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» Reported by Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
» On Monday, July 21, 2008 at 11:28 PM EST
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WWE RAW
July 21, 2008
Uncasville, CT
Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
Raw opened with a video package putting over Kane’s injecting himself into last night’s World Heavyweight Championship match between CM Punk and Batista at the Great American Bash last night.
Batista is in the production truck and pissed. He walks off and the opening credits roll.
Batista’s music hit the arena and he came out to the ring. He said he planned to come out as the new World Champion, but since Kane decided to interfere in his match, that wasn’t the case. He said tonight, since Shane McMahon wasn’t here and Stephanie McMahon wasn’t here, he would be putting himself in charge of Raw. He was only going to be making one match. He said it’d be CM Punk defending his championship against him.
He said if Kane had a personal problem, he’d better find him before he finds him or he’d have hell to pay. JBL butted in not so happy over the Titan Tron. He said Batista wasn’t in charge of anything. He said he had his title match and he didn’t win. He said there wasn’t anything that made Batista special. JBL on the other hand said, he had won his match and the next world title match would be his.
Batista laughed at him. Batista said if there was such a difference in opinion, JBL could come out to the ring and discuss it. JBL said he was the boss. He didn’t answer to Batista. Batista answers to JBL. JBL said he’d be taking his torch back at Summerslam. He said he doesn’t feel like a title match tonight though, he was finishing off Cena tonight. He said if Batista wants a match so bad, he could just go find Kane.
World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk’s music hit the arena and he came out to the ring shaking his head. Punk said JBL was right, it was the law of the jungle. He said since he was Champion, that made him king in his estimation. He said JBL could screw off while he took care of some business. Punk said Kane didn’t just mess it up for Batista, he messed it up for him, too. He was pretty darn close to beating Batista and he wanted to show everyone he could.
So he and Batista agreed to the match.
****Commercial****
HBK’s music hit until Lance Cade’s new (and quite crappy) music hit.
Cade got on the mic and said that HBK used to be his mentor. He said last night he knew he took the beating of his life. He knew he was here tonight and he knew he was listening, so he invited him to come out to the ring before, during or after his match, but if he does come out, the two would have words they should have had a long time ago.
Lance Cade v. Paul London
The two circled it up and London went for a big splash right off the bat and missed by a mile. Cade hit a back breaker before smashing some knees into the small of London’s back. Cade kept up the back work, goading Shawn Michaels the whole time. Back work = symbolic.
Cade kept up the pressure with an Irish whip into a charge attempt but London countered out with a leg kick. Cade cut London off with a clothesline and then chucked London into the ring post. Cade gathered London in his arms and power bombed him to the mat for the win.
Winner: Lance Cade via pin fall
Cade got on the mic and said if that wasn’t enough to bring him out to the ring, maybe this would be. Cade masturbatorily introduced Chris Jericho, the man of the hour. Jericho waltzed down to the ring as we went to commercial.
****Commercial****
Jericho said as much as we all wanted Shawn Michaels to be here tonight, he wouldn’t be. In fact, he might never be in the ring again. He said he’d show us some violent, graphic footage of their match last night at the Bash.
After the video was done, Jericho said what happened last night was everyone’s fault. He said Michaels came out last night and wrestled hurt to please these stupid fans and because they inspired him to do things normal people couldn’t do, but now he was paying for his sins. He said the fans don’t deserve to be saved like he originally decided. He said they made their decision to side with Michaels and proved they weren’t worthy of it. He said in all probability his career was over. He had a detached retina that would prohibit him from seeing properly for the rest of his life.
Jericho said he had no remorse. He said the ironic thing was that by closing Shawn’s eyes, it opened his. He said he didn’t have to accept people that vilified, cut him down, boo’d him, ignored him, all the garbage. Jericho said he wasn’t the crazy guy with long hair that told jokes. He said he’s grown up unlike Shawn Michaels and the stupid fans. Jericho said he was proud of what he did. He said he was proud of what happened last night. He said by ending the career of HBK, he considers himself…saved.
****Commercial****
A replay of Beth Phoenix defeating Santino Marella last week aired.
