Raw Deal - Raw recap for April 24, 2000

RAW

Before the next match, Kurt Angle shows up and says everyone wants to know why he is putting his quest for championship gold aside to focus on Big Show. He says that Big Show is "a big ass," and he does not like or appreciate big asses. He also announces that his opponent tonight is Rikishi, and says that if Rikishi's parents practice abstinence, everyone would not be exposed to the repulsive rectum that he carries today. Afterwards, it is announced on commentary that X-Pac will not be here tonight due to a loss in the family.

Rikishi Phatu beats Kurt Angle by disqualification after Angle shoves the referee into Rikishi. After the match, Big Show rusn in and hit Angle with a sidewalk slam, then Angle gets the Stinkface from Rikishi in the corner. Big Show then chases Kurt Angle to the back, then stares down with Rikishi before handing Rikishi his dancing glasses, giving him a high-five and heading to the back while Rikishi dances.

The DX Express is seen stopping outside in the parking lot, with Triple H and WWF co-owners Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley heading towards the arena.

Backstage, Trish Stratus has a message for Buh Buh Ray Dudley, saying there is just something about tables that drives her crazy. There are long ones, round ones, larger ones and smaller ones depending on what kind of company you have. However, the one thing they all have in common is that have to be hard.

Triple H and WWF co-owners Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley show up. Shane says that WWF Chairman Vince McMahon will be here shortly to grace all of the fans with his presence. In the meantime, he has something to say. He says that sometimes, he can be a bit of a hot-head, and he apologizes to Triple H for his actions from last week's Raw. Shane says that he now knows that Triple H loves the McMahon family as much as he does, and that he would never, ever Pedigree their mother - Triple H's mother-in-law - ever again. He says that Triple H is the best brother-in-law one could ever have and that he never had a big brother, then says "I love you, man!" and hugs Triple H, who hugs back. Stephanie says Triple H and Shane warm her heart, and says that she would like to apologize to all the fans if she has in any way hurt their feeling with her actions, because she can empathize and knows how it is like to have her feelings hurt. She says the fans only see one side of her and that she is a deeply caring soul, and she is extraordinarily sensitive. She says that when the fans call her a slut, she almost cries, and says it it extremely unfair for the fans to pass judgment without knowing the real her. After the three of them hug each other, Triple H says he could not agree with her more, and says the fans owe her a big apology as they know absolutely nothing about her. Triple H then apologizes to the fans, as it has been brought to his attention as of late that the fans have though he has been unfair in some of the business decisions that have been made in the WWF as of late, and asks if it was unfair of him to take Chris Jericho's big win and strike it from the record books so that it never took place. He also asks if it unfair for him to humiliate and fire ex-referee Earl Hebner on national television, as well as whether or not it was unfair to make The Rock compete in a Lumberjack Match so close to Backlash knowing that he will get his ass kicked before he gets his ass kicked again by him at Backlash. Triple H says he is not an unfair guy, and that if there is anything he is, it is fair. Before he can make a big announcement, however, Chris Jericho shows up. He says the only thing Triple H needs to apologize for is boring the Jerichoholics half to death, as week after week, he does these whiny, tedious interviews that nobody cares about, and pleads with Triple H to shut the hell up. As for being fair, he says that if Triple H wants to be fair, he should agree to give him a rematch for the WWF Championship tonight. Triple H doubts if he should reward Jericho for sticking his nose is business he does not belong in as well as for saying derogatory comments to his wife Stephaie, saying Stephanie is very sensitive and delicate. Jericho says Stephanie "lost her flower a long time ago," because there is no other way she could be a filthy, dirty disgusting, skanky, brutal, bottom-feeding trash bag ho in the first place. Shane says he is tired of him and The Rock disparaging Stephanie, and tonight, he and Triple H want to take him and The Rock on in a tag team match. Triple H says this is a good idea, and tells Jericho his request for a WWF Championship rematch tonight is denied, but he is in luck if he wants to get his ass kicked. As Triple H speaks, Stephanie is dangling the WWF Championship back and forth near the edge of the ring, and Jericho yanks it from her before heading to the back. This upsets Triple H, who goes after Jericho only to be smacked in the face by the title. Jericho drops the title and heads back up the ramp as Shane checks on Triple H while yelling at Jericho.

