Mick Foley's music hit in the arena and the commentators thought that it was Mick Foley entering the arena but instead, Randy Orton came out to the ring as the WWE Intercontinental Champion and a member of Evolution! Randy Orton got in the ring and took the mic and said after taking some time over the Holidays to think about it, he's got something to say to all the people who think Mick Foley is a coward for walking out two weeks ago on RAW. The thing is, Randy thought he was a coward too and he is a coward but he's not just a coward, he's a smart coward. That's right, Mick Foley knew that if he stepped in this ring with the legend killer that he'd be making the biggest mistake of his life. Rather than humiliating himself, he took the cowardly yet smart way out. Congratulations, Mick, you made the right decision. But there is one piece of unfinished business to attend to. After Foley walked out of the building, there was never an official announcement as to who won that match two weeks ago on RAW. So what Randy Orton would like to do now is have Lilian come in the ring and announce him as the winner of that match.
Lilian Garcia entered the ring and she announced Randy Orton as the winner of the match and still Intercontinental Champion. Lilian started to leave but Randy stopped her and said something to her. Lilian then said she stands corrected, the winner of the match, still the Intercontinental Champion and the new Hardcore Legend, Randy Orton! Booker T's music hit in the arena and he appeared on the stage with a mic in hand. Booker said Randy is bragging about people who aren't here but he needs to be worried about people who are. Check it, the Holiday season is Booker's favorite time of the year and Booker T made his new year's resolution tonight; whoop Randy Orton's ass and win the Intercontinental Title, tonight! Now can you dig that, suckaaa? Booker started to head towards the ring but Mark Henry came out and clotheslined Booker T from behind and then he slammed his head into the RAW set up. With Booker T down on the stage, Mark hovered over him and talked some trash as WWE officials came out and told Mark to go to the backstage area. Randy Orton came up to the stage and he said as for your challenge, he accepts.
Theodore Long and Mark Henry were shown backstage and Eric Bischoff showed up and he didn't seem too happy about what they did. As we speak, we have the board of directors meeting to decide whether or not Steve Austin comes back. On top of all of that, he's got a World Title Match between Shawn Michaels and Triple H and nobody is going to interfere. Theodore said that they wanted to collect on that favor from Survivor Series. Eric told them that they can take the night off, but Theodore didn't like that. Eric told them that if they take the night off, he'll have his favor next week. Theodore told Eric that he will make good on that favor, believe that.
Rob Van Dam vs. Scott Steiner
Rob Van Dam's music hit in the arena and he made his way out to the ring for a singles match against Scott Steiner.
Scott Steiner and Rob Van Dam exchanged words and when Rob did his RVD pose, Scott kicked him in the gut and then slammed him down to the mat saying "There's your Rob Van Dam!"
RVD knocked Steiner down to the mat with a kick to the chest and then RVD hopped to the top rope for the frog splash but Scott Steiner got up and fell into the ropes to knock RVD down. Steiner then got up and gave Rob Van Dam a super belly to belly suplex and then he covered him but only got a two count.
Scott Steiner gave Rob Van Dam a low blow and then he dumped him to the outside of the ring and slammed his head into the steel steps.
Back in the ring, Steiner gave RVD a belly to belly suplex and then pinned him for another two count. Moments later, Steiner put RVD in the tree of woe position in the corner and then he got out of the ring and grabbed RVD by the throat and choked away on him to the count of four by the referee.
Rob Van Dam hit Scott Steiner with the split legged moonsault and then he pinned him but only got a two count. Steiner then hooked RVD in a modified over the head belly to belly suplex and then he perched RVD on the top rope.
Steiner climbed up for another belly to belly but RVD fought out of it with an ear slap and then he shoved Steiner down to the mat and then came off with a kick to the chest of Steiner to knock him down to the mat. RVD then went back to the top rope and came off with the five star frog splash and then pinned Steiner for the three count to pick up the win.
Winner - Rob Van Dam
Backstage: Christian and Chris Jericho were shown and they were arguing about something that took place a couple weeks ago. Christian told Jericho the fact is that he turned his back on him for a girl after everything they've been through. Christian always had Jericho's back and Jericho claimed that he didn't turn his back on him and Christian left with the final words; "you ditched me for a girl."
