Monday Night Raw April 23, 2001

Champions Update:

Hardcore Champion: Rhyno

Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko

Tag Team Champions: Edge and Christian

European Champion: Test

Intercontinental Champion: Chris Jericho

WWF Champion: Stone Cold Steve Austin

Live from Denver, CO…Home of the Denver Broncos Two Time Super Bowl Champions

Opening Promo Time with The Undertaker

• Undertaker’s not too happy about the way the tag match ended on Smackdown!
• Taker wants to know if Triple H has the balls to take a shot at him face-to-face tonight?
• “Time to Play the Game” Triple H makes his way out and says not to be mistaken dead man. When he clipped Taker on Smackdown it was business AND personal.
• Triple H doesn’t like to lose especially on the biggest stage in wrestling. He hadn’t lost a WrestleMania match in 4 years before the Dead Man scored a fluke victory in Houston. So yeah he’d love a chance to right that wrong tonight.
• “No Chance in Hell” Vince McMahon is out. He loves the idea. For once they are all in agreement. Triple H vs. The Undertaker here tonight.He also wants to let HHH know just how disappointed he is in him. He would have been a star in this business for years to come. Why can’t he see it was just Austin’s time now. McMahon hopes that maybe tonight Hunter will do the right thing. Hurt the Dead Man and then pull out of the Main Event at Backlash and wait for his turn again.
• Hunter says that’s something he was never very good at. He reminds Vince that this won’t be the first time he’s been in a McMahon dog house and he always comes out on top of Vince and sometimes underneath is daughter.
• Vince fumes.

COMMERCIAL

In the back, Stephanie tell Hunter he may regret making her dad angry. Triple H says he’s tired of worrying about Vince’s feelings. At Backlash he’ll be the new WWF Champion and nobody, not Taker, not Austin and especially not Vince is gonna stand in his way.

WWF Hardcore Title: Rhyno (c) vs. TAKA Michinoku

• 3 minute squash for Rhyno
• Finish comes when TAKA tries a suicide dive but Rhyno catches him and slams him back first into the barrier. GORE- match
• Rhyno gets on the mic and says at Backlash he’ll show Big Show and everybody else that they don’t know what hardcore is. Rhyno was the last ECW champion and on Sunday he’s bringing back extreme.

In the back, Chris Jericho is seen talking to Shane McMahon

COMMERCIAL

IEarlier today, RTC bemoan the loss of Val Venis but agree that they cannot let one lost sheep destroy the flock. They will continue to fight the good fight. Starting tonight when The Goodfather goes one on one with Val Venis.

The Goodfather vs. Val Venis

• Another short 3 minute match
• Miscommunication between Bull and Goodfather.
• Money Shot gets 3 for Val.
• After the match Goodfather and Bull argue and eventually come to blows. Steven Richards tries to get in between them and Goodfather hits him with the Pimp Drop and walks out as Bull and Ivory check on Steven.

COMMERCIAL

In the back Kurt Angle and Vince discuss Sunday’s match with Shane. Kurt wants to know how far Vince wants him to go. Vince says as far as Kurt needs to to make sure the WCW issue is a thing of the past. On that note, he really enjoyed watching Kurt beat former WCW Champion Ron Simmons Thursday Night and suggests he continue his WCW Challenge this Thursday on Smackdown.

Promo Time with Stone Cold Steve Austin

• Austin is all smiles. Last week he got rid of the Hardys, he survived a grueling match-up with Lita and got rid of her, he pinned Triple H on Smackdown and now his two Backlash opponents are going to take out each other tonight. Everything is coming up Stone Cold.
• Mick Foley’s Music hits. Foley tells Austin to enjoy tonight since odds say it will be his last Monday as champion. Also he wants Austin to know that while he may have the night off tonight, to make sure he brings his wrestling gear on Thursday. Because he will be going one-on-one with Kane. Have a Nice Day.

COMMERCIAL

Kurt Angle, William Regal and Raven vs. Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho

• Benoit comes out alone and Jericho is nowhere to be found.
• He refuses to forfeit, even after Regal says it will be a Texas Tornado Handicap Match.
• 3 minutes of Benoit trying to fight off the other three but eventually succumbing to a beat down.
• Raven hits the Evenflow DDT for 3.
• Regal puts Benoit in the Stretch for several moments and finally Jericho’s music hits and he runs in with a chair to make the save.

COMMERCIAL

In the back, Benoit is being checked on by a trainer. He wants to know where the hell Jericho was. Jericho tells him he was in the back talking to Shane when Regal and Angle attacked both of them. Shane McMahon comes into the training room and confirms Jericho’s story.

Hardcore Match- The Big Show vs. Grandmaster Sexay

• Show requested this match to warm up for Rhyno at Backlash.
• 4 minute squash for The Show.
• Show pins Sexay after a throwing a chair at Sexay and then kicking it when he catches it (sort of a big man Van Daminator)
• Rhyno makes his way to the ring and gets into Show’s chest and then holds the Title up for Show to see. Show just nods and smiles.

COMMERCIAL

Perry Saturn and Eddie Guerrero vs. Test and Kane

• JR confirms that Saturn will challenge Test for the Euro title at Backlash and Eddie will wrestle Kane.
• 7 minute tag match
• Radicals wrestle-the other two brawl. Kane and Saturn end up fighting outside. Malenko gets involved and Kane starts beating him down. In the ring Test hits Eddie with the pump handle powerslam. The ref is distracted with Malenko and Kane and Saturn hits a flying elbow on Test. He covers and the ref turns around and counts the 3.

In the back Steve Austin tries to get Vince McMahon to call off the match on Thursday. Vince says there’s nothing he can do but he’ll find some way to make it work.

COMMERCIAL

The Undertaker vs. Triple H

• 9 minute main event.
• Taker works the leg-Hunter works the neck area.
• Hunter gets an advantage late and seems to be setting up the Pedigree.
• William Regal, Kurt Angle, Big Show and Austin all hit the ring and begin a four on two beatdown. Vince is there directing traffic.
• Stephanie tries to get her dad to stop but Big Show picks her up and moves her out of the way.
• Austin is readying to hit Hunter’s knee with a chair ala the way he took out the Rock.
• Suddenly The Hardys music hits!
• The Vince Loyalists all stop and look through the crowd for Matt and Jeff but they are nowhere to be found.
• It does give Steph a chance to cover up Hunter though. Austin wants to just hit her with the chair but McMahon won’t let him. Angle delivers an Angle Slam to Taker onto the chair. Show ends with Austin and the Loyalists celebrating as Taker and Hunter are both again left lying.

Fade to black…

Backlash Card

WWF Title- Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Triple H vs. The Undertaker

Street Fight- Kurt Angle vs. Shane McMahon

Intercontinental Title- Falls Count Anywhere- William Regal vs. Chris Jericho

Raven vs. Chris Benoit

Eddie Guerrero vs. Kane

European Title- Saturn vs. Test

Hardcore Title- Rhyno vs. The Big Show

Tables Match- X-Factor vs. The Dudleys