Welcome to the Inside Pulse LIVE coverage of WWE Judgment Day 2007. We have some cross-banded goodness tonight, with the World Heavyweight Title, WWE Heavyweight Title, ECW title, US Title and the World Tag Titles on the line.
And what does it mean for me? Well, I won’t be watching The Sopranos until 11:00pm or so tonight. Man, the things I do for you people…
Y’know, I haven’t actually listened to it until just now – but that Ozzy song isn’t terrible. Oh sure, it’s no “Iron Man” – but it ain’t bad for today’s so-called “metal”.
And we are LIVE from St. Louis, MO, with (in order) JR and The King, Joey Styles and Tazz, and Cole and JBL.
Ric Flair vs. Carlito: Interesting choice for an opener – I had assumed they’d be going with Burke and Punk, but I guess they wanted the big pop for Flair’s entrance. And Carlito starts off by just throwing his apple straight at Flair (and missing – wonder if it reached the crowd). We start with the corner chops (WOO!), and a countered sunset flip attempt by Carlito. More chops, and Carlito decides to roll out of the ring for a break. Flair tries to reach for Carlito over the corner, and Carlito yanks his arm down on the top rope. Carlito beats on the left arm, to a medium-level chorus of boos. Flair makes a couple of half-hearted comebacks, but Carlito continues his focus on the left arm and shoulder, tossing Flair several times into the corner shoulder-first. Carlito wraps Flairs arm around the ringpost, and then delivers a dropkick to it from the floor – well, that was new. Flair gets dropped in the corner, and Carlito does a Chris Sabin-like delayed dropkick – again, to the shoulder. Then, the match kinda grinds to a halt with a 3 minute arm-BAR. Flair makes two more comeback attempts, which both last all of one move. Dropkick by Carlito for a 2-count. Flair finally comes back with a series of truly vicious-sounding chops, but gets backdropped (shocking, I know) coming off the ropes. And, back to the ARM-bar. Stomps to the arm, and… back to the arm-bar. Flair with another comeback – chop, kick, punch, chop, stomp to the jaw. Backdrop to Carlito, and Flair makes the “Now we go to school” move. Chopblock, chops and punches in the corner – stopped by the Roman-Greco thumb to the eye. Carlito goes for the Back Stabber (ne Cracker), but Flairs holds onto the ropes. Flair now goes to town on Carlito left knee, and locks on the Figure Four! Carlito struggles for a few moments, and… taps? Wow. Winner: Ric Flair
Recap of Shawn Michaels’ win over Edge on Raw, including the post-match beatdown by Randy Orton.
Backstage interview with HBK, rudely interrupted by Randy Orton, who drives Shawn’s head directly into the metal backdrop. But never fear – Tony Garea is here! (In case you’re wondering what’s up – the rumor is (according to Fingers) that HBK blew out his knee recently.)
Recap of the Lashley vs. Umaga and the McMahons. And this is the second match of the night? Wow, suprising match placement #2.
Shane McMahon, Umage, & Vince McMahon vs. Bobby Lashley: Lashley goes right after Umaga and Shane after the bell rings, immediately bringing the faceoff with Vince. Shane jumps back in quickly to save his father, but gets hiptossed. Another attempt to go after Vince is again broken up by Shane, who gets tossed halfway across the ring with an overhead belly-to-belly. Umaga charges, Lashley moves, Shane gets all squishy. Lashley gets the speak on Umaga, and a running powerslam on Shane, 1-2-..3? That was quick. Winner: Bobby Lashley Oh, and in other news, Vince has grown most of his hair back.
Post-match, Lashley goads Vince to ringside, only to get jumped from behind by Umaga. Umaga hits the Samoan Spike. Vince throws the ECW title over his shoulder, and announces that since Lashley didn’t actually pin the ECW Champ, Vince is still the ECW Heavyweght champion.
Promo for the Ric Flair and the Four Horseman DVD.
