World Wrestling Entertainment presents RAW
Date: 3/31/2003
From: Seattle, WA
RAW starts off with a video package highlighting WrestleMania XIX, which happened the previous evening.
Backstage, Rock is cleaning off his glasses, and stops a makeup artist from applying makeup to his face. Rock says tonight is Rock Appreciation Night, but the crowd boos that news. Rock accepts a few dabs of makeup before walking off.
Stone Cold Steve Austin makes his way down to the ring to cut a promo. Austin says he’s always been very honest ever since he’s been in the WWE. Austin recalls having a 2-0 record against Rock at WrestleMania and admits that Rock was the better man last night. Austin isn’t happy to say he got his ass whipped last night. Austin says that doesn’t mean Rock will be the better man tonight. Austin calls out Rock to the ring so that he can shake his hand and tell Rock he was the better man last night. Instead of Rock, Eric Bischoff makes his way out to join the segment.
Bischoff remains on the aisle with papers in hand and says Austin doesn’t want to shake Rock’s hand and instead wants to beat Rock’s ass for beating him last night. Austin agrees. Bischoff says Austin isn’t going to kick Rock’s ass tonight or anyone’s ass any time. Bischoff knows Austin’s little secret and knows what Austin has been trying to hide. Bischoff asks if it’s true Austin was in the hospital before Mania and says it was a anxiety attack. Bischoff had his lawyers look into it and apparently there’s more wrong than just Austin’s personality. Bischoff talks about Austin’s neck and spine injuries. Austin looks a bit stunned by Bischoff revealing this news. Bischoff reveals that Austin’s doctor has said Austin faces serious complications and Austin’s doctor will not clear him. Austin doesn’t appreciate Bischoff telling his personal information. Austin wants Bischoff to come to the ring, but Bischoff decides against doing that. Austin tells Bischoff that nobody will stop him from getting in the ring if he wants to. Bischoff considers Austin to be a liability. Bischoff terminates Austin due to health issues. Bischoff fires Austin! Austin tells Bischoff he can’t fire him, but Bischoff says he can do that because he’s the GM of RAW. Bischoff says a fax is being sent to Austin’s home as we speak. Bischoff repeats that Austin is fired. Austin is left stunned in the ring to end the segment.
Prior to the match, Ric Flair took Hurricane’s mask off a young fan and broke the mask.
Opening Contest: RAW World Champion Triple H vs. The Hurricane in a non-title match: HHH attacks Hurricane on the floor with right hands. The boys mom is consoling her child. HHH sends Hurricane to the floor, but Hurricane responds with strikes. HHH plants Hurricane with a spinebuster. HHH sends Hurricane hard into the corner. HHH chops Hurricane in the corner and delivers a kick to the midsection followed by a suplex attempt, but Hurricane sends HHH chest first into the corner and hits a neckbreaker. HHH misses a clothesline and Hurricane decks HHH with a couple of clotheslines followed by a shining wizard for a two count. Hurricane plants HHH with a tornado DDT for a two count. Flair trips Hurricane from the floor and dances. Hurricane baseball slides Flair and chokeslams HHH! Flair pulls Hurricane to the floor, but is decked by Hurricane. Hurricane hits a top rope crossbody for a near fall. HHH avoids a neckbreaker and tries for the Pedigree, but Hurricane backdrops HHH. Hurricane tries for the Pedigree, but HHH catapults Hurricane chest first into the corner. Hurricane manages to hit the Eye of the Hurricane for a two count! Hurricane avoids HHH in the corner, but misses a blockbuster attempt. HHH plants Hurricane with the Pedigree to win the match. (***. A good TV match, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that HHH would feel the need to cut the momentum of Hurricane as a babyface on RAW. I don’t think Hurricane is necessarily on the cusp of being a main event act, but Hurricane certainly had the potential to be a fun underdog on RAW. That could still be the case, but HHH using Hurricane to continue his heel momentum after Mania didn’t need to happen.)
Backstage, Rob Van Dam meets up with Kane in the locker room. Kane wants to talk to RVD and thinks it is a good idea if they got their own ways since they didn’t win the tag titles last night. RVD tells Kane they got them a rematch against Morley and Storm tonight for the tag titles with no interference stipulation. RVD tells Kane if they lost they’d have to join the Bischoff Administration. Kane leaves frustrated that RVD would do such a thing. RVD is confident they’re going to win, dude.
