Raw Results/Spoilers

Ph3n0m

Triple H and Shelton Benjamin lead off the show. Before the match even begun Shelton began working over Hunter with a few arm drags and arm bars. Quickly he goes for a back slide and a roll up for two counts, and then resumes working the arms. The All-American was all over the game, ending a comeback with a power slam and DDT. The Stinger splash missed, however, and Shelton was cloths lined over the top rope to the outside. Shawn Michaels ran down to ringside at this point and began an attack on Hunter which went out, in and back out of the ring. Triple H and Shelton Benjamin wrestled to a no-contest. A group of referees allowed Hunter to escape into the crowd. Michaels took the microphone and said he wasn’t leaving until HHH got back in the ring and they finished their issue. Bishoff came to the stage and said that wasn’t going to happen. Enough was enough, and he was not going to lose control of his own show. He informed the McMahon office earlier he was going to make an example of the first person to step out of line. So he invited Security to escort HBK from his building, since he was now suspended. Michaels ran into the crowd to get a few last licks on Hunter before finally being pried off.

A vignette detailing the brief reasons for the Edge versus Randy Orton Intercontinental Championship match was shown. Backstage, Evolution hyped up their leader and claimed that Shawn Michaels got what he deserved. Ric pumped up Randy Orton and Batista, and I believe called Tajiri a “Gook” in the process. How nice. Bishoff walked in to announce that next week Triple H was going to have an opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship.

Tajiri versus Batista was up next. Batista looks bigger and more cut every week. Tajiri started the match in control, outpacing the bigger man and hitting him with quick shots that had him down and outside the ring quickly. Batista took control when Tajiri attempted a tornado DDT off the guard rail and was shoved back first into it. Back in the ring, Batista continued the punishment, with a vertical suplex and a sidewalk slam. The announcers argued over whether or not asking if Tajiri was a Japanese grill chef was inappropriate. Meanwhile, actually in the ring, Tajiri had a major comeback when he nailed a mule kick from the corner and followed it up with another lightning fast kick and a handspring elbow. Batista recovered an attempted his power bomb, but ate a reversal in the form of a tornado DDT. This led to a two-count and an attempt at the buzz kick, but it was blocked and turned into a spine buster for the victory. Batista defeated Tajiri via pin fall. After the match, Batista delivered another spine buster and a power bomb before lifting Tajiri up and strangling him over his head. Tajiri tried to spit the green mist, but Batista squeezed his throat to hard, making it simply dribble out his mouth unsuccessfully.

Stacey Kiebler, wearing a pair of strappy high heeled sandals, denim hot pants and matching off the shoulder top, came out and hyped Diva’s South of the border. A preview video of the various ladies of the WWE posing on a beach was shown. Gail Kim and Molly came out, upset that Gail made the champion tap last week and yet Stacey had all the air-time. They pondered if Stacey claimed to be hotter than her (She didn’t, so perhaps she missed a line and they didn’t know to compensate their lines) and began a very weak looking beat down. Victoria ran in for the save, and Jazz attacked her. Then Nidia (Who has an awful looking midriff) ran in and aided Vickie in finishing off the heel females of the federation. Nidia, Stacey and Victoria posed to end the segment.

Backstage Nidia, Stacey and Victoria talked while the announcers announced a six-woman tag match for later tonight. The steel cage for the Jericho and Christian match was shown, and Jericho was interviewed backstage. He claimed that Christian and Trish liked it rough, and tonight he would show them how rough he could be. Chris also mentioned that he, not Hunter, was promised the World Heavyweight Championship match for next week. Randy Orton entered his title match first, because tradition sucks. Back and forth action in the corners from both men, with Edge getting the upper hand by focusing on the back with forearms, a sidewalk slam and using the ring post to bend Orton the wrong way. Randy tried to make a comeback, but was unable to mount any offense after Edge went after the back again. The cast came into play according to Lawler, and Ric Flair walked to ringside to consult the referee.

Back from commercial, it is shown that Ric Flair had thrown Edge into the ring steps. Both men seemed worn out in the ring, especially after Randy hit a modified neck break in which he held Edge in a high side head lock and dropped down so Edge’s head was bent around his mid-section. Orton continued the assault with a pair of what JR called a modified Cobra Clutches, but it appeared to be more of a chicken wing to me. Edge kick Orton in the head when Randy bent over his prone body, and both men were down for a count. Randy got to his feet first, and was nearly pinned via an inside cradle for his trouble. Randy maintained control though, and went to the top rope. He went for an absolutely perfect cross body, but it was rolled through. Edge took the momentum then, hitting a back body drop and a belly to back suplex in succession. Edge set the Champion up for a super-plex, but Orton fought out. So Edge knocked Orton off his perch to the ring apron and then speared him in the back off the apron into the guard rail. He threw Randy back in the ring and then hit a top rope drop kick for a close two-count. The fans were now really into the match. Edge hit the Edge Head drop (I honestly do not remember if that is what it was called) and had the match won when Ric Flair got on the apron to argue with the ref. Edge walked over, and Randy recovered to attempt the RKO. He was thrown off into Flair, narrowly avoiding hitting him off. Edge set up and hit the spear while they conference, but on Flair and not the Champion. Orton rolled Edge up, with a liberal hand full of tights, and scored a victory. Randy Orton defeated Edge via pin fall.

