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RAW
#606
1-3-05
Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale
Long Island, New York
Last week, Eric Bischoff shook the very foundation of this Sunday’s Elimination Chamber match at New Year`s
Revolution by introducing a Beat the Clock night. With only six days remaining until the big event in San Juan,
Puerto Rico, Bischoff shook things up one more time. At the beginning of this week`s Raw, Bischoff said that
just as last week the six competitors had a chance to beat the clock, this week they`d have a chance to beat
each other.
Batista faced Chris Benoit, Edge battled Chris Jericho and in the main event, Triple H took on former Evolution member
Randy Orton. Orton hadn’t faced Triple H since he lost the World Heavyweight Championship to him at Unforgiven
all the way back in September. With the referee knocked out late in the match, Batista came down to the ring and took
out Orton with a clothesline. Benoit came down to take Batista out of the equation and Shawn Michaels ran down,
decked out in referee garb, to officiate the rest of the match. With HBK’s back turned, Edge flew into the
ring to set up for the spear. Jericho joined the fray and took out Edge before he could take out Michaels as the
fracas moved to the outside. Triple H finally arose only to see his arch nemesis Michaels standing there. With his
attention diverted, Orton set up for the RKO but Triple H countered. Orton came back with another RKO attempt and
this time, he hit it, pinning Triple H in the process. Is this only a sign of what`s to come in six days at
New Year`s Revolution? Orton has momentum heading into New Year`s Revolution, but no one has been on a bigger roll
as of late than Batista. He continued that roll in his match against Chris Benoit earlier in the evening. The animal
of Evolution was just too overpowering for Benoit. The Crippler managed to hook in the Crippler Crossface, but Batista
powered out of the move, carrying Benoit on his back, and rammed his head into an exposed turnbuckle several times
before hitting the Batista bomb for the pin. Later, Batista pledged his allegiance to Triple H and said that he would
help Triple H win the World Championship at New Year`s Revolution, but with the added advantage of entering the
chamber last, will visions of gold sway his loyalty?
Gene Snitsky will take on Kane at New Year`s Revolution, and on Raw, Snitsky said he was surprised that Kane
was ready to come back after the injuries he suffered at Taboo Tuesday. He also said that he had a surprise for Kane
as well. Later in the evening, when Trish and Lita were going at it in the ring before their Women`s
Championship match in six days, Snitsky stormed the ring, diverting Lita’s attention. Trish laid out the champion
with the Chick Kick, and then Snitsky placed a steel chair around her throat and looked to be getting ready to crush her
throat just as he had done to Kane in October. The fire exploded and Kane’s music hit as the Big Red Monster
returned to Raw, throwing Snitsky into the crowd. Will Snitsky be able to overcome Kane’s wrath at New Year`s
Revolution? And can Lita overcome the attack to defend her title in six days?
Good Ol J.R. and The King were also scheduled to take on Muhammad Hassan and Khosrow Daivari in a civilized debate. What
started out as a war of words, soon turned into fisticuffs, as Hassan and Daivari attacked The King and J.R. Hassan
wrapped his belt around his fist and delivered two crushing blows to The King, busting him wide open. He then choked
out J.R. with the same belt. It was announced later in the night that The King with J.R. in his corner will take on
Hassan in a grudge match at New Year`s Revolution.
In other action, Christian defeated Eugene and another New Year`s Revolution match was announced pitting the champions,
Eugene & William Regal, against Christian & Tyson Tomko.
Also, Edge defeated Chris Jericho in another prelude to New Year's Revolution this Sunday.
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin was able to get the win over Sylvain Grenier in a non-title match,
but Maven added guest commentary after challenging the champ to a title match at New Year’s Revolution.
Plus, Trish Stratus defeated Victoria, sending a message to Lita that she’ll stop at nothing to take the
Women`s Championship back.
MATCHES:
Batista defeated Chris Benoit.
Edge defeated Chris Jericho.
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin defeated Sylvain Grenier in a non title match.
Trish Stratus defeated Victoria.
Christian defeated Eugene.
Randy Orton defeated Triple H..
NEW YEAR`S REVOLUTION
1-9-05
San Juan, Peurto Rico
Muhammad Hassan defeated Jerry The King Lawler
In a rare pay-per-view in-ring appearance, Jerry The King Lawler was not only battling for himself,
he was sticking up for the people of America. And with Jim Ross in his corner, the former AWA World
Champion Lawler looked impressive. Muhammad Hassan, however, had not only strength and youth on his side,
but he also had Khosrow Daivari. After being distracted by outside interference by Daivari, Lawler was
caught in a reverse Rock Bottom by Hassan. The impact proved to be enough, as Hassan picked up the win
in his first-ever WWE pay-per-view match.
WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
William Regal & Eugene defeated Christian & Tyson Tomko
The World Tag Team Championship kicked off the New Year's Revolution pay-per-view event. The challengers,
Christian and Tyson Tomko, walked to the ring to a chorus of boos. However, the cheers the champions,
Eugene and William Regal, received were just as boisterous. Eugene, who was competing while wearing a T-shirt
reminiscent of Hollywood Hogan circa 1985, suffered what appeared to be a horrible injury to his left knee.
Despite competing on one leg, Eugene found the strength inside to roll up Tomko from behind for the win.
As a result, Eugene and Regal retained their World Tag Team Championship.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Shelton Benjamin defeated Maven (twice)
With the sold-out crowd solidly against him, Maven threatened to not compete at all in this match.
In fact, to further add insult to the crowd, Maven said that he would only face Shelton Benjamin on
United States soil. As Maven started to walk back to the dressing room area, the referee began to
count the challenger out. It was then that Maven had second thoughts. Finally, before the ref reached
the count of 10, Maven ran back into the ring. The decision proved to be a poor one for Maven, as
Benjamin quickly rolled up his challenger for the win. Embarrassed, Maven challenged Benjamin to a rematch.
Always the fighting champion, Benjamin complied. In even quicker fashion, however, Benjamin hit Maven with
the T-Bone Suplex, picking up his secind win of the evening.
Kane defeated Gene Snitsky
With his wife, Lita, already injured from her match earlier in the night, Kane battled long-time rival
Gene Snitsky in a powerful encounter. Both men pulled out all the stops, including Snitsky biting Kane's
ear, a la Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. While the ear biting seemed like a good idea to Snitsky,
it actually appeared to enrage Kane. Not long after, Kane picked Snitsky up and dropped him with a Tombstone.
A three count later, Kane was declared the winner.
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Trish Stratus defeated Lita
Lita and Trish Stratus have one of the most storied rivalries in the history of women's wrestling.
Most recently, Lita defeated Trish for the Women's Championship on the Dec. 6 edition of Monday Night RAW.
At New Year's Revolution, the battle continued. This time, however, the decision went Stratus' way,
as Trish dropped Lita for a count of three after hitting her with her patented Chick Kick. Just prior to the pinfall,
Lita attempted a Lou Thesz Press from the ring apron out to the arena floor. Unfortunately for Lita,
the move resulted in an apparent injury to her left knee, leaving her as easy prey for Trish. The win gave Trish
a record sixth reign as Women's Champion.
ELIMINATION CHAMBER FOR THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Triple H. defeated Batista, Y2J, Chris Benoit, Edge & Randy Orton
Before the Elimination Chamber even got underway, Edge was seen in Eric Bischoff's office attempting to
weasel his way out of the match. According to Edge, there was no way he could win the match with Shawn
Michaels as the ref. He couldn't have been closer to the truth. After Edge apparently inadvertently Speared HBK,
Michaels returned the favor with Sweet Chin Music. Chris Jericho then hit Edge with the Lionsault, which spelled
the end for Edge. Chris Benoit, who was one of the first participants in the Elimination Chamber along with Y2J,
was the next to be eliminated. While on the mat in excruciating pain, Batista delivered a Spinebuster to Y2J
right on top of the fallen Benoit. Batista then covered Benoit for the win. Batista wasn't done there. His next
victim was Jericho. Already bloody and battered, Y2J fell to a Batista Bomb. With Edge, Benoit and Jericho all
out of the Elimination Chamber, it was an all Evolution finals, as Batista and Triple are current members,
while Randy Orton is now a former Evolution member. Keeping true to his word, Batista worked well with Triple H,
as both men decimated Orton. However, Orton did manage to muster up enough energy to catch an unsuspecting
Batista with the RKO, which was followed by the pin. In the end, it was a bloody Triple H dropping the Pedigree
on Randy Orton. The win marked Triple H's 10th reign at the top. To celebrate, Batista held Triple H on his shoulders,
while Ric Flair paraded around with his thumbs up.
RAW
#607
1-10-05
Office Depot Center
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Ten-time and new World Heavyweight Champion Triple H thought he was protected from the wrath of Randy Orton.
But as RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff put it, New title reign, new year, end of story. With those words,
Bischoff may have sealed Triple H`s fate, making a RAW main event pitting The Legend Killer
against Evolution`s animal, with the No. 1 contendership on the line. Despite having his head messed with by
Orton and inadvertently by Ric Flair, Batista seemed poised to beat the
former Evolution. Triple H tried to help finish Orton off, but Batista didn`t feel
he needed to cheat to win. During the dispute, Orton was somehow able to recover and cause a collision between
the Evolution members, setting up the pinfall. Now, Triple H has to prepare to face a man he thought he had
permanently outsmarted — and he still has to try to hold Evolution together at the same time. After doubling
his pleasure and scoring two victories at New Year`s Revolution, Shelton Benjamin faced Maven once again.
This time, a spot in the Royal Rumble was on the line but the result was the same. Shelton made quick
work of Maven again, hitting a crushing T-bone suplex and scoring the fall. Now the fans in Fresno, Calif. are
guaranteed Benjamin`s athleticism in the Rumble.
In the second Royal Rumble qualifier of the evening, it was the GORE vs. the spear as Edge faced Rhyno.
The Man-Beast hoped to exploit an opponent who was exhausted and battered by the previous night`s
Elimination Chamber. But a furious Edge willed his way to a submission victory. In doing so, Edge secured a spot
in the 30-man Rumble on Jan. 30, but he seemed more discontent than ever following the match. Edge didn`t think he
should have to face 29 other elite Superstars for a shot at a World Championship especially after,
according to him, Shawn Michaels cost him the title he deserved at New Year`s Revolution. Edge called out HBK,
declaring him the most selfish man in the industry. Michaels had heard enough after listening to
Edge whine throughout the commercial break and beyond. So he appeared, trying to talk some sense into Edge.
But the message didn`t register. Instead, Edge took out his intense frustration on Michaels, and the two
brawled outside the ring and around the arena.
It was learned that Lita will be out of action for several months thanks to a torn ACL she suffered the previous
night at New Year`s Revolution prior to losing the Women's title to Trish Stratus. J.R. had the unpleasant
duty of reporting that Lita`s injury will require major surgery. We also received an injury update on World
Tag Team Champion Eugene who, it was revealed, has a ruptured patella (kneecap) and will be out several months as well.
In other happenings, The Hurricane interrupted Muhammad Hassan`s latest rant, and the two competed in the
newcomer`s first-ever match on RAW. An impressive Hassan finished his opponent with a modified STO, much to
the chagrin of announcing duo J.R. and Jerry The King Lawler.
Simon Dean made the grave mistake of calling out a large, masked Superstar that he could taunt and ridicule at will.
Unfortunately for him, the man who emerged to try his new fat-burning pills was not the one Dean had in mind. Instead,
it was Kane. The Big Red Monster dismantled Dean with reckless fury, but rival Gene Snitsky soon intervened.
Snitsky drove a steel chair into the throat of Kane, re-aggravating the injuries Snitsky had caused in the first place.
Also, the blockbuster announcement was made that for the first time ever, RAW will be broadcast from Japan in February.
MATCHES:
Shelton Benjamin defeated Maven in a non-title Royal Rumble qualifier
Muhammad Hassan defeated The Hurricane
Edge defeated Rhyno in a Royal Rumble qualifier
Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit defeated Christian & Tyson Tomko
Christy Hemme defeated Maria in a Lingerie Pillow Fight with special referee Candace Michelle
Randy Orton defeated Batista in a No. 1 Contender`s Match
RAW
#608
1-17-05
Air Canada Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Two Royal Rumble matches were made. Chris Jericho got the best of Chris Benoit. The new World Tag Team Champions
earned a victory. All that made it a big-time RAW from Toronto. But in a headline-making shocker, it was announced
that Stone Cold will meet Mr. McMahon at a press conference in Hollywood, Calif. What will the Rattlesnake have to say?
And what will that mean for the rest of WWE ?
RAW had huge Royal Rumble ramifications. Fulfilling the No. 1 Contender`s clause, Randy Orton will get a chance to win
back the World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H on Jan. 30, in Fresno, Calif. Also, Edge will get his hands on
the man he holds responsible for all his recent woes: Shawn Michaels. And more RAW Superstars qualified for the Royal
Rumble Match, with Y2J, Christian and Shawn Michaels officially joining the list of competitors hoping to outlast 29
other inter-brand Superstars and earn a World Championship shot at WrestleMania.
In RAW action, Kane first chokeslammed Trish Stratus to Hell before chokeslamming Gene Snitsky off the RAW stage in a
No Holds Barred Match. The crushing fall sent both men through tables and other ringside debris, and neither were
moving as RAW went off the air.
Earlier, Y2J won a hard-fought decision over Chris Benoit. The two men went into the match with a huge amount of mutual
respect, and they perhaps left with even more. Jericho took control first, hitting a double-arm superplex. Benoit was
able to turn the tide, sending Jericho sternum-first into a turnbuckle, then segueing into three German suplexes. After
a missed diving headbutt worsened Benoit’s bleeding nose, the two exchanged submission attempts. But the combatants
simply knew each other too well. Jericho finally earned the win with a bit of good ingenuity — hooking an inside
cradle when Benoit went for Sharpshooter. Benoit was angry at first, but he then offered his hand. They shook, ending a
great match made in the spirit of competition.
Not to be outdone, Batista showed why he`s Evolution`s animal, blasting the behemoth Viscera with an earth-shaking
spinebuster and picking up a resounding victory. RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff took notice, offering Batista a
Royal Rumble Match qualifier next week … if he wants it.
Shawn Michaels was offered a place in the Royal Rumble on the spot by Bischoff, who respected the fact that HBK was a
two-time Rumble winner. But Bischoff also put Michaels in what could have been considered a four-on-one match. As is
always the case north of the border, Michaels had to battle the jeers of the capacity Canadian crowd. He was also up
against meddling Tyson Tomko and interfering Edge along with his scheduled opponent Christian. Michaels is
still at the center of controversy in Canada, but he made a clear impact by hitting Christian with Sweet Chin Music
to pick up the victory. The Bizarro World crowd in Toronto erupted, however, when Edge dropped Michaels with a spear.
The crowd was even louder when Edge locked in a modified Sharpshooter, leaving HBK writhing in pain leading into their
match at the Royal Rumble.
New World Tag Team Champions La Resistance (alongside Maven) won a six-man tag match against The Hurricane, Rosey &
Shelton Benjamin when Robert Conway and Sylvain Grenier managed to hoist the 360-pound Rosey and hit the Au Revoir.
Suddenly, the champs from Quebec are again on a huge roll. La Resistance had the titles because of a lopsided contest
that took place over the weekend. With Eugene having surgery, William Regal had to defend the titles by himself at a
WWE live event in Winnipeg. Regal put up a valiant effort, but he couldn`t overcome the odds against his two
capable opponents.
Also, Muhammad Hassan and Jericho had words before brawling on Y2J`s Highlight Reel.
Before the confrontation, Jericho made sure everyone knew that Fozzy`s new album, All That Remains, is out worldwide
today!
MATCHES:
La Resistance & Maven defeated Shelton Benjamin, The Hurricane & Rosey
Shawn Michaels defeated Christian
Batista defeated Viscera
Chris Jericho defeated Chris Benoit
Kane vs. Gene Snitsky ended in a No Contest
RAW
#609
1-24-05
Ford Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Randy Orton is ready for the Rumble. The Legend Killer dropped Evolution`s Ric Flair with an RKO on RAW, gaining crucial
momentum heading into Sunday’s huge pay-per-view. Triple H tried to soften Orton up before their big match, pulling
out the referee and then going to work on Randy’s left leg. He drove the World Heavyweight Championship belt into
Orton’s knee, and after a Flair Figure-Four Leglock things didn’t look good for the former Evolution
protégé. But Orton’s ability to turn a match on a dime proved pivotal again. He hit his finisher,
and before Flair or Triple H knew what had happened, it was all over. The night took a twist for Evolution when both
Batista and Ric Flair secured spot in the 30-man, over-the-top Royal Rumble Match. The Game wasn`t sure he wanted allies
vying for a shot at his World Heavyweight Championship, but he came around with the logic that the more men in the Rumble
Match, the better the odds of the title staying with Evolution at WrestleMania. Batista qualified by overcoming monstrous
odds stopping both members of La Resistance in a Handicap Royal Rumble Qualifying Match. Evolution`s animal first put down
Sylvain Grenier before hitting a thunderous spinebuster, piling Robert Conway onto Grenier’s prone body. After that,
Batista was able to pick up an easy three-count. The bigger surprise was the news that fellow Evolution member Ric Flair
would also compete in the Royal Rumble Match on Jan. 30, courtesy of a request to General Manager Eric Bischoff by the
Cerebral Assassin himself. Flair is no stranger to the Rumble; he won it in 1992 from starting position No. 3. Now,
Triple H will have Evolution fully represented in the Royal Rumble Match in Fresno, Calif.
The RAW roster of 15 Superstars rounded out on Monday Night. Joining Batista and Flair were Muhammad Hassan, Viscera
and Jonathan Coachman. Hassan won a qualifier against Val Venis; Viscera bullied Tajiri in an Over-the-Top Qualifying
Challenge; and Jonathan Coachman was offered William Regal`s spot by Eric Bischoff out of pure spite.
Maven thought he found a backdoor into the Royal Rumble Match by challenging a current qualifier in a battle for that spot.
But much to his chagrin, the two men to accept the challenge were Gene Snitsky and Kane. The two bitter rivals were
bruised, beaten and slowed by last week’s devastation, and Maven tried to take advantage. In the end, Kane summoned
the strength to hoist Maven for a chokeslam and get the cover. Maven will have to buy a ticket to be near the Rumble Match
in Fresno.
In addition to participating in the Royal Rumble Match itself, Edge and Shawn Michaels will go at it one-on-one.
The fans in attendance in Oklahoma City, Okla., got a taste of what that heated matchup will be like during a six-man
tag match on RAW. HBK, Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho battled Edge, Christian and Tyson Tomko. Michaels was able to land
Sweet Chin Music on the “Problem Solver,” allowing Benoit to roll Tomko up and get the win. The result that
only further incited Edge’s rage heading into Sunday’s pay-per-view.
It was a special night for RAW`s own J.R. Governor Brad Henry declared it Jim J.R. Ross Day in the state of Oklahoma.
Unfortunately, Evolution ruined the ceremony, berating then attacking J.R. and intimidating Stacy Keibler. Only Randy
Orton intervening saved Stacy from falling victim to the Pedigree.
MATCHES:
HBK, Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit defeated Edge, Christian & Tyson Tomko
Viscera defeated Tajiri in a Over-the-Top Qualifying Challenge
Batista defeated La Resistance in a Handicap Qualifying Match
Muhammad Hassan defeated Val Venis in a Royal Rumbe Qualifier
Kane defeated Maven and Gene Snitsky in a Triple Threat Match
Randy Orton defeated Ric Flair
ROYAL RUMBLE
18th Annual
1-30-05
Save Mart Center
Fresno, California
HBK vs EDGE
Edge has made it no secret that he thinks that everyone is out to get him. Edge feels that the World Heavyweight
Championship rightfully belongs around his waist. And no one has been a thorn in his side more than Shawn Michaels.
Edge has never been the same mentally since HBK was voted in to get a title shot at Taboo Tuesday, a title shot that
Edge felt he deserved. After weeks and months of going at it, the two rivals met at the Royal Rumble to try and settle
the rivalry once and for all. As expected, the action was intense and hard-hitting. Over the weeks and months
this match was personal, and it showed. Edge gained the early advantage with a baseball slide that laid out HBK on the
outside, but the two Superstars would trade the upper hand over and over throughout the contest. Edge looked to have
everything going his way midway through the match. Edge nailed Michaels with the spear on the outside. HBK gotback into
the ring on the count of nine, narrowly avoiding the count-out. Edge then mocked the fallen Michaels, and started to
"warm up the band." As Michaels rose to his feet, Edge hit another spear, but HBK somehow managed to kick out at three.
Edge was on the verge of snapping as he began pulling out his own hair, and HBK capitalized. Edge had the Showstopper
set up for a superplex, but Michaels knocked Edge off the ropes and nailed he flying elbow. Then it was Michaels turn
to "warm up the band" but before he could connect with the Sweet Chin Music, Edge countered into an Electric Chair.
He followed it up by locking in his Edgecator Submission Move, but HBK was able to get to the ropes. Edge tried to
reapply the move, but HBK reversed it into a pinning combination. Edge kicked out and rveresed another HBK pinning
attempt into a rollup of his own and used the ropes for leverage to get the 1-2-3 over his arch nemesis, Shawn Michaels.
Edge got the win, but will it really be the end of this biter rivalry?
CASKET MATCH
UNDERTAKER vs HEIDENREICH
Heidenreich has been out to destroy Undertaker ever since No Mercy last October. Heidenreich has cost Undertaker the
WWE Championship on two seperate occasions. At No Mercy, Heidenreich jumped out of the hearse and attacked Undertaker
as he was ready to defeat JBL. Then, as Undertaker was primed to win the Fatal Fourway at Armageddon, Heidenreich made
his presence known once again as he attacked the Deadman. Undertaker has finally found Heidenreich's weakness,
though...caskets. Ever since Undertaker has announced that their Royal Rumble match would be a Casket Match, Heidenreich
has been visibly terrified whenever the mere thought or word casket is mentioned. Before the match, Heidenreich
had an encounter with RAW's Gene Snitsky. Both maniacal Superstars admitted to hating caskets, but Snitsky claimed he had
a plan. Only time would tell what the two animals would have in store for the Phenom. Undertaker jumped out to the
early advantage, but Heidenreich bounced back, whipping Undertaker right into the casket, back-first. Heidenreich
unleashed a bevy of punches, but Undertaker countered with a triangle choke. Then, Snitsky and Heidenreich's plan started
to come to fruition as Snitsky came down and tried to take out Taker. After a doulbe suplex, Heidenreich called to the
refs to open the casket, but when they did, Kane emerged to help his brother, but more importantly, to take out Snitsky.
Kane and Snitsky started battling through the crowd as Undertaker and Heidenreich continued their match. One two separate
occasions, Heidenreich had Undertaker down and in the casket, but both times he tried to close the lid, the Deadman got
his arm up just in the nick of time. Even though Heidenreich hit his swinging sidewalk slam, Undertaker came back and hit
a DDT, Chokeslam and the deadly Tombstone Piledriver to put Heidenreich away as he slammed the lid shut on his nemesis.
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
WWE CHAMPION JBL vs KURT ANGLE vs BIG SHOW
JBL has been on quite an impressive roll ever since becoming WWE Champion. He has taken on all comers in all sorts of
matches, and every time, he finds away to walk away with the WWE Championship. He has beaten Eddie Guerrero, Undertaker
and Booker T, but now he had to defend the title against Big Show and Kurt Angle at the same time in a Triple Threat Match.
JBL had already been victorious in Last Ride, Bullrope and Fatal Fourway Matches, but how would he fare in the dangerous
Triple Threat Match? Big Show dominated early on, taking on both Angle and JBL at once. He sent both to the outside with
a clothesline over the top. Big Show had JBL set up for a chokeslam through the SmackDown! announce table, but Angle
nailed Big Show with a monitor, sending him through the table, knocking him temporarily out of commission. Kurt
Angle was able to execute two German suplexes on the WWE Champion, but Big Show recovered from his fall and re-entered
the fray. Big Show went for a double chokeslam, but Angle attacked his knee. Then JBL hit a Clotheseline From Hell and
Angle went low, attacking the knee at the same time. After a couple of near falls for both Angle and JBL, the action
spilled to the outside once again. Big Show leveled JBL and sent him through the barrier, leaving both men lying
on the cement floor in pain. Angle then tried to hide a chair in one of the corners, as he was playing possum, trying to
lure Big Show in for the kill. Big Show was able to hit a flapjack, though, as Angle's head bounced off the very chair he
was holding. Mark Jindrak stormed the ring, to break up the pin, though. Meanwhile, on the outside, JBL's Chief of Staff
Orlando Jordan and his Co-Secretaries of Defense the Basham Brothers came down to make sure he was OK, as paramedics were
ready to stretcher him out. Jindrak and Luther Reigns dragged Big Show out and kept him occupied, and then Jordan shoved
JBL back into the ring. JBL recovered just in time to hit a thunderous Clothesline From Hell on a surprised Angle and
picked up the win. JBL walked into the Royal Rumble as the champion, and once again, he walked out with the gold still
in tact around his waist.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
TRIPLE H vs RANDY ORTON
Triple H once saw Randy Orton as a future World Heavyweight Champion. But Randy Orton shot up the ladder of success just
a little too quickly for The Game's liking. Once Randy Orton defeated Chris Benoit for the World Championship at
SummerSlam, Triple H rained on the third genereation Superstar's parade and unceremoniously kicked him out of Evolution,
leaving him a bloody mess in the process. Triple H defeated Orton one month later to regain his World Heavyewight
Championship, and outside of participating in the Evolution Chamber at New Year's Revolution, this is Orton's first
chance at revenge against Triple H. RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff tried to ensure that Batista wouldn't play a role
in the outcome this time, as he banned Evolution from ringside. From the outset, you could tell that matters went much
deeper than the World Championship. You could tell things were intensely personal when Orton started the match by slapping
the taste out of Triple H's mouth. But it wasn't long before Triple H's experience started to make an impact. A la fellow
Evolution member Ric Flair, Triple H began to systematically work on Orton's left leg. After softening his leg up with a
series of moves, Triple H locked in the figure four leglock. After several moments of excruciating pain in the maneuver,
Orton was able to reverse the hold. Orton came back with a flurry, hitting a modified neck breaker, swinging neck breaker
and a powerslam, but all it could get Orton was a two-count. As Orton went to work on Triple H in the corner, The Game
came back with an inverted atomic drop, but Orton came back with a fling bodypress. Triple H tried to lock in the Pedigree,
but Orton countered into a slingshot. Orton set up for the RKO, but Triple H saw it coming and sent him into the corner
before hitting a knee lift. Triple H set up for the Pedigree once again, but Orton countered into a clotheseline for a
near fall. After missing a DDT, Orton seemed out on his feet. As the referee checked on him, Triple H nailed both
of them in the corner, knocking the ref out in the process. With the ref down, Triple H went for his trusty Sledgehammer.
As Triple H went in for the kill, Orton sent The Game face-first into the ring post. As both Superstars cralwed back into
the ring,Triple H hit a clothesline and the Pedigree for the win to retain his World Heavyweight Championship.
ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH
The Royal Rumble is a chance for 30 WWE Superstars to catapult themselves into the main event of WrestleMania. Last year
Chris Benoit won the Rumble and went on to WrestleMania to become World Champion, achieving an 18-year dream. But this
year it was starting to look like it was 1994 all over again. In 1994 Lex Luger and Bret "Hit Man" Hart hit the floor at
exactly the same time, and both were declared co-winners of the match. This year's final four saw Edge, Rey Mysterio,
John Cena and Batista battling it out for the coveted main event slot at WrestleMania 21. Edge started delivering spears
to everyone, but Mysterio bounced back and hit Edge with the 619. Edge bounced back and tried to toss Mysterio over the
top rope. Mysterio hung on, but then Edge speared him out to the floor. Edge had no time for celebration, however, as Cena
and Batista teamed up to throw him out. And then there were two. Batista, representing Raw, and Cena, representing
SmackDown!, clashed for the all important title shot. Cena had Batista up for the F-U, but Batista fought out of it. The
animal of Evolution then hoisted Cena up for the Batista bomb and tried to throw him out. The momentum of the maneuver,
however, led to both Superstars falling out of the ring and hitting the floor at the same time. Just like Luger and Hart
did in 1994. But Mr. McMahon would not let history repeat itself. The Chairman came down to the irng and ordered that
Batista and Cena resume the match. Batista went right back to work and hit a brutal Spinebuster before throwing out the
Dr. of Thuganomics. So now that all of the smoke has cleared, the animal of Evolution, Batista will be going on to
headline WrestleMania 21.
Order of entry:
Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Daniel Puder, Hardcore Holly, Hurricane,
Kenzo Suzuki, Edge, Rey Mysterio, Shelton Benjamin, Booker T, Chris Jericho,
Luther Reigns, Muhammad Hussan, Orlando Jordan, Scotty 2 Hotty (never officially entered the ring),
Charlie Haas, Rene Dupree, Simon Dean, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, Coach, Mark Jindrak, Viscera,
Paul London, John Cena, Gene Snitsky, Kane, Batista, Christian, Ric Flair.
Order of elimination:
Puder, Holly, Hurricane, Suzuki, Hassan, Reigns, Jordan, Booker T,
Benjamin, Guerrero, Dean, Haas, Angle, Michaels, Dupree, Viscera,
London, Jindrak, Snitsky, Jericho, Kane, Coach, Christian, Benoit,
Flair, Mysterio, Edge, Cena.
RAW
#610
1-31-05
Hewlitt Packard Arena
San Jose, California
Sunday night belonged to Batista. Monday night belonged to Kane. The Big Red Monster decisively defeated Gene Snitsky
inside a Steel Cage on RAW, chokeslamming Snitsky onto the Cage door itself and picking up the three-count. Snitsky
threw away an earlier chance at victory, opting to rip off the Cage door and go after Kane rather than walk out the
door to the floor. The opportunity arose when Trish Stratus, wearing a neck brace, interfered in the match in an attempt
to pay back Kane. But ultimately it was the Big Red Monster who got the last laugh on both Trish and Snitsky.
Despite suffering a concussion at the hands of Triple H at the Rumble, Randy Orton decided to compete in a tag match on
RAW. He wanted to do his family proud and prove that he`s still the Legend Killer by taking down Ric
Flair and Triple H. Orton`s partner Shawn Michaels had plenty of frustration of his own after losing to Edge in
Fresno, Calif. But Orton`s decision to wrestle proved to be a very bad idea. Despite eking out a victory -
thanks, in part, to an errant spear by Edge - Orton seemed to suffer his second concussion in two days after
smacking his head executing the RKO. After the match, Michaels clearly appeared to be worried about his tag team partner.
It took help from HBK and the referee for a dazed Orton to even make his way to the backstage area. Only time will tell
just how serious a situation this is for the young Superstar.
Now that Evolution`s animal has won the Royal Rumble Match, he has a career-altering decision to make: Which World
title will he attempt to win at WrestleMania? On RAW, Triple H seemed happy to give Batista a much-deserved shot at
the World Heavyweight Championship. But footage shown in the arena depicted WWE Champion JBL talking trash, saying,
Dave Batista, as good as he is, is not in my league.
Will Batista take JBL`s brash challenge — and SmackDown! GM Theodore Long’s lucrative offer —
to jump ship to the other WWE brand? Triple H certainly wouldn’t mind, envisioning a WWE in which Evolution
controls both World titles. For once, it seemed as if the belligerent Edge would leave RAW a happy man. General Manager
Eric Bischoff recognized his strong, double-duty performance at the Royal Rumble and ordered a World Heavyweight
Championship Match against Triple H at next week’s show in Japan. But before Edge could gloat, HBK caught
him with “Sweet Chin Music.
La Resistance was embarrassed by what happened against Batista last week, and vowed never to let something so humiliating
occur again. And they backed up their talk on RAW in a World Tag Team Championship Match against the formidable duo of
Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho. Sylvain Grenier & Robert Conway held their own and ultimately forced a double-DQ.
After the match, Y2J and Benoit literally butted heads, upset that neither had given his best effort. When Bischoff saw
the exchange, he ordered a Submission Match between the two next week in Japan. He also declared that William Regal &
Tajiri will face La Resistance in Tokyo.
Also, Shelton Benjamin wants to be a fighting champion, so he signed an open contract allowing anyone on RAW to challenge
him for the Intercontinental Championship. First up was Simon Dean, who didn’t fare very well. After a near-fall,
Dean was caught with a spinning heel kick, knocking him down for the cover. After his victory, Shelton returned for a
Stinger Splash just for good measure.
MATCHES:
Shelton Benjamin defeated Simon Dean
Maven defeated The Hurricane
Muhammad Hassan defeated Sgt. Slaughter
La Resistance vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho ended in a Double-DQ
Shawn Michaels & Randy Orton defeated Triple H. & Ric Flair
Kane defeated Gene Snitsky in a Steel Cage Match
RAW
#611
2-7-05 Taped on 2-4-05
Saitama Super Arena
Saitama, Japan
Edge waited his whole career for a one-on-one shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. And if you ask him, he`d say
he still hasn’t gotten one. Triple H took advantage of help from Evolution members Ric Flair and Batista to beat
Edge during the first-ever RAW from Japan, eventually hitting the Pedigree for the win. But the result might have been
different if Flair hadn't provided a distraction and Batista hadn’t delivered a spinebuster to Edge with the referee
unconscious and a spear imminent. Still, it can`t be overlooked that Triple H fought out of Edge`s signature submission,
willing his way to the ring ropes to force the break. Ultimately, The Cerebral Assassin did what he had to do to -
then let Evolution accomplish the rest. The result clearly left Edge even less satisfied than before getting this big
opportunity in RAW’s main event.
William Regal wasn`t going to let the same thing happen during his World Tag Team Championship rematch against
La Resistance. So, The Englishman brought an X-factor with him: Japan-native Tajiri. With the referee distracted
late in the match, Tajiri displayed his superior agility by evading a flagpole swung by Sylvain Grenier. Tajiri
used the opportunity to spray Grenier with the green mist, setting up his finisher. When Tajiri hit the Buzzsaw Kick,
the 16,657 in attendance witnessed the crowning of new World Tag Team Champions.
The Saitama crowd also seemed to deeply appreciate a hard-fought Submission Match between two Superstars whose career
path traveled through Japan 10 years ago. Chris Benoit forced Chris Jericho to tap to a second Crippler Crossface after
bloodying his eye with a series of vicious headbutts.
Maven thought that Batista was a fraud - that if he had been in the Rumble, he would have been going to WrestleMania
instead of Batista. Well, Batista put a big hole in that theory by dominating Maven and dropping him with a thunderous
Batista Bomb. From start to crushing finish took Batista less than a minute. But Batista`s celebration was cut short
when yet another video aired showing a SmackDown! Superstar taking a shot at the man who will headline WrestleMania 21.
This time, Big Show said in an interview that Batista is a big fish in a small RAW pond. Will Batista jump ship to
SmackDown! and challenge the WWE Champion in order to prove Big Show and JBL wrong? Or will Evolution`s animal take his
shot at Triple H`s World Heavyweight Championship? Right now, it`s not even clear if Batista himself knows
which way he`ll go. What is clear is that all these SmackDown! interruptions are beginning to get to the big man,
who stormed up to Eric Bischoff to voice his displeasure. RAW’s General Manger not only promised to get to the
bottom of it, he took the opportunity to pitch to Batista all the reasons why he should stay with the RAW brand.
Triple H, however, seemed to hold the opposite view, seeing this as an opportunity for Evolution to hold both World
titles simultaneously and dominate all of WWE. Evolution`s dominance suffered a minor setback when The Showstopper
stopped Ric Flair with a Superkick. The fans inside the Saitama Super Arena were treated to a match between two of
WWE`s most storied and accomplished Superstars, and they didn’t disappoint. In the end, Flair had no answer
for Sweet Chin Music.
Randy Orton now has cause for serious concern. He was able to beat Tyson Tomko on RAW. But the damage done during that
match and a subsequent attack from Christian left Randy again seemingly suffering from post-concussion syndrome.
He was concussed during the Royal Rumble and last week’s RAW, and perhaps he shouldn’t have competed
in Japan — let alone fly. Orton may need to now take a step back and reassess his medical status before seeking
retribution.
MATCHES:
Chris Benoit defeated Chris Jericho in a Submission Match
Batista defeated Maven
Tajiri & William Regal defeated La Resistance to become New World Tag Team Champions
Shawn Michaels defeated Ric Flair
Randy Orton defeated Tyson Tomko
World Heavyweight Champion Triple H defeated Edge
RAW
#612
2-14-05 LIVE
U.S. Bank Arena
Cincinnati, Ohio
After feeling that Batista cost him the World Heavyweight Championship last week, Edge demanded a match against The
Animal of Evolution this week on Monday Night RAW. Edge may not have gotten the revenge he was looking for, but he did
score the victory over Batista via disqualification when Triple H tossed the official. Immediately prior to the decision,
JBL's limo appeared on the TitanTron. This caused all three Evolution members to retreat to the parking lot area. Before
walking out the arena doors, however, Batista told Triple H and Ric Flair that he wanted to take care of JBL himself. When
Batista finally got to the parking lot area, JBL's limo came rushing at him at a high rate of speed. Luckily for Batista,
The Game was there to throw him to safety. After JBL's limo sped away, an upset Batista proclaimed that he would be at
SmackDown! this Thursday.
Elsewhere on RAW, Randy Orton claimed to be at 100 percent for his match against Christian. After suffering from
post-concussion syndrome for several weeks, Orton looked great as he defeated Captain Charisma after landing the RKO.
The victory did not come easy, however, as both Christian and the Problem Solver Tyson Tomko took it to the
former World Heavyweight Champion.
In an attempt to humiliate Christy Hemme, Women's Champion Trish Stratus told the world that the sultry red head would
be posing nude for Playboy Magazine. Stratus continued, saying that this obviously makes her a slut. A proud Christy
simply smiled, confirmed the Playboy rumor, and called Trish a slut for sleeping with half the locker room.
RAW Diva Candice Michelle joined Chris Jericho on the Highlight Reel this week on RAW. Both Candice and Y2J poked fun
at the FCC by exposing her bare shoulder. The shenanigans was clearly in reference to the exposure Canidice's Super Bowl
commercial received. Unfortunately the fun was cut short when Muhammad Hassan interrupted. This quickly led to a Y2J-Hassan
one-on-one battle, which saw Hassan coming out on top after Daivari distracted Jericho.
Also... A new Hall of Famer: Roddy Piper was added to the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2005
MATCHES:
Muhammad Hassan defeated Chris Jericho
Shelton Benjamin defeated Gene Snitsky via a DQ to retain the Intercontinental title
Tajiri & William Regal defeated La Resistance in a World Tag Team Championship match
Randy Orton defeated Christian
Kane defeated Simon Dean
Edge defeated Batista via a DQ
RAW
#613
2-21-05 LIVE
Bryce Jordan Center
University Park, Pennsylvania
After learning that The Cerebral Assassin was behind the SmackDown! videos and JBL`s limousine close-call,
Batista chose to make it an all-Evolution RAW main event at WrestleMania 21. And he did it with authority.
Batista tossed his mentor Ric Flair from the ring, then sent Triple H crashing through the ceremonial table with a
Batista Bomb. With The Game enveloped by collapsed and splintered wood, Batista simply said, Hunter, I`m staying right here
on RAW. And at WrestleMania, I`m taking the World Heavyweight Championship from you! With Batista`s
decision etched on General Manager Eric Bischoff`s contract, we now know both brands main events for WrestleMania.
Triple H will face the man Evolution made a threat, while WWE Champion JBL now knows he`ll go one-on-one with John
Cena.
Another RAW Superstar was also making noise concerning the big pay-per-view on April 3. Saying he needed to take his
own advice and seize the WrestleMania spotlight, HBK called out Kurt Angle through SmackDown! General Manager Theodore
Long. Will Angle accept Michaels pay-per-view challenge, setting up their first-ever match? Later in tag-team action,
Michaels seemed to send a message to Angle by hitting his own version of the Olympic Slam en route to a Sweet Chin Music
victory.
Edge and Christian were reunited in a match against Michaels and Randy Orton. After their recent arena-wide brawl,
Edge and HBK had a score to settle. Christian was looking for payback after suffering a loss at the hands of Orton
last week. Harkening back to their seven World Tag Team Championship reigns together, the E & C connection went for a
Conchairto on Michaels, who was able to duck out of the way of the two steel chairs. Orton then cleared himself and
Edge from the ring with the momentum of his clothesline. Christian tried to take advantage but swung and missed with
his one-man chair shot, opening the door for HBK to hit the Superkick and get the pin. After the match, a frustrated
Edge once again attacked Michaels backstage, setting up a Street Fight Match next week on RAW.
In other action, Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin wasn’t about to be a victim against the maniacal Gene
Snitsky. Taking matters into his own hands — literally — Benjamin smashed Snitsky across the face with a
steel chair, busting him open. Despite losing by disqualification, Benjamin stood over Snitsky’s body and raised
the chair triumphantly. Perhaps Snitsky will think twice about Benjamin now that he knows that Shelton isn`t
afraid to mix it up.
The crowd at State College in Pennsylvania was forced to listen to Muhammad Hassan’s latest vitriolic speech.
Mercifully, Chris Benoit cut him short, demanding a match. Instead, the confrontation broke down into a two-on-one
brawl that left Benoit writhing in the ring after suffering a modified STO and camel clutch. But Benoit will get his
match against Hassan next week on RAW.
In a Triple-Threat Match for the Women`s Championship, Trish Stratus fought off two former champions.
After Victoria hit the Widow`s Peak on Molly Holly, Trish snuck in and stole the pin and victory for herself.
We also witnessed the unveiling of The Masterpiece Chris Masters, who made quick work of Steven Richards.
First, Masters bloodied Richards, then he forced a submission with a swinging full nelson. With a chiseled
6-foot-4, 275 pound frame, only time will tell how far this physical specimen can go in WWE.
