Raw is War

The Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
March 12, 2001

Less than three weeks from WrestleMania, RAW exploded live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and as the show opened, Kurt Angle paced anxiously in the parking area.

RAW kicked off with a Tag Team Title match between the champion Hardy Boyz and challengers Justin Credible and X-Pac. The match opened with X-Pac showing strong signs of offense against Matt and Jeff. X-Pac hit Matt with a Bronco Buster, but after he tagged in Credible, Matt and Jeff were able to utilize a double team. At one point, Jeff Hardy was tossed through the ropes and he flew into Lita! Back in the ring, as the Hardys were about to make the pin and pick up the win, Albert ran out to the ring and eliminated both Matt and Jeff! Afterwards, X-Pac and Justin Credible both raised Albert's arms in celebration!

As Kurt Angle paced out back, Commissioner William Regal drove in. Immediately, Angle told Regal that his first order of business should be to give Kurt a title shot against The Rock! Regal said he would take it into consideration, but that first he would have to address the people!

In the Radicalz dressing room, Eddie Guerrero told Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko that it was now personal between them and Chris Benoit. Saturn and Malenko agreed, saying they wanted to watch him bleed! After Guerrero and Malenko left the room, Benoit attacked Saturn from behind and locked him in the Crossface!

Commissioner William Regal, sporting a black eye he received in his match with Al Snow on SmackDown!, came out to the ring to address the people. He vowed to respect the fans and hoped that the fans would do the same for him. Regal said that one thing he would not tolerate was a suckup! He then said he would make his decisions on his own, and announced his first match as commissioner - a title match between The Rock and Kurt Angle! As Regal went on to explain what he would stand for as the commissioner, Chris Jericho's music started!

Jericho came out and said he wanted to congratulate Regal the same way welcomed him into the Federation, and Y2J showed footage of Regal's first night, where Jericho interrupted his tea party! Jericho said he would never dream of besmirching Regal, but he did say he would come out and embarrass Regal every night he could!

Christian entered the ring for a singles match against D-Von Dudley. The winner of the match would win the opportunity for his team to have a shot at the Tag Team Titles. Christian and D-Von battled fiercely, both showing their passion for the Tag Team Titles. After the referee was inadvertently knocked out, Christian went to grab a chair! Buh Buh Dudley ran out and he and D-Von hit Christian with a 3-D! The referee got up and counted the three for D-Von!

Another limo pulled in to the parking area, and Vince McMahon got out, followed quickly by the lovely Trish Stratus! Vince then suggested that he and Trish give the people something they had never seen, and go out to the ring and perform a live Hollywood sex scene! Trish smiled and replied by saying, "Whatever you want!"

Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko walked through the backstage area, saying they needed to be smarter than Benoit, since he had already taken out Perry Saturn! As Malenko turned his back, Benoit attacked him from behind! Guerrero then spotted Benoit, who laughed and said he'd see him in the ring!

In his office, Commissioner Regal told Coach he had made another match - Chris Jericho would face the Right to Censor - all of the Right to Censor!

Michael Cole asked Kurt Angle about his rematch with The Rock later. Angle said it was a crime that this was his first shot at the title since he lost it at No Way Out. Angle promised he would take back what was his, and in the process, he would snap The Rock's ankle! When Cole asked about Debra being at ringside, Angle said that if she got in his way, he would take matters into his own hands!

In a singles match, former friends faced off as Chris Benoit took on Eddie Guerrero. Benoit hammered the chest of Eddie Guerrero with vicious chops, but Guerrero countered with a nice hurricanrana. After Benoit made contact with his flying headbutt, Guerrero nailed Benoit with his frog splash! But, Benoit picked up the win after locking Guerrero with in the Crossface!

