WWF RAW 2/21/2000

written by Adam King

WWF RAW IS WAR
Monday, February 21st, 2000
Live from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA

List of WWF Champions at the time:
WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H (1/03/2000)
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chris Jericho (1/23/2000)
WWF World Tag Team Champions: The New Age Outlaws (11/08/1999)
WWF European Champion: Kurt Angle (2/10/2000)
WWF Hardcore Champion: Test (1/17/2000)
WWF Women’s Champion: Jacqueline (2/03/2000)
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Essa Rios (2/13/2000)

~ Raw comes on the air with clips of the various DX Express antics on Smackdown. We then watch the DX Express pull into the garage with the Helmsleys and the rest of the crew disembarking. Triple H tells the bus driver to keep the motor running, just in case someone wants to take a ride on the bus.

~ We then go to the intro with Jim Ross welcoming us to the show along with Jerry “The King” Lawler.

~ Things kick off with Triple H and Stephanie leading DX to the ring as a remixed version of their theme plays. Stephanie gets on the mic first and talks about making Kane, Paul Bearer and Cactus Jack take a ride on their bus. Triple H takes the mic and makes fun of the crowd when The Rock comes out to the stage to rain on DX’s parade. Rock gets on the mic and starts with his usual “Finally..” bit but this time Triple H responds with “Whoopty-doo!” Rock says they’ve developed a pattern which involves Triple H coming out and running his mouth every week and even does a funny impression of Triple H. Rock says the thought of another DX night makes him want to vomit but Triple H responds by belittling Rock’s flashy shirt and always using catchphrases to make the fans laugh oh so heartily. Triple H insists that tonight will indeed be a DX night and reminds Rock it’s four of them against just one of him. Just then Cactus Jack comes out with his own mic and mentions DX did leave him stranded on the road last Thursday but he wasn’t stranded long, bringing up his long history of hitchhiking around the country since he was 17. Cactus says America doesn’t hate his guts (unlike Triple H) before claiming a trucker named Big Earl picked him up and he repaid him with Hell in a Cell stories, including the tale of what he’s going to do to Triple H this Sunday. Cactus says they picked up two more passengers along the way and sure enough Kane and Paul Bearer come out. Cactus then suggests a six-man tag match tonight and decides to give the Atlanta fans a taste of what they can expect as he, Rock and Kane rush the ring and begin going at it with DX. However The Big Show makes his way out with a chair and whacks Rock and Kane with it while Triple H hits Cactus with the Pedigree and the faces are left laying. JR and Lawler wonder what six-man tag match Cactus was talking out as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get a replay of DX and Big Show taking out The Rock, Cactus Jack and Kane. JR announces that Triple H, X-Pac and the Big Show will be their opponents in the six-man main event.

~ Out in the arena Chyna makes her way out to the ring followed by Chris Jericho for our opening match as clips of Chyna and Kurt Angle’s exchanges over the past week are shown. Jericho first decides to get on the mic and announce that he and Chyna are going to throw a rock ‘n roll party tonight. Kurt Angle then makes his way out to the stage and is followed by the British Bulldog who’s still hanging around if you can believe that. Angle gets on the mic and says nothing good has happened in Atlanta since he won his Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 and that Atlanta has gone from cheering heroes to supporting “hooligans” like John Rocker and Isaiah Ryder. Angle explains why he hit Chyna with his European Title belt at Thursday by saying he heard Chyna was going to steal his belt and hock it for money to pay for more plastic surgery. Angle promises he and the Bulldog are going to give Jericho a Chyna a beating, even borrowing Jericho’s catchphrase but Jericho doesn’t take kindly to this plagiarism and attacks Angle on the aisle before throwing him in the ring.

