Rey’s the new guy in town and Angle’s out to show him who’s boss. As Angle waits for Rey, he appears out of nowhere from behind and gives him a hurricanrana. After a second ‘rana, Rey monkey flips Angle out of the corner. Angle quickly gets Rey in the ankle lock, but he’s already in the ropes. Rey attempts the 619, but Angle avoids it and yanks him out of the ring. Back inside, Angle wears out Rey with a few suplexes. A rollup by Rey gets 2. Angle blocks another ‘rana and gives Rey a sidewalk slam. Nice. That gets 2. Angle applies a half crab, but Rey won’t quit. Rey jawjacks Angle and then slugs away on him. Angle catches Rey coming off the ropes with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Down come the straps and Angles goes for the Angle Slam. Rey escapes it and then armdrags Angle. Rey avoids a charging Angle, who falls to the outside. Rey goes for a high risk move, but the referee won’t let him. As the referee checks out Angle, Rey vaults over him and lands on Angle. Sweet. Back inside, Rey connects with a top rope legdrop and covers, but only gets 2. Angle catches Rey on his shoulders and then drops him to put on the ankle lock. Rey kicks free and then nails Angle with the 619. Rey delivers a top rope ‘rana into a pin and gets a long nearfall. Rey goes up top, but when Angle tries to pop up there with him, Rey leaps off. Rey then dropkicks Angle as he sat on the turnbuckle. Rey climbs back up with Angle and attempts another ‘rana. Angle avoids it and instead gets Rey in the ankle lock. Sadly, the move didn’t quite go off as they planned it. Rey tries for the ropes, but Angle pulls him back and Rey has no choice but to tap.

Bottom Line: Simply put, awesome opener. Rey was getting a chance to display all of his skills to a brand new audience and Angle met with him every step of the way. Angle was becoming so good at this point that he wasn’t just having great matches, he was constantly adapting to his opponents’ style, so that each great match was unique to that opponent. Not only was the action great, but the crowd was super here as well. Most were behind Rey, but there was an undercurrent of Angle fans who made themselves heard as well. This was a great way to kick off the show. ****

- Stephanie McMahon walks into the GM office and finds Eric Bischoff there. Bischoff says there’s only one GM office and offers to share it with her. The two decide to watch the show together and see which brand is better. Maybe they’ll provide some MST3K snark on each other’s show’s matches.

Jericho is out to prove that he’s more of a legend than the Nature Boy. Jericho shoves Flair, so Flair slaps him. As Jericho punches away on Flair, a “Fozzy sucks” chant starts up. Ouch. Flair avoids an elbow drop and then starts to chop away on Jericho. Flair is whipped to the corner where he tries his trademark bump, but can only get ¾ths of the way there before falling back to the mat. So Jericho has to clothesline him to the floor instead. On the outside, Jericho attacks Flair by the guardrail. Back inside, Jericho starts having his way with Flair. Jericho elbows a charging Flair and then hits him with a missile dropkick. That gets a nearfall. Flair tries to comeback with some chops, but Jericho just knocks him right back down. Jericho climbs up top, but Flair slams him to the mat. Flair must feel good to be on the opposite side of that for once. Flair avoids a charge and Jericho posts his shoulder. A back suplex by Flair gets 2. Jericho escapes another suplex and starts to put Flair in the Walls of Jericho. Flair blocks it by putting him in a small package for 2. Jericho hits the crappy bulldog, but misses the Lionsault. Flair attempts to put Jericho in the Walls of Jericho, but he gets out of it and puts Flair in the figure four. Flair grabs the rope and then starts to tap. Jericho thinks he’s won, but the ref says he got to the ropes first. Flair gives Jericho another chop and he falls back and hits the ref. That allows Flair to low blow Jericho. Flair then puts Jericho in the figure four and Jericho quickly taps.

