• OLD SCHOOL VIDEO HISTORY (September 25, 2000) – WWF RAW IS WAR
On this day in 2000, the World Wrestling Federation aired another episode of their weekly TV show ‘WWF RAW IS WAR’.
It was LIVE from the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania and featured matches, interviews & storyline segments on the road to the ‘WWF No Mercy 2000’ PPV.
Here’s the card:
1. Kane vs. Rikishi
2. Tazz vs. Bubba Ray Dudley
3. WWF World Tag Team Titles – Ladder Match: Hardy Boyz vs. Christian & Edge
4. First Blood Match: X-Pac vs. Chris Jericho
5. WWF Intercontinental Title: Eddie Guerrero vs. Val Venis
6. WWF World Heavyweight Title: The Rock vs. Chris Benoit
• RAW Star Recalls Brock Lesnar Walking Out On A Wrestling Promotion & Destroying The Reputation Of Their Title
During a recent interview with Inside The Ropes, RAW Superstar Finn Balor talked about wanting to face Brock Lesnar and the aura of superstars like Brock Lesnar & Roman Reigns.
While talking about Lesnar, Balor talked about how Lesnar was the IWGP Heavyweight Champion back in the day, but then ended up walking out on the company.
Below is what Balor said (credit to RSN for transcript):
“Well, I don’t make that decision. I’m just very low on the totem pole with regards to who makes the matches. But obviously, I would love that Brock Lesnar match more than anyone.
I think it’s the classic David vs. Goliath match. I don’t think it’s very much like a match I’ve had before or he has had before, maybe? You know, someone who had a very brief crossing of the paths with in New Japan. When I was in Japan as a young boy, he was in Japan as a Champion. He was the New Japan Champion. And do you know what he did? He walked out on the company and destroyed the reputation of the title belt.
He’s kinda doing the same thing again now. Honestly, when Brock’s music hits, everyone pays attention. Despite all this talk about ‘he’s not there every week,’ ‘he’s not the best.’ I know that when his music hits and he walks out, I’m invested and I’m intrigued to see what is gonna happen. There is certainly an aura that Brock carries that nobody else carries. That’s the title aura that I want to be in the ring with and I wanna feel and experience it.
When I first came up through the WWE, we had- I wrestled Roman, obviously on RAW. Beat him on my first night, no big deal. But a couple weeks later we did it at the No Mercy PPV, was it? No, the Extreme Rules PPV. It was a five-way. It was like me, Samoa Joe, somebody else, somebody else- and Roman.
Everyone came to the ring and then Roman’s music hit and I’m not kidding, it was the most insane reaction I’ve ever experienced in my life. That type of reaction is the type of thing that I want to be involved in.
That feeling that Brock gives you when he walks to the ring, and that aura that Roman has when he walks to the ring. They are the type of moments that this business is built on.”
