Raw is War

The Ice Palace, Tampa, Florida
June 18, 2001

Just six days before King of the Ring, RAW IS WAR emanated live from the Ice Palace in Tampa, Fla.!

As the show kicked off, Spike Dudley and Molly Holly headed to the ring! The crowd cheered wildly for the Romeo and Juliet of the World Wrestling Federation. Spike said he was proud to face the World Wrestling Federation Champion last week on SmackDown!, and said that one moment in the sun wasn't enough for him. He said that since Stone Cold Steve Austin was going to hit Molly with a chair last Thursday on SmackDown!, he was calling out the Texas Rattlesnake!

It didn't take much provocation for Stone Cold to head to the ring. The Federation Champion asked Spike who the hell he thought he was. Spike said, "My name is Spike Dudley!" The Rattlesnake replied that his name was Stone Cold Steve Austin, and he wasn't about to let some punk challenge him. Spike said he had just done so! The Rattlesnake said things weren't fair.

Spike then asked the crowd if they wanted to see him face Austin for the title -- and the crowd gave him a "Hell Yeah!" But the Rattlesnake refused, saying that Spike didn't deserve to be in the same ring as him! The Bionic Redneck said he would give it to Spike down the middle. He admitted that Spike had a lot of guts for calling him out, but said that as much guts as Spike had, Molly was still a bimbo!  

Spike demanded that Austin take his remark back, and the Rattlesnake refused! Stone Cold even called her a two-dollar tramp -- and Molly slapped him! The Rattlesnake shook the slap off, and reiterated that he wasn't giving Spike a title shot. He admitted that Spike and Molly had earned his respect, and he then offered his hand to Spike for a handshake. Spike shook his hand, with no altercation.

Suddenly, Austin walked up to Molly and gave her a Stone Cold Stunner! As the Rattlesnake left ringside, an enraged Spike checked on his girlfriend!

During the commercial break, Stone Cold ran into Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley in the hallway, and the two brothers just stared down the Rattlesnake.

Moments later, a trainer checked on Molly as Bubba Ray and D-Von stopped by. Bubba gave Spike credit for standing up to Austin last week. Bubba then pointed out that Spike had been here three months, and they had been here a year and a half with no title shots. Spike accused his brothers of caring about nothing but themselves. D-Von asked Spike what he was going to do about it -- and D-Von said he would do nothing. Spike then said that he would do something about it.

Your Olympic hero -- Kurt Angle -- headed to the ring next, ready to take on Jeff Hardy in King of the Ring quarterfinal action. Angle dominated the Light Heavyweight Champion with suplexes, but Jeff was soon in position for a Swanton Bomb, until Kurt rolled away. Angle then went for a moonsault, but missed. Jeff then went for another Swanton and hit it, but Kurt got his foot on the ropes. Jeff went back up top, but Angle caught him, and locked on the ankle lock. Jeff had no choice but to tap out, and Kurt moved on to the King of the Ring semifinals, this Sunday on Pay-Per-View.

Backstage, Stone Cold and Debra were talking in their locker room, and Austin said he needed a confidante. Debra said she could help him, but Austin shrugged her off. He said he needed a confidante, someone who knew about being a champion. Debra reminded him that she was Women's Champion, and the Rattlesnake laughed at his wife!

Commissioner William Regal told Tajiri how proud he was of him for advancing into the King of the Ring tournament last Thursday on SmackDown! Stone Cold entered Regal's office, and Regal informed Austin that Spike wanted him in a match tonight. Regal suggested a six-man tag, with Austin and the Dudley Boyz against Spike, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit. Austin said OK. The Rattlesnake then said he needed someone to talk to, someone to confide in. Regal said he was always there for him, but Austin said he wasn't talking about Regal, he was talking about Tajiri.

Austin asked Regal to leave, and the commissioner did so.

