2/4/02
from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
*PYRO*
*Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler welcome us to the show*
RAW gets off to a hot start as “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair swaggers down the aisle and enters the ring. Naitch acquires a microphone from Lilian Garcia and waits for the cheers to calm down before beginning to talk.
Flair: Thank you everybody, I’m happy that we’re here in one of my favorite cities in the whole world: Las Vegas!
The audience cheers, not understanding just how true that statement likely is.
Flair: Now we’ve got a great show tonight but there’s just a little bit of business I have to get cleared up right now, and I’ll make it quick, I promise. First and foremost, I think it’s safe to say that my 50/50 partnership with Vince McMahon has gotten a little out of hand. I may have taken advantage of him here and there, and in the last few weeks I think he’s gotten out of control too. But Vince and I are both professionals, and I have faith that we can turn this co-ownership around and do what’s best for you fans every single night!
Raucous cheers erupt from the crowd.
Flair: And on that note, there’s something Vince did on SmackDown that I want to address. Because I realized when he endorsed Chris Jericho’s attack on Spike Dudley just because Spike mentioned his name, and then made Spike wrestle Kurt Angle that same night, that this whole thing has gone way too far. So that’s why-
Flair’s speech is interrupted by KURT ANGLE, whose music rings through the Thomas & Mack Center. Dressed in one of his gray t-shirts and a pair of blue track pants, Angle steps between the ropes and is handed a microphone from ringside before standing with his hand on his hip and giving Flair a confused look.
Angle: You know Ric, I just had to come out here because I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. To be quite honest with you, it made me sick! Listening to you come out here and claim that Vince McMahon was the one abusing his power?! Give me a break!
The crowd begins chanting for Flair, which leaves Kurt incensed.
Angle: Oh shut up! I just feel lucky that we have an honorable leader like Vince McMahon, because without Vince and your Olympic Hero, there wouldn’t even be a WWF anymore! It’s true! It is!
“Asshole” chants break out, despite the truth of that statement. Kurt is now standing over Flair, their foreheads pressed together.
Angle: So how about this, Ric. You go backstage, you go into Vince’s office, and you tell him that since Triple H’s quad is re-injured, I deserve his Undisputed Title shot at WrestleMania.
Chants turn to boos as Flair doesn’t budge, even using his hand to nudge Kurt back a step or two.
Flair: Or else what?
This simple retort sends Kurt over the edge, and it looks as though he might be ready to fight his own boss. However, Vince McMahon’s music hits and he begins his powerful walk to the ring as Kurt tries to rein himself in.
Vince: It’s alright Kurt, there’s no need for violence. Because when a WWF superstar is unable to compete, I think it’s only fair that we give these great fans a suitable replacement. And who could be more suitable for the main event of WrestleMania than an American Hero?! An Olympic Gold Medalist!? KURT! ANGLE!!!
Vince turns red in the face hyping up his number one stooge, who raises his arms and accepts cheers that the crowd does not give him like the dork he is. Flair is wholly unimpressed by the whole routine, but offers a response anyway.
Flair: And what exactly makes you think that Triple H is so injured that he can’t make it to WrestleMania?
Vince and Angle look at each other and laugh, Kurt going as far as to literally slap his knee.
Vince: C’mon Ric, you saw it last week just like everybody else did. Kurt sent my son-in-law right back to the hospital! He wasn’t here for SmackDown, and he sure as hell isn’t here tonight.
Flair raises his eyebrows, looking as though he knows something they don’t.
Flair: Actually that’s funny Vince because I talked to Triple H today. Did you?
Vince does his trademark over-the-top gulp as the crowd’s roar grows.
Flair: Yeah actually, he told me he’d be a little late tonight. He should be getting here right about… now.
TIME TO PLAY THE GAME
Out through the curtain comes Triple H, a visible limp as he charges down the aisle and slides into the ring to trade blows with Kurt Angle. HHH gets the better of the exchange despite the injury, driving Kurt into the corner and battering him with right hands. Vince shoves HHH to the side as Flair and various officials who’ve poured out of the back try to break up the brawl. Flair restrains The Game while Vince keeps Kurt out of the fight as RAW goes to break after the chaotic start.
RAW returns with a brief recap of the brawl that kicked off the show, and now we see Kurt Angle and Vince McMahon in a hallway backstage.
Vince: I’m tired of that son of a bitch Flair, dammit!
Angle: And I’ve had it up to here with Triple H! I need you to give me a match with him, please Vince.
Vince smiles devilishly, as if a lightbulb came on above his head.
