WWE RAW 8/5/2002

Written by: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Entertainment presents RAW
Date: 8/5/2002
From: Baltimore, MD

A video highlighting the attack on Shawn Michaels last week is shown and Triple H’s reaction to it.

Chris Jericho makes his way out to the ring to start off the show with a promo. Jericho welcomes everyone to Monday Night Jericho. Jericho says that RAW is now his show. Jericho knows that people are wondering why the biggest star on Smackdown would jump to RAW and work for Bischoff. Jericho believes that Bischoff is a genius and knows the difference between a superstar and a loser. Jericho shows an example of him being a superstar and the fans being losers. Jericho says that Ric Flair is a has been and believes that Flair didn’t have half his talent in his prime.

Triple H’s music hits and HHH makes his way out. Jericho doesn’t backdown in the ring. HHH doesn’t care why Jericho is on RAW. HHH talks about Michaels being attacked in the parking lot and that the person who did it has not been revealed yet. HHH notes that they have hated each other since Jericho walked into the company. HHH thinks that Jericho is a bitter little man. HHH brings up beating Jericho at WrestleMania and is sure that Jericho has been looking for a way to get even with HHH. HHH suggests that Jericho attacked Michaels in the parking lot to get even. Jericho has no idea who did the attack and says it was not him. Jericho reminds HHH that he was the guy who hit a pedigree on Michaels two weeks ago. Jericho is offended that HHH would suggest that he did it. HHH tells Jericho he was in the ring when Michaels was attacked. HHH hit the pedigree on Michales for his own good, but still considers him his best friend. HHH believes Jericho that he didn’t do it. HHH doesn’t think that Jericho has the balls to attack Michaels. HHH isn’t leaving the arena until he finds out who did it.

Jericho remains in the ring to continue his promo. Jericho gets cut off again this time by Rob Van Dam. Jericho wants to know why RVD is out here. RVD welcomes Jericho to RAW. Jericho taunts RVD asking if that’s all he needed to say. RVD asks Jericho what he has been smoking with his comment saying he runs RAW and for the clothing he’s wearing. RVD wants Jericho to prove he’s the best by wrestling him tonight. RVD says there can only be one Mr. Monday Night and that’s him. Jericho accepts the challenge. They begin to trade ‘RVD” and “Y2J” taunts until RVD attacks Jericho. Jericho hits a spinning heel kick and bails to the floor taunting RVD.

Opening Contest: Big Show vs. Bubba Ray Dudley in a tables match: Dudley hammers away on Show against the ropes and is met with an elbow strike. Show clotheslines Bubba followed by a belly to belly suplex. Bubba sends Show into the corner chest first and dumps Show to the floor after avoiding a big boot. Bubba grabs a table on the floor, but Show decks Bubba from behind and rolls Bubba back into the ring. Show delivers a running shoulder block. Show sends Bubba hard into the corner back first and Bubba flops to the mat. Show steps on Bubba’s back. Bubba boots Show in the corner and is met with a side slam. Show rolls to the floor to grab another table and slides it into the ring. Show places Bubba on the table in the corner, but misses a big boot and crashes through the table. Bubba smashes Show with the broken table. Bubba grabs another table on the floor. Show gets up and takes Bubba down with a back suplex. Show sets the table up and signals for a chokeslam. However, Trish Stratus appears and distracts Show. Stratus slaps Show and Spike Dudley hits Show with a Ravens helmet. Show bounces off the ropes and Bubba hits a flapjack through the table to win the match. (*. The finish was creative enough and protects Show while giving Bubba a big win for his singles push. I was just mostly bored by the action.)

Backstage, Terri talks with the WWE Tag Team Champions Lance Storm, Christian and Test. Storm says it is a pleasure to be here because they are sixty miles away from the capital. Storm insults the President for not being able to protect the country. Storm says that the President can’t get revenge just like the Undertaker. Storm says that Undertaker has been humbled and is no longer to be feared or respected. Sgt. Slaughter enters the scene and tells Test that he has a big problem with that. Test taunts Slaughter and suggests he do something about it. Slaughter wonders if Test has the guts and says that he’ll show real American aggression.

