PWTorch.com - RAW RETRO - NWO vs. Austin & Rock mega-main event 13 yrs. ago, plus final hype for WrestleMania 18

Torch Flashbacks
RAW RETRO - NWO vs. Austin & Rock mega-main event 13 yrs. ago, plus final hype for WrestleMania 18

Mar 11, 2015 - 3:57:57 AM

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WWE Raw 13 years ago featured a main event that WWE hyped as one of the biggest TV main events of all-time when the NWO (Hulk Hogan & Kevin Nash & Scott Hall) faced "Stone Cold" Steve Austin & The Rock in a handicap match.

In the main event, Hogan pinned Rock clean the week before their WrestleMania 18 encounter. (WM18 went early on March 17, 2002.)

WWE Raw Flashback
March 11, 2002
Live from Detroit, Mich.
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Hosts: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler...

(1) Rob Van Dam & The Hardys beat William Regal & The Dudleys at 4:01 when Van Dam pinned Regal.

-Vince McMahon held an emergency meeting of the WWF's board of directors. Vince claimed Ric Flair is mentally unfit to run the WWF.

-Kurt Angle cut a promo in the ring to set up his WrestleMania match against Kane. Booker T joined Angle in the ring, which led to Edge walking onto the stage and mocking the duo. Angle and Booker challenged Edge.

-Backstage, Stephanie McMahon told Triple H that she received court sanctioned custody of their dog Lucy until after their divorce if finalized.

(2) Test beat Rikishi when Mr. Perfect interfered.

-Backstage, Lucy relieved herself on the dressing room floor while Steph and Jericho talked. Steph threw a hissy fit and told Jericho to take the dog out of the room. Later, Jericho tied the dog's leash to the side of his limo. (Yes, this was on the WM18 lead-in show.)

-In the arena dining room, Christian challenged Billy to a match for later as Page and Chuck stood by.

-At the board meeting, Vince aired footage from Smackdown of Flair accidentally punching the ringside fan. The board members chattered while Flair sat silent at his end of the table.

(3) Al Snow beat Goldust to win the WWF Hardcore Title at 1:02 with the Snowplow.

-Backstage, Jericho asked a limo driver to take him to a store. When the limo driver started to back the vehicle out of the arena, he heard the dog yelp and stopped. After Jericho left the area, the limo driver informed Triple H of what had happened. Ross eventually announced that Triple H was rushing the dog to a nearby veterinarian.

(4) Kurt Angle & Booker T beat Edge & Big Show when Angle pinned Show.

-Backstage, Jericho told Steph he had a plan to counter Triple H's attempt for revenge.

-At WWF New York, Jackie, Terri, and Torrie Wilson danced on the stage while wearing bikinis.

(5) Christian (w/Dallas Page) beat Billy (w/Chuck) when Page interfered at 2:09. As Page celebrated the win, Christian attacked him from behind.

-Vince offered his final plea to the board of directors. Linda McMahon said the board members would meet in private and return with a verdict.

(6) Jazz & Stacy Keibler beat Lita & Trish Stratus at 2:23. In the end, Trish accidentally caught Lita with a kick, which enabled Jazz to score the pin.

-Steph cut a promo in the ring apologizing to Triple H for the dog incident. Triple H stormed to the ring and grabbed her from behind, giving the cameras a clear shot of Steph's bare ass. Triple H set up Steph for the Pedigree, but Jericho ran out and hit his previously injured leg with a sledge hammer. Backstage, Triple H told EMTs, "It feels like it did when it tore."

-Linda McMahon announced that the board was giving full ownership power to Vince McMahon. She added that the board reserved the right revoke the added power after WrestleMania.

-Backstage, the NWO cut a brief promo.

(7) Hulk Hogan & Scott Hall & Kevin Nash beat The Rock & Steve Austin. In the end, Hogan hit the big boot and legdrop on Rock and scored the clean pin.

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