Kelly Kelly v. Beth Phoenix
Kelly tried to use her speed to her advantage against Beth in the early going but Beth quickly caught her and bull charged her into the corner and smashed into Kelly’s mid section. She gathered her opponent and scoop slammed her to the mat before picking her up by the hair and slamming her to her back.
Beth wrapped Kelly up in an arm bar as the crowd tried to rally Beth. Kelly flipped out of the hold before whipping Phoenix only to get plowed with a right hand. Kelly kept it coming though and caught an inzeguri and a head scissors followed by a drop kick to the corner. Kelly came vaulting in with a hand spring move but got caught in mid air by Beth and put in the double arm chicken wing. Kelly shockingly rolled through though and almost rolled her up, but Beth kept the momentum going and hit the front face buster and completely cold cocked Kelly for the win. Awesome little match.
Winner: Beth Phoenix via pin fall
****Commercial****
Jim Duggan is in the ring. Duggan said he was thinking about hanging up the boots for good. He said it had been a great thirty year run. He won the first Royal Rumble, made tons of friends and survived Kidney cancer. He said he thought about what Ted and Cody said last week and said they may be right. He said this was a game for young men and maybe it was time for time to pass Duggan by.
He said he wanted to thank the fans before Jerry Lawler interrupted him.
Jerry said he knew it was none of his business but in case Duggan missed it, there wasn’t an age limit in the WWE. So long as he was passionate about doing what he wanted to do, he can and should do it as long as he wants to. Lawler said Duggan could do something Obama and McCain couldn’t ever get and that was to make thousands of fans to chant USA at the drop of a dime.
Duggan honestly didn’t want to give it up and enjoyed the chanting and said he just really needed someone to tell him that. Before that, Dibiase and Rhode’s music hit and they made their way down to the ring.
Dibiase said he needed to get this straight, Jerry Lawler was giving Duggan career advice? Just because he dated girls their age, didn’t mean he related to them. He said they both needed to hang em up. Rhodes said when Duggan won the first Royal Rumble, he was two years old. When Lawler slapped Andy Kauffman, he and Ted weren’t even alive then. Lawler knew he missed it, so he showed Rhodes that it went something like this…. And slapped Rhodes clean across the face.
The four argued. Rhodes and Holly said they’d take care of this later, but until then, the two old men needed to clear out of the ring for the folks who actually had a future. JBL’s music hit and he gimped down to the ring.
****Commercial****
John Cena & Cryme Tyme v. JBL, Ted Dibiase & Cody Rhodes
Rhodes and Cena started it off. Cena tossed Rhodes into the ropes and the two exchanged leap frogs before Cena hit a hip toss. Cena socked Rhodes in the face a couple of times before Cena hit the whip-bulldog combination for a two count.
Cena hit a back drop before tagging in Shaad who dropped an elbow for a two count. Shaad hit the irish whip and the follow up clothesline. Shaad looked for the same combo again, only to eat a boot in the grill. Dibiase tagged in and worked over the mid section of Dibiase a bit before Shaad caught him in a suplex and flipped him up and over his head for a two count.
JTG tagged in and they hit a leap frog double team splash in the corner for a two count. Dibiase hit a huge right hand to the face before hanging JTG up on the top rope. JBL tagged in and began beating the crap out of JTG in the corner with rights and boots. JBL hit a huge shoulder tackle before tagging in Rhodes who began punching away at JTG’s mid section.
Rhodes slapped on a bear hug. The fun didn’t last long though as the crowd rallied JTG and he was able to break the hold. Dibiase and Rhodes caught him before he could get anywhere though to maintain control. Dibiase hit a body slam before going for a second rope double stomp which he connected with for a two count. JBL tagged back in and the big Texan began hitting knees and big boots in the corner before taking the smaller JTG to the middle of the ring and clubbed away at the small of his back.
Rhodes came sailing in with a stomp to the gut and slapped on the good old bear hug to keep JTG on the mat. JTG shot out of the hold with a quick flash pin attempt, but Rhodes kicked out and kicked him square in the ribs. Dibiase stomped away on JTG on the apron before going for a quick pin attempt.
