Disclaimer: I do not own WWE.
I've decided to do this chapter without commentary in matches just to see if you think it's any better because making commentary with JR and Jerry Lawler at their best is kinda hard, especially when it was during these days.
RAW is WAR: 22/12/1997
RAW is WAR was live at the Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts. The intro video had played to start off the show with red and green glitter falling down as part of the Christmas special edition.
"Hello again everybody and welcome to WWF RAW!" JR greeted those watching at home. "Happy Holidays, everybody. No worries expected, well, anything can happen inside the arena. And I got a feeling, gentlemen, it is going to be a very eventful night. We're going to find out who's been naughty and who's been nice."
"Michael Cole along with Kevin Kelly and good ol' JR." Cole introduced himself and his broadcast partners. "Lots of Christmas presents from WWF Superstars to their fans. A white Christmas here tonight in Lowell."
"And for what these gentlemen might have planned, JR, I hope the censors are ready."
DX's theme hits and out comes Shawn Michaels, Triple H, with Chyna alongside them as usual. Triple H and Shawn Michaels were wearing white robes.
"Folks we've been tipped off as to what might happen here tonight involving D-Generation X and we are prepared for any holiday surprise they might spring on us." JR informed the fans watching at home. "Our censors are standing by and as expected, here comes the WWF World Heavyweight and European Champion Shawn Michaels alongside Triple H and Chyna. You gotta wonder what those men are wearing, if anything, underneath those robes."
Michaels, Triple H, and Chyna step into the ring with the former two doing their usual posing on the turnbuckles. Michaels does his pose while Triple H does the DX Crotch Chop.
Michaels then grabs a microphone. "Now I wanna know if all the fans of the World Wrestling Federation have been good little boys and girls. Because if you have, D-Generation X has a present especially for you but until we get to that, we got a little business to take care of first. Tell them, Triple H."
Triple H steps forward, grabbing the microphone. "The Legion of Doom, The Road Warriors, the greatest tag team in the history of the world, a career some 15 years in the making all aiming for one day in which D-Generation X brought it all to a screeching halt. And that brings me to the New Age Outlaws, the Road Dogg and Billy Gunn. We hear you two boys want to take credit for the ending of the careers of the Road Warriors. Well boys, you come along like a pair of vultures picking off the bones of our kill and that's all it was. If you know what's best for your health, you'll stay out of DX's business. Now Owen Hart, the baby of the Hart family, the little nugget."
Triple H stops at the fans chant Owen's name. 'OWEN! OWEN! OWEN!'
Triple H shakes his head at the fans and continues. "Go ahead and cheer for him because you see last week, I won the Rock, Paper, Scissors contest against the greatest player Shawn Michaels." Michaels smirks. "I got the scissors, he got the paper. Which means I get Owen on a silver platter! Owen Hart, I'm gonna be your worst nightmare and send you packing where you belong, pal. Being the baby of the Hart Family, if you need a pacifier to suck on I got one for you!"
"How disrespectful can you get?" Kevin Kelly asked.
Shawn took the microphone now. "Now let's get to the Undertaker." The fans pop loudly at the mention of the Deadman's name. "Undertaker, you couldn't beat me for the first time, couldn't beat me for the second time and believe me the third time is not gonna be a charm for you. At Hell in a Cell, I beat you like a redheaded stepchild."
"What? How about 16 stitches, Shawn? Remember that?" Kevin Kelly asks.
"And Undertaker, you can ask any woman in the world, the Heartbreak Kid does not rest in peace. As a matter of fact, he can stay up all night long!" Shawn said, emphasising his statement by thrusting his hips forward. "Now just like we promised, D-generation X is gonna give you fans of the World Wrestling Federation a special Christmas present." Shawn and Triple H then proceeded to take off their robes to reveal holiday boxers. "On behalf of D-Generation X, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas." They then removed their boxers to reveal their manhood and butts, but it was obviously censored on TV but the fans there live saw it fully and were loving it."
OOOOOOWHOOOOOO!
The Devil's Wolf plays to loud cheers as the lights change to dark red and dark blue as the Bladewolf walks out to a pop from the fans and stops to briefly look around at the fans before he turns his cold gaze onto D-generation X who get their boxers back on as Bladewolf begins heading towards the ring.
"I don't think Bladewolf likes the gift DX was giving to the fans." Cole says.
"I think he'll appreciate a gift Sable will give him." Kevin Kelly chuckled, which made his broadcast partners chuckle.
Bladewolf walks up the steel steps and walks along the ring apron before climbing over the top rope and his theme dies down as he stares at DX who back up a little in fear after what he did to Triple H at Survivor Series in their match.
