Live from Oklahoma City, OK
Announcers are JR & The King
Report done *EXCLUSIVELY* for InsidePULSE by PK
Thanks to Brad Jennette for covering last week. I spent the weekend in NYC with my family, and did not get home until Monday afternoon, and was in no condition to endure RAW, let alone do my recap.
Also, while I am at it, let me just say that EVERYONE should go read Dan Hevia’s newest The Crucifix.
Finally, if the guy that Hyatte talks about in his column is in fact Randle from 411, then he is a douche bag. You don’t go around telling people who you are. You make an inside joke and see if they get it. For instance “I hear Lance Storm will get fired for that.” If the person laughs, and asks if you read IP or 411 or whatever, then you are allowed to gloat about working for the dirt sites. Don’t be a dirty little scumbucket and say “Oh, I work for 411mania.com, I am super cool,” because even though you get thousands of hits, wrestling fans that do not go on the internet still out number us on the internet by 4 to 1, and more then likely, they have no clue who you are.
OK, enough rambling….RAW!
Recap of KANE and Snitsky going through tables last week.
Intro…Orton vs. Flair and a SCSA update.
Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho vs. Edge, Christian, & Tyson Tomko
Fast paced back and forth action to start. Tomko with a military press, but Jericho fall though and rolls Tomko up for 2. Jericho then tries to get the Walls on Tomko, but E&C break it up. Benoit and HBK come in, and clear out Tomko and Edge, then they pick up Christian and toss him over the top on top of Tomko and Edge.
Commercials.
We come back and Edge & Christian are going back on forth on HBK. Every time Edge gets in, HBK starts fighting back, and Edge backs off like a little girl. Christian and HBK with a double clothesline, and both get to the corners, and Benoit and Tomko are in. Benoit cleans house, E&C come in, along with Jericho. Edge is quickly dismissed, Jericho sends Tomko on the floor, and hits a suicide plancha. Benoit hits Christian with the Trifecta of Germans, then a Swandive for 2, when Edge breaks it up. HBK dumps Edge to the outside, Tomko tries to big boot Benoit, but Benoit ducks, and HBK hits Sweet Chin Music, and Tomko falls back into Benoit, and Benoit rolls him up for the pin.
SmackDown! Rebound
Stacy heads toward the ring.
Commercials.
Classic Recap of Hulk Hogan’s appearance on Johnny Carson in 1985.
Stacy comes down to the ring, and introduces Danny Hodge, a NCAA wrestling champ, and long friend of Jim Ross. Stacy says that Oklahoma has declared this Jim Ross Day. She then has JR come down to the ring. Stacy then gives kiss, and JR starts talking about how great it is to be home, and HHH & Flair come on down. HHH can’t believe that Oklahoma is celebrating JR Day. He says that it’s like crap telling puke it smells good. HHH & Flair then rub in the Trojans crushing win over the Sooners in the NCAA Championship. He then wants a HHH Day. HHH says he has business to take care of, and tells JR and Hodge to go, but she wants Stacy to stay. HHH says Stacy is part of the business. JR comes back and won’t let HHH do anything with Stacy. HHH then trash talks Oklahoma some more, and Flair crotches JR. Hodge comes back in, and clocks HHH, but Flair hammers him from behind, and they stomp away on Hodge. HHH grabs Stacy again, and since she’s been kissing JR and Orton, the Champ should get a piece of the action. Before HHH forces himself on her, he changes his mind, and goes to Pedigree her. Orton comes out to make the save, and HHH shoves Stacy into him, then HHH & Flair walk away laughing.
Commercials.
Evolution walks into their locker room, and they tell Batista what just happened. Batista seems very unimpressed. He then tells HHH that he will take the Rumble Qualifying Match tonight, because if by some reason Orton wins the title from HHH, Batista can win it back for Evolution at WM21. Batista then goes to talk to Bischoff.
In Bischoff’s office, Regal is talking to Bischoff & Coach, and he wants a spot in the Rumble. Bischoff says that he rewards loyalty, and Regal wasn’t loyal to Bischoff during the whole Eugene thing, so no, Regal will not be in the Rumble, but he will be giving a spot to The Coach. Coach is ecstatic, and he goes to take care of something for Bischoff. La Rez then comes in and wants a spot in the Rumble, because they are the Tag Team Champs, they think they should get in. Batista then comes in, and steps in front of La Rez, and tells Bischoff that he wants his Qualifying match tonight. La Rez is pissed that Batista stepped in front of them, and they challenge him to a Handicap match for the Rumble spot(s).
Commercials.
Coach in the ring, and he announces the next match is an over the top rope challenge for a Rumble spot.
Tajiri vs. Viscera – Royal Rumble Qualifying Match – Over the Top Rope Challenge
Tajiri tries the mist early, but Viscera is too much, and he quickly tosses Tajiri over the top rope.
