World Wrestling Entertainment presents RAW
Date: 1/6/2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
Eric Bischoff and Chief Morley come out and Bischoff says there’s going to be changes made around here in attitude. Bischoff came out after the Dudley Boys made their way to the ring. Bischoff shows footage from the last RAW of 2002 where Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross won a match against William Regal and Lance Storm due to help from the Dudley Boys and a brass knuckles shot by Jim Ross. Bischoff says the stunt by the Dudley Boys was a slap to his face and its over with now. 2003 is going to go down as the year of Eric Bischoff, which means everyone in the company and everyone in the crowd will show him the kind of respect that he deserves. If they don’t then they will pay the consequences. Dudley Boys will compete in a no disqualification handicap match and their opponents will beat them within an inch of their life. Three Minute Warning and Rico come out, but Bischoff adds a fourth man… Batista! Batista will be competing in the 2003 Royal Rumble, too.
Opening Contest: Batista, Rico Jamal & Rosey vs. Dudley Boys in a handicap no disqualification match: They all start brawling in the ring as Batista remains on the floor. dEvon dumps Jamal to the floor and trades strikes with Rico. Bubba dumps Rosey to the floor and the Dudley’s hit a 3D on Rico! Batista gets in the ring and slams D-Von to the mat. Bubba jabs Batista a few times, but Batista stops Bubba with a spear. Bischoff yells orders as Batista sends Bubba to the floor where Chief Morley pummels Bubba with right hands. Jamal and Rosey hit double elbow drops on D-Von. Batista plants D-Von with a spinebuster in the middle of the ring, but the referee doesn’t want to make the count. Bischoff threatens the referee in the corner to make the count or he’s fired. Batista pulls D-Von up at the count of two. Bubba gets back in the ring and works over Batista with strikes until Rosey hits a belly to belly suplex on Bubba. Ric Flair gets in the ring and struts before putting the figure four on Bubba. Jamal heads to the top rope and leaps off the top to splash Bubba. Rosey splashes D-Von in the corner and Rosey connects with a Samoan Drop. Batista grabs D-Von and hits the Batista Bomb. The referee doesn’t want to count, but does count the three to give Batista the victory. (*1/4. The show basically starts off with an angle instead of a promo. I don’t mind the beatdown segment on the Dudley Boys. They need something to give them some steam. They’re behind Goldust & Booker as a top face team. I doubt they are going to be off TV because of this, though.) After the match, D-Von continues to be stomped by the heels. Bischoff is quite happy with himself.
At the commentary table, Lance Storm & William Regal confront Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler due to their loss to the commentators at the end of 2002. Storm says they have other business to attend to and considers Lawler and JR lucky. Storm and Regal head to the ring where the Dudley Boys are recovering from the beating. Storm grabs D-Von as Regal nails Bubba with brass knuckles. Storm put the Sharpshooter on D-Von, but D-Von is already knocked out. Bubba has been busted wide open due to Regal’s brass knuckles shot.
Backstage, RAW World Champion Triple H is flexing in the mirror and tanned quite a bit for the pose down with Scott Steiner tonight. HHH is tired of hearing people saying that Steiner is going to beat him for the title. HHH doesn’t get any respect for competing in an arm wrestling contest with a bad arm. Ric Flair hypes HHH up as being the best wrestler going today. HHH puts himself over for being in FLEX Magazine and checks out the article. Scott Steiner enters the scene and gets in HHH’s face about the pose down. Steiner tells HHH he’s going to kick his ass tonight in the pose down and then at the Rumble for the title. Steiner threatens HHH to not try anything tonight before walking off. HHH laughs to end the segment.
Backstage, Jacqueline meets up with Trish Stratus to walk to the ring for their tag match.
Second Contest: WWE Women’s Champion Victoria & Molly Holly vs. Jacqueline & Trish Stratus: Victoria shoulder blocks Jacqueline, but Jacqueline delivers a hip toss and strikes. Victoria decks Jacqueline from behind to regain control of the match and delivers a few shoulder rams in the corner. Molly comes off the middle rope to deliver an axe handle to the back. Molly handspring back elbows Jacqueline in the corner for a two count. Molly decks Stratus on the apron and Jacqueline is double teamed with a camel clutch/Boston Crab combo for a moment. Victoria scoop slams Jacqueline and misses a middle rope moonsault. Jacqueline tries to tag in Stratus, but Victoria stops the tag. Victoria is rammed into the corner and Molly is crotched on the top rope. Trish gets tagged in and backdrops Victoria. Stratus head scissors Molly off the top and nails Victoria with the Chick Kick for a two count. Jacqueline and Molly go to the floor. Victoria chops Trish against the ropes, but Trish responds with chops of her own. Trish manages a rollup on Victoria, but Steven Richards enters and yanks Trish down allowing Victoria to get a rollup with a handful of tights for the win. (*1/2. There wasn’t much to the match. Obviously the main focus is advancing Trish vs. Victoria for some point in the future, which I’m interested in.)
