[2000-11-13-WWF-Raw] Steve Austin & The Rock & Billy Gunn & Chyna vs Chris Benoit & Eddy Guerrero & Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko

[soup23]

To set up this match we get a series of interviews with everyone involved. With HHH and Rikishi both out, the Radicalz did a good job acting as the hired guns for them. Benoit will never been the best promo person in the world, but his promo here did have me thinking that he might actually crack my top 10 on the Observer Year End awards which is a surprise and not something I would have expected. Rock, Billy and Chyna have some basic words and Austin comes to the ring and is pissed at HHH. Billy and Chyna charge the ring and get beat up for their trouble until Austin and Rock enter in. Saturn looks pretty rough here having to have Austin audibly call some spots to get him into place. Crowd is electric for Rock here maybe even more than Austin as that shows how prominent he has been in 2000. Saturn is again acting as the workhorse and he does better vs Rock. Benoit gives Rock a huge chop on the outside that sounded nasty. Benoit gets tagged in the ring and beats the shit out of Rock with more chops and stomps. Benoit looks vicious here. Saturn gets tagged in and Rock is able to get a quick Rock Bottom that Benoit has to make the save on. Eddie is now in shaking his stuff for Chyna. Rock clotheslines him and makes the big tag to Chyna. Chyna beats up Eddie and Eddie shows some good ass here. Big time Eddie Sucks chant and he is mugging it up for the crowd. Eddie and Benoit are the clear highlights of the Radicalz. Austin runs to the other side of the ring, pulls Saturn off and flying across the announce table. Match breaks down after Chyna makes a tag. Benoit and Rock go to the back as Austin stomps a mudhole in Eddie’s ass. The crowd comes alive for that. Stunner for Eddie and he eats the pin. Better options around than the IC champ but it is Austin doing it. Not as fluid as the classic 10 man in February but not a bad little sister as the heat was here and the Radicalz had a good showing for themselves overcoming Saturn. Rock and Benoit are backstage tearing up the set. This feud has been much more personal and heated than I remembered. Finish to Raw happens as Benoit sets Rock up to be hit by a sledgehammer of Rikishi in a car. ***1/4 (6.5)

 

[ohtani's jacket]

The quality of the go-home shows in the WWF is declining along with the booking and matchmaking. Previously, they'd serve up a red-hot match before the go-home match, not some match that was cold before it reached the table. The angle at the end did lead to a great Smackdown main event but the show as a whole left me with zero interest in seeing Austin vs. HHH.