WWF RAW 12/11/2000

Written by: Adam King

WWF RAW IS WAR
Monday, December 11th, 2000

Live from The Pyramid in Memphis, TN

List of WWF Champions at the time:
●  WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Kurt Angle (10/22/2000)
●  WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chris Benoit (12/10/2000)
●  WWF World Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian (12/10/2000)
●  WWF European Champion: William Regal (12/04/2000)
●  WWF Hardcore Champion: Steve Blackman (9/24/2000)
●  WWF Women’s Champion: Ivory (11/02/2000)
●  WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (4/27/2000)

~ Raw comes on the air with clips from the Hell in the Cell at Armageddon done to the cool intro music. Jim Ross then welcomes us to the show along with Jerry “The King” Lawler and mentions Triple H and Rikishi were both seriously injured last night and are in the hospital tonight. So now of course the question is will Mick Foley keep his word and resign as commissioner.

~ Things kick off with Kurt Angle leading Edge & Christian to the ring, all showing off their respective titles. Angle gets on the mic and syas there are things you can be certain of going into the holiday season: Christmas will be on December 25th, Elvis Presley will still be dead, and he and his friends completed the most dominant year in WWF history. Angle points out Edge and Christian won the Tag Team titles for the fourth time this year before Edge takes the mic and puts Angle over for surviving the Cell with his WWF Title intact. Angle says he’s still reliving the hits he took and the carnage he witnessed last night, especially Rikishi being tossed from the roof and Triple H injuring his already-hurt back worse. Angle calls is a Christmas miracle that he overcame Foley’s sadistic rules and emerged victorious then notices the fans booing him and chastises them, asking what will it take to earn their respect. Angle says he’s the WWF Champion and the one that came out on top, not Steve Austin, not Undertaker, and especially not The Rock.

Almost on cue Rock comes out to the stage and gets on the mic to offer a rebuttal, giving Angle credit for walking out still WWF Champion last night after he went to Hell and back. Rock says he wants to talk about tonight and since he’s in a giving mood he wants to give Angle milk, cookies, and a beating for the WWF Championship. Angle declines the match in “Knoxville” saying it wouldn’t be fair to the fans to face him at less then 100%. Angle does challenge Rock to find two partners and face him, Edge and Christian in a six-man match of his choice. Christian and Edge chuckle saying Rock doesn’t have any firends and feels it will be a handicap match. That is until The Dudley Boyz come out to the stage and apparently offer to be Rock’s partners. Rock mentions Angle let him have any type of match he wants and chooses a tables match which Angle accepts. Rock and the Dudleys then decide not to wait for later and rush the ring to brawl with Team ECK. The Dudleys and E&C spill out to the floor while Rock and Angle to go at it in the ring when Angle whips Rock into a corner but Rock comes out with a clothesline. Rock goes for a Rock Bottom but E&C break it up and the heels flee the ring. Pretty long opening segment at 15 minutes but that’s not the worst of it.

~ Before we go to commercial Jerry Lawler says he has a surprise tonight. Wonder what it could be?

~ Back from break we find Edge and Christian getting worked up over the tables match but Angle assures his pals that everything will be fine as long as they follow his lead.

• The Hardy Boys (w/Lita) vs. Dean Malenko & Perry Saturn (w/Terri Runnels)