MATCHES:
Women`s Champion Trish Stratus defeated Victoria and Molly Holly in a Triple-Threat Match
Chris Jericho defeated Simon Dean
Kane defeated Tyson Tomko
Shawn Michaels & Randy Orton defeated Edge & Christian
Chris Masters defeated Steven Richards
Gene Snitsky defeated Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin via a DQ
RAW
#614
2-28-05 LIVE
Dunkin Donuts Center
Providence, Rhode Island
SmackDown! Superstar Kurt Angle answered Shawn Michaels challenge Monday night on RAW, and he left Providence, R.I.,
with blood on his hands. Angle assaulted HBK seconds after the conclusion of his Street Fight Match with Edge, pummeling
Michaels helpless body and delivering the Olympic Slam. Afterward, Angle grabbed a microphone and in regards to the
WrestleMania challenge, said, I accept. It was a shocking conclusion to a vicious and highly competitive Street Fight
Match. Early on, Edge busted Michaels’ head open with a modified DDT onto a steel chair. Edge then got the blood
really flowing when a drop toe-hold sent Michaels face into a ladder. The latter stages of the match found the ring
littered with weapons, but both Ladder Match veterans frequently went to the ladder to deliver their most innovative
and punishing attacks. After a series of low blows, Michaels somehow willed his way out of a spear. When Edge went to
his finisher again, Michaels countered with a lightning quick Superkick for the win. But as soon as the bell rang, Angle
was upon him. By the time the SmackDown! intruder was finished, his hands, chest and street clothes were covered in
Michaels blood. At least at WrestleMania, Michaels will see Angle coming.
WrestleMania goes Hollywood, none other than Hogan himself will be inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame. In addition,
Stone Cold will appear on Piper`s Pit. He's also on the cover of RAW Magazine. WrestleMania now has the biggest names,
world championship defenses and inter-brand dream matches that weeks ago we never thought possible.
Earlier on RAW, Triple H sent a message to Batista by dismantling The Hurricane. Then, Evolution interrupted Batista`s
Q & A with Jim Ross. But when Ric Flair charged the ring, Triple H balked. As a result, The Nature Boy suffered through a
spinebuster and Batista Bomb while The Game was frenzied outside the ring. The World Heavyweight Champion may have avoided
a physical confrontation on RAW, but we`ll see the match at WrestleMania 21.
After finishing Maven with the Walls of Jericho, Y2J made his own WrestleMania statement. Saying he wanted to make history,
Jericho described his pay-per-view vision: six elite Superstars, the chance of a lifetime and a very big steel ladder.
More details are sure to be revealed soon.
The third time wasn`t the charm for Gene Snitsky in a zero-tolerance Intercontinental Championship Match on Monday.
After two weeks of DQs, General Manager Eric Bischoff stipulated that if Benjamin got disqualified again, he`d lose the
championship. So, Benjamin went out there and used technique to top the big man. When Snitsky went for a chair, Shelton
countered with a stinger splash and T-bone suplex for the win.
Muhammad Hassan was disqualified in his grudge match with Chris Benoit, but it was The Crippler who was again left
lying in pain after a contest-ending low-blow.
Elsewhere on RAW, Trish Stratus interrupted Christy`s Playboy cover unveiling, hitting the Bunny with a Chick Kick,
then spray painting SLUT across her back.
Superstar Billy Graham had some advice for Randy Orton, telling him to do something truly unique at the pay-per-view on
April 3. Afterward, The Legend Killer had his eye on the latest edition of SmackDown! magazine, depicting on the cover
the legendary Undertaker.
The Masterpiece Chris Masters racked up another win with his swinging full nelson submission, and we got an update on
his last opponent, as well. Steven Richards suffered a broken nose and orbital bone as a result of Masters
double-sledgehammer last week on RAW.
We also learned that next week, it`ll be Batista vs. Ric Flair in Nature Boy country of Raleigh, N.C.
MATCHES:
Triple H vs. The Hurricane this match never officially got underway
Chris Benoit defeated Muhammad Hassan via a DQ
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin defeated Gene Snitsky in a Zero-tolerance match
Chris Masters defeated a Providence local wrestler
Chris Jericho defeated Maven
Shawn Michaels defeated Edge
RAW
#615
3-7-05 LIVE
R.B.C. Center
Raleigh, North Carolina
Evolution`s animal dropped Ric Flair with a spinebuster and Batista Bomb, getting the win before stopping Triple H`s
latest assault. “The Dirtiest Player in the Game” did everything he could to stop the younger, bigger man.
He cut him down with chop blocks, a low-blow and Figure-Four Leglock, but Batista just kept coming. The animal eventually
overwhelmed “The Nature Boy,” then blocked The Game’s sledgehammer attack. Batista ripped the hammer
away, broke it in two over his knee and chased Triple H from the ring. As The Cerebral Assassin backed up the entrance
ramp, Batista screamed, "You`re done. Game Over!" At WrestleMania, Batista might just be right.
Triple H settled for taking out some aggression during and after his match with Rosey earlier on RAW. He hospitalized
the Superhero with a sledgehammer shot to the ribs — this only one week after demolishing The Hurricane and putting
him out of action in similar fashion. The Evolution confrontation resulted in General Manager Eric Bischoff setting up
“Pick Your Poison” matches for next two weeks’ broadcasts: Batista gets to choose The Game`s opponent
when RAW is televised from Atlanta, while Triple H gets to select Batista’s opponent when RAW travels to Birmingham,
Ala. Batista didn’t need to deliberate.
He soon named Chris Benoit as Triple H`s opponent — a reminder that The Crippler made Triple H tap at last year`s
WrestleMania.
Randy Orton found his way to make WrestleMania history, challenging the Undertaker to an inter-brand Legend vs. Legend
Killer” match at the pay-per-view on April 3. Will the SmackDown! headliner put his WrestleMania unbeaten streak
on the line against Orton? If Randy can find a way to stop the Deadman, it would be a career-making accomplishment. But
Orton must be careful what he wishes for. Few streaks in WWE history are as impressive as Undertaker`s 12-0 in the
biggest event of the year. The variety of opponents proves that “The Phenom” can successfully adapt to defeat
any foe when it matters most.
Saying it would knock SmackDown! out of the water, Bischoff made Chris Jericho`s WrestleMania Six-Way Ladder Match
official. But the GM added his own twist: It’ll be a Money in the Bank Ladder Match featuring a
briefcase high above the ring. Inside will be a contract to face the World Heavyweight Champion anytime during the 12
months following the event. The stipulated match could come the night after WrestleMania or the winner could
wait all the way until WrestleMania 22. Who will emerge and earn the right to call the shots? It`ll be Jericho,
Benoit, Shelton Benjamin, Christian, Edge or one unnamed other. To showcase all that talent, Bischoff placed
the six competitors in contests against each other for later in the evening on RAW. One man left out of the Ladder Match
was Muhammad Hassan, who accused Bischoff of discrimination and said the issue wasn`t over. Christian found out first-hand
who the sixth man in the Ladder Match would be, as he was forced to face Kane with no notice on RAW. Things looked bright
for “Captain Charisma” thanks to a helping hand from Tyson Tomko, but one mistake was enough to cost him the
match. Christian charged toward Kane but was caught with a bone-jarring chokeslam that earned Kane the three-count. Edge
and Y2J went at it in a second, evenly matched showcase. After an early superplex by Edge, Jericho went on a roll.
Eventually, he hit a Lionsault and seemed poised for victory. But the ref was accidentally knocked from the ring and
couldn’t make the count. Sensing the opportunity, Edge grabbed a ladder, brought it into the ring and blasted
Jericho below the belt. With Jericho doubled over in pain, he was an easy target for Edge`s impaler DDT. The pin
followed.
Lastly, Chris Benoit faced Shelton Benjamin in a non-title battle filled with technical mat wrestling and counter-holds.
But Benoit also brought the crowd to its feet with a death-defying suicide dive to the outside. Benjamin avoided the
assault, and The Crippler catapulted straight into the ladder at ringside, which buckled under Benoit`s weight.
Benoit recovered to go on a German suplex spree, but he couldn`t follow it up successfully with any of his signature moves.
Benjamin moved out of the way of Benoit`s diving headbutt, then he blocked both a Crossface and Sharpshooter attempt.
Finally, Benoit countered a leg whip and locked in the Crippler Crossface. Shelton almost reached the ropes, but Benoit
rolled him back into the middle of the ring, giving Benjamin no recourse but to tap.
We also got the latest from Shawn Michaels following his recent show-spanning
confrontation with Kurt Angle. Michaels talked about getting a taste of what it will be like at WrestleMania when the two
square off for the very first time. The Olympic gold medalist interrupted HBK, talking his own trash before the dream match
on April 3.
Not to be outdone, Playboy`s newest cover girl had a huge announcement of her own: Christy challenged Trish to a Women's
Championship Match at WrestleMania! The Women’s Champion was quick to accept, but she should have waited to find out
that none other than Lita is training Christy for the showdown.
MATCHES:
Triple H defeated Rosey in a non-title match
Kane defeated Christian
Edge defeated Chris Jericho
Chris Benoit defeated Shelton Benjamin in a non-title match
Batista defeated Ric Flair
RAW
#616
3-14-05 LIVE
Arena at Gwinnett Center
Atlanta, Georgia
Triple H had the antidote for his Pick Your Poison Match against Chris Benoit, and next week The Game gets to make a match
of his own. On the one-year anniversary of The Crippler making Triple H tap to the Crossface at WrestleMania XX, the two
squared off again — thanks to the decision of Batista. This time, the result was very different. Triple H beat
Benoit for the first-ever time one-on-one, hitting the Pedigree after an undetected low blow. The Game fought for his
survival with only 20 days until his WrestleMania World Heavyweight Championship defense against the Animal Batista.
Triple H suffered through a total of nine German suplexes and the Crippler Crossface before ultimately getting a pivotal
victory in Atlanta.
Triple H reappeared later during Batista`s bout against Gene Snitsky, a match orchestrated by Evolution`s Ric Flair.
And when Batista hit the spinebuster and set up the Batista Bomb, The Nature Boy got involved, taking Batista`s legs out
with a chop block. The Animal powered out of a three-on-one attack and chased his adversaries from the ring, but Evolution
and Snitsky returned with steel chairs. When things began to look bleak for Batista, Kane charged the ring in hopes of
getting his hands on hated rival Snitsky. The Monster and the Animal cleared the ring and were left facing only each other.
That`s when The Cerebral Assassin declared his choice for Batista`s Pick Your Poison Match next week: Kane.
The Big Red Monster also had unfinished business with Christian and Tyson Tomko after being attacked with a ladder one week
ago. This week, it was Kane`s turn, despite two-on-one odds against him. The Big Red Monster first finished Tomko with a
chokeslam, then bloodied the Problem Solver with a ladder shot of his own. Christian simply retreated up the
ring apron, saving his energy for the six-way Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania 21 on April 3.
Meanwhile, Edge’s brutal tactics meant that his scheduled match against Shelton Benjamin almost had to be cancelled.
Edge viciously assaulted Benjamin before the bell, smashing him against the RAW stage and ramming him into the ring steps.
Referee Mike Chioda was reluctant to start the match under those circumstances, but Shelton assured him he could go.
What followed was an inspiring comeback featuring Shelton`s high-flying attack. But the tide turned again when Benjamin
missed his intended target with a dragon whip, instead incapacitating the referee. A spear soon followed, but there was
no official to make the count. An irate Edge went beneath the ring and retrieved a ladder, but Chris Jericho evened even
the odds by catapulting the ladder back up into Edge’s jaw. Edge stumbled backwards and walked right into a T-bone
suplex, which was enough to keep him down for the three-count.
Another legend was killed on Monday night, as Randy Orton dropped Georgia native Jake The Snake Roberts with an RKO.
As someone who faced the 12-0 Undertaker at WrestleMania, Roberts was on RAW to suggest that Orton think twice before
making the same mistake. When Orton wasn’t receptive, Jake leveled Orton with his signature short-armed clothesline
and set up his patented DDT. But “The Legend Killer” reversed the finisher into one of his own, adding another
name to his list of victims only days before his contract signing on SmackDown!
In another throwback moment, The Rockers reunited for a night and defeated La Resistance. Shawn Michaels didn`t like the
idea of Marty Jannetty’s return to WWE coming on SmackDown! against Kurt Angle, so he invited his former tag partner
to first participate in a RAW match. The charismatic duo conjured many of the tandem moves that made them so dangerous and
beloved in their hay day — including duel cross-body blocks to their opponents on the outside. Jannetty finished the
match in triumphant fashion by bringing back the Rocker Dropper, which KO’d Sylvain Grenier.
Also, Christy continued her WrestleMania training with help from Lita and Tajiri, while Trish sent her own message with
an assault on RAW interviewer Maria.
MATCHES:
Kane defeated Christian & Tyson Tomko via a Handicap Match
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin defeated Edge in a non-title match
Rockers defeated La Resistance
Triple H defeated Chris Benoit in a non-title, Pick Your Poison Match
Batista defeated Gene Snitsky via a DQ
RAW
#617
3-21-05 LIVE
Birminghan Jefferson Convention Complex
Birmingham, Alabama
Triple H not only selected Batista`s match on RAW, he also picked the stipulation. The Cerebral Assassin took advantage
of contractual fine print, making the Pick Your Poison Match an “Anything Goes” Lumberjack Match with
hand-picked Superstars surrounding the ring. Ric Flair then further motivated The Game’s lumberjacks by dangling a
spot in Evolution before them, saying, “We’re looking for the right man.” When Kane and Batista took to
the ring, it was surrounded by belligerent Superstars such as Edge, Muhammad Hassan, Gene Snitsky, Christian and the
485-pound Viscera — with the World Heavyweight Champion and Flair watching from the announce table. The lumberjacks
made life miserable for Batista early on, but The Game’s plan quickly disintegrated because of a major oversight:
the heated differences between the Superstars at ringside. Kane and Gene Snitsky tried to settle old scores, which opened
the door for Batista’s power game. After suffering through a massive suplex and vicious clothesline, Kane was able
to fight his way out of a Batista Bomb. Then, a wild brawl erupted as WrestleMania-related concerns came to the forefront
— including a confrontation between future “Money in the Bank” Ladder Match participants. Somehow,
Batista fought his way through everyone, leaving bodies in his wake until he reached Kane in the middle of the ring.
There, Batista was caught with Kane’s chokeslam. But Batista kicked out of the pin attempt that followed, bringing
Triple H and the crowd to its feet in amazement. Kane went for a follow-up Tombstone, but instead was met with a
spinebuster and Batista Bomb, earning Batista a victory against all odds. As his hand was raised in victory, Batista
stared down the World Heavyweight Champion.
Randy Orton followed up his SmackDown! appearance with an utterly despicable message for the Undertaker. He revealed a
new “Legend Killer” t-shirt with the Undertaker’s name already on the back. And in a cruel display,
Orton showed what could happen to the Deadman by hitting the RKO on girlfriend Stacy Keibler. The message was simple:
If Orton would do that to unsuspecting Stacy — after first kissing her — imagine what he’ll be willing
to do to the Phenom on April 3.
The Showstopper was in fine form in a match against Robert Conway. The La Resistance member was out to avenge a loss last
week to the re-formed Rockers, but
HBK was relentless in his attack. First, HBK surprised Conway with a slingshot, corkscrew splash to the outside. He later
followed with a top-rope elbow smash and “Sweet Chin Music” for the win. And the decisive victory was made all
the more unlikely by the constant interference from Sylvain Grenier.
It looks like Women’s Champion Trish will have some competition on her hands at WrestleMania 21. Playboy cover girl
Christy, who has been training hard, more than held her own against Molly Holly in a mixed six-person tag match on RAW.
When Molly went to the top rope for the Molly-Go-Round, Christy weaved out of the way, then hit her with the Twist of Fate.
At ringside, Lita cheered approvingly while Trish Stratus scowled.
Shelton Benjamin’s incredible athleticism was on full display in tag-team match alongside Y2J against Christian &
Edge. The Intercontinental Champion’s fast-paced assault kept one of the most successful tag teams in WWE history
off-balance. Over the course of the match, Shelton hit a dragon whip, Stinger splash, and flying clothesline, clearing
the ring. But when Shelton’s momentum carried him into the corner late in the contest, Christian caught him with
the Intercontinental Championship belt. A woozy Shelton then walked right into a spear from Edge, who stole the win for
his team. Christian & Edge weren’t finished, however. They attacked their opponents after the bell,
prompting Chris Benoit to storm the ring. Seeing the tide turn, “The Problem Solver” intervened, twice
striking The Crippler with a ladder. In response, Benoit challenged Tomko to a match one-on-one. An angry Crippler came
out strong, hitting three German suplexes and the diving headbutt. But Tomko battled back, exploiting the Benoit’s
injured ribs — a result of the ladder attack earlier. But when Tomko went for a big boot, Benoit reversed it into
the Crossface, leaving Tomko no recourse but to tap. It was all prelude to the huge Money in the Bank Ladder Match at
WrestleMania. Feeling slighted despite an impressive streak on RAW, Muhammad Hassan confronted Shawn Michaels. HBK agreed
to tune up the band against the outspoken newcomer next week on RAW — mere days before his big match against
SmackDown! Superstar Kurt Angle.
Also next week per General Manager Eric Bischoff: Batista and Triple H in the ring at the same time in a Face-off.
MATCHES:
Shawn Michaels defeated Robert Conway
Christy, Tajiri & William Regal defeated Molly Holly, Maven & Simon Dean
Christian & Edge defeated Chris Jericho & Shelton Benjamin
Chris Benoit defeated Tyson Tomko
Batista defeated Kane in an Anything Goes Lumberjack Match
RAW
#618
3-28-05 LIVE
Fort Worth Convention Center
Fort Worth, Texas
World Heavyweight Champion Triple H and Batista had a final face-to-face showdown on Monday night — meeting in a war
of words orchestrated by RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff. But what started as trash-talk broke down into a six-pier brawl
with their huge WrestleMania match only days away. Bischoff was intent on preventing the “Face-off” encounter
from getting out of hand. He surrounded the ring with security guards and warned both men against any physicality. It
didn’t matter. Batista was able to set off the Cerebral Assassin with comments that hit a little too close to home,
resulting in The Game slapping Batista across the face. It was the beginning of the end of Bischoff’s in-ring
conference — as the two Superstars battled through a mass of humanity to tear into each other. It was just a taste
of the ferocity that can be expected when they square off with the stakes at their highest at the biggest event of the
year -- WrestleMania 21.
Earlier, Muhammad Hassan was out to prove that he deserved a spot on the WrestleMania card by defeating “Mr.
WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels. HBK was looking to shut up the outspoken newcomer and tune up the band before his
dream match against SmackDown! Superstar Kurt Angle. But the Hassan-Michaels conclusion will have to wait for another day.
None other than the Olympic Gold Medalist himself emerged from the crowd mid-match in an attempt to soften up his
WrestleMania opponent. The plan backfired when HBK battled out of an Angle Slam attempt, then barely missed with
“Sweet Chin Music.” When Angle bailed from the ring, Michaels settled for a superkick to the chin of Hassan.
Security guards eventually separated Angle and Michaels, but there will be no one to come between them at the pay-per-view
on April 3.
Y2J’s Highlight Reel featured five of the six “Money in the Bank” Ladder Match participants. When the
segment disintegrated, Bischoff converted it into a six-man tag-team match also featuring Tyson Tomko. The team of Jericho,
Chris Benoit and Shelton Benjamin notched the win when in-fighting opened the door for the Walls of Jericho on Tomko.
But the winning team didn’t emerge unscathed. Benoit was badly cut near his eye from the strength of his own series
of headbutts. Afterward, the final Ladder Match combatant, Kane, cleared the ring with a ladder and chokeslams. Will Kane
be able to follow up on April 3, when a contract offering a World Heavyweight Championship opportunity is on the line?
Christy Hemme proved once again that she’ll be tough competition for Trish Stratus at WrestleMania when the two
battled in an arm wrestling contest on RAW. Christy was already 1-0 in such challenges after an arm-wrestling win during
the $250,000 RAW Diva Search, and she shocked Trish by beating her not once, but twice in a row. After Trish’s arm
was powered down, the Women’s Champion lost her cool — pushing down ring announcer Lilian Garcia before kicking
Lita in her injured leg. The series of events ensured that tempers will flare when Christy and Trish battle for the
Women’s Championship at WrestleMania.
Randy Orton explained his despicable actions last week on RAW, saying that Stacy Keibler didn’t believe in him 100
percent, and he couldn’t afford her distraction. When he turned his attention to the Undertaker, he was met with an
ominous message, as a video featuring the Deadman counted down his perfect 12-0 WrestleMania record — and it ended
with The Legend Killer at “zero.” Later, Undertaker’s half-brother Kane also warned Orton against the
dangers of facing the Phenom on the grandest stage of them all. Will Orton be able to suppress all fear and doubt and add
another legend to his list, or will the aura and power of Undertaker overwhelm him? Find out in just a matter of days.
Meanwhile, Eric Bischoff decided that if the World Tag Team Championship wasn’t going to be defended at WrestleMania,
then it would be defended in a huge Triple Threat Match on RAW. So, William Regal & Tajiri put the World Tag Team
Championship on the line against the established and successful La Resistance and the upstart pairing of Maven &
Simon Dean. Ultimately, the champions were able to retain when Maven fell victim to Tajiri’s Buzzsaw Kick. The pin
quickly followed.
MATCHES:
World Tag Team Champions William Regal & Tajiri defeated
La Resistance, Maven & Simon Dean
in a Tag-team Triple Threat Match
Christy defeated Trish Stratus in a non-title, arm wrestling match
Christy defeated Trish Stratus in another second arm-wrestling match
Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit & Shelton Benjamin defeated Edge, Christian & Tyson Tomko
Shawn Michaels defeated Muhammad Hassan via a DQ
Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2005
4-2-05 LIVE
Universal Amphitheatre
Hollywood, California
Featuring the inductions of:
Hulk Hogan, Nikolai Volkoff, Jimmy Hart, Bob Orton, Jr.,
Paul Orndorff, The Iron Sheik and Rowdy Roddy Piper.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by none other than Sylvester Stallone. Hogan is arguably the most
famous WWE Superstar ever. WWE was never the same after Hogan replaced an injured Bob Backlund and defeated The Iron
Sheik for the WWE Championship on January 23, 1984.
Nikolai Volkoff
Nikolai Volkoff was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Jim Ross. Volkoff has certainly stood the test of time.
Although Volkoff is probably best known as the evil Russian who teamed up with The Iron Sheik, he actually had
his first match in 1968 against Bruno Sammartino.
Mouth of the South Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart admits that Jerry The King Lawler was very instramental in his success. As a result, Lawler inducted Hart
into the Hall of Fame this year. When it comes to wrestling managers, few can claim the success of Jimmy Hart.
Cowboy Bob Orton
Bob Orton, Jr., was inducted into the Hall of Fame by his son, Randy Orton. Nobody played a bigger role in the outcome
of the first WrestleMania main event than Bob Orton. The second generation Superstar inadvertently hit Paul Orndorff,
leading to Hollywood Hogan and Mr. T picking up the win.
Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff
It is every wrestler`s dream to compete in a WrestleMania main event. Paul Orndorff, who was inducted into the Hall of
Fame by Bobby Heenan, is one of the few men that can say he has done so. At the first WrestleMania,
Mr. Wonderful teamed up with Piper to take on Hogan and Mr. T.
The Iron Sheik
The Iron Sheik was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Sgt. Slaughter. Sheik became WWE Champion the day after Christmas
in 1983 when he defeated Bob Backlund. The victory was a controversial one as Backlund's manager Arnold Skaaland threw
in the towel, as Backlund refused to submit.
Rowdy Roddy Piper
Rowdy Roddy Piper, one of the most colorful personalities ever to step foot in a World Wrestling Entertainment ring,
was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Ric Flair. The Hot Rod, as he came to be known, was known as
one of the most-hated villains WWE fans have ever seen.
WRESTLEMANIA
XX1
4-3-05 LIVE
Staples Center
Los Angeles, California
EDDIE GUERRERO vs REY MYSTERIO
Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero might be WWE Tag Team Champions together. They might even be good friends. But on Sunday
night, the two Latino legends faced each other one on one at WrestleMania 21. And in the end, Mysterio reversed a
huricanrana and sat down for the historic and stunning pin, as Eddie and Rey shared a respectful handshake after the
match. The opening match of the night brought the sellout crowd to its feet as it featured two of WWE’s most
entertaining Superstars. Since both SmackDown! Superstars know each other so well, the momentum went back and forth.
After a furious start, Latino Heat connected with Three Amigos twice but then missed with a Frogsplash. Meanwhile,
Mysterio, after missing with his first attempt at the 619, connected on his second try, only to have Guerrero escape
a cover. Chavo Guerrero actually planted the seeds for this match over the last few weeks. Chavo teased Eddie that
Mysterio had been stealing Latino Heat’s spotlight for some time now. He even brought up the fact that at last
year`s WrestleMania Eddie was WWE Champion.
BIG SHOW vs AKEBONO
Big Show had never been in a Sumo Match before. And his inexperience clearly hurt him. Akebono, a former Grand Champion,
defeated Show at WrestleMania, using his experience and savvy to toss Show out of the circle and ultimately the ring.
After a long standoff to start the match, Show held his own for a few minutes, even lifting the giant Akebono off his
feet, before Akebono was able to gain some leverage and send 493 pounds of Big Show flying.
Big Show and Akebono exchanged a respectful handshake after the match as Show was humble in defeat.
UNDERTAKER vs RANDY ORTON
Undertaker’s unprecedented WrestleMania record remained intact on Sunday night in Los Angeles, as the legend buried
“The Legend Killer” with a vicious Tombstone. Randy Orton entered the match with great confidence, refusing to
succumb to Undertaker’s psychological warfare. He even concocted a mind game of his own, picking a moment for his
father, “Cowboy” Bob Orton to get involved. Evoking his own Hall of Fame WWE career, the elder Orton smashed
Undertaker with the cast on his arm. “Cowboy” Bob then pulled his son atop Undertaker, but the Phenom
miraculously kicked out. The momentum swung, and the Deadman seemed poised for victory when he hoisted Randy for a
chokeslam. But the third-generation Superstar had the move perfectly scouted, reversing it into the RKO. But again,
somehow, Undertaker willed his way out of the pin. An increasingly frustrated Orton then tried to turn the tables by
using Undertaker’s finisher against him. But when “The Legend Killer” lifted Undertaker up for a
Tombstone, the Deadman used the momentum to reverse the move into a Tombstone of his own. The crushing impact was too
much for Orton, and Undertaker improved his epic WrestleMania record.
"WOMEN`S CHAMPIONSHIP"
TRISH STRATUS vs CHRISTY HEMME
Despite training from William Regal, Tajiri and Lita, nothing could adequately prepare Christy for a match with six-time
Women’s Champion Trish Stratus. The feisty Playboy cover girl did everything she could to stay with Stratus, using
her new arsenal of kicks and creative pinning predicaments. She even managed to connect with a reverse Twist of Fate,
earning a near fall. But in the end, Trish was just too much. She picked Christy apart, then KO’d her with the Chick
Kick. Lita looked on with disappointment as Trish mocked her injury.
"MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH"
It`s Money in the Bank for Edge. With Chris Benoit inches from victory, Edge blasted him off a ladder with a steel chair,
then climbed his way to an opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship any time in the next 12 months. The Ladder
Match moved at a frenzied pace and exceeded all expectations – with one breathtaking moment after the next. The
five other combatants didn’t even wait for Kane to reach the bottom of the entrance ramp before they attacked him
and each other, and the speed and brutality of the match only escalated from there, literally. Chris Jericho did the first
ladder damage, catapulting one end into the jaw of Christian. Y2J then dissected his other opponents, showing that he was
a huge threat a match that was his idea to begin with. But Chris Benoit gained the momentum with a massive German suplex
to Jericho that sent the ladder flying out of the ring. The Crippler then locked in the Crossface on Edge and Kane before
being cut down with a ladder to his already stitched-up face. Edge & Christian showed shades of their tag-team days,
hitting a ladder sandwich (a la the Conchairto) to Kane. Christian would also nearly claim victory thanks to
Problem Solver” Tyson Tomko, who hoisted “Captain Charisma” on his shoulders and lifted him atop a
ladder and almost to the briefcase hanging from the rafters. Shelton Benjamin showed extreme ingenuity, applying his
signature moves to the ladder. Benjamin dragon whipped one opponent through a ladder, then hit a crushing T-bone suplex
off of it to another competitor. In a wild Ladder Match highlight, Benjamin ran up one ladder to the peak of the other,
hitting a clothesline that sent Jericho careening to the mat. The Crippler showed great courage and drive by delivering a
diving headbutt off of a ladder onto Kane, busting open his cut and 25 stitches while grasping at his shoulder and arm,
which were demolished by a ladder attack from Kane. But remarkably, Kane would sit up, shake it off and proceed to near
the briefcase himself. Ultimately, Edge’s obsession with the World Heavyweight Championship proved his greatest
asset. He speared everyone in sight, and he capitalized on the damage done by others to seize his chance to scale the
ladder and cinch the briefcase. When Edge smashed Benoit with a steel chair off the ladder, The Crippler was left in a
broken state on the mat. And with the other combatants distracted or too battered to intervene, Edge had a clear path to
victory – and a chance to face the World Heavyweight Champion when he sees fit.
PIPER`S PIT WITH STEVE AUSTIN
Roddy Piper said he had to meet the man many consider the meanest S.O.B. in the history of WWE. And after his long-awaited
Piper’s Pit at WrestleMania 21, Piper surely won’t forget the historic encounter. To start, Piper greeted
Austin with a slap that Austin quickly returned. After Piper told Austin that the Rowdy one was WWE’s original
rebel, Austin insulted Piper. Suddenly, SmackDown!’s Carlito made a surprise visit, claiming nobody wanted to see
the uncool duo of Piper and Austin. Piper would go on to take Carlito’s trusty apple and spit it back into the face
of Carlito. After Carlito attacked Piper, Austin came in for the save, eventually hitting Carlito with a Stone Cold
Stunner and sending him over the top rope. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Piper then celebrated by drinking beers in the
ring, only to have Austin then hit an unsuspecting Piper with a Stunner before leaving.
KURT ANGLE vs SHAWN MICHAELS
When Kurt Angle was representing the United States and winning a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics, he claims he couldn`t
escape the imposing shadow of Shawn Michaels. Nine glorious years later, all of that changed. Mr. WrestleMania tapped out.
After weeks of mocking HBK’s career on SmackDown! and a pair of brutal surprise attacks on RAW, Angle finished the
job Sunday when a marathon ankle lock finally forced Michaels to give in. The seeds of this rivalry were officially
planted at the Royal Rumble, when HBK eliminated Angle only to have the enraged Olympic Champ re-enter the ring and
dismantle Michaels with an ankle lock. The match featured both Superstars at their best. Angle connected with a ferocious
suplex and worked HBK over with some painful mat maneuvers. Angle worked mercilessly on HBK’s back, ramming Michaels
into the ring post with an angle slam and then avoiding an HBK elbow drop from the top rope as Michaels landed hard on his
back. HBK would come back with a corkscrew moonsault off the apron, sending both legends onto the announce table.
HBK would go on to hit an elbow drop and began to warm up the band for Sweet Chin Music, only to have Angle reverse the
famous move into an ankle lock. HBK escaped a pair of ankle locks and then kicked out of the angle slam. A frustrated and
bleeding Angle then went for the kill with a moonsault, only to have HBK crawl forward, sending Angle crashing to the mat.
Angle then connected with an Angle slam from the top rope with HBK amazingly escaping again. HBK would finally hit Sweet
Chin Music, but Angle, not to be outdone, barely kicked out. With both men exhausted, Angle somehow managed to apply the
ankle lock one last fateful time for the victory.
"WWE CHAMPIONSHIP"
JBL vs JOHN CENA
Let the new era begin. After more than nine months and nearly 300 days as WWE Champion, the historic reign of JBL finally
ended at the hands of John Cena at WrestleMania. JBL, who had overcome every obstacle and every Superstar put in his way
since July, couldn’t defeat the athletic, hungry and determined Cena on this night. Cena mounted a flurry of offense
late in the match, connecting with an FU and recording the three-count he waited his whole life for. Cena had a sluggish
start to the match as JBL dominated the action, hitting a crushing spinebuster, a short-arm clothlesline and a superplex
from the top rope. JBL even tossed a reeling Cena out of the ring. But Cena would recover nicely, ultimately winning his
first WWE Championship and defeating JBL, who had earlier guaranteed victory.
"WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP"
TRIPLE H. vs BATISTA
Batista gained all the experience he could from Evolution. Then, he destroyed it. Triple H`s former protege
ended The Game’s 10th world championship reign Sunday at STAPLES Center, winning the World Heavyweight Championship
with a crushing Batista Bomb. The Cerebral Assassin controlled much of the epic WrestleMania main event, exhausting his
arsenal of offense and leaving it all in the ring. After involvement from Evolution’s Ric Flair, Triple H pulled
out all the stops – using a low blow and a foreign object to set up his patented finisher. Not on this night.
Batista remarkably powered out of the Pedigree, then reversed it into a jaw-dropping modified slam. It was something
Triple H never expected, and it took the wind right out of him. The Animal then caused Evolution to crumble before the
sold-out crowd with his punishing sit-down powerbomb in the center of the ring. A bloodied Triple H couldn’t kick
out, as the torch passed to RAW’s dominant new star.
RAW
#619
4-4-05 LIVE
Staples Center
Los Angeles, California
New World Heavyweight Champion Batista may have defeated Triple H at WrestleMania, but Evolution sent the message that it
won’t stay down for long. Fewer than 24 hours after WrestleMania`s final match and fireworks celebrating his victory,
Batista was back in the ring facing former Evolution ally Randy Orton. “The Legend Killer” couldn’t
stand to see someone else bathed in WrestleMania glory, so he persuaded General Manager Eric Bischoff to issue a non-title
grudge match on RAW. Orton got out of the gate quickly, but Batista used his power game to bully his opponent around the
ring. When Batista began abusing Orton’s injured shoulder, he became dominant. Soon after, Orton fell victim to a
crushing spinebuster and Batista Bomb. Just like that, Batista had his first successful match as World Heavyweight Champion
behind him. Orton clung to the same shoulder that he blamed for his loss to Undertaker at WrestleMania, saying earlier
that the doctors didn’t yet know the full severity of his injury. And as Orton lay in the ring, Triple H re-emerged
and motioned to his waist. It was clear that he’s coming for “his” World Heavyweight Championship.
Earlier, a confident Triple H revealed that he had a rematch clause in the WrestleMania contract, declaring there will be
“Triple H-Batista II” in the immediate future.
There’s another Superstar with a guaranteed opportunity to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship, and
that’s Ladder Match winner Edge. “Mr. Money in the Bank” chose not to cash his chips on Monday Night
RAW, deciding to wait until he’s good and ready. When he declined to force Batista into a title defense, Bischoff
put Edge in a match anyway — against the man he single-handedly kept from the “Money in the Bank”
briefcase: Chris Benoit. The Rabid Wolverine couldn’t have been thrilled to compete so soon after severely injuring
his left arm during a ladder attack Sunday night. In addition, The Crippler’s forehead had just been stitched back
together after busting open 25 stitches vying for that coveted briefcase at WrestleMania. Benoit controlled the action
until Edge began to successfully exploit Benoit’s damaged arm. Edge kicked, punched and locked that limb in
submission holds — testing The Crippler’s threshold for pain. Benoit refused to tap and managed a German
suplex to Edge. However, he couldn’t sustain an attack in his condition, so Benoit moved straight to his submission
arsenal in an attempt to bring the match to a swift end. He locked in the Sharpshooter, but Edge reached the ropes. The
Rabid Wolverine followed up with the Crossface, but he didn’t have the remaining strength in the arm to keep it
fully cinched in. Edge powered out and perhaps got overconfident, creating a tiny opening for Benoit to roll up Edge for
the win. A shocked and furious Edge then tore apart Benoit’s injured arm with a steel chair as The Crippler twisted
on the mat in agonizing pain.
Three of the other WrestleMania Ladder Match participants tangled in a Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental
Championship. Shelton Benjamin and Chris Jericho teamed up against Christian early, but it wasn’t long before
they turned on each other in the every-man-for-himself match. Just like the Ladder Match one night earlier, this battle
had a crazed pace. In one unthinkable highlight, Christian received a superplex while he and Y2J simultaneously delivered
a spiked powerbomb to Benjamin. Later, Shelton neared victory with a T-bone finisher to Jericho, but the combination of
Christian and “Problem
Solver” Tyson Tomko thwarted the attempt. But Benjamin wasn’t done. He displayed remarkable athleticism by
skying from the top rope and delivering a modified bulldog — breaking up the Walls of Jericho. The three-count on
Y2J came too quick for Christian to intervene.
Shawn Michaels addressed the Los Angeles audience 24 hours after his inspiring “Dream Match” against
SmackDown! Superstar Kurt Angle. HBK humbly asked that the crowd of more than 16,000 support his quest to one day get his
rematch with the Olympic gold medalist. But before he could finish, “The Showstopper” was interrupted by
Muhammad Hassan. After leaving it all in the ring in a gut-wrenching performance Sunday night, Michaels was in no mood
to listen to Hassan’s complaining. Instead, HBK shut up the outspoken newcomer with a slap to the face. Still,
the odds favored Hassan and Khosrow Daivari, who double-teamed Michaels and beat him to near-unconsciousness. As medical
personnel attended to Michaels, it became painfully clear that even if HBK is looking forward to a rematch with Angle
somewhere down the line, he’s got his hands full with a brash Superstar right on RAW.
After a valiant effort at WrestleMania, Christy was supposed to get a rematch against Trish Stratus on RAW. The
Women’s Champion had other plans. Trish KO’d Christy with a Chick Kick before the match could even begin,
then she did further damage to Lita’s injured leg after taunting her into the ring.
And the STAPLES Center crowd got a special surprise when none other than Stone Cold Steve Austin took exception to
Simon Dean’s latest paid sales pitch. He tried to be open-minded about Dean’s product line, but he ultimately
delivered a Stunner to the infomercial guru-turned RAW Superstar as well as cohort Maven. Stone Cold then washed down a
Simon System protein shake with plenty of his beverage of choice: ice-cold beer.
MATCHES:
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin defeated Chris Jericho and Christian in a Triple Threat Match
Women`s Champion Trish Stratus vs. Christy match never officially began
Chris Benoit defeated Edge
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated Randy Orton in a non-title match
RAW
#620
4-11-05 LIVE
Mark of the Quad Cities
Moline, Illinois
Monday night not only marked the announcement of the main event at Backlash, it also hinted at another instant-classic
dream match for the pay-per-view on May 1. The Cerebral Assassin invoked his rematch clause, making Triple H-Batista II
official for Backlash. It means the Animal’s first pay-per-view World Heavyweight Championship defense will come
against the driven 10-time world champion. In his first RAW interview since winning the championship, Batista told
announcer Jim Ross that he'd prefer one epic reign — rather than The Game’s number of reigns. Triple H,
in kind, declared that Batista was on borrowed time and vowed to Pedigree him before the night was out. When the
attack came, Batista was ready. The Animal again powered out of Triple H’s finisher, sending the Cerebral Assassin
flying over the top rope. Out of anger and frustration, Triple H declared that payback would come in one week at Madison
Square Garden. But it won’t be Triple H vs. Batista as one would think. The match The Game named was himself against
J.R! Whether Batista builds momentum toward long-term success or has a painfully short time “atop the food
chain” may be determined by that one match-defining finisher. In Triple H’s decade-long WWE career,
countless Superstars have fallen victim to the high-impact, signature move called the Pedigree. The Game displayed
that fact for the Quad Cities crowd by planting The Hurricane with a Pedigree in a Handicap Match also involving Rosey.
At WrestleMania 21 and on RAW, however, Batista battled out of Triple H’s Pedigree attempt. As the new champion
points out, Evolution’s leader has never succeeded in hitting Batista with the Pedigree. So at Backlash, will it
be another Batista Bomb, or will the Animal fall like so many others before him as reign No. 11 begins?
RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff sounded off on a second Backlash match following another questionable altercation
between Muhammad Hassan, Daivari and Shawn Michaels. It’ll be the two brash newcomers in a tag-team match against
“The Showstopper” and a partner of his choice. And HBK actually got down on his knees and pleaded for whom
he’d like to join him: the legendary Hulk Hogan. If “The Real American” agrees, it’ll initiate
the second consecutive pay-per-view “Dream Match” for Michaels, who has never teamed up with the Hulkster
despite their long and storied WWE careers. Upon hearing Michaels’ proposal, the thousands in attendance exploded
in applause, chanting, “One more match! One more match!” Now, it’s up to Hogan to decide if he wants
to return to the ring. The match prior was supposed to be Hassan vs. Michaels. Instead, Muhammad deferred the contest to
his manager, Daivari. HBK seemed well on his way to victory, but Hassan prevented the top-rope elbow smash, then delivered
a vile low-blow with the referee distracted. Michaels went to the mat in blinding pain, and Daivari used the debilitating
moment to pick up a monumental upset in his RAW debut. Now, Michaels has unfinished business with both Hassan and Daivari.
He’ll get that chance at retribution at Backlash — potentially with a partner who shut up Hassan and Daivari
at WrestleMania 21.
In yet another RAW shocker, Lita kissed her estranged husband Kane to thank him for tormenting Trish Stratus all RAW long.
It’s an unthinkable shift for Lita, who has been haunted by the presence of the Big Red Monster for nearly a year.
In a crucial update, we learned that Randy Orton has undergone surgery for his injured shoulder and will be out 3-4 months.
He suffered the initial injury during his vicious match against the Undertaker at WrestleMania 21. The following night on
RAW, the bicep was torn off the shoulder at the hands of Batista, who drove that damaged shoulder into the ring post. When
Batista later delivered a Batista Bomb — landing directly on Orton’s shoulder — it ensured the
need for immediate surgery. From a hospital bed in Birmingham, Ala., “The Legend Killer” blamed his current
woes on the new World Heavyweight Champion, saying payback was in Batista’s future.
