WWE 2003: Turning Point

[Kames]

WWE 2003: TURNING POINT

The Attitude Era was over, and the World Wrestling Entertainment was entering a new phase. The stars that had carried the company to new heights were moving on. Stone Cold is retired. The Rock is becoming a bigger star in Hollywood each day. Mick Foley had stepped away. For the first time in a few years, WWE was forced to move forward without the names that defined an era. New stars are expected to rise. New rivalries are expected to define a new era. WWE was experiencing an identity shift right before our eyes.

But not everything went the way it should have.

Let's have fun fixing it.

***

A long, long time ago, I dabbled in writing and booking. I even posted a few not so successful projects. Like a lot of wrestling fans, I drifted away from wrestling in my young adult years. But over the past few years, I've found myself a fan again. I stumbled across this website a while back and it got my creative juices flowing again. I'll be focused more on the booking side of things, rather than writing, so most weekly shows will be done in recap form.

***

Monday Night Raw
Al Snow
Batista
Booker T
Bubba Ray Dudley
Chief Morley
Chris Jericho
Chris Nowinski
Christian
D-Von Dudley
D'Lo Brown
Goldberg
Goldust
Jamal
Jeff Hardy
Kane
Lance Storm
Mark Henry
Maven
Randy Orton
Raven
Rene Dupree
Ric Flair
Rico
Rob Van Dam
Rodney Mack
Rosey
Scott Steiner
Shawn Michaels
Spike Dudley
Steven Richards
Test
The Hurricane
The Rock
Tommy Dreamer
Triple H
William Regal

Ivory
Jacqueline
Jazz
Lita
Molly Holly
Stacy Kiebler
Terri
Trish Stratus
Victoria

General Manager: Eric Bischoff
Play by Play Commentator: Jim Ross
Color Commentator: Jerry Lawler
Backstage Interviewers: Jonathan Coachman & Terri
Ring Announcer: Lilian Garcia

Thursday Night Smackdown
A-Train
The Big Show
Bill DeMott
Billy Gunn
Billy Kidman
Bradshaw
Brian Kendrick
Brock Lesnar
Charlie Haas
Chavo Guerrero
Chris Benoit
Chuck Palumbo
Edge
Eddie Guerrero
Faarooq
Funaki
Hardcore Holly
Hulk Hogan
Jamie Noble
John Cena
Johnny Stamboli
Kurt Angle
Matt Hardy
Nathan Jones
Nunzio
Rey Mysterio
Rhyno
Rikishi
Scotty 2 Hotty
Sean O'Haire
Shannon Moore
Shelton Benjamin
Tajiri
Ultimo Dragon
Undertaker

Dawn Marie
Miss Jackie Gayda
Nidia
Torrie Wilson

General Manager: Stephanie McMahon
Play by Play Commentator: Michael Cole
Color Commentator: Tazz
Backstage Interviewers: Josh Matthews & Funaki
Ring Announcer: Tony Chimel

CHAMPIONS

WWE Champion
Brock Lesnar
Defeated Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XIX

World Heavyweight Champion
Triple H
Defeated Shawn Michaels at Armageddon 2002

WWE Tag Team Champions
Team Angle (Charlie Hass & Shelton Benjamin)
Defeated Los Guerreros on February 4th, 2003 edition Smackdown

World Tag Team Champions
Chief Morley & Lance Storm
Awarded the Championships on the March 24th, 2003 edition of Raw

Cruiserweight Champion
Matt Hardy
Defeated Billy Kidman at No Way Out 2003

Women's Champion
Trish Stratus
Defeated Victoria & Jazz at WrestleMania XIX​

WRESTLEMANIA XIX ​

Matt Hardy defeated Rey Mysterio to retain the Cruiserweight Championship. Hardy rolled Mysterio up, using the ropes for leverage to get the pin.

Undertaker defeated Big Show and A-Train in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match. What was initially scheduled to be a tag team match, featuring Nathan Jones teaming with The Undertaker, turned into a handicap match after Big Show and A-Train attacked Nathan Jones before the match. Undertaker won with a tombstone on A-Train, after a run in from Nathan Jones.

Trish Stratus defeated Victoria and Jazz to win the Women's Championship. Trish pinned Victoria after a Chick Kick.

Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas) defeated Los Guerreros (Eddie & Chavo Guerrero) and Rhyno & Chris Benoit in a Triple Threat Tag team Match to retain the WWE Tag Team Championships. Rhyno hit a gore on Chavo, but Benjamin tagged himself into the match and pinned Chavo.

Shawn Michaels defeated Chris Jericho. After the match, Jericho and Michaels had a moment of respect with a hug, however Jericho hit Michaels with a low blow.

Triple H defeated Booker T to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. After a ref bump, Randy Orton and Batista attacked Booker T, allowing Triple H to eventually hit the Pedigree for the win.

Hulk Hogan defeated Mr. McMahon in a street fight. Roddy Piper made a shocking return, attacking Hogan and aligning with Vince McMahon. However, Hogan was still able to win the match after three Leg Drops.

The Rock defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin. It was the final match of the trilogy of WrestleMania matches between the two.

Brock Lesnar defeated Kurt Angle to win the WWE Championship. Lesnar pinned Angle after the third F-5 of the match.

 

[BattleTank]

Welcome to BTB land, brother! This is obviously a very popular time period and for good reason. You have a lot to work with, so it will be interesting to see the direction you take things.

Looking forward to your project. I'm all for a good weekly recap. Best of luck writing!

 

[Stojy]

Wondering if you're the Kames who used to be on WF way back in the day? If so, a nice little blast from the past...

Anyway, 2003 is a really fun time period to book for sure, looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

Good luck. Oh and plz don't ruin Goldberg like in real life.

 

[Kames]

Wondering if you're the Kames who used to be on WF way back in the day? If so, a nice little blast from the past...

Anyway, 2003 is a really fun time period to book for sure, looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

Good luck. Oh and plz doing ruin Goldberg like in real life.

That's me! It's nice to see a lot of familiar names on here.

 

[Kames]

The Rock: What’s Next?
​

Dwayne Johnson recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote his upcoming film The Rundown, set to release later this year. While much of the interview focused on his growing Hollywood career, the conversation naturally shifted toward professional wrestling, and what lies ahead.

***​

Jimmy Kimmel: I can’t have Dwayne Johnson on the show without asking about The Rock.

The Rock (chuckling): I kind of figured we’d get to that.

Jimmy Kimmel: Now, in just a few days, if I’m not mistaken, you’re headlining WrestleMania?

The Rock: That’s right. WrestleMania is the biggest show of the year, and I’ll be wrestling Stone Cold Steve Austin—

The studio audience erupts in cheers. Rock pauses, smiling as the reaction builds.

The Rock: Oh, you guys like Stone Cold? Then you should definitely tune in and watch The Rock drag his bald ass all over Seattle.

The crowd laughs, cheers, and throws in a few boos. Even outside the arena, Rock can control a room.

Jimmy Kimmel: Yeah, he probably deserves it. Let me ask you this, what makes someone want to get into professional wrestling in the first place?

The Rock: It’s just something that’s in my blood. And I don’t say that lightly, I mean it. My grandfather was a wrestler, my father was a wrestler, my uncles… cousins all over the world. When you’re part of the Anoa’i family, this business isn’t a choice, it’s just what you do.

Jimmy Kimmel: But it’s brutal, right? I mean, I’ve never stepped in a ring, and I don’t plan to, but that can’t be easy on your body.

The Rock: It’s not easy at all. When you’re getting slammed in the ring or taking a steel chair shot, those are real impacts. It adds up.

Jimmy Kimmel: And you willingly do this?

The Rock (smirking): Like I said… it’s in my blood.

Jimmy Kimmel: So why do you think more wrestlers don’t try to make the jump to Hollywood?

The Rock: I think there’s always been a stigma around professional wrestling. People don’t always take it seriously. But the men and women in that locker room? Some of the toughest and hardest working people you’ll ever meet.

Jimmy Kimmel: Do you think your success helps open that door for others?

The Rock: I hope it does. I really do. Now… will they have the same level of success as The Rock?

Rock lets out a laugh.

The Rock: Maybe. We’ll see.

Jimmy Kimmel: With your schedule getting busier, though… are your days in the ring coming to an end?

Rock leans back, his expression shifting.

The Rock: It’s no secret I’ve been spending more time in Hollywood. The opportunities are there, and they keep coming. There’s only so much time in the day.

He pauses briefly.

The Rock: So yeah… my time in the ring is winding down.

The crowd quiets slightly. Some guy says "we love you Rocky!"

The Rock: But I’m not done yet.

Some slight cheers from the wrestling fans in attendance.

The Rock: I’m going to do this the right way. I love this business, and I respect where I come from too much to just walk away. So for the next few months… The Rock is going to give everything he’s got to the WWE. And when it’s all said and done… I just want to make sure I’ve done it the right way. But most importantly, I want to make sure I’ve done it on my terms, and ended things the way I want to end them.

Jimmy Kimmel: I’m sure whatever The Rock wants, The Rock is going to get. We’ve gotta get to a break, Dwayne will you stick around? I’ve got a surprise for you after the break. Stay with us folks, we'll be right back!

***

***

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW PREVIEW--MARCH 31st, 2003​

Less than 24 hours removed from WrestleMania, Monday Night Raw keeps it's stranglehold over the city of Seattle, with another edition of Monday Night Raw!

After defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin on the grandest stage of them all, what’s next for The Rock? With speculation surrounding his future at an all-time high, The Rock is advertised to appear live on Raw. Will he address his status, or does “The Great One” have something bigger in mind?

Fresh off his successful World Heavyweight Championship defense at WrestleMania against Booker T, Triple H is expected to make an appearance. With Randy Orton and Batista now joining Triple H and Ric Flair, what does this mean for the rest of the WWE?

Meanwhile, Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff has promised a major announcement that could reshape the entire roster. With so much elite talent competing for opportunity, what direction will the General Manager take?

Plus, tensions are rising across the Raw roster following WrestleMania. Emotions are running high, and the end of WrestleMania means the beginning of new opportunities. What suprises await on Raw?

All this and more when Monday Night Raw goes live from Seattle, 8/7C on TNN!

 

[Kames]

When I started to write again, the rust was no joke... looking back on this show I'm not 100% happy with it. I think after the first few shows, I definitely started to catch a groove and they are much better. But hope anyone that happens to read enjoys!