Second Contest: WWE Hardcore Champion Tommy Dreamer vs. Bradshaw: Bradshaw big boots Dreamer backstage and gets a two count on a table. Bradshaw hits Dreamer over the back with a kendo stick several times as they make their way to the arena. Bradshaw sends Dreamer into the side of the stage for a two count. Bradshaw continues to beat on Dreamer as they reach the ringside area through the crowd. Bradshaw rams Dreamer’s face onto the ring steps and grabs another bullrope. Bradshaw chokes Dreamer around the ring post with the rope, but Dreamer breaks free sending Bradshaw into the post. Dreamer smashes Bradshaw with a trash can lid and tosses a trash can into the ring. Dreamer sends Bradshaw shoulder first into the ring steps. Dreamer tosses Bradshaw across the ring with a bullrope followed by a neckbreaker for a two count. Dreamer elbows Bradshaw in the corner, but Bradshaw stops Dreamer on the top rope. Bradshaw hits a middle rope fallaway slam. Dreamer gets out of a powerbomb with a backdrop, but Bradshaw held on to hit a powerbomb. Dreamer whacks Bradshaw with a kendo stick for a two count. Bradshaw spears Dreamer through the ropes to the floor. Dreamer sends Bradshaw into the post and plants Bradshaw with a DDT onto the ring steps for the win. (**. It’s not a bad hardcore match, but it probably overstayed it’s welcome. Bradshaw dominated the match only to lose to Dreamer with a good finish. I’d try to get Bradshaw out of the hardcore division and elevate him.)

Backstage, William Regal and Christopher Nowinski are chatting when WWE Women’s Champion Molly Holly and Victoria enter the scene. Molly says that Victoria will be working on her attire, but Victoria will have a match against Trish Stratus tonight. Nowinski asks Victoria if it’s true that Molly is a virgin. Victoria says it is true and Nowinski tells Regal “not for long” as if to suggest he’s into her.

Backstage, Goldust is talking with Booker T about being mad at Mike Myers for stealing his idea as a golden member. Goldust is going to rip Myers off and introduces mini-Dust. The little person humps Booker’s leg and Booker shoves him off. Triple H enters the scene to confront Booker regarding Michaels being attacked last week. Booker doesn’t care about what happened, but he’s happy about it. Booker tells HHH he’s clean and HHH decides to believe him. HHH tells Booker if he’s lying to him then he’’ll introduce Booker to his little friend, a sledgehammer.

Backstage, Eric Bischoff is on the phone talking to a movie producer. Howard Finkel enters the room, but Bischoff doesn’t let Fink speak because he’s on the phone. Fink reminds Bischoff that he’s been the first employee of the WWE and wants to challenge Lillian Garcia to get his job back as the ring announcer. Bischoff doesn’t care but decides that they can alternate matches and let the fans decide. Fink has a note for Bischoff and it’s from Smackdown. Fink reads the note where the note is a promotion for the show on Thursday. Bischoff doesn’t want to hear it and dismisses Fink.

Third Contest: Sgt. Slaughter vs. Test: Test knocks Slaughter off the apron before the match and sends Slaughter into the ring post face first. Test nails Slaughter with a big boot. Test waves the upside down flag and walks off taunting the crowd. So, there’s no match.

Fourth Contest: Booker T & Goldust vs. William Regal & Christopher Nowinski: Booker and Goldust attack before the bell with Booker sending Nowinski to the floor. Goldust hammers away on Regal and hits a backdrop followed by a clothesline. Booker tags in and nails Regal with a forearm smash. Goldust enters the match as Regal went to his corner to Nowinski. Goldust nails Nowinski with a backside bump and tags in Booker. Booker elbows Nowinski to the mat before tagging Goldust back into the match. Goldust drops down to the mat and decks Nowinski. Nowinski drops Goldust over the top rope and Regal pulls down on Goldust’s arm. Nowinski almost wins with a bridging suplex and tags in Regal. Regal keeps arm control on Goldust for a few moments. Goldust gets a two count on a sunset flip, but Nowinski comes back with a dropkick for a two count. Nowinski tags in Regal to focus on an attack on the arm. Regal knee drops Goldust on the arm and tags Nowinski back into the match. Nowinski comes off the middle rope with an axe handle. Nowinski kicks the ropes on Goldust’s arm followed by a twisting double under hook slam for a two count. Regal enters and Goldust almost wins with an inside cradle.

Regal takes Goldust down to the mat and controls Goldust with a hammerlock. Nowinski tries for a dropkick, but Goldust holds onto the ropes and slams Nowinski to the mat. Booker is waiting on the apron for Goldust to make the tag. Goldust tags in Booker and Booker hammers away on Nowinski with right hands. Booker clotheslines Nowinski and decks Regal. Booker spin kicks Nowinski and decks Regal off the apron. Regal sneaks a tag and decks Booker from behind. Regal hits a neckbreaker but Goldust breaks the cover. Regal forearms Booker and is met with a leaping side kick for a two count. Goldust clotheslines himself and Nowinski to the floor. Goldust atomic drops Regal and Booker hits a scissors kick on Regal for the win. (*1/2. A competitive match, but it took a lot of time and I’m not sure it needed to be. Obviously the right team won because I think Booker and Goldust are going to be chasing the Un-Americans for the tag titles soon. Regal and Nowinski are a decent team together.)