Two WrestleMania Ladder Match participants squared off on RAW as Chris Benoit faced Christian. In reality, the contest was
more like a three-on-one. Benoit fought valiantly despite a crippling arm injury that Christian exploited all match. And
The Rabid Wolverine came seconds from victory when he reversed an Unprettier into the Crossface. But Tyson Tomko and Edge
simultaneously intervened, opening the door for Christian to hit the Unprettier for the victory. Following the match,
“Mr. Money in the Bank” Edge looked on slyly as Benoit fumed in the ring.
Christy may be new to the ring, but she sure is a quick study. Alongside Victoria, the Playboy cover girl picked up her
second win by beating Trish and Molly Holly in a tag-team match. Christy absorbed her opponents’ offense, then she
battled back with a series of kicks. She also unveiled an eye-opening split-legdrop. It later seemed as if she’d
succumb to her opponents’ vastly superior experience, but Christy managed to avoid a springboard elbow from Molly,
which inadvertently connected to the head of Trish, knocking her from the ring apron. A shocked Molly was caught off-guard,
and Christy quickly rolled her up for a very big win. Christy’s in-ring success comes on the heels of gracing the
cover of Playboy and the new WWE Divas special magazine. And it all began with the $250,000 RAW Diva Search competition.
Who will be the next $250,000 winner?
MATCHES:
Christy & Victoria defeated Trish Stratus & Molly Holly
Triple H. defeated The Hurricane & Rosey via a Handicap Match
Chris Masters defeated Seth Skyfire
Khosrow Daivari defeated Shawn Michaels
Christian defeated Chris Benoit
RAW
#621
4-18-05 LIVE
Madison Square Garden
New York, New York
Batista was a little late. But when the World Heavyweight Champion finally arrived at Madison Square Garden Monday, he
wasn't happy. Batista, whose limo driver got lost in New York City thanks to Triple H, raced into the ring to save J.R.,
who was getting beat into a bloody pulp by Triple H in a No Disqualification Match. Batista once again reversed the
Pedigree into a back body drop and then connected with a resounding chair shot to Triple H's head. Batista added insult
to injury when he placed a barely conscious J.R. on top of The Game for the upset victory. The much-anticipated
Triple H-Batista rematch at Backlash just got a little more interesting.
Edge, who came to the ring with his "Money in the Bank" briefcase, had a brutal match with Chris Benoit.
The Superstars even took the action to the bowels of Madison Square Garden, resulting in a Double Countout. Upset over the
lack of a decision in the RAW match , Bischoff made a Last Man Standing Match at Backlash between the two on May 1 to
settle their long standing differences.
Shawn Michaels had another match with Muhammad Hassan. And with victory all but guaranteed after his flying elbow,
Daivari interfered and both men attacked HBK to earn a DQ. However, none other than Hulk Hogan raced down the ramp to aid
HBK. After whipping up on Hussan & Daivari, the WWE Hall of Famer revealed he would indeed team with fellow legend HBK
at Backlash for a tag team match against Hussan & Daivari.
Chris Jericho announced he would be facing Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin at Backlash. And after Jericho took
the mic to insult Benjamin with an accompanying guitar in the background, Simon Dean started his match with Benjamin.
Benjamin started slow but would go on to capture the victory 13 days before defending his championship against Jericho.
Meanwhile, Mr. McMahon made his first public appearance since the Royal Rumble, interrupting Christian's speech to tell
the New York City crowd there would be another WWE draft in about another month. Christian loved the idea, claiming he's
been held back on RAW and that he deserves a chance to shine. Sure enough, Christian got it, as McMahon announced
Christian would face World Heavyweight Champion Batista next week in the United Kingdom.
Chris Masters invited a fan - Roman from Queens - to try and break out of his Masterlock for $1,000. Roman never had a
chance as Masters proved his point in commanding fashion.
Trish Stratus called Lita to the ring Monday. Stratus told Lita she was a like a sister to her and that she loved her,
eventually apologizing to a stunned Lita. Lita wasn't in an accepting mood as she rejected the apology and clobbered
Trish with a crutch while Kane came to the ring. Kane stalked Trish up the ramp until Viscera appeared out of nowhere and
destroyed Kane, hitting him with a big splash as he defended Trish's honor. Viscera even helped himself to a backstage
kiss, demanding some time alone with Trish in return for his help with Kane.
RAW's newest tag team, The Heart Throbs, lost their WWE debut to World Tag Team Champions William Regal & Tajiri. After
the match, Romeo and Antonio double-teamed Tajiri, sending a strong message.
MATCHES:
Edge vs. Chris Benoit ended in a No Contest
Shawn Michaels defeated Muhammad Hassan via a DQ
Shelton Benjamin defeated Simon Dean
Jim Ross defeated Triple H
RAW
#622
4-25-05 LIVE
N E C Arena
Birmingham, England
Now Batista knows the damage a Pedigree can do. With the odds stacked outrageously against him, World Heavyweight Champion
Batista still managed to beat Christian in the main event of Monday Night RAW. But what followed was an overwhelming attack
as Evolution and Christian converged on the Animal. After fighting off the three-on-one assault for some time, Batista was
finally caught off guard by Triple H, who eventually landed his Pedigree. A dazed Batista tried to get up but soon slumped
back to the ring mat. The Cerebral Assassin smiled seeing Batista suffering from the move’s aftereffects. It was
painfully clear that even Batista is not immune to the Pedigree. If Triple H hits it this Sunday at Backlash, chances are
he’ll be the 11-time world champion. It wasn’t supposed to go down this way; it was meant to be Batista vs.
Christian one-on-one as “Captain Charisma’s” opportunity to show that he’s a main-event caliber
Superstar. Triple H had other ideas. He persuaded Jonathan Coachman to amend RAW’s main event on behalf of stateside
General Manager Eric Bischoff. The new rules made Ric Flair the guest timekeeper, Triple H Christian’s “Problem
Solver” and Coachman the special guest referee. The changes mangled the match with blatant interference and biased
officiating on all fronts, but Batista still dropped Christian with a Batista Bomb and forced the hand of an unconscious
Coachman down for three before things turned in Evolution’s favor.
Meanwhile, Edge first finished off veteran Val Venis with a spear. Then, “Mr. Money in the Bank” battered his
opponent into unconsciousness with an Impaler DDT, modified Sharpshooter and Crippler Crossface. Seeing his finisher
applied to a helpless Venis was more than Chris Benoit could take. The Crippler ran to the ring and hit Edge with three
German suplexes, reminding him that as one of the most gritty, determined Superstars in WWE history, Benoit cannot be
underestimated in their Backlash Last Man Standing Match.
After Chris Jericho defeated Sylvain Grenier with the Walls of Jericho, the other half of La Resistance instigated a
two-on-one beat-down of Y2J. Things looked bleak until Jericho’s Backlash opponent, Shelton Benjamin, ran down the
ramp and evened the odds. Sensing they were losing control, La Resistance retreated, leaving the Intercontinental Champion
alone with the “Ayatollah of Rock N Rolla.” After a brief stare-down, Benjamin surprised Jericho with a T-bone
suplex — giving him a taste of what he can expect when the two square off this Sunday at Backlash.
Jonathan Coachman thought he was getting the interview of a lifetime with legendary Hulk Hogan and “The Showstopper”
Shawn Michaels. Instead, he was thrown out by HBK to make way for none other than Mean Gene Okerlund. During the coveted
interview, the “Immortal One” said he’d teach the outspoken newcomers to respect him and the U.S.A.
But Muhammad Hassan & Daivari sent a message of their own on Monday, shocking the World Tag Team Champions
William Regal & Tajiri in a non-title match. After Hassan hit a modified STO, Daivari climbed to the top turnbuckle
and landed a soaring guillotine legdrop to the throat of Tajiri. The three-count came before Regal could intervene, and
Hassan and Daivari then proceeded to beat down Regal and force him into the Camel Clutch, much to the disgust of the
sold-out Birmingham, England, crowd.
The Master Lock Challenge continued this week with a U.K. flavor, as Chris Masters offered £1,000 to anyone who
could escape his signature submission hold. One member of the capacity crowd gave it his best shot, but he ended up
devastated and lying in a crumpled mass on the ring canvas.
Elsewhere, what has Trish Stratus gotten herself into? The Women’s Champion found herself eating dinner with the
485-pound Viscera on Monday night — and as the Brits would put it, he was rather randy. Viscera made it clear he
was ready for a nightcap, but Trish insisted that the big man first end the looming threat of Kane at Backlash. Her
nemesis Lita, however, is backing her husband the Big Red Monster this Sunday. What will happen when two brute-force
Superstars meet on pay-per-view? And what will happen to Trish if Viscera gets the job done?
MATCHES:
Chris Jericho defeated Sylvain Grenier
Muhammad Hassan & Daivari defeated World Tag Team Champions William Regal & Tajiri in a non-title match
Edge defeated Val Venis
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated Christian in a non-title match
BACKLASH
5-1-05 LIVE
Verizon Wireless Arena
Manchester, New Hampshire
TAG-TEAM TURMOIL FOR THE WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Tag-Team Turmoil delivered a frenetic pace and surprising results. In fact, new champions were guaranteed before the final
team even made its way to the ring area. World Tag Team Champions William Regal & Tajiri first battled through
charismatic newcomers The Heart Throbs. Then, they overcame the chemistry of Simon Dean and Maven when Regal delivered a
vicious running knee strike. The second the referee counted three, La Resistance stormed to the ring to regain the
championship they’ve held multiple times. More chaos ensued, and during a melee, Robert Conway rolled up Regal
while gaining crucial leverage with a handful of tights. It went undetected by the referee, meaning there would be new
champions when Tag-Team Turmoil concluded. Last into the match was the fresh team of The Hurricane & Rosey. Still,
La Resistance took the early advantage when The Hurricane was launched into the ring post, plummeting to the floor below.
There, he was promptly met with a flying elbow from Conway. La Resistance then isolated Rosey and went for the Au Revoir,
but the big man fought his way out. Next, The Hurricane and Rosey shocked the three-time World Tag Team Champions with a
move made for Superheros. Rosey took to the second turnbuckle, then lifted The Hurricane atop his shoulders. The Hurricane
launched himself skyward, landing on Conway with a splash. That winded Robert long enough for The Hurricane to pick up the
three count. It marked Rosey’s first tag team championship and The Hurricane’s second.
KANE (w/Lita) def. Viscera (w/Trish Stratus)
Two of RAW’s most powerful Superstars matched brut force at Backlash, but it was unexpectedly Trish Stratus who
suffered the most punishment Sunday. Viscera matched power maneuvers with Kane, including a giant Samoan drop and a
swinging sidewalk slam. But Viscera seemed distracted by his lust for Stratus, who was at ringside to support the man
coming between her and the Big Red Monster. When Viscera took his eye off Kane, he walked into a clothesline off the top
rope. When Kane went for the chokeslam, his behemoth opponent fought his way out. It wouldn’t take long for Kane to
regain control. Sensing the end near, Trish tried to intervene with a chair. But Lita instead smashed her rival with one
of her crutches. Inside the ring, Viscera managed a very close two-count with his sit-down powerbomb finisher. Big Vis
then dragged Kane’s wife into the ring and attempted to kiss her. A furious Kane responded with a big boot to
Viscera’s face, then finished him with an unthinkable chokeslam to the 485-pounder. After the match, Trish berated
Viscera for the loss in front of the sold-out crowd in Manchester, N.H. Big Viscera responded with a crushing bear hug to
the Women’s Champion and then a big splash. Afterward, Trish wasn’t moving and needed to be immobilized by
EMTs and carted to the backstage area.
LAST MAN STANDING MATCH
It wasn’t the most honorable victory, but “Mr. Money in the Bank” took home a huge Backlash win along
with his prized briefcase. In fact, that briefcase proved to be the decisive factor in a back-and-forth, brutal Last Man
Standing Match against Chris Benoit. After suffering through countless German suplexes – including one off of a
15-foot ladder – Edge landed an Impaler DDT onto the hard shell of the briefcase containing his championship
contract. Benoit staggered up before the 10–count but ran right into a vicious spear. Benoit barely made it to his
feet but was promptly met with yet another spear. At nine, Benoit again willed his way up. This time, Edge went to extreme
measures, retrieving a brick from his briefcase and blasting Benoit in the back of the head. As The Rabid Wolverine lay
motionless, the referee began the count. Benoit couldn’t answer the bell, and a smug Edge enjoyed his win. Things
didn’t look good early in the match, when Edge found himself screaming – and tapping – from the Crippler
Crossface. But in a Last Man Standing Match there’s only one way to win, and it isn’t by submission. Whenever
Edge found his feet, he was launched backward into a series of German suplexes that seemed to never end. Benoit saw
the match nearly slip away when attempting a running suicide dive to the outside. His head was met in mid-air by a
trash-can lid held by Edge. “Mr. Money in the Bank” followed that up with a superplex onto a trash can.
Things might have turned out different if Benoit had connected with one death-defying attack: The Crippler went for
everything with diving headbutt off the top of a ladder, but Edge successfully moved out of way. Benoit twitched in
pain from the impact with ring apron – shades of the way the match would end.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin brought his best to Backlash. He showed off unmatched athleticism, executed
moves out of nowhere and had the counter for nearly every move Chris Jericho mustered. Ultimately, Benjamin snatched away
victory during a series of furious reversals for near-falls. The sequence began when Jericho attempted a Lionsault.
Benjamin got his knees up, but Y2J made a mid-air adjustment, instead landing on his feet and immediately attempting the
Walls of Jericho. In desperation, Shelton twisted himself into a rollup that first shifted in Jericho’s favor before
a back-bridge rollup ended the match. Afterward, Jericho first displayed shock before storming up the ramp in disgust and
refusing a ringside interview. Prior, Benjamin did what few – if any – other RAW Superstars could. He leapt
directly to the top rope from the ring apron to deliver a superplex. In addition, his Stinger splash and a soaring
springboard bulldog were on display. Jericho did everything he could, including putting his body on the line. Early in the
match, he hit a hurricanrana off the edge of the ring to the outside. The maneuver damaged Benjamin, but Y2J also landed
directly on his own neck and lay motionless for some time. He also looked for every opportunity to cinch in his signature
submission hold, properly scouting a Benjamin dragon whip and converting it into the Walls of Jericho. Benjamin barely
fought his way to the ropes to force a break. Shelton held on for the eventual win, and we’ll have to wait and see
what that means for seven-time former Intercontinental Champion Jericho.
HOGAN & HBK def. HASSAN & DAIVARI
Talk about a crowd-pleaser. Hulk Hogan pinned Daivari in “one more match” demanded by WWE’s fans,
sending the sold-out crowd into a wild uproar. The brash newcomers tried everything they could think of – including
use of a steel pipe as an equalizer – but “The Immortal One” would not be denied in his raucous return
to the ring. The capacity crowd erupted the second Hogan’s entrance music hit. Then, he thrilled the fans by
beginning the match himself against Muhammad Hassan. The audience chanted Hogan’s name as he muscled Hassan around
the ring. Hassan and Daivari trapped Hogan in their corner, showing their tag-team chemistry and furthering the momentum
they gained with big wins on RAW. But the duo seemed daunted when at all times a WWE legend was across the ring, as HBK
and Hogan tagged in and out as if they had done so for years. HBK was poised for “Sweet Chin Music” when
Hassan hit him in kidneys with lead pipe. Hogan smartly made the save, but the tide had turned as Michaels was whipped
from pillar to post as the proud Arab-Americans worked on his lower back. What followed was a Camel Clutch that tested
an injured Michaels’ threshold of pain. The referee stayed between The Hulkster and the action, giving Michaels
no recourse but to fight out or submit. Somehow, HBK rose out of the hold and delivered an Electric Chair Drop to Hassan.
Daivari was tagged in, but Michaels reached Hogan, as well. The Hulkster dominated Daivari and set up the leg drop, but he
ran into the lead pipe as well. Daivari attempted a pin, but Hogan “Hulked up,” hit the big boot and went for
the leg drop again. Hassan grabbed his leg in desperation, but HBK had the answer in the form of Sweet Chin Music to
Daivari. Hogan capitalized with the cover, and the celebration began in Manchester.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Triple H thought his finisher would determine the World Heavyweight Championship match at Backlash. Instead, it was a
high-octane Batista Bomb that proved the difference. Despite receiving a low-blow, Batista caught The Game perched atop
the ropes and sent him crashing to the ring mat with his signature powerbomb. The match’s original referee counted
three, and Batista earned a remarkable victory before the sold-out crowd in Manchester, N.H. The Cerebral Assassin would
attempt a total of five Pedigrees throughout the course of the match, but he’d connect only once and at an
inopportune time. Just prior, Batista attempted a whipping clothesline that Triple H evaded. As a result, the move took
referee Mike Chioda clean off his feet and KO’d him in the process. The Game would take advantage and hit his
finisher, but there was no ref to make the count. Evolution would do everything it could to revive the official, but it
was to no avail; the move’s effects were far more than Chioda could handle. Realizing the situation, referee Jack
Doan would run to ringside, but by that time, Batista had recovered enough to hit a big spinebuster of his own. Triple H
would barely kick out. Earlier, Batista had a close call of his own while attempting the Batista Bomb while Ric Flair was
distracting the referee. Triple H was hoisted up while holding World Heavyweight Championship belt, and he smashed Batista
over the head at the finisher’s apex. Somehow, Batista kicked out, sending The Game into a rage.
It foreshadowed Triple H’s eventual reaction at the conclusion of the match, as his anger and frustration boiled
over. He pushed “The Nature Boy” and Pedigreed the referee, stalking the ring in total disbelief at what had
just transpired. The Game will have to wait for another day to earn world championship No. 11.
RAW
#623
5-2-05 LIVE
Fleet Center
Boston, Massachusetts
The No. 1 Contender to Batista’s World Heavyweight Championship will not be 10-time world champion Triple H.
With the referee knocked out, Batista stormed the ring. He took out Ric Flair with a vicious clothesline and dropped
Triple H with a spinebuster. Despite suffering though concussion-like symptoms all match long, The Crippler took advantage
and cinched in one of his signature submission holds, sending Triple H into thrashing desperation. At one point, The Game
seemed poised to reach the ropes and force a break, but Batista slyly pulled the rope just out of Triple H’s grasp.
Batista stared into The Game’s eyes while taunting him with a tapping motion. Triple H swore under his breath and
finally tapped. The revived ref called for the bell, sending the crowd into an uproar. The Cerebral Assassin was sure
he’d get another chance to win back the World Heavyweight Championship after hitting a Pedigree on Batista last
night. After two monumental losses in succession, it’s unclear what’s next for Evolution now that Triple H
is no longer champion or No. 1 Contender.
“Mr. Money in the Bank” had a drastically different experience the past two nights. After smashing a brick
over the head of Benoit to ensure his victory at Backlash, Edge rallied again against Chris Jericho to make it two crucial
wins in two days. A hungry, determined Jericho took the action to Edge all match long, hitting a hurricanrana, running
enziguri, springboard drop kick and flying plancha to the outside. But “Mr. Money in the Bank” again used his
prized briefcase to his advantage, striking Y2J square in the head while the referee’s back was turned. While Jericho
did somehow kick out of the cover that followed, Edge promptly moved to the corner to set up a spear. When he hit his
finisher, the match was over. If Edge can win the Gold Rush Tournament, it would guarantee him a minimum of two World
Heavyweight Championship opportunities— something Edge says would make is first world championship “money in
the bank.” The loss was especially disheartening for Y2J, who saw a glimmer of hope at winning the World Heavyweight
Championship so soon after a crushing defeat to Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin at Backlash. Benjamin displayed
moves never before seen at Backlash, and there was another first for him on Monday night: facing “The Showstopper”
Shawn Michaels. HBK was forced to cope with Benjamin’s innovative offense and pure athleticism, but Michaels showed
patience and will, waiting for the right moment to hit Sweet Chin Music and collect a wild win to advance in the Gold Rush
Tournament. The ending of their match was nothing short of breathtaking. Benjamin launched himself clear across the ring springboard-style, but Michaels caught him in mid-air with Sweet Chin Music. The impact shot Benjamin to the mat — his head snapping backward from the intense impact. Either the kick itself or the fall KO’d the Intercontinental Champion, who lay motionless and HBK hooked the leg for the hard-fought pin. A bloody Michaels was disoriented following the match’s conclusion. He checked his busted-open mouth and slowly made his way from the ring. Clearly, the pace and difficulty of the contest took a severe toll on Michaels, as well.
Christian crashed Backlash and declared during a freestyle rap that after the draft lottery, he’d be world champion.
The Gold Rush Tournament provided the perfect forum for Captain Charisma to make good … until he learned his
first-round opponent was Kane. Christian tried to avoid Kane’s power assault and stay on offense, but the Big Red
Monster eventually caught him. What followed was a chokeslam and three-count, which even “Problem Solver”
Tyson Tomko was powerless to prevent.
The semifinal brackets will feature Edge vs. Michaels in the renewal of a bitter rivalry and Chris Benoit vs. Kane as
brute force matches up with technical ring prowess.
Following his loss to Hulk Hogan and HBK at Backlash, Muhammad Hassan lashed out an everyone around him. He reminded the
Boston crowd that he still hasn’t been pinned, then blamed his loss on teammate Daivari. The shocked manager pleaded
for mercy at Hassan’s feet, but the brash Hassan would have none of it. Hassan twice slapped Daivari to the mat and
kicked him in the head for added emphasis. Despite the beating and humiliation, Daivari crawled his way up the ramp
trailing Hassan.
More upbeat were new World Tag Team Champions The Hurricane & Rosey, who beat La Resistance for the second time in two
nights.
And Stacy Keibler never looked better. In addition to posing in swimsuits for the special Viva Las Divas magazine and DVD,
she’s also the cover girl of the latest issue of Stuff Magazine.
MATCHES:
Kane defeated Christian in a Gold Rush Tournament Match
Viscera defeated Simon Dean
Shawn Michaels defeated Shelton Benjamin in a Gold Rush Tournament Match
World Tag Team Champions The Hurricane & Rosey defeated La Resistance
Edge defeated Chris Jericho in a Gold Rush Tournament Match
Chris Masters defeated a Boston area fan with his Master Lock Challenge
RAW
#624
5-9-05 LIVE
Wachovia Arena
Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania
It’s final. Two of RAW’s most determined (and arguably disturbed) competitors will battle in
the last match of the Gold Rush Tournament next week when Edge faces Kane. The last bracket was revealed Monday night in
Wilkes-Barre, Penn., when “Mr. Money in the Bank” got the better of “The Showstopper” in a renewed
bitter rivalry, and Kane took out Chris Benoit with a chokeslam.
First, The Rabid Wolverine met the Big Red Monster in a contrast of styles on Monday night, but it was Lita who tipped the
scales. When Kane’s wife went down grabbing her injured knee, Benoit came to her aid. In doing so, he turned his
back on Kane, who smashed him in the back of the head. Immediately, all thoughts went to the Backlash Last Man Standing
Match, where Edge cracked Benoit in the skull with a brick. After being blasted in the same spot by Kane, Benoit never
recovered. The monster dragged Benoit back into the ring, picked him up by the throat and chokeslammed him into the mat.
With the pin that followed, Benoit’s chance to advance in the Gold Rush Tournament and challenge Batista for the
World Heavyweight Championship vanished.
Next, HBK and Edge went toe-to-toe, and you could say that Edge robbed the bank to steal a win. When Edge went to finish
Michaels with a spear, he ran right into “Sweet Chin Music,” but there was no ref to make the count after an
inadvertent collision earlier. HBK was forced to abandon the cover and attempt to revive the referee, giving Edge time to
move his coveted briefcase into position for an attack. When Michaels went for a sunset flip from the outside of the ring
apron, Edge lifted the briefcase and slugged HBK square in the head. The shot dented the briefcase, which Edge quickly
kicked out of the ring, and the groggy referee counted three.
With both semifinals in the books, the finals of the No. 1 Contender tournament becomes Edge vs. Kane next week on RAW.
If Kane can win, it’ll set up a battle of two of RAW’s most powerful Superstars with the World Heavyweight
Championship on the line. If it’s Edge, he’ll have two guaranteed chances to win the World Heavyweight
Championship — something he said would then be “money in the bank.”
Former and 10-time World Heavyweight Champion Triple H wasn’t there to see any of the semifinals unfold. When RAW
General Manager Eric Bischoff refused to cancel or interrupt the Gold Rush Tournament to give him a World Heavyweight
Championship rematch, The Game stormed off and left RAW in a limousine. Triple H declared that he wouldn’t return
until he got his championship opportunity, and that both RAW and Batista would fall apart without him. Regardless,
the events left Evolution ally Ric Flair to his own devices Monday night, and he chose to take out his frustration with
the situation on Christian and Tyson Tomko. Captain Charisma made a point of stopping to mock Flair’s predicament
(as the second time in two weeks the two had a confrontation), but he picked the wrong time to mess with “The Nature
Boy.” In response, Flair challenged Christian to a match right there on RAW. But Christian balked at the
challenge, calling Flair a “problem,” when he just happened to have a “Problem Solver” in Tyson
Tomko. In the revised match that followed, “The Dirtiest Player in the Game” took full advantage of a
distracted referee, blasting Tomko with a low-blow and then rolling him up with a handful of tights. Now, Christian has a
real problem — and no one to left to solve it.
Elsewhere on RAW, Daivari begged for forgiveness from Muhammad Hassan — even getting down on his knees and pleading
to be back in good graces. He attempted to win a match for Muhammad as a show of loyalty, but he ran into the wrong
opponent: Chris Jericho. When Daivari attempted a hurricanrana out of the corner, Y2J caught him and reversed the move
into the Walls of Jericho. Daivari promptly tapped from the excruciating pain. But afterward Hassan made his presence felt,
beating down Jericho with a sneak attack from behind. It took an appearance from Shelton Benjamin — Jericho’s
former opponent — to fight off the brash newcomers. But little did Shelton know that those actions would put him on
Hassan’s short list for payback.
The malcontent team of La Resistance wanted a World Tag Team Championship Match on RAW, but they turned on each other in a
bickering spat in the GM’s office. So, in spirit of Gold Rush Tournament, Bischoff gave them each a surprise
opponent on RAW so that they could show who actually was the stronger link of the successful tag-team duo. Robert
Conway showed his relief when Sylvain’s opponent (not his) was revealed to be none other than the 485-pound Viscera.
Big Vis crushed Grenier with a sit-down powerbomb before making yet another pass at RAW Diva and ring announcer Lilian
Garcia. But Conway’s demeanor changed dramatically when he realized his opponent was Intercontinental Champion
Shelton Benjamin. Shelton used a springboard bulldog to put down Conway, making La Resistance 0-2 on the evening. But
after the match, Hassan and Daivari attacked the young Intercontinental Champion, sending the message that nobody messes
with their business on RAW.
In other news, Bischoff confirmed that the RAW and SmackDown! Divas are also eligible for the upcoming draft lottery.
The GM also lashed out in anger when he was informed that ECW had bought a commercial on “his show” to promote
their “One Night Stand” pay-per-view on June 12. Bischoff declared, “Just like I did when I ran WCW,
I’m going to squash ECW like a bug.”
Announced for next week, it’s the finals of the Gold Rush Tournament when Edge faces Kane. Will it be “Money
in the Bank,” or will the husband and wife tandem “get what they want” again. Regardless, World
Heavyweight Champion Batista is sure to be scouting his future opponent. Also, “The Nature Boy” will get the
match he really wanted, facing Christian one-on-one, and Chris Jericho & Shelton Benjamin will get their chance at
retribution when they face Muhammad Hassan & Daivari in tag-team action.
MATCHES:
Chris Jericho defeated Daivari
Viscera defeated Sylvain Grenier
Ric Flair defeated Tyson Tomko
Kane defeated Chris Benoit in a Gold Rush Tournament semifinal match
Shelton Benjamin defeated Rob Conway
Edge defeated Shawn Michaels in a Gold Rush Tournament semifinal match
RAW
#625
5-16-05 LIVE
Qwest Center
Omaha, Nebraska
Lita said she “always gets what she wants.” This past Monday was no exception. Unfortunately for Kane,
however, it was Edge that she wanted. After a turbulent and painful past together, Kane and Lita appeared to have worked
out their differences — showing affection and pushing toward the common goal of winning the Gold Rush Tournament.
But after betraying her husband and costing him the No. 1 Contender spot in the Finals, that affection looks to have been
all a means to an end. Deep in the Gold Rush Tournament Final Match, Edge was poised to hit Kane with his metal briefcase
while the referee was knocked out of commission. Yet when he dashed across the ring, he ran straight into a big boot from
the Big Red Monster. Lita appeared to be holding the briefcase for “safe-keeping” to protect her husband, but
when he went to the top rope to deliver a clothesline, she quickly handed the case off to Edge, who caught Kane out of
mid-air in the face. Kane crumpled to the mat, and Lita revived the referee and helped him into position to make a slow
three-count. Lita pounced on Edge in an embrace as the two celebrated Edge’s second guaranteed World Heavyweight
Championship opportunity now being “money in the bank.” They headed swiftly up the ramp, and when Kane sat up,
he witnessed the unthinkable as his wife passionately kissed his opponent. As a result, next week on RAW, Batista will
defend the World Heavyweight Championship against the winner of the Gold Rush Tournament: Edge. Batista will now also have
to keep his eye on Lita, who has proved she can tip the balance of a match from ringside. All this occurred in
Triple H’s absence. The 10-time former world champion refused to appear on RAW, much to the dismay of Evolution
ally Ric Flair. And with The Game missing, it was shockingly Batista who came to the aid of “The Nature Boy”
following his questionable victory over Christian. When Captain Charisma went for a roll-up with a hand on the ring ropes
for leverage, the ref broke it up. “The Dirtiest Player in the Game” took the opportunity for a roll-up of his
own, and this time the hand on the ropes went undetected as the referee counted three. “Problem Solver” Tyson
Tomko was beside himself with rage, demanding the official overturn his decision. An angry Christian then attacked Flair
after the bell, and the two pummeled “The Nature Boy.” Unable to watch his former mentor take such a beating,
the World Heavyweight Champion emerged and cleared the ring. The former Evolution stablemates were left looking at each
other, taking in what had just occurred.
Meanwhile, Chris Jericho played down his loss alongside Shelton Benjamin to Muhammad Hassan & Daivari. Y2J was caught
with Hassan’s modified STO finisher and was covered for the pin, but after the match he seemed to blow it off.
He told Benjamin that he had little time to worry about RAW with his TV appearances, XM Radio show and his band Fozzy was
selling out shows internationally. He even handed Shelton tickets for his upcoming concert in St. Louis, Mo.
To the horror of William Regal, his tag-team partner Tajiri enthusiastically agreed to an ECW Rules Match with Chris
Benoit on RAW. The two former ECW competitors wanted to bring a little “extreme” flavor to RAW in honor of
the ECW pay-per-view upcoming on June 12. And it seemed they’d get their way with General Manger Eric Bischoff
distracted with other matters. They littered the ring with weapons and went at it. The Crippler promptly dropped Tajiri
head-first into the ring steps, knocking him out. He then placed Tajiri atop a table and climbed atop a ladder in the ring.
Just before he could attempt an “extreme” diving headbutt, Bischoff called a halt to the match, saying that
all things ECW were now banned from RAW. He even went so far as to ban all ECW alums on the RAW roster from participating
in the ECW pay-per-view — with the exception of a group of RAW volunteers who would help him destroy ECW on June 12
once and for all.
The Master Lock Challenge continued successfully, but what happened afterward wasn’t at all what “The
Masterpiece” expected. A healed Steven Richards attacked Masters, attempting to get revenge for breaking his nose
and the bone around his eye in Masters’ RAW debut. Richards went for a chair at first opportunity, forcing Masters
to flee the ring to regroup.
In an injury update, we learned that Shawn Michaels is currently at home recuperating from the Grade 1 concussion he
suffered when hit in the head with Edge’s briefcase one week ago.
And Randy Orton showed up on RAW to declare that since he’s on the injured list (shoulder), he should be exempt from
the upcoming draft lottery. But none other than Mr. McMahon made a surprise appearance, saying that no one — not
even those Superstars recovering from injury — are exempt from the draft. He went on to explain all the details,
locking in June 6 as the official commencement date of the draft lottery.
MATCHES:
Muhammad Hassan & Daivari defeated Chris Jericho & Shelton Benjamin
Ric Flair defdefeated Christian
Chris Masters defeated a volunteer out of the crowd via the Master Lock Challenge
Chris Benoit vs. Tajiri in an unfinished ECW Rules Match stopped by Eric Bischoff
Christy defeated Candice in a Lingerie Pillow Fight
World Tag Team Champions The Hurricane & Rosey defeated Maven & Simon Dean
Edge defeated Kane in the Gold Rush Tournament Finals
JUDGMENT DAY
5-22-05 LIVE
Target Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
It took three attempts, but the undaunted Paul London finally connected with his high-risk finisher to reap a victory over
Chavo Guerrero at Judgment Day Sunday night. London looked to have the match won early when he went for the 450 Splash,
only to have the crafty Guerrero put his knees up to block the move and send London reeling. From there, Guerrero had the
advantage as he worked over the daredevil Cruiserweight Champion, at one point using a painful abdominal stretch on London,
who was already suffering from hurt ribs after the botched 450 Splash. But London would rally and eventually prepare for
yet another 450 Splash, this time trying to nail Guerrero while he was on the outside. Unfortunately for London, he merely
grazed the challenger. As a result, both Superstars felt the pain from the risky maneuver. After trading blows on the top
rope, London sent Guerrero to the mat and finally connected with a perfect 450 Splash for the win.
U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP
Heidenreich made another friend but he lost his chance at winning the United States Championship at Judgment Day.
Heidenreich met a young girl before the match and entertained the crowd with one of his Disasterpieces, much to the
chagrin of Jordan. Jordan dominated Heidenreich early, but eventually Heidenreich got in some overpowering offense.
Jordan finally surprised Heidenreich with a surprise DDT to get the win and retain the United States Championship.
Heidenreich’s friend would eventually cheer him up after the match, but it didn’t change the result.
WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
MNM lived up to the hype once again Sunday night. After Melina touted MNM as the hottest thing around as they approached
the red carpet prior to their match, MNM showed great resiliency and uncommon poise for a young team to defeat Hardcore
Holly & Charlie Haas in Minneapolis at Judgment Day. Holly & Haas controlled much of the early action, using their
veteran experience to keep MNM off balance. At one point Haas threw both Mercury and Nitro out of the ring and then
flattened them with a flying body press to the outside. But with the referee distracted, Haas got caught with a cheap shot
from Nitro, who rammed the neck of Haas into the top rope, setting up the perfect opportunity for the Snapshot, which MNM
executed to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.
CARLITO CARRIBEAN COOL vs. THE BIG SHOW
It looks like Carlito knew what he was doing when he selected Matt Morgan as his bodyguard. With the powerful Morgan in
Carlito’s corner, Carlito was able to stun Big Show with a victory at Judgment Day. Show, who was looking for
revenge after Carlito handed him a bad apple during the Cabana that eventually got him violently ill, really needed two
sets of eyes for this match. After the referee was knocked off the apron when he collided with Carlito, Morgan delivered a
boot to Show’s face and actually lifted the mammoth Show for an F-5. Show was actually ready to deliver to a
chokeslam before Morgan interfered. Moments later, Carlito swooped in for the pin as the ref regained his senses.
REY MYSTERIO vs. EDDIE GUERRERO
The tension before the match was tangible as the former friends and partners stared down each other before trading vicious
blows to the face at Judgment Day. Later on, Eddie Guerrero twice slammed an already tender Rey Mysterio twice onto the
announcers' table back-first. Mysterio was clearly still nursing injuries to his back and ribs suffered earlier this month
when Latino Heat suplexed Mysterio on the steel steps. Guerrero would focus on Mysterio’s ribs for much of the match,
but Mysterio would recover and keep Guerrero at bay with a series of high-flying and high-risk maneuvers. Both men battled
to the edge of exhaustion. At one point, Guerrero connected with a Superplex off the top rope as Mysterio found just enough
energy to twice kick out. Chavo Guerrero, Eddie’s nephew, would eventually come to the ring and distract the referee.
But Mysterio still managed to hit the 619 on Eddie and seemed poised for the win. But when Mysterio went for the West
Coast Pop, Guerrero blocked the high-risk move with a steel chair to get disqualified. A frustrated Guerrero reacted by
smashing a fallen Mysterio with a number of chair shots to the body before walking from the ring with a sick look of
perverse enjoyment.
BOOKER T. vs. KURT ANGLE
It doesn’t pay to mess with Booker T’s wife. After verbally and physically harassing Sharmell for two weeks,
Kurt Angle got what many SmackDown! observers thought he had coming. Before the match, Booker T learned that Angle had
sent panties and a pair of handcuffs to Sharmell. Angle later jumped Sharmell on a backstage couch, all of which infuriated
Booker T would connect with a scissors kick as Angle was hanging over the top rope, sending the Olympic Champ hard to the
outside. Angle made a comeback, however, and began to work Booker T over with a choke hold. But Booker found his second
wind, and after both Superstars just missed finishers, Booker hit the Bookend only to have Angle kick out. Moments later,
Booker stunned Angle with a small package counter for the sudden victory. As Sharmell ran to the ring to celebrate with
her husband, Angle attacked Booker and connected with the Angle Slam. With Booker T down, Angle set his sights on Sharmell,
almost handcuffing her to the ropes. Booker regained his senses just in time to stop the atrocity, snatching the cuffs and
locking Angle to the rope while he went to work. Sharmell would get the last word as she slapped Angle in the face and
kicked him in the groin before leaving the ring with Booker T.
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
JBL fought like a man desperate to regain the WWE Championship. Meanwhile, John Cena was even more determined to retain it.
Cena survivied a bloody, brutal and exhausting “I Quit” Match a Judgment Day to retain the WWE Championship he
won at WrestleMania 21. Early on, JBL took the action to the outside and even grabbed the mic to ask Cena to quit. Cena
responded with a right hand to the face. JBL countered by throwing Cena into the steel steps and whipping him with a belt.
He then used the same belt to choke Cena up against the steel ring post. JBL was preparing to slam Cena on the announce
table before the WWE Champion reversed the move and flipped JBL onto the Spanish announcers' table. JBL, not to be outdone,
countered with a brutal chair shot. That shot opened up a gash on Cena’s head as he began to bleed profusely while
JBL chipped away. With Cena covered in blood, JBL began to choke him with the champ's own steel chain. Cena relentlessly
fought back and landed a Five Knuckle Shuffle and the FU as JBL crawled out of the ring and headed up the ramp. The two
men proceeded to wrestle near the production area, and Cena would then ram JBL’s head into a television monitor and
a passenger side window of JBL’s limo. Cena eventually tracked JBL down on the flatbed of the truck the Dr. of
Thuganomics took to the ring. JBL found enough energy to DDT Cena on the truck, but neither man would quit. JBL took the
brunt of the punishment moments later when a Cena punch launched him onto a table, which he broke in half with is body.
Minutes later, JBL quit when Cena was preparing to clock him with a metal exhaust pipe, ensuring the WWE Championship
would stay with the same man who won it at WrestleMania.
RAW
# 626
5-23-05 LIVE
Resch Center
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Batista successfully defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Edge on RAW, overcoming a stacked deck in the
process. But what followed not only tainted his win, it had implications for his future, as well.
“Mr. Money in the
Bank” Edge looked poised to win his first world championship. He had Lita at his side, help from Christian and Tyson
Tomko and Batista down. But he didn’t bank on “The Nature Boy” getting involved.
Ric Flair stormed the ring late in RAW’s main event, responding to Edge and his allies’ underhanded tactics.
Flair couldn’t keep the foursome at bay for long, but he did enough damage to create a small opening for the
champion. Batista cleared the ring, and then when Edge tried to smash him in the head with the briefcase, Batista ducked
and hit the Batista Bomb. The ref counted three, signifying Batista’s victory. The former Evolution mates hugged in
the center of the ring, but little did Batista know that it was all part of The Cerebral Assassin’s plan. When
Triple H’s music hit for the first time in weeks, “The Dirtiest Player in the Game” delivered a low-blow.
Batista crumpled to the mat as The Game pounced on him with a sledgehammer, hitting him repeatedly in the face. Flair held
Batista’s arms as Triple H pummeled and slapped his bloodied face. The Game then said four words before delivering a
Pedigree onto the World Heavyweight Championship belt: “Hell in a Cell.” There was no immediate word on
Batista’s condition, or when this proposed Hell in a Cell Match could potentially take place.
Edge’s loss came as little consolation to Kane, who appeared devastated with grief and heartbreak during an
interview with Todd Grisham. Kane was still reeling from his wife’s betrayal and passionate affection shown toward
Edge last week on RAW. In addition, Lita this week declared that she never loved Kane and was using him all along. As a
result of the events, Kane was despondent, visibly shaken and almost at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, former head of WCW and current RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff had planned an official ECW funeral.
Unfortunately for Bischoff, it did not go as planned. First WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon voiced his support of the ECW
pay-per-view on June 12, explaining his vested financial interest in the rebellious promotion. Then, he introduced ECW
mastermind Paul Heyman, who told the fans exactly what ECW stands for and what kind of event they can expect at ECW One
Night Stand. He reminded Mr. McMahon that while he may not own it, he still has control of ECW … and that he
welcomes Bischoff’s invasion force to try to interfere. “You may light a fire that you can’t put out,
” said Heyman before lighting the ECW funeral wreath ablaze. Since he was in the ECW spirit, Mr. McMahon also
granted the ECW Rules Match Bischoff stopped and banned one week ago. In the “extreme” contest that followed,
Chris Benoit overcame a kendo stick ambush and the green mist of Tajiri to earn an inventive win: When “The
Crippler” locked in the Crossface, Tajiri grabbed hold of that kendo stick and began smacking Benoit across the back
and head. The Rabid Wolverine snatched the stick away and used it as further submission hold leverage — forcing
“The Japanese Buzzsaw” to tap while the crowd chanted “ECW” in unison.
Earlier, it seemed as if rock stardom has gone to the head of Chris Jericho. The “Ayatollah of Rock N Rolla”
actually missed his tag-team match alongside Shelton Benjamin when he lost track of time attending to his band Fozzy.
