[2001-03-05-WWF-Raw] Chris Jericho vs Eddy Guerrero

[GSR]

Paul Heyman in the seat next to JR and wearing an ECW cap.  That’s twigged something I said on watching this past week’s Memphis Power Pro and wondering what led to the WWF pulling their talent and going exclusively with MCW, it was to do with Lawler quitting the company after they had fired the Kat.  Earlier in the day Mr McMahon went to the Radicalz and said one of them could challenge Chris Jericho for the I-C title on tonight’s Raw.  We see footage of the Radicalz debating that decision in their locker room, Malenko and Saturn both putting their case for the shot forward.  Benoit thinks it should be Eddy, while at the same time Eddy thinks it should be ‘the Crippler’.  They eventually decide on Eddy, Benoit saying how its payback time after Jericho put him out and how he showed his true colours with what side he’s on and how he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Benoit is out first, ‘the Wolverine’ taking a seat next to Heyman.  The wrestler’s are introduced and he still hasn’t said a word, not taking his eyes off the Intercontinental champion.  Heyman likes his style of commentary and wishes JR would take some lessons from him!  The timer hasn’t even reached five minutes, and remember a lot of that was taken up by the Radicalz discussion backstage, and Heyman has already shoehorned a reference to ECW in.  Y2J reverses the Gory special into one of his own.  Eddy manages to fight his way up onto the shoulders, so Jericho then just pancakes him to the mat.  Hiptoss slam followed by a bulldog.  Eddy rolls out the way of the Lionsault and unloads with some vicious chops.  Jericho had dished out some of his own early, Guerrero’s paying him back in kind here.  As Eddy charges, Jericho launches him overhead, straight into referee Tim White, taking him out.  The superplex is blocked by Eddy firing off some headbutts, but he then misses on the frog splash.  With both men down Benoit leaves his position at the commentary desk, heads upstairs and...hits a diving headbutt on Eddy!  Jericho makes the cover and retains the strap.  Benoit has a sly smile on his face, Heyman saying how he set Eddy up, while Y2J is at a loss as to what just happened.  Malenko, Saturn and Terri are all out wondering what their partner is playing it.  They go to check on Eddy, ‘the Crippler’ going in the opposite direction as even if the Radicalz are not done, it certainly looks like Benoit has severed his links with the group.