Raw Deal - Raw recap for May 1, 2000

RAW

Edge and Christian guest on commentary for tonight's show, but instead of coming out through the crowd, they walk from backstage down to the ramp. It is also announced that Trish Stratus is okay following being put through a table at Backlash. Edge and Christian proceed to issue an open challenge to any tag team in the back.

T&A (Test and Albert) beat The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) after Edge distracts the referee so that Christian can hit the Impaler on D-Von Dudley.

WWF Chairman Vince McMahon, Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, WWF owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, WWF owner Shane McMahon, Tori and D-Generation X (Triple H, X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James) are seen heading to the ring backstage.

Scott Erickson of the Baltimore Orioles is here with friends in the front row.

WWF Chairman Vince McMahon, Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, WWF owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, WWF owner Shane McMahon, Tori and D-Generation X (Triple H, X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James) show up. Triple H says everyone must be jubilant that he is no longer WWF Champion and that The Rock is just ecstatic, and says he should be because he is the WWF Champion and "beat the best there is to do it." However, he has the feeling that The Rock is not as happy as he should be, as The Rock is an honest man and deep down, something is burning a hole in him: the fact that The Rock could not get the job done by himself. He says that although The Rock won, he needed "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Linda McMahon and "that little piece of crap" Earl Hebner to screw him out of being the WWF Champion. Triple H says that while The Rock is not proud of his victory, he will give him some advice: enjoy his reign while he can, revel in the fact that he is champion and enjoy the adulation of his people, for he is on borrowed time, as their adulation will be short-lived. He says that he will kick The Rock's ass and take back the WWF Championship the first chance that he gets, then tells Jim Ross that he listened to his commentary from last night and admits that Jim Ross is the best that what he does, but that he made one big mistake by repeatedly saying "Game over." He tells J.R. that he was wrong, and he wants everyone to understand clearly that "this game is not over...it is just beginning." Stephanie then takes the microphone and says he is so proud of Triple H, and says that he has never been more proud of her husband or her family, for last night, Triple H proved to the world once again that he is The Game, and that he has no equal. She says that any common man would not have continued to fight The Rock with a separated shoulder, and that her husband is no common man, as he continued to gallantly defend the WWF Championship. Stephanie says she would like to state for the record that she loves her husband and her family. Vince then takes the microphone to make reference to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, saying he is not scheduled to be here tonight; however, if Austin shows up tonight, he guarantees that what will happen tonight to Austin will be far worse than what any hit-and-run driver could ever do. As far as his wife Linda is concerned, he says that it was her who surprised everyone and reinstated Earl Hebner. He also says that he is not a violent man, and that Linda has led "a charmed life" being married to him, as he has never hurt a hair on her head. Nevertheless, if Linda shows up tonight, Triple H will supposedly hit her with a Pedigree. Vince then announces that Earl Hebner has reported for referee duty tonight, and that he will tend to him later. Vince then makes one more guarantee for tonight: when The Rock shows up tonight, WWF history will be made tonight in a steel cage that is hanging above the ring, which soon comes down from the ceiling of the arena.

Backstage, Crash Holly parks his car in the arena. All of a sudden, the parking lot attendant tries to fight him for the WWF Hardcore Championship with Teddy Long as the referee. Crash gets the upper hand, throwing him in the trunk and slamming the trunk door shut before running off.

Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) beat The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy).

Backstage, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon asks Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco to bring him Earl Hebner. WHen Brisco asks Vince if he wants Hebner in a box or on a silver platter, Patterson tells Brisco that Vince just wants to talk to him. Vince tells Patterson "You don't know what I wanna do to him...now just bring me Earl Hebner."

