

Interesting Notes:[/u]
--This was the first ever Vengeance to take place in June, and the first of four consecutive Vengeances to do so.
--This was the first Vengeance to be a RAW only PPV.
--Batista hit the Batista Bomb on Jericho for the win, however Jericho's foot was on the rope. The ref didn't see it and awarded Batista the match.
--Victoria became #1 Contender for the Women's Championship by beating Molly.
--Eugene got DQued in the tag match for pushing down the referee.
--Eugene also interfered on Triple H's behalf during the main event, and accidentally hit H in the head with the chair while the ref was out, allowing Benoit to get the win.
--Though he lost the IC Title, Randy Orton would beat Benoit just one month later at SummerSlam to become the youngest World Heavyweight Champion of all time.

[Mike]

WWE Vengeance 2005[/u]

Sunday, June 26, 2005
Thomas & Mac Center
Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 9,850
Announcers: Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler

Matches:[/u]

--Carlito def. Shelton Benjamin to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

--Victoria def. Christy Hemme.

--Kane def. Edge w/ Lita

--Shawn Michaels def. Kurt Angle.

--John Cena def. Chris Jericho and Christian in a Triple Threat Match to retain the WWE Championship.

--Batista def. Triple H in a Hell in a Cell Match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

Match of the Night: Angle vs. HBK

Interesting Notes:[/u]
--This was the first Vengeance to ever take place in June.
--Snitzky interfered and attacked Kane, but Edge then hit him with the Money in the Bank briefcase.
--Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle got a standing ovation after their match.
--A segment took place in which Lilian Garcia proposed to Viscera. Godfather came out and showed Vis what he'd be missing out on if he got married and that prompted Vis to say no.
--The reason RAW had 2 World titles was because the draft lottery was an on going process. On June 6th, RAW got Cena and he brought over the WWE Championship. Batista and the WHC left RAW three weeks later on the June 30th edition when Batista became the last pick in the draft for SD.

[Mike]

WWE Vengeance 2006[/u]

Sunday, June 25, 2006
Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Charlotte, North Carolina
Attendance: 8,600
Announcers: Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler

Matches:[/u]

--Randy Orton def. Kurt Angle.

--Umaga (w/ Armando Alejandro Estrada def. Eugene w/ Jim Duggan, Doink the Clown, and Kamala).

--Ric Flair def. Mick Foley in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match.

--Johnny Nitro w/ Melina def. Shelton Benjamin and Carlito in a Triple Threat Match to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

--Rob Van Dam def. Edge w/ Lita to retain the WWE Championship.

--"Imposter Kane" def. Kane.

--John Cena def. Sabu in an Extreme Lumberjack Match.

--D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) def. the Spirit Squad (Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Nicky, and Mikey).

Match of the Night: Orton/Angle and RVD/Edge.

Interesting Notes:[/u]
--After beating Eugene, Umaga attacked Doink and Duggan.
--Mick Foley dressed Mr. Socko up as Ric Flair.
--Foley lost the first fall and hit Flair with a trashcan out of frustration to lose the second fall and the match 2-0. Foley then attacked him with a barbed wire bat and busted him open.
--Benjamin was the IC Champion going into the match. Carlito hit the Back Cracker on him, but Nitro threw him out and got the pinfall victory.
--Lita tried everything to aid Edge to victory, but RVD still managed a win.
--In the main event, the lumberjacks were: Viscera, Trevor Murdoch, Lance Cade, Rob Conway, Snitsky, Matt Striker, Charlie Haas, Val Venis, Tommy Dreamer, Balls Mahoney, Stevie Richards, Little Guido Maritato, Roadkill, Danny Doring, Justin Credible, Al Snow, and The Sandman.