» On Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 12:15 AM EST WWE Raw
May 23, 2005
Green Bay, WI
Commentators: Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported by: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
A recap of last week’s show aired as King and JR welcomed us to the show.
Lita and Edge came out to the ring. Lita cut a promo telling the crowd to ‘Throw your stones. I seemed to forget that I’m in a room full of saints. What I did to Kane, women do all the time. They used their husbands. Can you blame me?” She said that her marriage to Kane was faced as well as their sexual relations. She said she wasn’t protected, especially when Kane couldn’t save her baby. She said that she had Kane wrapped around her finger and when the crowd began chanting ‘slut’, she said ‘Just because I’ve had more action in the last few months than any of you have had in your lifetimes doesn’t make me a slut.” She said that she never loved Kane and that she couldn’t love a freak like him. She said that while he was running errands, following her around like a puppy dog, she was busy falling in love with a real man, Edge.
Edge grabbed the mic and said the only reason the fans boo them is because they were jealous of their lives, their fame, and because he has a ‘fiery red sex-pot’ by his side. “You can call her a slut, but she’s my slut. I’m on top of the world because I’ve got the girl and tonight I get the World Title.” He put over his win at Wrestlemania 21 in the Money in the Bank Ladder match and winning the gold rush tournament. He said that he was going to go ‘though’ Batista. The two then made out in the ring.
The camera then shot to the back where Kane was seen sitting around, rocking back and forth looking very distraught.
JR then put over the World Heavyweight Championship as the main event and the Shelton Benjamin/Chris Jericho v. Muhammad Hassan/Daivari match, which would be coming up next.
****Commercial****
Chris Jericho was in the back late for his match. Todd Grisham told him his match had already taken place and that he had a prior commitment with Fozzy. He asked for a singles match later that night in order to make up for being late. He concluded the spot saying ‘Jericho means ratings’.
Eric Bischoff was in the back with an assistant. He told him he wanted a black carpet, podium, and a barbed wire wreath with ECW written in the middle. He said they should have had a funeral for the ECW a long time ago. Shelton Benjamin came into the room and asked if he’d delay his match while he waited for Chris Jericho to show up. Bischoff told Benjamin that he was busy with the ECW funeral and the draft lottery. He also had a world title match to plan. He said he didn’t have time to readjust the show so he announced that the match would be a handicapped match instead. Bischoff asked Benjamin if he had seen John Cena at Judgement Day last night, saying that he needed to find a way to get him onto Raw. Benjamin said that would be a great idea, so would sending Bischoff to Smackdown.
Shelton Benjamin vs. Muhammad Hassan & Daivari
Ross and JR put over the fact that Jericho wasn’t at the match. The crowd was into Benjamin. Hassan tripped up Benjamin coming off the ropes and slammed him directly into the ring barrier. Once Daivari was in the ring, Benjamin made a comeback and clotheslined and incoming Mohammed Hassan over the top rope and on to the floor. He then hit a running knee, sending Daivari careening out of the ring before yanking Hassan back into the ring. Daivari on the outside grabbed a chair and went to hit Shelton, but the referee intervened and stopped him. Daivari nailed the ref, sending him to the mat. Hassan nailed Shelton Benjamin with his overdrive finisher. The referee shoved the chair out of the ring and Daivari made the three count for the win.
Winners: Hassan and Daivari via pinfall
****Commercial****
In the back, Edge was talking to Christian, saying that if he helped him win the World Heavyweight Championship later tonight, that he’d give him the money in the bank briefcase.
****Commercial****
We returned to Jerry Lawler and JR putting over the World Heavyweight Championship later tonight as well as Maria’s big interview with Viscera later tonight.
Steven Richards v. Chris Masters
Masters jumped Richards as soon as he hit the ring, and rammed him into the turnbuckle. He gave him two huge back-breakers followed up by a big side slam. Richard’s hit a chop but got caught in a big vertical sumplex. Masters then whipped Richards into the ropes and teased nailing Richards with the big double axe-handle that broke his face about a month ago. Masters came at him, but was nailed with a big boot. Richards tried to mount a frantic offense, hitting some punches and chops. Masters fought back however, nailing Richards with a big knee to the gut and then smashed his leg when he attempted to boot him. Masters then locked on the master lock and began ripping Richards around to near unconsciousness. Richards eventually passed out, giving Masters the win.
