Written by: Kevin Kindelberger
WWF Monday Night RAW 11/2/98
Heading into November, not sure why I wrote that. I guess just to state the obvious. As usual RAW has plenty going for it but at the same time something is lacking. Last week was not a very good show. I know maintaining a string of successful shows is difficult but at the same time they have all this talent and need to bring in more and better wrestling. I am starting to see what the critics mean about Russo. I am not going to place the blame squarely on him but he certainly does go over the top, of course it is a team effort. Hopefully the Rock gets back into the main event scene and we get no more whining and crying Vince as that has gotten old. RAW recovered from last week with a 4.8 off of a 4.7 and 4.9. Nitro received a 4.1 and started strong with a 4.8 but fell drastically to a 3.6 and 3.8.
Shane was on Heat and he is initiating a hostile takeover and wants his dad to apologize.
They start off with Shane coming out. Apparently Vince is not here. The day after the Survivor Series Austin will get his title shot live on RAW and he introduces the Rattlesnake and the fans explode.
A limo pulls in to the garage and Vince has arrived after all. Right as Steve is about to speak he is interrupted by Vince who taunts the crowd about wondering whether or not he would be here. He discusses his retirement and it is not happening. Fans call him an asshole and Austin tells him so. Vince continues about his retirement and how Shane and Steve would enjoy that. The same with the fans and they would, even if he died. That is the only way he will retire and he does not any of them coming to his funeral. He will go straight to Hell when he dies. And that is where he has been the past couple of weeks thanks to everyone, especially Austin. Shane has been demoted and he is now a referee, and if he does not do a good job with that he will be a part of the ring crew. Vince continues that he hurt him last week, and what hurt the most was when he claimed he was a lot like him. Shane is not like him at all but rather like his mother. He cannot do anything about Steve’s contract but it will not be the day after the PPV he gets his title shot it will be at the PPV when he gets it. He will have to wrestle four times, and good luck as he is going to need it. His first match will be against the Big Bossman. One last thing and he does not appreciate the asshole chant and it all the fans who are the assholes.
Outlaws and Pac come down and Road Dog has the fans eating them out of their hands. Damn.
Match 1: DX v. The Brood
Gangrel rises through the ramp. Pac and Edge start off going back and forth and Pac is powerbombed. Pac is worked over some more and Christian gets the tag and after a gutbuster gets two. Pac strikes back with a spinning heel kick. Road Dog gets the tag and he unloads on Christian with a flurry of shots to the head getting a two count. Christian dodges a blow and he gets two after a dropkick. Edge is in and they double side slam him and now Billy Gunn runs in and the match has broken down. The lights go out and cue Kane. He takes his time coming down as the melee continues. Kane decks Gunn who is clotheslined over the barrier by Gangrel. Edge is chokeslammed. Pac is too after giving Christian the Bronco Buster and now Christian is chokeslammed.
** Decent for the time given…
Cole was trying to talk to Cole.
Match 2: Droz v. Hawk
Droz is destroying Hawk. He slaps him in the face as the match never began and finally Animal pulls him off as Hawk was blindsided. Animal is yelling at Hawk and he leaves with Droz.
NR.
Vince has the Bossman rough up Cornette and Vince tells him he is tired of his 80s style wardrobe and commentary.
Cole wonders why Mankind and Al Snow are teaming together. They make fun of each other’s inanimate objects….
Match 3: Oddities v. Al Snow and Mankind
They all briefly brawl and Mankind hammers Kurrgan in the corner. Snow is tagged in as the fans chant that they want Head. Snow kicks away and chops him down to size with a kick to the back of the knee. Mankind comes in and both work over Kurrgan but he is taken down via the big boot. The masked thing is in and he crushes Mankind in the corner and drops the elbow. Kurrgan is in and sideslams him for two. Mankind fights back and Snow is on the ground battling Golga, Mankind cannot find Socko and just leaves and Snow just waltzes into a sideslam but Golga misses with the elbow. Snow hits Kurrgan in the knee and pounds him but Golga sends him for the ride, avoids the clothesline but he is chokeslammed and then jumped on and Snow is pinned.
*1/2 I hate the Oddities.
Vince tells Shaq to beat it because he does not have a backstage pass but Shaq does not go.
Mankind is looking for Socko in the back and needs to find Vince who will know where he is at.
Match 3: Stephen Regal v. Goldust
Regal is wearing a fucking hardhat. Regal has the mic and wonders if there are man’s men in the lockeroom. Goldust answers the call.
They exchange holds and Goldust knocks him down. Apparently Terri is pregnant and Val claims it is not his….terrible angle. Goldust works over the arm and takes him over still holding the arm. Goldust is knocked to the floor. Terri runs down and tries to grab Goldust as Regal continues to pound him and he gets a two count. They continue going at it and Goldust sets him up in the corner and here comes Kane and he enters the ring and takes down both Goldust and Regal gets a chokeslam. Goldust does too.
*1/2 Okay match. Marred by making the midcarders look like jobbers.
Kane goozles Marlena but is forced to put her down and then he chokeslams some security dude.
In the back Vince is talking to Mankind though we do not know what. They pan in and we can hear them. Vince does not want him to interfere in the Shamrock/Rock match and gives him the Hardcore Title and feels like a gained a son and Mankind calls him dad giving Vince pause.
Match 4: Ken Shamrock (c) v. the Rock for WWF IC Title
Vince is wheeled out and he calls for the Rock and since he has a problem with the people he has a problem with the People’s Champ so he is adding a stipulation and that is he will lose his contendership spot and his spot in the tournament.
