Why do they keep having an ad for a show before it starts? Doesn't that defeat the point?

TV PG DL Entertainment CC Bischoff fires Austin and I guess we're not supposed to consider Austin just going to SmackDown anymore. Also JR quits. Echo echo echo echo (1:21) wrestler free open for three different channels now, fireworks, fans. Coach wonders who'll be gone next - is he asking for suggestions?

Victoria (w/Steven Richards) vs Ivory - your announcers are Lita and Jonathan Coachman. Oh wow, two Ivory matches in two weeks, she's a busy gal. This carries over from where we left off last week quite well. Clips from HBK and Ivory at Bangor Military Base (Bangor, WA) 2 weeks ago. I like this Ivory outfit better than the other one, but I don't suppose she's asking for my opinion. Victoria, possibly still in a bad mood from not having her gold belt, attacks Ivory from behind as she's posing and we're off. Ivory comes back with right hands of her own, whip, reversed, Ivory with a cross body one two no. Headlock takedown, Victoria trying to pull hair to get out of it and ignoring any warnings. Ivory back up to her feet, Victoria elbowing out, Ivory shot to the ropes, back with a headlock takedown! Back to their feet, Victoria pushes Ivory in the corner, but neither go till they a break is forced. Victoria with right hands and then both hands to take Ivory down in the corner. Victoria is playing a little bit more crazy than usual here - big hair beal. Hair mare. Kick to the back, running head snap, one two no. Coach says he's happy to have JR's spot but didn't want to get it like that. One two no. Whip, reverse, head down well too soon, swinging neckbreaker almost ends up looking like a reverse neckbreaker, one two no. The timing seemed off on that whole sequence. Neck vice. Coach talks about how it can't be easy to leave the business you love, but sometimes you gotta take that stand, and I wonder why he didn't do that with D'Lo! Eh, never mind. Ivory coming back here, off the ropes, ducking the clothesline, spinning headscissors. Ivory off the ropes, clothesline and Victoria doesn't go down. Another and she doesn't go down. Dropkick and that works. Victoria begging off  but Ivory's angry. Coach: "Victoria, not wanting any more of Ivory - not the first person to react that way. Did I just say that?" Victoria charges, kick is caught, kick, Blow Out! That's her move! one two Steven puts Victoria's foot on the ropes! Ivory is appalled by that - Grabbing Steven by the nose and yanking, but that allows Victoria up - big kick to the midsection. Widow's Peak? Yep. Freak out, then cover one two three. (4:22) Victoria wants someone to freaking give her belt to her already. And then she starts thinking she has it when she doesn't, that's not good.

Later, the Rock asks Goldberg to just bring it.

René Duprée and Sylvan Grenier show us what happened to the old Excess desk. Thanks guys! What's an "istory"?

Wow, an ad for Heat during Heat, how nice.

Malibu Most Wanted sucks as much as the referee missing Jazz's foot on the ropes, last Monday.

Rodney Mack (Lafayette, LO, 280 pounds, w/Theodore Long) vs Ken Anderson (Wisconsin, already in the ring) - Ken has a hometown and weight and everything, but Lita and Coach don't understand the concept of not talking over Fink this week. Is Teddy not going to speak? Aw. "Let me holla at you playa. You know my man Rodney Mack stepped into the ring to meet some real competition. Now I can't believe that Whitey has sent this out here for Rodney Mack to complete with. You gotta be joking, this is a rib, this can't be true, this is an opponent? Not only are you not happy with being white, you went and died your hair white. I'm gonna send Whitey a little message tonight, since this is all we got to work with, I'm gonna show Whitey that when Rodney Mack gets through with you thuggin' and buggin on you playa, and it's gonna be all over, and you gonna know, and Whitey's gonna know, what it means to back a Mack. Now you get in here, and let us get to thuggin' and buggin' on you, baby. Let's get it on." I guess it's too bad that Timmy White is a ref/agent on the other side. Teddy and Rodney have one final chat before we really get started. Lockup, Rodney with a knee, forearm to the back, forearm to the back. Turnbuckle smash. Second rope shoulderblock. Howl? I guess so. Forearms and a choke on the middle rope. Coach says Rodney's howl reminds him of Teen Wolf 2. Rodney stomps Coach to the apron, Rodney picks up Ken, but Ken with a shoulder and a sunset flip in, but Rodney blocks it with a punch. Rodney takes a second to follow up and Ken finishes the sunset flip one two no. Ken yells - and gets a shoulder to the gut. Right. Kick by Rodney. Chop. Chop. Right. Right. Right. Chop. Corner whip, Ken with a kip up but Rodney's just gonna catch him on his shoulder and hit the shoulder powerslam one two three. (1:40) Is Teddy dancing? I guess that's what that is.

