Wwf raw (4/29/02)

[Guest Your Olympic Hero]

WWF RAW

4/29/02

 

The show opens with The Undertaker coming out for an interview.  He says that he has been accused of holding back new talent in the past and hogging the spotlight for himself.  He admits that some of this is true, but he realizes now that it’s time for the young guys to get their chance on top.  He says that over the past 11 years in the WWF, he’s always been a top draw and in the main event.  It’s been a wild ride and he’s had the time of his life, but it’s time to call it quits.  He says he’s going into semi-retirement.  He isn’t going to be one of those guys who says he’s retiring, leaves and comes back a couple of weeks later.  Undertaker says that he has not wrestled his last match, but will work a very limited schedule, and eventually call it quits in a year or so.  He thanks the fans and WWF employees for giving him the best job anyone could ask for, and leaves the ring slowly to one of the biggest standing ovations you’ll ever see out of respect for the Deadman.  The wrestlers in the back come out as well to celebrate the career of the Undertaker.  Jim Ross thanks the Undertaker for the years of entertainment he’s provided.

 

 

MATCH #1

Billy Kidman & Hurricane Helms vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri & Lance Storm

 

Torrie is out with Tajiri yet again, wearing Japanese clothes, and basically being dragged by the hand all the way to the ring.  There’s a pretty big pop for Kidman and Helms.  Faces clean house at first, and the heels step outside to regroup.  Kidman goes for a suicide dive on Tajiri, but Storm pulls Tajiri out of the way and Kidman injures his knee.  The heels work over the knee like dickheads for a couple of minutes before Kidman finally stumbles over to get the hot tag.  Hurricane cleans house on Tajiri and Storm.  Storm and Hurricane brawl on the outside of the ring as Torrie tries to help Tajiri up.  Tajiri doesn’t want help and yells at Torrie.  On the other side of the ring, Storm bashes Hurricane face first into the ring pole, and throws him over the guardrail into the front row.  Kidman limps back into the ring and yells at Tajiri, who is still arguing with Torrie on the outside.  Tajiri shoots the green mist into Kidman’s face, and then Storm gets a superkick and applies the Canadian Maple Leaf for the submission at 6:13.  Kidman is trying to get back up, and Tajiri hits a totally stiff kick right to his face.  Torrie just watches on, not arguing with her man.  The crowd is really turning against Tajiri.

 

 

Ric Flair comes out and says that the crowd and the people at home have probably been wondering why Smackdown wrestlers are on Raw, and why Tajiri wasn’t announced as the Cruiserweight champion.  He says that Vince McMahon has agreed to give him full ownership of the WWF so McMahon can pursue interests outside of the WWF.  This means another new beginning.  All titles have been vacated, several wrestlers have been released, and the roster split has ended.  He says that later tonight on Raw, the brackets for the title tournaments will be announced.  The Undisputed Championship will now simply be known as the WWF World Championship.  The Intercontinental title, European title, and Hardcore title are now defunct.  The United States championship and Television championship have now been created.  New belts have been made for each championship.  People will actually have respect for the titleholders now and they will mean more than just a gold belt around a different guy’s waste every week.  

 

 

MATCH #2

Rob Van Dam vs. Tazz

 

The crowd absolutely loves RVD.  Tazz gets a decent pop as well when his music hits.  RVD starts off with some of his usual offense, but Tazz catches RVD in mid-kick with a Tazzplex.  He continues on using different variations of suplexes and leg submission holds.  Paul Heyman steps out from behind the curtains and starts watching Tazz.  He shakes his head in disgust as RVD flips out of a German suplex and kicks Tazz in the face.  RVD continues on with the advantage and goes for a Five Star Frog Splash.  It catches knees and Tazz bounces up and locks in the Tazzmission.  RVD climbs up the turnbuckles with his feet and kicks back, landing on top of Tazz, who is still holding on to the Tazzmission, for the three count at 5:23.  Tazz is visibly upset with himself after the match, but accepts RVD’s handshake anyway.  Heyman laughs as he makes his way back to the locker room.

 

 

Flair is back out as several backstage officials wheel out a large table with 6 brand new great looking title belts on it.  Flair says that it’s time to announce the brackets for the tournaments, and they are as follows:

 

In the first round of the Cruiserweight title tournament, it will be: Billy Kidman vs. Sho Funaki, Yoshihiro Tajiri vs. AJ Styles, Hurricane Helms vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr., and Juventud Guerrera vs. Rey Misterio Jr.  Three of these talents are newcomers brought in specifically to enhance the Cruiserweight division, and several more are still coming.