A dismayed Benjamin was forced to face both Muhammad Hassan & Daivari in a Handicap Match as a result. Despite a gutsy
effort, Benjamin eventually fell victim to the numbers game, as he was overwhelmed by his two opponents and dropped with
Hassan’s modified STO finisher. Jericho later showed and scored a better-late-than-never victory over Sylvain Grenier.
But Y2J was also confronted by Benjamin, who wanted a straight answer about the no-show. Jericho did apologize, but added
that he’s “not going to be punished for having a life outside of WWE.”
MATCHES:
Muhammad Hassan & Daivari defeated Shelton Benjamin via a Handicap Match
Chris Masters defeated Steven Richards
Chris Jericho defeated Sylvain Grenier
Chris Benoit defeated Tajiri via a ECW Rules Match
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated Edge
RAW
# 627
5-30-05 LIVE
Penngrowth Saddledome
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Triple H picked the right week not to be at RAW. With The Game absent, Batista went on a vicious rampage, destroying both
Muhammad Hassan and Daivari while being disqualified in the process. When Daivari tried to intervene, Batista busted him
open with knee after knee to the face. Then, he refused to break a choke on Hassan, forcing the referee to call for the
bell. But the World Heavyweight Champion wasn’t done sending a message to the man who beat him down with a
sledgehammer last week. Batista bloodied Hassan with a crushing chair shot, powerbombed both men, then hovered over their
broken bodies while holding his championship belt high. The onslaught was all the more impressive considering just how
battered Batista was from the attack suffered at the hands of Triple H and Flair one week ago. After what occurred on RAW,
it’s clear that Batista is capable of anything inside the frightening structure. But it’s Triple H who has
used Hell in a Cell to end careers, something he reminded Batista of during an off-site interview.
In an interview on Y2J’s Highlight Reel, Kane was again despondent. Chris Jericho tried anything and everything to
get Kane to answer some questions, but he simply remained silent until interrupted by Edge’s presence on the
TitanTron. Edge taunted Kane, then Lita entered the frame and declared that she had officially filed for divorce. The
couple then flushed Lita’s wedding ring down the toilet before embracing before Kane’s eyes, making him all
the more distraught.
RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff showed just what Paul Heyman must be wary of at ECW’s One Night Stand on June 12.
Bischoff held a “Tables Match” between his representative Edge and Chris Benoit on RAW to prove that his
roster could outdo ECW any night. Although Bischoff was banking on an Edge victory, twice The Crippler looked poised to
win. First, he set Edge up for a superplex through a table, only to have Lita move the table aside. Then, he set up a
diving headbutt with Edge lying on a table, but Lita thwarted that attempt, as well. At that point, Bischoff had seen
enough, waving several of his RAW Superstars, which swarmed The Rabid Wolverine. A well-placed kick from Gene Snitsky
sealed the deal, as Benoit lost consciousness and was scooped up and powerbombed through a table by Edge for the victory.
The events seemed to be a signal from Bischoff to his ECW counterpart as to what could be in store when RAW’s
presence is felt at the ECW pay-per-view.
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin was placed in a precarious Triple Threat Match against Robert Conway and
Sylvain Grenier. Both members of La Resistance were looking to substantiate singles careers, and after early teamwork,
they refused to allow the other to cover Benjamin. Eventually, things broke down as Conway and Grenier went at each other,
and Benjamin picked his spot to hit a dragon whip and T-bone suplex to Grenier to eek out the win.
Meanwhile, Viscera interrupted a special Memorial Day Swimsuit Competition, carrying off contestant Lilian Garcia. But the
show went on, and sexy Christy topped Divas Victoria, Candice and Maria. The loss was the last straw for Victoria, who
superkicked Maria, punched Candice and took out Jerry Lawler with a low-blow before delivering the Widow’s Peak to
Christy. Afterward, Victoria explained that after watching Christy get all the attention — and a coveted Women`s
Championship Match at WrestleMania 21 — that she had simply had enough.
Also, Christian addressed his adoring Peeps in Calgary, Alberta, letting them know that if he’s drafted to
SmackDown! next week, that show will get an infusion of the Three C’s: Charisma, Canada and Christian.
Chris Masters upped his challenge to $10,000 this week, and for the first time, he opened up the competition to RAW`s
roster of Superstars. Accomplished veteran Val Venis promptly answered the call. Sensing his hands would literally be full,
“The Masterpiece” delivered a cheap shot to Venis before hooking in the Master Lock. Val fought back and nearly
powered out of the hold, but Masters refused to release it and eventually Venis succumbed. It was Masters’ most
impressive challenge to date.
MATCHES:
Christy Hemme won the Memorial Day Swimsuit Competition
World Tag Team Champions The Hurricane & Rosey with Stacy Keibler defeated The Heart Throbs
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin defeated Sylvain Grenier and Robert Conway via a Triple Threat Match
Edge defeated Chris Benoit via a Tables Match
Chris Masters defeated Val Venis in a Master Lock Challenge match
Muhammad Hassan defeated Batista via a DQ in a non-title match
RAW
# 628
6-6-05 LIVE
Savvis Center
St. Louis Missouri
After one head-spinning night, RAW fans everywhere were left to wonder if what they saw on Monday night really happened.
Over the course of two jaw-dropping hours of Monday night television, fans not only saw John Cena — the WWE Champion
and former SmackDown! Superstar — drafted to RAW, but they also witnessed an invasion of ECW stars that
included standouts Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman and Rhyno. After the show, fans in the sold-out Savvis Center were seen
turning to each other for answers and discussing the ramifications of what just transpired. The more they talked to each
other, however, the more question marks popped into their heads: Did we really see ECW crash and burn RAW, fully
resurrected and vicious as ever? Was that The Sandman on WWE-branded television blasting Bischoff’s
anti-ECW crusaders with a kendo stick? Was it really the return of the Dudleys, alongside the likes of “The
Innovator of Violence” Tommy Dreamer, Rhyno, Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten — with weapons in hand —
making bodies hit the floor?
Did we really see the WWE Champion ripped from megastar status on Thursday nights and planted — alongside World
Heavyweight Champion Batista — on RAW? Did we really experience that outpouring of emotion on The Highlight Reel
when the news sunk in and John Cena was forced to address his fans about these events on live television — then
confront Christian? What will it mean for “The Champ” to be here on RAW, and where does that leave the
SmackDown! franchise?
RAW began with thrilled General Manger Eric Bischoff eagerly anticipating the announcement of the first Superstar to move
from SmackDown! to RAW. The scene shifted to the center of the ring, where Y2J — unaware of who the selection would
be — called out for the first pick to appear. When Cena’s signature voice and the brass horns of his fitting
song, “The Time is Now” hit, Jericho’s jaw dropped. Cena emerged with the WWE Championship raised high.
He walked confidently to the ring, looking into the crowd at the faces of RAW’s fans and telling them, “The
Champ is here!” The crowd chanted his name as he soaked in the unforgettable moment. Later, Christian and Tyson Tomko
tried to sour Cena’s RAW debut. Instead, Cena dropped some freestyle rhymes on Christian before taking down Tomko
with his FU finisher.
Clearly on Thursday, all eyes will be on SmackDown! General Manger Theodore Long, who must first pick up the pieces,
address the void created by Cena’s departure, then attempt to fill that void with his first draft pick. Can he
possibly create as many waves with the selection of the first Superstar to move from RAW to SmackDown!? We’ll find
out Thursday on UPN.
Meanwhile, World Heavyweight Champion Batista and Triple H made their Vengeance Hell in a Cell Match official. The Game
reminded Batista and the crowd that he’s undefeated in the demonic structure and has used it end careers. But
Batista didn’t back down, telling Triple H that signed up for a one-way ticket to Hell.
In addition, the GM guaranteed that this match would take place as scheduled regardless of the Draft Lottery, and he also
made a second Vengeance match: Kane vs. Edge. After weeks of enduring malicious taunting, Kane will get his chance to
silence Lita and her new love interest. But if he falls at the pay-per-view in Las Vegas, it could be the ultimate anguish.
If next week’s RAW is to match this week’s intensity, it’s off to a good start. In addition to the
second SmackDown!-to-RAW Draft Lottery selection, the main event will feature RAW’s newest champion — John
Cena — in a tag-team match alongside Y2J against Christian & Tyson Tomko. And none other than Stone Cold will be
administering some Texas Rattlesnake-style justice in Stone Cold Court opposite Muhammad Hassan and Daivari. Hassan thought
he had become the new Intercontinental Champion during an unusual Handicap Match alongside Daivari against Shelton Benjamin.
Under a stipulation granted by Bischoff, if either Daivari or Hassan pinned Benjamin, Hassan would become the new
Intercontinental Champion. And when Hassan hit his modified STO finisher and covered Shelton, he thought he had ended the
longest Intercontinental Championship reign in recent memory. Little did he realize that Shelton managed to get a foot atop the bottom rope, forcing the referee to correct his original ruling and negate the victory.
Hassan and Daivari were furious and never fully regained their composure. Benjamin seized the opportunity to hit his
T-bone suplex on Daivari to pick up the win despite the difficult odds against. Following the match, Hassan and Daivari
stormed into Bischoff’s office, attempting to use the referee’s decision as further evidence of discrimination
on RAW. There, Bischoff informed Hassan that WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon has assigned an independent authority to deal with
their grievances next week on RAW: Stone Cold Steve Austin.
MATCHES:
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin defeated Muhammad Hassan & Daivari via a Handicap Match
Chris Masters defeated Val Venis
The Heart Throbs & Victoria defeated The Hurricane, Rosey & Christy Hemme w/Stacy Keibler via a DQ
Kane match never officially got underway
Chris Benoit defeated Gene Snitsky in an ECW Rules Match
ONE NIGHT STAND
ECW
6-12-05 LIVE
Hammerstein Ballroom
New York, New York
ECW’s first event in nearly a half of a decade kicked off with a thunderous ovation for the voice of ECW,
Joey Styles. Over the next three hours, the ECW fans on hand at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City managed to
sustain their level of applause and excitement, and oftentimes, believe it or not, even exceeded it.
Best friends battled in the first match of One Night Stand when “Lionheart” Chris Jericho took on one half of
the Impact Players – Lance Storm, with Dawn Marie. Not only are Jericho and Storm best friends, but they also
competed together in the past as a tag team. At One Night Stand, however, they were on opposite ends of the ring.
Prior to the event, Storm mentioned to many that his One Night Stand match against Jericho would probably be his last.
That said, Storm clearly used every ounce of athleticism in him to go out with a bang. What happened at the end of the
physical encounter, however, left many people wondering if that was the way that Lance Storm actually wanted to end his
successful career. Rather than the match’s decision coming as a result of one ECW star’s superior efforts,
Justin Credible and Jason interfered on Storm’s behalf, hitting Jericho with a kendo stick. The impact was enough
to cost Jericho the match. In the end, it was clear that Lance Storm had stolen a win from his best friend.
The Tajiri vs. Little Guido vs. Super Crazy match was so intense that color commentator Mick Foley was forced to let Joey
Styles call the match on his own because the three ECW stars were executing moves so innovative that he didn’t know
how to call them. At one point, the action spilled out to the crowd. With the entire Full Blooded Italian faction standing
on the arena floor, Super Crazy climbed to the second floor balcony and executed a jaw-dropping moonsault. Shortly
thereafter, Little Guido was eliminated from the match. After several more minutes of action, Super Crazy finally won the
match after hitting a top-rope moonsault onto Tajiri.
Psicosis and Rey Mysterio have competed against each other more than 500 times. This encounter easily went down as one of
the most anticipated. Prior to the match, Psicosis removed his mask as a sign of love and mutual respect for the ECW fans.
When the bell finally rang, neither man showed any regard for his body. At one point, Mysterio even jumped into the crowd
onto a Psicosis. In the end, it was Mysterio picking up the win with the West Coast Pop.
After the Psicosis/Rey Mysterio match, SmackDown! Superstars Kurt Angle and JBL verbally assaulted the ECW fans. Luckily,
the return of Rob Van Dam to pay-per-view stopped Angle and JBL. RVD, with Bill Alfonso, interrupted JBL, saying that he
was tired of having JBL and his image shoved down his throat every time he wants to watch wrestling. RVD then continued to
shoot from the heart, claiming he was going back to a time when his vocabulary was not limited to simply whatever or
“cool.” Van Dam said that the time he spent in ECW was the best of his career. In fact, ECW was so important
to RVD that not being able to compete at One Night Stand because of injury was worse than missing any overseas WWE event
or even WrestleMania. RVD then went into how he planted the seed of One Night Stand into Mr. McMahon’s head. But
before he could get into it anymore, Rhyno ran to the ring and Gored an unsuspecting Van Dam. Immediately after the Gore,
the lights at the Hammerstein Ballroom shut off, leaving the arena completely black. When the lights finally came back on,
Sabu was standing in the middle of the ring. Rhyno and Sabu then competed in an unscheduled match. Rhyno, the last ECW
World Heavyweight Champion, looked to be in the best shape of his career. Unfortunately for Rhyno, however, his chiseled
frame was not enough to stop the three-on-one attack of Sabu, RVD and Alfonso. Van Dam eventually slammed Rhyno with a
steel chair, then placed him on top of a table. From there, Sabu, using another steel chair as a weapon, leg dropped
Rhyno through the table. That proved to be enough for the pinfall victory.
As expected, Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero put on a wrestling clinic at One Night Stand. Both successful SmackDown!
Superstars clearly gave it their all in an attempt to entertain the ECW fans. In the end, Guerrero had no choice –
tap out or have his neck broken at the hands of a Benoit Crippler Crossface. Guerrero wisely tapped out.
In a match just signed for One Night Stand this past Friday, Mike Awesome took on Masato Tanaka. The incredible
resilience of the Awesome and Tanaka caused the capacity crowd to shower the competitors with chants of “This match
rules.” Highlighted by countless chair shots, broken tables, tornado DDTs and just complete carnage, the match ended
when Awesome pinned Tanaka on the floor after delivering an Awesome Bomb through a table from inside the ring to the
outside. After the match, Mick Foley and Joey Styles, who berated Awesome for leaving ECW for WCW years ago, agreed that
Awesome had to feel a great sense of redemption after WCW made him look like a fool with the “That 70’s
Guy” persona.
Prior to the night’s main event, Paul Heyman took to the ring and thanked
the people that made ECW possible. Heyman then focused his attention on the WWE crusaders in attendance, more specifically
Eric Bischoff, Edge and JBL. Heyman took great pride in reminding him that he was in the audience at an ECW pay-per-view,
not a WCW pay-per-view. He then focused his attention on Edge. Just after mocking the RAW Superstar by telling everybody
to hide their wives, Heyman said he had one name for him – “Matt Freaking Hardy.” Finally, Heyman told
JBL that the only reason he was WWE Champion for close to one year was because Triple H didn’t want to compete on
SmackDown!
One Night Stand’s main event was easily the most violent and bloodiest encounter of the night. But before the match
could officially get under way, the bWo and Kid Kash attempted to make their presence felt. When they finally cleared the
ring, Bubba Ray and D-Von fought for their professional lives against Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman. All four competitors
lost immense amounts of blood thanks to the use of chairs, ladders, tables and even cheese graders.
Believe it or not, the match became even more interesting when the Impact Players, complete with barbed wire, and Francine
interfered. Francine promptly kicked Dreamer below the belt. But before any more damage could be done to Dreamer, Beulah
ran to the ring and cleared Francine from the match. A bloody Dreamer and Beulah then shared an emotional embrace before
executing a double DDT to the Dudleys. Just when it looked like the Dudleys had no chance of winning, Spike Dudley ran to
the ring. Spike did not come alone, though. – he brought lighter fluid. Not long after, Dreamer was powerbombed
through a flaming table. Bubba quickly covered Dreamer for the win.
After the match, former ECW star Stone Cold Steve Austin invited the entire ECW locker room into the ring, including Tazz.
Stone Cold then invited the WWE crusaders to the ring. An emotional ECW quickly cleaned house of the crusaders. With
nobody left to save him, Eric Bischoff then fell victim to a 3D, Diving Headbutt from Benoit, 619 and a Stone Cold Stunner.
By the end of the night, it was clear that, even if for one night only, ECW was alive!
RAW
# 629
6-13-05 LIVE
Broome County Arena
Binghamton, New York
One week after RAW landed the WWE Champion, John Cena, in the first round of the Draft Lottery, another huge name was
selected to start competing on Monday nights when Kurt Angle was announced as the newest member of the RAW roster. Triple H,
with Ric Flair by his side, was quick to point out to Angle that RAW was The Game’s show, and that just because he
was selected in the Draft Lottery doesn’t give him the right to do whatever he wants. Angle took great exception to
Triple H’s comments, telling him that he will not take a backseat to anybody. Angle’s strong comments were not
just directed at The Game, he was also referring to Batista. In fact, to prove that he was not going to take a backseat to
anybody, Angle agreed to face Batista next week on RAW. Immediately after Angle and Batista agreed to face each other,
Shawn Michaels’ music rocked the arena. Upset that everybody was getting what they wanted but him, HBK proposed a
WrestleMania 21 rematch with Angle for Vengeance. Once again proving that he refuses to take a backseat to anybody, Angle
accepted. Then, rather than waiting for his upcoming scheduled matches, Angle attacked HBK. This sparked a chain reaction.
Before long, Triple H and Ric Flair were going at it with World Heavyweight Champion Batista.
In other championship news, Eric Bischoff announced that Christian would challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship at
Vengeance. This announcement did not sit well with former Undisputed Champion Chris Jericho, as he felt he deserved an
opportunity at Cena’s championship. Upset that he did not get the nod to challenge for the WWE Championship, Y2J
attacked Cena – his tag team partner for the evening – after their successful match against Christian and
Tyson Tomko. The attack was clearly a personal issue that opened Bischoff’s eyes. As a result, Jericho will now also
compete for the WWE Championship at Vengeance in a Triple Threat Match.
Elsewhere on RAW, Stone Cold Steve Austin presided over the hearing of Muhammad Hassan and Daivari. Much to the fans'
dismay, Stone Cold actually sided with Hassan and Daivari, saying that they have been screwed by the system. In an attempt
to make things right, Stone Cold then called for an Intercontinental Championship match with Hassan challenging Shelton
Benjamin for the title. To ensure no wrongdoings would mar the outcome of the match, Stone Cold served as the Special
Enforcer. When Hassan delivered a low blow to the champ, however, Stone Cold hit the ring on a mission. Unable to stand
for Hassan’s dastardly tactics, Stone Cold stomped a mud hole in the challenger and Daivari.
Lita had two monumental announcements for the RAW crowd Monday night. First, the fiery redhead told Snitsky that she
agrees with him – the loss of her baby was not his fault. Rather, she said, it was Kane’s. Lita went as far
as to thank Snitsky with a big kiss. Lita then announced that she would be getting married to Edge next week on RAW.
Also on RAW, Sgt. Slaughter answered the Master Lock Challenge. Despite putting up a great effort, the former WWE Champion
fell victim to Chris Masters’ devastating finisher.
Also, Viscera, with Lilian Garcia in his corner, defeated Maven with a sit-down powerbomb.
MATCHES:
Muhammad Hassan defeated Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin via a DQ
Chris Masters defeated Sgt. Slaughter via his Master Lock Challenge
Chris Jericho & John Cena defeated Tyson Tomko & Christian
Viscera defeated Maven
Kane defeated Sylvain Grenier
RAW
# 630
6-20-05 LIVE
America West Arena
Phoenix, Arizona
Just days away from his Hell in a Cell World Heavyweight Championship defense against Triple H at Vengeance, Batista was
scheduled for one-on-one action with former WWE Champion Kurt Angle.The match, however, was marred by interference when
The Game and Ric Flair attacked Batista outside the ring. As a
result of the attack, Batista was awarded the decision via disqualification. Unable to stand for a disqualification finish
in his main event, General Manager Eric Bischoff called for
a tag team match. Triple H teamed with Kurt Angle to take on the tandem of Batista and Shawn Michaels.Several minutes into
the match, Shawn Michaels and his Vengeance opponent Kurt Angle fought their way into the crowd, leaving Batista and
Triple H. Unfortunately for the champ, the Nature Boy was also still at ringside. With his attention focused on Flair,
Batista was caught off guard by The Game, resulting in The Animal getting hit with the Pedigree. The devastating maneuver
floored Batista, further adding credence to Triple H’s claims that nobody gets up from the Pedigree. Will Batista suffer
the same fate this Sunday at Vengeance? Tune in to pay-per-view to find out.
Elsewhere on RAW, WWE Champion John Cena picked up a huge win when he ended the undefeated streak of Muhammad Hassan after
hitting him with an FU. Naturally, the victory should have given Cena much momentum heading into his Vengeance championship
defense, but directly after the match, he was attacked by both his opponents in the Triple Threat Match – Christian and
Chris Jericho. Will Y2J’s renewed interest in wrestling be enough to carry him to the top Sunday night? Will Christian
bring home the WWE Championship to the Peepulation?
Or will Cena be able to turn back both challengers and walk out with his coveted spinner belt? Watch Vengeance to find out.
In draft lottery news, RAW pulled another major Superstar away from SmackDown! This time, it was Carlito making the move
to Monday nights. Much like his SmackDown! in-ring debut when he captured the United States Championship, Carlito pulled
off a monstrous victory when he forced Shelton Benjamin’s shoulders to the mat (with a little extra leverage from the ring
rope). As a result, Carlito ended the amazing Intercontinental Championship reign – a reign that has not been seen in WWE
for in a decade.
The unbelievable moments kept coming Monday night on RAW. As if the huge tag team main event, John Cena’s victory over the
undefeated Hassan, and Carlito’s amazing debut were not enough, the wedding ceremony between Lita and Edge was sure to
leave a lasting impression. First, the ceremony was interrupted by Matt Hardy’s entrance theme. While Lita’s former lover
interest never actually came out, the capacity crowd in Phoenix exploded when they heard his music. It was later revealed
that Edge and Lita were simply playing a joke that they could not resist. The next interruption, however, was no joke.
Just before Edge and Lita could say “I do,” Kane tore through the ring in an attempt to attack the lovers. Unfortunately
for Kane, they got away. Unfortunately for the priest, he didn’t. He ended up being the victim of a Tombstone.
Also on RAW, Lilian revealed that she had a feeling Viscera was going to hit the jackpot this Sunday in Las Vegas
(the site of Vengeance) and Victoria bloodied her Vengeance opponent Christy Hemme when she hit her from behind with
a glass pitcher.
MATCHES:
Triple H. & Kurt Angle defeated Batista & Shawn Michaels
Carlito defeated Shelton Benjamin to become new Intercontinental Champion
Viscera defeated Simon Dean
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Muhammad Hassan
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated Kurt Angle via a DQ
VENGEANCE
6-26-05 LIVE
Thomas & Mack Center
Las Vegas, Nevada
Intercontinental Champion Carlito defeated Shelton Benjamin
Six days after losing the Intercontinental Championship to Carlito, Shelton Benjamin challenged to the new champ for the
same title that he held longer than any other Superstar in a decade. Early on, it appeared as though Benjamin was going to
have no problem reclaiming the championship. In fact, Benjamin was so dominant that Carlito even tried to walk away from
the match, willing to accept the countout loss. Benjamin, knowing that the championship could not change hands on a
countout, chased down Carlito and threw him back in the ring. From there, Benjamin was able to land a flying lariat and
springboard bulldog. Carlito, unbelievably, was able to survive both monster moves. In an act of desperation, Carlito then
exposed the top turnbuckle in one of the corners. Not long after, Benjamin missed a Stinger Splash, landing head first
into the exposed steel. Carlito, with a fistful of tights, was able to take advantage and pick up the pin to retain the
championship.
Shawn Michaels defeated Kurt Angle
To many, the Shawn Michaels - Kurt Angle WrestleMania 21 classic seemed impossible to duplicate. HBK and Angle, however,
silenced those skeptics en route to another instant classic. Angle, the winner of the WrestleMania 21 encounter, dominated
much of the early goings. HBK's resiliency, however, helped him survive a devastating suplex on top of the Spanish
announce table, a powerbomb onto the top turnbuckle and the ankle lock. On top of all this, HBK was tossed over the top
rope out to the outside. The impact appeared to have severely injured HBK's knee. Michaels' will to win, however, would
not let him give up. Once back in the ring, HBK caught Angle, who was coming off the top rope, with Sweet Chin Music.
Michaels followed it up with a successful pin, evening the Angle-HBK rivalry at one.
Victoria defeated Christy
Victoria had to reach deep down into her bag of tricks to pull out a victory over the resilient Christy Hemme. After
hitting Christy with everything she had, Victoria was forced to cheat to win, grabbing the ropes for extra leverage to get
the pin. Prior to the underhanded pin, Christy fought back from an amazing level of offense from Victoria that included
the fiery red head’s neck getting dropped over the top rope.
Kane defeated Edge
It's been a tough several weeks for Kane. It all started going down hill when Kane’s wife, Lita, turned her back on her
husband to reveal a sordid love affair with Edge. Not only did Lita making her feelings toward Edge public break Kane’s
heart, it also cost the big man an opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship, as her actions came in the finals of
the Gold Rush Tournament. Kane was finally able to gain some measure of revenge when he fought off much Snitsky
interference to pin Edge after delivering a huge chokeslam.
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Christian and Chris Jericho
The first of two Vengeance World Championship matches saw John Cena defend the WWE Championship against Christian and
Chris Jericho in a Triple Threat Match. Early in the match, Tyson Tomko earned himself an ejection from ringside due to
his constant interference. Christian’s “problem solver” didn’t go quietly. He even interjected in the championship match
later on – with the referee’s back turned, Tomko ran from the locker room and flattened Cena. Christian quickly covered
the champ. Cena somehow managed to get his shoulder up before the count of three. From there, Cena mustered enough energy
to hoist Christian for the FU, knocking Jericho out of the ring in the process. The rest was academic, as the referee
counted Christian’s shoulders down for the three count. John Cena had successfully defended the WWE Championship in his
first RAW pay-per-view.
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated Triple H
Triple H and Batista walked through Hell Sunday night at Vengeance, and neither will ever be the same again. Hell in a
Cell, which is already considered a device of disaster by many, became even deadlier at Vengeance when Triple H and
Batista introduced numerous weapons to the match. A steel chain, sledgehammer, steel chair wrapped in barbed wire and
the displaced steel ring steps all found their way into the ring. Each of these weapons, though just as legal as a
wristlock inside Hell in a Cell, played a major role in bloodying both Superstars. In the end, Batista somehow managed to
get up from the Pedigree before the referee could count his shoulders to the mat for three. A shocked Triple H soon fell
victim to a spinebuster on the steel ring steps, followed by a Batista Bomb. The fatigued World Heavyweight Champion then
fell atop The Game while the ref counted to three. After a grueling encounter, Batista was able to hold on to the
World Heavyweight Championship and hand Triple H his first loss inside Hell in a Cell.
RAW
# 631
6-27-05 LIVE
Arrowhead Pond
Anaheim, California
Chris Jericho, Christian and Tomko were confident that WWE Champion John Cena had no friends on RAW. That’s why when RAW
General Manager Eric Bischoff told them that they would have
a Six-Man Tag Match against John Cena and two partners of his choosing, they weren’t worried. They had no idea what they
were in for. Even though Cena is new to RAW, he had no trouble finding a couple of friends to watch his back and go into
battle with him. Cena revealed that none other than the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels would be by his side and that HBK
had secured the third and final member of the team. His identity remained a mystery until the all-too-familiar sounds of
“Real American” blasted through the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA. As soon as the 15,429 fans in attendance heard the
famous entrance theme, they jumped to their feet in unison, cheering on the Immortal Hulk Hogan. Just as the raucous
crowd was clamoring for the Hulkster, Jericho, Christian and Tomko stood in the ring in shock. Even though they looked
shell-shocked, Jericho, Christian and Tomko managed to take control of the match and cornered HBK in their half of the
ring. Utilizing quick tags and cutting the ring in half, they looked to have things under control. As Michaels looked to
be down and out, the thousands of Hulkamaniacs chanted, “We Want Hogan!” Their wishes were granted. Jericho missed a Lion
Sault allowing HBK to make the tag to Hogan. Christian and Tomko tried to double-team the Hall of Famer, but he Hulked up
and took care of business. Hogan then hit the trademark big boot on Tomko and followed up with the big leg drop for the
1-2-3, as the crowd was sent into a frenzy, nearly blowing the roof off the Pond. It was an amazing end to an amazing RAW.
Although Hogan and his partners Cena and HBK stole the show in the end, RAW was jam-packed with big moments throughout the
show. RAW welcomed its last two picks in the Draft Lottery, one of which was the “biggest” pick yet.
Edge and Snitsky were set to face Kane and one of the picks in tag team action, but Kane chased Edge and Lita off into the
crowd. Snitsky was left all alone to face the newest draft pick in singles action – Big Show. Big Show made a big impact
in his first night on RAW as he tossed Snitsky around like a rag doll. A big man in his own right, Snitsky had no answer
for Big Show’s chokeslam. Meanwhile, Kane had Lita cornered in the dressing room. In a very demonic voice, Kane told Lita
that she had her fun, but now it was his turn. He said he would be having a lot of fun and that he would make her life a
living hell.
Carlito’s Cabana also made its RAW debut, and it made perfect sense for the final pick in the Draft Lottery to also debut
on the Cabana. It was the return of Mr. Monday Night. Rob Van Dam became the first person to be picked in the last two
Draft Lotteries. While the fans continuously chanted his name, RVD promised that he would be taking it to the extreme
just like the ECW hardcore Superstars took it to the extreme against Carlito
and the other Crusaders at ECW’s One Night Stand. A clearly angered Carlito took out his frustrations on the injured RVD
and attacked his injured knee. Carlito left Mr. Monday Night laying in the ring, but it will probably only be a matter of
time before RVD gets his revenge.
On a night of debuts, RAW was formerly introduced to the eight finalists in the RAW Diva Search Contest. Fresh off his
night with Godfather’s Ho Train, Viscera came out to encourage
the finalists to strip down to their bra and panties while they introduced themselves to the RAW audience. The finalists
were more than happy to oblige and even danced around the ring when it was all said and done.
Kurt Angle opened the show and stated that even though HBK scored the win at Vengeance, he made Michaels tap at
WrestleMania 21, and because of that he was the man. The Nature Boy Ric Flair took exception to that, however, and said to
be the man you’ve got to beat the man. The two squared off later in the show in a dream match – The Olympic Gold Medalist
vs. The Dirtiest Player in the Game. Flair used every trick in the book and even managed to escape an ankle lock, but
Angle went back to the hold and hooked it in a grapevine, making Flair finally tap out in one for the ages.
Also, one night removed from the most hellacious battle of his career, Batista was interviewed by Todd Grisham. Batista,
clearly still feeling the effects of his victorious night in Hell in a Cell against Triple H, said that the Cell took
something from him that he didn’t think he’d ever get back, but it was all worth it.
Chris Masters also came out demanding respect and upped the ante in the Masterlock Challenge to $14,000. Tajiri
answered the call and caught Masters off guard, but in the end the Masterpiece’s strength was too much for the Japanese
Buzzsaw. Masters went back to Tajiri asking for some respect, but instead was met with a spray of green mist, temporarily
blinding the Masterpiece.
MATCHES:
John Cena, Shawn Michaels & a Mystery Partner defeated Chris Jericho, Christian & Tyson Tomko
Kane & a Mystery Partner vs. Edge & Snitsky ended in a no contest
Big Show defeated Snitsky
Chris Masters defeated Tajiri via his Master Lock Challenge
Kurt Angle defeated Ric Flair
RAW
# 632
7-4-05 LIVE
Arco Arena
Sacramento, California
It was only fitting that on the Fourth of July, The Real American, Hulk Hogan, would be on RAW live from Sacramento, Cal.
Everyone knew that the immortal one himself would be on Carlito’s Cabana, but no one expected that he would don the red
and yellow for the second week in a row for a match. And no one thought that they would see their hero, The Hulkster,
laying on the canvas, staring up at the lights after some Sweet Chin Music. After being attacked by Carlito and Kurt Angle
on the Cabana, Shawn Michaels made the save and demanded retribution. RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff gave in to HBK’s
demands and set up a tag team match that was sure to provide enough Fourth of July fireworks to last a lifetime –
Shawn Michaels & Hulk Hogan vs. Kurt Angle & Carlito. This match had all the makings of a classic, and boy did it
deliver. After some back and forth action, Angle and Carlito had HBK caught in their half of the ring. Time and time again,
Michaels faught to make the tag, but Carlito and Angle kept cutting him off. But the Showstopper would not be denied. With
the entire crowd at the Arco Arena behind him, Michaels made the tag to the Hulkster as the entire building erupted. Hogan
went to work on Carlito and delivered the big boot. Angle tried to make the save, but Hogan disposed of him. Hogan then
worked the crowd into a frenzy before dropping the big leg drop for the 1-2-3. The crowd’s reaction to the pin seemed
louder than any Fourth of July fireworks display, but the silence that was to follow was just as amazing. Hogan and HBK
began appeasing the crowd’s demands for a round of posing, and then it happened. As Hogan finished up another round of his
legendary posing routine, Shawn Michaels shocked the world and laid out the WWE Hall of Famer with perhaps his most
devastating Sweet Chin Music ever. The entire Arco Arena fell silent, not believing what they had just seen, before
erupting into a chorus of boos as Michaels just stared at Hogan’s motionless body on the canvas. How could HBK have
betrayed his “favorite tag team partner?” What could possibly have been his motivation?
On a lighter note, however, the Fourth of July was also the first night that voting began for the 2005 RAW Diva Search.
The 8 finalists engaged in Sgt. Slaughter’s first ever Bikini Boot Camp. The Bikini Boot Camp was an obstacle course that
consisted of the following: 10 jumping jacks, climbing over a wall, slithering underneath a net in the ring, hopping in a
potato sack, jumping rope and climbing a final wall before crossing the finish line. Elisabeth finished in the quickest
time (35 seconds), which earned her immunity for the first round of voting. The Divas finished in the following order:
Elisabeth (:35), Kristal (:37), Summer (:41), Cameron (:46), Ashley (:48), Simona (:49), Alexis (:54) and Leyla
(DQ due to wardrobe malfunction).
There was also a rousing edition of the Highlight Reel as Chris Jericho’s guest was none other than WWE Champion John Cena.
Jericho admitted that John Cena has been on a roll of late, but Jericho is the far more successful Superstar. After
showing clips of his band Fozzy performing in front of more than 50,000 fans in England, Jericho seemed pretty proud of
himself. Cena, however, saw things differently and said that Jericho has cheapened everything he has accomplished. Then,
inevitably, the two Superstars engaged in some brutal fisticuffs before being separated by officials.
Last week, Big Show was supposed to team up with Kane to take on Edge & Snitsky, but Kane chased Lita and Edge away
before the match could begin. This week was a different story as the tag match was on! During the match, Kane chased Lita
off once again, but he returned in time to hit Snitsky with a monster Chokeslam for the pin. It appears as though Kane’s
fun is just beginning.
The Heart Throbs, Antonio & Romeo, were also in action. They came to the ring trying to woo a still-heartbroken
Lilian Garcia, but the lovely ring announcer didn’t seem interested. They tried to win her over by taking on Viscera, the
same man that had denied Lilian’s wedding proposal at Vengeance, in a handicap match. The Heart Throbs got carried away,
however, and were disqualified. They made one last attempt to gain Lilian’s affection, but seemed unsuccessful.
Rene Dupree was also in action for the first time since being involved in the blockbuster trade that involved 11
Superstars in the last night of the Draft Lottery. Dupree did everything he could, including using the ropes, to
score a victory over Val Venis.
Chavo Guerrero also told Maria that he was denouncing his Hispanic heritage and would now be known as Kerwin White during
a backstage interview.
World Tag Team Champions The Hurricane & Rosey along with Super Stacy also gave everyone a
demonstration on proper fireworks safety.
MATCHES:
Rene Dupree defeated Val Venis
Shawn Michaels & Hulk Hogan defeated Kurt Angle & Carlito
Viscera defeated The Heart Throbs via DQ
Big Show & Kane defeated Edge & Snitsky
RAW
# 633
7-11-05 LIVE
Continental Airlines Arena
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Last week, Shawn Michaels shocked the world and laid out the “Immortal” Hulk Hogan with a dose of Sweet Chin Music.
One week later, Chris Jericho and Carlito argued over who would get to interview HBK and find out the reason for the
dastardly deed, but they were interrupted. None other than WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper announced that he would
have HBK later in the evening and it wouldn’t be on the Highlight Reel or the Cabana – it would be on the legendary
Piper’s Pit. As RAW was drawing to a close, Piper delivered on his promise and brought HBK to explain his actions from
last week. Michaels told the fans that for 20 years he came out with one intention – to give the fans something they
wouldn’t forget. He said he literally broke his back for them, and when he heard the chants at the Hall of Fame ceremony
of “One more match!” for Hogan, he decided to sacrifice himself one more time for the fans. By giving Hogan Sweet Chin
Music last week, he said he guaranteed that Hogan would have one more match and that it would be against HBK himself.
With that, Michaels said that immortality has a price and laid out the challenge to Hogan – The “Immortal” Hulk Hogan vs.
The Showstopper Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam. Before Michaels left, however, Piper demanded to know the real reason for
blindsiding the Hulkster. HBK tried to leave again, but Piper called him a coward. With that, just as swiftly and
unexpectedly as last week, HBK laid out another Hall of Famer as he floored Hot Rod with Sweet Chin Music.
Earlier in the evening, the RAW Diva Search Contest continued. Elisabeth won immunity last week, but the other remaining
Diva hopefuls were up for elimination. After moments of suspense, The Coach broke the news that Alexis was eliminated.
Sadness soon turned to excitement, however, as the remaining contestants participated in a talent contest. Each Diva
hopeful had a few moments to show their greatest talent. Ashley demonstrated her wrestling skills with a move on Christy Hemme;
Leyla started to give a special dance for referee Earl Hebner but then gave him a low-blow, paying him back for
disqualifying her last week and covering her with a towel; Summer demonstrated her athletic prowess with some gymnastics
maneuvers including backflips and splits; Kristal got artsy with some bodypainting; Elisabeth showed off her moves with a
provocative dance routine; Simona demonstrated how she would fend off threatening men; and Cameron stripped down to her
bra and panties and gave Christy a lap dance.
WWE Champion John Cena greeted his New Jersey Chain Gang members and soon worked the crowd up into a frenzy challenging
Chris Jericho to “come get some.” RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff came out before Jericho could answer the challenge and
informed the champ that only the GM could make championship matches. Jericho also came out, but Bischoff told him not to
come to the ring. Instead, the GM said that Jericho would have his shot at the WWE Championship at SummerSlam against John
Cena. Jericho left with a smile on his face, but the same couldn’t be said for Bischoff as Cena welcomed him to the “new
RAW” with an F-U.
Plus, Kurt Angle introduced his Angle Invitational to RAW for the first time. In the Angle Invitational, Angle puts his
Olympic Gold Medal up for grabs to any “hometown hero” who thinks he has what it takes to last three minutes with the
Olympic Gold Medalist. Matt Striker, the same man who has been in headlines for calling in sick from his teaching job to
wrestle, answered the call. Striker gave Angle his biggest scare ever. No one had ever come close to taking Angle the
distance when he was on SmackDown!, but Striker kicked out of an Ankle Lock attempt and reversed an Angle Slam. But Angle
eventually got the Ankle Lock hooked, and Striker tapped out with just one second to go.
Carlito also faced Shelton Benjamin in an Intercontinental Championship rematch from Vengeance. Carlito tried everything,
but couldn’t put Benjamin away. After being knocked out of the ring, Carlito simply walked away, taking a count-out loss,
but retaining the Intercontinental Championship since a Championship cannot change hands on a disqualification or
count-out.
In another re-match from Vengeance, Edge took on Kane. Before the match, Edge promised that if Snitsky would help him in
his battle against Kane, then he would let him have some time with Lita’s feet to satisfy his foot-fetish. Snitsky made
good on his word and came to the aid of Edge as Kane was gaining control and caused a disqualification. Matt Hardy appears
from the audience and goes at it with Edge, calling Edge by his real name, Adam. Hardy is then violently handcuffed and
taken out as Matt says, WWE can kiss my ass !
Also in action, Chris Masters made Tajiri submit to the Master Lock.
MATCHES:
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters defeated Tajiri via a submission
Shelton Benjamin defeated Intercontinental Champion Carlito via a count-out
Kurt Angle defeated Matt Striker via a Angle Invitational match
Kane defeated Edge via a disqualification
RAW
# 634
7-18-05 LIVE
Wachovia Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff and Chris Jericho did everything they could to stack the deck against WWE Champion
John Cena one week after enduring a painful F-U. Chris Jericho will be facing Cena for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam,
so he came up with what he thought was a brilliant plan to soften him up in the weeks leading up to their clash. At the
beginning of RAW, Bischoff informed the raucous Philadelphia crowd at the Wachovia Center that Cena would face Snitsky in
a Lumberjack Match. To make matters worse for Cena, Bischoff would be hand-picking the lumberjacks. It seemed as though
Cena would be in for an awfully long night. Just as the WWE Champion has done ever since coming to RAW, however, he
overcame all the obstacles in front of him, and at the end of the night, he was the one with his arm raised in victory.
Every time Cena looked to be going on the offensive, the lumberjacks (Kurt Angle, Intercontinental Champion Carlito,
Rene Dupree, Rob Conway, Danny Basham, The Heart Throbs, Kerwin White, Chris Masters, Tyson Tomko and Chris Jericho)
attacked like a pack of rabid dogs. But help was on the way. Just as it seemed like Cena was down and out, Big Show,
Shelton Benjamin, The Hurricane, Rosey, Tajiri, Val Venis and Viscera came to the champion’s aid. Amidst the chaos,
Jericho snuck into the ring with a chair, but Cena cut him off and took him out of the equation. Snitsky picked up the
chair and went for a big blow, but he missed and Cena scooped him up for the F-U and the win, once again overcoming all
odds.
