WWF Raw is War Results – April 30, 2001

April 30, 2001
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hosted by Jim Ross and Paul Heyman
Report by Fred Venturini – TPWW.net

Hello, and welcome to TPWW’s coverage of Raw is War, coming of a Backlash that saw new WWF tag champs and Shane McMahon’s death defying leap onto the Big Show. Check out our Backlash results on the main page for more, but for now, let’s jump into Raw, live from Milwaukee.

As Raw opens, Kurt Angle’s music hits, and Kurt has himself a new shirt about tapping out, which he did in the Crossface last night to lose his submission match.

Kurt gets a nice chorus of boos, and says that he has to hand it to Benoit, because at Backlash, he was shown a side of Benoit that he’s never seen. Kurt can’t believe it, and last night, Benoit showed the world that he is without a doubt, the biggest cheater walking God’s green Earth! Kurt wants to know how he lives with himself, because he proved he cheats. Kurt shows footage as the crowd chants “Angle sucks.”

Angle says that when he loses he takes it like a man and the crowd shouldn’t boo him. The footage shows Angle locking on the ankle lock, and Benoit tapping out after time expires. Angle says that sudden death happens immediately after the buzzer, and Angle declares himself the winner.

Despite what happened, Angle says there’s one thing that Benoit can’t take away from him . . . and it’s the fact that he’s an Olympic gold medallist, and it makes him a legend, an immortal, the best in the world. If Benoit can’t understand that-

Wait, Benoit’s music hits, and he comes out looking ripped and ready. He leaps right into the ring and reaches for the mike, but Kurt interrupts, saying that Benoit can rob people of matches, that’s ok, he doesn’t have gold medals. Angle says he’ll never know what it’s like to stand on top of the podium and have the medal around his neck. Angle says that Benoit has nothing, and that he’s the best in the world.

Benoit grabs the mike, and says Angle is right. He is an Olympic gold medallist, and he’s a legend, and he WAS the very best in the world, but after thirty minutes at Backlash, after all Angle’s achievements, Angle was beaten. He lost to Benoit, and nothing can ever change that, it’s true, it’s true.

After that, Angle spears Benoit and goes for the Angle slam, but Benoit reverses into a triple set of German suplexes, and then he dumps the gold medallist as the Crippler’s music hits. Benoit grabs the medals, and holds them up high as the crowd pops, and then he leaves, medals in hand. Raw to commercial.

When we come back, Angle is searching for Benoit in the back, asking Tazz where his medals are at. Tazz knew that Benoit left the building, but he wanted Angle to “look a little longer.”

MATCH: EDGE VS. MATT HARDY
Edge comes out, and by God, it looks like he’s got a drawer full of socks stuffed in his pants. No wonder the girlies like him. Matt Hardy comes out with his brother, and sadly, not Lita. Christian is also on the outside. Matt Hardy hits a neckbreaker right off the bat and gets a two count, but Edge fires back with a chop. Hardy lands a big clothesline into the corner, but Edge puts his foot up on the next try and tries to go up top. Matt meets him, but Edge racks Hardy on the ropes, and Matt goes outside in pain. Edge follows, putting Matt’s head into the rail and tossing him back in. Edge plants Matt up top, but goes down and then Matt tries for a moonsault and misses, allowing Edge to get a two count. Now Edge goes up top, landing a high cross body, but Matt comes back with a DDT. Inverted atomic drop by Matt, and a clothesline with a two count. He then slams Edge down, and goes up to land his patented legdrop, but Christian distracts the ref while Edge lines up the spear . . . one, two, but Christian gets tossed in and breaks up the count. Edge argues with his brother, and Matt takes advantage by landing the Twist of Fate for the threecount. So, perhaps dissention between E and C? Back and forth all the way in this match, and Raw goes to commercial.
WINNER: MATT HARDY

We come back in Regal’s office. He summoned Coachman for an announcement. Even though he beat Jericho, Jericho’s action on the Duchess makes for punishment . . . so he’ll fight Rhyno in a hardcore title. Trish then comes in, and Regal says her match is because her win over Ivory was impressive. Regal says it’s a nontitle match, and maybe she’ll get in a little move or two. Trish says that he would know, after all, he’s the expert on “little things,” and she leans over so we all get the idea.

