Thursday, January 21, 2021

Ruthless Aggression Era Project: WWE Monday Night Raw Review - January 13th, 2003

WWE Monday Night Raw
January 13th, 2003
Mohegan Sun

World Heavyweight Champion - Triple H (since 12/15/02)
World Tag Team Champions - Lance Storm & William Regal (since 1/6/03)
WWE Women's Champion - Victoria (since 11/17/02)
Commentary - Jim Ross & Jerry "The King" Lawler

In the parking garage, Scott Steiner yells at Eric Bischoff and says he wants a match with him tonight and he's not waiting for the Royal Rumble. Bischoff says he has to wait and tonight they will have a.. bench press contest. Steiner is tired of playing games and refuses to promise that it won't end in physicality. 

1) Victoria (c) (w/ Steven Richards) vs. Trish Stratus vs. Jacqueline - Hardcore Rules Match for the Women's Championship

Yikes. First terrible match of 2003 here and I was hoping for the best, but this was a big disjointed mess :( thankfully it doesn't go long and Victoria retains thanks to help from Steven Richards. After the match, Steven & Victoria go on the attack and The Hurricane makes the save.

Match rating - *

Backstage, The Dudley Boys run up on Eric Bischoff & Sean Morley. Morley steps in when they get in Bischoff's face so Bubba & D-Von start beating his ass YESSSS. Wild shit, security detains The Dudley's per Bischoff. Bischoff says they are fired, then re-thinks it when Bubba mentions going to Smackdown so Eric just suspends them without pay.

TONIGHT: Batista vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kane in an Over the Top Rope Challenge

2) Test & Maven (w/ Stacy Keibler) vs. D-Lo Brown & Christopher Nowinski 
This is fine, it continues the issue of D-Lo thinking the refs are prejudice against him as he tried to pin Maven, but Test was actually the legal man so the ref wouldn't count. Stacy hops on the apron, Test boots D-Lo and 1..2..3.. it's over.

Match rating - **

Eric Bischoff sees a limo coming and thinks it's Vince McMahon. BUT.. it's Mean Gene Okerlund. Meanwhile, Chris Jericho walks up. He wants to be the #1 entrant in the Rumble, Bischoff says he has to prove himself in the battle royal tonight.

3) William Regal vs. Jerry Lawler

They search Regal for his brass knuckles pre-match then send Lance Storm to the back. Lawler hits Regal with a chain while the ref's back is turned, but he catches it before he can count to 3. Soooooo, he's disqualified. Grrrreat.

Match rating - N/R

4) Jeff Hardy vs. Raven - Royal Rumble Qualifying Match

Poor Raven is here. Assuming he's nearing the end of his WWE run here as his feud with CM Punk in ROH starts in 2003, if my memory serves me right. Anyways stuff happens for 2 or 3 minutes and Hardy wins with the Swanton Bomb. 

Backstage, another limo showed up anD ITS VINCE MCMAHON AND HE'S HEADED TO THE RING. He passes Randy Orton along the way after being greeted by Eric Bischoff. Vince asks how his shoulder is and Orton says "94 percent" which pops Vince and he slaps him on the shoulder real hard lmao.

Sean O'Haire "talks about temptation" vignette airs. 

Mr. McMahon hits the ring for his announcement. He gets interrupted by The Dudley Boys whom he reinstates and gives a tag title shot to them against Regal/Storm at The Rumble. Then he's interrupted by Chris Jericho who wants his #1 spot in the Rumble. Vince makes the battle royal later have the stip of whoever can pick their entry number... besides #1 because Shawn Michaels already has that spot. Jericho is livid and Vince makes him leaves the ring. Eric Bischoff interrupts next and Vince is PISSED now and gives him 30 days to turn Raw around or he's FIIIIRED.

5) Booker T (w/ Goldust) vs. Lance Storm (w/ William Regal)
"I got somethin' for ya.. right over here!" -Jerry Lawler to William Regal

That quote and camera cut was too hilarious not to quote and gif. This doesn't last long before The Dudleys run in and attack their opponents for Sunday. The Dudley's pose with the belts as Regal & Storm retreat.

6) The Hurricane (w/ Trish Stratus) vs. Steven Richards (w/ Victoria)

This stems from the opener earlier. The women are still selling the effects from that match as we get things started. And before much really happens.. Hurricane scoops up the victory. The two duos fight post match and Trish nails Victoria with a chick kick to get the last laugh. LEGGO. 

Triple H comes out for the bench press contest with Scott Steiner, but bypasses the bench press on stage along with Steiner and heads to the ring. They never have the contest. Instead, Steiner goes to the ring and beats down HHH and strips him down to his underwear in the process. H backs away from the ring after he’s thrown out and Steiner poses with his World Heavyweight Title. Pretty funny stuff. They meet Sunday with the title on the line at the Royal Rumble PPV. 

7) Rob Van Dam vs. Batista vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho - Winner gets to pick what entry they are in the Royal Rumble 

This is okay, but I didn’t really enjoy it to be honest. Outside from Batista, his spots ruled and he looked great. Jericho wins when all is said and done and he chooses to be #2 in the Rumble so he can go 1v1 with Shawn Michaels. This brings out Shawn Michaels who tosses Jericho over the top rope after slugging it out with him. JR screams “WILL IT BE LIKE THIS SUNDAY???!” 

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