RAW this week starts with music and then a video and stills replay of the end of the Rumble. That’s followed by Taker showing up at the end of RAW last week. The Taker showing up in the ring with Lashley at the end of last week’s ECW. Finally Batista in the ring with Cena and HBK when Taker shows up at the end of SD!
Gong! His music hits and out comes Taker. The crowd goes wild for the Dead Man. He slowly comes down to the ring with his usual entrance and raises the lights. In the ring he slowly removes his trench and hat, milking the crowd for all it’s worth.
He doesn’t even have time to get a mic when Cena’s music hits and he comes stomping down to the ring. Cena holds his belt up in front of Taker’s face and then Lashley’s music hits and he comes out to bigger pop than I expected, though not as big as for either Taker or Cena. Lashley holds his belt high in front of Taker and Batista’s music hits and he comes out to really good pop also. Batista joins the rest of the champs and Taker in the ring. The three stand in a row and stare at Taker together. Taker looks each of them over in turn, nose to nose. Taker gets to Batista last and signals that it will be Batista he will face.
HBK comes down to the ring quickly and says Taker’s made his decision and that leaves Cena without an opponent. He’s there to help Cena out with that.
Orton rushes out and half way down the ramp. He says HBK isn’t involved in this. Orton is challenging Cena at WM. He’s not asking, he’s demanding.
Edge’s music hits and he rushes out. He says like Taker he’s never lost at WM, so he takes precedence over Orton and HBK. He doesn’t have to ask, it’s his God given right to face Cena at WM and doesn’t care what Orton or HBK thinks about it.
Vince comes rushing out asking what they are doing standing in a corn field in this place called Iowa. He says it’s obvious no one’s challenging Lashley. Might it be because Lashley is the best champion standing in the ring. Vince says someone in the locker room will challenge Lashley and Lashley will be defending his ECW title.
As to who would be facing Cena at WM? Tonight there will be a triple threat match between HBK, Orton and Edge. The winner will face Cena at WM.
Vince says he’s not going to drop thousands and thousands of dollars down on them, but that Triple Threat Match is real value.
King says the whole time everyone spoke Taker never took his eyes off Batista.
Batista is about to get out of the ring when he can still feel the stare of Taker. He turns around and walks back so he’s face to face with the Dead Man. Batista holds up his title belt above his head. Taker wraps his hand around Batista’s neck and chokeslams him in the center of the ring. Taker leaves the ring and Batista laying in the middle. Taker stomps up the ramp and stops at the top to raise his fist. Batista gets to his feet and glares at Taker as he leaves the arena.
- Commercial
Video of Batista and Taker staring each other down and Taker choke slamming Batista.
Carlito and Torrie come down to the ring. Cryme Tyme come out to join them. Haas and Benjamin come down. Masters comes down to join them.
All six men start fighting. Everyone exits the ring but Benjamin and JTG. JTG presses Benjamin but Benjamin gets the upper hand. Haas tags in and whips JTG. JTG gets an elbow up. Haas slams JTG and covers for two. Masters tags in and throws a bunch of forearms to the back of JTG’s head. Haas tags in and knocks Shad from the corner. Haas tries to suplex but JTG wiggles out and lands on his feet.
Carlito tags and hits a double springboard back elbow. Shad rushes in and clotheslines Haas from the ring. Carlito hits a hurricanrana on Haas. Masters rushes in and they double team JTG and Haas covers, holding tights, for three.
- Winner: Haas & Benjamin & Masters
- Commercial
Video of Vince and Trump last week. Trump dropped thousands of dollars into the crowd last week.
Outback Vince and Coach are talking about the dropped money and how the fans need value and they’re getting it in the Triple Threat Match. Kenny enters and says he doesn’t want to interrupt, but he wants to face Lashley tonight. Vince thought he had spunk and gave him the match. Coach then gives Vince a letter from Trump. Vince is pissed that Coach has held the letter since this afternoon and is just now giving it to him. Coach asks what it says.