Chris Jericho & Chyna vs. Kurt Angle & The British Bulldog
Chyna immediately drills Angle with a DDT and Jericho follows up by whipping Angle and hitting a spinning heel kick. Bulldog then tags in but runs right into a hip toss and Jericho hits a double-arm backbreaker for a two count. Chyna tags in and helps Jericho whip Bulldog into a double shoulder block then takes over and whips him into a corner. Chyna charges but eats a boot and Bulldog climbs to the middle rope and leaps off but Chyna nails him below the belt. Jericho tags back in but Bulldog backdrops him over the ropes and Angle works him over on the floor before throwing him back in. Angle tags in and unloads on Jericho then whips him into a corner and charges at him but Jericho sidesteps and hits the bulldog. Jericho goes for a whip, Angle reverses and goes for a dropkick but Jericho fakes him out and connects with the Lionsault. Bulldog breaks up the cover so Chyna stomps Bulldog out to the floor before Jericho whips Angle into a corner for Chyna’s handspring elbow. Jericho kicks Angle out to the floor when Bulldog scoops Jericho up for the running power slam but Jericho slips out and shoves Bulldog into a corner. Jericho puts Bulldog in the Walls of Jericho and Bulldog starts tapping out but the referee is busy with Angle and Chyna’s brawl on the floor. Angle takes out Chyna with a short-arm clothesline then brings Jericho’s Intercontinental belt into the ring and waffles Jericho in the head with it. Angle follows up with the Olympic Slam and grabs the pin while Bulldog keeps Chyna from making the save. (2:48) Decent enough tag match. Angle and Bulldog leave in triumph while Chyna tends to Jericho. **

~ Backstage Rikishi Phatu is getting his ankle taped up when Too Cool come in, asking what he’s thinking by competing against Eddie Guerrero tonight. The duo tries to convince Rikishi he’s in no condition but Rikishi doesn’t want to hear it and tells his buddies to handle their own business and he’ll handle his.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Angle and Bulldog’s win over Jericho and Chyna.

~ As Too Cool come out to the ring, we cut backstage to find Al Snow once again talking with Steve Blackman about his idea for their tag team. Snow figures Blackman should try dancing since he feels that’s how Too Cool is so over and even gives Blackman some yellow-tinted glasses (“the color of cheese”) and Blackman is less than thrilled. Snow then pulls out a boom box and plays a song about dipping then starts dancing while Blackman just stands there. Snow points out that Blackman’s not dipping and Blackman responds by busting up the boom box with his sticks.

Too Cool vs. Al Snow & Steve Blackman
Snow and Blackman pair off and get the early advantage then try to whip the Too Cool guys into each other. However Scotty 2 Hotty ducks while Grandmaster Sexay leaps over him and hits a cross body on Snow. Too Cool clotheslines Blackman over the ropes then hit a double elbow on Snow followed by their double elbow drop. Scotty comes off the ropes with the bulldog and hits the Worm on Snow already then starts busting a move. However Blackman interrupts that by kicking Sexay into Snow who holds him up for a running kick from Blackman. Scotty breaks up the pin and Snow hits a backbreaker on Sexay as we see the Radicalz watching from the back. Blackman tags in and helps Snow hit a double-suplex then hits some martial arts moves and a backbreaker. Blackman then turns to the crowd trying to convince them to stop chanting “Head Cheese” but is unsuccessful. Blackman whips Sexay into a corner and charges at him but eats a boot and Sexay trips him into a turnbuckle. Scotty tags in and works over Blackman while Sexay takes himself and Snow over the ropes with a cross body. Blackman hits Scotty with a tilt-o-whirl slam when Snow hops back on the apron and tries to convince Blackman to dance. Blackman is resistant as first but at the fans’ urging eventually give in and tries to dance, doing a moonwalk! However that allows Scotty to recover and he shoves Blackman into Snow on the apron then rolls him up for the pin. (3:11) After the match Blackman blames Snow for costing them the match with his stupid dancing idea. Match was okay but seeing Blackman try to dance was pretty funny. **

~ Backstage we find The Godfather and D’Lo Brown checking out their ladies as we go to commercial.

