On Monday, June 18, 2007 at 11:48 PM EST WWE RAW
June 18, 2007
Richmond, VA
Commentators: Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
A video aired putting over the McMahon explosion angle last week.
Mick Foley was in the middle of the ring and told us the show would indeed, go on. Mick Foley said he wanted to be the guy in the middle of the ring because last week he said some things that people may have found inappropriate. He said while Vince may have kicked him around, he also gave Mick the opportunity of a lifetime. Foley said he wanted to take some time to apologize to the McMahon family.
Randy Orton’s music hit to a huge freakin’ pop. Orton grabbed the mic and said it was pretty incredible that Mick Foley could come to the ring wearing a stupid suit and make a public apology and expect that somehow things would be ok. Orton said it was no secret he knew everything Mick said was true. Orton accused Foley of maybe having something to do with Vince’s death.
King Booker’s music hit and he came down the ramp. Our royal highness came down the aisle and said there was a federal investigator here tonight. He said he was seen speaking for more than an hour with Bobby Lashley. He said that would probably be a good start. He said Lashley was stripped of the ECW title by Mr. McMahon. He said Lashley used to be an army Ranger and had in depth knowledge of weapons and explosives.
Lashley’s music hit and he came down to the ring. Booker looked like he was going to crap himself. I love the King. Lashley immediately just shoved Booker and sent him flying out of the ring. While Lashley paced around the ring, WWE Champion John Cena’s msic hit and he came out to the ring to a huge pop.
Cena told “Kojack” and “Ace Ventura” to take it easy. Cena said he saw what happened last week and was asking himself the same questions. He said McMahon was their boss but they only had to see him two or three times a week tops. He wondered how many enemies McMahon really had. Teachers, fans, wrestlers and pretty much anyone associated with the XFL, everyone had a beef with Vince.
Coach came out to the ramp and put over the fact that these five would face each other on Sunday. He said he was now in charge of Raw on an interim basis. Since Vengeance was Sunday and since the Night of Champions was the idea of Mr. McMahon, he would make the following event in his honor.
Tonight, we’ll get Randy Orton & King Booker against Bobby Lashley & John Cena. As for Mick Foley, he said Foley was manipulative and he distorted the truth. He said Foley would get what was coming him and he would get to face Umaga. F--- Yes.
****Commercial****
Brian Kendrick & Paul London v. The World’s Greatest Tag Team
Haas took London down and the two jostled for position on the mat for a little while before London flipped out and went for a quick roll up for a two count. London struggled to his corner but was taken down quickly by Charlie Haas before London kicked his way out of the opposition’s corner.
London looked to be getting somewhere before getting absolutely wrecked in the chest with a stiff Shelton Benjamin kick. Shelton got the tag from Haas and dropped a knee across London’s face for a two count. Shelton whipped London to the buckles hard and laid the former WWE Tag Champ out in the corner. Shelton came at London with some kicks but London was able to avoid him and squiggled an wiggled his way to the corner to tag in Kendrick. Kendrick was a house of fire and hit a long sequence of drop kicks before getting a two count.
Shelton went a little overboard and tried to power bomb London to the outside of the ring but London grabbed a head scissors and dragged him over the top rope. With Benjamin occupied, Kendrick hit sliced bread #2 for the victory.
Winners: Paul London and Brian Kendrick via pin fall
Daniels Beck is apparently our federal investigator trying to figure out what happened with McMahon. He’s talking to Coach in the back
****Commercial****
Carlito’s music hit and he came down to the ring. He said his name was Carlito and everyone knew he was cool. He said in this industry though, there wasn’t anyone cooler than Vince and he extended his sympathies. He was here to talk about last week’s draft.
He said there were two big winners, Torrie and Ric Flair and they were drafted to Smackdown. He said Torrie left with a broken heart and Flair got beaten from pillar to post and left the show. Carlito droned on for some time before The Sandman’s music hit and he walked into the ring.
Sandman jumped in the ring and swung for the fences. Carlito wanted nothing to do with him and took off up the ramp.
