WWF RAW 4/10/2000

Written by Adam King

WWF RAW IS WAR
Monday, April 10th, 2000
Live from the National Car Rental Arena in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

List of WWF Champions at the time:
WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H (1/03/2000)
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chris Benoit (4/02/2000)
WWF World Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian (4/02/2000)
WWF European Champion: Eddie Guerrero (4/03/2000)
WWF Hardcore Champion: Crash Holly (4/03/2000)
WWF Women’s Champion: Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley (3/30/2000)
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (3/13/2000)

~ Raw comes on the air and goes right to the intro with Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler welcoming us to the show. As the announcers buzz about tonight Lawler mentions rumors of Triple H defending the WWF Championship during this program.

~ Things kick off with The Rock coming out to the ring and getting on the mic to start off the opening gabfest. Rock starts off by saying he has special footage he wants to show of himself and Vince McMahon as their best then shows clips on the Titan Ron of him beating Vince up with the chair during his match on Smackdown. Rock especially shows a shot of his foot on the unconscious Vince’s chest saying he wants Vince to remember that shot forever. Rock brings up all the humiliation he put Vince, Shane and Stephanie through recently but he still wants more, and after mentioning South Florida being his home Rock demands a WWF Championship match tonight in “the People’s Ring”. It doesn’t take Vince very long to make his way out to the ring for a rebuttal but he comes out armed with a chair in hand. Rock demands Vince put the chair down or he’ll do something with it and Vince agrees to do so but warns Rock to stay back. Vince declines Rock his title shot tonight but does give Rock an opportunity to earn a title match and says all Rock has to do to get his title shot is defeat an opponent to be determined later in a steel cage match. Vince then tells Rock that he’s tired of giving him what he wants so from now on Rock has to earn everything. Vince goes on about how he’s the reason Rock became the star he is today and that it wasn’t the People who made him, reminding Rock that he stood in his corner during his days as the Corporate Champion just over a year ago. Continuity! Vince says Rock may have been a star without him, but only as the next Doink, Gobbledygooker or Bastion Booger! Vince says Rock hosted Saturday Night Live, appeared on The Tonight Show and got numerous TV and movie offers all thanks to him. Vince finally explains why he turned on Rock at WrestleMania by saying Rock never thanked him for all his success and because of that he wanted to humiliate Rock at the biggest show of the year. Vince calls Rock an ingrate but Rock responds to what Vince is saying by telling him he can take what he thinks and shove it up his you-know-what. That prompts Vince to go into some weird rant about Rock’s fixation on the rectal cavity that I won’t reprint here.

Suddenly Triple H’s theme fires up and Rock turns to see The Hemlselys and Shane making their way out to the stage. Vince tries to hit Rock with the chair while he’s distracted but Rock catches him and knocks the chair out of his hands. Rock then takes the chair and whacks Vince in the back with it and Vince tumbles out through the ropes to the floor. Triple H and the others try to charge in the ring but Rock holds them at bay with the chair so they think better of it. Rock glares as the group as they help Vince to the back and we finally end this 20-minute segment.

~ Back from break we get an exterior shot of the arena as well as a replay of Rock assaulting Vince with the chair.