HBK is being treated for his concussion backstage, and is told by the doctor that he won’t be allowed to wrestle tonight.
CM Punk (w/massive rib tape) vs. Elijah Burke: On his way to the ring, Punk screams out, “It’s clobberin’ time!” I have no idea why – must be a big Fantastic Four fan, I guess. Circling to start, and Burke immediately goes after the ribs. Punk counters with some kicks to the leg, Burke with shots to the ribs in the corner, Punk reverses and Irish whip and follows up a snap-mare and snap-kick to the back. Punk with an exploder suplex for 2. Irish whip by Punk followed with a clothesline in the corner. Delayed verticle suplex by Punk gets the biggest pop of the match, followed by a chinlock. The crowd is… not impressed. Burke with more rib shots n the corner, and a roundhouse to the jaw. Burke thrown to the corner, leaps over a charging Punk, who decides to pull out a 2nd rope cross-body for 2. Punk now thrown to the corner, Burke spears him in the ribs; tries again, caught with a kick to the chest. Punk whips Burke to the corner, and some kind of screwed up spot results in Punk going over the top rope to the floor. Back into the ring, Punk counters a suplex attempt, and gets a roll-up for 2. A series of hiptoss reversals ends with Punk trying for the GTS, but Burke holds onto the ropes. 2nd rope dropkick from Punk sends Burke to the floor. Punk with a tope suicida onto Burker at ringside, rolls Burke back in for a two-count. Punk goes for something off the top rope, yanked down onto his back by Burke. Burke goes back to work on the ribs, concentrating on the kidneys. Punk hung over the top rope, followed up wth a vicious kick to the midsection, 2-count. Burke with a body-vice, to not much reaction from the crowd. Snap suplex, rolled over into a belly-to-back by Burke, 2-count. Back to the body-vice, rolled through by Punk, who delivers a few shots to the head. Another exploder attempt by Punk, small package by Burke for 2. Burke goes up top, stopped by Punk, who hits a big top rope SUPERPLEX. Burke sells like he’s been shot, while Punk sells the rib damage. Standing 9 count for both men. They go toe-to-toe for a bit, Burke with a clothesline and an enziguri for 2. Another GTS attempt, Burke slips out and hits a huge clothesline for 2. Burke sets up Punk on the top rope, backs away to the opposite corner, and hits a very impressive Elijah Express, for only 2. Elijah Experience is countered into the TGS – and there’s your three count. Winner: CM Punk
Edge interviewed backstage by Krystal.
Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels: Randy tells the announcer to declare him the winner by forfeit. Before he can finish, HBK’s music plays, and Shawn stumbles (literally) out to the ring. He… sloooooowly…. climbs into… the ring, with the ref telling him the whole time “You don’t have to do this tonight!” HBK tells him to ring the bell, and Orton attacks immediately. A second-rope DDT gets… just a 2 count. Orton with a couple of methodical stomps to the head. Orton tries to lift Shawn up for the RKO, but can’t even get him into position. Orton lifts him up to the top rope, and goes for the RKO, but is countered by a rake to the face, and a shove to the mat. Somehow, Shawn manages to steady himself long enough to hit a top rope elbowdrop. He staggers to the corner, and does the slowest “tune up the band” ever. An attempt at Sweet Chin Music, but he collapses before he can actually get the kick off. Shawn staggers back to his feet, but the ref ends the match, due to the fact that Shawn “can no longer continue”. Winner: Randy Orton Another slow climb to his feet, and this time finally walks into that RKO we all knew was coming. And something we really did not see coming: HBK’s wife climbs into the ring, crying over her husband. Is this her first time appearing on WWE TV?
Shawn gets stretchered out.
Backstage with The Great Khali and his interpretor.