Not only did the Wachovia Center witness a heroic effort from John Cena, but earlier in the night they found out if
Hulk Hogan would accept Shawn Michaels’ challenge for a match at SummerSlam. The Philadelphia crowd went crazy when the
Hulkster hit to the ring, greeting him with a deafening “Hogan” chant. Hogan admitted that Shawn Michaels got his
attention, but he didn’t want to answer the challenge without being face-to-face with HBK. Shawn Michaels came out to the
rampway, but decided not to go to the ring, saying that if he did he might knock Hogan out once again and deprive the
people of hearing his answer. HBK reminded Hogan that immortality has a price and asked Hogan if he had what it takes to
pay that price. Hogan said he has been paying the price for years and accepted the challenge. He then left Michaels with
one question to think about in the weeks leading up to what will surely be a classic confrontation: “Whatcha gonna do,
brother, at SummerSlam when Hulkamania destroys you?!”
Kane and Edge also continued their bitter rivalry on RAW, this time in the brutal confines of a steel cage. For the second
week in a row Matt Hardy entered the scene trying to attack Edge. This time Matt exited via the crowd with police on his tail ! Kane was
busted wide open early on, but he came back on numerous occasions to gain the upper hand. Edge tried to escape through
the cage door, but Kane caught him. Before the door was closed, though, Lita tossed Edge’s briefcase. Kane survived two
briefcase shots, but then Edge started to scale the cage. Kane caught him once again, but Edge nailed him with the
briefcase again, causing him to fall to the mat. With Kane down, Edge was finally able to escape with a victory over the
Big Red Monster.
One week after coming within one second of losing his Olympic Gold Medal to Matt Striker in the Angle Invitational, Angle
put the gold on the line once again. Striker, this time using the name of Matt Martel, answered the challenge. Angle said
that Striker or Martel or whatever his name was already had his chance. As Martel was getting ready to exit the ring,
Angle cheap-shotted him and said that he had changed his mind. Angle went on the offensive, but Martel surprised him with
a vicious choke. No matter what Angle tried to do, Martel would not relinquish his hold. Finally, Angle was able to throw
Martel throat-first into the ropes and hit the Angle Slam, following it up with the Ankle Lock for the win with 24 seconds
remaining.
It was also time for the second elimination in the 2005 RAW Diva Search contest. Earlier in the day, all of the remaining
contestants revealed who they thought should be voted out next. Leyla and Summer both said Simona, Ashley said Cameron,
Cameron said Ashley, Kristal said Elisabeth, Elisabeth said Kristal and Simona said Summer. The fans agreed with Leyla and
Summer and voted out Simona. Who will be the next to go home? You will decide!
Chris Masters opened up the Master Lock Challenge once again, this time upping the ante to $20,000. One half of the World
Tag Team Champions, Rosey answered the challenge. Masters knew he was in for his toughest challenge to date, but didn’t
back down and made the big man submit. Masters then claimed that it didn’t matter how big his opposition was, no one was a
match for the Master Lock. Then Big Show came down and wanted to give the Master Lock Challenge a try, but Masters denied
him that chance.
After defeating Carlito by a count-out last week, Shelton Benjamin got another crack at the Intercontinental Champion –
except this time if Carlito lost by count-out, he would lose the championship. Carlito looked to have things going his way
hitting a DDT and Flapjack, but Benjamin kicked out and went for the T-Bone. Carlito reversed it and hit a low-blow, thus
causing a disqualification. Benjamin won again, but just like last week, was denied the Intercontinental Championship.
MATCHES:
Shelton Benjamin defeated Intercontinental Champion Carlito via a disqualification
Chris Masters defeated Rosey via his Master Lock Challenge
Kurt Angle defeated Matt Martel via his Angle Invitational match
Edge defeated Kane in a Steel Cage match
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Snitsky via a Lumberjack match
RAW
# 635
7-25-05 LIVE
Gund Arena
Cleveland, Ohio
RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff has made it quite clear that he is not happy that John Cena is representing him and his
show as WWE Champion. In an attempt to change this, it appears as though Bischoff has devised a plan to dethrone Cena as
champion, and he said that Monday Night RAW would be the beginning of the end for the Dr. of Thuganomics. As RAW went off
the air, everyone at the Gund Arena in Cleveland and all the viewers at home were likely thinking that might be true.
Bischoff put Cena in a match against Intercontinental Champion Carlito, but there were a couple of stipulations. If
Carlito were to win the non-title match, then he would get a shot at the WWE Championship next week on RAW. Furthermore,
Cena’s SummerSlam opponent Chris Jericho was named the special guest referee. Cena had the odds stacked against him last
week in a Lumber Jack, but he still prevailed. Could he defy the odds once again? Although he had called the action down
the middle for much of the match, Jericho eventually nailed Cena with a low blow and followed it up with a Bulldog before
hitting the Lion Sault. With Cena laid out, the pin for Carlito was academic. Carlito, Bischoff and Cena celebrated
outside the ring as Cena looked on in disgust and agony. Will Cena be able to bounce back next week, or will Carlito be
the new WWE Champion and face Y2J at SummerSlam? Earlier in the evening, everything was going great for Cena. Along with
Bumpy Knuckles and Tha Trademarc, John Cena blew the roof of Gund Arena with a live performance of his hit single, Bad,
Bad Man. After stirring the raucous crowd into a frenzy, Jericho came out next as Fozzy was scheduled to perform in the
Battle of the Bands. Jericho claimed that due to the biased Cleveland fans, he wouldn’t be performing with Fozzy. So
instead, the crowd was treated to another Cena performance, but it was Jericho who ended up getting the last laugh,
getting his revenge in the main event.
Last week, Edge defeated Kane in a brutal Steel Cage Match. This week, the two bitter enemies went at in a Stretcher
Match. Kane endured being choked out, being hit with the steel steps, getting cracked over the head with a Kendo Stick,
but in the end it was Edge’s trademark briefcase that did the most damage. Unable to contend with both Edge and Lita,
Kane was double teamed and rolled up the ramp on the stretcher. Just as he was about to be rolled past the finish line,
Kane recovered and grabbed Lita. Edge, however, walloped him with another shot to the head with his brief case to knock
him back out and get the win. Kane had lost the battle, but he was out to win the war. Kane recovered and threw Edge into
the video wall on the stage. He then turned his attention to his ex-wife and callously delivered a crushing Tombstone
right on the stage. Paramedics rushed to Lita’s aid, placed her on another stretcher and loaded her into an ambulance.
The Big Red Monster then cackled and asked Lita if she has ever taken a ride on the “highway to hell.” A policeman made a
last ditch effort to save Lita, but Kane assaulted the officer and drove off with the sirens blaring. Where did Kane take
Lita and what did he mean by the highway to hell?
To kick off the show, Kurt Angle made his way to the ring for another round of the Angle Invitational. Kurt had defeated
Matt Striker two weeks in a row and was ready to face Cleveland’s hometown hero this week. To everybody’s surprise,
however, Christy Hemme’s music hit the arena loudspeakers.
Angle seemed excited by the prospect of wrestling with the fiery Diva, but Christy was out to introduce her very special
friend – Eugene! The lovable Superstar made his big RAW return,
but Angle was not amused. Angle gave Eugene a cheap shot before things even began and went right to work on the returning
Superstar. Angle had things under control in the early goings but Eugene started to hammer away and make a comeback. Angle
staved off the attack with an Angle Slam and then went for the Ankle Lock. Showing no signs of rust, Eugene was able to
reverse the Ankle Lock attempt, catapulting the Olympic Champion to the outside with about 10 seconds remaining. After
hitting the floor hard, Angle was not able to make it back into the ring and Eugene accomplished the unthinkable, winning
Angle’s gold medal. Angle was absolutely irate after the match as he had just lost his most prized possession.
Plus, Shawn Michaels came to the ring to share some more thoughts on his upcoming match against Hulk Hogan. HBK said that
having five-star matches and breaking his back for the fans just isn’t enough for him. He likes to come out each and every
night and reinvent himself. Michaels said that Hogan is the opposite and has been living off his reputation for 20 years.
The Showstopper then said that fans asked for the old HBK, and now they have him. He capped everything off with a question
for Hogan – “Whatcha gonna do Hulk Hogan when the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels won’t lay down for you?”
This week’s edition of the 2005 RAW Diva Search was highlighted by a Hot Dog Eating Contest. But before the contest got
underway, Cameron was sent home. The girls then had one minute to eat as many hot dogs as they could. Leyla and Summer ate
themselves to a tie, and then had a 30 second eat-off. Leyla narrowly edged out Summer and won immunity for next week’s
voting. Who will go home next week? You will decide!
Shelton Benjamin tried to get another shot at Carlito for the Intercontinental Championship, but Bischoff booked him in a
Handicap Match against Snitsky & Chris Masters instead. Benjamin put forth a valiant effort, but eventually fell victim to
the numbers game and the Master Lock. After the match, Masters refused to break the hold, so the Big Show came down to the
ring. Masters wanted no part of RAW’s biggest Superstar and the scene immediately.
Viscera was also in action this week, teaming up with his midget friend, Cloaca. Big Vis and Cloaca took on Antonio of the
Heart Throbs and his midget partner Pocket Rocket in a Mixed Tag Match. In the end, Cloaca leapt off of Viscera’s back and
hit a splash on Antonio for the shocking win.
MATCHES:
Eugene defeated Kurt Angle via Kurt`s Angle Invitational match
Intercontinental Champion Carlito defeated WWE Champion John Cena via a non-title match
Snitsky & Chris Masters defeated Shelton Benjamin
Viscera & Cloaca defeated Antonio & Pocket Rocket via a mixed tag match
Edge defeated Kane in a stretcher match
RAW
# 636
7-25-05 LIVE
Mohegan Sun Casino
Uncasville, Connecticut
John Cena walked out of the Mohegan Sun Arena as the WWE Champion, but how much longer will the gold be around his waist?
Last week Carlito defeated John Cena with the help of special guest referee Chris Jericho. The win earned him a rematch at
RAW Monday night, this time with the WWE Championship on the line. RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff tried to stack the
odds against John Cena one more time and appointed Jericho as the referee once again. The GM also decided to come out to
ringside to oversee his diabolical plan. Early on it looked like Cena wouldn’t have a prayer. But Cena somehow found a way
to kick out from Jericho’s speedy three counts each and every time. When his fast counts weren’t getting the job done, Y2J
decided to join Carlito for some double-team maneuvers, throwing Cena shoulder-first into the ring post and exposing the
steel security railing for more punishment. Cena absorbed this hellacious beating, and yet still made a Herculean
comeback, even hitting the 5-Knuckle Shuffle, and going for the pin. But Jericho just stood in the corner with his arms
folded, refusing to count. Cena tried to shake it off and had Carlito up for an F-U, but Jericho kicked him. Cena then
sent his nemesis Jericho crashing into Bischoff, who was standing on the apron. With both of them on the floor, the Dr.
of Thuganomics hit the F-U on Carlito and a second referee came in to make the three-count. Cena had just won the battle,
but it would be Bischoff and Jericho who would win the war. With the match over, Jericho stormed back into the ring and
delivered a crushing low-blow for the second-straight week. The dastardly Y2J didn’t stop there as he hit a suplex on the
outside. Jericho then did his best Kenny Rogers impersonation and assaulted a cameraman. He grabbed the camera and smacked
it off Cena’s cranium, busting him wide open. With Cena already wearing the proverbial crimson mask, Jericho locked in the
Walls of Jericho as Bischoff started taunting the WWE Champion, slapping him around. Could this mean the beginning of the
end for John Cena’s WWE Championship reign? We’ll find out at SummerSlam.
Earlier in the evening, Chairman Mr. McMahon had a special announcement for the sold-out crowd at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
McMahon started out by explaining to the fans that it was a momentous and historic moment for RAW. It was the 636th
episode, which is a brand new record. Monday Night RAW has surpassed the likes of Seinfeld, The Simpsons, and even
Gunsmoke for the most episodes for a weekly entertainment show in history. Mr. McMahon said that it might be a nice
gesture to thank the crowd, but he decided to thank himself instead. He stated that much of WWE and RAW’s success is
because he doesn’t let his admittedly large ego get in the way of making good business decisions. Some of the good
business decisions that he brought up include hiring his arch-enemy Eric Bischoff and bringing back a dead-and-buried
company like ECW. He then said that he was ready to make another good business decision as he announced that he has
re-hired Matt Hardy and he would be facing Edge one on one at SummerSlam. Instead of thanking Mr. McMahon for bringing him
back, Matt Hardy thanked the fans. Hardy explained that he had previously been involved in a 6-year relationship with Lita.
While Matt was out of action with a serious knee injury, one of his best friends, Edge, started having an affair with Lita.
Hardy said it was the fans who let everyone know how they really felt when they started chanting “We Want Matt” at Madison
Square Garden at an April RAW. He said that Edge had destroyed his dream of having a family, and that he almost
destroyed his dream of being a WWE Superstar. At SummerSlam, Hardy said that it would be kill or be killed and Matt Hardy
will not die.
Hulk Hogan was recently on Larry King Live on CNN to help promote his reality TV Show Hogan Knows Best and to also talk
about how Shawn Michaels had betrayed him and their upcoming match at SummerSlam. Shawn Michaels decided to poke some fun
at the appearance and did his best Hulk Hogan impersonation on a Larry King Live parody. HBK poked fun at Hogan’s age and
his alleged “politicking in the back” as well as his used of the word “brother,” but after the fun and games, Michaels was
all business in the end. After delivering Sweet Chin Music to the Larry King imposter, HBK looked right into the camera
and said that Hogan has his own reality show now, but that reality is going to kick him in the face at SummerSlam HBK
knocked out the camera man with another Superkick. Next week Hogan will be face to face with HBK on RAW. You won’t want to
miss Hogan’s reaction.
Mohegan Sun Arena was also the site of the first ever Eugene Invitational. One week after winning Kurt Angle’s gold medal,
Eugene, with Christy Hemme by his side, put his new prize on
the line and called out Mohegan Sun’s hometown hero. Kurt Angle answered the challenge, but Angle said he was from
Pittsburgh, so Eugene would not let him participate. Angle was confident that there was no way Eugene could find a
hometown hero on a Native American Reservation, but a blast from the past answered the call in Tatanka. The former WWE
Superstar gave it all he had and sent Eugene reeling with a top-rope Tomahawk Chop. He then went for a Samoan Drop, but
Eugene countered and hit an Angle Slam. Then adding even more insult to injury, Eugene slapped on the Ankle Lock. Angle
became infuriated and interrupted the match. Tatanka then joined forces with Eugene as the two clotheslined Angle out of
the ring. Next week RAW will be from Pittsburgh, Angle’s hometown, so Kurt will have a shot to win back his gold medal.
RAW had another special guest as Rob Schneider, star of the new film Deuce Bigalow European Gigolo, came to the ring for
the Queen of the Mountain Challenge for the 2005 RAW Diva Search Contest. The Queen of the Mountain challenge was a
jousting match as two contestants squared off on pedestals, trying to knock each other off with jousting sticks. Ashley
and Leyla went at it first, and after two ties, Ashley prevailed. Elisabeth then defeated Kristal and knocked off Ashley
in the finals. But it’s up to you, the fans, to decide who goes home next. This week it was Summer.
Big Show teamed up with Shelton Benjamin and defeated Gene Snitsky and Chris Masters in tag team action. Big Show was able
to shake off a big boot from Snitsky and hit a Chokeslam for the win while Benjamin and Masters were brawling on the
outside.
Rob Conway was also in action, defeating Val Venis
MATCHES:
Rob Conway defeated Val Venis
Shelton Benjamin & Big Show defeated Chris Masters & Snitsky
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Intercontinental Champion Carlito to retain the WWE title
Eugene defeated Tatanka via a disqualification in a Eugene Invitational match
RAW
# 637
8-8-05 LIVE
Mellon Arena
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Only 13 days from their historic SummerSlam match, the legendary Hulk Hogan and “The Icon” Shawn Michaels went face to
face in a scathing confrontation. Michaels declared that none of The Hulkster’s personality or showmanship “will amount to
a hill of beans at SummerSlam.” He added that he’s “going to be the first guy who doesn’t buckle under the image of Hulk
Hogan.” But Hogan fired back with some searing comments of his own, calling HBK the “king of cheap shots and backstabbing”
and even evoking memories of the infamous Montreal Incident by saying, “As far as casting stones, all I’d have to do is
call up Bret Hart.” Fans immediately voiced their opinions by chanting, “You screwed Bret!” Michaels immediately responded
by telling the crowd, “Don’t you forget it.” Then, he pointed at Hogan and told him he was next. Michaels effectively
ended the event by KO’ing moderator Jerry Lawler with Sweet Chin Music, seemingly just as a means of intimidation. But
Hogan went on the offensive, hitting the big boot and launching Michaels over the top rope. The two were still exchanging
words when RAW went off the air.
Meanwhile, hometown Hero Kurt Angle may not have won back his Olympic gold medal on RAW from Pittsburgh, but he will get a
match against Eugene at SummerSlam. After Eugene won this week’s Invitational by disqualification, Angle got Bischoff to
make the pay-per-view match — and this time there will be no time limit. Angle even declared that he’d end Eugene’s career
on Aug. 21, just for kicks. Angle couldn’t believe it when referee Mike Chioda DQ’d him amid confusion over an inadvertent
collision, and he took out that frustration on Eugene. He hit an Angle Slam, but that prompted none other than Hulk Hogan
to storm the ring and break things up. Hulkamania then ran wild through the Mellon Arena as The Hulkster and Eugene posed
for the crowd. And in response, Hulk Hogan will face Kurt Angle next week on RAW.
Chris Masters’ impressive RAW record got even better on Monday, as he beat Shelton Benjamin with the devastating Master
Lock. But it took some underhanded tactics to cinch in the hold. “The Masterpiece” nearly found himself on the wrong end
of a rollup early. Masters went for his full-nelson finisher, but Benjamin had it scouted, twisting it into a pinning
predicament for a two-count. When Masters then almost got caught with the T-bone suplex, he felt the need to sneak a
low-blow. With Benjamin then doubled over in pain, Masters was able to finally apply the Master Lock. The referee declared
a submission victory seconds later.
Edge responded to Matt Hardy’s most recent verbal barrage, saying Hardy has been merely riding Edge’s coattails and
Hardy’s 15 minutes of fame were about to end. “At SummerSlam, you’re going to witness legalized assault,” Edge said.
Edge took issue with security guards being posted at his and Lita’s door, declaring that he shouldn’t have to be
sequestered from a regular RAW locker room just because Matt Hardy is re-hired. “At SummerSlam, I’m going to prove that
you don’t measure up to me as a man in any way,” Edge added. He would later punctuate those remarks by assaulting Hardy
right after his RAW match. Hardy dropped Gene Snitsky with a modified Diamond Cutter, but he was then immediately attacked
by an emotional Edge. Security separated the two, but no one will come between them at the pay-per-view on Aug. 21.
Y2J’s guest on the Highlight Reel was General Manager Eric Bischoff, who wanted to make an example out of a subordinate
official. Bischoff called out Chad Patton, then slapped the young referee repeatedly for interfering in “his business.”
Bischoff forced Patton to publicly apologize, then made a match between the “Ayatollah of Rock ‘N’ Rolla” and Patton… with
Bischoff himself serving as referee. To make matters worse, Bischoff refused to enforce the rules, allowing Jericho to
repeatedly choke Patton and for Carlito the deliver cheap shots from ringside. Y2J finally applied the Walls of Jericho
and Patton promptly tapped, but Bischoff refused to end the match right away. WWE Champion John Cena couldn’t take any
more, rushing to Patton’s aid. He then hit Carlito with an FU dedicated to Jericho. Bischoff was so upset by Cena’s
involvement that he made a Handicap Match for next week: It’ll be John Cena vs. Carlito and Jericho. Cena fans also were
treated to the world premiere of his new music video. The Champ always dreamed of being a WWE
Superstar. His new music video, “Right Now,” told that story Monday night.
MATCHES:
Kristal is eliminated from the 2005 RAW Diva Search
Matt Hardy defeated Gene Snitsky
Eugene defeated Kurt Angle via a DQ
in a Eugene Gold Medal Invitational match
Chris Masters defeated Shelton Benjamin
Rob Conway defeated Viscera
The Heart Throbs & Victoria defeated The Hurricane, Rosey & Stacy Keibler
in a mixed tag team match
RAW
# 638
8-15-05 LIVE
Bell Centre
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
RAW emanated from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada – a place where Shawn Michaels has a lot of history. At Survivor
Series 1997, Shawn Michaels defeated, or as everyone later learned, screwed, Canada’s own Bret “Hit Man” Hart out of the
WWE Championship in one of the most infamous moments in WWE history. HBK came to the ring at the beginning of RAW and
reminded the rabid fans of his heinous actions just in case they had forgotten. Michaels said that he screwed Bret before,
he’d do it again, and he’s going to do the same thing to Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam. Not only did HBK talk the talk, but l
ater on in the show, he walked the walk.
In the much-anticipated main event of the evening, Hulk Hogan faced off against Kurt Angle. It looked as though Hogan was
on his way to victory. After Angle connected with an Angle Slam, the Hulkster miraculously kicked out and went on the
offensive, nailing the Olympic Champion with the big boot. Hogan signaled to the crowd that the famous Leg Drop would be
next, as he ran to the ropes. As Hogan gained steam and headed for his target, Shawn Michaels flew in from out of nowhere
and took out the Hulkster. HBK then started warming up the band, as Sweet Chin Music appeared imminent. Then, right before
the Showstopper could connect, he stopped short and applied the Sharpshooter as the Bell Centre erupted in a deafening
round of boos. HBK did just what he said he would do by screwing Hulk Hogan. HBK struck again in Montreal. Will he be able
to do it again in six days at SummerSlam?
RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff had some devious plans of his own in Montreal. Bischoff had already made a handicap
match pitting Chris Jericho & Carlito against WWE Champion John Cena in an effort to soften up the champ for SummerSlam.
Bischoff decided to try and turn Cena’s Chain Gang against him by carrying the Canadian flag to the ring, but Cena’s fans
didn’t let him down. Jericho and Carlito utilized their numbers advantage throughout the entire match, making crisp tags
and keeping Cena from sustaining any significant offense. Carlito added insult to injury by spitting pieces of apple into
the champ’s face, as Bischoff followed it up with a swift slap to the face. After a couple of near falls, Jericho went for
the Walls of Jericho, but Cena used his leg-strength and kicked Jericho into the ropes. Jericho, in turn, inadvertently
knocked Carlito off the apron. Cena went for the F-U on Jericho, but Carlito made the save. The champ, however, was able
to catch Carlito with the maneuver for the 1-2-3. But Chris Jericho got the last laugh when he leveled Cena with a
sickening blow to the head with a chair. Jericho taunted his SummerSlam opponent as Cena just stared up at the lights with
a far away look in his eyes. Will Jericho be able to stand tall over Cena once again in six days?
While SummerSlam is just around the corner, the 2005 RAW Diva Search Contest was coming to an end. The eight finalists
were already narrowed down to Elisabeth, Leyla and Ashley, but only one lucky winner would be walking away from Montreal
with $250,000 and a WWE contract. Early on in the evening, Jonathan Coachman announced that Elisabeth had been eliminated,
and then later on, the two finalists met in the ring. After re-living some highlights of this year’s competition, Coach
left both Diva hopefuls in suspense as he announced the winner would be revealed on the Titan Tron. Weeks of waiting was
finally over as Ashley’s picture appeared on the screen, sending RAW’s newest Diva into exultation. Ashley fell to her
knees in excitement and when presented with her check, thanked the fans and exclaimed, “I’m going to SummerSlam!”
Eugene will also be going to SummerSlam as he will face Kurt Angle. Eugene faced Rene Dupree in the third ever Eugene
Invitational. But just seconds in, Angle stormed the ring and took out both Dupree and Eugene. Angle left Eugene laying
in the ring and told him that at SummerSlam he’ll show him why he’s the most vicious S.O.B. in WWE.
The Heart Throbs were also in action, but they were no match for the monstrous Big Show. RAW’s resident giant defeated the
tag team with a double chokeslam, pinning both Antonio and Romeo.
MATCHES:
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Chris Jericho & Intercontinental Champion Carlito Cool
Hulk Hogan defeated Kurt Angle via a disqualification
Eugene defeated Rene Dupree via a disqualification in an Eugene Invitational match
Edge defeated Val Venis
Big Show defeated The Heart Throbs
Rob Conway defeated The Hurricane
SUMMER SLAM
8-21-05 LIVE
M.C.I. Center
Washington, D.C.
Hulk Hogan defeated Shawn Michaels
In one of the most anticipated matches in SummerSlam history, Hulk Hogan defeated Shawn Michaels. Late in the match, a
bloodied Hogan managed to escape a Sharpshooter and kick out of the combination of a flying elbow and Sweet Chin Music.
Hogan then delivered a big boot and leg drop to finish HBK off. After the match, the two men shook hands with HBK telling
Hogan he needed this match to find out for himself. What he found out was that Hulk Hogan still has it.
Chris Benoit defeated Orlando Jordan to become new United States Champion
Just as he promised, Chris Benoit made Orlando Jordan tap out to the Crippler Crossface, allowing Benoit to win the United
States Championship for a third time. The more shocking part was how long the match took. Benoit needed less than a
minute to apply the devestating move.
Randy Orton defeated the Undertaker
Randy Orton can finally add Undertaker to his list of beaten legends, but not without some timely help from his father
Cowboy Bob Orton. Undertaker looked to be in control late in the match after a big Chokeslam, but then what appeared
to be an over zealous fan came to the ring, distracting Undertaker and the referee. In the meantime, Orton came to his
senses, and when Taker finally turned back to Orton, he hit Taker with an RKO and recorded the pin. Moments later, Orton
revealed the "fan" was actually his father in disguise. Father and son posed while Undertaker fumed back in the ring.
Kurt Angle defeated Eugene
Kurt Angle made his point. The only Olympic Gold Medalist in WWE history, punished Eugene and took back his gold medal
at SummerSlam. Eugene put up a slight fight early, actually connecting with a Rock Bottom and a Stunner before Angle hit
Eugene with an Angle Slam. Angle then cinched in the Ankle Lock, which proved too much for Eugene, who tapped
out. After the match, Angle threw Eugene out of the ring and used a chair to erect a makeshift medal platform. He then had
the referee place the medal around his neck while his music played.
Edge defeated Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy's quest for revenge against Edge, and Lita, never quite materialized. Hardy lost his match to Edge when referee
Chad Patton stopped the match when Hardy began to bleed steadily from his forehead. Hardy refused to quit on his own.
Overall, the match resembled a brawl more than it did a wrestling match, with both men clearly emotional. Edge created the
gash when he slammed Hardy's head against the steel ring post.
Rey Mysterio defeated Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero still hasn't defeated Rey Mysterio. But this victory was the most rewarding off all for Mysterio, who won
an exhausting Ladder Match to win sole custody of Dominick at SummerSlam. The match went back and forth, with both men
trading painful blows and connecting with high-risk manuevers while utilizing the ladder. On separate occassions, Both
Eddie and Rey found themselves at the top of the ladder with the briefcase, holding the custody papers nearly in hand,
only to fall violently to the ground. At one point, Dominick even came to the ring to try and stop Eddie from climbing the
ladder. Eddie responded by screaming a scared Dominick into the corner. In the end, with Guerrero in control, Eddie's wife
Vicki came to the ring and pushed her husband off the ladder. Earlier in the night, Vicki had told Eddie he was in this
match for all of the wrong reasons. With Eddie on the mat, Vicki shielded Rey from her husband as Rey marched up the
ladder and snatched the briefcase. Rey and Dominick shared an emotional hug after the match as Rey's wife Angie also came
to the ring to celebrate.
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Chris Jericho
John Cena retained the WWE Championship with one of the most impressive victories of his career over Chris Jericho at
SummerSlam. Jericho was in total control late when he applied the Walls of Jericho, locking the move in for more than
minute. But Cena was just able to get to the bottom rope, forcing Jericho to break the hold. Jericho did more damage with
a back suplex off the top rope, but Cena just kicked out, frustrating Jericho to the point of complaining to the referee
about the count. Moments later, Cena was able to land a massive FU and record the pin to keep his WWE Championship.
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated JBL
It turns out the No Holds Barred stipulation was right up Batista's alley. In a brutal match, much of which took place
outside the ring, Batista defeated and downright punished JBL to retain the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam
in his hometown of Washington, D.C. The match turned when JBL brought the steel steps into the ring, prepared to inflict
some damage. Instead, Batista tossed JBL from the steps with a back body drop and then hit a Batista Bomb. But instead of
pinning JBL, Batista picked him up off the mat and sent him back-first into the steps with another Batista Bomb before
recording the pin on the steps.
RAW
# 639
8-22-05 LIVE
Hampton Coliseum
Hampton, Virginia
RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff shut the door on Chris Jericho, who “couldn’t get the job done” on Monday night. Just as
quickly, the door opened for new No. 1 Contender Kurt Angle. When Chris Jericho fell victim to Cena’s FU finisher for the
second consecutive night, Bischoff followed through on his promise to fire the loser of the match from WWE. Y2J begged and
pleaded on his knees for his job, but Bischoff already had a contingency plan. At the same time that Jericho was being
physically removed from the building by security, Kurt Angle emerged to attack the WWE Champion. Kurt leveled Cena, then
hit an Angle Slam. With Cena prone on the mat, a pleased Bischoff announced Angle as the new No. 1 Contender.
It was a big night for Angle, who also silenced a former protégé on RAW. Fresh off his intense and successful performance
at SummerSlam, Angle battled Shelton Benjamin. The two traded technical holds before Shelton transitioned to his creative
aerial offense. Benjamin also displayed his athleticism by flipping his way out of a German suplex — landing on his feet a
s only Shelton could do. Benjamin also earned a near-fall by reversing an Angle Slam attempt into a spiked DDT. But the
mentor had the answer to the student’s advance. Angle stopped a T-bone suplex and locked in the ankle lock. When Kurt was
able to grapevine the hold, it spelled the end for Benjamin, who tapped seconds later. Angle then retrieved a chair from
ringside and simulated his 1996 gold medal ceremony for the second straight evening.
Shawn Michaels opened RAW and recounted his SummerSlam match with tongue firmly in cheek. HBK sarcastically said Hogan was
“the better man” at SummerSlam, and that it was no time to get “back to reality.” Just when “The Showstopper” was getting
warmed up, he was halted mid-speech by Chris Masters’ elaborate ring entrance. “The Masterpiece” declared that it was time
for Hulk Hogan and HBK to pass the torch to him.
Michaels was playful with the situation, saying he understood that to climb the WWE ladder, Masters needed to try to steal
the spotlight from a main-eventer. But just as quickly, Michaels opened up on the impressive newcomer and chased him from
the ring. Masters backed off … for now.
Matt Hardy would not die at SummerSlam. He was never pinned; he never tapped. Referee Chad Patton was forced to stop the
pay-per-view match; however, after an emotional Edge decimated Hardy. Despite clearly not being 100 percent healthy, Hardy
still managed to make his scheduled RAW match against red-hot Rob Conway. But Hardy had little left after the damage done
at SummerSlam, making him especially susceptible to Conway’s attack. Conway continued his recent win streak with a top-rope
elbow smash right to Hardy’s heart — all while Lita and Edge watched
from the announce table. Once the match was over, Edge picked up right where he left off in Washington, D.C., bloodying
Matt by smashing his head with the steel ring steps.
Carlito had 16-time world champion Ric Flair on the Cabana, which was cool. But Carlito changed his mind after speaking
face-to-face with Flair — even spitting apple in The Nature Boy’s face. Flair responded with fists and chops, forcing the
young Intercontinental Champion from the ring and from Flair Country.
The Hampton, Va., crowd got a special surprise treat when Candice and Torrie Wilson appeared on RAW as the result of a
four-person roster trade. The sizzling-hot Divas welcomed the 2005 Diva Search winner Ashley to RAW the hard way — with a
high-heeled kick to the abdomen and a slap to the face. Candice and Torrie promised to stir up Monday nights, and they
certainly followed through with that unprovoked attack.
MATCHES:
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Chris Jericho via a "You're fired" match
Big Show defeated Snitsky
Rob Conway defeated Matt Hardy
Kurt Angle defeated Shelton Benjamin
RAW
# 640
8-29-05 LIVE
St. Pete Times Forum
Tampa, Florida
One week after having the legendary Ric Flair on his Cabana, Carlito’s guest this week on RAW was none other than the
icon, Shawn Michaels. But that wasn’t Carlito’s only guest this week, as he was also joined by “The Masterpiece” Chris
Masters. HBK, who was scheduled to face Masters later on in the Master Lock Challenge, tried to get out of the two-on-one
situation by making the first move, but Carlito and Masters were too much to overcome. But help was on the way as The
Nature Boy Ric Flair made the save, running off Carlito and Masters. Masters and Carlito retreated to General Manager Eric
Bischoff’s office demanding something be done about Flair and Michaels. Bischoff told Masters that the Master Lock
Challenge would be put on hold for a week and instead, Masters and Carlito would team up to take on Flair and HBK later in
the show. Flair was unable to make it to the ring, however. During the show, officials found Flair bloodied and battered,
lying motionless in the locker room area. With Flair needing medical attention, the tag team contest was turned into a
Handicap Match as Masters and Carlito teamed up to take on Shawn Michaels. The Showstopper used his veteran knowledge
early on and stayed out of Masters’ and Carlito’s corner, avoiding any double teams. After HBK went shoulder-first into
the steel post, though, Masters and Carlito were able to use their numbers advantage. But HBK weathered the storm and came
back with a flying forearm on Carlito, followed by a top rope elbow. The Showstopper then whipped the Tampa Bay crowd into
a frenzy as he started to tune up the band, but Chris Masters recovered and pulled HBK to the outside before he could
connect. After the action returned to the ring, Chris Masters went to work on HBK’s back. Masters followed up a third
backbreaker by bending Michaels over his knee, trying to make him submit. There was no quit in HBK, though, as he was able
to fight out of the maneuver. Masters went for a back body drop, but the Showstopper turned it into a DDT. With that, a
bloodied and bandaged Ric Flair made his way to the ring to even up the two sides. The Dirtiest Player in the Game cleaned
house and then went for the Figure Four Leglock on Masters. With the referee’s back turned, Carlito hit a low blow to make
the save. Masters then recovered to lock in the Master Lock as Michaels and Carlito brawled on the outside. The 16-time
World Champion put up a valiant effort, but the already battered Flair could not endure the Master Lock.
Matt Hardy and Edge continued their violent and personal rivalry earlier in the show in a RAW Street Fight. These two
Superstars pulled out all the stops and used everything they could get their hands on to try to pulverize each other.
From ladders, chairs, garbage cans and kendo sticks, Hardy and Edge tried everything they could to end each other’s
careers. After realizing the ring could not hold them, Hardy and Edge slugged it out up the ramp with Lita following
closely behind. Once at the top of the ramp, Hardy threw Edge into the stage. He then turned his attention to his
ex-girlfriend, setting her up for a powerbomb. Before he could connect, Edge recovered and broke it up. Hardy went for
the Twist of Fate, but Edge reversed out of it. Edge then went for the spear, but Hardy sidestepped it. Hardy came back
and locked in Edge for the Side Effect as they both went flying off the stage and into electrical equipment. Both
Superstars laid on the floor motionless as sparks flew everywhere. Trainers and EMTs rushed to the scene and took both
Superstars away in ambulances for immediate medical attention.
WWE Champion John Cena also made an appearance, one week after suffering a brutal attack at the hands of new No. 1
Contender Kurt Angle. The two will meet up at Unforgiven, but
Cena didn’t want to wait. He called out the Olympic Gold Medalist. Angle said that he didn’t want to risk his title shot
at Unforgiven so he wasn’t going to confront Cena. Cena goaded him by turning his back on him, prompting Angle to run in
and try to hook in the Ankle Lock. Cena was able to kick out and get the last laugh, but who will laugh last at
Unforgiven?
Last week Torrie Wilson and Candice attacked RAW Diva Search winner Ashley. This week they came out and said they wanted
to apologize. Ashley came to the ring and said that if they were being honest, then she accepted the apology. Torrie and
Candice said that they felt so bad that they pulled some strings and got Ashley her first ever match…against Victoria. The
vicious Victoria came out and leveled Ashley with the Widow’s Peak for the victory.
Big Show was also in action as he disposed of Buck Quartermain and Steve Madison with a Double Chokeslam. After the match
Snitsky attacked Big Show, hitting him in the head twic with the ring bell.
Tyson Tomko continued his impressive winning streak as he knocked out Rosey, one half of the World Tag Team Champions,
with the Yakuza Kick. Tomko then dished out the same punishment to The Hurricane for good measure.
MATCHES:
Big Show defeated Buck Quartermain & Steve Madison via a Handicap match
Victoria defeated Ashley
Matt Hardy vs. Edge ended in a no-contest Street Fight
Tyson Tomko defeated Rosey via a knockout
Intercontinental Champion Carlito & Chris Masters defeated Shawn Michaels & Ric Flair via a submission
RAW
# 641
9-5-05 LIVE
Gaylord Entertainment Center
Nashville, Tennessee
Segment suffers from poor video due to severe storm.
Week after week, month after month, no WWE Superstar that has taken the Master Lock Challenge has been able to break the
hold. This Monday on RAW, Shawn Michaels was added to that list of unsuccessful challengers. Immediately after Masters
locked in the hold, Michaels aggressively attempted to break the hold, whipping the Nashville, TN, crowd into a frenzy.
With thousands of fans behind him, Michaels backed Masters into a corner, but The Masterpiece kept his hands locked. HBK
then used another corner for leverage and flipped over, sending both Superstars to the mat. But once again, Masters kept
his hands locked. HBK then managed to smash Masters’ head into a turnbuckle but to no avail. Michaels then rammed Masters
into a corner four times and once again flipped over onto to the mat, but Masters persevered. After trying to power out of
the move, the Showstopper pulled out the equalizer, delivering a crushing low blow with his leg. The low blow appeared to
be enough to get HBK out of the hold, as Masters’ hands began to separate. In an act of desperation, Masters threw HBK to
the mat. He then grabbed a steel chair and swung for the fences, connecting with Michaels’ head, busting him wide open in
the process. Masters then reapplied the hold, and HBK was unable to break free. After more than five months, no one has
been able to win the Master Lock Challenge.
Earlier in the evening, Kurt Angle faced off against Eugene in a rematch from SummerSlam. Angle was out to not only defeat
Eugene, but he wanted to send a message to WWE Champion John Cena in the process. Angle was as vicious as ever in this
one, starting off with a series of punches, kicks, uppercuts and face-rakes. Eugene tried to mount a comeback, channeling
Hacksaw Jim Duggan in the process, but he missed the three-point stance tackle and Angle pounced on him, working over his
left knee. Angle then hooked in the Ankle Lock and the rest was history. After the match, Angle mercilessly reapplied the
hold. Cena stormed the ring to make the save, but then Tyson Tomko came from out of nowhere and leveled the WWE Champion
with a crushing kick to the head. Tomko was rewarded for his deeds by General Manager Eric Bischoff with a match against
Cena later in the evening. With Cena suffering a concussion from Tomko’s kick earlier in the evening, the WWE Champion was
on the defensive almost from the outset. Tomko utilized his size and strength and delivered several crushing blows. Cena
was able to come back with a shoulder block and an offensive flurry. After connecting with the Five Knuckle Shuffle, Cena
pumped up his shoes and hit an FU for the win. After getting to the top of the ramp, Cena turned around and acknowledged
his fans, but with his back turned, Angle appeared form out of nowhere and beat down the Champ for the third week in a row.
After laying out Cena, Angle posed with the WWE Championship. Could this be a sign of things to come at Unforgiven?
Carlito was back with another edition of the Cabana, and this week his guest was RAW’s newest Diva, Ashley. After
commenting on Ashley’s “initiation” last week at the hands of Victoria, Torrie Wilson and Candice Michelle, Carlito said
that she had to go through another initiation on the Cabana. Before Carlito could spit his signature apple into Ashley’s
face, Ric Flair’s music hit the arena loudspeakers. The Dirtiest
Player in the Game ran to the ring and hit a series of low blows, causing Carlito to flee the scene. After Carlito
retreated, Flair said that at Unfrogiven he would do something he’s never done before – defeat Carlito and become
Intercontinental Champion.
Matt Hardy and Edge were both on RAW this week, but neither were in good shape. Last week they took each other to the
limit – not to mention to the hospital. After Hardy sent himself and Edge off the stage with a Side Effect into some
electrical equipment, both Superstars were rushed away in ambulances. Bischoff, realizing this rivalry could not be
settled with a traditional match, signed them for a Steel Cage Match at Unforgiven. But after Hardy signed the contract,
Bischoff said that even though he was in no condition to compete, he would be facing Snitsky. Lita and Edge, who was
sporting a neck brace, went to the broadcast booth for some guest commentary. Hardy gave it a valiant effort, but Snitsky
was too much to handle, given Hardy’s physical condition. After being thrown into the steel steps, Snitsky hit a crushing
Sidewalk Slam for the 1-2-3. After the match, Snitsky grabbed the ring bell, prompting Big Show to come to the ring and
try and make the save. Before he could get to the ring, though, Snitsky nailed Hardy in the back of the head with the bell
and retreated into the crowd. There will be nowhere for Snitsky to retreat to at Unforgiven, though, when he goes one on
one with Big Show. But after the shot to the head, will Hardy recover in time for his Steel Cage Match?
For the past couple of weeks Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch have been sending messages that they were on their way to RAW
to make an impact in the tag team division, and this week was their big chance. They had a non-title match against The
Hurricane and Rosey, and they certainly made the most of their debut. After showing off a dazzling display of tag team
maneuvers, The Hurricane and Rosey started to come back. But with Cade and Rosey on the outside, Murdoch was able to hit
a top-rope bulldog for the upset win.