 

In the first round of the Television title tournament, it will be: Matt Hardy vs. Maven, D-Lo Brown vs. William Regal, Lance Storm vs. Hugh Morrus, and Val Venis vs. Christian.

 

In the first round of the US title tournament, it will be:  Eddy Guerrero vs. Spike Dudley, Edge vs. Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam vs. Hardcore Holly, and Test vs. Tazz.

 

In the first round of the Tag Team title tournament, it will be:  Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo vs. Raven & Perry Saturn, Al Snow & Maven vs. Sho Funaki & Kaz Hayashi, AJ Styles & Shannon Moore vs. The Hardy Boyz, and The Dudley Boyz vs. Rey Misterio Jr. & Juventud Guerrera.  Several new tag team combinations have formed to help elevate this formerly stale division.

 

In the first round of the World title tournament, it will be The Rock vs. returning WWF star and former WCW champion Jeff Jarrett, Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit, Triple-H vs. Booker T, and Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle.

 

Flair also says that he will have a mainly off-air role, and let the wrestlers do their thing.

 

 

MATCH #3

Raven & Perry Saturn vs. The Hardy Boyz

 

Good face reaction for both teams.  The Hardys run through their stale offense first, with only a fraction of the crowd reaction they got a couple of years ago.  Raven & Saturn take the advantage when Jeff misses an Asai moonsault and splats on the floor, busting his nose open.  Perry works him over with suplexes, and then Raven comes in for some innovative double-teaming.  Jeff is out.  Lita senses trouble and gets on the apron to distract the Hardy’s opponents.  Raven comes up to her, grabs her, and kisses her.  Jeff tries to attack from behind, but Raven moves, and he hits Lita.  Evenflow DDT finishes at 4:00.  It was a weird ending, but necessary for the storyline.  The Hardys get on the mic and run down Lita afterwards, saying they never needed her skanky ass and never will.  Matt then spits on Lita and they leave, with tears streaming down Lita’s face.

 

 

MATCH #4

Chris Jericho vs. A Mystery Opponent

 

Jericho comes out and gets on the mic.  He runs down the fans and reminds them that he was the first Undisputed champion, and that no one can beat him.  He says it doesn’t matter who is his opponent, because he’s beaten The Rock, Triple-H, Steve Austin, and just about anyone else in the back.  Then the music hits and the crowd pops like it’s the second coming of Jesus.  CHRIS BENOIT~! has returned.  He goes straight to the ring and starts dismantling Jericho.  Rolling Germans~!  And Jericho rolls out to collect himself.  Benoit poses in the ring to a huge pop.  Arn Anderson has come down to ringside as Benoit’s new manager.  Jericho taunts Anderson then rolls back in and takes the advantage with the Greco Roman thumb to the eye.  He sends Benoit into the ropes and hits a powerslam for two.  Double underhook backbreaker gets two.  Benoit starts to fight back but Jericho gets a low blow to stop that.  Russian legsweep gets two.  Jericho goes to the top, and the missile dropkick gets two.  Jericho is getting frustrated.  The crowd is chanting “Jericho Sucks” in a deafening manner.  He goes for the Walls of Jericho but Benoit cradles him for a two count.  Jericho gets pissed, gets up, and just starts kicking Benoit in the back.  He gets a powerbomb then puts Benoit in the Walls.  After probably 30 seconds, Benoit makes it to the ropes.  Jericho is PISSED.  He whips Benoit into the ropes, Benoit ducks a clothesline, and hits one of his own.  He’s selling a back injury from the Walls and the other offense, but still manages to work like a machine.  He works over Jericho’s shoulder, including a blind charge Jericho missed into the corner, smashing the shoulder on the ring post.  He throws Jericho to the outside and Arn gets a few shots in to the delight of the crowd.  He rolls Jericho back in.  Benoit sets up and hits a top rope superplex.  Then he puts Jericho in the Crossface, and Y2J has no choice but to tap out at 8:38.  Great match.  These two will meet again in the first round of the WWF World title tournament.

 

 

Hulk Hogan comes out for an interview.  He seems troubled about something and walks slowly to the ring, with no posing.  The fans still give him a huge reaction.  He says that he has finally come to the harsh reality that no matter how much nostalgia the fans feel when he walks down that aisle that his time in this sport is over.  He says he’s almost 50 years old, and it’s time for him to settle down at his home in Venice Beach and let the younger guys take center stage.  He says it’s time for him to become a wrestling fan instead of just a wrestler.  He thanks the fans for all the years of support.  He says that at the end of the World title tournament, he will be there himself to put the belt around the waste of the winner.  He gets a standing ovation from the fans and the announcers.  Tears are streaming down Hogan’s face.  The locker room empties and everyone in the back, friends and enemies, step out to give Hogan a standing ovation, just as they did for the Taker earlier.  

