Raw is War

Buffalo, New York
April 29, 2002

RAW opened live from Buffalo, N.Y., just one week after Stone Cold Steve Austin was laid to waste by the Big Show, who unexpectedly joined the nWo!

Two high-fliers started things off as Jeff Hardy challenged Eddie Guerrero for the Intercontinental Championship. Jeff controlled the champ at the start with several double-arm takedowns. The Team Xtreme member then nearly got a pin with a facebuster. Jeff followed with a hurracanrana that sent Guerrero spilling out of the ring in order to calm down and get back on track.

Eddie began to mount some offense shortly after. He dropped Jeff with a suplex and then climbed to the top turnbuckle. But Jeff cut him off and fired off a superplex.  Jeff continued to roll, but he went for the Swanton Bomb and found nobody was home. He instead whipped into the Whisper in the Wind that took down both Guerrero and the referee! This allowed Guerrero to clock Jeff with the Intercontinental Championship and follow with a Frog Splash to retain his title!

Following the match, a gripping video package recounted how the Big Show had joined the nWo the previous week. After the package, Stone Cold was shown walking backstage. He asked a production assistant if the lying son of a bitch had showed up. The PA said that Mr. McMahon wasn't going to be there that night. Austin said that he was talking about the other lying SOB, Ric Flair. Austin ordered the PA to tell Flair that he would see him in the ring right now!

The Texas Rattlesnake indeed appeared in the ring next. With a beer in hand, Austin said he was very pissed off, but not too much where he couldn't tell a story. He said it was a story of a bald-headed SOB named Stone Cold, who had a match at Backlash with the Undertaker where Ric Flair mistakenly counted to three with Austin's foot on the rope. Austin then recounted how Flair admitted making a mistake and also told the story of last week's main event. He told Flair to come out and say that Stone Cold would have a match against the Big Show!

The Nature Boy did come out and Austin told him to get in the ring. Flair said that he was standing on the stage instead of the ring because he wanted to ensure that nothing happens to make him suspend Austin or worse. He said he didn't appreciate Austin insinuating that he may have had something to do with last week's events. Austin merely flipped the RAW owner the bird. At this point, the Buffalo crowd directed an "asshole" chant at Flair. Flair apologized once again. Stone Cold said that Flair hadn't granted his match for the night. Flair said that Austin vs. the Big Show sounded great, but it couldn't happen because he sent Big Show on a promotional tour to India. However, Flair said he would put Austin and Bradshaw in the ring against Scott Hall and X-Pac. 

Austin said that was the same match that was made last week, but Flair said he would appoint a special referee to make sure justice prevails. The special guest referee would be himself! He warned Austin, though, not to touch him. Stone Cold said he would lay both his hands on him if things went awry!

Backstage, Booker T was working out in front of a mirror when Goldust came up to him. Booker T told Goldust that they were not teaming that night because Booker was taking on RVD. Goldust said he had his own singles match against Spike Dudley. Goldust put his blond wig on Booker and told him he could represent them both. Booker looked in the mirror and got angry. Goldust told him that if Lil' Kim and Denzel Washington had a baby, Booker T would have been the product. Booker said that if Spiderman and Big Bird got busy, Goldust would be the result!

Booker took on Rob Van Dam next. Booker came out in a fury, chopping Van Dam across the chest. But RVD stormed back with a spinning heel kick to the face. The action went back and forth for a bit. Without warning, Goldust sauntered down to ringside. Goldust tried to clock RVD, but instead hit Booker! This led to a Five-Star Frog Splash that gave RVD the pin! Goldust apologetically blew Booker a kiss from the top of the entrance ramp.

Backstage, Terri asked Bradshaw what happened to him last week. Bradshaw said that he was extremely unstable and pissed off. He said it was the Big Show that took him down. Bradshaw said that when Big Show gets back from India he would jump him from behind, the side, from anywhere so he could lay him lying on the cold cement. Bradshaw said he was going to light up the nWo and if Ric Flair got in the way, he would suffer too.

Jazz was busy doing push-ups when Molly asked if she was crazy for challenging Bubba Ray for the Hardcore Championship. Molly said Jazz is tough, but not as tough as Bubba. Jazz gave Molly an icy stare and left, leaving Molly to second guess her statement.

Coach showed Shawn Stasiak the result of his match last week with William Regal. Coach asked why Stasiak was going to take on Brock Lesnar that night. Stasiak said his orbit is a little out of whack, and Brock Lesnar might have a huge tattoo on his back, but that all pales to the power of Planet Stasiak!

Brock Lesnar stormed to the ring with Paul Heyman in tow. Stasiak came right into the ring and took the Next Big Thing down with a waist lock. But outside the ring, Things went bad for Stasiak. Brock picked him up and slammed him into the iron ring post. Brock continued the assault with a series of suplexes. Heyman screamed for Brock to hurt Stasiak, and he did just that. First, he unleashed his spinning facebuster then a spinning powerbomb that knocked Stasiak unconscious. The referee called for the bell as Brock celebrated. 

Backstage, Ric Flair was talking on the phone when Debra came in. Flair asked Debra to tell Austin that Flair was telling the truth. Debra said Austin wanted Debra to deliver a message to him. She smacked Flair across the face and said don't trust anybody!

Backstage, the Undertaker came up on Sgt. Slaughter, who was on the phone. Taker said that Slaughter and Hogan went back a long way. Slaughter said the two were friends and had a lot of respect for each other. Taker told Slaughter to deliver the message to Hogan that Dead Man Inc. is in the building and that he wanted to see him in the ring shortly to get a few things straight.