***


Monday Night Raw
March 31st, 2003
Seattle Washington​

The KeyArena is absolutely electric as the show kicks off, but the atmosphere turns to boos and toxic reactions the second the Hollywood helicopter blades whir over the speakers and the "Is Cookin'" theme hits. The Rock struts out onto the stage, dressed in an expensive vest and sunglasses, looking down his nose at the Seattle fans. He takes an eternity to get into the ring, soaking in a deafening mix of "Rocky" chants and furious boos.

He doesn't even wait for the noise to settle before he starts talking. "Finally... The Rock has come back... to Seattle!" He immediately cuts off the roar with a sneer. "Now, quiet down while The Rock has a moment of reflection. You see, last night at WrestleMania, The Rock did exactly what he said he was going to do. He laced up his boots, walked into that ring, and he beat Stone Cold Steve Austin! And not only did I beat him.. I retired him! Stone Cold is gone, and he ain't ever coming back, and you have The Rock to thank for that!"

Major boos from the crowd. Rock starts pacing back and forth in the ring, clearly loving the heat. "Now, everyone knows the plan. The Rock was supposed to get on his private jet this morning, fly back to sunny Hollywood, and continue being the biggest box-office attraction the world has ever seen. My trailer is waiting, my co-stars are waiting... but then The Rock started thinking. After the absolute ass-whipping I gave Steve Austin, I realized that as big as I am in Hollywood, there’s still some business to attend to here."

He stops and stares directly into the camera. "I’m staying right here on Raw because I’m not just building a career in Hollywood... I’m building a legacy. I’m gonna prove to every single one of you jabronis that The Rock isn't just the biggest movie star today.. he is, was, and always will be the Greatest WWE Superstar of All Time!” The Rock drops the microphone and stares out at the crowd with that trademark Hollywood smirk as his music blares.

***​

Backstage in his office, Eric Bischoff is looking his usual sly, slick self. He's leaning against his desk and staring right into the camera with that trademark smug grin. "I’m sure by now most of you have spent your afternoon scouring the internet... And while the rumors were flying, I’m here to make it official. The Raw brand is about excellence. It’s about prestige. And frankly, we have too much elite talent sitting in that locker room for just one world title."

He reaches down into a velvet black bag on his desk and slowly draws out the Intercontinental Championship belt. The gold plates catch the office lights as he drapes it over his shoulder. "As of this moment, the Intercontinental Championship is officially reactivated. But I’m not just handing this to some 'flavor of the week.' Starting tonight, we begin an 8-Man Gold Rush Tournament. Eight of the hungriest superstars on this roster will go head-to-head in a single-elimination bracket, and it all culminates in the finals at Backlash!" He leans in closer to the camera, his eyes narrowing. "Tonight, the first two quarter-final matches take place. The road back to the gold starts... now."

***​

MATCH #1: TEST VS TOMMY DREAMER

The match was a total mismatch from the jump. Tommy Dreamer tried to fire up with some grit, but Test shut him down immediately with his power. After a few brutal back-elbows in the corner, Dreamer staggered out of the corner, only to get nearly decapitated by a massive Big Boot. Instead of covering him, Test hauled Dreamer up and planted him with the Test Grade for the dominant 1-2-3. It was a total squash designed to put the locker room on notice that Test is back on a mission.

WINNER via PINFALL @ 3:12: TEST

***​

The bracket for the Gold Rush Intercontinental Championship Tournament is shown on screen.

Booker T vs Randy Orton
Jeff Hardy vs Mark Henry
Christian vs The Hurricane
William Regal vs Maven

It’s announced that Christian vs The Hurricane and Jeff Hardy vs Mark Henry would happen tonight, while Booker T vs Randy Orton and William Regal vs Maven would happen next week.

***​

The cameras caught The Rock swaggering through the halls with his gear bag over his shoulder, clearly done for the evening. He was intercepted by Jonathan Coachman, who tried to get some clarification on Rock's big opening statement. Coach pressed him on whether "building a legacy" meant he was coming after Triple H and the World Heavyweight Championship. Rock didn't even give him the satisfaction of a real answer, smirking and telling Coach that he’d already "fulfilled his requirements" for the night and had nothing else to say.

But as Rock went to shove his way out the exit door, he nearly collided with Rob Van Dam, who was just arriving at the KeyArena. Rock immediately went off, berating RVD for almost getting his $5,000 vest dirty. Van Dam didn't look intimidated at all. He just flashed that trademark grin and told Rock the vest looked like something he picked up at a Goodwill. Rock acted completely appalled, looking at the vest and then back at RVD with an over-the-top offended expression, before storming out the door. RVD just stood there chuckling, before asking Coach “What’s his problem?”

***​

MATCH #2: INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINAL: CHRISTIAN VS THE HURRICANE

This was the classic story of ego getting in the way of talent. Christian dominated the majority of this contest. However, Christian’s own arrogance ended up being his downfall. Instead of finishing the job, he started taunting to the fans, mocking Hurricane’s poses and taking way too much time to gloat. As Christian was pulling Hurricane up for what looked like the Unprettier, he got way too loose with it. Hurricane caught him completely off guard, rolled him up in a tight Schoolboy, and the ref counted the 1-2-3! Christian was absolutely beside himself, screaming at the referee and clutching his hair in disbelief while Hurricane celebrated up the ramp. Huge upset to kick off the tournament!

WINNER via PINFALL @ 6:12: THE HURRICANE

***​

The camera cuts to the locker room where Booker T is sitting alone, looking absolutely dejected following his match with Triple H last night. You can see he’s replaying the whole thing in his head when Shawn Michaels walks into the frame.

HBK keeps it real with him, admitting he watched the whole thing and knows that if it wasn’t for Evolution, Booker would be standing there as the World Heavyweight Champion. Shawn tells him straight up that he has nothing to be disappointed in and to keep his head held high. Booker clearly appreciates the words from the veteran, gives Shawn a sincere thanks before heading out to clear his head.

But the second Booker is out of sight, Chris Jericho seemingly appears out of thin air and absolutely levels Shawn with a vicious chair shot to the back! As Michaels collapses in agony, Jericho stands over him, his face twisted with rage. He screams that he "isn't finished with him yet" before delivering the ultimate insult… spitting right on HBK as he lies helpless on the floor.

***​

MATCH #3: INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL: JEFF HARDY VS MARK HENRY

Jeff Hardy used his speed to stay a step ahead early on, hitting a few high-flying hope spots that actually rattled the big man. However, the momentum shifted instantly when Henry caught Jeff mid-air. Henry shut it down with a massive World’s Strongest Slam, securing the dominant pinfall.

WINNER via PINFALL @ 5:22: MARK HENRY

***​

Rob Van Dam walks into the locker room looking to check on his partner, Kane. RVD keeps it positive, acknowledging their tough loss at WrestleMania but immediately pivoting and telling Kane that he knows they just need another shot and they can win the Tag Team Championships. The mood shifts instantly when Kane stops him. Kane looks RVD in the eye and admits that Rob is one of the few true friends he’s ever had. But then he drops the bombshell.. it’s over. Kane tells Van Dam that he needs to go "find himself" again. He makes it clear that he’s looking to rediscover the monster inside of him, leaving the partnership with RVD in the rearview mirror.

***​

Backstage, interviewer Terri is standing by with her guest, Scott Steiner. Steiner looks into the camera, flexing his muscles, and lets everyone know he is absolutely fed up. He tells Terri he’s been sitting back watching the so-called "talent" on Raw (using some extremely heavy air quotes) and he’s seen enough. He’s officially ready to jump back into the mix.

He announces that next week, he’s hosting the first-ever "Big Poppa Pump" Open Challenge. He doesn't care who it is. If anyone in that locker room thinks they have what it takes to step into the ring with the "Genetic Freak," they can come out and try their luck.

***​

MATCH #4: WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: CHIEF MORLEY AND LANCE STORM (c) VS THE DUDLEY BOYZ

This was a high-stakes, back-and-forth main event with the crowd into every second of the match. Bubba Ray and D-Von looked like they had the titles won at least three different times, but the champions were able to stay in the match. The match seemingly was exceeding any expectations it had, however, it ended on a sour note. Lance Storm hopped onto the apron to distract the referee, which immediately drew Bubba Ray over to pull him down. As the official was distracted with the fighting on the outside, Chief Morley seized his opening. He slid back into the ring with a title belt firmly in his grasp and leveled D-Von Dudley with a sickening shot square to the head! Morley quickly ditched the evidence, covered the unconscious D-Von, and stole the win.

WINNERS via PINFALL @ 9:52 and STILL WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: LANCE STORM & CHIEF MORLEY

***​

Triple H marched to the ring with the full force of Evolution behind him, looking every bit the part of The World Heavyweight Champion. He didn't waste a second trashing Booker T, claiming he knew all along Booker wasn't in his league and calling the match a "travesty" for a stage like WrestleMania. Triple H declared he was done with the past. He was more concerned with the future. And the future was Evolution. And now that they were all fully healthy, he claimed nobody on the roster could stop them or touch his World Heavyweight Championship.

Triple H brags about having Ric Flair (Woo's are heard all throughout the arena), who not only is the dirtiest player in the game, but also the smartest player in the game. He brags about Batista, a man who has the sheer power to run through any superstar in the WWE. He then turns to Randy Orton, and notes how he is a third generation superstar. He says Orton has all the tools that is needed to be the future of this business.

The bragging was cut short by the TitanTron showing a car screaming into the parking lot. The door swung open, and the arena EXPLODES as Goldberg stepped out! A frantic Triple H started barking orders, sending Randy Orton and Batista to intercept him. The cameras followed the two as they tried to jump Goldberg backstage, Goldberg was able to dispose of the two fairly easily. Then, the drums of Goldberg’s iconic music hit, and Goldberg marched through the sparks and onto the stage!

Triple H, now desperate, sent Ric Flair up the ramp as a last resort, but Goldberg didn't even break his stride, leveling the "Nature Boy" with a massive Big Boot. Goldberg slid into the ring, and for a heartbeat, the two just stared each other down. Triple H tried to strike first, charging at the powerhouse, but Goldberg nearly turned him inside out with a thunderous Spear!

With "The Game" folded in half, Goldberg snatched up a microphone and yelled the words everyone was waiting for: "Triple H... YOU'RE NEXT!" Goldberg throws the microphone down and stared at the fallen World Champion, as Raw faded to black...

 

[Kames]

THURSDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN PREVIEW--APRIL 3rd, 2003​

After capturing the WWE Championship on the grandest stage of them all, Brock Lesnar will make his first appearance as champion. Everyone has always called Brock Lesnar "The Next Big Thing", but now he's not the future, he's the present. The entire roster is on notice and it begs a simple question.. who's going to step up to him first?

