On Monday, September 12, 2005 at 11:39 PM EST WWE Raw
September 12, 2005
Little Rock, AR
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Jonathan Coachman
Reported By: Hunter Golden of Wrestleview.com
JR and co. welcomed us to the show as the opening pyro hit.
Big Show v. Edge
The two locked up and Big Show took the early advantage working over Edge’s arm and crotching him on the ropes. He tossed Edge and then immediately thrust Edge into the corner and hit him with his ‘shhhh’ chop. Edge was able, however, to snap mare Show’s head on the top rope and press the advantage. He backed the big man into the corner with some punches and went for a Tornado DDT off the top ropes but ended up getting tossed. As Big Show followed the fallen Edge in the corner, Snitsky showed up out of nowhere.
Show beat Snitsky down quickly before Snitsky caught a boot. As Edge and Snitsky worked over Big Show, Matt Hardy ran in to make the save. This prompted Eric Bischoff to come out and make the match a tag team match.
Winner: No Contest
Matt Hardy & Big Show v. Edge & Snitsky
Hardy went to work on Edge hitting some punches and elbows to the back of the neck. Hardy went for a pile driver but it was countered into a back body drop by Edge. As Hardy climbed to his feet he was met with some punches before being shot off the ropes. Edge missed the drop kick and Hardy hit a sling shot into the corner. He rolled Edge up for a two count before tagging in Big Show.
Show landed another huge chop in the corner before choking Edge out with his boot. He went for a cover but Edge kicked out at two. Show tagged Hardy back in who landed some punches on Edge in the opposite corner before whipping Edge into the opposite turnbuckle. He booted away at Edge who was hanging on the top rope. He tagged in Big Show who came in and landed a huge boot to the gut of his own.
****Commercial****
We came back to Edge holding Hardy in a headlock. Hardy fought out, selling an arm injury from the commercial break. Edge hit an arm bar take down before stomping away at Hardy in the corner. He smashed Hardy’s arm into the ring post before tagging in Snitsky. Snitsky tossed Hardy off the top turn buckle and only got a two count on the cover. Snitsky landed two stomps and an elbow before tagging Edge back in, who went right back to work on Hardy’s arm. Edge dropped another elbow on Hardy’s arm before tagging Snitsky back in. Hardy countered a Snitsky power slam attempt and hit a reverse DDT, leaving both men on the ground. Hardy almost reached Big Show but tagged in Edge came and almost knocked him off the apron. Show went after Edge on the outside of the ring, missing a big kick before getting nailed with the briefcase, knocking Show out.
Hardy was in the ring with Snitsky and caught the big man coming into the corner with a boot. Hardy hit his leg drop off the top rope but Lita tried to pull him off the cover. Hardy chased Lita on the outside and then back into the ring. He went for the twist of fate on Lita and Edge came at him with the briefcase. Matt caught him coming in but was crotched by Lita. Edge recovered and hit the spear and the 1, 2, 3 pin fall victory.
Winners: Edge and Snitsky via pin fall
After the match, Lita hit a twist of fate on Matt Hardy and she and Edge celebrated over Hardy’s body. JR and Coach put over the cage match between the two at Unforgiven.
Later tonight, it’ll be Ric Flair v. Chris Masters. WWE Champion John Cena is also scheduled to square off against Kurt Angle and Tyson Tomko in a handicapped match in the main event.
****Commercial****
Shawn Michael’s music hit the arena and Todd Grisham came out with him. Grisham showed us a clip of last week’s Master Lock Challenge.
HBK said there was a part of him that wanted to get upset but another part that said ‘what was I thinking’. He put over Master’s stats and age and up until last week no one had been able to break the hold. He said it begged the question as to why he participated.
He said he was the Heart Break Kid, Shawn Michaels and whether he was right or wrong, he believed he was untouchable and made out of Teflon. He said he could do things others couldn’t and that’s why Masters picked him to be in the challenge. He said that’s why he decided to bust his head open as well. The idea, he said, that at Unforgiven, he would have the opportunity to step into the ring with him, was simply not enough for him, so he decided to take it a little bit too far. He said that was Master’s big mistake.