The Godfather & D’Lo Brown (w/the ladies) vs. Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko
Before the match Godfather leads his entourage out to the ring and does his usual spiel on the mic. Saturn beats on D’Lo to start and goes for a whip but D’Lo reverses him into a corner. Saturn lifts himself up when D’Lo catches him and slams him to the mat. D’Lo whips Saturn into a backdrop and follows up with a dropkick. D’Lo then whips Saturn again but Saturn slides under him and counters a hip toss into a belly-to-belly suplex. Malenko tags in but runs into a hip toss and D’Lo goes for a whip but Malenko counters it into a power bomb. D’Lo counters that with a backdrop but Malenko turns that into a Sunset Flip that gets him a two count. Godfather tags in and both men whip Malenko into a slam from Godfather and D’Lo follows up with a splash. Godfather follows that with a leg drop and Saturn comes in but Godfather drops him with a right hand. Godfather whips Malenko into a corner and goes for the Ho Train but Saturn cuts him off with a chop block! Saturn is hurt while Malenko lays the boots to Godfather and whips him into a spinning heel kick for a two count. Malenko goes for a whip, Godfather reverses him into a corner and charges at him but eats a double boot and Malenko comes out but runs into a power slam. Godfather tags in D’Lo who whips Malenko into a heel kick and Saturn comes in but D’Lo plants him with the Sky High. D’Lo slams Malenko and hits the shaky leg drop for two. D’Lo whips Malenko and goes for a dropkick but Malenko swats him down and goes for the Texas Cloverleaf. Godfather breaks it up with a boot and the referee gets him back out while Saturn climbs to the top rope and connects with a flying elbow drop. Saturn covers D’Lo to get the three despite not being the legal man. (3:40) Nice match but the ending just seemed abrupt. **

~ Backstage we find the Outlaws talking to the Dudley Boyz about knowing their stuff since they are the champs. Billy Gunn tells the Dudleys to follow their lead but Bubba Ray Dudley dares the Outlaws to try and keep up with them. The two teams then separate as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get a look at the DX Express still waiting in the parking garage for something…or someone.

Edge, Christian & The Hardy Boyz vs. The New Age Outlaws & The Dudley Boyz
So on one side we have the tag team champions and their next challengers in six days at the pay-per-view, and on the other we have the two teams about to fight each other for the next title shot at the same show. Doesn’t that seem like weird booking to you? After everyone comes out the Outlaws do their spiel on the mic and have the crowd singing along but Billy forgoes giving us the two words and nails Christian with the mic to jump-start the match. Billy pounds on Christian and goes for a whip but Christian counters and they go back and forth a bit. Christian gets a headlock, Billy counters with a suplex and goes for a power bomb but Christian counters that. Christian grabs Billy in a headlock when Road Dogg comes in but he gets put in a head scissors at the same time. Christian spins around and hits Billy with a Slop Drop while also ducking a clothesline from Road Dogg. Christian dropkicks Road Dogg and the Outlaws bail out to the floor to regroup before tagging in D’Von Dudley. Christian trips D’Von with a drop toehold then tags in Matt Hardy and the two hit a double hip toss for two count. D’Von scoops Matt up for a slam but Matt floats over him and hits a swinging neck breaker for a near fall. Jeff tags in and the Hardys whip D’Von into a corner, Matt drops to the mat and Jeff hits the Poetry in Motion. Bubba Ray comes in but the Hardys plant him with a double suplex and Jeff chokes D’Von with his shirt then goes for a whip. D’Von reverses Jeff into a corner but Jeff slings himself over the ropes to the apron. Jeff climbs to the top rope but Road Dogg shoves him off into the barricade. Billy goes out to the floor and whips Jeff into Bubba who tosses him over his head onto the barricade.

