WWF Raw is War Results – April 2, 2001

April 2, 2001
Ft. Worth, Texas
Hosted by Jim Ross and Paul Heyman
Report by Fred Venturini – TPWW.net

PRE-RAW NOTES
I suggest that you check out Wrestlemania coverage before Raw to catch you up on heel turns, screw jobs, title changes, and the rest of the happenings at one of the best PPV’s of all time. If not, if you’re caught up, buckle up for another edition of Raw is War, and it should be loaded tonight!

OPENING SEGMENT
As Raw comes on the air, Heyman and JR talk about Stone Cold’s heel turn. Steph’s music (which is HHH’s old music) hits, and she comes to the ring with a strap? Uh oh, I smell a strap match tonight.

Steph talks about Trish slapping her genetic jackhammer of a father. Steph says that Trish is ungrateful, but paybacks are a bitch (so is Steph though!). Steph is going to kick and WHIP her ass, because she’s been granted a Texas whipping match for later tonight, and folks, let me be the first in line for post match booty massages. Steph then introduces the most important man in sports entertainment, her daddy, Vince McMahon.

Vince comes out packing a big red box, and boy, is he strutting with his chest puffed out, really proud of screwing the Rock last night I guess. He takes the mike and asks the crowd for a little respect. Why is he happy? Why is he smiling? Because tonight, he has the privelege of handing the WWF title to Stone Cold Steve Austin when he arrives. Chorus of boos and a couple cheers at his mention if you’d like to know. Vince says that he may not be happy because Trish slapped him, his wife kicked him in the nuts, and Shane pulled a Van Terminator with a garbage can (you have to see it to believe it).

Vince says he promised something shocking, and he delivered when Austin and Stone Cold joined forces. He had the opportunity to listen to the play by play, and then exits the ring to ask JR a question. He gets in his face, and asks him if he called Stone Cold an SOB? JR says hell no. He asks if JR said Stone Cold sold out to the devil . . . JR says, you’re damn right! Vince then gets back in the ring, and says he has a lot in common with the devil. They’re both very powerful. Vince talks about doing the right thing, and Austin did the right thing. He says there was a tremendous outpouring of support for Austin making the right choice. He urges them to support their fellow Texan, and as thanks, Texans chipped in to buy him a gift for being in Texas. He pulls out a JR style cowboy hat from the red box, and struts around with a Texan accent. “Yeah, I’m a real Texan now, I can step in some cowcrap, hell, I can chew tobacco, I got some red on down the back of my neck . . .” but whoever gave him the hat (he puts it down) and shows everyone what he thinks of Texas by stomping on the hat.

Then the Rock’s music hits! He is spitting mad, and has a mike in his hand. Pacing the ramp, he says he’ll make it simple. He wants his rematch with Austin, he wants it tonight . . . right here in Texas!

Vince says that Austin isn’t here yet, and it’s not going to happen, no matter what the people want. Rock responds by saying he wants his return match and if he doesn’t give it to him, he’ll find a way to change his mind, and Rock walks quickly to the ring. Vince tells him to calm down, and says he can’t have his match, and if he lays a hand on him . . . Rock interrupts, saying he has one more chance to change his mind. Vince then says “if you lay one hand on me” but Rock then slugs him and slaps on the Sharpshooter! After a couple of seconds, Rock asks him one more time, and Vince says yes! Rock’s music hits, and we have a main event for tonight. As he walks away, Vince grabs the mike and says he has his match in a steel cage to a huge pop. Rock smiles and walks out as Vince’s music hits and we go to commercial.

When Raw comes back, the new Euro champ comes out with the Radicalz-Malenko and Saturn. Test follows suit, but he’s alone. Eddie tells him he doesn’t have a title, and he doesn’t have two homies with him either. Before he can finish, the Acolyte’s music hits and we have a six man tag!

