Past RAW Shows 2007
All discs are in the U.S. -
NTSC format,
English
language only.
RAW
# 710
1-1-07 LIVE
American Airlines Arena
Miami, Florida
In front of 15,178 raucous WWE fans and several members of the NBA Champion Miami Heat at the sold out American Airlines
Arena, John Cena stood tall at the end of the first Monday Night Raw of 2007. It didn`t look like that would be the case,
however. In one of the most anticipated matches in recent memory, Cena took on Kevin Federline to kick off the show.
Federline was accompanied to the ring by "trainer" Johnny Nitro, and informed the world that Jonathan Coachman had made
the match a No Disqualification match. Once the match began, Federline showed some skill but Cena seemed to toy with him.
He even allowed the Hollywood bad boy to lock him in the Master Lock, but the WWE Champion easily broke the hold. Nitro
tried to help his protege, but The Champ easily dispatched the A-lister. That allowed Federline to sneak in a low blow ...
but that only seemed to infuriate Cena. He hoisted Federline up for an FU, but his opponent this Sunday, Umaga, hit the
ring to attack The Champ. With Jonathan Coachman`s edict that Umaga and Cena could not touch each other outside of a match
having expired, the undefeated Samoan Bulldozer capitalized on the situation and brutalized the WWE Champion. Umaga
finished off his assault by nailing Cena with the WWE Championship, allowing Federline to shock the world by pinning and
defeating The Champ. Later, Coachman made a 4-on-1 Handicap Match as the main event, pitting himself, Nitro, Umaga and Armando Estrada against
Cena. Cena fought valiantly, and looked as if he would pick up the victory when he locked Umaga in the STFU. However,
Estrada brought a chair into the ring, and Cena broke the hold to attack him. The Champ then grabbed the chair and twice
blasted Umaga, drawing a disqualification. Cena didn`t care however, as he also delivered a pair of thunderous FUs to
Nitro and Coachman. To cap off the festivities, Cena grabbed Federline (who was at ringside doing commentary), tossed him
into the ring and dropped him with a third FU. The Champ then stared down his New Year`s Revolution challenger, standing
tall despite the odds stacked against him.
DX also had New Year`s Revolution on their minds, waiting all night for Rated-RKO to show up. DX will challenge them for
the World Tag Team Championship at New Year`s Revolution, and were looking to get into a fight on Raw. Unfortunately, Edge
& Randy Orton didn`t show, so HBK & The Game hit the ring to deliver a scathing message: "Edge, Orton ... welcome to the
other side. At New Year`s Revolution we are going to beat your ass, tear your flesh, break your bones and make you bleed.
We will leave you lying in a broken, twisted, bloody heap, because we are Shawn Michaels & Triple H, D-Generation X. And
if you`re not down with that, we`ve got two words for you!" DX then apparently left the building thinking that Rated-RKO
wouldn`t show up ... but they did. After DX`s speech, Kenny Dykstra & Chris Masters took on Carlito & Ric Flair in a
preview of the two newest matches made for New Year`s Revolution. Earlier, Dykstra told Todd Grisham that he would end Ric
Flair`s career. On this night, Dykstra won the match for his team by pinning Flair using one of the oldest tricks in
Flair`s book: putting his feet on the ropes. Flair challenged Dykstra to come back and fight, but he got a Rated-RKO
ambush instead. Edge & Orton came through the crowd, with Randy delivering a thunderous RKO to the "Nature Boy." Edge then
nailed him with a vicious Con-Chair-To before the champions retreated back through the crowd. Rated-RKO knew DX was no
longer in the building, and seemed to pick their spot to send a message; what will happen this Sunday when it`s RKO vs.
DX, Flair vs. Dykstra and Carlito vs. Masters?
2007 also began with a thud for Rob Conway. Conway said he was tired of being Raw`s whipping boy, and if he couldn`t
defeat Jeff Hardy he would quit Raw. Unfortunately for Rob, his Raw career was over in a snap, as the Intercontinental
Champion quickly pinned Conway to send him packing. But before he could leave, Mr. McMahon came out to join Conway and
share his own new year`s resolution. "This year, I`m going to stop being so damn nice, and I`m also going to stop allowing
people to take advantage of me, like my good friend Donald Trump. He`s credited for a certain phrase, but Donald did not
originate that phrase; it originated right here on Monday Night Raw. So I won`t allow you to quit, because Rob Conway ...
YOU`RE FIRED!" A dejected Conway was later seen leaving the building, but when WWE.com tried to get a word with him, he
walked away speechless and refused comment.
Victoria added another name to her checklist for 2007 as well. After Melina defeated Maria, Victoria left her position at
the commentary table. She then grabbed Lilian Garcia and tossed her into the ring. It looked like Lilian`s name would be
written into the blank spot on the checklist, but Women`s Champion Mickie James saved Lilian before Victoria could drop
her with the Widow`s Peak. Mickie was able to fight off Victoria on Raw, but can she do it at New Year`s Revolution with
the Women`s Championship on the line?
"Cryme Tyme" Shad & JTG teamed with "The Highlanders" Robbie & Rorrie to defeat "The World`s Greatest Tag Team" Shelton
Benjamin and Charlie Haas along with Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch. Cryme Tyme greeted Shaquille O`Neal prior to the match,
and while they didn`t steal anything from Shaq, they did steal the victory when Shad pinned Murdoch after an assist from
his partner in Cryme, JTG.
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE -
Kevin Federline
weakly defeated
WWE Champion John Cena
"Cryme Tyme" Shad & JTG & "The Highlanders" Robbie & Rorrie
defeated
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas along with Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
- NON TITLE -
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy defeated Rob Conway
Melina defeated Maria
Kenny Dykstra & "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
defeated
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Carlito Carribean Cool
- NON TITLE -
4-on-1 Handicap Match
Jonathan Coachman, Johnny Nitro, Umaga & Armando Estrada
defeated
WWE Champion John Cena
via a disqualification
RAW
# 711
1-8-07 LIVE
Scottrade Center
St. Louis, Missouri
Just 24 hours after ending Umaga’s nine-month undefeated streak, John Cena was left lying by the Samoan Bulldozer in St.
Louis. The show started out with a statement from Cena, the first man to ever defeat The Samoan Bulldozer. The WWE
Champion addressed the statements made by Umaga’s manager Armando Estrada that Cena’s win at New Year’s Revolution was
just a fluke. Cena was sore and banged up, but still prepared to take on Umaga again for the WWE Championship. Mr.
McMahon’s Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman had other plans in mind for The Champ, however. Coachman explained that
one of the best things about the new year is that contracts expire. Coachman was able to sign a Superstar to Raw with an
impressive record on both SmackDown and ECW. Raw’s “newest acquisition” was none other than The Great Khali. Weighing in
at 420 pounds, Khali is nearly twice the size of The Champ, but that didn’t deter Cena from facing the Punjab warrior in a
non-title match. With Armando Estrada at ringside, The Champ, who seemed to be operating at less than 100 percent, took a
huge beating from the behemoth that is Khali. When Estrada introduced a steel chair into the action, Cena was disqualified
after using it on his enormous opponent. Still furious from his only loss, Umaga then seized the opportunity, entering the
ring and delivering a Samoan Spike to a dazed Cena. As Raw went off the air, The Champ seemed to be in dire straits.
After an incredibly brutal match with DX at New Year’s Revolution that left Triple H with a ruptured quadriceps tendon,
Edge and Randy Orton held their own victory celebration. Although the duo seemed to be in rough shape, they appeared proud
of their so-called victory. Edge summed up their battle at New Year’s Revolution by saying that “last night wasn’t a
wrestling match, last night was a war,” to which Orton added that “Rated-RKO has done what no one else has been able to
do: end DX!” Edge vowed to destroy the other half of DX in a Handicap Match next week on Raw. Just then, a bruised and
saddened Shawn Michaels entered the arena to chants of “HBK” from the crowd. HBK promised to be by his best friend Triple
H’s side during his surgery, but promised that when he returned, he would deal with Rated-RKO.
Mr. McMahon used his formidable influence to pit celebrity rivals Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell against each other.
Rosie and Trump have been at each other’s throats in the media lately and when they finally met in the ring, the fudge
flew. The bitter battle between the Brash Billionaire and the Left-Leaning Lesbian came to a climax on Raw...and in the end, it
was Donald Trump who got the last laugh. Early in the bout, Rosie dominated The Donald by using her immense size advantage
to keep knocking Trump off his feet. She even dropped him with a Lou Thesz press, firing wild lefts and rights as Trump
covered. Unfortunately for Rosie, Trump`s hair came to his rescue. The Donald`s puffy coif helped him absorb a blow into
the turnbuckle, turning the tide. The Donald took over, but when he tried to slam the mighty O`Donnell, the weight
advantage sent him tumbling to the ground. He would recover, and eventually use one of Rosie`s best friends against her.
While standing outside the ring, The Donald grabbed the half-eaten Fudgie the Whale ice cream cake at ringside and smashed
it into O`Donnell`s face. Though no one is sure whether Rosie went down in pain or sheer bliss, this allowed the Donald to
drop a vicious flying hair-butt to pick up the winning pinfall. As the billionaire mogul celebrated his win, Rosie cried
for her "friend" and co-host Barbara Walters. Unfortunately, the esteemed Ms. Walters was nowhere in sight to help her
apprentice.
Jeff Hardy thwarted Kenny Dykstra’s attempt to become the youngest Intercontinental Champion in history. Hardy seemed sore
from his Steel Cage Match with Johnny Nitro only 24 hours before, but the champion persevered. Dykstra appeared to get his
comeuppance when Ric Flair entered the match; with the referee distracted by Hardy’s tussle with Johnny Nitro, Flair
delivered a low blow to Dykstra, which helped Hardy pick up the three count on Kenny. The rivalry between Flair and
Dykstra will no doubt continue well into 2007.
Victoria and Melina got some revenge for Victoria’s New Year’s Revolution loss by defeating WWE Women’s Champion Mickie
James and Maria. At the pay-per-view, Mickie retained her WWE Women’s Championship against Victoria. Melina and Victoria
tried to cut a deal ensuring a win for Victoria and a title opportunity for Melina, but it backfired when the Divas on
Victoria’s list came to Mickie’s aid and helped her secure her New Year’s Revolution win. This time however, Victoria &
Melina came out on top.
Carlito defeated Chris Masters in a New Year’s Revolution rematch with a little help from the beautiful Torrie Wilson.
While the referee was distracted, Torrie slammed Masters with the ring bell giving her man the upper hand.
Cryme Tyme defeated Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch, proving that JTG’s grill is not their only way of putting their money
where their mouths are. With their win at New Year’s Revolution in the Five-Team Tag Team Turmoil Match, Cryme Tyme earned
themselves an opportunity at the World Tag Team Championship and their winning combination of athleticism and technical
teamwork shows no sign of slowing.
MATCHES:
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
defeated
"The Dyke" Kenny Dykstra
retaining the title
Victoria & Melina
defeated
WWE Women's Champion Mickie James & Maria
Donald Trump
defeated
"The Left Leaning Lesbian" Rosie O'Donnell
Carlito Carribean Cool
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
"Cryme Tyme" Shad & JTG
defeated
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
- NON TITLE -
The Great Khali
defeated
WWE Champion John Cena
via a disqualification
RAW
# 712
1-15-07 LIVE
Centurytel Center
Bossier City, Louisiana
In front of a fantastic crowd of WWE fans in Shreveport, La., Shawn Michaels proved that some legends just can’t be
killed. In an incredible show of strength and determination, HBK got the best of Rated-RKO in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match in
the name of his injured partner and best friend, Triple H. At New Year’s Revolution, DX faced Rated-RKO in a tag team
match that sent The Game to a medical facility and eventually into surgery with a torn quadriceps tendon. This week, Edge
& Randy Orton entered the ring and declared that they would put an end to DX once and for all. Orton threatened: “We’re
not going to stop, Shawn Michaels, until you are down permanently!” The pair then dragged out a bloody “Hacksaw” Jim
Duggan and let the Raw locker room know that if anyone else tried to interfere in their match, they would suffer the same
fate. Edge then landed a ruthless Con-chair-to on Duggan, and later in the night, after Ric Flair vowed to support
Michaels, he was rushed out of the arena in an ambulance presumably at the hands of Edge & Orton. Rated-RKO vowed to
destroy Michaels and the DX legend in Shreveport -- the very town that hosted HBK’s first televised match -- but Michaels
had other plans. After delivering Sweet Chin Music to Todd Grisham, an irate HBK stormed off. Minutes later, with Mr.
McMahon’s help, Orton & Edge instructed arena security to confiscate any and all DX signs. Once the match began, Michaels
put in a valiant effort against impossible odds. When Edge grabbed a pair of steel chairs the referee rang the bell. But
nothing could stop HBK; armed with Triple H’s sledgehammer, the remaining member of DX seemed to be fueled by his
emotions -- anger at the callousness of Edge & Orton, the pride of being back where his television sports-entertainment
career began and care for his ailing best friend. Michaels pummeled Rated-RKO and sent a message in the form of a
Con-chair-to to Orton’s skull – DX lives!
Earlier in the night, Jonathan Coachman announced that WWE Champion John Cena will face Umaga at the Royal Rumble with the
WWE Championship on the line. With Mr. McMahon’s approval, Coachman allowed Umaga’s manager Armando Estrada to decide the
type of match, and he chose a Last Man Standing match. The match has no rules, except to beat your opponent so severely
that he is unable to answer to a 10 count. After signing an official contract, Cena wasted no time in attacking Umaga,
even pummeling him with the steel ring steps before giving Estrada an FU right through a table.
Throughout the night, Mr. McMahon waited to get his old friend Donald Trump on the phone. After reading a letter from
Trump that panned last week’s Trump vs. Rosie match, the Chairman showed the Donald how he would have handled the Miss USA
scandal (with the smoking hot Torrie Wilson playing the part of Miss USA). Before Mr. McMahon was able to act out the end
of his scenario, Carlito entered the arena to save Torrie and inform the Chairman that he and his ideas were not cool. Mr.
McMahon punished Carlito by pitting him against The Great Khali. After Khali floored Carlito, Mr. McMahon had just three
words for him: “Now, that’s cool.”
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy teamed with Maria in a Mixed Tag Team Match against Johnny Nitro and Melina. The
rivalry between Hardy and Nitro was only heightened at New Year’s Revolution when Jeff retained his gold in a thrilling
Steel Cage Match; Hardy was victorious again on Raw, landing a perfect Swanton Bomb and pinning Nitro for the win.
Ric Flair picked up his first one-on-one win against the talented youngster Kenny Dykstra. In vintage Flair style, the
“Nature Boy” pinned the younger man with his feet on the ropes moments after Kenny had been admonished by the referee for
the same infraction. Both Flair and Dykstra will compete in the 30-man Royal Rumble Match where their rivalry will no
doubt continue.
WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James successfully defended her title against Victoria in a rematch of their New Year’s
Revolution confrontation. Mickie even added insult to injury in the middle of the match by delivering a severe spanking to
Victoria’s shapely behind.
Chris Masters emerged from the locker room with a letter from Mr. McMahon stating that the Master Lock is officially still
unbroken. The letter stated that when a soldier in Iraq broke the hold, it was only with outside assistance from JBL.
Masters celebrated his inclusion in the Royal Rumble Match and vowed to take on any challenger in another Master Lock
Challenge. Ron Simmons stepped up to the plate and was holding his own when Super Crazy attacked Masters, allowing Simmons
to escape. Due to outside interference, however, the Master Lock is still officially unbroken.
Two powerful tag team competitors were on their own as JTG faced Shelton Benjamin in a singles match. Shad interfered
while the referee was distracted with Charlie Haas, allowing JTG to pin Shelton and steal another Cryme Tyme-style victory.
MATCHES:
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy & Maria
defeated
Johnny Nitro & Melina
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair
defeated
"The Dyke" Kenny Dykstra
" WOMEN`S CHAMPIONSHIP "
Women's Champion Mickie James
defeated
Victoria
retaining the title
Ron Simmons took the Master Lock Challenge
J.T.G.
defeated
Shelton Benjamin
- 2 ON 1 HANDICAP MATCH -
World Tag Team Champions "Team Rated-RKO"
"The R Rated Supwerstar" Edge & "The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
vs
"The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels
ended in a no contest
RAW
# 713
1-22-07 LIVE
Cajundome
Lafayette, Louisiana
The Royal Rumble is less than a week away, but WWE fans in Lafayette, La., as well as those watching around the world,
were treated to an early preview on Raw. Fresh off last week`s victory over Rated-RKO, an overtly emotional Shawn Michaels
kicked off Raw with a clear message for WWE fans. Not only did Michaels claim that he will once again be the WWE Champion,
but went on to state that "the Heart Break Kid, the Showstopper is back! No mere mortal man will stop me from fulfilling
my destiny." Just then, Edge, a man who thinks of himself as anything but mortal, entered the arena. After the Rated-R
Superstar`s interruption, the two brawled around the ring, into the crowd and even into the locker room area where
security was finally able to tear them apart.
Mr. McMahon announced the main event of the night: a Street Fight pitting Michaels against Edge. With no
disqualifications, Michaels lived up to his words from earlier in the night. Letting his emotions run wild, HBK used a
belt, steel trash can, ladder, steel chair, chain and sheer brutality to bloody the Rated-R Superstar. Just as HBK was
about to deliver a Con-chair-to, Randy Orton dove into the ring to aid his tag team partner and deliver an RKO to
Michaels. After Edge picked up the three count, Orton surprised everyone and tossed his partner out of the ring proving
that the Royal Rumble Match will be every man for himself. In the blink of an eye, Ric Flair entered the ring to deliver a
series of low blows to Orton; Kenny Dykstra and Carlito soon blasted into the ring to join the chaos, but as Raw went off
the air, somehow it was HBK standing tall.
WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon read a letter he wrote to Donald Trump, offering to boost ratings by appearing on The Apprentice.
Next, the always surprising Chairman promised a token of his appreciation for WWE fans next week on Raw. Just then, in
walked The Champ. John Cena insulted the Chairman`s "manhood" and then went so far as to say that Donald Trump had more
money. After Jonathan Coachman butted in, Mr. McMahon declared a match between Cena and his own Executive Assistant,
Coachman. After Mr. McMahon left the building, Coachman took the easy way out by forcing Cena to compete in an impromptu
Over-the-Top-Rope Challenge. After taking on mighty challengers including Viscera and The World`s Greatest Tag Team, Cena
was eliminated by The Great Khali. Next, Coachman attempted to pin Cena who mustered all his strength to kick out. With
help from Armando Estrada and Coachman, Cena was splashed through a table by the number one contender for the WWE
Championship, Umaga. As doctors and trainers tried to help the badly injured Cena out of the ring, WWE fans must have been
wondering if Cena would be able to compete in the Last Man Standing match against Umaga at the Royal Rumble. Later in the
night, WWE Mobile Alerts released the following statement: "John Cena has refused admittance to a medical facility after
being driven thru a table by Umaga on Raw. Doctors were concerned that he suffered a ruptured spleen." Will Cena be able
to defend his title in the Last Man Standing Match at the Royal Rumble?
Jeff Hardy faced off against Joey Mercury, who still wears a protective face mask he has needed since Jeff`s brother Matt
sent a ladder into his face at Armageddon. Even with interference by the rest of MNM, Hardy was able to pin Mercury and
win the special Raw vs. SmackDown Challenge. What kind of action will erupt when the Hardys meet MNM in the ring live at
the Royal Rumble?
Chris Masters faced a man who calls himself both super and crazy, the aptly named Super Crazy. Last week on Raw, the
high-flying Luchador interfered in Ron Simmons` attempt to break the Master Lock. In a surprising turn of events, Super
Crazy scaled the ropes to flip over and pin Masters, even while entangled in the powerful Master Lock.
Candice Michelle teamed with Women`s Champion Mickie James to defeat Victoria and Melina. The victory was sweet for
Candice as she pinned Victoria to exact revenge against the woman who broke her nose.
Kenny Dykstra told Maria that he would be the youngest Superstar to win the Royal Rumble and go on to headline
WrestleMania. Dykstra went on to defeat Carlito, and seems to be able to put his money where his mouth is. Will Dykstra
live up to his own hype and become the youngest Superstar to win the Royal Rumble?
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE -
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
defeated
Joey Mercury
"The Insane Luchadore" Super Crazy
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
- OVER THE TOP ROPE CHALLENGE -
The Great Khali
defeated
WWE Champion John Cena, Viscera,
"The World`s Greatest Tag Team" Charlie Haas, Shelton Benjamin,
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
WWE Champion John Cena
vs
Jonathan Coachman
ended in a no contest
Candice Michelle & Women's Champion Mickie James
defeated
Melina & Victoria
"The Dyke" Kenny Dykstra
defeated
Carlito Carribean Cool
- STREET FIGHT -
"The R Rated Superstar" Edge
defeated
"The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels
RAW
# 714
1-29-07 LIVE
American Airlines Center
Dallas, Texas
Dallas was Raw’s first stop on the Road to WrestleMania, and it was a night full of surprises in the sold-out American
Airlines Center. As Raw went off the air, Undertaker rose up from the ground amidst smoke and flames. The Deadman locked
his gaze on John Cena, leaving WWE fans to wonder -- has Undertaker set his sights on the WWE Championship?
That wasn’t the only surprise for Cena, who got one from Shawn Michaels as well. Less than 24 hours after his incredible
performance in the Royal Rumble Match, HBK (who fell one (dead) man short of winning the match) spoke to the capacity
crowd. “Last week I said that no mere mortal man was going to stand in my way of winning the Royal Rumble Match and going
on to the main event at WrestleMania. The problem is, in the Royal Rumble Match there were 29 mortal men… and the
Undertaker.” He went on to claim, “I will somehow be the next WWE Champion at WrestleMania.” At that point, Cena blasted
towards the ring, closely followed by World Tag Team Champions Randy Orton and Edge, Mr. McMahon appeared on the TitanTron
to stop a brawl between the four powerful Superstars, and the WWE Chairman stunned the crowd and kicked off his Fan
Appreciation Night by announcing a World Tag Team Championship match that would pit Rated-RKO against Cena & Michaels
later in the night. Before the main event started, Ric Flair warned Cena that some Sweet Chin Music from Michaels could
very well be in the Champ’s immediate future. When the four Superstars reached the ring, the fists flew and WWE fans were
treated to a match of epic proportions. After a string of near falls, Cena nailed Orton with a thunderous FU to pick up
the three count. In the same night he claimed that he furthered his intentions to become the new WWE Champion, HBK joined
the current champ to become one of the most unlikely pairs of World Tag Team Champions in history. Moments after their
victory, Cena and Michaels engaged in some heated words. Was HBK planning to knock out Cena?
Last week on Raw, Mr. McMahon left WWE fans scratching their heads after he announced that he had a big surprise in store
for them. This week, the Chairman tried to live up to his claim that the evening would be Fan Appreciation Night by
emerging with a blown-up picture of himself on the cover of Muscle and Fitness magazine. The Chairman then went on to
personally sign the picture for one lucky female fan. Needless to say, WWE fans weren’t impressed. Just then, the entire
TitanTron was engulfed with the magnificent golden locks of none other than Donald Trump. Trump made it clear that he knew
what WWE fans wanted – cold, hard cash. The Donald then had buckets of his own money dumped into the arena, leaving Mr.
McMahon fuming. The bad blood between these two brilliant billionaires is sure to continue.
A day after eliminating a whopping seven Superstars during the Royal Rumble Match, The Great Khali challenged
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy for his gold. Khali used his incredible size and strength to dominate the talented
Hardy during much of the match. After receiving a brutal chop from the 420-pound Punjab Warrior, Hardy hit the ground hard
outside the ring and failed get back in before the referee’s 10 count, giving Khali a countout victory. Because the match
resulted in a countout, the Intercontinental Championship did not change hands.
Cryme Tyme suffered their first loss on Raw to The World’s Greatest Tag Team, and Melina became the
No. 1 Contender to the Women’s Championship after manipulating Mr. McMahon into giving her a match against Maria.
Umaga, who still bore the rope burns from his Last Man Standing Match with John Cena, used his pent-up fury to
bulldoze his way to a quick win over Val Venis, and Carlito & Super Crazy (who remains both Super AND Crazy) successfully
teamed up to defeat the cocky duo of Kenny Dykstra & Chris Masters.
MATCHES:
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
defeated
"Cryme Tyme" Shad & JTG
Melina defeated Maria
Umaga
defeated
"The Big Valbowski" Val Venis
Carlito Carribean Cool & Super Crazy
defeated
Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra & "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
The Great Khali
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
via a countout
" WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
WWE Champion John Cena & "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels
defeated
World Tag Team Champions "Team Rated RKO" Edge & Randy Orton
becoming new tag team champions
RAW
# 715
2-5-07 LIVE
Sioux City, Iowa
MISSED THIS SHOW - THIS SHOW WANTED
TICKETS PUNCHED FOR WRESTLEMANIA
On an explosive live episode of Raw from Sioux City, Iowa, tickets for WrestleMania were punched, an Animal was
Chokeslammed, two billionaires promised to appear next week on Raw and the ECW Title was defended for the first time ever
on a Monday night, all as WWE continues to push full steam ahead on the Road to WrestleMania. In an extremely rare
occurrence, the show opened with all three brands represented in the ring as WWE Champion John Cena, World Heavyweight
Champion Batista and ECW Champion Bobby Lashley stood together, awaiting a decision from the Deadman. It didn`t take long
for Undertaker to make his decision, making a demonic gesture towards Batista and signifying his WrestleMania intentions
as WWE fans roared in approval. A few minutes later, the Phenom would make an emphatic statement, Chokeslamming Batista to
the mat and laying the groundwork for what could be one of the most intense matches of each man`s storied career.
WWE fans` approval of Undertaker`s decision was matched only by the approval of Shawn Michaels, Edge and Randy Orton, all
of whom made their way to the ring with an agenda. With the WWE Championship`s fate still left to be determined, the
bitter rivals each staked their claim to John Cena`s gold. As the trio argued in the ring, Mr. McMahon made his way
towards the stage and made an official ruling. The Chairman decided that HBK, Orton and Edge would meet in Raw`s main
event under Triple Threat rules, with the winner earning the right to face Cena at WrestleMania.
As is usually the case when three bitter rivals the likes of HBK, Orton and Edge get in the ring, the competition was as
physical and intense as could be. All three individuals poured out their souls in an attempt to earn the right to headline
sports-entertainment`s grandest stage. However, as Raw went off the air, only one man could lay claim to the role of
Cena`s challenger: The Showstopper, Shawn Michaels. HBK took advantage of the Triple Threat rules, dishing out some Sweet
Chin Music to Edge and pinning a previously fallen Randy Orton to pick up the win.
As Raw went off the air, HBK and Cena stood face- to-face in the ring while Undertaker and Batista did the same on stage.
On February 18 at SmackDown`s No Way Out pay-per-view, WrestleMania opponents will be forced to team up when Batista &
Undertaker face World Tag Team Champions John Cena and HBK.
Mr. McMahon was a busy man on Monday. Halfway through the show, he received word from Executive Assistant Jonathan
Coachman that a letter from Donald Trump had arrived at the Tyson Events Center. The note from "The Donald" stated that he
would appear next week on a special Thursday night edition of Raw to make a potentially life-changing proposal to the WWE
Chairman. Mr. McMahon seemed eager to accept, and suggested that Donald Trump may be granted access to join a very special
club. Which club does Mr. McMahon have in mind for the billionaire reality TV star?
For the first time ever, the ECW World Championship was defended on Raw. Bobby Lashley accepted the challenge of a
motivated Kenny Dysktra, and made the ECW faithful proud in the process as he disposed of his young opponent with a
thunderous Powerslam.
Lashley wasn`t the only Extremist in the building on Monday. By order of Mr. McMahon, ECW Original Balls Mahoney was
brought to Raw to face his hand-picked opponent, Umaga. On a mission to extract revenge for the embarrassment Mr. McMahon
suffered at the hands of the ECW Originals last week on Sci Fi, the Samoan Bulldozer feasted on Mahoney, punishing him
from pillar to post en route to a very impressive victory.
Lashley wasn`t the only champion in action on Raw, either. Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy took on his childhood
hero, 16-time World Champion and fellow Carolinian Ric Flair, with a very special stipulation on the line. If the "Nature
Boy" beat Hardy, he would earn a rematch with the championship on the line at WrestleMania. Unfortunately for Flair, it
wasn`t meant to be as Hardy overcame an injury to his knee to surprise Flair with a rollup for the three-count.
Monday was not a good night for Melina and her man, Johnny Nitro. The former Intercontinental Champion was defeated by the
red-hot Super Crazy, who used a thrilling Moonsault to seal the deal.
Moments later, Melina challenged Mickie James for the WWE Women`s Championship. Anticipating victory, the devious Diva
ordered extra paparazzi to make the trip to Sioux City for Raw to document her first-ever Women`s Title reign.
Unfortunately for Melina, the throngs of paparazzi ended up with a roll of photos documenting her defeat, as Mickie James
celebrated another successful title defense. A furious Melina ordered Nitro to remove the photographers from the ring as
they continued to snap photos of the distraught Diva.
The World`s Greatest Tag Team & Chris Masters scored a quick victory over Carlito & Cryme Tyme after
Shelton rolled up Carlito for the pin. Later in the night, Carlito was lectured by a peeved and pissed Ric Flair, who was
angry that Carlito was not taking his role in the business seriously.
MATCHES:
The World's Greatest Tag Team & Chris Masters defeated Carlito & Cryme Tyme
Umaga defeated Balls Mahoney
Super Crazy defeated Johnny Nitro
Women's Champion Mickie James defeated Melina
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy defeated Ric Flair
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley defeated Kenny Dykstra
- TRIPLE THREAT MATCH -
Shawn Michaels defeated Edge and Randy Orton
RAW
# 716
2-15-07 Taped: 2-12-07
Rose Garden
Portland, Oregon
Challenges were made, gauntlets were thrown and WWE Legends were laid out on a wild and wacky Raw Thursday Night in
Portland, Ore. Donald Trump promised a business proposal for Mr. McMahon, and boy did he deliver. As Raw kicked off, “The
Donald” made his way to the ring to speak with the WWE Chairman. After exchanging some “pleasantries” with Mr. McMahon,
The Donald shocked the world by challenging Mr. McMahon to a match at WrestleMania 23. The Chairman refused, citing an
alleged injury suffered at Unforgiven, but Trump was ready with a counter proposal. It was accepted, and there will be a
high-stakes Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania. Trump and McMahon will both select a representative to do battle;
if Trump’s representative wins, The Donald will shave Mr. McMahon’s head, but if the Chairman’s pick is victorious,
McMahon will shave Trump’s head.
Raw Thursday Night also saw quite possibly the biggest main event in Raw history. WWE Champion John Cena teamed with World
Tag Team Championship partner Shawn Michaels and their No Way Out opponents, Batista & Undertaker, to take on Rated-RKO,
Montel Vontavious Porter and Mr. Kennedy. Prior to the match, Edge rallied his team by telling them that the opponents all
had something that they should have gotten: a chance to main-event WrestleMania. Meanwhile, when Grisham caught up with
Michaels before the match, HBK insinuated that his team of champions would hold it together on Raw before their upcoming
battles at No Way Out and WrestleMania 23. It was a back and forth battle, but when Orton and Undertaker were officially
tagged in late in the bout, all hell broke loose. The Deadman tried to clean house, but all eight men ended up battling in
the ring. When HBK tried to give Orton some Sweet Chin Music, the Legend Killer ducked and Michaels nearly hit the Phenom.
Undertaker grabbed Michaels' foot, but instead of attacking his own partner, he turned to chokeslam MVP. Orton then used
the opportunity to shove HBK into the Deadman, sending Undertaker to the floor. While the Legend Killer gloated, however,
Michaels tuned up the band; Orton got some Sweet Chin Music, and Michaels scored the winning pinfall. Once the match was
over, though, the team of champions disintegrated. The Phenom re-entered the ring, and after a brief stare down with
Michaels, Undertaker viciously chokeslammed him. Cena rushed to his fellow World Tag Team Champion’s aid, but ended up
being crushed by a Batista Bomb, and Cena & Michaels were left beaten as the SmackDown duo stood tall. Is this scene a
harbinger of things to come at No Way Out, or will the World Tag Team Champions be able score one for Raw?
In front of his hometown crowd, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper made his first Raw appearance since being diagnosed with cancer. Piper
received a huge ovation from the WWE fans in Portland, and had the pleasure of introducing the first member of the WWE
Hall of Fame Class of 2007: Dusty Rhodes. Rhodes also received a thunderous ovation as he headed to the ring, but before
Piper or Rhodes had much of a chance to speak, Umaga hit the scene. When all was said and done, Umaga’s path of
destruction included two more victims, as the two Legends were left gasping for air courtesy of a pair of Samoan Spikes.
In what may have been the ultimate act of disrespect, the Samoan Bulldozer became a big dark cloud and rained on what
should have been a sunny day for both the current and future Hall of Famer.
Last week, Ric Flair verbally laid into Carlito, telling the young Caribbean Superstar that he was lazy and had no
passion. When Flair reiterated those words this week, Carlito showed his passion by challenging Flair to a match. Once
inside the ring, the Caribbean Superstar showed a fire that he hasn’t shown in weeks. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to
unseat the wily veteran. Moments after the “Nature Boy” used the ropes to avoid Carlito’s Back Cracker, he rolled up the
Caribbean Superstar for the three count. Carlito seemed both angry and surprised at his loss, and Flair and the WWE fans
feared the worst when he grabbed the “Nature Boy” as he was leaving the ring. Instead of a fight, however, Carlito
extended his hand in a gesture of good sportsmanship. He and Flair then shook hands to a nice ovation. Have Flair’s recent
words and actions finally helped Carlito turn a corner in his young WWE career?
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy was in action, taking on Chris Masters. It was a non-title match, but Masters would
earn a future title opportunity with a victory. Once he secured the Master Lock on Hardy, it looked as if a golden
opportunity was headed his way; instead, after fighting the Master Lock for well over a minute, Hardy was able to maneuver
his body over the top rope, which forced Masters to release the hold within the referee’s five-count. When “The
Masterpiece” went to suplex Hardy from the apron back into the ring, the champion escaped his clutches and rolled him up,
earning the three-count and the victory over the surprised Masters.
Speaking of title opportunities, Melina helped her cause in getting a Women’s Championship Match when she and Johnny Nitro
defeated Super Crazy & Women’s Champion Mickie James in a Mixed Tag Team Match. It seemed as if James & Crazy had the
match all but sewn up, but Mickie was distracted by watching Nitro send Crazy into the ring post. This gave Melina the
opening she needed, allowing her to gouge Mickie’s eyes and pull her down by the hair into a pinning combination for the
victory. Later, Melina in fact did get to announce that she would face James for the gold next week, but her scheduled
interviewer never showed up. Just as she asked what could be more important than her, everyone found out; Todd Grisham was
actually with Ashley, who gave the WWE fans a sneak peek at her Playboy magazine photo shoot. The video was only
one part of the preview, as Ashley will unveil her Playboy cover Friday night on SmackDown.
Also, The Great Khali picked up an impressive victory over Eugene. The Special Superstar offered Khali a stuffed animal as
a token of friendship, but the Punjabi monster shrugged it off before making short work of his overmatched opponent.
MATCHES:
Melina & Johnny Nitro
defeated
Women's Champion Mickie James & Super Crazy
via a Mixed Tag Team Match
The Great Khali defeated Eugene
- NON TITLE -
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
Ric Flair defeated Carlito
WWE Champion John Cena, World Heavyweight Champion Batista,
Shawn Michaels & The Undertaker
defeated
Edge, Randy Orton, Montel Vontavious Porter & Mr. Kennedy
RAW
# 717
2-19-07 LIVE
Robobank Arena
Bakersfield, California
On a hectic night of Raw action, Umaga stole the spotlight when he was named by Mr. McMahon as his representative in the
Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23 and later went on to decimate Jeff Hardy en route to capturing the
Intercontinental Championship. Also, HBK lived up to his promise to watch John Cena’s back, Melina became the new WWE
Women’s Champion and Edge punched his ticket to Detroit, all as the Road to WrestleMania blazed a trail through
Bakersfield, Calif.
Surrounded by a barber chair and the respective tools of the trade, Mr. McMahon opened Raw by showing WWE fans a blueprint
of his plans for Trump’s treasured head of hair. The Chairman unveiled a series of photos, each depicting a different
hairstyle which McMahon was considering for "The Donald’s" dome should his representative win in WrestleMania’s Battle of
the Billionaires. After promising to “beat the hell out of” Trump, Mr. McMahon revealed the man who will fight on his
behalf at WrestleMania, the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga. Next week, Donald Trump will reveal his selection, but can anyone
stop Umaga and protect The Donald’s golden locks?
Seconds after he was revealed to be the Chairman’s choice, Umaga was given an opportunity to face Jeff Hardy for the
Intercontinental Championship. Perhaps in a display of what he has in store for Trump's representative at Detroit’s
Ford Field, Umaga manhandled the popular Superstar. The Bulldozer finished off Hardy with a devastating Samoan Spike, and
made the pin to capture his first taste of WWE gold. "Everybody saw it Amigo," said Armando following Umaga's big night.
"The Samoan Bulldozer destroyed Jeff Hardy and became the new champ. Now, he will go to WrestleMania and destroy Donald
Trump's representative."
Recently, Shawn Michaels promised John Cena that he would watch his back on the Road to WrestleMania. On Monday night, HBK
lived up to his word on two occasions. Early on in the evening, Cena was accosted by everyone’s favorite corpulent male
stripper, Big Dick Johnson. It appeared for a few seconds as if the champ was going to vomit, until HBK saved the day by
giving the chunky dancer a dose of Sweet Chin Music. Later, HBK came to Cena’s rescue again during the Raw main event. The
Champ faced off with Randy Orton in non-title action. At one point, Cena had Orton up for the FU, and appeared to be
seconds away from another victory when Edge stormed the ring and assaulted The Champ, causing the ref to call for a
disqualification. For a few moments, Rated-RKO stood over their fallen prey like a pair of starving wolves, salivating at
the thought of the damage they could do to the prone WWE Champion. The duo set Cena up for the con-chair-to, but
before they could pull the trigger, HBK ran to the ring and took out Rated-RKO with a chair. For another week, Michaels
lived up to his promise. Next week, he will be put to the test again when HBK and Cena defend their tag titles against
Rated-RKO on Raw.
The Money in the Bank Ladder Match will again be a part of WrestleMania this year. The first man to qualify for this
year’s edition is former Money in the Bank winner, Edge. The Rated-R Superstar took advantage of an assist from Randy
Orton to defeat last year’s Money in the Bank winner Rob Van Dam and confirm his ticket to WrestleMania. Edge has proven
how valuable the opportunity can be. Will he provide a repeat performance?
A new Women’s Champion was crowned on Raw. With the paparazzi surrounding the ring, Melina shocked the Bakersfield fans
when she rolled up Mickie for the win to claim her first WWE title. In a post-match interview with Todd Grisham, Melina
seemed more interested in complaining about all the recent attention SmackDown Diva Ashley has received over her
appearance on the cover of Playboy.
Two weeks ago on Raw, an angry Ric Flair scolded Carlito for his apparent carefree attitude following a loss on Raw. A
week ago, the Nature Boy faced Carlito in singles action, and the 16-time World Champion prevailed. Out of respect for
Flair, Carlito requested the opportunity to tag with the Nature Boy this week on Raw. The new duo worked together to
dispose of the veteran combination of Cade & Murdoch. Is Carlito finally back on track after a lesson from the Nature Boy?
In other Raw action, The Great Khali demolished the Highlanders in a Handicap Match and later told Jonathan Coachman that
he wanted some tougher competition.
MATCHES:
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Umaga
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
becoming new Intercontinental champion
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Carlito Carribean Cool
defeated
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
- MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH -
"The Rated R Superstar" Edge
defeated
"The Whole Fucking Show" Rob Van Dam
" WOMEN`S CHAMPIONSHIP "
Melina
defeated
Women's Champion Mickie James
becoming new women`s champion
The Great Khali
defeated
"The Highlanders" Rorrie & Robbie
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Champion John Cena
defeated
"The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
via a disqualification
RAW
# 718
2-26-07 LIVE
SaveMart Center
Fresno, California
The last Raw of the month saw secrets revealed and promises kept. After weeks of media attention, Donald Trump finally
named his representative who will face Umaga in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23: ECW World Champion Bobby
Lashley. "Umaga is an animal," Trump began, "and what do you do with animals? You tame them. You find someone or something
to tame them. Allow me to introduce you to the man who will be responsible for me shaving your head at WrestleMania." And
with that, out walked Trump`s representative. Even with dozens of security guards lining the ring, Lashley and Umaga
viciously brawled right out the ring. They nearly couldn't be contained, but security was finally able to separate the ECW
World Champion and the Samoan Bulldozer. Mr. McMahon`s night didn`t end there. A member of the WWE Board of Directors
phoned the Chairman to inform him that, in order to protect the integrity of the match, a guest referee might be appointed
for the Battle of the Billionaires. Mr. McMahon then left the arena for San Jose, Calif., site of ECW on Sci Fi, saying
that he would attend ECW to make Bobby Lashley`s life a "living hell."