Backstage, Eddie Guerrero and Chyna try on outfits for a prom. Chyna is in a black dress, but Eddie is in a dark green jacket and a T-shirt with a tuxedo design printed on it, which Chyna says makes Eddie look like "a Gumby reject."

We see footage from during the commercial break where Chris Jericho is attacked by Chris Benoit from behind with the WWF Intercontinental Championship, telling him that the Intercontinental title is another championship that he is not going to get.

Edge and Christian guest on commentary for the next match.

Chris Benoit beats "Road Dogg" Jesse James. During the match, Tori shows up and briefly confronts Edge and Christian at the commentary table. Later on, Edge and Christian try to run in on the match, and while Tori stops Christian, distracting referee Jimmy Korderas in the process, Edge is able to get in the ring and hit Road Dogg with a Spear, almost getting caught in the process. Benoit then hits the top rope diving headbutt for the win. After the match, Edge and Christian double-team Road Dogg, and when Tori tries to grab Edge by the hair, Christian lays her out.

Backstage, Kurt Angle offers The Acolyte Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw) money to beat up Big Show, but Bradhsaw reminds him that they protect people for money, not beat each other money. Nevertheless, they are open to his offer. Angle says he has a lot of money in the locker room, and says he will be right back, but not before telling them to cut down on the swearing and the smoking as well as to add a nicer aesthetic to the office. This only raises the ire of the Acolytes, who throw beer cans at Angle and tell him to go away.

Backstage, Kurt Angle walks in on a conversation between The Big Boss Man, Bull Buchanan and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and asks them for help with Big Show. This leads to Big Boss Man talking about how he gave Big Show a hard time when his father died last year and also gives Stephanie a good idea, and has Boss Man and Bull Buchanan in a two-on-one handicap match, which they accept.

The Hollys (Hardcore and Crash Holly) beat The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy) after Crash Holly hits Jeff Hardy in the back in an Seanton Bomb attempt while the referee is telling Matt Hardy to get back in his corner. After the match, the Hardys attack Crash from behind and get him back in the ring, and while Crash is fighting back, Perry Saturn runs into the ring as this match becomes an imromptu match for the WWF Hardcore Championship. As Hardcore Holly slowly heads down the ramp not believing what he is seeing, Tazz hits him from behind and also gets involved. However, after a Swanton Bomb from Matt Hardy onto Crash, Matt Hardy wins the WWF Hardcore Championship. Matt Hardy runs away with the Hardcore Championship while Perry Saturn, Tazz and Hardcore Holly continue to fight one another at ringside.

Backstage, Eddie comes out in a red vest, tan boots and everything else in black. Meanwhile, Chyna is wearing a different black dress, and tells Eddie to try on the tuxedo she got him. Eddie tells Chyna that the dress she is currently wearing is the best, then Chyna decides to try on the red one.

Backstage, Trish Stratus - now wearing less than she was last time - tells Buh Buh Ray Dudley that upkeep is very important. She sprays wood polish on a table, as the look and feel of the table depends solely on the way one decides to rub it down after it has been used. The more you rub it, the better the wood starts to look.

Big Show beats The Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan by disqualification after Kurt Angle runs in and hits Big Show with a low blow. After the match, Angle, Boss Man and Buchanan continue to attack Big Show, then The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) go after Boss Man and Buchana and chase them to the back. Big Show gets back up in the ring, and he is not in a good mood.

A black limousine pulls up, and WWF Chairman Vince McMahon comes out of it and heads towards the arena.

Backstage, Trish Stratus - who now appears to be wearing even less - tells Buh Buh Ray Dudley that the most important part of any table is its legs, and that table legs come in all different shapes and sizes. She then says the most important one is a center leg, for without it, you can't keep it up.

