WWF RAW 2/2/1998

Written by: Kevin Kindelberger

WWF Monday Night RAW 2/2/98
It is time to get back to RAW. With Thunder now I have to spend a lot of time on WCW and that is fine but I am forgetting what is going on with the WWF. Tyson will still be a part of WM but he will actually break with Don King over the handling of the wrestling money! Owen is now the European champ despite not having faced HHH. Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie are getting a lot of air time. Austin still only shows up at random times and the Rock had a lower profile last week but as his feud with Shamrock continues to heat up I am sure they will get plenty of air time. RAW is slowly improving but needs a lot of work. People I have spoken with swear that the WWF takes off WM and after, so I am really hoping they are correct. RAW stayed the same with a 3.5 off of hours of 3.2 and 3.7 while Nitro received an amazing 4.9 off of hours of 5.2, 4.6 and 5.0!

Shawn is at a podium with HHH and Chyna flanking him and he is discussing standards and practices (a Russo favorite) and they know that they need to be respectful and will adhere to what standards and practices want, and so HHH comes up and states that from the hours from 9 to 10 and they will only use the words “ass, damn and Hell” and will never use these words that are bleeped out or any sexual or racial slurs. For the second hour they will only use the same three words and one that is beeped out and then a series of beeps. There will be less references to sex and more bleeps come and they curse at each other and HHH mouths “fuck.” Shawn wants to swallow the leader and he did not have sex with that intern but was actually up all night!

It is DX time! They come out dressed as Uncle Sam and they have pickets. A bunch of Red, White and Blue balloons fall from the ceiling. Shawn’s mic is having issues. Now his other one is working and he bellows out Austin and Tyson and HHH joins in and Shawn states they stand for principles and HHH and HBK agree that they should let them fight. HHH states that the Nevada Athletic, Vince and Don King should let them fight and the fans get involved and here comes Austin! He gets in Shawn’s face and is happy that DX supports that as he can beat the living crap out of Tyson but the fact remains that it does not matter when he fights Tyson as Shawn’s ass belongs to him because he won the Rumble. No matter when they face off that belt is coming to Austin as he can beat anyone’s ass in the world and that is the bottom line. Shawn is glaring at him and both have torn off their shirts! Austin slowly leaves as Shawn holds up the belt and they jaw at each other as Austin departs to the back.

Match 1: Chainsaw Charlie v. Cactus Jack
Cactus is telling stories about wrestling and how the champ told him that people do not want to see that high flying stuff and he will be in a wheel chair by age 30 (Flair I believe and this is in the past that he is discussing obviously, and he is talking as Mick now). He wants to go out and give it his all and Dude Love may be a cool cat but Cactus will be out too. JR is with him as is Funk and JR asks him about his match tonight. Funk responds that there is a lot of riding on this match and he wants to be known as the King of Hardcore and even though he loves Mick like a son there will be no friends tonight.

They come out with a bunch of equipment and Cactus belts him with the chair a few times and a garbage back filled with something. Jack runs him into the dumpster and then DDT’s him into the ramp and he gets two. Cactus grabs a ladder and dumps on Chainsaw. He has it again but is rolled up and they roll down to the bottom of the ramp. Charlie punches him a few times in the face and then tosses garbage cans into the ring. He enters the ring and gets plastered with one and again right across the skull. He tumbles to the floor and the can is tossed on him. Charle rolls back into the ring and Jack measures him and does not do it and gives the can to Charlie who gets a running start but he too stops and the fans boo. Jack turns away and now Charlie cracks him with it numerous times and now drops it on his back. Cactus battles back with some elbow sand he puts the can over his head and then kicks it! He piledrives him while his head is inside of the can.

Commercial.

They are up at the top of the ramp and Charlie is walloping him with the ladder and then drops it on him. He grabs a chair and throws it down on top of him. Now he sets up a table, and wants to piledrive him into it but he is back dropped into the dumpster. Cactus puts him in the Claw but Charlie falls backwards and now the dumpster is put in position. He climbs the ladder and gets up on the TitanTron and he crawls on the scaffolding and drops the elbow. There are a ton of those packing peanuts or whatever they are called. The Outlaws come out and tie down the dumpster lid! They are removing some obstacles and shove it off the ramp and the fans explode and JR is freaking out about how there are people in there!

