Raw Deal - Raw recap for March 13, 2000

RAW

Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley show up to start tonight's show. Before Stephanie can speak, Big Show and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon join them. Shane talks about how last Thursday night marked a momentous occasion when the four of them put their differences aside until WrestleMania - when Big Show becomes WWF Champion - as well as when The Rock was systematically destroyed. He says that The People's Champ was turned into "our People's Chump," then the footage of the beatings The Rock received from The Radicalz (Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero), The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) and the tandem of himself, Triple H and Big Show throughout last Thursday's SmackDown is replayed on the TitanTron. Triple H tells The Rock that all he had to do was go away, as there was a million other things he could have done, such as go after other championships, but he had to keep coming back and getting in their business; as a result, The Rock got his ass kicked three times in one night. Triple H says this is The Rock's fault, as he just could not go away and he "beat himself." Triple H says that what works with The Rock is not just beatings, but humiliation, as the humiliation is what really gets the job done. Triple H says is started last week and it will continue tonight and every night as he will know his role and they will humiliate him into accepting it. Stephanie then says that as far as WrestleMania, they have to give the people what they want, and The Rock will compete at WrestleMania. Instead of the main event, it will be a special handicap match. She then says they have searched high and low for competition, and have found it in the biggest tag team to ever enter the WWF: The Twin Towers. Instead of the real Twin Towers (The Big Boss Man and Akeem), two little men in suits show up to comedic music. Stephanie then says that The Rock will hopefully not come up so short, then one of the little men does The People's Eyebrow at Triple H's request before telling The Rock to smell what he is cooking. Shane then says this is a very tall order, and decides to call the two little men "Boulder and Gibraltar" before saying the match would be better as a Tuxedo Match, where both of the little men's tuxedos have to be ripped off for The Rock to win. Triple H says it will be hard finding tuxedo's for them, and neither can Big Show, and says it would be better if it were an Evening Gown Match. Big Show tries to one-up them by making it a two-out-of-three falls match. Triple H then proposes a "midget on a pole" match, as anything is always good on a pole. Suddenly, The Rock shows up, and says that every single week, the McMahon coalition (Triple H, Big Show, Shane, Stephanie) cracks their jokes, but the jokes are over. He says that they throw every single match they can at it, but he has had it with the humiliation. He mentions Triple H driving Mick Foley out of the WWF, and gives Triple H the opportunity to do the same to him, even though his career has yet to reach its peak. He proposes a match between himself and Big Show, and if he wins, he goes on to the WWF Championship match at WrestleMania; if he loses, he will never be seen in the WWF again. The McMahon coalition mulls over this, then Shane accepts the challenge. The Rock then tells Shane that he is not done yet, and says there will be no interference or anybody in the coalition at ringside; if anyone gets in the way, he will still win the match and go on to WrestleMania. The McMahon coalition mulls over this again, then Triple H says The Rock is dumber than he thought he was and cannot comprehend why he would put his career; nevertheless, it it gives the coalition to kick him out of the WWF, they accept. The Rock then says he is putting it all on the line because he does not have anyone in his corner like Triple H and Big Show do; instead, he has the people.

Before the next match, Al Snow proposes to "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman that they are so popular they should have their own television series known as "The Al Snow-Steve Blackman Mystery Time Travel Adventure Hour." Blackman thinks it is the stupidest thing he has ever heard and that Snow needs a straitjacket. Al Snow knocks on the door, and a man dressed as Abraham Lincoln walks out. Snow tells him he needs a little more time.

The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy) beat Al Snow and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman with an inside cradle from Matt Hardy to Steve Blackman after Matt misses a top rope moonsault.

Kurt Angle is seen backstage talking to a member of building staff about his match tonight.

"Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry tells Mae Young - now wheelchair-bound - to stay in the locker room, and that while The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) may kick his ass, he will take one of them with him.

The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) vs. "Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry in a 2-on-1 handicap match ends in a no-contest. Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah are seen watching the match from backstage. Shortly afterwards, Buh Buh Ray tells D-Von "Take care of him" before heading to the back and grabbing Mae Young by the handles of the wheelchair as The Fabulous Moolah is in the nearby bathroom. Buh Buh Ray tells Mae to enjoy the ride, as it will be the last one she ever takes. Buh Buh Ray then wheels Mae to the stage, much to the chagrin of Mark Henry, before bringing her to the bottom of the ramp to watch Mark Henry get beaten up. After The Dudleys hit Mark Henry with a Dudley Death Drop, they hand the tag team titles to Mae before Buh Buh Ray tells Mae to forget about Mark Henry. The Dudleys then take Mae Young up the ramp before Buh Buh Ray looks for a table off the edge of the stage. D-Von considers running Mae Young, wheelchair and all, off the stage, but Buh Buh Ray stops him so that he can powerbomb her off the stage and into a table. Referees and EMTs have to check on Mae and put her on a stretcher.

"Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry is despondent in the ambulance as The Fabulous Moolah waves off the ambulance, refusing to get in.

Before the next match, Kurt Angle says there are rumors going around that last week on Raw, Chris Jericho had him beaten. He then shows footage from where Bob Backlund put both Chris Jericho and Tazz in the crossface chicken wing. He says that everyone makes mistakes, but he gave it a second thought and says that Backlund is a true American hero and a two-time WWF Champion, which makes him a hero. He then says he is in New Jersey, which is in dire need of a hero, and says Bon Jovi does not count before declaring himself an honorary hometown and home state hero. Jericho then shows up, welcomes everyone to Raw Is Jericho, and says that Angle has a special love connection with Bob Backlund after how they act together as Backlund matches his requirements for the three I's - an idiot, an imbecile and an ignoramus, just like Angle. Tazz then shows up and demands the next match be no disqualification before fighting both Angle and Jericho.