MATCH: TEST AND APA VS. THE RADICALZ
All six men go at it to start off, with an Acolyte double back suplex. Saturn settles in with Bradshaw, and he tags in Malenko who takes a suplex and a revers body slam. Eddie jumps off the top rope but Bradshaw catches him and gives him the same reverse body slam. Saturn comes in to get a pumphandle suplex, and the Radicalz have control now, working over Bradshaw. Quick tags from them to wear him down, and they pound him in the corner untilhe fires back on Saturn with a shoulderblock. Eddie comes in as Test gets the tag, and he wails on Eddie with rights and a benchpress slam. He then gets a bigtime tilt a whirl powerbomb, and then Malenko comes in a gets a tilt a whirl slam. Saturn hits his turning neckbreaker move, and the ring clears out, leaving Saturn and Test alone. Test drops Saturn with a full nelson slam, and he tries to give the same toe Terri, but Saturn breaks it up, only to get a facefull of Test’s boot for the cover and the three count.
WINNERS VIA PINFALL: TEST AND APA

Regal is shown in his office, an Steph comes in and wants his assurance that Trish can’t weasel her way out of their match tonight. Steph then starts screaming and slamming down her hand on his desk, enraged at the very thought of Trish.

JR goes over the five title changes at Wrestlemania as Heyman volunteers to rub the wounds of the whipping match contestants personally. I hear you Paul! They show some stills from TLC 2, which was worth the forty dollars right there. By the way, Spike Dudley has to be hurting after that one.

Vince enters Regal’s office, and wants his assurance that he does know what to do . . . this time, Regal understands.

Cole asks HHH about his match last night, a loss to the Undertaker. He asks how many days in the year . . . 364 days he has been kicking everyone’s ass. One night, he has a bad night, but he’s not taking anything away from the Undertaker. He rolled in and showed the world he’s the big dog. He said he would beat HHH and he did. HHH enjoyed every second of the beating because he can’t wait to get in the ring with him again, because next time, it won’t be the same. When it’s all over, the UT will know he is the game. Cole asks about Austin, and if he knew anything about it. HHH takes off his hat and looks pissed. What do you think he says, and walks away.

Trish is shown with her strap as Raw goes to commercial . . . and HHH giving out props? Is he turning face? Or is it just a swerve? We’ll find out!

The RTC is then getting lectured by Stevie. Tonight, they go after the title they hate the most, the Hardcore title. They’ll show Kane how deep their convictions run.

MATCH: STEPH VS. TRISH, TEXAS WHIPPING MATCH
Trish comes out last, and Steph meets her on the ramp. They tussle into the ring, where Steph slams her into the turnbuckle and chokes her with a strap, trying to hang her from the turnbuckle. Then, Steph lands a nice DDT, and goes after the strap. Now the whipping begins! Trish takes several lashes to the back and buns, but she fires back with a kick, mounting Steph and punching away, coming back with a nice bulldog as Trish gets her whipping in. Steph takes several shots square on the ass, rolling out of the ring. She tries to hide behind Lilian Garcia, pushing her into Trish. Steph then goes back to work, putting Trish in the ring where she lands a clothesline. Steph now has both straps, lashing Trish over and over again, whipping her like a government mule. Steph goes up the turnbuckle, but Trish hangs her up and starts going to town on her ass with the straps until Regal comes out to nail his spinning finisher. Now he holds Trish as Steph keeps up the whipping. Now Y2J comes out! He goes to town on Regal with rights and lefts and chases Steph away. Twice in two days, Steph runs away! Y2J’s music hits and he’s left standing as Trish is helped out by the official. Raw goes to commercial.

MATCH: CRASH HOLLY VS. RHYNO
When we come back, Steph is bitching out Regal about Y2J. Regal puts him in a handicap match against Angle and himself. Steph seems pleased with that, and we go to the ring. Rhyno goes nuts and seems to feel no pain. No punches effect him, but Crash gets a hurricanrana that lands nicely. Rhyno tries a spear, but misses and hits the ring post. Crash hits him off the top, but Rhyno leaps up and hits a viscious spear for the pinfall! Molly Holly then goes up top, and she gets a nice 360 splash. Rhyno leaps up again and hits Molly with a spear. Damn. An ECW wrestler in a squash!! Great little match.
WINNER VIA PINFALL: RHYNO

Debra is asked by Kevin Kelly about Austin’s heel turn. She’s speechless, looking as if she’ll cry as Raw goes to commercial.

When we come back, Vince is out, packing the WWF title. He introduces the WWF champion, Stone Cold Steve Austin! Mixed reaction, mostly boos. He comes in the ring and grabs his title after doing some posing. Looks like old Austin to me. He then says now that he has the title and Vince McMahon alone in the ring . . . he asks if the crowd wants him to whip this somebitches ass. They give him a hell yeah. He asks again. Hell yeah! Austin says “well it ain’t going to happen tonight.” Wow. Never thought I’d hear that.

