On Tuesday, October 11, 2005 at 12:19 AM EST WWE Raw
October 10, 2005
Corpus Christi, TX
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Jonathan Coachman
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
For the first time on television, the new “The Power is Back” opening vignette ran right before the show.
A video recap of last week’s Raw homecoming aired. The opening credits rolled and the pyro hit and here we go.
Stephanie McMahon’s music hit the arena and she came down to the ring. JR and King welcomed us and put over that tonight someone was going to get fired.
Stephanie said the McMahon family personifies the WWE. She said last week was their big week on the Homecoming. She said it was ruined by Steve Austin who stunned her entire family. She put over the fact that she was the favorite McMahon family member to get stunned last week and she couldn’t figure it out. She said from the comments on the internet that they didn’t like her and it must be because we’re all jealous. She said women were jealous of her body and brains. She said the men were just intimidated by her. She even said she had bigger balls than every man in the arena. She said people hadn’t seen anything yet. She said she was Vince’s daughter and that she could do what she wanted when she wanted. She sort of stopped and pointed to a guy with a headset on. He looked like he was trying to give her a cue to wrap it up.
She asked him what his deal was and then slapped him. She said that would be a lesson to everyone. She went over to Lillian Garcia and smacked her too. She told the camera man to back up and shoved him over. She said her Dad was on his way to the arena right now and that someone was going to get fired. Her music hit and the segment was over.
She made her way up the ramp and to the announce table where she asked JR and King to help her up on the table. She said ‘You all think I’m a bitch don’t you? Well you’re right, the bitch is back!”.
****Commercial****
DOINK THE CLOWN’S music hit the arena and he came out to the ring. Apparently he has a match.
Doink the Clown v. Rob Conway
A clip of Rob Conway interrupting the legends last week on the Homecoming show aired before the match.
Doink got a ‘yeah, boo’ thing going with the crowd. The two locked up and Doink tried a roll up and an inside cradle to no effect early on. He came off the ropes and got a near fall on a sunset flip. More cheering went on and Conway took off his glasses. Conway tried a kick but it was blocked and met with a thumb to the yes and a kick to the back side.
Conway retaliated with a hard clothesline out of the corner and some stomps before choking the clown out on the mat. Conway booted away at Doink in the corner and stomped him all the way to the canvas. Conway screamed that he was a legend before choking away at Doink some more.
Conway dragged him out of the corner and hit a swinging neck breaker. He whipped Doink into the corner but got met with a back elbow that sent him reeling back. Doink came rumbling out of the corner but Conway hit a kick to the gut and the ego trip for the pin fall and the victory.
Winner: Rob Conway via pin fall
Conway got on the mic and called all the WWE legends a joke and told them that they were all looking at a future WWE hall of famer. He tossed the mic down and stomped away at Doink some more. Eugene came running down the ramp and tried to make the save. Eugene tossed Conway out of the ring but once he tended to Doink, Conway snuck back in the ring and hit an ego trip and celebrated over both men.
Coach and JR put over the fact that rumors had swirled around the internet regarding his potential dismissal tonight. JR said all he was worried about was doing his job.
A video package aired of the Triple H-Ric Flair incident from last week.
****Commercial****
Carlito’s Cabana
Carlito was in the ring with a mic. He said he wanted to let the McMahon’s know that if he had known what was going on, he would’ve come down and spit in Steve Austin’s face. He said tonight’s show was about who was going to be #1 contender for the WWE Championship. He said last week’s iron man match was a tie.
Kurt Angle’s music hit the arena and he came down the ramp and to the ring.
Angle grabbed the mic and said that he kicked the living hell out of Shawn Michaels. All of a sudden HBK’s music hit and he came down to the ring.
HBK asked him if he said he made it clear who was better. He said to him it couldn’t be more unclear. He said after they tied he gave him the opportunity for sudden death and Angle walked. He said that told him one of two things. Either he doesn’t want to be WWE Champion or he doesn’t want anymore of Shawn Michaels.
Angle asked HBK if he thought he was scared of him. He said HBK should be scared of losing his job. He said he was Raw’s meal ticket. He said the last time he was WWE Champion on the USA network, WCW went out of business. He said he doesn’t care what the score board was last week, he deserved to be #1 contender.
All of a Sudden Big Show’s music hit the arena and he made his way to the ring.
HBK was sitting in the beach chair drinking a pina collada. Show said he was patiently sitting in the back waiting his turn ever since he came to Raw. He said he had an epiphany in the back. He said when you’re a giant, you don’t wait in line, you step in wherever you want. He said personally he’d like to have a shot and he’d love to see Angle do something about it.