Winner: Chris Masters via submission
Erich Bischoff was in the back with Todd Grisham. Bischoff said he heard that Chris Jericho said that “Jericho equals ratings’. He said he was going to make him prove it and told Todd to let him know that he had a match up next. He also asked Todd Grisham if Kane was in the building and if he was, if Grisham could interview him.
****Commercial****
Y2J’s music hits the arena.
Chris Jericho v. Sylvain Grenier
Sylvain hit a kick and a few punches on Jericho who scurried right out of the ring. Grenier beat him down a bit on the outside before tossing him in the ring. He went to work with a big Irish whip but was countered on the follow up. Jericho came out of the corner throwing some chops before being whipped into the ropes. Jericho went for the Walls of Jericho but Grenier wiggled out of it. Jericho quickly tried to roll up the quebecer but only got a 2 count. Grenier went on the offensive hitting some stomps and kicks before trying to put Jericho in a modified back breaker. Jericho fought out of it but ended up on the business end of a Grenier right cross. Eventually Jericho gained the advantage again, hitting a dance like stomp on Grenier before hitting a flying elbow out of the corner. Jericho attempted the lion-sault but met the knees of Grenier on the way down. Grenier hit a modified back sumplex and made the cover but only got a two count. After Jawing with the crowd, Grenier got caught with a springboard drop kick. Jericho immediately clamped on the Walls of Jericho and got the tap out victory.
Winner: Chris Jericho
After the match, Shelton Benjamin made his way down to the ring favoring his right shoulder. Jericho grabbed the mic and told Shelton to hold on. He apologized that he left him hanging earlier this evening and put over what an athlete Shelton was. Jericho then went on about himself and his various exploits, telling Benjamin that he should put up with his being late. He also said that no matter what the Jerichoholics would always be on his side because he was that important.
JR and King put over the upcoming ECW funeral, which is up next!
****Commercial****
We came back with Erich Bischoff standing in the ring.
Bischoff opened by saying they were celebrating the life and death of ECW. Bischoff then decided to go over the history of the ECW. He talked about the ECW being a young, upstart promotion that was wrestling out of all places, a bingo hall in south Philadelphia. He said they thought they were a part of ground breaking innovative rebels. In the end though, he said he crushed the ECW. He said that he was surprised because when he ran WCW he took all of ECW’s stars and ran a vastly superior product. IN the end, they ‘just died’. He said that he was surprised to see that the ECW commercials were shown on his show. He said that he killed ECW once, and that he’d kill it again.
Bischoff said he was on a crusade to put together a group of Raw stars in hopes of putting ECW out of business once and for all. He said that there was no one who could stop him; not Heyman, not Sabu, the Sandman, any one. Vince McMahon’s music then hit and he made his way down to the ring amidst a huge pop.
Bischoff greeted McMahon saying it was a pleasant surprise. McMahon said he wouldn’t eulogize ECW. ON the contrary he said, that he had a vested interest in the well being of the ECW. Bishcoff said he didn’t understand. Vince said that behind the scenes for years that the WWE supported ECW for years. He hoped that someday the ECW superstars would someday become WWE superstars and that’s why he funded him. He named off Mick Foley, The Dudley Boys, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. He said that while he was supporting ECW, that Bischoff was raping, pillaging, and robbing their locker room. HE said he single handedly drove them into bankruptcy. McMahon said that he hoped, because it was a financial interest, that ECW One Night Stand would be a success.
Vince said that it was him who put the ECW commercials on Bischoff’s Raw program. Vince then announced that Chris Benoit and Tajiri would have an “ECW Rules” match. He said that Bischoff thought that ECW was dead, but he thought differently that he heard the ECW chant in every arena that they traveled to. He said that the pay per view could be a form of a resurrection. McMahon then turned around and said that he did remember a brand of wrestling that definitely was dead and it was the WCW brand. He said that although Bischoff took credit for killing something he didn’t really kill, he COULD take credit for killing the WCW.
He said that he had nothing to do with the ECW brand’s creation and that the next man had a hell of a lot to do with it, Paul Heyman.