The Hardys are looking for some revenge after Malenko forced a submisison from Lita to take the match last night. Matt and Jeff rush the ring to jumpstart the match and Jeff throws Saturn through the ropes then the Hardys tie Malenko in the ropes and unload on him before the referee breaks it up. Saturn unties Malenko from the ropes but the Hardys knock him off the apron then whip Malenko hard into a corner and follow up with a doubel wheelbarrow suplex. The Hardys go for another one but Saturn nails Jeff from behind and Jeff rolls out to the floor. Saturn hits an armbar takedown on Matt and throws him shoulder-first into the ringpost and Matt rolls out to the floor but Saturn goes out and pulls Matt into the post. Saturn throws Matt back in the ring and hits a Northen Lights suplex right on the arm. Saturn pops Jeff on the apron then pulls Matt into a series of shoulderblocks and hits a hamemrlock suplex. Saturn throws Matt into his corner then tags Malenko in and Malenko gets his own hammerlock but Matt pulls him into a turnbuckle. Malenko goes for a shoulderblock but Matt counters into a back suplex. Both men crawl to their corners and Malenko tags in Saturn while Matt makes the hot tag to Jeff. Jeff hammers Saturn then brings Malenko in the ring and tees off on him when Saturn breaks it up. Matt comes in and the Hardys whip Malenko into a corner, Matt drops down and Jeff hits Poetry in Motion. Saturn nails Jeff and whips him into a corner but Jeff runs up the turnbuckles and hits the Whisper in the Wind. Matt nails Saturn with the Twist of Fate and Jeff climbs to the top rope and hits the Swanton Bomb. Jeff covers Saturn but the referee is distracted by Lita knocking Terri down on the floor. Lita tires to alert the referee of the cover but Malenko pulls her off the apron. Jeff goes out and tees off on Malenko but Malenko whips him into the ringsteps. Jeff is down on the floor as the eferee makes the 10 count and its a coutout win for the Radicalz. (3:07) Lame finish to an okay match. Malenko then picks the uncouncious Lita up and steals a kiss from her before departing. **

~ Backstage a limo pulls up and Vince McMahon comes out as the Stooges greet him. Pat Patterson complains about the frigid weather but Vince feels this is brisk football weather, specifically XFL weather.

~ Back from break we find Vince and the Stooges in their dressing room as Pat Patterson asks Vince if Mick Foley is going to resign after what heppened last night. Vince mentions Foley’s promise to resign if anybody got seriously hurt in the Cell and brings up how Triple H suffered herinated disks in his already-bad back and is in traction, plus Rikishi suffered a ruptured spleen from his involvement in the match. Vince says if Foley doesn’t voluntarily resign, he’ll force him to.

• WWF Intercontinential Title: Chris Benoit © vs. “The One” Billy Gunn

Last night Benoit destroyed Billy for the title so here’s Billy’s rematch. Billy goes right to work on Benoit but Benoit rakes the face to stop that and pounds away on him. Benoit goes for a whip, Billy reverses it and lepfrogs over Benoit. Billy then whips Benoit and hits a press slam … but once again tries to kill Benoit by botching the move and nearly dropping him on his head. Billy tees off on Benoit and kicks him down in a corner then sees Eddie Guerrero making his way to ringside and has a word with him. Billy goes for a whip but Benoit reverses it and hits a knee to the chest. Benoit whips Billy and hits an elbow for a two count then hits a snap suplex for another two count. Benoit whips Billy again but lowers the head and Billy kicks him in the face. Billy whips Benoit into a backdrop and follows up with a clothesline and a forearm. Benoit comes back with a back suplex as Eddie slides the IC Title belt in the ring and distracts the referee. Benoit goes for the belt but Billy suplexes him then grabs the belt and waffles Benoit himself. Billy covers Benoit but Eddie keeps the referee occupied form making the count so Billy pops Eddie off the apron and covers Benoit again but only gets two. Billy hits the Rocker Dropper and covers Benoit but Eddie breaks it up to save the title with a DQ. (3:16)Lame match with an even lamer finish. This is twice in as many days Billy had blown a move and nearly crippled his opponent. And yet Billy looked like the dominant one in there while Benoit needed a run-in to bail him out. DUD

Anyway Eddie lands a pair of rights but Billy no-sells them so Eddie offers a handshake instead and Billy slaps it away. However Billy forgets about Benoit as Benoit comes up from behind and puts Billy in the Crossface. Billy starts tapping out as Eddie taunts him and Benoit finally releases the hold and smiles. Why couldn’t Benoit just dismantle Billy like he did at the pey-per-view?

~ Backstage Michael Cole interviews Mick Foley in his office asking if he plans to resign after what happened last night. Foley says we saw an amazing match last night but at the same time people did get hurt. Foley then dismisses Cole saying he and Debra have a show to run as we go to commercial.

