Slobberknocker Central Monday Night Recap #250 August 28th, 2000 The Opening Word: I had a house full of people over to watch SummerSlam. After a minor crisis involving poor cable reception, everything was worked out, and we settled in to watch the show. Three hours later, I don't think anyone left disappointed. A few moments that really stood out during the show: * During the mixed-tag match for the Intercontinental Title, Trish Stratus and Val Venis went for a double clothesline on Chyna. As Val came off the ropes Eddie Guerrero tripped him. That left Trish alone to deliver the clothesline. She did, to no effect, bouncing off Chyna like a ping-pong ball hitting a tree. That got everyone laughing, and some in our group popped when Chyna got the pin. * When Jerry "The King" Lawler piledrived Tazz, I made the obligatory comment about Tazz being declared "legally dead" were this match taking place in Memphis. That cracked up a buddy of mine. I was glad to see Lawler win, but I'm not sure this feud and match did anything to push Tazz. * We could all see Shane McMahon's big bump coming, because he kept looking down to prepare himself for it. That didn't much diminish how incredible it looked. Steve Blackman following with the elbow maybe drew a bigger reaction, because that was truly unexpected. * Most of us felt the Benoit/Jericho match was good, but slightly rushed. We were also a bit surprised at its placement during the show, but decided it was probably for the best. Overall the pacing of the show was very good, helped by the odd arrangement of matches. Done differently the first half might have seemed really weak compared to the second. Spacing the "big" matches the way they did helped keep both the live crowd and my gathering hot throughout the show. * The "TLC Match" was simply awesome, though more than one of us wished that the Tag Titles had changed hands. The Hardy Boys were probably the favorites, though I doubt anyone would have complained if the Dudleyz had won. * What else would you expect from the Terri/Kat "match?" * I was really getting into the Undertaker/Kane match, when its weird "finish" came out of nowhere. Was that the point of the match? This was the kind of brawl you do on a show *before* the PPV, not on the PPV itself. * Everyone in our group got wrapped up in the main event, with one vocally supporting the Rock, leading to another to root Triple H on. Another was really behind Angle winning. The live crowd seemed just as mixed, with fans popping for every pinfall attempt. I myself had no idea who was going to win until the Rock dropped the People's Elbow. Overall, a really good PPV. Good matches, some surprises, big bumps, big stunts, some T&A, and a hot, dramatic main event designed to keep interest in the continuing storylines going strong. RAW this week airs two hours later than usual, because of the U.S. Open. That leaves the door open for WCW to put on a big show totally unopposed (by either wrestling or football, which also has the week off). RAW will be delayed next week also, then the week after that it returns to its normal time slot. The week after that will be the final WWF show on the USA Network. If WCW's going to make some advances on the WWF in the near future, they have to get the ball rolling tonight. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WCW Monday Nitro: Live/Taped: Live. Length: Two Hours+. Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico. Hosted By: Tony Schiavone & Mark Madden. HOUR ONE: - A video package highlights the Vince Russo version of the New World Order. - A limo pulls up, carrying Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, Kevin Nash and Vince Russo. "The band is back together!" seems to be the theme of tonight's show. - THE DARK CARNIVAL vs. 3 COUNT The Great Muta sits in on commentary and spends the match muttering unintelligible gibberish (I'm not even sure if it was Japanese). Total squash, lasting maybe two minutes. Muta: "Eawughgubba-gubba!" Tank Abbott comes out and everyone beats on him, including 3 Count. The Demon comes out and he gets beat up too. The lights dim and in comes Sting with a baseball bat. An alliance of some kind between Sting, the Demon and Abbott has apparently been formed. Vince Russo leads the NWO and the Natural Born