Raw is War

Baltimore, Maryland
May 1, 2000

Just 24 hours after the conclusion of Backlash, RAW IS WAR was live at the Baltimore Arena. Edge and Christian, who successfully defended the Tag Team Championship at Backlash, joined Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jim Ross for commentary during the opening match. It was a rematch from Backlash: the Dudley Boyz against T&A. Much to the chagrin of the sold-out Maryland crowd, Test and Albert were without Trish Stratus, who was recuperating after being driven through a table by Buh Buh Ray Dudley. Edge and Christian, who once again promised they'd do a "run-in" during the match, arrogantly proclaimed that they'd beaten virtually every tag team the Federation has to offer, and they offered an open challenge. Just after the Dudley Boyz hit 3D on Test, Edge and Christian sprung to action. While Edge distracted the referee, Christian dropped D-Von with the Impaler and draped a nearly unconscious Test on top. Though he was nearly unconscious, Test secured a victory for the second time in as many nights for T&A.

His arm in a sling due to a separated shoulder, and no title around his waist, Triple H led the McMahon-Helmsley regime - including Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, Shane and Vince McMahon, X-Pac, Road Dogg, Tori and Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco, who rejoined the crew at Backlash - to the ring. Triple H claimed that The Rock's victory at Backlash was tainted, because Stone Cold Steve Austin, Linda McMahon and Earl Hebner helped him. Vince McMahon said that the Texas Rattlesnake was not scheduled to be in Baltimore, and if Austin showed up, the thrashing he'd get would dwarf any hit-and-run car attack. Vince also suggested that his own wife Linda, too, could be in for a beating if she appeared! The owner added that he'd "attend to Earl Hebner later." Vince also guaranteed that history would be made in Baltimore, involving The Rock and a steel cage hanging overhead.

Out in the parking lot, Crash Holly arrived. The parking lot attendant told him to leave his car - and then the attendant attacked the Hardcore Champion! Referee Teddy Long was nearby, but Crash was able to kick out, throw the attendant in the trunk of his car, and get away with his championship.

In tag team action, Grandmaster Sexay made his return from knee surgery, and Too Cool battled the Hardy Boyz. Matt Hardy landed the Twist of Fate on Scotty Too Hotty, and while Jeff Hardy climbed to the top rope, Matt went for the same maneuver on Sexay. However, Grandmaster countered by tossing Matt into the ropes, which knocked Jeff off the top turnbuckle. Sexay followed up with a Rikishi-like superkick on Matt, and Too Cool scored a huge win over the Hardys! The Baltimore crowd went insane with delight as Grandmaster and Scotty celebrated by tearin' it up.

Backstage, Mr. McMahon told Brisco and Patterson to bring him Earl Hebner. When the stooges delivered the referee to the owner, Mr. McMahon verbally tore into the Federation's senior official. Vince warned Earl to stay out of his business; he threatened, "Bad things happen to people who get into my business."

In tag team competition, Ivory and Terri took on The Kat and Jacqueline. While the referee tried to get Jacqueline out of the ring, Ivory dropped an elbow on The Kat's head, and pulled Terri on top. However, Jacqueline returned the favor, dropping an elbow on Terri when the referee was distracted by Ivory. Once the referee turned around, The Kat had Terri pinned, and the team of the The Kat and Jacqueline got the victory!

Reinstated referee Earl Hebner officiated the next match: Chris Jericho against X-Pac, accompanied by Tori. The degenerate wore a large bandage on his forehead after being busted open at Backlash. X-Pac was supposed to be defending the honor of Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, but that didn't stop Y2J from insulting the Women's Champion once again before the match got underway. X-Pac got in Hebner's face, and shoved the official. Hebner shoved back, knocking X-Pac down, and then Hebner disqualified the degenerate! Jericho wasn't satisfied with a DQ victory, so he locked X-Pac in the Walls of Jericho. Road Dogg came out to make the save; he too shoved Hebner, and he too was knocked down when Hebner shoved back! Scores of Federation officials ran from the back. They held back both Jericho and Hebner!

