Monday Night raw - Bischoff's Announcement

[Teenweek]

The following is from WWE.com:

RAW comes to you live tonight (9/8 CT on the new TNN).

Eric Bischoff has less than one month to make some dramatic changes to RAW and appease his boss, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Expect the RAW General Manager to do whatever it takes to avoid being fired. What innovative ideas will Bischoff employ? Rumor has it that tonight's episode of RAW could turn into an outrageous show. Tune in to TNN tonight at 9/8 CT to see what tricks Bischoff pulls out!

Scott Steiner can not be happy with the outcome of his match against Triple H last night at the Royal Rumble. Steiner picked up a win over The Game, but since he prevailed due to a disqualification, the World Heavyweight Championship didn't fall into his hands. Will Big Poppa Pump continue to chase the championship? Will a new challenger to the title step forward? Find out tonight!

The Dudley Boyz are World Tag Team Champions once again. Which tandem will be the first to step up to the new champs? What will happen when Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho step into the same building following their clash during the Royal Rumble Match? Get all the answers tonight on RAW, starting at 9/8 CT on the new TNN! Check back here later today to learn what matches have been announced for the night.

With bischoff having 4 weeks to turn things around on raw, you know he will make things interesting. What do you think the surprise will be? A trade maybe, bringing back the ic title? the signing of Austin or Goldberg? Should be good with Wrestlemania less than 2 months away.

[Jack]

I'm going to step out on a limb here and predict that whatever it is, it may be good at first, but they will fuck it up really quick.

[Teenweek]

I'm going to step out on a limb here and predict that whatever it is, it may be good at first, but they will fuck it up really quick.

They may fuck up a lot, but I have yet to see them fuck up a wrestlemania. With Brock vs Angle, the rumored Rock vs Goldberg, maybe a return of Austin vs HHH, the culmination of HBK vs Jericho, that will even be hard for them to do. I have faith, maybe blind faith but I still have faith the next couple months are going to be very exciting.

[HollywoodJewMoses]

what do you call wrestlemania 11?

[Jack]

Don't get me wrong, I want them to deliver a good product. Just in the back of my mind, and I am basing this on recent events, the WWE has this way of having everything fall in their lap but still fuck it up.

Things were so much better when they had to strive for something. Now they have no one to out-do, no one to beat and it really shows. The split, while a good idea, was done far too late. It should have been done before the invasion with most of the WCW talent going to Smackdown so that they could then have a true Smackdown vs Raw invasion. Things would have been soooooo much better.

[Sir O]

They may fuck up a lot, but I have yet to see them fuck up a wrestlemania.

Huh?

"A McMahon in every corner."

Lucy the Dog

The Austin heel turn.

Riiiiiiiight...they never fuck up Wrestlemania.

[Peachy]

They may fuck up a lot, but I have yet to see them fuck up a wrestlemania.

One word, one number: Wrestlemania 15.

I want my $100 back, McMahon.

[Teenweek]

you people suck. I try to block out all the bad things and like to focus on the positive. You are all a bunch of negative nancies

[Goatweed]

sorry TW, but you can't blame us - that blame should be directed and Vince and his crack staff writing team.

[Peachy]

that blame should be directed and Vince and his crack staff writing team.

Or his writing team on crack...

[Teenweek]

It's not all bad. For every HHH/Katie Vick angle is a Smackdown 6 angle. For every Torrie and Dawn Marie angle there is a Jericho and HBK angle. For every Scott Steiner Promo is a Kurt Angle promo. The anniversary was really bad but the videos were really good. See you need to find the positives in things.

The following matches have been confirmed for tonight's Raw:

-Jeff Hardy vs. Rob Van Dam

-Steven Richards & Victoria vs. The Hurricane & Trish Stratus

-Singapore Cane Match: Tommy Dreamer vs. D-Lo Brown

-Test (with Stacy Keibler) vs. "Y2J" Chris Jericho

-Big surprise from Eric Bischoff

-Triple H/Scott Steiner fallout

-Shawn Michaels/Chris Jericho fallout

[Sir O]

See you need to find the positives in things.

Who made you Tony fuckin Robbins?

That Raw lineup looks hideous...

[Goatweed]

Jeff Hardy vs. Rob Van Dam

should be a decent match.

Steven Richards & Victoria vs. The Hurricane & Trish Stratus

-Singapore Cane Match: Tommy Dreamer vs. D-Lo Brown

this is where I change channels.

