May 8 - RAW
Xcel Center
St. Paul, Minnesota

Match 1: TV Title - William Regal vs. Kidman - Kidman gets roundly booed, with the fans actually cheering for Regal. Regal wins with the Stretch. Afterwards, he actually thanks the crowd for their response. JR can't believe Regal's attitude.

In the back, Flair talks to the Hardys. He understands that they are very upset with what happened to Lita, but they have a responsibility to defend the tag team titles. Matt is really pissed and asks for a week off. Flair reluctantly agrees, but says that if they miss RAW next week, they'll be stripped of the titles. Stacy writes this down with great interest.

Match 2: Lance Storm vs. Tajiri - Lance wins when Christian distracts Tajiri, allowing Lance to hit the superkick. After the match, Storm announces that he wants to challenge Chavo next week for the Junior Title.

After the commercial, the Coach interviews Eddy and Chavo. Chavo said it was okay with Flair and he'll meet Storm next week for the title and he'll have Uncle Eddy is his corner. After what happened last week, Eddy says, he wants a match tonight with Chris Jericho to get revenge.

Match 3: Edge and Christian vs. Hollys - This is for the right to face the Hardys next week for the tag team title. The Canadians win with the stacked-up superplex.

Backstage, David Flair is talking to Randy Orton about being the son of a famous wrestler. They commiserate about their growing up and other things. They shake hands and agree to work out in the ring together.

After the commercial, Flair calls the Hurricane into his office. Flair says that he has given an official WWF contrast to the mystery man, who will go by the name of Tsunami. Hurricane asks "Wazzupwitdat?" and Flair says there will no more sneak attacks. In fact, they will have a match against each other at Judgment Day. Hurricane says "Super!"

At the catering table, Jericho is standing there with a bottle of water and doughnut (Yes, it's a bear claw). Stacy saunters up and says she has something for Jericho. Chris is flattered, but he's a married man. She says no, that's not what I mean, and passes him a note. He reads it, rubs his chin and smiles. He apologizes for his sexist remark and offered to buy her a cup of coffee. They walk off camera together.

Match 4: Jr. Title Match - Chavo vs. Tsunami - JR has no idea who this mystery man is. Lawler thinks it's someone from Japan, based on the name. He does wrestle like someone from Toryumon. Chavo wins with the Gory Special. Afterwards, the Hurricane tries to get at the mystery man but there are refs waiting for him.

Top of the hour, out come the Canadians. They brag about all of their successes of late. Jericho says means no offence to his close friend Paul Heyman, but they are at the beginnings of a streak that will see that all with gold and will go down as the greatest collection of talent in wrestling history. Better than the Dangerous Alliance. Better than DX. Even dare we say (dare, dare), better than the Hart Foundation. They are the team for the new millennium, all because they have ... Canadian Pride.

Match 5: Rey Misterio vs. Hurricane - Misterio wins with the Dragoncanrana. After the match, Tsunami comes on the Titantron and says he can't wait until the PPV to get revenge on the Hurricane. JR still doesn't know what this is about.

In the back, Austin barges into Flair's office and wants a match with Lesnar tonight. Flair said he would give him one, but Lesnar isn't in the building tonight. He will give him a match with Angle. Austin says that's just as good.

Match 6: Val Venis vs. Randy Orton - Heyman wanted a rematch from last week, when Orton "got a lucky win." Orton wrestles like a veteran when he fools Venis into thinking he was out when Val goes for the money shot. Orton kips up, stuns Val with a forearm and hits the superplex (Shades of his father) for the pin.

Match 7: Eddy Guerrero vs. Chris Jericho - This is a total brawl. After a ref bump, Eddy has Jericho pinned with the Frog Splash, but there's no one to count. The Canadians hit the ring and it's a 4-on-1. Quickly, Chavo, Misterio and the Hardys hit the ring and the Canadians bail.

After the match, Angle paces back and forth. Heyman tells him to calm down and not to worry.

Match 8: Austin vs. Angle - The two wrestle a fairly-straight match. Angle reverses the Stunner into the Angle Lock. Austin won't give up. Angle quickly turns it into the STF. Amazingly, while JR talks about the damage that could be done to Austin's neck, Austin taps out in the middle of the ring. Angle acts like he has won the gold medal again. The camera focuses on Austin holding his neck as we fade to black.

May 9 - Smackdown
London, England

As a treat for WWF fans (and a way to boost ratings for sweeps), we'll be showing some of the matches from the UK only PPV from last week in London.

The show begins with Vince in the ring. He announces that the vacant European title will be decided here tonight, in London. First, from Hollywood, California, (he pauses as people think it's Hogan), Goldust. And his opponent, the man with the most reigns as European Champion, making his return to the World Wrestling Federation, D'Lo Brown.

Match 1: D'Lo vs. Goldust - There's a small pop for D'Lo, I guess showing how many smarks there are in London. D'Lo wins with the Sky High (no frog splashes for D'Lo just yet).

After the match, they show a video package of Lita's injury and her subsequent surgery. Cut to an interview with Molly and Jazz, who are gloating about their actions. Tonight they have to face Trish and Jackie in tag team action. They aren't worried.

Match 2: Molly/Jazz vs. Trish/Jackie - We actually have a wrestling match and not a cat-fight. Trish pins Molly with the bulldog to set up their upcoming PPV match.

Backstage, Hogan does an interview, challenging the N.W.O. He says how great it is that they are in Europe, since a good friend of his is over here publicizing his new movie, the Scorpion King. The camera pans back and there's the Rock. The crowd pops huge. He knows the Rock is a little rusty and probably has some jet-lag, but hopes that he'll be able to help him throttle Nash and X-Pac. The Rock is more than willing to help the Hulkster, if you smell...

Match 3: Billy/Chuck/Rico vs. Dudleys - The heels win with D-Von accidentally hits Spike. They all start to argue and finally, it comes to blows. All three Dudleys are fighting each other. Tazz is laughing his head off here.

Backstage, Bradshaw catches up with HHH. He wants him to know there's no hard feelings about last week, even though Simmons is laid up for a few weeks after HHH injured his knee. HHH says, like they say, it's just business.

Match 4: Big Show/Rikishi vs. Booker T/Mark Henry - The heels go over when Booker hits the missile dropkick on Rikishi, who staggers into a backbreaker by Henry.

Match 5: Hardcore Title - Al Snow vs. Bradshaw - During the match, all the Ecw flunkies hit the ring, trying to win the title. IN the melee, Snow manages to pin Dreamer, ending the match.

Match 6: Unified Title - HHH vs. Rob Van Dam - The I-C title is not at stake tonight. Van Dam does the usual stuff. At the end of the match, he goes for the Van Daminator, but HHH ducks and then waffles Van Dam with the chair. HHH then gives him the Pedigree and that is that.

Match 7: Hogan/Rock vs. Hall/X-Pac - Match-by-numbers. Nash interferes to set up the beat-down on Rock. Eventually, Hogan gets the hot tag. Rock throws out Hall. Hogan goes for the Legdrop and then stops and points to the Rock. The Rock demurs and shakes his head and points to Hogan. Hogan pulls off his bandana, throws it into the crowd and then hits the People's Legdrop for the pin on X-Pac. Posing all around.

Roger Hayden
freelance