He said he became famous for taking things one step too far and at Unforgiven Masters would find out why. He said tonight he’d have his hands full with the 16-time World Champion. A bunch of loud Woo’s came out from the back and out walked Ric Flair.
He said Masters would have his hands full with him. He said he was big, bad, 24, and strong. He said tonight he wondered if Masters could go head up with the dirtiest player in the game. He said he hoped Carlito was watching because he’d win the IC title for the first time.
HBK put over his super kicked and the two woo’d and danced around together to HBK’s music.
JR put over the handicapped match later tonight between John Cena and the team of Kurt Angle and Tyson Tomko.
A video clip of last week’s run-in between the two aired.
****Commercial****
Kerwin White v. Shelton Benjamin
White popped his collar for the match as Benjamin took him down with a waist-lock take down. The two locked up again and Benjamin took him down with a head lock take down. Benjamin threw him off the ropes and hit him with a shoulder block. White got up and hit a low kick and a shoulder block. Shelton nipped up and ducked under a white punch and missed as White came back off the ropes. Kerwin got up but got nailed with a clothesline.
Shelton backed White into the corner and whipped White but got caught with a back elbow and then a missile drop kick. White got a two count on the cover attempt. White went for his clothes hanger, The referee took the hanger but White used his shirt to choke Benjamin. White went for a cover but got nothing on the count. Shelton fought his way back to his feet and countered a whip attempt with a Samoan drop.
Shelton landed some punches before tossing White off the ropes and hit a reverse elbow. He went for a body slam but it was countered but Shelton caught him with a back breaker. White hit a back elbow and came off the ropes but got caught in a high back body drop. White countered a jaw breaker but got caught with a heel kick that knocked him to the ring side area. Shelton tossed White back in the ring but got nailed with a golf club upon coming in. The referee dq’d White.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin via DQ
White blew kisses to the crowd as Shelton’s music played. He climbed back into his golf cart and drove back up the ramp.
Kurt Angle was in the back. He put over his accomplishments and called himself the greatest pro wrestler on the planet. He said Bischoff knew it, the fans knew it, and that Cena knew it. He said at night, he knew Angle was better than him. He said he had his rap career but Angle said he knew the WWE title was most important to Cena. He said at Unforgiven he’d take more than just his title. He told him to think about what he would take from him on Sunday.
****Commercial****
Torrie Wilson’s music hit the arena and she was accompanied to the ring by Candice and Victoria.
Candice said she was having a lot of fun with Ashley the past couple of weeks. They said they had another special surprise for her. Ashley’s music hit and she made her way down to the ring.
She paused on the ramp and was cut off by Torrie. Torrie said she had passed her initiation. Ashley said she wouldn’t come in and get jumped. She said she was coming down to that ring though. She said she had a special surprise for Torrie. Trish Stratus’ music hit and Trish came out with he WWE Women’s title in hand. Trish jumped Victoria and went to town. Torrie grabbed her and Ashley took out Candice. Victoria and Torrie tried to go to work on Trish but botched it. Ashley worked over Candice and threw her back into the ring and planted her with a big clothesline. Trish and Ashley celebrated in the ring to end the segment.
JR put over the Masters-Flair match later which is next!
****Commercial****
Ric Flair v. Chris Masters
Masters taunted Flair, “woo-ing” at him. Flair then mocked Masters in return posing for the crowd. Masters caught Flair in two consecutive Military Presses and left Flair in a heap of pain. As he climbed to his feet, Flair began chopping away. Masters chopped right back but came up on the short end of the stick. Flair went to the top rope but got slammed off. Masters hit a big power slam who began taunting Flair and got ready for the master lock. He went for the hold but Flair avoided it and escaped. Flair pulled masters to the outside of the ring and chopped and punched away at the “Masterpiece”. Masters eventually gained the advantage, hitting a side slam, leaving Flair in a heap as we went to commercial, which left the Nature Boy writhing in pain.
