Mario A. Nigro reporting
I just got back from RAW at the Coliseum and have some results. First off, the arena was about 90% full, as WWE always draws a good crowd. I was sitting in the first row behind the visiting team boards, just out of view of the hard camera. Only about 6 or 7 sections above the hard camera side were tarped off, not including the ones behind the Titantron.
First, a WrestleMania video package was shown with the Kid Rock “Lonely Road of Faith” music behind it. Big pops for Benoit winning last year, Hogan/Andre, and anytime Austin and Michaels were shown.
Dark Match/Heat results:
-Chris Masters over Chris Cage, as Fink announced Cage from Babylon , NY . Being from West Babylon , I figure cheer him on. This was my first look at Masters, and this guy is cut. Great look and style to him.
-Simon Dean def. Val Venis. Standard work the crowd routine from Mr. Dean, as well as using the “fitno-powder” to get the win.
-Hurricane & Rosey over Slyck Wagner Brown & Johnny Heartbreaker.
-Rhyno def. Danny Doring. HUGE E-C-W chant to start this one as both guys took a moment to soak it all in. Rhyno was over huge with this crowd, as he hit the gore for the win. Afterwards, there was a big ovation and Rhyno posed to the crowd where a big Rhyno sign in glitter was being waved. Doring looks like he’s kept in good ring shape since the last time I saw him.
-Tajiri def. Stevie Richards. Another ECW chant broke out, but not as lasting as the match before it. Tajiri won with a big kick to the head.
Before RAW came on the air, Candice Michelle and Melina came to the ring to shoot shirts to the crowd. That Candice is gorgeous, and that’s an understatement.
Lilian Garcia came out to sing the anthem, and some jackass was sitting behind me screaming WHAT? at the top of his lungs, but some big guys came over and told him to shut up, and he did.
RAW pretty much went as you saw it on TV…nothing else happened after the show, either. Orton posed for a bit while the other wrestlers went to the back.
Random Thoughts/Happenings:
– I’ve been a wrestling fan for as long as I can remember, and I have never seen as much heat on one man as I have on Muhammed Hassan. The crowd just fed off of him, USA chants and just pure chaos whenever he opened his mouth.
– And is it just me, or aren’t most of the wrestlers in the back American, and actually like JR and the King? Why wouldn’t anyone come down to help, not even the refs, or “Calvary,” as I sometimes call them, it just didn’t make sense to me. A lot of people began chanting FOLEY! when the beatings took place, and that would have been great, but I guess they’re trying to sell another match on the PPV.
– Security removed signs from two guys on the floor. They had a couple of XM radio “Opie and Anthony” signs, and I guess the sponsors didn’t like it. It just sucks when something like taking the signs away happens, and the crowd let security know they didn’t like it a bit.
– They might look big on TV, but if you could see Snitsky, Kane and Batista up close, you would be in awe…
– HHH just bores me, and I’m not the only one. A pretty big “boring” chant went on during the last match. People are just starting to not get behind him anymore, and that’s fine with me.
Biggest Heat:
Hassan/Daivari. Hands Down. No one else could come close.
Biggest Ovation:
JR/King during the debate
Orton
Batista
Kane
Michaels
Mixed of Cheers and Boos:
Benoit, believe it or not
Jericho , until the crowd warmed up with his match
HHH
Credit- PWInsider