Backstage, Terri interviews the RAW Tag Team Champions Booker T & Goldust. Terri asks what they think 2003 has in store for them. Booker notes that Bischoff thinks that 2003 is his year, but they don’t believe that. Booker thinks their in trouble if 2003 is Bischoff’s. Booker talks about Bischoff allowing his champion to bail to Smackdown. Booker thinks that 2003 is going to be the year of Booker T and Goldust.
Backstage, Eric Bischoff is complaining to Chief Morley about the disrespect. Bischoff books a match where Lance Storm and William Regal will challenge for the RAW Tag Team Championships tonight. Bischoff will not stand for disrespect.
Chris Jericho makes his way out to cut a promo. Jericho brings up WrestleMania from last year and how since then he’s had a dream and it’s a reoccurring dream where he returns to Mania and reclaims the World Championship. Jericho doesn’t care who he wrestles at WrestleMania because it’s the most important thing in his life. It’s not about proving anything to himself or the fans. It’s about being regarded as the best in the world. Jericho doesn’t need the title to be known as the best in the world. He’ll be known as the highlight of the night. Jericho knows he needs to win the Rumble to make it happen. Jericho announces that he’s been entered into the 2003 Royal Rumble match.
Shawn Michaels comes out to cutoff Jericho’s promo. Michaels tells Jericho they have gotten off to a rocky start. Michaels didn’t come out there to upset him. Michaels has an issue with Jericho thinking he’s the best, but he’s not there to dispute it. Michaels thinks they are a lot alike, and they have a lot more in common than Jericho realizes. Michaels says Jericho needs what Michaels always needed. Michaels notes that sometimes being the best isn’t enough. Michaels says that Jericho needs everyone to acknowledge him as the very best, just like Michaels was. Michaels says that Jericho needs to volunteer to be the number one entrant in the Rumble and outlast the other wrestlers to win the Royal Rumble match. Then, Jericho has to go and win the title at WrestleMania. That’s when everyone will have to acknowledge him as the very best. Jericho dismisses that notion and knows what Michaels is trying to do. Jericho knows that Michaels is trying to casually remind everyone that Michaels accomplished that feat. Jericho reminds Michaels that he beat two guys in the same night to win the world title, to men that Michaels never beat (which isn’t true, Michaels did beat Steve Austin before). Jericho tells Michaels he’s done everything, too. Michaels continues to push Jericho to be the number one entrant. Michaels tells Jericho that if he doesn’t then he’ll volunteer to be the first entrant. Michaels officially declares for the Royal Rumble match. Michaels tells Jericho he’ll have to go through him to prove that he’s the best. Jericho suggests not waiting for the Rumble and kick Michaels ass tonight. They begin to circle the ring, but the segment is cutoff by…
RNN Breaking News. Randy Orton makes his way down to the ring. Orton wants them to hang on for one minute and says that it’s big news that Michaels in the Royal Rumble match. Orton says the big news is that his shoulder is at 93% mobility! Orton thinks that Michaels is a bit jealous that his comeback story is more inspirational than Michaels. Orton thinks he’s the new sexy boy in town. Orton says that Michaels won’t want to be near a guy like him when he’s healthy. Michaels decks Orton, but Jericho attacks Michaels. Rob Van Dam gets in the ring, but is attacked by Orton. Christian gets in the ring to help attack RVD. Kane runs into the ring and scares the heels to the floor.
Third Contest: RAW Tag Team Champions Booker T & Goldust vs. Lance Storm & William Regal: Booker and Storm kickoff the tag title match. Booker gets a hammerlock on Storm, but Storm backs Booker into the ropes and delivers a few elbow strikes. Booker counters a hip toss with a clothesline and a scoop slam. Booker delivers a knee drop and plays to the crowd. Goldust leaps off the middle rope to strike Storm on the ribs. Goldust comes off the ropes to deliver a strike for a two count. Storm stops Goldust with a jawbreaker and Regal tags in, but runs into a backdrop. Goldust yanks on Regal’s arm. Goldust flips Regal to the mat, but Goldust comes off the ropes with a shoulder block. Bischoff is seen backstage freaking out throughout the match. Booker returns to the match and strikes Regal to the mat. Booker backs Regal into a corner and delivers a chop. Storm drops Booker throat first over the top rope and Regal uppercuts Booker followed by a knee drop. Storm tags into the match and stomps Booker on the mat. Storm rams Booker into the corner and delivers an elbow strike for a two count. Storm keeps Booker on the mat with a chin lock to maintain control.
