Disclaimer: I do not own WWE. I only own the OC George Edwards/The Bladewolf.
RAW is WAR: 22/5/2000
RAW is WAR was live at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. After the Rock came out and chased Shane Mcmahon off from the ring, beating him up along the way, the next match was Chris Benoit defending his Intercontinental Championship against the Bladewolf, who returned after a month away at Judgment Day last night and attacked Benoit.
In the arena, Chris Benoit's theme hits and the Intercontinental Champion walks out, making his way to the ring as the bell rings and Lillian Garcia begins introductions. "The following contest is scheduled for one-fall and is for the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship! Making his way to the ring, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, weighing 229 lbs, he is the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion... CHRIS BENOIT!"
JR, one of the commentators, spoke up. "Well, folks, in my opinion, Chris Benoit is well on his way to becoming the greatest Intercontinental Champion ever in the WWF. It was a war at Judgment Day. In that Crippler Crossface, Chris Jericho passed out from excruciating pain. Jericho didn't give up, but Benoit got the duke."
"Well, they don't call him the Crippler for nothing, JR." Jerry pointed out.
Benoit made it to the ring and walked up the steel steps, entering between the ropes. He took off his title and raised it to a mixed reaction from the crowd before handing it to the referee and faced the stage as his theme dies down.
OOOOOOOOWWWWHHHHOOOOOOO!
'Ooh, wah-ah-ah-ah! Get up, come on, get down with the sickness!'
Down with the Sickness by Disturbed played to a big pop from the crowd as the Bladewolf walked out, accompanied by Trish Stratus. Bladewolf stopped on the stage and looked around at the fans before rolling his shoulders, takes Trish's hand in his own, and makes his way towards the ring.
"And his opponent, being accompanied by Trish Stratus, from Death Valley, weighing 310 lbs... THE BLADEWOLF!" Lillian introduced before leaving the ring.
"Last night, the Bladewolf returned after being away since Backlash, attacking Chris Benoit following his match with Chris Jericho." JR said for those who didn't see the PPV at home. "The Bladewolf is a former Intercontinental Champion, has only held the title once and that was an impressive reign that lasted 217 days. he never officially lost it, it was stripped from him."
"And tonight, he looks to win it back for the second time." Jerry nodded.
Climbing onto the ring apron, Bladewolf stares down Benoit who stares right back without a shred of intimidation which makes Bladewolf smirk a little as he removes his vest and tosses it aside. His smirk then drops as he enters the ring while Trish remains at ringside near the steel steps. Bladewolf's theme soon dies down as the former Intercontinental Champion adjusts his elbow pads.
"This will be a first-time encounter between these two." JR pointed out. "The Bladewolf and Chris Benoit have never met in a match until tonight."
"Oh, I'm excited for this one, JR." Jerry couldn't contain his excitement.
The referee makes sure both men are backed into their corners before he raises the title, showing it's on the line. He shows it to Bladewolf who gives a small nod without taking his eyes off Benoit who stares right back. The referee hands the title to someone at ringside and then calls for the bell.
'Ding! Ding! Ding!'
"Matchup underway, Bladewolf vs Chris benoit for the Intercontinental title." JR said as Bladewolf and Benoit circle each other, looking for an opening.
The two inch close and then start with a collar and elbow tie-up, trying to overwhelm the other. However, Benoit quickly slips in behind Bladewolf with a waist lock, but Bladewolf manages to deliver an elbow to the side of Benoit's head, forcing him to break off and back away as Bladewolf turns to him, briefly fixing his right elbow pad. Benoit cracks his neck before the two circle each other again.
"This is intense, JR." Jerry said.
"You got that right, King." JR nodded in full agreement with his broadcast partner.
Again, Benoit and Bladewolf lockup and have a test of strength. Benoit tries to get around Bladewolf but he sees it coming this time and takes both himself and Benoit down, but they roll over and Benoit quickly backs away from Bladewolf who gets to his feet and watches him.
"Chris Benoit is smart." Jerry noted Benoit's movements. "He's not letting himself get grabbed or dominated by the Bladewolf. He knows what he's capable of."
JR nodded. "But Benoit has gotta be careful." He points to the knee brace around Benoit's left knee. "You see the knee brace displayed, sustained from his match with Chris Jericho last night. That is a glaringly open wound for the Bladewolf to feast upon. And the Bladewolf knows how to take advantage when he sees an opening."
"So Benoit has gotta stick to hit and run tactics." Jerry said.
For a third time, Bladewolf and Benoit circle each other and look for another lock-up. However, Benoit goes for a kick but Bladewolf backs up and lashes out with a kick straight to Benoit's left knee, right on the knee brace, which sent the Intercontinental Champion down and scrambling away while checking his leg.
"There it is! I told you." JR saw it. "The Bladewolf going for the knee."
Bladewolf walks over but Benoit lashes out with a kick to his midsection, then lands a chop to the chest, earning some 'woos' from the crowd. Benoit lands another knifeedge chop to the chest and goes for an Irish whip but the Bladewolf reverses and takes Benoit down with a reverse elbow to the face before going for the cover.
"there's the cover." JR said.
"One!"
"Two!"
"Thr-!"
Benoit kicks out.
"A near-fall already." JR noted. "For the Intercontinental title."
Bladewolf grabs Benoit and pulls him to his feet, then pushes him into the corner where he goes to work on him, landing an onslaught of right hooks that force Benoit to cover up. Bladewolf then switches to a fury of lefts and rights, aiming for the midsection, then the sides, before he finishes it with a big uppercut that rocks Benoit. Bladewolf pulls him up and then goes for an Irish whip but Benoit reverses only for Bladewolf to land a kick to the midsection.