We're also going to hear from Smackdown General Manager Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie has already teased that she had something big planned for the blue brand following WrestleMania. Something that she has promised "will shake things up in a big way."

Hulk Hogan is set to appear, just days after defeating Mr. McMahon in a grueling street fight. The rumors and chatter about the Hulkster's in ring career have been high as of late. What does Hulk have on his mind? Will he address his future?

As announced this past Saturday during the special WrestleMania edition of Velocity, Edge has been cleared to return to in ring competition. Edge was attacked at No Way Out and it was originally believed that he would be out of action for some time, however he has made a surprisingly fast recovery and will return to action. He will face off against Eddie Guerrero in what is guaranteed to be a great matchup.

In a WrestleMania rematch, Matt Hardy will defend the Cruiserweight Championship against Rey Mysterio. Rey, feeling like he was royally screwed out of the match at WrestleMania, appealed to General Manager Stephanie McMahon, who made the decision to grant Mysterio a rematch.

WrestleMania is now in the rear view mirror, but this is where the real stories begin. New opportunities can be created and everyone is looking to make their mark. You don't want to miss any of the action! Tune in this Thursday Night, 8/7C on UPN!

Confirmed for Smackdown

Cruiserweight Championship: Matt Hardy(c) vs Rey Mysterio

Edge vs Eddie Guerrero

Stephanie McMahon Major Announcement

Appearances by WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, and Hulk Hogan​

 

[Kames]

Smackdown
April 3rd, 2003
Spokane, Washington​

The show opens backstage inside the office of SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie begins by addressing the fallout from WrestleMania. “WrestleMania is always the biggest night of the year… but what happens after WrestleMania is where everything changes.” She briefly recaps some of the major moments from the SmackDown side of the show. A new WWE Champion was crowned in Brock Lesnar. Hulk Hogan defeated Vince McMahon. The Undertaker once again proved why his legacy is unmatched. And Matt Hardy successfully defended the Cruiserweight Championship.

Stephanie pauses for a moment, then continues. “Every single year after WrestleMania… you can feel it. There’s a shift. There’s a change in the air. New opportunities… new competition… and a chance for this brand to define what comes next.” A confident smirk crosses her face. “And I’ll be honest… I’m a very competitive person.” She mentions hearing Eric Bischoff’s announcement on Raw about the return of the Intercontinental Championship. “And when I heard that… I started asking myself one question. What can SmackDown do… to top that?” Stephanie reaches down beneath her desk and slowly pulls out a black velvet bag, placing it in front of her. “And then I got an idea.”

She reaches into the bag and pulls out a championship belt, revealing the United States Championship. The gold catches the light as she holds it up. “This is the United States Championship.” Stephanie stands up from her chair, holding the title. “At Judgment Day… we will crown the first-ever United States Champion.” And over the next several weeks, I will be watching very closely… evaluating every superstar on this roster. Because only the best will earn the opportunity to compete for this championship and make history.”

Stephanie smirks as she looks down at the title, then back up at the camera. “Welcome to a new era… of SmackDown.” The camera lingers on the championship as the segment fades out.

***

MATCH #1: CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: MATT HARDY(C) VS REY MYSTERIO

SmackDown wastes no time getting going, jumping straight into a WrestleMania rematch for the Cruiserweight Title. Rey clearly felt like he got screwed at Mania, so he invoked his rematch clause right out of the gate. These two pick up right where they left off. Fast pace and a lot of back and forth. Rey eventually starts to take over and you can feel the momentum shift. He nails the 619. The crowd comes up because it looks like this might be it. Rey springboards to the top rope… but Shannon Moore grabs his foot from the outside. The ref sees it immediately and loses it, yelling at Moore, before tossing him out from ringside. Meanwhile, Hardy’s just laying there, but he’s not as out of it as he’s making it seem. Rey turns back to him, goes to pick him up, and Hardy snatches him up into a roll-up. He clearly grabs the tights, out of the referees sights…. 1… 2… 3.

Winner: Matt Hardy via Pinfall @ 8:12

***

The camera cuts to ringside where Michael Cole and Tazz are standing by. Cole runs down what’s still to come tonight, hyping up appearances from the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and Hulk Hogan, along with what he calls a “can’t miss matchup” between Eddie Guerrero and Edge later in the night. Cole gets more serious as he mentions that there is some unfortunate news coming out of WrestleMania. He explains that Kurt Angle suffered a reinjury to his neck during his match, and as a result, he will be out of action indefinitely. Tazz expresses sympathy for Kurt, but then talks about how when a big main event star like Kurt Angle is sidelined, it opens up the door for the younger stars to step up.

***

A vignette begins to play, showing Sean O’Hare standing in a dimly lit room. There’s something off about the way he carries himself, calm but almost unsettling as he begins to speak. O’Hare talks about how funny it is that the people you’re supposed to look up to… the ones who preach about doing the right thing… are often some of the darkest, most corrupt individuals you’ll ever come across. He shrugs it off, saying there’s nothing wrong with that. “What’s wrong… is pretending.”

He goes on to explain that what really bothers him is people hiding who they truly are, putting on a front and acting like they’re something they’re not. According to O’Hare, that’s the real problem. He then shifts his focus to SmackDown, saying there are people just like that on this roster right now. The tone gets a little more direct as he hints that it’s only a matter of time before he does something about it.

“Maybe… sooner than later… I’ll introduce myself.” A slight smirk crosses his face as he says when that moment comes, he’s going to make them see things a little more clearly. The vignette closes with O’Hare calmly stating… “I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.”

***

Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas make their way to the ring next, looking as confident as ever. Once in the ring, they waste no time bragging about their performance at WrestleMania, reminding everyone that they defeated four of the best in-ring competitors WWE has to offer. Haas takes the lead, saying that what they did wasn’t luck, it was proof that they are on a completely different level.

Benjamin follows it up, saying there isn’t a tag team in WWE that can match them athletically. According to them, nobody is faster, stronger, or more technically sound. Haas smirks and says if anyone in the back thinks otherwise, they’re more than welcome to come out and embarrass themselves.

There’s a brief pause… and then the music of Scotty 2 Hotty hits.

The crowd gives a nice reaction as Scotty makes his way out onto the stage with a microphone in hand. In the ring, Benjamin and Haas are visibly confused, even laughing to themselves. Haas can be seen saying off-mic, “Who is this guy?” Scotty doesn’t seem bothered at all. He plays to the crowd for a second before turning his attention back to the ring. He admits that yeah, Team Angle might be one of the most athletically gifted teams in WWE. “But you guys have no personality.. every time you step in that ring… you put everybody to sleep!” That gets a reaction.

Scotty tells them they can laugh all they want, but in a few minutes, they’re not going to be laughing when he and his partner beat them. There’s a short pause… And then the arena erupts as Rikishi’s music hits. The crowd pops big as Rikishi makes his way out, joining Scotty on the stage. Team Angle’s expressions immediately change as the big man walks down to the ring. We’ve got a Too Cool reunion. Scotty and Rikishi head toward the ring as the match is set to get underway.

MATCH #2: TEAM ANGLE VS RIKISHI AND SCOTTY 2 HOTTY

This one is kept short and to the point, with the focus being more on the return of Too Cool than anything else. Team Angle controls most of the match early, isolating Scotty 2 Hotty and keeping him away from his corner. Scotty eventually manages to create just enough separation and makes the hot tag to Rikishi, which gets a big reaction. Rikishi comes in and immediately changes the pace, throwing both Benjamin and Haas around and taking control of the match. The crowd really gets into it as Rikishi lines Haas up in the corner and delivers the Stink Face, before dropping him with a kick. Rikishi tags Scotty back in, and Scotty wastes no time going for it… doing his signature Worm to a big reaction. But before he can drop the elbow, Shelton Benjamin slides back into the ring with the tag title in hand and cracks Scotty over the head with it. The referee immediately calls for the bell.

Winners: Too Cool via Disqualification @ 4:10

Shelton turns his attention to Rikishi and takes another swing with the belt, but Rikishi ducks it. Rikishi fires back with a kick of his own, and Shelton barely avoids it, immediately backing off and pulling Haas out of the ring with him. Team Angle retreats up the ramp, clearly frustrated, while Too Cool stands tall in the ring.

But they’re not done. Scotty reaches into his pocket, pulls out some yellow sunglasses. The crowd pops as Scotty puts them onto Rikishi, and the two break into their signature dance, closing the match on a fun note.

***

Backstage, the camera cuts to John Cena, who’s leaning against a production crate. He’s got a confident smirk on his face. Cena starts off by addressing WrestleMania, clearly not happy about being left off the card. He says that while everyone else was out there chasing glory, he was stuck on the sidelines, and calls it a straight-up travesty. Cena talks about how he’s been overlooked for too long and how that’s about to change. Cena then shifts his focus to the newly introduced United States Championship, saying that title might be new to SmackDown… but it already has his name written all over it. “It don’t matter who I gotta face, I’ll put ‘em in their place. Leave ‘em laid out in a wreck, just like Kurt Angle with a broken freakin’ neck. WORD LIFE.”

***

Hulk Hogan is out next to a strong reaction from the crowd. It’s not quite the deafening pop of his prime, but there’s still a ton of respect there as he makes his way to the ring. Hogan steps inside, grabs a microphone, and takes a second before speaking. He starts by talking about his match with Vince McMahon at WrestleMania. Hogan doesn’t hold back, saying he absolutely hates Vince McMahon and everything he stands for… but he’ll give him this.. he brought a fight. Hogan nods, admitting Vince took him further than he expected.

From there, Hogan shifts the tone. He says he wants to talk about his future. He acknowledges what everyone’s been thinking… he’s nearing the end of his run. The crowd reacts a bit to that, knowing there’s truth behind it. But Hogan says he’s not done just yet. He says before he hangs up the boots for good, there’s one more thing he needs to accomplish. “One more run… one more time at the top… brother.” Hogan says he wants to be WWE Champion one more time.

That’s when he gets cut off. Mr. McMahon’s music hits, and the crowd immediately turns. Vince walks out onto the stage with a bandage on forehead, still selling the damage from WrestleMania. He’s got that angry, bitter look on his face. Vince doesn’t even wait. “You may say that you’re done with me, Hogan… but I am NOT done with you, you son of a bitch!”

