World Wrestling Entertainment presents RAW
Date: 5/19/2003
From: Greenville, SC
Co-GM Steve Austin makes his way out to the ring to kickoff the program. Austin has a lot of things he wants to get off his chest. Austin had a hell of a time at Judgement Day. Austin wasn’t thrilled having to share his sky box with Eric Bischoff. Austin notes that Bischoff made a jackass out of himself. Austin shows footage of Bischoff from Judgement Day where Bischoff vomited. Austin claims Bischoff has a hangover and won’t be seen tonight. Austin talks about Bad Blood next month in June. Austin looks in the camera and says trust in him and he’ll never let us down. Austin brings up the investigation into who tried to rundown Goldberg with a car last week. Austin says when he finds out who did it he will put them in a match against Goldberg in Greenville tonight. Austin brings up the current RAW World Champion Triple H and introduces him to the ring.
RAW World Champion Triple H and Ric Flair make their way down to the ring. HHH is hobbling a little bit towards the ring. Austin stops the entrance music and prevents HHH from finishing his entrance routine. Austin tells HHH to spit his water on the floor because they have things to talk about. Austin tells HHH he’s trying really hard to maintain his composure. Austin doesn’t think HHH should be the champion after getting his ass whooped by Kevin Nash. Austin notes that HHH hit Earl Hebner with his sledgehammer to retain his title. Austin tells HHH he’s wrestling tonight. HHH chimes in and says people think Austin is just a drunk, but HHH thinks Austin is drunk with power. HHH admits Nash did kick his ass last night, but he’s still the champion. HHH tells Austin that he’s beat up and he’s not in the mood for Austin’s crap. HHH tells Austin he’s not going to wrestle tonight. Austin tells HHH he’s going to wrestle. Austin is going to let HHH pick his own opponent tonight. The opponent has to be a former world champion. HHH can choose between Kane, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, or Kevin Nash. HHH repeats the guidelines of picking his opponent. HHH agrees to the guidelines. HHH will wrestle the greatest former world champion of all-time. HHH is going to wrestle Ric Flair tonight. Flair looks a bit surprised by this. HHH taunts Austin by using Austin’s own catchphrase before walking off.
MATCH #1: THREE MINUTE WARNING VS. DUDLEY BOYS
FINISH: 3D on Rosey is good enough for the win. After the match, Rico is frustrated about the loss in the ring. Rico has a microphone and says he can’t handle this anymore. Rico announces that he’s leaving 3MW and storms off.
Bob’s Take: 3MW has lost a bit of steam in recent months and even coming off the Freddie Blassie segment there’s just not the same buzz they had a few months ago. Dudley Boys had an odd stretch where they were heels, but only because they wanted the titles, or at least Bubba was a heel kind of. It’s basically the formula Dudley’s match. The crowd only pops for when the tables are going to be introduced. Jamal hits a nice Samoan Drop on Bubba, but he’s not the legal man. Jamal missed a splash off the top an crashed through a table. 3MW losing again should mean their demise as a whole is coming soon. Dudley’s are such a played out act.
Match Rating: *
Backstage, Steve Austin is in his room with Eric Bischoff. Bischoff is sitting down, but is pulled up and he’s feeling not so good. Bischoff needs some time. Bischoff can’t do the redneck deal anymore. Bischoff smells some booze and throws up on the wall. Bischoff comically pukes on his own picture on the wall. Austin walks out and bumps into Kevin Nash. Nash isn’t thrilled about HHH’s match. Austin tells Nash to not get worried and considers Nash the number one contender. Austin says Nash has the winner between HHH and Ric Flair. Nash likes the sound of that.
Backstage, Ric Flair meets up with Triple H and is grateful that HHH would pick him tonight. HHH thinks Flair is missing the point tonight. HHH reminds Flair is sore and is hurting. HHH chose Flair because he wanted to stick it up Austin’s ass. HHH tells Flair that he’d lay down and they go home. HHH tells Flair to not worry about it and tells Flair to lay down and he’ll do the rest. Flair looked a bit disappointed by this development.
Chris Jericho comes out to host the Highlight Reel. Jericho puts over the segment as the razzle dazzle of RAW. Jericho talks about someone who betrayed him last night at Judgment Day. We see footage of Christian eliminating Jericho from the battle royal. Jericho wants to talk to WWE Intercontinental Champion Christian. Christian comes out with a new haircut sporting shorter hair. Jericho notes Christian has a fancy haircut and he’s a changed man. Jericho tells Christian to look him in the eyes. Jericho can’t believe that Christian would betray him. Jericho tells Christian that he would have done the same thing and they embrace. Christian chimes in and says he’s a new man with a new look. Christian thanks his loyal fans. Christian’s heart beats for his peeps. Christian believes the fans love him, but he’s clearly being delusional. Christian thinks he’s the real American Idol. Jericho notes that Christian isn’t even American. Jericho shows footage of Christian being eliminated, but the referee had been knocked out and decked Pat Patterson before hitting Booker T with the championship and eliminating Booker to win the title. Christian says that Booker T isn’t championship material.
