On Monday, June 23, 2008 at 11:45 PM EST WWE RAW
June 23, 2008
San Antonio, TX
Commentators: Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
The opening pyro hit and it’s draft time.
The draft will go like this. A match will happen featuring stars from opposite brands. The winning brand wins the draft pick and it’ll be made immediately after the match. So without further adieu, here we go with the first ‘draft pick match’.
Draft Pick Match
Triple H v. Mark Henry
Oh man, this’ll rule. Henry’s laughing at Triple H. That’s the best. Mark Henry is such a badass he makes me feel like a big, bad black man. And I’m the milkiest of milky white.
Henry tossed Triple H across the ring like he’s a sack of potatoes. Triple H decked him with a right before Henry head butted him to the ground and CROTCH CHOPPED him! Henry whipped Triple H to the buckles but ate a boot on the follow up.
Triple H tried to chop the big old tree down, but Henry completely cold cocked him with a right hand, flooring the WWE Champion. Henry hit a shot to Triple H’s gut before scoop slamming him to the mat hard and stomping away on his face.
Henry dropped a big elbow on Triple H for a near fall before smashing the champion into the corner and hitting a shoulder block. Henry busted out a VADER BOMB~ for a two count but Triple H got his foot on the rope. Triple H is selling awesome here, quivering and everything.
Henry slapped on a vice grip. Triple H tried to fight out and Henry attempted a military press only for Triple H to wiggle out and begin chopping away with big right hands. He hit a face buster and eventually a high knee that finally floored the big man for a big pop.
Triple H looked for the pedigree but Mark Henry countered with a world’s strongest slam for a fantastic near fall. Henry was befuddled and went for a big splash attempt and completely whiffed. Triple H groggily hit a pedigree and it was just enough for a three count as Henry barely missed kicking out. Fantastic match.
Winner: Triple H via pin fall
That was a fantastic match. So Raw gets the first pick and draft pick #1 is….
Raw Draft Pick: REY MYSTERIO
****Commercial****
Vince McMahon’s music played and he came out to give away some money with Kelly Kelly.
Triple H is in the back with Rey Mysterio welcoming him to the brand. John Cena came back and interrupted and excused Mysterio. Cena asked him why he was paid back the way he was last week. Triple H said he wouldn’t beat around the bush. He said it’d had been eating him alive since he lost to Cena at Wrestlemania 22 because he KNEW he was better than Cena. Cena told him, like friends of Triple H’s had said in the past, to be the man, you gotta beat the man. Triple H shot back with ‘until you win this, you’re nothing’.
****Commercial****
Draft Pick Match
Finlay & Hornswoggle v. Carlito & Santino Marella
Finlay and Santino are starting things off. Marella wants Hornswoggle and Hornswoggle is excited. After Santino ate a Finlay kick, Hornswoggle came in and connected with a stunner for a two count.
After some comedy spots, Finlay tagged in and jesus, this got out of control quick. People are tangled in the ring apron, Hornswoggle is flying off the apron and man…
Anyways once things calm down, Finlay is surprisingly the face in peril. Carlito and Santino worked Finlay over, whipping him to the buckles and laying in some shots. Santino missed a big follow up and Finlay immediately went for the shillelagh. The official caught Santino though and went to dispose of the weapon. It was all that Finlay needed as he snagged Santino in a Celtic Cross and connected. One tadpole splash later, this one’s over.
Winners: Finlay & Hornswoggle via pin fall
Time for another draft pick, this time for Smackdown..
Smackdown Draft Pick: JEFF HARDY
****Commercial****
Vince needs to give away some money, and Randy Orton is going to help him out, who came out to a RIDICULOUS amount of heat. Orton has something to say to Cena and Triple H. He said he didn’t care who was champion after Sunday. He said both had better hope to hell that he gets drafted tonight, because when he gets back, he’ll be taking his WWE Championship back. He told Vince he wasn’t in the mood to give away money and walked off.
