July 6, 2003

Matches taped on 6/30 in Buffalo, NY.

Your Announcers are Jonathan Coachman and Al Snow.

We start off in the back with Steven Richards and Victoria-Stevie’s overjoyed at getting wins these past 2 weeks on ‘his show’ (Stevie Night Heat). An intern is summoned, Steven asks who he’s scheduled to face later on-seems our star has the night off. Steven has a fit, ‘fires’ the intern as Goldust wanders onto the scene. Stevie accuses Goldust of stealing his spot-Man from Hollywood rather nonchalantly spazzes out and takes his leave of the Wacko duo.

Pyros go, Coach and Al welcome us in, we go to work…

1^st Match: Goldust vs. Mike Phoenix. Referee is Chad Patton.

Mike already in the ring, nice pop for Goldust. Bell rings, Mike and Goldust circle-as Stevie joins our announcers to rant about not wrestling on ‘his show’. Goldust gets distracted, Mike takes advantage, lays in a pair of clubbing forearms to the back that send Goldust to a seated position on the ropes. Mike keeps up the assault, pair of forearms to the face send Goldust rolling toward the adjacent ropes. Mike brings Goldust up, whips him off ropes, Goldust connects with a clothesline as he rebounds, Mike down and up. Goldust scores with another knockdown clothesline, Mike staggers to his feet, Goldust whips him off ropes, Mike takes the inverted Atomic Drop as he rebounds. Goldust gets in a kick to the gut, Mike doubled over, Goldust drops to the canvas, tags Mike with his signature open hand shot to the face, both men down and up as Steven continues to bother our announcers. Goldust whips Mike into corner, scores with a bulldog as he rebounds, Mike down for 2. Both men up, Mike retreats to a corner, Goldust approaches, takes a pair of thumbs to the eyes. Goldust backs off, Mike charges STRAIGHT into a powerslam (once referred to as the Director’s Cut), Goldust covers, gets the 1-2-3.

Winner: Goldust.

Post-match Steven runs in and flattens Goldust with the Stevie Kick. He then sets the groggy Goldust up in a corner and Shatters his Dreams. Steven exits as Goldust writhes in pain.

Coach and Al announce our Main Event will see Rodney Mack and Rosey taking on the Dudley Boyz.

We go to video from last Monday. Raw co-General Manager Eric Bischoff ordered Kane (who’d been unmasked the previous week) to appear before the fans at some point during the show-or be fired. Break.

Slam of the Week: From last Monday, Gail Kim makes her WWE debut and picks up the Women’s Championship in a 7-Woman Over-the-top Battle Royal (her opponents were Ivory, Jacqueline, Trish Stratus, Molly Holly, Victoria and former champion Jazz).

Back to the ring…

2^nd Match: Garrison Cade vs. Mike Doan. Referee is Charles Robinson.

Mike already in the ring (didn’t I already type that?), mild pop for Garrison.

Bell rings, circling into a lockup, Mike scores with an armdrag, Garrison down and up as Mike grins. More circling, another lockup and armdrag takedown by Mike. Garrison up as Mike takes a quick breather in a corner, another lockup follows, Mike’s attempt at armdrag #3 is blocked, he goes down via his own momentum. Mike up, Garrison scores with an armdrag of his own, Mike down and up. One more armdrag takedown by Garrison, Mike down and up slowly, Garrison connects with a dropkick that sends Mike through the ropes to the outside. Ref holds Garrison back, Mike climbs up on the apron, Garrison approaches and sends him down in the center of the ring with-a modified armdrag. Garrison hangs on to the arm, wrenches the shoulder and lays in a pair of forearm shots to Mike’s extended arm. Garrison cinches in an armbar, takes Mike down with same, covers for 2. Garrison continues to work the arm, keeps Mike matbound, manages to get his shoulders down again, just gets 1. Mike struggles to his feet, Garrison wrings the arm into a hammerlock, Mike gets to the ropes, ref calls for the break as Garrison takes an elbow to the face. Mike connects with a short arm clothesline, Garrison goes down, crawls to corner, Mike hauls him up and lays in boots to the gut, Garrison goes to a seated position, Mike lays in the time honored boot-choke, ref again calls for the break. Mike backs off, Garrison attempts to get to his feet at the ropes, Mike connects with an elbow to the back of the neck to send Garrison back to the corner. Mike rams Garrison’s head into top turmbuckle, Garrison staggers to adjacent corner, Mike follows, takes a boot to the gut as Garrison turns to face. Mike takes one more boot to the gut, blocks a forearm shot with an elbow to Garrison’s face. Mike goes off ropes as Garrison staggers, shoulder block sends Garrison down for 2. Mike goes up top, drops the elbow, Garrison rolls clear easily, Mike to canvas. Both men up slowly, Garrison ducks a roundhouse punch, connects with a series of nice looking jabs, goes off ropes, sends Mike down with a right cross.