Edge’s music hit the arena and he came down to the ring escorted by Lita.
Edge said they all must be forgetting something. He said he was the only one with a guaranteed title shot in the bank. He said last week he became a career killer. He said the only thing they should worry about was who was going to join Matt Hardy in the unemployment line. He said they should hold up title shots until he decided to cash in his title shot.
Carlito said it shouldn’t be him because Edge didn’t help Raw fight Smackdown last week. He said everyone in the ring hated each other but that everyone hated Edge for sure. He said if anyone should be number 1 contender it should be Carlito.
John Cena’s music hit the arena and he came out to the ramp.
He said they had a ring filled with number one contenders. He said HBK was a little too friendly wearing chaps, chains, and leather. He said Gold medal or not he was going south, and was going to put his piece in his mouth. He said that Show was giant and enormous, but just another Big thing with small packages. Carlito was a chia pet putz. Instead of spitting out apples, he should be choking on Cena’s nuts. Then he just said Lita was a slut. He shook her hand last week and he got gonorrhea. He claimed Edge was money in the bank and that he knew him. He said John Cena was like a pinwheel and said he could go along and blow him. He said the champ was here and that he’d fight them all.
Trish Stratus was in the back getting ready to defend her WWE Women’s title against Victoria, which is next!
****Commercial****
It was announced that later tonight we’d see a 6-Man Tag Team Match later tonight.
Chris Master v. Tajiri
Tajiri jumped Masters from behind on his entrance. Tajiri kicked Masters with a spinning heel kick and a close fall. He went for a sunset flip but Masters nailed him with a punch then a double under-hook suplex. Masters went to collect Tajiri but Tajiri kicked him. Eventually Masters caught a kick and sent Tajiri reeling. He whipped Tajiri into the opposite corner and went for the tarantula.
Tajiri hit some elbows to the head and then nailed him with a big crescent kick. He got a near fall on the cover before missing a clothesline attempt and getting clamped in the Master Lock. Tajiri fought but eventually passed out to give Masters the victory.
Winner: Chris Masters
Triple H was shown in the back and was confronted by Shawn Michaels. HBK said he knew Triple H was capable of just about anything and that what he did last week was just too much. Triple H just laughed at him and walked by a lot of wrestlers who weren’t very approving. Big Show was at the end of the hallway and said that someday he was going to get his. Triple H walked away before encountering John Cena. Cena said he didn’t know him and he wasn’t going to judge him. He said after last week, he lost a lot of respect. Triple H turned around and said if I was you, the last thing I’d want to do was get my attention. Cena said if he wanted some, come get some.
Triple H told him not to worry that when he wanted some he’d come and take it. He tossed a backstage worker aside before walking on down the hallway.
****Commercial****
Triple H’s music hit the arena and he came out to the ramp and down to the ring.
Triple H said it was pretty hostile back stage. He said it was no one’s damn business why he attacked Ric Flair. He said that the people cared about Ric Flair. He said he worshiped the ground he walked on. He said no one was a bigger mark for Flair than him. He said Ric Flair to him was the greatest wrestler in history. He said that’s why he was so excited to see him come to the WWE four years ago until he saw him. He said he was a shell of a man but that he let Flair sit at his right hand, bask in his light, and brought him back to life. He said Ric Flair appeared to be back again.
He said than a month ago on his time off, he watched on TV as he let people spit in his face. He said that he knew he had been showing a blind eye to what was happening. He said two weeks later he climbed to the top rope and flew through the top rope. He said he watched him nail Carlito and watched Flair and the fans cheer. He said Flair cheered because he finally did one thing right. He said that same night, Flair stood in the ring and held the IC belt and everyone went crazy. He said Flair wallowed in his newfound mediocrity. Triple H said he cried to see what Flair had become.
He said he knew then, that he had to take the ‘horse behind the barn and pull the trigger’. He said it was over. No more limousine riding, jet flying, no more Nature Boy. He said he was going to be damned to see someone tarnish his memories of Ric Flair. The crowd cheered for Flair.
He said the crowd wanted to see Flair but that Flair shouldn’t listen to it. He said Flair had no business being in the ring. He said to Ric Flair, he no longer exists. He said without him, Ric Flair is nothing. He said Flair needed to face facts and come to terms, that he was no longer the dirtiest player in the game. He said in fact, Flair wasn’t even in the game. He said Flair was no longer a player. He said for Flair the game was over.
