Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Entertainment presents RAW
Date: 10/21/2002
From: Nashville, TN
RAW World Champion Triple H and Ric Flair make their way down to the ring to start the program. HHH has a message for all the wrestlers, fans and “writers” who say he didn’t deserve to be handed the World Championship. That message is simply “screw you.” HHH does whatever he wants when he does it and nobody can do anything about it. HHH believes he’s untouchable. HHH thinks he is the greatest champion of all-time. HHH says that beating Kane is one more nail in Katie Vick’s coffin. HHH hopes that Kane hasn’t gotten in a car accident and killed someone since Kane hasn’t arrived yet. HHH notes that Kane probably doesn’t want to team with RVD to take himself and Flair on tonight. HHH has a videotape and Flair holds it in the air. HHH recalls whether or not Kane had sex with Vick dead or alive. HHH warns that the video is graphic and the people will never look at Kane the same again. The Hurricane comes out and attacks Flair followed by right hands to HHH. Hurricane ducks a right hand and nails HHH with a neckbreaker. Hurricane steals the videotape, but HHH nails Hurricane with a clothesline on the floor. HHH sends Hurricane into the ring steps. HHH promises to show the videotape and that when it does air that the issue with Kane will be just like Vick… dead.
Opening Contest: Jeff Hardy vs. Christopher Nowinski: Nowinski takes Hardy down to the mat with a snapmare, but doesn’t followup with the advantage. Nowinski shoves Hardy away in a hammerlock position. Nowinski puts a headlock on Hardy and delivers a shoulder block coming off the ropes. Hardy sends Nowinski over the top to the floor and hits a somersault dive to the floor. Nowinski gains control dropping Hardy over the ropes and hammers away on Hardy with strikes. Nowinski elbow drops Hardy a few times for a two count. Hardy almost wins following a Thez Press. Nowinski steps on Hardy’s back in the corner. Nowinski manages a two count with a rollup. Nowinski drives Hardy down with a gut buster for another near fall. Nowinski sends Hardy chest first into the corner. Hardy gets clotheslined after a two count with an inside cradle. Hardy ducks a clothesline and gets dropped throat first over the top rope. Nowinski almost wins and hits a twisting double under hook slam for a two count. Hardy kicks Nowinski away and continues with right hands. Hardy forearms Nowinski and hammers away on Nowinski in the corner. Hardy takes Nowinski down with a jawbreaker. Hardy heads to the top rope, but Nowinski rolls to the floor to avoid a move. However, Hardy leaps off the top to axe handle Nowinski on the floor. Nowinski has a chair, but Al Snow distracts Nowinski. Hardy kicks the chair into Nowinski and misses the swanton landing on the chair because Snow pulled Nowinski away. Nowinski covers Hardy to win the match. Snow looked conflicted. (*1/2. Hardy continues to flutter down the card after a strong summer of matches. Snow’s angle of wanting to help an ungrateful student could lead to them teaming down the line. The action was alright, but nothing memorable.)
Backstage, Eric Bischoff is watching television which has his confrontation with Big Show from last night on it. Stacy Keibler enters the room and asks if she can be a referee. Bischoff allows her to pick any match that isn’t the main event. Big Show enters the room and Bischoff says there’s no grudges about what happened last night. Bischoff tells Show that he’s got a handicap match against Rico, Jamal and Rosey. Bischoff wishes him luck. Show walks off after Bischoff laughed at him.
Backstage, Tommy Dreamer asks Al Snow what his issue is. Snow didn’t want to see Nowinski get hurt and Dreamer says they have a Singapore cane match tonight. Nowinski walks up and tells Snow that he didn’t need help getting into the WWE and doesn’t need help now.
Prior to the next match, Lance Storm says that the Un-Americans is finished, but Storm and William Regal are together. Storm calls American people savages. Regal says that people are afraid to leave their own homes. Regal tells the fans they know what their talking about and they should be ashamed of themselves.