There were also some serious head games courtesy of Rated-RKO earlier in the night. Edge & Randy Orton seemed intent on
causing dissention in the ranks of the World Tag Team Champions, John Cena & Shawn Michaels. After Orton called HBK a liar,
he rolled a tape highlighting Michaels` controversial history dealing with allies. "Having your back and stabbing you in
the back are two entirely different things," Edge warned a conflicted Cena. And when the four met in the ring later in the
night, a kick from Michaels intended for Orton came dangerously close to HBK`s partner, the WWE Champion. But after the
referee was knocked out, HBK slammed Edge with the Tag Team Championship and then tossed it to Orton. Thinking his own
partner attacked him, Edge left the Legend Killer alone in the ring, where some Sweet Chin Music from Michaels and an FU
from Cena helped the World Tag Team Champions retain their titles.
Only a week after losing the Intercontinental Championship to Umaga, an undeterred Jeff Hardy defeated Shelton Benjamin in
a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. Hardy will join King Booker, CM Punk, Edge and four other yet-to-be-determined
Superstars in the annual Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania 23, where the winner will earn a guaranteed
opportunity at the World Championship of their choice. "It`s a real positive rush for me," Hardy told WWE.com moments after
the win. "Ladder Matches are my comfort zone and to compete in one at WrestleMania is a dream-like position for me to be in."
The Great Khali wanted to take the Master Lock Challenge, but before Chris Masters could even apply the maneuver both men
were attacked by SmackDown`s Kane. Kane seemed intent to pay Khali back for the Punjabi giant's interference on Friday
Night SmackDown, which cost Kane his chance to participate in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Is another brawl between
these two monsters inevitable?
Carlito once again impressed Ric Flair by pinning Kenny Dykstra. Two weeks ago on Raw, the "Nature Boy" admonished Carlito
for lacking passion. Out of respect, Carlito asked to team with Flair, and the two defeated Cade & Murdoch last week. After
Carlito`s win, the "Nature Boy" applauded from the ramp.
Johnny Nitro destroyed Super Crazy before their match even began. Prior to the bout, Melina was ranting about various
things when Nitro told her off, saying he needed to blow off some major steam. He did just that, beating Super Crazy so
badly that their match never actually happened.
One of the things Melina was upset about was her match next week; thanks
to a rematch clause, Mickie James will face the Women's Champion in a Falls Count Anywhere Match for the gold. Inside the
ring this week, however, that didn't seem to faze Melina; despite putting up a valiant effort, Maria was no match for the
Women's Champion...but what will happen when Melina is face-to-face with Mickie James again next week?
MATCHES:
- MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH -
Jeff Hardy defeated Shelton Benjamin
Johnny Nitro vs Super Crazy
this match never got started
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Women's Champion Melina defeated Maria
- MASTER LOCK CHALLENGE -
The Great Khali vs Chris Masters
ended in a no contest
Carlito Carribean Cool defeated "The Dyke" Kenny Dykstra
" WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
World Tag Team Champions John Cena & Shawn Michaels
defeated
"Team Rated-RKO" Edge & Randy Orton
RAW
# 719
3-5-07 LIVE
U.S. Airways Center
Phoenix, Arizona
In front of a sold-out crowd of 15,792 WWE fans, the Texas Rattlesnake arrived in the Arizona desert. The U.S. Airways
Center exploded as Stone Cold Steve Austin entered the ring, officially announced as the man who will act as special guest
referee in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23. Mr. McMahon was dumbfounded as Eric Bischoff, Mick Foley and
even Shane McMahon entered the ring to reveal that they were not elected by the WWE Board of Directors as special guest
referee. That’s when the Rattlesnake struck. In true Stone Cold style, Austin chugged brews and gave the Chairman a
complimentary beer bath. With one billionaire’s hair on the line at WrestleMania, will Austin remain impartial? Or, will
the desire to see his old nemesis shaved bald skew Stone Cold’s judgment when ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley faces Umaga
in less than a month?
Earlier, the wild night began with World Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels and John Cena in the locker room area. The
tension in the air was palpable as HBK laid it all out for the WWE Champion. “I will have your back until WrestleMania…
I’ve turned against all my partners and more importantly, I’ve stabbed all my friends in the back. But with you, John, it’s
different.” After HBK told Cena he didn’t need his help in his match that night, the No. 1 contender for the WWE
Championship entered the ring to face Randy Orton. Moments after HBK rolled Orton up for the win, Edge entered the ring to
watch the Legend Killer treat Michaels to an RKO on a steel chair. In the blink of an eye, down the ramp came John Cena who
cleared the ring and saved his tag team partner. The night was not over for Cena. Orton told Edge that he would not have
his back during the Rated-R Superstar’s match with The Champ, and after Edge refused to compete in the main event due to
some excuse about Arizona being the last state in the union to recognize Martin Luther King Day, Johnny Nitro stepped up in
his place. Just as it looked like Cena had gotten the best of the A-lister, Joey Mercury interrupted the contest. Soon Edge
and both male members of MNM were attacking the WWE Champion. Just then, Shawn Michaels blasted down the ramp -- stopping
just short of the ring. After almost leaving, HBK seemed to have a change of heart and entered the fray to save Cena. Was
Michaels about to leave his tag team hanging out to dry?
In the first-ever Falls Count Anywhere Match for the Women’s Championship, Mickie James battled current Women’s Champion
Melina in the ring, around the ring and even inside the Diva locker room! When the dust finally settled, Melina pinned
Mickie to retain her title. But after Melina verbally attacked guest ring announcer Ashley, the future Playboy cover girl
knocked Melina on her butt.
In what was meant to be the final Money in the Bank Qualifying match, Carlito faced Ric Flair, who recently became almost a
coach to the Southpaw from San Juan. Before the match ended, The Great Khali stormed in and laid both Superstars out. In
broken English, the behemoth screamed: “I want Kane!” Will Flair and Carlito get another opportunity to qualify for a trip
to WrestleMania or will the last spot go to someone else? Will Khali get his wish?
The brutal Intercontinental Champion Umaga once again bulldozed fan-favorite Jeff Hardy. Can even the powerful Bobby
Lashley defeat this savage? Amidst chants of “U.S.A.,” Hacksaw Jim Duggan failed to break Chris Masters’ legendary hold in
the Master Lock Challenge, and before the night ended, Nick Bockwinkel was announced as the newest inductee into the WWE
Hall of Fame Class of 2007.
MATCHES:
World Tag Team Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Randy Orton
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Intercontinental Champion Umaga defeated Jeff Hardy
retaining the title
- MASTER LOCK CHALLENGE -
Chris Masters defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan
" WOMEN`S CHAMPIONSHIP "
FIRST TIME EVER FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE
WWE Women's Champion Melina defeated Mickie James
- MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH -
Ric Flair vs Carlito
ended in a no contest
- NON TITLE -
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Johnny Nitro
via a disqualification
RAW
# 720
3-12-07 LIVE
M.C.I. Center
Washington, D.C.
March 12, 2007In an unbelievable turn of events in front of 14,740 WWE fans in Washington, D.C., Raw went off the air with
Donald Trump laying Mr. McMahon out right on his billion-dollar backside. With Trump, Mr. McMahon, ECW World Champion Bobby
Lashley, Intercontinental Champion Umaga, Armando Estrada and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin all in one ring for the Battle of
the Billionaires contract signing, tensions were understandably high. But who would have guessed that it would be Trump who
would make the first move by shoving the WWE Chairman right over a table? Trump seemed very confident with his choice of
Bobby Lashley, who will act as his representative in what will no doubt be one of the most exciting WrestleMania matches of
all time.
When the night first got under way, a confrontation between World Tag Team Champions John Cena and Shawn Michaels lit up
the Verizon Center. With Cena still wary of a double-cross by HBK, the two Superstars looked ready to brawl when Jonathan
Coachman arrived to inform of his intentions for later in the night. With Mr. McMahon busy preparing for the Battle of the
Billionaires contract signing, Coachman decided to pit Cena and HBK against three other tag teams in a Gauntlet Match, that
would end inside a steel cage. After disposing of The World’s Greatest Tag Team and Cade & Murdoch, a kick from HBK got a
little too close for comfort for John Cena. As the 15-foot steel cage lowered onto the ring, the World Tag Team Champions
were staring daggers at each other. MNM stepped into the ring next and put up quite a fight. After Cena gave Joey Mercury
an FU and the cage was lifted, all eight competitors mixed it up in a burly free-for-all. Suddenly, Cena swung a chair, HBK
ducked to avoid it, and it landed hard on Charlie Haas. Some say if Cena had wanted to hit Michaels with the chair he would
have done it, while others say Cena was just waiting for the right moment to strike. With two weeks left until
WrestleMania, only time will tell.
WWE fans were on their feet as The Rock delivered a message via the Titan Tron. After revealing Umaga’s name is Samoan for
“shriveled up monkey penis,” the Most Electrifying Superstar in sports-entertainment had a statement for Mr. McMahon: “You
will get your head shaved bald at WrestleMania, Vince. That is a guaran-damn-tee.”
Randy Orton claimed the final spot in WrestleMania’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match by eliminating both Carlito and Ric
Flair during a Triple Threat Qualifying Match. Although the fact that the match involved eliminations was a surprise to
all, Orton was able to deliver two devastating RKOs and smoothly roll with the punches (literally).
Orton’s Rated-RKO
partner and fellow WrestleMania competitor was up to his old tricks. In one night, Edge managed to back his way out of a
match with Jeff Hardy (claiming he wouldn’t perform in a city whose football team was callously named the Redskins),
arrange for Randy Orton to face ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley, and get into a heated face-off with third generation
Superstar Orton. In lieu of competing in his match, Edge brought out a worthy competitor for Hardy, The Great Khali!
Last week on Raw, Khali stormed into the arena and shouted, “I want Kane!” Later on SmackDown, the Punjabi monster split
Kane open in a locker room area ambush. The tension obviously got to the demented Kane, who entered the Verizon Center this
week with his eyes on Khali. With hook and chain in hand, Kane looked frighteningly like his character Jacob Goodnight from
See No Evil. Kane used his hook to topple the announce table in an effort to make his message clear. As J.R. so eloquently
put it, “Kane wants to get his hooks in Khali!”
Chris Masters demanded a challenger to compete in his Master Lock Challenge. When no one stepped up,
Masters decided he would like to lock it up with Lilian Garcia. Just then, Super Crazy rushed in to rescue the beautiful
Raw ring announcer. All too soon, Super Crazy became another victim of the Master Lock, which has yet to be officially
broken.
Women’s Champion Melina defeated Torrie Wilson in a non-title match. After Melina picked up the victory, she took a cheap
shot at Torrie that brought Mickie James (and later Victoria) rushing to the ring. When Melina’s WrestleMania opponent and
current Playboy cover girl, Ashley, showed up, the scene looked like an impromptu Diva Lumber-Jill Match had broken out.
MATCHES:
- "FINAL" MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH -
TRIPLE THREAT ELIMINATION
"The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
defeated
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair and Carlito Carribean Cool
- MASTERLOCK CHALLENGE -
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
defeated
"The Insane Luchadore" Super Crazy
" TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
THREE TEAM GAUNTLET MATCH
World Tag Team Champions John Cena & Shawn Michaels
defeated
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas,
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch and "MNM" Johnny Nitro & Joey Mercury
retaining the tag titles
The Great Khali vs Jeff Hardy
ended in a no contest
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Women's Champion Melina defeated Torrie Wilson
Run Time: 2:16:10
RAW
# 721
3-19-07 LIVE
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, Indiana
With less than two weeks left before the biggest night in sports-entertainment, WWE fans witnessed an exciting WrestleMania
Reversal Match, Mr. McMahon making a huge announcement and Eugene getting an unwanted haircut, all live from Indianapolis.
Although both World Tag Team Champions had scheduled WrestleMania Reversal Matches (where they would face one of their
partner’s past WrestleMania foes), only WWE Champion John Cena’s opponent was ready to step in the ring. Shawn Michaels
arrived prepared to face SmackDown color commentator JBL, who two years ago had battled John Cena at WrestleMania 21. But
JBL backed out of the competition, claiming: “If I come out of retirement it will be my choosing, my rules and in my town,
New York City.” The Armani-clad Layfield continued, “Deep down, you can’t beat John Cena. You make me sick!” HBK responded
with some devastating Sweet Chin Music that laid JBL out cold. Meanwhile, Cena, would square off against HBK’s WrestleMania
XX opponent, United States Champion Chris Benoit. In an incredible match that stretched Cena’s sheer power and Benoit’s
extraordinary technical skills to the limits, the WWE Champion got the upper hand and forced the Rabid Wolverine to tap out
to the STFU. Moments after Cena’s victory, guest commentator HBK entered the ring and tuned up the band to prep a kick that
sent his partner a clear message: I can take you down anytime I want. Never one to be outdone, The Champ hoisted Michaels
up on his shoulders but released him before delivering his trademark FU. These two competitors seem to have each other’s
number, and their match at WrestleMania is sure to be nothing short of legendary.
Mr. McMahon’s night got off to a rough start when Eugene bumped into him, dousing The Chairman with a cold drink. In
retaliation, The Chairman scheduled a match pitting Eugene against the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga. After a thunderous Samoan
Spike helped Umaga pick up the three-count, Mr. McMahon had Eugene strapped to a barber’s chair, then proceeded to shave
the poor guy’s head while screaming, “This is going to happen to you, Donald Trump!” In a shocking announcement, The
Chairman later set up a match up for next week on Raw: ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley will face none other than Mr.
McMahon himself! Mr. McMahon was angered when Lashley became the first Superstar to officially break Chris Masters’
powerful Master Lock. After defeating every challenger for over two years, Masters seemed to be in a state of shock after
Lashley muscled his way out of the Master Lock Challenge. Mr. McMahon rewarded Trump’s WrestleMania representative with a
trip out of the arena courtesy of the WWE security staff.
The tensions between former World Tag Team Champions Edge & Randy Orton rose to new heights this week. After Edge hung
Orton out to dry last week in a match against Bobby Lashley on ECW, Orton arranged for Edge to defend his spot in the Money
in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania in a 10-man Battle Royal. At the beginning of the match, Edge seemed to injure his
knee and had to be removed from the contest. In an ironic turn of events, the final two Superstars in the ring ended up
being Carlito and Ric Flair. Although Flair has served as almost a mentor to the Southpaw from San Juan, the “Dirtiest
Player in the Game" had no problem eliminating the younger man. While Flair celebrated, Edge stepped back into the ring to
eliminate him and reclaim his spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Edge celebrated with a victory dance, leading
many to speculate that his “injury” was just a trick to help him win the contest.
Jeff Hardy defeated fellow Money in the Bank Ladder Match competitor Randy Orton by disqualification. Edge slid a ladder
into the ring, and Orton slammed it into Hardy’s midsection drawing the disqualification. Edge then backed away, leaving
Orton at the mercy of a vicious leg drop from Hardy off the top of the ladder.
Women’s Champion Melina defeated Candice Michelle in a Bra and Panties Match, but was quickly disrobed by her WrestleMania
opponent, Ashley. After a surprise attack by Melina left Ashley sprawled out in the ring, The Great Khali entered and would
have Chokeslammed the Diva had Jerry “The King” Lawler not come to her aid. Unfortunately for Lawler, he received the brunt
of Khali’s attack and had to receive medical attention. Khali’s rage of late has been directed at Kane, who he will meet at
WrestleMania 23.
MATCHES:
- MASTERLOCK CHALLENGE -
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
- LAST CHANCE MONEY IN THE BANK BATTLE ROYAL -
Edge defeated Ric Flair, Super Crazy, Viscera,
Val Venis, Johnny Nitro, Carlito,
Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
for a Money in the Bank WrestleMania spot
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Intercontinental Champion Umaga defeated Eugene
- BRA & PANTIES MATCH -
Women's Champion Melina defeated Candice Michelle
Jeff Hardy defeated Randy Orton
via a disqualification
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Champion John Cena defeated Chris Benoit
Run Time: 2:04:16
RAW
# 722
3-26-07 LIVE
Allstate Arena
Chicago, Illinois
In front of an excited and enthusiastic sell out crowd of 15,146, the final Raw before WrestleMania emanated from the home
of last year’s ‘Mania. Six nights before the biggest event in sports-entertainment rolls into Detroit, WWE fans witnessed
partnerships collapse, champions pinned and some Sweet Chin Music that will echo throughout the halls of Chicago's Allstate
Arena for a long, long time.
After months of tension between World Tag Team Champions and WrestleMania opponents Shawn Michaels & WWE Champion John
Cena, HBK stayed true to his promise that any Sweet Chin Music he delivered, Cena would never see coming. The World Tag
Team Champions then stepped into the ring to face World Heavyweight Champion Batista & Undertaker in a No Way Out rematch.
As The Deadman tossed HBK at The Animal, out to dry, it looked like Cena and HBK’s double team would lead them to victory.
After the two Superstars delivered a unified five-knuckle shuffle, The Showstopper dropped Cena with a powerful kick to the
head. After Batista covered Cena to pick up the win, Michaels ended the confrontation with a few quick DX crotch chops.
What kind of action awaits WWE fans when Cena and HBK meet on the grandest stage of them all in six short nights?
Another promise was kept as Mr. McMahon lived up to last week's "guaran-damn-tee" that he would pin ECW World Champion
Bobby Lashley when they met in the ring. Mr. McMahon’s Executive Assistant, Jonathan Coachman, announced that the match
would fall under No Disqualification rules and any “unauthorized” interference would result in a fine and suspension. That
gave the Chairman the upper hand by “authorizing” Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, Chris Masters, Johnny Nitro and even the
Intercontinental Champion Umaga to attack Lashley. A low blow from Mr. McMahon would help Umaga bring down the ECW World
Champion, enabling the Chairman to pin him not once, but twice! Worse, it appears Mr. McMahon's representative may have the
clear-cut edge over Donald Trump’s representative Bobby Lashley in the first-ever Battle of the Billionaires Match at
WrestleMania 23.
Speaking of the Battle of the Billionaires, that match’s special guest referee got the night started on a “stunning” note
when he confronted Jonathan Coachman. It seems Coachman had been sending "Stone Cold" presents marked with Donald Trump’s
name. Austin spoke to Coachman in simple terms: “What I say goes… don’t mess with me in this ring.” To further cement his
point, The Texas Rattlesnake rocked Coachman with a vicious Stone Cold Stunner, followed by a nice, cold beer bath!
In the sexiest match of the evening, three Playboy cover girls — Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle & Ashley — teamed to
defeat Women’s Champion Melina, Jillian & Victoria. Ashley will face Melina for the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania
in an incredible Lumberjill match; can she keep her momentum going and walk out of Detroit with the gold?
It was also a busy night for the competitors in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Chicago native CM Punk defeated WWE
Magazine’s "Jerk of the Month" Kenny Dykstra, while Mr. Kennedy & Randy Orton defeated The Hardys. Also, Edge hosted his
seven other competitors on “The Cutting Edge,” where a fight broke out between them all. Edge tried to jet out of the ring
to safety, but his opponents actually chased him out of the arena. Does the Rated-R Superstar have the “edge” heading into
this exciting WrestleMania match?
Ric Flair, a Superstar who will no doubt become a member of the WWE Hall of Fame someday, competed against The Great Khali.
Just when it looked like the end for the “Nature Boy,” Carlito ran in to help his mentor and friend. Khali made quick work
of the Southpaw from San Juan, though he wasn’t safe from a hook-wielding Kane who he will face at WrestleMania!
Congratulations to Raw announcer Jim Ross, who was named as the final member of the WWE Hall of Fame's Class of
2007. J.R. received a thunderous ovation from the capacity crowd after the announcement.
MATCHES:
Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle & Ashley Masaro
defeated
Women's Champion Melina, Victoria & Jillian Hall
C.M. Punk
defeated
"The Dyke" Kenny Dykstra
- NON TITLE NO DISQUALIFICATION MATCH -
"The Genetic Jackhammer" Mr. McMahon
defeated
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley
Mr. Kennedy & "The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
defeated
"Team Extreme" Matt & Jeff Hardy
The Great Khali
defeated
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
via a disqualification
- NON TITLE -
World Heavyweight Champion Batista & "The Phenom" The Undertaker
defeated
World Tag Team Champions "The Showstopper" Shawn Michaels & John Cena
Run Time: 2:10:02
RAW
# 723
4-2-07 LIVE
Nutter Center
Dayton, Ohio
The sold-out crowd in Dayton, Ohio witnessed the fallout from WrestleMania 23 as well as the disintegration of the now
former World Tag Team Champions, John Cena and Shawn Michaels. Early in the night, WWE Champion John Cena was confronted
by his partner and WrestleMania opponent, Shawn Michaels. HBK spoke from the heart about their emotional WrestleMania
matchup: “You won and I lost and I don’t like it. John Cena, you might have won last night, but you are not the better
man!” The two Superstars looked as if they were about to come to blows when Mr. McMahon’s Executive Assistant, Jonathan
Coachman, stepped out to announce that Cena & Michaels would put their World Tag Team Titles on the line in a 10-Team
Battle Royal (with Superstars representing all three brands)! If one member of any tag team was eliminated over the top
rope, both men would be out. After Cena and HBK valiantly fought through all of their opponents, Coachman returned with
another surprising announcement: the grueling battle that the World Tag Team Champions had just endured was only part one;
as they had to compete in another 10-Team Battle Royal. In one of the most surprising twists in sports-entertainment
history, Shawn Michaels tossed his own partner, John Cena, over the top rope, eliminating them both and effectively
handing over their World Tag Team gold! HBK was seen gesturing towards his waist as if to tell Cena, “I will be the next
WWE Champion.” When only four Superstars remained in the ring, Jeff & Matt Hardy were able to overpower Cade & Murdoch to
become the new World Tag Team Champions! For the second time in as many years, the World Tag Team Championship changed
hands on the first Raw after WrestleMania.
Just one night after winning the Battle of the Billionaires Match for Donald Trump, ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley once
again humiliated the newly-bald Mr. McMahon by ripping his hat off and exposing his “chrome dome” to the entire arena and
WWE fans watching at home. Lashley later continued his dominance by defeating Intercontinental Champion Umaga and Armando
Estrada in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match during the Raw main event – what a week for the ECW World Champion!
Carlito and his mentor, the legendary Ric Flair, defeated The World’s Greatest Tag Team when Flair forced Charlie Haas to
tap out to the Figure-Four Leglock. Previously at WrestleMania, Carlito & Flair trounced The World’s Greatest Tag Team in
a bonus pre-Wrestlemania Lumberjack Match.
World-famous record producer and WWE fan Timbaland announced that he wants to feature WWE Divas in his next music video.
In an apparent effort to impress Timbaland, Women’s Champion Melina entered the ring to strut her stuff in a sexy photo
op; however, Melina’s moment in the spotlight was quickly interrupted by an athletic DDT from former Women’s Champion
Mickie James.
The Great Khali’s win against Kane at WrestleMania proved that the enormous Punjabi Warrior can handle almost any
opponent. On Raw, Khali destroyed Super Crazy and pinned him with just one of his enormous feet. Can anything stop this
leviathan?
The Rated-R Superstar, Edge, appeared to stake his claim for the WWE Championship: “I call myself the best, and all of you
will be forced to call me the next WWE Champion!” Only time will tell if Edge can live up to his claim.
MATCHES:
" TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
- 10 TEAM BATTLE ROYAL -
Shawn Michaels & John Cena
defeated
King Booker & Fit Finlay, Rob Van Dam & Sabu, Jim Duggan & Eugene,
Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra & Chris Masters, "Cryme Tyme, Elijah Burke & Matt Striker,
Duece & Domino, The Highlanders, Chavo Guerrero & Gregory Helms
retaining the titles
" TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
- 10 TEAM BATTLE ROYAL -
"Team Extreme" Matt & Jeff Hardy
defeated
Cade & Murdoch, Brian London & Paul Kendrick, William Regal & Dave Taylor,
Viscera & Val Venis, Kevin Thorn & Marcus Cor Von, Johnny Nitro & The Miz,
Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman, Chavo Guerrero & Gregory Helms, Shawn Michaels & John Cena
becoming new Tag Team Champions
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Carlto Carribaen Cool
defeated
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
The Great Khali defeated Super Crazy
" ECW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP "
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Umaga & Armando Estrada
via a handicap match
Run Time: 2:06:53
RAW
# 724
4-9-07 LIVE
Arena at Harbor Yard
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Shane McMahon seemed to have redemption on his mind when he arrived at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn. WWE.
com caught up with Shane upon arrival and he promised to make some serious impact. And make an impact he did. Moments after
the smoke had cleared from the Raw opening pyrotechnics display, Shane stepped into the ring. Only eight days after his
father had his head shaved bald at WrestleMania, the younger McMahon arrived to restore honor to his family name. “I am
fourth-generation in this business,” Shane began, “and tonight is about respect.” With that, he called out the Superstar
responsible for the McMahon’s family’s embarrassments: ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley, who strode to the ring. Even
Lashley’s imposing figure couldn’t deter Shane from making a shocking announcement. Later in the night, Shane would put
his hair on the line against Lashley’s ECW World Championship! When the time came for the two Superstars to meet in the
ring, Shane put up a solid fight before doing the unthinkable: cold-cocking the referee in order to be disqualified! As
WWE fans reacted to Shane’s shocking actions, Intercontinental Champion Umaga, Armando Estrada and Mr. McMahon himself
stepped into the fray. After Umaga dealt out a huge amount of punishment to Lashley, Shane topped it all off by nailing
the ECW Champion in the head with a steel chair. With Lashley laid out and bleeding, Mr. McMahon announced a match at
Backlash pitting the ECW World Champion against Umaga, Shane and the Chairman himself for the ECW gold.
Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton met on Raw in a No. 1 Contender's Match for the WWE Championship, a match was one of the
most physically draining matches in recent history. Following a surprise appearance by Edge, HBK accidentally knocked out
the referee. Once another ref was on the scene, Michaels dropped Orton with some Sweet Chin Music and fell on him for the
cover. Unfortunately, both of HBK’s shoulders hit the mat and both refs announced different winners, cancelling each other
out and leaving the status of the No. 1 Contender spot unknown.
The confusion was cleared up later, however, when Edge stirred up trouble in his Cutting Edge segment. After the Rated-R
Superstar claimed that Jonathan Coachman had named him No. 1 Contender for the WWE Championship, Raw’s very special
Honorary General Manager, Michael Pena, stepped into the spotlight. Thanks to WWE and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Michael
was able to live out his dream by meeting all of his favorite WWE Superstars and announcing a Backlash match with enough
gusto to make even Theodore Long yell, “Holla!” Michael used his status as Honorary General Manager to announce WWE
Champion John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge at Backlash for the WWE Championship!
Mickie James & Candice defeated Women’s Champion Melina & Victoria. With some of the Sexiest Women on Television vying for
spots in Timbaland’s next music video, tensions are understandably high. Last week on Raw, Mickie attacked Melina and seems
to have her sights set on the Women’s Championship.
Lance Cade & Tevor Murdoch also seem to have championship ambitions. After the talented tag team defeated Ric Flair and
his protégé Carlito, frustration set in for the Southpaw from San Juan, who left the ring abruptly to the puzzlement of
the "Nature Boy."
There was nothing puzzling about the way the World Tag Team Champions, The Hardys, defeated the World’s Greatest Tag Team
in a non-title match. They'll defend their gold against Cade & Murdoch in three weeks at Backlash.
MATCHES:
Mickie James & Candice Michelle
defeated
WWE Women's Champion Melina & Victoria
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
defeated
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Carlito
- NUMBER 1 CONTENDER`S MATCH -
Shawn Michaels vs Randy Orton
results unclear
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Tag Team Champions "Team Extreme" Matt & Jeff Hardy
defeated
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
" ECW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP "
- TITLE vs HAIR -
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley
defeated
Shane McMahon
via a disqualification
Run Time: 2:05:19
RAW
# 725
4-16-07 TAPED
Datch Forum
Milan, Italy
WWE fans witnessed history as Raw broadcasted from Milan, Italy for the first time ever. While the location of the show was
big, the crowning of a new Intercontinental Champion was even bigger! As Raw began, Mr. McMahon joined his Executive
Assistant, Jonathan Coachman, in the ring and introduced Intercontinental Champion Umaga to the capacity crowd. The Chairman
explained that ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley (who suffered a concussion at the hands of the McMahons last week) would not
be able to attend the WWE European tour due to some problems with customs. After offering up a chance at Umaga’s
championship to anyone on the roster, Mr. McMahon did the unthinkable and pulled a WWE fan out of the crowd to face the
Samoan Bulldozer for the gold. An unassuming Italian man wearing a pair of bright red shoes waltzed into the ring to square
off with over 300 pounds of Samoan power. The man introduced himself as Santino Marella, and was able to give the
Intercontinental Champion a run for his money — until Mr. McMahon declared the contest a No Holds Barred Match. As Umaga
climbed to the top rope, it looked like Marella’s career would be over before it began. Bobby Lashley then blasted into the
ring and slammed Umaga’s hulking frame to the mat. The ensuing scuffle left Umaga on his back long enough for Lashley to aid
Marella in a cover. With the win, it became the first time in sports-entertainment history that a fan won the
Intercontinental Championship! In an interview with Jerry “The King” Lawler minutes later, Marella thanked Lashley and of
course, Italy. What lies ahead for this unlikely champion?
In the main event of the night, WWE Champion John Cena faced Edge & Randy Orton in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match scheduled by
Jonathan Coachman. The WWE Champion took numerous blows to the head, but was able to muscle his way through the incredible
pain. After Edge accidentally speared Orton, Cena’s former tag team partner Shawn Michaels entered the fray. Sweet Chin
Music from HBK intended for Cena left Edge out cold, which gave Cena the opportunity to deliver an FU to Michaels, pin Edge
and pick up another impressive win. Next week on Raw, Cena will face Michaels in their first one-on-one encounter since
WrestleMania.
Lance Cade overpowered Jeff Hardy while both of their tag team partners looked on. The partnership of Cade & Murdoch seems
to be on a roll lately, and this win should give them a little extra confidence when they face The Hardys at Backlash on
April 29, only on pay-per-view.
A T-Bone Suplex from Shelton Benjamin helped secure a win for the World’s Greatest Tag Team over Ric Flair & Carlito.
Carlito put in a tremendous effort and seemed frustrated after the loss, shrugging off both Flair and Torrie Wilson.
As the fashion capital of the world, Milan was the perfect place for a Diva fashion show. When Torrie was declared the
winner, a jealous Melina attacked the blonde beauty. Mickie James was on the Women’s Champion in a moment, and soon a Diva
free-for-all was underway.
Melina’s boyfriend, Johnny Nitro, said he would beat some respect into Eugene and ended up doing just that.
“The Masterpiece” Chris Masters failed to get respect from the WWE fans, but did succeed in defeating Super Crazy in their
match.
MATCHES:
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Santino Marella
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Umaga
becoming the new Intercontinental champion
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
defeated
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Carlito Carribean Cool
Johnny Nitro defeated Eugene
Torrie Wilson won the Diva Fashion Show
Lance Cade defeated Jeff Hardy
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
defeated
"The Insane Luchador" Super Crazy
- NON TITLE HANDICAP MATCH -
WWE Champion John Cena
defeated
"The R Rated Superstar" Edge and "The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
Run Time: 2:04:34
RAW
# 726
4-23-07 TAPED
Earl`s Court
London, England
In front of a capacity crowd (13,320) at Earls Court, WWE Champion John Cena and Shawn Michaels clashed in an epic non-title battle
that lasted almost an entire rotation of the enormous hand on Big Ben. Squaring off for the first time since their
tremendous match at WrestleMania 23, Cena and Michaels spent nearly an hour battling it out in the ring in one of the most
impressive contests ever seen on Raw. Although other matches were scheduled for the night, including a contest pitting
Edge against Randy Orton, the length of the main event left no room for other battles. Spanning five commercial breaks,
the incredible WrestleMania Rematch took WWE fans on a virtual rollercoaster of emotions. Multiple near falls, high-risk
maneuvers and action both in and out of the ring made for one heck of a match. During the heart-stopping climax of the
confrontation, Shawn Michaels muscled his way out of Cena’s FU, delivered some perfectly placed Sweet Chin Music (his
second superkick of the match) and pinned the WWE Champion to pick up the win. On Sunday, John Cena will lay his WWE
Championship on the line when he meets HBK, Edge and Randy Orton in a Fatal Four Way Match at Backlash; Will Michaels have
what it takes to conquer Cena again?
As Raw began, Shane McMahon took to the ring ready for action. Earlier in the day, WWE.com reporters spotted Shane-O-Mac
at Earls Court, but were unable to discover the reasons for his attendance. The younger McMahon announced that in honor of
St. George’s Day (a holiday celebrated in the United Kingdom), one person would have the opportunity to slay a dragon –
Shane himself! Shane then brought out his competition: a local wrestler from Liverpool, England named Robbie Brookside.
After punishing Brookside in a No Disqualification Match highlighted by Shane going Coast to Coast and wrapping a trash
can around the British grappler’s face, Shane brought out Umaga and announced the match as a 2-on-1 Handicap contest.
After Brookside was left sprawled out from more punishment at the hands of The Samoan Bulldozer, Shane announced the match
would become a 3-on-1 Handicap Match including WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, who stepped into the ring and pinned the
unfortunate Brookside.
Mr. McMahon is obviously still angry at ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley, whose win over Umaga at WrestleMania 23 led to
the Chairman being shaved bald by Donald Trump. In less than a week, Lashley will face both McMahons & Umaga at Backlash
with the ECW World Championship on the line. If Mr. McMahon can pin Lashley at Backlash, he will become the new ECW World
Champion!
Trevor Murdoch defeated Matt Hardy, one-half of the World Tag Team Champions. Last week on Raw, Murdoch’s partner Lance
Cade defeated Matt’s brother, Jeff. The Hardys will put their World Tag Team Championships on the line against Cade &
Murdoch at Backlash. Will they be able to conquer the powerful Superstars from down south?
The beautiful Maria fell to Women’s Champion Melina. Will Melina’s win give her enough momentum to retain her gold against
Mickie James at Backlash?
More miscommunication plagued the partnership of Ric Flair and Carlito. After Carlito suffered a loss at the enormous
hands of The Great Khali, he vented his frustrations at Flair in Spanish, prompting the “Nature Boy” to walk away
perplexed.
MATCHES:
- 3 ON 1 NO DISQUALIFICATION HANDICAP MATCH -
Shane McMahon, Umaga & Mr. McMahon
defeated
Robbie Brookside
Trevor Murdoch defeated Matt Hardy
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Women's Champion Melina defeated Maria
The Great Khali defeated Carlito
- NON TITLE MATCH -
( 60 MINUTES )
Shawn Michaels defeated WWE Champion John Cena
Run Time: 2:04:09
RAW
# 727
4-30-07 LIVE
Gaylord Entertainment Center
Nashville Arena
Nashville, Tennessee
It was a case of whodunit on the first Raw broadcast after the explosive events of Backlash. As Raw aired live from
Nashville, one by one the top Superstars on the Raw roster turned up beaten and unresponsive in the backstage areas of the
Gaylord Entertainment Center. At the top of the show, Mr. McMahon scheduled a match between WWE Champion John Cena and
Shawn Michaels. The WWE Chairman and new ECW World Champion guaranteed a title opportunity for Michaels next week if he
conquered Cena later in the night. But the highly anticipated match never occurred, as HBK was found laid out in the
locker room area. Soon, both Edge and Randy Orton were found in similar states. Mr. McMahon came up with a solution and
sent word through Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman for Cena to go to the ring. Cena stepped into the ring to demand
that the anonymous attacker show himself. Fans suspected that anyone able to knock off three of the toughest Superstars in
sports-entertainment would be nothing short of a giant of a man. When all 420 pounds of The Great Khali stepped into view,
all suspicions were confirmed. The monstrous Punjabi Warrior wasted no time in pummeling the WWE Champion. At one point in
their confrontation, Cena was able to lift the behemoth for an FU, but was soon back on the defensive thanks to a stunning
blow from one of Khali’s enormous elbows. After taking The Champ out, Khali raised the WWE gold to a staggering height
above his head, letting fans around the globe know that he had his sights set on the most coveted prize in all of
sports-entertainment.
Earlier in the night, Mr. McMahon forced ECW Original Rob Van Dam to square off against Umaga. Mr. McMahon, the
self-proclaimed King of the Extreme, acted out of anger at the harsh words Van Dam and the rest of the ECW Originals had
for the Chairman after his surprising victory over Bobby Lashley at Backlash. Although RVD put in a tremendous effort
against the Samoan Bulldozer, a Samoan Spike helped Umaga ground the high-flyer and pick up the 1-2-3.
In an emotional case of friends turned foes, Edge and Randy Orton battled it out in a grueling match. Ever since the days
leading up to the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania 23, Rated-RKO has been falling apart at the seams. Edge
and Orton were scheduled to clash last week on Raw but were forced to wait a week due to the Michaels vs. Cena match
lasting nearly an hour! After a brutal run-in with a turnbuckle left Orton bleeding from the head, a huge Spear from Edge
left Orton on his back long enough for the Rated-R Superstar to secure the pin. Not satisfied with a victory over his
former tag team partner, a fuming Edge informed Maria that he deserved an opportunity to challenge Cena for the WWE
Championship.
Carlito apologized to Ric Flair for losing his cool on last week’s Raw. Just as Carlito & Flair looked like they were
about to claim a win in their match against The World’s Greatest Tag Team, Carlito viciously attacked his mentor and left
the ring. No stranger to surprise attacks, the veteran Flair proved that he truly is the “Dirtiest Player in the Game” by
giving Carlito a severe pounding as he tried to leave the ringside area.
Jeff Hardy defeated Johnny Nitro with a Swanton Bomb that seemed to come from outside of the stratosphere. Lance Cade &
Trevor Murdoch (who fell to The Hardys at Backlash) provided commentary for the match and gave Jeff a standing ovation
after his win. Cade was heard exclaiming: “After last night, we have all the respect in the world for you!” The Southern
tag team wanted to shake Hardy’s hand, but the fan-favorite refused. Were Cade & Murdoch up to no good?
Mickie James got some retribution for her loss against Melina at Backlash by teaming with Candice to defeat Victoria and
the A-list Women’s Champion.
Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella gave his first televised interview when he sat down
with Todd Grisham to tell fans a little bit about himself.
MATCHES:
"The R Rated Superstar" Edge
defeated
"The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
Jeff Hardy defeated Johnny Nitro
Umaga defeated Rob Van Dam
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Carlito Carribean Cool
vs
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
ended in a no contest
Mickie James & Candice Michele
defeated
Victoria & Women's Champion Melina
Run Time: 2:06:13
RAW
# 728
5-7-07 LIVE
Bryce Jordan Center
Penn State University
State College, Pennsylvania
Over the past two weeks, The Great Khali has made it clear that the WWE Championship around John Cena’s waist is in his
sights. On Raw, Khali sent an emphatic message to The Champ when he knocked Cena down with the title and walked out of the
Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State with Cena’s championship in his hands. Earlier in the night, WWE Chairman and ECW World
Champion Mr. McMahon put Khali in a No. 1 Contender’s Match against Shawn Michaels, and he defeated HBK to gain his
opportunity at Cena’s gold at Judgment Day.
Later, Randy Orton took on Cena in non-title action. A focused Orton told Maria earlier in the night, “my career, my title
hopes, and my life get back on track tonight.” Orton took the fight to Cena, hoping to live up to his intense words, but
the match was interrupted by Khali; it was then that Khali viciously attacked The Champ, took the WWE Championship and
walked away.
The Rated-R Superstar struck gold when he defeated the loudmouth from SmackDown, Mr. Kennedy, for the Money in the Bank
briefcase and its guaranteed World Championship opportunity. Edge first goaded Kennedy into putting the briefcase up for
grabs, and then attacked Mr. Kennedy before their impromptu match began, wearing down the former Mr. Money in the Bank
outside the ring. When the bell began the match, he delivered a thunderous spear for the quick win. Kennedy valiantly
competed with a heavily taped arm as a result of an injury sustained at a live event this past weekend, but it was to no
avail.
Also, Mr. McMahon announced that Lashley would get a rematch for the ECW World Championship at Judgment Day – in a
Backlash rematch against Mr. McMahon, Shane McMahon & Umaga. The former champion Lashley cannot touch any of his three
opponents, and knowing this, he took his physical frustrations out on Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman, the right hand
man to The Chairman.
Soon after this huge announcement, Mr. McMahon’s Judgment Day partner Umaga dominated The Highlanders in a Handicap Match.
Umaga was put in this match to send a clear message to Lashley from Mr. McMahon – the Samoan Bulldozer is as dangerous as
ever, and Lashley is in for another brutal fight at Judgment Day.
Santino Marella defended his Intercontinental Championship for the very first time on Raw since his unlikely win in his
home country of Italy. Marella was somehow able to pull off yet another amazing upset, getting a win over Chris Masters to
retain the gold. Santino Marella’s underdog reign as Intercontinental Champion continues, and the young man from Italy
continues to make a name for himself on Raw.