WWF World Tag Team Titles: Edge & Christian © vs. Road Dogg & X-Pac (w/Tori)
Once the DX’ers hit the ring Road Dogg does his usual incoherent rhyming on the mic before E&C come out through the crowd. X-Pac starts off with Christian by spitting water in his face and whipping him but Christian comes back with a power slam. Christian tags Edge in and whips X-Pac into a corner, Edge drops to the mat and Christian launches off him and hits the cross body. Edge follows up with a spinning heel kick for a two count then applies a chin lock and X-Pac shoves him off but Edge hits a shoulder block. Edge comes off the ropes but X-Pac leapfrogs over him and Road Dogg gets in a shot from the apron while X-Pac hits a spin kick. X-Pac tags Road Dogg in for a double-team on Edge while the referee is busy with Christian. Edge exchanges shots with Road Dogg then whips him but Road Dogg comes back with the juke ‘n jive punches then hits the shake, rattle ‘n knee drop. Christian breaks up the pin but the referee tries to get him out while X-Pac comes in for another double-team. The DX’ers whip Edge but Edge hits a flying clothesline on both of them then Christian tags in and takes it to them, hitting Road Dogg with an Atomic Drop and knocking their heads together. Edge knocks Road Dogg through the ropes then goes out after him while Christian hits X-Pac with a gut buster. Christian covers X-Pac but the referee is busy with Road Dogg and Edge duking it out on the floor to count. Tori pulls Edge off Road Dogg by the hair and the distraction allows Road Dogg to ram Edge into the ring post. In the ring X-Pac whips Christian into a corner but Christian sidesteps him and X-Pac straddles the turnbuckles. Christian goes for the Unprettier but Tori distracts the referee while Road Dogg brings one of the tag belts in and waffles Christian with it. X-Pac covers Christian as the referee turns around and counts 1…2…3 for the titles! (2:49) So Road Dogg and X-Pac get the belts and now DX has control over pretty much every title in the WWF. But wait, Earl Hebner runs in and tells the referee what happened and the referee in turn orders the match to continue. The DX’ers go back to work on Christian in a corner and go for a double suplex but Christian flips out of it and shoves X-Pac into a spear from Edge then keeps Road Dogg occupied as Edge gets the real pin. (3:08) So we don’t have new champions after all. Match was solid but felt too rushed. **

~ Backstage we find The Godfather enjoying the company of his entourage before his match as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get footage of Terri Runnels visiting with The Kat earlier today claiming she wants to make amends for their feuding. Terri offers to take Kat on a day of beauty at a nearby salon and Kat accepts it. The two head off and you’d have to be a corpse not to see where this is going to end up.

Kurt Angle vs. The Godfather (w/the ladies)
Godfather comes out first and does his spiel on the mic before Angle makes his way out with a mic and decides to give a lecture about celibacy. Angle talks on how practicing abstinence helped make him an Olympic hero then criticizes Godfather for parading his women around and offers him a condom as well as a nursery rhyme. Godfather responds to that by pounding on Angle to start the match then whips him but Angle ducks a clothesline and gets in his shots. Angle goes for a whip but Godfather reverses it and connects with a boot. Godfather whips Angle into a backdrop then slams him to the mat and comes off the ropes with a leg drop. Angle rolls out to the floor and has words with Godfather’s ladies then shoves one of them into Godfather’s path and tries to run back in the ring. However Godfather catches Angle and holds him while one of his women slaps him before rolling him back in the ring. Godfather whips Angle into a corner then goes for the Ho Train but misses it and Angle hits a back suplex that gets a two count. Angle argues with the referee allowing Godfather to clothesline him and Godfather hits a short-arm clothesline but Angle ducks a second and hits the Olympic Slam for the pin. (2:03) Not much of a match, then again this is the Godfather we’re talking about. *

~ We then get more footage of Terri and The Kat as they climb into a limo and head off for their beauty date. However as the limo pulls out we find a low rider pulling in the building containing Eddie Guerrero and Chyna.

~ Scotty 2 Hotty, Rikishi and Tazz are shown heading to the ring for the next match as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break the Big Show is talking with Shane McMahon about how last week was the tip of the iceberg and that he has something new to show the fans. Show gives Shane a preview off camera with Shane reacting to it.

