This is Jeff with your Raw report. Don't laugh, I'm serious. ;)
We're just going to be bringing brief recaps as the night goes on. Check back for a full report tonight.
Opening - Shelton Benjamin in the back with Bishoff & Johnny Nitro. Angry with Bishoff's lack of action against last week's beating at the hands of Evolution -- Shelton is then joined by Benoit, HBK, and Foley.
Foley makes his way to the ring and announces that he won't be able to hurt Orton at Backlash like he wants to, but he knows someone who can -- Cactus Jack! Foley announces that Cactus Jack wil be at Backlash to take care of Orton. Orton tries to attack Foley, who is holding the barbed wired poll, with a chair, but misses.. Orton runs for the back.
First match - Kane vs. Grand Master Sexey
Grand Master making his return to the ring after 2 1/2 years...
We joined this match in progress -- Kane wins in a decisive victory, short match - about 3 minutes - with a choke slam (yeah, call me Captain Obvious)... The King comments that Kane is sending a message to Edge who Kane will be fighting at Backlash.
Back stage - Trish & Makeup Lady Talking -- Eugene comes in, but does not recognize Trish.. when she asks who if she knows who Trish is, he responds "slut". Christian joins in and assures Trish that he will take care of Jericho at Backlash.
Masked Ninja vs Tajiri - The Coach comes in with a masked man ninja, appearently in a managerial role. Tajiri is to face this ninja, and if Tajiri wins, he will face The Coach at Backlash. Match starts out slow, Tarjiri gets on top of the Ninja and threatens to demask him, but fails. Tarjiri is out of the ring and The Coach interferes when the ref is distracted. Ninja gets a near pin fall... Tajiri recovers and gets the pinfall. He unmasks the Ninja only to discover it's Al Snow, The Coach's broadcast partner.
Bishoff & Flair in the back - Flair proposes a match for Backlash, Shelton vs Flair. Flair says Shelton is way too egotistical for his own good. Bishoff says he's one step ahead of Flair, and says the contracts have been ready. Shelton brutally jumps Flair as he starts to leave the room, Bishoff goes for help, refs pull Shelton off of Flair.
Taped Triple H promo for Backlash Says he will prove that the World Heavy Weight Championship still belongs to him. "There is only one diamond in this business and you're looking at him", he says.
Jericho Highlight Reel - Says he finally gets the oppturtunity he's been waiting for since WWXX at Backlash -- his match vs Trish & Christian. Has some unkind words for Trish and Christian, of course. Says there's no reason for Trish to be nervous because it's not the first time she's been in action with two guys at the exact same time. Plays a clip of Trish barking like a dog, crawling around the ring (sound effects added). Hilarious, really. :) Jericho's guest tonight is Lita, as she makes her way out to the ring, Trish jumps her from beyond. Bishoff comes out to stop the whole thing and says there's going to be a match between Lita and Trish right now --- clear the ring!
Trish vs. Lita - match joined in progress. Jericho and Christian are at ring side. Lita in a near fall after about 2 minutes.. JR comments that Lita has her hands full. Trish puts Lita in a submission choke hold, but Lita elbows her way out of it. Trish makes use of the ropes to further choke Lita, but the ref pull her away. Trish again puts Lita in another sleeper/choke type hold, both on are the mat. After Lita escapes the choke hold, both women collide in the center in the ring and the ref starts the count. Lita covers Trish for the near fall... and another and another near fall. Lita flings Trish across the ring and follows it up with a missed elbow. Lita throws Trish out the ring and does a suicide type dive on her. Christian interferes and throws Lita against the crowd barriers and the ref calls for a DQ. Your winner: Lita by DQ
Jericho attacks Christian in the ring and tosses him outside. Jericho grabs ahold of Trish and almost puts her in his finisher, but Christian saves her with a hit from behind. Now Trish slaps Jericho while Christian holds him. Christian drops Jericho right on his face.. and he does it again! Now Trish gets in the action and we finally goto commercial while Trish taunts Jericho. What will things be like at Backlash JR comments.
Interview with La Resistence - Usual anti American boring trash. :) Eugene comes up behind them and starts to defile the French flag. His British assistant, William Regal, tells Eugene to pay them no attention.
