By Wade Keller, Torch editor

WWE RAW REPORT
OCTOBER 27, 2003
LIVE FROM FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.

-Footage aired of Triple H issuing the bounty and a recap of the big angle on last week's show with Batista beating up Goldberg. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler then introduced the show after the opening montage, and pointed out a cage hanging above the ring. They didn't know what it would be used for.

-Ric Flair, Batista, and Randy Orton walked to the ring. Flair told the fans that if they were anticipating Goldberg coming out later, he wouldn't be. Batista then grabbed the mic and did some solid mic work. He said Goldberg should feel honored that he was the target of his attack last week. He said he was the one messing with his head in the previous weeks. He gloated over being the one to collect the 100 grand bounty. Randy Orton then said with Goldberg injured, in all fairness the championship should go back to the original holder, Triple H. Eric Bischoff walked out to the ring with something under his arm. Ross and Lawler said he didn't appear to be in a good mood. Ross paused while Vince McMahon told him exactly what to say, then said that was a ludicrous notion that the belt should be handed back to Hunter. Bischoff told Evolution they've made him the happiest man on the planet because normally he'd be furious about the champ being disabled, but because Goldberg disrespected him in the past when he attempted to extend an arm of friendship, he was going to present the belt to "the man who deserves it more than anybody..." Steve Austin's music then blared and he interrupted before the belt could be presented by Bischoff.

Austin said Bischoff forgot to pull something out of the bag. He reached in, and then came out with the middle finger. Big crowd pop followed. Austin said Bischoff can't strip Goldberg of the belt because he talked to him this weekend and Goldberg said he would be ready to wrestle before 30 days passed. As a result, he has booked Goldberg against Triple H. Flair burst out and said he can't do that because he might not even be able to wrestle. Austin told him to calm down before he set off his pacemaker. Austin then headed to the back. Batista interrupted and told Austin to stop. He accused Austin of trying to embarrass The Evolution. Batista said he might be looking for some physical provocation. He said Austin might be next. "You've got to be kidding," Ross said. Batista stood up to Austin face-to-face. Meanwhile, Mark Jindrak and Garrison Cade attacked Flair and Orton in the ring from behind, then fled through the crowd. Batista returned to the ring.

Nice segment. It gave Batista a fair chance to follow up on his big attack on Goldberg last week, and he came through with a good mic presence. Flair and Austin also injected their energy and charisma to help make it a strong opening segment. The Cade and Jindrak run-in at the end was a clever way to avoid having to pay off the Batista-Austin confrontation right away. Batista comes out of the segment looking like a strong leader by standing up to Austin, yet Austin didn't lose anything since he never backed down.

[Commercial Break]

-Lita and Trish talked about the strange actions of Christian and Chris Jericho the past couple of weeks. Trish said it seemed like innocent gestures. Lita said she thought something was up and she was going to go check.'

1 -- BOOKER T vs. RICO (w/Jackie Gayda)

WINNER: Booker T at 1:50.

STAR RATING: 1/4*

-As Booker was about to do a post-match Spinaroonie, Chris Jericho came out. He talked about the ten-man tag match at Survivor Series. Then Jericho called for the cage to lower around them. Christian and Scott Steiner ran out and attacked Booker, but before the cage could lower all the way, Rob Van Dam ran out and slid into the ring and cleared the ring with chairshots. The heels fled to the back. RVD announced that he was declaring himself a member of Austin's team at Survivor Series.

[Commercial Break]

-Jericho told Bischoff backstage he wanted to send Austin a message by beating RVD later for the IC Title. Bischoff granted him his wish.

-Teddy Long walked to the ring with Mark Henry. He said they are upset because Henry didn't collect the 100 thousand dollar bounty last week. He called for the latest "white boy" to come out. Lance Storm then came out to his new R&B intro song.

2 -- LANCE STORM vs. MARK HENRY

Henry outpowered Storm for the first few seconds, but Storm caught a charging Henry with a boot. He then missed a missile dropkick. Henry tossed him out of the ring. Shawn Michaels entered the ring and gave Henry a superkick, prompting the ref to call for the bell.

WINNER: Henry via DQ.

STAR RATING: 1/4* - The finish was the only way they could get out of that match. It's not as if they think so low of Storm that they'll have Henry squash him, but they also aren't going to sacrifice Henry to Storm at this point, either.

-Ross plugged a Fatal Four-Way Women's match, which he called "the main event," and a no-DQ match with Shane McMahon against a mystery opponent later on the show. Ross said, "If it's who I think it is, Survivor Series is going to come early tonight and all hell is going to break loose." Okay, that type of approach only works with the densest of fans. Most viewers are going to know that if they were going to give away Kane vs. Shane, they'd advertise it, so there's no way it's going to be Kane. It also makes Ross look dumb to believe it's going to be Kane.