Second Contest: Lance Storm & William Regal vs. Bubba Dudley & Spike Dudley in a number one contenders match: Storm and Spike start the match with Storm taking Spike down to the mat quickly. Spike forearms Storm and almost wins with a rollup. Storm knee lifts Spike followed by a strike to the back. Spike bulldogs Storm followed by an atomic drop and clothesline. Bubba tags in and jabs Storm before putting a headlock on Storm. Bubba shoulder blocks Storm and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Bubba chops Storm in the corner, but Regal hits Bubba from behind. Storm heel kicks Bubba from behind. Bubba backdrops Regal to gain control. We see Kane arriving to the arena. Spike gets tagged in and cleans house with forearm strikes. Bubba clotheslines Storm to the floor and slams Regal. Strom knocks Bubba down, but Spike hits a top rope hurricanrana. Regal decks Spike for a two count. Storm misses a splash in the corner. Bubba jabs Regal and hits the Bubba Bomb on Storm. Spike drops Regal with the Acid Drop for the win. (**. A quick match, but I enjoyed it. I was honestly surprised that Storm and Regal lost the match. I suppose since Jericho and Christian are the champions it does make sense. I like Storm and Regal as a duo and that the UnAmericans are disbanded.) After the match, Storm superkicks Bubba from behind. Regal punches Spike with the brass knuckles a few times. Spike is seen coughing up blood to end the segment.
Backstage, WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus was taking pictures. Stratus says that Victoria is obsessed with her sex life. Jericho and Christian enter the scene wishing Stratus luck tonight. Christian reminds Stratus about barking like a dog and jokes that a woman who did that would never sleep her way to the top. Jericho proclaims he’s not a sucker and rather he’s a huge rock star. Jericho has seen the way Stratus has been looking at him. Jericho suggests she come back to his locker room for some Vitamin C. They walk off and Stratus says “talk about delusional.”
RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff makes his way out to the stage to address the fans. Bischoff says that Show is going to find out what happens when you put your hands on Bischoff. Bischoff puts over the match between Lesnar and Taker last night. Bischoff has a match in mind and talks about Survivor Series. Bischoff says only he could think of a match this good. Bischoff says that we will witness the Elimination Chamber.
A vignette promoting Batista coming to RAW is shown.
Stacy Keibler has decided to be the special referee of the next match.
Third Contest: Test vs. D’Lo Brown: Keibler slaps Brown and Test gets control with right hands and a backdrop. Test elbows Brown several times followed by stomps in the corner. Test clotheslines Brown in the corner. Brown avoids a full nelson attempt and forearm smashes Test. Brown connects with a heel kick. Brown slams Test and hits a leg drop for a two count thanks to a slow count. Test tries for a pump handle, but Brown counters with a sit out powerbomb, but Stacy is trying her boots. Brown confronts her and is met with a big boot leading to a three count, which was a fast count. Stacy jumps into Test’s arms. (*1/2. Well, Test has new gear and having Stacy with him could be something to finally elevate him. Test has the look and can work a good match. He just struggles with personality and promos. Keibler could be the missing piece to make him a top heel on the RAW brand.)
Backstage, Terri interviews Victoria. Terri mentions that Trish has denied sleeping her way to the top. Victoria doesn’t like being called a liar. She’s bitter that Stratus chose her career over their friendship. Goldust appears behind her and mocks her. Goldust speaks like Dusty and Victoria says he doesn’t know what she’s been through. Booker T enters the scene, as well. Booker suggests Victoria is a ho. Booker promises to kick Jericho’s ass tonight.
Fourth Contest: RAW Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Christian & Victoria vs. Booker T, Goldust & WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus: Stratus hammers away on Victoria to start the match. Victoria drop toe holds Stratus over the bottom rope followed by a backdrop. Stratus kicks Victoria and Christian tags in. Stratus slaps Christian in the corner and tags in Booker. Booker heel kicks Christian followed by strikes and chops in the corner. Jericho is decked by Booker. Christian misses a clothesline and Booker nails Christian with a forearm smash and a standing heel kick for a near fall. Booker beats on Christian against the ropes. Booker decks Jericho off the Aron and is distracted by Victoria allowing a cheap shot by Christian. Booker is double teamed on the floor. Jericho covers Booker for a two count and hits a vertical suplex. Jericho chokes Booker in the corner and delivers a few elbow strikes. Booker manages a rollup out of the corner for a two count. Jericho delivers a forearm smash and an elbow drop. Christian tags into the match and hammers away on Booker. Booker is stopped by a knee lift from Christian, but Goldust breaks up the cover attempt. Christian keeps a chin lock on Booker.
