WWF RAW is WAR August 3, 1998

by

Taped from San Diego, CA

Airdate: August 3, 1998 (taped 07/28)

Attendance: 9,703

Hosted by Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler

Can the Rock and Owen defeat Austin and Undertaker for the tag team titles? Who will win the #1 contender match for the IC title? Will Severn be successful in his attempt to attain gold at Brown’s expense? What will be the result of Kaientai and Venis? Get comfortable as you’re in for a treat!

Opening montage.

The Rock heads to the ring with the NoD and takes the microphone. Both JR and the Rock call him “the People’s champ.” Due to their victory last night, Rock and Owen have a title shot TONIGHT against Austin and Undertaker. Rock cuts a promo on the champs, and Commissioner Slaughter heads to the ring.

With Slaughter on the apron, Austin and Undertaker saunter to the ring. Austin enters the ring, and the NoD quadruple teams him. Meanwhile, Kane emerges to distract Undertaker. Paul Bearer beckons Kane backstage, and Mankind appears and brawls with Undertaker. As Austin stuns Owen, Rock beats on him. Brawling, Undertaker and Mankind head backstage. Austin tries to stun Rock who bails instantaneously. Grabbing a chair, Austin clears the ring of the NoD.

Rating: 3.9

Match 1: Marc Mero (w/ Jacqueline) versus Golga

Highlights:

  • Not shown on the WWE Network.

 

Rating: NONE

Summary:  Are the Oddities too controversial for Peacock?

Prior to the next match, we see highlights of Godfather’s loss to Severn three weeks ago. According to JR, Severn has withdrawn from the tournament. Backstage, Severn says he has “nothing to prove.” Godfather grabs the microphone as best he can with boxing gloves on. As he offers Scorpio the ho’s over a beatdown, Scorpio decides to fight. To finish the preview, we revisit Scorpio’s victory over 8-Ball.

Match 2 (Brawl 4 All quarterfinal): The Godather (w/ ho’s) versus 2 Cold Scorpio

Highlights:

ROUND ONE:

  • Godfather connected with a right that sent Scorpio reeling.
  • Unofficially, Godfather led 5-0.

ROUND TWO:

  • Godfather pounded on Scorpio until a brief comeback.
  • According to JR, along with “Dr. Death” Steve Williams’ injuries, Steve Blackman was injured training for this tournament. SOMEBODY STOP THE DAMN TOURNAMENT!
  • Unofficially, Godfather led 10-0.

ROUND THREE:

  • Scorpio attempted a takedown, but Godfather got the better of it and 5 points.
  • When Scorpio chose a takedown attempt over a KO, his fate was sealed.
  • Godfather won.

 

Rating: NONE

Summary:  Godfather will face Bart Gunn in the semifinals.

Rating: 4.5

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews the NAO who are ready for their match NEXT.

RAW is sponsored by Mead *****, WWF The Music Volume 2, and 10-10-321.

Prior to the next match, Road Dog recites his spiel despite not being tag team champions.

Match 3: The New Age Outlaws versus Kane & Mankind (w/ Paul Bearer)

Highlights:

  • Before the bell rang, Kane shot off his turnbuckle pyro, but the NAO double-teamed Mankind at ringside.
  • Billy clotheslined Mankind and tagged in Road Dog.
  • When he fed Mankind the shaky-shaky knee drop, he got 2.
  • Mankind rebounded with a back elbow, and Kane tagged in.
  • As Kane gave Road Dog a cross corner whip, he followed with a corner clothesline.
  • He gave Road Dog another cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
  • After NAO attempted a double suplex, Kane blocked it and double-suplexed them instead.
  • Mankind tagged in and dealt Road Dog a Cactus clothesline.
  • While Mankind grabbed a chair, he scrambled Road Dog’s brains with an unprotected chair shot. OUCH!
  • Billy delivered one himself to Mankind, but Kane clotheslined him.
  • Making Road Dog taste the steel railing, Kane rammed Billy face-first into the broadcast table. Road Dog must have tasted something like the Drug Store Hamburger at Dockside 1953.
  • Mankind applied a sleeper, but Road Dog countered with a belly-to-back suplex.
  • With tags being exchanged on both sides, Billy clotheslined Mankind over the top rope to the floor.
  • NAO double-suplexed Kane, but Mankind returned and hooked a Mandible claw on Road Dog.
  • Forgotten was a false pin by Billy thanks to Mankind’s distraction of referee Earl Hebner.
  • Kane tombstoned and pinned Road Dog.
  • As a result, Kane and Mankind won at 5:19.

