Monday, January 11, 2021

Ruthless Aggression Era Project: WWE Monday Night Raw Review - December 16th, 2002

WWE Monday Night Raw 

December 16th, 2002

Orlando, FL

Commentary - Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler

1) Victoria & Steven Richards vs. Trish Stratus & Test (w/ Stacy Keibler) 

Interesting opener here but it’s actual a pretty big load of fun. Steven takes advantage of the inter gender rules and assaults Trish. Test gets the hot tag and Victoria stops him from dropping Stevie on his ass. Stevie & Victoria get the advantage until Stacy lifts up her dress and shows Stevie her ass. Stevie chases Stacy and eats a Test boot out of nowhere and takes the pin.

Match rating - ** 

Backstage, Sean Morley tells Bischoff he locked in Scott Steiner’s contract signing for the main event segment tonight. Bischoff is upset because he already promised the new World Champion Triple H that he would have the main event segment. Oh lordddd. 

Tonight: Booker T vs. Chris Jericho 

Book & Goldy have another heartfelt moment backstage following their tag title victory. Christian interrupts and asks if this is Raw or a “after school special” lmao. Tonight it’s Christian/Goldy and Book/Jericho then next week it’s the title rematch. 

2) Maven vs. Chris Nowinski

Well this happens. At one point Maven mounts Nowinski for some punches in the corner and says out loud “I hate your ass!” Way to convey those hard feelings, buck. Nowinski wins with a roll up 

Match rating - *1/2

SHAWN MICHAELS IS HERE AND HE MAY HAVE LOST AND TOOK A BEATING LAST NIGHT BUT HES DANCING AROUND. He calls Triple H out for a rematch that’s 3/5 falls.. oh please god no. But commentary and the crowd pop for it. Chris Jericho interrupts and runs Shawn down for several minutes and says HBK stands for Has Been Kid because he doesn’t have it anymore and last night proved it. Shawn gives him a super kick for his troubles. 

3) Christian vs. Goldust 

This was smooth and to the point. It’s back and forth for a few short minutes then Christian uses the ropes for a three count. 

Match rating - **

Triple H is backstage and Eric comes and tries to covertly get him to switch his celebration segment to earlier in the night. H catches on and says Scott Steiner is a jacked up piece of trash and if Bischoff replaces his segment with Steiner he will walk out on the company with the title. Bischoff smiles and says he will get it worked out but still looks stressed as shit as he walks off.

Ric Flair and Batista are with 3 Minute Warning backstage. They team later in a handicap match. Flair tells Jamal & Rosey to follow his & Batista’s lead and everything will be fine. 

Chief Sean Morley catches Terri in the parking lot and tells her to tell Scott Steiner to come straight to him when he arrives. 

Coach interviews RVD & Kane. Kane is riled up and wants to unleash hell tonight. RVD is playful. Yeah yeah match is next. 

4) Rob Van Dam & Kane vs. Jamal, Rosey & Batista (w/ Ric Flair) 

The trio isolates Van Dam. 3MW & Batista have miscommunication so Batista & Flair leave. Kane gets the hot tag and cleans house on 3MW, pinning Rosey for the victory. 

Match rating - *3/4

SCOTT STEINER IS HEREEEE. He’s shown walking into the backstage area with his bags.

5) The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von) vs. William Regal & Lance Storm 

The Dudleys run to the ring and charge Regal & Storm at the bell. More short, routine stuff here. Regal gets the win for his team by using brass knuckles. Yawn. It’s fine for what it is, but every match tonight has felt like this. 

Match rating - *3/4

Flair walks into Scott Steiner’s locker room and Scott throws his old ass up against the wall and sends a message to Triple H.  

Stacy Keibler has secured Test a deal with Bod body spray or whatever. They try out the spray, make a testicles joke and walk off. Raven is watching them as they walk off. Weird and random but I looove Raven. 

6) Jeff Hardy vs. D-Lo Brown 

Another thing that happened. Jeff won, but D-Lo had his foot on the ropes. Backstage after the match, D-Lo tells referee Chad Patton he thinks he made the call because he’s a white BOY and D-Lo is a black MAN. 

7) Booker T vs. Chris Jericho 

This was fun while it lasted. They did some run ins at the end with Goldust & Christian to hype up the tag title match next week. Booker wins via DQ. 

Match rating - **1/2 

Morley catches Steiner in the hall and seemingly gets him to agree to hold off his contract signing ceremony to next week. Steiner says Triple H will have his night and as Morley walks off he says “it’ll be one he’ll never forget....”

So yeah we get a pretty awesome closing segment here. Eric has a video package celebrating Triple H. H cuts a promo running down all the people he’s beaten and explains why he’s that damn good. Scott Steiner’s music hits and we get the showdown we all knew was coming and it rules. Steiner says H hasn’t beaten him and backs him & Eric into giving him a World Title shot. As he signs the contract, H says Steiner was a big fish in a small pond, but now it’s the opposite. Bischoff makes the title match official for the Royal Rumble PPV coming up in a few weeks. Steiner wants it now and urges Triple H to take the first punch since he’s such a tough guy. They’re nose to nose for a while, but H leaves and Steiner sends us off the air.

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