Dibiase kept up the pressure with kicks to the back and stomps to the face. Dibiase slapped on a leg scissors on the mat as the crowd tried to rally JTG yet again. JTG fought to his feet an elbowed out of the hold and hit a standing drop kick. JTG almost made it to the hot tag but Rhodes dropped an elbow on his back to end the rally.
Rhodes landed some punches in the face but totally whiffed on the shoulder tackle attempt in the corner and clattered into the ring post. Cena caught the hot tag and began cleaning house. Cena hit his shoulder tackles and inverted power bomb before calling for the five knuckle shuffle. Cena and JBL began brawling and once JBL had the chance, he got out of dodge. Cena gathered Rhodes AND Dibiase and delivered a double FU for the win.
Winners: John Cena & Cryme Tyme via pin fall
Chris Jericho and Lance Cade are in the back heading out a door when they run into Kane. There’s a big stare down and we’re all awkward. Kane’s walking down the hall, bag in hand.
****Commercial****
Intergender Tag Team Match
Mickie James & Kofi Kingston v. Katie Lea & Paul Burchill
Katie and Mickie started us off and after some brawling and a little stooging from Katie, Mickie woke everyone up with a punch to Paul’s face. He followed her into the ring only to eat a Kofi Kingston leap frog body press.
Kofi hit a back heel kick and a dropkick for a one count before Katie showed up and tried to deck him with a kick to the mid section. Paul took advantage and hit a chop block and began to work over the IC Champion’s legs.
Kofi turned the tables briefly with a roll up attempt but Burchill hit a kick to the face. Kofi fought back with a clothesline and dodged a Burchill charge in the corner. Mickie and Katie brawled on the outside before Paul came out and slammed Mickie off to the side. Kofi slammed Burchill into the ring post and it’s a debacle.
Burchill dodged a Kofi charge and the champion clattered into the ring post. Burchill tossed him into the ring and hit a tall hangman’s neck breaker for the win.
Winner: Paul & Katie Lea Burchill via pin fall
Jamie Noble’s still putting the moves on Leyla in the back. Batista interjects and wants to know where Kane is. Noble says he’s going to take Leyla upstairs and shoot some craps, but if he sees anything, he’ll let Batista know. Until then, Batista could go do some dumbbell flies or something. Batista isn’t laughing and slams Noble into the crates and says if he sees anything, he’d better be the first to know.
****Commercial****
Todd Grisham asked CM Punk if he was lucky. Punk said he was a little embarrassed he couldn’t win outright last night. JBL said he fully intended on becoming World Champion come Summerslam and whether Punk lost the belt tonight or at Summerslam, it didn’t matter, he would go down as an asterisk or as a transitional champion. Punk seems to remember his first title defense was against him.
****Commercial****
Santino Marella is in the ring and said this week he was going to re-issue his same challenge. This time he wanted a male opponent. Oh lord, it’s D-Lo.
Santino Marella v. D-Lo Brown
As D-Lo is dancing around the ring, Beth Phoenix makes her way down to the ring. Santino’s terrified. Brown tossed him into the corner before killing him with a right hand in the face.
Brown kept up the pressure, whipping Santino to the buckles but missing the follow through. Brown countered a whip attempt from Marella and slammed him to the mat before dropping a big leg. Brown hit sudden impact before scaling the ropes and hitting the Lo-Down for the three count and the win.
Winner: D-Lo Brown via pin fall
After the match, Santino and Beth wrestled around a bit before having an awkward moment. Good lord, couple of the year. They kissed. Super awkward.
****Commercial****
Prior to the match, Kane came down and he and Batista battled. Batista ate a choke slam only for CM Punk to swoop down to the ring to his aid. Batista’ shaken and stirred, but still game for the match. Kane’s chasing that poor camera man from last night.
****Commercial****
World Heavyweight Championship
CM Punk v. Batista
Batista looks like ka ka. The two circled it up and Punk grabbed a go-behind and a side headlock. Batista went to toss him into the ropes but Punk clung to his bean, refusing to let go. Eventually Batista pried him off and hit him to the canvas with a shoulder block.
Punk kept up pressure with strikes but upon charging in a third time, he ate a huge boot to the face and almost got pinned. Batista punished the champion in the corner before looking for a back drop, but Punk caught him and hit a neck breaker that did a number on the challenger, still weary from the choke slam.