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

~ We then see The Undertaker walking down some stairs with Michael Cole waiting to interview him. But first we get clips from the Cell last night, focusing on Taker shoving Rikishi off the cell roof onto a (padded) truck below. Michael Cole then interviews Taker and calls him sadistic for injuring another person in the Cell but Taker tells him not to go there because he was taking as much as he was giving. Taker says he warned everyone what it was like and that he was going to make someone famous. Taker also says he was at home inside the cell and hurt people because that’s what comes naturally to him. Cole then brings up Mick Foley possibly resigning but Taker says he doesn’t care about Foley, though he calls it ironic the same type of match might end his career twice. Taker says once he shoved Rikishi off the top of the cell, winning the title became secondary because he enjoyed making Rikishi suffer and being drenched in blood made him feel at home. Taker finishes by saying the match proved the ring is his yard and he’s the dog that runs the yard.

~ Elsewhere Mick Foley and Debra get a visit from Al Snow who says watching the Cell last night brought back memories of his Hardcore Championship days. Snow then asks Foley for a hardcore match against Raven tonight but Foley is hesitant, telling Snow he shouldn’t be competing tonight with his broken wrist. Snow instists and tells Foley he’s been doing a great job as Commissioner and Foley still has concerns but relents and allows Snow his match, even wishing him luck. Snow also urges Foley not to resign as he departs.

~ Kurt Angle, Edge and Christian are shown walking to the ring as are Rock and The Dudleys (who pick up a table) as we go to commercial.

• The Rock & The Dudley Boyz vs. Kurt Angle, Edge & Christian – Tables Match

So yes, the long opening talking segment was used to set up the first hour main event. Christian pounds on D’Von Dudley to start and goes for a whip but D’Von reverses and hits a hiptoss then follows up with an armdrag and a clothesline. Bubba Ray tags in and elbows Christian in the head then hits an elbowdrop. Edge tags in but runs right into a powerslam and Bubba whips him and hits a backdrop. Rock tags in and tees off on Edge then whips him and hits a Samoan drop … then covers for a two count? I though table matches aren’t supposed to have pinfall covers. Rock rams Edge into D’Von’s boot then tags him in to take over on Edge. D’Von goes for a whip but Edge reverses and Christian kicks him in the back. Edge lays the boots to D’Von then tags Angle in and Angle stomps D’Von down in a corner. Angle whips D’Von and hits an elbow then covers him but Earl Hebner reminds him there’s no pinfalls in table matches. I’m glad we got that clarified. Christian tags in and D’Von starts to fight back but Christian rakes the face. Christian whips D’Von and hits a Russian legsweep then applies a chinlock. D’Von fights out of the hold and comes off the ropes but runs into a knee. Edge tags in and sets D’Von on the top rope then goes up but D’Von shoves him off then connects with a flying shouldertackle. Both men start crawling to their corners and D’Von tags in Bubba but Christian distracts Hebner from seeing it and Hebner orders Bubba back to the corner while E&C work D’Von over. This type of match shouldn’t even need tags to begin with like I keep saying.

Edge hammers D’Von and whips him into a corner and charges, D’Von sidesteps him and Edge hops onto the middle rope but D’Von hits a neckbreaker and both men are down. D’Von tries to crawl to his corner and Edge tries to stop him but D’Von manages to tag in Rock. Angle tags in but Rock unloads on him and whips him, hitting an overhead belly-to-belly throw. Christian comes in but runs into a DDT and Rock pops Edge off the ropes as well. Rock plants Angle with a spinebuster and goes for the People’s Elbow but Edge pulls Rock out to the floor. Edge rams Rock into the announce table while Bubba slams Christian in the ring. Bubba sets Christian up while D’Von goes up and hits the “Wassup” headbutt. Bubba sends D’Von out for the table while he goes out and nails Edge on the floor. D’Von slides a table in the ring and sets it up while Bubba does the same with another table. Bubba sets Christian on his shoulders while D’Von climbs to the top rope and goes for the Dudleyville Device but Angle pulls the table out of the way. Edge pulls D’Von out of the ring and throws him into the barricade. Bubba tires to suplex Angle through a table when Angle floats over into a waistlock and goes to suplex Bubba through the table but Rock moves it out of the way. Rock clotheslines Angle and tries to Rock Bottom him through a table but Edge breaks it up. Angle rolls out to the floor but Rock grabs Edge and hits a Rock Bottom through the table for the win. (8:21) D’Von passes Christian to Bubba on the top rope and Bubba superbombs him through the other table for good measure while Angle grabs his belt and walks off. Pretty fun match for the most part and should have been the main event. But guess what we got instead. **½

~ Backstage we find Vince McMahon and the Stooges watching the match on a monitor with Vince calling it more evidence of Mick Foley’s negative influence on the WWF since only he would book a table match on the heels of Armageddon. Vince tells Gerald Brisco to check on some papers being sent to him via FedEx, saying the sooner they get those papers the sooner they can send Foley on his way.