The Hardys vs. Cade & Murdoch: Matt and Cade start off with some chain wrestling, and a handshake. Cade stays with the straight-up wrestling, trading off some hammerlocks. Murdoch tags in, concentrating on the left shoulder of Matt. A quick tag back to Cade. Matt counters with a forearm shot to the head that sounded like he hit him with a hammer. Tag to Jeff, springboard dropkick. Murdoch tags in, and insists on a clear start (“Play by the rules!”). More hammerlocks, and a hip toss from Murdoch, followed up with another handshake. Matt tags in, hits a clothesline on Murdoch, followed by a 2nd-rope yodeling elbow. Cade gets a blind tag and hits Matt with a huge rear clothesline. The challengers continue with the quick tags, working on Matt’s back. Hardy counters a spalsh by lifting the knees, hot tag to Jeff. Flying forearm, Irish whip, 2nd rope dropkick to the corner. 2-count. Whisper in the Wind for another 2. Cade charges in, Matt meets him, both of the Rednecks are clotheslined out of the ring. Cade & Murdoch have a little pow-wow outside the ring, with the ref starting the count-out. Murdoch rolls back in at 6, and gives the Hardys the thumbs-up. Blind charge to the corner by Hardy, countered with a backdrop and low dropkick. Jeff misses a swanton to the floor, and someone in the crowd starts a “Na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye” chant, to my confusion. Cade tags in, hits a shoulderblock and a series of knees to the back. Double-team leg drop by Murdoch for 2. Comeback by Jeff, but the jawbreaker is countered, and Murdoch hits a vicious snapkick to the face for 2. Double-team clothesline in the corner by Cade for 2. Murdoch hits his… whatever the move is called – sets up for the piledriver, and does a sunset flip into a powerbomb. 3 count is broken up by Matt, to the protest of both rednecks. Jeff hits the jawbreaker this time, Cade misses the elbow, hot tag to Matt, who cleans house. Bulldog/clothesline combo gets two on Cade. Side effet gets two, broken up by Murdoch, who gets tosses. Cade his a big spinebuster/uranagi combo.for two. Another Side Effect by Matt, tags to Jeff for the Swanton Bomb – 1-2-3. Winner: The Hardys
Hardys goes for the handshake after the match – and, surprisingly, get it without incident.
Recap of the series of circumstances that brought Edge to the World Title, and his confrontation with Bastista on Smackdown.
Edge (w/MASSIVE pyro) vs. Batista: Edge does a good job of cradling the belt protectively during Batista’s entrance. He then continues to establish the “cowardly” part of his heel character by backing into the ropes multiple times. Batista picks him up, places him on the top rope, and simply smirks and walks away. Into the ropes, big shoulderblock by Batista. Into the corner, elbows and body blows from Batista. Onslaught stopped with a face rake by Edge, but he’s tossed over the top rope. Batista follows, but is tossed knee first (the bad right knee, of course), into the STEEL steps. Batista rams Edge’s back into the ring, tosses him back in, but is caught with a low dropkick. Edge continues to work the right leg. Blind charge by Batista, Edge moves, Batista rams his shoulder into the ringpost. Edge pounces on this, working the left shoulder. (Pretty soon, we’ll have the whole hokey pokey.) Batista with a hip toss, Edge into the corner, Batista with 3 straight shoulder’s to the midsection. Edge up to the second rope, Batista climbs, Edge with headbutts to Batista’s bad shoulder. Batista falls off, Edge tries to follow, caught with a clothesline. Big back bodydrop, Batista follows with a clotheslines in the corner and powerslam for 2. Toss to the corner, Edge with a big boot, Batista catches him with a uranagi for 2. Batista lifts Edge up, Edge counters for 2. Edge motions for the spear, but Batista counters with a spear of his own! 2 count. Edge tossed to the corner, tries to go up and over Batista, gets caught and hit with a powerbomb. Batista motions for the Demonbomb, Edge slips out and goes for a clotheslines, gets caught with a spinebuster. Batista immediately grabs his injured knee, Edge rolls him up – 1-2-3. Winner: Edge
Wrestlemania 23 DVD promo, available this Tuesday.