Paul Heyman’s music then hit the arena and Heyman made his way down to the ring. Bischoff, Heyman, and McMahon then all stood in the ring together.
Heyman said that the first time in history that McMahon, Bischoff, and himself were all in the same ring at the same time, WWE, WCW, and ECW. Heyman said that Vince owned ECW, but he ‘controlled’ ECW. Heyman asked Bischoff if he understood anything about ECW. He said that ECW stood for cruserweights and lucha libres like Rey Myterio. He took the credit for discovering ECW. He talked about the submission styles perfected in ECW by Tazz, Eddie Guererro, and Chris Benoit. He said that was started by ECW. He said that ECW was about the audience believing about their favorite wrestlers so much that they’d point at themselves. He said that RVD wasn’t a Nitro phenomenon and that long before he was Mr. Monday night, he was “Mr. Pay Per View” in ECW. He put over the hardcore style from Sabu, Foley, and the Sandman. He said it was counterculture and in your face.
He invited Bischoff to the pay per view. McMahon interrupted and said that though he supported ECW, he supported Raw and WWE. He said that if Bischoff wanted to lead a group into NYC to kick the hell out the ECW, that he could. Heyman said that Bischoff could come and call it a fight, but he called it gang warfare. Heyman said he would have a huge problem because he’d start a fire that he couldn’t put out. Heyman lit the funeral wreath on fire and stared down Bischoff.
Heyman walked up the ramp as Bischoff looked on at the wreath as JR and King put over the World Heavyweight Championship later that night.
****Commercial****
A clip aired of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s part in the “Longest Yard” movie coming out this Friday.
Chris Benoit v. Tajiri
Benoit came out to his music but was attacked by Tajiri from behind with a Kendo stick. Benoit retaliated and tossed Tajiri into the ring and went to plaster the Japanese Cruserweight with the Kendo stick, but got hit with his green mist. While Benoit squirmed on the mat in pain, Tajiri cleaned out the underside of the ring and threw a plethora of objects into the ring. Benoit caught Tajiri with a huge chop from Benoit in the ring. Benoit went for a garbage can and set it up in the corner. He went to whip Tajiri into the corner, but had it reversed, and went flying into the can. Tajiri then got his own can but got caught in two German sumplexes. Tajiri fought out but got caught again with another sumplex. Benoit slapped on the cross-face and Tajiri reached for the Kendo stick. Benoit intercepted it though and used it in a modified cross-face for the tap out win.
Winner: Chris Benoit via submission
A promo aired putting over John Cena’s new rap album.
****Commercial****
Batista was shown in the back as Ric Flair walked in the room. Flair said that it was hard for him to say things that were heartfelt, but he needed to thank Batista for last week. Flair extended his hand and Batista shook his hand as Flair wished him good luck. Batista grinned and laughed as Flair left the room.
Todd Grisham was in the locker room with Kane. Kane was rocking back and forth on the bench. Kane said that his whole life has been about pain. He said he was born into pain, that he was born to bring pain. He said that pain has always been his best friend, his only friend, but now, it would be his worst enemy as he borderline cried. He said that ‘this pain hurts so much’. He cried a bit then started to laugh. He said that maybe he deserved it for all the things he’s done as he started to cry again. He said he didn’t want the pain and then repeated the same statement yelling. He said he didn’t want to have pain, that he wanted to give it. He said he wanted to be left alone in a very sinister way. Grisham slowly walked away as Kane remained on the bench, rocking back and forth.
****Commercial****
A clip of Viscera singing to Lillian Garcia last week was shown.
Kane was in the back wandering aimlessly, leaving the arena.
Maria was in the ring and called down Viscera. Big Viscera came down to the ring as Maria looked on casually laughing. Maria admitted that she had an ulterior (she said interior) motive for bringing him out to the ring. She called Lillian into the ring. She said she saw the clip last week and said she came up with a theory that Viscera liked Lillian. He said she was right and that he waited all night long, but Lillian didn’t show up. Viscera said that he had a little surprise for her because of that. He called down the lights and the music and started, singing or something. Viscera shooed Maria out of the ring and told her to go get the hot dog from a guy in the front row. She returned to the ring as Viscera said he had a ‘hotdog’ for her too. He began eating it and said he wanted to show her what she had been missing. Last week she heard him sing and he was ‘pretty damn good’ and this week he was going to dance for her. Lillian began dancing with him as Vicsera began taking off his jacket. He waved the jacket around his head and tossed it off to the side. He began shaking his ‘bootie’ as he removed his tie and put it around her. He pulled her out to the center of the ring and he began to take off his belt. He dropped his drawers and shook his butt at her. Maria was dying laughing in the corner. The Coach’s music then hit the arena and he came out screaming at Viscera to stop.