World Tag Team Champions The Hardys defeated The World’s Greatest Tag Team Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas, while Cade &
Murdoch sat in on commentary. Murdoch claimed that he and Cade were “glad to see The Hardys do magic,” adding, “actions
speak louder than words.” After the match, the duo of Cade & Murdoch extended their hands to Matt & Jeff, and the champs
shared a handshake. What do their actions say about the team of Cade & Murdoch?
Carlito arrived at Penn State intent on calling out Ric Flair. However, as reported by WWE.com earlier in the day, Ric
Flair was not at Raw. Instead, Carlito told our fans, “I am tired of carrying around dead weight.” He then turned his
attention to Torrie, dumping the beautiful Diva.
In a Divas tag team rematch, Candice Michelle & Mickie James defeated Women’s Champion Melina & Victoria when Candice was
able to get the cover on Melina. Candice remains impressive as she continues to roll in the ring.
Cryme Tyme shared their shopping tips for a Happy Mother’s Day, much to the dismay of Viscera, Eugene and Ron Simmons.
MATCHES:
Candice Michelle & Mickie James
defeated
WWE Women's Champion Melina & Victoria
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
retaining the title
- HANDICAP MATCH -
Umaga defeated The Highlanders
- NUMBER 1 CONTENDER`S MATCH -
The Great Khali
defeated
Shawn Michaels
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Tag Team Champions "Team Extreme" Matt & Jeff Hardy
defeated
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Charlie Hass & Shelton Benjamin
- MONEY IN THE BANK MATCH -
Edge defeated Mr. Kennedy
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Champion John Cena vs Randy Orton
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 2:04:30
RAW
# 729
5-14-07 LIVE
Hampton Coliseum
Hampton, Virginia
For the second time in one month, Shawn Michaels defeated a champion on Raw, pinning Edge to send the new World Heavyweight
Champion packing to SmackDown. But as the broadcast went off the air, it was HBK’s Judgment Day opponent, Randy Orton, who
was standing tall in the ring. As Raw began, HBK didn’t even know that he would be facing Edge. However, after coming out
at the end of the Rated-R Superstar’s farewell speech (where he said he wouldn’t give the fans one last match), he was met
with a challenge. “You want a match? How about tonight, HBK vs. Edge? I will enjoy kicking your butt as much as I enjoyed
beating up Undertaker,” Edge crowed. Before the match began, Orton told HBK that he would be watching. What he saw was a
groggy Michaels, still feelings the effects of the concussion he suffered last week on Raw, fall victim to an early blow
to the head and suffer a severe beating from Edge. Toward the end of the match, it looked like the World Heavyweight
Champion would follow through on his prophecy, and by the looks of the huge smile on his face, he was certainly enjoying
his final Raw match. However, the always resilient HBK shook off the cobwebs, and was able to turn the tide by avoiding a
flying bodypress from Edge. With the capacity crowd in Hampton cheering him on, HBK soon made Edge’s Raw swan song a sour
tune, instead playing some Sweet Chin Music to pick up the win. That’s when the opportunistic Orton struck. As HBK
celebrated, The Legend Killer hit the ring and jumped his Judgment Day opponent. Orton used his fists to batter HBK,
finishing off with a vicious low blow. As if that weren’t heinous enough, The Legend Killer then gave Michaels a
thunderous stomp to the head, capitalizing on Michaels’ pre-existing ailment. Orton then stood over his fallen adversary
with a stern look on his face as the capacity crowd in the Hampton Coliseum stood in stunned silence. It certainly seems
as if Orton has gained the advantage heading into their battle on Sunday. Will HBK even be at 100 percent after what
happened on Raw?
For the third time in as many weeks, the gargantuan Great Khali has physically decimated and humiliated WWE Champion John
Cena. Three weeks ago on Raw, Cena called out the mysterious attacker who was responsible for backstage attacks on Shawn
Michaels, Randy Orton and Edge. Even Cena must have been stunned when the more than 7-foot tall Khali stepped out into the
auditorium. Raw went off the air that night with Khali destroying The Champ. Last week, The Great Khali walked out of the
arena with the WWE Championship in his monstrous hands, embarrassing the title's rightful owner. With one simple move,
this behemoth has managed to do what most Superstars have only dreamt of – he has gotten inside the head of the WWE
Champion. On the last Raw before Cena puts his WWE Championship on the line at Judgment Day, The Champ spoke from the
heart to the sold-out crowd, "The Great Khali took something of mine, and I want it back right now!" Moments later, the
two Superstars once again locked horns in a confrontation that left Cena out cold. So if Khali has gotten into Cena’s
head, does his genius match his incredible stature? Does anyone (Cena included) think that the WWE Champion can retain his
title when facing such a powerful foe? After receiving medical attention following Khali's attack, Cena regained coherence
and was said to be seen in the trainer's room full of anger. WWE.com was scheduled to get an interview from The Champ, so
check back here on Tuesday for more.
The newly anointed Dr. McMahon clearly didn’t have healing on his mind when he viciously smashed his championship gold
into Bobby Lashley’s skull. Moments after overpowering Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman, Lashley fell victim to a
surprise attack by Umaga and Shane McMahon. Lashley almost grabbed the younger McMahon as they raced out of the arena, but
in the end, the ECW Superstar was outsmarted by the Chairman who laid him out with the very championship gold he used to
carry with pride. For weeks, the McMahons have ruthlessly demoralized the powerful Lashley. Will he be able to buck the
odds and defeat his three opponents at Judgment Day? Or have the wily McMahons and Umaga successfully broken their rival’s
spirit? Leading up to the match scheduled for this weekend, Lashley has honored the no-touch rule set in place by the
Chairman. If he so much as touched the McMahons or Umaga (without provocation), Lashley would lose his ECW World
Championship opportunity. Looking toward Sunday and a match that will no doubt push Lashley to the limit, will the former
Army sergeant be able to keep his head about him and come out a victor? Or will the punishment and humiliation he has been
forced to absorb prove too much weight for even the strong shoulders of Bobby Lashley to carry?
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch continued to show the good sportsmanship they have been exhibiting as of late. After Murdoch’s
loss to Jeff Hardy, Cade entered the ring, but instead of attacking, the Southerners shook hands once again with The
Hardys.
Santino Marella also continued to impress, once again defeating Chris Masters. Piggybacking off last week’s title defense,
the Intercontinental Champion was victorious over “The Masterpiece” in a non-title match this week (Jim Ross anounces
this as a Title Match). However, after the bout, Masters viciously attacked Marella and put him in the Master Lock,
screaming “you shouldn’t have messed with me!”
It was announced that Carlito will battle Ric Flair at Judgment Day, and moments later, the newly liberated Caribbean
Superstar defeated Val Venis. When the match was over, Flair stormed to the ring, but the Southpaw from San Juan took off
through the crowd before the “Nature Boy” could get to him.
And with Women’s Champion Melina on commentary, Candice Michelle defeated Victoria. After the bout, Candice motioned to
the A-list Diva that she wanted the Women’s Championship.
MATCHES:
Jeff Hardy defeated Trevor Murdoch
" INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE "
Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
retaining the title
(listed as non title match, announced as title match)
Candice Michelle defeated Victoria
Bobby Lashley defeated Jonathan Coachman
Carlito defeated Val Venis
- NON TITLE MATCH -
"The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels
defeated
World Heavyweight Champion Edge
Run Time: 2:06:57
RAW
# 730
5-21-07 LIVE
Mark of the Quad Cities
Moline, Illinois
Survival was the name of the game for Bobby Lashley as the ECW Superstar invaded Raw. Lashley’s trip to Moline was
definitely not a vacation as Mr. McMahon forced the powerful Superstar to compete in a grueling Gauntlet Match. If Lashley
survived an onslaught of Raw Superstars, he would earn the right to face Mr. McMahon for the ECW World Title at One Night
Stand. Constant attacks from Mr. McMahon and his cohorts haven’t stopped Lashley’s relentless pursuit of the coveted title
the Chairman stole from him at Backlash, and Raw was no exception. For most men, facing four talented competitors would be
unthinkable, but Bobby Lashley is no ordinary man. The former Army sergeant didn’t even flinch when the chiseled form of
Chris Masters stepped toward the ring. Earlier this year, Masters was humiliated when Lashley became the first and only
Superstar to break the infamous Master Lock. When all was said and done, Lashley pinned Masters to pick up his first win
in a series of intense matches that would push an ordinary man over the limit. But once again, Bobby Lashley is no ordinary
man. Later in the night, Lashley faced the nearly 500-pound Viscera. Big Vis threw his weight around and displayed
surprising athleticism, managing to get a weakened Lashley into a number of pinning predicaments. When facing an
ultra-heavyweight like Viscera, any ordinary man would have given up. Instead, the former ECW World Champion pinned Big
Vis and prepared for his next challenge. Lashley’s next opponent was his WrestleMania 23 foe, Umaga, and the former ECW
World Champion seemed to be in a bad way going into his third match of the night. Once the brawl left the ring, Umaga
smashed Lashley in the head with a steel chair, leading to his disqualification and a win for Lashley. With Lashley
sprawled out, our fans wondered if he would be able to meet another opponent. Casting away all doubts, Lashley stepped
into the ring with the Chairman’s son, Shane McMahon for the final leg of the gauntlet. Lashley took quite a beating
during his fourth match of the night, and just when it looked like Shane had victory within his grasp, Lashley delivered
an amazing mid-air spear and pinned the younger McMahon. As a result of running the gauntlet, Lashley will now face Mr.
McMahon in a Street Fight for the ECW World Title at One Night Stand. The WWE Chairman’s impressive Street Fight record
would scare away most ordinary men, but as he proves day in and day out, Bobby Lashley is no ordinary man, he is a
Superstar.
Whether it was wise strategy or just luck, one size 18EEEE foot has wrapped the WWE Championship in controversy. But one
fact is apparently clear: The Great Khali seemingly has John Cena’s number. And it was very apparent on Raw, as the
colossus left the WWE Champion staring up at arena lights again, continuing his seemingly weekly mauling of the Chain Gang
commander. In front of Raw fans Monday night, The Great Khali challenged John Cena to a Judgment Day rematch, claiming
through his interpreter that he never tapped out to Cena’s STFU submission the night before — because his gigantic boot
was under the ring ropes. If seen by referee Mike Chioda, the placement of the boot would have required Cena to break his
hold. But Chioda’s attention was focused on the giant’s arm, which slapped the mat to signal Khali’s submission. “The
Great Khali has never submitted in his life,” the interpreter said on Khali’s behalf. “The referee screwed The Great
Khali, you fans screwed The Great Khali, and John Cena has screwed The Great Khali.” The colossus then called Cena a
coward, which brought out The Champ to answer the challenger. Cena conceded the fact that The Great Khali’s foot was
indeed under the ropes. But, standing face-to-face with the giant that has manhandled him for more than a month, he said
Khali’s submittal at Judgment Day was no mistake. “Not only did I survive, but I got you,” Cena exclaimed. “And I know I
can get you again!” He then accepted Khali’s challenge for One Night Stand, for a Falls Count Anywhere Match for the WWE
Championship. “I’m telling you I can beat you anywhere in the building,” Cena told the giant. Khali answered with
brutality, chopping his anvil-like hands down on the WWE Champion’s skull. Then the behemoth viciously powerbombed Cena in
the center of the ring, leaving him unconscious. As the monster stood glaring over him once again, Cena had to be
wondering if his Judgment Day success over The Great Khali was just an accident, or whether he really holds the key to
beating his gargantuan rival and keeping the WWE Championship around his waist.
“In any professional sport, an injury equals a bull's-eye. And I took advantage of it.” Those were the exact words of the
proud and remorseless Legend Killer himself, Randy Orton, when he explained to the booing fans on Raw why he savagely
attacked Shawn Michaels before their match at Judgment Day. With HBK having suffered through numerous head injuries since
1995, including two concussions over the past three weeks, the Legend Killer claimed that he did what any smart
professional would do: He took advantage of HBK’s weak spot and beat him. Showing no compassion in his eyes, Orton
smirked, “It’s not my fault Shawn Michaels didn’t listen to doctor’s orders. So I took Shawn out. And I would do it again.
I AM Randy Orton and I AM the Legend Killer.” From a separated shoulder to numerous concussions, Orton has, in fact, also
experienced injury before, and he knows what it’s like to have his weak spot targeted and attacked. Orton believes that
it’s a smart game plan for any Superstar to have; to go after the weak spot of his opponent and finish him off to score
the victory. From the recent actions of Randy Orton, his goal of reigniting his career has apparently been achieved and
the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history has overnight taken several large steps towards once again seizing
greatness. Whispers in the locker room say that Orton might have ended the career of one of the greatest performers of all
time, and that Randy Orton won’t stop there. “Shawn Michaels is in my way,” claimed the callous third-generation Superstar
in an exclusive WWE.com interview Monday afternoon. “Well, he was in my way. Nothing will stop me.”
Raw also saw a Judgment Day rematch, as Carlito got another crack at Ric Flair. While the teacher took the student to
school at Judgment Day, the result was much different one night later. After the match ended in a double count-out when
both men spilled to the floor, the Southpaw from San Juan viciously attacked his former mentor. Showing a total lack of
respect, Carlito dropped Flair with a pair of brutal Backstabbers on the arena floor, sadistically targeting the back that
has been Flair’s Achilles’ heel since being broken in a plane crash early in his career, before further disrespecting
Flair by spitting apple in his face. Later this week, Carlito will hopefully explain his disrespectful and downright
diabolical actions in an exclusive WWE.com interview.
The Hardys received some help from an unexpected source. With The World’s Greatest Tag Team sitting in on commentary, Matt
& Jeff defeated Johnny Nitro & Kenny Dykstra, but when Nitro, Dykstra, Benjamin & Haas attacked the World Tag Team
Champions, Cade & Murdoch came out to help the team they had just challenged for the gold one night earlier. Once the
scavengers were sent packing, Cade & Murdoch applauded The Hardys and raised their hands in victory, once again continuing
to prove they have turned over a new leaf. Cade & Murdoch will shed some more light on their new attitude later this week
in an exclusive WWE.com interview.
The Divas were also in high demand on Raw this week. Candice Michelle scored an impressive win, pinning Women’s Champion
Melina in a non-title match. Candice motioned that she wants the gold after defeating Victoria weeks ago, and that goal
may be within closer reach after this win. Also, Ashley and company heated things up as she introduced the world premiere
of Timbaland’s new video “Throw it on Me,” which features a half-dozen delicious Divas including Raw’s own Torrie Wilson.
MATCHES:
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
vs
Carlito Caribean Cool
ended in a double count out
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Candice Michelle
defeated
Women's Champion Melina
- GAUNTLET MATCH -
(1st leg)
Bobby Lashley
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
- NON TITLE MATCH
World Tag Team Champions
"Team Extreme" Jeff & Matt Hardy
defeated
Johnny Nitro
&
"The Dyke" Kenny Dykstra
- GAUNTLET MATCH -
(2nd leg)
Bobby Lashley defeated Viscera
- GAUNTLET MATCH -
(3rd leg)
Bobby Lashley
defeated
"The Samoan Bulldozer" Umaga
via a disqualification
- GAUNTLET MATCH -
(4th and final leg)
Bobby Lashley
defeated
"Shane o` Mac" Shane McMahon
Run Time: 2:05:50
RAW
# 731
5-28-07 LIVE
Air Canada Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
As the saying goes, “Like father, like son.” Mr. McMahon can only hope that saying holds true this Sunday at One Night
Stand. Shane McMahon made good on his promise to lead by example, pinning the former ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley to
the mat Monday night on Raw. Shane did so just one week before his father, Mr. McMahon, meets Lashley in a Street Fight at
One Night Stand to defend the boss’ ECW World Title. The win has to give Team McMahon a huge boost of confidence going
into Sunday’s night of Extreme Rules, where anything can happen. It can be assured that the McMahons will do anything to
hang onto the prestigious title – which is presumably made easier in Sunday’s no disqualification, anything goes matchup.
Teamed with two gargantuan partners – The Great Khali and Umaga – Shane O’Mac was able to score the pinfall on Lashley as
his teammates incapacitated Lashley’s partner, WWE Champion John Cena, in a 2-on-3 Handicap Match. “Bobby Lashley, I’m
going to beat you so bad, you’ll be calling me honey. Because you’re going to find out first hand why they call me ‘The
Money,’ ” the younger McMahon promised the fans at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. And Shane was true to his word. He
didn’t duck from Lashley, wearing down the former champion in the ring. After Umaga disposed of Cena at ringside with a
Samoan Spike, Khali chokeslammed Lashley to the mat. Sensing the opportunity, Shane flew off the top rope with an elbow,
crashing down on Lashley’s chest, scoring the pinfall. As Shane celebrated the win, he was met by his father, Mr. McMahon,
who gave him a proud hug, raising his son’s hand in victory with his teammates. Will the father be able to follow in his
son’s footsteps? Can Mr. McMahon pin Bobby Lashley Sunday at One Night Stand as The Chairman goes one-on-one,
man-to-McMahon with the former champion in a Street Fight for the ECW World Title? It was announced that WWE Champion John
Cena will put his title on the line at Saturday Night’s Main Event against The Great Khali in a Special Challenge Match.
Raw’s main event actually marked the second appearance of the night by Shane McMahon. Earlier, Shane-O-Mac announced that
in two weeks on Raw from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., every Superstar and Diva from Raw, SmackDown and ECW will gather for the
first-ever tri-branded draft. Shane shook WWE’s foundation to the core. Superstars and Divas from Raw,
SmackDown and ECW are all eligible to be drafted at the special Raw in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. For proof that a draft can truly
be life changing, simply look back at the last draft two years ago when WWE Champion John Cena was drafted to Raw, while
then World Heavyweight Champion Batista was drafted to SmackDown. Now, with ECW in the mix, the stakes are even higher,
and the WWE & ECW locker rooms are buzzing with mixed reactions. The fear of separation is something that many Superstars
in tag teams will have to worry about, as past drafts have separated celebrated teams. One Superstar who is not happy
about the draft and its possibilities is Trevor Murdoch. “I’m mad as hell,” he said. “Cade & Murdoch have been blowing the
roof off with The Hardys, and now there is the possibility we might be split up – it sucks.” When reached by telephone,
SmackDown’s Finlay told WWE.com that the draft is an opportunity that will benefit everyone. “It’s good for everybody,
good to get new competition, new fights. I am looking forward to it; I wish it would happen today.” As eager as the
Irishman is to fight, perhaps he didn’t think what it would mean if he were drafted to Raw or ECW, or if he was separated
from Hornswoggle due to the draft. One competitor with an optimistic outlook is ECW Superstar CM Punk, who said, “it is
fresh, it is shocking and it could change the landscape of sports-entertainment.” Punk then said, “I would love to tangle
with a lot of guys on different shows, so I would love to go to Raw or SmackDown to test myself against some of their
champions.” SmackDown’s Montel Vontavious Porter recently won the United States Championship, and with the draft just two
weeks away, the brazen Superstar has one thing in mind – himself. “I am the United States Champion. It doesn’t matter to
me if I go to Raw or ECW, I will still be the highest paid athlete on the roster, and I will still put butts in the seats.
I am half-man, half-amazing. People want to see Montel Vontavious Porter.” MVP continued, “I will naturally be the first
draftee to Raw or ECW if I am to leave SmackDown, but regardless, I am happy here," he added. “I am the only thing that
matters to me.” WWE Champion John Cena sees the draft as an exciting experience. The former No. 1 draft pick says, “if my
number gets called and I get drafted to SmackDown or ECW, I am going to fight like hell to take my WWE Championship with
me.” With all the possibilities that the first-ever tri-branded draft will bring, one thing is for sure: The very
foundation of Raw, SmackDown & ECW will all be changed and reshaped in two weeks on a special edition of Raw. As Shane
McMahon pointed out, “nobody is safe.” As our fans know, when a McMahon says something, chances are it is true.
Recently at Judgment Day, Randy Orton squared off against the legendary Showstopper Shawn Michaels. After the match ended,
Orton shocked our fans by delivering a devastating RKO to the already concussed HBK. Last week, Rob Van Dam granted
WWE.com an exclusive interview in which he had harsh words for Orton regarding the Judgment Day match and Orton’s respect
for the sports-entertainment business. After reading RVD’s interview, the Legend Killer demanded a match with the ECW
Original on Raw. In a horrific mirroring of the events that occurred at Judgment Day, the referee stopped the match due to
Rob Van Dam’s unresponsive nature.
The match between Randy Orton and Rob Van Dam came to a scary end when the referee was forced to call the match due to
RVD’s inability to continue. After Orton continually targeted Van Dam’s head, the ECW Superstar appeared to be barely
conscious while unsuccessfully attempting to get to his feet. After the match, WWE.com learned that RVD refused to leave
the building for additional medical attention. According to WWE doctors, there is no doubt that Van Dam suffered a
concussion. But because RVD refused further medical attention, the severity of the concussion is unknown at this time.
WWE.com has learned that Shawn Michaels has recently been released from the care of doctors. Michaels’
medical team have stated that although his condition has not worsened, they have done all they can do for the injured
Superstar.
The talented Hardys along with Cade & Murdoch used their patented maneuvers to conquer The World’s Greatest Tag Team and
Johnny Nitro & Kenny Dykstra in an Eight-Man Tag Team Match. Immediately following the pin, Shelton Benjamin and Charlie
Haas claimed that because they were not the ones pinned, they deserved an opportunity to face The Hardys for their World
Tag Team Championships. Never a tag team to back down from a challenge, The Hardys agreed to a match at One Night Stand
and added an additional challenge to the mix: the contest would be a Ladder Match!
In a match filled with sour grapes (or is it sour apples?), Carlito teamed with Victoria to defeat his former mentor Ric
Flair, and former girlfriend Torrie Wilson. At the end of this special Intergender Tag Team Match, Carlito stepped into
the ring with Torrie and laid an unwelcome kiss on the gorgeous Diva. Torrie slapped Carlito and he countered with a
vicious Backstabber that allowed him to pin his ex and pick up the win.
Santino Marella was conquered by Chris Masters’ powerful Master Lock much to the dismay of the lovely Maria, who seems to
be showing some interest in the Italian Superstar. If our fans needed even more of the Sexiest Women on Television, then
the first-ever Memorial Day Bikini Beach Blast Battle Royal that started the show certainly didn’t disappoint. SmackDown’s
Michelle McCool won the match and will get her own special photo shoot featured on WWE.com.
MATCHES:
- MEMORIAL DAY DIVA BEACH BLAST BATTLE ROYAL -
Michelle McCool
defeated
Candice Michelle, Mickie James,
Maria, Kelly Kelly, Brook, Layla,
Kristal & Women`s Champion Melina
- NON TITLE EIGHT MAN TAG TEAM MATCH -
World Tag Team Champions "Team Extreme" Matt & Jeff Hardy
with Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
defeated
"The World's Greatest Tag Team" Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
with Johnny Nitro & Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra
"The Legend Killer' Randy Orton
defeated
"The Whole Fucking Show" Rob Van Dam
- INTERGENDER TAG TEAM MATCH -
Carlito Carribean Cool & Victoria
defeated
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Torrie Wilson
- MASTER LOCK CHALLENGE -
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella
- 3 ON 2 HANDICAP MATCH -
Shane McMahon, The Great Khali & Umaga
defeated
WWE Champion John Cena & Bobby Lashley
with Shane McMahon pinning Bobby Lashley
Run Time: 2:04:15
RAW
# 732
6-4-07 LIVE
St. Pete Times Forum
Tampa, Florida
Superstars leaving the Raw locker room Monday night were abuzz about Mr. McMahon’s odd behavior. One said he appeared “a
few fries short of a Happy Meal.” Others thought McMahon’s eyes looked vacant – like the lights were on, but no one was
home. He mentioned an “ominous feeling” and a “black cloud” that was following him all night, but no one seemed to
understand what he was talking about. Fact is, if you had gold around your waist Monday night, or had golden locks of
hair, you were a target for Mr. McMahon, who appeared to be suffering traumatic effects from losing his ECW World Title at
One Night Stand. Could the boss have suffered brain damage from Bobby Lashley’s blows on Sunday? Or was there something
more devious on the mind of McMahon?
One plus one never equals three; that is, unless you’re John Cena and your math instructor is a possibly off the deep end
Mr. McMahon. Fortunately for the WWE Champion, he solved the Chairman’s bizarre equation and prevailed in a Raw Triple
Threat Match against The Great Khali and Umaga to retain the WWE Championship. That’s right, folks; somehow, The Champ is
STILL here. Nearly 24 hours after surviving his brutal Pinfalls Count Anywhere Match with Khali at One Night Stand
(becoming the first man to ever pin Khali in the process), Cena opened Raw in an attempt to address the Tampa crowd.
However, a very insane-looking Mr. McMahon quickly interrupted, accusing a bewildered Cena of trying to mock him. Perhaps
something inside Mr. McMahon snapped, as he would continue his bizarre behavior later on Raw, but in the end the equation
was written. When one possibly cuckoo Chairman was added to the ring containing one WWE Champion, the resulting explosion
netted a Triple Threat Main Event. Cena had to wonder if the Chairman had truly gone bonkers, but couldn’t dwell on it
very long once the realization of his potential fate set in. The odds were certainly horribly stacked against The Champ,
and with the combined size and ruthlessness of his two opponents, Cena’s odds may have in fact seemed insurmountable. He
wouldn’t even have had to be involved in the decision to lose the gold, something that he had to be eerily aware of. But
thanks to an unlikely assist from Umaga himself, the WWE Champion found a way to once again come out golden. With Khali
tied in the ropes and Cena dazed in the corner, conditions looked ripe for Umaga to finally claim the WWE Championship.
However, after nailing Khali with a Samoan Spike, Umaga found himself crashing to the floor courtesy of Cena instead of
capitalizing for a pinfall. With the Samoan Bulldozer stalled outside the ring, The Champ duplicated his incredible feat
from 24 hours earlier. Just like he did at One Night Stand, Cena found a way to hoist the staggered Khali on his
shoulders, deliver a thunderous FU and pin the massive challenger to keep the gold firmly around his waist. John Cena has
made a career out of continuously doing what most men couldn’t even think of doing once. On Raw, the WWE Champion once
again proved why he is one of the most resilient Superstars of all-time, and more importantly, just why he IS The Champ.
Next, McMahon bumped into Santino Marella, who chastised the Chairman for yelling at Maria. That rebuke got Marella placed
immediately in an impromptu Intercontinental Championship title defense against Chris Masters, in which the Italian wonder
came out victorious.
Weeks ago, after a loss to The Hardys at Backlash, Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch seemed to set themselves down the path of
righteousness. Unfortunately, our fans found out on Raw that it may have just been a ruse, and when the smoke cleared,
Cade & Murdoch abandoned their new attitude and left Tampa as the new World Tag Team Champions. It all started innocently
enough during a brief locker room run-in. Cade & Murdoch praised the champions for their hard-fought Ladder Match victory
at One Night Stand and challenged them for the gold. They even agreed to wait until The Hardys were 100 percent, but in
one of many maniacal McMahon moments, the WWE Chairman ordered it to happen on Raw. Even during the match, Cade & Murdoch
continued to make everyone believe they were new men; at one point, Cade actually asked the referee to check whether or
not the injured Hardys wanted to continue. In the end, however, one simple act of treachery helped them win the gold and
begin to shed their new skin. When Cade rolled Jeff up after a missed Swanton Bomb, the daredevil champion reached his
foot out onto the rope. Murdoch, however, pushed it off, allowing Cade to get the winning three- count to regain the gold.
When Matt questioned the new champions after the win, Murdoch blatantly lied before stunning him with a kick to the gut;
seconds later, Cade & Murdoch leveled The Hardys with the tag team gold, cementing the perception that they had used
their “new lease on life” solely to get back to the top. They say that a leopard can’t change its spots, and they also say
that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. Whether you want to call Cade & Murdoch leopards, old dogs or perhaps something
more derogatory (con artists comes to mind), you certainly have to call them champions.
And then, the Chairman’s coup de grace was his meeting with Ric Flair and Torrie Wilson in the arena hallway. After the
pair made the mistake of giggling at McMahon, the former champion made the injured Wilson face former boyfriend Carlito,
and made the 16-time World Champion square off with the Legend Killer Randy Orton.
Torrie met Carlito in the ring, and at first, the apple-toting Superstar seemed to show pity. He allowed the injured Diva
to walk away and take a count-out loss once the bell rang. But as she turned her back to walk away, Carlito threw her to
the mat. Then he picked her up and gave her a Backstabber to earn the disgraceful victory.
The number three seems to have special significance for Randy Orton; he’s a third-generation Superstar, has three reigns
as a champion in WWE to his credit, and on Raw, he tried to take out his third legend in three weeks. Fortunately,
however, Ric Flair fared slightly better than Orton’s previous two targets. Flair found himself facing Orton thanks to a
maniacal Mr. McMahon. The Legend Killer, who may have ended the careers of both Shawn Michaels and Rob Van Dam in recent
weeks, tried to do the same to the “Nature Boy.” Orton focused on his opponent’s head throughout the bout, and using a
swift, vicious kick to the head similar to the one driven into the skulls of HBK and RVD recently, the Legend Killer
knocked Flair loopy before finishing him off with an RKO. Once the match was finished, Orton looked like he wanted to
continue his assault; fortunately for Flair, referee Marty Elias stepped in and ushered the Legend Killer out of the ring
before he could inflict more damage. Sources in the locker room say that Flair was visibly shaken up after the bout,
appearing woozy and off balance. However, after a thorough examination by doctors, it was determined that Flair had
thankfully NOT suffered a concussion. Flair may have fared slightly better than his recent predecessors, but that does
nothing to diminish the fact that the sadistic streak inside Randy Orton is alive and well. One can only wonder who might
be the next victim earmarked for a visit from the Legend Killer.
The only match that McMahon didn’t mess with was another victory for Diva Candice Michelle, who teamed with Cryme Tyme to
top the team of Melina, Johnny Nitro and Kenny Dykstra. It was Candice’s fourth straight win over the Women’s Champion in
as many weeks.
However, next week’s WWE Draft might be just the thing to help the Chairman recover from his clouded condition. McMahon
had Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman announce that the three-hour selection spectacular from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., will
also be “Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night.” A heaping helping of praise for Mr. McMahon could snap the boss’ funk and better
his mood in time for the excitement of the WWE Draft on Raw next week. But then again, so might a handful of Prozac.
MATCHES:
Candice Michelle & Cryme Time
defeated
Melina, Kenny Dykstra & Johnny Nitro
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
retaining the title
Randy Orton defeated Ric Flair
Carlito defeated Torrie Wilson
" WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
defeated
World Tag Team Champions The Hardys
becoming new champions
" WWE CHAMPIONSHIP "
- TRIPLE THREAT MATCH -
WWE Champion John Cena
defeated
The Great Khali and Umaga
retaining the title
Run Time: 2:04:21
RAW
# 733
6-11-07 LIVE
Wachovia Arena
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
A night originally designated Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night turned deadly when the WWE Chairman’s limousine burst into a
fiery explosion just moments after Mr. McMahon stepped into it. Permanently uprooting the world of sports-entertainment,
the Chairman has been presumed dead in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Local authorities stated it was still too early to declare
anything as fact, including exactly what caused the explosion, but described the blast as an apparent “car bombing.” They
also revealed that as of 11:30 p.m. EST, no body had been recovered from the incinerated wreckage. Firefighters were quick
to assess the scene, taping off sections of the parking lot to protect the evident crime scene and safeguard scores of
onlookers – mostly our fans – from potential injury. Despite the intense heat and ubiquitous clouds of black smoke,
countless people spilled out of the arena to get a closer look at the chaos they had just seen happen live on the
TitanTron. Moments earlier, the sold-out crowd came to a still hush as they speechlessly watched from their seats. “By the
time we arrived on the scene, the entire automobile was on fire,” explained a Wilkes-Barre firefighter. “It was like an
inferno, and our guys were doing whatever they could to contain it as quickly as possible. In my 27 years with the fire
department, I’ve never seen anything like that.” The emblazoned limousine was engulfed by flames that reached skyward at
estimated heights of more than 50 feet. The sight of the charred debris led to speculation that there was no conceivable
way anyone could have escaped from the limo alive. Early assessments from local firefighters and police officers sent a
similar feeling regarding the probability of the Chairman’s survival. “We’re doing our best to respect the McMahon family
and the fans of WWE,” the firefighter said. “However, with that said, we have not found anything – there hasn’t been
confirmation that Mr. McMahon’s body was extracted from the limo.” As the physical body of Mr. McMahon remains to be
uncovered, perhaps the most perplexing piece to this puzzle is the Chairman’s uncanny, almost clairvoyant premonition of
tonight’s grim events. Over the last few weeks on WWE programming, the swaggering, well-off billionaire seemed to unravel
right before the eyes of millions. Speaking of a threatening presence that lurked in his foreseeable future, Mr. McMahon
even cited the looming of a “black cloud” last week – a cloud very similar to the post-combustive smoke that billowed
above his limousine tonight. Was this evening an eerie prophecy fulfilled for Mr. McMahon, given his recent premonitions?
Or was it simply a fateful execution of coincidence? The ominous reality is that what was brushed off as incoherent
ramblings of a broken man and former ECW World Champion actually may have proven to be an exercising of a recently
discovered sixth sense. This incident is the first of its kind since the assassination of political figure Orlando
Letelier in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Sources say that given the nature of the apparent car bombing, under law federal
authorities will be called in for a more thorough investigation that would supersede local Pennsylvania authorities.
Though tragedy now hangs over World Wrestling Entertainment like a black, ominous cloud, the seemingly final three hours of
Mr. McMahon’s life showcased unbelievable tri-branded ring action featuring Superstars from Raw, SmackDown and ECW.
Winners of each match would determine which brand would earn the next random selection in WWE’s lottery-based Draft. The
picks themselves drew a plethora of emotions from all three brand locker rooms — and in one case, Extreme controversy. For
the implications resulting from the WWE Draft selections. Here’s how the exciting night played out, and which Superstars
are on the move:
SmackDown would draw first interpromotional blood inside the sold-out Wachovia Arena, thanks to the brand’s World
Heavyweight Champion Edge. No titles were on the line as the Rated-R Superstar faced off against longtime Raw rival, WWE
Champion John Cena. But that wouldn’t stop the Ultimate Opportunist from breaking up an attempted FU onto the announcers’
table, then capitalizing on an opening that gave him the count-out victory. That said, Cena can take comfort in the fact
that by losing the match, he also lost the gigantic threat to his WWE Title in recent months. Edge, meanwhile, looked
understandably concerned as SmackDown’s first random Draft pick was introduced to our fans: the Indian colossus, The Great
Khali.
Some may debate whether or not ECW truly reaped the Draft benefits following the next contest, in which CM Punk picked up
the pinfall over Carlito. The Straightedge Superstar may have given the Go to Sleep to cover Raw’s rotten apple, but he
and ECW’s other Superstars better have Extreme stomachs for the brand’s newest member — the clock-bashing, worm-eating
freak called Boogeyman.
Raw quickly picked up a two-for-one deal in the WWE Draft moments after Umaga Samoan-Bulldozed his way to victory past
ECW’s Balls Mahoney. Though Mahoney’s efforts were valiant, Umaga’s savagery — and a powerful Samoan Spike to the throat —
proved too much to overcome. As a result, royalty now becomes Raw, which for the long foreseeable future will hail King
Booker & Queen Sharmell.
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley would counter numerous submission maneuvers to emerge triumphant in a hotly-contested
interpromotional match against SmackDown’s Chris Benoit. But earning his brand the WWE Draft’s next lottery-based pick
would produce one of the evening’s more ironic outcomes, as none other than the Rabid Wolverine was selected. Both men
shook hands out of respect before exiting the ring, though Benoit made it immediately known that when he enters the Land
of the Extreme this Tuesday night on ECW on Sci Fi, he will begin a quest to capture the ECW World Title.
Raw newcomer and Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella gained immeasurable ring experience by going up against
“ballin’” United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter. Unfortunately for Marella, despite continuing to win over our
fans and further demonstrate his vastly improving mat skills, it was MVP who’d deliver the decisive Playmaker, and prove
once more why he deserves consideration as SmackDown’s “Franchise Playa.” And that’s exactly where he’ll remain for now;
his non-title win earned a second Draft pick for SmackDown, which will now have beautiful WWE Diva Torrie Wilson spicing
up Friday nights on The CW Network.
It seemed certain that ECW would garner a third WWE Draft pick after the maniacal Snitsky all but obliterated poor Mike
“The Miz” Mizanin. Unfortunately, Snitsky’s vicious instincts got the better of him; his post-match beatdown on the
SmackDown Superstar was so relentless that officials had no choice but to reverse the decision and award The Miz with the
victory. As a result, SmackDown drew Chris Masters as its third selection for the night, and he may be a veritable
“Masterpiece” in progress; he’s a sure-fire cinch to “Master Lock” any SmackDown Superstar who stands in his way on his
climb to the top.
By adding to her already remarkable win streak of late, Candice Michelle would also hand Raw the evening’s most
impactful — and most certainly controversial — Draft pick. Moments after the Diva covered SmackDown’s Kristal for the
three-count, our fans everywhere were shocked by the Raw brand’s randomly selected Draft pick: ECW World Champion Bobby
Lashley! But within moments of coming out to the Raw stage and acknowledging the sold-out crowd, Raw Executive Assistant
Jonathan Coachman also walked out with some news of his own: Lashley would make the switch to his new promotion without
the ECW gold. Acting on orders from Mr. McMahon himself, Coachman officially stripped Lashley of the ECW World Title, just
eight days after he won it back from Mr. McMahon in a brutal Street Fight at One Night Stand. Though the pain etched on his
face was more than apparent, Lashley relinquished his most valued possession…but not without grabbing the microphone and
giving Coachman a stern message: “You stripped the ECW Title from me, but I’m still a champion…. On Raw, I’m gonna prove it.”
Batista seemed to have something of his own to prove in a Triple Threat Match against Raw’s Jeff Hardy and ECW’s Elijah
Burke. Unleashing an Animal rage borne from the recent frustrations caused by World Heavyweight Champion Edge, the
powerhouse Superstar earned SmackDown’s fourth Draft selection after planting Burke to the canvas with a thunderous
Batista Bomb. As for the pick itself, no one was more elated than The Animal to see his one-time Evolution colleague —
the “Nature Boy,” Ric Flair.
All three brands would participate in the final match of the night, a 15-Man Battle Royal to determine which brand would
gain the WWE Draft’s final two selections. Randy Orton would ultimately oust SmackDown’s Matt Hardy over the top rope to
claim victory for Raw, resulting in two senses-shattering Draft picks that got the Wachovia Arena crowd on its feet: ECW’s
psychotic Snitsky and SmackDown’s loudmouth Superstar, Mr. Kennedy.
Tragically, however, tonight was about far more than the WWE Draft. At first, everyone believed that meant “Mr. McMahon
Appreciation Night,” which was “celebrated” the entire evening with decidely marked comments from WWE Hall of Famers
(former Minnesota Governor Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, The Iron Sheik, Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Bobby
“The Brain” Heenan, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Capt. Lou Albano, Dusty Rhodes and “Mean” Gene Okerlund), WWE Legends
(“Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Mick Foley, the latter of whom also threw his hat in the WWE Championship Challenge Match
at Vengeance: Night of Champions) and A-list celebrities (rap legend Snoop Dogg, Jackass’ Steve-O, billionaire battler
Donald Trump, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and sportscaster/talk show host Bob Costas).
Also making an appearance on the TitanTron was ousted Diva Ashley, whom the WWE Chairman had indefinitely suspended for
accidentally spilling coffee on him at SmackDown last week. Recalling how Mr. McMahon once forced retired Diva Trish
Stratus to bark like a dog on all fours in her underwear, Ashley decided to show her appreciation for the boss—by
re-enacting a similar moment through the Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young, much to the dismay of the entire Raw audience.
Still, at the end of the night, no one could have possibly predicted the vicious way in which Raw, the WWE Draft or “Mr.
McMahon Appreciation Night” would end. The car bombing that apparently claimed Mr. McMahon’s life has sent shockwaves that
will radiate throughout Raw, SmackDown and ECW’s locker rooms for months, possibly years. How each Superstar will rise
from the ashes of this terrible tragedy remains to be seen.
MATCHES:
World Heavyweight Champion Edge defeated WWE Champion John Cena
SmackDown selects The Great Khali
C.M. Punk defeated Carlito
ECW selects The Boogeyman
Umaga defeated Balls Mahoney
Raw selects King Booker
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley defeated Chris Benoit
ECW selects Chris Benoit
United States Champion M.V.P. defeated Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella
SmackDown selects Torrie Wilson
The Miz defeated Snitsky
via a reverse decision, via a disqualification
SmackDown selects Chris Masters
Candice Michelle defeated Kristal
Raw selects Bobby Lashley
- TRIPLE THREAT MATCH -
Batista defeated Elijah Burke and Jeff Hardy
SmackDown selects “Nature Boy” Ric Flair
- 15 MAN OVER THE TOP BATTLE ROYAL -
Randy Orton
defeated
Matt Hardy, William Regal, Mark Henry, Chavo GUerrero, Chris Masters,
Marcus Cor Von, The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, Kevin Thorn, Matt Striker,
Johnny Nitro, Kenny Dykstra, Viscera & Eugene
earning two Draft picks for Raw
Raw selects Snitsky and Mr. Kennedy
Run Time: 3:06:16
RAW
# 734
6-18-07 LIVE
Richmond Coliseum
Richmond, Virginia
With the black, ominous cloud that’s been looming over World Wrestling Entertainment all week after the tragic limo
explosion, it has been decided that, just as Mr. McMahon would have wanted it, the show will go on. For the first Raw
episode in 14-years, the show did go on without it’s beloved Chairman.