MATCH: SPIKE DUDLEY VS. X-PAC
The little Spike takes on Mr. No Job one on one, and why does X-Pac keep acting like he can dance? Spike gets overpowered by Pac, who applies a headlock and then shoulders down Spike, but Spike comes back with an armdrag and then a nice hurricanrana. Then X-Pac fires with a reverse spin kick, followed up by a high back drop and some quick leg drops. Spike then with a spear headbutt to the X-Crotch, and then another hurricanrana from Spike. However, X-Pac regains the advantage and goes for the bronco buster. Spike then goes up and gets a double stomp to the chest, but X-Pac reverses the Acid Drop into an X-Factor and the three count.
WINNER: X-PAC (WAS THERE ANY DOUBT?)

A limo then pulls up on the outside, and Steph hops out by herself. Weird. Micheal Cole comments on the bruise on her face, and she says that it was Kane, and that he’s going to pay for it. She adds that Test is going to pay for his interference too. She says that Test will learn once and for all to stay out of her family’s business.

Footage is shown of Kane’s arm, and it looks pretty damn bruised up. Christian is pleading to Edge about costing his match. Kurt walks in, and asks where his medals are. E and C tell him they don’t care, and Kurt accuses them of covering for him because of the whole Canadian thing.

The APA are playing, smoking, and drinking with Crash Holly of all people, much to the delight of the crowd. Footage is then shown of the Backlash last man standing match with Show and Shane.

Test is on the phone with someone, and Steph interrupts. He points to the bruise, and gets it slapped away. Steph informs him that he gets HHH in a match tonight, and HHH is supposed to take him out. Test says he could’ve woken up to that every morning, ha! Test says he better get ready, because he definitely wants to play this game.

Crash is then chugging some beer, and Bradshaw tells him to slow down on the beer and calls him a sore loser. Crash then mentions losing his title to Jerry Lynn, and is quite upset about it. Bob Holly comes in and tells him this isn’t the way to win his title back. Bob Holly is pissed off and tosses a beer in Bradshaw’s face, and asks them if they have the guts to get in the ring with him and Crash in a tag match.

Regal then comes to the ring in order to watch the hardcore title match.

MATCH: RHYNO VS. CHRIS JERICHO
Regal makes a funny comment about being the only sports hero that Britain has after Lennox Lewis got knocked out. He adds that he came to see Chris Jericho get hit in the head with something severe, and JR thanks him for his actions on Stone Cold after “him kickin my ass in front of my family in Oklahoma, thanks very much.” Regal seems genuinely impressed by the compliment as Jericho tosses Rhyno into the steps and then grabs a chair, but he is looking to hit Regal with it and Rhyno comes back, but misses a Gore into the rail. Jericho tosses him back in and starts waylaying him with a leather strap. He then puts a garbage can into the corner, but Rhyno comes back and tosses him into the trashcan head first for the quick two count. Rhyno then goes to the second rope with the can, but Jerhicho hits him with a chair and lays down two chairs to superplex Rhyno, which he does. Then E and C come out, allowing Rhyno to land the Gore for the three count. Regal goes in for some mop up duty, putting away his pocketwatch in lieu of a trashcan, but Jericho beats him to the punch, or the trashcan shot I may say, beating him with it until several refs drag him off.
WINNER: RHYNO

Vince and his two boys, Austin and HHH, are walking down the hallway packing major gold as Raw goes to commercial.

When we come back, Vince comes out with Steph, and as an added bonus, she’s REALLY nipping out. Someone must’ve turned down the temp in Milwaukee.