****Commercial****
Cryme Tyme were in the back ready to give their eulogy. They said Mr. McMahon above all /* was a capitalist. Oh joy, it’s an edition of the Cryme Tyme sales network. They auctioned off a half cup of week old coffee Vince left behind. Also, they tried to sell a trash can Vince vomited. We can get ‘McMahon DNA, our way, right away’. The FBI investigator came into the scene and interrupted. Oh darn.
Daivari v. Jeff Hardy
Cade and Murdoch are ringside. Joy.
The two locked up and Daivari hit a knee to the gut and some clubbing blows to Jeff’s back. Jeff avoided an elbow and hit a nice takedown before body slamming the former Smackdown Cruserweight. Daivari sprung to his feet quickly and crotched Hardy on the top rope.
Daviari mounted Hardy and hit some cross faces before cinching in a shoulder vice. Daivari kept on striking away and eventually went for a cover but only got a one count. Daivari went back to the shoulder vice while the crowd attempted to rally Jeff. Jeff eventually got to his feet and the two exchanged blows briefly before Jeff began hitting a series of clotheslines followed up by his inverted suplex for a two count.
Hardy hit whisper in the wind and got another two count. Jeff hit his reverse mule kick followed by his fall away double drop kick to Daivari’s chest in the corner for another quick two count. Hardy pressed the advantage, hitting a suplex and going for yet another near fall.
Daivari hit a body slam and a quick drop kick to Jeff’s head before going for a quick cover attempt of his own. Jeff connected with a twist of fate out of nowhere before connecting with the swanton bomb for the win.
Winner: Jeff Hardy via pin fall
Cade grabbed the mic and said he had something to say. He said they played by the rules week in and week out and responded to the Hardy’s ‘gross misrepresentation of sportsmanship’ by protecting themselves. The promo didn’t go on very long before Jeff launched himself over the top rope and to the floor. Cade and Murdoch were furious.
****Commercial****
Coach was on the phone the SHEIK SHOWED UP! THEN RON SIMMONS! A SHEIK SHOW!!!
*explodes*
Santino Marella introduced himself to William Regal in the back while he was talking with Maria. William Regal sneered at his Italian-ness and left. I love Regal. Maria swooned around him some more before we cut to Todd Grisham.
This clown showed up and he’s supposedly his limo driver. His limo driver said there weren’t any issues between he and Mr. McMahon. He was just thanking god it wasn’t him.
Foley’s on his way to face Umaga next!
****Commercial****
A video aired putting over more McMahon mystery.
Mick Foley v. Umaga
Foley jumped Umaga and chased him to the outside of the ring and bit him. Umaga came back with an eye rake. Foley was on Umaga like a pit bull and hammered away at Umaga in the corner and looked for his running kick but Umaga sprung up out of the corner and leveled Foley with a lariat. Umaga landed some right hands and sent Foley to the outside.
Umaga came sailing off the ring apron at Foley but Foley caught him in the throat before spiking Umaga’s face off the announce table. He killed Umaga with a steel chair shot but Umaga came back with a crescent kick right to the chair and it clacked off Foley’s head.
Umaga loaded up and hit his running butt to Foley’s face against the RING STEPS and knocked out Mick Foley completely. Foley is dead.
Winner: NO CONTEST
FBI investigator Daniel Beck was speaking with John Cena in the back.
A limo pulled up in the loading area. Who is it?
****Commercial****
Mick Foley was in the back punch drunk. The FBI investigator came in looking for answers but the Doctor shooed him away.
Mr. Kennedy’s music hit and he came out to the ring. He said he could barely bring himself out to the ring for a few reasons. He said the obvious reason was that whole Vince thing. He said the other reason was, well, there was no secret he and the Smackdown crowd didn’t get along all to well. He said the other reason was that he really doesn’t like the Raw crowd. He said they had no respect for talent. The crowd chanted ‘you suck’ before Kennedy congratulated himself on being respectful and incredible. He said Mr. McMahon was a friend of his and all the fans wished they knew Vince, but he really knew him.