Kristal polls the Divas backstage on who will win the WWE championship match.
Montel Vontavious Porter vs. Chris Benoit, 2 out of 3 falls: They lockup, battle for position, including rolling out of the ring. MVP slaps Benoit, Benoit slaps him back and goes for the quick Crossface attempt. Back to the lockup, armdrag into another Crossface attempt from Benoit. MVP tries to go after Benoit’s leg, which was injured by Finaly on Smackdown. Some mat wrestling, to a stalemate (with Benoit continually going after MVP’s arm). MVP does a hip roll into Benoit’s shins off the ropes – something I hadn’t seen before. MVP then concentrates on Benoit’s left knee, beating on it with kicks and a modified Indian Death Lock. Benoit comes back with chops, and hits the Triple Germans – but the last one doesn’t go quite right, as Benoit’s knee gives out. MVP charges, Benoit counters into the Crossface – MVP makes the ropes. MVP continues the assault on the knee, but misses a big boot in the corner. Benoit with the Sharpshooter, MVP again makes the ropes. MVP back to the knee again, Benoit catches him on the top rope and tries for an Electric Chair. The knee gives out, MVP hits The Playmaker, 1-2-3. First fall: MVP
60 second rest, Benoit insists his leg is “fine”. MVP immediately dives for the leg, Benoit moves and hits some hard shots to the back. MVP continues his focus on the left knee. MVP sets Benoit up in the Tree of Woe, charges in with a big boot to Benoit’s knee. 2 count. MVP with the Leg Lock, Benoit tries to counter with an Ankle Lock. Benoit with a couple of chops, goes for the Crossface – MVP rolls through into “submission maneuver”. Benoit crawls to the ropes and forces the break. MVP with knees to the head, goes for the Playmaker, Benoit counters to a Crossface attempt, countered by MVP with elbows to the knee. MVP with a roll-up for 2. Benoit off the ropes, MVP with a kick to the knee. MVP torques the knee, gets a small package – 1-2-3. Second fall: MVP
Winner: MVP
One Night Stand is in two weeks. (Just two weeks? Geez.)
Recap of the Cena/Khali situation, along with a prayer for Cena.
Tale of the Tape highlight: The Great Khali shoe size: 18EEEE. Wow, that is an awfully frightening wide foot.
John Cena vs. The Great Khali: Okay, it’s official: tonight is indeed “The Champ Enters First” night (yes, every match). (My personal highlight: the teenage girl they caught on-camera during Cena’s entrance who was acting The Beatles just arrived on the Ed Sullivan Show. With her boyfriend right behind her. Bet he feels great, eh?) Cena goes nose-to-chest to start out, tries a couple of body blows, gets tossed away. Tries a kick, comes off the ropes, gets caught with a big clothesline. Elbow to the temple, Cena staggers around for a big. Big punch, Cena rolls out of the ring. Khali follows, throws Cena into the stairs. Back in the ring, Khali goes for the one-foot cover, 2 count. Leg drop from Khali, 2 count. 2 Irish whips, and another clothesline. (Wow, this is the easier recap EVER). Missed legdrop, Cena snaps Khali’s head off the rope. 2 count – Cena tossed into the ropes. Cena comes off the rope, gets hit with a (admittedly impressive) high leg from Khali. Outside the ring again, Cena’s head is bounced off the announcer’s table a couple times. Back in the ring, Khali applies the nerve pinch on the neck. Cena fights back up with some great facial expressions, off the ropes, one shoulderblock doesn’t do much, second one gets Khali tied up in the ropes. Cena gets a couple of shots in before Khali unties himself. The big chop is blocked, Cena is tossed outside. Khali follows, Cena dropkicks the STEEL steps into his knee. Khali back in, Cena hits a top-rope legdrop to the back of Khali’s head. Cena applies the STFU, and apparently they’re going to ignore that Khali’s leg is obviously in the ropes. Khali reaches for the ropes, and then… taps? Wow. Winner: John Cena
