Reported by Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
On Monday, February 27, 2006 at 11:43 PM EST

WWE RAW
February 27, 2006
Washington, D.C.
Commentators: Jonathan Coachman, Joey Styles & Jerry “The King" Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com

The opening pyro hit and the commentators welcomed us.

Edge’s music hit and he came down to the ring and grabbed a mic. He told Mick Foley that his time was up and that it had been a week since he challenged him. Still, he said, he hadn’t heard from him. He said this would be Mick’s best financial option. He wouldn’t be whoring himself out to an Indy fed or smut peddling a kids book, he’d be wrestling.

Edge said that he would be going to Foley’s house via plane and he would show everyone why he should have main evented Wrestlemania. HE said he’d have to make a house call.

Foley’s music hit the arena and he came out to the ramp with a mic. He said Edge had it all wrong and it wasn’t that he wasn’t man enough to come to (cheap pop). He said it wasn’t Mick Foley that screwed him that he had no one to blame but himself. He said Cena wasn’t the problem. He said Edge choked.

Edge said the only choking would be his hands around Foley’s throat at Wrestlemania 22. He challenged Foley again.

Foley said ‘no’. He said he may have been a transitional champion, but he was a three time transitional champion, making him the greatest transitional champion of all time. Edge said if he was the rated R super star, then Foley was the rated “O" star for being overrated. He said Foley wouldn’t be remembered for his title wins, he’d be remembered for three things: For the sock puppet bit, the fall off the cell, and tearing his ear off.

He said Foley had a lot to prove because he never won at Wrestlemania. He said Foley never had that classic Wrestlemania performance that he craved. Edge said he never lost at Wrestlemania. He said he’s performed in all of the Wrestlemania’s he’s been a part of. He said he knew Foley would tuck his tail between his legs because Foley knew he would lose.

Foley said, that in a Wrestling match he most definitely would. He said instead, he’d challenge Edge to a hardcore match. Edge and Lita looked shocked. Foley said if Edge couldn’t make his mind up, he’d help him. He went to the back and brought out Barbie. Edge ran off through the crowd.

Big Show and Kane were on their way to the ring to defend the World Tag Team Championship.

****Commercial****

World Tag Team Championship
Kane & Big Show v. Val Venis & Viscera

Venis ducked under a Kane right hand and landed some blows but they had no effect. Venis hit a shoulder block then a thumb to the eyes. Kane flattened Venis shortly thereafter with a big boot. Kane gathered Val into the corner and hit some big rights and lefts.

Kane whipped Venis into the opposite buckles and caught him in a side slam on the rebound. Venis came back a bit with a chop block and a drop kick to the legs. Kane sat up however. Venis tagged in Viscera who didn’t fare too much better.

Kane went for a clothesline, but Viscera caught him in a big Samoan drop. Viscera sent him off the ropes after a head-butt but got nailed with a big boot. Show got tagged in and hit a flying shoulder block before BODYSLAMMING Viscera.

Show followed the slam up with a leg drop but only caught a two count on the cover attempt. Val Venis came running in but Kane intercepted him and sent him to the floor. The two loaded up Viscera for the double choke slam and connected. Show made the cover for the pin fall.

Winners and STILL World Tag Team Champions: Kane & Big Show

The announcers put over the “Kiss My Ass" segment to air later tonight.

****Commercial****

Todd Grisham was in the back with Ric Flair. Flair said that he celebrated his 57th Birthday. He said there was a huge faction out there 16 years ago that thought Flair wouldn’t win another title. He said for those fans that didn’t think he couldn’t win another title, that they were underestimating the Nature Boy.

Shawn Michaels came up and apologized to Marty Jannetty for the problems. Jannetty said he had to help himself tonight and put over the history between the two and that he’s never kissed any ass. He said things are a little different now and that he doesn’t have a job or a car. He said if it wasn’t for friends, he wouldn’t have a place to live. He said he was desperate and that he needed the job.

Maria asked Carlito if he wanted to make an announcement. He said something in Spanish. He said Maria’s beauty was only matched by her wisdom. She thanked him. He said Mr. McMahon granted his request to hold another Money in the Bank ladder match at Wrestlemania. He said people would have to fight their way into the match. He said they’d have no idea who they were facing. He said he’d win his match and win the match at Wrestlemania.

****Commercial****

Money in the Bank Ladder Match Qualifying Match
Trevor Murdoch v. Rob Van Dam

The two went right at it with Murdoch working over RVD in the corner. RVD came back with a kick but got whipped to the corner where he leapfrogged Murdoch and landed some kicks and a leg sweep.

Murdoch fought back but Van Dam countered a suplex and hit a drop kick to the knees and his spinning leg drop. Van Dam came off the ropes and went for a leg lock but Murdoch rolled to the ropes and fought out of it and out of the ring. Van Dam went after Murdoch on the outside, missing a flying splash off the top. Murdoch tossed Van Dam back into the ring and stomped away at him.

