Raw is War - July 26th, 1999

An Unholy Alliance

The show starts fast as after a video package recapping the finish to last night's PPV, The Undertaker is beating X-Pac senseless backstage. Kane chose X-Pac over The Undertaker, but perhaps more importantly X-Pac cost The Undertaker the WWF title last night at Fully Loaded. Roaddogg tries to make the save but is chokeslammed through a table to the concrete. The Undertaker beats X-Pac all the way out to the ring and lays into him with mounted punches and a choke until finally the lights go out and Kane rushes to the ring to save his partner from his brother.

Kane and The Undertaker go toe to toe and throw punches back and forth with Kane getting the advantage until The Big Show comes out to get some of Kane. Kane tries to fight them both off but the two huge men are too much for him. The crowd chants “Austin” but sadly he has nothing to do with this. Kane is stomped and brutalised down in the corner by The Undertaker and The Big Show. The crowd kind of ruins the entire moment honestly as instead of focusing on what's happening and the story that's being told, they keep chanting for Austin. The Undertaker offers The Big Show a handshake...and he accepts! United seemingly by a hatred of Kane, and by the realisation that they’d be unstoppable together. 

During the break, Kane carried X-Pac to the back screaming in anguish and pain for his friend. He looks heartbroken after the break as his friend is put into the back of an ambulance. 

As The Acolytes are in the ring after their match, an emotional Kane comes out and easily gives them both chokeslams. Hardcore Holly gets one too, as does Edge. Kane is angry and upset and wants to hurt everyone. He asks for a microphone which gets a massive pop. Kane never speaks. He uses his voice box. “You hurt Sean. You hurt me. Undertaker. Big Show. I’m gonna hurt YOU!” I got goosebumps. Very cool. 

Backstage the union is official as The Big Show and The Undertaker make their way through the back with Paul Bearer taking strategy ahead of their fight with Kane. It seems that his promise to hurt them both earlier has been accepted literally as a handicap match. Kane is a man possessed and dominates both men, getting a chair and laying out The Big Show but the two on one odds are too much and The Undertaker hammers Kane in the head with a pair of chair shots. X-Pac’s other friend Roaddogg runs to the ring to try and help Kane but he’s planted by a massive chokeslam from The Big Show and they return to beating down Kane two on one.

Michael Cole interviews The Undertaker, Paul Bearer and The Big Show. The Undertaker says that the days of scary music and scary entrances are over and this is about pure evil. I guess it’s no longer about mind games and it’s about literal physical domination?

The Game

A limo arrives in the parking lot. It’s Vince McMahon who has already broken his promise to disappear after Fully Loaded. That didn’t take long. 

Vince McMahon makes his way out into the arena. He’s announced as just plain old Vince McMahon with no title, and he doesn’t have his theme music. JR is confused to see him as The Undertaker’s loss last night means that Vince is supposed to be gone and have nothing to do with the WWF anymore. King’s happy to see him though. Vince says he’s not here to break a contact but to honour one. He always keeps his promises and tells the truth and so he’s here just to say goodbye to everyone. The fans chant “asshole” at him. He wants us to remember him as he is tonight, not laying in the blood, beer and grime last night after taking two Stone Cold Stunners. Vince then tries to leave with his dignity but before he gets out of the ring the glass shatters and the WWF Champion marches to the ring. Vince says he’s glad Austin’s here because he needs to get something off his chest. Vince gives Austin the old “we’re not so different, you and I” speech but says that Vince is the better man, and offers a handshake. 

Stone Cold is having none of it. He says that he’s living proof someone like Vince will never beat someone like Austin. He calls JR into the ring and has him lead the crowd in a rendition of “na na na na, Oh hell yeah, goodbye” and they sing Vince out of the arena for the “final” time. He does stop to give Austin the finger as he leaves, which Stone Cold laughs off and he and JR toast with beers. Aftr the break as Vince leaves the arena and gets back in his limo an emotional Howard Finkle chases him down and through tears tells Vince he loves him and he’ll miss him. “Get the hell away from me” growls Mr. McMahon and the limo drives off. He’s gone! (for now).

The Rock is interviewed by Michael Cole who he covers in his t-shirts. He runs down Triple H, Chyna and Mr. Ass. The crowd is deafening chanting along with his catchphrases in the arena. I don’t know why it's so funny to see The Rock bully Michael Cole but it is.

Triple H and Chyna come out to the ring. It’s not about Vince, or about Austin, it's about him. He says Stone Cold can have fun with JR and make fun of Vince but it's not going to matter. He’s been studying him for the past six months and he knows all his weaknesses. He says that Jesse Ventura as referee isn’t going to be a factor, and neither is Chyna. It’s going to come down to one on one and he’s going to be the WWF Champion. Triple H sounds like a man possessed. This promo is the debut of him calling himself “The Game” too. Chyna takes the mic and she calls out The Rock. She says he doesn’t have the balls to say these things to her face. The fan chants “Rocky” and sure enough, he appears. He’s almost immediately jumped from behind by Mr. Ass and the three of them beat him down. Billy holds him prone and Chyna gives The Rock a brutal low blow. The Rock staggers back to his feet after they leave and he challenges Mr. Ass and Chyna to a handicap match tonight. 

