GSR

William Regal states that he is here on behalf of all the good people of Greenville as there is a threat in the World Wrestling Federation and that threats name is ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. His rampant attacks on goodwill and himself are appalling and he is here to make an example of a man who besmirches the decent people! He demands that he comes out and faces him, however he doesn’t have to wait long, Austin on his way before he has even got the words out of his mouth. The match follows the usual Austin opening, plenty of punches thrown and the ‘Thesz press’ landed. After picking up a two count Regal punches him in the bread basket and throws him through the ropes to the floor. The action returns to the ring and Regal with that quality leg scissors trip before raining forearms down on ‘Stone Cold’. Austin reverses the whip to the corner and although Regal puts on the breaks he’s met with a flurry of right hands. Referee Tim White tries to separate the two, but as Austin shoves him out the way Regal kicks ‘the Rattlesnake’ low. The crowd are super hot for anything Austin does when he’s on the offense. He goes for the stunner, but Regal pushes him off into White. ‘Hangman’s Noose’ neckbreaker by Regal. With no-one to count the fall he steps outside and collects his European title. Primed and ready to nail Austin, ‘Stone Cold’ gets in there first with a boot to the gut and then hits the stunner. He spots the dropped title belt on the mat and picks it up, right at the point that White comes around, sees him holding it and ultimately DQ’s him thinking he’d just clocked Regal with it. Brilliant stuff from Regal here who is holding his face and motioning that’s exactly what happened. Pissed with the decision Austin stuns White, who takes a pretty devastating bump from it as he doesn’t land on his knees so it’s almost like a cutter.

Gene Okerlund grabs a pre-match word with Mike Awesome and while he would like to talk wrestling, he would much rather know how an old guy picks up chicks. “Never take no for an answer” is his reply, an answer that is wrong on so many levels! Steve Sharpe is the former Ali from MPPW. We have seen him doing some extra work, but it turns out he did actually wrestle here too (I found one other appearance in a six-man tag though that was it). Awesome carries a table out with him which he rests up against the security railing, strong likelihood then that will be playing a part in this at some point. As he’s removing his polyester shirt Sharpe clubs him from behind. He whips Awesome into the corner who then runs up the turnbuckles, springs backwards and catches him with a back elbow. Both ducks shots from the other before Sharpe lands a Samoan drop, Awesome rolling to the outside to try and slow down his opponent’s momentum. Pescado, which we’ve seen Sharpe do in Memphis but this crowd weren’t expecting in the slightest. Awesome avoids the big splash in the corner and then kicks away at Sharpe who had landed across the top turnbuckle. Now he’s taking to the floor for a time out. Awesome (as in it was awesome) suicide dive over the top rope by ‘70s Mike’! He props that table he’d brought to the ring up in the corner, but Sharpe with a low blow as he motions about using it against him. Awesome counters the powerbomb with an ‘Alabama slam’, running ‘Awesome Bomb’ through the table and the three count is academic. Highly entertaining ‘C-show’ match, Sharpe doing the most to make an impression in the five minutes he was out there. Certainly didn’t expect a suicide dive out Mike Awesome during this either. I’m at a bit of a loss as why they didn’t do anything more with Sharpe; he got over, worked hard, has a good look/body (even if there is a resemblance to Ahmed Johnson), if anything his gear could do with changing but that’s easily rectified. Maybe if Saturday Night was still going he would’ve worked regularly on that for a bit? Who knows though, I’ll put it down to it just being WCW.

‘Janitor’ Jim Duggan found the WCW TV title in the garbage and has declared himself the Television champion. He makes an open challenge should anyone wish to face him for the belt, a challenge which is met by Robert Gibson, because apparently no-one knows more than him what that title means! After all these years he still doesn’t know that you need to speak into the microphone so I pick up little of what he says bar “Rock & Roll Express”. A week after appearing the WWF affiliated Memphis Power Pro Wrestling Gibson turns up on WCW, it’s no Tommy Rogers he’s facing this week though. Oh how things have changes since these two were in their prime, as evidenced by the light “U-S-A” chant to try and rally old ‘Hacksaw’ as he’s in a chinlock, a hold Gibson goes back to one more than one occasion. The thing that actually gets the best response of anything, and even that’s not much, is Gibson’s using the ropes for leverage. As Duggan finds a second wind and is control his desperate opponent grabs the 2x4 out of the corner. Referee Billy Silverman tries to relieve him of it, as he does so, Duggan then charges at Gibson with a running clothesline. ‘Old Glory’ kneedrop and the champion retains. His celebrations are interrupted by Steven Regal who thinks it’s a disgrace that he has that belt, a title that he himself held on four separate occasions. He is so confident in his skills that if he can’t beat him next week then he will retire and you will never see Lord Steven Regal in WCW again. Poor match, things should be better against Regal next week at least.

Rhino tries to rush Lynn prior to the bell however he sidesteps out the way, Rhino crashing into the turnbuckles. Nice headscissors takedown and Rhino slides to the floor where he’s then caught by a pescado. They fight into the crowd and around the arena, although this is standard ECW crowd brawling fare, marred by some terrible camera work before returning to the ring. Huge military press slam by Rhino dropping Lynn chest first to the mat. Rhino slaps on a rear chinlock as Cyrus yells at him to “give it up”, even claiming to the referee that he did so. Lynn forces the escape and lands a lovely sunset flip out of the corner. After Rhino kicks out of that he’s back at it with the chinlock. If the plan was to try and wear his opponent down it doesn’t have the desired effect. Bulldog off the middle by Lynn followed by a swinging DDT. He runs into a Rhino big boot, the ‘Manbeast’ goes to gore him however Lynn leapfrogs over him and he ends taking out referee Mike Kehner (you see Kehner move into the path so this didn’t look the best). Cradle piledriver but there’s no-one to count the fall. Cyrus cracks Lynn in the head with a microphone and then rolls Rhino on top. Danny Daniels sprints out to replace Kehner but Lynn kicks out of the cover at two. Lynn counters the powerbomb and goes for a second cradle piledriver when Daniels clotheslines him. Rhino with a piledriver and Daniels is taking no chance of a kick out this time, fast counting Lynn’s shoulders to the mat. He does get some comeuppance post-match, continuing to celebrate long after Rhino and Cyrus have left, and ending up on the receiving end of a cradle piledriver. Danny Daniels is appalling. I hate the heel referee gimmick as it is but he’s just so over the top with everything. I’m not sure that Rhino lying on the mat applying a chinlock is the best way to use him, while that ref bump was pretty unconvincing too.