Murdoch clamped on a rear chin lock. He followed up with some cross faces before going back to the chin lock hold. Van Dam fought out of it, but Murdoch flattened him with a punch to the back of the head. Murdoch hit an elbow before getting a near fall. Murdoch clamped on a sleeper hold but RVD fought out of it. He came flying off the ropes, but Murdoch plastered him with a lariat and caught another near fall.

Murdoch went right back to the chin lock. RVD amped up with the crowd and Murdoch whipped him to the corner but got caught with an RVD boot. Murdoch missed the follow through and crashed into the post and then got a spinning heel kick to the chest. RVD whipped him in and hit his spinning alley oop. RVD hit a spinning leg drop and caught a near fall.

Murdoch regained his bearings but RVD flipped out of a back suplex attempt and connected with a spinning wheel kick. RVD went right to the top rope and hit the five star frog splash and got the pin fall victory.

Winner: Rob Van Dam

The commentators put over the Women’s title match between Trish and Candice, which is next!

****Commercial****

A video package aired of the WWE trip to the Philippines over the weekend.

Mickie James was in the middle of the ring with a mic. She asked the crowd to give it up for the greatest WWE Women’s Champion in history and her best friend, Trish Stratus.

Torrie Wilson’s music hit and she came out to introduce Candice Michelle.

WWE Women’s Championship
Trish Stratus v. Candice Michelle

Candice attacked Trish with her wand. Candice kicked Trish on the ground before choking her out in the buckles with her boot. Candice hit some knees to the gut and a punch that floored the champion. Candice went for another kick but was taken down by Trish and the champion unloaded some punches on her. Trish ducked under a clothesline with the matrix move and hit a kick and a near fall.

Trish hit some punches before returning the choke with the boot in the corner. Candice floored Trish wit ha punch before step choking her on the bottom rope. Candice slammed Trish’s face off the mat but got taken down with a sunset flip. Candice went to cheat via Torrie, but the ref caught her. He slapped their hands apart and Trish got the roll up pin fall for the victory.

Winner and STILL WWE Women’s Champion: Trish Stratus

Mickie came out and basically worshiped Trish in the middle of the ring. She clung to Trish until Trish pushed her away and scolded her for being overzealous. Mickie was left looking confused in the ring.

John Cena’s interview is next!

****Commercial****

Coach introduced Cena who came down to the ring. Coach basically hyped up Triple H as the greatest wrestler alive today. He asked Cena if he really thought he could beat the Game at Wrestlemania. The mic malfunctioned and Cena just gave Coach a stare.

Triple H’s music hit the arena and he came down to the ring. He said he could take things from here. He said that Cena didn’t have to tell the whole world that he could beat him. He said that was impossible. Cena said he may not have the resume of Triple H, and also lacked some of the respect from the crowd, but that he had something Triple H didn’t, and that it was the WWE Championship.

Triple H mocked Cena making fun of the FU as his only big move. He said he heard Edge and Foley talking about transitional champions and said they were guys who were in the right place at the right time. He said though, it was only a matter of time before the right person ended up getting their belt. He said he thought Cena was tough. He put over Cena’s Rocky Balboa like characteristics but said this was real life, not the movies. He said in real life, Cena couldn’t beat the bad guy.

Cena interrupted and told Triple H he just won him 20 bucks in the pool that was on when Triple H would come out and talk forever. Cena said that there wasn’t anything different about Triple H. Triple H said he didn’t have to respond because he already knew the answer. He said that he knew he scared the crap out of John Cena. Cena interrupted and put over Triple H as a 10-time world champion and that he himself wasn’t the greatest athlete in the WWE. He said Triple H was one of the few guys who’s beaten almost every superstar in the business. He said he’s one of the only guys who don’t need a title to say he’s one of the greatest. He said he wasn’t scared though. He said on Triple H’s list, there was one name he hadn’t defeated, and that was John Cena.

Vince McMahon’s music hit the arena and he came out to the ramp. He said they WERE wrestling against each other at Wrestlemania, but they didn’t know they were going to be tag team partners against Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, and Rey Mysterio on Saturday Night’s Main event.

****Commercial****

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Chavo Guererro v. Shelton Benjamin

The two went right at it from the opening bell. The two exchanged holds and counter holds before Chavo gained the advantage with a drop kick. Chavo went for the kill, but Shelton’s Mama fell out of her wheel chair, causing the referee to go and check on her. While the ref was distracted, Randy Orton came running in and interfered, costing Chavo the match.

Winner: Shelton Benjamin via pin fall

****Commercial****

Mean Gene Okerlund has been announced as the newest inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame.

