WWF RAW 9/18/2000

Written by: Adam King

WWF RAW IS WAR
Monday, September 18th, 2000

Live from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL

List of WWF Champions at the time:
●  WWF World Heavyweight Champion: The Rock (6/25/2000)
●  WWF Intercontinental Champion: Eddie Guerrero (9/04/2000)
●  WWF World Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian (6/25/2000)
●  WWF European Champion: Eddie Guerrero (4/03/2000)
●  WWF Hardcore Champion: Steve Blackman (8/21/2000)
●  WWF Women’s Champion: Lita (8/21/2000)
●  WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (4/27/2000)

~ Raw comes on the air and goes right to the intro with Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler welcoming us to the show. JR announces tonight’s show marks the end of an era as the WWF is leaving the USA Network after 17 years and promises more detals to follow. Also tonight Eddie Guerrero takes on Rikishi and the Dudleys Boyz will battle The Right to Censor.

~ Things kick off with Stephanie McMahon coming out to the ring and getting on the mic for this week’s gabfest, saying she’s out to put an end to something that should have been dealt with a long time ago. Stephanie mentions her life changed in November 1999 when she married Triple H while Kurt Angle made his debut so she feels their feud 10 months later is ludicrous. Stephane asks Mick Foley to cancel their match at Unforgiven saying if he doesn’t she will be very unhappy, which is what no one wants to see. However instead of Foley, Kurt Angle joins Stephanie in the ring ring and grabs a mic saying he admires her courage to come out in front of a roughneck city like Chicago. Nonetheless Angle says his match with Triple H must take place this Sunday feeling Stephanie will be a lot unhappier if he doesn’t teach Triple H a lesson while he has a chance. Angle also says he always knew Triple H was a bad guy and feels Stephanie has lost her memory so he illustrates his point by showing various clips of the turmoil between the Helmsleys on the TitanTron. Angle calls Triple H a pathetic excuse for a human being then offers to walk out of the building for her. Right on cue Triple H makes his way out to the ring but oddly enough seems calm and collected as he gets on the mic. Triple H says he knew all about Angle’s video so he has his own series of clips, straight from Dick Embersol at NBC. But first Triple H says he may have been wrong about Kurt Angle who he calls a 30-year-old prime-of-his-life stud. Triple H then points out the complete beauty (Stephanie) standing before him yet Angle just wants to be ‘friends’ and suggests he may in fact be living an alternative lifestyle, with all the looks he’s been giving him lately. Angle begins to take exception as Triple H proceeds to show some footage of Angle from the 1996 Olympics, first of Angle with a guy’s head in his midsection then shows him hugging a referee after his win and crying with his mother and sister while saying that doesn’t make him a sissy. Triple H then shows his last clip, which has Angle crying like a girl after he’s awarded the gold medal. Angle is furious as Triple H asks him to come to terms with coming out of the closet. Mick Foley then makes his way to the ring and gets on the mic telling Triple H that he respects Angle a lot since he was an amateur westler himself. Foley then asks to see the clip of Angle crying again and shares a laugh with Triple H while asking for a Kleenix. Foley also mentions Angle was on the U.S. Olympic team in ’96 before asking what ‘team’ Angle is playing on now. Foley then tells Stephanie the match must take place with him as the referee and Stephanie begs him to reconsider. Foley then says Triple H and Angle won’t be tearing each other apart tonight but will see action here in Chicago when they team with Stephanie in a six-person tag match against T&A and Trish Stratus. After Foley finishes Triple H takes Stephanie out of the ring while blowing kisses at Angle. Very funny segment there but did they really need to use up 21 minutes just to set up one match?

~ Backstage Steven Richards is conversing with the Goodfather and Bull Buchanan about censoring the Dudley Boyz when the Acolytes burst into their lockerroom looking to get a piece of them. However Bradshaw and Faarooq are overwhelmed by the 4-on-2 odds and are quickly beaten down with Val Venis telling them they’ve just been censored as they depart.