Backstage, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco bring Earl Hebner to WWF Chairman Vince McMahon. Vince asks Brisco and Patterson to wait at the other side of the door, and to not let anyone else in. Vince calls Hebner "a sniveling little shit" and asks him who he thinks he is. He says that if it were not for Hebner and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Triple H would still be champion, but WWF owner Linda McMahon had to reinstate him. Vince calls Hebner "a driveling little piece of dreck," and Hebner says he just wants his job. Vince tells Hebner to shut up, and to stay out of his business, as bad things happen to people who get in his business. He tells Hebner to remember that and to get out of his dressing room.

The current edition of Raw Magazine has five collector's covers of Terri Runnels, Tori, Trish Stratus, The Kat and Ivory in swimsuits.

The Kat and Jacqueline beat Terri Runnels and Ivory after Jacqueline hits Terri with an elbow drop and drapes The Kat on top of her while the referee is dealing with Ivory. After the match, Jacqueline and Ivory have another catfight.

Backstage, "Road Dogg" Jesse James and X-Pac demand a rematch against Edge and Christian from WWF Chairman Vince McMahon and WWF owner Stephanie McMahon-Helsmley after how Edge and Christian "spilled their blood" last night. Vince tells them he gets it, but they will not get their rematch tonight. Tonight, however, is family night, and Vince tells Road Dogg he has a special assignment for him. As for X-Pac, Vince asks him to defend Stephanie's honor against Chris Jericho.

Earl Hebner is re-introduced as a referee before the next match.

Before the next match, Chris Jericho welcomes everyone to "Raw Is Jericho" before telling X-Pac that he feels terrible for him for having to defend the honor of a woman who has absolutely none, for as far as WWF owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley is concerned, the word means "jump on her and stay on her." After misspelling the word "honor" as "honer," he says that Stephanie is half of that as well as a filthy, dirty, disgusting, brutal, skanky, bottom-feeding trash bag ho and no amount of defending will never, ever change that.

Chris Jericho beats X-Pac by disqualification when X-Pac shoves referee Earl Hebner shoves back, which leads to a disqualification for X-Pac for putting his hands on him. During the match, it is announced that Chris Jericho has been fined $5,000 for physical abuse towards referee Tim White after White disqualified him at Backlash. After the match, Jericho gets X-Pac in the Walls of Jericho, then "Road Dogg" Jesse James runs in and hits Jericho in the back of the head before confronting Hebner. Road Dogg shoves him, but just like X-Pac, he also gets shoved back, and the rest of the referees in the back have to restrain both Hebner and Jericho.

The Rock is seen in the parking lot heading to the arena.

WAR ZONE

The Rock shows up. He says he gave his word that he would win the WWF Champion at Backlash, but he was not the only one who gave his word that night as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin did, too. He knows that Austin is listening at home with a beer in each hand, and tells him "Oh, hell yeah." He also knows that Triple H and WWF Chairman Vince McMahon were running their mouths earlier, and he tells WWF owner Shane McMahon to know his role, Triple H to shut his mouth, Vince McMahon to lick a llama's anus and WWF owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley to wear her "dirty panties." He says that whatever they want to do to him and whatever they have in store for him, all they have to do is bring it. Vince shows up along with Shane, Stephanie, Triple H, Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson. Vince tells The Rock that he announced that WWF history would be made tonight, and that it will. He announces that The Rock will have the shortest reign of any WWF Champion in history, for tonight, he will defend the WWF Championship in a steel cage against Shane McMahon. Vince then says that to spare him the humiliation, Shane does not have to pin or submit him; he just has to climb out of the steel cage. As he says this, the crowd chants "Shane's a pussy!" Vince says that if the crowd thinks that, then tonight, Shane will become the WWF Champion. He says the first man who climbs out of the cage will be the winner, and that winner will be Shane McMahon. The Rock responds by saying that instead of being the shortest reign in WWF history, it will be the longest night in Shane's night.

Backstage, Triple H talks with WWF owner Shane McMahon, telling him that the WWF Championship belongs to him. Shane says it doesn't matter who wins it as long as it is kept in the family, but Triple H tells him it matters to him.