 

 

A short, but sweet Lou Thesz video package is shown commemorating the life of Thesz, with Jim Ross doing a voiceover on it.

 

 

MATCH #5, MAIN EVENT

Steve Austin & The Rock vs. Jeff Jarrett & Kurt Angle

 

The heels come out first.  Angle comes out to huge heel heat, then introduces his partner, Jeff Jarrett.  Jarrett gets a mixed reaction.  HUGE pop as always for both Austin and The Rock.  Austin takes care of Angle, and Rock takes out Jarrett.  The faces pose in the ring as the heels regroup on the outside.  The Rock hits a slingshot bodypress over the top rope and knocks down both heels!  Huge pop for that.  Austin stomps the mudhole in Angle on the guardrail, as the fans chant “What?” Jarrett sneaks back into the ring and attacks The Rock from behind.  Angle and Austin get up onto the apron on their respective corners of the ring and the match is finally getting some control.  The heels work over the Rock for a minute, but The Rock counters out of an Olympic Slam and hits the DDT on Angle.  He gets the hot tag and Austin beats the hell out of Angle.  He hits the very necessary Thesz press on Angle without the punching for a two count.  He goes to the corner and hits a cheap shot on Jarrett, but turns around and catches a belly to belly suplex from Angle.  Angle tags in Jarrett, who stomps Austin and taunts the fans by chanting “What?” every time he hits Stone Cold.  He cheap shots Rock in the corner and then he and Angle double-team Austin.  Angle goes for a German suplex, but Austin spins around and hits a release German of his own.  Angle tries to grab onto Austin’s foot to prevent the hot tag, but Austin kicks him in the face and makes the tag to The Rock.  Rock cleans house on both heels.  Austin comes back in after resting for a minute and both teams brawl again.  Jarrett clips Rock’s knee on the outside of the ring.  He puts Rock in the ring post figure four.  But in the ring, Austin escapes an Olympic Slam and hits the Stunner for the win at 11:14.  Jarrett comes in and smashes Austin in the head with a chair, busting him open.  Angle puts Austin in the ankle lock until officials pull him off.  Both faces need help getting to the back.

 

JAKKED TAPING RESULTS

(1) Chavo Guerrero Jr pinned Air Paris in 5:49 with a brainbuster.

(2) Sho Funaki & Kaz Hayashi beat Shannon Moore & AJ Styles in 8:56 when Funaki pinned Moore following a tornado DDT.

(3) Eddy Guerrero pinned Hurricane Helms in 8:13 with a frog splash.

(4) Edge pinned Test in 6:20 with an implant DDT.

 

LINEUP FOR SMACKDOWN ON THURSDAY

In the first round of the Cruiserweight title tournament, Billy Kidman faces Sho Funaki and Rey Misterio Jr. and Juventud Guerrera make their WWF debuts against each other.  In the first round of the TV title tournament, the freshly heel turned Matt Hardy takes on Tough Enough 1 champion Maven.  The tag team title tournament gets underway with former champs Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo taking on Raven & Perry Saturn.  The US title tournament starts with Rob Van Dam vs. Hardcore Holly and Test vs. Tazz.  The Rock taking on Jeff Jarrett in the opening round of the World title tournament is the main event for the evening.  Jarrett injured Rock’s knee on Raw, and looks to use it as an advantage to advance in the tournament.  

 

 

Feedback of all kinds is strongly encouraged.

[Guest Your Olympic Hero]

Feedback, por favor.

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

I like the removal of Hulk and UT

 

One of the better fantasy things I've seen for a while, actually. Much better than that crap on 411 anyway!

[Guest converge241]

I liked everything..except the re-boot. I think that would do too much damage to the product.

 

The scary thing is that it might happen for real as the ratings (and buyrates) have dropped again.

 

I liked how you had depth.. it felt like a real Raw recap. Id much rather read those (even if i dont like the ideas within) rather than a quickie fantasy show.

[Guest Your Olympic Hero]

I liked everything..except the re-boot. I think that would do too much damage to the product.

 

The scary thing is that it might happen for real as the ratings (and buyrates) have dropped again.

I didn't like having to do a reboot either.. but without another one, the product would be completely stale and boring.  New talent needed to be brought in, and old stars needed to be eliminated.  With this positive feedback, Smackdown will certainly be up on Thursday or Friday.

[Guest]

Now, THIS is what we need here. GREAT matches and great angles too.

 

LOVELY show !

 

10/10 and keep up the good work.