Vince McMahon, with Trish Stratus on his arm, walked out to the ring with a huge smile on his face. Mr. McMahon said that Trish had a lot in common with many Hollywood starlets, including her long blonde hair, her well-endowed chest, and her willingness to do anything to get ahead in the business. Vince said he didn't force her to do anything, and Trish agreed, saying she would do anything for Mr. McMahon! Vince said that he had been considering some sort of Hollywood sex scene for RAW, so he asked Trish to lie on her back in the ring, and Vince laid down next to her!

Trish then whispered something in Vince's ear, and he stood up and said that Trish had a better idea, one that Vince and Trish had to go to the back to do! As Vince kept talking, his music began playing! Vince demanded that his music stop playing, but soon, Shane McMahon walked out to the stage!

Shane walked down to the ring, and his father, Vince, told him he had better calm down! Mr. McMahon demanded that Shane shake his hand! Shane refused, and then Vince demanded a hug! Shane refused again, and began throwing punches at his father! William Regal ran out to the ring and pulled Shane off of his father, allowing Vince and Trish to run away to the back! After beating the hell out of Regal, Shane chased Vince to the back, but he was too late, as Vince and Trish sped away from the arena in a limo! But Shane did leave the arena to follow Vince!

In a match made by Commissioner Regal, the Right to Censor, Bull Buchanan, Val Venis, Goodfather and Steven Richards took on Chris Jericho. Y2J had a rough match, facing four men alone. But Bull Buchanan misfired once and accidentally hit the Goodfather, who left the ring! As Steven and Bull went to convince the Goodfather to return, Jericho was able to lock Val Venis in the Walls of Jericho! Val escaped, however, and was able to pin Jericho after a powerbomb!

As Kurt Angle prepared for his match against The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin walked in to his locker room! Austin asked if Angle had a problem with his wife, Angle replied that he didn't, but as Austin walked out, Angle said that he would have a problem with Stone Cold after he beat The Rock for the title later!

Just before the Undertaker was about to go out to the ring for a Hardcore Title match against the Big Show, Triple H attacked him from behind and pushed Taker off his motorcycle! The bike fell on the Undertaker's leg, trapping him and leaving him prone to Triple H's attacks! As the Game was about to smack Taker with a steel chair, Kane ran out and chased him off! Kane returned to help his brother get the bike off his leg, but the Big Show ran in and attacked Kane, bouncing his head off a concrete wall! Kane was taken out and Undertaker screamed in pain as the bike still was on top of his leg!

Stone Cold Steve Austin went in to The Rock's locker room and told him that he would whip Rock's ass if something happened to Debra later! Rock then said he understood Austin's concern, but that Stone Cold should also have one concern - getting ready for WrestleMania!

In a European Title match, Test put his championship on the line against Raven. Test retained his title after hitting Raven with a big boot.The main event on RAW saw The Rock put his World Wrestling Federation Title, and his spot in the main event of WrestleMania, up for grabs against Kurt Angle. Right as the match began, The Rock locked Angle into the sharpshooter! The two men began battling their way up the ramp, but eventually made it back down to the announcing area, where Angle hit The Rock in the stomach with a steel chair! The Great One got back up and started pummeling the Olympic champion, but Angle came right back and knocked Rock down to the floor. The match made its way back into the ring, where Angle took The Brahma Bull down again with a low knee. As The Rock lie near the corner of the ring, Angle went to hit him with a moonsault, but Rock rolled away! Angle got back up and hit Rock with an Olympic Slam and made the cover, but Rock kicked out at two! The Rock then hit Kurt with a Rock Bottom, but the Great One hurt his hand while executing the move, causing him to miss the opportunity for the win! The referee went down after Angle accidentally rolled over his ankle, and The Rock hit Kurt with the People's Elbow! The ref was distracted, however, and Angle kicked out! After kicking out, Kurt put Rock into his ankle lock! The Great One made his way to the ropes, but Angle refused to break the hold, causing the ref to call for the bell! As Debra entered the ring to check on Rock, Angle put her in the ankle lock!At that, Stone Cold ran to the ring, tossed Angle out and then Stunned The Rock, making good on his earlier threats!