Tazz has been flat out hideous in pretty much every match he’s called on Heat and it’s no different here. For some reason he proceeds to call Regal ‘William Rizzo’ (an unfunny moniker which he repeats far too often) and then goes on about how Jericho would rather be shooting a TV commercial or doing a photo ad rather than wrestling. Regal (I won’t follow Tazz’s example) escapes the wristlock and forearms Y2J across the face. Jericho gets the better of the shoulder charge before a couple of hard knife edge chops redden Regal’s chest. Spinning heel kick. He looks for ‘the Walls’ but Regal grabs an ankle to prevent himself from being turned over. Jericho ends up going shoulder first through the turnbuckles into the ring post and Regal then goes about targeting that part of the body. There’s a great little leg scissors trip in here from where Regal transitions to a keylock. Tazz’s over the top laughter is unbearable; this just moments after he’d slightly redeemed things by actually referring to the keylock submission as that. The Butterfly suplex only gets a two count so Regal returns to working over the shoulder. Jericho ducks a shot and starts to fire back. He picks up a near fall after a bulldog, but as he goes for a missile dropkick Regal pulls referee Jimmy Korderas in front of him. A mule kick low blow blocks the attempted German, when out runs Al Snow who clocks Regal in the head with Head, payback for what happened on Smackdown. Jericho with the Lionsault and he picks up the win.

I don’t know what it is but I rarely find Jericho’s insults that funny; here he’s referring to Chris Benoit and Kane as R2-D2 and C3-P0 and then comparing Kane to a haemorrhoid. Big military press slam by Gunn, dropping ‘the Crippler’ chest first to the mat. Benoit reverses the Irish whip and Kane pulls down the top rope, Jericho flying over it to the outside. We get a short heat section on Y2J until he lands a spinning heel kick and tags his partner. Great tilt-a-whirl slam from Gunn who’s had a couple of nice high impact spots in this already. ‘One & Only’ but Kane is into break up the pin attempt. Missile dropkick by Jericho and he and Gunn then clothesline the ‘Big Red Machine’ over the top to the outside, Y2J taking the Cactus bump. Kane lands on his feet though and is back on the apron, snatching Gunn around the throat hadn’t realised. Jericho saves him from the chokeslam but as Gunn turns around, Benoit with a single arm takedown into the crossface. With Kane keeping Y2J at bay, the tap doesn’t take long, ‘the Crippler’ taking a victory over the champion into their match at Armageddon.