Scotty 2 Hotty, Rikishi & Tazz vs. Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko & Perry Saturn
Scotty and Rikishi’s pal Grandmaster Sexay got taken out by the Big Show last week and now JR is reporting that Sexay will be out six weeks after having surgery on his injured knee. Scotty and Benoit lock to start and Scotty applies an arm wringer when Benoit reverses it but Scotty kips up and applies a headlock. Benoit shoves Scotty into the ropes but Scotty comes back with a shoulder block then comes off the ropes and rolls over Benoit. Scotty blocks a clothesline and follows up with a back suplex then kips up again and moonwalks across the ring but Malenko comes in and nails Scotty from behind. Malenko tees off on Scotty and whips him into a heel kick then brings him to his corner and tags in Saturn. Both Radicals hit a double head butt and Saturn whips Scotty into an elbow then knocks Tazz off the apron. Saturn hits a knee to Scotty’s face then scoops him onto his shoulders and rams him into the turnbuckles. Benoit tags back in and hits a snap suplex then tags Malenko in and Malenko whips Scotty into a corner then goes for a back suplex but Scotty flips out of it. Scotty grabs a waist lock and Malenko switches into his own hold and rolls Scotty up but Scotty kicks him off into the ring post then crawls over makes the tag to Rikishi. Rikishi drops Malenko with a right hand and clotheslines both Benoit and Saturn then turns and super kicks Malenko. Rikishi whips Saturn into Malenko in a corner then whips Benoit into Saturn and hammers both men with rights. Malenko drops to the mat and gets the stink face then Rikishi tags out but Benoit knocks him through the ropes. All six men start going at it with Benoit and Rikishi on the floor, Tazz and Saturn and Scotty and Malenko. Tazz tosses Saturn through the ropes while Scotty hits Malenko with the bulldog followed by the Worm. Benoit comes back in but Scotty catches him with a right hand while Rikishi comes in and super kicks Benoit. Scotty whips Malenko into a corner then Rikishi whips Scotty into a butt bump. Rikishi then readies his butt splash but Benoit trips Rikishi and pulls him to the floor. Scotty puts Malenko in his own Texas Cloverleaf and Malenko starts tapping out but the referee is too busy trying to get Tazz out of the ring to record the submission. Saturn breaks up the hold with a forearm on Scotty and Malenko quickly covers him for the three. (3:52) Fun match but got too chaotic toward the end. **

~ Triple H is shown with Shane and Stephanie heading to the ring for his mystery title defense as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get more footage of Terri and The Kat earlier today as we find them at the beauty salon. Terri introduces Kat to Francois and offers to get her a drink. Gee, I wonder if the drink is going to be spiked.

~ Out in the arena Triple H makes his way to the ring and awaits his title match as we then cut to the back to find … Kaientai coming toward the ring, suggesting one of them is going to be his challenger. Triple H smirks at his apparent easy win, until the Acolytes join Taka Michinoku and Funaki on their way out to the ring and Triple H’s mood changes dramatically. Shane also gets upset with Earl Hebner but Hebner shoves him down and the Acolytes chase him out of the ring.