Goldberg video package promoting his debut is shown. This was first aired at WrestleMania XIX last night. He’s going to be at Backlash.
Prior to the next match, Christopher Nowinski apologizes for looking weird with a protective face mask on, but says the people of Seattle look weird without the mask. Nowinski is wearing smaller trunks than he normally does. Nowinski asks Steiner to be a gentleman and not hit his face. Steiner promises to punch Nowinski on the nose and says Nowinski is going to floss with his shoe laces.
Second Contest: Scott Steiner vs. Christopher Nowinski: Nowisnki tries to escape through the crowd, but fails to escape. Steiner rams Nowinski face first on the apron and delivers a few chops in the corner. Steiner decks Nowinski with a clothesline and delivers an elbow drop before doing pushups. Steiner kicks Nowinski on the mat and elbows Nowinski on the mat several times. Nowinski kicks Steiner followed by a headbutt with the face mask. Nowinski clotheslines Steiner in the corner followed by kicks. Nowinski runs into a big boot in the corner. Steiner hits a belly to belly suplex for a two count. Steiner hits an overhead suplex. Steiner removes the mask and decks Nowinski on the face. Steiner locks in the Steiner Recliner and wins the match by submission. (*1/2. Steiner looked fine here in a short bout. Nowinski is a good heel.)
Backstage, Terri tries to talk to Steve Austin. Austin tells Terri he was fired and Bischoff looked up his medical records. Austin admits his neck is garbage and Bischoff fired him. Terri thanks Austin for his time and runs off.
Jim Ross calls Eric Bischoff a no good bastard for leaking Austin’s medical records and thinks Bischoff should burn in hell.
Backstage, Dudley Boys are talking where Bubba Dudley tells D-Von he saved their jobs by preventing RVD from pinning Morley. D-Von says they are not slaves to Morley and believes he’s insane. D-Von doesn’t like any of this and thinks it stinks. Bubba agrees and tells D-Von they need to play by his rules. RAW Tag Team Champions Chief Morley and Lance Storm enter the ring. Morley tells the Dudley’s they are not allowed at ringside due to the no interference. Morley instead puts the Dudley’s in the tag match which is an elimination match. Morley tells the Dudley’s they will help them eliminate Kane and RVD before laying down for them. D-Von is pissed about this, but Bubba agrees to the stipulation.
Backstage, Booker T is getting his knee wrapped up when Ric Flair approaches Booker and taunts him regarding his knee. Booker gets fed up and presses Flair against the door. Booker threatens Flair that he’ll break his ass if Flair ever gets involved in his business again. Flair runs off terrified.
Third Contest: Maven vs. Rosey: Maven punches Rosey a few times, but Rosey stops Maven’s momentum with a shoulder block. Rosey headbutts Maven and delivers a chop against the ropes several times. Rosey chokes Maven against the ropes and Rico pulls Maven from the floor to deliver a strike to the chest. Rosey strikes Maven in the corner a few times. Maven avoids a splash in the corner and delivers a forearm smash. Rico drops off the apron, but Rosey tries for a swinging slam. Maven dropkicks Rosey on the back. Maven counters another slam with a rollup for a two count. Maven sunset flips Rosey for the win. (DUD. Oh my God, that was brutal. That may be one of the worst RAW matches I’ve ever seen. Maven whiffed on the dropkick to the back, which was similar to his whiff at last years WrestleMania.)
Jerry Lawler working as a photographer for Playboy is shown. It is as cringe as you’d expect.
Chris Jericho comes out to cut a promo before the next match. Jericho has something to say to Shawn Michaels. Jericho puts over the match he had last night and considers it one of the best in WrestleMania history. Jericho thanks Michaels for the match, but thinks Michaels should thank him for bringing out the best in him. Jericho says Michaels at his best didn’t match him. Jericho deserved to win the match last night. Jericho knows the fans know he deserved to win the match. Jericho says people will remember Michaels on the mat after the match in pain while he left with his head held high. Jericho says the fans put their faith in the wrong man because he showed that he’s the highlight of the night. Jericho is going to take his frustrations out on Booker T tonight. Booker comes out to cutoff Jericho.
