» On Monday, May 9, 2005 at 11:29 PM EST WWE RAW 5-9-2005
Commentators: Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Reported By: Hunter Golden of Wrestleview.com
A video package aired to begin the show recapping the first round matches from the “Gold Rush” number 1 contender’s tournament last week, highlighted by Chris Benoit’s tap out victory over Triple H.
Triple H’s music hit the arena as JR and King welcomed us to the show.
JR and King put over how this was the first time in some time that Triple H was on the ‘outside looking in’ in the World Heavyweight Championship contendership.
Triple H reached the ring to the chorus of “you tapped out’ chants. He went out the ringside area and had a stare-down with the fans. JR said the Game ‘reaped what he sewed’.
Triple H said that the match that happened last week doesn’t count because the entire Gold Rush Tournament was bogus. He said that everyone knew that he was the best and that at Backlash after pedigree-ing Batista, he got screwed. He said Bischoff was afraid to give Triple H a rematch because he knew he’d win. He bluntly said that Batista knew he’d get beat by Triple H if he faced him again. Batista’s entrance music then hit the arena.
The World Heavyweight Champion made his way down to the ring with the belt draped over his shoulder. Batista removed his sunglasses and gave the game a stare before picking up the mic. He said he was sorry that he interrupted Triple H and jokingly said he wanted to come out and ‘face his fears’. He asked him to remind him of what he was afraid of. He said he faced him twice and beat him twice. He said that last week that Triple H had another chance to get a title shot and… Batista paused as the crowd chanted ‘you tapped out’ again. Batista said “how could I forget!? You tapped out!”
He said his hands were tied because Triple H lost in the first round. He said that maybe Triple H wasn’t good enough to face him again. Triple H removed his tie and paused, grasping the top rope. More ‘you tapped out’ chants began to ring out over the arena.
Triple H said that he thought the tap out chants were amusing and also that Batista thought he wasn’t good enough. Triple H pointed out that the title sitting on Batista’s shoulder meant absolutely nothing unless Batista went through him. He said that Batista had fluke wins, but hadn’t gone THROUGH him. Triple H said that whether he realized it or not, that Batista needed him a whole lot more then Triple H needed Batista. He said that he was the measuring stick by which all were judged and that he defined who Batista was and what he’d become. He said that he’d settle the critics and say ‘screw you’ to everyone. If Batista wanted to mess with him he’d ‘walk out that door. Pack his bags and move on.”. Triple H threatened to walk out, go back to his mansion and watch Batista fail. He said that once Batista failed, they’d all come crawling back to him begging him to come back. Triple H told Batista 'screw you’ and walked out of the arena.
Batista held him up and asked him why he was leaving. He paused then said ‘let me be the first to say don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out’. He said the only thing that Triple H defined was being a sore loser. He put over the fact that he was the Champion and said that Triple H was screwed. Triple H walked out through the curtain.
JR put over the Gold Rush tournament semi finals between Kane and Benoit, as well as the other semi-final between HBK and Edge.
****Commercial****
Ric Flair was out in the parking lot begging Triple H to stay. Triple H demanded that Flair get in the car. Flair said he’d corner Bischoff and make things right, but Triple H rolled off in his limo..
Muhammad Hassan’s music came out and he came out in his suit and Daivari in his wrestling gear. They aired a video of last week’s incident between the two.
Daivari was on the mic and was showered with “USA” chants. Daivari said he let down Hassan at Backlash. He got down on his knees and said he wasn’t even worthy of Hassan’s friendship. Daivari said he said that he was issuing an open challenge to anyone in the back to get Hassan’s friendship back. He bantered in Arabic while Hassan looked on skeptically. Chris Jericho’s music then hit the arena.
Daivari v. Chris Jericho
Daivari jumped Jericho hitting him with clubbing blows. Jericho reversed an Irish whip and knocked him down with a forearm before backing him into a corner and landing with some hard chops. Jericho whipped Daivari again and charged at him in the corner but Daivari escaped, with Jericho smashing into the ring post. Daivari worked the shoulder slamming him back into the post before going for a short cover. Daivari clamped an arm bar on Jericho who fought back but ended up getting caught in an armbar take-down. Daivari went for an axe handle off the second rope but took a shot to the gut. Jericho then connected with a big back body drop before hitting his running enzeguiri and his running splash on the middle rope. Jericho went for the walls of Jericho but Daivari flipped out of it. Daivari charged Jericho but was taken down again. Jericho scaled the ropes but was meant with resistance before catching Daivari’s legs and planting him in the Walls on the decent. Daivari tapped and the match was over.