• The Dudley Boyz vs. Bull Buchanan & The Goodfather (w/Steven Richards & Val Venis)

Buchanan starts off with Bubba Ray Dudley and beats on him in a corner then whips him into the other corner and charges but eats a boot. Bubba comes out with a clothesline then decks Goodfather off the apron and slams Buchanan, setting him up whiel D’Von climbs to the top rope and hits the “Wassup” headbutt. The Dudleys go out looking for a table but Richards and Val work them over before throwing D’Von back in. Buchanan clotheslines D’Von before tagging Goodfather in and both men whip D’Von and hit a double boot. Goodfather whips D’Von into a corner and hits a splash. Buchanan tags in and goes for a whip but D’Von reverses him into a corner and connects with a flying forearm. D’Von manages to tag in Bubba and Bubba hits a pair clotheslines and slams Buchanan to the mat then catches Goodfather with a sidewalk slam. Bubba nails Buchanan with a DDT but Goodfather breaks up the pin prompting D’Von to come in. Goodfather goes for a whip but D’Von reverses it and Bubba backdrops Goodfather over the ropes. The Dudleys hit Buchanan with a double neckbreaker when Val hops onto the apron to distract the referee and D’von goes over to knock him off. However this allows Richards to come in and hit the Stevenkick on Bubba and Buchanan drapes an arm over Bubba for the pin. (3:06) The usual stuff from these teams. D’Von goes back in looking for some retribution but the RTC’ers swarm in for another 4-on-2 beatdown. The Acolytes then run out to even up the odds and Bradshaw tosses ichards through the ropes then helps Faarooq whip Val into a double spinebuster and soon the Dudleys and Acolytes clear the RTC out. *

~ The Rock is shown arriving at the building as we go to commercial.

~ Back form break the Rock comes out to the ring, even though we already did the long interview segment. And you can expect The Undertaker, Kane and Chris Benoit shouldn’t be far behind either to hype the four-way match. Anyway Rock starts off with “Finally..” before saying people respond to losing in different ways, some well, others poorly. Rock wants to show how Undertaker responded as a clip is played of Taker chokeslamming him through a table after their loss on Smackdown.Rock says he’s always respected Taker and can understand his anger about going through a table, plus Taker doesn’t like the fact that Rock is the WWF Champion while he isn’t. Rock says if Taker wanted a shot at him, instead of chokeslamming him through a table all he had to do was ask. Rock offers Taker a title match tonight then calls him out to face him so he can beat him all over Chicago. It isn’t long before Taker hits the ring and grabs a mic saying he heard what Rock said about how he respects him. Taker scoffs at Rock calling him out, saying he was winning WWF Titles back when Rock was still in high school. Taker accuses Rock of leaving him hanging on Smackdown, allowing the Dudleys to put him through the table. Taker says he could care less about Rock’s catchphrases but if Rock calls him out he better be ready to back it up because he may not dress like Satan anymore but he’s still down with the devil and will go medieval on him. Rock and Taker stand nose-to-nose when Mick Foley makes his way out hoping to smooth this situation out. Foley first reminds Rock how he does not have to be pinned to lose the WWF Championship at Unforgiven then says he’s not out to prevent them from tearing each other apart and will allow a match tonight. Just then Chris Benoit makes his way down the ramp and grabs a mic saying he’s the one who deserves a title shot because he the world’s greatest technical wrestler and no one in the back or in the ring can prove him wrong. Not surprisingly Kane comes out to the stage and also gets on the mic, asking Benoit why he desrves a title shot. Kane says he’s the only one who deserves a shot and tells Rock that he’s his as he starts down the ramp. Foley then reminds all four guys that he said nothing about the WWF Title being on the line tonight because Rock can create catchphrases that he can steal but cannot make title shots. Foley proceeds to give Rock a non-title match with Undertaker but also books Kane vs. Benoit then leaves just as Benoit and Kane start to go at it on the floor. A group of referees try to separate the two but Benoit nails Kane from behind with a chair while Rock and Taker stand face to face. And that’s another 13 minutes of talking over with.

~ Backstage we find Eddie and Chyna cuddling together, having apparenlty made up for the umpteenth time. Eddie apologizes for storming the Playboy mansion last Thursday then calls Chyna beautiful and every deserves to look at her while promising to be more supportive. Chyna forgives Eddie then brings up his match with Rikishi when Eddie starts coughing and saying he feels a little queasy so Chyna leaves to get him a drink.

~ Back from break we find Chris Benoit and Kane brawling down the ramp so I guess the match is on.