Backstage, Triple H goes into Stone Cold’s locker room. Later when he leaves we’re told by JR that Austin wasn’t in the locker room at the time but Triple H did smash up and destroy a lot of Austin’s personal property.

We hear My Time for about the 7th time tonight as Triple H comes out to join commentary for the next match which is Chyna and Mr. Ass facing The Rock in a handicap match. Triple H and JR bicker and argue the entire time and it's all very worked-shoot as he rants about being held back by the front office. It's seen that Austin is watching from the back, listening to Triple H. In the match, Mr. Ass and Chyna dominate The Rock two on one. Rocky shows no hesitation in hitting Chyna when he gets the chance and it's nice to see that they’ve moved away from the endless “refusing to hit a woman” spots which was dominating all of her matches. Triple H’s constant promo during this started to really get me worked up and angry which is pretty cool that a heel is making me feel heel-things even 20+ years later. The Rock’s attempts to mount a comeback are shut down by a cheap shot from Triple H. After an entire match of bickering Triple H finally punches JR in the face which brings Stone Cold running to the ring. He tackles Chyna as he runs across the ring and Triple H and Stone Cold fight on the outside. The Rock plants Mr. Ass with a Rock Bottom and the People’s Elbow, with Austin and Triple H still fighting tooth and nail at ringside when the show ends. This was the first time Triple H struck or hurt Jim Ross as part of a feud with one of his real life friends, but it isn’t the last. It isn’t the last time this month! 

Vehicular assault

During the previous match the commentators talked about a report that Ken Shamrock had been struck by a car. We cut to a camera crew who have gone to check on him and Shamrock is holding his ribs and refusing medical attention. There is footage of what happened that was caught by the camera that was following X-Pac’s ambulance. Steve Blackman in a red rental car backed out of his parking space into Shamrock as he walked past and has seemingly badly reinjured Shamrock’s ribs. I’m not too sure how it hurt his ribs as the bump looked perfectly safe, but I’ve never had a car reverse into me.

Triple H enters with Chyna for a match that was supposed to be with Ken Shamrock but of course he was hit by Steve Blackman’s car earlier. Shamrock’s music plays but he doesn’t enter. Triple H calls Shamrock “a puss” and says he wanted to kick his ass tonight. Shamrock’s music plays again and he does come out in jeans with his ribs heavily taped. He does take down Triple H and shows no fear but a punch to the gut stops that and Triple H very aggressively attacks Shamrock’s ribs. He uses an abdominal stretch and a series of punches to the ribs. Shamrock mounts more of a comeback than you’d expect given the situation. Eventually the referee stops the match and Triple H is declared the winner.

Other Happenings

• Hardcore Holly is here to act as the special guest ring announcer for a WWF Tag Team Championship match. It’s Edge and Christian vs. The Acolytes and Hardcore Holly makes a lot of jokes about Edge and Christian’s size during their entrance. Holly only wants to wrestle super heavyweights. Last night on Heat Gangrel helped Christian defeat Viscera, but cost Edge the Intercontinental title so seems to be trying to pick sides. Holly’s introduction for the champions is to basically call them both fat. The match is pretty even but Gangrel runs down to ringside and abducts a groggy Christian leaving Edge to take a double powerbomb and lose. Hardcore Holly announces himself as the winner and then attacks The Acolytes two on one. They easily beat him up with a stiff double spinebuster. 
• Black t-shirt and jeans wearing Val Venis teams with The Godfather against Droz and Prince Albert in a tag team street fight. As Godfather and Albert fight in the crowd a man in a white suit attacks The Godfather. It’s Vic Grimes from ECW in what I believe is his one and only Raw appearance. In the ring Val is able to pin Albert with the Money Shot to hopefully end a feud that's been going on for a couple of months now. 
• During the show we see Ben Stiller at ringside watching, and he’s even announced to the live crowd as “a lover of puppies”. Jeff Jarrett interrupts a photoshoot with Debra to drag her out to the ring. Jeff enters and calls himself the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time. He calls Ben Stiller out. Ben also was seen on GTV last week talking about how much he loves puppies. He looks so young here when he gets in the ring. I’m not sure why they thought making Stiller out to be a breast obsessed idiot would promote his new movie (Mystery Men, which is terrible). Jeff asks who Ben’s favourite superstar. He says its “the puppies” which makes no sense. Jeff attacks and puts Ben in the figure four leglock until the new European Champion D’Lo Brown runs down and hits Jeff with the Sky High and then the Frog Splash to send him packing.

• WWF Women’s Champion comes out and says that Nicole Bass is gone but she’s still willing to accept an open challenge from any woman in the audience tonight. Its accepted by a woman with red hair. Ivory hits her with the women’s title belt and plants her with a bulldog headlock. She talks some trash until Tori runs in and hits a series of running clotheslines off the rope which she almost botches. The two brawl and pull at each other until referees separate them. King ruins the moment by making cat noises and reducing this to being a cat fight. 

• Al Snow who’s rocking himself back and forth still struggling to listen to Head until a chiwawa wanders in who Snow can apparently talk to. 
• Backstage Test attacks Pete Gas of the Mean Street Posse and hammers on his ribs with a metal pipe. He runs off when Shane McMahon and Rodney arrive at the scene.

