The year was 2002, and Shawn Michaels had returned from quasi-retirement, won the first Elimination Chamber, and reigned as World Heavyweight Champion. Because his feud with former and more recently former D-Generation X partner Triple H was more than one fall could contain, their World Heavyweight Championship match was made a 2-out of-3 Ain't Bad Stages of Bat Out of Hell match. Despite Triple H ripping his hamstring, or quadriceps, or, really, just name some lower body muscle, Triple H lasted the entire match, besting Shawn in an epic final ladder match that lasted at least 2 or 3 minutes. Heaven could wait, because Triple H was World Heavyweight Champion.

With Shawn Michael battered, fried, and laid to the side, who was the first challenger for the King of Kings? I'll give you a hint: he's the definition of muscular definition and largely immobile. No, Triple H wasn't fighting himself, it was Scott Steiner! During the buildup to this showdown, the two tested their first commonality with a posedown, but we'd have to wait for the Royal Rumble to see who was more immobile. While Scott won in that respect, he lost the match, despite busting out a suplex, various suplays, and even a Greco-Roman throw or two. The fans didn't "Boo" the match, they were chanting "Sooo-plex". Could you blame them for being raucous, though? On that same night they witnessed a **** WWE Title match between Kurt Angle (known best for his reign as IWGP Champion) and Chris Benoit (who may or may not be a collective figment of wrestling fan's imaginations).

There was really no good way out of that last paragraph. Hey, speaking of "No Way Out", that's where Scott Steiner got a rematch (a segue so good Michael Cole would be jealous). My bootleg tape of the event cut out before any of the main events, so I'll just assume the rematch was a MOTY contender with Steiner busting out his rarely seen Shooting Star DDT. Hey, it could happen! (McWORLD!!!)

With that former WCW Champion breaded, filleted, and finely sauteed, which other former WCW Champion was next? I'll give you a hint, again: he's black and doesn't say "DAMN", unless followed by "Sucka". Yes, it was Booker T. With Triple H busting out the racial undertones (or is it overtones?) by using the phrase "you people" (what the hell you mean, "you people?"), it was clear Triple H and Booker T needed to have a house meeting, y'all. That meeting was at WrestleMania 19:Well, it's Better Than The Mariners. T was unable to overcome H's slow, methodical, Indian Deathlocked, slow offense in the slow battle for the World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H was slowly on his way to a lengthy title reign.

Now I said I was making history before, and that's because this is the first ever two-part Profile. Stay tuned for even more hot WWE 2003 action next week!

Well, until my beloved Cincinnati Bengals become known for their stingy defense and barely there offense, I am, in fact, James E. Couture.

Vote Couture-Spanciewitcz 08 for state-run biodiesel plants in every county in every state!