Billy rolls Jeff back in the ring while D’Von tags in Road Dogg who works Jeff over with a pair of rights followed by the shake, rattle ‘n knee drop. Road Dogg draws Jeff’s partners in while the Outlaws double-team him and Billy takes over without a tag and applies a head vice before hitting an elbow drop. Jeff starts fighting back and comes off the ropes but Billy throws him under the ropes taking out a cameraman as well. Bubba throws Jeff back in the ring and Billy covers him for a two count before tagging Bubba in. Bubba chops Jeff in a corner and whips him into a backdrop. Bubba draws Jeff’s partners in again to distract the referee and the Outlaws set Jeff up while D’Von climbs to the top rope and hits the head butt to the groin for a two count. D’Von whips Jeff into a corner and charges but eats a boot and Jeff hops to the middle rope and leaps off but D’Von belts Jeff in the chest in mid-air. Bubba tags in and hits Jeff with an elbow drop and whips him but lowers the head. Jeff kicks the face then comes off the ropes again but runs right into a power bomb. Road Dogg tags in and distracts the referee while his team triple-teams Jeff in their corner then tags Billy in. The Outlaws goes for a double suplex but Jeff flips out of it and hits a double DDT then reaches for his corner. Billy tries to pull Jeff away to prevent a tag but Jeff manages to lunge forward and make the hot tag to Edge. Edge ducks a right hand from Billy and spears Road Dogg then pops the Dudleys off the apron and spears Billy. Bubba makes the save and everyone starts going at it. Matt and Christian dump the Dudleys over the ropes and Billy hits Edge with the jackhammer while Matt climbs to the top rope and hits a moonsault on the Dudleys! Christian then goes for the springboard plancha over the ropes but takes out Matt instead of their opponents. In the ring Road Dogg sets Edge for the Rocker Dropper from Billy but D’Von pulls Road Dogg out to the floor. Road Dogg and D’Von start duking it out while Bubba brings a chair into the ring and clocks Billy in the head. Road Dogg pulls Bubba out of the ring while Jeff climbs to the top and connects with the senton bomb on Billy when a funny thing happens. Jeff covers Billy for the pin but Christian pulls him off at two allowing Edge to move in for his own cover, only after Jeff is pulled off but before Edge can cover, Earl Hebner ends up counting the three anyway when no one is covering Billy! Oops!! (8:15) Everybody’s standing around looking confused before the Hardys and E&C start arguing as they leave the ring. Good match other than the botched ending. **½

The Acolytes & Mark Henry (w/Mae Young) vs. Viscera, Crash & Hardcore Holly
This was set up after all the stuff involving five of these guys on Smackdown. The Acolytes attack the Hollys as they enter the ring and clear them back out to the floor. Viscera then comes in but the Acolytes whip him into a double flying shoulder tackle. Bradshaw takes over and goes for a whip but Viscera reverses him into a corner and hits a body block. Viscera follows up with a belly-to-belly suplex then tags in Crash as the crowd starts chanting “Elroy!”. Crash goes for a whip but Bradshaw reverses it and catches Crash into the fall away slam. Faarooq tags in and whips Crash but Crash holds onto the ropes allowing Hardcore to tag himself in. Hardcore runs right into a power slam for a two count and Faarooq goes for a whip but Hardcore reverses and hits a dropkick. Faarooq recovers and hits a lariat then tags in Henry who clubs Hardcore in the back and goes for a whip. Hardcore reverses it and Crash nails Henry from the apron allowing Hardcore to follow up with a clothesline. Hardcore stomps Henry before tagging in Viscera who whips Henry into a corner and hits an Avalanche. Viscera goes for the body splash but Henry rolls out of the way and tags in Bradshaw. Crash also tags in but Bradshaw sets him on the top rope then goes up and hits a back superplex but Hardcore breaks up the pin. Henry and Faarooq knock Viscera and Hardcore off the apron but Crash low blows Henry. The Acolytes plant Crash with a double-power bomb and Farrooq covers for the three. (3:17) Not much to see here. The Acolytes depart while Henry is laying at ringside when Mae Yong goes into stomp away on Crash. However Mae turns into a clothesline from Hardcore and Viscera then squashes her with the big splash! Henry and the EMTs rush in to check on Mae and “her unborn baby” while the Hollys and Viscera celebrate. At least the post match antics were something. I’m sensing Henry is going to want revenge on Viscera in the very near future. *

~ Back from break we get a replay of the Hollys and Viscera taking out Mae Young after their loss. We then find Mae getting loaded into an ambulance as Mark Henry and the Fabulous Moolah accompany her.

Chris Benoit vs. Test © – Non-Title Match
Test is making his return after healing from his injuries over the past few weeks. Test goes right to work on Benoit hammering him in a corner but Benoit reverses it and lands some chops. Benoit tries to go for a whip but Test keeps holding onto the ropes so Benoit hammers him with more chops. Test responds with kicks but Benoit counters with a dragon leg whip and goes for a whip but Test reverses it and hits a gut wrench power bomb for a two count as Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn watch from backstage. Test whips Benoit but Benoit ducks a clothesline and hits a German suplex then holds on for a second German. Benoit goes for a third but Test blocks it so Benoit goes for a whip but Test reverses him into a corner. Benoit staggers out into an Atomic Drop and Test follows up with a big boot to the face. Suddenly we see Eddie Guerrero sneaking down to ringside with something in his hand. Test sets Benoit up for the pump handle slam but Benoit fights his way out of it and goes for a whip. Test counters it back into the pump handle slam and gets Benoit up but Eddie helps Benoit slip out of the hold. Test takes a swing at Benoit but Eddie nails him in the back with a lead pipe and Benoit hits a back suplex then climbs to the top and connects with the diving head butt to finish this. (2:30) Pretty quick win for Benoit, though you can’t help but feel sorry for Test a little. Just a few short months ago Test was involved in a main event storyline and look where he is now. *½

