Background

Judgment Day was first held by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as the 25th In Your House pay-per-view (PPV) in October 1998.^[2] It then returned in May 2000 as its own event, establishing Judgment Day as the promotion's annual May PPV. The 2002 event was the fourth event in the Judgment Day chronology and was held on May 19 at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee.^[3]

The 2002 Judgment Day was the promotion's very first PPV held under the WWE name, as the promotion was renamed from World Wrestling Federation (WWF) to WWE just two weeks before the event.^[4] It was also the first Judgment Day held during the brand extension that was introduced in March, a storyline subdivision in which the promotion divided its roster into two separate brands, Raw and SmackDown!, where wrestlers were exclusively assigned to perform. The 2002 event in turn featured wrestlers from both brands.^[5]

Storylines

The Undertaker, who challenged Hollywood Hulk Hogan at Judgement Day for the WWE Undisputed Championship

The event consisted of nine professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either faces or heels as they followed a series of events which built tension, culminating in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The main feud leading into Judgment Day on the Raw brand was between the WWE Undisputed Champion Hollywood Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker. At Backlash, The Undertaker defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin and became the number 1 contender to the championship, which Hogan won the same night by defeating Triple H (after The Undertaker interfered). On the April 25 episode of SmackDown!, The Undertaker attacked Triple H, prompting Hogan to run and save Triple H. On the April 29 episode of Raw, Hogan tried to attack The Undertaker. However, later that night, during Hogan's match with William Regal, The Undertaker attacked Hogan with Hogan's weight belt, busting him open. On the May 6 episode of Raw, Hogan stole The Undertaker's motorcycle and rode into the ring on it, and then tried to chase The Undertaker with the motorcycle (which did not start). Later that night, Hogan destroyed the motorcycle with a truck. On the May 13 episode of Raw, The Undertaker attacked Hogan backstage, tied him into Hogan's motorcycle and dragged him all over the backstage area. On the May 16 episode of SmackDown!, as Hogan was cutting a promo, Mr. McMahon confronted Hogan and Hogan attacked McMahon.

The main feud on SmackDown! featured Chris Jericho and Triple H. On the April 25 episode of SmackDown!, Jericho defeated Triple H with The Undertaker's help in order to get a title shot at Hollywood Hulk Hogan's Undisputed WWF Championship on the May 2 episode of SmackDown!. Jericho managed to convince Mr. McMahon to make the match a no disqualification match and to prevent Triple H from hitting Jericho. Jericho taunted Triple H later that night, but during the title match, The Undertaker's music hit. However, The Undertaker did not come to the ring and Hogan defeated Jericho to retain the championship. On the May 9 episode of SmackDown!, McMahon made Jericho and five other wrestlers (Christian, Hardcore Holly, Lance Storm, D-Von Dudley, and Test) beat on Triple H, while booking Jericho and Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match at Judgment Day. Jericho cost Triple H a match against D-Von, making Triple H attack Jericho as he teamed up with Kurt Angle against Edge and Hogan. After Triple H attacked all four competitors, McMahon then came to the ring and taunted Triple H, allowing Jericho to hit Triple H with the chair again. On the May 16 episode of SmackDown!, Jericho and Angle attacked Triple H and Edge, and defeated them in the main event.

Another main feud from the Raw brand was Stone Cold Steve Austin against Big Show and Ric Flair. At Backlash, Flair refereed the number one contender's match between Austin and The Undertaker, and counted Austin without seeing he had his foot on the bottom rope. On the April 22 episode of Raw, Flair told Austin that he made a mistake and booked Austin and Bradshaw against the nWo of Scott Hall and X-Pac, but Bradshaw was attacked backstage. Flair put Big Show in the match as a replacement, but Big Show turned on Austin and joined the nWo, blaming Austin for him being left off WrestleMania X8. On the April 29 episode of Raw, while Big Show was revealed as the man who attacked Bradshaw, Flair refereed a tag team match between Hall and X-Pac and the team of Austin and Bradshaw. Austin and Bradshaw won, even though X-Pac's foot was on the bottom rope. Flair then booked himself in a six-man tag team match on the May 6 episode of Raw, teaming with Bradshaw and Austin against the nWo. However, Flair turned on Austin and booked himself and Big Show against Austin in a handicap match at Judgment Day. On the May 13 episode of Raw, Austin cost Flair an Undisputed WWE Championship match against Hollywood Hulk Hogan, making Flair booking Bradshaw against Big Show and X-Pac (Hall was legitimately fired the week before) in a handicap match and booking Austin in a lumberjack match against a new nWo member. After the nWo defeated Bradshaw, Flair revealed Booker T as the new nWo member. Despite the entire lumberjacks being heels, Austin defeated Booker T, but he was attacked by the nWo and Flair after the match.