A bunch of officials come down with some wrestlers including both faces and heels and you can here some female fan screaming. They pan into the dumpster and no one is moving! Someone calls for an ambulance and someone screams about calling 911. Now they show a recap. The dumpster is still surrounded and nothing has really happened. Road Dog and Billy Gunn are explaining their actions to Vince who is not too happy and fans yell for him to kick their ass. JR is talking about how ratings do not matter and here comes an ambulance as the ref screams at the Outlaws and a hand starts quivering inside the dumpster.

Commercial.

Now Funk and Foley are getting strapped down as Sunny is sad and holding their hands. Flash Funk is really pissed and wants a piece of the Outlaws and is doing a great job of acting pissed as he is trying to throw off refs and Vine is trying to restore order. Now the brawl is on as Vega and others attack the Outlaws and the scrum continues. Order has been restored and now oxygen masks have been placed on Cactus and Funk. Both heels and faces help put them in the ambulance. After another recap the ambulance finally takes off….Now they show the replay of the Outlaw’s reaction and they are really happy. Now to Sunny who is crying.

Gunn and Road Dog are in the back looking a bit sad. JR wants to know what they are thinking. Road Dog knows how hard to make a name for themselves and they too have families to feed. DX comes in and tells them how they have to push the bar every week and that they need to keep it up and the show always goes on.

Match 2: Billy Gunn v. Owen Hart (c) for WWF European Title
Road Dog starts his spiel but stops when the boos rain down and clearly they are now made as heels. Even Lawler is acting appalled.

Owen is on a mission as he comes down and attacks both right away. Dog is dumped to the floor and he turns to Gunn who tries to fight back and succeeds but is back dropped off the whip and then clotheslines him to the floor. Owen slide kicks both Outlaw’s and then dives on Billy and continues to hammer him. He flings him into the steps and pounds him a bit more for good measure. He suplexes him as the ref keeps Dog at a distance. Billy is hit some more and then rolled back into the ring and stomped out he then stands on his throat. Billy is driven into the corner and given an uppercut but he heads to the apron and bounces Owen’s throat off the rope and hammers him. Gunn distracts the ref, which allows Road Dog to hit him, Gunn gives him a neckbreaker but the lateral press takes too long and he only gets two. Owen makes a comeback and goes for the sharpshooter and he gets a thumb to the eye. Owen is whipped chest first into the corner and then taken down and nearly pinned and Gunn puts him in a front facelock. Owen fights to his feet but is hit with a swinging neckbreaker, and now Owen nails him and has him in the Sharpshooter but Road Dog comes into the ring and Owen spinkicks him. DX comes down and the number’s game takes over and Owen is annihilated. Chyna joins in the fun as they beat him up the ramp towards the back. HHH DDT’s him into the steel grating and yell TNA like about ratings and raising the bar. They are going to fling him off the stage and finally a bunch of officials stop him and DX tells the Outlaws to keep it up and raise the bar.
Good stuff, but why not have a clean win? Owen needs one and the Outlaws do not.

After many replays, Cole is on the line and there is nothing concrete about Funk and Foley’s injuries. But he will keep us updated!

Match 3: A Headbanger v. Marc Mero
Mero has the mic and Sable has some chocolates and Mero is sick of her stealing his spotlight and tells her to leave. He wants her to get back on the stairmaster and lose some more pounds. He is going to bring out someone who will really watch his back and it is Goldust dressed as Marilyn Manson….fuck me.

It is Mosh and the bell finally rings with Mero going on the offensive, dumping him to the floor where Goldust beats on him until Thrasher runs him off. Mero boxes him in the corner, making Mosh wobbly but he is whipped into the corner. Mero gets the foot up only to be powerslammed and now back dropped. Mosh dropkicks him and mounts him in the corner only for Goldust to pull him off. Mosh whips him into the other corner and then runs into him and then knocks off Goldust and Thrasher attacks Dust, but Mosh is watching them and gets nutted and rolled up.
Not sure what to make of it but Mero amuses me.