Our fans were in for quite the surprise at the end of Raw. For the first time since the tragic passing of WWE Chairman Mr.
McMahon, a member of the Chairman's family made an appearance when Stephanie McMahon spoke in the middle of the Raw ring.
Earlier in the night, a white limousine pulled into the Richmond Coliseum and parked in what would have been Mr. McMahon’s
spot. Speculation ran rampant as to who was inside the limo, and WWE Superstars and our fans alike were shocked when an
overtly grief-stricken Stephanie McMahon emerged from the vehicle later in the evening. After a brief conversation with
Jonathan Coachman, the Chairman’s only daughter addressed the crowd in Richmond and our fans watching around the world.
Shaking and on the verge of tears, an emotional Stephanie thanked everyone for their sympathy. “While it was sometimes
surprising, you have no idea how much it meant to me and my family,” a choked-up Stephanie admitted. “My dad wanted to
leave this world the same way he lived in it, in the biggest way possible.” After a moment of clarity, Stephanie then
announced once again that next week’s Raw will celebrate the life of her fallen father. “Superstars from Raw, SmackDown
and ECW will join us in celebration of my father. Some of you might feel he doesn’t deserve it; he was not loved,
sympathetic or nice. But the man you know is the only man I have ever known as my dad. Most important person in this
world…was.” The distraught daughter’s mood then temporarily changed from celebratory to dark, as she pledged to follow the
investigation into Mr. McMahon’s presumed passing to the bitter end. “This Sunday’s pay-per-view might be named Vengeance,
but vengeance will be true, the moment that my family finds out who did this to my dad…” With that, her mood once again
shifted to highly emotional; Stephanie looked to the sky and mouthed “I love you dad!” before breaking into tears and
hurrying from the ring as our fans in Richmond sat in stunned silence. Stephanie and the entire McMahon family are
obviously and understandably still very distraught over the events of last week; however, our fans are left to wonder why
Stephanie chose tonight to make her first public appearance. Even worse…is she possibly one of the people that federal
investigator Daniel Beck has questioned about his passing? Our fans may never know whether Stephanie’s appearance on Raw
was done for therapeutic, business or other reasons…and based on her demeanor during her speech, poor Stephanie herself
may not even know.
Federal investigator Daniel Beck was also at Richmond Coliseum in search of clues about the tragic limousine explosion
that presumably killed Mr. McMahon. Beck questioned Superstars, referees, the tech crew and anyone that he believed could
be a suspect. Nobody is exempt from being questioned by Beck, and until the sports-entertainment world has an answer as to
who may have had a hand in the demise of the Chairman, everyone is a suspect. While the show must go on, so too will the
investigation into who may have been involved in or caused this devastating catastrophe.
With Mr. McMahon gone, Jonathan Coachman was given control over Raw on an interim basis. The first thing he did was force
Vengeance opponents to team up, as WWE Champion John Cena & Bobby Lashley were matched against Randy Orton & King Booker.
While these Superstars are no strangers to one another, there was a lot of frustration among these four men when fingers
were pointing at each other playing the game of “whodunit?” They all battled their way viciously, giving our fans a taste
of what could happen this Sunday at Vengeance: Night of Champions. While Lashley seemed to be gaining an advantage in the
match, the Legend Killer came out of nowhere, nailing Lashley with a brutal RKO, to give his team the victory. If Orton or
any of the challengers can do the same on Sunday, there will be a new WWE Champion come next Monday night.
After Mick Foley made sincere condolences to the McMahon family, Coachman ordered Foley to fight none other than the
Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga, in Foley’s first one-on-one match on Raw in seven years. “It’s a man that Mr. McMahon detested
against a man that Mr. McMahon admired,” Coachman said. Unfortunately, even steel chairs couldn’t stop the unleashed
Umaga, as the Samoan Bulldozer plowed Foley’s head through the steel steps, leaving him in the hands of Dr. Rios.
Mick Foley has had his share of punishment over his career in the ring, but after the viciousness of the attack by Umaga
on Raw, few could have blamed Foley if he walked away from his title opportunity this Sunday at Vengeance: Night of
Champions. The former WWE Champion had to be helped to the back after the beating from the Samoan Bulldozer, and was
unavailable for questioning by lead federal investigator Daniel Beck. Foley had fingers pointed at him as a suspect in Mr.
McMahon’s limo explosion earlier in the night by fellow Raw Superstar Randy Orton, and perhaps he was in no mental
condition to step in the ring with a focused beast like Umaga. While under the supervision of WWE’s Dr. Rios, Mick Foley
refused to let him complete any diagnosis, instead storming out of the trainer’s room with a fire in his eyes that some
hadn’t seen in years. One eyewitness claimed that the look in the eyes of Foley was that of the, “sadistic, twisted Foley
of old.” As Foley exited the building, one of the men loading the trucks outside wished him a goodnight and Mick turned
with an odd look and said, “I’ll see you Sunday.” Clearly, the Hardcore Legend still plans on competing in the WWE
Championship Challenge this Sunday at Vengeance: Night of Champions.
Newly drafted to the Raw roster last week, Mr. Kennedy made his presence loud and clear when he grabbed the microphone and
stated that he’s dedicating his career to a man who was like a father to him. “From here on out, I pledge my career to
continuing the legacy of Mr. Vincent KENNEDY McMahon…McMahon.” Kennedy also said that he’s the greatest thing to ever grace
WWE, a claim that our Raw fans will soon be able to validate for themselves.
It was announced earlier in the day on WWE.com that The Hardys will challenge Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch for the World
Tag Team Championship at Vengeance: Night of Champions. On Raw, the champions sat at ringside while the high-flying Jeff
Hardy took on Daivari, who was drafted to Raw in the Supplemental Draft. After Jeff pinned Daivari with the Swanton Bomb,
Cade & Murdoch grabbed a microphone, telling Jeff that it was poor sportsmanship by The Hardys that caused them to attack
two weeks ago. Jeff flipped out at the accusation, and ended up flipping himself over the top rope to take the champions
out.
In other Raw action, Carlito came to the ring to speak his mind about his former mentor Ric Flair and ex-girlfriend Torrie
Wilson being drafted to SmackDown last week. “They both got drafted off my show Raw, and it’s a good thing too. Ric Flair
couldn’t take any more Carlito,” he said. Carlito’s words didn’t seem too cool, however for Raw Supplemental draftee
Sandman, who entered the Richmond Coliseum through the crowd, raised some hell with Carlito, and sent him scurrying out of
the ring.
Speaking of Supplemental draftees, Raw’s first selection, the team of Paul London & Brian Kendrick, showed off their
high-flying repertoire on Raw for the first time. The popular former WWE Tag Team Champions were successful in their Raw
debut, defeating The World’s Greatest Tag Team after Kendrick nailed Shelton Benjamin with Sliced Bread No. 2.
Another Supplemental draftee, Jillian Hall was also successful in her Raw debut as she teamed with Women’s Champion Melina
to defeat Candice Michelle and hometown hero Mickie James. The victory ended Candice’s recent winning streak over Melina,
as the Candy-licious Diva had defeated the Women’s Champion in several non-title matches in recent weeks. For the first
time in weeks, Melina got the better of Candice, and appears to back on top of her game. The question remains, however, if
the Women’s Champion can do it again with the gold on the line at Vengeance: Night of Champions. Can Melina retain the
gold on Sunday, or will this victory prove to be the exception rather than the rule?
MATCHES:
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
Jeff Hardy defeated Daivari
Umaga vs Mick Foley
ended in a no contest
Women's Champion Melina & Jillian Hall
defeated
Candice Michelle & Mickie James
Randy Orton & King Booker
defeated
WWE Champion John Cena & Bobby Lashley
Run Time: 2:05:18
RAW
# 735
6-25-07 Taped 6-25-07
American Bank Center
Corpus Christi, Texas
World Wrestling Entertainment is deeply saddened to report that today Chris Benoit and his family were found dead in their
home. According to lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, in Fayetteville, Ga., the
deaths of WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, wife Nancy and son Daniel were the result of a double murder-suicide, WWE.com has
learned.
Benoit failed to appear both at Saturday’s live event in Beaumont, Tx., and WWE’s Vengeance: Night of Champions in Houston
Sunday night, after informing WWE of a family emergency. Several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning
prompted concerned friends to alert Richard Hering, VP of Government Relations for WWE, Inc. Hering, in turn, spoke with
Fayette County sheriffs Monday, and requested that they respond to the Benoit residence to check on him and his family.
Authorities representing the Sheriff’s Department initially had a difficult time entering Benoit’s new Fayetteville home
Monday afternoon, which had been guarded by two large German Shepherds roaming freely around the property. Once
authorities entered the residence, they quickly located the bodies of Benoit, Nancy and Daniel. WWE was notified of the
discovery at approximately 4 p.m.
At 10 p.m. Monday night, Lt. Pope held a press conference in conjunction with Scott Ballard, the district attorney for
Fayette County. The press conference officially ruled authorities’ findings as a double murder-suicide from within the
home.
WAGA, a FOX-owned and operated television station in Atlanta, reported that investigators believe Benoit killed his wife
and 7-year-old son over the weekend, then himself on Monday.
The three bodies have been received by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab, in Decatur, Ga., where autopsies
will be performed Tuesday morning. Toxicology reports will not become available for at least two weeks.
WWE.com has further information relating to both the investigation and the cause of death, but the Fayette County
Sheriff’s Department has requested that WWE.com not release any additional details at this time.
Chris was beloved among his fellow Superstars, and was a favorite among WWE fans for his unbelievable athleticism and
wrestling ability. He always took great pride in his performance, and always showed respect for the business he loved,
for his peers and towards his fans. This is a terrible tragedy and an unbearable loss.
Instead of its announced programming for tonight on USA Network, tonight’s Raw, which will begin at the special time of
8/7 Central, will serve as a tribute to Chris Benoit and his family. WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the
Benoit family’s relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy.
A look at the career of the "Rabid Wolverine"
Benoit was 40 years old. A trainee of the legendary Stu Hart, Benoit began his career in 1985 in Calgary after training
with Stu and the Hart Family in the infamous Dungeon. Benoit idolized former World Tag Team Champion Dynamite Kid, and the
high-flying style Benoit utilized throughout his career was influenced heavily by the British Superstar. However, his
training in the Dungeon helped mold him into one of the best technical grapplers in sports-entertainment history as well.
Benoit competed for Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling organization from 1985-1989, where he held both the British Commonwealth
Title and the International Tag Team Title four times each, before heading to Japan, where his career truly blossomed. He
originally competed as the masked Pegasus Kid and had numerous classic clashes with Japanese legends such as Shinjiro
Ohtani and Jushin “Thunder” Liger. It was in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he also met a man who would become one of his
closest friends, Eddie Guerrero.
While in Japan, Benoit held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and won the 1994 Super J Cup tournament, one of the
most prestigious light-heavyweight tournaments in sports-entertainment.
It was that same year that Benoit burst onto the scene in the United States. He had competed in the States before, taking
part in the NWA World Tag Team Title tournament in 1992 and wrestling briefly in WCW, but it was in South Philadelphia
where Benoit truly cut his teeth in America. Benoit joined ECW, where he teamed with another long-time friend, Dean
Malenko, to win the ECW Tag Team Championship. It was also during his time in South Philadelphia where Benoit became known
as the “Canadian Crippler,” as it was during a match with Benoit where Sabu suffered a broken neck.
After a year in ECW, Benoit headed back to WCW (and also New Japan, who had a working agreement with ECW at the time). His
career elevated to the next level when he became an official member of the Four Horsemen, joining Ric Flair, Arn Anderson
and Brian Pillman in 1995.
During his near five-year stay in WCW, Benoit went from an unknown to household name and bona-fide Superstar. Staying
close with the Horsemen through numerous incarnations of the group, Benoit became known for his hard-hitting, smash-mouth,
no-nonsense style. His rivalry with Kevin Sullivan throughout 1996 (including their legendary Falls Count Anywhere Match
at the 1996 Great American Bash) was lauded as one of the greatest and most intense in the company’s history.
While in WCW, Benoit also racked up numerous accolades. He held the Television Championship on three occasions, was a
two-time United States Champion and won the WCW Tag Team Championship twice as well (once with Malenko, once with Perry
Saturn). He also faced Bret Hart in a tribute match to Bret’s brother and Benoit’s good friend Owen Hart in 1999, and in
his final WCW match in January 2000, Benoit defeated Sid to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
Unfortunately, trouble in WCW led to Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko and Saturn leaving the company the next day, so the reign
was nullified. The foursome, however, debuted later that month in WWE as The Radicalz.
Benoit immediately found success in WWE, claiming the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 2000. He would go on
to hold that gold on a total of four occasions. Through 2003, he also held the World Tag Team Championship and the WWE Tag
Team Championship.
Finally, in 2004, after nearly 20 years of struggle, Benoit reached the top. Starting the match at No. 1, Benoit lasted
over an hour to win the 2004 Royal Rumble Match, last eliminating the mammoth Big Show to win. That earned him a World
Championship match, and at WrestleMania XX in Madison Square Garden, he defeated Shawn Michaels and champion Triple H in a
Triple Threat Match to claim the World Heavyweight Championship. The celebration is one of the most memorable WrestleMania
moments of all-time, as he and best friend Eddie Guerrero (the reigning WWE Champion at the time) embraced in the center
of the ring amidst a stream of confetti and the cheers of a raucous capacity crowd.
In the next three years, Benoit would go on to hold the World Tag Team Championship twice more and had three reigns as
United States Champion, the last of which ended just two months ago at Backlash. He was drafted to ECW in the 2007 WWE
Draft, and in his final WWE match, Benoit defeated Elijah Burke on the June 19 ECW on Sci Fi.
Over the course of his 22-year career, Chris Benoit solidified his reputation as one of the greatest to ever set foot
inside a ring. He was a man of few words, but his passion for the sports-entertainment business was almost unrivaled.
Whether loved or hated, Benoit was always well-respected by our fans and his peers for his in-ring ability, his trademark
toothless grin and his no-nonsense attitude.
The sports-entertainment world has truly suffered a loss with his passing, as one of the all-time greats was taken well
before his time.
MATCHES:
Chris Benoit wins the "Royal Rumble" 2004
ECW 6-19-07
Chris Benoit vs Elijah Burke
WCW "Hog Wild" 1996
Chris Benoit vs Dean Malenko
" U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP "
Smackdown 4-14-06
( Cage Match - No Disqualification )
Chris Benoit vs U.S. Champion J.B.L.
JAPAN 1990
Pegasus Kid aka: Chris Benoit vs Jushin Thunder Liger
"Royal Rumble" 2001
( Ladder Match )
Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho
" WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP "
"Wrestlemania" XX
Chris Benoit vs Shawn Michaels vs World Heavyweight Champion Triple H.
Run Time: 3:06:08
NEWS
6-26-07 LIVE
Benoit`s Home
Fayettville, Georgia
Professional wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his 7-year-old son, placing bibles at their sides,
before hanging himself from a pulley in his weight room, authorities said Tuesday.
Police ruled the death a double homicide-suicide and are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the
deaths. Authorities said they found prescription anabolic steroids in the home among other legal prescriptions. Steroid
abuse has been linked to depression, paranoia, and aggressive behavior or angry outbursts known as "roid rage." "There was
a lot of prescription medication that he had received from doctors with what we believed to be at this time legal
prescriptions," said Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. Police said that Nancy Benoit died of
asphyxiation on Friday, said Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard. She was found in an upstairs family room with
her legs and wrists bound and blood under her head, perhaps indicating a struggle, he said. The Benoits' son, Daniel, died
of asphyxiation sometime Saturday morning, Ballard said. He was found in his bed upstairs. Both mother and son had bibles
placed at their sides. Authorities found the pro wrestler dead in the basement, hanging from the pulley of a weight
machine. He died sometime late Saturday or Sunday, Ballard said. "In a community like this, it's bizarre just to have a
murder suicide -- certainly involving the death of a 7-year-old child," Ballard said. Nancy Benoit filed for a divorce in
May 2003, saying their three-year union was irrevocably broken and alleging "cruel treatment." But she later dropped the
complaint, as well as a request for a restraining order in which she charged that Benoit had threatened her and had broken
furniture in their home. In the divorce filing, she said Benoit made more than $500,000 a year as a professional wrestler
and asked for permanent custody of Daniel and child support. In his response, Benoit sought joint custody.
"He was like the dad you always wanted to have," Bill Apter, a pro-wresting writer and friend of Benoit, told FOX News.
"I just don't get this." Apter called Benoit pensive and quiet, adding: "Chris Benoit was not the type of guy that you
would profile to do anything of what is being alleged to have happened."
The World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler canceled a pay-per-view appearance at the "Vengeance" event in Houston because
of "personal reasons" a day before the trio were found dead. The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three separate
rooms of the house, off a gravel road about two miles from the Whitewater Country Club.
Neighbors said the Benoits led a low-key lifestyle. "We would see Chris walking in his yard from time to time. He wasn't
rude, but he wasn't really outwardly warm," said Alaina Jones, who lives across the street. Jimmy Baswell, who was
Benoit's driver for more than five years, placed a white wreath at the Benoits' gate. "They always seemed like they were
the happiest people," he said.
Whiteside said toxicology tests could take up to a week or longer to complete. Text messages from the wrestler seem to
have prompted the police to visit the home. "The sheriff's department will only confirm that he sent one text message
sometime around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, and I know that the WWE is saying that he sent several others, which is what prompted
them to contact the sheriff's office to go do a welfare check at the house," Saeed Ahmed of the Journal-Constitution told
FOX News.
World Wrestling Entertainment said on its Web site that it asked authorities to check on Benoit and his family after being
alerted by friends who received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning." The WWE, based in
Stamford, Conn., said it had been asked by authorities not to release further information on the deaths.
Benoit was born in Montreal. He was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several
tag-team titles over his career. He was known by several names including "The Canadian Crippler." "WWE extends its
sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the company said
in a statement on its Web site. Benoit had maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct
World Championship Wrestling.The Fayette County Tax Assessors Office lists the value of the house, situated on more than
8.5 acres, at nearly $900,000. The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network
aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast on June 25.
Benoit's wife managed several wrestlers and went by the stage name "Woman," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
They met when her then-husband, Kevin Sullivan, drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of an
ongoing story line on World Championship Wrestling. Sullivan spoke to FOXNews.com late Tuesday and expressed shock and
sadness over the death of his ex-wife, who he married in 1985. From his home in Tavernier, Fla., Sullivan said he had not
spoken to his ex-wife since their split. “It’s surreal,” said Sullivan, who did not have children with Nancy Benoit. “She
was a nice person. We just went our separate ways. She was nice and very loving and I’m sure she was a good mother.”
Sullivan said he did not know Benoit well outside the ring. “I never associated with him, so I really don’t know his
personality,” he said. … “[But] I’m sad for all three, especially the child.”
Benoit, who has two other children from a prior relationship, became a standout at an early age among wrestling prospects
who trained in the dungeon basement of the house where fellow Canadians and professional wrestlers Owen and Bret Hart
trained. Owen Hart was killed during a wrestling event in 1999. "He was like a family member to me, and everyone in my
family is taking it real hard," said Bret Hart, a five-time champion with the now-defunct World Wrestling Federation.
Run Time: 26:28
RAW
# 736
7-2-07 LIVE
American Airlines Center
Dallas, Texas
The job of being a WWE Superstar isn’t always associated with a time clock, where the Superstars punch in and out for
their “shifts.” On Raw, however, punching the clock was the name of the game, as it was Beat the Clock night in the
American Airlines Center. Four Superstars scrambled to win their match in the fastest time, with the successful Superstar
earning a golden opportunity: a chance to face John Cena for the WWE Championship at The Great American Bash on July 22.
When all was said and done, time was on Bobby Lashley’s side, as it was he who beat the clock and walked out of Dallas as
Cena’s opponent in the Bash clash. As Raw went on the air, Lashley, King Booker, Mr. Kennedy and Randy Orton made their
case as to why they should be the No. 1 contender to Cena’s gold. With Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman away, he
placed William Regal in charge, and it was the former WWE Commissioner who came out to make the Beat the Clock
announcement. Orton had the first crack at establishing the time to beat, thanks to his “seniority on Raw,” but had the
tough task of facing former Intercontinental and World Tag Team Champion Jeff Hardy to do so. In a hard-fought battle, the
Legend Killer scored a victory thanks to a vicious RKO, establishing the time to beat at 7:06. Next up was King Booker,
who had to take on another former Intercontinental and World Tag Team Champion, Val Venis. In his first solo match since
being drafted to Raw, His Highness proved why he is one of the most decorated Superstars in WWE. The King smashed Orton’s
time, downing Venis in 4:30 to set a new benchmark. Mr. Kennedy was up next, and tried to bargain his way into assured
victory. Kennedy’s aim was to set a new record for fastest match in WWE history, so he tried to convince opponent Super
Crazy to help him out. “I need to face John Cena at The Great American Bash. So if you go into the ring and lay down for
me,” Kennedy proposed, “maybe we can work something out. Perhaps I can slip a few pesos your way.” Super Crazy seemed to
agree, but ultimately, Kennedy’s plan backfired. As Kennedy began his own ring introduction, the Insane Luchador rolled up
the brash Raw newcomer for the surprising pinfall, knocking Kennedy out of the running and leaving King Booker’s time as
the one to beat with only one Superstar left. This development sent The King into bargaining mode. After finding out that
Shelton Benjamin would be Lashley’s opponent, King Booker promised Benjamin that if he could survive five minutes with
Lashley, he would be rewarded with the first opportunity at the gold should The King go on to defeat Cena. Shelton agreed,
but Lashley had different plans. With a nervous King watching from the locker room, Benjamin did everything he could to go
the distance. Unfortunately, with about 30 seconds left, Lashley clobbered the former Minnesota Golden Gopher with a
thunderous spear. The pinfall was academic, and Lashley won the match in 4:06 to beat the clock and earn the championship
match at The Bash. That wasn’t the end of his night, however. After beating the clock, Lashley stood face-to-face with
Cena to officially sign the contract. Mr. Kennedy and King Booker then charged the ring in protest, with Cena and Lashley
banding together to fight them off. But once the threat was thwarted, all alliances were called off as Lashley rocked The
Champ with a thunderous spear! Lashley then stood over Cena as Raw came to a close, holding the WWE Championship aloft and
motioning that it would soon be around his powerful waist. While Cena and Lashley seemed to be on friendly terms before
then, the two-time former ECW World Champion proved that all bets are off when the WWE Championship is at stake…meaning
that The Great American Bash will be a battle no one will ever forget.
For Santino Marella, the third time certainly wasn’t the charm, as his third match with Umaga resulted in the Samoan
Bulldozer walking out of Raw as the new Intercontinental Champion. It was just eight days earlier at Vengeance: Night of
Champions that Marella faced Umaga’s wrath for the first time since their fateful clash in Milan, Italy on April 14, where
Marella stunned the world by pinning the Samoan Bulldozer and claiming the gold. He tried to do it again at the Night of
Champions, but Umaga was too much. Fortunately, Umaga was too much for the referee to handle as well, as the Samoan
Bulldozer was disqualified for ignoring the referee’s instructions and continuing to brutalize Marella in the corner.
Unfortunately for the champion, Raw in Dallas wasn’t much better. Talking to Maria before the bout, the champion said “I
have to defeat Umaga on my own…because if I don’t, I don’t deserve to be Intercontinental Champion.” But that victory
wasn’t in the cards for Santino. Umaga was on the offensive from the opening bell, using his savagery and power advantage
to brutalize the Italian champion. Things looked up momentarily for Marella after Umaga ran himself into the ringpost, but
the Samoan Bulldozer quickly recovered. After dropping Marella with a vicious Samoan Drop, Umaga followed up with a nasty
Samoan Spike to get the winning pinfall. Now that Marella is no longer Intercontinental Champion, the question becomes
where does he go from here? The Italian Superstar stunned the world by winning the gold in the first place, but defeating
Umaga even once has proved to be a tough task for almost everyone who has tried it. Will Santino have to start from
scratch and work his way up the ladder again? Immediately after winning the title, whispers circulated in the locker room
that Santino didn’t even deserve to be a WWE Superstar, let alone WWE Champion. Now that he no longer has the one thing
that made him a WWE Superstar in the first place, is his job security in question? Only time will tell what the Italian
warrior’s future holds.
Women’s Champion Candice watched as Melina defeated Maria, but the big action took place after the match was over. Melina
backed Candice up to the wall, but the Women’s Champion got in the last move, knocking the bitter former champion to the
mat. In other action, Sandman took Carlito to the extreme, proudly being disqualified for using his Singapore cane against
Raw’s self-proclaimed coolest Superstar.
Randy Orton went out of his way to introduce himself to Cody Rhodes, son of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes. After
Randy told Cody he could be just like Orton in surpassing the talent of previous generations, Cody warned the Legend
Killer to stay away from his father, to which Orton responded by slapping the “American Dream” before walking away. Later
on, Dusty announced to Orton, “I want you to meet me in that ring next week,” leaving our fans to wonder and imagine what
the Hall of Famer has in store for the cocky Legend Killer.
MATCHES:
- BEAT THE CLOCK MATCH -
Randy Orton defeated Jeff Hardy
Melina defeated Maria
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Umaga
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella
becoming new champion
- BEAT THE CLOCK MATCH -
King Booker defeated Val Venis
- BEAT THE CLOCK MATCH -
Super Crazy defeated Mr. Kennedy
Carlito defeated The Sandman
via a disqualification
- BEAT THE CLOCK MATCH -
Bobby Lashley defeated Shelton Benjamin
becoming number 1 contender foir the WWE Championship
Run Time: 2:02:15
RAW
# 737
7-9-07 LIVE
Cajun Dome
Lafayette, Louisiana
With WWE Champion John Cena not in attendance at Raw, Bobby Lashley cleared a hurdle in his path to The Great American
Bash by once again getting the best of King Booker and Mr. Kennedy. Lashley and The King kicked off Raw in a one-on-one
battle, one requested by King Booker after Lashley beat his time last week to claim the WWE Championship Match at The
Great American Bash. But just when it looked like Lashley would be victorious, Mr. Kennedy hit the ring and attacked,
drawing a disqualification. Kennedy and King Booker assaulted Lashley, but were interrupted by Jonathan Coachman, who had
a little announcement: ”Lashley deserves a fighting chance, so he’s going to get it. Tonight, it will be Mr. Kennedy &
King Booker vs. Bobby Lashley and a partner of his choice. And Lashley, after the way you speared John Cena, if you can’t
find a partner, it will be a Handicap Match.” Kennedy & The King were confident that Lashley would never be able to find
someone to go to battle with him. However, much to their dismay, Jeff Hardy strutted to the ring right before the main
event, joining forces with the powerful former Army sergeant. Thanks to a little help from his friend, Lashley was
victorious at the end of Raw for the second week in a row. With Hardy and King Booker battling on the outside of the ring,
Lashley nailed Kennedy with a thunderous spear to gain the winning pinfall, spoiling The King’s earlier prophecy that he
and Kennedy would be victorious. With less than two weeks remaining until The Great American Bash, it appears as if
Lashley is on a roll. But even though Cena wasn’t in attendance (he was in Los Angeles to appear on CNN’s Larry King
Live discussing the Chris Benoit murder-suicide), he told our fans watching Raw that he would be there live next week in
Corpus Christi, Texas to deal with his challenger. “I’ll call that spear last week competitive intensity…but I’ll also
address Bobby Lashley next week,” Cena announced. “Lashley never lost the ECW Title; therefore, he feels he should still
be a champion. There are two dogs and only one championship, and at The Bash we’ll find out who the real champion is.”
Cena later added that “I’ve stood toe-to-toe with the biggest and the baddest. What’s gotten me this far is my never-say-
quit attitude and my perseverance. I look forward to my next challenge. Bobby Lashley’s got his hands full.” All is quiet
on the WWE Championship front for now, but based on the actions and words of the challenger and the champion, things may
get volatile deep in south Texas on the final Raw before The Great American Bash.
“The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes has become Randy Orton’s worst nightmare, challenging Orton to a Texas Bull Rope Match
at The Great American Bash. The cocky, third-generation Superstar accepted, and then he and Rhodes stood face-to-face in
the ring. Rhodes’ son Cody entered the ring, and delivered his own message to Randy Orton when he slapped the former World
Heavyweight Champion.
Intercontinental Champion Umaga was able to successfully defend his title against the former champion Santino Marella.
Just one week after winning the gold, the Samoan Bulldozer unleashed his fury on the challenger once again, picking up the
victory and retaining his championship.
Two other champions in action were the World Tag Team Champions – Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, who faced the Highlanders
in non-title action. Cade & Murdoch continued to fight “by the rules”, and they picked up the win over Robbie & Rory.
Since winning the titles, Cade & Murdoch have seemed to be abiding by the rules, but will this moral streak follow their
reign as champs?
Women’s Champion Candice Michelle & Mickie James came to Raw ready to face off against Melina & Jillian. After announcing
to Candice that she was invoking her rematch clause at The Great American Bash, Melina claimed injury and introduced her
replacement, close friend, Beth Phoenix. Despite the last minute change, and with Melina looking on from ringside, Candice
was able to score the pinfall on Jillian and secure the win for her team. However, after the match, Melina, Beth Phoenix &
Jillian leveled the Women’s Champion with a 3-on-1 assault until Mickie James chased them away.
Snitsky made his in-ring debut on Raw and made an immediate impact when he defeated Super Crazy. The intimidating and
powerful Snitsky came to Raw via the Draft, and he is continuing on his personal path of destruction on Monday nights.
Super Crazy’s night wasn’t over, however, as he was later attacked by Mr. Kennedy while being helped in the locker room
area.
Paul London made sure that Shelton Benjamin’s birthday was one he will never forget. London defeated the former Minnesota
Golden Gopher, forcing the overconfident Benjamin to give a birthday hug to tag team partner Charlie Haas. As the World’s
Greatest Tag Team embraced, Ron Simmons echoed the thoughts of our fans -- Damn!
William Regal was put into action against Sandman by Jonathan Coachman. With Carlito at ringside doing
commentary, Sandman took the fight to Regal. But after interference from Carlito, Sandman nailed both Regal and the
Caribbean Superstar with his Singapore cane, drawing the disqualification.
MATCHES:
Bobby Lashley defeated King Booker
via a disqualification
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Intercontinental Champion Umaga
defeated
Santino Marella
retaining the title
- NON TITLE -
World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
defeated
"The Highlanders" Rorrie & Robbie
Gene Snitsky defeated Super Crazy
Paul London defeated Shelton Benjamin
Women's Champion Candice Michelle & Mickie James
defeated
Beth Phoenix & Jillian Hall
William Regal defeated The Sandman
via a disqualification
Bobby Lashley & Jeff Hardy
defeated
King Booker & Mr. Kennedy
Run Time: 2:05:33
LARRY KING LIVE
7-9-07 LIVE
CNN Studios
Los Angeles, California
Why did wrestling star Chris Benoit kill his family then himself?
As mysteries multiply around his indicted doctor and his murdered son's health,
his closest wrestler friends try to make sense of it all.
Larry`s guests include:
John Cena, Chris Jericho, Bret Hart, Ted Dibiasi & Steve Blackman
John Cena gives the first interview since the Benoit tragedy --
he is the first Current WWE Superstar to speak outside the WWE tribute.
Comments from:
Konan, Lex Luger, Bruno Sammartino, C.M. Punk, Steve Austin & Stephanie McMahon.
Run Time: 60:00
RAW
# 738
7-16-07 LIVE
American Bank Center
Corpus Christi, Texas
Jeff Hardy is no stranger to the Intercontinental Championship. And after successfully fending off challenges from Santino
Marella, William Regal and Shelton Benjamin, he’ll have the chance to regain the title for a fourth time at The Great
American Bash. Hardy’s win in a Four Way Elimination Match secured the No. 1 contendership for the Intercontinental Title.
He’ll have the chance to take it from the man that ended his last Intercontinental reign, the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga.
After Santino Marella was eliminated by William Regal and Regal was pinned by Benjamin, Hardy countered a sunset flip
attempt with a bridge pin to catch The World’s Greatest Tag Team member by surprise and gained the three-count. It’ll make
The Great American Bash a family affair, as both Jeff and Matt Hardy will be targeting singles gold. Matt will be facing
United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter at Sunday’s event in San Jose, Calif.
WWE Champion John Cena faced off with his Great American Bash challenger, Bobby Lashley. During an interview conducted by
Jonathan Coachman, Lashley became frustrated and charged up the ramp toward Coachman, who had stripped him of the ECW
World Title on Draft night. But Cena challenged Lashley to keep his cool and stay focused on beating The Champ, or else
he’d go home from The Bash empty-handed. After turning toward the locker room, the Dominator charged toward Cena, then
scuffled with The Champ only to be broken apart by WWE officials.
Another Bash pairing that threatened to throw down early was “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes and Randy Orton. Rhodes was
at ringside for his son Cody’s Raw debut, accepting Orton’s challenge. Cody almost scored a surprising upset victory over
the former World Heavyweight Champion with a missile dropkick, but Orton recovered to kick out of the pin attempt. Orton
then countered the youngest Rhodes with a backbreaker, and took down the rookie with an RKO to score the pinfall. After
the match, Orton attempted to kick Cody in the head in a similar manner that he had done to Shawn Michaels and Rob Van
Dam, putting their careers on the shelf. But Dusty Rhodes stepped in just in time to stop Orton’s charge. The two stared
each other down as their Texas Bull Rope Match looms in just six days.
Raw started off in royal fashion as Triple H’s entrance music blared through the American Bank Center. The crowd roared in
anticipation, but it wasn’t the The Game that came to ringside. It was Raw’s regal couple, King Booker and Queen Sharmell.
Booker issued a proclamation that he alone was to be called “King” in WWE. He even issued threats to Triple H, who’s known
as the “King of Kings.” Booker called Triple H’s moniker “blasphemy.” “There’s only one king in WWE. There’s only one king
on Monday Night Raw … your foolish reign as King of Kings is over,” Booker said. But then Booker took issue with Raw
commentator and WWE Hall of Famer, Jerry “The King” Lawler. Booker asked Lawler to discontinue use of his long-time
title. Lawler, at first, refused. “I’ve been a king for over 30 years, and I don’t see why there’s not any reason we can’t
co-exist as kings,” he said. Booker replied, “There can be only one king. And it’s not Triple H, and it’s not you.” Lawler
conceded as a sign of respect, and told Booker he would not use the title anymore when referring to himself. But then
Booker asked the ring veteran to kiss his ring as a sign of the “changing of the guard.” Lawler refused, and Booker
attacked the regal legend. Lawler responded with haymakers as WWE officials swarmed in to break up the melee. The
flustered Booker left ringside threatening Lawler as the crowd chanted “Jer-ry! Jer-ry!”
Melina defeated Mickie James with her guillotine leg drop. With Women’s Champion Candice Michelle watching from ringside
and Beth Phoenix giving the paparazzi princess some outside assistance, Melina’s win served as notice that her sights are
firmly set on regaining Michelle’s title at The Bash.
Sandman and Carlito attempted to settle their budding rivalry, but their match was interrupted by William Regal, who was
seeking to exact some revenge on Sandman for the Singapore cane blow he suffered a week earlier.
Also, while being eliminated first in the Intercontinental Four Way Elimination Match, Santino Marella found comfort in
the locker room in the arms of WWE Diva, Maria, who offered to spend the night with the “Milan Miracle.”
Mr. Kennedy settled the score with Mexican luchador Super Crazy, earning a victory with a top-rope suplex. Super Crazy had
fooled Kennedy weeks earlier into thinking he’d “lie down” for a Beat The Clock Match loss to the Green Bay, Wisc.,
grappler, only to turn the tables on Kennedy to cost him a WWE Title opportunity.
Raw’s deranged giant, Snitsky, steamrolled past Val Venis for a rather easy victory. He pinned the sexy Superstar with a
pumphandle slam, then gave Venis another slam post-match for good measure.
MATCHES:
- NUMBER 1 CONTENDER`S MATCH -
( Four Way Elimination )
Jeff Hardy defeated
Shelton Benjamin, William Regal and Santino Marella
for the No. 1 contendership for the Intercontinental Title
Gene Snitsky defeated Val Venis
Randy Orton defeated Cody Rhodes
( Cody`s debut in WWE )
Melina defeated Mickie James
The Sandman defeated Carlito
via a disqualification
Mr. Kennedy defeated Super Crazy
Run Time: 2:08:24
RAW
# 739
7-23-07 LIVE
Arco Arena
Sacramento, California
Lesson No. 1 for Carlito: Watch where you spit. Learning that earlier would have saved the Caribbean Superstar a world of
hurt at the hands of the Dominator, Bobby Lashley. In what seemed to be an accident, Carlito spit a bad-tasting apple bite
right into Lashley, who was walking by in the Arco Arena hallway. As Lashley turned to confront the fruit-spewing
Superstar, Carlito ran out to the ring and begged the fuming Lashley for forgiveness. But coming off a night where he
nearly became the new WWE Champion, Lashley didn’t seem to be in a very forgiving mood. As Lashley approached, Carlito
took the first shots at the former Army sergeant, whipping the former ECW Champion into the ring steps. But using his
amazing athleticism, Lashley leaped over the stairs, and chased down Carlito. Carrying him back into the ring, Lashley
delivered a powerful Dominator to the wily Caribbean Superstar, leaving him looking up at the arena lights as the
Sacramento crowd roared in approval.
In a Champions Only Match set up by Raw Acting General Manager Jonathan Coachman, WWE Champion John Cena was able to fight
off the World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch and the Intercontinental Champion Umaga, to earn a pinfall
victory for himself and terrified teammate, Women’s Champion Candice Michelle. But with Cena down, Umaga stalked Michelle
and trapped her in a corner of the ring. With Cade and Murdoch holding the Women’s Champion down, Jeff Hardy ran in with a
steel chair and attacked Umaga, saving Michelle from certain doom.
As Hardy blasted the Samoan Bulldozer with repeated chair shots, Cena recovered to battle the “Redneck Wrecking Crew.”
Cena sent Lance Cade into the ring post, followed by his partner. The Champ then slammed Murdoch with an FU and picked up
the pinfall. As The Champ celebrated a near-impossible win, he failed to see Randy Orton standing behind him. As Cena
turned, the newly-announced No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship delivered a crushing RKO, leaving the Chain Gang
commander stunned on the mat.
Jeff Hardy defeated Mr. Kennedy in a wild match, in which Hardy fought off a costly mistake to rebound for a count-out
win. Hardy’s trademark aerial assault almost backfired as Jeff lost his balance and fell awkwardly to the mat from the top
rope, wrenching his neck. Kennedy rushed to pin the Swanton Bomber, but left Hardy’s leg under the ropes. Those extra
seconds were enough for Jeff to recover and escape the pinfall attempt. As the fight went outside the ring, the resilient
Hardy ran atop the ringside barrier to catch Kennedy with a flying clothesline. Then the two fought their way to the
stage, where Jeff threw the Green Bay gladiator into a metal wall. Sensing the referee’s count expiring, Hardy sprinted
back, sliding in under the ropes just as the referee counted to 10 to earn the win.
Cody Rhodes fell once again to Randy Orton’s RKO in a spirited, courageous battle. After the match, “The American Dream”
Dusty Rhodes came to ringside to prevent Orton from injuring his son further, delivering a bionic elbow to the cocky
third-generation Superstar. But with Dusty’s attention on his son, the snake-like Orton struck back with a vicious punt to
Dusty’s head – the same kick that shelved the careers of Shawn Michaels and Rob Van Dam. WWE officials helped stabilize
the Dream, and loaded him into an ambulance with his son at his side.
In what started as a “kingly compromise” between Raw’s resident royals, Jerry “The King” Lawler sent a fuming King Booker
scrambling to the floor after he refused to relinquish his “king” moniker. Lawler further heightened Booker’s
embarrassment by dumping a tray full of fruit onto the former World Champion. Later, Lawler accepted a challenge for a
match next week against Booker on Raw.
Maria and Mickie James teamed to score a victory over Melina and Beth Phoenix. With Maria’s beau, Santino Marella, at
ringside, Marella tripped up the paparazzi princess and her partner from the outside after he saw them double-teaming his
love interest. Unaware of her man’s interference, Maria caught the stunned Melina in a running bulldog and covered her for
the pinfall.
Carlito had much better luck before his clash with Lashley. He teamed with William Regal to defeat “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan
and Sandman. With a swift Backstabber to Duggan, the cool Caribbean picked up the pinfall, escaping just before Sandman
came swinging his Singapore cane in his direction.
The Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest Tag Team, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin scored a win over Paul London and Brian
Kendrick. After Kendrick’s tope came up empty, Haas and Benjamin double-teamed London with a leapfrog and German suplex
combination to pick up the pinfall victory.
MATCHES:
Carlito & William Regal
defeated
The Sandman & "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Maria & Mickie James
defeated
Melina & Beth Phoenix
"The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
defeated
Cody Rhodes
Jeff Hardy defeated Ken Kennedy
via a countout
"World's Greatest Tag Team"
Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
defeated
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
- CHAMPIONS ONLY MATCH -
( no disqualification )
WWE Champion John Cena & Women's Champion Candice Michelle
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Umaga
&
World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
Run Time: 2:06:09
RAW
# 740
7-30-07 LIVE
Tucson Convention Center
Tucson, Arizona
Less than four weeks away from the biggest party of the summer, SummerSlam, Superstars were already playing mind games
with each other and appeared hell-bent on sending messages throughout the locker room and all of WWE. But Cody Rhodes may
have sent the most definitive message with his first victory Monday night on Raw: I belong in WWE and I will not back down
from anything, no matter what the odds are. Cody breathed a sigh of relief and pumped his fist as he looked at the fallen
body of Daivari with his blackened eye. For two weeks, our fans – and especially Acting Raw GM Jonathan Coachman – watched
Cody valiantly try to defend the honor of his father, the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes and his family against Randy
Orton, only to fall victim to the RKO. And Cody watched in horror as Orton punted his father into oblivion – and the Dream
was taken away from the ring on a stretcher. Coachman, noting that Cody was winless in his first two matches, gave the
newcomer a simple ultimatum: win or go home. Prove that you belong in WWE and win an official spot on the Raw roster with
a victory over Daivari. The pressure on the youngest son of Dusty Rhodes was enormous. Besides having his young career
already at a critical point, his ailing father – who was at home in Austin, Texas, recovering from a severe concussion –
had to weigh on his mind. In addition, Cody may have carried some lingering guilt that he was he was responsible for his
father’s injury. However, the son of the son of a plumber showed the heart and resolve that was a hallmark in his father’s
career. He overcame his personal demons and self-doubt and managed to defeat Daivari, and showed the Raw locker room that
he had arrived.
Randy Orton, Coachman’s handpicked No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship, used Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter and Carlito
to send a loud and clear message to WWE Champion John Cena: I’m coming for your championship and your career at
SummerSlam, but before then, I’m going to make your life a living hell. On the heels of his brutal attack on the American
Dream, the third-generation Superstar laid out Cena with an RKO from behind last week, drawing the line in the proverbial
sand for their SummerSlam showdown. To further show Cena that he was serious, Orton this week struck down another WWE
legend, Sgt. Slaughter, the same way he has his other recent victims – with a vicious skull-caving boot to the head. But
Orton wasn’t finished playing with Cena as he later cost him his non-title match against Carlito. The second-generation
Caribbean Superstar wanted to prove that he deserved to be the No.1 contender by defeating Cena. Ironically, Orton helped
Carlito prove his point when he distracted Cena and left him vulnerable to the Caribbean Superstar’s Backstabber. Carlito
left Cena with chewed-up apple and spit dripping off his face. It appears that the infuriated Champ has a lot to think
about, and must be wary of Orton in the weeks leading up to SummerSlam.
Another Superstar Cena may have to worry about is Mr. Kennedy, who also wanted to be the No. 1 contender. Kennedy made
perhaps his loudest statement yet in WWE (and that’s saying something). The braggadocios Superstar, who vowed to WWE.com
over the weekend that he would somehow find a way to reclaim his top spot in WWE, was granted a request to battle Bobby
Lashley to show that he deserved to be the No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship. There was a fire in Kennedy’s booming
voice and a gleam in his eyes that few of our fans and Superstars had ever seen in the Green Bay, Wis., native. The former
Mr. Money in the Bank wanted to prove a point, and he sure did in his battle with Lashley. Kennedy did the unthinkable –
he injured the powerful former ECW Champion, who nearly ended Cena’s nearly year-long championship reign at The Great
American Bash.
Two rivals – specifically royal rivals – who failed to find a real resolution in their battle over the title “King” in WWE
were King Booker and Jerry “The King” Lawler. The time for squabbling ended Monday night on Raw as Booker and Lawler
attempted to once and for all settle the debate over who was true king of WWE in the squared circle. But alas, though
Lawler won by disqualification after Booker refused to stop punching him in the corner, Monday’s battle between these
regal rulers settled nothing. Monday night’s encounter assured only one thing: Booker and Lawler are far apart from a
diplomatic solution to their royal war.
As kings in WWE, both Booker and Lawler love law and order in their kingdoms. And so apparently, does Santino Marella – as
long as it benefits him. Last week on Raw, Marella had used questionable tactics to help his paramour, Maria, and Women’s
Champion Candice Michelle get the victory in a tag team match, but Maria made him promise never to do that again. This
week, Marella was outraged when Melina, Jillian Hall & Beth Phoenix used chicanery to defeat Maria, Candice & Mickie
James. The fiery Italian berated the referee and suggested that WWE had crooked referees, like the alleged ones in the
NBA. As Santino’s tirade continued, Intercontinental Champion Umaga – who has never forgiven or forgotten Marella’s upset
win for his championship months ago – stomped his way to the ring. The ref, against Marella’s protests, rang the bell for
an impromptu match, which the Samoan Bulldozer won in devastating fashion.
One team who looked impressive this week on Raw and may be looking to send a message in the tag team division is Cryme
Tyme. The duo from Harlem, N.Y., returned after weeks of absence with a win. As is typical Cryme Tyme style, Shad and JTG
brought a smile to our fans’ faces when they made some “money, money … yeah, yeah!” after selling one of the boots of
their hapless opponents to a member of the Raw fan nation.
MATCHES:
Melina, Jillian Hall & Beth Phoenix
defeated
Women's Champion Candice Michelle, Mickie James & Maria
- NON TITLE -
Intercontinental Champion Umaga
defeated
Santino Marella
Cody Rhodes defeated Daivari
Mr. Kennedy defeated Bobby Lashley
Jerry "The King" Lawler
defeated
King Booker
via a disqualification
"Cryme Tyme" Shag & J.T.G.
defeated
John Mason & Brandon Dentson
Randy Orton defeated Sgt. Slaughter
- NON TITLE -
Carlito defeated WWE Champion John Cena
Run Time: 2:04:50
RAW
# 741
8-6-07 LIVE
HSBC Arena
Buffalo, New York
At first, it didn’t look like a kingly battle between monarchs. It looked more like a Pier 6 brawl on Raw between WWE Hall
of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler and King Booker, both fighting for the right to be crowned by the loser next week in the
mecca of sports-entertainment, Madison Square Garden. The Memphis legend’s famous powerful punches gave the six-time World
Champion all he could handle. Unfortunately, Queen Sharmell proved to be a royal pain in Lawler’s neck, distracting The
King long enough to allow Booker to deliver his patented Scissors Kick and score the crowning pinfall. By stipulation,
Lawler will have to swallow his pride and begrudgingly place a crown upon King Booker’s head in a Royal Coronation
ceremony next Monday on Raw. Prior to the match, Booker again berated SummerSlam’s returning “King of Kings,” Triple H, as
a pretender to the throne.
Also returning was WWE’s Chairman of the Board, Mr. McMahon, who made the night a memorable one. To Acting General Manager
Jonathan Coachman’s dismay, Mr. McMahon ordered a company-wide Battle Royal to determine a new Raw commissioner, which was
won by former WWE Commissioner William Regal. Regal faked an injury to slip outside the ring early in the Battle Royal,
then snuck in as Sandman thought he won the match and clobbered the ECW Original to earn the win. Mr. McMahon
cold-comforted Coachman after the match by naming him Regal’s new Executive Assistant.
Throughout the night, Mr. McMahon launched tirades against the United States Congress, the media, his family members and
WWE Superstars who showed no sympathy for the Chairman, who admitted to faking his own death months ago to see who really
appreciated him. He swore to become a better man, and to reunite his family that had been splintered by the limo
explosion. McMahon’s psyche further splintered as he was informed that he was the subject of an Internal Revenue Service
audit. Capping off the Chairman’s night of bad karma was news of a paternity suit against him, claiming that he sired an
illegitimate child – another potential heir to the McMahon empire.
Carlito invited WWE Champion John Cena into “Carlito’s Cabana” for an interview, but The Champ took over, making the show
his own. After conducting an interview with himself and delivering a Letterman-esque Top 3 list, he pummeled the Caribbean
Superstar who defeated him the week before and spit apple chunks in his face. Cena’s SummerSlam opponent, Randy Orton,
chose the moment to try a sneak attack on The Champ, but Cena fended him off, then lifted Carlito up for the FU. New Raw
GM William Regal intervened and ordered Carlito and Orton to decide between themselves who would face Cena in Raw’s main
event. But, since Regal didn’t specify it had to be them specifically, the cunning pair chose the Intercontinental
Champion, Umaga, to face Cena in a non-title match, to the delight of the new GM. During the match between the two
champions, Orton and Carlito tried to attack Cena, but made the mistake of provoking the Samoan Bulldozer in the process,
who threw the pair from the ring. GM Regal then announced that Carlito and Orton would face Cena and Umaga in an epic
tag-team match on Raw next Monday at Madison Square Garden.
Regal’s other action for the evening was to re-create the popular American game show, The Dating Game, and live out his
childhood dream to be a game show host. WWE Diva Maria had the opportunity to choose between “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Ron
Simmons, and Santino Marella. Despite Marella’s pleadings and coercion, Maria chose Simmons to the delight of the HSBC
Arena crowd. Marella demanded that Maria come with him, but ran away scared when Umaga made his way to the ring for the
next match.
Pop star wannabe Jillian Hall defeated Mickie James with an impressive show of power. But prior to her match, Jillian Hall
mocked Raw ring announcer Lilian Garcia, who has a new album coming out this fall. Despite the crowd’s pleas to hear
Lilian preview a track from her CD, Jillian went on to give her ear-splitting rendition of a Britney Spears song, as
Lilian winced in the corner of the ring. After Hall’s win, the pop star stared down the Raw ring announcer, who stared
back uneasily from ringside.
Mr. Kennedy came to the ring to boast about his defeat of the Dominator, Bobby Lashley, who is undergoing surgery Tuesday
on his injured shoulder. He claimed that Lashley could still hear “KENNEDYYYYYYY” ringing in his ears after the loss, and
reiterated his claim that he should be the No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship.
Continuing his path of rage Monday night, Raw’s deranged giant, Snitsky, defeated Rory McAllister of The Highlanders. In
just under a minute, Snitsky pumphandle-slammed Rory to the mat and scored the pinfall.
MATCHES:
- COMPANY WIDE BATTLE ROYAL -
(winner to become new General Manager of RAW)
William Regal wins
Jillian Hall defeated Mickie James
Gene Snitsky defeated "Highlander" Rory McAllister
King Booker defeated Jerry "The King" Lawler
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Champion John Cena
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Umaga
via a disqualification
Run Time: 2:06:00
RAW
# 742
8-13-07 LIVE
Madison Square Garden
Manhattan, New York
Cody Rhodes continued to impress our fans and to make legendary papa proud in his Madison Square Garden debut Monday night
on Raw. Competing in his first match ever at The Garden, where his father Dusty Rhodes had many classic battles, Cody took
down one-half of The Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest Tag Team, Charlie Haas. It seems Jonathan Coachman’s threat three
weeks ago to kick Cody off of Raw if he failed to win has lit a fire under the young gun. As Haas’ partner, Shelton
Benjamin, watched from ringside, Rhodes showed glimpses of his father’s greatness as he was able to escape multiple near
pinfalls. After getting caught in Haas’ grasp again with seemingly little hope of escape, Rhodes executed a flawless
Reverse Cradle that flipped a stunned Haas onto his back for the three-count. After Cody’s victory, Haas’s tag-team
partner Benjamin shot into the ring to exact a measure of revenge. However, young Rhodes thought better of tangling
against the two and wisely shot through the ring ropes to fight another day. The future continues to look bright for the
son of the son of a plumber.
The night started off promising enough for Mr. McMahon despite the ongoing controversy raging over the paternity suit
alleging that he sired an illegitimate child. He entered the ring surrounded by the seemingly warm glow of dozens of WWE
Superstars, apparently there to show their support for the Chairman. Unfortunately for Mr. McMahon’s his Kumbaya moment
was short-lived. After thanking his Superstars for their encouragement, his daughter Stephanie climbed into the ring and
brought family dysfunction to a new level. She announced the shocking revelation that her father’s illegitimate child is
actually, that’s right, a WWE Superstar! Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman immediately went into detective mode,
quizzing Mr. McMahon about the dates and locations of his sexual indiscretions over the years in an attempt to narrow the
field of potential offspring. Coachman assured the Chairman that he would use all the juicy details to uncover which
Superstar was most likely the illegitimate child in time for Saturday Night’s Main Event. The answer couldn’t come soon
enough. As Coachman scribbled notes, Mr. McMahon waxed nostalgic about his decades of sexual conquests. Unfortunately for
the Chairman, his wife Linda walked up behind him as he unwittingly began to recount one sordid tale involving two
“smokin’ hot” flight attendants. After Mr. McMahon turned to find his wife glaring at him, the Missus shook her head and
promptly informed him that he no longer had a home. Ouch!
WWE Champion John Cena was forced to share a corner with unlikely tag team partner Umaga to face off against the brash
twosome of Randy Orton & Carlito. The WWE Champion, who will face Orton at SummerSlam, charged into the ring despite the
numerous land mines that awaited him. With the Samoan Bulldozer (and frequent rival) as his partner, Cena knew that things
could turn 3-on-1 ugly, and fast. But he managed to battle Orton and the Caribbean Stud for most of the match before just
barely reaching Umaga for the tag. That’s when the Samoan terror entered the ring for maximum impact, manhandling both of
his opponents by repeatedly slapping them down to the mat, eventually forcing Carlito into the crushing arms of the WWE
Champion, who took glee in slamming the apple-spewing Superstar with an FU to end the match.
In what was supposed to be King Booker’s crowning achievement, the night of his Royal Coronation, the egotistical monarch
found himself cut down to size. After having defeated Jerry “The King” Lawler last week, Booker expected to have Lawler
rest a crown atop his head. But it wasn’t meant to be. Instead, Lawler informed his bewildered opponent, and his equally
confused wife, Queen Sharmell that Raw General Manager William Regal had arranged a match at SummerSlam between King
Booker and the King of Kings, the returning Triple H. Enraged by this turn of events, the former World Champion took his
considerable anger out on Lawler, pummeling the Memphis legend with a television monitor and leaving him crumpled on the
floor to be attended to by medics.
In other Raw skirmishes, the oh-so-proud-of-himself Mr. Kennedy entered the ring and latched onto his trademark microphone
to announce his arrival in his match against Sandman only to be stopped in mid-syllable by the strains of the ECW
Original’s music. Sandman tested Kennedy, but had his hands full with the Green Bay, Wis. Grappler. Kennedy, brimming with
confidence since sidelining the mighty Bobby Lashley, rattled Sandman’s jaw with a swift kick to the face, and ultimately
rolled his opponent over for the three-count and the victory.
World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch took on their upstart rivals Cryme Tyme in a non-title match. The
entrepreneurial duo from Brooklyn pumped up the hometown crowd, even auctioning off Lilian Garcia’s seat for $1,000. The
two teams were equally matched until JTG and Shad were disqualified for grabbing the chair they had auctioned off to wield
against their opponents in the ring to combat illegal double-teaming by the rednecks.
Meanwhile, Regal continued his love affair with television game shows, this week donning a tight, black shirt in honor of
fellow Brit, Simon Cowell. Regal staged a version of WWE Idol, complete with guest judges Maria and the melodious Mick
Foley. In honor of their location near Broadway, Diva Jillian Hall showered the capacity crowd with her cringe-worthy
version of the classic “Memories.” Then, WWE Hall of Famers Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik threw their respective hats
in the ring with Volkoff crooning his native Russia’s national anthem. WWE announcer Lilian Garcia, whose new album debuts
this fall, graced the audience with her rendition of hometown favorite “New York, New York” until she was interrupted by
Santino Marella. The lovelorn Italian cut off Garcia so that he might serenade his lovely Maria with a butchered version
of “That’s Amore.” It didn’t take long for Ron Simmons to strut onto the stage to silence Marella the hard way. This
earned Simmons such gratitude from Regal that he was automatically named the winner of WWE Idol.
Snitsky, who made quick work of the Highlanders’ Rory McAllister last week, didn’t play any favorites on Monday night. The
unpredictable giant disposed Rory’s cousin Robbie just as decisively in well under a minute. The yellow-toothed ogre has
looked indestructible for months, and his victories over the formidable Highlanders only shows he is a true force to be
reckoned with.
MATCHES:
Mr. Kennedy defeated The Sandman
Cody Rhodes defeated Charlie Haas
Snitsky defeated Robbie McAllister
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
defeated
"Cryme Tyme" Shag & J.T.G.
via a disqualification
John Cena & Umaga
defeated
Randy Orton & Carlito
Run Time: 2:07:07
RAW
# 743
8-20-07 LIVE
Crown Coliseum
Fayetteville, North Carolina
King Booker wanted a royal coronation, and he got one. And the “gracious” king that he is, he even gave our fans
Triple H. Or so it appeared. King Booker called out his SummerSlam opponent, The King of Kings, Triple H. He ordered The
Game to come to the ring and crown King Booker the one, true king of WWE. And the Carolina fans got The Game. That is, if
Triple H was left in a clothes dryer way too long during his absence. Sporting a crown, animal skins, a fake nose and long
blond wig, a very undersized imposter posing as the 10-time World Champion came out to The Game’s theme music, and crowned
the 2006 King of the Ring tournament winner. The imposter then bowed at King Booker and Queen Sharmell’s feet, to the
delight of the royal couple. As the crowd booed the charade, King Booker promised that Triple H’s return at the Biggest
Party of the Summer would be a fruitful one for him and Sharmell. “I, King Booker, the one true king, will make you bow
down,” Booker proclaimed to the imposter. King Booker’s attention then turned toward the announcers’ desk, and Jerry “The
King” Lawler’s longtime broadcast colleague, Jim Ross. Lawler was conspicuous by his absence; he was home nursing the
injuries he has received from King Booker after he refused to officially crown him king on Raw last week at New York
City’s Madison Square Garden. Booker demanded that Ross apologize for the negative remarks he made about the monarch after
the beating. When Ross refused twice, Sharmell jumped on his back, forcing the commentator’s head into Booker’s ring. The
Oklahoman had fierce words for King Booker after the incident. “It’s Game on, my friend … Game on at SummerSlam for you,”
J.R. proclaimed.
Congratulations, Mr. McMahon. Your illegitimate child is a boy. The illegitimate fruit of your loins among WWE Superstars
is not a Diva. The Chairman seemed relieved and his chest appeared to swell with pride when he shared the news with our
fans at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, N.C. Up until that point, his quest to uncover the identity of the WWE
Superstar who is his love child had made little progress. Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman had shown Mr. McMahon
Superstars he believed stood the best chance of being his illegitimate child, and he had rejected almost all of them. But
on Monday Night Raw, the Chairman announced that progress had been made and that the Divas on the roster could be
eliminated as potential lost McMahons. And it was a good thing, too. Given all the current Divas the Chairman has had
rendezvous with or lusted after, learning that one of them could be his long-lost daughter would have been horrifying for
everyone involved. Just remember the look on Mr. McMahon and Melina’s face on Saturday Night’s Main Event when the Coach
presented her as a potential illegitimate McMahon. So, with one gender out of the equation, the billionaire has surveyed
the Raw locker room and sized up the male Superstars. His beady eyes squinted as he examined Randy Orton closely. Orton is
a third-generation Superstar who has been recognized as the son of WWE Hall of Famer Bob Orton, Jr. and the grandson of
Bob Orton, Sr. But the Chairman noted that the Legend Killer had many of the same characteristics that he hoped his
illegitimate son would have. “I would hope my son would have many of the traits that you have, Randy,” he said. “I would
be proud to call you my son. … I would hope that my illegitimate child is not like my other two children, Shane and
Stephanie. It’s all about the money – it’s all about the MON-AY – with those two. I would hope that my son would be
magnanimous, would give back.” One-by-one, the Chairman surmised the WWE Superstars who could be his son. WWE Champion
John Cena? No way. Too gutteral and grassroots, according to Mr. Mc Mahon. Daivari? Nah! Val Venis? The former adult film
star’s sexual appetite and confidence rivals the Chairman’s. Mr. Kennedy? He walks with a swagger. He doesn’t seem to fear
anyone. He's a competitor. The Green Bay, Wis., native will kick you’re a**, and give you a play-by-play account of your
own beating while he’s doing it. And his last name is Kennedy. Mr. McMahon almost looked like he was staring into the
mirror when he looked into the former Mr. Money in the Bank’s eyes. Hmmmm… What does Shane McMahon have to say about all
of this? The Chairman has expressed dismay that Shane was missing in action at “Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night” a few
months ago. He has also expressed disappointment in Shane and blamed him for several embarrassing moments over the past
year, including getting his head shaved bald at WrestleMania 23 after the Battle of the Billionaires. One thing is
certain: Mr. McMahon desperately wants to find out which WWE Superstar is his illegitimate offspring. He will be
relentless in his mission to bring the long-lost, prodigal McMahon son back home. The Chairman will continue his search on
ECW on Tuesday night.
Mr. McMahon hopes that his illegitimate son has the characteristics of certain Superstars, but WWE Champion John Cena is
not one of them. He earned The Champ’s wrath when he told Cena he may have slept with his mother. When Cena slapped Mr.
McMahon to the mat, the Chairman responded by making him face the undefeated Snitsky in the night’s main event. The
deranged giant promised the Chairman that he would make Cena feel true pain, but The Champ fought valiantly. As Cena
looked to deliver the FU to Snitsky, Orton ran into the ring and RKO’d Cena. Then, as Cena staggered to his feet, Orton
blasted The Champ with yet another RKO. The Legend Killer picked up the WWE Championship, and glared down at his
unconscious SummerSlam foe. Was this a sign of what awaits Cena at SummerSlam?
In a match to determine the Intercontinental Champion Umaga’s opponent for SummerSlam, Carlito and Kennedy faced each
other after the Green Bay gladiator interrupted “Carlito’s Cabana,” with the Samoan Bulldozer. After a superplex, both
competitors’ shoulders were on the mat when the referee made the three-count, forcing him to rule the match a draw. Raw GM
William Regal immediately made the Intercontinental Championship Match at SummerSlam a Triple Threat Match. Both Kennedy
and Carlito argued in the ring after the announcement.
The World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch were upset by high-flyers Paul London & Brian Kendrick in
non-title action. As the boys from Brooklyn, N.Y., Cryme Tyme, came down to ringside and tried to auction off Murdoch’s
trucker cap, the distraction caused enough confusion for the champions to allow Kendrick to snare Cade in a crucifix to
earn the three-count. Meanwhile, Murdoch needs a new cap. One lucky fan bought it for just $2.
The current Women’s Champion Candice Michelle teamed with Mickie James to defeat Melina & Beth Phoenix in tag-team action.
Coming off the announcement of a tri-branded Divas Battle Royal by Regal and a guaranteed title opportunity for the
winner, Mickie threw Candice from the ring after the match. Then Melina attacked James and tossed her out to the ringside
mat. Finally, Beth Phoenix threw Melina over the top rope to the floor, showing that there will be no friends, only foes,
at SummerSlam.
Cody Rhodes continued his winning ways after he converted a Boston Crab attempt by Shelton Benjamin into a small package
to gain a pinfall over the Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest Tag Team member. After the loss, Benjamin and his partner,
Charlie Haas, attacked the young Superstar.
Maria finally went out on the date with Ron Simmons that she won on The Dating Game two weeks ago. But jealous boyfriend
Santino Marella interfered and brought Jillian Hall to the local restaurant as his own date. For his efforts, the
increasingly braggadocios Italian got food tossed on his lap.
MATCHES:
Women’s Champion Candice Michelle and Mickie James
defeated
Melina and Beth Phoenix
Cody Rhodes defeated Shelton Benjamin
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Brian Kendrick & Paul London
defeated
World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
- NUMBER 1 CONTENDERSHIP MATCH -
Carlito vs Mr. Kennedy
ended in a draw
- NON TITLE MATCH -
John Cena defeated Gene Snitsky
via a disqualification
Run Time: 2:04:34
RAW
# 744
8-27-07 LIVE
T.D. Banknorth Garden
Boston, Massachusettes
After being dealt a loss at SummerSlam during his Triple Threat Match against Carlito and defending champion Umaga for the
Intercontinental Championship, Mr. Kennedy was looking to take his frustration out on his Monday Night Raw opponent, Jeff
Hardy. But the rainbow-haired warrior had other ideas. In a battle of brute force versus high-flying aerial assaults, the
two men went back and forth, heaving each other from the ring before an exhausted Mr. Kennedy rolled onto Hardy for the
pin. Suddenly, though, ominous drumbeats filled TD Banknorth Garden to announce the arrival of the Samoan Bulldozer. Umaga
trudged to the ring and showed why he’s as unpredictable as he is intimidating. While Kennedy slithered from the squared
circle, Umaga unexpectedly helped Hardy to his feet before not-so-suddenly knocking him senseless with a kick to the jaw.
An instant later the high-flyer would be struck in the throat with a Samoan Spike that left him splayed on the mat and
Umaga celebrating his own brutality.
Beth Phoenix continues to offer Women’s Champion Candice Michelle a preview of what might come in their eventual
encounter. In a bout with Maria, the Glamazon didn’t even wait for the bell to start the match before slapping her fellow
Diva around. And despite protests from the referee, the No. 1 contender for the Women’s Championship hoisted Maria over
her head and paraded around the ring before slamming her to the mat. Smiling at her handy work, Phoenix finally took her
leave, with Maria’s crumpled body lying in her wake.
Cody Rhodes joined with Paul London & Brian Kendrick to challenge Daivari and the Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest Tag
Team of Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas. London & Kendrick subdued Benjamin & Haas with their aerial wizardry, allowing
Rhodes to get the pin on Daivari. After the match, an enraged Daivari railed against the crowd in Farsi before Cryme Tyme
made the scene to shut him down. “No one understands that ying-yang,” Shad told Daivari before the pair ripped the
Arab-American’s head piece off for one of their now infamous auctions. After pocketing $5, Cryme Tyme were confronted by
World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch. As the redneck ruffians entered the ring and challenged Cryme Tyme,
the wily Brooklyn duo instead made off with Cade’s cowboy hat and bolted for the audience. But rather than auctioning off
the cap, they offered it up to the capacity crowd for free.
MATCHES:
Jeff Hardy defeated Mr. Kennedy
via a disqualification
Cody Rhodes with Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
Daivari with Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
Beth Phoenix vs Maria
ended in a no contest
- NON TITLE MATCH -
John Cena defeated Kng Booker
via a disqualification
Run Time: 1:59:55
RAW
# 745
9-3-07 Taped 9-2-07
Nationwide Arena
Columbus, Ohio
Triple H showed Umaga’s bloody skull for everyone – especially Carlito – to see. In his first match on Raw this year on
Monday night, The Game dispelled any doubt that he was truly back when he pulled off a feat no other Superstar had been
able to accomplish. He bloodied and appeared to severely injure Umaga with his sledgehammer after the Samoan Bulldozer and
Carlito attempted to brutalize him in a Handicap Match. Triple H was originally scheduled to face Carlito in one-on-one
competition after he had humiliated the Caribbean Bad Apple on Raw last week. However, a vindictive Mr. McMahon changed
the bout into a Handicap Match. At first, it seemed the Samoan Bulldozer and Carlito would overwhelm the 10-time World
Champion, but he evened the odds with his trusty sledgehammer. The King of Kings proved not only that he’s out for blood,
but that any opponent who thinks otherwise does so at their own peril. Beware Carlito.
Jeff Hardy winced and took a deep breath as he hoisted the Intercontinental Championship high for his adoring,
screaming fans. Their cheers rattled the rafters at Nationwide Arena. “The Rainbow-haired Warrior” had finally done it.
After months of falling just short, Jeff removed the rather humongous albatross known as Umaga from around his neck and
reclaimed the Intercontinental Championship Monday night on Raw. Jeff’s victory Monday marked the fourth time he had won
the Intercontinental Championship – and it was perhaps his sweetest. He lost the Intercontinental Championship to Umaga
back in February, and had been trying to avenge that loss for almost seven long months. The two Superstars had battled
across the globe, and at times, the savage Samoan Bulldozer ravaged and seemed to overwhelm Jeff. The death-defying
high-flyer even confessed to WWE.com at one point that battling Umaga was like being “in a bad dream.” But Jeff seemed to
gain more confidence with each match against Umaga. Our fans gasped when he came within a millisecond of defeating the
Samoan Bulldozer at The Great American Bash in July. And Jeff subsequently amazed onlookers when he attacked Umaga with a
chair, showing the monster that he was not afraid of him and would not let his quest to reclaim his Intercontinental
Championship die. Still, Umaga showed Jeff and all of WWE Monday night why he has been a dominant and feared
Intercontinental Champion. At times, the often-primeval gladiator controlled and grounded Jeff with nerve holds and used
his 348-pound frame to target Jeff’s back and crush Jeff’s ribs, especially with a swinging side-slam at one point. The
Cameron, N.C., native’s body was limp as Umaga snarled at him and stalked him. Jeff had been in this position before. He
knew it all too well. In previous encounters, the Samoan Bulldozer had ultimately devoured his prey. But Jeff would not be
denied Monday night. With fans in the Nationwide Arena cheering “Hardy! Hardy!” Jeff found a way to fight back and avoid
defeat. Umaga’s demise came when he took a page out of Jeff’s playbook and climbed the top rope. Jeff lunged at the top
rope, causing Umaga to impale himself in the groin first. With the monster crumpled on the mat, the younger Hardy brother
seized the moment and covered him for the three-count. Jeff’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief as Lilian Garcia
announced, “The winner of the match and new Intercontinental Champion, Jeff Hardy!” Jeff limped up the ramp and looked at
his newly-won gold and soaked in our fans’ cheers. An enraged Umaga threw a great big Samoan fit, throwing around the ring
steps as onlookers at ringside backed away. While Jeff had exorcised his demon, Umaga now had to deal with his own.
Mr. Kennedy interrupted Mr. McMahon as he attempted to make amends with his family, Linda, Shane and Stephanie. Kennedy
claimed to be the Chairman’s illegitimate son, but a lawyer for the mystery woman who filed a paternity suit against Mr.
McMahon said DNA tests showed the loudmouthed Superstar was not the child. The identity of the bastard Superstar will be
revealed next week on Raw, but the lawyer did drop a clue by saying, “Things are looking up.”
Raw General Manager William Regal found out the hard way that Randy Orton’s despicable attack on John Cena’s father may
have created a monster. After Regal arranged a title rematch between the WWE Champion and the Legend Killer at Unforgiven,
an intense Cena marched into the ring and locked him in a STFU for several minutes.
Glamazon Beth Phoenix continued her Diva dominance by woman-handling Maria for a second week in a row and informing our
fans that she plans to cash in her opportunity to challenge Candice Michelle for the WWE Women’s Championship at
Unforgiven.
Santino Marella accompanied Maria to the ring prior to her match, but insulted our fans and Sandman with his
holier-than-thou attitude and obnoxious commentary. Sandman caned Santino over the head and embarrassed him in front of
his “girlfriend.”
The aerial acrobatics of Paul London & Brian Kendrick proved to be enough to defeat the Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest
Tag Team of Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin. As a result, London & Kendrick are the new No. 1 contenders to the World Tag
Team Championship, and will challenge Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch at Unforgiven.
In a Mixed Tag Team Match, Cody Rhodes teamed up with Mickie James to defeat the odd, singing duo of Jillian Hall &
Daivari.
MATCHES:
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Jeff Hardy defeated Umaga
becoming new Intercontinental champion
Beth Phoenix defeated Maria
- WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP #1 CONTENDER`S MATCH -
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
"The World`s Greatest Tag Team" Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
Cody Rhodes & Mickie James
defeated
Daivari & Jillian Hall
- HANDICAP MATCH -
Triple H
defeated
Carlito & Umaga
Run Time: 2:07:44
RAW
# 746
9-10-07 Live
Resch Center
Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Great Khali normally has a firm hold on SmackDown. But on the road to Unforgiven, the World Heavyweight Champion’s
Vise Grip reached across the airwaves and took hold of Raw. After Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy celebrated the fact
he wasn’t Mr. McMahon’s bastard son, the Chairman placed him in a match against The Great Khali. The Punjabi Giant was
visiting Raw claiming to be McMahon’s child. In their match, Khali caught “The Rainbow-haired Warrior” in his crushing
Vise Grip. Hardy tried to fight free, but passed out from the pressure. Khali nonchalantly covered him with a foot for the
pinfall victory. However, as Khali celebrated, Batista rushed the ring and speared the colossus, who then rolled out of
the ring. The Animal stood on the turnbuckle pointing and yelling at the champion, motioning around his waist. The two
will square off for the first time ever on broadcast TV on SmackDown this Friday night before their Triple Threat Match
for the World Heavyweight Championship at Unforgiven.
While many male Superstars prayed they were Mr. McMahon’s illegitimate child in Green Bay (and some prayed they weren’t),
word finally came down from Mr. Johnson, the attorney for the mother of McMahon’s bastard son. After a lengthy process of
elimination, the privileged son of the son-of-a-gun Chairman was revealed to be … Hornswoggle!
Despite being banned from the Resch Arena by Acting General Manager Jonathan Coachman, WWE Champion John Cena found a way
inside the building and attacked his Unforgiven opponent Randy Orton, who attacked Cena’s father two weeks prior. Consumed
with rage over the attack on his family, Cena tried to chase Orton, but security intervened to keep the rivals apart. As
Cena was escorted from the arena, he told Mr. McMahon that Orton's blood “will run with fear” and the Legend Killer would
feel pain and vengeance in his bones.
After a whirlwind tour in South Africa that saw the World Tag Team Titles change hands twice this past week, Paul London
was able to defeat one-half of the current champions, Lance Cade, in singles action. While the referee was distracted by
Cade’s partner Trevor Murdoch, London’s partner Brian Kendrick surprised Cade with a top-rope reverse bulldog. London
landed a somersault splash onto Cade and scored the pinfall, enraging the sportsmanship-touting, blue-collar duo. The two
rival teams will face off for the World Tag Team Championship at Unforgiven in just six days.
Acting GM Coachman gave Carlito the choice of Triple H’s Raw opponent, and the crafty Caribbean chose former
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin. But The Game was still able to defeat Benjamin with a Pedigree. Carlito tried
to hit Triple H with a chair after the win, but the 10-time World Champion dodged it, sending Carlito scurrying for safer
ground. Coachman announced that Mr. McMahon had decided to change the pair’s Unforgiven matchup into a No Disqualification
Match for Carlito only, which means any weapon is legal for the islander, but not for The Game.
What started as a Mickie James victory over Jillian Hall turned ugly as the No. 1 contender for the Women’s Championship,
Beth Phoenix, leveled both Hall and James after their match. Women’s Champion Candice Michelle courageously left the
announcers’ table to confront her Unforgiven opponent, but received a powerful slam for her trouble. Can Candice find a
way to counter Phoenix’s strength advantage in six days, or will we see a new champion on Sunday, Sept. 16, at Unforgiven?
Santino Marella lost via disqualification against Sandman, who caned him a week earlier. After the match, as Ron Simmons
and Maria talked about Santino’s change of attitude, Marella attacked Simmons from behind, then walked off with a very
disturbed and shocked Diva.
MATCHES:
Paul London defeated Lance Cade
Triple H defeated Shelton Benjamin
Mickie James defeated Jillian Hall
The Sandman defeated Santino Marella
via a disqualification
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali
defeated
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
Run Time: 2:04:57
RAW
# 747
9-17-07 Live
Fed Ex Forum
Memphis, Tennessee
Mount. St. Glamazon is ready to erupt. After dominating the Women’s Champion Candice Michelle at Unforgiven, Beth Phoenix
thought she should be wearing the gold as top Diva. But Candice caught the towering Phoenix in a crucifix, and scored a
surprising pinfall. The menacing Glamazon stood at ringside on Raw, staring down her Unforgiven opponent in Nashville as
she competed in tag team action. After Candice and Mickie James defeated Melina and Jillian Hall, the Glamazon took the
Women’s Championship into the ring and placed it on the champion’s shoulder. Then, Beth slapped the gold forcefully,
perhaps as a warning to the Women’s Champion that she’s not settling for second best. Beth locked eyes with Candice as she
left the ring. Both elite Divas know that they may cross paths for the championship again, perhaps sooner than later.
Still suffering from the ill-effects of The Great Khali’s crushing Vise Grip a week ago, Jeff Hardy successfully defended
his Intercontinental Championship against former three-time champion Shelton Benjamin. As Benjamin tried to snatch and
throw Hardy from the top turnbuckle, Hardy blocked the attempt and pushed Benjamin down to the canvas. The “Rainbow-haired
Warrior” hit his patented Swanton Bomb and earned the hard-fought three-count.
Ring veteran “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan defeated Daivari in a classic WWE match – a Flag Match. With the flags of the USA and
Iran above the corner posts, Duggan was able to send the Arab grappler to the floor and get to the Stars and Stripes first
to earn the victory.
Whenever John Cena’s father sees his son, he sees an 8-year-old boy who used to make his own championships out of
cardboard and dream of being WWE Champion someday. More than anyone, Mr. Cena knows what the WWE Championship means to his
son, and how hard he has worked for it. That’s why he didn’t hesitate to voluntarily put himself in harm’s way Monday
night on Raw and face the much younger, stronger and vicious Randy Orton in a match. Mr. Cena didn’t care about putting
his body on the line; he just didn’t want Acting Raw GM Jonathan Coachman to strip his son of the WWE Championship,
especially on the one-year anniversary of his title reign. When you look at Mr. Cena, you see where The Champ gets his
fearlessness and no quit-no surrender attitude. The elder Cena never even told his son that he had talked to Coachman and
volunteered to face Orton. The Champ found out when Coachman informed him before our fans at the Sommet Center at the
beginning of Raw. Based on Mr. Cena’s attack on Orton Sunday night at Unforgiven, Coachman told The Champ that he had
grounds to strip him of the WWE Championship. When the Legend Killer grabbed the elder Cena out of his ringside seat and
prepared to re-enact his previous attack where he gave him a concussion, the WWE Champion pounced and locked Orton in an
STFU. Cena’s father then gave Orton a dose of his own medicine by punting him in the skull. An outraged Coachman
immediately signed Orton and Cena to a rematch for the title at No Mercy on Oct. 7, but it will be a Last Man Standing
Match. The Acting Raw GM also wanted The Champ to pay for his dad's involvement at Unforgiven, even though Mr. Cena was
provoked by Orton. So, Mr. Cena decided he would sacrifice himself to save his son’s championship. John Cena pleaded with
his father not to go through with the match. Without doubt, he still had images of Orton attacking his father several
weeks ago in his head, and feared what he would do to his dad in the ring. “I won’t let you wrestle,” Cena said. “You
don't understand. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I'm wrestling tonight,” Cena’s dad said stubbornly. “That WWE
Championship means everything to you, and I'm not going to let Jonathan Coachman take it away from you.” The Champ even
attempted to make his father’s decision null and void. Coach agreed, and put Cena in a match where if he won, the battle
between his father and Orton would be called off. Cena bested a driven Santino Marella, who was trying to impress his
estranged girlfriend Maria. But the victory came by disqualification after Orton interfered and left Cena stunned and
handcuffed to the ring ropes. A vindictive Coach then informed Cena about the convenient small print in his agreement with
The Champ – he had to win the match by pinfall or submission. It appears there may have been some collusion between Orton
and Coach. It seemed that Cena never had a real chance of keeping his dad out of the match. The Legend Killer’s sadism
reached new heights as he tortured Mr. Cena and made his son watch. The Champ’s face trembled in red rage as Orton
punished his father. He frantically tugged and scratched at the ring ropes and handcuffs. Cody Rhodes, whose own father
Dusty Rhodes was punted in the head by Orton months ago, tried to help The Champ, but was thwarted by Orton. His eyes
seething with a cold fury, the Legend Killer flattened Mr. Cena with a vicious RKO. Orton was determined to exact revenge
on Mr. Cena, and make The Champ feel like his dad’s blood was on his hands. But the WWE Champion somehow managed to free
himself by tearing off the bottom turnbuckle to try and save his father from a further beating. The Champ stared a hole
into Orton as he and WWE officials tended to his dad. Mr. Cena has never wanted to be a liability to his son. But Orton is
using him as a tool in his ever-escalating personal quest to dethrone John Cena. And only one man will be left standing as
WWE Champion after Cena and Orton battle Oct. 7 at No Mercy.