~ The Rock, Cactus Jack, Kane and Paul Bearer are shown conversing in the same locker-room as we go to commercial.

Rikishi Phatu vs. Eddie Guerrero – No DQ Match
Rikishi hobbles down the ramp with a taped-up ankle and a reinforced crutch as the Radicals watch backstage. Eddie gets on a mic and makes fun of Rikishi getting hurt before telling him he’s going to show him a new step. Eddie turns around to when Rikishi nails him with his crutch then drags him over to a corner without any limp. Rikishi puts Eddie’s injured arm on his chest then climbs up and hits the Banzai Drop to get the three. (0:23) Malenko, Saturn and Benoit run into and triple-team Rikishi when Too Cool come out brandishing crutches. Too Cool takes out the Radicals with crutches and Rikishi plants Saturn with the sit-down pile driver. The three of them don their shades and commence with their post-match dance. NR

~ Back from break we get another look at the DX Express which hasn’t been used … yet.

~ Elsewhere Michael Cole interviews Cactus Jack, asking if he’s worried about taking another ride on the bus but Cactus says he’s not worried because if he takes a ride he can just hitchhike right back to the building. Cactus says really what concerns him is a look on Triple H’s face that he has to have and wants to demonstrate. Cactus forces Cole to lie on the ground and look up at him, asking if it scares him and Cole says it indeed does. Cactus tells Cole to now imagine what Triple H will feel when he drops an elbow on him from the top of the cage. Cactus emphasizes he has to win the match on Sunday or else he’s done and promises to fly off of the cage. Cactus adds he’s never main-evented Wrestlemania and if he has to show up using a walker, he will.

~ We then see Tazz getting his wrists taped up for a match. JR says Tazz will take on the Big Bossman, who we see walking to the ring as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we find The Big Show, Triple H and the rest of DX standing next to the DX Express checking out the baggage compartment, getting it ready for some “special cargo”.

Tazz vs. The Big Bossman
Tazz starts off with a drop toehold and hits some cross face shots and Bossman rolls out to the floor but Tazz goes out continues the assault. Bossman rakes the face and works Tazz over then grabs the ring steps and throws them at Tazz but misses. Tazz gets in some more offense but Bossman jabs the eyes and throws him back in the ring. Bossman whips Tazz into a corner and splashes him then whips him into the other corner but Tazz comes out with a clothesline then follows up with a sledge. Tazz slaps on the Tazzmission but Bossman grabs his nightstick and clock Tazz in the head drawing a DQ. (1:26) Bossman tries to beat Tazz off but Tazz keeps the hold applied until Prince Albert runs in kicks Tazz off of Bossman then hits a Torture Rack neck breaker and the heels leave Tazz laying. Well that was pointless. DUD

~ We get one more look at the DX Express with its baggage compartment open as we go to commercial.