Plus, Shelton Benjamin squared off against the red-hot Rob Conway. Kerwin White, who has made questionable remarks about
Benjamin as of late, even rode out on his golf cart to get an up-close look at this one. Benjamin looked to have things
going his way, but White tripped him up with one of his golf clubs, allowing Conway to roll him up for the win.
Ashley tried to get revenge on Torrie Wilson in a match, but even though it was a one-on-one contest, Candice Michelle and
Victoria got involved and helped Torrie pick up the win.
Viscera and Val Venis were also in tag team action as they picked up a win over The Heart Throbs.
MATCHES:
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Tyson Tomko
Kurt Angle defeated Eugene
Gene Snitsky defeated Matt Hardy
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch defeated World Tag Team Champions Rosey & The Hurricane
Rob Conway defeated Shelton Benjamin
Torrie Wilson defeated Ashley
Val Venis & Viscera defeated The Heart Throbs
RAW
# 642
9-12-05 LIVE
Alltel Arena
Little Rock, Arkansas
John Cena may have sustained a broken ankle at the hands of a vicious Kurt Angle only six days before Unforgiven. Cena
overcame another stacked deck on RAW, dropping Tyson Tomko with an FU to end a two-on-one Handicap Match. But after the
bell, Kurt Angle attacked the WWE Champion and drove his knee straight into Cena’s groin. Angle then pulled Cena to the
corner, where he perhaps shattered The Champ’s ankle by forcing it hard into the ring post. The Olympic gold medalist then
worsened the blow with another knee to the injured ankle. As Cena lay in terrible pain, General Manager Eric Bischoff
hovered over his face, screaming at him. “I’ll take your belt. I’ll take your career. I’ll take your dreams,” Bischoff
angrily yelled. Can Cena overcome the greatest odds yet this Sunday when he defends the WWE Championship against the
master of the ankle lock on seemingly one leg? We’ll find out in the blockbuster match at the pay-per-view.
It was a cruel twist of fate for Matt Hardy on RAW. Monday night’s opening match began as Edge vs. Big Show, but when
Snitsky caused a disqualification and Matt Hardy evened the odds, Bischoff issued an impromptu tag-team match. Big Show
had things well in hand until the action spilled to the outside, where Edge unloaded on the world’s largest athlete with
his “Money in the Bank” briefcase. Big Show fell hard, leaving legal man Hardy to fend for himself. Still, Matt caught
Snitsky with a Side Effect, then followed with a guillotine leg drop. Before he could finish Snitsky, he was distracted
by former-girlfriend Lita. Unable to concentrate, Hardy chased Lita
into the ring, where he was primed to hit her with the Twist of Fate. Lita’s current lover Edge managed to break it up
just in time, but he almost got caught with Matt’s finisher himself. But just before Hardy could execute the maneuver,
Lita blasted him with a low-blow. With Hardy doubled over in pain, the door opened for Edge to hit the spear and earn the
three-count. After the bell, Edge and Lita added the ultimate insult to injury. Lita lifted Hardy’s body and hit him with
his own Twist of Fate. What will fate have in store for Edge and Hardy inside a Steel Cage at Unforgiven? And in a battle
of big men, Snitsky locks horns with Big Show at the huge event this Sunday.
Chris Masters believes he belongs in the ring with the big dogs despite being only 22, so he was confident he’d handle
the challenge of facing the 16-time world champion. It was the bigger, stronger, younger man squaring off against “The
Dirtiest Player in the Game,” Ric Flair. Masters used his superior strength to control the match. He lifted Flair for a
military press slam twice in a row, and he later followed up with a power slam that did further damage to Flair’s lower
back. Masters called for the Master Lock for the second time, but Flair had the counter — kicking his way out of a
half-nelson before Masters could lock the full hold. Flair was forced to the outside, where he used the full time
allotted to regroup. But Masters quickly regained control with a hangman’s neck breaker. Masters returned to punishing
Flair’s spine by delivering a jarring sidewalk slam to the floor. Masters then zeroed in on the lower back again with a
series of bear hugs. An increasingly desperate and zapped Flair bit Masters on bridge of the nose to force him to break
the hold. Momentum then shifted as Flair hit a chop block, cutting out Masters’ leg. Flair continued to work on that limb,
then cinched in his patented Figure-Four Leg Lock. But before we could learn if Masters would tap, Carlito stormed the
ring, clocking Flair with the Intercontinental Championship. Shawn Michaels came to Flair’s aid but was caught by Masters
and repeatedly rammed into the ring post. Then, for the second time in two weeks, HBK found himself trapped and
incapacitated by the Master Lock. Will HBK suffer the same outcome this Sunday, or will the impressive youngster finally
be put in his place? Plus, Flair will get an opportunity to answer back against Carlito at Unforgiven, where The Nature
Boy could add yet another championship to his epic resume.
Shelton Benjamin got a chance at payback against Kerwin White, who interfered in Benjamin’s match last week and cost him
the contest against Rob Conway. While Shelton technically got the win, it was Kerwin smiling and waving in the ring after
an intentional disqualification from blasting Shelton with a golf club.
RAW’s trio of vixens, Torrie, Candice and Victoria, invited Diva Search winner Ashley into the ring again this week. They
claimed that Ashley had passed their hazing initiation and were ready to finally welcome her. But Ashley wouldn’t make the
same mistake again, instead keeping her distance and announcing a special surprise of her own: Trish Stratus! Together,
Ashley and Trish cleared the ring as the crowd roared from the unexpected return of the Women’s Champion. As a
result, it’ll be Trish and Ashley vs. Torrie and Victoria at Unforgiven.
One week after upsetting the World Tag Team Champions in a non-title match, newcomers Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch again
impressed on RAW when they took on Eugene and Tajiri. Displaying fluid teamwork and a definite mean streak, the duo from
Texas systematically broke down the energetic Eugene. Tajiri eventually managed a much-needed tag, but he found himself on
the wrong end of a Murdoch sit-down powerbomb, which was immediately followed by a Cade top-rope elbow drop for the win.
MATCHES:
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch defeated Eugene & Tajiri
Big Show defeated Edge via a disqualification
Edge & Snitsky defeated Matt Hardy & Big Show
Shelton Benjamin defeated Kerwin White via a disqualification
Ric Flair defeated Chris Masters via a disqualification
John Cena defeated Kurt Angle & Tyson Tomko in a Handicap Match
UNFORGIVEN
9-18-05 LIVE
Ford Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Shelton Benjamin defeated Kerwin White aka: Chavo Guerrero
Kerwin White went for his trusty golf club again, but to no avail. Shelton Benjamin, despite wrestling with an injured
left knee, escaped a submission move and ultimately connected with his T-Bone Suplex to record the victory at Unfrogiven.
White thought he was in control when he grabbed his golf club in the corner and tried to use it on Benjamin, but the
former IC Champion was more than prepared for White's antics.
Ashley & Trish Stratus defeated Victoria & Torrie Wilson
Trish Stratus protecting her back, new RAW Diva Ashley was able to enjoy her first pay-per-view victory Sunday. Trish,
looked fresher than ever after recovering from back and neck injuries, and single-handedly took care of Victoria and
Torrie Wilson in the latter moments of the match. Trish Stratus earned the pin after connecting with a Chick Kick on
Victoria. Meanwhile, Ashley made sure a meddling Candice didn't cause any more trouble by slamming her head into the
ring apron.
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch defeated World Tag Team Champions The Hurricane & Rosey
World Tag Team Championship was on the line, and Lace Cade and Trevor Murdoch showed their previous RAW victory wasn't a
fluke. Cade & Murdoch defeated The Hurricane and Rosey to capture the World Tag Team Championship at Unforgiven.
Hurricane was injured during most of the match after being punished with a DDT off the apron and onto the floor. He
finally recovered enough to make a tag, but when he came to the ring he was promptly greeted by a serious clotheline
from Murdoch, who got the cover.
Big Show defeated Gene Snitsky
It was as physical as advertised when Big Show clashed with Snitsky. Show overcame a flurry of Snitsky offense to simply
overpower the smaller Snitsky en route to an Unforgiven win. Show used a pair of clotheslines, a shoulder tackle and a
chokeslam to put Snitsky away. After the match, Show hit Snitsky twice with the ring bell, revenge for Snitsky's antics
on RAW recently.
Matt Hardy defeated Edge
Not even Lita could prevent Matt Hardy from leaving Unforgiven with a victory Sunday. Hardy and Edge had an amazing Steel
Cage Match, which ended with Hardy launching himself from the top of the cage and connecting with a leg drop for the
victory. Just moments before, Lita had invaded the cage and broke up a Hardy pin attempt and even grabbed Edge's "Money in
the Bank" briefcase. Hardy responded by executing the Twist of Fate on his former girlfriend. Edge, who was bleeding from
his forehead for nearly half the match, was running out of energy once Hardy rammed his head into the cage two more times,
dropping him to mat. After the leg drop, Hardy, the man that won't die, was very much alive.
Shawn Michaels defeated Chris Masters
Chris Masters might be a surging young Superstar, but for this night, it was Shawn Michaels who once again stole the
spotlight and handed Masters his first-ever WWE loss. Masters was able to get HBK in his patented Master Lock, but the
cagey HBK jumped the ropes and from the apron forced the ref to start a five-count, which ultimately forced Masters to
break the hold. Moments later HBK connected with Sweet Chin music to collect the win. Masters delivered plenty of
punishment during the match, at one point sapping HBK of energy with a devestating backbreaker. But it wasn't enough, as
Michaels simply re-fueled en route to the dramatic victory.
Ric Flair defeated Intercontinental Champion Carlito Carribean Cool
Ric Flair filled that empty spot in his extensive resume. Flair, using his veteran guile and incredible resilience,
defeated the younger Carlito to capture the Intercontinental Championship at Unforgiven Sunday. Flair wore Carlito down
with his patented chops, and when a frustrated Carlito went for his apple, Flair pounced. Flair punched Carlito before he
could spit out his apple chunks, catching Carlito by surprise. Moments later, Carlito was in the figure four leglock,
tapping out to history. After the match, Flair said this championship would be one of his most cherished and that he was
preparing to party all night long in Oklahoma City.
Kurt Angle defeated WWE Champion John Cena via a disqualification
This was not the night nor the victory Kurt Angle and Eric Bischoff envisioned. Kurt Angle managed to defeat WWE Champion
John Cena at Unforgiven when Cena was caught hammering Angle with his championship belt. But Cena's disqualification
doesn't warrant the WWE Championship changing hands.
As a result, Cena left Unforgiven still WWE Champion. It appeared John Cena would win in normal fashion when he connected
with the FU on Angle. But moments before, the ref collided with Angle and he was still down. That gave Angle enough time
to recover, and eventually he grabbed his Gold Medal from the corner and wrapped it around his fist before clocking Cena.
Angle then slapped on the Ankle Lock while General Manager Eric Bischoff stormed the ring and taunted Cena, claiming his
time as champion was ending. But Cena wouldn't tap out and he managed to escape and force an Angle-Bischoff collision.
With the ref still groggy, Cena got some harsh revenge when he smacked Angle witht he belt, only to have the ref catch
the illegal action out of the corner of his eye just in time to disqualify the champion. After the bell, Cena connected
with an FU on Bischoff and another one on Angle on the outside, as Angle crash-landed on the announce table.
RAW
# 643
9-19-05 LIVE
Kay Yeager Coliseum
Wichita Falls, Texas
WWE Champion John Cena joined forces with “The Showstopper” Shawn Michaels, the largest professional athlete in sports
today Big Show and the man that will never die Matt Hardy, comprising one of the most imposing teams ever. But the team of
Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, the massive Snitsky, owner of the unbreakable Master Lock Chris Masters and Mr. Money in
the Bank Edge were just as formidable. With all of that talent thrown together in one ring, something had to give. This
massive match started out with both teams trying to utilize quick tags to take advantage of their opponents. Masters was
able to hook in his impenetrable Master Lock on Hardy early on, but Big Show came in and changed that in a hurry as the
Wichita Falls crowd went crazy. Hardy endured attacks from Edge and Snitsky, but he would not die. He was able to land the
Twist of Fate on Snitsky, giving him enough time to make the tag to Shawn Michaels. Snitsky also made the tag to Angle.
HBK jumped out to an early advantage but missed a top rope elbow. Angle pounced on the fallen Michaels and viciously
applied the Ankle Lock. HBK refused to tap and Big Show came in to make the save. As chaos erupted in the ring, Angle was
able to Angle Slam Big Show out of the ring as the giant took a hard fall to the concrete floor. Edge, Masters and Angle
continued to work on HBK’s leg. HBK desperately tried to reach his corner for the tag on several occasions. Finally, he
was able to make the tag to Big Show who cleaned house with a series of clotheslines and massive headbutts. Big Show went
for the chokeslam on Snitsky, but it was blocked with a low blow as the referee was distracted. Edge connected on a spear
and then his teammates joined him in a group beat-down of Big Show. But Big Show showed superhuman strength and shrugged
them all off with ease. Big Show’s teammates came to his aid and this time they cleaned house. Big Show then press slammed
his own teammate, Hardy, to the outside into Masters and Snitsky. Edge snuck back into the ring and tried to take out Cena
with his briefcase, but Cena avoided the shot and took him down. After hitting the Five Knuckle Shuffe, Big Show hit a
thunderous chokeslam. Cena, Hardy and Michaels joined Big Show, and all four men covered Edge for the 1-2-3.
That match alone made for another fantastic edition of RAW, but the excitement and surprises didn’t stop there. General
Manager Eric Bischoff kicked off the show by coming to the ring with his own version of the WWE Championship belt with
him, complete with Angle’s name engraved on it. Bischoff brought Kurt Angle out to the ring as well, and went on to say
that Cena has shown a flagrant disregard for his authority and he was about to do something about it. Just as he was about
to strip Cena of the Championship and name Kurt Angle the new Champion, Mr. McMahon’s music hit and the Chairman made his
way to the ring. McMahon was going to come out later in the show with some news on WWE Homecoming, which will take place
in two weeks on Oct. 3 on USA, but after hearing Bischoff, he was prompted to come out earlier. Mr. McMahon claimed that
Bischoff didn’t have the authority to strip Cena of the Championship, so since Angle won by disqualification at Unforgiven,
and the Championship cannot change hands via DQ, John Cena was still the WWE Champion. To make matters worse for Bischoff,
McMahon also used his power as Chairman to make a match for WWE Homecoming. The WWE Championship will be on the line as
Cena takes on none other than Bischoff! After getting that piece of business out of the way, Mr. McMahon whipped the
Wichita Falls crowd into a frenzy informing them that among the past WWE Champions that will be on hand Oct. 3 will be
Mick Foley, Triple H, Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Last night Ric Flair added the title of Intercontinental Champion to his legendary resume, which already included 16 World
Championships. Flair said his new piece of hardware means just as much to him as any other championship, and he celebrated
the win appropriately by partying all night long and then a little longer with four lovely ladies who were in attendance
at Unforgiven. After all of that partying, though, he had to face Carlito in a rematch on RAW. Flair showcased his amazing
recovery abilities, as he was able to go toe-to-toe with Carlito once again. Even though Carlito was able to severely
injure Flair’s eye, causing it to swell so much that it was almost shut, Flair was able to keep coming back. Flair even
managed to hit a top-rope maneuver for the second-straight night – a maneuver that has hardly worked for him throughout
his entire career. Flair was able to hook in his Figure Four Leglock as well, and with the ref’s back turned, used the
ropes for added leverage, causing Carlito to tap. The Dirtiest Player in the Game is still the man. After the match, Maria
interviewed Ric Flair, but he was rudely interrupted by Carlito. The two went at it again, but this time Masters attacked
Flair as well and hooked in the Master Lock. After releasing the hold, Carlito spit apple bits into Flair’s face adding
insult to injury.
WWE Woman’s Champion Trish Stratus was in singles competition on RAW for the first time since April. Accompanied to the
ring by Ashley, Trish showed no ring rust in defeating Torrie Wilson, who had Victoria and Candice in her corner. After
the match, however, Victoria and Candice joined Torrie in dismantling Trish and Ashley.
One half of the new World Tag Team Champions, Trevor Murdoch, took on The Hurricane in singles action as well. After
hitting his head on the middle turnbuckle, The Hurricane showed the ill-effects of the stinger he suffered at Unforgiven
and Murdoch capitalized with a DDT for the win.
Tyson Tomko was impressive yet again, dismantling yet another opponent with his devastating Yakuza kick, causing the match to
be stopped.
MATCHES:
Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair defeated Carlito
World Tag Team Champion Trevor Murdoch defeated The Hurricane
Women's Champion Trish Stratus defeated Torrie Wilson
WWE Champion John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Big Show & Matt Hardy
defeated
Kurt Angle, Edge, Chris Masters & Gene Snitsky
Tyson Tomko defeated Eddie Craven
RAW
# 644
9-26-05 LIVE
Heart O Texas Coliseum
Waco, Texas
Could Eric Bischoff be the next WWE Champion? The General Manger not only contemplated that possibility on RAW, he
maximized his odds for the WWE Homecoming match on USA Network next week.
John Cena and Shawn Michaels appeared poised to win the anything goes, Texas Tornado-style, tag team Tables Match against
Chris Masters and Carlito. “The Showstopper” was perched on the top turnbuckle — about to hit an elbow smash on Masters
through a table. But before he could leap, an interfering Kurt Angle pushed him off and through a table outside the ring
to end the match. Inside the ring, John Cena battled back and hoisted Angle for an FU, but Bischoff caught him squarely
with a low blow, setting up an Angle Slam through a table. Cena lay bleeding and wincing — his body contorted from the
damage done to his lower back. Bischoff grabbed the WWE Championship belt, stared into it and then held it high above his
head. It seemed that Mr. McMahon’s message had gotten through: To truly make an impact at WWE Homecoming, it’s up to
Bischoff to find a way to become champion himself. Bischoff, who ordered the Tables Match, succeeded in substantially
softening Cena before their WWE Championship Match next week. But the circumstances also served to do damage to HBK one
week before he’ll have to go 30 minutes with Kurt Angle in a WWE Iron Man Match. The tag team Tables Match was unfamiliar
territory for all involved, and under the tornado format, all four men battled simultaneously. HBK attempted a superkick
on Carlito, but he instead connected with “Sweet Chin Music” on referee Chad Patton, who cracked a table on his way down
to the arena floor. Referee Jack Doan relieved the injured Patton, who was helped to the back to receive medical
attention. Meanwhile, Cena found himself caught in Master Lock for the first time, but Michaels was able to break it up.
The Tables Match featured a number of near-endings. At one point, HBK was forced to spear his own partner to prevent Cena
from being whipped into a potentially match-ending table propped up in one corner. In another memorable moment, Michaels
and Cena performed stereo scoop slams and Five-Knuckle Shuffles.
RAW began with Mr. McMahon thanking Spike TV for a good run, saying that WWE and Spike have been “pretty good tag-team
partners” over the years. But mid-speech, Kurt Angle interrupted the WWE Chairman and demanded a WWE Championship Match
on the heels of WWE Homecoming. HBK took exception, leading to heated words and McMahon’s spontaneous resolution of the
dispute: a 30-minute WWE Iron Man Match next week with serious implications for the WWE Championship picture. Mr. McMahon
also granted Theodore Long’s request to be a part of the three-hour WWE Homecoming spectacular. McMahon will allow Long
one SmackDown match during next week’s RAW; the match details and participants will be announced this Friday on SmackDown.
In a Women’s Championship Match, Trish Stratus seemed on the verge of victory after hitting the Stratusfaction on
Victoria. Sensing that danger, Torrie and Candice rushed the ring and caused a disqualification. In response, Trish Chick
Kicked Torrie as Ashley stripped Candice down to her bra and panties. A horrified Candice tried to cover herself up with
the help of Victoria and Torrie. Candice then grabbed a microphone and demanded a three-on-two Bra & Panties Match
next week to get back at them for the humiliating strip-down.
Edge delivered a message to Matt Hardy from atop a ladder a week before they’ll square off in a “Money in the Bank,”
Loser Leaves RAW Ladder Match. Edge said that each rung on that ladder represented a day left in Matt’s career. Lita
chimed in, calling Matt a loser who refuses to move on with his life — as evidenced by the brace she must wear as a
result of a Hardy Twist of Fate. But Hardy himself emerged from the crowd and toppled Edge, who crashed from the ladder
to the ring and then the floor.
Also, World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch had their hands full when they faced the team of Val Venis &
Viscera. After a big splash and Money Shot to Murdoch, Venis might have earned a three-count. But Cade grabbed the ref
and wouldn’t allow him to count three, causing a disqualification for putting his hands on an official.
In a RAW Street Fight, Big Show used everything but the kitchen sink to pummel Snitsky … and then he actually used a
kitchen sink to get the win.
In addition, Kerwin White defeated Shelton Benjamin with a little help from caddie Nick Nemeth, and Rob Conway resorted
to psychological torture to defeat Eugene. Just when Eugene seemed ready to hit a “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan-style clothesline
from out of the three-point stance, Conway grabbed Eugene’s plush HBK bear and tore its head off. A distraught Eugene
began to cry and was immediately finished with the Ego Trip.
In what became a subplot of the final RAW on Spike TV, Mr. McMahon was censored by Spike TV, which seemed to not want WWE
fans to hear anything about RAW’s immanent move to the USA Network.
MATCHES:
Big Show defeated Snitsky via a Street Fight
Women’s Champion Trish Stratus defeated Victoria via a disqualification
Kerwin White defeated Shelton Benjamin
Viscera & Val Venis defeated World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
via a disqualification in a non-title match
Rob Conway defeated Eugene
Carlito & Chris Masters defeated John Cena & Shawn Michaels via a Tables Match
RAW EXPOSED
10-2-05 TAPED
Relive the Top 10 Moments of RAW
WWE special to examine the show that changed sports-entertainment
“WWE RAW Exposed: The RAW Top 10” will examine even the most controversial topics in the history of Monday Night RAW,
including the bitter Monday Night Wars with WCW and the Attitude era of the 1990s.
The special will air three times on USA Network in October, starting Oct. 2 at 10 p.m., one night before RAW makes its
much-anticipated return to the USA Network.
Monday Night RAW debuted in 1993, live from the Manhattan Center in New York City. Twelve years later, RAW celebrated the
milestone of producing the most original episodes of any weekly fictional entertainment program in television history.
Some of the biggest names in WWE, past and present, will talk about their RAW experiences on “WWE RAW Exposed:
The RAW Top 10” and how the show changed the face of sports-entertainment forever.
Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Mick Foley, Triple H, John Cena, Trish Stratus and many more will provide
unforgettable commentary.
RAW
# 645 HOMECOMING
10-3-05 LIVE
American Airlines Center
Dallas, Texas
The first ever RAW aired on the USA Network in 1993, and for the first time in five years, RAW was going back home to
where it all started. Mr. McMahon and RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff promised a WWE Homecoming for the ages, and
that’s exactly what was delivered.
In addition to RAW’s greatest talents being on display for the world to see, Mr.
McMahon also allowed Friday Night SmackDown to have representation on the big extravaganza. SmackDown General Manager
Theodore Long set up a huge six-man tag match pitting World Heavyweight Champion Batista, United States Champion Chris
Benoit & Rey Mysterio against Eddie Guerrero, Bradshaw & Christian. Before the match really got going, however, Bischoff
came out and stopped the match. Since Mr. McMahon had left the show already due some ill-effects from a Stone Cold
Stunner, Bischoff was back in charge and not only stopped the SmackDown match, but also made his WWE Championship match
against John Cena a No Disqualification Match. Bischoff thought he had everything going for him. He had once again
stacked the deck against John Cena and even had Kurt Angle in his corner for help. Every time Cena looked to have things
under control, Angle would interfere. But when an errant swing of the chair caused the chair to bounce back into his own
face, Angle was out of commission. With the match being back to a one-on-one contest, Cena was able to hit the FU and pin
Bischoff to retain the WWE Championship. Following the match, though, Long came back out and said that since Bischoff
stuck his nose in SmackDown’s business, he was going to come back at him “gangsta style.” With that, all of the SmackDown
Superstars on hand stormed the ring and attacked Cena and Angle. Within moments, the RAW locker room also emptied out as
the likes of Shelton Benjamin, Viscera, Big Show and several others evened up the odds. RAW went off the air with the
Superstars of SmackDown and RAW going at it tooth and nail in a pier six brawl.
Bischoff was able to change his match to a No DQ Match because Mr. McMahon had already left for the evening. McMahon came
out earlier in the show and relived one of his favorite RAW moments – pinning Stone Cold Steve Austin. Before McMahon
could share anymore of his fond memories, Stone Cold came out himself and showed the Dallas fans some memories of his own
including pummeling McMahon in a hospital and dousing him with beer from a beer truck hose. Mr. McMahon offered to start
over on WWE Homecoming with a clean slate, but Stone Cold’s answer came with one of his patented Stone Cold Stunners.
Shane McMahon then came out to defend his father, but without even saying a word, the Texas Rattlesnake greeted him with
a Stunner as well. Then it was the Billion Dollar Princess’ turn as Stephanie came out and gave Stone Cold a
tongue-lashing. Stone Cold mistook her words for affection and thought she was flirting with him – until she slapped him
that is. The vicious slap earned her a Stunner as well, prompting WWE CEO Linda McMahon to come to the ring. She asked
Stone Cold to apologize for the chaos he had caused, and Austin uncharacteristically did just that. Austin then said that
it was time to give the fans a RAW moment they’d never forget. After teasing a kiss with the CEO, Austin said it was time
to drink some beers. Just before Austin was ready to leave, however, he completed the McMahon sweep and Stunned Linda as
well. Stone Cold had wreaked havoc on the McMahons once again.
WWE Homecoming also marked the return of Triple H. The Game had not been in a WWE ring since Vengeance, but he was back
on RAW, teaming with Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair to take on Chris Masters & Carlito. Triple H looked like he had
never left, showing no signs of ring-rust whatsoever. After delivering spinebusters to both Carlito and Masters, he went
for his trusty sledgehammer. Masters was able to wind up with the sledgehammer, though, and looked primed to give Triple
H a taste of his own medicine. As Triple H had Carlito locked in for the Pedigree, Masters raised the sledgehammer above
his head, ready to break up the move, but Ric Flair flew in and chop blocked Masters in the nick of time. Triple H hit
the Pedigree for the win. But the action didn’t stop there. After the match Triple H and Flair raised each other’s arms
in victory, but Triple H inexplicable leveled his supposed best friend with the sledgehammer. Triple H then beat a
busted-open Flair from pillar to post. He dragged Flair up the ramp and backstage, pounding on him every step of the way
asking the question, “What were you thinking?” Only Triple H knows what he meant by that question.
While WWE Homecoming marked the return of Triple H, it also marked the last night on RAW for Matt Hardy. Hardy faced Edge
in a Loser Leaves RAW, Money in the Bank Ladder Match, and Edge proved why he is Mr. Money in the Bank. Hardy had
everything going his way. Edge was knocked out on the outside, and Hardy was atop the ladder, but Lita came back to haunt
once again. Just as she had done earlier in the match, she caught Matt as he was scaling the ladder. Matt was grabbing
onto the briefcase, but Lita knocked the ladder out from under him. With Matt suspended above the ring by just the
briefcase, Edge came back in and tore him down, with Hardy landing on the ropes. Edge then trapped Hardy in the ring
ropes, and Lita wrapped herself around him, ensuring he could not escape. With Hardy trapped, Edge easily made it to the
top of the ladder and claimed his briefcase for the win, and Hardy was escorted out of the building and off of RAW for
the last time.
The first match of the evening was an instant classic as Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels squared off in a 30-minute WWE
Iron Man Match. Angle won their initial encounter at WrestleMania 21, but HBK came back to win at Vengeance, so this was
the rubber match. HBK went to the top rope for a high-risk maneuver and it backfired as Angle leapt up and hit the Angle
Slam for the first fall with 21:40 left to go. Angle then went to a ground attack to wear HBK down and keep the clock
ticking. Angle hooked in his Ankle lock with about 15 minutes to go, but Michaels was able to counter it into a rollup
for the second fall, evening the match at one fall apiece. Angle went right back to the Ankle Lock when he saw an opening,
and this time he grapevined it, forcing the Showstopper to tap out with about 11 minutes left to go. Hobbled on one leg,
HBK somehow made a comeback and hit the top-rope elbow followed by Sweet Chin Music to even the match at two falls apiece
with about 4:45 left. HBK got caught in the Ankle Lock yet again, and this time there was only 1:40 left to go. Angle had
it grapevined, but Michaels somehow kicked his way out of it. With Angle’s back turned, HBK hit the Sweet Chin Music, but
the referee could only count to 1 before time expired. HBK challenged Angle to go into sudden death, but the Olympic Gold
Medalist just left. The score has yet to be settled in this rivalry.
What would a WWE Homecoming be without the Immortal Hulk Hogan? The Hulkster kept it short and sweet. When asked by Mean
Gene Okerlund what was next for the WWE Hall of Famer, Hogan alluded that he would like his next opponent to be Stone
Cold Steve Austin. Was this the Hulkster’s way of calling out the Texas Rattlesnake for yet another dream match?
WWE Homecoming opened up with Mick Foley as the guest on Piper’s Pit. The Hot Rod is known for asking the tough questions,
and as usual, he shot it straight with his guest when he asked Foley point blank when he would be coming back to a WWE
ring. Foley said that he’d need a very good reason to come back, and with that SmackDown’s Randy Orton, accompanied by
his father WWE Hall of Famer Cowboy Bob Orton, came to the ring. Orton was Foley’s last opponent but he said his business
was with Piper. Orton claimed that Piper owed all of his success to his father and while Piper was getting spots on MTV
and movie roles, his father was getting black and blues. Piper and Orton then went at, and Foley and Cowboy Bob separated
the two. But then Cowboy Bob followed his son’s lead and sucker punched Foley. Randy then gave both Piper and Foley an
RKO, adding Piper to his list of legends killed.
Speaking of legends, WWE Homecoming brought more legends together than any other episode in RAW history. Among those in
attendance were Dusty Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, Arn Anderson, Dean Malenko, Ricky Steamboat, Ted DiBiase, Steve Keirn, Pat
Patterson, Tony Garea, Dr. Death Steve Williams, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Koko B. Ware, Greg Valentine, Superstar Billy Graham,
Jimmy Hart, Fabulous Moolah, Mae Young, Harley Race, Chief Jay Strongbow, Superfly Jimmy Snuka, Nikolai Volkoff and
Dallas’ own Kevin Von Erich. When the legends were all gathered in the ring together, Rob Conway rudely interrupted the
festivities, saying that it was time for a new generation. Harley Race then delivered a crushing punch, Dusty Rhodes
followed it up with the Bionic Elbow and the Dallas crowd went nuts as Von Erich sent Conway to the mat with his
trademark claw hold. Superfly Jimmy Snuka then scaled the top rope one more time in his illustrious career and delivered
a Superfly splash, whipping the American Airlines Center into a frenzy.
And everyone was a winner in WWE Homecoming’s Handicap Bra and Panties Match – everyone except for Torrie Wilson, Candice
& Victoria that is. Ashley and Trish Stratus overcame the numbers disadvantage and stripped Wilson, Candice and Victoria
down to their bra and panties in a memorable RAW moment.
MATCHES:
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Eric Bischoff
World Champion Batista, US Champion Chris Benoit & Rey Mysterio
vs.
Eddie Guerrero, Bradshaw & Christian ended in a no contest
Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle in a 30-minute WWE Iron Man Match ended in a draw
Edge defeated Matt Hardy in a Loser Leaves RAW, Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair & Triple H. defeated Carlito Carribean Cool & Chris Masters
Women's Champion Trish Stratus & Ashley defeated Torrie Wilson, Victoria & Candice in a Bra and Panties Match
RAW
# 646
10-10-05 LIVE
American Bank Center
Corpus Christi, Texas
Last week at WWE Homecoming, Mr. McMahon and his entire family felt the wrath of Stone Cold Steve Austin when the Texas
Rattlesnake hit all four with Stone Cold Stunners. Afterwards, an embarrassed Mr. McMahon told everyone that someone
would pay for what had happened – someone would be fired. Clearly enraged by last week’s incident, Stephanie McMahon
kicked was not in a good mood this week on RAW. Stephanie said that she knows
that no one likes her, but it’s because everyone is jealous of her. She said that she can do whatever she wants, whenever
she wants, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. With that, she slapped a WWE employee to the ground when he tried
to give her a cue to wrap things up. Lilian Garcia was visibly disgusted. After noticing her reaction, Stephanie gave
Lilian a couple of vicious slaps across the face. Then a cameraman got too close to Mr. McMahon’s precious daughter, so
she shoved him down as well. Stephanie then got on top of the RAW announce booth and proclaimed that the bitch was back.
The McMahon power trip continued later in the evening when Vince hit the ring. McMahon said that Stone Cold Steve Austin
was responsible for last week’s embarrassment, but he wasn’t going to fire him. He then said that the fans were
responsible for encouraging him. With that Mr. McMahon said that he wanted to hire everyone in Corpus Christi to work for
him…only so that he could tell them that they’re fired. Then he brought Jonathan Coachman, Jerry “The King” Lawler and
Jim Ross to the ring. He said they were just as close to the action as the fans, but they stood by and did nothing while
the McMahons were Stunned, one by one. He demanded an apology from each of them. The Coach and the King gave their
apologies and were excused. Then J.R. told Mr. McMahon that he was sorry that his wife had been Stunned. Mr. McMahon said
J.R. had apologized, but it wasn’t enough. Stephanie McMahon then came out and demanded an apology for herself. J.R. once
again apologized that Linda had been Stunned, and this only further enraged Stephanie, as she slapped him across the face.
Mr. McMahon then said he wanted his son Shane to come out, but instead, Linda’s music hit as the CEO came to the ring.
Linda said that WWE Homecoming was supposed to be a new beginning for the McMahon family. She said that you don’t get
respect by yelling and screaming like Mr. McMahon or throwing fits like Stephanie. She said you have to take action. Then
she turned to J.R. and said that on behalf of the entire McMahon family, “You’re fired.” Then, to add insult to injury,
she delivered a quick kick to J.R.’s groin, causing him to double over in pain on the mat. As the audience showered the
ring with a chorus of boos, Mr. McMahon, Stephanie and Linda celebrated in the ring together.
The McMahons weren’t the only ones embarrassed last week. Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair was attacked by his best
friend Triple H. Flair was beaten so badly he couldn’t even make
it to RAW this week. Triple H came to the ring to explain his actions. The Game said that he was the biggest Ric Flair
fan there ever was. He said he was so excited when Ric Flair came back to WWE four years ago, but he came to realize he
was only a shell of his former self. But then Triple H allowed the Nature Boy to bask in his glory and spotlight and he
said that Flair appeared to be great again. But then the Cerebral Assassin said that about a month ago he saw Ric Flair’s
face covered in spit and pieces of apple. He said it broke his heart to see people spit in the face of Flair’s legacy.
After seeing what had happened, he said he knew he had to do something about it. He said he had to take the horse to the
back of the barn and pull the trigger. He said that Flair is no longer the Dirtiest Player in the Game, he’s not really
in the game, he’s not even a player. In fact, he said that for Flair the game is over.
Earlier in the evening, Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Big Show and Edge all appeared on Carlito’s Cabana. All five
Superstars claimed that they should be the No. 1 contender for John Cena’s WWE Championship. The Champ then came out and
made fun of them all, fueling the fire for a monster six-man tag match that occurred later in the show. Cena teamed up
with Big Show and HBK to take on Angle, Carlito and Edge. Shawn Michaels was in trouble early on, and Angle, Edge and
Carlito all took turns putting him through the wringer. HBK persevered, however, and made the tag to Big Show who cleaned
house. The largest man in sports-entertainment tagged in the Champ, who hit the Five Knuckle Shuffle on Angle, but he
only got a two-count. Angle went for the ankle lock, but Cena reversed it into an ankle lock of his own. Knowing his own
maneuver very well, Angle reversed it into a roll up for the pin and the 1-2-3, giving him even more fire power for his
argument that he should be the No. 1 contender.
Women’s Champion Trish Stratus put her Championship on the line against the vicious Victoria. General Manager Eric
Bischoff, who was on edge all night in fear that he’d be fired, barred Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle and Ashley from
ringside. Victoria dished out a ton of punishment, working on Trish’s back, but Stratus reversed a power bomb attempt
into a bridge for the pin. After the match, Victoria attacked Trish, prompting Ashley to try and make the save. Victoria
got the best of that confrontation as well, though. Then another beautiful woman entered the ring and knocked Victoria
out of the ring with vicious punches and kicks. The mystery girl then picked up the Women’s Championship and handed it to
a baffled Trish.
Last week Rob Conway interrupted all of the Legends at WWE Homecoming and received a Superfly Splash from WWE Hall of
Famer “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka. This week Conway squared off against another Legend – Doink. Conway got the pin with the
Ego Trip, but didn’t stop there as he beat on Doink after the match. Eugene made the save, but when he turned his back,
he was greeted with an Ego Trip as well.
“The Masterpiece” Chris Masters was also in action. He was attacked by Tajiri during his entrance, but he overcame the
early disadvantage and hooked in the Master Lock for the win.
MATCHES:
Women's Champion Trish Stratus defeated Victoria
Chris Masters defeated Tajiri
Rob Conway defeated Doink
Kurt Angle, Edge & Carlito defeated WWE Champion John Cena, Big Show & Shawn Michaels
RAW
# 647
10-17-05 LIVE
Arco Arena
Sacramento, California
Mr. McMahon challenged RAW General Manger Eric Bischoff to come up with innovating, ground-breaking main event for Taboo
Tuesday that puts the power in the fans’ hands. Bischoff responded by ordering a series of three Taboo Tuesday qualifying
matches — the winner of each receiving a spot on the Triple Threat Match ballot as a potential challenger to join Cena and
Kurt Angle.
In the first qualifying match, Edge seemed assured victory after hitting Big Show with a spear. Then, inexplicably, JBL’s
music hit. Edge pounced up looking for the SmackDown Superstar, only to find himself caught in a Big Show chokeslam. A
three-count later, it was Big Show who gained a spot on the Taboo Tuesday main-event ballot, sending Edge into a frenzy.
Edge stormed into Eric Bischoff’s office, where RAW’s General Manger told Edge to do something about the SmackDown
disturbance. Edge responded by saying that Bischoff will just have to tune in to SmackDown on UPN this Friday to find out
what’s in store.
In the next qualifier, Carlito took on Shawn Michaels. Carlito started off strong, running up the ramp to surprise HBK and
pummeling him all the way to the ring area. But it wasn’t long before “The Showstopper” had taken control, eventually
connecting with his signature top-rope elbow drop to Carlito’s sternum. HBK then “tuned up the band,” but Carlito had the
wherewithal to duck. In the chaos that ensued, the referee was knocked out of the ring, allowing Carlito an opportunity to
grab a chair from ringside to use as a weapon. Instead, HBK connected with a superkick that rammed the chair straight into
Carlito’s face. The referee recovered in time to count the cover, and Michaels advanced to the Taboo Tuesday ballot.
Michaels is the only Superstar entering familiar territory; he won a fan vote that placed him in last year’s Taboo Tuesday
main event. Will he fair as well this time around? It’s in the fans’ hands to decide.
The final Taboo Tuesday main-event qualifier was a huge, 18-man Battle Royal. It was a crucial opportunity for a host of
Superstars to earn their way into the spotlight. The competitors were: Edge; Chris Masters; Shelton Benjamin; Carlito; Rob
Conway; Eugene; Tyson Tomko; Kerwin White; Snitsky; Trevor Murdoch; Lance Cade; Viscera; Val Venis; Rosey; Tajiri,
Antonio, Romeo; and — returning to RAW — Kane! The Big Red Monster immediately notched his first elimination by dumping Carlito over the top rope. He followed up by
eliminating Viscera in the second of nine such occurrences. The final four were Heart Throb members Antonio
& Romeo, along with Kane and Chris Masters. Kane then delivered a double-chokeslam to both Heart Throbs, then eliminated
them both. “The Masterpiece” tried to take advantage of Kane’s turned back by attempting the Master Lock, but the
powerhouse Kane was able to fight out before Masters could get the hold fully applied. Kane then eliminated Masters to win
Battle Royal and earn his spot on the Taboo Tuesday main-event ballot.
Meanwhile, the rumors proved true:
Stone Cold not only made a RAW appearance, he drove his pickup truck straight into the arena to ringside. There, he drank
a few beers and called out Mr. McMahon to answer for good friend Jim Ross’ firing. Instead, the “Billion Dollar Princess”
Stephanie McMahon emerged. She warned Stone Cold not to touch her again, or else J.R. would never be re-hired. Amid the
verbal spat that followed, Jonathan Coachman interjected on behalf of Stephanie. That prompted the self-proclaimed “Bitch”
to make a match for Taboo Tuesday: It’ll be Stone Cold vs. “The Coach” — if Austin wins, J.R. is rehired; if Coachman
wins, Stone Cold is fired.
A number of other Taboo Tuesday matches were also made. Following his appearance on the Cabana, Mick Foley will face
Carlito. Also, Bischoff is bringing back the ever-popular “Fulfill Your Fantasy” Diva Battle Royal. And in a clash of
former best friends and Evolution members, Ric Flair will face Triple H.
Flair was on RAW this week, having somewhat recovered from the sledgehammer beating he took from Triple H. Flair reminded
“The Game” that he’s survived a plane crash and a lightning strike, so he’s not afraid of the Cerebral Assassin. With
blood pouring down his face from his freshly removed stitches, Flair called out The Game, then chased him off with a
baseball bat.
MATCHES:
Big Show defeated Edge in a Taboo Tuesday main event qualifier match
Shawn Michaels defeated Carlito in a Taboo Tuesday main event qualifier match
Kane won an 18 man Battle Royal in a Taboo Tuesday main event qualifier match
Victoria, Torrie & Candice defeated Trish, Ashley & Mickie James
RAW
# 648
10-24-05 LIVE
Save Mart Center
Fresno, California
This wasn’t the special referee WWE Champion John Cena had in mind. With original guest ref Mick Foley incapacitated at
the hands of Carlito, none other than RAW GM Eric Bischoff stormed down the ramp dressed in black and whites stripes.