Thrillers through the back. - Vince "Iron Man" Russo leads his band out to the ring. Russo orders the fans to cheer him. Russo says he had a plan, that apparently being the re-formation of the NWO (again). Since Goldberg didn't sign his release last week, things are going to get "New York ugly" for him from now on. Russo lets his pal Jeff Jarrett speak next. Jarrett runs though his "slap"-related spiel. He says no one in WCW can beat them now that they have Kevin Nash back on their team. He then challenges Mike Awesome to a "Bunkhouse Match" at Fall Brawl. Scott Steiner takes over and badmouths Goldberg. "I could shave my ass and walk backwards, and look better than your girlfriend!" Kevin Nash throws in his two cents, saying he's the "Puppet Master" because every few months he suckers the fans into cheering for him, then he turns on them. The fans can't do anything for him, but the NWO can. The fans start chanting for Goldberg. Nash says he'll become the champ at Fall Brawl. Russo takes the mic and corrects him: it'll happen tonight, with Jarrett as referee, and Steiner as ringside "enforcer." Out comes Booker T. He tells Russo to shut up. The fans chant along (sort of) with "save the drama for your mama!" Booker says Russo can't choose who he'll defend the belt against. Russo invites Booker into the ring to discuss it. Now The Cat is out, threatening to kick everyone's ass. He makes the rules in WCW, and orders Russo and his guys out of the ring. Russo gives him a low kick, and the Cat and Booker get beaten down. The Filthy Animals run in for the save, but are quickly destroyed as well. As Russo and his boys are walking out, Goldberg appears on the big screen, out in the New Mexico desert somewhere digging a hole. He says he's going to come back to the arena and get Russo. New World Order + New Blood + Austin vs. McMahon ... Russo's certainly going back to stuff that's been done before. As derivative as it is, though, it's still better than what he had been doing. - The Cat is stretchered to an ambulance. - Russo, the whiny little bitch (hey--that's his character), cries about being buried alive. He begs his guys to stay with him. They all leave, though, with Nash going to get ready for his match, Steiner off to look for Goldberg, and Jarrett pissed that he didn't get the title shot. Russo's phone then rings. It's Goldberg. - TYGRESS vs. MAJOR GUNNS Tygress gets a pin in about ten seconds, and the bell rings and she's announced the winner, but the ref says it was only a two count, so the match continues. Tygress walks out moments later. What the HELL was that?! The Filthy Animals jump the Thrillers. Konnan then ducks his head in Russo's office and tells him he needs more guys. - Jarrett supervises the delivery of a truckload of guitars. - Pamela interviews Mike Awesome, who for some reason is wearing a 70's leisure suit. Fake Barry White music plays in the background. He calls her "Paula Pamshock," which is funny, because I've noticed I've been accidentally calling her "Paula" too off-and-on over the last few weeks. To warm up for the "Bunkhouse Match" at the PPV, Awesome challenges Rick Steiner to a "Bunkhouse Match" tonight. Huh? - KRONIC vs. THE HARRIS TWINS This is a "House of Pain Match" in a steel cage. You win by handcuffing your opponents to the cage, and are then expected to beat on them as long as you'd like. Two minutes or so into the match, someone is slammed into the cage wall, which breaks, and everyone escapes out to the floor. As the brawl continues a "fan" at ringside is hit, so security comes in and the match is thrown out because it's out of control. The crowd seems pissed, if for no other reason than they've not even gotten five minutes of wrestling yet on the show (which is almost half over). Lance Storm and Elix Skipper of Team Canada walk through the back. - They come back from commercial to run a short promo for "The Way of the Gun." - Storm & Elix are out, throwing out a challenge to the Misfits in Action for a "Prisoner of War Match." The winning team gets to add a member of the losing team to their group. The MIA come out to answer the challenge. To further the "USA vs. Canada" feud, MIA now stands for "Made In America." General Rection says they accept, but only if it's a "Table Match," with Storm versus