» Reported by Peter H. of WrestleView.com
» On Monday, February 23, 2004 at 11:31 PM EST

Full WWE RAW Results - 2/23/04
LIVE from: Omaha, NE
Commentators: Jim Ross & Jerry "The King" Lawler
Report by: Peter H. of WrestleView.com

Recap of last week’s match with Benoit and HBK and the events afterwards naming the Triple Threat Match for WM 20.

Raw fireworks as we are from Omaha

Benoit vs. Batista is pimped for tonight as well as the confrontation between Bischoff and McMahon.

Lita is coming down to the ring and we have our first match of the night

WWE Woman’s Championship match (Fatal Four-way rules)
Lita vs. Victoria vs. Jazz w/Teddy Long vs. Molly Holly (c)

Heels attack the faces to start, it should be noted that Victoria’s outfit is the same as last week only more cleavage this week (Insert Lawler comment here). Eliminations are in this order

Lita eliminates Jazz by DDT

Victoria eliminates Molly Holly by a variation of a bridge rollup

At this point Molly attacks Victoria and has to be restrained by officials. This is a very quick match and surprised that the first commercial takes place here

Commercial

Victoria has Lita in a headlock as we get back to the action. Victoria in control for a couple of minutes before Lita mounts a comeback. Now both ladies are going at it neither one getting the clear advantage for long. Lita hits a huge twist of fate for a close two count. After Lita climbs the buckle, Victoria who was playing possum, hits Lita and hits the Widow’s Peak for the 3 count. Steven Richards runs down and celebrates with Victoria.

Winner & New Woman’s Champ, Victoria

A long black limo arrives and out comes Vince McMahon. He instructs the driver to take his wrestling gear out of the trunk and into his office. Vince walks off to his office

Commercial

Coach comes into Bischoff’s office to make sure that Eric is aware that Vince is in the building. Christian walks in and says the same thing that Coach just did. Christian pitches an idea to Eric. Y2J & Christian vs. the World Tag Champs. Eric doesn’t like that idea and doesn’t like Y2J very much. Eric cuts a brief promo on why he hates Y2J and then makes a match for tonight. It will be Christian vs. Y2J’s other best friend, Trish Stratus

Randy Orton walks down in his wrestling gear, this leads to our next match

Randy Orton vs. Val Venis

Poor Val, he finally gets on Raw and is basically getting squashed by the IC Champ. Val starts off with some offense but Orton dominates the rest of the match. Orton is mocking Foley doing the Bang bang sign, getting even more heat with the crowd. Val with some more offense but Orton reverts to some more heel tactics to get the advantage again. RKO by Orton on Val for the pin fall victory.

Winner: Randy Orton

Benoit vs. Batista is mentioned again as we go to commercial

Commercial

We come back and a recap video is shown involving the Monday Night Wars DVD and the clip of Bischoff training for a fight against Vince. Coach and Eric didn’t like that clip and Eric is going to find out who it is. Austin comes into the shot and tells that he was the one who played that clip. Austin is actually giving a pep talk to Bischoff. Bischoff starts to run his mouth as Vince is right behind him. Vince responds to Eric’s words and then leaves.

We go to Evolution’s locker room as Orton and Flair give Batista a pep talk. HHH walks in and says to leave a little for Benoit. The 4 Evolution members walk out of the locker room together

Commercial

HHH music plays as the World Champ comes out in his street clothes. He comes out with all of his Evolution buddies. (Why he doesn’t come out with his Evolution music is a mystery to me) HHH is cutting a promo on his WM 20 Triple Threat match, that he is the game; HHH is playing the crowd and makes the point that makes WM the most important night in his career. HHH is that damn good and here comes Chris Benoit (the best theme music for a WWE Wrestler out there) Benoit stops at the bottom of the ramp with a microphone in hand. HHH invites him into the ring. Benoit walks to the other end and grabs a chair and walks into the ring. Batista runs Benoit down and it’s a 3 on one beating. HBK runs in and helps clean house until Benoit puts HBK in the cross face. Austin comes out on his ATV and walks off and into the ring. Austin enforces the law and says that the Batista/Benoit match is next. If anyone interferes in this match, then they won’t make it to WM 20

Commercial

Chris Benoit vs. Batista

We join the Batista/Benoit match already in progress. Benoit is dominating in the early going of this match. Batista is now in control and using a bear hug and some power moves to gain some serious control in this match. Every time Benoit tries an offensive move, Batista gets out of it or reverses it. Benoit finally hits the German Suplex and actually hits 3 more on Batista. Flying head butt attempt by Batista but Batista rolls out of the way, Batista picks Benoit up for a power bomb attempt but Benoit rolls out and gets the Cross face on Batista in the center of the ring and gets the submission victory. (Note: This is the first time Batista has ever tapped out)

Winner: Chris Benoit via submission

The McMahon/Bischoff confrontation is mentioned as well as a Tag Title match coming next. It will be RVD & Booker T vs. La Resistance next.