Just for the record, Vince says he’s infinitely proud of HHH and Austin because they’re different than the people. They refuse to live a life of mediocrity. They refuse to wallow in complacency, and unlike those that are afraid of failure, and HHH and Austin seize the moment without letting go. He’s proud of them because they don’t live by the crowd’s set of standards or morals, and damn sure not their rules. They create their own rules, and unlike each and every one of the people in the arena, Austin and HHH are leaders.

Vince then comments on the two blemishes at Backlash. One was with Shane and Big Show, and Test will fight his “only real son,” HHH. The other blemish was Kane booting Steph in the face, thus the bruise. The crowd really pops for that footage, and Vince says how dare you, and they just get louder. He curses each and every damn one of them, and gets some major heat. Vince says he’s not vindictive, and in the interest of fairness, and because Austin wishes to, Kane will fight Stone Cold for the title as an “asshole” chant begins to really bust out.

Vince asks, if there’s any decency in their body whatsoever, for the crowd to listen to what Steph has to say. She introduces the WWF Champion, IC Champion, and the new Tag Team Champions, the most dominant force in the WWF, Austin and HHH. They come out to “No Chance in Hell,” so that no one gets jealous I guess. Both man have new T-shirts, which will no doubt be big money makers.

As Austin and HHH pose, Linda McMahon’s generic “Wrestlemania” theme hits, and she’s live from WWF New York. She greets Vince, and she hates to spoil the celebratory mood he’s in, but she’s happy to see him having such a good time because he’s enjoying himself in a professional mode, but his private life is a mess, and the divorce lawyers are scheduled to meet. She’d be willing to prevent such an occurance (postponing it anyways), but only if some specific things occur. She says that Kane can’t be in a condition to compete for the WWF title, and he should have the night off. It seems that Austin is intent on defending the title, and he should against none other than the Undertaker! Raw then goes to commercial.

When we come back, Austin says that Vince’s divorce is screwing things up. Austin disagrees with defending the title. Austin tells him to think of something and do it fast.

MATCH: HOLLYS VS. THE ACOLYTES
Crash comes out and looks totally wasted. Reminds me of Scott Hall, minus the puke. Farooq tosses out Crash and then the APA double Bob, dishing out a double shoulderblock before Bradshaw goes to work by himself with a neckbreaker and a quick two count. Bradshaw then gives him a reverse toss slam, also reminiscent of Scott Hall. Farooq then begins a double team, and the APA get their double throwdown off the ropes. Then, outside, Farooq crunches Bob’s face with the stairs as Bradshaw picks up Crash and tells him to stay outside, which he’s all to happy (or drunk) to do. Back in the ring, it’s two on one with Bradshaw getting the tag and landing a shoulderblcok. Crash then jumps in and gets decked. Bob comes back now as Crash goes up top. Dropkick by Bob, but Farooq comes in and tries for the dominator, only to get a DDT and Crash then accidentally kicks his cousin with Bradshaw finishing Bob off with a clothesline from Sears, oh, I mean hell.
WINNERS: THE ACOLYTES

Crash is trying to explain to his cousin what happened, but Bob slugs him, calls him a drunk, and leaves, only to have Crash follow him and take another right hand. Bob tosses him back in the ring and sobers him up with a double underhook powerbomb, which is step four or so in a twelve step program.

Vince tells HHH that they need to pull it together tonight, and HHH has to set the standard with Test. Game says he has his end covered, and Test is as good as done.

Undertaker gets an interview by Lilian Garcia. He says that last night, HHH and Austin had a nice game plan by taking Kane’s injured arm and beating on it. It worked. Good job boys. But how do they think it feels to know that it took the injured arm, that bitch and the boss to beat them. When Kane’s arm heals, he wouldn’t give two cents to be either one of them. But tonight, Austin finds out what it’s like to be in the ring with Big Daddy Deadman. He has Garcia read his shirt aloud, which says “Try me. I’ll make you famous.” Undertaker says that if you mess with me or my family, it’s all over because it’s not just a catchphrase, it’s a way of life, it’s a code. Intense stuff from the Deadman.