Bladewolf grabs Benoit, lifts him up before running to drive him into the opposite corner. Bladewolf turns Benoit around, wraps his arms around his waist and sends him across the ring with a release German Suplex.
"Woah!" Jerry exclaimed with wide eyes.
JR nodded. "Release German Suplex." He said. Benoit rolls out of the ring. "And Benoit wisely gets out of the ring. He can't let himself be dominated."
Bladewolf gets out of the ring and charges after Benoit who swings at him but Bladewolf ducks it, whirls around and clotheslines the Intercontinental Champion. Getting to his feet first, Bladewolf grabs Benoit then whirls around to send him into the barricade. Bladewolf walks over and pulls benoit up then tosses him back into the ring before sliding in after him.
"Now it's back in the ring." JR said.
Bladewolf walks over and brings his elbow down onto Benoit's chest, then gets to his feet and does it again, then again. He then jumps up and lands a big-time leg drop across the chest of Benoit.
Jerry winced at the impact. "Oh!"
JR nodded, having felt that. "Big leg drop from the Bladewolf."
Bladewolf flips his hair back after getting to his feet then Pulls Benoit up to his. He pushes him into the corner and then goes for an Irish whip but Benoit reverses it and sends the Bladewolf into the corner back-first hard, sending the former Intercontinental Champion onto his stomach.
"What an Irish whip there by Chris Benoit." JR complimented.
Benoit gets to his feet and walks over to Bladewolf who was getting to his knee. Benoit quickly landed a kick to the midsection, then pulled him up before trying to lift him up for a suplex but the Bladewolf drove his right fist into Benoit's midsection repeatedly until Benoit lands a punch of his own into his ribcage, then quickly takes advantage to hit a snap suplex.
"Wow!" Jerry exclaimed.
"Snap suplex by Benoit on the 310 lb Bladewolf." JR said. benoit crawls over and hooks the leg. "Now the cover on Bladewolf!"
"One!"
"Two!"
"Thr-!"
Bladewolf gets the shoulder up.
"Very close. very close." Jerry noted.
Benoit got back to his feet, pulling Bladewolf up with him. He goes for a back suplex but Bladewolf delivers a punch to benoit's head, dazing the man, then he grabs him by the back of his head and tosses him over the top rope, sending him to the floor outside the ring. Bladewolf flips his hair back before getting out the ring after Benoit and delivers a kick right to the ribcage, causing Benoit to groan in pain, coughing as he clutched at the ribs.
"And the Bladewolf with a nasty kick right to the ribcage." JR said, watching the action in front of him.
"Better move in case they come over here." Jerry warned, preparing to get up if the action spills onto the announce table.
Bladewolf pulls Benoit to his feet and then lands a big right hand, sending the Intercontinental Champion stumbling towards the barricade with Bladewolf following after him. Benoit didn't get time to recover before he was lifted up into a military press and then dropped chest-first onto the barricade.
Jerry winced at the sight. "Ooh!"
Pulling Benoit away from the barricade, Bladewolf eyes the steel steps and goes to Irish whip him towards them but Benoit reverses it and sends Bladewolf crashing shoulder-first into the steps. Trish quickly moved out of the way and away from the action while looking at her boyfriend worriedly.
"That was a shot there by Benoit." JR commented.
Benoit walked over and delivered a few stomps to the Bladewolf before he pulls him up, wraps his arms around his waist and then yells as he drives Bladewolf back-first into the barricade, causing Bladewolf to yell out in pain. Benoit grabs him and tosses him into the ring, Benoit takes a moment to recover before he rolls into the ring and starts walking towards Bladewolf who suddenly lifts him up... AND HITS A SPINEBUSTER!
"Ooh!" Jerry's eyes widened.
"What a Spinebuster!" JR exclaimed. "We've never seen the Bladewolf do a Spinebuster."
Bladewolf laid on his back for a moment before he slowly started getting back to his feet, adjusting his right elbow pad before he raises his right hand to s cheer from the crowd, signalling a Chokeslam is coming.
"Oh no." Jerry dreaded it.
"We all know what the right arm looming in the air means." JR said excitedly.
"No!" Jerry shook his head.
"A Chokeslam is looming!"
Benoit slowly made it back to his feet as the Bladewolf continued to eye him intently. Benoit then turned around... INTO A GOOZLE! Bladewolf lifts Benoit up... AND PLANTS HIM WITH A CHOKESLAM!
"Chokeslam!" JR shouted.
Bladewolf flips his hair back and goes to finish this. But before he could, Hardcore Holly suddenly slides into the ring, chair in hand... AND SMACKS BENOIT WITH IT!
"What the hell?!" JR frowned as the referee called for the bell.
Ding! Ding! Ding!'
Holly glared down at Benoit as Lillian Garcia calls the announcement. "Here is your winner by disqualification and STILL World Wrestling Fed-" She was cut off when Bladewolf whipped Holly around... AND GRABS HIM IN A GOOZLE!
"Now the Bladewolf has Hardcore Holly!" JR said.
"What is going on, JR?!" Jerry wondered.
Bladewolf lifts Holly up... AND PLANTS HIM WITH A CHOKESLAM!
"And a Chokeslam to Holly!" JR said. "Hardcore Holly just cost the Bladewolf the Intercontinental Championship."
Bladewolf shakes his head before he leaves the ring and makes his way to the back with Trish, upset at being cost the title.
He may not have won this one, but his quest for gold isn't over yet. And he has not given up on becoming Intercontinental Champion again.