RAW March 25, 2002 results, live retro blog: Draft day

RAW is WAR, March 25, 2002 from the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania.

After the signature, we open with WWF CEO Linda McMahon from WWF Studios in Stamford, Connecticut. 20 will be drafted tonight (10 each from RAW and Smackdown), with the rest of the roster to be distributed via lottery. Every wrestler is eligible to be elected except the following:

• Triple H (Undisputed WWF Champion; champion will be made available to both shows)
• Chris Jericho (possibly could be Undisputed WWF Champion)
• Stephanie McMahon (possibly could be Undisputed WWF Champion; also could possibly be unemployed)
• Jazz (WWF Women's Champion; women's champion to be made available to both shows)
• Stone Cold Steve Austin (free agent due to clause in his contract, will choose a brand upon his return; in reality, Austin was suspended for detrimental conduct a week ago when he walked on a RAW taping)

"Thorn In Your Eye", pyro, ballyhoo, and a plug for tonight's main event, Triple H vs. Chris Jericho vs. Stephanie McMahon for the Undisputed WWF Championship.

Match 1: Tazz defeats Mr. Perfect via submission in 1:54. Perfect hit the Perfectplex less than a minute in, but Tazz stayed alive when he got the ropes. The Tazzmission makes Mr. Perfect just another victim. Remember when Tazz was the baddest and most miserable son of a bitch on the planet? Only one of these things is true now.

Cue to Ric Flair and Arn Anderson in their War Room. Vince McMahon in his War Room does some last minute research and leaves. McMahon will pick first... after the break. (McMahon won a coin toss the week prior on RAW)

--

After the break, McMahon comes out and does a brief promo before announcing his first selection.

Smackdown #1 pick (overall #1): The Rock.

Love how they have career stats with the tron playing. Nice touch. Good job, WWF. Good job. The Rock looked none too pleased. Vince basically tells Rock his catchphrases, such as sticking things in candy asses and saying it doesn't matter isn't going to fly anymore. Rock runs down his career on RAW, including shoving Vince McMahon's face in Rikishi's ass (which actually happened on Smackdown). The Rock comes up with a catchphrase similar to the "WE ARE... PENN STATE!" chant: "YOU ARE... AN ASSHOLE!" Pretty sure it won't work outside Happy Valley, but stranger things have happened.

Ric Flair's walking. His first pick... after the break.

--

After the break, Flair wastes little time in announcing his selection.

RAW #1 pick (#2 overall): The Undertaker.

Undertaker not pleased. In fact, he looks pissed. He should be because Flair can now make his life miserable for beating him at Wrestlemania a week prior. Kurt Angle barges into McMahon's war room and he's not happy he wasn't picked first. Taker barges in soon after, and he's not happy he was picked by Flair. Vince basically says he'll find a way to make it right.

Match 2: Booker T and Christian defeat Diamond Dallas Page and Edge in 2:09. DDP had it wrapped up with the Diamond Cutter on Booker, but Christian broke up the pin. Booker comes back and hits the axe kick on Page.

Backstage, Angle makes the hard sale to Vince while McMahon worries about Flair drafting the nWo. The hard sell works as Smackdown's #2 pick is Kurt Angle. Angle's still pissed he wasn't picked first. Get over yourself, dude.

Back to the arena and Ric Flair announces he will bring Stone Cold Steve Austin to RAW. RAW's #2 pick is the collective unit of the nWo. Turned out Vince was right. And Vince is pissed. Angle tells Vince that Chris Benoit's coming back soon and he's gonna be better than ever. The hard sell works again as Smackdown's third pick is Chris Benoit.

--

Match 3: Trish Stratus defeated Ivory in 2:40. Stratusfaction guaranteed.

A look in the locker room as they await the next pick. McMahon's back out after the break and the "YOU ARE... AN ASSHOLE!" chant greets him. Smackdown's #4 pick: Hulk Hogan.

--

Ric Flair is out after the break, who makes RAW's #4 selection as Intercontinental champion Rob Van Dam. Vince is not happy as he wanted the Intercontinental title on Smackdown. Kurt Angle's like, you want to get the title on your show, book a match for it. Vince obliges, and Angle will be the challenger.

Cut backstage to Hulk Hogan and The Rock. They wanna leave RAW with a bang. They say each other's catchphrases. It's cool, but also a little weird.

Vince returns for his fifth pick. Smackdown's #5 selection: the WWE Tag Team Champions Billy and Chuck.

The nWo are walking in the back, as after the break, they'll take on the superteam of Hulk Hogan and The Rock.

--

Match 4: The nWo (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and X-Pac) defeat Hulk Hogan and The Rock via disqualification at 5:06 when Kane interfered on the superteam's behalf. X-Pac hits his former tag partner with a chair, but it's ineffective and Kane kills everyone. Nash favoring his arm as the nWo walks off in triumph.

--

Backstage, Ric Flair and Vince McMahon get into a drafting shouting match, possibly the first one in recorded history. RAW's #5 pick is Booker T. Smackdown's #6 pick is Edge. RAW's #6 pick is Big Show. Smackdown's #7 pick is Rikishi, after which Flair comes up with a real zinger: "Maybe we'll get to see him sit that big fat ass on your face again!" Burn. Like third degree burn. Vince shoves Ric, and Arn physically restrains Ric.