As Peanuts’ resident philosopher Charlie Brown once lamented, “Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like
unrequited love.” It’s a sad sentiment Hornswoggle is becoming all too acquainted with. Despite his best efforts, the
illegitimate son of Mr. McMahon just can’t seem to make a dent in the Chairman’s cold, steel heart. The leprechaun felt
the chill of rejection early on Monday night when Mr. McMahon, who had given Hornswoggle a lift to the Sommet Center,
kicked him out of his limousine. Later, the Chairman summoned him to the ring. An excited Hornswoggle arrived to find his
father equipped with a set of adoption papers. The Chairman then welcomed the Koskeys, a couple who appeared to be in
their 40s and who swooned over Hornswoggle. They claimed they couldn’t wait to adopt the “beautiful” little guy and make
him part of their family. But Hornswoggle was not at all impressed. Devastated at the thought of abandonment by Mr.
McMahon, Hornswoggle lashed out at his potential adoptive parents, pulling Mr. Koskey’s pants down and sinking his teeth
into Mrs. Koskey’s rear. Once the commotion had settled, though, the couple fled, making it clear that they would not take
Hornswoggle off Mr. McMahon’s hands. “You stay the hell away from me!” Mr. McMahon snarled. “I’m embarrassed that I
created you!” A dejected Hornswoggle bowed his head and moped out of the ring. He wiped tears from his face as the
Chairman then directed his venom at the audience for their perceived lack of empathy. But just as his tirade reached a
fevered pitch, Triple H’s entrance music enveloped the arena. The Cerebral Assassin, who laughed heartily last week at the
revelation of Hornswoggle as the Chairman’s little bastard, taunted Mr. McMahon repeatedly. “Did you actually do
[Hornswoggle’s mom] on the yellow brick road?” asked Triple H, “or did you take her back to Smurf village?” However, Mr.
McMahon attempted to make The Game pay for his taunts. As punishment, the Chairman arranged a Handicap Match that night
between Triple H and World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch. As Mr. McMahon left the Sommet Center and
slipped inside his limousine, he had one more surprise awaiting him. As the limo pulled away, Hornswoggle popped out of
the trunk and stowed away along with his unsuspecting father. While Hornswoggle’s feelings of affection appear heartfelt,
they did little to penetrate through Mr. McMahon’s heart of darkness. Will the Chairman ever warm up to his newfound son?
Or will he constantly be at odds with the leprechaun?
The rivalry between Triple H and Carlito will not die. After defeating Carlito at Unforgiven, The Game thought he had put
the Caribbean Bad Apple behind him. But Carlito believed he was cheated and ambushed by The Game during his Handicap Match
against the World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch on Raw. Triple H still remained a step ahead of Carlito,
giving him a spinebuster for his efforts after Paul London & Brian Kendrick helped even the odds. After Carlito made his
escape, Triple H took out his anger on the former World Tag Team Champions, giving them each a Pedigree. He sent a message
to Carlito – he is unpredictable and will take out both friend and foe to show his supremacy in WWE. To settle this score
once and for all between Triple H and Carlito, Raw General Manager Jonathan Coachman has slated both to face each other in
a Steel Cage Match next week on Raw. With 15-foot-high steel walls enclosing the two and preventing outside interference,
can the former Intercontinental Champion finally outwit the Cerebral Assassin and score a victory over the 10-time World
Champion?
MATCHES:
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Jeff Hardy
defeated
Shelton Benjamin
retaining the title
- FLAG MATCH -
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan defeated Daivari
Women's Champion Candice Michelle & Mickie James
defeated
Melina and Jillian Hall
- HANDICAP MATCH -
Triple H
defeated
World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
via a disqualification
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Champion John Cena
defeated
Santino Marella
via a disqualification
Randy Orton
defeated
Mr. Cena
via a disqualification
Run Time: 2:05:27
RAW
# 748
9-24-07 Live
Bradley Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
After five months off with a broken arm, Hardcore Holly was ready to make his mark in the ring. And in a town famous for
its beer, trouble was brewing for Cody Rhodes at the hands of the returning ring veteran. As punishment for disobeying
Acting General Manager Jonathan Coachman and attacking Randy Orton last week on Raw, Rhodes faced the returning former
six-time Hardcore Champion in his first match back. Holly chided Rhodes in the ring before their match. “With a name like
that, you should be in a boy band and not in a wrestling ring,” Holly said. “You don’t get my respect based on your name.
If you want my respect, you need to earn it.” The young Rhodes didn’t back down from the returning veteran, pelting him
with punches and dropkicks. But Holly was able to dodge Rhodes’ springboard plancha attempt, then finish him off with a
powerful Alabama Slam. With an impressive return, Holly put the Raw locker room on notice that he’s back and better than
ever.
Paul London & Brian Kendrick knew that a victory over World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade &Trevor Murdoch in a non-title
contest would ensure them a title match next week on Raw. As Kendrick had Murdoch covered for the pinfall, The Highlanders
came in and beat down Kendrick & London, causing a disqualification. The Scottish cousins were upset that they weren’t
granted a title opportunity, and wanted to thwart London & Kendrick’s chance for yet another title match.
Santino Marella and Ron Simmons squared off in an attempt to settle their recent rivalry over Santino’s girlfriend, Maria.
But after taking a pummeling from the former three-time World Tag Team Champion, Marella fled. Maria implored Marella to
return to the ring, but Marella took Maria’s arm and led her away, conceding the “damn” count-out to Simmons.
Beth Phoenix continued to show her dominance over Raw Divas and put Women’s Champion Candice Michelle on notice when she
and Shelton Benjamin defeated the championship pair of Women’s Champion Candice Michelle & Intercontinental Champion Jeff
Hardy. As the men battled outside the ring, the Glamazon hit a distracted Candice from behind, and then flattened her with
powerful cradle suplex to pick up the pinfall.
All week, Triple H had planned to settle the score between him and Carlito in the 15-foot-high steel cage on Raw. He
dreamt of ways to turn the Caribbean Bad Apple into applesauce. But an old rival reared his head to foil The Game’s plans,
and put the first blemish on Triple H’s record since he returned at SummerSlam – Mr. McMahon. Mr. McMahon promised on Raw
that he would hurt Triple H where it mattered most to him – in the win-loss column – for the stinging humiliation he had
put the Chairman through over his bastard son, Hornswoggle. He announced that he, the Chairman himself, was going to team
with Carlito in a Handicap Steel Cage Match against The Cerebral Assassin, and he guaranteed that he would make Triple H a
loser in the Bradley Center. McMahon made good on his promise. With Carlito running interference on The Game, Triple H
struggled throughout the match to keep his eyes on the Chairman, who repeatedly tried climbing out of the cage. As Triple
H tried to Pedigree the Chairman, Carlito delivered a crushing Backstabber to The Game’s spine. Carlito tied up Triple H
in the corner, allowing the Chairman to climb over the cage in the opposite corner. Despite The Game’s efforts to pull
McMahon back into the cage, the Chairman was able to slip his grasp, falling to the arena floor for the win. The Chairman
pointed at The Cerebral Assassin, laughing at him mockingly. He had outsmarted one of the best ring strategists in WWE.
But what wasn’t in the plan was Carlito’s escape from the cage. “You wanna play, Vince?,” The Game screamed at the
Chairman, who watched from the safety of the aisleway. Triple H then bounced Carlito from cage wall to wall until he was a
cracked, bloody apple. The Game then sent a clear message to the Chairman when he Pedigreed the Bad Apple on a steel
chair. As The Game grumbled over his loss, McMahon boasted that he had made the 10-time World Champion a “big looooser.”
“I’ve got his number, and he knows it … the advantage is on my side,” McMahon told Acting Raw General Manager Jonathan
Coachman. But the Chairman couldn’t pack his bags quick enough when Coach told him The Game was on the prowl at the
Bradley Center. Triple H found Mr. McMahon just before he was able to escape his dressing room. “How about next week, you
and me, one-on-one, right here on Raw. Put your billion dollars where your mouth is,” Triple H said. “Unless you’re
scared…?” “You’re on,” the Chairman reluctantly accepted. Triple H grinned, staring a hole through the billionaire. “And
you’re screwed,” he promised.
Hornswoggle might not possess the height of Mr. McMahon, but he’s proving every inch as resourceful. While the Chairman
has made a career and built a sports-entertainment dynasty by tearing down those who disagree with his ruthless and
underhanded tactics, Hornswoggle has drawn on only his ingenuity to retaliate against his enemies. Case in point: On
Monday night, Mr. McMahon himself summoned the lusty leprechaun to the ring and told him many of the WWE Divas were dying
to get to know him better after learning that he was a McMahon. “Being a McMahon means having the power to make
decisions,” the Chairman told his son. One decision the little guy had no trouble making was to get his shamrocks off when
Melina joined him in the squared circle and suggested that they get better acquainted. Unfortunately for Hornswoggle,
Melina’s interest was purely self-serving. The former Women’s Champion and Raw Acting General Manager Jonathan Coachman
had earlier reached an agreement that she would go out with Hornswoggle and callously dump him afterward in exchange for
an opportunity at the title. “I can’t believe he touched me with his grimy, little paws,” she told Jillian. “I don’t even
think 15 showers are going to get this funk off.” Melina may think twice the next time she takes a shower – or work harder
to clean off the leprechaun funk. The Cruiserweight Champion got a look at her lucky charms as she showered, sending her
fleeing the locker room in only a towel. Just as she exited, he snatched the towel and left the Diva scampering away in
the buff. Showing equal parts creativity and cleverness, Hornswoggle next put Coachman in the crosshairs. As the Acting GM
prepared to strip John Cena of the WWE Championship, Raw announcer Lilian Garcia interrupted him to announce that Mr.
McMahon had ordered a Table Match between him and The Champ. Despite Coachman’s protest, Cena slammed him through a table
using a FU. After the match, Cena grabbed the mic to thank Mr. McMahon for the opportunity… Hornswoggle McMahon that is.
Hornswoggle looked upon the aftermath of his decision with a McMahonian glint in his eye. It was a firm reminder that
while the little guy looks to be branching out, his tactics are still firmly rooted in the McMahon family tree.
MATCHES:
Hardcore Holly defeated Cody Rhodes
Ron Simmons defeated Santino Marella
via a count out
- HANDICAP STEEL CAGE MATCH -
Mr. McMahon & Carlito defeated Triple H
via Mr. McMahon escaping the cage
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
World Tag Team Champions
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
via a disqualification
- MIXED TAG TEAM MATCH -
Beth Phoenix & Shelton Benjamin
defeated
Women's Champion Candice Michelle
&
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
- NON TITLE TABLES MATCH -
WWE Champion John Cena
defeated
Jonathan Coachman
Run Time: 2:06:19
RAW
# 749
10-1-07 Live
Quicken Loans Arena
Cleveland, Ohio
Women’s Champion Candice Michelle continues to ruffle the feathers of rival Beth Phoenix. When it was announced that the
two Divas will once again face off for the title at No Mercy, the Glamazon came to the ring to educate our fans. “Being a
Glamazon means I’m just as beautiful as I am dangerous,” Phoenix told the audience. As if to prove it, she bullied
announcer Lilian Garcia into the ring where Garcia pronounced her the new Women’s Champion even before the title match had
taken place. Garcia, who has a new album coming out next Tuesday, was understandably reluctant. That reticence didn’t go
over quite so well with the Glamazon, who questioned how effective Garcia would be promoting her new album with a “crushed
throat.” Just as Phoenix constricted her python grip around Garcia’s delicate neck, Candice Michelle stormed the ring and
ripped the Glamazon away. The Candy-coated Diva then delivered a severe clothesline that sent Phoenix out of the ring. The
incident left little doubt that the fur will continue to fly between these two, especially this Sunday at No Mercy.
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy and tag partners Paul London & Brian Kendrick were pitted against Shelton Benjamin
and World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch. As expected, the team of Hardy and London & Kendrick took to the
skies early, flying outside of the ring and swooping onto their opponents like pterodactyls. To end the match, Hardy
dropped a Swanton Bomb on Cade and pinned him for the three-count.
Cody Rhodes seems determined to earn the respect of extreme machine Hardcore Holly. For the second Monday night in a row,
the son of a son of a plumber challenged the six-time Hardcore Champion. And for the second Monday night in a row, Rhodes
showed heaps of heart, only to be defeated by the veteran.
After overcoming her humiliating shower scene with Hornswoggle, Melina came out this week to battle fellow Diva Mickie
James. The two former Women’s Champions each dodged several near-pins when it seemed that Melina was finally set to score
the victory. Just before she could, however, the lusty leprechaun popped up from under the ring and distracted Melina long
enough to hand Mickie James the victory. The infuriated Diva chased the little guy under the ring only to be humiliated
once again when he emerged clutching her form-fitting outfit and leaving her naked under the squared circle.
When Mr. McMahon wants to teach a Superstar a lesson, he brings in the heavy equipment. Tonight in Cleveland, Triple H got
a taste of McMahon’s mental chicanery, as well as a beating from a Bulldozer. The revenge-minded 348-pound Umaga attacked
The Game just six days before their clash at No Mercy, leaving the “cerebral” Chairman cackling with glee as his former
son-in-law felt the Samoan’s fury. McMahon “guaran-damn-teed” a victory over Triple H in his matchup with The Cerebral
Assassin, believing his Steel Cage Match win last week on Raw was not a fluke. He then brought out Umaga to destroy three
fighters in a demonstration of the superior strength and power that The Game would face in Chicago this Sunday. Now, it
looks like that dominance has been transferred in part to the former Intercontinental Champion, who let loose his rage on
the man who attacked him brutally with a chair and sledgehammer weeks ago, putting him out of action. With help from
Carlito, McMahon won in the cage last week. And again, the Chairman turned to the Caribbean Bad Apple for assistance –
this time as a surprise special referee for his match against The Game. Triple H prides himself on outthinking his
opponents. But the Chairman won the game of human chess last week – and appeared on the verge of victory again Monday
night with the help of vengeance-minded Carlito and Umaga. Despite the severe disadvantage, Triple H was able to mitigate
the odds against him and put McMahon on the ropes, even with Carlito calling the match in favor of the boss. During the
fight, Triple H delivered a low blow to McMahon, and then punched Carlito. The guest referee disqualified The Game,
ensuring that the Chairman made good on his promise to be the victor Monday night. As Triple H argued with Carlito, Umaga
stormed to the ring and attacked his No Mercy opponent. The angry Samoan superkicked The Game into the corner, but Triple
H dodged the charging behemoth. Carlito clotheslined Triple H over the top rope, which gave The Game a chance to retrieve
his sledgehammer and even the odds. Umaga stared down The Game, screaming and slapping his chest. But as Triple H
approached with the sledgehammer, the Samoan Bulldozer paused and uncharacteristically backed down and rolled out of the
ring. Jim Ross called Umaga a “devastating, deadly destroyer.” And that destroyer has Triple H in his sights. Will The
Game be able to shake off the Samoan’s barrage and beat the revenge-minded Bulldozer at No Mercy?
A faint, evil smile crept across Randy Orton’s lips as his vacant eyes burned a hole into a fallen John Cena. He believed
he was looking into the future, and that next week, he would walk into Raw as the new WWE Champion. As the Legend Killer
stood over Cena and counted to 10, he envisioned himself looking down at an unconscious Champ again at No Mercy this
Sunday. This time, the referee would hand him the WWE Championship as Lilian Garcia declared, “The winner of the match,
and the NEW WWE Champion …” Last week, Orton said he would give a preview of what he would do to Cena in their Last Man
Standing Match at No Mercy. He even invited him to bring his father – whom he brutalized in a match two weeks ago – to Raw
at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland so he could witness it firsthand. Mr. Cena wasn’t at the arena Monday night. But
to the surprise of some at first, neither was Orton ... or so it appeared. The Legend Killer appeared to be in Chicago,
the site of No Mercy this Sunday. Orton claimed he wasn’t scared of Cena, but he also believed that his repeated attacks
on his father had driven The Champ crazy and made him unstable. And Orton, being the snake that he is, was not going to
put himself in potential jeopardy by being in the same building as Cena less than a week before the most important – and
perhaps dangerous – match of his career. Meanwhile, Cena was slightly distracted because he had to deal with another
dangerous opponent on Raw – Mr. Kennedy. The braggadocios Superstar has been driven since he was drafted to Raw. Mr.
Kennedy, who lost his Money in the Bank championship opportunity to Edge and was injured for months before emerging on
Raw, battled Cena as if he believed he had something to prove. The loudmouth from Green Bay, Wis., pushed Cena to the
limit, perhaps in an attempt to impress WWE officials and get a future championship opportunity, but he wound up
submitting to the STFU. However, if Kennedy made Cena forget about No Mercy just for a little while, Orton gave him a
little reminder – and a headache, courtesy of an RKO. Our fans roared in shock at Orton’s surprise appearance. But Orton
wasn't finished with Cena. He flattened The Champ with ringside steps and TV monitors before RKOing him again on the
announcers' table. As the WWE Champion lay stunned, he was reminded of a few things: Orton is a viper who can strike
anywhere, at any time. While Cena will be defending his father, family and the WWE Championship at their Last Man Standing
Match on Sunday, Orton is concerned about only one thing – winning the title any way he can. To the third generation star,
the WWE Championship is life itself, his destiny. Randy Orton will show no mercy to John Cena in his quest to be the Last
Man Standing and the WWE Champion. He will do anything to turn what he envisioned Monday night into a reality this Sunday,
Oct. 7.
MATCHES:
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy and Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
Shelton Benjamin and World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
Hardcore Holly defeated Cody Rhodes
Mickie James defeated Melina
Mr. McMahon defeated Triple H
via a disqualification
- NON TITLE MATCH -
John Cena defeated Mr. Kennedy
Run Time: 2:02:46
RAW
# 750
10-8-07 Live
Van Andel Arena
Grand Rapids, Michigan
In the Van Andel Arena near the banks of the Grand River, Santino Marella continued to wade deeper and deeper into
troubled waters. The Italian Stallion once again leveled an acerbic assessment of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s acting in
the action movie The Condemned, which was recently released on DVD. The former Intercontinental Champion even crooned a
bitter tune penned especially for the former WWE Championship, to the harmony of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab”: “Try to make me
watch The Condemned, I say No, No, No. It’s a sad fact, Stone Cold can’t act. He should Go, Go, Go.” It’s a mystery why
the obstinate Marella keeps poking his fingers inside the Texas Rattlesnake’s cage and flipping him the bird. But as
anybody who’s ever possessed the poor sense to antagonize Austin knows, it’s only a matter of time before the rattlesnake
draws blood. And who could blame him for biting back? Here is a list of Marella’s greatest hits regarding the six-time WWE
Champion: “[Stone Cold Steve Austin], when it comes to your acting, the fact of the matter is, we are all condemned.”
“Don’t worry, ‘Stone Cold,’ I’m sure there is a job for you somewhere in some dinner theatre, or you can play Mr. Belding
if Saved by the Bell ever does a movie. But just leave the acting to professionals.” “If ‘Stone Cold’ has something he’d
like to tell me, he can come here and tell me himself. In fact, he can tell me on the street, in the grocery store or he
can come here to Raw, and he can tell me himself.” Santino, Santino, Santino. Marella’s inflammatory words will no doubt
result in a painful finale for the Italian.
Beth Phoenix made her Raw debut as the newly-crowned Women’s Champion after she captured the title from Candice Michelle
at No Mercy. After promising to usher in the “Era of the Glamazon” at No Mercy, Phoenix’s plans to steamroll over all
opponents hit a speed bump. The Glamazon teamed up with Melina and Jillian Hall to tackle Mickie James, Maria and the
former Women’s Champion, Candice. Once the bell sounded, Candice proved that while she may have lost her title, she hasn’t
lost her pride. As Phoenix had her powerful hands full with Mickie James outside the ring, the Candy-coated Diva pinned
Hall for the victory.
After last week’s jealousy-fueled cheap shot by Santino Marella, Val Venis could not wait to shut the Italian’s pizza-pie
hole. But rather than face Venis in the ring, Marella arranged for the former adult-film star to face off against Snitsky,
a Superstar who’s been lurking around the Raw locker room for weeks, itching to get his meaty paws on an opponent, any
opponent. The colossus channeled his considerable rage at the X-rated Superstar, punishing Venis for having the audacity
to defend himself. The money shot came when Snitsky pump-handled slammed Venis and covered for the three-count.
The Highlanders are so eager for an opportunity at the World Tag Team Championships the cousins McAllister were looking
for a short cut. But Paul London & Brian Kendrick were determined to head cousins Rory and Robbie off at the pass. The
high-flyers faced off against the Highlanders in a bout to determine which team would move one step closer to a title
match with reigning Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch. The Highlanders, who had mercilessly attacked London & Kendrick
two weeks earlier, overpowered the smaller duo for the win.
Triple H was determined to get even with the new WWE Champion Randy Orton after his Last Man Standing title match loss.
But it was The Game’s other No Mercy opponent who got the best of him on Monday night, brutalizing the former champion.
Mr. McMahon refused to give the 11-time World Champion a rematch for the title with Orton. Instead, with an evil smile
across his lips, Mr. McMahon put Triple H into a Handicap Match with the new WWE Champion and the Samoan Bulldozer,
Umaga. The former Intercontinental Champion has been on the warpath since Triple H bashed him with a steel chair and
sledgehammer more than a month ago on Raw. Despite Umaga’s rage towards Triple H, The Game was able to withstand the
Samoan's offensive onslaught to retain his newly-won WWE Championship at No Mercy in their scheduled match. While The Game
still suffered the ill-effects of three championship matches from the previous night, Orton and Umaga brutalized him with
double-team attacks Monday night. But as Triple H mounted a comeback and set up Orton for a Pedigree, Umaga pounded The
Game with a steel chair, earning a disqualification. The Samoan continued the assault on a bloodied Triple H after the
match. Taking the opportunity to exact revenge on The Game, Umaga crushed Triple H into the turnbuckle, and then finished
him off with a top-rope splash and a Samoan Spike. The Game crumpled into a fetal position, gasping for air. He struggled
to get to his feet, only to collapse and fall face-down onto the steel ramp. Triple H tried to limp to the locker room on
his own, but he needed assistance from WWE officials. Mr. McMahon had no sympathy for The Cerebral Assassin, and ordered
the wounded warrior to attend Orton’s appreciation ceremony later that night. As The Game sneered at The Chairman, one had
to wonder if Mr. McMahon was behind Umaga’s assault. After all, Triple H had shown up The Chairman just 24 hours earlier
by winning the WWE Championship in the first place. For one night, Umaga finally appeared to get the upper hand on his
rival. But as we’ve seen in the past, never count out the Cerebral Assassin, who doesn’t take a setback lightly.
Two of Raw’s brightest Superstars waged a classic battle Monday night as Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy and Mr.
Kennedy attempted to race up the ladder of championship contention. The Intercontinental Championship was not on the line,
but these two stars fought for something more important: pride. In addition, perhaps they were trying to get noticed and
considered for a future opportunity at the WWE Championship. Hardy and Kennedy tore into each other, trading blows in a
fast-paced, physical match. For Hardy, who has won Intercontinental and World Tag Team gold multiple times, opportunities
at a World Championship have been few and far between. Meanwhile, the cocky Kennedy, a former Mr. Money in the Bank, has
always believed he is the future of WWE. He was determined to prove he deserves an opportunity at the WWE Championship.
However, as the Green Bay gladiator aimed to capitalize on a Hardy mistake, his overconfidence cost him a chance to climb
further up the championship ranks. The “Rainbow-haired Warrior” missed a Swanton Bomb when Kennedy rolled out of the way.
When an exhausted Kennedy fell over Hardy’s body, the Intercontinental Champion hooked the loudmouth Superstar’s arms and
rolled his shoulders to the mat for a surprising pinfall. Fans at the Van Andel Arena roared their approval as Hardy
celebrated and Kennedy glared in disbelief. Mr. Kennedy will have to shake off the disappointment of this temporary
setback. Are Kennedy and Jeff Hardy destined to battle again? Perhaps next time, it will be with the high flyer’s
Intercontinental Championship on the line.
MATCHES:
Candice Michelle, Mickie James & Maria
defeated
Beth Phoenix, Melina & Jillian Hall
Gene Snitsky defeated Val Venis
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Triple H
defeated
Randy Orton & Umaga
via a disqualification
"The Highlanders"
Rory & Robby McAllister
defeated
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Mr. Kennedy defeated Jeff Hardy
Run Time: 2:06:58
RAW
# 751
10-15-07 Live
Birmingham National Indoor Arena
Birmingham, England
Hardcore Holly continues to play professor to the young upstart Cody Rhodes. This Monday night marked the third time
Rhodes has challenged the six-time Hardcore Champion and the third time he’s been taught a lesson in humility. This week
the tenacious Rhodes battled valiantly for the capacity crowd at England’s Birmingham National Indoor Arena, displaying
flashes of brilliance and a never-say-die attitude. Unfortunately for Rhodes, Holly’s experience proved too difficult to
overcome. However, Rhodes continued his pursuit of excellence despite the odds. After suffering a harsh beating from the
veteran, Rhodes gave as good as he got, scoring five near-pinfalls before succumbing to an Alabama Slammer from Holly. Has
Holly had enough of schooling the rookie? Or is Rhodes’ dogged determination finally earning him the respect of the
Hardcore veteran?
Last time Santino Marella had to face Val Venis, the Italian arranged for a substitute in the form of the yuck-mouthed
monster himself, Snitsky. This Monday night, though, Marella and Venis went head-to-head. The former Intercontinental
Champion proved his in-ring abilities outweighed his singing chops when he defeated the former adult-film star as his
“girlfriend” Maria looked on.
Anyone wondering whether or not Candice Michelle could bounce back from the loss of the Women’s Championship to Beth
Phoenix had their doubts put to rest Monday night. Despite losing the gold at No Mercy, Candice continues to display heaps
of heart, this week defeating fellow Diva Jillian Hall. At the conclusion of the match, the Glamazon announced that the
Candy-coated Diva had invoked her rematch clause. The two will battle for the Women’s Championship next Monday, and
Phoenix has promised to bring the Candy-coated Diva to her knees.
Highlander Rory McAllister faced off against Brian Kendrick in a singles match, giving their respective tag partners the
night off. Robbie McAllister and Paul London watched ringside as their partners did battle. Also observing the bout
ringside was reigning World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, who called the Highlanders the “most improved
tag team of the year.” As if to drive home the point, Rory slammed Kendrick to the mat and chalked up the win.
Poor Jonathan Coachman. The conniving Raw Executive Assistant can't seem to grasp how Hornswoggle outsmarts him time and
time again. Still on "manny" duty, Coachman had his hands full again Monday night. Mr. McMahon's newest son had Coachman
chase him down on bike, through the Divas locker room and finally down to the ring, where their explosive hijinx looked
like a scene out of a Looney Tunes episode.
From mud-slinging to cheap political tricks, men have stooped to obscene levels just to tally a few extra votes. When it
comes to Cyber Sunday, some Raw Superstars are no different. Exhibit A: Mr. Kennedy. On Monday night, after Raw General
Manager William Regal arranged for WWE Champion Randy Orton to compete in three separate matches against his three
possible Cyber Sunday opponents — Jeff Hardy, Mr. Kennedy and Shawn Michaels — the Green Bay, Wis., native kicked his
one-man campaign into high gear. As Hardy battled with Orton in the opening match on Raw, the “Rainbow-haired Warrior”
prepared to land a Swanton Bomb on the Legend Killer when Mr. Kennedy ripped Hardy’s foot from the top rope to defuse the
deadly drop. The underhanded stunt sent Hardy tumbling, eventually winding up in Orton’s arms for a match-ending RKO. When
Kennedy later faced off against the WWE Champion, Hardy saw fit to return the favor. The Intercontinental Champion charged
the ring and leveled Mr. Kennedy with a laser-focused kick to the chest before finally dropping a Swanton Bomb on the
loudmouthed grappler to end the match. Some would consider this dirty politics. But in the run-up to Cyber Sunday, both
Superstars are trying to make compelling cases to the electorate – our fans – in the bid to get an opportunity at the WWE
Title at Cyber Sunday. In the past couple of weeks, Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy has been soaring. Two weeks ago,
the “Rainbow-haired Warrior” paired with Paul London & Brian Kendrick to defeat Shelton Benjamin and Lance Cade & Trevor
Murdoch, and last week he eked out a victory over Mr. Kennedy in a physical, heated battle. While victory narrowly evaded
Mr. Kennedy’s grasp, he is as determined as ever to get an opportunity at the WWE Championship and will do anything to get
it. And he has defeated seven World Champions in his career and is a former Mr. Money in the Bank. All of their jockeying
for position, however, may be for naught. In Orton’s final match Monday night, he clashed with Michaels, the man who
knocked him out with Sweet Chin Music the week prior. Despite interference from both Mr. Kennedy and Hardy that allowed
Orton to claim victory by disqualification, HBK was still able to lull Orton to sleep again with another kick to the jaw.
With less than two weeks before Cyber Sunday, Mr. Kennedy and Hardy will no doubt be lobbying hard for the chance to
compete for the WWE Championship. Since each has proven he’s willing to sling a little mud for votes, things are certain
to get even dirtier.
Thanks to his own big mouth, WWE Champion Randy Orton got a little more than a tune-up two weeks before his title match at
Cyber Sunday. But thanks to Shawn Michaels, the Legend Killer was forced to face the Sweet Chin Music for the second
straight week – and perhaps got a glimpse of his future. Poor Randy – he may want to learn how to keep his mouth shut.
Last week, the new WWE Champion thought he was going to get some appreciation from the Superstars in the Raw locker room,
only to be surprised and get a mouth full of cowboy boot from HBK – whom Orton insisted he had retired. On Monday night in
the United Kingdom, Orton stuck his foot down his throat again, this time by insisting to Regal at the beginning of Raw
that he needed a tune-up match before Cyber Sunday and that our fans, especially the “rogues” in the UK, shouldn’t be
allowed to pick his opponent. Always one to defend his country, Regal gave Orton a tune-up alright. He had to face all
three potential Cyber Sunday opponents – Michaels, Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy or Mr. Kennedy – in one night.
Because Hardy and Kennedy tried to mostly one-up each other, presumably in an attempt to court fans’ votes in Cyber
Sunday, Orton was victorious in his respective matches against them. But against HBK, the Legend Killer was reminded why
Michaels may be the man he least wants to face on Oct. 28. Michaels is focused and determined to exact revenge on Orton
for putting him out of action for five months. He unleashed a fury on the WWE Champion that rarely has been seen in his
storied career. In a case of déjà vu, Hardy and Kennedy injected themselves in Orton’s match with HBK. For Kennedy, it
appeared that he was trying to make a statement at the expense of HBK … until Hardy flew in like the cavalry. However, the
chaos left Orton distracted – and vulnerable to Sweet Chin Music. Just like last week on Raw, the Legend Killer was out
cold, looking up at the lights, and HBK was standing over him. Before their match on Raw, HBK promised to kick Orton's
teeth down his throat, and he did. And if Michaels has his way, he will have the opportunity to repeat this scene in two
weeks at Cyber Sunday and take the WWE Championship from Orton. That would be the sweetest revenge for HBK and the Legend
Killer’s worst nightmare. For his sake, the arrogant Orton better invest in a muzzle.
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Randy Orton defeated Jeff Hardy
Santino Marella defeated Val Venis
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Randy Orton defeated Mr. Kennedy
via a disqualification
Umaga decimated Andy Simmons
Candice Michelle defeated Jillian Hall
Rory McAllister defeated Brian Kendrick
Hardcore Holly defeated Cody Rhodes
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Randy Orton defeated Shawn Michaels
via a disqualification
Run Time: 2:05:42
RAW
# 752
10-22-07 Live
Qwest Center
Omaha, Nebraska
Carlito found out once again that the son of the “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith has bite. DH Smith did his father proud
in his Raw debut. He defeated Carlito with a thunderous running powerslam – shades of his father’s famed finisher. Smith
displayed his European-style arsenal of powerful maneuvers on worldwide television in a battle of second-generation
Superstars. Last week, he raised some eyebrows when he defeated Carlito in the United Kingdom in a match seen exclusively
on WWE.com. After his victory, DH (named so to honor his family) celebrated with our fans as “Rule, Britannia” poured from
arena speakers. The blue-chipper has set his sights high and has put the Raw locker room on notice. Somewhere in the
heavens, Davey Boy and DH’s grandfather, Stu Hart, are smiling.
In a battle of six current and former champions, Paul London & Brian Kendrick teamed with Mickie James to defeat the trio
of the World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch and Melina. As the fast-paced battle broke down into a six-way
scrum, Mickie tackled Melina and sent the paparazzi princess to the floor. But in an odd occurrence, Cade accidentally
clotheslined Murdoch as the redneck shoved Mickie out of the way. One shooting-star press by London led to a pinfall on
Murdoch. As London & Kendrick celebrated, a puzzled Mickie looked back on a fallen Murdoch, who appeared to see little
comfort in the loss.
Shelton Benjamin told Cody Rhodes it was his lucky night because he would get beaten by the Self-Proclaimed World’s
Greatest Tag Team member instead of Hardcore Holly. In the end, Rhodes was lucky – but not because of Benjamin & Charlie
Haas. After Rhodes caught Benjamin with a rollup for the pinfall, he and Haas went on the attack. But suddenly, Hardcore
Holly rushed to the ring and came to young Rhodes’ aid. Holly lifted Rhodes off the mat and gave him a nod – has the son
of the “American Dream” finally won the hardcore veteran’s respect?
With the beautiful Maria by his side, Santino Marella continued to slam “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Condemned DVD
and whined about not being included in the commemorative 500th issue of WWE Magazine. But poor Santino can’t seem to get
any respect anywhere. He was interrupted by yet another cryptic computer code video – the same one that has surfaced on
WWE television for weeks – and then by Ron Simmons. In his ensuing match with the Superstar of few words, the former
Intercontinental Champion kicked a charging Simmons in the groin, which earned a disqualification from the referee despite
Santino’s insistence that it was unintentional.
As the 2007 Diva Search came down to two finalists, Lena was eliminated. The winner of the competition will be announced
live next week on Raw in Philadelphia. Will Brooke or Eve be the next WWE Diva? Your vote decides it.
Beth Phoenix not only displayed her strength and power on Raw, but showed off her endurance as well. The Glamazon
continued her Women’s Championship reign on Raw, retaining the title in a 2- out-of-3 Falls Title Match against Candice
Michelle, but not before a very scary moment for the former Women’s Champion. The Women’s Championship had never been
decided in 2-out-of-3 Falls Match before on Raw, and the Glamazon aimed to make this historic battle a short one. Candice
had lost the first fall and was mounting a comeback when she attempted to fly from the top turnbuckle. Phoenix slammed
into the ropes, sending Candice crashing head-first to the canvas. The Glamazon quickly covered her unconscious opponent
for the pinfall and the victory. As Phoenix left the ring with her title held high, medics and WWE officials rushed to the
ring to aid Candice. The former Women’s Champion was able to sit up and take a drink of water, but was taken from the ring
on a stretcher as a precautionary measure.
When Mr. McMahon needs to teach someone a lesson, he unleashes Umaga – Triple H and countless others can attest to that.
Monday night on Raw, Jonathan Coachman thought he could use the same famous Chairman's card to teach the newest – and
smallest – McMahon, Hornswoggle, a lesson in respect. But The Game interrupted his class and sent Umaga to detention less
than a week before their showdown at Cyber Sunday. You, our fans, have the power to decide whether Triple H and Umaga will
play their games of destruction in a Steel Cage Match, a Street Fight or under First Blood rules on Oct. 28 at Cyber
Sunday. But these two heated rivals couldn’t wait six days to get their hands on each other, and Coachman and Hornswoggle
provided the stage. Frustrated by weeks of disobedience and outright disrespect by Mr. McMahon’s illegitimate child,
Hornswoggle, Coachman was apparently determined to teach him a lesson. Even Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote and the folks at
ACME would have laughed at last week’s sight of a smoldering Coachman after his failed attempt to blow up Hornswoggle. But
the Chairman’s Executive Assistant found nothing funny about the ordeal. Coachman insisted to Raw GM William Regal that
McMahon’s children, Shane and Stephanie found nothing humorous about Hornswoggle because he was cutting into their
inheritance. So he decided to test Hornswoggle’s luck in a match – against Umaga. Siccing the Samoan Bulldozer on
Hornswoggle was the toughest of lessons in tough love. Some of our fans in the Qwest Center cringed and covered their eyes
at the prospect of the snarling 348-pound Umaga pulverizing Hornswoggle. They remembered the show-and-tell lesson Umaga
gave, at the behest of Mr. McMahon, to a poor soul in the United Kingdom last week. The Chairman wanted his sworn enemy,
Triple H, to see what the Samoan could do to him at Cyber Sunday in a Steel Cage Match, a Street Fight and in a First
Blood battle. It’s impossible to tell what was going through Umaga’s mind as he glared at Hornswoggle. Did he see Triple
H’s face? Did he see an appetizer? Just as it appeared the little guy’s luck was about to run out for good, he showed that
he still had the luck of the Irish, outrunning Coachman before he could forcibly feed him to the Samoan beast. But as soon
as Hornswoggle disappeared, The Cerebral Assassin came out of nowhere and showed the world the Samoan Bulldozer did not
intimidate him. Triple H and Umaga tore into each other with such a fury that a sea of WWE officials and security had to
pull them apart. While Hornswoggle’s battle of wills with Coachman has provided a lot of chuckles, the rivalry between The
Game and Umaga has been no laughing matter. Both have left each other battered and bloody. Both had tried to end each
other’s careers. Triple H doesn’t seem to care what match he has against Umaga on Cyber Sunday; no one will get between
him and the Samoan Bulldozer. However, you are the only one standing in between these two Superstars. You will decide how
the next chapter in Triple H and Umaga’s rivalry will be written. It’s your dream come true as a fan – and a potential
nightmare for The Game and the Samoan Bulldozer.
Randy Orton just can’t seem to get enough of the painful, yet soothing, melody of Sweet Chin Music – and that’s why Shawn
Michaels may be a step above his competitors in the running to face the Legend Killer for the title at Cyber Sunday.
Tonight on Raw, all the Superstars involved in the voting for the WWE Championship Match at Cyber Sunday were in the same
ring at the same time when Orton teamed with one potential challenger, Mr. Kennedy, against his other prospective
opponents, Michaels and Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy. Hardy got the win for his team with a Swanton Bomb on
Kennedy, but the winner of the match was somewhat irrelevant. Making a statement and the greatest impression on you, our
fans, who will decide Orton’s opponent at Cyber Sunday, seemed first and foremost on the three candidates’ minds. And HBK
might just be the frontrunner at Cyber Sunday right now after laying out Orton for the third straight week with Sweet Chin
Music. As Michaels stood over a fallen Orton after their tag team match tonight on Raw, he hoped he left a lasting
impression on you, the voters. He also hoped you thought about what the WWE Championship Match at Cyber Sunday means to
him. For HBK, Cyber Sunday is about more than the WWE Title. It is about getting vengeance on the man who tried to end his
career. It is about taking an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth from a man who tried to take away everything he holds
dear – and bragged about it for five months. Michaels wants to make Orton feel what it’s like to experience loss – and
would love to do it by taking away his cherished WWE Championship. However, HBK wasn’t the only potential challenger who
jockeyed for position tonight. Jeff Hardy and Mr. Kennedy are hungry for an opportunity at the WWE Championship and have
targeted each other while trying to impress the voters. Hardy, a four-time Intercontinental Champion and six-time World
Tag Team Champion, believes you may want a change in the WWE Title scene and that he can infuse new excitement in a match
with Orton at Cyber Sunday. Years ago, the Cameron, N.C., native came very close to winning the WWE Title from
then-champion Triple H. But WWE Championship opportunities have been few and far between for Hardy, and he wants an
opportunity to make his career complete by winning sports-entertainment’s most coveted prize. Mr. Kennedy has yelled and
screamed for everyone to hear that he is the future of sports-entertainment and has long coveted a WWE Championship
opportunity. At one time, he won a guaranteed opportunity by winning the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania
23 – only to lose it because of injury and an opportunistic Edge. Tonight, Mr. Kennedy reminded the world – and Orton –
that he has defeated several world champions in his young career and single-handedly put out Bobby Lashley. But is that,
along with his performance tonight, enough to sway you, the voters in Cyber Sunday? One thing is certain: HBK has done
what Kennedy and Hardy have been unable to do – knock Orton out for three straight weeks. Michaels has made perhaps the
most direct impression on Orton, who has made no secret that he wants HBK to win the vote and face him at Cyber Sunday.
But what do you want? Who do you think deserves to face the Legend Killer on Oct. 28? Vote now and vote often and find out
how your vote counted at Cyber Sunday.