Awol. LANCE STORM (w/ Elix Skipper) vs. AWOL (w/ MIA) Another "blink-and-you-miss-it" match, which Storm wins in a minute or so when Skipper hits Awol with the Canadian flag. Storm then drop-kicks Awol off the apron, Awol falling through a table on the floor. Storm takes Major Gunns as his prisoner. Sting challenges Muta to a match. Booker T is getting ready for his match. - RICK STEINER vs. MIKE AWESOME A plancha to the floor by Awesome is the first wrestling move of note on the night. This is supposed to be a "Bunkhouse Brawl," yet both wrestlers are wearing their regular gear. Awesome pulls a table from under the ring and sets it up in the corner. He goes to Awesomebomb Steiner through it, but in comes Jarrett with a pipe. (What happened to all those guitars?) Steiner puts Awesome through the table, then covers for the pin. Another two minute match. What was the difference between this and a regular Hardcore Match? Booker T ... NEXT! I'm sure there was well under ten minutes of wrestling this hour. I can see deciding to put more emphasis on the storylines over wrestling, but does the actual wrestling have to be de-emphasized THAT much? HOUR TWO: - BOOKER T vs. KEVIN NASH Russo, sitting in on commentary, promises a "New York Screwjob," and promises a title change. Jarrett, who is the guest referee, acts like he's not on the same page with Russo, because he's angry that it isn't him getting the shot. Jarrett calls the match down the middle, and Russo yells at Jarrett to do his job. Nash gets Booker down for a pin, but Jarrett is busy removing Scott Steiner from ringside. Russo threatens to fire Jarrett. Of course with Russo having promised a screwjob, it seems likely Jarrett is just setting the groundwork for a swerve. Sure enough, Russo hands Jarrett a guitar and he knocks out Booker T. They then pad out the match's running time by meticulously sweeping all the guitar fragments from the ring. Nash then gives Booker a Jackknife powerbomb and covers for the pin, winning the World Heavyweight Title. Schiavone, making the truest observation I've ever heard, says "this is one of the worst things to happen to the WCW Title." Madden makes an overbearing jackass of himself yelling how great Russo, Jarrett and Nash are. The crowd wasn't exactly shocked by Jarrett's "turn," as he'd only turned babyface eight minutes earlier. - Schiavone continues to bemoan what happened, asking why they didn't just jack Booker out in the parking lot and take the belt from him? If I didn't know better I'd think Tony believes what he's saying. - Nash and company celebrate their win backstage. - Booker T says "it's over" and blows by General Rection on his way out the building. - Shane Douglas, up on the second level with Torrie Wilson, badmouths Billy Kidman. He's suddenly, and for no reason, attacked by Crowbar. They tease someone getting knocked off the balcony. Crowbar then stops, distracted by the sight of Daffney and her mystery suitor (introduced last week--a guy who looks just like Crowbar). Douglas grabs Crowbar and throws him off the second level, Crowbar landing on a big pile a garbage bags (sort of a low-rent version of the bump Shane McMahon took the night before on PPV). Douglas comes down and continues beating on him. He then hits the ring to brag about it, only to be interrupted, Speared and Jackhammered by Goldberg. - Nash takes a shower. We get to see it. Why? Even though this is supposed to be live they've somehow managed to blur out the crack of Nash's ass. We then see Booker T grab the title belt and hit Nash with it. Over to Russo, who freaks out over it. - Miss Hancock's wedding to David Flair takes place on Nitro Monday, September 18th. - BIG VITO vs. JEFF JARRETT Vito, once a New Blood member lauded by Madden, gets nothing but the badmouth from him for daring to wrestle the Chosen One. Schiavone spends as much time telling Madden how stupid he sounds as he does calling the action. Vito gets in a lot of offense, but the outcome is never in doubt, with Jarrett hitting the Stroke for the win. Only four minutes long, but still the best match of the show thus far. - Another promo for "The Way of the Gun." - Jarrett is outside to get another guitar from the pickup truck. Mike Awesome pops out of the pile and grabs Jarrett, slamming him onto