--

Match 5: Jeff Hardy defeated Billy Gunn in 1:50 when Jeff rolls up Billy. Distraction finish backfires for the champs. Also Lita botches a hurancanrana.

--

Meanwhile in Ric Flair's War Room, RAW's #7 pick is Bubba Ray Dudley. In Vince McMahon's War Room, Smackdown's #8 pick is D-Von Dudley. Indeed, one of the most decorated tag teams in wrestling history have been broken up. They has a sad.

Match 6: William Regal and Rikishi go to a no contest. For the second RAW in a row, Brock Lesnar runs in and kills everyone in the ring (and by everyone, I mean Rikishi). He even F-5'd Rikishi. That boy strong. Oh, and Paul Heyman's here. He's a hemorrhoid on the face of life, according to Jim Ross. Put that on a shirt right now.

--

WWF Women's Champion Jazz is in WWF New York, and she says she's the baddest bitch in the company and she will ruin Lita and Trish's pretty faces. Goals, kids.

Vince comes out next and drafts Brock Lesnar. Not your turn yet, says Flair. RAW's #8 pick is Brock Lesnar. Vince is furious. You should be furious at yourself, you're the dumbass. Smackdown's #9 pick is Mark Henry. RAW's #9 pick is European Champion William Regal. Smackdown's #10 pick is Hardcore Champion Maven. RAW's #10 pick is Lita. Vince makes fun of Ric using her last pick on a woman and claims he'll get Austin. Flair gets the crowd to call Vince an asshole again. Maybe this chant has legs after all...

--

Match 7: Rob Van Dam defeats Kurt Angle via disqualification in 2:54 to retain the Intercontinental Championship when Angle used the referee intentionally as a shield. Angle has the anklelock on Van Dam after the bell and Edge runs in.  He tries for the spear and misses and Angle German suplexes him. Angle tries for the Angle Slam, but Edge escapes and spears Angle. Mounted punches until referees break it up.

Backstage, Stephanie Mcmahon in her fighting gear tells Michael Cole she's not leaving the WWF tonight. But she is leaving as the Undisputed WWF Champion.

--

Match 8: Triple H defeats Stephanie McMahon and Chris Jericho in a triple threat match at 8:09 to retain the WWF Undisputed Championship. Early on, Steph and Chris Jericho work together, with Steph even laying down for Chris so he could get his title back. Later, both Chris and Triple H belt shot each other and Steph was less than a second away on both pin attempts. Match ends with a Pedigree to Jericho, but Stephanie makes the save and Trips hits a spinebuster on Stephanie and there's your pin. It was Step that was counted down and you know what that means.

Na-na-na-na. Na-na-na-na. Hey hey hey. Goodbye. For the second time in less than six months, Stephanie is banished from the WWF. Steph wasn't trying to go, but security made sure the bet is paid in full.

--

Before I get to my quick review, here's where everyone else went in the post-show Draft Lottery.

21	SmackDown	11	Billy Kidman
22	Raw	11	Bradshaw
23	SmackDown	12	Tajiri (cruiserweight champion)
24	Raw	12	Steven Richards
25	SmackDown	13	Chris Jericho
26	Raw	13	Matt Hardy
27	SmackDown	14	Ivory
28	Raw	14	Raven
29	SmackDown	15	Albert
30	Raw	15	Jeff Hardy
31	SmackDown	16	The Hurricane
32	Raw	16	Mr. Perfect
33	SmackDown	17	Al Snow
34	Raw	17	Spike Dudley
35	SmackDown	18	Lance Storm
36	Raw	18	D'Lo Brown
37	SmackDown	19	Diamond Dallas Page
38	Raw	19	Shawn Stasiak
39	SmackDown	20	Torrie Wilson
40	Raw	20	Terri
41	SmackDown	21	Scotty 2 Hotty
42	Raw	21	Jacqueline
43	SmackDown	22	Stacy Keibler
44	Raw	22	Goldust
45	SmackDown	23	Christian
46	Raw	23	Trish Stratus
47	SmackDown	24	Test
48	Raw	24	Justin Credible
49	SmackDown	25	Faarooq
50	Raw	25	Big Boss Man
51	SmackDown	26	Tazz
52	Raw	26	Tommy Dreamer
53	SmackDown	27	Hardcore Holly
54	Raw	27	Crash Holly
55	SmackDown	28	Val Venis
56	Raw	28	Mighty Molly
57	SmackDown	29	Perry Saturn

Of note, only Billy and Chuck and the Hardy Boyz remained a team...and they too would be split by the summer. The split would take effect on the April 1 RAW, where Stone Cold Steve Austin would choose to go to RAW.

EDDIE MAC'S QUICK REVIEW

This show was about two things: the draft and the world title match, in that order. As a wrestling show, it wasn't good. As a storyline show, it was alright. They made the draft a big deal.  Worth a watch for historical purposes, but not for repeated viewing. Gonna split the middle on this one and give this edition of RAW a solid 5 out of 10.