Reunion Arena
Dallas, Texas
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On the WWE Network version, they show the last 5 minutes of the pre-show they ran before the show. As they show clips of the Attitude Era, I have to say that I really am not super excited to go back and watch some of that stuff.
Really couldn't change the theme song for the show here, huh? The show starts with Mick Foley and he is here as a guest on Piper's Pit. Foley introduces Roddy and I have to say I kind of forgot about this. Roddy asks Foley when he's coming back. Foley says he needs a really good reason, so Piper gets the crowd to chant for him. Out comes Randy and Bob Orton. Foley tells him that he should be more worried about Undertaker this Sunday instead of him. Orton says that he is here for Piper though. He's trying to settle the feud between his dad and Piper, so Piper drops him with a right hand. Foley and Bob pull them apart. Bob Orton then sucker punches Foley and Orton hits a RKO on both Foley and Piper. That was a really quick segment as far as opening segments on Raw go.
Eric Bischoff and Teddy Long are backstage. Bischoff isn't happy with the Ortons trying to steal Raw's thunder.
30 Minute Iron Man Match
Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels
They show a bunch of legends seated at ringside including Dr. Death, Jim Duggan, Dusty Rhodes and more.They don't wait for the bell and start off full throttle. Shawn gets the early advantage after a swinging neckbreaker and then dumps Angle out of the ring. After a couple of nearfalls, Angle starts showing off his aggressive side. I feel like the WWE has done a nice job of protecting the Iron Man match. It's the only match that they have mostly saved for special occasions. Angle hits the Angle Slam on the outside of the ring around the 24 minute mark. Angle then hits a buckle bomb, but Michaels is able to kick out. Michaels is up top, but Angle jumps up and hits a super Angle Slam and scores the first pinfall around the 22 minute mark. After about a three minute commercial break, Angle is still in command, but Michaels is trying to break Angle's hold. Angle avoids a charging Michaels and he hits his shoulder on the steel ring post. Michaels counters an Angle Slam into a sunset flip, but Angle turns that into an Ankle Lock. Michaels counters that into a roll up and gets the pinfall at the halfway point. Angle once again gets the Ankle Lock on Michaels again, fending off Michaels' attempts to break free. Michaels taps out at the 11:14 mark and Angle takes the 2-1 lead. We get another three minute commercial break and Angle is still working on Michaels' ankle. Michaels hits a flying forearm and then a nip up just after the 6 minute mark. Michaels hits a top rope elbow drop and then Sweet Chin Music and we are all tied up with 4:40 remaining. Angle hits yet another Angle Slam, but Michaels kicks out. Michaels counters another attempt into a tornado DDT and both men are down with 2:50 remaining. Micheals gets a boot up on the oncoming Angle. He goes up top for a moonsault, but Angle turns that into an Ankle Lock. Michaels desperately is trying to get out of it and finally does with about 30 seconds left, but Angle gets it on again. Michaels kicks out of it again and hits Sweet Chin Music. Michaels goes for the cover, but Michaels is too late and match is over. They declare it as a tie and Michaels calls for a microphone. Michaels asks for sudden death and Angle decides to just walk away. This was a good match, but the commercials really hurt it more than most long TV matches for whatever reason.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Lilian Garcia introduces Kevin Von Erich to the crowd and he gets a really nice pop.
Bischoff confronts Vince McMahon backstage and asks for his match tonight to be a No Disqualification Match, which Vince declines. Lilian then introduces him down to the ring. He brings up when he beat Steve Austin. He starts talking about another Austin moment when the glass shatters and Stone Cold is here. It's kind of crazy that Austin is only 40 years old here. We get lots of "What" chants to start. Austin then shows some highlights of his own with the famous hospital attack and the "Bang 3:16". Vince asks that he and Austin start over. Austin's not buying it, so Vince says he has a busy night and that he needs to head to the back. Austin hits the Stunner, but his celebration is interrupted by Shane McMahon. Austin hits a Stunner immediately after hitting the ring and now this time Stephanie interrupts his celebration. She tells him that this is their show. Austin says he is just going to try to conduct an interview. Stephanie ends up slapping Austin in the face and she eats a Stunner. Now Linda McMahon gets the fourth interruption. Austin tells her that her whole family is a piece of trash. She asks for an apology and Austin obliges. He then has her start chugging some beers with him and celebrates with her. Austin says thank you and gives her a Stunner so bad, that Vince would be proud. That was a loooooooooooooong segment.
Vince gets interviewed while leaving the building and says that someone will get fired over this.
Loser Leaves Raw Ladder Match
Edge vs. Matt Hardy
Edge attacks Hardy as he's coming out of the backstage area and bolts for a ladder set up int he ring. Hardy catches him and hits a Side Effect. Hardy then squeezes Edge between the ladder. Edge hits a drop toe hold into a the ladder set up in the corner. Edge follows that up with a suplex onto a ladder. Edge runs Hardy face first into a ladder set up on the top turnbuckle. Edge has his hand on the briefcase but Hardy throws Edge off the ladder and Edge then bumps into the ladder, knocking Hardy off as we go to commercial break. Hardy throws Edge over the barricade and then leaps off the ladder onto Edge. Lita jumps on Hardy's back, but Hardy slams her to the floor. Hardy goes for a powerbomb on Lita, but Edge hits him in the back with a kendo stick. Edge hits a splash off the apron on Hardy and puts him through the table. These guys are doing everything they can to maximize their minutes here. They are both climbing the ladder and Hardy hits a Twist of Fate off the ladder. Hardy has his hands on the briefcase, but in comes Lita to...miss him. She tries to make up for it by hitting him repeatedly. She then pulls the ladder out from under Hardy and he is hanging from the briefcase. Edge comes in and swings him, causing him to fall onto the top rope. Edge ties him up in the ropes and Lita grabs on for extra precaution. Edge climbs the ladder and grabs the briefcase. That was one fast paced ladder match. While it wasn't given the amount of time it probably deserved, this was still another good match between these two. Matt Hardy now gets to start new over on SmackDown.