Fourth Contest: Chris Jericho vs. Booker T: Jericho attacks Booker during is entrance focusing on the knee. Jericho stomps Booker on the mat. Jericho takes Booker down to the mat and elbow drops Booker on the left knee before delivering a splash. Booker manages to kick Jericho over the ropes to the floor. Booker chops Jericho several times. Jericho kicks Booker on the knee several times. Jericho tries for the Walls of Jericho, but Booker almost wins with an inside cradle. Booker flapjacks Jericho and delivers several strikes against the ropes followed by a heel kick. Jericho kicks Booker and hits a bulldog. Jericho misses a springboard moonsault. Booker nails Jericho with a superkick. Ric Flair runs into the ring and is decked by Booker several times. The referee calls for the bell. After the match, Jericho attacks Booker. RAW World Champion Triple H comes down to join the beating on Booker. HHH hits the Pedigree on Booker. Flair puts the figure four on Booker as HHH stomps Booker. Shawn Michaels runs into the ring and makes the save striking the heels. Michaels tosses Jericho to the floor and atomic drops HHH followed by a clothesline. Michaels clotheslines Flair over the top to the floor. Michaels waits in the corner, but Jericho cuts off Michaels with a clothesline. HHH pummels Michaels on the mat with right hands. HHH drives Michaels down with a backbreaker. Jericho puts the Walls of Jericho on Michaels. Booker gets up and goes after HHH, but HHH kicks Booker to the mat. HHH puts an Indian death lock on Booker. Michaels is tapping out. The heels stand tall to end the segment. (*1/2. The match is quite short, but it wasn’t too bad. I liked the aftermath as they are giving the heels a ton of momentum, which will make it mean more. They’ve done a good job of keeping Jericho elevated despite the loss last night.)
Fifth Contest: Jeff Hardy vs. Steven Richards: Richards works over Hardy with strikes and rams Hardy into the corner. Hardy sends Richards into the corner and delivers a dropkick. Richards bails to the floor and Hardy runs the railing to fake a dive. Hardy continues to work over Richards with right hands in the corner, but misses the Whisper In The Wind. Richards delivers an arm breaker for a two count. Richards controls Hardy with an arm bar on the mat. Hardy punches free and deliver a jawbreaker to Richards. Hardy forearms Richards followed by a clothesline and strikes. Hardy mule kicks Richards into the corner. Hardy splashes Richards in the corner for a two count. Hardy delivers a double leg drop and a second one turns into a pin for a two count. Hardy punches Richards followed by a facebuster. Hardy heads to the top, but Victoria stops Hardy until Trish Stratus comes out and kicks Victoria. Hardy shoves Richards away and hits the Swanton Bomb for the win. (*. Richards has zero heat as a heel. The attraction is Richards and Victoria, but more so just for Victoria. This wasn’t very good and it’s obvious that Hardy is checked out.) After the match, Trish and Hardy tease a kiss, but they settle for being friendly.
Backstage, Steve Austin leaves the arena shaking hands with various workers.
Backstage, Test is on the phone telling someone their spread looks hot. Stacy Keibler walks up and Test tells the person on the phone is a wrong number. Test denies talking to anyone on the phone and gets pissed that Stacy doesn’t believe him. Goldust is behind them getting ready. Goldust tells Keibler that Test wasn’t talking to anyone, but then has a spaz moment saying it was Torrie Wilson and Test wants to see her naked. Stacy walks off upset. Test calls Goldust an idiot.
Backstage, The Rock is walking around looking for Steve Austin. Rock asks the workers where did Austin go and they tell Rock he left. Rock says Austin can’t leave and not see his appreciation night. Rock thinks they should be happy to have him there. Rock says everyone can go party with the Rock and that uplifts the workers spirits a little bit. Rock tells the workers can’t all come in and some of them will have to watch.