~ Chyna is then shown heading to the ring for some reason as we go to commercial.

~ Back form break we get footage of Steve Austin arriving at the building, late as always.

~ Out in the arena Chyna makes her way out to the ring to bore us on the mic. Chyna starts by saying there are some people who don’t like the way she dresses but The Right To Censor are the only ones that have a problem with it. Chyna says Ivory can’t seem to stay out of her business especially during her match last night so she challenges Ivory to face her in the ring tonight. Chyna tells Ivory she’s not interested in her Women’s title, she just wants to beat the morality out of her. Before long Ivory comes out to the stage with Steven Richards and gets on the mic saying violence never solved anything but sometimes action has to be taken. Ivory tells Chyna what she stands for is repulsive and her message is perverse so she accepts her challenge.

• Chyna vs. Ivory © (w/Steven Richards) – Non-Title Match

Richards decides to charge in the ring first but Chyna quickly throws him back out through the ropes. Ivory then comes in and grabs Chyna’s hair but Chyna throws her into a corner and stomps her down. Chyna sets Ivory on the top rope and throws her off to the floor then spins her around with a giant swing. Suddenly Val Venis runs in the ring and nails Chyan from behind then follows up with a back suplex. Val then sets Chyna up and Ivory helps Val drill Chyna with a spike piledriver! Chyna is motionless on the mat as the RTC yell at her before the referees clear them out and wave for help. The EMT’s then come out and load Chyna on a stretcher, since this is Memphis where piledrivers can destroy people. BTW the referee did nothing when Val came in and no decision was announced so this wasn’t a real match. NR

~ Back from break we get a replay of the Right To Censor taking Chyna out with the spike piledriver. We then find Chyna getting loaded into an ambulance as Mick Foley looks on when Billy Gunn comes by and blames Foley for what happened. Billy climbs into the ambulance and it drives off as Foley watches it with a crushed look on his face.

~ Elsehwere we find Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson continuing to watch everything go down, with Vince saying what happened to Chyna is more evidence of Foley letting the WWF go down the drain. Vince agress with Billy that what happened to Chyna, Triple H and Rikishi is Foley’s fault and and Patterson even accuses Foley of trying to ruin the company. Vince then demands Brisco bring him the papers he’s waiting for.

• T & A (w/Trish Stratus) vs. The Acolytes

Bradshaw and Faarooq returned from injury at the pay-per-view and are hungry for revenge. Test and Albert go out to meet them on the ramp but the Acolytes take control. Bradshaw rams Albert into the apron while Faarooq whips Test into the barricade then helps his partner. Bradshaw rams Test into the ringsteps then grabs the steps and hits Test with them. Albert charges but runs right into the steps and Faarooq throws Test in the ring. The Acolytes whip Test into a double shoulderblock before Bradshaw goes out to the corner. Faarooq goes for a whip but Test reverses and Albert nails Faarooq from behind then Test hits a boot. Test tees off on Faarooq while Bradshaw pulls Albert off the apron. The referee tries to get Bradshaw to his corner while T&A double-team Faarooq in the ring. Bradshaw grabs a chair but the referee takes it from him so Bradshaw heads in the ring while the referee again tries to get him into the corner. Albert lays the boots to Faarooq then Test goes for a big boot but Faarooq ducks it and hits a spinebuster. Test tags in Albert whils Faarooq tags in Bradshaw who nails Albert with a boot. Bradshaw goes for a whip, Albert reverses but lowers the head and Bradshaw clubs him in the back. Test comes in but runs into a boot and Faarooq shoulerblocks him through the ropes. Faarooq goes out after Test while Bradshaw climbs to the middle rope and hits a shouldertackle. Bradshaw then comes off the roeps with the Clothesline from Hades on Albert and just like that it’s over. (2:53) Bradshaw and Faarooq then rip up the “T&APA” shirts and it looks like this angle’s done with. You’d figure they would have stretched this out to some big blowoff but it’s done right here. *

~ Backstage Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson are conversing when Gerald Brisco arrives with the FedEx containing out a pen and a resignation form done up by Vince’s attorneys. Vince proudly shows off the form and claims he will have Foley’s signature on it by the end of the night.