Coach said the last thing he needed was a sexual harassment lawsuit on Raw. Coach said that Viscera felt comfortable in Green Bay where he was considered thin. He said that Viscera was a big joke and a big embarrassment. He told Viscera that Bischoff told him to leave immediately. He went to go berate Lillian and then Coach grabbed Coach. He began choking him and hit him with a huge chop and another one.
He hoisted Coach up on his shoulders and hit a huge Samoan drop. He climbed on Coach’s back and began humping him from behind. Lillian was laughing quite a bit. She lifted Viscera’s hand in the air. As she went to walk away he pulled her close to him, dipped her and planted a big kiss right on her. JR said the ‘love machine was working’ overtime!’. Lillian seemed like she almost liked it.
Batista, and Edge were shown walking to entranceway. The World Heavyweight Championship match is next!
****Commercial****
World Heavyweight Championship
Batista v. Edge
Batista came out to some huge pyro and Edge came out to a ton of heat.
The two locked up in the center of the ring with Batista pushing Edge back into the corner. Edge came out of the corner with some punches. He had an Irish whip reversed as Batista hit a big shoulder block and some punches. Batista then sent Edge tearing into the corner on a big Irish whip. Edge was on the outside of the ropes and Batista ran him down to the corner then came off the ropes and knocked Edge onto the guard rail on the outside. Christian and Tomko came down to the ringside area as we went to a commercial break.
****Commercial****
We came back to Batista working over Edge on the ropes. Christian then interfered while Lita distracted the referee. Batista was launched out of the ring as Edge landed a few stomps on the outside. He ran Batista into the ring post before landing some hard clubbing blows to the back. Back in the ring Batista tried to fight back with some shots to the guy but had his eyes raked and then landed a big right. Edge then clamped Batista in a body scissors on the mat as Lita cheered him on.
Batista powered out of the scissors and began nailing Edge. Christian jumped up on the apron again and Edge was able to regain the advantage. He caught a quick two cover before clamping on a rear chin-lock on the champion. Batista began to really wear out on the mat while the referee started his arm count. Batista’s arm rose up after the three and he fought out of the hold with some elbows. He came off the ropes but got nailed with an Edge dropkick. Edge then scaled the ropes but was caught by Batista. The Champion landed some punches and then climbed up to the second rope. He hit a big super-plex off the second rope and both laid on the mat motionless. Referee Chad Pettingill started a count as the two stirred on the mat. On their feet, the two exchanged right hands. Eventually Batista gained the upper hand and hit another big Irish whip with a follow up clothesline. He sent Edge off the ropes and missed with a clothesline. Edge tried to counter with a flying forearm but missed and hit the official.
Batista hit his modified powerslam and went for the Batista bomb but was nailed by a Tomko big boot. Christian, Tomko and Edge resumed their beat down as Ric Flair came down the aisle to save the day. He appeared to clean house but eventually got nailed with an Edge spear. Batista came to his aid and cleaned house. However, when he turned around after dumping Tomko, Edge nailed him with the spear. He got a super close two count before going for the briefcase. He came running at Batista but missed with the shot and got nailed with the spine buster. Batista then pumped up with the ropes and used the Batista bomb to get the three-count and the win.
Winner and still World Heavyweight Champion: Batista
After the match, Batista tended to a beaten up Ric Flair and hugged him.
Triple H’s music then hit the arena and he came out with his sledgehammer. Flair then hit the big low blow on Batista as Triple H made his way to the ring. Triple H banged the sledgehammer on the stairs as he made his way into the ring. He nailed Batista in the face with the sledgehammer and looked at the World Title belt that used to be his. Batista was busted wide open on the outside as Triple H pounded on his head.