Bladewolf walks forward and picks up the microphone Shawn dropped before reaching up to pull his coat hood down without taking his eyes off DX, knowing their blindside attack tactics.
"You know, Shawn, I was not going to come out here...until you mentioned how my older brother did not beat you." he begins. "Do make sure to remind yourself that you were THIS close to loosing the Hell in a Cell match." Bladewolf puts two of his fingers very close to each other. "Had it not been for my other brother, Kane, attacking the Undertaker...things would be a lot different. Shawn, you have been lately angering my older brother. And while I have not seen him since I was onl a year old...I know that my brother's anger is something you do not want aimed at you. You experienced such at Hell in a Cell, Badd Blood. Undertaker has NOT forgotten that chair shot you gave him at SummerSlam in his match against Bret Hart for the WWF Championship. At the 1998 Royal Rumble, I know my older brother will walk out as the next World Wrestling Federation Champion. Now ever since September, I have shown that i am JUST as dangerous and destructive as Kane and the Undertaker. In fact...why don't I give these people MY Christmas gift...by beating the hell out of all three of you?"
the crowd cheered as Bladewolf drops the microphone and DX backs up even more as Bladewolf takes a step forward when suddenly Commissioner Slaughter comes out to the ring which gets Bladewolf and DX's attention. Slaughter enters the ring and picks up the microphone Bladewolf dropped as Bladewolf backs up to lean against the turnbuckles, resting his hands on the ropes.
"D-Generation X, since it's close to Christmas and I'm in the Christmas spirit, I have a present for both of you Degenerates."
"We love presents." Shawn said.
"Shawn Michaels, you have not defended your WWF Title for some time now." Slaughter pointed out.
"I've been busy in case you haven't noticed." Shawn fired back.
"While it's still in the Christmas spirit you are going to either defend your WWF Title right here tonight against an opponent of my choosing or I will strip you of the title right here, right now."
the crowd cheered as Shawn went wide eyed before he scoffed. "First of all the Heartbreak kid isn't afraid of being stripped of anything in case you haven't noticed, nimrod! But the fact of the matter is, I don't give belts away for anybody. I will defend this title against anyone, anytime, anywhere, pal!"
Slaughter nodded with a smirk appearing. "Well then, tonight's Main Event will be Shawn Michaels defending his WWF Championship...against the Bladewolf!"
The crowd popped as Shawn and Triple H went wide eyed at that. Bladewolf seemed to like that since he stared at DX with satisfaction in his eyes.
"Bladewolf vs Shawn Michaels tonight?" JR asks in shock. "WWF Championship on the line?!"
"I-If Bladewolf wins...then it will be the Undertaker vs the Bladewolf for the WWF Championship at the Royal Rumble!" Cole points out.
"Have a Merry Christmas!" Slaughter laughed as he left the ring while Bladewolf stares down Shawn Michaels who was looking a little afraid now. Bladewolf raises his arms then throws them down, causing lightning to hit the turnbuckles and fire sprouts up, the explosion making DX jump and leave the ring quickly.
"Bladewolf scaring DX away! He's got a chance at his first ever WWF Championship!" JR exclaims. "Folks, this will be Bladewolf's first ever match with a title on the line and it's the WWF World Heavyweight Championship!"
"I think he deserves it." Kevin kelly said. "I mean, he's been on a role since debuting here aside from that one defeat at the hands of his brother, Kane. He's defeated Triple H at Survivor Series, beat Dude Love at Badd Blood, beat Tiger Ali Singh at One Night Only in the UK, beat Marc Mero at D-generation X: In Your House. He's beaten others on RAW and left them destroyed and defeated in his path. I think he'll make a great WWF Champion. I KNOW he will win tonight."
"If he does then he has a date with the Undertaker at the 1998 Royal Rumble, his own brother." Cole reminds him as Bladewolf's theme plays and the Bladewolf leaves the ring, heading to the back. "It'll be the first time we ever see those two go at it SHOULD Bladewolf win the WWF Title tonight."
"Well first he needs to get past Shawn Michaels and take the title." JR reminds them both.
Later
The Undertaker was scheduled to face WWF Intercontinental Champion, the Rock, tonight. During the match, the Nation of Domination interferes multiple times to attack Undertaker while the referee is distracted. At one point, Undertaker hits The Rock with the Tombstone Piledriver but before he can pin him, the lights went out and Kane's theme played. Rock and the Nation of Domination escaped in the darkness as Kane and Paul Bearer came towards the ring.
"The other younger brother of the Undertaker!" Michael Cole exclaims. "Led by Paul Bearer to the ring."
"I got a feeling that this will be the night that the Undertaker takes his brother and takes him down hard." JR stated.
"And if he doesn't, JR, this may be the night Kane puts the Undertaker down once and for all." Kevin Kelly says.
