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RAW is WAR: 25/6/2001
RAW is WAR was live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, just 24 hours removed from King of the Ring. As the show began, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon made his way to the ring.
Mr. McMahon began by addressing the rumor that circulated at the King of the Ring that if Chris Benoit or Chris Jericho became Federation champion, they would have defected to WCW. But McMahon was proud to announce that Stone Cold Steve Austin was still the Federation Champion despite the blatant interference of WCW Champion, Booker T. According to McMahon, the burning question was what the 'T' in Booker T stood for? in Tea like what you drink, or terrible? Or trash? Or temporarily employed, which Mr. McMahon said what Booker T was. McMahon then reiterated that he would put the WCW out of business once again!
Mr. McMahon then vowed that no WCW star would ever walk into the hallowed grounds of Madison Square Garden, the home of many memorable moments, including the time in which his father, Vincent J. McMahon, was inducted into the Federation Hall of Fame. Mr. McMahon than rolled footage of a video package dedicated to his father, which included comments from Federation legends "Classy" Freddie Blassie and Gorilla Monsoon! After the footage, Mr. McMahon guaranteed many more memorable moments in Madison Square Garden!
RAW's first match was a Hardcore Championship match with Test defending against Rhyno, who he defeated on SmackDown 10 days earlier. The challenger went for the gore early, but Test blocked it with a garbage can and nearly ended the match. The fight son took to the stands, where Rhyno unloaded on the champion until being suplexed on the steel barricade. Staying on top of his challenger, Test took the fight to the backstage area. Test nailed Rhyno with a fire extinguisher and placed him on two tables - and it a flying elbow from atop a scaffold! But Test wasn't through. He went to piledrive Rhyno on the concrete, but was backdropped on the concrete floor. Rhyno then gored Test into a steel wall and pinned him to become the new Hardcore Champion! But suddenly, WCW star Mike Awesome attacked Rhyno after the match and powerbombed him on top of a ladder! Awesome then forced the referee to count to three. Just like that, WCW star Mike Awesome was the Federation Hardcore Champion!
Following the wild Hardcore Title match, Jeff Hardy put up the Light Heavyweight Championship against X-Pac in a rematch from King of the Ring. Hardy had things in control until X-Pac dropkicked him off the top turnbuckle and onto the ringside floor. X-Pac then went to the top but met a Hardy dropkick in mid-air. Hardy soon went for the Swanton Bomb, but missed. X-Pac then rolled up Hardy, and using the ring rope for leverage, pinned Hardy to become the new Light Heavyweight Champion!
In Mr. McMahon's dressing room, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Debra greeted an irate Federation Chairman, who admonished the couple for not being there when he needed them and explained how Mike Awesome raped him by stealing the Federation Hardcore Championship. Austin then told McMahon the hell with him, and asked him where he was when he needed him at King of the Ring! The Rattlesnake also said that McMahon does not care how he feels. But the chairman insisted that he does care, and the two embraced!
After a commercial break, we're back in Mr. McMahon's dressing room, where Kurt Angle stopped in to visit. Mr. McMahon told Angle how proud he was of him for getting even with WCW owner Shane McMahon. Angle was explaining the nature of his injuries before Austin interrupted, calling Angle pathetic and saying that what he accomplished at King of the Ring was better than Angle competing in two matches. While Austin continued to get in Angle's face, Mr. McMahon made peace and invited Angle to sit down and have some vegetables!
Wearing black, Steven Richards stood in the center of the ring. After calling New York City a cesspool, he was greeted by his opponent - Tazz! The Brooklyn native finished Richards in under a minute with the Tazzmission!
Making their way to the ring, Tajiri - with King of the Ring trophy in his arms - accompanied Commissioner William Regal en route to the King of the Ring award ceremony.
In Mr. McMahon's room, Angle enjoyed his carrots while an annoyed Austin looked on. The Rattlesnake asked Mr. McMahon to get rid of Angle, but McMahon said that with the King of the Ring ceremony up next, he was afraid Angle would get traumatized. Angle then said that he and Austin had a lot in common being both tough and former Kings of the Ring, and that the two could even be related!
Commissioner Regal and Tajiri entered the ring, with the latter carrying the King of the Ring trophy, to begin the King of the Ring ceremony. First, the Commish noted that a lot of things are lacking in America, including not washing hands after using the lavatory and royalty. With that, Regal introduced King Edge, who was accompanied by his brother, Christian. Regal said that while Edge's victory will forever be tainted by Shane McMahon's interference, he congratulated him on his tournament win. E & C - and Tajiri - then took part in a five-second pose. Christian then said it was an honor to be standing with Edge, the 2001 King of the Ring.
