Best Of RAW 2004
Show starts off with the Monday Night Football spoof from a few weeks ago. Vince- ” I don’t know if you’re aware of this, Shelton, but you are an African American.” That Vince, what a cut up. And let me ask you this, Trish Stratus or Nicolette Sheridan? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Coach and King open it up and we go right into Chris Jericho vs Christian from WrestleMania XX. Just a couple of highlights, leading up to Trish costing Y2J the match. Of course she then turns on Y2J and makes out with Christian on stage.
The debut and career of Eugene thus far is covered. Just a bunch of clips including him training with Regal. Nothing major, not even the tag title win was shown. Bloody window lickers.
They show the promo tape for Shelton Benjamin they’ve been showing over the past couple of weeks. He grew up hard, he straightened himself out with athletics, he’s the next big thing. Nothing we haven’t heard or seen before.
Highlights of Triple H and Benjamin’s first match together are then shown. Man, Triple H really made this guy look like he’s the next big thing. Got to hand it to him. Ric Flair and Chris Benoit’s involvement in the match didn’t hurt him either.
A quick recap of last years Smackdown in Iraq is show to promote this years version that will be on this Thursday.
The Wedding from Hell angle is briefly covered. Very short segments thus far. This leads into the miscarriage angle, which then leads into the final moments of Kane vs Gene Snitsky from Taboo Tuesday. It still amazes me the way that Snitsky has been put over so strongly. I may not care for the guy, but the booking they’ve done with him has just been awesome.
All that leads into a segment from last week, with Snitsky terrorizing the newest RAW divas. Lita comes out, Kane will be back, he will have his revenge, you know the deal.
The buildup for the WrestleMania triple threat for the World title is shown.
Match begins in progress, Benoit and HBK fight over who gets to take on the H’s first. Back ad forth action between the three leads to an eventual HBK moonsault from the top rope to the outside to take everyone out.
Commercials
We come back in progress with HBK taking the triple German suplex series. More action follows. Benoit slingshots HBK into the ringpost and gets hi to pull a massive blade job. Man, I had forgotten how much HBK bled for that one. 0.8 on the Muta scale easily. Triple H gets back into things and goes at it with Benoit. Benoit attempts a German from one table to another, but is stopped by HHH. Shawn then joins n and the H’s and HBK team up to suplex Benoit through the SD table. The usual holy shit chant begins. HBK gets into the ring and demands a showdown with Triple H. Quick here and there stuff.
Commercials
We return for the conclusion. Triple H in a Benoit sharpshooter. HBK almost kills Benoit with a sick Sweet Chin Music. HBK goes for the pin on Benoit, only two. Preps for another shot at Sweet Chin Music, Benoit counters with a back body drop over to the outside. Triple H attempts a Pedigree, reversed to the Crossface by Benoit. H’s rolls though, but Benoit holds strong. Triple H finally taps and Benoit is announced the World Champion.
“One Thing” by Finger Eleven plays while showcasing the history of Chris Benoit.
Highlights of “Mick Foley, This Is Your Life” are shown. The original was better.
Chris Jericho in an attempt to tell Trish Stratus his true feelings, is forced to look upon Mae Young’s naked body. Why this made it onto the show I have no idea.
Highlights of the $250,000 Diva Search are shown. Nothing we haven’t had pounded into our skulls before. This leads into a shameless plug for some body spray thing, with Lawler, Coach and Christy Hemme. Do they do this stupid spot every year?
Bodyslam of the Week- Lita breaking Trish’s nose at Survivor Series.
Trish Stratus vs Lita highlights are shown from a couple of weeks ago. I still can’t believe Lita got up after that sick tope.
Evolution turning on Randy Orton is shown.
The power of DAVE! takes out Chris Jericho with a wicked clothesline. I still don’t know if Jericho was knock loopy legit or not.
RAW’s Survivor Series Main Event is shown. Starts off in progress with Benoit suplexing everyone in sight. He takes down Triple H and then suplexes Edge onto HHH. Benoit then brings the awesome by hitting both of them with the diving headbutt. All’s for not, though as Benoit is soon pinned. Match continues on, Batista is eliminated after a combo belt shot from Orton and enzegeri from Jericho. Of course Batista then lays out Jericho while exiting. During this time, Edge & Triple H double-team Orton making him unavailable for Jericho to tag. Maven then makes his way out, gets the tag and goes to work on the heels including busting open Snitsky’s eyebrow legit. That’s even sicker looking then when I busted my lip open a few years ago. Snitsky takes none-too-kindly to all that and proceeds to destroy the opposition with many a chair shot. He gets DQed, but the damage is already done. Triple H pins Maven.
Commercials
We come back and the faces are still trying to come back from the beating Snitsky laid out. Jericho gets things going briefly, but falls victim to an Edge spear. Orton is now by his lonesome against Triple H & Edge. They work him over, but he tells them to bring it. Heels continue to work him over until Edge gets drop kicked into HHH. Heels take over again, but Edge accidentally spears HHH. RKO and it’s down to Triple H vs Orton. Back and forth, Triple H take the upper hand. HHH goes for the Pedigree, reversed out of no where to the RKO. 1, 2, 3. Orton wins.
The World title situation is briefly covered leading into last weeks announcement for an Elimination Chamber for New Years Revolution.
End Show.
I’m surprised a couple things weren’t covered. Nothing really about Matt Hardy’s involvement in the Lita/Kane angle. No mention of Orton/Cactus Jack at Backlash. Nothing about Orton winning the World title at Summer Slam. Kind of a weak show in some places, but showing all of the WrestleMania XX and Survivor Series main events was nice. The regular guys will be back next week for the real show. Until then, I’m out.
