On Monday, October 2, 2006 at 11:28 PM EST WWE RAW
October 2, 2006
Topeka, KS
Commentators: Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
The opening credits and pyro hit and here we go!
DX’s music hit and Triple H and Shawn Michaels came out to the ring. Triple H shushed the crowd momentarily. He said he was serious, he had a question that needed answering. He asked the fans “are you ready”? He said a picture was worth a thousand words and showed a picture of Mr. McMahon’s head stuffed in Big Show’s backside. They did the “suck it” routine before HBK took the mic and was interrupted by Coach.
Coach asked DX if they thought they ran this show, that they actually ran Monday nights. The crowd chanted ‘you suck’ loudly. He said they didn’t run a thing. He said on behalf of the McMahons, he was ordering both of them to compete right here, right now in a Texas Tornado match against six other opponents. Cade & Murdoch were one team, The Highlanders were another, and the last was Viscera and Charlie Haas.
Texas Tornado Tag Match
DX v. Cade & Murdoch v. The Highlanders v. Charlie Haas & Viscera
Visc and Haas double-teamed Triple H missing a coordinated splash attempt. Cade turned Rory inside out with a big stiff lariat. Eventually DX and Viscera ended up alone in the ring. DX hit a nice double DDT before t-ing up Charlie Haas with a big spine buster and an HBK elbow. Michaels hit sweet chin music and as Haas bobbled back, Triple H hit the boot to the gut and the pedigree for the win.
Winners: DX via pin fall
Coach came out and told the folks to stop the music. He said he ran the show and he ran Monday night. Triple H asked if he could throw his ass off the ramp and then he and Michaels would run the show. DX chased Coach to the back as we went to commercial.
****Commercial****
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Johnny Nitro v. Jeff Hardy
During Nitro’s entrance, JR pointed out how much Melina likes three-way sex. That’s of huge importance to this match.
Nitro started off with a kick to the gut and a hard uppercut to the face of Hardy. Nitro kicked Hardy off his feet before whipping him into the ropes and getting caught with a neck breaker. Hardy hit a leg drop to the groin before following up with a hurricanranna out of the corner.
Hardy chased Nitro out of the ring, diving off the apron and into the champion on the outside. Melina jaw-jacked with Hardy as we went to commercial.
****Commercial****
Nitro had a modified rear chin lock cinched in on Hardy before Jeff fought back with some blows to the gut and eventually the face. Nitro reversed an Irish whip and avoided a Hardy whisper-in-the-wind attempt. Nitro got a two count on the cover attempt and went back to work on Hardy’s lower back with some knees in the corner. Nitro hit a snap shot dropkick which sent Hardy wrapping around the ring post.
Nitro again went for a cover, but got nothing. He picked up Hardy and hit a very unique back breaker off his shoulder. Another cover attempt and yet another two count later, Nitro played safe and used a modified abdominal stretch to wear the challenger down.
Hardy fought back and managed to reverse the hold. Nitro returned the favor but caught a double mule kick to the face for his efforts. The referee began to count the two wrestlers out on the ground. Both regained their bearings and Hardy began to muster some offence, hitting a back elbow and a wheel kick off the ropes.
Nitro scooted out to the ring apron but Hardy caught him and tossed him back in the ring. He springboarded off the top rope and got a unique roll up that got a two count. Hardy connected next with a whisper in the wind which got him an even closer two count.
Nitro split to the outside and as Melina tended to him, Hardy came off the top rope and planted Nitro into the mat. Hardy quickly pressed his advantage, looking to hit his red cross off the guardrail, but Nitro avoided it.
Both Champion and challenger ended up on the top rope. Nitro attempted a flip power bomb, but Hardy threw him off. The challenger immediately took advantage hitting the Swanton bomb on Nitro and gaining the pinfall for the victory and the Intercontinental Championship.
Winner and NEW WWE Intercontinental Champion: Jeff Hardy
A video aired recapping the beginning of the Edge-Cena feud at last year’s New Year’s Revolution.
HBK and Triple H were in the back trying to get into Coach’s office. They posed as ‘room service’. Coach said he wasn’t fooled and refused to open the door. Triple H said he knew what he was doing in there and it was probably something he didn’t want anyone /* to see. They kept making fun of him as we went to commercial.
****Commercial****
Maria was in the back with new IC Champion, Jeff Hardy. They played a replay of his championship-winning Swanton bomb. Maria congratulated him. Hardy said this was why he came back to Raw. He said he had a target on his back now. Melina came in all flustered and didn’t do anything but scream. It was unbelievable. She just screamed.
