No Mercy 2001: Chris Jericho Finally Breaks Through on a Card That Quietly Delivers

The Hardy Boyz, Lance Storm and The Hurricane give No Mercy a clean, energetic opener that immediately establishes the WWF-versus-Alliance theme without drowning in interference. Storm and Hurricane control much of the middle by isolating Jeff and forcing Matt to wait for the comeback, while the Hardys answer with the speed and aerial offense expected from them. The ringside involvement from Lita, Ivory and Mighty Molly adds movement without completely taking over the match. The finish is decisive: Matt hits the Twist of Fate on Hurricane and Jeff follows with the Swanton Bomb, allowing Matt to make the pin. It is straightforward tag wrestling, but the pace and title stakes make it useful.

Test and Kane work a better big-man match than the pairing might suggest because the action stays physical and the near-falls arrive at logical points. Kane controls early with power, but Test gradually turns the match through ringside offense and repeated use of the Big Boot. The referee involvement adds some unnecessary clutter, especially once Kane nearly chokeslams Nick Patrick, but the wrestlers maintain enough intensity to keep the crowd engaged. Test survives a chokeslam, lands a pumphandle slam and later connects with another Big Boot for the victory. The post-match attack on Patrick is more memorable than the finish itself, but the match is solid enough.

The lingerie match is a pure early-2000s presentation piece and has aged badly because the stipulation is designed around spectacle rather than meaningful competition. Wilson and Keibler perform the limited wrestling they are asked to do competently enough, including a few basic strikes and a handspring elbow, but the match is framed more as a visual attraction than as part of the broader WWF-versus-Alliance conflict. The short runtime prevents it from becoming a major drag on the show, and Wilson's pin gives the segment a clean ending. Still, there is almost nothing here that rewards a modern rewatch beyond understanding how the company presented its women's division at the time.

Edge and Christian turn their breakup into the first truly major match of the night, using the ladder as an extension of a rivalry built on years of partnership and recent betrayal. Because both men know each other's habits, the match feels less like a stunt exhibition and more like two former partners trying to stay one step ahead. The biggest spots are violent without becoming random, including Edge's diving splash across a ladder and the repeated falls from the climbing structure. The finish is memorable and personal: Edge traps Christian atop the ladder and delivers a one-man con-chair-to before retrieving the championship. The title change gives Edge an important singles milestone and definitively shifts the balance between them.

The tag title match has a simple structure that works reasonably well: Tajiri absorbs punishment, Big Show provides the power comeback, and the Dudleys rely on chemistry and opportunism to survive. Tajiri's kicks and mist threat give the challengers their most distinctive offense, while the champions keep cutting him off before Show can stay involved for long. The finish becomes overbooked when the referee is taken out and Rhyno interferes with a Gore on Big Show. Tajiri still gets a believable near-fall before the Dudleys recover and hit the 3D for the retention. It is competent and energetic, but the interference prevents a stronger conclusion.

Undertaker and Booker T deliver a sturdy singles match that benefits from having no championship or elaborate stipulation to distract from the basic rivalry. Booker gets enough sustained offense to feel credible, including a missile dropkick, spinning kicks and the Scissors Kick, while Undertaker answers with the more methodical power offense that defined this stage of his career. The match is not especially fast, but it develops in a clear progression and gives Booker several near-falls before the finishing stretch. Undertaker eventually catches him during mounted punches and hits the Last Ride for the pin. It is not a classic, but it is a dependable upper-midcard match with a decisive finish.

Rock and Jericho produce the match that finally turns Jericho from a perennial near-main-eventer into someone who has beaten one of the company's biggest stars for a world championship. The match grows from competitive exchanges into something more personal as Jericho begins mocking Rock's offense and using his own signature moves against him. Rock responds with the Sharpshooter and a Rock Bottom through the Spanish announce table, making the late near-falls feel like genuine championship moments. Stephanie McMahon's interference briefly threatens to overwhelm the finish, but Jericho capitalizes after Rock turns his attention to her and hits the Breakdown onto a chair for the pin. The result is historically huge even with the interference.

Austin, Angle and Van Dam close No Mercy with a chaotic triple threat that succeeds because each wrestler has a different reason to win. Austin is trying to regain total control after losing and reclaiming the championship, Angle wants to restore the heroic momentum from Pittsburgh, and Van Dam is the Alliance member whose popularity makes him a genuine wildcard. The match moves quickly through Stunners, Angle Slams, suplexes and the Five Star Frog Splash without becoming impossible to follow. Vince and Shane McMahon eventually introduce the expected outside chaos, but the wrestlers still control the decisive exchange. Austin catches Van Dam with the Stunner and pins him to retain, protecting Angle while keeping the champion on top.