Vince said we’d have a main event tonight. And it’d be John Cena v. Edge. Oh goodie.
We gave away money to a non-English speaker and that’s that.
****Commercial****
Draft Pick Match
Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly v. Chavo Guererro & Bam Neely
Neely laid it in on young Cody with some kicks before Chavo tagged in and slammed Cody to the mat and grabbed a side headlock. Chavo went for a back suplex, but Cody wiggled out and hit a drop kick before tagging in Holly.
Holly hit a high back body drop on Chavo before giving him the good old kick in the crotch. Holly cleaned house before intercepting Chavo coming off the top rope and attempting an Alabama slam.
Chaos ensued while people were cleared out of the ring. Eventually Holly caught Chavo in the Alabama slam and connected for the win.
Winners: Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly via pin fall
Which means Raw gets the next draft pick!
Raw Draft Pick: CM PUNK
****Commercial****
Chris Jericho’s music hit and he’s on his way out to the ring.
Jericho said these idiots have been brainwashed into thinking that Shawn Michaels is a decent person and they should be ashamed of themselves. He’s continued to tell the truth while they’ve continued to treat him like garbage. He said he was right about Shawn Michaels and he promised that it wouldn’t be long before he would be misleading and lying to the fans like he did to his best friends. He showed the evidence.
An awesome video aired of all the people Michaels has screwed over throughout the years including Marty Jannetty, Kevin Nash, Hulk Hogan, John Cena and Batista.
Jericho continued on about the lies, deception and ego of Shawn Michaels. He said the fans must be all about that as well. Jericho called the people chanting pathetic. He said he wouldn’t let anyone chant or cheer for him anymore. He said he wasn’t like them, he was an honest man and an honest person. He said there’s only one other man like him, the man who helped defend him. He said he didn’t want HBK to turn on him first, so he did something about it. That is Lance Cade.
He said Lance Cade was HBK’s prized student from his wrestling camp. He said he was aware of the fact that Shawn helped him, but he knew once he got here, Shawn would pretend to be his friend and then turn on him. Cade said Jericho was a man who told it like it was, someone he could trust. He said Michaels wouldn’t get the chance to screw him over. He said the people don’t appreciate Jericho, but Lance assured us he does.
Jericho said he currently doesn’t have an opponent and while he’d love to defend his belt against Michaels, it won’t happen because he took a page out of HBK’s playbook and as the old saying goes, what goes around, comes around.
A video aired of Jericho chucking HBK through the Television a few weeks ago on the Highlight Reel. Jericho said it wasn’t over for Michaels yet because the worst was yet to come. Michaels’ music hit and he came out to the ramp covered in bandages.
Michaels took off his hat and came down to the ring before making a b-line for Jericho and leaping on top of him. The two brawled all over before Michaels got tossed face first into the announce table. Michaels writhed in pain on the floor as Jericho was kind of shocked at what he did. Before long, he just laughed at Michaels and walked off.
****Commercial****
Tazz and Michael Cole did a fun break down of the draft thus far.
Draft Pick Match
The Miz & John Morrison v. The Hardy Boys
Vickie Guererro came out before the match to cut everyone off and MAN is she getting heat these days. She said she originally had Hawkins and Ryder slated to face them, but she changed her mind. New team!.
Jesus look at the knobs in the ROH shirts in the front row.
Matt and Miz locked em up and Miz grabbed an arm bar. Hardy countered out and grabbed a headlock but got backed into the corner. Miz laid in the shots in the corner, but Matt countered again and hit a huge running lariat for a quick near fall.
Jeff Hardy comes in and hit the good old leap frog fun before Hardy laid some boots in the corner before capping it off with a catapult drop kick. Jeff slapped on a side headlock and after a struggle, Miz fought out and allowed Morrison to hit a knee behind the officials’ back to take the advantage.