Commercial

We are in Bischoff’s office, as Austin is giving Bischoff another pep talk. Austin is getting Bischoff all fired up and gives Bischoff 3 choices all designed to get Bischoff all worked up

RVD comes out to the ring for our next match. (Note: Shouldn’t tag champs come out together) Out comes Booker T to his Originals music and fire pyro show.

WWE World Tag Title Match
RVD & Booker T (c) vs. La Resistance

Oh look, Rob Conway has the France flag and here comes the challengers for the match. Good back and forth Tag team action to start this off. La Resistance is dominating the early going by isolating Booker T away from RVD. Booker T finally gets some offense in and makes the hot tag to RVD. RVD and Booker T now have the Advantage. Bookend followed by the 5 Star frog splash for the victory. Conway was the legal man but Renee was pinned.

Winners: RVD & Booker T by pin fall

A Mick Foley interview is next, but before the commercial they show photos of Mick’s battered face from last week including a really badly swollen shiner under Mick’s left eye.

Commercial

Trish walks into Christian’s locker room and it appears that Christian is going to lay down for Trish in their match. Christian suggests that Trish lay down for him later on. Trish is confused but Christian was just testing Trish to make sure that she wasn’t going to two-time on Y2J.

A recap video is playing showing last week’s Foley beat down. A pre-taped interview is shown with JR and Foley. Foley is selling his injuries and looks like crap with blood in his left eye. Foley cuts a good promo here and basically says that on March 1, Mick Foley is coming to Raw. (This segment is very good if you are a fan of Foley’s work)

Commercial

Trish stratus comes out and we are set for our next match

Trish Stratus vs. Christian

Christian lies down and Trish gets a two count. Christian kicks out and then starts talking to Trish. Trish starts to walk away so Christian taps her butt. Christian then gives a vicious clothesline to Trish. He then helps Trish to her feet and grabs her legs and puts her in the Walls of Jericho. Christian makes her tap out but he does not release the hold. Referees have to break it up. Christian is taunting Trish as he walks away

Winner: Christian by submission

Commercial

Recap video of what just happened in the last segment. Trish is being helped down the steps from the ramp in obvious pain

Coach is knocking on Bischoff’s door. Bischoff comes out and cuts a brief promo on what Bischoff has done to McMahon with WCW vs. WWF. Bischoff says that tonight he is going to win the war.

Commercial

They mention Mick Foley returning next week as well as HBK & Benoit vs. Batista & Orton next week.

Here comes the chairman of the board in his wrestling gear. Before McMahon can make his WM announcement, out come Stacy and Miss Jackie to the ring. After titillating with McMahon, Vince makes the first inter-promotional match for WM 20. It will be a Playboy Tag Team evening gown match with Stacy and Miss Jackie vs. Sable and Torrie Wilson. Out comes Kane, and after talking to Vince, we have another match for WM 20. It will be Kane vs. Undertaker one more time. Kane leaves the ring and Vince starts making his case for not making the Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar match. Out comes Austin in his ATV. Austin wants Vince to make the match with Austin as the special guest referee. When Vince asks what’s in it for Austin, he says it’s none of Vince’s business. Vince wants Austin for the next match

Vince McMahon vs. Eric Bischoff

Out comes Bischoff and here we go. Vince beats Eric into the ropes and Austin has to pull Vince back. Austin punches Vince down. Eric gets a couple of kicks in and then runs out of the ring. Vince catches him outside and begins to choke Eric. Meanwhile, Austin is standing at the ropes when all of a sudden BROCK LESNAR appears out of nowhere. Austin turns around and walks right into an F-5 from Lesnar. Lesnar stands over Austin’s body as the show ends.

Match Results

- Victoria wins the Women’s Championship in a fatal four-way which also involves Lita, Molly Holly and Jazz

- Randy Orton defeats Val Venis via pin fall

- Chris Benoit defeats Batista via submission

- RVD & Booker T defeat La Resistance via pin fall

- Christian defeats Trish Stratus via submission

- Vince McMahon vs. Eric Bischoff ends in a no contest when Brock Lesnar KO’s the referee

Thoughts

Good match to open Raw out but it was a bit too quick.

Finally the Y2J/Trish/Christian storyline is going somewhere but where was Y2J.

Typical squash match by Orton, Val got some offense in but no one expected Val to win.

HHH always seems to get a promo every week and this week he doesn’t disappoint.

Can’t wait to see what Foley has in store for Evolution next week.


I got a few emails regarding Randy Orton and I appreciate emails from the readers so keep them coming at raw@wrestleview.com

See ya next week from Atlanta