He said he talked to him about everything before the crowd began to ‘what’ him and he told them to not start that crap. He said Vince told him great things happen to people who work hard instead of looking for people to do them favors. He said that was the reason the people sat ‘there’ and he stood in the ring. He said he would dedicate everything he did on Raw to Mr. KENNEDY McMahon………………………………McMahon.
We flashed back to the limo out in the loading dock area. The limo driver got out and stood by the door in the back.
****Commercial****
A moment of silence was held for Sensational Sherri who passed away this past weekend.
Melina & Jillian Hall v. Candice Michelle & Mickie James
Jillian sang for us all. Freaking heat.
Jillian grabbed an arm wringer before Candice grabbed one of her own and almost caught a roll up. She jacked Melina with a grizzly drop kick before Jillian picked up Candice and tossed her all over the ring. Candice at a hand spring elbow in the corner before Jillian tagged in the women’s champion.
Melina did her Sherri thing and screamed like a banshee and choked the crap out of Candice on the ropes as the crowd chanted for Mickie. Melina only got a two count on the cover attempt and then made Candice eat about 20 stiff forearms to the face before tagging in the bigger Jillian.
Jillian ripped and tore at Candice’s face some before Melina tagged right back in and planted Candice with a face buster. The move got a two count before Melina looked for a back body drop and got tossed to the mat hard. Candice fought off Melina and was able to come within a hair’s length of tagging Mickie. Eventually Mickie got the tag and got a huge tag from the hometown crowd.
James hit a perfect plex (!) and then cut off Jillian with a boot to the face. Mickie hit a back elbow on Jillian before tossing her aside with a hurricanranna. Melina and Mickie traded blows before Mickie drilled her with a neck breaker.
Jillian KO’d her from behind and they hit an awesome looking wheel barrel face buster combo. Candice mauled Jillian with a pretty stiff spear. In the meantime, Mickie caught a roll up on the champion but Melina kicked out just in the knick of time. Mickie looked for a clothesline but Melina tied her up and hit a split out leg drop neck breaker thingy for the victory. Great match.
Winners: Melina & Jillian Hall via pin fall
****Commercial****
A video replayed showing the ’tragic’ events that unfolded last week on Raw.
Randy Orton & King Booker (w/ Queen Sharmell) v. John Cena & Bobby Lashley
Looks like Book n Bobby are starting us off. Booker gave him a stare and the two shoved each other. The two locked horns and Lashley overpowered our king and backed him into the corner. Booker battled out with some right hands but Lashley came raging back with lefts of his own before hording Booker in the corner and killing him with a snap suplex for a two count.
Booker caught a thumb to the eye but found himself right back on the mat when attempting a shoulder block. Booker, dazed, looked for another running move but got caught by the bigger Lashley and power slammed into the mat.
John Cena grabbed a tag and he and Orton began going at it. Cena quickly gained the upper hand with a suplex before Lashley tagged in and the two double teamed Orton and Booker right out of the ring.
****Commercial****
We came back to Randy Orton in total control. He let got of a reverse chin lock to beat on cena in the corner before Cena came back quickly with a whip-bulldog combo ala Chris Jericho. Cena struggled to his corner but Orton held him off and Booker tagged in to put some boots to the champ.
Booker went for a cover but Lashley intervened and broke it up. Booker grabbed the chin lock yet again, putting his body between Cena and his partner. Orton made the tag and went for the old Garvin stomp on Cena while Booker soaked in the adulation and admiration of his royal subjects. Orton connected with a nasty knee to Cena’s face and got a two count before going right back to the rear chin lock. Cena powered his way to his feet and literally picked up and dragged Orton to his corner.
Cena just couldn’t make it and began to turn a fun shade of purple before the crowd rallied him yet again. Cena powered out of the hold and went for a clothesline, but Orton was thinking the same thing too and the two clattered into each other in the middle of the ring.
Both made tags and Lashley ran over Booker like a truck hitting a deer. Lashley came right at Booker but eventually got nailed with a boot to the face. Lashley didn’t sway for long however, as he hit Booker with a T-Bone suplex. He went for his back breaker but Book wiggled out.