Raw is War - August 2nd, 1999

The Undertaker and The Big Show against the World

When the show opens as the pyro is still going off, exploding in flames and bangs around the entrance ramp the WWF Tag Team Champions The Acolytes are standing in the middle of it all, not reacting. Last night on Sunday Night Heat they were attacked by the new team of The Undertaker and The Big Show. Bradshaw says they’re still standing and so the fight isn’t over. Faarroq says they can talk about Armageddon but the world isn’t ending - they are. To everyone's surprise it’s “The Big Shot” Hardcore Holly that comes out. He refers to The Undertaker and The Big Show as “his boys” and says he’s the leader of the super heavyweights. Bradshaw asks which one of them he wants to fight, but he says that he’ll fight them both. I have to say, I really enjoy Holly’s character these days. He slides into the ring and is immediately beaten senseless by the tag team champions - obviously. He takes a stiff Clothesline from Hell, a Dominator and then a pair of hard double powerbomb. 

The Undertaker and The Big Show arrive together in their casual clothes. This is basically “American Badass” Undertaker 9 months early.

X-Pac is still in the hospital so tonight his two buddies in Roaddogg and Kane are teaming up instead. Roaddogg seems to think that Kane isn’t even listening to him. They’re facing The Undertaker and The Big Show who debut a new theme song this week. It’s alright. Roaddogg’s pre-match promo is basically about how some might say he’s dumb for picking this fight but he’s too proud to know better. Babyfaces. Kane does the heavy lifting for the team of course and manages to put up a good fight against Big Show and Undertaker. Roaddogg and Kane make a good team and double clothesline them out of the ring. Roaddogg is the weaker link of course and gets dominated until he uses a low blow to tag in Kane. The odds are too much for Kane though and as Show dominates Roaddogg on the outside, The Undertaker pins Kane with a tombstone. As the two big men dominate and beat down Kane, The Acolytes come to the ring to pick a fight until Hardcore Holly attacks them from behind with a baseball bat. He tells The Big Show and The Undertaker that this is the last time he’ll save them and leaves. Show tries to calm down The Undertaker as The Acolytes chase after Holly. 

WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin heads out to the ring to address the crowd and his next challenger Triple H. He promises to beat Triple H at Summerslam but before he can really get going, The Undertaker and The Big Show come out. The Undertaker wants a rematch for the WWF title, and then he and The Big Show attack Austin driving their knees into his ribs. After they leave, Austin sells his ribs which is what the commentators talk about for the rest of the night.

Michael Cole interviews Stone Cold who is holding his ribs. He is pissed off and fired up. He tells The Undertaker that if he wants a rematch he’s got one and he’ll beat his ass. He tells him to bring The Big Show too and he’ll kick his ass as well. Later during the Test match, JR tells us that the WWF title match tonight will be no holds barred.

During the commercial break, Chyna broke the news to Triple H that Austin is going to defend the title against The Undertaker tonight and he is furious at the news. He worked so hard to get the title shot at Summerslam, and has done all his prep for Austin.

Michael Cole interviews Triple H. “The Game” physically accosts Cole and says that this title match isn’t going to happen. It’s still his time

The Undertaker enters first for the main event with The Big Show and Paul Bearer with him. Austin’s music hits but before he gets to the ring Triple H runs in and says this match isn’t happening. His WWF title match at Summerslam is with Austin and that's locked in. Austin attacks Triple H. The Acolytes attack The Undertaker and Big Show, Mr. Ass comes out to help Triple H, The Rock attacks Mr. Ass, Roaddogg attacks Undertaker and Big Show and its a chaotic scene as every man fights for their lives. Austin stuns Billy Gunn as Triple H Pedigrees Roaddogg as the show goes off the air.

You’re looking at the real deal now

Mark Henry is forced to eat healthy food by D’Lo Brown and complains about it. I mentioned it before but this whole storyline was designed to shame Mark for having put on weight. D’Lo is a good person to help with this to be fair - he was over 400lbs at one point and is in great shape now.

Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett has challenged European Champion D’Lo Brown to a title-for-title match here on Sunday Night Heat. This was in response to D’Lo saving actor Ben Stiller when Jeff beat him up for saying he liked the puppies last week. A weird twisting road to be sure. They’re leaning into the Marc Mero and Sable gimmick for Jeff and Debra where he’s starting to get bitter that Debra is more popular than him. D’Lo looks really good in this match and in terms of my whole journey in watching the attitude era is the person who I've seen develop the most. He’s so good. Jeff tries to take a walk during this but Debra convinces him to go back to the ring. This is a really good match and as they reverse a clothesline the referee goes down. Debra gets into the ring with both title belts and opens her jacket to distract D’Lo but it doesn’t work as he knocks out Jeff with the IC title belt! The referee recovers and counts and D’Lo Brown is now a double champion! This was such a huge deal - the first man to ever hold these two titles at the same time. Delighted for D’Lo and hopefully the sign of amazing things to come. Sadly that isn’t what transpires but I’m getting ahead of myself. Post match after D’Lo has left, Jeff Jarrett argues with Debra and says she cost him the title. Jeff challenges D’Lo to a rematch at Summerslam.