Miz tagged in Morrison and they hit the sling shot elbow drop allowing the Shaman of Sexy to grab a side headlock and attempt to wear down Jeff in the middle of the ring. Morrison hit a kick to the chest on the outside while Miz mugged Jeff behind the ref’s back.
Miz tagged in and he and Morrison hit a double gut buster before slapping on the dreaded rear chin lock of deathly doom. The crowd willed Hardy to his feet before he was whipped to the buckles and hit with a running clothesline for a two count.
Morrison tagged back in and the two hit a double back elbow for a two count. Morrison laid in some right hands on Hardy’s face before Miz came back in to lay some boots in there for another near fall. Miz stretched Hardy with an arm bar as the crowd encouraged hardy again.
Eventually there was an exchange where Jeff was able to hit whisper in the wind. Jeff made the hot tag and he cleaned the onrushing John Morrison. He hit a whip-clothesline-bulldog combo before heading to the second rope and delivering an axe handle. Hardy hit a side effect for a cover, but Miz broke up the fun.
Hardy went for something off the top rope, but Morrison cut him off and loaded up a super plex but got tossed off. Hardy connected with the second rope leg drop for a two count but Miz broke it up. Hardy went after Miz and while the ref tried to clear him out of the ring, Morrison grabbed hold of Hardy and held onto the tights for the big win.
Winners: The Miz & John Morrison via pin fall
ECW gets the next pick…
ECW Draft Pick: MATT HARDY
****Commercial****
Ric Flair is going to help give away money. We got a ‘woo’ so it makes it better than every other million dollar mania segment.
****Commercial****
Announcers Only Draft Pick Match
Melina & Mickie James v. Natalya & Victoria
Wow, this’ll rule.
In the lolz moment of the night so far, Mick Foley is complaining about Melina costing him another job.
Melina and Natty locked em up before Natty grabbed a front face lock. Melina hit a go behind before Natalya picked Melina up and pressed her into the corner. Melina fought out and hit a swinging neck breaker before totally eating a power slam for a near fall.
Victoria tagged in and at a boot to the head before Victoria stalked Melina and rammed her into the corner. Victoria hit a big shot back elbow before backing Melina into the ropes and whipping her. She looked for a back body drop but Melina countered with a Thesz press for a one count.
Victoria let Melina get to the top rope before dumping her to the outside where Melina landed HARD. The official and Mickie looked on and tried to figure out what the heck was going on. A brawl ensued that resulted in a double disqualification.
Winners: No Contest
As a result, we’ve got a double pick.
Smackdown Announcers Pick: Jim Ross
Raw Announcers Pick: Michael Cole
Holy god. No More JR on Raw.
****Commercial****
Vince McMahon came out and invited Great Khali to come out and discuss his role on the new movie “Get Smart”. Khali shared his thoughts and that was nice. They call some bum and he says ‘wrong number’. Khali wins the best reaction of the year award, says something in Indian. Thank god. They called another guy and Khali woofed at him. The Great Khali talks to the phone and we all win. We’re all winners after that segment.
Edge’s music hit and he’s on his way to the ring for his match against John Cena.
****Commercial****
Draft Pick Match
John Cena v. Edge
The two locked up and after a couple of silly breaks, we finally got some jerk-face-ness from Edge. Edge smashed Cena’s face off the buckles before Cena fought back with punches to the gut. He went for his bulldog but Edge sidestepped it and sent Cena crashing to the mat.
Edge laid in a head butt before punching Cena in the face a couple of times. Edge hit a running power slam for a two count before gathering Cena in the corner and choking him out. Edge stooged for the crowd before flat backing Cena with a clothesline.
Edge kept up the pressure, dropping an elbow and a leg before bringing Cena up on his knees and decking him a couple of times. Cena came roaring back countering a back body drop attempt into the flying snap mare for a quick one count. On the recovery Edge beat Cena to the punch though and hit a standing drop kick for a near fall of his own.