The Chairman, Vince McMahon, walking with a cane, painfully makes his way down the runway and into the ring. He’s somewhat saddened, somewhat burdened, things having changed in his life since Thursday night. As Smackdown was going off the air he received the news that his wife had been taken to the hospital and would just like to take a few moments to clear something up as he fears his reaction to the news might’ve been misinterpreted. When he heard the news he laughed; he now recognises that wasn’t the appropriate response and wouldn’t want people to think he’s some sort of insensitive megalomaniac! While he will take some of the blame for Linda’s nervous breakdown, some should also go to Commissioner Mick Foley and some to his daughter Stephanie. Starting tonight though, in his personal life as well as his business life, he’s going to start making things right. Before he does there is one other person that should take some responsibility for his wife’s nervous breakdown, that person is his wife Linda. How would he have known she’s so fragile, delicate and weak? To which Jim Ross quips “they’ve only been married 34 years!” Vince hopes that Linda is watching as he’s spoken to his attorney who will temporarily suspend divorce proceedings until she gets better. What a guy! To show how they were he’s aso put together a video montage of their life together to share with everyone. After the video ends Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley walks out to join her father. When he questions “what the hell” she’s doing here, she says to tell him exactly what she thinks of him. Last week she called him disgusting, but after seeing that video and the way he’s dragged her mother’s reputation through the gutter, it shows how disgusting he really he is. She’s proud that she’s not ’Daddy’s little girl’ any more and that she’s more like her Mum rather than a mean old bastard! There’s a huge pop for the use of that word, the use of which sets Vinnie Mac off. He didn’t want to marry the bitch, he had to, and if he hadn’t then her brother Shane would be a bastard! Kurt Angle is next out and while he acknowledges that this doesn’t concern him, it’s all getting too much. He can’t believe that one family member can be so cruel, so monstrous. It pains him to say this but “Stephanie, I’m ashamed of you!” Haha, I don’t think anyone saw that one coming. Where he comes from if he spoke to his father like Stephanie spoke to hers he would’ve been kicked out of the house and can’t believe that she shows him so much disrespect. Three becomes four in the shape of the Commissioner and the first thing he does is kick Vince McMahon’s cane away, telling him that he won’t be needing that because his injuries are about as real as the sentiment behind that video that sickened them all. Foley says that on Smackdown he referred to him as “garbage”, he now thinks that’s an insult to actual garbage as Vince is the lowest form of scum he’s ever been exposed to. While there is no love lost between him and Stephanie, any father who speaks to their daughter in that way is scum. What was equally disgusting to him is how his actions led to a good friend of his, Linda McMahon’s, nervous breakdown. Angle interrupts Mick, not impressed by his insinuations that Mr McMahon (note, Mr McMahon not Vince) drove Mrs McMahon to her breakdown. How does he know it wasn’t caused by see her husband taking a ‘Stunner’, ‘Rock Bottom’ and ‘Last Ride’ all on the same night? How does he know it wasn’t caused by him ramming his dirty, disgusting sock down her husband’s throat? He continues stating that he’s a fine one to talk about parenting as how many times did his kids sit at ringside whilst he was getting beaten and annihilated? Kurt goes onto wonder why anyone would marry him and if he was, he’d follow Mr McMahon’s lead and ask for a divorce too. After a real good point on the parenting, Foley ignores that, making light about Kurt marrying him and wanting to be his wife. The Commissioner isn’t going to make him his wife, he is though going to make his defend his WWF World heavyweight title. Kurt points out that he already booked him in a ‘Fatal Four Way’ against the Rock, Steve Austin and the Undertaker as well as ‘Hell in a Cell’ and he came out on top of those so what kind of match could he book him in that would be so bad? Foley says there is one person on the WWF roster that he hasn’t faced; a real tough guy, a bad ass, a former WWF champion, Vince McMahon! Vince and Kurt are sat down backstage talking things over. Kurt wants nothing to do with the match, however the prospect of becoming WWF World champion again appeals to Mr McMahon. He says how Mick Foley is trying to humiliate him, but what could humiliate him more than Vince McMahon being a two time World champion? Angle doesn’t bother to stick around and leaves Vince to his daydreaming. He finds Edge & Christian in the hallway and is glad to have done so. Despite everything Mick Foley has put them through Kurt thinks he really likes them and would like them to use their Canadian charms to get this match called off. Angle returns to see Vince who is already in his wrestling gear, guns on show for all. McMahon now doesn’t like the idea, he LOVES it, thinking that it will drive Mick Foley over the edge if he has to deal with him as the WWF champion. He wants to Kurt to lay down for him, but Angle tells him “no friggin way” he’s not getting his World title. Vince is applying some baby lotion when Trish Stratus pays him a visit. She really admires what he’s done and really admires a man who takes charge. Oh, please no! He says taking charge is something that he does really well and Trish wishe him luck before going on her way. Kurt goes to see if Edge & Christian have had any luck in getting Mick Foley to cancel the match, insensitive Kurt showing little compassion for his friends who’ve just lost their tag team titles. The two of them take umbrage with how everything is always about him and that maybe he should start thinking of other people for a change. Things are not looking rosy in Team ECK camp! No-one else seemingly able to, or wanting to, help him out, Angle goes directly to the Commissioner and pleads with him not to make him go through with this match. Kurt is sure Vince has got something up his sleeve to cost him his title, and if he hasn’t he’ll just be beating up the owner of the company who he doesn’t want to be making an enemy of. Mick would like to help him out but after he made the match he phoned his wife and she was so excited about it that if he were to call it off he’s afraid she would ask for a divorce! Michael Cole grabs a final word with Vince McMahon who reiterates what he said earlier about making things right both personally and professionally. Not content at just watching on from his ‘office’ Mick Foley makes himself the special guest ring announcer before taking a seat next to ‘the King’ at the commentary table. His ring announcing the expected roasting and insulting of the two competitors. Vince and Kurt are nose to nose until Kurt turns to say something to Foley, when he does so, Vince grabs a go behind, takes the champion down and starts screaming “two points, two points” acting as if he’s won already. He exits the ring, takes the ring mic and goes over to the Commissioner, thanking him for booking this match. As he’s going on about he, a former state amateur champion, taking down and scoring two points on an Olympic gold medallist, he suddenly clocks Foley in the head with the microphone. Angle is out to join him in the attack and this whole thing has been one giant swerve. Mick does fire back, with Earl Hebner badly getting in the way, until Kurt blindsides him. Edge & Christian are out and, showing there are no tensions between ECK after all, give Foley a ‘conchairto’. With the Commissioner now busted open Stephanie runs down the aisle shouting at them all to stop. She hopes that Mick is alright because she has something that could change his life for ever. The documents in her hands are from the WWF Board of Directors which state that since her mother, the CEO of the World Wrestling Federation, has been deemed mentally incompetent to grant full power and authority of the CEO’s office to… her Dad, Vince McMahon. As he now has complete and total authority once again he says it means that Mr McMahon is back and his first order is to fire Mick Foley. The former Commissioner does try to rush Vince but Angle blasts him over the head with a chair and he’s left laying a beaten and bloody mess. Boy was this long! I basically trimmed the WWF stuff I was planning to watch a couple of weeks ago due to how much time I’ve spent on this project already, but kept this in as the whole idea of a Kurt Angle vs Vince McMahon match was intriguing. Of course it turns out to be no match and one long elaborate angle (practically half of this episode of Raw is devoted to it with all the backstage skits) to get Vince back in power. Foley, Kurt and Vince himself were all great and they hoodwinked me, but boy was it long!