Coach was on the phone with McMahon. He said there wasn’t any way he could possibly run Raw like him and that he couldn’t even get out of his locker room. Coach said something then hung up before peaking outside to see if the coast was clear. He crept around the back cautiously before stopping and staring with eyes wide open at Triple H who was there with his arms crossed. He turned the other way and saw HBK staring at him smiling. They played some cheesy okay coral music before sprinting into the women’s locker room. DX decided to go in and asked where Coach went. Triple H tried to talk to the divas but Shawn tracked him down and made him come along.
Coach got a lap dance from a guy in a banana hammock and tripped over a mop bucket before being tossed into a garbage hopper outside. The handed it off to some garbage guy who took it off into the night.
Another video aired of the Cena-Edge feud with Cena winning the title back from Edge at the Royal Rumble.
****Commercial****
The Spirit Squad was in the back. Triple H and HBK popped in and said that due to the unexpected departure of Coach, they were running things tonight. HBK said there was a new dress code in effect and that they’d have to change their dress for their upcoming match. The Squad refused at first but when Triple H whipped out the sledgehammer, they complied pretty quickly. They asked what the new outfits looked like before we came out to the arena.
Umaga v. Snitsky
Snitsky came right at Umaga with some big right hands. Snitsky came flying off the ropes and hit a shoulder block before getting nailed with a huge elevated Samoan Drop. Umaga hit his running bump-butt before hitting the Samoan spike on Snitsky for the victory.
Winner: Umaga via pin fall
Kane v. Umaga will happen next week and the loser will have to leave Raw!
Todd Grisham was in the back with Randy Orton. Orton said he was sick and tired of Carlito running around worrying about what was cool and what wasn’t cool. Orton said he knew what cool was and that was already beating Carlito at Unforgiven and was also three simple letters: R-K-O.
Orton v. Carlito is next!
****Commercial****
A promo video putting over John Cena’s “The Marine” movie was aired.
Carlito v. Randy Orton
The two circled up and locked horns. Carlito gained the advantage before breaking and getting hit with a boot to the gut and a punch to the face that floored him. Orton tossed Carlito right into the ring post sending him out to the floor. Orton yanked away at the arm on the outside before tossing his opponent back in the ring.
Back in the ring, Orton went back to the well, tossing Carlito back into the ring post and working over the arm with the help of leverage gained via the top rope. Orton stepped on Carlito’s hands and delivered a huge knee to the arm.
Orton gloated for a little while but did so for a little too long, getting caught in a standing hurricanranna. Orton quickly regained his bearings however, snapping Carlito back down to the canvas and cinching in a key lock.
Carlito eventually fought out of the hold and the two traded blows in the middle of the ring before Carlito hit his springboard reverse elbow. Carlito hit a nasty looking lariat and nearly got a three count. Carlito hit a springboard senton and immediately followed up with a springboard moonsault that almost bought him a three count.
Orton grabbed onto his head desperately and managed to plant Carlito on the ring apron. He caught Carlito coming in and used his momentum against him to reverse the cross body attempt. Orton grabbed the tights and gained the victory.
Winner: Randy Orton via pin fall
Another video of the Edge-Cena saga aired.
DX was in the back (again) outside the locker room of the Spirit Squad who have a match next. Triple H and HBK spent the segment trying to coax The Squad out of their locker room. Kenny said they wouldn’t come out because they looked ridiculous. HBK threatened to strip them of their titles if they didn’t come out. They said they’d be out in a little while. Triple H called them all ‘gay’.
****Commercial****
The Spirit Squad were in green and orange cheerleader outfits with super mini skirts.
Nicky v. Sgt. Slaughter
Slaughter immediately gained the advantage, trying to cinch in a cobra clutch. Slaughter whipped Nicky in to the ropes and hit a nice looking gut buster. Slaughter got a two count for his efforts.
Nicky quickly came to life, stomping away at Slaughter and sending him careening into the turnbuckles and out to the floor. The rest of the Squad mugged Slaughter before tossing him back into Nicky who clamped on a sleeper hold on the former WWE Champion.
Slaughter reversed the hold and went for the cobra clutch again, but Nicky countered that hold and hit something, even the commentators didn’t know what on earth to even call it. Nicky cinched in a stretch before Triple H popped up on the screen and flashed Nicky’s missing thong. It distracted Nicky long enough to allow Slaughter to roll him up for the win.
Winner: Sgt. Slaughter via pin fall
The Spirit Squad was despondent at losing the match.
Another Edge-Cena video aired.
****Commercial****
Women’s Championship Tournament—1st Round Match
Mickie James v. Victoria
This match will take place in lingere.
Victoria cinched in an arm bar but James monkey flipped her way out of the hold. Victoria planted James with a knee before going for a cover that only got a one count. Victoria hit some shoulder thrusts in the corner before hitting James with a series of forearms to her back. James fought back with some boots to the gut. Mickie took out Victoria’s legs from under her and pounded away at her on the mat. Mickie hit a vicious lariat and planted Victoria’s face into the canvas.