Booker elbows free and runs into a dropkick by Christian. Jericho tags in and comes off the top with a knee drop to Booker’s leg. Jericho taunts the crowd while Booker struggles to his feet. Jericho hammers away on Booker against the ropes. Booker punches Jericho several times and is met with a kick. Booker plants Jericho with a double leg slam. Goldust gets the hot tag and cleans house with right hands. Goldust backdrops Jericho and atomic drops Christian. Goldust hits Victoria with a butt splash and nearly pins Jericho after a powerslam. Goldust leaps off the middle rope with a bulldog for a two count. Jericho elbows Goldust into a corner and Stratus tags in hitting a crossbody for a near fall. Stratus is pulled to the floor while Goldust sets Jericho up in the corner for Shattered Dreams. Goldust is punched by Victoria, which doesn’t hurt. Goldust kisses Victoria and sends her into Jeircho on the top rope. Booker clotheslines Christian over the top to the floor. Stratus hits a hurricanrana on Jericho, but is met with a clothesline. Jericho puts the Walls of Jericho on Stratus to win the match. After the match, Booker heel kicks Jericho from behind to make the save. (**1/2. The crowd was into this match and I thought it was solid overall action. There’s steam behind the tag feud and Jericho is managing to get more and more heat as each week goes by. Having Jericho make Stratus submit was a nice touch to make him look like a douche.)
Backstage, Triple H tells the production truck to not play the tape until he tells them to do it.
Backstage, Terri is hopeful that Kane will take to her.
Backstage, Coach is with Triple H and wonders why he’s doing this. HHH wants to show the world the guy Kane truly is. HHH calls Kane a sick freak and only a guy like Kane would do this stuff. HHH calls for the tape to be played.
October 9th, 1992 there’s a casket and HHH appears wearing a Kane mask asking if anyone is there. HHH is impersonating Kane and you can hear audible laughter from the crowd. “Kane” suggests that Vick looks better dead than she did alive. Vick wouldn’t have had to die if she just let him touch her. “Kane” blames Vick for her own death. “Kane” has always wanted her and wants her more than ever right now. “Kane” grabs Vick’s breasts and clearly enjoys it. “Kane’ takes his shirt off and undresses Vick in the casket. “Kane” sniffs Vick’s panties. “Kane” gets in the casket and you can hear the act happen. “Kane” is surprised that he actually screwed her brains out and pulls out brains. Back to HHH with Coach and he’s laughing hysterically.
Backstage, Terri tries to talk to Kane and has the door closed in her face.
Fifth Contest: Al Snow vs. Tommy Dreamer in a Singapore Cane Match: They both have canes and hit each other on the legs. Dreamer hits Snow coming off the apron in the midsection and back. Dreamer hits the post and Snow delivers several headbutts followed by a suplex on the floor. Dreamer low blows Snow coming out of the corner and hits Snow with the cane on the legs a few times. Nowinski is on the apron hitting Snow allowing Dreamer to win. It appeared Nowinski was going to help Snow, but just walks off anyway. (1/2*. This was just angle advancement for the Snow/Nowinski issue and not designed to be a goos match.)
Sixth Contest: Jamal, Rosey & Rico vs. Big Show in a handicap match: Show is triple teamed in the corner, but fights them all off with strikes. Show is double teamed by Jamal and Rosey. Show clotheslines them both over the top to the floor. Rico kicks Show, but is knocked down to the mat. Show chops Rico several times in the corner. Show hip tosses Rico across the ring and tries for a chokeslam, but is stopped by Jamal and Rosey. Jamal superkicks Show and they hit a double elbow drop a few times. Show fights all three men off again and slams Rosey. Show side slams Jamal and tosses Rico to the floor. Rosey is sent to the floor and Show chokeslams Jamal for the win. (1/2*. I hate this for Three Minute Warning. They were presented as badasses and now they can’t win a handicap match. I’m assuming Show is now turning face to eventually be fed to HHH? I don’t see the longterm benefit of this.)
Shawn Michaels is in a wheelchair and we’ll hear from him in just a few moments.
Backstage, Eric Bischoff walks up to Big Show and says that he’s been traded to Smackdown. Bischoff tells Show he’ll hear from his attorney. Show tells Coach to not feel sorry for him because Coach still has to work for Bischoff. We see Hurricane waiting by a car with the trunk open to end the segment.