Triple H walked to the top of the ramp, woo’d and strutted back through the curtain to end the segment.
The Women’s Championship is next!
****Commercial****
A video clip aired putting over the Rock’s new movie, Doom 3. He compared one of the monsters to Big Show and the other to Lillian Garcia.
WWE Women’s Championship
Trish Stratus (c) v. Victoria
The two went right at it exchanging forearms. Trish hit a Lou Thesz press and some punches. Victoria went for a clothesline but Trish did the matrix move and avoided it. She went for a bulldog but got caught and creamed with a back breaker.
Victoria hit a snap suplex and then perched the champion on the ropes. She picked Trish up with a military press and tossed Trish to the mat. She went right after the back some more putting Trish in a modified Boston crab. She went for the pin fall but Trish kicked out at two. Trish hit a spine buster after Victoria was fighting with the ref.
Victoria recovered and collected Trish but got stung with a jaw breaker. Trish landed a few punches and forearms before whipping Victoria into the corner but got caught on the follow up. Victoria went to the top rope and Trish went for the stratosphere. Victoria caught her and came jumping off into a Boston crab. Trish powered out of it and almost rolled up Victoria.
Trish almost got caught coming back off the ropes but reversed the hold into a northern lights suplex for the win.
Winner and STILL Women’s Champion: Trish Stratus.
Victoria attacked Trish after the bell and Ashley Massarro came down to try and make the save but failed. An unknown woman came out of nowhere and cleaned house. She stared at the women’s belt before handing it back to Trish and walking back up the ramp.
****Commercial****
Trish was in the back with Ashley. Mickey James, the mystery woman introduced herself. Trish said the name sounded familiar and Mickey said she was her biggest fan. Mickey said she wanted to be just like her.
Mr. McMahon’s Limo pulled up to the arena.
****Commercial****
Carlito, Edge, & Kurt Angle v. Shawn Michaels, Big Show, & John Cena
Cena and Edge locked up and Edge backed him into the corner. Cena fought out with right hands and choked Edge out in the opposite corner. Cena whipped Edge but missed the follow up. Edge tagged Carlito who stomped away at Cena on the mat. Cena reversed the Irish whip but got back body dropped.
Cena tagged in Big Show who head butted Carlito, sending him reeling into the corner and hitting the frying pan chop. Angle came running in there but ended up in the corner and chopped as well. Show planted another big chop on Carlito before tossing Edge like a puppy across the ring.
Show whipped all three men into the other corner and charged in, smooshing all of them.
****Commercial****
We came back to Angle and Cena in the ring with Angle controlling. Edge was tagged in and he punched away at the champion in the corner. Edge dropped Cena with a punch then dropped an elbow to the back of his neck. Edge smashed Cena’s head off the turnbuckle and landed a chop. He landed a head-but before tagging in Carlito. Carlito punched Cena in the head and went for a suplex but it was reversed.
Cena crawled to the corner and hot tagged Shawn Michaels. Michaels leveled Carlito with the flying forearm and the inverted atomic drop and then cleaned house. Eventually he ended up in the ring alone with Carlito and tuned up the band. He went for the kick and got nailed by an oncoming Kurt Angle. Carlito went for the cover but HBK kicked out.
Carlito tagged in Angle who punched and kicked away at HBK in the corner. Angle then hit a big release German suplex and nearly got a pin fall. Angle put HBK in body scissors and tried to wear down his foe. HBK eventually rolled him over and landed some punches in the mount position. He went for another punch but Carlito tossed him over the top rope. Edge hit a spear on him while he was on the floor.
****Commercial****
Carlito was in control and chopped away at HBK in the corner. He choked away at HBK in the corner before landing a bunch of lefts. HBK fired right back whipping Carlito into the opposite corner but crashing into the ring post on the follow up. Carlito got a near fall before clamping HBK in a rear chin lock.
Michaels fought his way to his feet and landed some punches and broke the hold. He came off the ropes but got nailed with a standing drop kick and nearly got covered again. Carlito clamped on a rear face lock on Michaels who again fought his way to his feet and tried desperately to tag. He punched Carlito in the gut and then hit a back suplex.
HBK crawled to the corner and tagged in Big Show. Kurt Angle was tagged as well and he clothes-lined Angle three times. He went to choke slam Angle and caught Edge coming off the rope. He hit Carlito with a big boot then clothes-lined the two heels. He tagged in Cena who hit a sit out power bomb and then the five knuckle shuffle.