James went for a hurrican ranna but Victoria caught her and nearly power bombed her. James went for the move again but Victoria again caught her and turned it into a Boston crab. James fought out of the hold and despite being tossed out of the ring, hot shotted up to the top rope and went for a flip power bomb but botched the move. Victoria sat out on a roll up attempt and grabbed the ropes, but it was caught by the referee. Victoria took her hands off the ropes just in time to get rolled up herself for the pin fall.
Winner: Mickie James via pin fall
Another Cena-Edge video aired.
****Commercial****
A video put over Eric Bischoff’s new book.
Eric Bischoff was in the back with Chris Masters who had some questions. DX came in and plugged his book. Bischoff told them he felt that DX was a blatant rip off of the N W O. After burying Chris Masters, HBK wondered if they really were a rip off. Triple H said he who laughs last, laughs loudest. The two laughed with each other to end the segment.
Yet another Cena-Edge video aired.
The Cage is being lowered for the WWE Championship match which is next!
****Commercial****
WWE Championship—Steel Cage Match
John Cena v. Edge
Cena came to the ring with his arm taped.
The two circled up and locked horns in the middle of the ring. Edge went right after the arm, trying unsuccessfully to clamp on an arm bar. Both tried to send each other into the steel and both failed. Cena eventually gained the advantage with an Irish whip and a suplex. Cena got a one count on the cover.
Edge hit a boot to the arm coming off the ropes and went right after Cena’s arm, stretching it out on the ropes. Edge kept on the arm, punching away on the arm and drop kicking it. Edge tried to escape the cage via the door, but was held up by Cena, who couldn’t use his left arm.
Cena hit a suplex and went for a cover, but again, only got a one count. Cena whipped Edge to the buckles, but Edge sprang up on the ropes and tried to escape. Cena went for the cover but only got a two count after yanking Edge down off the cage.
Edge immediately went right back to the arm but Cena again fought back and went for the FU, but Edge countered out into a DDT. Edge clamped in a fujiwara arm bar on Cena, looking for the submission.
Cena back body dropped Edge to get out of the hold and hit a snap mare, but favored his arm coming up out of the move. He got a two count on the cover attempt before trying to escape over the top. Cena got as far as the top rope before Edge yanked Cena down by the arm. Edge speared Cena between the ropes and the cage, leaving the champion in a heap.
Edge slowly began his assent of the cage but again, was cut off by Cena. The two duked it out on the top rope exchanging blows and head butts. Cena hit a big top rope bulldog and both men were left laid out as we went to commercial.
****Commercial****
We came back to Edge having Cena locked in a crossface. Cena managed to break the hold but again, was heavily favoring his left arm. Cena went for a cover, but only got a two count. Edge whipped Cena into the ropes and hit a heel kick which sent the champion to the canvas. Edge went for a cover of his own but only got a two count.
Edge went for the door and Cena clinged to the challenger’s leg for dear life. Cena yanked Edge back into the ring, but Edge booted Cena’s arm before sending Cena into the steel. Edge began to climb the cage and got to the top but Cena held on.
Both men ended up on top of the cage exchanging blows. Edge raked Cena’s eyes and continued to climb, but Cena still held on and managed to yank Edge back into the cage. Edge however got another thumb to the eye and suplexed Cena back into the ring. Edge went for the cover but got a two count.
Edge tried to climb out yet again, but Cena tripped him up and crotched him on the top rope and flopped him back onto the mat. Cena hit hid shoulder block, clotheslines and inverted suplex before connecting with the five-knuckle shuffle. Cena went for the FU but Edge held onto the cage and rammed Cena into the steel.
Edge climbed up the cage again but Cena caught him and went for an FU but Edge countered out. Cena went for the FU again but Edge reversed it and hit the Edge-o-match and got a two count on the cover attempt.
Edge crawled for the door but Cena got him again. Litter tried to use a chair to aid Edge, but it ended up getting pulled into the cage with Edge. Lita was ejected from ringside. Edge was shocked in the ring and went back to work on Cena heading off a follow up on the Irish whip attempt. The referee got knocked out with the next move and Edge went for the steel chair.
Edge missed the chair shot and Cena yanked the chair out of his hands and clamped on the STFU. Cade and Murdoch popped out of nowhere and assaulted the champion after getting into the ring. They planted Cena with their finishing move and tried to revive Edge. When that failed they began dragging Edge out the door.
Just as Edge was almost out the door, DX showed up and cleaned house on Cade and Murdoch. They stared down Edge and slammed the door on his face. Edge reeled back into the middle of the ring and Cena hit him with the FU for the win.
