Raw and Smackdown spoilers from the tribute super-show in Minneapolis according to Jackey Emmert:
I just got back from the supershow at the Target Center. Here are the results:
-Eddie’s low rider was in its usual starting position as a tribute.
-Lilian Garcia came out and told us tonight was a “special tribute” show. She introduced the first match.
-Mr. Kennedy def. Val Venis in a dark match. Mr. Kennedy was announced from Green Bay and got all of his heat from Vikings fans chanting “Packers Suck”. Kennedy won with that cool top-rope maneuver.
All of the superstars from RAW and SMACKDOWN walked out from under the Titantron. Close-ups were shown of a crying Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle and other superstars before the Titantron turned black. Vince McMahon took the microphone and said words about Eddie before concluding with “VIVA LA RAZA!”
Several interviews with superstars were dispersed throughout the show, all saying how much Eddie loved his family and the wrestling business. They were all very touching and genuine.
The announcers weren’t introduced and there were no pyros, so it was confusing as to what was and wasn’t on television, but here are the results of the RAW taping:
-Kane & Big Show def. MNM with a double chokeslam on Nitro. Big Show kissed Melina and she fell off the apron. Melina didn’t do her ring entrance because of her back injury.
-Kurt Angle def. Shelton Benjamin with the ankle lock. Shelton got a big pop being a former University of Minnesota Golden Gopher. Shelton performed a very scary overhead suplex from the top rope on Kurt during the match that prompted the only “Holy Sh*t” chant of the night.
-Rey Misterio def. Shawn Michaels in an excellent match. Rey went for the 619 multiple times, with Shawn finding ways to dodge it (I wanted it to be the 612 for Minneapolis). In the end, Rey won with a huracanrana into a roll-up. The two men hugged after the match.
-Melina won a Divas Battle Royal over Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, Jillian Hall, Maria, Christy Hemme, Victoria, Mickie James and the Women’s Champion Trish. Like all the other wrestlers, the divas wore Eddie Guererro “Who’s Your Papi?” T-shirts, but took them off and threw them in the audience once they were all in the ring. Mickie was eliminated first (who’d she piss off?). Some botched moves here as Victoria and Candice attempted to slingshot Ashley out of the ring, but she didn’t go over and they had to move her legs for her. Maria stood there for the most of the match before eliminating Jillian. They also did a Maven/Undertaker spot where Maria shocked the crowd by eliminating Victoria. Maria, Trish and Melina were the final two, and Melina and Trish quickly double-teamed Ma! ria to eliminate her, but while Trish was on the apron Melina shoved her off. This was a very surprising finish.
-Eugene def. Simon Dean
-In the RAW main event, John Cena def. Randy Orton by disqualification after Bob Orton interfered. John hit Randy with an RKO after the match, then took off his Eddie shirt and placed the World Championship on it.
SMACKDOWN results:
-Batista came out driving Eddie’s low-rider and did a very emotional promo. He had trouble maintaining his composure at times, but did a very good job.
-Matt Hardy def. Carlito Caribbean Cool with the Twist of Fate. Crowd was quiet for most of it, partly because of the emotion and because the show had reached the two-hour mark.
-Road Warrior Animal & Heidenreich def. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch.
-Chavo Guererro came out to a great ovation and defeated JBL (w/Jillian Hall). Chavo threw a chair in the ring, threw it in JBL’s hands, and then pretended to have been hit with it. When the referee threw the chair back, Chavo low-blowed JBL and won with a Three Amigos/Frog Splash combo. Chavo thanked the fans after the match.
-Chris Benoit def. HHH in the main event with an inside cradle as HHH was fighting out of the Crippler Crossface. They embraced after the match, and as HHH walked to the back, Dean Malenko came out and got in the ring with Chris. The men took a sign for Eddie from a fan and placed it in the center of the ring before walking out.
It was a very emotional, well-produced show and WWE did a good job of putting together a show so great in a very short amount of time and very dire circumstances.
Credit: WrestlingObserver.com