Shane McMahon finds new purpose

Shane McMahon comes out to the ring to “break his silence” as he hasn’t spoken since his father was banished from the WWF by Stone Cold Steve Austin. He’s been very focused on Test’s relationship with his sister and the assumption is that he’ll address the Corporate Ministry, Stone Cold Steve Austin and his role going forward without his dad. Shane sings his dad’s praises and calls him a hero, basically. He is the “father of the World Wrestling Federation” who deserved a proper farewell party and took issue with the fans and with Jim Ross for leading the chant. Honestly, he goes on a bit. We get it Shane. He says that he’s going to just let this volcano of chaos erupt and let everyone see what happens to this show without Vince. He says that he and Triple H have talked about it at length and that he has guaranteed Shane that he’ll win the WWF title at Summerslam. The fans start chanting “Austin”. Shane confirms that the Corporate Ministry is disbanded and free to do whatever they want “until I decide to bring them back together” (he never would) and that his focus remains on Test, the “jacked up scumbag” and tells him to stay away from his sister. That brings Test out who says that he told Shane to stay out of his and Stephanie’s business and now he’s going to make them all pay. He broke Pete Gas’s ribs last week and he plans on running through Rodney and Joey Abs too until he gets to Shane.

Test comes out for his match with Rodney of the Mean Street Posse but Rodney and Joey Abs jump him before the match and send him into the ring steps. Rodney wants to prove how tough he is and tells Joey to stand back. The match starts and Test easily dominates the non-wrestler. Test is vicious and sends Rodney into the ring steps and the ring post and then focuses all his offence on Rodney’s right arm including a leg drop across it and then a pair of elbow drops off the top rope. He makes him submit to a hammerlock and then gets a steel chair which he straps around Rodney’s arm and jumps off the middle rope, snapping it. Joey Abs doesn’t come to the rescue as Test holds him off with the chair. Test wraps Rodney’s arm around the ring post and then hits it with a chair for good measure. His arm is definitely broken. Two down, one to go.

Other Happenings

• There’s a good video package recapping the falling out between Edge and Gangrel. Last night on Heat it would appear that Edge’s brother Christian has chosen Gangrel’s side in the matter. Edge is facing Gangrel tonight in a “bloodbath” match. Before the match, Edge says that Christian is his own flesh and blood and he’s hurt that his brother picked Gangrel. Edge’s popularity has started to really pick up (especially with the female fans) and he makes his entrance through the crowd. Gangrel still has the coolest entrance though. There’s a bucket of “simulated blood” at ringside and the first man to dump it on the other wins. This is a really good match with Gangrel dominating most of it and Edge trying to come back. Gangrel goes to get a steel chair which Edge kicks back in his fast, busting him open around the eye. Edge sets up a spear but Gangrel uses the chair as a shield in a cool spot and then hits the Impaler DDT and goes to get the blood to dump on Edge. The lights go out and Christian has appeared and given Gangrel a bloodbath! Edge wins, and Christian and Edge hug. Christian has made his choice. 

• Another countdown to the new millennium clock - it runs out next week! JR and King mention it a few times during the show - it expires next week during Raw.
• Al Snow, who seems to be doing much better, has styled Head’s hair to hide the railroad spike and is getting through these tough times with the help of his new friend, a little dog named Pepper. 
• The Rock arrives at the arena and is rude to the service staff, but does give the guy a $700 tip at last. They then show footage of The Rock appearing at some football game. A girl cries while he’s signing her autograph. They then show the last couple of minutes from the strap match at Fully Loaded where Triple H defeated The Rock (with lots of help from Mr. Ass) to become number one contender.
• Mr. Ass and Chyna (who’s wearing a fedora hat for some reason) come out to talk about, in his words, “ass”. He has challenged The Rock at Summerslam and says that it’ll be the perfect ass vs. the people’s ass at Summerslam. The fans chant “Rocky”. He talks at length about how perfect his ass is and says he took a picture of The Rocks. He sticks up a huge cellulite-covered ass on the titantron and says it belongs to The Rock. This is dumb. The Rock then appears on the titantron and fires back. He says the fat ass belonged to Billy Gunn’s mom. The Rock says that if he hits Mr. Ass, he’ll kill him. If he misses, the wind from the blow will give him pneumonia and he’ll die anyway. That’s a good line. He accepts Billy’s challenge for Summerslam. 

• The Big Bossman defends the Hardcore title against former Corporate Ministry mate Viscera. Apparently after Shane disbanded the group earlier tonight, Viscera wasted no time and challenged Bossman for the Hardcore title. The two start the fight outside the ring and they brawl up the ramp and into the crowd. Viscera uses a fire extinguisher after Bossman sets up a table. Viscera lays Bossman on the table and tries a running splash through it but the champion moves and Viscera crashes through the table. He sprays mace into Viscera’s face and then beats him with his nightstick until he can get the three count. Hardcore champion Bossman is the best Bossman.. 

• Steve Blackman and his duffle bag full of weapons comes out and after showing footage of him running over Ken Shamrock he says that it was an accident. He’s facing Val Venis. This match is short as Ken Shamrock runs in and attacks Blackman. They fight backstage and with a chain wrapped around his hand, Shamrock beats Blackman unconscious.