The two slugged it out in the middle of the ring before both hit a double clothesline leaving both a mess on the mat.
Both made it to their feet and Cena went into his victory sequence before getting the crowd juiced. Even the ROH guy seems to like him. Five knuckle shuffle time and Cena went for an FU but Edge countered out. He fought out of the Edge o Matic and went for another FU but Edge countered that and hit the impailer DDT for a great near fall.
Jesus this is awesome. Edge looked for the spear but Cena tripped him up and slapped on the STFU. Cena ripped and tore on the hold but Edge made it to the ropes and the crowd is MOLTEN. Cena went to gather Edge, but the champion jumped down and hung Cena up on the top rope .
Edge climbed to the top rope but Cena caught him and went for an FU on the top rope but again, Edge scurried out and this time sent Cena smashing to the outside of the ring. Edge came sailing off the ring apron before Cena caught him in mid air and carried him back up the steps. There was a struggle on the steps before Edge decided to call it a night.
Winner: John Cena via count out
As Edge fought up the aisle, Batista intercepted him and here we are. Batista and Cena alone in the ring with a draft pick coming up.
Raw Draft Pick: BATISTA
****Commercial****
Edge and Vickie Guererro are laughing in the back. Vince felt compelled to remind Edge, that the championship matches are still in tact for this Sunday.
Draft Pick Match
MVP v. Tommy Dreamer
The two circled it up before MVP clubbed away on Dreamer. The two scuffled a bit before MVP hit a big shot to the gut and a quick cover attempt. MVP laid in some hard cross faces before hitting a snap suplex for a one count.
MVP dropped an elbow before backing Dreamer into the ropes and smashing him off the top buckle. MVP missed a splash attempt in the corner allowing Tommy Dreamer to connect with a bulldog and get back in things. Dreamer went for ten punches to the head before MVP stepped through the legs and knocked him off the second rope.
MVP hit the big boot before MVP covered him for the pin fall.
Winner: MVP via pin fall
Smackdown wins the next draft pick…
Smackdown Draft Pick: UMAGA
Umaga came out to the ring and murdered Tommy Dreamer with a Samoan drop. And good lord…. Poor Colin Delany. This poor kid….. Tilt a whirl slam. Ow.
****Commercial****
Draft Pick Match
JBL v. Kofi Kingston
JBL went right after the quicker Kingston and beat him down in the middle of the ring. Kofi fought out of a side headlock but got quickly flat backed. Kofi came flying back with some crazy looking stuff here.
Kingston his a forearm and hit the awesome double leg drop but it doesn’t get him far as he gets flat decapitated with a big boot. JBL hit another big right hand before dropping an elbow.
JBL clubbed Kingston around before slapping on a sleeper hold like hold on. Kofi used the crowd to will himself back into the match. He hit some forearms before getting nailed with a JBL fall away slam for a two count. JBL slapped on a bear hug and kept on grinding away on Kingston.
Kofi again got the crowd to rally him and fought out of the hold. He got a boot up on the onrushing Texan before hitting an awesome standing drop kick for a two count. Kofi looked around and scaled the top rope. He completely whiffed on the cross body though before getting decapitated with a clothesline from hell before being covered for the three count.
Winner: JBL via pin fall
Raw gets yet another draft pick.
Raw Draft pick: KANE
****Commercial****
McMahon gave some money to someone at the live show.
Cole and King ran down the Night of Champions card.