Punk went right to work on the neck of Batista, elbowing and stomping on Batista’s neck before hitting a nice standing drop kick to the back of the head. Punk kicked the Animal in the back and began raining forearms down on the challenger’s head again. Batista fought back with rights of his own before he was tripped up by the champion. Punk pounced and began absolutely killing the challenger with forearms to the back of the head.
Punk slapped on a front face lock and it looks like a standing guillotine choke. Batista powered up to his feet and tossed Punk to the mat face first, but Punk connected with a King Booker-esq kick to the back of the hunched over challenger. Punk laid some knees in on the back of Batista before dropping a leg drop across his chest.
Some knob is chanting boring. Screw him.
Punk slapped on a face lock and Batista rallied to his feet and flung Punk over his head. Punk was relentless though, hitting a hangman’s neck breaker for another two count. Punk went right back to the well with a head scissors, continuing to put pressure on the neck of Batista. Punk hit another kick to the back of the head for a two count.
Punk kept smashing away with his kicks before attempting a whip and having it reversed. Batista caught some momentum but Punk countered him and Batista went sailing into the second turnbuckle. Punk hit the big knee in the corner and the bulldog for a two and a half count.
Punk came vaulting off the top rope but Batista grabbed him out of the air and planted him with a spine buster. The two fought to their feet but Batista charged and bullied him to the corner and began planting shoulders into the champions mid section. He hit a whip and follow up clothesline and then tried again, but Punk countered only to miss a flying cross body block. He recovered in time to eat a spear but JBL came down as he was amping up to cause the DQ.
Winner: No Contest
JBL cleaned out Batista only for John Cena to come down to make the save. Cena went to clock JBL and missed by a mile and planted a big right hand into the face of Batista. Batista took exception and BRAWL~. The refs are pulling them apart as we headed off the air.
RAW THOUGHTS
Show Thoughts-- Tonight was another really solid show. Not a lot to knock.
There seems to be a ton of chaos at the top of the card right now. With the win over Cena, you’ve gotta think JBL’s probably the rightful #1 contender but Batista hasn’t gotten a decision against Punk yet. Kane’s doing his thing while Jericho is molten hot after a dominating win over previous #1 Shawn Michaels. John Cena is embroiled in a never ending rivalry with JBL while accidentally popping Batista in the face and opening up a huge can of worms there. Punk and his title seems swept up in the whole thing. One’s gotta think something will give and im going to make a call that we’ll likely see an elimination chamber, or should see one, at Summerslam.
Punk seems to be a hybrid of Rey Mysterio’s ‘06 run, Kurt Angle’s first title run and Bret Hart’s first go-round with the belt all jumbled into one. I’ll bet he gets a big win escaping there before they look at passing the belt off to Jericho for the fall.
The whole ‘inmates running the asylum’ thing has been great and it looks like we’re leading up to a major angle with someone being installed as an authority figure.. Just in time for Summerslam.
The rest of the show has just been a lot of fun. Beth Phoenix is becoming increasingly complicated while it seems every week a new Diva has remarkably learned how to wrestle and do it well. This week’s winner is Kelly Kelly. D-Lo’s back and Kofi Kingston is quickly becoming one of the most fun acts on the entire card. Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes are giving us a reason to actually give a crap about the tag belts and Cryme Tyme is as over as they’ve ever been. Jamie Noble’s putting the moves on the chicks while Santino’s dropping some charm too. Kane’s not a lover though, and is shockingly interesting again.
Really, Raw hasn’t been this interesting in forever. I’m enjoying it.
Overall Grade: B+
Quick Results
Lance Cade def. Paul London
Beth Phoenix def. Kelly Kelly
John Cena & Cryme Tyme def. JBL, Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
Paul & Katie Lea Burchill def. Kofi Kingston & Mickie James
D-Lo Brown def. Santino Marella
CM Punk v. Batista went to a no contest
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. Batista
2. John Cena
3. CM Punk
4. Kofi Kingston
Most Heat
1. Chris Jericho
2. JBL
3. Kane
4. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
Match of the Night: Batista v. CM Punk **3/4, Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase v. John Cena & Cryme Tyme **3/4
Power Rankings
5 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
World Heavyweight Champion: CM Punk 4-0-2, 13 Points (Last Week: World Heavyweight Champion) -- Sure, he didn’t get the big win over Batista, but he gets a rub in the sense that in both matches, he dominated him. Sure, he got lucky to walk away with his belt, but the rub was a little better in my opinion than it might appear on the surface.