Regal tags in and kicks Booker in the midsection followed by uppercuts for a near fall. Regal keeps Booker on the mat with a sleeper, but Booker doesn’t fade. Regal knee strikes Booker and delivers a running knee strike. Storm tags into the match, but Goldust stops the cover attempt. Storm locks in a neck vice, but Booker doesn’t submit. Storm drop toe holds Booker to the mat and puts a crossface on Booker. Booker elbows free, but Storm delivers a strike. Booker nails Storm with a heel kick. Booker tags in Goldust and Goldust delivers several strikes. Goldust clotheslines Storm and atomic drops Regal. Goldust powerslams Storm for a two count as Regal made the save. Booker pummels Regal with strikes in the corner. Regal runs into a butt strike by Goldust. Goldust holds Storm to allow Booker to hit a leaping heel kick for a near fall. The referee is kicked by Regal. Booker and Storm go over the top to the floor on a clothesline by Booker. All four men and the referee are down on the floor as the show goes to commercial.
Storm kicks Booker in the corner, but runs into a spinebuster by Booker for a near fall. Chief Morley came down during the commercial to be a referee. Booker nails Morley with a leaping kick after Storm ducked. However, Booker has a cover after the Book-End on Storm but there’s no referee. A third referee slides into the ring and Booker manages a two count on Storm. Goldust tags into the match and works over Storm with strikes in the corner. Goldust knocks Regal off the apron, but Storm bails to the floor. Regal clotheslines Goldust on the floor as Goldust chased Storm on the floor. Storm covers Goldust for a near fall. Regal kicks Goldust in the ribs and hits an overhead suplex for a near fall as Booker breaks the cover. Regal forearms Goldust on the lower back several times. Storm snapmares Goldust and keeps control with a chin lock in the middle of the ring. Goldust elbows Storm to break free and decks Regal on the apron. Goldust delivers a side slam and crawls towards the corner to tag in Booker.
Booker cleans house with strikes to the challengers. Booker backdrops Storm coming off the ropes and decks Regal before chopping Storm in the corner. Booker avoids Storm in the corner and delivers a flapjack. Booker does the spinarooni. Booker nails Storm with the scissors kick, but Morley pulls the referee out of the ring. Regal decks Booker with brass knuckles and does the same to Booker. Storm is put on top and covers Booker to win the tag titles! (***. I enjoyed this quite a bit even with all the referee bumps. The crowd felt invested and it shows that the only thing that is truly connecting with the RAW crowd is the tag team of Booker and Goldust. It’s a short run for Booker and Goldust, but the money and interest is always the face team chasing the heels. It’s a fresh chase if they focus on the tag titles. Regal and Storm are a very good heel team and I enjoy their antics. I’d imagine the pivot is going to be the Dudley’s chasing for the gold for the played millionth time.)
Backstage, Eric Bischoff and Chief Morley are celebrating with the new tag champs. Lance Storm is honored to be tag champion and defend Bischoff’s honor. Regal notes that he’s always enjoyed working for Bischoff and can’t believe Booker and Goldust would insult Bischoff and Morley regime.
Earlier today, Christopher Nowinski wants D’Lo Brown to be in his corner because Brown was rejected by Stacy Keibler and they both suffer prejudices.
Fourth Contest: Test vs. Christopher Nowinski: Test slingshots D’Lo into the ring and chases D’Lo on the floor allowing Nowinski to deliver a clothesline in the ring. Nowinski sends Test into the ring post shoulder first. Nowinski sends Test into the post a second time shoulder first before putting an arm bar on Test. Test breaks free with a side slam. D’Lo stalks towards Keibler, but Test slides to the floor. Nowinski grabs Test only to be dropped throat first over the top rope. Test clotheslines Nowinski several times. Test elbows Nowinski in the corner and clotheslines D’Lo on the apron. Test plants Nowinski with a full nelson slam. D’Lo grabs Test’s foot, but is decked off the apron by Nowinski on accident. Test spikes Nowinski with an Overdrive for the win. After the match, D’Lo drops Test with a sit out spinebuster and yells at Keibler. D’Lo walks off with Nowinski.
Backstage, Christian meets up with Chris Jericho and says he’s in the Royal Rumble along with Jericho. Jericho thinks Christian can help him win the Royal Rumble, but Christian wants to win the Rumble for himself. Jericho tells Christian that he was the first-ever Undisputed Champion and is going to win it. They begin to bicker with insults until Randy Orton enters the scene and says that he’s in their corner and they don’t need to worry about Shawn Michaels. Orton tells them to focus on Kane and Rob Van Dam tonight. Jericho and Christian leave as Orton admires himself in a mirror.
A video package promoting the feud between RAW World Champion Triple H and Scott Steiner is shown. Steiner beating Triple H in an arm wrestling contest is shown.
Backstage, Triple H is preparing for the pose down and Ric Flair tells HHH he’s the man. We also see Scott Steiner preparing as the pose down is coming up next.