[Commercial Break]

-Big John talked with Hurricane backstage. Big John told Hurricane that Little John isn't his son. He whispered who Little John is. Hurricane told Rosey, who was disguised as a photographer, that Big John is "off his rocker."

-Lita approached Christian backstage, asking what his actions have been about. Christian pointed out a photo in Lita's book of those two holding hands. He said there is no point hiding their situation anymore. Lita got uncomfortable and said that was a long time ago and she had a match to prepare for.

-They showed Shane O'Mac backstage. Coach told Shane he hopes for his sake that the mystery opponent isn't Kane. Shane said he hopes it is Kane.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- HURRICANE & BIG JOHN HEINDENREICH vs. ROB CONWAY & RENE DUPREE

Hurricane began against Conway. Ross said it was an official tryout match for John. John was one of the worst workers in OVW, but was called up because of his size and because someone liked his "imaginary alter-ego" gimmick with Little John. Dupree did a little dance over Hurricane, which Lawler said looked really "gay." Ross said, "That didn't look all that happy." Hurricane tagged in John at 4:00 who powered through the heels with basic powermoves. This reminded me of when Lance Storm would welcome a super-green new guy to Memphis TV in the '80s. He finished off Conway with a chokeslam. He slapped hands with members of the U.S. military in the front row. When Dupree tried to wave the flag in the ring, John returned to the ring and chokeslammed him to the mat, too.

WINNER: Hurricane & Heidenreich in 5:45.

STAR RATING: *

[Commercial Break]

-Shane McMahon came to the ring with his little dance and chest pounding routine. If Shane were 22 years old, I could understand him acting the way he does during ring intros, but his act for a 33 or 34 year old is a bit off-key. Test, on a crutch, and Stacy walked to the ring. Ross said he didn't understand how Test would be able to wrestle. Test told Shane thanks to him he won't be wrestling for a while, but he did have the honor of introducing his mystery opponent. Test then announced, "Me!"

4 -- SHANE MCMAHON vs. TEST

Test swung his crutch at Shane, but Shane ducked and knocked Test to the mat. Test bailed to ringside and grabbed Stacy as a live body shield. Test called for someone to come out from the back. Stacy slapped Test, then Shane gave him a running clothesline. Test rammed Shane into the ring apron and again called for someone to come from the back. Test yelled, "Come on, Kane! Come on! We had a deal!" Test re-entered the ring but was met by punches by Shane. Test managed to give Shane a full-nelson slam, but then collapsed and grabbed at his bad foot which was in a protective boot. Test grabbed a trash can from under the ring. Test was going to hit Shane with his crutch, but Stacy grabbed it from behind. Test shoved Stacy aside, but Shane then speared Test. Shane bashed Test with the trash can lid a few times. Kane's explosives went off. Test then hit a distracted Shane with the crutch and went for a pin. Test scored a two count, then shouted for Kane again. Test was going to slam Shane onto the trash can, but Shane reversed Test into the trash can with a DDT. Shane put the Trash can in Test's lap and then leaped off the top rope with the flying dropkick into the can, then covered Test for the three count.

WINNER: Shane McMahon at 6:30.

STAR RATING: 1/2* -- Just a garbage match that was more an angle than a match.

-Shane called Kane to the ring. He asked if he was gutless. The crowd was dead silent as this segment just died. Way too long and awkward. Shane asked Kane if was having second thoughts. After a very long dead pause, Shane said he would give him incentive to come to ringside. He bashed Test in the head with a chair and then dragged his leg onto the steel stairs. He bashed the foot with a chair. Test screamed in pain and grabbed at his foot. Kane finally walked out. There had to be a reason Kane took so long. There's no way this segment was scripted to be this long. Shane said he can see fear in Kane's eyes. He said he is afraid he has pushed him over the edge. He said he is afraid that he had found a man who can be as sick and twisted as he is. Test was stretchered to the back as Shane promised one of them would be stretchered to the hospital after their Survivor Series match. He challenged Kane to an ambulance match. Kane accepted and then signalled for his explosives to fire. "I think that's Kane's way of saying yes, King," Ross said. That segment was twice as long as the content called for.

[Commercial Break]

5 -- TRISH vs. LITA vs. GAIL KIM vs. VICTORIA (w/Steven Richards)

Molly, who was wearing a leather coat and make-up (looking like she was dressing up as Chyna for Halloween) watched from the stage with the Women's Title draped over his shoulder. Victoria broke up a pin attempt on Lita by Kim at 2:00, then slammed Kim. Lita then pinned Victoria after a DDT to win the match. Lita stared down Molly after the match.

WINNER: Lita at 2:45.

STAR RATING: * -- Short, but spirited.

