WWE Heat Report: 16th December 2007
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Special Raw 15th Anniversary Edition
Hosted by Todd Grisham (In Studio)

We begin with the many intros from Raw. The Heat intro gets spliced in at the end. Grisham is on hand to introduce highlights and superstars' personal favourites from 15 years of Raw. We begin with the very first Raw Main Event from 1993.

Undertaker w/Paul Bearer vs Damien Demento (January 11th 1993)
Here we were two weeks away from the Royal Rumble where Undertaker would get involved in a near year long angle with Giant Gonzalez. Bad times indeed. The bell rings and Demento starts talking to himself as Undertaker approaches. A staredown ensues. Undertaker withstands Demento's punches then throws him face first to the mat. Demento's head meets the corner. Undertaker hits the move which is now known as old school but it wasn't really that old back then. Undertaker rolls back his eyes as he chokes Demento in the corner with his hand. Undertaker Irish whips but charges into a boot. Demento staggers Undertaker with a double axehandle from the second rope before dropping him with a flying shoulder tackle. Undertaker sits up, Demento sends him off the ropes, Undertaker ducks a clothesline and comes back with his own dive attack. Undertaker draws some power from the urn and finishes Demento with the tombstone piledriver. 1-2-3. Here is Your Winner: THE UNDERTAKER. Post match sees Paul Bearer pull the Undertaker back from the fallen Demento.

Jeff Hardy's all time favourite Raw moment was when he and Matt won their first Tag Team Titles near to their home in Fayetteville, North Carolina. We get to see the match in question in its entirety.

Acolytes vs Hardy Boyz w/Michael Hayes (June 29th 1999) WWF Tag Team Titles
Bradshaw comes into this match weakened with a 'concussion' following a tombstone on the ringsteps by Kane in a previous tussle. The upstart Hardys are already in the ring as the Acolytes come out. The Acolytes catch Matt's pescado so Jeff nails everyone with a swanton over the top rope. The Acolytes divide to pound the Hardys. Bradshaw sends Jeff into the ringpost, announce table and ring steps on the outside while inside Faarooq punishes Matt by Irish whipping him front first to the corner. Matt counters a back suplex into a neckbreaker. The Hardys hit the Event Omega on Faarooq (top rope legdrop/splash combo). Jeff gets a nearfall. Faarooq catches Matt with a spinebuster then Jeff with a powerslam. The Acolytes pound Matt before Bradshaw sends Matt off the ropes into a big boot. Bradshaw knocks Jeff off the apron then slams Matt and kicks his back. Bradshaw Irish whips Matt then charges into a boot. Bradshaw catches Matt coming off the top rope. Jeff quickly hits a missile dropkick and Faarooq breaks up a pin attempt. Faarooq tosses Matt before Jeff receives a double shoulder tackle. Faarooq works over Jeff who slips out of a dominator attempt and hits a DDT for a nearfall. Bradshaw works over Jeff as Hayes yells from the outside that the Hardys have to want it. Bradshaw goes to powerbomb Jeff but Matt saves him by booting Bradshaw. Matt lands some punches to Bradshaw and telegraphs a backbodydrop attempt off the ropes with a boot but Bradshaw no-sells it and hits the clothesline from hell. Jeff breaks up a pin attempt. Faarooq tosses Jeff then knocks Hayes off the apron. Faarooq goes out to punish Hayes as the referee gets distracted. Bradshaw sets Matt up for a superplex in the corner. Jeff hits Bradshaw with Hayes' cane. Matt hits a tornado DDT from the second rope then covers for the 1-2-3. New tag champs. Here Are Your Winners: THE HARDY BOYZ. Post match sees the Hardys go ecstatic in the aisle as their current music is dubbed in over their old theme. This was a good little match and one you wouldn't see in today's slower paced WWE environment. The Hardys ended up losing the belts back to the Acolytes a few weeks later at Fully Loaded in a Handicap match which also included Hayes.

Jonathan Coachman's favourite Raw moment was from San Diego in 2004 when he was being mean to Eugene. The Rock stopped by to save Eugene and give Coachman a Rock Bottom. We stay with the Rock for the next segment.

February 18th 2002: The Rock challenges Hollywood Hulk Hogan to a match at WrestleMania 18. Hogan accepts. Rock gives him a Rock Bottom. The action cuts away before Hall and Nash's sneak attack on Rocky.

Mickie James talks about the constant evolution of the Women's division. She grew up watching Sensational Sherri, Wendy Richter, Sunny and Sable noting that Sable was off the wall and did crazy stuff to turn peoples heads. Mickie said every generation had at least one person to revolutionise that era before putting over Trish Stratus, Lita and Sherri. Mickie finishes by saying it's cool to always see someone who's always keeping things going. This leads to.....