In the ring, RAW World Champion Triple H tells Coach that he’s tired of hearing Scott Steiner say he’s going to kick HHH’s ass at the Royal Rumble. HHH instead believes he’s going to beat Steiner at Royal Rumble and also tonight at his own game. HHH says it will be them competing pose for pose. HHH can’t allow the fans to judge this because they are jealous of someone like him. HHH is going to pick six people who qualify to be judges for a bodybuilding event. HHH obviously picks six planted fans in the front row. Coach will declared three poses for the men to pose and they will then be judged by the six judges with score cards.
The first pose is a front double bicep. Triple H goes first and gets booed by the crowd, obviously. Steiner steps in front to pose and gets cheered. The second pose is the side chest. HHH gets distracted by Steiner’s body and seems to be a bit jealous. The most muscular is the final pose. They have a face off and argue while posing. It’s now time for the judges to decide. All six judges vote for Triple H. Clearly this was a rigged competition. Steiner grabs the microphone and can’t believe nobody voted for him. Steiner knows this is a setup. HHH promises he’s never met the judges. Steiner wants the fans to decide the real winner and poses on the middle rope to a pop. HHH doesn’t need to stand on the turnbuckle for the idiots to tell him what he already knows. HHH is taking what the judges said as the true outcome. HHH understands that bodybuilding to subjective and it’s all opinion. HHH suggests another contest where they do pushups since it’s Steiner’s gimmick. HHH knows that he’d smoke Steiner in a pushup competition. They proceed to do pushups staring at each other while doing so. However, the judges proceed to attack Steiner and HHH leaves the ring applauding the beatdown. Steiner gets up and fights off the judges. Steiner tells for HHH to get back in the ring, but HHH backs off up the aisle while posing to end the segment.
Main Event: Chris Jericho & Christian vs. Kane & Rob Van Dam: All four men are in the ring trading strikes as RVD clotheslines Christian to the floor. Kane press slams Jericho over the top to the floor onto Christian. RVD takes both men out with a somersault dive to the floor. RVD kicks Jericho in the corner several times followed by right hands. Jericho boots RVD in the corner, but is met with a spin kick. RVD is shoved off the top by Christian and crashes onto the ramp. Christian kicks RVD followed rubbing RVD’s face on the mat. Christian tags in Jericho and RVD is double teamed in the corner. Jericho hits a back suplex on RVD and comes off the ropes to deliver an elbow drop a few times. Jericho covers for a two count. Jericho presses his knee into RVD’s back and pulls back on RVD’s arm for a moment. RVD kicks free and delivers forearms, but Jericho yanks RVD to the mat. RVD fires back with strikes and nails Christian with a spin kick. Christian keeps control with a front face lock. The referee gets distracted by Jericho as Kane got tagged in. RVD is sent to the floor and Randy Orton attacks RVD on the floor. Shawn Michaels walks over and nails Orton with Sweet Chin Music. Jericho attacks Michaels sending Michaels into the ring steps. RVD is double teamed in the corner. Jericho misses an attack and hits the post. RVD spin kicks Jericho and crawls to the corner to tag in Kane. Kane cleans house with strikes and clotheslines Christian in the corner. Kane big boots Jericho followed by a side slam to Christian. Kane hits a double snap suplex. Kane leaps off the top to hit a clothesline on Christian. Jericho saves Christian and Christian hits a reverse DDT for a near fall. Jericho grabs two chairs as RVD got knocked off the apron. Kane avoids the chair shots. Michaels trips both Jericho and Christian. Michaels brawls with Jericho on the floor. RVD leaps off the top to kick Christian. Kane chokeslams Christian as Michaels and Jericho have brawled into the crowd. RVD heads to the top rope to hit the Five Star Frog Splash for the win. (**1/2. A fine tag match and the crowd responded well to it. It was a bit obvious that Michaels would get involved and take Jericho out of the match to advance their feud. I like Orton being inserted into the mix as he’s done very well to get under the skin over the viewer. A clean finish in the main event is always appreciated, too.)
Backstage, Eric Bischoff tells RAW Tag Team Champions William Regal & Lance Storm that this week went exactly how he wanted, but next week will be even better. Bischoff reveals that William Regal will wrestle Jerry Lawler on RAW. Bischoff’s phone rings and steps aside to take the call. Bischoff can’t believe what he’s hearing and says that Vince McMahon’s secretary was on the phone. Bischoff reveals that Vince McMahon will be on RAW next week and looks concerned to end the program.
Final Thoughts:
I’ll consider this an average episode of RAW. The tag title match was good and I like Regal/Storm getting a run with the titles. The pose down segment wasn’t very good. Steiner isn’t coming across like the WCW version and he’s not “cool”. RAW feels mostly lifeless and doesn’t feel like a fresh show compared to Smackdown.
Thanks for reading.