Before the next match, Edge and Christian come down the ramp the backstage. Edge says that the fans may be disappointed that he and Christian did not do the "mysterious running through the crowd thing," but ever since they won the tag team titles, it has become a bit much. However, he wants the fans to know that they have not turned their backs on them, and for the next five seconds, they will generously pose for all the fans for the benefit of flash photography. (This becomes the start of an Edge and Christian trademark.) Christian then tells the fans that in case they did not hear them earlier, we issued an open challenge to any young up-and-coming tag teams in the WWF. The challenge is answered by Rikishi and Big Show, who is dressed much like Rikishi and goes by the name of "Showkishi."

Big Show and Rikishi beat Edge and Christian after Edge hits Big Show in the back of the head with the ring bell. Edge and Christian retain the WWF Tag Team Championships. Afterwards, Edge and Christian roll out of the ring to avoid a double Banzai Dro, then get attacked by D-Generation X (X-Pac and "Road Dogg" Jesse James). Referees have to keep them out of the ring, where Big Show and Rikishi get their revenge on Edge and Christian with a double Stinkface. Big Show and Rikishi then dance.

Backstage, Triple H vents his frustration about the possibility of the WWF Championship being around WWF owner Shane McMahon's waist to his wife, WWF owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, saying the title is his. Stephanie tells Triple H that she does not get what is going is either, and says that Vince probably wants to see who the better man is.

Members of the Baltimore Ravens football team are seen in the front row.

Lita is seen wearing Chyna's prom dress as she heads to the ring with Essa Rios before the next match.

Eddie Guerrero retains the WWF European Championship against Essa Rios. After the match, Chyna drop kicks Essa Rios into Lita, then rips her prom dress back off of Lita's body to the point that it becomes a big red rag, stripping Lita to her bra and panties.

Backstage, Tori knocks a cup of hot coffee onto Earl Hebner's referee shirt and tries to play it off as an accident.

Before the next match, Tazz says Chris Benoit shows up week in and week out with "that same puss" on his face, as if the world owes him something. He tells Benoit that he plans to turn that frown upside down, and to keep his mood for the mood is about to change. It is then announced that Mick Foley will appear on Now And Again this Friday night. (Ironically, this Friday night's episode is the series' last.)

Chris Benoit retains the WWF Intercontinental Championship against Tazz. During the match, Perry Saturn shows up, and the distraction is enough to allow Benoit to hit the Fisherman's Suplex bridge pin to retain. After the match, Tazz attacks Perry Saturn, then Hardcore HOlly shows up and attacks Benoit in the ring before hitting a leaping clothesline on both Tazz and Saturn from the ring apron.

Earl Hebner is talking with the rest of the referees at a stairwell when Triple H shows up. Triple H corners Hebner near the wall in an act of intimidation, and Hebner runs away.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews Crash Holly, who is constantly looking over his shoulder. Nevertheless, he sasy there is no pressure, then thinks Michael Cole is looking at him funny before admitting that the pressure is getting to him and that he is getting crazy looks everywhere he goes, causing him to think everyone in the world wants to take the WWF Hardcore Championship from him. Suddenly, he is attacked from behind with a trash can by "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman, who grabs a referee and makes him count the pinfall. This leads to an impromptu match for the WWF Hardcore Championship. Crash manages to escape, but not before two members of the Baltimore Ravens football team attack him and try to pin Crash to win the title.

Before the next match, Triple H, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon and WWF owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley show up before WWF owner Shane McMahon, who is flanked by Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco, who are wearing referee shirts.

Despite interference by WWF Chairman Vince McMahon, Triple H and Pat Patterson, The Rock retains the WWF Championship in a steel cage match against Shane McMahon after Earl Hebner shows up, pushes Patterson into the steel cage wall and slams the cage door on Triple H's head. (When Triple H is about to get in the cage to punch The Rock multiple times, he is heard saying "I'm going in, right?")