Well after a two week absence I’m back for your weekly edition of RAW coverage. Thanks to Kyle and Mark for covering for me these last couple of weeks, as one week the storms were just too bad for me to take the chance of recapping the show without it going out midway, and last week I just had too much schoolwork.
Before we get to RAW, I gotta compliment the WWE website. I know it’s been changed for about a month or two (though the latest layout is just a few days old), but I just started to give it the time of day to see that it was actually a decent website. Much better than before.
One of the more interesting things on it in my opinion is actually a poll which asks ,”Which former WWE Champion are most excited to see return to RAW on Oct. 3?” The choices are Hulk Hogan, Mick Foley, Stone Cold, and Triple H. Now granted I voted for Mick Foley while thought that Stone Cold may be ahead in the polls. Well, neither of these were in the lead. As a matter of fact the leader was none other than Triple H with 34.05 %. Now I actually thought he would be behind the other three, as Hunter was just seen in July, while Austin hasn’t been seen since shortly after Mania and Foley (who came in last with 12.07 %) since Christmas. Hogan of course was just seen at Summerslam, but he’s Hulk. I guess the one thing that really sets HHH apart from the other three is the fact that he can still actually wrestle every week on RAW, and the fans may want to see HHH/Cena. In the end, it’s just another poll. On to RAW.
General Manager Eric Bischoff has signed a huge Handicap Match for Monday Night RAW on Sept. 12. It will be WWE Champion John Cena taking on both Kurt Angle and Tyson Tomko. Cena has overcome many odds since becoming WWE Champion, but can he really turn back both Angle and Tomko? Watch RAW to find out.
It has just been learned that “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair will take on Chris Masters tonight in one-on-one action. Several weeks ago on RAW, Masters forced an already beaten and battered Flair to succumb to the Master Lock. Will Masters have the same success tonight?
Also, Edge will have the tall order of battling Big Show in Edge’s first match since a frightening Side Effect off the RAW stage injured his neck.
Also, Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch made a stunning debut upsetting the World Tag Team Champions, Rosey and The Hurricane. How will they top their first appearance on RAW?
LIVE from Little Rock, AR
Hosts are Jerry Lawler, Jim Ross, & Johnathan Coachman
No opening, as we go right to pyro, which is kinda strange.
Big Show vs. Edge
Show takes Edge down to begin. Edge goes for a wristlock, but Show just picks him up and crotches him on the top rope. Big chop in the corner sends Edge out. Edge comes back in and goes to the knee. He goes for a 2nd rope DDT, but Show just shoves him off. Show looks for a Chokeslam, but Snitsky runs in for the DQ.
The two heels beat down on Show when Hardy runs out for Big’s support. Bischoff comes out and says that this match won’t end, it will continue as a tag team match.
Big Show & Matt Hardy vs. Edge & Snitsky
Hardy takes it to Edge and goes for a piledriver(!), but Edge backdrops out of it. Edge misses the dropkick, but Hardy catapaults him into the turnbcukle for 2. Show tags back in and beats on Edge some. The two take turns beating on Edge, who gets caught up in the corner. BS kicks him as we go to a:
Commercial break.
We return with Edge in control over Hardy, who has an injured arm. Snitsky comes in and drives Hardy into the top turnbuckle for 2. Hardy and Snitsky tag in and out, but Matt looks to turn the tide with an inverted DDT. Edge runs in before a tag is possible, but Show runs in and cleans house anyway. Big looks to deal with Edge on the outside, but straddles the security wall and gets hit with the briefcase. Back in, Hardy fights Snitsky and gets a 2nd rope legdrop. Lita trips him up, prompting Matt to deal with her. Matt goes for the Twist on Lita, but Edge goes for the Spear. Matt kicks him to stop and goes for the Fate on Edge, but Lita goes low! Edge hits the Spear for 3!
Afterwards, Lita hits Matt with the Twist of Fate!
Commercial break.
HBK comes out to the entrance with Todd Grisham to a big pop. They show the footage of the Masterlock Challenge from last week. Shawn brings up the question of why he accepted the challenge in the first place, to which he responds that he’s the Heartbreak Kid. It doesn’t matter if he’s right or wrong, he thinks he’s untouchable. HBK says that Chris will have enough trouble tonight with…WOO! Ric woos out, and looks like a fool in the process. Flair promises to win the belt at Unforgiven, as these two are desperately trying to make somebody care about their matches.
Video package of Angle/Cena.
Commercial break.