BL: If you like chops, then this match is for you. The rest of the action is all right, but nothing amazing. I’m a little disappointed in the finish, as Jericho shouldn’t have tapped to the figure four. At least not in the way it was presented here. Flair usually prides himself on working the knee before applying the hold, but didn’t do so here and it cost the believability of the finish. Flair’s faux tap near the end provides a nice out for a rematch to occur down the line. ** ¼

- Heyman watches a commercial for the new Hogan DVD and tells Brock that it’s being released now because Brock killed Hogan’s career. Heyman then says that tonight Brock will kill The Rock’s title reign. One more death and I think it becomes official that Brock is on a killing spree.

A feeling-out process leads to a flapjack by Edge. Eddie drops Edge across the top rope from behind. A powerslam by Edge gets 2. Edge ties Eddie in the ropes and spears him. He tries it again, but Eddie moves and Edge falls through the ropes. Edge appears to injure his shoulder on the fall, so Eddie immediately attacks that body part. Eddie goes up top and connects with an armbar takedown. Edge escapes a hammerlock with a snapmare, but Eddie comes right back and puts on an armbar. Edge catches Eddie coming off the ropes with a powerslam. Edge starts to comeback, but Eddie slows him down with an elbow. A facebuster by Edge gets 2. Edge gets a breather after suplexing Eddie to the floor. Edge climbs up and jumps onto Eddie on the floor. Both men fight up top and Edge manages to hit another facebuster. Edge goes for a spear, but Eddie nails him with a spear. Eddie attempts a frog splash, but Edge gets his knees up. Edge delivers the Edgecution and gets a long 2 count. Eddie reverses another Edgecution and suplexes Edge for 2. Eddie goes again for the frog splash, but Edge climbs up with him. Eddie headbutts Edge down and then does a frog splash on Edge’s injured shoulder. Somehow, Edge kicks out of the cover. Eddie attempts a top rope hurricanrana, but Edge pulls him down. Edge then nails Eddie with a spear and covers him for 3.

BL: I’ll always appreciate someone dissecting an opponent’s body part, but I just wish Eddie could have done it in a more interesting fashion. There were too many restholds to keep the audience’s attention. And after all that hard work by Eddie, I really think the finish should have been the frog splash on the shoulder. I have no problem with Edge winning, but the story line here should have dictated that Eddie got the victory. ** ½

- WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The UnAmericans (champs) vs. Booker T and Goldust [RAW match]

Booker and Goldust were the closest thing to a team that RAW had, so they naturally became the #1 contenders. Goldust starts things off with Christian. Goldust wins that exchange and then takes out Storm, who comes in illegally. Booker gets tagged and he manhandles Storm. J.R. trying to sell Booker as the epitome of Americana is pretty laughable. It’s been all Booker and Goldust to start. A thumb to Goldust’s eye by Storm stops his momentum. Now Christian attacks Goldust on the floor. The UnAmericans double-team Goldust in their corner as the referee is tied up with Booker. A backbreaker by Christian gets 2 on Goldust. Goldust gets a breather after chokeslaming Storm. Storm makes a tag, but Goldust can’t. Goldust backdrops Christian and tags Booker, but the referee never saw it and he sends him back. The UnAmericans once again double-team Goldust as Booker argues. Goldust catapults Christian into Storm and then rolls him up for 2. A double clothesline drops both men. As Goldust gets close to tagging, Storm distracts Booker. The UnAmericans attempt a Conchairto on Goldust, but he ducks it and clotheslines both of them. Finally, Booker gets the tag and takes out both heels. A missile dropkick by Booker gets a nearfall on Christian. Christian avoids the scissors kick and attempts the Unprettier, but Booker shoves him off and then gives him a flapjack. Storm attempts a heel kick on Booker, but Booker ducks and Storm hits the referee instead. Booker hits both heels with a scissors kick and then does a Spinaroonie. Booker covers Christian, but the referee is still down. Storm tries to nail Booker with a belt, but Booker avoids it. Suddenly Test runs out and gives Booker a big boot. Christian crawls over, covers and gets the pinfall. Lame!