(Commentary: Garrison may not be a hell of a wrestler just yet, but he throws great punches.)

Mike gets to feet at ropes, Garrison tries for a whip, reversed, Garrison goes off ropes, leapfrogs over Mike’s attempt at a back body drop, again goes off ropes, scores with a reverse bulldog as he rebounds, Mike down, Garrison hooks the legs, gets all 3.

Winner: Garrison Cade.

Main Event hype precedes a break.

Coach and Al return for Raw recap. We’re reminded that last Monday Bischoff was flying solo-his partner Stone Cold Steve Austin was out with food poisoning. Early on Eric scheduled a match that likely wouldn’t have met with the Rattler’s approval-Scott Steiner and his manager Stacy Keibler vs. Chris Jericho and Stacy’s former boyfriend/business associate Test. Match went on as scheduled, Scott (very understandably) tried to go it alone as Test and Y2J tagged in and out freely. End saw Chris attempting to toss the ref out of the ring, drawing the DQ. At that point Bischoff appeared atop the ramp to re-start the match as a no-DQ affair. After about a minute Scott went down to a chair shot from Chris, Test got the win for his team, pinning Stacy after a cringe-inducing pumphandle slam. Post-match Scott carried Stacy to the back.

Yet more Main Event hype leads to a break.

Extreme Blast of the Night: From last Monday, Booker T appeared to have defeated Christian for the Intercontinental Championship-until Bischoff appeared and called for a replay on the Titantron. Footage proved both men’s shoulders were down during the 3 count, Bischoff thereby declared the match a draw. Christian takes another step toward his stated goal of breaking the Honky Tonk Man’s record as longest reigning IC Champion.

Back to the business at hand…

3^rd Match: Val Venis vs. Mike Bell. Referee is ‘Saint’ Nick Patrick.

Mike hangs out at ringside, nice pop foe Val, who gets in some golf references during his otherwise standard pre-match promo (gripping the shaft, eyes on your balls, that type of stuff). Mike enters, bell rings, bit of circling to start, Mike ducks under a lockup attempt, goes behind, cinches in a waistlock. Val reverses, waistlock takedown sends Mike face first to the canvas. Val slaps on a rear chinlock, Mike gets to his feet, forces Val to a corner, ref calls for the break. Mike goes for the obligatory cheap forearm to the face, Val blocks it, series of forearms send Mike to the ropes at the far side of the ring. Val whips Mike off the ropes, sends him down with a shoulder as he rebounds. Val drops an elbow, hauls Mike up, whips him to ropes, follows while maintaining hold of the arm, connects with a kneelift. Another whip/kneelift combination follows, Val brings Mike to the center of the ring, neckbreaker sends Mike to the canvas. Val hauls Mike up in a corner, rams him back first into turnbuckles, Val connects with a pair of chops and a punch to the face. Val tries for a whip, Mike manages a reversal, Val goes hard into turnbuckles, drops face first to canvas. Mike hauls Val up, scores with a suplex, covers, Val kicks out at 2. Mike brings Val to his feet in a corner, connects with a trio of forearms to the face, whip is attempted and reversed, Mike into corner. Val connects with a clothesline, follows up with a series of chops to the chest, Mike is whipped to opposite corner, Val drops him to the canvas with a clothesline as he rebounds. Mike gets to his feet, Val sends him right back down with a back elbow. Val hauls Mike up, sets to whip him off ropes, Mike reverses, Val goes off ropes, sends Mike back to the canvas with a shoulder charge. Mike groggily gets to his feet, Val ducks under a roundhouse punch, goes behind, Mike gets planted via half nelson slam. Val calls for finisher, goes up top, Money Shot connects, WWE’s #1 referee counts the 1-2-3.