Shawn Michaels confronted Vince McMahon in the back and pleaded with him to leave Marty Jannety out of their squabble. McMahon said being in D.C. made him feel powerful. He asked HBK to imagine if Bush made Jaques Chirac kiss his ass. He said it was a moot point though. He said tonight Marty would kiss his ass.

Shawn went to say something but was cut off. McMahon told him he’d better not interfere or he too would be a member of the “Kiss my Ass" club.

****Commercial****

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Carlito v. Ric Flair

Carlito and Flair jaw jacked to start off. The two circled up and Flair took him down with a side headlock take down. Carlito fought his way to his feet and broke the hold up against the ropes before being tossed off them and hitting Flair with a shoulder block. The two went into the ropes again and this time Flair hip tossed him and took him down again with another side headlock take down.

Carlito attempted the roll up but didn’t get much. He eventually broke the hold in the corner and began to batter Flair with lefts and rights. Carlito stomped away at Flair on the mat before gathering Flair in the corner and smacking him across the face. Flair fought back with some big chops before propelling Carlito off the ropes and back body dropping him. Flair hit another chop and whipped Carlito again, but this time Carlito ducked under the ropes and fled out to the ringside area.

****Commercial****

Flair was on the outside laid out when we came back. Carlito came out and the two exchanged blows on the outside. Carlito back body dropped Flair on the outside before breaking up the ten count. Carlito hammered away at Flair against the apron before dragging him back into the ring. Carlito suplexed Flair into the ring and got a near fall.

Carlito clamped on a reverse chin lock and bore down on Flair in the middle of the ring. The crowd got behind Flair who eventually rose to his feet and fought back with some elbows and chops. Carlito countered with an enzeguiri to the back of the head and got another near fall.

Carlito broke out a little strut before missing a Flair knee drop. Flair landed a chop and then a big back elbow to floor Carlito. Flair brought him to his feet again and did the strut the way it was meant to be before Flair went to the top rope. He went for his flying ‘whatchamacallit’ but Carlito hit a standing drop kick and nearly got the pin fall.

Carlito went to the outside and asked for his apple. He came back in the ring and took a bite of the fruit before Flair kicked the apple out. Flair rolled up Carlito and grabbed the top rope to get the pin fall victory.

Winner: Ric Flair via pin fall

Vince McMahon was in the back checking out his own ass. He laughed as we went to commercial.

****Commercial****

The Spirit Squad came out to the ring and did a little ditty on McMahon’s ass.

McMahon’s music hit the ring and he came out to the ring.

McMahon put over the Spirit Squad, who’re slowly gaining heat. He said they reminded him so much of the Rockers. He said they had the same vibrance and enthusiasm until they decided to go separate ways. He said HBK went straight to the top winning the WWE Title a few times and became an all time great.

He then said there was Marty Jannety. He said his life was a downward spiral and that it would hit rock bottom tonight. He introduced Marty Jannetty who came out to the ring.

McMahon greeted him and went on to say that last week he looked pretty good out here. He said he didn’t look so good though. He asked him if he was going to back out of this. Janetty said he really needed the job.

McMahon said not only did he need the job, but it was no secret that he was flat broke and destitute. He said he desperately needed the job. He said Marty shouldn’t have a sour look on his face. He said he wasn’t any different from everyone else in the arena tonight. He said everyone kissed their boss’ ass. He said they were all ass kissers.

McMahon told Marty to get on his knees. Jannety hesitated. McMahon demanded he get on his knees. McMahon began yelling before he finally obliged and got down on one knee. McMahon unbuckled his pants and excused people while he ‘whipped it out’. McMahon said it was a mighty fine ass.

He said that it wasn’t a normal ass, it was a magnificent ass. McMahon gave him the green light for the ass kissing. Jannetty almost lost it. Marty hesitated before getting up and shaking his head no. He asked if there was some other way. McMahon said he did get carried away with the kiss his ass thing and called out Chris Masters to the ring.

Masters came out to the ring and McMahon called for a chair. McMahon said Marty could gain employment by breaking the master lock. Marty sat down and got ready.

They started and Jannetty fought hard. Masters had him until he began to fight back hard. McMahon kicked him in the groin. McMahon said he’d kiss him in the ass regardless and tried to have Masters force him to kiss McMahon’s ass.

HBK ran in and saved the day. He grabbed the chair and stared down Vince before Shane McMahon ran in and nailed HBK He clubbed HBK with the chair leaving him laid out. McMahon said that if he wanted to fight a McMahon so bad, he’d get Shane at Saturday Night’s Main Event in a street fight. He said if HBK lost, he’d have to kiss his ass. Vince paused before making Shane take Shawn and bury his head in his ass.