-Backstage the "make-up lady" brushed Coach's face. Coach said he was about to review Steve Austin's new book, "The Stone Cold Truth."

[Commercial Break]

-Jim Ross narrated a segment on Road Warrior Hawk. Pretty much the same thing that aired on Smackdown last week.

-Coach came out onto the stage standing in front of a podium. Coach said Austin's book is full of lies, not truth. Coach said, for instance, Eric Bischoff attempted to talk to Austin in person, but he had no recourse other than to phone him. Coach told fans to buy themselves a copy, not to read it, but because it will soon be a collector's item. Austin walked up behind Coach on the stage. Austin said he plans to win at Survivor Series, which will give him a chance to stomp mudholes in people once again. He said he wanted Coach to handle the post-match interview because his face would be the first face he wants to see. Coach looked a bit concerned.

-Terri interviewed Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak. They got into an argument over who wanted to win more. Michaels interjected himself and said that's the type of fire they've been waiting to see out of them since they got there. He told them they have a great chance to make a name for themselves tonight. "You can make friends or you can make an impact," Michaels said. Long then walked in and told Michaels it's time to finish what they started by having a Henry vs. Michaels match next Monday night. Michaels accepted the offer. Terri is a great interviewer because she is so tiny she made Michaels and Long (who looked to be the same height) appear to be as tall as Kevin Nash. Then Bischoff entered the picture with three security officers behind him for protection. He said the security are there to escort him from the arena to protect "his main event." Michaels said he'd leave on his own. He bumped into Bischoff, adjusted his jacket, and walked away.

[Commercial Break]

-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler thanked the audience for making Raw the most watched show on all of cable television last week. Ross said they don't thank fans often enough. The real reason they chose this week to thank fans is because there was no national cable NFL game on ESPN, which gave Raw the no. 1 slot, a rarity in the fall. Smart opportunistic self-congratulatory moment. It's important to project the image of being a hot product.

6 -- RIC FLAIR & RANDY ORTON (w/Batista) vs. GARRISON CADE & MARK JINDRAK (w/Maven)

Maven walked out and stood in the corner of Cade & Jindrak as the match began, rather than walking to the ring with them before the match. In the end, Flair had Jindrak rolled up. Maven interfered punching Flair leading to a roll-up pin for Jindrak.

WINNERS: Jindrak & Cade when Jindrak pinned Flair at 3:20.

STAR RATING: 3/4* -- Not much to it. Just a basic kick-stomp-punch match until the finish.

-After the match, all six wrestlers brawled, with Evolution coming out on top. Batista closed out the beatdown with a sitdown powerbomb on Maven. Not among the most coordinated or impressive beatdowns of recent memory.

[Commercial Break]

7 -- ROB VAN DAM vs. CHRIS JERICHO - IC Title match

RVD went for a Five-Star Frogsplash at 2:30, but Jericho moved. You could tell Ross was itching to call a real wrestling match as he tried to get excited over basic exchanges since he didn't have much at all to call the rest of this show. Jericho applied the Walls of Jericho at 3:30. Bischoff ran to the ring and distracted the ref just as RVD reached the bottom rope. Jericho then dragged RVD back to the center of the ring. Bischoff then let the ref turned around. RVD tapped out. Bischoff applauded at ringside. The finish begged the question: How did Bischoff know that RVD was going to reach the ropes just as he came out, but Jericho would subsequently have the the power to drag him away from the belt.

WINNER: Jericho at 4:07 to win the IC Title.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Felt like four stars compared to the rest of the night.

-Steve Austin came out and said he can't change the referee's decision, but he can order Jericho's first title defense to be right now in a cage. He also banned GMs from ringside. Bischoff bumped into Austin, leading to Austin chasing Bischoff to the back.

[Commercial Break]

8 -- CHRIS JERICHO vs. ROB VAN DAM - IC Title cage match.

Jericho nearly escaped the cage twice in the first five minutes, but RVD both times yanked him back, the second time sidekicking him to the mat off the top rope. RVD then climbed to the top of the cage and began climbing down. Jericho began crawling out of the door at the same time, but RVD kicked the door into Jericho and then dropped to the floor.

WINNER: RVD at 6:04 to retain the IC Title.

STAR RATING: *3/4 -- Decent cage action, but really nothing special enough to save the show.

-After the match, Scott Steiner and Christian attacked RVD. The Dudleys made the save. Mark Henry then entered the cage as Teddy Long locked the door. Booker T climbed the cage to make the save. He leaped off the top onto Henry and Steiner with a crossbody block. Any impact the move might have had was extinguished immediately by Steiner and Henry popping back up and destroying Booker T. A bloodied Jericho sat on top of the cage with a smile on his face. Ross said it wasn't looking good for Stone Cold at Survivor Series as the show closed with the heels continuing to beat up the faces.

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