Winner: Chris Jericho by submission
After the match Hassan rushed the ring and went to town on Jericho. He hit the overdrive and then put Jericho in the camel clutch as Daivari taunted him. Shelton Benjamin came out to make the save.
****Commercial****
Eric Bischoff was in the back with Christy Hemme who had questions about the upcoming draft. She asked if the Divas were included. Bischoff said that he hoped she was drafted to smackdown because she wasn’t very respectful. La Resistance interrupted and demanded a Tag Team Championship match. Bischoff asked them why this week would be different from last week’s match. Sylvain said that this week was different because last week’s loss was Rob Conway’s fault. Bischoff stepped into the argument. He said in the spirit of the Gold Rush tournament, he would put them both in singles matches later on without them knowing who their opponents would be.
Ric Flair was on the cell phone leaving a message for Triple H saying that the brand was not the same without him. Christian intervened and returned the favor of consoling him after a loss after Flair mocked him last week. Christian said that there’d be no one around to spit water on themselves and that if he was looking for someone to suck up, he could suck up to him. Flair cut him off and after telling him that he didn’t like him very much, challenged him to a match later tonight. Christian accepted the match and then ‘woo’d’ in Flair’s face before Naitch retaliated with his own ‘woo’ and walked off.
****Commercial****
Over the break, a commercial plugging the ECW “One Night Stand” pay per view was aired.
La Resistance’s music hit the arena and Sylvain Grenier’s music hit the arena.
Sylvain Grenier v. Viscera
Viscera came out to some new entrance music. Conway smiled as he exited the ring. Conway then exited the arena.
Viscera backed up Grenier and hit him with a big chop. Grenier slapped on a headlock but was shoulder-blocked down. Grenier couldn’t match power and got caught in a tilt a whirl sidewalk slam. Viscera then hit Grenier with some clubbing blows before missing with a big splash. Grenier hit a missile drop kick and a quick cover before trying to knock the big man down with some blows. He went into the topes but got caught in a huge sit down power-bomb. Viscera covered him for the pin and the win.
Winner: Viscera via pinfall
After the match Viscera got snatched some nachos from a fan and ate them. While prancing around the ring. He went over to Lillian and swerved his hips before grabbing the mic. He said that the nachos tasted as good as Lillian does. He asked her to announce the winner of his match just one more time and she did. He said that it turned him on when she said his name. He offered her some nachos and said that he knew she wanted some. He put one in his mouth and tried to get her to take it out. Lillian reluctantly complied and he gave her a tongue wiggle. He asked her to ‘eat it real good.’. He said that if she liked the appetizer, she’d love the main course.
Lita and Kane were in the back and Kane looked a little angry. Lita asked him what was wrong and Kane said nothing was wrong and that he was just thinking about ‘us’. He hugged her from behind and said that it was nine months since they were married. Kane said that she said she hoped he rotted in hell. He put over the fact that Trish Stratus was gone and that soon, he’d be World Champion. Lita agreed, stroking his chest. Kane said that nothing and no one would stand in his way. He said he always gets what he wants. Lita laughed and said ‘so do I’. Kane grabbed her by the head and said ‘that’s what makes us such a cute couple’.
JR and King put over the semi-final between Kane and Benoit NEXT!
****Commercial****
Kane v. Chris Benoit
Lita got hammered with “You screwed Matt” Chants during the beginning of the match. Benoit controlled the early going but eventually gained the upper hand. Benoit ended up connecting with a big dropkick as Kane came off the ropes. Benoit pounced on Kane, hitting his three consecutive German sumplex combination. Kane however, was unfazed and sat right up, as Benoit was signaling for his flying headbutt. Kane hit a low dropkick and then connected with his headbutt. Kane kicked out of the pinfall attempt and Benoit immediately went for the sharpshooter. Kane eventually powered out then split out of the ring. Benoit went for a suicide dive but Kane got out of the way and Benoit collided with Lita. He went to check on her but Kane nailed him with a big clothesline. As soon as they were back in the ring Benoit tried to clamp on his crippler crossface but got caught in a Kane clothesline. Kane made the cover and got the one, two, three. For the win.