WWF World Heavyweight Title: Triple H © (w/Stephanie & Shane) vs. Taka Michinoku (w/Funaki & The Acolytes)
Taka goes right to work on Triple H and goes for a whip; Triple H reverses but Taka hits the head scissors. Taka connects with a dropkick followed by a spinning heel kick then dropkicks Triple H in the face for a two count and the crowd is solidly behind Taka. Taka goes for whip, Triple H reverses it and lifts Taka up but Taka dropkicks him away. Taka continues his assault and goes for a whip; Triple H reverses him into a corner but eats a boot. Taka hops to the middle rope and drills Triple H with a tornado DDT but only gets a two count. Taka hits some chops and whips Triple H again but lowers the head and Triple H hits the face buster. Triple H clotheslines Taka over the ropes to the floor then goes out and drops Taka onto the barricade then hammers him with chops before throwing him back in. Triple H whips Taka and hits the high knee for a near fall as we see the Acolytes still standing guard at ringside. Triple H stomps Taka down in a corner and chokes him with his boot but Hebner pulls him off by the hair. Triple H shoves Hebner but Hebner shoves him back as the crowd gets on their feet, thinking Hebner might screw Triple H out of the belt. Triple H goes back to work on Taka but Taka starts fighting back and knocks him down with a forearm shot. Triple H hits a throat chop and tosses Taka through the ropes then goes out and throws him into the steps. Triple H tosses Taka back in the ring then gets in Hebner’s face when Funaki dropkicks Triple H right into the Acolytes. That prompts Bradshaw and Faarooq to start beating down Triple H with Faarooq throwing him into a lariat from Bradshaw. Bradshaw tosses Triple H back in the ring while Funaki climbs to the top and connects with a missile dropkick. Taka also climbs to the top rope and connects with a moonsault then covers Triple H … but only gets two!! Let men tell you everybody was on their feet thinking Taka had it right there! Shane and Vince McMahon then make their way down the ramp with Vince trying to reason with the Acolytes but Bradshaw and Faarooq turn their backs to the ramp allowing The Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan to jump them. In the ring Taka connects with a missile dropkick then goes for the Michinoku Driver but Triple H blocks it and clubs him in the back. Taka goes for huricanrana but Triple H catches him into a power bomb then finishes up with the Pedigree and gets the three to retain. (5:53) Instead of an expected squash we got a surprisingly great match that the crowd was hot for and it had everyone believing Taka may pull off the upset. Triple H really made Taka look like a million bucks. Funaki goes in to tend to his partner but Triple H decides to lay him out with the Pedigree for good measure. The McMahons pose in the ring then go out to get some last licks on the fallen Acolytes on the floor. ***½

~ Back form break we get clips of the WWF Kane funny car winning some sort of race in Las Vegas over the weekend.

~ Next we get clips of the Dudley Boys’ failed attempt at putting Trish Stratus through a table on Smackdown. Backstage we find Trish leading Test and Albert in search of retribution and sends then into the Dudley’s locker-room. After a scuffle behind the door the Dudley’s come flying out into the hall and Test and Albert beat them down as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Vince and Shane setting the Acolytes up for an ambush earlier.

The Hardy Boyz vs. T & A (w/Trish Stratus)
Test pounds on Matt Hardy to start and whips him into a corner then charges at him but eats an elbow. Matt climbs to the missile rope and connects with a moonsault for a two count. Matt continues working Test over and goes for a whip but Test counters it with a knee to the chest then hits a gut wrench into a power bomb. Albert tags in and T&A whip Matt into a tilt-o-whirl face plant for a two count. Albert hits a body block and slingshots Matt into the middle rope then beats on him in a corner with kicks and shoulder blocks. Albert tosses Matt across the ring then whips him but lowers the head and Matt goes for a neck breaker but Albert counters it into a sidewalk slam. Albert hops to the middle rope but misses a guillotine leg drop and Matt makes the tag to Jeff and Jeff climbs to the top rope and connects with a missile dropkick on Albert. Jeff follows up with a huricanrana but Test comes in with a clothesline on Jeff. Test whips Jeff into a corner then whips Albert into an Avalanche on Jeff before hitting a Rydien bomb. Matt makes the save and Test charges at Matt but gets back dropped over the ropes. Albert presses Matt up but Matt slips out of it and drills him with the Twist of Fate. Jeff climbs to the top rope and hits the Swanton Bomb on Albert for the pin. (3:08) Another match that seemed to blow on by. As the Hardy’s depart the Dudley’s appear from under the stage and head in the ring looking for some payback. The Dudley’s plant Test with the 3D and Bubba goes out and slides a table in the ring which D’Von sets up when Trish hops on the apron and gets Bubba’s attention. Bubba is mesmerized and doesn’t see Albert coming in and tossing D’Von aside. Albert grabs Bubba and drops him through the table with the choke bomb. **