• Chris Benoit vs. Kane

Kane gets the advantage and press slams Benoit through the ropes into the ring but Benoit is able to get in his shots when Kane climbs in. Kane throws Benoit into a corner and works him over, capping off with an uppercut. Kane whips Benoit into the opposite corner and scoops him up onto his shoulder when Benoit slips out into a waistlock but Kane elbows him away and hits a backbreaker. Kane clubs Benoit in the back then whips him, Benoit slides under Kane and goes for a dropkick but Kane just swats him away. Kane comes off the ropes but misses an elbowdrop and Benoit dropkicks his shin. Kane whips Benoit and grabs him by the throat but Benoit kicks at the knee to escape the chokeslam. Benoit comes off the ropes and rolls under a boot before dropkicking Kane in the back of the knee. Benoit slams Kane’s knee into the mat then drapes Kane’s leg on the rope and sits down on it. Benoit works over Kane’s knee some more but Kane manages to hit an enzuigiri and starts fighting back. Benoit attempts a backslide but Kane counters into a clothesline then whips Benoit and hits a boot. Kane whips Benoit again into a corner and charges but Benoit sidesteps and Kane runs his shoulder into the ringpost. Benoit looks for the Crossface but Kane blocks it and knees Benoit in the chest then throws him through the ropes. Benoit pulls Kane out to the floor and gets in some shots but Kane hits a knee then drops Benoit on the barricade. Kane climbs back in the ring when Benoit grabs the ring bell and climbs onto the apron. Kane grabs Benoit but Benoit clocks him with the bell and that’s the match. (3:52) Benoit nails Kane with the bell again then shoves the referee down and hits a legdrop on Kane before climbing to the top rope and connects with the diving headbutt. However Kane sits up so Benoit decides to get while the gettin’s good. *½

~ Backstage Trish Stratus is leading Test and Albert to the ring saying once Triple H and Kurt Angle start fighitng each other, Stephanie will be left without protection. Naturally Test and Albert make the obvious joke about Stephanie using protection.

~ Elsewhere Triple H tells Stephanie all she has to do to is stay way from Test and Albert and he’s confident she can handle Trish if that happens to come up. Stephanie then starts complaing about what Mick Foley is thinking setting this match up since she never got her return match for the Women’s title and doesn’t feel like wrestling tonight. Kurt Angle comes in to join them and Triple H tells him the ladies’ room is down the hall. Angle tells Stephanie he’ll be out there to protect her and take out anyone who threatens her. Angle then asks Triple H to not accidentally hit his wife and Triple H asks Angle to not hit on him.

• Triple H, Kurt Angle and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley vs. T&A and Trish Stratus –Intergender Match

Once everyone’s in the ring Trish gets in Stephanie’s face but gets shoved down while the men stand nose-to-nose as the referee tries to get control of things. Triple H and Albert lockup to start but Albert throws Triple H in a corner and decks him with an uppercut. Albert whips Triple H but Triple H hits the high knee. Test tags in while Triple H walks over to his corner and gently tags Angle who doesn’t seem pleased by that gesture. Test pounds on Angle and whips him but Angle comes back with a German suplex. Angle tags Triple H in and holds Test for him but Triple H points something out and Angle lets go of him. Triple H hammers Test then whips him into a corner and charges but eats a boot. Test comes out but runs into a clothesline and Triple H tags Angle then shows him how to properly hold Test for an open shot. Test gets in some shots but misses a right hand and Angle hits a back suplex. Angle has words with Triple H not seeing Albert tag in and eats a clothesline as a result. Albert stomps Angle down in a corner then whips him into the oppsoite corner and plants him with a butterfly suplex. Test tags in and whips Angle into a corner then charges but eats a boot. Angle goes for a whip but Test counters it into a gutwrench powerbomb. Test goes for the pump-handle slam but Angle floats over him and hits a DDT. Angle crawls to his corner, but instead of Triple H Angle tags Stephanie in and Sephanie is surprised and hesitant as Test begs her to come in the ring. However Test doesn’t see Triple H come in and gets nailed from behind. Triple H goes for a whip when Test reverses him into a corner then goes for a clothesline but misses and Triple H hits a neckbreaker. Albert comes in but Triple H tosses him over the ropes. Test whips Triple H but lowers the head and Triple H hits the facebuster. Triple H then covers Test despite not being the legal man (and you can audibly hear Triple H tell the referee not to count) when Albert pulls him out to the floor. Angle comes in but runs right into a bicycle kick and gets stomped under the ropes, leaving Stephanie alone in the ring with Test. Stephanie slaps Test but Test shoves her down in a corner then has Trish come in and hit her with a bulldog. Test has words for Stephanie as he climb to the top rope looking to hit the elbowdrop. However Triple H grabs his leg, causing Test to straddle the turnbuckle then goes over and shoves Trish off the apron. Triple H lays Test out with the Pedigree then rolls Stpehanie onto him and the referee counts the three for the win. (5:15) Pretty blah match to end this feud, which was already dead when Triple H squashed Test two weeks prior. *½

Stephanie celebrates with Triple H when Angle comes back in and hugs Stephanie himself. Triple H does like that so he spears Angle and hammers away at him to a HUGE pop. Triple H pops Angle out of the ring and Stephanie tries to hold him back as a number of referees try to keep them apart as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Triple H’s team winning the match before he and Angle came to blows.