Winner: Kane via pinfall
****Commercial****
Ric Flair v. Tyson Tomko w/ Christian
Christian came out onto the stage and wasn’t dressed to wrestle. Tyson Tomko, however, was. Christian grabbed the mic and said that if Flair wanted a piece of him, he needed to go through Tomko first.
When the match started, Tomko hit flair with a big clothesline and went to work nailing a big pinfall and a near pinfall. The referee eventually got on Tomko’s case about his conduct and Flair knocked him down from behind and slapped on the figure four leg-lock. Christian raked Flair’s eyes and broke the hold. As the referee reprimanded Christian, Flair hit a low blow and scored the pinfall victory.
Winner: Ric Flair via pinfall
****Commercial****
Stacey Keibler came out to the ring to have an interview with Todd Grisham about her new photo spread in “Stuff Magazine”. Stacey asked Todd to help her with her zipper because she wanted to show off her underwear. Todd sort of groveled and Simon Dean’s music hit the ring.
Simon Dean and Maven came out to the ring and started to insult the fans and commented on Stacey’s ‘shiny hiney’. He made some shakes for Stacy and Maven but Stacy intentionally dropped it. Maven grabbed her arm as Hurricane and Rosey came out to help her out. They cleaned house and Stacey gave them both huge.
Eric Bischoff was in the back with Coach. Coach complimented Bischoff on his ECW pay per view ideas, but Bischoff scolded him, telling that he refused to listen to anything attached to Paul Heyman.
****Commercial****
Robert Conway was waiting in the ring for his opponent.
Shelton Benjamin v. Robert Conway
Conway jumped Benjamin from behind and stomped Benjamin on the ground. He connected with a big clothesline and demanded that the bell be rung. He continued, stomping Benjamin and hitting with a big shoulder block before getting a short cover. Conway taunted Benjamin before smashing his head in to the turnbuckle and then whipping Benjamin into the corner. He followed up with a big splash and then followed it up with a sumplex. He went for a cover and got a short cover and Benjamin kicked out.
Conway snitched in a rear chin-lock and Benjamin eventually fought out. The two traded blows before Benjamin hit him with a flying forearm. Conway countered a back body drop attempt but Benjamin hit him with a takedown. Conway kicked out of the pin and went on the offensive. He went for a sumplex and instead hit Benjamin with a big knee lift. He went to hit Benjamin and got hit with a punch, which knocked him back. Benjamin hit a flying bulldog over the top rope from the apron and scored the pinfall.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin via pinfall
After the match Benjamin made his way up the ramp in celebration. When he got to the top of the ramp he was met by Mohammed Hassan who jumped him. After a brief scuffle, Hassan eventually gained the upper hand and choked Shelton Benjamin out with a belt.
Edge was shown in the back prepping for his match against Shawn Michaels.
****Commercial****
John Cena’s new music video “Bad, Bad Man” was shown.
Shawn Michaels was in the back with Maria. She called him Edge but HBK let it go saying that everyone didn’t think he could win. He put over Shelton Benjamin as the ‘best piece of talent he’s seen in the WWE in the last ten years”. However this week he was facing Edge and that he was going to cause him the biggest hissy-fit he’s thrown ever. HBK-Edge is next!
****Commercial****
Edge v. Shawn Michaels
Both men came down to the ring and we cut to a quick commercial.
****Commercial****
We came back from the break with the match underway.
HBK launched himself over the top rope with a cross body to Edge on the floor. The two laid on the ramp motionless before HBK came to life. He connected with some chops before tossing Edge back in the ring.
Back in the ring HBK whipped Edge into the ropes but was countered and Edge lifted Michaels and dropped him throat first on the top rope. Edge went to work on HBK’s throat choking him on the middle rope. “You screwed Matt” chants rang out as Edge went back to choking Michales with his boot.
Edge hit a snap-mare takeover and clamped on a rear sleeper hold on HBK. Michaels fed off the crowd and eventually broke out with some chops and elbows to the gut. However he was cut off by a big reverse elbow by Edge. Edge went for the cover but only got a two count. Edge then planted him with a head butt. But Michaels fought back again, only to be stopped again by a rake to the eyes. Edge went for the cover but again only got a short two count. He slapped on his rear chin-lock again and tried to wear HBK down.