Vince says that Trump wrote that he got so many comments about dropping the money on the crowd he will be there for the show next week. He will be in the ring next week. He has a business proposal for Vince.
Coach says he will make sure to have Trump banned from the building next week. Vince tells him he will do no such thing. Forth first time there will be two billionaires in the ring. That and next week Trump will be joining a very exclusive club, if Coach knows what he means. (As if Trump would willingly kiss Vince’s ass!)
Maria is outback with Flair. They flirt back and forth a bit before Flair talks about Batista against Taker and how it gives him goose bumps. Then tonight his passion grows. Tonight he faces Jeff Hardy. If he beats Hardy tonight he will face Hardy at WM for the IC Title. He ‘Woos’ before leaving.
Candice and Melina are outback talking about the Superbowl. Melina compliments Candy’s Superbowl ads. Candy wishes Melina luck in her match against Mickie tonight. Candy leaves and Nitro comes up. Nitro says he’s going to take care of Super Crazy tonight for putting his hands on Melina last week.
- Commercial
Balls Mahoney is in the ring. Coach comes out to the stage and says the guy in the ring is Balls Mahoney and he’s an ECW Original. Lately Vince has had troubles with ECW Originals, but tonight someone has been hand picked to take care of Balls. Umaga comes out with Estrada.
Balls punches and bitch slap Umaga. Balls gets slammed into a corner and then his arms stretched over the bottom rope. Balls is hung over the second rope and Umaga climbs to drop a leg to the back of Ball’s neck. Umaga hits a Samoan drop and then Balls is dragged into a corner.
King says that Umaga is just playing with Balls. JR stutters a bit in response.
Umaga hits a bum slam in the corner. Balls is pulled to his feet by his hair and Umaga hits a Samoan spike and covers for three.
- Winner: Umaga
- Commercial
Slam Of The Week - Melina telling Mickie, last week, that she’s going to take the Woman’s Title. Crazy used Mickie’s hand to slap Melina. Mickie said she liked it.
Melina and Nitro come down to the ring. Melina is in pink and blue pants with cut-out on the sides and a matching halter top. Super Crazy comes out with Mickie by his side.
Nitro kicks Crazy and then slams him. Nitro throws a bunch of punches. A neck breaker to Crazy for two. The audience is VERY quiet. Crazy quickly rolls up Nitro for two. Nitro hits an inverted back breaker for two. Nitro gets a reverse chinlock on Crazy. Nitro hits a sunset flip but Crazy rolls through it and double kicks Nitro in the face. Melina gets on the apron to distract the ref and Mickie grabs Nitro’s ankle. Crazy hits a couple of dropkicks. Crazy climbs but Nitro climbs after him. Crazy hits a couple of elbows and Nitro flies off the corner. Nitro hits a high moonsault and covers for three.
- Winner: Super Crazy
Mickie and Crazy celebrate as they back up the ramp. Melina is in the ring with Nitro, both quite pissed.
- Commercial
Melina is in the ring with Mickie.
Melina slams Mickie down and throws punches. They roll over and Mickie throws punches. They get up and into a hair pulling match. “Mickie” chant. Mickie gets a hammer lock on Melina. Melina gets out and knees Mickie in the face. Melina kicks Mickie in the gut a couple times. Mickie slams Melina to the mat hard. Melina runs to Nitro who holds her while the ref counts. Melina hangs Mickie up on the top rope. Melina throws some forearms and gets a couple of two counts on Mickie. Melina gets a double handful of Mickie’s hair and holds to a four count with a knee in Mickie’s back.
Mickie flings Melina by her hair. Mickie hits a few forearms to Melina’s face and slams her to the mat by her hair. Mickie gets whipped but gets an elbow in Melina’s face.
Nitro got too close and Crazy takes him down. Mickie covers for two. Melina gets slammed to the mat in a corner and pulls Mickie from the ring by her top. Melina rolls Mickie up and tries to use the ropes but Mickie rolls her over and gets the three without cheating.
- Winner: Mickie James
In the ring Melina is throwing an absolute fit. The ‘paparazzi’ enters the ring taking photos of Melina’s fit. Nitro drives them off.