The crowd reacts as Vince paces on the stage, clearly still furious. He tells Hogan that as long as he’s breathing, Hogan will never be WWE Champion again. Not now. Not ever. “It is my personal mission… to make your life a miserable hell!” Vince smirks slightly before saying that mission starts next week on SmackDown. He announces that Hogan will face him again… in a WrestleMania rematch. But this time, things are going to be a little different. Vince turns and gestures toward the stage..

And the arena erupts as Roddy Piper’s music hits. Piper walks out with a grin on his face and joins Vince on the stage, the two sharing a hug as the crowd buzzes. Vince is practically laughing now. “Next week… it’s Hulk Hogan versus Vince McMahon…“AND ‘ROWDY’ RODDY PIPER… in a handicap match!” The crowd reacts loudly as Hogan stands in the ring, staring up the ramp, clearly realizing he now has his hands full next week.

MATCH #3: EDDIE GUERRERO VS EDGE

This one gets plenty of time and quickly turns into the standout match of the night. There’s a bit of buzz around Edge coming into this, making a surprisingly quick return after being attacked backstage at No Way Out, but once the bell rings, both guys are all business. The match is very back-and-forth, with both men getting in a ton of offense. The ending sees Edge lift Eddie up and going for the Edgecution, but Eddie slips out at the last second and reverses it into a quick roll up for a near fall. Both men pop right back up. Eddie goes for a clothesline, but Edge ducks it, hits the ropes, and comes flying back with a massive Spear that cuts Eddie in half! Edge hooks the leg.

1… 2… 3.

Winner: Edge via pinfall @ 12:42

***

MATCH #4: THE UNDERTAKER VS A-TRAIN

Before the match, Michael Cole mentions that The Undertaker specifically requested this match, saying he wanted to put A-Train in his place once and for all and move past the issues with both A-Train and Big Show. The match itself is short and physical. A-Train comes out aggressive, trying to overwhelm Undertaker in the opening moments. But it doesn’t last long. Undertaker quickly takes control and hits one of his signature spots, walking the ropes and delivering Old School to a solid reaction from the crowd. From there, Undertaker wastes no time. He waits for A-Train to get up, grabs him by the throat… Chokeslam!

1… 2… 3.

Winner: The Undertaker via pinfall @ 3:12

Undertaker stands tall in the ring. Then suddenly, the arena goes dark. A few seconds later, the lights come back on… and Sean O’Hare is standing at ringside.

He doesn’t move. He doesn’t say anything. He just locks eyes with Undertaker. The two stare each other down, neither backing off. O’Hare slowly raises his hand and points at Undertaker. You can faintly hear him say… “I’m gonna expose you.” Undertaker doesn’t react. He just stands there, staring straight through him. After a few more seconds, O’Hare hops the barricade and disappears through the crowd.

***

The camera cuts backstage as the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar is shown walking down the hallway, making his way toward the entrance. As he turns a corner, he comes face-to-face with Chris Benoit. The two stop dead in their tracks. No words are said. They just stare at each other. There’s a quiet tension between them as neither man backs down. After a few seconds, Benoit slowly shifts his eyes down to the WWE Championship on Lesnar’s shoulder. He looks back up at Lesnar… then gives a slight nod before walking past him and out of frame.

***

The new WWE Champion Brock Lesnar is out next, and he gets a big reaction from the Spokane crowd. Lesnar walks out in his usual fight-ready look, no shirt, shorts, the WWE Championship slung over his shoulder. You can feel the energy shift immediately with the arrival of the champ. He steps into the ring, grabs a microphone, and keeps it pretty direct. Lesnar starts by giving a shout out to Kurt Angle. He admits they’ve had their issues, but at WrestleMania, Kurt gave him the fight of his life. Brock says when Angle is healed up, he’s got a rematch waiting for him anytime.

From there, Lesnar shifts gears. He talks about how for years people have called him “The Next Big Thing”… the future of this business. “Well the future is here.” That line gets a strong reaction. Lesnar says he’s putting the entire SmackDown locker room on notice. It doesn’t matter who steps up, he’s not backing down from anyone. There’s a brief pause…

“WELLLLL… WELL IT’S THE BIG SHOW!”

The crowd immediately turns as Big Show makes his way down to the ring, looking pissed off. He steps inside, grabs a mic, and doesn’t waste time. Show reminds Lesnar that just a few months ago… he beat him for that very championship. Lesnar cuts him off quickly. “Yeah… you beat me.. But you didn’t do it alone. You were handed a win, and you know it.. take away Paul Heyman and you don't stand a chance against me."

The crowd reacts as Show lets out a small chuckle. He tells Lesnar he can believe whatever he wants, but that’s not why he’s out here. Show points out what Lesnar just said, that he won’t back down from a fight. “Well… I’m that fight. I’m challenging you… for the WWE Championship… next week.”

Lesnar doesn’t hesitate. He smirks and nods. “You want it? You got it.” The crowd pops as the match is made on the spot. Show nods… then stops. “Oh… and one more thing…” He drops the mic and swings for a cheap shot.. But Lesnar ducks it at the last second. Show turns around and Lesnar explodes on him with a series of right hands, driving the big man back into the ropes. Lesnar takes a step back, then charges full speed and clotheslines Big Show over the top rope to the floor!

The crowd erupts. Lesnar stands tall in the ring, holding up the WWE Championship as Big Show regroups on the outside, furious and yelling back at him. SmackDown fades to black with Brock Lesnar standing tall as the face of the brand.

 

[BattleTank]

Raw Thoughts:

Right off the bat, I know I am going to enjoy your writing style. It's concise and to the point, no filler.

Opening segment with The Rock was fun. I enjoy Rock staying around for a bit longer. Wonder if you go down the Goldberg route or give him somebody different. Interesting to see it play out.

So glad you decided to bring back the IC title. Never understood why they took it away in the first place, other than Trips going on his power trip and unifying it for absolutely no reason lol I'm always down for a tournament so it will be fun to see that play out over the next few weeks. Looking at the bracket, I think Booker T wins it, but I wouldn't be shocked if you put it on Orton as you start his career arc.

RVD/Rock would be fun as hell. The promos The Rock can cut would be so entertaining. RVD kind of walking around a lot backstage, makes me think you have big plans for him down the line.

Great use of Goldberg at the end. Going straight for Triple H, I'm hoping you do his push more justice than WWE gave him. He was so over by Summerslam and when he didn't win the EC, to me, that kind of killed his push. Him winning at Unforgiven didn't feel the same. Overall, this was a fun read, short and to the point. You've got a lot cooking on the RAW side of the things heading out of WM. Most intrigued by RVD/Rock, Goldberg, and the IC tourney.

SD Thoughts:

Right away I could tell you definitely found your groove writing this first SD episode. Mirroring Raw by announcing the US title is fun.

Sean O'Haire is so fun to read, you portray him really well. A lot of O'Haire love going around the BTB section at the moment, which shows how much potential the guy had. Curious to see who his first program will be against.

Too Cool re-uniting was a fun idea. The tag division wasn't too stacked at this point, so they are a welcome addition. Always loved WGTT so anything you do with them, I am a fan of.

Continuing Hogan/McMahon and throwing Piper in only makes sense. Wonder if we will get Mr. America or not lol

Hoping in this world Edge isn't on the shelf for a year. You can do a lot with him. Getting a big win over Eddie is the right call.

Ah, O'Haire and Undertaker is a match made in heaven! Really enjoyed this segment. So much potential for a fun feud here. Great work on this.

Lesnar/Big Show needs to happen, it was a natural fit following WM. Curious to see how you book Brock over Big Show in the coming weeks.

Overall, I've enjoyed reading this. You've probably figured out by getting this far that I suck at feedback/constructive criticism, because I believe everybody has their own style and it's not my place to critique lol I think you're off to a great start, and I am excited to see the next batch of shows. I'll be back with some more words of encouragement. Keep up the great work, man!

 

[Stojy]

Can't fault you for adding a mid card title to SD. Just makes sense from a booking perspective to be honest. Based off the promo and then the Eddie/Edge match, I get the feeling we might be getting Edge/Cena for the US Title, but let's see. Either way, glad the title is back. O'Haire is awesome and the vignette was written well. As a fan of the guy, can't help but be pumped at him confronting 'Taker, that should be awesome. Maybe O'Haire could have had some more vignettes over the next few weeks to tease who his target was a little more, but this is still something I'm looking forward to. Only negative to this is you kept spelling it "O'Hare".

Not much of the tag division on SD, so Too Cool, whilst I don't think will be a major threat long term, feels like a good addition here, and the DQ attack gives these teams legs to work together more in the future. Hogan/McMahon/Piper was pretty awful post Mania so hoping you can make an amends. The three of these guys meeting in a Handicap match next week doesn't sound pretty but will hopefully be filled with some fun shenanigans. Brock/Show definitely have some unfinished business with how their feud in 02 got sidetracked for Angle/Lesnar, so don't mind seeing them have a final match here. However, it's hard to take Show as a real threat, despite the segment being written well, after he's just coming off losing a Handicap match at Mania.

For the most part, felt like a really solid start with things heading in the right direction. Looking forward to week #2.

 

[Kames]

Just wanted to thank you guys for taking the time to read and give feedback. You're awesome

MONDAY NIGHT RAW PREVIEW--APRIL 7th, 2003​

Goldberg made his WWE debut last week on Raw and he made his intentions very clear-he wants Triple H and the World Heavyweight Championship! Goldberg will be in attendance at Raw, as will Triple H and the rest of Evolution. After the confrontation we all witnessed last week, what's going to happen when these two are once again in the same building?

The Intercontinental Championship Gold Rush Tournament continues this week, with the final two quarterfinal matches set to take place. Booker T will go one on one with Randy Orton, while William Regal and Maven will face off. Who will join Mark Henry and the Hurricane in the semifinals?

Shawn Michaels is set to make an appearance, as is Chris Jericho. Tensions between Michaels and Jericho continue to escalate after their match at WrestleMania. Will tonight be the night that things finally boil over between these two?

Rob Van Dam returns to in ring action for the first time in a few weeks. He will be going one on one with Christian, who is looking for some redemption after his loss last week to The Hurricane.

The first ever "Big Poppa Pump" open challenge is scheduled to take place. Scott Steiner is looking to get some momentum back and potentially make his way back into the World Championship picture. Will anyone step up to battle with The Big Booty Daddy?