But his only regret was how Shane also interfered in his match to cost him his place in the finals.
Edge then welcomed the citizens of New York to an Era of Awesomeness until the 1999 King of the Ring, Billy Gunn, suddenly interrupted him. "The One" said that he was unable to defend his crown due to a shoulder injury, and the fact that he was not entered in this year's tournament, and said that his biggest problem was watching Edge win it. Edge responded by calling Gunn a human vacuum cleaner - he could suck and blow at the same time. He added that it wasn't his fault that he did a big pile of nothing since 1999. "The One" then challenged Edge to a fight. Edge agreed, and decreed that his first act in the Era of Awesomeness was a one-on-one battle with Billy Gunn!
Next up was two of the Brothers of Destruction vs the Dudley Boyz for the WWF Tag Team Championship.
OOOOOOWHOOOOOO!
The pyro exploded and then Rollin played to a loud pop before the Undertaker, Kane and the Bladewolf walked out with Trish Stratus and Sera alongside them.
"And here they come." JR said. "And what a loud ovation from Madison Square Garden for the Brothers of Destruction!"
the Brothers of Destruction walk down to the end of the ramp and Bladewolf and Kane are the ones who slide into the ring, showing they'll be the ones wrestling tonight while Undertaker remains outside with Trish and Sera.
"Looks like it'll be the Bladewolf and Kane fighting tonight." JR said.
Undertaker's theme soon dies down as Bladewolf and Kane paced around inside the ring, waiting for the Dudley Boyz. Bladewolf takes off his coat and dumps it outside the ring.
The fireworks go off and the Dudley Boyz' theme plays and out comes the WWF Tag Team Champions.
"And their opponents, at a combined weight of 565 lbs, they are the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions, Bubba Ray and D-Von... THE DUDLEY BOYZ!" Lillian Garcia announced.
The Dudley Boyz make their way down the ramp and walk around the ring as the Bladewolf and Kane watch them from inside the ring. D-von slides into the ring and rushes at Bladewolf as Bubba Ray goes for the Kane and the match is on!
'Ding! Ding! Ding!'
The Bladewolf and Kane fight off the Dudley Boyz, Bladewolf tossing D-Von out of the ring and Kane uppercuts Bubba Ray hard enough to send him out of the ring and joining D-Von on the floor. Bladewolf and Kane quickly followed, Bladewolf delivering a right hand to Bubba Ray as Kane uppercuts D-Von.
"Bladewolf with an assault on Bubba Ray." JR said. "And Kane taking on D-Von."
Bladewolf knees Bubba ray in the stomach and rams his head off the barricade, then looks at the announce table before he brings Bubba Ray over and rams his head right off the announce table, sending Bubba Ray down.
"Bubba Ray Dudley's head just bouncing off our announce table." JR said.
Bladewolf tosses Bubba Ray into the ring and slides in after him, blocking a right hand and uppercuts Bubba Ray, followed by a close clothesline, flooring Bubba Ray Dudley.
"You know something, JR, not even the Dudley Boyz, who've made a career putting women through tables, won't even look at Trish or Sera because of what the Bladewolf and the Undertaker will do to them." heyman said.
"I doubt the Dudleys are stupid to try and touch Trish or Sera." JR said. "Bladewolf has warned people before not to mess with his family or the Brothers of Destruction will make you pay and pay dearly."
Bladewolf goes for an irish whip but Bubba Ray reverses it and lands a hard strike when Bladewolf comes back and Bubba Ray keeps it up until gets Bladewolf in the corner and lands a series of rights and lefts to the gut of the Bladewolf before he Irish whips Bladewolf into the corner, then runs at Bladewolf only to be given a big boot to the face by the Bladewolf.
Bladewolf runs, rebounds off the ropes, ducks a right from Bubba Ray, rebounds off the ropes again and hits a leaping clothesline on Bubba Ray. Bladeowlf gets to his feet like nothing as Bubba ray stumbles but is grabbed from behind and given a german Suplex across the ring.
"Nice German Suplex there by Bladewolf." JR said.
Bladewolf walks over to Bubba Ray and brings his forearm down on Bubba Ray's back repeatedly before he grabs Bubba ray from behind... AND HITS THE DOOMSDAY SAITO SUPLEX!
"Bladeowlf with the Doomsday Saito Suplex!" JR exclaimed.
Bladeowlf gets to his feet, grabs Bubba Ray and tosses him into the corner. Bladewolf lands some lefts and rights before landing a huge uppercut. Bladewolf then wraps Bubba Ray's left arm around the top rope and pulls on it, causing Bubba Ray to yell in pain.
"Bladewolf just pulling on that arm." JR said.
"And he's dangerous when he starts working on the limbs." Heyman nodded.