Stamford, Connecticut: A shot of Stamford was shown and The Coach was there standing by. In just a matter of moments, the board of directors will meet behind these doors to determine the fate of Stone Cold Steve Austin. We haven't heard from Mick Foley or Stone Cold, but there is a rumor that one member of the board of directors will argue for Stone Cold and that's Linda McMahon and another will argue against Stone Cold. Vince McMahon showed up and Coach told him what he's been telling everybody. Does he have any idea who may argue against Stone Cold coming back to RAW? Vince said that it's someone who's extremely articulate and someone who will present a very fair and unbiased point of view and somebody who knows Stone Cold very well and that individual has a lot of influence with the board of directors and that person is Vince McMahon. Coach said that Vince is the owner of the WWE, why doesn't he just take care of this situation himself? Vince said he probably could do that, but since they're a public company, there's a certain formality that he has to go through with the board of directors. Vince is certain that the board will see things his way. Vince went into the room but before he went in, he told Coach that he likes his hat. Coach said that he has no doubt that the board of directors will come out with a very fair and just decision.
The video package that ended this past Thursday night's edition of Smackdown! was shown and that was the special Christmas in Baghdad edition of Smackdown! where Stone Cold Steve Austin and many other Smackdown! Superstars appeared in support of the United States Armed Forces. After the video package was shown, a shot of the live arena was shown and every single fan in attendance was on their feet chanting "USA, USA!"
The Dudley Boyz vs. Eddie Craven and Russell Simpson
The music of the Dudley Boyz hit in the arena and they made their way out to the ring after a commercial of the WWE Originals CD was shown and the Dudley Boyz are featured on that CD.
Earlier tonight, The Dudleys gave their thoughts on Mick Foley leaving RAW. They've looked up to Mick Foley forever and if it wasn't for guys like Foley, they wouldn't be here today. Bubba said something he didn't want to say and that's that he's afraid Mick Foley turned into a coward.
Ric Flair was introduced to the ring as the special guest referee for this tag team match with the Dudley Boyz against two virtual unknown wrestlers.
Eddie Craven started it off in the ring against D-Von Dudley and the two locked it up and D-Von backed Eddie into the corner as Jim Ross said that these two young men are looking to impress the WWE with their match on RAW.
Bubba Ray Dudley was punching on Russell Simpson and Ric Flair called for the bell and ended the match in a disqualification due to the usage of a closed fist.
Winners as a result of a disqualification, Eddie Craven and Russell Simpson
After the match, an angered Bubba Ray Dudley laid out Ric Flair with a hard right hand and then Batista hit the ring and gave Bubba Ray a spinebuster and then he gave D-Von Dudley the Batista Bomb and then he helped Ric Flair to his feet and the two held their arms up in the air in an arrogant manner.
A number of WWE officials were shown backstage and Eric Bischoff was with them and he wanted to talk to them about what we just saw with Ric Flair asserting his authority the way he should have. Ric Flair disqualified the Dudleys for an illegal fist and that was the right decision. It's about time the WWE Superstars start recognizing their authority as officials and respecting them. It's about time the Superstars start recognizing that RAW is about a sense of fair play. It's about law and order because that's what Eric Bischoff is all about. Eric asked them if he made himself clear and they responded with a "yes, sir" and Eric said all right, let's go out there and do our job.
Stamford, Connecticut: Coach was shown standing by with Vince McMahon and he asked him how his testimony went with the board? Vince said he thinks it went moderately well. The points he wanted to make from the very beginning was that everything that Stone Cold has ever done for the WWE and he's done a lot, he wanted to applaud Stone Cold, giving the devil his due but you can't just allow someone like this who gave us his all at one time. They're a corporation and they have to move on. They have stockholders and they can't live in the past. They have to go to the future. There is no place for someone like Stone Cold Steve Austin. To even consider giving him his old job back is ludicrous and that's what Vince told the board in an unbiased way. Coach asked Vince how he accounts for the fact that over 1 million people signed a petition to bring Stone Cold back? Vince said easily, if there's one individual who history will say gave the fans what they want, it's Vince. Vince bleeds the WWE and he gives the fans what they want. He thinks of them as children and he doesn't mean that in a bad way. It's his responsibility to give them not only what they want, but what's best for them and right now, it's best that Stone Cold Steve Austin doesn't return.
Backstage: Terri was shown with Stacy Keibler, Trish Stratus and Lita and tonight is the first ever Happy Holidays Match and they're dressed for the occasion. Terri asked them if Santa brought them anything special? As they were about to talk, a horn started going off and a truck backed up and Stone Cold Steve Austin was in the truck and he honked the horn a number of times as the fans went nuts. Terri asked Austin what he's doing here and Austin said that he lives in Texas, what else is he doing here? Oh, he's waiting for a phone call from the board of directors. Is that good enough?