Prior to the match we get a lengthy interview from Triple H, which also airs on the big screen in the arena to the fans, who is at the WWF Studios in Stamford, CT. It’s pretty longwinded, but he admits to being the person behind running Steve Austin over because in his absence he knew that no-one would be able to touch him. Rikishi was his accomplice and his payment was nothing more than him opening the door for him so that he could dance his way into everyone’s hearts. In Austin’s absence the McMahon-Helmsley era reigned supreme and when someone got in his way he took them out. It was all smooth sailing until he returned at Backlash and where his interference cost him the World Wrestling Federation title. Triple H goes on to admit to being behind the attack on his buddy Jim Ross and being the mystery assailant who assaulted him with a wrench. We get clips of HHH bloodying ‘Stone Cold’ up on Raw after he hit him in the head with the sledgehammer and he closes by saying that this is “a new Game”, one that Austin can’t win. A rather cocky Eddy Guerrero is in the ring wondering where Steve Austin is and why it’s taking him so long. Is ‘the Rattlesnake’ afraid of his Latino Heat? If he continues to keep him waiting then maybe he’ll start drinking some of his beer! He decides that he’s going to make it easier for him, lying on the mat and offering ‘Stone Cold’ the first shot. The Radicalz are enjoying a feast in the McMahon-Helmsley office and Michael Cole comments on how smug Eddy is with all his buddies watching his back. A chef enters the office bringing another platter, but it is in fact Austin who attacks the three of them before blocking the office door with a fork lift. Eddy’s not so cocky now and is on his knees begging for mercy as Austin makes his way down the aisle, not having taken his focus off him once. Thesz press followed by those fists of fire of his. He throws Eddy to the floor and follows him out. Referee Jimmy Korderas tries to separate the two but when Austin shoves him aside, Eddy grabs a chair and hits ‘the Rattlesnake’ in the knee with it. Eddy does target that heavily braced leg of Austin’s, however the moment he misses the dropkick to the knee and ends up posting himself the encounter is pretty much done for. His facials are awesome by the way when Austin repeats the posting. ‘Stone Cold’ stomps a mud hole in him, drags him to his feet, ‘Stunner’ and this one’s over. Not what I was hoping for when I saw the length of the video and that it was Austin vs Eddy one on one.

Saturn and Terri continue to have absolutely zero chemistry together. It turns out that Eddy Guerrero has a torn hamstring and a lower back injury, so much for my hope of a feud between him and Jericho then. Terri hooks Jericho’s ankle from the floor and Saturn nails him with a superkick. Some knees to the face followed by a release Dragon suplex. Jericho ducks the clothesline and comes back with a flying forearm. A real ugly Asai Moonsault/springboard moonsault bodyblock, Jericho pretty much landing on the top of his head. Saturn cuts off the attempted bulldog, however Y2J then counters the Death Valley Driver into ‘the Walls’ and Saturn taps. Just like in his post-match attack on Eddy it doesn’t look like Jericho is going to break the hold so Terri is in, grabbing him by the hair to try and get him to do so. She should’ve left him be as he does let go only to then put it on her. Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit make the save and the numbers game is too much for Y2J as the Radicalz each give him their finisher, Benoit hitting the diving headbutt whilst he is trapped in the Texas Cloverleaf. Another Jericho vs a Radical match that goes all of two minutes. At least we should be getting him against Benoit next, even if we have seen that numerous times already this year.

We get a quick recap of earlier in the show where Dean Malenko’s distraction cost Lita the WWF Women’s title, allowing Ivory to pick up the victory. A blinkered Malenko thinks Lita knows how fortunate she was when his lips were pressed against hers the other night, and while it might’ve only been for a moment, for her it must’ve felt like a lifetime. If he were to offer his lips to every woman in the arena there would be a line backed up right out of town! He apologises to all the women though as his lips are for one woman only. Chris Jericho interrupts him and says that if he’s looking for something to kiss why doesn’t he pucker up those lips and kiss his ass! Less than thirty seconds into the match Eddy Guerrero strolls down to ringside to provide some support for his fellow Radical. Enziguri by Y2J. Tornado DDT, but Eddy is up on the apron distracting the referee who misses seeing the cover. Jericho slugs him and a big powerbomb on Malenko. As he goes for the Lionsault, Eddy sucker punches Y2J as jumps onto the ropes and Malenko steals a win. Done and dusted in under two minutes. We’re not finished yet as Jericho and Malenko continue to go at it until Y2J clotheslines him over the top rope to the outside. Eddy tries to jump him but quickly gets locked in ‘the Walls’. A bunch of referees have no luck in getting him to break the hold as we cut to Vince McMahon watching on a monitor saying “all on the Commissioner’s watch”. A definite step up for both after feuding with Kane and Billy Gunn, that’s if Jericho/Guerrero is where we are going next.

Kurt Angle walks out at the start of Raw alongside his brother Eric. Jim Ross hasn’t been clued in yet as he doesn’t know who he is, although perceptive Jim notices that he does look a lot like Kurt. Angle goes onto announce, to all those that were too cheap to buy the PPV, that the Survivor Series screw job was avoided this year and the good guys prevailed! He introduces his older brother Eric, an All-American athlete and the best big brother a guy could have. Apparently Eric was waiting under the ring until Kurt had won the match, at which point he was going to surprise him and join in with his celebrations. The cowardly Undertaker ruined the surprise though, pulling him out and giving him the ‘Last Ride’. Still he retained the World title and goes on to say that he will remain the champion for a long time to come. Taker has heard enough and heads to the ring to confront them both. Kurt shoves Eric at Taker who snatches him around the neck and chokeslams him to the mat. If he thought he was sacrificing his brother to save himself he was wrong. A Taker right hand sends him tumbling through the ropes to the floor and he then beats him up the ramp way and chokeslams him off the stage through a table. The Undertaker goes to see Commissioner Foley in his office and tells him that it’s “pay up” time. When Mick wonders what he owes him for, Taker says for throwing his ass 25 feet off ‘Hell in a Cell’ and making him famous. Tonight he wants to make the Angle brothers famous and face them in a handicap match. As the Commissioner doesn’t know what physical state they’re in after his earlier attack on them he will have to take his request under advisement for the time being. The Commissioner is a busy man this evening as next to knock on his door are Edge and Christian. They think that they might have overstepped their bounds at the Survivor Series when they interfered in the Undertaker vs Kurt Angle match and would like Mick to apologise to Taker on their behalf. He’s been in the company for over ten years now, they didn’t mean to disrespect him and have even bought him a new urn as a way of an apology. Foley thinks it’s too late for apologies after what they pulled last and have instead urned (sic) themselves a handicap match with the Undertaker for later tonight. Edge & Christian play a quick game of ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ to see who starts, Christian drawing the metaphorical short straw. There is a nice spot in here where the Undertaker picks him up for a tilt-a-whirl powerslam but Edge spears Taker before he can complete. The two-on-one odds don’t seem to be bothering Taker as despite being pummelled in the corner he remains on his feet. Wow, he does go down after a double back elbow, although not for long mind. Edge accidentally spears Christian when Taker moves out the way and he then throws him out to the floor. A ‘Last Ride’ on Christian and absolutely nothing was learned from the previous time E&C took on Taker in a handicap match. To complete the jobber treatment he gives Edge a post-match chokeslam for good measure too. I thought, well hoped, that this might be completely different to when we last saw the Undertaker squashing Edge & Christian, I was wrong. Again they were shown as being of zero threat to him and treated like a pair of comedy buffoons.