 

[Kames]

Monday Night Raw
April 7th, 2003
Milwaukee, Wisconsin​

The show starts with the music of Evolution blaring through the speakers as the World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H makes his way to the ring, flanked by the rest of Evolution. Triple H stood in the middle of the ring and immediately went on the defensive. He tried to frame Goldberg as just another "relic of the past" who couldn't handle being out of the spotlight. He looked right into the camera and sent a chilling warning: Goldberg was a big fish in a small pond back in WCW, but if he wants to keep putting his nose in places it doesn’t belong, he’s about to find out why they call Triple H "The Game." Hunter shut the door on a title shot immediately. He told the world that Goldberg hasn't earned a damn thing and, as far as he’s concerned, Goldberg will never deserve a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.

He then shifted focus to Randy Orton, bragging that Orton’s path through the Intercontinental Championship Gold Rush Tournament starts tonight against a man Evolution already conquered: Booker T. The Game didn't even get to finish his sentence before Booker T’s music blared. Booker sprinted down that ramp like a man possessed, looking to take out his WrestleMania frustrations on anyone associated with Evolution. The "numbers advantage" didn't matter in that moment. Evolution took one look at the fire in Booker's eyes and scrambled out of the ring. A referee slid into the ring, and it looks like we’re starting the night with a massive tournament clash!

***

MATCH #1: INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT: RANDY ORTON vs BOOKER T

Triple H wanted to be nowhere near Booker T, so he left ringside for the match. Evolution tried to play the numbers game early, with Ric Flair and Batista lurking at ringside like vultures. They kept trying to trip Booker up and distract the ref, but the official tonight wasn't having any of it. He saw right through the antics and tossed both Flair and Batista from ringside! Randy Orton showed why he's the "future," but he couldn't handle a motivated Booker T in a fight tonight. Booker caught Orton coming off the ropes, nailed him with a massive spinebuster, and then delivered the Book End for the pinfall!

WINNER via PINFALL @ 8:22: BOOKER T

Still catching his breath, Booker T grabbed a mic and let the truth fly. He admitted he’s spent the last week stewing over getting screwed at WrestleMania, but seeing Triple H tuck tail and run tonight only proved one thing: that Triple H is absolutely terrified of him. Booker made his mission clear. He's coming for the Intercontinental Championship to put some gold back around his waist, but he looked right into the camera to let Hunter know that when it comes to his feud with him, that the World Title is almost secondary at this point. This is about the lack of respect. Booker is tired of the "Game" looking down on him and everything he has accomplished in his career. “Triple H, I promise ya, yo ass is mine SUCKA!”

***

The camera caught Trish Stratus looking every bit the champion as she walked into the Bradley Center, gold draped over her shoulder and a smile on her face. But that smile disappeared instantly when Victoria exploded into the frame! Victoria didn't just attack her; she dismantled the champ, slamming her into the concrete walls and showing that twisted intensity we've come to expect from her. As Trish lay there, Victoria hovered over her, screaming that she’s going to take that Women’s Championship.

***

Scott Steiner flexed his way to the ring, looking like he was ready to snap someone in half. He grabbed the mic and dared anyone in the back to step up to "The Freak." For a second, the silence spoke a thousand words, making it look like the locker room was terrified. But suddently.. "What does everybody want?!" blared through the speakers. Al Snow made his way out, "Head" in hand, looking ready to shock the world!

MATCH #2: SCOTT STEINER VS AL SNOW​

Steiner didn't give Snow a second to breathe. He threw the veteran around with a series of overhead belly-to-belly suplexes that looked absolutely punishing. It didn't take long for Steiner to lock in the Steiner Recliner, forcing Snow to tap out in short order.

Winner via SUBMISSION @ 2:11: SCOTT STEINER

As Steiner was posing after the match, Test came out of nowhere! He slid into the ring and leveled Steiner with a massive Big Boot that nearly took Steiner's head off! Test stood over the fallen Steiner, staring him down and sending a clear message to “Big Poppa Pump” that he’s not scared of him.

***

Eric Bischoff marched to the ring under a heavy cloud of boos from the Milwaukee crowd. He immediately addressed the chaos from last week, clarifying that while he was the one who personally signed Goldberg to a Raw contract, he was just as blindsided by the debut as everyone else. As far as he knew, Goldberg wasn't ready to come back to work yet. Bischoff admitted Goldberg’s intentions are clear, but he stood by Triple H’s claim: Goldberg hasn't done anything to warrant a title shot yet.

The iconic drums cut him off as the music of Goldberg hit. Goldberg emerged to an absolute roar. He stepped into the ring and burned a hole through Bischoff with his stare. As Eric tried to backtrack and defuse the situation, Goldberg got dead in his face, telling him that if anyone knows he’s worthy of a shot, it’s the man who personally saw him dominate in WCW. Goldberg issued an ultimatum. Give him a title shot at Backlash, or he will run through every single person on the Raw roster.. including Bischoff!

Terrified and cornered, Bischoff folded instantly, shouting that Goldberg could have the match. But as soon as Eric escaped the ring and reached the safety of the stage, his tone shifted. He stopped and informed Goldberg that the title match at Backlash is only happening if he can win tonight’s main event... a Handicap Match against 3 Minute Warning!

***

MATCH #3: INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT: WILLIAM REGAL vs MAVEN

This was a classic clash of styles. For a minute there, it actually looked like Maven might pull off the upset. But you could see the switch flip in Regal’s eyes. Regal took the match over and slowed the pace down. Maven tried to fight back, but Regal’s mean streak was just too much to handle. Regal caught him with a brutal overhead powerplex and followed it up with a vicious knee to the head. He folded Maven up like a lawn chair to get the three-count. Regal didn't even celebrate, he just stared down at Maven like he was a piece of trash.

Winner via PINFALL @ 5:47: WILLIAM REGAL

The updated bracket for the Gold Rush Tournament was shown on screen, with the semi final matches of Booker T vs Mark Henry, and The Hurricane vs William Regal, which will both happen next week on Raw.

***

The cameras barely caught up backstage as Triple H stormed down the hallway and blew the doors off Eric Bischoff’s office! Hunter was totally losing it, getting right in Bischoff's face and screaming about why on earth Goldberg was even getting a whiff of a title shot at Backlash. Bischoff looked like he was sweating bullets, but he had that slimy, "trust me" look on his face. He was frantically waving his hands, trying to get Hunter to lower his voice. He told The Game that he’s got a plan in motion and to just close the door so they could talk shop in private. You just know when those two get together behind closed doors, something dirty is about to happen.

***

"Sexy Boy" blares through the Bradley Center as Shawn Michaels makes his way to the ring to a deafening ovation. HBK looks all business tonight, still slightly selling the attack by Jericho from last week. Once in the ring, he grabs a mic. Shawn admits that he once held a massive amount of respect for Jericho, viewing him as one of the premier wrestlers on the planet. However, he says the low blows and the sneak attacks prove that Jericho has finally realized the truth: no matter how good he is, he’ll never be on the level of "The Heartbreak Kid."

This brings out Chris Jericho, who looks absolutely disgusted as he steps onto the stage. Jericho mocks the idea of Shawn being superior, claiming that while HBK might have been the man ten years ago, the roles have reversed in 2003. He dismisses the result of their WrestleMania classic, calling it a "fluke" and says Shawn is the one struggling to stay relevant, and needs Chris Jericho.

Shawn cuts him off, telling Jericho he’s done with the talking and all the cowards' tactics. He offers Jericho a rematch right then and there in Milwaukee, but Jericho scoffs, telling the crowd there’s no way he’s wrestling in a place like Wisconsin. Jericho demands the rematch happen on his terms, live on Pay-Per-View at Backlash. Shawn doesn't hesitate to accept, but he leaves Jericho with a stinging parting question: “After I beat you again at Backlash, will you finally be able to accept that you just aren’t good enough?" Jericho is left fuming on the stage as Shawn’s music hits to close the segment.

***

Backstage, Jonathon Coachman was trying to get a word with the World Tag Team Champions, Chief Morley and Lance Storm, about their big win last week. But they didn't even get a chance to start to brag before The Dudley Boyz stormed into the frame. Bubba Ray got right in their faces, sarcastically "congratulating" them on their win and asking if they actually felt good about having to cheat their way to a win. Morley tried to open his mouth to defend himself, but Bubba shut him down instantly. He told the champs that it doesn't even matter what they think, because their "future" is standing right in front of them whether they like it or not. Bubba made it crystal clear. The Dudleyz are coming for those titles. And they are going to win the tag titles. "And honestly boys, there's really not a damn thing you can do about it." D-Von put the exclamation point on the whole thing with a massive "Oh my brother, TESTIFY!" before they walked off, leaving the champs looking a lot less confident than they did two minutes ago.

***

MATCH #4: ROB VAN DAM vs CHRISTIAN

These two had the Bradley center very invested in the match. It was a total chess match from the jump, with Christian trying to slow things down and ground, while RVD was looking for any opening to open up on Christian with his high paced offense. They got a ton of time to tell a story, and the momentum was swinging back and forth. Christian actually looked like he had the match in the bag. He hit a massive reverse DDT and was setting up for the Unprettier, but then that classic "Captain Charisma" ego got in the way. Instead of finishing the job, he took a second to taunt the Milwaukee crowd, soaking in the boos. That split second was all RVD needed! Rob shook off the attempt, nailed a beautiful step-up enzuigiri, and followed it up with a lightning-fast Five Star Frog Splash to catch Christian for the 1-2-3!

Winner via PINFALL @ 10:37: ROB VAN DAM

Rob Van Dam is still in the ring, his music playing as he points to himself with the "R-V-D" chant and celebrates with the fans after his hard-fought win over Christian. Suddenly, the crowd's cheers turn into a massive wall of boos as The Rock slips into the ring from the crowd. RVD doesn't see him coming. Rock lunges forward and levels Rob with a brutal double-axe handle club to the back of the head. RVD collapses to his knees, and Rock stands over him, soaking in the vitriol from the Milwaukee fans with a smug, arrogant grin. Rock doesn't wait, he hauls RVD back up to his feet, hooks the arm, and drives him into the mat with a thunderous Rock Bottom. The Rock stands over the fallen RVD, staring at him with pure disdain, making it crystal clear that RVD mocking him last week was unacceptable.

***

The atmosphere in the Bradley Center is electric as Goldberg stands in the center of the ring, staring down the massive duo of Rosey and Jamal. Just as the referee moves to signal for the bell to start the match, the sound of Eric Bischoff’s music blares through the arena. The crowd immediately breaks into a chorus of groans and an "Asshole" chant breaks out. They can sense what’s about to happen.