~ Backstage Chyna is takig care of Eddie Guerrero who is wrapped in a blanket and has a thermometer in his mouth. Chyna wants to convince Mick Foley to cancel his match with Rikishi but Eddie tries to talk her out of it so Chyna offers to take Eddie’s place in the match. Eddie thanks Chyna and tells her the match is next then promises to have her back.

~ Back from break Lillian Garcia starts introducing the next match when Tazz comes out and makes fun of Lillian then runs her off and takes over as ring announcer. Tazz then stands next to the announce table and gets in Lawler’s face trying again to goad him into punching him. JR has to remind Lawler he and tazz can’t touch each other until their pay-per-view match which JR says has now been made into a strap match.

• Chyna vs. Rikishi

Chyna and Rikishi exchange words when Eddie Guerrero comes down the ramp still wrapped in the blanket. Rikishi goes out and nails Eddie on the ramp then rams him into the ringsteps before throwing him in the ring. Rikishi whips Eddie into a corner and hits the running butt charge and Eddie slumps down in position. Rikishi readies the Stinkface when Chyna decides she has to save Eddie again and hammers Rikishi with forearm. Suddenly Eddie comes out of the blanket and sprays Rikishi in the face with mace, just like he did on Smackdown, then asks Chyna to come with him to the back. Eddie heads out while Chyna stays behind to check on Rikishi but Rikishi, blinded and not seeing who it is, suddenly plants Chyna with Samoan Drop. Eddie looks on shocked from the ramp as Rikishi demands he come in the ring and face him but Eddie doesn’t budge. Sso Rikishi drags Chyna over to a corner and starts climbing the ropes, threating to hit the Banzai Drop on her unless Eddie comes in and saves her. Eddie drops to his knees begging Rikishi not to do it but doesn’t come in so Rikishi proceeds to hit the Banzai Drop on Chyna. Rikishi walks off as Eddie finally climbs in the ring and tends to Chyna and I don’t believe this match ever actually started.

~ Back from break we get an exterior shot of the Allstate Arena.

~ In the arena … we have Steven Regal in the ring making his return to the WWF. Regal gets on the mic and introduces himself as “Steven William Regal”, a goodwill ambassador from England. Regal says he’s noticed the American fans don’t have the time for the finer things in life, especially manners, so Regal decides to give us an etiquette lesson using a table set up in the ring. Regal sits down at the table and shows us the correct way to use silverware and how to use a napkin when he’s interupted by Chris Jericho’s entrance. Jericho comes out on the stage with a mic and tells Regal to please shut up. Jericho tells Regal he shouldn’t be talking about manners in his WWF debut, he should be making an impact which he knows about since he made his WWF debut in this very building. Jericho says he needs to spice up his segment with action and excitement and decides to perform the “pull the tablecloth out without disturbing the dishes” trick. Jericho sets up for it but instead just wraps everything up in the tablecloth and throws it out of the ring while Regal looks on with his trademark expressions on his face. Suddenly X-Pac comes in and nails Jericho from behind with nunchucks then kicks him down in a corner. X-Pac puts the table over Jericho’s prone body then hops to the middle rope and stomps on the table, braking over Jericho’s face. X-Pac then leaves Jericho laying while Tazz laughs about it in Lawler’s face. Nice segment to bring Regal back in the WWF and give him his successful gimmick but still it’s six more minutes non-wrestling time.

~ The Rock is shown pacing around in his lockerroom as we get a replay of his issues with Taker from Smackdown.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Steve Austin’s hit-and-run from last Novmeber as JR reminds us Austin will start his investigation at Unforgiven unless the guilty person steps forward. JR also announces Eddie Guerrero vs. Rikishi for the Intercontinential Title has just been added to the pay-per-view, whether Eddie is sick or not.