the guitars. - "Above Average" Mike Sanders, speaking for the Natural Born thrillers, challenges the Filthy Animals to a five-on-five match. Sanders, who is okay on the mic, has been upgraded to "awesome" and "Ric Flair-like" by WCW fans and employees on the Net over the last week. NATURAL BORN THRILLERS vs. THE FILTHY ANIMALS Why is Sean Stasiak considered a Power Plant trainee when he actually got his start in the WWF two years ago? Sitting in on commentary he drops Paul Orndorff's name for no reason. Anyone have any idea what the hell was the deal with that angle they did last Wednesday, where everyone was trying to get Disco Inferno fired? Konnan, just back from whatever injury he had, sees limited action. The match has its moments early on, but breaks down completely, with four men on each team getting "counted out" while brawling on the floor. That leaves Mike Sanders versus Tygress. She gives him the FACE FULL OF STUFF--FACE FULL OF STUFF--FACE FULL OF STUFF, but he seems revived by it, and pins her. Kudos to WCW for pulling out all the stops tonight in preventing the fans from seeing a decent match. What, is Goldberg taking a pee? Oh, he's knocking out Scott Steiner in the bathroom. - Russo begs Big Vito to protect him. We're supposed to assume Nash, Jarrett and Steiner are still all knocked out. - Russo, accompanied by Vito, calls out Goldberg. Russo reminds him that he can't lay a finger on him without being fired. Schiavone: "This is real life, fans." Russo orders Vito to attack. He does, but he attacks Russo instead. Goldberg tells him to take out the garbage. Vito carries Russo from the ring. You could tell the fans were expecting the Vito swerve. - STING vs. THE GREAT MUTA The announcers try to invoke the history behind this match, but I ain't buying. Muta's too busted up, while Sting doesn't have any fire left. The two start off brawling in the aisle. Around the ring they go, never showing any intention of getting in it. Vampiro appears on the bottom of the Turner-Tron, and steam or smoke shoots up from the stage, like it's going to be used to hide a "mysterious" Vampiro disappearance. But no, he's still there, and he drops down and hits Sting with a kendo stick. No idea why the ref is letting this go. The Insane Clown Posse show up and together they, Vampiro and Muta drag Sting up onto the big screen. They go though a tear in the screen and for several moments we see them, in silhouette, beating on Sting. Umm, that's it. Out in the desert, probably taped several hours earlier (given how bright it is), Goldberg is about to bury Russo. Suddenly Bret Hart pulls up. He says no one hates Russo more than he, giving him a kick, mentioning the "Montreal Screwjob." He asks if he can help bury him. Anyone not seeing what's coming is an idiot. Hart takes the shovel, then hits Goldberg when he turns his back. Yeah, and like we didn't expect that given 1) it was Goldberg who put Hart out of action, 2) Hart was in the NWO when he last wrestled, 3) Hart did the same thing to Hulk Hogan earlier this year (remember how they didn't show it and made fans wait a week to find out if Hart hit Hogan or Eric Bischoff?), 4) when we last saw Hart it was at the side of heel Lance Storm, and 5) Russo ALWAYS does this (including TWICE in this very show). The announcers, of course, fall for the swerve hook, line and sinker. - This Wednesday: Nothing announced. - Next week: Nothing announced. Comments: For the record, I don't think they actually called Russo's group the "New World Order," but with the video package at the beginning, and saying "the band is back together" so many times, that's pretty much the idea. I just wanted to make it clear they weren't actually calling them the NWO. I give WCW good marks for assembling a group of storylines that make some sense. They're simple, and a lot of it is just Russo rehashing old ideas, but it's stuff that the fans can follow, and could work for WCW if the matches are there to support it and the PPV comes off well. Where this show really flopped was the matches. The entire first hour was a wash-out, with barely a moment of decent wrestling. Hour Two was noteworthy because of the Nash title win, but it wasn't a good match, and neither were any of the others. If WCW wants to be compared to the WWF then