He went for the cover but Angle kicked out at two. Edge was looking on with a chair but got caught by Big Show who punted him over the security wall. Cena went for an FU but Carlito broke it up. HBK cleared Carlito over the ropes and Angle went for the ankle lock on Cena. Cena reversed it and slapped on an ankle lock of his own. Angle yanked his shorts just enough though and rolled up Cena for the three count and the victory.
Winner: Kurt Angle, Carlito, & Edge via pin fall
JR and co. showed a clip from earlier tonight of Stephanie McMahon promising that someone would get fired tonight.
Vince McMahon was shown walking to the arena.
****Commercial****
A video aired putting over Kane’s return next Monday night. Also, Mick Foley will be the guest on the Cabana.
Vince McMahon’s music hit and he came down to the ring.
McMahon said last week Steve Austin did the improbable, he stunned every McMahon family member. He said that is the only thing in his life that he’ll never forget nor forgive. He said he was going to fire someone as a result. He said he was a man of his word. He said the question was who would be fired. He asked who deserved to be fired and who was to blame. He said some say that Eric Bischoff should be fired but he won’t. He said he could single out who he was going to blame and it was Steve Austin.
But he said he’s not going to blame Austin for what he did. He said he wouldn’t fire Stone Cold, at least not yet. He said who were the people who really are to blame. He said that was the people who enjoyed it the most. He said he blamed everyone who enjoyed it and pointed to the fans. He said they were the people who caused him to do what he did to his family. As a result of that, he said he wanted everyone of the fans in the arena to consider themselves an employee of WWE. He said he was going to hire every single fan and have them work for him just so he can say ‘you’re fired’.
He said he fired everyone in the audience. He said there were three individuals who were closer to the action than anyone. He demanded that the Raw announce team come down to the ring. Coach jogged to the ring and stood at attention. Vince said that last week he was in there with his family and when he got stunned they did nothing. He said he was tough and could handle it. He said it wasn’t a big deal when Shane got stunned because he was tougher than Vince. But then they did nothing when his princess, Stephanie and Linda McMahon were stunned.
He said he was ashamed for all of them and demanded an apology from all of them. He said their jobs depended upon their answer. Coach was first. He said he was so sorry and practically began to cry. He said he could admit it and that he was a coward. He said he wished he could have done something but he wasn’t as brave as Mr. McMahon. He said he was an inspiration and thanked god that he was okay. Coach’s job was safe.
Lawler said he knew what it was like to be stunned and apologized if that meant he’d keep his job. Vince accepted his apology and dismissed him.
JR was next. JR said he was really sorry that Vince’s wife got stunned. Vince said it wasn’t good enough. Vince demanded another apologize. JR apologized. Vince thanked him. He said he wanted him to apologize to his kids. Stephanie made her way down to the ring.
Steph demanded an apology. The crowd chanted slut and Vince told them to shut their mouths right now. JR said he was sorry her mother got stunned. Steph then decked JR. He got up and Vince told him to hold up a second. He wanted JR to apologize to Shane. All of a sudden Linda McMahon’s music hit and she came down to the ring instead of Shane.
Vince said he wasn’t expecting her. He said this was no place for her and that Steph and him had everything covered. Linda grabbed the mic and said that as his devoted wife and Steph’s mother, he couldn’t let the two of them continue on this way. She said that last week, when they came back to USA, it was an awesome opportunity for a new beginning and a clean slate. She said the only way to garner respect from people was not by yelling and screaming, or pitching a fit, but by taking action.
She grabbed JR by the arm and said on behalf of the entire McMahon family, “you’re fired!”. Then kicked JR in the privates. Vince and Stephanie clapped approvingly. The McMahon family celebrated over JR’s crumpled body on the canvas as the show went off the air.RAW THOUGHTSThe Good-- I have to say I thought tonight certainly had a better feel to it than it ever did on Spike TV. Segment wise, the show was fairly strong and put on two decent matches.
The ambiguity in the title scene is also a fresh breath of air seeing as the WWE has been horrendously predictable over the past year or so. Angle got the pin, but who strikes next week?
Linda McMahon has the charisma of a thumb tac, but her firing JR was a good way to put a new spin on an old trick. A heel Linda could potentially be interesting.
Ah, and Triple H’s promo tonight was absolutely awesome and probably the best promo he’s cut in a very, very long time. This feud should be something /*.
Good effort by the ladies tonight as well. It’s a shocker they’re actually developing this division. This is perhaps one of the best matches, technically, that I’ve seen out of the Women’s division in quite some time and IMO, was match of the night. Victoria’s back work was incredibly cool and innovative. I wish the match had more time.