MATCH: TEST VS. HHH
Game gets right on Test, kicking him down into the corner. Test reverses an Irish whip, and gives him a tilt a whirl slam. HHH is outside now, and he clubs Test with a chair shot, and the bell rings. HHH keeps the assault up, cracking Test with chair shot after chair shot, tossing him into the ring post and punching away at his head. He then gives Test a taste of the steel stairs, and then arranges the steps next to the announce table. HHH lines up Test for a powerbomb from the steps onto the table, and he hits it with power. Then Kane comes out, scattering the Game and Raw goes to commercial.
WINNER VIA DQ: TEST

After commercial, HHH is livid with Kane interfering. He says that before the night is over, Kane will never stick his nose in their business again. This Game is just about to start, and Vince likes it.

After some “Mummy Returns” highlights, Trish is stretching out for her match with Chyna. Wow. Now that’s a treat. Raw to commercial.

MATCH: TRISH VS. CHYNA
When we return, Trish comes out, scantily clad and looking pretty good. Chyna comes out with her cannon, which is no doubt a phallic symbol exposing her need for a good man. I, like Paul Heyman, am a fan of Chyna’s hot bazooka. Trish runs right into Chyna and bounces right off. Chyna then tosses her into the turnbuckles and begins to stomp her down. Then Chyna benches Trish over her head for about ten minutes and lets her drop down. After that, it’s a bigtime powerbomb, and the customary three count. Well now, that wasn’t very interesting, although before the powerbomb it looked like a pornographic pose.
WINNER: CHYNA

After the match, Chyna grabs the mike, surprisingly. She says she respects the women in the WWF, but she doesn’t have any competition, and from now on, instead of pinning them, she’ll just have to spank them. Then Lita comes out! The crowd chants her name, and then Lita says that Chyna has been an inspiration and she has a lot of respect for her. She also has a lot of respect for the WWF Women’s Title. If it’s competition she wants, Lita says she’ll be happy to give it to her. Chyna then says, alright you bad girl, come get your spanking. Lita says she’s serious, and Chyna gives her the match, but don’t be surprised if your butts a little sore the next day. Hmmmm . . . interesting banter between the two immensely popular babes. Raw to commercial.

MATCH: STEVE AUSTIN VS. THE UNDERTAKER
Upon Raw’s return, there’s a Dead Man Walking as Rollin’ comes on and the Undertaker drives down to the ring on his custom bike. As Austin comes down, one can’t help but remember the classic confrontations between these two men, only this time, the crowd is soundly behind Big Daddy Deadman. Somehow, Austin isn’t coming out. They show footage of Austin and the Game beating down Kane severely. Undertaker runs out to help him, and he immediately takes out the Game. Undertaker begins to fight Austin towards the ring as Kane and HHH are sprawled out and prone. Both men brawl on the outside with some nice uppercuts from the Undertaker. Once they get in the ring, the bell tolls, and it’s time to fight for the gold. Austin goes for the stunner, but Undertaker pushes him out of it and gets the big boot and a close two count. How, HHH storms the ring and the bell is called for. There’s a sledge in the ring, and Undertaker gets cracked with it by HHH. Austin starts laying into him, and Kane comes down in bad shape, only to have Austin start assaulting him with a chair. So once again, the two man power trip are in control and beating down the Brothers of Destruction, lining up Kane’s arm on the steel steps and hitting it about fifty times with a chair. They then put Kane’s arm in the chair, and Austin jumps onto it. Undertaker tries to help, but he gets a chair shot for his trouble. Austin goes nuts with the chair on both men, and HHH starts with the sledge as Austin’s music hits and Raw fades out.
WINNER VIA DQ: UNDERTAKER