Triple H, X-Pac & The Big Show (w/Stephanie & Tori) vs. The Rock, Cactus Jack & Kane (w/Paul Bearer)
Kane and Cactus decide not to wait for Rock to appear and rush the ring to go right to work on their foes. Before long Rock does finally appear and goes right after Show, clotheslining him over the ropes. Soon everybody spills out to the floor and starts going at it with their respective pay-per-view opponents. Cactus rams Triple H into the announce table while Rock rams Show into the timekeeper’s table twice and clocks him in the head with the ring bell. Cactus grabs a chair but Triple H has rolled in the ring where Kane throws X-Pac into a corner then throws Triple H into X-Pac. Kane clotheslines both men and the match starts to get in order as Kane works Triple H over in a corner while the rest head out. Kane whips Triple H into a corner and clotheslines him then whips him into the other corner but eats an elbow. Triple H goes for a whip but Kane counters into a sidewalk slam then pops Show and X-Pac on the apron. Rock and Cactus get in their shots on Triple H and Kane knocks him down with an uppercut then tags in Rock. Rock hammers away on Triple H and whips him into a corner then hits a clothesline and goes for another whip. Triple H reverses Rock into a corner and goes for the Pedigree but Rock counters with a double-leg takedown and catapults Triple H into the turnbuckles. Rock hits a Russian leg sweep for a two count when Cactus begs for a tag so Rock obliges and Cactus pounds on Triple H and bites his face in a corner. Cactus whips Triple H but lowers the head and Triple H hits the face buster. X-Pac tags in but Cactus takes him down and rams him repeatedly into the mat then whips X-Pac and hits a flying forearm followed by a head butt. Cactus kicks X-Pac out to the floor with a baseball slide then goes out when X-Pac hit a spin kick. X-Pac goes for a whip but Cactus sends him right into Triple H who just happens to be standing there. Cactus unloads on Triple H but Show stops that flurry with a head butt and X-Pac lays the boots to Cactus.

Show rams Cactus into the announce table then rolls him in the ring where Triple H stomps him down and chokes him on the rope. Show tags in and taunts Rock before he chops Cactus in a corner. Show whips Cactus into the opposite corner but Cactus ducks a clothesline and pops him in the head. Cactus leaps onto Show’s back and applies a sleeper but Show moves Cactus over into a sidewalk slam. Show goes for an elbow drop but misses and Cactus manages to tag in Rock who hits a pair of clotheslines but Show doesn’t go down. So Rock comes off the ropes with a shot from behind that does get Show off his feet. Triple H and X-Pac both come in but Rock is able to knock them over the ropes with the Smackdown. Rock plants Show with a spine buster then goes for the People’s Elbow but tumbles out to the floor after Triple H pulls down the top rope. Triple H and X-Pac stomp away on Rock on the floor and throw him into the ring steps then roll him back in the ring. Show hits a series of knee drops before tagging Triple H back in and Triple H hits a vertical suplex for a two count. Triple H climbs to the top rope but Rock throws him off to the mat. Rock manages to tag in Cactus who pummels Triple H in a corner then turns and catches X-Pac with a right. Cactus goes back to work on Triple H when Show comes in but Cactus stops him with a kick below the belt. Cactus drills Triple H with the double-arm DDT but X-Pac breaks up the pin and pulls Cactus out to the floor. Cactus throws X-Pac into the steps then brings a fire extinguisher in the ring. Show grabs Cactus for a choke slam but Kane climbs to the top rope and connects with the flying clothesline to break it up. X-Pac comes in but Kane grabs him by the hair and throws him back over the ropes then goes out after him. Rock knocks Show over the ropes then goes out to battle with Show on the floor, ramming him into the steps. In the ring Triple H waffles Cactus with the fire extinguisher and covers him to get the three for his team. (8:56) Fun main event though I don’t see why Triple H had to get the pinfall on Cactus again. ***
We then see Rock and Show as well as Kane and X-Pac going at it in the tech area near the stage. Triple H runs over and helps Show and X-Pac tilt the odds in their favor but Cactus evens the sides back up and clobbers Triple H with a trash can. Stephanie hits Cactus with a trash lid but Cactus no-sells it and turns toward her when Triple H rams him into an anvil case. DX decides it’s time to flee and take off through the back but Cactus is right behind them so Triple H tries to slow Cactus down with some equipment racks. The DX’ers soon reach the DX Express in the garage and try to quickly board it and make their escape. Before the bus can pull out Cactus rolls a rack toward the bus and skewers the windshield with a large pipe! The bus quickly backs away and drives off and Cactus flashes a “Bang! Bang!” as Raw goes off the air.

Conclusion: This episode of Raw was mainly focused on hyping the pay-per-view but it was still a better show than the previous week. The opening segment was nice with Rock and Triple H making fun of each other’s interview styles and the main event was good and the crowd into it. There were only three one-on-one matches (two of which barely qualify as matches) but most of the tag matches and segments on this show served their purpose in getting No Way Out set up. This would have been a fine way to go into the pay-per-view but we still have one show left.