Vince: I think that’s a great idea, Kurt. And for that match, I’ll be in your corner.
Angle and Vince exchange ill-intentioned smiles as RAW returns to the arena for the entrance of Steven Richards. As he makes his way to the ring we see a recap of his recent encounters with Booker T, including their match that Booker won decisively and Steven’s two failed attempts to sneak attack Booker. Next out is Booker T himself, a pretty sizable reaction enticed out of the Las Vegas crowd for his arrival.
Steven Richards vs Booker T
The match barely has a chance to get underway, as Booker thwarts yet another attempt to catch him off-guard landing a devastating Harlem Sidekick that leaves Richards laid out on the mat like a starfish. Booker takes this time to treat the crowd to a Spinaroonie, then he finishes off a staggering Richards with the Scissors Kick.
Winner: Booker T (0:47)
After winning in literally less than a minute, Booker T can’t help but laugh at his unfortunate opponent. Time and time again, Booker T warned Steven to change his ways, and now he’s found out the consequences. Booker slaps hands with fans while he heads back up the ramp, another convincing victory in his pocket.
Backstage, the camera focuses on Stacy Keibler before zooming out to reveal the snarling WWF Tag Team Champions, the Dudley Boyz. Bubba and D-Von are holding a table upright behind Stacy, D-Von’s tag title around his waist and Bubba’s around his neck.
Bubba: Tazz, Spike, last week we made good on doing exactly what we said we were gonna do! Our own brother shoulda known better, that when the Dudley Boyz say somebody’s going through a table, that means they are. And now these titles are right back where they belong.
Bubba slaps D-Von on the chest, almost tagging his half-brother into this promo.
D-Von: That’s right! And what Spike and Tazz learned, is what the rest of the tag team division should already know! It doesn’t matter who it is: if you step your ass up to the plate, the Dudley Boyz will knock your ass outta the park.
Bubba: And it’s just getting started. You’ll all see it for yourselves on SmackDown.
D-Von: OH MY BROTHER… TESTIFYYYYYYY!
The Dudleys breathe heavily as the camera focuses back on Stacy, who turns her body to the side and runs her hand up and down the table they’re holding behind her.
Stacy: We’ve got wood… do you?
Stacy smiles at the camera in stark contrast to the growling, menacing men on either side of her. Back in the arena, Jazz makes her way to the ring. She is received with a bit of vigor from the fans, thanks to her brutal attack on Trish Stratus last week. Out next is Lita, who receives an extremely warm welcome as she bumps knuckles with the Hardy Boyz at the top of the stage and sends them to the back, looking to go it alone against her extremely dangerous opponent.
Jazz vs Lita
Lita is one of the more formidable opponents we’ve seen for Jazz since she arrived in the WWF, but Jazz’s overpowering strength and tenacity does eventually get the better of Lita. This isn’t before the red-haired competitor frustrates Jazz at every turn with great athleticism and some clever moves. Lita finally makes a mistake when her attempt at the Litacanrana off the top rope is countered with a vicious powerbomb, allowing Jazz to regroup and lock in the Crossface Chickenwing for a submission victory.
Winner: Jazz (6:18)
Jazz shows the effects of the match after the bell, holding her ribs. After her hand is raised by referee Jack Doan, she suddenly decides to target Lita once again! She hooks her arms and raises her back up for the Crossface Chickenwing, but Trish Stratus comes down the aisle with a full head of steam! Jazz sees her No Way Out opponent coming and exits the ring, deciding that it’s better to wait until their title match in 13 days time. Trish checks on Lita while RAW heads back to break.
When RAW comes back, we see a quick recap of Rob Van Dam’s match with Jerry Lynn from SmackDown, that ended when X-Pac got Lynn disqualified via interference. Lynn and X-Pac then engaged in a two-on-one attack on RVD, culminating with a devastating Cradle Piledriver. As the recap fades out, we see Jerry Lynn and X-Pac standing on either side of Jonathan Coachman in the interview area.
Coach: I’m standing by right now with X-Pac and Jerry Lynn, who seem to have found a common ground in their dislike of Rob Van Dam.
Lynn: Well let me stop you right there Coach, because we have a lot more in common than just our hatred for Rob Van Dam.
X-Pac nods his head in agreement, grabbing Coach’s arm and bringing the microphone towards himself in order to keep Lynn’s comments brief, which is usually a good idea.
X-Pac: That’s right. Jerry Lynn is a man I’ve been sharing rings with since I was 16 years old, and everything these fans revere RVD for, we were doing before he’d even put on a pair of boots. Nobody in this business has ever gotten a worse shake than we have! We can outwork and outwrestle anybody in this locker room, ESPECIALLY RVD.