Outback HBK is getting ready and Cena walks up. HBK says he knows Cena’s there to wish him luck as they would have a great match at WM. Cena says he really wants Edge to win tonight as he knows he can easily beat him at WM. He really wants to wish HBK good luck as they are Tag Team Champs. He tells HBK to stay safe in the ring tonight.
- Commercial
Jeff Hardy comes down to the ring. Flair comes down to face him in his black robe with blue feathers and sequins.
They lock up but Jeff hits a shoulder block and drops Flair. A hammer lock on Jeff and they end up face to face. Flair pushes Jeff’s shoulder hard and Jeff bitch slaps Flair. They exchange blows in a corner. Jeff gets whipped but puts his hands on the ropes and jumps back over Flair. Jeff immediately holds his left leg. Flair hits a chop block on that leg and continues to work on that leg. “Hardy” chant.
Flair stomps that leg but Jeff doesn’t want to stop the match. “Let’s go Flair” chant. Flair chops Jeff in a corner and then locks a half Boston crab on Jeff. The hold keeps moving around but Jeff hits an enzigure on Flair. Jeff hits a jawbreaker. Jeff hits a back body drop but Flair hits very wrong. Jeff hits a whisper in the wind and then a twist of fate.
Jeff climbs but Flair rolls out of the way of the swanton bomb. Jeff’s holding his lower leg tightly. Flair stomps that lower leg. Flair struts around the ring. Flair goes to set up the figure four but Jeff rolls him up in a small package for three.
- Winner: Jeff Hardy
Flair stands back and stares at Jeff from behind. Jeff turns to look at Flair and Flair quickly rushes up to Jeff looking like he’s about to attack. Flair then hugs Jeff and they speak quietly to each other. They step back and Jeff give Flair a bow. It’s nice to see respect like that between wrestlers after what was obviously a painful match.
Flair leaves the ring. Jeff then drops down and rolls from the ring holding his left leg. He hops a bit and then a ref helps him up the ramp. It looks as though he just landed wrong jumping back over Flair. It did not seem as though it was his knee that was hurting. It seemed lower as if he pulled something in his lower leg or wrenched his ankle somehow when he landed.
- Commercial
Video from earlier when Taker looked over all the Champs and then signaled that he was going after Batista. Then Batista stands up to Taker and gets choke slammed for it.
Grisham is outback with Batista. He asks if he has a comment about Taker choosing him and then choke slamming him. Batista says he’s not worried and payback is a bitch. When and where is up to Batista. He’s not worried about facing Batista at WM and he’s not worried about tagging with Taker at NWO.
Kenny is in the ring again wearing hot pink trunks, boots and knee pads. Lashley comes out to face him.
Lashley grabs Kenny’s leg and Kenny backs into the ropes to break it. Lashley backs Kenny into the corner. Lashley throws a bunch of punches. One punch sends Kenny up over the top and flopping outside on the floor. Lashley gets Kenny up on his shoulder but Kenny gets loose and on the apron. Lashley pushes Kenny to the floor. Lashley follows and gets a dropkick to the knee that lands Lashley’s face on the ramp.
Back in the ring Kenny covers for two. Kenny keeps control and covers again for two. Kenny hits a jumping back elbow for two. Kenny gets a headlock on Lashley. Lashley gets to his feet and elbows out. Kenny gets the hold back on but Lashley gets out and clotheslines Kenny. Kenny gets whipped but gets a foot up in Lashley’s face. Lashley hits a t-bone suplex on Kenny. Kenny hits a dropkick knocking Lashley between the second and top ropes and to the floor.
- Commercial
During the commercial Lashley ran into the ring post with his right shoulder when Kenny moved out of the way. Kenny covers for two. Kenny has a front face lock on Lashley. Lashley pushes out and hits a back body drop and then a delayed vertical suplex on Kenny. Lashley rushes Kenny but gets a boot to the face. Lashley gets Kenny up in a military press, drops him onto his shoulder and power slams him to the mat for three.