Winner and STILL WWE Champion: John Cena
Cena celebrated with the marines sitting ringside after the match. RAW THOUGHTSThe Good-- The in ring stuff was great tonight. After putting on two blah matches, Hardy and Nitro managed to put together a very decent effort tonight for the title change.
Cena-Edge was horrendously over booked but the prospect of an Edge-DX feud looks very real right now, unfortunately, I just don’t see how Edge will benefit as I can’t see him going over. At least there seemed to be some sort of progression out of the summer storylines.
The Bad-- There was nearly 45 minutes of tonight’s show dedicated to DX antics. They’re not in a feud. They’re not in a program. They didn’t do much of anything except make jokes and do the same stuff they always do. Yet, they’re given nearly half of the show. I would’ve loved to have seen five more minutes of Carlito-Orton. I would have loved to see a bit more in the cage match. Nope. More DX. Could care less.
The Ugly-- Nothing makes a title important like wrestling in your underwear.
Melina’s ‘promo’ was embarrassing. She should be embarrassed. The screaming was just awful. Like it or not, Melina and Nitro are going to get De pushed pretty quickly for the fact that neither one of them are capable of cutting a promo to WWE standards. Unfortunately, neither one of them were ready for this push.
Overall- C+ ---Tonight’s Raw was all over the place. There was stuff I really, really liked and some stuff which was unbelievably bad and nearly unwatchable. Way, way too much DX tonight for one thing. Looks like we’re going to get the N W O. Who really cares though. More time spent on living 10 years ago. Nearly 45-50 minutes of tonight’s show was spent on these two. Almost half the show. The in ring action, top to bottom, may be the strongest Raw since last year’s home coming. In all reality, that was the story of the show. The action was great, the segments were brutal.
Quick Results
DX def. The Highlanders, Hass & Viscera, and Cade & Murdoch
Jeff Hardy def. Johnny Nitro
Umaga def. Snitsky
Randy Orton def. Carlito
Sgt. Slaughter def. Nicky
Mickie James def. Victoria
John Cena def. Edge
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest pops
1. DX
2. Carlito
3. John Cena
4. Sgt. Slaughter
Most Heat
1. Randy Orton
2. Edge
3. Umaga
4. Johnny Nitro
Match of the night: Jeff Hardy v. Johnny Nitro **1/2
Power RankingsWWE Champion: John Cena (Last Week: WWE Champion)—Cena put on a decent cage match tonight, but the ‘blow off’ seemed underwhelming. The match was really over booked and it’s a huge question mark as to where Cena goes from here. Umaga is the only legit contender although Randy Orton is still out there as well. Hard to say, but it looks like WWE may have booked themselves into a corner with Cena right now.
Intercontinental Champion: Jeff Hardy (Last Week: 8)—Hats off to Hardy who performed well tonight. I’m pretty hard on him, but credit is due where credit is due. The match was built nicely around his spots and wasn’t dependent upon them to get the crowd into the match. Good stuff.
1.Umaga (Last Week: 2)—Hard to not say this guy may be in line for a title shot at this point. Umaga can carry his weight in a main event. He wasn’t second place in last year’s All Japan Champion’s Carnival for nothing. He’ll likely send Kane packing for Smackdown and hopefully they do it in a way that protects both guys because the two of them have put on a good program.
2. Randy Orton (Last Week: 3)—Gets another win over the most over guy on the brand. He’s a big piece of the mid card, but WWE looks to be laying up with Orton this time, which may be smart. He’d be a totally believable challenger to Cena at this point, but I think the money potential is best held off on for a bigger event.
3. Edge (Last Week: 1)—Loses his rematch with Cena and looks, for now, to be solidly out of the WWE title picture, at least for the time being. It’s a shame too. It’s not really a de-push per sae, but the prospects for career advancement with a DX program, barring no clean wins, are slim. He’s at a weird point but hopefully he can right the ship a little.
4. Triple H (Last Week: 6)—Moves up just due to exposure more than anything. Looks like either the N W O or Edge await.
5. Shawn Michaels (Last Week: 4)—See Triple H.
6. Kane (Last Week: 6)—He moves down a smidge, but that’s due more to his not being on the show tonight than anything. He’s looked very strong and hopefully WWE protects that with a DQ finish of sorts next week before they ship him off to Smackdown.
7. Carlito (Last Week: 4)—Still embroiled in the feud with Orton but without any wins to speak of in recent weeks, he slides a few spots.
8. Johnny Nitro (Last Week: Intercontinental Champion)—Nitro has got the looks and the talent to go far, but until he can squeak a coherent promo out, he’s going to get viciously de-pushed. Sadly it’s not his fault as much as WWE pushed him well before he was ready for it.
9.Ric Flair (Last Week: 9)—Stays put while out of action this week.
10. Super Crazy (Last Week: 10)—Not in action this week.
Dropping Out: (NONE)