MATCHES:
- MIXED TAG TEAM MATCH -
Paul London & Brian Kendrick with Mickie James
defeated
World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch with Melina
Cody Rhodes defeated Shelton Benjamin
DH Smith defeated Carlito
Umaga vs Hornswoggle
ended in a no contest
Ron Simmons defeated Santino Marella
via a disqualification
" WOMEN`S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH "
( 2 OUT OF 3 FALLS )
Beth Phoenix defeated Candice Michelle
via Beth Phoenix winning two straight falls, retaining the title
Shawn Michaels & Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
defeated
WWE Champion Randy Orton & Mr. Kennedy
Run Time: 2:08:49
RAW
# 753
10-29-07 Live
Wachovia Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Glamazon kicked off Halloween early this year. Two nights before the chilling celebration, Beth Phoenix continued to
haunt the WWE Divas roster like a demon that refuses to be exorcised. After watching Kelly Kelly fend off other
costume-clad beauties from ECW, SmackDown and Raw to win the Divas Halloween Battle Royal, Phoenix howled into the
Wachovia Center to greet her. Dressed in a gangster outfit, Kelly Kelly looked like a deer in the klieg lights when she
saw Phoenix approach. Appropriate since witnessing the senseless carnage that ensued was almost like watching Bambi get
flattened by a steamroller. Kelly tried to get away, but Jillian and Melina threw her back into the ring into the waiting
arms of the Glamazon. The sweet, innocent ECW Diva withered under the overwhelming size and strength advantage of the
reigning Women’s Champion, who effortlessly hoisted her latest victim skyward and slammed her to the mat with a
cringe-worthy thud. With former Women’s Champion Candice Michelle out for 6 to 8 weeks due to a cracked clavicle suffered
during a match against Phoenix last Monday night, is there any Diva out there who stands a ghost of a chance against Beth
Phoenix?
Persistence pays. Just ask Cody Rhodes. Last week, after he pinned Shelton Benjamin, Charlie Haas, the other half of the
Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest Tag Team, darted into the ring to exact a measure of revenge. But none of the three could
have anticipated what happened next: Rhodes’ rival, Hardcore Holly, came to his aid. This week, Rhodes & Holly teamed up
against Benjamin & Haas in a Tag Team Match. While Holly obviously feels Rhodes has a lot more to prove, the Hardcore
veteran’s guarded façade has begun to show fissures. His grudging respect showed on Monday night as Rhodes earned the team
the victory.
The Highlanders are a couple of Scots always eager to get their kilts wrinkled. The pair proved it again this week when
Rory and Robbie stormed the ring after a singles match between rivals Paul London and Lance Cade. After World Tag Team
Champion Cade pinned London, the cousins McAllister proceeded to lay out both London & Kendrick. The unprovoked incident
is only the latest stunt in the Highlanders’ quest to gain respect and prove they’re deserving of a chance at the title.
Continuing to make a name for himself, DH Smith proved Monday night that while he may be a rookie, he’s no stranger to the
ways of the ring. Smith proved his mettle as he and Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy teamed up to tackle the challenge
of Carlito & Mr. Kennedy. While Carlito and Mr. Kennedy orchestrated a vicious assault on Smith's left leg, the Canadian
held his own. Eventually, Smith handed the reins to Hardy, who was able to capitalize on his worn down opponents and nail
Carlito with a Swanton Bomb for the win.
You can only poke a rattlesnake so long before he bites back. As Santino Marella continued his criticism of former WWE
Champion “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and his acting skills in front of the Wachovia Center crowd tonight on Raw, the
familiar sound of glass breaking in The Texas Rattlesnake’s music poured from the arena speakers. The crowd went wild as
“Stone Cold” appeared on the TitanTron – or so they thought. Cheers quickly turned to boos as they realized it was not
Austin, but Marella in disguise – an early Halloween costume of his own. As Marella argued with his poorly-costumed “Stone
Cold” alter ego, Maria rushed to the ring with bad news. The Texas Rattlesnake will be on Raw live next Monday night at
the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Marella seemed visibly shaken by the news. After all these weeks of trashing Austin in
The Condemned and his beer-swilling ways, had the beneficiary of the “Milan Miracle” signed his own death warrant? Was his
comeuppance one week away? In the past, Stone Cold has not taken criticism well. Past wars of words with DX, The Rock and
Mr. McMahon have erupted into physical and sometimes bloody battles. Could the fiery Italian have bitten off more pasta
fagioli than he can chew when he mocked the Rattlesnake’s acting abilities? Or will Marella stand fast and go face-to-face
with the former champion in the City of Angels? We all find out together next week on Monday Night Raw, but Maria better
have that snakebite kit handy for her man in Los Angeles.
Jonathan Coachman’s leprechaun-induced migraines continue to rage. For yet another week, Hornswoggle managed to thwart the
dastardly schemes of Raw GM William Regal’s Executive Assistant. Just before a planned match between Coachman and
Hornswoggle, Mr. McMahon informed his bastard son of his “tough love” theory, that to be a McMahon, to be truly
successful, one has to “learn to hate.” It was a lesson the leprechaun took with him to the ring. But before the bell
could ring to commence their bout, announcer Lilian Garcia informed Hornswoggle and Coachman that a special guest referee
had been assigned to the match. As the Executive Assistant looked on, Mick Foley descended the entrance ramp sporting a
custom referee shirt and his trademark cavernous grin. During the bout, the rebellious Foley turned a blind eye to a
series of Hornswoggle’s innovative shenanigans. At one point, a frustrated Coachman channeled his anger toward Foley. Big
mistake. Foley began to assist Hornswoggle, even handing the little guy a leprechaun-sized Mr. Socko, with which the
newest McMahon used to punch Coachman in the groin — twice. The leprechaun then leveraged a Tadpole Splash to end the
match and earn the three-count. Coachman’s foiled plan chronicles yet another chapter in his long story of dejection at
the hands of Hornswoggle. Two weeks ago, Coachman’s plan to “blow up” Hornswoggle backfired when it was Coachman who took
the brunt of the explosion. Then, last week, Coachman’s plans to have Hornswoggle fight Umaga were thwarted when the
leprechaun arranged to have Triple H wrestle instead. But the question that remains is not whether Coachman will continue
to rub his temples in frustration at Hornswoggle (of course he will), the question that remains is just who helped
Hornswoggle by authorizing Foley to be the special guest referee.
When Mr. McMahon put an already bruised and weary Triple H in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match tonight with WWE Champion Randy
Orton and Umaga, he thought he would see The Game’s annihilation. But to his horror – or perhaps by his own design – he
brought together his most hated nemeses, sports-entertainment’s most notorious duo infamous for running roughshod all over
WWE and making his life a living hell – D-Generation X. Triple H and Shawn Michaels hadn’t been together in the same ring
at the same time in nine months. In the months that had passed, they had fought their own personal battles. HBK pursued
the WWE Championship, was sidelined by Orton for five months and returned earlier this month for vengeance against the
Legend Killer. Meanwhile, The Game made a successful return to WWE after rehabbing a torn quad, and was in the middle of a
brutal, bloody rivalry with Umaga. The Game and The Showstopper seemed content DX lie dormant, but their longtime common
enemy, Mr. McMahon, indirectly enabled their reunion. The Chairman took a twisted delight in confronting Michaels and
making him admit that his pursuit of Orton was more than about the WWE Championship – it was about vengeance. Mr. McMahon
appeared to take satisfaction in mocking HBK’s Christian beliefs, suggesting that Orton’s attempt to end his career had
unearthed his true, rotten evil core. To perhaps the surprise of some, a stone-faced, intense Michaels admitted that he
wanted to hurt Orton. He fumed when the third-generation Superstar tried to end his career and vowed to not only take his
cherished championship, but his livelihood. He wanted to take out the Legend Killer while he was still in his prime. The
Chairman smiled at these admissions as he granted Michaels his rematch. But he didn’t get much satisfaction as Michaels
teased the billionaire with Sweet Chin Music. HBK didn’t connect, but he left McMahon red-faced, wide-eyed and on his
hiney. Meanwhile, perhaps the Chairman thought he would get more satisfaction watching Triple H in the Handicap Match. The
Game was battered in his victory in a Street Fight with the Samoan Bulldozer at Cyber Sunday, and McMahon thought The King
of Kings was ripe for being knocked off his throne once and for all. The Chairman remembered the severe beating The
Cerebral Assassin endured when he was in an identical match with Orton and Umaga several weeks ago and wanted the two to
finish what they had started. Though weakened, Triple H was not going to quit. If he was going down, then he was going to
bring Umaga and Orton down with him. And that’s how Triple H entered battle with two of his most hated enemies. But as
great as the 11-time World Champion is, he couldn’t hold off the onslaught of Orton and the Samoan monster for long. Just
as it appeared his career was in real jeopardy, HBK and the old DX cavalry came to the rescue. But was Michaels primarily
intent on getting his hands on Orton, or was he trying to save his old friend? Nevertheless, a legion of our fans in the
Wachovia Center crossed their arms in homage to the old DX sign and chanted “DX, DX, DX!” as Triple H and Michaels stood
tall in the ring. As Umaga and Orton scampered up the ramp, Mr. McMahon looked on with Raw GM William Regal. You'd think
that the Chairman was reliving a nightmare, but he suggested he had plans for his two sworn enemies next week on Raw.
“Things always happen when I want them to happen, the way I want them to happen,” he said. “How about this: Next week on
Raw, for one night only, DX back together again.” So, for one night only, next week on Raw at the STAPLES Center in Los
Angeles, DX will be back together. The stars will truly be out at Raw next week. Are you ready? And will Triple H and
Shawn Michaels be ready?
MATCHES:
- DIVA HALLOWEEN BATTLE ROYAL -
Kelly Kelly
defeated
Maria as a Pussycat, Mickie James as Pocahantes,
Victoria as a Sumo wrestler, Torrie Wilson as a Football player,
Melina as a Vegas showgirl, Jillian Hall as Britney Spears,
Michelle McCool as Eve, Layla as Von Coch & Brooke as Double Jane
Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly
defeated
Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
Hornswoggle McMahon
defeated
Jonathan "The Coach" Coachman
Lance Cade defeated Paul London
D.H. Smith & "The Rainbow Haired Warrior" Jeff Hardy
defeated
Carlito Carribean Cool & Ken Kennedy
2007 Diva Search Winner Announced
as Eve Torres
- HANDICAP MATCH -
Randy Orton & Umaga
defeated
Triple H
via a disqualification
Run Time: 2:03:17
RAW
# 754
11-5-07 Live
Staples Center
Los Angeles, California
The events on this week’s Monday Night Raw left many WWE Superstars seeing stars—and not just because the show took place
in Hollywood. Tonight’s Raw was such a blockbuster that the Superstars of SmackDown made a rare appearance. The 17, 133
fans who packed into the sold out STAPLES Center witnessed an intense tag team match setting SmackDown’s Rey Mysterio &
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy against Finlay & Mr. Kennedy in a precursor to the Traditional Survivor Series
Elimination Match they will all be involved in on Nov. 18. Charging hard out of the gate, Mr. Kennedy brought the fight to
Mysterio first. But once the bout began tilting back toward the high-flying duo, tension between Mr. Kennedy and Finlay
began to mount. After a few anxious moments between the blond bruisers, the dangerous duo snapped back into the match. But
just when it seemed Mr. Kennedy & Finlay’s tenuous partnership had hit a stride, Mysterio elevated his game to new
heights. The aerial amigo landed a 619 on Mr. Kennedy, kicking him back into the ring. It wasn’t the place to be. As Mr.
Kennedy lie on the mat, Hardy climbed the ropes and dropped a Swanton Bomb on the Green Bay, Wis. native to finish him off
for the three-count. If this intense match was a sample of what will happen at Survivor Series when the team of Triple H,
Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Rey Mysterio & Kane confronts the monstrous forces of Umaga, Mr. Kennedy, MVP, Finlay &
Big Daddy V, then the 21st annual event promises to be an epic showdown.
In last week’s Divas Halloween Battle Royal, Kelly Kelly outlasted several of other beauties to emerge with the win.
Unfortunately, her victory celebration was short-lived. The Glamazon, Beth Phoenix, entered the ring and pummeled her. The
stunning – and gutsy – Kelly Kelly, seen Tuesdays on ECW on Sci-Fi, challenged Phoenix this Monday, and once again
suffered a thrashing at the hands of the Women’s Champion, who won in under a minute.
Once again, the Caribbean Bad Apple proved lazy to the core. Rather than compete in his scheduled match against a local
wrestler, Carlito informed our fans that he had arranged a replacement for himself in the form of Snitsky. After the
yuck-mouthed ogre handily disposed of his opponent, Carlito congratulated the giant and went to raise his hand. But
Snitsky wasn’t having it. He turned on the laid-back Superstar and doled out a swift kick to Carlito’s face, sending the
chewed apple in his mouth flying all over the ring.
Is Mickie James distracting Trevor Murdoch from “gettin’ er done”? Ever since the stunning Diva told Murdoch how much she
appreciated his chivalry during a match two weeks ago, the country boy has shown that his head may not necessarily be in
the ring. Murdoch’s World Tag Team Championship partner, Lance Cade, watched as up-and-coming Cody Rhodes fought the
Southern-fried grappler to earn a hard-earned victory. While Murdoch continues to insist that James is not a distraction
and that the two are “just friends,” Cade appears unconvinced… and perhaps with good reason.
The familiar chants of Ho!, Si! and U-S-A! rang throughout the STAPLES Center as tag partners Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Super
Crazy tried to whip the crowd into a cross-continental frenzy. The duo faced off against the Self-proclaimed World’s
Greatest Tag Team of Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin. In a surprising twist, the high flyer from south of the border
rolled up the athletic Benjamin for the three-count. When Haas went to charge Super Crazy, he thought better of it after
running up against an imposing Duggan.
In the tradition of Hollywood sequels, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin relived one of his greatest Raw moments and opened a
can – nay, a truck full – of whoop-ass on his most persistent critic, Santino Marella. After weeks of Marella taunting his
acting abilities in The Condemned, the former WWE Champion made it his mission to make the beneficiary of the “Milan
Miracle” pay. Like so many other Stone Cold foes before him, Marella didn’t have a prayer of keeping his dignity intact …
or staying dry. By night’s end he found himself lying in a puddle of suds inside the beer-soaked ring at the sold-out
STAPLES Center, the victim of a Stone Cold Stunner and a deluge of brew as Austin had driven a beer truck to the ring and
hosed down Marella and Maria with ice-cold refreshment. While WWE.com touted Austin’s appearance at Raw all week, Marella
stood defiant and did not believe the Rattlesnake would show. He told our fans that Stone Cold couldn’t act his way out of
a paper bag, and that the chances of Austin appearing in Los Angeles were as likely as his winning an Academy Award. How
wrong he was. As Marella threatened Austin’s close friend, Raw announcer Jim Ross, the familiar glass-breaking sound
signaling the presence of Stone Cold crashed over the arena speakers. The crowd roared as Austin stomped to ringside, but
the defiant Marella stood his ground in the center of the ring. Austin told Marella he respected him for saying things
that Hollywood executives didn’t have the guts to tell him. But the honesty had its limits. When Marella continued to pour
on the criticism of The Condemned, Austin ended the critique with a crushing Stunner. The Rattlesnake then walked to the
back and drove a beer truck to the ring. In a déjà vu moment from years past on Raw, Stone Cold opened up a hose and
nearly drowned Marella with gallons of ice-cold beer. Then, as Maria pleaded with Austin to stop, Stone Cold drenched the
Diva as well. With Maria and her Italian beau both beer-drenched, the STAPLES Center crowd was ecstatic, giving Austin a
standing ovation as he gave our fans a respectful one-finger salute in return from the top of his beer truck. It was yet
another Oscar-worthy performance for Stone Cold on Raw. And for Santino the movie critic, the balcony is now closed … and
beer-soaked.
For at least a little while tonight, it was like old times for D-Generation X.
Mr. McMahon – the favorite butt of Triple H and Shawn Michaels’ jokes – and a tag team match with WWE Champion Randy Orton
& Umaga brought DX back together for one night only. But it was clear to the electrified 17,133 fans in Los Angeles’
sold-out STAPLES Center that the friendship between these two will always go on. The crowd crossed their arms in homage to
the old DX sign and held their signs high as The Showstopper and The Game did one of the things they do best – entertain.
What other duo could bring together Superstars as diverse as the terrifying, worm-slurping Boogeyman, the Chairman’s
little bastard, Hornswoggle, and the mammoth Great Khali and leave everyone doubled over in laughter? (Well, not quite
everyone. The Great Khali and his translator, Ranjin Singh, and Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman kept their upper
lips stiff – the spoilsports. Thanks to an artful lie by The Game, Khali went Coach-hunting for part of the night.) It
seemed like an eternity since our fans had heard the pulsating riff, followed by “Are you ready” that welcomes DX. The
legion of DX fans had not heard “Suck It” or seen Mr. McMahon rooster jokes in almost a year. Triple H and Michaels hadn’t
been together in the same ring at the same time since January, when The Game tore his quad muscle at New Year’s
Revolution. But DX hadn't forgotten their sense of humor, as they affably accepted that Hornswoggle, Boogeyman and
(apparently?) Khali all wanted to be honorary members of the cool club for a night. In the nine months that had passed,
the duo had fought their own personal battles. HBK pursued the WWE Championship, was sidelined by Orton for five months
and returned last month for vengeance against the Legend Killer. Meanwhile, The Game made a successful return to WWE after
rehabbing a torn quad, briefly won the WWE Title and has been in the middle of a brutal, bloody rivalry with Umaga. The
Game and The Showstopper seemed content DX lie dormant, but a 2-on-1 assault by Orton and Umaga on Triple H at Raw last
week forced HBK to intervene, and Mr. McMahon made the match. Tonight, before their match, the duo found their smiles
again. For the past few months, Triple H and HBK did not have much to smile about as they battled for their careers
against Umaga and Orton, respectively. As DX, the duo allowed our fans to revisit the pranksters who love to wreak havoc
on WWE and the Chairman – and kick some ass. However, the time for fun and games ended once the bell sounded for DX’s
showdown with the Samoan Bulldozer & the WWE Champion. They loved entertaining and making others laugh, but now was the
time to go to war. Laughter faded away as Triple H and Shawn Michaels grew stoned-faced. Orton and Umaga were in their
crosshairs, and they needed to be ready. Still, the good ol’ days where the X that marked the spot for The Game and The
Showstopper was still there – at least for a little while. And remember no Hollywood TV writers made this stuff up;
they're on strike. But WWE never is.
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Beth Phoenix defeated Kelly Kelly
Snitsky defeated Joey
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio
defeated
Ken Kennedy & Fit Finlay
Cody Rhodes defeated Trevor Murdoch
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan & Super Crazy
defeated
Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
"DX" Shawn Michaels & Triple H
defeated
WWE Champion Randy Orton & Umaga
Run Time: 2:12:06
RAW
# 755
11-12-07 Live
Kansas Expo Center
Topeka, Kansas
After getting moistened to the marrow with beer last Monday night at the hands of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Santino
Marella appeared thirsty for revenge this week during the Survivor Series kickoff. After coming to the aid of his
“girlfriend” Maria, who was pummeled by the Glamazon, Beth Phoenix, the hot-blooded grappler called Austin out onto the
mat, perhaps knowing the Texas Rattlesnake was nowhere near the Kansas Expo Arena. When Austin didn’t show, Marella
channeled his venom at Raw announcer and Stone Cold friend Jim Ross. But Good Ol’ J.R.’s announcing partner, Jerry “The
King” Lawler, intervened in an attempt to tame the Italian Stallion.
In a preview of next Sunday’s Traditional Survivor Series’ Elimination Match, a pride of WWE Superstars put the ring ropes
to the test in a Six-Man Tag Team Match. Jeff & Matt Hardy & Rey Mysterio tackled the onslaught of Mr. Kennedy & MVP &
Finlay. Rising above their competition, The Hardys & Mysterio came out victorious.
In a tribute to beauty and brawn, GM Regal arranged for six Divas from all three WWE brands to clash Monday night in a Six
Divas Tag Team Match. Mickie James, Michelle McCool & Kelly Kelly battled Melina, Jillian Hall & Layla. With an eye toward
the 10-Diva Tag Team Match at Survivor Series, Mickie James pinned Layla for the three-count.
With direct orders from Mr. McMahon himself, William Regal and Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman helped train
Hornswoggle for his Survivor Series match against The Great Khali. Coachman even went so far as to impersonate Khali
himself.
When Undertaker and Batista look into each other’s eyes, there is a mutual respect that only both of them can understand –
the kind shared by two warriors who have been to hell and back in several epic wars. Although these two proud warriors
were united in a special tag team match tonight on Raw, The Deadman and The Animal remained wary because they knew they’d
have to take each other beyond hell in less than six days at Survivor Series. For World Heavyweight Champion Batista and
his opponent on Sunday, Undertaker, “beyond hell” is a brutal match within a 20-foot high roofed steel structure called
Hell in a Cell. GM William Regal invited the two Superstars from SmackDown to Raw to compete against World Tag Team
Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch just to see if they could co-exist before their battle at Survivor Series. The
Animal and The Deadman exchanged glares; they eyed each other warily. Sometimes, to the painful chagrin of Cade & Murdoch,
it looked like they were trying to outdo each other. Their tags in the ring were cold and hard, and not the kind of
exchanges you’d see between two friends. But they did co-exist enough to defeat the World Tag Team Champions. Though Cade
& Murdoch were in front of them, Batista and Undertaker’s focus was on each other and Hell in a Cell. The trail of blood,
broken bones and dreams left behind in 10 years of carnage makes every Superstar in WWE break out into a cold sweat.
However, The Phenom knows no fear. He is the only Superstar who seems to request Hell in a Cell Matches. No wonder he’s
been in the most (along with Triple H); it’s almost as if the Cell is his second home. Perhaps that’s why our fans sense
that The Deadman respects Batista. The Animal not only defeated him in the middle of the ring at Cyber Sunday, but he gave
him a rematch and accepted his invitation into Hell. And Batista respects Undertaker for everything he has accomplished in
WWE and for setting the standard for WrestleMania performances with his 15-0 record. The capacity crowd at the Kansas Expo
Center in Topeka grew into a semi-hush as The Animal and The Deadman stared at each other following their victory. Despite
the thousands of cheering fans around them, they were alone. They were locked into a moment that only they could
appreciate. Undertaker and Batista knew that Hell in a Cell awaits them at Survivor Series – and that they may never be
the same after this Sunday.
Randy Orton heard the whispers. Shawn Michaels has your number. He knocked you out for five straight weeks. That’s the
only reason you wanted Sweet Chin Music banned at Survivor Series. That’s the only way you can save your WWE
Championship. But tonight on Raw, the Legend Killer reminded HBK and all of WWE why he is the WWE Champion. He ends
careers, and this Sunday at Survivor Series, he could bring down the final curtain on The Showstopper. Thanks to Mr.
McMahon and perhaps his desire to protect his main event at Survivor Series, Michaels narrowly avoided getting punted in
the head and perhaps severely injured by Orton again. However, Michaels felt a stiff kick to his ribs and thunderous RKO.
HBK had to sense trouble when the Chairman, his longtime enemy and Orton supporter, announced that he was moderating the
verbal face-off between him and Orton. The tension in the Kansas Expo Center was already thick before tonight’s final
meeting between Orton and HBK less than one week until their WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series. Michaels had
tormented Orton with weeks of Sweet Chin Music, but clearly spooked him when he pinned him following the lethal move in a
tag team match last week on Raw. That prompted Orton to request that Raw GM William Regal ban Sweet Chin Music at Survivor
Series. Under the stipulation, if HBK uses, or attempts to use, his lethal trademark move, he will be disqualified and
never get another opportunity at Orton’s WWE Title. However, the Legend Killer is not off the hook. On the heels of his
blatant disqualification at Cyber Sunday against Michaels, if Orton is disqualified at Survivor Series, or appears to
attempt to get disqualified, he will lose the WWE Championship. But in their face-off, Orton and HBK reminded our fans
that their rivalry was about more than the WWE Title. It’s personal; it’s about careers and vengeance. Michaels reminded
Orton how he purposely sidelined him with a severe concussion for five months. The Showstopper has never been able to
shake the image of his wife weeping after Judgment Day last May as paramedics gave him oxygen and wheeled him out of the
arena. Michaels stewed for months, waiting for a chance at vengeance while Orton bragged that he had ended his career.
Winning the WWE Title from Orton would mean sweet vengeance for Michaels, but he has admitted in recent weeks that he
wants to take out the Legend Killer in the prime of his career. However, in some ways, Orton’s bitterness toward HBK is
just as personal. He has always seen Michaels as an obstacle in his career, a legend who refuses to step aside. Orton
thought he had destroyed Michaels months ago. The Showstopper not only proved him wrong, but he embarrassed him – week
after week, Sweet Chin Music after Sweet Chin Music. Tonight, in an attack enabled by a convenient distraction by the
Chairman, Orton showed that he wants to do more than retain his WWE Championship at Survivor Series. He wants to
reestablish himself as a Legend Killer and end HBK’s career once and for all. Getting Sweet Chin Music barred was just
part one of his master plan. Undoubtedly, after seemingly holding Michaels’ career on the tips of his toes tonight, Orton
is confident that he will leave Survivor Series with his WWE Championship – and HBK’s blood. Meanwhile, HBK is without his
most lethal weapon at Survivor Series. He told Orton that he doesn't need it; he's fueled by revenge. But Michaels has
won three out of his four world championships with Sweet Chin Music, but that won’t matter on Sunday. HBK must find
another way to win at Survivor Series – his career may depend on it.
When you put Triple H and Umaga under the same roof, you’re guaranteed a war – their battles at No Mercy and Cyber Sunday
proved that. Tonight on Raw, the intensity of these Survivor Series captains proved to be contagious as all hell broke
loose when their teammates brawled all over ringside during their Lumberjack Match. The stage for tonight’s wild melee was
set when Umaga took exception to Mr. Kennedy naming himself captain of their Survivor Series team. He took over the reigns
as team captain and inserted himself into the Lumberjack Match instead of Kennedy. Over the weekend, the general managers
of Raw, SmackDown and ECW agreed to let the remaining eight members of Triple H and Umaga’s Survivor Series teams be the
lumberjacks in their Lumberjack Match. With Rey Mysterio, Kane, and Matt and Jeff Hardy backing The Game on one side and
Finlay, Big Daddy V, MVP and Kennedy giving Umaga support on the other, tonight’s match gave a preview of what the
Traditional Elimination Match at Survivor Series will be like. But the battle for survival began before the Lumberjack
Match. The Hardys & Rey Mysterio teamed up to take on Kennedy, Finlay & MVP in an aerial enthusiast’s dream match. The
Master of the 619 and the brothers from Cameron, N.C., pulled out the victory after a scintillating combination of
Mysterio and Jeff Hardy's world-renowned signature maneuvers on MVP, but their battle was far from over. As our fans have
seen over the past few months, Triple H and Umaga have spilled their own blood and broken each other’s bodies in their
red-hot rivalry. They have tried to end each other’s careers. In the jungle known as Raw, the Samoan Bulldozer and The
King of Kings have battled for superiority. While Triple H has victories over Umaga, there really hasn’t been a definitive
winner in their rivalry. So, it was no surprise that Triple H and Umaga’s Lumberjack Match was so closely fought. But with
their equally competitive teammates at ringside – and with so many personal issues in the mix, especially between Mysterio
and Finlay, Jeff Hardy and Mr. Kennedy, Matt Hardy and his rival/WWE Tag Team partner MVP – the battle couldn’t be
contained within the ring. Both sides wanted to protect their captains. Both teams also wanted to go into Survivor Series
with an advantage. However, it seems that neither Team Game nor Team Bulldozer achieved their goal. It was difficult to
determine who had an advantage as both teams tore into each other as Raw went off the air. But that won’t happen at
Survivor Series. There must be a winner. In the Traditional Elimination Match at Survivor Series, members of Triple H and
Umaga’s teams will be weeded out by pinfall, count-out or submission until one group is eliminated entirely, and another
is left standing alone in the ring. There could be as many as nine decisions. The battle could be entirely give-and-take,
or could lead to an advantage as steep as 5-on-1 for one team.
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Dave "The Aniaml" Batista & The Undertaker
defeated
World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Women`s Champion "The Glamazon" Beth Phoenix
defeated
Maria
Jeff & Matt Hardy & Rey Mysterio
defeated
Mr. Kennedy & M.V.P. & Fit Finlay
Mickie James & Michelle McCool & Kelly Kelly
defeated
Melina & Jillian Hall & Layla
Jerry "The King" Lawler defeated Santino Marella
- TRAINING SESSION -
Hornswoggle McMahon
defeated
Jonathan Coachman as The Great Khali
- LUMBERJACK MATCH -
Triple H vs Umaga
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 2:05:31
RAW
# 756
11-19-07 Live
Bank Atlantic Center
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The student has become the master. After suffering three consecutive defeats at the hands of Hardcore Holly, Cody Rhodes
has finally managed to top the former World Tag Team Champion. The young upstart spent months trying to earn the veteran’s
respect. Now, it seems, Rhodes has drawn on those experiences to overcome his mentor. Rhodes’ win comes just one day after
he and Holly teamed up to challenge reigning World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch for the title at
Survivor Series. While the duo lost the match, Rhodes nonetheless gained valuable ring time. Just one day before the
match, Holly spoke with WWE.com about how Rhodes was still green and how he was teaching his young partner to toughen up
and kick ass. Mr. Holly, consider those to be lessons learned. Before Rhodes could celebrate, though, Randy Orton dropped
both he and Holly with RKOs. It seemed the WWE Champ didn’t appreciate having to share the spotlight on what he perceived
as his night.
After another humiliation last week, compliments of Jerry “The King” Lawler, you might expect to find Santino Marella
hiding out in a dark basement. But no, the hot-headed grappler challenged Lawler to a rematch. After suffering Marella’s
disrespectful words, Lawler pulled out the win. But Randy Orton cut any celebrating short when he dropped Lawler with an
RKO, just as he had done with Rhodes and Holly.
It looks like Mr. Kennedy is as mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore. “It” could mean many things. But perhaps
more accurately is his lack of championship opportunities and frustration over seeing established legends such as Shawn
Michaels getting chances at the WWE Title – a prize The Showstopper has held on four different occasions and something the
loudmouth Green Bay, Wis., native has never held. Tonight on Raw, Kennedy exploded like a volcano and spewed his rage in a
wild brawl with HBK. Kennedy has whined incessantly about being cheated ever since he lost his Mr. Money in the Bank world
championship opportunity due to injury and an opportunistic Edge several months ago. It’s as if he believes he’s entitled
to title chances, that the WWE Championship is his divine right. When Michaels emerged on Raw, HBK showed why he and
Kennedy are so different. He didn’t whine about losing his hard-fought championship match at Survivor Series against WWE
Champion Randy Orton. He offered no excuses. HBK requested a rematch, but the arrogant Legend Killer bragged that his time
had come and gone. Orton stressed that he was done with The Showstopper and that Michaels should step aside. Almost on
queue, Kennedy then appeared out of nowhere, literally and almost symbolically pushing him out of the spotlight. Seemingly
piggybacking on Orton’s comments, the former U.S. Champion told Michaels and the entire world that HBK had gotten enough
chances at the WWE Championship. He believed Michaels should be best known as a “loser” – for losing to former WWE
Champion John Cena at WrestleMania 23, coming up short in his classic Ladder Match at WrestleMania X and "losing his
smile" during a controversial surrender of the WWE Title several years ago. Raw GM William Regal arranged a match between
the two, but it never really got started. The tension between Kennedy and Michaels erupted into a melee that could not be
contained in the ring. The self-proclaimed “future of sports-entertainment” tasted a steel chair, courtesy of HBK’s Sweet
Chin Music, but that didn't stop him from making a promise. “You see Shawn Michaels, you see your career evaporating," he
said. "You see young talent like myself, and you want to hold me down. But that is not going to happen. Father Time
catches up with everyone. Father Time catches up with you. And I promise you that the next time we meet, you won't have to
worry about Father Time. You'll have to worry about Mr. Kennedy." If The Showstopper and Kennedy have any say in the
matter, it looks like we’ve only seen the beginning of this rapidly escalating war pitting a legend versus a legend in his
own mind.
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy has been on an unbelievable roll lately, putting on a string of battles that have
been as breathtaking as his Swanton Bombs. The “Rainbow-haired Warrior’s” heroics have not gone unnoticed, particularly by
one Superstar considered by some as the measuring stick by which all others are judged – The Kings of Kings, Triple H.
Perhaps that’s why The Game came to Hardy’s aid when he was assaulted by two monsters, Snitsky and Umaga, after the
high-flyer’s match with the Samoan Bulldozer. They survived against all odds last night to win the Traditional Elimination
Match at Survivor Series, and Hardy sought to continue his winning ways when he took on the dangerous Umaga in a non-title
affair. The final Superstar eliminated by Hardy & The Game last night, the still-steamed Samoan Bulldozer was motivated by
revenge, hoping to put Hardy down with his powerful offensive arsenal. But the high-flying Hardy showed our fans and Umaga
that his fast-paced style is not just unorthodox, but extremely successful. As Jeff seized control of the match, and
appeared on his way to a victory over Umaga, Snitsky suddenly made his way to the ring. The yellow-toothed ogre has gone
the longest of any Superstar without being pinned in 2007; in fact he hasn’t been pinned yet this year. Snitsky and Umaga
combined their intimidating forces in an attempt to decimate Hardy, but Triple H stood in their way. After the
altercation, it was announced that next week on Raw, Triple H & Jeff Hardy will stand together once again when they face
Snitsky & Umaga. Will the two Superstars find a way to survive yet again?
In a Divas Tag Team Match, Mickie James paired with Maria to take on Jillian Hall & Melina, the woman James had pinned the
night before at Survivor Series. After hitting a rough patch with Jillian, James showed why she’s been on a tear lately as
she laid the Kiss of Death on the tone-deaf Diva and pinned her for the three-count.
The Irish have historically proven to be a proud and loyal band, quick to do battle for an ally. In the case of Finlay,
however, could such a seemingly steadfast devotion to his fellow Irishman, Hornswoggle, yield mixed results? Last night at
Survivor Series, the man who loves to fight charged into the ring wildly swinging his shillelagh at Hornswoggle’s
opponent, The Great Khali. Just as the 7-foot-3 Punjabi Nightmare prepared to vanquish the 4-foot-4 Hornswoggle, Finlay
rescued his old cohort and laid a collection of welts on Khali’s towering frame. Sunday night’s actions surprised many
observers, as Finlay is not known for his heroics. And he didn’t do it to please our fans. He couldn’t care less about
what you think. However, tonight, the Irishman performed an encore. This time, the target of his wrath was Hornswoggle’s
opponent, Carlito, who had hoped to teach the leprechaun a lesson in tough love, with the blessing of the little bastard’s
father, Mr. McMahon. So, what’s gotten into the feisty Irishman to cause him to risk life and limb in the ring to help
Hornswoggle? Is he motivated by a sense of loyalty to his one-time associate, who has helped to save him in tight
situations on more than one occasion? Or is Finlay receiving orders to save Hornswoggle’s bacon from on high? Mr.
McMahon’s reaction seems equally indecipherable. His eyebrow-raising response could signal either disapproval or knowing
consent. And if the Chairman had been hoping to rid himself of Hornswoggle once and for all, what sort of repercussions
might Finlay expect? Or will the Irishman be rewarded for his loyalty and bravery for saving the Chairman’s son?
Once again, Raw is Jericho! To the chagrin of WWE Champion Randy Orton, who planned a symbolic (and literal) torch-passing ceremony to celebrate his
Survivor Series victory over Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho returned to Raw to spoil Orton’s moment of glory. Just as
Orton’s torch bearer arrived at the BankAtlantic Center after completing his 35-mile run from Miami, the runner was
attacked by an unknown figure. While Orton fumed at his ceremony gone awry, the lights in the arena went dark momentarily
before exploding into a flourish of pyrotechnics. When the smoke cleared, the trademark cross pose revealed the one and
only Chris Jericho to the roar of the raucously elated crowd. "Welcome to Raw ... is ... Jericho," Y2J exclaimed. The
former WWE Undisputed Champion soaked up the ovation after being away for more than two years. Y2J’s "second coming" was
heralded in weeks of cryptic binary code videos on Raw, SmackDown and ECW that baffled announcers, Superstars and fans
alike. Messages buried in the lines of code hinted that the “Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rolla” was preparing a Raw return
Monday night. And Y2J did so in grand fashion, stealing the Legend Killer’s limelight. Much like his memorable Raw debut
in 1999, Jericho reintroduced himself as both a savior and entertainer, coming back to rescue our fans. "This is not a
mirage. This is real. This is now," Jericho said. "This is the second coming of Y2J! ... The Sexy Beast is back, baby!"
But Jericho also announced that he was gunning for Raw's top prize. "Most importantly Randy Orton, I'm here to save us
from you," Jericho said "Because the first chance I get, I'm going to take that WWE Championship from you. And I'm going
to put it around this gorgeous waist, and WWE ... will never, ever, be the same again!" It seemed that Y2J’s competitive
streak and flair for the dramatic haven’t diminished in his time away from WWE. And for the WWE Champion, he watched as
his night of glory was “torched” by the return of the newest threat to his title reign.
MATCHES:
Shawn Michaels vs Mr. Kennedy
ended in a no contest
Jerry "The King" Lawler
defeated
Santino Marella
Jeff Hardy defeated Umaga
via a disqualification
Cody Rhodes defeated Hardcore Holly
Mickie James & Maria
defeated
Jillian Hall & Melina
Hornswoggle defeated Carlito
Run Time: 2:09:00
RAW
# 757
11-26-07 Live
Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Charlotte, North Carolina
Mr. Kennedy seemed to be trying out for an infomercial tonight. But the only thing he was pedaling was a series of insults
to Shawn Michaels. The loudmouth from Green Bay, Wis. dissed a bunch of HBK’s merchandise, including his new DVD,
Heartbreak & Triumph. The verbal slap to Michaels’ face was only the latest putdown from Mr. Kennedy, who feels that HBK
doesn’t deserve any more WWE Championship opportunities. He announced that he’ll have the opportunity to make his case
when he faces off against HBK at Armageddon. However, before Armageddon, Kennedy further bolstered his argument when he
overpowered high-flyer Brian Kendrick in a singles competition.
A week after being defeated by World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes redeemed
themselves in an Eight-Man Tag Team Match. The reluctant partners teamed with Super Crazy & “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan to defeat
Cade & Murdoch and The Highlanders.
After defeating Melina, Mickie James continued to ride the wave of momentum she’s been on the past several weeks, right
into a title opportunity at Armageddon against Women’s Champion, Beth Phoenix.
As a tag team, Triple H & Jeff Hardy appeared to have burned through all five gears and shifted their partnership into
overdrive. On Monday Night Raw, their combination of brute strength and aerial excellence coalesced to form a powerful
machine that rolled over their worthy opponents, Umaga & Snitsky. But before the engine even had time to cool, William
Regal stepped forth and pulled the plug. The Raw General Manager arranged a match between The Game and the “Rainbow-haired
Warrior” at Armageddon. "Stepping into the ring with Triple H will be an honor," Jeff said on Raw. "We've been on an
incredible roll since Survivor Series. I just hope what happens at Armageddon doesn't ruin our friendship." While the
crack in Hardy's tattooed facade may warm the cockles of many a heart, from the sound of things, Triple H doesn't exactly
share the sentiment. "I've never been good at the 'friends' thing, Jeff," Triple H told Hardy. "Just remember, at
Armageddon, you're not stepping into the ring with a partner. You're not stepping into the ring with a friend. You're
stepping into the ring with The Game." The two had first begun firing on all cylinders during the Traditional Elimination
Match at Survivor Series. At the end of the match, Hardy helped dispose of Umaga, allowing both he and Triple H to remain
the last men standing. Then, last week, Hardy appeared on the verge of defeating Umaga again. But just as the
Intercontinental Champion prepared to seal the match with a Swanton Bomb, Snitsky charged into the ring and began raining
blows down on him. The giant ogre, Snitsky, has since stated that he has his sights dead set on the Intercontinental
Championship. Seizing the opportunity to punish Umaga, Triple H shot into the ring and helped Hardy fend off the twin
terrors. Now, it seems, the two men who worked so well together must match up their respective strengths against one
another. Will Hardy be able to overcome Triple H’s significant strength advantage? Or will Triple H be able to ground the
high-flying attack launched by Hardy?
Chris Jericho’s Y2J plan to “save us” appears to be on schedule. Last week, Jericho returned to “save us” from WWE
Champion Randy Orton and vowed take his WWE Title the first opportunity he got. Tonight, he enraged the Legend Killer when
he cost Orton the chance to retire Ric Flair and appeared to be baiting him into a title match. Jericho seems to have done
his homework on Orton. He seems to already know how to press the third-generation Superstar’s buttons – by bruising his
massive ego and taking away his spotlight. Last week, he spoiled Orton’s “Passing the Torch” Ceremony with his second
coming. Tonight, he foiled his chance to retire the legend of legends, Flair. Earlier the Chairman told Flair that the next
match the 16-time World Champion loses – whether it be by disqualification, pinfall, or submission on Raw, ECW, SmackDown
or on pay-per-view – will be his last. He would be forced to retire, and his glorious 30-year career would end. Orton
immediately challenged Flair, his former mentor in Evolution and a man he grew up watching, to a Career Threatening Match.