"last week we saw these two and the Bladewolf in the ring together for the first time, standing before each other for the first time in 20 years." Cole reminds everyone at home and his broadcast partners. "Kane slapped the Undertaker and would've done so again but Bladewolf stopped him."
"Paul Bearer has some sort of plan here, Paul Bearer would love to ruin everybody's holiday." JR says with disgust at Bearer. "Especially the Undertaker."
"I invite the entire world to feast your eyes upon your Phenom!" Paul Bearer says. "Look at him! You are NOTHING but a shell of the man you once were. I gave you one last chance last week, Deadman, to step up and fight your brother. And what did you and your little brother do? Tucked tail and ran. I can't believe that i had anything to do with you!"
"I bet the feeling's mutual." JR said.
"I can't believe I once stood at your side and called myself your friend." Bearer continues. "You're nothing anymore! Nothing! And what's so sad...your poor parents are celebrating this holiday with the maggots and the worms."
Undertaker goes for Bearer but Kane takes him down with a right hand and Undertaker gets to his feet before he stops Kane by putting a hand on his shoulder yet does not do anything as he does not want to face his own brother.
Kane takes advantage of this as shoves Undertaker's hand off and takes him down with a right hand, unloading on the Undertaker.
OOOOOOWHOOOOOO!
The crowd cheers as the entire arena goes dark and when the lights come back on...THE BLADEWOLF IS IN THE RING!
"Bladewolf's here! Bladewolf is in the ring!" JR shouts.
Bladewolf attacks Kane, throwing lefts and rights furiously which makes Kane back up from their older brother as Bladewolf keeps up the assault before he clotheslines Kane over the top rope but Kane lands on his feet and stares at his younger brother who stares back with a glare in his demonic yellow eyes. Bladewolf raises his arms then throws them down, causing lightning to hit the four corners of the ring, sending fire up afterwards.
"Good God!" JR exclaims.
Bladewolf walks over to check on his older brother, getting to one knee as he checks on him before looking at Kane and Bearer with a glare as Bladewolf's theme plays. Bladewolf helps Undertaker to his feet and the two brothers stand tall as they watch Kane and Bearer retreat.
Later
The Marc Mero vs Scott Taylot match had ended with Mero winning the match before Sable took off her reindeer costume to reveal she was dressed in a female Santa Clause costume before entering the ring, waving at the fans and grabs a microphone.
"I would like to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas." Sable smiles. "And I wanna give a very special Merry Christmas to a certain Demon Wolf. If you've been very good, we can go to the north pole and unwrap our presents. But, if you've been very naughty, I'm gonna go to your south pole and ride your sleigh all night long. I'll see you around, wolf boy."
"Woah!" Cole exclaims as Sable takes her leave while Mero is flipping out. "Are we sure there is not some kind of secret affair between Sable and Bladewolf?"
"Well...I don't know." JR says.
Later
It was time for the Shawn Michaels vs the Bladewolf match for the WWF Championship. In the arena, D-Generation X's theme hits and out comes Shawn Michaels with Triple H and Chyna, the WWF Championship wrapped around Shawn's waist while Chyna held the WWF European Championship. DX enters the ring and waits for Michaels' challenger.
OOOOOOWHOOOOOO!
The Devil's Wolf plays to loud cheers as the lights change to dark red and dark blue as the Bladewolf walks out to a pop from the fans. Bladewolf adjusts his hood a little before making his way down towards the ring with his eyes on Shawn Michaels, the man who holds what Bladewolf desires.
"Here he comes, the other demon of Death Valley." JR says.
"And his opponent, from Death Valley, weighing 310 lbs...The Bladewolf!" Tony Chimel announced.
Bladewolf gets onto the ring apron with his eyes never once leaving Michaels before he enters the ring and takes off his trench coat, tossing it aside and adjusts his elbow pads as his theme dies down.
"This will a fight." JR says as the referee holds up the WWF Championship then gives it to someone at ringside before calling for the bell.
'Ding! Ding! Ding!'
Bladewolf steps forward but Michaels avoids him but Bladewolf takes Michaels down with a clothesline. Bladewolf drops an elbow onto Michaels' chest then grabs him by the hair and delivers some rights to the forehead. Bladewolf stands up, grabs Michaels then launches him across the ring, causing Michaels to hit the mat backfirst hard which makes him roll about in pain as Bladewolf walks over before grabbing the WWF Champion by the throat.
Bladewolf lifts Michaels straight to his feet only for Michaels to headbutt Bladewolf which doesn't affect him but it does give Michaels the chance to get out of his grip.