Winner – Viscera
Commercials.
WWE Rewind: La Rez hit the Au Revoir on Rosey last week.
Maria catches up with Tajiri, and wants a comment about losing his match. Regal gets to him, and says he has a plan to get back at Bischoff.
La Resistance vs. Batista – Royal Rumble Qualifying Match
Sylvain Greiner goes to sing ‘Oh, Canada,’ but Batista clobbers him from behind. Batista sends Greiner into the corner, then charges, but Conway gets Greiner out of the way, and Batista goes shoulder first into the ring post. La Rez starts to focus on the shoulder, but Batista fends them off, and he levels Greiner with a clothesline, then takes Conway and gives him a spinebuster on top of Greiner, then pins them both at the same time.
Winner – Batista
Flair is going apeshit over Batista’s impressive win, and HHH is not happy.
Commercials.
Slam of the Week: Muhammad Hassan giving Jericho the Anthrax Driver (credit: Hevia)
Muhammad Hassan (w/ Daivari) vs. Val Venis – Royal Rumble Qualifying Match
Daivari starts to go after Lillian, but Val runs down, and Hassan jumps Val. Daivari steals Lillian’s mic, and starts screaming into it, and the match starts…and Daivari is still screaming into the mic. Hassan pounds away on Val, and nails a drop backbreaker. Val chops back, but Hassan fights back and KOs Val. Hassan locks on a Camel Clutch. Val fights out, and nails a short armed clothesline on Hassan. Val and Hassan then go toe to toe, and Val nails a shoulder block to take down Hassan. Val then hits a Blue Thunder Powerbomb for 2, then he hits a Rock Bottom like slam, and goes for the Money Shot. Hassan moves out of the way, and Val misses the Money Shot, and he gets up, and turns right into Hassan’s Anthrax Driver.
Winner – Hassan
Flair is praising Batista, and HHH comes in and says that Batista was right earlier, and Evolution needs to cover all bases. So, he went to Bischoff, and had him give Flair the final spot in the Royal Rumble.
Commercials.
Maven in the ring, he says that Bischoff has granted him another shot at qualifying for the Royal Rumble. He challenges anyone who already qualified, and when he wins, he will take their spot. KANE is the first to answer the challenge, and he limps down to the ring, in pain from the chokeslam last week. Maven says that he didn’t mean him, and challenges anyone else but KANE. Snitsky then answer the challenge, and Maven looks like he just shit a brick. Both KANE and Snitsky both have visible wounds. Lillian announces that this will be a Triple Threat Match.
KANE vs. Gene Snitsky vs. Maven – Royal Rumble Qualifying Match
Whoever gets pinned will not be in the Rumble. KANE and Snitsky work on each other, focusing on each others injuries. JR says that KANE has a separated shoulder, and Snitsky has cracked ribs. They big boot each other, and Maven tries a few pinfalls. KANE tosses Snitsky to the floor, and then choke slams Maven.
Winner – KANE
Commercials.
Recap of the Stone Cold press conference. WWE Films announced a 3 picture deal with Austin.
Royal Rumble Card:
New Guy Todd, interviews Edge. Edge says that he sat out 2 WMs with a broken neck, and there is no way he is going to let this one get by him, and no one will stand in his way…not HBK, not Jericho, not Cena, not Guerrero, not Benoit, nobody.
Commercials.
Chris ‘Masterpiece’ Masters promo.
Ric Flair (w/ HHH & Batista) vs. Randy Orton
Tie-ups to start, Flair off the ropes, Orton with a leapfrog, then a dropkick. Flair backs in the corner, and puts a finger to Orton’s eye. Flair then works on Orton in the corner, and a cut is opened up on Orton’s forehead. Orton fights back, and pummels Flair in the corner. Flair into the corner, comes out and Orton nails a big time back body drop. Flair rolls to the floor, and Orton beats him down out there. Flair with another thumb to the eye, and rolls Orton in the ring, and goes to the top, but Orton gets over there and rockets Flair off the top. The refs back is turned and HHH attacks Orton. The ref thinks Batista did it, and he ejects Batista. HHH is backing off, not sticking up for Batista, and Batista doesn’t look too happy.
Commercials.
We come back, and Flair distracts the ref, and HHH clocks Orton. HHH goes for another cheap shot, but Orton hits back, and the ref is bumped. Flair chop blocks Orton, and HHH comes in with the belt, and goes after Orton’s knee. Flair locks on the Figure 4, but Orton reverses it, and another ref almost make the submission, but HHH pulls the ref to the floor. HHH then works on Orton’s knee, and as he was going to come down off the 2nd rope, Orton put his boot up. HHH fell to the outside, and Orton nailed the RKO for the pinfall on Flair.
Winner – Orton
The Title belt is sitting in the ring, and Orton challenges HHH to come take it. HHH cowers off and leaves.
Show Over.
~PK