The Bad-- Again, I was disappointed in the fact that there wasn’t much wrestling to speak of. As strong as the segments were tonight, bringing back Doink isn’t going to get me into the product.
The Ugly-- Nothing particularly ugly, but Rob Conway becoming the new legend killer just ain’t working for me. Ah yes, and Chris Masters is doing absolutely nothing it appears.
Overall B-- Nothing real outstanding to speak of this week, but in all honesty, nothing was really bad. Sure the WWE seems to be going back to the well but at least their putting some new spins on some old tricks to mix stuff up again for the younger audience. Triple H-Cena was most definitely teased and it definitely gave us food for thought. Also take note of how much time Edge spent in the ring with Cena. Small clues of what may lay down the road.
Quick Results
Rob Conway def. Doink the Clown
Chris Masters def. Tajiri
Trish Stratus def. Victoria
Kurt Angle, Carlito, & Edge def. John Cena, Shawn Michaels, & The Big Show
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. John Cena
2. Shawn Michaels
3. Doink the Clown
4. Trish Stratus
Most Heat
1. Triple H
2. Stephanie McMahon
3. Edge
4. Kurt Angle
Match of the Night: Trish Stratus v. Victoria ***
Power RankingsWWE Champion: John Cena (LAST WEEK: WWE Champion)-- I think we may be seeing the beginning of the end for Cena. Angle got the pin victory, but somehow, I don’t think it’s going to be him that unseats Cena. I think Edge is legitimately going to get his crack and take that belt. There was a lot of work between Edge and Cena in the six man tag tonight which makes me think they’re getting a look at how these two mesh, however brief it may be.
Intercontinental Champion: Ric Flair (LAST WEEK: IC Champion)-- Quiet night for the Nature Boy. This feud should be great.
1.) Kurt Angle (LAST WEEK: 1)--Got a pin fall over the champion and a clean one at that. It definitely adds a little something extra to the match. I still have the feeling this is going to be a triple threat match at Taboo Tuesday though. Just seems really possible.
2.) Shawn Michaels (LAST WEEK: 2)--A great effort carrying the selling portion of the six man tonight. However, for some reason, I just don’t see him getting the go ahead for a title match unless he’s interjected into a fatal four way or they go with an Elimination Chamber, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Keep an eye on the return of Kane as well as it may be something worth looking at for HBK.
3.) Edge (LAST WEEK: 3)-- Stays put for now, but I see Edge sneaking into that 1 or 2 contender spot soon. I see him as a major threat and all that is needed right now is for WWE to go ahead with putting him in the title match. He MAY have a small detour with Big Show, but it’d probably be wise to skip that, and have that be his first title defense. Regardless, Edge is looking very strong.
4.) Big Show (LAST WEEK:4)-- Big Show will stay put as well. I’m glad they put him in the mix for this six man tonight. He deserves to be there and it makes sense. The guy hasn’t lost a match since coming to Raw. He should be there. Makes things interesting in the coming weeks. Show is always a fun third or fourth element.
5.) Triple H (LAST WEEK: 5)-- Triple H gave, in my opinion, his best promo in ages tonight. It wasn’t too long and it was right on point. It was emotional, vindictive, and everything it needed to be and an excellent way to kick the feud off. Don’t look for Triple H to really move up or down, but stay where he is. And by the way, they teased a Cena program and it got a pretty good pop.
6.) Carlito(LAST WEEK: 7)-- Carlito is in with the big boys and has carved himself out a great niche as a strong character on the Raw brand. His ring work isn’t up to scuff but it will improve as long as he’s in big, multi man matches and working with the best the company has to offer. Good option for Carlito even though his character doesn’t have much direction at this point.
7.) Chris Masters (LAST WEEK: 6) -- Another win, but unlike Carlito, got very little time this week and almost looked boarder line weak in his match with Tajiri tonight. That and it looks like the WWE forgot about him. Too bad, he was just starting to pick up some steam.
8.) Rob Conway (LAST WEEK: 8)-- Conway gets another win this week but it seems like the WWE can’t figure out whether they want him to be cocky, a legend killer, or something /*. He’s winning and performing well for the most part, but going nowhere fast.
9.) Kerwin White (LAST WEEK: 9)-- No appearance this week.
10.) Shelton Benjamin (LAST WEEK: 10)-- No appearance this week.
Dropping Out: N/A
Any Questions, comments, or feedback send email me at Raw@wrestleview.com.