Kurt Angle enjoys his reputation as not only the greatest, but most fightingest WWF champion in recent history. That’s why he challenged the Undertaker for this Sunday at the Survivor Series where he will prove that the ‘American Badass’ is both ‘bad’ and an ‘ass’! Tonight he has accepted a challenge from a man who insists that he can beat him with one arm tied behind his back. This man needs to be taught another lesson, a lesson that he is more than willing to teach, and he hopes that the Undertaker is taking notes. This man, Crash Holly! Well someone clearly liked the match that these two had on Heat so we’re getting a repeat here, Crash having his right arm tied behind his back this time though. It’s a complete squash until Crash removes the strap and surprises Angle with a clothesline. Kurt ducks the swinging arm and launches him with a release German suplex. Dirty old Lawler is now wanting to console Molly. Calm yourself ‘King’. Angle runs into a big boot after whipping Crash into the corner, however as Crash then charges he’s caught with a scoop powerslam. Molly gets accidentally bumped off the apron and a DDT by Crash gives him a near fall. He goes to leap frog over Angle but Kurt pancakes him to the mat and transitions to the ankle lock for the submission. Just like last night Angle grabs a steel chair to dish out some post-match abuse, unlike last night though it’s ‘Hardcore’ Bob coming to his cousin’s rescue rather than Molly. Edge & Christian are out to make it an uneven contest and of all the people to come to the Holly’s rescue it’s the Undertaker. He helps them clear the ring of E&C and Kurt does get a shot in on him but high tails it out of there before he can give him a receipt. That set up for the ankle lock was really nice.

When Jonathan Coachman questions Rikishi as to whether he’s ready for Chris Jericho, he dismisses it saying that he’s as stupid as he looks and there’s nothing in this world he’s not ready for. Everyone now knows the truth; he told them that ‘the Rock’ was the one (behind running over Steve Austin), he knew it, the Rock knew it and now ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin knows it. He doesn’t blame Austin for stunning the Rock but warns him that he (the Rock) did it once and he’ll do it again. We get some clips from Monday night of Rikishi laying out the Rock, Michael Cole finding it hard to believe that Rock would’ve been involved in that attack on Austin. Rikishi cuts Jericho off with a big right hand and kicks him out of the ring where he then throws him into the metal steps. He whips him from corner to corner, goes to ‘back dat ass up’, but Jericho gets his feet up. Spinning heel kick and they’re back out on the floor. Y2J rams him into the ring post, re-opening that cut he initially obtained at No Mercy and which still hasn’t had a chance to fully heal. Some hard knife edge chops to the big man’s chest, however as he comes off the ropes Rikishi snatches a sleeper. Jericho fights his way out of that and shoots him into the turnbuckles. A quick schoolboy, but he would rather look for ‘the Walls’ than go for a pin. He can’t fully turn him over so gives up and runs through some of his trademark stuff. The springboard dropkick sends Rikishi through the ropes and as it looks like he might have this one in the bag, out marches Kane, still pissed off that Jericho spilled coffee over him. Y2J knows he’s coming for him so grabs a chair from ringside to provide a bit of protection. Kane no sells the chair shot and the match gets thrown out as he then chokeslams him to the mat. Things aren’t quite finished, Rikishi dragging the lifeless Jericho over to the corner and giving him the ‘Bonzai Drop’.

Rikishi asks Tony Garea to pass a message onto the Rock telling him that he wants to see him, although it looks like Rock ignores that request as next thing we know he’s gone to his dressing room himself to speak with him. The Rock informs him that he wants nothing to do with him and to stay out of his life. Rikishi then questions “after everything I’ve done for you?” He goes onto say that he’s never asked him for anything but tonight he needs a little help in this cage match with Steve Austin and wonders whether the Rock has his back. Rock confirms “yeah, the Rock’s got your back” and that’s all Rikishi needed to hear. ‘Stone Cold’ is pacing back and forth in his dressing room as Michael Cole tries to get a word with him. We get a recap of when he was blindsided by a mystery assailant on Smackdown, however Austin isn’t overly bothered by that at the moment as Commissioner Foley has lived up to his word of giving him Rikishi in a cage. He goes on to invite ‘the coward’ to come down to ringside and watch him whip Rikishi’s ass. The fight gets going before they even make it into the cage, the two men swinging and exchanging punches in the aisle. Austin’s getting the better of things so Rikishi tries to distance himself from him, although not sure entering a confined cage is where I would be going! Thesz press by ‘Stone Cold’ followed by some piston like right hands. Rikishi reverses the whip to the turnbuckles and then ‘backs dat ass up’ into him. Austin collapses in the corner but before he can give him the stink face, a low blow stops him in his tracks. A clothesline turns Rikishi inside out who is off on his travels again as he looks to get away from his opponent. He doesn’t get very far, Austin slamming his head into the steel steps and then slamming the cage door into his face, twice. Another low blow by Rikishi which appears to be his main ‘go to’ weapon at the moment. Austin blocks having his head rammed into the cage and repeatedly rams Rikishi’s into it instead. ‘Stunner’ and this one’s over, ‘Stone Cold’ doing what he said he would, leaving Rikishi battered and bloody. As I thought, Rikishi stood no chance and it was primarily another one sided beating. You would think turning heel and feuding with Austin would be a great move for someone, not Rikishi, his stock is plummeting.