Ric Flair came down to act as the special guest referee as Austin and Bradshaw faced X-Pac and Scott Hall. Bradshaw and X-Pac started the action off. Bradshaw vented his rage by nailing X-Pac with a boot to the face and several stiff clotheslines. X-Pac turned the tide with a spinning heel kick and tagged in Scott Hall. Bradshaw got a two-count, then tagged in Stone Cold. Austin had some anger of his own to let out, and he did so at the expense of X-Pac.

Bradshaw got back into the game and nailed X-Pac with a fallaway slam and the Texas tandem continued to roll through the nWo. At one point Austin hit a Stunner on X-Pac and applied a pin. Scott Hall put X-Pac's foot on the rope, but Flair didn't see it and counted to three to give Austin and Bradshaw the win!

Backstage, the nWo stormed in and X-Pac angrily said that his foot was on the rope. Hall said Flair was lucky he was the owner, otherwise he might get a beating. Flair told them to be careful what they wish for because they just might get it.

Undertaker rolled down to the ring and said that there's an old expression that the more things change the more they stay the same. He said that goes for Hogan, because the Dead Man remembered how the people would go crazy when their hero came out. But back in the day, Taker continued, those smiles would be replaced by frowns and tears when Taker came out. Taker said he's not like everyone else. He is not awestruck by Hogan and he's definitely not impressed because he had beaten the Hulkster. Taker said he is better now than Hogan was in his prime. He said Hogan left the Federation because he knew Taker would hurt him, and Taker said he was right. Taker said he can do much more than take the Federation Championship, he could leave the icon a battered, bloody shell of a man. 

The Undisputed Champion came out and stared down Taker. Taker said he knew what Hogan wanted to say. But Taker said that when Hulkamania ran wild on him, he would beat Hogan like the bitch he is! Suddenly, Hogan pounced on Taker and beat him from the ring!

Jazz was set to take on Bubba Ray Dudley next. Backstage, Bubba asked coach what Molly, Mae Young and Trish Stratus had in common. Bubba said that at some point each one of them had tasted Bubba's wood! And if that's what Jazz wanted, then Bubba's wood is what she would get!

Jazz immediately attacked Bubba when he entered the ring. But Bubba was simply too big and strong at the start. He slammed her hard to the canvas, then started dancing with her after catching her in an arm lock! Jazz challenged Bubba to a test of strength, but Bubba's hands reached too high for Jazz to grab, and Bubba began another dance! Jazz eyed Bubba Ray with scorn and kicked him in the groin then ran out and brought in some objects from under the ring. She kicked a trash can lid into his face, and got a two-count. Jazz then stood up, only to have Bubba bite her on the ass! Bubba then stuffed a trash can over Jazz and punched it repeatedly. Then, a wild look came over him and Bubba screamed for himself to get the tables! He ran outside the ring and brought a table into the ring and set it up. He prepared to powerbomb her through the table, but Stevie Richards ran in and clocked Bubba with a block of wood! Steven covered Bubba up and took the pin before running off with Jazz and the Hardcore Championship! 

Cameras caught Jazz and Stevie Richards racing off with Stevie celebrating his win by screaming, "I'm hardcore! I'm hardcore!"

Backstage, William Regal was watching footage of the old cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n Wrestling." Regal said it was pathetic that people worshipped a man who pranced around in a feather boa. He said it was awful 18 years ago, but now it was just sad. Regal began to make fun of the several pieces of merchandise bearing the Hulkamania logo that surrounded him. He said the people should be following him, someone who could finish a sentence without saying the word brother! Regal said that Hogan would see later on what happens when the power of the punch runs wild on him!

Austin and Bradshaw celebrated their win in the locker room by downing several beers. Flair stormed in and asked if he had proved himself. Austin said he hadn't. Flair said that he would then next week when X-Pac, Scott Hall and the Big Show teamed against Austin, Bradshaw and Flair himself in a six-man tag match!

Goldust took a shot at grabbing the European Championship by taking on Spike Dudley. Goldust took early control over his smaller opponent. He set Spike up in the corner and prepared him for the Golden Globes, but he stopped short of delivering the move that would have gotten him disqualified. Suddenly, Booker T raced in when the ref was not looking and delivered a scissors kick to Goldust! Spike followed with the Dudley Dawg and retained his championship!

William Regal got the chance to go one on one with Hollywood Hulk Hogan in a non-title match. Hogan came out to a huge ovation that intensified once he tore his shirt off. Before the match started, however, Regal said that the two should act like gentlemen. He invited Hogan outside the ring for a spot of tea. Regal poured two cups at a table set up at ringside. Regal handed Hogan a cup, and the two men drank! But Hulk spewed the hot liquid right into Regal's face and began to pound on his opponent! The two brawled back inside the ring, when suddenly, the Undertaker raced in an began to beat up Hogan!Taker smacked Hulk into submission and then picked up Hogan's weight belt. He slapped the buckle repeatedly across Hogan's skull, producing a bloody gash. The referee tried to stop the Dead Man but he was powerless to do so with Taker swinging the belt around. Taker intensified his attack and began to choke out his Judgment Day opponent with the weight belt. Taker capped the beating with a chokeslam followed by whispering in Hogan's ear. RAW closed with the Undisputed Champion laying in a pool of his own blood in the middle of the ring!