Raw is War - August 9th, 1999

A New Number One Contender

A limo arrives and JR and King expect it to be Jesse “the Body” Ventura but instead it's WWF commissioner Shawn Michaels, who we haven’t seen since King of the Ring.

Jerry Lawler interviews Jesse “The Body” Ventura ahead of him refereeing the main event of Summerslam. Being a legit major political figure, Jesse got a lot of heat and negative press about working with the WWF. Jesse says that he’s been out of wrestling for a while and so he reminds us all that he's a former wrestling champion, he was a referee at the first ever Summerslam, and that he is a legit navy seal. He has a pop at people playing navy seal and reading between the lines, this was all aimed at Hulk Hogan. 

He lists some more names and makes a ton of references I don’t get. He does at least hype up Summerslam a bit and promises that he’ll call the match down the middle and the winner of the Summerslam main event will be the best wrestler (which he emphasises). He calls Vince McMahon a scumbag and it's at that point Triple H’s music plays and he and Chyna interrupt. Triple H basically calls Jesse old. He gets an “asshole” chant. Triple H is very clear that this is HIS ring. Triple H threatens to get physical but commissioner Michaels is there to interrupt. Michaels tells Triple H he needs to show some respect and that Jesse will be the most powerful referee in WWF history. Triple H shoves him and the two square up but Jesse plays peacemaker and whispers something to HBK. When you have as much power as they do, you don’t need to get physical. He books Triple H against Austin and Undertaker in a triple threat match tonight. 

During the previous match JR talked a lot about something that had happened in the back. After the match we cut backstage and across two segments learn that Stone Cold is unconscious at the bottom of a stairwell and then loaded into an ambulance. It’s speculated that someone dropped a concrete block on his head. Triple H denies being involved but Shawn Michaels is having none of it and heads out to the ring. He calls Triple H out to the ring and is very pointedly accusing Triple H of the assault. Shawn says that since Triple H took out one of his opponents for tonight, he’ll make some changes. The triple threat will now be falls count anywhere, no disqualification and no count out and that Triple H’s number one contenders spot at Summerslam is now on the line. Triple H protests and Shawn makes himself the special referee. Triple H says that Austin is gone and so they need another opponent. The fans start chanting “Rocky”. HBK says it has to be someone who’d stab their own mother for an opportunity and someone who’s lived in someone else’s shadow. It’s Chyna. Triple H vs. The Undertaker vs. Chyna for the number one contendership at Summerslam tonight. Falls count anywhere, Shawn Michaels as the referee! Triple H laughs it off and says Chyna might get hurt. “She’s just a girl”. Chyna doesn’t like that and accepts! 

Before the main event, Jesse Ventura comes out to join the commentary team. He’s happy to be there and it feels like old times. They’ve mentioned a few times that he had a meeting with the President yesterday and that’s true. Its on the front cover of all the papers and magazines and part of the reason there was so much uproar about him appearing for the WWF. I’ll talk about that a bit more at Summerslam. Chyna enters first, and then the special referee Shawn Michaels. I think that was to avoid playing My Time twice, back to back. Jesse very refreshingly isn’t anywhere near as misogynistic about Chyna wrestling men as King and JR usually are. The Undertaker has Paul Bearer with him but not The Big Show. Chyna gets shoved down by Taker and the two men go at it but when she does approach The Undertaker grabs her and lifts her high in the air. He sits her on the top rope and punches her to the outside. Triple H and The Undertaker keep most of the fighting between them and fight up the ramp and around the ring. I’d say the bulk of the match is contested on the mats at ringside and Triple H even gets a couple of near falls out on the floor. Chyna’s biggest offence is a low blow on The Undertaker while he has Triple H lifted for a chokeslam. The two stomp The Undertaker down but then Chyna rocks Triple H with a forearm and then a low blow. She wants to be the number one contender. She walks right into a massive chokeslam from The Undertaker (which looked very safe, bless him) . I think someone missed a cue here as Triple H awkwardly lingers before pinning Chyna and The Undertaker only just breaks it up. The Undertaker and Triple H trade right hands in the ring and on the titantron, Stone Cold arrives back at the arena and grabs a steel chair. Triple H sends Chyna and Triple H to the outside while The Undertaker argues with Shawn Michaels in the ring. Austin comes to the ring and The Undertaker backs off. He clubs Triple H with a sick chairshot and drapes Chyna across his chest. HBK counts to three and Chyna is now the number one contender for Summerslam!  

Raw is Jericho

The show opens with a shot of the Countdown to the Millennium clock, which expires in about an hour and a half!

The Rock heads out to the ring and unlike at the start of the show he is dressed to compete. He wants a fight with someone. He challenges The Big Show to a match tonight. He is then interrupted by the Countdown to the new Millenium clock expiring - it's the debut of Chris Jericho! Most people at the time knew it was him as his leaving WCW a couple of months prior was big news. He delivers an iconic promo which I’ll just post the YouTube link for because I can’t do it justice.

He is a fresh face and a welcome addition to the WWF’s upper midcard. It also can’t be understated what a big deal this was in the ongoing war with WCW as this was more of their upper midcard/main event talent jumping ship, but it continues to be the older talent like Goldust and soon Jeff Jarrett going to WCW, but the younger fresh talent like Paul Wight and Chris Jericho jumping to the WWF. That matters. 

