WWE Raw Flashback: Breakdown of Raw Is War from 8/23/99

Reaching into the WWE vault, let's take a look at a particularly good episode of Raw is War.  

WWE fans often pine for the days of the Attitude Era.

While I tend to savor the present as much as possible, it's sometimes satisfying to let nostalgia take over.  

The era of Mick Foley, Steve Austin, the Rock and an in-your-face attitude gets us wistful.  It was an electrifying time for wrestling.

Every episode of Raw felt like a pay-per-view.

The unexpected happened.  The talent level was unprecedented.  

This episode aired just after SummerSlam 1999.  Let's time travel and see what WWE was cooking.

Intro/Theme Song

Stills of the previous night's SummerSlam's WWF world title belt show on the screen as Jim Ross' voice reverberates through the screen.  

That man's voice at full volume, full emotional tilt is an awe-inspiring weapon.

Mankind won the title in spite of Triple H cheating like crazy and trying to get Shane McMahon's help.

Not having video highlights make this whole thing awkward.  I forget they used to do that for pay-per-views in the hopes that folks would buy the replay of it.   

The guitar-heavy theme song plays as we see flashes of Ken Shamrock, the Undertaker, Stone Cold, fire, beer, chair shots and um, X-Pac.

What an amazing sign-happy crowd.  

Is Iowa State just that loud of an audience or is this simply a by-product of the era?

Triple H promo

Jim Ross announces the "new WWF Champion," but a pissy Triple H comes out instead of Mick Foley.  

Triple H is still using that theme song that sounds like a Tom Morello guitar solo.

With Chyna at his side, the Game says in a few different ways that he got screwed.

The crowd chants a part of the body not fit for PG.

Even with such a simple promo, Triple H emotes so well.  He'll never be Daniel Day-Lewis, but he does "angry dude in a tight shirt" better than most anyone.  

Chyna just stands around looking tough and depending on your point of view, sexy.  

Trips claims to have crippled Steve Austin.  No sir, that was Owen Hart and a back-breaking wrestling schedule.  

To get Foley to come out, Triple H clamps a mean armbar on Jim Ross.  

Foley, of course, answers the call.

The pop he gets is unbelievable.

Mankind promises to give him a title shot in exchange for Ross' freedom.  Triple H snaps his arm anyway.  

Heels are supposed to be d-bags.  Triple H was so very good at that aspect of the sport.  

Road Dogg vs. Al Snow

The arena erupts when Road Dogg's music comes on.  

He "Rick Rudes" it with a "cut the music" before cutting a quick promo that is a lot of rhyming, charisma and very little sense.  

Al Snow interrupts with a sucker punch.  

And we have a hardcore match just like that.  

Trashcans, kendo sticks and tables are pulled out just seconds into it.  

Al Snow's chihuahua, Pepper, is seen in her kennel.  In the business, we call that foreshadowing.

Chris Jericho's music comes on and the table-breaking action is interrupted.  

The Boss Man comes out.

Boss Man steals Pepper.  It's a dog-napping!

Jericho and Road Dogg brawl backstage while Boss Man drives off, dog in hand.  

The unpredictability and randomness of Raw was awesome then. 

The dog stealing angle would lead to one of the worst matches in the history of wrestling.  Boss Man vs. Al Snow fought in a Kennel from Hell match.

You can watch the match here if you dare or look it up in the dictionary under "ill-conceived."

Tag Team Title Match 

Big Show and Undertaker (c) vs. The Acolytes 

Kane and X-Pac, tag champs until SummerSlam, show up for extra commentary.  Kane, at the time, did not speak.

Who would have thought that of the four guys in this match that Ron Simmons who be the first to enter the Hall of Fame?

Big Show sports a ponytail as he clotheslines JBL and Simmons.  

Oddly enough, Kane is better at commentary than Matt Striker.

As expected, Kane and X-Pac get involved.  A big brawl explodes as the ring bell sounds.  

Blue Meanie

Can't say I miss having the Blue Meanie around, not exactly a shining example of the Attitude Era.  

He's in a dorm room with a home camera on him.  He makes a bad Blair Witch Project joke and the segment's over.

Test proposes to Stephanie McMahon

The crowd seems only slightly more interested in this than I am.  

Shane McMahon tries to interrupt the question popping.  He gets a reaction from the crowd he should be proud of.

Though the creative team definitely overused the McMahon family angles, fans loved Shane for how many risks he was willing to take.  

Stephanie says she needs more time.  

Maybe she's holding out for bigger fish.  

Jericho backstage with Howard Finkel

How many guys could have pulled off that Samurai ponytail-thing that Jericho rocked for so long?

Jericho tries to convince Finkel to be a warrior, to fight for him.  Finkel ponders it.

Jeff Jarrett and company

Double J is the new IC and European champ.  Mark Henry betrayed D'Lo Brown at SummerSlam in order to help the future Mr. TNA.    

Jarrett hands him the European title to repay him.  I guess that title really was worthless. 

Jerry Lawler does his lecherous old man routine as he salivates over Debra's chest.  

Jarrett announces Debra will get a blonde, emotionless assistant named "Miss Kitty."