Winner: Val Venis.

Post-match, as per usual, Val gives his towel to a young lady at ringside. Break.

Wrestlemania Recall: From WM3, the Honky Tonk Man defeats Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts. Post-match Jake, with the assistance of his pal Alice Cooper, terrorized Honky’s manager Jimmy Hart with his pet python Damien.

Coach and Al return for Raw recap. Last Monday’s Main Event saw Rob Van Dam challenging HHH for the World Championship. Excellent match, Hunter got the usual help from his cronies Ric Flair and Randy Orton while Rob got some rather unexpected help from Bischoff, who late in appeared atop the stage to change the match to a ‘no-DQ’ affair and then stipulated ‘falls count anywhere’. Hunter nonetheless got the win to retain as the match moved to the top of the stage, pinning Rob after a belt shot and a scary looking DDT. After HHH’s win Kane finally made his stipulated appearance. Hunter and his Evolution stablemates retreated as Big Red grabbed his former tag partner RVD by the throat while Eric looked on. Rob was tossed aside, Bischoff was then seized and chokeslammed off the top of the stage.

Coach informs us Eric suffered a concussion and a sprained neck, and will likely miss tomorrow night’s Raw. However, Stone Cold WILL be in the house.

4^th Match: Rosey and Rodney Mack, with Theodore Long and Chris Nowinski, vs. Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley. Referee is Jack Doan.

Theo and Co. out first to decent heat. Pre-match we get video reminding us of the genesis of the feud between the Dudz and the ‘playas’. On the Heat episode of June 6^th Chris and Rodney were engaged in a match with Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley. Spike’s older brothers ran in and opened a veritable keg of whoopass on Theo’s crew after Spike had been KO’ed by Chris with a face mask shot (what the hell is that thing made of anyway?) unseen by the ref.

Back in the present, Theo grabs a mic, announces tonight Rosey gets a chance to earn his ‘Playas Card’. Dudz are called out, Bubba Ray and D-Von enter to the pop of the night-and we go to break. Huh?