Not for the first time this year, although still a rare occurrence, the WWF World title is being defended on Sunday Night Heat. Crash tries to get the jump on Kurt but he reverses the Irish whip and drops him with a back elbow smash. Belly to back suplex as the champion is showing a fair amount of aggression. For some reason Road Dogg and K-Kwik are then shown watching on from their dressing room. High release German suplex. Crash counters the ‘Olympic slam’ with a roll up for a two. Scoop powerslam, he then decides against the lateral press in favour of a missile dropkick before clotheslining Kurt over the top rope to the outside. Molly drops an elbow to him on the floor and provides the distraction as Crash waffles him over the head with a sign. The crowd are red hot for this with Angle only just kicking out of the cover. As he complains to Tim White thinking that should’ve been a three, Kurt with a low blow from behind. One ‘Olympic slam’ later and, after some worrying moments, the champion retains his gold. Angle’s not done yet, cracking Crash over the head with a chair, giving Molly an ‘Olympic slam’ and finally putting Crash in the ankle lock.

I can’t get used to the way they’ll cut away from the action to show WWF New York and someone watching the match on a screen there whilst tucking into some food. Guess they’re doing all they can to plug and promote what was ultimately a failed venture. Edge avoids a charging Grandmaster who crotches himself across the middle. He sits him on the top turnbuckle and then funnily mocks his dancing. GMS blocks the superplex and counters with a front suplex. After a flying clothesline he makes the hot tag to Scotty who nails Christian with a superkick. Edge gets clotheslined over the top rope to the outside and Scotty hits a bulldog, naturally leading to the W-O-R-M. As he turns around he turns into a spear and the Grandmaster with the last ditch save in a nice near fall. With the referee busy trying to get GMS out onto the apron, Christian clocks Scotty over the back with a chair and Edge rolls on top of him as they get away with one.

‘The King’ still can’t get over Chyna’s recent Playboy spread and when she says that there is something she would like to show everyone, the old perv thinks she’s got some unseen photos that she’s going to unveil right here tonight. Yeah Jerry, in an arena full of under 18 year olds she’s going to blast some nudes on the big screen! When it transpires it’s a video, he’s now hoping it’s an X-Rated home movie. Not yet King, but give it a few years and you’ll get to see all you wanted to and more. The video is in fact a clip from last night’s Sunday Night Heat showing Eddy Guerrero making out with Chynette (Stacy ‘The Kat’ Carter dressed up like a mini-Chyna). Chyna says that she is over Eddy and was over him the moment she found out what kind of person he really is. As he now wants to challenge her to a match, she suggests making it a real challenge and to come out here and put the Intercontinental title on the line against her. He broke her heart and trust, now the only thing left to break is him. Eddy makes his way out carrying some flowers, acting as if he is bringing them for her, only to turn around and beckon out Chynette who he then gives the flowers to. Chyna starts out strong however gets distracted by Chynette and Eddy sledges her from behind. He throws her to the outside where Chynette punts her in the ribs. Back inside and Chyna with a low blow followed by a couple of lousy looking forearms. Belly to back suplex and some more lame forearms. It’s not a good day for her as even the handspring elbow looks bad. Chynette is up on the apron so, looking for some payback for earlier, Chyna tosses her into the ring, presses her overhead and throws her at Eddy. As the referee tries to get the Chynette out of there, Steven Richards runs down and nails Chyna with a superkick, Eddy with the cover and he retains the Intercontinental belt.

Steve Austin is out at the start of Smackdown to clear up a little misunderstanding over what happened at No Mercy. He claims that after a spirited contest on Sunday night he offered Rikishi a ride to the parking lot in his truck, only for him to fall out of it and then be unable to get back up. Realising he had done all he could for the man, he backed up ready to drive off when his car shot forward, the cops thinking he was trying to run Rikishi over like some big fat speed bump. He wouldn’t do that and explained to the authorities that Steve Austin isn’t the kind of man who would bear a grudge. With some additional help from Commissioner Foley they got everything straightened out and he has promised not to lay another finger on Rikishi, unless provoked, providing Foley honours his own promise of giving him Rikishi in a cage Monday night on Raw. Rikishi has been watching all this play out on a TV screen backstage when he’s approached by Too Cool. Grandmaster Sexay says that he’s put them in a bad spot and just wants him to let this thing with Austin go. When he mentions that they’re worried about his safety, Rikishi takes great offence to that, questioning as to whether he looks like a man who is worried? He goes on to say that if it wasn’t for him there would be no Too Cool, shoving past them and telling them both to stay out of his business. Jonathan Coachman grabs a quick pre-match interview with Rikishi who greatly disputes Steve Austin’s version of events from No Mercy. As Rikishi makes his way down to the ring for the match, Steve Austin is shown watching intently on a monitor in the back. Too Cool goes to work on their former buddy, a double dropkick sending him through the ropes to the floor. They follow him outside but he quickly gains the advantage, throwing Scotty into the ring steps and slamming the Grandmaster into the commentary table. S2H avoids the sit down splash and Too Cool with a pair of superkicks. Rikishi kicks out of the ‘Hip-Hop Drop’ so Scotty with a face jam before setting off on the W-O-R-M. He doesn’t get to complete it though, Rikishi back to his feet and flooring him with a thrust kick. ‘Bonzai Drop’ and this one’s over. GMS does try to battle on after the match, but a ‘Samoan drop’ and ‘Bonzai Drop’ see to him too. Rikishi grabs a microphone and calls out Austin (who the crowd are already chanting for) telling him that if he’s got any guts to bring his ass out here right now. Well that’s all the provocation ‘Stone Cold’ needed! As Austin opens the door he’s ambushed by someone wielding a wrench, busting him open. Despite bleeding and being clocked over the head he struggles his way through the backstage and to the ring, Rikishi setting off to meet him on the way. He comes out swinging but is in no real condition to fight and Rikishi soon hammers him down. The segment finishes with Rikishi dragging Austin over to the corner and giving him a ‘Bonzai Drop’. Yeah, Rikishi did look strong here but he needed the help of this mystery assailant to weaken ‘Stone Cold’ and even then Austin was competitive for a bit. Not sure how we’re to think he stands any real chance on his own against him in a cage.