Emotional New Tag Team Champions

The Rock opens the show. Last night on Heat he tried to get into a fight with Mr. Ass but instead found himself in a fight with The Undertaker and The Big Show who demolished him. Backstage The Big Show wants to go to the ring and get him but The Undertaker holds him back. They want to hear what The Rock has to say. The Rock makes fun of The Big Show, he calls him the Big Slow, says that fans go to the bathroom when he speaks and mocks his hand-raising taunt before a chokeslam. The Undertaker and Big Show head out to the ring but The Rock continues to talk trash and goes right at them. X-Pac runs in and as he fights with The Undertaker, The Rock is beaten down by The Big Show. The tide turns and its two on one against X-Pac until Roaddogg runs in and tries to help but is also quickly shut down. Kane is next to try and help and he fares better fighting them both off and clearing them out of the ring! DX and Kane stand tall while The Rock struggles to stand, holding his ribs.

Michael Cole speaks to X-Pac and Kane. X-Pac is healed up and tonight is about unfinished business. He and Kane want their tag team titles back and challenge The Acolytes tonight! 

Michael Cole interviews the Tag Team Champions The Acolytes. They accept X-Pac and Kane’s challenge and show no fear, saying they’d beat The Undertaker and The Big Show too.

Kane and X-Pac debut a new entrance where it starts as Kane’s and then morphed into the DX theme. These two are more united than ever, and Kane feels real affection and a bond with X-Pac. He has a heart now. This has been my favourite storyline for a couple of months now. The Acolytes isolate X-Pac and wear him down. As Bradshaw and Kane fight on the outside, X-Pac counters a Dominator into the X-Factor and just like that Kane and X-Pac have regained the tag team titles! Roaddogg runs to the ring and celebrates with them. X-Pac calls for the music to be cut and gets the mic. He says that if you ain’t down with them, Kane has got two words for them! He holds the mic and Kane goes to use his voice box but X-Pac stops him and says he doesn’t need it! Kane speaks without the voicebox for the first time ever and his first words are “suck it” which gets a huge reaction from the fans. This was an awesome moment. The celebration ends there as The Undertaker and The Big Show attack and destroy all three men. 

The Rock vs. The Big Show. The Rock is aggressive to start but the massive size difference quickly comes into play. He throws The Rock around and grinds him down with a bearhug. During this Hardcore Holly comes out to the ring. He's been looking for The Big Show all night, walking around backstage asking for him. Holly gets on the apron and Show shoves him off but it's enough of a distraction to allow The Rock to use a low blow, a DDT and set up the People’s Elbow! He’s jumped from behind by Chris Jericho who gets in a cheap shot and then takes off. The Rock can’t chase however as he’s jumped from behind by Mr. Ass. The Rock is presumably the one who paid the masseur to put poison ivy on his ass. (see other happenings)

Other Happenings

• Christian with his kind of rubbish solo theme music takes on Gangrel. This match goes back and forth and with a distraction from Matt and Jeff Hardy Gangrel wins with the big Impaler DDT. The three of them attack Christian. Edge runs in and tries to save his brother and hes beaten up too. The Hardys manager Michael Hayes comes down to try and get his boys to leave but they attack him too! Gangrel and The Hardy Boys appear to have formed a new union.
• The Big Bossman faces Roaddogg in a match which is hardcore rules but isn’t for Bossman’s Hardcore title. He’s defending that against Al Snow at Summerslam. It ends quickly as Bossman puts Roaddogg through a table but Al Snow runs in and uses Pepper’s dog carrier as a weapon, knocking him out and helping Roaddogg win.

• A commercial for the start of Smackdown as a new weekly series. My preview articles will be double length from the next one. 
• This week’s GTV is Billy Gunn getting a massage. He requests that the masseur put some special plants and herbs on his ass. The girl uses gloves which should have been his first tip off that something was off. This was followed up after the next match as Billy Gunn rushed to see the makeup lady. His ass cheeks are all red and sore looking. The masseuse used poison ivy on his ass. 

• Shane McMahon joins commentary for Joey Abs match. He teams with Steve Blackman to take on Test and Ken Shamrock. Test broke Pete Gas’s ribs and Rodney’s arm and so Joey is next. Shamrock and Blackman have been trying to kill each other for about two months now. Shane jumps off commentary and gets in a sneak attack on Test when he gets a chance. It makes no difference as Test easily dominates Joey in the ring while Shamrock and Blackman fight on the outside. Test hits a powerbomb on Joey in the ring as Shamrock uses a kendo stick on Blackman. Shane tries to rush Test in the ring with a steel chair but is stopped with a kendo stick shot from Shamrock. Kenny takes off after Steve and Shane runs away and watches on as Test uses the steel chair to break Joey Abs leg. That’s all three Mean Street Posse members on the shelf and Shane doesn’t have any back up against Test anymore. Test chases after Shane. 

Backstage after the break Michael Cole interviews Test. He took out the Posse and now it’s just him and Shane. Terry Taylor then interviews Steve Blackman who challenges Ken Shamrock to a combination of their two worlds - a Lion’s Den match, with weapons.