Last week Eugene proved to Regal that he could wrestle. Back stage, Mr. Dinsmore, is doing squats under the supervision of his British trainer. Bishoff comes and has a private word with Regal, who is hoping for a miracle. Bishoff wants the opposite. Turns out he only promised to give Eugene a shot, and if he loses Eugene will quit and they will be free of the special young man. Regal would be free of the babysitting position, and have a spot on the active roster. William promises to see the best man win. The women’s match is next. Stacey swapped out her denim for leather, making Nidia’s midriff look even poorer by comparison. Jazz and Victoria started things out, with Jazz applying the STF quickly. Nidia broke it up, and was thrown outside for it. Quick tags had Molly and Gail in, and the three took turns working over the Women’s Champion. Gail wrapped her Octopus Hold number 1 (See mail) on Victoria, and all participants of the match went in and out of the ring. Gail and Victoria were left alone, when Gail wrapped the Champion in a new submission while Victoria was flat on her stomach with her arm wrapped under Gail’s leg while a half-Crab was applied. She tapped out immediately for the second week in a row. Gail Kim, Jazz and Molly Holly defeated Nidia, Stacey Kiebler and Victoria via submission. The Smackdown! Rebound! showed the house show where Eddie’s mother suffered a medical emergency. It was very scarey stuff. I love you mom! I promise not to have a six and one half foot tall man threaten to hurt you this week.

Christian was interviewed last week. He said he had no problems in his steel cage match, now that he had his problem solver Tyson Tomko. Christian says that next week he has been promised an opportunity to be the World’s Heavyweight Champion. Trish excused herself to go talk to Lita, who was obviously on edge. Trish screamed that Kane was right behind Lita, but it was instead just a cruel prank. Lita jumped Trish, and Matt Hardy Version 1 pulled them apart. No Matt facts this week? Damn! Well here is one: Matt facts rule. Val Venus was announced as his opponent, but Kane took over the Titan Tron with Val laid out unconscious behind him. He attacked Val again as a lesion to Matt. He claimed to have had a question for Lita, and she had one week to give the right answer. In the ring, Matt asked Lita what the question was, but Lita seemed too sad and frightened to answer.

La Résistance entered the ring, and backstage William Regal calmed Eugene’s nerves. After being hugged very graciously, Regal seemed torn. Eugene entered with very childish march, which could have been ripped out of an early Final Fantasy title. The crowd was actually quite behind Eugene, and Mr. Dinsmore played it up perfectly. Some nice chain wrestling left Rob Conway upset and he attacked while Eugene conferred with Regal. He punished Eugene for some time before the special young man exploded with action with a pair of atomic drops and an airplane spin. The sledge of the top rope connected successfully. Eugene was tripped by Regal, who claimed innocently that it was the apron. Eugene won anyway, rolling Conway up with a bridge for the victory. Eugene defeated Rob Conway via pin fall. Regal was less than pleased as Eugene celebrated.

.... continued in next post

Ph3n0m

An excellent music video which gave a brief look at the career of the World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit was shown. Bishoff and his apprentice Johnny Nitro came to the stage to clear up some controversy about the World Title picture. Before that, however, he had a special announcement to make. He graciously allowed Johnny Nitro to announce that Trish Stratus would go one on one with Lita. Throughout the night several men have declared that they were promised the title shot next week, and they were. Next week there will be a twenty-man Battle Royal, with the winner taking on Chris Benoit. The main event is announced, and the cage is lowered.

Lillian announces the rules for the cage match, which allows for pin fall and submission as well as the standard escape methods. Before competitors are in the cage Jericho attacked. Jericho spring boarded up to the top of the cage after an attempted Irish whip early, but was pulled back in. Both men were repeatedly trying to climb over the top unsuccessfully. Jericho got to the top with enough time to escape, but Tomko was waiting down below. So instead he jumped from the top of the cage with a cross body onto Christian. Jericho crawled for the door and ate Tyson’s boot, and the referee’s ejected him. Jericho once more was almost outside, but this time Christian stopped him. He gave Jericho a Back Body Drop into the cage, and then ground Jericho’s head into the cage with his foot. Christian had a comeback, dodging a spear by Christian which sent the Canadian Blond into the chain link fence. I know, not a helpful description. Jericho seized the opportunity, as Christian was bleeding, to throw him into the cage again and again. A cheese grater spot led to the face plant and a near fall. Christian recovered and hit the Unprettier, but was too injured to make the pin in time. He attempted to climb the cage with wobbly legs, but Jericho jumped up to the ropes with him and delivered a under arm suplex from the top turn buckle. Trish came in with a chair and gets put in the Walls of Jericho. Christian decides to try and escape rather than help, but Jericho notices just in time. He jumps to the top of the cage and puts Christian in a front face lock so he cannot jump off. He pulls Christian back into the ring with what looked like a Side Russian Leg Sweep and then locked on the walls of Jericho. Christian, his face a proverbial crimson mask, screamed and crawled to the ropes. Unfortunately, the match was no holds barred, and even when he crawled halfway out of the ring was unable to break the hold. Jericho pulled him back into the center of the cage and Christian was forced to tape out. Jericho climbed the cage and celebrated. From the fact that he secured his boot with some rope, I imagine the after show report will say that he rode the cage to the arena roof. Chris Jericho defeated Christian via pin fall.

Hanza

IMO, that lived up to all the hype. I cant wait for Friday. That sounds like the most solid show ive heard of in ages. The cage match sounds amazing! Just thinking about the tour of defiance only 15 days away, is making me mental.

Hanza