they're screwed, because they fall far short in every comparison. The only thing they have on the WWF is that things happen at a faster pace, which isn't always a good thing. They also didn't do much to build up the younger guys this week. Oh sure, they tried to tell us how great they are, but what works better: being told someone is great, or seeing that someone is great for yourself? So far, none of these guys, in particular the Natural Born Thrillers, are being given a real chance to prove themselves. The problem is most of them aren't ready for it. These guys shouldn't be on TV yet. But since they are, they should be allowed to do what they can do best. Sticking them out there in two minute no-finish schmozzes isn't going to help, unless that's the best they can do, in which case these guys are doomed from the start. There's been a complaint lately by WCW fans aimed at WCW's critics, saying WCW was supposed to push the younger stars, then when they did everyone said it sucked. Well, suppose you have a rusted-out hulk of a car which needs to be painted. Everyone says it needs to be done. So you do it, but instead of having it professionally done, you buy a few cans of spraypaint and do it yourself. So you did what everyone told you to do, but you did a half-assed job of it. See the comparison? WCW did what they needed to do, they just haven't done it very well. People complaining about the way WCW has pushed the young guys aren't contradicting themselves. Another instance of WCW dropping the ball tonight was following the Crowbar stunt, which they never replayed. When Shane McMahon did it on the PPV the WWF showed it over and over (perhaps a few times too many). WCW won't show it again until Douglas or Crowbar appear on Thunder (if they even do). By next week people will have forgotten it, while they'll be talking about Shane's stunt for weeks (maybe months) to come. WCW fans will blame WWF fans for not giving Crowbar credit for a big bump, and all that, but the blame here lies with WCW for not working to get it over. Do I even need to say what a bad idea giving Nash the belt is? Someone's going to write me now and say Nash gets a big pop and all that. So does "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, so how about making him WCW Champion? The ratings for this show will be interesting. They'll obviously go up, but I doubt WCW did much to convince those usual WWF viewers that there's anything here with switching over to when the RAW returns to its usual slot. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WWF RAW is WAR: Live/Taped: Tape delayed. Length: Two Hours+. Location: Greensboro, North Carolina. Hosted By: Jim Ross & Jerry "The King" Lawler. WWF RAW: - Commissioner Mick Foley, from his office, announces a bunch of title matches for tonight. - Triple H awaits the arrival of his wife, who he hasn't seen since the PPV. - CHRIS JERICHO/THE ACOLYTES vs. CHRIS BENOIT/T&A (w/ Trish Stratus) Decent match, which sees Jericho pin Albert following a Lionsault. Ross and Lawler spend most of the match talking about Kurt Angle, who has a concussion and isn't expected to be on the show. Triple H confides to X-Pac that he hasn't seen Stephanie all day. X-Pac takes things a bit too lightly for Triple H's taste. - Road Dogg is a bit more understanding of Triple H's plight. - Kurt Angle makes his way to the ring, to the amazement of the announcers. Admits that he can't remember much of what happened at the PPV after he was Pedigreed through the announce table. He then goes off on a long rant against Triple H, designed to get The Game over as a babyface. Triple H wants to know where his wife is. This goes back and forth a bit, with Angle finishing up by saying that maybe what's happened is that when Triple H punched Stephanie he knocked some sense in her, and that she finally saw him for the bastard he really is. Triple H shoves Angle out of the ring, earning a big pop. Officials quickly swarm the scene to keep the two apart. Chyna tells Eddie Guerrero (backstage) that she feels sorry for Triple H. Eddie says Triple H doesn't know how to treat a woman, and that she should be thinking about her Intercontinental Title defense tonight against Val Venis. - CHYNA (w/ Eddie Guerrero) vs. VAL VENIS Trish Stratus watches the match