Vince said he may be kissing his ass tonight, but he’d be getting it kicked at Wrestlemania by Vince himself. The McMahons celebrated in the ring as the show went off the air.

---

RAW THOUGHTS
The Good-- WWE managed to accomplish a lot tonight, setting up nearly all of their Wrestlemania 22 programs in one show.

The Triple H-Cena feud started off not great, but appropriate for where they are in the context of their feud. They touched on a lot of real issues that people have between the two and it could set things up for a good long range feud between the two. Kudos to both for delivering in their promos tonight.

The money in the bank qualifying matches didn’t give us any five star matches exactly, but get over the importance of the match itself. Good stuff.

Despite my biggest fears, I may be one of the few who loved the ass-kissing segment. I thought Vince was hysterical and put a great spin on an old angle. Don’t believe me? Ask Marty Jannety who barely kept himself from laughing in the first half of the segment.

The Bad-- A few on the forums constantly berate the WWE these days for providing more ‘infomercial’ entertainment then actual wrestling and tonight I distinctly had that feeling. The Edge-Foley feud was a mixed bag. Though it was a great opening segment, they completely jumped the gun on the hardcore stipulation. Again, it’ll be a barnburner as both of these guys can kill themselves and still go, but it seems to rushed and artificial.

The Ugly-- Again, infomercial is the perfect term to describe tonight. WWE got a lot of things done, but it still came off forced and bland tonight.

Overall C+-- Not a bad Raw, just a bland one. Granted, everything for Mania is just getting going. Flair’s win was a cool surprise as was the entertaining ass segment. Foley-Edge is about two weeks ahead of schedule (that’s a bad thing) but MITB doesn’t have that big time feel to it. Some poor in ring action tonight as well.

Quick Results

Big Show & Kane def. Val Venis & Viscera
Rob Van Dam def. Trevor Murdoch
Trish Stratus def. Candice Michelle
Shelton Benjamin def. Chavo Guererro
Ric Flair def. Carlito

Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?

Biggest pops
1. Rob Van Dam
2. Mick Foley
3. Ric Flair
4. Big Show & Kane

Most Heat
1. Triple H
2. Edge
3. Mr. McMahon
4. John Cena

Match of the night: Carlito v. Ric Flair **

Power Rankings

WWE Champion: John Cena (Last Week: WWE Champion)—I thought it was a pretty darn good segment tonight. Again, nothing great, but perfect for the first promo. Cena performed VERY well on the mic tonight and this feud might be what the doctor ordered.

Intercontinental Champion: Shelton Benjamin (Last Week: Intercontinental Champion)—Shelton looked pretty smooth against Chavo tonight but again, I’d like to see some more title defenses. He’s got some interesting potential feuds out of the Money in the Bank match.

1. Triple H (Last Week: 1)—Triple H, again, is the best guy in the WWE at getting a feud over. He carried the load just enough to let Cena do his thing and look good. Good way to start the feud.

2. Edge (Last Week: 2)—I have a feeling Edge-Foley may steal the show at Mania. However, the feud was just completely rushed and I’m not feeling the emotion. This has more life in it, which is precisely the reason why they shouldn’t have rushed all the way to the stipulation match announcement this week.

3. Rob Van Dam (Last Week: 6)—Van Dam, for as much as I’m not a fan, is undeniably apesh!t over right now. Money in the Bank is the perfect match for him at Mania, and will showcase him well. The early favorite to be “Mr. Money in the Bank".

4. Shawn Michaels (Last Week: 3)—The newest member of the Vince McMahon “kiss my ass club" actually caught my attention this week with the angle. Yes, it was re-hashed, and yes, we’ve seen it before. It was still hysterical and Shane-HBK should be great on Saturday Night’s Main Event in a few weeks.

5. Big Show (Last Week: 7)—Cool spot match tonight for the tag titles. It doesn’t really do anything for Show so to speak, but it doesn’t hurt him either. He moves up two spots with the win.

6. Kane (Last Week: 7)—See Big Show

7. Ric Flair (Last Week: 9)—Flair, for a guy that has about 10 moves in his entire arsenal, has been putting on some very good stuff for what he brings to the table. Most definitely, Flair was a surprise this week. It certainly gives him something to do heading into Wrestlemania.
8. Carlito (Last Week: 4)—Carlito loses in a big upset tonight. I’m sure he’ll move up in the coming weeks however, and likely play his way into the MITB scene.

9.Chris Masters (Last Week: 8)—It was a pretty slow night for Masters, who was only used in the McMahon segment. Expect him to jump into the MITB scene shortly.

10. Chavo Guererro (Last Week: NR)—Umm, I dunno he was on TV. In all seriousness though, he looks headed to a short program with Randy Orton. Hopefully that’ll include a permanent move to Smackdown.

Dropping Out: Matt Striker (last week: 10)