Raw is War

Raleigh, North Carolina
April 24, 2000

RAW IS WAR kicked off from Raleigh, N.C., with a huge one-on-one confrontation as Kurt Angle took on Rikishi Phatu. The match was a short one - Angle pulled the referee in front of him when Rikishi went for a running splash in the corner. When the referee recovered, he immediately disqualified the Olympic gold medalist. To add injury to defeat, the Big Show, who will meet Angle at Backlash, came from the back and gave the man of three I's a sidewalk slam. Rikishi followed up by rubbing his large posterior in Angle's face. Big Show then gave Rikishi a pair of shades and walked away to find Angle. Meanwhile, Rikishi entertained the crowd by tearing up the dance floor (ring).

Backstage, Trish Stratus was wearing only her long coat and her bra and panties! She talked about her love of tables - long ones, short ones, but especially hard ones. Clearly, it was a thinly veiled attempt to taunt Buh Buh Ray Dudley. Later in the show, she was backstage again. This time, she was in even skimpier attire and was polishing a table. She said that if Buh Buh Ray "played his cards right" there would be a table for two set for him and her at Backlash.

Triple H came to the ring next along with Stephanie and Shane McMahon. Their interview, however, was cut off when Chris Jericho appeared! Y2J challenged Triple H to a rematch for the World Wrestling Federation Championship. But when Jericho insulted Stephanie, Shane got upset and said he too wanted a piece of Y2J, so he requested a tag team match - The Rock and Jericho against Triple H and Shane! Jericho snatched the Federation Championship from Stephanie, and clobbered Triple H with it! Back in the locker room, Chris Benoit, who will face Jericho for the Intercontinental Title at Backlash, attacked Y2J and hit him in the back of the head with the belt!

It was Benoit in action next as he defended the Intercontinental Championship against the Road Dogg. Before the match got underway, Edge and Christian, who will face the Road Dogg and X-Pac at Backlash, made their way through the crowd to ringside and joined Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross for commentary. In fact, Edge and Christian bluntly stated right away that they planned to cost Road Dogg the match if he got the upper hand. Apparently Tori was listening backstage, and she made her way out to the ring. But when the brothers from Canada decided to make their "run in," Tori could do little more than stand and watch. With the referee distracted, Edge speared Road Dogg, and Benoit finished him off with the swan dive off the top rope. After the match, the Tag Team Champions attacked a fallen Road Dogg once again. When Tori tried to stop them, she was the victim of an inverted neckbreaker by Christian.

Backstage, Kurt Angle tried to pay the Acolytes to beat up the Big Show. But when Angle threw a couple of condescending comments towards Faarooq and Bradshaw, they kicked him out of their "office" in disgust. Luckily for the Olympic champion, he happened to find the Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan, who were discussing nightsticks with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. When Angle told Stephanie that he wanted someone to put a beating on the Big Show, Stephanie suggested a Handicap Match involving the Big Show against the Boss Man and Bull. Angle thanked Stephanie for her help once again, and Stephanie offered up a seemingly flirtation smile.

In tag team action, the Hardy Boyz - from nearby Cameron, N.C. - took on Crash and Hardcore Holly. When Jeff Hardy climbed to the top rope for a Swanton bomb on Hardcore Holly, Crash nailed him from behind with a trash can lid. After a Hardcore Holly dropkick, the Holly cousins scored an upset victory. After the match, with the referee still in the ring, the Hardy Boyz went after Crash Holly, and another match broke out - this one for the Hardcore Championship! Crash Holly was scheduled to defend his Hardcore Title at Backlash against Hardcore Holly, Perry Saturn and Tazz - and when those three superstars realized that a Hardcore Match had broken out, they ran from the back and joined in the proceedings. However, as all the other superstars tangled, Jeff Hardy hit Crash with a Swanton bomb, and Matt made a quick cover to become the new Hardcore Champion! How will this change the face of Sunday's Pay-Per-View?

In a Handicap Match ordered by Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, the Big Show took on both the Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan. Show had both superstars in position for a double chokeslam, but Kurt Angle came from the back and low blowed the Big Show, ending the match in a disqualification. Then the Acolytes, who will face the Boss Man and Bull at Backlash, came from the back to get a piece of their opponents this Sunday. Faarooq and Bradshaw ran Boss Man, Bull and Angle back to the locker room.

Vince McMahon arrived at the arena, and immediately made his way to the ring. Mr. McMahon summarized the events of the past week and concluded that he's the only level-headed McMahon. He said Shane would not, in fact, be Triple H's partner later on because Shane had a prior commitment. Furthermore, if Triple H couldn't find a replacement, he'd be taking on The Rock and Jericho himself. The owner suggested that The Rock couldn't trust Stone Cold Steve Austin. He insinuated that it was The Rock who was driving the car last November that hit the Rattlesnake and put him out of action. And he suggested that Austin could very well be out for revenge this Sunday, making the name Backlash that much more apropos.

Two former tag teams switched partners as the Godfather and Al Snow teamed up against D'Lo Brown and Steve Blackman. As the Godfather and Blackman battled outside the ring, D'Lo finished off Snow with the Sky High. As if he wasn't already agitated enough about losing the match, the Godfather's hos refused to dance with Snow after the contest, and the Godfather threw him out of the ring!

Throughout the night, Eddie Guerrero and Chyna were trying on formal outfits for Eddie's prom, which is apparently this Sunday (the same night as Backlash). Eddie had to quickly change into his wrestling attire when Chyna realized he had a match against Val Venis. The non-title match ended when Lita and Essa Rios came down to the ring to get a piece of Chyna. Lita jumped off the top rope and floored Chyna, who was standing outside the ring, with a cross body-block. In the ring, Val finished off Eddy with a spinebuster and the Money Shot. After the match, Lita and Essa stomped away on Eddie, who will meet Rios for the European Title this Sunday at Backlash, until Chyna made the save.

In a non-title tag team match, Edge and Christian took on the Dudley Boyz. As the match got underway, T&A came out, carrying a table with Trish Stratus lying on it! When Buh Buh Ray saw it, he couldn't concentrate on the match. As he was distracted, Edge speared D-Von, and the Tag Team Champions picked up the win. Meanwhile, Test picked up Trish and carried her back to the locker room.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviewed The Rock to get his response to Vince's earlier statements. The Rock said that while Austin couldn't fully trust The Rock and vice versa, one thing that they could agree on is that they could never trust Vince McMahon. The People's Champion added that Stone Cold Steve Austin is a better man than Vince, and if Austin had a problem with The Rock, he was man enough to tell him. The "Great One" said he has clawed and scratched to get the Federation Championship back, and that's exactly what he intended to do at Backlash.

Chris Jericho and The Rock came out for the main event, followed by Triple H. Just when it appeared that The Game would have to go it alone, he introduced his tag team partner, Chris Benoit! The champion wasn't done; he announced the special referee for the match, Shane McMahon! And in a preview of this Sunday, Vince McMahon would stand in his corner. With Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley at ringside as well, it was like five-on-two for The Rock and Y2J. The advantage paid off in the end. When The Rock was in control, Vince delivered a low blow, and Triple H gave him a Pedigree. Shane administered the three count, and the team of Benoit and Triple H scored the win. The Rock stared at his opposition with fire in his eyes as RAW came to an end.