By: JBZA2000, rajah.com reader
Arena was a bit less that half-full for the show
We start off the night with ring announcer Justin Roberts welcoming us to the show.
He is originally from the Phoenix/Glendale area. He then welcomes Stacy Keibler as
the special guest ring announcer for the following match.
Match 1 (World Tag Title)
Christian & Tyson Tomko vs. Eugene & William Regal (c)
This first match was a pretty long one. A LOT of crazy antics from Eugene. Pretty
basic with Eugene getting the pin after landing the Stunner on Tomko.
WINNERS: Eugene & William Regal
AFTERWARDS: Eugene calls for the kids to come in the ring to celebrate. I swear
there were so many just climbing over the guardrail I thought people were just gonna
start rushing the ring, haha.
Match 2
Val Venis vs. Tajiri
This was actually one of the roughest matches of the night which made it pretty
enjoyable. Man Tajiri can take some bumps. Venis attempts a Money Shot to no avail.
He also gets some heat a time or two in this match with a few cheapshots on Tajiri.
Tajiri gets the win after delivering the stiff kick to Val. No Tarantula.
WINNER: Tajiri
AFTERWARDS: Val gets up on his own to a pretty nice ovation. He walks around not
believing he lost. No comments there.
Match 3
Simon Dean vs. The Hurricane
Dean starts out on the mic by insulting the crowd, including a lady sitting right
next to me and a guy a couple seats away from her. Hurricane at one point asks if
someone has a watch (as a joke toward Dean), and ends up going over to my brother
for his, lol. ANYWAY, onto the match... it originally started by Dean challenging
anyone with a mask to come out and fight him... wow, surprise it was Hurricane, ha.
Pretty basic and somewhat boring. The only thing that saved it was Hurricane yelling
"WASSAP WIT DAT?!" a couple times which got a good reaction from the crowd. Dean
ended up getting the win after rolling Hurricane up while holding the tights.
WINNER: Simon Dean
Match 4 (Women's Title)
Trish Stratus vs. Lita (c)
Trish actually gets a good reaction tonight but Lita got a BIGGER one! Pretty rough
diva match but not at all as good as their main event match a couple weeks ago on
Raw. Back and forth action with Lita getting the pin after an implant DDT.
WINNER: Lita
Match 5
Muhammad Hassan w/ Khosrow Daivari vs. Rhyno
HUGE heat for the middle-eastern duo. Hassan got on the mic before the match but
Rhyno interrupted and ran out to get the match started. Pretty quick match. At one
point Rhyno tried to go for the Gore on Hassan but Khosrow jumps in the ring and he
gets Gored instead. That one looked painful. Since Rhyno had just attacked Khosrow,
this left Hassan able to get the advantage over Rhyno and the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Muhammad Hassan
Match 6 (Submission)
Edge vs. Chris Benoit
Edge gets on the mic and insists that he did not originally tap out to Benoit.
Benoit comes out and says he did, etc.... usual trash talk. Says he will make him
tap out tonight. Pretty good match with a suprising amount of action outside the
ring. The match with 3 German suplexes, a failed flying headbut, a missed spear from
Edge and the worst chops you could ever hear ends with Benoit getting the win with
the Crossface.
WINNER: Chris Benoit
AFTERWARDS: Edge also cannot believe he had just tapped out and lost yet again.
Justin Roberts informs us of an INTERMISSION
They plug the ThemeAddict CD by playing the tracks over the speakers... I'm
surprised no one thought superstars were coming to the ring.
We're BACK...
Roberts introduces the $250,000 Diva Search winner, Christy! She basically come out,
in a VERY short skirt with VERY little underneath (trust me... wasn't hard to
notice!), and throws t-shirts out to the crowd. Guy standing next to me was thrown
one for his kid.
Match 7 (Knockout Match)
Batista vs. Chris Jericho
Not a bad match. Batista is really starting to get over with the crowd as he got a
good mixed reaction. Batista lands a couple Batista Bombs, Jericho lands most of his
trademark moves and also missed a lionsault. Jericho at one point lands a chairshot
on Batista. Batista ends up getting the knockout over Y2J in this very rough match.
WINNER: Batista
AFTERWARDS: Jericho continued to lay on the mat "unconscious". He eventually got up
to a good reaction from the audience.
Match 8 (Triple Threat Intercontinental Title)
Gene Snitsky vs. Shelton Benjamin (c) vs. .......
First out is Benjamin followed by Snitsky. This match was not on the original card
and we were just informed that it was a triple threat but Snitsky went straight for
Shelton and the bell sounded. A minute or two after the match starts, KANE makes his
first in-ring return! Nice surprise and a huge pop for the big red monster. It
doesn't last too long at all after Snitsky and Kane go at it themselves and battle
all the way backstage. This leaves the ref to count them out and Shelton retaining.
Crowd did not like that too much. Neither did Shelton but a W is a W.
WINNER: Shelton Benjamin
Roberts gives a great introduction to who we thought was gonna be Billy Graham but
ended up announcing "The Coach". Huge heat here. Anyway, Coach ends up introducing
Superstar Billy Graham and ends up insulting him by saying he's now a "falling
star." I couldn't really see this as it took place in the isle-way but I believe
Graham nailed Coach but I can't be sure. Coach told security to get Graham outta the
arena but they ended up taking HIM. HA!
I wouldn't be surprised if we see this on TV in some way as 2 cameras were taping it.
Justin Roberts thanks us for coming out tonight and that they plan to return to AZ
in the very near future...
ONTO THE MAIN EVENT
Match 9 (Main Event)
Triple H vs. Randy Orton
Good reactions for both competitors. I admit that I was also torn between the 2 but
I am more of a Helmsley fan. Very good match... it would definitely work at WM21. I
don't know how many times Randy tried to go for the RKO to no avail. The fight
traveled outside the ring a few times as well. It all ended with Orton reversing the
Pedigree and eventually hitting the RKO for the 1-2-3!
WINNER: Randy Orton
AFTERWARDS: Orton goes around the ringside area celebrating and slapping hands... I
was one of them... it kinda hurt.
Overall good show with a few good twists.
BIGGEST POPS:
1. Kane
2. Lita
3. Randy Orton
4. Triple H (After He Spits His Water)
5. Stacy Keibler
MOST HEAT:
1. Muhammad Hassan & Khosrow
2. Coach
3. Edge
4. Simon Dean
5. Christian & Tomko