The roof practically blew off the Baltimore Arena as new Federation Champion The Rock came to the ring. The Rock said "bring it" to whatever surprises the McMahon-Helmsley regime had for The Rock. Vince McMahon and his minions appeared and the owner predicted that The Rock would have the shortest Federation Championship reign in history, because The Rock would be defending the title in a steel cage match against Shane McMahon. Vince said that the winner of the match would be the first man out of the cage - and Vince seemed unusually confident that that man would be Shane McMahon! The Rock responded that he wouldn't have the shortest reign in history, but Shane would have the longest night of his life. Backstage, Triple H got in Shane McMahon's face. The former champion insisted that the WWF Title belonged to him. Shane tried to argue that it didn't matter who was champion as long as the title was in the family; Triple H disagreed, and he walked away in disgust. Later, Triple H pleaded his case to his wife.

Edge and Christian, who were acting more arrogant than ever, came out to the ring ready to wrestle, and they reiterated that they had an issued an open challenge. Who responded? Rikishi Phatu and the "Showkishi," aka the Big Show dressed like Phatu. Perhaps knowing his team couldn't possibly defeat a duo that weighed in excess of 900 pounds, Edge caused a disqualification when he clobbered the Big Showkishi with the ring bell. The Tag Team Champions tried to escape, but Road Dogg and X-Pac cut them off, and tossed them back in the ring, where they were both victims of a "double stink face." The two mammoth superstars celebrated by dancing for the crowd.

In another return match from Backlash, Essa Rios, with Lita, challenged Eddie Guerrero, accompanied by Chyna. Lita was wearing the prom dress that she had ripped off Chyna at the Pay-Per-View. Guerrero was able to successfully defend his title once again by planting Rios with a modified airplane spin into a neckbreaker. After the match, Chyna scored retribution by ripping the dress off Lita!

Backstage, Earl Hebner poured himself a cup of hot coffee, and Tori "accidentally" bumped into him, spilling the coffee all over his shirt. Later, Triple H confronted Hebner face to face, violently staring him down until Hebner retreated.

The Intercontinental Title was on the line as Chris Benoit defended against Tazz. Moments after the match got underway, Perry Saturn appeared, distracting Tazz. The man from the Red Hook district was promptly finished off after a Benoit low blow and Fisherman's suplex. After the match, Tazz went after Saturn, and Hardcore Holly came out and dropped Benoit with a modified powerslam. Then Holly floored both Tazz and Saturn by diving at them off the ring apron.

Michael Cole interviewed a paranoid Crash Holly, who said he just wanted a moment of rest from the "24/7" Hardcore Title defense rule. Crash even suspected that Michael Cole was going to attack him - but it was Steve Blackman who seemingly came out of nowhere and bashed Crash with a steel barrel. Another Hardcore Title Match had broken out. The two superstars battled out to the ring, and the "Houdini of Hardcore" tried to escape through the crowd, but he was attacked by a couple of Baltimore Ravens in the front row! When the Ravens scuffled over who should pin Crash, the Hardcore Champion was once again able to escape.

Skepticism was in the air as Shane McMahon challenged The Rock to a WWF Title match in a steel cage. Vince McMahon just seemed to be too confident that his boy would beat the People's Champion. Triple H and Stephanie came out along with Vince, as did the stooges, dressed in referee shirts. Patterson was positioned inside the cage, where he repeatedly tried to stand in The Rock's way as Shane attempted to run out of the cage. At one point, Shane made his way toward the cage door and Vince tried to pull Shane out. That plan backfired, as The Rock ended up stomping away on the owner. Later, The Rock DDT'd Shane and started climbing the cage, but Triple H knocked him off by poking him with a broom handle. That plan backfired as well, as The Rock stole the stick away and broke it over Shane's spine. The "Great One" soon tried to climb the cage again, but Patterson grabbed his leg and then low blowed him. When The Rock recovered, he Rock Bottomed Patterson. After the People's Champion dropped the People's Elbow on Shane, the other stooge, Brisco, slammed the cage in The Rock's face when he tried to escape. Triple H climbed in the cage and attacked the champion. Earl Hebner appeared, slammed Brisco's head into the cage, and then slammed the cage door on Triple H! The Rock gave Triple H a spinebuster, and then scaled the cage to retain the title!