saw The Rock win the WWE Undisputed Championship in a Triple Threat match also involving Kurt Angle and the defending champion The Undertaker.

In December 2001, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), at the time known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), held a pay-per-view (PPV) event titled Vengeance to replace Armageddon that year as the Armageddon name was considered potentially offensive to the victims of the September 11 attacks.

The 2002 event thus featured wrestlers from both brands and was held on July 21, 2002, at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

[7] Vengeance featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that were played out on Raw and SmackDown!

heading into Vengeance was between The Rock, Kurt Angle and The Undertaker fighting for the WWE Undisputed Championship.

On the July 18 episode of SmackDown!, The Rock defeated Angle by disqualification due to interference from The Undertaker.

The main feud from Raw heading into Vengeance was between Rob Van Dam and Brock Lesnar for the Intercontinental Championship.

Later that night, Lesnar defeated Van Dam in the finals become King of the Ring and earn the right to face the WWE Undisputed Champion at SummerSlam.

[12] Van Dam had held the Intercontinental Championship since the May 27 episode of Raw when he defeated Eddie Guerrero in a ladder match.

On the July 15 episode of Raw, Lesnar and The Undertaker defeated Van Dam and Ric Flair in a tag team match.

[15] John Cena made his WWE debut a month before Vengeance on the June 27 episode of SmackDown!

[18] On the July 8 episode of Raw, Jeff Hardy defeated William Regal to win the European Championship.

Booker T had been feuding with the nWo at the time of their demise after being kicked out of the group on the June 10 episode of Raw.

[20] On the June 17 episode of Raw, Booker T competed in the King of the Ring quarter final round against Brock Lesnar, who won following the interference from the nWo.

[21] On the June 6 episode of SmackDown!, Jamie Noble debuted by attacking The Hurricane and was joined by Nidia.

On the June 20 episode of SmackDown!, Noble defeated Billy Kidman after he nailed him with a DDT off the top rope.

The fifth match was for the WWE Intercontinental Championship between Rob Van Dam and Brock Lesnar.

The seventh match was for the WWE Tag Team Championship between Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Edge and The Un-Americans (Lance Storm and Christian).

The main event was a Triple threat match for the WWE Undisputed Championship between The Undertaker, The Rock and Kurt Angle.

After winning the WWE Undisputed Championship, The Rock then entered a feud with the number one contender Brock Lesnar for the upcoming SummerSlam event.

[25] This caused Michaels to retaliate and challenge Triple H to an Unsanctioned Street Fight at SummerSlam, marking his first official match since WrestleMania XIV.

[25] On the next Raw, Van Dam lost the Intercontinental Championship to Chris Benoit, who would then jump to the SmackDown!

[26] Van Dam used his rematch clause for SummerSlam and brought the Intercontinental Championship back to Raw.

[27][28] After losing to John Cena, Chris Jericho had to face Edge in a steel cage match on the July 25 episode of SmackDown!.

After his steel cage match win over Jericho, Edge began a two-month-long feud with Eddie Guerrero.