****Commercial****
Masters was attempting to wear Flair down in the ring with a bear hug. Flair eventually broke out of the hold and began biting and chopping Masters. He clamped on the Figure Four but Carlito came running down and broke the hold, releasing Masters from the hold.
Winner: Ric Flair via DQ
After the match, HBK ran down to make the save and hit Sweet Chin Music on Carlito but got caught in the Master Lock. HBK passed out and was left laying on the mat as the segment ended.
****Commercial****
Cade & Murdoch v. Eugene & Tajiri
Run of the mill action here. Tajiri got the hot tag around five minutes into the match and cleaned house. He caught Cade in the tarantula but got knocked to the outside by Murdoch. Eugene and the referee got in a bit of a dispute.
The referee and Eugene tried to reason with the referee as Murdoch hit a big powerbomb which was followed up by a big flying elbow for Cade which resulted in the 1, 2, 3 pin fall victory.
Winners: Cade & Murdoch
****Commercial****
Lita was on the mic when we came back. She said he was strong, young buck. She said he couldn’t be held down because tonight, the woman did. She said in a second life can change with a cruel twist of fate.
Edge said Hardy can stay in his pulpit all he wants. He welcomed Hardy to the devil’s pulpit. He said he took his woman and that he lost his job. He said he ruined his comeback at Summerslam. He said he took the best Hardy had to offer and was still standing. He said Hardy paints himself as a hero or knight in shining armor. He said this story would end at Unforgiven and it wouldn’t end happy. He told Hardy to look up and wipe the blood and tears out of his eyes. He wanted him to see himself and Lita kissing his career good bye. The two made out to end the segment.
Coach put over “Calling” by Taproot as the official theme song of Unforgiven as JR and King ran down the card for this Sunday. Here’s the card:
WWE Championship
John Cena (c) v. Kurt Angle
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Carlito © v. Ric Flair
Chris Masters v. Shawn Michaels
Steel Cage Match
Matt Hardy v. Edge
Big Show v. Snitsky
Trish & Ashley v. Torrie & Victoria
Eric Bischoff was on his cell phone in the back when John Cena walked in. Cena said he wouldn’t participate in the match tonight and the main event at Unforgiven. He said he had nothing left. He looked down at his championship belt and went to hand it to Bischoff. As Bischoff went to take it, Cena jerked it away, calling Bischoff a ‘stupid son of a bitch’. He said his quitting would be bush league. He said he’d never quit and that he’d never back down. He said pretty soon Bischoff would run out of cards to play. He said he’d still be here kicking ass in the end. He said the ‘champ is here’ and the segment ended.
****Commercial****
John Cena v. Kurt Angle & Tyson Tomko
Tomko and Cena started the match. Tomko hit Cena from behind but missed a punch and Cena caught him in a double legged take down and connected with some punches. He bounded off the ropes but Angle nailed him in the back of the head. Angle was tagged in and hit a European Uppercut and some punches before whipping Cena into the buckles. He got caught coming in and Cena whipped angle in instead and got a big side slam and a near fall.
Angle raked the eyes and tagged Tomko. Tomko whipped Cena off the ropes but Cena got a body press and a few clotheslines. He cheap shotted Angle and dropped some elbows and a body slam on Tomko. Angle came running in from the outside and got nailed with Tomko’s big boot. Tomko crawled over for the cover but Cena quickly got the shoulder up.
****Commercial****
Cena was in a heap of trouble, being stomped to death by Angle in the corner. Angle choked Cena in the corner with Raw GM Eric Bischoff looking on from the stage. Angle clamped on a rear head lock and clamped it in hard. Cena fought to his feet but Angle clubbed away at Cena’s back. He gathered Cena in the corner and hit a shoulder before tagging in Tomko.