Back, match is in progress, D-Von and Rodney in the ring. Rodney connects with a kneelift and a clubbing forearm to the back that sends D-Von to the ropes. Rodney tries for a whip, D-Von reverses, Rodney goes off ropes, sends D-Von down with a shoulder charge as he rebounds. Rodney goes off ropes, leaps over D-Von, Rodney again off ropes, D-Von gets to his feet and leapfrogs over Rodney as he rebounds and again goes off ropes,  D-Von connects with a short arm clothesline, Rodney down. Up, D-Von scores with a palm to the face, Rodney down and up quickly, D-Von follows up with a standing dropkick, Rodney down and up not so quickly. D-Von sidesteps a charge, sends Rodney down with an armdrag, covers for 2.  Both men up, Rodney sends D-Von down with a clothesline, quickly hauls him up and makes the tag. Rosey gets in a clubbing forearm to D-Von’s back, Rodney exits, one more forearm to the back sends D-Von to ropes. Rosey whips D-Von to opposite ropes, sets for a back body drop, D-Von scouts it, puts on the brakes, connects with a boot to the face, tags in Bubba Ray. D-Von exits, Bubba Ray and Rosey lock up, Bubba Ray slaps on the side headlock, Rosey shoves him to ropes, powers out, whips Bubba Ray off opposite ropes, both men stay on their feet as they collide in the center of the ring. Bit of trash talking follows, Rosey ducks under a clothesline, both men go off ropes, simultaneous cross body blocks (a damn impressive sight) send both men down. Rosey gets to his feet first, Bubba Ray’s attempt to get up is thwarted by a forearm to the back of the neck. Rosey hauls Bubba Ray up, casually body slams him to the canvas. Rosey drops the elbow, Bubba Ray rolls clear, Rosey down and up slowly, Bubba Ray to his feet also. Bubba Ray connects with a series of jabs, Rosey counters with a clothesline for a knockdown. Rosey takes a LONG breather, Bubba Ray gets to his feet, Rosey tosses him face first into a neutral corner turnbuckle. Bubba Ray groggily turns to face, Rosey goes for the blatant choke, gets warned off by ref. Rosey whips Bubba Ray to opposite corner, charges, Bubba Ray gets a boot up to the face. Rosey staggered, Bubba Ray ascends 2^nd turnbuckle, Rosey turns to face, Bubba Ray connects with a flying cross body block (!), Rosey down for 2. Both men up, Bubba Ray wrings the arm and tags in D-Von. Brothers team up to whip Rosey into ropes, double shoulder block is attempted, Rosey stays on his feet, backs off, Dudz duck under running clotheslines, grab a handful of hair, drop Rosey back first to the canvas, Bubba Ray exits as D-Von covers for 2. Both men up, D-Von connects with a forearm to the face, Rosey counters with a rake of the eyes. Rosey whips D-Von into ‘playas’ corner, charges, D-Von connects with an elbow to the face, also manages one to Rodney to leave him sprawling on the apron. D-Von fires off forearms to Rosey’s face, attempts to go off ropes, gets tripped up by Chris on the outside, goes face first to canvas. Rosey goes off ropes, connects with the corkscrew legdrop, tags in Rodney and exits. Rodney drops a trio of elbows, goes for the quick cover, just gets 2. D-Von gets to a seated position, Rodney slaps on a rear chinlock, D-Von gets to his feet, lands a series of forearms to the face, hold is broken, D-Von attempts to go off ropes, Rodney connects with a running knee to the gut, D-Von down hard, Rodney covers for 2. Rodney quickly goes back to the rear chinlock, D-Von slowly gets to his feet, frees himself with a series of punches. Rodney appears staggered, D-Von breaks off, gets in a quick forearm to Rosey on the apron, turns, Rodney scores with a spinebuster out of nowhere, D-Von down, Rodney’s pinfall attempt is broken up when Bubba Ray runs in and drops the double axehandle. Bubba Ray quickly exits, Rodney gets to his feet, grabs D-Von’s leg and hauls him toward playa’s corner. Rosey gets the tag and lays in the boots to D-Von as Rodney exits. Rosey gets in a stomp to the chest, ascends 2^nd turnbuckle, attempts a splash, D-Von gets his knees up, Rosey takes them to the gut, both men down. Theo checks on Rosey, D-Von crawls to corner, makes the tag to Bubba Ray. D-Von exits, Rodney enters untagged, goes down to a shoulder from Bubba Ray. Rodney up quickly, Bubba Ray connects with a knockdown clothesline, hauls Rodney to his feet, whips him off ropes, Rodney goes down to a back elbow. Rosey (legal man) has gotten to his feet in the corner, Bubba Ray charges, Rosey takes the Avalanche. Rodney back up, Bubba Ray scores with the sidewalk slam, Rodney eats canvas and rolls toward playa’s corner. Bubba Ray ducks under a clothesline attempt by Rosey, scores with a neckbreaker, Rosey down for 2. Rodney decides he wants some more, connects with a forearm to the back, Bubba Ray to ropes, Rodney sets for a whip, Bubba Ray puts on the brakes, powerbombs Rodney to canvas. Bubba Ray locks in what looks like a sharpshooter/ankle lock combination, hold is broken when Rosey connects with a pair of forearms to the back. Rodney rolls to corner, Rosey whips Bubba Ray off ropes, sets for the back body drop, Bubba Ray scouts it, connects with a forearm to the back. Rosey doubled over, Bubba Ray sets for a suplex, can’t bring the big man up, D-Von runs in to provide the assist, suplex is accomplished, Rosey down, Bubba Ray covers-seems to see Rodney out of the corner of his eye, breaks off as he drops an errant elbow onto Rosey. Rodney gets to his feet as Rosey rolls toward a neutral corner, Bubba Ray scores with a scoop slam, Rodney drops like a stone. D-Von goes up top in a neutral corner, Bubba Ray grabs Rodney’s legs, D-Von flies, Rodney takes the Wassup Headbutt. Rodney rolls out, Rosey gets to his feet, Bubba Ray calls for the tables-not tonight, Rosey hits D-Von with a spinebuster and Bubba Ray with a Samoan Drop. Both Dudz are down, Theo and Chris both ascend the apron, Theo distracts the ref as Chris hauls D-Von to his feet. Rosey charges, D-Von sidesteps, puts on the brakes before plowing into Chris. Bubba Ray gets to his feet, Rosey turns STRAIGHT into the 3D, Bubba Ray covers for the 1-2-3. Good stiff match!

Winners: Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley.