Thanks to some help from special guest referee Chris Jericho, Carlito defeated WWE Champion John Cena on RAW in a non-title match last week. With the win, Carlito earned himself a rematch with Cena, but this time the WWE Championship will be on the line. RAW GM Eric Bischoff said it was the beginning of the end for Cena last week. Will Bischoff get his way and have a new WWE Champion crowned? Will it be Carlito facing Chris Jericho at SummerSlam instead of Cena? All of these questions will be answered Monday night on RAW.
Also, Mr. McMahon will have a major announcement during tonight’s show.
Plus, last week Eugene made a shocking return to RAW and participated in the Angle Invitational. The lovable Superstar accomplished what no one had been able to do on either SmackDown! or RAW over the last year – he defeated Angle to win his Olympic Gold Medal. Now that he has conquered the Angle Invitational, the new Olympic Gold Medalist will be hosting the Eugene Invitational. Be sure to tune in to RAW for this one.
Leyla won immunity by winning the Hot Dog Eating Contest last week on RAW. As a result, she cannot be voted out of the RAW Diva Search this coming week. But Kristal, Summer, Elisabeth, and Ashley are still vulnerable to the vote.
This week, the Diva hopefuls will participate in the Queen of the Mountain contest, which will be officiated by Rob Schneider (star of Deuce Bigalow 2).
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Hosts are Jerry Lawler, Johnathan Coachman, & Jim Ross
Y2J comes out first thing, not even waiting for the RAW opening theme! Jericho gloats about his plan to stop Cena’s reign as champ working, and recaps last week’s events. Chris promises to win his match at Summerslam, just when Cena runs out and jumps him. No music even. Bischoff yells for security to break it up, and they do. Also, Eric makes Jericho the ref for the main event again, to make sure Cena doesn’t lose, even though Jerihco didn’t even mention the prospect of facing Carlito at the ppv.
Commercial break.
Chris Masters & Snitsky(1-0) vs. Shelton Benjamin & Big Show
Benjamin goes right after Masters as Show deals with Snitsky for a while. Benjamin gets a shoulderblock and brings in Show. Masters quickly tags in Snitsky, who Show deals with easily. Huge slap in the corner, as well as a big headbutt. Some more beatings are followed by a clothesline taking Gene out, at which point Masters tries to sneak attack BS, but just gets thrown out isntead.
Commercial break.
We’re back with Shelton taking it to Snitsky in the corner. Shelton jumps into a boot from Gene, allowing Masters to get tagged in. Some backslams get 2 for Chris. Powerslam gets 2. Gene gets tagged in, and gets an elbow for 2 on Shelton. Shelton fights out of a cobra clutch, but runs right into a spinebuster for 2. Chris comes back, and the two heels work over Shelton. Masters goes for a power move, but Shelton rolls through to get a cradle for 2. Masters stops his fun with a VICIOUS clothesline for 2 however. Benjmain manages to counter a vertical with a inverted neckbreaker though, and goes to tag Big Show, but Gene gets tagged in first. Shelton kicks him inthe jaw the jaw though, and Big Show goes wild. BS swings Shelton’s leg for the dragon whip on Masters and gets a Chokeslam on Snitsky to end it.
Commercial break.
Eugene Invitational
Eugene has Christy Hemme as his own personal cheerleader. Hemme calls for the hometown hero, and gets Kurt Angle to a smattering of chants. Eugene asks what Kurt’s name is, and where he’s from. Kurt actually answers, proving that he’s not a hometown hero. It looks like Eugene doesn’t have a choice but to face Kurt tonight, when Tatanka walks out! The clock starts, and they even have an Eugene-like clock. Tatanka gets a takedown for 2. Eugene comes back with an armdrag for 2. The two do some chain wrestling until Tatanka gets a Tomahawk Chop for 2. Eugene gets an Angle Slam, and snaps on the Ankle Lock, only to have Kurt barge in the match for the DQ.
Afterwards, Tatanka helps Eugene fight Angle off.
Commercial break.
Backstage, Jericho is seen freaking out backstage when Carlito walks in. Carlito agrees that what happened to Chris was not cool, and is happy he’s the special guest ref. Bischoff walks in, and tells the two men to make sure that they have a plan to rid Cena of his WWE Championship tonight.
Meanwhile, Vince McMahon arrives!
Commercial break.
It’s announcement time, as Vince McMahon comes to the ring to a nice pop. I don’t care what anybody says, I like his pop-ups every now and then. Vince says that tonight is a very special night, as RAW has been on for over 600 episodes, passing tons of shows in history. VKM thanks himself, and says that he doesn’t let his ego get in the way of good business decision (which I’m sure Scott Keith will comment on), and gives a few examples. Tonight, he makes another, it being…Hardy vs. Edge at Summerslam. And he’s here, with the music! Big pop for that. Vince hands over the mic to him, who thanks all of his fans. Matt then goes over the story for all the fans who don’t know it, and says that the only thing that would make him happier than ending Edge’s career would be Edge dieing in a car accident. Matt finishes it off by saying that Matt Hardy won’t die.
Commercial break.
Backstage, Kerwin White catches up with Vince McMahon.
Val Venis(1-4) vs. Rob Conway(0-2)
Conway’s new entrance is…interesting. Conway keeps his shades on while wrestling, until Venis knocks them off. Conway gets a reverse elbow and drops one for 2. Conways takes Venis to the outside and beats him over some, and this match sucks. Anyway, Venis comes back and hooks on a submission move which he uses rarely, but Conway makes the ropes. Skip to the ending, where Conway gets the Ego Trip for 3.
Commercial break.
Shawn Michaels is shown doing his impersonation of Hulk Hogan in a Larry King Live spoof, where we also see career highlights of Shawn Michaels. “Hulk Hogan” says that he has some serious politicing to do, and goes into some posing, which results in some cramps, which results into him superkicking “Larry King”.
Commercial break.
Diva search time, as the person to go home tonight is Summer. On to the competition, which is Queen of the Mountain, where the women have to knock each other off some pedestals set in the ring. Rob Schneider, who gets a nice pop, is the special guest referee for this thing, and tells the ladies to not be distracted by his boner. Ashley beats Leyla, Elizabeth beats Kristal, and Elizabeth beats Ashley to win the thing.
Video package of Carlito/Cena on RAW.
Commercial break.
Carlito(6-2) vs. John Cena(c)(7-1) – WWE Championship match with Chris Jericho as the special guest referee
Bischoff is at ringside. John goes right to Chris Jericho, allowing Carlito to gain the advantage. Carlito gets some very fast near falls, but Cena starts throwing punches, resulting in the ref helping Carlito throw him into the post. Well, he should follow the rules.
Commercial break.
We return with Cena fighting back Carlito, but CCC getting a running neckbreaker for 2. Reverse elbow gets 2. Cena goes for a vertical, but Jericho pushes Carlito down, allowing him to get a DDT on Cena (whose foot is on the ropes) for 2. Cena comes back with a flying shoulderblock, and attacks Jericho, allowing Carltio to get back in control. Some more very quick falls follow, and Carltio beats Cena over the railing, which the ref happened to expose. Back in, Carlito gets 2. Cena gets back on a roll, and gets a 5 Knuckle Shuffle for…well, nothing. Cena rages toward him, allowing Carlito to jump John. Cena manages to fight both Jericho and Carlito, and goes for a FU, but Jericho puts a stop to it. Cena, however, manages to dump Jericho and get The FU on Carlito for 3, thanks to another ref running in.
Afterwards, Cena doesn’t celebrate long, as Y2J gets right on him, throwing him to the outside and busting him open with a camera shot to the face. The Walls of Jericho are put on, as Eric slaps Cena across the face.
End.
Biggest Cheers
1)Hardy
2)Vince
3)Schneider
Biggest Jeers
1)Venis/Conway match
2)Angle
3)Bischoff
~Rave