****Commercial****
Draft Pick Match
15-Man Battle Royal
John Cena (Raw), Batista (Raw), Triple H (Raw), CM Punk (Raw), Kane (Raw) v. The Big Show (Smackdown), The Great Khali (Smackdown), MVP (Smackdown), Edge (Smackdown), Jeff Hardy (Smackdown) v. Matt Hardy (ECW), Shelton Benjamin (ECW), John Morrison (ECW), The Miz (ECW), Chavo Guererro (ECW)
Order of elimination:
1. The Great Khali (By Everyone)
2. Shelton Benjamin (By CM Punk)
3. The Miz (By Batista)
4. John Morrison (By Batista)
5. CM Punk (By Big Show)
6. Chavo Guererro (By Jeff Hardy)
7. MVP (By Matt Hardy)
8. Matt Hardy (By Jeff Hardy)
**ECW Has Been Eliminated**
9. Jeff Hardy (By Triple H)
10. Batista (By Big Show)
11. Kane (By Big Show)
12. Big Show (By John Cena & Triple H)
13. Triple H (By John Cena)
14. John Cena (By Edge)
Winner: Edge
Smackdown Draft Pick: MR. KENNEDY
Smackdown Draft Pick: TRIPLE H
Dear Lord. Triple H is on Smackdown.
Vince went to give away $500k before a light fixture fell from the roof narrowly missing Vince. Before you know it, the floor falls out from under Vince but he’s ok. Vince brushed himself off before the Million Dollar Mania sign blew up and fell on top of him.
John Cena, Triple H and others rushed over to assist Vince. We went off the air with Vince not being able to feel his legs. RAW THOUGHTSShow Thoughts-- So wow, big night to say the least and the WWE wasn’t messing around when it said it was going to shake things up. Some big, big changes happened tonight, indeed.
I’m going to be doing a more in-depth analysis, so I’ll save a lot of my comments for that, but Raw definitely got a much needed face lift. In fact, both shows did. But it’s safe to say that really… after tonight Raw won’t be the same. After all, it lost two of institutions in Jim Ross and Triple H.
As for the Game, we’ll see if it sticks but this time, I think it’ll be for real. He’s going to be a two-time Dad and being able to travel with his wife and kids is certainly something that’s probably weighing in on his mind these days. Edge is there whom he hasn’t feuded with. Taker is there which is THE big match up fans want to see again. He’ll help give Jeff Hardy a rub and who wouldn’t want to see him in the ring with MVP. The fact of the matter is that it’s a different world over there and it’ll be interesting to see how things end up there. The show needs a huge name and Triple H will give it that. It’ll just be interesting to see how he mixes in with the Undertaker on the same show. That’s a lot of pull back there.
And I’ll be the first to say I’ll really, really miss JR on Raw every Monday Night. I really will. That being said, it’s time for Michael Cole to move into that spot and learn to grow with it. Who knows, in fifteen years y’all might be saying the same thing about him when he’s gone. He works best with over the top folks and I think King will be an interesting deal.
It really had an ‘out with the old’ feeling though tonight. We’ve got Triple H stepping aside for Rey Mysterio, John Cena, Batista and Randy Orton to really move Raw forward and it’s the right thing to do. Period. The world will be an awesome place in the coming year.
Aside from that, the matches themselves were pretty darn good tonight. I LOVED the Triple H-Mark Henry affair, which is as good a five minute match as you’ll see. Triple H sold his hoo-has off while Mark Henry was as badass as I’ve seen him look in some time. If you’re a big man and want to take some notes, go watch that match again. Henry was awesome.
We got a really good Miz/Morrison-Hardys tag in addition to Cena and Edge doing what they do. JBL-Kingston was a lot of fun as well. It had a lot of fun stuff on there. And Vince paralyzed? The possibilities my friends.. Are endless.
In the end though, the right things were done. There’s a new commitment to make Smackdown stand on equal footing. Raw’s landscape is almost entirely different. Everything that needed to be done was done. For once, the WWE said the wrestling world would be different. And they were right.