Referee Bischoff immediately broke up Cena’s FU finisher attempt on Angle, perhaps costing Cena the match. Bischoff then
did his best to quick-count Angle to victory, but The Champ wouldn’t let it happen. With Cena battling furiously to deal
with two very different adversaries, eventually the door opened for Angle to cinch in the ankle lock. Despite referee
Bischoff screaming, “You will tap!” Cena defiantly shook his head and reached for the ropes to force a break. But Bischoff
instead grabbed Cena’s outstretched arm and forced it down into the mat in a “tapping” motion. Bischoff chose to interpret
that act as Cena tapping out to the submission hold and called for the bell, signaling Angle as the official winner of the
non-title match. Cena hobbled in disbelief as the Olympic gold medalist celebrated up the ramp. Then, in a WWE.com
Unlimited exclusive, Bischoff declared that there would be no rest for the weary Cena: Next week on RAW, “The Champ” will
be forced to face Shawn Michaels.
Michaels is known as “The Main Event.” In the Monday Night RAW opener, he made his case
for headlining Taboo Tuesday with a huge Triple Threat victory over Big Show and Kane. The match served as a successful
showcase for HBK in front of the voting public that will decide which Superstar will join John Cena and Kurt Angle in a
Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship on Nov. 1. If Michaels can capture the fans’ vote, it will be familiar
territory as he was voted into last year’s Taboo Tuesday main event despite being injured. The RAW Triple Threat Match
turned when Big Show absorbed a metal-denting chair shot from Kane that went undetected by the referee. HBK followed up by
delivering “Sweet Chin Music” to both opponents. Michaels then covered the largest athlete in the world to pick up the
win. The intensity of the match was evident early, as Big Show’s forehead was busted open right off the top. He bled
throughout the match, oftentimes fighting off both adversaries. Big Show used his size and strength to great effect —
including gorilla pressing Michaels to the outside and even hitting a superplex — until Kane seemingly snapped, tossing
chairs into the ring and then leveling Big Show with the fourth one. When Show went down, Kane took to the top rope, only
to receive a superkick on the way down. Big Show recovered enough to reach his feet, only to be blasted by a second
Michaels superkick.
The next match was scheduled to be Triple H against Viscera, but Ric Flair wasn’t waiting until its conclusion to get his
hands on “The Game.” As Triple H made his way down the ramp, Flair jumped him from behind. The former best friends then
brawled until being broken up by a swarm of WWE officials. Afterward, “The Nature Boy” begged WWE’s fans to vote for a
Steel Cage Match when Ric Flair faces Triple H at Taboo Tuesday. It will be up to the fans to decide if the match is One
Fall to a Finish, a Submisison Match or a Steel Cage Match. Clearly, Flair wants to get Triple H in the most brutal
environment possible.
In another event with Taboo Tuesday ramifications, SmackDown Superstars invaded RAW in retaliation. JBL provided a
distraction from the parking lot area, taunting Chris Masters and goading him into leaving the ring area. Falling for “the
oldest trick in the book,” Edge was then caught unaware as Rey Mysterio emerged from the crowd. Mysterio hit a springboard
drop kick that sent Edge to the outside. That left Lita vulnerable for a 619! Before the SmackDown attack, Edge and
Masters berated each potential Taboo Tuesday opponent. (Edge & Masters will face two out of a possible five SmackDown
Superstars on Nov. 1.) Edge and Masters took turns mocking SmackDown voting options JBL, Matt Hardy, Rey Mysterio,
Christian and Hardcore Holly. Which two will get their chance to shut Edge and Masters up? Only WWE’s fans will decide.
While the fans hold all the authority at Taboo Tuesday, they were powerless and both Stephanie and Mr. McMahon mocked them
this week on RAW. First a Stone Cold appearance was teased. But instead of Steve Austin driving the pickup truck,
Stephanie McMahon emerged from the vehicle with a Stone Cold hat and a couple beers. Stephanie announced that Stone Cold
will not be at RAW this week, despite Jonathan Coachman repeatedly calling him out. One thing is certain: Stone Cold will
be at Taboo Tuesday, and if he can beat “The Coach” in a fan-selected confrontation, Jim Ross will get his job back. If
Coachman somehow wins, then Stone Cold will join J.R. on the unemployment line.
Mr. McMahon later entered the ring to announce his “big surprise,” which turned out to be “footage” of Jim Ross’ colon
surgery. Words cannot describe the “graphic” video that followed.
Also, The Hurricane hung Rosey out to dry during their tag team match against Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch. Rosey was left
to fend for himself as an unmasked Gregory Helms stood in street clothes at the top of the ramp. Eventually, Rosey
succumbed to the World Tag Team Champions’ “Sweet N Sour” tandem finisher. After the match in a WWE.com Unlimited
exclusive, Helms called Rosey a joke whom he carried for two years. He added that from now on, the only person he’s going
to help is himself.
MATCHES:
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch defeated The Hurricane & Rosey
Mickie James defeated Victoria
Shawn Michaels defeated Big Show and Kane via a Triple Threat Match
Kurt Angle defeated John Cena in a non title match with Mick Foley as guest referee
Triple H vs. Viscera never got underway
RAW
# 649
10-31-05 LIVE
Arrowhead Pond
Anaheim, California
On this special Halloween edition of Monday Night RAW, the WWE Superstars pulled out all the tricks in an attempt to gain
the upper hand on their Taboo Tuesday opposition.
Not even WWE Champion John Cena was immune from a dastardly Halloween trick. After tapping out to Kurt Angle’s ankle lock
last week, Cena was put in a match against Shawn Michaels this week by General Manager Eric Bischoff. HBK, along with Big
Show and Kane, are up for the final spot in the WWE Championship Triple Threat Match at Taboo Tuesday against Cena and
Angle. So, this not only gave HBK a chance to soften up Cena before his match at Taboo Tuesday, it gave him another shot
to leave a favorable impression on the voters’ minds heading into the event. HBK controlled the match early on, but Cena
showed his trademark perseverance and fought back. HBK was able to stave off the comeback. After a series of moves,
Michaels went up top for his flying elbow. Cena still had enough in him to move out of the way. Then, with both men still
down on the mat, Angle attacked. The Olympic gold medalist put the boots to both Michaels and Cena, but he couldn’t keep
them down. Cena recovered and got Angle up for the FU, but before he could execute the maneuver, HBK got to his feet and
laid them both out with a dose of Sweet Chin Music. Could this be a sign of things to come at Taboo Tuesday?
The tricks started early in the night, however. Bischoff came to the ring with Chris Masters in the beginning of the show,
and they called out SmackDown’s Rey Mysterio to take part in the Master Lock Challenge. Before the challenge could start,
though, Mysterio attacked Masters with the microphone and slammed him face-first onto a steel chair. Bischoff called for
some RAW reinforcement as Edge, Lita, Snitsky, Trevor Murdoch, Lance Cade, Kerwin White and Nick Nemeth answered the call.
Theodore Long, who had accompanied Mysterio to the ring, also called for reinforcements as Matt Hardy, Hardcore Holly, JBL
and Christian ran through the Anaheim crowd and stormed the ring. Mysterio hit the 619 on Masters as the RAW troops
retreated. Bischoff berated his RAW soldiers, Edge and Masters in particular, and said that he refuses to lose to Long and
his SmackDown at Taboo Tuesday. Edge and Masters will face any two out of Mysterio, JBL, Christian, Holly and Hardy. You
can vote on who you most want to see in the match now.
The Coach decided to get into the Halloween spirit and came to RAW dressed up as Stone Cold Coachman. Complete with a
Stone Cold t-shirt, jean shorts, two black knee braces and a couple of beers, he once again called out Stone Cold. He also
said that he would lay his cards out on the table and brought out his backup – Goldust. After the bizarre one came out,
Mr. McMahon informed Coach that Stone Cold had an accident and won’t be at RAW or at Taboo Tuesday the following evening.
McMahon said that since Coach is the No. 1 announcer on RAW, his new opponent for Taboo Tuesday would be SmackDown’s No. 1
announcer – Funaki. Funaki ran to the ring, but Goldust made short work of him. Coach told McMahon that he can handle
anyone from the SmackDown roster, so with that, McMahon laid out an open challenge to anyone on the SmackDown roster. It
didn’t take long for someone to answer, as the World Heavyweight Champion Batista answered the challenge. Batista laid out
Goldust with a spinebuster, but then he was blindsided by another surprise backup plan in Vader. Vader held Batista while
Coach laid in an insulting slap to the face before leaving the ring. So, at Taboo Tuesday, it will be Jonathan Coachman,
with Vader and Goldust by his side, taking on World Heavyweight Champion Batista in a verbal debate, an arm wrestling
contest or a Street Fight.
Also at Taboo Tuesday, Ric Flair will defend his Intercontinental Championship against his former best friend Triple H. A
video package was shown on RAW documenting the long relationship between Flair and The Game. Following the package, Flair
came out to the stage, and once again asked the fans to put him in a Steel Cage Match against Triple H.
Later in the evening Triple H faced off against the massive Viscera. Despite giving up a couple hundred pounds to Big Vis,
Triple H made short work of the world’s largest love machine and put him away with the Pedigree. The Game showed his
ruthlessness after the match when he knocked Viscera over the railing with the steel ring steps.
Eugene and Rob Conway also went at it in a one-on-one matchup. Eugene, who was scheduled to team up with a WWE Legend to
take on Conway in a Handicap Match at Taboo Tuesday, went to work right from the bell. Irate that Conway had embarrassed
some of his favorite legends over the past couple of weeks, Eugene tore into the Con man. Conway was frustrated by how the
match was going and blasted Eugene with a steel chair causing a disqualification. The three legends who the fans can vote
on – Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Superfly Jimmy Snuka and Kamala, made the save and got the best of Conway. Jerry “The King”
Lawler even got in on the fun and hit his trademark fist drop off the second rope. Later on, Bischoff said that he had
been waiting to get revenge on Eugene for last year’s Taboo Tuesday when his nephew defeated him in a Hair vs. Hair Match.
And his revenge will be coming in the form of Tyson Tomko. At Taboo Tuesday, Tomko will team up with Conway to take on
Eugene and the fans’ choice of either Duggan, Kamala or Snuka.
In addition to all of the tricks, the fans also enjoyed some treats during the Diva Halloween Costume Contest. Ashley was
dressed as a dark angel, Maria was dressed as a Victoria’s Secret angel, Candice was dressed as Cat Woman, Victoria was
dressed as a baseball player, Mickie James was dressed as Trish Stratus, and Trish Stratus was dressed as Wonder Woman.
Before the fans could finish voicing their opinions on who should win the contest, Mickie James interrupted and said that
it was obvious they should choose Trish. Victoria told Mickie she needed to calm down and before you could say “Trick or
treat,” all hell broke loose. Candice was quadruple-teamed by Ashley, Mickie, Trish and Maria. These six participants will
mix it up on pay-per-view in a Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal for the Woman’s Championship at Taboo Tuesday.
Carlito said he had a surprise for Mick Foley, so Foley came up with a surprise of his own. In a video message, Dude Love,
Cactus Jack and Mankind all told Carlito what would happen if they were chosen to face him at Taboo Tuesday.
Big Show and Kane, who could end up teaming together at Taboo Tuesday as well, took on The Heart Throbs in a Texas Tornado
Match. They tried outdoing each other move for move and eventually finished things off with a double chokeslam. Kurt Angle
was also in action as he defeated Tajiri by making him tap out to the ankle lock.
MATCHES:
WWE Champion John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels ended in a no contest
Women's Champion Trish Stratus vs. Victoria vs. Candice Michelle vs. Maria vs. Ashley vs. Mickie James ended in a no contest
Big Show & Kane defeated The Heart Throbs via a Texas Tornado Match
Eugene defeated Rob Conway via a disqualification
Triple H. defeated Viscera
Kurt Angle defeated Tajiri
TABOO TUESDAY
11-1-05 LIVE
i Pay One Center
San Diego, California
Matt Hardy & Rey Mysterio defeated "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters & Gene Snitsky
The RAW vs. SmackDown tag team match had been building up ever since WWE Homecoming. Week after week, RAW and SmackDown
invaded each other’s shows in an attempt to prove superiority. With a Taboo Tuesday RAW pay-per-view, one would think RAW
would have the home field advantage. The only problem was that Taboo Tuesday was in San Diego – Rey Mysterio’s backyard.
So it was no surprise when Mysterio was voted in as one of the SmackDown Superstars to participate in the match. Joining
him was Matt Hardy, who led everyone with 31 percent of the votes. Edge was originally slated to compete in the match, but
before the bell rang, Edge said that he wouldn’t prove anything by beating Matt Hardy again and that he didn’t care what
the fans voted for. So, with that, he took himself out of the match, and the monstrous Snitsky took his place. Snitsky and
Masters utilized their size advantage early, and Masters even got his unbreakable Master Lock applied on Mysterio. Hardy
was able to make the save, though, before Mysterio could tap out. The SmackDown Superstars soon took to the air and hit
stereo flying bodypresses to the outside. When the action went back into the ring, Mysterio hit a drop toe hold, allowing
Rey to connect with Masters with the 619. Hardy hit the Twist of Fate and Mysterio landed a springboard splash for the win.
Eugene & “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka defeated Rob Conway & Tyson Tomko
In the closest vote of the night, WWE Hall of Famer “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka edged out Hacksaw Jim Duggan in the voting 43-40
percent. Kamala came in a distant third with 17 percent of the votes. The pick turned out to be a wise one, as The
Superfly showed exactly how he became one of the all-time biggest fan favorites in WWE history. While Conway and Tomko may
have had a size advantage, they could not figure out the unorthodox style of Snuka and Eugene. Towards the end of the
match, Conway went for the Ego Trip on Eugene, but Eugene countered with a jaw breaker. He followed it up with a Rock
Bottom and Superfly hit his trademark top-rope splash for the 1-2-3. Tomko came in and attacked the winners after the
match, but Duggan and Kamala made the save, and Eugene and his WWE Legend friends celebrated in the ring.
Mankind defeated Carlito
While Dude Love may have been the most amusing face of Foley and Cactus Jack may have been the most vicious, the fans
wanted to see WWE’s original face of Foley – Mankind. Carlito went on the early advantage against Mankind when the action
spilled to the floor. Mankind went after Carlito with a steel chair, but Carlito was able to slam the deranged one into
the steel steps, slamming his face against the chair in the process as well. When the action returned to the ring, Carlito
applied a sleeperhold, but once Mankind escaped, it was the beginning of the end. Mankind clotheslined Carlito and himself
to the outside, followed by a vintage Mankind elbow off the apron. He then brought Carlito back into the ring and hit his
patented double underhook DDT, but didn’t go for the pin. Instead he went for Mr. Socko, who on this night was complete
with a Carlito-esque hairstyle. Carlito may be cool, but he was no match for the Mandible Claw as Mankind picked up the win.
Big Show & Kane defeated Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch to become new World Tag Team Champions
Since Kane and Big Show came up short in the voting for the Triple Threat WWE Championship Match, they teamed up to take
on the World Tag Team Champions – Cade & Murdoch. Even though Big Show and Kane are relative strangers when it comes
to tagging with each other, they used their size to take an early advantage. But the tag team specialists were able to cut
the ring in half and concentrate on Kane. Utilizing quick tags and keeping Kane in the ring, it looked as though the
Champs might be able to overcome these monsters of mayhem. But the Champs made a tactical error when they both put their
heads down for a double back body drop. Kane knocked them both down and tagged in the fresh Big Show. Big Show cleaned
house, and then after tossing Murdoch out of the ring, he and Kane hoisted up Cade for a double chokeslam and the pin. Big
Show and Kane are now the new World Tag Team Champions.
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated Jonathan Coachman with Goldust and Vader in a Street Fight
The voting in this one wasn’t even close, as the Street Fight landed 91 percent of the votes. Even though this was
technically Batista facing off against The Coach, it turned into a three-on-one handicap match as soon as the bell rang as
Goldust and Vader went on the attack. Coach’s crew used their numbers advantage at the start, as Goldust started lacing
into Batista with a kendo stick. Vader and Goldust then held The Animal down, while The Coach started unleashing some
vicious shots with a leather strap. The Coach then instructed his goons to turn Batista over so that the World Heavyweight
Champion could see what he was doing. Batista was able to kick Goldust and Vader out of the way, though, and then it was
just a matter of time before The Coach met his demise. Batista leveled Goldust and Vader with thunderous spinebusters and
then hoisted The Coach up for the Batista Bomb. The pin was academic as Batista walked out of Taboo Tuesday with the win.
The win made SmackDown 2-0 on the night in the interpromotional matches.
Women’s Champion Trish Stratus defeated Ashley vs. Mickie James vs. Maria vs. Victoria vs. Candice Michelle
in a Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal
There certainly were no wrong answers in this vote. Forty-three percent of the fans voted to see the Divas compete for the
Women’s Championship in lingerie. Leather and lace was a close runner up with 32 percent of the vote and the cheerleader
outfits followed close behind with 25 percent. Mickie James quickly proved once again that she is Trish’s No. 1 fan as she
saved her from sure elimination when Victoria had the Woman’s Champ in a vulnerable position. James followed that up by
tossing out the lovely Maria who was decked out in a black motif including black thigh-high stockings. Candice, who was
wearing a white lingerie set, found herself upside down, but saved herself from elimination by hanging onto the ropes.
Candice was a little too happy with herself, though, as she posed for the crowd. With her back turned, Ashley was able to
eliminate the GoDaddy girl. Ashley’s time was soon up, however, as Victoria caught her in a slingshot, sending her out of
the ring. Trish and Victoria then went at it tooth and nail. Trish again found herself on the brink of elimination, but
James saved her hero once again. Moments later, Mickie speared Victoria out of the ring, sending herself out as well, thus
giving Trish the win and allowing her to retain the Women’s Championship. A surprisingly excited James crashed Trish’s
interview after the match, exclaiming how amped she was to be standing next to her hero, even though RAW’s newest Diva had
just lost the match.
Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair defeated Triple H. via a Steel Cage Match
For the past couple of weeks, Ric Flair has been begging the fans to vote for a Steel Cage Match. His campaigning
certainly paid off as 83 percent of the fans wanted to see Flair defend his Intercontinental Championship against Triple H
inside the unfriendly confines of a Steel Cage. This one was about more than wins and losses and even more than the
Intercontinental Championship. This one was personal. And it became brutally obvious, as Flair was busted wide open in
mere minutes. Triple H was unrelenting, grating Flair’s flesh against the cold, hard steel of the cage. The Game added
insult to injury by mocking Flair’s trademark strut and even his mannerisms before slapping on The Nature Boy’s trademark
Figure Four Leg Lock. Flair screamed out in pain, but he refused to quit. Yelling out expletives at Triple H, he told his
one-time best friend that he would “kill him”, gave him the middle finger and even spat at him. Flair channeled the energy
of the crowd and all of the courage he could muster and reversed the painful hold, but Triple H quickly rolled out of it.
The Cerebral Assassin was brutally dissecting a bloodied Ric Flair. The Game tried to go back to the Figure Four, but
Flair pushed him off with his boot, sending Triple H careening into the Steel Cage. With that one devastating blow, Triple
H was busted wide open as well. With both men wearing the proverbial crimson mask, Flair went on the attack. Flair showed
once again why he’s the Dirtiest Player in the Game and began biting his former friend. Flair then attacked the left leg
of Triple H – the very same leg in which he suffered a torn quadriceps that almost ended his career in 2001. Flair then
slapped on the Figure Four, but Triple H pulled the referee down to break the hold. Flair tried to escape through the
door, but The Game stopped him. The Nature Boy dragged in a chair on his way back in, though. Flair used the steel chair
to level his opponent with four vile shots to the head. With The Game down and out, Flair was able to escape the cage for
the win, thus retaining the Intercontinental Championship.
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels via a Triple Threat Match
For the second year in a row, Shawn Michaels found himself in the Championship match at Taboo Tuesday, thanks to his
legions of fans showed their support. HBK garnered 46 percent of the vote, beating out Kane (38 percent) and Big Show
(16 percent). John Cena is no stranger to having the odds stacked against him as RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff has
been out to get him ever since the WWE Champion was drafted to RAW in June. Not only had Cena fallen victim to Angle three
times in a row, but now he also had to worry about the Showstopper, the Icon, the main event, Shawn Michaels. In fact,
Cena didn’t even need to be pinned to lose his WWE Championship at Taboo Tuesday. Before the match started, Angle proposed
to HBK that they team up to take out Cena and then see who the better man is. HBK said he’d think about it, but when the
bell rang, it looked like it would be every man for himself as Angle knocked Michaels out of the ring right away. After
Cena scored a series of near falls, however, Angle and the Showstopper went back to Angle’s original plan and teamed up.
They threw Cena shoulder-first into the steel ring post and followed the fallen Champ to the outside. Angle continued to
work over Cena, while Michaels cleared off the Spanish announce table. Angle dragged a seemingly lifeless Cena to the
table and then he and Michaels hoisted him up and sent him crashing into the table with a thunderous front suplex. That
was the end of the alliance, though, as Angle went back after Michaels. With Angle and Michaels returning to the ring, it
looked as if the fans would finally see who was truly the better man. After hitting a belly-to-belly suplex, Angle went up
the ropes for a super belly-to-belly suplex, but HBK threw him off. Angle recovered and hit a super Angle Slam but only
scored a two-count. Then, from out of nowhere, Cena reemerged and cleaned house. Perhaps playing possum, the Champ seemed
rejuvenated. Cena eventually went for the FU on Angle, but Angle rolled through and slapped on the Ankle Lock. Cena tried
to kick out of it twice, but Angle held on like a rabid pitbull. Angle then grapevined the hold, but right before it
appeared Cena would tap out, HBK hit Angle with the flying elbow drop. HBK then tuned up the band and laid out Angle with
Sweet Chin Music, but Cena swooped in and hit the Showstopper with the FU and picked up the 1-2-3. The Champ once again
defied the odds and walked out of San Diego with the WWE Championship around his waist.
RAW
# 650
11-7-05 LIVE
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Fort Wayne, Indiana
On Monday night, every RAW Superstar had their chance to shine, but in the end it was someone not seen on RAW in nearly
five months that made the biggest impact. When Monday Night RAW came on the air, Eric Bischoff had the entire RAW roster
gathered in the ring, and announced two matches for Survivor Series: Triple H vs. Ric Flair in a Last Man Standing Match,
and John Cena vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship. Bischoff then named Shawn Michaels, Big Show & Kane as the first
three members of Team RAW at Survivor Series. Bischoff told the RAW Superstars that this was their chance to step up and
prove they deserved to shine. Several matches were then set up for the show, including the main event of Cena & HBK vs.
Angle & Chris Masters. As the main event was set to begin, Angle came out to loud boos and a hearty chant of "You Suck"
from the crowd. Angle was incensed, and proceeded to yell at the fans for their lack of respect. Kurt told the crowd how
his wife left him, he missed his daughter's first steps, and he injured his neck all for the fans, and was disgusted at
how they treated him. He said he was leaving the building, but Eric Bischoff caught up to him. Kurt promised to stay, but
only if Bischoff could keep the crowd at bay, and if he got to choose the referee for the match, terms to which Bischoff
agreed. After the crowd was censored during Angle's entrance, the Olympic Gold Medalist's referee was announced: Daivari.
Cena & HBK were irate, but their troubles were only beginning. Any time they went for a pinfall, Daivari counted very
slowly; conversely, Angle & Masters were the beneficiaries of faster counts. In the end, Michaels & Cena had control when
Angle slid in a chair to Masters. Daivari conveniently ignored it, and Masters hit HBK with the chair. HBK managed to
recover and steal the chair, but Masters ducked a vicious swing. Daivari saw this, grabbed the chair, and disqualified HBK
& Cena, much to the dismay of the crowd. Angle & Masters tried to attack the distracted duo, but HBK managed to hit Sweet
Chin Music on Masters. Meanwhile, inside the ring, Daivari had control of the chair, and laid out Cena with a shot to the
back. Angle & Masters capitalized before being run off by HBK, but the damage had been done, and Angle had his fourth
win over Cena in recent weeks.
While one Superstar returned to RAW, another was seemingly banished. During his opening speech, Bischoff showed footage of
Edge saying that he didn't care about RAW. When Edge affirmed this, Bischoff told him he would meet Batista in a Street
Fight on Friday Night SmackDown, and told Mr. Money in the Bank not to come back to RAW until he got the job doen. Edge &
Lita left to a chorus of goodbye chants, and stormed out of the arena. Lita later returned and tried to use her assets to
reverse Bischoff's decision, but he brushed her off and told her to get out of the building.
After the first three members of Team RAW were announced, both Carlito and Shelton Benjamin claimed they should be on the
team as well. Bischoff decided to let them fight for it, and the winner would earn the fourth slot. Shelton controlled
the match until Carlito took control by working on Shelton's knee. Benjamin fought valiantly, but a sequence of
reversed roll-ups led to Carlito using the ropes to gain the victory, making him the fourth member of Team RAW. Trevor
Murdoch also stepped up, claiming that he and Lance Cade were screwed at Taboo Tuesday. Murdoch requested a Hardcore
rematch against Kane & Big Show for the World Tag Team Championship, an idea that didn't seem to sit well with Cade.
Bischoff obliged, and the former champions dominated early with their shopping cart full of weapons. In the end, the power
and size of the champions was too much to overcome, and after Lance Cade was the victim of a double-chokeslam through
the announce table, Kane scored the pin to retain the gold.
Also on RAW, Ric Flair defended the Intercontinental Championship against Rob Conway. As Triple H watched his Survivor
Series opponent from the stage, Flair took young Conway to school. The Con Man nearly overcame the veteran, but the
"Dirtiest Player in the Game" prevailed with his trusty Figure-Four Leg Lock. Ever the opportunist, Triple H attacked
Flair as soon as the match ended, and their tussle culminated in a wild brawl that spilled through the crowd and into the
backstage area before being broken up.
Plus, Gregory Helms defeated his former partner Rosey with the Shining Wizard.
Candice Michelle & Victoria defeated Trish Stratus & Mickie James after Victoria hit James with Candice's magic wand.
MATCHES:
Kurt Angle & Chris Masters defeated WWE Champion John Cena & Shawn Michaels via a disqualification
Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair defeated Rob Conway
World Tag Team Champions Big Show & Kane defeated Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch in a hardcore match
Carlito defeated Shelton Benjamin
Candice Michelle & Victoria defeated Women's Champion Trish Stratus & Mickie James
Gregory Helms defeated Rosey
Eddie Guerrero passes away
11-13-05
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Eddie Guerrero was found dead Sunday morning in his hotel room in Minneapolis.
Eddie is survived by his wife Vickie and daughters Shaul, 14, Sherilyn, 9, and Kaylie Marie, 3.
The cause of death is unknown at this time.
An autopsy will be performed in Minneapolis on Monday,
and Eddie's body will then be flown to Phoenix.
Funeral arrangements are set for Wednesday in Scottsdale, Arizona.
A short summary of Eddie Guerrero`s career
Eddie Guerrero was born into Mexico’s first family of professional wrestling in 1967.
The son of the legendary Gory Guerrero, it was only natural that Eddie, along with his three older brothers,
would pursue a career in sports-entertainment. With wrestling flowing through his veins,
Eddie began his in-ring training at a very young age. In fact, Guerrero had mastered the dropkick by his third birthday.
Eddie moved from his family’s backyard ring to the professional circuit in 1987 when he debuted as “Mascara Magica”
or “Magic Mask” in Mexico. After teaming with his brothers, Guerrero broke out on his own,
crafting his skills in the lucha libre world. Eddie then moved on to Japan, wrestling as Black Tiger.
It was there that Guerrero first met good friend Chris Benoit.
After moving back to Mexico full time, Eddie began teaming with El Hijo del Santo,
who was the son of Gory Guerrero’s long-time associate El Santo. Eddie and Santo eventually broke up,
with Eddie forming a duo with Art Barr. The pair would feud with Santo in one of the most heated rivalries in lucha libre
history, which culminated in Guerrero and Barr losing a hair vs. mask match to Santo and Octagon in November 1994.
Eddie then moved on to ECW, where he gained his first full exposure in the United States.
Not long after his ECW debut, Guerrero defeated 2 Cold Scorpio for the ECW Television Championship,
a title he held twice before moving to WCW. Guerrero's ECW stay will always be remembered for the amazing match he had
with Dean Malenko before leaving the promotion. After the match, which many consider to be one of the greatest ECW matches
ever, the crowd showed their appreciation for Guerrero by giving him a standing ovation.
Guerrero spent four years competing in WCW. While there, he was a part of numerous memorable rivalries with the likes of
Booker T, Rey Mysterio, Dean Malenko, Ric Flair and nephew Chavo.
On Dec. 29, 1996, Guerrero defeated Diamond Dallas Page in the finals of a tournament to crown a new United States Champion.
He also went on to capture the Cruiserweight Championship on two separate occasions before leaving WCW.
On Jan. 31, 2000, four new faces showed up on Monday Night RAW and shocked the sports-entertainment world.
They were former WCW wrestlers Benoit, Malenko, Perry Saturn and Eddie Guerrero – The Radicalz.
The faction immediately got involved in a match between the New Age Outlaws and Al Snow & Steve Blackman,
marking the beginning of Guerrero’s amazing WWE career.
Over the next five years, Eddie Guerrero overcame many obstacles to reach the top.
In his first WWE match against the Outlaws, Eddie suffered a dislocated elbow,
but returned to action in a short time. On April 3, 2000, he claimed his first piece of WWE gold,
defeating Chris Jericho to win the European Championship. He would go on to win that championship one more time in 2001.
After The Radicalz went their separate ways, Eddie began a relationship with his “Mamacita,” Chyna.
In fact, it was Chyna that Eddie defeated in September 2000 to claim the Intercontinental Championship.
After their split, Eddie’s demons got the best of him. He subsequently took time off from the ring in 2001
to deal with his personal issues.
Upon his return in 2002, Eddie’s career skyrocketed to new heights. He won the Intercontinental Championship again
in May 2002, this time from Rob Van Dam. Eventually, Eddie moved to SmackDown where he teamed with nephew Chavo to
capture the WWE Tag Team Championship. He would win that championship three more times, as well as the United States
Championship, but his greatest moment came in February 2004.
On Feb. 15, 2004 in San Francisco, Guerrero defeated Brock Lesnar at No Way Out to become WWE Champion.
He had reached the pinnacle of the industry, and went on to headline WrestleMania XX against Kurt Angle.
No one will ever forget the scene at the end of the show, when Eddie joined long-time friend Benoit in the ring
to celebrate moments after Benoit won the World Heavyweight Championship.
Eddie later formed an alliance with another old friend, Rey Mysterio, and the duo would win the WWE Tag Team Championship
in early 2005. This was Eddie’s final run as a champion, as the duo split up after WrestleMania 21 and began a bitter
rivalry, highlighted by numerous breath-taking matches.
At No Mercy on Oct. 9, 2005, Eddie’s 38th birthday, Eddie squared off against a new amigo, Batista.
He was unable to win the World Heavyweight Championship from the Animal, but their friendship was cemented
when Batista led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to Latino Heat afterwards. A little more than one month later,
Guerrero competed in his final televised match on the Nov. 11 edition of Friday Night SmackDown where he defeated
Mr. Kennedy.
Eddie will be truely missed by us all. God Bless you Eddie.
RAW
# 651
11-14-05 Taped 11-13-05
Target Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
WWE was deeply saddened by the loss of Eddie Guerrero, who died Sunday morning in his Marriott hotel room in Minneapolis. In response, the entire WWE
family gathered on RAW to remember Guerrero. Superstars from both rosters took part in interbrand matches dedicated to
their dear, departed friend. Between matches, Eddie’s peers paid tribute with video messages. Many cried, all were
overwhelmed with emotion. Each cited stories particular to their friendship with Eddie, but all spoke of his inspirational
role in their lives, his love for his family and his uncanny ability to summon any emotion and convey it to an
appreciative crowd. Eddie was remembered as a consummate in-ring technician and exceptional performer. He is missed, and
in the words of Stephanie McMahon, he will always be a champion.
The night began with a 10-bell salute as WWE Superstars stood in silent remembrance. As Mr. McMahon introduced a special
video tribute, the fans in attendance chanted, “Thank you, Eddie!”
What followed was a truly rare match pitting World Tag Team Champions Kane & Big Show against WWE Tag Team Champions MNM.
Mercury, Nitro & Melina did everything they could to try to outwit the bigger men — knowing they couldn’t overpower their
monster opponents. Melina also attempted to distract the World Tag Team Champions, but when she jumped on the ring apron,
she received a big, wet kiss for her trouble. For a second time, an increasingly desperate Mercury attacked Kane with a
championship belt. But that would prove to be as close as MNM could come to stealing the win. Soon after, Nitro found
himself on the receiving end of a double-chokeslam and was out for the three-count. Following the match, Big Show imitated
Eddie’s signature strut in homage.
The evening’s next tribute match brought mentor and student back together. Kurt Angle battled former protégé Shelton
Benjamin and was forced to cope with all he had taught his athletic pupil. Benjamin, a graduate of the University of
Minnesota, also enjoyed the support of the Minneapolis crowd. Despite the circumstances of the match, Angle brought
intensity and focus to the ring — immediately going to work on Benjamin. But the acrobatic Shelton shifted the momentum
with a soaring tope-rope clothesline. The Stinger Splash that followed missed the mark, allowing Kurt to connect with
rolling German suplexes and eventually an Angle Slam. To Angle’s shock, Shelton kicked out, but the series of events
seemed to launch the Olympic gold medalist into yet another gear. Shelton was able to hit a jaw-dropping suplex off the
top rope that rotated Angle completely in the air, but Kurt played possum and caught Benjamin with the ankle lock.
Immediately, Angle grapevined the hold, spelling doom for Shelton who tapped soon after. Angle then held his black, “E.G.”
armband high in victory.
In the next truly special interbrand contest, Eddie’s close friend Rey Mysterio took on “The Showstopper” Shawn Michaels.
Both men wore Eddie t-shirts to the ring. The match would turn on a series of attempted finishers. Twice Michaels
successfully ducked the 619 and escaped, but Rey returned the favor by dodging Sweet Chin Music after absorbing a top-rope
elbow smash. From there, Rey connected with a hurricanrana that propelled HBK into the ring ropes, allowing Mysterio to
finally hit the 619. With lightning speed, Rey followed with Droppin’ Da Dime and earned a classic victory. An emotional
Rey began to cry, then pointed to the heavens as an act of dedicating the win to Guerrero.
The Divas of RAW and SmackDown took to the ring next. Each wore Guerrero tees into the ring, then pulled off that layer to
reveal the sumptuous outfits underneath. In the frenetic atmosphere of the Diva Battle Royal beautiful bodies were flying
everywhere. Mickie James exited first, followed soon after by Jillian Hall. Backstage announcer Maria tried to stay out of
the fray while the other Divas went at it. Candice sent Christy to the floor with a right hand, but surprisingly Maria
used the opportunity to eliminate Candice. With her newfound confidence, Maria attacked both Trish and Melina and was
immediately tossed out in response. That left the Women’s Champion alone with the vixen of MNM. The match turned when
Trish attempted the Stratusfaction only to be caught by Melina. Trish was left in a precarious position and couldn’t quite
fight her way back to solid ground. Melina picked up the huge victory and put another notch in her belt.
With sadness and palpable emotion in the air, it was a welcome distraction as the entertaining Eugene took to the ring
against Simon Dean. The fitness guru inadvertently sent himself into the top turnbuckle, then walked into a Rock Bottom
for the pin.
Two savvy ring veterans followed, as Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair finished off William Regal with the Figure-Four
Leglock.
In the final tribute match, WWE Champion John Cena defeated SmackDown star Randy Orton when Cowboy Bob prevented an FU,
causing the disqualification. Randy afterward attempted an RKO, but Cena pushed away and caught Randy with an FU coming
off the ropes. The Champ then removed the Guerrero shirt he wore all match long, placed it flat in the center of the ring,
then draped it with the WWE Championship belt.
Monday night was filled with heartfelt tributes from Eddie’s friends and peers. John Cena called Eddie a great man and a
father figure. Lilian Garcia cited their Latino connection and remembered their time together with the troops in Iraq.
Shawn Michaels spoke of their shared deeply held faith, and how they’d meet again in the Kingdom of Heaven. Triple H
remembered the little things Eddie could do to make you laugh or cry — anything he wanted to emotionally accomplish as a
performer in the ring. Stephanie McMahon explained just how humble and sweet Eddie was, saying that he just stole your
heart. A distraught Batista spoke of just how close the two friends had grown, and how Eddie helped him carry the heavy
burden of the World Heavyweight Championship. Rey Mysterio explained the bond between his family and Eddie’s. Overcome by
emotion, Rey dropped his head and removed his mask. Chris Benoit spoke of Eddie as his best friend — a friend of just
about 15 years. He said Eddie was one person he could always pour his heart out to and someone he could always call on.
Nephew Chavo said that he and Eddie were truly brothers with big shoes to fill growing up in the Guerrero family. He spoke
of their instinctual bond, in the ring and out, and the inspirational role Eddie played in his life.
MATCHES:
Eugene defeated Simon Dean
John Cena defeated Randy Orton
Kurt Angle defeated Shelton Benjamin
Melina won the women`s Battle Royal match
Rey Mysterio defeated Shawn Michaels
Ric Flair defeated William Regal
The Big Show & Kane defeated MNM
RAW
# 652
11-21-05 LIVE
Facility not announced
Sheffield, England
The tension between RAW and SmackDown hit an all-time high as RAW rolled into Sheffield, England this week. As the show
came on the air, RAW GM Eric Bischoff led his Survivor Series team to the ring. He promised that SmackDown didn’t have the
guts to show up, and revealed that his sending Edge to SmackDown was a master plan all along. As Big Show & Kane talked
about how Batista was the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time, Todd Grisham announced from the parking lot that
SmackDown’s team had arrived. World Heavyweight Champion Batista challenged Team RAW to meet them in the parking lot, an
offer that Team RAW captain Shawn Michaels accepted to the dismay of Eric Bischoff. RAW and SmackDown brawled in the
parking lot, with RAW seemingly getting the best of the confrontation. After Chris Masters locked Rey Mysterio in the
locker room, Kane & Big Show apparently gave Batista a double-chokeslam through a car windshield, leaving the Animal
injured. The fight was broken up, and Team SmackDown took Batista to a local medical facility.
Later in the night, JBL returned, interrupting a match between Rob Conway and Tajiri, attacking both Superstars. JBL
demanded a match with Masters, but Bischoff came out and offered him a match with HBK instead. JBL accepted, and later
on, Theodore Long and Bischoff agreed to make it a Lumberjack Match. Early in the match, JBL took control of HBK, working
his back. HBK made a comeback and clotheslined himself and JBL over the top rope. Team SmackDown took the opportunity to
pounce, attacking HBK before Team RAW managed to make the save. This would happen continuously throughout the match,
giving JBL a decided advantage. HBK made another comeback, but Randy Orton pushed him off the top rope. HBK would then hit
Sweet Chin Music on JBL, but the Legend Killer stuck his nose in again, this time giving HBK an RKO. This brought all nine
men into the ring, and the brawl was on. After Kane & Big Show delivered another double-chokeslam, this time to Lashley,
it appeared as if RAW would stand tall again. Instead, Batista returned, wielding a steel pipe. Batista attacked the World
Tag Team Champions, and when the smoke cleared, it was the World Heavyweight Champion who was the one left standing.
Tensions also mounted within the RAW roster heading towards Survivor Series. Kurt Angle took on Shelton Benjamin, and
shocked the crowd again by announcing Daivari as the special referee. Angle worked his former protégé’s back and ribs
throughout the match, but Benjamin rallied back. After Shelton hit a DDT on the apron, it seemed he had the Olympic Gold
Medalist right where he wanted him. However, Angle escaped Benjamin’s attempt at a T-Bone suplex, instead locking in the
Ankle Lock. Benjamin clawed his way to the ropes twice, but Daivari ignored the standard rope break rule. Benjamin then
managed to reverse the hold into a roll-up, but Daivari blatantly reversed the pinning combination, and counted the
victory for Angle. After the match, Angle announced that Daivari was his personal referee, and would be the official for
the WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series. Cena then interrupted Angle’s celebration, saying he wanted to find out
what the WWE Superstars thought of Kurt Angle. After a trio of bizarre confrontations with the Divas, Snitsky & Tyson
Tomko and the Boogeyman, Cena instead decided to ask the crowd. The crowd voiced their opinion, and Cena declared that
Angle still sucked. The two then brawled, before the WWE Champion was able to send Angle & Daivari scurrying from the
ring.
After Ric Flair used a handful of tights to defeat Trevor Murdoch, Triple H appeared on the TitanTron to congratulate the
Nature Boy. He sarcastically lauded Flair for cheating to win, but then asked him what he would do at Survivor Series in a
match where there are no rules to break. Triple H said he would finish what he started, and promised to show Flair what he
could do later on. And indeed, when Triple H met Val Venis later in the night, he sent a powerful message to the
Intercontinental Champion. Venis attacked Triple H early, sending him to the floor. However, Triple H grabbed a chair,
and smashed it into the skull of the Big Valbowski. Triple H was immediately disqualified, but continued his attack. After
delivering a series of chair shots to the defenseless Venis, Triple H scored with the Pedigree, leaving Venis beaten in
the ring and sending a message to Ric Flair that this may be his fate on Nov. 27.
Also, another match was made for Survivor Series. During the match between Mickie James and Candice Michelle, two masked
men appeared at ringside and abducted Trish Stratus. The distraction allowed Victoria to attack James, helping Candice to
victory, but James was more concerned with the whereabouts of her favorite Diva. Trish was found tied up and gagged in an
undisclosed location, where MNM revealed themselves as her captors. Melina then berated Trish, saying it was ridiculous
that the most dominant Diva in WWE was unable to challenge for the Women’s Championship. That said, Melina challenged
Trish to a championship match at Survivor Series; after Trish accepted, Melina kicked her in the head for good measure.
