World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view event
The 2002 King of the Ring was the 10th annual King of the Ring professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) that featured the 16th King of the Ring tournament. It took place on June 23, 2002, at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio and featured wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown! brand divisions. It was the first King of the Ring PPV and tournament held under the WWE name after the promotion had been renamed from World Wrestling Federation (WWF) to WWE the previous month. Although the tournament continued to be held periodically, this was the final King of the Ring event to be produced as a PPV until 2024. The King of the Ring's June PPV slot was replaced by Bad Blood in 2003. Another King of the Ring event was produced as a livestreaming event in 2015, but not on PPV, but it returned to PPV and livestreaming in 2024.
The main match from SmackDown! was a singles match for the WWE Undisputed Championship in which champion The Undertaker defeated Triple H to retain the title. The main match from Raw was a singles match in which Brock Lesnar defeated Rob Van Dam in the King of the Ring tournament final to win the 2002 tournament and earn a match for the WWE Undisputed Championship at SummerSlam. It was the only King of the Ring tournament to award a reward other than the title of "King of the Ring" until 2024. The predominant match on the undercard was Kurt Angle versus Hollywood Hulk Hogan; the other matches on the undercard were Ric Flair versus Eddie Guerrero, a Women's Championship match between champion Trish Stratus and challenger Molly Holly, and a Cruiserweight Championship match between champion The Hurricane and challenger Jamie Noble.
Production.
Background.
King of the Ring was a pay-per-view (PPV) event held annually in June by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) since 1993. The PPV featured the King of the Ring tournament, a single-elimination tournament that was established in 1985 and held annually until 1991, with the exception of 1990; these early tournaments were held as special non-televised house shows and were held when the promotion was still called the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The winner of the tournament was crowned "King of the Ring." Unlike the non-televised events, the PPV did not feature all of the tournament's matches. Instead, several of the qualifying matches preceded the event with the final few matches then taking place at the pay-per-view. There were also other matches that took place at the event as it was a traditional three-hour pay-per-view. Considered as one of WWE's "Big Five" PPVs, along with the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series, the company's five biggest shows of the year, the 2002 event was the 10th King of the Ring PPV and 16th tournament overall. It was held on June 23, 2002, at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The 2002 tournament has thus far been the only tournament to award the winner a prize other than the title of "King of the Ring;" the winner also earned a match for the WWE Undisputed Championship at that year's SummerSlam. 
The 2002 event was the first King of the Ring tournament and PPV held under the WWE name after the promotion was renamed from WWF to WWE the previous month. It was also the first tournament and PPV held after the promotion introduced the brand extension in March, in which the roster was divided between the Raw and SmackDown! brands where wrestlers were exclusively assigned to perform. The 2002 tournament and PPV in turn featured wrestlers from both brands.
Storylines.
King of the Ring featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that were played out on "Raw" and "SmackDown!" – WWE's television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a hero or villain as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. All wrestlers were from WWE's Raw and SmackDown! brands – a storyline division in which WWE employees are assigned to a television program of the same name.
The main rivalry heading into the event was between The Undertaker and Triple H for the WWE Undisputed Championship. On the May 30 episode of "SmackDown!", the storyline began when The Undertaker defeated Randy Orton to retain the WWE Undisputed Championship. Afterwards, Triple H assaulted The Undertaker, claiming that if The Undertaker would give him a title shot, he would not retain the title. Later that night, The Undertaker distracted Triple H and cost him a match against Test. After the match, The Undertaker nailed Triple H with multiple chair shots targeting his arm with it. On the June 6 episode of "SmackDown!", Triple H and Hollywood Hulk Hogan co-won a battle royal to determine the number one contender for the WWE Undisputed Championship at King of the Ring. The SmackDown! owner Mr. McMahon booked Triple H and Hogan for a singles match, which was also a rematch from Backlash between the two. In that match, Triple H defeated Hogan to become the number one contender for the WWE Undisputed Championship at King of the Ring.
The predominant feud from the SmackDown! brand was between Kurt Angle and Hollywood Hulk Hogan. At Judgment Day, Angle got his head shaved bald after losing to Edge in a Hair vs. Hair match. Later that night, Hogan lost the WWE Undisputed Championship to The Undertaker due to interference from SmackDown! owner Mr. McMahon. On the May 23 episode of "SmackDown!", Angle started wearing a hairpiece with a piece of amateur wrestling headgear after being shaven bald. On the May 30 episode of "SmackDown!", Angle interrupted a staredown between Hogan and Mr. McMahon when he nailed Hogan with a steel pipe to the back of the head. Later that night, Hogan cost Angle a steel cage match against Edge. On the June 13 episode of "SmackDown!", Hogan challenged Angle to a match at King of the Ring, which Angle accepted. Later that night, Angle and The Undertaker attacked Hogan before their tag team match against Hogan and Triple H. After Angle and The Undertaker defeated Triple H by disqualification, Hogan went after Angle and eventually stripped Angle's wig from his head.