Intercontinental Championship Match
Booker T vs. Randy Orton (c)
Randy Orton's music hit in the arena and he made his way out to the ring as the Intercontinental Champion for a title defense against Booker T, who issued a challenge to Orton for that very title earlier tonight.
Orton and Booker stood face to face and Orton said something to Booker and Booker shoved him back. Booker and Orton then locked it up in the center of the ring and Orton backed Booker into the ropes and then Booker backed Orton into the corner and the referee called for a break and he got just that.
Booker T knocked Randy Orton down to the mat with a heel kick and then he pinned him for a two count.
Booker T did the spinaroonie and then he kicked Orton in the gut and went for the scissors kick but Orton avoided it and went for the RKO but Booker countered it with a spinebuster and a pin for a two count.
Booker kicked Orton in the gut once again and then he went for the scissors kick but was interrupted by Kane's pyro. Kane then made his way out and that gave Orton the opportunity to plant Booker with the RKO and then pin him for the three count to retain the title.
Winner and still Intercontinental Champion, Randy Orton
The Aftermath: Kane got in the ring and scared Orton out of the ring and then he grabbed Booker T and backed him into the corner and gave him a number of hard right hands and then a whip to the other side of the ring and then a hard clothesline. Kane then gave Booker a side walk slam out of the corner and then he lifted Booker T off the mat and planted him with the choke slam.
Stamford, Connecticut: Another shot of Stamford was shown and The Coach was shown with Linda. Coach asked her how she feels about Stone Cold? Linda said she's passionate and the WWE has shown themselves to be a company that listens to fans. How do you deny fans all around the world signing a petition? Linda brought up Bischoff and Coach asked Linda if she thinks her personal problems with Bischoff is influencing her decision? Linda said it is her responsibility to make decisions in the best interest of the business. Bischoff does it for ego, not business. Linda does believe that Stone Cold gives balance to the authority and it's something this company needs and the board is going to weigh that decision and consider it, but it's in their hands and that's all she can say. We'll find out later tonight the fate of Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Chris Jericho was shown in the backstage area and he came across Trish Stratus. Chris said he knows she has a match but he's been thinking over the last few weeks and he wanted to give her a Christmas gift. Trish said that is so sweet and she said that this is going to make her forget everything, right? Chris said no and Trish said that she has a surprise. This is something that Chris Jericho would do, make her forget that he had a bet to sleep with her. Chris said that it wasn't about the bet and Trish said what she got out of this was that she got her heart broken. Trish started crying and she hates that he's doing this to her. She should have known that he's not going to change who he is because she fell for him. Trish said that she really cared about him. She told him to go away and Chris said that he made a mistake. Trish gave Chris the gift back saying no, she made the mistake. Trish then left as Chris was noticeably upset.
Backstage: Stone Cold Steve Austin was shown yet again and he's still waiting for his phone to ring. The phone rang and Austin got a smile on his face and laughed and then he answered it. Unfortunately, it wasn't the phone call he was waiting on, so he rushed it.
Happy Holidays Match
Molly Holly, Victoria and Miss Jackie vs. Lita, Trish Stratus and Stacy Keibler
Molly Holly, Victoria and Miss Jackie made their way out to the ring for this Six Woman Happy Holidays Match and this match is scheduled for one fall and in this match, the six ladies are dressed in Santa's outfits.
Victoria and Stacy started it off in the ring and Victoriana shoved Stacy three times and then whipped her off the ropes and Stacy went for a spin kick but Victoria ducked it and made the tag to Molly
Lita rolled Molly up but only got a two count as Miss Jackie got in the ring and broke it up.
Trish Stratus gave Molly Holly the Stratusfaction and then she pinned her for the three count to get the win.
Winners - Stacy Keibler, Trish Stratus and Lita
The Aftermath: The three women celebrated in the ring together and then they headed back to the backstage area together as Victoria attended to Molly in the ring. Victoria helped Molly up and then she laid her out with the Women's Championship and then held it and looked at it crazily as if it were her own.
Backstage: Another shot of Stone Cold was shown and his phone rang again and he looked nervous as he answered the phone. He said "All right, so Stone Cold Steve Austin is back on RAW." Coming back as Co General Manager? Austin said the only way he was coming back was under his terms and conditions. What didn't they understand about that? Austin argued with the people on the phone, not liking their deal. He said that if that's what they got for him, they can take their job and shove it! Austin then started his truck and pulled out of the arena, destroying some equipment on the way out.