Bladewolf lands a hard right to the shoulder joint of Bubba Ray Dudley, causing Bubba Ray to clutch his arm as he stumbles from bladewolf who grabs him, but doesn't see D-Von tag himself in.
"D-Von tagging himself in." JR said. "Bladewolf doesn't see it."
Bladewolf Irish whips Bubba Ray off the ropes and bends down for a back body drop but Bubba Ray halts himself and kicks Bladewolf in the shoulder, causing him to snap upright and D-Von hits a dropkick to the back of Bladewolf's legs, dropping the big man.
"Nice teamwork there by the Dudley Boyz." JR said as D-von hooks the leg. "And D-Von going for the cover!"
"One!"
"Two!"
"Thr-!"
Bladewolf kicks out at two.
D-Von argues with the referee before shaking his head as he pulls Bladewolf to his feet and lands some right hands, then Irish whips him off the ropes, but Bladewolf reverses it and D-Von comes running back right into a big boot from the Bladewolf, who follows it up by running, rebounds off the ropes and hits a leg drop across D-Von's throat. Bladewolf grabs D-von and drags him over to his corner before tagging in Kane to a loud pop from the fans.
"And Bladewolf tagging in his brother, Kane, the Intercontinental Champion." JR said.
Bladewolf and Kane Irish whip D-Von off the ropes and floor him with a double big boot.
"Nice teamwork by Bladewolf and Kane." JR said. "These two were once Tag Team Champions together and dominated for months in their first reign as a team. their second reign was with their brother, the Undertaker, a couple of months ago. if they win tonight, all three brothers are recognized as Tag team Champions."
Kane picks D-Von up and rams his head into the top turnbuckle, traps D-von in the corner where Kane lands a right hand, then a boot to the stomach, then a hard right hand again, and again, before he drives his elbow into the side of D-Von's head. Kane pulls D-von out of the corner, drops him with an uppercut then lifts him up and hits a powerslam.
"Kane is not a man, he's a monster." Heyman said. "And he's looking for tag team gold tonight."
Kane rebounds off the ropes and tries a running elbow drop but D-Von moves out of the way in time, and lands some right hands on the Big Red Machine. D-Von has Kane on the ropes as he lands some right hands before he goes for an irish whip but Kane reverses it and D-Von comes running back but lands a kick to Kane's shoulder who was going for a back body drop. D-Von ran, rebounds off the ropes but is dropped with a elbow to the face by Kane. The Intercontinental Champion pulls D-Von to his feet and rams D-Von's head off the turnbuckle. Kane Irish whips D-Von into the opposite corner, runs and lands a turnbuckle clothesline, then clotheslines Bubba Ray off the apron.
Kane then scoops D-Von up and hits a sidewalk slam. Kane then gets out onto the apron and syarts climbing to the top turnbuckle, waits for D-Von to get to his feet, leaps... AND HITS THE FLYING CLOTHESLINE OFF THE TOP TURNBUCKLE!
"kane flew through the air and takes down D-Von Dudley!" JR said as Kane goes for the cover.
"One!"
"Two!"
"Thre-!"
Bubba Ray breaks the pin.
"Bubba Ray saves it!" JR said.
Bladewolf comes in and attacks Bubba Ray, landing several right hands on him then clotheslines him over the top rope, sending Bubba Ray to the floor. Bladewolf follows as Kane continues to deal with D-Von back in the ring, while Bladewolf attacks Bubba Ray outside the ring.
Kane grabs D-von, lifts him up into a sitting position on his shoulders... AND HITS THE LAST RIDE! KANE HOOKS THE LEGS! BUT THE REFEREE WAS OUTSIDE THE RING! The referee had been draggged out the ring by Bubba Ray. Albert comes running down the ramp, slides into the ringm grabs Kane... AND HITS THE BALDE BOMB ON KANE!
Albert exits the ring but gets attacked by the Undertaker for his troubles.
Back in the ring, D-von crawls and gets an arm over Kane's chest as the referee comes back into the ring! ONE!... TWO!... THREE! THE DUDLEY BOYZ RETAIN!
'Ding! Ding! Ding!'
The Dudley Boyz' theme plays as Bladewolf chases after Albert, Kane soon joining his brother. Trish was quick to run after them. Afterward, Taker chokeslammed Bubba Ray! The Dead Man and Sara then stood together in the middle of the ring. But once they made it at the end of the rampway, Diamond Dallas Page attacked Taker with a steel char. Sara slapped DDP and challenged him to a fight! But DDP taunted Sara, blocked her punch, grabbed her by the hair and pulled a piece of it out! During the break, Taker consoled his shaken wife...
And that's it for this chapter everyone.