HHH Questions Kurt Angle’s Lifestyle; Final Episode on USA – WWE RAW 9/18/00 Review

Triple H tells Kurt Angle he just wants to be friends with Stephanie, maybe go shopping for drapes. Kurt has never been more offended. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 18, 2000 edition of WWF Monday Night Raw, live from the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, Illinois, six days before Unforgiven 2000. Also the last Raw on USA Network.

The opening promo ends with Rob, as a gay man, explaining exactly why “shopping for drapes” works and why “batting on the other side of the plate than the rest of us” is the one line that doesn’t. Foley books TNA and Trish against Triple H, Angle, and Stephanie, and the hosts are almost surprised it took this long to get here.

William Regal makes his WWE debut at the Rosemont, which Tommy calls the single best venue to debut anyone who needs an immediate reaction. Regal sets up a dinner table, demonstrates proper napkin usage, and explains that American parents have clearly failed their children. Jericho interrupts with a fake British accent and a failed tablecloth magic trick. Xpac shows up with nunchucks.

Undertaker pins the world champion in a non-title match six days before Unforgiven. The four challengers brawl to end the show. The hosts spend two minutes establishing the correct wrestling terminology for what just happened.

Other major discussion points include:

– Tazz arrives as substitute ring announcer in a thug’d up suit jacket with the arms ripped off, a bow tie, and Thug Life on the back, introduces Rikishi as “6,000 pounds from the waist down,” and announces the result directly into Lawler’s ear

– Hugh Hefner recorded a video for Chyna’s Playboy issue and could not learn Eddie Guerrero’s name in however many takes, referring to him only as “the boyfriend”

– Eddie fakes being sick to send Chyna in to wrestle Rikishi in his place, then sprays mace in Rikishi’s eyes, and Rikishi gives Chyna a bonsai drop while staring directly at Eddie

– The USA vs Viacom lawsuit backstory: USA claimed first right of refusal, WWE argued they did not match the deal because Viacom included $5 million in advertising that USA could not offer

– Tommy has a detailed memory of rooting for heels as a teenager at Cobo Arena, a drunk accountant in a suit who produced a small Soviet flag from his blazer pocket, and what his mom thought of all of it

– The Rosemont Horizon: 15 straight sellouts, Tommy calls it a top five guaranteed hot show venue, and WWF chose this specific building to debut Regal and switch networks for good reason

—

00:00 Cold Open

00:28 Welcome / Rosemont Horizon / RAW 9/18/2000

01:15 Last RAW on USA Network / Moving to TNN

02:50 USA vs Viacom Lawsuit

05:59 Spike TV / JR’s USA Mentions

06:32 Rosemont Horizon / Legendary Venue

07:42 William Regal Debut Discussion

09:47 Show Starts / Stephanie Opens

12:08 Angle Interrupts / Sizzle Reel / Triple H Comes Out

14:58 “Shopping for Drapes” / Gay Panic Angle / Foley Books the Tag Match

19:47 Acolytes Attack RTC / Dudleys vs Goodfather and Bull Buchanan

21:59 Rock Promo / “Lord of Monkey Piss” / Undertaker Responds

24:44 Foley Books Rock vs Taker and Kane vs Benoit / Hugh Hefner Can’t Say Eddie’s Name

27:04 Backstage: Eddie’s “Sick” / Kane vs Benoit / Ring Bell Chaos

30:10 European Championship Discussion / 2004 Dark Period

31:28 Backstage: Triple H, Stephanie, and Angle / “Girls Room Is Down the Hall”

38:32 TNA and Trish vs Triple H, Angle, and Stephanie

44:42 Angle Hugs Stephanie Post-Match / Triple H Spears Angle

46:01 Eddie Wrapped in a Blanket / Tazz as Ring Announcer

48:49 Rikishi vs Eddie / Chyna Caught in the Middle

54:13 William Regal Debuts / Table Manners Promo

56:39 Tommy’s House Show Story / The Drunk Accountant with the Soviet Flag

1:01:36 Jericho Interrupts Regal / Xpac Attacks with Nunchucks

1:03:07 Too Cool vs Edge and Christian / Austin Pay-Per-View Promo

1:04:15 Foley: “Smackdown Your Vote”

1:05:08 Main Event: Rock vs Undertaker (Non-Title) / Benoit on Commentary

1:05:59 Undertaker Pins Rock / Four-Way Brawl to End the Show

1:08:02 Final Thoughts / Patreon / Rosemont Wrestlemania History

1:10:49 Sign-Off