Austin says he’s not supposed to grant their every single little wish. Let them feed off him like a bunch of parasites? They’re just like everyone else . . . they’re asking, “Why Stone Cold, why?” He’ll get a big explanation, and a real slow one for the people in Texas. He tells a guy to shut up you little BLEEP, and tells everyone in the stands he can kick their ass. They chant Rocky, Rocky . . . he says he’ll get to him in a second. He figures he don’t owe the fans an explanation. He doesn’t owe them a damn thing. Since they want to chant the Rock’s name, he has something to say about him too. He calls him a mealy mouth bastard, and you just don’t come out and put Mr. McMahon in a sharpshooter. In the cage, don’t figure on Stone Cold being the champ for 24 hours. Rock can walk come out and raise his eyebrow all he wants because Austin is going to bounce his candyass off the entire cage. He hands the mike to Mr. McMahon . . .

“And that’s the bottom line . . . because Mr. McMahon said so!”

Wow. Wow. This feels weird people. HHH is shown in the back, just seething about the interview.

MATCH: RTC VS. KANE
Val starts out by slugging Kane with a garbage can. Kane unleashes on Val, stuffing him into the corner and then cracking him with a clothesline. Val comes back though, but Kane extinguishes that comeback with a powerslam. He then puts on a sidewalk slam. Richards comes in and gets a trashcan to the head. Val then regains control, taking Kane outside and putting him into the steps, hitting him with a sign and tossing him back in. Val then hits the DDT and gets a two count, but that’s it. Val starts with rights, but Kane is unphased, standing up to a Russian leg sweep. Val goes up and hit a shoulderblock though, and gets another quick two. Val in control, going after a trashcan and stuffing it in the turnbuckle. Trying to throw Kane in now, but he gets reversed into it. Kane goes up with his huge clothesline off of the top rope and gets the three count! Now the entire RTC comes in to ambush Kane, but the Undertaker comes out! The brothers from hell chokeslam the hell out of the RTC as Kane’s music transforms into Rollin’.
WINNER VIA PINFALL: KANE

HHH confronts Regal, and demands to know where Vince’s office is. HHH calls him a limey, and threatens to kick his ass if he doesn’t tell him! HHH is getting pops out of this world tonight.

HHH demands to know why he wasn’t told about this. He says he was screwed, and he spent a year kicking his ass for Vince and himself. Vince didn’t tell him because it wasn’t HHH’s business. Stone Cold asked for Vince’s help . . . HHH didn’t. He was a winner, and HHH wasn’t! Damn. HHH kicks over a watercooler as we go back to the ring.

MATCH: JERICHO VS. ANGLE AND REGAL
Regal begins by hammering down Jericho, but Y2J comes back with a nice dropkick off of the top. He then takes down Angle and lands another kick on Regal until Angle gains control. Jericho counters though, and locks on the Walls of Jericho until Regal kicks him. Then they double team him in the corner until Regal works over Jericho’s arm with twists, stomps, and kicks. Jericho comes back with a spinning heel kick, and then starts chopping Regal down, Ric Flair style, coming back with a big bulldog and scoring the Lionsault until Angle breaks it up. Y2J goes up top now, but Angle trips him up so that Regal can give a double underhook suplex off of the top for the one . . . two . . . no, Angle comes in to finish off Y2J, but Jericho fires back with a big kick. However, Angle lands his Olympic slam off of a nice reversal, and he tags in Regal for the cover . . . one . . . two . . . no! Jericho kicks out, and Angle is irate. Regal still in, and Jericho goes off of the ropes, only to get hit by Angle with a chair, stumbling right into Regal’s spinning finisher for the three count. Now Angle locks on the ankle lock, and Benoit comes storming out to make the save!
WINNER VIA PINFALL: ANGLE AND REGAL

After the match, Jericho and Benoit stare each other down . . . and it looks like the stare of respect as Jericho exits.