RAW Tag Team Champion Rob Van Dam joins the segment. Jericho notes that it sounds like a lot of people like RVD. RVD says he sees what Christian is trying to do here. RVD insults Christian’s catchphrase. RVD mocks Christian with a saying about how he is making the big bucks, but he still sucks. RVD suggests Christian defend his title against Rob Van Dam. Christian tells RVD he’s not going to do that. Christian doesn’t appreciate RVD cutting him off and that leads to RVD getting beaten up by Christian and Jericho. RAW Tag Team Champion Kane runs into the ring to make the save. RVD and Kane stand tall after sending Christian and Jericho to the floor. Co-GM Steve Austin appears on the big screen and ends up booking a tag title match between RVD & Kane taking on Christian and Chris Jericho.
MATCH #2: RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS KANE & ROB VAN DAM VS. WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION CHRISTIAN & CHRIS JERICHO
NOTE: Christian is wrestling the match in his street clothing.
FINISH: The referee throws out the match after being shoved by Jericho. After the match, Booker T comes out and make the save to prevent the challengers from using chairs. Christian bails to the floor to avoid a heel kick, but is sent back in by RVD and is met with a leaping kick.
Bob’s Take: RVD and Jericho kicked off the match with RVD hitting a step over heel kick and standing moonsault. RVD continued with a split legged moonsault, as well. Kane press slams Jericho over the top onto Christian leading to a somersault dive by RVD. It’s been a good start to the match. RVD tagged himself to work over Jericho, and Kane appeared to be a bit annoyed by that. Christian gets control on RVD following a reverse DDT over his knee. Jericho kept control for a bit including a spinning heel kick. RVD almost pins Jericho after countering the Walls of Jericho. Christian tries to keep the advantage on Kane, but is sent into Jericho in the corner knocking Jericho to the floor. Jericho prevents a pin on Christian after a flying clothesline Kane. Jericho prevents RVD from hitting the Five-Star after a chokeslam by Kane. Christian gets a good near fall on Kane after a low blow and the Lionsault by Jericho. The finish is a bit cheap, but that’s to be expected. The action started off good, and the middle portion was a bit of a lull before a good closing few minutes. So, I’d say this was a good TV tag match. Christian didn’t get a loud reaction and makes me wonder if they needed to build him up as a singles heel a little bit more before putting the title on him.
Match Rating: **3/4
Backstage, Ric Flair is getting some coffee when Shawn Michaels walks up. Michaels says he’s there to talk to Flair man to man. Michaels tells Flair he can’t lay down for HHH tonight. Michaels reminds Flair that he said he was the measuring stick fifteen years ago. Michaels has tried for fifteen years to reach that level. Michaels tells Flair that you’re only as good as your last match. Flair asks Michaels if he truly thinks he can beat a guy like HHH. Michaels tells Flair he believes Flair’s still the Nature Boy. Michaels knows he can do it, but does Flair believe it. Flair is emotional.
Teddy Long and Rodney Mack come out to cut a promo. Mack says he sees nothing but white bigots. Long notes the white boy challenge has seen challengers who are inexperienced. Long says nobody has been able to standup to the challenge. Long issues a challenge for an established white boy to last five minutes with Mack. Eventually, Spike Dudley answers the challenge.
MATCH #3: RODNEY MACK VS. SPIKE DUDLEY — WHITE BOY CHALLENGE
FINISH: Mack forces Spike to submit to the cobra clutch with one second left on the clock.
Bob’s Take: Spike takes the fight right after Mack, but is cutoff by a clothesline. I understand that Spike is a guy full of heart and never give up attitude, but if we’re trying to establish Mack as a potential major heel, it doesn’t look good for him to have a struggle with Spike. Spike tries for a few pin attempts, but Mack avoids the three count each time. The crowd rallied behind Spike when he was trapped in the cobra clutch with about thirty seconds left in the match. The crowd audibly groaned when Spike tapped out with one second left on the block. I feel like the crowd was more bummed about Spike tapping than there is any hatred towards Mack.
Match Rating: *1/2
Backstage, Steve Austin enters the room to harass Bischoff, who is still dealing with his hangover. Austin is using a megaphone to be especially loud. Austin says the secret to a hangover is female entertainment. Austin thinks that a couple of women would make him feel better. Austin brings Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young into the room. Bischoff is disgusted by them and kicks them out of his office. Bischoff wants to know why Austin is torturing him.