The predominant feud from the Raw brand was between Ric Flair and Eddie Guerrero. For the previous two months, Flair had feuded with Stone Cold Steve Austin ever since the start of the brand extension where Austin was a free agent and signed with the Raw brand on the April 1 episode of "Raw", following advice from Mr. McMahon and Flair. On the May 27 episode of "Raw", Chris Benoit returned to the WWE from a neck injury that he suffered the previous year at the King of the Ring event. Later that night, after Guerrero lost the Intercontinental Championship to Rob Van Dam in a ladder match, Guerrero knocked Van Dam over the top rope with the ladder. Moments later, Austin charged to the ring and attacked Guerrero along with Flair and Arn Anderson until Benoit got to the ring and assaulted Austin, enabling Guerrero to perform a frog splash on him. On the June 3 episode of "Raw", Austin defeated Flair in a match where Flair became Austin's servant. If Flair would have won, Austin would have forever been on the bench. However, the feud ended abruptly with Austin's unexpected departure from the company on June 10 for his refusal to lose a hotshotted match to Brock Lesnar. That same night, Flair lost his half of the WWE ownership to McMahon and returned to active wrestling. On the June 17 episode of "Raw", Flair gave a speech over losing the position of Raw owner to McMahon. The speech was interrupted by Guerrero and Benoit. Flair challenged Guerrero to a match at King of the Ring, which Guerrero accepted. Afterwards, both Guerrero and Benoit assaulted Flair, ending with Guerrero strapping Flair in Flair's own Figure-four leglock submission hold.
A secondary feud from the SmackDown! brand was between The Hurricane and Jamie Noble for the Cruiserweight Championship. On the June 6 episode of "SmackDown!", Noble and his valet Nidia made their WWE debut by attacking Hurricane in his locker room. The following week on "SmackDown!", after Hurricane lost to Test in a King of the Ring Qualifying match, Noble and Nidia made their way to the ring and took turns finishing Hurricane off with a series of slaps before taking his mask. On the June 20 episode of "SmackDown!", Noble defeated Billy Kidman to become the number one contender for Hurricane's Cruiserweight Championship at King of the Ring. After the match, Hurricane got his mask back after nailing Noble with a chokeslam.
A secondary feud from the Raw brand was between Trish Stratus and Molly Holly for the Women's Championship. On the April 1 episode of "Raw", after Stratus defeated Terri Runnels in a Paddle on a Pole match, Holly returned in a drastic attitude change and new look by nailing Stratus in the head with a paddle, breaking it into two. On the May 27 episode of "Raw", Stratus and Spike Dudley defeated Holly and William Regal in a mixed tag team match. After the match, Holly attacked Stratus with Regal's brass knuckles. Holly would sneak attack Stratus on many occasions, leading to a title match between the two for Stratus' Women's Championship at King of the Ring.
Event.
Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, The Hardy Boyz (Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy) wrestled Raven and Steven Richards in a match that aired live on "Sunday Night Heat". The Hardy Boyz won when Jeff pinned Richards after Raven turned on his partner.
Preliminary matches.
The event began with the semifinal round of the King of the Ring tournament involving Rob Van Dam and Chris Jericho. The match went back and forth and both men earned momentum against each other. In the end, Jericho applied the "Walls of Jericho" on Van Dam, but the latter reached the ropes and executed a "Five Star Frog Splash" to advance to the final.
The second match of the semifinal was between Brock Lesnar and Test. Lesnar dominated most of the match until Test got control and attempted a pumphandle slam on Lesnar but Lesnar ducked the move. Test attempted a big boot, but Lesnar countered with the "F-5" for the victory.
In the third match of the event, The Hurricane defended the Cruiserweight Championship against Jamie Noble. Hurricane dominated earlier part of the match until Noble got control. Hurricane regained momentum and finished Noble and went for the pin, but Noble's valet Nidia distracted the referee. Noble took advantage and executed a powerbomb and attempted a pin. Hurricane put his feet on the ropes, but Nidia knocked his feet and Noble won the title.
The fourth match pitted Eddie Guerrero against Ric Flair. Flair dominated the earlier part of the match until Guerrero attacked Flair's knee and kayfabe injured it. Guerrero worked on Flair's leg. During the match, Guerrero applied the Figure-four leglock on Flair. Guerrero continued to damage Flair's knee until Flair applied a figure-four leglock on Guerrero. Chris Benoit interfered in the match on Guerrero's behalf and distracted the referee. Guerrero began distracting the referee and Benoit applied a "Crippler Crossface" on Flair outside the ring. The referee noticed Benoit and ejected him from ringside. Bubba Ray Dudley interfered in the match and executed a "Bubba Bomb" on Guerrero. Flair pinned Guerrero to win the match.
In the fifth match, Trish Stratus defended the Women's Championship against Molly Holly. Holly dominated most of the match, but Stratus got control and began using some of her signature moves on Holly. Holly regained the momentum and delivered a belly to belly suplex. Holly went on to pin Stratus while grabbing Stratus' tights to win the title.
The sixth match pitted Kurt Angle against Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Angle dominated most of the match by using his amateur wrestling style. Hogan used his power moves on Angle, but Angle countered with a series of suplexes. Angle delivered an "Angle Slam" for a near-fall. Hogan began dominating Angle and took off his wig to reveal Angle's bald head. Angle applied an ankle lock on Hogan and forced Hogan to submit to win the match.
The seventh match was the final round