MNM then departed, leaving the Women’s Champion on the ground, still tied to a chair.
MATCHES:
Shawn Michaels vs JBL
ended in a No Contest
Kurt Angle defeated Shelton Benjamin
Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair defeated Trevor Murdoch
Val Venis defeated Triple H
via a disqualification
Candice Michelle defeated Mickie James
Rob Conway vs. Tajiri
ended in a No Contest
SURVIVOR SERIES
21st annual
11-27-05 LIVE
Joe Louis Arena
Detroit, Michigan
Booker T. defeated Chris Benoit in the first of the best of a seven matche series
After the controversial finish to their match on Friday Night SmackDown, the playing field was leveled for Booker T and
Chris Benoit at Survivor Series. However, Benoit knew he would have to keep one eye firmly planted on Sharmell; and in the
end, she would play an instrumental role. Early in the match, Benoit kept Booker off guard, working the arm and midsection
of the former U.S. Champion. Booker would make his comeback, but Benoit had an answer for nearly everything Booker threw
at him. Benoit managed to get Booker in position for the sharpshooter, but the former champion managed an escape. As the
match neared conclusion, Benoit hit his patented rolling German suplexes, and went to the top rope to attempt the flying
headbutt. Sharmell distracted Benoit, allowing Booker to meet his foe on the ropes. Benoit fought him off, but Booker
avoided the flying headbutt. He then rolled the Wolverine up, putting his feet on the ropes for leverage. Sharmell held
them down for extra added measure, and Booker scored the tainted pinfall to take a 1-0 lead in their Best-of-7 Series for
the United States Championship.
Women's Champion Trish Stratus defeated Melina
Coming into Survivor Series, Trish Stratus had to worry about not only Melina, but her cohorts Mercury & Nitro as
well. In the end, it was interference from Trish’s second that ended up making the difference. Fueled by a quest for
revenge, the Women’s Champion dominated her foe early, and hit a plancha on all three members of MNM. Melina would take
control on the Women’s Champion, but was pulled out of the ring by Mickie James, sparking a catfight. With the referee’s
attention diverted, Mercury & Nitro came in to attempt a Snapshot on Trish, but the referee caught them in the act and
ejected them from ringside. Melina managed to retain control, even blocking Trish’s attempt at Stratusfaction. However, as
Trish stood on the apron after that missed attempt, Mickie James pulled her out of the way of a charging Melina. Trish
then nailed a big kick, and a bulldog off the top rope was enough for Trish to pin Melina and retain the Women’s
Championship.
SmackDown GM Theodore Long defeated RAW GM Eric Bischoff
On paper, Eric Bischoff seemed to have a decided advantage over Theodore Long. However, when the battle of the General
Managers made it to the squared circle, Long proved that the old “any given Sunday” adage still proved true. Long
surprised Bischoff early on, avoiding his martial arts tactics and infuriating the RAW GM. However, Palmer Canon
inadvertently distracted his partner, and Bischoff used the distraction to choke Long with his black belt. As Bischoff had
Long seemingly poised for defeat, the Boogeyman’s music began to play. Bischoff dispatched both referees to cut off the
Boogeyman; unfortunately, when Bischoff turned around, the Boogeyman had come to get him. Boogeyman delivered a vicious
powerslam to the RAW GM, and then slid out of the ring surreptitiously. As SmackDown official Jim Korderas slid back in
the ring, Long managed to roll over and pin a dazed Bischoff for the three count.
Triple H. defeated Ric Flair in a Last Man Standing Match
At Taboo Tuesday, a bloodied and beaten Ric Flair managed to escape the confines of a Steel Cage to defeat Triple H. This
time, Triple H made sure that “The Nature Boy” didn’t make it 2-for-2 in their Last Man Standing Match. Triple H met Flair
in the entrance aisle to jumpstart the match, and the two brawled throughout the crowd. Triple H grabbed a chair, but the
crafty Flair met him with a kendo stick, sending Triple H scurrying. The Game then found a screwdriver under the ring, and
used it to bloody his opponent early in the contest. A gutsy Flair wouldn’t give up, and the two men continued to brawl on
the floor. After a spinebuster, The Game urged Flair to stay down or his career would be ended. After Flair recovered,
Triple H set him up for a Pedigree on the RAW announce table, but the “Nature Boy” blocked it, back body dropping The Game
through the Spanish announce table instead! Flair then worked over his adversary’s leg, but Triple H continually beat the
count. Flair slapped on the Figure-Four, using the ropes for leverage. The Game tried to tap out, but it made no difference
under Last Man Standing Rules. He would manage to beat the count, and after subduing Flair, brought the ring steps into the
squared circle. After hitting Flair once, his second attempt was blocked, and Flair seemed to be in control. However, out
of nowhere, Triple H managed to hit the Pedigree, and Flair was in trouble. He managed to beat the count, prompting Triple
H to hit a second Pedigree, then a third. Flair continually beat the count, so Triple H went to the floor, and found his
trusty sledgehammer. The Game hit one fatal blow to Flair’s back, and that was enough to finally keep him down. Flair was
unable to beat the count, and Triple H was victorious to even the score with his former best friend.
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Kurt Angle
On a night where the odds were stacked against him, John Cena once again found a way to survive, defeating Kurt Angle to
retain the WWE Championship. Early in the match, Angle worked the WWE Champion’s ankle, setting up for his patented Ankle
Lock. When Cena did finally gain the offensive, referee Daivari refused to count Cena’s pin attempts. When one exchange
led to a standoff between champion and referee, Angle managed to get Cena in the Ankle Lock. Daivari kicked Cena away from
the ropes, but the champ escaped. After a spinebuster to Angle, Cena slapped Daivari twice. Daivari was set to call for
the bell, but Kurt Angle stopped him, as the title would not change hands on a disqualification. As Angle pleaded with
Daivari, Cena nailed both men from behind, sending them crashing to the floor. Angle regained control as a new referee
came to the ring, but all hell soon broke loose. Cena made a comeback and hit the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Angle stopped
his attempt at an F-U by nailing the referee. Angle hit the Angle Slam as a third ref made his way out, but Cena kicked
out at two. After missing a moonsault, Angle was set up for another F-U, but he grabbed the referee again to block it.
Angle escaped, nailing the third ref with an uppercut, and attempted to revive Daivari. As he was doing so, SmackDown
referee Charles Robinson made his way down to officiate the match. Angle chased him away, thinking that Daivari was once
again able to officiate. However, Cena nailed Daivari with a DDT and then laid down, playing possum to make Angle believe
he was still hurt. As Angle entered the ring, Cena popped up, and finally hit the F-U on his third attempt. Robinson slid
in the ring and counted the three, giving Cena the improbable victory.
Team SmackDown defeated Team RAW in a Classic Survivor Series Match
Two years in a row, Randy Orton was the sole survivor of his Classic Survivor Series team. This year, Randy completed the
three-peat, propelling Team SmackDown to victory. However, Orton’s celebration was cut short by the return of his
arch-nemesis. After a lengthy feeling out process, Lashley showed why he qualified for Team SmackDown, overpowering Team
RAW and using his power to block the Master Lock. After hitting his Dominator on Carlito, Lashley looked to eliminate RAW
captain Shawn Michaels with the same move. Instead, Kane reached over the ropes, grabbing Lashley’s throat and delivering
a thunderous chokeslam. HBK then pinned Lashley for the first elimination. Rey Mysterio tried his hand, but Team RAW used
their size to overpower him. Rey managed a tag to World Heavyweight Champion Batista, but after the Animal took Kane down,
he baited the rest of Team RAW to try their hand. This allowed Mysterio to sneak in and hit the 619 on a fallen Kane, and
Batista easily covered the Big Red Monster to even the sides at four. Big Show then immediately came in and chokeslammed
Batista, but SmackDown’s team captain escaped the pinfall. Kane, still in the ring, assisted his partner in giving the
Animal a double-chokeslam, and that was enough for Show to pin Batista, quickly giving RAW back its one man advantage.
JBL was next in for Team SmackDown, but Big Show overpowered the former WWE Champion. However, he made the fatal mistake
of going after Team SmackDown. Randy Orton dropped Show neck-first across the top rope, leaving him easy prey for JBL’s
Clothesline from Hell. Somehow, Show managed to find a way to get up, prompting a puzzled JBL to tag in Mysterio. He
delivered a 619, but Show kept fighting. Randy Orton tried the RKO, but that still wouldn’t keep the World Tag Team
Champion down. After another Clothesline From Hell, Mysterio hit a seated senton splash, and that was finally enough. Rey
got the three count, and the sides were even once more. Show’s elimination sparked a pier-six brawl, and JBL took HBK out
of the equation with a fallaway slam on the floor. This effectively left RAW down 3-on-2, but the RAW duo of Carlito and
Chris Masters managed to isolate Mysterio to keep the advantage. The numbers game would prove too much, however. As
Carlito set up Rey for his modified swinging neckbreaker, JBL made a blind tag on Mysterio. With Carlito in perfect
position, JBL nailed him with a Clothesline From Hell, getting the three count to give Team SmackDown its first official
numbers advantage of the match. Masters fought the three remaining SmackDown team members valiantly, but with HBK still
hurt on the floor, The Masterpiece fell victim to the 619. Rey then Dropped the Dime to eliminate Masters, leaving an
injured HBK alone against three. Even down three against one, HBK showed the resilience that has made him one of the
greatest Superstars in WWE history. After feeling the 619, Michaels managed to hit Sweet Chin Music on Mysterio as he
attempted the West Coast Pop, and HBK quickly pinned Rey. JBL tried to capitalize quickly, but HBK ducked the Clothesline
from Hell, gave JBL a little Sweet Chin Music of his own, and scored another pinfall, leaving HBK one-on-one with Randy
Orton. Randy tried to hit a quick RKO, but Michaels escaped. Orton managed to control the tiring HBK, but Michaels found a
way to keep fighting. HBK hit his patented flying elbow, and tuned up the band for another try at Sweet Chin Music.
However, JBL was still at ringside, and he grabbed a chair and entered the ring. He swung and missed at HBK, JBL heard the
music one more time. This momentary distraction gave Orton enough time to recover, and as HBK turned around, the Legend
Killer delivered an RKO. This finally took the fight out of Michaels, and three seconds later, Orton was once again the
sole Survivor. As the SmackDown roster rushed out to celebrate the victory, the familiar gong of the Undertaker was heard.
Druids wheeled out a casket as Orton stood in disbelief in the ring. With the casket turned upright, a lightning bolt flew
from the sky, igniting the coffin in flames. As Orton continued to watch in horror, Undertaker kicked down the coffin’s
door, returning for the first time since Orton seemingly vanquished him at No Mercy. Undertaker strode to the ring to a
huge ovation, and the SmackDown locker room tried to run interference as Orton bailed from the ring. The Deadman delivered
a series of chokeslams to the SmackDown Superstars, and then gave William Regal a Tombstone as Orton watched from the
aisle. In the end, Undertaker he was left alone in the ring, and the legend and the Legend Killer stared down as Survivor
Series came to a close.
RAW
# 653
11-28-05 LIVE
Quicken Loans Arena
Cleveland, Ohio
RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff planned to hold an all-talent meeting in the middle of the ring on RAW Monday night to
voice his frustrations on how his roster had failed him at Survivor Series. But when he demanded that all of the
Superstars and Divas come to the ring, no one responded. Bischoff then said that he’d go to them and fire the first person
he saw. Before he could leave the ring, however, Mr. McMahon sauntered to the ring. McMahon said that it was Bischoff who
failed at Survivor Series and reminded him that he believes in the saying that “perception is reality.” He said that if
Eric Bischoff is perceived as a failure, then RAW is perceived as a failure. And if RAW is perceived as a failure, then
Mr. McMahon is perceived as a failure. He said that he is a lot of things to a lot of people, but one thing he is not is
a failure. The Chairman then gave the GM an ultimatum. Bischoff had to set a goal and accomplish it. If he failed at this
task, then Mr. McMahon said he might have to find a new GM. Bischoff plead his case that there’s no one that can do as
good a job as him. And with that Shane McMahon came out and told Bischoff that he was born to do his job.
Later in the show, after becoming annoyed by one of Maria’s interview questions, Bischoff stated that his goal would be to
never hear Maria ask another stupid question again and set up a match between her and Kurt Angle. Angle said that he was a
gentleman and offered to give Maria a hug and just walk away, but it was a trap. After a brief embrace, Angle hoisted her
up for an Angle Slam. But before the match could finish, John Cena came to Maria’s rescue. With that, Chris Masters hit
the ring and locked the WWE Champion in the Master Lock. Angle and The Masterpiece double-teamed The Champ and Bischoff
set a new goal. He wanted Cena to tap out and lose the WWE Championship. So, the GM set up a Triple Threat, No
Disqualification, No Countout Submission Match among Masters, Angle and Cena. Masters has the Master Lock, Angle has the
ankle lock, but Cena is not known for using submission maneuvers. He didn’t even have to lose the match to lose the WWE
Championship. Once again, the odds were stacked against the WWE Champion. Angle and Masters double-teamed Cena to start,
but with the WWE Championship on the line, that allegiance did not last long. Angle was able to counter an FU attempt by
Cena into the Ankle Lock, but Masters broke it up by hooking Angle in the Master Lock. Cena was able to recover in time to
break that up before Angle submitted. Angle then recovered and was able to turn the tables on Masters and hook The
Masterpiece in the ankle lock. Cena made the save once again, keeping his hopes of retaining alive. Angle’s frustration
grew, and he went for a steel chair. Angle went in for the kill on Cena, but The Champ telegraphed it and kicked the chair
into Angle’s head. With Angle knocked out on the outside, Cena seized the chair and nailed Masters in the back of the leg.
He followed it up with a second blast to the leg and pulled out an STF. Masters tapped out and Cena had once again
overcome all the odds. After his win, Mr. McMahon was shown backstage with his son Shane and said that next week it would
be time to take out the trash.
Earlier in the show, Triple H addressed the crowd. He faced Ric Flair the night before at Survivor Series in a Last Man
Standing Match, and after three Pedigrees and a sledgehammer blow, he landed Flair in the hospital. The Game said that
there’s not a single man in the back that would look him in the eye, but then Big Show’s music hit and the largest athlete
in the world strode to the ring. Big Show said that he’s known Triple H for a long time and he’s let a lot of the things
the Cerebral Assassin has done slide. A few weeks ago he told Triple H that his time was coming, and that his time is now.
He asked The Game if he was man enough to fight him right then and there, but Triple H retreated and lived to fight
another day. After Triple H left the ring, Big Show was joined by his partner Kane and the World Tag Team Champions took
on Snitsky and Tyson Tomko. Snitsky and Tomko may be big, but they were no match for the tag team champs.
Plus, Shawn Michaels took on Carlito in singles action. Carlito said that Shawn Michaels had failed in leading Team RAW to
a victory at Survivor Series, and that was not cool. Carlito went on the offensive right away and slapped HBK and spit
apple in his face. Carlito targeted Michaels’ lower back in the early going and seemed to have HBK on the ropes. The
Showstopper looked primed to make a comeback, but when he tried one of his patented kip ups, his knee buckled. Carlito
then attacked the newly injured body part with relentless aggression. Michaels was able to come back, but when he went for
Sweet Chin Music, he couldn’t plant his foot due to his injury. Carlito hit a DDT, but was only able to get a two-count.
Michaels came back again, but encountered the same problem when he went for Sweet Chin Music a second time. HBK refused to
give in to his injury, though, and used the top rope for added leverage and connected on a third attempt at Sweet Chin
Music and picked up the win.
The Divas were also in action on RAW. Mickie James and Ashley teamed up with Women’s Champion Trish Stratus to take on
Victoria, Candice and Torrie Wilson. Mickie James was able to hit Trish’s Stratusfaction on Victoria and went for the
cover. Torrie came in to break it up, but Trish was able to cut her off, allowing Mickie to get the pin. Mickie ran to the
outside and grabbed Trish’s Women’s Championship belt and celebrated in the ring. Realizing it wasn’t her belt, she backed
down a bit and handed it to a perplexed-looking Trish.
And Trevor Murdoch picked up a huge win, shocking Shelton Benjamin when he was rolled up with a handful of tights. After
the match on WWE.com Unlimited, Murdoch said that he was focusing his attention on Ric Flair and the Intercontinental
Championship.
MATCHES:
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Chris Masters and Kurt Angle
in a triple threat, submission, no disqualification, no countout match
World Tag Team Champions Kane & The Big Show defeated Gene Snitsky & Tyson Tomko
Shawn Michaels defeated Carlito Carribean Cool
Trevor Murdoch defeated Shelton Benjamin
Women's Champion Trish Stratus, Mickie James & Ashley
defeated
Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle & Victoria
RAW
# 654
12-5-05 LIVE
North Charleston Arena
Charleston, South Carolina
General Manger Eric Bischoff knew his career would be in jeopardy this week on RAW. But he couldn’t have expected to be
put on trial in a WWE Court of Law. “His Honor” Judge McMahon uttered the two words Eric Bischoff most feared: “You’re
fired!” The only General Manager RAW has ever known is now on the outside looking in after a night of testimony from
witnesses such as Mae Young, Maria, Tajiri, Daivari, Chris Masters, Stephanie McMahon and even The Boogeyman. Defense
attorney Jonathan Coachman tried as he might to defend Bischoff’s nearly four-year reign in charge of RAW, while
prosecutor Mick Foley tore down his tenure as a total failure. In closing arguments, Eric Bischoff defended himself,
touting his invention, the Elimination Chamber, as a money-making accomplishment worthy of him staying on as GM. He went
as far as to propose that the Elimination Chamber headline New Year’s Revolution again this year, with him presiding over
the huge pay-per-view on Jan. 8. Ultimately, Judge McMahon listened to Bischoff and the fans, ruling that the WWE
Championship will be defended in the Elimination Chamber at New Year’s Revolution … but Eric won’t be there to see it.
Judge McMahon delivered his thunderous finding, then WWE Champion John Cena aided McMahon in “taking out the trash” by
delivering an FU to the former GM. Judge McMahon himself then tossed Bischoff into a garbage dumpster and drove him out of
the arena. With Bischoff’s WWE career literally in the dumps, who will be RAW’s next General Manger? Be sure to tune in
next week as we hope to learn who will be taking over.
Meanwhile, Big Show & Kane sent a message to SmackDown’s Batista & Rey Mysterio with a dominating showing on RAW. The
World Tag Team Champions won a Fatal Fourway Match by demolishing The Heart Throbs; Val Venis & Viscera; and Snitsky &
Tyson Tomko. In the end, the champs triple-chokeslammed Romeo, Venis and Tomko simultaneously. The team from SmackDown was
certainly put on notice only weeks before the interbrand tag team match at Armageddon.
Shawn Michaels’ pep talk certainly resulted in a more aggressive Shelton Benjamin when they took on Carlito & Kurt Angle.
But Benjamin took things too far when he forced a tag just when HBK was setting up “Sweet Chin Music” on Carlito for a
certain win. Instead, Shelton attempted a top-rope clothesline that Carlito avoided. He then rolled up Shelton for the
victory. Afterward, a clearly disappointed Michaels attempted to take the high road, but Shelton instead shoved him away
and left ringside.
In addition, Triple H dominated Tajiri, but after the match, Big Show again put “The Game” on notice.
Also, Victoria pulled out a win over Mickie James.
Chavo Guerrero defeated Lance Cade.
“The Cutting Edge” debuted. Edge and Lita took things so far in their blasting of Ric Flair that WWE officials Sgt.
Slaughter and Michael Hayes had to attempt to shut down the segment. A furious Edge instead took out both men.
MATCHES:
Big Show & Kane won a Tag Team Fatal Fourway
Kurt Angle & Carlito defeated Shawn Michaels & Shelton Benjamin
Triple H. defeated Tajiri
Victoria defeated Mickie James
Chavo Guerrero defeated Lance Cade
RAW
# 655
12-12-05 LIVE
T.D. Banknorth Garden
Boston, Massachusetts
Last week, just moments before being fired, then-General Manager Eric Bischoff said that John Cena would be defending the
WWE Championship in the Elimination Chamber at New Year’s Revolution. After Mr. McMahon took out the trash last week,
though, there was no General Manager to fill out the participants for the match. But Mr. McMahon had everything under
control. While there was no full-time General Manager for RAW yet, Mr. McMahon took the reigns as interim GM. And his
first order of business was to set up five Elimination Chamber qualifying matches.
A possible shot at an unprecedented 17 World Championships loomed heavily for the Nature Boy Ric Flair, but he would have
to get past the Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle to earn his ticket into the Elimination Chamber. Angle was able to hook
the Ankle Lock early on, but the wily veteran Flair was able to fight to the ropes. Angle later went for a steel chair,
but Flair was able to stop Angle before he could use the foreign object. When the referee went to clear the ring of the
chair, Angle grabbed his gold medal and knocked Flair out with a shot to the head. The 1-2-3 was academic.
Shelton Benjamin told Shawn Michaels that last week HBK was too busy trying to be the “Showstopper” instead of a team
player. Shelton said that he gave HBK the attitude he asked for last week and he was going to give Carlito another dose of
that attitude in his Elimination Chamber qualifying match. Carlito, though, went to work early on Shelton’s back, even
utilizing the Boston Crab, while ironically in Boston. Shelton was able to battle through the pain and hit the T-Bone on
Carlito. Instead of going for the pin, however, Shelton went to the outside and picked up one of Carlito’s apples.
Shelton’s new attitude proved to be costly. As Benjamin went to spit apple in Carlito’s face, Carlito rolled him up with a
small package for the pin.
Shawn Michaels, who won the first-ever Elimination Chamber match, was looking for a shot at the gold again, but had to get
past the largest athlete in the world today, Big Show. Big Show manhandled HBK in the beginning, but Michaels came back
with a series of clotheslines and a flying forearm. With Big Show dazed, HBK tuned up the band and landed Sweet Chin
Music. Normally, that move would be enough to take down any man, but Big Show somehow absorbed it and was only brought to
one knee. Baffled, HBK went to the well once more, but Big Show knocked the kick out of the way. Big Show followed it up
with a Chokeslam, but then Triple H made his way to ringside armed with a chair. Instead of going after Big Show, who he’s
had problems with in weeks past, he waffled HBK with the chair, causing Big Show to be disqualified and costing him a shot
at the WWE Championship.
Big Show would get his revenge, though. Triple H faced Big Show’s World Tag Team Championship partner Kane in another
Elimination Chamber qualifying match. After Kane gained the advantage, the Big Red Monster went for a big boot, but Triple
H ducked, and he knocked out the referee by accident. Triple H then went for his trusty sledgehammer, but Big Show came
out before he could use it. With Triple H’s attention turned towards Big Show, Kane grabbed The Game by the throat for a
chokeslam. Before the ref came to, Big Show got in on the fun as well and made it a double chokeslam, giving Kane the easy
pin and a ticket into the Elimination Chamber.
Chris Masters and Viscera battled it out for a shot at the WWE Championship as well. Masters went for the Master Lock a
couple times early on, but Viscera was too big for The Masterpiece. After sending Big Vis head-first into the turnbuckles,
though, Masters went for his patented maneuver once again, With Big Vis already grounded, The Masterpiece was able to lock
his hands and make Vis submit to the devastating Master Lock. So, at New Year’s Revolution, John Cena will defend the WWE
Championship against Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Carlito, Chris Masters and Kane in the Elimination Chamber.
The Champ also had his hands full on RAW. After Angle’s win over Flair, he said that he’s tired of the fans taking him for
granted. He mentioned that several WWE Superstars were going to Afghanistan to support the U.S. troops, but he wasn’t one
of them. He said that there’s no way he would go visit troops that defend a country that doesn’t respect him. Then Daivari
appeared on the Titan Tron and Angle told him to disrespect Boston’s idols like the fans disrespected him. Daivari then
spit on a statue of Larry Bird, but before he could get any further, he was stopped by Cena. Cena said that without those
troops, there’s no America. And without America, there’s no American heroes. And if Kurt Angle couldn’t see that, then
Angle couldn’t see Cena. Angle was irate and demanded that Mr. McMahon put himself in a match against Cena on RAW. Mr.
McMahon vehemently denied the request, but instead said that Cena would face Daivari in the first-ever You Can’t See Me
Match. Cena was blindfolded throughout the match, while Daivari’s vision was crystal clear. Daivari was able to move
around the ring early on without Cena knowing where he was. But The Champ soon turned to the crowd to direct him towards
Daivari. Cena was able to grab him in a waist lock and took him down to the mat. He pounced on Daivari and locked in the
STF-U for the submission victory. Angle attacked after the match, but Cena was able to shoo him from the ring and hit an
FU on Daivari for good measure.
There will also be a Women’s Championship Match at New Year’s Revolution. Mickie James went one-on-one with Victoria to
determine who would face Trish Stratus at the pay-per-view. Victoria was able to reverse a Mick-a-rana, but James came
back with a vicious standing Tornado DDT for the win. Mickie jubilantly celebrated in the ring, realizing she would face
her idol one-on-one for the Women’s Championship.
Matt Striker also addressed the Boston crowd and talked to them about family values. He said that they should start
looking for new role models and that he is their teacher.
Throughout RAW, Mr. McMahon also bumped into several people who were interested in becoming the new GM of RAW including
Trevor Murdoch, Candice, Chris Nowinski and the American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
MATCHES:
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Daivari
in a You Can't See Me match
Kurt Angle defeated Ric Flair
via an Elimination Chamber qualifier match
Shawn Michaels defeated Big Show
via an Elimination Chamber qualifier match
by way of a disqualification
Kane defeated Triple H.
via an Elimination Chamber qualifier match
Carlito defeated Shelton Benjamin
via an Elimination Chamber qualifier match
Chris Masters defeated Viscera
via an Elimination Chamber qualifier match
Mickie James defeated Victoria
in a Number 1 Contender's match
ARMAGEDDON
12-18-05 LIVE
Dunkin Donuts Center
Providence, Rhode Island
Lashley defeated William Regal & Paul Burchill in a Handicap Match
In recent weeks, Lashley has had his hands full with William Regal & Paul Burchill in singles action. At Armageddon,
Lashley was able to defeat both men in a Handicap Match. Lashley dominated his opponents early in the bout, but the
numbers game eventually caught up with him, and a cheap shot from Regal allowed Burchill to take over. Regal & Burchill
then worked over Lashley’s back, with Regal ramming him into the steel ringpost. Eventually, Lashley was able to break
free from their double teaming, using his vast array of devastating suplexes to subdue his British adversaries. Lashley
was then able to hit the Dominator on Burchill to secure the three count and the victory, keeping his undefeated streak
alive.
Bradshaw defeated Matt Hardy
Despite suffering numerous “injuries” the past few weeks on Friday Night SmackDown, JBL was able to overcome Matt Hardy at
Armageddon. Prior to the match, JBL grabbed a microphone and ran down Hardy, saying that Matt was a whiner and not a
Wrestling God like JBL. Hardy ran out to attack JBL as he spoke, and unleashed an early offensive flurry. However, JBL was
able to hang Hardy neck-first in between the top and middle ropes, and Hardy was never able to overcome that early
setback. JBL dominated most of the match, but Hardy managed to make a comeback. However, as Matt recovered after hitting a
moonsault press, the crafty JBL un-laced the protective covering on one of the turnbuckles. JBL then rammed Hardy back
first into the exposed steel, and followed that up with a Clothesline from Hell to earn the victory.
Kid Kash defeated Juventud Guerrera to win the Cruiserweight Championship
At Armageddon, Kid Kash made his first big shot count, defeating Juventud to win the Cruiserweight Championship. Juventud
attacked Kash at the bell, and the two men slugged it out before Juventud sent Kash to the floor. Juventud hit a plancha,
but Kash was able to ram the champion’s arm and shoulder into the post, establishing his point of attack. Kash had
Juventud set up for a moonsault, but the champion was able to get his knees up and take control. Juventud hit a top-rope
hurricanrana on the challenger, but appeared to hurt his knee on the way down, and a delay in covering Kash allowed him to
get a foot on the ropes. Juventud was then able to hit the Juvy Driver after a sequence of reversals, but the challenger
kicked out at 2. Juventud went to the second rope, but Kash avoided a somersault legdrop. The challenger then immediately
capitalized, hitting a brainbuster to pick up the victory and become Cruiserweight Champion.
Chris Benoit defeated Booker T. in Match No. 4 of a Best-of-7 Series
Facing sudden death down 3-0 in the Best-of-7 Series, Chris Benoit defeated Booker T. at Armageddon to keep his chances of
regaining the United States Championship alive. Benoit kept his rival at bay early, forcing Booker to continually roll to
the floor to regroup with Sharmell. Benoit attempted both the Sharpshooter and Crippler Crossface early in the match, but
Booker was able to escape every time. The Rabid Wolverine’s strategy was to work on Booker’s knee, but Booker was able to
keep the injury to a minimum. At one point, Benoit paid tribute to Eddie Guerrero, using Latino Heat’s patented Three
Amigos rolling suplexes to subdue Booker. Benoit went up top to attempt the flying headbutt, but Sharmell distracted him
with the broom, allowing Booker to re-take control. With the referee tied up, Sharmell hit Benoit with a low blow, and
Booker followed with a scissors kick. Booker seemingly had the match won, but Benoit was able to kick out. Benoit was then
able to counter the Bookend into a Crippler Crossface, but Booker managed to escape again. He would try again, but an
errant fist knocked the referee down. Benoit maneuvered Booker into the Sharpshooter, but Sharmell interfered again,
hitting Benoit with the broom. Benoit released the hold to stalk Sharmell, allowing Booker to eventually attack from
behind. He would try the Bookend one more time, but the Rabid Wolverine reversed it into a DDT, and then locked on the
Crippler Crossface. This time, Booker was unable to escape and was forced to tap out, giving Benoit the victory and
reducing Booker’s lead in the Best-of-7 Series to 3-1.
World Tag Team Champions Big Show & Kane defeated WWE Tag Team Champions Rey Mysterio & Batista
RAW finally got a victory over SmackDown at Armageddon, as World Tag Team Champions Big Show & Kane defeated WWE Tag Team
Champions Batista & Rey Mysterio in a Champions vs. Champions Match. Early in the match, Batista maintained control over
the World Tag Team Champions, using his equal size and power to keep them off guard. Mysterio then tagged in and used his
speed to frustrate Kane & Show, and managed to get Kane into position for the 619. Kane rolled out of the ring, but
the SmackDown team maintained the advantage, and the Big Red Monster ended up in position for the 619 again. This time,
Big Show pulled Rey out of the ring as he ran the ropes, and Show rammed Mysterio into the ringpost to give his team the
advantage. The RAW team then took turns dominating Mysterio and keeping Batista at bay to prevent a tag. Eventually,
Mysterio reversed Kane’s chokeslam attempt into a bulldog, but Big Show attacked Batista to prevent a tag. The World Tag
Team Champions then tried a double chokeslam on Mysterio, but the Animal ran in to attack. After Batista hit a spinebuster
on Kane, he clotheslined Big Show over the top rope, sending both big men crashing to the floor. Rey then got Kane into
position for the 619, and was finally successful. Rey then tried the West Coast Pop, but Kane caught him in mid-air. The
Big Red Monster then nailed Mysterio with a chokeslam, and covered him for the victory.
MNM defeated Psicosis & Super Crazy
Just two days after the stunning loss of their WWE Tag Team Championship, MNM was able to recover and defeat Psicosis &
Super Crazy at Armageddon. Backstage before the match, the Mexicools offered to cancel the match if Melina took care of
them the way she did with Batista on Friday Night SmackDown. Instead, Melina walked away disgusted, and the Mexicools
dominated the early going, highlighted by both Super Crazy & Psicosis hitting corkscrew planchas onto MNM on the floor.
Melina would turn the tide for her team, however, pulling Psicosis off the top rope and allowing MNM to take control.
MNM then cut the ring in half and would not allow Psicosis to tag out, until an enzuiguri to Mercury allowed the Mexicools
to make a tag. After hitting a tornado DDT on Mercury, Super Crazy went up for the moonsault. Melina tried to stop him,
but was kicked away. Crazy would hit the moonsault, but the distraction by Melina allowed Nitro to recover enough to break
up the pin. Crazy then tried to fight off both members of MNM, but walked right into the Snapshot, allowing Nitro &
Mercury to claim the victory.
Undertaker defeated Randy Orton in a Hell in a Cell Match
At Armageddon, the mind games came to an end, and Undertaker defeated Randy Orton inside Hell in a Cell. Throughout the
match, both combatants took turns brutalizing each other, using chairs, the ring steps, the steel cage itself and any
other weapons they could find to inflict punishment. One particularly vicious chairshot by the Deadman busted the Legend
Killer open early in the match. After the Deadman controlled much of the early going, Orton hit an RKO out of nowhere and
seemed to get a second wind. It was then Orton’s turn to brutalize the Deadman, and the Legend Killer drew blood by
rubbing Undertaker’s face into the steel cage of the cell. Outside the cell, even Cowboy Bob Orton shed blood. Cowboy Bob
held Undertaker’s hair through the cage to help Randy assault the Deadman, but Undertaker avoided a charging Randy, and
father and son crashed into each other. After escaping an Undertaker chokeslam, Orton took control and set the Deadman up
on a table. Orton then climbed the ropes and delivered a death-defying splash through the table, but Undertaker escaped
the pinfall attempt at 2. The Deadman was able to come back, but Orton escaped the Last Ride, and an errant swing by the
Deadman knocked the referee unconscious. Orton then reversed a chokeslam attempt into the RKO, but by the time a new
referee was able to make the count, the Deadman escaped the pinfall. Undertaker later hit the Last Ride on the Legend
Killer, but Cowboy Bob, who entered the cell when referee Charles Robinson entered, pulled him out of the ring to stop the
count. Undertaker then attacked Cowboy Bob, but that gave Randy precious time to recover. Back in the ring, Undertaker
attempted to put Randy away with a Tombstone, but in a role reversal of what happened at WrestleMania 21, Orton reversed
it into a Tombstone of his own. However, there was once again no referee, and Undertaker sat up. A flabbergasted Orton
tried to keep the Deadman down, but he kept popping up after every punch. Undertaker then attempted another chokeslam, but
Cowboy Bob re-entered the ring. The Deadman stopped to attack Cowboy Bob, allowing Randy to set up for an RKO, but the
Deadman blocked that as well. Undertaker then hit both Ortons with an urn, and after delivering a Tombstone to Cowboy Bob,
the Deadman nailed the Legend Killer with a Tombstone as well to secure the victory. After the match, Undertaker climbed
the Cell, kneeling down to worship the urn as the Ortons lay bloody and beaten in the ring below.
RAW
# 656
12-19-05 TAPED
Bagram Air Force Base
Afghanistan
This week, Monday Night RAW emanated from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan as RAW presented a special Tribute to the Troops.
Throughout the night, videos were shown of the WWE Superstars’ visit to the Middle East, highlighting their visits to
several operating bases and military camps. To begin the show, Mr. McMahon came out and addressed the Armed Forces in the
crowd. Mr. McMahon said that RAW would spread a little holiday cheer, and even Santa Claus would make an appearance. Mr.
McMahon said that RAW would tell the stories of the troops that seem to have been forgotten, because they are true stories
with happy endings. He then brought out Lilian Garcia, who sang a stirring and emotional rendition of The Star-Spangled
Banner.
Santa Claus did in fact make an appearance, as Coach brought out a Santa Claus dressed in camouflage fatigues. “Santa”
said that if Afghanistan were any better, it would suck, and he wished the troops a rotten Christmas. Another Santa Claus
then came out, this one much jollier than his predecessor. Coach wondered which the impostor was, and the new Santa
suggested a “No Ho-Ho-Holds Barred Match” to determine the impostor. The match began, and the Santas were quickly revealed
as Mick Foley and JBL. After using anything and everything to subdue JBL, including his bag of toys, Foley hit the
Double-Arm DDT. He then brought out Mr. Socko, applied the Mandible Claw to JBL, and got the victory.
The Divas also helped the troops get in the Holiday spirit, as Trish Stratus & Ashley took on Candice Michelle & Maria.
During the match, Candice spent nearly as much time crowd surfing with the troops than she did in the ring, but in the end
it would not matter. After nearly securing the victory for her team, Ashley got caught in the corner, and Candice grabbed
her in a roll-up. Candice grabbed a handful of Ashley’s Santa suit tights, and was able to hold her down for the pin.
In the main event, Shawn Michaels took on Triple H in a Boot Camp Match. The rules were simple: there were none. HBK
worked Triple H’s arm early in the bout, but The Game hit an elbow to send HBK crashing to the floor. They fought up the
entranceway, where HBK backdropped his way out of a Pedigree, and nailed The Game with a sandbag. They eventually brawled
back to the ring, where Michaels hit his opponent with a wet mop. Back in the ring, an errant clothesline from HBK knocked
out the referee, and Triple H hit a DDT. A new referee came in for the two count, and The Game confronted the referee.
After referee Chad Patton backed The Game down by showing him the Army patch on his shirt, Triple H saluted him, then
nailed him with a clothesline. Triple H then went to the top, but Michaels got a boot up and began his comeback. He warmed
up the band, but Triple H ducked and set up for a Pedigree. HBK reversed that into a slingshot into the turnbuckles, and
then nailed Sweet Chin Music to get the victory over The Game.
In additional action, WWE Champion John Cena defeated Chris Masters in a non-title match, Intercontinental Champion Ric
Flair defeated Coach in an impromptu challenge match for the Intercontinental Championship, Big Show defeated Carlito and
Snitsky defeated Shelton Benjamin.
MATCHES:
Good Santa Claus aka Mick Foley defeated Bad Santa Claus aka Bradshaw
Gene Snitsky defeated Shelton Benjamin
Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair defeated Jonathan Coachman
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Chris Masters
World Tag Team Champion The Big Show defeated Carlito Carribean Cool
Candice Michelle & Maria defeated Women's Champion Trish Stratus & Ashley
Shawn Michaels defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley via a Boot Camp match
RAW
# 657
12-26-05 LIVE
Arena at Harbor Yard
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Sometimes, it’s good to be last. With the best “Beat the Clock” Match time on RAW, the Big Red Monster has earned the right to enter the Elimination
Chamber last at New Year’s Revolution. The huge pay-per-view main event will feature John Cena defending the WWE
Championship against Kurt Angle, Carlito, Chris Masters, Shawn Michaels and Kane inside a demonic structure known to tear
up the bodies of its participants. With his showing on RAW, Kane will have the important advantage of entering the Chamber
last — thereby being the freshest and healthiest Superstar in the battle for the WWE Championship. John Cena has overcome
difficult odds time and again during his eight-month reign. Will he step up again, or will these odds prove insurmountable?
All of the Elimination Chamber participants took part in “Beat the Clock” Matches on RAW, and the first to take a stab at
the best time was “The Showstopper.” HBK immediately attacked Snitsky in an effort to establish the best winning time
possible, but Snitsky fought back using his strength and power and injured HBK’s back. Ultimately, Michaels hit “Sweet
Chin Music” from out of nowhere for the victory in 5:56. It seemed like a good time, but it wouldn’t hold up as the night
progressed. Michaels night also got worse when he and Mr. McMahon had words, ending with McMahon threatening that he
could “screw” HBK just like he did Bret Hart any time he wanted.
The next “Beat the Clock” featured an intriguing match between Chavo Guerrero and Chris Masters. The young rising star
thought he’d make quick work of Chavo, finish him with the Master Lock and establish an unbeatable time. Unfortunately
for “The Masterpiece,” Chavo had other plans and Masters was unable to beat HBK’s 5:56.
The next Superstar to attempt to “Beat the Clock” was Kurt Angle, who first lashed out at all those involved with WWE’s
“Tribute to the Troops.” Then, his opponent was announced: personal referee and ally Daivari. The fix seemed to be in, as
Daivari attempted to hand Angle a victory by lying down. But referee Mike Chioda refused to count three without first
seeing a competitive match. A furious Angle chased Choida around the building, but the ref got the last word by counting
Angle out and awarding the match to Daivari.
John Cena was next to try to “Beat the Clock” against Shelton Benjamin. Despite being perhaps the best athlete in WWE,
Shelton has been on a horrendous losing streak, which continued on RAW. Eventually, Cena was able to hoist Benjamin for
the FU, but Shelton held on to the ropes as time expired. Cena did then manage an official victory with an STFU
submission, but it did no good in terms of the Elimination Chamber order of entry. After the match, Angle and Daivari
attacked Cena. Seeing what transpired, Mr. McMahon ordered a Kurt Angle vs. John Cena “First Blood” Match for next week’s
RAW.
Next up was Carlito, who tried to “Beat the Clock” in a randomly selected match against former Women’s Champion Victoria.
Carlito seemed to think facing a Diva would be a walk in the park and didn’t take Victoria seriously for much of the match.
But with the clock ticking down, Carlito kicked it up a notch and hit his reverse swinging neckbreaker finisher to
establish a new time to beat of 2:36.
Attempting to beat that time was the Big Red Monster, who took on both members of The Heart Throbs. Kane wasted no time –
literally – finishing both Antonio & Romeo with a double-chokeslam in a mere 28 seconds. As a result, Kane was the “Beat
the Clock” winner and will be the last to enter the Elimination Chamber.
Also on RAW, Triple H and Big Show signed their contract for New Year’s Revolution. When things got physical, the Cerebral
Assassin used a sledgehammer taped to the underside of the contract-signing table to break Big Show’s hand.
In addition, Edge mocked Ric Flair again before receiving a visit from “The Nature Boy.” Edge thought he’d get the best of
Flair because of a legal gag order preventing Flair from answering back. But since the 16-time world champion couldn’t
defend himself verbally, he simply attacked Edge and pummeled him into a hasty retreat. Based on those events, Edge will
face Ric Flair for the Intercontinental Championship at New Year’s Revolution.
MATCHES:
Carlito defeated Victoria
Kane defeated The Heart Throbs
Shawn Michaels defeated Snitsky
Chris Masters vs. Chavo Guerrero ended in a no contest
Daivari defeated Kurt Angle via a count out
John Cena defeated Shelton Benjamin
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THIS PAGE LAST REVISED ON 9-27-05