Preliminary matches

The first match was for the WWE Intercontinental Championship between Eddie Guerrero and Rob Van Dam. Guerrero pinned Van Dam with a backslide using the ropes for leverage to retain the title.

The second match was for the WWE Women's Championship between Trish Stratus (with Bubba Ray Dudley) and Stacy Keibler (with D-Von Dudley and Batista). Despite interference from Batista, Stratus pinned Keibler after a Bulldog to win the match and retain the title. After the match, D-Von attacked Bubba Ray, with D-Von and Batista performing a double flapjack through a table on Bubba Ray.

The third match was between Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman and The Hardy Boyz (Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy). After Matt and Jeff gained control of the match, they attempted to attack Heyman, but Lesnar threw Jeff into Matt and performed an F-5 on Jeff. Heyman pinned Jeff to win the match.

The fourth match was a handicap match between Big Show and Ric Flair and Stone Cold Steve Austin. After Big Show and Flair dominated Austin, Flair applied a figure-four leglock on Austin, but Austin countered the hold. X-Pac interfered, attempting to perform a superkick on Austin, but Austin avoided the move, resulting in X-Pac performing a superkick on Big Show, and Austin performed a Stone Cold Stunner on X-Pac. Austin pinned Flair after a Stone Cold Stunner to win the match.

The fifth match was a hair vs. hair match between Kurt Angle and Edge. Edge attempted a spear on Angle, but Angle avoided the move, resulting in Edge performing a spear on the referee. Angle performed a German suplex on Edge and attempted to hit Edge with a chair, but Edge ducked and performed two spears on Angle for a near-fall. Angle performed an Angle Slam on Edge for a near-fall. Angle applied an ankle lock on Edge, but Edge countered the hold. Edge pinned Angle with a small package to win the match, after which Edge shaved Angle's hair.

Main event matches

The sixth match was a Hell in a Cell match between Triple H and Chris Jericho. Early in the match, both men threw each other into the cell wall. Triple H attempted a piledriver on Jericho, but Jericho countered the move and performed a catapult into the cell wall on Triple H. Jericho retrieved a ladder and hit Triple H with the ladder, causing Triple H to bleed. After Jericho controlled the match, Jericho attempted to use the ladder on Triple H, but Triple H hit the ladder with a chair, causing the ladder to hit Jericho. Jericho attempted to hit Triple H with the steel steps, but Triple H performed a drop toe hold on Jericho, knocking Jericho into the steel steps. Triple H pushed Jericho into referee Tim White, knocking him into the cell wall. Jericho hit Triple H with a chair and pinned Triple H, but White was still down. Jericho threw White into the cell wall, causing White to bleed. Triple H performed a spinebuster on Jericho as referees opened the cell door to check on the downed White. Triple H hit Jericho with a sledgehammer and pinned Jericho, but White was still down. Mike Chioda replaced White as the referee. Triple H and Jericho fought outside the cell, where Triple H performed a DDT through a broadcast table on Jericho. Triple H retrieved a 2X4 wrapped in barbed wire, but Jericho climbed the cell, leading to Triple H and the referee climbing the cell. Jericho hit Triple H with the 2X4 and applied the Walls of Jericho on Triple H atop the cell, but Triple H hit Jericho with the 2X4, forcing Jericho to release the hold. Jericho attempted to hit Triple H with the 2X4, but Triple H performed a low blow on him and attempted a Pedigree, which Jericho countered into a back body drop. Triple H hit Jericho with the 2X4 and pinned him after a Pedigree atop the cell to win the match.

The seventh match was for the WWE Tag Team Championship between Billy and Chuck and Rikishi and Rico. Despite Billy and Chuck dominating Rikishi, Rikishi pinned Chuck to win the match and the title.

The main event was for the now renamed WWE Undisputed Championship between Hollywood Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker. Before the match, The Undertaker whipped Hogan with a belt, but Hogan whipped The Undertaker back with his belt. After a back-and-forth match, The Undertaker performed a chokeslam on Hogan for a near-fall. Hogan performed a running leg drop on The Undertaker for another near-fall. Mr. McMahon interfered, distracting the referee whilst The Undertaker retrieved a chair. Hogan attacked McMahon, performing a running leg drop on McMahon. Whilst the referee was distracted, The Undertaker hit Hogan with a chair and pinned Hogan after another chokeslam to win the title.