Michael Cole interviewed Tazz, who was pumped about this Thursday's premier of WWF Tough Enough on MTV! Hardcore Holly then approached Tazz and said that Tazz used to be tough, but now he was just a commentator. Tazz said maybe Hardcore should concern himself with Molly, and Hardcore said that Molly was no longer any concern of his. The two then decided to face off later in the night to see who was tough enough!

At WWF New York, Kane helped a child win a stuffed toy by breaking open a video game machine, as the child stared on in shock.

As Hardcore Holly headed to the ring, footage suddenly came on the TitanTron of the Undertaker and Sara. The stalker said he was in Tampa tonight, and he would reveal himself to the world! He said that even though Taker was away protecting his wife, both Taker and Sara were in a lot of trouble once he revealed himself.

After a commercial break, Tazz and Hardcore tore into each other. The orange-and-black attack won the bout, forcing Hardcore to tap out to the Tazzmission!

Stone Cold sat in Commissioner Regal's chair and complained to Tajiri that Linda McMahon was ruining his life. Austin said he would never let a woman run his life. Stone Cold said it wasn't right for him to be treated that way, and he asked Tajiri what he thought the answer was. Tajiri mumbled to him in Japanese, and Austin said Tajiri was a very wise man. Commissioner Regal then came in and said that it was time for Tajiri's match, so the two headed to the ring!

Edge & Christian talked backstage, and Edge apologized for knocking Christian down after their loss on SmackDown! The two said they were psyched about possibly facing each other in the King of the Ring finals. The two said things were OK, but there was definite tension. Kurt Angle then came in, and Kurt said it pained him to see his best friends at odds. Kurt said he was in the semis, and it wasn't like either Edge or Christian had a chance in the tournament!

In King of the Ring semifinal action, Rhyno took on Tajiri, accompanied by Commissioner Regal. The two former ECW stars waged an intense war for the second semifinal spot in the King of the Ring tournament. After the Tarantula, Tajiri missed the kick to the head, and moments later, Rhyno went for the gore. As Rhyno went for the gore, Tajiri kicked him in the head! Regal then instructed Regal to go up top, but when he came off the top, Rhyno gored him and pinned him!

Rhyno had advanced to the semifinal of the King of the Ring tournament this Sunday on Pay-Per-View!

Moments later, Regal yelled at Tajiri for losing the King of the Ring bout, saying Tajiri had besmirched him! An irate Regal told Tajiri to bugger off!

The Undertaker's music then filled the arena, and a man wearing a black mask rode to the ring, riding the Taker's bike! The man got in the ring and took off his mask -- it was Diamond Dallas Page!

Page grabbed a microphone and said that, like the Diamond Cutter, Taker never saw it coming! DDP said that many were probably asking why. Page said he wanted to make an impact in this business, so he had gone right after the biggest, baddest dog in the yard. DDP said that the way to get the best of Taker was to make it personal.

DDP said that Taker had never shown weakness -- until Stone Cold had messed with Sara prior to Judgment Day. Page said that rang a bell in his head, that Sara was Taker's weakness. Page brought up that Taker once said he wasn't afraid of anything, and he called Taker a liar. Page mocked the Taker.

Page said that he had made Sara famous, and that nobody deserved to be more famous than Diamond Dallas Page. Page said he was using Taker to get to the top of the sports-entertainment business, and that he would see the Undertaker at King of the Ring. DDP begged the Undertaker to make him famous. Page then left through the crowd.

In another King of the Ring quarterfinal bout, Edge took on Perry Saturn, as Christian and Terri watched on from ringside. Saturn appeared to have the match won with a fisherman's suplex, but Christian saved his brother from being pinned. Moments later, Edge won the bout with a spike DDT, earning a spot in the King of the Ring semifinals this Sunday on Pay-Per-View.