Next, HBK/Booker T vs Jericho/Triple H

Burger King Beatdown of Two Weeks Ago

Which led into this previous mentioned tag match and "intense" run walk-in. (5:24)

Still to come: "3 Minute Warning and Rico" vs the Heat All-Stars! (Maven, Spike and Tommy)

Next, Stacy Keiber will be at ringside while some tall dork wrestles. That's how they said it! (except for the tall dork part.)

This past Monday, Test and Goldust had some more wacky mishaps. This is the oddest way to build to a PPV match. If that's what they're doing here. I don't even know anymore. Test is quite dumb, isn't he? (1:15)

Test (282 pounds, w/Stacy) vs Mark Bartilucci (Wichita, KS, 212 pounds, already in the ring) - Coach perks up at the mention of Kansas, hoping that Mark will represent. I think this is gonna be one of those matches where Coach easily gets distracted, because it's happened like three times during this entrance. Mark has "Tornado" on his tights but no ruby slippers. Perhaps that's for the best. Lockup, Mark with a waistlock and a shove. Test is not impressed. Test is not in a good mood, but he never really seems to be. Stacy and Test didn't play up any problems between them on their way to the ring. Lockup, no Mark ducks under, waistlock, and takes a big back elbow. Right. Right. Whip, clothesline misses, Mark slaps him in the face. Test slaps back. Chop, chop, chop, chop. Whip, backdrop. Shove in the corner, corner whip, corner clothesline. Corner whip, corner charge into a boot. Coach encourages us to watch ESPN day and night until we see the Steve Austin commercial. (Just so you know, I did and it was on at 1:11 am CST Sunday Night/Monday Morning. Thanks Coach!) Mark charges out into the tilt-a-whirl slam one two no. Right. Whip, quick reverse to a kick, off the ropes, caught, there's the full nelson release slam. Calling for a boot and not a moment too soon. Test charges, but Mark smartly pulls Chad Patten in the way - Test holds up in time, moves the ref out of the way and gets an inside cradle one two no. Mark gets the first punch, oddly enough. Mark pouts on an armbar, then oddly lets go to go off the ropes - and Test nails him with a big boot. (2:08) Guess people from Kansas suck! (Sorry Jake.) Coach, partly out of context, to Lita: "Whatever you do, get me some of that." Oh, Stacy doesn't got out the side Test is holding the ropes open, what issues.

Next, Goldberg and Rock, face to face.

the Rock's last couple of weeks. All these bald headed people want a piece of the Rock, and then wacko green haired freaks are after him. It's tough to be the Rock. (7:09) Coach says, hyping RAW "we'll hopefully find out more about the Rock's reaction to Goldberg."

Next, 3MW vs Maven, Spike Dudley and Tommy Dreamer.