Cena came into the ring. While Booker took care of Cena, Lashley set up for the dominator. Orton got a blind tag and sneaked up on the celebrating Lashley and buried him with an RKO. Three seconds later it’s all over.
Winners: Randy Orton & King Booker via pin fall
Orton stood over Lashley before the camera went to the back.
Stephanie McMahon got out of the limo and walked through the door as JR gave a shocked ’oh my god’.
****Commercial****
Snitsky is going to debut next week on Raw.
Stephanie practically in tears needed to go to the ring, or at least that’s what she said to Coach.
Stephanie headed to the ring and picked up the mic. She said she appreciated the support she had received from the fans. Stephanie said she would be inviting us all to watch a three hour celebration of Vince McMahon’s life. She talked about how important Vince was to her. She said at Vengeance, Vengeance will be true when she finds out who did this to her father. She looked to the heavens and told her Dad she loved him. She quickly left the ring.RAW THOUGHTSShow Thoughts-- I thought this was a really solid, if unspectacular Raw. None of the matches were mind blowing and none of the segments overly great but everything worked well and I thought it was a good ‘shopping list’ kind of show that ran through everything it needed to run through.
Bobby Lashley looked good tonight. I know I rip this guy a lot but you’ve gotta give credit where it’s due and he’s worked a solid past two weeks.
King Booker proved to me this week why he might be the best heel in the company right now. I know Booker’s a 50-50 bet in the ring depending on who he’s working with, but as a character, he’s hilarious, irritating, condescending and slightly ruthless all rolled into one. This is the best pick in this year’s draft and he’ll be the one guy on the roster who will always have something going on. He was solid in fanning the flames even more tonight in addition to putting on a great performance in the main event.
Randy Orton has gone from a guy who was literally circling the drain to probably the hottest worker on the Raw roster. In the past few weeks he’s compiled clean wins over Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam and now this week, Bobby Lashley. They seem to be heading towards the Great American Bash or Summerslam full steam ahead. I think he’s going to be the guy to finally dethrone Cena.
The promo work was pretty sound stuff all around as we got some good introductions to guys like the Sandman and William Regal while Kennedy tore the house down with an absolutely killer promo. I’m glad to see WWE taking more of a character development angle with Santino Marella instead of just doing the generic baby face thing.
I’m hoping to god we get Foley-Umaga. It’d be an utterly fantastic program.
And finally, I’m tipping my hats off to the ladies tonight, who really tore the house down with an awesome diva tag match. Mickie James is flat out incredible. Melina is Sherri re-incarnate and Candice Michelle is the most improved wrestler, male or female, on the entire roster. Jillian Hall, while the singing thing annoys folks, is a heat magnet. Anyone whose seen her indy work knows she can go. This is a great, fresh, new core for the women’s division and they really got the crowd going tonight. The divas most nights can be a yawn, but on certain nights, they can really put on an awesome match. Tonight was a great match for them
Overall Grade: B
Quick Results
London & Kendrick def. The World’s Greatest Tag Team
Jeff Hardy def. Daivari
Umaga v. Mick Foley went to a no contest
Melina & Jillian Hall def. Mickie James & Candice Michelle
Randy Orton & King Booker def. Bobby Lashley & John Cena
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. John Cena
2. Mickie James
3. Mr. Kennedy
4. Mick Foley
Most Heat
1. Randy Orton
2. Umaga
3. King Booker
4. Jillian Hall
Match of the Night: Mickie James & Candice Michelle v. Melina & Jillian Hall **1/2
Power Rankings5 Points= Title Win
4 Points= World Title defense/win
3 Points= Singles PPV Win
2 Points= Tag PPV Win
2 Points= TV Singles Win
1 Point= TV Tag Win
0 Points= Loss
WWE Champion: John Cena (17-7-1, 47 points) (Last Week: WWE Champion)— It was a pretty quiet night for John Cena all things considered. Randy Orton is being booked incredibly strong and Summerslam is looking like the show where we’ll see the title change happen. It’ll almost be a full year of Cena as champ. It could even happen earlier. I have a feeling he might have a huge hand in the whole Vince is dead thing. That’s what they might use to keep him away from the belt when it happens.