~ Back from break Jerry Lawler is in the ring and we’re apparenly going to get his surprise. Lawler mentions the XFL kicking off in February before bringing out the Memphis Manniax cheerleaders. Lawler and the cheerleaders dance in the ring until they’re interupted by The Right to Censor. The Goodfather gets on the mic and chastises the fans for supporting this “display of filth” then Bull Buchanan takes the mic and says they will not allow this display to continue. The three RTC’ers make their way to the ring as Lawler tries to clear the women out. Steven Richards then yells at the fans for cheering Elvis, rock and roll and rap music when almost on cue Road Dogg and K-Kwik rap their way to the ring wearing Manniax jerserys. The two of them join Lawler in fighting the RTC and apparently we have a match.

• Jerry Lawler, Road Dogg & K-Kwik vs. Steven Richards, Bull Buchanan & The Goodfather

Buchanan throws K-Kwik through the ropes while Goodfather does the same to Road Dogg. Lawler drops Richards with a right hand but Buchanan and Goodfather beat him down from behind. Road Dogg and K-Kwik come back in to even the sides and clear the former champions from the ring. Richards hammers Lawler in a corner but Lawler pulls the strap down and nails a right hand. Lawler slams Richards then climbs to the middle rope and connects with the fistdrop for the win. (0:55) Just there to give Lawler a nice victory in his hometown. Incidentally this was the end for Road Dogg, he’d make a few more appearences on Heat and Jakked before showing up one day in no condition to perform and ultimately getting fired. NR

~ Backstage Al Snow is getting ready for his match when Mick Foley comes into his dressing room saying he wants to call off his hardcore match with Raven after what happened to Chyna. Snow balks even as Foley says he doesn’t want Snow getting hurt to hang on his head. Snow tells Foley he can take care of himself and won’t take any unnecessary chances. Foley gives in and allows Snow his match but asks him not to do anything stupid.

~ Kevin Kelly stands outside Steve Austin’s door waiting to interview him as we go to commercial. At least he won’t get abused the way he does when he interviews The Rock.

~ Back from break Kevin Kelly interviews Austin asking how he’s feeling and Austin says he feels like he does everyday, wanting to beat someone up. Austin does admit he feels terrible just like the other five victims in the Cell but does he feels good about Triple H laying in a hospital bed after suffering a herniated disk. Austin says when Triple H comes back he’s going to herniate all the disks in his vertebrae. Austin says sometimes he finds trouble and sometimes trouble finds him then wraps up by saying he just may go find some trouble tonight.

~ Out in the arena we find some members of the XFL Memphis Maniax in the crowd. Seems like they’re really starting the hard-sell for the upcoming football league.

• Al Snow vs. Raven – Hardcore Match

Snow comes out to the stage first but then catches Raven with a superkick as he jumps him. Snow rams Raven into the TitanTron set but misses Raven and punches one of the lights. Raven climbs up one of the screens but Snow chases after him and the two duke it out. Snow rams Raven into the screen repeatedly but Raven slides down a bunch of wires to the floor. Raven grabs a trash can but Snow swings on a rope ladder and kicks the can into his face. Snow reaches the floor and goes for a whip but Raven reverses him into a guardrail then grabs another trash can and waffles Snow with it as they make their way to the back. Raven knocks Snow over and anvil case then rams it into Snow a couple of times. Raven goes for a whp but Snow reverses him into the interview set then throws Raven into a garage door. Snow shoves Raven through a door to the outside area and knocks out some guy passing by then throws Raven into a file cabinet. Snow drops the cabinet on Raven and misses but then bulldogs Raven into the cabinet for a two count. Snow wahcks Raven with a trach can lid and dumps him into a garbage cart then wheels him into an 18-wheeler trailer. Snow tees off on Raven then dumps him back into the cart and wheels him into a car. Suddenly Tiger Ali-Singh and Lo Down come out of the car and beat down Snow while a nearby car blares its horn so Lo Down decide to head over and deal with it. Snow hammers Tiger and throws him in his car before we look over to see Lo Down doing something at the other car. We then look back to find Snow out cold as Raven covers him and gets the three. (3:46) We then see a broken cinderblock nearby which might explain Snow unconciousness. DUD

~ Back from break we find Snow getting loaded onto an ambulance which seems to be a theme tonight.