BL: They may call it cheap heat, but it’s heat nonetheless and there was plenty of it here. The match may have been formulaic, but they played everything perfectly to keep the crowd involved throughout the match. Keeping the titles on the UnAmericans is probably the right move (as much as I love Goldie and the Book Man) but I just wish they could have come up with a better finish than the cheap run-in; especially for a PPV match. **

- The World’s biggest losers tonight are Jamie Noble and Nidia, who are there to find a guy for Nidia to make out with. She chooses one and then makes out with him. And that’s it. I see the guy in charge of that segment is still on summer vacation.

- It does provide a segue to Bischoff and Stephanie, who discuss a woman’s place in the business. The two then provide some wonderfully awful scripted banter that I’m too bored to translate here.

Benoit won the IC title and then bolted to Smackdown. So this, in essence, will determine which show keeps the title as RVD is still a RAW guy. RVD starts off giving Benoit some stiff kicks. That causes Benoit to take a breather. A crossbody off the second rope by RVD gets a nearfall. Benoti comes back with a German suplex. Benoit really begins to focus on RVD’s neck. A backbreaker by Benoit gets 2. RVD retaliates with a pair of quick nearfalls. RVD boots a charging Benoit and then goes for the split-legged moonsault, but Benoit gets his knees up. Benoit attempts the diving headbutt, but RVD rolls out of the way. Now RVD tries the Five Star Frog Splash, but Benoit avoids it. Benoit applies the Crossface and RVD manages to get his foot on the rope. RVD climbs up top, but Benoit shoves him to the floor. Benoit rams RVD into the barricade and steel post. Back inside, Benoit shoves him to the floor. Benoit rams RVD into the barricade and steel post. Back inside, Benoit connects with a shoulderbreaker. Benoit applies a series of restholds to work RVD’s back. RVD kicks down Benoit and goes for Rolling Thunder, but Benoit moves out of the way and then puts him in the Crossface. Benoit delivers a series of Northern Lights suplexes to RVD while keeping him in a hammerlock. Amazing. Benoit puts RVD in the Crossface again, but breaks it when RVD gets close to the ropes. Suddenly, RVD puts Benoit in the Crossface, but Benoit quickly escapes. RVD elbows a charging Benoit and then kicks him down. That gets 2. RVD kicks Benoit again and then delivers Rolling Thunder. He gets another nearfall from that. Benoit blocks the monkey flip attempt and then crotches RVD on the top rope. Benoit attempts a top rope back suplex, but RVD counters in mid-air and lands on top of him. RVD then connects with the Five Star Frog Splash. He covers and is able to score the 3 count.

BL: This was very similar to the Edge/Eddie matchup, only it was given more time to develop. It still contained the same primary problem, however. Benoit spends the entire match dissecting his opponent only to lose to an out-of-nowhere finisher. The logic just doesn’t work in my opinion. The action was fine, but it lacked the “it factor”. It may partially have to do with the fact that the fans were distracted for half of the match by some shenanigans that were happening amongst the crowd. *** ¼

- Bischoff gloats that the IC title is back on RAW, but Stephanie just laughs in his face. I’d try to decipher that defense mechanism, but I’m too distracted by her freakish orange tan. Is she taking sunning tips from Hogan now?

Taker turned back to being a face over the past month. Once the turn was complete, he realized he used to be the American Badass, so what better opponent to face than an UnAmerican? Both men try to show off their power to gain an early advantage. A big clothesline by Taker gets 2. Test breaks up the Old School attempt by shoving the referee into the ropes. On the outside, Test throws Taker into the steps. Back inside, Test beats down Taker in the corner. Taker catches Test coming off the ropes with a back suplex. A slugfest breaks out, which Taker wins. A DDT by Taker gets 2. Now Taker connects with Old School. Taker hits Test with Snake Eyes, but Test avoids a follow-up big boot. Test tries for the pump handle slam, but Taker escapes and attempts a chokeslam. Test fights out of that and goes for the big boot. Taker ducks that and finally hits Test with the chokeslam. Taker covers and gets a long 2 count. As Taker goes to give Test the Last Ride, Christian and Storm run out. Taker pulls them into the ring and quickly disposes of them. However Taker turns around and gets blasted with Test’s big boot. He covers, but Taker somehow kicks out. Test brings a chair into the ring, but Taker boots it in his face. Taker then tombstones Test and easily covers him for the win.