RAW Live
Monday - Richmond, VA
Next Monday - Atlanta, GA
Next Saturday - Portland, MA
Next Next Sunday - Worcester, MA [Backlash]

3 Minute Warning vs Maven (Charlottesville, WV) and Spike Dudley and Tommy Dreamer (Yonkers, NY) - Fink announces them as "the combination of Rosey, Jamal and Rico" with no weight, disappointing me greatly. Why do the faces need all separate entrances? Not much unity! Tommy does point to Lita. We get a six person standoff to prevent an early attack. Coach pretends that Spike's had some actual involvement with his brothers lately. Tommy and Jamal to start this. There's the ECW chant. Lockup, Jamal with a knee, forearm to the back. Kick to the midsection. Right, but Tommy ducks it - eye poke. Tommy calls Jamal on, and Tommy with an drop toe hold. Armbar, tag to Maven, Maven off the ropes and leapfrogging on the arm. Armbar by Maven, Jamal tries a clothesline, Maven ducks under and pulls of a reverse sunset flip one two no. Armbar, but Jamal punches out of it. Slam. Tag to Rico, Jamal holding his arm on his way out. Rico charges right into a scoop, Maven walks him over to his corner, blind tag by Spike and a top rope double stomp, small package one two no. Rico clothesline misses inside cradle one two no. Spike with a forearm, whip, Spike tries a hiptoss but it's blocked and he gets a hiptoss. Rico with an armbar, kicks to the midsection and neat kick to the face. Rico with a right and kicks in the corner as the crowd gets on him. Rico tries for the springboard kick, but Spike catches him and powerbombs him down! That looked nasty. Rico makes a desperation tag to Rosey, who throws Spike into the corner. Open hand slap, open hand slap, whip, clothesline misses, Spike with the battering ram. Crawling tag to Tommy. Dropkick to the knee, right for Jamal, Rico drops off the apron to avoid a right. Right for Rosey, whip, reversed, Rico with a kick to the back and now Tommy nails him with that right. There's Rosey's Sudden Impact, one two Maven breaks it up. Jamal in as Nick Patrick is making Maven leave - running hipsmash to the head! Jamal poses as Tommy convulses. Lita's birthday is tomorrow, and Coach says he has a surprise for her after the show, which sounds like a sexual harassment case in the making. Jamal with a front facelock and tag to Rico, Rico with a kick to the midsection. Rico with the step over heel kick. Oh no, Rico's going for the moonsault that never ever hits! It doesn't hit! Shut up Coach. Tag to Jamal, tag to Maven - Maven ducks the clothesline, right, right, right, whip, reversed, forearm. Jumping spin kick! Right to Rosey! Jamal lifts him but Maven dropkicks him! Maven to the second rope - second rope bulldog! One two NO. Something was off about Patrick's count there - he had a hitch in it. Maven with forearms, off the ropes, sunset flip (Maven completely loses his grip on Jamal, but reapplies when he's on the mat. to Jamal's ankles), Jamal is blocking but Spike is in with his own bulldog. Maven covers one two Rico breaks it up. Spike takes care of Rico with forearms and throws him out. Back to Jamal - kick, Dudley Dog hits . But Rosey is in - forearm, Sudden Impact no Spike slips out, kick, Dudley Dog gets him pushed off hard to the floor! Tommy in - kick wham Evenflow. Tommy does his pose - and gets nailed with Rico's pin kick. Rico's pumped but doesn't see Maven - top rope missile dropkick! Rico is nailed out of the ring, but Rosey is up - side slam. Jamal going up. Tommy pushes him off forward, which wouldn't seem to be a good move because he could still land on Maven anyway (Maven rolls out of the way) but turns out to be a really bad idea because Jamal lands on his NECK. He tried to turn over to land on his back, but he started way late and obviously didn't - Lita's having all sorts of nasty flashbacks watching that. He's moving still but Patrick is checking on him  - raising his arm up to signal that he's okay for the time being, I guess. Rosey charges at Dreamer, Dreamer pulls down the top rope and they both go to the floor. Maven goes up - top rope cross body is in perfect position for Jamal to hit the Samoan Drop one two three (5:51) Jamal pulls himself up with the ropes - I can't tell if he's selling or really hurting. Oh no they're showing a replay. That was AWFUL - when I said "he landed on his neck", I wasn't trying to be funny or exaggerating or something, he landed on his neck! I don't know how he still has a spine after that. Rico and Jamal do a secret handshake to celebrate their collect lack of paralysis.

RAW! Monday! Happy birthday Lita!