Shawn nails a right hand but Bladewolf comes back with a knee to the stomach of Shawn, then delivers a forearm across the back before grabbing him from behind and hits the German Suplex. Bladewolf gets to his feet and walks towards Shawn who groans in pain before he was grabbed and pulled back to his feet but Michaels elbows Bladewolf in his masked face hard enough to make Bladewolf let him go...AND QUICKLY HITS SWEET CHIN MUSIC!
Bladewolf goes down and Michaels takes advantage, hooking the leg but Bladewolf kicks out with force, throwing Shawn off him. Shawn gets to his feet, grabs Bladewolf's legs, looking to lock in the Figure 4 Submission hold...AND HE DOES! HE'S GOT THE FIGURE FOUR LOCKED IN! Bladewolf lays on his back before he sits up with a dark glare and grabs Michaels by the throat hard and tightly, causing Michaels' eyes to widen as the pressure makes the hold weaken and Bladewolf begisn getting out of the submission hold but still keeping his hand on Michaels' throat.
Bladewolf gets to his feet with Shawn who quickly gets Bladewolf's hand off his throat with a forearm to the head then Michaels unloads with lefts and rights, getting Bladewolf into the corner where Shawn stomps away on Bladewolf hard to try and keep him down. Michaels backs off then runs at Bladewolf who raises his foot and boots Shawn in the stomach, causing the WWF Champion to fall to his knees.
Bladewolf gets to his feet, flipping his hair back, before grabbing Michaels who fights back and the two go back and fourth with right hands until Michaels ducks one and Bladewolf turns...INTO A SECOND SWEET CHIN MUSIC! Bladewolf does not fall down this time as he stumbles back into the corner, allowing Michaels to run up and gets onto the second turnbuckle where Michaels hammers away at Bladewolf's masked face before being shoved off by the Demon Wolf.
Michaels runs back towards Bladewolf but is met with a hard clothesline.
Bladewolf sees Michaels roll out the ring so he follows him where Michaels quickly dropkicks Bladewolf into the steel steps. Michaels grabs Bladewolf by the head then bounces his masked face off the steps. Regaining his wits, Bladewolf blocks a right from Michaels then drops him with a hard right of his own. Triple H nails Bladewolf witha right hand from behind while Chyna distracts the referee.
Bladewolf whips around to glare at Triple H who went wide eyed before he was dropped with a hard right hand. Shawn then assaults him from behind, throwing lefts and rights before Irish whipping the big man back into the ring. Michaels slides in with Triple H and both men double team Bladewolf while Chyna still has the referee distracted.
Triple H exits the ring quickly while Shawn laughs then gives Bladewolf the DX Chop when suddenly Bladewolf sits up and grabs Michaels by the throat, gets to his feet where he lifts Michaels up...THEN PLANTS HIM WITH A CHOKESLAM! BLADEWOLF HOOKS THE LEGS! ONE! TWO! THRE-! MICHAELS KICKS OUT AT TWO!
Bladewolf gets to his feet and flips his hair back as Michaels stumbles to his feet. Bladewolf goes for a clothesline but Michaels moves out the way...AND BLADEWOLF HITS THE REFEREE! Bladewolf looks down at the referee with a shake of his head before he turns around...INTO A CHAIR SHOT TO THE SKULL! Bladewolf does not fall down except to a knee, stumbling a little when he did so.
Bladewolf gets to his feet again...BUT MICHAELS HITS A THIRD SWEET CHIN MUSIC! MICHAELS HOOKS THE LEG! ONE! TWO! THRE-! BLADEWOLF KICKS OUT! The fans pop as Michaels holds his hair in disbelief.
Michaels starts tuning up the band once more and Bladewolf gets to his feet before turning around as Shawn goes for Sweet Chin Music again...BUT BLADEWOLF GRABS HIM BY THE THROAT! Triple H slides into the ring...AND LOW BLOWS BLADEWOLF FROM BEHIND!
'Ding! Ding! Ding!'
"The winner of this match as a result of a Disqualification...THE BLADEWOLF!" Tony Chimel announced. "However since the title cannot change hands by a Disqualification...STILL the WWF Champion, SHAWN MICHAELS!"
"Oh come on!" JR shouts as DX celebrates while Bladewolf has rage in his eyes. "There's a look of death in those eyes!"
Bladewolf gets to his feet and Shawn turns around only to be grabbed by the throat, lifted up...AND PLANTED WITH A CHOKESLAM! Triple H runs at Bladewolf but is lifted onto his shoulders...THEN HIT WITH THE WOLF'S HOWL!
Chyna runs at Bladeowlf but he scoops her onto his right shouldeer and...NAILS THE TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER!
"Good God! There are bodies lying everywhere!" JR says.
"Can you blame Bladewolf? He got screwed out of the match" Kevin Kelly exclaims.