BL: You had some pretty vanilla wrestling here. They didn’t mess anything up, but they didn’t do anything to really hold my attention either. It was a good call to have the UnAmericans suffer defeat here after their cheap win earlier. But I’d wish Christian and Storm would have stayed away from the match, as they got treated like jokes by Taker. This wasn’t great, but a nice cool down before our two big matches. * ¾

HHH shocked the world by turning on Shawn the night after Shawn convinced HHH to join him on RAW. His justification is that he’s now the top dog in wrestling and Shawn is worthless now. The reasoning may not be the best, but who cares because we’re getting Shawn back in the ring after a 4+ year absence. Shawn wastes no time in slugging away on HHH. Shawn sidesteps HHH and then throws him to the floor. Now Shawn launches himself over the top rope and onto HHH. Shawn rams HHH into the steps. Shawn finds a trash can lid, but HHH nails him and then drops him across the guardrail. As HHH tries to bring Shawn back into the ring, Shawn nails him with the trash can lid and then skins the cat to reenter. Shawn hits HHH with a trash can and double ax handle and then signals for Sweet Chin Music. HHH avoids it and nails Shawn with a backbreaker. Remember it was a back injury that took Shawn out of wrestling. As Shawn writhes in pain, HHH gives him another. HHH gives Shawn some rough turnbuckle treatment. Now HHH tells Shawn to “suck it”. Big heel heat for that. HHH gets a chair and wears out Shawn’s back with it. Shawn escapes a suplex and rolls up HHH for 2. HHH gains control again with a facebuster. HHH DDTs Shawn on a chair, but Shawn kicks out at 2. However, Shawn has been busted open. HHH removes Shawn’s belt and begins to whip him with it. HHH goes under the ring and finds his sledgehammer. Before he can use it, Shawn begins to fight back. HHH stops him with a whip to the corner and then puts him in an abdominal stretch. HHH grabs the rope while using the hold. The ref forcibly tries to stop him, which causes HHH to get into an argument with him. Shawn knocks HHH down and then tries for a move from the top rope, but HHH shoves the ref into the ropes, which crotches Shawn. As he’s hung up on the top rope, Shawn is nailed in the back with a chair by HHH. Now HHH gives Shawn a backbreaker onto a chair. Somehow, Shawn repeatedly kicks out of HHH’s covers. HHH attempts to Pedigree Shawn on a chair, but Shawn escapes and lowblows him. HHH attempts to use a chair, but Shawn superkicks it back into his face. Now HHH is bleeding from the forehead. Shawn connects with the flying forearm and then kips up. Now Shawn gives HHH a chairshot. Shawn whips HHH out of the ring and then uses various weapons to attack him on the floor. Shawn runs around the ring and then bulldogs HHH into the steps. Nice. Shawn pulls out a ladder to a huge pop and wears out HHH with it. Back inside, Shawn gets a nearfall. As Shawn tries to bring the ladder into the ring, HHH dropkicks it into Shawn’s midsection. Both men fight up top and Shawn is able to deliver a superplex. A high knee by HHH drops Shawn. HHH brings the steps into the ring, but Shawn gives him a drop toe hold and HHH’s head smacks into the steps. Shawn goes back outside and sets up a table. Shawn nails HHH with a fire extinguisher and HHH lands on the table. Shawn then climbs up and splashes HHH through the table. Awesome. Back inside, Shawn sets up a ladder and delivers an elbow from the top of it. Shawn goes for Sweet Chin Music, but HHH blocks it. HHH immediately goes for the Pedigree, but Shawn escapes and rolls up HHH. Shawn manages to keep him down for 3 and gets the dramatic victory.