 

Rating: **

Summary:  Kane and Mankind are making the NAO their bitches.

Rating: 4.9

We revisit last week when Hawk appeared to be impaired.

Back in the locker room, Hawk apologizes as Michael Hegstrand (his real name) to all involved and hopes for forgiveness.

Earlier today, Jarrett cuts a promo promising to scare Hawk straight “Double-J style.”

Match 4: “Double J” Jeff Jarrett (w/ Tennessee Lee) versus Road Warrior Hawk

Highlights:

  • Jarrett ambushed Hawk before the bell, but Hawk clotheslined him.
  • As he military-press-slammed Jarrett, Hawk clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor.
  • Hawk reversed an Irish whip and powerslammed Jarrett.
  • When he fed Jarrett a fist drop, Hawk mounted the top turnbuckle and launched a flying clothesline.
  • He gave Jarrett a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through. In fact, he HIT THE POLE.
  • After the match segued to the floor, Jarrett rammed Hawk face-first twice into the steps.
  • Jarrett dealt Hawk a side-Russian leg sweep and beckoned Lee for his belt.
  • While Lee had difficulty with that, Jarrett demolished Hawk with a DDT.
  • Or so we thought because Hawk stood up immediately.
  • Hawk delivered a hangman’s neckbreaker and pinned Jarrett at 2:30.

 

Rating: *

Summary:  Dysfunction at the junction between Jarrett and Lee earns Hawk a redemption victory.

After the match, Animal heads to the ring to congratulate his partner while Jarrett and Lee bicker. Suddenly, Southern Justice hits the ring to destroy the Road Warriors. Canterbury sends Animal shoulder-first into the steps. To aid the Road Warriors, Droz deals some five-knuckle shuffle to Jarrett to send him scurrying.

Rating: 4.5

Get a FREE poster of HHH with the purchase of Stridex. I’d bet it removes not only pimples but also unwanted hair.

WAR ZONE!

Mr. McMahon along with Gerald Brisco, Pat Patterson, and Slaughter enter the ring. As he predicts that Austin and Undertaker will lose the tag team titles, Mr. McMahon notes coincidences where Austin was placed in peril where Undertaker was otherwise distracted. He impatiently calls out Undertaker who joins this unusual committee meeting.

Austin crashes the party, doesn’t mind that Undertaker has both tag title belts, and informs him that he’s prepared to beat him at the PPV. When Undertaker calls him back, he advises Austin that Mr. McMahon is being manipulative for a reason—to split them up. He further asks Austin to reclaim his portion of the tag title championship. After Austin returns to the ring, Undertaker offers him a belt, and Austin accepts. For his own selfish needs, Undertaker implies that he’ll protect Austin between now and the PPV. Now THIS is good storytelling.

Backstage, Owen and Rock cut promos on Austin and Undertaker.

STRIDEX TRIPLE ACTION: HHH deals X-Pac a Pedigree. Rock upends X-Pac with a Rock Bottom. X-Pac smacks Rock with a spinning heel kick.

Match 5: HHH (w/ Chyna) versus X-Pac

Highlights:

  • Due to the elimination of HHH’s involvement in USA’s Pacific Blue, the opening bell portion was extricated as well. Enough with the edits!
  • X-Pac leapfrogged HHH but fell victim to a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2.
  • When HHH fed X-Pac a delayed vertical suplex, he landed a knee drop for another 2.
  • He gave X-Pac a HARD cross corner whip to further injure the back.
  • As X-Pac scored with a spinning heel kick, he got 2.
  • He dealt HHH a rapid leg drop for another 2.
  • After HHH rebounded with a high knee, he got 2.
  • He delivered an elbow smash and earned another 2-count.
  • While X-Pac reversed an Irish whip, HHH knocked him silly with a hangman’s neckbreaker but couldn’t get 3.
  • X-Pac gave HHH a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through. HHH took the opportunity to earn yet another 2.
  • Reversing another Irish whip, X-Pac ate a facebuster.
  • X-Pac exploded with a standing leg lariat for 2.
  • Blasting HHH with a spinning back kick, X-Pac prepped for the Broncobuster.
  • Chyna, however, tripped X-Pac unbeknownst to referee Jack Doan. SNEAKY!
  • Questioning her, X-Pac got a mouthful of forearm from Chyna.
  • HHH delivered a Pedigree and pinned X-Pac at 5:03.