Intercontinental Champion: Kofi Kingston 4-1, 11 points (Last Week: IC Champion) -- Easily the most unique act on the brand, he was a boat load of fun tonight and this whole Burchill thing may still have some TV legs at least until Summerslam. He takes the loss, but every week he helps himself out it seems.
1. Chris Jericho 12-13-1, 26pts. (Last Week: 3)-- This ranking isn’t just totally deserved but flat out unquestionable. After an excellent performance with HBK last night, he’s molten, molten hot. Every match and promo he’s cutting right now has been consistently strong and it’s safe to say this is the best stretch he’s had since late 2001.
2. JBL 10-16, 19 points (Last Week: 5)-- Gets a huge win last night. A huge clean win over the company ace after years of failed attempts. He’s been great as a multi-faceted antagonist thus far and looks to be in line for a title shot at Summerslam.
3. John Cena 16-10, 27 points. (Last Week: 1) -- A fun match last night with JBL and a great job in the tag match tonight. He seems to be winning the crowd over again slowly. Now there’s even a blossoming issue with Batista which we all knew was inevitable. A lot going on right now.
4. Shawn Michaels 15-4-1, 20pts. (Last Week: 2) -- Get absolutely dominated by Jericho last night drops him as he goes on what seems to be his mid summer hiatus. It may not be that long, as the Jericho feud remarkably still has legs after four months.
5. Batista 1-1-2, 2 Points (Last Week: 4)-- Batista’s really turned into a guy whose not just a good looking main event draw, but a good looking main event draw who can wrestle. He’s really beginning to come into his own and right now seems to be the most over face on the show. He’s chasing Punk, jaw jacking with JBL, fighting Kane and now seems to have a problem with John Cena. Let’s make friends.
6. Paul Burchill 5-2, 7 points (Last Week: 6)-- Burchill stays put with the win. He’s clearly not top five material yet, but keeps on winning. A pin fall victory over the Intercontinental Champion should put him in line for another shot at the title.
7. Rey Mysterio 1-0, 3 Points (Last Week: 7) --Oddly enough, again, NOT IN ACTION.
8. Ted Dibiase, Jr. 1-2, 4 Points (Last Week: 8)-- Another fantastic promo spot with Cody tonight but this kid can flat out go. His selling is top notch, IMO and I think he’s got all the tools to be a big star.
9. Cody Rhodes 7-7, 7 points (Last Week: 9)-- See Dibiase.
10. Kane 0-3, 0 Points (Last Week: 10)--I’m keeping Kane in the top ten purely because he should be there considering all the stuff he’s involved in right now. Deservedly stays in the mix.
OTHERS :
Santino Marella 5-9, 5 points (Last Week: NR)
Jamie Noble 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Deuce 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Chuck Palumbo 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Matt Striker 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR
Randy Orton 10-9-2, 20pts. (Last Week: INJURED)
William Regal, 3-4, 9 points (Last Week: NR)
Paul London 3-6, 3 points(Last Week: NR)
Jerry Lawler 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Lance Cade 2-5, 4 points (Last Week: NR)
Jim Duggan 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Rory 0-2, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Charlie Haas 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Robbie 0-2, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Mick Foley 1-0, 1 point (Last Week: NR)
Sgt. Slaughter 0-0. 0 pts. (Last Week: NR)
Val Venis 0-1 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Snitsky 2-6, 3 points (Last Week: NR)
JTG 4-2, 6 points (Last Week: NR)
Big Shaad 4-2, 4 points (Last Week: NR)
Ken Kennedy 10-7, 22pts. (DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Carlito 9-9, 13 pts. (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Brian Kendrick, 3-8, 3 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Trevor Murdoch 0-8, 0 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Super Crazy 0-3, 0 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO ECW)
Harry Smith 0-1, 0 points (DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Back To WrestleView.com
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