HBK, again feeding off of the crowd’s chants, fought his way to his feet and connected with some elbows. Again though, Edge ripped Michaels down on his back again by the hair. Edge ascended the ropes but was stopped by Michaels. The two exchanged blows before Michaels was knocked off the turnbuckle. Edge went for an axe handle but HBK caught him with a punch. HBK hit a knee lift but didn’t have the energy to counter.
HBK eventually fought his way back to his feet and hit some chops then a flying forearm and nipped up. He hit his inverted atomic drop then hit some straight right hands and a back body drop. Michaels connected with a body slam then went to the top rope for his flying elbow drop and connected. Michaels then tuned up the band and began stomping.
Edge made his way to his feet and HBK missed the kick. Edge tried to hit an electric chair drop but it was countered into a victory role. Edge kicked out of the roll but ended up hitting a big takedown. Edge couldn’t get the pin and then worked HBK to the corner with some big right hands. Edge had an Irish whip countered and almost nailed the ref. HBK came barreling in and knocked out the ref and Edge hit his inverted DDT.
Edge then ducked in the corner preparing for his patented spear. He motioned for Michaels to get up as HBK struggled to his feet. Edge came running in but found himself on the business end of sweet chin music. HBK went for the cover but Mike Chiota was out and unable to make the count. As he went to revive the ref, Edge grabbed the brief case but missed. Michaels hit some straight right hands but was flipped over the rope. Michaels countered Edge’s attack with a sunset flip. However, Edge grabbed the briefcase and nailed Michaels with it. He made the cover for the 1, 2, 3 and the win.
Winner: Edge via pinfall
Edge celebrated with the briefcase at the top of the ramp as Michaels tried to come to.
JR and King put over next week’s matches, Kane v. Edge and Christian v. Ric Flair as the show went off the air.
RAW THOUGHTS
The Good-- Again the WWE made good use of the time allotted and left the viewer hanging a bit as to what was going to happen next. It looks like we’re going to get a Shelton Benjamin-Mohammed Hassan feud and I have a sneaking suspicion Kane and Edge’s paths won’t stop crossing after next week. The Edge-HBK match was very solid stuff, and HBK continues to impress. And how about the teased La Resistance split? One of them is going to Smackdown!.
And again, Christian was gold in his interactions with Flair. It’s the perfect program for him to work before he heads to Smackdown!.
The Bad-- I have to say I wasn’t overly impressed with the Triple H-Batista interaction. I’m admittedly a little nervous about the fact that the WWE may indeed be second guessing themselves on Batista, in their latest edition of “slap a star’. Triple H’s absence from Raw means one of two things: A.) Batista needs to produce for a little while on his own or we’ll get the title change at Vengeance, or B.) the WWE is genuinely looking to build a show >not involving Triple H.
If past experiences are any indicator, I’m not optimistic.
The Ugly-- Good god, Lita and Edge are getting a ton of heat. It’s getting to the point where Lita is practically unusable once they stick her out into the arena. She gets so much heat that it almost takes away from what’s supposed to be getting over. While she does indeed deserve it, it is a problem.
Overall—B Another decent showing by the Raw brand this week. Story-lines are developing nicely and the upcoming draft isn’t going to tank the story-lines. Vengeance looks like it’s starting to gradually take shape. I’ll peg it now, Edge wins next week, feuds with Kane at Vengeance, get his shot at Summerslam, loses, uses the contract and wins the title at Unforgiven. If it’s not blatantly obvious by this time I don’t know what is. However, that’s entirely up to Batista to get over enough to make it there.
Good Segments for the most part as they all seemed to have a purpose. The main event was very solid as well.
Quick Results
Chris Jericho def. Daivari
Viscera def. Sylvain Grenier
Kane def. Chris Benoit
Ric Flair def. Tyson Tomko
Shelton Benjamin def. Rob Conway
Edge def. Shawn Michaels
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not
Biggest Pops
1. Shawn Michaels
2. Batista
3. Chris Jericho
4. Chris Benoit
Most Heat
1. Lita
2. Triple H
3. Mohammed Hassan
4. Edge
Match of the Night: Edge v. Shawn Michaels **3/4
Any Questions, comments, or feedback send email me at Raw@wrestleview.com