In Orton’s mind, the opportunity to end the Nature Boy’s career in his own hometown was a chance to further cement his
already-impressive legacy. But once again, to Orton’s chagrin, Y2J rained on his parade. Just as Jericho has vowed to
“save us,” he saved Flair from retirement. His distraction of Orton enabled Flair to give the Legend Killer a low blow and
roll him up for a miraculous three-count. Orton breathed fire through his nose as he glared back at Jericho. Tonight,
before a raucous Charlotte faithful crowd holding Y2J signs and chanting “Y2J! Y2J!” Jericho sparked laughter when he
wondered why Orton had not responded to his challenge from last week. He even suspected that Orton was too stupid to
understand the question. With the help of some visual aids (and a very inventive use of Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster),
Jericho “Ortonized” his request: “Me … want … title match!” But laughs aside, Jericho means serious business. In the ring,
he looked like he hadn’t lost a step when he defeated former Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella in his first match
in more than two years. He even introduced a new devastating finishing maneuver on Marella, a jawbuster called the
Codebreaker. Watch out Orton – Y2J’s second coming could mean the end of your reign. You’re not on the list of people he
wants to save.
As WWE Champion Randy Orton stood over a prone and battered Ric Flair, a faint hush seemed to fall over Charlotte Bobcats
Arena. Our fans – longtime followers of the “Nature Boy” in “Flair Country” – looked on and believed they were seeing
history, the end of a monumental career. They were saddened, but they knew someday this day would come, that Flair’s
legendary career would end. But thanks to Chris Jericho, someday did not come tonight. Due to Y2J’s timely distraction,
Flair will live to fight another day, and Orton was, in his mind, robbed of a moment of glory. Before Raw tonight, rumors
circulated throughout Charlotte that “Naitch” was going to announce his retirement. He hadn’t competed in a match in
months and speculation about his retirement spread when it was announced that he would appear on Raw in front of his
hometown crowd in Charlotte. How fitting would it have been for the 16-time World Champion to end his career in front of
the legion of fans who had been by his side from the beginning. But when Flair appeared tonight, he admitted that his
career must come to an end someday – but not tonight. This brought out Mr. McMahon, a longtime Flair detractor, who
claimed that he had watched too many legends continue to compete and make a mockery of their legacies and risk their
health. The Chairman told Flair he could continue his career – as long as he kept winning. Per order of Mr. McMahon, the
next match the 16-time World Champion loses – whether it be by disqualification, pinfall, or submission on Raw, ECW,
SmackDown or on pay-per-view – will be his last. He will be forced to retire, and his glorious 30-year career will end.
As a self-proclaimed “Legend Killer,” WWE Champion Randy Orton leapt at the chance to retire the legend of legends. He
immediately challenged Flair, his former mentor in Evolution and a man he grew up watching, to a Career Threatening Match.
In Orton’s mind, the opportunity to end the Nature Boy’s career in his own hometown was a chance to further cement his
already-impressive legacy. Flair has never backed away from a fight. But in some ways tonight, he seemed resigned to the
possibility that his career could end. He received well-wishes from two admirers, Shawn Michaels and Triple H. He
conferred with two of his best friends in the world, Barry Windham and Arn Anderson, his former teammates in the Four
Horsemen. The Raw locker room gave him a standing ovation. Flair had always wanted to end his career on his terms, but Mr.
McMahon took that away from him. However, no matter what, if he was going down, Naitch was determined go down swinging.
For a while, it seemed that Flair would be forced into retirement. The younger, stronger Orton, who has sidelined John
Cena and beaten greats such as Triple H and HBK, dominated the 16-time World Champion. Flair showed flashes of his
brilliance and rallied in spurts, but the Legend Killer’s victory seemed almost assured. But just as Y2J returned last week
to “save us,” he helped saved Flair from retirement. His distraction of Orton enabled Flair to give Orton a low blow and
roll him up for a miraculous three-count. Flair breathed a deep sigh as the rafters in the Charlotte Bobcats Arena shook.
He avoided retirement tonight, but every match from now on will be a battle for his life. Flair has made an entire career
out of defying the odds. He has won championships long after so-called experts thought he past his prime. But when will
the odds catch up to the Nature Boy?
MATCHES:
Jeff Hardy & Triple H
defeated
Umaga & Gene Snitsky
Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes
with
Super Crazy & Jim "Hacksaw" Duggan
defeated
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
with
The Highlanders
Chris Jericho defeated Santino Marella
Mr. Kennedy defeated Brian Kendrick
- NUMBER 1 CONTENDER`S MATCH -
Mickie James defeated Melina
- NON TITLE MATCH -
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
defeated
WWE Champion Randy Orton
Run Time: 2:08:26
RAW
# 758
12-3-07 Live
North Charleston Coliseum
North Charleston, South Carolina
Hornswoggle prepared himself for yet another week of tough love, compliments of his father, Mr. McMahon. And for yet
another week, the resourceful little guy fell into a bucket of leprechaun leftovers and came out smelling like a wild
Irish rose. The Chairman had arranged a No Disqualification Handicap Match pitting Hornswoggle against two of his fiercest
foes, Carlito & Jonathan Coachman. But as the two licked their chops at the thought of punishing the wee green guy, the
quick-witted fella apparently used his dad’s cell phone to call in the protection of a pair of old school enforcers: Ron
Simmons & JBL, better known as the APA, to more than even the odds.
In a Tag Team Match against Mickie James & Maria, Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix paired with Melina and showed once again
why the gold rests firmly around her waist. After absorbing a series of blows from Mickie, her Armageddon challenger, the
Glamazon hurled her opponent to the mat for the three-count.
Stealing a page from Shawn Michaels’ playbook, Mr. Kennedy invited to the ring a host of imposters pretending to be HBK’s
former foes: Marty Jannetty, Razor Ramon and Diesel before inviting out an HBK imposter. Unfortunately for the loudmouth
from Green Bay, Wis., the real Showstopper came out and ruined his fun.
Despite his quest to “save_us” from WWE Champion Randy Orton’s title reign, Chris Jericho wasn’t able to save himself
tonight from these three letters: RKO. But Orton was barely able to save himself from Y2J's dreaded Walls of Jericho. In
the first two weeks of his return to WWE, Y2J left such a great impression on Orton. He spoiled his “Passing the Torch”
ceremony and then took away his opportunity to send Ric Flair into retirement. The egotistical Orton, enraged that Jericho
commandeered his spotlight, agreed to defend the WWE Championship against Y2J at Armageddon. Tonight, with Armageddon less
than two weeks away, Raw GM William Regal allowed Jericho and Orton to make each other’s matches, and the two put each
other to the test. Orton elected to have Y2J face the Samoan Bulldozer Umaga for the first time ever while Jericho had the
Legend Killer face off against one of his toughest longtime nemeses, Shawn Michaels. Umaga vs. Jericho and HBK vs. Orton by
themselves would be enough to headline any event anywhere. But tonight, these matches were really about Jericho and Orton
and their attempts to outdo each other. During his first tenure in WWE, Jericho faced a who’s who in WWE. From “Stone Cold”
Steve Austin to The Rock to Triple H and HBK, he’s gone head-to-head with them all. But he’s never faced anyone like Umaga,
and the Samoan monster gave him a painful introduction to today’s WWE. Nevertheless, Y2J showed why he was the first
Undisputed WWE Champion in history. He had Umaga reeling with a Codebreaker – until Orton appeared out of nowhere and
flattened him with an RKO. The WWE Champion appeared even more cocky than usual when he faced Michaels later that night.
In his mind, he had left his mark on Jericho. He had finally embarrassed a nuisance and sent a message to Y2J and all his
detractors – the WWE Championship is serious business. Jericho can have all the charisma in the world, Orton believes, but
he is a Legend Killer. He ends careers. And he will do anything to hold on to his WWE Title. There were too many
combustible elements to prevent the latest battle between Orton and HBK from turning into an uncontrollable melee. Mr.
Kennedy, who has an ongoing war with Michaels, made his presence known in an attempt to get an advantage on HBK before
their own battle at Armageddon. Orton attempted to celebrate his count-out victory, but Jericho ran in to get some revenge
on Orton and nearly trapped him in his back-crunching Walls of Jericho. As Orton backpedaled up the ramp, he looked back at
Y2J, his eyes wide with terror. Jericho glared at Orton, and he wasn’t smiling at all. Yes, Y2J is known partly for his
humor, but he is deadly serious about his mission to save us from the Legend Killer’s title reign. He is a former World
Champion, and he had to be devious and somewhat conniving – just like Orton – to be as successful as he’s been. Randy
Orton better remember that as he prepares to face Jericho at Armageddon.
High-flying Jeff Hardy found himself defending his Intercontinental Championship against the ogre, Snitsky. After taking a
pounding, Hardy dealt Snitsky his first pinfall loss all year with a Swanton Bomb to retain the gold. But Snitsky didn’t
take the defeat too well and Triple H, Hardy’s opponent in a high stakes match at Armageddon, intervened.
Randy Orton’s title reign, Chris Jericho wasn’t able to save himself tonight from these three letters: RKO. But Orton was
barely able to save himself from Y2J's dreaded Walls of Jericho. In the first two weeks of his return to WWE, Y2J left
such a great impression on Orton. He spoiled his “Passing the Torch” ceremony and then took away his opportunity to send
Ric Flair into retirement. The egotistical Orton, enraged that Jericho commandeered his spotlight, agreed to defend the
WWE Championship against Y2J at Armageddon. Tonight, with Armageddon less than two weeks away, Raw GM William Regal
allowed Jericho and Orton to make each other’s matches, and the two put each other to the test. Orton elected to have Y2J
face the Samoan Bulldozer Umaga for the first time ever while Jericho had the Legend Killer face off against one of his
toughest longtime nemeses, Shawn Michaels. Umaga vs. Jericho and HBK vs. Orton by themselves would be enough to headline
any event anywhere. But tonight, these matches were really about Jericho and Orton and their attempts to outdo each other.
During his first tenure in WWE, Jericho faced a who’s who in WWE. From “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to The Rock to Triple H
and HBK, he’s gone head-to-head with them all. But he’s never faced anyone like Umaga, and the Samoan monster gave him a
painful introduction to today’s WWE. Nevertheless, Y2J showed why he was the first Undisputed WWE Champion in history. He
had Umaga reeling with a Codebreaker – until Orton appeared out of nowhere and flattened him with an RKO. The WWE Champion
appeared even more cocky than usual when he faced Michaels later that night. In his mind, he had left his mark on Jericho.
He had finally embarrassed a nuisance and sent a message to Y2J and all his detractors – the WWE Championship is serious
business. Jericho can have all the charisma in the world, Orton believes, but he is a Legend Killer. He ends careers. And
he will do anything to hold on to his WWE Title. There were too many combustible elements to prevent the latest battle
between Orton and HBK from turning into an uncontrollable melee. Mr. Kennedy, who has an ongoing war with Michaels, made
his presence known in an attempt to get an advantage on HBK before their own battle at Armageddon. Orton attempted to
celebrate his count-out victory, but Jericho ran in to get some revenge on Orton and nearly trapped him in his
back-crunching Walls of Jericho. As Orton backpedaled up the ramp, he looked back at Y2J, his eyes wide with terror.
Jericho glared at Orton, and he wasn’t smiling at all. Yes, Y2J is known partly for his humor, but he is deadly serious
about his mission to save us from the Legend Killer’s title reign. He is a former World Champion, and he had to be devious
and somewhat conniving – just like Orton – to be as successful as he’s been. Randy Orton better remember that as he
prepares to face Jericho at Armageddon.
MATCHES:
Beth Phoenix & Melina
defeated
Maria & Mickie James
Chris Jericho "Y2J"
defeated
"The Samoan Bulldozer" Umaga
via a disqualification
Hornswoggle
with the "APA" Bradshaw & Ron Simmons
defeated
Carlito Carribean Cool & Jonathan Coachman
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
Jeff Hardy
defeated
Gene Snitsky
retaining the title
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Champion "The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
defeated
"The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels
via a disqualification
Run Time: 2:03:04
RAW
# 759 15th Anniversary
12-10-07 Live
Arena at Harbor Yard
Bridgeport, Connecticut
In a night where legends returned to their old stomping ground, new champions were crowned tonight during Raw’s 15th
Anniversary celebration. Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly’s tenuous relationship proved fruitful, and they defeated Lance Cade
& Trevor Murdoch for the World Tag Team Championship. Cody’s father, WWE Hall of Famer “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes
watched from ringside, as Holly caught Murdoch in the Alabama Slam and picked up the winning golden pinfall for his team.
The Arena at Harbor Yard crowd cheered as a proud Dusty embraced his son and held the new champions’ arms high. The win
ended the “Redneck Wrecking Crew’s” three-month reign as champs and marked Cody’s first title win in WWE and the third
World Tag Team Championship for Holly. Maybe Cody, who fought his now-championship partner several weeks in singles
competition before they formed their team, has finally earned Holly’s respect.
Mr. McMahon gathered his son Shane, daughter Stephanie and bastard son Hornswoggle for a first-ever family portrait in the
ring. But Triple H came to the ring and had other plans for the touching moment. Triple H must have felt like he attended
three different family reunions when Raw’s 15th Anniversary celebration came to a
close tonight. One thing is for sure, it was definitely a walk down three different very memorable memory lanes for The
Game. He not only got a chance to torture Mr. McMahon (one of his favorite pastimes) and crash his former in-laws’
first-ever in-ring family portrait, but he competed with two of his closest friends, Ric Flair and Batista and helped Shawn
Michaels in a potentially career-threatening situation. In some ways, Raw’s 15th Anniversary tonight was a celebration of
The Cerebral Assassin’s career. Triple H has been a part of three of the most powerful groups in sports-entertainment – The
McMahon Family, Evolution and DX. One reunion – with Evolution – was expected while the other two were not. Perhaps more
than any other Superstar, The Game has loved embarrassing the Chairman. Tonight was no different when, on Mr. McMahon’s
glorious celebration of the program he created, The Game crashed the family portrait featuring all the McMahons, including
the Chairman’s little bastard Hornswoggle, and stirred the pot. Linda McMahon was conspicuously absent due to, as Mr.
McMahon explained, a “gastrointestinal problem.” But the faces of Shane and Stephanie McMahon reddened as The King of
Kings reminded them – and all our fans in the Arena at Harbor Yard – that Mr. McMahon is not exactly a family man. From
the “Original Diva” Sunny to Melina to Mae Young and even Howard Finkel and Pat Patterson, Triple H took great delight
pouring the spotlight on the Chairman’s unquenchable libido and his many – and somewhat, eclectic – dalliances, even if
they were accidental. (After all, that’s how Hornswoggle came into the world, right?) While the McMahon Family Reunion was
all fun and games for The Game, the Evolution reunion was a very serious matter. Tonight was the first time Evolution –
Triple H, Batista, Flair and Orton – had been together as a unit in more than two years. Since that time, The Game, The
Animal and the “Nature Boy” have remained friends. But Orton’s ego has grown out of control as he has “evolved” into a
ruthless, yet dominant, WWE Champion. Just a few weeks ago, he leaped at the opportunity to send Flair into retirement
after Mr. McMahon issued a “win or retire” ultimatum to “Naitch.” (Under orders of Mr. McMahon, the next singles match
Flair loses – by disqualification, pinfall, submission or count-out – will be his last and he’ll be forced to retire.)
Tonight, Orton refused to stand alongside his former Evolution teammates. He refused to pay any homage to the men who
helped mold him. He spit on Evolution’s legacy and preferred a different kind of reunion – with his former Rated-RKO
partner Edge. Along with Umaga and Edge, Orton took the opportunity to try to embarrass his former teammates on a historic
Raw. But alas, thanks to the overzealous ferocity of the Samoan Bulldozer, Orton’s team was disqualified and Triple H
rejoiced alongside Batista and Flair. However, The Game wasn’t through for the night. Just like Orton attempted to cement
his legacy as a Legend Killer at Flair’s expense, Mr. Kennedy has tried to show the world that Shawn Michaels’ time has
come and gone. These two will meet at Armageddon next Sunday, but tonight, Kennedy tried to make their rivalry personal by
giving his longtime friend, Jannetty, a beatdown after defeating him in a competitive matchup. Michaels thwarted Kennedy
and a brawl ensued between him and the brash Superstar. Just when it appeared Kennedy was about to make sure HBK wouldn’t
make it to Armageddon, out came his old DX partner, Triple H. Our fans erupted and crossed their arms in salute to The
Game and The Showstopper. They paid homage to DX, but in many ways it was a tribute to Triple H. The 11-time World
Champion has known nothing but excellence in his career. That’s illustrated not only by his trophy case, but by the
company he keeps. Our fans have shared Triple H’s highs and lows – many of which have occurred on 15 years of Raw. The
Game has provided many unforgettable moments on Raw, and tonight was no exception.
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy fended off a formidable challenge from Carlito in a brutal Ladder Match to retain his
title.
The reuniting members of Evolution – World Heavyweight Champion Batista, Triple H and Ric Flair – teamed to defeat former
teammate, WWE Champion Randy Orton, Edge and Umaga by disqualification.
In a shocking surprise for our fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard, former WWE and ECW Champion Rob Van Dam answered an open
challenge from Santino Marella, beating him with his trademark Five-Star Frog Splash.
When Mr. McMahon ordered that Hornswoggle get another mandated dose of “tough love” and face The Great Khali in a Survivor
Series rematch, it looked like the little guy’s luck was about to run out. But Hulk Hogan came to ringside and chopped the
Punjabi Giant down to size. The colossus rolled out of the ring, leaving the Hulkster and Hornswoggle to pose for the
cheering crowd.
With 15 former Raw competitors involved in a Raw 15th Anniversary Battle Royal, the fans roared as the devious tax
collector Irwin R. Schyster outlasted Sgt. Slaughter, Skinner, Scotty 2 Hotty and the rest of the field. But just as IRS
was to be announced the winner, the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase offered his former Money Inc. partner a wad of cash
to eliminate himself over the top rope, making DiBiase the winner.
Chris Jericho could not seem to keep himself from smiling slightly as he held the WWE Championship aloft and looked down
at a writhing Randy Orton. He had just foiled a sneak attack by the WWE Champion during Raw’s 15th Anniversary celebration
and trapped him in The Walls of Jericho, perhaps giving him a glimpse into his near future. As Orton groaned, he may have
been finally convinced that Jericho was not kidding about his mission to “save us” from his WWE Championship reign this
Sunday at Armageddon. Orton tried to get the advantage on Y2J at the wrong time. One of the invitees to Raw’s anniversary
was Eric Bischoff, who, other than Orton, may have been the person that Jericho least wanted to see tonight. As Raw General
Manger two years ago, Bischoff was responsible for Y2J’s departure from WWE, firing him when he lost a You’re Fired Match
to then-WWE Champion John Cena. But their history stretched back years before in WCW, when Bischoff was leading Nitro into
battle week after week against Raw in the Monday Night Wars and Jericho was one of his soldiers. No matter how many
championships Y2J won in WCW, Bischoff never believed he was a star. He prevented Jericho from getting World Title
opportunities – and Y2J never forgot that. Jericho’s stellar career in WWE and his becoming the first Undisputed Champion
showed that Bischoff was very wrong. But he always had a bitter taste in his mouth knowing that Bischoff was largely
responsible for bringing his WWE career to an end two years ago. Those years of rage and pent-up frustration – along with
beads of sweat – poured out of Y2J as he leaned back on The Walls of Jericho and sat down on Orton’s back. Maybe his
comeback was about a little bit more than taking the WWE Title from Orton; maybe it was about righting a wrong. Before he
clamped The Walls on Orton and slugged Bischoff with a right hand, Y2J thanked his former boss. Jericho realized in his
two years away how much he loved and missed the business. Though Bischoff snickered at the notion Y2J could win the WWE
Championship from Orton after a long layoff, he wasn’t laughing after feeling wrath of The Walls of Jericho. Our fans in
the Arena at Harbor Yard chanted “Y2J! Y2J!” as Jericho surveyed his carnage. The Legend Killer has said that he agreed to
give Jericho an opportunity at the WWE Championship because he knows he can beat him. However, tonight told a different
story. When Orton tapped to The Walls, he wasn’t facing the witty, funny Y2J our Jerichoholics worldwide have loved for
years. He was looking at a man hell-bent on winning the WWE Championship one more time. Orton was looking at a man
determined to save us – and he had Eric Bischoff to thank. If Y2J has his way, the Legend Killer’s WWE Championship could
face its own Armageddon in less than a week.
As Jillian Hall tried to serenade the crowd with holiday carols, Trish Stratus came to ringside to put an end to the
horrendous racket. As Jillian and Trish argued, Lita arrived to get in the face of her former rival. Jillian encouraged
the two to fight, but Lita would have none of it. Trish and Lita teamed to chase Jillian away, and then hugged, seemingly
settling their differences for the Raw celebration.
Last week, Mr. Kennedy brought out a gauntlet of impostors to mock Shawn Michaels’ illustrious career. But this week, HBK
introduced Kennedy to the real deal – HBK’s former tag-team partner, Marty Jannetty – as both Superstars showed that there
is nothing phony about their mutual animosity. “I’m curious, Kennedy, what you can do against the real thing,” HBK told our
fans, with Jannetty at his side. Though HBK’s former Rockers’ partner fought valiantly and nearly upset the loudmouth with
the Rocker Dropper, the Green Bay gladiator scored a pinfall victory over Jannetty after a vicious DDT. After the match,
it appeared Kennedy was about to send a message to HBK by giving Jannetty a vicious beatdown. But The Showstopper rushed
to the ring to chase off Kennedy before he could do any more damage to Jannetty. As HBK checked on the fallen Jannetty,
Kennedy attacked his Armageddon opponent from behind. But HBK’s D-Generation X partner Triple H made a beeline for Kennedy,
which allowed Michaels to recover and chase the former United States Champion from the ring. As DX posed in the ring and
soaked in our fans’ cheers, Kennedy glared from the entranceway. He knew in just six days at Armageddon, he’d get his
hands on Michaels one-on-one, and he’d finally get an opportunity to get the respect and championship attention he thinks
he deserves by defeating the legendary Showstopper. We’ll all see whether Kennedy can back up the words behind his big
mouth at Armageddon.
Tonight, amid an historic, star-studded evening that commemorated 15 years and 759 episodes of Monday Night Raw, Mr.
McMahon declared himself the Greatest Superstar in Raw History. Unfortunately for the WWE Chairman, Mankind, Undertaker
and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin were on hand to personally congratulate him – with a Mr. Socko-garbed Mandible Claw, a
chokeslam and a Stunner, respectively. From the Arena at Harbor Yard, Mr. McMahon likely believed that he had already
endured the worst of it. Triple H had thoroughly embarrassed his one-time father-in-law by reuniting him with several Raw
personalities the Chairman had loved, or attempted to love, before – from the present (Melina) to the past (Sunny) to the
prehistoric (Mae Young), plus those unfortunate enough to have ever been mistaken for a Diva by the boss (including
Bastion Booger, Pat Patterson to Abe “Knuckleball” Schwartz). Shamed in front of “Daddy’s Little Girl” Stephanie, son
Shane and illegitimate offspring Hornswoggle, and our fans around the world, it had been, in short (sorry, Hornswoggle), a
lousy night that could not get any worse. Or so Mr. McMahon thought. Amazingly, the billionaire boss looked pleased inside
the ring for Raw’s big finale. That’s because he was about to bestow a prestigious honor to “a man who is synonymous with
the greatness of this program.” Perhaps it was the look on his face as he tore open an envelope that contained the winning
name, or the drum roll he demanded upon reading it to himself. Regardless, our fans seemed primed to fill the arena with
their raucous jeers the very instant he read aloud, “The Greatest Superstar in Raw History is…Vincent Kennedy McMahon!”
Listening to Mr. McMahon’s insincere shock and modesty was like watching the Academy Awards – the worst parts, anyway.
Thankfully, it didn’t last long, as Mick Foley – sporting his Mankind mask and attire, plus a cottony-coarse sock on his
right hand – entered the ring, turning our fans’ jeers into even louder cheers. The Chairman, accusing Mankind of being
jealous, demanded that he leave the ring immediately. But before the self-proclaimed Greatest Superstar in Raw History
could further put his foot in his mouth, Mankind’s “Mandible Socko” literally beat him to the punch, leaving him down for
the count on the mat. Suddenly, a very familiar knell sounded, and the arena lights went out. In terms of consciousness,
Mr. McMahon wasn’t home – at least not while The Undertaker slowly made his way toward the squared circle. Slowly righting
himself as the lights came back on, the so-called Greatest Superstar in Raw History still hadn’t seen The Phenom standing
behind him…though the horrified look on his face revealed that he could sense the same icy chill felt by countless Raw
Superstars over the past 15 years. There wasn’t much time for Mr. McMahon to react in any way other than sheer terror;
within instants, Undertaker had grabbed the billionaire by his throat, then drilled him into the canvas with a
bone-rattling chokeslam. For the second time in as many minutes, the lights went out – both for the WWE Chairman and for
our fans. But when power had again been restored, The Phenom had disappeared, WWE’s billionaire boss still tasted canvas,
and our fans began leaving the Arena at Harbor Yard, satisfied by Monday Night Raw’s 15th anniversary beyond their wildest
expectations. Yeah, right. Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass filled the building, and our fans in Bridgeport welcomed
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin like a conquering hero. Forcing back a laugh while looking at the “pitiful sight” that was Mr.
McMahon, Austin then did the very thing that has made him a Raw ring legend since his first Monday Night appearance in
1996: He gave his boss – and our “What?”-chanting fans – the bottom line. “I thought I’d come out here and say
congratulations for 15 years of Monday Night Raw,” Austin announced. “I thought I’d drink a little beer, have a little
celebration. I’ve got to say, 15 years of Monday Night Raw is one hell of an accomplishment, and it deserves a damn
toast.” Calling for some Steveweisers, the Rattlesnake practically coiled up next to the still-prone Chairman, in an
attempt to help him partake in some liquid refreshment. Seeing that it wasn’t working for the Greatest Superstar in Raw
History, Austin made a concerted effort to help Mr. McMahon to his feet, placed a Steveweiser in his wobbling hand,
congratulated him…then “toasted” him with a Stone Cold Stunner that may be felt by the Chairman for the next 15 years. But
Austin wasn’t finished; he wanted to make one more thing known to our fans. “The Greatest Superstar of Raw isn’t in this
ring,” he told them. “The Greatest Superstars of Raw are all around this ring right here…. [They’re] all over the whole
damn world. The Greatest Superstars of Raw are you.” By that, he meant the fan in the nosebleed seat, the one with the
“Stone Cold” sign, the ones “sitting in their houses right now, watching color TV, watching the home of Monday Night
Raw…and that’s the bottom line, ’cause Stone Cold said so!” With that, Austin called for 15 years’ worth of WWE Superstars
to come down to the ring and participate in a celebratory beer bash. For a few minutes anyway, the entire WWE roster was
more than happy to put aside rivalries and do precisely that. As for Mr. McMahon, it’s impossible to predict whether or
not he might have chimed in on what must be regarded as one of the greatest moments in Raw History – especially since
Austin knocked him out of the ring, then saturated him with several cans of Steveweisers. Here’s to 15 years of Monday
Night Raw…and to many more years ahead with you, the greatest fans in the world.
MATCHES:
" INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP "
- LADDER MATCH -
Jeff Hardy defeated Carlito
retaining the title
"The Whole Fucking Show" Rob Van Dam
defeated
Santino Marella
World Heavyweight Champion Batista, Triple H & Ric Flair
defeated
WWE Champion Randy Orton, Edge & Umaga
via a disqualification
Hornswoggle vs The Great Khali
ended in a no contest
- OVER THE TOP BATTLE ROYAL -
The "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
won (bought) the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal
which consisted of
Al Snow with Head, Bart Gunn, Doink The Clown, Repo Man,
Steve Blackman, Pete Gas, Bob Backlund, The Goon, Skinner,
IRS, Flash Funk, Gangrel, Scotty 2 Hotty,
Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Sergeant Slaughter & Gillberg
" WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly
defeated
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
becoming new World Tag Team Champions
Mr. Kennedy defeated Marty Jannetty
Run Time: 3:19:08
RAW
# 760
12-17-07 Live
HSBC Arena
Buffalo, New York
With a partnership forged by the fires of mutual respect, World Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly proved
once again that they can withstand the heat. Last week, the pair captured the World Tag Team Championship from Lance Cade
& Trevor Murdoch during Raw’s 15th Anniversary Spectacular. As if to reinforce that victory, Rhodes and Holly met the
challenge of the Southern-fried duo again this week. After a series of mistakes by the former champions, Rhodes managed to
lay Cade out for the three-count, assuring that he and Holly will be polishing the championship gold for at least a while
longer.
Like a couple of outcast exchange students roaming the halls of high school, Carlito and Santino Marella were bound to
find each other. The Italian Stallion and the Caribbean Bad Apple joined forces Monday night and made an immediate impact
by defeating former two-time tag team champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick.
Mickie James, Maria, Kelly Kelly & Michelle McCool took on Melina, Jillian, Layla & Victoria in a Santa’s Little Helper Tag
Match on Monday, giving guys eight more gifts to put on their wish lists. In the end, Mickie James earned the pin for her
team.
At the behest of a despondent Mr. McMahon, who was seething over his humiliation at Raw XV, Triple H was forced to battle
both William Regal & Jonathan Coachman in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match. Despite the odds, The Game disposed of the “suits” by
administering a Pedigree to a woeful Coachman.
In one instant, Ric Flair and Triple H’s ecstasy went to agony, thanks to Mr. McMahon. The “Nature Boy” and The Game eyed
each other uneasily. Just one minute before, Triple H warmly hugged the man he had idolized and congratulated him on
somehow defeating the monstrous Umaga and avoiding forced retirement. These two are more than friends and former teammates
in Evolution. They are more than mentor and student; Flair is like a father to Triple H in the world of
sports-entertainment and The Game is almost like a son to “Naitch.” But in two weeks, on a New Year’s Eve edition of Raw,
these two will be forced to destroy each other. Under the orders of the Chairman, Flair must get a victory over The Game
or his career will be over. Every match is a do-or-die situation for Flair as, under the Chairman’s mandate, he will be
forced to retire the next time he loses. Tonight, many observers – even Flair – conceded that the 348 pound Umaga could
end his career. After all, the Samoan Bulldozer has injured and pushed elite Superstars like Triple H and Jeff Hardy to
the limit – and they’re still in the prime of their careers, and Flair is admittedly in the twilight of his. But the
16-time World Champion endured a savage beating, and managed to eke out a victory over Umaga via count-out. Jaws dropped in
the HSBC Arena and our fans exulted in Flair’s victory. But the collective air of the Nature Boy’s supporters was knocked
out of them with Mr. McMahon’s announcement. The unstable Chairman, seething and despondent over his beer-soaked
humiliation at Raw XV and Triple H’s habit of having fun at his expense, thought he could teach The Game a lesson in a
2-on-1 Handicap Match involving Raw GM William Regal and Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman. But when The King of Kings
was victorious, McMahon was enraged and decided to go after Triple H’s heart – his friendship with Flair. What will The
Cerebral Assassin do? The 11-time World Champion relishes his place in history and the heat of competition. But is Triple
H, the self-proclaimed “One True Destroyer,” willing battle his mentor and end the career of a man who has been such a
great influence in his life? And what about Flair? Is the “Dirtiest Player in the Game” willing to play dirty against one
of his former students? Is he willing to play the dirtiest of tricks against arguably the Superstar he respects most to
save his career? When Flair sees Triple H, he sees what he was in his prime. He wants Triple H to bring his “A” Game – he
wouldn’t have it any other way. But is the Nature Boy willing to vanquish a piece of himself to save himself? Perhaps
these questions and many more raced through Triple H and Ric Flair’s heads as they realized they would be facing each
other in two weeks. The sun may set on Flair’s remarkable career as 2007 closes. As the Dirtiest Player in the Game and The
Cerebral Assassin locked eyes, they saw each other’s reflection – and realized only one may be able to survive as a New
Year dawns.
It may not have been like staring into a crystal ball, but watching Jeff Hardy stun WWE Champion Randy Orton with the
winning three-count for his team in tonight’s match pitting the “Rainbow-haired Warrior” & Shawn Michaels against the
Legend Killer & Mr. Kennedy may have provided a glimpse into the future, nonetheless. When Hardy defeated Triple H the
night before at Armageddon, he earned the right to battle Orton for the WWE title at the Royal Rumble next month. It was a
career-defining moment for the Intercontinental Champion, the victory of his career, and he now has an opportunity to
realize a lifelong dream by winning the WWE Title. Tonight, as he held his arms high and Orton looked on incredulously,
observers couldn’t help asking this question: Could Hardy’s victory over the Legend Killer tonight be a prelude to events
at the Royal Rumble? While the question remains, the victory most assuredly provides more uplift for Hardy’s already
soaring momentum. The high-flyer has been on a tear in recent weeks, defeating such powerhouses as Umaga, Snitsky and
Triple H. At this point, the Intercontinental Champion appears unable to do wrong, his confidence topping the
stratosphere. For Orton, does the loss unnerve him? Despite his confident, cocksure appearance, being pinned by the No. 1
contender to your title could rattle your self-assurance on some level. He’ll undoubtedly mask his uncertainty, but the
seed has been planted.
MATCHES:
- SANTA`S LITTLE HELPER MATCH -
Mickie James, Maria, Kelly Kelly and Michelle McCool
defeated
Melina, Jillian, Layla and Victoria
Triple H
defeated
William Regal & Jonathan Coachman
" WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly
defeated
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
retaining the titles
- CAREER DECIDING MATCH -
Ric Flair defeated Umaga
to continue his career
Carlito & Santino Marella
defeated
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
Jeff Hardy & Shawn Michaels
defeated
Randy Orton & Mr. Kennedy
Run Time: 2:05:56
RAW
# 761
5th Annual Tribute To the Troops
12-24-07 Taped
Camp Speicher
Tikrit, Iraq
After 6,000 of miles of air travel, hundreds of warm wishes for the soldiers, and handshakes and hugs too numerous to count,
the Superstars were finally ready to rumble for our brave men and women in our 5th Annual Tribute to the Troops. Inside an
old Iraqi soccer stadium in Tikrit where Saddam Hussein allegedly executed his Iraqi Olympic soccer team, a gigantic United
States flag flew proudly over the grandstand. As thousands of U.S. troops surrounding the ring at Camp Speicher, the fists
flew fast and furious, all for the entertainment of our troops overseas. WWE's most important broadcast of the year is the
only entertainment program broadcast from the war zone, bringing one message to the soldiers and their families – a message
of thanks.
After Chris Jericho's DQ victory at Armageddon over WWE Champion Randy Orton, Y2J was eager to continue his win streak over
the champ. But the cunning former SmackDown commentator John Bradshaw Layfield had other ideas. As the Second Coming
reversed an RKO attempt into the Walls of Jericho, the crowd roared as they heard bells. But it wasn't the ring bell, it
was the opening bars of JBL's entrance theme. With Orton struggling in the submission hold, JBL came to ringside, taunting
his rival. "Normally, the first-ever Undisputed Champion in wrestling history and the Legend Killer WWE Champion is enough.
Not when JBL is in town, son,” JBL announced. “When JBL is in town, son, this is what the crowd wants to see." JBL entered
the ring, and referee Mike Chioda called for the DQ as Jericho bum rushed the Texas tycoon. As Y2J turned, Orton unleashed a
vicious RKO on Y2J, then told JBL "he's all yours." The former WWE Champion wound up and clocked the Second Coming with the
Clothesline From Hell, then soaked up the boos and jeers from the soldiers at ringside.
Mr. McMahon proudly marched to the ring, and in the middle of all the soldiers looking on, gave the troops a message of
unconditional support. "This is the fifth year in a row in which the WWE has the privilege of paying tribute to the troops
– to each and every one of you. Perhaps second only to your families, the WWE supports you no matter where you are in this
world ... If you're in action, the WWE will be right behind you in action as well." McMahon introduced a Divas tag-team
match to the soldiers' delight, but as the team of Mickie James & Maria were bronco-busting Layla & Kelly Kelly, Mr.
McMahon interrupted the proceedings, telling the troops they'd "seen enough" of the Divas' action. He also announced that
Santa Claus would not be coming to Iraq this year. But as the soldiers booed, Santa Claus came to the ring, bringing bad
news for The Chairman. "Since he was a child, Vince McMahon has always hated Santa Claus, because Vince McMahon has always
been a very bad boy." Santa recalled. The holiday gift-giver remembered the Chairman as a child, shoplifting "a very naughty
magazine" from a convenience store. The disgusted Chairman ripped off Santa's beard and hat to reveal former WWE Champion
John Cena. Still recovering from an injury suffered earlier this year, the Chain Gang Commander scooped up Mr. McMahon and
slammed him to the mat with an FU. Cena saluted the troops, and passed out gifts with the Divas, spreading Christmas cheer.
Gang Green was in full force as D-Generation X reunited by special request of the troops to battle Mr. Kennedy & Umaga in
tag-team action. Just as Umaga was gearing up for a Samoan Spike on The Game, HBK shocked his chops with Sweet Chin Music,
then delivered a second superkick to his Green Bay nemesis. Triple H cradled the 2007 Money in the Bank winner for a
Pedigree and picked up the pinfall victory. After the match, The Game and HBK invited a selection of soldiers into the ring
for a symbolic DX chop as Blackhawk helicopters flew overhead.
After their high-impact Ladder Match at Raw's 15th Anniversary, Carlito looked to even the score with a win over
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy, but it wasn't to be. A Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb sealed yet another win for
Hardy, continuing his hot streak as he prepares to face Orton at the Royal Rumble.
Mark Henry looked to squash former World Champion Rey Mysterio like a sand gnat, but the fast attacks of the extreme
luchador was too much for the World's Strongest Man. Mysterio worked on the big man's leg, and after a 619 and West Coast
Pop, he was able to roll up the stunned behemoth for the three-count.
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
"Y2J" Chris Jericho
defeated
WWE Champion
"The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
via a disqualification
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Intercontinental Champion
Jeff Hardy
defeated
Carlito Carribean Cool
Layla & Kelly Kelly
vs
Mickie James & Maria
ended in a no contest
Rey Mysterio
defeated
"The Silverback" Mark Henry
"D-Generation X"
Shawn Michaels & Triple H
defeated
Mr. Kennedy & "The Samoan Bulldozer" Umaga
Run Time: 2:05:32
RAW
# 762
12-31-07 Taped 12-29-07
Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, North Carolina
On a night like New Year’s Eve, most people wait until midnight to pop the champagne. But Mr. Kennedy just couldn’t
contain himself. The loudmouth from Green Bay, Wisc. celebrated early this year after defeating his rival Shawn
Michaels. Kennedy had promised to prevail over HBK before the end of 2007, and he did just that with only a couple of
hours to spare. After succumbing to Sweet Chin Music at Armageddon, the bleached blonde bomber vowed that he’d had enough.
But it was only Monday night, however, that Kennedy was finally able to keep his End of Year resolution.
New Year’s Eve brought with it the first qualifying match for the Royal Rumble pitting “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan against Umaga.
Chants of “U-S-A” were drowned out by the revving of the Samoan Bulldozer as Umaga pounded Hacksaw to secure a spot at the
Rumble on Jan. 27.
The sparks continued to fly between JBL and Chris Jericho. During the Lonestar Loudmouth’s showy Raw debut, Y2J charged in
and the two exchanged blows, which opened a nasty gash across JBL’s nose before a throng of officials were able to pull
him away.
In a Triple Threat Title Match, Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix defended her gold against Melina and Mickie James. In a
topsy-turvy contest, the Glamazon finally managed to toss Mickie from the ring and pin Melina after an impressive
Fisherman’s Suplex.
In another test of “tough love” arranged by Mr. McMahon, William Regal battled the Chairman’s bastard son, Hornswoggle. But
when punch came to shove, the Raw General Manager just couldn’t bring himself to break the little guy’s face with a pair
of brass knuckles handed to him by Mr. McMahon. In the end, Hornswoggle waddled from the ring and left Regal to take a
verbal thrashing from his boss.
No line is too brash to cross for Randy Orton. As Jeff Hardy prepared to divebomb Santino Marella during their match
Monday night, the WWE Champion came on the Titantron to show Hardy that he had just leveled his brother Matt with a shot
to the elder Hardy’s post-surgery appendix. The concerned Intercontinental Champion sprinted to his brother’s aid and was
reminded of just how low Orton is willing to go to keep his title.
In his Win-or-Retire Match against Triple H, Ric Flair managed to survive another day by defeating his longtime friend and
protégé. The Nature Boy had a little “help” when William Regal, perhaps hoping to please Mr. McMahon, wailed on Flair with
brass knuckles causing the seasoned veteran to win by disqualification.
MATCHES:
Mr. Kennedy defeated Shawn Michaels
- ROYAL RUMBLE QUALIFYING MATCH -
Umaga defeated "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
" WOMEN`S CHAMPIONSHIP "
- TRIPLE THREAT MATCH -
Beth Phoenix
defeated
Melina and Mickie James
retaining the title
Hornswoggle vs William Regal
ended in a no contest
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy vs Santino Marella
ended in a no contest
- WIN OR RETIRE MATCH -
Ric Flair defeated Triple H
via a disqualification
Run Time: 2:09:58
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