Bischoff appears at the top of the ramp with a microphone in hand and a deviish smile on his face. He calls for the action to hold on, telling Goldberg that he almost forgot a very important detail regarding tonight’s main event. Bischoff announces that to ensure everything is "fair and balanced," he has appointed a special guest referee for the match. The crowd erupts in fury as Ric Flair struts out onto the stage, already wearing a referee's shirt and sporting a wide, toothy grin. Flair lets out a loud "WOOO!" as he walks down the ramp, shaking Bischoff's hand before sliding into the ring. Goldberg’s eyes narrow as he realizes the deck has been completely stacked against him by Evolution and the General Manager.

MAIN EVENT: HANDICAP MATCH: GOLDBERG vs 3-MINUTE WARNING
(If Goldberg wins, he gets a World Heavyweight Championship match at Backlash)

The match begins with Goldberg struggling to gain any ground as Rosey and Jamal use their massive size and numbers advantage to keep the match in their control. Every time Goldberg attempts a comeback, Ric Flair physically interferes, breaking up Goldberg's momentum, or "accidentally" getting in Goldberg’s way. The numbers game, combined with Flair’s crooked officiating, allows Three Minute Warning to maintain control for several minutes.

The tide shifts when Rosey attempts a splash in the corner, but Goldberg side steps it, sending Rosey crashing into the turnbuckle. Goldberg explodes at Jamal and downs him with a clothesline. Goldberg seizes the opening, hitting a massive Jackhammer on Rosey! He goes for the cover, but Flair stands over them with his arms folded, refusing to even drop to the mat to count. Goldberg’s fuse finally blows; he snaps to his feet and levels "The Nature Boy" with a thunderous Spear!

The arena erupts as Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton storm the ring, immediately swarming Goldberg in a 3-on-1 assault! Goldberg just can’t catch a break tonight. The beatdown is cut short by a massive roar from the crowd as Booker T sprints down the ramp and slides into the ring. Booker T goes on a tear, taking out Orton and Batista with stiff right hands before hitting Triple H with a kick that sends the World Heavyweight Champion tumbling over the top rope to the floor!

Booker T chases Evolution through the crowd and away from the ringside area, leaving the match to its original participants. As Goldberg recovers, Jamal charges him, but Goldberg sidesteps, sending the big man flying through the ropes! Goldberg then charges at Rosey and hits him with a vicious Spear that nearly turns him inside out! Goldberg covers, and with Flair still unconscious, Earl Hebner sprints down the ramp, slides into the ring, and counts the 1-2-3!

Winner via PINFALL @ 7:58: GOLDBERG

Goldberg stands tall in the center of the ring, his arm raised by Earl Hebner. The camera pans deep into the crowd, where Triple H is standing among the fans, having been chased through the arena by Booker T. He is leaning against a railing, breathing heavily, his eyes wide and fixed on the ring. The usual arrogance is gone, replaced by a look of sheer horror and disbelief, as the realization is starting to sink in. He looks like a man who has just realized that in a few weeks, he will have to step inside the ring, one on one, with a monster that he couldn’t stop tonight. The show fades to black with Goldberg's intensity burning in the ring and The Game’s face frozen in a mask of fear.

CURRENT BACKLASH CARD

World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H(C) vs Goldberg

Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho​

 

[Kames]

Smackdown
April 10th, 2003
Chicago, Illinois​

SmackDown opens up with pyro and shots of a hot crowd in Chicago, Illinois. The camera cuts to the announce desk where Michael Cole and Tazz welcome us to the show. They quickly run down what’s to come. Cole hypes up the main event, where Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE Championship against The Big Show, while Tazz chimes in about the chaos expected later when Hulk Hogan goes up against Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper in a handicap match. The two continue building anticipation for the night before sending things down to the ring for the opening contest.

MATCH #1: JOHN CENA VS CHAVO GUERRERO
SmackDown kicks off with some in-ring action. It's a nice back and forth contest with both men getting time to shine. As the match starts to pick up, Cena begins to take over. He drops Chavo and hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena then pulls Chavo up and hoists him onto his shoulders, looking for the F-U… But Chavo slips out the back and quickly rolls Cena up!

1… 2… Cena kicks out just in time.

Both men pop right back to their feet, but Chavo is a step quicker and catches Cena with a clothesline. Seeing his opening, Chavo immediately heads to the top rope. He wastes no time, launching himself off and going for the Frog Splash… But Cena rolls out of the way at the last second. Chavo crashes hard to the mat. Cena quickly gets back to his feet, pulls Chavo up, and this time lifts him onto his shoulders with no escape and hits the F-U.

1… 2… 3.

WINNER via PINFALL @ 8:12: JOHN CENA

***

Backstage, Josh Matthews catches up with The Undertaker for a quick interview. Josh brings up Sean O’Haire’s appearance last week and asks if Undertaker has any response. Undertaker lets out a slight chuckle, clearly not taking O’Haire too seriously at first. He says he’s dealt with plenty of people like him, guys looking to make a name for themselves by stepping up to The Undertaker. He begins to warn O’Haire, telling him, “you better watch who you’re stepping up to…” but before he can finish his thought, the screen suddenly starts to flicker and the audio distorts. The feed cuts out.

When it comes back, Sean O’Haire has taken over. O’Haire appears in a dimly lit room, calm and composed, almost amused. He laughs off Undertaker’s comments and says he’s completely missing the point. He makes it clear this has nothing to do with making a name for himself.

“This is about bringing people to the light.”

O’Haire goes on to say that while he’s not a saint, he understands people for who they really are.

“And that’s something you’ve never been able to do, deadman.”

The screen flickers again and cuts to black.... A moment later, the feed returns to Undertaker and Josh Matthews. Undertaker stands there, expression mostly unchanged, but there’s a noticeable edge to him now. When asked for his thoughts, he keeps it short:

“I think I’m gonna have to deal with this sooner rather than later."

***

MATCH #2: WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: TEAM ANGLE(C) VS TOO COOL
The crowd is fully behind the reunion of Too Cool as Scotty 2 Hotty and Rikishi get a strong reaction. The match starts off similar to last week, with Team Angle immediately going to work on Scotty. Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas keep control of the match, cutting the ring in half and making quick tags to keep Scotty isolated. Every time Scotty gets close to making a tag, they stop him.

Eventually, Scotty is able to create just enough separation and makes the hot tag to Rikishi! Rikishi comes in and starts throwing both men around, completely shifting the momentum. Rikishi looks to go for the Stink Face on Haas again, but this time Shelton is ready. He jumps in and grabs Haas, dragging him out of the ring before Rikishi can connect. The champs regroup on the outside, but not for long. Scotty builds up speed and launches himself over the top rope with a crossbody onto both men, taking them down on the floor! The crowd pops as Scotty grabs Haas and tosses him back into the ring.

Rikishi pulls Haas up and hoists him onto his shoulders, looking for the Rikishi Driver… but Haas slips out the back and catches Rikishi with a dropkick, creating just enough space. Haas scrambles and makes the tag. Shelton Benjamin explodes into the ring and, in an impressive show of strength, grabs Rikishi and plants him with an Angle Slam in the center of the ring! Benjamin goes for the cover:

1… 2… 3.

Haas cuts Scotty off just in time to prevent the save.

WINNERS via PINFALL @ 7:05 and STILL WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: SHELTON BENJAMIN AND CHARLIE HAAS

***

Matt Hardy is out next with the Cruiserweight Championship around his waist, Shannon Moore following close behind. Hardy gets in the ring with a mic and immediately starts talking about WrestleMania, bragging about beating Rey Mysterio. He says not only did he defeat one of the best Cruiserweights of all time, but he did it after a brutal weight cut just to make the match. He follows that up by reminding everyone that he beat Rey again just days later.

Hardy starts to really lean into himself, saying everything he touches turns to gold. He turns to Shannon Moore and uses him as an example, saying Moore was nothing and on his way out the door before he introduced him to the lifestyle of Mattitude. Now, according to Hardy, Moore is a completely different person. Hardy says Moore is going to beat Chris Benoit tonight, and after that, he's sure Stephanie McMahon will see the light and give him a United States Championship Match at Judgment Day.

Hardy switches gears, saying that he’s not just a champion, he’s going to be the greatest Cruiserweight Champion of all time. He warns the entire division that as long as he holds that title, nobody else stands a chance. That brings out Funaki to a small but positive reaction. Hardy looks annoyed immediately, clearly not happy about being interrupted. Funaki doesn't waste anytime telling Hardy what he thinks.

“You are a disgrace to that championship and a disgrace to what it means to be a Cruiserweight.”

Hardy laughs it off, nodding like he expected it.

“Oh yeah? Is that what you think? Well this is what I think…”

He drops the mic and immediately sucker punches Funaki. Hardy and Moore jump on him, stomping him down. The numbers are too much, and Funaki has no chance to fight back. It doesn’t last long. Billy Kidman’s music hits and he sprints down to the ring. Hardy and Moore see him coming and immediately bail, sliding out of the ring before Kidman can get to them. Kidman checks on Funaki as Hardy and Moore back up the ramp.

***


The camera cuts backstage to Roddy Piper’s locker room. Piper is already in full gear for tonight’s handicap match against Hulk Hogan. Surprisingly, Piper isn’t talking. In fact, he almost seems disconnected, not fired up or manic like people are used to seeing from him. Just focused. Cold.

There’s a knock at the door before Vince McMahon steps into the room, immediately drawing boos from the crowd watching on the screen. Vince is the complete opposite energy-wise. He’s all smiles, pacing around with confidence and excitement. He claps Piper on the back, trying to fire him up, but Piper barely reacts.

Vince asks him if he’s ready for tonight. Piper slowly looks up at him, his expression completely serious.

“Oh, I’m ready.. He’s had this coming for years.”

Vince McMahon loves what he’s hearing and the two men start to make their way toward the ring.

***

MATCH #3: HULK HOGAN VS VINCE MCMAHON AND RODDY PIPER
Vince McMahon teases like he’s going to start the match himself, stepping toward the ring with a smirk on his face, but before anything can happen, he quickly backs off and tags in Roddy Piper. Piper steps in and immediately gets face-to-face with Hogan. The two stand in the middle of the ring, jawing back and forth as the crowd buzzes. It doesn’t take long for Piper to drop the act as he pokes Hogan right in the eyes and immediately goes on the attack.

Piper keeps Hogan grounded, unloading with punches every time Hogan tries to get back to his feet. He stays on him, keeping the pace ugly and chaotic before dropping Hogan with a neckbreaker. Seeing Hogan down, Vince calls for the tag. Piper doesn’t look thrilled about it, but he slaps Vince’s hand anyway.Vince rushes into the ring and instantly goes for the cover. 1… Hogan kicks out at 1!