• Earlier today, the new double champion D’Lo Brown was taking his buddy Mark Henry for a jog, trying to get him to lose weight and be healthy. When Mark stopped to go for a pee in the trees he was jumped by the challenger at Summerslam, Jeff Jarrett. In the arena Jeff enters with Debra and is being even more harsh and demanding with the puppies than usual. Definite dissension. He's facing Val Venis. Last night on Heat Val had a match with D’Lo for the Intercontinental title but was jumped during it by a jealous Jeff who is obsessed with getting that title back. He jumps Val during his pre match promo. Debra tries to help Jeff and distract Val but it backfires and Val wins with a spinning powerbomb which looks a lot like Sami Zayn’s Blue Thunder bomb. After the match he aggressively blames Debra and is attacked from behind by Val and she leaves with him.

Raw is War - August 16th, 1999

Summerslam main event in turmoil

After a video recap of last week's events, Triple H makes his way out to the ring. It has been official for the past 7 days now - Chyna will face Stone Cold for the WWF title at Summerslam. King is as usual a massive sexist with his “she’s just a girl” talk. Triple H says that he’s here to put the focus where it belongs - on the number one contender who will face Stone Cold at Summerslam, the 9th wonder of the world, Chyna. He seems to have come around to the idea. He reminds her of all the nice things he did for her when she qualified for the Royal Rumble and for King of the Ring. He’s been a nice giving man and never asked for anything. But he’s asking for something now - he wants her to give him back his number one contender slot at Summerslam. He suggests a match tonight for the number one contendership. She thinks about it for a moment and then flatly says “no” and tries to leave. Triple H gets angry. He reminds her that he made her, and that she’s nothing without him. He made her and he can break her. He is no longer asking and he demands the match, which Chyna accepts.

Triple H vs. Chyna to see who will face Stone Cold for the WWF title at Summerslam. Triple H works stiff and aggressive with Chyna to continue his ruthless character build. To be fair, these two were still dating in real life so I’m sure they trust each other completely as far as wrestling. Chyna sends Triple H to the outside and it's at this moment that Mankind returns from the shattered knee that Triple H gave him! He clobbers Triple H in the head with the ring steps and Chyna picks up an easy three count! Mankind grabs a chair and chases Triple H backstage but returns to the ring while Chyna is still celebrating. Mankind says that there has always been a vague sexual tension between them. He actually makes Chyna corpse a couple of times as he talks. He challenges her to a match tonight for the number one contendership! He stops to pose on the middle rope and Chyna gives him a low blow and says a curt “no”. As she’s leaving, commissioner Michaels comes out and he makes the match official. Chyna vs. Mankind for the number one contendership tonight. 

Michael Cole interviews Stone Cold. He doesn’t care who his opponent at Summerslam is as long as he has one. He has a bloody mark on his head from the concrete block being dropped on his head last week. I think it's makeup.

Michael Cole interviews Mankind ahead of his number one contenders match. He won’t punch a woman but he will use the Mandible Claw on one. Funny as usual. The match is next and starts quickly. There’s a shot of Triple H backstage being restrained by multiple referees and officials from interfering. Chyna uses a low blow and a DDT as Triple H does actually manage to push his way to the ring. Chyna gets distracted and Mankind locks in the Mandible Claw with Socko and gets the three count. Triple H rushes the ring and attacks Mankind who is now officially the number one contender. Triple H and Chyna seem to be back on the same page as she helps him and Triple H goes to work on Mankind’s knee. Shawn Michaels comes out with the officials and separates the brawl. He announces Mankind officially as the number one contender and Triple H rages on the ramp. It’s at this point that Shane McMahon comes out and gets involved in this messy situation. He books Triple H vs. Mankind in tonight's main event to decide the number one contender once and for all. He makes himself the special referee too, but Shawn cuts him off. He can’t overrule that match but he does add himself as the second referee. 

WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin heads out to the ring to sit at ringside and watch the main event. The main event of Summerslam has changed a couple of times tonight already. It’s been a twisted web but I don’t think leaving the match as a question mark until the last moment will have hurt the buy rate for the PPV at all. Mankind vs. Triple H with two referees. This match is falls count anywhere and no disqualification and Mankind gets the first near fall with a backdrop on the steel entrance ramp. They fight up to the top and Chyna appears with a stiff clothesline to Mankind. Triple H even uses a small package up on the ramp for a near fall. Back to the ring, Triple H works on Mankind’s surgically repaired knee which makes me nervous. The refereeing finally comes into play during a figure four leg lock as Michaels and McMahon argue over whether Mankind quit. Triple H tries to use a chair but HBK stops him. The referees argue as Mankind puts on Socko and locks in the Mandible Claw. Triple H back suplexes Mick onto the steel chair and the two referees count on either side of a double pin. Shawn counted down Triple H with Mankind’s arm on his chest, and Shane counted down Mankind with Triple H’s arm on his chest. They argue at ringside and argue with Tony Chimmel the ring announcer about who to announce as the winner. He hedges his bet and says that the commissioner and owner have said each man won and both are the number one contender so at Summerslam it’ll be a triple threat match. It feels like Tony Chimmel is the one who made that decision honestly, I think he knew thats what was coming and jumped the gun on announcing it as it looked like it was news to Shawn and Shane too. Mankind and Triple H furiously brawl in the ring and end up hitting their finishers on random officials in the ring as Stone Cold watches on from the top of the ramp.