Overall Grade: A-
DRAFT RESULTS
To Raw
1. Rey Mysterio
2. CM Punk
3. Michael Cole
4. Batista
5. Kane
To Smackdown
1. Jeff Hardy
2. Jim Ross
3. Umaga
4. Mr. Kennedy
5. Triple H
To ECW
1. Matt Hardy (United States Champion)
Quick Results
Triple H def. Mark Henry
Finlay & Hornswaggle def. Carlito & Santino Marella
Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes def. Chavo Guererro & Bam Neely
Miz & Morrison def. The Hardy Boyz
Natalya & Victoria v. Mickie & Melina went to a double DQ
John Cena def. Edge
MVP def. Tommy Dreamer
JBL def. Kofi Kingston
Edge won the tri-branded Battle Royal
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. Triple H
2. John Cena
3. Jeff Hardy
4. Batista
Most Heat
1. Randy Orton
2. Edge
3. JBL
4. Miz & Morrison
Match of the Night: Triple H v. Mark Henry ***
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: Triple H 14-8, 32pts.(Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN) -- So if Triple H retains on Sunday, Raw is officially without a world champion for the first time since Brock Lesnar signed on as brand-exclusive to Smackdown.
Intercontinental Champion: Chris Jericho 10-11-1, 21pts. (Last Week: IC Champion)-- Easily my favorite promo of the year thus far from Jericho tonight and he’s been as good as a heel on Raw as anyone and now with Orton on the shelf and pretty much EVERYONE out of the way, I’m seeing Jericho as the guy to beat on Raw this summer. Yah. You heard it. I do.
1. John Cena 14-7, 25 points. (Last Week: 1) -- Better night tonight I guess from him. Having a familiar opponent in Edge is certainly a good thing and man oh man, are there some fresh match ups for him coming down the pike. We’re going to get a lot of stuff we’ve been wanting to see for a long time.
2. Shawn Michaels 15-3-1, 20pts. (Last Week: 2) -- Is a bad person. Or so says Lance Cade.
3. Jeff Hardy 10-7-1, 20pts. (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)-- Overall, it’s the right move, especially considering whose coming over to the red-brand. He’ll get a substantial push on Smackdown and there’ll be some very good program opportunities for him that didn’t exist on Raw.
4. Ken Kennedy 10-7, 22pts. (DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)-- I’m admittedly a little beleaguered at this one, but not TOTALLY surprised. It’s a good move all things considered by with Jeff Hardy on Smackdown I wonder whether or not it’s going to be a bit difficult for Kennedy to find a foothold over there.
5. JBL 9-13, 16 points (Last Week: 5)-- Unfortunately, he seems destined to be floating around mid card land being the good ole gate keeper on Raw. Realistically, he’s not going to out draw or out perform Batista, Rey, Randy Orton or John Cena.. I’d have loved to have seen him on ECW.
6. Umaga 7-11, 12 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN) -- The move everyone knew was coming, it’s due and the right thing to do. Begin the official count down to Umaga-Undertaker.
7. Paul Burchill 4-1, 5 points (Last Week: 7)-- Not in action tonight.
8. Santino Marella 5-6, 5 points (Last Week: 8) --Not in Action this week.
9. Hardcore Holly 9-6, 7pts. (Last Week: 9)-- Hopefully this is the last night I’ve got to see him and Cody with tag belts.
10. Cody Rhodes 6-5, 6 points (Last Week: 10)-- See Holly.
OTHERS :
Carlito 9-9, 13 pts. (Last Week: NR)
Randy Orton 10-9-2, 20pts. (Last Week: INJURED)
William Regal, 3-4, 9 points (Last Week: NR)
Paul London 3-4, 3 points(Last Week: NR)
Jerry Lawler 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Lance Cade 1-5, 2 points (Last Week: NR)
Brian Kendrick, 3-8, 3 points (Last Week: NR)
Trevor Murdoch 0-8, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Super Crazy 0-3, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Harry Smith 0-1, 0 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 2-5, 3 points (Last Week: NR)
JTG 2-2, 4 points (Last Week: NR)
Big Shaad 2-2, 2 point (Last Week: NR)
Ted Dibiase, Jr. 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)