Apparently ‘Stone Cold’ hasn’t arrived yet so we get a video recap of what led to this ‘No Holds Barred’ match that is one year in the making. Jerry Lawler wonders whether he will show up, although Jim Ross is more confident. Rikishi walks down to the ring carrying a sledgehammer as the commentators now talk about how if Austin doesn’t show Mick Foley will have to come out here, raise Rikishi’s hand and declare him the winner via forfeit. He grabs a mic and says how he told everyone that Steve Austin was too scared to face the man who ran him over, before telling Foley to get his ass out here and announce him as the winner of the match. A concerned JR thinks something must’ve happened to Austin as he can’t believe that he no showed. The Commissioner makes his way out and is in no rush, seemingly trying to buy ‘the Rattlesnake’ as much time as possible. Just as he’s about to speak the panes of glass crack in Austin’s music and a truck is seen speeding to the arena and driving down to the ring. Fists of fire from ‘Stone Cold’ who slams the truck door into Rikishi’s head. Austin beats him around ringside, hurls him into the ring steps, across the commentary table, he’s like a man possessed unleashing a year’s worth of pent up frustration out. The fight goes into the stands where Rikishi throws a fans drink into Austin’s face, the first bit of offense he’s got in. ‘The King’ is not sure that was the wisest idea, comparing giving Austin a beer to being on a par with giving Popeye some spinach. Rikishi blocks the piledriver on the concrete and counters with a backdrop. That doesn’t stop ‘Stone Cold’s’ attack mind, in fact the way he’s going it looks like nothing will stop him. Austin whips Rikishi with his belt and then hangs him over the ropes. He picks up a TV monitor to use as a weapon but runs into a right hand. Rikishi has had a couple of cut off spots in this, although those seemingly last only seconds before Austin is back pummelling him. It’s a similar story here as ‘Stone Cold’ blitzes him with repeated chair shots busting him open until Rikishi ends up falling into the trunk of the truck. Austin opens a can of Bud and reverses the truck out of the building (I’m gobsmacked that this was allowed). He dumps the bloodied Rikishi up against a wall and then backs his truck up. As he accelerates, ready to crush him against it, a police car drives in front and Austin’s truck crashes into this. A fleet of cops arrive on the scene and a surrounded Austin is cuffed, read his rights and taken away. While a bloodied Rikishi stills lies on the grass, the driver of the car that Austin ran into is carried away on a stretcher to be taken to a medical facility. What a strange match. Austin destroyed him from start to finish with Rikishi barely being competitive and hardly getting any offense in. I don’t see how anyone could buy him as a threat after the way he was treated here, he’ll certainly take some rehabbing. The finish was too OTT for my liking, a police car appearing out of nowhere and then a dozen or so cops on the scene within seconds. Whatever.

According to Jim Ross, Eddy Guerrero has a lot of explaining to do over his recent actions, Jerry Lawler though thinks he must be a complete idiot to ditch a woman such as Chyna. Eddy says that whether they be playmates, ho’s or nice baby dolls, he knows that all the chicks like him. Chyna became a real pain in the ass with all her crying and moaning and that’s why he let her go. He goes on to warn Mr Ass that if he sticks his nose in his business again he’s going to kick his ass! Chris Jericho interrupts things and tells him that for the first time in months Raw isn’t going to start with a twenty minute monologue so please “shut the hell up”. The match has barely got going when Eddy lands on his head and appears to be legitimately injured. He does try to buy himself some time on the outside, although that makes no difference as he can’t even run the ropes when Jericho whips him into them. Tim White has seen enough and calls for the bell stopping the match. Ross wonders if Eddy is really injured or whether this is just some ruse on his part. X-Pac attacks Jericho from behind and Billy Gunn makes the save to an electric reaction. For what it’s worth Gunn goes nowhere near Eddy (you would think he would do after how Eddy spoke about him on his pre-match promo) while Tim White stays close by as if he’s looking after him, indicating to me that this probably was a legit stoppage and wasn’t what was planned.

Luke Menzies becoming Ridge Holland certainly falls into the latter category. See they've still got the Charles Bronson fascination too, not the first time he's been used as inspiration for names in developmental.