Tomko hit a huge power slam and a two count on the cover. Tomko whipped Cena into the corner and Cena caught him with a boot and a flying shoulder block. Cena rushed Tomko into the corner and punched away at the big man’s mid section. Angle rushed in and hit a huge belly to back suplex leaving Cena in a heap. Tomko hit an elbow before tagging Angle in.
Angle hit a stomp and then a knee, knocking Cena to his back. Angle mounted him and hit some right hands and choked the champion before the referee broke them up. Angle went for a cover but Cena kicked out twice. Angle tagged Tomko back in and he stomped away on Cena. He went for a cover but only got a two count again.
Cena hit a punch and rammed Cena’s head in to the turnbuckle and followed it up with some punches and another near fall. Angle was tagged back in and he hit a kick to the mid section. Angle suplexed Cena and got another near-fall. Angle put on a tight reverse chin lock on the champion and wrenched it in. Cena fought to his feet, being rallied by the crowd. Cena hit a back suplex and he and Angle were left laying in the ring. Angle tagged in Tomko.
Tomko went for a punch but it was blocked and Cena countered. Cena hit two clotheslines and then his flying hip toss. He hit a modified fisherman buster and a spine buster on Angle. Tomko hit Cena down stairs and whipped him into the buckles but missed the follow up and got caught in the FU. Angle came rushing in and hit a huge angle slam on both Cena and Tomko. Angle suplexed Cena and went for a follow up but a miscommunication occurred and Tomko nailed Angle with the big boot, sending him to the outside.
Tomko reeled around and got caught in the FU. Cena nailed it and got the pin fall for the victory.
Winner: John Cena via pin fall
After the match, Angle jumped Cena and hit some vicious cross faces and punches before burying Cena with another Angle Slam. Angle stomped on Cena’s privates before dragging him to the ring post, smashing Cena’s ankle off the post. He dropped a huge elbow on it inside the ring . Cena writhed in pain on the mat while Angle taunted him. Bischoff came into the ring and taunted Cena as Angle choked him with his boot, telling him his career was over. JR put over the fact that Cena may have a broken ankle heading into Unforgiven. Angle walked out of the ring slowly with his music playing. A replay of the ankle assault was shown and we went off the air with Angle celebrating at the top of the stage.RAW THOUGHTSThe Good-- First of all, let me say just how psyched I am for the Cena-Angle match this Sunday. The WWE went back to the well with the handicapped match with Cena, but played it off with a point and REALLY got Angle over a serious contender for Cena. Cena’s ankle could be used as an excuse if he loses or it can be played off as Cena over coming the odds. Great job WWE.
I’m also liking how the matches are now being used to progress storylines. Almost the entire night was centered around progressing stories through wrestling matches. Big Show, Hardy, Edge, Snitsky, Flair, Masters, Cena, and Angle all had their storylines progressed through wrestling matches and we didn’t really have to sit through too much fodder. Again, the delivery still needs improvement, but the booking has gotten a lot better.
And John Cena had his best TV match tonight since he’s been on Raw.
The BAD-- The matches were pretty damn poor. Again, I’m happy the WWE are using wrestling matches on a wrestling show, but the matches could be a LOT better.
As glad as I am to see Trish back, I’m bummed she’s not working heel anymore. Now it could entirely be possible we see her turn on Ashley after their match this Sunday, but this IS the WWE and I’m not betting any money on it.
And as for the pay per view, we’re only getting six matches. Would have liked to have seen something /* on there.
The UGLY-- Maybe it was just me, but the crowd was DEAD tonight. Little Rock crowds are usually red hot (see No Mercy 2002) and it’s not a good sign when one of your clutch markets is that dead for a show.
Overall- C+-- This wasn’t a BAD Raw necessarily, but wasn’t good by any means either. There are signs the WWE is revamping their direction with their booking a bit which is refreshing, but the delivery by creative still isn’t there. I’m into Cena-Angle and interested in Masters-HBK and Flair-Carlito, but I’m skeptical about how the pay per view will end up on Sunday.
