15 YRS AGO – WWE in Newark, Del. (5-10-03): Triple H vs. Nash headlines, plus Christian vs. Dreamer, Dudleys vs. Rosey & Jamal & Rico, Steiner, Jericho, Kane, Trish

The following was originally published on PWTorch.com 15 years ago this week…

WWE Raw house show report
May 10, 2003
Newark, Del. at the Bob Carpenter Center
Attendance Estimate: 4,000
Report by A.B. Lipkin, PWTorch.com correspondent

This was the first WWE show at the University of Delaware in six years.

(1) The Hurricane & Maven beat Chief Morely & Lance Storm when Hurricane hit the Chokeslam on Morely. A very energetic match. Hurricane got a great pop, and the heels got good heat. Hurricane did his Val Venis impression with his cape at the beginning.

(2) Christian beat Tommy Dreamer with the Unprettier. Before the match Dreamer cut a promo about wanting to cane someone who really sucks. Christian started a posedown, and intentionally slipped on the turnbuckles. Dreamer’s cane wasn’t used at all. The crowd hated Christian.

(3) Jazz (w/Theodore Long) beat Trish Stratus and Victoria (w/Steven Richards). The finish came when Jazz pinned Trish after Victoria hit the Widow’s Peak, but couldn’t cover. Before the match, Long cuts a typical promo against Whitey. Most of the match featured the heels double teaming Trish or arguing amongst themselves. Post-match, Trish hit the Stratusfaction on both Victoria and Richards.

(4) La Resistance beat Scott Steiner & Test (w/Stacy) when Grenier pinned Test after the double spinebuster. La Resistance look like Vega from the Street Fighter games. They cut a bilingual promo bashing the University of Delaware’s sports teams. Steiner was comforting Stacy when the pinfall occurred. After the match, Test leaves, and Steiner beats up La Resistance. Grenier and Dupree look a little green, but they appear comfortable in the ring.

Earl Hebner comes out to a nice pop.

(5) Bubba Ray & D-Von & Spike Dudley beat Rosey & Jamal & Rico in a Six-Man Tables match. The crowd didn’t care much about 3MW, but they loved the Dudleys, and they detested Rico. Jamal teased removing his jersey throughout the match. D-Von used his “Reverend” finisher on Rico, who in turn hit a nice flapjack-powerslam onto Spike. The finish came when Jamal removed his jersey, and then turned into a 3D through a table. After the match, the Dudleys brought a little kid into the ring, gave him a piece of the table, took some photos, and celebrated with the crowd for about ten minutes.

Intermission

(6) Kane beat Rodney Mack (with Theodore Long) with the Chokeslam. Before the match Long blames The Man for not having a Five Minute White Boy Challenge last Monday on Raw. Chris Nowinski answers the White Boy Challenge, but then agrees with Long and Mack. Nowinski calls Mack the “shiznit”, and “the hizzle fo’ shizzle, my nizzle!” Kane comes out (with red spotlights) to a nice pop. Nowinski offers to fight Kane instead, but is beat down. Mack jumps Kane, and the match starts. Just what you would expect from Kane/Mack.

(7) Chris Jericho’s Hi-Lite Reel ended when Hurricane pinned Jericho in about ten seconds. The scheduled match was Booker T vs. Jericho, but no explanation was given for Booker’s absence. They did do a good job covering with the Hi-Lite Reel, though. The Fink brings out two chairs, and introduces Jericho, who gets a mixed pop. Jericho starts the Hi-Lite Reel, and brings out his guest – Hurricane, who gets another great pop. After some back and forth insults, including Jericho accusing Hurricane of being Gregory Helms (“A superhero? P’shaw!”) and Hurricane insulting Jericho’s weenie (“Ridiculous, and I mean re-dick, you less!”), Jericho challenges Hurricane to a match. Before he can finish talking, Hurricane gives him the Chokeslam (while Jericho still had the mic, he did a nice choking sound) and pins him quickly. Y2J calls back Hurricane, and asks for five more minutes, tomorrow. He then bails. If they do this segment on Raw, it would be great. Best of the night.

(8) Triple H beat Kevin Nash when Nash’s head hit an exposed turnbuckle. Both men got mixed cheers and boos. This match was just as bad as the ones at previous house shows. The crowd begins to leave as soon as the match begins. Triple H works on Nash’s knee, and uses a Figure Four, which only draw isolated whooos. After the match, Nash jackknifes Triple H, and leaves. Triple H gets up, bashes Delaware, then leaves.

With RVD not on the card, Booker T missing in action, and no one really caring about Kevin Nash, Hurricane was the default super-face on the card. It’s not a good sign when the crowd cares more about Hurricane then the main event for Judgment Day.

Biggest Pops

1. The Hurricane
2. The Dudleys
3. Stacy Kiebler (not Test)
4. Scott Steiner
5. Earl Hebner (?!)

Most Heat

1. Chris Jericho (after he bashed Delaware)
2. Christian
3. Rico
4. La Resistance
5. Chief Morely / Lance Storm

FINAL THOUGHTS: Even with the mediocre main event, and the absence of Booker T and RVD, the crowd was rather into the matches. A good return for WWE to Delaware. I just hope we can get a Smackdown house show soon.

NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS 15 YRS AGO FLASHBACK: 15 YRS AGO – WWE in London, England (5-9-03): Cena vs. Benoit, Show vs. Lesnar, Mysterio vs. Matt vs. Noble, Torrie vs. Nidia, Team Angle vs. Los Guerreros