Main Event: RAW Tag Team Champions Chief Morley & Lance Storm vs. Dudley Boys vs. Kane & Rob Van Dam in an elimination match: Dudley’s brawl with RVD and Kane to start the match. Kane big boots D-Von and RVD heel kicks Bubba. Morley and Storm enter, but are knocked to the floor quickly. RVD hits a somersault dive onto the champs and Bubba on the floor. Kane hits a slingshot crossbody onto the heels on the floor. D-Von puts a waist lock on RVD, but RVD counters with a headlock. RVD heel kicks D-Von for a two count. Bubba tags himself into the match and Kane enters, as well. Bubba and Kane trade right hands in the middle of the ring. Bubba eye rakes Kane followed by forearm strikes against the ropes. Kane nails Bubba with a leaping clothesline, but misses an elbow drop. Bubba decks RVD off the apron and yanks Kane to the mat. D-Von heads to the top rope to deliver the What’s Up. D-Von strikes Kane over the back and strikes Kane against the ropes. Kane fires back with strikes and elbows the champs off the apron. D-Von kicks Kane, but runs into a side slam. RVD enters and forearms D-Von followed by a kick. RVD shoulder rams D-Von in the corner followed by a kick and does the same to Bubba. RVD step over heel kicks Morley and takes care of Storm, too. RVD hits the rolling thunder on D-Von for a two count, but the champs make the save. Kane clotheslines Morley and himself to the floor. RVD springboard kicks Bubba off the middle rope. RVD leaps off the top missing the Five Star Frog Splash on Bubba. Storm grabs a steel chair to distract the referee. Morley has the chair, but D-Von yanks it away. Bubba saves Morley for a chair shot. RVD kicks the chair into D-Von’s face and pins D-Von for the first elimination!
Storm wraps RVD’s knee around the ring post. Morley hits a series of vertical suplexs and taunts the crowd for a two count. RVD is met with a double elbow and Storm gets a two count. RVD punches Storm a few times, but Storm locks in the half Boston Crab with a roll through. RVD doesn’t submit and instead reaches the ropes. Storm avoids a kick, but RVD nails Storm with a mule kick. Kane enters and cleans house. Kane backdrops Storm and does the same to Morley. Kane clotheslines Morley in the corner and big boots Storm. Kane side slams Morley for a two count. Kane tilt a whirl slams Morley for a near fall. Kane heads to the top rope nailing Morley with a flying clothesline, but Storm makes the save. RVD leaps off the top to kick Storm to the floor. RVD heel kicks Morley. Kane signals for the chokeslam. Storm decks RVD to the floor. Morley low blows Kane and Storm heel kicks Kane leading to a near fall for Morley. Kane kicks Storm and delivers a double chokeslam to the champs. RVD tags in and heads to the top rope hitting the Five Star Frog Splash for the win and we’ve got new tag champions! (**1/2. Morley and Storm losing the tag titles is probably the right call at this point. Morley isn’t connecting as a heel in a singles capacity for whatever reason. I’m worried about where Storm goes from here as he didn’t get any microphone time and seemed to be a bit of an afterthought throughout the match. Dudley Boys drama likely means they’ll challenge Kane and RVD, but I don’t know if they’re going to fully turn heel. I don’t care either way, though. It’s a solid main event and the crowd popped for the title switch.)
Backstage, Eric Bischoff is on the phone saying the biggest surprise of the night is still to come. Bischoff says the ink is still wet on the contract.
The Rock makes his way out to the ring to have his appreciation night. Rock tries to do his catchphrase, but the crowd boos him loudly to stop him. Eventually, Rock starts his catchphrase, but stops at saying Seattle. Rock instead calls them all jabronis showing him appreciation. Rock puts over Steve Austin for putting on a hell of a performance at WrestleMania. Rock has a lot of respect and love for Austin. Rock knows that Austin wouldn’t have wanted to go out in the way he did if he knew it was his last match. Rock invites the crowd to watch the screen, which is a hype video for Rock. Rock has something important to say. Rock talks about coming back to WWE and is booed. Rock says there’s nothing left for him now. Rock came back for the fans and they booed him. Rock tells the crowd it is over. Rock says the fans don’t appreciate him and this is the last time they’ll see him. Rock tells the fans they can all kiss his ass.
Goldberg’s music hits. Goldberg is seen walking backstage. Goldberg makes his entrance and is on RAW. Goldberg circles the ring and Rock can’t believe it. Goldberg has a microphone and asks Rock he wants to know whose next. Goldberg tells Rock he’s next! Goldberg spears Rock! Goldberg heads up the aisle and points at Rock.
Final Thoughts:
I’m going to consider this a good episode of RAW coming off of WrestleMania. We got some good in-ring action, a title change and Goldberg debuts on TV spearing Rock is a rather big moment. It’s a bit frustrating that Goldberg debuts as Austin departs, but that’s just our luck in the wrestling community to miss out on one of the biggest dream matches wrestling had to offer at the time.
Thanks for reading.