The RAW Events
— Thursday night RAW comes to you liv… err… pre-recorded due to some dog show here in the States. Did you know one of their dogs ended up running away at the airport after the show? Hey, who blames the pup? If you’re a guy dog, you have to scamper around a show room looking like the most gayest dog in the world. Where’s the fun in that, just give me a bone and let me run wild like a dog is suppose to be… and a toilet bowl just to be safe! Hey we got RAW don’t we!?
Greensboro, NC.
Hosts: Joey Styles, King and The Coach
The MAIN Events
– WrestleMania Tournament: (Round 2) HHH vs. Big Show
Big Show dominates things here right from the get go, getting in those hard slaps against Trips’ chest and works on the wrist of the game throughout the match. Action spills out to the outside that gives HHH back the momentum for a while, busting the Show wide open over his forehead. Wearing the crimson mask, Show fights back and attempts the choke slam reversed into a DDT. Pedigree time, connects for the 1-2… kick out! Second Pedigree , reversed. Chokeslam connects, but HHH gets the foot on the rope. Action goes back outside, and a double count-out ensues. The carnage continues after the match as Big Show nearly kills HHH with a spear through the metal crowd railings.
Winner: No Contest (2)
– Shelton Benjamin w/ Mama vs. Eugene
Shelton knocks out the apology chocolates Eugene was trying to give to his Mama, and Benjamin takes control for a while until Eugene, pumps up and… yawn. Shelton gets the T-Bone for the win.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin (3)
– Ashley vs. Torrie w/ Candace Michelle
Torrie gut checks Ashley out of the ring and quickly pulls her back into the ring literally by her pig tails (which make her look extremely hot!) Face plant on Ashley as Torrie gives a “high five” to her poodle. Roll-up out of nowhere gives Ashley the win. But we win too as Candace Michelle announces her Playboy photo shoot for March 10th!
Winner: Ashley (5)
– WrestleMania Tournament: (Round 2) Chris Masters vs. Rob Van Dam
Masters’ entrance is still WAY to long. Shouldn’t he be feuding with Carlito right now, and not being in this tourney? RVD tries to keep this match up-tempo but really looks locked into a stiff match against Masters. Even the “high spot” as Masters knocks RVD off the ropes into the crowd looks forced. Top rope side-kick connects on Masters and follows it up with the rolling thunder. Both men get tied up top as RVD goes for the frog splash, but Masters is the first one knocked down giving RVD the chance for the frog splash and win.
Winner: Rob Van Dam (4)
– WWE Title Match: Edge w/ Lita vs. John Cena (champ) w/ Special Guest Referee Mick Foley
Early lockup gets things going as Cena wins and gets in a shoulder block and slam down to another chinlock that slows up the match. A few near pins go back and forth with Cena taking control most of the match with Edge finally getting in a dropkick for another two! Edge sets Cena up for a superplex but is blocked and tossed down within the second time as Cena takes advantage with a splash and gets two! Lita tries to uncover one of the turnbuckles but is caught by Foley who tosses her out of the match. Edge after the break finally gets momentum on his side, locking Cena in a chin lock for a while Cena powers his way out of the hold. Edge reverses an FU into a powerbomb and goes for the pin but Foley stops the count, seeing Edge’s feet on the rope. Edge gets up and argues for a bit as the five-knuckle shuffle is hit, but misses the FU as its reversed into and Edgecution which only gets two! Spear time as that nearly goes into another FU as Edge shoves Cena into Foley and gets a hit in himself, knocking out Mick. Cena locks in the stFU, but Lita comes back and tosses in the belt as Edge connects over Cena’s forehead, but only gets two as Foley gets back up. Edge goes up top, but gets caught up in another FU that finally connects as Cena steals the win. Good long match, nearly gave these two 20 full minutes. Please give Edge another shot! After the match, Lita low blows Foley as Edge spears him down, setting up their WM feud as the show ends.
Winner: John Cena (1)
Quick HEAT
— Shawn Michaels Retirement moment: Feb. 13, 1997
— Vince announces that next week Big Show and HHH will face the winner of the RVD/ Masters match in a triple threat to decide who goes to Wrestlemania. Just then Shelton and Mama come into his office to ask for a IC title match. And gives Shelton a match against Eugene, and if Benjamin wins, he becomes the new #1 contender.
— Edge and Lita try to persuade Mick Foley to give them the upper hand. But Foley says even though he doesn’t want to see Edge win the title, he won’t have a problem giving Edge the 3 count.
— Shawn Michaels Retirement moment: Oct. 6, 1997
— Shawn Michaels Retirement moment: Dec. 26, 2005
— Shawn Michaels Retirement Party: No balloons or streamers, but we are complete with lawyers in the ring as Vince opens it up saying that HBK doesn’t look so happy. But he will make him happy as he put together a video tribute, but no… he wants the Raw and Smackdown roster to come down and shake his hand. But he doesn’t want that either. And Vince didn’t even get his family down tonight as well. But Shawn deserves the best, so Vince announces out the Spirit Squad. We get a small cheer as Vince pulls out the retiring papers. Shawn’s mic gets cut and is forced down to sign the papers but stops short as HBK chants start up. Shawn takes Vince’s mic and tells him that he can’t retire, not this way. Vince lets him know that Shawn has something that he doesn’t have, and that his life is a nightmare. HBK tears up the papers and knocks over the table as Vince walks out of the ring, announcing that HBK just opened up the gates to his own personal hell.
— Bret “The Hitman” Hart, 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee
— Mickey backstage with a blonde wig posing as Trish as Trish’s “date” comes up to her. She does a little flirting but doesn’t get anything return as she cries out for help from her “attacker” as security comes and takes the guy away!!!
— Back from the break, Mickey is still crying backstage as Trish comes in to hear the story and console Mickey.
RAW Analysis
— I don’t think much effort was placed into this week’s show, not even the “Retirement” party they were hyping up did much as HBK threw the table and ripped up papers with not much else coming out of it. And we all knew the ending that was coming out of the WWE title match with Edge not getting the title back, which is sort of a disappointment. Hopefully somehow someway, Edge steals the show at WM to get another opportunity at the title, but that is a big hope with the way things are looking. Build-ups to WM should finally be taking in concrete settings come next week. Till the next EVENT, I’m out. Peace.