MATCH: BILLY GUNN VS. X-PAC
In a battle of old time DX members, X-Pac comes out with Albert and Justin Credible. Gunn starts out with a nice shoulderblock and a Russian leg sweep, followed up with a huge powerslam. Gunn tosses him out, and begins to slam Pac’s head into the guardrail. Credible allows X-Pac to regain control with a kick, and we’re back in the ring now where Pac handles Gunn with a spinning heel kick and a quick two count. Now he kicks Gunn into the corner, and lands the Bronco Buster. A woosy Gunn comes back with a tilt a whirl slam, hitting X-Pac with rights and then a bigtime benchpress slam. But while the ref is distracted by Credible, Albert hits the Albertbomb and X-Pac gets the win.
WINNER VIA PINFALL: X-PAC

All three men stand over Gunn’s prone body as Raw goes to commercial. We return to see the cage getting put up, and Shane McMahon is at WWFNY. He’s got a nice shiner from his match. He says that Wrestlemania was awesome, and he was glad to be a part of it. He’s conflicted about beating up his dad. However, he’s still proud of what he did, and he hopes his mom takes Vince to the cleaners! He’s now focusing on WCW, and things are starting to shape up and things will get interesting. Vince is going to get kicked in a place worse than the gonads, the checkbook!

Now Rock is getting interviewed by Micheal Cole. Rock knows why Austin did what he did with Vince. Deep down inside, Austin knows he can’t beat the Rock. It eats Austin up. In the biggest match, after every chairshot, after every stunner, Austin was panicked that the Rock kept kicking out. He saw the relief in his eyes when Vince came out to help him. With the state of mind the Rock’s in, Austin may not owe the people anything, but Rock owes them . . . whipping your candyass all over the Lonestar state! Raw to commercial, and we’ll be back with the main event!

MATCH: AUSTIN VS. ROCK, STEEL CAGE
McMahon introduces the champion, Stone Cold. Now there’s mostly boos. McMahon and Austin come out side by side.

Austin teases getting in to lure the Rock’s head near the door, which he slams on the Rock’s head. Outside of the cage, Austin and Rock slug it out with Rock giving out some middle fingers and some right hands, putting Austin onto the table and cracking him in the nuts with a chop. He then slams Austin’s head onto the ring bell, and hits him with the title belt. Ref Tim White tries to get a handle on things, but Rock continues beating down Austin by the announce table. Austin is busted open before this one officially starts, and Rock begin to grind his head against the cage to open the wound further. It’s working because Austin is bloody as hell already!

Now they finally get into the cage, and Rock continues to kick Austin. He then connects with a flying clothesline off of the ropes and gets a two count. Austin finally comes back with some offense. He scores with a right hand, and slingshots Rocky into the corner. He then gives Rock a spinebuster and gets only a two count for the trouble. A bloody Austin stomps the Rock in the crotch and he tells his running buddy McMahon to grab him a chair. Vince obliges, and Austin drills it into the Rock’s sternum. He goes for a headshot, but Rock counters with a sharpshooter!! Austin is tapping out, but Vince has the ref distracted. I’ve never seen Austin tap out in my life, especially to the sharpshooter! Rock lets it go, but hits a spinebuster and goes for the people’s elbow . . . and he hits it . . . one . . . two . . . . Vince breaks it up. He pulls White out of the ring, and Tim White pushes Vince down and goes back into the cage. Rock has Austin lined up . . . Rock Bottom! Rock Bottom! One . . . two . . . Vince breaks it up again, and he works over Tim White. Rock gets up now, and he throws Vince into the cage and then locks the door. He starts pounding away at Vince, flipping off Austin and Vince. He goes for the Rock Bottom on Vince, but Austin comes back and low blows him. Now Vince and Austin go after the Rock, who’s trapped.

Holy hell, it’s all about the Game! HHH comes out with his sledgehammer, and he pushes down McMahon and gets right in Austin’s face. This is electric here. Bloody Austin staring down HHH . . . until HHH whacks Rocky with the hammer. Damn folks, we’ve got one helluva heel stable now. HHH and Austin pound the Rock with the hammer, and then HHH gets the pedigree on him. HHH then holds him up so Austin can stunner the Rock, who’s pretty much done for. He’s totally destroyed as Austin, Vince, and HHH stand in unison. Austin calls for some beer, and all three mega-heels open up their cold beverage and pose over the fallen Rock as Raw goes off the air.
WINNER: NO CONTEST