Quick Results
Big Show and Edge wrestled to a No Contest
Edge & Snitsky def. Matt Hardy & Big Show
Shelton Benjamin def. Kerwin White
Ric Flair def. Chris Masters
Cade & Murdoch def. Eugene & Tajiri
John Cena def. Kurt Angle & Tyson Tomko
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not
Biggest Pops
1. John Cena
2. Shawn Michaels
3. Ric Flair
4. Big Show
Most Heat
1. Kurt Angle
2. Edge
3. Chris Masters
4. Kerwin White
Match of the Night: John Cena v. Kurt Angle & Tyson Tomko **
Power RankingsWWE Champion: John Cena (LAST WEEK: WWE Champion)-- This is the first title defense that Cena is seriously in danger of losing his title. Cena’s done his part here as well. I’m expecting his match with Angle to be good at Unforgiven. Very good. I thought the feud took a turn for the better tonight with the use of an old trick but with a new twist at the end. At least something that makes sense. We’ll see if Cena is still here next Monday Night.
Intercontinental Champion: Carlito (LAST WEEK: IC Champion)-- Like Cena, this is the first match I’m interested in since he won the title. Flair and Carlito should make an interesting old style sort of match up. I think some people are dreading this labeling it as a bad match, but I think it’ll just be different.
1.) Kurt Angle (LAST WEEK: 1)--Angle really came off as a total bad ass tonight and firmly established himself as Cena’s greatest threat yet. Next Monday we could very well have a new WWE champion. Angle’s intensity has been great thus far.
2.) Edge (LAST WEEK: 3)--Edge picks up yet another win this week and IF he beats Hardy this Sunday, could very well be the next #1 contender to Cena’s WWE title. In fact, JR went well out of his way to put over Edge’s money in the bank contract, which is something I don’t think creative wants us to forget. Expect him to get a shot soon.
3.) Shawn Michaels(LAST WEEK: 2)-- HBK drops down a little bit this week I think. I think the Masters feud has stalled a little bit, however the Masters match this Sunday should be interesting. Masters is WAY ahead of where Batista was when he wrestled HBK in late 2003. This could definitely be good. If HBK gets the win and Angle wins the title, expect the two to headline Survivor Series.
4.) Chris Masters(LAST WEEK:5)-- Masters is really coming along as a heel which is good to see. He’s got all the tools to be a great big man someday and he’ll take his first important step towards cementing himself on the roster when he faces HBK this Sunday. HBK has gone out of his way to make Masters look VERY good.
5.) Big Show (LAST WEEK: 5)-- Show lost his first match tonight, although it was just a tag team match tonight. I for one, have little problem with the Snitsky feud, but they’re focusing on all the wrong things. It could be an ‘interesting’ program had they played off an alternative angle. Show will likely get the win though.
6.) Matt Hardy (LAST WEEK: 7)-- Despite the loss, Hardy moves up a bit, riding the momentum of his biggest feud ever. If Hardy wins, he could be a player. If not, then his future is most definitely in question. This Sunday is HUGE for Hardy.
7.) Ric Flair (LAST WEEK: 9)-- Flair has been great in his feud with Carlito thus far. The interaction with HBK is almost ideal set up for a Triple H feud for Survivor Series. This Sunday’s match with Carlito may be the hardest match to pick on the entire card.
8.) Snitsky (LAST WEEK: 10)-- Snitsky could be an excellent career mid carder if the WWE had any clue. His humor his great. I for one don’t care that he can’t wrestle worth a crap. He’s damn funny, but for whatever reason, he doesn’t get pushed as a funny guy. He moves up solely because of his TV time.
9.) Rob Conway(LAST WEEK: 8)-- Another quiet week for Conway, but he’s yet to lose a big match thus far. Stays in the top 10.
10.) Kerwin White (LAST WEEK: NR)-- I may be the only net reporter in all of cyber space that LOVES Chavo’s new gimmick. He’s easily one of the funniest characters on Raw right now.
Dropping Out: NONE
Any Questions, comments, or feedback send email me at Raw@wrestleview.com.