Michael Cole congratulates the new WWF World tag team champions, Los Conquistadores, but doesn’t think they’re really going to be defending them against Edge & Christian. Just as he’s giving them the nudge, nudge, wink, wink, they’re joined by Edge & Christian. The shorter of the two Conquistadores looks very much like Christopher Daniels by the way. Edge doesn’t appreciate Cole’s condescending tone and tells him that this should prove without a shadow of a doubt that the Conquistadores and Edge and Christian cannot be one and the same. Christian is deciding on what pair of shades tonight when they’re interrupted by Pete Gas who is playing messenger boy for Commissioner Foley. Edge returns from seeing Foley saying how he wasn’t even there, but finds Christian now laid out on a broken table clutching his shoulder. He lets him know that it was the Dudleys who did this to him and that they should postpone the title match. A confident Edge says that it’s only the Conquistadores, he can handle this himself and he’ll bring the titles home. Hmmm, that’s a different set of Conquistadore than what we saw earlier. Edge has a look of concern on his face, like this wasn’t who he was expecting, but as the match gets going he’s handling Uno comfortably. When Uno gets a two count off an inside cradle Edge gives him a shove as if to say “that wasn’t part of the plan”. The Conquistadore tags his partner and the two of them unload on Edge in the corner. They whip him to the opposite one, ‘Poetry in Motion’, ‘Twist of Fate’ and the penny drops with ‘the King’. The ‘Swanton bomb’ follows and Los Conquistadores retain the gold, subsequently revealing themselves on the entrance way to be Matt & Jeff Hardy. Commissioner Foley joins them on the stage and Lawler thinks he’s coming to straighten this out. Mick’s all confused, wondering how the Hardy Boyz can be the Conquistadores when they wrestled them last night at No Mercy. Anyway he has some footage to share, as, following Michael Cole’s interview with the Conquistadores earlier in the day, the videotape was still running after he left the room and wasn’t switched off. The tape then catches Edge & Christian thanking the Conquistadores for everything they’ve done so far, saying that they won’t be needed again after tonight’s ‘match’ and admitting to being the Conquistadores at No Mercy. That directly defied the mandate Foley had given them, so he subsequently arranged a further meeting between the Hardy Boyz and the Conquistadores. The upshot is that the Commissioner is allowing last night’s title change, however he’s also allowing tonight’s, meaning that the WWF tag team champions are Los Conquista-Hardyz. The Hardyz do a much better job than Edge & Christian in concealing their identity as I had it was no idea it was them until the ‘Poetry in Motion’.

Chris Jericho is plugging his new Fozzy CD to a stagehand backstage when he turns around and accidentally spills coffee over Kane. He makes some wise crack about hoping the coffee didn’t burn him, to which Kane replies that he has no idea what it’s like to be burned, angrily turning a table over at the same time. Our ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ addresses the fans and says how uncivilised they are. He talks about being in the capital of Connecticut, a state that produces more hand guns that kill more people in any other state in the Union and when they start cheering that (oh dear!), uses it to justify why they are so uncivilised. ‘Uptight Willie’ isn’t even deemed worthy of any of Jericho’s name calling. Regal side steps the charge and Jericho goes shoulder first through the turnbuckles and into the ring post. Check out Regal’s chest by the way, already turning red from Y2J’s chops. Jericho catches a kick and takes Regal down with a dragon screw leg whip. A real smart block of the clothesline by Regal who puts his two forearms together in front of his own face and Jericho, who already has an injured arm, hits them instead, hurting himself even more. He goes for the ‘Hangman’s Noose’ but Jericho low blows him to escape. Regal gets his knees up on the Lionsault when, with both men down, out marches Kane. He brushes past Regal and goes straight for Y2J giving him an almighty chokeslam. JR thinks that’s a pretty drastic response for Jericho spilling coffee over him! A good couple of minutes action here before the run-in.

Well this is blatantly a different pair of Conquistadores to those who showed up last night on Heat, one of whom has a rather distinctive chin! Conquistadore Edge does try to work things differently but they’re not fooling anyone, well with the exception of Jerry Lawler that is. Huge double splash in the corner by Bubba. Conquistadore Christian catches him on the tip up with a headscissors although can’t follow up, running into a side slam. D-Von signals he’s going for the mask, but before he can tear it off Conquistadore Edge is in to save his partner. I do like how the Conquistadores do a little forward roll before making the tag. Jim Ross is refusing to buy into this ruse and can’t believe ‘the King’ has. He’s now not even bothering to call them the Conquistadores, just Edge and Christian. D-Von has the tip up scouted and takes Conquistadore Edge down with a reverse DDT. Hot tag to Bubba who hot shots Conquistadore Christian across the top rope. ‘Wassup’ on Conquistadore Edge, but as D-Von goes to collect the table (which gets a ridiculous pop) he’s taken out by a Christian pescado. After a ‘Bubba bomb’ on Edge, Bubba goes for his mask, however as he does so Conquistadore Christian rolls him up from behind for the win. Los Conquistadores don’t bother to stick around, sprinting up the aisle to the back.

Michael Cole reminds everyone that Commissioner Mick Foley will be live in WWF New York to reveal a WWF legend, someone who he plans to bring back to Network television. Tazz has changed his mind again, now claiming it will be the legendary Moondog Spot! Road Dogg says that all he’s interested in is proving Chris Benoit wrong and he goes right after the ‘Rabid Wolverine’ the moment he steps into the ring. Benoit with a nice single arm takedown as Dogg throws out a jab, but as he looks to lock in the crossface he’s able to outstretch a foot and reach the ropes. There’s actually some focussed work on the Dogg’s shoulder here as he goes about trying to soften and weaken it. Shoulderbreaker, but ‘the Crippler’ then misses the diving headbutt, Dogg just about rolling out the way. He’s back juking and jiving and a big right drops Benoit. ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll’ knee drop for a two. Dogg has him set for his pumphandle finisher, however Benoit escapes and counters into the crossface. This time it’s in the centre of the ring and the Road Dogg is forced to tap. ‘The Crippler’ continues the attack which leads to Triple H saving his D-X brethren, ‘the Game’ due to meet Benoit at No Mercy in a week’s time. The two fight off into the crowd and go at it right up until the footage finishes.