John Nitro Ring Statement - Calls out Edge for the Bishoff attack 3 weeks ago. Edge has not been in a ring in 14 months and will be back at Backlash. Edge comes out to the ring, and Johnny Nitro says if Edge uses his cast (from his injured hand) against Kane in the ring at Backlash, he will be DQ'd and suspended. Edge declares that he's been gone a long time and will beat Kane this Sunday then he spears Johnny Nitro.
Sylvain Grenier (accompanied by Rob Conway) vs. Hurricane (accompanied by Rosey) - Hurricane gets started early with an elbow to the face. The Hurricane gets dropped onto the top rope, leaving him open to several kicks to the midsection. Hurricane is dominated throughout the match by the Frenchy. (imagine that, French domination...) Just when the Hurricane looks like he's in trouble, Eugene makes his way out to the ring -- LaRestiance is distracted by Eugene, they rip the head off of Eugene's stuffed bunny... Hurricane captalizes and gets the pinfall. Here is your winner, The Hurricane.. minus one dead Easter Bunny.
Shawn Michaels Statement - Says very little, only he's the show stopper and Backlash will top the match at WMXX.
Mick Foley Video Recap - Just a video series of Foley's hardcore career.
Benoit Statement - Claims he doesn't believe in luck and that he did not get lucky at WMXX, and that he will win at Backlash because of his hardwork. "And luck will have nothing to do with it." -- oooo, he seems mad. :P
8 Man Tag Match - Benoit/HBK/Foley/Benjamin vs. Evolution - We're getting started at 10:45EDT.. The crowd is ready for this one. A huge greeting for Benoit, Foley, and HBK. We get started with HBK & Flair. HBK immediately knocks Flair off his feet. Flair and HBK lock up again, and HBK slaps Flair across the face. HBK continues with backhands to Flairs chest and then tags Foley. Now Benoit is tagged in with big chops to Flair's chest -- Flair tags in HHH. Benoit reminds HHH that he tapped out. Benoit continues to his intense assault on HHH. Suplex by Benoit to Trips, and JR reminds us that Benoit GREW UP in Canada. Benoit and HHH trade blows in the center of the ring. Benoit puts HHH in a sharp shooter and Flair intervenes... now there's total chaos in the ring! HHH's is flung out of the ring by HBK and Evolution tries to regroup outside, but HBK hurls himself over the ropes into Batista, Flair, and Trips..
We restart with Benoit being attacked by Flair and Trips. King says this is a taste of what Benoit will get at Backlash. No tag was made, but Trips violently chokes Benoit in the center of the ring. Bastista briefly tags in to continue with the work over on Benoit, then Flair tags back in only... but Benoit makes the tag to Foley, and he goes after Flair. Cactus Jack has returned! "Bang Bang!" Foley says. Shelton is in the ring now after being tagged by Foley and makes a high flying move off the top against Flair. Now Shelton is outside the ring being flung into the steel steps by HHH while the ref restores order in the ring.
Shelton is back in the ring with Orton and Orton gets a near fall... Orton makes the tag to Trips and Trips gets a near fall. Now Trips has Shelton in a submission hold, but is using the ropes for leverage. Foley jumps in to break up the illegal move by Trips. Trips tags in Flair and Flair works on Shelton's already busted open forehead. Now Shelton and Flair trade chops and fists back and forth, they both drop to the mat, but Flair makes the tag to Bastista, keeping Shelton in the ring.
Shelton catches Bastista with a round kick, but now they're both down in the center of the ring... the ref starts the count. Shelton needs to make a tag, he's beaten and worn. HBK and Orton are both tagged in. HBK flips Orton over his back and in comes all of Evolution and HBK takes them all on with ease. Total chaos errupts in and outside the ring, HBK & Orton are back in the ring and they are the legal men. HBK off the top rope, but then Orton counters with an RKO.. they both lay nearly lifeless in the center of the ring, Orton gets the cover, but Benoit stops it with a head butt off the top rope.
Now HHH & Foley are in the ring, and Foley throws HHH over the top... and now Foley goes after Orton, but Batista pulls Foley out the ring... HBK is back in the ring, HBK with the kick on Orton... HBK with the cover, 1, 2, 3.. your winners Foley, HBK, Benoit, and Shelton Benjamin!
Forgive me if I missed some of that last match, there was just so much going on at once... and this was my first time with the PBP... (and surely my last).