 

Rating: ***

Summary:  Chyna, for the first time, becomes the wedge between HHH and X-Pac. In victory, HHH earns a shot at the IC title against Rock at the PPV.

Following the match, X-Pac gets in HHH’s face about Chyna’s shenanigans, but cooler heads prevail.

Rating: 4.7

We revisit the soap opera that is Venis and Mrs. Yamaguchi. Venis grabs the microphone and makes a lewd San Diego Chargers joke. Par for his course, I guess.

Summerslam ’98 will be LIVE on PPV on August 30. Order NOW!

We also revisit last week when Mr. Yamaguchi threatened to “choppy-choppy (Venis’) pee-pee.” Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Match 6: Kaientai (w/ Mr. Yamaguchi) versus Val Venis & Taka Michinoku

Highlights:

  • Venis gave Togo a cross corner whip and followed with a big boot.
  • As he gave Togo another cross corner whip, he fed Togo another big boot.
  • Teioh came in but suffered the same fate.
  • When Togo gave him a cross corner whip, Venis exploded (not like that) with a lariat.
  • Venis dealt Togo a pair of knees to the midsection followed by a side-Russian leg sweep.
  • Much to the delight of Mrs. Yamaguchi, Venis swiveled his hips.
  • Teioh tried to interfere again but was met with an inverted atomic drop.
  • After Venis missed a splash, Kaientai delivered a double suplex to him.
  • Teioh tagged in, but Venis double-clotheslined Kaientai.
  • Before Venis could tag out, Michinoku dropkicked him.
  • WE HAVE A HEEL TURN!
  • Michinoku decimated Venis with a DDT, and he and Kaientai quadruple-teamed Venis. How dastardly!
  • As a result, referee Mike Chioda threw the match out at 1:55.

 

Rating: NONE

Summary: More angle than match as Michinoku turns heel to join his Japanese comrades.

Afterward, Michinoku exclaims that Mrs. Yamaguchi is his “sister.” Teioh dumps Venis with a DDT, and Funaki follows suit. As Mrs. Yamaguchi looks on in horror, Togo mounts the top turnbuckle and uncorks a senton splash onto the prone Venis. Kaientai drags Venis backstage, but will they follow through on their threat?

Prior to the next match, Brown grabs the microphone, berates the citizenship of San Diegans, and protests the match. We revisit RAW from two months ago when Severn tore Brown’s pectoralis muscle from his chest.

Match 7 for the WWF European title: D’Lo Brown (champion w/ Mark Henry) versus Dan “The Beast” Severn

Highlights:

  • Brown attacked Severn as he entered the ring and fed him a spinning heel kick.
  • When Brown landed an elbow drop, Mark Henry approached ringside.
  • Brown gave Severn a cross corner whip and followed with a corner clothesline.
  • As he slammed Severn, he dealt Severn a leg drop for 2.
  • Abruptly, Steve Blackman came to the ring, yet Severn hit the brakes and speared Brown.
  • Severn delivered a belly-to-belly suplex, and now Ken Shamrock made his presence known.
  • After Severn hooked a second belly-to-belly suplex, Brown sought refuge on the floor.
  • He and Shamrock brawled on the floor, and Shamrock sent Henry shoulder-first into the steps.
  • While he spoon-fed Brown the same medicine, Shamrock pummeled him.
  • Referee Jack Doan called for the bell to throw this match out at 2:36.
  • As a result, Brown retained.

 

Rating: NONE

Summary:  Much more angle than match as I was awaiting the French Foreign Legion to run in during this.

Brown celebrates on his way to the locker room until Edge blindsides him.

Backstage, Kaientai destroys Venis much to the dismay of Mrs. Yamaguchi.

Rating: 4.4

Prior to the next segment, we revisit a clip that must have been removed from the Sunday Night Heat telecast. During it, Singh proved that with enough money Americans will do anything including eating a bowl of dog food.

Tiger Ali-Singh approaches the ring and besmirches American women. As he instructs Babu to choose Singh’s next victim, a brunette wearing an unattractive dress volunteers.