And just like that, Hogan starts to Hulk up. The crowd comes alive as Hogan begins to shake it off, but Vince wants no part of it. He quickly scrambles toward the corner, trying to tag Piper back in… but Piper hops down off the apron, backing away! He’s not interested in dealing with a fired-up Hogan either!

Vince freezes for a second, and you can see the panic on his face. He quickly slides out of the ring and grabs a microphone, breathing heavily.

“Oh… I almost forgot to mention… This match… is No Disqualification... That means we don’t have to tag in and out.”

Both Vince and Piper step into the ring together now, slowly circling Hogan. Hogan tries to fight back, throwing a couple shots and backing Vince into the corner.. but out of nowhere, Piper drops him with a low blow!

Vince immediately jumps on top of him, unloading with right hands while screaming for Piper to grab a chair. Piper hesitates for a moment, clearly not loving being ordered around, but eventually slides out and grabs not one, but two steel chairs. Piper returns to the ring, and what follows is a brutal beatdown. Vince and Piper take turns driving the chairs into Hogan, shot after shot. The referee is pleading with them to stop, but there’s nothing he can do. Vince finally pulls Hogan up and plants him with a DDT in the center of the ring and goes for the pin:

1… 2… Hogan kicks out!

Vince is beside himself. He yells at Piper to finish it. Piper steps in and locks in a sleeper hold, wrenching it in tight. The referee tries to check on Hogan, but Vince gets in his face, threatening him. Hogan starts to fade. After what feels like forever, Piper finally releases the hold. Vince smirks, walks over, and casually covers Hogan.

1… 2… 3!

Vince McMahon has just pinned Hulk Hogan

WINNERS via PINFALL @ 9:18: VINCE McMAHON AND RODDY PIPER

After the match, Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper have their hands raised by the referee. Vince looks ecstatic, soaking in the moment with a smug grin on his face. Meanwhile, Piper stands off to the side with a much different expression, like he’s not entirely sure how to feel about what just happened.

Vince turns toward Piper and gives him an enthusiastic pat on the back before extending his hand for a handshake. Piper looks down at it for a moment. There’s a slight hesitation. Eventually, he reaches out and gives Vince a half-hearted shake before pulling his hand away. Without saying a word, Piper exits the ring and begins walking up the ramp, leaving Vince alone.

In the ring, Vince doesn’t seem to care. He turns back toward Hogan, plants his boot firmly on Hogan’s chest, and raises his arm in victory as the crowd rains down boos.

***

MATCH #4: CHRIS BENIOT VS SHANNON MOORE
This isn’t a full-on squash, but it’s very clearly a showcase for Chris Benoit. The only offense Moore truly gets in is early on with a few strikes, but it doesn’t take long for Benoit to take control. It’s not long before Beniot locks in the Crossface in the center of the ring. Shannon doesn’t struggle for long, he taps out within seconds.

Winner: Chris Benoit via submission @ 3:15

***

Backstage, the camera cuts to Stephanie McMahon standing in her office, the new United States Championship resting on her shoulder. Stephanie says that over the past two weeks, she’s been closely evaluating all the talent on the SmackDown roster. She makes it clear that this isn’t a decision she’s taking lightly, because whoever becomes the first United States Champion is going to represent the very best of SmackDown.

She talks about how this brand has some of the best wrestlers in the world, and that championship deserves someone who can represent that. She announces that in two weeks, there will be two separate triple threat qualifying matches. The winner of each match will advance to Judgment Day, where they will compete to crown the inaugural United States Champion. She finishes by saying that next week, she will formally reveal the competitors who will take part in those qualifying matches. She speaks directly to the Smackdown roster, letting them know that time is running out to impress her.
***

MATCH #5: WWE CHAMPIONSHIP: BROCK LESNAR(C) VS THE BIG SHOW
The main event gets going and it’s action right from the start. Brock Lesnar doesn’t wait around. He takes the fight straight to Big Show, showing no hesitation going right after the bigger man. It catches Show off guard early as Brock brings the intensity immediately.

Eventually, Big Show is able to slow things down and take control. He uses his size to his advantage, wearing Brock down and keeping him grounded. Every time Brock tries to build momentum, Show shuts him down.

But it doesn’t last forever. Brock starts to fire back. He drives into Show with a series of clotheslines, each one backing the big man up more and more until he finally knocks him off his feet. The crowd starts to come alive as Brock feeds off the energy.

He waits… stalking Show as he slowly gets back to his feet. Then Brock explodes forward, scoops the 500-pounder up onto his shoulders and plants him with an F-5 in the center of the ring!

1… 2… 3.

WINNER via PINFALL @ 5:41 and STILL WWE CHAMPION: BROCK LESNAR

A massive statement win for the champion as Brock Lesnar has just defeated The Big Show in dominant fashion. Lesnar stands tall in the ring, holding the WWE Championship up as the crowd reacts. He takes a moment to soak it in.. Then suddenly.. KEVIN NASH’S music hits.

The crowd pops big as Nash makes his return, not having been seen on television in nearly ten months. He walks out slowly, looking focused and in better shape than he has in quite some time. Nash makes his way down the ramp and steps into the ring, coming face-to-face with Lesnar. The two stand nose-to-nose in the center of the ring, neither backing down.

Nash leans in and can be heard saying, “That title is mine, big man.” Lesnar doesn’t respond. He just stares right through him before raising the WWE Championship up high. The show fades to black with the two men locked in a tense staredown.

 

[Kames]

Monday Night Raw
April 14th, 2003
Uniondale, New York
​

The show kicked off with the music of Triple H hitting the arena as the World Heavyweight Champion made his way to the ring, flanked by the rest of Evolution. There was a clear look of frustration on Triple H’s face as he grabbed a microphone and wasted no time addressing the situation with Goldberg. Triple H called what happened last week a complete joke, claiming it was a “damn travesty” that Goldberg somehow “earned” a World Championship match at Backlash. He argued that Goldberg blatantly broke the rules by spearing Ric Flair, who was the official referee at the time, and should have been immediately disqualified. Hunter made it clear that the system had failed, and demanded that Eric Bischoff come out and fix it.

After a brief pause, Eric Bischoff’s music hit, and the RAW General Manager walked out onto the stage, looking slightly uncomfortable. He admitted that while he didn’t necessarily agree with how things unfolded, the decision was official and couldn’t be reversed. The title match at Backlash would stand. That didn’t sit well with Triple H, but Bischoff quickly followed up, saying he might have a solution. He announced that later tonight, Goldberg would go one-on-one with a surprise opponent, and if Goldberg loses, he would be removed from the World Heavyweight Championship match at Backlash. That was all Triple H needed to hear. A slow, confident smile crept across his face as Evolution looked, clearly liking what they were hearing. You could already see the wheels turning in Triple H’s head, starting to form a plan for later on in the show.

But before the moment could settle, the crowd suddenly erupted as Booker T stormed through the crowd with a steel chair in hand! Booker slid into the ring and immediately leveled Randy Orton with a vicious shot to the back, dropping him instantly. Batista charged forward next, only to eat a brutal chair shot of his own! The chaos sent Ric Flair and Triple H scrambling out of the ring in a hurry, retreating up the ramp as Booker stood tall in the center of the ring, chair in hand and eyes locked on Evolution.

***

Backstage, the cameras caught up with Evolution as they stormed down the hallway, the frustration from moments ago still boiling over. Triple H was pacing ahead of the group, clearly furious. Hunter snapped, saying he’s got more than enough on his plate with Goldberg breathing down his neck, and he doesn’t have time to keep dealing with Booker T running around. He made it clear this situation has gone on long enough.

Triple H stopped dead in his tracks and locked eyes with Randy Orton, Batista, and Ric Flair. He told them they are Evolution, and it’s their job to handle problems like Booker T before they get out of control. Hunter didn’t yell this time, he just pointed back toward the arena and told them they needed to find a way to end this Booker T problem… and they better do it fast.

***

Match #1: Intercontinental Championship Tournament Semifinal: William Regal vs The Hurricane

William Regal controlled the pace from the opening bell. Despite the punishment, Hurricane refused to stay down and eventually started to rally, feeding off the energy of the Uniondale crowd. He strung together a series of quick strikes and even had Regal rocked, looking like he might pull off another upset in the tournament.

Just as Hurricane was building some real momentum, the crowd started to boo and moan as Christian sprinted down to ringside. He jumped up onto the apron, shouting at Hurricane and drawing his attention. The distraction was all Regal needed. As Hurricane turned back around, Regal stepped in and blasted him with a devastating knee right to the head! Regal hooked the leg and that was all she wrote.

Winner: William Regal via pinfall @ 7:22

Regal didn’t celebrate, just exited the ring with a cold business-like expression on his face as Christian smirked from ringside, clearly satisfied that he had just cost Hurricane a spot in the tournament finals. Christian wasn’t done, however. Christian slid into the ring and went right on the attack, unloading on The Hurricane with right hands. Hurricane tried to cover up, but Christian showed no signs of letting up, clearly taking out his frustration after being eliminated from the tournament.

After a few more shots, Christian dragged Hurricane back up to his feet, hooked the arms, and planted him with the Unprettier in the center of the ring! Christian shouted that Hurricane got lucky, and he just proved who the better man really is. He gave one last disgusted look down before finally rolling out of the ring, leaving Hurricane laid out as officials began to check on him.

***

Backstage, the camera caught up with a furious Scott Steiner as he stormed down the hallway and burst through the door of the men’s locker room. Steiner immediately started yelling, “WHERE’S TEST?!” as everyone inside turned to look. The room went quiet for a moment before Al Snow stepped forward, telling Steiner that Test wasn’t in there. Steiner stood there for a second, clearly not satisfied with the answer. He turned like he was about to leave, but suddenly spun back around and blasted Al Snow with a vicious right hand, dropping him instantly!

Maven jumped up to intervene, but Steiner wasted no time, leveling him with a heavy shot of his own. Both men were down as Steiner stood over them. Steiner leaned down, pointing at them and barking that if they see Test, they better tell him he’s got that coming, and a whole lot more.

***

Elsewhere backstage, the camera cut to Evolution regrouping, with Ric Flair standing between Batista and Randy Orton. Flair looked calm, as the two younger members of the group tried to figure out how to handle Booker T. Batista spoke first, suggesting they go find Booker T right now and take him out before he can cause any more problems. Orton quickly followed up, offering a more calculated approach, pointing out that Booker has a tournament match later tonight, and maybe they should wait and strike then.