Triple H ripped off his shirt and sent Batista careening into the ringside steps hard. He gathered what was left of Batista and hit him with some more stiff shots to the head. He bashed the Champion’s head of the ringside table before tossing Batista back into the ring. He picked the sledgehammer back up and nailed Batista clean in the face with it. Flair held Batista up against the ropes as Triple H slapped the heck out of Batista.
Triple H grabbed the mic and asked Batista if he wanted to fight, then just said ‘Hell in a Cell’. Triple H then pulled Batista up and pedigreed the Champion onto his own title belt. JR screamed at Triple H as the show went off the air. RAW THOUGHTS
The GOOD-- I really enjoyed tonight’s show from an entertainment standpoint.
First and foremost, Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, and Paul Heyman in one ring is just one of those ‘wow’ moments in wrestling. Gold. I may be getting ahead of myself here, but it was almost as if they were hinting at a possible ECW brand, which would just be incredible. Bischoff appropriately took an earful tonight. He atoned for his sins big time. It was amazing to me just how real the whole thing was. Just one of those memorable moments no one will soon forget. I’m officially excited about One Night Stand.
Second, the Kane/Lita/Edge thing panned out very, very well. Lita is usually really forced on the mic, but she was natural as ever tonight. Edge is obviously coming into his own as well, but Kane was the one who really blew me out of the water. Great stuff from him tonight.
Viscera was funny as hell again tonight. Great comedy spots from him. He’s definitely bringing up the ‘entertainment’ level. The dancing was almost as good as the singing.
Batista and Edge also get props for their very decent title match tonight. Yes, there was tons of interference, but I thought the two blended very well together. The Flair turn you could see a mile away, but it was appropriately done.
Triple H looked like Triple H circa late 2000. Best I’ve seen him look in a long time. He’s really been missing that sick, twisted side of him that got him over to begin with. Triple H is NOT Ric Flair. The suits, the running away isn’t him. The dark, sledgehammer wielding cerebral psychopath is. Great to see that back.
Jericho and Benjamin seems to be progressing nicely. Jericho is going heel again, finally. Maybe they’ll do something with him.
Jeez, even Chris Masters had a solid squash match. I said it, Chris Masters looked good tonight.
The BAD-- There really wasn’t a whole lot to dislike about tonight’s Raw other than the horrendously short matches. The main event was great and I loved the story-line development, but I’d like to see a bit better quality in terms of the matches presented. Nothing seems to really lead towards anything anymore and I miss that. Granted, I’ll take the improvements we’ve been seeing.
By the way, no mention of the anniversary of Owen Hart’s death. Sure, the WWE is past it in a way, but it’s just sort of one of those things I guess. Could’ve been appropriate.
The UGLY-- I’m sorry, but Maria is horrendous. I don’t know if she played off the dumb thin on purpose or she’s just plain stupid. There’s other Divas on the show that could have done that job tonight. There’s tons of other talents in the back that could have done the interview. But no, they send Maria out again, and for the third week in a row, she messes up her three lines. Remember tomorrow morning when you get out of bed to go work for your $40,000-$50,000 a year, that she gets nearly $150,000 to mess up lines and look ridiculous. Conceptualize that for a minute.
OVERALL—A--- I loved nearly every segment on Raw tonight. A good main event and some outstanding story-line development. Chris Masters looked decent, Triple H looked like the Triple H of old, tons of turns and twists, Benjamin looked good as always, Viscera made me laugh, and Lita came off well with Edge as a heel. But what puts this show over, and will likely make it memorable, was the Bischoff/McMahon/Heyman interaction. Pure gold tonight. Raw was excellent tonight.
Quick Results
Muhammad Hassan and Daivari def. Shelton Benjamin
Chris Masters def. Steven Richards
Chris Jericho def. Sylvain Grenier
Chris Benoit def. Tajiri
Batista def. Edge to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not
Biggest Pops
1. Paul Heyman
2. Vince McMahon
3. Shelton Benjamin
4. Batista
Most Heat
1. Lita
2. Edge
3. Triple H
4. Eric Bischoff
Match of the Night: Batista v. Edge **3/4
Any Questions, comments, or feedback send email me at Raw@wrestleview.com