The Big Show vs. Val Venis
After Val comes out the ring Show makes his way entrance dressed up like Val with a wig and a towel. Snow even gets on the mic and greets the ladies while calling Val the S.S. Minnow and himself the Titanic. Val takes the mic and responds by saying the Titanic sank not because of an iceberg but because of Show’s rear. Val gets in the first shots and pounds on Show in a corner then goes for a whip but Show reverses him into a boot. Val rolls out and climbs on the apron when Show goes for a boot but ends up straddling himself on the top rope. Val goes in and tees off on Show capping off with a dropkick that has Show teetering but he stays on his feet. Val comes off the ropes with a shoulder block that does get Show off his feet then hops to the middle rope and hits an elbow drop for a two count. Val starts hitting the count-along punches in a corner but Show shoves him off and follows up with a clothesline. Show elbows Val in the head before hitting a big chop in the corner. Show whips Val into a clothesline then charges but falls out to the floor after Val pulls down the top rope. Show still lands on his feet and heads back in then grabs his wig and chokes Val with it getting himself DQ’ed. (2:29) Show continues to choke out Val with the wig then starts swiveling his hips even though he lost the match. DUD

WWF European Title: Chris Jericho © (w/Chyna) vs. Eddie Guerrero
This is Jericho’s shot at revenge for Chyna costing him the title last week. After Eddie and Chyna hit the ring Jericho then comes with a mic and asks Eddie and Chyna which one of them is the man in their relationship. Jericho then tells Eddie the Taco Bell Chihuahua has more Latino Heat than him and his female is housebroken. Jericho gets in the first shots and whips Eddie into a forearm then hits a double-under hook backbreaker and Eddie rolls out to the floor. Jericho chases Eddie back in the ring and Eddie tries hiding behind the referee before dropkicking Jericho in the knee. Eddie sets Jericho’s leg on the bottom rope and sits down on it then goes out to the floor while wrenching the knee. Eddie rolls back in the ring and applies a Figure Four and Jericho turns it over but Eddie turns it right back and Jericho grabs the bottom rope for the break. Eddie kicks the knee and hits some chops and goes for a whip but Jericho reverses it and lifts Eddie up then drops him. Eddie pulls Jericho by the tights into the turnbuckles and snap mares him to the mat and grinds his foot into the face. Eddie chops Jericho and whips him into a corner then charges but eats a boot. Jericho comes out with several chops and whips Eddie into a backdrop then clotheslines him and hits more chops in a corner. Jericho goes for a whip but Eddie reverses him into a corner and charges and Jericho backdrops him. However Eddie lifts himself up with the ropes and goes into a rollup but Jericho rolls through it into the Walls of Jericho. Chyna suddenly hops on the apron getting Jericho’s attention. Jericho releases Eddie and heads for Chyna when Eddie rolls him up with his feet on the ropes for a two count. Jericho comes off the ropes with the bulldog for a two count when Chyna tosses the European belt to Eddie. Jericho grabs the belt as well and Eddie manages to pull the belt away but goes flying right into the referee. Eddie takes a swing with the belt but Jericho ducks it and comes back with a flying forearm off the ropes. Jericho connects with the Lionsault but Chyna comes in and low blows Jericho then follows up with a DDT. Chyna rolls Eddie onto Jericho as the referee revives and counts the three for the win. (5:19) Good match but a step down from last week and a bad finish to boot. Too bad Jericho never does get his final revenge against Chyna or Eddie for that matter. **½

~ Back from break we see the cage beginning to lower to the ring signaling our main event is coming up.

~ However we first get more footage from Terri and The Kat’s day of beauty earlier today. The Kat awakens from her drugged-induced sleep to find her hair butchered and wacky makeup applied. Kat freaks out as Terri laughs at her misfortune and even hands her a poodle dog that’s been sheared.

~ The Rock is shown heading to the ring for his must-win match for a title shot as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break The Rock makes his way out to the ring and steps into the cage awaiting his mystery opponent. Suddenly Triple H comes out with the McMahon clan looking ready for action and JR speculates he’s the opponent. However The Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan make their way out and apparently Rock has two opponents tonight.

