Some things have a way of coming full circle in grand fashion. In this case, it's "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and the span of 13 years.

On the June 3, 2002 edition of WWE Raw, Austin wrestled Ric Flair in Dallas, Texas in what should have been one of the biggest matches of Austin's career. WWE did not make the match special, though, and it turned out to be Austin's final match before walking out on WWE for an extended hiatus.

The following week on June 10, 2002, Austin was asked to lose to then-rookie Brock Lesnar, who was managed by Paul Heyman, in an unadvertised match. That was enough for Austin to head home as the final straw that broke the camel's back during a period of creative frustration.

Thirteen years later in June 2015, Austin hosted a podcast with Heyman that ended with a teaser of Austin vs. Brock Lesnar at next year's WrestleMania. Back in Dallas. ...

WWE RAW TV REVIEW
June 3, 2002
Live from Dallas, Tex.
Originally Published: PWTorch Newsletter #708
Report by Jason Powell, now of Prowrestling.net

- Raw was a mixed bag this week. On one hand, it was fun to see Shawn Michaels return and the first singles match between Steve Austin and Ric Flair in a WWE ring. However, the return could have been scripted better, and WWE didn't make as much of a fuss over Austin vs. Flair as they should have, perhaps because they realized they blew it when they had Flair team with Big Show in the handicap match against Austin on last month's PPV.

-Hosts: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler...

-Backstage, Ric Flair spoke with Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, and Eddie Guerrero. Flair, Benoit, and Guerrero left the room with a mob of security.

-Flair, Benoit, and Guerrero entered the ring for a promo and took turns verbally bashing Steve Austin. Benoit blamed Austin for causing his injury and vowed to give him a "very long and painful payback." A shot appeared on the big screen of Austin holding a wounded Arn Anderson on his feet. Austin dropped Anderson and cut a promo on the threesome in the ring. Eventually, Austin challenged Flair to a stipulation match. Austin pulled down his pants and supposedly urinated on Anderson.

(1) Bradshaw beat Steven Richards to win the WWE Hardcore Title at 2:45. Jackie was the special ref. Bradshaw fought off interference from Spike Dudley and hit the Clothesline from Hell on Richards for the win. After the match, Justin Credible and Crash Holly tried unsuccessfully to beat Bradshaw for the title.

-Backstage, Goldust, pretending to be a WWE interviewer, asked the NWO if they planned on adding him to the group. Booker suggested that Goldust could become a member if he beat X-Pac.

(2) X-Pac beat Goldust with the X-Factor in a King of the Ring qualifying match at 3:25. Before the match, the announcers said wrestlers from Raw and Smackdown would compete against one another in the tournament.

-Backstage, Jonathan Coachman interviewed Rob Van Dam until Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman interrupted and exchanged words with Van Dam.

-Backstage, Jeff Hardy told Matt Hardy he wanted to live for the moment again and set off to show him what he was talking about.

-Backstage, Flair had his lawyer add several stipulations his match with Austin. Flair told the lawyer to include such stips as Austin having to become his personal assistant for a week and wear a dress on Raw. The stips also forebode Austin from throwing a punch during the match. Austin entered the room and signed the contract without reading it.

(3) Trish Stratus beat Terri in a lingerie match to retain the WWE Women's Title at 2:15.

-Backstage, Anderson vowed to get revenge on Austin while talking with Benoit.

(4) Eddie Guerrero & Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) beat Rob Van Dam & Bubba Ray Dudley at 8:53. A very good match. In the end, Guerrero frogsplashed Van Dam for the win.

-Backstage, Coachman interviewed William Regal about his KOR qualifying match until Booker interrupted.

(5) Booker T beat William Regal in a KOR qualifying match at 3:23.

-Backstage, Coachman attempted to interview Tommy Dreamer, who threw up into a bucket.

(6) Undertaker beat Tommy Dreamer in a non-title match at 3:01. Before the match, Dreamer carried the bucket of vomit to the ring and threw up in it. Dreamer reached inside the bucket, scooped out some vomit with his hands, and put it in his mouth. Dreamer spent the next minute of the match bumping for Taker and spitting the vomit all over the ring. In the end, Taker forced Dreamer to submit to the Dragon Sleeper. Afterward, Taker poured the vomit onto Dreamer, who was lying in front of the announcers' table. Jeff Hardy ran out and dropkicked Taker onto the vomit-soaked Dreamer.

-Backstage, Undertaker couldn't find Jeff, so he settled for beating up Matt Hardy.

-Kevin Nash walked to the ring and introduced Shawn Michaels as the newest member of the NWO. Michaels delivered his usual entrance and then posed in the ring with Nash.

-Backstage, Debra told Austin that Flair's lawyer made the mistake of writing that whichever wrestler lost the match would be forced to make good on the stipulations.

(7) Steve Austin beat Ric Flair with a Stunner at 14:35.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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