JJ and Windham are telling Bradshaw is a loose cannon and needs to get under control. Bradshaw is angry and is going to find a partner as he thrashes the room.

Tiger Ali Singh! What the fuck happened to that guy? He is doing an Alberto Del Rio as he has been called the Asian Stallone and Schwarzenegger. They show highlights of his two matches and now his jet set lifestyle. He calls himself the true Messiah!

Match 4: Farooq v. Chainz
The Nation and DoA are all down there along with Ahmed and Shamrock. Farooq slams him and has him in a rear chinlock. Chainz gets up and dumps him but misses the elbow, and Farooq fires off and off the whip clotheslines him. He rolls him over and gets a two count and puts him in a rear chinlock.

Cole is back on the phone and Vince is at the hospital. Funk has regained consciousness but Foley is not out of the woods.

Chainz escapes but is slammed and Farooq goes up top and misses and now they go back and forth. A miscommunication as Farooq gets his leg grabbed by D’Lo and he goes out and they argue and there is some shoving. It was Kama….and Farooq leaves after being counted out.
Really? I guess it sets up the PPV match. Farooq tells the Nation to get in line and follow him.

Match 5: Jeff Jarrett and Barry Windham v. Bradshaw and Flash Funk
Bradshaw attacks him right away and then tags in Funk who is bodyslammed. JJ dances around and gets dropkicked and nailed again. Bradshaw gets the tag and he goes after Windham while the Express beat the Hades out of Funk. Bradshaw takes him down but JJ makes a comeback as Funk is taken to the back. Bradshaw clotheslines him….

Commercial.

Bradshaw pump handle slams him and Cornette is on the apron yapping about something and Bradshaw is distracted and pulled out by the Express. He is pummeled and rolled back in. Barry is tagged in and he clubs him and then back body drops him. JJ is tagged back in, whipped into the ropes but gets kicked and Barry runs in and now they are all going at it and JJ is rolled up and pinned. Bradshaw goes off and gets clocked with the racket but turns and clocks Cornette and now all four men destroy Bradshaw.

Cole is back on the phone and there has been some sort of disturbance and the police have been called and the situation grave and Cole cuts out.

Some dude is in the ring and bragging that WM sold out in 90 seconds. Those who did not get tickets can watch it on PPV and it is Wink….I forget his first name. Here comes Kane! Wink is goozled and it is Vader Time! Vader has the mic and is yelling something but I think he is angry…..oh he is challenging him at the PPV and Kane’s big ass is his! He is going to put his fire out right now and has an extinguisher and sprays Kane over and over and Kane retreats. Kane wants some still and Bearer tries to pull him back and Kane gets sprayed again as Bearer talks Kane off the cliff and they head back to the back.

Austin is in the back drinking water and Road Dog is getting his game face on.

Match 6: Road Dog v. Steve Austin
Gunn is yelling about ratings and how Titan Tower will love this night….JR informs us an ambulance has arrived. Here comes Austin and he stomps a hole in Gunn and Dog comes out and he is utterly dismantled. His face is just getting demolished. Gunn eats a Stunner and now Dog attacks Austin and he stomps away and DX comes down as Austin goes back on the offensive. Austin is grabbed and dragged outside and buried by the four men and hammered. They take him back into the ring and tie him up in the ropes and Shawn taunts him with the belt all up in his face. Cactus comes in with a drip attached and scares them off and Charlie comes down in a gown with his chainsaw. Foley and Funk walk by Austin as he heads to the ring and has a DX shirt and yells and then rips it and we fade.

Final Thoughts: Austin is clearly not really cleared to wrestle and at this point just tease him because it is working. The beginning was awesome and the Owen follow up was great too. It could not maintain the momentum but was still a good show. Now my issue is why the FUCK bring back Foley and Funk at the end of the show. Sure it brought the cheap pop but JR played it off as if they were dead and they should have remained so until the end of next week as they head into the PPV and at least have some drama. Now I see what the WWF was doing as Foley and Funk are the Hardcore masters and they can survive anything but a little drama would have been nice. Despite this the show delivered and the PPV is starting to look pretty good.