Backstage, a limo arrived at the arena, and out walked Vince McMahon! McMahon was approached by the Brooklyn Brawler, who asked the Federation chairman how he was doing. Vince said he was doing pretty well, except for the fact that his wife's divorce attorneys had just put him through the ringer. McMahon then asked where Stone Cold was, and the Brawler told him that Stone Cold was in his office.

The European Championship was on the line next, as Matt Hardy took on Albert. A high-impact match ended when Albert refused to let go of a blatant chokehold, ending the bout in a disqualification. After the bout, Albert went after Lita, and Matt attacked him with a Twist of Fate. But X-Pac and Justin Credible hit Matt with the X Marks The Spot, before Jeff Hardy ran down for the save. Lita even gave X-Pac a hurricanrana for his troubles! But X-Pac and Justin hit the X Marks the Spot on X-Pac and Albert hit a Baldobomb on Jeff, as X-Factor left Team Xtreme lying in a heap.

Stone Cold was polishing his Federation Championship when Mr. McMahon came in. McMahon asked Austin how he was feeling mentally. Austin said he was focused, and felt good. Mr. McMahon said he wanted to ask Austin about a couple of things, specifically about the hug Austin gave him last week on RAW IS WAR, and the look on Austin's eyes. He asked Austin what he was thinking. The Rattlesnake said it was just a good old-fashioned hug. McMahon then asked about the petition, saying that Linda wouldn't change her mind, and that Linda wasn't a rational woman. Vince said he was also angered that Austin decided to defend the Federation Championship against Spike without consulting with him. McMahon then questioned why Austin would put himself in a six-man on RAW. Austin said he was sick of Vince, and he gave Mr. McMahon an ultimatum -- it was him or Linda! The Rattlesnake then walked out of the locker room, leaving a perplexed Mr. McMahon behind.

During the break, Mr. McMahon got in his limo and left the arena.

Benoit, Jericho and Spike talked backstage, and Spike thanked the Tag Team Champions for their help last week. Benoit and Jericho teased Spike, and made fun of the Texas Rattlesnake!

Edge and Rhyno talked backstage, and they said they were psyched for King of the Ring! Christian came by, and again, there was tension in the air, with Edge and Rhyno having already advanced to the semifinals, and Christian having to face the Big Show on RAW! Rhyno said it didn't matter if Christian won anyway, since Kurt Angle had promised to win the tournament for the second year in a row!

Kurt Angle headed to ringside to provide commentary for the final King of the Ring quarterfinal match, as Christian took on the Big Show. The 500-pound Big Show dominated Christian at first, and the action soon spilled outside the ring, where the Show pie-faced Angle! Back in the ring, Angle distacted the ref, and E&C gave Big Show a con-chair-to! Christian then pinned the Big Show to earn the final spot in the King of the Ring semifinals, this Sunday on Pay-Per-View!

The main event on RAW IS WAR was the six-man tag match, as Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley teamed up with Stone Cold Steve Austin against Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit and Spike Dudley. Y2J debuted his new entrance video prior to the bout.

At one point, Spike nearly pinned Stone Cold's shoulders to the mat, but the Federation Champion kicked out! Bubba Ray and D-Von took every opportunity they could to abuse their younger brother, but Spike finally got the tag to Benoit! As the action wore on, Jericho shoulder-tackled D-Von through a table! Spike then hit Bubba with a Dudley Dogg, leaving Austin and Benoit in the ring. Benoti gave Austin three German suplexes, and then went up top for the diving headbutt, but missed.

The fight wore on, as the Rattlesnake and the Wolverine went at it. Moments later, Spike went for the Dudley Dogg on Austin, but Austin simply tossed Spike over the top rope, through a table on the outside! The brutal Austin then shoved the referee away, and went for a steel chair. Austin was about to hit Benoit, but Y2J saved his partner and brutalized Stone Cold! Jericho turned Austin over into the Walls of Jericho, and Benoit locked Austin in the Crossface at the same time! Shockingly, for the first time in his career, Stone Cold tapped out!