Flair let out a loud laugh, clearly entertained by both ideas. He nodded, telling them they were on the right track, but made it clear they still had a lot to learn. “You can’t beat a man like Booker T with power… you have to beat him with strategy and perfect timing.” Flair stepped forward slightly, his tone shifting from playful to confident as he told them to sit back and watch closely. Tonight, he’s going to handle the Booker T problem. Flair gave them a confident smirk before walking off, leaving Orton and Batista watching him go, clearly intrigued to see what the “Nature Boy” has planned.

***

Match #2: The Dudley Boyz vs La Resistance

La Resistance controlled most of the early parts of the match. The strategy was simple. Quick tags and keep D-Von isolated. Their strategy worked for a few minutes, as they cut the ring in half and kept Bubba Ray on the apron and out of the match. However, the momentum shifted when D-Von managed to create just enough space to make the hot tag. Bubba Ray came in fired up, unloading on both men and turning the match into a brawl. The Dudleys quickly took control, and the finish saw the team hit the 3-D on Rene Dupree.

Winners: The Dudley Boyz via pinfall @ 6:12

After the match, Bubba Ray Dudley didn’t waste any time, grabbing a microphone. He called out the World Tag Team Champions, asking them how long they planned on running from a real fight. Bubba’s voice got louder as he demanded to know if they were going to keep hiding, or if they were finally going to step up and defend those titles like men.

Bubba then turned his attention to the crowd, asking them if the Dudley Boyz deserved another shot at the gold. The Uniondale crowd erupted instantly, cheering loudly and making their answer crystal clear. That reaction brought out the champions Chief Morley and Lance Storm, drawing heavy boos from the crowd. The two stood at the top of the ramp, clearly not amused. Morley fired back, saying it’s one thing to mock them, but to accuse them of running from a fight is something they will not stand for.

Morley said if the Dudley Boyz want a championship match, they can have it, at Backlash. The crowd popped at the announcement, but Morley quickly raised a finger and added one more condition. When they beat the Dudleys, they will never challenge for the World Tag Team Championships again.

The crowd immediately turned on the stipulation, but Bubba didn’t hesitate. He smirked, nodding his head as he leaned over the ropes, shouting back that they accept.

***

Rob Van Dam’s music hit to a massive ovation as RVD made his way down to the ring. He grabbed a microphone and didn’t waste any time getting to the point. RVD said he needed to speak directly to The Rock, or as he put it, “The Great One… nah, The Shit One.” The crowd reacted loudly as RVD smirked, clearly not backing down from the Hollywood megastar.

He went on to say he’s faced a lot of twisted and strange individuals in his career, but for someone to jump him over a joke about their clothes might be one of the weirdest things he’s ever experienced in a wrestling ring. RVD shook his head, saying Rock walks around like it’s still the year 2000, acting like the entire company still revolves around him, when the truth is, it doesn’t need him anymore.

The crowd popped at that line as RVD paced the ring. He said he usually handles things face-to-face, man to man, but since Rock decided not to show up tonight, he’d have to do it this way. That drew a chorus of boos from the Uniondale crowd. RVD stopped in the center of the ring and he challenged The Rock to a match at Backlash. He said next week, he expects Rock to show up, step into the ring like a man, and give him his answer. RVD dropped the mic and threw up his signature pose as the crowd chanted “R-V-D,” the challenge now laid out.

***

MATCH #3: INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL: BOOKER T VS MARK HENRY

Mark Henry used his size and raw power to take control early. Every time Booker tried to build momentum, Henry shut him down with his strength advantage. Booker eventually started to fight his way back into the match, but just as he began to build real momentum, the arena was suddenly filled with the music of Triple H. Booker froze for a split second, turning his attention toward the stage, clearly expecting the World Heavyweight Champion to appear. But Triple H never came out.

Instead, Ric Flair stepped into view, laughing as the realization hit.. this was all a setup. The distraction was enough for Henry to regain control and swing the momentum back in his favor. Still, Booker refused to quit. He battled back once again, eventually connecting with a huge Scissors Kick that dropped Henry! The crowd came alive as Booker went for the cover.. but before the referee could even start the count, Flair jumped up onto the apron, shouting and drawing the official’s attention.

Booker popped back up immediately and blasted Flair with a right hand, knocking him off the apron. Not satisfied, Booker slid out of the ring, grabbed Flair, and hurled him hard into the steel ring steps, sending the “Nature Boy” crashing to the floor. With Flair neutralized, Booker slid back into the ring as Henry staggered to his feet. Booker seized the moment, planting him with a thunderous Book End and hooking the leg for the three-count!!

Winner: Booker T via pinfall @ 9:52

Booker T celebrates the win in the ring, while Flair hightails it up the ramp. Triple H won’t be happy about this. The finals of the tournament is now set as Booker T will face William Regal for the Intercontinental Championship.

***

Backstage, the camera caught up once again with Scott Steiner as he continued storming through the halls, still searching for Test. Steiner looked more frustrated than ever, shoving past crew members and throwing doors open as he tried to track him down. Out of nowhere, Test exploded into the frame and leveled Steiner with a massive Big Boot that dropped him! Test stood over him for a moment, before breaking into a smug laugh. He shook his head, clearly amused that Steiner had been hunting him all night, only to get blindsided instead. “Heard you were looking for me?” Test said before breaking into a big laugh and walking away.

***

Backstage, Jonathan Coachman stood by with Chris Jericho. Coach quickly recapped the events of the past few weeks. The attack from behind, the heated exchange last week, and the rematch now set for Backlash, before asking Jericho what his mindset is heading into the match.

Jericho didn’t hesitate. He reiterated what he said last week, that WrestleMania was a fluke. In his mind, Shawn Michaels got lucky on one night, and that’s all it was. Jericho said he’s not just going to beat Shawn Michaels at Backlash, he’s going to prove that he is the better man, once and for all. Jericho says that after Backlash, he’ll finally be fulfilled. This saga with Shawn Michaels will be over, and he’ll be done with anything that has to do with him. Jericho gave a cold stare into the camera before walking off.

The camera cuts to the commentary team, where JR announces that next week on Raw, he will have an exclusive sit down interview with Shawn Michaels.

***

The arena popped big as Goldberg made his way to the ring for the main event. The reaction made it clear, WWE fans were more than ready to embrace Goldberg on Raw. Goldberg stood in the center of the ring, eyes locked on the stage as he waited for his opponent.

That’s when the music of Eric Bischoff hit. Bischoff walked out slowly with a smug grin stretched across his face, soaking in the boos from the crowd. He took his time getting to the stage before raising a microphone. Bischoff told Goldberg that, honestly, he wished him luck tonight… because he was definitely going to need it. He said that while Goldberg may think he’s earned his opportunity, tonight he’s going to be reminded that nothing on Raw comes easy. Bischoff then smirked and introduced Goldberg’s opponent for the night.

There’s a small pause before the music of Viscera hits as the big man makes his WWE return. The crowd really isn't sure what to think, or how to react, but there is a reaction of some sorts. Viscera makes his way to the ring, staring a hole through Goldberg. In the ring, Goldberg didn’t flinch. He cracked his neck, eyes locked on the big man as the two prepared to collide.

MAIN EVENT: GOLDBERG VS VISCERA

Before the bell could even ring, the arena was rocked by the music of Triple H. This time, it actually is the World Heavyweight Champion, as he slowly making his way down the ramp. Inside the ring, Goldberg didn’t take his eyes off Triple H for a second. But as soon as the referee called for the bell, Goldberg snapped into action. He turned and exploded forward, driving Viscera through the mat with a thunderous Spear! The arena erupted. Goldberg popped back up, completely fired up, feeding off the energy as Triple H continued down the ramp. Goldberg grabbed Viscera and hauled him up to his feet. In an incredible show of power, Goldberg lifted the 500-pounder off his feet and slammed him down with a massive body slam. By now, Triple H had reached ringside, but he stopped dead in his tracks at the massive feat of strength from Goldberg. Goldberg dropped down into the cover, hooking the leg—but never once breaking eye contact with Triple H.

1… 2… 3.

Winner: Goldberg via pinfall @ 0:38

After the match, Goldberg continued his staredown with Triple H at ringside, the tension between the two reaching a boiling point. But from behind, Ric Flair suddenly slid into the ring and clubbed Goldberg across the back! The shot barely fazed him. Goldberg slowly turned, his expression unbothered. Flair immediately realized his mistake and began backing away, quickly rolling out of the ring, doing everything he could to keep Goldberg’s attention locked on him.

It worked for just a moment. But just a moment is all that they needed. As Goldberg stepped toward the ropes, watching Flair retreat, Triple H saw his opening. The World Heavyweight Champion slid into the ring behind him, championship belt in hand, and charged forward, swinging for Goldberg’s head.. But Goldberg sensed it coming at the last second and ducked! Goldberg spun around, drove a boot into Triple H’s midsection, and hoisted him up into the air! Goldberg held him there for a few seconds, as the crowd came unglued… JACKHAMMER!

Goldberg popped to his feet, standing over the fallen champion. He looked down at Triple H, then looked over toward the World Heavyweight Championship, then back to Triple H. Goldberg sent a crystal-clear message to everyone. Triple H’s World Heavyweight Championship was in extreme danger. The show faded to black with Goldberg posing over The Game, the momentum fully on his side heading into their championship collision.

Current Backlash Card

World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H(C) vs Goldberg​

Singles Match
Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels

Intercontinental Championship
Booker T vs William Regal

World Tag Team Championships
Chief Morley and Lance Storm(C) vs The Dudley Boyz​

 

[BattleTank]

Backlash is shaping up to be a very solid card. Putting Goldberg straight into the title picture is a great piece of booking. No reason to waste him all summer long like they did in real life. Everything else on Raw is clicking right now. HBK/Jericho continuation will lead to one of them vying for the World title down the line.

On the SD side of things- O'Haire/Taker is my favorite program thus far and you haven't even peaked in writing that story out. Just the combo of those two, with O'Haire playing mind games on Taker will be money. Really looking forward to their inevitable clash. Hogan/Piper/McMahon is great, loved McMahon re-starting the match and burying Hogan. I am curious to see who will help Hogan overcome the duo.

Kevin Nash being Brock's next challenger is so creative, I love it. If anyone could carry Nash to a semi-decent match, it would be Brock. Just suplexing the shit out of him all over the ring. The thing I like about this project is that you're not afraid to change things up right out of the gate. In just two short shows, you've built Goldberg up as a stud, O'Haire looks like a budding star against Taker, and Kevin Nash has gotten new life on Smackdown. Great work on both shows. Excited to see this continue to take form.