Backstage, Triple H walks up to the Un-Americans with a sledgehammer. HHH says they need to be afraid of Undertaker and not him. HHH mentions that they said they had unfinished business last week regarding Shawn Michaels. Christian says that somebody beat them to it in the parking lot. HHH warns them if they are lying he’ll make them unconscious and smashes a table with the sledgehammer.

Backstage, Rob Van Dam is stretching and Chris Jericho is preparing for the main event.

Fifth Contest: Victoria vs. Trish Stratus: This is Victoria’s RAW debut (excluding her hoe debut with Godfather). Stratus controls Victoria with a wrist lock, but Victoria breaks free and kicks Stratus away. Stratus nearly wins with a rollup. WWE Women’s Champion Molly is on commentary. Stratus arm drags Victoria followed by a dropkick. Jerry Lawler is insisting on asking Molly if she’s a virgin. Victoria acts like she hurt her knee coming out of the corner. The referee asks for help and sits down in the ring. Victoria is helped up by two referees and Trish holds the ropes only for Victoria to boot Stratus to the floor and stomps on Trish. Victoria drops Stratus face first onto the apron. Victoria takes Stratus over with a series of snap suplexs for a two count. Victoria nails Stratus with a short arm clothesline. Stratus nearly wins with an inside cradle. Stratus chops Victoria against the ropes a few times. Victoria shoulder rams Stratus in the corner several times. Victoria slams Stratus and misses a slingshot somersault leg drop. Stratus hammers away on Victoria and gets a rollup out of the corner for a two count. Victoria rolls through and holds the ropes for leverage to pin Stratus. After the match, Molly and Victoria attack Trish. Stratus fights back with a few kicks and a bulldog to Molly. (*. It’s not a good match, but an absolute shocking result with Victoria pulling off the victory. I was not expecting even a cheap win for Victoria.)

Backstage, Big Show is waiting for Trish Stratus to settle the score. Triple H appears with a sledgehammer and reminds Show that Michaels had superkicked Show and he had a motive to attack Michaels. Show tells HHH that he didn’t do it but wished that he had done it. Show has had enough and leaves.

Sixth Contest: WWE Tag Team Champions Lance Storm & Christian vs. Hardy Boys: Christian and Matt start off the tag title match. They trade right hands with Matt getting the better of the exchange. Christian runs into a Side Effect by Matt for a two count. Jeff tags into the match and they double team Christian. Jeff leg drops Storm and forearms Storm to the floor. Storm pulls the ropes down to cause Jeff to fall to the floor. Christian stomps on Jeff and delivers a gut buster. Storm tags into the match and kicks Jeff in the midsection. Storm rubs Christian’s face on the mat. Storm decks Jeff with a forearm strike for a two count. Jeff hits the Whisper in the Wind on Storm and Matt tags in. Matt clotheslines Storm a few times followed by a backdrop. Matt hits a Side Effect on Storm for a near fall. Poetry in Motion on Christian, but Jeff misses Storm in the corner. Christian plants Matt with a reverse DDT leading to a near fall for Storm. Christian has a tag title, but is sent over the top to the floor. Jeff leaps off the railing to clothesline Christian. Matt hits the Twist of Fate on Storm. Jeff hits the Swanton Bomb, but Christian pulls the referee out and the referee calls for the bell. Hardy Boys win by DQ. After the match, Test nails Jeff with a running big boot. Undertaker runs into the ring with a chain and decks everyone, but Test ran away like a scared dog. Storm and Christian runaway as well. They are able to escape in a car. Taker steals a cops motorcycle to chase after them. (**. It’s an okay match, but seemed to be a throwaway. They have completely wasted Jeff Hardy’s spotlight from the previous month to have him back teaming with Matt. The action was fine, but it’s just forgettable.)

Eric Bischoff is standing at the top of the aisle cutting a promo. Bischoff says they are going to settle the ring announcing situation right now. Bischoff has an announcement for Triple H. Bischoff has a big surprise and has something that will answer all the questions. Bischoff says that Lilian and Howard have been doing great in their jobs. Bischoff says he’s going to debut the newest trailer of XXX. They will get a chance to add their own tagline and whomever has the best one will be the ring announcer for RAW. The fans boo for Fink. Lilian gets a much better reaction. Fink cuts off Bischoff and says that Lilian has no experience over him and uses a sailor analogy. Lilian mocks Fink saying that he has a tough time getting his sail up. Fink assures her that he’s all man. Bischoff says this has gone about three minutes too long. Fink throws Garcia into Jamal and Rosey and runs away. Jamal hits a Samoan Drop on Garcia, which was incredible. Jamal goes to the top rope hitting a big splash on Garcia. A fan tossed a roll of toilet paper at Jamal, which got a pop from the crowd. Garcia does a stretcher job.