-Test (with Stacy Keibler) vs. "Y2J" Chris Jericho

somehow HBK gets involved - meh, I don't really like Test anyway. I might watch to see Stacy.

-Big surprise from Eric Bischoff

which won't be until the end, or near it anyway - and I have a feeling it's gonna be a let-down...

-Triple H/Scott Steiner fallout

I'm not all that interested, was basically the worst match of the night, and if they were smart they'd kill the angle right now and move on.

-Shawn Michaels/Chris Jericho fallout

If they had a match I'd be excitied, but if it's all promo stuff, it doesn't really get me all giddy.

Overall, I'm with Sir O - I can spend my 2 hours packing tonight, and read the recap from rajah later tonight or tomorrow.

[Teenweek]

which won't be until the end, or near it anyway - and I have a feeling it's gonna be a let-down...

Well here are the rumors for the announcement but who the fuck knows.
Huge Surprise On RAW Tonight - Steve Austin/Rock Return?
Story By: Matt Boone
January 20, 2003

As everyone knows by now, Eric Bischoff announced that he would have an "atomic bombshell" to drop on tonight's edition of RAW in Providence, RI. There will be an "atomic bombshell" announcement on SmackDown! tomorrow night as well.

At this point the rumors going around about the surprises (and I stress the word rumors) is that it could be one of a few things. First off, Kevin Nash was backstage at Royal Rumble last night and was told by Dr. Andrews he would be ready to go again by WrestleMania. It could always be that, but unless he has an announcement of his own, I don't see how a Nash return could be considered atomic.

Both Steve Austin and The Rock are due back in WWE around the next five weeks. It's possible that they will work an angle where both RAW and SmackDown! will claim that one of the two (more likely The Rock) is coming to their show in a few weeks. There could be the long build-up as to which show Rock chooses (much like they did with Scott Steiner recently) and when he finally lands on one show, the show that doesn't get him drops the bombshell that they have "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

Again, those are strictly rumor at this point, but a few out of many rumored scenerio's for tonight's "big surprise." One thing is for sure, WWE cannot afford another let-down on a big surprise announcement, so you can be sure that they have something planned.

[LyricalGomez]

The bombshell will be something lame along the lines of more HLA on raw or some shit like that.

[Goatweed]

One thing is for sure, WWE cannot afford another let-down on a big surprise announcement, so you can be sure that they have something planned.

After RAW X, I put nothing past the WWE. There were rumors abound as to who was coming, who would appear, who might return, and what did we get - Mae Young and Moolah. I would be thrilled to see Austin come back tonight, throw a few stunners around and drink some beer in the ring, but do I really think it'll happen? No. It should've happened at RAW X, but it was played down by Vince "I didn't invite him" McMahon. Was he joking or serious? I'm guessing partly both.

All I know is I don't trust the WWE these says - as far as RAW is concerned. Smackdown has been solid with some great wrestling. I just wish the Dawn Marie/Al Wilson angle never happened. We will see tonight, tho.

[The Jays]

.... sooooo, what happened?

[Goatweed]

So Austin will be back at No Way Out, Teddy Long is a manager now, and Steiner was HHH's bitch once again. Overall RAW was ok, I had a feeling the big announcement was Austin, but if the WWE had any balls he would've shown up tonight - not at No Way Out to get the buy-rate up.

[Faceman]

This show was the biggest piece of suck, I've ever seen suck and that's saying something. Can we please fire scott steiner right now. He's had 2 matches so far, and they've both been about as good as a Maven/Raven match. That's not saying much for someone who was such a valuable signing and was going to put the RAW over the top. Austin back at No Way Out? Good, It'll be after Bischoff gets "fired" and Shane-O takes over so maybe they can make something out of that. As for the WWE having any balls by bringing austin back on a RAW? If the WWE had any balls, they would somehow move Benoit to RAW, have him play the face to HHH's heel and have them co-headline Wrestlemania along with Brock/Angle, give the title to Benoit and have him run with it. They won't do it, but wouldn't you rather see that, than another HHH/Austin match?

[Teenweek]

All I know is I will be so fucking pissed if Stephanies announcement is that she signed Austin to Raw. Don't do that free agent bullshit again. It better be that she signed Rock, Nathan JOnes and/or Goldberg to Smackdown.

Anyone else see Bischoff and Shane teaming up? Where the Hell was HBK last night? When does Booker T join the new Nation of Domination? Way to kill all the heat on Jericho last night in that pointless angle of him hitting the post with a chair which caused the post to hit Stacy. Did I miss something was Kane on either? Steiner is a walking mess.