Postmatch: As Shawn celebrates, HHH nails him in the back with the sledgehammer. He gives him a second shot and then leaves smiling. Meanwhile, Shawn does the stretcher job for those actions.

BL: This one was built on pure emotion. They didn’t do the most creative spots, but it didn’t matter. Knowing Shawn’s history with his back was enough to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering if he could get through the match in one piece. It wasn’t exactly vintage Shawn, but we got enough to completely enjoy the match. This is an awesome brawl that has the emotion behind it to make it great. **** ½

- Before the main event, Howard Finkel gets on the mic and starts to brag about his commitment to the WWE. Now Trish Stratus comes out and apologizes for some of the attacks she commited against him. She then offers to hug him. Before it goes any further, Trish reveals Lillian Garcia, who slaps him and kicks him in the balls. Ah, god bless announcer feuds. They are what pop a buyrate.

Brock won this shot by winning King of the Ring, so there’s not much of a story here. So instead, they just decided to build this match by showing training videos for each guy. Yawn. The Rock races into the ring and begins to slug it out with Brock. Brock ends it with a belly-to-belly suplex. That gets 2. Brock begins to attack the midsection of The Rock. With the referee distracted, Heyman is able to attack The Rock on the floor. Brock continues the attack on the outside and then brings him back in and gives him another belly-to-belly suplex. As The Rock starts to come back, Heyman grabs his leg. This allows Brock to remain on offense. The Rock tries to comeback and Brock plants him with a powerslam. It should be noted that every time The Rock tries to comeback, the crowd boos. Brock goes for a charge, but misses and rams his shoulder into the post. The Rock drops Brock with a back suplex. Now both men kip up at the same time. A DDT by The Rock gets 2. As The Rock starts to put on the Sharpshooter, Heyman gets on the apron. The Rock goes over and knocks him down. The Rock goes back over and puts Brock in the Sharpshooter. We get a “Let’s Go Lesnar” chant. Again, Heyman gets on the apron and throws a chair into the ring. This time, The Rock pulls Heyman into the ring and attacks him. But Brock comes from behind and nails him. With the referee distracted, Brock nails The Rock with a chair in the midsection and then applies a bearhug. The Rock breaks free and is able to low blow Brock because Heyman is distracting the referee again. However, Brock works over The Rock in the corner. As Brock charges, The Rock fires out of the corner with a clothesline. Then he knocks Brock out of the ring. Now the crowd really begins to boo The Rock. The Rock knocks down Heyman and then catapults Brock into the post. The Rock then grabs Heyman and gives him a Rock Bottom through the Spanish announce table. Back inside, The Rock delivers a Rock Bottom to Brock and covers, but Brock kicks out at 2. Suddenly, out-of-nowhere, Brock hits The Rock with a Rock Bottom (Brock Bottom?). Brock covers and gets a nearfall. The Rock connects with the spinebuster, but when he goes for the People’s Elbow, Brock gets up and clotheslines him. Brock goes for the F5, but The Rock escapes. The two do a reversal sequence, which ends in Brock finally hitting the F5. He covers and keeps The Rock down for 3 to become the new undisputed champion.

BL: What would have been an ordinary main event became a whole lot more interesting thanks to a bizarro crowd. I guess the NY crowd didn’t want to cheer for someone they deemed to be a Hollywood sell-out. I have no problem with the action here, except for Heyman’s involvement. It just seemed a bit excessive. In trying to get Brock over as a heel, it’s fine. But in a main event like this, it was a bit ludicrous. At the time, going with Brock as champ seemed risky, but it turned out to be the right call. That is, until he flaked out on the WWE a year and a half later. *** ½

Final Thoughts: Try as I might, there’s very little to complain about this show. There are two excellent matches in the opener and street fight. Everything else, while not necessarily a workrate fanatic’s dream is very enjoyable. For this show, the WWE managed to find a lot of pairs that worked well with each other. If for no other reason, everyone should see this show for the historic value of Shawn’s big return match. A solid thumbs up from me here.

Next time, we get a man under the mask reveal that even the people from Scooby Doo would find embarrassing.