Torch Today APR. 23 IN HISTORY: Big names in Big Eight-Man Tag Main Event on Raw 13 years ago
Apr 23, 2014 - 8:21:56 AM
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This Day In Wrestling History - April 23
Date: April 23, 2001 (13 years ago)
Feature: WWF Raw featured a super, mega eight-man tag match consisting of Steve Austin & Triple H teaming with Edge & Christian against The Undertaker & Kane and the Hardys.
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WWF Raw Review
April 23, 2001
Denver, Colo.
Report by Jason Powell, now of Prowrestling.net
-High Point: The main event was a fast-paced, entertaining match. Plus, Edge, Christian, and the Hardys received rub from working with Triple H, Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Kane.
-Low Point: After over an hour of effective build up, the "first ever" tag team submission match was given less time than the Ivory vs. Trish Stratus match.
Undertaker & Kane made separate entrances for an in-ring promo. Taker hyped the match and noted that every major WWF title belt would be on the line. On commentary, Ross said, "Somebody is going to lose a title, that's guaranteed." Taker challenged Triple H & Austin to a match to determine "who the dominant team is" in a non-title match, but Edge & Christian walked out instead. On the ramp, E&C challenged Taker & Kane to a non-title rematch. Taker and Kane accepted the match, which never got started...
... E&C walked to the ring and started brawling, but Austin & Triple H ran out and attacked Taker & Kane with chairshots. Austin tied Taker's leg to the ropes and continued to beat him with a chair while Triple H worked over Kane's injured arm. The heels left Taker & Kane lying in the ring as the show cut to break...
(1) Rhyno beat Spike Dudley at 1:44 to retain the WWF Hardcore Title. Before the match, X-Factor walked onto the stage. Later, the Dudleys met X-Factor on the ramp and brawled with them. In the end, Rhyno gored Spike for the win. Afterward, the Dudleys 3D'd Credible...
Triple H & Austin walked to the ring to a promo while Vince's entrance music played. Triple H hyped their PPV match and said, "Everything in the World Wrestling Federation belongs to us" including Taker & Kane's asses. Austin took the mic and said, "Everything that man just said was true." Austin pointed to several fans and said what happened to Taker & Kane earlier could just as easily happen to anyone in the crowd. Austin called out Taker & Kane for a match. To Austin's surprise, the Hardys came out instead and cut a promo. The Hardys began walking toward the ring, but fireworks exploded next to them on the rampway. Taker & Kane walked out behind the Hardys and headed to the ring with them. Triple H & Austin fled the ring and headed out through the crowd...
... Foley walked onto the stage at WWF N.Y. and pulled out one of the contracts he and Linda signed months ago. Foley said the contract gives him the right to name the main event of any Raw he chooses. Foley announced Edge & Christian & Triple H & Austin vs. The Hardys & Kane & Undertaker as the show's main event. Remember when Foley's big announcements were actually worth looking forward to?...
(3) Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho beat William Regal & Kurt Angle at 1:57 in a submission match. Before the match, Ross noted that the match had no time limits or DQs. In the end, Benoit forced Regal to submit to the Crossface. The match was ridiculously short considering the submission stipulation...
(4) Big Show beat Test by DQ at 2:33 when Shane McMahon interfered. During the match, Heyman claimed that Vince and Linda McMahon never divorced because neither of them wanted to assume custody of Shane. Late in the match, Show hoisted Test up for a chokeslam, but Shane ran in and hit Show with a chairshot for the DQ... Backstage, Vince flipped out because of Shane's actions. In the process, he came across Trish and booked her in a match against Ivory. Vince said if Trish lost the match she would become the newest member of RTC...
(5) Eddie Guerrero & Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko (w/Terri) beat Raven & Grandmaster Sexay & Steve Blackman at 3:21.
(6) Trish Stratus beat Ivory at 2:05 with a bulldog. With the win, Trish avoided becoming an RTC member... A backstage shot aired of Undertaker & Kane talking with the Hardys... The announcers introduced a video package covering the XFL championship game... Triple H & Austin & Edge & Christian were introduced for the main event...
(7) Triple H & Steve Austin & Edge & Christian (w/Steph) beat Undertaker & Kane & The Hardys (w/Lita) at 7:34. The match was non-stop action as the wrestlers who weren't in the ring spent the majority of their time fighting at ringside. Late in the match, Undertaker hit the Last Ride on Triple H, but Edge & Christian pulled Taker from the ring before he could score the pin. Moments later, Austin hit the Stunner on Matt which enabled Triple H to score the pin...
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