At The World in New York City, Shawn Michaels appears on the stage. Jim Ross asks how Michaels is feeling and Michaels says he’s feeling better but isn’t quite 100%. Michaels says the progress is going well, but is going slow. Michaels has nothing to prove as his career can speak for himself. Michaels realized that giving up is not an option. Michaels tells HHH to not hunt what he can’t kill. Michaels stretches out his legs and then pops out of the wheelchair. Michaels has been on the comeback trail. Michaels wants HHH to look over his shoulder every Monday night. Michaels is mobile and could be coming from anywhere at any time. Michaels says that he’s coming back and he’s going to get HHH.
Main Event: RAW World Champion Triple H & Ric Flair vs. Rob Van Dam & Kane: All four men are in the ring brawling to start with Kane hammering away on HHH in the corner. Kane clotheslines Flair in the corner and the same to HHH. RVD kicks Flair and heel kicks HHH in the corner. Kane clotheslines HHH over the top to the floor. RVD nails Flair with a step over heel kick. RVD nails Flair with a handspring splash for a near fall. RVD springboard kicks Flair and they go to the floor. HHH knocks Kane off the apron onto the guard railing. RVD heel kicks HHH a couple of times. RVD goes to the top and is shoved off by Flair crashing to the floor. HHH sends RVD into the ring steps. Flair chops RVD and sends RVD into the steps again. HHH tries for a cover, but only manages a two count. HHH connects with a vertical suplex for a near fall. Flair tags into the match and keeps control on RVD with a boot to the midsection. Flair distracts the referee allowing HHH to deliver a cheap shot. Flair chops RVD several times, but an eye rake stops him. Flair back elbows RVD to the mat and tags in HHH. RVD ducks a clothesline and is met with a high knee leading to a near fall. Flair punches RVD several times to maintain the advantage. HHH knee lifts RVD from the apron and Flair decks RVD to the mat. RVD counters a suplex attempt with a rollup for a two count. HHH drops RVD to the canvas.
HHH locks in a sleeper hold in the middle of the ring. RVD sends HHH into the corner and Flair tags in only to be knocked down by RVD. Flair prevents a tag to Kane. Flair goes to the top rope and is slammed off by RVD. RVD ducks a clothesline and spin kicks Flair. HHH rams RVD into the corner face first and delivers a few more punches. RVD springboards off the ropes to kick HHH to the mat. RVD goes to the wrong corner and finally tags in Kane, but the referee didn’t see it. HHH sends RVD into the ring post head first. RVD knocks Flair down again and rolls over to his corner, but the referee didn’t see it. Kane clotheslines HHH from the top followed by a big boot and a backdrop to Flair. Kane side slams HHH and is met with chops by Flair. Kane tries for a chokeslam, but HHH kicks Kane to avoid it. Kane delivers a double clothesline. RVD tags in, apparently the referee did see the tag. RVD is crotched by Flair and crashes to the mat. Flair low blows RVD while Kane and HHH brawl up the aisle. Flair plants RVD with a back suplex. Kane sends HHH face first into the stage. RVD almost wins with an inside cradle. RVD elbows Flair and hits a top rope kick. RVD hits the rolling thunder on Flair. RVD goes to the top to hit the Five Star Frog Splash to win the match. (**. This felt more like a fight than it was a tag match, which made sense and made it better than it normally would have been. RVD winning is the right call since he needs to gain some much needed momentum. The match continued to add to the angle between HHH and Kane.)
Backstage, Kane and HHH continued to brawl with Kane getting the better of the exchange. HHH rams Kane face first onto a chair hood. Kane catapults HHH onto the car to avoid a pedigree. Kane chokeslams HHH on the hood. Kane dumps HHH into the trunk of the car and closes it. Kane tells Hurricane to leave and tells HHH that he’s going to screw him. Kane wonders if HHH will still be alive or will he wait until he’s dead. Kane drives off, though the trunk had popped open and HHH pulled it back down.
Final Thoughts:
There were a couple of decent matches on the show, but the main takeaway here is the ridiculous Katie Vick segment with HHH. People clearly thought it was funny, but it’s a cringe segment and embarrassing. I can’t imagine HHH is proud of that one, right? I don’t think anything happened here to get me excited for next week. Michaels being on the hunt for HHH will be good, but that’s likely weeks away from happening. It’s an average show at best this week.
Thanks for reading.