"I'd like to play in her kitty litter, ha, ha!"- Jerry Lawler

D'Lo Brown nails Meat backstage with a trashcan.  The possible five-star Mark Henry vs. Meat match is not meant to be, I guess.  

D'Lo shimmies his way down the aisle instead.  

A quick match ends when Jeff Jarrett gets involved.  

IC Title contract

Billy Gunn wants to sign an open contract to face Jeff Jarrett for his IC title.  He doesn't have a pen though.

While he runs to get one, Chyna sneaks in and signs her own name.  

And the clock begins to tick on Jarrett's WWE career.  

Rock vs. Gangrel 

Man, I could hear Rock's music all day.  Hearing it stirs up an avalanche of memories.   

Rock dogs on Gangrel in typical Rock fashion.

It involves him suggesting Gangrel stick an object in a certain place.  I'm sure you can fill in the details.    

Gangrel comes out with the New Brood aka Matt and Jeff Hardy.

There aren't a lot of entrances cooler than the Broods'.  Fire...good!

Rock whips Gangrel around the ring until Matt can help the vampire gain a temporary advantage.  

Edge and Christian, long hair flapping, chase the Hardys away.  

Rock Bottom, People's Elbow, and it's all over.  

Not a match either guy wants on their greatest hits, but entertaining nonetheless.

Post match, the Brahma Bull talks smack about Triple H and Mankind.  He spits out a litany of catchphrases to the delight of the crowd.

Howard Finkel vs. Road Dogg (sort of)

Finkel comes out to the Ultimate Warrior's music dressed in a gray sweatsuit.  He calls out Road Dogg.  

Again, Road Dogg gets an amazing pop.  He was in the right era.  The 80's or the current era wouldn't have adored him nearly as much.

Fink goads Road Dogg into attacking him.  The lights go out.  Chris Jericho appears in the ring.

Two beautiful powerbombs later, Jericho is posing over the fallen body of Road Dogg.  

Holly vs. Holly

In what for some reason is called the "Battle of the Super Heavyweights," Crash Holly takes on his kayfabe cousin, Hardcore Holly.

The Hollys fight in the crowd.  Fans seem more concerned with getting their signs on screen than this banal match.

The battle travels backstage.  The crowd probably loves buying a ticket to watch a match on a screen.

Taking the air out of an audience from this era is quite an accomplishment.

The cameras stop showing the fight and switches to Foley doing a promo.

Mick Foley promo

Quick and effective work by Foley.  On Austin he says, "he probably single-handedly funded my retirement."

A quick shot of Al Snow sad about his dog and we're back to the ring.

Is the Holly match over or did we just give up on that? 

Tag Team Action

Paul Bearer, Big Show and Undertaker take their turn at the announce table while Kane and X-Pac wrestle Mideon and Viscera.  

Show of hands if you remember Mideon.  

Lillian Garcia flubs up about every word she's asked to say.

"This match is scheduled for one round." 

Taker's great at many things.  Commentary is not one of them.    

The Acolytes show up about one minute in.  You know this is going to explode at any moment.

While Mideon and Viscera aren't the Hart Foundation by any means, seeing this much star power in the tag division is surreal.  

X-Pac does his homo-erotic Bronco Buster before the whole match disintegrates.  

Mr. Ass 

Billy Gunn calls out Chyna.  A stare down is interrupted by a Jeff Jarrett guitar shot.  Mr. Ass gives Double J one right back.  

Are these working guitars they destroy?

The musician in me cries a little every time I see an acoustic guitar shatter over someone's head. 

WWF Title Match-Triple H vs. Mankind

The Rock struts down to observe and announce.    

Shane McMahon comes out in a referee shirt.  He kicks out Earl Hebner and takes his place.

When will the surprises end?

Wait, Triple H used to wear chain-mail?  I must have blocked that out.

Shane cheats Foley out of a pin early by being purposely distracted.

Mankind gives him a taste of Mr. Socko.  Triple H gets the same treatment.

Chyna runs in.  Socko for her too.

Earl Hebner runs in since Shane is knocked out.  

Chyna, Rock, the Game, Foley, Hebner, Shane—these Raw episodes were busy, people everywhere.

Triple H kicks a chair into Mankind's face.  A compelling brawl rolls on. 

Has anyone made a career on taking bumps like Foley?  It's amazing that man can still walk.  

Rock's commentary is, of course, hilarious.  Hard to focus on the match while laughing so hard.  

Chaos erupts.

Shane knocks out Hebner.  Rock takes a chair shot from the Cerebral Assassin.

Triple H pins Mankind.  He lifts that big gorgeous gold belt in the air.  

Fade out.

Closing Thoughts

With only a few dull spots, this was an awesome Raw.  

Jericho amused.  The Rock electrified. 

I cared about the tag titles.  

I chuckled.  I cheered.  

Though we shouldn't live in the past, it's invigorating to take a look back.  

The Iowa fans were all maniacs and that made it so much more special.  Is it possible for fans today to bring that same energy?

It sure is.  

With the way things are going lately, it may get easy to get revved up every Monday night.