Tag Team build for Summerslam

The Undertaker and The Big Show who according to Wikipedia were known as The Unholy Alliance, but who have not debuted that name as a team. The Undertaker says that later tonight X-Pac and Kane defend the tag team titles against The Acolytes. He says that the winners will defend those tag team titles against them at Summerslam. The Undertaker cuts a long waffling promo which is well known for the wrong reasons. It’s a story about Paul Bearer and The Undertaker taking The Big Show on a motorcycle ride out into the middle of the desert. They only put enough gasoline in one for half the journey and they abandoned The Big Show in the middle of Death Valley. The point of this is that The Big Show is a ruthless killer now. Two days later, The Big Show walked out of the desert wearing snakeskin boots and carrying his motorcycle on his shoulder. Jesus. Imagine if that was true.

X-Pac and Kane have their mashed up theme song and are a united front to defend the tag team titles against The Acolytes tonight. The Undertaker and The Big Show come out onto the stage to watch this match and the distraction lets Bradshaw and Faarooq take control of Kane for a bit. That then turns into the challengers isolating X-Pac. A spinning heel kick on Faarooq and a tag to Kane is the beginning of the end and Kane pins Bradshaw in a chaotic finish with the chokeslam. The Acolytes are sore losers and hit a series of double team moves on both Kane and X-Pac and leave them laid out. The Undertaker and Big Show leave rather than go out to the ring and do more damage. 

Kiss My Ass

Mr. Ass comes out and says that he has had a bad allergic reaction to his herbal ass treatment and it's now all scarred and imperfect. He will still be at Summerslam to face The Rock despite his disability. The Rock then comes out and his voice cracks while he says Milwalkie which he then smiles through. The Rock is very funny and absolutely destroys Billy Gunn on the mic. This is the reveal that The Rock had the masseuse rub poison ivy on Billy’s ass and he even brings her out to confirm it. I actually thought that was pretty obviously what had happened and I mentioned it during last week’s coverage. The Rock talks his way to the ring and we get a fist fight in the ring with The Rock sending Mr. Ass flying over the top rope to the floor. Billy actually gets the kendo stick that Shane McMahon left under the ring from earlier and uses it to great effect hammering on The Rock on the outside and then blasting him with a stiff shot to the head in the ring. He then shoves The Rock’s face into his ass. 

Backstage Michael Cole asks The Rock about what just happened and The Rock promises to make Mr. Ass famous at Summerslam. He challenges Billy to a “kiss my ass” match.

Other Happenings

• Roaddogg faces Al Snow. Snow seems to be back to his old self. He’s come through the hard times of Head having a spike in its head with the help of his new mascot, the tiny chiwawa Pepper. He leaves Pepper with Jerry Lawler at ringside and the dog pees on him. Good. Al challenges Bossman for the Hardcore title at Summerslam. Roaddogg does his shake rattle and roll punches but Snow ducks the last one and the referee is punched right in the face. The Big Bossman runs down and lays out both men with his nightstick which actually lets Roaddogg win the match. 
• Chris Jericho arrived at the arena, demanding to know where the stage was. In a separate segment he goes past the hair and makeup lady who asks if he wants his hair fixed. “I’ll have you know this hairstyle is all the rage in Europe, now where is the stage?”
• Y2J Chris Jericho interrupts The Big Show and The Undertaker this week. This one isn't as good as The Rock last week. He calls The Undertaker boring and says the fans are falling asleep. He gets a cheer because he’s attacking heels this time. The commentators as well as the men in the ring all react to Jericho’s words like he’s insane. Raw is Snore is dead and buried and long live Raw is Jericho. The Undertaker dismisses Jericho as basically a child. Backstage after the ad break Chris Jericho has found someone who believes in him - Howard Finkle. He goes and gets Chris a cold beverage.

• Shane McMahon has challenged Test to a street fight at Summerslam with the stipulation that if Test wins, Shane will leave Test and Stephanie alone but if Shane wins then the relationship is over. Test faces Steve Blackman here. Shane comes out to distract Test and that lets Steve get control with a martial arts kick. Shane gets in the ring and gives Blackman a kendo stick to hammer Test as Shane taunts him but Ken Shamrock runs down and tackles Blackman. Shane uses the kendo stick to it Shamrock and he and Blackman take turns using the kendo stick on their Summerslam opponents. 

• A brief video hyping up the return to the WWF of the British Bulldog. No one asked for this. 
• Backstage Hardcore Holly is giving an unseen person instructions not to show their face until he gives the order. His friendship with Big Show has ended now so he needs a new super heavyweight partner. He then heads out to the ring to introduce the world to his super heavyweight partner, his cousin Crash Holly. Crash is even smaller than Hardcore and has matching gear and hair. Crash snatches the mic and throws out a challenge to The Undertaker and The Big Show. 

They both think they’re the leader of the team and the true Big Shot. Hardcore punches Crash in the face and the two start brawling outside the ring and disappear into the crowd. A clash of huge egos. Later we’d see that The Holly Cousins fight continues out in the parking lot and on top of a huge truck trailer.