from the stage. The problem with Chyna is that she's not bad, she's just so limited in the moves she can do and take that all her matches are the same. That said she does an alright job here, pinning Venis after Val makes the mistake of passing on doing the Money Shot in favor of chewing out Trish some more. He distracted, Chyna rolls him up for the pin. Nice of the WWF to "legitimize" Chyna's title win by giving her a relatively clean singles victory over Val. Michael Cole doesn't believe that Angle can't remember anything from last night. Angle searches his memory and starts to remember ... a hotel lobby ... Stephanie being there ... a hotel room. - Elliot & Ernie Sadler--whoever they are--are in the front row. - Steven Richards leads the Right To Censor to the ring. He delivers his usual stuff. Rikishi, Too Cool and the Ho's come out. Steven ends up coming THAT close to getting a stinkface before he's rescued. Was this a match? Chyna drops by to console Triple H. She tells him trust is the most important thing, pointing out her relationship to Eddie, and that he has to trust Stephanie. On cue, Eddie comes in, his hot latino blood set to boil over. This whole setup, knowing the real relationship between Triple H and Chyna, is pretty funny. - Edge & Christian, banged-up and bandaged, limp to the ring. Christian says they're too beat up to gloat over their victory. Edge calls the Hardy Boyz out so that they can shake their hands. Didn't we see this already ten months ago? Spoke too soon--out come two midgets dressed as the Hardyz, carrying stepladders. Christian says they could have fought the Bushwhackers or Techno Team 2000 and it still would have been a good match. Cue pyro and the Dudley Boyz's music--it's another pair of midgets, carrying a 2 foot table. Edge says they'll part from time-honored tradition by making fun of their "inferior opponents." Mini Buh-Buh Ray yells "whazzup," and Mini D-Von screams "testify!" The Mini Hardyz don't get to talk because the real Hardyz never get to talk. Edge & Christian then do their 37 second pose, which is them holding the belts up out of the reach of the leaping midgets. In come the real Hardy Boyz. Christian gets the tiny table thrown at him, and Jeff Hardy does a running leap using the mini stepladder. Every girl in the arena squeals when they take their shirts off. Retrieving a pair of real ladders from under the ring, Edge finds himself smashed between them. The Hardyz then set up the legdrop/splash combo off the ladders, but Christian pulls Edge out of the ring. Eddie's still bothered by catching Chyna with Triple H. Kurt Angle comes in and says, ironically, that there's nothing lower than someone trying to steal another man's woman. He suggests Eddie challenge Triple H to a match. WWF WAR ZONE: - STEVE BLACKMAN vs. TAZZ Tazz gets on the mic and says there'll be three victims tonight: Blackman, Lawler, and that "leather-faced bastard" JR. Very quickly some plunder gets introduced, most notably some garbage can lids. On the floor Tazz uses a lid on Blackman, then whips around and bashes Lawler in the head with it! As he makes a grab for Ross, Lawler goes after Tazz. Tazz gets the better of him, but here comes JR with the can lid, bashing Tazz in the head with it! Blackman then comes flying off the apron with a kick which levels Tazz. Blackman covers for the pin. Tazz crawls over to get another piece of Lawler & JR, but WWF officials have arrived to restore order. Joe tries to tell Triple H some gossip, but Triple H chases him off. Eddie Guerrero then storms in and says he got Commissioner Foley to sign a match between them. Triple H: "You just wrote a check your ass can't cash!" Eddie: "Come cash your check!" - LITA vs. JACQUELINE Lita does a flying rana and a standing huracanrana. Jackie goes on an offensive streak which includes a flying crossbody off the top. Lita escapes from a slam attempt and does a reverse DDT. She follows up with a Twist of Fate and finishes her off with a moonsault. The crowd wasn't sure how to react to all the WRESTLING. Out come Edge & Christian, and together with Jacqueline they lay in a beating. The Hardyz run out for the save, but are too banged up to do much. Pencil in a six-person mixed-tag match in the near-future. Kane cuts an intense promo on the