Raw is War

East Ruthersford, New Jersey
March 13, 2000

New Jersey's Continental Airlines Arena was jam packed - sold out, in fact - as RAW IS WAR got underway with less than three weeks to go before WrestleMania. World Wrestling Federation Champion Triple H and his wife Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley hit the ring, and they were followed seconds later by the Big Show and Shane McMahon. Shane proudly showed footage of Thursday's edition of SmackDown!, when The Rock was subject to a brutal being after being forced into two Handicap Matches. To add insult to injury, Stephanie then announced The Rock's "match" at WrestleMania. She said he'd be a part of a Handicap Match against the "biggest team ever" in the World Wrestling Federation, the Twin Towers! But the Twin Towers turned out to be a couple of minis who weren't even half as tall as the Big Show. The Coalition - Stephanie, Triple H, Shane and the Big Show - laughed it up, throwing out mock stipulations for The Rock's "match" at WrestleMania. How about a Tuxedo Match?

The Rock didn't think it was very funny. He finally appeared, and all the kidding was put aside. The Rock said he wouldn't let them humiliate him. Just as the Coalition had forced Mick Foley to retire, he was going to give them the opportunity to do the same to him. He challenged the Big Show to a one-on-one encounter on RAW. If The Rock could win, he'd go to WrestleMania to face the WWF Champion in the main event, but if the Big Show beat him, The Rock said he'd leave the WWF forever, even though he's only 27 years old. The Rock added that if any of the other members of the Coalition interfered, The Rock would be declared the winner and would still get to go to WrestleMania.

The Hardy Boyz took on Steve Blackman and Al Snow (sometimes known as Head Cheese) in the first match of the evening. Blackman thought he had the match won after delivering a thrust kick off the top rope to Jeff, but the Hardy Boyz stole the victory when Matt came out of nowhere and rolled up the Lethal Weapon for the win.

In a Handicap Match, Mark Henry tried to avenge his girlfriend Mae Young by taking on both the Dudley Boyz. After just a few moments, Buh Buh Ray Dudley retreated to the locker room, leaving his brother D-Von alone with "Sexual Chocolate." It turned out that Buh Buh Ray had gone backstage to find Mae, who after weeks of brutalization from the Dudleys was confined to a wheelchair. Buh Buh Ray wheeled her out to ringside, where Mae watched Henry fall victim to the 3D that knocked "Sexual Chocolate" out cold. But the Dudleys didn't even bother to pin Henry. Instead, they wheeled Mae back up the ramp, where D-Von picked her up and handed her over to Buh Buh Ray. Buh Buh took her, jumped off the stage and powerbombed her through a table nearly 15 feet below! Mae, already in a neck brace, was severely injured. "Sexual Chocolate" joined emergency crews in attending to Mae

After naming himself New Jersey's hero, Kurt Angle put the European Title on the line in a Triple Threat Match against Chris Jericho and Tazz. Before the match got underway, Tazz declared that there would be no disqualifications. Confusion ensued with Bob Backlund came from the crowd and attacked both Tazz and Chris Jericho. Chyna ran from the backstage area and delivered a lowblow to Backlund, who fell outside the ring. In the meantime, Tazz grabbed one of Angle's title belts. But Jericho dropkicked him, and Angle picked up the belt and walloped Y2J with it to win the match.

Triple H, X-Pac and Road Dogg teamed up for a special six-man tag team match against Too Cool and Rikishi Phatu. As the other four superstars battled outside the ring, Rikishi had Triple H set up for the drop off the second rope. But Stephanie distracted the referee, and X-Pac clobbered Phatu with the ring bell, breaking the wood right off the bell. Triple H made the cover, and D-Generation X got the victory.

Next up, Kane battled the Big Boss Man. In spite of Boss Man's repeated attempts to clobber Kane with his nightstick and other weapons, the Big Red Machine was able to pick up the win after a chokeslam.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviewed Fabulous Moolah, asking her how she felt about what happened to Mae Young. In a shocking turn of events, Moolah revealed that she hoped Mae was suffering! Moolah declared that nobody had heard of Mae before Moolah brought her in - Mae was a nobody before, and she's still a nobody, Moolah said. Moolah reminded everyone that she's a Hall of Famer, and she said she didn't care if Mae never returned!

Coming to the ring with Lita, Essa Rios proved once again that he's a fighting champion as he defended the Light Heavyweight Title against Dean Malenko. Eddy Guerrero, who accompanied Malenko to ringside, jump up on the apron, but was quickly knocked off with a Rios forearm. Lita tried to follow up with a hurricanrana, but Guerrero caught her and powerbombed her on the floor! In the ring, Malenko tied Rios in a pinning predicament and got the three count to become the new Light Heavyweight Champion!

The No. 1 contenders for the Tag Team Championship, Edge and Christian, faced the Acolytes. In addition to Mideon, the Acolytes new lackey, Terri hung out at ringside during the match. Terri ended up distracting Christian, while inside the ring, Bradshaw finished off Edge with the Clothesline from Hell.

Before RAW got underway, Crash Holly had another "anytime, anyplace" Hardcore Title defense. This time, the Mean Street Posse members found referee Tim White at the Newark Airport. They convinced him to put on his striped shirt, and then they attacked Crash right in the baggage claim area. Prince Albert, also apparently waiting for his bag, got into the fray himself. As the Prince battled with Joey Abs and Rodney, Pete Gas picked up a quick and shocking victory by pinning Crash and winning the Hardcore Title - for about ten seconds. As Gas celebrated, Crash grabbed his scale and clobbered him in the back of the head, and then Crash pinned him to win back the Hardcore Title.

Back after a few weeks of nursing an injury, Val Venis teamed up with Test to face Perry Saturn and Chris Benoit. Midway through the match, Eddy Guerrero appeared for the second time in the evening. When Benoit bounced Test off the ropes, Guerrero clobbered him with an illegal foreign object, and Benoit followed up with a belly to back suplex into a bridge for the victory.

In the final match of the evening, The Rock put his career on the line for a shot at the main event at WrestleMania as he tangled with the Big Show. Before the match got underway, Shane McMahon came out and ordered referee Earl Hebner back to the locker room; Shane named himself the special referee. When Shane was inadvertently knocked out of the ring, The Rock delivered a spinebuster and a People's Elbow, but there was no referee. Hebner ran from the back, but Shane pulled him out of the ring and pummeled him. Shane climbed back in the ring and clobbered The Rock with a steel chair - just as he had at No Way Out - and The Rock's chances appeared to be doomed. All of a sudden a limousine pulled up in the backstage area and Vince McMahon jumped out! Seeing Vince arrive on the monitor, Triple H went after him, but Vince laid him out with a right hand to the chin! Then Vince went out to the ring and did the same thing to his son! Vince followed up by nailing Shane with a chair, and then he stripped the referee shirt off Shane's back and put it on himself. The Rock delivered the Rock Bottom, pinned the Show, and new referee Vince administered the three count! The Rock is going to the main event at WrestleMania!