Intercontinental Champion: Santino Marella 5-1, 13pts. (Last Week: IC Champion) — I like how they’re staying away more or less from the ring with Marella the past few weeks and focusing more on the character development angle with him. That’s really what we need. A feud with William Regal would be awesome.
1. Randy Orton 7-15-2 , 17 pts. (Last Week: 1) -- Orton’s easily the hottest guy on the WWE roster right now. He’s got victories over HBK and Rob Van Dam, both clean. Add Bobby Lashley to the list tonight. Orton seems to be getting quite a hefty build in a short period of time.
2. Umaga 14-8-1, 27 Points (Last Week: 3) —If I get Umaga-Foley I will be a happy man. This is a guy they can do a ton with on Raw still and I’m really really REALLY interested to see what they do with him.
3. Jeff Hardy 21-8-1, 40 points (Last Week- 2)— Hardy was the one guy who I was 100% SURE was going to end up on a new brand. Shows how much I know. I guess they like him being a mid card anchor on Raw rather than taking a chance on a push on a show like say, ECW, who could use him right now. In fact, the only guy who’s been booked stronger is John Cena and on a strictly win-loss standpoint, Hardy actually passes the champ. I’m going to be very interested to see the direction they take with him, especially when Triple H and HBK come back.
4. Carlito 8-10-3, 13pts. (Last Week: 5) — Carlito moves up to four if for nothing /* than the draft more or less doing a number on the top ten. With King Booker looking like he’ll be booked strong and Lashley to inevitably move up the ladder, Carlito’s time here might be limited.
5. Trevor Murdoch 4-10, 8pts. (Last Week: 6)-- Murdoch moves up by default with his buddy Lance Cade. Both are providing a lot of entertainment and it’s nice to see the Tag Division getting some attention for a change.
6. Lance Cade 4-9, 8pts. (Last Week: 7) -- See Murdoch
7. King Booker 1-0, 1 pt. (Last Week: Smackdown)--Booker is a fantastic, fantastic heel period. Book’s a guy who is a lot like RVD in the sense that he either blends well with the guys he works with really, really well or he stinks it up. The character alone makes him worth watching though. He looked really strong tonight. Again, he’s my favorite pick in this draft and I think he’s almost always guaranteed to have a big program going on all the time.
8. Brian Kendrick 1-0, 1pt. (Last Week: Smackdown) — It was a sound Raw debut for the team many believe is the best in the company. Here’s their time to shine. They best make the best of it.
9. Paul London 1-0, 1pt. (Last Week: Smackdown) — See Kendrick.
10.Bobby Lashley 0-1, 0pts. (Last Week: ECW) --Lashley gets a nod from me just because he’s worked well the past two weeks. I know I give the guy a ton of grief but good performances are good performances. He’s played his parts well the past two weeks.
OTHERS :
Super Crazy 3-5-1, 5 points (Last Week: NR)
Shelton Benjamin 1-9-1, 1pt. (Last Week: NR)
Charlie Haas 1-8-1, 1pt. (Last Week: NR)
Rory 0-4, 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Robbie 0-5 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
JTG 4-5, 5pts. (Last Week: NR)
Big Shad 3-5, 3pts. (Last Week: NR)
Val Venis 0-1 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Triple H 2-0, 4pts (Last Week: INJURED)
Ken Kennedy 0-0, 0 pts (Last Week: Smackdown)
William Regal 0-0, 0pts (Last Week: Smackdown)
The Sandman 0-0, 0pts. (Last Week: Sandman)
Snitsky 0-0, 0pts. (Last Week: ECW)
Daivari 0-1, 0pts. (Last Week: Smackdown)
Mick Foley 0-0-1, 0 pts. (Last Week: NR)
Kenny Dykstra 3-10, 6pts. (DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Eugene 0-7, 0 pts. (DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Johnny Nitro, 2-9-1, 4pts (DRAFTED TO ECW)
Viscera 0-4, 0 pts. (DRAFTED TO ECW)