Main Event: Chris Jericho vs. Rob Van Dam: Jericho attacks RVD with right hands and chops to start the contest. RVD back elbows Jericho followed by a hip toss and monkey flip. RVD hits a standing moonsault for a two count. RVD catapults Jericho over the top to the floor. RVD hits a slingshot senton to the floor onto Jericho. Jericho avoids a boot off the top rope and tosses RVD with a release German suplex. Jericho punts RVD in the ribs a few times. Jericho continues with a back suplex followed by a few elbow drops. Jericho chokes RVD over the middle rope. Jericho splashes onto RVD and taunts the crowd. Jericho tries to take the turnbuckle pad off, but RVD gets a two count with a rollup. Jericho nails RVD with a spinning heel kick. Jericho controls RVD on the mat with his knee pressed into RVD’s back. RVD fights back with forearms, but Jericho avoids a dropkick. RVD blocks a springboard moonsault by getting his knees up. RVD nails Jericho with.a savant kick. RVD nails Jericho with a step over heel kick. RVD hits the rolling thunder splash for a two count. RVD misses a leg sweep and Jericho connects with a jumping kick to the head for a near fall. Jericho chops RVD in the corner a few times. RVD shoulder rams Jericho a few times, but Jericho tries for the Walls of Jericho. RVD counters with an inside cradle for a two count. Jericho accidentally forearms the referee. RVD nails Jericho with a heel kick and Jericho rolls to the floor as RVD checks on the referee.

Jericho has a steel chair, but misses a chair shot. RVD misses a heel kick and Jericho jabs RVD with the chair. Jericho whacks RVD over the back with the chair. Ric Flair comes out with a chair and whacks Jericho over the head before leaving. RVD leaps off the top to hit the Five Star Frog Splash for the win. (**. It was okay, but for some reason I just wasn’t interested or invested in this match. I don’t know if the matchup isn’t intriguing or if they both have been rather poorly in recent months. It’s an average match at best.) After the match, Flair is happy with himself on the aisle. Jericho is livid.

Backstage, Eric Bischoff is on the phone and talking to the movie producer. Bischoff has another surprise for HHH tonight.

Eric Bischoff is in the ring and calls out Triple H to join him. Bischoff talks about HHH harassing wrestlers trying to find out who attacked Michaels. Bischoff has setup a feed from San Antonio for HHH to speak with Michaels. Michaels is all bruised up and Michales says he’s doing as good as he can all things considered. HHH feels horrible and feels guilty about what happened. Michaels tells HHH that they are cool and they’ve always been able to work things out. Michaels gets the point of what HHH was trying to tell him. Bischoff is tired of this and the feed is not cheap. HHH has been trying to find out what happened to Michaels. Michaels only knows that the guy jumped him from behind and woke up in the hospital. HHH promises to find out who did this to Michaels. HHH promises when he finds out who did it then they’ll be a marked man. Michaels reveals that some security video was sent to him and they can maybe find out who did this. We see footage of Michaels pacing back and forth when he’s then sent into the car window head first. HHH says they can’t see anything on the video and doesn’t think Michaels is safe. Michaels says they can enhance the video to get a better look at the footage. The man stands over Michaels and the footage is enhanced to reveal that it was TRIPLE H!

Michaels says “It was you, Hunter.” HHH spits his gum out and reveals a smirk saying it was him. HHH is happy that Michaels found out the truth and he was trying to prove a point. HHH wanted to prove that Michales was weak and needed HHH. HHH wanted to protect Michaels. HHH says that Michaels pride wouldn’t allow him to be a manager. HHH could have crippled Michaels, but he didn’t do it. HHH doesn’t believe anyone else would have stopped. Michaels knows that he’s not in the best shape right now, but the doctors say he’ll make a full recovery and he’ll be 100% by SummerSlam. HHH laughs at the apparent challenge. Michaels tells HHH it was a challenge. HHH asks if Michaels is going to taunt him to death. HHH tells Michaels that his wrestling career is over and that HBK is dead. HHH tells Michaels this time he won’t stop and he’ll finish the job. HHH wonders what happens when Michaels can’t walk anymore or pick up his young son. HHH wonders what happens if Michaels can’t hold his wife or satisfy his wife anymore. Michaels tells HHH to not mention his family. Michaels knows he can’t wrestle anymore and knew that four years ago. However, he can still fight. Michaels knows that the time to fight is now. Michaels is going to show the world and his little boy that sometimes you have to fight in order to be a man. Michaels rips off his microphone and walks off screen.

Final Thoughts:
In-ring wise the show was boring and nothing really held my interest. The Triple H show long angle was fine, but predictable as it’s something that has been done before. It felt similar to Steve Austin trying to find out who ran him over two years earlier. I’m baffled that they didn’t promote Shawn Michaels appearing directly at all. I would be interested in seeing how the ratings looked because of that. It’s a memorable segment between HHH/HBK, but the show overall is not good.

Thanks for reading.