People's Champion, who he faces for the title later tonight. Eddie refuses to listen to Chyna. - TRIPLE H vs. EDDIE GUERRERO Good, but short match, which sees Triple H on the verge of winning with a Pedigree, when Kurt Angle runs in with a chair, taking Triple H out with a shot to the head. Eddie receives one too. Chyna chases Angle off with a chair of her own. She then checks out both men, Ross making a big deal over her being split over who she should be more concerned about. - Replay of Chyna checking out both men. - THE KAT/AL SNOW vs. TERRI RUNNELS/PERRY SATURN From the decent women's match we got earlier, we go now to the other end of the spectrum, as the Kat and Terri perform some really bad "wrestling." Snow and Saturn then tag in, the cameramen doing their best to shoot the match while sneaking in as many butt shots of the girls as possible. The match then goes completely off the tracks as Midian runs in, wearing nothing but a leather jockstrap. WHAT THE F#@%?! Midian shakes his package, then runs off through the crowd. With everyone discombobulated, Perry has an easy time slapping the Rings of Saturn on the Kat for the win. The door to the Rock's dressing room gets a louder pop than anyone in WCW. - The Dudley Boyz are at WWF New York. - The Rock cuts his usual promo, once again making Kevin Kelly the butt of a hermaphrodite joke. - THE ROCK vs. KANE Kane, in his new outfit, looks like the third member of Kronic. He's gone back to his old mask (the new one torn off by the Undertaker at the PPV). The match rolls along smoothly, going back-and-forth, until referee Earl Hebner gets bumped. The Rock drops the people's Elbow on Kane, but there's no ref to make the count. Kane gets up and delivers a chokeslam. Hebner crawls over and counts, but the Rock gets an elbow up. He delivers a Rock Bottom, and covers, but Kane kicks out. The fans are starting to get worried. Rock clotheslines Kane out of the ring, Kane landing on his feet. The Rock tries to slam his face into the announce desk, but Kane blocks and does it to the Rock instead, then throws him into the steps. Out into the crowd they go. "American Badass" signals the arrival of the Undertaker, on his bike, Kane's torn mask dangling from one handle. Kane comes back out of the crowd and meets him in the ring. The Undertaker lays him out with a huge chokeslam. The Rock makes it back to the ring and crawls over for the cover. 1 ... 2--Kane kicks out! The Rock then puts him back down with another Rock Bottom, and finally gets the pin. The Undertaker roars up to the stage. The announcers seriously play up the angle that Rock just barely escaped with the belt tonight. The Rock flashes the Undertaker a look like he didn't appreciate the interference, while the Undertaker looks like he may be interested in going for that belt himself. - This Thursday: Nothing announced. - Next week: RAW again airs two hours later than usual. Comments: Good show, but one which raised more questions than it answered. The biggest is whether or not introducing Chyna & Eddie Guerrero to the Triple H/Stephanie McMahon/Kurt Angle storyline was a one-time deal, or a permanent addition? With the main event, I'm reminded of the period where "Stone Cold" Steve Austin held the belt, and had numerous contenders circling him, jockeying to be the #1 contender. Looks like they may go that route with the Rock. Kane got a serious push as a threat to the title, and that automatically draws the Undertaker into the picture. Could we see these three in a three-way at the next PPV? Jericho & Benoit are still going at it, as are Tazz & Lawler, and several others who fought at the PPV. SummerSlam may have been a great PPV, but it's not going to be remembered as one where many issues were settled. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Bottom Line: Nothing else comes to mind this week, so I'll think I'll wrap things up there. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Slobberknocker Central" and "Monday Night Recap" are copyright 2000 by John Petrie, and all opinions expressed therein are his own, and not those of "USLink". Check the "Slobberknocker Central" main page for info on how to receive the "Recap" free via E-Mail every week. Volume One, Number 250 of the "Monday Night Recap", August 28th, 2000.