Singh offers her $500 for every garment she removes. When she takes off the top portion of her dress, the woman’s only wearing a black bra. Not to belittle those who don’t exercise, but this woman hasn’t missed a meal in quite some time. Nevertheless, she removes the bottom portion of the dress to reveal shorts. Singh encourages her further but stops before the bra comes off. Since he’s appalled at the sight of her, he changes the rules and offers her $500 for each piece of clothing she puts back on.

Backstage, Kaientai brings Venis into a room with a chopping block on it. Before the cameraman gets thrown out, Mr. Yamaguchi is shown with a Japanese sword. Venis might be a goner.

JR shills Code Red coming up on wwf.com.

Match 8 for the WWF World tag team titles: Stone Cold Steve Austin & Undertaker versus the Rock & Owen Hart

Highlights:

  • Rock and Owen ambush the champs before the bell, and Undertaker gave Owen a cross corner whip followed by a standing choke.
  • As Undertaker fed Owen a ropewalk shoulder smash, Austin tagged in and gave Owen a HARD cross corner whip to injure the back.
  • Owen scored with a spinning heel kick, but Austin ducked an enziguri attempt.
  • When Rock tagged in, Austin dealt him a back elbow.
  • He landed an elbow smash and suplexed Rock for 2.
  • After Undertaker tagged in, he countered a side head lock with a belly-to-back suplex.
  • He decapitated Rock with a leg drop but only got 2 thanks to a save by Owen.
  • While Undertaker attempted a chokeslam on Rock, Owen tagged in and chop-blocked the Phenom.
  • Rock tagged in, and the challengers broke the wishbone on Undertaker.
  • Upon giving Undertaker a cross corner whip, Rock tagged in Owen and whipped him toward Undertaker.
  • Ducking Owen, Undertaker leveled Rock with a clothesline.
  • Owen immediately delivered a spinning heel kick and got 2.
  • Reversing a cross corner whip, Undertaker ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
  • Owen ate a big boot, and Austin tagged in to stomp a mudhole in him.
  • Wrapping Owen in a Sharpshooter, Austin got annihilated by a clothesline from Rock.
  • Austin connected with a Thesz press, but Rock reversed an Irish whip and planted him with a back elbow.
  • Tagging in, Owen applied a sleeper, but Austin didn’t completely fade away.
  • Owen’s trick knee appeared out of nowhere, and he attempted a Sharpshooter.
  • Although Austin blocked it, Rock tagged in and baited Undertaker to distract referee Tim White.
  • That allowed Rock to nail Austin way down in southern Texas.
  • Blocking a Rock Bottom, Austin missed a clothesline, and a double clothesline put both wrestlers down on the mat.
  • Hot tag Undertaker.
  • Obliterating Rock with a big boot, Undertaker chokeslammed Owen.
  • 1-2-NO!
  • Rock made the save.
  • With all four wrestlers in the ring, Austin followed Rock to the floor and rammed him face-first into the broadcast table.
  • Undertaker tombstoned and pinned Owen.
  • As a result, Undertaker and Austin retained at 11:13.

 

Rating: ***½

Summary: Four great workhorses in the ring putting on quite a show. Rock-Austin has some serious future potential.

After the match, Mankind storms the ring and hooks a Mandible claw on Undertaker. Kane brings a chair into the ring but creams Mankind with it. As Undertaker steals the chair from Kane, he turns Mankind’s brains into goo. In the meantime, Austin sends Rock through the timekeeper’s table. NAO arrives to fight Mankind and Kane.

Missing from the end of the show was Kaientai’s attempt to make Venis a eunuch. Perhaps it’ll be shown on Sunday Night Heat.

Rating: 5.2

Conclusion:  Both shows had a hot tag team main event, but this one was hard to top. HHH, with the help of Chyna, became the #1 contender to the IC title. Brown found another loophole to keep his European title. Lastly, Venis may have suffered greatly for his sins.

Could it finally overcome Nitro in the ratings?

Final TV Rating: 4.85

Who won? Yes, a taped RAW beat a live Nitro thanks to the stronger, more relatable, and probably more mature content. With WWF on the road to Summerslam, WCW will need to find a strategy to get ahead of them soon.

Stay tuned for WCW Thunder 08-05-98!

Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).