WAR ZONE

WWF Chairman Vince McMahon shows up. Vince says last week, while he is in Europe, his family's actions in the ring were deplorable and reprehensible, and shows irritation at "Stone Cold" Steve Austin being in The Rock's corner at Backlash. He says that this announcement enraged the rest of the family, who then proceeded to become physically violent with each other. He asks if he is the only sane member of the McMahon family of it is all just in his imagination. Vince says Triple H may have convinced the rest of the family that he was only trying to scare WWF co-owner Linda McMahon, but he is not entirely convinced and tells him not to touch his wife ever again. As far as Triple H's tag team match goes, Triple H will have to find another partner as WWF co-owner Shane McMahon has been assigned new duties. If he cannot, it will be a two-on-one handicap match. Vince then focuses on Backlash and Steve Austin, and says nobody knows Austin better than he does, and says that if The Rock things Austin will lead him to the promised land of the WWF Championship, he should think again, as about a year ago, something happened between The Rock and Austin. We see footage from April 1999 where Austin fdestroyed The Rock's new Lincoln Continental, and says The Rock was not happy that night, as The Rock vowed that he would never drive his personal car to an arena again and he would get even with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and he eventually would seven months later. Vince then mentions that The Rock's car hit "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, putting Austin out of action for months. While The Rock was not driving the vehicle, The Rock was the one person that would benefit most by putting Austin on the shelf. With Austin gone, The Rock got on the highway to success that Vince and Austin paved, and Vince tells The Rock that when he thinks about Austin, he should be thinking thinking of three initials: "DTA," or "don't trust anybody." Vince then asks The Rock if he can trust Austin, or if Austin will be strike The Rock and drive the venom into The Rock's flesh. He then says that when Austin turns on The Rock, then and only then will it dawn on The Rock that Backlash is an appropriate name for this Sunday's pay-per-view.

Backstage, Chyna - in a red dress - and Eddie Guerrero - in a tuxedo - are dressed up for the prom. They then realize that Eddie has a match in ten minute, then they fool around behind the changing area.

D'Lo Brown and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman beat Al Snow and The Godfather, the former dressed like The Godfather, as is Head. After the match, Al Snow wants the hos to dance with him, but The Godfather beats him up and tosses him out of the ring.

We lock back at September 1998, when "Stone Cold" Steve Austin rides a Coors Light zamboni to the ring and beats up WWF Chairman Vince McMahon only to get arrested by police.

Dusty Anderson, proprietor of Vinnie's Steakhouse in Raleigh, North Caorlina, is seen in the audience.

We hear from Trish Stratus yet again, as she lays seductively on top of a table as she says that lying on a table gets her excited. However, it is not the same without Buh Buh Ray Dudley, and if he plays his cards right at Backlash, there will be a table set for two from her to him.

Val Venis beats Eddie Guerrero. During the match, Essa Rios and Lita show up, and both of them brawl with Chyna on the outside while Val Venis goes for the Money Shot for the win. After the match, Essa Rios and Lita stomp away at Eddie until Chynag ets in the ring, and Lita narrowly escapes along with Essa Rios.

Edge and Christian beat The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley). During the match, T&A (Test and Albert) bring out Trish Stratus on a table, and when Buh Buh Ray sees Trish sitting seductively on the table, he is distracted, but not enough to cost The Dudley Boyz the match. Later on, however, Trish Stratus stands up and takes off her jacket, then starts dancing. Buh Buh Ray is mesmerized as D-Von Dudley is pinned for the three count. When he finds out that he and D-Von have lost, he is flabbergasted.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews The Rock, who says that he is looking forward for tonight's match and that the countdown is on for Backlash. He tells WWF Chairman Vince McMahon that he may be right about "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and that Austin should not fully trust him, either. However, Vince can count on him and Austin being unified when it comes to not trusting him, and that if Austin had a problem with him, he would say it to his face. He also says that Vince implied that he had it easy, then says that WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley is "easy" and that he has never had it easy since he lost the WWF Championship. Since then, he has kicked, scratched and clawed his way back to where he is now and call himself "The People's Champion." The Rock then makes it clear he will beat Triple H and walk out of Backlash as WWF Champion.

As Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley leave the DX Express outside of the arena, Triple H demands that somebody had better have his back if tonight's main event is a two-on-one handicap match.

Before the next match, Triple H introduces his new tag team partner for this match: Chris Benoit. He then announces that WWF co-owner Shane McMahon will be the special guest referee for this match, replacing the original referee for this match. Triple H also introduces WWF Chairman Vince McMahon as the man who will be in his corner right now in addition to at Backlash.

Triple H and Chris Benoit beat Chris Jericho and The Rock. During the match, WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon "distracts" special guest referee Shane McMahon, and The Rock attacks him. WWF Chairman Vince McMahon goes after him and chases him out of the ring, then continues on with the match. When he goes for The People's Elbow, however, Vince kicks him in the groin from behind, allowing Triple H to hit The Rock with a Pedigree to get the win.