• WWF World Tag Team Titles: Edge & Christian © vs. Too Cool

Weird that E&C would have a tag title defense just before thier cage match on Sunday. Oh, JR says this match was just signed by Mick Foley and is a surprise to everyone. Okay. Grandmaster Sexay and Edge lockup to start and Sexay applies a headlock, Edge shoves him into the ropes but Sexay hits a shoulderblock. Sexay comes off the ropes and Edge leapfrogs him but Sexay slides under Edge and hammers away on him. Sexay snapmares Edge to the mat then tags in Scotty 2 Hotty and they make a wish with the legs Scotty and Sexay exchange slaps before hitting a double elbowdrop but Edge rakes Scotty’s face. Christian tags in and applies an arm wringer but Scotty reverses it into a headlock. Christian shoves Scotty into the ropes but Scotty hits a shoulderblock while Tazz continues to get on Lawler’s nerves at the announce table. Scotty comes off the ropes and Christian leapfrogs him but Scotty hits a suplex and kips up. Scotty goes for a whip but Christian reverses it and Edge kicks him from the apron. Scotty pops Edge off the apron but turns right into a heel kick. Christian works Scotty over in a corner and chokes him then whips him into the opposite corner. Christian chagres but eats a boot and Scotty comes out with a clothesline. Christian tags in Edge while Scotty tags in Sexay who takes it to both E&C and slams both men to the mat. Sexay rams Edge into a turnbuckle then whips Christian into Edge and Edge accidentally headbutts Christian below the belt. Sexay hits a sitdown powerbomb on Edge and covers him but Christian makes the save. Sexay goes for a whip and Christian reverses him into a corner and charges but eats a boot. Scotty comes in with a bulldog on Christian then follows up with the Worm. Edge goes to spear Scotty but misses and wipes out Christian by mistake and Scotty hits him with a DDT. Sexay climbs to the top rope and connects with the Hip Hop Drop then covers Edge for the titles but the referee is too busy getting Scotty out of the ring. Christian comes in with one of the tag title belts but Sexay stops him from using it and both men clothesline Christian over the ropes. However Edge grabs the belt and clocks Sexay with it then covers him and steals the pin. (4:01) Fine though predicatble match. **

~ Tazz announces the result by constantly yelling it in Lawler’s face until a group of security guys come out and finally escourt Tazz out of the arena.

~ The Undertaker is shown warming up for his match as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we cut to WWF New York and find Mideon running around there naked. Moving right along.

~ Out in the arena Mick Foley comes out and gets on the mic yet again. Foley says he’s out here because he feels everyone at the WWF are being ignored. Foley brings up how they’ve registered 80,000 new voters and that millions of fans watch Smackdown but despite this, George W. Bush and Al Gore have yet to acknowlegde the Smackdown challenge. Foley asks Bush and Gore to ignore the pressure groups, the special interests, and come debate on the show. Well that was producvite.

~ We get a replay of the Rock and Undertaker’s confrontation earlier, signaling the main event is next.

~ Back from break we find Chris Benoit has joined the announcers for commentary.

• The Rock © vs. The Undertaker – Non-Title Match

Both men lockup to start and Taker throws Rock down to the mat before they lockup again. Taker throws Rock into a corner and hammers away at him then whips him into another corner and hits a sidewalk slam for a near fall. Taker whips Rock into a corner and charges at him but eats a boot. Rock starts to fight back and whips Taker into a clothesline but Taker pulls Rock through the ropes then goes out after him. Taker pops Rock with a right hand and rams him into the ringsteps then elbows him in the head. Taker props Rock next to the ringpost and takes a swing but Rock moves and Taker punches the post. Rock starts to fight back and knocks Taker across the announce table with the Smackdown then punches him below the belt. Rock tosses Taker in the ring and goes for a whip but Taker reverses and Rock accidentally knocks down referee Earl Hebner. Rock whips Taker but lowers the head and Taker hits a DDT and covers but Hebner is still out and can’t count. Taker goes for a whip but Rock reverses and hits the spinebuster then connects with the People’s Elbow. Rock covers Taker but Hebner is still down so Rock to revive him when Taker grabs him and hits the chokeslam. Taker covers as the Hebner revives … but only gets two! Rock goes for a Rock Bottom but Taker fights out of it and hits the Last Ride then gets the 1..2..3!! (4:23) Yes, no run-ins or foregin objects, Taker gets a clean pin over The Rock!! **

Taker celebrates his win when Kane starts making his way down the ramp. Taker waits for Kane when Benoit charges in the ring and nails Taker from behind then helps Kane double-team him. Taker tries to fight back as Rock revives and goes at it with Kane while Benoit continues to work over Taker. Rock knocks Kane over the ropes with the Smackdown and Taker throws Benoit through the ropes. Taker turns arnoud but Rock is waiting and plants him with the Rock Bottom. Rock stands over Taker as the final Raw on USA (for now) comes to a close.

Conclusion: And that’s how the WWF’s original run on USA ended (not including the live Heat preshow). With a throwaway episode that was mostly used to hype the pay-per-view. About half the program was talking and promo segments and the matches we did get were boring and mostly irrelevant. The only notable things about this program was Regal’s (re-)debut, Taker pinning Rock cleanly and the funny stuff with Angle in the opening segment. Granted Unforgiven was six days away but it still felt like the WWF just wanted to get the final week on USA done with before the big move to TNN instead of going out with a bang. So overall thumbs down for this show