- Winner: Bobby Lashley
Outback Orton is getting ready. Edge comes up to strategize. Orton says it’s not a tag match and there is no strategizing. Orton says he will win and go on to face Cena. Edge says he understands that this is not a tag team match, but it has to be one of them who wins this match. There is no way they can let HBK win this match and go to WM.
Torrie, Chloe and Carlito are heading out and they run into Flair. Flair asks where they are going, why they are not staying for the main event. Carlito says it doesn’t matter because he’s not in the main event. Flair says it’s guys like Carlito who piss him off. Carlito asks what is the problem. Flair says guys like Carlito want all the glory and to fly first class but they don’t want to put in the time, the blood, sweat and tears.
Flair says Vince told him earlier that if he wanted to stay around he had to prove himself, but guys like Carlito don’t have to prove anything and leave before the main event. Flair goes on and on screaming and yelling, getting more and more pissed off at Carlito before stomping off.
(I don’t normally put my two cents in, but I’m going to here. This bit looked to me as if it was put together on the spur of the moment. The way Flair stumbled over his words and seemed lost about what he was saying, repeating himself over and over just seemed off. It felt to me that they might have changed the end of the Jeff and Flair match, due to injury and decided to start a feud between Flair and Carlito. It was a good heel turn and feud start for off the cuff, but not a great Flair vignette.)
- Commercial
Video from last week when Cena and HBK faced Rated RKO and won the Tag Titles.
Edge comes down to the ring for the Triple Threat Match. Orton comes out next and enters the ring. Edge glares at him the whole time. HBK comes out to DX music and huge pop.
HBK slides in the ring and is attacked by both Edge and Orton. They take him down and stomp him. Edge bounces HBK’s head off the corner. “HBK” chant. HBK gets whipped and falls to the mat. HBK docks a double clothesline and hits a double clothesline of his own. HBK hits and inverted atomic drop on Edge and then Orton. Orton gets tossed from the ring and Edge gets scoop slammed.
HBK climbs but is too slow and Orton pushes him off. HBK flips and lands on his back. Orton looks like he’s setting up for an RKO and Edge turns around to find Orton ready and yells at him. HBK rolls from the ring.
- Commercial
Edge and HBK are struggling by the ropes. Orton rushes them and gets flipped out over the top by both of them. Edge baseball slides Orton into the announce table. HBK takes Edge down and throws punches. HBK covers for two. Edge hits a back breaker on HBK for two. Edge slams HBK to the mat and climbs. HBK gets to his feet and throws punches to Edge’s face and climbs. Edge headbutts HBK who falls to the mat. Orton pushes HBK into Edge so his head caused a low blow. Edge falls to the mat. Orton stomps his way around HBK and gets a two count.
Orton hits an upper cut and then a forearm to HBK’s back. Standing dropkick from Orton to HBK’s face for two. Another two upper cuts to HBK from Orton. Orton goes for another upper cut but HBK spins him around and back slides for two. Orton hits an RKO but Edge breaks up the count. Orton and Edge get into a shoving contest. HBK rolls from the ring. Edge motions for a hand shake, Orton agrees. Then they start throwing punches at each other. Orton goes for an RKO but Edge avoids it. Edge goes for a spear but Orton jumps over it. They both go for cross bodies. Both are down.
HBK climbs and hits a flying elbow on Edge. HBK tunes up the band and goes after Edge who ducks. HBK runs into Orton. Edge sets up to spear HBK but is tossed into Orton. HBK super kicks edge and covers Orton for three.
- Winner: HBK
Suddenly Cena is in the ring staring at HBK. Batista’s music hits and he comes out onto the stage. Gong! Taker again raises through the stage as he did last week. Taker stalks over glaring at Batista. They stare at each other for a moment as Cena and HBK had in the ring. Taker and Batista turn and glare at the NWO opponents standing in the ring.
Biggest pop
Taker
Cena
Batista
Lashley
Flair
Jeff Hardy
Biggest heat
Orton
Edge
Coach
Umaga & Estrada