Match Rating: ***1/2
Matt Hardy is shown being escorted out of the arena. Trish and Ashley are getting ready for their match tonight. In walks Mae Young and she's trying to undress, but they have her leave. She walks out the door and Jim Duggan, Ted DiBiase and Jimmy Snuka are there. DiBiase tries to bribe her to put her shirt back on. Moolah is there to pull her away and Snuka goes after her. This was so bad for so many reasons.
Maria is backstage dressed in a homecoming queen outfit with Ric Flair. Flair says that he was a broken man, but now he's the Intercontinental Champion and he's back to being a player. Wooo.
Carlito & Chris Masters vs. Ric Flair & Triple H
It's always weird when a heel returns, especially when Triple H was a clear cut heel. He gets the big babyface pop, but I think it's safe to say we could all see what was going to happen here. They start brawling before the bell. It should also be noted that the entrances for this match felt as long as the ladder match. Back from commercial and Carlito has Flair in a Figure Four. Flair retaliates, but Carlito hits an awkward looking spinebuster. Flair is able to hit a low blow on Masters and gets a tag into Triple H. He hits some high knees on both men and then heads outside and grabs the sledgehammer from under the ring. Masters is able to stop him before he can use it. Triple H goes for the Pedigree, but Masters tries to use it on him. Flair is late on his cue, so Masters kind of looks like an idiot. Flair chop blocks him and Triple H hits the Pedigree for the victory. After the match, Triple H and Flair embrace and celebrate until he hits Flair in the face with his hand, I mean the sledgehammer. Flair is busted open and Triple H hits him with a series of right hands. Triple H continues the assault outside the ring in front of the legends in the front row and we get an awkward commercial break.The match wasn't good and it really was all just a set up for the angle afterwards anyways.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Triple H is still destroying Flair backstage.
Back in the ring and all of the legends are in the ring. Dusty gets the mic first and starts talking about everyone until Rob Conway comes out to zero heat. I can't believe they gave him this spot. He insults him until Dusty attacks him and then he eats a Von Erich claw to another huge pop. Snuka then hits a splash off the top rope and Snuka gets his music played. Man, seeing Snuka in there just hasn't aged well.
3-On-2 Bra & Panties Match
Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle & Victoria vs. Trish Stratus & Ashley
Trish gets knocked off the apron upon walking into the ring. The three women team up and rip off Ashley's shirt. Ashley fights back and rips off Victoria's shirt. Victoria chases after her and Trish surprises her with a clothesline. Trish and Ashley then rip off Candice and Torrie's shirts. Victoria almost gets Trish's pants off, but Trish reverses it into a pin and takes Victoria's shorts off. Ashley then rips off Candice's skirt and almost pulls down everything. They then rip off Torrie's pants and that is all. As a match, this was absolutely awful. Obviously, that wasn't the goal, but that's what I'm rating here.
Match Rating: 0 Stars
Bischoff and Angle are backstage. Bischoff says he has a plan for SmackDown. He also announces that now that Vince is out of the building, he's in charge and he's going to make his match a No Disqualification Match. Angle then assures Bischoff that he can count on him.
Back from commercial break and we go to Tazz and Michael Cole for the SmackDown portion of the show.
As soon as the bell rings, Bischoff comes out and turns the lights out on them. Bischoff thinks it's hilarious and tells them to go to commercial.
Mean Gene is in the ring and introduces Hulk Hogan. Mean Gene asks what's next and he brings up maybe getting in the ring one more time with Shawn Michaels. He then says he'd love to get in the ring with Steve Austin and the crowd loves it. That's the whole interview. The announcers speculate if we will one day see that match. Spoiler alert: No.
No Disqualification Match For The WWE Championship
Eric Bischoff vs. John Cena
The announcers keep hyping that USA is allowing them extra time here. Aren't we lucky that we get to watch all of these rushed segments? Kurt Angle is seated at ringside. Cena catches a Bischoff kick and hits him with a right hand. Angle interferes and it allows Bischoff to get some kicks in. Bischoff trash talks, which always works. Cena isn't having it, so he hits a body slam and the Five Knuckle Shuffle. In comes Angle, but Cena gets him up for the FU. Bischoff hits him with a low blow and gets a 2 count. Angle tries to hit Cena with a chair, but he ducks it and Angle bounces it off the rope into his own face. Cena hits the FU and that is all. That's your main event, folks. Angle and Bischoff start brawling and out comes Teddy Long. Out come a bunch of SmackDown stars and they begin attacking Cena and Angle. Ah yes, the brand split, where guys that hate each other team together to prove they have the better show. Out comes the Raw roster and we have a donnybrook in Dallas. We go off the air in the middle of the brawl. The match was nothing.
Match Rating: 1/4*
I think their TV deal expired by the time this show was over. It started off hot, had two really good free TV matches and yet it was still not a good show. The last hour was completely rushed and the early segments were way too long. Whoever timed this show out probably should try crunching the numbers one more time. Both the Angle/HBK and Edge/Hardy matches were good and the return of Triple H set up his next feud. Other than that, feel free to skip.
Overall Rating: 53%
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