The Rock vs. The Big Bossman & Bull Buchanan – Handicap Cage Match
If the Rock wins by pin fall or escape he gets a WWF Championship match, possibly at Backlash. Bossman climbs in the cage first and Rock goes right to work on him as Buchanan climbs in behind him at him. However Rock tosses Buchanan right into Bossman and clotheslines him down then starts climbing the wall but Buchanan pulls Rock back down to the mat. Bossman and Buchanan double-team Rock and whip him into an elbow. Buchanan whips Rock into a corner then whips Bossman into a splash on him. Buchanan whips Rock into the other corner and Bossman whips Buchanan when Rock ducks a clothesline and DDT’s him. Bossman clotheslines Rock back and climbs up the cage wall but Rock pulls him off the ropes to the mat and hits Buchanan with a back suplex. Rock tries climbing the wall when Shane climbs up the other side to cut him off but Rock greets him with a right. However that allows Buchanan to nail Rock from behind and Rock ends up crotching himself on the ropes. Bossman and Buchanan continue double-teaming Rock while Shane gets in some shots from outside the cage. Bossman and Buchanan beat Rock down and make a wish with the legs before Buchanan hits a jumping leg drop for a two count. Vince warns Earl Hebner to call this fair and Bossman and Buchanan both whip Rock but lower their heads and Rock kicks Bossman’s face then rams Buchanan into the mat. Rock fights back on Bossman and goes for a whip but Bossman reverses it and sets Rock up for an axe kick from Buchanan that gets a two count. Bossman tries covering Rock and he only gets two so Buchanan hits an elbow drop and both men hit a suplex. Buchanan uppercuts Rock and chokes him on the middle rope while Bossman grabs at his face. Buchanan whips Rock into a clothesline from Bossman for a two count and Bossman hits a wind-up punch then both men throw Rock into the cage as Vince taunts Rock from outside. Bossman hits Rock below the belt then holds him while Buchanan runs up the ropes and springs off going for the flying clothesline but Rock slips out of it and Bossman takes the hit instead. Rock again begins to fight back and throws Buchanan into the wall then hits a Samoan Drop but Bossman comes back with the Bossman Slam. All three men are down and Bossman works Rock over while Buchanan starts climbing up the cage to escape. Bossman goes for a whip but Rock counters with a spine buster then turns toward Buchanan who’s on the ropes. Buchanan leaps off the ropes but Rock catches him with a Rock Bottom and gets the three and the title shot. (7:11) An okay match but there’s a reason Bossman and Buchanan shouldn’t be main-eventing anything. **
Shane starts climbing up the cage and reaches the top but Rock tries to pull him down to the mat. However Vince gets the cage door open and Triple H charges in the ring and nails Rock from behind then throws Rock into the wall twice. Triple H slips on some brass knuckles and bops Rock right in the head, busting him open. Triple H works over Rock’s open wound and the McMahon’s hold Rock for another shot before Triple H drills Rock with the Pedigree. Stephanie then passes a chair to Vince who sets it down on the mat while Triple H gets on the mic and tells Rock he’s through playing games with him then as well as something bleeped. The Rock is really gushing blood now as the McMahons pick him up and Triple H Pedigrees him onto the chair. The Acolytes come out and send the McMahons scampering out of the cage but it’s far too late for the save. The bloodied Rock has claimed his title shot but has paid a heavy price for it as Raw fades to black.

Conclusion: Pretty middle-of-the road show that went up against WCW’s infamous “reboot” episode of Nitro. Most of the in-ring action was mediocre but the Triple H/Taka match was awesome and worth checking out. Not much was done in the way of angle progression except for Rock getting his title rematch. And what is with having the Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan in the main event? But at least this episode didn’t have all the hot-shoting and screwy finishes of its TNT counterpart so that’s a plus. Overall not a bad show but other than the title match and Rock’s uber-bladejob, not much else to see.