Backstage, Ric Flair has put his robe on and he appears to be pumped up for the title match.
MATCH #4: LA RESISTANCE VS. TEST & SCOTT STEINER
FINISH: Grenier sends Test into Steiner on the apron and wins the match with a rollup. After the match, Keibler gets in between Test and Steiner from shoving each other. Steiner takes Keibler away from Test and they tug on her. Keibler storms off with neither man.
Bob’s Take: The match starts off with Steiner and Dupree brawling on the floor while Test worked over Grenier in the ring, but gets double teamed after Steiner is sent into the ring steps. Test fights off both men, but is sent into Steiner on the apron leading to a quick finish. We are obviously heading towards a split between Steiner and Test since they don’t want to be partners anyway.
Match Rating: *
Backstage, Steve Austin has made an interrogation room. A fan poll believe that the Rock attempted to rundown Goldberg with 29% of the vote. Steve Austin is in the room and is talking to Lance Storm trying to find out who did this. Storm seems a bit nervous. Austin asks if it was Storm’s rental car that tried to rundown Goldberg. Storm remains silent. Austin warns he has ways to make Storm talk. Austin asks if Storm was driving the car. Storm says it was an accident and the car was out of his control. Storm tried to claim in Canada they drive on the other side of the road. Storm slips up and says it wasn’t his idea. Austin tells Storm he’s wrestling Goldberg and he better think about what he did.
Backstage, Triple H is getting his ribs taped. HHH is reading Freddie Blassie’s book. Flair stops HHH from reading and says he needs to talk. Flair says six months ago HHH came to him about what happened to the old Ric Flair. Flair didn’t know and HHH wanted to see Flair get back on his feet and back on his feet. Flair says tonight he gets his chance and knows HHH has a bad back. Flair had several matches with a bad back and never said he couldn’t wrestle. Flair wants to find out if he still has it and he’s not going to lay down for anyone anymore. Flair is coming after Triple H and wants HHH at his best. That was a fantastic emotional promo by Flair.
MATCH #5: GOLDBERG VS. LANCE STORM
FINISH: Goldberg pins Storm following the jackhammer. After the match, Goldberg has a microphone and asks Storm who put him up to it. Goldberg is choking Storm and Storm reveals it was Chris Jericho.
Bob’s Take: Okay, I’m a bit stunned they have essentially ended this angle in one week. I would have figured they could have dragged this out a bit more. I guess since Storm said it wasn’t his idea they can drag it out a bit longer. Now, as soon as I type that they finish it off with the reveal being Jericho. There was zero reaction to that reveal. As expected, this is just a complete squash for Goldberg.
Match Rating: SQUASH
Backstage, Coach runs up to Chris Jericho during the break, but Jericho is leaving. Coach tells Jericho that Storm spilled that it was Jericho. Jericho admits that he told Storm to do it, but next week Jericho is going to rundown Goldberg face to face on the Highlight Reel.
MAIN EVENT: RAW WORLD CHAMPION TRIPLE H VS. RIC FLAIR
FINISH: HHH avoids Flair’s attempt at the Pedigree and finishes Flair off with the Pedigree to win the match and retain the title. After the match, Kevin Nash storms the ring, but HHH bails to the floor. Steve Austin comes out and meets HHH on the ramp. Austin announces that HHH will wrestle Kevin Nash at Bad Blood in a Hell In A Cell match! Nash is happy about this, but HHH is freaking out.
Bob’s Take: HHH tried to get Flair to lay down, but Flair refused and we’re actually having a main event tonight, folks. Flair hit a suplex on the floor and delivered several chops to keep control on the champ. HHH stops Flair with a spinebuster. Flair actually hits the top rope axe handle. Flair nails HHH with a chop block and locks in the figure four. HHH is screaming in agony in the middle of the ring. HHH reaches the ropes to break the hold. The referee gets bumped in the corner leading to HHH getting control. HHH grabs the title on the floor, but Flair avoids it and low blows HHH! The crowd is eating this up. Flair decks HHH with the championship. The crowd almost blew the roof off on a near fall. Flair did a great job of giving false hope that he would shock the world and win the title. HHH vs. Nash in the cell fits the feud and HHH has nowhere to go now.
Match Rating: ***
Final Thoughts:
Greenville seemed to be a bit dead for a lot of what’s going on here, but I didn’t think it was a bad show. The tag title match was solid and the main event was a lot of fun just from the perspective of Flair trying to win the title one last time. Looks like Nash vs. HHH in the cell, Goldberg vs. Jericho, and Christian vs. Booker are going to be the major programs for RAW. I think that’s a solid approach heading into Bad Blood. I’d give this show a mild thumbs up
Thanks for reading.