Kurt Angle retains the WWF European Championship against Chris Jericho and Tazz in a no-disqualification match. During the match, Bob Backlund gets in the ring only to fall victim to the Tazzmission, and Angle pushes him away only to fall victim to the WEalls of Jericho from Jericho. Backlund breakss the hold, and Chyna runs into the ring to hit Backlund with a low blow to stop a potential crossface chickenwing from Backlund. After a triangle drop kick off the corner to Tazz, Jericho gets hit with the WWF Intercontinental Championship by Angle, who retains.

Triple H talks with X-Pac, Tori and "Road Dogg" Jesse James, telling them they will kick Too Cool's (Grandmaster Sexay, Scotty 2 Hotty, Rikishi Phatu) asses before sending The Rock out of the WWF.

Kevin Kelly interviews Ivory backstage. Ivory says The Rock should win tonight, as he really is The People's Champion and knows how to represent the WWF. She goes on to say that if The Rock loses, so will the fans.

D-Generation X (Triple H, X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James) beats Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay, Scotty 2 Hotty, Rikishi Phatu) after X-Pac hits Rikishi with a ring bell as WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley distracts referee Earl Hebner from the apron.

Kane stares down The Rock backstage, then simply says to him "Good luck."

WAR ZONE

Kane beats The Big Boss Man with a choke slam after ducking a swing of The Big Boss Man's nightstick.

Kevin Kelly interviews The Godfather. He and his hos predict that The Rock will win as his speed will outmatch Big Show's strength.

Michael Cole interviews The Fabulous Moolah. Moolah says she feels nothing and says Mae Young got what she deserved, saying nobody heard of Mae until she brought her to the WWF and that she is still nothing now, and says she disgraced her and the WWF with her behavior as well as stealing her spotlight. She also does not care if "that bitch" Mae Young ever comes back.

Dean Malenko beats Essa Rios to become the WWF Light Heavyweight Champion after Eddie Guerrero powerbombs Lita from the outside as she goes after him for getting on the apron only to be knocked off by Essa Rios.

Terri Runnels is seen making a deal with The Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw) when Mideon delivers some beer. Much to the chagrin of the APA, the beer is hot.

Jason Williams of the New Jersey Nets is one of a few local sports stars seen in the front row.

Terri Runnels shows up in a lighted jacket before the next match to watch the next match from ringside.

The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) beat Edge and Christian after Edge is distracted by Mideon and Christian is distracted by Terri Runnels. After the match, Mideon tries to celebrate with The Acolytes only to be tossed towards Edge and Christian, who proceed to beat him up.

We see footage from earlier today in the Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, where The Mean Street Posse (Rodney, Pete Gas, Joey Abs) attack Crash in the baggage area. Despite Prince Albert also fighting off the Posse, Pete Gas pins Crash to become the WWF Hardcore Champion. Crash then hits Pete Gas from behind with his scale, then pins him to regain the WWF Hardcore Championship and win it for a second time. He then runs across the conveyor belt of the baggage area to get away from everyone.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews Big Show and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon. Shane says they have had fun beating up The Rock and humiliating him, but tonight, The Rock is putting his own career on the line and neither himself of Big Show will be held responsible when The Rock is no longer in the WWF and the only way "Rocky" chants will be heard is on videotape.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews The Headbangers (Thrasher and Mosh). They predict that Big Show will win, and says The Rock can get a job carrying their cones or writing a book about how he is unemployed.

The Radicalz (Chris Benoit and Perry Saturn) beat Val Venis and Test. The match is Val Venis' first match back since suffering a sprained neck. During the match, Eddie Guerrero shows up to watch the match from ringside, and Eddie Guerrero gets on the apron only to be knocked foff by Test. Eddie ends hitting Test in the head as the referee is unable to see him so that Benoit can get a German Suplex bridge pin for the win.

WrestleMania is three weeks away!

Before the next match, WWF co-owner Shane McMahon forces referee Earl Hebner to the back so that he can make himself the referee of the match, as he removes his jacket to reveal a referee's shirt underneath afterwards.

The Rock beats Big Show to go on to the WWF Championship match at WrestleMania. (Had The Rock lost, he would have been forced to leave the World Wrestling Federation.) During the match, Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley are seen watching the match from their own dressing room. Later on in the match, Big Show inadvertently hits referee Shane McMahon with a clothesline meant for The Rock, who hits Big Show with a Rock Bottom followed by The People's Elbow. He goes for the pinfall, but there is no referee. Referee Earl Hebner runs back in and counts the infall, but he is dragged out of the ring and beaten up by Shane, who slides into the ring and dives at The Rock with a steel chair. Suddenly, a limousine is seen parking in the arena, and WWF Chairman Vince McMahon comes out. Shane is alarmed, and Triple H and Stephanie storm out of their dressing room to confront Vince, who knocks down Triple H with one punch before heading to the ring, punching out Shane and hitting him in the head with a steel chair. Vince then pulls the referee's shirt off of Shane and puts it on himself, as The Rock hits Big Show with another Rock Bottom to count the pinfall and give The Rock the win.