The live crowd’s boos start to trickle in over X-Pac’s words before he continues.
X-Pac: From now on, we’re taking it upon ourselves to take the recognition that none of these people want to give to us. We won’t be in anybody’s shadow ever again! From this point forward, X-Pac and Jerry Lynn are taking after OUR heroes, guys that never got the big break they deserved. That’s why we’re now known as the Minnesota Destruction Crew, and Rob Van Dam is only the first to be destroyed.
X-Pac and Lynn walk off after declaring their team name, an homage to Arn and Ole Anderson (The Minnesota Wrecking Crew), and the Beverley Brothers (The Destruction Crew), all fellow Minnesota residents. Back in the arena, Edge makes his way to the ring and the fans appear happy to see him. The cheering comes to a halt as his opponent, The Big Boss Man, saunters out next. Boss Man hands his nightstick off to the referee and the bell rings to get this match underway.
Edge vs Big Boss Man
Boss Man proves his experience could make a difference in the match in the early going, as he keeps Edge grounded for the most part and continuously cuts off the former Intercontinental Champion’s attempts at offense. The crowd rallies behind Edge, clapping as he begins to make his comeback, but he’s yanked down by the hair before Boss Man taunts the fans. He catches the veteran off guard with an upkick, though, and the comeback begins. Once Edge’s offense gets rolling, his speed and dynamic moves prove too much for Boss Man, who succumbs to the Edgecution for another win.
Winner: Edge (6:22)
Edge celebrates his win back up the ramp, engaging with fans along the way. Suddenly, the Shattered Dreams Productions logo takes over the screen, and breaks away to reveal Goldust in full wig and robe, sitting cross-legged on a director’s chair. The Bizarre One’s hands are running through the bleached locks of his wig before he begins to address the camera.
Goldust: I’m glad I’ve caught your attention, William. I was afraid you might ignore my challenge, but you appear to be more than willing to step into the ring with me. I like that about you… you’re not afraid to make a mistake.
Goldust sighs, uncrossing his legs and leaning towards the camera as he continues to speak.
Goldust: I know I’ve said it before, but with awards season approaching I’ve just felt so inspired… unlike Denzel, I may not bring home an Oscar, but trust me when I tell you my little gold man is excited to see me take the Intercontinental Title. But maybe I’m more like Denzel than I thought… because if you accept my challenge for a title match at No Way Out, it will be your training day. You will learn that there is no amount of cheating, no amount of experience and certainly no punch powerful enough to stop me from capturing gold… I guess you could say “King Kong ain’t got nothing on me”.
The Bizarre One chuckles and bites at the camera, now staring straight down the barrel.
Goldust: And you will never forget the name… of GOLDUST.
The pre-taped video fades out to show William Regal, standing in the interview area next to Terri with a mixture of horror and disgust on his face as he stares at the monitor.
Regal: What the bloody hell was that?! I can’t tell if he wants to wrestle me or turn me into a bloody lampshade! But if it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you’ll bloody get sunshine. The power of the punch and I will see you at No Way Out.
Regal walks away muttering “bloody horrifying” to himself through a scowl as Terri stands unphased by the entire ordeal before RAW goes off to break.
RAW hits the airwaves again with Vince McMahon and Ric Flair inside their office, clearly having an intense discussion as Kurt Angle stands behind Vince with his hands on his hips.
Flair: You want a match with Triple H? Fine. I’d be more than happy to make that happen.
Vince: Perfect! We’ll have it tonight then.
Flair: Oh no you won’t! I’m going to give Triple H as much time as he needs to get his quad healthy enough for a match, so how about… No Way Out?
Angle leans in and whispers something to Vince, who nods.
Vince: No Way Out will work just fine, but something tells me he’ll have a much bigger problem with his ankle than his quad when Kurt gets done with him.
Vince and Angle turn to leave, but Flair stops them.
Flair: Just one last thing: since you’re going to be in Kurt’s corner, and we both want this partnership to be 50/50… I’ll be in Triple H’s corner.
A frown that few other humans are even capable of forming creeps across Vince’s face, his body nearly shaking with rage as Flair smiles smugly back at him. The camera returns to the arena where Jim Ross mentions how big a deal it is that Triple H will have The Dirtiest Player in the Game ringside with him at No Way Out, but Lawler says it won’t matter if he’s not 100% physically.
Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of The Undertaker, who JR says is not scheduled to come out here tonight. He rides his bike around the ring before dismounting and throwing his Hardcore Title into the ring and sliding in after it. He calls for a microphone and is quickly handed one, pacing around the ring with the mic in his right hand and his title belt in his left.