~ We then cut over to WWF New York and find the Holly cousins entertaining the crowd on the stage. We also get comments from fans about whether Mick Foley should resign or not.

~ Backstage Foley is about to ride with Snow in the ambulance but Vince catches up to Foley and blames him for the rising bodycount. Vince says everything that happens tonight is on his head and storms off but Foley decides to leave the ambulance as we go to commercial. And you might have noticed they never announced another main event so guess what’s going to happen?

~ Back from break we get a replay of the intro video for some reason.

~ Out in the arena Vince McMahon leads the Stooges to the ring and sure enough the rest of the time is once agin going to be taken up for a main event interview. Vince gets on the mic and says a lot has changed since he asked his wife Linda for a divorce. Vince thanks the fans for their support through this tramautic time in his life before saying he’s not proud of the WWF at this moment, especially of its current commissioner. Vince accuses Mick Foley of forcing six WWF wrestlers into the Cell against their will and showing no compassion to Triple H or Rikishi. Vince says he warned Foley this would happen and that Foley doesn’t care about the wrestlers so he feels it’s time for a change. Vince demands Foley come out and tender his resignation, even threatening to get Foley himself. Foley comes out and the two have a staredown before Vince tells Foley he doesn’t get any pleasure from this act. Vince tells Foley he sucked as a commissioner but calls him a good human being and there are lots of good reasons for him to resign. Vince says Foley can’t expect the wrestlers to throw their bodies around becasue he was willing to do so, plus the job has given him nothing but anxiety attacks that ruined his health. Vince says Foley tried his best but feels this thankless job was too much for him and asks him to think of his children and his again-pregnant wife Collette. Vince finally calls Foley an honorable man and mentions a promise he made on Smackdown, even showing the clip of Foley’s promise to resign if anyone seriously got hurt. Vince hands Foley the resignation form and asks him to live up to his word as we’ve now gone past the top of the hour.

Foley takes the pen and hesitates as the crowd begs him to not sign the papers but Vince urges Foley to ignore the fans saying they don’t really care about him. Eventually Vince starts getting impatient so Foley drops the pen and grabs another mic saying what Vince said is true and he may sign the resignation, or he may not. Foley says regardless there’s one official act he has to complete first and is about to say it when…William Regal comes out? Regal takes the mic and says he agrees with Vince about the barbaric things that go on in the WWF and claims to speak for everyone in the lockerroom when he says Foley must resign. However Steve Austin suddenly comes out to the ring and also gets on the mic, telling Regal he appreciates what he said but nobody speaks for him. Austin then asks the fans if they want Foley to tear up the resignation and once the fans reply in the affirmitive Austin takes Regal out with a Stunner. Brisco and Patterson are taken out with Stunners as well. Vince turns from Austin when Foley pulls out Mr. Socko and locks the Mandible Claw on Vince. Vince is put out of commission as Austin flips him off then Foley does tear up the resignation papers, showing he’s here to stay. Foley leaves Vince laid out in the ring as the show finally ends at 10 past the hour. Yep, we sat through 20 minutes and ended up with nothing to show for it and Foley’s last official act will forever remain a mystery.

Conclusion: Pretty weak show to follow up a so-so pay-per-view. Most of the matches weren’t that memorable and some even had some iffy booking (especially the Gunn/Benoit match), while the six-man tables match was the only worthwhile bout yet was over and done with in the first hour. The main issue is this program quickly became the Vince McMahon show as he was in just about every backstage segment and also took up the last 20 minutes for his big confrontation with Foley. Not to mention throughout the show they built up to something big happening in that last segment yet once it came time, nothing happened. There was no major angle advancement or big development or anything (expect for them hinting at Regal becoming Vince’s right-hand man). It was clear the WWF really was coasting at this time with no competition from the dying WCW while also reverting back to 1999 booking feeling it would solve the falling ratings, which it didn’t. Thumbs down for this show, and with a staggering seven weeks until the Royal Rumble it’ll be interesting to see how they try and keep us interested.