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (c)
Shawn Michaels made his way out to the ring as the challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship against Triple H in a match made by Mick Foley just two weeks ago before he lost his position as the Co General Manager of RAW. Despite Foley losing his job, this scheduled match remained and here it is!
Triple H knocked Shawn out of the ring, or so he thought as Shawn held onto the ropes and pulled himself back up into the ring and then he pulled Triple H out of the ring with a head scissors. Moments later, Shawn Michaels jumped over the top rope onto both Ric Flair and Triple H to knock them down on the outside of the ring and the fans went absolutely nuts for the high flying Heartbreak Kid.
With the referee's back turned, Shawn Michaels kicked the middle rope into the groin of Triple H.
Shawn Michaels put Triple H in a sleeper hold and Triple H attempted to counter it with a back suplex but Shawn flipped over, landed on his feet and rolled Triple H up for a two count.
Triple H put Shawn Michaels in an abdominal stretch and Triple H pulled onto the hair and talked a whole lot of trash to HBK while holding the hold. Triple H eventually spun it around so he could get leverage from Ric Flair and the referee questioned Flair's movement on the outside of the ring, but he denied helping Triple H.
Triple H went for a back breaker but Shawn countered it and gave Triple H a shin breaker and then he put Triple H in the figure four leg lock, which sent Ric Flair into a fury on the outside of the ring. Triple H eventually rolled it closer to the ropes and Ric Flair hopped to the apron and raked the eyes of Shawn Michaels to break the hold.
Shawn Michaels headed to the top rope and came off with a double ax handle but on the way down, Triple H kicked Shawn in the gut and went for the Pedigree but Shawn reversed it into a back body drop.
Shawn Michaels plowed through Triple H with a flying clothesline and then he nipped up to his feet and then headed to the top rope for a flying elbow drop and then he got up and set up for the sweet chin music but Flair got on the ring apron and Shawn knocked him down with a hard right hand and then Triple H went for a clothesline on Shawn but he hit the referee. Shawn Michaels went for the super kick but Triple H caught it and planted Shawn Michaels with a DDT.
With the referee down, Ric Flair slid the World Title into the ring and Triple H grabbed it and knocked Shawn Michaels out with it. Triple H then fell down and pinned Shawn Michaels for a slow two count.
Triple H then went for the Pedigree but Shawn pulled Triple H down to the mat and Triple H kicked Shawn Michaels right into the referee to send him out of the ring. Triple H then knocked Shawn Michaels down with a hard right hand and then Eric Bischoff stormed to the ringside area and attended to Earl Hebner as Triple H removed the top turnbuckle. Triple H went to slam Shawn's head into the exposed turnbuckle but Shawn countered it and chopped Triple H and then sent him into the exposed turnbuckle. Shawn Michaels then fell down on Triple H in the ring and with no referee to make the count, Eric Bischoff got in the ring and counted a two count in favor of Shawn Michaels.
Triple H went to the second rope and jumped off at Michaels but Michaels jammed his foot into the face of Triple H. Moments later, Triple H charged at Shawn Michaels but Shawn hit him with the sweet chin music and then he pinned him for the three count with Eric Bischoff counting the three to win the World Heavyweight Title!
Winner - Tie, still World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H
The Aftermath: The San Antonio crowd went nuts for the winning Shawn Michaels and Eric Bischoff took the mic and announced Triple H as the remaining World Heavyweight Champion and that left Shawn Michaels, the commentators and the audience confused. Eric Bischoff said Triple H's shoulders were down for the three count, but so were Shawn's and he knows better than anybody, in case of a tie in a World Championship match, the Title stays with the Champion. They showed the replay and Bischoff said that's the way it goes. Tonight was just not Shawn's night and by the way, he hasn't been on much of a roll lately has he? Losing a World Title shot and everything? Shawn grabbed Bischoff and Ric Flair got in the ring and grabbed Michaels and the two went at it in the ring.
Shawn laid out Flair and then Bischoff and left the ring. As Shawn left, Bischoff said that if he wants to lay his hands on him, he not only lost the match but he lost his job. He's fired! Stone Cold Steve Austin's music then hit in the arena and he made his way out to the ring!
He gets on the mic and says he's back on his terms and whatnot... and re-hires Michaels and gives Michaels a re-match. Austin says he's the new sherrif in town and stunners Bischoff!!!
Credit: WrestlingAttitude.com