Kerwin White vs. Shelton Benjamin
I’m actually surprised they didn’t save this for ppv. Shelton gets a takedown as well as some cheap shots. Benjamin grabs a side headlock and hits White with a shoulderblock. Shelton gets a scoop slam and a baseball clothesline. Kerwin gets a elbow which allows him a missle dropkick for 2. White gets his clohtes hanger, but the ref takes it away, allowing him to chokes Benjamin with his current shirt. Kerwin picks up 2. Snap backbreaker gets 2 for Shelton. Benjamin hits the dragon whip, sending White out. Back in, Kerwin assualts Shelton with a golf club to cause the DQ. Ow.
Meanwhile, Kurt cuts a promo on Cena, who should be frightened come Sunday.
Commercial break.
Wilson, Michelle, and Victoria come out to the ring and once again call Ashley out. Ashley stands in the middle of the ramp, but Torrie says there’s nothing to worry about, as the initiation is over. Ashley says that she will come to the ring, but not alone. Trish Stratus makes her return, and the two barge in the ring and clean house. Stratus helping out a Diva Search winner is really strange, but I guess some woman who can wrestle has to be a heel.
Commercial break.
Yet another new TNA commercial. Pretty good.
Ric Flair vs. Chris Masters
I’m sorry, but this is ridiculous. Flair plays some headgames to start, but runs into 270 punds of muscle. Ric does some wrestling and shows off the guns. The chops follow, but Masters millitary presses Ric to stop him in his tracks. Another millitary press follows, as it’s Master Lock time. Flair crawls to the apron, but Chris just suplexs him back in for 2. Clothesline gets 2. Ric gets a poke to the eye and hits the chops, but he makes the mistake of going up. Masters goes for the Master Lock, but Flair kicks out. Ric gets clotheslined out, but he pulls Masters out and kills him with the chops. Chris hits the sideslam as we go to a:
Commercial break.
We return with Masters in control. Chris applies the bearhug several times, but Ric eventually fights out and goes to the knee. The crowd gets behind Flair as he applies the Figure-four Leglock, but Carlito runs in for the DQ.
Afterwards, Michaels runs out and hits Carltio with the Sweet Chin Music, but Masters hooks on the Master Lock. The fans really start to rally behind Shawn, but it’s no good.
Smackdown! Rebound.
Commercial break.
Eugene & Tajiri vs. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
Murdoch and Tajiri start out with Trevor getting control. Tajiri gets a monkey flip, and the two tag out. Cade and Eugene tie up, and Eugene gets a airplane spin. Murdhoch runs in, but he gets his butt bitten. Eugene tries to “ride” Cade, but Trevor snaps his neck on the top rope. Cade gets a clothesline for 2. Murdoch gets a swinging neckbreaker for 2. Elbow drop gets 2. Eugene looks to get a backslide on Lance, but the ref is distracted. Trevor eats boot off of a 2nd rope attempt, and Eugene hits the Stunner. Tajiri comes in and cleans house with kicks. Tarantula is applied to Cade, but Murdoch breaks it up. Cade picks up the win with the elbow drop.
Commercial break.
We return live with Lita talking smack about Matt with Edge by her side. Edge tells Matt to make sure to look at him and Lita when he’s laying on the mat this sunday, all bloodied up. Edge tells Matt to kiss his career goodbye, and proceeds to make out with Lita.
Unforgiven Card
-Steel Cage Match
-Trish & Ashley vs Victoria & Torrie
-Intercontinental Championship
-Snitsky vs Show
-HBK vs Masters
-WWE Championship
Backstage, Cena tells Bischoff that he’s out and that he just now wants to be part of the team. Eric goes to take the belt, but John punks him out. Man, that Cena’s a card.
Kurt Angle & Tyson Tomko vs. John Cena
Bischoff comes out, giving Tomko the chance to take control. Angle gets a shot to the back of the head as he tags in. John comes back with a sideslam for 2. Tyson comes back in, and Cena fights off both men for a while until Tomko gets a boot for 1.
Commercial break.
We’re back with Angle in control over Cena. Tomko tags in and gets a running powerslam for 2. John comes back with a 2nd rope clothesline and takes it to Tyson, but Angle slows him down with a german. Kurt comes back in and gets an uppercut for 2, twice. Tomko comes in and gets some beatings for 2. Kurt tags back in and gets a vertical suplex for 2. John gets out of a headlock with a back suplex, but Angle tags in Tomko. Cena cleans house on the two heels and goes for the FU on Tomko, but Angle stops him with a german suplex. Tyson accidently hits Kurt with a boot however, and runs into the FU for the pin.
Afterwards, Kurt hits him with an Angle Slam and knees his nuts! Coach,”How could you not enjoy this?”
End.
Biggest cheers
1)HBK
2)Cena
3)Flair
Biggest Jeers
1)Masters
2)Angle
3)Bischoff
~Rave