Trish Stratus vs Lita (December 6th 2004) WWE Women's Title
This match was right before the wheels came off for Lita in light of her serious knee injury and the coming out of her affair with Edge. Joined in progress Lita gives Trish a modified Twist of Fate and top rope Moonsault to win the Women's Title for a sixth time.

In an emotional piece, Cody Rhodes admits that because of his dad Dusty working in WCW he watched their show during the Monday Night Wars. Before the wars he wasn't allowed to watch WWE. (That was probably due to the bad blood Dusty had with Vince McMahon at the time). Cody first got busted when he had a Big Boss Man wrestle buddy. This was a big deal but Dusty got over it after a while. During the Monday Night Wars it was Cody's brother Dustin that turned Cody over to the WWE. Cody mentions he didn't get to grow up with Dustin and be in the WWE when he was Goldust. This was because Dustin and Dusty fell out (big time over the Goldust character) which fell back onto Cody who was young and didn't have the initiative to call Dustin up. Cody went along with what Dusty was doing but says it was cool and unique to see the Goldust character. Cody recalls Jerry Lawler constantly pressing Goldust on his bizarreness which resulted in Goldust punching back. Cody says this was cool while glossing over the sexual behaviour during the character's tenure. Cody says he didn't know Dustin but he knew and felt him as they're very alike. (That bit confused me too). It was unfortunate that there were five years when Cody wasn't with Dustin as he would have loved to have seen him put the paint on. Cody had to watch like every other fan but he enjoyed it just as much. I wonder what Cody thinks of Black Reign?

Randy Orton vs Cody Rhodes w/Dusty Rhodes (July 16th 2007)
We join this match in progress and with an Orton chinlock. No surprise there. Orton works over Cody who fires back with some punches, an Irish whip and missile dropkick for a nearfall. As Dusty yells at Cody to stay on him, Orton lands an uppercut. Orton delivers an inverted backbreaker then the RKO for the win. Here is Your Winner: RANDY ORTON.

CM Punk grew up and looked forward to watching Raw for its awesome athletic matches and larger than life superstars that he emulated. His favourite superstar was Shawn Michaels whether he was cheered or hated. He was Punk's guy and the one Punk gravitated towards. Punk recalls his first match on Raw was special at it was in front of his hometown crowd in Chicago. It was a top five moment in his career to date and the building was electric.

CM Punk vs Kenny Dykstra (March 26th 2007)
This is another match which we join in progress and the second with a chinlock applied. Looks like Randy Orton edited today's show folks. Punk elbows free but runs into a spinning backelbow. Dykstra gets nearfalls following punches to the head, two short arm clotheslines and a neckbreaker. Dykstra despairs before going back to the chinlock. Punk elbows out again so Dykstra switches to a front facelock and clubs at the back. Punk counters a suplex with a knee to the head. Both exchange punches until Punk ducks and lands a one legged kick. Punk goes to work with a clothesline, backelbow and several knee lifts. Punk Irish whips then calls for a high knee but Dykstra presses him out to the apron. Punk lands a kick and a springboard clothesline back in where Punk follows up with a kneelift, Irish whip, high knee and running bulldog for a nearfall. Dykstra drops Punk throat first into the second rope. Punk counters a rope whip with the Go To Sleep for the 1-2-3. Good match. Here is Your Winner: CM PUNK.

Grisham runs down some of the Armageddon card before giving us a quick recap of Vince McMahon's greatest superstar announcement from last Monday night. After declaring himself the winner Vince receives Mr Socko from Mankind, a chokeslam from the Undertaker and a Stone Cold Stunner from Mr Austin.

Grisham thanks us for watching and signs off until next week to end the show.

Best Match: Acolytes vs Hardy Boyz.
Worst Match: Undertaker vs Damien Demento.

I enjoyed the Raw anniversary show this past week. There wasn't much in the way of matches or build to Armageddon but it was still a fun show and a nice trip down memory lane. My only criticism was that they could have showcased some of the future crop aswell as acknowledging the past to give people like Londrick and DH Smith a much needed rub/re-ignition. Just my opinion.

Quick Armageddon picks:
RANDY ORTON, JEFF HARDY, SHAWN MICHAELS, EDGE, BETH PHOENIX, FINLAY, MVP, CM PUNK & KANE

Armageddon has enough solid matches for the show to deliver and give us fans a nice early Christmas present in the way of a decent PPV. I'd like to see a match involving the Tag Titles get added as the Miz and John Morrison are doing a fine job elevating the belts by taking on all comers. Their matches on ECW and Smackdown with the Daltons. Majors and Shannon Moore and Jimmy Wang Yang in recent weeks have been really good.

Enjoy Armageddon wherever you are and I'll see you back here next weekend with the festive episode of Heat. Take care. Shaun.

If anyone wants to sound off, chew the fat or talk wrestling get in touch. Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.