Undertaker: So it seems as though my brother Kane has some type of problem with me because I’ve hurt a few people the last couple weeks. Disagreements with Kane ain’t nothin’ new, and y’all already know how we settle our family disputes. So since Kane is probably the only guy crazy enough to try and cash in on this 24/7 rule, how about we get a ref down here and get to it?
The crowd cheers at the prospect of a confrontation between Undertaker and Kane, as a referee timidly comes out to the ring and Undertaker continues pacing. Finally, the fire shoots at the top of the ramp and the Big Red Machine stomps down the ramp, the crowd now in a frenzy. Kane steps onto the apron and over the top rope, now standing face to face with his brother before raising his arms and shooting fire from the turnbuckles. As the pyro settles and the crowd buzzes with anticipation, Undertaker backs away from Kane and leaves the ring to intense boos!
Undertaker: That’s exactly what I like to see, that’s what I’ve always known you were all about, Kane. You ain’t afraid of nobody, and neither am I. But tonight, in front of these people, we’re gonna keep the family business private.
Taker spikes the mic to the floor and quickly goes back to his motorcycle, riding it away from his brother who just stands stoically in the ring and stares. JR calls Undertaker’s retreat an act of cowardice, while Lawler of course says it was smart because they’ve already got a match scheduled for No Way Out. The camera heads backstage once again, where Terri Runnels is standing by with Chris Jericho in the interview area.
Terri: Chris, now that you know you’ll be stepping inside a steel cage with Stone Cold Steve Austin at No Way Out, you seem to be a little… on edge.
Jericho scrunches his eyebrows and looks at Terri angrily.
Y2J: On edge? Why? Just because I put that little snot Spike Dudley in his place on SmackDown? Listen sweetheart, I would’ve done that either way. I did that to test a theory, and apparently I was right. Yeah, I guess sticking your nose in other peoples’ business is the way to do things around here, at least that’s been working for The Rock and Stone Cold lately.
The crowd boos as Jericho looks more and more unhinged with every word.
Y2J: First, The Rock gets involved in a match between Stone Cold and Lance Storm that had nothing to do with him. Then, Stone Cold returns the favor by turning a one-on-one confrontation between myself and The Rock into a two-on-one assault that I was cunning enough to avoid. But don’t worry, no good deed goes unpunished, because I will be ringside doing commentary tonight when those two assclowns team up to face Lance and Christian. And maybe I’ll stay parked at the desk and tell JR what an obnoxious loser he is… or maybe I won’t. I guess we’ll find out. But either way you can rest assured that at No Way Out, my business, inside that steel cage… will be taken care of.
Jericho smiles sarcastically at the camera before looking at Terri with disgust on his face and storming away. Back in the arena, Mr. Perfect makes his entrance. He does the whole routine, throwing the towel behind his back and catching it in front of him, then spitting his gum into the air and smacking it away as only he can. Next to enter is his opponent, Hardcore Holly, who is no-nonsense as usual as he walks to the ring and locks up with his legendary adversary.
Mr. Perfect vs Hardcore Holly
Our most even contest to this point of the night, Holly and Perfect go back-and-forth for the majority of this one. Holly wows the crowd with his impressive dropkicks and stinging chops, leaving the already red chest of Mr. Perfect even brighter. Perfect is no slouch either, showing off some heavy hands and remarkable technique as he picks up a nearfall with a snapmare and neck snap. Perfect’s showboating ends up creating an opening, but as Hardcore Holly looks to put him away with the Alabama Slam, Perfect wisely grabs hold of the ropes and refuses to let go. When Holly has to let him down, Mr. Perfect is able to roll his opponent up and place his feet on the ropes just out of the view of the ref, stealing a victory.
Winner: Mr. Perfect (8:04)
Hardcore is irate, arguing with the referee to no avail. Mr. Perfect shrugs at the crowd, knowing that a win is a win in the WWF. Holly continues to get his money’s worth out of this argument with Mike Chioda as the show goes to its last break.
RAW returns as it’s main event time, but first we see Jonathan Coachman standing by with The Rock just outside gorilla position.
Coach: Rock, we’re just moments away from a match that we’ve been anticipating all week: you’re going to team up with Stone Cold Steve Austin, a rarity for the WWF fans to see. What are you thinking about as you get ready to go out for this massive match?
The Rock puts a hand up in Coach’s face, bringing his question to a skidding halt.
Rock: …FINALLY, The Rock, HAS COME BACK… to LAS VEGASSSS.
“Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!”
Rock: Now let me get this straight: you just asked The Rock what it feels like to team up with Stone Cold Steve Austin right here tonight in one of The Rock’s favorite cities in the world? Well to be quite honest with you Coach it feels like this… it feels like The Rock’s sitting at the poker table, about to go ALL IN! Because when two forces, two entities, two superstars the size of The Rock and Stone Cold are on the same team… nothing can ever be the same again.
The crowd is split between chanting for Rock or Austin, so they simply begin cheering their lungs out.
Rock: What Lance Storm and Christian need to understand is that THEY can never be the same again after this! The Coach won’t be the same, these fans won’t be the same, hell… even The Rock won’t be the same. That’s because the electricity that runs through this arena when we team together will be unlike anything anybody’s ever seen or felt before! And when you two Canadian jabronis realize you’re in over your heads, and that electricity runs through your body whether you’re getting hit by the Stone Cold Stunner, The People’s Elbow, the Rock Bottom, hell, even the Million Dollar Dream!... you’ll both understand why you should’ve just stayed out of The Rock’s business. IF YA SMELL…. WHAT THE ROCK… IS COOKIN.
The People’s Eyebrow is flashed into the camera before Rock heads towards the arena, where we see Chris Jericho making his full entrance before retiring to the commentary table. He sits next to King and is met with open disgust from JR as Christian and Lance Storm make their entrance. The crowd showers jeers upon them, which Christian and Storm are happy to egg on. Next out is The Rock, whose pop nearly evaporates eardrums throughout the Thomas & Mack Center. Rock stands on the corner staring at his opponents when the glass shatters, and Austin wastes little time hitting the ring and kicking off a brawl.
Christian and Lance Storm vs The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin
Rock and Austin come out of the gates hot, throwing Christian and Storm around the ringside area before the bell is even called for. Austin brings Christian to the announce table and slams his face off it, talking trash to Jericho and flashing the middle fingers in his face while beating up his friend. When Austin turns his back to drag Christian back into the ring, though, Jericho rams him face-first into the ringpost and rolls him in, officially starting the match and giving the advantage to Christian and Storm. The Canadian contingency displays the same synchronicity and teamwork they showed on Heat the night before, keeping Austin away from his corner and focusing their assault on his head that was rammed into the ringpost just moments ago. Austin is kept away from The Rock with every underhanded tactic there is, and even when he does make the tag a distracted Earl Hebner misses it.
It looks as though Christian wants to put the match away, going for the Unprettier on Austin, but this proves costly as he’s shoved towards Storm and knocks him off the apron. The Rattlesnake makes it to his corner and tags in The Rock and the crowd comes unglued. The People’s Champion lays waste to both opponents, taking the momentum back for his team. He traps Christian in the Sharpshooter, looking for a submission, but Christian shows enough fortitude to make it to the ropes. Jericho starts causing a ruckus at ringside, getting into a shouting match with Austin that distracts the referee. At the same time, the crowd is frenzied because The Rock is going for the People’s Elbow on Christian, tossing his elbow pad to the fans and hitting the ropes. When he comes back the other way, though, he’s intercepted with a huge SUPERKICK from Lance Storm! Storm drags Christian on top of The Rock and gets the attention of the referee, looking for a massive upset!
1…
2…
KICKOUT!
The crowd springs to its feet as Christian can’t believe it, and he drags himself to the corner to tag in Storm. Storm measures The Rock for another one, but Rock counters it and has him set up for the Rock Bottom! Christian enters the ring to break it up, but he’s cut off and nailed with the Stone Cold Stunner! Christian is laid out face-first on the mat as The Rock connects with the Rock Bottom, while Austin rolls out of the ring and dives over the announce table onto Jericho! Austin and the Undisputed Champion exchange blows while The Rock gets the pin on Storm.
Winners: The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin (10:44)
Austin and Jericho’s fight is broken up after each man gets some solid shots in, with an army of guys in nondescript WWF polo shirts holding them apart. The Rock ignores the commotion on the floor, raising his arm in victory as RAW ends with dueling shots of Jericho and Austin trading barbs with one another while being held apart.
CONFIRMED FOR NO WAY OUT
UNDISPUTED CHAMPIONSHIP STEEL CAGE MATCH
Chris Jericho (c) vs Stone Cold Steve Austin
Triple H w/ Ric Flair vs Kurt Angle w/ Vince McMahon
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
William Regal (c) vs Goldust
WOMENS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Trish Stratus (c) vs Jazz
HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
The Undertaker (c) vs Kane