Rock takes it to heart and unloads on Shamrock. He sets him up over the apron drilling him with his elbow a couple of times as Vince looks on. Shamrock takes control, pounds him and then drops him throat first onto the top rope. They take it to the floor and Shamrock continues punching away. Rock fires back, and he runs right into a short clothesline and Shamrock stomps a hole in him. He pulls him up and shoves him into the steel steps and then the announce table. Shamrock breaks the count and bodyslams him. He rolls him into the ring and clotheslines him. He is whipped into the corner and Shamrock eggs on the Rocky chants and Rock charges out with a lariat but is caught in a hurracarana and then a powerbomb. Ankle Lock time. Rock is able to get to the ropes and reverses a whip and they clothesline one another. Both men are down. Rock lays over on top of him and gets two. Rock fires off rights and lefts, connects with a swinging neckbreaker and gets two and a half. Shamrock counters with a powerslam and now he gets a two and a half. They slug at each other and Rock goes behind and strikes with a DDT and gets another two count. Rock keeps after him and Rock runs over the ref and Shamrock does it to the Rock. Shamrock has a chair but it bounces back and hits him. Rock bodyslams him and it is time for the Elbow! He connects but the ref is down and Rock goes over to him and Shamrock has the chair and he blasts the Rock with it and it is a DQ.
*** Nice brawl.
Vince brags that the Rock did not win via pinfall or submission and that he is not the People’s Champ but the Chump and he is not going to the PPV.
Rock is upending objects in his locker room and wants to know where Vince is at.
Match 5: Val Venis v. Jeff Jarrett
Val compares himself to a basketball player and brags that he never misses a shot. Val goes up to Debra and she pokes her finger at him and JJ shoves him back.
JJ takes him down but runs right into an abstretch. JJ escapes and strikes with a swinging neckbreaker. He clubs him with a forearm but runs right into a spinebuster and both are slow to get up. Val runs him rope to rope connecting with knee shots and now a side Russian leg sweep. Val straddles and waggles his hips and then punches him in the skull a few times. Val goes up and the Blue Blazer crotches him and he and JJ stomp a hole in him.
*1/2 Angle advancement.
Police have arrived at the arena.
Vince is telling the police that the Rock has threatened his life and wants him taken away.
Match 6: Headbangers v. Mark Henry and D’Lo Brown
Headbangers are dressed like the Outlaws but with Dumbass shirt and other says I am with Dumbass!
Okay Henry and Brown have controlled most of the match and Thrasher is dumped face first onto the apron. Now they doubleteam Mosh. Brown bodyslams him and gets two after an elbow from the middle rope. Mosh is sent into the corner but gets his foot up. Still he is able to stay on the offensive. Henry gets the tag and Mosh hammers him but is caught and squashed and he gets two after a big legdrop. D’Lo is back in and misses from the top rope. Headbangers double suplex and then clothesline Henry and D’Lo is launched with a flapjack and Thrasher leaps over the top crashing into Henry. The lights go out and here comes Kane. Mosh and Brown stand side by side and he shoves Mosh into a big boot but cannot escape and both are chokeslammed!
** Making Kane a monster.
Rock is getting cuffed and stuffed.
After a recap he is still being led out to the car as Rock calls Vince a piece of trash. Vince keeps calling him a chump as he is taken away.
Here comes Owen Hart. He again apologizes for what he did to Dan Severn. He did the honorable thing and retired and he came all the way from Calgary to hear what Dan had to say. He comes out with a neckbrace on looking a bit sad. Dan does not want an apology and calls his Blue Blazer outfit ridiculous. He wants Owen to look at him and calls him scum. Owen shoves him down and then clotheslines him! Steve Blackman runs him off. Owen is still claiming he is retired.
Dan is being carted off and Owen and the Blue Blazer are beating up Blackman (JJ is clearly in disguise there).
Vince is at the top of the ramp as the cage has been lowered. It is time to find out who is about to do hard time. He wants to put all the fans in the cage and every fan would pay. He admonishes his handlers as they wheel him down to the cage. He is giving them instructions, yelling at them to move him correctly! Damn this is taking forever. He wants to make sure this cage is secure. They all get in the cage as he wants to make sure it is in good working order. He has the Bossman lock the door. They keep milling about checking it out and Vince declares a lot of people need to pay for hardtime and all he wanted was a cup of coffee. Bossman is told to get them and he does so with the night stick, just beating them up. He lays them out. Pat Patterson is up top and Vince wants him yanked down. Sarge tries to stop him but he is battered some more. Vince wants this to be a lesson as Bossman massacres them. They beg for mercy as Bossman continues. He wants allegiance in order to stop this beating. Bossman beats up Patterson as Vince wants a vow of allegiance. Sarge again tries to fight back but is knocked back. Vince wants their clothes torn off. Here comes Austin. He is climbing the cage and is in the cage and of course is oblivious and he gets demolished. Patterson has the stick and he hits the knee of Austin so he gets assaulted too. Bossman is up and he unloads on Austin with the stick. Shane is unlocking the cage as Bossman chokes out Austin. He pulls Bossman off and that angers him as Vince looks stunned. He spares Shane. Austin is laid out and cue the Undertaker and here he comes. UT enters the cage as Austin finally gets to his feet and Austin ducks and tees off on him. UT though shoves him back into the corner where he pummels him. He whips him into the corner and he runs into a boot. Austin fights for a bit but is dropped and run into the cage. UT mauls him in the corner. The lights go out and cue Kane. He makes his way to the ring and I mean slowly makes his way. The cage is on fire as all three go at it.
***1/2 Much stronger than last week. Better wrestling and pacing. Not much of an ending and it went on far too long but they filled with most of the stars and it had enough chaos and angle advancement to make it worthwhile. The Rock is finally elevated again as they push him to the moon and push him as a face. They are making Kane look strong but sometimes it is not wise to do so at the expense of guys getting small pushes like Goldust and Regal. Then again they will recover and it makes Kane look stronger as long as they follow through.